By contributor Aislinn Cottell
WHAT
Free open textbooks available for student use through the BC Open Textbook Project, the first government-sponsored site of its kind.
WHERE
<open.bccampus.ca/find-open-textbooks/>
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
Free textbooks. Need we say more?
WHAT
September 27: Screening of the documentary CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap, followed by a Q&A and discussion. Hosted by Innovation Island, snacks and drinks provided.
WHERE
Vancouver Island University,
900 Fifth St., Nanaimo
Bldg. 355, rm. 203 and 211.
Runs from 5 pm – 8 ...
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
Stuff. How much of it do you have? Think about each piece of clothing, each book, plate, pillow, knick knack, and—the big one—electronic. Think about the number of items you get for Christmas, your birthday, or a shopping spree alone. Think about how much you throw out each year.
It’s enough to make you nauseous.
I was reading this article for class last week, called “Collaborative Consumption: Shifting the Consumer Mindset” by Rachel Botsman and Roo Rogers. Once I finished, I had the overwhelming urge to grab everyone I know by the shoulders ...
By contributor Aislinn Cottell
If you have the time to pry an eye from your textbooks this semester, you might spot a few different faces on the endless stairs we call home. In the wake of several departures from the Creative Writing and English departments last year, some new members have been hired this fall to fill the gaps in our literary line-up.
Alissa Gordaneer is a poet, journalist, and communications professional who, before starting at VIU this semester, spent several years editing for alternative papers such as Victoria’s Monday Magazine and the Detroit Metro Times. ...
Above: Photo via Polygon
By Arts Editor Brendan Barlow
Rarely does a game come around which, on the surface, is so well-suited to my interests and preferences, that I’ve never heard of. The fact that Alone With You was able to sneak by me until I stumbled upon it randomly in the Playstation Store a couple of days ago came to me as a genuine surprise. This is particularly so, having been a fan of the developer’s previous game, Home.
While Home was a pixelated, 8-bit horror game, developer Benjamin Rivers has gone in a different direction with Alone With You, a ...
Above: Photo courtesy of Urs Camenisch
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
5F is a free sports networking app that allows users to find friends who want to stay active in a variety of ways.
Users can create an account displaying which activities they are interested in and what their level of expertise in a given activity is, ranging from wanting to try an activity to being an expert. Users can also set their preference in friends based on the sport, age, gender, and location.
5F was founded by Urs Camenisch, a former air ambulance pilot who believes too many people are ...
Above: The Tragically Hip via rogersarena.com
By contributor Jocelyn Dickson
On August 20, 11.7 million Canadians watched the final concert of The Tragically Hip. Whether or not you’re a fan of the band, there is something to be said about the nationwide sense of togetherness this final tour seemed to create, especially at a time when it is so easy to put up barriers and cut yourself off from others. Groups of people all across Canada and the world tuned in to see the iconic Canadian band’s last show.
Their first song I had ever heard of was “Bobcaygeon”. I really enjoyed Gord ...
By Production Manager Catherine Charlebois
That savoury, crunchy, melt in your mouth flavour? Here’s a healthy alternative to satisfy those late night munchies. Simple, versatile, and with made with basic ingredients, there’s no reason not to try. Meat-eaters, not to worry, these are so packed with flavour, you might not even be able to tell the difference.
Use hot sauce to spice things up or BBQ to tone things down. All ingredients can be changed to make this a vegan or gluten free recipe.
Ingredients:
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets
1/2 cup all-purpose ...
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
Built in 1893, St. Andrew’s United Church is Nanaimo’s oldest house of worship. St. Andrew’s provides united worship service, which is a combination of three Protestant denominations: Congregational Methodist, and Presbyterian. Services are held on Sundays from 10:30 – 11:30 am, led by Minister Debbie Marshall.
“We are a very inclusive church,” Marshall said. “The United church has always been seen as progressive, sort of out there if you like. We are trying to be as inclusive as we can to people of different orientations, different cultures, and ...
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
VIU athletes Chloe Gummer and Dallas Jones were named the PACWEST Athletes of the Week for their performances in soccer and golf respectively.
Gummer scored a hat trick in her PACWEST debut against Douglas College. “I knew our team was capable of winning that game,” she said, “which was motivation in itself to keep playing hard. I also hadn’t scored in awhile, so I was taking a lot of shots and hoping for the best.”
Gummer and the Mariners are hoping to build on their strong start in Saturday’s ...
By contributor Aislinn Cottell
The Awareness of Climate Change through Education and Research group (ACER), is hosting their 5th annual symposia on the VIU campus this month, and would like to encourage all students and faculty to attend.
The symposia will begin at 9 am on Saturday, October 1, and be hosted in bldg. 355, rm.203 and 211. Attendance is free; however, they ask that anyone interested please register in advance by emailing <ACER@viu.ca>.
Presentations will be held in the morning by Tom Pederson, former Executive Director of the Pacific Institute for Climate ...
Above: No Man's Sky via Hello Games
By Arts Editor Brendan Barlow
Announced in 2013, No Man’s Sky has been one of those games that builds a hype train so massive, and so powerful, that the only thing it can really do is explode and kill everyone on board. The prospect of a procedurally generated universe that we could explore to our hearts content seemed like what science fiction and gaming fans alike had wanted since video games became a thing.
Compound the excitement from just the idea of a game like No Man’s Sky with developer Hello Games’ vague and cryptic promises through ...
Above: Photo of Team Pine in the VIU Res Olympics 2016. Courtesy of Ernest Dushime.
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
Registration for VIU intramural sports is now open. Participants must have a full team in order to register. Sign-up is at the gymnasium.
Intramural sports are a great way to make friends during the school year. Ernest Dushime, a second-year student studying social work, was involved in many intramural sports leagues last year and is looking forward to competing again this year.
“It was fun competing against good friends and other passionate players,” said ...
Foreground: Karly Sue Menzie styles grade 12 student Tyra Johnson’s hair.
Background: While Dave Lawrence cut’s grade 3 student Elijah Plante’s hair. Elijah is reading No David by David Shannon, which is being held up by his mother Serena Plante. ????Shanon Fenske
By contributor Shanon Fenske
It was five minutes before 10 am, September 3, on an otherwise unremarkable Saturday morning in Nanaimo’s downtown core. Outside of That 50’s Barber Shop on Victoria Crescent, however, stretched a lineup of children eager for back-to-school haircuts and school supplies. The reason? ...
By VIU Communications’ Dane Gibson
Every student runs into barriers now and then. Whether it’s keeping up with course demands, getting motivated to study, determining a path to success or something else–at those times it’s good to know where to turn.
The VIULEARNS, Enhancing Student Learning Event that gets underway September 26-29 on all VIU campuses is bringing together almost 30 VIU programs, as well as support and student organizations focused solely on VIU student supports and success. For students who attend, it means knowing where to turn will become that much easier to ...
Above: Nanaimo skyline via Wikipedia
By contributor Philip Gordon
The streets of Nanaimo are shifting. Where the salt-air and diaspora meet, hundreds of displaced people gather in huddled masses to talk about how broken the system is that put them there. Downtown Nanaimo is currently a hub of invalids, mental patients, and drug addicts—all of which I have been. And for the last thirty-one days, I’ve played in the streets with my fellow crazy folk.
Ah, the street. To speak of it is to begin the picture of the downtown Nanaimo core—the tourist destinations, the library and coffee ...
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
The VIU Mariners traveled to New Westminster on Saturday to take on the Douglas College Royals in the PACWEST soccer game of the week.
The men’s match ended in a 2-0 victory for the Mariners with a pair of goals from midfielder Victor Blasco. Blasco’s first goal came from a well-placed free kick in the first half, his second came from a stunning shot which he took from 25 yards out; the ball pinged off the underside of the crossbar to cross the line behind the Royals’ goalkeeper, highlighting the second half.
“Both teams came out strong looking for ...
Above: Forward Chloe Gummer lines up a shot. ???? Cole Schisler
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
The Mariners took on the Capilano Blues on Saturday in their first home game of the season.
The women kicked off a damp day at Merle Logan Field. Capilano took an early lead, up by a goal going into the half.
As the teams made their halftime adjustments, the sun broke and the Mariners came out looking like a different team. Chloe Gummer was able to capitalize on one of the many scoring opportunities and tied the game late in the second half.
“I thought our energy was really ...
Above: Pavlov and his dog. All photos via The Long Way Home: Explore Russia with Nikolai&Sasha Facebook page.
By Associate Editor Natalie Gates
There’s no doubt your years at university play a unique part in your personal growth. You transition from the tight confines of high school to the daunting world of careers, or you expand your skills to embark on a new path.
You will meet new people—people with similar interests, and people you just can’t comprehend. And sometimes, that person you found will be sitting beside you seven years later around a campfire in the wild ...
By Arts Editor Brendan Barlow
September 10 and 11 marked a special weekend here in Nanaimo: the second year of MosaiCon, a gaming convention that began its history just last year in the Vancouver Island University cafeteria. This year, however, the convention took place at the significantly larger Nanaimo Conference Centre, where it was able to expand and meet the enthusiastic fans of gaming, cosplay, board games, art, and plenty more, with open arms and ample space.
The word “nerd” has changed its meaning quite a lot over the last few years. I’ve seen this transformation myself, ...
By Sports Editor Cole Schisler
After a strong performance at Douglas, the Mariners took on the Langara Falcons.
The men’s match ended in a 1-1 tie. The Falcons got on the board first due to a miscue between a Mariners’ defender and goalkeeper David Turkstra. The Mariners trailed 0-1 at the end of the first half. After a halftime adjustment, the Mariners came out strong, creating a number of chances on the field which culminated in a goal by midfielder Shun Takano, with Victor Blasco on the assist.
“Sunday was a totally different game against Langara Collage,” said ...
By contributor Aislinn Cottell
Bill Cosby, Jian Ghomeshi, Johnny Depp – the last few years have sometimes felt like a never-ending roll call of the abuse pervades our society.
With incidents involving celebrities especially bringing attention to these problems in the media, there is a growing awareness in the western world that rape and assault are not merely the crimes of monsters hiding down dark alleys, but are often committed by known, and often even beloved, people in our lives.
As more women speak out about their experiences, it is becoming equally apparent how frequent ...
Above: Selkirk Mountains via The Canadian Encyclopedia
By contributor Chantelle Spicer
Over the Labour Day weekend, my partner and I set out into the Selkirk Mountains and delve into some of the human history of our province—ghost towns in BC’s famed “Valley of Ghosts.” This area was part of a boom of development and resource extraction during the Silver Rush in the 1890s. It was once comprised of numerous towns, with the remains of six still (kind of) visible on the landscape. Neither of us knew what to expect going in– especially how our bodies would feel after four to five ...
By contributor Gordan Hak
How do you mix the study of alchemy with creative writing? That’s the question Dr. Cynthea Masson, a member of the VIU English Department, will address in a talk on Friday, September 30. The presentation, “From Academic Article to Fantasy Novel: Medieval Alchemy and The Alchemists’ Council”, is part of the popular Arts & Humanities Colloquium Series. It will be held in the Malaspina Theatre, at 10 am.
Alchemy is about transformation. This medieval science sought to find a universal cure for disease, the means to prolong life with an elixir of ...
By Diana Pearson
Let’s be clear: consent really is as simple as a yes or no. But the catchy taglines don’t acknowledge the subtleties and complexities of sexual desire. How does one interpret body language, and resist making assumptions based on previous sexual experience? What about feelings of vulnerability that make it hard to communicate exactly what one wants and doesn’t want?
It is within these all too common and under-discussed subtleties that lead to misunderstandings, and at least, bad sex, or at worst, sexual violence. In 2015, the Canadian Women’s Foundation (WCF) ...
