SFU hold third division Toronto FC II to a goalless draw

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March 6, 2016

Screen-Shot-2015-10-30-at-8.47.38-PM-1024x677 — Adam Jones (centre) and teammates were not able to crack a tough TFC defence.

The SFU Clan men’s soccer team showed that they could play with the big boys after they went out and drew 0–0 with TFC II on a rainy Friday evening.

TFC II plays in the USL, which is the third division in the American/Canadian soccer pyramid, and they are a feeder team for the MLS side Toronto Football Club. On paper, TFC II should have torn the Clan apart, but the reality was a much different story.

From the get go, it was clear that both sides were in pre-season mode. There were quite a few uncharacteristically sloppy passes and touches, and neither team was able to get anything going in the opponent’s third. SFU was happy to keep possession for long periods of time, and whenever TFC II held onto the ball, the Clan was comfortable enough defensively to keep the attackers at bay.

“We did some good things; we did some bad things in a game like that,” said coach Schneider about his team’s play. “It was a time for us to try some players out, try different things out, and I told the guys to go for it, try to play.”

The first genuine chance actually fell to SFU in the 10th minute, when a piercing through ball by Kyle Jones went wide to #2. He then who put in a dangerous cross, but it was intercepted by the TFC II goalkeeper.

In the 25th minute, Jones once again set up #2 with an excellent splitting pass, and he would have been through on goal if not for the quick reaction by the TFC II goalkeeper the slide out and catch the ball.

The most exciting moment of the half was in the 40th minute, when Magnus Kristensen realized that the TFC II keeper was doing his best Manuel Neuer impression, staying 20 yards off his line, so he took a shot from inside his own half. The bamboozled goalie was left completely in no-man’s land, but was bailed out as the shot ended up only inches wide. It was scoreless when the referee blew the halftime whistle five minutes later.

The second frame contained much of the same, with both teams holding much possession in their own half, but unable to get the final crucial touch in front of goal. TFC II put in a lot of crosses, but the stellar Clan defense was able to deal with all of them. SFU, in turn, had a few decent counterattacks, but they couldn’t get past the big, burly TFC II defenders. Both teams cancelled each other out, and the game ended 0–0.

After the game, coach Schneider was clearly happy with the Clan’s overall performance. “Obviously we still haven’t conceded a goal here at home, which is great, and I’m proud of the guys. It was gutsy. It was a good performance, and we’ll move on.”

The Clan’s next game is against UBC on Wednesday. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. here at Terry Fox Field.

Josh Farro needs to gain confidence as a singer to shine

By

EIC

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March 6, 2016

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Josh Farro, an ex member of Paramore, has finally returned to the music scene with Walkways after the failed band Novel American. If you’re looking for a 2007 / 2009 Paramore substitute — you’re barking up the wrong tree. On Farro first solo album, the closest you’ll get is his song “On a Wire.”

Though Farro hasn’t been a lead vocalist before, his voice is up to the challenge. It’s not very powerful, but it is suitable for what he does. Farro’s music is the kind that can stand alone — his voice doesn’t try to steal the show, rather he blends it in as more of a harmonizing instrument. If you like The Postal Service, Coldplay, and Owl City / Sky Sailing, that’ll give you some idea of what he sounds like.

His song-writing skills have not gotten rusty in their accidental hiatus. It’s easy to tell that Farro was once an integral part of the album-making process for Paramore. The music comes together in a nearly flawlessly. That being said, it’s not suitable for much more than chill study music. It’ll lift you up in an almost unrelentingly optimistic way.

“Cliffs” is the first single off the album, and it sets the tone. It’s the song you spin if you need a little extra push to take a leap of faith. As such, it perfectly reflects how the album is Farro’s turn at jumping off cliffs and taking the plunge.

If you’re looking for some great drumming — provided by Farro’s brother and fellow ex-Paramore member Zac — “Color Rush” is the one for you. It starts off sounding like it’s going to be a super-catchy upbeat tune. It even has an almost bit of whimsy to it. Then when the vocals hit, it changes up into something still upbeat but withdrawn almost. The power in his voice peeks out through the chorus, and it just kind of makes you lust for more of that confidence throughout the album.

“On a Wire” is my favourite song — again the power of his voice creeps through the tightly-knit music. There’s a rawness to the regret transparent in the guitar riffs and lyrical delivery. The lyrics are bang on, and really the entire album has rock solid lyrics. “A glass of wine, a medication for the past. The hands of time can’t turn around, can’t take it back.”

Farro wraps up his album brilliantly with “Home.” In both the lyrics and the music, you are guided to an ending. “And this time I found my way back home. Back home.”

The one thing I hope for Farro, if he releases new music, is that he cultivates the snippets of confidence and power in his voice. Once he does that, I think he’ll have a perfect blend of musicality to complement his talent.

New Music Friday

By

Peak Web

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March 6, 2016

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By: Sarah Finley, Courtney Miller, and Jessica Whitesel

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

“Untitled 03 | 05.28.2013” – Kendrick Lamar

Jessica Whitesel: You know Kendrick is talented when he can drop an unmastered EP and it’s fire. This song didn’t quite do it for me in this semi-unfinished state, according to the date in the title this is an early song, but it clearly became foundational.

Sarah Finley: God bless Kendrick Lamar. Kendrick’s smooth voice enters the song accompanying feminine back up vocals and the plinks of various mallet instruments, rapping about the dichotomy between white men and black men in the music industry. Keep fighting the good fight, Kendrick. We all love you.

Courtney Miller: I feel that songs with lyrics such as “pussy is power” should maybe be rethought and given substance. I don’t disagree, but there are better ways to phrase the sentiment.

“SEPARATE LIVES” – HÆLEOS

JW: I’m not going to lie: after the intro to this song, I wasn’t expecting much of anything, but it did get better. It’s not the best song I’ve ever heard, but it wasn’t as generic as I expected from the intro.

SF: This song is entirely hypnotizing. The British trio utilizes vocal crescendos and instrumentals that edge on feeling eerie to complete the track, leaving the listener feeling wholesome at the end.

CM: It starts off sounding a bit like early Tegan and Sara. I like how the melody improves upon itself as you go through the song.

“People Change Their Minds” – William Fitzsimmons

JW: Normally I love William Fitzsimmons, but this song was a rare miss. It kind of reminds me of Iron and Wine, but not one of their strong songs, also I’m not loving the accompanying female vocalist as much as I feel I should or as much as I want to.

SF: The combination of soft male vocals, gentle guitar picking, slow cello, and a mesmerizing female vocalist counterpart make this track a 10/10 slow track. The lyrics about mothers will likely make you homesick, but no need to fret: it’ll probably make you drift off to sleep in no time anyway.

CM: I really love how guitar-reliant this track is before other instruments come in — piano, cello, maybe a viola or violin at the same time. His voice is soft, yet raspy in a mature way, and movingly emotive.

“For U” – Miike Snow feat. Charli XCX

JW: What is it with songs having bad intros? I almost turned the song off before that disaster was finished. But I persevered and got a sort of okay song I guess. I can see it blowing up and becoming a dance or club favourite, but it’s not either of their best work.

SF: When I saw that Miike Snow and Charli XCX collaborated on a track, I was endlessly excited, but it wasn’t that strong. The combination of their music styles didn’t flow seamlessly, and all I felt was flustered. It’s like when two very different types of food on your plate touch and now both of them are ruined.

CM: Sounds like the chipmunks on acid, remixed as a backing track for the first 45 or so seconds, shifts into something way more palatable, and then moves back to high rodents — this change ping-pongs throughout the song. If I could isolate those blissful moments in between, this would be a solid winner.

“Outta Control” – Sean Paul feat. Yolanda Be Cool and Mayra Veronica

JW: I don’t know where Sean Paul went, but now he is back. And everything about this song is peak 2009 / 10. It feels like an homage to #TBT, which isn’t a bad thing, but is unexpected. Just don’t look to this song for stylistic consistency.

SF: It’s not often that you find a dance pop track that begins with accordion, but that’s exactly what happened here. While the beginning was catchy, the weak attempts at bass drops throughout the song were simply cringey. I would need to have at least three drinks in my system before I could dance along.

CM: No idea what he’s saying, but I could see this as one of those early songs they play at clubs. It’s fun to dance to.

“Get Out” – Frightened Rabbit

JW: I’m a sucker for a more upbeat indie song and this one fit the bill. It was good, but there just really isn’t that much else to say about it.

SF: The song begins smoothly with cute, lovesick, indie vocals, slightly sporadic drum beats, and a repetitive bass line. Out of nowhere, the song transitions to what I can only describe as a hot mess, the lead singer yelling, “Get out of my heart.” Yikes. This repeats throughout the entire track.

CM: This track is mellow, while at the same time the vocals and track are almost disconnected.

“Already Love” – Great Good Fine Ok

JW: I feel like I’ve made a mistake calling this New Music Friday. This song has a very 1999 feel to it. We are just one wind machine and fake tan away from peak forgettable boy band.

SF: Head voice vocals and a solid synthesizer vibe makes the romantic lyrics not just sweet and endearing, but also super catchy. Unlike anything I’ve ever heard from other artists, Great Good Fine Ok somehow made it possible for love to intertwine with soft electronica.

CM: I love this. Super groovy, catchy, and fun. Great musicality.

“Do It, Try It” – M83

JW: I feel like this is song for 35-year olds who can’t really say no to clubbing, but need to have it toned down a couple of notches to enjoy it. It’s not a bad song, but the piano keeps it from being an awesome club banger.

SF: M83 never fails to impress me. Chaotic piano chords take the lead, pulling the listener into the classic M83 sound 30 seconds in. Synthesizers get heavy, vocals get more desperate sounding, and I fall in love again with one of my favorite bands.

CM: Hella Daft Punk style, except not quite as good or as catchy. Still enjoyable though.

“Dissonance” – Hammock

JW: Much like being in an actual hammock this song is relaxing, but there is an undercurrent of impending something. It never actually lulls you into a sense of calm which is really what I wanted. So, I guess the title is accurate.

SF: This is one of those songs where there’s simply too much noise at the beginning. You can’t discern between instruments, and you’re just waiting for some kind of clearing from the audial fog. Spoiler alert: you never get it.

CM: Contrary to the title, this is not dissonant in any form. It has an almost ethereal quality, so it might be really good on a trip.

“Kiss The Sky” – The Knocks feat. Wyclef Jean

JW: It is danceable and singable. This song will either die after a few weeks or it will never leave our collective memories. There will be no in between.

SF: Regular hi-hat percussion make this song immediately catchy. The chorus is much stronger than the verses that nearly change the entire style of music every time they arrive.

CM: This track is fun, but it’s like a single-use kind of fun because it gets irritating if you listen it to it more than once.

“Unbelievable” – All Tvvins

JW: Well this sure is a song. It is like a weird electro / pop-punk / indie fusion we-want-to-be-The 1975-but-we-never-can hot mess. So while technically this is a song, it is trying to be about 6 different ones at the same time. It is unbelievable it got released at all.

SF: This song seems like it was a failed attempt at a banger. The voices are far too autotuned, and the rhythm and trio-bursts of sound every measure aren’t anything that we haven’t heard a million other times.

CM: I don’t mind this, but it is a little homogenous and repetitive. Not bad as chilling or studying music though.

“How Now” – Snowblink

JW: There is something sensual about this song. I think it is the way the lyrics, vocal stylings, and backing track all blend together. It’s almost if like if The Weeknd became a woman, and then ditched the overt sexual overtones, and turned up the sensual boudoir vibe.

SF: I’m a sucker for angelic feminine and masculine vocals meshing together, which is exactly the focal point of this track. The lyrics, while extremely repetitive, are beautifully sung and ethereal.

CM: A slower tune, almost a little sultry near the beginning; this is pretty mellow. My only complaint is that they overuse the repeat feature throughout.

Girls Rock Camp Vancouver gears up for their first fundraiser of 2016

By

EIC

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March 5, 2016

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Sarah Race Photography - GRCV 11 — One of the bands formed at the camp. Taken on the day of the final performance.

After a quiet 2015, which included the first campless summer in six years, Girls Rock Camp Vancouver is back in full-force to make this a year to remember for volunteers and campers alike.

“We are happy to be back and excited for another successful year,” says Alyce Becker, a long-time organizer who’s been a volunteer since year one. “It’s always a little different every year, because of different campers and volunteers. The set-up is the same, because it’s easy to recycle that blueprint, and every year we tweak it to get better. We’ve just continued to grow and learn each year.”

Inspired by Portland’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Camp for Girls, which started in 2001, Girls Rock Camp Vancouver is a collective of local musicians and community members who help coordinate programming year-round in Vancouver, as well as orchestrate an annual week-long summer camp for girls ages eight to 17. Since 2009, the registered non-profit has used music as a way to better the lives of young women through mentorship and skill-based workshops.

“For us, music is just the vehicle for the program that instills the confidence and the skills in the youth,” explains Becker. “If someone doesn’t play music again for the rest of their life, that’s totally fine. For us, it’s showing up, being interested, collaborating with people, building those communication skills, and that skill set to bring into life.”

Workshops from previous summer camps have included music-centric ones such as songwriting and gear set-up, while other workshops centred on topics like zine-making and screen-printing campers’ own band T-shirts. The kids also form bands at the beginning of camp, and develop their musical skills over the week, culminating in an end-of-camp showcase where every group performs one original song together on the same bill. Music from past Girls Rock Camp Vancouver bands can be found online through the organization’s Bandcamp page.

Everyone involved with Girls Rock Camp Vancouver, from the organizers who spend most of the year planning to the people running workshops during actual camp week, is a volunteer, with Becker describing it as “a co-operative” and “very DIY.” However, there are still costs that come with running a week-long camp each year, which the organization funds through a combination of donations and fundraising — enter their next benefit show on March 8.

“We’re very grateful for all the community support over the years,” says Becker. “Fundraisers and donations essentially let us keep our admission fees sliding scale, so we can stay financially accessible.”

Taking place on International Women’s Day, the benefit show — the second of its kind organized by Vancouver band The Love Buzz — features eight local bands and a DJ, all for a mere $10 donation. The evening’s proceeds will then help Girls Rock Camp Vancouver cover some of their expenses, which include lunches for the campers and equipment rentals and repairs.

And while there are a number of facets and intricacies that come with keeping Girls Rock Camp Vancouver running each year, what it seems to always come back to are the connections made and the community that comes with it.

“Ultimately we want to see youth continue to play music and create projects outside of camp, and to feel empowered that they can,” describes Becker, “Girls Rock Camp Vancouver involves so many people, it really creates new relationships with people you might have never met, and opens a lot of doors for friendships.”

Show your love for Girls Rock Camp Vancouver by checking out The Love Buzz’s International Women’s Day benefit on March 8. A donation of $10 at the door gets you access to eight great local bands (including Lié, Cave Girl, and Les Chaussettes) and proceeds from the show go towards this year’s summer rock camp.

SFU groups among hundreds marching for climate justice

By

EIC

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March 4, 2016

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WEB-Protesters parade down to vancouver convetion centre-Kevin Rey — Protestors converged on the convention centre where the PM was meeting with premiers.

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] droning of bagpipes mingled with New Orleans-style jazz as SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts and other activists paraded to the First Ministers’ Meeting this Thursday. The parade ended at the Vancouver Convention Centre where the Prime Minister and Premiers were discussing the economy and climate change. Last Thursday, the ministers signed the Vancouver Convention which, among other things, agrees in principle on a national carbon tax.

Parade-goers were costumed as various aquatic life forms, as well as the remnants of carbon-based fuels, while hoisting signs demanding action on climate change. SFU professor Laura Marks carried a banner made from 80 letters addressed to Prime Minister Trudeau and BC Premier Christy Clark.

The letters were written at a “happening” — an event — hosted at SFU Woodward’s on Saturday February 27. Passersby concerned about the environment were invited to write letters to the Prime Minister and Premier of BC, as well as give a statement on video.

On the other end of the spectrum, the Vancouver chapter of activist group Raging Grannies sang cheeky protest songs to the tune of ‘Puff the Magic Dragon’ and other classics. The group was founded in Victoria in 1986 in order to protest the presence of US Navy nuclear-powered ships in Victoria Harbour, and have made regular appearances at events in Vancouver. They called the government to account for remaining idle on climate change, singing, “The world needs action, heaven knows / listen up, you carbon schmoes!”

At the end of the parade, a crowd of about 200 gathered outside to hear speakers from environmental and indigenous groups, all of whom demanded that the government does more to combat climate change.

During the opening ceremonies, First Nations activist Audrey Siegl accused the government of saying “a few condescending words and then it is business as usual” in reference to a statement by Trudeau that supported exporting oil in order to fund the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Speaking to the dangerous effects of climate change, Chief Bob Chamberlain of the Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis First Nation plainly stated that, “it’s going to be the First Nations on the front line of suffering yet again,” explaining that many communities are dependent on the land for at least part of their sustenance.

Marks explained that the “happening” was meant to strike a different tone than a typical protest. Said Marks, “this event is to let people know that activism can be fun and ‘cool’ and enjoyful,” and to celebrate the successes that have happened. When The Peak asked why SFU students should care about climate change, she replied plainly that “we know SFU students care about the climate,” noting the “great deal of environmental activism at SFU,” from various student groups such as Embark and SFPIRG.

The upcoming First Ministers’ Meeting may have implications for local energy projects, such as the proposed LNG plant on BC’s coast and the TransMountain Pipeline expansion. In late January[dropcap][/dropcap], the National Energy Board (NEB) heard final arguments for and against the proposed expansion set to be constructed on Burnaby Mountain.

Many environmental groups, as well as the Province of British Columbia, the City of Vancouver, and the City of Burnaby have voiced their opposition to the project, which would allow the pipeline to transport 890,000 barrels of bitumen per day. The NEB has until May 20 to make its final recommendation on whether or not to approve the pipeline.

COLUMN | TIM’S BIT: Age simply doesn’t matter

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EIC

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March 4, 2016

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Tim’s Bit: Tirades on our stupidest things. . . is a new web-exclusive column featuring Tim Mottishaw’s comedic tirades on some of our humanity’s dumbest problems, with regards to culture, society and politics. Read more Tim’s Bit here!

[dropcap]M[/dropcap]y birthday was a couple weeks ago; a day that often makes me being a bit pensive. My birthday is when I decide to try something new, and modify something in my life I am not a fan of. This year I’ve decided to take up yoga, and the thing I’m modifying is the use of an age in numbers.

A birthday is an odd occasion, when you consider it. It’s sort of counter-cultural. Most people celebrate it with a social gathering of some kind. Some people have grand parties and make big deals about their birthdays. I, myself, try to do an activity (This year I was lucky enough to be in Australia and went hiking in Springbrook).

Though, it’s odd how we hold these parties to celebrate ‘me’ and ‘how old I am,’ and then for the rest of the year we hear nothing but criticisms about how old or young we are.

As kids we want nothing more than to ‘be a big kid.’ As a teen we continue that struggle to be older because hormones get the better of us, and in the end we have no idea what we want or know. These are really the only times in our lives when we have an excuse for stupidity. Then we turn 18: we can drive, vote, and fight in most countries. By 21, most people across the globe can vote, drink, and all the rest of it. At 25, the UN stops statistically counting you as a youth, and insurance companies deem you worthy of a new charging scheme.

Then what? Nothing. Not one ‘special occasion’ that has anything to do with your age until maybe 50, though usually the next big number is 65, when you retire.

I think that age is what we use to categorize so much we forget that it is only an indication of how long we have circled the sun.

There are forty years of stressing about perceiving yourself as too old, striving to be younger, and always feeling pressure to modify the decade you are actually in: 30 is the new 20, 40 is the new 30. Why? Perhaps it has to do with the financial dynamics of our current generation. More people are staying at home later in life because it’s simply too damn expensive to move out. If my parents lived in Vancouver, I would gladly live with them. Also, because we are now living longer, the idea of doing everything while you can is not as important as when our parents or grandparents were younger.

I blame our weird obsession with the actual age in years. I think that age is what we use to categorize so much we forget that it is only an indication of how long we have circled the sun.

I don’t own a car, I don’t have a boyfriend, I don’t have kids, I don’t own a home. I love and read comics, I have a love for Superman and the Flash. I love hiking, swimming, the beach, and travelling. I am in my third year of university, and my biggest consumption outside of school and work is my Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons game. How old do you think I am?

Here’s the follow up. Why does it matter exactly how old I am? Because I may not be acting my age? Because I need to ‘grow up?’ Because my post-secondary education might be maturing me too fast? Who decides what is too old for something or too young? If it is agreed that we are all adults after 25 then why do we count after that? The answer is we don’t need to.

We are conditioned to think that ‘X’ years of age equals ‘Y’ in life events. Yet most of our parents and grandparents who had those life events and socially determined what we are expected to accomplish are the first ones to now tell you that ages 21 to 25 are too early to get married. Until the ’50s, 16 was considered old to get married, and people didn’t often live past 60.

I’m done counting. I will not tell anyone else my age. I have removed it from all my social media and will simply not let it impact me any more. If apps or websites that are not legal documents require an age I will input how old I feel I am.

After all, you are only as old as you feel.

COLUMN | SOCIAL STIRRUPS: Daaaamn Daniel! Are you getting paid to advertise for Vans?

By

EIC

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March 4, 2016

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Social Stirrups — Analyzing our online social world is a web-exclusive column, in which Kendra Nelson delves into the hidden meanings of our online social media world. Read more of this column here. And check back soon for more bi-weekly content!

[dropcap]O[/dropcap]h the glorious trends that come to us via social media! The only place where a catchphrase can catch fire faster than your tinder match. Damn Daniel happens to be one of the latest viral video trends, in which a young gent named Daniel is hilariously mocked for his fashion choices — in particular, his white vans.

Along with the video going viral, the demand for white vans spiked a bid on eBay for an astounding 11k. That’s more dollars than followers most of us can get on our instagram accounts. It’s clear that not only does social media have the ability to entertain, but it also has the capacity to start fashion trends, encourage social movements, and drive sales in a more accurate and profound way than ever before.

That being said, it’s becoming ever more difficult to distinguish between what is advertising and what is entertainment. Netflix, for instance, is able to provide its subscription service at a lower cost than cable due to the product placement within its programming. You can’t skip an ad if it is included in your show; which is precisely what this viral video does.

People “create both the content that draws them to the site and detailed information about their tastes, behaviour, and patterns of social relations,” which is essentially labour that enables companies to pinpoint their advertising, as relayed by Mark Andrejevic, in his text The 21st Century Telescreen.

Assuming that ‘Damn Daniel’ isn’t staged — it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve been duped by a viral video, such as the harlem shake, which was picked up by countless companies as part of their marketing schemes — Damn Daniel is just another example of people ‘working for free.’

When clips go viral and gain the status of Internet meme, they are capable of grasping the world’s attention, even if it doesn’t last for very long. The immediate effects are staggering, and in this particular case, the effects are free advertising for Vans. What more could a company ask for?

Here we see the Vans Twitter account giving @josholzz and @daniel_laraa the thumbs up, as they both saved the company potentially millions of dollars in advertising costs when their content blew up on all social media networks.

Spoiler Alert!

If you haven’t seen any new workaholics close your eyes!

Even comedic mainstream shows are offering their commentary on the way we relate to social media and the advertising therein. Workaholics recently poked fun at the social dynamics that social media can create, influencing the quip trio to turn against each other. Each was given a specific image of themselves to project online in order to build their ‘brands.’

Once they had each garnered a following it was their duty to sell their followers haphazard items. Moral of the story: social media tears friends apart. Just kidding, but seriously, if comedy is making fun of it, we know its effects are a big part of our society.

Overall, it appears our online personas are becoming larger than life. Our realities have become warped inside this online world. We all know that instagram is basically a Sears wish list catalogue specially tailored to our interests, so why do we keep up with the charade? Apparently it all comes down to us not minding being bought and sold, as long as we are entertained in the meantime.

P.S. Shout out to the unnamed SFU artist depicting their rendition of the ‘Damn Daniel’ trend close to residence on campus. Exceptional talent!

A guide to living in Metro Vancouver

By

Peak Web

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March 4, 2016

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Ever felt like your current home is not quite where your heart is? Or maybe just need a change of scenery? The Peak’s got your back. We went around asking SFU students about why they love where they live.

After talking to folks from across the Metro Vancouver area, we’ve drawn up a map that serves as the essential field guide for any home-hunter. Every city has a distinct personality, hopefully this guide helps you decide which one best suits your needs, interests, and lifestyle.

Click the red pins to learn about the different areas of Metro Vancouver.
[mappress mapid=”1″]

Editor-in-Chief Election 2016/17

By

EIC

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March 3, 2016

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Hello, everyone! Below are the candidates’ platforms for The Peak‘s Editor-in-Chief election for the 2016/17 year.

Audio files:

Listen to Tamara Connor’s speech HERE

Listen to Max Hill’s speech HERE

Questions and Answer period for both candidates HERE

Platforms:

TAMARA CONNOR:

A bit about me:

Contributor since Spring 2014
Collective Rep on the board of directors since July 2015
Features editor since January 2016
Lots of experience in leadership roles
Driven, ambitious, and has an undying love for this paper

Beliefs:

The Peak is a great paper, that doesn’t mean it can’t be better.
Everyone involved with The Peak is passionate and talented
The EIC should be a leader, not a boss
Ultimately the section editors and the contributors are the most important parts of this paper, the EIC needs to serve them well

Commitments:

Web:
- Doing a massive design change on the website
- Increase web security (this has been a big issue in the past, and with respect to my web-first attitude, having better security is super important)
- Explore new plug-ins on WordPress to diversify content and make pieces more engaging
- Add 2 new editorial positions that are both only concerned with web-only content
- Have a vision meeting with the Multimedia team to talk about how to make the section as strong as possible
- Add a photo section to web where the photo editor can create online galleries for his/her photos
Contributor integration
- Continue to address exclusivity in the office
- Bring contributors into the editing process
- Encourage more contributors to participate in the post-mort meetings
Take risks
- Change up the layout, the logo, page 3, EVs…
Brainstorming new ways of going about deciding the story going on cover
- Since cover has been an ongoing issue, I’d like to see us try some new way of pitching cover that doesn’t exclude contributors but that gives Photos/Production enough time to plan it
Print
- Look into getting more stands around campus
- Smaller papers, more diverse layout
Make inter-office communication a priority
- Making sure illustrators understand what we need them to produce
- Giving strong concept to Photos/Production but letting them have some creative freedom
- Keeping contributors in the loop
- Making sure all editors are on the same page
- Dedicating small amounts of time to talk about vision/concerns/questions on a weekly basis

Vision:

Smaller print papers that have more engaging layouts
More outreach to other group on campus, work in tandem with them on events
Grow our social media game
Create interesting, hard-hitting, SFU-centric content

My obstacles to overcome:

Learn to forgive myself for small mistakes
Trust my coworkers more
Learn more about HTML
Learn more about what it means to lead a newsroom

Fun fact about me:

I enjoy investigating fan/conspiracy theories about obscure and forgotten television programs (also the Denver airport).

_____________________________

MAX HILL:

Hey everyone! My name’s Max and I’m the current Editor-in-Chief of The Peak. I’m running for a second term in my position, and I’m really excited to continue the incredible work that we’ve been doing at the paper for the past year. For those of you who may have missed my speech on Wednesday, I wanted to provide a little more information on my platform as well as my qualifications for the role. If you have any other questions or want to get in touch with me at all, email me at [email protected]!

A bit about me

I’ve been at the paper for three years now, and I’ve worn a lot of different hats in that time. I edited the features section for a year and also served as the paper’s copy editor and proofreader for a semester each. For the past year I’ve been EIC, which has been an incredibly rewarding learning experience. Having been with The Peak for so long has given me a lot of institutional and on-the-job experience that I believe makes me the best candidate for the role. I’ve spent a lot of time both as a contributor and an editor, so I can empathize with the experience of both contributors and staff members. I also just really love what I do and look forward to working with all of you for another year.

What I want to continue

This past year has been a hugely important one for The Peak, and I think we’ve already seen a lot of signs of the changes that so many people are fighting for. We’ve become much more focused on web, and I want to continue pushing for more quick, web-friendly stories while transitioning the paper towards a focus on more investigative, analytical stories with diverse layouts and a wealth of illustration and photo content. We’ve also written more stories that address the interests of SFU students, covering campus celebrities, ongoing trends on campus, and issues affecting students directly. We’ve expanded our web and print reach, and our website just had its best year ever. We’ve had faster, more streamlined production days and had most of our staff out by midnight every night. We’ve become a lot more welcoming to contributors and made the office more comfortable for editors, which I’m really proud of. All of these are trends I hope to continue in my next term as EIC.

What I want to introduce

I also have a lot of new plans that I think can improve the paper as well as the experience of our contributors and editors. I want to build a comprehensive employee handbook with information for new editors and contributors that we can build together collaboratively. I want to find a way to involve contributors more directly with the creation of the paper and the decisions that we make, and to offer more constructive feedback. I’m hoping to work with our production team to redesign the paper and update our image (we haven’t changed our logo in over a decade — it’s time to shake things up). I want to focus more on shortening papers and maintaining a workable balance for our design team and editorial team. I want to include more opportunities for us to spend time together and discuss our hopes for the paper as well as our broader motivations and future goals. I also think we can improve our social media presence and pull examples from other papers in order to best address the interests of our readership. Other ideas include bringing in guest speakers, moving more paper stands into the UniverCity area and to Surrey, turning around news stories more quickly, introducing a bursary for graduate students, and fostering stronger inter-paper relationships.

What I want to address

As much as I’m proud of all the amazing work we’ve done in the past year, I recognize that changes need to be made. I want to foster a more open and transparent work environment where people feel comfortable voicing their opinions and concerns — this also means listening to and respecting the ideas and opinions of both our editors and our contributors. It also means making sure we treat one another with respect and compassion. I want to work on being a more calm and professional presence in the office, and to let mistakes happen so that we can learn from them. I want to be more comfortable trying new things and pushing boundaries. I want to better mediate workplace conflicts and make sure that everyone feels like they have the space and support to do their job. I want to make sure our editor and collective meetings are streamlined and that meetings only address issues that concern everyone — this means more small meetings during the week, where we can work together to plan content and resolve issues.

That’s it!

There’s a lot more that I personally want to do, and I also really look forward to hearing all of your ideas of how we can make the paper better, too. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you have ideas of your own or have any questions for me. I really look forward to continuing at The Peak for another year — this really is the best job ever, and I’m lucky to be able to do something I love that gives me so much fulfilment with so many talented people.

NHL Trade Deadline winners and losers

By

EIC

-

March 2, 2016

0

11200801586_be17118799_o — Dan Hamhuis was not traded at the deadline, much to the disappointment of Canucks fans.

The 2016 Trade Deadline lived up to its name this year: it was absolutely dead. With only 19 trades and 37 players moved, this was one of the quietest trade deadlines of all time. Let’s not be mistaken — the week prior to the deadline was filled with moves that saw several teams evidently bulking up their rosters for a deep playoff run and others rebuilding for the future. Let’s take a look at this year’s deadlines winners and losers.

Winners

In contention for another cup run, the Chicago Blackhawks made the biggest splash in the market prior to the Monday deadline, acquiring Andrew Ladd. Shockingly, after not having been offered a contract extension, the former captain of the Winnipeg Jets was quickly snatched up by the Blackhawks. The Maple Ridge native is no stranger to the Windy City; Ladd was a former Blackhawk himself, winning the stanley cup with them in 2010.

Being first in the Atlantic Division wasn’t enough for Florida Panthers General Manager Dale Tallon. He went out and picked up a veteran forward in Jiri Hudler from Calgary, Teddy Purcell from the Edmonton, and Detroit defenceman Jakub Kindl. These additions reinforce their position as a serious threat in the Atlantic division.

Another notable winner this trade deadline were the New York Rangers. Their acquisition of winger Eric Staal from the Hurricanes was one of the biggest trades the past week. This trade unites Eric with brother Marc, but also brings an experienced professional with a Stanley Cup under his belt, to a team that already has the potential of reaching the cup finals.

Losers

This year’s losers were a couple teams who were unable to deal their big players who were on the trading block. Those teams are the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Vancouver Canucks.

In a season where the playoffs are seemingly out of reach, the Vancouver Canucks were unable to flip the two expiring contracts on forward Radim Vrbata and defenceman Dan Hamhuis. These were hot commodities at this year’s deadline. Therefore the Canucks pass another season without acquiring any future assets to aid this young developing team, making them big losers at the deadline.

The other notable loser at this year’s trade deadline are the Tampa Bay Lightning. GM Steve Yzerman couldn’t find a deal to move Jonathan Drouin, and so the youngster remains a member of the Lightning. All of this after he requested a trade six weeks ago, and has been sitting out of the Lightning lineup ever since. This makes the Lightning the biggest losers on the trade deadline.

Ultimately, the 2016 trade deadline will be remembered as a quiet one. It was a trade deadline in which the deals that never fell through made bigger headlines than the ones that did.