The Cascade Vol. 20 No. 17

Vol. 20 Issue. 17

www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

Getting the hell out of here since 1993

CONVOCATION 2012 p.12 Should women still change their surname? p8

Languishing in lingerie! p16

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www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE News

Opinion

Arts & Life

Goodbye Safe Ride Home

Cannibalism

Droning of Bombers

Joe Johnson delves into the hot topic of Safe Ride Home no longer being a part of the U-Pass packages for students. Why are students losing their 25 dollar coupon for a taxi?

Dismemberment. riots. It’s first world despair. Jen Coulbourne takes a look at why the news is inundated with doom, and why students like us are right in the thick of it.

Read more on page 3

Sports & Health UFV Soccer

A review of the one woman show put on by the UFV Theatre department . Read our review about the story of a girl who dealt with living under German occupation.

Soccer teams are moving to the new campus in Chilliwack and it is bringing excitement and new opportunities. Katie Tegtemeier talks to both coaches about the new move.

Read more on page 9

Read more on page 19

Read more on page 8

EDITORIAL

The monkey needs a ride home PAUL ESAU

THE CASCADE Yes, that is a picture of a gorilla wearing a “Free Candy” sign posing with Mark Evered, the president of UFV. No, I say to the skeptical, it’s not a digital manipulation. No, I say to the naive, that is not a real gorilla.

What it is, what it really encapsulates, is one of those rare moments when reality defies the explanation. I could tell you why said photo exists, I could even tell you how I came to obtain it, but such qualification would only hamper the whimsy of the image. Some things in life need to be appreciated, not explained.

This is the mentality I have decided to take regarding the saga of the Student Union Society’s My Safe Ride Home program, which will be ending permanently next April.

It’s not easy to be a member of Student Union Society Board. It is easy to be elected to the Board (at least as a representative-atlarge) if the last election can be used as the rule, but that doesn’t make such a position itself easy.

Of course, it’s also our job here at The Cascade to make sure no one rests easy on their laurels, but we still do sympathize.

I’m speaking of Joe Johnson’s summary of the My Safe Ride Home program (pg. 3), which examines where exactly that portion of your $40 U-Pass fee is

Volume 20 · Issue 17 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-Chief esau@ufvcascade.ca Paul Esau Managing Editor ali@ufvcascade.ca Ali Siemens Business Manager joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Online Editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular

ending up. Turn around and ask your friends (if you have them) whether they’ve used their My Safe Ride Home credit.

Have they? I didn’t think so. Did they know that program was ending in April 2013? Do they know why the program is ending?

Read the article, then explain it to your friends. And next time you go out with them for a wild night on the town, make sure you’ve activated your MSRH credit at www.ufvsus.ca/ projects/u-pass/ and have your U-Pass holstered and ready. Use it before you lose it, since you’ve paid for it after all.

In all fairness, the current SUS Board has very little to do with the problems that has plagued the MSRH program since its inception in 2009, but that’s also part of the issue. No one likes to spend their time cleaning up after their predecessors, yet that seems to have become an annual portion of what SUS does. As I said, it’s not easy to be a member of the SUS Board.

My Safe Ride Home was a whimsical idea that no one seems able to explain. At least as eccentric as a gorilla posing with the president...

But, then again, that gorilla suit was only $50 to rent.

Production Manager stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art Director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Copy Editor joel@ufvcascade.ca Joel Smart News Editor news@ufvcascade.ca Paul Esau Opinion Editor opinion@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Arts & Life Editor arts@ufvcascade.ca Jennifer Colbourne Sports Editor sports@ufvcascade.ca Karen Aney Staff Writers Leanna Pankratz, Alexei Summers, Nadine Moedt

Contributors Nick Ubels, Tim Ubels, Jess Wind, Katie Tegtmeier, Paige Hoblak, Jeremy Hannaford, Alicia Williams, Blake McGuire, Dan van der Kroon, Taylor Johnson, Meghan Helmar, Aaron Levy

UPCOMING EVENTS

Printed By International WebExpress

July 9-13

June 28

June 23

June 24

Fashion camp registration now open

UFV Student Life Canada Day BBQ

2nd Annual AllFemale Strength and Athletic Challenge

10th Annual Vintage Classic Car Show

Have a kid or a younger sibling who loves all things fashion? UFV will be running a summer fashion camp for young adults 14-18. Campers will learn from industry professionals, create projects, and develop a fashion portfolio. The cost is $250 per camper.

Free BBQ, cake, henna body art, face painting, and crazy games from the imagination of Martin Kelly. Presumably they know that June 28 isn’t actually Canada Day, but heck, we at The Cascade never turn down the excuse to party.

Come cheer as the ladies flip tires, pull cars and perform other feats of strength and daring. Or ‘woman up’ and enter the event for the mere cost of $40. Finally an accurate usage for the word “empowering”!

Featuring the “Justin Bieber of motorcycle racing,” nine-year-old Jake Hayes, this show will feature a variety of entertainments aside from the 300 vintage vehicles in the streets of Chilliwack.

11-2 at U-House.

12-2 (participants must register at 11:30)

Vehicle registration starts at 9 am. Showtime is from 11-4.

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 second 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.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

www.ufvcascade.ca

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NEWS

Whatever happened to My Safe Ride Home? joe johnson

THE CASCADE

The My Safe Ride Home (MSRH) service provided by the Student Union Society (SUS) is slowly being phased out due to contractual difficulties. The MSRH service was an addition to the U-Pass, which provided students with a one-use $25 credit towards a cab expense.

When the U-Pass referendum passed back in 2009, the idea was for it to be a $40 subsidized entry for two key services, transit and recreational facilities in the Abbotsford, Mission and Chilliwack cities. But there was also one other purpose to the card, and that is to have the inclusion of valueadded services – one of which is known as My Safe Ride Home (MSRH).

The SUS’s communications administrator Jhim Burwell explained the way the program was designed to work. “If a student found themselves out in a situation that they really needed to get home quickly and safely, they would be able to call one of the partner cab companies and act the My Safe Ride Home,” he said.

“The cab company would come and put them at the top of the priority list right behind doctors and nurses, dispatch a cab and pick them up – take them straight home.”

In addition, MSRH was designed to bring revenue back to the SUS and minimize the U-Pass cost.

The program was a valuable service according to Burwell. “I will say, uncategorically, that

[MSRH] is a great program and it’s definitely a program I would invest in for my children and myself”.

The program will soon be removed, however. “As of April 2013 the My Safe Ride will have been phased out of the U-Pass,” Burwell said.

The reason behind that decision—which came to light a year after its actual implementation— was due to confusion of the original financial negotiations with the Aislinn Education & Safety Foundation, whom the SUS is partnered with on this venture.

The actual cost for the U-Pass design was to be $30 for transit and recreational facilities, roughly $5 for administration, and $5 for the value-add on.

At the launch of the program, the SUS believed that every member of the student body would contribute $5 into building a capital fund. Upon that, only first-

image: UFV/SUS

time registered students would then contribute $5. Being that the cab ride had a value of $25 the SUS would need five semesters of contributions to break even for each successive round of new entrants. The plan was to average it out so that students who stayed longer than the needed break-even period would make up for those students who would leave before then. If the students left the University without using that $25 credit, it would be split as profit between the SUS and Aislinn.

At least that was the understanding of the SUS. The Aislinn view (and the reality of the contract) was that at the end of every 365-day period the program would be refreshed – not the end of each student’s UFV career. This meant that students would continue paying for those other three semesters without coverage – that is unless they

Claims that Montreal student protests to threaten tourism industry “overblown” NADINE MOEDT

THE CASCADE

With the tourism season in Montreal kicking off for the summer, some fear that student protests will pose a threat to the industry. In early June, the Grand Prix—an auto race that generates an average of $100 million in revenue for the city—cancelled their open house, stating that after “the various disruption threats made public recently, the free admission and the naturally openness [sic] character of the ‘Open Doors’ day, revealed some risks that we could not neglect.” Cancelling their “Open Doors” day, they say, was the only action they could take.

However, Quebec student leaders are now saying that the claims that they pose any sort of risk to Montreal’s tourism industry have been wildly overblown in order to discredit their movement.

The heads of three of the province’s student associations made it clear that their intentions regarding the tourism industry are entirely peaceful.

“We broke the myth that the student movement is violent, that it wants to disrupt,” said Mar-

tine Deslardins, president of the Federation Etudiante Universitaire du Quebec (FEUQ). “It was towards the end of negotiations [with the government] that they tried to make people believe we wanted to disrupt the festivals this summer.”

Talks had broken off with the provincial Liberal government and student associations a week earlier.

Premier Jean Charest claims that a representative from CLASSE, the second largest and allegedly most hardline of student groups, had threatened to disrupt the Grand Prix. However, CLASSE spokesman Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois said in a statement that his group merely intended to be “distributing flyers.”

Despite efforts by student associations, Montreal’s tourism industry is feeling the effects of student demonstrations. Nightly rallies pass through the downtown core of Montreal, bringing police presence with them. The protesters have been marching for over 45 nights, even through mass arrests, such as on the night of May 23, when police took 518 people into custody. According to

figures released by tourism Montreal, hotel bookings were down by 10.7 per cent in the month of May. This month is not expected to do any better, with an estimated 10 to 12 per cent drop. Tourism is a significant industry in Montreal, with over 40,000 jobs generated and more than 15 million visitors yearly.

Protests in Quebec began in February, after the Liberals announced their plan to raise tuition by 75 per cent over the next five to seven years. About 180,000 university and college students voted to go on strike. Since then, the movement has spread to a larger social uprising against the government, escalating in particular when Bill 78 was introduced.

This emergency legislation was passed on May 18, 2012. It restricts the freedom of assembly, protest, or picketing near university grounds and anywhere in Quebec without prior police approval. It also places restrictions upon education employees to strike. The legislation was brought in by the National Assembly of Quebec, and has been a subject of great contention by many citizens of Quebec.

somehow knew to reregister.

It was only when the SUS received, in October 2010 one year after MSRH’s implementation, a cheque for roughly $104,000, that the misunderstanding began to become apparent. Still, the mistake was only realized after the money was reinvested back into student programs such as clubs & associations and grants.

Aislinn then received the other half of the fund ($104,000), in accordance with the contract SUS had signed.

While the fact that MSRH was designed to turn a profit for Aislinn may be disturbing to some, Burwell stated “To call that disturbing is disingenuous because the My Safe Ride Home program was never considered to be anything less than a revenue-generating program that they were out trying to make money on their own. The same as ... BCAA would.”

When the difference in the contractual interpretation was realized within the SUS they moved to renegotiate the program. With a somewhat different composition of members, the board that had brought in MSRH as a service and a potential revenue stream for the student society, had to find a compromise between the parties.

However, playing into further contract complications was also the fact that the SUS hadn’t, at the time of original negotiations, implemented a functioning way to track the exit of students from the program.

Burwell made it clear that with the new negotiations they “were

working on a system with the registrar that would say ‘if a student hadn’t registered for three or four consecutive semesters, they hadn’t paid the U-Pass fee for three or four consecutive semesters, that was when they became non-redeemed.’”

But as those renegotiations with Aislinn continued, it became clear that it wasn’t going to be feasible to meet the Board’s original vision of the program unless the SUS returned the $104,000. Instead, Burwell made an effort to try and restart the program at the beginning of September of the following year, and extend the contract. Ultimately though, this ended up not taking place as other details further convoluted the process.

“The problem was entirely one of being able to afford the program within the confines of the U-Pass,” he said. “We figured we were spending somewhere between $50 and $60 per student per semester on the U-Pass and that’s obviously untenable.”

In the end, this meant that MSRH was an expense and that the SUS wasn’t seeing the proper revenue being generated which would bring down the U-Pass cost to that $40 student fee.

Still, Burwell believes that had the original SUS members behind the conceptualization of the MSRH program stayed on board “that eventually all those mechanisms would have fallen in place.”

Given that the MSRH wasn’t defined in the referendum, bringing it to an end will not require students to go back to the polls.

Now accepting applications for:

Managing Editor The Managing Editor works in tandem with the Editorin-Chief to manage staff and ensure a smooth editorial work flow. The Managing Editor shall be responsible for providing support to the EIC in respect to editorial work flow and administration, and shall be an educational resource for section editors and volunteers. The Managing Editor will also be responsible for internal editorial and volunteer relations.

Qualifications: 1) Must be a member in good standing of the Cascade Journalism Society.

2) Must be registered in at least one credit course during the fall/winter semesters.

3) Must be available to work varying hours.

4) Must be available to be present in the office for at least 12 hours per week, especially Tuesday afternoons.

5) Must be able to deal effectively with Society and university staff, students and the general public.

6) Must demonstrate strong command of the English language by passing an editing test, which will be administered during the interview process.

7) Basic literacy is required.

8) Must have knowledge of all relevant laws and journalistic standards concerning libel.

9) The ability to work with a diverse group of volunteers is necessary for this position. Conflict resolution courses would be an asset.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

NEWS

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor PAIGE HOBLAK

CONTRIBUTOR

UFV Kinesiology grad Jennie Wyness, alongside her husband Dave and their dog Dexter, have set sail for an atypical journey across the Pacific. Due to a difficult job market and rundown economy, she has chosen to focus on personal growth rather than choosing to settle into a job that would just get her by. With her degree in her back pocket and after much preparation and planning, Wyness has set sail for an adventure that will ultimately change her (and her family) forever.

The trio quickly came to realise that sailing is not always so smooth. They have already endured some difficult challenges from cultural barriers to undesirable weather conditions. Owning and operating a sailboat is not as easy as living like a pirate; as they have had to dish out a lot of money and maintain a strict budget, often eating like starving students.

They have sailed around several Caribbean islands and are currently residing in Panama. They will be crossing through the Panama Canal and sailing through to the Pacific next season.

After contacting Jennie I got some good insight on the realities of life at sea. “It has required a lot of hard work and determination to get to this point,” Jennie revealed. “I would say the lack of opportunity in the job market made the option to sail very appealing. We had to save as much money as possible to be able to afford a boat, cruising permits for each countries we visit, boat

submitted photo

The bow of the Cypraea.

tations will need to be lowered, and it will frustrate you. Look for ways to differentiate yourself.

We saw barriers to career growth and decided to differentiate ourselves by sailing across oceans.

The barrier was career growth; the opportunity was to differentiate ourselves by achieving some personal growth.”

Jennie stressed a central value of hers which was persistence.

“Following your goals is very important,” she said. “If the opportunity intimidates you, go after it, it will be the most rewarding. A simple bit of advice in achieving goals, is to sacrifice a lot of small luxuries in order to afford the big ones. Remind yourself to live in the now. There is a Chinese proverb saying: ‘Every great journey begins with a foot step.’ Don’t let your goals and aspirations blind you from the work required. Just take it one step at a time; sooner or later you’ll be looking for new goals to achieve.”

The sailing trio are truly inspiring in the sense that they never let stormy seas get them down.

Through their journey they have epitomized the true meaning of courage. Jennie has changed her circumstances by transforming a difficult situation into one that can positively transform her life.

Through adversity, Jennie has become the face of determination, as the age old saying goes: “A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor.” You can follow the trio on their blog website: www.youmeandthed.blogspot.ca

equipment, fuel and food. There is a saying amongst boat owners that when you buy a boat you buy a hole in the water which you pour money into; which is true, but it is worth it.”

Jennie acknowledged her educational experience as a great help in her current journey at sea. “University taught me how to learn, and sailing is all about learning new things,” she said. “We need to adapt to new cultures, new languages, new laws, and changes in the weather. Cruising requires a sharp mind to make important decisions about navigation, weather, conditions, fuel, water

and food consumption, and budgeting. The life skills you acquire at university are tested tenfold.”

The main goal Jennie has set forth is to achieve self- growth.

“What we looked for was some way to challenge ourselves, to set a lofty goal, and achieve it step by step. All in all, we are not looking for an end result, but an interesting chapter to add to our life story.”

Her most important lesson learned thus far is that Canada is a great country to live in. As she notes: “We took for granted our home, upon travelling to more remote places than on the typi-

cal tourist track. We came to realise how lucky we are to be from Canada. We have sound laws, good business practices, lots of work, and our society is relatively trustworthy compared to places we have visited. We are proud of our heritage, and every country we’ve been to has had nothing but good things to say about Canada.

We also learned that the ocean is large and very humbling.”

Jennie provided sound advice to students back at home who are about to graduate. “Where there are barriers there are opportunities. You will face a difficult employment situation, work expec-

Image: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters

Image: Reuters

Image: NASA/Flickr

Image: Reuters

Image: Dan McKechnie/The Gateway

Iran, world powers deadlocked at nuclear talks MOSCOW (Reuters) - Iran and six world powers blamed each other for deadlock at talks on Tehran’s nuclear program on Tuesday as negotiators struggled for a breakthrough to reduce the risk of a new Middle East war.

Late on the second and final day of talks in Moscow, diplomats said negotiators were still far from agreement on Iranian work which the United States, China, Russia, Germany, France and Britain fear may be aimed at building nuclear arms.

The six powers want Tehran to stop enriching uranium to levels that bring it close to acquiring weapons-grade material, but Iran has demanded relief from economic sanctions and an acknowledgement that it has the right to enrich uranium.

Radiohead “shattered” by crew death in stage collapse (Reuters) - British rock band Radiohead said they were shattered by the death of a member of their road crew, who was killed after the roof of an outdoor stage collapsed during sound checks before the group’s planned weekend show in Toronto.

“We have all been shattered by the loss of Scott Johnson, our friend and colleague. He was a lovely man, always positive, supportive and funny; a highly skilled and valued member of our great road crew. We will miss him very much,” Radiohead said in a posting on their official website.

Johnson, 33, a drum technician from Manchester, England, was setting up for Radiohead’s performance on Saturday at Toronto’s Downsview Park when the roof collapsed. Johnson was pronounced dead at the scene, and three other men were injured.

Kristen Stewart bumps Jolie as highest-paid actress NEW YORK (Reuters) - Kristen Stewart, who shot to fame as Bella Swan in “The Twilight Saga” films and has a starring role in “Snow White and the Huntsman”, jumped to the top of Forbes.com’s annual list of highestpaid actresses on Tuesday.

The 22-year-old earned an estimated $34.5 million from May 2011 to May 2012 and pushed Angelina Jolie into fourth place.

Cameron Diaz, who had a surprise hit with “Bad Teacher”, came in second with $34 million.

U of Alberta clarifies stance on use of bell curve as grading tool EDMONTON (CUP) — The University of Alberta decided to clear up misconceptions that the bell curve was a compulsory form of grading last week.

A General Faculties Council (GFC) meeting on May 28 amended the wording in the university’s Grading and Assessment Policy, clearing up confusing lines that previously led to a general belief that the curve was a mandatory form of grading, especially in science and engineering classes.

The bell curve continues to remain available to professors, giving them freedom to evaluate students as they see fit — as long as they adhere to the Assessment and Grading policy as well as faculty or departmental grading policies.

NEWS BRIEFS

U of Alberta prof helps verify source of organic Martian material EDMONTON (CUP) — Thanks to the contribution of a researcher at the University of Alberta, speculation over the origin of a mysterious organic compound found in Martian meteorites has been put to rest.

A recent study investigated the presence of an organic compound in Martian meteorites that landed on Earth. What this study revealed, however, is that the carbon found in these meteorites originated from Mars’ mantle layer—the region between the planet’s crust and the core—and not as the result of any life activity.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

www.ufvcascade.ca

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NEWS

UFV homes in on nine-credit ARTS 100 course karen aney

THE CASCADE

In a move that follows in the footsteps of many other universities, UFV will be offering a combined credit Arts course for the first time this fall. Similar to programs such as Arts One at UBC and the First-Year Learning Communities (FLCs) at SFU, the course (entitled ARTS 100) is designed to meet the writing and reasoning requirements for the Bachelor of Arts.

Led by instructors Melissa Walter and Nicola Mooney, the pilot session is entitled “Home and Homelands.” Students can expect to experience material that Walter and Mooney specialize in, as Walter (who participated in a similar program as a student at Stanford) explains: “Nicola’s specialty is in South Asian and Punjabi diaspora studies, and mine is Shakespeare and Renaissance (a.k.a. early modern) studies. We will be reading King Lear and at least some of The Taming of the Shrew.” Mooney states that there will also be “a piece on home and homeland in the South Asian context ... As we are both in effect scholars of the modern, this will be an underlying element of the course.”

When asked to explain how the materials are going to be incorporated into one course, Walter explained that the topics themselves are already closely related.

“Both fields are very interested in studying human experience and in studying how culture works,” she said. As an example, she cites Lila Abu-Lughod’s Veiled Senti-

ments—an influence for both instructors—which relates to songs and poetry by Bedouin women.

“Although written by an anthropologist,” she explains, “the work closely analyzes poetry and songs, and makes use of literary analysis techniques.” An example she provides is a “creative non-fiction essay about ... experiences of home,” and whether that counts as literature or auto-ethnography.

“Sometimes,” she explained, “the line is not so clear.” Mooney cites the ease of combining these disciplines with an academic shift: “contemporary anthropology has shifted from earlier methods and theories that placed it more firmly among the social sciences and is now quite akin to the humanities.”

While assignments have not yet been finalized, Walter shared some possible tasks students might be given. These include a “Home Journal” in which students would write entries summarizing and/or reflecting on the course readings, along with a short series of autobiographical/autoethnographic reflective descriptions of a home in which a student has lived (describing physical/spatial aspects, people and relationships within it, etc.).

Susan Fisher, associate dean of Arts, states that the course has been talked about since spring of 2011. “September of 2011, we decided to organize a pilot offering for fall 2012. A lot of work has gone into it: the two instructors ... have spent many hours discussing how best to integrate their two disciplines into a meaningful program for students.”

The pilot course was not at its

Small steps towards a better future

60 student capacity at the time of publication. Prospective student James Pennefather states that “it certainly sounds like a good idea.

Having one teacher would probably make things easier, and if it’s only three days a week, you’d have lots of time to get things done. All in all, yeah, I’d probably do it.” Fourth-year arts student Kaelynn Feire, however, had mixed feelings. “I’m not sure I’d do it, but I don’t know. It doesn’t sound like a great idea to commit to having all those credits under only two professors, what if you didn’t like them and had to do those classes all over again?”

UBC Alumni Lara Walters, who took the Arts One program at UBC, said that the course had its benefits for her. “It was a good way to meet people, to share and critique writing with others in a small group. It was a good way to transition into university. The interdisciplinary approach did show how all the disciplines are interconnected; that often gets overlooked when you are taking the courses separately. I also found that the workload wasn’t as heavy.” However, the benefits come at a price: a big issue for Walters was that she found she “went into shock” second year, and that a period of adjustment was necessary. “Instead of having one professor who marked your paper every other week, I suddenly had three courses with three professors who had completely different expectations, and I had only learned to write for one.”

UFV ARTS 100 will be a ninecredit course with class sessions three times a week. Only one session will be offered this fall.

BLAKE McGuire

CONTRIBUTOR

Rotary Stadium was crowded Saturday night as the Canadian Cancer Society hosted the 2012 Relay for Life, a 12-hour marathon for cancer initiatives.

Every year, teams of 10-15 walk or run for 12 hours in local communities all over the world. Each participant is required to raise at least $100. Though the prime objective is to raise money and fight cancer, the first lap is reserved for survivors as a way of celebrating

their success, and after dark, luminaria (small bags with candles inside) are lit around the track to honour the dead.

The event started in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt walked around a track for 24 hours, raising $27,000.

The next year it became a team event, and eventually grew to the relay we see today.

Money raised will go towards research and prevention initiatives, as well as support programs for people fighting cancer.

For more information on the Relay for Life, please visit www. relayforlife.ca.

The Cascade’s

Annual General Meeting!

Thursday, June 21 in C1429

6:00 PM

What are we, chopped liver? alexei summers

THE CASCADE

image: Blake Mcguire

Come to

On June 11, 2012, Abbotsford community member Mitch Powell underwent surgery at Vancouver General hospital to replace his liver. The surgery was dangerous, and the risks were known. Even if the surgical transplant was successful, it did not necessarily mean that the liver would work.

In 10-15 per cent of cases, a liver transplant is rejected by the receiver’s body. Luckily, this was not the case with Mr. Powell.

Powell suffers from Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis. This illness results in important ducts in his liver collapsing. Every time they collapse, surgery must be undergone to replace a stent in his liver holding the bile ducts open.

This illness has caused Mitch itching and extreme fatigue. The replacement of the stents has thus far been a temporary bandage on a permanent problem. The only permanent solution, Mitch’s doctors told him, was a liver transplant.

Mitch’s sister, Katie Powell, turned out to be an adequate donor. Katie is well known amongst the Abbotsford community for her Get Rid of Katie campaign, where she entered, and won a contest for her and a guest to travel around the globe. Katie

underwent tests in secret, so as to not get her families hopes up.

During this time period, Mitch was placed on a list, waiting for a liver donor, but these lists are backed up for many years, and thus it might’ve been too late for the young Mr. Powell, who was already experiencing symptoms of acute liver failure.

As events were unfolding, a Facebook page was set up to keep friends, family and community members updated on how things were turning out. The page was aptly titled “What are we chopped liver?”

“After six months of keeping it a secret I felt really good to share a little good news,” wrote Katie on the Facebook page, relaying her experience about the reaction she got when she told her family that she was a match to donate her liver. “As my dad says ‘It knocked me over with a feather.’”

As of the 11th, Mitch has been reported to be doing fine. His body has accepted the liver, and his enzymes have reportedly returned to a normal level – the most stable they have been in years. His doctors have remarked that he looks like he’s going to be okay, and everything seems to be progressing well. Katie has expressed that she is very happy with the results; she is in more severe pain than her brother, but is also recovering well.

Katie and Mitch will be staying in Vancouver until they are fully recovered. But things are looking up for the Abbotsford family.

The road ahead for them is long and arduous, but they are up to the challenge, and are once again filled with new hope.

“I truly hope that everyone at some point in their lives gets to experience the deep love and pride in their family as we do in ours,” said Mitch’s mother, Carol Powell, about the overwhelming support she has felt. “Thank you everyone for following along on our journey and for the love and support you give us because we couldn’t do it without you.”

For updates on Mitch and Katie’s status, please visit www.facebook.com/katieandmitch

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www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY,JUNE 20, 2012

OPINION

The UFV SUS and Ottawa DAN VAN DER KROON

VP-ACADEMIC SUS

For the benefit of our members, this article is to outline some of the costs and benefits of belonging to the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA).

During the 2011/2012 Board Year (April 2011 – March 2012), the SUS was a full member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations. At the end of April this year, the (new) board voted to move down to associate membership of CASA. Questions have been raised as to why this was done, why we are members of CASA in the first place, and what other considerations are involved. I don’t know if I can do it justice in a short article, but I’ll do my best.

First, it is my duty to warn you, dear SUS member: CASA is a lobby group. CASA’s primary purpose is to sit down and meet with federal politicians (and staff if necessary) and convince them that as the foundation of tomorrow’s economy, students are important and warrant greater attention and policies that

are friendlier to students overall. If you’re looking for sex, intrigue, scandal, controversy, or anything of that ilk, you won’t find it here. With that said, CASA is relevant to you as a SUS member in direct, quantifiable ways.

One of CASA’s most important functions is that it creates a national framework that forms a direct conduit to federal decision-makers. All of us live inside a massive federation of provinces called Canada, and are often impacted by decisions coming from Ottawa – by tax rates, grants, subsidies, tax credits and student loan debt ceilings.

When issues come up that impact students, CASA has the ability to directly communicate to the relevant federal politicians and tell them what students feel should be done. Last year, CASA advocated for the removal of import duties on textbooks, for the removal of restrictions on student loan access for would-be students who own personal vehicles valued at $5000 and above, and more.

This year, SUS president Carlos

ARTS 100 – it might just work LEANNA PANKRATZ

CONTRIBUTOR

UFV is getting inventive with its Arts program this fall. On the UFV Today blog, Anne Russell explained how the University is planning to offer an intensive nine-credit course. “UFV will be offering first year Bachelor of Arts students a new way to dive into university studies,” she wrote, explaining the goals of the course.

The interdisciplinary ARTS 100 course will cover some lower level requirements of the BA program, introducing students to UFV’s resources, and providing skills needed to succeed in a post-secondary environment.

As a 60 student, nine-credit course split between two professors, ARTS 100 will be attended three days a week, and will meet the writing and reasoning requirements needed for the Bachelor of Arts program at UFV. The course will cover such disciplines as geography, literature, and history, with a main focus being on anthropology and literature.

Beginning this fall with a theme of “Homes and Homelands,” it is a new venture that, if successful, will be brought back in September 2013.

Of course, every new venture comes with a series of negative what-ifs. Potential issues with the course stem mainly from the concept of combining all sections of arts studies into one, monolithic whole.

While one may argue that all Arts subjects fall under the same cohesive blanket, there is no denying that a student interested in majoring in biology or geography (both part of the course’s integrated segments) will have a vastly different and perhaps even opposing interests and academic value systems to a student who sees Literature (another part) as their educational goal. Combining subjects from biology to literature with the

intention of being an interesting course for all will certainly prove to be a challenge. But I believe that it is one that can be met.

ARTS 100 will focus on a knowledge application setup, which will involve lectures and notes like any other class, but will also place a higher importance on field trips, project-based work, guest speakers, and practical experience in the subjects being focused on.

This will certainly provide a great launching pad for students unsure of what direction their postsecondary experience is going to take them in. The ability to experience a wide variety of disciplines all together, whether the students enjoys all of them or not, will be of huge help to a student as they figure out that all important time table.

For a school growing at a rapidfire pace, the inclusion on ARTS 100 into the timetable seems like an understandable venture. A base course that touches on a variety of subjects in the Faculty of Arts, with a focus on applied knowledge will certainly be helpful in steering a potential Arts graduate toward the major and minor of their choice.

I can remember the confusion and weight involved in choosing that first slew of courses that would ultimately push me into the upper level direction. With ARTS 100, it will be much easier for a student to weed out the courses they don’t really want to take, or are just taking to see what it’s like, which may just contribute to a few shorter waitlists in the long run, and general increase in UFV student satisfaction.

I was pleasantly surprised by this new, innovative venture; I personally would love to have taken this course. I’m looking forward to the positive outcome experienced

by ARTS 100 students who, thanks to the course, will have a little better idea of where UFV is going to take them.

Vidal has just returned from CASA’s Transitions conference in Winnipeg, where delegates from post-secondary institutions from various regions of the country gathered to learn about CASA as an organization, and started to strategize for the upcoming fiscal year.

Last year, CASA’s membership premium cost SUS just over $22,000 out of our roughly $680,000 budget, plus roughly $6400 in conferencerelated costs. This year, increases to CASA’s fee structure would have resulted in an increase to the membership premium to about $31,000, plus conference costs. With the move to “associate member” status, we will pay just over $15,500 for the membership premium. Conference costs will depend on how many delegates we send. We will not have voting rights, and next year, SUS will have the choice to either bump back up to full membership, or leave the organization altogether. In recognition of the UFV SUS’s need to control costs, CASA has agreed to waive conference registration fees for the upcoming year, so the drop to associate lev-

el, contrary to the number reported in the May 23 issue of The Cascade, will in fact save SUS $15,500.

On April 25, CASA’s national director Zachary Dayler visited UFV to present on CASA’s value to UFV and answer questions of the membership and board. This marked an opportunity for our members to directly engage with the lobby group that represents them federally. Going forward, SUS intends to ensure that, in addition to urging specific policy choices the federal government can make to ensure increased access to post-secondary education, UFV students are kept abreast of developments affecting students at the federal level. With this approach, SUS will enable large cost-savings while still having a federal voice for the upcoming board year.

I could write much more about CASA, but considering space constraints, I want to close by asking our members to consider how it is that Canada’s students are represented at the federal level by two large and influential lobby groups (the other being CFS – the Canadian Federa-

tion of Students), and yet cumulative student debt values continue to rise and post-secondary education in Canada does not approach the level of accessibility that it enjoys in much of Europe.

Some will see this as evidence that the student lobby is not strong enough and needs more backing, while others will argue it is ineffective and that each step forward that is widely acclaimed (such as CASA’s claimed hand in in the creation of various tax credits) is accompanied by two steps back that fly under the radar.

With the latter view, SUS is probably better off eschewing the federal lobby altogether and saving that $30,000+ in budget room, while with the former view continuing to send delegates to conferences to meet with government officials and urge changes is a crucial activity for SUS to be involved in.

I invite and urge UFV students to stop me in the hallways or visit the SUS offices in C building to tell me what they think is the correct way of seeing the issue.

The deal with fire bans

JEREMY HANNAFORD

CONTRIBUTOR

I remember how much I use to love campfires when I was younger.

It was the main reason I wanted to go camping. So when campfires began to be banned from camp sites, I was upset. No more late night stories, no more marshmallow roasting, no more billowing heat. Over the years, I began to realise it was because of all the forest fires up north in the Okanagan area.

I always thought I’d be safe with the fire. I wouldn’t be like those other people. But something tells me that’s what others have told themselves before accidently setting a forest ablaze. Summer hasn’t even fully started yet, but according to BC Wildfire there have already been 32 confirmed forest fires, some starting as early as April. With an estimated 1400 hectares of forest area already burnt, I can understand the Fire Department’s concern for fire safety.

They want to make sure people are safe with all kinds of items that

could be a fire hazard in the summer. For instance, according to a Kansas City Fox News, a man was literally set aflame while cooking on his barbeque. An aerosol sunscreen he applied had not been fully absorbed. It was this aerosol sunscreen that acted as a fuel for the flame that burnt his skin.

I spoke with a contact working for a local fire department, and he said he has heard stories of aerosol sun screen and bug spray causing fire risks.

The firefighter, who did not wish to be named and did not want the location of his hall identified, explained the enforcement of the fire bans. He noted that the fire bans are in for a good reason. Due to the heat, everything becomes more dry and brittle. People in the past have not taken the proper precautions when setting up campfires or barbeques.

Pine needles, for instance, are scattered all over the ground in common camp sites. With a small breeze, they can fly towards the fire, lighting up like matches.

Some precautions he mentioned for setting camp fires was that it needs to be in a safe location away from trees, embankments and foliage. Also, a bucket of water or a blanket be nearby at all times to put out the flames in case of an emergency.

Finally, the firefighter instructed campers ensure that the fire be three-feet in both its diameter and in height. This is a safe size of fire that can be controlled.

The firefighter did urge me to tell everyone to follow the rules and be safe with fire. As mentioned before, people will underestimate the danger small flames can cause. He told me that twice in the past year an entire fire hall has been called out to the scene of a fire, both at chicken farms, each caused by lack of caution and safety. One of the fires raged for 36 hours before it was finally extinguished.

The cost of the fine for not obeying the fire ban is over $200, but I would much rather pay that and learn from that mistake rather than seeing my campsite burn.

OP www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

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OPINION

Recession makes for people-eaters JENNIFER COLBOURNE

THE CASCADE

Cannibalism, feline dismemberment, body parts in the mail and in the freezer – there’s been a lot of strange, disturbing things happening lately. Some think it’s a sign of the end times, others the zombie apocalypse. It’s a sign of something alright, but nothing so supernatural.

It’s first world despair.

The word “recession” is on everybody’s lips, as if that word—implying a temporary economic hiccup—can ward off the reality that we are closer to falling into a lasting depression than a miraculous recovery. While Canada is nowhere near the state of Greece, Spain or, for that matter, the U.S. (which according to Reuters has seen 3.5 million foreclosures since 2008), things are still far from rosy. Not to mention the ominous fact that we are all too aware that if Europe and America goes down, we’re going down with them.

According to the Huffington Post, Canada is now seeing 14.3 per cent unemployment for workers under 25. In the article the deputy chief economist of the Bank of Montreal’s explains this percentage. “The last thing you want is a whole generation that has trouble catching up with the labour market and potentially seeing their newly minted skills erode,” he said. “It’s important for the long-term health of the economy to get new people into the

art: AWnthony Biondi

labour force with new skills and a different perspective.”

This is basically a fancy way of saying, “our Canadian youth are stuck on their asses with nothing to do, while the top gets old-fogey heavy.” This is because, first, there are a lot of old-fogeys, thanks to the baby boom after World War II, and second, when the economy plummeted in 2008, so did their plans to retire.

The irony, as our heart-crushingly long waitlists are a testament to, is that every young person who couldn’t get a job decided to go back to school. Now, we have a problem with having too many

qualified people and too few jobs, which is compounded by the fact these degree-bearing hopefuls are now burdened with student debt and unforgiving interest rates.

Sounds pretty bleak, doesn’t it?

It’s a nasty situation that we students have fallen into, though often the blame for it falls roundly on our heads: we don’t have jobs because we are lazy, unmotivated, self-entitled workers. This is even more discouraging, since the most enthusiastic, go-getters of us know that the “right attitude” won’t even guarantee a part-time job at Tim Hortons these days. There are only so many jobs available and youth

are the lowest on the totem pole.

Any halfway decent job requires a minimum of two years’ experience in the field, and of course you can’t get experience if your field only hires those with experience.

As for the older generations – they’re not better off. If people aren’t losing their houses, they’re losing their investments. It’s not like older folks don’t want to retire – they’re unhappily forced to stay in the workforce we so eagerly want to break into. Meanwhile, the cost of living is going up, and it doesn’t help that their unemployed children are moving back home.

It’s a bad scene all around.

So yes, people are going a bit crazy. Everywhere there are wars and rumours of wars. Riots and protests are on the increase. The whole mood of the West is dark, and no wonder. The future is not bright.

Whether consciously aware or not, people react to the prevailing feeling. We can hope that these weird incidences lately are simply isolated, psychotic events, yet the sheer number of them indicates something larger is at play. The first world is used to things coming easy and a high standard of living. Now we’re depressed, half-crazed and unsure what to do with ourselves.

One can’t help but be reminded of Easter Island: when the economy is down … we start eating each other.

HIRING: EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (we need a boss for these crazy people) All current UFV students are welcome—nay, encouraged—to apply!

The responsibilities of the Editor-in-Chief include overseeing all aspects of the paper’s production, including (but certainly not limited to): managing the paper’s editorial board; hiring, training and tutoring staff; and liaising with the Canadian University Press. The Editor-in-Chief reports to the Cascade Board of Directors and is ultimately responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper.

The job requires a heavy time commitment and is not recommended for full time students.

Candidates will be required to pass an editing test to be considered for the position.

The position has a term of one year, after which the Editor-in-Chief may re-apply to be hired again.

The Editor-in-Chief is paid an honouraria of $300 per issue.

For more information, or to apply, email esau@ufvcascade.ca by 4:00 p.m. July 3!

Family Day: appreciate your people TAYLOR JOHNSON

CONTRIBUTOR

Between busy work schedules, chaotic class routines and the fleeting “me time” moments, we sometimes forget about the people who got us to where we are. In order to appreciate those people who boost pre-exam egos, tame post-exam trauma and help us through all those student problems in between, sometimes it takes a bit of a reminder.

Fortunately the upcoming holiday, Family Day, will serve as just the reminder we need.

After an online pole of over 30,000 people, the BC Liberals have implemented the new holiday, which will be starting on the second Monday in February of 2013. British Columbia will fall in with three other provinces that already celebrate Family Day, Alberta (1990), Saskatchewan (2007) and Ontario (2008).

Why do we need Family Day? The main point to Family Day is gathering as a community to celebrate families. That could be a hot chocolate at a park event, a dinner special at a local restaurant or even a movie night at home with ordered pizza. There are many ways to wind down with family and friends in the dead of winter. BC Premier Christy Clark stated in a January 2011 press release, “I think Family Day would be a great chance for families to renew themselves and a reward for all the hard work that is done by BC workers.”

Some might worry that an extra holiday will take away from jobs, or maybe even result in a loss of jobs. Family Day will be a statutory holiday and with the recent drastic jump of the minimum wage, the employers’ pocket books will be forced to stretch that much further.

However to counter this, BC’s Family Day will not be celebrated the same as other provinces, but a week earlier, in hopes that line ups will be smaller and Family Day will not conflict with other holidays such as Presidents’ Day. The profit generated from Family Day will not be tied in with other holidays.

For students, Family Day might serve as a reminder to appreciate the people we sometimes forget in our hectic schedules, the unconditional people, the ones we take for granted. Family Day can be that one day out of the year we put aside our pens, binders, textbooks and—dare I say—our cell phones to spend time with the people that really matter, be it phone call to distant relatives you haven’t talked to in a while, a coffee date with a close friend or dinner with your parents and siblings.

Unlike Valentine’s Day and St. Patricks’ Day, this new holiday will surely not cut into the rest of the year, nor will it be the cause of cheesy holiday cards, teddy bears or TV programs. Standing out from other holidays, Family Day will simply serve as a common reminder to everyone that no matter how far from home you might be, or how busy your calendar might look, there is always time for friends and family.

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www.ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY,JUNE 20, 2012

OPINION

WHAT’S IN A NAME? A symbol of unity

A symbol of inequality

KATIE TEGTMEIER

CONTRIBUTOR

I introduce to you for the first time: Mr. and Mrs. Jeff and Sally Smith-Brown-Johnson-Miller-Jones! Is it just me, or has the world suddenly become one hyphenated mess? Women don’t want to give up their last names, so couples decide that adding their names together would be the perfect compromise. I mean, where is the line really? Or in this day and age, does it simply cease to exist?

First of all, I don’t understand how women would not want to take their husbands’ last name. When you got together, it was his name then as it is now, so why suddenly decide it doesn’t suit you? If you have made it so far in a relationship that you decide to take the plunge, you’re supposed to whole heartedly love your partner – including the name.

It’s one thing if the last name is something impossible to pronounce, is easily mistaken for something crude, or is straight up comical. But there aren’t that many of those kinds of names out there. When a woman wants to carry on her family name because she never had brothers to carry it forward, or she is a celebrity, or she has to decide between staying “Sally Brown” and becoming “Mrs. Sally Sillypants,” then of course there are exceptions.

Then we come to those lovely hyphenated names. How impossible is it to decide on one name together? If there is a refusal to compromise on one name, there may be some deeper problems rooted somewhere in your relationship.

Personally, it is not couples initially hyphenating their names that I find wrong.

It is when they pass that name onto their offspring. Children should be brought up with a family name that they can be proud of, that they can be identified by, not two or three names entangled into one that they constantly have to explain where each one originated.

Now the positive thing with hyphenated names is that it does give kids a chance to choose which name they feel represents them best. It gives wives the opportunity

SASHA MOEDT THE CASCADE

to be recognized by their childhood friends as whom they have always been known to be. As well, it provides evidence of a marital union without the woman losing her identity. There are definitely positives to hyphenating names, but it still strays from the concept of becoming one in marriage.

“Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.” Genesis 2:24.

This quote from the Bible clearly explains the function of marriage: to come together as one. Now, of course I am not assuming everyone has the same views on marriage, but I do believe the majority of people view it as becoming united through a promise of faithful and undying love. The point of marriage is to vow for a closer, lifelong relationship with your partner, which means to somehow outwardly display that to the world, in the form of taking your husband’s last name.

Either way I look at it, I always arrive at the same conclusion. It is custom to receive your husband’s surname because it is logical, it fully represents the commitment of matrimony, and because it unites the family that may possibly follow the union.

In this day and age, women are welcome to keep their last names, or hyphenate them.

It is all a matter of perspective as to how it should be addressed. I do not believe that any rules or laws should be put in place for who takes what name once married; but what I do believe is that sometimes old customs should be abided by, because they tend to represent a lot more than the younger crowd gives them credit for.

The tradition of taking the male’s surname in a marriage is a tradition that stems from centuries ago, when a woman was passed as property from the father to the husband. This isn’t emphasized in today’s unions, but at the same time any woman who understands the symbolism behind taking on her partner’s last name must now stop and think: what am I submitting to?

Marriage has changed drastically since the second wave of feminism as women and people from the LGBTQ community gained respect, recognition and rights. We could begin to argue about the necessity of the tradition of marriage itself, but that’s for another article.

Marriage is based off of such inequality, that it hardly applies in this day and age.

It’s strange to think of people analyzing and struggling to work through the various elements of a tradition so old, but that’s what it’s come to. If you are going to base your relationship on respect and equality, you can not rely on the taken for granted traditions associated with marriage. This includes surnames.

I could see that to some, the surname symbolizes a lot: a history, family, heritage and the individual. To others, though, it’s not much to think about. “That which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet,” as Shakespeare said.

For myself, my surname means a lot to me.

It stands for my family, my childhood, my Dutch heritage. I feel as though taking on another last name would be taking on another identity and leaving behind my own.

It is important to question things that are done just because it’s just the way they were always done. If a partner balks at the idea of you not taking his last name, or at the idea of taking your last name, because it undermines his (or society’s) masculinity, what other aspects of equality in a relationship will he refuse?

Some might say, if you don’t want to be traditional, don’t get married. But marriage is something that brings financial, social, and emotional stability. Marriage shouldn’t have to be traditional, necessarily.

The idea of changing a name is lovely.

When you marry someone, it does effect your identity; whether you like it or not, in most cases, you’re emotionally bound to this person. They become a part of who you are – but not to the point of defining your identity. A surname should symbolize this.

But there are complications. Really, if your goal is to thwart a patriarchal society, chances are your current last name is your father’s anyways. But by being creative and thoughtful in choosing you and your partner’s surname, you are paving your own way.

There are a few interesting options to consider. Some people hyphenate. However, this method get’s tricky when their kids start getting married. Another option is to come up with a hybrid last name, combining parts of each name to create a unique mixture. Or a daughter could take the mother’s surname, a son could take his father’s. You could make up a whole new name together – perhaps one that represents a shared value or an important memory that bonds you together.

For myself, I truly value family and the names in my family. It would sting to make a hybrid out of my name, or change it completely. But at the same time, in these modern times, it’s not terribly difficult to keep track of the generations. Instead of tracing lineage through the male surname, just use the internet, map up a family tree. It’s okay. It’s 2012.

Personally, I’d find a couple that has taken the woman’s last name very, very cool. Some feminists might argue that this is just a reactionary backlash, and that there’s no true equality in that. yet at the same time – so cool.

But, really, the divorce rate being as it is these days, if you can’t make up your mind with your partner, it’s best to just keep your last name. Chances are they won’t even be in the picture in the long run anyway.

The question is: If you were to get married would you take or pass on your partner’s last name?

Jessica

Chelsea

That’s a tough one because I am the last one of the Macbeths in my family line, so I don’t know.

Maybe.

Depends on whether he had a good last name or not.

Amber

Amanda

I will take my partner’s last name.

Absolutely not. I feel that your identity as a person given when you were a baby carries on with you and, when you lose it to another person, it’s a loss of self.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

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9

ARTS & LIFE

BOOK REVIEW James Sallis - Driven JEREMY HANNAFORD

CONTRIBUTOR

“Life is like a thesaurus. One third of it is an index. That’s how people live; they are just trying to find out what the other two thirds are.” This is the writing style of Driven, the sequel to the novelturned-popular-film Drive.

Going in a much more linear fashion than the non-linear style of the predecessor, Driven takes place seven years after the first novel in which Driver has given up his previous life to become an honest working man named Paul West.

But when his fiancé is murdered in an attempt on his life, he is forced to re-emerge as Driver and hunt down those responsible. James Sallis has an interesting take on neonoir, blending story, character and, at times, poetry into the novel as it reflects on the ever-lingering questions of what we are meant to do with our lives.

James Sallis is a very different author from most current-day writers. Divert your attention from the words for even a moment and you will have already lost where the story is going. Driven isn’t a simple story of revenge. It delves into how people view each other and how some people who live in the past refuse to accept the world around them and, in some cases, are lost within themselves.

The story takes place in the city of Phoenix, Sallis’s hometown and place of interest for most of his works. Throughout the novel, he describes the aged and abandoned buildings with something of a fallen beauty; every place has a story, and much like the characters themselves, it never truly knows what it wants to be.

While it is an entertaining novel, the point about constant attention is not to be taken lightly. Sallis wants the reader to build the image in their minds by giving them

brash details of the characters and their actions. At times, it is left for the reader to fill in what might have just happened as things are only implied in the novel. This can be very frustrating but it also opens to a different view of writing.

Sallis embraces the noir genre with a violent yet poetic take.

What he looks to have left out is actually his invitation to allow the reader to visualize the scene in their own minds. Sallis uses emotions to create the actions and the characters but leaves the reader to divulge them. As I said, a different kind of writer.

As mentioned, this is a sequel to the previous novel, not the film, so some characters reappear. Manny, the script writer who Driver befriended in Drive, is one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever read in a novel. He writes scripts for films that he knows will be junk, yet he still creates them.

He always notices the reoccurring sayings and mottos and always asks what they really mean. He is a narcissist who is always willing to indulge himself deeper into what everything means and why we do

what we do.

A very short read yet an engaging one, Driven is for any who enjoy noir, fast cars and the questions of life itself.

THEATRE REVIEW UFV presents: Droning of Bombers NADINE MOEDT

We are now accepting applications for the position of

THE CASCADE

At the beginning of World War II, Hennie Drenton-Regoczi was just five-years-old and living in Holland, but she still remembers the nightly droning of British Lancaster bombers passing over her family’s farm. It is a sound she could never forget, for it summons up recollections of her family’s experience during the Second World War, an intense time of fear, grief, sacrifice, courage and an immense faith and gratitude for their survival.

Droning of Bombers (or “How a Dutch family coped with life under German occupation, 1940-1945”), sponsored by the UFV Theatre department, recently completed its successful run in the Chilliwack North campus theatre from May 31 through June 10. Hennie DrentonRegoczi both wrote and performed the one-person show. It was artfully directed by James Servizi.

The play was well received by a sold-out audience, whose members appeared to be in large part of Dutch heritage. Many of them had evidently, considering the discussion that followed the performance, experienced the war first hand as well. Towards the end of the play when the Dutch anthem was played to celebrate the end of the war, more than a few in the audience sang along.

The play gives an account of what many families living in Holland during World War II experienced. Drenton-Regoczi’s family lived in northern Holland, close to the German border. Although there is only one performer, the stage is populated by many characters: Hennie’s mother, father, sisters and brother, as well as other key figures in the experience of the little girl.

The story is about coping, but it is also about generosity and courage. In their own form of resistance to the Nazi occupation, the family hides a Jewish journalist in the attic and resistance fighters in the barn, in spite of being subjected

Arts & Life Editor The Arts and Life editor of The Cascade is responsible for assigning, collecting and editing the content of the Arts and Life section of The Cascade. The Arts and Life editor shall ensure that issues relevant to students are presented in his/her section, and allow the UFV arts community to be represented in his/her section. At all times, the Arts and Life editor shall adhere to the Cascade Journalism Society’s bylaws, Code of Conduct and other polices, as well as ensuring that all material in his/her section does not violate the Canadian University Press Code of Ethics.

Qualifications: Image:UFV

to regular scrutiny from both German soldiers and the Dutch collaborators. Hennie describes the hardships—the loss of her 18-year-old sister, the scarcity of food and the bombs falling nearby—but also the faith and solidarity of her family in those troubled days.

She also describes the humanity of war. Hans, a kind and honest German soldier stationed near her family farm, regularly intervenes to protect the family from unannounced searches and confiscation of food by German authorities.

Drenton-Regoczi’s performance, given from the perspective of an ingenuous five-year-old, was honest and often highly emotional.

Her evocation of the setting of the family kitchen and the fields surrounding the farm was vivid. The script does a fine job bringing to life the confusion and fear that war creates in the mind of a child and, from a child’s perspective, the

strength that family provides in a time of trial.

Following the play, the performer and the director responded to questions from the audience.

Drenton-Regoczi explained that the process of writing the play (which she began in 2009) was a “family effort.” Since she was only five at the time, there were holes in her memory, but once she began asking her brothers and sisters “all the stories came out.”

Drenton-Regoczi’s memories of the bombers have never faded.

“They came night after night,” she said, flying over her family farm for hours. The director, Jim Servizi, commented that 60 per cent of bomber crews did not survive, and that six weeks was the average life expectancy of a tail gunner.

An audience member wanted to know more about Hans, the kind German soldier who is a key character in the play. “Hans really pro-

tected our family,” Drenton-Regoczi said. “He had a pretty good idea of what was going on in our home.”

Reflecting back, Drenton-Regoczi thinks that she herself “must have talked to Hans about the man upstairs [the Jewish journalist].” But Hans revealed nothing. As part of the narrative, Hans tells Hennie about his daughter who is exactly Hennie’s age. All Hans wants is to go home to his farm and to his family. But Hans never made it.

Drenton-Regoczi learned after the war that Hans had been shot and killed at the border.

Droning of Bombers was made into a film in January 2011. It will be made available to schools to be shown on Remembrance Day. For more information and to purchase copies of the film of the play, call the box office at 604-7952814.

1) Must be registered in at least one credit course during the fall/winter semesters.

2) Must be available to work varying hours.

3) Must be available to be present in the office for at least five hours per week.

4) Must be able to deal effectively with Society and University staff, students and the public.

5) Must demonstrate strong command of the English language by passing an editing test, which will be administered during the interview process.

6) Must have knowledge of all relevant laws and journalistic standards concerning libel.

Position starts: August 2012.

Please send resume, statement of interest, and sample arts article to Paul Esau (esau@ufvcascade.ca)

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

FEATURE

CONVOCA Jack Brown addresses fellow grads Today, I find my own city and country adrift. It is an unsettling feeling, to stand in a space that is not quite right. The moorings that so many of us have come to expect, that so many of us have lived with for so long are gone. The structures of prosperity and optimism that once stood immutable in towns and minds all across this country have become as unstable and lacklustre as my grade point average. Not simply the institutions but the ideas manifest within them are now unstuck and unglued; adrift, like all of us.

My name is Jack, and after too many semesters to count and perhaps too long a time putting it off, I am graduating from the University of the Fraser Valley. I have been here since the autumn of 2006, which sounds like eons ago, but I still remember my first day more vividly than my most recent lecture. There were no dormitories then, or arenas, and the hallways and doors were painted a different colour. It was easier to find parking, and the student pub was still called Casey’s.

We were still a university-college, rather than a university, and I certainly did not expect to be standing here before all of you now. No, in those first days and first semesters I was gripped with the terror and excitement that any new phase of life brings. I had left behind the indentured service of high school for the ivory tower, and what lay before me was sheer possibility.

Only now, at the very end of my undergraduate experience, can I even begin to make sense of it, and this institution.

Despite what the technocrats might tell you, the function of the university has been more or less constant for the past thousand years. From the foundation of the Universities of Paris and Oxford, the corpus of students and scholars have pursued the diligent study of philosophy, law, music, theology, and natural science as ends in themselves. And it is because of this that the university itself is a revolutionary body, an institution unfettered by the thousand petty little orthodoxies that hold sway from one century to the next. I said at the very beginning that our institutions and our selves have become unmoored; that we are adrift and unglued. I said that because too many within this place have forgotten—perhaps willfully—the revolutionary origins of the university, and sought to stifle its operation.

Too many bureaucrats, instructors, and students have begun to think of this place not as the shining bastion of a free and open society, but as a mere factory for credentials. I am no longer a pupil, or a student, but a “Full Time Equivalent.”

I am present here not to flourish as a human being, but to get a job.

Such a base instrumentality would be merely amusing were it not so dangerous and widespread. No class or cadre is immune from its falsehoods, however well-intentioned they may be. I came here as the first in my family in three generations to make a serious go of university. My father could see no future for me as a commercial fisherman, and neither could I; so I came here to study, and initially I was quite ready to do so simply to secure white collar employment afterwards.

But when I was exposed to the classics, forced to read Plato and Aristotle and Thucydides, confronted with the spectre of Anscombe, made to feel the weight of Nussbaum and Tutu and Goethe – when all of these things and countless more were arrayed against me, I could do nothing but think, and

think hard. About my life, about my condition, and the condition of my peers, my fellow citizens. I could do nothing but think of all of the injustice, great and small, that drapes itself all across all our activities. I was forced, against my will and ignorance, to contemplate.

Never before in my life had I encountered a place that did that, that does that. Everywhere I had ever been previously demanded of me and of everyone else allegiance in varying degrees. Unspoken, uncritical, a loyalty and blind trust, for good or ill. This place, at its very best, liberates each and every one of us, student or otherwise, from this banality.

And so, we—the graduates of this place—have the burden of duty to carry forward with us. We must first remember, for our own sakes, our education, revolutionary as it is. And then we must go forth and join battle, to find all of those injustices, the big ones and the small ones, and right them. We cannot be deterred, whether from our own weakness or the malicious lethargy of those that came before. Our age is one of unemployment, of a malaise in our economy and in our hearts that makes everyone a pessimist. It leads ourselves to question the value of reading Avicenna and Hemingway, and opens the path to a sapping of the spirit. To give in to this urge, to throw down our arms is to rob the world of our creativity, of our passions, and of our reason.

A significant period in my life has come to a close, and it has in your lives too. I do not know what will happen next, what moves I will make, what jobs I might hold, and this uncertainty is made all the more frightening by the absence of a new morning. My friends, my brothers and sisters, we have a duty to our loved ones, to our fellow citizens, and yes, even to our enemies. We must remember; we must better ourselves, and we must bring forth all of our talents into this world and not shrink from the adversity that awaits us.

And of course, we must defend this place. But not simply the poorly painted “strawberry” walls of the buildings or the overpriced hamburgers from the privatized cafeteria, but the very idea of the university. It’s that thing that animates everything which we have done here, that keeps the staff and faculty and even the bureaucrats going, even if they don’t know it. It is the revolutionary proposition that knowledge has value simply because it is knowledge; that education is open to any man or woman from whatever place and whatever background; that the freedom to think differently, to debate, and yes, even disagree with authority is an activity worth celebration, not condemnation.

That’s a tall order for twenty-somethings, even thirtysomethings or forty-somethings; or in the case of my friend Russ, more than sixty-something. But we can do it.

My name is Jack, and however unmoored I might feel, however despondent or frightened, my time here is at a close. It was worth it, even with all of the frustrations. I hope it was worth it for you too; because, my dear friends, there is still so much for us—every one of us—to do.

It’s time to conquer the world.

Thank you.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

www.ufvcascade.ca

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ARTS & LIFE

TION 2012 “Never stop learning” JESS WIND

CONTRIBUTOR

Are you ready to become social agents of change? This was the challenge set forth

by Jennifer Ofeimu, student speaker and graduate from the Faculty of Professional Studies in the Teacher Education program, at convocation ceremonies on June 14.

The challenge went out to all 2012 graduates and future graduates of UFV. The AESC was buzzing with excitement as over 2000 students were awarded with diplomas, certificates and degrees. Spanning two days, the ceremonies were divided by faculty: graduates from the Faculty of Professional Studies and the Faculty of Access and Open studies crossed the stage on Thursday afternoon, all graduates from the College of Arts crossed on Friday morning, and the graduates from the Faculties of Science, Health Sciences and Trades and Technology crossed on Friday afternoon.

Not only did this event recognize the successful students of UFV, it celebrated long standing members of the Fraser Valley community Ray Silver Sr., Red Robinson and Sheldon Kennedy with honourary doctorates.

UFV also presented professors Dr. Olav Lian with the Research Excellence award and Dr. Sheryl McMath with

the Teaching Excellence Award at the event. It was two days full of significant accomplishments for both the recipients and UFV. Brad Whittaker, director of Research Services and Industry Liason, did a wonderful job emceeing the ceremonies. UFV chancellor Brian Minter and UFV president and vice chancellor Mark Evered’s speeches were both personal and inspirational.

First the guests were all acknowledged and thanked for their constant support of the graduates. Then the attention shifted to the capped and gowned students in the middle of the arena. Minter thanked the students for being instrumental in allowing UFV to stay true to its goal of being 100 per cent student oriented. Evered humbly stated that it was an honour and privilege to serve them in their education. Both speakers were clear in the message they hoped would be taken away and Minter summed it up nicely: “Our future depends on you, and we feel pretty good about that. Thanks a million.”

The theme of the event was evident: go out and plant your flag in the world. Helena Fraser, awarded a BSc in Biology with honours, heard this message loud and clear.

She plans to put her degree to work in the field of Ecology at the local mines in

Fernie, BC. When asked to pass on words of encouragement to the undergrads she emphasized the importance of campus involvement; take part in everything from clubs and activities to research projects. “Fun and unique opportunities build character and those memories will always stay with you,” she said.

Many students make the choice not to attend their graduation ceremonies for varying reasons, from time conflicts to simply not caring to sit through them.

When asked, Tara Young, awarded a certificate in Early Childhood Education, said she would have regretted not going. “You feel special and more connected to the school,” she said. She was impressed at the organization on the day of the ceremony, noting that there were even people there to help the grads get dressed. Tara said that her family was obviously among her biggest support, but having friends in her program to complain with is really what helped her through the tough times.

Allison Anderson, awarded a BBA in Accounting and Financial Management and a certificate in Professional Communications had similar anecdotes, thanking her friends for “struggling through all the brutal tests” with her. When asked what

she will take away from her time at UFV she responded that a good teacher can make all the difference and that she really likes steeped tea (after standing in a 20 minute long lineup day in and day out to get one).

With another convocation ceremony passed, UFV has unleashed another round of eager critical thinkers into the world. As students of this institution, and as members of this community, we are being challenged and inspired with each graduating class to rise to the occasion and make differences in our respective fields of study. UFV grows because we do, because we continue to learn and take on opportunities as they present themselves. Ray Silver Sr., an Honourary Doctorate of Laws recipient, was almost moved to speechlessness at the podium, but remarked that at 83-years-old he is still learning. He reminded us all why we are here, “education is the way of the future; never stop learning.”

Image: UFV

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

ARTS & LIFE

CROSSWORD 1

In your Cascade this week!!!

2

ACROSS 3

1. Sallis’s Driver. (4, 4 letters) 3. Age of the highest paid actress. (6, 3 letters) 5. Valuable, unfeasible Aislinn program. (2, 4, 4, 4 letters) 6. This Chilliwack space has Wi-Fi and seating for 2000 spectators. (10, 5 letters) 11. Lou Gehrig played through this many fractures. (9 letters) 12. At 83, Ray Silver Sr. received an Honourary Doctorate of ____. (4 letters) 14. $27,000 for walking around a track for 24 hours. (5, 5 letters) 17. CASA stands for the Canadian ________ of _______ Associations. (8, 7 letters) 18. Dropping to this membership status will save UFV $15,500. (9 letters) 20. Quantic Dream is working with actress Ellen Page on this. (6, 3, 5 letters)

4

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7 8 9 10

11 12

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DOWN

14 15 16

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20 EclipseCrossword.com

2. This wardrobe option is popular in a boudoir photo shoot. (8 letters) 4. Post _________ Stress Disorder. (12 letters) 7. Chinese Proverb: “Every great journey begins with a _______.” (4, 4 letters) 8. Women’s head soccer coach. (10 letters) 9. John Stevens’s former position. (5, 5 letters) 10. This type of sunscreen could be a fire hazard. (7 letters) 13. This province was the first to celebrate Family Day. (7 letters) 15. The life expectancy of a WWII tail gunner, according to Jim Servizi. (3, 5 letters) 16. Dorothy Parker wrote that the core value of lingerie is what? (7 letters) 19. Lou Gehrig won this many World Series with the Yankees. (3 letters)

JOEL SMART THE CASCADE

LAST WEEK’S Answer Key Across

3. Poe 5. Roth 8. Eliot 12. Hurston 14. Whitman 15 Martin 16. Crane 18. Stein 21. Franzen 22. Dick 23. Erdrich

Down 1. Bellow 2. Frost 4. Williams 6. Hemingway 7. Dickinson 9. Ginsberg 10. Thoreau 11. Irving 13. James 15. Moore 17. Heller 19. Updike 20. Gaddis

The Weekly Horoscope Star Signs from Madame Mystique Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18 Social media is a great thing, but you don’t need to share everything.

Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20 Your hard work is about to pay off as you are almost finished a big goal that you have been working on for a long time.

Gemini: May 21 - June 21

You are feeling connected to people more so this month than previously; now would be a good time to start volunteer work. You may also find that others are willing to help you out if you are in need.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22 You feel really passionate about an issue at the moment. Don’t be afraid to let others know how you feel!

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22 Your creativity is at a peak right now, so it’s a good time to challenge yourself with a new skill that involves imagination.

Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21 Be critical about information that seems too good to be true, except for horoscopes. Never doubt the horoscopes.

Leo: July 23 - Aug 22

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21

Watch out for heights in the next month. Time to put the tightrope walking on hold for a bit.

Stress might be getting to you lately. Time to cut back the caffeine and try to get consistent exercise (running to Starbucks doesn’t count).

Taurus: April 20 - May 20

Virgo: Aug 23 - Sept 22

Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19

There is a big challenge coming up in your life soon. If you prepare well, everything will go smoothly.

You would benefit from being more in touch with nature. Try planting a garden or going for a hike in the woods.

It’s easy to get into a rut, Capricorn. Take some time to go on an adventure or be a tourist in your own town.

Aries: March 21 - April 19 Someone in your life might be depending on you too heavily right now, make sure to let them know you need your space.

Visit us at www.monktucky.com!

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

www.ufvcascade.ca

13

ARTS & LIFE

The Cascade Cookbook

Drink o’ the Week

Braised Coconut Spinach & Chickpeas with Lemon

Ali is a student at UFV; she enjoys canoeing, canoodling, crafts and cats. She is best known for her skills as a chainsaw artist and has always wanted to study taxidermy.

Black and White Martini

“This dish is vegetarian and my carnivore male suitor never even noticed. It’s filling, it’s cheap and all the veggies can be bought locally. This recipe can be thrown together in 15 minutes – all that takes time is the rice or potatoes.”

Ingredients: 2 tsp of oil (any kind will do) 1 yellow onion 6 large cloves of garlic, minced 1 tbsp grated ginger (about 3 inches) ½ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped 1 large lemon, zested and juiced 1 dried hot pepper or 1 tsp of red pepper flakes (optional) 15 oz can chickpeas, drained 1 lb baby spinach 14 oz can coconut milk 1 tsp ground ginger 4 large sweet potatoes For serving: fresh cilantro lime juice shredded coconut

Preparation: In a large (seriously, the spinach is deceiving) pot, add oil and sauté the onion until it is browned.

Add garlic, ginger, sundried tomatoes, lemon zest and chili flakes or pepper. Stir for about 5 minutes on medium heat.

Once all mixed, add the chickpeas and cook on high until they are coated with the onion mixture.

Turn the heat down to low/medium. One

For those who love vanilla AND chocolate, as well as getting hammered.

3 oz Vanilla Vodka 1 oz White Crème de Cacao Image: Nick Ubels

handful at a time, add the baby spinach.

As it wilts, it will make room for the next handful. When the spinach is all wilted, add the coconut milk and ground ginger.

Simmer for 5 minutes on low. *This dish is thick enough to eat on its own, but also soupy enough to serve over rice, quinoa, or my personal favourite, roasted sweet potato.

Estimated cost: $10

Pour ingredients into an ice-filled cocktail shaker.

Shake. Pour into martini glasses. Garnish with black and white licorice. *For those who prefer weaker drinks, add cream or milk.

Ideal for: The ballroom Bad for: The Pride Parade On The Cascade scale: B

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

ARTS & LIFE

Dine & Dash: Golden Dragon

2-33550 South Fraser Way, Abby 604.853.3878

Price: $4.95-$6.50 lunch; $9.50 dinner

Hours: Sun to Mon, Wed to Fri: 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. (Fri until 10 p.m.); Sat: 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Tues: closed

JENNIFER COLBOURNE THE CASCADE

Mini Album Reviews

SoundBites

Walking into the Golden Dragon, it appears to be your typical Chinese food restaurant; charmingly gaudy decorations festoon every inch of the walls and shelf spaces while traditional Chinese music softly plays in the background. However, though it is lunch hour, the Golden Dragon is dead. This is never a good sign; it means the restaurant has trouble attracting loyal returning customers. And now I know why.

The waitress serving us was polite and very quick, though I certainly would have hoped so considering that my husband and I were practically the only customers. We ordered two of the lunch specials: Pork Fried Rice, Chicken Chow Mein and Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls on my part, and Pork Fried Rice, Honey Garlic Pork and Breaded Almond Chicken for my husband. Initially, I was impressed that Wonton Soup, one

Image: GoldenDragon

mately rests on the chow mein.

I have yet to find a chow mein in Abbotsford that blows me away, but I certainly found the worst in town. Like everything else, it was bland, bland, bland. No flavour at all and its mushy texture was not appealing in the least.

Suddenly it made sense to me that the only two customers we’d seen—one leaving, one coming in—were octogenarians. The blandness and mushiness of the food may possibly have an appeal for those whose taste buds and teeth have long forsaken them.

Otherwise, I have no idea how Golden Dragon is still in business.

I would assume that they were having an off-day, except that a few years ago I ate similarly terrible tasteless take-out from them.

Evidently I should have learned my lesson the first time.

After we left, my husband informed me that while we were eating he heard a very loud sneeze from the kitchen that had instantly turned him off of his meal. I didn’t know whether to be relieved or not that I hadn’t been paying attention.

Disgusting.

Without a doubt, my husband and I are never coming back. The prices were average, and to be honest the food was so terrible I wouldn’t even eat there if the food was free. I’d recommend eating at the mall over this place any day.

of my favourites, also came with the lunches as a starter.

Quickly enough, though, my positive first impression turned to dismay. Out came two unbelievably tiny bowls of wonton soup— literally, there was nothing but two little wontons in the bowl, not even veggies or meat—and they were just terrible. The broth had no taste whatsoever, as if the wontons had just been boiled in water. As for the wontons themselves, they were full of gristle; I had trouble even choking them down as I bit down on rock-hard unidentified

meat bits.

I still maintained hope the rest of the meal would compensate. One does not need to have the highest standards for Westernized Chinese food, after all. And at first it seemed like it would be okay; the rice was presented in a neat-looking square shape, and the sauces on the meat were glossy and tempting. Everything looked edible, at least.

I couldn’t tell you what was worse. The sauces were beyond sickly sweet – after just one bite, neither of us wanted to eat any more of the honey garlic pork.

Though the sweet and sour sauce was similarly unappealing, we found it necessary to counter balance the tastelessness of the chicken inside the spongy balls.

The almond chicken was decent, but considering that the Chinese food place across the street, Bamboo Palace, has hands down the best almond chicken in town, it wasn’t that impressive. Similarly, the rice was OK, though it didn’t have a lot of flavour either unless you added a lot of soy sauce.

My standard of a good Chinese food restaurant, however, ulti-

Glen Hansard Rhythm and Repose

The dB’s Falling Off the Sky

Metric

The Hot Moonbeams Decepticorn EP

Glen Hansard was an established presence in the Irish folk rock scene as The Frames’ charismatic front man long before capturing worldwide attention as “Guy” in the ubiquitous 2006 indie musical Once. Around the time of the film’s release, he produced a series of records with the film’s co-star, Markéta Irglová, under the moniker The Swell Season. Much of the pair’s success stemmed from the sublime contrast between Hansard’s coarse busker’s howl and Irglová’s beautiful, untarnished vocals. While The Swell Season’s vocal chemistry and emotional directness has taken them a long way, they struggled with inconsistent song writing and a steadfast adherence to formula. Similar song writing deficiencies prevail and are in fact aggravated by the overbearing production on Rhythm and Repose, the 42-year-old Hansard’s debut solo effort. Stylistically, the album finds Hansard in more muted voice, mostly simmering rather than unleashing his signature roar. But he tills over-worked ground. What results is an oddly calculated one-note outing. What Hansard puts forth here as genuine emotional intensity is insultingly banal, melodramatic and insubstantial. On Rhythm and Repose, Hansard merely masquerades as Van Morrison, lacking the creative spirit, lyrical prowess and enchanting mysticism of his musical forefather.

“There’s no going back/ All those times are finished with and done/ You better wake up, wake up, wake up/ That time is gone.” After 25 years apart, seminal jangle pop band the dB’s have not only reunited with their original line up, but matured along the way, as the lyrics off of their opening track “That Time Is Gone” indicate. Falling Off the Sky is comfortable, pensive and finds the band making pop music in a fashion as introspective and purposeful as they did in days of old without denying who they are now. The dB’s always seemed on the verge of hitting it big back in the 1980s, as they remained a band fans either loved or never heard of; real fame never really happened, causing the band to fall apart. Falling Off the Sky finds both primary songwriters Peter Holsapple and Chris Stamey sounding a bit older, quieter, and more brooding than they did in the old days, but the truth is that unlike classic dB’s albums, Falling Off the Sky has a lack of standout tracks; rather it’s enjoyable more for its familiar sound than for what the band does with it.

Synthetica opens with vocalist Emily Haines delivering the salvo “I’m just as fucked up as they say,” which makes a lot of sense since “fucked up” is probably the last thing anyone would say about Haines or her band Metric, who deliver here their fifth taking apart and putting back together of the words “electric” and “guitar” with lyrics that allude to inner turmoil then end it as easily as Haines follows through on verse-chorus rules. That’s not to say that Metric isn’t an easily enjoyable listen – their synthesizer swirls and repeating melodies follow through on the promise of their established brand, but there’s less here than the reflective motif wants to say there is. Following the opening, there is a careful questioning of the relationship between the self and electronic representation (“I make all that I believe”) voiced and left hanging in the air, question marks (“Is this my life?”) that can’t be easily resolved. But around the mid-album put-on sing-song of “Lost Kitten,” there begins to arise a whatever answer (“I’ll keep the life I’ve got”) that rejects the self-conscious struggle of album standouts “Breathing Underwater” and “Dreams So Real.” The turning of Metric’s robotic noises on itself dissipates into unchanging sound.

While they are now officially defunct, The Hot Moonbeams, which shone out of Langley, have released one final EP entitled Decepticorn. It’s a seven track album that does its best to stay somewhat relative to the garage rock genre. And while that’s a good thing if it works, and it does work to a certain success here, there are two breakaway tracks which really shine: the first being “Day of Rest” and the other “You May Be a Lover.” After you listen to Decepticorn it becomes fairly apparent why – these songs take after the styling of The Replacements very closely.

If the entire album was like this, wow.

But it’s not and it is more eclectic.

If the band hadn’t reached its end, it would be very easy to get the idea that they were looking for a sound to cement with; along with the aforementioned, styles range from a ’90s staple to lo-fi surf. What is ultimately a real detriment to The Hot Moonbeams, though, is the production quality. The album comes across much like a demo – although that’s the case for many great bands’ early work. In all, it’s a very respectable showcase for one local band that is no more.

NICK UBELS

TIM UBELS

Synthetica

MICHAEL SCOULAR

JOE JOHNSON

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

www.ufvcascade.ca

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ARTS & LIFE

Album Reviews

Japandroids – Celebration Rock NICK UBELS

CONTRIBUTOR

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

CHARTS

Japandroids Celebration Rock Teen Daze All Of Us, Together The Ketamines Spaced Out CFCF Exercises

White Lung Sorry

Barren Earth The Devil’s Resolve

Cousins The Palm At The End Of The Mind

8 9 10 11

Real Boys Real Boys Raygun Cowboys Cowboy Up! Each Other Taking Trips

Androgynous Mind Nightstalker

12 13

Cadence Weapon Hope In Dirt City

Portia

The Parish Of Little Clifton

14

Various You Can Dig My Grave In The Mammoth Cave: A Sampler

15

The Wood Of Ypres Woods 5: Grey Skies & Electric Lights

16 17 18

The Courtneys K.C. Reeves The Flaming Lips & Heady Fwends Leonard Cohen Old Ideas

Shuffle ALICIA WILLIAMS

CIVL DJ/HEAR ME NOW? I am Alicia Williams and I am the host of Mood Swings (Mon 1-3) on CIVL (obv.). On my show I eat my words and celebrate the entertainer/ musician King Khan. Here are some choice tracks from his various projects that I enjoi. Be sure to check out KK + BBQ Show when they play the Biltmore on the 14th (of July, duh).

Double be sure to watch for a KK interview on my show, watch for updates on Facebook for the air date!! (JK I have you blocked) King Khan and the Shrines - Welfare Bread HIT JAMMZZZ!!! This is probably the biggest hit from any KK anything! It’s on some Pitchfork top list whatever. It’s kind of slow and groovy. Chris Hunter from CSection (Tues 1-3) refered to this song as “the greatest song in rock history.” So if Pitchfork’s opinion doesn’t matter to you (it shouldn’t) then take Chris’ word for it. http://youtu.be/YnZ8ZQ8Puos The King Khan Experience Hammer Ich Vermisse Dich This is a cover of my favourite, favourite, favourite Jay Reatard song, Hammer I Miss You. It’s in German! It’s great, you can hear that it’s Khan, not just a plain old Reatard cover. The end is what really gets you though, the “I Miss You” part is like, way chilling.

This is a great cover, especially if you like covers. http://youtu.be/qTFeRTOMmdI Tandoori Knights - Bandstand This is such a fun song! Tandoori Knights is only King Khan and Bloodshot Bill, they’re both IndoCanadian and they sing in accents! They’re the best, seriously.

If you’re looking for garage that makes you wanna dance instead of doing homework (always) THIS IS IT! http://youtu.be/funxX4kHxeA King Khan - Desert Mile SLOW JAMZZZ!!! Desert Mile is a Record Store Day split single released with Jacuzzi Boys. I obviously think the King Khan half is the better of the two songs. It’s super mellow, without being boring.

It sounds like a love song without being mushy and lame. I like it!

You like it! http://youtu.be/bfPpz5nbR5c

We fade in to the thundering kettle corn crackle of distant fireworks, the prophetic march of David King’s rumbling floor tom, and now the howling swell of amplifier feedback.

Japandroids go for broke with a brazen declaration of intent to open Celebration Rock, the maximally ramshackle Vancouver garage rock duo’s long-awaited follow-up to an impassioned debut. It’s a make-or-break moment for the band that left fans wondering whether they could muster the same vigour and visceral power of 2008’s Post-Nothing three-and-ahalf years later. But any of my own anxiety about a sophomore slump is first diminished then deafened by the massively distorted wallop of Brian King’s guitar and opening vocal hook that could never not include the word “tonight.”

So what do “the nights of wine and roses hold” for our underdog heroes? A record that’s every bit as vital as its predecessor, but exponentially more confident, complex and accomplished. It’s a compliment to the band’s progress as song writers that the weakest track on the album is a cover of Gun Club’s “For the Love of Ivy.” It feels oddly small in scope alongside Japandroids’ widescreen punk anthems that sonically split the difference between The Replacements and Hüsker Dü.

Prowse and King are keenly aware of life’s ephemeral nature and the strain of memory. Yet it is not nostalgia they espouse so much as a resolution to never surrender, to take seriously Neil Young’s proclamation: “It’s better

to burn out/ Than to fade away.”

Album highlight “Younger Us” doesn’t celebrate youth so much as memorialize it, even while it recedes irretrievably into the dark shadow of the past. Each moment of purely-felt exuberance is lit by the phrase “Remember when...” throughout the verse and followed by an ever-burning desire to relive those moments with the clenched fist manifesto of the echoing refrain: “Give me younger us.”

The song’s lyrics bear a slight autobiographical slant, memorializing the story of the band’s fiery second coming with the couplet: “Remember that night when you were already in bed/ Said ‘Fuck it’ and got up to drink with me instead.” It reminds the listener that Post-Nothing very likely could have been Japandroids’ first and only LP. Dejected and getting nowhere, the band had decided to call it quits after finishing their debut. But that’s when a flurry of sudden interest saved them from the brink of obscurity. Japandroids still aren’t taking anything for granted.

It’s clear that the band possesses an unshakeable, near-religious fervour steeped in rock and roll mythos. Their absolute belief, that they can achieve that one hotly pursued moment of transcendence with enough sweat-infused effort and a pair of Marshall stacks with dials glued to eleven, remains firmly intact; walls of guitar and shout-along choruses are a testament to their unabashedly earnest desperation. Celebration Rock scorns cool indifference and detached ennui with a blistering rebuke of “Whoa-oh-oh”s.

The album reaches its bold climax with the elemental crescendo

of “The House that Heaven Built” and Japandroids shift down for the surprisingly tender mid-tempo closing track “Continuous Thunder,” which might as well serve as a concise description of the last 35 minutes. Celebration Rock ends with the familiar sound of fireworks fading into the background, this time signifying something else entirely.

One of the things that’s so appealing about Japandroids is the way their music implicitly affirms the importance of companionship with an abundant use of plural pronouns. When King and Prowse join voices to holler “We don’t cry for those nights to arrive/ We yell like hell to the heavens” on albumopener “The Nights of Wine and Roses,” I find myself unable to shake the feeling that the most important thing I could do right now would be to call my closest friends and stay up together all night.

Japandroids bleed the kind of conviction that makes you feel sorry for whatever act has to follow; you would be hard pressed to find a record, this year or any other, that captures this abundance of raw spirit with such acuity.

John Mayer – Born and Raised PAIGE HOBLAK CONTRIBUTOR

After two years out of the spotlight, John Mayer comes back, reinvented, with his newest album Born and Raised. Mayer hid away after vocal surgery, his recovery having turned into a much needed break. He admitted in a recent interview with talk show host Ellen Degeneres that after a handful of bad interviews he had “lost his head.” He moved away from the bright lights of Los Angeles to the more humbling state of Montana where he was inspired to create Born and Raised, which he calls his “most honest” album yet.

Born and Raised is a far stretch from his Live in Los Angeles album, which was produced at the pinnacle of his career and his subsequent breaking point. This is John Mayer’s fifth studio album and is completely different from any before.

Born and Raised showcases Mayer’s versatility as a musician. It is represents a much humbler Mayer, acknowledging the fact that he has endured and conquered much hardship as a constant target for media gossip. Several times throughout the album, he sings about “letting go,” which I believe is a recognition of his past and finding the way to embracing his

new life.

His former Battle Studies hinted at his current crisis as the album expressed a very confused Mayer.

The album had beats that were borderline pop music; it was an unlikely collaboration with ex-girlfriend, pop/country star Taylor Swift. Battle Studies lacked the honesty that is so evident in Born and Raised – an album that focuses on stories from the inside rather than those about the outside.

Inspired by several musical geniuses before him—such as Bob Dylan—John Mayer takes on a new genre of bluegrass folk-rock, while still staying true to his roots that led him to his success. In the new album Mayer seems confident in a way that has nothing to

do with appearances, rather the confidence that comes from within.

At first listen I was unsure about the album that is so unlike the others before.

However, I have come to realise that this may very well be his best.

Born and Raised revolutionizes John Mayer’s signature sound, while telling a genuine story of transformation through his lyrics and

guitar.

The album’s most attentiongrabbing songs are “Queen of California” and the title-track “Born and Raised.” Both prove the musical genius that is John Mayer, who has the potential to become one of our generation’s best musicians – with an emphasis on his guitarplaying abilities.

His talent cannot be denied and all preconceived judgements about the artist must be ignored when listening to his newest album. The album is deserving of at least of few good listens, as my first impression was not my lasting one. If you are open to hearing the sounds of a completely new and elevated John Mayer, Born and Raised will do just that.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

ARTS & LIFE

Discussions Below the Belt Field trip: A boudoir photo shoot

TITS MCGEE

THE CASCADE

Photography goes through trends, or so it seems. I don’t know.

I’m not a photographer. According to my Facebook newsfeed, though, one of the hottest trends today is the boudoir photo shoot. Now, I don’t know about you, but the idea of stripping down to my—well, my nothing—makes me pretty uncomfortable.

With that in mind, I decided to accompany someone else to their boudoir photo shoot. Actually, I accompanied someone else and their bridal party to a boudoir photo shoot. I also decided to stay fully clothed, which was probably a solid decision. For those of you that are curious, here’s a rundown of how the day went. Spoiler: it’s not as scary as you think.

I was the first to arrive at photographer Shandra Stephenson’s apartment where the shoot was taking place. I’m punctual like that. At that time, I met makeup artist Carmen Tse. Both were welcoming and laid back; Shandra had coffee brewing and cupcakes and strawberries for snacking and Carmen chatted as she laid out an overwhelming array of makeup.

I asked Shandra, who’s been a photographer for six years and done boudoir for one year, what she liked best about these shoots.

“It’s just ... taking a regular girl and making her feel good about herself. My favourite story is about a girl who almost cancelled, but eventually we got her here. Afterwards, she said she felt ready to take on the world. That’s what it’s about for me.”

When the models arrived, they immediately made themselves at home. Champagne and orange juice came out, the bride’s phone was set to random through the stereo. Lingerie—wardrobe options

for the shoots—was everywhere.

While they proceeded to pour liquor, I asked Kylea, the bride, what had made her decide to schedule the shoot. “Well, Anna had some done and I thought it would be cool to have some. It was when [Corlie] and I were up until 4 a.m., drinking in my hot tub – you can say that drinking led to this.”

While the chatting and cluttering was going on, Shandra and Carmen both took it in stride and got started.

The first up was Ashley, so she sat down in the make-up chair.

Carmen started applying the make-up, taking Ashley’s wardrobe into consideration. She curled her hair, carefully painted on red lipstick and used a thick liner to create, in the model’s words, “a total sex kitten” transformation.

She looked awesome, and so she headed into the bedroom where the door was closed for the shoot.

Being honest here, the make-up transformation was great, but the change when she was finished her shoot was amazing. She stood a little straighter, held her head high, and seemed much more at home in the corset and panties she had been wearing for the shoot. What’s best? She’s a new mom. In the 11 months since she’s had her son, she’s focused solely on him – understandably.

“It was awesome – I didn’t think about the baby for a solid half hour. It was so empowering.”

When I asked her if it was tough to get into a sexy frame of mind, she said no. “It’s an adjustment,” she said. “When you get pregnant, you have a good body, then you go through this transformation. It’s about accepting what your body is now, and this definitely helped.

She [the photographer] made me feel really comfortable ... she just kept talking to me, I forgot I was naked.”

Haute Stuff LEANNA PANKRATZ THE CASCADE

Perhaps the most personal of all women’s garments, few articles of clothing inspire so many winks, nudges and blushes as lingerie.

Lingerie has been used for centuries as sleepwear and underwear – to see even a hint of a lady’s stocking, in the Victorian years, was appallingly intimate and was to be reserved only for her husband.

Throughout the years, great care has been put into the careful selection and wearing of the right piece of lingerie. It’s a garment that is beautiful, private and in possession of a certain decadence or opulence that is often missing from outerwear these days. It’s like an art that hasn’t died.

The key to looking lovely or desirable in any undergarment is to (and I know this sounds cliché, but it’s true) wear it with confidence.

There is perhaps no sartorial image less stirring, in fact, than a women slouching, embarrassed, looking uncomfortably bared in her sheer, black negligee. See what I mean? If that same black negligee

Image: Shandra Stephenson

The next model was Corlie, and she started the shoot wearing just panties and her boyfriend’s hockey jersey. When I asked what she was planning on doing with the photos, she said “I’ll probably do an album or a calendar.” She also mentioned seeing Groupons for photo books pretty frequently.

Right after Corlie was the bride’s turn. Kylea’s shoot began in the main area of the apartment; she took photos against the wall and in the door frame, just feet away from her friends, the makeup artist and myself. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking – I’d be freaked out, too.

But it didn’t bug Kylea, aside from the fact that she had trouble keeping a straight face. The photographer repeated “No, it’s great! Keep laughing!” and she was right. It made her look natural and made the shoot seem like fun.

Afterwards, Kylea and Corlie did a mini-shoot together, as they had matching corsets in red and green. They planned to find a photo appropriate to give both their beaus in either a calendar or Christmas card.

Kylea’s friend Anna was next.

She’s a nurse, which apparently has

made her pretty comfortable with the human body; she did her shots topless, and some were even completely nude. Those were all behind a closed door and Shandra didn’t say a word – Anna shared it herself.

So yes, feel free to flaunt your birthday suit, no one will find out.

When I asked Anna how it was, she replied “it was... nudey.” Pretty much sums it up, but obviously the experience was a good one if she felt comfortable enough to go fully buff. She had actually done a boudoir shoot before with a friend who was a photographer. She said the two shoots weren’t much different, except that the first one was all about her. “It’s like finding a man,” she joked. “It’s all about finding someone that makes you want to take your clothes off.” Getting more serious, she explained what she found great about the shoot: “With all the different roles we have in society—nurse, mother, whatever—it’s great to have some time just about yourself.”

After some group shots, Amanda was up. As the only single member of the group, she had some reservations. She didn’t go with the rest of the bridal party to purchase

lingerie because “it would have been weird. I’m single, and have to no one to buy it for, you know?”

I asked if she’d consider sharing these photos with any future boyfriends and she said yes. Actually, she said, “Yes, I’d give it to someone like that I guess. Actually, I’d give it to my friends – fuck, look at me, I’m hot!”

It’s a good call. Having your hair and makeup professionally done and a professional photographer talk you through flattering poses can work wonders. Not to say that Amanda—or any of the girls—needed the help to look hot. They’re all the kind of girls you mentally swear at when you see them walking down the street, because they look just that much better than you. Don’t pretend you don’t do it too. But the professionals accentuate what each girl has naturally, and push their hotness quotient over the edge.

Random extra things that happened during the day: apparently Shandra fixed the tags on more than one of the girls’ thongs— yeah, I’d have trouble doing it for someone else too—but everyone agreed that she was so calm about it that it didn’t make them uncomfortable at all. Kylea was given an awesome goodie bag by Carmen— a present to the bride—that made everyone else jealous. Somewhere in between Ashley and Corlie, the other girls headed to the liquor store for more alcohol. Wine, vodka and some coolers came in handy for the rest of the afternoon – it was really just a party for everyone involved. Lastly, take someone like Anna along if you have a shoot for yourself; she had the foresight to order one large, cheesy pizza and it was pretty ubiquitously agreed upon to be exactly what everyone involved needed to soak up the booze and move on with their awesome day.

Beautiful brevity: Lingerie as a fashion statement

makes another lady feel like a feline seductress, who can wear it as powerfully as the muse it was potentially designed for, then the lingerie has been successful, and the correct image has been attained.

The trick is finding a style, colour or fabric that both suits you and that you feel comfortable in.

Simply put: if you hate lace, don’t wear it! There are so many different types of lingerie one can buy, designed for each of the ways one can feel stirred in the bedroom.

There are frilly, cutesy “babydoll” nighties, garters and stockings (lovely in black), silky robes that skim the body perfectly, and the easily accessible boy shorts and tank top combination, which is comfortable and casually sexy.

While I’m personally a fan of Victoria’s Secret for all things nightwear, you really can’t go wrong with the more local Sevenoaks-available options like La Vie En Rose, which boasts a wide array of stockings, garters and playful, sheer negligees, and La Senza, which along with the usual array of sexy silks, also has a whole lot of cute, fuzzy pajamas and terry cloth shorts that while perhaps not

overly seductive or enticing, make for some pretty comfortable sleepwear (because, really, who can wear a garter belt every night?).

For those who enjoy the thrill of old world opulence and artifice, Lace Embrace Atelier in Vancouver specializes in authentic Burlesque and Victorian inspired corsets that, while priced fairly high, are custom-fitted, and on a girl who loves that style, would look wonderful.

The search for the right set of lingerie is very personal, ideally shared between a woman and her lover. It should be catered to the exacting tastes of a particular couple and chosen by the woman with great care and attention to what makes her feel confident, seductive and feminine. It would be advised to definitely try a piece on before you buy it. There’s nothing worse than being hindered by something that’s too tight or restricting.

While lingerie is not limited to use with a partner (In fact I commend women—and let’s not forget brave men—who decadently wear their beautiful night clothes on their own. Empowering!), there is no doubt that when faced with a partner while wearing a beau-

Image: RobW_/flickr.com

tiful set of silk and lace, there is perhaps one inevitable activity in mind. As ’20s humourist Dorothy Parker wrote in her book Enough Rope, “The core value of lingerie is brevity – it will last five minutes at most.”

Unfortunately, your gorgeous new set of nightwear is not going to last very long, and the purpose of elaborate lingerie is one that definitely echoes the old world sentiment of portraying yourself as feminine – as something lovely to look at because it matters what

your partner thinks, and your own experience will be heightened all the more for it.

You’re creating an experience: a spritz of perfume, tousled hair and you’re ready for whatever activity the evening has to offer. I look at lingerie as a bit of an investment – if time and care, and perhaps some money is put in, you certainly will get your dime’s worth.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

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ARTS & LIFE

CASCADE ARCADE

FILM REVIEW

E3 sheds light on lack of radical Cosmopolis innovation MICHAEL SCOULAR

THE CASCADE

Image: Rick R. 1/flickr.com

JOEL SMART

THE CASCADE The Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) just finished and already people are counting the days until next year’s show. It’s that big of a deal in the gaming world. It’s when consoles are announced and hordes of new games are revealed.

But this year, the event was not received with the same glowing optimism and excitement that it has garnered in the past. That’s not to say it’s the first time this has happened. There have been worse years for the show, but somehow this year felt different.

Perhaps it’s the new and innovative games coming out on the PSN and XBLA marketplace that made it so evident, but the mainstream gaming industry has lost some of its zest. Somewhere in the mess of market research and multimillion-dollar budgets, the ability to truly innovate is lost. Oh, there are more shooters and sequels and slight evolutions of various genres, but I get the sense that the gaming community is ready for something more. They want the next step.

Things really weren’t all that bad. In fact, they were quite good.

There was a new God of War – with multiplayer no less. An enormous massively-multiplayer war was unveiled in Battlefield 2. But perhaps the most interesting game to come out of E3 was Beyond: Two Souls, the next interactive drama from Heavy Rain developer Quantic Dream. It appears to evolve the genre significantly, both in terms of interactivity and storytelling.

Plus, the game’s protagonist is being played by none other than cultfavourite actress Ellen Page. There were other interesting games too, including Nintendo games that toyed with multiplayer minigames featuring their tablet-like WiiU controller. Although a number of the show’s games were exciting,

they weren’t unexpected. They weren’t revolutionary.

E3 also brought promises of the future. Unreal Engine 4—a sequel to what many developers have used to create their video games—was shown off publically for the first time. It showcases what many games will look like on as-of-yet unrevealed next-generation consoles. Stunning graphics and easier programming were enough to get everyone salivating. However, the shift to the next generation from this current generation is much smaller than from the last generation to this one (and last generation from the one before). As much as the graphics will improve, as much as the lighting will get more realistic and the particle effects more impressive, they won’t redefine gaming. They won’t push the boundaries of what it means to play a game.

Perhaps it is expecting too much from the video game industry. It is a very new medium, after all.

But perhaps the truth is that the industry is being held back by the current economic structure that it has become reliant upon. Perhaps this year’s E3 is a result of growing pressures to appease the stockholders, to grow the brand, to establish a franchise, to be what is expected.

No, gaming is not in trouble. It’s doing very well for itself, and it’s growing more and more respected by the mainstream public by the day. Though, if this year’s E3 is any indication, we are not yet close to the time when people play games because they’re meaningful, insightful and artistic masterpieces.

Those games are increasingly being made, being attempted, but this is not the focus of the industry.

Yet, a growing need for an evolution of the medium is palpable.

The question is, will the community demand it?

Don DeLillo’s words form sentences comprised of ideas, whole, teeming and stacked, teetering as pages and minutes pass, images for the back of brains that require not a similar volume of vocabulary, but a spot on the same wavelength to strike with immediacy at the senses. By adapting DeLillo’s Cosmopolis for the screen—the dialogue word-for-word in most places—David Cronenberg complicates an already complicated assembly of ideas and subjects, adding to the stir the voices of actors and his own current sense of visual timing.

Robert Pattinson is a manipulator of subjects, living numbers and advisors that pass through the screen of his limousine, a proprietor of statistical and material largeness, and, reports say, in danger. The focus of Cosmopolis, though, is not the plot, but the analysis of all its moving parts.

Analysis might be the best way to describe what Pattinson’s character does; when he’s not locked on the blue glow of his financial displays, he’s looking straight ahead as if he’s still watching people behind the block of his sunglasses, even though he left them somewhere he can’t remember.

This mode, fractured between the desires of the flesh and the tendencies of technology, is assumed by all the main faces of Cosmopolis.

Words and body language don’t vary wildly in inflection or display but spill out categorically, syllable

after syllable, stance after stance, betraying nothing, seeking to penetrate.

Their syntax is based around the query/responses of commands, like the computer system in The Fly. Their sound oscillates between the day/night dichotomy of speaking and not speaking. This is what. It’s either talk racing ahead, heads lagging behind trying to deconstruct what was just said, now said a minute ago or smothered silence. This is true. What happens to humans in the technological age and the effects of the talking cure are among the most prominent sources of wounds and cures David Cronenberg keeps coming back to, and Cosmopolis holds true to this seeking.

The digital has also changed Cronenberg in ways that have a stark discharge – in the look and pace of his images. There are much fewer sustained shots; instead, Cronenberg prefers an assortment of angles that he shuffles through, trying to find the one that will reveal the most about the current speaking subject. This quicker relay of shot-shot-reverse shot is of a streak with A Dangerous Method.

The discussion might not match the intensity, visually and otherwise, of the first meeting of Jung and Speilrein, but they have a similar tenor, of looking for what isn’t revealed, travelling as near as individually possible to the edge of thought. Stare at something long enough and it’ll become unfamiliar.

What is familiar is the topic of discussion. All of the scenes in Cos-

mopolis are soaked in the context of a financial crisis—the book’s, not the world’s—but close enough that the meaning of what’s said and what’s implied might come across as a comment on every bit of news that’s come across your desk or screen in the past four years or so.

Roles are delineated so clearly they might come to resemble the metaphoric. Cosmopolis, with its topical addresses and stripped appearance, could be taken as a harangue.

This takes the plagiarized scroll of the ticker at face value.

If Cosmopolis deals in metaphor, it does so with as much force as all of Cronenberg’s other films. They are didactic in that they suggest the only adequate response is rejection. Of what is to be decided.

There are characters and there is the world, and Cronenberg has always changed what is accepted as justifiable for both into, well, something else. There are many situations, from the joyous to the unreal, that are even funny here, but there is the blanket of unrest that means that isn’t how everyone will react to them.

And lest the thought that Pattinson is nothing but a blankness take hold, consider what he’s looking for. More, in the tradition of the would-be immortal Videodrome contestant. Bodily and sexual limits, the expectations of being a son, the archaic attitude of everything that’s been surpassed weigh on him. Let it express itself. He wants a haircut at the place he’s always gotten one. What’s unimportant about that.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

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SPORTS & HEALTH

LA Kings crowned champs KAREN ANEY

Lou Gehrig:

the cascade

Apparently, winning the Stanley Cup isn’t so easy.

In fact, it’s kind of a battle. Or perhaps a series of battles. With that in mind, I reverted back to my days in high school history class and decided to make a timeline – turning point battles in the LA Kings’ run for the Cup.

Mike Richards. Yes, it was the Kings’ acquisition of Richards that really started their run for the cup. Even ignoring what he did for the team in the regular season, he scored 15 points in the postseason – no small feat. The hockey world focused more on the fact that Richards had been traded away from the Flyers (where he was captain) and dumped rather unceremoniously on a team with no strong cup run potential, but that wasn’t the whole story – it was also the first step towards building an offence in Los Angeles. One that functioned. One that didn’t include Kobe Bryant.

Shortly before the trade deadline, forward Jeff Carter was traded to the Kings from Columbus (who clearly gave up about three games into the season). He had been traded away from the Flyers on the same day as Mike Richards. The two were under heavy scrutiny in Philadelphia for their propensity to party, and separating them seemed intentional to everyone who wasn’t blind. Apparently Lombardi is blind, but has some heightened sense we don’t know about, because he reunited the pair. It worked out pretty well for him: Carter had 13 points in the postseason, and performed well enough in the regular season that the Kings actually managed to get to the playoffs. Arguably, getting to the playoffs is a pretty important step to winning the Cup.

In the second round, the Kings swept the St. Louis Blues. This whole series was (clearly) dominated by LA, but it was a stand-out for Anze Kopitar. He had two goals and two assists in the four games, but his play was—for lack of a better word—pretty. He found the open lanes, was acutely aware of the play, and was a key piece of the winning puzzle.

The series for him can be neatly summated by a short-handed goal he scored at about 5:40 into the second game. After a turn-over capitalized on by Dustin Brown, he received a pass, flawlessly handled the puck, and shot it top-shelf – right before receiving a lovely hit from behind, courtesy of the sloppy Blues defence. The move, to me, epitomizes my typical experience playing NHL 12 against my boyfriend. He makes a beauty of a pass, wiggles his stick, and puts it where Mom keeps the peanut butter. I fruitlessly hit him from behind a split second after he releases the puck. I’m the Blues. The Kings are my boyfriend. I felt an overwhelming amount of empathy for the Blues during this series.

In what was possibly the most boring Stanley Cup series in recent history, the Kings beat the Devils in six games. It’s not that it was a cake walk – in three of the five games, the Devils were bested 2-1. Game three was 4-0 and game six was 6-1, but we’ll ignore that. Games one and two were both won in overtime, the first time that’s happened in Stanley Cup Final history. The key victory, game six, was decisive. It solidified what everyone now recognized: the Kings are a cohesive team that poured everything they had into their game play. Now they have a cup to show for it. One thing to note? When asked what his advice to his team was in pre-game pep talks, captain Dustin Brown said “before Game 5 ... I told them to lose, so we could win on home ice.” Indeed.

This first point happened long before the playoffs started. In fact, it started before the season itself. Actually, it started before last season.

Yeah, it happened in 2007. That’s when general manager Dean Lombardi managed to secure a six-year contract for Dustin Brown, with a cap hit of just $3.175 million per season. Granted, he wasn’t a team captain when that contract was signed, but when you put him up against Alexander Ovechkin—who makes just over $9.5 million per season—or even the Sedin twins, who make about $6.1 million, he’s pretty severely underpaid. Lombardi apparently has the magic touch, as the team brick wall—Jonathan Quick—has a cap hit of just $1.8 million per season.

This means that the Kings have room to sign some other high-calibre players, such as...

The man behind the disease SEAN EVANS The cascade

This one came mid-season. The Kings, floundering around at the bottom of the western division despite an undeniably spectacular goaltender, demoted coach John Stevens (say it with me now: who?) and replaced him with Darryl Sutter. According to Wikipedia (and other much more reliable sources), his first game as coach of the Kings was December 22, and it ended in a shootout victory over the Anaheim Ducks. Also, can we talk about how I still want to call them “The Mighty Ducks” sometimes? The Ducks, that is. Not the Kings. That would be weird. And likely dangerous.

We can talk about how Daniel Sedin mostly wasn’t there. We can crucify Alex Edler. We can set bears on David Booth. The truth was, the Kings were the better team in the series, and they played well enough to oust the top-seeded team in round one. The series turning point here was game one – The Kings won 4-2, with Dustin Penner scoring the game winner with only 3:14 remaining in the game. His goal was assisted by a pass from Mike Richards which bounced off Jeff Carter’s skate.

So yes, their trades did pay off. Also, the Kings outshot the Canucks 3926. It set the tone for the entire series, and had the Canucks playing a dangerous game of catch-up. Too bad they played like mouse turds.

Round three, the Kings beat Phoenix. It wasn’t that much of a surprise – no one really expected Phoenix to get as far as they did, though everyone in Vancouver cheered (or should have) when they ousted Captain Serious (Jonathan Toews) and his Blackhawks. The Kings put the desert dogs (howling puppies?) to bed in five games. The series was a team effort; scoring came from some unexpected sources, including Dwight King, who had his first ever two-goal game. The stand-out, though, was Jeff Carter. In game two, puzzling everyone in Columbus who didn’t see such prodigious skill from him, he scored a hat trick.

This was likely unnecessary, as the game’s score was 4-0. Quick stopped just 24 shots, securing his team the win before fans were even thinking about tossing their hats on the ice.

The fact that many people associate the name Lou Gehrig with a disease rather than a baseball player is sad given his skill as an athlete. There is, however, much more to Lou Gehrig than the disease that ultimately took his life on June 2, 1941.

Gehrig was born on June 19, 1903, in New York City. His father, Heinrich, and his mother, Christina, emigrated from Germany and struggled to find work in North America, the land of opportunity.

Christina often did laundry, house cleaning and cooking to help the struggling Gehrig family get by, as Heinrich was unemployed and had poor health. From these humble beginnings, Lou managed to get a football scholarship at Columbia University, where he began to study engineering in 1921.

Although football was his sport, a friend advised Gehrig that money could be made playing professional baseball during the summer. As this was a violation of collegiate sports rules, Gehrig played under the name Henry Louis. When he was eventually caught, he was banned from playing football for Columbia during his freshman year.

That was no problem, however, as Gehrig was hooked on baseball. In 1923, while playing for the Columbia baseball team, pro-ball scout Paul Krichell discovered the talented novice pitcher and hitter. Gehrig’s natural abilities and stellar batting average landed him a contract with the New York Yankees in 1923, complete with a $1,500 signing bonus. That amount adjusts to over $20,000 by today’s dollar; a hefty total given professional sports standards at the time. Gehrig joined the Yankees roster in 1925, and played on first base for the next 13 years.

Gehrig soon earned the nickname “Iron Horse,” as he often played through injuries: a broken thumb, broken toe and back spasms to name a few. Lougehrig. com states that near the end of his career, x-rays showed “17 different fractures that had ‘healed’ while Gehrig continued to play.”

Gehrig continued to play through pain and injury for 2130 straight games—a remarkable feat in its own right.

Not only did Gehrig play through thick and thin, he played well. For 12 straight seasons, Gehrig topped .300 (that’s a batting average; it’s a good one). He, along with the legendary Babe Ruth, dominated the MLB for a num-

ber of years. After Ruth retired, it was Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio that owned the competition. Given that, one begins to see why the Yankees are the most hated team in baseball – they have a history of signing players with prodigious skill, and were home to all three legends.

Gehrig helped lead the Yankees to six World Series victories, he was an All-Star seven times, American League MVP twice, and team captain from 1935-1939.

All in all, Gehrig was much more than just a name for a devastating disease.

In 1938 things started grinding to a halt. Gehrig fell below .300 for the first time in 13 years. His performance wasn’t what it used to be: Gerhig was tired, he lacked strength, and was missing balls that he used to knock out of Yankee Stadium. When he couldn’t run to first base at the beginning of the 1939 season, Gerhig knew that he was finished. On May 2, 1938, as team captain, Gerhig handed in the line up card to the umpire for the final time – without his name on it. The “Iron Horse” streak was over, and Gerhig was just beginning his fight with a disease that he would soon be known for.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a rare degenerative disease that, according to Lougehrig. com, “is an incurable fatal neuromuscular disease characterized by progressive muscle weakness, resulting in paralysis. The disease attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons, which control the movement of voluntary muscles, deteriorate and eventually die. When the motor neurons die, the brain can no longer initiate and control muscle movement.

Because muscles no longer receive the messages they need in order to function, they gradually weaken and deteriorate.”

Gehrig would never play baseball again. On July 4, 1939, the 62,000 fans in attendance at Yankee Stadium watched Gehrig as he announced his retirement and gave a speech that would be remembered as one of the most moving moments in sports history. Gehrig called himself the “luckiest man on the face of the earth” and stated: “I might have been given a bad break, but I’ve got an awful lot to live for.”

Gerhig succumbed to the disease on June 2, 1941, and was mourned across the nation.

For more information on ALS and Lou Gerhig, visit lougerhig. com.

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SPORTS & HEALTH

Same great teams, a whole new playing field KATIE TEGTMEIER CONTRIBUTOR

UFV’s soccer teams are moving to a new venue for their 2012 season. Exhibition Field in Chilliwack has many improvements over the previous venue (Bateman Field in Abbotsford), including covered seating for about 2000 spectators, a beautifully maintained field, flood lights, and even Wi-Fi. The new venue with all its bells and whistles is exciting the coaching staff, as well as the student athletes.

Craig Robinson, striker/right midfielder for the men’s team, is enthusiastic about the move. “It’s what we as soccer players grew up dreaming about,” he said, “so hopefully with the great field, the stadium, and some new fans we can make it a fortress and consistently get results there, and make the playoffs for the first time in CIS.” It was apparent that this field represents a whole lot more than just a new venue for games. For the players, it is also represents the opportunity for the team to step it up a notch. Mark Village, the goalie for the men’s team, noted that the technology and location were essential. “They have Wi-Fi there so we can stream out our games [online]” he said, “and usually when we go to Chilliwack we get more fans than we do at Bateman Park … [the new field] is a lot easier to find as well.” This means the ever-growing fan base will be accommodated in the new facility.

The coaching staff is hoping

to draw more spectators out to the new venue as well. Alan Errington, the men’s head coach, stated “we didn’t get much of a crowd to the games [at Bateman], it was mostly parents and friends…we are hoping to change that.” Craig Robinson agreed: “It is always fun to play in front of large crowds.”

Parents and friends are always welcomed to games, but the teams are hoping to establish a larger, more diverse fan base.

The UFV soccer programs aren’t the only ones impressed by Exhibition Field. Errington had this to say about the field: “a few years ago we played there when I was with the White Caps … we had three guys we brought across from Newcastle United … they couldn’t believe the view and the stadium itself, it was fantastic, and they come from an environment in Newcastle, where I am from, there’s 52,000 people there at every game and it’s absolutely world class beautiful, and they were very impressed with Chilliwack’s stadium.”

One thing that was emphasized by both Errington and women’s head soccer coach Rob Giesbrecht was the importance of providing the student athletes with the most professional experience possible.

“I think playing at night is just a new experience, it’s a bit more professional experience,” Giesbrecht said on the new facility. He also noted the trickle-down effect that could increase interest in the team: “…when [fans] can’t make the games they can watch them online … word spreads that UFV is

doing it right. They are in a proper stadium, there are fans there and watching the game online.” Lastly he adds, “we want to be all things excellent, we don’t want to be about the mediocre stuff.”

From coach to player the excitement about the change in venue is evident. Practices will still be held at Bateman Park, so the players and coaching staff get the best of both facilities. “Sometimes change is difficult…,” said Giesbrecht, “and you think the facility is part of the reason why [you have special memories]… but my job is to convince them that they are the reason why those memories are special…” It’s a new season, a new venue, but still the same great game; make sure to check out our UFV soccer teams this fall.

Post Commencement Stress Disorder NADINE MOEDT the cascade

It’s June, and for many fourth and fifth year students that means graduation. With convocation just behind us, I thought it would be appropriate to address the “what next?” question. Especially for Arts students, this can be a daunting question. It brings on a deer-inheadlights kind of reaction. Shifting one’s identity from student to actual adult is a transition that some take reluctantly. The post-graduate landscape can be a scary place.

Apparently, that fear and indecision felt by many grads has a name! It’s known as Post Commencement Stress Disorder (PCSD). Yes, you have a psychological disorder. Dr. Bernard Luskin defined it in Psychology Today as “...a condition emerging from a diagnosis of symptoms affecting new graduates facing the task of choosing, changing or pursuing a career beyond the protective bubble provided by the traditional college campus.” According to the article, the list of symptoms includes: - Feeling you are not in control of your life - feeling a lack of support after commencement - feelings of failure if the new graduate is unable to find work in their area of specialty in a reasonable length of time - irritability and sleeplessness - avoidance of normal, everyday activities.

Luskin notes that these symptoms may not become noticeable until weeks or even several months after commencement.

Graduates are experiencing the reality of unemployment, new responsibilities, and an anxiety resulting from excitement or fear of the unknown. Important choices must be made, decisions we just don’t feel qualified to make.

So, how does one snap out of the post-commencement blues? Here are a few suggestions to fend off that feeling of impending doom after your trip across the stage.

Structure: Student life is just that, no matter how you try to procrastinate.

Keeping that structure in your day and in your week is important to prevent you from wasting away your days. Setting your alarm clock on week days (after trying to go to bed at a decent hour), and actually accomplishing something— anything—during the day will make you feel more productive and energized. Finding a happy medium between leisure, work and home life is an important factor in your new adult role.

Plan ahead: Take time to think about your goals, and make an action plan. I suggest writing it down: having a tangible expression of your goal can solidify it in your mind. Map out your next six months, or think about where you want to be in five years. Do some research and look at the possibilities; consider

enlisting a career counsellor for advice. In fact, the Career Centre at UFV provides this service. Another idea? Decide that this postgraduation period is a vacation, and do something with it – go somewhere, do something you’ve always wanted to do. Having a plan will organize your thoughts and reduce your PCSD stress.

Keep your friends: Make sure you stay in touch with your friends. Someone who can relate to your anxiety will help you through any major breakdowns and keep you grounded.

Go out, have fun, enjoy yourself.

You’re young and wild and free, remember? Reinforcing that in your subconscious will help you overcome your anxious feelings.

Be good to yourself: Negative self-talk will only bring you down. Stick to the positive. Understand that it is a difficult time for you – you’re making a transition, changing your life.

Of course it’s going to be difficult!

This isn’t your parents’ post-grad world anymore; competition for jobs is higher than ever. Keep that in mind, and don’t be too harsh on yourself about your progress and prospects (and don’t accept it from your parents, either!) Making realistic and attainable short-term goals will keep you positive and remind you that you can accomplish something. Keep healthy, join a gym, and do your best to eliminate any negativity in your life. Look ahead – don’t look back!

image: Katie Tegtmeier

We are now accepting applications for the position of Sports Editor Rate of pay: $150 per issue honouraria Terms of Contract: August to May The Sports editor of The Cascade is responsible for assigning, collecting, editing and laying out the content of the Sports section of The Cascade. Further, the Sports editor shall ensure that issues relevant to students are presented in his/her section, particularly issues surrounding varsity sports and other local sports organizations. At all times, the Sports editor shall adhere to the Cascade Journalism Society’s bylaws, Code of Conduct and other polices, as well as ensuring that all material in his/her section does not violate the Canadian University Press Code of Ethics.

Qualifications: 1) Must be a member in good standing of the Cascade Journalism Society.

2) Must be registered in at least one credit course during the fall/winter semesters.

3) Must be available to work varying hours.

4) Must be available to be present in the office for at least five hours per week.

5) Must be able to deal effectively with Society and University staff, students and the general public.

6) Must demonstrate strong command of the English language by passing an editing test, which will be administered during the interview process.

7) Basic literacy is required.

8) Must have knowledge of all relevant laws and journalistic standards concerning libel.

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WEDNESDAY, JUNE 20, 2012

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