Student pushes for adoption of Bitcoin on campus

-

November 12, 2013

Currently on a cross-Canada tour, The Zolas will be playing with Hollorado at The Commodore Ballroom on Nov. 14. As you might expect, guitarist/vocalist Zach Gray said that playing in their hometown of Vancouver is something they always look forward to: “Every city has its benefits, but it doesn’t really matter . . . where the most Zolas fans are — that’s the most fun.”

While on tour, the band has been working on performing new songs that they have never played live, such as “Cold Moon.” Gray said that they don’t really do much writing while touring because “it’s hard to find time to be creative on the road.”

Their songwriting process is a collaboration between all band members, and Gray’s ex-girlfriend also contributed to the chorus of their single “Knot in My Heart.” Gray said that the lines “It’s hard and weird not to know how your day begins though I’m lying next to someone new” are attributed to her, verbatim, from something she said over the phone. “I wrote it down and put it in the chorus. She gets royalties.”

Gray describes “Ancient Mars,” the title track of their second and most recent album, as being about “a beautiful place you can’t get back to once it’s gone. Mars used to have life and now it’s barren; relationships can work the same way. Give it time and there can be nothing between you. I find it sad and beautiful.”

When asked which artist or group they’d love to work with, Gray laughed and said André 3000, in a collaboration “where we stay out of his way.” Some other sources of inspiration — whether completely serious or not — that came up during our interview included Liberace, Dog the Bounty Hunter, Chris Angel, and Dave Matthews.

Mars used to have life and now it’s barren; relationships can work the same way.”

Zach Gray, guitarist/vocalist

There are a few references to ancient civilisations in their songs, including mention of a pharaoh and the Nile in “You’re Too Cool,” and in the song title “Euphrates and Tigres,” but Gray said that he doesn’t have a particular interest in the subject. “It’s just from being a nerd; it’s not a theme. I have a degree in history, so it percolated in.”

Another influence from his history degree is the band name. The name, chosen last minute because they couldn’t agree, was inspired by Emile Zola, whom Gray learned about in one of his classes. “He committed slander against the president of France which is a pretty badass thing to do.” He also likes the fact that it’s not a name that has to be spelled: “You can make any name cool.”

The Zolas have a great sense of humour and had a lot of fun telling me about the many new, exciting features of their live show. These include an animatronic spider, pyrotechnics, male dancers, and live bears. “If people aren’t excited for that, I don’t know what to do,” said Gray.

He also explained, “I start suspended in a block of ice and the audience has to watch me melt before we start our set. It was too cold in Montreal, so they had to chisel me out. Hopefully Vancouver will be a warm enough audience.” I guess you’ll have to check out their show to see if any of that is true.

All’s fair in love and art

By

-

November 12, 2013

It starts as they stick candles into two mini cheesecakes for his 80th birthday. Cutie and the Boxer is a documentary that traces the relationship of husband and wife, Ushio and Noriko Shinohara, who met in SoHo at the respective ages of 41 and 19.

The film begins with Noriko, a young artist recently emigrated from Japan, besotted by Ushio’s immersion in the art world.

Ushio is a Japanese artist who works in sculpture and, primarily, action-painting. His canvases are large and he hangs them against a wall built with a lot of give, like the floors of a gymnastics club. He wails on his canvases, wearing boxing gloves with sponges strung onto them, sopping wet with ink and paint. He wears swimming goggles and the sagging layers of his 80 year-old body ripple with every hit.

The film tells the story of their developing relationship; Noriko recalls Ushio bringing her home to his bed with no sheets and no blankets. She obliges, seeing the barrenness as an emblem for the stingy glamour of the New York she looked forward to knowing. The bed seems fitting for Ushio too, an important player in the Neo-Dadaist movement which founded itself on an aversion to standardized aesthetics of beauty and living.

There is love, but there is loathing too, and she is as detailed about her regrets as a woman on her deathbed.

Noriko initially saw her connection to Ushio as a channel of influence for her own art-making but discovered quickly that their relationship would never be equal; he would always be the one with an established name, and she’d always put him first.

At the beginning, we watch Noriko play the role of Ushio’s assistant; she seems pleasant enough but not enthusiastic.

Later, we see Noriko on a trip to sell some of her own work in Japan; we are invited into Noriko’s own artistic practice, where we discover her discomfort about the amicable subjugation she feels in relation to her husband. There is love, but there is loathing too, and she is as detailed about her regrets as a woman on her deathbed.

We are introduced to her new series of works: a semi-autobiographical comic of sorts wherein she reconfigures her own alter ego, Cutie, to rise above Ushio, Bullie. The work chronicles her youthful ambition, his boisterous, alcoholic behaviour and the things she’s given up and lost over the course of their nearly 40-year relationship.

Using a calligraphic painting technique, the often nude figures of Cutie resemble the plumpish and seductive women drawn by the hand of Titian, the 16th century Italian painter.

Cutie and the Boxer, directed by Zachary Heinzerling, captures Ushio as he works to put together his latest exhibition — one in which the gallery owner has also agreed to showcase Noriko’s new series.

I’ve never seen art manhandled the way it is here. It is clumsy, gorgeous and hilarious, causing us to think about the physical reverence we give to objects according to their perceived value — whether historical, emotional, cultural, and most often economical.

Unlike a lot of visual art documentaries, this film doesn’t feature any interviews about the two main subjects, nor do Ushio or Noriko ever address the camera or the people behind it. They are direct only with each other. It’s at the same time heartwarming and tumultuous — their passion for each other is unfaltering. The narrative blooms out of their everyday life where questions of power, love and success lie somewhere among their collective past and their individual bodies of work.

Newspaper industry “probably going to be okay” reports newspaper CEO

By

-

November 12, 2013

VANCOUVER— As a result of technological innovations and the general advancement of time, the newspaper industry has hit hard times from which it may never recover. However, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Vancouver Times CEO, Warren Isiah, stated in a release last week that the industry was, quote, “Probably going to be okay.”

Isiah cited frankly ridiculous notions such as “good old fashioned hard work” and “customer loyalty” in a document that can only be seen as evidence towards the man’s inability to properly steer a major company.

Even viewed as a desperate appeal to win back customers, this document would surely be used against the aging executive in any talks regarding his future at the helm of the publication.

A long-time friend, who wished to remain anonymous, though admitted that he “didn’t really care if [we] printed his name because who even reads newspapers anymore,” told The Peak that the document’s similarity to the ramblings of a mad man hardly comes as any surprise.

He cited Isaiah’s continued dedication to the failed TV Show Joey and ownership of a Pontiac Aztec as evidence of the aging journalism giant’s failure to attach himself to reality. As of press time, Isiah was unavailable for comment as he had flown to Las Vegas as part of his effort to finally revitalize the XFL.

Suicide rates increase due to super high rope prices

By

-

November 12, 2013

PONTIAC, MI — Suicide rates are on the rise thanks to the increasingly expensive cost of rope experts reported last week. According to new figures, the rates of committing suicide have never been higher, a reality which has led to a significant decrease in the number of recent suicides.

“With rates like these on nooses, people just can’t afford to end their own lives right now,” explained statistician Linda Carlini, who first noticed the correlation between high rope prices and lack of suicides early last week. “If simple items like rope are eventually made unaffordable I think suicide might end for good.”

Carlini went on to explain that this is not the first time suicide rates have been affected by the economy. The high price of oil has also been credited with saving the lives of many poor, destitute, depressed people.

“Leaving your car running until you passed out and died used to be a lot more popular before gas prices started to skyrocket,” Carlini said, pointing to one her many confusing charts. “Most suicidal people can hardly afford to get enough gas to drive home, let alone have the cash to fill up their entire car with toxic fumes!”

Although Carlini was adamant that the increase in suicide rates was causing a decrease in the number of suicides, she also stated that the numbers are the opposite when you look specifically at the rope-loving community where suicide numbers have exploded as their prices have risen.

SFU hockey wins fifth straight

By

-

November 12, 2013

Despite an overall frustrating performance at Bill Copeland Arena, the SFU Clan hockey team did what they had to against the University of Victoria to scrape out a 3–2 victory. The win was SFU’s fifth straight to open the season and put the Burnaby squad in a tie for first place in the BCIHL with Trinity Western and Selkirk College.

The opening twenty minutes featured UVic’s first goal of the season against the SFU when Mark Prest potted a power play tally just 41 seconds into the game. SFU’s Graham Smerek would not allow his team to sit back after surrendering the first goal, as he led by example and began to hit every Victoria player
in sight.

The intensity brought by the grinder seemed to spark SFU as shortly after, Pavlo Zerebecky put his speed on display, shooting right past a Vikes’ defender, and feathering a fantastic saucer pass across ice to Jesse Mysiorek, who tapped it into the yawning cage.

SFU’s frantic pace continued as Smerek did what he does best, and drew a slashing penalty due to his relentless forecheck. The BCIHL’s number one power play could not capitalize because the Clan couldn’t hit the net, firing plenty of shots towards the net, but wide. SFU was unfortunate to not be leading after one.

Victoria continued to frustrate the Clan in the second period. Neither team could muster any great chances as UVic continued to collapse to their own net resulting inwas countless SFU shots hitting a body in front, never even making their way to Vikes’ netminder, Robert Simmons.

SFU wasn’t playing its best hockey, but still outshot the visitors 8–4 in the period, though none of which were particularly concerning for Victoria.

SFU head coach Mark Coletta rewarded Smerek’s strong play when he moved him up to the first line to play alongside Nick Sandor and Jono Ceci in the third period. Coletta’s move provided almost immediate dividends as Smerek assisted on a Sandor tally just a minute and three seconds into the final frame to give SFU a 2–1 lead.

SFU’s new look top line added another key goal right after Smerek’s tally when Nick Sandor had the puck bounce right to him for a wide open tap in.

Victoria kept the game interesting by adding a late power play goal, but they would eventually get called for a too many men penalty when trying to pull their goalie late in the third. The penalty proved costly as SFU controlled the puck with their final man advantage to seal the win.

SFU will now hit the road for games against Eastern Washington and Selkirk College with hopes of continuing their hot start to the season, and to take over sole possession of first place in the BCIHL.

Board Shorts

By

-

November 12, 2013

Mediator begins working with society

The board discussed the hiring of Paula Boddie of Paula Boddie & Associates Ltd., a human resources and labor relations consulting service, following the Oct. 11 incident between directors Moe Kopahi and Monique Ataei.

President Humza Khan reported that mediation had started that day (last Wednesday), and that Boddie had been given all the resources necessary to investigate the incident, as well as to conduct a full workplace investigation. Khan also stated that the board had decided to hire Boddie directly, instead of through the Society’s lawyers, so that Boddie’s final report will be given directly to all board members, and then potentially made public. Boddie will be spending two half days per week on campus while she conducts the investigation.

Health and Dental plan referendum not finalized

External Relations Officer Chardaye Bueckert brought the board’s attention to the fact that during the society’s AGM on Oct. 23, the presentation given by Kristen Foster, Pacific and Western director of Studentcare, stated that a referendum to raise the current fund ceiling on the health and dental plan would be taking place in March 2014.

Bueckert raised concerns that that statement was inaccurate, and that the referendum had not been finalized, and no referendum question has yet been drafted. The board concluded that more information needs to be gathered about health and dental plans at other institutions before a referendum question is drafted.

IEC CEO upcoming appointment

The SFSS board discussed the appointment of the chief electoral officer of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) — the body that regulates the SFSS board of directors elections each year.

It was decided to start the process of appointing the chief electoral officer earlier than usual, beginning the process on the day of the board meeting, with the appointment to be made two weeks later, on Nov. 20. The board also discussed the possibility of the candidate selected consulting with possible candidates on the positions before the election, and being part of the process of training the incoming directors.

Research Roundup

By

-

November 12, 2013

Study counts half-million deaths in Iraq War

Two SFU researchers have contributed to a US-based study that placed the death toll in Iraq related to the Iraq War at approximately 500,000. The study, conducted without funding, looked at the conflict between 2003 and 2011.

Dr. Tim Takaro, health sciences professor, and doctoral student Lindsay Galway were part of a 12-person team who collaborated on the study, published in PLOS Medicine. The team included researchers from the University of Washington, the Iraqi Ministry of Health, and John’s Hopkins University.

The study aimed to estimate direct and indirect deaths attributable to the war. “Several previous Iraq mortality studies have been conducted but this is the only study to cover the entire conflict,” Galway explained. Data was collected from 2,000 randomly selected households across the country’s 18 governorates.

The methodology of the study was more sophisticated than those done in the past, due to the randomness of the sample households (a measure to avoid introducing bias to the study), and an additional set of questions given to each of the adults in the households about their siblings, which allowed the team to learn about an additional 25,000 people.

The study is also unique in that it was the first to attempt to estimate deaths among the huge portion of the Iraqi population who migrated away from the country during the conflict.

For Galway, visiting Iraq and speaking with the team’s Iraqi members was an experience she won’t soon forget. “This experience was inspiring and certainly an invaluable learning experience for me,” she said. “I left the country in awe of our Iraqi colleagues who literally risked their lives to do this work.”

Galway hopes that the study will remind people “about the health impacts of armed conflicts and the importance of studying these impacts.” She also hopes to continue working in this field, but points to the lack of funding available for the research as an obstacle.

“It is important work that needs to be done, said Galway. “Unfortunately there is very limited funding for this kind of work . . . We call on science funding agencies to invest in research to address this large public health problem.”

Cellular tails tell tales of disease

Molecular biologist, Lynne Quarmby, and doctoral student Laura Hilton, have discovered a mutation that may cause cilia (which exist on all human cells) to grow too long — the result of which can be fatal.

Quarmby and her students have found that CNK2, a regulatory protein, controls the length of cilia, which are microscopic antennae on our cells that communicate signals in our bodies. When these antennae are too long or too short, the signals they capture can be misinterpreted and cause disease or deformities. As these cells determine how we develop, their functionality is vitally important.

Quarmby first became interested in cilia while doing her PhD. “We were investigating whether a certain kind of signal transduction happened in plants, and wanted to know which of the same connections were happening in plants as were happening in animals,” Quarmby told The Peak.

The team was originally looking at trees, but it was Quarmby’s decision to use pond scum, which grows more easily in a lab, that led them to make an important discovery regarding the role that certain proteins play in regulating the cilia.

For Hilton, Quarmby’s doctoral student and lead author on the paper published in Current Biology, one of the most exciting discoveries of the project was that the rate of cilial disassembly is actively regulated. A crucial part of all cells’ lifecycle is their cilia’s assembly, the speed of which scientists have thought affects cilial length; however, Quarmby and Hilton are among the few scientists globally who have discovered important impact of the second part of the process: disassembly.

“Previous research from other labs focused largely on how regulating assembly contributed to setting the correct length for cilia. It was incredibly exciting to find that there’s a whole other side to the coin — it may really open up a whole new avenue of discovery in cilia and disease,” said Hilton.

This study not only opens new fields for investigation, but may provide treatment paths in the future for diseases caused by abnormal cilia length.

“Every time you discover a new player and how it might interact with other players in the pathway, that is a whole new opportunity for approaching therapy,” explained Quarmby. “That’s a new place where you can start to understand PKD, and the more you understand a disease, the more options you have for treatment.”

“Flash Paintball” shockingly much more destructive than standard “Flash Mob”

By

-

November 12, 2013

VANCOUVER — Police were called to a home in east Vancouver today after receiving several calls from nearby residents who described a “massive gunfight” that erupted on their block.

According to eyewitness testimonies, the situation was the result of a “Flash Paintball” event organized by local teens, Jason Edmunds and Erik Chen. To their surprise, the plan for a spontaneous paintball battle intended to take onlookers by surprise created more extreme panic than most hit viral videos.

“We just wanted to do, you know, like one of those videos where you see a bunch of people just doing normal stuff and then everybody just starts dancing and everybody’s like, ‘Wooooah!’ But, with paintball” explained a handcuffed Edmunds, after the event.

He explained that it was their friend Carl Smithers’ birthday and since he really likes paintball, the idea came naturally to them. They invited all their friends over, rented more than two dozen paintball guns and waited in Smithers’ driveway after school.

Edmunds said upon Smithers’ arrival home, he was shocked to see so many people sitting in his driveway, apparently just to talk, listen to music and eat sandwiches.

“He seemed excited,” Chen told The Peak recalling that Smithers stated “awww, did you guys throw me a surprise party? I’ve always wanted a surprise party,” seconds before everyone drew paintball guns and began firing at each other.

It was at this point that onlookers say Smithers’ collapsed into a terrified heap on the ground as his friends stampeded around him yelling and shooting paintballs at each other. “They just started shooting,” recalled a shaken Smithers. “No one even gave me a mask or anything, I just had to lie face down on the ground with my hands over my eyes.”

It was only when Edmunds and Chen heard the police sirens that they say it dawned on them that their idea might have been a little inappropriate. When police arrived on the scene they were greeted by what sounded like automatic gunfire and promptly called for backup which soon surrounded the entire neighbourhood.

It wasn’t until they had an entire S.W.A.T team encircling the house and a helicopter overhead that police say they realized it was just a bunch of dumb kids with paintball guns and delayed to open fire.

Edmunds and Chen were charged with disturbing the peace, fined $500 and tasked with cleaning up the now paint soaked neighborhood. Smithers left the scene unscathed except for a few bruises, and a new deep-seated phobia of driveways.

“Carl needs to loosen up, we were just trying to do something really different for his birthday, something that he’d remember,” Edmunds told The Peak, disappointed by his friend’s luke-warm reaction to their surprise, “I mean it wasn’t even that big a deal, we just broke like three windows.”

Smithers isn’t the only one who is less than thrilled about the entire affair. Local resident, Gill McCauley, was stunned upon hearing the news calling the event “truly shocking.”

“The whole incident really shed light on a far greater issue that has been plaguing North America for years . . . kids aren’t allowed to have fun anymore,” McCauley said shaking his head at ‘adults these days’. “I remember when kids all used to play freely in the streets and now they aren’t even allowed to tear up Mrs. Smithers’ flower garden, shower every house within a two block radius in paint and terrify the entire neighborhood . . . what is the world coming to?”

McCauley concluded his statement by saying that, “it was just a crazy day that almost ended in tragedy” but he remained adamant that “it was just a bit of fun” and also agreed that Carl really does need to loosen up.

Ballet: Fumbling Towards Ecstasy

By

-

November 12, 2013