SFU serving up more veggie options on Mondays

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February 6, 2017

Having started as a public health awareness campaign in 2003, the Meatless Mondays initiative has transformed into a global movement that addresses health, environmental, and animal welfare issues in regards to meat consumption.

This January, SFU dove headfirst into implementing the Monday Veggie Challenge in communication with the Vancouver Humane Society (VHS) — the organisation that awakened many schools to the movement. The new initiative is in addition to SFU’s previous vegetarian commitments.

The simple argument that cultivating plant crops to feed livestock is inefficient, when we could consume the plant crops in the first place is an underpinning motif for VHS. “Students are thrilled to have a variety of healthy, humane, and eco-friendly food options to help them make delicious and responsible food choices,” said Emily Pickett, VHS’s program coordinator.

Aligning with this view, Ali White, programs manager at Embark (the independent, student-led not-for-profit society based out of SFU) remarked, “While it’s not one of our main programming areas [at SFU], the Challenge coordinates with our work by engaging students in being aware of their carbon footprint, and further supports the health and well-being of both people and the environment.”

Recognizing the momentum that students can create by actively participating in the Monday Veggie Challenge at SFU, White explained, “SFU Dining Services has partnered with us to promote the campaign in the Dining Hall and Mackenzie Cafe, which both provide vegetarian options every day of the week.”

“Not only do students know best how to reach and empower fellow students, but they can provide valuable feedback about menu options and strategies for running a successful campaign within their school community,” stressed Pickett. VHS is pushing boundaries with nine Metro Vancouver schools being on board in the initiative.

This statement resonated with students’ perspective at SFU as well. “We were talking about the Meatless Mondays just a while ago,” said Kendal Singleton, a first-year student currently studying medical physiology. Singleton is currently on the meal plan for SFU.

“I really like it because I’m a vegetarian. Especially on Mondays, the quality and variety of the food is great.”

Paul Garcha, a first-year computing science major, added, “I’m not a vegetarian, but they served veggie quesadillas last Monday and I think that should appeal to meat-eaters, too.” The two students agreed that SFU’s efforts are commendable, at its initiation.

Embark has students engaging in the front- as well as the back-end of the project through their promotional strategies. “We have a volunteer who is currently working on developing social media graphics for the campaign. In addition, SFU Health and Counselling peers are keen to support the campaign through their tabling outreach, focusing more on the health impacts of meat consumption,” explained White.

VHS and Embark collectively express the positive response Meatless Mondays has cultivated. Piloted in November, Embark plans on bringing more to table. “We hope to encourage other vendors on campus to take part in the Monday Veggie Challenge. This could include offering a discount for vegetarian meals on Mondays, or simply featuring a meatless option on that day.”

SFU food services workers protest for job security

By

EIC

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February 6, 2017

6

It’s a scary time for the food services workers at Simon Fraser University.

The workers — which include the staff at Mackenzie Cafe, the Dining Hall, and the caterers for SFU events among other roles — held two protests at Simon Fraser University on January 27. In total, there are 160 food service workers employed at SFU.

For many, it feels as though they are in a fight for their jobs.

SFU’s contract with their current food supplier (Chartwells — a division of Compass Group Canada) is coming to an end, and they are tendering bids from any interested companies to secure the next contract for SFU’s food supply. The uncertainty of who will be the next supplier has the food service workers scared for their jobs.

Michael Clarke, a union leader within the SFU community as well as a Compass employee, elaborated on just how much of a necessity the SFU food services are to campus life.

“We deal with everyone on a daily basis from their morning coffee to your meetings with faculty. We do lunches, we do dinners, we do residence, we even do dinners at [president Andrew Petter]’s own residence for him, so we do a majority of what people tend to not think of on a daily basis.”

Now, they just want to know that they’ll be rewarded for their years of hard work.

“We all want the same thing,” said Bruna Padularosa, who was at the protests. “We want to still have a job. We’re worried if another company comes, they could decide to hire other people; there could be no benefits. We don’t know.”

Padularosa, who currently works at the deli in Mackenzie Cafe, has been with the school for almost three decades. The fear of not having a job is real, and she said that the benefits she collects from the job mean everything to her. She’s very concerned about the prospect of being unemployed soon.

“That is the worst thing that could happen. We all need a job, we’re relying on these jobs,” she said.

The food service workers have teamed up with UNITE HERE Local 40 and have begun circulating a petition for students to sign in support of them, which has garnered over 1,300 signatures so far. Those signatures were brought to president Andrew Petter during the protests.

One of the reasons for the multiple protests was because the food service workers don’t want to abandon their work shifts, and so they went in two waves based on who was available. They first group met with Petter, but the second group was rebuffed. For Clarke, he feels as though the case to guarantee job safety is obvious.

“We have never failed in our task to provide those services, whether it was with Compass group, or the group before that, or the group that will come after that,” he said.

However, according to vice-president of finance and administration for SFU, Martin Pochurko, he doesn’t envision this as being the worst-case scenario it could become.

“I think in times of change, there is fear, but I think if we look back at this two or three months down the road, it’ll have worked out for everybody,” he said.

He explained that SFU is just following procedure for a contract of this nature, and is required to present options to their board as the old contract has come to an end. The current deal with Compass was set to expire five years ago, but both sides took the option of extending to the contract, and it has now fully run all possible courses.

In reading an email sent from Mary Aylesworth, director of Procurement Services at SFU, after the protests, Pochurko explained that SFU views the employees as vital members of the SFU community, and they recognize how integral they are to the success of the school. Furthermore, the university will require that “the awarded Contractor [offer] employment to all existing dining services hourly staff in positions equivalent to their current jobs and at current or better wages and grade rates.”

While it doesn’t mention anything about the benefits that are so important to the food services workers, SFU doesn’t appear to want to damage the relationship it has with those employees.

However, had SFU completely mediated these issues, perhaps the protests wouldn’t have occurred at all.

Living wireless: Things are getting darker than my screen on power-save mode

By

EIC

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February 5, 2017

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This is the third post in a week-long web series that documents Preethi’s day-to-day experiences while forgoing a relationship with her cellphone. Check back daily for the next article.

Do you wake up in the morning, reach for your phone, and spend an hour in your bed looking through it? Because I sure do. On my third day, I reached for my phone and realized that I couldn’t use it. I wanted to, I really did, I even asked myself if anyone would notice. . . yikes.

Day three has, by far, been the day where I feel the most agitated and deprived of something I need. It hasn’t been a great weekend.

I got out of bed and went for a run because Saturday is the day for self-love. The sun was out, and I wished to take pictures and wondered why it was even necessary that I capture the beauty around me. This urge had to be more than “capturing a moment.” This had to be social media capital.

I tried to have a normal Saturday; I made breakfast for the bae and later made my way to a party. As I expected, the day got tough, then it got tougher. I wanted to show my friends that I had made hollandaise sauce from scratch this morning, and I wanted to share pictures from my get-together. My social media capital was brimming with options, but I couldn’t showcase it. Day three felt like my phone was giving me the boot and I just wanted it back so badly.

My relationship with my phone can be quite important as a means of communication. Communication became harder with people as I had asked everyone to email me if they needed anything.

While cooking, I used my phone to play some music while I switched to airplane mode. Amidst preparation, I noticed that I would unlock and lock my phone, I would even sift through my gallery without purpose — a mindless habit. Even though I excelled at not accessing the internet, I wasn’t very aware of my activity. Not regulating, not being self-aware of my interaction with a phone isn’t very different from any other addiction, if you ask me.

I did not start using a phone until I was in the 10th grade. I only had a personal computer that I shared with my sister since I was a kid; I mostly used to draw patterns in paint and fill them with colours. But, at the age of 15, something overcame me and I asked my dad to buy me a phone.

At the age of 20, when I look back on the past five years, I didn’t care about my phone when I was in class, camp, boarding school, or other such situations. But, when I could access my phone, I had to be on it constantly, more or less. My mother, even today, tells me how she misses the younger me, zealous even though I got on her nerves sometimes. Here comes existential crisis number one. . . did time change me or did my cellphone alongside my social media change me?

Perhaps I miss my younger self, too. This challenge is forcing me to reflect on my daily routine and face what I generally wouldn’t have to, even though I should. I have an addiction to my phone and I need to help myself out of this addiction. Always remember that Kanye said: “Admitting is the first step.”

Living wireless: Day 2 of cellphone-free life

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EIC

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February 4, 2017

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This is the second post in a week-long web series that documents Preethi’s day-to-day experiences while forgoing a relationship with her cellphone. Check back daily for a new article.

Every Friday I set my alarm for 7 a.m. — not because I have anywhere to be, but because I want to wake up early, be productive, and do all of the things I procrastinated doing earlier in the week.

At least that’s how I hope my Fridays go. But, mostly I’m only half as productive because I’m easily distracted. Conveniently, my electronic device happens to galvanize my attention span while it continuously buzzes its way into my spare time. However, Friday came and I saw myself get more focused on my work without my phone anywhere near me. I had to step back mid-day and think, “Is this really me?”

I often indulge on Instagram, exploring and exerting energy when I upload a picture. I contemplate what picture would look best to fit my theme or what caption would encapsulate my thoughts. While I associate this practice as an expression of my ardent personality, it can be overwhelming. I find myself editing, re-editing, and even wondering what people might think about my posts.

Feeling insecure about our insecurities leads to an endless loop where we continue to assess ourselves through the eyes of others and through our lives on social media. A very strange byproduct of our phygital (physical and digital) society, indeed.

The phantom vibrations in my pocket are real, but I don’t mis my phone… yet.

Not using my phone liberates me from my social media presence. To be honest, I enjoy expressing myself through our whack platforms. But let me share with you something I noticed: maybe my urge to be present on social media is due to a lack of excitement and fulfillment in my own life.

I realize I’m starting to sound like an Eat Pray Love enthusiast as I tell you how freeing, yet traumatizing this all feels, and believe me I don’t like sounding like a cliché, but maybe all of these ‘self-discovery’ movies were on to something? Maybe Katherine Heigl’s characters have been right all along? (I take the Katherine Heigl comment back, that’s going too far. I apologize.)

I am one who is always listening to music while on the go, and I thought I would miss not being able to add music to my commute. But as it turns out, catching snippets of conversation is an equally enjoyable soundtrack to get you through the day.

If I was lost in my phone, I would have never caught these gem words spoken at West Mall Centre. A couple of Chinese girls said: “Sorry we’re speaking in Mandarin so much,” to a boy they were with.

He replied, “Oh, it’s quite alright. I speak in English all the time.” The response was so woke, it had me shaking. With Trump headlines dominating conversation, it was refreshing, almost heart-melting to hear someone remind us that love trumps hate.

The rest of my day culminated into a very productive affair where I paid attention to my tasks. I’ll admit that I missed Snapchat a little as I use it on the daily, but being aware that I have rules in the challenge, I didn’t access it.

I do find myself wondering, however, if after this challenge is over, and I don’t have to worry about my editor hunting me down on campus because I was unable to complete the series, will I still be this committed to living cell phone-free? I cannot say that I can achieve such an endeavour. I went to bed by midnight and didn’t think much about my phone.

No storm yet, but my weekend is completely free. The greatest test is yet to come.

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By

EIC

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February 3, 2017

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Follow The Peak on Spotify to stay up to date on New Music Friday.

“Beauty and the Beast” – Ariana Grande and John Legend

Jessica Pickering: This is the most I’ve ever liked Ariana Grande and John Legend. This is honestly the song both their careers have been leading up to. I’m not even being sarcastic, this is really good.

Jessica Whitesel: Ohhhh, I like this as a duet. It stays true to the original, but has some modern touches added in and it was the best way to bring this classic into 2017. Honestly this is the most excited I’ve been for a Disney movie in a long time. So as long as Emma Watson doesn’t disappoint me (haha jk, like she could ever do that), it is going to be a great movie.

Rita Ovis: Well this is a fresh modern take on the original Disney classic tune. It still feels like Disney, though, which is a good thing.

“Ballad of the Dying Man” – Father John Misty

JP: Father John Misty was on last week’s NMF which makes me feel like I don’t care for him/them/whatever. I know I’ve only heard two songs, but that’s enough to make an informed decision right? I do like this better than the last one though.

JW: I honestly really like Father John Misty. Again, like last week’s, this one is politically charged, but not in an angry Green Day American Idiot kind of way. At it’s core, it is still just a really nice indie folk rock track.

RO: As a huge Father John Misty fan I’m not surprised that he has released another existential ballad with a strong scent of satire. It’s slightly pretentious, but I like it. I especially like the choir at the end of the song which probably represents the poor guy passing away.

“Believer” – Imagine Dragons

JP: What exactly is the point of Imagine Dragons? Like, 2013 called, thanks for making this genre mainstream, but we have better options now. Also, your song for Suicide Squad sucked worse than that movie.

JW: Well this sure is a song. It’s OK, I guess. It sounds a lot like the song that they did for the Suicide Squad soundtrack and if this wasn’t labelled as “new,” I would have probably just assumed that this was the same song.

RO: This song has some shockingly dark rock vibes, it’s super loud and powerful, and definitely captures the attitude of someone who believes very strongly in something. Also, if you replace “believer” with “belieber” in your mind, the listening experience is totally different.

“Feed the Machine” – Nickelback

JP: …

JW: I drove through Hanna, Alberta once. Their Subway didn’t have spinach or avocado. So keeping in mind that is the kind of dark place Nickelback came out of, I can understand their early stuff. BUT this song is new. It doesn’t sound new, it sounds like every other Nickelback song. I wasn’t expecting it to be good, but I was hopeful that they might have tried something new.

RO: Nickelback, back at it again! This song has some almost metal qualities, not what I would expect from them at all. This is the kind of song I would expect to hear in a monster truck themed video game.

“Fun” – Blondie

JP: Oh weird, I must have blacked out there for a minute. Back to NMF! This song sure is music. Someone definitely chose to record and release it. Yup.

JW: You’ve got to give it to Blondie, they’ve been making music since the ’70s and was considered early punk, so it’s cool that they are still alive. However, this sounds as if someone tried to make Blondie light. If you are a huge Blondie fan, this could maybe make it as a deep cut, but for the rest of us, we’ll just keep on listening to “Heart of Glass” on repeat.

RO: The essence of funk is strong with this one. If you want a literal FUN song to dance to, this is the one!!

“Way You Are” – Fetty Wap ft. Monty

JP: Ugh, get fucked in the worst way possible. Stop making noise forever. Kay, thanks, bye.

JW: Well, this sure is Fetty Wap. But it’s not “Trap Queen” and as far as I’m concerned that is the only Fetty Wap song that should exist. Also who the fuck is Monty? Is he just Fetty without any of the autotuning? Because that’s what he sounds like.

RO: I literally cannot understand anything Fetty Wap is rapping, is he eating a grilled cheese sandwich while singing???

“Big Picture” – London Grammar

JP: This is solidly okay. I can’t complain (which is a shame, because I LOVE to complain as far as NMF goes), but I can’t rave about it either. It’s like a C.

JW: My hometown used to have a store called Big Picture Audio and Video. It was always there in the background until one day it closed. That’s the best way to describe this song. It was here, then it was over, and it was mostly forgettable, but not offensive.

RO: A moody break up song, what’s new. It’s pretty though, and I’m 90% sure the music video will involve either a lot of dramatic face touching or rain.

“4AM” – The Mowglis

JP: What is this? It sounds like a poorly done mash-up. If these were two separate songs, I’d probably be into it, but it’s too much (which is strange cause the lyrics need more, they weak AF).

JW: I’m getting major hellogoodbye vibes from this. I would have loved this a long ass time ago, but now I’m just like, ugh gross teenage angst. I’m out.

RO: Another song about being young and out on the town and frustrated about being young and out clubbing or whatever. The Mowgli’s could just pick up a chill hobby like painting and just stay in if it’s gonna be so dramatic.

“I’m Better” – Missy Elliott ft. Lamb

JP: I never had a Missy Elliott phase so I feel like I’m missing out. This song doesn’t do anything for me. Hopefully fans are happy though.

JW: I’m not loving this. Missy has done better. This is just some kind of off-brand something. I’m not feeling this at all.

RO: I like the old Missy Elliot better :’(

“Falling” – Alesso

JP: If I have to hear one more song start with “Right here, right now is all we need,” I swear to god I will end someone. And cool it with the shitty bass drops. I’m not drunk enough for this.

JW: Drunk me would love this. Sober me wants to be drunk so I can appreciate this. But like, I’m working, so I shouldn’t do that, but it’s so tempting because this song is so bad without the buffer of alcohol.

RO: This is the most repetitive song I’ve ever heard in my life. I’m pretty sure the only lyrics are “look at me I’m falling” over and over and over again. Help.

“Hellfire” – Barns Courtney

JP: Okay, country-ish bullshit and The-Band-That-Shall-Not-Be-Named in the same playlist? What the fuck? Jess Whitesel owes me a drink for this week.

JW: I owe me a drink, too. This is bad. Like really bad. Maybe it will get burnt up by all the hellfire this country dude bro is summoning.

RO: Mmm I don’t really like this — it’s trying to be gritty but sounds kinda fake tbh.

“Lions” – Skip Marley

JP: Not bad. From what I can tell the lyrics are woke. NMF playlist had a strong start and a good finish. Too bad everything in between is shit.

JW: God bless the Marley family. Skip is Bob’s grandson and he didn’t lose out on any of the musical talent. I’m just impressed that there were actually three songs that I liked on the playlist this week. I think that that is a new record.

RO: Honestly, I’m just jealous that Skip Marley is Bob Marley’s grandson, how cool would that be. Not that my grandpa isn’t awesome, but c’mon, it’s Bob Marley.

Living wireless: Day one without my cellphone

By

EIC

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February 3, 2017

0

This is the first in a week-long web series that documents Preethi’s day-to-day experiences while forgoing a relationship with her cellphone. Check back daily for the next post.

My phone is my lifeline. I stay in touch with my parents who are two oceans away, I share pictures, Snapchat my friends on the go, access my emails, write down my thoughts on my notes app, and share moments of my day-to-day life with others.

My mother, on the other hand, thinks it’s a life problem. So, when my editor asked me to write a seven-day series where I don’t use my phone, I thought, “Prime opportunity to show to everyone that I don’t have a problem!”

As I took on this challenge, I had to let everyone know that I would be MIA for a week. But this made me ask myself, why did I find it so necessary to let people know I wouldn’t be carrying my phone for the next week?

I even spent a lot of time talking about this challenge to anyone who would listen. Looking back, that was my first red flag that this experience was going to be telling about my habits — the good and the bad.

I check my social media at least once an hour, even though I’m aware that there’s nothing new for me to view. I unlock my phone to open my apps and close them even though I do not retain information that I see. So, what happened when I snapped out of this culture on day one of seven? I honestly do not have big news for you!

I was very aware of myself, and the fact that I was breaking social norms, as well as my own. I saw a pattern of reflective lights on a window pane and reached for my pockets only to remind myself that I didn’t have Snapchat or my phone. I stood in line for coffee, observing people around me; everyone was on their phone! I mostly made eye contact with the oldsters on campus. Grabbing my coffee, I felt a little eerie; everyone’s eyes were glued to the phones and the floor. I didn’t know what to do with myself. I had one reaction — “HELP.”

I travelled on the 95 B-Line to get to Harbour Centre and listened to the silence and busy shuffling of people which soundtracked the bus. The grey in the sky grew on the city and the people within. Maybe I’m exaggerating or maybe I never looked up and around enough before. My reflection on my first day without my phone was grey and dull. I wasn’t too agitated about not having access to my phone.

However, I can feel a storm coming. I can tell you that I’m excited about it, about testing my limits. I’m excited about tracing every minute (almost) of an hour. Day two is yet to come.

NFL Blitz with Jason Romisher: Super Bowl Preview

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EIC

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February 3, 2017

0

New England Patriots at Washington Redskins 08/28/09 — With a win Sunday Tom Brady will have the most Super Bowl victories of any quarterback in NFL history.

Playoff Record: 2–0 last week and 7–3 overall

Super Bowl LI is an incredibly intriguing matchup between the up and coming Atlanta Falcons and the New England Patriots who have earned the right to be among the NFL’s aristocracy. Since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick teamed up in 2001, the Patriots have been AFC Champions seven times and Super Bowl champions four times. This will be Belichick’s tenth Super Bowl as a coach including two Super Bowl titles in which he served on Bill Parcells’ staff with the New York Giants. Belichick’s defensive game plan in Super Bowl XXV is now in the Hall of Fame. Most people remember the Bills as the team that lost four straight Super Bowls. However, in their first appearance, their no huddle K-Gun offence looked unstoppable just like the Falcons appear to be this season.

That season the Bills posted a 13–3 record, had the number one scoring offence in the league, and hung 44 points against the Dolphins in the divisional round. Then they thumped the Raiders 51–3 in the AFC title game. In that game, Belichick told his team that he was going to allow Bills running back Thurman Thomas to rush for 150 yards because the team’s priority was shutting down the Bills’ high powered passing game. The other side of this defensive game plan was an offensive philosophy which believed that the best way to slow down the Bills’ offence was to keep them off the field — with long suffocating drives, featuring a pounding ground game that ate up the clock. As a historian, I believe that this game plan will be resurrected this week.

As such, look for Patriots bruising tailback LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for 1161 yards and 18 touchdowns, to be the key player for the Patriots’ offence in this game. The Patriots’ offence has centered around future Hall of Famer Tom Brady for much of the last two decades. Brady had an outstanding 2016, throwing for 28 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. He also led the league with the quickest release time per pass attempt which makes him incredibly difficult to pressure. For the last two weeks, the dominant narrative of this Super Bowl has been that this game is the quest for Brady’s revenge against commissioner Roger Goodell and his crusade to suspend Brady. Brady allegedly instructed a Patriots’ stadium staffer to deflate the footballs in what would be a lopsided playoff victory over the Colts. Brady escaped suspension last year because of a judge’s injunction and numerous legal challenges. However, once Brady finally lost his case in court, the suspension was applied for the first four games of this season.

This will go down as the most ridiculous suspension in league history. Multiple quarterbacks have come forward and said that they have altered footballs to get the grip they like. This included Brad Johnson, who said he did it in a Super Bowl. In addition, the league suspended Giants kicker Josh Brown this year for one game for domestic assault. The logic behind these penalties is unexplainable. Brady’s storyline is fascinating, but the last thing the Patriots want to do is run a spread offence and get in a shootout with the Falcons. That is why the bruising and methodical Blount will see the bulk of the work in the Patriots’ backfield and not the speedier and more dynamic tandem of James White and Dion Lewis. It is also why Blount is my early selection for game MVP. When the Patriots do elect to pass, they will be able to move the sticks based on Brady’s ability and the presence of solid possession receivers in Julian Edelman, Chris Hogan, and tight end Martellus Bennett. Hogan emerged last week with a monster game against Pittsburgh with nine receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns. The Patriots will also be playing without superstar tight end Rob Gronkowski, although I do not see this being a major factor.

On defence I expect the Patriots to play a lot of nickel defensive looks on first and second down and dime looks in passing situations. To translate, a standard NFL defence has a seven-man front with four defensive backs. A nickel look utilizes five defensive backs and a dime look utilizes six. Don’t be surprised if the Patriots run some quarter looks as well with a seventh defensive back on the field. Offensive coordinators throughout the history of football want to run the plays they have had success with in the past, and believe are their best scoring and yardage-accruing options. Through pride and stubborn conviction, they will call these plays and not take what is given to them. I suspect that Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia are going to dare the Falcons to run the ball against nickel and dime defences. The Falcons have thrived this year on offence with a high-flying passing game featuring quarterback Matt Ryan and stud receiver Julio Jones. Ryan is one of the front-runners for this year’s MVP award which will be announced Saturday. The Boston College grad and pride of Philadelphia, PA, had a career year in this his ninth season in the league. Ryan completed 69.9% of his passes for 4944 yards, 38 touchdowns, and just seven interceptions. All are seasonal bests. Atlanta also has one of the best offensive lines in football and all five starters have played together and started every game this season. They are led by pro-bowl free agent signee Alex Mack. The skill position players get all the press, but the Falcons are great on offence because of their line play.

Tendency wise, the Falcons will not be content handing the ball off over and over again and will look to strike downfield with Ryan, Jones, and company. The question in this game is whether the Patriots’ defenders will be able to stop the Falcons’ passing game even if they have eight or nine men in coverage. Jones might just be one of the most unstoppable players in NFL history. There is Super Bowl precedence for this, too. In Super Bowl XXXIX the Patriots defeated the Eagles 24–21, despite Terrell Owens posting an impressive stat line of nine receptions for 122 yards.

What makes the Falcons’ offense so dynamic is that it is not just Jones that is the lone threat. Matt Ryan really does not care whom he throws to and frequently utilizes and targets all of his receivers. His number two receiver is the very capable Mohamed Sanu, who came over from the Bengals in the offseason and has big play ability. The running back team of Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman is also a main reason for the Falcons’ offensive surge this season. The duo are capable runners, but also highly skilled receivers — both lining up out wide and releasing out of the backfield. That is the challenge for defences, because if they blitz Ryan, they leave these backs uncovered. That is why the Patriots will focus on neutralizing Jones with double coverage, ensure that they have speedy coverage players locked on the running backs, and hope they can get pressure without blitzing. That places the onus on the front four, especially defensive linemen Trey Flowers and Malcolm Brown. Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler will also be counted on for a big performance. You may remember, Seahawks fans, that Butler had one of the greatest defensive plays in Super Bowl history two years ago with his last-second interception of Russell Wilson.

The Falcons’ defence has been the biggest reason for doubt about this team’s Super Bowl prospects. As I mentioned last week, they have improved greatly as a unit in the latter part of the season. Last week, they held the Packers and Aaron Rodgers to just 21 points and actually pitched a shutout in the first half. However, they still struggled to stop the run for the balance of the season, finishing a middling 17th in the league in this category. Their ability to stop the run and force the Patriots into a wide open game will be critical if they are to win the Super Bowl. The key player for the Falcons’ run defence will be middle linebacker Deion Jones. This aggressive, athletic, and speedy player will need to have a big impact on the game and be able to neutralize Blount. Of course, the superstar on the defensive front is edge rusher Vic Beasley. Beasley was Atlanta’s first round pick in 2015, going eighth overall, and had a fantastic season leading the league with 15.5 sacks. Beasley must pressure Tom Brady and be a factor for the Falcons’ defence to have success. The Broncos last season, and the Giants in their two Super Bowl wins over the Patriots, demonstrated that Tom Brady can be harried and neutralized with an effective pass rush. The Falcons must be able to play with a seven-man box to stop the run and use their linebackers in coverage without blitzing. This means they will have to get to Brady with a four-man rush on passing downs. Blitzing will open them up for big gains on the ground, if the Patriots can block the point of attack and give Brady and his quick release single coverage in the passing game. Keep an eye on soon to be 36 year-old Dwight Freeney in what may be his last NFL game. Freeney is a situational pass rusher with a great deal of experience against Brady through his many years with the Indianapolis Colts.

Coaching is a key component to any football game. The obvious edge goes to New England and coach Belichick as Falcons’ head coach Dan Quinn is only in his second season at the helm. Quinn made some crucial errors earlier in the season, including going for it on fourth down in overtime in his own end. The Falcons got stuffed and a few seconds later watched the Chargers celebrate victory on their own field. Critical decisions will be made in this game and the defense-minded Quinn has very little experience making these calls. In fact, Quinn never served as a head coach at any level prior to last year. No matter how much experience you have watching others make decisions, there is always a learning curve when you have to make them yourself. If this game is close, advantage New England.

When I started writing this column, I thought the Falcons was a team of destiny that would throttle down and expose the Patriots as a mediocre team playing in a terrible division and weak conference. However, the Patriots have the talent and personnel to execute the gameplan of the greatest coach in football history against a team that has never played with this level of pressure and is led by a man who has very little experience. Tom Brady has played in six Super Bowls and the entire Falcons roster has only played in five. This is still the Falcons team that started last season 5–0 and then crashed and burned to an 8–8 record. They have had a fantastic season and that offence has been a pleasure to watch. However, they are about to slam into a grizzled veteran team of winners who know how to get the job done in big games. The Falcons are akin to a beautiful Titanic that is about to smash into the cold jagged ice of a Patriots squad that is going to tear their ship apart and sink their Super Bowl aspirations. Brady will become the first quarterback in Super Bowl history to win the big game five times, passing Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw. He will cement his legacy as the greatest of all time and will have a big hug for LeGarrette Blount after the game.

Prediction: Patriots 20 Falcons 19

Simon Fraser defeat Northwest Nazarene 99–90

By

Peak Web

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February 3, 2017

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16521547_10154969704818350_173957067_n — Ellen Kett (left) finished with a career high and season high 30 points.

Thursday night brought a hard fought battle between Simon Fraser and Northwest Nazarene, with the home team eventually pulling out the win. It was a slow, grind it out affair in which most of the game seemed to be played at the free throw line.

The game did not start this way, however, as coast-to-coast action favored the Clan early. Back to back layups by Kett separated by a charge taken by Elisa Homer capped a 9–0 run to start the game for Simon Fraser. While all things seemed to be going Simon Fraser’s way early, Northwest Nazarene crawled their way back into the game by the end of the first quarter, as the teams went into the second quarter with a score of 23–19 for SFU.

Simon Fraser went back to their starting lineup to start the second quarter, and Homer nailed a three-pointer to start the frame. Some strong play by Meg Wilson and Ozi Nwabuko in the paint helped the Clan extend their lead to 13 heading into the break. By the end of the half, Simon Fraser were up 44–31. Kett was leading the way for the Clan with 14 points on a perfect 3–3 from the field and 8–8 from the line.

At the half, there was a paper airplane toss contest for the fans, with a prize of a $500 gift card from the bookstore for whoever could get their plane in a bin lined up at centre court. To everybody’s dismay, there was no winner. Luckily, there was still another half of basketball to be played.

In the third quarter, things got rough. Simon Fraser missed multiple open shots to start the quarter as Northwest Nazarene crept back into the game. There were two jump ball calls early, and diving bodies across the court. An absurd amount of free throws for the visitors helped the Crusaders cut the lead to as little as two. As the teams went into the fourth quarter, the score was 63–58. At this point, all momentum seemed to be going in Northwest Nazarene’s favour. Free throws were the story of the half, as the visitors went to the line 33 times in the second half compared to eight in the first half.

When asked about it after the game, coach Bruce Langford stated: “When you get in foul trouble, you put people on the line, and they shoot the free throw well.” He also added, “I thought they were very physical, and I thought their coach got on the refs a bit.”

In the fourth quarter, Simon Fraser showed they were the better team. Three-pointers on three straight possessions by Kett and Homer gave the Clan a 75–65 lead with 6:42 left. More scoring from those two and a Tia Tsang layup helped Simon Fraser extend the lead to as much as 18 in the final frame. The game finished with a score of 99–90 for the home team.

Ellen Kett was definitely the best player on the court in the game, finishing with 30 points on 7–9 field goal shooting and 12–12 from the line, (including four three-pointers), seven assists, and only one turnover. The 30 points was a career high, and it was one of the most efficient stat lines you will ever see. While the scoring definitely stands out, her passing ability was on full display throughout the game. When asked about it after the game, coach Langford said, “She looks like she’s burrowing her way through a tunnel, but she sees the floor the whole time.”

Meg Wilson was back to her scoring ways, as she finished with 20 points on 8–16 shooting from the field. Elisa Homer and Ozi Nwabuko both chipped in with 12 points as well.

With this win, Simon Fraser extends their win streak to four games, and are now 12–1 in their last 13 games. They improve to 11–2 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference and 20–3 overall.

Next Game: Simon Fraser will look to continue their winning ways as they host Central Washington University on Saturday at 5 p.m. Look for Ellen Kett and Meg Wilson to build on their strong performances. Given the way they are playing, the Clan should win against the 3–10 Central Washington University Wildcats.

Liberal party withdraws commitment to electoral reform

By

Peak Web

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February 3, 2017

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By: Benjamin Mussett

This past week Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government formally reneged on their campaign promise to reform the federal electoral system. Following a recent cabinet shuffle, which saw Karina Gould assume the post of minister of democratic institutions, the Liberal government publicly released a mandate letter addressed to Ms. Gould stating that “changing the electoral system will not be in your mandate.”

According to the letter signed by the Prime Minister, the decision was reached after extensive assessment completed by the House of Commons Special Committee on Electoral Reform and additional public consultation found that “a clear preference for a new electoral system, let alone a consensus, has not emerged.”

The topic of electoral reform has been a mainstay in Canadian politics over the past few decades, as critics of the current electoral system have pushed for a voting process which they feel would better reflect Canada’s political diversity.

What is the current electoral system?

The present first-past-the-post system awards victories based on a simple majority where the candidate or party which receives the most votes wins. While it is straightforward and easy to understand, this winner-takes-all approach has been criticized for its failure to produce governments which proportionally represent the votes cast.

According to the CBC, while the Liberal party received 39.9% of the popular vote in the 2015 federal election, they ended up with 54% of the total seats —enough to form a majority government. Meanwhile, the Green party garnered 3.5% of the popular vote yet only have a single seat in the House of Commons, or 0.02% of the share.

Opposition cries foul

The government’s announcement caused a significant stir in Ottawa. Electoral reform had been widely touted within the 2015 Liberal party platform and was again reiterated by Prime Minister Trudeau in his first throne speech where he pledged that “2015 will be the last federal election conducted under the first-past-the-post voting system.”

“This is one of the most cynical displays of self-serving politics this government has yet to engage in,” deplored New Democratic Party democratic reform critic Nathan Cullen according to CBC News.

While the announcement to abandon electoral reform evoked strong reaction from opposition parties, the Liberals’ decision to abandon reform cannot come as a major shock after months of public wavering. In an interview with the Quebec newspaper Le Devoir in October, Trudeau appeared to be easing away from the policy pledge. Noting his continued popularity in the polls, a confident Trudeau said the call for electoral reform had been much greater under Stephen Harper and has subsequently diminished with his government.

Thereafter, Maryam Monsef, who held the democratic institutions ministership prior to Ms. Gould, drew significant backlash after ridiculing a parliamentary committee report for being imprecise and allegedly demonstrating no consensus on the matter. The report, produced by an opposition-dominated committee, had advocated for a proportional representation system and urged the government to call a national referendum. Ms. Monsef subsequently apologized for her comments.

A call to the public

In December, the Liberals introduced an online survey encouraging the public to weigh in on the issue. However, according to the Huffington Post the survey failed to pose the question of what voting system Canadians actually preferred, did not mention alternative systems and was criticized as a largely cosmetic effort to gauge public opinion. In the end, the findings reportedly showed that Canadians were fairly content with the current system, challenging previous polls which had demonstrated a palpable desire for change.

“We are in a time of dangerous politics. You must never do anything as a politician who understands what’s at stake that feeds cynicism. Cynicism has enough to feed itself. It is work to feed hope. It is work to feed faith. And when you break faith you will reap what you sow.”

Alluding to the recent wave of populism and rejection of politics as usual, these remarks, reported by CBC News, from Green party leader Elizabeth May, ominously warned of the ramifications the broken promise could have. Only time will tell whether May’s caution will come to a head. Meanwhile, the Liberals will take the risk, confident that public backlash can be weathered.

For those interested, a petition calling for electoral reform is available to sign here.

With files from CBC News, the Globe and Mail, the Guardian (Charlottetown), the Huffington Post and the Broadbent Institute.

Virtual reality technologies aren’t only for the gamers out there

By

EIC

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February 3, 2017

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What used to be mere fun and games is now becoming a key player in treating various mental health conditions. Virtual reality (VR) technologies are being introduced to patients of hospitals and care homes across Canada. The premise is that users are able to escape to a more pleasing environment, and can keep their mind off of anything that may negatively affect them in their actual life.

OpenLab at Toronto General Hospital is hoping to improve the lives of seniors, in particular. For patients who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s, it is dangerous for them to wander around outside of the hospital, despite their willingness to do so. VR technology allows them to enjoy the same positive effects of going for a walk outside, while in a safe place for them to do so. This could also be beneficial to patients who suffer from depression or anxiety, where VR technology would allow them to experience being in a place that is more enjoyable for them.

Mount Royal University professor, Anthony Chaston, is focusing his studies on VR for anxiety treatment for hospital patients. According to CBC News, Chaston mentioned reasearch shows “[. . .] that being exposed to natural environments and relaxing environments will lower anxiety levels.”

In his project, they have emulated this by having users walk through beaches, Japanese zen gardens, and mountains. They hope to continue to fine-tune the experience by making sure they have virtual realities that will appease all demographics, as what’s relaxing for some may not be for others.

As for the researches at OpenLab, they’ve had some obstacles to face. Wearing the VR headset has been proven to be quite overwhelming for some users, even causing motion sickness in some. However, this may be surmounted with training, in order to adapt to these new sensations — similar to the training astronauts receive.

For now, seniors are trying different types of VR that does not require the headset component. These include driving simulators and CAREN (Computer-Assisted Rehabilitation Environment), which is has been especially helpful for assisting those learning to walk after severe injury.

An article in VR Fitness Insider claims that VR technology will be the answer to many health issues in the future. VR could be the key to helping people who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (SAD) and for amputees. Those who suffer from SAD experience extreme mental and physical deterioration of their health in winter months when they have limited exposure to the sun. As they must stay indoors during the coldest times of the year, VR would be able to emulate the summer all year long for them, enabling them to have an improved lifestyle during their hardest time of the year.

For amputees suffering from phantom limb pain, researchers at the Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden are working on a VR headset that can interpret signals from the brain and produce a visual replication of what their limb could previously do — almost like in Avatar! Almost.

In all of these cases, VR is proven to show a significant positive change in patients. As VR technology is rapidly becoming more advanced, the results in the medical field are surely to improve as well.