The Raw Deal

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March 3, 2014 · Volume 146, Issue 8

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» » » CANADIAN COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER AWARD 2013

FIRST PEEK

On February 21, Techcrunch published an article with the headline, “Women outnumber men for the first time in Berkeley’s Intro to Computer Science course;” it reported that 106 female students had enrolled versus 104 male students in this very technocentric course.

You might wonder why anyone is even reporting such a small statistical difference about which gender dominates in an introductory computer science course. For me, this small but significant step brings up important issues that are relevant in our current techno-savvy world.

By recognizing this gender gap, tucked away deep within the structures of academics in technology, we can pinpoint problems and create solutions to improve women’s participation in all levels of technological advancement and development.

As a female technology user, I have had experiences where my knowledge and work have been belittled simply because I have a vagina. It’s frustrating, to say the least.

The stigma that drives this belittling is an example of why women still have a low visibility in technology

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fields, despite being as well-educated as men.

Based on a study released by Statistics Canada this past December, women are still underrepresented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and computer science) fields. According to 2011 StatCan data, only 39 per cent of STEM graduates between ages 25 to 34 were female.

Numbers such as these are a reminder that arbitrary maledominance still exists in these fields. However, seeing an increased number of female students in computer science programs disrupts the assumption that women are afraid of technology and are not “wired” to understand technology as well as men.

Another issue is the huge gap between male and female participation in the tech industry. Analyzing labour market outcomes of university graduates in 2011, the unemployment rate gap for men with a STEM university degree was just 4.7 per cent while it was seven per cent for women. If women are educated in technology, why are they so much less visible in the field?

My guess is that the biggest unstudied barrier for women in entering the field is that we value

men in the tech industry more than women. We do this by default. This is not to say that men are better or more intelligent than women, but we have been shaped by patriarchal ideologies to think that women and technology do not mix, that women are not interested in learning about technologies. This assumption misrepresents and holds back women from participating in the industry.

Male-centric models of workplace processes and practices have been embedded within the industry and keep women from being completely successful in the world of tech: “Boy’s clubs” and genderbias for job positions are big hurdles that women face when seeking opportunities to use their own knowledge and skills.

Personally, I have worked in a place where higher-paying and more technocentric jobs are allocated for and given to male employees while women are hired to fill in jobs that provide nurturing and assistance with lower wages.

I believe that attracting more women to STEM fields and having high-profile role models in tech such as Yahoo’s Marissa Mayer and Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg can help restructure and narrow the gender gap in the technological field today and in the future. Female role models mean women are able to take themselves out of the patriarchal ideology STEM fields face. They offer examples of careers that women may not have considered possible otherwise.

Only when we see women as legitimate participants in the industry will changes follow through.

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March 3, 2014

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Leah Bjornson associate news editor news@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

The university’s first Rock Paper Scissors tournament was held over Feb. 24 and 25 and aimed to promote a message of anti-bullying.

SFU’s Alpha Kappa Psi, aided

by Tau Kappa Epsilon and the Latin American Student’s Association, hosted the event in conjunction with anti-bullying week, with funds going to the Red Cross.

Players could enter the competition by donation and then had the chance to play for a cash prize of $50. The tournament was broken down into multiple rounds and players were placed into a bracket, battling it out until a winner emerged.

According to organizers, one of the goals of the event was to bring out the “inner child” and break down the sort of negative thinking that breeds harmful stereotypes — to make the point that it isn’t “uncool” to play games and have fun. The tournament was meant to be a fun and unique way to send an important message.

Alpha Kappa Psi president Kayode Fatoba explained, “It’s easier to have a pub event, to party and get a lot of people to come out that way,” but the club wanted to try something different.

Fatoba spoke to how it is easy for people to be negative about an event such as this: “We had individuals who initially would come and be like, ‘This is so stupid.’ Well, that’s really what we’re trying to change, and then they’d be like ‘Oh, makes sense! This is pretty awesome.’”

Melissa Roach

The Peak caught up with the tournament’s champion, Amrit Jawanda, who said, “It was nice to do something a bit out of the ordinary. [. . .] I didn’t know something as simple as [rock paper scissors] could actually get people together and [be] so much fun.”

He also shared his personal strategy that won him the game: “Get in people’s heads. Mess them up.”

As part of the awareness component of the tournament, organizers from Alpha Kappa Psi wore pink ribbons and white shirts on which people could write their own comments about bullying.

Pia Fresnido, the club’s service chair, said that people “could write anything, from insults that have been thrown at them, to positive things like how they can overcome the bullying.”

Organizers were surprised and pleased with the turnout of between 20 and 30 students.

They were able to raise $25 in donations. Fatoba said, “While that isn’t much, we figured we’d have to match it. Our hope was just that people would come out and have fun.”

He continued, “It’s about promoting a culture whereby any aspect of student life — whether it be video game tournaments or card game tournaments — should be seen as exciting [. . .] [and about] reaching out to all sorts of people at SFU.”

NEWS

“Have mercy, been waiting for the bus all day;” this lyric was true for ZZ Top in the ‘80s, and is true for students today.

Beginning next week, SFU Facilities Services will launch an online survey which will ask students for the details of their daily commutes.

Students answering the survey will have the opportunity to explain how they travel to campus and why they choose to do so in that manner.

Facilities Services, which is co-sponsoring the survey with SFU’s Sustainability’s Office and the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, anticipates that students will mention

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challenges such as bus pass-ups and the commute length, among many others.

This survey will provide a baseline for ways in which SFU can improve its transit situation as well as intercampus connections.

The idea originally grew out of the BC government’s initiative to reduce carbon emissions by 33 per cent below 2007 levels by 2020. Since the Burnaby campus is primarily a commuter campus, transportation to and from the main campus contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), explains SFU’s Sustainability Office’s website. As part of the desire to create a more sustainable culture, the office pegged transportation as a key area for improvement.

However, in order to make those improvements, there had to be some sort of empirical backing. “How can we prove anything if we don’t have good data?”

Elizabeth Starr, campus planner, Facilities Services, explained.

Facilities Services had previously conducted traffic surveys about road capacity, parking situations, and traffic demand,

but had never specifically addressed energy use. Starr said, “The type of data we have gathered before did not tell us about commuter GHG emissions.”

Furthermore, one of Facilities Services’ responsibilities is campus planning and development; therefore, they felt it was important to understand how students arrived at and travelled between SFU’s three campuses.

“We need to know what will serve our students best,” said Starr.

Students might even see the statistics from this survey in the classroom; according to Sustainability Consultant Justin Bauer, the Geography Department could

eventually use the data in their Spatial Interface Research Lab. “So [students] are not only answering the survey, but then they get to do the analysis on something that is local and important,” explained Bauer.

The data from the survey will identify the age of participants using certain types of transit, as well as the location of those participants. Bauer imagines this will help SFU target distinct populations who face different transportation and mobility issues.

Although Starr was hesitant to claim that the survey would solve all of students’ transit issues, she did say it could

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provide avenues for improvement: “The data will help to identify transit and transportation issues and help to plan for the future, but its not about promising immediate change.”

The survey will be launched on Mar. 10, to close on Apr. 6.

Students will be contacted to respond to the survey via their SFU Connect emails. After crunching the numbers, SFU Institutional Research and Planning and Facilities Services will jointly publish the results.

6 NEWS

Combining 3D game engines and spatial data, researchers from SFU and the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI) have developed an interactive geo-visualization tool that illustrates the geographical past and predicts future impacts of rising sea levels and coastal erosion.

Coastal Impact Visualization Environment, or CLIVE, allows its audience to virtually fly around PEI and view coastlines from 1968, 2010, and their projected locations for 2100. CLIVE can be viewed on computers, HD TVs, and even smartphones.

The tool predicts that if the patterns of erosion and rising sea levels continue, up to 1,000 homes on PEI could be destroyed within the next 90 years.

What began as a summer research position in PEI for SFU environmental science student Alex Chen resulted in the creation of the first

March 3, 2014

three-dimensional platform for presenting the raw evidence and impacts of climate change to the general public.

Adam Fenech of UPEI recognized Chen’s keen interest and skillset and urged him to combine the high-resolution spatial data of PEI’s coastlines with a game engine called Unity 3D, creating the foundation for CLIVE.

In order to predict the future effects of rising sea levels and erosion on PEI’s coastlines, the team of two students and two professors analyzed elevation images and climate models, and conducted a great deal of research in international and local climate change studies.

According to co-developer Nick Hedley, director of SFU’s Spatial Interface Research Lab,

“[CLIVE] literally provides an interface between scientific models and citizens in society […] providing a way to see and explore the data, without dumbing down the science.”

By allowing citizens and stakeholders to actually see the impact of climate change on their coastlines in a 3D environment — rather than just hearing about it through the news and

in environmental reports — the creators of CLIVE hope to engage more people in dialogue and stimulate preventative action.

Hedley urges his students to combine good spatial analysis with gaming technology: “If you take out the guns and sci-fi, replace them with good data, put them in a 3D game engine environment, you’ve got a very powerful environment in which to represent 3D spatial phenomena, and then interact with them.”

The tool was recently presented to officials from both the provincial and municipal governments in PEI, with the hopes that they might utilize it as an educational and planning tool.

CLIVE has been designed as a “modular conduit”: when equipped with regional data, it should be able to foresee the future of any coastline. Although the first version of CLIVE only encompasses PEI, Chen and Hedley are currently attempting to identify the most suitable, high-definition spatial data of BC’s coastlines.

BC’s expansive and relatively diverse geology, compared to PEI’s much smaller and majorly sandstone coastlines, will require some slight customization to the next version of CLIVE.

NEWS

Last Wednesday, the SFU Alumni Association celebrated the 2013 Outstanding Alumni Awards with a swanky night at the Four Seasons.

The evening featured a sitdown dinner, speeches from university officials and Alumni Association organizers, and honoured four noteworthy SFU ex-pats: Krista Guloien for athletic achievement; Lance Uggla for professional achievement; and Howard Sapers and Tim Martin, both for public service.

The event saw a few hundred of SFU’s best and brightest current and former students — and one Peak representative — fill up the Park Ballroom of the downtown Vancouver hotel. The evening was hosted

by Renee Filippone, a former

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SFU communications major and current host of CBC News Vancouver Weekend.

In her introductory speech, Filippone described growing up in Burnaby, always seeing SFU “in the distance [. . .] this magical place always shrouded in cloud.” Both Filippone and her sister later attended the university, a place she said gave her “the ability to learn, and the ability to be a critical thinker.”

President Andrew Petter took to the podium for a short speech in which he enumerated many of the recent accomplishments and ongoing projects of the university. He announced that, since its September launch, SFU’s 50th anniversary “Power of Engagement” fundraising campaign has raised $140-million of its $250-million goal.

“What it means is if you have $110-millions burning a hole in your wallet, we can reach that goal tonight!” joked Petter. “And please, don’t hesitate to interrupt me during dinner.”

The night’s air of dreamy nostalgia reached a crescendo as the four award winners each took to the stage to accept their awards.

Guloien, who came home from the 2012 Olympic games

in London with a silver medal for women’s rowing, was first introduced to her sport at the ripe age of 21. At the time she was a student at SFU, and was lauded for her personal philosophy that being driven and being feminine are not mutually exclusive.

Uggla, who recalled flopping down to study beside the AQ pond on sunny days, was awarded for professional achievement. He was recognized for his business Markit, which, since its inception in 2003, has grown from a small company in a converted barn in the English countryside, into an international behemoth, boasting 3,000 employees and 20 offices worldwide.

Members of the public service were well represented by Sapers and Martin, who now

work as the correctional investigator appointed by the Canadian government, and an ambassador and diplomat, respectively.

Sapers was recognized for his work advocating for the rights and fair treatment of those within the Canadian correctional system. Reminiscent of SFU, he shared recollections of his time at the pub, and of somehow finding himself on the board of directors of the student society.

Martin, who has represented Canada diplomatically in Argentina, Paraguay, and Colombia, credited his undergraduate experience with setting him on his life’s path — particularly his involvement in the 1979 Latin American Studies field school, where he met his wife of 33 years.

“Thanks, SFU!” Martin laughed.

The event broke up around 9:30 p.m., with attendees happily warmed from the inspirational tales of post-post-secondary success as well as complimentary table wine.

You can follow Alison Roach

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8 NEWS

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It was brought forth at forum that board member and applied sciences representative Raham SaberiNiaki is no longer a member in good standing. Failure to meet the proper course requirements due to personal issues has resulted in SaberiNiaki’s current status, however he is currently in an appeal process to resolve the issue.

Bearing the extenuating circumstances in mind, forum passed a motion that read, “Be it resolved that forum recommend to the board of directors to suspend the appropriate policy to be [observed] as an alternative until April 30.” SaberiNiaki has until this date to successfully appeal his status as a member not in good standing; in the interim, he will be unable to vote but will retain his other duties.

The SFSS board of directors passed the Society of Arts and Social Sciences’ (SASS) proposed constitution last Monday as well as their proposed referendum question for the upcoming SFSS elections.

The Constitution and Policy Review (CPR) Committee was tasked by the board to look into both the constitution and the question of the referendum posed by the society, which asks students to designate SASS as the official arts and social sciences faculty student union (FSU).

President Khan explained that the group applied two weeks ago and CPR reported back this week — they had approved the SASS constitution and bylaws on Feb. 18, after which it was also passed by the board.

VANCOUVER [CAPILANO COURIER] - BCcampus and the provincial government are collaborating on an initiative that will give students free access to online textbooks for some high demand classes.

Textbooks are one of the most pricey, but essential, elements of post-secondary schooling, and BC’s Open Textbook Project is welcome news to both students and professors alike. Nearly 300 students have already reaped the benefits of the open textbook initiative, each saving about $146 compared to their regular textbook fees.

The BC Open Textbook Project is an initiative that was launched by the Ministry of Advanced Education and

BCcampus. Their goal is to provide free open textbooks for the 40 highest enrolled first- and second-year courses in BC. There are three phases to the processing of the project.

Phase one involves the reviewing of existing open textbooks, phase two is the adaptation of existing open textbooks and finally, phase three creates new open textbooks.

Some of the notable early results of the Open Textbook Project include a collective savings of $11,220 for physics students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, where each of the 60 students saved $187. A database management class at Douglas College consists of 35 students who

saved a total of $5,600 through Open Textbook, each of the 40 students in a statistics class at the Justice Institute of British Columbia saved $100, and $2,060 was saved by 20 management students at Northwest Community College.

Capilano University professor Rajiv Jhangiani didn’t notice any particular drawbacks to open textbooks; students who aren’t accustomed to using online texts are always able to print PDF copies of the book, which only cost a small fraction of the softcover hard copy.

“The good news, I suppose, is since then, around December of last year, BCcampus uploaded my revision into their online repository and they have an agreement with SFU that means that SFU will provide a print, bound softcover version,” Jhangiani said.

He added that this printed version will not just be a simple coiled, spiro-bound text, but a proper bound version: “To any student who wants it at-cost, the 300-page textbook that I

co-authored currently costs students about $13.”

Faculty members are still more inclined to use textbooks released by major educational publishers; according to Jhangiani, the extra resources provided by publishers make traditional textbooks attractive to teachers.

“I think there are some very good reasons why faculty choose to adopt traditional textbooks from the large educational publishers like Pearson or McGrawHill,” he explained. “Part of the reason is the quality of the product, part of it [is] the test banks and research manuals that comes with that.”

Despite this, Jhangiani believes that open textbooks will soon be capable of providing further resources. “It’s certainly possible for an open textbook to have higher quality, or even give it higher quality because you are able to revise it much quicker than a traditional textbook’s five-year review cycle; you’re able to keep up to beat in terms of cutting edge research,” Jhangiani said.

He continued, “I think the ministry is now funding programs that allow for development of ancillaries and so on, so I think eventually we’re going to get to a point where I don’t see a good reason why faculty members would stick to traditional textbooks — if the only difference is the cost to the students.”

BC Open Textbook aims to finish the original 40-subject area this year. Many of the textbooks under revision are US-centric and faculties are working to revise them into Canadian editions.

OPINIONS

For 14 years, Hugo Chavez drove Venezuela down the path towards “Bolivarian Revolution” which sought to retract the country from the neoliberal mould that American influence had long pressured Latin America into accepting. Robust additions to welfare programs, price controls, and foreign aid to socialist neighbours were made in order to achieve these ideals.

And, for over a decade, it worked (sort of ). The Venezuelan

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March 3, 2014

poor, after years of neglect, now had a champion catering to their needs, their desires, their aspirations. And all this was channeled through the incredibly charismatic mouthpiece that was Chavez. It is more than understandable why such a constituency would cast aside cautious incremental progress in favour of Chavez’s outlandish dreams.

But the piper must be paid.

Over the course of Chavez’s presidential tenure, Venezuela’s oil exports dropped by nearly half while spending promises for populist goodies skyrocketed.

Unsurprisingly, the economic fallout has been acute. Inflation for 2014 has averaged around 40 per cent, according to a report

by Scotiabank Economics, down from 56.2 per cent in 2013, according to Business Insider, all part of a much longer trend.

The very Venezuelans that the Bolivarian Revolution sought to protect — the poor — are now suffering from it, and the right-leaning middleclasses even more so. No longer can the government afford to insulate its citizenry from the faltering economy.

Chavez’s successor Nicolás Maduro is facing the bulk of the blame. But let’s not fool ourselves that it is his fault alone.

For over a decade the Venezuelan citizenry has accepted sugary populism in lieu of achievable reforms. Voters ultimately deserve the people they elect and support.

Joel MacKenzie opinions@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

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Have you seen these things?

They are flipping weird animals.

Hippopotamuses are the third-largest land mammal, and the heaviest of hoofed animals. Despite this, they can run 30 km/h in short bursts. They look like giant, cuddly guinea pigs (although their aggression would suggest that they are, in fact, not).

Sometimes I feel like we live in the world of Pokémon.

Or we could, if we just lost our sense of normalcy. Do you remember the first time you saw

a bulbasaur? How about a flamingo? Look up how a kangaroo gives birth, and remind yourself that those things really exist.

Hippos, or massive, swimming guinea pigs, are a reminder of how amazing, weird, and ultimately unknowable our world is. Or at least how much it can be with a slight change of perception.

Know what else hippos are?

Threatened. Like so many of their strange animal brethren.

Let’s not forget to respect the world in which these creatures can exist.

Don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against hipsters, precisely because they don’t exist.

They stopped existing when this word lost all meaning.

“Hipster” seemed to first describe the pretentious people who care solely about irony and the teenaged dream of nonconformity. They are supposed to be those who put themselves on a pedestal, looking down on the rest of the world for not having heard of . . . that band.

But now, the word means anything. Like a local band?

That’s hipster. Rolling up your sleeves? Don’t even ask.

Can’t we just accept that, to some extent, everyone is

fashion-conscious, interested in arts, or exceptionally passionate about one thing, without that necessarily making them an ass-hole?

When you say “hipster,” ask yourself if you’re really thinking of those people from the past who seemed to think they were better than you. Ask yourself how much you built them up in your head, and remind yourself that they don’t matter.

Let go of those memories with which you only judge yourself, and go wear an ironic hat. Embrace fun, before you make yourself equal to the elusive “hipsters” we all love to hate.

And while Chavez chipped away at Venezuela’s democratic integrity through media censorship and tolerance of his supporters’ voter intimidation techniques, the country never completely left the orbit of democracy. Chavez’s political ambitions sprouted from a soil of legitimate popularity. Ultimately, it was ordinary Venezuelans who went along with the Bolivarian Revolution, and they bear responsibility for it alongside their wayward leaders.

Beset by the protests of the vengeful middle-classes, Maduro has lost much of his mandate and will have a hard time governing from now on. While it’s likely his people will retain power for another election or two, they have lost their political mandate to transform the country in their image. Bold moves that characterized the Chavez

administration will no longer be palpable with the general population, and Maduro will have to be cautious.

Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen. It is an old mantra that lean times beget good policies, as fat times beget the bad. Crises leave less room for political theatre and necessitate pragmatism. But they also accentuate political differences, which can obstruct governments from feeding their nations the harsh medicine they may need.

Maduro is a committed disciple of the Bolivarian Revolution — he would not have been Chavez’s handpicked successor otherwise. But necessity is the great destroyer of ideology. Economic and political realities will force Maduro’s hand towards economic reform, regardless of how fervent the anti-government protests remain.

10 OPINIONS

“Authentic, iconic, Canadian” are words used by the Canadian brand Canada Goose, and words with which we love to identify.

But would we continue to do so if they were stained by a connection to inhumane, unnecessary killing?

On the first Saturday of February, a group of animal activists from Ontario known as The Kitchener Ontario Animal Liberation Alliance (KOALA) held a protest outside of Channer’s Apparel store for men in Waterloo.

They were opposing the unnecessary use of coyote fur on the hoods of premium jackets made by the company Canada Goose, stating that the company uses inhumane practices to catch the coyotes with foot traps.

Malcolm Klimowicz, a member of KOALA told The Cord that once the coyote is trapped “they could be out there for weeks

All of you uninformed Facebook-gossipers will soon have to critically think about what you spread online! Researchers from the University of Sheffield are currently developing a social media lie-detector to separate fact from fiction on various social websites.

Pheme technology examines a source’s reliability by seeking corroborating information and by tracking the evolution of online discussions of various topics. Kalina Bontcheva, a Pheme senior researcher, said in an interview

sometimes,” which means they either, “freeze or starve to death.”

There is also a high risk of the injured animals chewing off their own legs to escape, he said, or being painfully “eaten by other animals.” Either way, death by trap probably results in a coyote’s suffering and torment.

Yet, this torture leaves many unfazed. An employee of Channer’s, Bill Townsend, ignorantly stated that the fur “is acquired in a humane fashion,” as it is done through a “managed process.” He

with the Deccan Chronicle, “Pheme will be able to identify false information by looking at the news source, conversations that stem from the tweet, and even the tweet’s language.”

In a world rank with uninformed web-gossip concerning every topic under the sun, this type of technology seems a little ambitious and even intimidating. If it succeeds, though, it could not only spotlight those who fall into shameless Internet gossip-traps, but also benefit media industries that have deteriorated in recent years, including today’s news media.

In a time where the state of journalism is rapidly worsening due to corporate interests, capitalist influence, and lack of thorough investigation, Pheme could be a starting point for steering mainstream news reports in the direction of truth and greater public service.

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continued, “This fur trade is providing jobs for people and it is creating commerce.”

As if we haven’t heard this argument before. A well thought-out and perfectly rational reason for murdering animals — the economy.

In this situation, though, the one to blame for such cruelty is not Townsend, his fellow employees, or the customers buying the fur. It is the president of Canada Goose, Dani Reiss. He is the person of power choosing to build

Currently, reporters all over the world, including many from the CBC, are relying on social media to write and deliver their stories. Social media has transformed the way news is created, dispersed and delivered.

But, reporters are now wrongly seeking validation of facts simply through social media. I’ve even seen posts on Globe and Mail asking the public to verify the components of in-development news stories.

Are the responses trustworthy? Maybe. Are they biased?

More than you’d think. Most importantly, are these news

a business that incorporates unnecessary death into its product.

I’m convinced that the company would still thrive without killing coyotes.

Nevertheless, Canada Goose does offer another reasonable explanation for the presence of the coyote fur: Reiss explains that the fur, “provides warmth around the face in a way that no synthetic fabric can.” Their website also states that coyote fur “doesn’t freeze, doesn’t hold moisture, retains heat and is biodegradable.”

sources questioning them appropriately? I don’t think so.

Social media has provided a plethora of journalists with an avenue for laziness. Before networks came into play, reporters had to be passionate about what they wrote, to independently and thoroughly investigate any story, rather than simply relying on the plentitude of shady sources available online.

Why use other, more efficient means for finding truth when you can ask Joe Schmoe on Twitter? Who cares if he’s politically biased and may not know all the facts? The story will be out real quick. Then we can move on to more pressing matters, like which celebrity has been cheating on which.

Of course, this isn’t the case for all journalists; there are many individuals and alternative news outlets dedicated to

All of these qualities are absolutely positive. However, there are alternatives that provide similar if not the exact same qualities such as cruelty-free versions of wool, for example. Even if other materials do not compare to real fur, there still needs to be an aspect of tolerance that we carry with us.

Warmth or comfort doesn’t have to come at such a high price.

We need to ask ourselves whether these animals are being killed for survival or adornment.

We no longer live in a world where high status is determined by whether our clothing was once able to walk.

As Klimowicz points out, “the majority of people who wear these things live in southern Ontario where it’s really not that cold.” Compare this to southern British Columbia, and wearing fur for warmth is simply ludicrous.

We as consumers can display our knowledge of the fur industry’s cruel origins and opt to buy non-fur coats in general, or at least Canada Goose jackets that do not use coyote fur. Better yet, we can invest in a good pair of long johns and a rain coat, clothes that actually suit our West Coast climate.

reporting the objective truth, and I applaud them!

But by instantly searching for validity in current events, Pheme’s fact-checking technology would not only help demand that those slacking, computer-based reporters think critically about their jobs, but may also help provide accuracy to those speedy, cheap-to-cover headlines.

As there is no turning back from online methods, Pheme may actually bring about new attitudes toward the subjects journalists cover, and the way they must cover them.

Put simply, I would rather have fewer reliable stories, than more of lower quality. I would rather be uninformed than misinformed. Hopefully, Pheme will discourage rumour-based reporting and aid journalists in their sometimes overwhelming pursuit of news.

OPINIONS

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12 OPINIONS

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To the increasing number of postsecondary students choosing to live at home, if you’re on the fence about moving out, I suggest you give it a try.

The fact that you’re considering it is probably a sign that you want to take on more responsibility in general. I lived at home for most of my postsecondary experience, and have never felt more satisfied than after leaving the proverbial nest in December, when my parents moved to Alberta.

I should preface this article by saying that I recognize how very privileged I was to be able to live at home for as long as I did. My parents’ support made my post-secondary experience virtually debt-free, and I can’t overlook what a serious hurdle debt is to those wanting to pursue higher education.

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Real Experience. Real Results.

For me, though, moving out has given me a measure of responsibility necessary — I feel — for living life after school.

Perhaps the most prominent of the lessons I learned was the new-found drive to further my career. I realized in a tangible way what it means to need money to eat, to buy books for school, to have soap, etc. — to buy necessities, not superfluities.

Needing money and needing a job became, in the fullest extent of the word, a realization. Pursuing a career that I will enjoy is now a

drive, more than a vague notion of what should be done, as it was when I had a nearby family home to fall back on.

With this encouragement to work, I am forced to manage my time better, balancing work and other necessities that arise from single living — who knew sweeping and dishes were a never-ending void?

I can’t blame being messy on anyone but myself, now. Also, as a host, it means more to give friends hospitality that comes straight from my pocket.

This situation also removes lifesavers: irresponsible planning can result in both superficial and serious ramifications. One late Saturday night downtown, I missed the last SkyTrain, and it sucked to wait in the dark, take several night buses, and walk from Port Moody to Coquitlam; it was worse pulling myself out of bed to do work the next morning after three hours of sleep.

The fact that these lessons of responsibility were revelations to me might suggest that I lived a pretty cushy life in the home. No question, I did. But where else is cushiness so well-facilitated? Parents are both easy to blame and natural to rely upon.

Only by moving out was I forced to experience this handson adult education, something which school alone can accomplish only to a limited extent.

It warrants repeating that student loans are ridiculous, and I’m not arguing that getting into a silly amount of debt to escape your parents is a good idea. It’s really not.

But if you’re starting to feel like an adult-child, moving out might give you the responsibility you desire. You might be a bit more in debt, you might sleep less, you might discover that you’re not compatible living with certain types of people. But there’s no better way to prepare for life after graduation than jumping straight into responsibility.

You can follow Joel MacKenzie

FEATURES

Jacques Chapdelaine first came to Burnaby as a starry-eyed 18-year old some time ago. He returns as the SFU football team’s new head coach this year, almost 34 years after first stepping onto Terry Fox Field.

Then, he was a slotback for the Clan — and things were quite different in 1980. Mount St. Helens had just erupted, Quebec barely remained part of Canada, and you could still smoke on an airplane.

“I remember sitting in the nonsmoking area, which was immediately behind the smoking section,” says Chapdelaine, of his first trip to both Simon Fraser University and the West Coast. “I was thinking how, in a plane going some 700 miles per hour, is smoke not coming into the nonsmoking section?”

Chapdelaine ended up on that plane after committing to SFU without ever having visited the campus.

“It was an interesting process,” says the Sherbrooke, Quebec native. “I went to an evaluation camp with the [CFL’s] Montreal Alouettes way back in the day, put together [to showcase] players as a recruiting tool.

“The only school that contacted me was Simon Fraser, and that was all I needed to hear.”

Chapdelaine freely admits it took longer than he would’ve liked for his college career to get going: “The first

March 3, 2014

features editor email / phone

Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

few games I didn’t play, so that wasn’t so good,” he laughs. “But when I finally got on the roster, it was [better].

It was a great decision at the time, and I’ve never regretted it.”

program is at a precarious point in its development, having stagnated somewhat last season after exceeding expectations in 2012. Dave Johnson, who Chapdelaine is replacing, had gone

He has little reason to. After starring as a receiver for SFU, he was drafted fifth overall by the BC Lions in the 1983 Canadian Football League (CFL) draft. Despite an up-and-down playing career, he excelled on the sidelines as a coach of several teams at varying levels.

Chapdelaine has over 20 years of CFL coaching experience, but in 1999, as head coach of the University of Laval Rouge-et-Or, Chapdelaine took the school — now one of the premier programs in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) — to its first Vanier Cup title. He also has three Grey Cups to his name, the most recent as offensive coordinator of the BC Lions in 2011, a position he held from 2010-13.

Needless to say, winning is something Chapdelaine has grown accustomed to.

The same can’t be said for the team he joins, however. The Clan football

just 20–44–1 in seven seasons as the Clan’s head coach, split between the NCAA and CIS. Clan fans are hungry for a winning season and Chapdelaine believes this year could be the year. “I really think we have the ability to have a winning record,” he says, cautiously. “I think we can challenge and compete to be at the top of the conference, but so many things have to fall into place for that to happen. [We] have to have a little luck on our side.

“It doesn’t help when we get 11 guys to run at each other and see who’s going to come out healthy.”

He’s not speaking out of hand, either. Chapdelaine studied the Clan thoroughly throughout the hiring process, and is familiar with the type of competition his squad will face.

For instance, BC Lion linebacker Adam Bighill, who joined the Lions

13

during Chapdelaine’s tenure with the team, is a two-time CFL all-star and played for Central Washington University, one of the Clan’s biggest conference rivals.

“Throughout the process, I had a fairly solid understanding of the calibre of the conference, of the skill that’s here at SFU [. . .] and perhaps even some of the things I’d look at changing,” he says.

Members of the SFU football program have been preaching a need for change for a long while. Chapdelaine’s winning experience could be the life raft for a program that’s been treading water for too long, but it was a loss that spurred on the decision.

Chapdelaine’s Lions’ season ended in a 29–25 defeat at the hands of the Saskatchewan Roughriders during the West Semi-Final in Regina.

“We were chartering back to BC [after the loss], and actually an SFU alum, [TSN’s] Farhan Lalji, was sitting right behind me [. . .] He told me the SFU job had opened up, and he knew I had an interest in college jobs in the past, so I took some time to think about things.”

The Lions’ last game was on Nov. 10. Three-plus weeks later, and Chapdelaine had left the club. On Feb. 4, Chapdelaine was hired as head coach of the Clan.

Apparently, there’s something about this guy and fateful flights out West.

Some SFU students recently found themselves in financial distress — and we’re not talking about student debt here. A deficit of information regarding the changes to the Masters of Science (MSc) in Finance program, offered by SFU’s Beedie School of Business, has been causing significant controversy within the faculty over the past few months.

The 2013/2014 academic year brought big changes for the program, including a new academic chair with a distinct vision for the degree’s future. As rumours circulated about a shift from the current quantitative (empirical) program to a more qualitative one, the program’s administration attempted to alleviate student anxiety surrounding the changes.

However, concerns still remain following the failure to renew adjunct professor Anton Theunissen’s contract for the new year. Students in the program are arguing that the faculty has made serious and flawed allegations concerning Theunissen’s professional behaviour, including a disputed allegation by the Beedie School of Business Dean, Dan Shapiro.

The controversy began last April, when the Beedie administration decided not to renew Theunissen’s contract, with associate dean Mark Wexler citing issues of locality — Theunissen was originally from Wall Street and often worked out of New York — and graduate placement. Following Theunissen’s termination, the program’s academic chair, Andrey Pavlov, decided to step down, resulting in a sudden vacancy in his position and a disruption of vision for the faculty.

“My goal with the program has always been to place people, people who graduate, [into] good jobs in finance,” Pavlov explained. “Every decision we’ve made has been driven by this.

“Anton Theunissen, he was in charge of placements,” he continued. “[He’s a] very experienced guy from New York who really has been in the financial industry for a long time, who has done great things for the companies he’s worked with. So in my view he was a key success factor.”

When it became clear to Pavlov that the department would not retain Theunissen, Pavlov announced his resignation as academic chair.

“I’ve always said without Anton, I

wouldn’t know how to run this program,” Pavlov said. “I can’t do it, so I asked to step down.”

Theunissen outlined his own vision for the program to The Peak in a conference call from New York. “My main vision was to put the program on the map such that when we made these initial forays into these tier one markets, that we could build on the reputation of the initial people we placed in those markets, and that we could create a reputation for the program as being one which people would take seriously.”

Theunissen said, “We were placing people in top tier financial services institutions where SFU had been completely invisible [. . .] We were on a path for putting SFU on the map.”

Theunissen has placement data for approximately 127 students from the program who have found jobs in Vancouver, Toronto, Beijing, New York, and Tehran, among other cities, since 2005. Of the 9 students in the 2012/2013 cohort who had graduated by the end of 2013, six students are working — all in Vancouver.

On Dec. 2, concerned students met with Beedie School of Business dean Dan Shapiro to inquire as to why Theunissen was not returning to the program. Azhvan Ahmady, one of the MSc students who met with Shapiro, reported that after approximately an hour of heated discussion, Shapiro explained that he did not renew Theunissen’s contract after hearing disturbing complaints about Theunissen from students.

When The Peak asked Theunissen about the reasons his contract was not renewed, he replied, “I don’t have access to all the information because it has been denied to me.”

According to Theunissen, he received an email from Shapiro stating that he wanted to make some structural

changes to the program, and that the school would not be renewing their contract with him. Shapiro also told him that a group of students had met with Wexler and had complained about him.

“What he said to me was that they felt I was teaching only to the top 20 per cent of the class, and that I was favouring these students,” said Theunissen. In addition, Theunissen says Shapiro told him that the program was tough and did not cater to the local market.

Theunissen was therefore surprised to hear from students that Shapiro told them he had other reasons for not renewing Theunissen’s contract.

“Instead of just sticking to the story he had told me [. . .] he then made

statements pertaining to the fact that I had engaged in unprofessional behaviour which was so grave that he couldn’t discuss it in public, but it was in fact what precipitated my firing,” said Theunissen. “And to this day I have no idea what he is referring to, and he has not told me and no one else has been willing to tell me what this terrible thing is that I have done.”

Ahmady told The Peak that when they asked Shapiro why he had chosen to make the faculty changes, “he said something happened that was kind of, horrible, [so] he couldn’t resist doing the changes. At the time I right away asked him if he knew whether the concerns [about Theunissen] were correct and accurate, and he said to a degree, yes.”

He later elaborated, saying, “His exact words were ‘the nature and the form of the complaints was initiating the changes, and what they [students who made the complaints] were saying was disturbing.’”

When Theunissen confronted Shapiro, he received a very different response. “He said, ‘I said nothing of the kind. I didn’t say anything to impugn your reputation or your character,’” reported Theunissen. “And then I said ‘Danny, the students recorded a great part of this meeting . . .’ He stopped, he paused, and he said, ‘Oh, well I was being bullied at the meeting and

I may have said things I didn’t mean to say.’”

Theunissen then asked Shapiro to send a retraction of the statement to the students who were at the meeting, which he agreed to. “To this date, he has not done so,” said Theunissen.

Shapiro declined to comment when contacted by The Peak, saying that Wexler and Jan Simon, the interim academic chair, had already “fully represented [his] views.”

In that capacity, Wexler explained that the non-renewal of Theunissen’s contract was purely a strategic decision.

“This change was due to the fact that we

were and are still interested in increasing the key components of the course to as much internal faculty as possible,” said Wexler. “There was nothing particularly worrisome about his portfolio.”

He explained that a key issue in the department had involved placement numbers, which he says were not high.

“Anton should be proud. When he did get individuals jobs, they got substantially good pay,” Wexler explained. “My difficulty was not, let’s get rid of that — my difficulty was, how can we run this program where a small number of players get good jobs, while the rest get [fewer jobs]?”

Questions remain unanswered surrounding the failure to renew Theunissen’s contract. However, student concerns over program changes seem to have been addressed for the time being.

After Pavlov announced his resignation, Wexler took over as acting academic chair until Simon began his term as interim chair on Feb. 1.

As the 2013/2014 academic year saw a new captain at the program’s helm, the change in administration began to create anxiety within the MSc in Finance program.

Many of the students in the program are international, a majority of whom come from China. These students, who face fees significantly higher than those of domestic students, became concerned that a change in the program’s direction would leave them with a different degree than what they had paid for.

“To me, it’s a good idea having more programs,” said Ahmady.

“But let’s make it for people in a program where it is suitable [. . .]

[These changes suit] something in the MBa category, and they should fit there. We just have to pay for all of the costs.”

Laleh Samii, a fellow student, added: “At this point, it’s a matter of trust. You may hear something from them, but they act differently. Even if they say that they want to add something to this program, they haven’t acted the way they should have. They didn’t have any plan.

Plan first, then act.”

Wexler assured The Peak that this was not the case.

“We are not subtracting anything.

We will be adding some material,” he explained. “Essentially, the early perception and anxiety that arose around [the change] was because when you add certain things, people assume that you are obviously going to dilute, simultaneously, and that was never it.”

Wexler and Simon are planning to add a third stream to the program, which already allows students to focus on either investments or risk management. The new stream, corporate finance, would have more qualitative options for students.

After explaining the changes to students in an announcement on Jan. 5, Wexler said, “the complaints have diminished a great deal.”

Contrary to what Theunissen claims Shapiro told him, Wexler said,

“We don’t think [the previous program] was a failure, but we think that we’re going to move with what they gave us in a new and different direction, using their past momentum.”

That different direction will involve plugging the program into SFU’s career placement, continuing to organize placement trips to Toronto and New York, and inviting professionals from Asia. The program will also attempt to target their largely international cohort with programs on intercultural relations, resume writing, and interview skills — opportunities that previously did not exist.

Simon explained, “I hope to have a more global, diversified, engaged program. A program where people 10, 15 years down the road still talk about it.

They’re still in contact with people, and they feel that it has made an impact in their lives professionally but also in the person they are.”

He concluded, “They will be proud to have earned that program because that program has given them a lot of options, but also influenced the person they want to be. I think that’s what makes a great business school different from just getting a diploma.”

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ARTS

Confession time: I have no idea how to spell perogy. Pierogi?

Pirogi? Whatever the spelling, smother it in fried onions and sour cream and it’s guaranteed to be delicious, which is why I was so excited to hear about the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Church’s Friday Night Supper. They offer perogies, cabbage rolls, Ukrainian sausage and borscht the first Friday of every month, and it is so worth the wait.

The church looks like something off of a postcard, all blue and white domes, except for the signs outside directing

arts editor email / phone

March 3, 2014

people to a specific entrance for ‘Eat In’ or ‘Take Out.’ The line up outside is usually comprised of people waiting for takeout, so go ahead and jump the queue if you have time to stay and enjoy this unique dining experience.

The inside of the church looks a lot like an elementary school gym, full of crowded tables and cheerful conversation as people from all over Vancouver get to know each other over trays of delicious food.

Friday night suppers are a great way to enjoy Ukrainian culture and meet new people — when you enter you’re given a placemat and told to find an empty seat at a table full of strangers — if you’re a big group it can be hard to find enough free spaces at a table to sit together.

The menu ranges from the mini dinner (four perogies, a cabbage roll, Ukrainian sausage and a salad for $8) to the

Super Dinner (10 perogies, three cabbage rolls, Ukrainian sausage and your choice of sauerkraut or salad for $15), with a vegetarian option, borscht, drinks and dessert also offered.

Everything is homemade and served by the most adorable old Ukrainian women. To order, fill out the menu card at your table, then wait in line to pay and collect your food.

I had the regular dinner (six perogies, two cabbage rolls and a Ukrainian sausage) and I could barely walk back to the bus stop.

It’s a fairly straightforward 40-minute commute from SFU’s Burnaby campus, and you’ll definitely be glad you made the trip. The food is exactly what you’d expect from your Ukrainian grandma — whether you actually have one or just wish you did. It’s hearty, traditional and eaten in the company of smiling faces.

The Friday night suppers are perfect if you’re looking for a unique cultural experience, a way to meet new people, or just really great food. Sometimes a meal can be about so much more than the food on your plate.

The next dinner will take place on March 7. I’m already counting down the days.

Daryn Wright arts@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

If there’s a trend in Annie Clark’s recording career as St. Vincent, it’s an attempt to better articulate herself. Instead of broadening her scope, Clark narrows the margins, tosses the inessential and keeps the bare essentials.

This is what made Strange Mercy a better record than Actor — the former felt like the finished product to the latter’s rough draft. It’s also what made Love This Giant, Clark’s collaboration with Talking Heads’ David Byrne, such a bore. Their relentlessly rigid songs, like miniature structures unto themselves, left no room to breathe.

Though St. Vincent is an improvement, it suffers from similar problems: Clark has stripped down her sound so fundamentally, there’s barely anything left. A claustrophobic sort of modernity haunts the album’s 11 songs — the brassy rattle and hum of “Digital Witness,” the rotary phone dial of “Bring Me Your Loves” — and there’s very little in the way of release that doesn’t feel humourless or static.

What made Clark’s two previous records so good was that her porcelain doll poise was always paired with a wink and a nod.

St. Vincent, on the other hand, is sealed so tight it becomes suffocating. One begins to grasp for the instances when Clark sounds like a real person — the crack in her voice during closer “Several Crossed Fingers,” for example, or the airy high notes she doesn’t quite hit in “Regret.”

Even the elegiac “I Prefer Your Love,” written for Clark’s mother during an illness, is unblemished and aerodynamic; each note is measured and micromanaged for potential effect. Unfortunately for Clark, albums aren’t equations to be solved, or numbers to be crunched.

The record is pitch-perfect alternapop, just like its predecessors, but it’s missing the self-awareness and spontaneity that made those records sound so natural, so authentic. With St. Vincent, we’re no longer in on the joke, no matter how funny it is.

ARTS

When I first shared Angel Olsen’s latest album with my friend, his immediate reactions, accounted for via Facebook chat, were: “Well this is beautiful,” “And kind of sad,” and finally “Ok, really sad. But really quite beautiful.” It sounds like a loaded spectrum, but an appropriate one. I mean, the opening track is called “Unfucktheworld.”

After the emotional opener — a simple guitar-led song with vocals reminiscent of a more folkish singer — Olsen immediately swaps melancholy for angst, channeling all her frustrations into the heavy, beat-ridden “Forgiven/Forgotten.” And we’re only on the album’s second track.

The rest of Burn Your Fire follows a similar trend of “mellow song” followed by a feisty one, but never grows wearisome. While the lower production quality on the album can be distracting, it adds an organic layer to Olsen’s music that might otherwise be lost. The album may peak early with “Forgive/Forgotten,” but the tracks that follow after are still worth your attention.

For reasons I can’t isolate, “Dance Slow Decades” also stands out as an album highlight. The name suggests a slower track, which the song delivers on, but it’s the pacing throughout that makes it rewarding. It’s hardly the longest track on the album but it feels just as sprawling as songs nearly two minutes longer.

I’ve always admired Olsen’s ability to combine folk with upbeat sounds and country with rock. Often these genres come at a cost, one for the other, but Burn Your Fire shows that you can have your folk and rock it too. Already Olsen’s third full-length, I couldn’t recommend this album more.

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March 3, 2014

This past week the Geekenders theatre troupe took to the Rio stage with their first nerdlesque production since the wildly popular Star Wars: A Nude Hope. Given past successes and their “cult sensation” status, the pressure was on for Geekenders to deliver a unique creation.

In a bold move, they took on The Wizard of Oz, providing the audience with a sexually charged musical parody of the original 1939 film.

This Geekenders production, aptly named The Wizard of Bras, offered a vibrant blend of theatre and burlesque, breathing new life into the beloved fantasy. The storyline and characters were reincarnated with a modern carnal twist, and the musical score was adapted to include everything from Disney to Gwen Stefani.

The show opened with IZ’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” as eight scantily-clad dancers emerged from behind sheer sheets, forming a nearly nude rainbow. This juxtaposition between wholesome melody and bare bosoms was anything but discreet, setting an overtly cheeky tone for the evening.

The performance continued in this fashion, introducing the Kansas personalities with a Geekenders twist. This included a racy number between Dorothy and her male companions, as well as a creative representation of the tornado scene that takes Dorothy to Oz. This last number, set to Ke$ha’s “Blow,” combined an exciting light show with the chaotic twirling of the ensemble cast dancing circles around Dorothy.

Having landed in Oz, Dorothy and Toto — reincarnated as a life-sized bondage dog (Steven Price) — begin to explore their new surroundings. One of their first encounters is Gilda the Good, portrayed by burlesque performer and Geekenders artistic director, Trixie Hobbitses.

For this role, Trixie adopted a slightly condescending and

entirely unhelpful persona, highlighting some of the more frustrating aspects of Glinda’s character with wonderful comedic timing.

The remainder of the first act followed Dorothy on her yellow brick road adventures, which included a neat performance by the ensemble cast who formed the “cups” rhythm section for Anna Kendrick’s “When I’m Gone.”

Finally, we are introduced to the scarecrow (Graeme Thompson), the Tin Man (Draco MuffBoi) and the Cowardly Lion (Stephen Blakley). Of these, a highlight was Thompson’s boylesque number, performed with amusing panache.

Having made it past the lusty apple trees and stripping poppies, Dorothy and her entourage are tasked by the

Wizard (Nathan Fillyouin) with stealing the Wicked Witch’s bra, bringing the first act to a close.

The second act was shorter in length, with the high point being the destruction of the voluptuous Wicked Witch (Vicky Valkyrie) and the violent yet sexually charged brawl that ensued between flying monkeys and “good guys.” The play wrapped up nicely with the Wizard’s pantless gifting, the return home to Kansas, and Dorothy’s first and (almost) last striptease of the show.

The production was met with a standing ovation from its audience. While the cast comprised a range of abilities, the amount of energy and effort that each member put into this show was astounding.

Nerdlesque performer Dezi Desire in particular stood out in the ensemble case owing to her fantastic facial expressions and ability to hit every movement. The lighting design was done fairly well, and the make-up for the Tin Man and Wicked Witch in particular was impressive. I also appreciated the creative choice of props and inspired

collection of pasties which made an appearance.

Not only did The Wizard of Bras provide a rousing burlesque show, but through the use of innuendo, satire, and social commentary, Geekenders delivered a unique performance that appeals to a range of audiences.

Unfortunately the show only had a two-day run, which seems a bit short considering how much work must have gone into the production. For those who missed it, however, rumour has it that Geekenders will be back come May in a debaucherous sequel to their Star Wars tribute.

BAWA SINGH’S GARDEN A poem 2630 lines long

By

Dr. Gurdev S. Boparai An e-­‐book at Amazon/Kindle for $5

18 ARTS

SFU student Emily Von Euw, creator of the popular weblog, This Rawsome Vegan Life, has created a vegan dessert cookbook for the ages. Rawsome Vegan Baking: An Un-Cookbook will be in stores March 4 through Macmillan Publishers.

The book moves away from the spiral-bound word-art cookbooks of the early raw vegan movement, instead opting for a pro-matte finish.

Von Euw is a proponent of raw veganism, which combines veganism’s avoidance of animal by-products with a focus on foods never heated above 120°F. Many foods, when heated above this temperature, lose valuable enzymes and vitamins.

In her desserts, Von Euw uses only raw ingredients: dried fruit, nuts, purported superfoods such as coconut oil and cacao powder, etc. The recipes created out of these building blocks play on consistency and are open to infinite variation.

March 3, 2014

In recreating one of her cheesecake recipes, I added a cup and a half of rainier cherries on a whim — it turned out fantastic. Rawsome Vegan Baking takes raw desserts to a new level while remaining accessible to curious newcomers.

The photography, shot by Von Euw herself, is beautiful.

Her blog, which receives over one million monthly pageviews, has provided great practice for the gorgeous full colour photographs included with every recipe. The recipes and their accompanying photographs are regular features on the covers of vegan magazines.

I met with Von Euw at Golden Aura, a recently opened raw vegan café located on a particularly yoga-centric block of West Broadway. The food was good, but lacked the knockout flavour present in many of Von Euw’s recipes. We talked about her vegan destiny, convincing skeptics, and eating healthy on campus.

ARTS

March 3, 2014

19

It’s not that I always expected Phantogram to dissolve into indie pop obscurity, I just always assumed that the Greenwich-based duo would gradually drift into the background, destined for a rotating spot on the Old Navy corporate playlist. It’s changeroom music that occasionally ends up on your iPod. However, I’m more than happy to report that any doubt I may have had about the group has been sonically drop-kicked out of me after the first listening of Voices.

Phantogram’s sophomore effort straddles the fine line between fuzz rock and ambient pop without committing to either, to an effective degree. From the glitchy opening of “Nothing But Trouble” to the album’s lingering finale, Voices boasts a diversity I found missing from Phantogram’s previous releases.

While the change of pace makes for an engaging format, the album shines brightest on the more upbeat tracks, such as “Black Out Days” and “The Day You Died,” both of which seem ripe for single-hood in the near future.

As is often the case with Phantogram’s genre, the album suffers during the middle tracks from a few meandering songs — “Bad Dreams” stands out as noticeably unremarkable, but Voices jumps back immediately after.

While the name implies wackiness, “Bill Murray,” encompasses the album’s emotional core; it’s a sombre ballad that demonstrates just how much Phantogram have matured as a band.

For the 11th and final track, all the electronica and droning accumulates in proper send-off fashion with “My Only Friend,” a melodramatic stadium-rock anthem that spends over a minute echoing the lyrics, “You’re all I have / My only friend” before getting in the last word with “All the stars with you.”

20 ARTS

Everyone believes in something — it’s how we survive life and deal with existence. “We’re all dealing with the same things, we just use different tools to cope,” said Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg.

Whether you’re Christian, Bhuddist, athiest, or none of the above, you’ll find something to relate to in Friedenberg’s new dance-theatre work Porno Death Cult. The show is about faith, what that means, and figuring out what you believe in.

Friedenberg, an SFU Contemporary Arts alumna, has been interested in these types of themes for a long time. Her previous work, Highgate, also dealt with death, but in a much different way. This time around she’s more interested in the abstract side of things versus whether or not the coffin will be the right size.

The inspiration for this show came as she was walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain, an

“I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it’s the government.”

One of Woody Allen’s silliest films, Sleeper (1973), delivers 87 minutes of comical genius through slapstick humour and politicized romance.

Sleeper is set 200 years in the future: America has evolved to a hedonistically ignorant society where independent thought is effectively removed and everyone is a different variation of the same person. Amidst the slapstick humour and bizarre plot twists lies a sly political commentary on the

March 3, 2014

800km pilgrimage that is older than Christianity.

She found it very interesting that people have been walking that same route for thousands of years as a means to connect with faith.

Of course there are Catholics walking the trail, but Friedenberg said that there were also people of many other religions and nationalities.

“It made me interested in what we do to cope with life and existence,” said Friedenberg. “The show explores the idea of faith and faithlessness — it’s a continuum, and it changes for most of us.”

effects of government surveillance on society.

Surveillance is not only a useful tool to the rulers in Woody Allen’s fictional dystopia, but has a long history as a government tool in social control.

On Feb. 10, the world lost one of the 20th century’s most brilliant academics. Stuart Hall was an eloquent left-wing theorist, and one of the founding fathers of modern cultural studies. His work rejects visions of fixed regional cultures in favour of a fluid cultural identity, ever changing and moving towards new possibilities, but incessantly reminiscing about a past that cannot be changed.

Hall recorded the role of police presence as a government

The title for the work emerged during this pilgrimage, before she’d even thought of creating the piece.

She was charmed by the little towns and cathedrals, and noticed that the statues of Jesus along the way began to get better and better lookingw. “They became more muscular and there was this rock star looking guy on a cross.”

They also got bloodier: “The Spanish really go in for that sort of thing,” she laughed. Friedenberg noticed that the majority of the people in the cathedrals were women, and she thought: “This is

tool of social management.

His work visits the scene of marginalized communities of Great Britain during the neoliberal Thatcher era in the 1970s, which inspired his take on the social construction of culture.

This era advanced free markets through privatization and deregulation, laying the structural framework for the radically commodified cultural industries that exist today.

Hall saw cultural industries as a critical site of social interaction where power relations are both established and unsettled. The media reaps lucrative benefits from sensationalizing lurid aspects of current events, and manipulates these events for

like a porno death cult,” and the name stuck.

“The central character, Maureen, is lonely,” explained Friedenberg, “she’s going through an archetypal journey to find faith and what she believes; to find salvation and how to act the right way.” Maureen draws on Christianity, yoga, Bhuddism, and revivalist faiths in order to try to find what she believes in.

“It’s comic at times, but it’s a tragic journey,” said Friedenberg.

“There are glimpses of the exaggerated Vancouver or California

economic and political purposes — this creates moral panic, fabricating public support to “police the crisis.” Therein lies the social constructs of marginalized communities.

Maria Wallstam and Nathan Crompton of The Mainlander bring Hall’s ideas to life in a recent illustration of Vancouver’s downtown eastside.

An area now trivially characterized by poverty and crime, the city of Vancouver continues to increase funding for police presence in the downtown eastside, despite recent reduction in crime. The city uses police surveillance as a means of social control over the lowincome residents of the DTES,

yoga teacher, and there’s a little bit of sexy Jesus,” she laughed.

While some might wonder if this show will offend, Friedenberg assures that she is not making fun of any religion, but exploring the idea of faith in general.

“I’m not lampooning, but there is humour,” she said, “you’ve gotta have a sense of humour.”

Along with choreographing the show, Friedenberg also wrote the textual element, and her husband, Marc Stewart is the composer. “He’s pulling from all kinds of spiritual practice and ideas like chanting and spiritual music,” she said.

Another element that adds to the show is the visual art exhibition in the Firehall Arts Centre Gallery. Alice Mansell, the show’s costume designer, and Mickey Meads, the set designer are presenting PDC: In Progress which showcases photos from the show and mixed media. This is a rare occasion when the art in the Firehall Gallery directly relates to the show in the theatre.

As Friedenberg said, “The show starts as you enter the lobby.”

You can follow Tessa Perkins

marginalizing them in the eyes of Vancouverites.

Commodified cultural industries lay the historical context for racial, ethnic, and class conflict. In Sleeper, Woody Allen parallels Hall’s ideas on surveillance as a tool for social control — but what makes Hall stand out from Allen and other cultural theorists is that Hall was an optimist. He believed we will always carry a part of the past, but through our independent thought we have the opportunity to change the future.

Stuart Hall once wrote: “The way to go back is to go forward. That is going to take a lot of hard thought, not just sentimentality.”

DIVERSIONS / ETC

March 3, 2014

21

CLASSIFIEDS@ THE-PEAK.CA

1. Public market in Seattle’s Elliott Bay 4. 1967 Sidney Poitier drama To ___ With Love 7. A disorder characterized by eating objects such as clay, metal, or sand 8. What we all do, every second, all the time 10. Phantom of the Opera (1925) star Chaney 11. An Islamic religious and community leader 13. Played by Uma Thurman, Pulp Fiction femme fatale Wallace 14. They’re kind of like potatoes 16. Former Ugandan president and human rights abuser Amin 18. The Peak’s redheaded Promotions Coordinator (2 wds.)

22. Alcohol soaked journalism conference held by the Canadian University Press 23. The Amazing SpiderMan heartthrob Stone 27. A punctuation mark used to signal the omission of a letter 32. The ocean, in Nice LAST WEEK’S SOLUTION 6

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40. Pet-friendly organization formed in 1824 41. Mid-Atlantic state university just shy of Washington, DC (abbr.)

42. Ernie’s life partner (come on, you know it’s true)

sus game developers Team ___ 3. Mercurial rapper and eccentric West 4. Biblical figure with a dislike for haircuts 5. Independent supermarket franchise across 30 countries 6. Lacking care or attention to duty 9. Delicious!

11. The Monkees hit “__ _ Believer� (2 wds.)

12. Rachel Brauer’s favourite spirit 15. A pirate’s statement of agreement 17. The capital city of Qatar, which is apparently a country 19. Captain Morgan, Down Sailor Jerry’s, Lamb’s (e.g.)

1. A rice dish cooked in 20. Alternatively, Indy’s broth, popular in India, weapon of choice Middle East, and the 21. Warner Bros. hopeCaribbean less romantic Le Pew 2. Shadow of the Colos- 24. H.G. Wells’ 1896

novel The Island of Doctor ______ 25. The Handmaid’s Tale (Canadian) author Margaret 26. A king, in Paris 27. A rock band’s sonic necessity (abbr.)

28. Where a lot of you probably live, even though it’s not ideal (abbr.)

29. Poetry’s long winded counterpart 30. The button that makes your DVD pop out 31. A pig’s bath, or a misspelled eye infection 36. Old school Hollywood film studio turned media company with a feline mascot 38. United States radio station of the Morning Edition, Fresh Air and All Things Considered Hope  to  see  you  there!

22

SPORTS

March 3, 2014

However, that kick-started a 14-0 run for the Clan, giving the visitors their first lead of the game with 12 minutes to play in the first. Unfortunately, it was short lived. After a period of trading baskets, the Wolves went on an 11-0 run of their own to pull ahead 36-30 towards the end of the first half.

Less than a week after putting up their highest single-game point total against NCAA competition, the Clan couldn’t keep their offence going in an 82-71 loss to the Western Oregon University Wolves.

In the first game of their season-ending road-trip, the Clan couldn’t hold onto the ball. Fifteen turnovers plagued SFU’s efforts, especially after getting off to a rough start. It wasn’t until four minutes had elapsed and the Wolves had already put up 13 points that SFU hit its first basket of the game.

SFU stuck around, trailing just 41-40 after 20, but in a battle of runs, WOU took a decisive 56-45 lead off an 11-1 run, a lead they would not relinquish.

“On the defensive end, we just wore down in the second half,” said head coach James

Blake. “They started getting us on the offensive boards. Going down the stretch, that was ultimately what led to our demise.”

Senior Ibrahim Appiah grabbed a season-high 19 rebounds in the game, but even that wasn’t enough. Neither were Sango Niang’s game-high 30 points.

On that pair’s effort, Blake added, “Overall I’m happy with the effort. We have some great individual efforts and some things to build on.”

The loss drops the Clan’s record to 10-15 overall, but a dismal 3-14 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. With the season over — the Clan played their final game after press time — Blake must hope that, even with key players moving on, there’s enough to build on for next year.

sports editor email / phone

Adam Ovenell-Carter sports@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

While Burnaby Mountain was hit hard with snow last weekend, the Clan track and field teams were hard at work in Nampa, ID representing Simon Fraser at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) Indoor Championships.

The Clan would come home with two GNAC titles after the two-day competition, as well as a fifth-place team finish for the men, and a seventh-place finish for the women.

The men’s distance medley relay (DMR) team got things started for SFU, as Travis Vugteveen, Daniel Kelloway, Cameron Proceviat and James Young ran for the event title, in just 10:07.79.

On the women’s side, Rebecca Bassett, Kayla Leanna, Sarah Sawatzky and Kirstin Allen’s combined time of 12:16.58 was good enough for second place.

On the field, Dkay Ayivor was the Clan men’s next top finisher on day one as the sophomore finished third in the long jump with a season’s best of 6.77m, while senior Mercedes Rhode came in sixth in the women’s long jump competition.

Day two yielded even better results, highlighted

by Sawatzky, who maintained her first-place seed in the 800m event, coming out on top in a time of 2:08.57. Sawatzky’s winning time also improved her ranking in the NCAA Division II to second place, where she still sits two weekends away from the NCAA Championships.

Natasha Kianipour had a top finish in her first GNAC appearance with a third

place finish in the women’s 60m dash, while sophomore Emma Chadsey had her first podium finish for the Clan with a third place run in the 3,000m in a time of 10:25.40. In the mile, SFU’s Kirstin Allen and Rebecca Bassett finished fourth and seventh respectively.

SFU’s male sprinters also had an excellent weekend at the championships. Kelloway followed up his DMR title with a third-place finish in the 400m in 49.10 seconds. Fellow freshman Joel Webster had success in his first conference championship with fourth- and sixthplace finishes in the 200m and the 400m.

Vugteveen and Proceviat earned more all-conference honours after their DMR victory: Proceviat finished fourth in the 800m final while Vugteveen earned a fifth-place finish in the mile. James Young followed his teammate finishing eighth in the mile and freshman Oliver Jorgensen nabbed the eighth spot in the men’s 3,000m final.

The Clan women also had three athletes earn allconference honours in the triple jump, a first in program history. Freshman Ella Brown was SFU’s top finisher in second place, followed by Kye Fedor in fourth and Robyn Broomfield in fifth.

Luca Molinari placed sixth in the weight throw competition as the Clan’s sole thrower attending the championships.

The Clan have one more weekend of indoor competitions as they hope to qualify for the NCAA Division II Indoor Championships held in early March.

SPORTS

March 3, 2014

23

IT’S PEAK ELECTION SEASON ONCE AGAIN! DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PEAK IS MADE BY REAL LIVE STUDENTS JUST LIKE YOU? The editors are chosen in elections held once per semester and if you’ve paid your student fees this semester, you’re eligible to run!

To apply, simply fill out the appropriate form at the-peak. ca or visit the Peak offices at MBC 2900.

“The Peak pays editors? That’s enough money to pay for both rent and heat!”

WEEKLY STIPENDS COORDINATING EDITOR $255 PRODUCTION EDITOR NEWS EDITOR $255 COPY EDITOR ASSC NEWS EDITOR $190 PHOTO EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR $255 WEB PRODUCER FEATURES EDITOR $255 PHOTO EDITOR ARTS EDITOR $255 LAYOUT ASSISTANT MULTIMEDIA EDITOR $255 LAYOUT ASSISTANT HUMOUR EDITOR $190 PROOFREADER

$255 $255 $255 $255 $255 $150 $150 $85

EDITOR applications are due at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19, and SUPPORT applications (that is, applications for Layout Assistant and Proofreader) are due at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26. The voting period lasts one week in both cases.

If you’ve contributed to The Peak at least twice this semester, you’re eligible to vote, and you’ll be contacted by the electoral officers with your ballot once the voting period has begun.

24 SPORTS

The road to a National Championship continued for the Clan lacrosse squad with a win against Pacific Northwest Collegiate Lacrosse League (PNCLL) opponent University of Washington last Saturday in Seattle.

It wasn’t a game for the faint of heart, mired by dirty hits, questionable calls, and a steady parade to the penalty box — but the Clan maintained their composure to double up the Huskies 16–8 and improve their record to 2–0 in the PNCLL and 3–1 on the season.

The Clan’s speed and aggressive play were key factors in the win, going on several four- and five-goal runs and outshooting the Huskies 56–17 over 60 minutes. Leading the way again for the Clan was Burnaby native Tyler Kirkby, netting four goals and two assists.

March 3, 2014

Other multiple goal scorers included Ward Spencer (four goals, one assist) and Lyndon Knuttila (three goals, one

assist). Five other players netted goals for the Clan, including Brandon Farrell and Clayton Fenney, who both scored their first of the season.

Though the shot totals and final score may suggest otherwise, the game wasn’t a cakewalk. The Huskies came out hard, attempting to intimidate the Clan with physical play and several late hits, but couldn’t match the Clan’s speed or precision and SFU dominated the possession game.

Penalties plagued the Clan, however, as the Huskies went on a four-goal run on consecutive powerplays to claw back into the game. But despite being shorthanded for 10:30, the Clan’s offence gave them a big enough cushion to withstand the barrage. The Huskies’ run cut the score to 14–8 late, but SFU quickly shut the door, firing two more past UW goaltender Ryan Asbury to end the game.

Both Clan goaltenders faced limited shots: Darren Zwack

stopped four of eight shots, earning him a 0.500 save percentage in first 41:30 minutes and Jeremy Lasher stopped five of nine shots, good for a 0.556 save percentage over the remaining 18:30 minutes. Zwack, the Clan’s primary goaltender, maintains a save percentage of 0.654 on the year.

With a 3–1 record on the season, the Clan has moved up the MCLA rankings, with the latest poll showing the team up three spots to #14. With upcoming

Meanwhile, freshman Kevin Vigna saved his best round for last, shooting 73 on Tuesday

The Simon Fraser University men’s golf team had a strong finish to the CSU-San Bernardino Coyote Classic nabbing seventh place at the event.

After two rounds of golf on Monday, the Clan were in 10th position, but climbed back up

the leaderboard during Tuesday’s third round.

Chico State University’s Lee Gearhart took the tournament’s individual title with a three round total of 209, but Clan senior Mike Belle led the way for SFU with a final round of 71, and a tournament total of 214, putting him in a tie for fourth place, just five strokes back from first.

Sophomore Jon Mlikotic wasn’t far behind, shooting 219 at the event with scores of 74, 70, and 75 over the three rounds, but was only tied for 20th at the end of Tuesday.

— who has been the Clan’s best for a few years now — moves on.

Just behind Vigna’s 231 was sophomore Bret Thompson, who shot 232, and senior TJ McColl, who finished with a threeround total of 234.

SFU’s team score of 889 was well behind leader, Chico State, who, led by Gearhart’s impressive outing, finished at 855.

The Clan will get a shot at improving that number when they return to the links on March 10 and 11 in Belmont, CA at the Notre Dame de Namur Argonaut Invitational.

after scores of 77 and 81 in the first two rounds. If his game can grow as it did between rounds two and three, the Clan could be in good hands when Belle

games against ranked opponents #3 Arizona State, #11 Texas, #21 Oregon State, and #24 Arizona, the Clan will look to continue their success and move up the rankings even more.

SFU continues its season with eight games in the month of March including three at home and four against divisional opponents. The next home game for the Clan will be March 7 on Terry Fox Field against division rival University of Idaho Vandals.

HUMOUR

March 3, 2014

humour editor email / phone

Brad McLeod humour@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

25

26 HUMOUR

DALLAS — An entire northern Texas community has been left in shock this week after known murderer, Lee James Watson, outed himself as a decent member of society.

Believed for years to be nothing more than a focused and evil psychopathic killer, Watson admitted to being an upstanding citizen after police spotted him picking up trash near a sidewalk not adjacent to his own house.

Following an inquest, Watson admitted that when he’s not committing violent crimes, not only is he an active participant in his neighbourhood’s Adopt-a-Street program but he also coaches a local peewee hockey team and has even made numerous charitable donations over the past five years.

Residents of Pinewood Grove, the small town in which Watson resides, are dumbfounded that the

man they always knew as nothing more than “the Playground Strangler” could possibly be behind such noble and selfless acts.

“Well I knew he couldn’t just kill 24/7, but I assumed that he at least did bad, nasty or sexually deviant things in his spare time,” said next-door neighbour Colby Monroe, whose first-born son Daniel was among Watson’s victims. “It just goes to show that you never truly know who your neighbours are.”

Local Pastor Steve Williams was also in utter disbelief that such a terrible, one-dimensional villain could have perpetrated this sort of alleged decent behaviour.

“We accepted this man into our hearts as an evil heartless

March 3, 2014

child killing bastard, and now we find out that he’s actually going behind our backs and donating to charities,” Williams said shaking his head. “I don’t know if our community will ever be able to get past this.”

Watson, however, has denied accusations that his acts of decency impede his ability to tear families apart.

“I’m still the same child killing monster that everyone knows and loves,” he stated to the media holding back tears, a display of earnest emotion that disgusted onlookers. “It just happens that I also like to keep our community’s streets clean, is that such a non-crime?”

He did concede that it would be tough for him to continue in Pinewood Grove, a place where his reputation seems to be irreparably tarnished.

“I need to find somewhere that I’m just known for my talents in strangulation, and not for my ability to motivate children in sports,” Watson said of his future plans.

“It’s going to be hard though to find another place where the police will just be disappointed if they find out about my community service and not arrest me for being a known-murderer.”

HUMOUR

March 3, 2014

27

While Yanukovych would later clarify that by “life” he meant “life as the all-powerful dictator of Ukraine,” he confirmed that no matter what happens to his career he will no longer make any public appearances or even talk about his private affairs.

KIEV — After going missing for several days following his embarrassing and highly publicized removal from office, Viktor Yanukovych has announced that he is hereby “quitting public life.”

The decision, which has been compared to other recent statements from Hollywood celebrities like Shia Labeouf and Alec Baldwin, is apparently a result of Yanukovych’s exhaustion from the pressures of the media, fans, and enraged protesting citizens.

“It’s all too much, the cameras in your face 24/7, the people outside your window every night, the never ending barrage of molotov cocktails,” he explained in his final public address on Ukrainian national television. “I just want to live my life.”

“I’m not going to go on TV anymore or do magazine interviews, and most importantly I’m not going to International Court, that place is sure to be a mediashitstorm,” Yanukovych clarified.

“It’s over, I’m done with all of it, I’d just like to get my palace back and then fade back into obscurity like everyone else.”

Although Yanukovych’s has been called out by some as performing a “publicity stunt” and

by others as being “a despicable tyrant who I will kill with my bare hands if I ever see him,” from all accounts he seems excited about his new life.

“God, it’s stressful here, I might try to get away from the country completely for a little while,” Yanukovych reportedly told reporters following his

final media address. “Maybe I’ll leave and go to the United States to become an actor or something, that’d be a nice change of pace.”

28 LAST WORD

features editor email / phone

Max Hill features@the-peak.ca / 778.782.4560

March 3, 2014