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Ah New Years

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By Gary Lim

Ah, New Years, a time for clean breaks and new beginnings, like moving to
Mexico to start a new life without all the back-alley plastic surgery. Anyways January rolls around again, and we can leave all the terrible, illegal, and unforgivable things we did in the past and move forward. New Years does come with its own can of worms, and I’m not talking about the mad-dash to find someone to drunkenly suck-face to Auld Lang Syne with at midnight.

What I am talking about is your New Year’s resolution, the promise of self-improvement you make to yourself so you can better than you used to be. I mean, have you ever met past-you? That guy sucks. But self-improvement is hard. If it wasn’t, then reality TV probably wouldn’t be a thing. So the question becomes, “How can I improve myself without all of that effort and sweat that motivated people are so keen about?” Well we at The Peak have come up with four handy tips to make you marginally better than you were last year.

1. Lower Your Expectations
People dream too big nowadays, which is just a trap to set yourself up for
failure. Sure you’ll resolve to lose 20 pounds, but after three weeks of healthy eating and early-morning workouts, you’ll find yourself on the kitchen floor spooning a salty mixture of tears and Haagen-Dazs into your gullet. The trick to avoiding these potholes is to start small, and then never, ever work your way up. It’s as easy as 1-2-3, only you never get past one.

2. Pay Someone
While money can solve the majority of one’s problems, when it comes to New
Year’s resolutions there is no substitute for sheer discipline and willpower or, barring that, even more money. Did you know that you can pay people to do things for you? For literally every vice, goal or love handle that exists, there also exists some person who yell, listen or scam you into being the person you want to be, and for a modest fee of only $49.99 per month of the first three months, then $79.99 afterward.

3. Be Chinese
Or more accurately, opt to celebrate Chinese New Year’s instead. Not only
will you separate yourself from the pack (Yeah I used to use the Gregorian
calendar too, before it sold out), you’ll get to immerse yourself in a whole new holiday, one based predominantly around firecrackers and dragon costumes. Plus, no one really knows when Chinese New Year’s is coming since it uses the Lunar calendar, there’s no time to plan out your resolution, and it will likely ending up being “I resolve to figure out when Chinese New Year’s falls on next year.” But you won’t.

4. Joke Resolutions
What? Your resolution is to be more awesome? Hahahahah — kill yourself.
Well there you have it. Four foolproof tips for you to make 2013 the most
passable year ever. Though it likely won’t help too much since this issue of the paper doesn’t come out until the 7th. I guess my resolution should’ve been “I resolve to get this into my editor on time.” Haha— oh god, number four. I’m sorry everyone, goodbye.

US announce new plan to compound national debt and fire it into the sun

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EIC
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Plan hailed as savior of US economy, research on ending world hunger by firing things into sun already underway

By Gary Lim
Astronaut Billionaire

WASHINGTON — In a press conference held last Thursday on the steps of the Treasury building, head of the US Department of the Treasury Allan Gorewick announced to a crowd of reporters “the first steps to securing the nation’s financial future.” Gorewick then laid out a new five-year plan plan to reduce the country’s 1.3 trillion-dollar deficit by firing it into the molten heart of the sun.

Gorewick described the historic undertaking to the hushed crowd.

“At its current rate of growth, China’s economy stands to outpace the US economy by 2015. While our nation’s status as a first-world economic power has weakened in the wake of the recession, this is the first concrete evidence of our waning role in the global economy. Because of these dire
times, President Barack Obama has given the Department of the Treasury the authority to ‘just fix it. I don’t care how. I’m the president for Christsakes and If you don’t fix this I’ll Guantanamo Bay you so hard, we will all be speaking Chinese by the time you get out.’

“As such, we will first simplify the tax situation by compounding our massive debt. Currently, the United States is in debt to dozens of countries. By the buying and selling of loans, we will consolidate that loan into a single lump sum, which in the second stage we will load onto a rocket and fire into our sun.

“Now, while debt isn’t a physical object, our receipts, credit reports, and tax documents are. So what we need is for each citizen to empty all their old tax documents into one of the yellow bins we’ve placed outside each house in America. “If we have any room left after that, we’ll fill it with the bankers and economists that caused it all in the first place,” added Gorewick, gesturing to the giant television screens behind him, which lit up to show scenes of riot-gear clad police on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange forcibly throwing bankers, economists, and accountants into the back of swat vans.

But while the plan is being hailed as revolutionary by some, there is a very vocal minority against it, notably those who will be shot into the coronasphere of the class-B star.

Economist Stephen Irving warns against the allure of short-term debt reduction arguing “Please, no! It wasn’t my fault. I didn’t do this! Please, you have to listen to me! I don’t deserve this! Get your hands off me! I said get your hand off — ARGH!”

The Department of the Treasury had acknowledged that in all likelihood some innocent people will be incinerated, but maintains it is better to get them all than to leave any stragglers. As of press time, NASA scientists are excited to have new data on the effects of stellar plasma on Gregorio Armani Italian silk.

Where Are They Now? – January 7, 2013

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EIC
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Ever wonder what happened to those celebrities who were all the rage in 2012, now you can barely muster the memory of their name let alone their face? Well, get ready for a blast from the very recent past and find out where they are — now!

By Gary Lim

Lonesome George
The last member of the now extinct Pinta Island tortoise, Lonesome George spent the last three decades under the study of conservationists in an attempt to repopulate the species. George died in June at just over the age of 100. Although his species can live to ages of 170, it seems he took his own life rather than endure the slow (ever slower, because you know, he’s a tortoise), agonizing hell of 70 more years of tortoise blue balls.

Curiosity
After being launched in 2011, the Curiosity rover landed on Mars in August of 2012 and has since been collecting important data on the red planet. The current status of the Martian landscape: rocks. In December, Curiosity had its two-year mission extended indefinitely by NASA, an extension that the robotic rover appears to resent,given how many of landscape photographs taken since prominently feature it flipping off the camera.

Kim Jong-Un
Taking office in January, the adorably pudgy fearless leader of the Democratic People ’s Republic of Korea has been in the captain’s chair for an entire year now. Although according to the Pyongyang Daily Times, the infallible leader has eliminated hunger, sickness and the South Korean menace, he is not without his faults, only obtaining a 110% approval rating dwarfed by his father, Jong-il’s 170%. People who mention this are executed immediately.

FEATURE: Sober as a judge

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EIC
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A month without booze

Word By Ljudmila Petrovic
Photos by Mark Burnham
Illustration by Eleanor Qu

“I’m never drinking again!” I declared dramatically from the couch. It was a regular Saturday morning and I was eating Raisin Bran out of the box, groaning to my roommate about how rough I was feeling. Then it occurred to me: why not? Many social gatherings involve alcohol to one degree or another, something even truer for the demographic I tend to be surrounded by: university students in their 20s. It is often encouraged, or at the very least just accepted and assumed; in fact, when somebody says they don’t drink, it has almost always sparked discussion as to their reasons. Several people I know have done “sober months,” and it inspires me to do so myself, more as a social experiment than anything else: what would the effects on my social life be? How would people react?

How much is too much?
I started off by seeing just how big of a dissonance there is between what we as university students view as being “too much” versus what the official recommended intake is. The demographic I asked were all in their 20s, and mostly university students. The answers I got were varied, and few people could give me a guideline as to what they saw as too many drinks. Some factors that were cited in what defines “too much” were the individual’s tolerance, whether it’s a special occasion, and how well that person can “hold their liquor.” Some people attempted to give me a tangible amount, usually three drinks a night, but were quick to say they weren’t big drinkers and to explain that this was why their number was so low. In fact, The Canadian Center on Substance Abuse states its guidelines for moderate drinking as “10 drinks a week for women, with no more than two drinks a day most days, 15 drinks a week for men, with no more than three drinks a day most days.” Those individuals that considered themselves to drink less than their peers were actually the ones whose guesses were the closest to the recommended guidelines —though even they were a little high — and furthermore, they were almost apologetic, and felt the need to explain. Several people I asked were unable to quantify the amount that’s considered “too much,” instead insisting that it’s about an individual’s limits and their behavior when under the influence that defines whether they have a drinking problem, rather than a quantifiable and set amount of drinks per sitting or per week.

It’s certainly an issue that needs to be looked at: how do we quantify what is too much so that it reaches across all demographics? What’s healthy is certainly a much different defining factor than what is socially acceptable. After all, the fact that excessive alcohol use has a negative impact on health is true, whether the drinker is a 21-year-old university student or a 55-year-old businessman (except that the latter likely has a longer history of chronic use). However, the university student’s behavior, though unhealthy, is likely to be deemed relatively normal; a middle-aged individual with a career and a family, on the other hand, simply will not be viewed the same in society’s eyes were they to engage in similar behavior. Furthermore, the drinking guidelines and habits vary across cultures: Hong Kong, the UK, and Ireland, for example, all allow for more drinks in their guidelines than Canada and the United States. These are all questions that have thus far been left unanswered, but the fact remains that when it comes to the implementation of these guidelines, people tend to be more affected by the behavior they are surrounded by (as seen in universities, colleges, or some industries like hospitality) than by numbers that a government or health organization outlines for them. This brings me to the social environment of a university like our own.

Sober month
I didn’t know what to expect when I first came up with this plan. I figured that because alcohol was part of a social setting, this was also where possible opposition to this idea might come from. And so, I was prepared to deal with certain pressures from peers — yet it never came. A few people were concerned that I wouldn’t be coming to their events because I wasn’t drinking; once I assured them I would be there, but sober, they were calmed and voiced their support. Several people laughed and wished me luck, but for the most part, every person I spoke to was helpful, even musing that they should try it themselves. People still offered me drinks, but more out of forgetfulness and habit than out of disrespect for my choice. Now, I may be particularly lucky with the people in my life, but I also think this also speaks against the common misconception that alcohol consumption in young people is due to peer pressure; if anything, it might be an endogenous drive to bridge a gap between our peers, but I think for the most part, our peers don’t care if we’re drinking or not.

This being said, it never occurred to me just how big of a part alcohol plays in social bonding until I wasn’t drinking it. Of course, my everyday life remained unaffected by the lack of liquor; I didn’t feel any better or any worse for the most part than I normally do. I had the same amounts of energy, the same motivation, and my daily activities did not change. I normally try to maintain a relatively healthy lifestyle anyways, so I didn’t notice a difference in my health in the short term of this experiment, though I think I lost a pound or two (must be something to do with not eating greasy 24/7 Thai food at 3 a.m.). However, whenever I would make plans with somebody, the first suggestion was to “grab a drink or something.” Having to constantly remind people that I wasn’t drinking served only as a further reminder to me of how much the face of our social interactions is affected by alcohol.

I want to say that not drinking forced me to come up with creative alternatives, but to be honest, it either ended in watching a movie on the couch, or doing something that would normally involve alcohol (except that I was drinking club soda). I was set on going about my life as usual and having just as much fun sober. I did, to a certain extent: most activities in our everyday lives are not reliant on alcohol, and so a lack of it does little to change things. Even going out with friends to an event that normally would involve alcohol — such as a night of dancing — can be just as entertaining sober as drunk; in fact, it’s significantly cheaper (if not free), and you feel better in the morning than you would otherwise. This being said, I must admit that there were occasions where I didn’t feel as comfortable as I would have liked. Going to a pub or bar, for example, feels strange when you seem to be the only sober one there. Sure, you could say that conversation is a big part of this kind of outing, which it is, but trying to have a logical and invigorating conversation with people that are getting progressively less coherent is frustrating, to say the least. Again, this really depends on the setting and on the people that you’re with. Each person’s reaction to alcohol is different: some people get messy, some people get happy, some people get mean, and some people don’t seem to change at all. These differences are a lot clearer when you’re a sober observer, which — at least for me — was an introspective experience. It made me think about my own behavior objectively, and it also made me see social interactions objectively.

Not surprisingly, one of the main effects that this had on my life was financial. It’s easy to rack up a bar tab when drinks average $5–7. I generally stuck to club soda, which for those not familiar with the drink, is like a vodka-soda, but without the vodka. My bar tab never went over $3 for that entire month — sometimes it was even free — and, let me tell you, I was a hell of a lot more hydrated than anybody else in that bar. If nothing else, staying sober is fiscally responsible. I certainly noticed that I went out less. I had expected that this would raise my productivity, but in all honesty, I just had more nights watching trash TV on my couch than usual. There was also a common theme of “when this is over” that kept being brought up by my friends and acquaintances; but when the end of my sober month came and went, I didn’t even realize. In fact, the timing coincided with exams, so I ended up having a sober month-and-a-half, simply because I had no desire to drink.

Drinking is a social staple in my life and in the lives of almost everyone I know, and I think we all have a skewed perception of what is an acceptable amount to drink, but once I made the conscious choice to abstain from alcohol, it wasn’t difficult. There were times when alcohol is culturally symbolic — grabbing a beer as a symbol of camaraderie and friendship, or toasting as a symbol of celebration — but for the most part, it is habit, comfort, and association with fun and enjoyment that keep most of us doing what we do. This has been my experience, but others’ will vary. An Australian initiative, Ocsober, encourages people to give up alcohol for the month of October (also known as Sober October) to raise awareness and money for charity. Whatever your reason — be it charity, to test yourself, or just to give your body and bank account a break — and whatever your time of choice, giving up a vice such as alcohol is an enlightening and healthy experience for anyone.

Two arrests made in Maple Batalia Case

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EIC
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Batalia’s ex-boyfriend Gurjinder Dhaliwal charged with first-degree murder

By Kelli Gustafson

IHIT, along with the Surrey RCMP, held a press conference on December 2, 2012, confirming two arrests relating to the murder of Maple Batalia. Batalia’s ex-boyfriend, Gurjinder (Gary) Dhaliwal, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder. His “associate”, Gursimar Singh Bedi, was arrested for manslaughter, use of a firearm, as well as being an ‘accessory after-the-fact.’ The arrests were made on Nov. 30, 2012 by the Integrated Homicide Investigation team (IHIT).

Batalia, an SFU health science student, was shot Sept. 28, 2011, in the parking lot of the SFU Surrey campus. Batalia had been studying late at the campus when she was shot at approximately 1:00 a.m. while walking to her car.

Batalia’s family was present during the press conference, where Maple Batalia’s sister, Roseleen Batalia, spoke on behalf of her family. “This isn’t an easy day for us, it’s very bittersweet… Although we can’t bring Maple back, we’re happy to see that the people responsible for this are now going to suffer the consequences.” As the investigation process has been a long and emotional affair, the Batalia family originally asked for privacy from the media and public now that arrests have been made. “We can finally start to grieve,” Roseleen Batalia stated.

However, Batalia’s mother, Sarbjit Batalia spoke at a forum on teens and dating abuse, and sat down with Global BC for an interview. Sarbjet revealed that the Batalia family and Dhaliwal’s
family were very close. Sarbjit said in her interview, “I’m very close to his mom and dad. She is my best friend. I think she has more pain than me.” Sarbjit also expressed that she has nothing but respect for the Dhaliwal family, and she even loved Gary himself like a son. Eventually Batalia and Dhaliwal started dating, and at some point Batalia ended the relationship.

Both Dhaliwal and Bedi are now in custody, and made their first court appearance at the Surrey provincial court on Dec. 3, with a second hearing on Dec. 17. As this case is now before the courts, very little information — especially pertaining to evidence — is being released to the public.

At the Dec. 3 hearing, a no-contact order was placed on both men ordering them to not contact each other or the Batalia family. Outside of the courtroom. Dhaliwal’s lawyer stated that his client will plead not guilty to the first-degree murder charge.

Chief Superintendent Bill Fordy, Officer in Charge of Surrey RCMP, made a statement during the IHIT press conference, saying, “While there is still much work to be done, I am confident that justice will prevail and those responsible will be held accountable for their actions.”

When asked by The Peak what measures are being taken to ensure the safety of SFU students during late hours, Marie Schneider, Facilities Services manager in charge of the Surrey Campus security team, responded: “Security staff are on duty 24/7 to assist students.” Schneider discussed the support of the campus security staff by the Central City office tower and mall security officers, who conduct both interior and exterior patrols around campus.

Schneider stated that help phones are also being installed in over 20 locations around the Surrey
campus. She explained, “The phone stations will be brightly coloured and prominently positioned and marked with signs. Anyone needing security support… can pick up the phone for an immediate connection to the security monitoring centre.” As well, students are able to partake in the Safe Walk program, where a guard escorts students to the parkade, bus loop, and Skytrain areas.

Superintendent Kevin Hackett, Officer in Charge of IHIT, addressed the concerns of the homicide’s occurrence at the SFU Surrey campus by stating that this incident has impacted “our community’s overall sense of security and safety.” Fordy helped ease these concerns, reassuring that the RCMP and IHIT are “commit to ensuring that justice and the rule of law prevails — that our citizens are safe, and that all of us are safe and secure.”

SFU criminology student a serial killer in the making

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EIC
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Kayla Bourque released on probation after eight-month prison sentence

By Sahira Memon

With dark brown braids, brown eyes, and a slight build, Kayla Bourque appears at first to be fairly ordinary. However, she has proven to be anything but. Bourque, who studied criminology at SFU, recently caught the attention of the legal system after boasting to a friend in her SFU dorm about dismembering and disemboweling her pet cat. Later investigations also uncovered videos of her eviscerating and hanging her family’s dog while narrating her actions.

On top of this brutal animal cruelty, 22-year-old Bourque also expressed a desire to move her violent acts to humans, confiding her desires to shoot a homeless man, and to kill her roommate in
SFU residence. Only the fear of a trail of evidence deterred her, though it wouldn’t have for long. Bourque had confessed to enrolling in a forensics course at SFU to deal with this issue.

The confession concerned Bourque’s friend, who reported her to school authorities, who in turn called the police. Following this, Bourque was arrested under the Mental Health Act. Eight months later, Bourque pleaded guilty to killing/injuring an animal, causing unnecessary suffering and pain to an animal, and possession of a knife. The presiding Justice McLean extended her original sentence of six months in order to allow probation officials to put together an incredibly stringent set of probation conditions.

As part of her three-year probation, Bourque is prohibited from accessing the internet, associating with anyone under 18, or possessing duct tape, needles, and knives. She will be required to detail her charges to anyone who visits her at her residence, and no guests are allowed to remain between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Bourque is also banned from owning a pet for the rest of her life.

Bourque’s release from behind bars has made many members of the community uneasy, and there are already petitions and pages online set against Bourque’s reintroduction to society, but SFU director of criminology Robert Gordon advises against incarceration as a successful deterrent
for future criminal behavior. He claims that instead of reforming Bourque, her manipulative personality may “begin to affect the inmates around her,” creating possible accomplices and increased chances of recidivism among her peers. According to Gordon, if the probation does not prove to be stringent enough, the only way to legally and successfully put a stop to future criminal behavior would involve constant, uninterrupted surveillance at all times.

Psychologists were struck by Bourque’s apparent amorality, wasting no time in assessing her as a psychopath with narcissistic disorder. This diagnosis cannot classify Bourque as mentally ill; she is rather a functioning human being that appears to lack any sort of conscience. Doctors also describe her as a “sexual sadist.” Orphaned at an early age in Romania, the first eight months of Bourque’s life were spent in a Romanian orphanage, in which children are malnourished and abused. Although Bourque was adopted at an early age, the traumatic events experienced during this time could have contributed to her current condition.

A search through Bourque’s room in SFU residence and her home in Prince George initiated by CBC revealed plenty of warning signs. A blue nylon bag containing a seven-inch knife, a razor blade, zip ties, garbage bags, and a needle and a mask was found in her SFU residence room. Identified as a “kill kit” by the authorities, this was a disturbing sign that Bourque was ready to take the next step in violent crime.

These findings were not the only indicator, and not the earliest. Searches into Bourque’s past
revealed that Bourque admitted to having an urge to “kill someone,” and was expelled from a previous high school in Prince George for a violent incident as far back as 2006. Robert Gordon
noted this event, and lamented the fact that an individual showing such serious indications of criminal behavior was not taken notice of at an earlier time. “The inner system was not penetrated [by her actions], so I guess she slipped through.” Bourque will be residing in a residence provided by the probationary committee, as she is currently not welcomed back home to her family in Prince George.

2013 Brings Uncertainty for Harbour Center’s food court tenants

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EIC
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Harbour Centre’s Food Court vendors have been served eviction notices

By Amara Janssens
Photo courtesy of DA Architects + Planners and SSDG Interiors Inc.

On April 1, 2013 construction will begin to renovate the 35-year old Harbour Centre Complex. The redevelopment will focus on revitalizing the street façade and expanding the food court. Norman Pearl, Senior Vice President of Polaris Realty Canada Limited (the company which manages Harbour Centre), said in a press release, “The changes are designed to enhance the complex, making it brighter, more welcoming, and easier to navigate.” However, the redevelopment plan has caused grief for the current food court tenants.On November 30, 2012, the food vendors were given four-month eviction notices and were told they could reapply to return after construction completes near the end of 2013.

Le Viet Cuisine opened in October 2010 and had eight years remaining on their 10-year lease. According to Harbour Centre Complex Limited, the eviction notices for redevelopment abide by the terms and conditions set out in their signed lease agreements. Trina Vo, daughter of the owners of Le Viet Cuisine says, “My parents bought this business two years ago, and put all their money into it.” Although they, along with the other food court tenants, have an opportunity to reapply in January 2013, they are unsure what exactly that will entail. “We have been given very little information,” Vo says. Vo’s parents paid $100,000 to take over from the previous tenants, and are unsure if they will need to pay more money if their application is approved. In addition, during the 8 months the food court will be closed for renovation, food court tenants will be responsible for storing all the equipment needed for their business.

Cookies of Course has been in the Harbour Centre Complex for 28 years. “They told me they don’t want any independent vendors, but want big chains,” says Alan, the owner of Cookies of Course. According to the owner, the forced evictions are devastating, and the business is not planning on reapplying for a new lease. Alan says he was told that the company is looking for $300,000 for new leases. “They want this to be a food court like Richmond Centre, but it’s a weekday 9–5 food court,” Alan says.

The terminated lease agreement has caused a ripple in Soup Zone’s plans for expansion. “I was planning to open a third store,” says the owner Ramzen, “unfortunately I can’t do it because I lost one store.” Harbour Centre Complex Limited says that the goal of the redevelopment is to bring a refreshed dining and shopping experience. In addition, the 14 food vendors who will occupy the redeveloped food court will be subject to higher design standards.

When it comes to who the new food vendors will be, Harbour Centre Complex Limited has not confirmed any vendors, but say they will consider “any submissions that are able to meet these updated requirements, whether that is from current or new vendors.” Many customers of the food
court are SFU students, faculty and staff members who enjoy the food choices and reasonable pricing. One vendor says he has between 100–200 students purchase his food every day. Harbour Centre Complex Limited says, “It is our expectation that among the food vendors there will be options available with similar price points to our previous offerings.” However, because specific vendors have yet to be confirmed, specific price points are not available.

SFU students develop youth mentorship program

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EIC
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The Momentum Youth Development Project runs programs for male youth

By Alison Roach
Photos By PAMR

SFU student Ahmad Chamy and childhood friends Searaj Alam and Idris Barahmeh, all from Surrey, have started a mentorship program for young male teens in an effort to give back to their community. The program is called the Momentum Youth Development Project and involves a group of 20 young males ranging in age from 11 to 15 years old.

Starting this past summer, the three founders began holding events with different activities such as basketball and soccer games, or going out for coffee or lunch. Chamy said, “We focused mainly on things that would involve the community and give a lesson out of it; we wanted to show them what it is to be involved in the community.”

Chamy sees the focus on this age group as a way to prevent problems before they happen. He explained, “We saw a lot of [older] youth struggling with problems at home, drug abuse, and crime, so we figured if we pulled back the scale and focused on younger people, they would grow up knowing how to defend themselves.” The positive influence of an older male, that extra older brother figure, is an integral focus of the program. “The activities that we give them are kind of like a bonus. It’s more about developing that relationship with them,” said Chamy.

This community involvement came through in activities such as Momentum’s Movember campaign. The group hit the streets of downtown Vancouver to raise money as a group for the campaign. Chamy explained, “All our members are guys, so it was about teaching them the importance of men’s health.”

The program first started off at a small scale, with the founders first recruiting members through family friends, but the group has started to expand beyond that. “We stuck close to home,” Chamy said. “We chose people that we knew. Then those friends started telling their friends and suddenly we had five new members who we never knew before.”

The founders strive to keep the program affordable for the parents of their members, just asking for basic fees to help cover the cost of programs. The founding trio is also looking into applying for funding from some of the numerous companies in BC that fund community groups, in order to be “able to take on a little more [financially],” according to Chamy.

Momentum has big plans for the new year, already having planned the next four months of programming. These plans focus on a different theme for each month, with a goal of two activities a month. Themes and ideas for the upcoming months include personal development and inspiration, safety and security, and an Earth month. Chamy mentioned plans in the works to visit the Vancouver Police Museum, visit the BC Sports Hall of Fame, and get involved with relief programs in Surrey that plant trees in various parks in order to preserve green areas.

Chamy, who is a second year student at SFU, Alam who studies at Douglas, and Barahmeh who will be graduating high school in the spring, will all continue to be involved in the program, and with training older members of the project for more leadership-type roles. Chamy says starting and running the project has been personally fulfilling. He said, “I feel like I’ve seen results over the past couple months. I’ve seen kids change their attitudes . . . I may not be able to do a lot for the community, but this is something I’m able to do, and I believe that this is something that will really pay off in the future.”

Study looks at smartphone addiction

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EIC
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Cell Phone Provider Wind asked Canadians what they would give up to keep their phones

By Darryl Gallinger

WINDSOR (CUP) — A new survey suggests Canadians are becoming addicted to their smartphones; good news for those in the business, but phone dependency is a real problem. On behalf of Canadian cell phone provider Wind, Vision Critical recently conducted an online survey of 1,501 Canadians to determine what they would give up in order to keep their smartphones. “The response to pets was the most surprising,” said Alexandra Maxwell, a spokesperson for Wind. The survey shows that 17 per cent of smartphone users would give up their pets. “I just didn’t see that coming, but I guess some people just love their phones more.” According to the survey, 40 per cent would give up video
games, 28 per cent would give up alcohol and 23 per cent would part with coffee rather than give up their smartphone. “Surveys are a great way to check the pulse of consumers. With more and more Canadians switching to smartphones, we wanted to see just how much Canadians loved them,” said Maxwell.

“I’d feel pretty weird without my phone,” said Hanna Bellacicco, who wouldn’t give up her pet in exchange for her phone but would cut out coffee to stay connected. “It has to be near me. Even when it’s charging it has to be near me.”

Ken Hart, a psychology professor at the University of Windsor, was surprised by the results of the survey and said it could indicate an addiction trend. Hart defined addiction as a loss of control. “The person feels a compulsive need,” he said. “This overwhelming urge to engage in the behaviour
is very strong, and the person is unable to restrain themselves.”

“[Addictions] cause your life to become smaller and narrower, because other activities in your life are being displaced by this,” said Hart. “Important life goals that you’re trying to achieve don’t get accomplished, so you start becoming unhappy.” A Pew Research Center study of 2,200 Americans last March indicates that about 10 per cent feel they use their phones too much, suggesting people are becoming aware of potential abuse. “I use my smartphone every day,” said Allisa Oliverio, who admits to feeling like she’s addicted to the device. “Without it I think I’d be lost… it’s always with me; it’s always in my hand.” Oliverio said that she sets boundaries with her use, such as avoiding use when she’s hanging out with friends, since she views that as rude behaviour.

Other countries are already struggling with smartphone
addiction. According to the Toronto Star, South Korea has started a program to help children with their addiction to the internet through various gadgets, including tablets and smartphones. The South Korean government estimates that 2.55 million of its people are addicted.

Mohsan Beg, clinical director at UWindsor’s Student Counselling Centre, has not yet encountered issues of smartphone addiction among students. “We do see some internet addiction,” he said, adding that patients typically have issues with video game use. “[Students] engage in the technological world to escape the real world,” explained Beg. He said symptoms of depression are often tied to internet addiction and people often resort to escapism by playing video games to cope.

Hart said that improper smartphone use draws people’s attention away from the current task at hand, be that studying, driving or holding a conversation. “As an instructor, I see students use smartphones in class, even when they’re not supposed to,” said Hart, adding that despite his policy against mobile phones, students violate it regularly, even after seeing him confiscate phones. “It can be dangerous in the sense that it can harm their academic well-being.”

Hart said he was unaware of a program to treat such an addiction, but said that he could see an increased need for one in the future. “The larger problem is being distracted… maybe they’re addicted to distractions,” said Hart. “On the other hand… feelings of depression and loneliness can be alleviated by the smartphone, which is an outlet for social engagement.” Hart uses the internet mostly for work and engages in social media sparingly. He only uses a landline and doesn’t own a mobile. “I don’t need one,” he said with a laugh.

University Briefs – January 7, 2013

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By Alison Roach

U of A Med students on top
According to the 2012 Canadian national medical licensing exams, medical students from the University of Alberta are the top class in Canada, receiving the higher marks than any of Canada’s other 16 medical schools. In addition to that, U of A medical students were also ranked first in the 2011 Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination. One graduate of the class of 2012, Dr. Naheed Rajabali, accredits the top ranking to the support given by administrators and teachers.

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TWU bird watches
Trinity Western University researchers are collaborating with Michigan State University and Cornell University in a new study that looks at bird damage to fruit crops in three major temperate zones across North America. The study will specifically follow cherry, blueberry, Honeycrisp apple, and wine grape crops for three years. The study has received a $2 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture as part of their Specialty Crop Research Initiative. The goal is to find ways for farmers to encourage beneficial birds and discourage pest birds.

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Queen’s researcher helps patients swallow
Queen’s University researcher Lawrence Hookey successfully performed the first endoscopic procedure in North America using a biodegradable esophageal stent. Stents are essentially tubes inserted in the throat, and are used to improve quality of life for patients with difficulty swallowing. The biodegradable stent is a mesh tube that holds the narrow of the esophagus open so patients can swallow goods and liquids more easily. Unlike conventional metal stents, the biodegradable stent does not slip out of place, and breaks down naturally so it doesn’t need to be removed.

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University of Ottawa launches nursing research centre
The University of Ottawa, along with the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO), has launched the new Nursing Best Practice Research Centre. The new centre’s goals include promoting research, fostering collaboration and facilitating knowledge transfer among researchers and
practitioners, policymakers, educators, and administrators in Canada and around the world. The research centre will become a site for documenting the impact of RNAO guidelines for improving patient care patient outcomes.

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U of T researches evolutionary difference
University of Toronto researchers have discovered a genetic basis for fundamental differences between humans and other vertebrates, one that may explain why humans are vulnerable to diseases not found in other species. The process of alternative splicing, by which a single gene can give rise to multiple proteins, was found to have played a large role in the characteristics of species. One major finding by the team was that the alternative splicing process is more complex in humans and primates than in other vertebrates. This provides insight into the genetic basis for the complexity of human organs such as the brain.

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Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

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© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024

Simon Fraser University’s independent student newspaper since 1965.

Contact us:
[email protected]

© The Peak Publications Society 1965-2024