UBCO’s Student Newspaper
February 2nd, 2015 | Vol 27, Issue 8
...bringing sexy back since 1989
EXPLORING THE HISTORY OF EROTICA ARE UBCO STUDENTS KINKY? PAGE 11
UBCO MASTERPLAN BREAKDOWN 4 WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM #1 IN CANADA FOR FIRST TIME AT UBCO 18
VALENTINE’S DAY FASHIONS 6 EXPLORE THE BANTERDOME IN UBCO CRIBS 8
MEET THE ARTISTS OF UBCO’S 13TH ANNUAL ART ON THE LINE FUNDRAISER 14
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thephoenixnews.com
IN THIS ISSUE
In light of Valentine’s Day, learn about the Karma Sutra and other glimpses of the erotic history that has led to today’s kink culture, romanticized in the 50 Shades of Grey trilogy. You never know, you may find yourself intigued as to what more your sexual relationships can offer you and your partner or partners... Page 11
NEWS
LIFE
ARTS
Slates split positions in MSA Election Page 3
Valentine’s Day Fashion Art on the Line, featurPage 6 ing the 4th-year Fine Arts students “Proper” vs. “improper” Page 14 & 15 UBCO updates the MasEnglish Page 7 ter Plan; here’s what you Movie Review: Whiplash can expect in 20 years UBCO Cribs: Inside the Page16 Page 4 & 5 Banter Dome Page 8 & 9
University Centre 3333 University Way Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 5N3 Office: UNC 132B Phone: 250-807-9296 thephoenixnews.com Cover and Feature images by Sarah James
SPORTS
OPINIONS
Heat women’s volleyball #1 in Canada for first time in UBCO history Page 17
Is “The Vagiana Monologues” transphobic? Page 20
Playoff dream dead for basketball and men’s volleyball teams Page 18
News Editor Alex Barberis
Opinions Editor Brittni MacKenzie-Dale
Web Editor Justin Kroeker
Life Editor Maranda Wilson
Creative Director Cameron Welch
Current Affairs Editor Alex Sadlowski
Features Editor Sasha Curry
Art Director Sarah James
Copy Editor Position Available
Interim Sports Editor Mirella Cullen
Arts Editor Jeff Bulmer arts@thephoenixnews.com
news@thephoenixnews.com
life@thephoenixnews.com
features@thephoenixnews.com
sports@thephoenixnews.com
opionions@thephoenixnews.com
creative@thephoenixnews.com
artdirector@thephoenixnews.com
web@thephoenixnews.com
current.affairs@thephoenixnews.com
Contributors
Religious criticism Page 21 Creative Writing degrees: worth it? Page 22 The Phoenix is the UBCO students’ free press. Editorial content is separate from the University of British Columbia Students’ 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).
Hartley Vibert, Shanna Albrecht, Mike Ros, Keera Cabrais, Torie Church, The Phoenix is published, in part, by the Robyn Giffen, Varenka Kim
UBCSUO and is an active member of the Canadian University Press.
February 2nd, 2015| The Phoenix |news@thephoenixnews.com | News Editor: Alexandra Barberis
NEWS
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have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from
campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!
Events February 3
Master Plan Ideas Fair
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM/FREE/UNC Foyer Come share your ideas on the draft Master Plan and shape the future of the campus.
MSA President
VP Corporate Relations
VP Events
VP Marketing
Douglas Canning
Erik Paulsen 61.45%
Regina Gonzalez 46.59%
Kevin Burns 52.02%
60.24%
February 4
Master Plan Ideas Fair
11:00 AM-2:00 PM/FREE/Admin Building A second opportunity to share your ideas.
February 5
Master Plan Workshops
VP Finance Brandon Novak 41.94%
VP Student Resources Alan Blackwell 50.00%
10:00 AM-12:00 PM/2:30 PM4:30 PM/FREE/UNC Ballroom Come discuss the types of experiences you want to see on campus. Participants must sign up in advance by contacting JoAnn Rennick-Brown at joann. rennickbrown@ubc.ca. Please indicate in your RSVP which time slot you would like to attend.
VP Academics Jenna Stasuk 62.50%
February 5
SLATES SPLIT POSITIONS IN MSA ELECTION Victorious Secret slate takes 3 positions, your MSA takes 4 Spoiled ballots made for heated races for VP Events and VP Finance Alex Barberis News Editor With 760 eligible voters, 249 registered voters cast their ballots resulting in 33% turnout – slightly less than their goal of 300 voters. The division of election candidates between the slates was fairly even, with 4 elected members from yourMSA and 3 from Victorious Secret. Unfortunately, none of the independent candidates were elected to their respective positions.
NEWS BRIEFS Alex Sadlowski - Current Affairs
Douglas Canning from yourMSA won the Presidential seat with 150 votes against Kelly Taverner of Victorious Secret with 98 votes. Brandon Novak was elected to the VP Finance position with 104 votes against John Martin (38 votes) and Davis Yates (102 votes). There were 4 spoiled ballots for this position creating a heated race for VP Finance. Jenna Stasuk from Victorious Secret was elected to VP Academics with 155 votes against yourMSA’s Cat Bootle (89 votes). yourMSA’s candidate Erik Paulsen won VP Corporate Relations with 153 votes against Victorious Secret’s Brad Curtiss (84 votes). The position of VP Events went to Regina Gonzalez of yourMSA with 116 votes against Param Nahal of Victorious Secret (106 votes). There were 27 spoiled ballots for this position.
Career Fair
Kevin Burns from yourMSA beat out Jessica Fortier of Victorious Secret and Lola Popova (an independent candidate) for VP Marketing. Burns collected 129 votes, Fortier 46, and Popova 63, with a total of 10 spoiled ballots. Alan Blackwell of Victorious Secret was elected as Student Resources with 124 votes against Daman Bual (an independent candidate with 54 votes), and Shay White of yourMSA (63 votes). The elections were nothing short of incredible,” said newly elected MSA President Douglas Canning. “Any combination of these 18 people would have built an incredible team. I could not be happier to have the opportunity to lead the 6 VP’s that have been elected in, and I strongly believe each of them will be highly successful in their term.”
National Dalhousie Student Asks for Suspension to be Expunged Ryan Millet is requesting for Dalhousie University’s disciplinary committee to expunge his suspension from his student record. Millet, 29, is one of the 13 Dalhousie dental students suspended for their alleged involvement in a Facebook group containing misogynistic posts about female classmates. In a letter leaked to the Chronicle Herald, Millet stated that although he
9:30 AM-2:30 PM/FREE/EME Connect with over 40 companies including employers from Accelerate Okanagan’s high tech industries, government, business, engineering firms, and community non-profits.
February 9
Family Day (BC)
February 10-13 Reading Week
February 20
IJM UBCO Just Dance
8:00 PM/ $15 /Laurel Packinghouse/Ages 19+ A formal gala raising funds for International Justice Mission. Tickets are available in advance or at the door.
$10 Big White Bus
“did not play a direct involvement in the hurtful comments brought forth”, he nonetheless apologized for “being a by-stander”. He also writes that he “was one of the people directly involved with bringing [the Facebook group] forward”. Millet’s lawyer claims that he has been suspended because he clicked the “Like” button on one of the inappropriate photos. Many have criticized Dalhousie’s suspension of the 13 members of the group before investigating individual student involvement. Photo: Tom Flemming/Creative Commons
Hitch a ride to an evening of affordable Friday night fun. Big White Ski Resort is offering $10 night skiing lift tickets and $10 evening rentals. Sign up at the Recreation Desk in the gym to save your spot.
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News Editor: Alexandra Barberis|news@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd, 2015 Bulmer: “I’ve heard of Mas* Jeff terplan, but I didn’t think their album was very good,”
you have any interesting * Ifpeople you’d like to see us interview, let us know!
EXISTING VS. PROPOSED CONDITIONS Residential Student Beds 1,676 Exising
1,641 Proposed
Total Capacity = 3,317 beds
Academic
71,809 Exising
91,448 Proposed
Total Capacity = 3,317 sqm
Parking
1,300 Proposed Total Capacity = 3,317 spaces 2,700 Exising
Commercial
2,411 Exising
2,150 Proposed
Total Capacity = 3,317 sqm
UBC OKANAGAN UPDATES MASTER PLAN UBCO updates the Master Plan for the first time since 2009 Projections are on a 20 year scope Ideas include a “Main Steet”, new rez buildings, field, and UNC 2 Alex Barberis News Editor
Beginning in 2005, updated in 2009, and refined in 2015, the UBCO Master Plan is in place to ensure that there is adequate capacity in order to facilitate the future growth of the university for the next 20 years. Since 2005, the campus has surpassed its growth projections – student enrollment has doubled,
and the campus floor space has tripled. Currently past its point of usefulness, the UBC Okanagan Master Plan is undergoing an update to meet the growing needs of the university, the city, and the region. On January 28th 2015 the University of British Columbia presented the latest update of the UBC Okanagan Master Plan in the Fipke Foyer looking for feedback from students, faculty, and staff. What’s the Plan? The plans for renovations are focused on expanding and enhancing the currently developed 105 hectares of land; however, this excludes the recently acquired 103 hectares of West Campus Land. “Developing the sort of quality and range of programs that students need and that our community requires, for
example the professional programs in health, is attracting more students, and we need to build a campus that supports that.” Said Deborah Buszard, Deputy Vice Chancellor Space: One of the main focuses of the space component of the master plan is the complete renovation of the central roadways. In order to eliminate the vehicle congestion along University Way, the university is planning to divert vehicle traffic to the periphery of campus and create a “Main Street” for pedestrian traffic only. Buildings: The ambition of constructing new buildings is by far one of the largest components of the Master Plan. The university is expecting to increase capacity for academic spaces in the form of new buildings and increased study space. A higher capacity for university housing will materialize in a number of ways: the creation of 3
Campus
Denim Day at UBCO UBCO students wear denim on January 21 to increase awareness on topics of sexual violence. The event was created by the UBCO Women’s Resource Centre, in conjunction with Sexual Assault and Rape Awareness (SARA), in order for students, faculty and staff to show their support and solidarity for against sexual violence.
Photo by Sarah James
The ambition of constructing new buildings is by far one of the largest components of the Master Plan.
January marks Sexual Assault and Awareness Month (SAAM), and it’s highlight event is Denim Day. Why denim? In 1998 an Italian Court overturned a rape charge because the victim was wearing tight jeans. The ruling stated that because the jeans were tight she would have had to help remove them, thereby giving consent to her attacker. Protests launched around the world showing support for the victim by wearing tight denim jeans. Photo: UBCO News
new residence buildings surrounding the Nonis Field, a faculty residence beside the gym, the expansion of the upper cascade residence, and three student residences behind Purcell. A gym expansion is in the works, with the creation of an additional recreation field in the southeast corner of the campus. Improving the transit hub and the creation of additional space in the form of a parkade will increase the accessibility of the campus. Additional amenities and street-oriented retail are expected “Main Street”, and will likely include the creation of the UNC 2. Infrastructure System: Outlined in the draft of the Master Plan are designs that are committed to minimizing energy and water consumption, implementing stormwater management strategies that preserve ecosystem assets, and shifting towards renewable and regenerative energy, water and
February 2nd, 2015 | The Phoenix |news@thephoenixnews.com | News Editor: Alexandra Barberis do you feel about the masterplan and the chang* How es that may or may not affect you at your time here at UBCO? We want to know! Send us your thoughts at news@thephoenixnews.com!
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have any interest* Ifingyoustories or events from
campus, send us an email at news@thephoenixnews.com!
Buildings 87,051 sqm Paved Areas 208,180 sqm
29.1% Site Coverage
Open Space 805,259 sqm
Proposed Site Coverage Information based off of Draft 2015 Masterplan from UBCO Planning Photo by UBCO Planning
waste systems. Timeline and Process The process of updating the Master Plan has continued since the fall of 2013 initially involving various public consultations, transportation workshops, and stakeholder consultations. The presentation to students, faculty, and staff on January 28th intersects the timeline halfway, if not two-thirds of the way through. Right now the UBC Planning Departments in both Vancouver and the Okanagan are looking for your opinions. The Master Plan is set to finalize in the Spring of 2015, and the final draft of the Master Plan will be approved and adopted at the Board of Governors meeting in the Summer of 2015. “The UBC Vancouver planning team had led the process for the past year and a half and the UBC Okanagan team will
“Developing the sort of quality and range of programs that students need...is attracting more students and we need to build a campus that supports that.”
focus on making the plan happen.” said Anthony Haddad, UBCO’s Director of Campus Planning. How to Get Involved Students are strongly encouraged to provide feedback in the form of a questionnaire on the UBCO planning website until February 6th, attend Master Plan Ideas Fair on February 3 (UNC Foyer), and February 4th (ADM Atrium), and sign up for the February 5th Master Plan Ideas Workshop. Additional information on the Ideas Fair and Workshop can be found on the UBCO planning website.
DEBORAH BUSZARD
DEPUTY VICE CHANCELLOR
Campus
Engineers Gone Wild The UBCO School of Engineering hosted the 2015 Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race (GNTR) at Big White Ski Resort from January 21 to 25. The proclaimed “world’s most epic student engineering competition” hosted over 430 students, from 17 universities across Canada, and showcased some of the most innovative concrete-toboggan designs.
The concrete toboggans are required to safely carry five riders, weigh less than 300 pounds, withstand an impact at 80 km/h and have a breaking and steering system, roll cage, and an entire running surface composed of concrete. This is the first time UBC Okanagan has hosted the event, and placed 2nd overall for the second year in a row. Photo: UBCO News
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Life Editor: Maranda Wilson | life@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015
LIFE
you know you can read this article *Did online... Check out our facebook and website for all of our articles and issues, thephoenixnews.com
SNAG HER LOOK: Outfit 1: Skirt + Top
American Apparel
Necklace Aldo
Shoes Aldo
Outfit 2:
Tank + Jeans American Eagle
Cardigan
Urban Outfitters
Shoes Aldo
Bag
Urban Behaviour
Outfit 3: Body Suit
American Apparel
Pants
Urban Outfitters
Heels+Bag Aldo
Necklace Photos by Shanna Albrecht
Gifted
VALENTINE’S DAY FASHION WITH SHANNA Going on a hot date this V-Day? Stumped on an outfit? Let our fashion columnist, Shanna, inspire you with her love-ly outfits . Shanna Albrecht Contributor
Hello Phoenix readers! Allow me to quickly introduce myself—my name is Shanna. I am in my third year of my Psychology undergraduate degree. I am a fashion enthusiast, avid Netflix watcher, obsessive coffee drinker and a bartender at your favorite Thursdaynight-hot-spot. Before I begin, I want you to know one rule about fashion: not everything will work for everyone. These are outfits and items that I per-
“I want you to know one rule about fashion: not everything will work for everyone.”
Life Hacks:
How to iron
Now if an inappropriate “woman joke” pops into your head, think of how dissapointed your mother would be! Everybody should be able to iron a basic outfit. You don’t want to be that person with a wrinkly outfit on your hot Valentine’s Day date now would you?
Maranda Wilson
Life Editor
sonally love, trends I admire and styles that work for my body type. I will try to incorporate as much as I can about style for every individual person, but it is very difficult to fit everyone’s needs. I love clothes and I love inspiring other people. With that, I hope this column will only invoke a positive body image and if you have any questions, concerns, or feedback, I would be happy to hear it! Growing up I avoided anything pink because pink was a “girlie” colour and I did not want to be gender stereotyped as girlie-girl. As I have gotten older, I have decided that pink is a perfectly acceptable colour. I have also embraced Valentine’s Day. Although I am single, I have decided that Valentine’s Day is a perfect excuse to eat chocolate, wear pink, and bond with other singletons. Whether your February 14th consists of a significant other, a group of friends,
or a loving pet, here are some casualdate-day-or-night outfit ideas. This Valentine’s Day re-work items you already have in your closet and pull out those reds and pinks! Outfit one: You can use this outfit for both day and night dates. Outfit two: If your style is more casual, try throwing on some bright heels or a fancy top with those muchloved boyfriend jeans. Outfit three: If colour is not your jam, try adding one simple touch of colour in a shoe, or a bag, or a statement necklace. Sending you love this February, xo Shanna
1. Check the tag. Figure out what setting to use depending on the type of fabric you are dealing with. 2. Fill the iron with water and set the right setting. If you’re unsure, cotton is generally a safe bet, but won’t help you much if you’re dealing with a thicker fabric or really delicate materials.
Valentine’s day is a perfect excuse to combine your reds and pinks. Ignore any colour rule you may have heard before!
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February 2nd 2015 | The Phoenix | life@thphoenixnews.com | Life Editor: Maranda Wilson to show off your Valentine’s *Want Day outfit? Tag us on Instagram @ ubcophoenix
kno ‘bout life? Send an article about places *Whatchu you’ve been, food you’ve eaten, cool stuff you do, etc.
for your chance to featured right here in a future issue.
Above & below: Stills from Weird Al’s “Word Crimes” music video, in which he unfairly elevates “proper” English over other equally valid forms. Left: Composite image by Marranda Wilson and Sasha Curry
WATCHNG LANGUAGE: WHOSE CRIME IS IT ANYWAYS? “If you can’t write in the proper way If you don’t know how to conjugate Maybe you flunked that class And maybe now you find That people mock you online.” -Word Crimes, Weird Al Torie Church and Robyn Giffen Contributors When Weird Al’s song “Word Crimes” made its debut in 2014, Linguists and linguistic anthropologists took to social media to have a heated debate over the meaning of this “proper” grammar Weird Al was referring to. In our previous articles we have discussed the notion of “proper” English briefly, but in this article, we will delve deeper into the academic debate of what is, or is not, “proper” English. Supporters of “proper”
3. Lay clothing flat on an ironing board. Use the board to your advantage by using the curve of the board for edges or harder areas. Also follow the seams and always keep the iron moving.
English are known as prescriptivists. Linguistic prescriptivism supports one form of speaking, often degrading other forms, and is usually quite resistant to linguistic change. An opposing group is known as descriptivists. Descriptivists study how language is actually used without placing any value judgments on certain forms. Linguists and linguistic anthropologists tend to be descriptivists. If someone took Weird Al’s advice and really did try to hire a “cunning linguist” to help them recognize what is “proper English,” they might be very disappointed. Weird Al is a prescriptivist. In “Word Crimes”, he goes farther than to simply praise “proper” English; he actually insults speakers of the so-called “improper” English multiple times. While the lyrics of Word Crimes are extreme, many people do seem to believe that there is such a thing as “proper” English, and that all other forms are
“If someone took Weird Al’s advice and really did try to hire a “cunning linguist” to help them recognize what is “proper English,” they might be very disappointed.” wrong. While this may seem like an innocent opinion to hold, if we look at what kinds of English are promoted or insulted, it becomes clear that the promotion of proper English is based on the supposed “superiority” of the people who speak it.
For shirts: start with sleeves first then let them hang off the board to keep them wrinkle free. For pants: Find the main crease, fold pants and line up seams. For dress shirts: Lay the coller flat and roll towels into the sleeves. This makes it easier to iron otherwise tricky sleeves.
What Weird Al refers to as “proper” English is only considered to be proper because it has been institutionalized and is spoken by people who have the authority to call it “proper.” Supposedly “improper” forms of English, such as non-standard dialects and slang, could just as easily have become proper English if history had gone differently. There is nothing inherently superior or more grammatical about Standard English. Many prescriptivists, however, insist that non-standard forms of English don’t have grammar at all, since the only “real” grammar is the standardized kind. Forms of English that are seen as improper are often associated with underprivileged groups. For example, African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is often viewed as a broken, sub-standard form of English, although it is actually a distinct form of English with it’s own grammatical rules. Another low-
status form of English is Cockney English, which is associated with London’s working class—a group of people who have relatively little economic power. So what it really comes down to is who is making the rules and deciding what is “proper.” When considered this way, degrading people for their language becomes just another form of oppression, and a way to control the way that people speak. Consider this, what do we call people who constantly correct other people’s speech? Grammar Nazis. So the next time you consider correcting someone’s “improper” English, stop to think about why you consider it to be “improper” in the first place. References: Masaryk University, English Language and Literature by Lenka Koudelková.
If you’re lazy: Use the shower: Hang clothes up directly outside the shower and make your shower extra steamy. Water spritzing: Dampen wrinkled area and put heavy textbooks over the wet spot. Leave to dry. Dryer: If all else fails and you have time to kill, throw it in the dryer then hang while still hot.
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Life Editor: Maranda Wilson | life@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015 Logan Ellis, Brandon * Occupants: McCallum, Nick Kmet, Sam Carroll
House Specs: 4 bedroom, 2 bathroom, laundry room, living space, kitchen
UBCO CRIBS
E M O C L E W T0O E TH
BANTER
E M O D
Kitchen: Top 3 fridge musthaves: Milk (they have it all:
skim, 1%, 2%, and homogenized), spinach, and eggs.
From left to right: Nicholas Kmet, Logan Ellis, Brandon McCallum, Sam Carroll. Photos by Maranda Wilson
Ever wonder what other students’ cribs look like? Find out in our new series, UBCO Cribs. Maranda Wilson Life Editor This bromance consists of Heat athletes Logan, “Brando”, “Kmet”, and Sam. Logan, Brando, and Kmet have been together on the men’s soccer team since 2011, while Sam plays for the men’s rugby team. Despite their differences in sport, all the lads had plenty of opportunities to bond both on and off the pitch. Brando and Logan were roommates last year in the “Flophouse”, while Kmet and Sam lived together in the “Gongshow”. Central living room area. Photos by Maranda Wilson
In their other fridge:
Booze, booze, booze, and Five Alive.
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February 2nd, 2015 | The Phoenix | life@thphoenixnews.com | Life Editor: Maranda Wilson somebody with a cool crib? Let us know at * Know life@thephoenixnews.com
you know of a person or group doing interesting * Do things on campus? Let us know about them via email
and they may be featured right here in Life next issue
Living room:
Logan’s bedroom:
Brando’s bedroom:
Kmet’s bedroom:
Sam’s bedroom:
“Some of our most college moments have been here: watching sports, playing video games and having someone work out.”- Brando The common area of the Banterdome is a multipurpose mancave: a home gym, bar, and video game (specifically FIFA) utopia. The space came pre-furnished, but the boys have managed to add in their own personal tastes including banners that proudly display their loyalty to English soccer team, Arsenal. All the guys use the bench press and weights equally, but their one rule is: “no drunk people”. The weights, however, aren’t only to show off; the boys collectively agreed to having had “some
“I bought all these wooden hangers here. They are all mine. I can’t stand those cheap plastic ones.”
“This is where the magic happens. This is also where the magic happens. The magic has happened there before as well”. Logan in the background: “He’s not lying.”
“I don’t know why but I have ‘sex lights’ in my room. The other one wasn’t working last time, but they’re crazy bright. Wanna see?”
“I sometimes eat breakfast on my own personal deck.”
pretty solid workouts on it”.
Describe your best memory together:
A small, but cozy space, Logan’s bedroom features crystal side lamps and a sizeable headboard where he has pinned onto it his good luck wishbone brooch from his grandma. Moose, who sets up and rotates camp in other areas of the house, chills on Logan’s bed facing the wooden hangers in the closet Logan has proudly purchased. #adultchoices
Prized possession: Moose.
Moose was spotted and purchased from Costco. Logan’s computer is a close second.
Describe your room in one word: Monochromatic.
Brando appreciates a well-organized closet where he can showcase his hats and shoes. In his spare time, Brando enjoys gaming on his PS3 on his T.V. with the convenient and game changing swivel stand. He also finds he dines more and *ahem* on his desk versus doing work.
Prized possession: A glass soccer ball engraved with his initials from his grandma. “I always keep it wherever I am”, says Brando.
Describe your room in one word: Relaxing.
While Kmet’s room lacks very many personal belongings, his room is the only room with adjustable wall lights that drastically raise the temperature of the bedroom to a near boil when turned on. The positioning and extreme brightness of the lights has made the guys question its purpose. Perhaps Kmet’s room isn’t the most ergonomically designed bedroom, as the lights cast silhouette shadows through the frosted glass doors…
Sam’s bedroom houses both Sam and his plethora of sporting equipment. The artwork on the walls is complimented by his own personal trinkets and sports momentos. What makes Sam’s bedroom special from the rest is his own personal deck.
Prized possession: An
autographed Zack Kassian Canucks jersey.
Describe your room in one word: “Nice.”
Prized possession: “My bed?”
Describe your room in one word: “It’s just a room.”
“Everyday we burst out laughing… there is no way to just pick one”, says Logan, to which all the guys unanimously nodded. The boys managed to narrow it down to one time where they decided playing tennis indoors was a good idea. This lead to the eventual destruction of the custom Guinness beer glasses Logan gifted each of them from the brewery in Ireland.
Fun fact:
Fun fact:
Fun fact:
Self-evaluation of cleanliness: 8.5/10
All guests of the Banterdome are required to sign the guestbook before leaving. Questionable comments and doodles are always welcomed. 3 out of 4 bedroom doors feature frosted glass.
There is no shortage of Gatorade water bottles. You will find one on every surface and nestled in every corner.
*Note: One of Logan’s pet peeves includes unfolded blankets on the couch.
Life Editor: Maranda Wilson | life@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015
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RIVER TIMOTHY SIDLEY APRIL 6, 1992 TO DECEMBER 9, 2014 Sidley Family Contributors River Sidley was born on a stormy, snowy April day in 1992. He was named after the Columbia River as seen from the Trail Hospital overlooking the river. Nineteen months later River became a loving brother to his sister. From day one they were best of friends. Often mistaken for twins and never apart for long, they encouraged one another to be true and happy. They especially enjoyed their time together at UBC-O, where River studied biology, with a focus in zoology, for four years. In first year, River became a part of the notorious Val 2 crew in the Valhalla Res, still known around campus for their pranks. No matter what the gang was up to, River would be there, laughing, telling
jokes, and making ridiculous comments. River loved making any experience a comedic act and often transformed the caf into an Epic Meal time episode. Bacon sushi, Bacon Burger, get the sauce boss action — now that’s an epic meal! His room was the epi-center of live stream soccer matches and PS3 gaming. You must have two T.V.s set up, plus your laptop going for the real relaxation to begin. Second year, waitlisted for residence on campus, he found his Borgata bachelor pad on a last minute housing effort. With a murphy bed, it was the perfect place for impromptu mini soccer matches. With his close knit group of university and childhood friends as roommates and neighbours in his third and fourth years living at the Verve and Pinnacle Pointe, respectively, there was
River was born in the mountains and died watching a storm come in by the sea. He will be forever missed.
always some adventure or themed party brewing. Turtle-neck wine and cheese, Onesies, sushi nights, and pseudo-rave parties. River could multitask his labs, homework, time with his buddies, soccer matches, attain the highest level of Skyrim, and never complain about being too busy or too stressed. He knew more than anyone that school was not meant to be just about homework and stress. To River, university was about the experience of learning about our amazing world and sharing it with his friends and family. School was about getting to know people and learning their stories. About laughing and enjoying the time we have together. He was an accomplished soccer player. He played on several teams at home and at UBC-O casually and on the Intermural soccer
Photos provided by Sidley Family
Chinese Student Association team. He was well known for his humour and determination on the field. The greatest loss is River’s potential. He found his life passion at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre and, it is through The River Timothy Sidley BMSC Scholarship Award, the family wishes to honour his beautiful life through the passing of this potential to future students. This Award will be given to a fourth or fifth year standing UBC Okanagan Campus student applying at the Bamfield Marine Science Centre Fall Program. To donate and learn more about the award and River’s life, go to http://memorial. supporting.ubc.ca/river-sidley/ River was born in the mountains and died watching a storm come in by the sea. He will be forever missed.
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THE 50 SHADES OF EROTICA A quick(ie) history of all things kinky This Valentines Day, in the name of love, couples will flood into the premier showing of Fifty Shades of Gray in theatres, soaking up its eroticism and deviant bedroom antics. Formerly frowned upon sexual practices are now freely discussed and debated, bleeding into the essence of classical love making. For the better (or worse), the 21st century sexual lifestyle is a collage of varied sexual beliefs and practices of the following historical snippets (among many others). Here’s roughly where it all started. Over one thousand years ago, in the third century, a textbook essentially framing the importance of sex and desire was composed in northern India. The book was written in Sanskrit, an ancient language of India and through translation has been deciphered as being about adultery, drug usage, the art of living, and of course varied positions in sexual intercourse among other colorful topics. Hints of gender appropriation are speckled throughout, such as a passage explaining the attributes of both genders, stating, “a man’s natural talent is his roughness and ferocity; a woman’s is her lack of power and her suffering, self-denial, and weakness.” Temporary reverses of these described gender norms can also be found, such as in a passage describing a woman taking the dominating man’s role during sex; being on top. Ancient Hindu beliefs did not frame sex as taboo, and even considered sexual pleasure as a way to reach spiritual enlightenment. Furthermore, in central India, the Hindu kings built eighty-five temples into their capital city, Khajuraho, erotic art carved into their structures, derived from the Kama Sutra. The twenty temples that remain today showcase explicit (and complex) sexual positions that still shock their visitors today. In the Victoria Era, essentially anything sexual that was unrelated to procreation was frowned upon. In the early 1800’s, Fanny Hill wrote the first erotic novel published, “Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure”. After its public release, the book eventually made its way to the United States, and in 1821, was the subject of the first known obscenity case in the United States wherein a Massachusetts court outlawed Fanny Hill. Her explicit passages, such as the following, characterized the scandalous novel and reasoning for its rejection from society: “They ought to treat the men as their tyrants”, and even more explicitly: “Coming out with his stout weapon, struck it in the clothen spots…”. If only E L James
Story by Sasha Curry Photos by Sarah James
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Wanna get rough?
What kink means to UBCO students
was as eloquent as Fanny. A few decades later, short silent erotic films held the first essence of porn, being referred to as stag films. The digital camera would later enrich this concept. At this time, engaging in kinky sex was linked to being a violent criminal or sociopath. Furthermore, this style of sex was formerly considered to be a gay interest. Over one hundred years later, BDSM (bondage/ discipline, domination/submission, sadism/masochism) has become, only recently, the subject of an open dialogue. With never ending “how to spice up your sex life” themed material repeated in GQ, Cosmopolitan, talk shows and the porn industry, we’ve reached a level in society where interest in kink is no longer suppressed– in fact, you might even say that kinky is cool. Those who practice BDSM might incorporate pain, dominance, submission, bondage (or all of the above), into their sexual lifestyle. It is believed that sadomasochistic practices spawned from the medieval
“multiple sex partners and chocolate.”
period, although we will never know exactly when its beginning behind closed doors was. French philosopher of the 18th century, the Marquis de Sade, wrote extensively of sex acts that often incorporated violence and blasphemy – as well as hints of Catholicism. His influence in sexual lifestyle later leading to the coining of the term sadism, in his honor. In the 1940’s, pin up girls such as Bettie Page showcased hints of restraint and bondage, around the same time as when leather clubs and gay communities shed light on homoerotic photography, an example being Tom of Finland’s fetish themed work featuring photographs such as that of men in leather bike uniforms spanking one another. Finally today, banking off of public interest in basement fetishes, fifty one year old “Snowqueens Icedragon”, otherwise known as E L James, wrote a series of Twilight fan fiction novels entitled “Master of the Universe”. This series later evolved into the riveting “Fifty Shades of Grey” and other novels that followed. The provocative novel became the fastest
“tying up, blindfolding, pulling hair, whipping, handcuffs...”
book to sell 1 million copies, beating J.K Rowling and toping best seller lists – as well as speckling the sex toy market with middle-aged soccer moms and increasing the prevalence of whips in the bedroom. James states in her website bio that, “from an early age I had always dreamt of writing stories that readers would fall in love with – and my dreams have come true, thanks to you guys.” (Can masochism be romantic?) According to an article on livescience.com, those who engage in BDSM are actually proven to be more open to new experiences as well as more conscientious than “vanilla participants”; they were also “less neurotic, a personality trait marked by anxiety”. Opening up a formerly touchy dialogue about alternative styles of love making may be for the better, although that doesn’t mean that an entire generation should choose the rougher road. This new essence of love making may resemble a shade of ancient India’s attitude towards the subject.
“savagism and animalistic behavior – pinching, biting, leather…”
“chocolate and whip cream and strawberries on your nipples.”
Evolution of Lust and Lingerie 1920s: Cami-knickers - a combination of a camisole and knickers in one piece 1800s: Whalebone structured corsets and caged crinolines were the norm
1930s: The corselette - a bodice long corsette (the first version of Spanx)
1940s: The over-wire bra – to ensure minimal cleavage 2000s: Crotch-less panties and bondage gear (the latest era of lust?)
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Art on the Line Event Coordinator: Connor Charlesworth| aotl2015@hotmail.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd, 2015
ART ON THE LINE Catherine Bennington Ardanna Semeschuk Originally from Richmond, BC, Catherine Bennington works primarily in oil painting. In her spare time, Catherine can be found knitting while watching trashy TV, or downtown with her friends.
Born and raised in Kelowna, Ardanna Semeschuk uses pen and markers in all her work Ardanna spends much of her free time playing video games, and designing her own characters.
Megan Perra
Portland, Oregon’s Megan Perra will graduate this year with a BSc in Zoology. Despite this, Megan can often be found in the screen-printing studio, enjoying the tactile satisfaction of the medium.
ART ON THE LINE: UBCO HOSTS 13TH ANNUAL GALA AND FUNDRAISER AUCTION The thirteenth incarnation of UBCO’s unihque art auction Organizer Connor Charlesworth and faculty sponsor Briar Craig open up about the history and process of putting on Art on the Line Jeff Bulmer
Arts Editor
On Saturday, February 7th, the Visual Arts Course Union will host the 13th annual Art on the Line auction. Every year, only one hundred $190 auction tickets are sold, although anyone can come to see the artwork for $10. The more expensive tickets guarantee one piece of art from a juried selection of submissions. This year, 132
Faculty on the Line Art on the Line brings in art from students, alumni, community members and even faculty. We reached out to donors from within the FCCS to find out just what they put on the line.
pieces will be up for grabs in a truly unique auction. “The night of, it becomes a draw. It’s like a raffle,” explained Associate Professor of Printmaking, Photography and Drawing, Briar Craig. “The first ticket drawn gets their choice of all the [pieces].” While one piece of art from the 132 available is included in the ticket price, not everyone will get the piece they come for. “That’s what makes it fun.” At the start of the event, participants are urged to make a wishlist from the pieces available. As the night advances and more tickets are called, the selection of art dwindles, with the most popular pieces being snatched up quickly. “The audience has to be alert, [they’re] constantly adjusting their own want list.” Inspiration for Art on the Line origi-
nally came from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, which hosts a similar event called Cezanne’s Closet. “[Art on the Line] is only different in that the artwork and the auction aren’t in the same room at the same time ... we don’t have a space large enough to do that.” Since it came to the Okanagan, Art on the Line has been held in as varied locations as Okanagan College – where it originated in the 2003-2004 academic year, two years before its first incarnation on campus –The Habitat, the Kelowna Art Gallery, and even the Curling Club. In recent years, the auction has taken place in the Fipke building, which Craig noted is not only more convenient for participating students and faculty, but also a good way to bring community members to campus.
Students on the Line
Although Craig has been involved with Art on the Line since its inception, the event itself is put on by students from the Visual Arts Course Union. Of these students, the most involved is fourth year Fine Arts student Connor Charlesworth. As event organizer, Charlesworth has spent most of the academic year overseeing everything from catering to space rental to the jurying of artwork. Overall, he says it’s been a smooth process, boasting some nice surprises. “I was amazed at [the generosity of] donors this year,” he told me, remarking that the total number of works from non-student artists that will be in the auction is up to 40 this year from last year’s 20. Additionally, several local businesses including the Kelowna Art Gallery and the Vibrant Vine donated prizes to the night’s raffle.
"The audience has to be alert, [they’re] constantly adjusting their own want list."
Briar Craig
Ashok Mathur Ashok Mathur is the current Head of Creative Studies at UBC-O’s Faculty of Creative and Critical Studies, as well as an Associate Professor of Creative Writing. Although mainly a novelist and poet, Mathur also works in photography, new media and installation, exploring various themes from identity formation to race and realization, reconciliation politics and beyond. For Art on the Line, Mathur has
submitted the photomontage Caribou Meets Moose. The piece is based on a weathered bullboard near Baskerville, BC, which once described the area’s flora and fauna. The four-image collage was also the basis of a one-minute video produced for an upcoming installation at UBC Vancouver. In his spare time, Ashok likes to spend time in the downtown cultural district or around the lake.
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February 2nd, 2015| The Phoenix | arts@thephoenixnews.com | Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer
in learning more about * Interested the artists who submitted to Art on
you submit to Art on the Line, * Did but don’t see your name below? Let
the Line? Be on the lookout for artist profiles throughout the week on thephoenixnews.com!
Heather Leier
Currently pursuing her MFA at the University of Edmonton, Heather Leier is an alumni donor to this year’s AotL. During her rare free moments, Heather can occasionally be found at karaoke events (but not singing).
us know!
Cat Blair
Whistler native Catriona “Cat” Blair mainly focuses on photography. In her spare time, Cat can be found exploring Kelowna and the mountains around the Okanagan.
Lauren Bell
Lauren Bell came from Calgary to Kelowna to pursue a BA in psychology, but soon realized Fine Arts to be a better fit. On the rare occasion when Lauren leaves the studio, she can be found in her kitchen, gym, or at a coffee shop.
Painting by Riley Wallis
“It’s been gratifying to see all these aspects of the community pull together essentially for the future of visual arts at UBCO!” Unfortunately, not everything has gone quite so smoothly. Most notably, this is the first year in which the Visual Arts Course Union must pay full price for the rental of the Fipke building. During my interview with Charlesworth, he implied that this was only a minor setback from an organizational standpoint; one hardly worth mentioning. However, in a follow-up email, it became clear that the increased cost of the venue has in fact led to this year’s biggest issue: ticket sales. To date, Art on the Line has never failed to sell out. While everyone I interviewed was certain that this year will be no exception – as of this writing, there are only 4 tickets left – it was often noted that selling tickets has
been a more arduous process than in previous years. Charlesworth explained: “I think the $15 increase may have scared some people off,” noted Charlesworth, who was quick to add that “some of the donations we have received this year are really quite valuable, and to think that some people will [leave] with a piece of artwork worth $1000+ while only [paying] $190 is really exciting!”
Money on the Line
Ninety percent of the funds raised by Art on the Line go to the Visual Arts Course Union to benefit scholarships; student travel grants; and Shelf Life, this year’s Fourth Year BFA show. The remaining ten percent have traditionally been given to a charity chosen by students. In previous years, the event has raised money for the cancer society, the SPCA, and most
recently Inn From the Cold. This year, a portion of the funds raised will be given to Cool Arts, an organization providing art opportunity to adults living with developmental disorders. Art on the Line begins in the Fipke building at 6 PM on Saturday, February 7. For those interested in participating, a few tickets are still available, and can be reserved by emailing aotl2015@ hotmail.com. For the first part of the evening, artwork will be on display, while the Trevor Salloum Group – a local jazz trio – provides entertainment. There will also be a raffle with tickets avaliable for purchase at the event, with gift certificates and various other prizes donated. The draw begins at 7:30, and will be hosted this year by acclaimed spoken word performer Sheri-D Wilson.
Painting by Kayleigh Albrecht
Painting by Sage Sidley, Photos by Sarah James
Fern Helfand A native of Toronto, MFA Grad Coordinator and Associate Professor of Photography Fern Helfand began teaching at UBCO back when it was Okanagan University College in 1998. Operating primarily in photography, Helfand uses the camera to observe and comment on contemporary culture and the surrounding environment. For Art on the Line, Helfand has submitted two works, including About
Looking; Fox, a piece from a series of 30 taxidermy portraits considering the power of the gaze. When not working on her computer or in her studio, Fern can be found skiing at Silver Star.
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ARTS
Arts Editor: Jeff Bulmer| arts@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd, 2015
EVENTS February 5th Two Bears North & Wild Son
9 pm / $10 / Fernando’s Pub Winner of People’s Choice at the 2014 Edmonton Music Awards Two Bears North come to Kelowna to play alongside local heroes Wild Son! Don’t miss this truly once-in-a-lifetime chance to see both Two Bears North and Wild Son in Kelowna! 19+
February 7th Art on the Line
6 pm / $10 Admission $190 Auction Ticket / Fipke Building UBCO and the VACU’s annual fundraiser and gala. For more on Art on the Line, see our Arts feature
February 12th The protagonist of Whiplash: a bloody snare drum (image adapted from movie poster)
MOVIE REVIEW: WHIPLASH IS 2014’S BEST MOVIE Simply put: Whiplash is fantastic J. K. Simmons plays his most dialedup character yet. Jeff Bulmer
Arts Editor
Taking place at Schaffer Conservatory, the “best music school in the country,” Whiplash revolves around the rivalry between brutally persistent first-year drummer Andrew Neimann (Miles Teller), and legendarily ruthless conductor Terence Fletcher (J. K. Simmons) – a man who believes “there are no two words in the English language more harmful than ‘good job’.” In fact, “ruthless” may be sugarcoating it: Fletcher’s particular method of teaching involves pushing students well past their limits, yelling musicians
out of his band regularly and with a venom unmatched by any movie villains from recent memory. In an early scene, Fletcher catches someone in the brass section playing out of tune. He proceeds to seek out the culprit and humiliate him in front of the entire class, sending him out of the room in tears. Fletcher’s vernacular is outrageously offensive – with plenty of creative insults, including film highlight “pathetic, pansy-ass fruit fuck” – his mannerisms sociopathic – it’s implied he steals from his students to “push” them – and his judgements impossibly harsh – at one point he indirectly causes Neimann to get in a car crash, only to get him expelled from the school immediately thereafter (due to a subpar performance). While Simmons clearly stands out
Filbert Cartoons Anthony Labonté For more comics FilbertCartoons.com
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Contributor animations,
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as the highlight of the film, Teller’s performance as Neimann holds its own. Neimann is a man who practices until his hands bleed; who alienates himself for music; who is willing to choose drums over life, love, or happiness. Audiences are treated to the full life of Niemann’s first real relationship – which ends when Niemann chooses drums. We see Niemann make enemies of everyone in his family, save his father – in the name of music. Niemann gets into car crashes and legal trouble – and comes out drumming. Despite Fletcher’s best efforts, Neimann never caves. Neimann is a man who wants nothing more than to be “the next Charlie Parker.” And “the next Charlie Parker would never be dissuaded.” Watching Whiplash is an experience. The interplay between charac-
ters is excellent, and only boosted by a soundtrack of beautiful jazz, and poetic filmography. Close-ups of instruments punctuate real top-ofthe-line musicianship (many extras in the movie are real musicians or music students). Shots of beads of sweat and blood on a cymbal bring audiences closer to a drum-set than many will ever be in reality. Breakneck drumming underlines montages of punishingly harsh practice sessions. And of course, a movie about jazz musicians contains a truly glorious soundtrack; one of very few I went back and listened to in full the day after watching the movie. I cannot recommend any movie from 2014 as highly as Whiplash.
Elliot Brood & The Wilderness of Manitoba
9 pm / $20 advance / Flashbacks Toronto alt-country trio Elliot Brood comes to Flashbacks, joined by fellow Torontonians The Wilderness of Manitoba. 19+
Until March 8th Superheroes & Supervillains
FREE / Kelowna Art Gallery An exhibition of works by over 30 different artists examining the subculture and phenomena surrounding their favourite cartoon/ comic characters
February 2nd 2015 | The Phoenix |sports@thephoenixnews.com | Interim Sports Editor: Mirella Cullen
SPORTS
NATIONAL TOP 10
January 27th 1. UBC Okanagan 2. Alberta 3. Toronto 4. Montreal 5. Trinity Western 6. Ottawa 7. UBC T8. Brandon T8. Laval 10. Calgary
Left: The squad celebrates one of their many victories this season. Photo by Greystoke Photography Above: Head coach Steve Manuel Photo by UBCO Atheltics
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL TEAM REACHES #1 SEED IN CANADA FOR FIRST TIME The Heat were first in the country and the conference for 2 weeks Recent upset loss threatens their seed, but team reamins a national contender Mirella Cullen Interim Sports Editor Cam Welch Creative Director
For the first time in team history, the Heat ladies became the best team in the nation when the January 20th Top 10 rankings were released. The Heat were dominant in the CCAA (Canadian College Athletics Association), winning won two national championships in 2009 and 2010, but this is their first time at the top of the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) league since making the jump in 2011.
After going 4-4 in their first 8 games this season (which included matches against conference rivals and fellow national Top 10 teams Trinity Western and Alberta) the Heat won 13 cosecutive games beginning on Nov 7th. The highly-contested Canada West conference is the largest and arguably most talented conference in the CIS. The Heat (17-5) have made it known to established heavyweights like Trinity Western (17-5) and Alberta (17-5) that despite their relatively new presence in the league, they are a team to be reckoned with. Middle blocker Katy Klomps leads the country in blocks per set with 1.62, and fellow middle blocker Katie Wuttunee is second in the country in hitting percentage with .357. The team has played strong defense and has been clutch, winning 25 of 31 sets (including exhibition) that came within 4 points.
INSIDE THE FURNACE Mirella Cullen Interim Sports Editor Cam Welch Creative Director
The highly contested Canada West conference in the CIS is the largest and arguably most talented conference in the country
By developing a young team last season and losing only two players to graduation, the Heat have only bettered themselves since last season. They finished their 2013-14 campaign with a 12-10 record and bounced back from a poor last half of the season to make it to the Canada West Final Four. However, the Heat’s 4th-place finish put them one spot out of a trip to the National tournament, which Canada West’s Manitoba and UBC went on to win gold and silver at. Upset loss puts #1 spot at risk After a shocking loss to the then-417 Mount Royal Cougars, however, the Heat’s #1 national and conference seeds are in jeopardy. The loss drops UBCO into a 17-5 tie with Alberta and Trinity; both teams hold tiebreakers against UBCO, putting the Heat 3rd. For UBCO to regain the top seed, both Al-
berta and Trinity must lose one of their final weekend’s games. Natonal #2 Alberta, who held the top seed for most of the season before the Heat took it, also lost on the final weekend of January. However Alberta’s loss was to national #6 Brandon—a much better team than Mt Royal. As a result, the Heat will likely lose the #1 rank to either Alberta or Toronto (17-0). If they are unable to regain top seed, the loss of home-court advantage may harm the Heat late in the playoffs. They have lost 2 games at home and 3 on the road—which is only a slight difference, but it’s those slight differences that can decide the results in the playoffs. Head down to the UBCO gym on Friday, February 6 at 6:00 and again on Saturday, February 7 at 5:00 to celebrate the ladies’ remarkable regular season as they wrap it up against the Brandon University Bobcats (13-9).
New faces: The upcoming 2015/16 Basketball season here at UBCO is looking forward to welcoming new coaching addition Claire Meadows, who officially begins April 1st, 2015. Head Coach Heather Semeniuk, who will be leaving the team after 21 years of coaching. Taking over will be Claire Meadows, currently a Women’s Basketball assistant head coach at the University of Lethbridge and the head coach of the U15 Alberta team. In regards to the series against UFV this past weekend, Meadows commented that “competitive games bode well for next year and our future.” The 2014/2015 campaign may be coming to a close but there has been plenty of great play by the team that will carry on into next season. Meadows will be coming to Kelowna following the completion of the CIS season and is currently focusing her attention on scouting for the 2015-2016 season.
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Interim Sports Editor: Mirella Cullen|sports@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015
week, we try to pick a Heat Athelte of the Week * Each to spotlight based on recent performances. If you’re at a game and are impressed by a player, drop us a line and tell us why they deserve to be AotW
chances to show support for the Heat: The weekend of * Last February 6th and 7th will mark the final regular season home games, althugh the women’s volleyball team will go to the playoffs after that. See left for dates and times.
teams vs Brandon * Volleyball Friday Feb 6th
Women at 6pm, men at 8pm Saturday Feb 7th Women at 5pm, men at 7pm
Last season’s divisions
This season’s divisions Explorer division in blue
Left: Kayla McFadden loses the ball against MacEwan, the best team in the surprisingly difficult Explorer division. Photo by Greystoke Photography
NEW DIVISION PROVES TOUGHER THAN EXPECTED FOR HEAT BASKETBALL Strong defensive play couldn’t fend off back-to-back losses in Abbotsford Competing in a new division full of recently-added teams hasn’t resulted in an easier road for UBCO Cam Welch Creative Director
In a controversial move in late 2013, Canada West realigned its Pacific and Prairie divisions into two new divisions, one for the established teams and one for the expansion teams that had joined in the past 10 years. As a result, this season the Heat played only fellow newcomers, with four games against each of the five other teams in the Explorer Division. When it was
announced, the Explorer division was criticized as a “second-tier” of Canada West. UFV, the best of the Explorer teams , even attempted to get the split rescinded. That said, 4 of the 10 teams now in Explorer finished last year with records over .500, compared to 12 of the 21 teams now in Pioneer, so the difference wasn’t huge. But perception matters, especially in recruiting, and the Heat now have the unfortunate distinction of being near the bottom of that perceived second tier. The promise of an easier division, or at least more equal division, has simply not come to pass for the Heat. With their losses on January 24th to the UFV Cascades, both Heat teams were eliminated from playoff contention. In their first game the women fell by a mere three points, although they and the men lost by at least 10 points in
“The promise of an easier division, or at least a more equal division, has simply not come to pass for the Heat”
each of the weekend’s other matches. Both teams went 2-3 in their first five games this season, giving hope that they would be able to easily outpace previous seasons’ disappointing records. But since then the Heat men have gone 1-10 and the women have gone 2-9 in coach Heather Semenuik’s final season after 21 years at the helm. While this year’s record will match or exceed last seasn’s win totals, that improvement comes with a huge asterisk: the Heat had higher winning percentages last year against the Explorer teams than they do now. The women were 3-19 overall last season but went 2-6 against teams now currently in Explorer. The Men were 4-18 but 3-5 against current Explorers. This suggests, troublingly, that the Heat have not improved since last season as it initially seemed this year. However,
a lack of short-term improvement shouldn’t be a huge surprise. The men’s team features only one player (Mitch Goodwin) not in first or second year, and it’s been clear from the start that this roster is being built for long-term success. The women’s team has mroe older palyers, but the majority of that team is also first-or-second year. The teams do have a final chance to boost their record, with two more games to play on February 6th and 7th. Both the men and women will play the MacEwan Griffins, a school in its first season of university-league play. The women will face an uphill battle, as the female Griffins are second in the Explorer right now, but the men of MacEwan have only two more wins than UBCO and are currently on a mini-losing-streak. With files from Hartley Vibert
Playoff home-court at stake in final weekend
Heat MVB signs local high school stars
With their unexpected loss to end January, Heat WVB moved into a tie with Alberta and Trinity Western at 17-5. But because those teams hold tiebreakers, the Heat are now 3rd in the conference. If neither team loses on their final weekend, the Heat won’t regain top spot and will have a much tougher road through the playoffs. The number one seed receives an opening round playoff bye and gains home court advantage for the final four tournament. Against other teams that have qualified for playoffs, or can still qualify, the Heat were 5-1 at home and 3-3 on the road.
This past week, the Men’s Volleyball team announced the signing of setter Eli Risso for next season. The team’s newest recruit joins outside hitter Devon Cote, who committed to the Heat earlier this season. Risso and Cote are high school teammates from Kelowna Secondary School. Currently, both are considered to be amongst the top 10 players in the province.
February 2nd 2015 | The Phoenix |sports@thephoenixnews.com | Interim Sports Editor: Mirella Cullen to work on this section! * Apply We’re holding applications for one more week to pick our Sports Editor for the rest of the
seemster. To apply, send resume, cover letter / platform, and work sample to new@thephoenixnews.com. We are also looking to add sports writers and reporters, so if you’re interested in one of these smaller roles send us an email
WE’RE HIRING The Phoenix is hiring two more new staff for the rest of the semester. If you’re interested in pursuing photojournalism, marketing, or just want to be more involved on campus, then send a resume, cover letter / platform, and work sample to news@ thephoenixnews.com.
COME TAKE SOME SHOTS WITH US
Photos provided by Greystoke Photography
TRU WOLFPACK END MEN’S PLAYOFF HOPES Heat’s late-season surge not enough for playoff contention TRU prove to be bigger competition than the Heat anticipated Mirella Cullen Interim Sports Editor
Strong performances early in the second half of the season proved too little too late for the Men’s Volleyball team as their last chance to sneak into the playoffs ended with back-to-back losses against Thompson Rivers University on January 15 and 17. The first game of the series saw the Heat walk away without capturing a set, falling 3-0 to the WolfPack. All of the sets were extremely close, though. The largest margin of points was 3, with the
first set even going to a tiebreaker. UBCO managed to have the higher hitting percentage in 2 of the sets as well, and middle blocker Jim Bell put up a game high 19 kills and 20.5 points. It could have gone either way but TRU were able to come clutch at the end of each set. The Heat bounced back strong on the Saturday night and captured the first 2 sets of the game, but in an impressive rally, the WolfPack were able to come back and take the next 3 sets, handing UBCO a 3-2 loss. TRU’s right side hitter Brad Gunter, the 2013-14 Canada West MVP, put up a remarkable 25 kills and led the match in points. After starting the season with 12 consecutive losses (all against teams in the national Top 10) reaching the playoffs became attainable for the Heat when they began a 6-game win streak, dat-
ing back to November 21 of last year. The series with Thompson Rivers was crucial to secure a spot in the CIS West playoffs: both teams had similar records, with TRU sitting one spot above UBCO and one rung below the final playoff spot. Needless to say, backto-back wins against them would have put UBCO in a much more favourable position for the next few weeks. Thompson Rivers has gone on to move into a tie for the 7th and final playoff spot, while UBCO lost to Mt Royal on Jan 29th and 30th and faces an uphill battle in season-ending games against the 4th-in-Canada Brandon Bobcats. The Heat will finish off their season at home with back to back games this weekend against Brandon University. Friday night tip off is set for 8:00 PM and Saturday at 7:00 PM. With files from Cam Welch
Men’s Basketball halts losing streak With their victory over Thompson Rivers University, the Heat Men’s Basketball team has ended the 10-game losing streak that saw the team fall out of playoff ocntention. Kelowna’s Mitch Goodwin, UBCO’s only player older than second year, led the game with a season-high 25 points, in addition to 5 assists and 13/15 from the free throw line. Goodwin was named Player of the Game, while Buzz Truss was also instrumental in halting a late-game run by TRU. This is a quality win for the Heat: TRU is second in the division and was loking to secure or improve its playoff standing.
We’re looking for a Photo Editor to gather the necessary photographs for The Phoenix’s print product, website, and social media. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of DSLR cameras (and own one), and be proficient in Adobe Photoshop. Skills in illustrations, video production, and other Adobe Creative Suites are not required, but would be an asset. The editor also attends meetings once a week and helps with production weekend every 2 to 3 weeks.
SELL ADS, GET COMMISSION
We’re looking for an Ad Sales Manager to pursue new and existing ad contracts for the print and website platforms of The Phoenix. Qualified candidates will have experience in sales, management, and marketing; be familiar with The Phoenix content and operations; and have pre-existing contacts within the Kelowna community as well as UBCO and the SU. This position comes with base salary plus commission.
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Opinions Editor: Brittini MacKenzie-Dale|opinions@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015
OPINIONS
you a political science or philosophy major? Do you keep up with cur* Are rent affairs and world news and are dying to talk about them? The Phoenix would love to hear about your stance. Drop us a line: opinions@thephoenixnews.com
NEW TRANS CHARACTER INTRODUCED IN TRADING CARD GAME MAGIC: THE GATHERING
Otherwise known as just “Magic” or MTG MTG is a unique blend of collectable cards and strategy game. On Jan. 23, Wizards of the Coast (producers of MTG) released an expansion called Fate Reforged. Part of that expansion? A transwoman character named Alesha, Who Smiles at Death. A transgender character has been a long-time coming. There are new expansions released a few times each year, with new characters, weapons, and settings. As of 2011, there are now over 12 million players. Eve Ensler, author of “The Vagina Monologues”, shooting the camera peace sign--but is her play transphobic? Photo by Anne Caroline Drake
IS “THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES” TRANSPHOBIC? Mount Holyoke, an all-women’s college in Massachusetts, has pulled annual showing of Eve Ensler’s play. Is lack of inclusion automatically phobic? Brittini MacKenzie-Dale Opinions Editor
Transphobia (or less commonly “transprejudice”) is a range of antagonistic attitudes and feelings against transsexuality and transsexual or transgender people, based on the expression of their internal gender identity. Mount Holyoke, an all-women’s college in Massachusetts, has announced that the school will not be
UBCO Valentines Streeters
Brittini MacKenzie-Dale Opinions Editor
UBCO students share their thoughts on the upcoming Valentine’s Day: what it means to them, how they celebrate it, and why they hate it.
performing Eve Ensler’s play The Vagina Monologues. Some might find this surprising. Monologues has been a stunning breakthrough in women’s sexuality and while it (among other things) has certainly helped the cause, there is a long way to go. Student representative Erin Murphy explained that: “at its core, [The Vagina Monologues] offers an extremely narrow perspective on what it means to be a woman…many of us who have participated in the show have grown increasingly uncomfortable presenting material that is inherently reductionist and exclusive.” Transphobia should not be permitted anywhere; I applaud the students’ forward-thinking and desire to be inclusive. However, are they right?
“Transphobia: a range of antagonistic attitudes and feelings against transsexuality and transgender people.”
They are claiming that Monologues is outdated—out with the old, in with the new. Granted, this play was first written in 1996. But we study many “outdated” literature in university classrooms. We see instances of misogyny, homophobia, and strict gender roles enforced in many texts. Yet we still study them. From a historical context, VM is a brilliant piece of work. It’s a play that still has a lot of juice and empowerment in it. Unfortunately, many women still feel uncomfortable with their biology and anatomy (trans and cis alike), and a play that encourages an open and healthy dialogue about vaginas is still very much needed in today’s world. Unless it was called “The Only-Women-With-Vaginas-Are-‘Real’-Women Monologues”, I think we’re okay.
Tom Macauley – 4th year History Major: “What’s your opinion of Valentine’s Day?”
Shelbie Wright* - 2nd year Management Major: “Do you celebrate Valentine’s Day?”
Valentine’s Day to me was about finding the love of my life. But as I get older, I realize that if this day is anything, it’s a reminder that love is not something we obtain, but something that we live and thrive on in the relationships we build and the grace we extend. Too often we occupy ourselves with romantic love, when it maybe should be the love between a brother and sister, or between good friends. So maybe this year, instead of worrying about getting that perfect Tinder match or meeting the perfect person in serendipity, let’s together extend our love and compassion to our friends, family, and perhaps most importantly, the people who maybe don’t know that we care for them.
I do. To be honest, it’s really important to me. I know it shouldn’t be—like, all those people who say it’s a scam and just a Hallmark marketing scheme and whatever. But it’s a choice, like anything else and I think it’s a fun and romantic day. I go all out for my boyfriend, who I’ve been dating for almost four years, and he does the same for me. We usually like to do surprises for each other, since we’re both super gushy. I have a really good one cooked up this year! * Alias
Is one person/author supposed to encompass every single aspect of every single person’s reality? The show gets updated almost every year anyways. So let’s not ban a revolutionary piece of work that has provided relief and acceptance for many people around the globe and then call that “transphobic”. To be fair, licensing rights are apparently quite strict for Monologues. But why not show Ensler’s play and something written or performed by a trans student? There is plenty of space for more literature and voices. In short: does Monologues need to be banned or, if we’re unhappy with it, should we write our own plays? I don’t think they need to contradict each other. Thankfully, there can be room for both.
February 2nd 2015| The Phoenix |opinions@thephoenixnews.com | Opinions Editor: Brittini MacKenzie-Dale
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you familiar with theology from a personal or * Are academic standpoint? We would love to hear what
and rebuttals we receive will be posted on thephoenixnews.com * Letters once received. For the print editions, preference will be given to responses
you think!
under 350 words; we encourage respondents with longer pieces to also submit a shortened version for print
SAM HARRIS: AMERICA’S BIGGEST ISLAMOPHOBE OR CONCERNED CRITIC?
Are we allowed to critique a religion we’re not apart of? Photo by Oussama Infinity Photographs
THE RELIGIOUS CRITICISM TABOO AND ISLAMOPHOBIA Charlie Hebdo events have re-introduced the concept of Islamophobia Brittini MacKenzie-Dale Opinions Editor
In light of recent Charlie Hebdo events, thousands of articles have been popping up: how are we supposed to react to this? Do we say sorry to the Muslim world for depicting their god in a facetious matter? Do we adhere to the principle (and law) of free speech? Are we sickened by the twelve murders or do we “see why it happened”? Some are touting this newfound fear and supposed condemnation of Islamic ideals to be Islamophobic, akin to anti-Semitism or the false fear of “The Commies” invading. The case does not need to be as muddled as this. There is a twofold issue at hand with so-called
Islamophobia. One, once this word is uttered, the criticizer is immediately seen as vicious. And two, it closes down the conversation. Certainly, we as a Western culture specifically and as humanity generally, should learn from our mistakes: it is harmful to promote close-minded stereotypes and to hold prejudices for entire groups of people based on said archetypes. But why should we go around and tout that all ideas are special and good? Why can’t we accept that some concepts are going to be better than others? Why is religion the one thing that’s off-limits in this regard? Is this really a question of excluding Muslims or condemning many religious ideologies as a whole? Yes, we hear often about Islam—but that’s because a lot of violent things happen in its name. This cannot be denied. There
is no need to skirt around the issue. To criticize a religion or an ideology or a hegemonic norm is not to demonize the people beneath it. We can acknowledge the merits and dastardly consequences of religious ideologies without placing specific individuals on a lower moral scale. That is, those who have not harmed others in the name of religion (although often the negative consequences of religion are institutionalized within the belief system itself). So why can’t we say anything about the attacks on Charlie Hebdo without being considered Islamophobic? We cannot be scared to go against the grain. It is okay to question how people live—we’re sharing the same earth after all. It is 2015: religion is open for discussion, whether we like it or not. As Sam Harris says in his most recent podcast, “there is nothing I could say in this podcast about religion in general or
Colin Sommerfield – 4th year Creative Writing Major: “Any plans for Valentine’s Day?” Nah. As someone who is single, for me, Valentine’s Day is to my year what an alarm clock is to my morning. It isn’t like the day or the alarm’s fault—they’re just doing exactly what they’re supposed to be doing. But [there’s] another reminder that there’s something I’m missing out on? Great. Screw being optimistic; I’ve got Netflix and alcohol!
Islam in particular that could infringe on your right to practice a religion.” He’s right. And just as much as any one person is free to pray to any holy figure they desire, we should be allowed to talk about it. To ban—through the use of disparagement against moral character—criticism against it reads disturbingly like theocratic rule. I have seen comparisons between anti-Semitism towards Jewish people and the cartoons drawn by Charlie Hebdo. The fact that anyone can post this concept (or retweet it or favorite it or otherwise show it support) with a straight face is mind-boggling. To question a religion through a cartoon is not the same thing as to persecute an entire race. Let’s not conflate the issue of dissecting ideology and hegemony with violence towards groups of people—they can go hand in hand. But they don’t have to.
Karlie James* – 4th year Management: “What is your favourite Valentine’s day memory?” I’ve had some pretty amazing Valentine’s and although for the past few years I havent celebrated it with anyone that I love, there was one Valentine’s that stands out. In my first year here at UBCO I actually went on a first date with someone who turned out to be a great fling. We have been on and off over the past few years and although it has finally ended it is still one of my fondest memories of him and of Valentine’s day! *Alias
Philosopher and neuroscientist Sam Harris has been talking a lot about Islam—in return, he’s been called an Islamophobe repeatedly. Do you think he’s being Islamopbic? Check out some of these articles on samharris.org. September 2012: On the Freedom to Offend an Imaginary God April 2013: Dear Fellow Liberal (An Exchange with Glenn Greenwald) June 2013: Islam and the Misuses of Ecstasy May 2014: Lifting the Veil of “Islamophobia” If you’re looking for some counter points to Sam Harris, look up the various Reza Aslan, Glenn Greenwald, or Robert Wright arguments, as well as Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks. All offer interesting discussions and perspectives of the topic. Decide for yourself if we should classify Sam Harris (and others who share his viewpoint) as Islamophobic or not.
My point is this: Religious criticism is not solely a Muslim issue. To condemn the acts done under Islamic beliefs is a cry against hegemony and the idea that “live and let live”: because often, that tenet is one sided. Often, that tenet encourages blind acceptance of all lifestyles, harmful or not. Growing up and in university classrooms, we are told again and again not to give in to cultural chauvinism. This is a valid concern. After all, the West likes having a bad guy; it seems all too frequent that we will use any excuse to bang the weary war drum. Those worried about coming across as paternalistic (who are we to say which religion is good or bad?) bring up a good point: lots of us do not know enough about many religious sects to criticize their ideas. So let’s learn about it. Let’s talk about it. What we shouldn’t do is vilify anyone who dares speak against it.
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Opinions Editor: Brittini MacKenzie-Dale|opinions@thephoenixnews.com | The Phoenix | February 2nd 2015 you have an unpopular opinion * Do that you want to share? Tweet at us @ubcophoenix
you consider yourself a love guru? Shoot * Do us an email if you would like to help start up
talk about pets or animals * Let’s you’ve loved. If you have a story
a sexy advice column. After all, what good is knowledge if it can’t be shared?
about your favourite critter friend, send it to opinions@thephoenixnews.com
DEGREE STATS: Where can I get a Creative Writing degree in Canada?
There are approximately 15 Canadian schools that offer Creative Writing degrees
How much will I make with an undergraduate degree in Creative Writing? The average annual salary of someone with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing is $37,154
What can I do with a Creative Writing degree? Here are just a few: journalism; writing instructor; ESL teacher; editor (online, print, book); novelist; playwright
Photo by Sarah James
CREATIVE WRITING DEGREES: ARE THEY WORTH IT? Creative Writing degrees carry a potentially unwarranted negative reputation. Let’s take a look at two UBCO Creative Writing alumni who share their thoughts on the program. Brittni MacKenzie-Dale Opinions Editor
Ah, second semester. The anticipated time of year for impending graduates everywhere. Students are scrambling to make sure they have enough credits, get their grad photos taken, and confirm with their families that they are, in fact, graduating on time. For many this is an exciting time of year, and for others, the end of their undergrad signals a potentially terrifying and confusing part of their life. This fear is particularly potent among many Creative Writing majors. This is because unlike many
Unpopular Opinion A recap of what UBCO students are saying on www dot twitter dot com. Collected by Brittini MacKenzie-Dale @Brittnimdale
other degrees—Business Management, Nursing, and Engineering, to name a few—a creative writing bachelor’s degree doesn’t look nearly as impressive on a CV. It isn’t a direct pathway to a profession the way a lot of other degrees are. The Creative Writing program is unique in the sense that many people (including intellectuals and even published authors) contend that writing cannot be taught. The implication being, of course, that to pursue a bachelor’s degree in writing is a waste of both time and money. But is this true? The Phoenix News caught up with two UBCO alumni, Kelsey Andersen and Joseph Dermo, to see how they felt about the program nearly a year after completing it. Kelsey Andersen UBCO was not Kelsey’s initial university of choice. At first, she was taking a journalism degree at MRU in Calgary. “I was really unhappy
“[Criticism] is a huge learning curve in any writing degree… it’s not for the thinskinned or the easilydisheartened.”
doing journalism,” she confessed. Although she knew she wanted to write in some capacity. Nowadays Kelsey is working for Wet Ape Productions during summers and volunteers part-time at Foot Werk Productions. She says that her writing background helped score both of these positions. The skills she learned during the agree allowed her to listen, take criticism, learn from what was being said, and to grow from it. It’s not for the thin-skinned or the easilydisheartened. One of the many perks she lists is growing her network community. “It’s an amazing hub to network out and meet other individuals in the writing scene. You definitely get to know people.” Joseph Dermo Joe says he took the writing degree because he wanted his language to manipulate. “That’s not a word that most people would want to be associated with but it’s what stories
Jeff Bulmer @gothenburgtown “When’s the last time you listen to Marilyn Manson? Did you know he has a new album out? BatfleckisBestfleck @AffleckRises “The Dark Knight is the 4th highest rated movie of all time on IMdB, but apparently, not everyone likes it.”
do [and] it’s an important tool to have.”Although he got a lot of out of the degree, he is hesitant about recommending it to others. “I’d only recommend [the program] to people who are ambitious and prepared to work their ass off to work in an industry that they enjoy.” He acknowledges that being a Creative Writing major requires more outside-the-university ambition and portfolio-building. Joe has secured himself a job at Disney Interactive here in Kelowna. Joe, like Kelsey, cites the program as being immensely helpful in expanding his writing network. While the best teaching tool for writing might very well be practice, the workshops, community and professor guidance are invaluable. Both Kelsey and Joe expressed that it is these things that make the Creative Writing degree worth it. Undeniably it is at least a good time to spend four years honing your talents.
February 2nd 2015| The Phoenix |opinions@thephoenixnews.com | Opinions Editor: Brittini MacKenzie-Dale want to hear what you think about the * We new legislature in the US with CISPA and new
similar laws coming into effect in Canada with CISIS.
*
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Do you want your opinion to be heard all over campus? Send it to us at opinions@ thephoenixnews.com and you could be featured in upcoming issues!
History of CISPA November 30, 2011 – Introduced in the House of Representatives by Mike Rogers
April 25, 2012 – Obama’s
administration threatens to veto the bill
April 26, 2012 – Passes the
House, but does not pass the Senate, failing to enter into law
February 13, 2013 – Rein-
troduced in the House by Mike Rogers
April 18, 2013 – Bill passes the House for a second time
April 22, 2013 – Senate delays vote out of disinterest, effectively killing the bill again
January 9, 2015 – Reintro
duced for a third time by Dutch Ruppersberger
Illustration by Varenka Kim
YOUR INTERNET PRIVACY IS AT RISK: HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Representative Duch Ruppersberger has introduced CISPA—for the 3rd time Here’s what you need to know about CISPA and what you can do about it. Alex Sadlowski Current Affairs Editor
The recent hacks on Sony have re-ignited discussion of cyber security methods in U.S Congress. President Obama himself is just now sharing his thoughts and submitting multiple proposals concerning cybersecurity, and it is difficult to say what will come from these proposals in their infancy. However, Representative Dutch Ruppersberger has re-introduced the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (or CISPA for short) to Congress; considering this is the third time the bill has been proposed, its implications are clearer. In fact, the 2015 edition of the bill is reportedly exactly the same as the last one in
Ava Greer @ayvagee
“Food for (philosophical) thought: we don’t blame forces of nature like storms for their destruction - should we blame our own minds?”
2013, with not a single change in wording. Although CISPA is an American bill, it will affect anyone and everyone using the Internet (American or not). Here is what you need to know about CISPA and what you can do about it. The Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act is a bill allowing for new avenues of data sharing between the U.S. government and tech companies that handle a significant amount of customer information. The main idea behind the law is that it would allow companies such as Google and Facebook to share user information with the U.S. Government on the basis that such information may be related to cybersecurity crimes. The proposal has received a significant amount of public backlash all three times it has been proposed, and with ample reason. The issue with CISPA lies in its lack of specifics. Under CISPA, the U.S. Government would have legal access to any information that companies hold
“The main idea behind the law is that it would allow companies such as Google and Facebook to share user information with the U.S. Government.”
“You may be asking yourself: as a Canadian, what can I do to prevent this bill from becoming law?” on their users (regardless of nationality) provided they believe the information will aid in the prevention of cyber terrorism. This means phone numbers, addresses, credit card numbers – nothing is off-limits. This is because there’s nothing in the bill stating which information might aid in the stopping of cyber terrorists, meaning that the U.S. Govern-
Keaton Lane @kjlane5
“Jokes should have no limits... to a point. Its not always funny sometimes it’s just racist.”
ment could, technically, gain access to any information they claim is necessary. The information gathered under CISPA would also be exempt from the Freedom of Information Act, meaning a user may never know if their information was in the hands of U.S. officials or not. If this all sounds like a major invasion of privacy, don’t worry – you’re not crazy. But you may be asking yourself: as a Canadian, what can I do to prevent this bill from becoming law? Unfortunately, not a whole lot. You can find a petition against the bill at cispaisback.org, but it’s difficult to say what kind of impact this might have (don’t let my cynicism discourage you from signing – you never know). If you know any American citizens, urge them to call their Member of Congress to protest the bill. And keep your fingers crossed that CISPA gets shut down for a third time.