Oct. 28, 2015

COMING OF AGE

NOT SO NECK-AND-NECK

A SPIKE IN SUCCESS

Film Review: Diary of a Teenage Girl

TRU community reacts to election results

WolfPack volleyball hits home

The film featured at the Sundance Film Festival is reviewed by our Arts Editor • Page 6

Were you surprised? TRU responds to the federal election results • Page 4

Both the men’s and women’s teams start the regular season right • Page 11

OMEGA THE

ISSUE 08 NO.

Ω

OCTOBER 28, 2015

THOMPSON RIVERS UNIVERSITY’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

NEW ISSUE EVERY WEDNESDAY · WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA · @TRU_OMEGA · FB.ME/TRUOMEGA

VOLUME 25

A B Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

COMFORTABLE AT HOME

IN SOLIDARITY

Women dominate in home opener weekend TRUSU club

looks into 43 Mexican university students who were disappeared

O

n Sept. 26, 2014, 43 students from the Rural Teachers Training School, “Raúl Isidro Burgos,” in Ayotzinapa, Mexico, disappeared while en route to Mexico City in order to participate in anti-state demonstrations.

Through the collected efforts of current Ayotzinapa students and faculty, as well as international organizations, such as the Young Communists Leagues, the truth behind last year’s tragedy is slowly coming to light.

CONTINUES page 5

Kaitlin Lomas sends one over during TRU’s win vs. the Grant MacEwan Griffins Oct. 24. (Tristan Davies/The Omega) • Page 11

LISTEN UP

TURNING OUT ON A TUESDAY

CFBX radio fundraising to move its tower

Voter turnout highest in 22 years

Singer-songwriter Steve Hill played at the Blue Grotto as part of TRU station’s fundraiser • Page 5

Online campaigning may have been a big factor in the quest for a better turnout • Page 4

A monument erected by activists over the 43 missing students. (Luis Romero/Flickr

NEWS

2

How did

Canada VOTE?

British Columbia

Alberta

184

OCTOBER 28, 2015

seats

Liberal Party of Canada

seats

99

Conservative Party of Canada

44

New Democratic Party

10

Bloc Quebecois

1

Green Party of Canada

seats seats seat

Majority government

Official opposition

Ontario

Quebec

Manitoba Saskatchewan

New Brunswick

Nunavut Nova Scotia N.W.T.

RESULTS IN THIS RIDING Cathy McLeod – 35.3%

Yukon

Bill Sundhu – 30.8%

Nfld/Labrador P.E.I.

Steve Powrie – 30.4% Matt Greenwood – 3.6%

VOTER TURNOUT IN CANADA, B.C. AND OUR RIDING (PRELIMINARY RESULTS) 68.5% Canada 70.3% British Columbia 74.0% Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo 61.1% Canada (2011) 58.8% Canada (2008, record low) (Does not include voters who registered on the day of the election)

OPINION & EDITORIAL

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

3

On electoral reform: choices, choices...

Election results under instant-runoff voting prove interesting, but what’s the right choice?

Sean Brady EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Ω Electoral reform was something that’s been dangling in front of us for the past couple of months, and it’s been something many people have wanted for a lot longer than that.

The NDP pitched a mixed-member proportional (MMP) system in 2014, but after that didn’t go anywhere, the issue didn’t come up again until the election. The NDP kept after its promise to implement MMP. The Greens and Liberals both promised to look into proportional representation (PR) of some kind by forming all-party committees and exploring the issue after being elected.

“We will convene an all-party Parliamentary committee to review a wide variety of reforms, such as ranked ballots, proportional representation, mandatory voting, and online voting,” the Liberal electoral reform policy page reads.

With Trudeau and the Liberals

now in power, it’s time for him to start making good on his promise.

That gives him until April 20, 2017 to have a new system in place. The clock is ticking, Mr. Trudeau.

Here in B.C., the call for implementing BC-STV, a PR voting system where candidates are ranked by the voter in order of preference and where multiple seats can be achieved in some districts. In 2005, 57.69 per cent of voters wanted the system implemented, but there was a 60 per cent threshold for the vote to be considered binding. In 2009, there was a second referendum held alongside the provincial election, where 39.09 per cent of people voted in favour. That vote failed, too, however.

But what kind of electoral reform does Canada need, and how will Canada’s political scene change as a result? Obviously the type will be up to the all-party committee to decide. Considering some of my recent reading on the matter, those committees might be host to some hot debates, simply because

of which parties the new systems might favour.

Under instant runoff voting (IRV), for example, the Liberals would have significantly bolstered their seat count in the recent election – at least according to reddit user just2410, who decided to use polling data from Nanos on voters’ second choices to simulate an IRV election. Although there are several good rebuttals against the usefulness of the simulated results, they are still interesting. In the simulation, the Liberals stand to gain another 27 seats, bringing their total seat count to 211. The NDP picks up another 10 seats, the Greens stay the same and the Conservatives lose a whopping 29. (Also of note, the Kamloops– Thompson–Cariboo goes from a CPC seat to the NDP.) Of course, these simulated results don’t mean much when you consider the fact that the parties would not have campaigned the way they did if a preferential/ ranked voting system was in place.

They’d likely wouldn’t be as quick

to run things like attack ads and everyone would mellow out a little in order to be another party’s second choice. The Liberals, for example, might further affirm their position in the centre and promise policies that appeal to strict fiscal conservatives. The NDP might move further towards the centre to win over Liberals who don’t want to vote Conservative as their second choice, and the Greens might just get somewhere.

I imagine it’ll take Canada awhile to “figure out” how the new system works. For the first election or two, I imagine IRV will be used as it should – a simple ranking of candidates based on their merit and policies (and not motivated by kind of so-called strategic voting).

After that, however, I don’t think anything would stop Canadian voters from trying to game the system. How long until parties stop asking for your first vote and start asking for your second? Or to rank another party last? Maybe my lack of PR knowledge is showing here, but it seems like every system

devolves into one that can be gamed, and a more proportional system would suffer the same way a first-past-the-post one has.

On the other hand, what if PR creates an even more diverse field of parties and candidates?

How long until we see a fiscally conservative NDP candidate, or an especially socially progressive Conservative? Or perhaps a radical Liberal? Plus, what about all those never-elected parties out there?

The Pirate Party of Canada comes to mind. Will single-issue parties stand a chance under certain PR systems?

I don’t know about you, but I’m excited and hopeful for change.

With this being a democracy, and all decisions in it being made that way, too, not everyone will end up with the system they want, but perhaps this is our best shot at getting a system where the most people possible get what they want. That’s something everyone should be happy about and excited for. editor@truomega.ca

Notice: Performing Arts Centre referendum: voting and advance voting Advance voting is available in the coming Performing Arts Centre referendum. The question will ask if the city should borrow up to $49 million to build a new Performing Arts Centre in the city. Voting can be done in advance on Oct. 28 and Nov. 2 at the Heritage House at 100 Lorne St. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The main voting day will be Nov. 7, where residents can vote at the locations listed below between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. More information can be found at www.kamloops.ca/imagine.

Lloyd George Elementary School – 830 Pine Street Heritage House – 100 Lorne Street Aberdeen Elementary School – 2191 Van Horne Drive South Sahali Elementary School – 1585 Summit Drive Dufferin Elementary School – 1880 Hillside Drive

Beattie School of the Arts – 492 McGill Road Valleyview Secondary School – 1950 Valleyview Dr. Dallas Elementary School – 296 Harper Road RL Clemitson Elementary School – 5990 Todd Road Rayleigh Elementary School – 306 Puett Ranch Rd.

Ω

Arthur Hatton Elementary School – 315 Chestnut Ave NorKam Secondary School – 730 12th Street Parkcrest Elementary School – 2170 Parkcrest Ave. Westmount Elementary School – 745 Walkem Rd. Arthur Stevenson Elementary School – 2890 Bank Rd

THE OMEGA STUDENT NEWSPAPER • PUBLISHED SINCE NOVEMBER 27,1991

Publisher and Board

Editorial Staff

Cariboo Student Newspaper Society TRU Campus, Old Main, OM2691 900 McGill Rd, Kamloops, B.C. V2C 0C8 Phone: 250-828-5069 Advertising inquiries: www.truomega.ca/advertise or email accounts@truomega.ca

Editor-in-Chief Sean Brady News Editor Jim Elliot News Editor Wade Tomko Arts Editor Marlys Klossner

Publishing Board

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF INDUSTRY REP FACULTY REP STUDENT REP STUDENT REP STUDENT REP

Sports Editor Cameron Doherty

Sean Brady Christopher Foulds Charles Hays Kim Anderson Mason Buettner Vacant

Copy Editor Annie Slizak

Production Coordinator Rachel Wood

Letters Policy

Literary and visual submissions are welcomed. All submissions are subject to editing for brevity, taste and legality. The Omega will attempt to publish each letter received, barring time and space constraints. The editor will take care not to change the intention or tone of submissions, but will not publish material deemed to exhibit sexism, racism or homophobia. Letters for publication must include the writer’s name (for publication) and contact details (not for publication). The Omega reserves the right not to publish any letter or submitted material.

Opinions expressed in any section with an “Opinion” label do not represent those of The Omega, the Cariboo Student Newspaper Society, its Board of Directors or its staff. Opinions belong only to those who have signed them.

Contributing Writers Daniel Hicks, Jonathan Malloy, Peter Navratil, Jennifer Will

] ^

fb.me/truomega @TRU_Omega

` É

instagr.am/truomega www.TRUOmega.ca

All material in this publication is copyright The Omega except where otherwise noted and may not be reproduced without the expressed consent of the publisher.

A B Γ Δ Ε Ζ Η Θ Ι Κ Λ Μ Ν Ξ Ο Π Ρ Σ Τ Υ Φ Χ Ψ Ω

CONTRIBUTE

WRITE FOR US! We’re always looking for contributors.

If you’re interested in writing for us, make sure you check out our contributor guidelines found at:

truomega.ca/contribute First timer? Don’t worry – no experience is necessary and we’ll give you as much help as you need.

If you’re ready to get started, just email one of our section editors and pitch your story: News: news@truomega.ca News: wtomko@truomega.ca Arts: arts@truomega.ca Sports: sports@truomega.ca Or write the editor at: editor@truomega.ca

NEWS

4

OCTOBER 28, 2015

Election produced highest turnout in 22 years Online campaigning for votes may have been the determining factor in the quest for a better turnout Jim Elliot NEWS EDITOR Ω Voter turnout for Canada’s 42nd General Election was higher than any other federal election in the past 22 years. Nationally, 68.5 per cent of eligible voters cast a ballot, the highest turnout since 1993. Turnout was up from 61.1 per cent in 2011 and the all-time low of 58.8 per cent in 2008.

Campaigns attempting to entice voters may have been a

contributing factor for the increased turnout. One campaign, administered by the Council of Canadians, was aimed at young voters by employing a humorous video that posed the question “how far would you go to vote?”

The website also provided a youth voter guide with summaries of each party’s stance on youth issues and information about how to vote.

Votenation.ca, a website created by Rick Mercer, allowed users to superimpose the words “I

will vote Oct. 19” over their Facebook profile pictures. According to Mercer on Twitter, as of Oct. 15, 125,000 Canadians had created a profile picture using the service.

“I am actually pretty stoked about the voter turnout. I think all the pro-voting stuff on social media really helped get people to the polls,” said TRU student Scott Turner.

The most radical and divisive campaign attempting to increase voter turnout was the “Sluts Against Harper”

Instagram page. The page offered nude photos in exchange for proof of voting. The page claimed to be receiving 50 messages per minute on election day.

Voter turnout in the Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo riding was even higher than the national average, with 74 per cent of eligible voters in the riding casting a ballot.

Elections Canada also brought a polling station to campus this year, though it differed from on

campus polling stations elsewhere, in that not every student on campus could use it – only those who lived on campus grounds.

In total, 178 votes were cast at the campus polling station, with 117 of those voters registering on Election Day. While Elections Canada did not provide a figure for the number of eligible voters on campus, the total number of people living on campus grounds is 874.

TRU community reacts to Election 42 results Party leader visits, poll accuracy and voter turnout all contributed to surprising results Jim Elliot NEWS EDITOR Ω The longest Canadian election campaign in living memory has drawn to a close and so has Stephen Harper’s years as Prime Minister. Some have called it the dawn of a new era, and the pressure being heaped on Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau is enormous.

On the local stage, incumbent Conservative MP Cathy McLeod has secured a third term in the Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo riding.

Liberal supporters on campus were vocal in the celebration of their preferred candidate’s victory.

“I voted Liberal. I’m happy with the result and I’m looking forward to having Justin Trudeau as our new Prime Minister,” said Alex Beckett. Liberal supporter Jackson Dobrovolny said that he was “very surprised” by the result but was happy to see how many other young people came out to vote.

When asked to explain the Liberal’s surprising margin of victory, TRU political science professor Terry Kading said “Young people thought they could more easily relate to Justin Trudeau as an authority figure.”

Kading also cited the Liberal

Party’s optimistic campaign style and late surge of momentum as contributing factors in their margin of victory.

According to Kading, many of the seats that the Liberals won in the election were formerly held by the NDP, but went Liberal due to strategic voting with the goal of ousting Harper.

“I don’t think it was that the NDP did anything wrong. They got caught in the last month’s momentum by Justin Trudeau when it came to who was going to be the most effective at getting rid of Stephen Harper, which was the central Issue,” Kading said.

“It’s unfortunate that the polls aren’t more accurate, but it sure made the election more interesting,” Kading added.

Despite many of the remaining Conservative ridings being concentrated in Western Canada, Kading said that he does not anticipate regional resentment or alienation being a major fixture of Canadian politics in the future.

Kading attributed local Liberal candidate Steve Powrie’s better-than-expected performance to a strong Liberal Party nationwide, but said that “the most visible campaign [in this riding] wasn’t Steve Powrie’s.”

The greater local visibility of the Conservative and NDP

campaigns may have been due to visits from their national leaders.

Although Trudeau visited more ridings than any of his competitors, he did not stop in the Kamloops–Thompson–Cariboo.

Voter turnout is perceived by many as a contributing factor in the Liberal victory.

“I think that it really showed that when people get out to vote and are interested in politics, it

can make a difference. I feel like if there was more apathy in the election then it wouldn’t have had the result that it did,” said student Mairi Richter.

Supporters of the other major parties also had opinions to share about the results of the election.

Rhys Cranwell said that he voted for the NDP because he felt that local candidate Bill Sundhu engaged with students better than

his competition.

“I noticed that this election had a high emotional engagement,” Cranwell said.

“I voted for McLeod, because I didn’t want our entire economy to come crashing down, but hopefully Trudeau, with his nice hair, will do some good,” said student Cassidy Tocheniuk.

Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau is to be sworn in on Nov. 4. (File photo)

Mental Health Matters: Test anxiety Daniel Hicks CONTRIBUTOR Ω With midterm season in full swing and final exams coming soon, I wanted to write this article on test anxiety. Almost everyone deals with test anxiety one way or another. I always freeze when taking tests and forget what to write. But there are ways to deal with it.

Knowing the signs of text anxiety will help you identify if you have it. Do you feel like you

go blank and forget everything you’ve learned? Do you become frustrated and find it difficult to breathe and feel your heart beating faster? And then after the test, does everything you learned come flooding back into your head? You might be experiencing test anxiety.

One way to combat test anxiety is to make sure you’re prepared and be confident in your preparation. In order to do this, make sure you commit enough time to studying and stay organized.

Make daily and weekly lists of

what you need to remember and accomplish and always study in the same place.

Controlling your environment is another way you can help reduce test anxiety. Sit away from noises that might distract you.

You can also practice relaxation techniques. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly and visualize positive mental images, like finishing the test with confidence. You might also want to bring a special object with you, like a photo, a wristband or stone or crystal or something.

I read about some of these techniques in a book that has helped me. It’s called Keys to Success, written by Sarah Kravits, Peter J. Maurin and Carol Carter.

It has lots of different ways of dealing with problems like test anxiety.

Some of these techniques might seem odd or strange, but they might work for you and are worth trying. I will be trying some of these techniques myself for my final exam. Stay tuned and I’ll let you know if they worked for me.

comedynose/Flickr Commons

NEWS

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

5

Film screening: Ayotzinapa: Chronicle of State Crime TRUSU club looks into 43 Mexican university students who were disappeared Wade Tomko NEWS EDITOR Ω

CONTINUED from cover One organization doing their part to bring recognition to the issue is the TRUSU Socialist Club. Last Friday, the group brought together a crowd of a few dozen students in the Irving K. Barber Centre to showcase a documentary on the disappearances. They also presented two speakers, part of an Ayotzinapa-solidarity group, and gave them a chance to speak to and connect with students here at TRU. Daniel Mendoza and Ingrid Figueroa, members of the

Vancouver-based group Solidaridad con Ayotzinapa Vancouver, were invited to come speak on Mexico’s corruption by Kevin Pankewich, one of the event’s main organizers and an original member of the TRUSU Socialist Club.

Pankewich said he had met Mendoza and Figueroa at a Young Communists League school in Vancouver earlier this year.

“We were hoping to do an Ayotzinapa event up here at TRU for a while, but lacked any connection to the Latin American community. Once I met with Daniel and Ingrid, things took off immediately from there,” Pankewich said.

When invited to speak,

Mendoza told the audience that he and Figueroa had came to TRU in order to “inform Canadian students on why these Ayotzinapa students were targeted.”

“We have also come here to show exactly what is happening in Mexico, to show the violence and corruption, and not just the violence and corruption of the cartels, but that of the government as well,” Mendoza said.

The film itself, “Ayotzinapa: Chronicle of State Crime,” follows the story of the disappearances through the eyes of the classmates and parents of the disappeared, as well as political analysts and university professors studying the issue. The film’s sombre tone is well-deserved, as most of the

narration comes from Ayotzinapa student and organizer of the trip to Mexico City, Omar Garcia.

Garcia was in the town of Iguala when the buses transporting the students were stopped by municipal police.

It was there that the police tried to detain the students and prevent them from travelling any further. In the eyes of the city officials, the Ayotzinapa were delinquents, poor rural boys coming from a Marxist school. Thinking that the world would not care for their lives, the police and other armed men opened fire with automatic rifles.

Days later, the entire country would be in uproar over those killed in the streets and over

those who would never be found again.

Both speakers affirmed that the most crucial part of the process of restabilizing Mexico is bringing awareness to events such as the disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa students.

At the film’s end, Figueroa handed out copies of letters directly from the Rural Teachers Training School of Ayotzinapa.

The students of Ayotzinapa asked that, if students here in Canada do anything to help those being oppressed by the state in Mexico, it is to simply become aware about what is going on and to stand in solidarity with them as they fight for the right to an education free of oppression.

Fundraising for a new tower at CFBX

TRU’s campus/community radio station turns to fundraising in an effort to grow their audience Wade Tomko NEWS EDITOR Ω Steve Hill’s performance at the Blue Grotto last Thursday night was well-received by those in attendance. The solo blues artist’s show was only the first concert in a long list of fundraising events to be put on by campus/community radio station CFBX. The radio station is hoping that with enough events, donations and community support, they will be able to move their transmitter to a better location, and thus be able to reach a wider audience with a clearer signal.

Currently, the transmitter sits on top of the radio station in House 8 at TRU. CFBX station manager Brant Zwicker has said that the location has worked so far in the radio station’s 14-year existence, but as the station gains popularity, they will need to be able to provide a clearer signal to a larger region.

“Kamloops already has a poor FM environment, with all the hills. Even though the station has 400 watts of power, one watt on a mountain is better than 100 in a gulley. Considering where the station currently is, we’re pretty

well in a gulley, and because downtown is right below the campus, it’s the worst area for reception,” Zwicker said.

When CFBX first had the move on their radar, they had three optimal locations to choose from.

However, now only the broadcast tower on Mount Dufferin and the Radio NL tower on Rose Hill are on the table. Originally, Zwicker was hoping to move the transmitter to the Telus microwave tower in Peterson Creek, but that has since fallen through.

“All the large radio companies, including Telus, have been quite receptive to the idea. Unfortunately what we had going with Telus just didn’t work out. The time, logistics and money involved was too much for both parties,” he said.

CFBX’s inconsistency in their playlists as well as their no-hits guideline has kept them well-respected and well-received within the local community. Zwicker has said that he isn’t afraid of running into competition with other local radio stations such as 98.3 CIFM or B-100 because of the non-profit nature of CFBX, coupled with its wide variance in programming. CFBX is still the only radio station in the region

to offer internationally-flavoured programs.

Once the tower is moved, current audiences with a good signal shouldn’t hear a difference. All shows will still be live broadcast, with a microwave transmitter, transmitting the show directly to the new tower’s location. After that, CFBX fans as far away as Rayleigh and Dallas will be able to listen in.

That move however, may be as long as year away and the radio station still requires as much as $25,000 to make it happen. Though considering how much needs to be done, Zwicker prefers the long wait period.

“We need structural engineering reports and to start filling out the paperwork before this really gets going. But Steve Hill’s show will definitely give us some momentum. Once we’ve officially started our fundraising campaign, things will get rolling,” Zwicker said.

The idea to bring Steve Hill to town was originally pitched to the station by one of Hill’s promoters.

Hill himself stated “If I can help someone out, and at the same time do what I love, I’ll always say yes and go ahead and do it.”

The solo blues artist has been nominated for multiple awards

in the past. Hill was nominated for four Maple Blues Awards in January, and he won all four, including Album of the Year. Not long after, he earned the Juno Award for Blues Album of the Year, as well.

“I’m a one-man band, but I have as much gear on stage as a three or four person group,” Hill said. “I like to get people excited, and it seems that every show I go to, there is more and more people every time.”

Zwicker has promised that Hill’s show is only the first step in a long

fundraising campaign to improve the quality and influence of the radio station. Although no solid schedule has been announced, Zwicker has said there will be more concerts in the new year, and CFBX will still be hosting their annual record fair in May. The station is also on the lookout for donations stemming from the community.

“Even if Telus can’t give us a tower, maybe they’d be willing to help us out financially,” Zwicker said.

Steve Hill at the Blue Grotto. (Wade Tomko/The Omega)

ARTS

6

OCTOBER 28, 2015

Film Review: Diary of a Teenage Girl

A timeless coming-of-age tale of a sexually-active teen girl in the 70s Marlys Klossner ARTS EDITOR Ω “Diary of a Teenage Girl” is getting a lot of buzz since its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. Critics have been raving about this artsy indie flick that’s all about sexual empowerment.

The film follows 15-year-old Minnie Goetze as she experiments with art, sex and drugs in 1970s San Francisco. She lives with her mother, her mother’s boyfriend and her sister. The film lets us in on Minnie’s perspective as she goes through puberty and becomes interested in boys.

The film is based on the graphic novel of the same name

by Phoebe Gloeckner. Director Marielle Heller manages to convey the non-linear narrative and complex style of the novel using voiceovers and trippy

sequences that merge animated versions of Minnie’s art and live action shots. These elements make the film feel like a piece of art in itself.

Even though the film shows young Minnie doing some potentially dangerous things, the film doesn’t feel like a cautionary afterschool special. It has debuted in a perfect time for the subject matter, as more and more people are protesting against slut shaming. In “Diary of a Teenage Girl” Minnie decides she likes sex, and instead of that being a good thing or a bad thing, it is just something that happens. The empowerment that Minnie feels is something we rarely see in young girls in film.

Young Minnie initiates losing her virginity to her mother’s 35-year-old boyfriend, which raises questions of statutory rape, but the film doesn’t judge either

Book review: Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs Marlys Klossner ARTS EDITOR Ω Chuck Klosterman’s “Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Culture Manifesto” is a collection of funny essays about pop culture. It is not, as the title suggests, a manifesto, but rather a chronicle of philosophical musings that were more than likely thought up while smoking chronic.

Klosterman uses his observations of low culture to analyze the mentality of Generation X and himself.

What makes it work is that Klosterman is aware that he is a low culture aficionado who acknowledges that the things he loves are not generally things you want to brag about at dinner parties.

Klosterman talks sex tapes, Billy Joel, reality as explained by existential movies, the Dixie Chicks, the Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry, Star Wars, MTV’s The Real World, children’s cereal mascots, The Sims games and many other topics most of us probably haven’t thought about in depth.

(Scribner)

As well as commenting on media products, the author also includes some unique firsthand experiences.

Klosterman describes what it was like be a groupie for a middling Guns N’ Roses tribute band. He interviews people he knows who have had brief interactions with people who were later found to be serial killers. These stories break up the narrative and provide reprieve from the cerebral headspace of the other essays.

The collection of stories is at once both a celebration and a condemnation of the guilty pleasures of yesteryear’s pop culture presented as if the chapters were tracks on a CD. Klosterman is hilarious, selfaware and incredibly clever. Even if you don’t agree with his opinions, of which he has many, his arguments are compelling and backed up by his personal experience. Klosterman revels in his own bias, which is inspirational in a self-indulgent way.

A downside is that some sections can become dry when Klosterman delves deep into academic- sounding scrutiny. Since Klosterman is reading into those elements of pop culture that most of us don’t consider worthy of a second glance, there are times where it feels like he’s going deeper than necessary, but even so, his findings are amusing and thought-provoking.

In reading this book it helps to be familiar with the guilty pleasures of Gen Xers. If you are not familiar with Zack Morris or Pamela Anderson, you won’t enjoy this book as much as someone who is.

While Klosterman has written several other pop culture analysis books, they are more focused than this one. We have yet to see a wide-ranging study in common culture in the current generation, but I certainly look forward to it.

party. As a viewer, as much as you want to take on the feminist ideals of the film, it can be hard to watch such a young character having sex, especially with a much older man.

In the starring role is Bel Powley, who more than holds her own starring opposite heavyweights Kristen Wiig and Alexander Skarsgard. Powley masterfully portrays the emotional ups and downs Minnie goes through.

The film perfectly captures the confusion that everyone goes through during puberty, and shows how that confusion is perfectly okay. Powley expresses the yearning that every young person eventually has to be wanted by another.

Even though the story took place in the ‘70s, there’s something about coming-of-age stories that makes the details unimportant. Instead of really

influencing the story, the setting just adds to the artistic value of the movie.

“Diary of a Teenage Girl” is a beautiful feminist indie film that normalizes the sexual evolution of a teenage girl.

The film was shown by the Kamloops Film Society on Oct. 22 as a part of their fall series at the Paramount Theatre. The next film will be “Infinitely Polar Bear,” starring Mark Ruffalo, on Oct. 29.

(Sony Picture Classics)

Film review: Crimson Peak Guillermo Del Toro’s latest provides a long climb with an unearned summit Jonathan Malloy CONTRIBUTOR Ω I have to preface this review by saying that Crimson Peak may be the most beautifully shot film of the year, working to make a truly original-looking film that complements the rest of director Guillermo Del Toro’s macabre oeuvre. As referenced in the film, this is a story with ghosts in it, not about ghosts, and that may be the greatest strength of an overlong and underdeveloped story that becomes much more interesting just before the credits begin to usher the audience out.

We follow the young Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) as she trudges through the Victorian era struggles all too common to the rich upper class, like how to publish her book anonymously and choose the right suitor among two wealthy men vying for her affection.

Billed as another fantasy horror project from the mind of the man who brought us Pan’s Labyrinth and The Devil’s Backbone, the film was wholly mismarketed. The majority of the film was played as a Victorian fairy tale romance and it only dabbled into the spectral fears promised by its trailers.

The story stands as the major drawback to the film, often resorting to the romance subplot to mask the lack of any truly scary moments in the first two thirds of the film. The characters are all played by actors trying to dig into the melodramatic moments with well-rounded approaches, especially the brother/sister duo of Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain, but end up being restrained by the lack of characters who act like they are written instead of lived in. Coupled with sometimes

(Universal Pictures) incoherent editing choices, the film looks to have needed more time in the oven before its release.

All of this adds up to a film that should be a lot better than it was.

This does not make the film an altogether bad experience, though.

Several jump scares work to chill the viewer and the tension is elevated to its peak with the film’s final sequence, but the majority of the scares and tension seem unearned due to the lack of any character development and reasoning. Del Toro and cinematographer Dan Laustsen present the film in rich reds that

launch off the screen to the viewer.

The set and costume designers seem to have put many hours of work into the the film, so much so that it only emphasizes how underwritten and underwhelming the film is as a whole.

For those looking to find a horror film this upcoming Halloween season, this will suffice better than the now downtrodden experience of the Paranormal Activity series, but you will be hard pressed to find anything to dig your teeth into that sends a shiver down your spine with Crimson Peak. 2.8/5 Loops.

ARTS

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

7

Dr. Heidegger and the sketchy experiment

Ghastly-themed sketch salon calls amateur and experienced artists to view theatrical tableaus Jennifer Will CONTRIBUTOR Ω On Oct. 22 and 23, BC Living Arts hosted two sold-out sketch salons at the Old Courthouse.

Inspired by the short story “Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, this event catered to the art crowd with its uniqueness and flair. After being escorted in by the butler, the doctor invites the audience

to try his elixir and join in the fun of the elusive experiment.

This event consisted of five tableaus posed by live actors in 10 minute increments, creating a dramatic scene for artists to sketch. Each tableau told a piece of the story and gave clues to the motives of the characters and of the doctor’s experimentation.

The story starts with a rose given to Dr. Heidegger by Sylvia Ward, left as a memento of their time together before she left

him. Ward was Heidegger’s lover and they were set to be married.

The flower is now crumbling and withered, showing the time that has passed since she ran off. Heidegger poses a question to the audience: “Would you deem it possible that this rose of half a century could ever bloom again?”

Heidegger introduces the urban legend of the mysterious fountain of youth, sought out by many. He was told of its location

Local artist hard at work on his interpretation of the dramatic tableau. (Jennifer Will/The Omega)

by an old friend who was aware of the doctor’s curiosity in such matters. This acquaintance of Heidegger’s has sent him a sample of water from the fountain in a vase he crafted, in which Heidegger now keeps the rose, allowing the flower to blossom a second time and regain its formative years.

Heidegger offers the audience a chance to join the investigation and sample the golden elixir (water from the fountain of youth). The elixir offers glorious virtues and the chance to restore you to your flourishing youth. Heidegger explains that he does not wish to participate himself, as he has had “much trouble growing old,” and therefore wishes to just observe the experiment.

“Just before you drink, it would be well that with the experience of a lifetime to direct you, you should draw up a few general rules for your guidance, in passing the second time through the perils of youth.

Think what a sin and shame it would be if with your peculiar advantages you should not become patterns of virtue and wisdom to all the young people of the age. So come my friends, step forward and don’t be shy.

Take a glass of the elixir and come through to my study so I

may observe.”

The actors and set created a wonderful world for the audience to dive into. Never out of character in those frozen moments, they showed us the consequences of such an experiment. The soundtrack was created by a local Kamloops resident, Ronan McGrath from Barnacle Records. The music was the perfect touch, creating an eerie mood and enforcing an unpredictable outcome.

One of the event’s coordinators, Kimberley Eibl, said the purpose of this event “was just to try something new and to try experimental art projects in Kamloops. It’s kind of a mash of sketching, life drawing, theatre and literature. So this event is a terrific way to bring all of those great things together.”

Although they don’t have anything planned for the future yet, Eibl says she is just excited about having two sold-out shows.

Guests were provided with basic sketching materials, and encouraged to bring their own.

The sketch salon provided an entertaining social environment for artists to mingle and draw.

Many artists walked away with a masterpiece of their own creation, others left stick figures to be proud of.

The Lunas, Echo Nebraska and the Fineprint at the Dirty Jersey Jennifer Will CONTRIBUTOR Ω An enthusiastic crowd was brought to the Dirty Jersey on Kamloops’ North Shore on Oct. 23, as three Canadian indie bands performed live, each on their own path to success.

Although the performances were delayed by the nail-biting end to the Toronto vs. Kansas City baseball game, The Lunas, Echo Nebraska and the Fineprint wrangled the audience in for a spectacular show.

The show commenced with the ambitious orchestral sound and wonderfully crafted harmonies of Echo Nebraska. This band was blues rock meets folk meets country twang, and they delivered it with brilliant execution.

Their use of various instruments such as the violin, saxophone and mandolin creates the ensemble effect and compliments their fascinating and storytelling lyrics. Lead vocalist Devan Christodoulou brings a unique style to the show. The diversity in his voice takes the audience to new places as we travel with him through happiness and hardships. This band is as good on stage as they are in the studio, with a rousing live performance that would be a shame to skip.

Echo Nebraska is easily the

Echo Nebraska opened the show at the Dirty Jersey on Oct 23. (www.echonebraska.com) kind of band that sheds an optimistic light on the indie music scene. Aside from a faulty string broken with a passionate chord stroke, the band did not miss a note. Be sure to check out the band’s single “Hey, Allison” on their debut album “Send the Ships.”

Next up was a Vancouver-born band called The Lunas, composed of four core members.

This band had strong instrumentals and captivating lyrics. Even though the Lunas are classified as indie-pop, they often confused

their sound with techno and alternative rock elements. They were somewhat outshone by the other artists on stage, and they had a largely generic sound to most of their songs. Some songs were better than others, however their hipster vibe had many audience members out the door mid-song.

The Lunas ended with an epic original song that was just weird enough to work soundly with what could eventually turn into a developed and unique style.

The guitar riffs and the use of

the saxophone blew previously-set expectations out of the water. With some work, and less distraction, this band could be great.

The Fineprint concluded the evening with classic punk music brought to life with a passionate performance that was loud and energetic. Even with their missing bass player and technical difficulties, they were cheered on by the crowd. This band originated in Kamloops and offers a unique genre blend to the indie music crowd. They

offered up four of their own originally-written songs and four covers that were performed with flair. The band’s personal inspirations were prominent in their music and worked coherently with their style. Although the band could use some polish, they gave an overall great performance with excellent stage presence.

The Fineprint is sure to become a favourite among punk and alternative rock music lovers, noticed for their distinct and all around robust sound.

8

NEWS

OCTOBER 28, 2015

HALLOWEEN EVENTS NOT SURE WHAT TO DO THIS COMING WEEKEND? THESE EVENTS ARE SURE TO CAUSE A FRIGHT

Devon Coyote Halloween Party

Oct. 31 – The Dirty Jersey, 8 p.m. 19+. $15 at kamtix.ca.

Come dressed to dance and drink while Devon Coyote and his band put on a show that’s sure to satisfy.

Rockin’ Halloween Party – RIH Foundation charity event

pop singer performing songs from the 1950s to today’s hits, plus some originals. Goulet was nominated for a Kamloops Emerging Artist Award this year and boasts other awards and accolades to boot.

Friends of Frankenstein Wine Dinner

Oct. 31 – Terra Restaurant, 6 p.m. $79+. Call ahead.

This charity event for the RIH Foundation features live music by the band Angus.

Up for something fancy, but still spooky? Terra has you covered with its Friends of Frankenstein Wine Dinner. Do you like wine?

Do you like ghost stories? If so, you’re in for a treat. Cocktails at 6 p.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m.

Cactus Jacks Halloween

Kamloops Zombie Walk

Cactus Jacks is giving away $500 in cash and prizes for its Halloween bash. Prizes given for best costume for male and female, so don’t forget to dress your best. Music courtesy of Deejay Virtue and DJ D-Funkt.

BRAAAAAAINNS! If you’re somehow still not tired of zombies, the 10th annual Kamloops Zombie Walk is sure to please. If you’re covered in blood and guts and have a thirst for human flesh, you’re all set. If you’d rather just take it all in, you can do that, too.

Halloween Tribute 6

Halloween at The Pogue Mahone

Oct. 31 – Zack’s Coffees Teas & Gifts, 8 p.m. $5 cover. Costume required. All ages.

Oct. 31 – The Pogue Mahone, 8 p.m. 19+. $15+fees in advance, $20+fees on the day.

Bands being covered include Madball, G.B.H., L7, Megadeth, Kyuss and Urinals.

Dress up as your favourite 80s-90s rock idol for a chance at prizes.

Oct. 31 – Hotel 540, 7:30 p.m. 19+. $25 (call 250-314-2325).

Oct. 31 – Cactus Jacks, 8:30 p.m. 19+. $10 in advance at CJs or from WolfPack Cheerleaders.

Oct. 31 – Downtown Kamloops. 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Scaryoke Halloween Party Monster Mash Haunted Halloween Bash Oct. 31 – Bailey’s Pub, 8 p.m. $5 cover. 19+.

Bailey’s Pub will transform into a “tavern of terror” for one night only. Gulp down some Blood Beer or take some Virus and Antidote shooters and more. $200 each will go to best guy and girl costumes.

Oct. 31 – McCracken Station Pub, 9 p.m. 19+. No cover.

Enjoy a night with prizes for best costumes and plenty of drink specials. Hosted by James “Action” Acton.

TRU’s Halloween Bash

Oct. 30 – Grand Hall, 6 p.m. FREE.

Oct. 31 – The Shark Club, 9 p.m. 19+. $10 in advance (call 250-8526700), $15 at the door.

Join this ISAP-hosted event on the day before Halloween. There will be food, music, dancing, a photo booth, pumpkin carving and more. There will also be a haunted house, so don’t miss out.

Featuring DJ Erik Boog and DJ Mare. $500 in cash prizes to be given away, including a prize for best costume.

Kamloops Heritage Railway Ghost Train

Halloween Howler 2015

6 Piece Band feat. Caitlin Goulet

Oct. 31 – Office Pub & Grill, 9 p.m. 19+. $10 in advance, $15 door.

Featuring the musical styles of Caitlin Goulet, a “diverse, soulful”

Oct. 30 and 31 – Kamloops Heritage Railway, 7 p.m. $29 at kamrail. com.

All aboard! The long-standing tradition of the Ghost Train is back once again. Rides last for about an hour and are sure to cause a fright on the rails. Also includes hot chocolate and a snack.

SPORTS

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

9

Difficult season ends with a bang for men’s soccer Cameron Doherty SPORTS EDITOR Ω The 2015 WolfPack men’s soccer season certainly had its fair share of ups and downs, but it ended on a high note, as the WolfPack won the first game of the weekend 5 to 2 and tied 1 to 1 to get four out of a possible six points in games against the UNBC Timberwolves this past weekend.

It was a tale of two different teams for the ‘Pack this year, as the team that started the season with one win, five losses and two ties bears almost no resemblance to the team that has won three out of their last four games to finish the season.

Throughout those early games there were signs that this TRU team was not only better than they were last year but also good enough to compete against any team in the extremely competitive Pacific division of the CIS. Unfortunately they just seemed unable to put it all together for a full 90-minute game, and a stretch of three losses and one tie in games against the University of the Fraser Valley, Trinity Western University and the UBC Okanagan can be looked at as the point of the season that ultimately doomed their playoff chances.

“That four-game span, those were critical games for us, we were extremely unlucky against UBCO in both games. I thought we dominated the games, from the shot total to clear chances, those would have been the turning point in our season for sure. If we could have got some quality results from those four games we would be in a playoff chase right now,” said head coach John Antulov.

Graduating player Kyle Fertile battles with Greg Meconse of UNBC during TRU’s 5-2 victory Saturday Oct. 24. (Tristan Davies/The Omega) It was immediately after that four-game stretch that everything really seemed to come together for the WolfPack. A revitalized ‘Pack team entered into the 75th minute of play tied one to one with the eight time national champion University of British Columbia Thunderbirds, and although they would go on to lose that game you could feel the sense of belief in themselves growing around this team.

That sense of self-belief would pay off the very next day as TRU faced off against a University of Victoria Vikings squad that had

already dismantled TRU earlier in the year by a score of five to one. With the offence looking as dangerous as any to be seen in the CIS and the defence proving to be formidable, TRU would record what is undoubtedly the biggest win of their short time in CIS defeating the number two team in the Pacific Division 4 to 2.

Although the WolfPack entered this weekend already eliminated from playoff contention, Antulov stressed how important positive results against UNBC can be for TRU. “For the program going

JOIN OUR PUBLISHING BOARD The Cariboo Student Newspaper Society is looking for three student representatives to join its publishing board.

Monthly meetings are held to discuss operations, finances, editorial direction and design. As a student representative, you’ll see how the organization works and contribute your ideas and opinions on the matters of the day. Your responsibilities will include reviewing reports, finances and contributing ideas and strategies you think the organization should be considering. Also, there’s pizza.

As one of three student representatives, you will also be joined by the following board members: - Charles Hays, TRU journalism faculty and internship coordinator - Christopher Foulds, Editor at Kamloops This Week - Sean Brady, Editor-in-Chief of The Omega Those interested in joining the publishing board should express their interest to editor@ truomega.ca.

Please let us know why you’d like to serve on the board and what perspective you hope to bring to the table, as well as any relevant qualifications and interests. Applicants must be registered students at Thompson Rivers University.

Apply by November 14.

forward, to do better than we did last year from a results standpoint helps in recruiting, so these games mean a lot to me, to show that we’ve taken that step forward. I’d also like to see results for the guys because they have worked very hard this year, there’s not one guy that’s taken a game off.”

This weekend also marked a changing of the guard for the WolfPack, as fifth year players Travis Froehlich, Oriol Torres, Corey Wallis, Braden Burrows and Kyle Fertile all played their last games in a TRU uniform. These

five players represent the core of the TRU teams that dominated the Pacwest division of BCAA soccer before making the jump to the CIS last season.

“They’ve been massive. If you look at the success we had in Pacwest, those guys were key components for how well we did and every player has been absolutely fantastic. We can’t discount what these players have done for this program, especially in the last two years in CIS because they’ve helped guide us to where we can start going forward,” Antulov said.

Ω OMEGA THE

THE CARIBOO STUDENT NEWSPAPER SOCIETY

COMICS & PUZZLES

10

OCTOBER 28, 2015

by Andrew Robertson

smbc-comics.com

Puzzle of the Week #7–Hallowwe’en Hellions

Seven kids (siblings Alex and Beth, siblings Cindy and Denise, siblings Effie and Fred, and lone child George) got into trouble over one or more Hallowwe’en “events”. A kid is “nicer” than another kid if the first kid was involved in fewer events. “worse” is the opposite. The events were collecting candy twice, setting off firecrackers, and stomping on a geezer’s lawn. There are eight combinations of events, but none of these kids are angels so ignore the no events possibility.

Each kid was responsible for a different combination.

Alex is nicer than Denise. No two siblings both set off firecrackers. Beth is worse than Denise. Effie set off firecrackers. Alex and Fred went lawn stomping, but Denise did not. No two siblings are equally nice.

So who did what?

This contest is sponsored by the Mathematics and Statistics department. The full-time student with the best score at the end of the year will win a prize. Please submit your solution (not just the answer but also why) by noon next Wednesday to Gene Wirchenko (<genew@telus.net>). Submissions by others are also welcome. The solution will be posted the Wednesday after that in my blog (http://genew.ca/). Come visit the Math Centre (HL304): we are friendly.

ExtraFabulousComics.com

by Andrew Robertson

SPORTS

WWW.TRUOMEGA.CA

11

Katie Woo shows great concentration as she dives for the ball during TRU’s victory over the Grant MacEwan Griffins Saturday Oct. 24. (Tristan Davies/The Omega)

WolfPack volleyball gives fans something to cheer about Both teams played their first regular season games at home and were dominant on their home court Peter Navratil CONTRIBUTOR Ω This past weekend at the TCC marked the start of what looks to be a great season for TRU volleyball. Both the men’s and women’s teams kicked off their season at home facing Grant MacEwan University.

The WolfPack came into the weekend hungry for wins in front of the home crowd after both came up short last weekend during their first official games of the season in Edmonton. A home crowd numbering close to 600 people gave the WolfPack the push they needed to come

away winning three out of the four games played during the weekend.

“It is always important to get off to a good start at home,” said women’s head coach Chad Grimm. The women most definitely did get off to a good start, winning Friday’s match in just three sets against the MacEwan Griffins.

“Of course we have pressure,” said Iuliia Pakhomenko. “We don’t want to disappoint them,” she said about the fans in attendance.

But this pressure did not seem to hinder the team on its way to victory.

Pakhomenko stood out in the

first match with 16 kills and 16 digs, earning herself the McDonald’s player of the game Leader of the Pack recognition.

“Katie Woo and Krista Hogewoning combined well to provide some threat,” Grimm said.

The men were also able to pull away with a win on Friday but were forced to use more of their bench to achieve the victory.

When asked about this strategy, men’s head coach Pat Hennelly said “we struggled a little bit early and had a big lull in the second set ... [we] had to make a lot of changes but it worked.”

Using new talent from players, especially first years Sam Taylor

Parks and Charlie Bringloe, as well as second year Tyler Pomietlarz, gave the team the push they needed to come away with a three sets to one victory.

On Saturday a similar pattern was shown with the women’s team starting slow but warming up to dominate the game. A lapse in concentration led to a MacEwan win in the third set but this did not deter a three sets to one WolfPack triumph. The ‘Pack almost doubled MacEwan in points for two out of the four sets and appear to be solid coming into what looks to be a promising season.

The men’s second game of the weekend was a struggle and also

saw the deep use of both veteran and newer players. Graham Stoliker greatly assisted in the team’s efforts with 24 assists, while Randy Grundmann had 9 kills and was awarded the Mcdonald’s player of the game, but their efforts were not enough to stop a 3 sets to 0 MacEwan victory.

The ability of both WolfPack teams was shown this weekend and there is more to come.

“We want to play well, we can play well,” Hennelly said, noting that it’s frustrating when things don’t come together.

The next home game takes place Oct. 30 at the Tournament Capital Centre at 6 p.m. for the women and 7:45 p.m. for the men.

Cross country showing in Nanaimo provides experience Cameron Doherty SPORTS EDITOR Ω The TRU cross country team travelled to Beban Park, Nanaimo, this past weekend to compete for the right to be named one of the top cross country runners in British Columbia, and while none of the runners finished at the top of the results sheet it was still some valuable experience gained for TRU. Only eight of the cross country team’s twenty members made the trip to Vancouver Island for the race, as Head Coach Carmin Mazzotta only took runners that

he thought “can be competitive in this race, get in the mix and give it a good go.”

Competing in the senior men’s category were Conlan Sprickerhoff and Tony Kiprop, who finished in 27th and 30th place respectively. Brennen Smith of TRU competed in the junior men’s category and came across the line in 15th place. All five of the TRU women attending the race competed in senior women’s category with Rachel Lobay the highest finisher in 23rd place.

Alesha Miller came 28th, Emma Starko finished 30th, followed closely by Nicole Vermey and Christa Miller who finished in 31st and 32nd.

Cross country is unique in team sports in the CIS in that there is no Canada West championship meet, so the event this past weekend was actually the B.C. club championships. It was a field of athletes that contained some of the top professional runners in the province, as well as competitors from other universities like UBC and Trinity Western.

“It’s nothing like who you see here at the Dirty Feet series or the Interior Running Association, these are athletes that are at a level that very few people in Kamloops even remotely touch.

You get some of the top professional runners in the province

that show up, and it’s a pretty crazy field,” Mazzotta said.

Not only was this event a chance for the WolfPack athletes to prove themselves amongst the provincial elite in running, but also in the eye of their coach.

Due to the fact that there is no qualifier to attend the CIS championships taking place in Guelph Ontario, Nov. 14, Mazzotta will be deciding who gets to attend that event and is only going to be including runners that he feels can be competitive. While he labelled the group of runners that attended the B.C. championships as his “A” squad, he hasn’t ruled anyone out.

“Those athletes that aren’t

going to B.C. champs, it doesn’t mean they’re out of the running for nationals. We’re going to see how they do in training the next week and then in our final race before nationals,” Mazzotta said.

Whether they make the trip to Ontario or not, all of the athletes on this team have put in the hard effort required to be a CIS runner. Mazzotta estimates that they run between 45 and 75 km a week in preparation for their races. So while the weekend may not have yielded the results that the runners wanted it was another valuable stepping stone for the team as they build momentum for November.

NEWS

12

OCTOBER 28, 2015

Membership Advisory

$5 Student tickets at the TRUSU Desk

$5 TICKETS STUDENT

more info at trusu.ca

richard florida Nov 18th at 7PM more info at trusu.ca/events Tickets at the TRUSU Desk trusu.ca

/TRUStudentsUnion

@TRUSU15

@TRUSU15