The Peak Board of Directors Meeting Agenda – April 21

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Peak Web

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April 21, 2016

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Peak Publications Society Board of Directors Meeting Agenda

April 21, 2016

Hub Restaurant

Chair: Max Hill

In Attendance:

Maia Odegaard (Board Secretary, non-voting)
Max Hill (Editor-in-Chief)
Tamara Connor (Collective Rep)
Kevin Rey (Collective Rep)
Thadoe Wai (At-large Rep)

Regrets:

MuhammadQasim Dewji (Employee Rep)

Call to Order

Approval of Agenda

Approval of past minutes from March 15, 2015

Financial update

Maia to present the state of the Society’s finances through March 2016 (see appendix A)

Investment update

Maia to present the state of the Society’s investment portfolio through March 2016 (see appendix B)

Pay increase for editorial team

The board will discuss raising the salary of editorial team members to adjust for inflation and as a result of increased expectations.

Adjustment of job descriptions

The board will discuss slight adjustments to job descriptions, including finalizing the web editor job descriptions and clarifying overtime pay, web producer/digital strategist role as it relates to web editor, etc.

Leaving InMotion Hosting

The current hosting company we are using for our website is at the root of all the problems we’ve had this past year and their customer service is subpar. The board shall discuss the merits of switching service providers.

News Editor and Associate News Editor stipend

Tamara to present a proposal submitted to the board from the News team.

Adjournment

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Peak Publications Society Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

March 15, 2016

The Peak offices

Chair: Max Hill

In Attendance:

Maia Odegaard (Board Secretary, non-voting)
Max Hill (Editor-in-Chief)
Tamara Connor (Collective Rep)
Kevin Rey (Collective Rep)
MuhammadQasim Dewji (Employee Rep)
Nathan Ross (Guest)
Christy Lum (Guest)
Jessica Whitesel (Guest)

Regrets:

Thadoe Wai (At-large Rep)

Call to Order 4:34 p.m.

Approval of Agenda

Tamara/Kevin
Approval of past minutes from February 16, 2015

Tamara/Kevin

Financial update

Maia presented the Society’s finances through February 2016 (see appendix A)

Tamara/Kevin

Web News Editor Proposal

Nathan Ross proposed a pilot Web News Editor position to replace the current Associate News Editor for a period of one year beginning summer semester 2016, to be reviewed by the Board at the third meeting each semester, and up for a final review at the end of the spring 2017 semester. The position will have a slightly higher pay stipend and will work in tandem with a Print News Editor to ensure a web-first focus for news at SFU.

BIRT the Board temporarily dissolve the Associate News position effective summer 2016.

All in favour

BIFRT we implement the role of Web News Editor with the attached job description, pending changes made by a task force comprised of Nathan Ross, Max Hill, Tamara Connor, and Kevin Rey.

All in favour

Tamara/Qasim

Layout assistant stipend and job description update

Layout Assistant Christy Lum presented a request on behalf of her and Gabriel Yeung, asking that they receive additional pay in the amount of $975 each for the work they have been doing over the semester. The board discussed the need for assignments to be better distributed amoung members of the production team and that their job descriptions be amended to reflect a no paid overtime clause to prevent this situation from recurring.

BIRT the two layout assistants are retroactively awarded $650 each to reflect and additional $50 per week for all 13 weeks.

Tamara/Kevin

All in favour

Camera repair quote and update from Lisa

Tamara presented the quote to the Board at $230 to repair the damaged camera and it was less than the cost of a new camera, therefore it was approved.

Tamara/Kevin

All in favour

News Editor and Associate News Editor stipend

Motion tabled until further notice.

Features Editor stipend and job description update

BIRT Tamara be retroactively awarded an additional $50 for each week of the semester based on the fact that she has been doing the work of a full-time editor, and the Features Editor formerly received $300 per week.

Kevin/Thadoe (via proxy)

All in favour

Appointment of board representative for hiring panel

The hiring board for The Peak’s upcoming summer semester will be comprised of Max Hill, Maia Odegaard, and Nick Bondi.

No vote

In-camera session

Tamara and Kevin to speak to complaints launched against a collective member.

Adjournment 7:15 p.m.

Hiring: Photo editor for the summer semester

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EIC

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April 15, 2016

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Are you an unapologetic shutterbug? Is your Instagram profile almost as popular as your Flickr account? Look no further: The Peak is hiring a photo editor the summer semester. Applicants should send in a resume as well as a brief cover letter and portfolio. Sample work relevant to the position(s) applied for is highly encouraged.

The Peak‘s hiring board is looking for a talented and driven SFU photographer to serve as our photo editor. You will work with writers and editors to provide a diverse and creative selection of photographs for our paper, as well as working with and guiding a team aspiring photographers across SFU.

Working for The Peak is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience in the fields of photography and journalism. You will meet like-minded individuals who work hard and play hard in a high-energy environment.

Applicants must be registered SFU students for the duration of the semester for which they are applying. Previous experience with our newspaper is preferred, but not required. Please address your applications to The Peak hiring board at [email protected], or drop them off at our offices in MBC 2900. Any questions about the process can also be sent to this address.

Applications are due Tuesday, April 18 by 11:59 p.m. The job description for the role can be found here.

CENTRE STAGE: Touchstone Theatre brings back Late Company; DanceHouse brings Brazil’s Companhia Urbana de Dança to Vancouver

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EIC

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April 9, 2016

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Foto Denver University — Companhia Urbana de Dança brought joy and passion from Brazil to Vancouver.

Late Company

Touchstone Theatre

March 29–April 2 at the Evergreen Cultural Centre

April 5–9 at the Vancity Culture Lab

Debora Shaun-Hastings reads a letter aloud to her dinner guests. She describes coming home with her husband, Michael, one evening not long ago. She remembers being annoyed that her son, Joel, hadn’t left the outside light on for them. They assumed Joel must be asleep already. Once she got upstairs, she noticed that the bathroom door was closed and went to open it. Lying in the tub was Joel, as if asleep, a large pool of blood on the floor. She described running to him, slipping in the blood; she shook her son, checking for any signs of life while lifting him up out of the tub. Slipping again on the blood, she fell, Joel’s body landing on top of her.

Linda Quibell gave an emotional, heart-wrenching performance as Debora, a grief stricken mother hoping to find some kind of closure or emotional release by inviting Curtis, her son’s classmate who had bullied him, and his parents over for dinner. They plan to exchange letters and discuss how they are all feeling in the hopes that this exercise will provide some kind of solace.

Tamara, Bill, and Curtis are late arriving, and just as Debora and Michael discuss whether the whole thing is such a good idea and are about to choose a safe word, the doorbell rings. Their initial greetings are as awkward as can be expected under the circumstances. Things seem to be going well as the mothers discuss their similar taste in books, and the fathers realize their share an alma mater, but as the night wears on they all struggle to contain their true emotions. Blame is thrown back and forth as Debora blames Curtis’s actions for Joel’s suicide and Tamara suggests that Joel’s depression and Michael’s absence as an MP in Ottawa explains it. Bill suggests that Joel was asking for it by wearing eyeliner to school and openly presenting himself as gay.

Playwright Jordan Tannahill has created a gripping masterpiece of dialogue-driven theatre that deals with themes of sexuality, bullying, parenting, politics. Touchstone Theatre originally mounted this play in 2014, and director Katrina Dunn returns along with most of the original cast who all give exceptional performances. The story immediately draws you into the lives of these characters all looking for some kind of relief from their grief, but the story shows us that they may be no such thing as closure and an emotional letter of apology is not going to change a mother’s grief for her lost son.

ID: Entidades and Na Pista

Companhia Urbana de Dança

April 1–2 at the Vancouver Playhouse

Everyone in the Playhouse audience was on their feet, clapping and dancing along to “Uptown Funk.” On stage, the dancers of Companhia Urbana de Dança showed off even more of their stunning moves during their energetic encore. I have rarely seen a dance audience so enthusiastic, nor have I seen an ovation go on that long — we stayed standing for the encore and revelled in the joy and exuberance of these dancers from the favelas of Brazil.

Choreographer Sonia Destri Lie explained during the pre-show talk that her company receives no funding from the Brazilian government nor from corporate sponsors, so it is very difficult to get by and she, along with her dancers who come from the favelas (slums) of Brazil is doing this for their sheer love of dance. That love is evident onstage, and along with the emotion pouring forth from them, the dancers were incredibly talented.

The first piece, ID: Entidades began in darkness, the dancers sitting hunched over at the back of the stage. One by one they begin moving around the stage with grace and strength. The eight men and one woman displayed their hip-hop- and breakdance-inspired moves and impressed with physical feats that were beautiful and full of emotion.

Na Pista was much more upbeat and began with the dancers coming down the aisles, calling to each other and admiring their nice party outfits. After assembling onstage, they danced around a grouping of chairs at centre stage in a highly entertaining game of musical chairs. The chairs were then lined up at across the back of the stage and they took turns coming forward to perform. This piece was a lot of fun with a high energy party atmosphere, disco ball, and humorous moments such as their synchronized water breaks.

It’s baffling that a company this talented is not embraced in their home country as they are elsewhere. Destri Lie explained that Brazil is a very racially segregated and prejudiced country, and because her company is full of black dancers, they are discriminated against.

They may not be able to fill a theatre in Rio de Janeiro, but they had the entire Playhouse Theatre mesmerized two nights in a row.

SFU chancellor Giardini: Your $10,000 dinner fundraiser for Christy Clark is not a gender issue

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EIC

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April 9, 2016

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[dropcap]S[/dropcap]FU’s chancellor Anne Giardini was criticized in national media this past weekend for hosting, in her own home, a $10,000 per plate dinner fundraiser for SFU alumni Christy Clark. While Giardini claimed the criticism is due to Christy Clark being a woman, SFU students should be concerned with elitist political fundraising, and how our public university’s governors use their political power.

Giardini, who is also the wife of mining executive Tony Giardini, welcomed 10 people into her home to enjoy a multicourse meal. For $10,000 per plate, there’s no doubt they expected more than a nice steak and dessert — they wanted face-to-face access to Christy Clark.

When questioned, Giardini said she was not “comfortable” discussing the dinner, or divulging the names of those paid such obscene amounts of money to attend.

She went on to express the need to support women in politics. She said women are “particularly targeted” by stories of party finance, and women have a very hard time raising money to be in the political system. When questioned about whether she believes this is a gender issue, Giardini responded, “Yes, I think it is.”

No, this is not a gender issue. This is an issue of rising democratic inequalities where only the moneyed elites have access to political power. BC NDP leader Joe Horgan raises money through private fundraisers too, and it’s just as wrong. Jen Gerson from The National Post commented, “If there’s a correlation we should be considering, it’s not one of gender, but of totally inadequate fundraising laws.”

Fundraising through private events is currently completely legal, although Democracy Watch co-founder Duff Conacher said it may violate conflict-of-interest laws in Canada. Legalities aside, it is morally and ethically problematic; political power should not be for sale in Canada.

BC needs legislation that bans corporate and union donations, and caps individual donations.

This type of fundraising is commonplace in BC and across Canada in provinces such as Alberta and Ontario. Unpublicized fundraisers are commonplace, with attendees paying between $5,000 and $20,000 for the ears of our politicians. Bob Rennie, chair of fundraising for the BC Liberals said that they might hold about 20 more fundraisers between now and the 2017 provincial election.

Put bluntly, we need party finance reform in BC. In 2006, the federal government banned corporate and union donations, and capped individual donations. Christy Clark has promised more transparency and disclosure of donations, but this is not enough. BC needs legislation that mirrors the federal government’s actions.

If the recent Panama Papers leak has revealed anything, it’s that there is a growing dichotomy in the way the rich one percent and the rest of us are treated under the law. We are left to pay taxes and scrape by on student loans, to invest in an education that may not pay off, while the rich stash their money in offshore bank accounts, avoid taxes, and pay thousands for exclusive access to politicians, such as Christy Clark.

What can we students do about this? For a start, we can be visibly upset and spread the word. Educate your friends and family; make others aware of the issue. Make party finance reform a hot topic and force the government to address this issue. “Change doesn’t happen by itself,” Edward Snowden warned at SFU Public Square’s event in Vancouver earlier this week.

Political fundraising is not a gender issue, but an issue that affects all Canadians and alienates average voters from their elected representatives. More robust party finance laws in BC and other provinces would be a benefit to people, and would not affect genders disproportionately.

Dhesa bridges the gap, leaves Rapaport disconnected

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EIC

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April 8, 2016

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It was a race so tight they held it twice.

Jimmy Dhesa eked out a victory over opponent Thomas Rapaport in a one day only re-vote on April 7 for the Science Representative to claim the last spot on the Simon Fraser Student Society Board of Directors. He defeated Rapaport by a vote count of 541 to 444.

He joins Health Science Representative Raajan Garcha as the only candidates from the Bridge the Gap slate to win their seats. Rapaport failed to complete the sweep for Connected, as every other Connected candidate won their seat in the original election which took place in March.

Dhesa was studying at the Surrey campus with friends when he found out, and the news caught him off guard when it broke around midnight.

“I didn’t expect the results to come out until the morning after,” said Dhesa. “All of a sudden, our phones started blowing up and then Raajan calls and she’s like, ‘Check the SFSS website right now.’

“As soon as we checked it, we started flipping out. Everyone in the room was screaming and people thought that something happened. I guess people around the campus started coming and looking in the room and asked ‘Are you guys okay?’ It was an amazing moment.”

It took a little longer than he would have liked, with the original election ending in 280 votes for each candidate, ending in a historic tie and leaving the Independent Electoral Commission no choice but to call a re-vote. However, any plans to celebrate will have to be put on hold, as he’s now firmly in exam mode.

“We had the first elections, in which I budgeted all my time for, and then I said to myself that no matter what, win or lose, I’m going to put all my time towards studying,” he said. “[With a second campaign] I didn’t have time to study, so now I’m going to hit the books once I get home.

“The celebration will be delayed until after finals.”

The time for celebration will have to short though, as come May 1, the new Board of Directors for the SFSS will be taking on their new roles, and starting their efforts to fulfil their campaign promises for the coming year.

California Dreamin’

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EIC

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April 8, 2016

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[dropcap]I[/dropcap] recently finished watching the entire first season of Fuller House, which, aside from making me wonder why I was watching such a terrible show (nostalgia, pure nostalgia), made me want to return to the beautiful city of San Francisco. It was at this time two years ago when my boyfriend and I drove down to California with our dog Luna. It was the first time we had taken Luna on a vacation with us, so that was a lot of fun. It was also easier to travel with a canine companion than I thought it would be, although the border guard had his doubts.

“What are you going to do with that when you’re at Disneyland,” he said while pointing to the backseat. After a minute of trying to figure out why he cared about our cooler, I realized he meant Luna. We had done our research and found out that Disneyland has a Disney Kennel Club where you can leave your pet for the day, and Universal Studios has a similar setup.

We took two and half days to drive down to San Francisco, taking our time and stopping in Portland, Oregon and Redding, California along the way. Most hotel chains accept dogs; many simply charge an extra fee of about $20, so we didn’t have any trouble finding a place that Luna could stay with us. The only trouble we ran into was the cost of accommodations in downtown San Francisco, so we opted to stay in a suburb, San Mateo, just to the south of the city. I got the chance to try out their efficient commuter train from San Mateo into downtown when I had to go take my final exam for a distance education geography course. I arranged to have someone at a law library invigilate the exam, and it was a beautiful place with a friendly receptionist who gave me shopping tips afterwards.

For our big sightseeing day to Alcatraz, we found a dog sitter for Luna, and we left her with a friendly couple who lived across from Buena Vista Park. She had tons of fun with them while we went sightseeing to Alcatraz, Angel Island, and Fisherman’s Wharf. The day we were at Alcatraz they had a book signing by former prisoner William G. Baker who wrote his memoir of life in the prison in Alcatraz #1259. I bought a copy of his book, got him to sign it and snapped a photo with him. A real Alcatraz prisoner at Alcatraz, how cool is that! The island that Alcatraz was built on is beautiful, and the ride over on the ferry gives a stunning view of the bay and surrounding areas. Our ticket also included a ferry ride over to Angel Island and a tour around it. Larger than Alcatraz Island, it has been used as an intake point for immigrants, a military base, and is now a national historic landmark that welcomes tourists and has a population of 57.

Just down the street from the Alcatraz boat dock is Fisherman’s Wharf; we roamed around that area looking in the touristy shops and enjoying the beautiful sunny weather and view of the water. We picked up Luna from her day of fun in the trendy Haight-Ashbury neighbourhood, and went back to San Mateo. Since we had Luna with us we avoided eating at restaurants and ended up with some pretty bad takeout meals, but we were just glad to have her along for the ride.

Another highlight of our stay in San Francisco was seeing the San Francisco Ballet, and seeing it for free. A girl I used to dance with became a company member at SFB (she has now moved on to the Joffrey in Chicago), and although I didn’t get to see her dance because she was injured at the time, she met us at the theatre and got us complimentary tickets. We saw the company perform a wonderful version of The Rite of Spring in their large ornate theatre, and I got my performing arts fix.

Another evening, we found ourselves in Concord, about an hour’s drive across the bay. It’s a quaint suburb with manicured lawns and nice homes, and we made the trip there to meet a friend that my boyfriend had met through playing online Xbox games. It was interesting to meet him and his partner, see their small basement suite that cost them an exorbitant amount of rent, and see another city of the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s a beautiful, sprawling area, and I can understand why real estate and rent there is steep. On our last day we took a drive around the city, admiring all the beautiful Full House style homes and looking in awe at the view from the Golden Gate Bridge and the lookout on the other side.

We took a drive through Beverly Hills while listening to Weezer’s “Beverly Hills”. . . I can cross that one off my bucket list now

We had a wonderful time in San Fran, but it was time to make our way down to southern California. We spent a couple nights in Anaheim, and on our first day we went to Disneyland. I’ll never forget Luna riding with us in the tram that transports you from the parkade to the park itself; she seemed just as surprised as the other guests, wondering how she was allowed to get on with us. We couldn’t bring her into the park though; she had to stay in a small kennel for the day, and we came to visit her a few times to take her for a bathroom break. We felt like bad dog parents since she wouldn’t eat or drink anything while she was in there.

Disneyland is a much different experience being there as an adult, and I remembered it quite differently from my time there as a seven year old. It was still fun, but I realized that I don’t have any desire to return until I have children of my own.

The next day, Luna had to spend her time in the Universal Studios kennel, but not before getting her photo taken on the red carpet in front of the large entrance gates. Universal is much more fun for adults than Disneyland, and even though we had bought the VIP tickets where you can skip the long lines, we were running around the park to fit in all the rides. It was a whirlwind day of entertaining shows, thrilling rides, and hot, hot sun.

When we went back to pick up Luna, we found her free of her cage, and standing nervously in the hallway between the rows of kennels. She had broken out. We were not pleased with Universal’s unattended kennel system, but we were somewhat proud of our dog for being that industrious and at the same time we felt guilty for leaving her somewhere that she felt such desperation to break out of.

On our final day in Los Angeles, we were passing through the city on our way back north, and we took a drive through Beverly Hills while listening to Weezer’s “Beverly Hills”. . . I can cross that one off my bucket list now. We drove into one of the Beverley Hills neighbourhoods full of million dollar homes and perfect lawns and imagined what it might be like to live there as we took Luna for a walk before we began our long day of driving up the coast.

For the drive home we decided to take it slow and scenic and take Highway #1 that follows the coastline. The views are worth the slower drive, with the breeze from the pacific and the quaint surfing towns you pass through along the way. We only stopped to sleep on the way back up, spending our days driving and aiming to get home as soon as we could. Perhaps we were in too much a rush though, because on a dark stormy night in Oregon we got a speeding ticket. We tried not to let the stress of the fine ruin our happiness or the enjoyable trip we were just finishing up, but it was hard to push it to the back of our minds. One place we did stop on the way back up the coast was the drive through redwood tree in northern California, and I also made a point to stop in my favourite place on the Oregon Coast: Cannon Beach.

Luna had quite an adventure on her first road trip, and so did we. I would love to return to San Francisco and explore the city some more, but I won’t worry if I don’t ever make it back to LA with its crazy traffic and smog.

Snowden: Surveillance is about “social control,” not terrorism

By

EIC

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April 5, 2016

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WEB - DSC_1053 — Snowden spoke to an audience of more than 3,000 at President Petter’s Dream Colloquium on Big Data.

“To whom do you owe a bigger loyalty: to the law, or to justice?”

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, who gained international fame after leaking classified documents to journalists at The Guardian, reflected on his choice to risk his safety and his life to expose the actions of the American government, which included monitoring private phone calls and emails. “Eventually, you have to make an individual decision, a moral decision, a decision of conscience,” he said.

As the last entry in the Spring 2016 President’s Dream Colloquium on Big Data, Snowden spoke to a crowd of roughly 3,000 people at a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre, with even more watching via live webstream. Charged with three felonies and unable to return to his home in the United States, Snowden is currently living in Russia on a three-year temporary asylum.

Shane Pointe, elder-in-residence of the Vancouver School Board and a member of the Musqueam band, began the night with a traditional Coast Salish greeting. Pointe had kind words to say about Snowden: “He’s a brave man who did a brave thing: He told the truth.”

CBC anchor Laura Lynch moderated the event and did not mince words as to the controversy surrounding the featured speaker. “To some he is a hero. To others he is a traitor.”

Responding to a question on the recent Panama Papers leak, which have shown mass tax evasion and implicated multiple public figures, most notably the recently-resigned Prime Minister of Iceland, Snowden spoke from his personal experience about the courage involved in whistleblowing. “I signed up to defend my country,” he remarked about his decision to join the NSA. However, according to Snowden, the oath he took was to defend the constitution not the agencies of the government, or the even the President. “It’s not an oath to secrecy.”

Snowden spoke to recent developments in the technology landscape, with special praise reserved for Whatsapp, the world’s most popular instant messaging app. The makers of the app recently decided to implement end-to-end encryption for the personal messages of its users. Snowden heralded apps like Whatsapp and Signal as tools the everyday person could use to avoid government collection of personal data.

“Terrorism is a serious threat, but let’s not pretend that it’s an existential threat to our society.”

Perhaps the most provocative discussion of the night came when Panelist Micheal Vonn, also Policy Director of the BC Civil Liberties Association, asked him about why governments pursue mass surveillance projects, even though empirical evidence has shown that they are ineffective in stopping terrorism.

Snowden argued that terrorism is used as a justification to the public for the existence of these programs. What are the true motivations of programs such as PRISM? According to Snowden they include “diplomatic manipulation, economic espionage, and social control.”

He came prepared with a litany of examples to support his controversial thesis, including the government’s attempts to track the pornographic viewing habits of “radicals” in order to discredit them later on. Snowden also noted that GCHQ, the British equivalent of the NSA, has categorized journalists as a “threat,” falling between hackers and terrorists on their scale.

Inevitably, the topic of Bill C-51 came up, now known as Canada’s official Anti-terrorism Act. Said Snowden, “Terrorism is a serious threat, but let’s not pretend that it’s an existential threat to our society.” He suggested that the purpose of such a law in Canada may be to contribute to an international database, from which intelligence agencies such as the NSA to the GCHQ could draw.

Answering a final question from the audience on whether or not citizens can trust politicians, Snowden reiterated his belief in values such as transparency and integrity within government. He noted that a society that values privacy must always allow for some risks, but that these risks are ultimately worth taking in order to preserve our personal freedom.
“The cost of democracy is uncertainty,” he said. “We won’t be safe in every circumstance, but that’s not a weakness, it’s a strength.”

Here are some of the best tweets from the night:

"Technology has worked as a sword against the public in many way. But it can also work as a shield." – @Snowden #Snowden #BigData

— SFU Public Square (@SFUPublicSquare) April 6, 2016

https://twitter.com/MikeSoron/status/717541254230204416

#Snowden – if we don't have privacy, we don't have the sanctity of our own minds #BigData

— melinda j skeels (@thatMJS) April 6, 2016

#snowden: We need a culture of accountability. When activities happen in the dark, they go too far. #bigdata

— Joyce (@iouce) April 6, 2016

"Bathtub falls claim more lives than terrorists do." @Snowden #BigData #Snowden

— samaah (@samaahjaffer) April 6, 2016

Snowden recommends Signal and WhatsApp to send your "intimate pictures." A reference to @iamjohnoliver's dick pic? #Snowden #BigData

— The Peak (@PeakSFU) April 6, 2016

Private matter? That’s rich! Edward Snowden deals Cameron a Twitter takedown #Snowden #Cameron #PanamaLeaks https://t.co/27WXM2u4Vk

— Ajay (@AjayLack) April 6, 2016

Don’t worry, Trump will lose the Presidential election

By

EIC

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April 5, 2016

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[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s the Presidential race slowly reaches its climax, we begin to hear the same sayings from distraught Americans: ‘If so and so wins, I’m moving to Canada!’ But for any of you fearful Americans out there, I’ll jump out on a limb and say that you don’t really have anything to worry about — Trump will probably lose the upcoming election.

For those of you who support Trump’s loud-mouth, obnoxious, ‘that’s-just-how-it-is’ billionaire businessman antics, I’m sorry to say that he simply isn’t fit to be the spokesperson for arguably the most powerful nation in the world. A few qualities that all presidents must display are: calmness in the face of calamity, consistency in his judgements and actions, and strong mentorship. Trump displays none of these qualities, and I have faith enough in the American citizenry to recognize this deficit in a potential leader.

With the increased number of attacks claimed by ISIS in the last year, all leaders must speak calmly and authoritatively on reassuring the safety of their people and on advising a strategic plan of defense. The wise and well-selected words of Trump, “I’m going to bomb the shit out of them,” or the more refined and eloquent “I’d blast the hell of out them,” doesn’t assure the people of anything, and is far from any well considered plan of action.

And while, in some odd sense, it may seem funny to outright claim that a bordering nation, with whom you have significant economic ties, is sending ‘people with lots of problems’ into your country, it’s not a statement that a president should ever make.

Even Bush Jr., a man notorious for fumbling his speech, displayed grace and a fine aptitude for public speaking, compared to Trump.

The fact is that Trump is wildly inconsistent in what he has said, and even more so in what he has done. An adolescent has more sense than to publicly disrespect his neighbour with whom he does business. An adolescent also has more sense than to, after disrespecting his southern neighbor and claiming he is going to build a wall between them, announce that he believes his neighbor is a wonderful nation that loves him.

Another aspect that Trump lacks is the ability to act as a role model for the citizens of America. Say what you will, but the president of the United States is a very powerful individual; many American citizens look up to the president, and consider their actions and those of other government officials as worth modelling themselves after. Would you really want children to idolize Trump?

Here in Canada we’ve had our own taste of political mockery. Remember Rob Ford? Would you seriously want him as the face of Canada?

Contrast this with the current president and many other great presidents prior. Obama, Clinton, Jefferson, Lincoln, Wilson, Roosevelt, Eisenhower all far exceed the few standards I’ve stated above, and have, despite many criticisms, successfully led industrial power. Even Bush Jr., a man notorious for fumbling his speech, displayed grace and a fine aptitude for public speaking when compared to Trump.

And Trump, while you certainly are entertaining, you cannot seriously consider yourself the leader of one of the world’s superpowers when you cannot refrain from insulting the hard-working people who’ve built America. Although what is worse is that you disregard all of the decency and respect that the people of the 21st century deserve.

The best sports endings of all time

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EIC

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April 5, 2016

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5087447309_7a048700c0_o — Sidney Crosby’s golden goal will go down as the best-ever ending in sports history.

3) Canadian Football: Saskatchewan vs Montreal, 2009 Grey Cup

The “best sports ending” label might not apply here if you are a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan. But, like it or not, the final scenes of the 2009 Grey Cup will go down in infamy as one of the most ridiculous endings to any event, ever.

The Riders dominated the Alouettes throughout the game, and with 10 minutes left led 27–11. Montreal got two quick touchdowns to make it 27–25, and had chance to win with a last second field goal. Damon Duval missed, and Rider nation cheered as they thought they had won the Grey Cup. Except they hadn’t.

The referees announced that Saskatchewan had too many men on the field, and everyone in the prairies collectively cursed the sports gods. Duval was given a second chance, and he sunk it, giving Montreal a 28–27 victory.

2) Soccer: Manchester City vs QPR, 2011–2012 EPL Season

The 2011-2012 EPL season was one of the tightest on record, with rivals Manchester City and Manchester United duking it out for the league title. Going into the last game, City and United were tied on points, but City were ahead in the tiebreaker. Manchester United won their final game, meaning that City had to beat QPR to win the title.

City were the odds-on favourites to win the game; however, QPR were determined to play spoilers. After City took the lead, QPR stormed ahead 2–1, and it appeared that United would win the title. In the 90th minute, Edin Dzeko tied the game off a corner, and then history was made when Sergio Aguero dribbled past a QPR defender and scored in the 94th minute to give Manchester City their first title since 1968.

1) Hockey: Canada vs USA, 2010 Olympics

It was February 28, 2010. Canada Hockey Place was the location. The teams were Canada and USA. And the prize on the line was Olympic Gold. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

USA had established themselves as the best team in the tournament, beating Canada in the round robin and embarrassing Finland in the semifinals 6–1. Canada had learned from their first American incursion, though, and started the game guns blazing. Toews scored in the first, and Perry in the second to make it 2–0 for Canada.

The Americans, channeling the spirit of Rocky Balboa, fought back and made it 2–1 going into the third. Then the unthinkable happened: with 25 seconds left, Zach Parise tied it up, sending Americans into hysterics and the game into OT.

All of Canada held its collective breath as the puck dropped to start the extra frame, and both teams fought like gladiators to try and gain the gold. The deadlock was finally broken when Iginla threaded the puck to Sidney Crosby, who shot it five hole past Ryan Miller, giving Canada their greatest win in Olympic history.

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By

Peak Web

-

April 5, 2016

0

By: Sarah Finley, Courtney Miller, Zach Siddiqui, and Jessica Whitesel

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

“Raging” – Kygo feat. Kodaline

Jessica Whitesel: The vocals are strong but not overwhelming and, given that this is a song about partying, it’s a good thing. Also the upbeat but chill feel to this song makes it perfect for pre-gaming.

Sarah Finley: Gentle but quick guitar strumming begin this folk-y track, adding in some shakers, some keyboards, and then about a minute in, electronic instrumental manipulation. In this way, Kygo and Kodaline create a perfect blend of their unique and distinctly separate styles of music.

Courtney Miller: Starts off almost indie folk, then adds a poppy bass drum and keyboard riffs. Lyrics were sweet, though (“I can brave it all for you”), so it’s actually pretty good and never a dull moment.

Zach Siddiqui: I won’t lie: I’ve officially grown completely bored of the multitude of love songs that talk about how willing the singer is to wait forever and go through so much for the sake of their relationship. I won’t take it out too harshly on this, though — it’s a decent piece, with special props to the guitar and the beginning and the versatile vocals near the end.

“Inside Out” – The Chainsmokers feat. Charlee

JW: This song is kind of a let down after “Roses.” It’s not a bad song it just is kind of meh. It is a pretty song and better than “#SELFIE” but it isn’t really a great party song.

SF: I’m not really a fan of The Chainsmokers, and this track doesn’t change that opinion for me. Charlee’s gentle singing of romantic lyrics is the only appealing part of this track; Chainsmokers take it over with their sad attempts at bass drops, drowning her out in the process.

CM: It’s decent synth-pop, albeit a bit repetitive, but the vocals are pretty good actually. The chorus doesn’t make me want to sing along, but I don’t mind having it in the background.

ZS: Me, at 1:09 PM: it involves the makers of “#SELFIE,” so I mean, it’s already probably perfection. Me, at 1:46 PM, because I listened to the song and then got distracted for the other 34 minutes: Well, nothing can compare to the masterpiece of “#SELFIE.” However, it’s a soothing piece with a sweet, if similarly clichéd, message.

“Dreamland” – Wild Belle

JW: I could see this being the main track for an indie romantic drama. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad song because it is a good song it just feels like it needs a movie to go with it for it to be truly great.

SF: Wild Belle’s Natalie Bergman sounds a bit like Lana Del Rey in this song, featuring Eliot Bergman’s classic saxophone which makes it appearance in the chorus. Chicago natives, this sibling duo is a group to keep your eye on in the future.

CM: A little trancey, a little hypnotic, it’s a little too mellow and slow for my taste.

ZS: I’m really enjoying the immersive imagery in the lyrics, and the tune is sweet and steady. Hearing, this, I envision a romantic late-night encounter at a café with the recent object of your affection. Very nice.

“Come and See Me” – PARTYNEXTDOOR feat. Drake

JW: Sad Drake is sad, and the feeling is catching. He managed to make PARTYNEXTDOOR sound like the only party they would host is a pity party. But if you are feeling bad because your crush doesn’t ever come to you, then this is your song.

SF: I think if there’s one factor that will keep me from being a Canadian citizen, it’s that I don’t like Drake. That being said, this isn’t the worst one I’ve ever heard. Drake’s slow and almost monotonous singing is accompanied by closed hi-hat percussion. Aside from the same chords in the background over and over again, that’s pretty much it.

CM: I’m not sure what all the hype about Drake is for, because this was lukewarm at best. The song is autotuned, never really goes anywhere, and sounds as bored as I feel.

ZS: I think the chorus is actually me when I see people from high school and they ask why I haven’t stayed in touch. . . All kidding aside, it’s a rad — if slightly basic — rap with a very tranquil feel. Give it a listen!

“Efter festen” – Laser & bas

JW: I have zero idea what the words are since it is in Swedish but that doesn’t matter this song is catchy as hell and super fun. It just makes you want to dance around and maybe twirl in a dress that has a super full twirling friendly skirt. Go Sweden!

SF: Just because I have absolutely no idea what Laser & bas are saying doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy this adorable track. Although, admittedly the first ten seconds of the track sound a bit like how the minions from Despicable Me sound when they’re arguing. The rest is entirely adorable with beautiful piano playing and cymbal heavy percussion.

CM: Has a “Footloose,” 1980s feel, music-wise. Other than that it’s pretty unmemorable.

ZS: It’s got a fun and festive flavour, and it’s probably one of the songs I’ve enjoyed most this week. I won’t pretend to understand what’s happening in the song, but I’m almost motivated to learn Swedish now, and well, that should tell you how much I think you should try this out.

“If it Ain’t Love” – Jason Derulo

JW: Does anybody else miss when Jason Derulo sang his name at the beginning of his songs because I do. It allowed me to know who was singing the pretty darn mediocre song and be like ahhh this is why it sucks, and then skip it.

SF: Jason Derulo is always so impressed with women’s bodies in his songs — it makes great cardio music, and this is no exception. Upbeat percussion, plenty of “babe”s, and Derulo’s signature head voice complete this track that seems factory made for a cardio playlist.

CM: I kept waiting for him to say his own damn name. I dunno, it was upbeat, he hits the notes, but I’m still not feeling it-something about the track turns me off.

ZS: Crazy and dance-y, I find this to be quite likeable! The brevity makes it difficult for me to come to an especially strong opinion on it, but hey — this is definitely decent for any party-like event.

“Butterfly” – Twin Peaks

JW: The lo-fi fuzzy sound to this track works with this tune’s slight rockabilly, southern rock vibe. It feels like modern AM radio, catchy as hell dad rock.

SF: Honestly, I’m not that much of a fan. The lead singer’s nasally voice is too distracting for me to gain anything from the song. The guitar chords aren’t overly appealing, and just overall bleh.

CM: Oh my word. This song is trying to do too many things at once — it has like a country/classic rock and roll music-base, and then the vocals are like wannabe grunge or something, and it’s just overall unpalatable.

ZS: Very different and out-there, to the point that I have trouble placing it into a genre. I like it. . . I think? It’s certainly intriguing and I love anything that makes me feel confused and internally unprepared about what’s going on. Sort of like capitalism. Wait. Um. I’m just going to leave now and tell you that this is fun and listening to it will be much more fun than listening to me.

“No Money” – Galantis

JW: So the weird ass album art aside this is a pretty catchy song. If it were in the club, I would dance to it and relate to the “I’m broke but fuck that’s it’s ok I’m gonna do me” vibe.

SF: I identify very strongly with the title of this track. Luckily, it’s also catchy with child-like vocals and a heavy bass drop at around two minutes.

CM: This sounds like Kids Pop has decided to try doing original songs. I mean, I share the sentiment — I ain’t giving anyone a dollar, but I can’t overlook the sad Kids-Pop-Tries-Too-Hard vibe.

ZS: Feels very futuristic and devil-may-care. I can see this playing in the background of the end of the first episode of a show’s new season, when all the new plot points start rolling through and fun character development happens. Worth checking out!

“Black Man In A White World” – Michael Kiwanuka

JW: Love the hand claps in this song and the semi-gospel/soul vibe. The social commentary is also pretty solid, but it an catchy not preachy way. I would definitely listen to more of Michael Kiwanuka’s music.

SF: Emulating the slave spiritual style of music from American 19th century via clapping, repetition, and echoing vocals with sad lyrics, Michael Kiwanuka paints a very clear picture of what it’s like to be a minority.

CM: A beautifully uncluttered song, with lyrics from the soul, though he does repeat the title way too much and I’m not a fan of fade out endings.

ZS: My definite favourite this week. An intense beat, nice vocals, a distinct sound, and it doesn’t feel like the same portions are being recycled throughout. It feels almost-retro-but-not: timeless. I’ve not heard of the artist before, but I wish I had earlier. Great work.

“Kiss Me When I Bleed” – White Lung

JW: 15-year-old me is freaking out, but 25-year-old me? Not so much. I do appreciate that the lead singer is female and, given that there aren’t that many female rockers that I can name off the top of my head, that is awesome, but it’s just not my current aesthetic.

SF: Maybe it’s that I listened to this at eight in the morning, but this song is just too heavy for me. Heavy electric guitars and loud angry vocals aren’t really my jam at any point in the day. But if that’s your thing, White Lung is the band for you.

CM: Bless. A nice, guitar-ridden rock song with lots of kick drum. It’s a little closer to thrash rock than I’d like, but it’s still good listening.

ZS: Hits its stride immediately and doesn’t let up once. Not much else to say, really — I like the power here and I think the song capitalizes on it well to create an engaging experience.

“Sleep on It” – Zealyn

JW: It isn’t really the best song out there. It is kind of just another disappointing electronic song. The vocalist has a lot of potential but it just get overshadowed by the boring been done before electronic backing track.

SF: This super angsty track isn’t really vibing with me, despite how much I love to sleep. Breathy vocals just aren’t my cup of tea, and the instrumentals aren’t redeeming enough to make up for that.

CM: I wish I could say it’s amazing, but I can’t. It’s good, and it’s well done, but it’s also nothing I haven’t heard before.

ZS: A heavy song that encapsulates the stress of difficult decisions well. It has a softly melancholic sound to it that draws you in and keeps you listening for some catharsis without being irritating.

“I Wanna Know” – Alesso feat. Nico & Vinz

JW: This is a dancing friendly song that wouldn’t have you in an awkward grinding session with your weird neighbour from down the hallway. It is light, fun, and worth a listen and dance — or two.

SF: Nico & Vinz bring their signature sound to this track, intermingling with Alesso’s DJing. Upbeat percussion, piano chords, and catchy rhymes are well combined with the kind of music you’d hear on Jamaican tourist commercials — not that I’m complaining.

CM: Groovy, spot-on vocals, and makes me want to sing along despite knowing absolutely none of the lyrics. Fun, feel-good tune.

ZS: I don’t really feel that the track needed to be as long as it was. I wouldn’t really listen to this for the sake of listening to it, but I can see it being amazing background music for some sort of video game dungeon, depending on the aesthetic of the game. . . It’s got that nicely ominous yet unoppressive feel to it.