UBCO’s Student Newspaper
March 6th 2017 | Vol 30, Issue 11
FRAN is the quote right? since 1989
outweek p.3 | LGBTQ+ Artists
p.15
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thephoenixnews.com |
News
Out Week Sends Message of Acceptance p.3
News
Campus
Life
Immigrants Enter Canada From the US p.7
Kelowna Bar Review p.10-11
Celebrating Engineers with E-Week p.5
New Transit Exchange Begins Construction Spring 2017 p.8
UBCO Streetwear p.13
Arts
Opinions
Sports
Artist Feature: Lucas Glenn p.14
Dismantling the “Common White Girl” Trope p.21
Heat Men Set New Record as Seniors Say Goodbye p.24
From a Victim to Pink Shirt/Bullying Awareness Days p.22
Oxland, Festival, and Given Leading Heat to Fifth Straight Playoffs p.25
The 15th Annual Art on the Line Fundraiser & Gala p.16 What to Watch in 2017 p.17
Coordinating Editor Jacky Deng
Arts Editor Paula Tran
Web Editor Justin Kroeker
Art Director Sarah James
Sports Editor Grayson B. Leahy
Photo Editor/ Video Editor Riley Petillion
Production Editor Kelsi Brown
Phoenix Columnist Mark Dreger
coordinating@thephoenixnews.com
University Centre 3333 University Way Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 5N3 Office: UNC 132B Phone: 250-807-9296
artdirector@thephoenixnews.com
Cover by Sarah James Masthead photo by Nick Thompson
sports@thephoenixnews.com
production@thephoenixnews.com
current.affairs@thephoenixnews.com
Senior Copy Editor Francesca Gimson
Life Editor Brie Welton
Junior Copy Editor Nick Huertas
Staff Writer Frances Carruthers
Opinions Editor Tyrel Lamoureux
Staff Writer Riley Schlosser
News Editor Laurence Watt
News Writer Sarah Maryschuk
copy@thephoenixnews.com
thephoenixnews.com
arts@thephoenixnews.com
huertas@thephoenixnews.com
opinions@thephoenixnews.com
news@thephoenixnews.com
life@thephoenixnews.com
carruthers@thephoenixnews.com
schlosser@thephoenixnews.com
maryschuk@thephoenixnews.com
web@thephoenixnews.com
video@thephoenixnews.com photo@thephoenixnews.com
Visuals Editor Sarah Dowler
visuals@thephoenixnews.com
Ad Sales Alex Barberis
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Contributors Dayne Patterson, Nick Vantol, Andrew Revilla Memije
The Phoenix is the UBCO students’ free press. Editorial content is separate from the University of British Columbia Student’s Union Okanagan (UBCSUO) and from the UBC institution at large. The editorial staff encourages everyone to submit material to The Phoenix but reserves the right to withdraw submissions from publication for any reason. “Any reason” could be material deemed to be sexist, racist, homophobic, or of poor taste or quality. The Phoenix will not publish materials which condone, promote, or express actions which are illegal under current laws. This does not include articles which provide an in-depth examination of both sides of a controversial subject (e.g. legalizing marijuana). The Phoenix is published, in part, by the UBCSUO and is an active member of the Canadian University Press.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
News
OUT WEEK SENDS MESSAGE OF ACCEPTANCE
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
The annual, student-run week vivaciously celebrated the LGBTQ+ presence on campus and beyond
Michael Flood - News Writer
highlight of Out Week. The week was packed with a much more extensive list of celebrator y activities including a Rainbow Flag raising ceremony to kick off the week, a ChristianLGBTQ+ community event, Queer Sex-Ed, an informative T-Party discussion on transgender topics and issues, the Pride Alliance Games Night, an ‘OutTalk’, and a wonderful presentation by professor Jillian Deri. To close the week with a bang, Sapphire threw the oh-so-bumpin’ Fruitcake night. One of the lead organizers of the week, Sarah Desrosiers, highlighted the tea talk as a particularly successful conversation,
“ ‘OutWeek is important to have on campus to show the LGBTQ+ students that they’re not simply tolerated, but accepted.’ — Sarah Desrosiers
“
The Out Week organizers do a wonderful job developing a sense of community on campus, not just for the LB GTQ+ community, but also a greater sense of community that is both tolerant and accepting of all kinds of diversity and inclusion. The organization of the week, and the programs offered, exemplify these themes. B eyond the depth of the discussion the week promotes, the events are simply some of the most fun campus activities of the year. I had the great pleasure of scoring Bingo at Out Week’s Naughty Bingo event, and while I won’t tell you the cherished prize I claimed, I hope you’ll join the crew next year for this
facilitated during Out Week, and noted that “there was a great turnout and the facilitators, B eck and Ellie did a wonderful job of sharing their experiences, answering questions and generating conversation.” When asked why this week is such an integral part of the UB CO campus culture, Desrosiers explained that, “Out Week is important to have on campus to show the LGBTQ+ students that they’re not simply tolerated, but accepted. It also gave allies the chance to participate in queer events, celebrate their peers and colleagues, and get information.” Out Week is a proud and loving voice on our campus,
don’t let it go unrecognized. Participate where you can, I know I benefitted from the shared experiences the wonderful organizers facilitated and spirited. Happy Pride!
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Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
AFRICAN-CARIBBEAN CULTURE WEEK: A BEAUTIFUL RENDITION OF CAMPUS DIVERSITY The variety and creativity of activity exemplified during ACCW 2017 reminds us of the cultural mosaic that exists at UBCO Michael Flood - News Writer
several African and Caribbean countries, and the week ended with the ACSC Gala night at Laurel Packinghouse, which was described at a resounding success. The night featured dances, keynote speakers, a fashion show, and food, food, food. Even more impactful than the cultural amenities that the week offered, was the depth and breadth of conversation into topics of Black excellence, the hurdles and the beauty of Afro-Caribbean nations, and an intimate discussion about the campus profile of the Afro-Caribbean student minority. When asked why this week is an integral part of the UBCO student experience, the president
“ ‘Afro-Caribbean Culture Week is a way for Black students especially to express themselves. We create an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate our presence in a community where we are a visible minority.’ – Juachi Dozie
“
It must be said—before I say anything else—that AfroCaribbean Culture Week could have run on for a whole month, and excitement would not have subsided. The coordinators covered all the bases and oversaw enthusiastic involvement in the organized activities. Events included a BKChat featuring a discussion of polarizing topics among male and female students; a film festival providing a stage for the creative works of UBCO Students; and a Vendor’s Market selling African and Caribbean goods from the local retailers, artists and students alike. Thursday was friendly on the taste buds, with samples of cuisine from
of the Afro-Caribbean Student Club, Juachi Dozie, highlighted that “AfroCaribbean Culture Week is a way for black students, in particular, to express themselves. We create an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate our presence in a community where we are a visible minority”. While food, discussion, and a series of culture showcases filled the busy schedule of Afro-Caribbean week, there was still more to come. The organizers took a charitable stride with culture week, and collaborated with the local RAMA (Radical Actions for Migrants in Agriculture) initiative that supports migrant workers
from Latin America and the Caribbean who are employed on Okanagan farms. All-inall, the week demonstrated how much we all benefit from the intercultural experiences organized by UBCO students, for UBCO students. Until next year, ACCW.
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
CELEBRATING ENGINEERS WITH E-WEEK This year’s E-Week to be the biggest one yet at UBCO Michael Flood - News Writer
on Monday, March 6. The majority of E-Week events will take place during the day on campus to integrate students on their way to and from class, while other events will take place at night downtown or in The Well. Thanks to the sponsors supporting this year’s E-Week, many of the events will be free, although, some other events do have a fee that will be put toward fundraising for local clubs and charities. Engineers Without Borders or “EWB” is hosting “Pour-a-Pint for Poverty” at Rose’s Waterfront Pub on Wednesday, March 8— for only $10 you can get a burger, beer and fries, which is a price even students can afford. Plus, all the funds raised from this event go to charity. Massimiliano Lauretta, Chair of the E-Week
“ ‘We’ve never had an E-Week that’s going to be like this one, it’s going to be new, and it’s going to be crazy.’ — Holly Denby
“
While some students will resort to Netflix binges and long nights at The Well, UBCO engineers will be relieving the stress of midterms with their annual Engineering Week. Engineering Week, or “E-Week”, which will take place within National Engineering Month, runs from March 6-10. This year is the first year the Engineering Society will be implementing a theme, developed from the popular television show Game of Thrones. E-Week will be a week focused on engineers, but most of the events are open to all students to come eat, watch, and participate! Although some of the events are exclusive to engineers, many of them are open to students in other faculties, including the Colour Run, Car Smash, and all-ages Kick-Off Party which is hosted at The Well
Organizing Committee, voiced his enthusiasm for this year’s celebrations: “The entire E-Week Organizing Committee is excited to be hosting such an exciting week full of activities and opportunities for Engineers and all students at UBCO to be exposed to a variety of new experiences.” The wide range of E-Week merchandise can be bought from the Engineering Society office in EME 1253. The shirts, which sport the Game of Thrones quote, “I drink and I know things,” are typically five dollars and are only available during E-Week; but if you show up to seven of the events, you can pick one up for free! The engineers contending in the competitive events will be battling for the first ever custom
E-Week trophy, the winners will not only receive bragging rights; but they will also have their names forever engraved on the E-Week trophy, which will be held within the Engineering Society Office. With the wide range of events, food and competition, it is undoubtedly going to be a fun-filled week. As Holly Denby, Risk Management for the E-Week Organizing Committee, put it, “We’ve never had an E-Week that’s going to be like this one, it’s going to be new, and it’s going to be crazy.” For a full list of E-Week events, go to: (www.ubcoeweek2017. com). Also, a special thanks to this year’s sponsors: the UBCSUO, Best Western Plus, 97 Street Pub, Stantec and Runnalls Denby: B.C. Land Surveyor.
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Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
Photo provided by Shanelle Connell/ Victoria Blaire Photography
SHANELLE CONNELL IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE PAGEANT GIRL Psychology undergraduate student challenges the perception and stereotype of pageantry Sarah Maryschuk – News Editor
psychology. Inspired by her mom’s participation in pageants as a young woman, Connell decided it was time to stop simply observing pageants on TV and to get more involved. The platform would give her a chance to advocate for social issues and charities that she was passionate about, as well as develop her own personal and professional skills. Now she’s a finalist for the upcoming Miss World Provincial pageant, and a potential contender for Miss World Canada and Miss World. Miss World is the oldest and longest running pageant in the world, started in 1951 in the UK. Since then, it has evolved into a program that encourages women to advocate for causes that they are passionate about, and gives them a platform to share their ideas with the world. As a provincial finalist, Connell will be
“ ‘I underestimated myself and what I could do... But now I see how capable I am, and this experience was an opportunity to better myself and those around me. [Pageants] have given me a lot of confidence in school and in life.’ — Shanelle Connell
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Prior to sitting down with Shanelle for an interview, I wasn’t sure how to approach our conversation, and had no idea what questions to ask her. My experience with pageants or those who participate in them is limited to what I’ve seen on TV, with the most notable being Steve Harvey accidentally announcing the wrong winner of the Miss Universe competition in 2015. However, I approached this opportunity as a way to learn from someone who engages in a community quite different from my own, and with International Women’s Day around the corner, as a way to celebrate a peer and a young woman who is challenging stereotypes. Initially intending to major in computer science at UBCO, Connell left to pursue graphic and web design at Centre for Arts and Technology. She eventually transferred back to pursue a degree in
competing in Vancouver in the Miss World BC pageant in March. If successful, she will have the opportunity to travel to Toronto in July for the Miss World Canada competition. The winner of Miss World Canada then has the chance to compete for the title of Miss World. Women in the Miss World pageants are not only judged on their beauty and clothing choices throughout the competition, but also for their character and how they interact with other contestants and staff members who help make the pageant a reality. They are expected to answer questions that reflect their personal character and knowledge, and understanding of world affairs and politics. “I underestimated myself and what I could do,” explained Connell. “But now I see how capable I am, and this experience was an opportunity to better
myself and those around me. [Pageants] have given me a lot of confidence in school and in life.” For Connell, her love of psychology has played a major role in the cause she chooses to represent, and she actively promotes mental health initiatives such as Bell Let’s Talk day. Connell is currently advocating for the Miss World Canada charity of choice, Cardiac Kids, a charity that raises money to support children with congenital heart disease. “Becoming Miss World Canada would not only be a dream come true,” Connell explained to me, “but an amazing opportunity to spread awareness for mental health and programs like Cardiac Kids.” For more information on Shanelle’s journey, you can check out her website: http:// shanelleconnell.com/
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
Photo by t47360/ Creative Commons
IMMIGRANTS ENTER CANADA FROM THE US Some take the frigid journey from the US to cross Canada’s border Mark Dreger - Phoenix Coloumnist
said Jean-Nicolas Beuze, the UN refugee agency’s representative in Canada, on CBC’s Power & Politics. A CBC reporter asked one Turkish man why he was leaving the U.S., to which he replied, “because it’s not safe.” The border crossings became national news when a Ghanaian refugee nearly died when he crossed the Canadian border into Manitoba on Christmas Eve, after a judge denied his request for asylum. His journey in the freezing winter temperatures led to severe frostbite, which resulted in the man losing all
“
‘The rhetoric in the U.S. against foreigners, migrants, refugees and against specific groups has prompted some of them to feel they were potentially at risk in the U.S., of not having access to a fair process in the U.S., and those decided to come to Canada. — Jean-Nicolas Beuze
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In the month of January alone, 452 people have claimed asylum at the Quebec border, over triple the amount that had applied one year prior. In Manitoba, 99 asylum-seekers have been detained at the border since the New Year. Many attribute this surge to the current political climate in the United States. “The rhetoric in the U.S. against foreigners, migrants, refugees and against specific groups has prompted some of them to feel they were potentially at risk in the U.S., of not having access to a fair process in the U.S., and those decided to come to Canada,”
his fingers. These illegal crossings are meant to avoid the Third Country Agreement between Canada and the US. The agreement, implemented in 2002 after 9/11, means that refugees must request protection in the first safe country they arrive in, with some exceptions present in the agreement. If one does not meet any exceptions, then their request to enter Canada will be denied. The catch is, the agreement only applies to those entering the country at land border crossings, by train, or at airports, meaning that refugees are crossing the
border illegally in an attempt to override the agreement and avoid these restrictions. If the RCMP catch an illegal entry, the illegal immigrants will be arrested for questioning and either be processed for refugee protection in Canada, or be rejected.
believes these small quakes are increasing the risk of a “Big One” in the future. “If that locked zone is close to critical, and you add more stress on to it […] that could trigger, theoretically, the ‘megathrust’ earthquake.” While Bird and other scientists estimate that small quakes increase the probability of a major earthquake hitting populated areas, Natural Resources Canada seismologist Honn Kao does not believe these quakes are related to a future “Big One.” “It is important for
everybody to know is that this particular location has had [an] earthquake before, and the occurrence of this particular event is not a particular surprise to us,” Kao told CBC. “I don’t think we should feel any panic about the occurrence of this event.” The last major earthquake to hit BC land was in 1946, when a 7.3 magnitude quake struck, leading to one death when a boat was swamped.
BC ROCKED BY EARTHQUAKES
Recent earthquakes lead to debate of a bigger one coming Mark Dreger - Phoenix Coloumnist
have hit off the west coast of Vancouver Island on February 22 and 23, including a 4.4 earthquake that occurred about 50 kilometres west of the Island. On Friday 24, a 5.2 and 4.8 magnitude quakes were recorded 158 kilometres southwest of Port Hardy, occurring at 4:28 am and 10:04 pm respectively. Earthquakes Canada says that such quakes are not expected to cause major damage or injuries, but could be strong enough to crack walls and swing hanging objects. Seismologist Alison Bird
“ ‘I don’t think we should feel any panic about the occurrence of this event.’ — Seismologist Honn Kao
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During the last half of February, a series of small earthquakes have rattled BC’s coast. According to Earthquakes Canada, a 4.0 earthquake struck 120 kilometres northwest of Pemberton at the bottom of Chilco Lake in Ts’yl-os Provincial Park. The earthquake struck at 6:00 am local time on Saturday February 18. Reports say that the tremor was felt in Powell River, Metro Vancouver, and Victoria. At least one man in Kelowna at the time claimed to feel the tremors. Nearly 30 earthquakes
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Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
News
NEW TRANSIT EXCHANGE BEGINS CONSTRUCTION SPRING 2017 New public transit exchange offers a safer and more efficient way to travel Dayne Patterson - News Contributor
the growing population on campus, there is a growing demand for more public transportation. A transit study in 2013 concluded that 22% of all trips to campus were on public transit, compared to 27% in 2015 (which equates to approximately 8,400 trips a day). Although the new transit exchange could see as many as 38 buses per hour, in contrast to the 22 that are currently arriving on campus, the new layout will not only reduce congestion by allowing the increased public transit to move along the perimeter of E lot and back down University Way, but it will also improve pedestrian safety by decreasing the public transit traffic along Alumni Avenue near the cross-walks. Another addition to the transit exchange is the introduction of predesignated stops for buses.
“ ‘The [campus] planners have expressed high confidence that this is going to be a significant improvement.’ — Bud Mortenson
“
A new transit exchange is projected to begin construction on the UBCO campus this upcoming May. The transit exchange, among other campus improvements which are outlined in the updated “Campus Plan,” were approved by UBC’s Board of Governors in September of 2015. The new route will run down Alumni Avenue and along a new transit way around the perimeter of the E parking lot. It will host four bus layover areas and nine new bus bays, six of which will be constructed on Alumni Avenue. The UBCO campus currently receives an average of twenty-two buses an hour, and with the current setup, it would be difficult to accommodate any additional buses along Alumni Avenue, where the current bus shelters are currently located. With
Each bus will have a predesignated area so students will no longer have to fish for their bus, but rather, they can wait at the assigned areas. There will be new bus shelters built on Alumni Avenue and along the perimeter of E Lot where the new bus stops will be placed. The existing bus shelters will be converted into additional bike storage on campus. However, with the new transit way that will run around the perimeter of E Lot, there will be a loss of approximately 40 parking spaces. Bud Mortenson, director of UBC Okanagan University Relations, says it will only be a “temporary loss, because [the parking spaces] will be replaced on campus over the next couple of years as the west campus access is developed as a result of John Hindle drive being completed.”
Although there is no set date for the completion of the new and improved transit exchange, Mortensen said “[it is intended] to be substantially complete before classes return in September, and every effort will be made to minimize disruption for transit riders and pedestrians throughout construction.” Mortenson also stated that, “planners have expressed high confidence that this is going to be a significant improvement in both the safety of pedestrians that are crossing Alumni Avenue and will also be an improvement for an expanding bus service over time.”
Photo provied by UBC
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News | thephoenixnews.com | Sarah Maryschuk - News Editor
UN TRAINING INITIVATIVES AT UBCO
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
UN Representatives present UN Sustainability Development Goals training to UBCO Dayne Patterson - News Contributor
It is tough to pinpoint every problem on this planet, but the United Nations has done their best, and they are trying to fix them. On March 4, 2017, the UBCO Pre-Law society, BC Young Liberals club, the ESS and the Young Liberals of Canada hosted University of British Columbia Okanagan’s first ever Sustainability Development Goals Youth Training Conference. In 2001, the UN had established a set of standards known as the Millennium Goals to be met by the year 2015, 4 of 8 were actually accomplished. An updated version, known as The Sustainable Development Goals (or SDGs), was implemented by the United Nations in 2015. The updated set
of standards, which ranges from gender equality to ending poverty, is a collection of guidelines that the world population is expected to complete to make the world a better place in which to live. The conference was held to inform the attending students, staff, and guests on the 17 new standards and how they affect the earth and those who inhabit it. Unfortunately, it is difficult to achieve these positive goals with the lack of awareness and lack of enthusiasm that plagues our generation. Only about 2 billion world citizens (about 29% of the population) are aware of these previous and current goals implemented by the UN, others
just simply don’t care enough about them. Many countries neglect to fund the UN because of the lack of information throughout the population. Steve Lee, Executive Director of Foundation for Environmental Stewardship, comments on the lack of awareness surrounding our generation, “If people don’t pressure their government to pay their dues to the UN then it’s not going to work out. Meaning if there is lack of awareness or literacy around the SDGs or the importance or relevance of the UN’s work then Canada [won’t] even fund it.” He also commented on our generation’s very careless nature
stating, “There is a social praise that follows caring about social justice issues, but no one wants to pay the cost that’s associated with doing justice. If we are serious about achieving equity and inclusion and sustainability, [our generation has] to come to terms with the costs associated with it.” Lee also explained how he got involved as a Climate Change Expert, and how others should too, “You have to identify what issue makes you so angry that you can’t help but to do something about it; and you have to identify one or two and focus and really learn properly about that issue, and work hard to actually do something about it.” Sometimes making the world
a better place isn’t as hard as we make it out to be, sometimes it’s just helping out your fellow humans. Mary Kate Costello, UN Representative for the Hunger Project, says, “It doesn’t always need to be their livelihood, but I think that we stress upon our children, neighbors and our friends to [move forward], [and] that their duty to each other is also a service to themselves [. . .] For the full list of the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals go to: http://www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment/ sustainable-development-goals/
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Life
Life KELOWNA BAR REVIEW Phoenix reporters hit downtown Kelowna and get lit AF Brie Welton – Life Editor ; Fran Carruthers – Staff Writer
Grateful Fed 509 Bernard Ave Drink Variety: Beer makes up the largest section of the menu here, with a choice of craft, import and domestic as well as draught beers. The selection of other drinks is not too extensive, but there are a good variety of cocktails, spirits, and two different wines offered. Atmosphere: Chilled, retro and cosy. Walls are covered with music posters from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, and local bands frequently play here, lending to a true rock ‘n’ roll vibe. There is a combination of bar seating and tables to suit different occasions. A great
Doc Willoughby’s 353 Bernard Ave place for catching up with friends. Pricing: Beers on tap from $4.95. Craft beers are $6 and cocktails are $6.95; overall the Grateful Fed is pretty good value for money. Extra Perks: There are some great food and drink deals here, including 2-4-1 Kokanee jugs of beer on Friday nights, and “Burger & a Bud” for $15.50 on Wednesdays. Plus, this bar has probably the most memorable atmosphere of the bars we went to.
Drink Variety: There is a large selection of draught beers and ciders, bottled beers, and a relatively decent selection of wines, too. There are also five different cocktail options including Good Lookin’ Caesar, Manhattan and Ginger Lemonade. Overall there is a very good selection. Atmosphere: Every night of the week, this place is pretty buzzing. An ideal place for sports fans, there is almost always a hockey game on the TV, and there are frequent live music performances, too. With a good selection of bar- and restaurant- style seating on two floors, this is also a
very versatile bar, great for a pub lunch or a night on the town. Pricing: 16oz beers start at $6.50, wines range from $6.50-$9 and cocktails are $9 each. Not to be missed is the $5 food menu which includes burgers, sharing platters, all-day brunch and salads. Extra Perks: Daily Draught & Caesars are just $4.50 each, 11:00-5:00p.m. every day. This bar is probably the most versatile and has a really relaxed, informal atmosphere, too.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery 1250 Ellis St Drink Variety: Extensive drink menu with lots of unique options. Beverages are aesthetically pleasing, served in a variety of glasses. Slush beverages are available, two different types. Atmosphere: BNA is usually busy, but seating is extensive with some booths, long tables and couches. Atmosphere is loud and bustling, with urban style, rustic decor. Pricing: BNA is definitely on the pricey end, but the drinks’ quality does match their price. Slush No. 2
Fernando’s Pub 279 Bernard Ave was 8$ for a small glass, but it was amazing. (Phoenix reporters strongly recommend!)
Drink Variety: Simple selection of drinks available. Features beer, margaritas, Tequila and wines.
Perks: The large variety of unique food, plus shuffle board tables, make BNA a great place to meet friends for dinner, games and/or drinks.
Atmosphere: Not too busy, lots of seating available. Decor features a lot of vintage art and ornate mirrors. Pricing: Beer on tap is Old Style Pilsner 4$ for 14oz, large food menu with Burgers, Pub Fare, Starters, Tacos, Enchiladas and Burritos all for 7$
Perks: Located close to the clubs and Poutinerie, and often features live music.
Photos by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
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Brie Welton - Life Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
HOW TO BE MORE ECO THIS WEEK
Life
Illustration by Sarah Dowler/ The Phoenix News
Saving the planet from the comfort of your own home Fran Carruthers - Staff Writer
We think we have heard all the usual tips for making our daily lives more sustainable—turning off lights when we leave the room, recycling what we can, using energy-efficient lightbulbs. So this week I scoured the internet for some simple, and some unexpected ways to be a little greener in our lives. 1. Shop online. As if you needed any more excuses to browse your favourite online store, all from the comfort of your warm bed. A 2009 study by Carnegie Mellon University found that online shopping’s carbon footprint tends to be around a third smaller than that of going to the store. You may rip into your parcel’s many layers of packaging with a feeling of guilt, but despite the extra wastage it is still widely regarded to be more eco-friendly overall. 2. Plan your weekly meals. Sketching out a rough timetable
of what meals you plan to eat, on which days, will help you buy fewer items at the supermarket (by making dishes which will use up similar ingredients), and forces you to stick to the plan so you don’t buy extra food which goes to waste. 3. Bottle your beverage. Nearly 30 billion plastic water bottles are sold annually in the U.S. with less than 20% of them being recycled—the rest contributing to our ever-increasing landfill problem. Plastic bottles are also the fourth biggest contributor to trash found in the world’s oceans. So get yourself a reusable bottle and you can majorly cut your plastic waste – not to mention your spending. 4. On your bike! It turns out that cars give off CO2 emissions… who knew? But with the weather getting a little warmer, spring is in the air and a bike ride instead
of a daily commute or drive is healthier, greener, and might even make the journey a little more enjoyable. 5. Go to a used bookstore. Downtown you can find Mosaic Books, as well as a selection of weird and wonderful old books in the café-slash-bookshop Pulp Fiction. Next time you are looking for something to read, try delving into the treasures of the past before buying a brand new book. 6. Raise the steaks. …By replacing them with more vegetable protein. Animal agriculture is water-intensive, contributes to a huge quantity of deforestation, and is responsible for around 18% of all greenhouse gas emissions globally. No, you do not have to stop eating it completely, but starting to cut meat from one or two meals a week makes a difference.
7. “Fork out” for less landfill waste. Nowadays, we use far more disposable plastic items than in the past, which are contributing to the landfill problem. Those wooden disposable chopsticks? Chopping down rainforests, too. It may sound weird to carry around a knife and fork, but it is easy and much more sustainable than throwing out plastic every meal. Many camping stores sell reusable cutlery sets which last ages and can be carried around day-to-day. 8. Ditch the disposable. As well as cutlery, there are so many disposable products that we use nowadays that did not previously exist in disposable form. Switch kitchen paper towels for reusable cleaning cloths, or plastic shopping bags for reusable ones. 9. Go for naked fruit and veg. As a rule of thumb, if you have the option to buy something with less
or no packaging, choose to. Items like peppers, bananas, apples, and so on, can quite happily roam free in your shopping bags without the need (or wastage) of an extra layer of plastic. 10. Buy and sell. Today’s disposable attitude towards fashion might be great for keeping up with trends, but can be toxic for the environment. If you have old clothes that you no longer want—don’t throw them away! Give them to charity, sell them online, or host a clothes swapping party with friends and you might end up with some neat new gear, too.
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Life | thephoenixnews.com | Brie Welton - Life Editor
STREETWEAR UBCO
Stylish students spotted despite midterm stress
Brie Welton – Life Editor ; Fran Carruthers – Staff Writer
The Source
Urban Planet H&M
Forever 21
Old Navy
Aldo
Spring is finally in the air, and UBCO’s most fashionable students added a ray of sunshine to our lives with some sizzling hot looks this week. Midterms don’t seem to have stopped them from getting good grades in the school of fashion – we’d give them straight A’s all round!
Curtis McLaughlin Major: Human Kinetics Year: 4 Clothes: Shirt – Gap; Hoodie & Pants – Old Navy; Cap & Shoes – The Source
Yayu Yang
Alex Singeris
Yaming Han
Major: Management Year: 3 Clothes: All from China
Major: Biology Year: 1 Clothes: Jacket – Urban Planet; Jeans & Shirt – American Eagle; Shoes – Aldo; Backpack – Spare Parts
Major: Management Year: 3 Clothes: Jeans & Jacket – H&M; Shoes – Adidas
Photos by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
Arts
Photos provided by Lucas Glenn
ARTIST FEATURE: LUCAS GLENN
Local graphic designer, and the master of signs Paula Tran - Arts Editor
because it is an art that has been preserved for thousands of years. It is more intimate and personal than type, and provides more versatility if done by hand. Because of the lack of graphic design programs in his current field, Lucas decided to specialize in screen printing. He currently works for a company that produces graphic design work for other businesses, but receives clients on his own as well. Art wasn’t always in the radar for Lucas, though. His first encounter with graphic design, which also happened to be a turning point for him, was an opportunity to design the cover for his school’s yearbook during his twelfth-grade year. He produced a cover that featured a two-tone design and silhouettes, and it was one of his proudest work. He stressed to me that he actually saved the Yearbook Committee
“ He always had a passion for the written word, because it is an art that has been preserved for thousands of years.
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If you walk downtown and explore the local restaurants, chances are you have probably seen a sign made by Lucas Glenn. In fact, if you have stopped by the Women’s Resource Centre at any point, there is a sign created by Glenn at the back of the room, displaying a chalk art design. There’s a fair chance that you have seen a lot of his work around campus, too; Lucas designs posters for various student organizations on campus and for the Student’s Union as well. As a UBCO Alumnus, designing work for our community makes sense. Lucas Glenn graduated from the fine arts program and has produced work locally ever since. When he first arrived at the university, he noticed the lack of programs and classes in typography and publishing. He always had a passion for the written word,
thousands of dollars in the process. The idea of producing something that looked good and also helping someone save money inspired him, and Lucas has been involved in the arts ever since. His experience designing the yearbook cover helped him gauge interest in the graphic design field, and it has changed his life ever since. I asked Lucas if there were any clients that were the most notable in his mind, and he said that there aren’t any, but restaurant owners are one of the best clients to work with. “Restaurant owners are very motivated and driven people, so they are very hands-off with the designing process,” he said. As a result, he usually has a lot of freedom and tries to convey the restaurant’s message to their target audience. He tries to portray the restaurant’s style of food along with the business’s inherent atmosphere
and personality in a sign. Quoting Steve Powers, Lucas says, “Perfection is standard, mistakes cost extra.” Right now Lucas is working on an individual project regarding gender and hyper-masculinity. He takes advertisements that display social expectations and recreate them through photographing himself. He has always been interested in gender and gender issues, and his project has helped him ref lect on the ways mass media portrays masculinity.
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
LGBTQ+ ARTISTS THAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT The best part is they’re all Canadian
Paula Tran - Arts Editor
The LGBTQ+ communit y has been margina lized for many years, and a lot of LGBTQ+ ar tists do not get t he recognition t hey deser ve. W hile we do commend t he work of famous queer celebrities such as Ellen DeGeneres, Neil Patrick Harrison, Anderson Cooper, Ruby Rose, etc., many queer ar tists never have t he oppor tunit y to be in t he limelight simply because t hey identif y as a member of t he LGBTQ+ communit y. Here are a few ar tists t hat you shou ld ta ke note, and who openly identif y as queer. R ichard Fung R ichard Fung is an awardw inning Trinidad-born, Toronto-based ar tist, w riter, and cu ltura l critic. His v ideo-based work genera lly focuses on cha llenging and controversia l issues t hat aren’t usua lly covered in mainstream. His subjects include t he role of Asian
men in gay pornography to his ow n family histor y. His single-channel works and insta llations have been w idely broadcasted in Canada, t he USA, and Trinidad and Tobago. His essays have been published in various journa ls and ant hologies w it hin Nor t h America. In 2003, he joined OCAD Universit y as a Professor for t he Facu lt y of Ar t, teaching courses in Integrated Media and Ar t and Socia l Change. In 2015, Fung won t he Kessler Award from CLAGS: Centre for LGBTQ Studies at t he Cit y Universit y of New York for being a signif icant inf luence in t he f ield of LGBTQ Studies. Jess Dobk in Jess Dobk in emerged to t he ar t scene in Toronto in 2002, mainly focusing on t he performance ar ts. She is most well k now n for her 2006 insta llation, The Lactation Station, t hat was presented at t he Ontario
College of Ar t & Design Professiona l Ga ller y. In t his insta llation, Dobk in inv ites t he audience to taste samples of pasteurized human breast milk donated by si x lactating new mot hers, inv iting t he audience to confront and discuss t he “most intimate of mot herhood rites,” according to Dobk in’s website. Her essays, publications, insta llations, and f ilm productions have been ex hibited a ll t hroughout Canada and t he United States. Dobk in graduated w it h a B.A. in Women’s Studies at Oberlin College and a M.F.A. in Performance Ar ts at Rutgers Universit y. She is current ly a Fellow for t he Universit y of Toronto Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexua l Diversit y Studies Fellowship. Vivek Shraya Vivek Shraya is a Torontobased ar tist who creates music a lbums, f ilms, and books. Her f irst book of
poetr y, even t his page is white, was longlisted for CBC’s Canada Reads and was regarded by The Wa lrus as one of t he Best Books of 2016. The Globe and Mail named her debut novel, She of t he Mountains, as one of t heir Best Books, and her f irst children’s picture book, The Boy & The Bindi, was featured on t he Nationa l Post Bestseller List. Shraya has performed and read internationa lly at shows, festiva ls, and universities. She is one-ha lf of t he music duo Too Attached. Shraya was t he 2016 Pride Toronto Grand Marsha l. She is a lso a t hree-time Lambda Literar y Award Fina list, a 2015 Toronto Ar ts Foundation Emerging Ar tist Award f ina list, and a 2015 recipient of t he Day ne Ogliv ie Prize Honour of Distinction.
instrumenta list, and aut hor. Their eight solo a lbums have included folk, indie rock, and electronic genres over t he past t welve years, and t hey have toured in Canada and internationa lly. Their live performances var y from show to show, and t hey have performed in dif ferent venues such as folk festiva ls and t heatres. Spoon was t he subject and composer for t he musica l-documentar y “The Prairie Home”, which was show n at t he Sundance Film Festiva l in 2014. Spoon was nominated for t wo Polaris Prizes, a Lambda Literar y Award, a Western Canadian Music Award, a CBC Radio 3 Buck y Award, and a MOTHA Transgender Musician of t he Year Award.
Rae Spoon Rae Spoon is a Canadian musician, song w riter, producer, mu lti-
From left to right photos by the Reel Asain Film Festival, David Hawe, the Leeway Foundation, and Ming Wu
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
Photo by Sarah James/ The Phoenix News
THE 15TH ANNUAL ART ON THE LINE FUNDRAISER & GALA For the 15th year in a row Art on the Line is a success
Sarah James - Art Director
cracked jokes that ranged anywhere from PG to R rated. His outspoken personality drove the night,and as in previous years he never disappoints. The entire graduating class volunteers and submits work to the event, because its main purpose is to raise money for their final show hosted in May in the CCS building. The event is the perfect place to gain exposure and see your work on display in a profession setting. My personal favourite piece was Rho Shaw’s pinhole photograph, a gripping display of contrast between light and dark. It was beautifully ambiguous in its disorientation of the
“ Over 140 works of art were donated by students, faculty, alumni, and practicing artists in the community.
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On February 25, VACU, the Visual Arts Course Union hosted the 15th annual Art on the Line event. This event is meant to raise money for the fourthyear graduating fine arts students’ year-end show. As someone who has gone through the BFA visual arts program at UBCO, I’ve got the inside scoop on all things AoTL. Every year the graduating students and VACU come together to put on an amazing night of art and entertainment. This year, Creative Writing professor Michael V. Smith hosted the event—he has hosted this event many times in previous years and it shows. He read the audience and
mind, and perspective. The event was a hit; everyone that attended seemed to be enjoying themselves. The hour and a half preceding the raffle was spent drinking wine from the Hatch winery in West Kelowna and beer from Kettle River. Guests were able to purchase raffle tickets for house cleaning vouchers, dog treats and wine. According to VACU the event raised over $20,000, with a portion of that money going to Bumbershoot Children’s Theatre and the Alternator here in Kelowna. Over 140 works of art were donated by students, faculty, alumni and practicing artists in the community.
Their donations are what make this event such a success each year—without them there would be no Art on the Line.
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
WHAT TO WATCH IN 2017 A cohesive list of the best TV coming out this year Riley Schlosser – Staff Writer
Brand New Shows • American Gods – This adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s acclaimed book series about the war between Old and New gods is something to keep an eye out for if you like it when fantasy and reality are mashed together. • Iron Fist – Netf lix has
consistently delivered on its team-ups with Mar vel, and Iron Fist should be no exception. • The Defenders – If you do keep up with Netf lix’s Mar vel series, make sure to tune in to the 8-part miniseries in which they all get together to duke it out with Sigourney Weaver. • Bill Nye Saves the World – Many children across North America grew up with their main source of scientific education being Bill Nye, and now everyone’s favourite bow-tied Science Guy is back for a show aimed at tack ling some of the world ’s largest scientific dilemmas. • Taken – Remember that “particular set of skills” Liam Neeson so masterfully utilized in the Taken trilog y? This prequel series starring Clive Standen will explore the characters’ origins and
“ A list that, while far from cohesive, hopefully spans a range of preferences and maybe introduces you to some new favorite shows.
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In a time of shortening attention-spans and inexpensive streaming ser vices, the quality of television series are getting better with every year. More and more of Holly wood ’s biggest stars are starring in series on a variety of networks and ser vices and the budgets (and profits) are only increasing. So here is a list that, while far from cohesive, hopefully spans a range of preferences and maybe introduces you to some new favourite shows.
feature some pretty intense action. • Emerald City – A gritty version of The Wizard of Oz seems unnecessary and unoriginal at first glance, but the great production quality, lack of singing, and critical comparison to Game of Thrones sounds promising. • Riverdale – Many are skeptical about this dark adaptation of the beloved Archie comics, but the positive reviews are pretty consistent, so why not give it a chance? • Legion – An absolutely original and refreshing take on the superhero genre, Legion is experimental and masterful, and demands your attention for every second of screen time. • Star Trek: Discovery – The Star Trek franchise has spawned a number of great films, but its origins will
always lie in TV, which is why this show should be amazing. • Taboo – For those of us who love the gritty dark dramas, hard-to-comprehend accents, or Tom Hardy, Taboo is exactly the quality television we’ve been waiting for. Also check out shows like Planet Earth II, Powerless, Midnight Texas, The Young Pope, Big Little Lies, Sneaky Pete, and Six, as well as new seasons of Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, Twin Peaks, Black Sails, American Horror Story, Into the Badlands, Homeland, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Bojack Horseman, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, and How to Get Away With Murder.
THE OSCARS 2017
An analysis of the 89th Annual Academy Awards Riley Schlosser – Staff Writer
Best Supporting Actor: Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis (Fences) Best Animated Feature: Zootopia Best Visual Effects: The Jungle Book Best Cinematography: La La Land Best Song: “City of Stars” (La La Land) Best Original Screenplay: Manchester by the Sea
Best Director: Damien Chazelle (La La Land) Best Actor: Casey Aff leck (Manchester by the Sea) Best Actress: Emma Stone (La La Land) Best Picture: Moonlight What I love the most about the list above is its diversity. There was no one film that took it all home and left the other shows in the dust, though admittedly La La Land was perhaps a little over-represented. And while some amazing movies like Arrival, Lion, Hell or High Water, Hacksaw Ridge, Hidden Figures, and Loving could have gotten a little more attention, they all got nominations and they can at least sport “Academy Award Nominee” in front of their names now. So all in all it was a pretty good pick of films, and the
“ It was definitely one of the least boring 3.5 hour televised awards show yet!
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This year the Oscars actually gave a pretty good show. Not to say past years have been a total bust, but between Jimmy Kimmel ’s genuinely funny hosting and that fiasco with the Best Picture Award, it was definitely one of the least boring 3.5 hour televised awards show yet. Here’s a shortlist of the big winners, just so you aren’t totally lost:
presentation was pretty decent as well. When Jimmy Kimmel brought in random tourists and surprised them with a room full of superstars, everyone was ecstatic. Denzel Washington informally pronounced two fiancées man and wife, and Jennifer Aniston gave one lady her sunglasses as a souvenir. In classic Kimmel form, Matt Damon jokes were aplenty throughout the show, and I honestly think their rivalry is one of the funniest running jokes on television. The climax of the evening, though, was definitely the Best Picture Award. It’s the biggest movie award of the year, the crux of the whole awards show, and they went and screwed it up. Some are saying it was staged for publicity, some are saying it was just an innocent
mistake, but everyone agrees that it was handled in the best way possible. The producers of La La Land were absolutely gracious in handing the award over to the makers of Moonlight, and everyone hugged it out and laughed over the mistake. It was an unfortunate situation though, as the La La Land crew got the rug pulled out from under them, and the Moonlight crew got robbed of their moment in the limelight. Regardless, the mistake has established the 2017 Academy Awards as an unforgettable and truly surprising night.
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
WRC PRESENTS: THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES Play written by Eve Ensler reveals the comedy and reality of women’s issues
Paula Tran - Arts Editor
Februar y 24 and a l l proceeds were donated to t he Elizabet h Fr y Societ y, which suppor ts women and chi ldren who v ictims of domestic disputes and of fers resources for t hose in need of empowerment. Here are some testimonia ls from t he ta lented students who col laborated to create t he 2017 Vagina Monolog ues. Organizer: Erica Cook Position: Co- Coordinator of WRC “The monolog ues are impor tant because t hey share t he experience of a l l women t hey a l low for a l l people to access and learn from experiences t hey might not ot her w ise have encountered. Hosting t hem t hree years ago was t he f irst time I tru ly felt empowered by t he word ‘ feminist’ and where I met some of t he most inspiring women...This year has been
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The monologues are important because they share the experience of all women they allow for all people to access and learn from experiences they might not otherwise have encountered.
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The Vagina Monolog ues is an episodic play w ritten by Eve Ensler which covers various aspects of t he feminine experience, from sex to menstruation to rape. The series of monolog ues are performed by various women of many backgrounds and cover a variet y of women’s issues w it h bot h humour and sincerit y. The recurring t heme t hroughout t he play presents t he vagina as a form of fema le empowerment and t he embodiment of indiv idua lit y. The origina l play was based on 20 0 inter v iews Ensler conducted w it h women on t heir persona l v iews of t he fema le experience. The UBCO Women’s Resource Centre has hosted t he Vagina Monolog ues annua l ly for over t hree years. This year t he monolog ues were performed in The Wel l on
t he most meaning f u l for me yet, as it is not only my last year at UBC and as a par t of t he WRC, but is it a lso t he biggest crowd we have ever had and we raised over $50 0 for t he Elizabet h Fr y Societ y. But most impor tant ly I was luck y enough to work w it h some of t he most driven, passionate and beautif u l women I have ever met.” Organizer: Tamara Raine Position: Co- Coordinator of WRC “I a m super proud of Erica for organizing t his event for t he t hird year in a row. She did a great job pick ing performers, each one [shone] perfect ly. This event is so impor tant in getting out t he message t hat many women can have many dif ferent experiences w it h t heir sexua lit y and t heir bodies. Each experience is unique
and brings for ward a stor y. I hope t his event let some women feel li ke t hey have a voice.” MC: Jaclyn Sa lter Position: Genera l Manager “I a m so gratef u l for t he oppor tunit y to par ticipate in The Vagina Monolog ues t his year. I got to work w it h so many a mazing people and watch a crowd of people laugh, cr y, and relate to t he performers. I hope t his tradition continues into t he f uture and more people get to watch and par ticipate!” Performer: Laide Ga lla Piece: Hair “W hen I read The Vagina Monolog ues, it rea l ly brought to my attention how unconsciously si lent not just me but most women are about our vaginas. W hen I f irst wa l ked around w it h t he
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Arts | thephoenixnews.com | Paula Tran – Arts Editor
Performer: A lex Davison Piece: “The Woman W ho Loved to Ma ke Vaginas Happy ” “I love The Vagina Monolog ues for many reasons, but t he main reason I love “The Woman W ho Loved to Ma ke Vaginas Happy” is because it creates sensua l space for queer
women to express t hemselves outside of t he ma le gaze which isn’t seen in t he media too of ten. I’ve a lways been blunt w it h my feminism, sexua lit y and anatomy. The Vagina Monolog ues is a great mode for t hat bluntness.” Performer: Elizabeth Fagbola Piece: “Because He Liked to Look at It ” “The Vagina Monolog ues were such an a mazing experience for me. It wasn’t just because it was f un to play someone I wasn’t but it was tru ly f un to interact w it h ever yone in t he cast as wel l as watch t hem bring t heir characters to life. I t hink t hat’s it’s impor tant to educate people on how dif ferent women feel about vaginas and just stop t he negativ it y related to t hat
word and ever y t hing t hat comes w it h it. I learnt to appreciate myself as a woman and be proud of ever y par t of me no matter what ot hers t hink.”
“ The Vagina Monologues were such an amazing experience for me.
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book, I wou ld turn it over when someone wa l ked by just because t he word ‘vagina’ was on it. I’ve learned and unlearned a lot since t he f irst time I read it years ago and I’m so happy I did. I t hought, “W hy a m I asha med?” I didn’t rea lize what a burden it was not being able to voice my experiences. I’m ta k ing par t in The Vagina Monolog ues to compensate for t he years I’ve been si lent about my vagina w it h absolutely no fear and it’s exciting and liberating.”
Performer: A lysha Southam Piece: “My Angr y Vagina” “TVM are impor tant because t hey’re a f un way to draw attention to t hese ver y rea l issues women face. It’s boring and not engaging to just read about t hese issues but it is much more enter taining to watch a performance. It was a lso incredibly empowering for me to be able to spea k about t hese issues in such a public place.” Performer: Stephanie Prentice Piece: I Ca ll You Body “A lt hough I have a lways had deep respect for Eve
Ensler and t he work t hat she does, I can’t say t hat The Vagina Monolog ues rea l ly resonated w it h me on a persona l level. It wasn’t unti l Erica Cook asked me to read “I Ca l l You Body,” t he spot light monolog ue and a beautif u l piece t hat was w ritten t his year to summarise t he larger picture of women around t he world, t hat I found persona l meaning. I don’t k now t hat I can ar ticu late at t his time what exact ly it means to me, but it’s a piece t hat I can feel at t he dept h of my core and cannot read w it hout cr y ing.”
Photos by Andrew Revilla Memije
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Paula Tran – Arts Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Arts
BOOK REVIEW: A DOG’S PURPOSE
See into the mind of man’s best friend Paula Tran - Arts Editor
starts off as a dog named Toby, a wild stray mutt whose family is taken in by a woman named Senora. When Senora was arrested for illegally running a shelter, Toby was put to death after being transferred to a pound. He returns as a puppy, which confuses and excites him, asking himself what gives his life meaning. This doesn’t stop him from looking at the world with a funny, quirky, and curious lens. I cannot begin to explain and describe how I feel about the novel. In a nutshell, I cried, laughed, and smiled while devouring the book. Bruce Cameron doesn’t fail to entertain as a humorist and as a novelist: his writing style is right to the point, but fun and almost childish, yet still appeals to adults because it deals with adult themes like death and sex. You are
“ The humour mixed with the dog’s naivety makes even the most serious of character experiences seem lighthearted, but still manages to poke me in the nerves continuously while making me cry like I had chopped too many onions.
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Here’s another story talking about the life of a fictional dog in a fictional town with fictional humans. Let’s lie down in bed with a cup of sleepy time tea to read this because the dog won’t die in the end, right? Maybe this time it will just be sunshine and rainbows where the story ends happily for once. Queue emotional tears and hysterical sobbing here. A Dog’s Purpose is a novel written by American novelist and humorist Bruce Cameron, published by Forge Books in 2010. The movie adaptation of the novel was set for a January 27 release this year, but the premiere was cancelled due to a controversial video that circulated online. The novel follows the multiple lives of a dog and his search for his purpose in the world. He
immediately immersed into the dog’s perspective from page one. The humour mixed with the dog’s naivety makes even the most serious of character experiences seem lighthearted, and yet still manages to poke me in the ner ves continuously, while making me cry like I had chopped too many onions. Every scene is perfectly constructed from a dog’s point of view, and it wasn’t hard for me to picture and follow along with every thing. Cameron’s descriptions are also extremely clever and funny. The only quirk that I have with the book is how it leaves the protagonist’s breed too ambiguous. It makes sense because it is written from a dog’s point of view after all, but sometimes it takes me three to four pages to finally get what
breed the dog transformed into. I love ambiguity in descriptions when it pertains to a character’s voice and perspective, but this is taking things a bit too far, and I wish Cameron’s writing could be a bit clearer on this aspect. Seriously, go read this book, regardless of whatever qualms, anger, and dislike you have with the movie. I absolutely enjoyed the novel as a bedtime read, even if I went to sleep with a wet pillowcase every few nights. No big deal.
brokenhearted, and/or experienced trauma. The images are minimalistic, similar to her writing style. There is a sense, as her words and images work together, that more can be said through short, and thoughtful, quips of writing and drawing.
have experienced any thing remotely close to what Kaur has. Even those who have not could enjoy her poems for their subtle nuance and touching honesty. Whether you are hesitant about poetry or love it, Milk and Honey is worth the read.
BOOK REVIEW: MILK AND HONEY
It’s a quick, heavy and light hearted read Sarah James - Art Director
“The Hurting” is the rawest part of the book. Its heav y content might throw some readers off as it deals with traumas like rape and the pain caused by an absent father.
you must have known you were wrong when your fingers were dipped inside me searching for honey that would not come for you “The Loving” for me was the easiest to connect to. It is also the chapter that would be the most relatable for the largest amount of people as it deals with the purest emotions of love. There is such thought that has gone into every word written, even the shortest poems.
“ Her powerful but subtle prose evokes so many different feelings; sadness, fear, rage, happiness, longing.
the very thought of you has my legs spread apart like an easel with a canvas beg ging for art Her words combined with the illustrations in the book invoke feelings that may resonate with any person who has been in love, been
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Written by Rupi Kaur, Milk and Honey is broken up into four chapters, each taking the reader on a journey through an overarching story of her pain and healing. Each chapter deals with a different part of the process. It’s a collection of poetry about violence, abuse, love, loss and femininity. The four sections, “The Hurting,” “The Loving,” “The Breaking,” and “The Healing” touch on different aspects of love that anyone with a past can connect with. This small book is Kaur’s self-professed way of “sur viving through poetry.”
and here you are living despite it all If you have not experienced what Kaur has, her words may be hard to connect with. Her powerful but subtle prose evokes so many different feelings; sadness, fear, rage, happiness, longing. It is a quick read, it only took me a day to get through, although you could spend hours examining her words and thought process. I would recommend this book to anyone who may
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
Opinions
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
DISMANTLING THE “COMMON WHITE GIRL” TROPE Is it really as harmless and deracialized as we think?
Fran Carruthers – Staff Writer
You have probably heard the term “common white girl.” Whether it is used to mock others, or accessed through Twitter, Instagram and other social media sites, the white girl stereotype is one of the most, let’s say, “basic” pillars of youth culture today. According to Urban Dictionary, the term can be defined as: “Any white girl in America who is obsessed with any of the following: leggings, Uggs, Starbucks, Autumn, iPhones, Instagram, Twitter, selfies, or the movie Mean Girls.” Of course, these stereotypes are not limited to America but include Canada, Britain, and many parts of the Englishspeaking world. It makes sense to shift these cultural references into the present: including the above but omitting Ugg boots (better left in 2013) and adding, from my cultural observations, use of the snapchat “dog filter”, TV series The Bachelor, and choker necklaces—as some examples
more fitting for 2017. Back in 2014, a Harvard student published a thought-provoking blog entitled “Where the Words Intersect: How ‘White girls’ became ‘basic.’” I had not considered the difference between the two terms before, and the blog provided a crucial discussion of existing stereotypes and their problematic connotations. Fundamentally, we need to address that “white girl” and “basic” do mean different things, though they have come to be understood as interchangeable in society today. However, whilst ‘common white girl’ is racially problematic in a more obvious way, ‘basic’ might be too. The blogger shows how the term basic, in the sense we know it today, actually originated from African American culture. It first appeared on the internet in YouTube user LilDuval’s video “Basic B*tch” in 2009. As she notes, “’basic bitch’ was originally in the African American community an
extension of the term ‘ratchet,’ a ‘stereotypical lower class African American woman— someone who wore Rainbow clothing, lace front wigs, and drew on her eyebrows.’” The term the gradually entered into mainstream culture, appearing in Kreayshawn’s hit song “Gucci Gucci” in 2011—at which point was appropriated by a white singer to describe a more exclusive group, who could presumably afford the designer clothes and lifestyle described in the lyrics. Yet, are we being over-sensitive by claiming that this stereotype is offensive? Is it just a harmless way to criticize our peers’ lack of imagination for their preferred choice of Netflix show, coffee house or clothing? Am I ruining the fun by over-analysing what is little more than a light-hearted stereotype? Regardless of whether the term is meant derogatorily or lightheartedly, it is used to group
people based on the type of products they consume, and these products are inherently linked to a middle-class market. Ugg boots, originally essential to the basic/ white girl image, cost upwards of around $195 a pair. North Face jackets, often grouped as another emblem of the common white girl, will set you back around $200-300. And to fuel the daily Starbucks addiction? A Grande specialty latte costs around $4.95, adding up to a whopping $34.65 per week. Needless to say, when dissecting this stereotype we cannot help but see its links to middle-class consumerism. However, when class is additionally being bundled up with race, can we ever claim that the term is deracialized? Is it culturally acceptable to call a nonwhite girl a white girl? It seems that either a yes or no answer to this question could prove problematic. If yes, suggesting that the word white is deracialized
so that it no longer denotes race, but class, brings its own problems; fundamentally we cannot fully escape the obvious meaning of the word “white.” And if no, we are excluding any non-white females from associating with, or even enjoying, many of the popular and relatable emblems of common white girl (and middle-class) culture. Even if we can relate to some of these common white girl things, we need to strive for more than the basic. The brands enjoyed by so-called common white girls are usually mid-market, mainstream, large corporations like Starbucks, the North Face and Victoria’s Secret. Maybe it is time we developed a little imagination in the trends we adopt—how we dress, spend our leisure time, and the food and drinks we consume— and whilst we’re there, stop being so “basic” in our labelling of each other.
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Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
THE LONG WALK DOWN TO [H]ELL LOT
Opinions
Photo by Riley Petillion/ The Phoenix News
Maybe I’ll take the bus…
Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
Two things that every student who drives to school can agree on is that parking services doesn’t mess around, and that H lot is a joke. It’s possible to squeeze out an extra five minutes from an overdue meter but it’s rare because parking services has employed a superhero for a meter maid (Captain Boot? Meter Man?) who makes the world a better place, one ticket
at a time. There are other times that you’re forced to do laps around H lot, trying to think strategically on which lane is going to have an open spot, and if someone drives out of a lane you should go two over because you know he is going one over! Other times, one inconsiderate driver double parks, turning three spots into two. This in turn causing you to stare at the sliver of a space,
wondering if crawling out the back window would take longer than finding another spot. If you can’t wake up at six in the morning to get a spot, and you can’t beat the 8th member of the Justice League, then where else can you park? As students we cannot justify the substantial price difference of two hundred dollars between H lot and F or E lot. After
all we are all struggling with money and we should save money where we can; plus the only difference between H lot and any other lot is the hill. It essentially looks like F lot just costs $200 more to allow you to be lazy…not that $200 is a lot of money when you look at it in terms of a ski pass or alcohol. If we are therefore stuck in H lot what can we do? The
university did add a section on the opposite side of innovation drive which helps, but then your walk to class goes from 10 minutes to 20, only after giving up on your Nascar laps. You can therefore just be consistently late or, and I am sorry for even suggesting such an atrocity, leave early!
FROM A VICTIM TO PINK SHIRT/BULLYING AWARENESS DAYS
Thanks for nothing
Nick Vantol - Contributor
February 22 marked this year’s “Pink Shirt Day” in Canada, and I expect that many of you here on campus will, in some way, participate; be it through social media, or wearing a pink shirt, or however the pinkshirtday.ca website says you can support the so-called movement. As someone whose near-entire childhood and secondary education experience was fraught with bullying, I’m here to ask you: what exactly has pink shirt day done for victims? Pink shirt day is like a bandaid solution, but worse. A bandaid solution is when you know a problem occurs and you’d like to draw attention to you attempting to fix the problem with minimal effort and/or result: like putting a band-aid on a gashing wound. Pink shirt day is like putting
“ Pink shirt day is like a band-aid solution but worse.
”
cellophane on such a wound: you are aware there is a problem but since you don’t want to or know how to apply the effort, you wrap it in attention without addressing the issue (hence, a cellophane solution). I don’t know a single person in our society who is unaware of the fact bullying occurs, so I fail to see the value in making a day of awareness for something we, as a society, are already aware of. The dedication of one specific day to “anti-bullying” is also a joke to any victim, since a victim knows that bullying isn’t limited to a single day, it happens in any space designated for young people to learn. That means that from the day children begin to learn outside the household, they are exposed to the possibility of being
bullied. Since education in our society goes on from around the age of 4 to about 18, it suddenly becomes more of an insult than an attempt to help to dedicate only ONE DAY to a possible lifetime of suffering. In reality, pink shirt day neither involves bullies nor victims. Pink shirt day involves people outside the experience, myself included since I am no longer exposed to bullying. But when I was exposed to it, all those assemblies and speakers just sounded like a bunch of people who had failed in protecting me from bullying acknowledging how much being bullied sucks. So how do you stop bullying? You don’t, it’s going to happen. But we must let possible victims know that their childhood, existence, and happiness will be
actively protected by those who are blessed to either never have dealt with, or no longer will experience such an existence. I’ll end on a good note for pink-shirt day however, since it isn’t in of itself doing wrong. There is good that has come from such anti-bullying movements; a great example of such accomplishments is how movements like pinkshirt day have made genderneutral bathrooms a norm in high schools, which I agree is a huge step forward. However, my point is, bathrooms don’t bully people; people bully people, and it’ll take the action of people, not institutional mandates, to make a difference to even one child.
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Opinions | thephoenixnews.com | Tyrel Lamoureux - Opinions Editor
ISLAMOPHOBIA AND CANADA’S M-103 Some mass hysteria and some genuine concerns
Illustration by Sarah Dowler/ The Phoenix News
Mark Dreger – Phoenix Columnist
Motion M-103, or what is being deemed the antiIslamophobia motion, has received open support from Liberal and NDP MPs. One side claims that this is a good step to stop hate speech in Canada, while another calls this as an attack on free speech and the first step towards Sharia law. While I believe such legislation against hate is futile, calling this motion as “the end of free speech” is a bit far. M-103 is a motion that will, if passed, encourage the government to study the issue the motion highlights to, perhaps leading to a bill in the future. The motion builds on the government petition e-411 in “recognizing that extremist individuals do not represent the religion of Islam, and in condemning all forms of Islamophobia.” Introduced by Muslim Liberal MP Iqra Khalid, M-103 encourages the government to “quell the increasing public climate of hate and fear,” “condemn Islamophobia and all forms of
systemic racism and religious discrimination,” and that the government should conduct a study “to reducing or eliminating systemic racism and religious discrimination including Islamophobia.” In response, Conservative MP David Anderson tabled a second motion where the only major change was the exclusion of the undefined term Islamophobia. The new motion called the government to “condemn all forms of systemic racism, religious intolerance and discrimination of Muslims, Jews, Christians, Sikhs, Hindus, and other religious communities.” The motion was rejected 165-126 on February 21 with only the Liberals voting against it. Both these motions have problems. First is how would “other religious communities” be defined in Anderson’s motion, because parody religions have, at times, received the right to wear strainer hats in ID photos. Second, this motion already states “all forms of
systemic racism and religious discrimination,” which makes listing other religions by name unnecessary. That said, why does M-103 include the word “islamophobia” if the motion is broadly intended to reduce “systemic racism and religious discrimination?” Statistics Canada shows that in 2014, 49.7% of reported religious hate crimes were towards Jews while 23% were towards Muslims. Of course, this should not be a game of Oppression Olympics, but religious discrimination should stay broad without creating the accusation of Islamic preference. The word Islamophobia is my only issue with the motion because, as the Opposition highlighted, Islamophobia is not defined in M-103. In Parliament, Khalid shortly defined Islamophobia as “the irrational hate of Muslims that leads to discrimination,” but if that is the case then why not include that in the motion so Canadians understand what
is being debated? Linguistic vagueness in legislation encourages hysteria, and it will remain unless the concern is addressed; however, Khalid has refused suggestions of defining, removing, or replacing the word with something like “hatred against Muslims.” E-411 says that “these violent individuals do not reflect in any way […] the religion of Islam,” but what if someone believes they do? Does their opinion on the ideology fall under Islamophobia and is thus open to indictments if a bill follows similar language? Yes this is just a motion, and it appears too early to justify the hysteria, but with a majority government this motion could set a precedent, and a future bill could become just as vague and face no significant opposition. Islamophobia has unfortunately morphed into a term that unjustly attaches itself to anything critical of Islam, which has slowly deteriorated the word’s significance in
the last few years. If such a bill were to ever criminalize the criticism of Islam, then I would hope everyone would be against it, as no ideology is immune to public criticism. As Conservative candidate Maxime Bernier said, “Free speech is a fundamental Canadian value. We should reaffirm everyone’s right to believe in, and criticize, whatever belief they want, whether it is Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, atheism, or any other.” The motion should not be a concern; what should be a concern is what it may create.
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Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Sports
Sports
HEAT MEN SET NEW RECORD AS SENIORS SAY GOODBYE With a Senior’s Night victory in their final match this season, the Heat set a new program record for wins in a season Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
in the end-of-season ceremony. “I was fearing not being able to play here in our last home game,” said Swiatlowski after the match. He had to undergo the concussion protocol the week before, and there were concerns he wouldn’t be able to play, but he was cleared in time. “It was amazing . . . both to be able to play really good volleyball and in our home gym,” he continued, “Tons of support from family and friends in the community. So it’s awesome to play for them and to show them some good ball.”
“ ‘I will be forever grateful for Brad Hudson . . . his main point, is raising great men. Men who have good morals.’ — Alex Swiatlowski
“
For the UBC Okanagan Heat men’s volleyball team, the 2016/17 season was their most successful to date since joining U Sports (then CIS) in 2012. The men closed out the season on a fourmatch win streak, with the last giving them nine on the season, the most the Heat men have ever had. That record is set in the first season for head coach Brad Hudson. That ninth win came in the annual Seniors Night match, before which departing student-athletes Alex Swiatlowski and Grant Sonnenberg were honoured
Sonnenberg shared the same sentiment about the Heat fans. “The people who come to these games are actually really invested in the program and it’s really sweet to see, especially on a night like this,” he said after the match. “It’s a really great reminder of the wonderful community, and the atmosphere at UBC Okanagan is fantastic.” Late in the fourth set with the Heat up 2-1, when it looked that the Heat had the match well in hand with the set score 21-12, the crowd began to chant ‘We Want Grant.’ Coach Hudson
didn’t disappoint, and let the senior middle blocker close out the final few points, and his Heat career, on the court. According to Swiatlowski, that move is completely in character for the first-year head coach. “I will be forever grateful for Brad Hudson,” said the senior outside hitter, “his main point, is raising great men. Men who have good morals.”
Photos provided by UBCO Heat Athletics
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
OXLAND, FESTIVAL, AND GIVEN LEADING HEAT TO FIFTH STRAIGHT PLAYOFFS
The Heat’s three graduating women looking to finish their UBCO athletic careers with a big run Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
standards of the Heat program finished with a match-high on Saturday night. Given led the match with 13 kills, Festival led it with three service aces, and Oxland’s 36 assists were the best on the night. After the match and the ceremony, all three sat down to talk about the season and their consistent returns to the playoffs. “Every year has been such a fight to make the Final Four and those playoffs, so every year I’m still really grateful to make it this far,” said Festival about her fifth straight trip to the postseason. About the ceremony and it’s signaling of the end of her Heat career, the successful outside hitter added that it was the “last time I get to play in front of a home crowd and our own fans, but our season’s not done. I definitely think our team has a lot left in store, so I’m still excited.” “I didn’t really feel like it was Seniors Night, just because we’re going into playoffs so it didn’t really hit me,” said Oxland when asked about the sense of finality
“ ‘We now have a reputation as a school that can compete with big schools . . . we’re now counted as one of them.’ – Megan Festival
“
The UBC Okanagan Heat women’s volleyball team will be making an exceptional fifth straight Canada West playoff appearance this season. They finished with a regular season record of 15-9, good enough for fifth in the standings. Their opponents in the Canada West Quarter Final will be the University of Calgary Dinos, who finished fourth with a record of 18-6. Against the Dinos this season the Heat were 1-1 in a weekend split. In the final U Sports Top-10 of the season, the Heat were set at #9 and the Dinos were placed #5. Closing out their conference regular season on a high note, the Heat beat the MacEwan Griffins 3-0 in UBCO’s annual Seniors Night match. Emily Oxland, Kaitlynn Given, and Megan Festival, the three graduating players honoured in the ceremony after the match, all had outstanding individual performances in their final night on home court. Each of the three departing
that a Seniors Night can have. Seconding Festival’s enthusiasm, Ox added, “I’m excited to see where we’ll go in the next few weeks.” Kaitlynn Given evidently shared her teammates sentiments about the night, saying of the team’s season continuing after the ceremony, “Yeah, for me personally it just took a lot of pressure off of tonight, knowing that it’s not my last game. I will continue to play with this team. It definitely took away some of the pressures of tonight so I could really just enjoy it.” Given, Oxland, and Festival all joined the Heat the same season that the program moved up to the CIS (now U Sports) level. They have each had an invaluable role in growing the program and building a team whose success puts them in league with some of the longest-standing programs in the country. Oxland made an immediate impact by setting a conference record with 46 service aces, and she became the only Heat player
to be named to the CIS AllRookie. She was also named the Heat’s MVP and was a Canada West All-Star. Festival was the Heat’s Rookie of the Year in her first season, in 2012/13, and since then she has set Heat records and placed herself near the top in a number of Canada West categories. She has amassed the second-most service aces in conference history, and in her five seasons played over 400 sets with the Heat. Asked how the program has changed through all of that, she said, “I think it’s changed a lot, especially in the confidence, and Steve’s ability to recruit. We now have a reputation as a school that can compete with big schools such as UBC and U of A. All those big schools that have such a history, we’re now counted as one of them.” Kaitlynn Given echoed that sentiment, saying “we’ve made huge strides in the CIS league . . . and become one of those respected names in the league and that’s huge for me and the team.”
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Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor | thephoenixnews.com |
Sports
BASEBALL IS (ALMOST) BACK
Late February / early March means preseason baseball, and that makes us happy — or at least happy-ish Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
important. We’ve lost Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista is coming back despite being older than we’d like him to be and unlikely to bring us any more memorable bat-flips, and we’re all worried about Josh Donaldson’s legs. Donaldson, the reignig AL MVP, is going to have to take on a more prominent role with the Jays this season as Edwin is gone and Bautista is going to be part of a weird rotating group of 1st base / DH-by-committee. So it was uncomfortable for all of us to see him on crutches or limping out to a presser within just a few days of reporting to Toronto’s Spring Training
“ ‘It feels good to be back out there.’ — Josh Donaldson
“
One of the greatest sentences any baseball fan reads every year is this: ‘pitchers and catchers have reported.’ It’s the first stop on a long ride from the stressful over-thinking of the off-season to the relief of Opening Day when (hopefully) we can all be optimistic about our respective teams. The Grapefruit and Cactus Leagues are a far throw from real baseball, and it’s almost tough to watch, but for we diehard baseball fans it’s just comforting to know that they’re out there playing, somewhere. For Toronto Blue Jays fans specifically, this Spring Training is particularly
home in Dunedin, Florida. During a standard windsprints drill with the team, Donaldson irritated the same calf that he injured last season. However, to the great relief of all Canadian baseball fans, he is already back in the batting cages and taking BP as of yesterday. In his typical understated response to questions about injuries, Donaldson told Sportsnet’s Jamie Campbell after the session, “It was good, you know it’s been a while since I have taken batting practice but it feels good to be back out there.” While he’s still unable to run on the calf, hopefully
that will be the next step in his rehab so we can have him ready for Opening Day against the Orioles on April 3. Until that next step, we’ll take him swinging and making contact in the cage.
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Sports | thephoenixnews.com | Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
MARCH MADNESS: ONCE A YEAR, WE ALL THINK WE KNOW SOMETHING Every March, sports fans become Charlie Brown, and NCAA basketball is our football Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Around this time every year, I and many sports fans like me begin to act as if we’ve been paying attention to Division 1 NCAA men’s basketball religiously. Knowledge of Villanova’s backcourt and Duke’s annual angry-whiteboy stats get spouted as if these things hadn’t been furiously googled yesterday. Not only do we talk about these things like we’re experts in the field of college hoops, but many of us bet on it. Somewhere between lying to our friends about how much attention we pay to American college basketball and scribbling down names on a printed-out bracket, we
manage to convince ourselves, year after year without fail, that we actually do know something. We’re never right about that. As I write this I’m watching Notre Dame play Florida State. I’ll take in all the analysis and pay strict attention to defensive styles, and will come away from it still knowing absolutely nothing, because as in every other year I’m late to the game. I’m still going to pretend like I know what I’m talking about though, otherwise the trash talk once we start betting on brackets is just mean. On Saturday, February 11th the NCAA kicked that process off earlier than ever before. For the first time in
the tournament’s history, the association provided an inseason ranked list of the top 16 teams were the Madness to start that day. Arguably the most interesting part of these potential rankings is the legitimate effect they could have on the NCAA tournament, which officially kicks off on March 12 with the annual Selection Sunday. A new format adopted by the committee over the summer will be used for the first time this year, which includes their asking then-topranked Villanova which of the four regions they would like to compete in. Committee chair Mark Hollis is quoted on the NCAA
website, saying of ‘Nova’s top seeding, “Villanova played a challenging non-conference schedule and has achieved considerable success against several quality opponents on the road and on neutral courts. Their consistency throughout the season gave them slight separation from other candidates for the overall top seed.” Of the other 15 teams listed as the top teams as of February 11, the three remaining number one regional spots would go to Kansas (Midwest), Gonzaga (West), and Baylor (South). The most wonderful part of this list put out by the NCAA and the selection
committee is that it means absolutely nothing. Hollis is also quoted as saying, “[t]here are more than 1,300 games left before Selection Sunday so how these teams are seeded and where they will ultimately be sent to play in the tournament remains a mystery.” In relation to the massattraction to American college ball, this list is two things. First, it is an intentional jump-start to sports fans’ hysteria over and feigned knowledge of the sport and its teams. Second, it is a mirror that shows us all that our knowledge and the value of this list are worth the same this far away from the tournament: absolutely nothing.
NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTED BY OFF-COURT DRAMA
In a down year for the actual events, All-Star Weekend will be remembered for two things, neither of which was what would be expected in any other year Grayson B. Leahy – Sports Editor
Omri Casspi to the Pelicans, who in return sent back Buddy Hield, Langston Galloway, Tyreke Evans, a top-three projected 2017 firstround pick and a 2017 secondround pick. In a post-game interview before the trade had been officially announced, Cousins was asked how he felt about the host city, and about the rumours that were floating around. He didn’t hide his feelings on either issue. About the atmosphere of the weekend, he said first, “It was amazing, man. I enjoy the city of New Orleans, you know, I love it here in New Orleans. I been here a lot when I was a kid, so I’m kinda familiar to the city. I have fun here.” He was far less appreciative of the trade rumours and questions. “I mean, it’s disappointing that I have to go through another All-Star talking about some type of situation with the Kings instead of it just being about my All-Star experience, so that’s the disappointing part about it.”
“ ‘It’s disappointing that I have to go through another AllStar talking about some type of situation with the Kings instead of it just being about my All-Star experience.’ — Boogie Cousins
“
The highlights of the NBA’s All-Star Weekend this year were, unlike other years, no part of the dunk contest nor the three-point contest. A play that amounted for two of the game’s 374 total points and a trade that was finalized after the All-Star Game ended were the focal points of the Association’s weekend in New Orleans. Demarcus ‘Boogie’ Cousins, the so-called ‘uncoachable’ 6’11” center who’d played his whole career so far with Sacramento, was traded by the Kings to the weekend’s host New Orleans Pelicans in a move that was apparently being finalized while the East and West were in the middle of their high-scoring, nodefence affair. Cousins has been the topic of trade rumours for at least the last two years, as his relationships with coaches and teammates in Sacramento continuously soured and the Kings had never had a winning record with him on the roster. The trade sent him and
The trade puts Cousins alongside Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis, nicknamed ‘The Brow’ for his signature unibrow he’s sported since college. Both are former NCAA stars with the Kentucky Wildcats and both are top-ten in points per game this season, so all Boogie-and-theBrow jokes aside, there’s a pretty good chance that for the first time since he came to the NBA Cousins might find a fit with the system that he’s in. The second highlight of the weekend for anyone paying attention to basketball this season was a single play that occurred just over halfway through the first quarter. Golden State’s Kevin Durant threw an alley-oop pass to Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook, who slammed it home. That reads like an average play between All-Stars, but the backstory and their teammates’ reactions are what make it notable. Durant and Westbrook were
teammates until KD left the OKC Thunder to go play in Golden State with the Warriors, and it left Westbrook evidently alone and furious. Since the beginning of the season, Westbrook has been consistently putting up tripledoubles and seems to be fueled by pure rage on the court. The split has been the focus of anyone who wants to find off-court drama around basketball, and at times it’s been venomous while at others highly entertaining. One of the most legitimately entertaining moments was shortly after the play, when the West team’s bench were clapping and celebrating as if the pass and the dunk meant that everyone was friends again. DeAndre Jordan was even seen on camera yelling “yaaaaaaay” with a big goofy smile on his face, letting everyone know that yes, they do know how ridiculous the whole situation was.