Vol. 21 Issue. 4
www.ufvcascade.ca
January 30 to February 6, 2013
Working on our night cheese since 1993
x x x Inside
Finding out what exactly is on your face p. 3
p. 10-11
Heat correspondent Mike Cadarette bids farewell p. 19
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
INSIDE THIS WEEK’S ISSUE
Kinda Gotta be a fan of Kai Nagata
Opinion
Capitalizing on the G
Arts & Life
Sports & Health
Have you heard of Kai Nagata, the man who publically quit a prominent position at CTV at the tender age of 24? Well, now you have. The journalist-turnedvideographer recently visted UFV to talk about media, the power of social networks, and a fish named Bruce.
Love the delicious curves, smooth moves swooping climax of the handwritten capital “G”? Find yourself writing awkward sentences in order to accommodate a word that starts with a “G” at the open? Read guest writer Elliot Chan’s love letter to the elusive cursive.
A Visual Arts Gallery featuring artwork from UFV alumni Scott Schell was exhibited on the Abbotsford campus last week. Cascade contributor Beau O’Neill views the artwork titled Listen as the Whispers Look Around.
UFV basketball was back in action last weekend against the upstart UNBC Timberwolves. The women got help from a fresh source, while the men are mysteriously missing a familiar face ...
News
pg. 6
Look at Art!
pg. 9
pg. 12
Man Down
pg. 20
EDITORIAL
Name dropping
Image: Anthony Biondi/The Cascade
Former names of UFV’s campus newspaper.
NICK UBELS THE CASCADE
The Cascade is always in a state of flux. Student press is naturally prone to transitions. This is typically thanks to a revolving door of graduating staff and contributors, and recently, the move away
from traditional media. But more than usual, big changes are afoot at your friendly neighbourhood student newspaper. The big, structural evolutions are as follows: an impending move into the Student Union Building; the creation of new
Volume 21 · Issue 4 Room C1027 33844 King Road Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8 604.854.4529 Editor-in-chief nick@ufvcascade.ca Nick Ubels Managing editor amy@ufvcascade.ca Amy Van Veen Business manager joe@ufvcascade.ca Joe Johnson Online editor michael@ufvcascade.ca Michael Scoular Production manager stewart@ufvcascade.ca Stewart Seymour
memorandums of agreement between The Cascade, UFV and the SUS to ensure our autonomy; a change of servers that will make our website much more reliable with room for growth into multimedia content; and a potential print and/or website redesign. All this has us contemplating an even bigger change: our name. Drafting new policy agreements, changing office locations and overhauling our appearance make it the right time to consider such a change. If we were ever to change the name of our student press, now is the time to do it. The Cascade may have been in existence since 1993, but we’ve never thought it a particularly compelling name for a studentrun alternative newspaper. Some of you may know that The Cascade started out as a SUS newsletter. The board of directors were in charge of hiring editorial staff and exerted a lot of control over the content that made it into the paper. This went on until we secured our autonomy by referendum just over 10 years ago, thanks to the intrepid renegades behind The Toque, a rival publication that eventually took over The Cascade. Not only that, but we’ve run into all sorts of name confusion when we cover UFV’s varsity squads: the Cascades. What would we change our name to? Well, that’s not something that has much entered the discussion so far. We’ve toyed with the idea of returning to The Toque because of its history as the
current Cascade’s spiritual ancestor as an autonomous source of campus news and opinion. At the same time, I find it hard to believe The Cascade as it currently stands would ever quite return to the “hip and subversive” badassery of The Toque. And that’s a legacy we don’t want to tarnish. A name change poses a couple of risks. First and foremost is the loss of name recognition. The Cascade has been hitting campus newsstands for 20 years. Faculty, student organizations and the local community have at least a marginal awareness of what The Cascade is and whose interests it represents. At the same time, in less than four years we could be looking at an entirely new student body. After all, I had no idea what the hell a “Cascade” was when I first set foot on campus. A name change isn’t something we take lightly. It isn’t something we want to become a regular pattern; if we decide to change the name of The Cascade, we want it to be a permanent change, not a yearly whim of the current editorial board. It’s important for us to have a name that captures the spirit of the student press. Masthead as manifesto. Something that distinctly tells readers and passersby the type of reporting they can expect inside and inspires contributors to make the content to match. Unfortunately, The Cascade just doesn’t cut it.
UPCOMING EVENTS Jan 30
Feb 1&2
Feb 1-7
Feb 18-22
CIVL Open Mic
Cheerfest Nationals
The Great Digital Film Festival
BFA Silent Auction
Come out tonight to the pub formerly known as AfterMath for a night of music, poetry and good times. CIVL’s Adam Roper will be hosting the event starting at 7 p.m. and you can either take part or just grab a PBR and observe.
Do you ever wish Bring it On was real? Good news! It is! This weekend the AESC will be the home of the 2013 Cheerfest Nationals hosted by the Valley Star Cheer Athletics. Doors open at 8 a.m. and adult tickets cost $12.
Colossus Langley will, for the next week, be showing classic movies from yesteryear, including Jaws, The Matrix, An American Werewolf in London, the entire Indiana Jones series, Gremlins, Battle Royale and several others. Price is $6, but the more films you see, the greater discount you get.
Come out and support the UFV Visual Arts department by taking part in a silent auction from February 18 to 21, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and February 22, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Affordable art and a chance to support local artists? Who could say no?
Art director anthony@ufvcascade.ca Anthony Biondi Copy editor joel@ufvcascade.ca Joel Smart News editor news@ufvcascade.ca Dessa Bayrock Opinion editor opinion@ufvcascade.ca Nadine Moedt Arts & life editor arts@ufvcascade.ca Sasha Moedt Sports editor sports@ufvcascade.ca Paul Esau News writer jess@ufvcascade.ca Jess Wind Photojournalist blake@ufvcascade.ca Blake McGuire Staff writers Karen Aney, Taylor Johnson Contributors Brittni Brown, Mike Cadarette, Jeremy Hannaford, Jasper Moedt, Adesuwa Okoyomon, Ashley O’Neill, Beau O’Neill, Jasmine Proctor, Hailey Rollheiser, Tim Ubels Printed By International Web exPress 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, JANUARY 30, 2013
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NEWS
Year of the Bus: a referendum cometh DESSA BAYROCK
The referendum question “Do you support an up to $6.75 per semester Chilliwack-to-Abbotsford transit fee to secure mass transit between Chilliwack and Abbotsford for our students?”
THE CASCADE
The drive between Chilliwack and Abbotsford is only 20 minutes long, but for students without a vehicle that distance becomes astronomical. SUS president Shane Potter lives in Chilliwack, takes most of his classes in Abbotsford, and looked to increase transit options between the two towns when he ran for the position of VP east almost a year ago. This goal will finally see the light in early March; students will be asked to decide by referendum if they support paying $6.75 a semester to pay for a bus between the two towns. The proposed bus system will run 10 times a day and five days a week. Buses would start as early in the morning as possible, to cater to trades students and other programs that start bright and early, and run until 10 p.m. when the last class block ends. Creating a bus route between Abbotsford and Chilliwack has been a SUS goal for years, and Potter says it was just a matter of getting the right people together in a room to see it through. Forming a single-purpose ad-hoc committee to tackle the problem turned out to be the way to the solution. “The brilliant part is that we put Dan van der Kroon and Jay Mitchell on that committee,” Potter says. “If you [tried to] pick two more focused individuals to put on this committee, you couldn’t. Both are well connected in the
[Insert Bus Here]
Image: airdiogo/flickr.com
This coming March, UFV students will be casting their votes regarding a proposed $6.75 fee. community and well-versed in transit. They’re both definitely community leaders ... without them, this project wouldn’t even be close to being a success.” Although SUS has pushed for a public option in the past, Potter says the answer was instead funding a private option. This will allow SUS to synch departure and arrival times with class blocks, and more importantly allow the system to be put into place much faster. “We have a long history of lobbying towards a public option, but ... I felt that with government it’s just taking too long,” Potter says. “Especially when you have UFV moving programs out to Chilliwack and pushing their new campus ... we need a solution right now. And the private option
creates that.” Sixty per cent of the cost will be funded by a dedicated student fee at $6.75 per student per semester. The referendum in March will determine whether or not students are willing to pay it. The per-semester fee will allow students to ride the bus by flashing their UPASS, although the fee will be completely separate from the UPASS fee. Separating the two fees, Potter says, is a necessary precaution to make sure the revenue can’t be put towards something else. “If we start lumping everything into set fees, it allows the Student Union Society to discontinue a service without discontinuing the revenue,” Potter explains. “This way, it’s protected. It’s public. To kill it, to raise it, to change it – all
has to go through referendum. It’s the most direct form of democracy that we can make.” The other option was to have students pay on a per-ride basis, which the ad-hoc committee saw as unfeasible. “There are a lot of economically disadvantaged students, and the people who will use this program to its full potential are the people who really can’t afford to be spending a lot more money,” Potter says, “So this will allow them to pay $6.75 once, and then allow them the option to connect to other campuses.” The other 40 per cent of the cost will be paid for by the university. “Nothing is set in stone until everything is signed, but they are fully aware of everything we’re doing,” Potter explains, noting
that both parties will be pooling their funds at the same time assuming the referendum passes. “The UFV administration is really encouraging this. This is helping them massively,” Potter adds, explaining that faculty and staff will also be able to ride the bus. “The benefits that I’m seeing, and the excitement that I’m seeing generated from their end – it’s something that they’re really pushing for.” The referendum itself needs a 60 per cent “yes” vote to pass, and Potter stresses that students will be voting to institute a one-year trial period. After the system has been in place for one year, the student body will go to referendum to decide if service should be increased, kept at the same level, decreased or scrapped altogether. Tuesday, January 29, marked the beginning of the 30-day information period that precedes every referendum, and more information will be making its way to the student population over the next month. The referendum itself will run from March 1–8 through myUFV.
SCIENCE ON PURPOSE
Living harmoniously with face-eating mites ASHLEY O’NIELL CONTRIBUTOR
You know that blissful moment after you have a shower where you feel nice and clean? Well, you aren’t as clean as you think. Our bodies are the host to trillions of different species of bacteria and fungi, living both on the skin and in your organs. However creepy or gross this may be, most of the bacteria living in our organs are actually quite helpful; they aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients, rid the body of toxins and strengthen the immune system. You are literally crawling with bacteria, inside and out, but what may be particularly disturbing is the tiny mites that live in the hair follicles on your face. These mites typically live in the hair follicles of your eyelashes, eyebrows, forehead and ear hairs, but they are also known to be found on the chest, forearms and private parts. They are more likely to live in oilier environments (which is why they are more commonly found on your face, and have higher populations in the summer). There are over 100 recognizable species of face mites, which fall into the Demodox genus, a combination of the Greek word for lard (demo) and boring worm (dex) to get Demodex, a worm that bores
Image: Nottingham Vet School/flickr.com
There are mites living, eating and crawling on your face – and you probably will never notice. into fat. The two species most commonly found on humans are about 0.3 to 0.4 millimetres in length and look like little worms with elongated bodies. Demodex assume a “head-in tail-out” position in
your hair follicle, with their tail poking out just at the surface of your skin. They are most commonly found in adults because they feed on sebum, an oily substance that lubricates and waterproofs the
skin, and is produced in higher quantities by adults. Like most microbes, the mites’ favourite pastime is eating, and when they are not eating they are mating or moving between hair follicles. Yes. Not only can the face mites
burrow into a single hair follicle, but they can move around from one to another as they please. The mites have stubby little legs that they use to travel across your skin, especially during the night. Dr. Shannon Weeks, a naturopathic doctor and applied kinesiologist explains on her blog that our bodies have a natural defence system for keeping the mites from overproducing. If we cannot produce the antibodies we need to control the parasites, too many mites can cause an infestation; this leads to skin breakouts and rashes. A common (but harmless) condition caused by these microbes is called rosacea, which causes redness of the face, irritated eyes and acne sores. Follicle mites live in groups of three to six mites per hair follicle, but can occasionally group in larger numbers. This means that a single hair follicle could be the equivalent of a mite nightclub – a mating hotspot for a colony of Demodex mites, especially if (as mentioned above) your body is ineffective at producing antibodies. You will probably live your whole life in an unknowing harmony with these tiny guests, but perhaps the harmony partly comes from the “not knowing” part. After all – you don’t feel so clean anymore, do you?
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
NEWS
Smoke but no Provincial spending spree fire at AfterMath hits UFV DESSA BAYROCK
DESSA BAYROCK
Something was cooking in the campus pub, and it wasn’t food. “Deb came to me at about 12 o’clock in the afternoon and said, ‘I can smell something that’s not food in the kitchen,’” AfterMath manager Brad Ross says. He tried to track the suspicious smell, but neither he nor the chef could figure out where it was coming from. “I couldn’t trace it, but I could smell it,” he continues. “It was almost an electrical smell, a very minute electrical smell – it wasn’t quite a burning.” What Ross and kitchen staff were smelling was the melting plastic plug of the deep-fryer tucked on a shelf. Forty minutes later, the smell became strong enough that they could finally pinpoint where it was coming from. “I went back in the kitchen and it took about two seconds that time,” Ross says. “I knew it was the plug-in, so I threw the breakers, went to unplug it, and burned my fingertips because the socket was so hot. So I grabbed one of the rags we use to take stuff out of the oven ... took the plug out, and the plastic piece was melting.” Ross says he ran over to facilities immediately to get someone to look at the problem. By the time he got back to the restaurant, someone met him there to look at the situation and replace the part. In the end, the repair took a little over an hour – even with
a quick run over to a hardware store to get the right pieces. Ross says he’s indescribably grateful for the help he received from facilities – that the department went above and beyond in terms of speed and price. In the end, the fix cost a little under $200, which Ross describes as more than reasonable for an emergency electrical call-out. Two pieces ended up being replaced – the plug and, as a precaution, the socket itself. “It’s a good thing we caught it, that’s the only thing,” Ross concludes. “It’s scary, because right above it is hot oil, and wood ... and because of openness of the kitchen on that side – lots of oxygen.” “It wasn’t a huge issue, but it could have been.”
As part of a provincial spending spree this month, the BC government donated $621,701 to go towards state-of-the art equipment at UFV’s Trades and Technology Centre (TTC) last week. “Trades are a practical way for people to make a living,” stated Chilliwack MLA John Les in a news release on January 24. “This funding will help improve trades programs at the University of the Fraser Valley, and will give students even more hands-on experience that they can take with them to their jobs.” John Yap, the Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology, was also on-site to oversee the donation. “This provincial investment, coupled with contributions from private industry partners, will ensure students are training on the same calibre of equipment their employers will be asking them to work on after graduation,” Yap noted in the same release. The equipment UFV plans to buy with this funding includes a plasma table and a diagnostic engine bench. Rolf Arnold, the director of trades and technology training at UFV, says this equipment is necessary to keep trades students upto-date with the industry. “The plasma cutter is a computerized burning tool for cutting shapes out of metal,” Arnold explains, “from pink flamingos to brackets for a particular piece.”
The plasma cutter will automatically make the most efficient use of the metal. “We do have a burning table now, but it has a very limited range of things we could do with it,” Arnold says. The diagnostic engine bench is another learning tool that UFV will be purchasing with the funds. Arnold explains this will allow automotive students to see the inner workings of a car in a way they wouldn’t be able to in a normal workshop scenario. This donation comes at the
end of a spending-heavy month for the BC government as part of the BC Jobs Plan and Skills and Training Plan: Vancouver Community College, Trinity Western University, and Vancouver Island University all received donations in the neighbourhood of $1.5 million, similarly to buy new equipment. The BC government also pledged $113 million to Emily Carr University of Art and Design to help build a new and larger campus.
Image: Jennifer Kwan/The Concordian
Image: REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Image: http://ca.reuters.com/
Image: REUTERS/Edison Vara
THE CASCADE
THE CASCADE
Image: Anthony Biondi
This almost happened!
Image: University of the Fraser Valley/flickr.com
UFV president Mark Evered and Minister of Advanced Education John Yap attend the donation event.
NEWS BRIEFS
Image: REUTERS/Mark Blinch
Ontario’s openly gay premier hopes to be example for others
McGill attempts to bar student journalists from access
Google pledges fight over government access to users’ email
Canadian natives vow to battle on as chief ends fast
Nightclub fire kills 233 in Brazil
TORONTO (Reuters) — Ontario’s new premier, the first openly gay head of a Canadian province, said on Sunday it would be “wonderful” if her victory can help society be more accepting of young gay people. Ontario’s Liberals chose Kathleen Wynne to become the head of the minority government ruling Canada’s most-populous province. Wynne told a post-victory news conference on Sunday that her priorities would be to heal wounds in the provincial legislature so the parties can work together to tackle spending and improve the education system. “The rancor and the viciousness of the legislature can’t continue,” she said. “We absolutely have to continue to work out our disagreements.”
MONTREAL (CUP) — McGill University has filed a motion that would grant it the ability to deny access to information (ATI) requests from The McGill Daily, The Link, the website McGillliLeaked and anyone associated with them. This comes in response to what the university describes as a “complex system of repetitious and abusive requests” for information. According to the Canadian Access to Information Act, publically-funded, government-run institutions like universities are required to release certain documents to the public when officially requested. The university filed the motion to the Commission d’accès à l’information, claiming that the ATI requests were set up “as a retaliation measure against McGill in the aftermath of the 2011–2012 student protests.”
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Google will lobby Washington in 2013 to make it harder for law enforcement authorities to gain access to emails and other digital messages. In a blog post on Monday, linked to Data Privacy Day, Google’s chief legal officer, David Drummond, said the tech giant, in coalition with many other powerful tech companies, will try to convince Congress to update a 1986 privacy protection law. He cited data showing that government requests for Google’s user data increased more than 70 per cent since 2009. In 2012, Google said, it received 16,407 requests for user data affecting 31,072 users or accounts, more than half of them accompanied by a subpoena.
OTTAWA (Reuters) — Canadian native leaders vowed on Thursday to carry on the fight for better living conditions as a chief at the center of a simmering aboriginal protest movement ended her sixweek hunger strike. Chief Theresa Spence, from a remote northern Ontario reserve, called off the strike after holding negotiations with other aboriginal leaders and opposition lawmakers in Canadian Parliament. “There was an awakening here,” Danny Metatawabin, a spokesman for Spence, told a news conference in Ottawa. “Now we have to move forward.” “The fight does not end because the hunger strike ends.” Spence, who survived on a liquid diet while living in a tepee, was taken to a hospital for observation on Thursday and released.
(Reuters) — A nightclub fire killed at least 233 people in southern Brazil on Sunday when a band’s pyrotechnics show set the building ablaze and fleeing partygoers stampeded toward blocked exits in the ensuing panic. Most of those who died were suffocated by toxic fumes that rapidly filled the crowded club after sparks from pyrotechnics used by the band for visual effects set fire to soundproofing on the ceiling, local fire officials said. Firemen said one exit was locked and that club bouncers, who at first thought those fleeing were trying to skip out on bar tabs, initially blocked patrons from leaving. The security staff relented only when they saw flames engulfing the ceiling.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
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NEWS
The university Health and Dental fee increase compliments wagon on the table JESS WIND
THE CASCADE
It’s something you may or may not have seen on your Facebook feed in the last month or so: UFV compliments, anonymously congratulating and recognizing students for achievements all over campus. It’s a little mystifying – what is it for? Perhaps more interestingly, who’s in charge of the page? The creator, however, wishes to remain anonymous. “I don’t want to put the focus on one person ... I didn’t start it because of me,” she says of her wish to remain anonymous. “It has nothing to do with me. It has to do with the students.” The creator says they were inspired by the University of British Columbia Okanagan compliments page, and felt UFV could really benefit from some positive reinforcement. “It was really inspiring to see how people bonded over that. I thought ‘UFV needs something like that,” she says. To compliment a fellow UFVer, a student can send either a Facebook message or an email to the Facebook page. After that, the message will be posted anonymously and publicly to the page’s facebook feed. The recipient of the compliment is then tagged so they get the notification. Since the page launched on January 15, close to 20 members of the UFV community have been named on the page. Most of these compliments were posted in the first few days, and this is a low number compared to similar pages for other universities, but the creator is still positive. “It’s been a slow start but I think it’s pretty good. Anything is good,” she says. “Even if we only get two things on the page, it’s cool – because we’ve affected two people.”
The creator hopes more of the UFV community will get on board and continue to take advantage of the ability to spread kindness and build a campus connection. What the creator didn’t know when she launched the page was that UFV was becoming part of a massive movement on university campuses. The idea of a compliments page for a university community started last fall when four students in Kingston, Ontario, decided to launch a page for Queen’s University as a way to lift the back-toschool spirits. The idea took off, and the students soon created a group for other participating universities. UFV is number 129 to join the movement. Olivia B. Waxman, in an article for Time-Tech magazine, describes the Queen’s students’ efforts as an attempt to build a positive campus atmosphere, as well as a contribution to mental health awareness and anti-bullying initiatives. She believes that the popularity and spread of the feel-good campus pages is, in a way, a response to the viral gossip sites that have cropped up over the last few years. “[JuicyCampus.com] spread to about 500 campuses, becoming the largest gossip website in the U.S. before it was forced to shut down in February 2009,” she reports. UFV compliments didn’t form in direct response to these gossip pages, but Waxman hypothesizes pages like it help combat negative sentiments simply by providing a way to share positive thoughts. And at the end of the day, the creator is just a regular student operating without an ulterior agenda. She simply wants to do good things for their campus community – no matter what size.
DESSA BAYROCK THE CASCADE
This coming March, students will be faced with not one but two referendums regarding the current Health and Dental fee. The first referendum will ask students if they are willing to increase the Health and Dental fee in order to expand or keep services at the current level. If the referendum fails to pass, the fee will stay at the current rate – but students will see a decrease in services. SUS president Shane Potter says the problem is simple: the program is costing more than the current fee can pay for. “People are using the program,” he explains. “We have to either increase funding into it or decrease services, and that’s really the crossroads we’re at. If students feel they can’t justify the increase, then they will have to take a decrease in services.” Part of this imbalance comes from the fact that UFV’s student body has a different composition than other universities, which means more students are drawing on the service than expected. “We are a very different animal that other universities,” Potter says. “We have a lot of mature students, we have a lot of people [who are] economically disadvantaged ... so we see a much higher use rate than a lot of other universities will.” Potter explains that the current Health and Dental fee was reasonable at the time it was introduced, but is less and less effective as medical costs rise each year. This is where the other referendum steps in, proposing a policy to allow the Health and Dental fee to increase in step with inflation on a yearly basis. The SUS board has looked into the specific inflation rate of medi-
The case of the leaky lecture hall DESSA BAYROCK THE CASCADE
A leak has commandeered the hallway outside of B101, UFV’s token lecture theatre. The scene looks dour, with sheets of dark plastic and garbage bags leading a persistent trickle of water into a bucket. Although facilities has clearly dealt with the situation to some extent, the department has declined to comment on the situation without explicit permission from the university as a whole. In past years, leaks have appeared in D building, C building and the library, where tarps covered bookshelves to protect the books from water damage last fall.
Images: Anthony Biondi/The Cascade
Two angles of the leak dripping water into the hall outside of B101.
Image: Anthony Biondi/The Cascade
Student fees are not covering the cost of benefits used. cal services and determined that the policy should allow for a five per cent increase every year. “What that will do is allow the health and dental rate to increase by five per cent every year so that the services can stay on par with where they were the previous year,” Potter explains. This would end the need for a more substantial increase in the fee every few years or so. “It’s really not fair to expect a massive increase every three or four years, which is what we’d have to do,” Potter says. “This way it creates a ready-set policy that allows the rate to correlate with the services offered. It’s less of a shock, and more gradual.” Both referendums will require
a 60 per cent “yes” vote to pass, and will run on myUFV from March 1–8. Referendum question one: “Are you in favour of the University of the Fraser Valley Student Union Society setting the Health and Dental fee to $229.92, to increase Basic Dental and Prescription Drug coverage to 60 per cent and 80 per cent respectively?” Referendum question two: “Are you in favour of allowing the University of the Fraser Valley Student Union Society Board to adjust the Health and Dental fee by up to five per cent each year after 2014, to adapt to cost fluctuation?”
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
NEWS
Bucking the system
Media freelancer Kai Nagata talks viable alternatives to traditional journalism JESS WIND
THE CASCADE
Information gatekeepers. Broadcast models. Puppet rap videos. A guppy named Bruce. Kai Nagata covered it all. Roughly 50 students gathered in the B101 auditorium on January 28 as the former CTV Quebec City bureau chief turned freelance writer and videographer offered humour, wisdom and positivity as part of a look into the world of journalism. At 24, Nagata rose to one of the most prestigious positions inside francophone journalism circles. Then he resigned. The discussion started with this story, but quickly moved to what he has been doing since and where journalism is headed. Nagata began by describing the environment he worked in at CTV, affirming everyone’s beliefs about the inner workings of a major news broadcast station. “Everything you’ve heard about vending machines full of beer and people smoking in their offices is totally true. This was like the most old school press gallery in the most old school version of journalism around,” he said. The day he resigned and began a blog detailing his reasons, his phone was vibrating in circles with people inquiring into his mental health. “It was crazy and it was exhilarating and it was really really weird. Then I started getting emails from MPs and party leaders and politicians and people were starting to offer me jobs and marriage proposals. It was totally out of control,” he explained. The story of his resignation ballooned quickly and Nagata realized that his decision to leave big media spoke to those even outside the realm of journalism. “I got notes from people in all kinds of weird industries that I had no contact with who felt that it spoke to them and their frustrations,” he explained. “I realized it was really more about them and their emotional state of mind, they didn’t know anything about me.” He became interested in how ideas grow and move in non-traditional ways. This sparked the idea for an experiment. Nagata went on to film the documentary Renassiance Man about a blind lute player who wanted to jump motorcycles in California. He and his team distributed the film without attaching their names to it to see if it would move based on the strength of the story. “If you don’t have a story, then it’s really hard. If you have a really slick marketing plan and awesome connections and you’re really good at the Twitters, that doesn’t really matter if you don’t have a story to tell,” Nagata explained, adding that if you can package and present your story to the people that want to see it, they become the engines of distribution. He went on to say that if the story reaches big enough groups of interested people, then it comes up
Image: Blake McGuire/The Cascade
Nagata, pictured in front of The Cascade’s big, green wall, hosted a discussion on the future of media on January 28 at UFV’s Abbotsford campus for an audience of more than 50. against the gatekeepers of mainstream media. “If you can get mainstream media journalists talking about your stuff, you’re right on the cusp of a breakthrough,” he said. Though he was theoretically describing a method for pushing ideas around the internet, Nagata didn’t claim to have the fool-proof formula for going viral. “It’s alchemy,” he said. “Once in a while if you’re trying to control these different factors, it’s going to work.” Nagata showed several documentary trailers as part of his presentation, including one regarding climate change and one about the production of indie videogames. Industries all over, he said, are coming up against the limits of their growth. To illustrate this point, he told the rapt audience a story about his childhood pet fish Bruce and how it taught him about the dangers of growth in a limited environment. “I had this huge aquarium and I put him in this like 20 gallon aquarium in my room and he was the size of my thumbnail. As happens with guppies, they’ll just keep
growing,” he said. “Then it turned out that Bruce was not a dude, so Bruce had 100 babies. Then things got really stressful for me because I was nine.” Nagata described the massacre that occured in his fish tank. “It was a battle royale guppy situation,” he explained animatedly. “I had to pull all these bodies out every day. It was sad. I was digging little holes in the yard.” Eventually, when Bruce died, she had grown to the size of Nagata’s thumb. He realized that with the room and resources to grow, she thrived. On the other hand, once the tank became crowded with fish, none of them ever grew as large as Bruce. “It made me realize in a closed system with limited resources, eventually there are limits to growth,” he concluded. The story also operated as a metaphor for the situation that is unfolding in mainstream media, though Nagata never discounted what he learned from working in the system. At no point did he attempt to dissuade the aspiring journalists in the room from working towards a future at big telecom
companies. Instead, he tried to shed light onto some of the underlying reasons for his resignation. During his time at CTV, Bell Media absorbed the network in order to continue to sustain itself. “Those big telecom companies are dependent on growth. We’ve got three major telecom companies that own the TV stations and radio networks and the only way they can continue to grow at this point is by eating each other like the guppies,” he explained. “I found that a conflict of interest. As journalists we were supposed to think critically, we were supposed to question authority, we were supposed to question accepted logic.” Instead they were serving as cheerleaders for the growth of the economy; their jobs depended on it. He described change inside the economy and within our society, but said the major media outlets aren’t capable of covering it. They are built on a hierarchal model that is only as strong as the person at the top. “They’re collapsing at the same time and they don’t have the resources to send out and cover these major shifts in our society and our
Looking to hone your media skills?
economy,” he said. Nagata, along with many other filmmakers and crowd-funded content creators, envision an idea-based model that relies on the networks developed through the internet. Information is shared horizontally and the ability for growth is exponentially larger. He then brought the discussion back to the room by opening it up for questions. Media and communications professor Darren Blakeborough asked Nagata how he generates revenue. Nagata explained that it isn’t enough to have one skill set anymore, and that he’s become somewhat of a jack-of-all-trades. “You have to get creative. I think that it comes down to why you’re doing it and what your intent is with this kind of project,” he said. He commented on the people that are working towards the new model of journalism. “People are obviously marketers as well as filmmakers as well as social media experts or they become that through the process of these campaigns,” he explained. Media and communications professor Eric Spalding inquired as to how Nagata rose to his position at CTV so quickly. Nagata explained that he lucked into it, and spent over a year not knowing if he would be on the schedule the next week. “You just stayed because you loved it and you were willing to work every 5 a.m. shift and every weekend that they asked you to,” he said. CIVL director Aaron Levy asked if it was possible to “do good journalism” for a paycheque. Nagata explained that there is more opportunity to be brave when you have the backing of a major media company. He recounted a lawsuit in which he was being sued for $3.5 million for a story he worked on. With the power of the CBC legal team behind him, he won. He noted the value in the security of working inside a big news organization. “There’s a lot to be said for using the institution to the extent that you can,” he said, “until it gets to the point where you feel like you’re being used more than you’re getting out of the relationship.” A student asked for advice to those looking to get into journalism. Nagata addressed the entire room in response, offering specific advice or conversation to anyone who was interested. He concluded by offering inspiration and support to the students in the room. “I just want to say how lucky you guys are being in university right now,” he said. “You have this opportunity to think about exactly how you want to use these skills. You’re kind of incubating. You can burst out into the world like a butterfly when you graduate. Use every resource at your disposal right now.” MACS students and Cascade staff were live-tweeting the lecture with #KaiNagataSays.
The Cascade is looking for new contributors! Come to our weekly writers meetings Mondays in B133 on the Abbotsford campus at 10 a.m. or email editor-in-chief Nick Ubels at nick@ufvcascade.ca for more information.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
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OPINION
Those awful signs on the highway BEAU O’NEILL
Tweets of the Week
#EmbarrassingFirstClass
Shane Potter @shanerpotter Phil 100. I once spilt an entire extra large cup of Tim Horton’s Steeped tea on my brand new laptop. #embarrassingfirstclass
Sophie Thomas @SophieThomas2 “Late” to a 1st yr Anth class; sat through 1/2 a chem class. Chem instructor still keeps a seat for me in case. #embarrassingfirstclass randona @randonamary First day of health class, I wedged my thumb into a popcan and couldn’t get it out. Teacher sent me to the office#embarrassingfirstclass Chris @chris_towler Fell asleep in the class of a prof who would later become a close friend. She never lets me live it down. #embarrassingfirstclass
Taylor James @tlrjames Just woke up from a nap where I tooted in the middle of class on the first day. #embarrassingfirstclass
Reace Buchner @thereacecorps ENGL 105. Get to campus, spend 20 mins to find parking, get lost and show up 40 mins late. Wrong room. Hour late.#embarrassingfirstclass
Next week’s hashtag is #TypicalUFV Tweet your comments using this hashtag and you might end up featured in next week’s paper!
CONTRIBUTOR
Looming over the highway in Abbotsford, like an inorganic, commercial sequoia giant, are brightly-lit electronic signs. You might have seen them if you have vision; you might have seen them if you’re blind, they’re so bright. These monsters of advertising are a little piece of Times Square within Abbotsford. At night you can see this rod-destroying medium of advertising a kilometre away. A strange occurrence happened to me while I investigated the sign off King road. I had parked my car up the street a ways, in a No Parking zone, due to lack of available spots. I only wanted to take a few pictures of the behemoth in its stupendous glory, but I found an irony in its placement in front of a bungalow sharing its property, and so I lingered around a little longer to snap a few pictures of the immense metal structure that dwarfed the house. I was attempting to fit both objects into one photograph to give a proper sense of scale, when I noticed a man on the porch, cigarette in hand and cellphone on the ear. He was walking slowly back and forth and observed me without interruption. I decided to call it quits on my amateur documentation and walked back to my car, the man following me until a bush came between us and he lost sight of me. I got into my car and drove up to the stop sign, then drove off, just as a large unmarked cube van rolled onto the street I was leaving. Eerily the driver stared me down as he took the turn. I was curious, so I parked my car illegally next to the AESC and walked to the head of the street, hoping I wasn’t seen. I saw a man jump down from the van’s passenger side, as the man from the porch
Image: Beau O’Niell/The Cascade
The Pattison-owned video billboard looms over a small home. walked to the curb and greeted him. I then realized that the van was not unmarked, but bore the name of a delivery company. Nothing curious would be happening with these signs. The narrative would have continued on a TV show with me being kidnapped and plenty of blood being shed. Why is that relevant? This sign is a television set in the living room of your daily travels. Though the volume is always muted, the picture is always running, and the effect is similar to that achieved by the Riddler’s device in Batman Forever, sucking away the brains of the motorists. No, this screen promises excitement, but only delivers the banality of an infinite commercial break. Its method is to wear the passersby
through visual attrition. Billboards do not attack you the way this screen does, with flashing lights and images. Billboards do not yell at you with brightness, “Check this out you already distracted driver!” Billboards are not television sets. Nor should they be. But this futile lamenting will only accomplish nothing. What we need is action in the future to oppose a proposal to illuminate a certain geospatial coordinate with advertising. This beast is a sign that Abbotsford welcomes lying down on its back whoever she’ll take in whatever form of outrageousness. What’s next, military ads popping up on campus? Ha! As if the university’s student union would be so whorish as to accept an offer from sanctioned murderers.
Armstrong’s deceit wounds more than the It’s hard to be a saint on a cycling world cycle JEREMY HANNAFORD CONTRIBUTOR
Athletes have taken centre stage in the tabloids recently and not necessarily in a positive way. With Tiger Wood’s infamous affairs, the unnecessary NHL lockout and now, Lance Armstrong admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs, the image of the sporting world has definitely taken a blow. With a long and nasty history of steroid use, the sport of cycling has had many successful cyclists who’ve been caught doping. But none have been as successful and inspirational as Armstrong. Having won seven Tour De Frances, he was considered the epitome of fitness and determination. His Cancer Foundation Live Strong was a huge support and inspiration for those whose lives have been affected by the disease. He let all of these people down when he finally admitted to using performanceenhancing drugs. The fact Armstrong was using drugs didn’t bother me so much. I admit that I was shocked when he gave up the court proceedings in 2012. What followed afterwards seemed to move so fast. His jackets were taken away, all recognition of his victories was removed from the records, and then he stepped
down as chairman of his Live Strong Foundation. So when he actually admitted that he used drugs on Oprah, it didn’t have much effect on me since everything leading up to the interview had been pretty clear evidence of the truth. There have been so many cyclists who had used some type of performance-enhancing drugs before Armstrong. What really bothers me about Lance Armstrong was what he represented to many people as well as what he did to keep his secret hidden. Armstrong represented one of the most successful cancer research foundations in the world; many people looked up to him, equating him with Terry Fox because of his own battle with cancer. The lies broke the image of his foundation as much as it did his own. The Live Strong wristbands no longer represent the endurance and determination to overcome life’s obstacles. The original meaning of hope and support is now clouded in shame and deceit. Another thing that truly makes him despicable was what he did to ensure his steroid use was kept secret. While he denied these allegations during the interview with Oprah but at this moment, it is hard to believe anything that
comes out of the man’s mouth. Former cyclists and even Armstrong’s own teammates have stated that Armstrong threatened them in several ways, including texts and verbal threats, telling them to keep quiet his doping. He threatened to bring down their careers if they told anyone about him. It has Image: been said that he even threatened the wives of his teammates. Even if Lance says it isn’t true, how are we supposed to believe him anymore? He no longer is the face of cycling and victory over cancer; he is the face of the liars and cheaters of professional sports. He says that he wants to come back to cycling. I don’t think that he should be allowed to compete for the rest of his life. Not only did he severely break the rules, but he threatened and hurt people to keep his lies intact. If Lance goes to each of the people he threatened and apologizes to them, the world may forgive Armstrong in time. But for now, he is one of the most hated men in sports.
NICK UBELS THE CASCADE
Squeaky-clean, all-American cyclist Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace has been public, messy and just a little bit tragic. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t want to excuse his cheating, but I think the public’s sense of betrayal and disappointment has fuRubenstein/flickr.com elled a severe overreaction. It’s not like Armstrong did much to ward off the pitchforks, continuing his dishonesty in the face of increasingly substantial allegations. After months of denial, his ultimate admission of using performance-enhancing drugs to achieve his greatest successes as an athlete was met with outrage from fans, true believers and armchair snipers everywhere. But why was Armstrong considered such a particular hero in the first place? He beat cancer. That hasn’t changed. The man came back from a disease few survive, inspiring hope in countless of cancer patients the world over. He used his celebrity and highprofile survival story to start
LiveStrong, a charitable organization that supports other cancer survivors. LiveStrong pioneered the use of charity bracelet fundraising, selling over 80 million $1 bands to date. Other charities have used this model to kick start their own campaigns. Armstrong did the most we can expect from our celebrities: he leveraged his fame and public admiration to make some kind of a difference. As for the doping, I think it speaks more to the intense pressure we put on our athletes to achieve un-human feats. For Armstrong, the higher his profile, the more attention his charity would receive. And besides, it’s not as though steroids instantly make someone into a world-class athlete. If I were to start injecting, it would give me an advantage if I put in the time and effort, but I seriously doubt I could qualify for a local cycling event, let alone win the Tour de France. Armstrong’s failures don’t make him a villain. Certainly they knock him off the perch of sainthood we built for him. But did he ever deserve it in the first place?
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SNAPSHOTS
OPINION
Hailey Rollheiser
Amy Van Veen
Stewart Seymour
Nick Ubels
Do I have to pay for this ticket?
Board games aren’t just for the bored
Rob Ford is wrong about the cyclist
Needle in the groove
One of my biggest beefs about UFV is the parking situation. There is maybe nothing worse than pulling into UFV only to realize I have arrived at that awkward time between classes and there are no parking spots left. I’m filled with fury, frustration and the urge to park on the lawn or the sidewalk simply to prove a point. The parking pass per semester is $150. I only buy this pass to save time at the meter, I have no idea if this actually saves me money or not in the long run; I assume it doesn’t. Now, to anger me further, there is nothing quite comparable to the moment you arrive at your car and find a ticket under the windshield wiper. Staff parking violation. WHAT?! This is a supposed staff lot now? Oh, I see ... there’s a sign 100 feet away. Do people actually pay these things? Not sure, but I’m on my way to finding out what happens when they don’t.
Board and card games aren’t just for awkward families and lostcause social events. Since when are board games uncool? Since they were forced upon youths as an acceptable use of social time? Since their inception? Hasbro certainly hasn’t helped matters in recent years with their “family game night” advertisements depicting families who smile unnaturally and laugh at a card being flipped over. There’s a stigma attached to games like Monopoly and Apples to Apples, as if the minute it’s pulled out of someone’s back pantry, the night has gone so far downhill the only way to fix social awkwardness is with a joint activity. Granted, that is an excellent buoy to throw at an unfortunate party, but it’s also a great way to spend time. Have you ever had a few beers and played Quelf? Ever continue a Dutch Blitz game where the goal is to beat the other person by 150 points? Ever really want to find out who killed Colonel Mustard in the conservatory? Board games need not be just for the bored, they are actually a lot of fun.
As I write this, Rob Ford has won his appeal to stay in office. To me, Rob Ford is synonymous to those who hate cyclists. As other cities move to encourage more cycling, Rob Ford does the opposite, wanting to end “the war on cars.” I hear an awful lot of complaints when it comes to cyclists on the streets. One of the more recurring complaints I hear is how cyclists break the rules of the road. But since when have motorists never broken the rules of the road? When did motorists never run red lights? Or drink and drive, the leading cause of criminal death according to Transport Canada. And just as bad, when did motorist never text and drive? Sure, cyclists break rules. Yet I am still waiting for a good reason as to why cyclists should not be on the streets. Negligence is far more dangerous behind the wheel of a car than behind a set of handlebars. Cycling is here to stay. Embrace it. Encourage it. One more bike on the road is one less car on the road. Isn’t that a good thing? I would certainly hate to see a Rob Ford get elected out here.
I recently went record shopping. It’s been a while, but as soon as I began flipping through the racks and caught the scent of old vinyl filling the air with the soul music blaring over ancient speakers, everything just clicked. I found myself at Toronto’s Play de Record, which specializes in dance music. What was playing was a funky, vocal-heavy groove I’d never heard before. I picked a New Order LP out of the racks and brought it to the till. But I couldn’t leave without asking the clerk what was playing. He handed me Brotherman OST, by the Final Solution. I decided to go for it, no prior knowledge but that one track playing over the speakers: “I gotta get through to you/ No matter what I have to do.” I finally had the chance to listen to the album when I got back home. It’s fucking fantastic. The soundtrack, as it turns out, was recorded in less than 24-hours in 1974 for a blaxploitation film that was never produced. Because of this, the tracks are mostly missing the over-the-top orchestration that typified their contemporaries, relying more heavily on guitar flourishes and raw vocal harmony to propel the songs. It creates a distinctive offthe-cuff feel that makes it all the better. The soundtrack was lost until somebody found it in 2008 and deemed it worthy of a CD release. And if I hadn’t set foot into that shop, I’d never have found it. That’s what I love about record stores.
Image: photoscott/flickr.com
No one’s forcing you into the strip club TAYLOR JOHNSON THE CASCADE
A group of students from Coquitlam’s Dr. Charles Best Secondary School have taken their social justice class project into the New Westminster community, targeting the Paramount Gentlemen’s Club as the site of modern sexism. The club itself has been around for almost two decades and has never had any trouble with the law or the community until now. Unlike other clubs, the Paramount does not serve alcohol and can therefore open its doors to anyone over 18. The students have openly stated in interviews with The Province and Royal City Record that they have friends and coaches who frequent the club. They also state in their interview that they are not concerned with the choices of others but that the ideals behind the club are promoting sexism and the objectification of women. They have taken their class project and developed a petition from it which targets the club’s licensing. In his interview with The Province, the club manager states that he and his employees are concerned for their jobs and feel that these issues have never been a concern until now.
Image: Blake McGuire/The Cascade
The Paramount Gentlemen’s Club is experiencing opposition from a local high school. By shutting down the club, are the students stopping a site of sexism and oppression, or are they simply restricting the public? Do the girls who work there really feel
oppressed and victimized? Personally, I feel that the society we live in has some issues of sexism and oppression, but these are internal issues amongst people. They are
not issues between a business and people. If the club was forcing the girls to dance for money and flaunt their bodies, then yes that would be very morally wrong. However,
these girls probably take great pride in their bodies and probably spend hours at the gym to maintain their appearance. Rather than working in a restaurant or a store, they chose to work at Paramount Gentlemen’s Club. Should they really lose their jobs because someone else feels they are repressed? If the girls working there felt repressed, surely they would have left and found another job, instead of being concerned that their club will be shut down. Another issue addressed by the students was the clientele being exposed to this injustice. The clientele themselves, have the ability to simply not enter a facility if they do not support the events that take place there. Much like the saying “you can take a horse to water but you cannot make him drink,” the club might be there, it might be open, but you don’t have to go in it. Freedom of choice allows for a person to walk past the club, and keep walking. There is nothing forcing a person to enter the facilities, much like there is nothing forcing the girls who work there to keep working.
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OPINION
Plants can hear you
and they’re getting sick of your shit NADINE MOEDT
THE CASCADE
In Roald Dahl’s Big Friendly Giant, the BFG describes his ability to listen to plant’s voices with his enormous ears. “They is not exactly talking,” he says in his broken English. “But they is making noises. For instance, if I come along and I is picking a lovely flower, if I is twisting the stem of the flower till it breaks, then the plant is screaming. I can hear it screaming, very clear.” Turns out, the BFG wasn’t too far from the truth. Plants are much more observant than you think, so it might be a good idea to smarten up a bit around them. In his new book, What a Plant Knows, Daniel Chamovitz writes about his findings on plant intelligence. Plants, he claims, can feel, communicate with each other, smell and even remember. In an interview with Mind Matters, Chamovitz explains the blending of distinction between plant, animal and human DNA. There are “plant specific genes” in people and animals, he says, which are essential for the “timing of cell division, the axonal growth of neurons, and the proper functioning of the immune system.” The parallels between plants and humans, however, go beyond this biology, and raise some questions about the in-
terconnectedness between us and our environment. While plants can smell, the sense is defined a little differently. An example Chamovitz gives is the process of fruit ripening; if you put a yellow banana in a bag with a green one, the unripe banana will ripen more quickly. This occurs because the ripened fruit releases a pheromone, and the green fruit smells it and starts ripening itself. This happens primarily in nature; a ripening fruit releases a hormone called ethylene, which when sensed by neighbouring fruits stimulates the ripening process, chain reacting until, “more or less in synchrony,” entire orchards and groves ripen. Memory is another key topic Chamovitz addresses in his book. Plants, he writes, have “short-term memory, immune memory and even transgenerational memory.” A specific example of this considers the Venus Fly Trap. The plant requires two hairs on its leaves to be touched before it closes on an unsuspecting bug; it must, then, have the ability to remember that the first one has been touched. According to Chamovitz this memory last about 20 seconds. I was most interested in Chamovitz’s notes on plant communication. At a very basic level it has been proven that plants can pass
Image: hunterdog.deviantart.com
Plants deserve respect. Especially ones that can shoot fire. messages and warning amongst themselves. If a tree is being attacked by a bug, for instance, it releases a pheromone, which is soon picked up by other trees close by. The neighbour trees begin “making chemicals” to help fight off the imminent invasion. Another example Chamovitz gives is communication through their root system; a plant stressed by drought will communicate its distress to other nearby plants, letting them know to prepare for a water shortage. Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, in the Secret Life of Plants discuss colleague Cleve Backster’s experiments in biocommunication, a term that describes communica-
tion between and within species of plants, animals, bacteria and humans. Backster’s most famous experiment involved measuring a plants reaction through the polygraph. When a bucket of shrimp was dumped into a boiling pot of water, the plants reaction was one likened to pain. If we allow ourselves to anthropomorphize a bit, we could say that the plant was being compassionate. In another instance, the plant reacted in fear as a match was lit nearby. In an increasingly kooky hypothesis, Backster finds traces of a suggestion that plants may be compassionate and empathetic to other beings’ emotions, or the vibrations those emo-
tions give off. None of his findings were accepted by the scientific world, but his research remains of great interest—albeit an eccentric one—to botany enthusiasts. So how do these findings impact the way we look at flora? Must we now consider how the hedge feels before we trim it? Chamovitz sums his thoughts on the changing relationship quite succinctly: “People have to realize that plants are complex organisms that live rich, sensual lives. You know many of us relate to plants as inanimate objects, not much different from stones. Even the fact that many people substitute silk flowers for real ones, or artificial Christmas trees for a live one, is exemplary at some level of how we relate to plants. You know, I don’t know anyone who keeps a stuffed dog in place of a real one!” The authors of this research are not attempting to revolutionize the way we look at our surrounding vegetation, but rather to bring to our attention the importance of respect; our environment is more closely intertwined with us than we would sometimes like to believe. A little bit of consideration should not be hard to bestow on our fellow living beings.
A love letter to the capital cursive “G” ELLIOT CHAN
THE OTHER PRESS NEW WESTMINSTER (CUP) — Dear Letter G, I didn’t think much of you the first time we met. I was young and ignorant and you were just amongst the other 26 letters hidden somewhere in the middle, quiet and passive. I apologize now for the way I neglected you. Remembering all of those hours wasted with vowels—those damn popular vowels. Hell, I still find myself asking sometimes, “Why?” Why couldn’t I see something so obviously in front of me? Can you blame a fool for learning? It was as I matured that my view changed about you. Learning cursive was like seeing the tomboy dolled up on prom night. Stunning. Suddenly the “Plain Jane ‘G’” I remembered as a child was all grown up. Your curves, your points, and the way you swoop up at the end when I write you. You are like no other letter in the alphabet. Nay, there is no other character in all of language like you. You are the perfect symbol, the perfect image, and the perfect mark. There is something about that little loop on your top left, like an eye. I know you see me, winking at me. I see you too, but you know that already. I envy the Ginos, the Gunthers, and the Guys, because I too wish
I had the privilege of scripting you every time I sign as myself. I’ll think of you in every cheque I write, in ever contract I receive, and in every credit card purchase I make. Sadly, you are a rarity and a treat. I find you in intimidating moments when I open sentences with “God,” “Gun,” or “Girl,” but then you sooth me with inspirations such as “Glorious,” “Great,” and “Glad.” Regardless of the meaning, every word with you in it is significant. I can’t help but pity other letters. The lower case “A” with its ambiguous form, the loop, the vertical line on the right, but what about the arch above? Like many others I neglect that extra modification, but some believe lower case “A” needs cosmetics. Some letters are just the means to an end. Such as the cursive lower case “R” and lower case “N,” they always look the same when I write too fast. I see nothing in them. There is no other letter with your distinct characteristics, but that is not to say they don’t try. There is the capital cursive “Q,” uncommon unless it is used as the number two. The capital “Z” built with impressive curves, but it’s aesthetically a “J” that workouts. Your closest comparison is perhaps cursive capital “S”, but the extra flourish it requires takes away from its beauty. “G,” you remain my one and only. I know it is crazy, because we are so different. You, the seventh letter in the alphabet, and me, a human
Image: The Other Press
A lovely capital cursive letter G. Oh baby. man going through a complicated phase, but I believe we can make this work. Consider it a game or consider it growth, but whatever it is we are doing, I know you are write for me. So take a step back
and look at the big picture. If your love is a prison, then I hope my sentence begins with the letter “G.”
From the tip of my pen, E-Unit
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To fulfill your f
Making and faking fetish
Maybe Starbucks wasn’t the best location for an interview with a fetish porn star. I hadn’t met my interviewee in person, and although we decided the coffee chain would be a welcoming and friendly atmosphere for our racy interview, I was beginning to have reservations about my decision. I had arrived early with my handwritten questions in tow. A barista was aggressively steaming milk, another grinding whole espresso beans. The gentlemen sitting next to me were speaking golf at an obnoxiously loud volume. What if people eavesdrop on our conversation like I do with the patrons sitting around me? Many people have watched porn; the industry has attempted to create something for everybody. Although the producers and everyone else involved have been as inclusive as possible, living the life of a porn star is not generally held in high regard. While the baristas worked behind the counter, making their respectable $10.25 an hour, there also exists a subculture of workers that make their money in a more unconventional manner. Some people steam milk, some people drive to coffee shops to share someone’s story and some people get naked and film sexual acts. Either way, I guess we’re all trying to make a living. Or maybe we’re all just trying to have fun – I think someone wrote a song about that one time.
ALI SIEMENS
THE CASCADE
Ali Siemens: Where did it start? How did it happen? Masochismo: It was in a seedy place that I met the person who got me into the industry. I didn’t really know her at first, really at all. Then I saw her again at the same place. The night before she was almost familiar and I didn’t know why. So I went up to her and asked her if she was a dominatrix and she said, “No,” walking away. Then she stopped and I don’t know what she thought, but she turned around and said, “Wait, yes.” And instantly I got this weird vibe, and I didn’t know if it’s because I thought she was really hot or if I thought I knew her. The next day when I saw her again, I put one and one together and thought, “Maybe I have seen her in a video.” Then she asked me if I wanted to be in videos. And I was kind of, “Uhhh, I dunno, I’ve never really thought about it.” I had thought about it. [laughs] It was eerie and it seemed too perfect. So she told me I had to meet her the next day and she gave me this address, so I met
her downstairs at this apartment building. We went in and upstairs to the fourth floor. We went into this apartment that has nothing except the bedroom set up with an editing area and then in the rest of the apartment it was just a dungeon of kink stuff. Within 30 or 40 seconds, there was another dominatrix and I actually recognized her from some videos, too. So I am standing there thinking, “No way!” and it was just another shock. I never thought I’d meet these girls. Then she just said, “Okay. Take your pants off.” And all I could think of was, “Oh my god, that’s quick, I’ve only known you for 45
“You get more comfortable because as more people come, you realize they’re freaks, too. They aren’t judging you and then it’s easier.”
seconds.” So I did. They tested out some things on me, tied me up to see if I could take it. Are there qualifications to get into the porn industry? Do you need to have a certain sized penis for example? It depends what video it’s for. It’s the same as normal acting: there is typecasting. If it’s monstercocks. com, then yes, you need to have a huge dick, or a fake one at least. For fetish film, there is less need for a huge dick, though. But there are other qualifications, maybe more specific ones. For some videos you actually need to have a small dick. So you fit the bill for fetish porn then? I guess so. For this specific company, they weren’t used to having someone my age and attractiveness. Usually there are older guys, so they were also shocked about how young I was at first. For a guy, it usually takes longer to be comfortable with fetish porn. In one scene where there were a lot of us, I was the youngest man there. What is the general age group for fetish porn then? Forty and up generally. Really? Yeah, it’s definitely an older crowd. There were a couple of younger guys that they featured on a different website, but they didn’t work as much, and were new, too. But as time goes on, you will see a lot more guys who are younger entering the fetish sector. I think it’s because they have seen themselves in the videos now, so it happens more. What made you decide to go through with taking off your pants within 40 seconds of knowing some of these dominatrixes? I don’t know if I thought too much. I wasn’t being paid, but at the same time, most men have to pay to be in fetish porn. They are getting what they want from these girls. So they essentially get what they want from being dominated? Yeah, pretty much. But, in my case, they liked me. They just took me places and I got in for free. I got more side jobs from it than pay, specifically. Me and the original dom [dominatrix] that I met became really close friends, and we still are. Before I came out here to meet you, my parents asked me what I was doing tonight, and I told them I was heading out to do an interview with a porn star. Right away, my dad suggested that I better call them when I get home so they know I am safe. I reassured
them I was meeting a porn star, not a rapist. But they were still concerned. So I am curious, what was growing up in your family like? Do your parents know about your side work? What are your parents’ views on nudity? Mom and dad don’t know. It’s not something I really share with a lot of people in general. I grew up in a slightly conservative home, but then mom found it kind of weird when I stole her Victoria Secret magazines to make collages. [laughs] My friend’s dad had the Playboy magazines. I guess my home life was conservative in some ways, but in terms of nudity, they didn’t make me feel uncomfortable, it just wasn’t okay to run around naked in the house. Overall I think my mom was more liberal than my dad, but I grew up in a normal family. Whatever normal is. What do you think their reaction would be if they found out their son is a fetish porn star? I don’t know. I don’t want to know. My mom would probably be like, “It’s okay.” My dad would be frustrated and then get over it. But it would be awkward and I don’t want to deal with that. Speaking of which, were you ever concerned with issues of privacy and people finding out what you do and then these choices affecting you negatively? Yup. I mean, scars and tattoos can locate you, right? There are certain things I want to do in life where me doing fetish porn would completely ruin my chances of getting in because some people are so judgmental. While people are so conservative, it is better that they just don’t know. Were you ever concerned with health safety? I have heard there isn’t a lot of condom use in the porn industry. Is that true? These girls used condoms. In fetish porn, usually there are condoms unless there is a comfort level. Otherwise, in the main industry, I know they get tested rigidly. I have a few friends who go get tested once a month. Obviously it’s still not 100 per cent safe. Are STDs an issue within the porn community? That people are aware of STD problems but don’t vocalize it? Yes. I mean they get tested, so if they have something sometimes they don’t get work anymore. Otherwise, if they do have something, certain things are curable or suppressible. So if you do see a condom, there is usually a reason. In my case, I always had to wear a condom, and so did all the other men in the videos because the female actors just don’t want to deal with that. Fetish videos aren’t focused around penis
“I really need to find open-minded people; that is the only prerequisite for dating someone who does porn.” and vagina penetration anyway. It all depends on the situation and who is in it. I mean, some people are fine with going bare back no matter what. YOLO! [laughs] Oh god. Anyway, I wasn’t bugged about it either way. Although filming can sometimes be awkward, because sometimes there are lots of people there and sometimes there aren’t. It’s still weird. But you get more comfortable because as more people come, you realize they’re freaks, too. They aren’t judging you and then it’s easier. Have you made any money? Yes, but not a lot. Not enough to be like, “Yes! I made money from doing porn.” If I ran my own site, then I would make a lot, because of the amount of clips I have been in that they have sold. I wish they had of given me money for it. But because I just did it for the fun most of the time, it didn’t pay. Is there more money in it for women than men? In fetish porn, yes. Or if a guy has his own site and comes up with the ideas, such as in the Clips For Sale videos, they will go in each other’s videos and do it pro bono. They just make money for each other’s sites and that’s how they support each other instead of paying each other. Until I put up a site, I do most of the work pro bono. But alternatively, they get me into things for free that I would usually have to pay for. Like they will take me out and I get a bunch of free stuff. What kind of free stuff? One dominatrix took me out, and I got to go to Goddess parties which are these huge parties where there are a bunch of dominatrixes who bring their slaves. They aren’t filmed, but men have to pay to get into them and I get to go in for free cause they like me. And I feel like that is a perk: by doing this, I get to do these things that I would not normally get to go to unless I had a bunch of money. For people who are doing this regularly, is this like a 9-5 shift? No, definitely not. Some of these girls can make six clips in a series of an hour, hour-and-a-half. The way that these guys do it, they sell by clip, people buy a $6 clip for five minutes, and they just come out with new clips all the time because
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to take it because yes – it does hurt. I would imagine so! It does and sometimes it doesn’t hurt as much as you think and then you have to be acting what is supposed to hurt and vice versa. It’s definitely not as satisfying from when you are just regularly having sex because you have to remember to angle to the camera and small things that take the enjoyment out of it. It’s still fun, but it’s hollow fun. What is something I would never know unless I worked in the porn industry? Sometimes things that might usually be a blooper or a ruined scene turn out to be one of the highest sellers. In another vein, pun intended, what about the use of Viagra? There is the use of that. Cause sometimes it’s awkward when filming, and stuff doesn’t work. Or like I said, you’re faking it, so you aren’t always into the scene you do. Especially in fetish porn, it’s not cut and dry, it’s weird stuff, it’s a niche, so sometimes I am not into it. Have you used Viagra? Yes, I did. But I did think my eyes were going to explode and all my veins were really tight. It was strange.
people get addicted to buying them. It’s micro purchases, so a lot of the time they will make customized clips really fast for someone. Those will cost more for the buyer. So it would qualify as a flexible student job, eh? Totally. [laughs] If you were to end up contracting with a major company and using the fetish industry as a main source of income, what would be your salary? Depends if you can sell. It’s all on how much your video sells, so it’s hard to say. It could be really mediocre or if for some reason some people just like watching weird shit happen to me, or if I am a favourite of the doms, then they will put me
in a bunch of videos and I can make tons. There are a couple guys in the industry that I have met that are from the States and you see them in all the different dom videos. I am sure they make a decent amount. But for porn in general, women make most of the money. Even regular male porn stars don’t make as much as women. Okay, so in these five-minute clips, your job is to be dominated, right? Yes. You have to play it up a bit, because the whole idea is that the viewer wants to be you. So if you are completely deadpan and just floppin’ around, it looks pretty lame. You have to put on an act, put up a struggle or something else depending on the scene, and you have
Do you think you could have a healthy relationship while doing it? I think so, because the girl I am seeing now ... she knows that I will probably film while we’re together. We’ve talked about it, but I haven’t been in any films since I’ve started seeing her. Her and I have actually talked about making our own site. She has done videos, so it could work. But, the other girl I saw before got pretty jealous. I think it could happen, you just have to find the right person. There is no doubt it would be difficult though. I could do it, but it would really have to be right with the other person. I really need to find open-minded people;
“We didn’t say much, we just exchanged names and then there was just this awkward tension until he put his mask on. What was weird was I thought he was one of my grandpa’s friends. I’m not even kidding. I never looked into it though because I didn’t want to know.”
that is the only prerequisite for dating someone who does porn. Is there a hierarchy in the industry? Because I have heard the term “fluffer,” and stereotypically I think women are portrayed as being at the bottom of the totem pole. That would probably be in more mainstream porn. There are other people there who are willing and into it, and they might be in the next scene. The main actress will have their makeup done, so it’s not always just a hierarchy, but sometimes they can’t mess up the makeup before the scene. On the sets that I have been on, there hasn’t been [a fluffer] because in fetish porn the guy does not always need to be hard. He might just be getting attacked. Of course it’s better if he is, but it’s not necessary. In this particular sub-culture; there is a hierarchy, the guys are being dominated, and then there are the dominatrixes. But that is something that is agreed upon. Is there any type of porn you wouldn’t do? I don’t know if I’d do gay porn, I am not into it, but I am not afraid of it. There are a lot of kinds of porn, so I am sure there are quite a few I wouldn’t do, such as bestiality. I like fetish porn specifically because it’s what I am into, too, so it’s creating something that you like and are into. I know we talked about hierarchy, but how to do you feel women are treated in the industry? In my side of it, they are treated ridiculously well. The term “goddess” is exactly what it is. They are lavished with gifts and treated well. Some guys bend over backwards, it’s almost ridiculous. Give me an example. Well, they will fly them for thousands of dollars to places for months, film over in another area of the world and they can just make insane money. They will buy them things, give them foot massages in public, carry their belongings. They are dominatrixes and goddesses. Well, I know it’s different according to genre, but the feminist perspective is generally critical of how women are treated in the porn realm. It may look like they aren’t being treated well on camera, but that is because they are getting paid to put on an act to fulfill someone else’s fantasy. They get paid a lot and they are well respected. I am sure some men are dicks to them, but ultimately they hold the power in the industry and most people understand that. Did you notice a trend in men who wanted to be dominated at
the Goddess parties? I mean, you mention older men, but what does that mean? It’s kind of all over the place. Some are rich, white businessmen, but then there is also an East Indian guy, and there was a black guy. Some of them had money, some of them didn’t. Some are way older, some are way younger, some are American, some are Canadian. There is no trend. I ask because when I was doing some research, fetish porn and dominatrix fetish is very common among white males who hold major positions during the day, like CEOs, etc. There was one guy who was obviously very well off, cause you could tell by the watch he was wearing. We didn’t say much, we just exchanged names and then there was just this awkward tension until he put his mask on. What was weird was I thought he was one of my grandpa’s friends. I’m not even kidding. I never looked into it though because I didn’t want to know. “Hey Grandpa, do you know this guy? I saw him at a fetish dominatrix party!” Yeah, no. That would be weird and awkward. But yeah, he was much older. Where do the Goddess parties take place? All over the place, random restaurants that have the lofts upstairs can be rented out, and then they will shoot porn there. Or smaller studios that don’t look like studios. In lots of places you wouldn’t think.
Everybody has a story – a cliched phrase that is thrown around to create a sense of human empathy and coalescence. I don’t work in porn, and I don’t know what it is like, but I can certainly try and mentally walk down his path to understand the lifestyle. We shared a rice crispy square throughout the interview, and talked for almost two hours. Eavesdroppers were likely pleasantly surprised or disgusted as we sipped our drinks and talked shop. Masochismo guided me through a day in the life and opened my eyes to the fact that I could be eating in a pho restaurant in the lower half of a building while fetish porn is being filmed in the loft upstairs. We hugged goodbye before driving home. I felt informed and intrigued, and as I pulled into my driveway safe and sound – I called and reassured my father. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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ARTS & LIFE
Looking and listening around
Exploring Scott Schell’s Listen as the Whispers Look Around BEAU O’NEILL
Contributor
Starting clockwise in the gallery for the sake of systematics, we have a piece of cardboard, spray painted with a stencil of what appears to be Lev Tolstoy, Father of Russian literature, legs crossed, hands laid on right knee in the posture of a thinking man who is also an understanding man. Scribbled there first, under the archeology of Tolstoy, was the word “Fragile,” but the bearded head covers the “g” and the “i.” A bright yellow arrow is glued or taped beside the seated figure, pointing up. And in the lower left corner is a neatly packed square of dirt with a molded nose coming off it, smelling the room. This first piece smells sweetly of the rest of the collection. Why I gave you such a description of one of Scott Schell’s pieces from his exhibit Listen as the Whispers Look Around presented on UFV’s Abbotsford campus is because it is an exhibition of phenomena that are grounded, in more ways than one, by their context as much as by their complexity. It is because this is a simpler but rich piece that I have chosen to describe it to you, even though I left out the detail about the many strands of masking tape that rush into the work from the edges, geometrically, or the urge that one gets upon looking at it to flip over the cardboard and see what may be on the other side. The fact that a man without interests like those in the Da Vinci Code would want to look on the other side of a piece of art speaks loads about the complexity of the creations. These are multidimensional works that are overdetermined in the possibilities of meaning. That’s not saying these pieces are vague, but that they are fecund. In the next piece, a larger patch of sawdust centres the work, and a nose lies in its middle. The tamping of the material around the cement prosthetic suggests the features of a face, but that sort of conjecturing occurs frequently as the viewer peers into the many facets of each piece. A dried honeycomb is glued top left, a hermit crab shell is suspended in a glass case surrounded by a white background near the bottom, and a plaque bearing the designation “WESTERN HEMLOCK/ Tsuga heterophilla/ RANGE/ N.W. NORTH AMERICA” ironically draws our attention to the nose in the sawdust. The plaque is now an epitaph. The pieces show nature struggling through the layer of humanity and artifice which we have smothered much of the world in: twigs and dirt pushing out of a wall socket, a canvas of sawdust and noses, an ear poking through the tide on rippled sand, stone toes resting beside stones on a stream bank. The placing of replicas of human body parts within nature comes in the form of poster-sized photographs. What would be the natural environment for these objects? Is it the soft moss of the forest floor, the pulverized beach stone or the white display pillar upon which some more colourful pieces rest?
One of the works of art featured in Scott Schell’s Listen as the Whispers Look Around Though the casts are the unifying theme of the exhibit, there are also collages which work like object-poems, multimedia collaborations (including a canvas covered in shoes, paint, string and the sawdust-with-nose), and an even more fascinating piece that utilizes the guts of a typewriter-like machine, encyclopedias, brass tubing, a
mottled bust, particle board, rocks, an owl statue and ornate metal legs. Investigation of this last piece proved worthwhile: looking closely at the gibberish of “1”s and “0”s on a piece of receipt paper, I found, among others, the words, “DADA,” “BIRD,” “AUSTRALOPITHECUS,” and on the other
bottom side “Homo E SAPAIN.” The mistake in our species doesn’t matter – how much do we know correctly about it anyway? It was richly rewarding to find so much in the hidden recesses of this piece, literally spelling out its influences and ancestors. The exhibit is interesting and Schell’s “ongoing project,” which
Image: Grace Tsurumaru
has the concrete casts of body parts placed in public locations, is excitingly bringing art into the living world. Maybe next time you find a foot on a river bank you will think “Scott Schell” and not “BC foot mystery evidence.”
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ARTS & LIFE
CROSSWORD 1 3
Fare thee well, 30 Rock ACROSS
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4. “____ to me is just like a bird, like a friendly bird that embraces all ideas and just like shoots out of its eyes all kinds of beauty.” (10 letters) 7. As Liz Lemon often says, “What the ____?!” (4 letters) 8. Both Tracy and Jack call Florida the “____ of America.” (5 letters) 9. Jenna Maroney starred in this film that no one knew or could pronounce based on a Kevin Grisham novel. (5, 5 letters) 11. Jack’s daughter is born in this country when he refuses to drive Avery home in a meth lab van. (6 letters) 12. This guy used to be a robot, then became the new cast member to replace Josh and has been lost in the studio for years. (5 letters) 13. This Philadelphia cable company run by Hank Hooper buys out NBC, taking away Jack’s dream of running GE. (9 letters)
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5
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DOWN
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1. This character is the cartoon mascot for Cheesy Blasters. (4, 3 letters) 2. Will Ferrell stars in this NBC action drama that garnered a lot of flack from women’s groups. (5, 6 letters) 3. Tracy’s wife Angie stars in this reality show on Bravo. (5, 2, 6 letters) 5. “There ain’t no party like a Liz Lemon party ‘cause a Liz Lemon party is _____.” (9 letters) 6. Liz feels on top of the world when she and Floyd visit this mid-west town. (9 letters) 10. Who does Kenneth occasionally cry out to, referencing Lost? (5 letters)
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by AMY VAN VEEN
LAST WEEK’S Answer Key Across 1. DOUGLASMCLEAN 4. AARONLEVY 8. POLISHREGGAEHOUR 9. CBUILDING 10. PUNJABI 11. CASCADECHECK
Down 2. CANCON 3. THEELECTRONICHOUR 5. EXTRAVAGANZA 6. LEFTOFTHEDIAL 7. MOODSWINGS
13 EclipseCrossword.com
The Weekly Horoscope Star Signs from Swamp Bob Aquarius: Jan 20 - Feb 18
Gemini: May 21 - June 21
Libra: Sept 23 - Oct 22
Be warned: the next time you jokingly inform the waiter that you want your steak to still “moo,” you will acquire a new bovine companion. We suggest avoiding the clichéd names like Bessie. Instead go for “Sir Wilfred Coweinstein the Third Masticator of Grass and Terror to Tulip Beds.”
Trying to uncover the reason why the UFV campus is covered in mysterious holes will lead you to fall into a wonderland populated with talking animals, juggling Al Gore plush dolls and sentient Jell-O.
You realize that your life would be more complete if you dropped your academic ambition and stick to your true passion, professional female wrestling.
Pisces: Feb 19 - March 20
Cancer: June 22 - July 22
Scorpio: Oct 23 - Nov 21
You will find yourself late for a date and short on deodorant. Not to worry, the planets wish to remind you of the alluring scent that can be found in the average kitchen cupboard. Pluto suggests that you opt for the cinnamon and to skip the Indian masala altogether.
Your horizon looks bleak; stay in bed drinking mimosas until a respectable hour, then switch to drinking brandy.
Be warned! Any ambitions to be a more cleanly person could disturb the fragile ecosystem for the rare northern house hippo. Instead, take it upon yourself to encourage a more healthy environment by leaving extra dryer lint and peanut butter toast crumbs out for it.
Aries: March 21 - April 19
Leo: July 23 - Aug 22
Sagittarius: Nov 22 - Dec 21
While trying to gain access to your favourite can of stewed peaches in absinthe, you will lacerate your femoral artery. Don’t worry; the nurse at the ER is both friendly and attractive.
Your New Year’s resolution to add more fibre to your diet will have dire consequences. The planets don’t wish to ruin the surprise but suffice to say you should avoid all open flames and being in confined spaced with friends.
The planets wish to warn you that the next “bro-hug” you receive will be administered by an individual so secure in their sexuality that they will affectionately thumb you firmly on the back knocking out your third thoracic vertebrae.
Taurus: April 20 - May 20
Virgo: Aug 23 - Sept 22
You will dream that you are being chased by an angry hoard of hamsters that bear an odd resemblance to Keanu Reeves.
Capricorn: Dec 22 - Jan 19
Your holidays were a whirlwind of action and your first few weeks of class were like an episode from Scooby Doo when they run down corridors, in and out of doors. Take a day to yourself and enjoy a walk in the park, treat yourself to some cake and juggle a hearty goat.
When next you find yourself stating that people dress better in Britain, have better television shows and are simply more educated, keep in mind that they willingly ingest marmite.
Fancy yourself a comic artist? Scratch that. Do you even draw? Do you have a remotely keen sense of humour and the ability to hold a pencil? The Cascade is looking for original comics and editorial cartoons from UFV students and community members to run in this space. After all, Kate Beaton, author of Hark! A Vagrant, got her start in the student press. Send all submissions to arts & life editor Sasha Moedt at sasha@ufvcascade.ca Remember: it just has to be funny, or poignant, or some shit. NOT necessarily well-drawn. Stick men are encouraged! This comic was taken from the website http://xkcd.com/773/
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
ARTS & LIFE Cascade Arcade
Activists invent “reality game” to stop surveillance in Germany JOEL SMART
THE CASCADE
Ever wondered who’s watching the footage captured by the thousands of security cameras that litter our urban landscapes? A growing number of masked vigilantes in Berlin, Germany, have stopped wondering; they’ve made it their responsibility to protect the public from these spying eyes. And they’ve made it into a game. They call it Camover. It seems to be inspired by George Orwell’s 1984. It’s a game with a single purpose – to destroy as many ClosedCircuit Television (CCTV) security cameras as possible. Specifically, the game is about reducing government surveillance of public areas, which includes commercially-owned CCTV’s which can be accessed by the government at any time in the name of public safety. While it may sound like organized vandalism, the game has a number of clear and uncomplicated rules. Players work in clans or groups, with usernames based off of historical figures. These groups receive points for destroying as many CCTV’s as possible, and must record themselves in the act. The videos they make are posted online and points awarded for both the quantity of cameras destroyed, as well as the quality of their work. In other words, if you break the cameras in cool ways, or
Image: Walt74/Flickr
An activist destroys a CCTV. in hard-to-get places, you’ll do better in the game. Many have begun to wonder if video games were an influence in the movement, and The Guardian has hailed the game as “ ... real-life Grand Theft Auto for those tired of being watched by the authorities ... ” Others have wondered if a pointsystem is enough to really consider the camera-breaking a game. Ei-
ther way, it’s drawn strong reactions from the media and the general public – some feel the activists have gone too far, while others are very supportive of their intention. Do CCTV’s protect the public, or put them at risk? The reality is that most people would rather not be on camera. While they can keep some people in line, most criminals disguise themselves before
an attack anyway. Clearly, it isn’t a black-and-white issue. As Boing Boing noted in their coverage of Camover, East Germany has history of abuse by the “ ... punishing, spying gaze of the Stasi.” It’s a history that many believe is in danger of becoming a reality again. The surveillance was promoted as “protective” in those days as well. In modern day Ger-
many, CCTV cameras are being increasingly integrated into the public, after last December’s bomb scare in Bonn. In an interview with The Guardian, the anonymous creator of Camover referred to it as a “reality game” designed to encourage a different subset of people involved in the protests (which have previously involved petitions and marches). The game’s creator hopes that together they’ll have an influence. Hopefully, however, that influence won’t lead to surveillance cameras being placed more secretively, hidden from the general public. Most striking about Camover is the unusual combination between activism, vandalism and gaming. While the activists have often turned to rebellious activities before, this is the first time organizers have sought to encourage fellow activists through game design. While it seems to have been an effective method, it probably hasn’t improved the “image” of gamers or activists. But it shows just how broad gaming can be – is this a sign of things to come? Can games really cross the line into the political realm? It seems that they can.
The Cascade would like to remind its reader(s) that breaking security cameras is highly, highly illegal.
Discussions Below the Belt DIY veterinary lube explodes on kink scene JOHNNNY RODDICK
THE CASCADE
How much would you expect to pay for eight gallons—over 30 litres—of sexual lubricant? You probably wouldn’t guess $10. A local sex shop doesn’t offer a price that good for a small bottle of lube that holds no more than a couple hundred millilitres. Yet, that’s the deal too good to resist for some sex lovers, who’ve coopted the use of a lube designed to make birthing calves easier. It’s called J-Lube, and it comes as a white powder in a mere 10 oz. bottle. Mixed with water it creates what the Jeffers Livestock website calls an “effective obstetrical lubricant” that is “completely inert and non-irritating.” The Colorado manufacturers, Jorgensen Laboratories, specify that the lubricant is “for veterinary use only,” which raises some concerns about its safety for humans. Those concerns have not stopped the lubricant from reaching cultstatus among some in the kink community. What should allay some concerns is the fact that Lubezilla, an organization created by two doctors to better inform couples about sexual lubricants and their uses, calls J-lube “completely safe for human use.” Lubezilla has gone on to do a feature about the lubricant, as well as a YouTube video review that shows how it mixes and offers
some tips on how to specialize it to individual purposes. For example, applying the powder to one’s hands or to a toy before adding water ensures that the lube “stays put.” Anus.org, which has an extensive J-Lube resource where they answer frequently asked questions (FAQ), defend the safety of the product for human use and provide techniques for mixing it. The benefits of the lubricant, the site argues, are that it “contains no extraneous chemicals or preservatives ... and since it’s water based, it’s fully latex condom compatible as well as being safe for use with silicone toys.” As well, Lubezilla says that it is “arguably the longest-lasting water-based lube available today.” In other words, it doesn’t dry up as fast as most other lubes do. These are among the reasons the lube is favoured by those who engage in fisting, a process that often requires large quantities of lube. According to Jorgensen Laboratories, the two ingredients that make up the product are a polyethylene polymer and a dispersing agent, which Anus.org identifies as sucrose. “The sucrose in the powder isn’t of any concern, and the polyethylene oxide that makes up the rest of it is sometimes used as a thickener and texturizing agent in shampoos, conditioners, lotions, etc. and is considered to have a low toxicity,” the FAQ explains.
Image: iSlime/Flickr
Though these ingredients seem safe enough, it wouldn’t hurt to ask your doctor or to do additional research before dousing your genitals in the stuff. Some J-lube enthusiasts have even developed special recipes. One such individual is YouTube user Drew Lion, who followed his recipe for “Super Relaxing Lion Cream” in a video resembling a cooking show on the Food Network. His recipe includes emulsifying wax and coconut oil, as well
as lavender and eucalyptus essential oils in addition to the usual water and J-lube powder. Another common ingredient to add to the usual water/powder mix is generic store-bought lubricant. While this may seem unnecessary, it can be useful for those looking to mix up a larger batch of lube and store it for later. This is because J-Lube doesn’t contain any preservatives like a typical lubricant does, and that means that it’s more likely to go bad. If you
don’t want to add another lubricant to the mix, it’s likely best to simply make enough to use on an individual basis, rather than mixing up large jugs of lube to store in your closet – as appealing as that sounds. While J-Lube might seem like more hassle than it’s worth, it is an alluring alternative to the grossly overpriced lubricant available today. But try it at your own risk.
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ARTS & LIFE Film Review
The Last Stand MICHAEL SCOULAR
THE CASCADE
This is a story that has happened before, and will continue to repeat as long, it seems, as there are borders, gaps that only temporarily intersect, and individuals and collectives that do/do not want them crossed. Physical, geographic, prejudicial, generic borders, broken by travel, assimilation, violence. The Last Stand is not a serious movie, but it comes from the somewhat serious (maybe better described as curious) tradition of talented Asian auteurs gaining attention, coming to America, making a movie (which tends to be restricted by new rules and divergent opinions), and very rarely finding the same elemental collaboration leading to the type of work that made them worth seeking out in the first place. The Last Stand isn’t entirely devoid of Kim Jee-Woon’s penchant for a little bit of comedy, a bit of discussion of the morality of death, and a lot of blood, but the mixture is off, the backwards— modern, yet archaic—structure of present-day American action feeding into what comes out as much as Kim’s sleight-of-hand and ability to twist excess into ambiguity. The majority of attention given to The Last Stand has to do with Arnold Schwarzenegger being in the lead role, but from the start he’s reduced by the inconsistencies of written structure. One of the possible reasons for directors coming to a new country, a new system, and not having the same kind of success comes from directing scripts not only not theirs but lacking their sensibility – while The Last Stand features enough in the Arnold segments to count in Kim’s favour (a should-be peaceful weekend, a sheriff tired of corrupted city life, now anchored in a one-street outpost), it’s quickly made incidental by a lengthy Las Vegas sequence—generic police escapee frustration starring Forest
Whitaker—that feels like it has no business being in the same film. The closest comparison in Kim’s previous work would be The Good, the Bad, the Weird, and like that one, The Last Stand works as a riff on a classic western, in this case High Noon – but High Noon didn’t take an hour and change to finally be High Noon, and neither did it feature pages and pages of miscommunicated dialogue – while the powerlessness of watching on monitors and speaking digitally from a distance places The Last Stand firmly as a movie of the present, it is at odds with the spirit of Kim’s light grandiosity, which hardly gets a chance to come out. The two plot threads are unconvincingly crosscut, with one progressing toward the other through the medium of single-vehicle “action” scenes that resemble nothing more than a recurring Chevrolet advertisement. What’s missing is that Kim’s ability to translate the balletic freedom of physical combat to mechanical action is grounded, conventionalized – no extended, repeated, CG stitched-together long takes and whip pans here, just competence. The size of artillery is the draw, rather than the way it can be used unconventionally. After the landscape of iconography of G/B/W, The Last Stand might be called an advancement, a venturing into a real setting rather than a borrowed one, but what strikes is the sense of how scenes and ideas are not taken to their fullest exploration – save the opposite-end-of-the-street showdown, much of this is perfunctory or left hanging. Kim Jee-Woon’s daylight clarity means The Last Stand never sinks into anonymity, but at the same time there is so much here that is nothing new – of course it’s the single female member of the police force that proves unreliable, of course the makeup of criminals (Mexicans) will never stand up to the good Americans
protecting their town, of course the movie will end in repetition, beating, something called heroism. There’s nothing Kim and cinematographer Kim Ji-Yong can do to transform the final fight—wrestling moves and stab wounds—into something terribly interesting visually, but in its monotony, the scene gains a feeling of displacement. The significance of setting (a bridge between countries, a bridge easily constructed, a bridge where the toll is desired to be an attainment of virtue through blood squibs and persistence) takes over, and Arnold’s payback line raises the status of personal identification – the location of a spirit of a home. The Last Stand can’t be regarded as the highest point in Kim’s filmography, and it has problems with the way it grows and the way it hangs onto genre limitations, but there are enough hints at greatness within—the need for reconsideration as more than something to be disposed once consumed—to suggest that whatever direction Kim goes in from here, this re-starting point has not been fully compromised.
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One night in a student sex party KRISTINE WILSON
THE RYERSONIAN
Everyone is naked. As the DJ spins music on the first floor of Oasis Aqua Lounge in downtown Toronto, a few men in their 20s sprint from the pool to the hot tub without bathing suits. One floor above them, two women— also naked—are perched on a sex swing. Across from them, a man— again, naked—is tethered to the wall in chains and leather binds. These were just a few scenes from January 21’s “epic student sex adventure,” an event organized by the University of Toronto Sexual Education Center (SEC). The party invited university students from across the Greater Toronto Area to visit Oasis, a water-themed sex club a few steps north of Ryerson’s campus. The sex party was one of the first of its kind at a Canadian university. Rather than talk about sex, the
event encouraged students to push personal boundaries and explore their sexuality in a safe environment. That step—from theory to practice—sparked a media firestorm. The story drew hundreds of comments on the Toronto Star’s website and was shared more than 21,000 times on Facebook — making it the fifth most viewed story in the star.com’s history. But would anyone show up to the sex party, or was the hype all talk? I went to find out. On Monday night, a sea of about 200 students formed a line outside Oasis. Protesters walked up and down the line, yelling things like “God loves you!” They were Christian protesters from York University’s United Through Worship student group. “I think it says something about where our society is going morally,” said Natalie Smith, a member of the group. “This is encouraging them to devalue themselves,
whether its STDs or unwanted pregnancy.” But SEC said they made sure to keep the event as safe and sexpositive as possible; condoms and packets of lube were piled in bowls across the club. The event had a laid-back vibe; students could grab a drink at one of the many wellstocked bars and a DJ in the corner blasted beats from a turntable. On the third floor of the club, Ryerson student Kay Poli lounges as couples have sex around him. Pornography is playing on TVs on the walls. For him, the event is nothing new. “I’ve been here before,” Poli said. “What I like about this sex club is that it’s open to all genders, all orientations.” Poli is one member of a new generation of students who frequent Toronto sex clubs. In fact, Oasis has hosted dozens of student-friendly events before. According to Jana Matthews, the club’s co-owner, university stu-
dents are a regular presence at Oasis. “We did the same event with [SEC] last year and ... everyone that was here loved it,” Matthews said as she puffed ultra-thin cigarettes in her office. “It was them that convinced us to have a student night, so many people were interested we started to do it every Monday and we have for the past eight months.” At Steamworks, a gay bathhouse on Church Street near Wellesley Avenue, students are invited to realize their sexual desires. “You can’t go in there, it’s men only!” shouted an onlooker as I tried to enter the bathhouse. I decided not to listen and pushed through the door. “You’re going to see a lot of things you don’t want to see!” he yelled after me. I entered a dark corridor lit only by yellow lights. A heavy-set man with a large beard passed by me. “You know this is a male-only spa right? You can’t be in here.” I
smiled and kept walking towards the front desk, where a well-kept man stood behind a glass-enclosed desk. The receptionist, Teymour Nadjafi, explained that students often visit Steamworks. “About one in five of our clientele is a student; they are in here almost every day,” he explained. “I think students would still come even if we didn’t offer any student discounts. I think they find it good for self-discovery.” Steamworks offers a free 90-day trial membership to students, plus $5 off locker rentals. Student hours run from Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. – all they need is a valid student card. Despite the media hype, it’s clear sex clubs and bathhouses are nothing new to university students. Toronto’s sex club scene isn’t huge, but it’s far less underground than one might imagine.
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
ARTS & LIFE
Daniel Romano
Foxygen
Yo La Tengo Fade
Vessel
Daniel Romano, formerly of punk outfit Attack in Black, has traded in his distortion pedal for a slide guitar and a shot of whiskey, refashioning himself as a country crooner over the course of his three solo records. His latest, Come Cry with Me, is an unabashedly slow, plodding, and sorrowful record drenched in slide guitar, fiddle, and Telecaster twang. The Welland, Ont.native takes his cues from classic country acts like George Jones and Merle Haggard with nasally vocals reminiscent of the cosmic cowboy himself, Gram Parsons. Romano’s immersion in the genre is a bit of a double-edged sword. While his approach isn’t all that different than Parsons’, it also isn’t as novel or possessed of the same weird, crazed urgency that gives his predecessors’ work its desperate pathos. With Come Cry With Me, Romano also risks losing any particularly distinguishing feature of his own artistic identity, changing his delivery, song-writing and arrangements to the extent that they aren’t really recognizable as his own. Romano is at his best in the sparse, lo-fi, finger-picked album closer “A New Love (Can Be Found),” a live performance of a crying in your beer lament with sparse, finger-picked acoustic guitar, and a beautiful vocal harmony that pulls it all together with a memorable hook and meandering melody.
A slew of bands have recently dipped their toes into 1960s psychedelic music, but few have accomplished what Foxygen accomplish with their second full-length album Ambassadors. Rock duo Sam France and Jonathan Rado somehow find the perfect fusion of the genre’s sound with Foxygen’s esoteric identity and brazen sensibilities. Despite its trippy freak-outs, psychedelic music is at its best when it is built upon a simple pop foundation. Recording the album with Shins musician and gifted producer Richard Swift only helps bare musical fruit rooted in the past, with Swift demonstrating a meticulous ear for aesthetic 1960s elements while still producing a modern sound. The best cut on the album is “San Francisco,” which is a cheerful lament about longing for home, and digs into the past, echoing the early work of the Kinks. Its call-and-response chorus remembers how “I left my love in San Francisco/ That’s okay, I was born in L.A.” with light, British-esque inflections, similar to Colin Blunstone of the Zombies. With a nod and a wink at every turn, Ambassadors acts like a well-researched and cited final paper, with material that is clearly their own while still making some notable callbacks to their musical influences.
When lead singer Ira Kaplan croons, “Nothing stays the same” on “Ohm,” he’s certainly not referring to his three-decadeold band. Unlike their self-destructive peers of the 1990s like Grandaddy, Sonic Youth and even Guided by Voices, Yo La Tengo has remained satisfied with their trio of members. Playing together since the mid-‘80s and now sitting atop the height of their fame, Yo La Tengo releasesdits 13th studio album Fade, while the aforementioned bands have either disbanded or gone through recent reunion tours to relive their glory years. Fade is a tight and disciplined record, with 10 songs coming in at around 45 minutes; it’s the band’s shortest since Fakebook and their best since the subdued masterpiece Summer Sun. The understated shifts in instrumentation, production and shortened songs throughout keeps Fade’s sunshine and lethargic attitude intact, while avoiding lulling the listener to sleep. This, combined with Ira’s signature hushed, almost whispered vocals, means that Fade should be, at least on paper, a soothing, but fun Yo La Tengo record. Yet there is a more restless feel to this record, and Fade is as delicate, sincere and poignant as anything the trio has ever committed to tape.
Two albums already in, this is Twenty | One | Pilots’ first under a signed label. Also new to this release is Greg Wells who produced and has his hands all over it. Crazy hooks are invasive from start to finish, crossing genres from alt-pop to rap, and even house, this is a rocking, never boring, listen. Changing things up, there’s even a little bit of piano and folk. The band, a duo with Tyler Joseph on vocals and Josh Dun on the drums, has some crazy talent. Joseph’s voice is unique, sharp and tight. Although, there’s still the feeling that they have a carefree flare and want to experiment. But there exists a conflict. The problem is that by the end it does begin to feel like you ate a little too much sugar as at certain times it becomes too easy to detect a mainstream marketing appeal. Fortunately, while it lacks particular substance on some tracks, even in the lyrical attempts to be relevant to serious issues, I would love to see this band in concert or listen to it in my car. Certain standout songs include a take on hurt in “Guns For Hands,” as well as “Trees” which is a slow building, emotively manifested, house track.
nICK UBELS
Tim Ubels
TIM UBELS
Joe Johnson
are, know that our love will never die.” Warrior’s seventh song is titled “Dirty Love” and it features famous punk-rock star Iggy Pop. It takes the duo two minutes and 45 seconds to thoroughly explain that they really just want “dirty love.” The eighth song, “Wonderland,” is a personal favourite. It is a beautiful song which completely slows things down. Ke$ha sings about how things used to be. “Ain’t it funny how time flies ... Wish I could find my way back to wonderland.” It is a personal and vulnerable song laced with nostalgia. “Only wanna dance with you” is the ninth track on Warrior. It leans toward the electronic rock genre and simply put, she is singing about the only person she wants to dance with. The next track on her album is “Supernatural.” It is a shocking song, not in a vulgar or Xrated manner but it is considerably sultry. She sings “Poison me with love, I’ll bring you back to life.” Okay Ke$ha, okay. The 11th track, “All that matters (The beautiful life)” is a fast-paced techno-pop song and Ke$ha just wants to “get high” because “all that matters is the beautiful life.” The 12th song off Ke$ha’s new album is “Love into the light” and another personal favourite. She sings positive and inspiring lyrics; “maybe it’s about the time to let all of the love back in the light ... to let go and forget about the hate.” The next
track, “Last Goodbye” is an emotional song about being in love and thinking it would last forever but then life happens; “I never thought that I would ever leave your side ... Promise me you won’t cry, this is our last goodbye.” It has a midtempo beat and catchy tune and that makes it really likable. “Gold Trans Am” is a lewd song with electronic rock elements and a beat that makes you want to move your head from side to side. The 15th song “Out Alive,” is a techno-pop song that proposes we “live it up tonight” because “no one’s getting out alive,” we will all leave this earth naked and alone, the same way we came. “Past Lives” is the last track on the album and it slows things down and takes us into Ke$ha’s personal world one last time. It is an enthralling love song and a marvelous end to Warrior. The album is an entertaining listen, it is not fundamentally about partying, living by the hedonic calculus or maximizing pleasure. Although some of the songs on the album are blatantly telling us to live for today by becoming the personification of enjoyment, Ke$ha’s vulnerable side is also made visible. You can lose yourself to some of the songs on the dance floor and you can also immerse yourself in the awe-inspiring sensitive songs, and that is what makes this album spectacular.
Mini Album Reviews
SoundBites
Come Cry With Me
We Are The 21st Century Ambassadors Of Peace And Magic
Twenty | One | Pilots
Album Review
Ke$ha – Warrior ADESUWA OKOYOMON
CONTRIBUTOR
After the worldwide success of “Tik Tok,” Ke$ha rose to fame with ease and has since been recognized as an international electro-pop star. Although she has been criticized for being on the pursuit of pleasure, Kesha Rose Sebert believes that she “has been keepin’ it PG” and declares that she wants to “get a little frisky.” Well then spread your wings Miss Sebert, spread your wings. Warrior is her second studio album and it includes electro-pop (also referred to as techno-pop), electronic rock and pop rock genres which coalesce into another impressive album from our favourite wild child. Warrior features songs produced by Ammo, Dr. Luke, Shellback, Benny Blanco and Max Martin whom she had previously worked with on her debut studio album Animal. American pop singer Ke$ha wants to let us know that she is still one of the “misfits.” The album kicks off with “Warrior,” an electronic pop song intertwined with dubstep components. The track presents us with the energetic side of Ke$ha that has grown on us over the years. In the second track “Die Young,” Ke$ha is having a swell time being young and carefree and advises us all to “make the most of the night like we’re gonna die young.” In the third song “C’mon,” Ke$ha is
certain that she just really wants to have a truckload of fun, she coaxes us to “steal some bubble gum from the corner maximart” and proclaims “I wanna stay up all night ... I don’t wanna think about what’s gonna be after this/I wanna just live right now.” Oh Miss Sebert, aren’t you quite the cool one? “Thinking of you,” the next track on her album is a love song, or is supposed to be. In the chorus she’s telling her significant other “I’ve been thinking of you” but then she
caught him “lying and cheating” so she decided that the only appropriate thing to do apart from cursing him, was to make a song about him and let him know that she’s “in a brand new city getting laid.” You go girl. “Crazy Kids,” the fifth track on her album, is a technopop song which she uses to inform us all that “we are the crazy kids.” “Wherever you are” is a pop love song and is the sixth song on her album. Its mid-tempo beat is calming as Ke$ha sings “wherever you
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
www.ufvcascade.ca
17
ARTS & LIFE
Studs
THE FASHION DOCTOR
JASMINE PROCTOR
CONTRIBUTOR
CHARTS
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
TRI 5 La Dee Da Sex Church Somnambulist Minotaurs New Believers Nick Wisdom Big Shiny House
Shuffle AARON LEVY
CIVL DJ/ROUGH RIDER
Station manager Aaron Levy sometimes wishes he were a “real” journalist. In honour of ex-CTV/CBC journalist/freeform media analyst Kai Nagata’s visit to UFV this week, here are some songs from musicians who’ve made a difference.
Whiskey Chief Love You Miss You
Fidlar Fidlar
Viper Central Thump & Howl Woolworm Believe In Ourselves Acres and Acres Truth And Sky Julie Doiron So Many Days
Secretmen Secretmen The Breezes The Breezes METZ METZ
Mac DeMarco Mac Demarco 2
15 16 17 18
Memory Tapes Grace/Confusion Dear Suzy Die Holle Orchestra Babysitter Eye
Blackberry Wood Strong Man vs. Russian Bears
Beastie Boys – “Fight for Your Right” They didn’t only fight for their right to party; Mike Diamond, Adam Horowitz, and the late Adam Yauch also fought for the Tibetan people’s right to religious freedoms, and specifically, liberation of the Tibetan monks who have been suppressed for decades by Chinese nationalists with their recurring Tibetan Freedom Concert. Sleater-Kinney – “Modern Girl” Former CIVL music director Becky Makepeace turned me on to this one a couple years back. Band-leader Carrie Brownstein, also responsible for Portlandia’s hilarity alongside SNL’s Fred Armison, muses “Hunger makes me a Modern Girl/TV connects me to the world.” It’s from their typically heavier ‘05 album The Woods. Wale – “The Kramer” Taking volunteers through CIVL’s Programming Policies, I use this song as an example of how sometimes we play explicit content in order to get an important point across about the nature of the world around us. Here, using Michael Richards’ racism as a jumping point to address the “N” word. Refused – “Rather Be Dead” From singer Dennis Lyxzen, the father of Swedish veganism (no such restaurants existed before his syndicate in the ‘90s). Reuniting last summer, before this song in Vancouver, Dennis said “I wrote these words when I was young and angry, and looking back on them now; they’re truer now than ever.”
When the whole stud trend started, I internally cringed. What was this, some kind of punk rock fad trying to make a comeback? Never in a million years would those sharp objects grace the fabrics of my clothing, I thought. But people, as you know, often have changes of heart. Much to my disbelief though, the trend has sucked me in. I don’t really know when it happened, to be honest. Perhaps it was the first pair of studded loafers I laid eyes on, when I saw how well the spikes looked on my favourite style of shoe. I really don’t remember. All I know is that inevitably I fell in love, slowly but surely. Like most people out there, I didn’t think I could ever pull the look off. What if people thought I was trying too hard or, dare I say, hipster? Not that there is anything wrong with being hipster. The idea just scared me, to the point where I would fawn over beautiful button-ups but never actually muster up the courage to buy one. How much was too much? How would I style it? These questions and more have not only stopped me, but countless others from wearing studs. Why are we so afraid though? Take the plunge! Try it out! Once you do, there is no turning back. When it comes to styling them, don’t go overboard. Out of experience, I can tell you that this is easily done. If you already have a pair of studded shoes and a studded shirt, refrain from putting on that studded headband or bracelet – it’s too much. Less is most
Image: Agent Sputnik/flickr
definitely more. The best way to start out is little by little, adding a small amount into your wardrobe at a time. Try a pair of shoes. This is probably the easiest, most basic way to wear studs, and it virtually works for everyone. It won’t make your outfit completely rebellious, it will just add a little bit of an edge to it. Or, if you’re more adventurous, a button-up with studded collars could do the trick. There are so many options when you’re willing to look and try it out. You don’t have to go all in. Just keep it basic. The studs are meant to be fun and creative, so don’t try too hard when attempting to incorporate them into an outfit. With that all being said, perhaps we should dive into what options are out there when it comes to studded attire. I am not lying when I say that you can find virtually anything with studs on it right now. If you hit up the right stores, you are bound to hit the
jackpot: shirts, pants, shoes, bags, hats, accessories. You name it and it’s out there. For in store retail, definitely try Urban Outfitters, Forever 21, H&M and Topshop (though, they can be a bit pricy). All of these stores have an amazing selection to choose from, and are decently priced. If you want to get the look, but you’re tight on cash, DIYing your studs is an awesome alternative. Not only does it allow you to add just the amount of embellishing you want, it also allows you to make your clothing completely unique. Places like Ebay have an assortment of bulk studs that you get can ridiculously cheap, and YouTube has dozens of tutorials to take you step-by-step through the DIY process. So why not try it out? It can definitely shake you out of those winter blues and add a little pop to your outfits.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness, by Susannah Cahalan TAYLOR JOHNSON
THE CASCADE
Every day we take the people who love us for granted. We don’t remember to call back, run late for coffee or simply forget to ask how their day is going. What would we do if all we had to rely on was those people? What if we were so unable to control our minds that our last hope was the people we neglected. Susanna Cahalan’s Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness is a chilling true story that reminds the reader of the effect the people around us have on our lives. Cahalan uses her journalistic skills to track down videos, witnesses and medical documentation in order to piece together her real life descent into madness. At the height of her career, Cahalan, a perfectly normal woman in her mid-20s, suddenly begins to show symptoms of horrific emotional swings accompanied with strange numbness in her extremities. Within weeks, Cahalan experiences violent seizures and is diagnosed with a handful of mental illnesses. Doctors claim she has everything from bipolar disorder to hallucinations, to epilepsy and extreme paranoia. In under a month, Cahalan’s life rapidly falls apart and she is admitted to a mental institution. Eventually diagnosed with an extremely rare and devastating neurological disease, which presents itself as a bunch of other diseases all at once (making it more difficult to diagnose), Cahalan slowly recovers. Throughout the months that follow, her family and friends do everything they can to keep her comfortable and emotionally stable. Once fully recovered, Cahalan retains no memory of her illness. She loses all memory of the time period she was in the hospital and the few weeks before her admittance. Cahalan’s story presents a haunting documentary of an uncontrollable time in her life. She was fortunate enough to have the constant support of her friends and family, who kept her out of an institu-
tion and fought for her wellbeing. A captivating and thrilling read, her book allows readers into a devastating and horrifying time in her life, as well as into the mind of a normal person while descending into madness. As an outside spectator, her tale seems completely unbelievable and surreal, however the medical notes and pictures she provides reminds the reader that they are reading a researched documentary, not a Hollywood horror story.
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
ARTS & LIFE Dine & Dash
Uptown Grill Hours: Daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: 46170 Yale Rd E Chilliwack, BC Prices: up to $14
BRITTNI BROWN
Contributor
This little gem lies quietly tucked away from the busy hustleand-bustle of Chilliwack’s downtown core. Located just outside of Chilliwack’s Five Corners, at 46170 Yale Road, Uptown Grill quietly awaits hungry customers. The restaurant, which happens to sit directly across from the old Paramount theatre, has definitely seen busier days; however, despite a slowing in business, the cuisine has remained delightfully scrumptious. With a cheap menu, warm environment, all-day breakfast and no line-up, this restaurant gets two thumbs up. If you’re looking for some grandma’s cookin’ this is the place to be. Uptown Grill seems to serve a bit of everything, from all-day breakfast to liver and onions. The menu includes hot sandwiches, wraps, chicken, pasta, classic entrees (such as liver and onions or fish and chips), burgers, salads, soups and more – you name it, they’ve probably got it. Prices range from $6.00 to $14.00 with large portions. However, this is not the place for fine dining; the food is greasy, lightly battered and very filling! The name is quite ironic actually, when compared to the menu. But, I can’t deny the quality of this place’s breakfast; it’s delicious.
Image: theuptowngrill
During my latest visit, most people in the restaurant appeared to be over the age of 50. However, that could have something to do with my afternoon visit, on a weekday; but, I’m thinking this place likely draws an older crowd since it has been in the area for decades. Nonetheless, I felt very welcomed and comfortable during my visit. The building is certainly not eye-catching from the outside – the exterior is rather plain, and the building partially blocked by
a large tree which has been awkwardly placed on the sidewalk. As for the inside, it is what I would call rustic. It is a single-room dining area with wooden floors and an open floor plan; it is not an overly large space. One wall is neatly lined with red, fabric booths fit for four people – I should note that the furniture and flooring appears to be well worn in. The rest of the dining area is filled with wooden tables which seat groups of either two or four. Although the space does feel a little clut-
tered, there is something warm and homey about it. The walls are coated in a cozy mustard colour with red and black features. One thing that did feel out-of-place was the wall art; paintings of Victorian women and what appears to be Italian architecture hung evenly spaced throughout the area. Being that this is more of a diner than an upscale restaurant, I found this a bit odd, but cute since the staff and management consisted of elderly women. My service was excellent. The
server was not overly present or absent and my drink was always filled. My food was brought out hot-off-the-burner and didn’t disappoint. Overall, I would definitely recommend this hidden gem to someone looking for a good breakfast spot, a quick bite, or somewhere to read a book or paper over a coffee. It was friendly, quiet, cheap, yummy and worth every buck; I will definitely be returning.
Like what you see? Interested in writing for your university’s student newspaper? Want to be part of a fun, creative team?
Join us for assignment Mondays at 10 a.m. in room B133!
www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
19
SPORTS & HEALTH
How I went from an internet message board to the press box
Images: Clint Trahan
Art: Anthony Biondi/ The Cascade
Mike wanted his portrait to be “A mixture of Liam Neeson and Seth Rogen, but without the afro. Preferably with Elaine Benes on my arm.” As always, we aim to deliver.
MIKE CADARETTE CONTRIBUTOR
I don’t claim to be different from any other hockey fan in Canada. I follow the daily headlines and scores, watch five to 10 games per week on Centre Ice and spend countless hours online reading articles and interviews from around the various hockey leagues. Perhaps my favourite hockeyrelated pastime is reading and responding to other hockey fans on a message board that I’ve been visiting regularly since 2007 – Calgarypuck. Yes, I’m a Flames fan. I grew up in Cranbrook, British Columbia (about 90 minutes away from the Alberta border). It was a small town that was comprised of three parts Canucks, Oilers and Flames fans with a pinch of Canadiens and Leafs supporters and a sprinkle of various other die-hards. Turns out, I became a Flames fan largely because my dad was. These days, it’s an embarrassment to reveal which team I root for, but that’s the life of a sports fan sometimes. Going to school in the mornings after the Canucks beat the Flames was rough. It was all in good fun, but there was the daily bickering and heckling between the two sides. We were able to coexist peacefully ... for the most part. In 2007 I discovered Calgarypuck, an internet forum with a collection of Flames fans and hockey fans that came together to discuss
a myriad of hockey news and rumours. While I had been reading Calgarypuck for a couple of years, I only decided to sign up and contribute when the Abbotsford Heat came to town. I would regularly post updates of the happenings in Abbotsford for other fans to read – a simple give and take of information. Heat training camp opened up at the end of September and I decided to attend regularly because (let’s face it) as a Flames fan my team seems to think the hockey season ends in April and I was starving for hockey. Anything hockey. I would go onto Calgarypuck and let people know what drills were being run and which players stood out. In the beginning of October, I received an email from a fellow named Paul Esau. He claimed to be the sports editor of the The Cascade newspaper. He liked my observations of the Heat training camp and told me they could use it for the newspaper. I was ecstatic. As a journalism student and hockey fan looking to become a sports writer, this was one hell of an opportunity. I gladly accepted his offer. Ever since, I’ve been contributing to the paper’s Heat Report on a weekly basis. It has its perks. The media pass is certainly the best perk of them all. I get to watch free professional hockey in exchange for providing content to The Cascade. It’s a hockey fan’s dream. Of course, like anything, this new job took some getting used
to. The NHL scouts in the green room were kind of rude at first. After they knew I wasn’t going away, the “Hey! Look at the rookie!” remarks and subsequent chuckling receded. Wearing a blazer was tough to get used to. It just didn’t feel right. Going from snapbacks and hoodies to dress shirts and hair gel was different. It gave me a glimpse into the life of a professional, until I got to the press box and I was the most overdressed one there. Awkward. I was able to meet several different famous hockey people in the last five months. Well, kind of. I actually just observed them from a distance because I was too nervous to actually go up to them and introduce myself. I’ve stared creepily at Stan Smyl, Jim Peplinski, Craig Conroy, Geoff Courtnall, Cliff Ronning, Charlie Simmer, Mike Gillis, Jay Feaster, Brian Burke, Alain Vignault and the list goes on. Interviewing players was the most nerve-racking thing I had to do. It’s all about making a good first impression and getting them comfortable enough so they won’t keep giving you those awful cliché hockey responses. After a few times stumbling over my words and struggling to get the right questions out, I was able to coherently inquire about the game. It took about half a dozen times of sitting in the post-game interview room like dupe before I acquired the testicular fortitude to ask a question. My most embarrassing moment came during the second
game I attended. While all the media members were sitting in the post-game interview room listening to the players and then the coach discuss the game, my phone vibrated and let off a loud DING! notifying me of a text message. Except my phone wasn’t in my pocket, it was on the table about six inches away from Heat head coach Troy Ward. My face immediately flushed and I tried to use a mixture of praying and telepathy to let whoever sent me the text message know not to call me. I missed the entire rest of the interview because I kept repeating in my head, “please don’t call, please don’t call.” Thankfully, they didn’t and thankfully, I don’t think anyone noticed (turns out it was Paul Esau, checking in with me to see how everything went). The transition from fan to hockey writer was challenging at times. In the press box, cheering is frowned upon. I broke that rule a few times, but it was all part of the transition. As a fan, you feel you’re part of your team. Cheering and yelling at your TV is a normal practice as a fan. As a sports writer, there was an initial bump of objectivity that I had to overcome. I learned great writing tips from a couple of the regular media people. These tips were invaluable to me, especially as a beginner in the sports journalism trade. I quickly learned that being a new sports writer was more about sitting and observing than trial and error. Now, I’ll be moving on from
writing the Heat Report for The Cascade. I’m greatly appreciative of Paul Esau and the rest of the staff for providing me with a starting line in what I hope to be a long career in sports journalism. They took a risk by plucking a stranger off of an internet message board and I couldn’t be more thankful that they did. Thank you to all the people at the The Cascade for taking me on and thank you to the readers for reading.
This column will be the last by Mike Cadarette, the best Heat reporter this paper’s ever had. Apparently someone over at the Abbotsford Heat recognizes talent when it walks into their building twice a week, because Mike’s been officially hired into the Heat’s media department as a “rising star” (or maybe a coffee-making intern). As the guy who’s worked with Mike most closely at The Cascade I really hate to see so much talent leave, but then again, I’m very happy to see an arts major get a job he loves, working with a sport that he’s scarily obsessed by. Remember, if Mike Cadarette— the man who grew the ugliest Movember moustache I’ve ever seen—can get a real job, then the world is truly a place of unlimited opportunity. Good luck @MCaddd Paul Esau
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www.ufvcascade.ca
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 30, 2013
SPORTS & HEALTH
Ghost of a post: Cascades missing key component in Kyle Grewal JASPER MOEDT CONTRIBUTOR
It is a tale of two seasons. The UFV men’s basketball team has been dominant at points, putting up impressive wins and climbing as high as fourth in the country, but also have been a shell of themselves on some nights. The latter has been more prevalent than ever since Christmas break. Going winless in four straight games is not what we have come to expect from a team that often ran seemingly unopposed for a large part of the preseason and first half of the regular season (not including last weekend’s games). It is true they have played some tougher opponents since the break (University of Saskatchewan and University of Alberta) and true that two of those losses came during a strenuous road trip (Calgary to Lethbridge) but the fact remains that the team needs to be better if they hope to make playoffs, not to mention have any success when they get there. Coming into the second half of the season, the Cascades were riding a five-game win streak, sitting comfortably at 7–3 and maintain-
ing a ranking of fourth nationally. After two weeks of action the men have reeled off four consecutive losses, slipped to 9-7, and have completely dropped out of the national rankings. The difference is night and day between these two teams. In a sport that is so dependent on team play and cohesion, the answer is rarely one man, but this case seems to be an anomaly. The difference here is the absence of fifth-year power forward Kyle Grewal. Although his numbers may not reflect it to the fullest extent, Grewal is the driving force behind this Cascades squad. Sitting third in team scoring at 15.3 points per game and leading the team in rebounds per game at 8.0, his production is nothing to take lightly, but even that doesn’t begin to tell the tale of Grewal’s importance to this team. Where the numbers begin to reveal the real story is when you look at the minutes per game played by this standout senior. Grewal is playing 36.3 minutes a game. This number is the top in Canada for minutes played. His presence on the court alone is what the Cascades are missing. If you have ever been to a home
game at the Envision Athletic Centre (EAC) you will know immediately who he is, due to his booming voice and ability to direct his teammates while sprinting up and down the floor. Make no mistake, there are many talented individuals on the 2012–2013 UFV squad, but Grewal is the glue that holds all the pieces all together. That solid veteran experience that comes with seven years of university basketball is something that cannot be replaced by anyone else on this squad. The combination of an inside presence, floor leader and vocal presence that is Kyle Grewal is something that the Cascades will be sorely missing for at least another weekend; Grewal was recently spotted hobbling to his class, not looking in any shape to be playing basketball. Until then Cascades supporters can expect a small and speedy lineup on the floor of the EAC. The next home games for the Cascades are on February 8 and 9 against the Thompson River University Wolfpack. Come out and cheer on your Cascades!
A lesson in Brinkmanship
Cascades rookie Kaitlyn Brink shows veterans aren’t only UFV strength PAUL ESAU
Back to Blackman:
Last year’s rookie sensation conspicuously absent in UNBC sweep PAUL ESAU
THE CASCADE
The UFV women’s basketball team rolled through a two-game sweep of the UNBC Timberwolves last weekend, winning 67–42 and 82–47 to improve their record to 13–3 on the season. Aieisha Luyken netted 35 points between the two nights (including seven three-pointers on Saturday), and Nicole Wierks added 18 points and 10 steals. The Cascades continued to display their defensive ability with a monstrous 46 steals between the two games, proving once again that they deserve their ranking as fourth in the nation. One dull spot in an otherwise solid Friday performance was a troubling inability to capitalize on the fast break. Tessa Hart, Kayli Sartori and Luyken were only the most notable Cascades to miss transition layups in the first half, a trend that head coach Al Tuchscherer says is a result of last weekend’s disappointing losses. “For us, were in a little bit of a funk right now,” said Tuchscherer. “You go on the road and you lose a couple games, we’re a little bit disappointed about last week and I think that has a little bit of an effect upon our confidence ... we come back and we were pressing a little bit too hard. We just weren’t fluid tonight at all. Just rebuilding that confidence at the end ... all our girls know how to hit layups [laughs].” The missed baskets kept the game closer than it should have been into the second quarter. The turning point came from an unlikely source: red-shirt freshman Kaitlyn Brink. Brink came into the game at a fluid moment, a moment when UNBC was narrowing the defi-
Image: Rebecca Groen/The Cascade
Kyle Grewal celebrating the Cascades’ 2-1 series win over the Lethbridge Pronghorn in the Canada West CIS playoffs.
THE CASCADE
Image: Tree Frog Imaging
Kaitlyn Brink dribbles down court in a match against the UVic Vikes earlier this season. cit and UFV seemed incapable of capitalizing off their steal-toturnover ratio. Instead of turning to the veterans on the team for help, Brink took the ball to the rim for a quick two points, ran down the court, stole the ball, and worked a quick give-and-go for another basket. In a matter of seconds Brink put the Cascades firmly back in charge, and gave her team a much-needed boost off the bench. “I’ve been through Junior Cascades,” Brink said of her own uncommon confidence, “and play[ed] with them [the veterans] for years, I know how they play, I’ve watched how they play. I’ve learned to stay composed out there ... and make sure I get the
job done.” Brink, Samantha Kurath, Jaslyen Singh and Kayli Sartori were all recruited in the last two years from Abbotsford’s W. J. Mouat Secondary. Coach Tuchscherer is known for picking several players from the same, local team, and it’s a strategy which obviously works for him: Courtney Bartels, Sarah and Nicole Wierks and Alexa McCarthy were all recruited from Chilliwack Secondary also within a year of each other. This is the first time the women have ever won more than 12 games in a CIS season. The Cascades will travel to UBC-O this weekend, and should be able to continue setting new in-house records.
The UFV men’s basketball team dismantled a talented but shaky UNBC Timberwolves squad over the weekend, taking the two games 88–65 and 88–70 respectively. As the Timberwolves just made the jump to CIS this year, the outcome is no surprise, although the Timberwolves put up more fight than they could have (or perhaps should have, the Cascades are missing several key players). On Friday, guard Sam Freeman (27 points) seemed on pace for another 40-point night until an aggravated injury at the end of the second put him off his game, and success story Nathan Kendal (19 points, nine rebounds) continued to channel his inner big-man as power forward. Yet the major surprise was a trimmed 12-man UFV roster that lacked a certain, bouncy secondyear guard. Not only was that certain guard missing from the roster, he was missing from the bench as well. “Jordan [Blackman] is no longer with us ... no comment,” said head coach Adam Friesen after the game. Other sources confirmed that Blackman and the Cascades parted ways earlier this week after the team returned from a two-game weekend road trip in Alberta. Blackman, who joined the team last year out of Yale Secondary, has shown flashes of brilliance this year, including a 30-point effort against the Eastern Washington Eagles in a preseason meeting last September. Many considered him to be the
Image: Tree Frog Imaging
Jordan Blackman in a pre-season match versus Lakehead University. spiritual protégé of controversial guard Joel Friesen, who followed former UFV coach Barnaby Craddock to play for the University of Alberta during the summer. The Cascades were also missing fifth-year forward Kyle Grewal due to lingering injury. Friday’s game was the first UFV has won without Grewal since he was sidelined before Christmas, and improves the team’s record to 9–7 on the season. Coach Friesen admitted Grewal’s absence has affected his team’s game-plan. “It’s changed almost everything we do,” he said. “We had to basically change our offence. He was a big part of what we did, and a big post presence for us.” The Cascades will travel to UBC-O this weekend, and continue the struggle to break back into the national top 10 despite the recent challenges.