The Cascade Vol. 21 No. 21

Vol. 21 Issue 21

www.ufvcascade.ca

September 11 to September 17, 2013

Xwla ye totel贸:met qas ye slilekwel since 1993

Day of Learning

The how, the why, the reaction

The Most Dangerous Game: Books2go p. 8

p. 5 - 7

Q&A with Luca Fogale from the Peak Performance Project p. 13

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NEWS News

Students walk for blindness

Students take part in the CNIB walk “Night Steps” to honour the late Dr. Abebe Teklu. Katherine Gibson talks to Social Work Student Association president Sophie Smit about their involvement with the event and how Teklu inspired them.

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

UFV Speaks!

Arts & Life

PAX Prime 2013

Sports & Health Cascades soccer split weekend

Indian Residential School Day of Learning is coming next week! A day of transformational education will replace classes in a day of reconciliation next Wednesday. UFV students weigh in on what they think of the day, if they’re going, and if you should care.

Arcade writer Jeremy Hannaford dressed up as Indiana Jones, and admits that his “inner nerd was shaking with excitement” during the four-day Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle.

Check out what went down at the longest PAX event in history.

UFV soccer opened the season last Friday to start the varsity story for the 2013-2014 campaign. The women beat UNBC 2-0 while the men lost a close match to TWU 1-2.

pg. 6

pg. 14

pg. 4

pg. 19

EDITORIAL

Indian Residential School Day of Learning

Narratives of education and language

MICHAEL SCOULAR

THE CASCADE

Every year, student journalists from most of the college and university papers in Canada meet at a conference. There are speakers throughout the day (journalism and marketing types), the chance to meet and exchange ideas with people with similar interests (which can be both good and bad), and each day ends with a relatively high-profile keynote on some aspect of writing and communication.

As a final impatient address before the main keynote attraction, two representatives ran through a list of “ways to avoid racist language.”

These were rules anyone would know, if only by repetition in middle and high school assemblies – or, you know, using common sense. Why was a collection of people usually known for left-wing publications that latch onto issues of race, gender, and class for many of their political statements being told this? And why was the response nearunanimous applause? Instead of its intended message, the address both reminded of the occasional blindness that these topics are often broached with

by seemingly intelligent people, and undermined the credibility of everyone involved.

Either the address was unnecessary, since the theoretically non-racist university student doesn’t need a minilecture, or it was necessary, and people need reminders to guard against their racism with language that hides their usual inclinations – a reminder not to slip at an official event.

While even enthusiastic applause can be written off as required courtesy, their response was a contentedness with knowledge of politically correct language, rather than the difficult vulnerabilities of confronting the internal inconsistencies of—if we don’t want to say prejudice—where we place emphasis in the stories we tell.

I can only guess this same reasoning is behind the Indian Residential School Day of Learning. There is the chance that many students, some of them just out of high school, are unaware of the part of history the day hopes to open up.

The Day of Learning will offer a course of new accounts, evidence, and thoughts of the imbalance of power and capacity for cruelty to any student that attends. Giving a platform to speakers split between a voice that will go unlistened

to and one that has been imposed is an uncommon subject for schoolwide attention.

But in a way this is nothing new. The people who will go to the event (the lack of classes making this even more of a personal decision) will not make the choice in a vacuum.

Regardless of who chooses to attend, knowledge of the existence of residential schools has been absorbed by many through the past decade of apology attempts and offerings of financial amends. These are not finalizations of history, and the media portrayals of these high-profile days cannot be counted on for the nuance of a personal speaker, but the importance placed on a day for an education covering years and lives is awfully close to the idea of learning about the world through issue-based documentaries.

Should the event be well-attended, there is nothing to stop it from being no more than a temporary jolt to complacent thinking that’s overridden by the immediate resumption of schedules.

And what happens after?

Will there be any more days to remind of how Canada’s benevolent tolerance is as much an advertising style as it is a reality in practice? One for

the Ukrainian and Japanese internment camps, or the Chinese head tax, or is Remembrance Day patriotism considered enough remembering for a year?

Students, the hope goes, will be inspired to act. But how this Day of Learning reaches—or cannot reach—students will rest on more fundamental questions than how a complicated event comes to be organized, or what can be done to achieve understanding and harmony between cultures divided by murderous histories and racial differences. Is it a change in the way people think or only the words they use education will try to affect? Do we want to be thought leaders, counting on one response to our words and actions? And once the facts are known, is the difference further education makes only the level of sophistication used to describe the same position?

The Day of Learning’s mandate is to expose racial oppression and cultural homogenization in an unavoidable way to attendees, but anyone living with open eyes, even if they don’t know the specifics, has already witnessed this and reacted.

Volume 21 · Issue 21 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-chief dessa@ufvcascade.ca Dessa Bayrock Managing editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular Business manager joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Online editor emily@ufvcascade.ca Emily Seitz Production manager stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Copy editor katie@ufvcascade.ca Katie Stobbart News editor jess@ufvcascade.ca Jess Wind Opinion editor nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt Arts & life editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports editor esau@ufvcascade.ca Paul Esau Photojournalist blake@ufvcascade.ca Blake McGuire Contributors Taylor Breckles, Jennifer Colbourne, Christopher DeMarchus, Katherine Gibson, Jeremy Hannaford, Nathan Hutton, Ashley Mussbacher, Riley Nowlan, Ashley O’Neill, Kayla St. Louis, and Tim Ubels Printed By International Web exPress

UPCOMING EVENTS September 3-14

September 12

September 12

September 13

SUS Weeks of Welcome

Paula Funk: natural history

SUS party @ Aftermath

Back Alley BBQ

Alumna Paula Funk is exhibiting her new series of multi-media 2D works in the VA art gallery. The work brings up questions about how humans impact the environment and vice versa. The gallery opens at 4:30 p.m.; the artist will be in attendance.

After a rocky start to the new semester, Aftermath has stepped back and reevaluated their business. They are relaunching Thursday and celebrating into the night.

Come out for some hot food, good beer and new to the menu: desserts! Old favourites are back and new additions.

SUS hosts a plethora of events over the first two weeks of classes. Split between both Abbotsford and Chilliwack campuses, there is something for everyone. Come check out wacky games on the green, movies, food, concerts and so much more!

Just in time for Friday the 13th, the Visual Arts Student Association is putting together a barbecue and party. Located on the grass behind C building, there will be painting activities, a scavenger hunt and a drum circle.

Come out and enjoy some visually artistic fun.

The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It provides a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a circulation of 1500 and is distributed at UFV campuses and throughout Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. The Cascade is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national cooperative of 75 university and college newspapers from Victoria to St. John’s. The Cascade follows the CUP ethical policy concerning material of a prejudicial or oppressive nature.

Submissions are preferred in electronic format through e-mail. Please send submissions in “.txt” or “.doc” format only.

Articles and letters to the editor must be typed.

The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. The writer’s name and student number must be submitted with each submission. Letters to the editor must be under 250 words if intended for print. Only one letter to the editor per writer in any given edition.

Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, Cascade staff and collective, or associated members.

Cover images: Coqualeeza School photo used with permission from Indian Residential School Resources. Hummingbird logo used with permission from UFV Aboriginal Access Services

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Wrestling and suburbia: new course offerings JESS WIND

THE CASCADE

UFV instructors are developing special topics courses that go beyond the basics of paper writing and classic novels.

English professor Andrea MacPherson is teaching “The Dark Side of Suburbia” asEnglish 170 this semester. After discussing the idea of suburban literature on a panel, she recognized the need to have students study it at UFV and decided to spend her summer selecting readings.

“It takes an incredible amount of time and energy. The selection for readings can take months, and then there is the job of determining how said readings fit together, how they will best be used in a class. It’s something like fitting puzzle pieces together,” she explains.

The course begins to address gaps in the English timetable and takes on more contemporary themes.

“We see a lot of discussion of the urban, but not a lot of attention is paid to suburbia, even though many writers tackle the subject,” MacPherson explains.

“I’ll be looking at place, how we are affected—both positively and negatively—by where we live, and how we interact with the world. We’ll also be exploring the idea of the American Dream, and how the suburbs initially represented that.”

MacPherson is not the only instructor seeking to explore common themes in new, cre-

Unique content: a MACS course looking at professional wrestling will be listed in Winter 2014. ative ways.

Media and communication studies (MACS) instructor, Darren Blakeborough is gearing up to teach his new course: “Wrestling with Culture – Inside the Squared Circle”. Despite being a niche area of entertainment, and arguably one that has passed its heyday, he believes that the themes to be discussed are highly relevant.

“When we talk about wrestling, we’ll be talking about spectacle and then spectacle will at some point go off into a tangential relationship with

political economy and then Karl Marx’s name will come up,” he describes. “It takes a lot of those old dead white guys and it recontextualizes them in a modern sense so you understand how a 150-year-old theory is still a relevant lens through which we can examine the world around us today.”

Blakeborough goes on to explain that getting a unique course added to the timetable was relatively simple.

“I’m doing my PhD dissertation on professional wrestling and [the department asked], ‘Is

Image: Jess Wind

that something you’d be interested in teaching?’ and I was like, ‘Yeah, I definitely would’,” he says. “I explain what I want to do and why I want to do it and they’re 100 per cent supportive.”

Courses like these run under a special topics course number, allowing them to be offered once, and if they are popular they may be offered more regularly.

“We have a mechanism in place for what can be teaching a one-off course,” he says.

“It’s in the department and you

go to your department head ... and there’s your professional wrestling and culture course ... It really exists just as an opportunity to create a new and different curriculum at times for faculty.”

MacPherson confirms that new courses are as much for the instructors as they are for the students.

“New classes often bring excitement and energy – both on the instructor’s and student’s part,” she explains. “The thematic concept is up to the instructor, so you typically see topics that the instructor is genuinely interested in. You might see nods to areas of specialization or research interest.”

With UFV’s newly approved exempt status, there is hope for more unique classes to bolster interest in departments hoping to expand, as is the case with MACS. However, Blakeborough foresees it going the other way.

“I think we’re going to see a shrinking of budgets and a tightening of belts, and anything that was kind of seen as superfluous and costly, we won’t see anymore,” he explains. “I’m scared that we’re going to lose a lot of these kind of fringe courses that, from my perspective are crucial ... otherwise you’re just going to be churning out a very homogenous group of students that all kind of think the same things.”

MySky an international success

UFV grads cater to small businesses

EMILY SEITZ

THE CASCADE

Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the light at the end of the tunnel while toiling away as a student, but for five talented UFV alumni, following that light led to the successful launch of their own business.

Josh Isaak and Kelly Banman are the co-founders of MySky, a customer relationship management (CRM) software program.

Both came equipped with the different skills they learned at UFV to develop the company; Isaak (CEO) earned a bachelor of business administration and Banman (Product Manager) is a computer information systems (CIS) graduate.

Combining their specialities of company management and user interface design, they were able to create a distinct CRM software program for small businesses.

“Our education has ... taught us that success lies in hard work and measurable results.

We strive for measurable results every day at MySky,” Isaak says.

Rounding out the success team are fellow CIS and business administration students Loren Von Spronsen, Win Nguyen, and Randy Epp. They have assisted the company with software development and customer growth.

“The role UFV has played for MySky is giving us a network ... Most of us met each other first at UFV and when it was time to create a company, we had that network to turn to,” Isaak explains.

Together they created MySky to solve small businesses’ struggles to manage sales and leads.

Through smart marketing, the company was able to quickly get small businesses interested in their unique software.

“We approached MySky very differently than most traditional businesses. We wanted to make sure our users caught on to our software before we made it,” Isaak describes. “It’s

Image: Kelly Banman and Josh Isaak

UFV alumni Josh Isaak and Kelly Banman launch program to help small businesses. definitely a more laborious way of coming up with a solution, but it’s tremendously rewarding in [the] long run because you know you have a product that is going to sell.”

The success has been excellent for a local company barely a year old. It took four months to develop the beta software.

Even before the software was in market, MySky was presold.

As for the feedback, it’s been

very positive. Over 30 companies internationally are using MySky. Isaak explains that they love the fact that it’s userfriendly.

“MySky helps bring context to the customer database so small businesses always know where in the buying cycle their leads and prospects are at, and where to focus their attention,” he explains. “The first time a user signs on to MySky, one

Have something to add? Join the conversation online.

of the first things they always say is, ‘It’s so simple and easy to use.’ They get it right away.”

In August 2013 MySky was fully launched with prospects of exponential growth and success over the next five years, while keeping to a small and dedicated team.

Find us at ufvcascade.ca, @ufvcascade, or facebook.com/ufvcascade

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

SCIENCE ON PURPOSE

Pea-sized brain grown from stem cells by Austrian scientists

ASHLEY O’NEILL

CONTRIBUTOR

This summer Austrian scientists grew a clump of cells that resembled an embryonic human brain.

The three-dimensional brain model was grown successfully in just under a month by a team at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology of the Austrian Academy of Science.

With the right concentration of nutrients in a spinning chamber, the human stem cells slowly developed into more complex cerebral organoids. Scientists observed the small balls of white tissue as they quickly grew over the four week period; however, the growths were still no bigger than the size of a pea. Scientists credit the fast growth to the nutrient syrup the stem cells were soaking in, as it helped the cells approach a neural state and offered structural support. The cells also absorbed more nutrients with the help of the spinning bioreactor.

“This demonstrates the enormous self-organizing power of human cells,” Jürgen Knoblich

Austrian scientists grow mini-brain in a dish. said to The Scientist. “Even the most complex organ—the human brain—can start to form without any micro-manipulation.”

The brain model has the distinct layers and regions found in human brains, such as the prefrontal cortex, occipital lobe, hippocampus, and retinas. Even in the brain’s early development, scientists were able to identify neuron structures and tissues.

The success of growing this organoid opens up the possibility of scientists getting deeper

Students walk in memory of beloved UFV faculty member KATHERINE GIBSON

CONTRIBUTOR

UFV students are taking an active role in supporting research for blindness in Canada by walking around Mill Lake park.

On September 20, Sophie Smit, president of the Social Work Student Association (SWSA) and five other members will take part in The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)’s Night Steps lake walk in memory of a beloved UFV social work faculty member, Dr. Abebe Teklu.

The event is a 5 kilometre night walk taking place in cities accross Canada that raises funds for programs and services for the blind. It will include the walk around Mill Lake, as well as a barbecue and live music for participants.

Smit saw the event as an opportunity to honour Dr. Teklu, who was blinded by smallpox at the age of nine in Ethiopia and passed away earlier this year due to liver cancer.

A source of inspiration to his students, Dr. Teklu has left those who knew him wanting to make a difference and raise awareness for those living with vision loss, Smit explains.

“I was in one of his classes and he was just brilliant,” she says. “He overcame so many obstacles – it was just really inspiring to be around him.

He was an amazing person.”

Earlier this year, SWSA organized a pub night in Dr.

Teklu’s memory, hoping to raise funds for a scholarship aimed at helping support UFV students who have also overcome obstacles.

“We put on a legacy fund pub night with mostly social work students and raised $2000 for the scholarship,” Smit explains. “The scholarship will be given to students who exemplify characteristics similar to those of Dr. Teklu.”

So when CNIB approached SWSA with the opportunity to get involved with their Night Steps walk around Mill Lake, SWSA was more than willing to participate.

“CNIB initially was just looking to get students involved with helping take care of the children who were going to be at the event,” she notes. “But when SWSA realized what this event was about, we thought, ‘we can do more ... we want to take an active role.’”

Although raising money for CNIB is the ultimate goal of the fundraiser, Smit emphasizes that this event is just as much about building understanding and community. She admits to becoming more aware of the challenges of living with a disability from Dr. Teklu’s example and hopes others can gain the same awareness.

“If we raise money, that’s great, but if students can’t afford to donate money, that’s fine too,” she continues. “Our main goal is to get students supporting this event, and through their support [raise] awareness for this cause.”

Image: superhuman.ly

insight into how the brain develops in its earliest stages and any disorders that disturb these first steps. Though the success of this experiment is rather encouraging, the cells are still very simple and underdeveloped compared to those in a mature brain, which will not play a critical role in leading scientists to a better understanding of the neuron network of an adult human brain.

“We’re [just] talking about the very first steps of embryonic brain development, like in the first nine weeks of preg-

nancy,” Knoblich said.

He also told reporters from Reuters (UK) that the small size of the organoid was not an issue in their research.

“Our system is not optimized for generation of an entire brain and that was not at all our goal. Our major goal was to analyze the development of human brain (tissue) and generate a model system we can use to transfer knowledge from animal models to a human setting,” Knoblich said.

In fact, the mini-brains were used to model microcephaly, a genetic mutation that stunts brain development, resulting in a smaller brain. The team reprogrammed skin cells from a patient affected by microcephaly into stem cells, which they then grew into brain organoids. The gene mutation consequently caused the microcephaly-afflicted brain to grow smaller than the mini-brains grew from normal tissue.

Knoblich and his team were able to identify the reason for the stunted size by watching how these organoids developed over the weeks of study.

A procedure like this is not easily duplicated with animal

models like mice, because their brains are already much smaller than human ones. However, it is unlikely that using human stem cells will entirely replace animal experiments in the near future.

“We can’t duplicate the elegance with which one can do genetics in animal models, but we might be able to reduce the number of animal experiments, especially when it comes to toxicology or drug testing,” Knoblich told The Scientist.

It is unlikely that scientists would be able to grow larger organoids because cells in larger clumps would require some way to transport nutrients through them. Moreover, the interior of such cell clumps would be starved for nutrition, making it even less plausible.

Once scientists can solve this problem, a reality where such brain models increase our understanding of how the brain develops in its later stages will be closer. Described by Knoblich as a “gigantic step forwards,” this would allow scientists to study the development of other disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

Faculty space divided, reopened as humanities student room DESSA BAYROCK

THE CASCADE

The new humanities study space was filled with delight but not necessarily students at its grand opening last Thursday.

While science students lay claim to a glass-walled space in A building, the new humanities study room is tucked away on the upper level of D Building. Its location in D3070 may not exactly be prime, but it serves as a testament to UFV’s perpetual space crunch.

Susan Fisher, associate dean of students for the Faculty of Arts, briefly introduced the space at the opening. She thanked campus planning’s Craig Toews for his work in helping to make the dream of a humanities study room a reality.

“It just seems much bigger than we imagined it could be,” Fisher said with a smile.

It must be noted, however, that space can’t be created

Image: Jess Wind

A study space for humanities students is now open in D3070.

out of nowhere. On a campus where every closet is eyed for possible renovation into usable space, the humanities room was created by dividing a faculty break room in two and granting half to the students.

“It was a creative idea that you brought forward,” Toews replied. “With the space crunch, it’s good to have some fresh, out-of-the-box ideas.”

Vice president academic and provost Eric Davis also gave a brief welcome to the space.

“I was all set to wax professorial about the origin of the humanities and the connection with the public space,” he grinned, “but I’m in a room with people who know more than I do.”

The room was filled to the brim with instructors and other staff members, many hailing from the history department and a few from English. In the crowded space, the lack of students became awkwardly obvious, although a few wandered in and out over the course of the opening.

“Public space is always essential for the practice of the humanities – a place where people can meet and argue, and dispute, and harangue each other,” Davis continued.

“The 15th century Florentines found that place in town squares; your place is here.

Use this room well: make it a room filled with arguments.”

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NEWS

5

Indian Residential School Day of Learning Why classes are cancelled, what’s happening elsewhere in the province, and UFV’s preparations

ASHLEY MUSSBACHER

CONTRIBUTOR

According to UFV, classes have been “transformed” on September 18 to allow for UFV’s Indian Residential School Day of Learning. The day will include a variety of activities and presentations to promote awareness and understanding. However, some are not supportive of the Senate-approved class cancellation.

What’s happening at UFV? The Indian Residential School Day of Learning is designed to encourage people to come out and learn something they may not have known about the presence of residential schools in the Fraser Valley.

Vice provost Peter Geller had a role in planning the events to take place at UFV on September 18. He notes that there will be many different levels of understanding.

Geller explains that the challenge is meeting “as many students as we can at various levels. Some will have never heard of the residential Image: United Church of Canada UCCA, 93.049P/412 schools. Others may have encounDespite controversy over cancelled classes, UFV’s day of learning shows commitment to indigenization. tered bits of it in courses or through their personal lives, and some may be very informed.” were defined in the Indian Act, or an update that allows an extra op- catch up.” doesn’t think their presence inf luThe features of the day include Gradual Civilization Act of 1857, tional day of instruction to be added The faculty member goes on to enced the vote to suspend classes. keynote presentations by Dr. Jean were not allowed to attend pub- to the end of the semester on Tues- suggest that the Senate board could “For me, the [delegates] who were Barman, an historian with a special- lic schools until 1951. And the last day, December 3. have organized the Day of Learning present at the meeting were there ty in BC history who will provide an residential school didn’t close until Teresa Piper, an instructor in the differently. to ask for some kind of activities to academic outlook, and Dallas Yel- 1996. CBC News states at least 3000 department of modern languages, “They could put on presenta- be coordinated. And I think they lowf ly and 3 Crow Productions who children are now known to have voices her concern about this new tions during the day, and students were listening to the discussion, and will talk about the experiences of lo- died attending Canada’s residential change to the schedule. She says that could attend them during their free I think [the decision] was coming cal residential school survivors. schools. she intends to use that optional day blocks,” the faculty member notes. more from the UFV administration.”

There will also be smaller-scale The reconciliation event in Van- to make up for lost class time, but According to the minutes of the Geller explains that the decision presentations in the gym, film show- couver will host activities to share that her students are already begin- Senate meeting for June 21, two to cancel classes was about UFV’s ings, photo slide the truth about ning to announce indigenous dele- relationship with the indigenous shows, and inter- “We cannot sweep our the schools and conf licts with “No matter where you gates attended the people. active activities nation’s history under the their legacy. This their other classes. stand on the issue, it’s meeting as guests: “It makes a very powerful statesuch as a word wall metaphorical carpet. As will include stateShe suggests a problematic ... There has UFV’s elder-in- ment about UFV’s commitment to where students can a country, we need to be ment gathering, way that the situ- been a serious failure residence Theresa honouring, understanding, recogrespond and retraditional cer- ation could have Neel, and another nizing, [and] creating awareness of f lect as well as ask united and form a strong emonies, survivor been more stream- on the pragmatic side of whose name could what residential schools were and the community.” things.” questions. gatherings, wit- lined. not be confirmed. devastating impact.”

Geller explains ness statements, “Something However, Piper that the dynamic approach to the and more. that we can do is officialize [Deevent is so they can reach as many According to Geller, many uni- cember 3] through the timetable, so students as possible. versities are responding differently instead of ending December 2 they “We don’t just learn intellectually, to the event in Vancouver. Many are end December 3. So the students we learn in many different ways,” showing their support by hosting will be aware that it’s not optional Geller says. “I think in many ways similar events on-campus. Geller ex- anymore.” we hope ... it’s an indigenizing ex- plains UFV’s reasoning behind their Piper is concerned that even with perience. We are working together decision to host such an event. the addition of the make-up day, as staff, faculty, everyone, to plan “We have a board policy about many students won’t take Septemsomething indigenous and non-in- fulfilling our commitment to the ab- ber 18 to learn about the residential digenous in a way that can reach out original people. We have a commit- schools. to every student.” ment to indigenization,” he says.

“We have a lot of students who commute,” she says. “They won’t be coming that day.”

The bigger picture Suspension of classes raises Another faculty member who concerns wishes to remain anonymous exThe Day of Learning at UFV is plains that the loss of class time will one of many events happening in the The announcement that classes affect students greatly.

Lower Mainland, including Truth will be suspended to host the Day of “In my department, we cover and Reconciliation Week happening Learning received a mixed response. one chapter a week, and losing a in Vancouver from September 16 to Some faculty members question the class means we will lose one block 22. According to likelihood of stu- of material, or knock a week off at the Commission “We are working together dents attending the end,” the faculty member says. of Canada website, as staff, faculty, everythe event when “There is a greater impact on labs, the goal of these they are not re- since they only happen once a week. one, to plan something events will be to quired to commute What do you do when your Wedneslet others “witness indigenous and nonto campus for day lab class gets cancelled? They and celebrate the indigenous in a way that class, and worry will be behind everyone else.” resilience of ab- can reach out to every about losing a The hope is that students will use original cultures.” student.” day of instruction the class time to attend the on-camTw e n t y - e i g h t from the syllabus. pus events and activities planned, but residential schools Since approv- the faculty member thinks that is too operated in British Columbia, two in ing suspension of classes at a June 21 optimistic, saying that the “majorthe Fraser Valley. “Indians,” as they Senate meeting, UFV has released ity of students will use [the time] to

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OPINION

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

What do you think of Indian Residential School Day of Learning?

Feel like sharing your short-andsweet opinion? Keep an eye out for our whiteboard-toting pollsters roaming the halls.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

7

OPINION

Day of Learning a class of its own NADINE MOEDT

THE CASCADE

We hear the term ‘indigenization’ a lot around campus. It’s the new buzzword, used in very politically correct statements issued from the bowels of bureaucracy at UFV. It’s a word that’s easy to write off as a topic that is not relevant to the general population of students; the majority of us are not of aboriginal decent. Why should the indigenization of UFV matter to those of us whose studies are not concerned with aboriginal issues in the slightest?

Consider the backlash from students and instructors when a day of classes was cancelled in order to host a day of learning about residential schools. Now, consider the context.

The abuse that took place in residential schools occurred over a period of 100 years. The physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that took place there has far-reaching negative effects in the aboriginal community.

“There are intergenerational impacts that will reverberate not only until today but into future generations as well,” UFV’s elder-in-residence Eddie Gardner explains.

Residential schools are an important part of Canadian history.

UFV, as a provincially funded institution of higher learning, has an obligation to facilitate the education of its population about residential schools, their history, and their legacy.

But it’s also a question of personal responsibility, according to UFV’s residential school day of Gardner.

“It is important for students, for lead to a degree, a job, and so on. faculty, for members of the comA broader vision of learning sees munity to come together and pareducation taking place in various ticipate in raising awareness on contexts, many if not most outside how recent this legacy lasted.” the classroom, and outside the This is what Gardner hopes the regular class schedule. The Indian Indian Residential School Day of Residential School Day of LearnLearning will bring to UFV. The ing is one of those opportunities day will run alongside the Truth for everyone—not just students— and Reconcilliation Commission, to be educated. which is presIf anything, ent in Vancouver “There is a responsibility learning about September 18 at the university level to this blight on through 21.

Canada’s past Gardner, who work on [the] reconcilican help create ation aspect.

It is imis a member of understanding both the plan- portant for students, for and cooperation ning commit- faculty, for members of between commutee and cultural the community to come nities of British committee of the Columbia--in our together and participate Indian Residencase, the commutial School Day in raising awareness on nities right here of Learning, ex- how recent this legacy in the Fraser Valplains that the lasted.” -Eddie Gardner ley. event is a “transformational day of learning.” The goal, he says, is Truth and reconcilliation to transform students’ studies to a focus on “impact that the Indian So what does ‘truth and reconresidential schools had on society.”

The idea is to take a day to ciliation’ really mean?

“It’s a soul searching question,” “pause, to really think of the imGardner says. “It’s something that pact, to really come to a good understanding of what took place,” impacts the cultural, political and Gardner explains. It is an attempt social fabric of Canadian society.” to really illustrate the “great dis- To try to answer that question, turbance” that took place in ab- Gardner spoke to aboriginal elder Siyamia Teliyot, who is one original communities.

To complain that this day of ed- of the few remaining speakers of Reconciliation, ucation interrupts classroom learn- Halq’eméylem. ing displays a remarkably narrow- to First Nations people, she exminded vision of what learning is plained, could be summed up in in a university context. Learning two words: understanding and does not just happen in discreet harmony. The purpose of this day units of the classroom for the pur- is then to move in a direction of recpose of accumulating credits that onciliation, or “Xwla ye toteló:met

Image: United Church of Canada UCCA, 93.049P/407N

learning offers students a broader vision of education outside the classroom setting. qas ye slilekwel” or “towards understanding and harmony.”

The last residential school in Canada was closed in 1996. There were two Indian residential schools in our territory: Coqualeetza and St. Mary’s. Both were closed by 1984. The purpose of the residential schools, according to Stephen Harper’s apology in 2008, was to isolate children from the cultural influence of their homes, thereby assimilating them into the “dominant” society. It was an attempt to stamp out aboriginal culture.

Gardner hopes to feel a “resurgence” of the “culture and spirituality” of the First Nations people.

“The Indian residential schools had no respect for our language and culture,” he states. This is a stark contrast to “the growing appreciation, acceptance and respect that is being shown in contemporary society.”

Events to proudly display First Nations culture will take place on the day, such as a performances

by Kelsey Charlie and the Sa:skets Dancers, and Darwin Douglas and the Semoya Dance group. These groups will display the resilience and strength of this culture.

Associate dean Ken Brealey, a member of the indigenous studies advisory committee, says that it is important that students take this opportunity to educate themselves on the impact of residential schools.

“UFV students are, in a sense, a microcosm of the larger body politic or public population,” Brealey explains, “Many people in general terms, [including] students, don’t know a whole lot often about the

residential school experience and “Those methods may not be apwhat it meant for people.” propriate for those that are used Residential schools are a huge to learning in an oral culture and part of Canadian history, not a in an often more ceremonial and “historical footnote,” Brealey says, spiritual manner.” and should not be overlooked.

The university needs to become This does not mean that we should more “sensitive to alternative ways feel a collective guilt, but rather of teaching and learning so that seek awareness on the issue. We [indigenous students] can succeed need to be mindusing the skills ful of what oc- “Learning does not just and knowledge curred in the happen in discreet units they have.” schools so we can of the classroom for the “In that sense understand with purpose of accumulating i n d i g e n i z a t i o n compassion the making credits that lead to a de- means generational efsure that the unifects that are left. gree... A broader vision versity is a lot The children that of learning sees learning more culturally were taken there taking place in various sensitive to how were emotionally it is that indigcontexts, many if not and physically enous students scarred, often most outside the classactually learn, leading to ad- room, outside the regular develop, grow.” diction, Brealey class schedule.”

Indigenizasays. tion starts with awareness. It’s time for UFV students to take responsibility and educate themselves on the issues Indigenization at UFV that Canadians have shied away The Indian Residential School from for far too long.

There are many people of the abDay of Learning is a step in the right direction when it comes to original descent who have worked the indigenization of UFV. But hard to make this day happen. indigenization is a long process, Let’s respect their efforts and honBrealey says. It is something that our their desire to create undertakes more than a shift in course standing and take the opportunity content and programming. What to move forward, intelligently and is necessary is a “thorough re- compassionately, towards healing. thinking of how we structure the institution.”

UFV is based on a “tradition of western academic learning,” Brealey explains. This involves the typical structure of composition, essay formatting and exam writing.

8

OPINION

OPINION

SNAPSHOTS

Updates!

Katie Stobbart Occasionally, my computer needs updates. In my case, the process of installing them seems to take forever, and I can’t use the computer during that time. So I put off updates as long as possible in the hope that they will go away.

“Postpone 24 hours.” “Remind me again later.” For days at a time, I tell the laptop to wait just a little longer, to put off these mysterious updates which it apparently needs in order to function.

But I never remember I’ve done this until I actually need to use the computer. And then, I don’t want to wait 30 to 60 minutes. So I postpone the updates again.

Then one day, I open the computer and log in, only to have it shut itself down curtly and – I imagine – with exasperation.

However, I’m the one who should be exasperated; if the computer is so advanced, why is this hassle even an issue?

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

E-books!

E-glasses!

Thief!

Christopher Demarcus

ANTHONY BIONDI

RILEY NOWLAN

The e-book is the most foul and obnoxious product of technology since the Tamagotchi.

It’s not a book. It’s a picture of a book!

Books don’t need an upgrade. They’re supposed to be heavy and take up space. The ancient Egyptians built giant monuments to write important stuff down, so it didn’t get lost in a sea of databases and online marketing algorithms.

Tablets and their smart phone siblings are the harbingers of information glut. Instant access to everything published sounds like a good idea, but now my eyes hurt from squinting.

E-books might be easier to carry, but that doesn’t make them better to read. The analog book and the good ol’ bookcase works better. I can browse ideas and get to them faster. Reading an e-book feels like I have gloves on. Text takes twice as long to mark with a fumbling virtual highlighter. And no, it isn’t my fat luddite hands. I’m a good enough technologist to know when a piece of bad technology is dressed up like a good one.

We are in an age where science fiction is meeting reality. Some time ago, the GoogleGlass was put into beta-testing, and now a competitor has risen. Meta Glasses, based on augmented reality, allowing users to manipulate applications with their hands, will be released next year.

Frankly, I’m excited for these products.

Virtual reality and face-computers are definitely the way of the future. While the technology is still quite new, making me err on the side of caution, fearing early bugs, I see this technology as something will allow for further (and better) generations. At that point I can get all the best features and apps in a field less crowded by competition.

In the end, I sit in anticipation of what the future may hold, and look forward to wearing a big silver visor like Doc Brown in Back to the Future II.

Okay ladies and gents, the first week of classes are over and I sure hope you like that seat you’ve picked. Few things rattle me more than when I am rushing to make it to class on time, stumbling into the classroom, and am stopped in my tracks at the sight of someone else in “my” seat. Yes, I realize I do not actually own this particular space but I find it comforting to know where I will be sitting before I arrive, and beside whom I will sit in each class.

Now, if you’re thinking, “Wow, this girl is crazy, and controlling,” you’re right, but it is actually beneficial to everyone to have a permanent seat. If you take a test in the same situation and atmosphere that you learned the information, you will have an easier time recalling the answers. So really, I am looking out for your excellence in academic achievement as well as addressing my own concerns.

So please park your body in either the spot you sat in on the first day, or take your chance with someone else’s spot. Just don’t take mine.

Campus dealing 101 NADINE MOEDT

THE CASCADE

“Hey.” I look up from my seat on the Tim Horton’s patio. A shady-looking fellow student stands in front of me, hands in his pockets, glancing around anxiously.

“You buying?”

I’m sure everyone has seen them. The campus is overrun; shady dealings, an exchange of goods for cash done on the run between classes. Brief encounters between strangers.

Yes, it’s that time of year: time to bring out your used text books, erase your various pencil markings, hope that another edition hasn’t been put out yet and put them up for sale. It’s Books2go season.

It’s a brief time; thrifty students scour the listings on books2go in hopes of a deal whilst selling their own texts for far less than they paid for them. It’s a fierce business, too. One must undercut competitors, check email often, and be on campus to sell at any time to be successful.

But a bit of fair competition should not be enough to throw basic sales etiquette away entirely.

Books2go people aren’t Craigslist people, after all. Ever since a potential buyer from Craigslist stole

Image: Anthony Biondi

It’s Books2go season at UFV my bed frame, I’ve lost faith in Craigslist people. We’re all students and we’re all in this together.

So, some basic manners are in order.

Firstly, if you email someone regarding a book but buy it elsewhere before they respond, let them know! Don’t leave them hanging.

Don’t tear down other people’s hard copies. That’s just plain sleazy.

If you arrange to meet with someone to buy, you have entered an agreement with that person.

There is trust there. Don’t back out at the last second because someone has responded with a lower price.

Don’t sell first-time buyers an old edition if you know it’s not what they need. You’re better than that. Make sure they know what edition they’re buying.

Lastly: buyers, don’t show up for a text book and then start haggling. It’s awkward for both of you, and will invariably leave a bad taste in your mouth.

With that in mind, here are some tips from a veteran buyer and seller on how to be a success on

Books2go.

To start: know what classes are in session and know what text the instructor is asking students to buy. This is simple enough. Check the course listings, find the courses you have texts for, and then go to the bookstore website and check which titles the instructor is asking for. Something you can do to supplement your posting is to put up posters around the school.

What works well is locating the class you’re selling to and posting right outside the door or in the hall leading up to it. Advertise your

price and the bookstore price side by side.

When posting your books, don’t undercut competitors too much.

This only drives down the price.

Five dollars less than the lowest price is more than enough to attract buyers. It’s also a good idea not to post your text until a few weeks before classes begin; that way your text will be at the top of the list, and no one will have undercut you further. Buyers think that recent posts mean that you will be easier to contact – and often this is the case with older books as sellers may have graduated or simply forgotten to remove their posting after a sale.

Be the first person to respond to an inquiry about a textbook.

So, check your email often before classes start and in the first week.

Better yet, give your phone number and get interested people to text you for a quick reply. To make a sale, you have to be available.

More often than not, used textbook transactions are a pain.

Meeting with buyers and sellers is always difficult to arrange, and finding the right book and edition for your class and keeping on top of your listings takes some energy.

In the end though, don’t we all secretly love the thrill of the chase?

9

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Of Russia and rainbows KAYLA ST. LOUIS

CONTRIBUTOR

I’m sure everyone has heard about the anti-gay legislation that was passed in Russia a few months ago. This is particularly interesting in light of the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, especially from an athlete’s perspective.

The Olympics have always been a huge deal to me because I was a highly competitive athlete for over 14 years. I grew up short track speed-skating, worked my way up to earn a spot on the provincial racing team, and competed at multiple BC Winter Games, as well as provincial, national, and North American championships.

When I first heard about Russia’s anti-gay laws, it was through an article I found circulating in the short track speed-skating community about one of our own athletes, Olympic hopeful Blake Skjellerup.

Skjellerup is from New Zealand and currently trains in Calgary alongside a number of athletes I’ve known for years and have competed against, which brought the issue that much closer to home for me.

In an interview for the Windy City Times, Blake told reporter Ross Forman that “being in the closet was not a very fun time for me …

I’m not going to change who I am

No host country should be able to impose its discriminatory views on the Olympics. because one country sees that who I am is wrong.” He also confirmed that he will wear an official Olympic pride pin in Sochi, stating that “if I can do my part (by showing support), even if just for one person in Sochi, then I will be very happy.” Blake further stated that he is 100 per cent against boycotting the Games because “I think it’s much more important for there to

be a very strong presence in Sochi” to support human rights and ultimately diversity.

On the athlete side of things, what I loved most about my time in short track was that everyone left their beliefs, politics, and issues at the door. On the ice, none of that mattered. Your sex didn’t matter, which is probably why we were one of the few sports to use co-ed

Image: Justing Liew /Flickr

dressing rooms. Your age didn’t matter. Your religion didn’t matter. Your sexual orientation sure as hell didn’t matter. And that was the beauty of it; we were there to skate, have a good time, and hopefully win some races. That was it.

I noticed over the years that as the level of competition gets higher, this still holds true. National championships don’t discriminate

against age, gender, or province.

The emphasis is on the hard work, time, and dedication that everyone puts in to get to that level of competition. The Olympics are essentially the same thing, only on an international scale.

That’s the whole point. The Olympics are supposed to be a time and place where acceptance is celebrated in the realm of sport.

Which is exactly what the International Olympic Committee (IOC) also claims.

Frankly, Russia, that’s your own bag if you choose not to support gay rights. No one is stopping you.

But that doesn’t give you the right to force those values on the Olympics.

The Games are about acceptance and celebrating success in sport. In order for this to happen, any place that chooses to host the Games needs to temporarily suspend its beliefs and values for the purpose and duration of the Games so that everyone is treated equally. This is the same thing we do in academia for critical analysis – we temporarily suspend our beliefs. It’s nothing personal, and it’s likely not going to change our worldview. But everyone and everything is treated equally and objectively, not based on our own preconceptions. At the very least, it’s fair.

Better drivers get a better deal … hopefully KATIE STOBBART

THE CASCADE

In an ideal world, advancements in driving technology decrease the number of accidents, improve vehicle efficiency, and encourage good driving habits. A relatively recent development also purports to change what drivers pay for insurance.

Using telematics, some Canadian insurance companies hope to introduce usage-based insurance, which is already practiced in the US and the UK. Telematics, essentially, is technology which collects data from your vehicle. How often do you accelerate? How many kilometres do you drive each year?

How often and how hard do you use your brakes? Are you following the speed limit? A device voluntarily installed in your car records this information, and good drivers can save up to 25 per cent on their insurance premiums.

It’s a nifty idea. Companies in Ontario and Quebec are already offering it as an option to their customers, with 7000 clients already signing up for Desjardins Insurance’s usage-based program. CTV News reports that Desjardins plans to offer the program “in the rest of Canada once it gets regulatory approval.” Hopefully, the implementation of this device will be winwin; drivers get lower rates, there are fewer accidents, and people are given financial incentive to improve their driving skills.

However, some of the information recorded by the device which may affect insurance rates doesn’t

seem fair – according to a report by the CBC, Desjardins’ telematics device also records the time of day a car is driven, since “the hours between midnight and 5 a.m. … are considered to have a higher likelihood of accidents.” Does this mean that commuters who start work early or people who work late may not save as much on their insurance, regardless of their skill as drivers?

The Calgary Herald says that telematics came into play after a ruling in Europe which kept insurance companies from discriminating against drivers based on their sex – young male drivers unfairly paid higher rates than females did.

Usage-based insurance offers better rates based on driving skill, not on generalization.

Desjardins says data collected from telematics devices can’t be used to punish poor drivers by increasing premiums or using it for claims. But it will be interesting to see whether this particular regulation continues in the more distant future of the technology. If drivers’ habits don’t significantly improve with awareness of their own shortcomings and financial savings for better driving, what then?

Telematics certainly seems to have the potential for driver monitoring, especially for those who frequently drive irresponsibly. After several years of voluntary implementation, maybe telematics will be included in new vehicles at the manufacturing stage, and insurance rates (or other driving-related expenses) will be tied to a driving ‘score.’

I’m not saying this is a bad thing

Using telematics to assess driving practices is a nifty idea – on the surface.

– it would be great if everyone could drive well and thus lower rates. It would also be nice to see greater accountability and transparency for drivers. How much easier would it be to find a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run? It would definitely be an effective way to

discourage speeding. Some have voiced concerns about the device being an invasion of privacy, but apparently the only people who need to be worried about telematics are those who break the rules… and even that won’t be a factor for quite some time. For now, the

Have an opinion about something? Share it with us.

Image: ageing accozzagia /Flickr

usage-based rates are just a way to encourage better, safer driving.

And safer roads are definitely okay by me.

I just hope the application of this idea, seemingly full of positives, doesn’t turn sour.

Send your comments and questions to editor@ufvcascade.ca

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ARTS & LIFE FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Bands! Barbec

SUSpo

TAYLOR BRECKLES

CONTRIBUTOR

SUSpocalypse served up entertainment for UFV students last Wednesday with live music and free food. Hosted by the Student Union Society (SUS), SUSpocalypse is part of the larger Weeks of Welcome (WOW) celebrations.

Upon my arrival, I was greeted by the delightful smell of barbecue and the chatter of happy students waiting. In mere minutes the first band started to play, thus completing the university image; it was like a scene from a movie, complete with background music.

The sounds of the band could be heard throughout campus, drawing more students toward its origin. The event had barely begun and was already packed, with lines longer than the one outside Tim Horton’s. The barbecue of corn on the cob and hamburgers was more than enough to entice students, but there was also free SUS swag.

As I wandered the event grounds, I noticed that the band provided a good distraction for those waiting in line, and some entertainment for those who had their food. College rock rhythms from Big Damn Heroes and Minnesota Nice fit the scene well.

Students passing by that section of campus stared at the band and booths with interest as they went; expressions of longing marked faces too as some students left, most likely to attend class.

Along with the barbecue and live music, there was also a SUS booth, climbing wall, sumo wrestling station, and dunk tank.

The SUS booth provided information about the student union and gave away free merchandise such as its signature planner that is released every year.

Mugs and reusable bags were also up for grabs, products that caused many students to drop by the booth. Even if students originally came by to snag some free stuff, many didn’t leave the booth before signing up for the SUS volunteer opportunities and talking with a SUS rep.

According to Natalia Deros, SUS Clubs and Associations representative, there were “lots of volunteers.” Deros, who had a major role in organising SUSpocalypse, said the event was “heartwarming” – her goal of throwing a good party where people could have a good time and connect was achieved.

“Pretty much everyone from campus is here,” she said.

SUSpocalypse turned out to be the perfect welcome to new students and returning students alike – a great kick-off to the fall semester.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

11

ARTS & LIFE FEATURE

cues! Prizes!

ocalypse rocks UFV

Photos by Blake McGuire

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ARTS & LIFE

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Album Review

Luca Fogale-Paths

CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS Contributor

Mini Album Reviews

SoundBites

Luca Fogale’s debut EP delivers a gentle yet powerful set of songs that highlight wisdom beyond his young age of 22.

When I clicked over to his Bandcamp site for a first listen, I was expecting your typical BC coffee shop amateur with some semi-polished tunes. I was wrong.

I listened to his first track “The Way We Are” five times in a row.

Themes of truth and honesty cascaded throughout the track. The hook of the tune wasn’t what kept me on repeat; the sincerity and complexity of Fogale’s lyrics are what motivated me to listen again and again.

I was afraid the second track might disappoint. But it didn’t. I was hooked on his authenticity from start to finish.

The pristine recording quality makes it apparent that Fogale takes his work seriously. His smooth voice is better than most, but it’s the pairing of quality singing and

melancholy and hope. The lyrics capture the cycle of life, a tale of learning and loss.

It’s the title track that completely pulls the listener into Fogale’s journey. Focused and driving guitar arpeggios create a steady melody as the vocals sweep against a light background drum beat. Fogale seems to be looking for what path to follow and takes us along.

Within his internal conflict we are brought into a telling convergence of loss and drive.

Paths ends with “Identity Theft,” its best and moodiest track. There is a divergence as the tone shifts to a darker, more bluesy vibe. More demanding than the rest, this song leaves us to wander off the sonic trail. The end of Paths feels like the middle, leaving the listener wondering what and when this local artist is going to deliver next.

My only complaint about Paths is that it’s an EP. Fogale needs to pick up where he stopped and carry us further down the road. Until then, I’ll have to keep “They Way We Are” and “Identity Theft” at

the top of my playlist.

Like the other 20 winners from 102.7 Peak Performance Project, Fogale has a talented voice, topnotch playing skills, and a knack for songwriting. What makes him the cream of the crop is his ability to reach out and emotionally touch the listener with a soft, classically romantic energy.

Luca Fogale could easily cross over into blues, alt country, or even rock. This collection of songs highlights the complexity of his talent, but keeps everything in the realm of accessibility. Balance is a key element at work here. The tracks on Paths are charismatic stories bundled with distinct local character and openness. Isn’t that what great folk music is all about?

deep—yet still relatable—lyrics that make this EP a treat.

The third track, “An Education,” rides a perfect balance between

Neko Case

The Worse Things Get, the Harder I Fight, the Harder I Fight, the More I Love You

Okkervil River The Silver Gymnasium

Braids Flourish // Perish

Fiver Lost the Plot

It’s a little over a decade and a half since her first album release and still Neko Case manages to remain fresh. On The Worse Things Get..., understanding that Case was struggling with depression lends nuance to where these 12 tracks are coming from. Laden with lyrical depth, based in country but transcending various genres, and straddling some very stripped down instrumentals, there’s some great pain but also a lot of beauty here. Truly one of the best albums of the year, every song is strongly independent yet still works cohesively, with Case’s smooth vocals driving the album. One song, “Man,” is consumed with purposeful angst that Case airs against perception of the sexes. Then “Nearly Midnight, Honolulu” pulls back completely to highlight the lyrics, focused on a child who will grow up with a loveless mother. Later on “Calling Cards,” magnificent in its simplicity, is the quiet story of a distanced relationship. Finally, while the second-to-last track is consumed with a haunting loneliness, the album closes with “Ragtime,” a track that rips the weight and shackles that constrained the album are being ripped apart. The trumpet kicks in and Case’s voice exhilarates, ending on the lyrics: “I’ll reveal myself when I’m ready / I’ll reveal myself invincible soon.”

Countless bands strive for sincerity through music, and although songwriters may have honest intentions, those intentions have to be accompanied by a certain quality of music if they hope to make an impression on the listener. Will Sheff, Okervil River’s lead singer and songwriter, has never been shy about distilling his personal past in his lyrics and on The Silver Gymnasium remains thoughtful and calculated regarding how he uses his music to interact with the world, or specifically on this record, his hometown. Sheff acknowledges in “Down Down the Deep River” that, “We can never go back. We can only remember.” It’s this kind of unbridled and hard-hitting honesty that, when accompanied by powerful imagery and beautiful arrangements, help the listener understand Sheff ’s recollection of Meriden, New Hampshire.

As a whole, Okkervil River sounds positively alive on Silver Gymnasium, offering their most accessible record to date. While it is unlikely it will reach the commercial heights of Bruce Springsteen’s blockbuster Born in the U.S.A. or Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs, The Silver Gymnasium matches those records in expertise about small-town living; how returning there can never capture the feeling of going back.

Transitioning from patient, building guitars to a stronger emphasis on keyboards and drum programs, Braids expressly doesn’t repeat its debut album Native Speaker. Less dramatic, more scrambled and wandering, each track on Flourish // Perish is separated by what seems like longer than normal pauses, and instead of the rise/fall idreleases of Raphaelle Standell-Preston, melancholy, in the form of dreams (“Together”), nostalgia (“Hossak”), and small lapses in competence (“Victoria”), seems to pervade this time. It’s a lot closer to Blue Hawaii, StandellPreston’s other group. Untogether, released earlier this year, in places feels the same: fear of fragmentation and existential doubt are balanced by occasional outside perspectives (“The Other Day” there, “December” and “Amends” here). Untogether is the more enigmatic and inconsistent of the two, but that’s part of its approach – Flourish // Perish, in the same way, is an album that grows, taking its flaws and off-kilter enunciations as part of the strange whole, but is assured of its direction. It builds from an initial suggestion to “get out of my head” (ignored, indulged for album’s length) to the awakening, full-powered “In Kind” – the exuberance and clarity of Native Speaker reached after an account of confusion.

Simone Schmidt takes the moniker Fiver for this album, and her solo project is simple, spare, and haunting. Her sound smacks more than a little of the wild west, but not in an annoying way; I would compare her smoky, unpretentious alto voice to Joni Mitchell, or maybe Lana del Ray with a background in literature instead of club music. The album opens with “Oh Sienna,” which (as far as I can understand) is both a love song and a heartbreak song: “I may not ever love again, at least not in the way I could before,” she croons, and you can picture her in a smoky bar, singing low into a microphone and cradling a glass of whiskey.

The best song comes in “Saddest Laugh,” which tackles the resigned feelings of the end of a relationship – it’s not a dramatic or explosive breakup, but the kind of love that fades over time. “I let you go in fits and squeals,” she begins. “There’s nothing to say to the plans that we made / they’re nothing / they never became.” She nails the world-weariness and devastating (yet common) grief by seasoning it with a chorus that hints at the contrasting emotion it used to be. A couple of layers of rhythm guitar back up each song, accented with restrained tambourine and the occasional barely-audible violin. The addition of an echoing reverb on everything gives us the idea that she’s singing in a totally empty auditorium or on the edge of a canyon – the finishing touch on the wild west, desert-y feel of the whole album.

JOE JOHNSON

TIM UBELS

mICHAEL SCOULAR

DESSA BAYROCK

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ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Q&A

Luca Fogale JESS WIND

THE CASCADE

CHARTS

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Tim Hecker Virgins Jon Hopkins Immunity Paper Lions My Friends JF Robitaille Rival Hearts

The Pack A.D. Some Sssongs

Braids Flourish // Perish

Hollerado White Paint Sean Nicholas Savage Other Life Basia Bulat Tall Tall Shadow METZ Dirty Shirt b/w Leave Me Out

11 12 13

Cellos The Accident The Courtneys The Courtneys

King Krule 6 Feet Beneath The Moon

14

Franz Ferdinand Right Thoughts Right Words Right Action

15 16 17

Grand Analog Modern Thunder The Bros. Landreth Let It Lie

Kyle Andrews Brighter Than The Sun

18

Disclosure Settle

Shuffle AARON LEVY

CIVL STATION MANAGER

In honour of CBC Radio 3 polling listeners on the best campus for supporting music in Canada (Vote here for UFV: http://music. cbc.ca/#/Radio3/blogs/2013/9/ Fresh-new-music-from-Canadas-campuses) CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy recounts some of his best campus-based music memories.

Rich Aucoin – “It” Not proud of why I missed his headlining set in Halifax during our National Campus Community Radio Conference, but this album contains 500 people from across the country, including multiple Abbotsfordians (You Say Party) and me! Aucoin is from Halifax, (Dalhousie), and actually did his honors thesis on The Big Lebowski.

The Evaporators – “Busy Doing Nothing” Since 1986, Nardwuar the Human Serviette has been driving this band from UBC’s endowment lands across the country to touring and recording with Andrew W.K., and Nardwuar still does his weekly radio show at CiTR 101.9 FM from UBC’s campus! These guys are prototypical indie minded punk rock. Busy something.

The Ketamines – “You Can’t Serve Two Masters” From Lethbridge, Alberta, recently relocated to Toronto, leader Paul Lawton recently went on a rampage, crucifying the Canadian music industry. Former bassist Martine Menard was also CKXU, U of L’s campus radio station Music Director, and their visit in 2011 was mere weeks after The Cascade printed ‘Suck it Lethbridge’ on the cover.

Real Boys – “Vacation (Live Action Fezz remix)” Real Boys includes UFV alumnus and MMVA winner Steve O’Shea of You Say Party and Oh No! Yoko and GSTS members, and they had this remix put together by U of Guelph phenom Fez Stenton of Toronto one-time super-group Green Go. Music: connecting campuses from coast to coast across Canada, tonight!

Luca Fogale is currently competing in The Peak Performance Project.

He has recently returned from Boot Camp and is preparing his charity initiative. He will be performing in the top 20 showcase on September 26 at the Fortune Sound Club in Vancouver.

What made you apply to the Peak Performance Project in the first place?

I love The Peak; it’s such a great station, it’s the station in Vancouver that I listen to. I used to be big into classic rock. But then I kind of got into more indie stuff and it kind of just scratched me right where I itch. I’ve been listening to The Peak for about five or six years now and then I heard about the Peak Performance. It’s such a big thing – it’s a big triumphant competition. I just wanted to get into bootcamp; that’s all I wanted to do. I did that. Everything else from here is a treat.

So what is the competition like? What kind of process did you go through to get in?

I forgot about the deadline, so I applied with four days left in the application. [I had to] film a music video, get a single done, and apply and somehow I got it – don’t know how. It’s been crazy ever since. We had a performance at the Khatsahlano [Music & Arts] Festival down in Kits and that was in July.

Boot Camp was the first big thing. Now we have to do all the challenges. We have to do a charity initiative and we have a merchandise challenge and then there’s the showcase and then there’s voting and judging and they tally up all the points and then they pick winners. They pick the top three and the top three get to play at the Commodore for the last showcase, which would be nuts.

It’s been great so far. It’s tough to solo because I’m by myself.

With a band you can delegate ... I try and do little bits of everything, but it’s tough to try and stay organized.

How was Boot Camp for you?

We learned so much at Boot Camp and it’s still kind of all trying to cram itself in my head.

Like all the different social media stuff and all the different ways to get your music out ... We did performance coaching and they give us reviews after our shows.

Everyone had a little showcase, and they would critique it ... We learned so much; we all had private sessions and vocals and performances and such.

Did it feel like a reality TV show?

It didn’t because it was a safe camp: there was no judging involved with the camp.

It was great because it wasn’t scored. It was safe to learn.

The Peak Performance Project gives the contestants $3000 to fill gaps in their performance. You used it to make a music video and feed the homeless. Tell me about that.

I just wanted to take a different approach. As a performer I’m not super exciting to watch – I just sit

Whenever Fogale gets a spare moment, he chases his passion there and play guitar ... It was so easy to make people’s day; it was just a sandwich. We handed out socks and underwear too.

We had an opportunity to make a video and it’s always been such a big problem in Vancouver. It’s so stigmatized and it’s a pretty shunned part of our city. I learned so much about what it takes to be happy ... We [brought] like 20 sandwiches, 12 pairs of socks and underwear – it was like 60 bucks.

It was nothing, pennies. A lot of people got stuff, a lot of people got fed. So it’s something I’m going to try to keep doing more regularly. It was a good learning experience.

Do you always try and make a statement with your music?

When you kind of have music that’s very lyrical I try and address a lot of things and try and convey some sort of message, whether it’s talking about bigger issues or if it’s a love song, it’s always talking about something important.

With folk, you can tell a lot of stories, you can cram a lot of stuff in. I just wanted to show people that it’s not that scary. I was never intimidated or threatened. A lot of people drive down Hastings and lock their doors, roll their windows up.

Those people live in our city; they’re Vancouverites too. So it just kind of sucks that we have that area that’s pushed to the side.

It’s just something that’s always bugged me about the city because it’s pretty polarized. The cost of living is huge and property is just so expensive and we have so many people that are homeless.

It’s crazy. It’s like an entire other population down there.

So the experience was not what you were expecting?

Someone actually came up to me yesterday [and said], “My eight-year-old son saw the video and now this weekend we’re going downtown to hand out wraps to people.” It totally made my week ... that was the best thing that could happen, someone saying, ‘I’m going to do that too,’ and the next time you go down there see someone handing out sandwiches.

So, what’s next for you in terms of The Peak Performance Project?

I’m meeting with a couple Music BC reps next week, I’m trying to get a sponsorship to get a bunch of guitars.

I’ve been trying to find an organization that will let me do a group guitar lesson, kind of like a weekly thing, and give them guitars and give them books ... they learn something and kids can just plunk away the rest of the week and then I come back and teach them more ... I’ve seen a lot of friends get messed up on drugs out of boredom. Nothing to do, so they figure they’ll get high. It’s scary to see what boredom can do to kids, especially as they get into high school ... I think it would be cool; what’s an hour a week to give kids something to do?

What do you do when you’re not playing music?

There isn’t much time ... especially lately, if I’m just sitting doing nothing, I’ll feel like I should be doing something. It’s almost like an obsession, I have to be writing all the time or I have to be practicing. Even on the drive here I did an hour of vocal practice in the car. I love it and I can’t stop and I think it’s kind of a good thing.

Has it always been an obsession?

It’s been a couple years; I was going to UBC for two years from 2009-2011. I wouldn’t do my school work because I would just have to sit down and play guitar.

So I dropped out after two years, and it was such a good decision.

That’s where I found my passion. Sitting in lecture thinking about playing music, on the bus thinking about playing music, coming home to play music, going to sleep – I wouldn’t do my homework ... I’m working my ass off and it’s kind of panning out and it feels really good.

Getting into The Peak was kind of a, “You’re on the right track,” almost like affirmation. It’s been a good couple of months – the best that I’ve had.

Where do you want to go with your music?

I just want to keep going. Make a living. If I can make a living, then that’s the best – if I can do nothing but play music. If I have to teach, I’ll teach; if I have to play in restaurants where no one’s listening, play in bars where no one’s listening, play house concerts and backyards, whatever.

As long as I can get by and play music all the time, that’s the best life ever.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Cascade Arcade

PAX Prime 2013 JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR

Another year has come and gone and it still hurts to know that it’s over.

Once again, the Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle (PAX Prime) has come to a close and once again I have a different outlook on the event and how it has grown and changed over the years.

Even though the event was four days long (a first in its history), that didn’t slow the buyout rate at all. With all badges (over 70,000 attendees) selling out in less than seven hours in April, PAX has certainly become a global hub of the gaming community.

Passing through the doors into the massive Expo Hall, I felt familiar feelings of excitement, curiosity, and claustrophobia. PAX-goers were already forming hour-long lines to try out the new games.

With the next-generation consoles (Xbox One & PS4) present, the lines for Forza 4, Infamous: Second Son, and Ryse: Son of Rome were long and painful.

Twisted Pixel’s booth, however, offered short lines and great fun with their LocoCycle game about a self-aware state-of-the-art motorcycle evading evil corporations all the while dragging a poor Latino janitor. They were even giving away an Xbox One on Monday afternoon!

But these booths were not attracting everyone in the hall. The independent game market has really taken hold of PAX, so much in fact that its prominent Indie Megabooth was constantly jam-packed with PAX-goers checking out what indie developers had to offer.

One game in particular that was attracting a lot of attention was a four-player game called Super Pole Riders. It was one of four multiplayer games that made up the complete product called Sports Friends. In short, each player is an Olympic vaulter and must vault into the air to push a coloured ball along a zipline into the opposing team’s net. What made the game so entertaining was catching the opposing players off guard and coming down to knock them out.

Some turned it into a game of knock-out vaulting rather than of scoring goals. Little things like that

are some of the reasons why the independent games at PAX are so intriguing. Simple yet extremely entertaining features can come a long way when assembled correctly.

Panels have always been a major part of any fan expo. From comics to games to television shows, panels featuring prominent members of the products’ development always draw a crowd. So imagine the attendees’ surprise when they saw that the schedule was full of subject-related panels. Subjects included, “What’s Your Gamer Type?,” “Why the Zombie Genre Still Holds Our Attention,” and “Foreplay: Romance in Games.”

The list went on and became more intriguing and at times bizarre. In total, the ratio of subject panels to game presentations worked out to about 10:1. The number of panels I wanted to see was overwhelming. For the zombie genre panel, I listened to developers from The Walking Dead, Left 4 Dead, State of Decay, and DayZ discuss their interest in the genre, their inspirations, and what they see in its future. The community brought a plethora of questions including if anything could happen to zombies similar to what Twilight has done to vampires. The panel was great, and DayZ creator Dean Hall’s constant wish for glitch-free zombies always brought laughter.

As always, many members of the PAX community were cosplayers and brought some creative and interesting costumes to the event.

From the entire ensemble of the original Power Rangers to a Hello Kitty version of Marcus Fenix, there was no shortage of originality. I’ve been curious as to what all the fuss was about for several years so I finally gave it a go as a classic character from my childhood: Indiana Jones! While it may seem odd to some, it was cool to dress up as someone else and embody the character. I had my photo taken with people and even got asked to sign a badge with my character’s signature. My favorite cosplay moment was when a PAX-goer passed me by and simply said, “Doctor Jones.” My inner nerd was shaking with excitement.

As for major publishers, Ubisoft really blew it out of the park. They were giving presentations about their highly anticipated Watch Dogs featuring the “second screen”

image: Jeremy Hannaford

PAX-goers crowd the expo hall looking to check out new games. application. This featured a tablet player competing with the console player in a race challenge. Since Watch Dogs is about the interconnectivity of electronic devices and people in Chicago, the tablet player was able to cause much distress for the console player as he tried to reach the destination. From changing traffic lights to directing police to setting off underground gas pipes, the challenge was too much for the console player, who in the end was killed by a hit-and-run accident. While some are still viewing the “second screen” function of next-gen consoles as a gimmick, this feature could really grow into something extraordinary.

Another game that drew my attention was The Crew, an MMO racing game for next-gen consoles and PC. The players will be able to drive across a scaled-down United States reported to take over five real-time hours to cross. At first it looked like another Need For Speed World. But on closer inspection, I saw the amazing graphics, realistic and challenging driving mechanics, and extremely deep customization abilities. All the way down to the pistons, you can receive and change pieces in your car to make it into a souped-up racing machine or an off-road death on wheels. The Crew was the definitely most interesting game for me at PAX. I can certainly say I came to

image: Jeremy Hannaford

Dressing up is part of the fun.

PAX 2013 with a more sombre feel.

Since it was four days long, I didn’t feel as rushed as in previous years.

I could really take in the sights and converse with other PAX-goers about the event and the booths.

The last panel I went to was Inside Gearbox Studios. The appreciation CEO Randy Pitchford displayed towards the fans of Borderlands 2 was astounding. The nearly full

Paramount Theatre roared as he continued to show off more content his team was making available for fans. His emotion and the crowd’s reaction melded together to make one of the most iconic moments of PAX in the history of the event.

Psych Talk

Corn syrup cravings compared to cocaine JENNIFER COLBOURNE CONTRIBUTOR

The Science A recent study conducted by the University of Guelph is now revealing just how addictive high fructose corn syrup really can be.

In this study, rats were fed Oreos, and were found to be similar in their addictive behaviours as when given cocaine. When the rats were given less palatable food, such as rice cakes, no similar effect was observed. Given the rapidly rising rates of obesity, which according to the NHANES have doubled since 1980, this study rasises some grave concerns.

“We are not rats,” Dr. Leri, one of the researchers and an Associ-

ate Professor of Neuroscience at Guelph, stated in the Canadian Association of Neuroscience press release. “But our children do not think too much about the impact of sweets on their brain and behaviour. There is now convincing neurobiological and behavioural evidence indicating that addiction to food is possible. Our primary objective is to discover biological predictors of vulnerability to develop excessive consumption of high fructose corn syrup.”

Other studies have corroborated the powerful effect sugar has on mammals. Researchers from Princeton University have long been studying sugar addiction, conducting experiments that show withdrawal, craving, and relapse in sugar-addicted rats. Con-

sidering that animal studies have shown cocaine is extremely addicting—compared to or even worse than heroin—these studies may be revealing a real health epidemic.

You, me, and UFV Though it is shocking that it may be as addicting as cocaine, I don’t think it is a surprise to anyone that sugar is addicting; we’ve all suffered sugar cravings. The same old justifications are bandied about as with smoking or any other problem, “I should quit ... I will quit after … I can eat healthier, but…”

It doesn’t seem like a big deal until you actually sit down and think about just how many processed foods you consume in one day.

Nor does swapping salt for sugar change anything – salts such as

MSG are notoriously addictive and bad for you.

We all pay lip service to the horrors of sugar and salt, but the truth of the matter is that most of us don’t follow through with a healthy diet. Unfortunately, bad food is readily available, fast and cheap. And it tastes amazing.

One study from Boston University found that rats suffer depression from sucrose withdrawal, a depression which can lead to compulsive eating. And there’s the other problem. When stressed out from school, it is an especially great pleasure to enjoy a treat or two… or three. And the cycle begins. Binge eating (along with its dangerous cousin bulimia) has become a serious problem. It’s not just that we’re eating badly; we’re

also eating too much.

Yet the stakes are so high. According to the World Health Organization, 1.4 million people died of diabetes in 2011, and 7 million of heart disease (the number one killer worldwide) – both diseases directly related to weight problems and obesity. Sugar addiction really isn’t that different from cocaine, after all. Even in the face of death, food addicts and drug addicts alike aren’t willing to quit.

So though Coca-Cola has since long removed cocaine from its actual ingredients, its high fructose corn syrup content—containing the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar per can—may be just as direly addicting.

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

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ARTS & LIFE

CROSSWORD

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Schedule some relaxation

by KATIE STOBBART

LAST WEEK’S

ACROSS 1. You’re doing this right now! (9) 4. This sling developed in Central and South America has so much potential: swinging, resting … even studying in one would feel relaxing. (7) 6. Relax those sore muscles after a long day of those uncomfortable chairs in class. Your UPass gets you access to this warm oasis for free if you don’t have one at home. (3, 3) 8. Doing this regularly can help you clear your mind and focus. You can also make it part of a yoga routine. (8) 9. Feeling stressed? Get it off your chest. Pull out a notebook and do this regularly. (5) 11. Take a break from studying in the evening to watch this daily occurrence if it’s not too cloudy. It’s free art. (6)

Answer Key Across

4. VICEVERSA 7. ALMAMATER 8. VERBATIM 10. IMPROMPTU 11. QUIDPROQUO Down

DOWN 2. Go for one of these just to escape – wander aimlessly in a local park or trail.

Take your time. (4) 3. Call someone on the phone and do this for a while. Maybe there’s someone you haven’t talked to lately – take some time to catch up. (4) 5. Light some of these and turn off the electricity for a while. All those fluorescent lights can give you a headache. (7) 7. It can be relaxing to help something grow. Also, doing this indoors supplies you with fresh oxygen. Breathe deeply. (9) 9. You can enjoy this with dinner and with friends. It’s perfect for toasting and gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling. (4) 10. The great thing about playing this is that you can get things done while you listen. Play it quietly in the background to set a serene mood for homework time. (5)

1. CAVEATEMPTOR 2. VENIVIDIVICI 3. ETCETERA 5. CARPEDIEM 6. GRAVITAS 9. ERGO

The Weekly Horoscope Star Signs from Sumas Sibyl Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18

Gemini: May 21 - June 21

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22

You think your textbooks are expensive – wait ‘til you pay off your student loan!

The moon has portents.

Something about tides.

Menstrual cycle? Something will happen.

The heavens proclaim a heavenly proclamation.

Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20

Cancer: June 22 - July 22

Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21

Getting hammered and screwed may be great, but avoid getting sawed this week. It’s unpleasant.

There is nothing outside the text. Nothing! You are trapped in this sentence.

Your luck will be astounding this week – if you bring Starbucks lattes to The Cascade office…

Aries: March 21 - April 19

Leo: July 23 - Aug 22

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21

Robin Thicke knows. He knows you want tits.

Start questioning your beliefs. Electricity is actually magic, you know. So are magnets (how do they work?)

Miley says, “Twerk it. Twerk it.”

Taurus: April 20 - May 20

Virgo: Aug 23 - Sept 22

Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19

Your magic number is yellow.

Silly human, Trix are for rabbits.

Billy says, “For the love of god, don’t!”

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ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Diverging Proposals: the result of four months, five artists, and only one gallery

Abstract works of art by Jason Peters.

image:: Ashley Mussbacher

The exhibit featured works by five students.

ASHLEY MUSSBACHER CONTRIBUTOR

On the night of September 5, the UFV art gallery in B building hosted Diverging Proposals, an exhibition featuring five fourth-year students and the results of their independent studies from the summer semester. Even though the show was featured as a collective, each artist had his or her own unique installment.

The artists were Miao Chuan (Rex) Yu with his duelling ink portrayals of George Washington and Xi Jinping titled Face/Off; Christi Dos Santos with her collective installment Teacup Christianity, featuring both audio and three-dimensional art in a powerful statement about Christian feminism; Susan Major with Art has a Purpose, where she combines video, sculpture, and paint on canvas to share with us very personal moments of triumph and hope; Jeffrey Rasmussen with three individual

pieces done with airbrushing; and Jason Peters with a combination of robots and paint in two massive abstract pieces, Remote: Radio Signals and Remote: Robot Sugar.

In his opening speech to a gallery packed wall-to-wall with people eagerly waiting to hear from the artists, Visual Arts professor Chris Friesen says.

“This exhibition is the result of four months of intensive frustration, and hence we have the title Diverging Proposals. It’s meant to be a little tongue-in-cheek with proposing a project, and then learning more about that project as you work with it, and coming up with a final result that really didn’t have anything to do with the initial proposal,” he says.

In his speech, Peters explains how his idea of building robots to paint originally came about. He says he was playing around with a paint brush tied to the end of a power drill.

“I figured, wouldn’t it be nice if I could take a step back from the

whole experience of putting paint on canvas with a brush? How far back could I go? Why not take it up a notch and build a robot to paint for me?”

Yu says Face/Off is a result of having travelled to another country and growing as an individual through that experience. He adds, grinning, that he thought every city in Canada was like New York City when he first arrived.

Dos Santos shares a personal story that drew her to the topic of Christian feminism. In her statement, she explains that Teacup Christianity has several viewing options, similar to the interaction one may experience with Christian feminism. Viewers may implicitly choose to accept it; they may see it and find it difficult to interact with, and move on; or they may take time with the piece, interact with it, and ask questions. One question she poses in her statement is: “Does what I believe align with holistic biblical teaching or with tradition?”

Jeff Rasmussen poses with his works.

In Rasmussen’s statement he says, “I am my art and my art is a shadow of myself.”

Airbrushing, he explains, is a recent experiment for him. There are four key ingredients to his colourful pieces individually titled, Colour From Another Mother, Textural Ease, Limbo Medley, and Greener Pastures: experimentation, collection, texture, and loss. To lighten things up, he adds, “Using fishnet stockings with an airbrush creates unique textures on the canvas, and

Book Review

Orange Is the New Black by Piper Kerman CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS CONTRIBUTOR

Orange Is the New Black has been a hit this year on Netflix. The show is based on a memoir of the same name published in 2010. It’s the story of Piper Kerman, an excon who is sent to prison on international drug smuggling charges.

Fans of the show have been hooked on the shocking and outrageous events that occur during Piper’s 15-month term in federal prison. But like most book-to-film adaptations, a lot gets lost in translation. At the core of the book is a brutally honest story of universal love, female solidarity, and the absurdity of North America’s prison system.

Between drug running and prison, Kermen spent a decade producing and writing infomercials. She is no stranger to the craft of storytelling. Unlike the show there are no cheap, wacky punchline plot points. The book’s humour is smarter. The characters are more enduring. And the main protago-

image: Ashley Mussbacher

nist is the prison system, not the prisoners.

The novel is more complex, less complicated, and moves with a different flow. The Netflix show employs a kind of pop “lipstick lesbian” chic that’s not in the book.

Piper’s direct account takes a more authentic approach to romantic relationships and friendships. Lesbian prison rape is not as predominant as the show would have us believe. The main threat is rape from the ego-inflated male guards. As Piper’s lawyer puts it, “The hardest thing will be chickenshit rules, enforced by chicken-shit people.”

Reading Orange Is the New Black is as informative as it is touching. Piper shows us the bureaucratic labyrinth of the criminal justice system – right down to the strip searches she is subjected to every time she requests face-to-face time with visitors. Prison policy is designed to dehumanize each convict in order to control the prison population. All of these policies are applied equally, despite the “real world” social status of each prisoner. A 70-year-old woman is ordered to shovel snow in zero degree weather. A rich

suburbanite housewife is required to fix the electrical in a dilapidated pump house.

Ethnicity is a big social divider, but Piper becomes aware of her own irrational judgement of race and class when in prison. Every woman is equalized by the same oppressive restrictions.

The book cuts deeper than the show. It’s about women loving women on both a platonic and romantic level. It’s about how communal sistership can enhance the endurance of the individual. It’s got some big messages, not tampon jokes.

Piper Kerman has a love for literature, too. Novels and letters were tools for her to stay in touch with the outside world. Fun references to a multitude of literary works are carefully placed throughout.

Lean and strong writing with little unnecessary exposition builds a smooth and flowing non-fiction narrative. The words shine with honesty. It’s superior to the show. Read it.

image: Ashley Mussbacher

it’s ultra sexy.”

Major was the final artist to speak. Her collection included Linda, Emily, and Judith. She explains, “Art is more than creating pretty pictures. Art serves as a valuable tool to meet the needs of individuals who are developmentally delayed, physically, or emotionally challenged.”

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SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Heat prospects fight for positions at Young Stars Classic TIM UBELS

CONTRIBUTOR

Over the weekend the Calgary Flames participated in the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC for the third consecutive year. As the final touches were put on the Scotiabank Saddledome after the summer’s flood damage, the Flames prospects headed west to showcase their talent against kids their own age.

The round-robin tournament, which took place September 5 to 9, saw the young Flames suit up against conference rivals from the Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Winnipeg Jets, and San Jose Sharks.

Heat bench boss Troy G. Ward was given the duties of coaching the young Flames, and got a quick glimpse at some of the newer prospects that will inevitably report to the Heat after training camp is over at the end of the month.

The five-day round-robin featured eight games between the prospect teams and also included an alumni game where retired Canucks Cliff Ronning, Greg Adams, and former team

Image: Leijonat/Flickr

Heat prospect Ortio made 40 saves against the Canucks’ prospects during the Young Stars Classic. captain Stan Smyl laced up against the Penticton Old Timers.

Flames scouts and management were keeping an eye out for youngsters who are not only expected to crack the Flames’ line-up this year, but also demonstrate that they can take on bigger roles early in the season.

Several veteran Flames were either dealt or left unsigned in the

offseason in order to provide the opportunity for young players to fast-track their development, so there was pressure for the young players to perform well.

The Flames’ roster, which included the likes of 2013 firstround draft pick Sean Monahan and highly touted forward Sven Baertschi, with Laurent Brossoit and Joni Ortio battling it out in goal, showcased obvious talent.

On another note, the young Flames suited up without former third-round draft pick Ryan Howse, who was suspended indefinitely by the team after failing to report for training camp.

Howse has been criticized in the past for failing to shore up his two-way game and put up points in the minors, recording just one assist in 20 games last season with the Heat.

The weekend tournament was kicked off with the Battle of Alberta as the Oilers’ prospects faced the young Flames, and for the first time in recent memory the Calgary prospect pool looked much deeper on paper than their provincial rival’s.

This became apparent on the ice once the Flames jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first period, with Flames’ forward Markus Granlund picking up two goals in the frame. The Oilers clawed back in the second and caught a break after Flames’ defenseman Ryan Culkin deposited the puck into his own net. However, after a strong third period, the Flames prevailed 5-2 over Edmonton, outshooting the young Oilers 32-18.

Next up for the Flames was the host province team, the Van-

couver Canucks, a team that featured the biggest challenge for the Flames’ prospects, with the likes of Brendan Gaunce, Bo Horvat, Frank Corrado and Joacim Eriksson all suiting up for the Canucks during the Friday night tilt. Although the Canucks controlled the pace for most of the game, had a much more dynamic powerplay, and were able to fire 40 shots at Flames’ netminder Joni Ortio, the Flames still managed to pull out a 4-1 victory. Ortio’s desperate blocker save in the third period on a tic-tac-toe play prevented Canucks’ forward Bo Horvat from putting a damper on the Flames’ second straight win in the Young Stars Classic.

The tournament gave residents of Penticton and neighbouring BC communities a chance to see first-hand the kind of talent that is making its way to the big leagues, but also gave the prospects themselves a taste of what professional competition feels like, and a glimpse at future teammates and potential rivals.

Only time will tell if these prospects will be facing off against one another at the junior, AHL, or NHL levels this year.

Dinner and a Show

Athletics tailgate party ends with NCAA exhibition game

Image: Blake McGuire/The Cascade

A participant showcases her stickhandling skills.

NATHAN HUTTON CONTRIBUTOR

The annual varsity tailgate party drew more interest than ever last Monday and culminated with a free draw for a pair of Canucks tickets. Athletes and supporters volleyed, dribbled, bumped, and stickhandled in between sampling free burgers, snow cones, and iced pop.

After the party, the Cascades men’s basketball team continued a string of exhibition games in preparation for their season

opener in November. The game was played in front of a raucous crowd of UFV students in the Envision Athletic Center. The visiting team was the University of California Riverside Highlanders, a NCAA Division 1 team who are currently on a trip north playing CIS men’s teams from around the province.

Right from the tipoff it was apparent that the Highlanders were here to play. From the outset, the game consisted of constant pressure as the teams tried to find their respective rhythms.

A big three at the end of the

second quarter from Cascades forward Jasper Moedt put the Cascades within a point. Yet the Highlanders seemed to turn a switch in the second half. Chris Patton, their towering 6’10” center, scored sixteen of his gamehigh eighteen points after halftime and led his team to the 81-61 victory.

“We worked really, really hard for the majority of the game,” UFV coach Adam Friesen said of his team’s effort. “We played together.” The Cascades were led

by Moedt with 12 points.

Burgers, pop, and snow cones were for free.

Image: Blake McGuire/The Cascade

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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Fan bus helps spur Cascades women to victory NATHAN HUTTON contributor

This past Friday night, UFV women’s soccer kicked off the regular season with a match against the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) Timberwolves. The Cascades were looking to start their season on a high note after a lacklustre finish last year (6-5-1). In their one and only meeting last year the Cascade women dominated the Timberwolves 7-0.

This performance featured a standout two-goal contribution from midfielder Carly Neeson, who is returning for her fourth season with the team.

This year the outcome was similar. The same dominating performance characterized the first half as the women picked up where they left off. The Cascades mounted a strong and consistent attack, no doubt drawing motivation and inspiration from the bus full of fans that made the trek to Chilliwack to support the team. But it wasn’t until the 14th minute that the women made their first strike of the game.

Paige Friesen hit a high arching corner kick that found the head of Langara transfer Jade Palm, who deflected the ball into the upper right-hand corner of the net behind Timberwolves keeper Jordan Hall. The teams went into half time with the score 1-0.

The bus of UFV student supporters was prominent and very loud. The fan bus had been organized by third year sociology, psychology, and fine arts student Rachel Kirkpatrick who claimed that she got the idea from a poster at a different institution.

“People don’t get excited enough for big events like this,” Kirkpatrick said of her decision to take initiative and organize the bus. For students who are interested in joining at future

Image: Jess Wind/The Cascade

Cascades goalkeeper Kayla Kilim springs into action. events, she promises another fan bus in October and November.

A contingent of 56 student supporters is her goal for the next event. “It’s fun … when people come to events like this, they feel like they belong [at UFV],” Kirkpatrick explained.

Sports information and marketing coordinator David Kent applauded the efforts of the students, saying it was “a big accomplishment.” He also praised the fact that it was a student-led project, saying he believed it was “great for the student athletes to see their colleagues at UFV really keen and supportive.”

The women took their 1-0 lead into the second half where they had multiple opportunities to widen the gap, including a great chance from Shelby Beck two minutes into the second half.

Beck tried an impressive sliding shot but was robbed at the net.

After consistent back-and-forth play for much of the second half, Beck was blessed with another great opportunity, but was robbed again on a breakaway by UNBC goalkeeper Hall.

Finally, in the 75th minute, the women were able to get a second ball past Hall, who had been on point all game long. The women

had constant pressure in front of the UNBC net and when the ball was sent out front to striker Danica Krump, she made no mistake, burying it in the left side and sealing the game for the women.

After the game, coach Rob Giesbrecht named midfielder Neeson “Woman of the Match,” saying, “I thought her energy was really good and her attack … she creates space for others.”

He also praised new transfers Lana Rockhill and Jade Palm, who he said “had an immediate impact,” with Palm scoring the first goal of the game and Rock-

hill setting up the second.

Later in the evening, the Cascades men fought a hard battle against the Trinity Western Spartans, but failed to overcome the Spartans’ skill, losing the game 2-1. Fourth year Cascade Ethan Claibourne Collins registered the only UFV goal on a penalty kick.

The men’s team has their next game on Thursday when they travel to Winnipeg to take on the U of W Wesmen. The women will seek to extend their early success in a Friday night match with the Thunderbird women.

Making History: On Sunday, September 8 UFV men’s soccer beat the number one ranked UBC Thunderbirds for the first time in school history. The loss ended UBC’s 27-game unbeaten streak (their last loss came in 2011), and improves UFV’s all-time record to 1-14 against the Thunderbirds.

Celebrating 30 years of Athletics at UFV Next CIS Varsity Team: Wrestling?

PAUL ESAU THE CASCADE

This September the UFV athletics department turns 30, and looks to reconnect with its past.

“It’s a chance to celebrate the last 30 years of athletics at this university,” athletics director Rocky Olfert said. “We’ve managed to compile a bunch of alumni lists, and through those lists we’re hoping to invite a bunch of alumni out to participate.”

Traditionally UFV’s alumni event has included a game between alumni and current Cascades athletes followed by a small event in the foyer, but this year the athletics department is dreaming bigger.

“The format for this year is more of a family barbecue style,” Olfert said. “We’re trying to get families out to play games, drop in at the gyms, and tour the campus. Following that we’re going to have busses going to the men’s soccer game that evening to cheer on our local team and celebrate this generation of athletics. We’re looking for the opportunity to really reconnect with past alumni, people who went before us and helped establish this program.”

The event will also be an opportunity to distribute the first UFV Cascades alumni cards to those alumni who participated in varsity athletics for four or more years. The cards are specially designed, and will provide perks and benefits above

and beyond the usual alumni cards.

“For years we’ve had a strong partnership with the athletics department and the teams,” said alumni programs and administration manager Nancy Armitage, “so we decided that a specialized membership card which will provide special benefits and privileges to our athletic alumni was in order.”

Other commemorative events will follow throughout the rest of the year, focusing on individual teams and honouring their alumni. The new alumni card will be distributed to eligible graduates starting at this year’s convocation, and will be available to all previous alumni on request.

PAUL ESAU

THE CASCADE

A new chapter in UFV sports history began last Thursday during the annual Athletics Fundraising Breakfast with the announcement of potential CIS-level wrestling at UFV. Wrestling, which was added back onto the Olympic roster on September 8, would be UFV’s seventh varsity program.

Coached by 2010 Commonwealth Games gold-medalist Arjan Bhullar and assistant Raj Vindi, the program will include both male and female wrestlers and will remain at ‘club’ status throughout the 2013-2014 season.

The CIS will vote upon UFV’s application on September 30, and, if successful, the wrestling program will compete in the CIS the following season.

“My father was a wrestler, so wrestling is in my bloodline,” said Bhullar. “I’ve looked around for a place to start a program and UFV just seems like a great fit ...

I look forward to creating a postsecondary option for wrestling in the valley.”

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