Ending Editor’s Voice exclusivity

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February 29, 2016

[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s a member of the editorial staff at The Peak, I’d like to make an apology I feel is long overdue.

Campus newspapers aren’t infallible. In fact, you could argue that we wouldn’t be doing a very good job of the news if everyone involved — from our sources to our readers and beyond — were satisfied with us. We often have a “go big or go home” attitude, which is great since we’re in university and we can get away with it.

However, the one group I feel we have been letting down is our writers and those who want to get involved with The Peak, and to those folks I think we owe a heartfelt apology. If you’ll let me be a little on the nose with this, you’ll see where I’m going.

I feel the Editor’s Voice, this article you’re reading, is a great example of how much we maybe prioritize ourselves a little too much here. Three editors and five contributors here at the paper recently went down to Los Angeles for an Associated Collegiate Press conference, and during a critique of our paper, this page in particular was questioned.

Why is the first article presented in our paper often either some funny story from our pasts or an opinion that we have? There have been some incredibly strong Editor’s Voices, so it isn’t an issue of poor quality. It’s just that this is an example of us putting ourselves ahead of everything else in the paper, which probably sends a weird message. Besides, we have an opinions section for that.

The worst part about this is that some of us feel shoehorned into writing one because we had to sign up for these at the beginning of the semester. That’s us deciding right away to start all thirteen issues with us, regardless of the content in the paper.

Sadly, we’ve been called out for being a weird Peak clique in the past.

This would all be making a mountain out of a molehill if I felt we had a great relationship with our contributors. I love to nitpick, but it would be a little obsessive if I wrote a column essentially bashing my own column for existing when that was our only issue.

However, we’ve been called out for being a weird Peak clique in the past (which is a cute, yet stinging assessment), and I feel we’re unfortunately still learning that we have contributors who feel this way. It isn’t always the case that our contributors find the strength to stand back up to us, but I know I benefit from when they do, and I wish I could find a way to improve how I’m seen as an editor by contributors.

I feel like maybe we’ve been a little too masturbatory here, which has given a poor impression to our writers and illustrators that they’ll never be valued the way we value ourselves. Case in point: another editor was excited just to write their Editor’s Voice because they had been contributing for so long and finally got the good real estate on page three — as if we’ve ingrained it in our newspaper’s culture that this is the way we do things forever now.

To that end, I want to apologize to our contributors and extend the olive branch in hopes that we can get back to repairing our relationship. Perhaps we can start things over again?

Hey, we’re The Peak, and although we don’t always show it, we love you nerds. Please stick with us while we find better ways to show you this.

SFU needs more vegan food options

By

EIC

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February 29, 2016

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[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n November, four very unexpected words came out of my mouth: “I’m becoming a vegan.” Before then, I truly did not believe I could ever take animal products out of my diet, despite all the signs pointing towards this path. But then I watched the famed documentary Cowspiracy, and something clicked.

I could not continue eating animal products, and so from that day I began to navigate the rocky but surprisingly satisfying terrain of veganism. The hardest part of my now-limited diet has been finding food on campus; although a few menu items scattered around SFU happen to be vegan, there are very few places that focus on providing significant vegan options.

Of course, I am not advocating that all food-service providers stop using animal products, but there are a number of advantages to decreasing the dependence on animal products and further prioritizing vegan options.

First and foremost, animal agriculture puts a tremendous amount of strain on the environment. According to the David Suzuki Foundation, approximately 30 percent of the world’s surface is occupied by livestock, and this huge quantity of livestock is responsible for producing about 18 percent of the planet’s greenhouse gases, which, according to Cowspiracy, is more than is produced by all modes of transportation globally.

Additionally, due to the enormity of our livestock population and our similarly enormous appetites, according to stats from National Geographic, nearly 36 percent of crops are dedicated to feeding farm animals, while only 55 percent of the food grown around the world is going to feed people directly, many of whom are quite literally starving. On top of all this, animal agriculture is inefficient in its current form; the amount of calories that go into feeding the animals dwarfs the amount that we can actually extract from them.

Many issues are being studied when it comes to livestock production, including water pollution and land desertification.

To put this in perspective, for every 100 calories we feed to animals (sourced from grain), we only get 12 calories from chicken and three from beef, again from National Geographic. This means it takes about 7,000 calories to produce 210 calories of beef (or a three-oz. steak). Once again, this means 7,000 calories are going to feed a single animal for a few people to eat, rather than 7,000 calories of grain being distributed amongst many more people.

These are just a few of the ways animal agriculture contributes to environmental degradation and perpetuates nutritional inequality. Many more issues are being studied when it comes to livestock production, including water pollution, water usage and waste, land desertification, species extinction, and more. By making agriculture more sustainable we can potentially impact the environment and people’s lives in positive ways.

Of course, these are all issues that seem distant and somewhat not relatable to many people; not all of us care to prioritize environmental issues when considering what we are going to eat for lunch, and that is understandable. On a more personable note, vegan food is accessible to a much larger number of people. Vegan food options are not just for hard-core vegans, they’re also great for vegetarians (who may still eat dairy and eggs).

If you’re not vegan or vegetarian, vegan food is still a helpful option for those with dairy and egg allergies, two of the most common food allergies. By simply making food items and meals vegan, a number of non-vegans can still benefit from this small change.

SFU has an impressive history of activism and fighting for what is right, yet the university itself has been lagging considerably when it comes to environmental issues, such as divesting from fossil fuels. Of course, SFU has made some small but important efforts to improve its environmental impact, such as our waste separation bins. However another important step SFU should be taking is reducing the amount of animal products used to produce food served on campus.

Considering SFU’s newly released initiative to improve sustainability and student engagement, including improving student happiness and well-being, it would be fitting to diversify the selection of foods available to the many people who don’t eat animal products. And even if you are a dedicated meat-eater, I guarantee most vegan options would be just as healthy and satisfying as any other dish, if not more so.

New Music Friday

By

Peak Web

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February 27, 2016

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

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

“King of the World” – Weezer

Jessica Whitesel: This is a classic Weezer song. When you hear it you know it is them, but that is about all I can say about this song. It’s well done, but there is nothing new about it overall.

Sarah Finley: I’ve never really been a huge fan of Weezer’s style of music. The lead singer uses very little of his vocal range, and the guitar / drum pairing sound entirely boring to me. I honestly can’t even believe they’re still a band.

Courtney Miller: Love the music, definitely has that punk rock, emo vibe. As much as I respect Rivers Cuomo for his songwriting abilities, I don’t like his voice. This will take you back to high school if not earlier, guaranteed.

Zach Siddiqui: That must be one aquadynamic Greyhound.

“You and I” – Pvris

JW: This song is a soaring electronic-pop almost ballad. Songs like this have been done successfully by other artists and this one is no different. I would definitely listen to it again.

SF: I’m a sucker for desperate sounding love songs, and that’s exactly what this is. That being said, I was disappointed. Ghostly vocals begin the song, interchanging themselves with classic pop, likely autotuned, vocals. The lyrics are fairly boring, as is the repetitiveness of the song.

CM: I like Pvris; Lynn Gunn has an amazing voice, but I don’t think this was their best work. It doesn’t stand out from the crowd as much as their other work, but it’s still baseline highly enjoyable and well-crafted.

ZS: A voice with a lot of strength behind it. Cliché title aside, it’s a powerful song with emotional pull and a sense of purpose that I find very engaging for listeners.

“Candyman” – Zedd and Aloe Blacc

JW: Aloe’s voice, paired with Zedd’s super production skills makes for a solid dance track. But if you are just sitting and actually listening to the lyrics, it is a little repetitive and eventually you just want it to stop.

SF: I LOVE ALOE BLACC. This song flawlessly combines Blacc’s beautiful singing with upbeat electronic leads that reminded me of Flume’s style. And now all I want in life is an Aloe Blacc and Flume mash up album.

CM: Zedd’s mix perfectly complements Blacc’s soulful, powerful voice. Definitely worth a few listens.

ZS: Stellar vocal work with sweetly feel-good lyrics. It’s hard to resist letting your mood rise with the music, and you probably wouldn’t want to, anyway — definitely a fun little piece!

“Howling” – Cathedrals

JW: I like this. It is hard to pin a genre to this song and I think that’s what I like the most. Sometimes it’s pop, others rock and electronic. It also doesn’t hurt that Brodie Jenkins has an amazing voice.

SF: There has never been any doubt that Brodie Jenkins has a beautiful, ethereal voice, and Johnny Hwin is the extremely talented instrumentalist; this song just serves as a reminder. The pairing of Jenkins and Hwin is just one of the many beautiful things to come out of San Francisco. Bless that city.

CM: The intro sets me up to dig this track, with poignant guitar notes. Followed by majestic vocals and a slow increase to the tempo, I’m not let down completely, but I was left hoping for something unique about it.

ZS: A gentle, pacifying tune with a mystical mood. It’s almost mournful, really — this would be appropriate as a dark lullaby after a bad day. It’s a song to feed an inner muse.

“Inside Your Mind” – Gypsy & The Cat

JW: It is an electronic-y song. Not good, not bad. It’s solid but forgettable.

SF: Catchy guitar riffs begin the song, but are oddly combined with head-voice vocals and an interesting choice of keyboard chords. While all the elements of this song are well done separately, when combined, it’s simply strange.

CM: A little bit indie, a little bit alt, the guitar and stuff is nice, but again, nothing pops out about it. It’s kind of forgettable.

ZS: Phantasmal and very “other.” I enjoy the dusky tone and rapidly shifting rhythm here, and the instrumentation here is lovely. Juggling suspense and catharsis expertly, it’s an all-around success.

“Hungry” – White Lung

JW: This song reminds me of a non-single Metric song. It isn’t a bad song, but there were just too many things happening in it. There should have been a stronger focus placed on the vocals because clearly that’s White Lung’s strength.

SF: There isn’t a lot of variation in the instrumentals, vocals, or lyrics in this song, but badass female lead vocalists — which Mish Way definitely is — are on the fast track straight to my heart. Not a lot of women succeed in the punk scene, but this song demonstrates that the group is definitely worthy of success.

CM: This song left no impression. It was that monotonous and homogenous.

ZS: In one word, “powerful.” Forceful and demanding attention, this whirlwind song intensifies any moment. It’s the sort of song that manages to stay very distinct from the majority of its genre and I applaud that.

“Girls Like” – Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson

JW: Everytime I hear Tinie Tempah, I forget how much I like him. He is a solid rapper, but the verses of this song that are not him and Zara Larsson suck. She reminds me of a mix of Ariana Grande and Christina Aguilera when she was at her lowest point musically.

SF: Tinie Tempah and Zara Larsson come together in a long predicted pairing to produce a new hit. Larsson brings forth a more powerful voice than we’ve heard from her so far, and Tinie brings both his adorable British accent and lowkey misogyny to the table. The song is 50 percent drinking, 50 percent fucking. But so is college, so whatever.

CM: Zara makes this song worth listening to. That being said, I don’t think it requires more than one spin, but it is fun.

ZS: This song tells me to throw caution to the wind and go clubbing until my legs burn to ashes. I’m not doing that, ‘cause I’m not old enough and my mom would tell me not to, buuuuut it’s still a very party-it-up and exciting piece!

“Hollywood” – Young Bong

JW: I am too sober for this song. This is a straight up club song, the lyrics are incoherent and sometimes Danish, but if the bass were turned up to full, it would the perfect song to use as filler in a dance playlist.

SF: I want to take a second to appreciate the fact that this artist’s name is literally Young Bong. The song is as boring and uncreative as the name; expressing the same love for Hollywood that virtually every other musical artist in the world has, only this time in the same line that’s repeated over and over and over and over.

CM: I was cautious when I saw the artist name. Too much autotune and he doesn’t seem to be saying anything worth listening to. Hard pass.

ZS: The calm lyrics and melody of a lazy road trip in the spring. I’m liking the mildness and the chill aesthetic here, and this sort of music is great for de-stress. Which we all need. Horrifically so.

“Malibu Directly” – Yellowbellies

JW: Nope. It’s trying to be a country-rock with a little bit of Yellowcard’s “Ocean Avenue” thrown in. It is trying to do too many things at once and failing at all of them.

SF: I can’t believe our Arts Editor made me listen to a country song. This has to go against the Geneva Conventions. Like, we get it, you want to move to Malibu and be heartbroken on the beach. So do I. Deep male vocals, melancholic lyrics, and boring guitar make this a carbon copy of every other country song ever.

CM: Loving the guitar, but the vocals — despite fitting the song — let me down with the lyrics; they seem like they were awkwardly tacked on to the melody and I don’t know that it works very well.

ZS: A bit boring instrumentally, and it didn’t take long for me to get tired of the voice. However, it’s still quite pretty and soothing at parts, and overall it’s rather decent.

“iT’s YoU” – ZAYN

JW: I don’t know what Zayn is trying to do with this song. Is he trying to be the male version of Adele or is he trying to be more like Usher? I don’t know if we’ll ever get an answer, but he isn’t doing either and should stop.

SF: I’m the rare one who isn’t a fan of Zayn’s solo career so far. He has a beautiful voice, but I’m not convinced he knows how to write interesting songs. The dreamy vocals combined with the soft melodic background made me sleepy, but didn’t captivate me.

CM: Sorry, Zayn, you’re hot and all but this song is not. It’s boring, repetitive, and unimaginative.

ZS: Not my favourite, to tell the truth — lyrically and sonically, it’s nothing especially impressive or new, but I also might be a little biased given how much it differs from my typical tastes. It does have some cool pump-up factor to it though!

“All We Know” – Brevner

JW: It is another rap song about money and how having money is better than not. But the song isn’t really lying: it does sound like that is the only thing they know. But they also know one more thing — how to make bad music.

SF: Lyrics like, “Getting money is all that we know, being broke won’t cut it,” bring out the sad, poor, college girl in me. This song is fairly straight-forward rap, until about two and a half minutes in when the song morphs into first gentle singing, then deep and distorted vocals, which end the song, leaving me confused.

CM: Nope, nope, nope. This is like the rap song you show your friend if you want them to hate it. Mission accomplished. Next!

ZS: Very futuristic and fluid. It makes me envision a field of great lights and boundless opportunities. The beat here is enrapturing!

“On My Heart” – School of Seven Bells

JW: It is okay-ish, but the weird autotuning wrecks it for me. I think that under the weird layering of all the sounds the vocalist might have a strong voice, but it’s not given the opportunity to shine.

SF: The lyrics are immediately catchy and make your head subconsciously bob, your foot tap. Quick vocals speed up the tempo of the song, then seamlessly slow down into romantic melodies. This repeats throughout the song, an excellent way to end the playlist.

CM: I think the intro drags on a bit too long, but other than that I think it’s a solid track. Lyrics are quick and well-delivered, and, if you know Broods, there’s a hint of them in School of Seven Bells.

ZS: A buzz of energy and joy, this is a song for one of those days you’ve been looking forward to since forever. I feel like nothing could go wrong listening to this!

Simple Plan isn’t just Taking One for the Team

By

EIC

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February 26, 2016

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Simple Plan, of French-Canadian pop-punk fame, has returned after five years with a new album, Taking One for the Team. It follows 2011’s Get Your Heart On stylistically, with a backbone of classic Simple Plan style tunes, while also branching certain tracks to other genres.

Simple Plan boasts the talents of lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist Pierre Bouvier, drummer and percussionist Chuck Comeau, lead guitarist Jeff Stinco, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Sebastien Lefebvre, and bass guitarist and backing vocalist David Desrosiers. Fun fact: Simple Plan are one of the only recent bands I’ve ever known who 16 years later are still together with the orignal line-up. None of them have left nor been replaced.

Taking One for the Team is a hit in my book. If you’re looking for the pure punk Simple Plan of 2002’s No Pads, No Helmets. . .Just Balls, you’re not going to find it. There are elements of the band’s sound that has survived, but across the board their music seems to have an optimism it didn’t in those days. There’s also a confidence in how they incorporate other styles that really comes out in tracks like “Singing in the Rain” that has a hint of ska, or “I Don’t Wanna Go to Bed,” and “I Dream About You” that feel more R&B.

The tongue-in-cheek, pop-punk sass we know and love is represented on “Opinion Overload.” It has that classic angsty Simple Plan feel: “I don’t give a damn if you don’t approve. . . It must be nice to be perfect.” “I Refuse” is another good example of this, acting as an anthem that everybody needs at some point — especially us students. Lyrics are delivered quickly yet powerfully in resonant tones: “So I refuse to apologize for who I am / And I refuse to ever let somebody say I can’t.”

“Boom” is a promotional single that’s pretty firmly a pop tune. I find the chorus too poppy, but it’s catchy and easy to see why other people would love it. Following in the same catchy vein is “Everything Sucks,” the ultimate post-break-up song about how “everything sucks ‘cause you’re not around.” It’s more palatable than “Boom,” being more melodically sophisticated. My head was bopping before I knew it and I was singing along to the chorus by the end of the first listen.

The ultimate stadium amp-up song is “Kiss Me like Nobody’s Watching.” It’s rambunctiously up-tempo with built-in sections for crowd singalongs. Another great upbeat song is “I Don’t Wanna Be Sad,” which will perk you up on days when you’re just done with the world. Though it’s a little repetitive, it’s more of a mantra than an annoyance.

A cutesy, acoustic love song about finding perfection in flaws is found in “Perfectly Perfect.” Pro-tip: serenade someone with this (and mean it!) and you two are probably destined to be together. You’re welcome.

The fifth album from Simple Plan is an all-around good time for the pop-punk fan. Giving this a listen will by no means be Taking One for the Team.

A city is what you make of it

By

EIC

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February 26, 2016

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[dropcap]G[/dropcap]etting to know a city is not easy. There is so much personality, and history, that it takes several treks up and down its hills and side streets to learn what it’s all about. In a previous piece I wrote for The Peak, I romanticized my travels. I put so much focus on the idea that a trip is about who you’re with, that city almost doesn’t matter. Re-exploring Vancouver has changed my opinion that I need other people around me in order to experience another culture.

I grew up in Lagos, Nigeria. The best word to describe my city is loud. There is relentless noise coming from the streets — people, traffic, music. I cannot imagine a place more beautiful than the dusty, messy, playful, bustling, sinful, and loving city.

When I was very young, every summer my father made a point of taking the whole family to a different country for a short period to expose us to different cultures. Over time, I developed a habit of associating a word to every new location I visited. It was a fun game I would play throughout my visit. Up until recently, I thought it was a fun way to get to know a city.

I spent hours thinking about which word I would blindly attach to Vancouver: cold. That was the best I could do.

Before my arrival, I imagined seeing the city and taking in the experience of being there. . . unfortunately, I never really got to do that.

Something felt completely wrong about that. The words I attached to other cities had both negative and positive connotations. That wasn’t the problem. “Cold” was something different. “Cold” meant unfriendly people and cold weather. That particular judgement of an entire city felt incomplete and unfair. I was staring out of my window into this damp city trying to think of a new word I could attach to it. I realized that despite living Vancouver for about three years now, we are still very much strangers.

Living in a new city should always be exciting and intriguing. Before my arrival, I imagined seeing the city and taking in the experience of being there. Unfortunately, I never really got to do that. School started immediately and time passed quickly. Now, I find myself in a city I don’t really have any genuine feelings for. Vancouver, as just a physical space, does not seem right to me. “Cold” didn’t seem right. So after three years, I decided to re-explore this city.

I decided I would reclaim the time I missed out on and spend three days getting acquainted with Vancouver as though I am meeting her for the first time. My mission was to find a more accurate word to describe the essence of Vancouver. In my search, I found three words that better describe this city: historical, diverse, and natural.

While passing through Chinatown and Strathcona with SFU’s International Club, I became aware of a history that I was previously ignorant too. Vancouver is a mosaic of people whose ancestors came from different countries. And now, each of these countries have a history in Vancouver. These different people contribute to Vancouver as we know it today by virtue of their history.

During my three-day experiment, I spent a lot of time in coffee shops. Coffee shops give you the opportunity to have long conversations with people and observe them. People in Vancouver seemed cold because they are more reserved than what I was used to. Coming from a “loud” culture, a “reserved” one was always destined to feel cold in the beginning. Once you get past that wall, however, you find interesting people who make this often impersonal city feel like home.

While history and diversity are great ways to describe Vancouver, nature is probably the word I associate the most with this city. It’s so rare for such and urban city to be so beautifully contrasted with big trees, sprawling mountains, and dancing water.

My “Re-exploring Vancouver” challenge changed my perspective on not only this great city, but what traveling can do for on a personal level. You cannot depend other people to make you happy or interested in a city. You have to go out and search for the excitement. Vancouver and I are still getting acquainted, but I believe this city will make a lasting impact on me.

White Bear places The Temperance Movement on the map

By

EIC

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February 25, 2016

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The Temperance Movement is a British blues rock band composed of vocalist Phil Campbell, guitarist Paul Sayer, bassist Nick Fyffe, and Australian drummer Damon Wilson. A few days ago, I had a brief interview with Campbell. In those few minutes, I understood live performances to be a significant part of the band’s existence. This focus on live performances comes through in their most recent album White Bear.

According to Campbell, White Bear was a more focused project that captured the character of the band. While White Bear is more structured than the band’s first eponymous album, their music mirrors the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll from the ’60s and ’70s. It has consistently high energy and the authenticity of the band shines through. I can imagine being a part of the audience, in one of their many concerts, singing along to the catchy tunes. It is as though the album was made for the live performance.

White Bear starts off with “Three Bulleits,” a high energy jam that sets the tone for the rest of the album. Most of the songs on the album maintain a faster pace with notable guitar riffs. The strength of the rhythm section is also ever-present throughout the album.

The standouts on this album for me are “A Pleasant Place I Feel” and “I Hope I’m Not Losing my Mind.” These two songs surprise due to their difference in pace and style from all the others in the album. “A Pleasant Place I Feel” is undoubtedly my favourite, due to its dynamic pace, impressive drum solos and memorable guitar riffs. In the spirit of a classic The Temperance Movement song, too, the chorus is as catchy as ever.

I cannot effectively review this album without making reference to Phil Campbell’s gritty voice. In my short talk with him, he said that authenticity in music to him is to sing a song with a hundred percent, no matter the circumstances or how you are feeling. Authenticity to him means being present in the moment and being real. His voice is timeless. In the ballad, “I Hope I’m Not Losing my Mind,” this specific idea of authenticity is obvious.

White Bear is an enjoyable album that establishes The Temperance Movement as a group I will be looking out for in the future.

SFU lose to Central Washington on Senior’s Night

By

EIC

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February 23, 2016

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Michael Harper was honoured pre game with a framed jersey.

Saturday afternoon marked SFU’s final home game, and consequently, the final annual Senior’s Night — the last game in the West Gym for seniors who have used up all four years of NCAA eligibility.

Perhaps it was fitting then, in a lacklustre 84–64 loss against the Central Washington Wildcats, that the game belonged to the youth of the team, a sort of passing of the torch.

Andrew Williamson, who is credited as a redshirt-sophomore on the official roster, but was redshirted last year and appears to actually be in his freshman season, led the team in minutes played with 37. He also lead the team in points with 15, tying his career high. Redshirt-freshman Bowen Bakken had a career-high eight points and made two three-pointers, a first for him. Despite playing through a reported injury, redshirt-sophomore JJ Pankratz put up 13 points, good for second-best on the team.

And if we’re talking youth movement, that’s not even mentioning freshman Oshea Gairey, who, in his first eligible year, is already a dominant force in the Great Northwest Conference (GNAC), though on Saturday it was his first time in six games not hitting double digits in points, and his lowest field goal count (two) since January 14.

With only one senior, and even only one junior on the team with Max Barkeley’s departure, that’s the way it has to be.

“Now we can trust those guys. Before we didn’t know who to put in, but now we know we can go with these guys. We’re getting to the point where I’m comfortable putting any one of those guys in the game,” said Head Coach Virgil Hill. “That’s a good sign in terms of the future, in terms of our depth.

“If we can get better internally and augment that with external talent, it’s going to be fine — it takes time, it isn’t going to get built in one season.”

But the man of the night, the passer of the torch was SFU’s sole senior Michael Harper, having transferred to SFU before last season, playing two seasons with the Div I University of Hawaii. With the departures of key seniors Sango Niang and Justin Cole after last season, he’s seen his role increase — going from averaging 20.7 minutes a game (which would have been the third-lowest minutes on the team in tonight’s game) to averaging 33.1 minutes per game and regularly playing more than 35.

“He was Mr. Do Everything,” said Hill. “I mean, he’s the guy we could rely on to do everything — he had to defend the best guys, he had to hit shots, he had to post up, he had to be a leader, so there’s not one thing we didn’t ask of Michael, and that’s a hard thing. [. . .] He’s always in a situation where he’s generally matched up against someone who is probably more athletic than he is, but he’s a smart player and he’s strong.

“He’s going to be a tough guy to replace and that’s a huge hole for us to fill next year.”

Before the game, Harper, and his father Mark who came in from Australia, were honoured with a framed jersey, in lieu of the traditional flowers, because Hill remarked Harper’s father didn’t “look like a flower guy.”

Harper admitted he was nervous going into the game, his last in the West Gym, saying, “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t dwell on my mind before the game.

“I’ve definitely built a home here — it’s going to be strange leaving. It’s a tough time playing my last home game here.”

Harper played 35 minutes, one of only two players to play more than 30 on Saturday, and had 11 points, good for third in team scoring.

The game started out good for the Clan, opening the scoring and holding a consistent lead for much of the first half, with Harper putting the team up 30–27 with a layup with 3:40 to go in the first. It had appeared that SFU would have a chance for the first home conference win of the season.

However, Central Washington put up nine consecutive points to end the half, while SFU didn’t muster one — not even one free throw — leading them to go down 36–30 at the end of the half.

“That’s what good teams, and that’s what mature teams do, they’re relentless, they don’t give up, and they don’t throw away possessions. And when the game gets tighter, they can elevate their game,” said Hill. “As a young team, you have to have a strong will, and that’s a strong willed team — they just keep going and going, they don’t relent, where sometimes we just kind of pass it and, ‘Oh well, it’s a turnover.’ You have to value the ball at all times.”

The second half did not provide any relief. SFU remained competitive for much of the half, but could not make up any points for a sustained period of time. A six point lead slowly grew to a 20 point lead for Central Washington.

“I’ve definitely built a home here — it’s going to be strange leaving.”

SFU notably only had one more turnover than Central Washington, with 18, but, notably, 15 of those came in the second half.

“It was a tough game, it was a winnable game. Our offence was a bit stagnant, but that’s been the story all season in the second half,” said Harper.

“We had some chances, didn’t knock down a couple of shots, but the effort was there.”

Perhaps the most notable absence of the game was Cedric Chen: without his taunts, Central Washington had an easy time on the free throw line — making 26 out of 29 attempts and only missing for the first time when the score was 71–56 with 4:56 left in the game. Student athletes in attendance tried to fill Cedric’s shoes, but it was no match. Interestingly, the Wildcats only missed once the crowd had gone pretty much silent — perhaps stunned by the abnormal quiet treatment.

For Harper, these games, which without playoff chances might otherwise be lacking in meaning, he sees a team that is growing, getting better.

“[We] just need to keep doing the things we need to do to get better, we’re out of the playoffs, but it doesn’t mean we don’t want to win, don’t want to go out on a high note. [We’ve got to] bring the effort,” he said.

“We’ve gotten tougher. I feel like plays are getting more confident, which is the main thing, confidence, especially in a young team like this, just to get things going, finish off the season with some confidence leading into next season.”

COLUMN | SOCIAL STIRRUPS: Did social media win Trudeau the election?

By

EIC

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February 22, 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]T[/dropcap]he New York Times recently deemed Canada “hip,” with Justin Trudeau’s rise to prime ministerial power. Trudeau is the down-to-Earth Canadian that we can all identify with. We’ve seen him as the snowboarding instructor, the amateur boxer, the family man. He essentially seduced America to reconsider their opinions toward Canadians. Could these dashing good looks be a coincidence?

Or is it possible that Justin Trudeau was specifically chosen to be the face that would ultimately garner our trust, our hearts, and our vote? Let’s think more deeply about how social media plays a factor in manipulating public opinion to sway votes, ideas, and ultimately the politics of our country.

The year is 1960. Nixon and Kennedy square off in a competition to gain the political upper hand to win the Presidential election. Kennedy has an unfair advantage, however. Not only is he easy on the eyes, he is healthy next to a feverish, sweaty, Nixon. The audience that merely listened to the broadcast on radio generally thought Nixon would be deemed winner; however, with television viewers, Kennedy was champion.

Kennedy and Nixon face-off for the U.S. presidency in 1960.

Jason Mittell explains that Kennedy, the first “made for TV” president, was born from the phenomenon called “emotional television.” TV had the power to resonate with people in a passionate and moving way, and was better able to connect to the people.

The moral of the story is that the combination of charisma, photo ops, and the emotive power of images on television, is said to play a significant — and sometimes precarious — role in politics.

If television has the ability to evoke strong emotional ties to certain politicians through campaign ads and photo ops, then what is to be said about the power of social media? What does this say about the way politicians interact with their voters in contemporary times?

“Such ads work to reinforce upbeat emotional associations for voters and hope to evoke positive visual imagery whenever a voter thinks about a candidate.”- Jason Mitchell

Rupert Murdoch’s New York Post ran an article by Reed Tucker entitled “Hunky Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is the JFK Jr. of Canada.” Would it be too gregarious to state that social media won Justin Trudeau his campaign as television won JFK his presidency in the past?

It is clear that Trudeau was able to utilize social media to his advantage in the horse race coverage during the campaign. Just like JFK did with TV, Trudeau was able to harness his JFK-like good looks and Canadian values, and put them on display for the Internet, which is what resonates with the modern public sphere the most.

Julian Ausserhofer and Axel Maireder conducted a study in Austria that sought to discover the effects of Twitter on national politics. They found that the majority of political debate on the social media platform came mainly from politicians, journalists, and experts in various fields. Although open participation from citizens was available, the findings suggest that the most influential tweets come from a central elite.

While this may seem like common sense, it is important to note that social media is often regarded as a space for citizens to have their opinions heard. However, the evidence suggests that social media sites may be housed under the same roof as every newspaper, TV channel, and other media presence that holds power over how a story is released. This means that citizens are still visiting CBC on the web as they did on television, rather than to seek alternative news sources.

“Those [politicians] who did participate in [social media] conversation, fared better off in image than politicians who did not. Trudeau took full advantage of this connection.”

On that note, the next finding was that politicians harnessed the power of Twitter mainly for the purposes of campaigning, promoting their image, and sharing information with the public. They do not use it to converse with the public; rather, they use it as a one-way dialogue, to promote their image further. However, those who did participate in conversation, fared better off in image than politicians who did not. Trudeau took full advantage of this connection.

Perhaps the trend started with Obama taking particular interest in social media. From this graph, it’s clear that the effort was put in to uphold a strong presence on the Internet and bond with citizens in a new way. After two consecutive terms, Obama is still regarded highly from American citizens. Social media no doubt plays a role in that.

Looking at the current American campaign, Bernie Sanders is rising in popularity. But how did he do this while enduring what his campaign calls a “Bernie blackout” (a lack of coverage compared to other delegates)? The answer: Bernie Sanders’s social media presence is astounding, and at a level never before seen in history. From Obama, to Trudeau, to Sanders, the use of social media amongst politicians in spreading their mandate, public image, and values is rising, along with their popularity among the citizenry.

Although social media has been an extensive tool that has completely reshaped our world, the driving force behind politics has not changed, but merely shifted to accommodate the new technology.

So coming back to the question of whether or not social media won Trudeau the election: perhaps not single handedly, but essentially yes. It did him a world of favours. With the ability to connect with the community on issues, provide trustworthy Canadian appeal, and establish his charming image on modern social media platforms, Trudeau definitely stood out amongst all the rest.

SFU Hockey defeats Trinity Western 3–2

By

EIC

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February 22, 2016

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WEB-Lamont-Lisa Dimyadi — Brendan Lamont scored in both regulation and the shootout.

Love may have been in the air, but it certainly wasn’t on the ice when SFU played host to Trinity Western last Saturday. The Valentine’s Day game was the third one straight against the local rivals, and a total of 74 penalty minutes were recorded between the two teams. The vast majority of these were for scrums after the whistle.

Oh, and there were goals as well. After Trinity Western took a 1–0 lead on a two-on-one break with Brandon Tidy on the powerplay, Brendan Lamont scored for SFU to take the lead, before Russell of Trinity Western scored in the third to tie it up. The game needed a shootout to decide things, where Lamont scored the only goal, giving SFU both the 3–2 win and the two points in the standings.

“I think Tom Spencer said it well. Anytime you play three games in a row against the same team, regular season wise, it’s going to get chippy,” said Head Coach Mark Coletta afterwards. “[When] it’s a regular season game, three in a row, you’re going to get that.”

The Clan are going through a bit of an injury crisis at the moment. Jordan Liem, Jesse Mysiorek, Jesse Williamson, and Jared Babych were all out of tonight’s contest. Despite that, SFU has gotten solid contributions from players such as Dustin Cave, who have come in and done a great job filling in for players. It raises the question of whether the injured players will get their spot back after they are back to full fitness.

“I like the [idea] that you don’t lose your spot because of an injury,” explained Coach Coletta. “If they’re healthy enough, and they’re fit enough, they’re going to jump right back into where we think they serve the team the best.”

Goaltender Lyndon Stanwood, who was named first star after a 42-save performance, was the surprise starter on the night. He was the game day choice after Jordan Liem was not able to play due to an illness.

“Yeah, I felt good,” said Stanwood. “I think I’ve struggled a bit throughout the beginning of the year, haven’t been getting the bounces I want, but I played a lot better today, saw the puck, kept them out of the net, and got the win.”

After the win, Stanwood and teammates celebrated very emphatically, more than the usual business-like approach that has become a part of the team.

Said Stanwood, “they were giving it back to our team so I thought I’d just overexpress my emotions on how happy I was. I didn’t even think about it, I just did it. It was pretty fun.”

SFU sits in first place in the league, two points up on Selkirk College. The rest of the season will be about keeping hold of that first place to ensure home ice advantage, as the Clan has already clinched a playoff spot.

“One hundred percent, home ice advantage is huge,” explained Coletta. “When you can play two out of three at our own rink, especially how we play at home with our team speed, it’s a benefit for us and it’s our goal. We’re only thinking that way right now, to get first place.”

SFU’s six soccer recruits ready to rumble

By

EIC

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February 22, 2016

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WEB-Soccer-SFU Athletics — Kristian Yli-Hietanen scored eight goals in 14 appearances for Capilano last year.

SFU men’s soccer coach Clint Schneider was busy in the offseason looking for new players to help bolster an already strong Clan-squad. Five promising high schoolers and an established college forward signed for SFU, and Coach Schneider sat down with The Peak to hear his views on the new talent making its way up the mountain.

Raheed Rahim (MF)

Previous school: Cariboo Hill Secondary

“Raheed is extremely quick, technically very gifted, creative, does a lot of good things, has lots of good habits. A lot of people will look at Raheed and write him off based on his size [5’7”]. I don’t believe in that, it’s about their ability. Raheed plays with a chip on his shoulder, he’s not afraid of physical play, and he’ll succeed in our environment because he’s a winner.”

Lucas McIlveen (DF)

Previous school: Dr. Charles Best Secondary

“He never looks out of place physically. Good enough pace, very good one-on-one defender, reads the game really well, has good ‘football IQ,’ as we would say, and his technical ability as a centre back is really good, his passing, his technique, etc. Again, a winner, plays for a very good club in the VMSL, wins lots of games there, and it’s no coincidence that he starts a lot of those games.”

Kristian Yli-Hietanen (FW)

Previous school: Capilano University

“I truly believe that he has the ability to step in right away. Now that’s gonna be up to him, but when we brought him up from Pacwest we brought him in because we thought he was going to play. He’s athletic, he simplifies the game as a number nine, he’s excellent in the air, and he can finish. We’re looking for a guy who can finish chances, and he can finish chances.”

Erik Morden (DF/MF)

Previous school: Dr. Charles Best Secondary

“Super athletic and very, very fast. Plays rugby sevens, so physically he is not afraid of contact whatsoever. [. . .] Excellent player, gives us versatility, can play on either side, has a right foot and a left foot. He usually plays left back or left wing for his team, sometimes he plays as a forward too. I would be really surprised if he doesn’t give us minutes this coming year, but it’s up to him.”

Aidan Bain (GK)

Previous School: Terry Fox Secondary

“Aidan has all the tools, big, strong, athletic, extremely driven, very good academically, big hands, which you need for a goalkeeper, reads the game really, technically he’s there. He is as ready to play right away as any other goalkeeper we’ve brought in. [. . .] Will it be tough? Absolutely. It’ll be up to him, just like for any other player we have on the team. But he definitely has the ability to do it.”

Stefan Cuk (DF/MF)

Previous School: Burnaby Central

“He’s versatile, he can play multiple positions. [. . .] Very, very good technically, really good understanding of the game, good athlete, still growing into his body. Tremendous upside, high character, and lives in Burnaby so he’s a guy that’s just down the hill for us. He really has the ability to start for us, but it’s up to him.”

Sadly, we’ve been called out for being a weird Peak clique in the past.

Many issues are being studied when it comes to livestock production, including water pollution and land desertification.

“King of the World” – Weezer

“You and I” – Pvris

“Candyman” – Zedd and Aloe Blacc

“Howling” – Cathedrals

“Inside Your Mind” – Gypsy & The Cat

“Hungry” – White Lung

“Girls Like” – Tinie Tempah feat. Zara Larsson

“Hollywood” – Young Bong

“Malibu Directly” – Yellowbellies

“iT’s YoU” – ZAYN

“All We Know” – Brevner

“On My Heart” – School of Seven Bells

Before my arrival, I imagined seeing the city and taking in the experience of being there. . . unfortunately, I never really got to do that.

“I’ve definitely built a home here — it’s going to be strange leaving.”

“Those [politicians] who did participate in [social media] conversation, fared better off in image than politicians who did not. Trudeau took full advantage of this connection.”