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T H O M P S O N R I V E R S U N I V E R S I T Y ' S I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R
VOLUME 28 · ISSUE 18 · FEBRUARY 6, 2019
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STUDENTS VOICE OPINIONS AT TOWN HALL
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BRINGING IN THE YEAR OF THE PIG
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DISAPPOINTING END TO MBB SEASON
Playoff hopes rekindled for women's volleyball Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The women’s volleyball team beat the Brandon Bobcats in back-to-back games to go 10-10 for the season, keeping their playoff hopes alive. The 'Pack won fives sets against the Bobcats, 25-19,25-12,2225,22-25,17-15 on Feb.1 on the Warner Rentals Court. The match was ultra-competitive right from the first set and
was tied at five before TRU went on a run and led the game 11-6. The Bobcats showed character and came back to make it 14-11 but once again TRU went on a run, scoring five unanswered points. The ’Pack eventually won the set 25-19. The second set was a little more one-sided as TRU got out to a seven-point lead. TRU led at the timeout, the score was 16-9. TRU eventually won the set 25-12. The Bobcats started playing better in the third set and had a 60 percent attack to TRU’s 54. They won the set 25-22.
The fourth set was very close, the ’Pack led 3-0 but the Bobcats showed their resilience once again tying the game at 13 and led 16-14 at the timeout.
See TRU WVB Page 11
(TRU Athletics/Andrew Snucins)
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FEBRUARY 6, 2019
NEWS
IT Services host fifth annual Privacy and Security Conference Presentations on the Cambridge Analytica scandal, Google’s user data profiles and more Juan Cabrejo BUSINESS EDITOR Ω TRU’s Information Technology Services department held their fifth annual Privacy and Information Security Conference last Thursday in the Campus Activity Centre. The day-long event offered an opportunity for attendees to network with other professionals employed in information security, along with continuing the conversation on current issues in the digital age. Over 200 guests were in attendance, including CPE practitioners, educators, lawyers, engineers, managers and students. President Brett Fairbairn and Elder Margaret Vickers Hyslop offered welcoming works and blessings. The morning included keynote speaker B.C. Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy who described his experience in the U.K. during the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica data scandal investigation and his encounter with Cambridge Analytica ex-employee Christopher Wylie, who brought the politically-purposed illicit data harvesting to the public light. During Evoy’s time as deputy commissioner, he began an investigation into how political parties in B.C. collect and use voter data. He intends to publish the final
B.C. Information and Privacy Commissioner Michael McEvoy recounts his experience in the U.K. investigating the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica Data Scandal at TRU's fifth P+S Conference. (Juan Cabrejo/The Omega) report by this week. “Interestingly, we are the only province in Canada that provides for that (investigating the use and collection of data), in fact, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada is not allowed to look at how political parties handle your data as a federal folio,” he
said. “Hopefully next (this) week, I will be releasing a report on how political parties in B.C. use your data." "Obviously we do not want a situation of Cambridge Analytica to ensue here in British Columbia and so the investigation reports a lot about taking cause, reflecting
and thinking about how parties ought to be acting and the kind of engagement that they need to have with voters," McEvoy added. Subsequent to the morning keynote and other presentations on privacy law and the value of penetration testing, a panel on the "internet of things" featuring
various IT directors and managers in the region served to highlight many of the concerns around the security of intelligent appliances along with the vitality of consumer education on these devices. The afternoon keynote was a presentation by RSA Security Field CTO Ben Smith on some of the security solutions offered by the company around digital risk management including threat detection, response and prevention. Nearing the end of the conference, TRU learning technology and innovation director Brian Lamb gave an informative yet terrifying talk on the trends occurring on the internet and the exploiting of personal data by large companies for advertising purchases. He spoke on occurrences like the Macedonian teens who originated the fake news phenomenon during the U.S. election campaign to make money and the disturbing YouTube children’s channels who were going under Youtube’s radar by gaming the website’s algorithms and the data profiles collected by Google and Facebook to sell to advertisers. TRU vice-president administration and finance Matt Milovick gave the closing remarks thanking Hugh Burley and the IT Services department for their efforts to make the conference possible along with cracking a few paranoia jokes on digital security.
Rethinking the cooperative business model with local experts Documentary A New Economy showcases examples of successful co-op businesses across Canada Juan Cabrejo BUSINESS EDITOR Ω The latest films for change screening sponsored by Transition Kamloops showcased the documentary film, A New Economy, and was followed by a panel discussion with local economic experts. The documentary interviewed several cooperative organizations and suggested that the co-op model could be a revolutionary way of doing business globally if utilized more prevalently. The panel included associate professor Bruce Martin, consulting economist Leslie Lax and management consultant Colin O’Leary answering questions on their take on the co-op model and what are the steps required to ensure a more sustainable economy. For Bruce Martin, the key to a more egalitarian and sustainable economy is to introduce innovative business models like cooperatives. “I think that the variety of models that we would see in that film represent different business models or ways of creating value or delivering value and capturing value,” he said. “To me, the things that can help our economy do well and promote equality and sustainability are great innovative business models and we have so many examples of those in organizations that would fit into
what I call the social enterprise.” Economist Leslie Lax argues that in order to implement different modes of business management, there needs to be systemic change before being able to do so. “I think we shouldn’t forget that we operate within a given context and in Canada, that context is a capitalist system that operates with certain institutions,” he said. “If we’re looking to operate different systems or different modes of business management and ownership, but within that context, I think ultimately we’re doomed to fail until we change the systemic social and cultural norms.” The analogy of “switching the engines of the plane while still in the air” was used frequently throughout the panel although Lax believes a better analogy would be regarding changing the design of the plane. For Martin, it’s not a dichotomous choice of having to completely change the economic system or keep it exactly as it is. He believes a better approach is to maintain the current system while implementing elements of corporate social responsibility. “I don’t think that we have to change the entire system, I also don’t think that we can just continue in the current way, but I do think that there are ways to change what we are doing right now that in our
From left: The panel included associate professor Bruce Martin, consulting economist Leslie Lax and management consultant Colin O’Leary answering questions on their take on the co-op model. (Juan Cabrejo/The Omega) context would be tweaks rather than a complete change to the system,” he said. “I think organizations that follow a profit model are probably the best way for us to produce the goods and services we want most efficiently and can produce it sustainably, environmentally, socially, considerately; it’s just what we do with the profits.” According to O’Leary, he has noticed a trend in the rising interest
in co-ops within the Kamloops community, particularly co-ops around agricultural projects. “I see many projects come across my desk and I’ve actually noticed a real movement in the interest in co-ops, there are not many people who seem to have a true understanding of the value of that business model,” he said. “The other comment I’ll make with it is I see a pretty strong connection between
co-ops and agriculture more than anything and I find it’s typically out of need.” O’Leary mentions a local example of a company called Urban Matter CCC whom he describes as a hybrid between a cooperative and a corporation. Founded as a Community Contribution Company (CCC), they reinvest 60 per cent of their profits back into community innovation activities and ventures.
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OPINION
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OPINION
Re: “Please play again” Roll Up the Rim is back, but why do we care so much? Justin Moore
fill a gap in your program
STAFF WRITER Ω February is a depressing month. Our New Year's resolutions have failed, midterms are just around the corner and this winter weather is kicking our asses, but year-after-year, one ray of light emerges in the form of a red and yellow paper cup. You guessed it, Roll Up the Rim season is back, baby. It's a rite of passage for Canadians; A nationwide craze that seems to sink into our very bones as we zip up our Patagonia jackets and brave the cold heading to our local Tim Hortons. It's almost like we forget just how much we hate drinking that cheap, meek, watered-down coffee that our country is oddly known for. It's a game that has snuck it's way into the fabric of our culture and it begs the question. What's the big deal? Chances are if you're a student, professor or really anyone that spends enough time on campus at TRU, you probably have your own vendetta against Tim's, but despite that long agonizing line, we'll be standing in it by weeks end waiting to get our thumbs under the brim of those wasteful paper cups. And for what? The promise of a "please play again" tab or by chance a free doughnut that was shipped frozen from Eastern Canada. Remember when their slogan was "Always Fresh?"
Athabasca University has over 850 courses to choose from to meet your needs and courses start every month. AU has over 6,600 transfer agreements around the world (including with this institution).
Can this really be Canada's favourite beverage? (Wade Tomko/The Omega) Can't be worse than their potato wedges I guess… Even if the classic Canadian coffee chain is your daily preference, there is still a level of disappointment for those, like me, that carry around their reusable coffee mugs. While the rest on campus tosses their ripped up paper cups and plastic lids into our trash, recycling and even compost bins, we're left with mugs of stomach-pain inducing coffee, with no chance of winning this year's top prize. At least we're the ones saving the planet, right?
No matter your stance on the Canadian sport (second only to hockey), you're bound to see Roll Up infiltrant your life in the next few weeks. Whether it's your friends posting their win-to-lose Roll Up ratio on their Snapchat, a national news article about someone winning big and failing to save a required pin code off the bottom of the cup or maybe you're the one taking precious time out of your day waiting for a cup of rancid Canadian bean juice. Roll Up the Rim is here for all of us and we're all losers.
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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.
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FEBRUARY 6, 2019
NEWS
Canada and China’s relationship in turmoil Christian Varty NEWS EDITOR Ω Following the arrest of Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver on Dec. 1, Canada and China have been locked in a diplomatic dispute further exacerbated by foreign interests. The most boisterous voice of foreign interests is our neighbour to the south, the United States of America. The U.S. has called for the extradition of Wanzhou on the basis of 13 indictments, some of which include bank fraud as well as sanctions violations. The Wanzhou case has been the most strenuous event between Canada and China in recent years. The Harper government’s stance towards the Asian country is categorically the same as the current approach involving a switch between hardball politics and capitulation. Before the Wanzhou arrests, perhaps the most representative act of this was Trudeau’s visit to China with the goal to criticize their human rights
record in order to promote a work standard more in accordance with Western practices. The actual meeting turned out to be less one-sided than anticipated. China went on the offence and criticized Canada’s treatment of first nations peoples, noting that many communities were without clean drinking water. Political science professor Rob Hanlon who specializes in politics in the region puts forth that Canada has always maintained a somewhat ambivalent relationship with the country. That meeting may have left Canada with a blemish on our self-congratulatory humanitarian image, but the fallout of the Wanzhou arrest has resulted in consequences that are less conceptual and even deadly for a Canadian citizen abroad. The immediate backlash directed towards Canada manifested itself twofold; as verbal reprimands and as the detainment of Canadians overseas. In the span of two months since Wanzhou was placed under house arrest in her Vancouver home, there have been a series of Canadians
arrested. Two of which are explicitly connected to the Wanzhou arrest, while the other arrests and sentencing have not been linked to the recoil, although do seem suspiciously convenient. The first arrest of a Canadian relevant to the Wanzhou case was Michael Kovrig on Dec. 1. As a senior advisor at International Crisis Group, Kovrig often criticized the Chinese government. In a social media post, Kovrig was critical of Huawei’s expansion into the foreign market. Michael Spavor was the second Canadian detained by Chinese authorities. Spavor has gained notoriety for being intimately associated with the North Korean regime. Both of these arrests were cited by Chinese officials as being retaliatory towards the Wanzhou arrest. The most damning act of Chinese juridical action was directed at Robert Schellenberg who was previously sentenced to 15 years in Chinese prison for conspiracy to traffic nearly 500 lbs of methamphetamines. This sentencing has been changed to the death penalty, a sentencing that is
CFBX TOP 30 CFBX 92.5 FM, 350 Watts Kamloops, BC Music Director: Steve Marlow Charts to January 31, 2018 * indicates Canadian Content ** indicates a local artist Artist - Album (Label) 1) Mother Mother* - Dance and Cry (Universal) 2) Brandon Isaak* - Rise n' Shine (Independent) 3) Robyn - Honey (Konichiwa) 4) Jon Batiste - Hollywood Africans (Blue Note) 5) Jock Tears* - Bad Boys (Inky) 6) Abby Zotz* - Local Honey (Independent) 7) Barbra Lica* - You're Fine (Justin Time) 8) Seas* - Cursed (Dine Alone) 9) Priors* - New Pleasure (Slovenly) 10) Jimmy Rankin* - Moving East (True North) 11) The Carbons** - August Ash (Independent) 12) Simone Morris* - Settling Up (Independent) 13) Hook and Nail* - Ghosts of Taylorton (Independent) 14) Paul Oscher - Cool Cat (Blues Fidelity) 15) Buildings and Food* - Quick Beat Save (Number F) 16) Wet Ashes - The Main Mane (Independent) 17) Brian Baggett* - Bookmarks (Independent) 18) Purveyors of Free Will* - If They Mention My Name in Hell, Just Keep Runnin' (Baffled Octopi) 19) David Morin* - Every Colour (Bombay) 20) Nik Tee* - BC Boy (Barefeet) 21) Future Peers* - I'm Sorry! (Garment District) 22) Randy Casey - I Got Lucky (Independent) 23) Tragedy of Mine - Tenebris (Out of Line) 24) Dan Frechette/Laurel Thomsen* - Driving by Candlelight (Independent) 25) Gonzales* - Solo Piano III (Gentle Threat) 26) Wild Blueberry Band* - A Brand New Day (Independent) 27) China Syndrome* - Hide in Plain Sight (Independent) 28) Huttch* - Huttchino (Independent) 29) Kirsten Ludwig* - We Get it Now (Oscar St.) 30) Mother Sun** - Flower/One Eye (Factotum Co.)
seldom given to Westerners. Chinese officials claim this is not in tandem with the Wanzhou case, however, it is coincidental. Hanlon is also quick to suggest that the diplomatic dispute between Canada is one that can be overcome.
He asserts that our government officials are proficient at their jobs and will be able to take care of the issue. Rather than the issue being Canada versus China, it is likely that Canada finds itself as an awkward middleman between China and the U.S.
How colonial settlers were and continue to be "the scissors" in Canada's Indigenous landscape Elizabeth Nygren CONTRIBUTOR Ω On Jan. 31, TRU anthropology professor Lisa Cooke kicked off the first of the winter 2019 Arts Colloquium sessions in the TRUSU Lecture Hall. This first session was titled Meeting in place on settler colonial terrains of encounter: Being the scissors and discussed how the colonial settlers throughout Canada’s history took land from Indigenous people, making them "the scissors." The session was filled with attendees, all eager to take part in what Cooke had to say. She began the session with how the conversation around the rights of Indigenous peoples needs to carry forward past simply recognizing territory. “We’re encouraged to acknowledge territory but it just kind of falls there. We open events with an acknowledgement and that’s that,” Cooke said. “I want to introduce myself now the same way I do to my students ... I grew up on Blackfoot, Tsuut’ina, Ktunaxa territory in the place most dominantly known as Calgary.” Cooke recognizes herself as an anthropologist, someone who is curious about cultural phenomenon but also as a settler, someone who sees her own cultural forms. Colonialism is defined as the cultural domination of one group over another, whereas settler colonialism is an articulation of when a group attempts to erase the conditions of how they became the dominant culture. Cooke also spoke to how colonialism is ongoing, not just one event that happened in the past.
Cooke added that our culture is “the structure within we operate in,” meaning that the home we grew up in is our culture and our sense of how the world works. She also explained how space is the physical world but places are what we have carved out of these spaces. Examples of places include our homes, schools, places of work and places of relaxation. Cooke then gave participants pens and paper to draw a place that is special to them. After, she had them stand and discuss why and how this place was special to them. Then, she said “you can have this much of your picture,” while telling participants that they can choose one corner or one spot. Cooke cut it out and that’s all the participants would get but she did not cut the piece out as she knew the pictures and places meant so much to each individual. This act of removing a piece of a person’s sentimental place is similar to how aboriginal people’s land was taken from them and they were only given a small piece back. Cooke shows that the “scissors” are colonialism and that they come in the form of treaties, policies, laws, languages and education systems. They are cutting pieces of their Indigenous culture away, as a pair of scissors cuts away paper. Cooke went on to add that it’s important for settlers to come to terms with their settler role and take responsibility for it. She says that through responsibility and compassion, we can help heal the wound. “When people talk about unsettling settler colonialism, it is about agitating the whole structure and rebuilding the house together,” she said.
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NEWS
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TRUSU hosts budget consultation town hall Students given chance to voice their concerns over problems at TRU Christian Varty NEWS EDITOR Ω Following their Annual General Meeting on Jan. 24, TRUSU hosted a town hall event last week that allowed students to voice their concerns regarding the university’s operation and conduct. The subject matter
was set by the issues students found most pressing based on the TRUSU budget consultation survey that is offered to students each year. Leading the budget consultation town hall was University Governance Counsellor Alex McLellan. McLellan notified the crowd that they would be guaranteed anonymity for
their comments during the event before diving into the consultation. The first subject on the docket was unsurprisingly parking. While parking is a largely predictable problem, perhaps the most disturbing genre of criticism came from students asserting that while they had previously paid for parking, had still
TRUSU university governance coordinator Alex McLellan speaks to a lecture hall full of students. (Aidan Grether/Ω)
received tickets from Impark. “One of the reasons why parking can be frustrating is that TRU is purposefully trying to move people away from driving to campus,” McLellan said on the issue. While cost is certainly a factor in the aforementioned parking, the rest of the concerns discusses were permeated by theme of unaffordability. Ancillary course costs and the price of campus were the two biggest concerns voiced by students. “It breaks my heart that everything comes down to money,” one disgruntled student said. “The relationship between a teacher and student is supposed to be like amazing, but it’s all about promoting a certain book for $200.” Another audience member called into question the concerns students have about the seemingly arbitrary nature of textbook versions. “Last semester I had an experience with one of the courses where the instructor was insistent on buying the U.S. version which was really expensive and unnecessary whereas the Canadian was cheaper, but not that cheap, around $60,” they said. The cost to eat on campus was no doubt at the forefront, with complaints around the campus' many dining areas, yet
there remained a slew of other complaints and suggestions by the students. At the top of the contentions that are most realistically achievable by the university was the issue of food trucks. Food trucks have become a somewhat viable option in the past for students but have been subject to diminishing hours, sporadic scheduling and obscure placement. Perhaps one point that was subtly poignant in the overarching concerns of students, as well as the purported desires of the school, was the lack of an on-campus bar in the vein of the late Heroes, now The Den. Multiple students that were trying to fix the lack of an on-campus social scene brought up the university pub as an example of an establishment that kept students on campus when their classes we’re finished through weekly events and dances. The common thread amongst students’ complaints was the lack of overall directive for the school moving forward. Administrative decisions have attempted to cut down on students driving to school, yet have created parking issues. Some students even cited that TRU’s ambitious building projects have left their peers perplexed and unsure of the administration's future choices.
Discussing solutions to end inequality for Indigenous children Indigenous activist Cindy Blackstock talks about the importance of advocacy and equity Farrah Johnson CONTRIBUTOR Ω Cindy Blackstock, executive director of the First Nations Child & Family Caring Society of Canada, said administering interventions that target poverty, addiction and mental health are effective ways to bring about equity for Indigenous communities. On Jan. 30, the activist visited TRU to discuss: Ending Inequalities for First Nations Children, which was presented on the law floor of the Old Main Building. During her discussion, Blackstock asserted that there have been a number of problematic approaches that have been unsuccessful in remediating the issue. Such approaches include the disregard of “structural factors” that negatively impact families, a “focus on reducing children in care instead of increasing family wellness” and the dependence on “tools versus vision.” “I hear a lot of people talk about the over-representation of Indigenous children in child welfare as if it’s a problem looking for a solution,” she said. "But actually, it is a solution that has never been implemented— that’s the issue.” Blackstock stated that right now, there is more need for people to “roll up their sleeves”
and take action, rather than just provide more research for areas that have already been covered. “It doesn’t matter what your job is, the most important role that we all share is to look after the kids and to stand up for them when they need us the most,” she said. "When it comes to government, they know better and we have to make sure they do better for kids. That’s our job.” Blackstock explained that she never signed up to be an activist but the injustices she saw happening in the Indigenous community inspired her to do something. “What you have to do is say that somebody else around your life or your community or around you, deserve better than what they’re getting,” she said. "I saw these beautiful children getting less for education from the federal government, getting less for early childhood, getting less for child welfare, I saw all of this happening while society often judged them as if they had nothing.” Blackstock stated that part of the reason this was happening was that people were unaware of all of the inequalities. She added another thing that bothered her was the fact that many Indigenous children internalized these negative messages. “They didn’t know [the
Blackstock believes ending such inequalities rests with both the government and society as a whole. (Aidan Grether/Ω) government] wasn’t giving them lots of money. They just knew life was a lot harder for them and so some of them started to believe that the problem was them. They started to believe that they weren’t smart, that they weren’t good enough,” she said. Blackstock insisted that when societal inequalities are adequately addressed education is improved and the health and mental wellness of the entire
population increases. “It’s easier to think that the reason that we’re not doing something is because we don’t know because there’s more risk here to take on the government than it is to do a study of the government,” she said. “But we need to be clearer on all the answers that are already there.” Stating that people often forget just how “exhausting” poverty is, Blackstock
emphasized the need to “target” the main reasons that contribute to children and families being at risk. “We need to hold the feet to the fire, the people who can make change,” she said. Blackstock also asked her audience to think about whether Indigenous children were solely at risk because of their particular caregiver or if other “societal” issues played a role.
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FEBRUARY 6, 2019
ARTS
TRU welcomes the Year of the Pig
TRU’s Chinese community holds annual Lunar New Year celebration Cailyn Mocci ARTS EDITOR Ω 2019 is officially the Year of the Pig and TRUSU Chinese Student and Scholar Association invited the TRU community to help celebrate the turn of the new year. This year’s Lunar New Year was met with a beautiful blend of traditional with modern. The evening’s events mixed traditional songs and musical performances to Chinese hip-hop numbers and hip-hop dance. Before the performances could even start, attendees were treated to Chinese treats and a meal of fried rice and chicken. Attendees were given a grab-bag of these treats with a red envelope which later turned out to be a draw for an array of raffle prizes. The evening started with a smooth musical duet called Blue and White Porcelain by Zeming Wang and Cosmo that had the crowd cheering along. The Lunar New Year celebration placed honour on the traditional land it took place on by giving the stage for a performance of traditional Indigenous drums and song. To mix things up a little, this
Audiences at this year's Lunar New Year celebration were dazzled by the traditional dances of China as they brought in the Year of the Pig. (Aidan Grether/Ω) Lunar New Year celebration included an interactive game. The game played was similar to both
Pictionary and charades. The event was inclusive to all students and was an amazing
display of talents and traditions within the Chinese community in Kamloops.
Each performance was a new display of the voices, stories and movements of the new year.
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ARTS
Album review: Wicked // Charmer by Frank Hops
Done with Valentine's Day romance movies? Kamloops Film Society and local podcast team up for a dark fantasy film screening
Christian Varty NEWS EDITOR Ω Late in 2018 Pale North released Wasted Years Together embracing a lofidelty mix of dense shoegaze inspired walls of sound and delicate dream pop-esque guitar arpeggiation bound by the rambunctious post-punk proclivities smattered throughout the record. The album itself lyrically, sonically and in creation is nothing short of intimate. The album was recorded by two friends in the singer and guitarist Frank Hops’ basement. Hops has recently released his debut solo record called Wicked // Charmer. The comparisons between Hops’ solo album and what he’s released with Pale North are glaringly obvious but can only reach so far. Wasted Years Together is stylistically more diverse in its approach often having songs that are dramatically different from their start to their finish. Wicked // Charmer comes off as a far more approachable record whose consistent style fits comfortably within the spectrum of dream pop and slowcore. Glitter, the fifth track on the record, is a rich instrumental journey through different sonic textures that at times are often representative of the more dense portions of previous work. There are no real explosions of noise and drums as was commonplace on Wasted Years Together and the recording and mastering come off as more refined and
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Justin Moore STAFF WRITER Ω
polished than the fittingly lo-fi recording style of the aforementioned release. Embracing this allows Hops to showcase his adeptness at creating beautiful melodies. Such is certainly the case on the third track on the album, Slowburner Pt 1. Throughout the album, Hops croons lyrical themes of abandon and isolation. “Don't lock me outside again/I'm starting to lose touch with everything I hold,” he sings on Slowburner Pt 1 while the conclusion in Pt 2 of the song, five tracks later, he mournfully bellows, “I'm starting to think you're all hiding from me/ Why are you running away?/ What did I say this time?/the world is spinning and I've lost my head
so I can't wave goodbye/I love long goodbyes.” Amongst the solitude conveyed through the album are the ever-present themes of darkness, night and sleep. Counting Sheep is a slow building song where Hops poetically and cryptically whispers of the shadows falling on the floor post sunset. These recurring themes are also represented in song composition as is the case when the melody introduced at the end of Slowburner Pt 1 is slipped back into the mix in the second part of the song is representative of the cohesiveness and attention to detail throughout the album. 7.7/10 - night driving through an empty city
Dinner and a movie have always been a classic date idea and on Valentines Day those same rules apply, but if candlelit tables and rom-coms aren't your thing, we may have a spookier alternative for you. The Kamloops Film Society has partnered with a local Kamloops podcast, Drunk in a Graveyard to bring you a twist on your typical Valentine's Day events with the screening of the dark fantasy film Border, directed by Ali Abbasi and written by John Ajvide Lindqvist of Let the Right One In fame.
The film screening at the Downtown Kamloops Paramount Theatre follows a Swedish mutant Tina (Eva Melander) with a magical knack for catching contraband as a border agent. "It's very much like a head trip," said Robin Goodfellow, host of the Drunk in a Graveyard podcast. "There's a really nice romance element to it." As for dinner, those with tickets can stop by Lucky's Pub, a local eatery adjacent to TRU, for two of their classic Lucky burgers, fries and drinks for $20 before the screening. Be sure to get a game or two of pinball or Space Invaders in before the 7:00 p.m. screening. Early comers will also have a chance to win a prize bundle during the pre-show talk, as well as free tea and coupons to be handed out by DAVIDsTEA. Tickets for the event can be purchased on the Kamloops Film Series website or at the Downtown Kamloops Movie Mart for a discounted rate of $5. Be sure to check out the Drunk in a Graveyard podcast as well. Fans of horror flicks new and old, heavy metal and bizarre news will feel right at home as the team just surpassed their 100th episode and second anniversary.
Review: Kingdom Hearts 3 lives up to expectations Is Kingdom Hearts 3 worth the 14-year wait? Yes and here’s why Morgan Hunter CONTRIBUTOR Ω A game that involves fighting alongside Donald Duck, Goofy and a crapload of other Disney characters with a key-shaped sword probably doesn’t sound appealing for most college students. However, with a variety of combat mechanics, a story that, all-be-it confusing, leaves the player with a great experience and side activities that can have someone lose hours without even thinking it, Kingdom Hearts 3 delivers a game worth the 14-year wait. Kingdom Hearts 3 follows Sora, a young boy entrusted to defeat the forces of darkness before the evil mastermind Xehanort brings about a second Keyblade War. The game is technically the twelfth installment in the Kingdom Hearts series but is the third official main-line
game. The game is around 40-60 hours long give-or-take and is the final installment in the Dark Seeker Saga. The fact that this the twelfth game in a series can turn a lot of people away and unfortunately, the plot has been a major detractor for most people first getting into it. That’s understandable, however, if a person is about to head into a 40-hour game, it is pretty reasonable to watch a 10-minute long video recapping the previous games’ major points. One of the best parts of Kingdom Hearts 3 is the characters. Sora, Donald and Goofy playoff as such a likable group and the interactions that they have with other characters leave the player always rooting for them. They give the game a mature theme of when it's necessary to feed your inner darkness, how being positive all the time can hurt others at times, how sacrificing happiness is
sometimes necessary for a positive outcome, etc. Another warning going in is that this is a very cutsceneheavy game. There will be times where a cutscene will last 5-10 minutes at a time conveying a plot point or a different point of view, yet it is all fantastically done. The game mechanics are where the meat of the game is and super fun. At first, it will feel like the game is giving the player a lot of options right away, however, it does give a lot of grace for first time players and can lead to hours of just fighting, having fun the entire time. Kingdom Hearts is a difficult game to just pick up and play for 15-30 minutes, but when it is fully digested and enjoyed, it shines at every turn and will leave superfans to the most casual of gamers engrossed in a fantastic experience worth the asking price.
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Puzzle of the Week #14—Addition Problem (in the February 6, 2019 issue of The Omega)
Consider the problem AAA + BBB = DCCC where A, B,C, and D are digits. Note that leading zeroes are not valid. Find all solutions, or prove that there are none. 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.
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TRU WVB beats Brandon Bobcats in back-to-back games CONTINUED (COVER) The team traded points throughout the set but Brandon managed to complete their comeback to win another close set 25-22. The fifth set stayed true to the nature of the contest and was another nail-biter. The game was tied at both 13 and then 14. TRU managed to battle through the resistance and won the set 17-15. Olga Savenchuk was the top performer with 20 kills in 44 opportunities, 11 digs, one solo block, one block assist and two assists. Kendra Finch had 14 kills in 45 chances, nine digs, one service ace and one block assist and Anastasiya Muzyka had 52 assists, seven digs and seven block assists. “We started well and that was a good thing,” said head coach Chad Grimm to TRU Athletics. “We kind of went on cruise control in the middle of the third set a little bit. We back peddled. They defended really well. We have to do a better job tomorrow.” Grimm’s need for a better performance was met as TRU beat Brandon in three sets, 25-23, 25-21, 26-24 on Feb. 2. TRU started well and won a comfortable first set despite a close scoreline of 25-23. The second set was very competitive as the two teams traded points throughout the set but TRU was able to push through and win the set 25-21. The third set was intense as the game was tied at 21 before the Bobcats took a 23-22 lead. The sequence of events created a sense of deja vu from the previous encounter where
(TRU Athletics/Andrew Snucins)
TRU lost a two-set lead but the 'Pack managed to close the contest out with a 26-24 win. Top performers for the ’Pack were Kendra Finch with 15 kills in ten chances, 13 digs, one block assist and two assists. Olga Savenchuk had ten kills in 26 chances, seven digs and three block assists.
“We were fairly steady,” said Grimm, “We had a lead in the third and they started creeping back but we didn’t panic. We stuck with it and managed to finish it out in three sets.” Grimm was very pleased with his team’s serving and felt the small adjustments that were made paid off for the team.
Grimm also reiterated how much character and resilience his team has. “We’ve been quite successful in close matches this year,” he said. “We’ve played five five-setters and won them all.” The team is now 10-10 for the season with their playoff hopes high but despite that Grimm has
no interest at looking too far forward into the future and is only concerned about the next game. WolfPack supporters would be delighted if their team is able to secure a place in the playoffs but in order to secure that spot the team will have to go on a run.
Disappointing end to season for 'Pack men's basketball Men’s basketball team closed out the season with back-to-back losses against Calgary Dinos Alvin Mutandiro SPORTS EDITOR Ω The Men’s basketball team closed out the season with back-to-back losses to the number one ranked Calgary Dinos. TRU lost 71-62 on Feb 1. at the Jack Simpson Gym, Calgary, Alberta. TRU had ten turnovers in the first half and nine turnovers in the second, which ended up being costly for the team. TRU had 24 points in the paint whilst the Calgary Dinos had thirty points inside the paint. The first quarter was close and ended with Calgary leading the game 13-10. In the second quarter, Calgary scored 25 points in comparison to TRU’s 13. TRU’s bench outscored the
Calgary’s 19-11. Anton Bilous was the top scorer for TRU with 17 points, one rebound and Joe Davis had 13 points and six rebounds. Derek Rhodes also chipped in with 11 points and three rebounds. With this loss, TRU was knocked out of contention for the playoffs. TRU then got blown out 91-59 on Feb. 2. Calgary led 24-10 after the first quarter but despite that TRU managed to bounce back and win the second quarter 19-17. The second half was like the first as the Dinos won the third quarter 20-16. TRU tried to stay in the game throughout but the Dinos were just too good. The final quarter was a tough one for the ’Pack as the Dinos scored 30 points in comparison to TRU’s 14.
Anton Bilous was once again the top scorer for the team with 14 points and one steal. Enrico Nuno had 12 points, three assists and two steals. Joe Davis also contributed with 11 points, five rebounds and two steals. TRU was outgunned 50-30 in the second half. With the two loses TRU ends the season at 6-14 and in 14th place whilst the Dinos remain unbeaten in first place. It has been a tough season for the WolfPack men’s basketball team and fans will be disappointed they won’t get to see their team in the playoffs. This disappointing season will also be a learning experience for the team. It will present them with the opportunity to improve on key areas in their game.
(TRU Athletics/Dave Moll)
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THE OMEGA
N O I T C E L E U S TRU
S N O I T A N I M NO
February 19 - March 5, 2019 Nomination packages can be picked up at the Membersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Services Desk in the TRUSU Building Nominations will be accepted from February 19, 2019 at 8:00AM to March 5, 2019 at 4:00PM for the following positions: President
LGBTQ+ Representative
Vice President Equity
Visible Minorities Representative
Vice President External
Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Representative
Vice President Internal
Campaigns Committee Representative (2)
Vice President Services
Entertainment Committee Representative (2)
Indigenous Representative
Services Committee Representative (2)
Graduate Representative
University Affairs Committee Representative (2)
International Representative
The campaign period will run from March 11- March 22, 2019 Voting will take place from March 18-22, 2019. If you have questions regarding the TRUSU Election please contact the Electoral Committee at elections@trusu.ca, 250.828.5289, or visit trusu.ca/elections
trusu.ca/elections