The Georgia Straight - Next Generation Gaming - August 20, 2020

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020 | FREE Volume 54 | Number 2743

COLLECTIVE HOUSING

Councillor questions bylaw

PSYCHEDELIC MEDICINES

MAPS Canada changes minds

NEXT GENERATION GAMING Women step into ESports spotlight PLUS Advice for student players CANNABIS

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TA P

DA N C E

FEST

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FITNESS

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SANGRIA

FINANCE

Democrats trumped GOP in S&P 500 market-index gains

CONTENTS 6

COVER

August 20-27 / 2020

In recent years, women have stepped into the ESports spotlight like never before. Here are some of the names that fans might want to know.

by Charlie Smith

By John Lucas and Mike Usinger

8

REAL ESTATE

Cover illustration by Gabe Lung

NPA councillor Lisa Dominato says collective housing has a place in Vancouver, but an antiquated bylaw makes it illegal for some folks.

By Carlito Pablo

13

PSYCHEDELICS

MAPS Canada advanced the case for psychedelic medicines long before the feds granted four patients access to these treatments.

By Charlie Smith

e Start Here Canadian portfolio manager Stan Wong’s research may give Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (photo

by Joe Biden) some useful data in their campaign to unseat Donald Trump from the White House.

A

t this week’s Democratic Party convention, speakers are offering up many arguments why their candidate, Joe Biden, should replace Donald Trump in the White House.

On August 17, Michelle Obama delivered a passionate speech focusing on inclusion, values, and the future of America’s children. On the same night, Sen. Bernie Sanders warned how Trump is leading America down the path of authoritarianism, so there was no choice but to back Biden.

Obama and Sanders did not talk about stock markets even though this has historically been an area of strength for the Democrats.

According to Canadian portfolio manager Stan Wong, the party of the Clintons and Obamas has presided over some of the largest bull markets in the past 70 years.

Wong is the director of wealth management with the Stan Wong Group, which is part of Scotia Capital Inc. In a phone interview with the Georgia Straight, Wong pointed out that Bill Clinton’s time in office coincided with the largest return of any two-term president in the S&P 500, a broad-based U.S. stock index.

Over Clinton’s eight years in office in the 1990s, the S&P 500 increased 210 percent.

“Obama was number two at 182 percent,” Wong said.

Third on the list was a moderate Republican, Dwight Eisenhower, who ruled during the 1950s.

The worst two presidents after 1950 for the S&P 500 were Republicans George W. Bush (down 40 percent) and Richard Nixon (down 20 percent).

“Trump would have been right up there [among the best] if it wasn’t for COVID-19,” Wong noted.

The wealth-management expert shared these details in an interview about how stock markets might perform during the 2

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presidential campaign. Before it winds up on November 3, he expects this political contest to replace COVID-19 at the top of investors’ minds. If history is any guide, Wong said that investors should expect some volatility in the markets prior to voting day.

“I think for now, we’re focused on the recovery out of the pandemic,” Wong said.

“And if Biden wins, I think it’s baked into the market.”

That’s because Biden has been leading in the polls for quite a while.

“If Trump wins, it will be a surprise,” Wong added. “But then again, we were surprised in 2016.”

He pointed out that Trump’s 2016 victory had some short-term effects.

“The financial sector jumped almost 14 percent over the next one-month period following the election,” Wong said. “And the energy sector climbed 7.8 percent, which I found very interesting… Those are pretty big jumps.”

He attributed this to investors’ perceptions that Trump’s policies would be more favourable to these two sectors than what was expected from his rival, Hillary Clinton.

Wong shared other numbers from history that might interest the investment community.

For example, when Democrats controlled the House of Representatives, Senate, and White House, the S&P 500 rose 10.6 percent, on average. That compared to just 4.6 percent under Republican rule of all three areas of the U.S. federal government.

And when Democrats controlled both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the S&P 500 delivered a median return of 15.6 percent.

“What I found, more interestingly, is a divided government—or a split Congress—has returned the best performance, with a 17.2 percent return on average,” Wong said. g

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

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Vancouver-based Aritzia CEO Brian Hill only collects a $1 salary and $1 bonus.

Historically cheap money helps keep Vancouver housing market afloat.

Vancouver man pleads guilty to brutal beating of girlfriend’s dog. @GeorgiaStraight

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3

HEALTH

Why you need to keep moving during the pandemic

W

by Craig Takeuchi

ith British Columbia’s daily COVID-19 case counts steadily climbing, now is prime time to get your exercise regime in place—if you don’t already have one. Why? The reasons are manifold.

A revealing study led by UBC kinesiology researcher Katie Di Sebastiano, published in Frontiers in Psychology on July 27, underlines the importance of keeping physically active during the pandemic. The researchers examined what impact pandemic guidelines, restrictions, and safety measures—such as physical distancing, working from home, or the closure of hiking trails and gyms—had upon Canadians by tracking their activity levels over 10 weeks (four weeks before and six weeks after the pandemic declaration on March 11) on the ParticipACTION app.

By phone, Di Sebastiano said that those who regularly exercised before the pandemic rebounded to similar activity levels within mere weeks.

“What I found most surprising was how quickly people were able to adjust their moderate to vigorous physical activity to return to pre-pandemic levels,” she said. “When people are active and they have a regular schedule…people

A UBC–led study found that Canadians with established exercise routines easily resumed their activities after COVID-19 lockdowns were implemented. Photo by Anastase Maragos/Unsplash.

were able to make that adjustment in their lives because of that habit.”

However, the study discovered that light physical activity—or incidental, everyday physical activity like walking to a store, taking public transit, climbing stairs, or even movements like standing up from a seated position—“experienced a significant and sustained decline” after pandemic protocols were implemented.

This decreased level of movement “may have significant long-term implications for both the physical and mental health of

Canadians”, the study warns. For instance, the researchers point out that exercise may boost bodily processes that are key during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Exercise can have direct effects on the immune system and its ability to increase our immune response and our ability to fight infection,” Di Sebastiano explained. In addition, the researchers point out that activity may reduce inflammation and may prevent secondary conditions, such as heart attack or diabetes, which could heighten risks of serious illness or death due to infection.

Di Sebastiano added that physical activity, which has a direct impact on mood, could help to address stress and mental-health issues, such as anxiety and depression, which increased during the pandemic.

With the prospect of the second wave during autumn’s respiratory illness season, Di Sebastiano urged everyone to remain aware of inactivity during daily routines.

She suggested interrupting prolonged periods of sitting, such as standing up at least once an hour, or using a standing desk; opting for stairs instead of elevators (which may also help to avoid virus transmission); standing up or moving about while on phone calls; and scheduling regular walk or stretch breaks, which can provide both physical and mental reinvigoration.

She also encouraged civic and health authorities to keep green and outdoor spaces open and accessible, like the City of Vancouver did when closing some streets and parking lots to ensure residents in densely populated areas, like the West End, could get outside while physically distancing.

In other words, though we may be told to shelter in place during the pandemic, that doesn’t mean you should stop moving—quite the opposite, in fact. g

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5

ESPORTS

Girl power! Meet five important women in ESports It used to be a digital sausage party, but that’s no longer the case as female players chart their own course

by John Lucas and Mike Usinger

G

Even though COVID-19 is preventing ESports fans from filling sports stadiums, some female stars are finding ways to assume much higher profiles. Photo by gorodenkoff/iStock/Getty Images Plus.

oogle the phrase “women in ESports”, and what you’ll find is pretty telling. One of the first hits, for example, is a YouTube video titled “Why are there so few women in esports?”

Another of the top results is an article bearing the headline “The Divide Between Male & Female Esports Players: Should There be All-Women Tournaments?”

If that makes the world of ESports sound like something of a boys’ club—a digital sausage party, if you will—that’s because it largely has been.

In the past few years, however, women have stepped into the ESports spotlight like never before. In 2018, for instance, the Shanghai Dragons signed Kim “Geguri” Se-yeon, making her the Overwatch League’s first female player. And last year, DreamHack held its first-ever all-female CS:GO tournament, with a prize pool of US$100,000.

Things are clearly changing. Here are just a few of the women in ESports who are pushing the game in the right direction.

know it’s often attributed to Vince Lombardi. But the history books are wrong.)

Substitute women for men, and you’ve got a golden rule to live by; just ask Massachusetts-raised Madison “Maddiesuun” Mann. In 2018, Maddiesuun became part of the first-ever professional all-women’s Fortnite team, after signing on with Gen.G. She didn’t make the decision to go allin on gaming overnight; for much of her childhood, Mann was a top-level soccer player, to the point where she dreamed of representing the United States at the Olympics. But after she fell hard for PUBG while finishing high school, and then built a following on Twitch, making a collegiate soccer team suddenly lost its appeal.

Competing at an elite level has not.

“My main goal is just winning,” Maddiesuun told ESPN this spring. “I’m just a competitive person and want to win. I enjoy being a figure for women and to help in the future as my side goal I would say, but focusing on myself, being a better player, a better person and role model, and win.

I want to win. That’s all.”

MADDIESUUN

SJOKZ

Back in 1950 Henry Russell “Red” Sanders gave the world one of the greatest sports quotes of all time: “Winning isn’t everything. Men, it’s the only thing.” (Yes, we 6

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

There’s no better feeling than being able to blend your passions together into a successful career. When Eefje Depoortere graduated from university with degrees in history,

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

journalism, and teaching, her goal was to become a traditional sports journalist.

The Bruges-born Depoortere was already a competitive gamer, with several ClanBase EuroCups to her name as part of the Belgian national Unreal Tournament team. (Her preference for Unreal’s shock rifle gave rise to her nickname, “Sjokz”, which means “shocks” in Flemish.)

All I ask is for people to be respectful and refer to me as ‘she’.

– Scarlett

Today, Sjokz is the best-known broadcaster in ESports, as the host of the League of Legends European Championship. So, no, she never did end up covering traditional sports like cycling and football— and she has no regrets.

“When I see how far we’ve come, and what I’ve been able to do and the chances

I get here, I maybe don’t think I’ll go back to that just because ESports is here to stay,” Sjokz told Red Bull. “I love covering it, it’s what I’m so passionate about so I think this may be it.”

As one of a handful of truly high-profile women in ESports, Depoortere knows she’s a pioneer in a male-dominated sphere. Far from being daunted by this, however, Sjokz relishes her position as an opportunity to influence the next generation.

“It’s crazy sometimes—fathers and 10-year-old daughters come up to me and say how they look up to me and I think that is the greatest gift,” she said. “I’m so happy that I can be a good role model for everyone.”

SCARLETT

Sasha Hostyn is arguably the most famous woman in ESports. What’s not up for debate, though, is that the 26-year-old known as “Scarlett” is among the most successful gamers to ever come out of the Great White North.

In 2016, the Kingston, Ontario–born Hostyn earned a place in Guinness Book of Records for having the “highest career earnings for a competitive videogame player (female)”. Two years later, at the Intel Extreme Masters competition, she made history again as the first woman to see next page

ESPORTS

Gaming is fun… until it starts intruding on school

A

by Charlie Smith

nyone who pays attention to gaming likely recognizes that ESports is thriving in Vancouver.

And that’s despite a pandemic that’s kept fans from congregating in large groups to watch their favourite players.

A Valorant tournament is scheduled for this weekend (August 22 and 23). That will come in the wake of UBC Esports Association Hearthstone Heroes: UBC Academy Invitational. Then, on August 30, Stack Sports will present its first FIFA Open for ESports players. And this fall, Douglas College is hoping to host Super Mario Bros. and FIFA 2020 tournaments.

These events are just a tiny part of a the burgeoning, billion-dollar ESports industry that’s appealing to college and university students across North America. Here in Metro Vancouver, ESports clubs have formed over the years at Simon Fraser University, the B.C. Institute of Technology, and Langara College, in addition to UBC and Douglas College. One Vancouver player, Artour Babaev, a.k.a. Arteezy, plays Dota 2 with the Evil Geniuses, raking in huge amounts of money.

A former gamer turned registered clinical counsellor, Benjamin Shing Pan Wong, has some words of wisdom for young adults caught up in this craze.

“I want to say ‘Good work, congratulations, you’ve found a niche in which you are willing to devote your heart and mind to. Keep looking—diversify your interests further,’ ” Wong said.

Then he added: “I am quite certain that a good majority will not continue on in this arena as a career.”

Wong’s professional focus is offering psychological support to people who are affected by “problematic use of screen technologies”. And that includes those who become addicted to gaming. In this area, his clients have ranged from 13 to 42 years old, and are mostly male.

“The gamer needs to gain some sense of awareness of what their choice of behaviours is doing to them—both the positives and the negatives,” Wong explained. “A lot of times, it’s justification for their own self-efficacy.”

Wong not only has professional insights, he also has personal experience. As a UBC student in the 1990s, he became immersed in playing Warcraft between his second and third years. win a major Starcraft II tournament.

Scarlett’s reign as “Queen of Blades” has not been without controversy, mind you.

Early in her career, Hostyn faced some backlash over her status as a trans woman competing in all-female tournaments. This prompted her to respond, on a fan blog: “It is true I am [male-to-female] transgender, and I kinda expected this reaction. I have never tried to bring attention to myself for anything other than my play, so I don’t feel like this should be a big deal. Most of the girls I know knew about this already and don’t judge or care. In terms of actual play, there is (as far as I know) no advantage to being born male or female. But even if there was, being transgender means you are born with the brain of the opposite gender; so I would not have that advantage or disadvantage. All I ask is for people to be respectful and refer to me as ‘she’.”

KITTYPLAYS

Registered clinical counsellor Benjamin Shing Pan Wong gained insights into gaming behaviour from his own experience in university; clinician and researcher Mari Swingle has observed two distinct brain patterns in those addicted to video games.

He eventually realized that he couldn’t afford to devote so much energy and time to this activity for so little return.

“I do recall tallying up the hours,” he said. “It was just under 3,000 hours I had gamed in that period of time.”

Gaming enabled him to escape thinking about his personal life, relationships, schooling, and future.

“I was getting stuck in my life,” he recalled. “It was a way to cope to begin with—and then it became something else.”

Wong thinks it’s important for gamers to realize that the skills they acquire are transferable to other areas, including the corporate world.

Mari Swingle is a Vancouver-based practising clinician, researcher, and author of i-Minds: How and Why Constant Connectivity is Rewiring Our Brains and What to Do About It. When reached by the Straight, she declared that ESports actually have very little in common with sports.

“With gaming, the brain goes into a state of hyperarousal—we can play for hours upon hours, if not days,” she noted.

Because of that, gamers can lose balance between work, play, scholastics, and socialization.

She’s best-known as a Twitch streamer— her channel has 1.1 million followers, after all—but Kristen Valnicek is arguably even more impressive off-screen.

The woman known as “KittyPlays” is one of the gaming world’s top social-media influencers, but a glance at her professional C.V. reveals she’s far more than that. Since 2018, for instance, the Toronto-born and Kelowna-raised Valnicek has been Gen.G’s head of new gaming initiatives.

Just last month, she announced the launch of her own content-and-strategy agency, Radiance Media. According to a July 30 news release, “As the first womenled agency of its kind in gaming, Radiance Media is looking to diversify campaigns and bring light to the many voices and experiences of all gamers.”

Oh, and she once donated thousands of

By examining electroencephalographic programs, Swingle has observed two “very distinct brain deregulation patterns in those who become addicted or otherwise play to excess”.

She calls the first a “Constellation Pattern”, in which many areas of the brain are affected, similar to other addictions.

“The second is a very distinct Alpha spindling pattern I discovered in 2012,” she added. “It appears to be directly correlated with excess and is inversely related to another pattern we need for quieting. Meaning, the higher the amplitude of the Alpha spindle, the lower the brain ‘protection’ from agitation—hyperarousal, stress, insomnia, et cetera.”

She emphasized that for those seeking to succeed in college or university, this spindle hijacks creativity.

“I’m rather conservative as I am an active therapist who sees the ‘train wrecks’—those who drop out of school to game, fail classes et cetera. As such, I say ‘Quit.’ In my experience, once you have crossed the line into addiction it is very hard to only play ‘a little’. And the way most games are now designed, there is no such thing as ‘a little’ gaming: you are in or you are out.” g

dollars to her hometown SPCA. Because kitties.

GEGURI

Just how good an Overwatch player is Geguri? Consider the fact that, after a tournament in 2016, other players accused her of using aim-assisting software. No human, they argued, could aim with that degree of accuracy.

They were wrong. The gamer born Kim Se-yeon really is that good. She proved it in a live-streamed demonstration of her abilities, and her accusers retired from competitive Overwatch.

With notoriety—even the good kind— often comes opportunity, and the Korean sharpshooter has certainly cashed in.

In 2018, Geguri (the name is a misspelled nod to the Korean word for “frog”) made history by becoming the Overwatch

League’s first-ever female player. That was groundbreaking enough to land her on Time’s 2019 list of “Next Generation Leaders”.

Today, Geguri is a member of the Overwatch League’s Shanghai Dragons.

“Since I am the only female player in the whole league, I think there are a lot of people who look up to me and see me as a role model,” Geguri told Time. “Knowing this, I’m trying a lot harder to inspire others to get to where I am today.” g

MORE ESPORTS ONLINE AT ECENTRALSPORTS.COM

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

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7

REAL ESTATE

City searches for new ways to define family homes Critics say a bylaw from the 1950s is an obstacle to innovations that would make housing more affordable

A

by Carlito Pablo

Vancouver councillor says work is under way to update an old zoning rule about sharing a home.

The 1956 regulation prohibits more than one family from living together.

“The bylaw is antiquated,” Lisa Dominato told the Georgia Straight in a phone interview about Zoning and Development Bylaw 3575.

It provides that, except in short-term rentals, “no dwelling unit shall be used or occupied by more than one family.”

The bylaw includes two definitions of what constitutes a family. The first is “one or more individuals all related to one another by blood, marriage, or adoption”. The second is a “maximum of three unrelated individuals living together as a household”.

Moreover, “two people living together in a common-law relationship shall be deemed to be in a marriage relationship.” In addition, “each of the blood relatives of the parties to a common-law relationship shall be considered to be related to the partners and to the other blood relatives thereof.” A family can also “keep a maximum of two boarders or lodgers, or a maximum of five foster or eight daycare children”.

Dominato noted that the matter regarding Zoning and Development Bylaw 3575 has come up before the present council.

Although largely unenforced, it is a longstanding concern among people who live in collective housing arrangements. Because housing is expensive, many unrelated people share homes and resources.

During the time of the previous council, the city’s renters advisory committee passed a resolution calling for a change in the way the city defines a family. The committee made the move in May 2017 in response to a request from people living in collective houses.

Later in the same year, council at the

We need to be creative about how we enable people to live in the city.

– Coun. Lisa Dominato

City councillor Lisa Dominato says old legal definitions of family dwelling units are preventing policymakers from addressing the huge gap between incomes and housing prices in Vancouver.

time approved Housing Vancouver, a 10year plan to make the city a “home for people of all incomes and backgrounds”.

One of the strategies for the program, spanning 2018 to 2027, aims to “create opportunities for diverse housing arrangements”, like collective housing. A key action reads: “Enable collective housing as a way to improve affordability and access to existing housing for a broader range of households.”

In the interview, Dominato said city planners have included amending Zoning and Development Bylaw 3575 in their work plan. “This is certainly a piece of work that staff is undertaking.”

The NPA councillor added that she be-

lieves collective housing has a place in the spectrum of housing choices that the city needs.

“We need to be creative about how we enable people to live in the city,” she said.

Dominato explained that this is why she feels disappointed over a recent delay in allowing more rental homes.

In July, council voted on a measure to encourage six-storey rental buildings on certain commercial streets, where develop-

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ers are already permitted to build fourstorey condo projects. Council voted 6-5 to refer the matter back to staff.

As for housing choices, Dominato has authored a motion to enable “creative and experimental ground-oriented housing”.

The motion notes that a “significant equity problem and mismatch” between the city’s land-use regulations and local incomes.

In July, the price of a typical detached home in East Vancouver was $1,487,300.

According to the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver, that’s a 97.2 percent increase in the last 10 years. On the West Side, an average single-family home costs $3,053,900, representing a 71.8 percent jump in a decade.

Dominato’s motion calls for pilot projects involving multiple residential units like row housing in areas zoned for singlefamily homes and duplexes. Council is scheduled to discuss the measure on September 16. g

This West Van mansion’s assessed value rose by $2.3 million. Photo by Exp Realty

It’s rare for a homeowner to consent to a significantly higher assessment, because that can lead to a much larger propertytax bill. However, that’s precisely what occurred with a mansion at 835 Eyremount Drive in the British Properties.

Prior to the Property Assessment Appeal Board’s ruling, the mansion was put on the market. An online sales listing on REW, a.k.a. Real Estate Wire, is seeking $16.78 million for the house, which has seven bedrooms and nine bathrooms, and covers 9,141 square feet. It includes an oversized spiral staircase, an 18-foot ceiling in the kitchen, and a resort-style pool and hot tub.

by Charlie Smith

WINE / MOVIES

Sangria secrets elevate a summertime staple

I

by Gail Johnson

f you’ve ever had the chance to visit the Mercat de la Boqueria in Barcelona—the city’s biggest outdoor market, with roots dating back to 1217—you might have found yourself unable to pass by the bustling sangria stall just outside of it. What better way to roam the aisles of so much incredible local food than with an icy glass in hand?

If we can’t be in Spain right now, at least we can have a taste of it here, with the red- or white-wine-based cocktail made at home or sipped at any number of local establishments that serve it.

We canvassed a few of the city’s leading restaurant and bar talents who know a thing or two about the beverage.

And while you might assume that the cheapest wine is ideal for the drink, there are some caveats to keep in mind.

“The best wine to use for a traditional sangria is usually a dry red wine,” says Natalie Rivas, co-owner of Bodega on Main. “So, best to choose a wine that is fruity but dry, and has good acidity. You want to select a style that is not too tannic or heavily oaken. You definitely do not need to use an expensive wine when making sangria.

“Since you are really using the wine as a base, inexpensive wines are actually often better,” she adds. “But in saying that, as a rule of thumb, you don’t want to use a wine in your sangria that you wouldn’t want to drink by itself.”

Jennifer Crook, corporate beverage manager of the Flying Pig, also recommends using a wine that you enjoy drinking on its own. For a traditional sangria, she’ll turn to a medium-to-full-bodied red with low tannin and little

Dachi’s fully loaded sangria kits let you create a stellar version of the warm-weather favourite while barely lifting a finger.

or no oak, like Garnacha or Tempranillo.

“There’s no need to break the bank here; you can find many great-value Spanish wines at your local wine shop or B.C. Liquor Stores,” Crook says. “For a refreshing white sangria, I would begin with a dry, fruit-forward wine with medium to high acidity, like Albariño or Verdejo. Or have a little fun creating by using your favourite rosé from B.C.” Matthew Abrahams, bar manager at the Sandbar, says that tasty budget wines are ideal for sangria, since they

tend to lean to the sweeter, milder side.

“My rule of thumb is to have the flavours complement each other and, in some cases, stay the heck out of the way,” Abrahams says. “If you pick bold flavours, they’ll cut right through the fruit juices and steal the show.”

Shaun Layton, co-owner of Como Taperia, believes that dry red wine is the way to go, since the addition of fruit juices, liqueurs, and soda brings on sweetness. “It would be sacrilege to not use a Spanish wine, but don’t go too expensive,” Layton says. “Go for a cheap and dry Spanish red, like a Monastrell or Garnacha.”

Garnacha would be Dachi co-owner Stephen Whiteside’s pick too, or any other juicy, low-tannin, high-acid red wine. (Dachi has sangria kits, meaning you barely have to lift a finger to make the cocktail at home.)

Then there are other creative concoctions. Torafuku is marking its fifth birthday this year with new menu items and thirst-quenchers, including the Anniversary Sake Sangria. Rice koji takes on a faint, sweet flavour for a umami taste; the combination of fresh summer fruits, the fragrance of osmanthus flower syrup, and a splash of white wine create a perfect balance.

Other ideas: fresh herbs from your garden, like shiso (for a nontraditional take, according to Whiteside).

And as to what to pair with sangria? Our experts point to paella, olives, cheese, conservas, potato chips, nachos, and chicken wings… “On our days off, we’ll keep it simple with things already in our fridge,” Whiteside says. “As long as it’s enjoyed outside, it’ll work for us!” g

Cronenberg’s restored Crash retains its risk

by Janet Smith

REVIEWS CRASH

Starring James Spader. Rated 18A

d IN HIS DRY VIDEO INTRO to the icily gorgeous new 4K restoration of Crash, director David Cronenberg sits in his Tesla, recalling the film being dubbed “pornographic” and “filthy” on its 1996 debut at Cannes.

The body-horror auteur then wonders what we’ll think of his ode to auto-eroticism in 2020.

On one hand, Cronenberg’s adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s book about people who get off on car crashes serves as a stark reminder of how few risks films take today.

Back in the 1990s, Ted Turner and Britain’s Daily Mail ran panicked campaigns to ban the movie. Fast-forward to 2020, and it’s almost impossible to imagine Crash getting made, with its dead-eyed urbanites rutting in the back seats of crumpled cars and vixens in S&M-style leg braces and body casts.

The controversy and censorship that surrounded the film 24 years ago also made it feel darker and more forbidden. But a fresh view reveals Crash, like Videodrome

James Spader and Holly Hunter play dead-eyed urbanites in David Cronenberg’s 1996 classic.

and so much else in Cronenberg’s oeuvre, as more of a hearse-black satire. Today, it’s funny to watch the mutual masturbation scene that erupts over a crash-test video.

Stuntmen re-enacting James Dean’s carcrash death, with Elias Koteas narrating at the mike, is over-the-top absurd.

Everybody commits to the aloof tone and sexual risks here, most notably a boyishly creepy James Spader. His James Ballard is in an open marriage with distant Catherine (Deborah Kara Unger), as they try unsuccessfully to titillate each other with

stories of their affairs. It’s not till a highway accident—a man torpedoing through his windshield and into his front seat—that Ballard finally starts to feel something.

Holly Hunter, in her severe bob, structured suits, and leather driving gloves, introduces him to the twisted, scar-ridden subculture that gets off on car crashes.

From here, the story repeats and loops, with endless erotic encounters as the characters search for sexual satisfaction that might only be fully quenched with death.

The new restoration heightens the clinical remove of Cronenberg’s direction and the twilight-hued atmosphere of Peter Suschitzky’s cinematography, his camera caressing dented fenders and steam-spewing hoods in the same voyeuristic thrall that grips its depictions of the screws piercing the skin of Ballard’s shattered leg. Toronto’s apartment towers and overpasses have never looked colder. Howard Shore’s score, too, ages well, with its driving, steel-string rhythms.

The film is still eerily prescient about the way technology numbs us. Some of Crash’s near-surgical aesthetic—check out those metallic opening credits!—and harderedged sex feel more stuck in the ’90s. But the fetishized car culture? It’s still very much with us, even when it takes the form of an all-electric Tesla. g

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AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

9

ARTS

Vancouver tap festival keeps the rhythm going online In-depth residencies, oral-history research, and dance jams help the BIPOC-forward event continue hoofing

by Janet Smith

Left to right: Derick Grant, an original company member of Broadway’s Bring in ‘da Noise, Bring in ‘da Funk, lends his skills to a residency at the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival, as does Michela Marino Lerman, who won the coveted 2019 Hoofer Award. Tosh Sutherland says BIPOC voices are top of mind at the Vancouver Tap Dance Society, which is putting on the celebration for its 21st year.

O

f all the dance forms, tap may be one of the best-suited to our new Zoom era of broadcasting from home.

“You can put your board down and do your thing, and you’re not worrying about pictures falling off the wall,” says Tosh Sutherland, a well-known local hoofer who’s production manager at this year’s virtual edition of the Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival.

With that in mind, his event has been able not just to pivot some of its performances to a livestreamed format, but also to offer educational programs like its fiveand three-day-long residencies. Star artists lending their skills to the in-depth sessions will include Derick Grant, an original company member and “dance captain” of Broadway’s Bring in ’da Noise, Bring in ’da Funk who Sutherland describes as a powerful dancer whose passion for tap is infectious, as well as Michela Marino Lerman, whose mad skills recently earned her a coveted 2019 Hoofer Award. Local bright lights Danny Nielsen, Andrew Nemr, and Sutherland himself also join the roster.

Classes will allow students to ask questions of the teachers and tap out their own video rhythm for feedback. “One of our mandates is to use tap dance as a vehicle of communication and community, so one thing we really wanted to keep was the interaction aspect,” Sutherland says.

10

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

Even those who don’t own a pair of tap shoes can look on in awe at some of the improvised performances; don’t miss the electricity of August 25’s online tap jam with livestreamed musicians. “You can hang out and just join our Zoom,” Sutherland invites.

The fest will also stream weekend workshops with Nathan Bugh, Dan Reynolds, Star Dixon, Bryn Kinders, and Lisa La Touche. In addition, it’s offering its 2020 Summit free online, with an array of research curated by Nemr from experts as far away as England. A highlight will be an appearance by Cassie Mey, a dancer and the oral-history producer at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts’ Jerome Robbins Dance Division, where she’s collected 50 interviews on the roots of the form.

“Cassie Mey has gone out and collected recordings of influential people in tapdance history,” says Sutherland. “It’s so important to have those voices heard.”

That programming is a reminder that tap continues to celebrate its strong roots with Black artists and people of colour at a time when BIPOC voices are at the forefront of a global conversation.

“That is top of mind at our organization,” stresses Sutherland of Vancouver Tap Dance Society, which is celebrating its 21st year of putting on the late-summer fest. “We want to educate people on not just

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

the steps. The steps are a vehicle to express yourself. We also want to dive into the history and where it came from and look at the contributions from all these other cultural groups to create tap dance. I’ve been a tap dancer now for well over a decade, and that has always been the number-one thing: honouring where it came from and honouring the people that came before you

and passing it along.”

And clearly, a mandate that strong is not going to let little things like COVID-19 and social distancing stop it from carrying on the beat. g The Vancouver International Tap Dance Festival takes place online from Monday to next Sunday (August 24 to 30).

Monsoon Fest TIP SHEET

standup and sketch comedy from host Kalyn Miles (seen here), Monique Bellamy, Cliff Prang, Leena Manro, Dusty Searcy, Rajnish Dhawan, Sunee Dhaliwal, and Shishki Productions.

THE SOUTH ASIAN Arts Society is taking its annual, late-summer Monsoon Festival of Performing Arts online until August 29, complete with podcasts, drive-in readings, workshops, and many more innovative formats to fit the exciting creative power of the artists it spotlights. Here are a few of the key remaining events: c MONSOON COMEDY NIGHT (August 22, 7 p.m., streamed live via Facebook and YouTube) Laugh out loud at the

c PODCASTS AND TIME TRAVEL (August 25, 7 p.m. via Facebook and YouTube) The Nameless Collective hosts Milan Singh, Naveen Girn, and Paneet Singh talk to podcast producer and Jugni Style editor Manjot Bains about storytelling and local South Asian history. c HIMMAT: A STAGED READING (August 28, location TBA) In this live, drive-in event, Gavan Cheema unveils a play that looks at the relationship between a working-class Punjabi father and his daughter. Paneet Singh directs, and Munish Sharma and Gunjan Kundhal join Cheema on-stage. g

ARTS

Wheel or walk your way around public-art tours

I

by Janet Smith

f you’re craving a cultural fix, but COVID has you sticking to the great outdoors, a host of self-guided biking and walking tours are waiting to show you a new world of public art.

So while you may be well-acquainted with the howling mass of bronze figures in Yue Minjun’s A-maze-ing Laughter at English Bay, there are dozens of lesser-known creations tucked along the region’s pathways.

Grab your smartphone, and your sunblock: here are a few artfully minded tours to take on your next day out.

BIKENNALE/WALKENNALE

Vancouver Biennale offers 12 unique, selfguided GPS routes through the city’s neighbourhoods, highlighting public art, architecture, and layers of local history until August 30. You can register for $5 to get access to all of the new routes that get unveiled each weekend. The Ride With GPS app allows registrants to follow the BIKEnnale/WALKennale paths, guided by a friendly turn-byturn voice. Note that the bike-share service Mobi by Shaw Go offers free 24-hour passes to registered participants on each Sunday.

Artworks of interest: Marvel at legacy pieces that the biennial public-art has brought to

it illustrates her ability to raise everyday objects into high art, repeating the imagery to comment on ideas of gender and status. And don’t miss Peter Gazendam’s A Long Conversation (For Oona), his 2017 series of largerthan-life bronze banana slugs, installed in and around Columbia College’s Terminal Avenue campus. Info: vancouver.ca/parksrecreation-culture/explore-the-public-artregistries.aspx NORTH SHORE CULTURE COMPASS A cyclist rolls by Maskull Lasserre’s Acoustic Anvil in Leg-in-Boot Square (photo courtesy Vancouver Biennale); at right, Gathie Falk’s 18 Pairs of Blue and White Running Shoes (photo by Maureen Smith).

the city, among them Chinese artist Michael Zheng’s The Stop, a series of stop signs with their backs painted pink, at Alberta Street and West 3rd Avenue; and Brazilian artist José Resende’s WOW Westminster, a gigantic red W built from four shipping containers along New West’s riverside walk. Info: vancouverbiennale.com/ CITY OF VANCOUVER SELF-GUIDED PUBLIC-ART TOURS

The City of Vancouver has handy maps to follow by phone, complete with pictures and details about the pieces you discover.

Artworks of interest: Check out Samuel Roy-Bois’s Still Standing, a 2019 installation at 1750 Pendrell Street—a folding screen made up of aluminum “shingles” that recall the cedar shakes of old West End houses, First Nations plank houses, and fish scales.

And now’s your chance to see the latest public artwork by West Coast legend Gathie Falk: 18 Pairs of Blue and White Running Shoes, at West 35th Avenue and Cambie Street, is lined up along a concrete planter wall in a Washington Properties development. Installed with two other sculptures by the artist on the site (900 Oranges and 10 Baseball Caps),

Just as COVID-19 was pushing us into lockdown this spring, North Vancouver launched this user-friendly guide to the area’s cultural resources—including all of its public art, with helpful background info. Now that you’re out and about again, you’ll want to check it out, by foot or bike.

Artworks of interest: Look hard for Ken Clarke’s hidden Coho Creek—Spirits, which finds the titular creatures nestled in a bioswale alongside the Green Necklace pathway.

Coast Salish carver John Marston’s Honouring Our Cedar, from 2015, is also worth a stop as you roll along the Mosquito Creek pathway—a tribute to the ancient material and its importance to the region. Info: www. northshoreculturecompass.ca/ g

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

11

CANNABIS

Interpeners are the sommeliers of the weed world The Denver, Colorado–based Trichome Institute strives to become the cannabis-expert certifying body

W

by John Lucas

hen you’re dining out, how do you know you can place your trust in the person recommending that you pair your Canneloni alla Napoletana with that bottle of Mastroberardino Fiano di Avellino Radici?

It certainly helps knowing that the person doing the recommending is a trained and certified sommelier. It’s the same with just about everything else: before you pull out your credit card, you want some assurance that you’re dealing

Scan to confess

with someone who knows their stuff.

In the world of wine, the North American Sommelier Association oversees certification on this continent. For those specializing in beer, there’s the Cicerone Certification Program.

As for the ever-expanding field of cannabis? Well, the budtender at your local dispensary has smoked a lot of weed, right?

So she must know what she’s talking about.

She probably does. But does she possess enough knowledge to call herself an interpener?

The Georgia Straight Confessions, an outlet for submitting revelations about your private lives—or for the voyeurs among us who want to read what other people have disclosed.

No shame Maybe I don’t take offence to many things because I’ve had others be repeatedly offensive to me. No one saved me from hearing things that made me sad, scared, angry, or sad. I feel these things to this day and am OK with that. It makes me human. A human who feels sorrow, fear, rage, and pain. These things are meant to be felt.

The Marathon Man I missed my last scheduled hygienist appointment months ago because of the corona virus shutdown. My next appointment is this coming Wednesday.

“Have you been flossing?” she’ll ask with sharp metal objects in hand, knowing what the answer will be.

“Uh, I forgot” I’ll say ( truth is I just hate it and don’t want to )as the blood flows from my gums moments later.

Wednesday is going to be a very bad day...

I’m making the world better on my own I don’t need to be a slacktavist in a Facebook group to do change.

Instead, I recycle and compose and bike instead of the alternatives. I raise my own goats that I eat but they mainly live off of the land grazing.

The shrubs that they eat grow back naturally. I don’t know what to say?

I think if you live in the city, you’re doomed to always be a consumer.

It is weird that young people want to have it all and change the world.

Changing the world for the better requires not having it all though. A simple life is an eco friendly life. Not great for the economy though.

I’ve Never Liked Summer People who constantly post photos of their bodies all over Instagram are really annoying. Wow. You live at the gym and are totally obsessed with yourself. Great accomplishment!

Visit 12

Everything. All the time.

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

to post a Confession

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

Everything. All the time.

FILLING A NICHE

“There are all these different industries that have their level of expertise that is defined, and it’s based off of proving yourself through education and certification,” Brandon Allen tells the Straight.

Allen is the director of research and development at the Denver, Colorado–based Trichome Institute.

“In the cannabis industry, in the world of certifications that are out there, now compared to even a couple of years ago, there’s a couple extra dozen companies that are offering some form of certification,” Allen says in a telephone interview.

“Some are on the responsible-vendor side—in order to be a budtender, it’s even mandated by the state.”

What doesn’t exist, though, is one authoritative body responsible for the training and certification of cannabis experts.

This is a niche that Allen says he and his colleagues at the Trichome Institute would like to fill.

PROVING IT

“What we’re actually trying to do is be a certifying body that says ‘If you’re going to call yourself a cannabis expert, prove it,’ ” he says. “There’s a lot of different ways.

There are plenty of chefs out there who have never taken a lick of education but they’re some of the best chefs in the world.”

Allen knows whereof he speaks. He’s a chef himself, having trained in culinary arts at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

“If you want to call yourself a cannabis sommelier, or a guru, or a ganjasaurus— you know, all these different names that are out there—that’s fine,” he continues.

“But if you’re going to call yourself an interpener, it’s something that we hold at a higher level, and that’s why we made up the word.”

That word is a portmanteau of interpreter and terpenes—the latter referring to the aromatic compounds found in cannabis plants.

The Trichome Institute has trained thousands of students throughout North America. Through its courses, budding interpeners have learned how to evaluate aromatics and predict the psychotropic effects of different strains.

“I can see flower in someone’s hand from across the room, and I can tell you what side of the spectrum that that’s gonna land on, from sedative to stimulating,” Allen claims.

AN EYE-OPENER

Trichome students also learn to recognize what the institute calls “unacceptable

Trichome Institute’s Brandon Allen trained as a chef at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

physical characteristics”. This, Allen suggests, can be quite an eye-opener.

“Once you know that there’s bugs and mould and mildew and feces and pesticides, and all these terrible things in cannabis flower that’s sitting on shelves in dispensaries, you can’t un-know that,” he says.

Allen acknowledges that not everyone gets the point of certification. He says he sometimes encounters professionals within the cannabis industry who are quite vocal in their opposition to the idea.

“There are some people who hear what it is and they say ‘Absolutely not. I’m gonna fight that because I disagree,’ ” he says.

“And they don’t give the course a chance.

And it’s funny, because they are the people who end up becoming our biggest advocates once they actually dig in.

“The thing about interpening is that there’s objective and there’s subjective; there’s science and then there’s theory that goes into it,” Allen notes. “We know that it’s true and we know that what it provides the consumer is incredibly valuable. And our students who take the course, they end up feeling the same, which is really cool.”

The Trichome Institute’s Professional Interpening course is entirely online.

Students must complete it within six months of registration. g

MORE CANNABIS ONLINE AT CANNCENTRAL.COM

PSYCHEDELICS

MAPS Canada leads way on psychedelic therapies

by Charlie Smith

E

Psychedelic substances such as MDMA are often associated with colourful images (photo by Cas Holmes/Unsplash), but MAPS Canada founder Mark Haden says that they can also heal troubled minds.

arlier this month, the movement to legalize psychedelic treatments experienced a watershed moment in Canada. It came when Health Minister Patty Hajdu granted an exemption for end-of-life psilocybin therapy under section 56 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for four terminally ill patients.

This news thrilled Mark Haden, Vancouver-based executive director of MAPS Canada (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies Canada).

“It’s wonderful,” Haden, an adjunct professor at UBC’s School of Population and Public Health, told the Straight by phone.

“It’s long overdue.”

He pointed out that Canada already grants access to medically assisted death— a form of legal suicide.

“Why wouldn’t you allow people who are dying to experience a mystical experience?” Haden asked. “It is completely irrational to not allow that…especially for people who are really not well at the end of their lives.”

In 2011, Haden launched MAPS Canada to support scientific research and education about the beneficial uses of psychedelic medicines. It receives no financial support from governments or pharmaceutical companies. Instead, it relies entirely on donations from the public.

Thanks to the generosity of Canadians, MAPS Canada is into the third phase of its clinical study on the effect of MDMA therapy on people with posttraumaticstress disorder.

Dr. Evan Wood, chief medical officer of Vancouver-based Numinus Wellness, told

the Straight in May that this phase-three trial has shown astonishing results. There’s “a greater-than-90-percent likelihood of showing a statistically significant benefit on treatment of PTSD”.

According to Wood, psychedelic molecules stimulate different parts of the brain to interact in new ways. However, therapists also play a critical role in guiding patients through the experience. And that may lead to long-lasting personality changes.

Haden foresees that this research will lead to the legalization of MDMA in addressing PTSD in clinics across the country.

Meanwhile, at Ryerson University in Toronto, psychologist Anne Wagner is leading another MAPS Canada–backed phase-three trial. She’s exploring how MDMA can be used in couples therapy in which one partner has PTSD. “It’s very, very difficult when your partner has trauma,” Haden said, “and so allowing the couple to work through the trauma together makes complete sense.”

In addition, MAPS Canada has launched an MDMA-assisted psychotherapy study on eating disorders taking place in three cities: Vancouver, Toronto, and Denver, Colorado. And the Vancouver-based B.C. Centre on Substance Use is conducting research on the impact of therapy augmented with psilocybin—a psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms—on people with addiction issues.

All of these studies undergo university ethics reviews.

“Our researchers have to have an affiliation with a university to make that happen,” Haden said.

At Johns Hopkins University, researchers

are also looking at the effects of psilocybin therapy on addiction. According to the university’s Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research website, future studies “will determine the effectiveness of psilocybin as a new therapy for opioid addiction, Alzheimer’s disease, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (formerly known as chronic Lyme disease), anorexia nervosa and alcohol use in people with major depression”.

Our researchers have to have an affiliation with a university…

– MAPS Canada founder Mark Haden

“The researchers hope to create precision medicine treatments tailored to the specific needs of individual patients,” the center states.

Another phase-three trial, supported by U.K.-based Compass Pathways, is examining the effects of psilocybin therapy on treatment-resistant depression.

All of this has the potential to transform medical care for a variety of conditions.

That, in turn, will require educating medical practitioners on best practices for treatments that are not backed by Big Pharma.

Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, Haden advanced these efforts by hosting three or four potlucks a year with physicians. There, he shared information about academic research into how psychedelic medicines might turn out to be a cure for posttraumatic-stress disorder, depression, addiction, anxiety, trauma, and eating disorders.

“Physicians often start their work because they want to heal people,” Haden said. “And then they find out quite quickly that most of the medications that they offer don’t heal. They manage symptoms.

“And so when I say, ‘Well, actually we can heal this and they won’t need our services anymore,’ they become incredibly interested.”

When Haden first began, one or two doctor friends would attend the potlucks.

Now, he has about 40 on his list who want to show up for these events.

“When I talk to physicians who don’t know what we’re doing, a fairly common misconception is that it can be used outside of the therapeutic context,” he explained.

“Because physicians are used to prescribing a drug—‘Go home, take this drug, you know, take it before bedtime, take it first thing in the morning, take it with food, take it without food.’

“Those are the kind of decisions that physicians make today,” Haden added.

He emphasized that this is not the case with psychedelic medicines. They must be taken in a “very, very carefully prescribed context”.

“So helping physicians to understand that is going to be an important part of our work.” g

AUGUST 20 – 27 / 2020

THE GEORGIA STR AIGHT

13

SAVAGE LOVE

Lots of lube can help a size queen find pleasure

by Dan Savage

b I’M A 35-YEAR-OLD woman. I recently discovered I’m a size queen. (Is it okay for me to use this term?) This has been brewing for a while as I have dabbled with purchasing larger and larger cucumbers and fucking myself with them after a good wash. I use a condom and tons of lube and it’s been amazing. Are there any safety or health concerns I should be aware of? I’m moving away from fucking produce and purchased my first sizeable toy. I see safety tips online for men who like large toys in their butts but I wanted to know if there is anything I should be aware of as a vagina-haver. I mainly partner with men but am expanding to date women and I’ve been fisted only once by a woman and absolutely loved it.

- Finding I Lately Love Enormous Dildos

you’re taking it slow, FILLED, so long as you’re using lots of lube, so long as you’re playing with toys that have flared bases and were designed for insertion play, and so long as those toys are made of bodysafe materials like silicone, then you’re doing everything right.

And yes, FILLED, you may use the term “size queen” to describe yourself!

So long as

b MY HUSBAND AND I recently watched the fantastic ’70s porn Alice in Wonderland: An X-Rated Musical Fantasy. (We got to it by watching Meatballs.) It was everything I’ve ever wanted in a porn. Perhaps you or your readers could recommend something similar to put in our rotation?

- Likes To Watch

This intermittently pornographic 1979 film probably isn’t as lighthearted as the version of Alice in Wonderland you stumbled over, LTW, but

Check out Caligula.

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Stay Connected @GeorgiaStraight

Columnist Dan Savage calls Caligula one of the great (intermittently) porn films of the 1970s.

it doubtless has a much more interesting back story and far bigger stars. There’s a young and sexy Malcolm McDowell as the mad Roman emperor with Peter O’Toole (!), John Gielgud (!!), and Helen Mirren (!!!) in supporting roles.

Even better, this amazing train wreck of a movie is based on a screenplay by Gore Vidal. (Got a ’70s porn recommendation for LTW? Share it in the comment thread!) b HERE’S A QUICKIE: if a woman is attracted to cis men and nonbinary humans (who can have either a penis or vagina) but that woman is not attracted to cis women… would that woman be bi or pan? Labels are not super important to me, Dan, but I’m calling on my friendly neighborhood sex advice columnist for help just the same!

- Loves All Bodies Except Ladies

While bisexual was once commonly under-

stood to mean, “attracted to both sexes”,

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is looking for Administrative Assistant Job location: 207-20559 Fraser Hwy, Langley, BC V3A 4G3. Perm, F/T, wage - $ 22.00 /hr Requirements: high school, good English, clerical experience 1-2 yrs. Main duties: Provide general administrative and clerical support; Assist with generating and maintaining documents; Set up and maintain electronic and hard copy filing system, Compile data and co-ordinate the flow of information; Answer telephone and electronic enquiries; Order office supplies and maintain inventory; Schedule and confirm appointments; Handle sensitive information in a confidential manner.

Company’s business address: 21048 84 Ave, Langley, BC, V2Y 0B9 Please apply by e-mail: employment.codejitsu@gmail.com

GEORGIA STRAIGHT JUNE 25AUGUST – JULY 220 / 2020 14 14 THETHE GEORGIA STR AIGHT – 27 / 2020

Eurohouse Construction Inc.

is looking for Purchasing Manager.

Perm, F/T (30 h/w) Wage - $ 44.00 /h Extended medical benefit package.

Main duties: Plan, direct and control purchasing activity of the company; Evaluate suppliers of construction materials; Negotiate cooperation policies with suppliers; Evaluate and control contracts; Analyze price proposals, financial reports; Attend meetings, trade shows, and conferences; Maintain and review various records; Determine key requirements for employees, hire new personnel; Process claims against suppliers.Requirements: 3-5 years of experience, Good English, College diploma. Bachelor degree would be considered an asset.

Company’s business address and job location: 2474 Marine Dr, West Vancouver, BC V7V 1L1 Please apply by e-mail: admin@eurohouse.ca

the Human Rights Campaign’s online glossary now defines bisexual as, “emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity”. That same online glossary defines pansexual as, “the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender”.

While on the first read there doesn’t seem to be much daylight between those two definitions, LABEL, there actually is some difference between being attracted to “more than one [gender]” and being attracted to “people of any gender”. And while a lot of people use bi and pan pretty much interchangeably these days, the bi label is probably a slightly better fit for you, LABEL, seeing as your libido disqualifies all members of one gender—your own—from emotional, romantic, or sexual consideration. b I’M A QUEER man who’s starting to bottom again after 10 years of being on top. I have a butt plug that my anus keeps pushing out, even though I’ve tried relaxing and lots of lube. It feels great when it’s in, and then there it goes! I need tips! But not just the tip please.

- Exciting XXX Toy Or Projectile?

you’re using is too small.

Like other recovering tops before you, EXTOP, you made the mistake of purchasing a small plug because you didn’t think your ass could handle a medium or large one. But butt plugs are held in place after the widest part slides all the way into your ass, past your anal sphincters, and then your sphincters close around the neck of the plug, a.k.a. the narrow part before the flared base.

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is hiring Retail Sales Manager Job location: "Secret Of Beauty" store in Metropolis, 4720 Kingsway, Burnaby, BC V5H 4N2. Perm, F/T (35 h/w), wage - $ 32.70 /h. Requirements: high school, good English, experience 1-2 years Main duties: Organize, direct and evaluate day-to-day operations; Plan budget, develop and implement price and credit policies; Determine merchandise to be sold; Order and receive goods; Assign duties to employees, manage and co-ordinate staff;Interview, hire and oversee training of staff; Resolve customer complaints; Develop and implement marketing strategies.

Company’s business address: 4602-1480 Howe St. Vancouver BC V6Z 0G5 Please apply by e-mail: secretofbeautystorebc@gmail.com

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is hiring an Alterations Seamstress.

Job location: Stitch International store 2002 Park Royal South, West Vancouver, BC V7T 2W4. F/Time, Perm, Shifts, Weekends Wage - $ 17.00 CAD per/hour Skills requirements: 1-2 years of previous experience; Good English. Education: Secondary school Main duties: Mark, cut and sew fabric; Alter and repair garments; Replace defective garment parts as required;Operate sewing machines or sew by hand.

Company’s business address: 208-1201 W Pender St, Vancouver, BC, V6E 2V2 Please apply by e-mail: stitchalterationcentre@gmail.com

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Resumes to jonobin@outlook.com

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Monthly drop-in- last Wed of every month YLTLC #201 – 1847 W. Broadway Van. 604-873-5013 www.ltlc.bc.ca

Nar-Anon North Van

12-step program for families and friends of addicts, meets Tuesdays from 7:30 to 9 pm 176 2nd Street East in North Van.

Info: nar-anonbcregion.org

RECOVERY International FEAR? DEPRESSION? PANIC ATTACKS? Feelings that keep you from really living your life?

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Weekly meetings. Call for info: 9am - 5pm Kathy 778-554-1026 www.recoverycanada.org

A MDABC peer-led support group is a safe place to share your story, your struggles and accomplishments, and to listen to others as they share similar concerns. Please Note: Support groups are not intended to provide counselling/therapy.

Please visit www.mdabc.net for a list & location of support groups or call 604-873-0103 for info.

Sex Addicts Anonymous

12-step fellowship of men & women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from their sexual addiction.Membership is open to all who desire to stop addictive sexual behaviour. For a meeting list as well as email & phone contacts go to our website. www.saavancouver.org

Anorexics & Bulimics Anonymous 12 Step based peer support program which addresses the mental, emotional, & spiritual aspects of disordered eating Tuesdays @ 7 pm @ Avalon Women's Centre 5957 West Blvd - 604-263-7177

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