What happened to our SFSS president?

first peek

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“I really don’t care. I think it should just be portrayed the way anyone wants to portray it, and anyone who doesn’t like it should just not watch the movie.”

Bryanna Johnson First-year communication

“I’m neutral about it. On one hand, it’s great that they’re allowing [the character] […] to explore, but then on the other hand, you can’t just keep changing it from one thing to another.”

Cinna Hung Third-year communication

As a communication undergraduate, I’m constantly exposed to issues that plague the creative industries. Subjects such as diversity, representation, and the role of online cultures come up regularly.

Social media allows fans and critics to voice their complaints to the producers of films and television shows, who in turn either adjust their productions accordingly or ignore the issues altogether.

However, this development isn’t always a good thing. When enough angry people voice what might truly be a non-issue through the virtual megaphone, it almost sounds like rational, critical discourse. Through a racial lens, the backlash that erupts on social media whenever black characters are killed in certain TV shows, while well-intentioned, often falls into a ‘non-issue’ discourse. Worse, it takes the spotlight off the more critical underlying problem: racial representation.

While this occurs with many TV shows, AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead is a prime example of this phenomenon. The Walking Dead follows a group of survivors into a world infested with zombies. Each season, the main group of protagonists expands and diversifies.

Apart from exploring themes such as what it means to be human, the show kills off popular characters

as a substantial part of its charm.

Viewers tune in for the deaths and stay for the occasional gems of character-driven storytelling. However, there’s a recurring complaint that the show doesn’t tend to have more than one regular black character at a time, as each seems to be killed off and quickly replaced by another black character. As a black man, this complaint annoys me.

During the earlier seasons, it could’ve been considered an astute observation. However, with time the show began to introduce multiple African American and other minority characters at the same time. Still, the complaints about killing off black characters persisted. Considering how death is a major part of the show, why should a character be spared because of the colour of their skin?

What is the point of investing in a character when you know they’re safe from the cruel hands of the producers and writers? The whole aspect of equal representation is rendered useless if the producers can kill off 20 white characters without any race complaints; but when one black character is killed, the outcry is focused mainly on the character’s race, rather than the audience’s investment with the nowdeceased character.

Furthermore, when these social media barrages affect the outcome of the show, the production stops being the story the creators want to tell, and becomes something more akin to fan fiction.

We’re at the point where there will never be enough black characters on the show to stop the complaints.

These complaints about killing off black characters divert the discourse from the underlying issues of racial representation. The Walking Dead tries — it really does. Is there a good reason though, why in a show set in Atlanta, Georgia, where 54 percent of the population is black according to its 2010 census, only 14.4 percent of the cast is black as of the sixth season?

There’s only so much realism you can have in a show about zombies, but representing the racial diversity of its setting would be a nice touch.

“I know that there are purists who think nothing should change, but […] I feel like they shouldn’t limit a character by their gender preferences.

I feel that it’s a nice change; it’s going out of the norm, and it’s something we should all accept.”

Joaquin Arguelles First-year psychology

“I’d like to see already-identified characters of a different sexuality [made more] visible in a lot of movies or made more present in comics before changing the sexuality of another [character].”

Mitchell Wahlmeier Second-year business

“I feel that […] if someone has been generally portrayed as straight or [as having] a specific gender orientation in the past, instead of suddenly changing their gender orientation, they should actually just make a new character who has the specific gender orientation that they want to portray and represent instead.”

Sandy Chan Third-year communication

4 News

Jamal Dumas / Print News Editor

news@the-peak.ca

BOARD RESIGNATION

SATELLITE SIGNALS Woodward’s

Lisa Dimyadi / The Peak

Deepak Sharma (centre) has vacated his position, leaving VP Student Services Larissa Chen (right) as interim president.

Deepak Sharma resigns as SFSS president Failure to meet eligibility requirements leaves chair of SFSS board “vacant” Nathan Ross Web News Editor Deepak Sharma is no longer the president of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS).

The Peak has received confirmation that Sharma failed to meet membership eligibility status and has been forced to resign. His seat has since been “deemed vacant,” according to a press release from the SFSS. This comes just over a month after the current Board of Directors took office on May 1. The SFSS elections had notably poor turnout, with one position on the Board failing to even garner a single candidate.

Larissa Chen, VP Student Services, will be taking over the responsibilities of president for the time being as per the society’s bylaws.

“SFSS just got exciting again, didn’t it? In a really bad circumstance,” she admitted.

The Board learned at their May 19 meeting that Sharma’s eligibility status was in question.

From that point on, Chen took over the responsibilities, and he was instructed to stay away from all board duties. However, as an act of good faith, he was still publicly listed as the president of the SFSS, in the event that it was a clerical error that had nullified his eligibility.

The position wasn’t officially vacated until the most recent board meeting on June 2. Now, the Board must decide how to move forward.

This definition matches the one offered in the Board’s bylaws, which notes that membership in the SFSS “shall cease when a member fails to register for undergraduate courses at the University for two consecutive “We can either have a by-election, registrations.” or we can have a [simple resolution].

Weng said that he found the news Another option is to leave it as it is to be a shock, as he didn’t foresee a and for me to continue being interim situation like this happening. president,” said Chen.

“I did do my transition with “Those are the next steps for Deepak and I saw kind of what he Board. I don’t want to comment on did and the plans he wanted for this year,” he said.

“I honestly believe that he did his best, it’s just an unfortunate thing.”

He did hope that Larissa Chen, students take interim president, SFSS note of this situation, and it now because I don’t want to say hopes they aren’t too dramatianything concrete and then for it to cally affected by it. be an error.”

“It’s something that students Former SFSS president Enoch should care about, because of the Weng said it was a surprise to learn SFSS manages student fees and helps about Sharma’s resignation. with student life,” he said. “Students “A million things went through won’t feel too much, because life my head [when I heard]. Why? What goes on. In terms of the Board, and were the reasons? Was it personal?” how they’ll feel, there definitely will said Weng. “Then I learned that it still be huge bumps because you was membership eligibility.” don’t have a presidential figure.”

While Weng and Chen both deSharma only ran against one clined to comment on the specifics of opponent in the last SFSS elecmembership eligibility, former board tion, and that was Darien Lechner. executive Kathleen Yang wrote in a Sharma ultimately won with 63.2 Facebook comment that “Failing to percent of the vote, with 1,870 stumeet membership eligibility usually dents voting for him. Lechner said means that you were not considered that he finds this development disenrolled in any SFU courses for two appointing, but hopes to see some consecutive terms.” good come out of it.

“SFSS just got exciting again, didn’t it? In a really bad circumstance."

“I think that he should have done his due diligence at the time and made sure he would have been able to serve the full term,” he said. “I reach out to him, and whatever situation he’s going through he has my full condolences, but I see this as an opportunity for some positive things to occur.”

The next board meeting is scheduled to take place on June 16. Chen said this is when the Board hopes to discuss their next course of action.

She acknowledged that the situation has been something of a trial-byfire for her.

“It has been a challenge — however, I find that my team is amazing. The execs have distributed the responsibilities and we’ve all been very proactive.

“Imagine what it’s like to just come into Board, and for this to happen to the new members who have never experienced this. They’ve been so wonderful, they’ve been responsive and responsible, and they’ve done a very good job.”

She concluded by hoping that Sharma is not antagonized during this time.

“This is a very difficult situation to be in, and I think that it has impacted us and [Sharma] a great deal.

In terms of moving forward, I think that one key thing I want to note is that I want the privacy and the confidential matters to be respected.

“I would hope that people would have enough respect to not pry for answers when they shouldn’t be.”

Deepak Sharma could not be reached for comment at time of publication.

On June 12 at 2 p.m., Project Limelight Society will be presenting #FAIRYTALE at the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre. A comedy show for all ages, #FAIRYTALE features 24 performers, from ages eight to 15, as well as “great music, audience interaction, huge laughs, fun FAIRYTALE characters, and of course, a happy ending.” #FAIRYTALE tells the story of a young boy named Cinder Fella and his quest to become a YouTube sensation. Tickets are $12 online.

On June 17 at 7:30 p.m., SFU Woodwards in cooperation with the 149 Arts Society will be hosting the fourth Annual LAUNCH! Festival at the Fei and Milton Wong Experimental Theatre. A live cabaret-style performance, this show features 10 original works of performance art by young Vancouverites.

The pieces will then be presented to and judged by a panel of experts.

Surrey On Wednesday, June 8 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m., SFU’s Career and Professional Programs, Continuing Studies will present an informational session on SFU’s Occupational Health and Safety Diploma at the Surrey campus. This session is for adults beginning their career who want to improve their “planning, promoting, and managing safety programs in a variety of organizational settings.” Though the event is free, guests are asked to register online.

Sarah Finley Peak Associate

News University Briefs

By Sarah Finley

News stories from campuses across the country

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Fort McMurray bursary created at U of Alberta

[EDMONTON] - The University of Alberta is beginning a new bursary for the expected 500 current and prospective students affected by the Fort McMurray fire. The bursary, which is being funded by donations, has already raised over $12,000. Soon, students will be able to apply, and the amount they receive will depend both on their financial need and on how much money has been donated to the bursary.

With files from Edmonton Journal

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UBC student discovers four planets

[VANCOUVER] - UBC physics and astronomy student Michelle Kunimoto, who graduated on May 30, has already discovered four exoplanets — planets outside of our solar system — in the Cygnus constellation.

One of the planets she discovered was roughly the size of Neptune, and could potentially host life. It is 3,200 light years away from Earth. Crediting her interest in astronomy to Star Trek and other science fiction, Kunimoto was praised by the show’s former star, William Shatner, in his recent talk at UBC.

With files from CBC News

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UWaterloo prof designs new way to read medical images

[WATERLOO] - Alex Wong, a professor of system design engineering, has created a “digital fingerprint” that could make it easier for doctors to detect prostate and lung cancer in MRI and CT scans. By inputting hundreds of medical images into his computer and then creating a program that categorized images by similarity, he was able to identify characteristics unique to certain tumours. These biomarkers will “take some of the guesswork out of reading MRI and CT scans,” improving the diagnoses in the process.

With files from CBC News

June 6, 2016

5

BUILDING SFU

First ground broken for new Student Union Building SFSS, SFU, and sponsors all on hand to witness ceremony Nathan Ross Web News Editor

It was a dreary, drizzling day, but ground has been broken for the construction of the new Student Union Building, and the next chapter of Build SFU begins.

With almost the entirety of the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) present, as well as SFU President Andrew Petter, the groundbreaking was attended by only a handful of those who brought it forward, with a much larger celebration being planned for the fall.

After speeches from Elder Margaret George, Petter, and VP University Relations for the SFSS Arr Farah, the “groundbreaking” took place. It was more of a ceremonial event, as Farah and Petter donned hard hats and moved a shovelful of dirt each from a pile to underneath a bulldozer.

The event took place where the new building will exist by its projected fall 2018 opening, just outside the Maggie Benston Centre.

Despite the dreary weather — which reflected a “typical SFU day,” according to master of ceremonies Larissa Chen — there was a buzz of excitement in the air from those in attendance.

“It’s very exciting,” said Petter. “I know how hard the Student Society has worked over a

Nathan Ross / The Peak

SFU President Andrew Petter (left) and SFSS VP Arr Farah (right) get to work. number of years to get us to this point. But I also know it wouldn’t have happened without the support of the general student body over a number of years.

“I think it speaks volumes to the kind of students we have at SFU, how they’re really committed to not only their own education but to the future of students who will be here in years ahead.”

While this project has been in motion since 2012 with many SFSS members involved, it was Farah — only one month into his term as VP University Relations — representing

the SFSS and by extension all students, as he shovelled the dirt.

“It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “It feels great. I remember being part of [student unions] running around campus and there being no space for us, so this solves this problem so I’m just really proud to be here.”

He admitted, though, that this isn’t exactly how he pictured the moment.

“I thought it was going to be sunny and beautiful, but this is BC. It rains a lot,” he laughed. “I’m happy that it happened anyway.”

With the groundbreaking underway, there was no time for all involved parties to stop and congratulate themselves. It’s one thing to hold a ceremony for starting the project, but it’s another to get the building finished.

“I think it’s a different kind of push,” acknowledged Petter. “Now it’s a matter of getting the building built and making sure it meets all the requirement[s] and that’s going to require some effort.

“It won’t be easy, but I think it’s going to go as smoothly as a project of this kind can.”

MOULD GOALS

SFU debuts new Mould Control Program The new policy will prioritize cases and try to take preventive action Zach Siddiqui Peak Associate In light of recent issues with mould in buildings on campus, SFU has developed a new Mould Control Program to combat the issue and its associated health risks.

An informational meeting was held on June 1 to discuss the revised regulations and procedures for handling mould, while providing an opportunity for questions and feedback from attendees.

The team in charge of developing the program consulted a wide variety of “best practices” resources, including the CCA Mould

Guidelines for the Canadian Construction Industry, as well as the NCCEH Mould Remediation Recommendation, a “summary of all the [mould remediation] literature up to 2014.”

According to Lesley Clements, an occupational hygienist hired by the university to assist in tackling this problem, the program seeks to “formalize a process” for effectively dealing with onsets of mould and mildew. It involves both a concentrated effort to respond to reports of pre-existing cases and

administration of stronger preventative measures against future outbreaks.

People on campus are encouraged to report cases of mould or intrusive moisture in their residences, offices, and the like. From there, SFU representatives will perform inspections on the building in question, look into its history, and conduct interviews with occupants. As a result of the large number of buildings on each of SFU’s campuses, the project aims to ensure that the order in which mould cases are handled is prioritized based on how urgently intervention is required.

Meanwhile, building envelope engineers will be involved in “larger, more complex [construction] projects” on SFU’s campuses. They will

verify that all building codes are being followed to the letter, identify and neutralize any potential mouldrelated health concerns prior to commencing construction, and approve the materials used.

The Mould Control Program will also be subject to an audit one year following its implementation, and once every two years after that.

Though attendees of the meeting raised concerns that SFU’s internal auditor did not appear to be involved in the audits outlined in the program, presenters suggested that they could “bring it up with him” at a later date.

Mould has been an enduring issue at SFU over the past few years, especially in the controversial shutdown of the Louis Riel House residence last year.

6 News

Jamal Dumas / Print News Editor

news@the-peak.ca

IT’S 2016

Former SFU prof introduces gender equity bill to Parliament

Photo courtesy of The Huffington Post Kennedy Stewart (pictured) belives that financial incentives can encourage parties to field more female candidates.

The polarizing bill will be debated after the summer break Sarah Finley Peak Associate Last October, a record number of 88 women were elected to the House of Commons in Canada.

Despite this new record, women still only comprise a mere 26 percent of the House’s 338 members. NDP Burnaby South MP and former SFU political scientist Kennedy Stewart condemns these numbers: he noted that

this percentage ranks Canada at 61st out of 191 countries, behind nations like Iraq, Afghanistan, and El Salvador. Even more upsetting, the country ranked at 21st in 1991, meaning that while other nations are progressing, Canada is falling behind.

In response to these numbers, Stewart is sponsoring a

controversial bill, the candidate gender equity act, to bring gender equity to Parliament. First put forth in February, the bill would, according to Stewart’s press release, introduce “a financial incentive for political parties to run more women candidates and move towards parity in their nominations.”

In particular, Stewart criticized the Conservative party for running female candidates in only 19 percent of ridings. He compared this to the NDP and Liberal parties, who ran female candidates at 43 percent and 31 percent, respectively.

According to Liberal MP Anita Vandenbeld, “[l]egislative solutions [. . .] including financial incentives or penalties to encourage political parties to nominate more women, are considered by UN Women, UNDP, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and other major international organizations, to be commonly recognized methods to achieve greater gender parity.”

The bill was drafted with advice from “numerous prominent female scholars,” according to The Vancouver Sun, and was endorsed

by Green Party leader Elizabeth May; however, the bill also faces

many opponents. Included in this group is Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, despite his move to appoint a gender-balanced cabinet upon election.

Also in opposition is Conservative Surrey MP Dianne Watts, who called the bill “truly offensive,” according to a transcription of the Parliamentary debates. Watts agreed that having more women in politics could have a positive effect on government, recalling her days as the first elected female mayor of Surrey in 2005. Having a female majority on council when she became mayor was “influential” in the success of dealing with issues such as child development and homelessness, she said.

However, rather than implementing quotas, she believes politicians need to do more to encourage and mentor young women.

Watts pointed out that Surrey had no such quotas when they achieved a female majority.

She also expressed her belief that men who identify as feminists, such as Stewart and Trudeau, should focus on issues related to “their own gender,” such as domestic violence and sexual assault. “To have a guy stand up there and offer to give me something he thinks I need is not OK,” she stated.

Despite the controversy surrounding the bill, it will be debated again after the summer break.

PUBLIC INPUT

SFU’s sexual violence policy takes first steps Town hall brought out a large community interested in developing a proper strategy Nathan Ross Web News Editor A joint town hall was held on May 31 to form a comprehensive policy to address sexual violence and misconduct at SFU. The town hall took place across all three campuses and had a high turnout, filling the IRMACS Centre on Burnaby campus, which was the main room.

Dr. Jonathan Driver, Vice-President, Academic and Provost of Simon Fraser University, faced a crowd that seemed eager to hold the school’s administration to task.

It was a critical yet understanding group dedicated to the cause of forming a comprehensive policy to protect students.

Dr. Driver said that he expected this kind of response.

“I was not surprised that people wanted the university to take a greater role in creating a better environment and developing more effective education and responses,” he said through email correspondence.

“The only way to make improvements is to hear what people think we could do better, and that means listening carefully to the criticisms and to the advice of people who have a lot of knowledge and experience.”

Kathleen Yang, a member of the advisory committee for the sexual violence and misconduct policy, said what transpired at the town hall was the ideal situation.

“Best-case scenario: students come out, everyone expresses their opinion, we get a survivor-centric

approach, and it’s comprehensive, it’s transformative, and ultimately addresses the specific needs to our campus,” she said.

a past with sexual assaults, that either were unreported or weren’t dealt with properly, with a hopeful future.

“I honestly don’t have the answer [to figuring that out]. I’m hopeful for the future, but I have no idea what it will bring,” Yang Kathleen Yang, advisory committee “Whether this member policy is going to put us in a better situation or a She still wants to ensure though worse situation, ultimately I rethat the proper steps are taken ally don’t know what’s going to throughout the process — a process happen. that she clarified doesn’t end because "Things have happened in the of one successful town hall. The ques- past [and] no one’s addressed it. Do tion still remains how SFU navigates we need to address our mistakes in

“I’m hopeful for the future, but I have no idea what it will bring,”

order to move into the future?”

That’s a question that rests on Dr. Driver and everyone else charged with forming this policy.

Their plan is to reflect on what they learned from the town hall, and continue to connect with the university community through other methods.

“We will also be doing research on what other universities have done. Once we have plenty of information and opinion we will start to shape a policy, and then continue to consult as that policy is developed,” he said.

A full recording of the town hall will be available online on June 6. Check The Peak website for more information.

News

7

June 6, 2016

RESEARCH ROUNDUP

BIG BREAK

SFU lab designs an advanced rat trap

Photo courtesy of Reality Steve Jon Hamilton (pictured) may be no longer on the show, but his quest for love lives on.

SFU alumnus appears on The Bachelorette Vancouverite Jon Hamilton vied for Jojo Fletcher’s heart on latest season of popular show Rachel Wong Peak Associate ABC’s The Bachelorette got a dose of SFU this season.

SFU alumnus Jon Hamilton appeared on the season 12 opener of The Bachelorette. Sporting traditional Scottish garb, complete with a kilt, he went all out in what he described as a “make or break” opportunity to impress Jojo Fletcher, this season’s bachelorette. “[Jojo] was either going to like it or hate it [. . .] [and] I have no regrets doing it,” Hamilton said in an interview with The Peak.

At first, going on The Bachelorette wasn’t Hamilton’s idea. A past girlfriend nominated him to be on the show, and it was apparent that his Canadian charm appealed to the show’s producers, as they reportedly bombarded Hamilton with a number of calls while he was out to dinner one night.

“I was having dinner at Local [in Kitsilano] when I got a call from LA,” Hamilton recounted. “At first I thought it was a crank call, and I clicked decline at least three times. But then I finally answered and found myself talking with a girl from ABC [. . .] it kinda snowballed from there, and turned into like ‘holy shit, you have to do it!’”

An avid follower of the series, Hamilton was curious about the experience of being on a reality TV show. After going through a series of interviews and flying down to

LA for further meetings with show executives, filming began. This enabled him to experience the other side of a show that he watched so regularly.

While Hamilton lived with his parents, he would watch the show every Monday night with his mom: “It was a bonding experience for my mom and I. When the show was on, I knew exactly what I was doing every Monday night.”

but in the end some of the producers asked him to wear it to add extra interest.

Before his stint on The Bachelorette , Hamilton graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in history and minoring in economics. During his time at SFU, he also played with the hockey team and made a lot of friends through the program, some of whom he still keeps in touch with to this day.

When asked to describe a perfect date with money being no object, Hamilton described a grand picture of going to Italy via private jet, wine tasting in Tuscany, and havJon Hamilton ing Mario Batali cook him and his date dinner.

But for Hamilton, the best way to really get to know someone is to have easy and flowing conversation. “The perfect date [for me] would be getting pizza and watching movies,” Hamilton said. “It’s easier to talk that way.”

Even though Hamilton was sent home by Jojo Fletcher, this handsome alumnus likely won't have any trouble finding a girl willing to take him up on that offer.

“[. . .] It kinda snowballed from there, and turned into like ‘holy shit, you have to do it!’"

When asked about his choice of attire, Hamilton laughed and admitted that while it was unique, he was used to it. Hamilton, who is halfScottish and half-Chinese, takes great pride in his heritage thanks to his dad, a proud Scotsman.

“I wore a kilt to my high school graduation and my sister’s wedding, so it’s kind of commonplace for me,” Hamilton remarked. As for the show, he had his doubts,

Momo Lin / The Peak Traditional rat traps can scare away rats rather than lure them.

Trap exploits rats' desire for food, mates, and parenting Amanda Smith Peak Associate For as long as humans and rats have co-existed, humans have tried to exterminate rats, and rats have repeatedly learned to thwart these attempts. Dr. Gerhard J. Gries, a professor in the department of biological sciences at SFU, wants this stand-off with rats to come to an end.

Rats provide a difficult challenge for population control: as a result of interacting with humans for thousands of years, they have developed a healthy dose of fear and apprehension when presented with new objects, called “neophobia.”

Therefore, even with the promise of food, it can be difficult to entice rats into entering traps. As a result, we depend on traps such as poison boxes that are efficient at killing but result in the poisoning of animals that consume rats, including domestic cats and dogs.

The Gries Lab studies the communication systems of animals. “[W]e want to understand how animals, including rodents in this case, communicate and once we understand their language we can talk back and manipulate them to our advantage,” explained Dr. Gries.

Therefore, in order to bypass the rats’ neophobia, the Gries Lab has developed a trap that uses a three-pronged approach to exploit rat senses and communication strategies. The first property of the trap is food bait: the team has developed bait that is laced with odorants so that no matter the

rat’s craving — be it nuts, meat, or cheese — it will be emitted from the trap. The food bait is important because its manipulation is necessary to trigger the snap mechanism that results in almost instantaneous death for the rat.

The second tool used to attract rats is the promise of a mate.

Male rats mark their territory using urine. This urine contains sexattractants that lure females and deter males. The Gries Lab isolated these molecules, and by including them in the trap capture 10 times the number of females; however, males will be deterred by their presence, therefore these traps are used only to target females.

Lastly, Dr. Gries and his collaborators created a device that synthetically produces the sounds of rat pups. When mother rats leave their pups alone, they often get cold and express their discomfort by producing short ultrasonic bursts. These were recorded and an algorithm was developed that generates bursts that differ in pitch, intensity, and duration, with intermittent silence between the emissions. Therefore, it is very difficult for the rat to realize that the sounds are artificial.

The next stage in trap development is to make it a multi-killing trap so that it does not have to be serviced after every catch.

The team is also looking for a sexattractant produced by female rats, so that a similar trap can be developed to target males.

As Dr. Gries said, “We have tried to get rid of [rats] for a long, long time.” With his lab’s development of the rat trap, we may be at a new frontier in population management: “It smells like rat, it sounds like rat, it must mean someone is there and it is safe to enter.”

8 Opinions

This past March I cut my extravagant cable bill and purchased, for $20, something on Amazon many of you probably didn’t even know existed: a digital television antenna. I know, old school, right?

Now, while I basked in the illegal freedoms of accessing a cheap and extensive American Netflix library through Hola, my virtual private network (VPN), I could fill in the TV gaps with free, pristine-definition CBC, Global, and CTV, among other channels. It’s only the smartest route for today’s cheapskate television viewers, said my rationale.

However, a month later I fleetingly wished I’d never left cable in the first place. Netflix suddenly betrayed my bountiful programming choice for an empty screen that said “Whoops!” and a virtual wall that left me and the other ‘immigrants’ permanently blocked from accessing the American library.

Crushed and dismayed, I accepted my fate as a Canadian viewer and turned to Twitter for consolation.

There I found other VPN users angry “AF” that Netflix had finally acted upon last year’s statements on ensuring illegal Canadian users couldn’t joyride through the American abyss of seemingly endless choice.

Yeah, I was peeved. Now I’d have to torrent the rest of American Horror

Story. But I’ve since had a chance to collect myself and see the light.

The truth here is that Canadian Netflix users still angry that they can no longer skirt the American border to watch illegal programming are a small but vocal group of self-entitled babies. I understand that many Netflix users are still upset that the company seemingly had no problem with these illegal practices for years, and this sudden change in business model has left border hoppers feeling mistreated. But I’ll confidently state that as unfair as this crackdown may seem, it simply isn’t.

The Canadian Netflix library is significantly smaller than its American counterpart. That doesn’t discount the fact that Netflix is a multinational business that sets its boundaries in a contract we, the customers,

readily agree to when we fork over our monthly $10. And while we snivel that our customer service experience was below our standards because ‘Canadians are people too, and we should have access to everything everywhere because that’s freedom of choice,’ we have to remember that we’re still subject to whatever Netflix gives us.

End of story. That’s the business agreement, plain and simple.

Last week, CBC published an analysis on the issue, citing fresh comments and labelling the arguments a border hopping “battle.”

But there is no war to be waged here. Netflix has spoken, and it’s decided the time has come to respect Hollywood’s country-exclusive licensing agreements.

Thankfully, CBC also shed light on those who agree with me, feeding me morsels of hope for today’s greedy consumer base. These commenters are similarly fed up with all the firstworld “whiners” who feel disadvantaged.

Sorry, Northerners.

It’s a shame that Americans won’t share their treasures, but we can’t get everything we want in life for $9.99, even if we knowingly break laws to do so. So sit down, hush up, and be happy that you at least have access to a half-decent version of Netflix. And if you’re a cheapo like me, who’s cut the cable for good, perhaps it’s time to invest in a $20-antenna to replenish the cracks in your abused television soul.

Adam Van der Zwan / Opinions Editor

opinions@the-peak.ca

You should put away the phone when you drive, and not just for my sake or for the safety of others on the road. On June 1, the penalties for distracted driving in BC more than tripled. Yes, you read that right.

Those caught driving while distracted will now receive a minimum ticket of $543 for the first offence, plus four penalty points on their BC driver’s licence. If you do it again within 12 months, you’ll be hit with an $888-ticket. A third offence will earn you a whopping $1,628-ticket, and you could lose your licence for a minimum of three months.

That’s a significant increase. But what’s the real cost of distracted driving? In 2014, distracted driving caused 66 deaths, according to Mike Morris, BC’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. These deaths were “100 percent preventable,” he said in a public announcement.

The harsh penalty for using a phone is just a reminder that phones are our most common distraction. The efforts made by the government to curb in-car phone use is commendable; but to really eliminate distractions on the road, our own behaviour has to drastically change, namely by removing the other driving distractions we’ve normalized and by changing the way we view the weight of driving entirely.

“The day will come when distracted driving is as socially

unacceptable in BC as drinking and driving, or not using your seatbelt,” Les Sylven, chief constable of Central Saanich Police Services and president of BC’s Association of Chiefs of Police, said in a recent speech.

We have to understand that when we get behind the wheel, we’re operating a metal coffin that weighs 1,000-plus pounds, that can speed up to 100-plus kilometres per hour. Staying focused on the task at hand — driving — is so important.

While this new legislation applies to distractions via phone, there are obviously many more causes of distraction. When I’m running late, I take my breakfast and do my hair in the car; I know a lot of people out there who do their makeup while driving, too.

All these are examples of dangerous activities in the car, and while we might make excuses to justify them, we’re really doing more harm than good. Changing norms around common driving sense through respect for other motorists and pedestrians is paramount to reducing collisions, injuries, and deaths. Hopefully this legislation kicks into gear some real, logical realizations among ignorant drivers. It’s safe to say we still have a long way to go before the weight of our actions in the vehicle really hit home with drivers.

Not driving while distracted is a simple act of omission. Make a start with this realization and we’ll all be better for it.

Opinions

June 6, 2016

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PARENTING PANIC

Parenting is, without a doubt, incredibly tough. When taking children to any public space, extreme vigilance needs to be exercised — vigilance that seemed to be lacking in the case of the three-year-old boy who fell into a gorilla enclosure in the Cincinnati Zoo on May 28.

The boy was with his mother enjoying the sights and sounds of their day trip, until it all went awry. The toddler escaped from his mother and, as CNN reported, “went under a rail, through wires, and over a moat wall to get into [an] enclosure.” The boy fell about 15 feet into the shallow moat before the public and Harambe, a large Western lowland silverback gorilla, noticed him.

To save the boy, the zoo’s directors decided to kill the gorilla instead of tranquilizing it, as it could have

Dear Editor, I am pleased to have the opportunity to respond to Courtney Miller’s article titled “SFU could be doing more to combat waste” published in The Peak last week. In this article, Miller takes issue with the fact that “we still have Styrofoam containers on campus” and suggests alternative options, including compostable containers.

These are great suggestions, and in fact SFU’s cross-departmental Zero Waste Committee has been working on reducing, and eventually eliminating, the use of Styrofoam on campus since early 2015.

Through the introduction of the SFU Vendor and Caterer Food Packaging Standards, the use of Styrofoam has been eliminated from all SFU-owned and managed contracts, and progress has been made with vendors at Cornerstone/UniverCity. All new and renewed lease agreements with both SFU and UniverCity now include these standards, and we hope to eliminate Styrofoam completely from campus very soon.

Student support for this is critical to its success — and in

agitated Harambe even more, and the animal would have taken longer to tranquilize due to its size.

An outcry from animal rights activists has since resulted in a Facebook group and an online petition with almost 500,000 signatures as of publication. Activists are calling on the boy’s parents to be held accountable for the gorilla’s death. I am not an animal rights activist by any means, but I do feel that the parents were and should be held responsible for the death of an endangered animal, and that this should be a lesson in proper parenting for any student hoping to have children.

Harambe was shot and killed due to human error that could have been easily prevented with more vigilance.

If this were to continue, we can only imagine the horrific results that could

fact, the Packaging Standards came about as a result of a student petition to ban Styrofoam.

I would urge students who feel strongly about the presence of Styrofoam on their campus to let those vendors who are still using this material know that they are unhappy with it, and are willing to pay a little extra for more sustainable options, as well as supporting vendors who have eliminated the use of this material. As a university, we have a responsibility to manage our resource use and waste responsibly, and the student body has a big role to play in this.

In response to a couple of other points Miller makes about recycling options at SFU, we do recycle a lot more materials than are collected in the [four]-stream Zero Waste Stations, including batteries, electronics, and metals. For more information on what can be recycled and where, please visit sfu.ca/zerowaste. We do not currently recycle soft plastics as Miller mentioned, due to recycling and market restrictions, but it is something we are looking into and if there is large enough demand may be able to implement.

arise. Next time, we might be buzzing about the unsupervised child who ran into oncoming traffic and was hit by a car.

We have a moral obligation, as adults and potential future parents, to ensure the complete safety of our children at all times. This comes about from teaching children at a young age about the dangers that can occur if they wander away from their caregivers.

In my pre-teen years, when my parents went out for a relaxing night on the town, they trusted me with the care and safety of my younger siblings. Another family I regularly babysat for had three children (one of whom was an infant at the time) and a fairly large German shepherd. The kids and I went out for walks to the park, and at all times my eyes were peeled and alert as we crossed streets and walked along sidewalks.

Through my experience, I already fully understand how quick toddlers can be. If I were to turn away at any point, I would be responsible for any harm that arose. I’d have to own that

As Miller said, students can greatly assist SFU in its efforts to more responsibly manage its waste by taking a few moments to stop, think, and sort their waste when disposing of it, as well as considering the lifecycle and disposal options of the things they purchase.

For more information on SFU’s Zero Waste Initiative as well as ways in which to get involved, please visit sfu.ca/zerowaste.

Rachel Telling Program Manager, SFU Sustainability Office

It takes three seconds for a child to wander in harm's way. responsibility, and so should the irresponsible mother of the child who fell into the zoo enclosure.

The zoo ultimately had to make a swift decision to save the boy, but the zoo should not be held responsible for the death of Harambe.

Children are flighty and spontaneous creatures, and I’m not calling on humans to be perfect

because I know we’re not. But when we begin our parenting years (and for those students who are already parents), we need to realize that, yes, being cautious and vigilant with children is easier said than done; but the fact that an innocent life is in our hands should act as a motivator for us to act responsibly.

Whether as a delicious treat or a session full of funky fresh beats, jam is the ultimate champion. There are strawberry jams, cherry jams, apricot jams, sick jams, groovy jams, suave jams, jams for all occasions.

Jam is a dignified breakfast spread upon which kings and gods feast, because everyone understands how holy a good jam is, blessing the breakfast table with its beauty. Jam is so beautiful that if this were one of those weird Miss Universe beauty contests — which are

uncomfortably objectifying, demeaning, and horrifically sexist — jam would easily win the swimsuit section.

The sweet treat also reminds you of your even sweeter gran.

Do you remember the last time she made you a big jar of strawberry jam? Your grandmother still makes you jam because even though you’re an ungrateful git who doesn’t visit often enough, she still loves you enough to bestow such a gift upon you. Now, go eat some fucking jam and call your grandmother.

Peanut butter is a nut butter.

Honestly, the term “nut butter” is too much for my immature self.

While all of you continue slathering your breakfast goods in the butter of nuts, I’ll seek a more civilized meal with fewer genitalia references.

Peanut butter is also highly suspicious because it comes in too many forms. Crunchy, smooth, unsalted, stir, no stir, natural, creamy; if this were the 1500s, we would’ve burned peanut butter at the stake because of its suspicious,

witch-like shape-shifting. Too bad this isn’t the 1500s.

Additionally, the peanut is a flimsy fucking nut. Think about the sheer quality of the hazelnut: beauty, grace, boldness, and brilliance. Now compare that to that shit stain, the peanut. The peanut peevishly sits in its clumsy shell, desperate to keep people believing its lie. That’s right. Peanuts aren’t even nuts. They’re legumes. How can you put your trust in such an unfaithful breakfast spread?

Janis McMath

1 0 1

12 Arts

Giving Captain America a boyfriend in the next Marvel film would be one of the best decisions made by the franchise to date. #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend started trending on Twitter soon after #GiveElsaAGirlfriend started, highlighting Disney’s — who own Marvel Entertainment — problematic representation of LGBTQ+ characters. And by problematic representation, I mean no representation at all.

There has since been a considerable amount of support for a queer Captain America. Fans of the comic books and movie adaptations alike were quick to point out the franchise’s lack of diversity, and saw the hashtag as an opportunity to remind everyone that queer representation is important no matter your sexual orientation.

Personally, I am all for giving Captain America a boyfriend. Here’s why.

1. Captain wasn’t always a little bit gay, but who cares Anyone leaning on the excuse that Captain America never had a boyfriend in the comics, and should therefore not have one in the movies, needs to pull their head out

of their ass. None of the movies are perfect recreations of the comic books, nor should they be. The comics should offer a starting point for plot.

But writers should be encouraged to change things up for the movie adaptations. There wasn’t nearly this much opposition to any other of the changes made for any Marvel films, so this difference shouldn’t be a big deal either 2. The Hydra double agent plot twist makes no sense Anyone staying up to date on the latest Marvel news will know that a new comic was released where Captain America is revealed to be a double agent for Hydra, a terrorist organization in the Marvel Universe.

Wait, what? Captain America as a terrorist? What a needless plot twist. Captain America is meant to embody Western ideals, like freedom and independence; not be some pawn in a terror plan. To try and weave that into a film at some point would result in the destruction of a beloved character. Having a boyfriend, and exemplifying love and acceptance, would be much truer to Captain America’s nature than the Hydra arc.

3. His current love interest is the niece of his old love interest, and that’s super creepy So in the last movie, Captain America: Civil War, the Cap was locking lips with Sharon Carter, niece of Peggy Carter. . . his ex-girlfriend. Do I really need to go on? It’s a

Jess Whitesel / Arts Editor

arts@the-peak.ca

weird relationship. Having the Captain explore his sexuality would be a way better plot, and way more relatable.

4.Why the fuck not?

How is Captain America having a boyfriend such a big deal that it merits me writing this article?

5.

Representation is important As my girlfriend puts it, if you don’t think representation is a problem, it’s probably because you are already being represented in movies and on TV. As one of the most influential franchises around the world, the Marvel Cinematic Universe could help change how the world sees the LGBTQ+ community, all the while giving those from the queer community a reason to feel acknowledged, valued, and empowered. Having diverse characters shouldn’t be something we quibble about.

It should be an expectation.

Excluding demographics will, in time, prove to be a mistake.

When it comes right down to it, queer kids need superheroes too, and they deserve to be represented. The #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend conversation is about so much more than just having Captain America explore his sexuality. It was meant to draw attention to the fact that, as it stands, Marvel and Disney are making little effort to include all of their fans in the experience. It’s time for some proper representation.

As a comic book fan for the better part of two decades, I’ll be the first to admit that I struggle with the idea of change. However, I also recognize it’s necessary and natural to surrender to change. As we grow as a more diverse and inclusive society, it becomes increasingly necessary for us to evolve our ideas and predispositions. The inclusion of strong LGBTQ+ characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is certainly one of the strong ways to further this sentiment, as it enhances our viewpoints and makes us more empathetic of those with whom we share the world.

To that end, it might surprise you to hear that I am arguing against the trending Twitter movement, #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend. I acknowledge the argument has just merits in regards to the downright ambiguous dialogue between Bucky Barnes and Steve Rogers — not to

mention that lacking spark of vibrancy in his relationship with Sharon Carter.

Ultimately though, I cannot help but disagree with the idea of making Steve Rogers gay or bisexual.

This is mostly due to the fact that I don’t think it brings anything all that enthralling to the character in terms of his ongoing development.

I’d even go so far as to say that Marvel’s recent decision to make Captain America aligned with the evil organization, Hydra, is a more compelling change to the character’s mythology. The exploration of Steve Rogers’ sexuality could arguably go hand-in-hand with his constant struggle to integrate into modern society; still, I can’t help but feel it would be more captivating and emotionally charged to explore the idea of one of the most iconic heroes turning against his fellow compatriots.

On the other hand, why not develop a new character to explore the idea of a timedisplaced hero rediscovering his sexuality in the 21st century, instead of changing one that already exists? After all, it wouldn’t be the first time a new character was created based on a previously popular one.

Consider DC’s Apollo and Midnighter — regarded as interpretations of Superman and Batman, respectively. Their

storylines explore the idea of the world’s finest as a gay couple. There are ways to explore ideas from different perspectives which not only incite discussion, but also bring something new and different to the existing universe.

More than anything though, #GiveCaptainAmericaABoyfriend showcases a lack of creativity on the part of those who push for representation of the LGBTQ+ community in film. The inclusion of a gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender character should not come as an afterthought to be applied to an already pre-existing character who has spent 75 years on newsstands. Especially with such a richly diverse cast of LGBTQ+ characters that exist and continue to be created in comics today.

While the idea of giving Captain America a samesex lover is a commendable notion with genuine intentions, it’s sadly no more than damage control to a more prevalent issue.

I wholeheartedly believe we owe it to the LGBTQ+ community to have gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender characters integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe — but with some forethought instead of reconsideration.

Arts

June 6, 2016

Dwarf Fortress is one of the most open and ambitious video games out there.

Players can build complex structures that stretch high into the sky or far below ground. They can be a wandering adventurer, taking quests from villagers to slay bandits and dragons and vampires. They can pulp their own paper and have the dwarves write procedurally generated books. Or they can dig into hell itself and unleash the infinite and nigh-unkillable monsters beyond imagination.

With over 16 years of animation and directing experience, Mamoru Hosoda knows how to churn out an anime classic.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time , his first non-franchise film, came out 10 years ago. His subsequent films, Summer Wars and Wolf Children , won the same title in 2010 and 2013, respectively. It’s easy to see why Hosoda has such an illustrious track record from watching his films: his characters and their relationships are expressive enough to sweep anyone up in a wave of feels.

His latest instalment, The Boy and the Beast, does just that.

Perhaps this is why it upheld Hosoda’s legacy at the 39th Japan Academy Prize last March.

The movie first introduces its protagonist, Ren, immediately after losing his mother to a car accident at age nine. With his father estranged and his extended relatives acting coldly towards him, Ren decides to run away. In the streets of Shibuya, he crosses paths with a mysterious individual who asks him to become his apprentice.

In the beast realm of Juutengai (i.e. land of the furries), the Grand Master has decided to retire and become a god — an ability exclusive to those in his position. He has two prospective successors: Iozen, the wise, popular, and responsible obvious

choice for the position; and Kumatetsu, the brash and violent dark-horse candidate who’s tough to get along with.

Despite the odds stacked against Kumatetsu, the Grand Master has an affinity towards him, allowing him to compete to succeed him if he takes on an apprentice. When Ren follows him and accidentally stumbles into the beast realm, Kumatetsu makes the controversial decision to take him on, despite him being a human.

The bulk of the film focuses on the relationship between Ren

and Kumatetsu. Their characters and relationship dynamic are the crux of the plot and what makes the film evocative. Their arguments and brawls are oddly cute and fun to watch. I thought Ren was a particularly well-developed character. Other high points include how the beast

realm is fleshed out: the anthropomorphic characters and their society are very interesting and well conceived.

Animation-wise, it is flawless.

Hosoda’s Studio Chizu did another excellent job, particularly with the characters’ movements and fight scenes. The soundtrack was also excellent, matching each scene.

Unfortunately, the story tries to balance too many elements, and is less cohesive as a result. I’ve also noticed a trend in Hosoda’s films where the final third throws pacing completely out the window.

The final segment of the film could have been much better foreshadowed. The biggest downfall of this film is that it never explores the force of antagonism. Simply stating that “all humans have darkness within them” feels like a cop-out for not having any better ideas.

The ending was bittersweet, and beautiful despite its flaws.

The Boy and the Beast is definitely worth the watch, especially if you’re looking for an anime that feels a little like a Disney movie.

Each new game is set in a randomly generated world.

And when the game generates a world, it doesn’t just generate land and trees and people and towns, but histories as well. The stories that players can share after just one game are often surprising and absurd.

Visually, though, it looks like a five-year-old puked on a calculator.

First released in 2006, Dwarf Fortress is a labour of love made by brothers Tarn and Zach Adams, after years of closed development. Dwarf Fortress is funded entirely by donations, and the creators aim for the final product to be as close to reality as possible — or as real as a world filled with dwarves and goblins can be. It is one of the first video games to be featured in the New York Museum of Modern Art. The biggest failing of the game is its incredibly steep learning curve. The graphics fall into the category of “ASCII Art” where alphanumeric symbols are used in place of pictures. In this game, a picture of a horse is instead a brown lowercase “h,” a goblin is

13

a green “g,” and so on. The game also does not do a good job of explaining how things are done, with even experienced players needing outside assistance.

The game’s motto is “Losing is fun!” and it makes that crystal clear.

What makes the game amazing are its complex systems: how they connect and, more often, collide. For example, the game tracks the individual organs and layers of skin, fat, and muscle for each entity to determine health and damage.

I remember hearing about a dwarf who, in a fight with some goblins, got his torso cut open.

The other dwarves were able to rush him to the hospital and patch him up. Later, however, while the dwarf was moving around the fortress, the player noticed two red tildes trailing behind. Investigating, it turned out that the doctor who performed the operation was good enough to save his life, but not good enough to remember to push his intestines back inside him.

The game is still far from where its creators want it to be. Currently it stands at version 0.43.03, which is their way of saying it is only 43 percent complete, with a projected 20 years of development remaining. Even in its unfinished state, the game boasts a thriving fan community that has made game mods, tile sets (to replace the letters with actual pictures), and the aptly named Lazy Newb Pack, which is stuffed with tools and utilities to help beginning and experienced players alike.

And stories. Countless stories ranging from humour to horror about astounding things in a game nowhere near complete. Imagine the stories it could tell when it gets there.

14

Arts

Jess Whitesel / Arts Editor

arts@the-peak.ca

When I first listened to this album, I was instantly reminded of my best friend. The mix of wild and calm playing off of each other to create perfect balance, all the while managing to be soothing, just reminded me of the kind of relationship that we have.

Sappy stuff aside, this is a beautifully constructed album. Every song just seamlessly flows into one another creating this somewhat disorienting sense if you end up missing the subtle transitions between tracks. I am making this sound like a fault, but it isn’t.

Most albums play like they are trying to be hit factories, and all thought that should go into creating them is just forgotten. This isn’t the case with Skin.

If anything the single “Never Be Like You” sticks out the most, not because it is a single but because it just feels different from the rest of the album. Since it’s the second track though, it doesn’t throw off the well-constructed feel of the album as much as it could.

This is the kind of album that proves the importance of thinking about how songs flow. It’s also one that even non-EDM fans could enjoy, just because of the balancing between wild and calm. – JW

The album 7/27 is Fifth Harmony’s hotly anticipated follow-up to their debut, Reflection. The new album has a confidence that wasn’t present in Reflection, and with that confidence comes a freshness that wasn’t quite there before. It’s filled with self-actualization, swagger, and a more mature, sophisticated sound.

Album openers “That’s My Girl” and “Work From Home” follow 2015’s “Worth It” in style, and echo Rihanna’s own lyrical success (“Work, work, work, work, work, work”). OK, so it’s not a magnum opus, but it has some winners that make up for the others.

A great thing about Fifth Harmony is that the vocals go around. No one does so much more than the others, and they’ve really nailed that with this album. You can tell they tried to be more vulnerable with this record, especially with “Write on Me.” But the album closer “Not That Kinda Girl” might just be the best song on the album, and hopefully a tease of what’s to come.

– CM

I Am Your Man is the seventh record from BC’s own Daniel Wesley. It’s the first release from his label Beachgrove Records, and was made possible via Kickstarter. The album is full of laidback, sun-splashed tunes perfect for the coming summer. The Caribbean definitely influenced the album’s sound, particularly in the single “Shake” and “Come at Me,” the album’s first song.

Well-crafted, tight, and more acoustic-based than some of his previous work, I Am Your Man is full of light melodies that’ll have you singing along in no time. He also does some experimental work: “Beautiful” sounds inspired by the ‘80s, and “Funky Jam” is a fun, jazzy instrumental that’ll have you whipping out the air instruments.

It’s a record full of happy, relaxing music. Life is a great thing, and Wesley really tries to share that high-up feeling with every listener. – CM

Alexandre Vasilchenko had a busy schedule last week. The criminology major had his regular classes, studying for exams, and also had two performances of Pietro Mascagni’s opera Cavalleria Rusticana.

You could say it wasn’t a typical week for an SFU student.

Vasilchenko is in his third year at SFU, and has been a part of the SFU Choir for the past year.

The director of the choir, Melissa Ratcliff, was a principal in Opera Opulenza’s rendition of the opera.

When they needed more singers for their chorus, they drew from a familiar source.

“I’ve loved everything about being in an opera,” Vasilchenko said. “I have enjoyed learning Italian, because I don’t know it and the entire opera was in Italian. I have enjoyed acting on stage, because you don’t get to do that when you stand in a line with the SFU Choir.”

Five of the 12 chorus members are singers in the SFU Choir, with none of them ever having been in an opera before. They didn’t join in typical audition fashion, either.

“It was a little bit weird, actually,” recalled Vasilchenko, laughing. “[Ratcliff ] posted on Facebook saying ‘This opera desperately needs people.’ I just liked the post with no intent whatsoever to sing the opera. I kid you not, 30 seconds later she messages saying, ‘Hey Alex, we need you in the opera.’”

Ratcliff clarified that they weren’t just taking anyone — the SFU Choir members are a known quality.

“When I first joined [Opera Opulenza], they found out I was the

director of a choir. I invited them to a show,” she said. “I told them they were all non-music students. None of them are musicians by trade or study music. And they were like, ‘Holy crap!’ and enjoyed the performance so much and were so impressed, they said ‘If anyone wants to join the chorus, we’ll take them without audition.’

“If you want to do a principal

role or join the company, you still have to audition, but for the chorus stuff they were great.”

Not only did Ratcliff get to watch her choristers “lose their opera virginity,” she also had a debut of her own: this was the first opera that she was a principal in. She played the role of Lucia, the mother of Turiddu, a soldier who has returned from war to find his love, Lola, has married Alfio, a village merchant. In turn, Turiddu seduces Santuzza, a peasant girl from the village.

Lola becomes jealous of Santuzza, and begins an affair with Turiddu. Santuzza becomes suspicious and tells Alfio, who challenges Turiddu to a duel. It ends with Alfio killing Turiddu, with Lucia left to pick up the pieces.

The opera was a very enjoyable performance, especially given the

$20 it costs adults to see the show, which took place in Minoru Chapel. The voices sounded phenomenal, and the blend was pleasing both to musically trained and audience ears.

Andrew Greenwood, who played Alfio, was a commanding presence for every scene in which he was featured, and was a treat to watch. He brings out the best in other characters, and demands other performers match his talent when on stage. The tension leading up to the duel between him and Turiddu, played by Mark Pepe, was palpable and engaging.

Another standout moment was Ratcliff’s final moment in the opera where she learns her son has been killed. Her grief and despair brought the audience to tears, and was a powerful moment to close the show on.

The major difficulty seemed to be that the stage was too small for the ensemble, with the backdrop frequently being hit by chorus members and looking like it was in danger of falling over. Vasilchenko said they knew the stage was going to be small, and rehearsed in an even smaller space to try and prepare for the spacial limitations.

All in all though, this was a special experience for Vasilchenko. He said he never thought of himself as someone who could do opera, but now hopes to be able to do it again someday.

“Oh no, heavens no, I didn’t think I was the opera type,” he said. “I want to go take some classes, learn how to sing a little better, and then definitely return to it. If you have an opportunity to sing in an opera, do it.”

Humour

Justin Stevens / Humour Editor

June 6, 2016 humour@the-peak.ca

With rising tuition costs becoming more and more of a reality, it shouldn't come as a surprise that money is always on students’ minds. For most students this means finding a part-time job, especially when summer rolls around. That leaves many to seek positions stocking shelves at a local grocery store or making double mocha frappuccinos with lowfat milk and extra whip.

However, that was not what Vancouver resident and SFU student, Tara Phillips, found on her job hunt.

“All the regular jobs are taken these days. Tim Hortons and McDonald’s aren’t even hiring!”

Beach season is rapidly approaching, but don’t worry — The Peak has got you covered with the quickest and coolest tricks to get that perfect beach body you’ve been conditioned over years and years to believe is ideal. These tricks will lead you straight to that sweet summer bod!

Phillips has worked such summer jobs as a “directions assistant,” which entailed glorious work like standing in a hallway telling people if they need to go left or right.

"A sign could have done my job, but hey, I was getting paid,” reminisced Phillips. “Hell, last summer I worked as a ‘toilet clearance attendant,’ which involved me using my arm to clear clogged toilets for a plumber who couldn’t afford a plunger.

“It wasn’t great, but at least I have work experience now. Maybe I could work in a grocery store bathroom next summer. Besides, it was better than the alternatives.”

Even more unsettling than Phillips’ employment history are the jobs

4) Get one of those vibrating belts Yeah ok, these things admittedly don’t work at all — but as a young girl trying to discover herself and her body, anything vibrating is totally welcome.

5) Get a dog 1) Eat a vegetable or two Eat some fucking yams. That’s how simple it is. How many? However many yams you want, babe.

2) Exercise I did three crunches this morning and am I ever feeling the burn.

It’s burning my stomach, my legs, my arms, and my home. Actually — that might just be fire. Hm.

Dogs are energetic companions and they’d gladly be your beach pal in the hot months. Additionally, dogs love you for your beautiful soul (like my man J. McCartney), and they don’t even understand all these pressures for the perfect body. Dogs believe all bodies are perfect, and they’re probably right, because all dogs are definitely perfect.

6) Go to the beach 3) Sell your soul to the devil The devil is totally ripped; he could probably train you for the hot summer. The hot, hot, hot summer you’ll be spending in hell for the rest of eternity.

Things will probably work out if you just take your body to the beach. However, refrain from getting naked on the child’s beach again — that was a mistake that “you can’t repeat,” according to the kind officer you met last time.

After many bloody and agonizing weeks, it was announced last Friday that the Cannibal Student Union’s (CSU) application for official registration as a sanctioned club was denied by the Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS). With the club being dubbed “the worst piece of nonsense since the rise

of the White Student Union,” the CSU’s rejection of club status has left the majority of students feeling safer in classrooms and hallways.

However, while the issue may seem dead and buried to the SFSS, CSU members are in agreement that this is only first blood in a series of lawsuits to come.

15

she chose not to pursue. On Craigslist, she found listings such as “assistant coffee boy apprentice,” and “live store mannequin.” These positions might seem tame compared with “human table” or “ornamental aide,” “both of which listed one of the job’s responsibilities as ‘sweating copiously without producing a strong odour.’”

Many students are forced to make tough employment decisions due to their financial situations, and consequently there are more and more “picture straightening assistants” and “book closing aides” hired every day.

“Students will work any job these days, as long as it pays in cash and not overripe produce,” concluded Phillips, sadly shaking her head.

Phillips and others like her should not feel defeated, though, as studies show students with undergraduate degrees have a 75 percent chance of getting hired as barista at Starbucks.

“A lot of people think cannibals are just mindless flesh-eaters, similar to zombies, but that’s only half the picture,” said CSU copresident Nick Carrion.

The club, formed by self-proclaimed student cannibals Nick Carrion and Aaron Karkas, claim that the Cannibal Student Union is dedicated to providing representation and a safe space for selfidentifying cannibals on campus.

Carrion has called foul in the past on campus security profiling and fears that he might attempt to murder staff members and students for food.

Karkas took time to reassure The Peak , “I always wait at least until the human being has died of illness or natural causes before I consume them.”

However, the SFSS questioned whether cannibalism was in any way worthy of being condoned.

Carrion argued, “Cannibalism has been practiced by cultures in Oceania, Africa, and the Americas — who are we to argue with the morals of ancients?”

When it was pointed out that ancient cultures also approved of human sacrifice, pedophilia, and slavery, Carrion said, “Exactly! That just shows they weren’t confined by today’s prudish social conservatism.”

Needless to say, the CSU’s planned lawsuit will be more of a bloody mess than a meal of liver and fava beans.

16 Humour

Justin Stevens / Humour Editor

humour@the-peak.ca

COMICS The Crapside by Darien Lechner & Ryan Stella

Creator's Pet by Destiny Hsu

Serious Bananas by Destiny Hsu

Pun, 2, 3 by Sarah Walker

The Kpoop Dictionary by Christy Lum

KPRODUCER

KPOOPCAKE

A talented little kpoop that knows a thing or two about how to handle a camera. Lights! Camera! KPLOOP!

A delectable delicacy that is often served at kparties. Not to be mistaken for the regular chocolate variety.

APPLE ST by Serena Chan

Humour

June 6, 2016

17

KEH: Morgan has been doing sketch comedy for 20 years, and at one time in her life, she created an all-female sketch group specifically to make a space where women could do comedy, because they didn't have that room before, and that's not the case for Fatima and I. There's tons of room, it's very inclusive. So we didn't make The Lady Show specifically to be like, "This is a space for women to do comedy." We like these women, and we like creating a community.

P: This month marks The Lady Show’s debut at the Biltmore Cabaret. What inspired the transition from Little Mountain Gallery?

FD: I feel like we just outgrew that venue. We were running two shows a night there, because we couldn't fit everyone into one show.

FD: I don't think so. It's stayed pretty true to the vision so far. We just wanted to challenge ourselves, comedically, and introduce a really good show to the scene, and that's exactly what's happened.

At no point during my interview with Katie-Ellen Humphries and Fatima Dhowre did anyone use the term ‘supergroup,’ and yet it’s a word I keep returning to when I think of The Lady Show. On their own, Dhowre, Humphries, Morgan Brayton, Robyn Daye-Edwards, Erica Sigurdson, and Diana Bang are all well-known and well-respected comedians with countless accolades to their names; but just like the members of a late‘90s pop boy band, they’re stronger together than they are apart.

For the yet-to-be initiated, The Lady Show is a monthly comedy show in Vancouver, born out of a shared admiration for, and joy of hanging out with, each other. The variety show structure of a typical Lady Show lets each comedian play to her own strengths, while also giving an opportunity to branch out.

The Peak sat down with Dhowre and Humphries to learn more about what a typical Lady Show looks like and what inspired the change in home base, from local comedy haven Little Mountain Gallery to the East Van stronghold of the Biltmore Cabaret.

The Peak: Where did the inspiration for The Lady Show come from?

Katie-Ellen Humphries: We all work together on a show on OUTtv called Morgan Brayton & Other People, so that was where we started collaborating together. We realized we really liked that group of folks, and then also had this motivation amongst ourselves to create some different things outside of what we were typically doing, so whether we were doing stand-up and wanted to start writing more sketch, or do more character things. So it was born out of the TV show, and we just wanted to spend more time together. [Turns to Dhowre] I don't know if you know this, I love you guys and I love hanging out with you, but I don't make a lot of time for social activities.

Fatima Dhowre: I do one regular thing once a month, and everything else is work and comedy.

KEH: It's an enormous blessing of this show, that I get to hang out with these women that I love so much.

P: What was the show originally envisioned as? Has The Lady Show changed in any significant ways from that vision?

KEH: For the audience, I was really hoping to draw some people who might not necessarily go to a traditional comedy show, because of the turn-off from comedy for any reason. We have hardcore comedy fans, we have people who come for the first time, we have people who come back because they had such a great time. It's just this really diverse and fun audience.

same formula. We always have a big sketch and an opening dance number to kick off the show, really hype everybody up, and then we traditionally have a featured guest, and that always changes. Sometimes it's a stand-up guest, sometimes it's a character performer, sometimes it's a sketch performer. The two consistencies that we continue to do is a big opening number and we close together.

P: From reading past interviews, there's definitely a feminist awareness to the show, but The Lady Show also seems pretty casual about it.

KEH: I think, for myself anyways, and I'm finding this in my own standup right now, is I don't think it would be inaccurate to say there's a feminist bent but it's certainly not the end goal.

The end goal, 100 percent of the time, is comedy P: Would you be able to walk and entertainment. We are there to me through a standard evening have a good time and we're there to at The Lady Show? entertain people. We are feminists. . .

FD: Only a couple of things have FD: Maybe sometimes those changed, but it basically follows the points will come through in the comedy, but comedy is always the goal.

KEH: We started with one show, and because we were selling out, we added a late show. It just felt like time. We're sad to leave Little Mountain Gallery, but we're so excited about moving to the Biltmore. It just seemed like a natural transition.

P: What will be different about the June 10 show than from previous instalments?

FD: This is the first show where all of us are there, the entire full cast.

At least one of us has been away for every show, and this is the first one ever since Diana joined us that everyone is there.

KEH: We have every single member of the cast, so we’ve opted not to invite an outside guest this time.

We're kicking it off with an inaugural, full-cast Lady Show. Aside from that, you'll get everything that you were getting out of The Lady Show previously. We're still going to have a raucous dance number, we're still going to have songs and character pieces.

FD: Everything you get at a Lady Show.

KEH: But we’ll have air-conditioning this time, too.

Catch Dhowre, Humphries, and the rest of The Lady Show gals on June 10 at their new home, the Biltmore Cabaret. You can also check out Dhowre’s new show, The List, happening June 17 at Havana; if you’re braving the unwashed masses at Pemberton Music Festival next month, you can catch Humphries opening for Maria Bamford on July 14.

18 Diversions

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Last Word

Tamara Connor / Features Editor

June 6, 2016 features@the-peak.ca

19

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