The Cascade Vol. 21 No. 27

Vol. 21 Issue 27

www.ufvcascade.ca

October 23 to October 29, 2013

Saying “I think we’re good!” at the worst possible time since 1993

Abbotsford connects for one day p. 10

How UFV’s marks don’t match up p. 7

BC’s Search and Rescue teams showcase skills p. 11

2

NEWS News

Policy seminar hits Vancouver

The Fraser Institute hosted a free public policy seminar in Vancouver. Hundreds of students from all over the province gathered to hear about the future of policy. Chris DeMarcus has full details on what was said and what we can expect going forward.

pg. 5

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Opinion

Arts & Life

Sports & Health

Think you “suck at math?” Then you’d probably jump on the math anxiety boat. But doesn’t that just put us into a vicious cycle? Math minor Ashley Mussbacher talks about the “fear of math” phenomenon and how our country’s education system should be approaching math as a subject.

Craft beer, local music, and art from up-and-coming lower mainland artists? Why weren’t you there? Christopher DeMarcus will catch you up on what you missed at The Reach’s Young Contemporaries event.

First provincial champions, and now national champions, UFV’s golf teams seem to be in the business of creating legends.

Contributor Nathan Hutton explains that when it comes to hardware, UFV is hitting way above par!

The only thing to fear is ... math?

pg. 7

Art on Tap

We are the champions!

pg. 19

pg. 14

EDITORIAL

Reading with a grain of salt DESSA BAYROCK

THE CASCADE

Occasionally when I tell someone I work for a newspaper, I get an interesting (if not exactly surprising) reaction: a furrowed forehead, a wrinkled nose, squinted eyes. It’s the expression that says, people still care about newspapers? or, I get everything I need from blogs.

It’s the expression that says, I thought print was dead.

You’re thinking it. I’m thinking it. National and local papers have slowly thinned out, transforming into less weighty versions of themselves.

But for now, we’re muddling through the transition period from one state to another. Some are dealing with it better than others. It’s the riddle of the decade: how can print media evolve, and evolve effectively?

The most common—and successful—response is to spread out into new mediums, allowing the internet to infect the way print media runs, changing the pace from day-to-day into minute-by-minute.

Ironically, this means coverage is both better and worse than ever.

The Cascade is pretty lucky in this regard: as a primarily student-subsidized publication, we’re guaranteed the funding we need to print an issue every week. We face the same rising

costs (and lowered self-esteem) as the rest of the industry, but our life as a publication doesn’t depend on advertising.

As a result, we have the opportunity to be idealistic in what we publish and how. If we can’t get a quote or a key piece of information, we don’t have to run it. If an article topic is fluffy or trivial or discussed to death, we don’t have to run it. Perhaps most importantly, if we can’t verify truth behind rumour, we don’t have to run it.

Other publications don’t have the time to make such decisions.

Take, for example, a story that made headlines last week.

You might have seen it make the rounds on Facebook or Reddit in one form or another.

The story? That Oreos may be as addictive as cocaine.

It’s a catchy headline, no matter where it is. The Globe and Mail: “Oreos more addictive than cocaine, study finds.”

The Huffington Post: “Oreos More Addictive Than Cocaine?

Study Shows Cookies Might Produce More Pleasure Than Coke In Rats.” Time magazine: “Oreos May Be As Addictive As Cocaine.”

These are reputable publications, but in the rush to get a hot story out into the world, they missed the facts: the research behind the study was done by

students at Connecticut College. It wasn’t published. It wasn’t peer-reviewed. The gist of it was that rats prefer Oreos over rice crackers—no surprise there—and they also prefer a shot of cocaine or morphine to a shot of saline – again, a nobrainer.

That’s it. That’s the entire correlation between an oreos/ cocaine comparison.

The original story was first published on the Connecticut College website as a look-atthe-cool-research-we-do press release, something that’s common in post-secondary marketing departments; UFV runs similar stories on research done here on a regular basis.

They’re interesting. Sometimes they’re even informative. Their main purpose is to make the college look good to potential students and potential donors.

But they are not news articles.

This is the downside of the digital era: newspapers, magazines, and blogs alike are pressured to run stories as quickly as they hear about them.

While this keeps the content relevant and up-to-the-minute, it also results in error. Here, it made major publications eat their own words like so many Oreos; several that ran the initial story have now run secondary stories that imply they never misinterpreted the infor-

mation to begin with.

The problem lies in placing too much trust in first reports, or, in some case, rumours.

“Oreos are addictive” isn’t a headline likely to harm anyone, and other misinterpretations are downright funny – such as satirical stories from CBC’s This is That or The Onion taken as fact.

In other cases, however, overeager reports can be damaging or even dangerous: take the coverage of the Sandy Hook school shooting last year, in which media incorrectly reported Ryan Lanza as an initial suspect.

It’s an extreme example, but it’s also an important lesson.

The Cascade doesn’t suffer the same level of pressure to get the story out as soon as possible. At the end of the day, we can err on the side of caution, and follow the simplest of guidelines: Is it true? Is it fair?

Is it necessary?

But in the larger realm of journalism, information is power. If a competitor has it, the pressure is on to match or beat it before the audience migrates elsewhere.

In a transition where the fleeting eyes of readers are the most tangible way to keep papers in the black, keep that in mind – and take in everything you read (and see, and watch) with a grain of salt.

UPCOMING EVENTS October 24

October 24

October 24

Until October 31

Michael Dayan discusses filmmaking

Harlequin in the Attic

CIVL’s guess that tune

Halloween trick-or-eat

UFV faculty member Michael Dayan is sharing his experiences as an award-winning filmmaker: what inspires him, how does style factor in? There will also be a screening of his most recent film High Plains Doctor and a Q&A session to follow. Event begins at 2 p.m. in B121 on the Abbotsford campus.

UFV theatre department’s Heather DavisFisch presents this unique event at The Reach Art Gallery in Abbotsford.

Theatre played a pivotal role during the Royal Navy’s search for the Franklin Expedition, which disappeared late in the 19th century. The talk will detail the significance that theatre had on board as they sailed into the Arctic.

Cover Image by Anthony Biondi

Come out to AfterMath at 6 p.m. and reclaim a skill that has been lost to the iPhone.

Guess that tune! CIVL radio is hosting a night of musical game show antics and AfterMath has beer on special. It’s win-win.

In the midst of putting the final touches on this year’s winning costume, why not donate to the food bank? The SUS advocacy committee is accepting non-perishable donations this spooky season.

As well, get involved on October 31 by joining SUS as they collect donations around campus for their annual food drive.

Printed by International Web exPress

Volume 21 · Issue 27 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-chief dessa@ufvcascade.ca Dessa Bayrock Managing editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular Business manager joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Online editor ashley@ufvcascade.ca Ashley Mussbacher Production manager stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour Art director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Copy editor katie@ufvcascade.ca Katie Stobbart News editor jess@ufvcascade.ca Jess Wind Opinion editor nadine@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt Arts & life editor sasha@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports editor esau@ufvcascade.ca Paul Esau Photojournalist blake@ufvcascade.ca Blake McGuire News writer katherine@ufvcascade.ca Katherine Gibson Staff writer christopher@ufvcascade.ca Christopher DeMarcus Production assistant production@ufvcascade.ca Kaitlyn Gendemann Contributors Taylor Breckles, Martin Castro, Valerie Franklin, Jeremy Hannaford, Nathan Hutton, and Tim Ubels The Cascade is UFV’s autonomous student newspaper. It provides a forum for UFV students to have their journalism published. It also acts as an alternative press for the Fraser Valley. The Cascade is funded with UFV student funds. The Cascade is published every Wednesday with a circulation of 1500 and is distributed at UFV campuses and throughout Abbotsford, Chilliwack, and Mission. The Cascade is a member of the Canadian University Press, a national cooperative of 75 university and college newspapers from Victoria to St. John’s. The Cascade follows the CUP ethical policy concerning material of a prejudicial or oppressive nature.

Submissions are preferred in electronic format through e-mail. Please send submissions in “.txt” or “.doc” format only.

Articles and letters to the editor must be typed.

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. The writer’s name and student number must be submitted with each submission. Letters to the editor must be under 250 words if intended for print. Only one letter to the editor per writer in any given edition.

Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect that of UFV, Cascade staff and collective, or associated members.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

3

NEWS

Greenpeace docks in North Vancouver for Keeping up on campus an exhibition of the Rainbow Warrior III CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS

THE CASCADE

On a cool and crisp fall day at the Wallace Dry Dock in North Vancouver, a diverse group of curious activists and community members lined up to board Greenpeace’s flagship vessel, the Rainbow Warrior.

The queue was filled with artists, punk rockers, filmmakers, families, tourists, and everyone in between.

The one thing everyone in the crowd had in common was a dream for a better, more just, world.

Eva, who led groups through the ship to meet some of the crew, is one of the head fundraisers for Greenpeace’s office in Canada.

“Our Vancouver office put in a request for the ship. Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver, and we wanted to bring our biggest symbol to its place Image: Christopher DeMarcus of origin,” she explained.

The Rainbow Warrior is the third of its kind in Greenpeace’s environmental sailing ships.

Eva led a small group of curious families onto the boat, where she introduced them to deck hand Nazareth Sanzini from Italy. Sanzini crossed the Pacific to get to Vancouver, sailing from Thailand.

“90 per cent of the time we get power from the sails. We use the power of wind. The rare moments when there is no wind, we use a back-up diesel engine,” he explained.

The masts of the ship towered 55 metres high, massive for a vessel that is only 60 metres long. Fully opened, the sails are able to catch 1,200 square feet of wind.

“The journey from Taiwan took about a month,” Sanzini explained. “We have been to five continents in the past two years. There are 60 people working on the ship at one time, and almost 60 different nationalities. There are both activists and science professionals.”

This Rainbow Warrior is not the first or even the second to bear the name, but the third.

Image: Christopher DeMarcus Back in 1985 the first ship was The ship’s presence drew controversy to Vancouver, including a GMO protest. sunk by the French government while it was protesting a helipad. Despite being a ship Eva went on to explain how there was also The Golden Rice a nuclear test off the coast of with large sails, the Rainbow the ship is funded, and how Project, a group lead by former New Zealand. After two de- Warrior has been designed to people might be able to get in- Greenpeace president Patrick cades of worldwide service, accept visitors via helicopter. volved.

Moore. the second Rainbow Warrior Helicopter pilots are often sur“It cost €35 million to build “Greenpeace is responsible was sold to Friendship, a Ban- prised to see a sail-powered the ship – all of the funding for the deaths of thousands by gladesh non-governmental or- ship that is able to accommo- crowd-sourced from individu- denying them access to golden ganization (NGO) which now date chopper landings in the als and foundations,” she ex- rice,” blasted Moore’s megauses it as a hospital ship. middle of a rolling sea, ex- plained. “If you want to work phone at the crowd. “The only Austrian crewman Manuel plained Brook, a crew member with us here on the boat, the difference between golden rice Marinelli described what it’s from Halifax. only experience you need to and white rice is the added beta like to travel “The job we volunteer with carotene, which on the open sea draw straws for Greenpeace [is] “There is an provides vitamin in the southern “Greenpeace is having to get having the ability A to those that equator. need it.” was founded in under the heli- to speak English. amazing view “As soon as copter to secure However, we get of the stars Greenpeace has Vancouver, and it when it lands. about 20,000 apyou get south drawn a hardthe night sky we wanted to As much as the plications a year, that you can’t line against GMO becomes much bring our bighelicopter pilot and only have get anywhere foods and supclearer. There is doesn’t like land- two open posiprotests else than in the ported an amazing view gest symbol to ing on the ship, tions.” against it. This of the stars that its place of oriit’s not fun to get Despite the im- middle of the has caused a split you can’t get anyunder the chop- pressive techniamong environocean.” where else than gin.” per while the cal and social asmentalists. in the middle blades are still pects of the boat, However, it of the ocean,” he said. “We spinning and the deck is rock- its presence drew in controver- would appear that Moore’s see things like glowing green ing back and forth,” he said. sy. The same day the Rainbow message was poorly underhumpback whales. It’s like the “Despite that, the past two Warrior was docked, a pro- stood, as most in the crowd asmovie Life of Pi, but completely years serving on the Rainbow test against GMOs was taking sumed that he was part of the real.” have been an experience of a place in downtown Vancou- anti-GMO protest.

The stern of the ship features lifetime. I wouldn’t trade it for ver, just across the harbor. In one of its most unique assets: anything.” a counter to the GMO protest,

History degree, now what?

Join a panel of UFV history grads as they share what they’re dong now, what they wish they had known and what they’re glad they did.

Event starts at 5:30 p.m. in B121 on the Abbotsford campus. They’re serving refreshments!

UFV can write The UFV writing centre hosted its 23 annual writing centre awards. With a formal ceremony held in A225, students accepted awards for excellence in a variety of categories. Check back for full coverage.

Shuttle referendum The SUS shuttle referendum is here. Head on over to myUFV.ca to cast your vote.

Do you approve of an $11 increase to the transit fee per semester on an ongoing basis to accommodate an increase to the shuttle service?

GreenSPEAK blogs The GreenSPEAK series occurs every Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. in U-House on the Abbotsford campus.

Starting with the October 15 presentation, The Cascade will be recording and posting the talks online.

Visit ufvcascade.ca to stay up-to-date with this environmentally conscious speaker series happening at UFV.

Have a news tip?

Let us know!

Email news@ufvcascade.ca or tweet at @CascadeNews

4

DESSA BAYROCK

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013

SCIENCE ON PURPOSE Internet – at the speed of light?

THE CASCADE

It’s practically a law of physics that no matter how fast your internet connection is, you wish it were faster. But much faster internet might be on the horizon. How much faster, you may ask?

Well, how about the speed of light?

Wi-Fi technology currently relies on radio waves to get data from device to device, but the future might see streaming data in the form of light, using an ordinary LED light bulb and a programmable chip.

Dr. Harald Haas first introduced this idea (otherwise known as “Li-Fi”) in a 2011 TED talk titled “Wireless Data From Every Lightbulb.” He proposed that an LED light could be programmed to flicker in a precise pattern, which could then be picked up by a sensor on another device. The flicker would be too fast to be seen by the human eye, meaning that the LED would still function as a regular light source.

The best current example of this kind of technology might surprise you: remote controls.

When not hopelessly lost or jammed between the couch cushions, remote controls operate on an infrared wavelength to communicate information to a television or stereo. Theoretically, Li-Fi would work on the same principle – but instead of a single stream of information connecting remote to TV, imagine dozens or hundreds of streams communicating at once.

Light has all sorts of benefits over radio waves. First of all, as Haas notes in his TED talk, radio waves are limited.

“They are scarce, they are expensive, and we only have a certain range,” he says. “It is this limitation that doesn’t cope with demand … we are simply running out of spectrum.”

By moving from the radio spectrum over to the visible light spectrum, the range available to stream data would multiply by 10,000. This would keep wireless signals from overlapping – such as in airplanes or certain areas in hospitals, where cell phones and laptops must be shut off to avoid confusing other radio wave-based equipment.

Light is also more secure

Rocky Horror hits AfterMath TAYLOR BRECKLES

CONTRIBUTOR

The fishnets were finally broken out at Aftermath after The Rocky Horror Picture Show pub night had been postponed twice.

Held on October 17, the event successfully time warped through the evening.

Regarding the delay, AfterMath events and marketing manager Stephanie Martin did not comment at press time.

The evening featured a showing of the 1975 British musical/comedy/horror film on the student lounge’s projector screen.

Accompanied by for-purchase gift bags and food, AfterMath was well prepared to make this event, hosted by the Student Union Society (SUS), one worth waiting for.

SUS president Shane Potter explained the choice of film for their pub night turned movie night.

“Cult followings are always a fun choice [and] people know the film and can get involved.”

Thus the show was put on, and because of the gift bags the show was interactive, as is often tradition when The Rocky Horror Show is performed live.

Events timed with scenes from the film, such as throwing rice through a wedding scene, snapping gloves along with one of the main characters, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, during the unveiling of his creation, Rocky, and tossing pieces of toast across the room as “toast” was cried out at the

Image: Kevin Dooley/ flickr

Eventually, turning your lights on could let you check Twitter. than radio waves: currently, Wi-Fi sends out a certain radius regardless of walls or barriers. This means that the signal is more easily borrowed by neighbours (as any student in an apartment complex can gratefully attest) but even password-protected signals are subject to drive-by hacking. Light, on the other hand, stops when it hits a wall; any wireless signals would be easily confined to a home.

Even if you wanted to turn the light off, Haas says the signal could be rigged to continue working.

“You can dim down the light to a level that it appears to be off, and you are still able to transmit data,” he says.

Finally, light has the capacity to transfer data much faster than radio waves can: Haas demonstrated an LED device streaming data at 10 megabits per second (Mbps) during his

www.ufvcascade.ca

talk, and hypothesized that it had the capacity to reach up to 3 gigabits per second (Gbps).

Since his TED talk, Haas has dedicated himself to figuring out the details of Li-Fi, founding a company called PureVLC to look into it.

Meanwhile, researchers at a Chinese university announced last week that they’ve made progress on the project, producing a lightbulb and microchip combination capable of simultaneously streaming to four computers at a speed of 150 mbps – nearly three times the speed of an average wireless connection. For context, UFV’s secure wireless connection operates at 54 mbps.

Xinhua News states that “Chinese people are replacing the old-fashioned incandescent bulbs with LED lightbulbs at a fast pace,” to prepare for a massive transition from Wi-Fi to Li-Fi, but Nikola Serafimovski, a PureVLC spokesperson, told BBC that they’re skeptical.

“We’re just as surprised as everyone else by this announcement,” Serafimovski says, “How valid this is we don’t know without seeing more evidence.”

Campus food bank about to become reality KATHERINE GIBSON

THE CASCADE

Image: Blake McGuire

Cult film fans rejoice.

dinner table scene were highlights of the evening’s festivities.

Only one well-dressed fan stood up to participate in the Time Warp dance, but singing was heard throughout the songs; much to the shock of both passersby and those new to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

There was much murmuring during the film as excited fans got ready for their favourite songs and whispers about what was transpiring were exchanged. Even after the film, AfterMath was abuzz with delighted students, for as Dr. Frank-N-Furter once said, “a mental mind-fuck can be nice.”

This past July, the Student Union Society’s (SUS) advocacy committee began discussing bringing a food bank service to UFV campuses. Now, two months later, it’s becoming a reality.

It officially opens October 25 on the Abbotsford campus, and the food bank will be ready for student use the following Monday. SUS VP academic Kristianne Hendricks explains that the food bank was initially supposed to coincide with the opening of the new student union building (SUB).

“Originally, we had planned to only create a business plan.

We hadn’t been intending to open it until the new [SUB] was opened,” she says. “But then we became aware of the fact that the Abbotsford food bank was quite happy to be in partnership with us, and that all we needed to do was provide space.”

Unlike other food bank initiatives, this resource will not involve handing out hampers but rather will allow participants to shop within the stores of available food. The food bank will give students more choice in the food they receive by awarding students various levels of points, depending on their situation and family needs.

“This is not a ‘hamper’ system,” Hendricks notes. “So, if you have food allergies or

Image: F Delventhal

SUS brings students in need an on-campus food bank. even dislikes, you’ll still be able to access [the food] and get things that you can use.”

Due to the program being relatively new, the food bank will only be located on the Abbotsford campus. However, Hendricks does not rule out the possibility of this program expanding to the other campuses in the future.

“At this point in time, we don’t have the space to open another location in Chilliwack,” she notes, “but it’s not something that we are not thinking about – it’s just not there yet.”

For Hendricks, this system also holds personal meaning and importance, having been a participant in university food bank programs in the past herself.

“I have used on-campus food banks in the past. The

very first time I went it was terrifying. It was a really scary experience,” she says.

“But, as soon as I got there, I realized that it was okay, that it was there to help [me]. The [food bank] is meant to help you get through a situation.

It’s not a stigma – everybody goes through points of need in their lives.”

Beyond her own personal connection, Hendricks believes that having this service on campus will enhance the overall student body experience.

“University is about synergy, about working together, and about learning from each other,” she explains. “If you’re helping the people that you’re working with, you’re going to benefit ... It’s a good thing for everybody to be taken care of.”

5

NEWS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Lack of standardized percentage scale means discrepancies in UFV transfer grades ASHLEY MUSSBACHER

THE CASCADE

How do students know if the grades they receive at UFV have the same weight as those given by larger universities like UBC? According to UFV’s website, there is no standardized percentage versus letter grade scale.

UFV grades are weighted based on a grade point average (GPA) scale, with 4.33 being the highest. Even though 4.00 equals a standard A grade, there is no percentage policy to

determine at what point a student deserves an A. Instead percentages are governed per department, or are at the instructor’s discretion.

According to UFV’s communications department’s grade scale, a student may receive an A- once he or she has achieved 88 per cent. For Business Administration students an A- is 85 per cent. Both A- grades, even though they are different percentages, are equal in GPA (3.67).

As to the discrepancies, VP academic and provost Eric Da-

vis did not offer comment at press time.

The University of British Columbia’s (UBC) associate director of public affairs, Randy Schmidt, explains why UBC does not use a GPA system and prefers to use percentages instead.

“UBC has never used a GPA system,” he says. “I understand that in 1986 we did formally consider adopting a GPA system but there were objections as it would provide less information than a percentage system, due to loss of granularity

(i.e., a 73 per cent and a 75 per cent result in the same GPA).”

UBC provides an online scale of percentages, letter grades, and GPA conversion that applies to all courses and all departments. Meanwhile UFV admits that percentages given in one department “may differ from other courses and programs,” according to its website.

If a student transfers from UFV to UBC, their grades will need to be converted to UBC’s scale. Grades will be converted from GPA to a percentage

Fraser Institute explores public policy issues at student seminar CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS

THE CASCADE

The Fraser Institute explored neuroeconomics, income inequality, and social philosophy at its recent public policy seminar in Vancouver. The audience, made up of at least 200 undergrad and post-grad students from as far away as Prince George, piled into the Renaissance Hotel on October 18 to discuss economics and public policy.

While the focus was on economic policy, the audience was filled with a dynamic range of disciplines: nursing, business administration, sociology, political science, and environmental planning.

“Your brain itself is an economic system. Drug use interferes and damages your ability to be empathic and care about others,” explained keynote speaker and neuroscientist Paul Zak, who is the author of the recently published book The Moral Molecule. “Evolutionary history has shown that we’re meant to connect with each other.”

Zak has identified a scientific factor that regulates compassion in the brain: a hormone called oxytocin. He measures the amount of oxytocin in the blood stream of individuals after they have gone through a ritualistic or social event; a wedding, a religious ceremony, or community celebration. After the bonding event, Zak has participants play a computer game that tests their charitability. His studies have found a link between communal living and high levels of oxytocin.

“It’s Adam Smith’s moral argument of self-regulation,” Zak said. “Oxytocin creates a feedback loop that builds stronger bonds. Stronger trust in communities can release oxytocin.

You can use the ‘L Word,’ it’s just biology.”

Zak’s push for stronger trust in society has earned him the nickname “Dr. Love.”

Image: Christopher DeMarcus

The Fraser Institute’s speaker series focused on economics, among other subjects.

But better communities and and higher levels of trust don’t guarantee a perfect world.

“Psychopaths make up two per cent of the population, yet they make up 40 per cent of the prison population,” Zak explained. “It’s not that psychopaths’ brains don’t manufacture oxytocin; their brains don’t respond to it in the same way.”

On the classical economics front, the Fraser Institute’s vice president Jason Clemens had the daunting task of fitting his presentation on deficit spending, income inequality, and healthcare reform into 30 short minutes.

“One thing that many people don’t understand is that there is good and bad debt. Good debt is spending on things that we can use for the long term: infrastructure, bridges, and K-12 education. Bad debt is short-term assets,” he said.

“Deficit spending is a structural problem over all. Nine out of 10 provinces are in deficit spending.”

Clemens talked at length about how the public incorrectly understands income inequality.

“15 to 16 per cent of the econ-

omy is underground. 12 to 25 systems to test new ideas and per cent of self-employed in- see what works.” come goes unreported. Instead Ravina Bains, also a Fraser of looking at the income data, Institute researcher, presented we should look at the con- after Clemens on the need for sumption data,” he said. dialogue between First Nations There was not enough time to people and governments with address how personal debt like regards to energy projects. credit cards plays a role in con“There isn’t a single new oil sumption, but Clemens made it and gas project that isn’t on clear that he wanted to focus First Nations’ land. One third on the issue of lower income of Canada’s First Nations popover the issue of inequality. ulation lives in BC, mostly in “What the evidence tells us rural parts of the North. This is that if you don’t have a high population is the fastest growschool education and you are ing in Canada, at a rate six a single parent, times faster than you’re going to “Your brain the national averhave a really hard itself is an ecoage,” she said. time getting out Bains expressed of the lower in- nomic system... that creating a come category. evolutionary dialogue between These are the First Nations peohistory has people we need ple is essential to to focus on,” he shown that forming educaexplained before tional standards we’re meant to that can be mutuadding some final points about connect with ally agreed upon health care poli- each other.” between governcy. ments.

“Thinking about having only “Chevron [and other energy a U.S.-style or Canadian-style companies] will provide skills healthcare system is silly. We training and education as a can look to adopt working com- partnership in these projects,” ponents from other countries,” she explained before respondhe said. “The character of fed- ing that the new energy develeralism allows the provincial opment projects will provide

equivalent.

On this scale, UFV’s 3.67 GPA, which was an A-, will land between 79 and 80 per cent. UBC’s A- is weighted at 80 per cent (3.70 GPA) – slightly higher than the mark received at UFV. This means that either the grades are inflated by 0.03 GPA to match, or UFV’s Aturns into UBC’s B+.

A small but significant change.

one third of the heat for the province.

As much as public policy is about economics and neuroscience, it is also about culture and communications. Dr. Steven Globerman from the Center of International Business at Western Washington University was there to present research on the regulation of cultural industries in Canada.

“If Canadian content rules are there to support Canadian identity, shouldn’t Canadian identity be clearly defined?” asked Globerman. “51 per cent of broadcast content on Canadian TV is required to be Canadian. It’s extremely difficult to get straightforward reports, but we do know that $1.8 billion in tax credits is given to Canadian film makers. If you limit [programming choices for viewers], they are worse off.”

The conference was closed by professor Roberta Herzberg from Utah State University.

Drawing from utilitarian philosophy, Herzberg pointed out the new problem of healthcare reform.

“Public policy has to deal with moral consequences, those problems become much more complex when they enter the social arena,” she said.

“We are being hurt by our own success. The 95-year-old who is healthy and didn’t smoke is taking up 30 more years of healthcare than the 65-year-old smoker.”

Her point was not to keep people smoking, rather that public policy has moved deeper into the realm of moral philosophy as it struggles with new issues in palliative care, organ transplants, and preventative health.

For students, the speakers provided a massive amount of access to groundbreaking research and ideas. While the Fraser Institute generally focuses on economics inside of public policy, arguments from all spheres of knowledge were shared and respected.

6

OPINION

OPINION

SNAPSHOTS

Cereal – adults only!

Katie Stobbart Strolling down the narrow aisles of a store the other day in search of cereal, I noticed something interesting: the giant wall of cereal was further separated into sections.

Sugary cereals with brightly coloured marshmallow shapes, catchy names, and fun mascots are shelved under the label, “Kids Cereal” and the same varieties in larger boxes are “Family Cereal.” Farther down the aisle, smaller boxes of cereal with higher fibre content and less sugar are filed under “Adult Cereal.”

Really? So even cereal can be 18+ now?

Will I have to show two pieces of ID to buy it?

It’s no secret that sugar-filled cereal is designed to entice (and addict) children.

That’s where the fun shapes and happy leprechauns come in. But I think what disturbs me is that this takes the next step: not only are these cereals marketed to children, they are categorized as what children are “supposed” to eat.

Healthy cereal, like spinach and broccoli, is just for grown-ups.

Don’t medicalize personality

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Curtailed commentary on current conditions

Skip the tip, not the bill

Editing is academic dishonesty

Christopher Demarcus

VALERIE FRANKLIN

TAYLOR BRECKLES

Ritalin and Adderall are the new cocaine.

Vicodin and Percocet are the new heroin. We need a fix. The drug companies are happy to rationalize one for us. And if you can’t get your hands on the good stuff, you can always get your hands on the green stuff.

Support your local grower! We treat drugs like a health supplement or economic duty.

We always need to fix something about ourselves. We take pills for symptoms of anxiety, paranoia, and loneliness. But we are not sick. We are canaries in a coal mine, huffing the fumes from pharmaceutical and tech companies that want to make us sick to sell us a cure.

I’m not against drugs, but I’m against using drugs to fix people’s souls. Drug-taking is nothing more than a vacation from reality. Sure, sometimes you need a getaway, but let’s not kid ourselves. Long gone are the days of Aldous Huxley’s LSD exploration.

We take drugs today to forget who we are: human beings. If we don’t move away from our zombie obsession for the next fix, we will never be free.

The other day, I talked to someone looking for a tutor. What did he want help with?

“An essay,” he said.

Turns out he didn’t just want a tutor. He wanted someone to help him come up with an essay topic, connect the ideas, proofread, polish it up – all but write the damn thing.

He insisted that there are no rules against having your paper edited, that it’s a form of tutoring.

I looked it up, and the university’s rules are pretty specific about getting someone else to do your work for you – but, as he pointed out, the administration doesn’t seem to mind the dozens of posters around campus that advertise writing and editing services for student papers.

Helping someone with their work isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but correcting or co-writing an assignment that someone else will be graded for is obviously not cool.

With written assignments, where does editing stop and academic dishonesty begin?

And why doesn’t administration look more closely at the services that are being advertised all over their school?

Within the past week, I’ve heard rumours about some undesirable goings-on in AfterMath; apparently people have been walking out of the restaurant before paying for their meal.

If you are going to order something—and eat it—you should have to pay for it. Yes, AfterMath’s service can be slow; and yes, some of the staff can be forgetful, but those are not justifiable reasons for sticking your waiter or waitress with the bill.

I have experienced the frustration of having to leave and struggling to get my bill, and I know how exasperating it can be. But the servers are students just like the rest of us, so we should be able to understand, at least sympathize.

There is no justifiable reason to walk out of a restaurant without paying the bill, even if it is a student-run facility.

The next time you visit AfterMath, if you don’t enjoy yourself, you don’t have to tip, but at least settle up.

UFV lags woefully behind in plastic bottle policy

NADINE MOEDT

THE CASCADE

In 2010, UFV’s visual arts department banned the use of plastic bottles inside their studio classrooms. It was a step in the right direction, but since then we haven’t seen any further progress.

Why have we not joined the likes of the University of Toronto, Concordia, and Vancouver Island University, and banned plastic water bottles on campus?

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that out of the 32 million tons of plastic produced in the States per year, only eight per cent finds its way into a recycle bin. In a landfill, plastic takes a minimum of 450 years to break down.

While recycling and reusing is an important step to keeping plastic out of landfills, it’s not as green as one might assume. Sorting and melting down the material for reuse uses massive amounts of energy in itself.

It’s interesting to look at the issue through a psychological lens.

Most UFV students are aware to some extent that plastic bottles have a negative effect on our environment. And we would love to think that the self-proclaimed environmentalists would not buy plastic water bottles, just as we would love to think that those same people would generally act

Image: Nadine Moedt

Outside the visual arts department, UFV has done little to combat the use of plastic water bottles. in an environmentally conscious way.

In other words, we would love to think our attitudes affect our behaviour.

Yet this isn’t always the case.

The relationship between our behaviour and our attitudes is a little more complex than that. People think one way and act another.

Attitudes are often not expressed

through behaviour because they conflict with social norms, or with each other.

Some of the same people who would describe themselves as environmentally conscious buy plastic water bottles on a regular basis.

In many cases, behaviour itself initiates a change in attitudes, not the other way around.

If attitudes and behaviours

change when we are motivated to maintain consistent thought, why not just highlight the inconsistencies many students feel through a new policy at UFV? Ban water bottles and create that social norm.

Outside the visual arts department, UFV has done little to combat the use of plastics. Recycling bins are positioned around campus, where empties are dutifully

disposed of; you can buy reusable bottles at the bookstore; and there are two filtered water stations for those who need them on campus.

Changing attitudes is a complicated business. Hoping for people to stop buying plastic water bottles by waiting for them to change or internalize their attitudes is a long process. As far as I’m concerned, we should no longer have the right to purchase a plastic water bottle, because doing so is infringing on other people’s right to a healthy environment.

So let’s skip the whole attitudechanging business and just create social norms around the behaviour. UFV has to take initiative: direct action will yield direct results.

We can say with near certainty that Sodexo won’t suddenly stop selling bottled water. So here’s how UFV could do it: ban plastic water bottles in the classroom. Post signs on classroom doors or have game instructors write on their syllabi that plastic water bottles will not be permitted in their classes.

Put up posters. These would result in a two-pronged approach: the posters raise awareness about the negative effects of plastic water bottles that might work to changing attitudes, while attempting to enforce a social norm.

If UFV is serious about being environmentally conscious, it would take the initiative and pull the plug on plastics.

7

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013

Math deficiency a cycle of neglect, not “math anxiety” www.ufvcascade.ca

Now it’s called math anxiety.

This “fear” of math has been studied since the 1970s, and laIn elementary school, teachers belled a phenomenon. Several used to make us write short math different websites offer tips for quizzes that were timed, forcing reducing the symptoms of math us to complete a page full of mul- anxiety, which include asking tiplication, division, addition, and questions of your teacher, relying on practice rather than memorizasubtraction within tion, and developthe span of 60 sec“When I look ing responsibility onds. It was hell. I for your own sucat a math probspent most of the cesses and failures. time starting down lem, my mind These are all great at my sparkly-blue suggestions when goes completerunning shoes and it comes to any sublistening to the ly blank. I feel ject, but there’s one sound of 20 pencils stupid, and I problem: these tips scratching hastily at the paper. From can’t remember assume the symptoms are the cause. that moment on, I how to do even In 2009, Service hated math.

Canada posted a Back then if you the simplest report that studied couldn’t write a things.” secondary school test, no matter the teachers and emsubject, it meant – quote from Math ployment rates. It you hadn’t done the Academy did not come as work, or prepared a surprise to find enough for it. That giant red “F” on that “school boards are complaintop of the page used to mean your own failure, and your responsi- ing about the shortage of qualified bility. It was an embarrassment. staff in some subjects, a shortage And it was absolutely terrifying to due to lack of graduates in those subjects.” The subjects listed were show it to your parents.

It was enough of a slap in the French, mathematics, science, and face when I failed that math quiz to English as a second language. So, make me try harder so I wouldn’t is it possible the lack of math professionals in teaching might be afhave to go through it all again.

ASHLEY MUSSBACHER

THE CASCADE

fecting student learning outcomes?

Well, that’s a no-brainer.

York University’s dean of education Ron Owston, in the Globe and Mail said that “the arts are always a valuable foundation for teaching.

However, we do need more applicants to our programs with math and science backgrounds.”

According to University Affairs, a school district in Ontario has about 161 positions to fill each year, many of them part-time. On any given year since 2005 the number of applications received to that school board alone add up into thousands.

Math Academy states that Russia and Germany treat mathematics as an essential part of literacy, and “an educated person would be chagrined to confess ignorance of basic mathematics.” Both of these countries have ranked highest in mathematics for centuries. No surprise there.

We are in a vicious cycle. Students in their primary and secondary education are likely being taught math by teachers who do not have math degrees, and in turn the students develop mediocre calculation and problem-solving skills. If they move onto post-secondary education they apply to the arts, believing that they are incapable of math-related subjects, and

Image: Anthony Biondi

Slapping a label on the “math anxiety” issue ignores the problem therefore the education system is bombarded with massive amounts of art faculty resumes.

This doesn’t mean that “F” I received on my math quiz in elementary school was my teacher’s fault, nor does it mean I’m incompetent in mathematics.

Our country’s education system needs to take into consideration that people learn math at different levels, and by different methods, and throwing a teacher into an over-stuffed classroom of 35 students to regurgitate the textbook at them is not enough.

There needs to be more support in both elementary and secondary school for math courses; group work during class time that consists of solving practice problems, short unit-oriented lectures that do not take up the entire block, and discussions of different study methods. In short, communication needs to be improved.

We have to understand that slapping a label on a widespread problem such as “math anxiety” is not going to fix it, rather we will just bury it further and further under the rug.

Harper wants you to believe in his economics, not reality CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS

THE CASCADE

After years of snubbing the media, the Harper government allowed cameras to come record the PM’s speech to his caucus – but no reporters were allowed. The Harper plan backfired, and the major news networks did not send cameras or reporters. That evening, Harper’s speech was absent form the evening news broadcast, with the exception, of course, of Sun News.

Despite this setback for Mr Harper, the recent throne speech has activated an extensive media campaign by blue tories. But don’t let their leftist language confuse you. Pundits for the party of big capital are using language from the left to make them sound more centrist.

As rhetoric hit the airwaves and internet on Wednesday, almost every talking head from the Harper government was kicking out phrases like “against the status quo” and “reasonable and responsible.” They want you to think that they are not the cause of status quo problems, and they want you to forget about that thing called the Senate.

A quick lesson about the job of the Senate. The Senate is appointed by the Prime Minister. They’re a bit of a glorified rubber stamp, but

Image: Johnathan Nightengale

Don’t let the human face of the Harper government fool you. they have a purpose: to examine and double-check the bills made over in the House of Commons, the guys and gals that we vote for.

When we have a majority government, like we do today, most bills slip right on through. But the stamping process by the Senate does allow time for public reflection. The Senate is a kind of checkpoint to ask, “Are we sure about

this?” before the bill can be put into law.

It’s been a long-time running joke that senators get their cushy appointments as a reward for serving their party. They take little time analyzing bills and spend most of their days on beaches in Tahiti.

Well, that joke became real last year when four senators got busted for claiming housing and trav-

elling costs for which they were not eligible. They were skimming.

Stealing from you, the taxpayer.

How much? Senator Mike Duffy paid back $90,000 to try and make amends. So at least that much.

The senate scandal made the Harper government, one which runs on the platform of a clean fiscal policy, look like a pack of dirty Liberals. So, our PM prorogued

Have an opinion about something? Share it with us.

parliament. Harper says he did it to focus on economic growth – most think it was to get people’s minds off the Senate scandal.

Now here we all are, a democratic government back in the saddle of law-making. And being a democracy, Harper’s new message is all about you, the consumer. He promises to make cable and cellphone bills lower and concert tickets cheaper. Something that was already in the works from industry regulators.

What is going on here with the “consumer first” talk and the pretend rebellion against crony capitalism is pure propaganda. What the Harper government wants is economic power. For them, all quality of life is tied to one thing: commodities.

The promise of cheaper stuff is like candy being thrown to children at a Canada Day parade.

We’re excited. We feel like we’re getting something. But that sweet taste of cheaper trade with the EU will run out. The overspending on prisons and security will have dire consequences.

Don’t let the human face of the Harper government fool you.

What they want is expansion of the status quo. They will work tirelessly, hand-in-hand with robocalls and the oil industry to put all of our economic eggs in the same resource extraction basket.

Comment on our website or email your thoughts to Editor@ufvcascade.ca

8

OPINION

OPINION

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

What is your favorite nail polish colour this season?

Feel like sharing your short-andsweet opinion? Keep an eye out for our whiteboard-toting pollsters roaming the halls.

9

ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

SUDOKU PUZZLE

CROSSWORD Hodgepodge

by Valerie Franklin

ACROSS 3.

Cozying up to your sweetie. (7) 4.

One of the basic tastes; not bitter, sour, or salty. (5) 7.

Most people have 46 of these. (11) 8.

Leaves in hot water. (3) 10.

An unfilled position or emptiness. (7) 12.

A pretty white bead that comes from a shell. (5) 14.

In ancient medicine, four of these were thought to govern the human body.

Today, they just make us laugh. (7)

DOWN 1.

This spicy tree bark tastes great in apple cider. (8) 2.

A scientist who examines substances and how they interact. (7) 5.

You probably won’t panic if you see smoke coming from this part of the house. (7) 6.

A small house often used as a summer getaway. (7) 9.

You might have had one of these in which you forgot to wear pants to school. (5) 11.

A musical insect that always worsens awkward silences.

13.

A sudden silence, or how you might tell a child to be quiet. (4)

Answer Keys LAST WEEK

sudoku solution

Across 2 WOOLSOCKS 6 HUGS 9 BLANKET 10 THERMOSTAT

Down 1 HOT CHOCOLATE 3 JUMPINGJACKS 4 SPACEHEATER 5 SHOWER 7 SWEATER 8 VACATION

The Weekly Horoscope Star Signs from Sumas Sibyl Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18: Don’t go down the rabbit hole. Ew. That’s definitely illegal.

Gemini: May 21 - June 21: It’s true love. Go for it. S/he’s your lobster.

Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22: You’re either going to work at Krusty Krab or work as Krusty the Clown… I don’t know. But there’s definitely something crusty coming up.

Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20: Better check out what’s going down on the Street. Word is, Big Bird’s talking smack about you.

Cancer: June 22 - July 22: Your future is whatever you want it to be. Haha! No. Your future is rotten.

Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21: You’re one of the lucky ones.

You don’t have to worry about working out, eating healthy, or not smoking.

You’re going to die young!

Aries: March 21 - April 19: If you can read this, you can see invisible writing! Too bad this is the only thing written in invisible writing…

Leo: July 23 - Aug 22: Magic 8 ball is filling in this week. Magic 8 ball says your week will be “Hazy. Try again.”

Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21: Remember: Vulcans never bluff.

Taurus: April 20 - May 20: You are a bullfrog. Let them hear you roar! Screw the lions and the tigers.

Virgo: Aug 23 -Sept22: Set the world on fire? Who the hell told you to do that? Don’t, you bastard! We have to live here you know!

Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19: I predict that you will find all the Monopoly pieces at McDonalds this week… except for the one piece of each set you need to win, of course.

10

ARTS & LIFE FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Abbotsford Connect feeds and supports the vulnerable VALERIE FRANKLIN KATHERINE GIBSON Contributor / the cascade

Pancakes, sausages, and scrambled eggs may not seem like much – but for the people attending the Abbotsford Connect event, it meant everything.

The line of people waiting to receive free support services, including a hot, buffet-style breakfast, extended out the door of the Sevenoaks Alliance Church, where the sixth annual Abbotsford Connect was hosted on October 18.

As part of B.C.’s Homelessness Action Week, the one-day, community-driven event brings together government agencies, non-profit service organizations, and church groups to offer support to Abbotsford’s vulnerable residents.

Individuals are given free access to more than 30 different services under one roof, ranging from medical care and mental health services to haircuts and clothing. Eye care, foot care, housing assistance, flu shots, income assistance applications, and even income tax preparation were all available on Saturday.

Alyson, a representative of the Elizabeth Fry Society, explains this event is not affiliated with any particular organization, but rather is a collaborative community effort.

“These agencies partner up and provide an opportunity for people in need. There’s no one person or agency governing [Abbotsford Connect]. It’s a team effort.”

Ward Draper, executive director of 5 and 2 Ministries and one of Abbotsford Connect’s original founders, agrees.

“I think what’s amazing is that we can bring so many different organizations together from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and ideologies to address things,” he says. “We’ve got feminist agencies, we’ve got secular government agencies, we’ve got church agencies, and it’s hosted by a church.”

The event is called Abbotsford Connect because it connects the community through the relationships formed between clients, volunteers, businesses, and service providers.

Community members volunteer their time to guide clients one-onone through the maze of services.

Abbotsford Connect brought out all kinds of volunteers and organizations, pooling efforts to give people the aid they need.

While many volunteers were drawn to this event through their churches, occupations, or schools, other individuals, like Cheryl Spence, came of their own accord because they saw a need in the community.

“I saw this event and thought, ‘What can I do? I’m not a big agency, I’m just one person.

Well, I can sew a button,’” she says. “So I brought my own sewing machine.”

She spent the day repairing clothing and fixing zippers – an especially important service for homeless people as winter approaches.

Arlene, a volunteer with 5 and 2 Ministries, notes that sometimes simply informing people about the community services that are available to them can make a difference.

“I just told a woman that she can get bus passes for $45 a year because she’s on disability. She had no idea,” she says. “Lots of people don’t know what resources are available to them.”

Beyond offering information, Abbotsford Connect makes this wide variety of essential services easily accessible to a population that often finds it difficult to get around the city.

“It is essential to have all these different services in one place,” notes Michelle Veeneman, a Salvation Army representative.

“It’s hard for many of these people to travel to all these different services in different l o c a tions.”

Brian Mills of the BC Schizophrenia Society agrees.

“More connections are needed so that mental health patients don’t have to run all over town.

If a person is ill, they often give up very quickly and don’t get treated.”

Margaret Sigsworth, from the BC Responsible and Problem Gambling Program, believes that the importance of this event lies in its potential to start conversations and build common understanding.

“We need to go where the people are. We need to meet them here,” she explains. “[The homeless] population is one that needs the most support and often gets the least.

“It’s not about solving the problem in a day – it’s about starting a conversation. We aren’t going to change the world in three seconds, but we can get people thinking.”

According to Draper, approximately a third of Abbotsford Connect’s attendees are homeless. The rest are low-income families, single parents, or otherwise marginalized.

For Ruth, a single mother of two living on the brink of homelessness, this event is more than just about the services she receives. It renews her sense of hope.

“I depend on the public to care for me. It’s their love and support that is keeping me alive,” she explains. “Without them I don’t know if I could go

Images: Blake McGuire

on.” and receives no funding from One client, Leslie, maintains the government. that it’s difficult to shake the James, a volunteer with the stigma of homelessness.

5 and 2 Ministries who used “When you’re to be homeless “When you’re himself, knows homeless, you are labelled, and homeless, you are what this could stuck in that lamean for vulbel. It’s hard to labelled, and stuck nerable people get out of it,” in that label. It’s who rely on she says. “I am service to hard to get out of that not a ‘homeless survive. person’; I am a it...”

“I’ve seen person who is people literhomeless.” ally die or get sick because they Many of the individuals who don’t have enough to eat,” he take part in this event are not says. homeless, but are supported by Many of Abbotsford Conprovincial income assistance. nect’s guests may not know Dorothy, a woman depending where their next meal is comon disability benefits, describes ing from. The free breakfast the difficulty of living on the and lunch prepares them for the edge. day’s work of connecting to oth“You can’t find anything for er community services. It’s one the 300 and something bucks step toward the stability they welfare gives you [for rent]. are seeking.

They need to do something “Everything’s the best,” said more,” she says. “I’ve never Mary, a guest who had just enbeen homeless, but if I didn’t joyed a hot breakfast in the have my daughter living with Sevenoaks Alliance Church’s me, I don’t know where I’d be.” gymnasium. “It’s all here, evThis is confirmed by the latest erything I needed. I’m so happy Abbotsford Vital Signs Report, to be here.” released this month by the AbMany community volunteers botsford Community Founda- spoke of the fulfillment they got tion. It indicated that the annual from offering their time and enliving wage for a family of four ergy at this event. in the Fraser Valley is $59,569 “Seeing a smiling face is the – but at the current minimum best reward,” said Brian Mills. wage, two parents working full “Better than anything money time would only earn $37,310. can get you.”

For low-income families, Gord, a client who acquired housing may not be the only granola bars, new bed sheets, concern. Many local people and waterproof winter boots, don’t get enough to eat. expressed his gratitude for the 3000 people per month event. He wants to see similar rely on the Abbotsford events held more frequently in Food Bank. But last week, the future. the Food Bank’s executive “Everything [at Abbotsford director Dave Murray told Connect] is so useful to me -the Abbotsford Times that every single thing,” he says. their stock of food is at a “I can’t describe how much record low for this time of it means to have it,” he says. year. The Food Bank oper- “They should hold it once a ates entirely on donations month.”

11

ARTS & LIFE FEATURE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

SARscene 2013: The best at saving lives

image: Jeremy Hannaford

Search and Rescue techs conduct a parachute demonstration.

JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR

Behind Chilliwack’s UFV campus was a sight that required some context to be believed. Several people were running around carrying dummies, others were making fires in the forest, and still others were walking around holding up compasses despite being in a field. In truth, these were members of BC’s Search and Rescue teams carrying out challenges for SARscene 2013!

This event is a congregation of Search and Rescue teams from across the province. Teams are presented with six different challenges to test their skills and their efficiency. Hosted by the British Columbia Search and Rescue Association and National Search and Rescue Secretariat, the games haven’t been held in BC since the Coquitlam team placed first in Victoria in 2007.

Along with the competition, the Games feature a trade show with different equipment and technology companies showcasing state-of-the-art products for

Search and Rescue teams to ac- slope challenge stated that the quire. Afterward there were con- trial was about melding as a ferences where delegates from team, and having a strong leadaround the world discussed new er form a solid plan. Setting issues and ideas. Search and up a stretcher basket properly Rescue in BC is very prominent, and creating a strong rope pulwith more calls ley system to in the prov“Despite where transport the ince than in victim took the Frathe rest of the [teams] are from, Central country comser Valley team bined.

With they still train the over 20 minutes to comChilliwack receiving 80 same way, which is plete, but afterward, the judge calls last year alone, these what helps us all complemented games showthem on their case how BC’s communicate in the stretcher basket weaving crews provide and their time. the best possi- time of crisis...”

He also pointble emergency response. ed out to them things they could The games consisted of chal- improve. The friendly environlenges that included slope evacu- ment helps encourage teamation, ground search and rescue, building and healthy competimedical procedure, and naviga- tion.

The team-building challenge tion/orientation. Unlike most extreme challenges, the teams also requires coordination of did not run or rush through a trust and leadership. In this challenge. The whole point of exercise, the team’s leader had the games is for the teams to to search a grid for teammates perform correctly, safely, and while blindfolded and mute, with perfect coordination. which proved to be quite a chalThe judge of the low angle lenge.

image: Jeremy Hannaford

A member of the Coquitlam team works through the navigation challenge.

image: Jeremy Hannaford

The Central Fraser Valley team handles the low angle slope evac.

Later, the Coquitlam team performed very well in the ground search and rescue challenges, hitting the target with the rope grip harness almost dead on and safely transporting a dummy victim through an obstacle course.

Shaking, loud cries, and painful moans helped build the scenario for the Vernon team as they performed medical procedures and checked the ABCs: airwaves, breathing, and circulation. The team checked an alleged bear attack victim over for cuts and bleeding as well as injured limbs while providing emotional care. The girl’s acting was so good, she almost had some of the spectators convinced.

Another interesting test was the condition challenge. The teams were tasked with creating a fire with flint and twigs while building a decent shelter from tarp and ropes. Once the fire

was lit, they had to boil a pot of water within five minutes!

“Despite where [teams] are from, they still train the same way, which is what helps us all communicate in the time of crisis,” BC Search and Rescue Association vice president Colin Wiebe stated. Wiebe said the games are a means of critiquing and improving skills as well as displaying them.

After the challenges were complete and the scores tallied, it was a tight victory for Nelson’s team, followed by Prince George and Coquitlam, all only separated by three points.

The Search and Rescue Games are a friendly competition that truly inspires camaraderie in these groups not only to perform well, but also learn from their regional partners in the field.

With skiing and snowboarding season approaching, our SAR teams need all the training they can get.

image: Jeremy Hannaford

The Coquitlam team had to navigate several obstacles while transporting a dummy on a stretcher.

12

ARTS & LIFE

Cascade Arcade

The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Book Review

Snapper

by Brian Kimberling DESSA BAYROCK THE CASCADE

JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR

The Big Bad Wolf is now a sheriff, trying to right previous wrongs in a world full of characters from old-time fables who loathe each other. Based on the critically acclaimed Fables comic series by Bill Willingham, the first episode of Telltale Games’ The Wolf Among Us shows that they haven’t lost any steps from their success with their Walking Dead game. It also shows that they haven’t learned from some previous mistakes.

You play as Sheriff Bigby Wolf, the reclusive lawman of Fable Town, a small area of New York full of fabled creatures who hide among humans. The most captivating ideal of The Wolf Among Us is the world the game is based in.

A prequel to the original comic series, the world is full of twists on well-known fables. Beauty and the Beast are having marriage issues due to their lack of wealth, the Woodsman is now a violent drunk due to lost popularity, and Snow White is in charge of Fable organization and sorting. With detailed descriptions of all the characters in the extras menu, I was engrossed in the world-building before I actually focused on the game.

When I did, I found the characters engaging and the gameplay smooth, for the most part. The

user interface has been touched up and offers more style than the bland menus of The Walking Dead.

Bigby is a Fable trying to right all the wrongs he did back in the Homeland by making sure Fables don’t kill each other.

The discussions the player is given are meant to forward the investigation, rather than make friends to survive with. Choosing between being the concerning sheriff or the vengeful lawman was difficult for me at times.

Sometimes I was kind and understanding and other times I felt the need to rip characters’ arms off!

Bigby doesn’t receive much gratitude for his work, but he does it as a means of redeeming himself. Within the first five minutes, you are defending an estranged girl from the Woodsman who is on a bloodthirsty drunken rampage. The interactivity in the fight scenes is much more diverse than Walking Dead’s, but a choppy frame rate and laggy cuts break scene momentum and I found myself tapping the triggers furiously instead of actually trying to aim for a target.

The Wolf Among Us follows the murder of a Fable and the hunt for the killer. Turning away from the horror survival aspect of Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us is a mystery game, and the player must find clues in order to forward the case. One thing this first

episode offers, far better than in Walking Dead, is choices. While the concluding climax is the same no matter what, Bigby can take several different roads and begin to twist the story.

The deceptions of some characters are unique and interesting while others borrow from the original stories but slightly twist them a bit. Always prepare for surprises. After I saw a pig conversing with Bigby while smoking a cigarette, I knew that these weren’t our regular fables.

The conversations are also wellwritten, and are filled with references. The pig still holds a grudge against Bigby for blowing down his house, while the Woodsman flaunts his victory over the Wolf in his face. This feeling of updated nostalgia never wears off and only grows. Meeting the tight-ass Ichabod Crane and the narcissistic mirror was great fun.

Anyone who has read the comic will find it entertaining to see these characters brought to life in a video game, and newcomers will enjoy the world building and characters. While there still are some heavy frame rate issues and at least one scene that felt entirely pointless, the first entry of The Wolf Among Us is a solid start to another great episodic series from Telltale Games.

Maybe you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but this works in Snapper’s favour: birds surround the title as though it’s a grub they would like nothing more than to dig out of a rotten stump and feed to their squawking young.

The birds look like they’ve been cut from a wildlife guide and pasted on a clean sheet as part of an art project. Individually, they’re nothing special: mostly brown, unassuming, and the sort of birds you might see on your patio in the spring. But put together, they draw out the best in each other – highlighting differences in markings, stripes, and patches, and drawing out the undertones of orange, chestnut, and robin’s egg blue that lurk under the foundation of drab brown.

This is a fitting introduction to the book. Narrator Nathan Lochmueller observes Indiana birds for a living, carefully marking down who is nesting where and doing what. It’s a solitary gig, but also much harder than it sounds – the birds do their best to keep predators and threats (including Nathan) away from their homes. He has to use his wits—and his ears—to track his wily, flapping quarry.

This situation—Nathan plus birds plus Indiana wilderness— is quickly and thoroughly described at the beginning of the book, and just as quickly sinks into the background to serve as a locational foundation for all the events that unfold. The details of the Indiana forest are weirdly and surprisingly enrapturing – I can’t imagine any reason to go to Indiana, but when I put the book down I found myself with a bizarrely serious desire to visit. In a way, the location is more a main character than Nathan.

The format is the second surprisingly effective decision that Kimberling makes with Snapper:

despite the fact that the same locales and characters appear throughout the book, Snapper is constructed as a series of short tales rather than a novel.

It comes off as a series of autobiographical stories, as though Nathan Lochmueller is a real person living in a small American town somewhere, quietly putting together the interesting tales of his life, maybe publishing them as a monthly column in the local newspaper before gathering them up into the col-

lection that became Snapper. The believability of Nathan leads to an odd (although not unpleasant) split in the reader ’s head: the narrator is at once completely real, and completely fictional.

It’s weird, and good, and a testament to Kimberling’s skill as a writer: it’s structured and detailed in exactly the right way, a perfectly realistic Indiana microworld. Each story links together, ranging from heartbreak to weather events to petty arguments between roommates.

It can be read as a meandering whole, or it can be digested one story at a time. All in all, it’s the kind of soothing, stress-free narrative that fits perfectly into the middle of semester.

13

ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Haute Stuff

Ten little canvasses

A tutorial in nail colour

SASHA MOEDT THE CASCADE

First things first. Nail polish can make a big statement, or a subtle one. And that depends on what colours you choose. With fall comes deep, rich, and dusky hues – but you can still capture the brightness that comes with the season. Here’s a guide to a few colours to try.

Image: jronaldlee/Flickr

Nail polish completes the outfit.

The bloods This is my personal word for the smooth and very dark colours – espresso, oxblood, rich greens, royal purple, or maroon. I like to think of them as the lifeblood of colours. These colours can bring life to a textured but colourless

winter outfit. Winter styles often have the interesting fabrics—knits, furs, and layers—but are generally grey, black, or a neutral tan. Apply an unforgettable shade of dark nail polish, and voilà! A wintry spark has been added to your look.

Dark polish is often intimidating, because either it’s flawless or it’s flawed. There really is no middle ground because the colour stands out so much – every imperfection is noticeable. Three things to keep in mind: the nail form, the coats, and the touch-ups. I’ll deal with the proper application of polish in next week’s column.

For the nail form, the key is to keep it understated. No vampy Rihanna nails. The colour is the dramatic eye-catcher; keep it clean-cut and regular length. If you have fairly short fingers, however, having the nail a bit longer and rounded at the top will elongate your fingers. Nails cut too short can give the impression of stubby fingers.

The shiners Metallics! They are a beautiful thing. They seem to match everything, and they have that extra festive shine. They are definitely replacing the glitter polish, which, in my opinion, is only really wearable at a Christmas or New Year’s party. Metallics, though, are versatile. There are tons of different metallic sheens on traditional wintry colours that create a full, shade-

Image: shannonkringen/Flickr

Image: Zitona/Wikimedia commons

Creamy and neutral work for fall.

Metallic polish gives a flashy shine to your toes.

shifting colour. You can have a frost finish, a pearl, or a foil sheen.

Foil sheen is a more subdued form of glitter finish, which can be a bit much. I generally would lean towards keeping it classy rather than glitzy (unless you’re going to a club ... Go crazy for the club).

New holographic and duo chrome polishes—which change shades in the reflection of light— are coming into style and can be fun to play around with. Bright pinks and lighter hues under a metallic sheen can be a bit too much, and would likely clash with, well, any outfit. I’m not just talking about gold, silver, and copper.

Try a blood colour – oxblood, dark green, or midnight blue. Or try it with a subdued autumn neu-

tral such as pale yellow, burnt orange, or sea green.

The classics The classics don’t jump out at you immediately. But when you see the soft, neutral nails of the girl sitting next to you, or the cashier, or your buddy, you immediately think, “they’ve got their shit together!” Nails are noticeable, and I think people underestimate that.

You deal with people using your hands daily—hourly—and we notice each other’s hands. Neutral and soft colours in autumn fashion reflect the colours of the season.

Take a look outside. The skies are a cold, pale blue or grey-white.

The forests are a soft olive or mossy green. The leaves are a pale yellow,

or a musky orange. (No. Not neon.

Don’t you even dare.)

Generally speaking, blood colours have a creme finish, which is the usual one we are all familiar with. The classics, however, go quite well with a matte finish, which has no shine at all.

I’d lean towards keeping it subdued, but you can also try suede, which is also matte but has shimmer to it. Because the classics don’t stand out at all, they are versatile.

Short nails, very long nails, rings and bracelets ... Even if you have an electric blue scarf, you can pull off pretty much any classic nail colour.

International Writers’ Conference comes to Surrey ASHLEY MUSSBACHER VALERIE FRANKLIN The Cascade / CONTRIBUTOR

Next weekend, Surrey will hold its 21st annual International Writer ’s Conference (SiWC).

Held over three days at the Sheraton Hotel in Guildford, the conference will offer aspiring authors a chance to pitch their writing to literary agents, receive guidance and encouragement from professionals, network with other local writers, and maybe even find the inspiration to finally write that novel.

Guest writers will include bestselling writers such as thriller novelist Michael Slade, Outlander author Diana Gabaldon, romance author Jane Porter, modern gothic novelist Susanna Kearsley, and suspense author Hallie Ephron, sister of the late Nora. The intimate nature of this conference allows attendees to mingle with published authors over meals, in hallways, and between workshops.

Attendees can look forward to workshops such as “Writing Heroines,” “Creating Plots for Page-Turners,” “Self-Publishing: Great Idea or Waste of Time?” and “Putting Life into Your History Writing.” And don’t miss the brutally educational “SiWC Idol,” a Saturday workshop where the audience’s anonymous writing samples are read aloud by the eminent Jack Whyte and vetted by a panel of literary agents, who will explain what

mistakes they see in your writing – or, if they like your style, may offer you an opportunity for your first book deal.

Other events include the “Silly Writing Contest,” in which attendees are given a number of words to feature a random story of their own creation; Friday will be “Young Writers’ Day” where writers 18 years or under will be able to attend workshops at a low rate; and “Night Owl” nights on Friday and Saturday will keep attendees awake with movies, masques, and Michael Slade’s famous “Shock Theatre.”

In total there will be over 70 workshops and panels.

Whether you have a polished manuscript or a rough outline, there will be many like-minded people from all around the lower mainland and Fraser Valley eager to talk about the process.

Tickets cost between $219 and $299 for a single day, or range from $429 to $589 for the full weekend. Writers under 18 may attend Friday’s workshops for only $55, including a bag-lunch.

A variety of pre-conference master classes are also available on October 24 for a fee of $119 for conference-goers, or $139 for unregistered guests.

Every registration includes a blue-pencil appointment with a published author, and the opportunity to pitch your work to acquiring editors and agents.

Image: Blake Handley/Flickr

The Sheraton will be filled with aspiring and published writers in a week. Use your writerly imagination to picture the scene!

14

ARTS & LIFE

1 2 3 4

Shuffle

CHARTS

Local artist coalition puts art on tap at The Reach gallery in Abbotsford

CIVL STATION MANAGER

Drake Nothing Was The Same

CIVL Station Manager Aaron Levy had a lovely visit with former SUS VP internal Jennifer Nelson this past weekend. Here are some snapshots of the evening, which included much ado about nothing.

Outlaws Of Ravenhurst Book II

Drunken Sailor – “Irish Rovers”

Teen Daze Glacier

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

What will we do with the drunken sailor? Make him walk the twisty slide plank in the backyard! But not until you’ve constructed such an apparatus, one that provides an enchanted upbringing of fantasy and euphoria. It’s also impossible to go wrong with accordions and banjos. Or is it?!

Austra Olympia

Amanda Tosoff Live At The Cellar

David Gogo Come On Down

Bloodhound Gang – “Bad Touch”

War Baby Jesus Horse

This could be considered to be in bad taste. It’s sexual, crude (though not quite as much as the band’s underground runaway hit “Chasey Lane”), it’s an international superhit, and why a good deal of fans fell out of love with the group who told us the roof was on fire.

Wooly Mammoth North Shore Moby Innocents

The Beatles – “Ob-La-Di, ObLa-Da”

The Albertans Dangerous Anything

Remember the TV show Life Goes On? Probably not. It wasn’t exactly a Family Ties-style success. But this song WAS used as the theme music, and ironically enough, the opening baseline to this piece from the White Album Side B has been ripped off for yet another astronomical hit!

Northcote Northcote The Creepshow Life After Death The Brains The Monster Within

The Offspring – “Why Don’t You Get A Job”

B.A. Johnston Mission Accomplished Esther Grey Collected Works Lindi Ortega Tin Star

The Skydiggers

Northern No. 1

www.ufvcascade.ca

AARON LEVY

Shad Flying Colours

16 17 18

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013

Never been a fan of the however satirical usage of the term “bitch” in this song’s opening line, but that’s the point of The Offspring post-Smash, right?

Listen to the chorus of this one, and then go back to Ob-La-Di, and tell me it’s not a straight rip.

Image: Christopher DeMarcus/The Cascade

Art on Tap places Fraser Valley rock groups within the painting-hung walls of The Reach.

CHRISTOPHER DEMARCUS THE CASCADE

“There are 37,000 people from the age of 18 to 35 living in Abbotsford. We have a great venue and a great opportunity to get young local artists together,” says Jenn Pride, coordinator for Abbotsford’s art gallery, The Reach.

Pride is a part of a group of artists, photographers, musicians, writers, and creative professionals called Young Contemporaries. The group puts on monthly events at the The Reach.

Many in Abbotsford don’t know that The Reach is both a world class art gallery and a public venue for all sorts of events. The Art on Tap series, for example, brings rock-androll bands into the art gallery.

Best of all there are $5 beers.

“Too cool” says political science student Dylan Thiessen, “It’s great that this is happening.”

This latest event in the concert series transforms the quiet

museum space into a rock club.

Road cases and guitar amps sit conformably among the latest art exhibits while local indie rockers Oh Village play a nice balance of artistic rock, controlled by a tight and bombastic rhythm section.

“The Reach brings [paintings] to town, but it also holds events like this,” says Oh Village’s lead singer Scott Currie, “It’s great we have a fun place like this to play in Abbotsford.”

The second band, Toronto’s Boys Who Say No, play a dark form of synth-laden indie rock with hints of rockabilly and pop. The tones of lead singer Luke Correia-Damude’s hollow body Gretsch and drummer Frank Cox-O’Connell’s massive tom drums mix perfectly with the dark and haunting images from local painter Tara Spencer.

“Our inability to reach within the reality of others—to feel or see or understand as they do— leaves each individual inevitably nameless and unknown, even those closest to them,” reads Spender ’s artist statement, next to her haunting im-

ages of anonymity on canvas.

The combination of art and music are completely complimentary.

“This band is hooked up and going to blow up,” CIVL radio’s Aaron Levy says.

The gallery space provides the perfect interactive experience between artistic expression and observation. Its different exhibits lie in unique rooms of space and time. In one area is a display of paintings that contain WWII bomber planes, in the other is a collection of regional artifacts. The combination of art, music, and beer gives Art on Tap a unique and fun vibe that is better than your typical Vancouver night club.

“There is such a good chill vibe,” art lover Vicki Diaz says, “I feel like I’m at home when I’m here.”

Be sure not to miss the next Art on Tap. It’s local and it’s a lot more fun than one expects an art gallery to be. You can get a membership to the Young Contemporaries project which gets you in free, otherwise the cover is only $5.

SummitLearningCentre.ca Serving K-12 & Adult Students

Free High School Courses Prerequisites for Post Secondary Upgrade your Mark on a Prerequisite BC Certified Teachers & Courses

Call Now! 604-820-3333

ible Flex ule. d Sche time! t any

Star

1-866-881-1984 Call Now!

15

ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Album Review

Western Jaguar — Glacia MARTIN CASTRO CONTRIBUTOR

Mini Album Reviews

SoundBites

Glacia, Western Jaguar ’s (AKA Jeffrey Trainor ’s) debut album, starts on a sombre note; the opening track, “Darby,” builds up from a simple guitar melody to incorporate horns, drums, electric guitar, and strings. An almost military snare sets the tone for the first half of the song, only to give way to crashing symbols and a synthesizer chorus of hopeful and triumphant tones. One gets the feeling that something has been achieved.

“Darby” fades down to a single synthesizer note which gives way to the calmer “Karoo Mammals.”

Throughout the record, it seems that Trainor is speaking directly to the listener. Glacia seems like an auditory diary: personal, and full of the imperfections and human emotions that make this record so easy to connect with. “Year of the Flood” features a storm of a climax after a tranquil and simplis-

tic first half. Trainor makes use of layering to achieve an engine of sound that takes the listener unawares. You can’t quite put your finger on when a track stops being a calm, three-in-themorning-drive-through-the-city and becomes a roller-coaster, hurling down a severe incline at 90 miles per hour, only to slow back down to the relaxed, almost hesitant pace in which Trainor seems to be so at home.

“Mt. Baker” is as sombre a song as you’ll ever hear, but surprisingly, it isn’t depressing.

Trainor uses reverb, creating an almost ethereal auditory atmosphere. It feels like being surrounded by a blanket of sound, playing like the soundtrack to a stroll through a moonless winter night, fresh snow at your feet. Trainor guides the listener through a cloud of sound that is seemingly made up of anxiety and indecision. Trainor reassures the listener that although there may be no discernible end in sight, one will get there, in time.

“Violet Sweatshirt,” however, seems somewhat shallow compared to the rest of the album.

Sure, there’s an infectious guitar riff halfway through the track, and sure, it’s enough to make you tap your foot to the beat, but something is lacking. The type of depth so clearly demonstrated in songs like “Darby” and “Mt. Baker” is absent from “Violet Sweatshirt.”

The album’s crowning achievement, however, seems to be “Karoo Mammals.” This track boasts all of the spatial qualities that make “Mt Baker” such a strongly emotional track, coupled with the infectious guitar in “Violet Sweatshirt.” Here, however, this type of melodic guitar is used much more effectively.

Overall, Glacia seems to be Trainor ’s open letter to someone.

Who is it addressed to? Perhaps it is meant for Trainor himself, perhaps it is meant for no one in particular. Regardless, we should rejoice that Trainor saw fit to share Glacia with us. We are better off for it.

Gary Numan Splinter (Songs from a Broken Mind)

Paul McCartney New

Four Tet Beautiful Rewind

Son Lux Lanterns

Gary Numan is better known as the guy that did that ‘80s hit “Cars.” He’s been featured on countless “Where the !@#$ Are They Now” VH1 specials. But Numan didn’t go anywhere.

He’s been pumping out dark electric rock records since the ‘90s. Often referred to as “Nine Inch Numan,” his second life as a hard rocker doesn’t deserve the pejorative term. This British goth-rocker is the forerunner to most electro bands. The tracks on Splinter slam in the space between the down beat. Take funk in one hand, metal in the other, then make a sandwich with some electro bread. Good, now you have a new heavy and innovative Gary Numan record. But like all the artists that move beyond their original hits, Numan’s contemporary work is often ignored by the status quo. Young musicians could learn some arrangement tricks from tracks like “I Am Dust,” which builds like a train of coal headed straight for the heart of this gritty, grinding, and grandiose record. Drum machine lovers should take note of the complex rhythms throughout. No 1-2-3-4, here. If you’re new to Numan’s rocker side, check out “Love Hurt Bleed” and “Here in the Black.”

Put this record on for a fast fall drive on Highway 1, or use it to scare the crap out of trick-or-treaters. Splinter sounds like Nolan’s Batman meets Sin City. If those are your movies, this is your record.

Paul McCartney has always seen himself as an entertainer who happened to be a part of an insanely popular act for a short period in his career. He never had the huge ego of John Lennon or the spiritual lifestyle of George Harrison; McCartney just went about his business with the poise of a master craftsman. After those days were behind him, he just kept doing what he knew best: creating pop music that can innovate, inspire, and even surprise at times. On his appropriately titled new record, 71-year-old McCartney, who is now well past the average age of retirement, is still trying to find ways to improve his sound, demonstrating that his aspirations go beyond simply trying to replicate his glory days. Situated between the record’s two singles, “Those Early Days” is arguably the record’s most defining tune. The track is a stark and poignant exploration of McCartney’s relationship with his musical partner and equal John Lennon, while reminding the listener that while you may think you know all of the Beatles lore, McCartney is the only person on the globe who knows for sure. While George Harrison and Ringo Starr commemorated their Beatles’ experience with schmaltzy and sentimental tracks like “When We Was Fab” and “Liverpool 8,” McCartney instead sings about both the heartache and the warm recollections of a dear friend.

10 years ago, Four Tet (Kieran Hebden) released what is often called his first great album with Rounds, a master-sample-work of quiet, urgent emotive electronic art, a distinction he immediately tried to counter with his follow-up album Everything Ecstatic. The same sequence has apparently repeated with Beautiful Rewind, Hebden’s follow-up to 2010’s There Is Love In You. Unlike that album’s association of dance repetitions and patient variations, Rewind is a pitch for trance-punctures, a glitched-out signal that Hebden can stray all over the place, not content to be just one thing to all listeners. Tracks like “Parallel Jalebi” and “Ba Teaches Yoga” work as the natural, expected album-to-album progression for Four Tet’s sound, juggling tracks that threaten to collapse into one another, making it sound easy.

But once Rewind hits its centre (and there are hints before it), with “Kool FM,” Hebden takes his previously pleasant use of voice and world music samples and turns them into something abrasive, a radio-call of “Hey” that goes nowhere, absorbed into Hebden’s toolset. Though something that settles into more typical rhythms on repeated listens, it’s purposefully antagonistic, and something that returns in subsequent tracks, alternating with more usual sounds like “Crush” and its flute trills. Caught between a flurry of work, Rewind is an album of second-guessing, a paceless dialogue to be continued on future collaborations, but a half-measure as an album.

Lanterns opens with what sounds like a mandolin and classical choir samples, and this unlikely marriage of electronic and traditional elements sets the theme for the rest of the album. The songs slowly build from a simple melody or beat into a crowd of interlocking elements, but the overall effect is clean and modern. Every track brings together the same weirdly cohesive chaos of elements, including a saxophone and the electronically manipulated vocals of a classical soprano.

It also uses steady and unique percussion, although the electronic elements that Son Lux (Ryan Lott) employs (just a hint of the dubstep we all secretly crave) bring the sound to the next level. Even with every song using the same anything-goes mix of musical instruments, each one is unique and ear-catching in its own way: “Easy” edges on creepy with a distorted, breathy sound reminiscent of Inuit throat singing, with a background of what sounds suspiciously like a theremin, while “No Crimes” marries ‘40s vocal jazz harmonies with insistent percussion. “Son Vox,” if I can trust my French lessons, translates as “his voice” and while his voice is not the most obvious feature of the album, it acts as a keystone holding everything together.

All in all, Lanterns is an album of unlikely but wonderful musical combinations nearly guaranteed to pick you up and swing you around.

Christopher DeMarcus

TIM UBELS

MICHAEL SCOULAR

DESSA BAYROCK

16

ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Q&A

Western Jaguar

brother?

That’s a good question.

[Laughs.] Yeah, I think there might be a little sibling rivalry.

We grew up together, musically – we both played in Dry Rain. We both learned piano at the same time. We both learned guitar. He [Mitchell Trainor] just decided to learn bass, and I never did. We both bought a drum kit and learned how to play it, so I guess we both strive for the same things in music.

MARTIN CASTRO CONTRIBUTOR

In a house somewhere in Mission, surrounded by a small sea of guitars, amplifiers, and various electrical equipment, a young man sits poised in front of a microphone, guitar in hand, looping pedals at the ready. This is 21-year-old Jeffrey Trainor, who performs as Western Jaguar.

What kind of music would you say you produce and create?

If I had to pinpoint [the genre], I would say it’s kind of indie rock. But, I would say it’s more than that, there’s an ambient element, there’s experimental elements, there’s even post-rock elements.

It’s a bit, not to say electronic, but ...

Yeah, there’s the synthesized underbelly of it. I feel it has an acoustic air... I use a lot of delay, and a lot of reverb. I like to hear space in recordings.

And when did you start making music?

I guess I could say I started making music when I [attended] piano lessons, when I was like, eight, probably. But in terms of writing, it was five years ago. I was in a band, we were called Dry Rain. Awful name. But we had so much fun. That gave me the background on how to write songs, how to compose, how to play [and get] shows. Once that kind of disintegrated, I knew I wanted to keep writing, keep putting out music.

Do you have a technically strong musical background?

Just piano ... I took 10 years of [piano lessons]. Because I had that background I was able to teach myself guitar and learn drums, but I can’t read music very well.

What would you say is the inspiration behind what you do, what makes you get up in the morning and decide to make music?

I think it is personal experience, in a sense. I’ll go through something, or feel something, and... I’ll really want to commemorate that in a way. So I’ll [experience] a feeling, or go through a rough situation, and if I come through it, I’ll [decide] I want to do something that represents coming through that, in a sense. That’s why you’ll notice there is a darker tone to Glacia, but I think those dark moments shape you more. So Glacia is more like a diary, in that sense.

Would you say that your music is pretty personal, then?

Yeah, definitely, but at the same time, especially when I’m writing, I’ll try to distance myself from personally attaching myself to the songs.

I know you record all of the vocals and instrumentals by yourself. When did you learn to do so?

Learning to record was a very long process. When I was playing with Dry Rain, my old band, we decided we wanted to record an EP, and we were just broke.

Jeffrey Trainor calls his new album Glacia cathartic.

We were seventeen, or eighteen, and we realized that we couldn’t afford it. I thought maybe I could do it. So I went out and bought a microphone and I was going to record the band. I still have those recordings, they’re awful.

But that’s how you start, right?

Yeah.

We never released [those recordings], because they were just so bad.

They’re sitting in a closet somewhere?

They’re just buried in my hard drive. But making those recordings was kind of my launch point. After that I read books and watched videos, and kind of learned the technical aspects of recording. Slowly, over two or three years I got to the point where I decided I knew what I was doing well enough that I could actually present it.

come up with melodies over top of that. Usually I’ll have four or five melodies. I’ll pick the ones I like, then I start building a song from there. After that I’ll record all the instrument parts accordingly, [and] once I have those on, I’ll add the beat track. I’ll add drums and then re-record everything, I’ll re-layer everything, make it come together. Then I’ll mix it.

Do you write music for a specific set of vocals?

Vocals are weird for me. Usually I’ll write a song, and once I have it recorded, I’ll just play it and listen to it. Then I’ll just sing whatever comes to my mind.

I’ll write that down and shape ... a lyrical structure out of that.

I wish I could put more focus on lyrics ... They are one of my weaker points, but I’m not afraid to acknowledge that I’m weak in that area.

Where did your name come from?

Well, after the “Dry Rain” debacle, I needed a really good name. Because people are goWhat influences your music? ing to know me by this name, It’s pretty diverse, some parts right? So when I was thinkare quite ethereal, and some are ing of names, my friend Jaimi Wainright was my screener. She very funky.

Yeah, it has a groove. That wasn’t afraid to tell me if a name groove part, I don’t know if sucked. I had names like Limouyou’ve heard the band Foals? sines, The New Pacific, but then When I first listened to Foals, I got to Western Jaguar. One day that changed my thoughts about I was watching a TV show, and it music, they had a lot of groove, involved jaguars. I thought that and a lot of almost tribal ele- was a really cool name. I added ments, in a sense. So that kind the ‘Western’ part, and texted it of [influenced me]. I knew I to Jaimi: “I got it: Western Jagwanted to make “I knew I want- uar” ... She sent back a wall of something that had that kind ed to make some- text, just “hahaof rhythm, but thing that had that haha.” She said at the same kind of rhythm, but it was the worst name she’d ever time that kind of chilled out, at the same time heard. For the almost layer that kind of chilled next six months time I’d of sound. The out, almost layer of any bring her a name synthesizers she would bring and the brass sound.” up Western Jagand string, that came from bands like The Na- uar – she said it was hilarious. tional, and Bon Iver. I saw [Bon Eventually, friends started callIver] live, while I was recording ing me Western Jaguar ... Any the album, and I decided to [in- time I’d come up with a name corporate some of that sound]. they’d say “no, you’re just WestOther bands like The xx have a ern Jaguar now. It’s just what really nice atmosphere to their you are.” Now people think it’s sound, which I thought would a really cool name. My dad likes be interesting to incorporate into it, that’s important. my music.

So, your new album, Glacia.

Can you take me through You just recently released it.

Yes, September 19. your songwriting process?

Usually it starts with one little Did you always have the goal riff, or chord progression. Like, four or five bars, something like of creating a record, or did you that. Then, I usually play it and at one point realize that it was a record it, then I loop it. Then I’ll legitimate option?

You’re mostly self-taught, then?

Yeah. I never went to any classes, or tutorials of any kind.

I had always wanted to have an album. Once I started making music I thought it would be really cool to have an album.

But with [Glacia], I never had any intention of releasing it at the beginning. I was just making music. [The songs] are really personal songs for me. So I was [hesitant to] release it. At one point I thought about deleting the songs, I didn’t like them.

They seemed like too much to me, I don’t know why. Eventually … I started to connect to [the songs] more. [I realized] that this is a reflection of what I can do and what I can write … this is really me, and I should release them. I kind of want people to know what I’m about. I’m not really the most [intimate] person in the world, so music was a good way of sharing that with people.

Thank God you didn’t delete them!

There were some close calls.

Do you think you might play live at some point?

Well, for recording it’s very individual. Initially I had no intention of playing this live. I decided that I would release it but I [was] never going to play this live. Now [that] people have responded a lot to it, I feel that I owe it to people. People have been so nice. I’m working on some ideas; there might be something in the works.

How, if at all, has the experience of making this album changed you?

Well, definitely. I have something to show for all the time I’ve put in. My parents would call up to my room: “What are you doing?” I’d be upstairs for like, eight hours a day. My parents didn’t even know I was putting out an album until I released it.

Oh, really?

Well, again, it was a really personal thing for me. The album was almost cathartic in a sense, now that it’s out it’s like a release. I [feel] I don’t have to worry about these things anymore.

That’s great.

Yeah.

You’ve grown up in a really musically-oriented household; your brother plays in – Casinos. That band. Don’t listen to them, they’re not very good. No, I’m joking.

Is there a musical sibling rivalry between you and your

And do you both have the same kind of taste in music?

Yeah, we’re a little bit different at times. It’s good that we’re different though, we can [discover new music through each other].

Now that Glacia has been released, are you working on anything? What is your next goal?

Well, playing live. I have to figure it out, though. I don’t want to do it cheaply. I don’t want to butcher it ... I’m also working on a new record. [It’s in a] very early stage, though. I’m putting together some new loops and samples. I’m hoping by next May or June I’ll have something done.

With a band set-up, members can bounce ideas off each other.

How do you internalize that process?

I just have that discussion with myself. I’ll be walking around and I’ll have a chord progression in my head. I’ll try to find a quiet corner and whisper it into my phone. But I take that whole band mentality and bring it into myself. With a band it’s different, because you have four different voices, each with different musical tastes. With me, I just have my musical taste. But in a band, you have [more] opinions [which help create] a more varied song. It’s a little bit of a challenge to think outside the box of what I normally [write]. It can be a challenge [not to be repetitive].

When did you learn to sing, what is it like for you?

Well, I don’t think I ever really learned to sing. I did some backup vocals for Casinos. But ... I felt like I never wanted to do any singing – I [thought they were going to be] instrumental all the way. [But] I felt as though they needed some sort of lyrical element. I didn’t want to bring someone in, because it would ruin that personal [aspect]. You know, [it would be as if] I wrote all these songs but here’s someone else singing, that has no connection to them. So I felt I had to suck it up and do it.

Is there anything you would like to say to your growing fan base?

Well, it would just be thank you. Thank you for supporting my project. I never expected so many people to embrace it, as they have. A lot of [artists] say thank you, but sincerely, I’m blown away by the support so far. And I’m looking forward to bringing new [music] to them in the future. They’ve really lit my fire to keep writing music.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

17

ARTS & LIFE

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Discussions below the belt

Long distance love: is it possible?

XTINA SEXPERT

Long distance relationships can be tricky to maintain. One of the reasons for this is the lack of physical intimacy while the couple is separated. Cuddling, holding hands, and sexual activity are all great parts of a relationship, but hopefully it will be rooted in something more substantial and enduring. It will be this foundation that holds a relationship together or, if the foundation is weak, allows it to crumble while the pair is apart.

Couples are parted for a multitude of reasons. Work, extended travel, school, and the military are among the most common causes of departure. When researching this topic I spoke with Katerina, a UFV student who began a long distance relationship with a logger this summer. She had a lot to say about the difficulties she faces staying connected to her man while he’s away.

During our conversation, Katerina was quick to point out the various considerations for maintaining a long distance fling.

How important is the reason for your separation?

At some point you will have

to decide what takes precedent.

If the reason for the separation cannot be avoided, it may only be a matter of time before the relationship expires. Make sure it’s important enough to leave your lover behind. They may find it’s just not worth it for them.

Permanent or temporary?

The difference between permanent and temporary relocation is a huge consideration.

If the job/course/trip has an end date then a different future is possible. However if the separation has no end in sight frequent visits may be necessary. The same question can be asked about the outlook of your relationship: Is it a potentially permanent or likely temporary tryst? If your relationship has no chance at a future, don’t sweat it and just enjoy. However if aiming for the white dress, consider trying some fun and frequent ways to connect while your partner is away.

How do you foster this connection?

There are several different ways to stay connected during this time. “Constant communication is paramount,” Katerina says, “If you can talk, email, Facebook or text daily, do it.

Long distance relationships can be difficult, but computers can help with keeping up connections.

When we don’t talk it makes me feel like we are not in a relationship. Who are we if we don’t talk. He doesn’t exist if we lose that connection.” Skype is a great way to facilitate this connection, allowing you to enjoy your partner ’s voice and image at the same time. Try spicing it up with a striptease or perhaps something a little more X-rated.

The effect on your other relationships Because of the feast-or-famine nature of only seeing a partner sporadically, your other relationships will likely be affected in the same way. You may notice tension from your friends and family when you suddenly drop them once your beloved returns. If you try to include them in some way when your partner is home, they may harbour fewer

Image: ahans/Flickr

hard feelings toward you when they leave again.

If you decide to make a go of long-distance dating, best of luck to you. But be aware of the green-eyed monster. Jealousy is a huge barrier to success. Try taking Katerina’s advice and stay connected. This may help ease you and/or your partner though any jealous moments.

Film Review

Carrie

MICHAEL SCOULAR THE CASCADE

Kimberly Peirce’s remake of Brian De Palma’s Carrie is, like many recent remakes, lied about as a re-adaptation of the book

by Stephen King. It is a slight update of De Palma’s film, with a few concessions to digital modernity, but curiously does little to lessen the underlying escalation of emotion and violence in the story, which is usually taken as a reason to critique De Palma’s original as “camp.”

Watching De Palma’s film today, it’s actually easier to forgive some of its flaws, which can be chalked up to time, a benefit Peirce’s remake does not have.

Slight anomalies carry over: we can accept how a religious fanatic upbringing can result in ignorance about sex, puberty, and public life, but not in a world where the internet exists, and we can accept how a teacher might attempt to take a student under their wing, coaching and mothering her to prom, but not as easily in a modern age of lawsuits and regulations regarding teacher-student contact. For Peirce, this is a return to studio directing after 14 years. She’s been on the outside since Boys Don’t Cry, and where that movie had a knowledge, a perfect sense of its characters, Carrie feels slightly out of touch. Aside from a revised version of the original’s tuxedo-and-dresses shopping montage, amusingly direct in its

Chloë Grace Moretz plays the bloody title role. use of Vampire Weekend’s “Diane Young,” there isn’t much life to the film’s supporting cast, any humour or personality to make it seem like there’s much of a world to be frustrated with.

In De Palma’s world, high school is a tragic opera of mockery, blood, and tears. While the original Carrie can get categorized as a horror movie, it’s first a great teen movie, and has lost none of its stinging immediacy.

Though today’s language of necessary hyperbole to get any point across online or in person would seem to translate well to

this story, it’s De Palma’s original that has the more cutting humiliation moment to moment that draws us into what Carrie does. In the remake, there’s no sense that the upload of a video has any more effect on Carrie than the usual traffic of gossip, it’s arguably more removed, and Peirce does the same visually.

Rather than the grandiose, worst thing to ever happen to each of its characters, life is isolated, rote, were it not for the introduction of supernatural powers.

Peirce’s version lunges for horror movie staples, rather than

the horror of high school. It’s an exhibit of a teen movie, anticipating its violent revenge (from its title card, no less), cutting quickly through scenes de Palma dwelt on, removing the stronger subjective link to Carrie through an out-of-place prologue, and piling on irony by changing the dynamics of the movie’s one classroom scene. Carrie, instead of freezing up when called upon, now reads a personal fire-andbrimstone teaser in poetic form in front of the class, which, along with all the can’t-wait crashing special effects that follow Carrie

from room to school, makes the movie monotonous, rather than one that builds to tragedy. With De Palma, the undercurrent was never in doubt, but in Peirce’s remake, it’s less a story of awakening and the terror of growing up than one of the introvert getting to fuck up the popular crowd.

The point of this remake, if there is one, is that standards change with the times, and this movie revels in the damage Carrie deals. While De Palma is usually limited in discussions due to his status as a genre director, his splitscreen in the climactic scene not only brought panic and confusion, but literally divided between the view of a detached possession of violence and the fear of young foolishness exposed and dragged towards judgment. Peirce’s version is single-minded, packing a compendium of ways to kill young people into one scene, and counting on its not-really-inventive ways to get a rise. Rather than a disturbing finale to a toxic environment, the remake pitches the front end of the prom scene as a dull, sweet nothing, and the rest as business-like elimination.

As faces thrust through windows in slow motion, it becomes clear that the anti-heroization of Carrie both amplifies what De Palma intentionally left dormant for the most part in his film (that movie’s high-point, arguably, is the dancing and voting and tension of the prom), and makes the movie’s uncomplicated end a blunder, both failing to address the real-world connections Peirce fleetingly wants to make, and leaving something potentially great in disarray.

18

SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Heat Report

O captain, my captain!

TIM UBELS

CONTRIBUTOR

After the departure of Quintin Laing, Heat captain for the past three seasons, in the offseason, the team has yet to announce a replacement to fill the key role.

The process of naming a team captain is a measured one, and Heat management seems to understand that the prestige that comes with wearing the “C” has to be earned, otherwise players may end up resenting the decision. Jealousy is a very real thing among athletes, and that’s never a good way to get a team to work together and be successful at the AHL level.

Past seasons have seen the Heat players vote on who will be named captain, sometimes playing almost a month of hockey before deciding on one player.

Last season the Heat went captainless for three weeks before the players agreed to name Laing captain for a third straight season. This process might seem tedious to some, but it allows the players to form bonds and gain familiarity with each other before selecting a leadership group for the season. With such a young team and only a handful of players returning from the 2012-13 lineup, the delay seems appropriate.

In the meantime, the club

named forwards Paul Bryon, Carter Bancks, and Greg Nemisz alternate captains to start the season. They have all been staples of the Heat lineup the past few seasons, and these veterans will be considered frontrunners for the captaincy if the team decides to hold a vote this season.

While most of the major team sports in North America use team captains as a form of leadership, the role of captain in professional ice hockey is distinctive. In American football, teams will often have multiple team captains, but in ice hockey, there is a tradition of naming one player, and one player only, team captain.

The honour of having the “C” stitched on their sweater is also more significant in ice hockey because it doesn’t automatically go to the superstar or the team’s most marketable player. Very frequently in hockey, the team captain isn’t the fastest skater, the team’s point leader, or its toughest player. But what he lacks in pure skill, he makes up for in leadership.

By holding a vote on the vacant captaincy a few weeks into the season each year, Heat management allows the players to make a heartfelt and careful decision on which player has displayed the right kind of leadership thus far.

Leading by example is un-

Photo: Clint Trahan/Abbotsford Heat

Veterans like Carter Bancks (34) will wear the alternate ‘A’ until the Heat decide on a new captain. doubtedly the single most important characteristic of a great hockey captain. Whatever style of game is supposed to be played, it is the captain’s duty to set an example by following the system, and the team’s to follow his lead. Whether the team plays an up-tempo or physical style of game, it is the captain’s responsibility to implement the team’s game plan both on and off the ice.

The captain also acts as the voice of the team, speaks to players who are struggling, defends their actions publicly, and is the only player officially recognized as being able to talk to game officials about rulings on the ice.

These responsibilities require a level of confidence that most players just don’t have.

Perhaps it’s best for the Heat to take its time selecting a new leader. The job is about trusting

your teammates and respecting each other’s opinion, and though this young team has shown moments of teamwork and togetherness, it’s still a work in progress, full of rookies and new acquisitions. The constant challenge of building a team out of two dozen personalities makes the job of captaining a hockey team not only pressure-filled, but also highly rewarding.

2013 Honda Way Basketball Weekend October 25 – 26, 2013 at the Envision Athletic Centre Competition Schedule Friday, October 26 5:00PM

Game One

UFV vs UBC-O (Women)

7:00PM

Game Two

UFV vs Capilano (Men)

Saturday, October 27 4:00PM

Game One

Brock vs UFV (Women)

6:00PM

Game Two

Langara vs UFV (Men)

$2 General Admission UFV students are FREE with valid ID card

UFV Cascades Athletics

@ufvcascades

For more information, call 604-557-4041 or visit www.ufvcascades.ca

19

SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

It’s a new season, and men’s v-ball is aiming high NATHAN HUTTON CONTRIBUTOR

This year’s men’s volleyball team has 12 returning players from last year’s talented squad, which played all the way into the PACWEST quarterfinals.

Joining this year’s squad are Braden Thain from Earl Marriot Secondary and Nick Bruce from Fleetwood Park Secondary. Thain’s Earl Marriot team placed fifth last year in the AAA provincial championships and Thain received a third team allstar at the tournament. Bruce led Fleetwood’s squad last year from the middle position.

Assistant coach Carl Nienhuis said Thain and Bruce “both bring a tremendous work ethic and have transitioned into our mix very smoothly. I like that they are both able to push our returning players to be at their best night in and night out.”

Last year the men had a season full of ups and downs that began with a lacklustre start, though the team improved as the season progressed. They finished sixth in the conference and matched up against a very talented Camosun College team in the first round. Nienhuis said of his team, “the boys had a strong finish last year, and were really starting to gel at the end of the season. I think they have picked up right where they left off – not only are they physically stronger and have more refined skills, but they’re also learning how to more consistently compete at a high level.”

The 2013-14 edition returns with a core of strong seniors

Photo: Tree Frog Imaging

If the average male in Canada is 5’9, this team is the reason some of you readers are so short. including fifth-year leader Devon Krahn, and three fourthyear players: brothers Josh and Anthony Togeretz and Chris Schmitke. All four players will need to show strong leadership on what is currently a very young team.

When asked what the team’s goals were for the upcoming season, Nienhuis talked about continual improvement.

“I like to think our goals for

this season revolve around team and personal development, where every day is an opportunity for growth and improvement. Long-term success is built upon daily training, so our emphasis right now is in continually showing up to practice and competitions with energy, the right attitude and the intent to work extremely hard. If we do that, we should end up winning some games.”

The squad’s pre-season was riddled with many ups and downs for the team but ended up being vital to the team’s preparation.

“Our team is deep, and we will be relying on that depth throughout the season. So our matches to date have been about giving guys the opportunity to play in different roles while working out different combinations,” Nienhuis said.

In their regular season games so far, the men have played well but have been unable to get the dominant upper hand, splitting both back-to-back games with CBC and Douglas College. At two weeks into the season, the men are in a four-way tie for second place with four overall points.

A few weeks ago we ran an article explaining why the 2014-2015 Canada West basketball schedule is deeply unfair to “newer” CIS schools like UFV. Apparently UFV administration agrees with us. This is a letter from UFV president Mark Evered that was sent to the president of every other university participating in the Canada West.

October 16, 2013 UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEY OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Photo: Tree Frog Imaging

The two first-place squads pose with the proof of their dominance.

Victorious at last!

NATHAN HUTTON CONTRIBUTOR

UFV’s golf teams have made history.

For only the third time since the inception of Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) golf, the same school has won both the men’s and women’s national championships.

In doing so, the Cascades have solidified their spot atop the CCAA golf rankings, and coach Chris Bertram has been awarded the CCAA coach of the year award.

In addition to their incredible team play, the Cascades also secured four of six individual medals. In the men’s category, standouts Aaron Pauls and Darren Whitehouse captured silver and bronze medals respectively. In the women’s category, Jen Woods and Dani Shap took home silver and bronze medals as well.

Bertram commented on his team’s effort, saying “I am very proud of both teams; they were excellent all season long. Going undefeated is a great accomplishment.”

I seek your help on a matter of fairness and sportsmanship.

It involves a recent decision made by the delegates appointed by us as presidents to represent us as members of the Canada West Universities Athletic Association (the western division of Canadian Interuniversity Sport, CIS). It illustrates the problems that a decision made by CIS or one of its divisions can create for our universities and for the students and communities we serve.

There has been significant growth in the number of Canada West member universities, clearly a good thing for sport in Canada and the communities we serve. This growth has challenged the scheduling of competitions between universities, however. Our concern is with the solution chosen for basketball in the western Canadian division.

The format chosen splits the 17 competing institutions into two unequal divisions – a “Pioneer Division” consisting of the 11 schools who were full Canada West members before

April 2010, and an “Explorer Division” consisting of the 6 newest members (Thompson Rivers University, University of the Fraser Valley, University of British Columbia Okanagan, University of Northern British Columbia, Mount Royal University, and MacEwan University).

To the best of my knowledge, such tiering within a division is a first for CIS. While the term “tiering” has been avoided, this is the outcome in all respects.

It is certainly the way our current students, recruits, parents, coaches, and our community see this. Membership in either the “senior’’ or “junior” league is to be based not on academic or athletic ability but on the date of membership in Canada West.

Without doubt, this decision will impact student choices and our ability to recruit and retain young athletes, our reputation, and our contributions to the athletic development of our region. To say that members of our community are angry about this is an understatement.

I hope you also share my concern about process. Only two of the six members of the “Explorer Division” universities could vote on this matter directly affecting them (TRU and UFV); the others had no vote because

of their probationary status in Canada West. The process and decision certainly seem at odds with the commitment by CIS to equity and equality of experience for member institutions and student athletes (Value 5 in CIS By-Laws, Policies and Procedures, 2009).

I note that a different solution to the same problem was chosen by Canada West for soccer competitions: two geographic divisions were created within the western provinces, with each subdivision representing similar numbers of schools. It is a solution that is far better in terms of scheduling efficiencies and travel cost management.

On behalf of UFV, our Board of Governors, and our community, my delegates are seeking reconsideration of this decision when Canada West meets later this month (shortly after our AUCC meeting). I would be grateful if you would discuss our concern with your delegates. I would be pleased to discuss this further with you when we meet next week in Ottawa.

Mark D. Evered, Ph.D. President and Vice-Chancellor

20

Staying alive

SPORTS & HEALTH

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2013 www.ufvcascade.ca

Men’s soccer fights for first post-season appearance

Photo: Blake McGuire/The Cascade

Defender Colton O’Neill clears the ball out of harm’s way. Colton is one of the Cascades’ top players, and will be a significant component in any post-season run (Photos from Saturday game against Lethbridge).

PAUL ESAU

THE CASCADE

Record: 6-7-1 (currently third in the Pacific Division) Goals (Overall): 19 Goals Against: 22 Yellow Cards (Overall): 11 Graduating players: None It was the twilight of the soccer gods on Friday, as the UFV men’s squad tried to end a winless streak dating back to September 27 and improve their chances of a playoff berth. The possibility lay before them, beguiling, seductive. All they had to do was win.

The men’s team has suffered a stark inability to win big games over the past few seasons, dropping the ball time and time again in pivotal matches.

Since joining the CIS, the team has never made it into the post-

Kree Bryne dribbles upfield.

season, coming close (one point shy last season), but not close enough.

The Cascades took the field on Friday against the University of Calgary Dinos, a team ranked third in the CIS Prairie division.

The game began with a number of promising opportunities for a UFV tally, but shockingly, it was Calgary that scored first on one of only two first half shots.

Facing down possible elimination, the Cascades played the last 45 minutes with an authority that has often been lacking this season. They pelted the Dinos goalie with an impressive 22 shots and attempted 15 corner kicks over 90 minutes, only rarely allowing Calgary to rally across the midfield line. Justin Sekhon and Connor MacMillan were especially impressive for the UFV side in its all-out attempt to avoid post-season obscurity.

The Dinos curled around their lead like they’d just found an Apatosaurus-sized shell to crawl into. Cascades strikers blasted shot after shot into the

densely packed knot of defenders in front of the Calgary net, bruising limbs with impunity.

One particularly promising strike eluded the Dinos goaltender only to slam into the butt of a retreating defender in a display of shocking dumb luck.

By the 60 minute mark, it was easy to understand why the dinosaurs had gone extinct; no species, no matter how tough, could withstand the punishment being served up by the UFV offense. 10 members of the Calgary squad spent significant portions of the second half deep within the 18-yard box, but despite their bodily sacrifice it was only a matter of time.

In the 70th minute, striker Ethan Clairbourne-Collins finally managed to blast one past the milling flock of Ceratopsians and into the Calgary net.

17 minutes later he banked another shot off the far post and in, putting the Cascades ahead with four minutes left in the game.

The second goal was a masterpiece of angled trigonometry and calculated trajectory, a

Photo: Blake McGuire/The Cascade

“ O n c e [ g o a l s] come, hopefull y t h ey c o m e i n w a ve s . I t ’ s a g o o d t ime to get hot .” triumph in its own right. After the game Clairbourne-Collins admitted the secret behind his laser-like precision.

“I closed my eyes, to be honest,” he said with a grin.

“They’re closed a lot of the time,” added a lurking Alan Errington, whose head coach façade looked significantly more relaxed then it had at halftime.

“We’re still alive,” he added, “it was a must win. A tie would have killed us, it would have been the end of the season.”

Prior to Clairbourne-Collins’ first goal, the Cascades hadn’t scored in more than two-and-ahalf games. To compensate the squad has been focusing on set

plays and corner kicks in practice, but the relief after the 2-1 win was obvious. “The goals are there in training but you don’t see that, you don’t see all the hard work that happens in training,” Clairbourne-Collins said. “Once [goals] come, hopefully they come in waves. It’s a good time to get hot.”

For his part, Errington was satisfied with the day’s performance. “I thought the attitude, and the work rate, and the desire was there,” he said, “and at the end of the day that’s all you can ask. The league doesn’t lie, we are where we are. If we don’t make the playoffs that’s because we’re not good enough, and if we do make the playoffs it’s because we are.”

On Saturday, the Cascades defeated the University of Lethbridge 4-1, opening up a five point lead on the fourth-place TWU Spartans. TWU will play its final two games next weekend, and must win both to pass the Cascades in the standings and deny UFV the final playoff spot.

Centre fullback Ravi Singh is the anchor of UFV’s defense.

Photo: Blake McGuire/The Cascade