The Navigator Vol 47 Issue 04

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Vol 47

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Unicorn Chaser

Questionable costumes

Breakaway: From Cairo to Canada

So I'm invoking the Unicorn Chaser; let's stop and take a minute to enjoy what may have passed us by during all the #Elxn42 ballyhoo.

Some are in it for the tricks, some for the treats.

Others do it for the excuse to put on another identity for the night. Occasionally, these identities spark controversy.

"I dreamed of going to a university where I could be part of a soccer team and be loved for who I was and what I do."

contents

NEWS

FEATURES 08

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08 04Fang and the wolf cull White

08 Editorials

ARTS 14 08 08 04 Peak movie review Crimson

VIU services: The Writing Centre

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05 City launches new anti-littering campaign

Point of VIU Barbaric cultural practices

Model United Nations club taking on UVic to solve global unrest

Questionable costumes Woodgrove Mall is getting a makeover

15 VIU student donates funds from her book sale to create student award

18 Breakaway: From Cairo to Canada

19 08 04 Marathon takes to the Goodlife streets

Idlewild book review

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SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

Everyday earth: three Rs: a history and a way forward

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Netflix and chill: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Mariner schedule

The Evil Within game review

Mental health matters: Accessing Services—Crisis Counselling Double, double, boil and trouble

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Strutting the streets with Brother XII

Summer leaves; autumn fall-ohs

VIU recognizes those lost in WWI by joining the World Remembers project City of Nanaimo sows seeds for the future

17 VIU lecture on games industry from feminist perspective

21 Put a cap on it Treat yo' self—the healthier way

West coast podcast brings horror to the ears

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Unicorn Chaser

23 Calendar

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CON T EN TS

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letters

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CONTRIBUTORS Sebastian Barkovic Brendan Barlow Luke Bowles Brent Dunlop Farida El Seshingy Zoe Lauckner Tomi Lawson Danielle Nichol

Jeff Sieniewicz Chantelle Spicer

THE NAVIGATOR IS

THE NAVIGATOR WELCOMES READER CONTRIBUTIONS

Molly Barrieau Editor-in-Chief

Emily Johnston Graphic Designer

Kaytee Davis Art Director

Avery Crosson Graphic Designer

Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor

Gabby Fleming, Shaina Bolduc Ad/Sales Rep

You don’t have to be a journalist to get published in The Navigator. We encourage creators to submit poetry, art, comics, photo essays, editorial cartoons, and coverage of club events on campus.

Megan Wolfe Social Media Sp.

Send any inquiries or content to <editor@thenav.ca> or visit <thenav.ca>.

Antony Stevens Web Editor

All submissions must be original work of the author.

Editors reserve the right to refuse submissions, and to edit for space or clarity. Letters to the editor should be no more than 400 words in length. The Navigator does not pay for letters. Opinions expressed in The Navigator are expressly those of the author and/or artist and do not reflect the views of The Navigator staff.

Alyssa Morton Arts Editor Natalie Gates News Editor Catherine Charlebois Sports & Lifestyle Editor Kelly Whiteside Production Manager

Lynne Williams Bookkeeper Christine Franic Business Manager

Lori Shwydky Copy Editor

900 Fifth St. Bldg. 193, rm. 217 Nanaimo, BC, V9R 5S5 T: 250-753-2225 F: 250-753-2257

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editorials

I’m a tryptophan-atic Molly Barrieau Editor-in-Chief

Editor’s note: this is not to brag, boast, or show off—I merely want to share the trials and tribulations that occurred over the weekend of Thanksgiving. I want to give thanks to the three dinners I was involved in, and the familiar familial farces.

Day one: Saturday.

After moving my immediate family’s Thanksgiving to Monday, I learn that my partner’s family has also scheduled theirs for the same day.

Much to my delight, my schedule now includes a “linner” at 1 p.m., and my family’s dinner at 5:30 p.m.

Day two: Sunday.

The day before, I am told that his mother intends to roast a turkey, simply for the leftovers. We arrive and it is already in the oven.

Homemade bread is cooling, and an unidentifiable squash from their garden is baking. After losing a lengthy game of Victoriaopoly—even after owning Murchies and The Royal Bank (Park Place and Boardwalk respectively), the table is set, and the supposedly “light” dinner covers every inch of our plates. We begin stuffing our faces, and a quiet beep comes from the pantry.

“The squash, Russell!” my partner’s mother exclaims. Our plates heaping, this required me to eat my current spread to make room for the mushy root veggie. The ‘rents clean and I write while we all make room for apple crisp (the infamous pies come later).

Dinner I: Success, but only the beginning.

Day three: Monday. “Buy one, get one.”

You really cannot have a true Thanksgiving dinner without a little drama. Waiting for the cousins to arrive, we hear that they were in a small car accident. Everyone is okay, and linner I is not delayed.

We pass the time before food listening to an eight year old CD my partner burned, watching his dad Russell dance to The Jackson Five.

However, the two of his family members I have yet to meet, don’t come in time before we have to jet off to another dinner.

The upside: broccoli casserole and four pumpkin pies. Yes, four.

The table conversation goes from a Walking Dead Bad Lip Reading YouTube video, to Rachel’s infamous Turkey Story, and grandma’s love for brandy. I stick to ham—not to get sick of turkey.—keeping the tryptophan overload for later.

Dinner II: Success, but it ain’t over ‘til it’s over.

Day three, later.

The Barrieau Bunch is in town, scattered across Nanaimo. We arrive to my older brother and mom in my now-spotless apartment (thanks, Eve). We’ve brought homemade wine, and I go directly to the fridge to eye-up the banana cream and pumpkin pies.

Around 6:30 p.m. we realize that dinner will be late, as usual, and that our original plans to use two ovens won’t be happening.

My brother, who completed his culinary degree at VIU, steps up to the plate once he sees the deterioration of dinner. The small living room/kitchen combo is alive with voices talking over one another, my mom directing from her chair.

By 7 p.m., we are laying out the bacon-covered turkey next to the bacon-broiled brussel sprouts, placing the dinosaur salt and pepper shakers with the sitting cow butter dish. You could say we’re an eclectic family.

We talk politics vaguely, but get really into a discussion surrounding the name of my older sister’s potential photography company. Dishes are done, leftovers are stowed away for the travelers, and cream is whipped with vanilla and icing sugar for the pies that now grace the counter.

My requested banana cream with meringue à la mom is a huge hit, collecting mmms and nods from the full faces of my siblings. The Muppets’ new primetime show plays on the TV and everyone chimes in with their opinion. The Swedish Chef sings karaoke to “Rappers Delight,” and kills it.

Goodbyes are given, cars are started, and the night slows. By now, I don’t think I could look at another spoonful of sweet, sweet stuffing without feeling my pants get tighter.

Dinner III: Success.

Thanksgiving 2015 was dramatic, delicious, and full of discussion.

Now that it’s over, we can look forward to another favourite holiday of mine—Halloween. Take a look around; we’ve got spooky sugar facts, fun recipes, a pop culture update for those consumed by the election, and coverage of Nanaimo Museum’s new “haunted” autumn tour.

L’ESPRIT D’ESCALIER OR HAUNTED BY THE SPIRIT OF AFTERWIT

Alexandria Stuart Associate Editor

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Have you ever felt haunted—haunted by things you wish you’d said? Especially when the wittiest retort pops into your head at the bus stop, well beyond the point of being any use whatsoever.

There’s a phrase for that—a French one that verily rolls off the tongue: “l’esprit d’escalier.” English speakers sometimes translate it as “staircase wit,” but I prefer the more lyrical translation, “the Spirit of the Staircase.” It’s said to come from philosopher Denis Diderot, who described the predicament when, at a dinner party, he felt overwhelmed by a remark against him. He was only able to think clearly again after leaving the gathering and reaching the bottom of the stairs. His response, the one never delivered, was the product of the Spirit of the Staircase, and trailed after him along the misty streets of Paris like a bad smell.

We’ve all been there.

The phenomenon entered popular culture in the Seinfeld episode “The Comeback.” him Costanza has a conflict with a coworker who caught George stuffing himself with shrimp cocktail at a meeting. The coworker says, “Hey George, the ocean called; they’re running out of shrimp.” Later, the Spirit of the Staircase delivers George this gem: “Well, the Jerk Store called, and they’re running out of you.” (No one said The Spirit is infallible.) Jerry, Elaine, and Kramer disapprove and hilarity ensues. (Note: There really are no jerk stores.)

The Spirit, as I like to call her, is particularly active at family gatherings, especially when the topic of politics comes up at dinner. That’s a special slice of hell, how the Spirit trails me whispering this and that on the long drive home. Dinner parties

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and business events are also potent lures for the Spirit. A dozen conversations hang in the air, and two of my best frenemies are giggling by the bar, stopping to throw sarcastic smiles, then giggling some more. The crap that people spew, it all clamours for an injection of wit or knowledge; it just happened to be napping in a corner of my mind at the time. So out I come with my own jerk store moment, and then leave as quickly as possible.

Sometimes the Spirit tries to save you from yourself. On the way out of one of those delightful evenings, I can be haunted by the kinder things I could have said instead of dishing up habitual acerbic helpings of cynicism, sarcasm, and misanthropy. Less a whisper and more like a kick in the butt, the Spirit moves uncomfortably close to my ear and says, “Really? That’s what your best self looks like? That’s who you are?” That’s when I usually strengthen my resolve to think more, speak less, saying nothing at all when I cannot say something nice.

I’ve thought that the Spirit of the Staircase would make a great Halloween costume, but I fear the concept is too subtle, requires too much thought, and I’d spend most of the night explaining. (Kind of like the time I dressed my son as Pugsley Addams and everyone assumed he was just a sick child.) It’s hard to find people who really enjoy thinking about a costume— they’d rather reach for the low hanging fruit: boobs and gore.

Those parties are mecca for the Spirit though. It’s probably a good thing my thoughts are largely limited to the staircase—this is a pretty small town; I could do some real damage.

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news

CITY LAUNCHES NEW ANTI-LITTERING CAMPAIGN Natalie Gates

It is time to exterminate the litter bugs, in a non-violent manner, of The Navigator course.

A new anti-littering campaign has been launched, entitled Keep Nanaimo Clean, that will paint the city with reminders to keep the streets and trails clean. With the help of the increasingly environmentally conscious population, the campaign aims to eliminate the still-troublesome littering of fast food wrappings, cigarette butts, drink containers, and dog waste.

A press release issued by the City says that posters carrying the Keep Nanaimo Clean message will be seen in bus shelters and on the side of City refuse collection vehicles. Later in the month, the campaign will spread to the airwaves with advertisements coming to local radio stations.

Nanaimo is reasonably clean compared to many other cities, but littering is still an issue, as there are areas that need substantive improvement. While pedestrians are rarely more than 50 metres from litter bins when downtown, the City is currently required to sweep sidewalks between three and four times a week to clear the accumulated trash, the press release states.

“We hope that the Keep Nanaimo Clean campaign will put the message out that littering is unacceptable,” said Manager of Sanitation and Recycling Charlotte Davis. “We are lucky enough to live in one of the most beautiful places in Canada and we want to keep it that way.”

Whilst the City would always like to resolve issues through engagement with residents rather than enforcement, anyone caught littering in the Harbour City is liable for a $100 fine.

“Some of the campaign images are quite hard hitting; we’re glad they promote a response within people and hope to get residents talking and thinking about litter,” Davis said.

The campaign posters feature attention-grabbing images and catchy slogans, which the public can download to post themselves at <nanaimo.ca> under Garbage and Recycling.

Model United Nations club taking on UVic to solve global unrest Natalie Gates

Scatterings of students in suit jackets lean over laptops, making alliances, arguing The Navigator their opinions, and nodding along as they listen to one another. At their tables sit placards with the names of various countries.

One of the goals of the world’s largest intergovernmental organization, the United Nations, is the achievement and maintenance of peace. VIU’s Model United Nations club (MUN) will be attempting to do the same as they address the issues surrounding “Global Unrest: War, Violence, and Terrorism” by role-playing at the University of Victoria’s (UVic) MUN conference October 23-25.

At MUN conferences, students from each school take on the role of a delegate from a particular country in a particular organ of the UN, such as the General Assembly, Security Council, or, in the case of this particular conference, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Each delegate writes a position paper describing their country’s stance on the issues at hand, and, once at the conference, will work with delegates whose countries hold similar views to create resolution papers as solutions to the issues.

By joining together with others that hold similar interests at conferences, regular meetings, and social events, members of the club gain public speaking, researching, document writing, critical thinking, and cooperation skills. Co-chair Shantel Beute has attended several MUN conferences during her four years at VIU and is excited to continue broadening her knowledge.

“The reason I wanted to join MUN in the first place was my interest in the inner workings of the UN,” said Beute. “I wanted to learn what it meant to produce large-scale problem-solving legislation with so many conflicting interests. I find the processes and accomplishments of each of the different committees within the UN to be fascinating.”

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VIU’s Model UN club at the UBC MUN conference last January.

Courtesy of Natalie Gates

This is the first year in a long time that the club will be attending two conferences; after UVic, they will begin to prepare for the larger conference at the University of British Columbia in January.

“From the UViC conference, and any MUN conference, we take away the skills needed in future academic and professional work,” said Beute. “We have already taken leaps as a group this year by planning to attend two conferences, and our group has grown a substantial amount from last year, holding upwards of 30 regular attending members. We hope to continue our growth as a group, and its only up from here.”

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Questionable costumes Natalie Gates

Caitlyn Jenner costume.

Courtesy of <spirithalloween.com>.

Wolf Warrior costume.

Courtesy of <partycity.com>.

Some are in it for the tricks, some for the treats. Others do it for the The Navigator excuse to put on another identity for a night. Occasionally, these identities spark controversy.

“In general, Halloween is about shocking people in some way—transcending cultural norms,” said VIU sociology professor Jerry Hinbest. “It usually is not about going ‘too far,’ but controversial is a common theme.”

The Halloween costume business is substantial; according to Statistics Canada, $21.6 million worth of costumes were manufactured in Canada in 2011. Each year, a few costumes pop up in stores that are inspired by recent people and events in the media. This year, Caitlyn Jenner, and Walter Palmer, the dentist who killed Cecil the Lion, have hit shelves and webpages.

The Walter Palmer costume at <costumeish.com> is being sold for $139.99. Its description on the website reads:

“All Doctor Palmer wanted was to hang dead animals in his house, but what started as an obscure (if legally-dubious) hunting trip has since erupted into a brouhaha of trans-Atlantic proportions. 2015’s most controversial killing has laid bare the rift in American and Zimbabwean attitudes toward exotic game-hunting and animal conservation pitting an outraged mob against a Minnesotan dentist in a scandal sure to be remembered for a generation.”

“At a costume party, people get to play-act a different role—often choosing something very different than we portray in regular life,” said Hinbest. “These roles can involve switching roles with others, which can relieve a certain amount of tension, where tension in a society is high. For such situations as the lion-killing dentist, it may simply be a way of identifying the least horrific taboos in our society, and playing with them—perhaps by people who are normally very different in real life. Even so, we do not tend to use the most horrific taboos for such role playing—sexual deviation or rape, for example —but it is not uncommon to include themes involving murder and violence.”

The Caitlyn Jenner costume, which is on several retailers’ shelves, such as Anytime Costumes, Spirit Halloween, and Wholesale Halloween Costumes, has gained criticism that it is transphobic. Some retailers advertise it as a men’s costume, while others are classified as unisex.

An online petition at <change.org> was created to ban the costume that stated: “Do not turn Caitlyn Jenner into a costume. Your profit will only lead to greater transphobia and marginalization of an already at-risk community.”

Yet, some view the costume as liberating for the transgender community, and a way to show support for Jenner and other transgender people.

“Someone could use it to show pride and support,” said Hannah Jarvis, a gender studies major at Simon Fraser University. “People go as famous figures all the time for Halloween, so I don’t see it as an issue, so long as the person isn’t trying to poke fun.”

Another controversial Halloween trend is dressing up as versions of members of particular ethnic groups. For example, “Poca-hottie:” A sexualized Indigenous woman costume stocked by several big costume stores that can be found under many names (ex. Wolf Warrior, Dreamcatcher Princess, Native American Woman). One version found on Party City’s website describes its women’s “Wolf Warrior” costume:

“You’re one with nature in our Wolf Warrior costume!

This sassy costume features a Native American-inspired fringed dress in black and turquoise. A beaded apron belt and arm cuffs provide extra historical styling. Finish Wolf Warrior costume with the furry wolf-hood and you’re ready for a howling good night!”

Chair of VIU’s First Nations Studies Keith Smith said these costumes could have a negative real-life impact on Aboriginal women.

“These costumes are bound to affect how Indigenous women feel about themselves, and how others in society view Indigenous women,” said Smith. “Everything’s connected. You could make a direct connection between this and the issue of missing and murdered women because of the way it objectifies Indigenous women, and women in general.”

Smith believes that costume manufacturers are either blissfully ignorant, or simply indifferent to the issues costumes like these cause because of the heavy cash flow they receive.

“We need to show people the connection between wearing these costumes and real problems in society,” he said. “I think a lot of people that wear the costumes don’t get that it’s a problem.”

WOODGROVE MALL IS GETTING A MAKEOVER Natalie Gates The Navigator Vancouver Island’s largest shopping centre will be receiving a $17 million makeover, co-owner of Woodgrove Centre Ivanhoé Cambridge announced September 24.

In a press release from Ivanhoé Cambridge, Woodgrove Centre General Manger Julia Dow highlights the major elements of the renovation: • The food court will be completely reconfigured and renovated, allowing for increased seating capacity. The modern update will include recycling infrastructure, electric charging stations, and much more.

• Guest services will be relocated and increased in size by about one thousand square feet.

• Wi-Fi will be available throughout the property for the benefit of visitors.

Renovations will begin January, but exterior painting began this fall, said Marketing Director Nola Dunn. The press release states, “The project, which will be complete by November 2016, will unfold in three

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phases: Exterior work, interior work, and exterior entrances and canopies. There will be no disruptions to the centre’s operations throughout the significant renovation.”

The renovation is one of several growth projects the shopping centre has undergone in order to accommodate its popularity with customers.

“The timing is ideal. Woodgrove opened in 1981,” said Dow. “Since then, we have undergone an expansion in 2000 which involved adding over 300 thousand square feet to the shopping centre. In 2012, Walmart expanded into a supercentre, which added another 30 thousand square feet. The renovation project is focused on updating the style and comfort of Woodgrove. At Ivanhoé Cambridge, we take pride in the quality of our properties; it is one of our trademarks, and our teams are working tirelessly to achieve this goal. We continue to invest in our properties to maintain or reinforce their strong presence in their market, and Woodgrove is a leader in its market.”

Plan for Woodgrove’s food court renovation.

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Ivanhoé Cambridge

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news

STRUTTING THE STREETS WITH BROTHER XII Natalie Gates

Dead golden leaves dance The Navigator in the moonlit streets of downtown Nanaimo, and an eerie wind makes its way through the heritage buildings as a bone-chilling groan echoes through their walls. The tired frustration of a mysterious cult leader, perhaps?

Born Edward Arthur Wilson on July 25, 1878 in Birmingham, England, Brother XII is known for his use of embezzlement, fraud, and torment. His creation of the Aquarium Foundation in Cedarby-the-Sea in 1927 grew into a cult following of 1200 people. The foundation was based upon his spiritual communications with ancient Egyptian Gods, with the purpose to build a colony and restructure society. It drew in wealthy socialites looking for spiritual exploration and enlightenment.

The Nanaimo Museum’s new tour on Brother XII takes participants on a journey through the cult leader’s life in Nanaimo in the 1920s and 1930s.

“We’ve been excited for this tour for months,” said interpretation curator Aimee Greenaway. “We get a lot of inquiries at the museum about him and there’s a lot of local interest. He’s a character in Nanaimo that has a national significance, so the focus of the tour is mostly what his life in Nanaimo was like.”

The tour goes through different locations downtown that were connected to Brother XII before and after the creation of his cult: the location of his lawyer’s former office built in 1911, the

original police court location that dealt with the cases against him, and the National Land Building built in 1917 that was once Wilson’s bank.

“Part of what we found in our research and the really well-known stories was that a lot of things couldn’t be substantiated,” Greenaway said. “So it’s a bit of myth busting.”

Greenaway touches on the many controversies surrounding Brother XII as the tour winds from stop to stop — his relationships with women, the abandonment of his family, and his theft and exploitation of his followers weave a dark story of a complicated man.

For example, Brother XII funded the colony by having his wealthy followers continuously send him money, as well as forcing them to endure back-breaking labour.

“Many of the followers were elderly people, and they did not do well in the elements, so they began to fight back against him,” Greenaway said.

Fact and fiction are challenged in the tour, and Greenaway admits there are still many unknowns that surround Brother XII.

The search for the full story is ever-growing.

The past several weeks have unearthed a letter from the 1990s sent to a writer of the Time’s Colonist that suggested knowledge on the whereabouts of Brother’s remaining accumulated treasure, Greenaway said.

The tour will take place on Wednesday, October 28 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. To take part in the tour, pre-register by calling the museum at <250753-1821> or email <program@nanaimomuseum. ca>.

Historic photos presented on an IPad are used to illustrate the tour.

Brother XII. Courtesy of <biographi.ca>.

Tour participants listen to stories of Brother XII’s past.

VIU recognizes those lost in WWI by joining the World Remembers project Natalie Gates

Remembrance Day provides a time to reThe Navigator flect on and appreciate those who have lost their lives and fought in conflicts for the benefit of Canada’s people. The majority of Canadians don poppies as they acknowledge this over several weeks.

Between October 4 and November 11, the names of more than 519 thousand soldiers killed in the First World War appear, one by one, on a digital screen in VIU’s Welcome Centre (bldg.

300).

VIU has joined the World Remembers project, an international remembrance, education, and reconciliation project initiated by Canadian actor and director R.H. Thomson in 2014. VIU’s History department and its Canadian Letter and Images Project (CLIP) invite the public to view the display of names, and remember the men and women who lost their lives in the Great War 100 years ago.

“VIU is honoured to be participating in the World Remembers, which recognizes the centennial of the First World War and commemorates those who lost their lives during this conflict,” said Dr. Ralph Nilson, VIU’s President and Vice-Chancellor. “The project gives us the space

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to pause and reflect on the sacrifices made by those who lost their lives in the Great War through a remembrance of each person who died in that world-changing conflict 100 years ago.”

More than 519 thousand names of soldiers who lost their lives from the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Turkey, Belgium, Australia, the Czech Republic, Italy, New Zealand, Slovenia, and the former British Indian Army will appear. The display runs for 11 hours each day, with each name programmed to appear at a precise day, hour, and minute.

For those who wish to remember a person who was killed in the First World War, they can learn the exact time it will appear on the screen by entering the name at <theworldremembers. org>.

The screen displaying the World Remembers names is visible from just outside the Welcome Centre, for those who wish to come to campus to view names as they appear from 8:30 p.m. to 7:10 a.m.

The CLIP project is an intimate online archive of the Canadian war experience, as told through the letters and images of Canadians themselves. See <canadianletters.ca> for more information.

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Catherine Charlebois

Catherine Charlebois

CITY OF NANAIMO SOWS SEEDS FOR THE FUTURE Tomi Lawson Contributor The City of Nanaimo is planning to replace the fallen trees in Colliery Dams Park.

According to a City of Nanaimo news release, horticultural crews from the city have gathered pine cones from Douglas fir, Grand fir, and Western Red Cedar trees. They have also gathered Bigleaf maple seeds and cuttings for the project.

500 trees are expected to grow from the pine cones, and 100 from the seeds and cuttings.

Toby Seward, acting GM and Community Development and Protective Services, said, “In order to reinstate as many trees as possible in Colliery Dams Park, City Horticultural Staff took the proactive step of harvesting cones that will ensure the same lineage of trees continues to be present in the park for future residents to enjoy.”

The seeds harvested from the pine cones will be sown and germinated in a nursery and should be ready for planting by fall 2016. The seeds and cuttings from the Bigleaf maple trees “will be grown in the City’s parks yard greenhouse and then returned to Colliery Dams Park,” said Seward.

“Tree stumps were also recovered and placed on the edge of the excavation area for bird habitat. The stumps are favourable habitat for Pacific Wren, Song Sparrow, and Fox Sparrows.

Woodpeckers will also feed on insects in the stumps,” said Seward.

“The wood from the cut trees was given to the Snuneymuxw First Nation,” said Seward.

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features

White Fang and the wolf cull Chantelle Spicer This semester has really piled on some unto itself and works by rules outside of our own human goals migration patterns and makes herds more susceptible to a

intense readings, challenging me emotionally and intellectually. Sometimes I really need to take a break from this and, rather than turning to Netflix, I find myself snuggling up with some of my favourite literature from childhood. First on the list is White Fang by Jack London. As a child I loved that book for its great story about a wolf; as an adult, I am able to see it from so many different angles, deepening my love and appreciation of the classic. First published in 1906, White Fang examines an environment, a set of ethics, and a lifestyle very different from the Victorian upbringing that Jack London and his readership were saturated in at the time. It opened many minds of that era to not only a different worldview, but also a divergence from classical literature as it was contemporarily known.

Within the wild and stark beauty of the Canadian Yukon, the reader is transported to a potential freedom that most of us dream of today. In both an economic sense, such as the Gold Rush, and a personal or spiritual sense, through the splendour of the natural world, the characters and reader are allowed to dream of a life which is truly theirs. The main human character of the story, Weedon Scott, is doing exactly this—journeying into the depths of the frozen North, searching for gold to secure a better life. Little does he know that along the way he will become, through the eyes of London, the portrayal of the best in humanity.

The main protagonist of this book is, untraditionally, a wolf-dog, White Fang, born into the wild and introduced into “civilized” human existence through abuse and cruelty as a pit-fighting dog. This kind of existence, shown no kindness whatsoever by his owners, shapes him to be an aggressive and morose animal. When he is nearly killed in a fight against a bulldog, he is saved, both physically and emotionally, by Scott.

White Fang’s transformation from a vicious beast into a loving animal is a marvelous study by London in the transformative power of love, affection, and kindness.

The underlying themes of this story are elegant and hopeful, driven home by the virtuous spirit of Scott. At a time when the Gold Rush was introducing European culture to the traditional ways of the people of the Yukon, when humans were trying to shape the existence of nature, we are shown there is hope that kindness can be an influencing factor. Another theme lies in the representation of Nature within London’s writing, which illustrates the pristine beauty as well as the incredible power of the land. While the Industrial Revolution was happening in both the US and Britain during the late 1800s to early 1900s, it was important for London to point out that Nature is a power Contributor

and morals. These types of messages make the story truly timeless, and are especially relevant to our current relationship with Nature—one that hasn’t changed much since the time of White Fang’s writing in the early 20th century.

This reading of the story is particularly timely in conjunction with a current environmental practice occurring in BC and Alberta—the wolf cull. The relationship that we have with these animals is incredibly interesting—we revere our companions, the domesticated dogs, while making villains of their wolf kin. This feeling of animosity towards wolves has been a part of humanity’s relationship with nature for centuries—an animosity based in economic fear for farmers, feelings of fear against the wildness of the animals themselves.

This comes to a head in contemporary society through the unscientific and unethical dilemma of the cull in our Northern lands. The governments of both provinces have declared that the “wolf control program will have to go on for at least a decade, [with] other animals [needing] to be killed,” according to The Globe and Mail, in an effort to protect at-risk caribou herds. It is a highly controversial experiment, with celebrities and many forms of government and NGOs weighing in against government attempts. During 2015, 184 wolves are scheduled to be shot from helicopters within BC as part of a multi-year, immediate action program, with a goal of 1400 wolves eventually being culled to save dwindling isolated caribou herds, such as the South Selkirk herd, which is the only mountain caribou herd in the world. This population of caribou have seen their numbers drop from the hundreds, to 46 in 2009, and then to 18 in March of this year.

This is, as an understatement, a highly complex issue.

These are incredibly important caribou populations, both genetically and in terms of biodiversity of their habitats. Of the herds at risk from predation and of extinction, most call home one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world— old growth forests. For most of the year, these animals live off lichen, which is incredibly slow-growing and is most prolific in these ecosystems—most over 600 years old—which also offer the caribou protection from the winters and possible predators. The importance of the ecosystems to these herds cannot be stressed enough; however, after many years of lobbying government, there has been no increased protection of these forests.

Instead, these areas become fractured landscapes, used by many resource extraction industries such as forestry and mining, along with increased urbanization. This has a cumulative impact which not only removes habitat, but also disrupts

VIU SERVICES: THE. WRITING CENTRE. Kelly Whiteside The Navigator

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variety of threats, like predation and road collisions. Rather than focus on protection of these areas, the government has focused on a more short-sighted, band-aid view of the situation, which has resulted in a taxpayer-funded kill program of one of the most iconic wild animals—wolves.

At this time, 51 individual scientists, 19 environmental groups, and thousands of citizens have petitioned the provincial government to reform and eliminate this cull. The Valhalla Wilderness Society has proposed a 251 thousand hectare protection area which contains critical habitat, which, along with the Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement, would take great strides towards properly protecting caribou herds for the long-term.

It must be remembered that no matter how overwhelming our current situation is, there are many people who are fighting for the environment, whether by controlling emissions, stopping the pipeline, or eradicating the wolf cull. I have hope that the underlying goodness of humanity will persevere, and that we can all see how powerful and transformative kindness can be, in conjunction with science and logic.

Book Cover

VIU offers many services to help get you through the school year. Maybe you’ve heard about some of them, but for one reason or another have yet to utilize these services. Maybe you don’t know yet what VIU has to offer. For each issue of The Navigator, this column will feature a service offered through the university and explain why you should take advantage of it.

How much easier would university be if there was someone guiding you through every step of your essay? What if someone helped you brainstorm or pick a topic, write a strong thesis statement, develop ideas, organize and structure paragraphs, cite sources, and revise rough drafts—would your writing improve?

The Writing Centre helps students with every aspect of their writing assignments, including non-academic writing, such as cover letters. A VIU instructor will go over the assignment and its criteria with you, make sure you understand it, and work with you to create a final draft. Writing Centre tutors can be from any

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department, but there’s always a representative from English and International Education.

These free one-on-one half-hour sessions are offered in rm. 447 in the Library on Nanaimo’s campus, and in Building 2 in the Credit Programs department on the Cowichan campus.

E-tutoring is also offered for students taking online classes. You can make an appointment on campus or online, and drop-ins are welcome.

The Writing Centre also offers workshops, supervised writing sessions, and resources both in print and online.

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features

POINT OF VIU

“WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE HALLOWEEN MOMENT?”

JEFF SIENIEWICZ | CONTRIBUTOR .

ZOE MCKENNA

JESSICA ROTH

MIKE TIMMERMANS

KRISTEN KELLY

DOYE ODUNSI

English

Science

Business Administration

Biology

Business

“One Halloween I dressed up as a scary clown in high school, and none of my friends at the party knew it was me.”

“My fifth Halloween was when I first met my dad. He took me trick-or-treating, so that was really memorable.”

“My mom decorated the house full out, and I came down one morning and was halfway through breakfast before I realized I was sitting next to the Cryptkeeper.”

“In 2013, I dressed up as The Mask, Jim Carrey style, for a downtown party in Toronto.

It was amazing!”

Sebastian Barkovic

Conservatives are fickle creatures, especially around election time.

Contributor One example is the new tip line they proposed if brought back into power. You must be thinking, “Tip line? What sort of tip line? Like drinking and driving, wild fires, illegal dumping?” Unfortunately not. I am referring to a tip line for reporting minorities that you find just a tad barbaric for your taste. Yes, absorb this information and take in the scene. Prime Minister Harper didn’t exactly word it that way, but there is no doubt in most rational Canadians’ minds about his true intentions.

So what is this tip line? Well, in the heat of the election, the Harper government thought of a strategy best used by the Republican Party in the United States: Racism. The Tories hyped up the fear of the unknown, better known as Muslims. They attempted to ban headwear at citizenship swearing in ceremonies. However, they lost that case in court. Since that wasn’t enough for them, they launched their newest attacks against those of alternative religions to Christianity with the tip line. With claims to “stand up for our values” and wanting to “protect women and girls from forced marriage and other barbaric practices,” according to immigration minister Christopher Alexander, the anti-Muslim rhetoric in the Tories’ campaign was ever so apparent.

I like to think the term “tyrant dictator” is reserved for oldtimey political figures such as Stalin or Hitler, who would rule countries with an iron fist and do as they chose with no second thought. However, it turns out the comparison hits closer to home than we realize. In fact, you may have heard about The Malicious Practices Act of 1933. Here is what you need to know: If you were against Hitler and his ideals (Jewish or homosexual) you could be arrested in the blink of an eye. Isn’t that funny? Harper must love history. He is literally proposing a bill that differs from Nazi legislation by one word. Isn’t there a tip line for that?

By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Barbaric cultural practices

“The Army Navy party in 2013. It’s put on by the Business department and it was a great venue with a bar and dance floor—just a great time!”

You don’t have to sit in school to stand among greatness.

› Thomas Edison: The world’s most extraordinary failure never gave up.

Thank goodness.

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features

EVERYDAY EARTH: THREE RS—A HISTORY AND A WAY FORWARD Chantelle Spicer

There are so many ways we can change our lives and our behaviours that lessen our impact on our increasingly Contributor troubled planet, from turning off lights to forgoing watering our lawns. Tackling issues of sustainability requires changes at every level, personally, socially, and politically. These changes are slowly becoming a part of our everyday life, but one system has been a part of our sustainability psyche for some time, that most of us grew up knowing—the idea of the three Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. The principle is simple:

Reduce potential waste.

Reuse potential waste items.

Recycle items such as plastics, paper, and glass.

This behavioural pattern has become a slogan of sustainability and was a main catalyst in promoting a “green” way of life and environmentalism as an idea, but has not always been as necessary as it has become in the 20th century. The principles of the three Rs has evidence in human history, even from the Bronze Age, but became most prominent during the WWII era of the 1940s. Families were encouraged by governments around the world to curb their consuming and preserve potential materials to assist in the war effort in the form of “victory gardens,” composting, and the collection of scrap metal, among other activities. However, following this time of conservation came a time period of population explosion, especially in North America, and the popularization of single-use items to “ease” the work-load of families, especially women. Fortunately, it did not take long for municipalities and individuals to recognize the impact this could have on the environment if left un-checked.

Thus began the environmental movement, officially kicked off on April 22, 1970—the first Earth Day, which had 20 million American participants in events around the country. This call to arms for concerned citizens had the great fortune of being aligned with a political agenda at the time, which led to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the Resource Recovery Act, which supported the public actions of reducing, reusing, and recycling waste. Thus, the three Rs as we know them today, were born and quickly became a worldwide movement, which has been revitalized with each passing decade.

But where are we today and where can this idea take us?

One thing that seems quite prominent to me is the distortion of the three Rs. Reduce and reuse are meant to be the actions that people are to utilize first—cutting back on what you purchase (i.e. shopping less, or for things that don’t have waste) or reusing items that have a potential future use (i.e. refilling a paper cup or glass jar). With Canadian landfills reaching capacities and creating ever more methane sources, strictly reducing wasteful activities should be a major priority. However, the act of recycling seems to be a crutch or priority of “sustainable” lifestyles, creating a mindset of “if it’s recyclable, it is a greener option” among many.

This mentality often ignores that large amounts of energy went into the production and transportation of the product, as well as energy that goes into transporting it to a recycling centre, and then the process itself.

This isn’t to say that recycling is a bad thing— it’s far from it. It is a very effective way to remove potential waste and pollutants from our landfills.

For example, recycling one tonne of paper saves 17 trees from falling, and removes 165,142 tonnes of potential air pollutants, according to <statcan. gc.ca>. However, it is not the answer that many North Americans seem to think it is. As with every other solution for a more sustainable environment, Coreopsis happily growing amongst broken china it needs to work in collaboration with other actions. plates.

Chantelle Spicer Perhaps what we most need now is to retrain our brains. We filter through so many “facts” and vast

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amounts of information on every topic that make up our view of the world and our place in it. What we really need, instead of these ideas pushed at us by media, is a good, questioning mind and a deep-rooted sense of what is right and respectful in terms of our environmental impact, and perhaps a reordering of and addition to our well-known three Rs. What we need to focus on now, more than ever, is reducing—this is the A repurposed ladder acts as a vertical planter in the heartbeat of a more garden.

Chantelle Spicer sustainable lifestyle. This constitutes a wide range of activities that take very small behavioural changes—everything from bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, or a reusable travel mug to campus. When you focus on avoiding waste in the first place, you don’t have to worry about how to dispose of it later. This idea is being championed by the Regional District of Nanaimo, along with the rest of Canada, through the Zero Waste program, whose goal is to see garbage become a thing of the past and to create a harmonic balance on this planet through a closed-loop consumer system.

Try thinking of some fun ways to reuse items. I am so pleased to see so many people with reused jam or mason jars in their knit cozies carrying coffee around campus. I am also noticing more people reusing their purchased juice bottles at our water filling stations. I spoke with a girl the other day in the quad about the great patch on her jacket, which she stated was from an old t-shirt she loved. People on our campus are thinking and reusing.

Make these decisions part of your new “R” understanding—routine. Your life, and its impacts, can be radically changed by your routine—it is the sum of the person you are, and your behaviour and habits. By making simple alterations to our routines, we can take huge strides in becoming more aware of how we affect the world and people around us. (You would be surprised at how many people begin changing their routines when you do—we are observant, social beings.)

One of my favourite mental activities of the last few years is discovering ways to Reclaim items that have been disposed of and Repurposing (look at all these new Rs) them into something entirely new. There is one item in particular that best exemplifies this idea—pallets. There are literally thousands of ways that pallets are being utilized as something other than pallets—as vertical gardens or virtually any kind of furniture; there are great examples at <1001pallets.com>.

Personally, I really love exploring the Recycling Exchange or any number of back alleys searching for things that could be potential garden decorations. Some real gems for me have been broken or chipped china plates and cups, as well as an old ladder. One man’s waste truly is another’s treasure.

Here on campus, Solutions: A Sustainability Network is taking action on this reclaiming process in a very positive way. Their Love-a-Mug campaign, carried over from the previous academic year, has members of the club and the community of Nanaimo Rethinking how the common paper cup can be viewed. One part of this project will see the installation of 250 paper cups, all reclaimed from campus garbage cans, given new life as art. The art installation, to be installed in our campus cafeteria, will allow people to see how daily cup habits can have big consequences.

I challenge anyone reading this to Rethink the way they see their daily consumer habits. Living a sustainable lifestyle really isn’t about doing without—it just means doing our everyday activities in smarter ways. We have the power to make small changes that lead to big impacts. For more information, visit <zerowastecanada. ca>, <rdn.bc.ca>, and <recycling.bc.ca>.

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SUMMER LEAVES; AUTUMN FALL-OHS 1

Luke Bowles

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Contributor

As the leaves begin to turn colour, catching the golden rays of the morning sun, and fall to the ground, covering the hills in a brittle layer of colour; and as the crisp autumn air fills your lungs, it’s hard not to see the beauty of Nanaimo at every corner. Our city has a rich history and landscape.

It’s hard not to be prideful of where I live and learn.

1 — Architecture of Old Town Nanaimo.

2 — Autumn light.

3 — Burnished.

3

4 — From green to red and everything in between.

5 — In the shadows of giants.

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UNICORN CHASER Alexandria Stuart The Navigator

After making it through the Federal Election Campaign—78 days that felt more like nine months, which is about the time it takes to grow a baby—I think we can all use a Unicorn Chaser.

For those unfamiliar with the concept, Unicorn Chaser is a term coined when, after scanning social media and news headlines filled with violence, injustice, and gore, one needs to scrub their mind with pleasurable images. Often, but not always, it involves baby animals. It’s kind of like taking a shot of whiskey followed by a swig of beer (in this analogy, the unicorn is the beer).

It’s like a palate cleanser.

Here’s where things get complicated: As this paper hits the stands, it’s all over. Dear Reader, you’ve had a couple of days to sit with the outcome of the election while I, intrepid writer, am still waiting for my polling station to open.

Let’s do “The Time Warp.” It’s a fact in print journalism that sometimes you go to the presses before things of import happen. We lock the paper on Sunday, and the election is Monday/ was Monday (the line between the past and the present is really thin here). The Navigator comes out on Wednesday. This paper is/was on the printing press at the exact moment the fate of our fine nation was/is still being decided. See what I mean? “It’s all,” as the Doctor would say, “this big ball of wibbily wobbly timey wimey... stuff.”

Back to that whole Unicorn Chaser thing. The election has been harsh. It has brought all sorts of resentment to the surface, spawned attack ads, separated friends, and the Left is no longer simply the Left. I mean, it’s still the Left, but with the whole Orange vs. Green thing, well, there’s a lot of healing to do, especially right here on campus.

But during the time we’ve been busy fighting

about, and for, election issues, there have been some pretty great moments in popular culture.

So I invoke the Unicorn Chaser; let’s stop and take a minute to enjoy what may have passed us by during all the #Elxn42 ballyhoo. Great candid moments of babies, baby animals, good Samaritans, and actual unicorns have been captured on film and shared via social media.

Let’s take a closer look.

#SquattyPotty Much has been made of bodily elimination lately. It seems like we—the Western World— have been doing it wrong. Conventional toilet seats are hell on the colon (who knew). Those open pit toilets in China (the horror) got it right, though, by promoting a squat that makes the whole process run more…smoothly. We’re happy to appropriate the squat from China (and elsewhere), but we are not prepared to dig up our crawlspaces for elimination pits. Surely there must be a way to adapt our convenient, sanitary toilets for better elimination. How, you say? Why, using the Squatty Potty ™! Hilarious taglines include “The Stool for Better Stools,” and “healthy colon : happy life.” And the best part is the video, This Unicorn Changed the Way I Poop, featuring a magical unicorn that squats and poops immaculate rainbow-coloured soft serve icecream cones. It’s closing in on three million views now.

You’ll find the full scoop at <squattypotty.com>.

settled into the household. Pumpkin even bonded with the family’s two dogs, trailing behind them everywhere and playing just like a dog would.

to abolish atrocities like Pumpkin Spice Oreos and Pringle’s Chips. Maybe next year…

Barbaric cultural practices

How cool is it that they’ve found evidence of water on Mars? It has renewed the conversation about putting human life on Mars, which is lovely and all, as long as they don’t mind not coming back.

Ever. And there are volunteers. Seriously. The colonization of Mars may be on the horizon for humanity, but it won’t happen in our lifetimes, so we’ll have to settle for blockbuster movies starring chisel-chinned A-list actors.

I know this was an election issue, but the introduction of this tip line provided some of the best satire of the whole campaign. A scan through the hashtag #BarbaricCulturalPractices on Twitter yields some beauties around the wearing of socks and sandals, eating egg salad sandwiches in public, eating chicken with the hands, and smoking marijuana without sharing. Make no mistake, there are very serious consequences to the announcement of this tip line—you’ll find a more cogent discussion of the issue on page nine— but brainstorming ways to deluge the tip line to force its shutdown, well, that’s just good fun.

The iPhone 6 Plus Plus Plus arrives (now with bonus slicer/dicer and yogurt skwersher!), and no one seems to take much notice.

That’s all.

Halloween burnout It seems that, with all the election talk, we don’t have much left in the tank to really get our Halloween on in its finest form, as it deserves.

Maybe things will kick into gear this week and we’ll get a 12-day orgy of ‘weening. Let’s see what happens.

Water on Mars

Wildlife in private backyard swimming pools As the dog days of summer wound into fall, wildlife (urban-adjacent wildlife) found themselves in need of refreshing recreation. And they found it in private backyard swimming pools. North Vancouver, West Vancouver, New Jersey, Florida, and right here in Nanaimo, bears weren’t just in it for a quick dip—there was splashy, frolicking play. Headline writers across the country had a field day. As did YouTube—much of the fun was captured by smartphones and uploaded for our collective enjoyment.

American Horror Story: Hotel: The latest installment hit the ground running. It’s new (old) cast of creepy characters fashioned escapism. These are my personal favourites, are back doing despicable things to one another, with and it turns out there’s a theme here. (No spoilers.) the help of impeccably executed Production Design (the Fear the Walking Dead: When The Zombie Apocalypse sets and costuming are, as ever, fabulous). began, people were even more stupid and put themselves in harm’s way with every other step. Naturally, they The Walking Dead: Also hit the ground running with refused to wake up to the fact that the fracking time the series’ largest zombie horde to date. Thousands of to get out of Dodge was yesterday. We actually found them. I mean, that really was a lot of zombies. Holy Mary, ourselves cheering for the demise of certain characters— mother of all that’s holy, zombies for miles! too stupid to live.

Haven: Something like a cross-pollination of Scream Queens: From the fine folks that brought you Supernatural and Fringe, Haven follows the lives of a American Horror Story and Glee, we watch mean girls small town plagued by extrasensory “troubles.” Therein and boys meet gruesome ends while looking gorgeous lies the problem. We play a simple drinking game: when and exchanging witty banter. a character says “trouble/s/ed,” take a swig of beer. The script for the second half of season five’s premier went Supernatural: The Winchesters are back, and this time over the top. 20 minutes in, we were sloshed. Haven— there’s a baby. . approach with care.

Fall TV: Debate, shmebate; we all need some old-

Pumpkin spice push back, part deux

Anyone questioning my position on The Great Pumpkin Spicening is welcome to check out A mother in the Bahamas found an injured The Navigator’s Halloween 2014 issue. Let’s just baby raccoon in the yard; she (the raccoon) was agree that the pumpkin spice flavour experience apparently abandoned after falling out of a tree. belongs to pie and leave it at that. Seems like The family nursed her back to health, named there’s momentum growing behind the movement her “Pumpkin,” and found that she comfortably

Raccoon thinks it’s a dog

#ScanBC: Truth is stranger than fiction, and, often, far more hilarious.

The Onion continues its streak of brilliance in the

face of horrific real-world violence and plain idiocy. A finger on the pulse of American news and politics is helpful, but not necessary, for full enjoyment. Some of our favourite headlines included: • “Popular new exercise app just tells users they ran file miles a day no matter what” • “New study reveals most children unrepentant sociopaths” • “Visit home referred to as vacation by parents” • “Report: 15 thousand people vanish from ‘Fall Fest’ hayride wagons each year” • “Child’s loose grasp on balloon only thing between peace and anarchy at restaurant”

There are people who get their kicks listening to police scanners, and when gems cross the airwaves, they’re kind enough to share them via social media.

Reading these recent examples, you may find yourself asking, “Is this real life?” Yes, my friends, this is, in fact, real life. “Are people really that dumb?”

Yes, they are; that’s what the Darwin Awards are for.

• “#Burnaby crews are responding to a house on 2nd St. after male injured his hand throwing a glass of water.”

• “#Victoria Police are responding to the Burger King on Douglas St. for reports of a male removing bricks from the building with a hammer.”

• “#Burnaby crews are on scene outside the Tim Hortons on Kingsway with a guy that walked into a sign and got knocked out.”

• “#CentralSaanich crews are responding to the pub at the Quality Inn on Mt. Newton Cross Rd. after someone was electrocuted by a toaster.”

• “#Surrey #RCMP are responding to 96 and Scott after reports of two males robbed the Shell gas station but then their car broke down.”

The Beaverton is Canada’s own Onion. Here, our

Source: <theonion.com>

favourite headlines included: • “Saskatoon honours Joni Mitchell with new parking lot” • “Jason Kenney spontaneously combusts after court permits niqab for citizenship ceremony” • “Panicked husband realizes turkey pan has been soaking since last Thanksgiving” • “Canada looks forward to finding out how it was screwed by the TPP” • “Tory travel ban successfully forces extremist to book connecting flight out of Frankfurt”

Source: <facebook.com/ScanBC>.

I guess the takeaway here is that, no matter how bad things get, there’s always time to find a baby goat in a onesie, online, practicing parkour.

We deal with a lot of harshness in this world, political and otherwise, so it’s essential to step back sometimes and remember not to take it all too seriously. What’s life without well-executed gore buried in sarcasm and Moments of Squee?

Source: <thebeaverton.com>.

Share your favourite pop culture moments with us on Facebook at <facebook. com/thenavigatornewspaper> and Twitter <@theNav_VIU>. We’ll build a library of thoughtfully curated Unicorn Chasers for future emergency use (finals will be here before you know it).

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arts

CRIMSON PEAK

MOVIE REVIEW: A BEAUTIFUL, AND TERRIFYING LOVE LETTER TO GOTHIC HORROR.

Crimson Peak comes to Galaxy Theatre on October 16.

Courtesy of Legendary Pictures

The entrance to Allerdale Hall.

Courtesy of Legendary Pictures

“In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds…and remembers.”

- <imdb.com> I will declare my bias up front, and say that I have been itching Contributor for Guillermo del Toro to make another horror movie ever since I saw Pan’s Labyrinth. I will also confess that I wasn’t the biggest fan of Cronos or The Devil’s Backbone, though I admit that both films are beautiful to look at. After really enjoying Pacific Rim, and really hating The Strain, I was starting to feel unsure about the future, and got hugely excited when I saw the first trailer for this movie. I admit that I marched into this movie with some lofty expectations, and I am thrilled that I don’t feel disappointed in the slightest.

Crimson Peak is one of those movies I’m sure will get called a “throwback” and a “love letter” in future reviews, and for good reason—it’s undeniably a love letter to gothic ghost stories and the early days of horror cinema. It’s in everything from the old-timey setting, to the amazing (and occasionally hilarious) iris out transitions throughout the movie. I won’t spend this whole review gushing about it or del Toro, because it does have its issues, but I’m going to get to those later on, don’t you worry. What I will say before getting too specific, is that this is one of the most beautiful horror films I’ve seen all year, and it (at points) scared the bejesus out of me.

One of the biggest surprises wasn’t really about the movie, but about the massive number of pre-teens and families that were at the screening. I have a feeling this is partially the fault of Tom Hiddleston (The Avengers) and Mia Wasikowska (Alice In Wonderland) appearing in the film, but I will say that this movie is absolutely not a family affair. Despite its 14A rating, it deals with some pretty heavy subject matter, and has del Toro’s brand of extremely realistic violence and gore. That said, Hiddleston is the standout actor in the movie. His performance

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is solid, and he and Jessica Chastain (The Martian) have a really bizarre and fantastic chemistry on screen. Conversely, Wasikowska and he have the chemistry of a cheese sandwich.

Also starring here are Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim), Burn Gorman (Torchwood) and, of course, the fabulous del Toro regular, Doug Jones. Everyone does a pretty good job, and even Wasikowska isn’t bad in this movie; she does quite well when she isn’t required to have physical romantic chemistry with anyone. You could argue that her and Hiddleston aren’t supposed to have chemistry based on what is revealed, but I digress.

As I mentioned, the movie is absolutely gorgeous to look at. Del Toro’s aesthetic is everywhere, from the design of the house to the design of the ghosts, and the overall look and feel of the movie. Apparently the intent was to make this look like a work from Mario Bava (Black Sunday), and I’d say he hit that on the head using modern techniques. This is clearly a movie made by someone with a real love and understanding of what they are going for. The ghosts in the film are frightening and beautiful at the same time, which can be hard to get your head around, and even little things that don’t make sense are forgiven because of how beautiful they look in the film. Two examples: 1) Leaves fall through a hole in the roof despite there not being any trees tall enough to do that, and 2) there is a hallway with horrifying spikes in the archway for no reason other than them being menacing.

There are a couple of laughable moments in the movie, considering the kind of movie this is. A great example is that Tom Hiddleston’s character spends the whole movie dressed like Edgar Allan Poe, and his sister looks like the evil queen in a Tim Burton movie, and yet Edith’s father can’t figure out

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what it is that feels “wrong” about them. They’re a hair away from being vampires, but again, it fits with this style of ghost story. It’s not really about subtlety, it’s about that specific look, so really I don’t see that as a problem, just something that added a bit of levity to a rather frightening experience.

The weakest part of the movie is that it feels like pieces are missing. There are some threads in the plot that are picked up and dropped immediately, like Charlie Hunnam’s character’s interest in the paranormal, which made the movie feel incomplete. The run time is a pretty neat and tidy two hours, and it wouldn’t surprise me if there were chunks taken out in the final stages of the movie. Studios love gutting films, and del Toro strikes me as a guy who would love to make a really long film.

All in all, this one is worth your time. It shows a lot of love for old, gothic stories, like The Haunting, and also a lot of love for those grand scale horror movies that you know and love, like The Shining or The Exorcist. If you’re looking for a horror movie worth seeing in the theatre, this is the one you should see. At this point, it’s the best theatrical experience a horror movie has given me this year, and it’s one you should have. If you’ve been trying to decide where you and your Halloween date should go, this is it. It’s a great date movie, a beautiful horror film, and one that is not to be missed.

FINAL GRADE: A Brendan Barlow is a 20-something horror fan who has been in love with scary movies and books since a (perhaps inappropriately) young age. You can read more of his reviews at <barleydoeshorror.com> and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @TheBarleyGuy

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VIU STUDENT DONATES FUNDS FROM HER BOOK SALE TO CREATE A STUDENT AWARD Zoe Lauckner

November 3, 2015 is a big day for VIU student Gisèle Contributor Merlet. After completing a BA in Liberal Studies and returning to enter the Creative Writing program, Merlet is beaming at the opportunity to present a token of her dedication to the arts: her debut collection of 15 stories in her first self-published book, As I Rise.

The main characters in these 15 linked stories are Carmen and Alain, who are based loosely off of Merlet and her husband Jean. Inspired by the many life challenges and growth opportunities the main characters face, Merlet chose the title As I Rise because “they rise from events that could have destroyed them if they didn’t have strong temperments.”

When asked about her favourite quote from the book, Merlet stated, “Carmen, who has been through some difficult times says, ‘It is time to put away dreams and live. I want to live my dreams, not dream my life. I rise.’”

Merlet has no shortage of incredible life experiences herself, being raised in Montreal under what she calls a “utopic” education system, and later traveling to many different parts of the world before settling in Parksville.

She draws upon those experiences for inspiration in these rich and diverse stories.

She is living her dreams in the Creative Writing department, where her love of writing was born and has blossomed into a passion . “Under the influence of great professors, the help of workshops, and the critiques of strong student editors working on my short stories, I was encouraged to write more.”

In 12 years on campus, Merlet has accomplished a great deal. Three of the stories in the book have been previously published in VIU’s literary magazine, Portal, and “Leather Pouch” received third prize in the Nanaimo Arts Council

Short Fiction Contest.

“The Creative Writing program offers me a space where I can express myself, meet people of the same mind, and get knowledge on how to improve my writing.”

During her writing studies, Merlet received the Bill Juby award for excellence in writing, and this year she, along with classmates and instructors in the Creative Writing department, have worked tirelessly to edit, design, and selfpublish this collection of stories. Joy Gugeler, a professor in the program, had this to say about working with Merlet: “It has been a privilege to work with Gisèle—she has been so gracious, so determined, and so open to learning the ropes.

I’m extremely proud of her and think she is living proof that talent pays no heed to age or presumption. Her work will inspire others a quarter of her age to achieve even half as much. I’m thrilled with her success and know many others will join me in celebrating this landmark achievement.”

In closing, Merlet says that if she were to give one piece of advice to new writers in the field, it would be to “work hard, surround yourself with people who believe in you and your goal, and enjoy.” Merlet lives and breathes this advice, as she has chosen to give back to the department by donating all funds received from the sale of As I Rise to set up an award for a student in the Creative Writing department.

The book launch will be held on November 3, 2015 at the VIU Nanaimo Campus, bldg. 355, rm. 211 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. There will be refreshments served in the lounge and all are welcome. Donations will be gratefully accepted and will go towards the Gisèle Merlet Award in Creative Writing.

To hear Merlet read one of her stories from her collection, visit <thenav.ca> .

Gisèle Merlet proudly holds up her new self-published book As I Rise, set for release in early November.

Zoe Lauckner

IDLEWILD BOOK REVIEW Alyssa Morton

Nick Sagan’s Idlewild is a hidden gem in the sci-fi genre The Navigator and deserves to bring Sagan’s name out from under his father’s shadow. Blending The Matrix and Minority Report gives you the bare bones core of the story, and yet Idlewild stretches to be so much more during the whole story.

The main narrator of the story, Halloween, wakes up suddenly with only two details he remembers: someone tried to kill him, and one of his peers is already dead. Using Halloween’s own amnesia as a way to explore the strange world, readers find themselves in what would usually be a cheap parlour trick. But Sagan deftly uses it to not only build the world, but the actual character as Halloween begins to learn about parts of himself that no longer seem to make sense. The character grows swiftly in front of readers’ eyes as he tries desperately to find out who to trust and who attempted to kill him.

Along with Halloween’s first-person narrative, readers are also treated to a third-person narrative that attempts to slowly give clues to the overall story and situation Halloween finds himself in. It isn’t until near the end where these pieces finally click into place and the reader is left in shock over the whole picture.

Part sci-fi thriller, part who-done-it mystery, Idlewild leaves readers scrambling to find bits of the story that link

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together, gripping the pages as every answer leads to five more questions. Along with the thrilling plotline, the novel gives readers flawed and problematic characters that you either love or love to hate. No one is truly a golden child in this story, and the misfits that find themselves in the company of Halloween all bring their own baggage and issues to play.

Overall, Idlewild is a fresh take on the genre and an excellent example of Sagan’s ability to flesh out both worlds and characters. Readers will be on the edge of their seat through the whole read and will be eager to continue the story.

TALKING POINTS • • • •

Author is Carl Sagan’s son First book in a trilogy “...The kind of book you simply don’t want to stop reading” -Neil Gaiman Barnes & Noble “Best Sci-Fi of the Year” pick (2003)

<nicksaganprojects.com>

RATING

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arts

NETFLIX AND CHILL:

TUCKER & DALE VS. EVIL Alyssa Morton

The horror comedy genre is hard to nail. You need the right amount of humour, horror, and sometimes absurdity to pull the whole production off. Young Frankenstein holds onto that mantle, and Shaun of the Dead set a new standard back in 2004. The genre continues to produce gems here and there that are perfect for a good laugh and a fright factor. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil works hard to be one of these gems and does a good job of earning that title.

Poking fun at your usual teen and cabin horror films, Tucker & Dale is the story of two well-meaning hillbillies who unintentionally strike fear into the hearts of nine college campers. Through a series of miscommunications and poor luck, the teens die one after the other in increasingly brutal ways. Dale and Tucker believe the teens are part of a suicide cult and are scared to call the cops in case they become murder suspects. The whole movie revolves around slapstick comedy, over exuberant gore, and perfectly timed lines delivered by Dale and Tucker.

Actors Alan Tudyk (Tucker) and Tyler Labine (Dale) create a hilarious duo who work well off each other in creating two

The Navigator

lovable buffoons who find themselves caught in the middle of this gorefest. Tudyk usually ends up part of the slapstick comedy as well, partially the fault of Labine’s character. The dialogue between the two, and the care they have, is highly enjoyable and believable. This creates a dynamic within the movie that viewers find themselves actually invested in. This seems to poke fun at the fact that many horror movies never develop a want for character investment. It’s one of the many horror tropes that Tucker & Dale vs. Evil satirize in the movie.

Even the deaths of the kids begin to lead up as stereotypical horror movie deaths, and the audience is either treated to an over-the-top mockery of the death or are surprised when another scenario takes place.

There are moments of intense fear, followed by some gut-clenching laughs, throughout the movie. The gore will have some viewers feeling squeamish, but Tucker & Dale vs.

Evil make it clear that’s the point of the whole film. Although sometimes scenarios end too soon, and the movie seems almost too polished and cute, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil proves itself worthy of being a great horror comedy addition.

Elijah Lavin

THE. EVIL WITHIN GAME. REVIEW . .

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The Evil Within is a AAA horror game, meaning that it was made Contributor by a big name company with a large budget, that was released in October 2014. The game is considered psychological survival horror, and it definitely lives up to that title.

You play as Sebastian Castellanos in the beginning, a gritty detective who, of course, has a dark angst-ridden past.

Sebastian, his partner Joseph Oda, and rookie Juli Kidman get a call to a brutal mass murder at a local mental hospital.

There, a white-hooded figure sets off a chain of supernatural events, leaving the city in ruin and filled with monsters that can only be described as nightmare fuel.

It is obvious how much work was poured into this game.

Not only is the animation realistic, but horrific enough that those with weak stomachs may find themselves having a hard time holding their food down. The main monsters can only be compared to zombies, as they are humans mutilated in ways that I would never think of in my wildest dreams. I had to pause a boss battle more than once to just take a moment to look at the visuals in morbid awe.

The game has some of the usual horror tropes, such as the characters conveniently getting separated from each other at every chance possible, the alcoholic detective, and evil doctors doing things for the “good” of science. At the same time, the game play is completely original. The plot line is fractured and you have to search out and collect the clues about what is going on. The game makes you think, and when you finally understand the plot, it rips it right out from under you, sending

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CHILL FACTOR You’ll be clutching your viewing partner(s) throughout the movie, either because you’re shocked by the overthe-top death scenes, or simply to hold yourself up when you’re laughing too hard. You’ll find yourselves screaming in shock and amusement throughout the film.

RATING

you back to square one.

The plot isn’t the only part of this game that lives up to its psychological horror title. In fact, the game only has a few minor jump-scares, and the real horror comes from the unsettling atmosphere and loss of control. Many scenarios make it impossible to kill a monster; instead, you must find a way to sneak around them or hide. I found myself holding perfectly still at points, acting as if I, as the player, made a noise or sudden movement, the monster would get me.

As much as I can rave about this game, I have a few bones to pick with it. As the game progresses, you get more and more weapons. It’s important to save ammo as much as possible, but ammo becomes plentiful soon enough. The game progresses from a horror game about surviving into a shooting gallery. The initial feeling of loss of control that made the game so unique is taken away as you are given the power to take down even the worst monsters with brute force. I was also annoyed with the fact that you had to upgrade your character’s ability to run for extended periods of time. I fully understand having a limited sprint amount, but what you start with is absolutely ridiculous; Sebastian would run out of breath so fast you would think he had been a chain smoker from birth who hadn’t exercised in years.

For anyone who wants a thrilling game to keep them on the edge of their seat and mess with their minds this Halloween, I would recommend The Evil Within without a doubt. Though if you’re looking for jump-scares to make you scream, I would stick to Five Nights at Freddy’s.

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arts

VIU LECTURE ON GAMES INDUSTRY FROM .FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE. Antony Stevens

Brenda Gershkovitch, co-founder of Vancouver-based game The Navigator development studio Silicon Sisters, spoke at VIU last Tuesday in an open lecture. Pulling from her 10 years of experience within the industry, Gershkovitch offered a feminist perspective on game design, and shone light on her studio’s decision to turn down development on the now $100 million earning game Kim Kardashian: Hollywood.

Gershkovitch opened the lecture with a picture of herself in the ‘80s as a child playing Frogger in Nanaimo’s long defunct Electric Playground arcade.

“I was the Vancouver Island Asteroids champion at 11,” Gershkovitch said.

She then shared a slide showing the prevalence of women in today’s games industry. The data reports that less than 15 per cent of coders and designers are women, despite the fact that between 40-60 per cent of videogame consumers are female.

“It’s broken, just broken,” Gershkovitch said about the industry.

Gershkovitch blames specific social reasons for the disparity. When she entered the industry as CEO of Deep Fried Games in 2005, she was the only female in the 55-person team. She said it got to the point where she, as a mother of three, was surrounded by six or seven different guys sporting “MILF” t-shirts in the studio.

“There’s a correlation between who builds the game and who plays it,” Gershkovitch says.

Highlighting a shift in the mid-2000s, when videogames started being predominately about men shooting and killing other men, Gershkovitch said the games industry is “backwards.” Where other industries provide a supply to demand, the games industry “builds what it wants to build, and then maybe the market likes it.”

“It’s not that girls don’t like games; girls don’t like shitty games.”

When it came to developing School 26, her first game under Silicon Sisters, Gershkovitch said that she looked at empathy as a game mechanic. Built for an audience of younger girls who fantasize about what it may be like to socialize in highschool, School 26 focuses on social dynamics and employing empathy to help make other characters happy. The game was a hit in Saudi Arabia, with over 1.5 million downloads. Gershkovitch attributes the success to the fantasies of middle eastern girls who wonder what North American school dynamics may be like.

When she was approached with the opportunity to build a game about Kim Kardashian in 2013, Gershkovitch said she had to turn it down because she couldn’t see the fantasy the way she could in School 26. To Gershkovitch, Kardashian’s fame arising after a sex tape didn’t fit in a game targeted at a young female audience. Despite this, she says she loves what was ultimately done with Kim Kardashian: Hollywood. “[In the game, Kardashian] is the nicest person in Hollywood, the fairy godmother of Hollywood—a role model.

I don’t think she is the nicest person in real life, but in this game she is.”

In the future, Gershkovitch says that game design will work towards filling the gap in the female market. She points to Showtime’s television hit The L Word, a show that was watched by the entire lesbian world simply because there was nothing else for their market.

“Women love horror. When a female development team gets their hands on a horror game, I expect that would be very successful.”

For now, Silicon Sisters is working on Everlove, a series of games for mature women—essentially, interactive harlequin novels with a feminist angle. Gershkovitch says that Everlove is targeted to non-gamer women, and that the games employ a sense of beauty to attract that audience.

Kim Kardashian: Hollywood made over $40 million in its first four months, and, even though parts of the game reinforce female stereotypes, Gershkovitch says she’s glad it “shifted the paradigm.” “[The game] built trust that female branded apps and games are worth investing in,” Gershkovitch says. “Change happens if there’s money in it. And there’s money in making games for women.”

It’s a sad reality, but at least change is coming.”

WEST COAST PODCAST BRINGS HORROR TO THE EARS Alyssa Morton

Take an NPR reporter with a style similar to Serial and drop them The Navigator into the world of The X-Files and you have the latest project from Vancouver actor Paul Bae and filmmaker Terry Miles: The Black Tapes podcast. That’s how the project is being described by many articles and fans as the first season of the podcast wraps up.

The series has been averaging 15 thousand listeners per episode, and has been featured on the front page of iTunes 18 times. These numbers are high for a small series on the beginning of its journey, and it makes the creators excited for its future. A second season is already in the works. “(The Black Tapes) is horror. It’s not funny at all, and it has actually scared lot of people…people are shocked by it,” said Bae in an interview with The Vancouver Sun. Episodes have included old satanic mythology, the recent urban legend Slenderman, and even the dreaded “Unsound,” a noise feared for its reputation of causing anyone who hears it to die.

Unlike another fan favourite podcast, Welcome to Night Vale, this show continues to ramp up the fear in every episode as narrator Alex Reagan searches for the truth behind the case.

Billed as a docudrama, The Black Tapes shrouds itself in the potential of being all too real. Bae and Miles continue to refer to the company Pacific Northwest Stories in all talks of the show. They say time and time again the company hosts all sorts of other documentary podcasts and shows, but only fragments of the elusive company can be found.

Narrator Alex Reagan is just as elusive. She has appeared

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in many of the KickStarter videos for the project, but, past that, any information on her is minimal. This has sparked the imagination and fevered attention of many fans, and they have banded together to create many theories about the show. An active reddit section for the show delves into each episode and discusses theory after theory on the connections between all involved with the series. Other podcasts have caught wind of the series, and The Black Tapes has received positive shoutouts from popular shows such as LORE, NoSleep, and Nerdist.

This growth and attention has started to catch the eyes of sponsors, although both Bae and Miles states that the show is only bringing in dimes so far. They’re still encouraged by the support, and have a goal of becoming self-sustaining by the end of season two. Investors are out of the question though, as both men want to remain in total creative control of the podcast. This has been made easier with the fact that both are already established in the career fields of writing and directing.

With hopes that eventually they will create a Canadian version of Gimlet Media (a network that exploded in popularity and now runs multiple shows), Bae and Miles have big plans for the future of The Black Tapes and Pacific Northwest Stories.

But, for now, the show is an excellent way for listeners to get into the Halloween mood. Scares abound and mystery grows in the series, and listeners will surely be tensed with every reveal.

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Paul Bae (top) and Terry Miles (bottom), creators of The Black Tapes project.

Pacific Northwest Stories

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Breakaway: From Cairo to Canada Farida El Sheshingy Contributor Last year, I turned 21 and it was a huge deal for me. Where I come from it meant that I had become a fully-grown adult, with major roles and responsibilities in the eyes of society. It meant I could make my own decisions and take the path I thought suited me best, regardless of what others thought. It also meant that I’d be a fresh college graduate, but I had other plans; I’m not just a student, I am also a soccer player. When my teachers in high school asked, “What do you want to do when you graduate?” I would answer, “I want to be a soccer player.” I have always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, and I still do.

Growing up in Cairo, Egypt, that dream had been slowly drifting away as the years went on. There, soccer is the national sport, but only for men. It was a struggle to keep both my education and soccer intact. I have been pursuing my soccer dream since I started playing at the age of 11, when I moved from the school I had been going to since first grade to a completely new school in a new part of town.

All the boys would tease me and say I wasn’t as good, as fast, or as strong as them. Some of them would tackle me to the ground, or kick me out of the game because I “ruined it,” and some simply didn’t respect me because I was a girl. Others loved the challenge and actually helped me improve my game. It was fun for them, but it meant the world to me. I was the only girl in my age group who played the beautiful game every day during lunchtime.

I eventually became known at school as the seventh grader with a ball under her arm.

I watched movies like Gracie, Bend it Like Beckham, and She’s The Man! They inspired me to be the best player I could be. I dreamed of going to a university where I could be part of a soccer team and be loved for who I was and what I do. I had always wanted to walk around

campus and have people look at me and say, “That’s the soccer player that plays on the school team.” I wanted to feel like I belonged to something bigger than myself, because that little girl with the ball didn’t really know any better. If someone had told me, “You will end up playing for a varsity team at a Canadian university and study what you love,” I would have laughed in their face.

I joined the VIU Mariners on August 7, 2014. Fresh from a blistering hot climate where the average temperature is 28 to 50 degrees Celsius, it was a very pleasant surprise to be able to breathe. I arrived at midnight, and the first training session was at 4 p.m. I tried to get some sleep, but the excitement kept me up all night—that, and the time difference from Egypt.

The hours flew by, and I found myself marching towards the Mariner field to meet my coach, who I had been chatting with all summer.

“Welcome to Canada!” he said, and a rush of happiness raced through me. We walked over to my teammates and it felt like my first day of school again, being greeted by the principal with my parents, except this time I was all alone. They were all sitting down in a semi-circle on the grass, waiting for our first team meeting. I sat at the far right side and looked up to my coach. My hands were ice cold and my heart was racing already. I wouldn’t dare to look at my teammates, even though I was so eager to meet them, but I could sense their curiosity: Who is this new Egyptian girl, and what’s her story?

“Ladies, let’s make this a good session today. It has been a long break, but I can tell within the first 10 minutes who put in the effort over the summer. So if you have worked hard, it will pay off. That being said, I expect all of you to give 100 per cent today and every day for the rest of pre-season and season.”

I stepped on the field and into the warmup. Everybody was chatting while we jogged

Farida El Sheshingy passes the ball around on an autumn morning.

a couple of laps around that freshly cut grass field, but I could barely hear anything other than my own heartbeat. We moved on to touches, passing the ball around, and I could tell my touch was way off. I couldn’t, for the life of me, make a good pass with my left foot.

It seemed so natural to my teammates though.

I had a lot to work on, and I could see the difference in the level already. We moved on to dribbling the ball around in a circle, alternating feet, side stepping, and doing short bursts of sprints, and by that time I could barely keep my legs going. I was physically and mentally drained, not to mention distracted by all the beauty around me. I had never seen so many trees before, that much variety in colour, and was constantly whispering irrelevant things to myself like, “You should have known better than to wear navy blue in August,” and, “I hope the assistant coach likes me. She seems like an amazing player who I could learn a lot from.” I was just about ready to give up.

That’s when I first heard my new friends call

Courtesy of Farida El Seshingy

my name. It sounded so foreign, and reminded me for the millionth time that I had left home.

“Keep going, Farida! You can do this, come on, don’t stop now!” Then all of a sudden, I could run again. And the rest is history.

Today, continuing to be a part of this team is a real blessing. Here I am, a 22-year-old Egyptian soccer player, battling for a spot on the team with all that I am. My journey with the Mariners is a culmination of everything I have worked for in my life. I thank God every day, and I look forward to the rest of our season this year. It truly is an honour to wear that jersey, and represent VIU—go Mariners!

Mariner soccer player Farida El Sheshingy smiles for her roster photo for the 2014/2015 season.

Farida El Seshingy

A view of the field during summer practice.

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Brent Dunlop

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sports & lifestyle

GOODLIFE MARATHON TAKES TO THE STREETS 1 2

3

5

4

1 — Participants eagerly crowd the starting line.

Danielle Nichol 2 — Marathoners with the fastest pace kickoff the Victoria marathon.

Catherine Charlebois

3 — These three runners show off their Thanksgiving spirit.

Catherine Charlebois

4 — One of the many inspirational signs seen throughout the race route. Another read: “Run as if someone just called you a jogger.”

Catherine Charlebois 5 — VIU’s own Geordana Clint (left) and alumna Danielle Nichol (right) show off their medals after their first half-marathon, with a 2:05:30 time.

Courtesy of Danielle Nichol

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sports & lifestyle

Mariner schedule

(October 23- November 4)

BASKETBALL MEN’S

WOMEN’S

SOCCER

DATE

AWAY

HOME

TIME

DATE

AWAY

HOME

TIME

Oct. 23

VIU

Northwest NAIA

7 p.m.

Oct. 24

VIU

Douglas

3:30 p.m.

Oct. 24

VIU

Northwest NAIA

12 p.m.

Oct. 25

VIU

KPU

2:30 p.m.

Oct. 30

Camosun

VIU

8 p.m.

Oct. 31

PACWEST Provincials (Burnaby Lake) TBA

Oct. 30

Camosun

VIU

6 p.m.

Oct. 24

VIU

Douglas

1 p.m.

Oct. 25

VIU

KPU

12 p.m.

Oct. 31

PACWEST Provincials (Burnaby Lake) TBA

MEN’S

WOMEN’S

VOLLEYBALL MEN’S WOMEN’S

DATE

AWAY

HOME

TIME

Oct. 30

VIU

UFV

8 p.m.

Oct. 31

VIU

UFV

3 p.m.

Oct. 30

VIU

UFV

6 p.m.

BADMINTON MEN’S

DATE

AWAY

HOME

Nov. 1

PACWEST Tournament (VIU Gym)

TIME TBA

MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS: Accessing Services—Crisis Counselling Last issue’s Mental Health Matters column Contributor touched on the topic of s e l f- c a re — a n intentional, self-nurturing practice aimed at taking care of one’s own psychosocial needs.

Self-care takes insight and awareness of self— skills that are not necessarily innate, but can most definitely be learned through practice and dedication. Another aspect of self-care is the ability to recognize when you’ve had all that you can handle on your own and when you need some extra support.

We are at a point in the school term where stressors are high, and students are more likely to be in need of immediate counselling rather than looking at long-term therapy options.

For this reason, I am going to be exploring the crisis counselling options in the Nanaimo area, and next issue I’ll touch on the long-term therapy side of the Harbour City. I think it is important to be aware of what the local area has to offer in the case that you or someone

Zoe Lauckner

you know is in need of immediate support.

So what is a “crisis”? The term runs the gamut of emotional experiences, but ultimately it refers to one’s emotional response to a situation. For the purposes of this article and in spreading the word about crisis services in Nanaimo, let’s consider a crisis an emotional response that feels too extreme for you to handle on your own, or with the social supports you have in place.

If you’re experiencing a crisis, where do you go for help? Here are some options for you to consider.

VIU’s Counselling department has urgent sessions available every day. You can go in on a walk-in basis, let them know you’re in need of immediate assistance, and they can get you in to see a counsellor as soon as possible.

These services are free of charge, and I myself have accessed crisis counselling through VIU during a tumultuous breakup that rattled my school life and found it to be very helpful. The Counselling department at VIU is open from

DOUBLE, DOUBLE,.

BOIL AND TROUBLE.

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. and is located on the third floor of bldg. 200.

If, for whatever reason, you’re unable to access the VIU service—perhaps you’re uncomfortable seeking services on campus, or perhaps their crisis spot is booked for the day already—Island Health’s Access/Crisis Services, located at the Brooks Landing Mall, offers walk-in crisis counselling from 10 a.m.– 6:15 p.m., Monday to Friday, no appointment necessary. They can also connect you to appropriate mental health and substance abuse services if need be, and these services are all free-of-charge. For more information, visit their website at <viha.ca/mhas/locations/ nanaimo/access.htm> or call 250-739-5710.

Life doesn’t always throw you a curve ball during banker’s hours. The Vancouver Island Crisis Line offers a number of services, including a 24 hour/seven day a week crisis phone line (1-888-494-3888), crisis chat (online), as well as crisis text services. Their volunteers are well-trained to support an array

As adults, we all know that the definition of Halloween doesn’t stand for candy and treats anymore. Okay, candy nonetheless, but the discounted ones the day after.

We all know alcohol is packed full of a scary amount of sugars, so this Halloween, why not celebrate with a few new “healthy” spooky drinks and hope that hangover won’t haunt you…

Catherine Charlebois The Navigator

of situations, and I would highly recommend this service if you’re unable to access any of the in-person services. For more information, visit their website at<vicrisis.ca>.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal thoughts, or you believe they’re at risk of hurting themselves or others, please call 9-1-1.

Our society is inarguably individualistic in nature and ripe with stigma around seeking support. I challenge you to see counselling in a different light, to break the stigma that we should be strong enough to handle life stressors on our own. Vulnerability takes courage and strength, and we can all help to make the shift from an individualistic society toward a community of support.

Next issue, I’ll be touching on different therapy options for those interested in more long-term options.

Stay sane(ish) VIU! Until next time…

For those that have a party to attend to with little ghosts and ghouls, or are the designated drivers for the night, bring this magical potion with you.

WITCH’S BREW

HALLOWEEN MARTINI

CARAMEL APPLE PUNCH

BREW-HA-HA PUNCH

Ingredients: • One and a ½ ounce coconut tequila • Two ounces pinapple-orange juice • ½ ounce blue curacao • Marichino cherry • Fresh ice Instructions: 1. Place cherry in martini glass 2. Place ice and ingredients in an ice shaker.

3. Shake, pour, and enjoy.

Ingredients: • Four ounces vodka • ½ ounce triple sec or flavoured orange liqueur • Two ounces blood orange juice Instructions: 1. Add black sugar sparkles around the glass rim for a festive touch.

2. Mix all in shaker with a generous amount of ice.

3. Shake, pour, and enjoy.

Ingredients: • One quart of chilled apple cider • One and a ¼ cup of spiced rum • Two tablespoons fresh lemon juice • One red apple, thinly sliced (garnish) Instructions: 1. In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine all liquids.

2. Chill for up to 12 hours.

3. Serve over ice and garnish with apple.

Ingredients: • Two cups sugar • Two quarts water • Two envelopes (0.13 ounce) lime drink mix • One can (46 ounce) pineapple juice • One quart ginger ale Instructions: 1. Stir together sugar and water until sugar is dissolved.

2. Stir remaining ingredients.

3. Chill.

4. For an extra spooky presentation, place the punch bowl into a larger one and add dry ice to larger bowl.

(Found on <ahealthylifeforme.com>)

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SPORTS & L I F EST Y L E

(Found on <simplyrealmoms.com>)

(Found on <realsimple.com>)

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(Found on <myrecipes.com>)

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sports & lifestyle

Put a cap on it For foragers and commoners alike, the arrival of autumn The Navigator means one thing—the sprouting of those delicate long-stemmed caps: Mushrooms. No one is more accustomed to nature’s most tantalizing delicacies than Bill Holmes, founder and Forager-in-Chief at Deer Holme farms.

Now with a multitude of books dedicated to the craft, various foraging and cooking classes, and heavy involvement within the sustainability movement on the West Coast, Holmes says it all began in Calgary, Alberta when his passion for mountaineering and backpacking led him to reconsider his rationing during his trip.

“I wanted to supplement the packed meals I was bringing along,” says Holmes in an email interview.

What began as fishing for mountain trout soon developed into edible green foraging and adding wild onions to the mix.

The more educated Holmes got, the more he saw the infinite possibilities Mother Nature had to offer, and thus blossomed a passion that led him to where he is today.

“It wasn’t until I moved to France that I saw the culinary possibilities of mushrooms and began to learn about foraging for fungi,” says Holmes. ”When I returned to Canada, I was pleased to see we had all the same type of mushrooms—just more abundant and bigger specimens than in Europe.”

Foraging is more than just filling up your basket with edibles, points out Holmes.

“When you look at the world around you and view it through the lens of the forager, you are forced to assess the health of the environment,” says Holmes. “[Paying attention] forces you to be aware of our impact on the world around us and leads you down the path of environmental awareness.”

Not only does foraging give us a mindful outlook on nature, it is also sustainable and healthy. Many foraged plants not

Catherine Charlebois

Chris Pouget

Bill Holmes stands in his work place amongst the trees.

only contain many beneficial nutrients like antioxidants good for boosting the immune system, but some wild foods, like certain mushrooms, have medicinal properties as well as delicate flavours.

“Mushrooms are the fruit of a larger organism and it is a fairly sustainable harvest, with exceptions, like all things,” says Holmes.

Foraging is not only beneficial to the environment for its low impact on its environment­—it also gives amateurs a thrill.

“Most people are excited by the stimulus of learning

about the world around us,” says Holmes. “I teach people to appreciate the trees, the terrain, and the connected nature of all things around us—but they also get excited when I feed them good food.”

Despite outside forces like forestry, pollution, and water contamination endangering delicate habitats, the demand for foraging education remains strong.

For more information, visit <deerholme.com>.

Treat yo’ self—the healthier way Catherine Charlebois The Navigator

This Halloween, it might be tempting to munch on all that candy. Word to the wise, it might be worth thinking about what’s being put in your body.

Feeling guilty yet?

1. York Peppermint Patties

Other tasty treats

Just 140 calories each with only 2.5 grams of fat. There are no trans fats, and the small size prevents over-indulging.

(according to <sugarstacks.com>.)

Reese Cups

Only 150 calories, and seven grams of fat per tube.

Still better than traditional candy bars filled with caramel and fudge.

Surprisingly, a traditional candy bar like Reese’s has less sugar than most. In one two-piece package (42 g), the sugar content is 20 grams.

Total calories are 230; however, only 80 of those come from sugar.

3. Lindt Chocolate Bars

To Avoid:

2. M&M Minis

Not only decently priced, this bar has a healthy Skittles dose of cocoa to give you those antioxidants. A Also popular during Halloween, a regular bag 250 calorie serving is four squares with 12 grams of Skittles (2.6 oz) has 47 grams of sugar. Total of sugar and three grams of dietary fibre, so two calories are 250, with 188 coming from the sugar. squares makes a relatively healthy chocolate fix.

4. Dove Silky Smooth Bar

Starburst Fruit Chews

One package has a total of 34 grams of sugar out Only 190 calories and 12 grams of fat (six of the 59 gram pack. With a total of 240 calories, unsaturated), the almonds in the bar provide 188 of them come from sugar. healthy monosaturated fat and decreases the That’s almost one sugar cube a piece. bar’s sugar content.

To give you an idea, 200 calories in food is about 5. Hershey’s Special Dark half a burger, six slices of honeydew, a plate of With a higher sugar concentration, this one comes baby carrots, or three heads of broccoli, according in last. However, 195 calories with 12.5 grams of to <dose.com>. fat per serving isn’t too bad.

Here are a few ways to burn off those extra calories (according to <health.com>): • Have a 37-minute dance party.

• Weightlift for an hour.

• Rearrange your furniture for 30 minutes.

• Play a game of darts for one hour and 10 minutes.

• Buy groceries—pushing cart for 45 minutes = 117 calories burned, bringing them up the steps = 43 calories, put them away = 40 calories in 14 minutes.

• Friendly game of badminton (40 minutes).

• An hour of charades.

• Watch your favourite Glee episode— singing along burns 136 cal/hour, and 20 minutes of laughter burns 67.

• Play a two-hour game of Scrabble.

• Play an hour round of mini golf.

• Do some yoga—25 minutes of standing poses like the Triangle pose burns about 200 calories • Wash your car (40 minutes).

• Give your significant other a 42-minute massage (make sure you get one in return).

Source: <livestrong.com>.

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SPORTS & L I F EST Y L E

21

Page 22

The Hypocrite

by Jeff Sieniewicz

Oh, slick trick, easy as feigned sympathy, others will never see.

Friend and foe, you’ll lick.

Sweetness You and truth never collide.

by Megan Wolfe

Twist here,

I love how you understand me

schisms cleft clear.

That you never question or judge

Crack the oyster wide.

You’re always so sweet And there when I need some love

Each desire,

I can never have a bad day with you by my side

every dream true.

What’s the due?

My constant companion

Merely turn liar.

Through the good times and bad We’ve been through so much together

Make many mighty claim,

And I love you so dearly

spew hubris over sanctimony.

Especially with bread

Hide void and insecurity, need of noble fame.

And on crepes with toasted coconut What a way to start the day!

Favours to curry,

Or even just by yourself

fearless of sin,

While watching Netflix and lounging in bed

you exchange fact for fiction,

Nutella, you’re my sweetness

yet overlook the fee.

Register anger, then regret.

Click of ambiguity, doses of dishonesty.

Those wheels in motion? You set.

Forever lack soul.

Truth’s dexterity, you’ll never perceive, another gaze’s clarity.

Fate delivers only coal.

Without purity or clue, vicious vision, target of your deception, no longer us. It’s you.

22

ODDS & EN DS

NAV IGATOR

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October

SUN

MON

TUE

WED 21

Halloween Splatter Workshop

Bldg. 200

4Cats Arts Studio #1-7221 Lantzville Rd.

FREE

Fallscaping Workshop VIU’s Milner Gardens & Woodland

26 TheatreOne Fringe Flicks: Marinoni Avalon Cinema

27

28

WordStorm First Unitarian Fellowship 595 Townsite Rd.

1 – 3 p.m.

7 p.m.

6:25 – 9:30 p.m.

Adult: $30 Member: $25

$12

$5

1 Sunday Brunch at the Station Deep Bay Marine Field Station, Crome Point Rd. 10 a.m – 1 p.m $20 (reservation needed)

2 Hub City Cinema Fall Film Showcase The Vault Café, 499 Wallace St. 7 – 9 p.m. $10 (suggested cover)

22

Positive Space Alliance movie night: Milk

7 p.m.

25

THU

Movie: Franklin Expedition: Finding The Erebus Bldg. 355 7 – 9 p.m.

FREE

7:30 – 8:30 p.m. $25 (register)

29

FRI 23

SAT 24

Satyr Players Presents: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Nanaimo Theatre Group: The Three Musketeers

VIU Theatre, bldg. 310

The Bailey Studio, 2373 Rosstown Rd.

7 p.m.

BY DONATION

30

8 p.m. $20

31

Movie: Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai

Freaky Friday Halloween

Spookeasy Halloween: Electro Swing Nanaimo

Bldg. 356, rm. 109

VIU Students’ Union Pub, bldg. 193

Corner Lounger, 121 Bastion St.

11:30 p.m.

8 p.m. – 1 a.m.

Students: $5 Community: $10

FREE

7 p.m.

BY DONATION

3 African Scrapbook: Paintings by Maurreen Marshall The View Gallery, bldg.

330 1 – 4 p.m.

FREE w/ student ID

JOIN THE NAVIGATOR ONLINE THENAV.CA

/THENAVIGATORNEWSPAPER @THENAV_VIU

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NAV IGATOR

C A L EN DA R

23

ADVERTISE WITH THE NAVIGATOR ADS@THENAV.CA Notice of Election

Notice of AGM

Nominations: October 19 at 4 p.m. – October 25 at 4 p.m.

Annual General Meeting Thursday, October 29 at 4:30 p.m.

Bldg. 193, rm. 217

Campaigning: October 25 at 4 p.m. – October 28 at 4 p.m.

Polling: Thursday, October 29 from 1 – 4 p.m.

Forms available at The Navigator’s office, bldg. 193, rm. 217 Polling stations will be at The Navigator’s office: bldg. 193, rm. 217.

Positions: • President • Vice-President • Secretary • Treasurer • Minister of Internal Affairs • Members at Large (up to five) For more information, or to organize the drop-off of a nomination form, email <editor@thenav.ca>.

All VIU students, faculty, staff, administration, alumnus, or community members who have paid membership fees to the society are members of The Navigator Newspaper Society, and are eligible to run for a position on the Board of Directors and vote in the election.

Agenda: • Managing Editor’s Report • Counting of the ballots for board election • New business To read the specific bylaw amendments prior to the election/meeting, please email <editor@thenav.ca>.

To add anything to the agenda, please email <editor@thenav.ca>.

All VIU students, faculty, staff, administration, alumnus, or community members who have paid membership fees to the society are members of The Navigator Newspaper Society and are eligible to run for a position on the Board of Directors and vote in the election.