CAPITALIST, STATE-CONTROLLED, COMPULSORY EDUCATION Marks are meaningless

Rigid grade systems, set school hours, and required classes have been with us for ages, but these models may produce more problems for students than solutions. Most of the secondary school system, with exceptions such as Windsor House and the Purple Thistle, calls for order, regulations, and letter grades in order to keep the students standardized and manageable. Alternative education options such as self-education and student-governed schools are becoming increasingly more popular, and with every succesful graduate, more viable.

Learning by crooked crayon...

Take the case of Roger Farr, a Capilano University Professor who took an interesting route in his education. Farr left high school in grade nine, due to his disinterest in school, which resulted in skipping classes and missing assignments. “It basically came down to an ultimatum with my principal,” Farr said. “He told me I could either turn it around or I would have to leave... so I left.” However, his learning path did not stop there; he grew up in a house of intellectuals and so continued to read books around the house and at the library. He worked, learned, and travelled. Farr continued to expand his knowledge base on his own, but eventually, he went back. “I came to Capilano for one semester and enrolled as a mature student, because I’d been out of the high school system for four years, at the age of 19.” His grades in the first semester were so-so, but nevertheless he felt that his own self education had made him ready for post-secondary. “I felt like I was prepared for it really well intellectually. I had read very widely, and I was used to fumbling around in new ideas.”

After two semesters at Capilano, Farr transferred to SFU and got his BA with an Honours in English, and then finished with his Master’s Degree. “I enjoyed school,” Farr said on obtaining his Master’s, “...but after I’d finished my BA I was reluctant to go back.” After graduation, he didn’t work in an academic area, but rather got a job working at a worker’s co-op, Horizon Foods, which is a natural foods distributor. “I took a job there partially because it seemed like it was organized in a way that I would find agreeable.”

As a former drop-out, he valued having alternatives over established standards and was cautious about the burden of academia. Finally, after a professor's encouragement, he decided. “In Grad school, you’re addressed as a future academic, probably because that’s how the system unfolds. They want bright students to carry on with their work - they feel inspired by that,” Farr said. He decided to teach, and eventually, wound up back at Capilano, where he is now an English and Creative Writing professor.

The fact is that traditional education is not for everyone. Many Cap students have taken advantage of the flexible admission requirements and easy transferability of courses to larger institutions like UBC and SFU, and there is no shortage of success stories. An educated person is not easily defined by standardized grading models. Self-education certainly worked for Farr, and there are many who agree that alternative education, whether self-directed or at an alternative school, is better than the widely chosen option of public or private schools. Consider Leo Tolstoy, a famous Russian writer, on the downsides of traditional education: “School justly presents itself to the child’s mind as an establishment where he is taught that which nobody understands; where the teacher sees in his pupils natural enemies, who, out of their own malice and that of their parents, do not wish to learn that which he has learned; and where the pupils, on their side, look upon their teacher as their enemy, who only out of a personal spite compels them to learn such difficult things ... Education is the tendency of one man to make another just like himself.” These words from the 1860’s provide a raw insight into the educational system we see now—a system which is institutionalized and commodified.

The fraying of the traditonal quill...

According to Matt Hern, editor of the book “Deschooling Our Lives”, institutionalized education is a failure and a waste of money. “Schools waste more money than anyone can fully conceive, demand that our kids spend twelve years of their natural youth in often morbidly depressing and oppressive environments, and pour the energies of thousands upon thousands of eager teachers into demeaning and senseless classroom situations.”

Two local alternatives to this are the Purple Thistle and Windsor House. The Purple Thistle is a youth-run arts and activism centre, which was started in 2001 by eight kids who wanted a place that was a mix between a community centre and an artist-run studio. They hold classes as well as full-time, paid training programs. Essentially, their goal is to focus on inspiring creativity and learning in a non-traditional educational setting. The Purple Thistle is run by a group of young people - they determine classes, programs and manage the resources. Some of the classes are sewing, creative writing, and silk-screening, among many others. Sarah Lum, the coordinator and a silk-screening mentor at the Thistle, says that the Thistle is a place for young people to experience organizing and articulating themselves. “The programming that we have is initiated by youth because there are things they want to learn or develop within themselves,” says Lum. Essentially, the Purple Thistle is the alternative option to what Hern is fighting against—capitalist, state-controlled, compulsory education. Kids go to the Purple Thistle because they want to learn—and they want to do it in their own way. They are more concerned about widening their horizons, expanding their interests, and learning from each other than they are about making an “A” grade in a government required course. They gain tangible skills that they can put to use in the industry or career of their choice. “The Thistle benefits youth because they have the basic resources to create their world and develop themselves,” Lum said, “which in turn supports their creative power and confidence.”

The Thistle avoids a huge part of most education systems—grades. For nearly as long as schools have been in session, the question has been asked: Are grades fair, or even necessary? Does a “B” or an “A” on your record really mean anything to anyone other than your professor or you? And should it even mean anything to those two? John Holt, in his book Instead of Education, argues that requiring grades is contributing to a dangerously authoritarian education system: “Education, with its supporting system of compulsory and competitive schooling, its grades, diplomas, and credentials, seems to me perhaps the most authoritarian and dangerous of all the social inventions of mankind.” He is arguing that allocating a letter grade to a student not only compares them, sometimes unjustly, to other students, but it also puts the teachers and the rulers of the school in total control of a student’s intellect and emotions. If you were genuinely a good writer, but were not able to write within the word limits your teachers gave you and ended up with a “C” grade, how would you then begin to feel about your own talent?

Sarah Lum echoes that point in her ideas about the role of the Purple Thistle. She is very concerned with how traditonal education initiates students into society by submitting their creativity and intelligence to a hierarchy. “The educational system values certain kinds of knowledge over others. I also have problems with students having to "prove" they have learned something by answering questions on a test correctly.”

Holt argues that grades often cause students to doubt their own intelligence and self worth. Grades also have a huge psychological impact on students. According to a study of sixth-grade students published in 1987, the only thing more stressful than grades was the loss of a parent. In 2001, the same study was repeated, and it was found that sixth graders found the stress from grades to be the single most stressful life event, higher than the loss of a parent. Imagine the pressure as students grow up and expectations increase. Even Roger Farr thinks that grades are not always the best measure: “If knowledge can be turned into a number and counted and tallied…then grades are an accurate reflection. But if you have a concept of education as being more organic and complex, then they aren’t at all. They’re definitely unnecessary…there are institutions that don’t use grades and they work really well,” Farr stated.

Take, for example, Evergreen State University in Washington. They don’t use a grading system, but rather, students explore their own interests and the mentor faculty advises on anything from the lab to the library. A portfolio is the result. When they apply to graduate school, they present their portfolio instead of their grade sheets. Grad schools view Evergreen as a respected, if somewhat radical school. However, that piece of paper stating your degree is still necessary to enter the workforce. According to Senator Catherine S. Callbeck, two-thirds of the jobs in the next few years will require a post-secondary education. 

The industry ink...

The problem with free-schools and alternative education is not in the quality of human beings they produce or from the satisfaction of learning in that environment, but from the expectations of industry. The current aim of education is to prepare students for the workforce, and as a result, the workforce informs our curriculum. It's a catch twenty-two... but one that precludes the main role of democratic ecucation, which is to create the type of citizens who are able to govern society and determine the best use of our industry and resource use. As it stands, the current corporatist system is undermining the ideal and making students into consumers, education into commodity.

This isn’t only true for high schools and primary schools. University students in Canada are drowning in huge debts as well. According to Statistics Canada, the average graduate from a bachelor’s degree program owed approximately $20,000 in student debts at the end of 2000, and that amount has continued to increase over the years. Currently, the average student debt is approximately $30,000 in BC. Once more, on a national scale, the student debt overall is more than $13 billion. Huge amounts of money like this leave students questioning if they are truly getting what they are paying for.

Students are no longer attending school because they want to, but simply because they must. The healthy love of learning and self-development is debased by the bottom line. Vinoba Bhave, a famous writer from India, views education as an opportunity to find freedom through learning. “Most people are anxious to complete their education so they can get a salaried job and lead an easy life,” Bhave said, “but this is the wrong way to look at education. Learning has value of its own right…the purpose of learning is freedom, which brings true self-sufficiency.” Freedom comes through knowledge, but it is only valuable if we choose, desire, and thirst for it. 

// Krissi Buscholtz

Writer

// andrew schick illustrations

Blood on the Brand From the Editor

Images of a deaf child’s limb getting chopped off in the back of the pickup truck in Darfur come to mind when a DeBeer’s diamond commercial asks me: “Why don’t you buy her something that will last forever?” Journalism, not commercialism, gifted me with that graphic scene. I watched the CBC piece on Darfur’s blood diamond wars only once and not a thousand DeBeer commercials cannot erase it. DeBeer stopped buying blood diamonds, but is now threatening the livelihood of bushmen in Botswana. I could take pride in the fact that I’ve never bought a blood diamond, but I don’t. I’m guilty of many other third-party murders due to my commercial purchases.

As I fill my car with Chevron gas, I wonder if I’d mind being charged a bit more if it meant they’ll stop poisoning the Bolivians’ water with oil residue. And when my bank account is declining, and I can only afford the beef of a formerly tortured cow from McDonald's with a genetically modified salad, I can't help but consider two countries whose union workers were killed in order for a Coke to accompany my meal: Columbia and Guatemala. It’s horrible, but so is starving myself.

It’s not just me who finds myself in hypocrisy. I’ve had an ‘Ethics’ professor admit to me that he won’t give change to the homeless because he’s afraid they’ll “just use it on drugs.” And even a ‘Human Rights’ professor admitted to me that if the rest of the world lived by his standards, not only would we run out of resources, but we’d need “three planets” worth of resources to sustain ourselves.

Well into our retirement, we will be meeting this form of hypocrisy. As we collect retirement savings from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), some of that money comes from arms manufacturers, tobacco companies, big oil, and companies that engage in criminal activities. The CPP investment board had responded with a “Policy on Responsible Investing.” But groups such as ACT for the Earth argues that the board still violates human rights and respect towards our environment through proxy shares. Now in direct contrast to its own “responsible investing.”

This is the controversy we live, and the hypocrisy that journalism must exploit. Journalists report and condemn corporate actions in Darfur, Rwanda and Congo that we deem as immoral while we relax with a Marlboro cigarette; Marlboro being the brand that slyly advertises itself as “healthy medicine” to pregnant Africans and their babies. The point is that we’re all guilty and our hands are blood red. With such a corrupt system, it’s easy to see why we give up on being fully righteous and fall into complacency.

So what’s the point of being active instead of apathetic towards the issues that advocacy journalism focuses on? As a student in my Human Rights class once retorted against a cold-hearted classroom of naysayers on fighting against the corporate injustices: “I'd rather be one step closer to a distant peace than be nowhere at all.”  I agree.

It may seem that the end result is the same for everyone: Everyone sins as they try to survive. Yet, journalism may help us stay aware of our own wrongs. And through that self-awareness, maybe we can buy one less diamond, drive one mile less, and kill one less person.

// Alamir Novin

Editor

VOICEBOX

first of all, I hope that the price of books will be decreased
for the next semester. They are really expensive and most
students, especially immigrant students, cannot really afford
them.

I think it’s a little bit early that Barack Obama won the peace
prize, though he may deserve it later in his presidential career.
[see Jordan Potter’s piece about this in this week’s opinions section. -giles]

I think that the phonetics and linguistics class is a complete
waste of time. I wish I would have known how stupid it
was before I picked it, otherwise... me and the entire class
wouldn’t have picked it. I wish the teacher was better, and
I wish I could take notes. I wish I hadn’t taken that class.
Thank you.

I actually like linguistics class. Because I’m learning a lot
about speech sounds!
[this guy was a real keener. -giles]

I just took my full license driving test and I failed. Like every-
one I’ve heard of, they all fail the first time, so why is ICBC
charging us so much?

Coffee shouldn’t cost more than two dollars at school.

Um, I wish that Aramark didn’t get rid of the noodle boxes
for the stir fry thing. I used to feel like I was in a sitcom when
I ate them before. Now i just feel like a broke-ass student.

The Capilano Courier has some of the neatest cover art.
[thanks, guy. i drew that. -giles.]

IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND Mobile phone apps are downloading on campuses across the country

TORONTO (CUP) – One in nine students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) own an iPhone or an iPod Touch, and students elsewhere across Canada are embracing the technology with open arms. With smart phones reaching more and more students, universities are taking advantage of the trend.

At least four Canadian universities have introduced mobile phone applications designed to enhance the student experience, putting everything from a personalized class schedule to the ability to reserve computers or study space in the palm of students’ hands.

Eric Neufeld, computer science department head and a developer of the U of S app iUSask, recognized this niche market as he watched students leave his classroom day after day.

“I saw students flipping open their cell phones when they would leave class, and I wanted my department on that phone – to show students that we’re out there, that we’re a part of the current wave of technology and can get things done,” he says.

César Mejía, manager of information technology at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga (UTM) campus and app developer, agrees.

“Our students rely heavily upon all sorts of devices to access and share important information, and we need to meet their needs. We’re well-equipped to do so, since virtually all of our routine business with students is conducted online," said Mejía in an e-mail interview.

At Ryerson University in Toronto, Ont., a simple survey aimed at enhancing library services turned out results the team wasn’t expecting.

“From our point-of-view we wanted student feedback on library services and scheduling. In reality, students wanted to be able to check their own schedules,” says Graham McCarthy, innovative technologies librarian at Ryerson.

The library team took this feedback and turned it into a full-blown tech initiative that included involvement from students in a summer work-study at the university in an effort to better-serve students as a whole with a variety of campus services turned mobile.

The Ryerson app – like the UTM app, both of which went live in September – is web-based, which makes it available to any cell phone with an Internet connection.

“It looks best on the iPhone and the Google Android phones, though,” McCarthy says.

iUSask, however, is currently only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch.

“One of the things that makes [the app] so popular on our campus is the campus-wide Wi-Fi, so the iPod Touch works anywhere on campus,” explains iUSask developer Chad Jones.

The development team is looking to expand their support in the near future to include BlackBerry, as well as adding to the existing features, says Jones.

“We want to get a lunch button on there,” jokes Neufeld.

Common through all the apps are features like varsity sports stats, class schedules, campus maps and directories, and information on upcoming campus events.

“We really had to get in the mindset of the average student – what information do they want on their phone? . . . We wanted to know what they wanted to have to manoeuvre through the institution,” says Neufeld.

So far, in-house teams have developed all the apps, but U of S is beginning to offer their development team to other institutions. They are currently in talks to develop a mobile app for a large university in California, though they declined to specify which institution.

The iUSask team believes that the key to their success was having students involved throughout the whole development.

“Students are really driving the development,” says Jones. “We had undergrad and grad students working directly with the project all the way through. [They] gave daily feedback on features they liked and didn’t like.”

Students across these campuses are embracing the new technology, with 7,512 uses by 1,477 students at Ryerson since the Sept. 14 launch, and over 2,400 iUSask downloads out of 18,000 students since its Aug. 2 release. UTM’s web app had more than 20,000 hits in its first three weeks.

“Students are really impressed that we are able to get all this information to their mobile devices,” says McCarthy.

The University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alta. has also produced iUAlberta, an iPhone app that provides information on university athletics, campus food services, and links to useful websites.

While mobile phone application development is more or less in its infancy, Neufeld sees an incredible future for it.

“There’s a lot of positive social potential with the iPhone,” he says. “You have your day book, your phone, there’s the entertainment aspect, I don’t see why you couldn’t carry all your medical records for your life on your phone.”

// Danielle Webb

CUP Ontario Bureau Chief

RELATIVELY HIGH TURNOUT FOR CSU ELECTIONS Electoral policies to be reviewed for next semester

Ballots were cast by approximately 15% of the student population in the Fall 2009 Capilano Students Union (CSU) election.

After weeks of campaigning and All-Candidates meetings with a small audience, the democratically inclined population of Capilano has made their choice. With no single candidate receiving more than 385 votes, a total of 471 ballots were submitted.

According to Giselle Aiabans, CSU Staff Organizer, that is an “amazing number,” compared to previous elections. She estimated that in the past, a good number has been about 200 votes. She also noted that elections with contested positions usually elicit a higher turnout.

This year, four of eight positions were contested, with minimal post-election complaints.

Candidate Noah Fine lodged a formal complaint against opponent Ngaio Schim, but the Electoral Committee dismissed the complaint as invalid. Fine received written notice for exercising “unfair advantage” of CSU resources.

In the past, general practice for disciplinary action has been one written notice and then disqualification, if the candidate has another violation. Depending on the severity of the offense, candidates may be disqualified based on a single violation.

At a recent executive meeting, chair Trevor Page noted that in light of past discrepancies regarding election policy, there will be a number of proposed resolutions to amend the election bylaws at the upcoming CSU Annual General Meeting. These changes are first on the list of special resolutions to be passed at the meeting.

Noah Fine, Linda Epp, Gurpreet Kambo and Sean Stewart were all re-elected to their positions on the Educational Issues Committee, First Nations Issues Committee, Students of Colour Committee, and Students with Disabilites Committee, respectively.

Newly elected executives are Matthew Bakker for the Environmental Issues Committee, Patrick Surette for the Queer Students Collective, Daniela Hajdukovic as Social Activities Coordinator, and Sarah Vitet as the Women’s Liaison.

// Natalie Corbo

News Editor

NEWS BRIEFS

Students with Disabilities Awareness

Capilano students were encouraged to show their support of students with mental illness last Tuesday and Wednesday, in an event held by the Peer Support Centre (PSC). Students were asked to sign a large board to show support, or to wear a yellow sticker if they know someone affected by mental illness. Students with Disabilities Liaison Shaun Stewart was pleased with the success of the event, and felt that it made people more aware of the PSC. He hoped that the stickers would promote discussion of mental illness. To get involved with the Students with Disabilities committee, attend one of their Wednesday meetings at 12:40 at the Birch cafeteria tables.

Community Planning Summit

The District of North Vancouver is developing a revised Official Community Plan to look ahead to 2030. On November 4, the DNV is holding a Visioning Summit to refine their goals and get public feedback. The meeting will take place at District Hall on Queens Road. The event is free, but registration is required. Visit www.identity.dnv.org for more information. 

// Natalie Corbo

News Editor

THE SEARCH BEGINS Presidential candidate profile complete, job to be posted

After months of anticipation, the wheels have finally been set in motion for Capilano University's first regime change in 15 years. With Greg Lee's last day, July 31, 2010, drawing ever closer, the Presidential Search Committee has completed their candidate profile and requirements, and is ready to post this important position.

The discussions about what would make an ideal candidate began in July of this year, as the newly formed Presidential Search Committee met for the first time. The committee, comprised of representatives from the administration, faculty, Capilano Students Union (CSU), and Board of Governors, enlisted the help of external consulting firm Pinton Forrest & Madden to compile their presidential profile.

The position of President is not easily defined, but according to the profile, has a big-picture focus. Many of the “Specific Responsibilities” come down to ensuring the quality of the institution as a whole. The “Nature and Scope of Work” section has a similarly macro view of the job, stating that “the President anticipates and researches University needs and formulates policies to ensure a continuation of the University’s commitment both to the quality of education and to a comprehensive curriculum. ”

The candidate requirements are specific, and are broken down between education and experience, skills and abilities, and personal characteristics for a total of 27 listed items. “We think about a visionary person, who looks to the future of the students in our community in the next 30 years ... someone who is capable [of exceeding] the students expectations and [has] the right skill set to maintain the needs of the students,” says Ghazal Tohidi, CSU student representative to the search committee.

The presidential search also has a global focus, to reflect the increasing globalization of our times. Instead of advertising in local newspapers, the committee has chosen to place advertisements mainly on professional-geared websites that naturally attract the sort of candidates they are seeking. This decision will also allow the search to be international.

Not only does Ghazal point out that “moving to Vancouver is a dream for a lot of people,” she also notes that “the goal for Capilano University should be to expand and be recognized in the world. With the University status it is possible now, and we are moving towards that direction so we want to … create more partnerships with more countries.”

Though the job had not been posted to any such websites as of the Courier's deadline, the profile has been finalized, and approved by both the Senate and the Board of Governors. Some discussion about the specifics of the document continued as recently as the October 6 Senate meeting, such as whether a PhD is a necessary requirement, or if any doctoral degree is acceptable, and what the term “recognized institution” actually means.

Pinton Forrest & Madden will begin the candidate filtration process in January with preliminary interviews, and the candidates will begin presentations to the Search Committee in March. The committee will send a maximum of two candidates to the Board of Governors for final approval.  

The extent of student input thus far has been limited to the CSU student representatives, though if students wish to express concerns, questions, or feedback they are advised to contact the Presidential Search Committee.

GAME OVER CSU break-in may lead to loss of arcade games forever

Beaming, George Villiavicencio hops up off the CSU lounge table to show off his high score on the classic Atari Tetris machine. Sure enough, the record 990,907 belongs to his initialed alias, GVA.

Moments later, after a brief phone discussion with his wife, he determines that the Tetris machine will probably find its new home at their house. “Tetris is our baby,” he explains, launching into a story about how their fierce competition over the game led to a lifelong bond.

Along with Tetris, the three other arcade machines have been a feature of the Capilano Students Union (CSU) lounge for several years. Their days may be numbered, though, due to a recent break-in sometime between September 25 and October 6. The clasps of the machines were broken open with a crowbar, and the locks sheared, amounting to approximately $1100 worth of damage.

After numerous previous break-ins and repairs, there is no money left to repair the games. Combined with recent safety concerns dictating that the machines must be anchored to the wall in case of an earthquake, George has determined that he “can't deal with the hassle anymore.”

George, who is a librarian at Capilano University, and his business partner, both of whom are long-time game enthusiasts, brought the machines into the CSU. Capilano had never had arcade games before, and they took the opportunity to share their passion with the students. As per their agreement, half the profits from the machines go directly to the CSU, and the other half of the money is put into a contingency fund for repairs, which has been depleted on numerous occasions.

The games have never been a profit making venture, at their busiest period only drawing in about $65 in one month. Occasionally after emptying the machines, “we give away free games for the love of it,” George explains. When students do have to pay, a quarter buys at least two plays.

The perpetrators who broke into the machines most recently would only have been able to pocket several dollars from the machines, leaving George to speculate that they were unable to even cover recover the cost of the crowbar and bolt cutters.

There are no security measures besides the general CSU lounge procedures taken to protect the machines. The locks have been improved over time, though evidently to no avail.

When contacted by the Courier, one Security guard was unfamiliar with the incident, and employees who did have information were unable to respond to questions before deadline.

Since the last break-in, George is prepared to sell the games to the CSU, thereby handing the responsibility over, otherwise they will likely end up on Craigslist.

Though no official proposal has been brought to the CSU, Services Coordinator Sarah Silvester stated that they might consider purchasing the games – but the Executive Board would have to vote on the matter.

The current games include Tetris, Rampage, Soulcalibur, and Marvel Super Heroes. In the past, Black Tiger and Street Fighter have also been in the lounge. George had tentative plans to eventually turn at least one of the machines into a multi-game box.

“Blood, sweat and tears have gone into these games,” says George, “I'd love to see them stay.”

// Natalie Corbo

News Editor

COOK AND WALKER Where the Wild Things Are

Adam’s Take

Where the Wild Things Are opens abruptly. Max, the young protagonist of the film, is in hot pursuit of the family dog. Donning a wolf costume, and growling angrily, he grabs the dog and shakes it around. The frame freezes and the title graces the screen. We are assured this will not be typical mainstream fare. In fact, Where the Wild Things Are is essentially art house; kid style.

Spike Jonze has a crafted a masterful work, that to my recollection, stands as the best interior examination of childhood in cinema. In most “kid movies” we are patronized, and fed regurgitated themes of equality, sharing, and friendship. But in Wild Things, the feelings and themes run much deeper. Fear, aggression, the unknown, and death are all tackled in a way relative to a child's mind.

In one early scene, Max is in school, being taught about our solar system. The teacher mentions how the sun’s life is finite, and therefore so is our presence on this Earth. Clearly, this is a big idea to drop into the mind of a child, and Max is visibly unnerved. It reminded me of when I was around his age and my Grandma told me that the world would end, perhaps sooner rather than later. I didn’t sleep that night. Jonze has an uncanny ability of authentically articulating the forgotten aspects of our childhood, the aspects both wondrous and frightening.

Max is to discover how big the world really is and how small he is in comparison. It is through the use of his own imagination that he realizes the error of using violence as a form of expression. The idea that this is something he would come to on his own, without a lesson from a teacher or a parent, is a powerful one. He begins to develop his own sense of morality and understanding of the people and places that surround him, and how his actions can impact them.

His mom actually fails to correct his problems through yelling, and ultimately she doesn’t quite understand Max. He doesn't quite understand her either, but they both are fascinated by each other. In a particularly poignant scene, Max lies on the floor, tugging at his mom's nylons, while looking up at her, and she down at him. In powerful moments such as these we fully comprehend their deeply rooted love for each other.

The brilliant children's book, of which the film is based on, acts as a perfect blueprint. Jonze expands and even improves the material, making one of the more memorable family films of recent memory. Where the Wild Things Are may not entirely work for all younger viewers, and is better for those who were once children, and have forgotten what it was like. I'd even recommend it as a must-see for parents, who may find themselves understanding their children more after seeing it. The movie reminds us that which other children's films try to make us forget: a child's mind is mysterious, complex, and wild.

Kurt’s Take

Where The Wild Things Are is a film that succeeds through its modesty. It achieves in illustrating its themes through humble circumstances devoid of any pompous artistry that would only skew the necessary sincerity director Spike Jonze has employed in attempt to map out a child's mindset. Jonze's attempt is wholly successful, but Wild Things falls short in its approach to form, whilst its dramatic and storytelling content remains, for the most part, nearly perfect.

Firstly, the score by indie queen Karen O, from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's, is an attempt to recreate the nostalgic atmosphere of Arcade Fire's “Wake Up”, which was used in the much-celebrated trailer. It just merely scrapes by as a sufficient score, yet several tracks have Karen O unnecessarily singing, and when Jonze decides to let these moments of the score play out over fairly effective scenes, it feels as though Karen O takes the front seat of the scene and undermines all cohesion between the beautiful aesthetics and the otherwise efficient compositions.

With that said, for once Jonze has made a film in which the indulgent aesthetics are entirely merited, for the world that Max travels to is his very own: built and exaggerated from numerous objects which Jonze's camera scans over in the opening twenty minutes. The expansions of these objects into larger grandiose figures proves to be one of the films finest achievements in contributing to its atmosphere of replicating childhood complacency. In the rare case of Where the Wild Things Are, style and substance are one and the same.

It must be said though, that Wild Things’ main intention, for its older viewers, lies within being a transportive experience in which the viewer returns to the simplicity of childhood. I struggled in joining this trajectory due to the numerous blemishes which withdrew me from the experience, so in that part, the film’s main ambition failed. But others (many others, for I can see there being a largely agreeable consensus) will surely find the complete opposite of my words and be fully submerged into the film’s intentions.

Another one of these aforementioned blemishes would be the film’s rather overbearing opening which illustrates Max alienated from his family and surroundings due to his inventive mind. Jonze places an overemphasis on the exposition of these themes instead of answering to the call of dramatic subtlety. Also, within the body of the narrative, Jonze curiously underplays the relationship between Max and Carol, which plays out as an integral part of the denouement. This dampens the overall dramatic potential of the ending.

Where The Wild Things Are is probably the best film it could have been under the circumstances in which it was made, and for many moviegoers it will surely live up to the hype of the impressive trailer, or even surpass it. But a select few, whom are as picky as I, may not share the same experience that their peers describe. Regardless, it's worth giving Wild Things a chance, because the chance to be transported back to the simplicity and complacency of childhood is surely worth more than the admission price.

Read more of Kurt Walker’s writing at www.walkinginthecinema.blogspot.com

Read more of Adam Cook’s writing at www.thebronze.weebly.com

THE TWO FACES OF SCOTT MCFARLAND Photoshop Genius or Arthouse Hack?

Scott McFarland’s composite images are lush, glossy, and made with the help of computer software to combine multiple images in one piece: a handy tool called Photoshop. Yet the artist statement leading into his exhibit washes over that term as if this type of creation is not only new and revolutionary, but fit for the walls of Vancouver’s senior art house.

McFarland’s work on display is very divided, with two different statements battling each other within the exhibit. This juxtaposition places photographs side by side – they either depict a desolate locale, or one inhabited by an overabundance of population. He is interested in what he calls the “careful cultivation” of places, with venues ranging from botanical gardens, zoos, and public fountains to sheds, and yards. Basically anywhere humans have groomed and primped (even if it’s been worn down by the time he takes his image, such as his shack series) intrigues McFarland.

An interesting concept of McFarland’s work is the idea of his images being manipulated on a computer combined with the subject material. In a small series throughout the exhibit, McFarland shoots a selection of Los Angeles photo labs that have gone out of business. The colourful signs now sun bleached and the doors boarded up, it’s hard not to feel nostalgic, recalling the days of film photography.

McFarland’s images pose the problem of being too composed, and too tidy. Considering that a multitude of original sources go into creating one final “photograph,” the concept of a focal point is lost, often creating an image too busy or distracting to enjoy. But perhaps that is McFarland’s goal. The colour is also a huge factor, in that the intensity and variety of hues in one single piece can be off-putting in their abrasiveness. The shots feel fake and empty: we, as the viewer, don’t know what is ‘real’, and what is part of the original photographic source material. Considering some shots are singular images and some have dozens of originals making up the final product, it’s hard to move past that concept, and getting caught up in the idea of ‘composites’ can be a deterrent from enjoying the work.

For example, in the piece “Granite Bowl in the Berlin Lustgarten,” a plethora of superimposed characters take center stage, including (but not limited to) an accordion player, dancing children, and buskers. The characters themselves are nothing eye catching, as they all try to compete for the viewer’s busy eye. In the end, the figures merely end up taking away from the beautiful scenery. Consequentially, images like this say nothing specific, and essentially feel like a photoshop jerkoff session, albeit a well done one. It’s a shame that this piece and others like it take such precedence in McFarland’s show, because some of his other work is truly breathtaking.

The pieces of McFarland’s catalogue that showcase an isolated and empty location remain beautiful and exquisite. In conjunction with his other work, the more simplistic and natural pieces are far more striking. It would be a much more interesting display if only these types of images were on exhibit. In imagery of yards and trampolines covered in snow, an empty penguin zoo habitat, or a deserted wood shed, McFarland engages in a narrative dialogue, letting the viewer fill in some blanks that could recall anything based on one’s personal history. These stunning pieces got to the core of what it seems McFarland is truly trying to say: a human disconnect or lack of communication with the subject matter via ‘manipulation’ of the image, creating a feeling of abandonment or isolation.

Shifting between the two separate types of imagery, it is easy to feel lost in the introverted isolated type of images, and then annoyed and unimpressed with the others. Is this the type of reaction Scott McFarland is looking for from his audience? It’s hard to tell. But you can make up your mind personally by visiting the work, which is on display at the VAG through January 3rd.

// JJ Brewis

Writer

ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO, THREE MARC BELL New boundary-devoid comic, Hot Potatoe

I look upon the cover of Hot Potatoe, Marc Bell’s graphic novel that’s due later this month, and think that this guy has established a style that would take the entirety of an article to describe. I’m surprised Tommy LaCroix was able to do it so well in his essay “See You In The Funny Pages”, which is all about Bell and his work. “My comics are pretty ‘free-wheeling,’ so to speak, but I really try hard to rein them and try to make them readable,” says Bell via e-mail. Indeed, searching for a narrative or structure or something to follow is one of the first tasks you undertake in trying to interpret his work.

The interior pages of Hot Potatoe are something along the lines of recounting the slew of events from a night of drunken debauchery, and the hangover, and finding out what it is you may or may not have slept with – all in a single, two-dimensional piece of “fine ahtwerk” in ink. No, that still doesn’t really cut it. It’s part cubist. All objects have a face. “He winds up creating this goofy netherworld, this halfway point where the whole universe he creates hangs between both inanimate and sentient,” LaCroix states when describing Bell’s work in his essay. “The work is busy, intricate, detailed to the point of obsession,” Tommy LaCroix eloquently describes Bell’s art, “informed . . . deftly executed composition.” I happen to agree.

The grotesque details in his work employ, at times, collaborations with likeminded artists, peers, and colleagues – they will literally draw a bit, then post it to the next guy who will in turn do the same thing. The work is what you might call part fine art, part comic, in style. His work has seen art gallery walls, weeklies, even Vice magazine, but this comic launches at a shop on Main street, here in Vancouver. It’s about this, like, protagonist who, on each page, is perpetually subjected by his environment. Perhaps a commentary on life, or the human condition, or what-have-you. LaCroix calls it “Words and scripts…invading the figurative subject matter’s space, crowding it inward and out.”

“In an art gallery, people see [my pieces] as some kind of ‘cartoony’ artwork and in a comic book, this stuff is seen as ‘illustration’ or something else and not comics,” says Bell. One great thing about Marc Bell’s work is the response it gets. The Minneapolis Star Tribune thinks it leaves you feeling “as if you have bees in your head,” and LA Weekly says he’s “a riddle wrapped in a conundrum further wrapped in salty bacon.” You just know this guy’s work is going to be great when people respond this way. Again, I happen to agree. Modeslty, Marc Bell tells me, “I am trapped in some kind of nether region. Sometimes it’s frustrating that I won’t really be taken seriously in either medium, but I can live with it.” You can see for yourself, October 19th, at Lucky’s Comics on Main Street.

// Reza Naghibi

Writer

MUSICIAN SEEKS AUDIENCE Open mic and jam nights in and around Vancouver

Are you musician in need of an audience? Do you love listening to live music? If so, then open mic nights may be what you’re looking for.

Open mics are a great outlet for singer-songwriters. They are a fantastic way to gain experience, increase your confidence, and the perfect place to network in a venue swarming with people who love music. They allow musicians to test out new material and sharpen up their performing skills at the same time. Many venues in and around Vancouver host weekly open mic nights, and there are opportunities almost every night to get your music heard. Even if you don’t have any musical talent, you can still attend and support those who do.

Here is a short list of confirmed venues and the nights they host open mics. There are other venues that you will hear about when you start networking at these events, so this list is just to get you started.

Monday

The Backstage Lounge

1585 Johnston St. (Granville Island)

10 pm, 604-687-1354

Great Bear Pub

5665 Kingway Ave. (Burnaby) 

9 pm, 604-433-8942

The Heritage Grill

447 Columbia St. (New West)

8 pm, 604-759-0819

The Five Point

3124 Main St.

9 pm, 604-876-5810

Tuesday

Amber Jack’s Tap House (Jam Night)

9850 King George Hwy (Surrey)

8:30 pm, 604-495-4091

The Beaver (Samesun Hostel)

1018 Granville St.

604-682-8226

Corduroy Lounge

1943 Cornwall Ave.

8:30 pm, 604-733- 0162

The Orange Room

620 6th St. (New Westminster)

7:30 pm, 778-397-1753

The Princeton Pub Jam Night

1901 Powell St. @ Victoria Drive

8:30 pm, 604-253-6645

Raw Canvas

1046 Hamilton St. (Yaletown)

7:30 pm, 604-687-1729

Wednesday

Cottage Bistro

4470 Main St.

8 pm, 604-876-6138

The Purple Crab

3916 Main St.

604-484-2436

Thursday

Anza Club

3 8th Ave. West @ Ontario St.

Sign up before 9 pm, 604-876-7128

Café Deux Soleils

2096 Commercial Dr.

Sign up 8:45, show at 9 pm, 604-254-1195

The Fireside Café

13593 King George Hwy (Surrey)

7 pm, 604-581-9619

Gallagher's Coffee Bar & Café

7-232 Newport Dr. (Port Moody)

6:30 pm, 604-461-4717

The Purple Crab

3916 Main St.

604-484-2436

The Rusty Gull

175 East 1^st (North Van)

8 pm, 604-988-5585

V Café

1049 Granville St.

(778) 370-1340

Friday

El Barrio

2270 East Hastings St.

8 pm, 604-569-2220

Saturday

Anza Club (Open Dex – For DJs)

3 8th Ave. West @ Ontario St.

10 pm, 604-876-7128

Sunday

Café-O-Lei

12528 Harris Rd. (Pitt Meadows)

2 pm, 604-460-6683

Darby’s

2001 MacDonald St. (Kitsilano)

8 pm, 604-731-0617

Great Bear Pub

5665 Kingway Ave. (Burnaby)

8 pm, 604-433-8942

Marine Pub Jam Night

5820 SE Marine Dr. (Burnaby)

4 – 8 pm or later

There are a few things to do before you head out. Call the venue to make sure they haven’t booked something else in the place of the open mic that night. Head out to the venue early to make sure you’ll have a chance to play, because most of these events are first come first serve. Finally, remember what you are there for. A girl at Café Deux Soleil one Thursday night said, “The only problem with being the 13th person to perform is that you tend to drink a lot before getting on stage!” She then completely butchered her song. So, if you are there to get wasted, then go for it, but if you seriously want to get your music heard and are one of the last on the list to perform, consider pacing yourself.

// Jessica Nolan

Writer