aUGUST 30, 2016 | VoLuME XCVIII | IssuE v stealing baby kangaroos since 1918
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THE UBYSSEY
P / 03
P / 09
P / 12
P / 13
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NEWS
CULTURE
OPINION
SCIENCE
SPORTS
WUSC student refugees arrive on campus
What not to miss at the Fringe Festival
Learning to be comfortable with compliments
Weed research: is the stoner stereotype true?
Football loses 50-7 to the Manitoba Bisons
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aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
YOUR GUIDE TO UBC EVENTS & PEOPLE
EVENTS
2
OUR CAMPUS
First-year Lasya Vankayala has worked in the lab since high school SUNDAY JULY 31 HOUSE PARTY 9 P.M. @ KOERNER
Finish moving in, grab your friends, grab a beer and get ready for another drunken night at Koerner’s to kick off the year!
$5 ADVANCED TICKET
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5 GARDEN PARTY 5 P.M. @ UBC FARM
Grab some drinks while sporting classy bowties and sun dresses.
$15 TIER 1 / $20 TIER 2
The lab at UBC has become home for Vankayala.
Koby Michaels Science Editor
SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 10 WESBROOK FESTIVAL 11 A.M. @ WESBROOK
The Wesbrook Community Centre will be open for free BBQ, music and fun.
FREE
ON THE COVER COVER BY Aiken Lao
Want to see your events listed here? Email your event listings to printeditor@ubyssey.ca
U The Ubyssey
editorial
BUSINESS
Coordinating Editor Science Editor Jack Hauen Koby Michaels coordinating@ubyssey.ca science@ubyssey.ca
Business Manager Ron Gorodetsky business@ubyssey.ca
Design Editor Aiken Lao printeditor@ubyssey.ca
Web Developer Peter Siemens peter@ubyssey.ca
News Editors Sruthi Tadepalli & Samantha McCabe news@ubyssey.ca
Office Administrator Emma Partridge advertising@ubyssey.ca
Culture Editor Samuel Du Bois culture@ubyssey.ca Sports + Rec Editor Olamide Olaniyan sports@ubyssey.ca Video Producer Kate Colenbrander video@ubyssey.ca Opinions + Blog Editor Bailey Ramsay opinions@ubyssey.ca Features Editor Olivia Law features@ubyssey.ca
Staff
LEGAL
Matt Langmuir, Josh Azizi, Bill Situ, Elena Volohova, Jeremy Johnson-Silvers, Julian Yu, Sruthi Tadepalli, Karen Wang, Jessie Stirling, Vicky Huang, Henry Allan, Natalie Morris, Miguel Santa Maria, Sivan Spector, Sarah Nabila, Sophie Sutcliffe, Rithu Jagannath, Lucy Fox, Ben Cook, Avril Hwang, Ben Geisberg, Lilian Odera, Adam Waitzer, Emma Hicks, Ben Geisberg, Helen Zhou, Nadya Rahman, Boris Bosnjakovic, Aiden Qualizza, Jerry Yin, Arianna Leah Fischer, Tisha Dasgupta, Isabelle Commerford, Evelina Tolstykh, Mischa Milne, Julia Burnham, Gaby Lucas, Rachel Lau, David Deng, Tendayi Moyo
The Ubyssey is the official student newspaper of the University of British Columbia. It is published every Tuesday by The Ubyssey Publications Society. We are an autonomous, democratically run student organization and all students are encouraged to participate. Editorials are chosen and written by the Ubyssey staff. They are the expressed opinion of the staff, and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Ubyssey Publications Society or the University of British Columbia. All editorial content appearing in The Ubyssey is the property of The Ubyssey Publications Society. Stories, opinions, photographs and artwork contained herein cannot be reproduced without the expressed, written permission of The Ubyssey Publications Society. The Ubyssey is a founding member of Canadian University
AUGUST 30, 2016 | Volume XCVIII| Issue v
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Most high school students don’t go out of their way to create more work for themselves. Lasya Vankayala was not your average high school student. Vankayala, who will be starting at UBC in September, is one of two incoming students to win a Schulich Leader Scholarship — Canada’s largest STEM scholarship. Schulich Leader Scholarships are awarded to high school graduates enrolling in STEM undergraduate programs in a variety of universities in Canada and Israel. According to their website, the program funds 50 scholarships each year so that “our most promising students can pursue their dreams and become the next global pioneers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.” Vankayala said her application was largely based around her work with the Canucks Autism Network, which provides athletic and arts programs for kids living with autism. Vankayala got involved in the network two years ago when a close family friend, who has a child with autism, brought her to an event. Since then, Vankayala has volunteered with their summer bike and multisports camps and has helped out with their music camp and weekly programs during the school year. “They’re short on volunteers,” Vankayala said. “I had to make sure I got that plug in.” But Vankayala’s involvement goes far beyond the Autism Network. She works in a biomedical research lab at Simon Fraser University (SFU), founded and runs a non-profit called Life Over Labels, is writing a novel and teaches Carnatic singing, an ancient singing
PHOTO COURTESY LASYA VANKAYALA
tradition from Southern India. Vankayala, who will be starting at UBC as a first-year next week, hopes to study biochemistry in UBC’s faculty of science, wants to do research on campus and is thinking about joining UBC Improv. The high school grad got her start in research in the ninth grade. “I had this science project and I got it into my head that I would stand a better chance if I had a mentor,” she said. “I literally went down the hallway of professors’ offices knocking on doors and Dr. [Gordon] Rintoul was the one who didn’t slam it in my face.” Rintoul, who is an associate professor of cellular neurophysiology at SFU, welcomed Vankayala into his lab. She started at a microscope, looking at slides under a fluorescence microscope and has since moved on to study how UV rays affect the speed at which wounds heel, how to improve Parkinson’s disease treatment with antioxidants and attempted to use the CRISPR/CAS9 gene editing system — a tool to manipulate the genetics of a cell — to turn skin cells into neurons. “That lab has become home.” “I was following a technique developed in China. When I tried to do it it didn’t work as well because I realized they were using a lot of very expensive neural growth factors that I didn’t have access to,” she explained. “You can’t do it without the growth factors.” Vankayala has yet to publish research in a peer-reviewed journal, but has submitted papers for school projects and science fairs, earning a gold medal at the Greater Vancouver Regional Science Fair and a third-place prize at the Sanofi Biogenius Challenge BC, a youth science competition run by a
pharmaceutical company. Vankayala hasn’t limited herself to science and research though. While attending the Shad Valley program at the University of Waterloo — a summer program for science, math and entrepreneurship — Vankayala got talking to Varoon Pornsinsiriruk, who is currently a second-year student at UBC, and Thomas Micheal, a current second-year at the University of Toronto. “I think it was like 1 a.m., and we realized all of us had the same impressions that by pursuing science, people seemed to think you can’t like art or be an artistic person or that it makes you a brainiac.” Life Over Labels, a blog about ignoring the labels society gives you and living you life the way you want to was born. Now Vankayala runs the nonprofit site, editing pieces and writing her own stories. She recently published a blog post about the bullying she faced in high school. “Even the positive labels — like being so-called ‘gifted’ or ‘intelligent’ — prevents you from being able to act or feel a certain way because you are always expected to be a perfect student. We wanted to find a way to combat that and let people live the way they wanted,” she said. Vankayala hopes to expand the program, which currently has 15 writers, onto UBC’s campus and do community outreach. In her free time, Vankayala enjoys Carnatic singing and is writing a novel. She has been singing for 15 years and recently completed her three-hour “graduation” concert in August of last year. Now she teaches four students and wants to take on more. Her novel is a fantasy story that began as a playground game when Vankayala was younger. “It stemmed from a game that my friends and I used to play when we were 10 because our playground in our elementary school was very boring,” she said. “We came up with a fantasy that we’d play and we’d keep running out of ideas, so I’d come up with these stories to keep everyone entertained. In tenth grade, I started to put them down on paper pretty seriously.” She’s about two-thirds of the way through the book and is looking into if, and how, she could publish it. With her $60,000 dollars from the Schulich scholarship, she plans to help pay for her undergraduate degree and put money away for grad school. She might buy herself a congratulatory Lord of the Rings collectors’ set, though she’ll likely pay with it with her teaching fees. “I’ve been looking forward to starting university for a long time,” said Vankayala. She has no plans for slowing down now that she is in university and has already lined up a lab to do research in, though she wouldn’t say which because it wasn’t finalized yet. Vankayala will join the rest of the class of 2020 at Imagine Day on September 6. U
NEWS
AUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editors Sruthi tadepalli + samantha mccabe
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Campus community //
Six WUSC student refugees arrive on campus
PHOTO PHILIPPE ROBERGE/THE UBYSSEY
Newly-arrived WUSC students and members of their support system.
Sruthi Tadepalli News Editor
Last Monday, six refugee students arrived on campus. They were privately sponsored by UBC students through the World University Service of Canada (WUSC) student refugee program. UBC’s WUSC local committee is an AMS club and its student refugee program was founded in 1978. Since then, UBC has held four referendums to either institute or increase the fee for the student refugee fund. The latest referendum happened last March with the fee being doubled to $5.22 as a result. This increased fee was a part of the AMS and, more widely, UBC’s reaction to the Syrian refugee crisis. “[The campus community] looked to a program which has already thrived on our campus and done very well, and which was already the biggest in Canada before we doubled,” said Jenna Omassi, president of UBC’s WUSC local committee.
The increased fee now allows WUSC to fund double the number of students — eight instead of four — and increase the support provided for the students that are funded. WUSC students are technically privately sponsored refugees, with the agreement essentially being that the students of UBC are legally obligated to fully support these students for 12 months and help them integrate into life in Canada. The selection process for this program is extensive and competitive — the entire process takes approximately 16 months. “Many of the students we see coming here from Kenya are individuals who most likely were born in the [refugee] camp and who knew from a very young age that WUSC was it — it was the way they were getting out of the camp,” said Omassi. “They were the ones who were sent to school to thrive, to work on their English, to be ready to get into this program.” The 16-month admissions process includes everything from the Test of English as a
Foreign Language (TOEFL) to research project interviews meant to help WUSC understand whether candidates will be able to permanently resettle in Canada. Students can apply up to three times, and will then be considered for specific universities based on their test scores and personalities. “We see students who really are coming here, not as refugees, but as students. They have permanent residency when they get here,” said Omassi. “They have been working their entire lives to get into the program.” The latest fee increase should have led to eight students coming to UBC through the program, but complications arose. One student was resettled in Australia with her whole family. Another, however, found out at the last moment that there were some issues with their immigration documents and was unable to come in time for September. Omassi hopes that the student will be able to arrive in January instead — something that has happened before.
Many people contribute to the immigration process and integration of WUSC students. One such person is Akuechbeny Kuol, the student refugee coordinator. “My goal is to make sure that the new students arriving at UBC feel at home and that UBC is actually a good place to be,” said Kuol. He also helps the students with start-up issues like bank accounts, whether the students are in a good place financially and whether they have a place to live. Kuol came to UBC as a WUSC student and is now in his second year as student refugee coordinator — meaning that he understands both sides of the system quite well. “UBC is a supportive community, but they sometimes might not have the information about what the problem is and how the student can be helped,” he said. One problem that Kuol worked on with the help of Omassi and UBC was to solve housing issues. With housing in Vancouver becoming increasingly more expensive, many of the student refugees move very
far away from campus after their first year, making it easy to become isolated from the wider campus community. WUSC students will now have two years of free housing on campus in either Walter Gage or Thunderbird. Housing was one of two gaps discovered when UBC worked with WUSC to identify which supports are being provided and which were insufficient — with careers being the second. Careers also become a problem because in order to support themselves, WUSC students usually end up taking jobs that do not further their academic or career ambitions. “We’re working to help them find jobs that actually allow them to thrive financially and academically, teach them something and help them articulate their skills,” said Omassi. As the program expands to eight new students a year, it will have to prepare for students from more diverse backgrounds. The three Syrian students, for example, will be continuing studies that were interrupted, and are from different circumstances than the students who usually come to UBC after growing up in a refugee camp. “We’re trying to ensure that we can have supports available for them, but to be honest we aren’t as sure what their needs will look like as opposed to the Kenyan students, who we are very well versed in,” said Omassi. To provide additional support and aid the evolving program, the university will also be hiring an advisor to work specifically with student refugees on campus. Alongside such challenges, there are also those associated with leaving home and coming to UBC. “Things are really different. When some things happen in a way that doesn’t really help you feel at home, that is no one’s fault. That’s just the situation,” said Kuol. Kuol also emphasized the pressure that can come from being singled out as coming from a different background. “Instead of calling them refugee students, we just call them WUSC students. It’s a better term,” said Kuol. “If [students] want to hear their refugee stories, it’s up to individual students, but not all of them are comfortable with that.” U
Funding //
Two incoming first-year students win Canada’s largest STEM leadership scholarship
Koby Michaels Science Editor
Two incoming UBC students — Lasya Vankayala and Noah Tajwar — have won Canada’s largest undergraduate STEM scholarship. The Schulich Leadership Scholarship was founded in 2012 with a $100 million dollar donation from businessman and philanthropist Seymour Schulich. Fifty scholarships in Canada and 50 in Israel are awarded to students who show academic excellence, leadership and/or financial need. These scholarships are worth up to $100,000.
Vankayala will be entering UBC’s faculty of science in September and wants to pursue a degree in biochemistry. Tajwar will be entering the faculty of applied sciences and hopes to become a electrical or computer engineer. Both have impressive resumes as they enter their first year of university. Vankayala volunteered with the Canuck’s Autism Network for the past two years, has been conducting biomedical research at a lab at SFU for the past four years, teaches Carnatic singing — a form of traditional Southern Indian singing – and has also been studying the art
form for 15 years and founded a nonprofit organization called Life Over Labels. The organization, which currently functions as a blog, has 15 writers who aim to educate people on the dangers labels can have on an individual and encourage readers to be themselves. Vankayala hopes to expand Life Over Labels onto campus and start doing outreach work. She is also finishing up her first novel. “I really like everything I do, which makes it easy for me to juggle it,” said Vankayala, whose time management skills will prove useful this year as she
enters her first year at UBC. “I’ve been looking forward to starting university for a long time.” Tajwar graduated from Riverside Secondary School’s French Immersion Program in Port Coquitlam, BC this past fall and was the co-leader of Rapid Change — Riverside’s Humanitarian Club. The club raised $10,000 to build a classroom in rural China. Tajwar has also put his programming skills to work to develop the Riverside app, which gives students access to school announcements and an academic calendar. He has also spent the last two years working
at Hootsuite, a social media management platform. In his free time, Tajwar enjoys playing soccer, basketball, volleyball and the piano. “[UBC] has a beautiful campus and I will be living on residence while attending UBC which was something I was really looking forward to, going into university,” Tajwar said in an email statement to The Ubyssey. Vankayala plans to use the scholarship towards her undergraduate degree and the PhD she hopes to one day earn. Tajwar plans to do the same, saving a little for personal pet projects. U
4 | news | TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2016 video //
Surrey Creep Catchers spotlight UBC employee
Screenshot via creepcatcher.ca
The Surrey Creep Catchers recently “caught” a UBC employee.
Sruthi Tadepalli & Samantha McCabe News Editors
Surrey Creep Catchers, a group known for publishing false advertisements to lure adults looking for underage children, recently published a video spotlighting a UBC employee. The university has since released a statement confirming that the man confronted is currently employed by UBC. “The individual in the video is an administrative manager in student housing and hospitality services at UBC,” notes a university press release. “His role is exclusively administrative; in the workplace he has no direct contact with the public, including students.” In the video, the man is confronted by the face of Creep Catchers, Ryan Laforge, who then asks him what he has done and demands an apology directed towards the camera. According to the Creep Catchers website, “We do not condone or endorse any harm coming to these individuals, minus public shaming and outting.” The RCMP have previously spoken out against the Surrey Creep Catchers, warning that when law enforcement is bypassed, investigations can be jeopardized and key evidence can be lost.
Money Matters //
University Neighbourhoods Association to pay for fire protection services for community Samantha McCabe News Editor
The province has levied an additional $1 million yearly fee against the University Neighbourhoods Association (UNA), a municipal council for the local areas on campus, to pay for fire protection services. Since this amount makes up a large percentage of the UNA’s yearly budget — which is approximately $4.5 million — UBC is stepping in to help manage this fee. Previously, the province paid for all fire protection services in the area. However, it was recently decided that the residential neighbourhoods surrounding UBC would need to pay an additional fee. Such a fee is already paid by other BC residential jurisdictions, including the University Endowment Lands. This year, the fire protection fee will amount to $500,000. From the the 2017/18 budget year, the fee will rise to and stay at an amount of approximately $1 million a year. For this year’s $500,000 fee, UBC will be contributing $250,000, and the UNA’s Board will vote to approve paying that
same amount in September. However, on a yearly basis the UNA will contribute $70,000 to the $1 million fee, with UBC paying the rest. “From the UNA’s perspective, it’s perfectly manageable,” said UNA board chair Richard Alexander. “The university, [UBC’s] Properties Trust and the UNA have been working together to find a way that that download of cost from the province for fire protection in the neighbourhoods only is managed so that it doesn’t impact resident taxes and it doesn’t impact neighbourhood service levels,” explained Michael White of UBC’s Campus and Community Planning. This work has cumulated in the Joint Financial Task Force, created by UBC and the UNA. The task force is currently “exploring opportunities for the UNA to raise new revenues and to save costs without reducing resident service levels,” according to their website. “[The full $1 million] would have bankrupted us,” said Alexander. “The UNA’s position is that in principle, we do not object to paying for fire protection services. However, our position
PHOTO SAM BARRINGER/THE UBYSSEY
The UNA and UBC will be working together to pay $1 million yearly for fire protection.
was that … we are already paying sufficient money [through standard residential tax amounts] to fund fire and police protection services.” “I think the point of debate in the community is that some members of the community feel that the amount that they pay already should cover fire costs and the province says that there is insufficient tax collected to cover
Legal //
Lawsuit pending against UBC for former associate dean of dentistry’s misconduct
“The individual in the video is an administrative manager in student housing and hospitality services at UBC,” notes a university press release.” “Individuals who engage in this type of action can also risk their personal safety or the safety of other youths and the community,” said Sgt. Annie Linteau in an emailed statement to The Ubyssey. Linteau also issued a wider warning against monitoring criminal activities online, saying such work should be left to police officers who can do this in a controlled environment. “This way evidence can be obtained to support charges, which is the best way to get dangerous offenders off our streets,” she said. “UBC has initiated an internal investigation into this matter and we won’t be able to comment further for privacy reasons,” the university’s statement reads. U
fire costs from residents,” said White. “And that’s why they’re asking for this additional amount.” Regardless, the standards and expectations of fire services in BC will still remain the same, making the only change the percentage of the overall cost that the UNA will pay. The level and quality of service provided as well as individual tax levels for those in the area will not be impacted. U
Christopher Zed used to be the associate dean of dentistry at UBC.
Sruthi Tadepalli News Editor
UBC alleges that its former associate dean of dentistry, Christopher Zed, “personally and inappropriately enriched himself” while acting as a senior dentist in Haida Gwaii. In 2001, the university participated in the Haida Dental Project on behalf of the UBC faculty of dentistry. At the time, Haida Gwaii had a shortage of dental service providers with limited parttime care being provided on a fly-in basis. The project’s aim was to solve the shortage by establishing two separate dental clinics. It wound down in 2013, when the clinic’s
purposes were fulfilled. Zed was employed by UBC’s faculty of dentistry from September 1, 1995 to December 9, 2013. A little under two years later, in November of 2015, the federal government filed a lawsuit against UBC and UBC’s former employee Zed for “fraud and negligence in connection with money Health Canada gave UBC to provide dental services in Skidegate and Old Massett Village.” This allegedly amounted to the misuse of millions of dollars in funds by Zed and the university. In June, the university filed its response to the claim, stating that they were not unjustly enriched by the government.
PHOTO KOBY MICHAELS/THE UBYSSEY
“UBC acknowledges that Dr. Zed personally inappropriately enriched himself during the period in which he was involved in the project,” said the university’s response to the civil claim. “However, UBC says that Dr. Zed’s enrichment was to the loss and detriment of UBC and not Health Canada. “Dr. Zed was acting on his own volition and not as authorized representative of UBC and this was either known by or should have been known by Health Canada.” UBC’s response to the civil suit does not appear to have been previously reported until The Globe and Mail’s article last week. “Between the opening of the clinic accounts in 2002 and the
winding down of the project in 2013, Dr. Zed breached his fiduciary duties to UBC and incurred inappropriate or excessive expenses and diverted funds generated by the project to the use and personal benefit of Dr. Zed and others,” continues the response. “Dr. Zed and others have subsequently repaid a portion of the monies, but UBC has suffered loss and damage that could have been averted if the band had monitored or reported on the existence or misuse of the clinic accounts or if the departmental representative had fulfilled the departmental obligations as enumerated herein.” The university also had contrary views about the allegations of the use of the money. For one $1.2 million deposit, UBC said that Zed actually deposited money to the clinic accounts, rather than his personal bank account as reported by the federal government. UBC also contradicts the statement that an entire $5.1 million sum was used by Zed for personal benefit, by alleging that the amount actually included “valid expenditures to deliver dentistry services.” Zed has not responded to the federal government’s suit, but has filed a response to a lawsuit filed by the Skidgate Indian Band against the federal government, UBC and Zed. Zed denied that the band suffered any loss or damage. UBC is unable to provide details as to why Zed is no longer a UBC employee due to privacy concerns, and is not conducting interviews about the case. U
FEATURES
aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editor olivia law
travel issue EXPLORING THE WORLD SINCE 1918
APPRECIATING NOSTALGIA IN JUANGUO VILLAGE, TAIWAN PHOTOS & WORDS BY VICKY HUANG
Nostalgia permeates the air. This place is lonely, sentimental and beautiful. Jianguo Military Dependents’ Village in Huwei, Yunlin County is not a tourist attraction. Most Taiwanese locals are not even aware of its existence — after all, the rustic charm of Jianguo Village is not as loud as the splendour of the numerous urban cities in Taiwan. This hidden jewel was built in 1943 under Japanese colonization. The village complex consisted of four communities serving as accommodation for Japanese naval air group soldiers and as training ground to kamikaze pilots. After the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) receded to Taiwan in
1949, the village became home to veterans and their families, thereby crystallizing the collective memories of more than 5,000 lives in the coming decades. In this village, women usually became pregnant around the same time their husbands returned from long missions together. Their babies grew up attending the same school, often ending up being classmates. The same went for the babies’ siblings. The life circles of these people revolved around the village and their fates were deeply intertwined. The thin walls offered a sense of intimacy (i.e., gossip material). There were no secrets. Once lively, Jianguo Village has been deserted for a decade
and suffers from frequent arson attacks. To revive its glory, a government-funded youth group, Jianguo Village Revitalization Association, seeks to restore the underground bunkers, bomb shelters and historical constructions, as well as organizing events to carry on the village’s legacy. Time travel. That is what it is. The relics are magical. They trigger imaginations of WWII Japanese soldiers marching in uniform and KMT veterans pining for a visit back home in a time when cross-Strait transportation and communications were forbidden. In Jianguo Village, there were no secrets — only stories waiting to be discovered. U
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6 | FEATURES | TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2016
three weeks in namibia PHOTOS & WORDS BY BEN GEISBERG
N
amibia is the quiet country. Other countries in Africa, such as Mali and Kenya, have been called loud because of their people, their music, their culture. But not Namibia. The thing that gets you is the stunning silence. Make your way just a few metres from crowds and you’ll hear nothing. No music, no talking, no singing, no sound at all. And it’s jarring. Being in the open for the first time and hearing absolute silence is almost scary. I felt it while standing on top of a dune in Sossusvlei, the large area of sand dunes in the Namib Desert along the Atlantic coast. I had been walking, huffing and puffing, struggling against the sand, when I stopped. My breathing quieted, I stopped humming a song and the orange sand stopped its shifting. I was a bit away from our camp and my dad was 100 metres away. I heard nothing. Not talking, not an overhead airplane, not even a bird chirping. Of course, I had heard near-absolute silence before, but I had never heard an absolute vacuum of noise outside of my bedroom.
The only thing that brought me out of the trance-like state of hearing nothingness was a bird chirping. I heard an oryx rustling around in some bushes. A mouse ran through the sand in front of me. I realized the desert was alive around me. I didn’t know how, since the riverbed was dry, it hadn’t rained significantly since 2011 and I was standing in the middle of a sandy desert with no fresh water for kilometres, but it was alive. This feeling doesn’t just come in the desert — in most parts of Namibia you can find a crushing quietness broken only by the crunching of grass, the chirps of birds or the huff of elephants. In the north, the roaring Okavango seems to quiet down to just a trickle and on the coast, the fog cloaks you and pushes the crashing waves into the background with the soft patter of feet on sand being the solitary soundtrack. Even in busy national parks, when the clatter of diesel pickups dies down, an unbroken silence reigns supreme. In my three weeks
in Namibia, I felt the alienation and loneliness that silence brings almost every day and was swept away in wonderment every time — nowhere else in the wilds of the world do I think such a feeling can be found. Namibia has the unique quality of plunging you into the depths of feeling alone and the epitome of solitude and then yanking you back out into a state of consciousness where you realize just exactly where you are and what’s around you. But it’s different from other empty places I’ve been to because, unlike the empty and wild expanses of my native California, you aren’t pulled back into a reality filled with humans, but one filled with animals and nature. In California, you can feel alone, but not as completely engulfed by the isolation that is felt in Namibia as you know that there is a busy freeway close by or there is a plane flying overhead or you hear some people coming towards you on the trail. In Namibia, it’s nothing like that. Silence becomes absolute and magical. U
AUGUST 30, 2016 TUESDAY | FEATURES | 7
rejecting physical activity on salt spring PHOTOs & WORDS BY JACK HAUEN
I
have heard that there is phenomenal hiking to be done on Salt Spring Island. I have not done any hiking on Salt Spring Island. I’ve been a few times and as far as I’m concerned, the best thing to do on Salt Spring is to have a friend whose rich parents own a nice house there and to exploit that fact for all it’s worth. I took this friend up on an offer to stay in this home for a weekend and decided to engage in the kind of hedonism normally reserved for retired schoolteachers and waspy divorcees. I would make Salt Spring Island my lethargic wonderland. Noon struck on Saturday, and the urge set in to get just a little fucked up. Luckily for us, I had been
to Salt Spring Wild Cider before — a place where one can purchase a flight of five different two-ounce glasses of cider for around $10. I’d be fine with that price even if we weren’t in the most obnoxiously gorgeous setting imaginable. But we were, and boy, were we obnoxious too. An hour or two of lounging in the sun, sipping on cider and making fun of the bridal party one table over left us drained. We needed more chemicals for our bodies, and we knew just the place to get them. A short drive away was Salt Spring Coffee, the drink of choice for people who have been to Salt Spring once and never miss an opportunity to tell you how much
they love Salt Spring. The coffee was incredible. I felt a sense of superiority to people in Vancouver who buy Salt Spring beans from the supermarket. This is a very petty and a very satisfying thing to feel. Evened out, we headed back to the house to catch the sunset. Something everyone will tell you about Salt Spring is that the sunsets are phenomenal. Everyone is correct. My visits to Salt Spring have ignored most of what travel websites will tell you makes the island special — long-but-leisurely hikes up moderate summits, unlimited square footage for paddle boarding — but I’ve found pleasure in a near-total lack of adrenaline. U
Are you looking for close convenient storage? We have two locations available minutes from the UBC campus and offer student discounts year-round. ■ 1850 York Avenue 604.731.0435 york@kitsministorage.com ■ 2034 West 11th Avenue 604.736.2729 w11th@kitsministorage.com We also have limited space available for on campus storage, please contact w11th@kitsministorage.com for details.
8 | features | TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2016
Exploring the past in israel
PHOTO & WORDS BY VICKY HUANG
I
t was brutally hot at first, and then comforts of gentleness ensued. I surrendered to the cuddly breeze while stroking the warm sand, soft as baby hair. Lying by the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv, I basked in the gaiety of the sun, the waves and the people. The emerald serenity drowned out the noises on the beach buzzing with excitement. From here, I let my mind wander on a one-hour drive in the Southeastern direction. The cheerful carols of Tel Aviv’s Bauhaus architecture would segue into the solemn silence of meleke — a pale limestone used since ancient times — sprawling over the ground, walls and buildings. I resurfaced in Jerusalem — a wholenew-world kind of place and the cradle of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. It is a biblical land — a cultural, historical settlement where distinctive and exclusive communities co-exist, committing to a distant yet intimate relationship. It was nearing midnight. The swifts
NAVIGATING LANGUAGE BARRIERS IN KANSAI, JAPAN PHOTOS & WORDS BY BILL SITU
A
s June was coming to an end, I headed to Kyoto for the rare opportunity of going abroad to study and teach. After disembarking at Kansai International Airport, I proceeded toward customs like all the other passengers. Along the way, I found that nearly all the airport staff spoke decent English, which made life rather easy. I had always feared that my lack of Japanese would be an issue. Communicating with the airport staff wasn’t an issue, but once it came to typical daily activities like
grocery shopping or asking for directions, that was when my initial fears became apparent. Luckily, I was able to pick up on the Kanji characters because I understood Chinese. If worse came to worst, I could have counted on my phone’s translator app. As an East Asian person, it was hardly surprising that nearly everyone that I spoke to automatically assumed that I was Japanese. Aside from my lack of Japanese, nothing else really caused any major issues. The best part of
being in Kansai was the sheer ease in commuting. Kobe was only an hour away from Kyoto by Japan Rail. Thirty minutes was all it took to get to Osaka. Navigating a metropolitan city like Osaka might seem overwhelming at first glance, but with a map, it’s actually much easier than it looks. I also liked the fact that everywhere was very clean and that the food was awesome. Unfortunately, if you love California rolls, you won’t find them in Japan, but the local food is just as appetizing as what
you get at a sushi restaurant in Vancouver. With the busy school schedule that I had, I didn’t get as much time as I would have liked to travel. Still, I would say that I had an adequate experience of both traditional and modern Japan, having visited various shrines and temples as well as Universal Studios Japan. After all, I would gladly travel to Japan again or even find work there in the future. The one thing that I would need to do for next time is to learn more Japanese. U
wheeled incessantly around the square beneath the Western Wall as if guided by some mystical force. Segregated by gender, Haredi men and women in uniform suits and dresses walked in step towards the wall to shed tears of mourning. This is a place heavy with the past, present and future. The Dome of the Rock beckons on the Temple Mount with which the Western Wall merges. The Islamic shrine is the singular blob of dazzling gold amidst the pale meleke. The majestic representations of Judaism and Islam lay side by side in a peaceful way. Yet, my tour guide said, “Jerusalem is a violent place, not just physically, but emotionally and religiously.” I could not unravel the complexities of history, religion, love and hate. As I took another breath, the soothing Mediterranean waters dampened all worries of the past, present and future. U
AUGUST 30, 2016 TUESDAY | features | 9
HIDING FROM BEARS IN REVELSTOKE PHOTO & WORDS BY BAILEY RAMSAY
I
t was worth the eight-hour drive from Vancouver to meet an old friend, Yuka, in Revelstoke. We began our adventure by crawling into the deepest, darkest part of the woods to camp. The carpet of moss that covered the forest floor fascinated Yuka, who had been living in Alberta for years. The alpine vegetation we encountered the next day provided a variable contrast as we hiked up Mt. Revelstoke. What was intended as a two-hour stroll stretched out into a five-hour hike up to a snowy mountain lake. That evening we camped on a beach with the sunset fading away behind our tent. We couldn’t enjoy the view for long, however, due to the mosquitoes eating
us alive. As we tried to sleep, we could have sworn we heard a bear sniffing around. Terrified, we hid under our sleeping bags and shouted nonsense as loud as we could. The next morning, a glowing sunrise over the lake and mountains was not the only thing to greet us as we sat warm in our sleeping bags. A small, fluffy dog approached our tent — we suspected we must have found the bear from the previous night. We rode The Pipe Mountain Coaster — an outdoor roller coaster shooting down a mountain — and I was sure not to use the handbrake once. The beautiful scenery swirled around me as I zoomed past, going in and out of dense forest. Yuka and I
trekked to the middle of nowhere to go bouldering. With the massive crash pad on her back, we tore through thick bush. After losing the trail and getting lost for hours we resorted to walking along train tracks. We then had multiple Stand By Me moments as we dove out of the way of trains that sped silently around the corner behind us. Once we found a boulder, Yuka taught me new climbing techniques, including how to fall on the crash pad — arguably the most important of all. With mud and cuts all over my legs and arms, I was grinning on the bus ride home while reflecting on my perfect weekend of adventure in Revelstoke. U
CULTURE
aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editor sam du bois
10
Theatre //
Seven plays to see at the Vancouver Fringe Festival Samuel Du Bois Culture Editor
Once more the Vancouver Fringe Festival will be taking over the city from September 8 to 18, saturating every stage with the wild, the dramatic and the bizarre. Going to Fringe can be a daunting task for those uninitiated. There are over 90 artists performing in over 80 shows over the course of 11 days. This amounts to in excess of 800 performances scattered over 8 main-stage venues and 13 BYOVs (bring your own venues) and sitespecific venues. It is madness! But rest easy knowing that the Ubyssey is here to help in making your frazzled, theatre-going lives just a bit more manageable. The art of Fringing is accepting that you are not Marty McFly or a wizard with a time turner and that you cannot see and do everything. So we thought we would help you out and narrow down the offerings to a friendlier sum. We picked out seven plays featuring intriguing premises and the talents of our very own students and alumni, which we felt merited mention. Dying City Opening as one of the Fringe Festival’s Dramatic Works Series, Dying City presents an affecting story of coping with loss in a post9/11 world. The play is written Christopher Shinn and performed by Aenigma Theatre. It is about a therapist named Kelly, whose husband Craig was killed while on tour in Iraq. In the process of grieving she isolates herself from her deceased husband’s family till Craig’s identical twin, Peter, shows up and she is forced to open old wounds and trauma. The play is an intensely psychological and political drama which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 2008. Aenigma Theatre was founded by Tanya Mathivanan, who is a graduate of the UBC Theatre Program. She has always been fascinated with the internal complexities of people and how this manifests in their physical selves. In collaboration with Co-Artistic Director Sarah Melo their company’s aim is to produce works that examine the details of character’s psyches in the hope that it will help people understand themselves and others. In this way Dying City has a strong, universal appeal, since, regardless of war or politics, everyone has grieved and can relate to the struggle. The play stars UBC graduate Christine Bortolin as Kelly. Other UBC alumni include Sarah Melo (BFA Theatre Design), Scott Zechner (BFA Theatre Design & Production) and Tory Ip (BFA Theatre Design & Production). Dying City will be performed in The Culture Lab at The Cultch, from September 9 to 17. Tickets will be half-priced for the September 9 showing. Love, Lust & Lace This play, from Gas Pedal Production, comes straight out of the UBC BFA acting program’s
graduating class of 2016. The play is a commedia dell’arte, which is a form of theatre revolving around masked archetypes that has a tradition going back to 16th century Italy. What the creative minds behind Love, Lust & Lace have done is deepen these otherwise twodimensional, stock characters typical of the type of play, turning them into nuanced and relatable figures whose experiences are more universal. The plot follows the two sisters, Columbina and Smeraldina through their escapades in search of romance. Columbina harbors very conventional ideas of love and family, as well as a courtship with a man named Il Capitano, whereas Smeraldina longs for danger and salacious engagements with men. What follows is a heavily improvised performance involving audience participation, some scantily-clad lesbians and of course a burlesque number. The play is sponsored by UBC and was created in the program by theatre students. It was co-devised by Chris McGregor and written by Mariam Barry, Meegin Pye, Kelsey Ranshaw, Selene Rose, Joylyn Secunda, Parmiss Sehat, Elizabeth Willow and Francis Winter. See it at the Firehall Arts Centre from September 8 to 17, with tickets for a show on the 11th selling at half-price. The Dance Teacher Following in a long tradition of dramas hinging upon the guilt or innocence of a character and much like Twelve Angry Men or the premise of a good old Hercule Poirot mystery, the character Justin Belmar of The Dance Teacher occupies a place of uncertainty for the audience. As his character’s nature swings back and forth like a pendulum between guilty and innocent they are forced to question everything, and quick judgements are often shown to be the products of unfair preconceptions. The difference is that, unlike many plots where urgency to deliver justice drives the story forward, in The Dance Teacher it is already too late for that. The play opens with Justin proclaiming his innocence after already spending six years in jail. He is preparing to appeal his case and perhaps regain his freedom, until he is murdered before his voice can he heard. The play then tracks Justin’s life before it all was undone, beginning when he was a university student practicing dance and moving to the somewhat unsettling reunion with a dance teacher he had as a child, Mr. Taylor, who is also a suspected pedophile. As events unfold the audience comes to know the man who is at first labeled a criminal, but who may instead be a just a victim of hasty conclusions unfortunate circumstances. The play was written by former UBC Psychology student, Gerald Williams. Graduate of the Medicine and Science program, Dr. Yvette Lu stars as Detective Spinner, who is the lead investigator on Justin’s case.
Getting your fringe on does not have to be daunting.
The Dance Teacher will be previewing at The Havana on September 2 and opening at STUDIO 16 from September 8 to 18. And Bella Sang With Us One of the reasons that Fringe is such a unique event is that it gives performers the licence to explore the history and issues of Vancouver’s past without being too self-serious or high-brow. And Bella Sang With Us is a perfect example of this as it examines the ugly nature of sexism in 1912 with a dark sense of humor and a healthy measure of song. This production follows the historical figures of Constables Lurancy Harris and Minnie Miller, Vancouver’s first female police officers, as they arrive in the City’s Downtown East Side/Chinatown to investigate a case of “female morality.” What follows is a noirish journey through a city rife with adversity and corruption. The play is directed by UBC Theatre BFA and MFA Alumni Sarah Rodgers, along with BFA graduate Ian Harmon. Other alumni and students involved in the production are Sarah Canero on stage; Kyla Gardiner, lighting designer and technical director; Kenta Nezu, Assistant Stage Manager; and Patricia Jiang, Stage Manager. The play will be performed at VanCity Culture Lab, Vancouver East Cultural Centre, from September 9 to 17 as part of the Dramatic Works Series. War and Peace The work is a behemoth that causes many a bookshelf to sag and which most read either for class or when they are retired and have nothing else to do. Now Tolstoy’s epic, one of the greatest literary works ever written, is coming to the stage in the form of a oneman show performed by Ryan
PHOTO COURTESY CLAY WONG/VANCOUVER FRINGE FESTIVAL
Gladstone. By some witchcraft or just ridiculous talent, Gladstone aims to convey a plot spanning 1444 pages and involving 632 characters in the reasonable span of a stage performance, with only a few funny voices and some key sound effects to assist. Amid what sounds more like a test of the actor’s endurance than anything else rests a key thesis which Gladstone hopes to convey. He posits that in a book as complex as this, where morality is messy and abstract, meaning exists in the smaller, simpler actions and events between people and not in grandiose battles or balls. However, if this all sounds a bit too academic for your tastes, do not be deterred, for the production is described as straddling “the line between comedy and tragedy, farce and sermon, low brow stand-up and history lesson.” War and Peace was produced by Monster Theatre, which was founded in 2000 by Ryan Gladstone. Gladstone holds an MFA in Directing from UBC. The play will be showing at the Carousel Theatre from September 8 to 18. Till Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII Apparently putting on a one-man rendition of War and Peace is not already impressive enough, since Ryan Gladstone has also written and directed this one-woman show about the six wives of King Henry VIII. In roughly 70 minutes Tara Travis assembles what seems like the perfect comedic ensemble of the six wives as they meet progressively meet each other in what appears to be a waiting room in the afterlife. For more on this play read Nolan Janssens’ interview with actor, writer and puppeteer, Tara Travis on page 11.
The Antagonist If you felt that superheroes were not represented enough in this list then brace yourself for The Antagonist, by Daniel Galiano and directed by Matt Clarke. If you ever watched a superhero movie and wondered what on earth your average, run of the mill villain got up to on a given day, then the exploits of evil mastermind Eugenius (Sean Amsing aka Kaboom Atomic) might fill that void. The audience will follow this comic book bad guy through the minutiae of his daily life as he seeks to overthrow his nemesis and finally take over the world. The play is largely inspired by Galiano’s time working at the Rio Theatre, where he would encounter all kinds of ravenous fans, all hungrily awaiting the next piece in the Marvel or DC franchise. Matt Clarke is a graduate of the UBC English Literature program and one of the play’s stars, Emma Cawood is a student in the English Linguistics program. The Antagonist is showing at The Cultch Historic Theatre from September 9 to 18. Tickets are halfprice for the show on September 10. It is worth noting that this list is not a complete list. There are countless other plays which we just did not have the space to cover, many of which also involve UBC students and alumni. So see as many as you can! There are more talented actors and exciting productions than can be comprehended, and it is a great way to support local theatres, actors and production companies. U There is a $3 membership fee to attend. Tickets cost $14 and can be purchased at the Fringe Box Office or the venue starting 45 minutes before the show. You can by Frequent Fringer ticket packets costing $40 for four performances and $90 for ten. For more information visit www. vancouverfringe.com.
AUGUST 30, 2016 TUESDAY | culture | 11 Fashion //
This fall is about bomber jackets and distressed denim Dana Kim Contributor
Though the crisp air is blowing and the colours of leaves change, we are pretty much in denial that summer is already over. This makes us all want to keep the summer spirit alive more so than ever by putting on the same outfits we have been wearing over the past few months. But with the change of weather this usually slowly dwindles to regularly sporting sweatpants and hoodies; and that’s alright, after all, comfort and style do go hand-in-hand. However, if you are looking to revitalize your seasonal attire many of the trends for this year’s fall fashion are being resurrected from the ‘70s and ’90s. From jackets to hats, here are some of this year’s essential fall trends. A loving nod to shorts, but still an update is needed for the cooler weather to come. Distressed denims are one of those styles that will forever be a trend. To add an edgier aesthetic to your casual aesthetic, ripped jeans are versatile and easy to style while adding a bit of originality to your look. For everyday wear, simply pair this with a t-shirt and leather boots, or most other footwear should do the trick. Expect to spend upwards of $64 at American Eagle. The iconic jacket, designed in the ‘90s by Helmut Lang and Raf Simons, has been worn by countless celebrities such as Rihanna and Ryan Gosling in Drive. The bomber jacket has now become one of the fashion essentials rather than just a utility. Still perfect for all-year round; it is simple yet robust and extremely comfortable. For bomber jackets at H&M, prices start at $39, going as high as $79, while one at American Eagle starts at $64.96 and goes as high as $90.98.
PHOTO VANESSA MINK-MARTIN/THE UBYSSEY
The ‘70s and ‘90s are coming back and bringing beanies with them.
For chilly mornings and evenings, another ‘90s inspired article is the beanie. These hats are perfect for when you’re out and about. They might look slouchy, but that does not mean lazy; instead they’re more easygoing and practical. The cozy knit beanies are guaranteed to keep your head nice and cozy. And if you love
vintage style, the ‘70s bohemian floppy-brimmed hat will help you recreate that flair in a modern way. Beanies cost upwards of $25 at the Hudson’s Bay Company or $12.99 at H&M. Floppy-Brimmed hats start at $60 from HBC and $34.99 from H&M. The traditional autumn colours will probably never change — black,
burgundy and dark greens. However, what really stood out this year was the rich, classic orange hue. From soft camel to muted tan, it pairs well with other fall colours and flatters many different skin tones. To check out more trends for this year, check out Think with Google. From beauty to fashion trends, Google determines the
latest fads by tracking the volume of searches and compares them from previous years; thenceforth predicting which trends are increasing or decreasing in popularity. Remember: these trends change every year, so don’t forget to create your own styles that are unique and individual to you. u
Interview //
Tara Travis talks about puppets and King Henry VIII Nolan Janssens Contributor
Tara Travis stars in Till Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII. In this fastpaced, hilarious romp Tara portrays the six wives of King Henry VIII and the king himself in the space of 70 minutes. The play begins in an anomalous waiting room where one by one the deceased wives of Henry VIII arrive. These unexpected encounters lead to hilarious furor and turmoil about who Henry’s true bride and eternal partner actually is. Then when Henry arrives, everything changes. When did you first pursue acting and puppeteering? Acting came first for me. When I was five years old, I performed skits for my neighbours in my parents’ backyard. In my twenties, I had a bit of personal crisis. I didn’t know [how] to make a living as an actor – what a surprise. Then, one day I saw an audition for puppeteering – I had never tried puppeteering. I faked my way through it and ended
up touring with the Educational Puppet Troupe. It opened me up again and influenced me to keep pursuing my dreams. As a co-creator, did the script change much as you rehearsed and discovered more about the characters? Often, the script does change as we rehearse, but for this one, we mostly focused on making it shorter. I changed a few words here and there, but Ryan was the mastermind behind the script. He wrote it specifically for me. In 2012, we developed the show, and we only had a two and a half week rehearsal period. We cut fifteen minutes off the play three days before we opened at the Winnipeg Fringe. Scariest thing I ever did but it kept me fully engaged. What type of techniques do you use to develop each character? Is substitution necessary when drawing up emotion since you don’t have anyone else on stage with you?
There’s no time for substitution. I approach each character individually. During the development stage, I pretend that I am only playing that one character. There are still times when I react to one of my characters in a different way than expected. The characters have become their own entities. I’m just the vehicle along for the ride. Has puppeteering influenced the way you approach the body language of your characters? Very much so. When I teach puppeteering, I tell people to focus on your own body. The two art forms inform each other. It gives a sense of hyper-awareness. Where else have you performed this play, and where will you go next? I have performed this play around two-hundred times now. We have a few more bookings around BC. What are some of the highlights and downfalls you have experienced with this play so far?
PHOTO COURTESY MONSTER THEATRE
I have been able to tour the country, and the play has increased my confidence; I didn’t think I could do it during rehearsal. And I feel that we are honouring these women while
still playing around comedically. U Till Death: The Six Wives of Henry VIII will be showing at the Rio Theatre in Vancouver from September 8-18.
OPINIONS
aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editor bailey ramsay
12
ADvice //
Ask Natalie: Kink communication and hoarding Natalie Morris Advice Columnist
“Dear Natalie, I know of a friend who has the habit of buying books which she never bothers to read. Her room is totally like a library already but she keeps on stocking books even though it’s clearly running out of space. Do you think she has a hoarding disorder?” Sounds like an arts student. In all seriousness, neither I nor you are your friend’s physiologist. I’m not in any way a doctor. But if your friend feels pride rather than shame over their books, it’s more likely they’re a collector — even if a rather amateur one. “Is it strange to think about Christmas when summer’s not even over?” If you’re assuming that Michael Bublé’s Christmas album isn’t in my “most played” playlist, you’re assuming wrong. “My girlfriend and I are relatively coy about sex. We try to steer clear of talking about the subject in detail, though we’re fairly sexually active — mainly due to some degree of embarrassment talking about things that aren’t necessarily ‘vanilla’ that we’ve noticed we both do during sex. Last night, she asked me about whether I’m interested in fetish play, like bondage or DD/LG (daddy dom/little girl) play. I don’t want to let her down by saying I’m not interested in that type of sex and am fairly open minded, but I’m
concerned about what entering into this type of sex could lead to in our relationship. How do I go about balancing satisfying her needs and not letting her down?” Assuming you mean “kinky bedroom play” when you say fetish and she doesn’t have an actual bondage or DD/LG fetish, then check out Mojoupgrade.com. Communicate. I know you’re “coy,” but you need to communicate or you’re both going to end up doing things you don’t like because you think the other person likes it. Don’t be afraid of doing something because of what it might lead to. Consent isn’t something you give once — you should be giving it every step of the way. If your word choice was intentional and bondage and DD/ LG are your girlfriend’s fetish, you really, really need to communicate if you’re not comfortable with it because someone is going to end up disappointed. For those wondering — in very basic terms — a kink is a sexual want, a fetish is a sexual need. “When is the best season to lose weight, especially when you’re in university?” The season where you have the motivation to lose weight. Seriously, it doesn’t matter when you start as long as you start. Sign up for the Birdcoop and plan to go at least twice a week. Doesn’t matter if you start now, in December, in March or in 2018, as long as you want to start. Give yourself a goal, which can be anything. It doesn’t have to be just a weight goal — it could be, “I
FILE PHOTO DAVID ELOP/THE UBYSSEY
“Her room is totally like a library. Do you think she has a hoarding disorder?”
want to be able to run for half an hour without sounding like an oldman smoker.” Then work your ass off. The feeling when you reach it is phenomenal. “What is the best way to get over a heartbreak when you can’t keep yourself busy all the time?” Time.
“Is getting a ‘Standing Deferred’ gonna spoil your grade record?” No, it just means you’re completing your course outside the original course dates for an approved reason. Approved being the key word here. Talk to your professor or academic advisor if you want to discuss this further. “How do you keep yourself
from dozing off in the middle of reading your textbook?” Naps. Well, naps, music and an interest in the topic — or at least an interest in doing well in the class. But mostly naps. Need advice? Contact Natalie anonymously at asknatalie@ ubyssey.ca or at ubyssey.ca/advice and have your questions answered!
u
Well-being //
Mind your mind: Accepting praise with grace say thanks for the sake of being polite and then steer the conversation towards another direction? How many of us can accept a compliment and truly feel proud of ourselves without feeling inferior to others? Why is it so hard to appreciate ourselves? How can we learn to accept praise with grace?
“We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?”
It’s hard to accept compliments from others sometimes.
Daphnée Lévesque Contributor
Recently, my landlord asked me if I would be willing to tutor her kids in core subjects like English, math and French. Listening to her argue as to why I should say yes, I couldn’t help but squirm in my seat. The more she praised my abilities and academic performance, the more scared and frustrated I became. Her persistence
triggered so much emotion because they challenged my mistaken beliefs. Soon enough, a little voice inside my head was telling me that my accomplishments didn’t matter that much. It’s hard to accept compliments from others sometimes. Praise usually makes us feel better than insults, but it can be difficult to own our strengths, much less delight in them. Praise can make us feel
ILLUSTRATION STEPHANIE WU/THE UBYSSEY
uncomfortable and uneasy to the point where we might be tempted to invalidate the other person’s comments. When somebody highlights one of our positive traits or praises our achievements, it can trigger waves of self-consciousness. For example, if we’re congratulated on a receiving a good grade, do we respond with, “Oh, it wasn’t a big deal. Half the class got a higher mark”? Or do we
I found my answer in Kristin Neff’s book, Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself. In her book, Neff demonstrates that most of our vulnerabilities about feeling good stem from fear. She argues that we’d rather pleasantly surprise others than risk disappointing them. We make ourselves small to avoid judgement and say aloud to our peers, “I bet I failed that test.” When the grades come out and we’ve got almost every question right, it’s satisfying to hear, “I thought you didn’t understand that particular subject! Well done!” It’s easier not to
set high expectations because what happens if we’re confident and then fail? Then we’re open to attack and harm from others. If we keep shy and never show off our greatness, then our performance might not be criticized and maybe even attract sympathy. Finally, the fear that resonated with me the most was the fear of change — including good change. If we’re used to judging ourselves, then showing ourselves love and kindness will surely be unsettling at first. The idea of viewing ourselves as worthy and valuable can be scary as hell. The solution? According to Neff, it’s selfcompassion and self-appreciation: “When we can enjoy what’s good about ourselves, acknowledging that all people have strengths as well as weaknesses, we allow ourselves to revel in our goodness without evoking feelings of arrogance, superiority or overconfidence. We can acknowledge our own beauty. Not because we’re better than others, but because we are human beings expressing the beautiful side of human nature.” Go ahead and celebrate all your wonderful gifts and talents. Give yourself a hug and rejoice in your positive qualities, even if it feels scary. Be sure to also always remember that it’s okay to feel good about yourself. U
SCIENCE
aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editor koby michaels
13
WEED //
dorks //
Study: Stoner stereotypes may be true, rats on THC are lazy
“Nerd-chic” professor teaches neuroanatomy in snazzy med school videos Koby Michaels Science Editor
ILLUSTRATION NICOLE DEL NEGRO/THE UBYSSEY
Illustration may not be scientifically accurate.
Koby Michaels Science Editor
You know the type — unmotivated, lazy, no work ethic, stoner. Now there might be some evidence to support the stoner stereotype — at least in rats. Research from Catharine Winstanley, a UBC associate professor in the department of psychology, and PhD student Mason Silveira, who conducted the research, showed that rats who were under the influence of THC — the psychoactive chemical in weed — were “cognitively lazy.” The researchers trained 29 adult male rats to play a game in a “rat arcade.” The rats had two choices, an easy one (for one delicious, sugary rat snack) and a hard one (for two delicious, sugary rat snacks). The rats were more likely to do the harder task for the extra reward when sober, but when they were high on THC they tended to choose the easier task and win the smaller prize. “It’s well known, anecdotally, that consumption of marijuana leads to a so-called ‘stoner phenotype,’ — someone who is not super aggressive about pushing ahead in life, maybe not fulfilling their potential,” explained Winstanley. “This is the first scientific, unbiased study to show it.” For the easier task, a light was illuminated in the rat’s cage for a second and the rats then had five seconds to hit the light with their nose to win a treat. In the harder task, the light was illuminated for just 0.2 seconds. The researchers gave the rats several different cannabinoids (chemicals in cannabis), but it was only when the rats were
under the influence of THC that the researchers noticed the rats choosing the easier task. This finding suggests that it is the THC in marijuana that leads to the cognitive laziness and not the other chemicals in pot. There is some evidence that cannabidiol is responsible for the medicinal benefits of marijuana. Some drug companies have been mixing it with THC in pharmaceuticals, and have evidence supporting the fact that cannabidiol can cancel out the negative effects of THC. However, when the researchers administered a mix of THC and cannabidiol similar to what is found in pharmaceuticals, the rats still were lazy — the cannabidiol appeared not to cancel out the negative effects of THC on cognition. But the findings didn’t end there. “What we found was that when we gave these animals THC they didn’t want to try the harder option, but they were just as able to do the difficult thing,” explained Winstanley. “It wasn’t that THC had impaired their ability to spot the light — they could do it just as well in the hard trials when they were under the influence of THC than when they weren’t — it’s just that they didn’t want to try the hard trials, they didn’t want to choose it.” The study does have its limitations, though. The research was only carried out on 29 adult male rats and each was only given a dose or two of THC. The findings support the idea that THC causes laziness, but are far from proving it. The researchers wanted to expand the study and look at effects chronic THC use had on the rats but were limited by the rules surrounding research on drugs like marijuana.
“It was very difficult to get a hold of the THC. That’s going to be an ongoing problem into research of this drug. It’s not easy to source in Canada and we didn’t have enough to do the study the way we wanted to do it which would have been to look at chronic administration,” said Winstanley. Health Canada monitors research on elicit substances. Researchers need to apply for an exemption to obtain the drugs and each time they need to order more or switch vendors they have to reapply. Health Canada also monitors the value of the drugs researchers have and the security around the drugs to determine how much they are allowed to have. Winstanley hopes that as legal restrictions around marijuana are loosened, research will become easier to conduct. The team hopes to continue to study the drug in rats and want to test the chronic affects it has on cognition. The team also found a relationship between the number of receptors that THC uses in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate cortex and how lazy rats were. The more receptors a rat had, the lazier it was. Winstanley said that “all the blocks are lining up,” which makes the team think that the anterior cingulate cortex may be responsible for THC’s laziness effects. But, for now, that remains an unanswered question. “People need to have this information at hand and make an informed choice about whether they want to use the product,” said Winstanley. “We aren’t pro- or anti-marijuana. We are just doing the experiments.” u
The camera slowly pans around the violinist as classical music fills the air and artistic lens flares paint circles on the lens. That’s how a UBC medical school video meant to teach viewers about the brachial plexus, a network of nerves at the base of your neck starts. Seriously, I’m not kidding. Watch it. Then watch the rest of the series. “We really didn’t like the educational videos other universities put out because they weren’t very exciting, they were a little bit boring sometimes,” said Claudia Krebs, a professor in UBC’s faculty of medicine. “We wanted to do something that would really capture the viewers attention and imagination and get them engaged with the subject matter. We weren’t really inspired by university videos, but more by the BBC mini documentaries.” Krebs, who has been watching her students struggle with neuroanatomy concepts and “literally leave the classroom in tears,” teamed up with MedIT’s (the med school’s IT department) video producer Zachary Rothman to produce a series of not-boringbut-still-educational videos about anatomy for struggling UBC med students. The duo also brought in med school prof Wayne Vogl who UBC called “nerd-chic” in a press release (seriously, I’m not making this up) and who Krebs called “one of the best if not the best anatomists in the world right now” to help host the video. The videos feature Vogl and/ or Krebs lecturing in front of intricate chalk drawings of neuroanatomy that would look more at home in Belkin than in front of various preserved body parts in a med school lab, intercut with scenes like a violinist playing classical music or Vogl eating chocolate in what can only be described as a sultry manner. Vogl said the videos, and his
UBC called Vogl “nerd-chic.” We agree.
style of teaching, “tell stories. Once the student understands the basic concept of what you are trying to do, the details, they can fill in on their own. They can read books as well as I can.” Krebs and Vogl both cite David Suzuki and BBC documentaries as inspiration for the videos. This one features a Monty Python-esque cartoon. While the videos are being used to teach in medical classes at UBC and med schools around the world, they are also presented in a way that everyday people can watch and enjoy, according to Vogl.
They (the students) seem a little bit more relaxed — that may be too strong of a word. They aren’t crying anymore. - Claudia Krebs But the videos are more than just a fun new way to teach an old, difficult and somewhat dry (read: boring) concept. “When we implemented it, our exams scores went up significantly. We were able to shift the bell curve in a significant way,” said Krebs. “They are not as stressed about the material anymore. They seem a little bit more relaxed — that may be too strong of a word. They aren’t crying anymore. I’ve literally had people leave the classroom in tears before we did this. That hasn’t happened [using the videos].” Krebs said she even got an email from a student in Texas who wrote that “these videos alone make me want to move to Canada.” Krebs is writing up the success of the videos for publication in an academic journal and hopes to produce more videos in the near future. U
SCREENSHOT VIA UBC MEDIT
SPORTS+REC
aUGUST 30, 2016 Tuesday
Editor olamide olaniyan
14
champs //
FILE PHOTO JEREMY JOHNSON-SILVERS/THE UBYSSEY
The ‘Birds won the Vanier cup last year for the first time since 1997.
Season primer: UBC football to defend national title Bill Situ Staff Writer
In a Canada West video shot right before last year’s Vanier Cup, UBC football head coach Blake Nill once described the T-Birds’ 2015/16 season as one that “defied logic.” Almost a year down the road, with the 6-2 season record and their Vanier Cup victory last year, it is the hope of every player, coach and supporter of T-Bird football that the team can repeat as national champions. “We want to compete for the same prize and I think there are a lot of things that are in our hands to be able to do that,” said Nill, who took over as head coach last year. The 2016/17 season will see the return of key offensive line
players like quarterback Michael O’Connor, tailback Marcus Davis and receiver Alex Morrison. Last year, O’Connor — then a freshman — was the main source of offensive firepower for the T-Birds, averaging 304.5 yards per game and scoring 23 touchdowns. “We’re going to have to stay on the field as an offence and limit the turnovers … but we’re up for the challenge,” said O’Connor. On top of the individual talent that the returning players bring to the field, Nill states that these players also bring a strong element of team cohesion, which he sees as being another key asset. “I’ve had a number of comments of how the football team looks in good shape, how
[the players] are trying to … mingle in on campus. I really want that from our players,” said Nill. Even with the talent from the returning players, the ’Birds do have gaps to fill. Key defensive line players like defensive back Taylor Loffler and linebackers Terrell Davis and Mitch Barnett will not be returning. UBC is also losing kicker Quinn van Gylswyck on special teams and running back Brandon Deschamps on offence. Still, Nill doesn’t see the absence of these players as being entirely a disadvantage. “We are going to miss some guys, especially on defence, but what that does is it creates opportunity and the ability for
FILE PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC/THE UBYSSEY
young kids to step up,” said Nill. There will also be a handful of new recruits joining the T-Birds this season, including offensive lineman Ryan Von Ende of North Delta Secondary. “[UBC] won last year and I want to be a part of that this year,” said Von Ende. “To make the travel roster would be a huge goal of mine, but to win the Vanier would just be incredible.” According to David Sidoo — a defensive back on UBC’s 1982 national championship win and the director of the 13th Man Foundation — UBC again placed in the top three for recruiting of all CIS football teams this year. He believes that the Thunderbird recruits will play a strong role in bolstering the team’s
performance this season. “He got a lot of athletes, filled a lot of holes,” said Sidoo regarding Nill. “We lost some really strong defensive players. I think coach Nill has brought in some really good defensive players.” Sidoo also said that the 13th Man Foundation hopes to build on the team’s momentum from last year by getting more alumni involvement and raising capital. u On August 26, the T-Birds played an exhibition game in Langford, BC, against the Manitoba Bisons, losing 50-7. They will return to Thunderbird Stadium on September 3 to host the Alberta Golden Bears for their first regular season game.
FILE PHOTO Kaveh SarhangpouR/THE UBYSSEY
AUGUST 30, 2016 TUESDAY | SPORTS+REC | 15 Preseason //
Women’s soccer salvages draw against SFU Clan Matt Langmuir Staff Writer
After winning the CIS National Championship on home soil last season, expectations were running high for the UBC women’s soccer team heading into the 2016/17 season. After winning two of their three preseason matches to kick off the year — including their 7-0 decimation of University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves (UNBC) — the team headed to Burnaby to play a friendly against their crosstown rivals, the Simon Fraser University Clan (SFU). Being the heavy favourites to win the match, the Thunderbirds started off with a strong first half, outshooting the Clan eight to two in the frame. Despite the effort, the women were unable to find
the back of the net. Momentum swung in the hosts’ favour after the 60th minute when striker Olivia Aguiar headed home a corner kick from inside the sixyard box. The Clan outplayed the ‘Birds in the second half but UBC midfielder Sydney Jennings was able to capitalize on an 83rd minute chance to salvage a draw for her team. The Clan did not finish pressing after the equalizer. In the 90th minute, Aguiar nearly got her second goal but nicked the crossbar with her attempt. In the end, both teams shared the spoils and settled for the 1-1 tie. U UBC will face Richmond FC for a final preseason match on Tuesday before heading to Victoria on Saturday for their first Canada West league match.
FILE PHOTO KOSTA PRODANOVIC/THE UBYSSEY
revenge //
UP NEXT Women’s volleyball Aug 30, 3:30 p.m.
At San Diego State
Men’s soccer Sept 3, 1 p.m.
Vs. Northern BC
Women’s soccer Sept 3, 2 p.m.
At Victoria
Football Sept 3, 8 p.m.
Vs. Alberta
Men’s soccer Sept 4, 1 p.m.
FILE PHOTO Jeremy Johnson-Silvers/THE UBYSSEY
UBC skewered by Bisons in exhibition game Olamide Olaniyan Sports and Rec Editor
On Friday, the stage was set at the Westfield stadium in Langford, BC for a battle between CIS football defending champions UBC Thunderbirds, and the University of Manitoba Bisons. The matchup was a game of several firsts. It was the ‘Birds’ first game since their Vanier Cup win and their first time facing the Manitoba Bisons after dispatching them in their 52-10 Canada West
semi-final blowout. It was also the first time that CIS football has been played on Vancouver Island. The game was the first devastating loss the T-Birds have seen in recent memory. Despite facing off on neutral ground, the ‘Birds were decimated 7-50, the first half ending lopsidedly as UBC was completely crushed, 0-34. The Bisons really showed up. Their starting quarterback, Theo Deezar — who was visibly absent on the field in their semi-final loss — completed 12 of his 18 attempted
passes and threw three touchdown passes in the first half. On the other hand, the Thunderbirds were unable to connect with the end zone. T-Bird quarterback Micheal O’ Connor pulled off 16 of his 29 attempted passes but was unable to push far enough for a touchdown. Cole Meyer took over quarterbacking in the second half, and his pass to Marshall Cook recorded the T-Birds’ only touchdown of the game. Though the game is an exhibition, and can be viewed as
unimportant, the truth is that a sweep of the defending national champions can give the Bisons the charge they want for the new season. The game was also a little revenge for last season, the T-Birds having beaten the Bisons in both of their matchups in the 2015/16 regular season. U The ‘Birds will play their first game of the regular season against the University of Alberta Golden Bears at Thunderbird Stadium on Saturday, September 3.
Vs. Northern BC
Football
Sept 9, 4:30 p.m.
At Calgary
Women’s Soccer Sept 9, 5 p.m.
Vs. Mount Royal
Men’s Soccer Sept 9, 7 p.m.
Vs. Trinity Western
16 | GAMES+COMIC | TUESDAY AUGUST 30, 2016
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