The Cascade Vol.26 Issue 22

SEPTEMBER 26 TO OCTOBER 3, 2018

VOLUME 26 ISSUE 22

The Cascade Zine pg.6

Sir John A Statue pg. 9

Whispering sensually into your impressionable ears since 1993

Q&A about Pages 10-13 ASMR

WWW.UFVCASCADE.CA

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Production Manager Caleb Campbell caleb@ufvcascade.ca

Jr. News Editor Edina Balint edina@ufvcascade.ca

Production Assistant Renée Campbell renee@ufvcascade.ca

Opinion Editor Jeff Mijo-Burch jeff@ufvcascade.ca

Copy Editor Kat Marusiak kat@ufvcascade.ca

Features Editor Jen Klassen jen@ufvcascade.ca

Social Media Writer Laurel Logan laurel@ufvcascade.ca Multimedia Editor Mikaela Collins mikaela@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Kayt Hine kayt@ufvcascade.ca Illustrator Simer Haer simer@ufvcascade.ca

Culture & Events Editor Cassie de Jong cassie@ufvcascade.ca Arts in Review Editor Martin Castro martin@ufvcascade.ca

OPINION

News Editor Jessica Barclay jessica@ufvcascade.ca

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9 10-13

Online Editor Jeff Mijo-Burch jeff@ufvcascade.ca Social Media Coordinator Anjuman Grewal anjuman@ufvcascade.ca

THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Emmaline Spencer Aleister Gwynne Erin Froese Cover: Kayt Hine Back Cover: Joel Robertson-Taylor

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@UFVCASCADE FACEBOOK.COM/UFVCASCADE INSTAGRAM.COM/UFVCASCADE Volume 26 · Issue 22 Room S2111 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529

ARTS

Business Manager Quintin Stamler quintin@ufvcascade.ca

Managing Editor Cat Friesen cat@ufvcascade.ca

CULTURE

Editor-in-Chief Joel Robertson-Taylor joel@ufvcascade.ca

FEATURE

STAFF

NEWS

CONTENTS

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14 Snapshots.......7

12.......Study Break

Events Calendar.......13

18.......CIVL Shuffle

NEWS Finnegan's pub to UFV offices.......3

4.......Q&A with Trevor Carolan

Proportional Representation.......5 The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It originated under its current name in 1993, and achieved autonomy from the university and the Student Union Society in 2002. This means that The Cascade is a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published in an entirely student-run setting. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley.

The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds, and is overseen by the Cascade Journalism Society Board, a body run by a student majority. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a print circulation of 1,000 and is distributed at Abbotsford, Chilliwack (CEP), Clearbrook, and Mission UFV campuses and throughout the surrounding communities.

The Cascade is open to written, photo, and design work from all students; these can come in the form of a pitch to an editor, or an assignment from an editor. Writers meetings are held every Monday at 2:00 p.m. in The Cascade’s office on the Abbotsford campus.

In order to be published in the newspaper, all work must first be approved

by The Cascade’s editor-in-chief, copy editor, and corresponding section editor. The Cascade reserves the right to edit submissions for clarity and length. The Cascade will not print any articles that contain racist, sexist, homophobic or libellous content. Letters to the editor, while held to the same standard, are unedited, and should be under 200 words. As The Cascade is an autonomous student publication, opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, The Cascade’s staff and collective, or associated members.

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OPINION Editorial.......6

8.......Dead of daylight savings

The ever buzzing busing business.......8

9.......A statue is not history

CULTURE Rising from the ashes.......14

14.......The Cascade launches into space

It's literary, fam.......15

ARTS Everything is Alive gives us life.......18 BlacKkKlansman; can ya dig?.......19

19.......A Simple Favor review

NEWS

Jessica Barclay — News Editor news@ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

UFV purchases //

NEWS BRIEFS Chilliwack mayoral candidate audited

Finnegan’s and Phoenix to be used as “swing space” for remediation project

The City of Chilliwack will be hiring an independent auditor to review Chilliwack chancellor and mayoral candidate Sam Wellington’s expenses. Wellington’s 2017 expenses, released in June along with those of the other councillors, were shown to be almost $10,000 higher at $17,240. Council voted in August to receive additional information on five of Wellington’s expenses, totalling $1,456.98.

“We are having a conversation about a couple of thousand dollars, and now this whole process that our council has chosen to undergo will cost tens of thousands of dollars for the taxpayers of Chilliwack,” Wellington said.

-The Chilliwack Progress

Fraser River First Nations not getting their share of salmon A group of 25 Fraser River First Nations have said they will be short approximately 56,000 sockeye salmon this year, despite 2018 being a peak high year. First Nations located between the Port Mann Bridge and the community of Yale are allocated 300,000 fish for use in food and ceremonial purposes.

“A statement issued by the 25 said DFO didn’t give them enough days to catch sockeye at the beginning of the run, and waited too long to grant additional days,” Abby News reported.

“Even the commercial sockeye allocation we bought got fished before we could get at it,” Sts’ailes Chief Ralph Leon said.

-The Abbotsford News

Future UFV office space, formerly Finnegans Pub. Abbotsford, B.C. Sept 25, 2018. (Jessica Barclay/The Cascade)

JESSICA BARCLAY NEWS EDITOR

UFV’s recent purchase of the Finnegan's Pub and Phoenix Ballroom lot will see the buildings gutted and turned into temporary offices and classroom spaces while remediation work is being done on the Abbotsford campus.

There are hopes of fitting between seven and nine classrooms and a handful of offices into the space. Classes and offices disrupted by the remediation work will be temporarily relocated to the Finnegan’s building, possibly for several weeks at a time.

Plans for the renovation of the building will be made over the fall and winter, and construction will begin in the spring, according to Craig Toews, UFV vice president external. Remediation work to the outside of several UFV buildings, beginning with A and D building, will begin as soon as the temporary space is ready.

“It’s really nice that we were able to come up with some short-term space that can get that project off the ground without having to build temporary space or

bring on modular buildings,” Toews said.

“It was very timely in answering the call for the need for swing space for this project.”

Plans for the remediation work to the UFV buildings are not concrete as of yet, but Toews said it will involve the renewal of the outside skins of the buildings to extend their life cycles, and will result in some “interesting architectural changes” to the look of the buildings.

In addition to answering the call for additional space for this remediation project, Toews said the purchase of the lot was in general a strategic long-term investment for the university.

Around two-thirds of the Abbotsford campus is surrounded by Agricultural Land Reserves (ARL), a provincially designated land-use zone primarily for farming activities, which limits the longterm expansion abilities of the university.

“It was very strategic, on the top of that, in how it fits with our vision around the UDistrict plan and the mixed uses on the edge of our canvas; how we're trying to blend campus and community,” Toews added.

The long-term plans for the property have not been confirmed as of yet, but Toews said plans for the lot will not just be another building of classrooms and offices.

“There'll be a lot of consultation and dialogue around that in the months to come,” said Toews.

“If you look at some of the mixed use ideas of the UDistrict plan, I think some of those ideas around innovation and learning hubs and communities would definitely be informing what kind of uses people put in, what we do with it, and design it beyond that immediate need for the [remediation] project.”

Finnegans Pub and Phoenix Ballroom unexpectedly closed in January of this year, with owner Paul Esposito Sr. citing loss of energy and passion for the pub as reasons for the closure. The original Finnegan’s at Kings Crossing burnt down in 2005 after being open for 18 years, with the new pub and ballroom opening in May 2009.

The 1.6 acre lot was purchased for nearly $10 million, and UFV will be getting possession of the property Oct. 1.

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NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Professor Profile //

Q&A with Trevor Carolan EDINA BALINT JR. NEWS EDITOR

Trevor Carolan is an associate professor in the English department at UFV. He has been at the university for 18 years and has a diverse background in journalism, environmental literature, and political activism. Carolan teaches creative writing and literary journalism at UFV and his areas of research range from Buddhism-inspired Oriental writings to Celtic literature. The Cascade was able to interview Carolan this week about his experiences as a professor at UFV and his research interests outside of the classroom.

You have published 16 books so far in a variety of genres ranging from nonfiction to poetry. What type of writing do you enjoy the most and why?

Well, it depends on the project at the time.

I believe in the muse. And sometimes there's an old saying from a poet called Gregory Corso, “When the muse calls, honour the visit.” Sometimes the muse is calling with poetry, sometimes it's nonfiction, sometimes it's a translation from another language, and sometimes it’s a novel. And that's the one I struggle with the most. But I find just something inspires it. For example, I've been doing some work with a couple of UFV students, Zachary Keely and Marlowe Ferris.

Both are fine singers and guitarists, and the opportunity of getting up and working with these guys on the stage was very appealing.

So suddenly poetry starts to make sense because it’s the chance to get up and work on a stage with spoken word and musicians playing behind.

Have you been involved in any recent research?

Actually it's an ongoing thing. I've had a lifelong interest in Asia, so I've written a great deal about Asia and the Pacific. I have written quite a number of books and a great deal of literary essay writing, reviews and interviews, so I'm continually interested in Asia. But the irony is that after I was writing about Asia for 25–30 years I found myself being drawn more deeply into my own original Irish culture. So I have been writing about older European culture, especially Celtic culture which has become a real interest for me. And I find the invitations have been coming in that area in a new way. I get invitations to write for journals in Asia regularly but I've also been getting more opportunities to work with European backgrounds. And that also serves as an interesting counterpoint to my continual writing

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about Beat literature and Beat culture.

You have also served as a municipal council in North Vancouver for three years. How did you find that experience?

It was a rich and very rewarding experience. However, it also had some disappointments. I came into politics after a long period of involvement in activism. I worked on environmental campaigns, in particular on watershed improvement campaigns, and I also worked with some First Nations’ land claims issues. At a local level we were doing things like trying to keep the public cemetery public, or trying to keep Deep Cove’s water clean. These were incredibly engaging events and ultimately it all lead to one mammoth preservation campaign where we were trying to preserve the green slopes of the North Shore Mountains from major residential redevelopment. This is what led to me getting directly involved and then elected in politics.

Apart from teaching English and creative writing at UFV, you are also an editor of the Pacific Rim Review of Books.

What event or circumstance do you think contributed most to making your career so successful?

Regular dedicated work, application of personal interest, and love of writing, with a commitment to seeing my work get published. I've been writing for decades and seeing one's work come into print is always a real boost. And you find ways to make connections. You can either send out your work in the mail and twiddle your fingers and wait months for a reply or you can get active.

The most valuable advice I can give to young writers, especially young people who want to get into creative work, is become a joiner.

It's hard to work in solitude. And once you find yourself getting involved in a community of people, it's like being in front of a slot machine in the casino when suddenly all the tumblers start spinning and they're much more likely to come up your way in the payout. That’s because one person tells another, one person recommends another and you hear about opportunities. So networking is absolutely crucial. And ironically, that's one area that some people in the arts just loathe to do. They want to work in solitude and so we have the Vincent van Goghs or the Emily Dickinsons who have a hard time finding an audience in their lifetime.

Professor Trevor Carolan. (Edina Balint/The Cascade)

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

Provincial Politics //

Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce debates proportional representation

JESSICA BARCLAY NEWS EDITOR

British Columbians will be asked to vote on electoral form, whether to stay with the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system or proportional representation. Ballots will be sent by mail between Oct. 22 – Nov. 30. If in favour of switching to a proportional representation system, voters can then choose one of three possible options: mixed-member proportional, rural-urban proportional, or dual-member proportional.

The Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce hosted a discussion at UFV about the referendum

on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2018, with guest speakers Antony Hodgson, president of Fair Voting B.C., and Suzanne Anton, director of No B.C. Proportional Representation Society.

Hodgson argued against B.C.’s current first-past-the-post system. He said that the main problem with the current system is that majority does not necessarily rule, with 40 per cent typically being enough to fully win over the legislature. “[Proportional representation] is the very simple and core democratic principle that all voters should be treated equally and have an equal influence on the makeup of our legislature,”

Hodgson said.

Hodgson believes that another major issue with the current system is that it prevents a large percentage of voters from being able to vote sincerely. The statistics show that 42 per cent of voters in the last Ontario election did not vote for their preferred candidate or party because they felt that they had to try to manipulate the system in order to get an outcome that they supported.

Anton argued against proportional representation, saying that it removes voters’ ability to choose what MLA will represent them. Voters will place votes towards political parties, instead

of MLAs like in FPTP. “I find that fundamentally so contrary to our notion of democracy that to me it’s a very offensive thought,” Anton said.

Anton argued that the current system relies heavily on accountability, and supports a direct relationship between the citizen, the MLA, and Victoria.

FPTP makes it easier for a voter to withdraw his vote for a preferred candidate, if unhappy with the representative he elected.

Hodgson noted that most political scientists agree that there is robust evidence which shows that there is a correlation between higher standards of living

and democracies that operate on proportional representation.

Anton said that it could be observed that in countries that rely on proportional representation, the larger parties are prone to breaking down and the smaller parties are gradually gaining in influence and size, citing the case of Northern Ireland, which operates under the system of proportional representation. The country spent 600 days without a government because they were unable to agree on any legislation.

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OPINION

Jeff Mijo-Burch — Opinion Editor opinion@ufvcascade.ca

Editorial //

On The Cascade’s Zine

JOEL ROBERTSON-TAYLOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Entirely cognizant of the fact that artists must be paid for their work, we’re offering prizes for the best submissions in nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art. First place for nonfiction and fiction is $200; first place for poetry and visual art is $100. Second place for each category is $50.

The Cascade’s “The Zine” is an idea that’s been tossed around for some time now. What it’ll take form as is a tri-annual, semester-end edition of The Cascade’s regular weekly paper, featuring UFV students’ short stories, graphic designs, non-academic essays, literary nonfiction, poetry, photography, drawings, and paintings.

Let me tell you another thing: we’re excited.

With submissions soon to start rolling in, I want to comment on what The Cascade hopes to get out of this new experience.

The Zine will not attempt to be a literary magazine so much as a curation of works that acknowledge our mandate to be an alternative news source for the Fraser Valley as well as to publish opinions and commentary from UFV students that would otherwise not find a place in a regular edition of The Cascade.

The Zine won’t have a particular theme, although I hope themes emerge organically as artwork and commentary from a similar place are positioned next to each other in print.

Works should be aware but not necessarily self-referential of the place from which they originate. Some questions The Cascade has for local artists are: Where are you? What does it mean to create in this time and place? What conceptual, ideological, physical, and metaphysical boundaries exist here?

What does it mean to reside in a place and what are the unique experiences and perspectives that may be derived from interacting with the local as a generation that increasingly engages in global conversations?

Henry David Thoreau writes in Walden about not needing to travel overseas, as so many of his contemporaries do, but

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that there are near endless opportunities for discovery in our own backyard.

The Cascade believes that a writer, a painter, a citizen has an obligation to practice mindfulness with regards to being a part of an environment. That is, the observable environment, interacted with on a daily basis, and not the idyllic, mythological conception of The Environment.

In your writing endeavours, also remember George Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language.” Your obligation is to accuracy, and nothing more. Consider Lew Welsh: “I never worry about beauty, if it is accurate there is always beauty.”

Visual artists should consider what purpose (ordinarily) a newspaper would have with visual arts. How do we communicate through images and symbols?

It might be worth considering the history of “zines” and “pulp” art. Right up to their relevance in what could perhaps be described as an intensely competitive visual environment. Consider the tradition of providing cultural commentary as visual representation.

Think about the “collective shudder” of distaste for Pop Art, and acceptance of Minimalism among the intelligentsia versus the opposite among the popular masses, as posited by Anna C. Chave in “Minimalism and the Rhetoric of Power.” Do similar taste-defining dialectics among the classes exist here in the Fraser Valley?

Of course, we will readily consider all works from all UFV students, regardless of focus. If it’s good, it’s good.

By no means should a submission be bludgeoned of its life force and haphazardly crammed into feigned intent. Be concrete, be sincere. The privilege of a university education requires that those who receive it should comment on and share their experiences; they should take their unique combination of experiences and feel worthy to say something about it.

On this end, we are excited to hear what it is that you have to say.

Submissions are due Oct. 31 at midnight. We look forward to enjoying your work.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

S S S N S N N S A h A A h P o P P o t t s s Pondering pawn shops

We all have layers A great man once said “Onions have layers. Ogres have layers. … You get it?”

I get it, my dude. You’re saying that, despite their (ogres and onions) outward appearance, they share similarities (layers). Two things, that appear to have nothing in common, actually do have parallels.

We do this, as humans. We don’t always trust or like someone because, on the surface, they seem so far removed from who we are as a person. They enjoy going for long walks on the beach, you

enjoy screaming into a dark forest on a Tuesday night. They listen to pop, you listen to Bill Cosby sweater metal. (They wouldn’t have heard of it.) They’re an ogre, you’re a human — so many differences!

But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you put in the effort, peel back the layers, you’ll soon see that you can’t judge a book by its cover or an ogre by its onion — or something like that.

When I see pawn shops I wonder how they manage to stay alive in the economic and technological environment of 2018. With the platforms for selling our junk online growing more and more, I am constantly baffled by the existence of such an obsolete business. After a great amount of time in traffic I came to the conclusion that their lifeline must be thieves, right? Like, folks that don’t want to advertise the stolen loot they have collected from their neighbourhood on midnight strolls. Just take what you can get at a pawn shop price-wise: probably pennies on the dollar, but it’s

still a good trade if you paid nothing for it.

Some businesses don’t seem to have a place in today’s society and I find that interesting. Often it is more specific than just a general business model; you see these different shops and boutiques and you wonder how on earth they continue to exist. Maybe laundering money, maybe just the blood, sweat, and tears of a small business owner. Either way, I spend a lot of my commuting time considering businesses like pawn shops.

Quintin Stamler

Cat Friesen

Return of Mark: the unending Shutting off your study brain I’m terrible at relaxing, and since starting university, it’s bugged me that I could never seem to get properly invested in a good, narrative-driven video game the way I used to when there are readings to do and projects to start on.

I’d heard for years about the benefits of having a work space vs. a rest space (the same idea that says not to study in bed, because it’ll make it harder to sleep), and finally realized that was the issue.

I’ve always been a primarily PC gamer, but I realized sitting at my computer has been wired into my head as being in a work space. So I pulled out an old, origi-

nal Playstation, and finally took the time to dig into a classic RPG that I’d been meaning to play, sitting away from my computer and all the work contained in it. And what do you know, I was able to get engrossed in it for hours.

Now, instead of not knowing how to relax, my problem is that I need to make time to play the game. But at least I have a method to relax, and that is an incredibly healing thing. Turns out, when studies tell you how your brain is wired, they can actually be right. I’m as shocked as you are.

For all those who have not been following the saga of Mark, Mark is a spider who lives under my toaster and comes out only to sit on my delicious sandwiches. Mark made his first appearance in a while the other day after I brought out my brand spankin’ new panini press.

It is beautiful and shiny and everything a sandwich-toasting, cheese-melting metal monstrosity should be.

I was chopping up peppers, basking in the brilliance of my purchase when he struck. Out from the bowels of my crusty toaster, Mark sauntered like an old Western cowboy, made his way to

the top of my cheese pile, and plopped himself down to watch the sunset. I screamed in panic and tossed my nearest cat onto the counter. My cat, quite pleased to be allowed on the counter, went in for a nibble of cheese. Seeing Mark, the cat, as cats do, reacted with sheer panic, tossing zucchini slices left and right as she scrambled to escape the withering glare of a nickel-sized spider. By the time emergency crews were called, Mark had already escaped the scene of the crime, but he’ll be back. He always is.

Jessica Barclay

Jeff Mijo-Burch

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OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Outdated things //

The death of daylight savings Arbitrary clock changes do more harm than good CAT FRIESEN MANAGING EDITOR

According to an article on Vancouver Courier, it’s finally time to put an end to daylight savings time.

On Sept. 14, a proposal to move away from using the outdated mechanism was barely approved, with 52.3 per cent in favour to 47.7 per cent opposing. Those in favour of getting rid of daylight savings, such as Hudson’s Hope Mayor Gwen Johansson, stated that “it doesn’t seem to serve a purpose anymore.” Those against, like Metchosin Mayor John Ranns, said getting rid of it is “condemning workers ... to work longer in the dark.”

Daylight savings time was first used in Port Arthur (now Thunder Bay), Ontario, on July 1, 1908, though it was proposed in both 1895 in New Zealand, and 1905 in the U.K. It originally began as a way to save on candles, but Germany implemented it

in 1916 to reduce the amount of coal used during the war.

Now, obviously neither of these reasons are pertinent to us anymore — candles and coal have long been outdated modes of light and heat, and daylight savings should have been thrown out along with them with the introduction of modern heating and lighting.

Researchers at the University of Alabama Birmingham seem to think so, albeit for a more health-focused reason than outdated energy production. In a 2012 study, they found that the twice-a-year time change causes disturbances in circadian rhythm to the tune of 40 minutes. When we’re already sleep deprived, 40 minutes makes a substantial difference. And, when we gain an hour in spring, we don’t necessarily use that extra hour for sleep — again, more sleep deprivation.

Somewhat more frightening is a study done in 2016 by Finland researchers found

that, in the two days following daylight savings time, the overall rate of strokes rose by eight per cent. This, again, is likely due to disruptions in circadian rhythm.

What I’m curious about is why people want to keep it. To me — and I may be wrong — it seems more like a case of “We’ve always done it this way” rather than daylight savings actually serving a useful purpose in 2018.

There’s something to be said for the mentality of want to stick to the way things have always been done. In some ways, yes, it’s useful — like learning early that a stove is hot when you touch it, so you learn not to. It’s survival.

Getting rid of daylight savings can also be seen as a survival instinct. If the studies regarding the link between disturbed circadian rhythm and strokes and daylight savings are accurate, then getting rid of daylight savings can be seen as a survival tactic. We’re evolving and learning to pro-

tect ourselves better, albeit from a not-soobvious threat (when compared to a hot stove).

There are, however, certain things in life that do not benefit from the “We’ve always done it this way” mentality, including unquestioningly following laws or expectations that were created hundreds of years ago and serve no purpose, such as how in Oak Bay you can be fined $100 if your parrot speaks too loud, or the law that it’s illegal to kill a sasquatch (really).

Even without bringing science and health into the discussion, I think we should get rid of daylight savings time. It’s outdated, causes confusion, and doesn’t serve any purpose anymore. If you’re on the side of keeping it, I want you to ask yourself why. Does it have a useful purpose, or are you afraid of change?

Transportation //

The ever-buzzing busing business Getting to and from school is a daily headache for many UFV students

EMMALINE SPENCER CONTRIBUTOR

The local commuter community always has something to say about how mundane and terrible the burden of traveling is. During school, I spend my free time studying in the school hallways.

During my studies, I overhear the complaints about parking, traffic, and the absurd recent raise in gas prices. I have to agree with the rants about waiting in backed up traffic to get home, though. From Monday to Thursday I make my own commute home, where I stand in a line for anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour or more.

My line is a little different though — the line I stand in is for the campus connector to Carvolth Exchange in Langley.

Campus connector users are all too familiar with the struggle of trying to get home or to class in a timely matter. I spent a day interviewing as many students as possible on what their own thoughts were. Much of what I heard was displeased opinions on the matter with few solutions.

Many of the harsh complaints came from the commuters who take the Carvolth-Abbotsford shuttle. Some of the solutions that my interviewees conjured up were to try getting UFV to run the shuttles instead of SUS, increasing the number of buses to and from Langley during the early morning and mid to late afternoon, and giving a separate or set number of seats to the trades campus students.

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For the past week the shuttle drivers have been taking record of how many staff and students were left behind and how many people were on the bus. One of the drivers I spoke to was very kind, and let me see what had been recorded for Monday–Thursday.

I was not surprised by what I saw. According to the data, the 7:30 a.m. shuttle from CarvolthAbbotsford leaves an average of 17 students and teachers. This itself is not a big issue because another shuttle comes at 7:45 a.m.

The problem is how students will begin the line-up for the shuttle before 6:00 a.m. This means that there are students who will wait in all sorts of weather in the early morning.

I received a disheartening story from a student who commutes from Langley to the Chilliwack campus: “On Wednesdays my class ends at 5:20, and the Chilliwack bus leaves at 5:30. The next bus to Langley [from Abbotsford] would be at 6:15. Unfortunately, by the time we get to [the Abbotsford] campus there’s already a huge line-up formed by Abbotsford students. Then that next bus comes at 8:00, meaning it would be roughly a two-hour wait. I didn’t get home last week until about 9:30.”

I wish I could say that was the worst of the stories I heard, but it was not. There is a student that many of us in the campus connector community know about. This student had attempted to take the 4:15 p.m. shuttle to Langley, only to be denied a spot because the

UFV/SUS Campus Connector. (The Cascade)

shuttle was full. Two hours later, the student tried to get on the 6:15 p.m. shuttle to Langley, and once again the student was denied due to the bus already being full. The student eventually found a ride home, via other means. However, a recent change was made by one of the Abbotsford-Carvolth drivers. The driver implemented a ticket system to make sure people wouldn’t miss more than one shuttle. The driver hands out “priority tickets” to all students who couldn’t get on a bus. When the shuttle comes back to pick up

the next set of students, the driver calls out for anyone with priority tickets and lets them on first.

The SUS has made a statement on the matter: aside from gathering data for the past week, which they will use to make changes to the bus schedule, they have said that the only way for them to add more buses would be to raise student fees. The campus connector has only been in place for a few years, and the SUS had not expected it to progress in the way it has.

As it stands, there will likely be

changes to the campus connector schedule in the near future, but we shouldn’t expect any additional buses this year. Perhaps the SUS should look into what solutions we students have by coming out and talking to the many people in line sometimes. Maybe even share an umbrella. I only mentioned a few ideas that students had, but there is a lot of potential with the campus connector program and I look forward to seeing how it continues to grow and develop.

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Stiff necked //

A statue is not history

JEFF MIJO-BURCH OPINION EDITOR

Controversy continues to swirl around Canada’s first prime minister 127 years after his death. This past August, Victoria city council voted to remove a statue of John A. Macdonald from outside of the city hall, following a string of attempts to remove his name from schools and other public institutions during the past year. According to a new survey by Angus Reid, 57 per cent of British Columbians oppose the removal of his statue, with only 25 per cent supporting it.

And this raises an important question: why is a hunk of metal more important than taking action, however small, to make amends for some of the inhuman torment Macdonald inflicted on a massive group of people?

There’s a sentiment that removing Macdonald’s name from schools, his image from public places, is somehow destroying a part of Canada’s history, but nothing could be further from the truth. A statue is not history. Nobody is advocating to remove all mentions of Macdonald from history books and museums and documentaries. Nobody can take away the fact that yes, he was the first prime minister of Canada. But a statue is not like those things — a statue is an idealized symbol, devoid of context aside from maybe a simple plaque, and it says one thing: “this was a great person. This is a person worth celebrating and looking up to.”

How can you look up to the man who tried to eradicate Canada’s Indigenous peoples?

We’re seeing more and more as time goes by the legacy of Macdonald shifting. While he’s never received the same sort of reverence George Washington does, he’s often been portrayed as a bumbling drunkard.

But more and more, people are acknowl-

A statue of Sir. John A. Macdonald (Mike McArthur/CBC)

edging his links to a system designed to tear Indigenous youth from their families and “educate” them in European ways of thinking, to stamp out their language, their traditions, their very culture. Macdonald was calculated and methodical in his colonization of Western Canada, and the people who were already there, who had lived there for countless generations, were seen as a roadblock to be removed.

So now we talk about reconciliation, about making right those past injustices.

And the successes and failures of that effort are well beyond the scope of this ar-

ticle. But we can’t pay lip service to these ideas and not act on them.

Victoria Mayor Lisa Helps is quoted in an article from the CBC as saying “One of the things we heard very clearly from the Indigenous family members is that coming to city hall to do this work, and walking past John A. Macdonald every time, feels contradictory.” And if that’s the experience they’re getting from this humanshaped hunk of metal, this celebration of a man who caused so much harm for so many generations, who are we to argue?

A statue isn’t history — not in and of it-

self. It’s not a representation of the deeds or actions of Canada’s first prime minister. It’s a symbol of how his legacy has been viewed in the years since then, a representation of how he’s been celebrated, and how his cruel brutality against other human beings has been swept under the carpet. By all means, put it in a museum to contextualize the place in time where it was okay to celebrate him. Put it right next to information about why it didn’t deserve to be displayed in a place of honour.

FAMILIAR WITH THE ADOBE SUITE? CAN YOU MANAGE A TEAM?

Email cat@ufvcascade.ca For info.

JOIN THE REVOLUTION.

THE CASCADE IS LOOKING FOR A PRODUCTION MANAGER. 9

The mysterious and supportive world of ASMR.

Whispers for the Weary

By: Cassie de Jong

ASMR. What is it? Where did it come from? Despite becoming such a rapidly growing community on YouTube, the word ASMR has been consistently misinterpreted, and labeled as “bizarre internet culture.”

The true meaning of the concept is lost on most, so the key to understanding what ASMR does is to do a bit of your own research. Not much has been published on the subject in terms of scientific research, which is part of what makes the notion of people making videos of themselves whispering to help other people relax sound so strange.

There are many different interpretations of what ASMR truly is. So, the simplest way to truly discover what all this hype is about is to get right to the heart of the matter, and ask someone involved. I got in contact with a local individual who creates and uploads their own ASMR content. For the purposes of the following Q&A, we will refer to this individual as the ASMRtist, a common nickname for ASMR creators on YouTube.

How would you define ASMR? ASMR stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response. To describe it, some people use the word “tingles,” but I prefer the word “shiver.” It’s a sort of sensation you get on the back of your head or neck, or sometimes on your shoulders. It’s like the shivers you may get when listening to music. There are those moments when you get chills from music; I would describe it as a similar sensation to that. It makes you feel like you’re melting a little bit, and makes you feel nice and relaxed.

How long have you been watching ASMR? I’ve been watching ASMR videos since early 2012. At that time, it was such a new concept that when searching for recently uploaded ASMR videos on YouTube, you wouldn’t even have to go back a full page to find stuff that had been uploaded a few days ago. That’s how new it was. There wasn’t a plethora of videos being released every couple of minutes. It was a very new thing with only a few select channels. So, quite a long time.

According the the website asmruniversity.com, a website that acts as a resource and news centre for individuals with ASMR, the term Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is commonly believed to have been invented in 2010 by Jennifer Allen. That year, Allen started a Facebook group focusing on ASMR with the intent on finding out more about the phenomena, and to connect with others who also experienced it. From there it took off, and its popularity has been growing exponentially ever since. It is believed that ASMR is something only certain people can experience.

You either have it, or you don’t. That doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t enjoy the videos, or use them to help you relax. But not everyone reports feeling tingling sensations while watching ASMR content, and it is important to note that not everyone experiences it the same way.

Do you remember specifics about your first ASMR experience?

I know a lot of other people will talk about being in class in elementary school, when you’re working on assignments and

the class is all quiet. Sometimes if you’re just in the zone, when you’re focused on your work and you have all the other sounds of pencils and pens in the background, that nice sort of environment that will give you that experience. I can think of a few times like that.

Another one for me, and for a lot of other people, is a few certain scenes in movies. One that a lot of people point to is a scene in Toy Story 2 where the toy collector gets a repairman in to fix Woody and repair his arm. During the scene, there are these nice little crisp sounds and a fluidity of movement. There’s this feeling of, “Ah, that’s really nice.”

Another one that a friend showed me, is a video of a virtual barber haircut where you listen to it on headphones. It’s been made with a 3D microphone, so you can hear sounds all around you in every direction, not just left or right but also up and down. All the different sounds, especially the sound of the guy cutting your hair, seems very real. That’s what gives you the shivers, moments like that where you don’t really realize it at the time, but there’s this nice little feeling that’s very relaxing.

Certain audio-visual tech providers caught onto the ASMR trend a few years ago, and 3D microphones became highly popular instruments that allowed YouTube creators to record sounds in a whole new way.

These devices are remarkably sensitive. They produce recordings that, if listened to via headphones or earbuds, appear much more realistic. Some models of the microphones used consist of microphones placed within a model silicone ear, so that the audio sounds even more natural.

What would you consider is the difference between ASMR and oddly satisfying videos?

The only real difference is the title attached to it. You see these compilation videos of, say, machines pressing things, or different actions like that which have been categorized as “oddly satisfying.” I think to people who experience this sensation, it is ASMR, just maybe not to the same extent. I think they are two halves of a whole. It’s something that you could categorize as a form of ASMR, but not necessarily in the exact same way.

ASMR isn’t the only otherworldly movement gaining momentum on YouTube. A more recent trend in intriguing content is a whole new category of videos now coined as “Oddly Satisfying.” These videos often consist of video compilations of repetitive tasks such as chefs icing cakes with the utmost precision, or hydraulic presses crushing Barbie dolls. These videos have not been recognized by the ASMR community as existing under their umbrella.

It’s a similar experience, but not quite the same thing.

How have you noticed people react when you tell them about ASMR? I don’t normally bring up that I have a channel at first. Usually I just find a way to introduce the topic into conversation somehow. A common response that I hear is, “ASMR? Isn’t

that like a weird fetishy-type thing where people get off to tongue clicking sounds or something?” No, that’s not the idea. A lot of people I know think of ASMR as this weird type of fetish community. There’s that general stigma about it.

There is unfortunately a misconception about ASMR, where people think it is a sexual thing. What do you have to say about rectifying those misunderstandings?

Well first of all, for everything on the internet regardless of what it is, there will always be someone who perceives it as sexual in nature. That’s just the nature of the internet. But I do understand why there is more of that thought surrounding ASMR. Not to stereotype, but I would say a good 80 per cent of YouTubers who make ASMR videos are young, attractive women. Usually these videos are also filmed in their room, and there’s a lot of closeness and personal attention, because that is part of what is a good trigger for ASMR. This idea of someone who is caring for you. Which is why I think doctor roleplays for example, are pretty popular.

So then, the general breakdown is a young beautiful girl, who is close to the camera, in her bedroom, making videos. That is also the kind of formula where people would be quick to assume that this sort of thing has a lot of sexual connotation to it. But the importance is the difference between the intention and the interpretation. I would say that 99.9 per cent of ASMR videos are not made with the intention to be sexually arousing. I do know that unfortunately there are a few channels designed for that. But that ruins it for other people, that’s not what it’s really about. If people are going to watch ASMR and assume that there is that type of connotation to it, or at least get that idea from it, that is their decision. But I can safely say, while not having met every single other ASMRtist on YouTube, that they’ve never intended or desired to have their videos interpreted that way.

Many ASMRtists have given up trying to explain why their practice isn’t sexual in nature. The horde of internet trolls who clearly aren’t invested in discovering the true nature of ASMR and what it’s all about, continue to harass its creators, and seem to hone in on the most suggestive content they can find.

Sexually suggestive content does exist on YouTube, such as people licking ear-shaped 3D microphones in an overtly sexual manner. Many individuals in online ASMR forums describe these videos as distracting and even uncomfortable. It is an unfortunate situation, where as ASMR continues to attract more interest, it also attracts people looking to exploit it.

I also don’t think people understand how much bullying happens to people who are ASMRtists. I’ve seen far too many people delete their channels and quit YouTube entirely based on harassment. It’s not just people commenting on the “weirdness” of the videos.

This harassment consists of individuals prying into ASMRtist’s lives and finding out personal information. I know of one case where people were making fake Photoshop nudes of someone, and trying to send those pictures to her family. It’s really terrible.

The thing with people who create ASMR videos, is that they’re just doing this because they want to find ways to help their viewers relax. I think it seems really weird that these people seem to get such brutal treatment in terms of online harassment.

Tell me about a negative and a positive reaction to your content online?

For the positive reaction, a lot of the ASMR videos I’ve done consist of reviews on hard rock or metal albums, or video games like Dead Space or Dark Souls. A lot of people have mentioned in comments that this is their perfect combination. There aren’t a lot of ASMR videos specifically designed to look at elements like that. So, people who like that will say “Oh this is great! I’ve been looking for something like this forever.”

The negative reactions are of course from people who find their way onto ASMR videos while not really understanding what it is.

Those people will be like, “I just came here to see some Dark Souls footage! Why is there some guy whispering over everything?” and they’ll call it “cringy.” From the way I see it, those are just ignorant people who don’t understand, so I try not to take that to heart.

Bizarre internet phenomena will no doubt continue to boggle the minds of even the most cultured internet aficionados. But, it is vital to understand when rumours surrounding various internet movements are or are not legitimate. Though at times misunderstood, ASMR creators on YouTube continue to thrive and grow.

The best thing about ASMR is that because it has expanded into such a diverse and creative community, there is something out there for everyone. If you’re interested in giving ASMR a try, don’t stop at your first video if you don’t experience any certain feelings right away. A small list of popular ASMRrtists currently on YouTube include ASMR Darling, Gibi ASMR, FrivolousFox ASMR, and Gentle Whispering ASMR. Remember that everyone experiences ASMR differently. Ultimately, the point is to sit back, relax, and allow your mind to drift away.

The internet as a whole can be described as a very deep rabbit hole. It is full of the strangest and the most bizarre materials known to humankind. ASMR is clearly not the strangest item to be found online.

Yet, the intense scorn and mockery dished out by internet trolls can be felt every day by even the most loved ASMRtists. In April of last year, popular creator “Innocent Whispers” made the very difficult decision to delete her account. The decision was based off the brutal harassment she began to receive on her YouTube and Patreon channels. After a break from YouTube, she has since re-activated and re-branded her account under the name Creative Calm ASMR. The name change was meant to more accurately represent what the channel was meant for, in order to prevent any more unfortunate instances.

What is one more thing you wish people would understand more about ASMR? That it’s very multi-use. I think the main thing that people use it for is a type of sleep aid. But it’s also used to help calm people down from anxiety. I know a lot of people whose videos are specifically meant to console you if you’ve had an anxiety attack or if you’re feeling depressed about stuff. Sometimes if I’ve had a bad day I like watching those because, even if it is pre-recorded, it’s nice to hear someone saying nice stuff to you.

ASMR is not a doctor-approved solution or type of therapy … Yet! But people will leave links in their descriptions on their channels to hotlines or websites, and other ways to seek professional help. Most ASMR videos are of course made by amateurs. But, it is important to know that this is essentially an army of YouTubers dedicating their time and their effort to finding ways to help people relax and de-stress. They’re doing it out of the goodness of their hearts.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The Cascade Community Events are in UFV Events are in Music Events are in Art Events are in Cultural Events are in

Blue Green Red Purple Yellow

Sept 26

Sept 27

Sept 28

Raven-Making Workshop @ UFV Library (Chilliwack Campus) 8:30 - 9:30 am Chilliwack Autumn 2018 Job Fair @ Coast Chilliwack Hotel 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Wine Opening @ Save-On Foods (Mission) 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Orange Shirt Day Walk for Reconciliation @ Mill Lake Park (Abbotsford) 10:30 a.m. - Noon

Celtic Night with Murphy’s Lagh @Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

UFV History Department Films Series: Rulers and Rebels @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus) 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Craft of Craftsman @ Tretheway House Heritage Site (Abbotsford) 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Fall/Winter 2018 Exhibitions Opening Reception @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford) 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Morris & Co. Wallpaper Painting Workshop Tretheway House Heritage Site (Abbotsford) 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

NWO Roller Derby Recruitment @ Landing Sports Centre (Chilliwack) 6:45 - 8:45 p.m.

Sept 29

Heavy Dive, Sleepy Gonzales, Alison May @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford) 8:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Fall Fair & Craft Market @ Devan Greenhouses (Abbotsford) 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

TOPAZ Classic Rock n Roll @ Captain’s Cabin Pub (Mission) 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

New + Used Marketplace - Back to School @ Tzeachten Hall (Chilliwack) 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Oct 4

UFV Alumni Association AGM @ Room B121 (Abbotsford Campus) 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Joe Nolan @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack) 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Sept 30 Orange Shirt Day @ Everywhere, All Day Daniel Champagne @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Oct 1 Frigs (Toronto, Arts & Crafts) and Kristin Witko @ Carport Manor (Abbotsford), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Oct 2 Student Life: Support 101 Workshop @ Room S1111 (Abbotsford Campus) 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.

UFV Cascades Invitational / Pacwest Golf Tournament No. 3 @ Ledgeview Golf Course (Abbotsford), 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Roots & Blues Fall Fest @ Fraser River Heritage Park (Mission), Noon - 4:00 p.m.

Watercolours with Glenn @ House of Fine Art (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Chandigarh Student & Alumni Social @ Room F125 (Abbotsford Campus) 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Buckman Coe @ Tractogrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Oct 6

4th Annual Culture Crawl @ Fraser Valley Regional Library (Mission), 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Oktoberfest at the Rail District @ Valley Food + Farm Collective (Abbotsford) 1:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Ultimate Robot Challenge @ Fraser Valley Regional Library (Mission), 2:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Oct 9

All Aboard for Murder - Murder Mystery @ Sevenoaks Shopping Centre (Abbotsford) 7:00 - 11:00 p.m.

Student Life: Support 101 Workshop @ Room A0006 (Chilliwack Campus) 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

14th Annual Arty Awards @ The Reach Gallery Museum (Abbotsford), 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Oct 3

Night of the Living Choir @ The Railyard (Mission), 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Louisiana Hayride Show @ Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (Abbotsford) 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.

Harpdog Brown @ Tractorgrease Cafe (Chilliwack), 7:00 - 10:00 p.m.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2018

Fall Activity //

Rising from the ashes Willow View Farms Grand Re-opening JEN KLASSEN FEATURES EDITOR

Nestled at the end of McCallum Road sits a little slice of heaven called “Willow View Farms.” Run by the Siemens family, this little patch of land is picturesque and populated by pumpkins. In addition to the 50 different varieties of orange gourds, they grow 22 different varieties of apples. Pears and plums populate other trees on the property as well.

The farm has been owned and operated by the Siemens family for over 60 years, beginning as a dairy farm in 1960. In 1978 Her-

man and Martha Siemens added hogs alongside their cows. Berries were then introduced in the ‘80s, and over time the farm has grown to now house a petting zoo, a hay ride, and a store selling local goods.

On Aug. 23, 2017, Willow View Farms experienced a fire that decimated their country store as well as their cooler. They received a surge of support from the community of Abbotsford, and began selling T-shirts to replace lost equipment. Over the past year they have rebuilt the store and the lost cooler, and hosted the grand opening to celebrate their

rebirth and new beginning.

They make apple cider onsite from their own apples. After one sip most individuals can be seen going into the store to invest in a four-litre jug immediately since it’s nectar from the gods. On the day of their grand opening, it was served warm to help visitors stave off some of the cold rain that soaked through clothes.

Another place that sheltered those coming to enjoy the family fun at the farm was the barn.

Inside, baby goats, turkeys, chickens, rabbits, and sheep could be found bleating and clucking and gobbling. These eager little crea-

tures poked their head through, excited to receive treats of corn kernels from outstretched hands.

Goat kisses are the best thing to experience on a gloomy day. Or any day.

Happy faces greet visitors at the concession and in the store.

Hand-painted signs decorate the space, adding flair as the epitome of farmhouse chic. Gluten-free pies, small bags of candy, and the best dang caramel popcorn are available for purchase among other goodies that adorn the store shelves.

If picking the fruit from the tree isn’t your thing, that’s OK,

there are pre-picked apples and pears for sale. Just breathe the sweet farm air, pick up your goods, and carry on with your day, biting into a crunchy sweet apple for a snack or a pick-me-up.

The balloons may have drooped because of the rain on the day of the grand opening, but the spirits were high, and raincoat-clad customers were wearing smiles stretched from ear to ear. If you want a place to take some fall themed selfies, and drink cider that tastes like a hug for your insides, swing by Willow View Farms and maybe pet an animal or two while you’re there too.

Scenes from Willow View Farms. Abbotsford, B.C. (Jen Classen/The Cascade)

Social Media //

The Cascade launches itself into space LAUREL LOGAN SOCIAL MEDIA WRITER

Scrolling through tumblr is like floating through outer space, except every meteor or star you drift past is a beautiful photograph, work of art, or piece of writing.

Oh, and there’s also an astronomical amount of memes. Basically, it’s filled with endless creativity.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: that sounds like a place where The Cascade would fit in rather comfortably. And guess what? You’d be right. We just recently launched our new tumblr account filled with all of the latest photos, art, and writing that make up our issues.

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We’ve also got all of the freshest, most organic home-grown memes to boot. So, we would like to take this opportunity to invite you to smash the follow button at ufvcascade.tumblr.com to see what it’s all about. And if you aren’t already following us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or YouTube, those are really good places to stay connected with us, too. With our everincreasing amount of platforms, it’s easy to keep up with all the latest. So, throw some hearts and reblogs in our direction, and join us as we float our way through tumblr and beyond.

CULTURE

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Lit fest //

It’s literary, fam

Literary festival provides resources and commentary on how to write better

Billeh Nickerson reads at the Fraser Valley Literary Festival. Abbotsford, B.C. (Cat Friesen/The Cascade)

ERIN FROESE CONTRIBUTOR

The Fraser Valley Literary Festival was held at UFV this weekend, Sept. 21 and 22, in the Student Union Building. Up until this year, the festival, previously known as the Mission Writers and Readers Festival, was an annual event run by the Lifetime Learning Centre in Mission. It featured readings from published local authors, writing workshops, and networking opportunities for Fraser Valley writers and readers alike. This year, Lifetime Learning approached UFV’s English department about taking over the festival, which the creative writing department saw as a chance to expand the event and revamp the festival itself. Andrea MacPherson, associate professor in the English department at UFV, agreed to chair the event.

“The planning was exhaustive and complicated,” MacPherson said “The festival could not have been put together without

the help of the 2018 Kuldip Gill Fellowship Writer in Residence, Billeh Nickerson.” During the winter semester of 2018, Nickerson was a wonderful addition to the UFV English scene, giving several readings and workshops on topics such as writing development and publishing, and also making himself available as a resource to any students looking to strengthen their writing.

“He created extraordinary connections with the students,” MacPherson said. “His work uses humour and irony so perfectly, and the students really responded to that.”

Nickerson was not only instrumental in the organizing of the literary festival, he was also featured as a keynote speaker, alongside Carleigh Baker and Renée Saklikar. The three keynote speakers each gave a talk at the evening reception on Friday, Sept. 21. Their individual styles of presenting were different from each other, yet distinctly true to each of their own writing styles.

Nickerson gave a reading that had the audience humming their appreciation one moment and giggling the next. Baker talked about the burning question of non-Indigenous writers writing Indigenous characters, insisting that she could not conclusively answer these questions because, as she put it, “Indigenous peoples are not a hive mind,” but still giving the audience plenty to think about.

“Carleigh Baker writes just beautifully,” MacPherson said, “I was a big fan of Bad Endings, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.” Bad Endings, Baker’s collection of short stories, is a recommended read to anyone who wishes to delve deeper into the question of non-Indigenous writers writing Indigenous characters.

Saklikar’s presentation was an intoxicating blend of lecture and poetry, and was given in a way that was just performative enough to leave the listener hanging on her every word, waiting

for some concrete conclusion but left with something that somehow felt much greater than that.

“Saklikar tackles huge projects and topics,” MacPherson said, “and her poetry is lovely.”

The literary festival hosted a dynamic variety of local writers, giving workshops and panel discussions on Saturday, Sept. 22.

“We were careful to include writers who work in multiple genres,” MacPherson noted, “from poetry to children’s literature to fiction to creative nonfiction. We’re very excited and proud of the lineup for the festival.”

This kind of writerly diversity helped make the event beneficial to writers of any genre, and gave students the chance to meet and connect with many different sorts of authors. There was something for anyone and everyone to benefit from.

The English department of UFV is hopeful that the Fraser Valley Literary Festival will become an annual event, and that

UFV will continue to be a good space for hosting the festival. As MacPherson shared, “I think it’s important for the Fraser Valley itself to have a literary festival. The closest festivals are in Vancouver, and there are a lot of amazing artists in the Valley.”

Hopefully this event will plant a seed here in the Lower Mainland and inspire more communities in the Valley to celebrate local artists and writers in the future.

For anyone who attended the literary festival this weekend and is looking for other chances to grow in their writing, MacPherson would like to draw attention to the upcoming 2019 edition of the annual Louden Singletree, UFV’s literary magazine. As always, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved with the publication, whether through submitting original works or joining the Louden board to put together the magazine and to organize special events.

15

STUDY BREAK Crossword //

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 Made by Cassie de Jong ACROSS

DOWN

1: A device that artificially stimulates the heart muscle through electric pulses, thereby regulating its contractions.

1: A substance used to protect food or other materials from decay.

4: The essence of a culture, era, or community as embodied by its beliefs and aspirations.

6: The Greek goddess of the hunt, the moon, and chastity.

7: A distinct period of history, usually marked by significant events.

8: A moving component of an electromagnetic system in a machine or vehicle.

2: A dance that originated in the 1920s, that involves turning the knees inward and kicking out the lower legs.

3: A large natural or artificial lake that is protected and used as a source of water supply.

5: A person responsible for the lighting and other background work for a play or other production.

7: Something that is equal to something else in value, amount, functionality, ect.

8: A source of power that is not finite, such as water, wind, or solar energy.

9: The more formal word for a bet.

10: An atom or molecule characterized by a nonzero net electrical charge.

11: A style of ornate detail in European architecture, music, and art from the 17th and 18th centuries.

12: A self-supporting wooden frame used for holding paintings or other artwork.

13: A motorized staircase found in malls or other public buildings.

LAST ISSUE’S

ANSWERS:

Across: 1: Bagpipes 6: Aqua 8: Elk 9: Bar 11: Koi

13: Cub 14: Sap 15: Nun 17: Yoga 19: Epidural

Down: 1: Brass Knuckles 2: Geode 3: Ice Skates 4: Ska 5: Sistine Chapel

7: Ankle 9: Blimp 10: Robin Hood 12: Lobby 16: Niger 18: Ace

BREAD CRUMBS: Ouroboros

Horoscopes //

Astrological mysteries interpreted weekly by Morgana the Mystic.

Aries — Mar 21 to Apr 19 Feeling a bit lethargic? While the sun is gradually making its way back to your sign, it’s just now hit the halfway point and you’re no doubt missing the benefits it brought you.

If you can’t seem to summon more energy — take a break, you work hard enough.

Taurus — Apr 20 to May 20 While you’d much prefer everything to be set in stone, it’s becoming clear that sometimes that’s just not the case. Flexibility isn’t usually in your vocabulary, but there’s no time like the present to introduce it.

Gemini — May 21 to Jun 20 Be content with yourself, Gemini. You’re approaching a time of balance that you desperately deserve — rejoice and redeem this reward.

Cancer —Jun 21 to Jul 22 The full moon on Monday has thrown you off your course. As your patron celestial body, the moon heightens your already quite dramatic emotions. Try not to let this influx overwhelm you.

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Leo — Jul 23 to Aug 22 Sick of holding your tongue? Not one to keep quiet, you’ve got to be exercising some serious restraint here. Remember that patience (and tact) is a virtue that will pay off in the end.

Sagittarius — Nov 22 to Dec 21 Can’t stop yawning through your own jokes?

You seem to be prioritizing fun more so than rest, and it’s about to catch up with you. Try to get some Z’s before you end up crashing in the midst of your next adventure.

Virgo —Aug 23 to Sep 22 Don’t be ashamed to bring it down a notch, Virgo. Your non-stop attitude is about to run you into the ground. No one will judge you if you take a break from overachieving once in a while.

Capricorn — Dec 22 to Jan 19 Shake it up, Capricorn! There have been countless opportunities for change that you’ve been dutifully ignoring for what seems like a lifetime. Break out of your mould and embrace something new.

Libra — Sep 23 to Oct 22 The sun is in your sign and prepare to feel divine! The next month-or-so should be a breeze for you; use this lull to tackle something that might have previously caused you trouble.

Aquarius — Jan 20 to Feb 18 It can be hard for others to understand your process, but don’t let their confusion make you doubt yourself. It’s not a mess if you know where everything is.

Scorpio — Oct 23 to Nov 21 Stop beating yourself up over nothing. While a healthy dose of self-awareness is good, you’re taking it a bit far. You’re allowed a few flaws.

Pisces — Feb 19 to Mar 20 If you’re familiar with the story of the tortoise and the hare, you’ll know that slow and steady wins the race. Rushing through something is a surefire way to miss important moments — pace yourself.

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

The Cascade Event

September 12, 2018.

The Cascade gave away just about 800 burgers, a dozen or so shirts, and some rad canvas tote bags.

There was a bouncy castle, we got a small dance party going, and CIVL station manager Aaron Levy DJed. The purpose

was to get students connecting together on campus. We love dialogue, we love conversations. Burgers are one of the great-

Were you there?

est things.

UFV, you came out onto the green, lured by the scent of delicious burgers, the sound of music and

laughter, and the sight of your peers tumbling over themselves on a bouncy obstacle course.

Thanks.

Photo credit: Darren McDonald/UFV Flickr

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ARTS

Martin Castro — Arts Editor

arts@ufvcascade.ca

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Podcast Review //

CHARTS

SHUFFLE

1

MITSKI BE THE COWBOY

AARON LEVY

2

JOYFULTALK PLURALITY TRIP

3

DILLY DALLY HEAVEN

4

THE DIRTY NIL MASTER VOLUME

CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy DJ’d this week at the UFV Bookstore’s Customer Appreciation Day, an annual event of excitement and exercise. (Not really, I just wanted to alliterate, it was only exciting.) MONSTER was also giving out bevies, and so here’s a Monster-themed shuffle.

5

SOUL MATES LOST

6

KEN MODE LOVED

7

STEPHEN CARL O’SHEA SHADOW STEPS

8

BILLY HECTOR SOME DAY BABY

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ELISAPIE THE BALLAD OF THE RUNAWAY GIRL

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COLIN JAMES MILES TO GO

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RAE SPOON BODIESOFWATER

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DEB RHYMER BAND DON’T WAIT UP

WEARING BOOTS WIT DA FUR

Jon McKiel — “Monster of the Mirimachi” Not one that I played at this week’s event, but one that’s keenly written and recorded to leave the creepiest of feels after the ghostly riff, harrowing breakdown, and surprisingly heavy buildup of the song’s Confidence Lodge recorded crescendo. “All the writers have written, hands on fire, hearts all smitten.”

Eminem — “Monster” We all remember Eminem’s original song that we thought was someone else’s — no, it wasn’t “My Name Is,” though I certainly personally recall Labbi Sifre’s “I Got The Blues” when I hear that particular breakout hit — it was Stan, with the Phil Collins reference and Dido hook, Monster reminds of ...

Kanye West — “Monster”

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MOTHERS RENDER ANOTHER UGLY METHOD

DUMB SEEING GREEN

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GUERILLA TOSS TWISTED CRYSTAL

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DENNIS HERRERA Queens of the Stone Age — YOU STOLE MY HEART “Monster in the Parasol”

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JW JONES LIVE

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YUKON BLONDE CRITICAL HIT

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THE SEA OPERA CLUB HOLY GHOST

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JOHN CLIFTON NIGHTLIFE

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Everything is Alive gives us life

This extended centrepiece from Kanye’s PFM-approved 10.0 groundbreaking hip-hop recording, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, where Nikki replaces the vocal help of Rhi Rhi, and Yeezy proceeds to foreshadow to the world why in the Trump era we’d all essentially be completely scared of who he really is.

More upbeat, quirky, and perhaps even kitschy than even the recent Third Eye Blind cover of Queens of the Stone Age’s Rrated focal point, “In The Fade,” featuring Mark Lanegan, formerly of Screaming Trees, and currently guesting on the most recent Neko Case release on a powerful murder (?) ballad.

MARTIN CASTRO ARTS EDITOR

We all have good days, and bad days. On the fourth episode of Everything is Alive, Tara, the featured guest, speaks to host Ian Chillang about hers. She says she likes singing. Or, rather, that she likes listening to it. It’s nice, she says. Just as it does for many of us, music holds importance for Tara. Those are the good days, punctuated by singing.

“Well, I’ll tell you a story. I don’t know the circumstances.

All I know was, the small person had done something.” This is Tara, describing a bad day.

“Next thing I know ... small person is there, tall person is there.

Small person is crying. I’m being put into the mouth.”

Tara is a bar of soap. She’s one of the succession of guests that Chillang interviews throughout the podcast. All of them are inanimate objects, which, obviously, is interesting for a number of reasons.

The premise of Everything is Alive, is, to put it bluntly, postmodernist as hell. Much more interestingly, is that it uses the

distance that it places between itself and the kind of thing that it is (a talk show), not just to step outside of the talk-show model, but to step outside of the human model. As funny and lighthearted as these stories are (the pillow who worries that they’re to blame when their owner has a bad night’s sleep), they’re also self-aware enough to lay bare our own preoccupations with a clarity and charisma that’s equally hilarious and unsettling.

Take Louis, the can of offbrand cola (voiced by Louis Kornfeld), who at one point in his chat with Chillang (and after having confided a sense of frustration at having been left at the back of the fridge, forgotten, unconsumed) confides in us his (deeply, deeply, human) troubles. What is he? What is his purpose?

“I’ve thought about this a lot,” says Louis. “I don’t have an answer but it’s something that I wrestle with all the time: what am I, fundamentally?”

He asks the kinds of questions that have made philosophy and organized religion such longlasting institutions in humans’

lives: “All beings endeavour to persist in their own being,” he says, quoting Spinoza and mentioning that he heard it from a cup of coffee.

“But on the other hand, I guess on some level I still hope that I will fulfill myself by being consumed. That dream is still alive.”

That it is a hilarious, troubling, or provocative experience for us to listen to any of the five episodes currently in Everything is Alive’s first season, speaks to the power inherent in storytelling. Each object is uniquely human, and uniquely un-human, but it never stops us from sympathizing (amid bursts of laughter) with every one of their plights, be they consequential or mundane.

Obviously, the podcast can be a distraction from our everyday lives. After all, it is incredibly entertaining. Its power, though, is apparent in the fact that even if we only engage with it as entertainment, we will still have been reminded, explicitly, of what it is to be alive.

Because, as we know, everything is.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2018

Movie Review //

A Simple Favor says to hang up the chick habit MIKAELA COLLINS MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

A Simple Favor is the newest movie from comedy director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat), and is the director’s first foray into the realm of psychological thrillers. It follows Stephanie (played

by Anna Kendrick), a lonely, awkward mommy blogger as she befriends and falls for Blake Lively’s Emily, the chic, absentee mother of her son’s friend. When Emily disappears, Stephanie investigates, and finds out that her best friend and lover is a master manipulator with a troubled and criminal past.

A Simple Favor is a lot of fun, and I have to give it props for being completely and meaningfully female-driven — if Emily and Stephanie were men, or even if they weren’t both moms, the story wouldn’t work as well. Among so many “girl power” reboots of male-centric stories, that’s really refreshing. There’s a comedic twist throughout which worked surprisingly well, and the chemistry between the principle actors is impressive; Kendrick’s comedic chops keep Stephanie on the funny side of cringey, and Lively’s Emily is harsh, selfish, and untouchable, but endlessly

captivating. She dominates every scene, filling out her provocative high-fashion suits with addicting charm. However, Feig loses track of the film’s tone and whom his protagonist is, relying on homophobic tropes to manufacture intrigue and raise the stakes — Emily’s not just being manipulated by her friend or love interest, she’s being manipulated by a woman in a suit who wants to sleep with her: quelle horreur! All of this results in a disappointing ending.

Stephanie and Emily both have tragic backstories, but Stephanie’s isn’t directly tied to the story; it accounts for her bad decisions which drive conflict, but no one is forcing her to make them.

In contrast, Emily’s mistakes are brought back to haunt her by someone else. Emily is manipulative, unreliable, hard-drinking, and selfish, but although we share Stephanie’s perspective, Emily becomes the most sympathetic and likeable character, especially since she’s largely motivated by fear of losing her son.

A Simple Favour is no Psycho, but Emily is something of a Norman Bates — ostensibly, she’s our antagonist, but Stephanie doesn’t make a compelling hero. Which is why it’s so gut-wrenching

when Emily loses. Unlike Norman, we’re not supposed to feel bad for her. Instead, we’re asked to laugh at her when, as the police are coming to arrest her, she gets hit by a car, allowing Stephanie to mock her viciously as she crawls across the asphalt like half-dead roadkill. The rest of the movie strikes an artful balance between seriousness and cracking jokes, but here, each one-liner feels biting, not witty. It’s not just tonally dissonant, it’s also all too familiar in stories about queer women.

A Simple Favour smacks heavily of Hays Code tropes about lesbians, especially seductive butch women like Emily. In movies produced under the Hays Code (a set of “moral guidelines” that informed filmmaking in Hollywood from the 1930s to the mid-60s), lesbians and gay men weren’t uncommon characters, but they either had to die or become straight at the end of the movie. The moral failure associated with their sexuality was usually extrapolated into the rest of their character, making them volatile, antisocial, and abusive in many cases. At first, I was willing to forgive Feig for walking shoulder to shoulder with this canon because the movie

was otherwise so much fun, and I don’t think every queer character needs to be an angel, but then the ending happened. Right before the climax I described, Feig includes the song “Laisser tomber les filles,” an English cover of which is used prominently in Jamie Babbit’s groundbreaking 1999 lesbian comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader. Initially, I was thrilled at the allusion. Naively, I expected it to foreshadow Stephanie and Emily reconciling and ending up together as a lesbian power couple. I know, I’m an idiot.

Literally translated, the title of the song means “leave the girls alone.” In But I’m a Cheerleader,

which is about a teenage lesbian being sent to and escaping from conversion camp, the song is cheeky and ironic. Using it in A Simple Favor makes it clear that Feig wanted to appeal to queer women in the audience, that he was attempting to contribute to queer-inclusive cinema.

However, these are some of the song’s final lyrics: “Hang up the chick habit / Hang it up, daddy, / Or you’ll be alone in a quick / You’re gonna see the reason why / When they’re spitting in your eye / They’ll be spitting in your eye.”

And while I was being asked to laugh at Emily, they didn’t quite ring hollow enough.

Movie Review //

BlacKkKlansman; Can ya dig?

Spike Lee delivers another poignant picture JEN KLASSEN FEATURES EDITOR

In 1992, Denzel Washington starred in Spike Lee’s film, Malcolm X. Now his son takes centre stage in Lee’s newest film, BlacKkKlansman. John David Washington takes on the challenge of playing Ron Stallworth, the first African American cop in Colorado Springs Police Department.

Set in the ‘70s, this true story raptures audiences. Washington owns his scenes, and performs with conviction and heart.

The story unfolds as Stallworth finds himself in the records room, dissatisfied and the constant victim of a particularly racist coworker. He manages to convince his chief that he is capable of more, and lo and behold, flipping through the paper, he stumbles across an advertisement for the Ku Klux Klan, complete with a phone number. What motivates him to call is unclear,

but his fingers dial the number on that rotary phone, and after a beat he speaks to the president of the local KKK chapter, Walter Breachway.

He manages to convince Breachway that he is white, and in total agreeance with what the organization stands for, and is invited to meet the rest of the members. One problem: Stallworth isn’t quite the right fit for the KKK. His partner, Phillip “Flip” Zimmerman (played by Adam Driver of Star Wars fame), a Jewish American, steps in, and the two become one character: the white supremacist American man.

Zimmerman must deny his background, given that the Klan despises Jewish Americans as well. Going through his whole life as a normal white American, Zimmerman must now face the reality of his ancestry. In a reflective moment, Zimmerman admits to Stallworth, “I’ve never thought much about it. Now I think about

it all the time.”

As the story progresses the viewer notices the not-so-subtle allegorical nods and connections to the reality we are living in now.

In a moment between Stallworth and his boss, the conversation turns to how the racism will turn subtle. It will use nuanced language, affirmative action, immigration, and tax reform to sell the idea of racism. “Under all these issues, everyday Americans can accept it, support it, until eventually you get somebody in the white house who embodies it.”

This line is met with incredulous laughter from Stallworth, but it is a not-so-subtle jab at what is currently happening around us.

In one scene there is a very abrupt juxtaposition of a KKK meeting and Harry Belafonte meeting with the Black Student Union, each of them enthralled and appalled at the thread Belafonte unravels. The viewers are catapulted back and forth between the story of a young black

man, convicted in four minutes of a crime he didn’t commit, and the brutal murder that took place as the sentence. Pictures of the event flash across the screen, and a split second later Birth of a Nation, the horrendous “blockbuster” of KKK propaganda is seen with the jubilant cries of the supremacists cheering on the deaths of those whose skin varies from theirs. It’s hard to watch, to stomach — the two extremes. It’s nauseating to believe that people could root so heartily for the death of another.

The portrayal of the Klansman seems like an overdone caricature, almost so overdone that it leaves me incredulous that people such as these exist. With a wife snuggling her racist, jerk of a husband in bed, dreaming of killing African Americans (the epithet for which is used liberally throughout), and a permanently drunk idiot of a Klansmen, I wonder if the exaggerated portrayal undercuts the film’s ability to hit its mark. While the movie

does an amazing job of showing extremes, it fails to show the nuances in the everyday of racism. It left me sad, but also self-congratulatory, that it isn’t me donning a hood and spotless white robe.

The film ends with footage of recent events. Trump on the podium, unable to condemn the acts in Virginia. The horrendous footage of racists chanting at the University of Virginia. David Duke’s praise and support speech of Trump. The murderous rampage of the car on Water Street.

With Heather Heyer’s face still burning my retinas, I sit in the aftermath of watching BlacKkKlansman. Every inch of me wanted to change the channel in my mind to something less uncomfortable than facing this reality. Yet every inch of me knew the desperate importance of staying in, and contemplating, my state of discomfort.

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Refreshing, like a roughly room temperature, over-steeped, tea.