Juliane Bitek reads several of her poems at Kwantlen's Black History Month Confab. (Jacob Zinn photo)

On Feb. 8, Kwantlen’s sociology department held its annual Black History Month Confab in the conference centre of the Surrey campus.

This year, the department collected donations for Haiti earthquake relief and raised $220, bringing the classes total to over $3,000.

The well-attended event featured four film screenings on African history and performances by spoken word poets Juliane Bitek, Scruffmouth and John Akpata.

Dr. Charles Quist-Adade, a sociology instructor, has led the discussion since he moved to Kwantlen four years ago. This year’s theme, “The Danger of One Story or the Power of Multiple Stories,” is a combination of two ideas in black history.

“The first part of the theme, ‘The Danger of One Story,’ is actually the title of a talk that was given by the Nigerian author named Chimamanda Adichie,” said Quist-Adade. Adichie’s talk notes that the western media gives only a one-sided rendition of the story of African history.

Quist-Adade added the second part of the theme and explained that multiple stories provide knowledge and empowerment.

The purpose of the discussion was to celebrate and reflect on black achievements, challenges and shortcomings. This year’s confab had a good turnout, but Quist-Adade doesn’t feel the current generation has a strong grasp on black history, which makes it all the more important for youth to attend.

Beyond the recognition of Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., he feels many aren’t aware of lesser-known, historical black figures.

“The contribution of people of African descent to the global stock of knowledge, to world civilization, has been over the years marginalized, at best,” said Quist-Adade, citing advancements in science, social sciences and engineering. “And ignored at worst.”

He feels the biggest issue within black communities is having a media outlet to broadcast their message of African heritage.

“We don’t have the power, we don’t have the voice. [...] When you have the voice, then you can push your identity.”

With the U.S. presidency of Barack Obama, Quist-Adade considers his election to be “the second American Revolution.” But at the same time, he’s realistic about the changes Obama can make.

“While we’re happy he’s elected, our hopes should not be too high,” he said. “We should temper our optimism with pragmatism and realize that he cannot solve the problems of the people of African descent alone and quickly.”

Spoken Word Poetry

Scruffmouth, whose name is derived from his facial hair, has done spoken word poetry since 2004. (Jacob Zinn photo)

[audio:http://www.kwantlenchronicle.ca/audio/Scruffmouth2.mp3]

“Pan-Africanism is Dead” by Scruffmouth

John Akpata is pictured with his spoken word CD titled "Breadcrumbs." He is doing shows in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island throughout Black History Month. (Jacob Zinn photo)

[audio:http://www.kwantlenchronicle.ca/audio/John_Akpata2.mp3]

“To Be or Not to Be” by John Akpata

Doug Meyers retrieves the stray basketball from Brad Quevillon, who dove for it in an attempted turnover. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Friday night, the Kwantlen Eagles won some and lost some against the Langara Falcons on home court in men’s and women’s basketball.

The women’s team had a heartbreaking, down-to-the-last-second loss against Langara with a final score of 68-66.

A questionable pushing foul on Taminder Dhaliwal in the fourth quarter allowed the Falcons to sink two free throws with seven seconds left on the clock.

The score was close for most of the game with the women’s team just behind 27-26 at the end of the second quarter. Shortly after, Jessica Williams closed the gap, tying the game 33.

Other highlights included a breakaway layup by Dhaliwal in the third and a layup through a crowded court by Grace Pawluk.

The women’s team league record sits at seven wins, nine losses.

Meanwhile, the men’s team picked up its third straight win, beating Langara 80-66.

The Eagles closed in on a 20-point lead in the third quarter with four consecutive baskets, two of which were three-point shots, making the score 56-36. The Falcons tried to catch up, but Kwantlen maintained a steady lead through the fourth.

Highlights included a series of baskets by Doug Meyers and a collision between Mike Davis and Langara’s Yassine Ghomari. Davis limped off the court in the remaining seconds of the second quarter, but returned to the court in the third.

The men’s record is now six wins, 10 losses.

Jessica Williams drives past Jade Arignon towards the basket for two points. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Emily Wright dribbles the ball while attempting to pass Stephanie Scott. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Williams keeps up the defense against Jena Riches around the three-point line.

Taminder Dhaliwal tries to block Paige Burnham from passing to her teammates.

Kevin Kokoska wins the tip-off, getting the basketball away from Karol Cybula.

Mike Davis directs his teammates around the Falcons’ basket in the second quarter.

Varinder Singh attempts to keep Hardeep Braich from shooting or passing.

Bernie Love, the Kwantlen Eagle’s Head Coach for the men’s team, provides motivation as the fourth quarter winds down.

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Ivy Mendoza and Heather Poirier ran the sign-up booth for the Wii tournament, which the KSA hopes will get Richmond students involved in recreation. (Jacob Zinn photo)

The Kwantlen Student Association loves Wii.

Last week, students signed up for the KSA-run Nintendo Wii tournament at Kwantlen’s Richmond campus.

The Wiimote-toting tourney, which is scheduled to run through April, will feature selections from the Wii Sports video game, from boxing to bowling.

“Everyone takes turns and they go up against each other and they win prizes,” said Heather Poirier, a KSA volunteer at the Wii Heart Wii booth.

The dates for each competition are tentative. Boxing will likely be in early February, tennis in early March, golf in late March and bowling in April.

Registration for the tournament has ended, but Eddie Lee of the Student Health Improvement Program hopes the games will encourage students to become more physically active and join fitness classes.

Ivy Mendoza, another volunteer, said, “He’s really advocating for intramural sports.”

The school is only offering basketball this semester for intramurals and registration has ended, but other types of recreation such as pilates and yoga are alternative options.

Though Lee isn’t sure if other universities have added the Nintendo Wii to their fitness programs, he hopes to engage students and improve student life. He hopes that  making exercise convenient for students will increase participation.

The yoga and pilates classes have steadily increased in attendance since last semester, but spots are still available and drop-ins are welcome. Kickboxing filled up quickly and is unable to accept any more applicants.

For more information on intramural programs, fitness schedules and prices, visit the SHIP website or email Eddie Lee.

Nathan Griffiths shows how to use a hydrometer to measure alcohol at the Cloverdale campus on Jan. 19. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Who needs a liquor license when students can make their own beer?

On Jan. 19, Nathan Griffiths of the KSA lead a home-brewing seminar at Kwantlen’s Cloverdale campus for about a dozen students, teaching them how to fermented lagers and ales.

“Beer is always popular, definitely an important part of social life,” said Griffiths,  who had a copy of Homebrewing for Dummies. “I just wanted to kind of teach them the science and the process and the history, and of course, how to make it yourself for fun and save some money.”

For the KSA, teaching students to make beer is cheaper than getting a liquor license for a special event, which was a factor in making this first of four educational seminars.

Griffiths got into homebrewing after going to a you-brew business and learning the process of brewing batches of beer.

“I find it to be a much more social way to have friends over,” he said. “If they do a batch, I’ll do a batch and we can swap back and forth. That way, you’re not drinking half a keg of one type of beer.”

It’s illegal to distill hard alcohol, but making beer, wine and cider at home is permitted.

Griffiths recommends first-time brewers use a kit, which is often affordable and come with the ingredients needed to make beer: pre-mixed barley, hops, yeast and fine sugar. He stresses that the instruments must be sanitized because any bacteria can ruin a batch.

The process of homebrewing involves boiling sugar and the contents of a kit in water and leaving it in the primary fermenter for a week. Then it is moved into a secondary fermenter for another two to eight weeks (depending on the recipe) to make the beer more flavourful. Another cup of fine sugar is added to create carbonation and the beer is siphoned into bottles for one more week before consumption.

The temperature is also key during fermentation. Ales can be brewed at room temperature, but lagers should be kept at 10 C.

Events such as this are to being held to encourage student life on different campuses. Cloverdale has two more seminars: one on tenant’s rights and another on the B.C. Industry Training Authority for apprenticeships in different fields of work.

Brandon Tuason, a history and arts student, thinks it's important for students to get the H1N1 vaccine and keep from spreading the virus through the student population. (Jacob Zinn photo)

In a joint effort, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the KSA are providing free H1N1 vaccinations this week to students and employees at all four campuses.

Since Tuesday, more than a hundred on-vaccinations have been administered at the Surrey and Richmond campuses.

Lesley England, a registered nurse with ProGroup, said the turnout for vaccinations has been quite good. On Monday, she expected to give 70 vaccinations at the Surrey campus. She gave 88.

By 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, she’d vaccinated another 45 students on the Richmond campus.

“A lot of people who are getting the H1N1 [vaccine] have never had flu vaccines before,” said England, who is expecting a third wave of the H1N1 influenza virus to arrive in February.

Nurses will visit the Langley campus Thursday and the Cloverdale campus Friday in hopes of immunizing procrastinating students.

When the H1N1 vaccine was being developed last fall, the KSA hoped to include it in the health and dental plan. However, the government purchased enough of the vaccine for all Canadians and offered it for free at clinics.

“It’s readily available now. You can go to your doctor and get the shot,” said Eddie Lee, coordinator of the Student Health Improvement Program.

“However, we know that there are students and employees who probably still won’t go–it’s a lack of convenience for them, so we decided to bring it on campus.”

It’s that inconvenience that has kept Nick Mostar, 22, from finding time for the vaccination.

“I’ve been doing schoolwork and haven’t really had the time to go to a clinic or anything,” said Mostar who is in the engineering program.

Not all students have waited quite as long. Brandon Tuason, 21, got the H1N1 vaccine several months ago. He was at risk of getting the virus because, at birth, he was diagnosed with severe asthma, making him more prone to infection.

“We’re in an environment where everybody’s kinda in close quarters,” said Tuason. “Infections can spread really quickly. I think the school is taking a good initiative in preventing a lot of that by giving the immunization away.”

Sebastien Bergeron displays a bottle of Sleeman's at the Grassroots Cafe. (Jacob Zinn photo)

When the Grassroots Cafe got its liquor license, the KSA developed a group to select the beer that would be served in the cafe. That group was the Beer and Girly Drinks Committee.

The reason for the name?

“It was funny. I think that was it,” said John O’Brian, the KSA Cloverdale Assembly Coordinator.

Nathan Griffiths, the KSA Director of Operations and former co-chair of the Beer and Girly Drinks Committee, said, “At this point, it’s just a funny, quirky thing that’s become part of the culture of the society.”

While the group has succeeded in getting sponsorships with Okanagan Spring Brewery, Sleeman Breweries and Dos Equis, there aren’t any “girly drinks” available. The committee is looking into those, but also says that despite the committees name, manly drinks are not excluded.

However, beer and girly drinks aren’t the only concerns that the KSA deemed worth their own oddly-named committee.

When Ashley Fehr realized the abbreviation for the Academic Issues Committee sounded like “ache,” she felt the committee needed a name change. That’s what prompted the strange name of the Friends and Knights Tackling All Scary/Terrifying Issues/Crises.

Abbreviated, that’s FANTASTIC (The “k” in “Knights” is lowercase and the “n” is uppercase.)

“I was like, all the committees should be awesome words,” said Fehr. “That’s why I decided to make mine FANTASTIC, because if you’re a fantastic committee, then hopefully you can do fantastic things.”

As the Director of Academics, Fehr said that despite the change, the KSA still tackles important academic issues.

“It was not meant to say academic issues aren’t serious,” she said. “We just wanted to do something fun, lighten the mood a bit because before it sounded like ‘ache’ and that’s not very inspiring.”

FANTASTIC will soon go through another name change as the group will become a student senate. One member from each academic and social club will become a member of the senate and they will hold discussions on academic issues.

“The student senate, in my opinion, in my vision, would still talk about those issues as well,” said Fehr. “It would just have a broader scope of what other students think about it instead of just council members who generally are like-minded individuals.”

To better understand how the generational groups at Kwantlen work, the Chronicle polled a sample of students from three campuses: Surrey, Richmond and Langley.

The students were asked what year they were born, how many computers they own, if they have a Facebook page and whether or not they agreed with the generational values usually associated with people their age.

They were then given a five-point history quiz in which major events were named. Students had to give a basic description of 9/11, the Challenger shuttle disaster, JFK’s assassination, knowledge of the Berlin Wall and the bombing of Pearl Harbour.

The following graphs are the compiled results.

First music format purchase - Generation Y

First music format purchase - Generation Z

Facebook page - Generation Y

Facebook page - Generation Z

Number of computers owned - Generation Y

Number of computers owned - Generation Z

Agreement with generational characteristics - Generation Y

Agreement with generational characteristics - Generation Z

Percentage of correct answers to historical quiz - Generation Y

Percentage of correct answers to historical quiz - Generation Z

Alto sax student Laurence Cain, 18, watches guitar student Kyle Poehlke, 21, plays "A Thousand Miles" by Vanessa Carlton on a vintage Fisher Price toy piano. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Parents who remember hearing bands such as the Rolling Stones for the first time when they were kids are now showing their kids these artists for that same experience.

“[My dad] sits in his room, rockin’ out to all that stuff,” said Blake Gervais, 18, a first-year saxophonist in Kwantlen’s music program. “You’re exposed to it ’cause your parents listen to it.”

Gillian White, 18, also a first year saxophonist, added that her parents have control of the radio in the car. “Most of the time, it’s better than the new stuff. They don’t have to fix their voices or anything when they record.”

According to Nielsen SoundScan’s 2008 top-10 list, AC/DC was the second-best selling artist in the United States that year with 3.42 million albums sold. Of those albums, 1.92 million were the band’s 2008 release, Black Ice.

AC/DC, whose members are now aged 54 to 62, released their first album in 1975.

In 2007, the Eagles were the third-best selling artist with 3.6 million albums sold, of which 2.6 million were their 2007 album, Long Road out of Eden, the band’s first album since 1979.

The Eagles, whose members are aged 61 to 62, released their first album in 1972.

In both 2007 and 2008, the rest of the musicians on those top-10 lists were modern artists with high rotation on radio.

Joey Moore, a sociology professor at Vancouver Island University, explained why older music appeals to younger people.

Moore said that some parents force their children to listen to the groups they grew up with, and some teens like the music their parents listened to.

“It’s music their parents pissed off their parents with and they can do the same thing by playing it really loud,” said Moore.

Rebellion through music is associated with youth, and has been for many generations, but Kwantlen guitar teacher Don Hlus said that’s less true today.

“Parents for the most part want to nurture an interest in music, especially in music that the parents understand,” Hlus said. “There’s always these generational gaps and the fact that those are being bridged I think is quite appealing.”

The use of music in video games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero has also introduced new audiences to older music.

Natascia Dell’erba, 18, a first-year vocalist, said she is surprised to hear her eight-year-old sister singing the Doors and Jimi Hendrix songs featured in these video games.

By releasing games on consoles offered by Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, game design companies aim to reach a larger market of gamers than if the games were released on one console.

“You have every single side of the video-game world covered,” said Jessica McLaughlin, 18, a first-year saxophonist.

Sales of the 1974 single “Same Old Song and Dance” by Aerosmith increased 400 per cent with the release of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock in the 2007 Christmas season, according to an MSNBC article.

“Many artists are very shrewd businessmen,” said Hlus. “They’re going, ‘Hey, this is a generation that doesn’t know our music,’ and they feel there is a universal appeal that’s kind of timeless.’

This music has become a common interest not only between youth and parents, but among youth in different social circles. Moore said that despite differing musical tastes, teens in all cliques tend to enjoy ’60s and ’70s bands.

With the re-emergence of older bands in video games, biographic films and reunion tours, today’s musicians don’t put as much effort into their music.

“[There used to be] more of a focus on the musical ability of the artists rather than how good you look on stage and how much money you can throw at a recording studio,” said Gervais.

Music students interviewed also said that cover versions of old songs can’t match up to the original recordings they were based on.

The duo of Blue Voodoo, made up of Rick Dalgarno and Ted Tosoff, play at the Landing Pub & Grill in Ladner every Thursday night. (Jacob Zinn photo)

The Cellar – 3611 West Broadway, Vancouver Price: 2/5; Service: 4/5; Food: 3/5; Atmosphere: 5/5; Music: 5/5.

The Cellar offers live jazz Tuesdays through Sundays. The music lineup changes, with some acts playing on a frequent basis. All acts include quality jazz musicians, such as Doug Towle, performing Oct. 29, and the Matthew Smith Quartet, performing Nov. 1.

The bar’s design is classy, with elegant paintings on maroon walls complementing the dark booths. The dim lighting sets the mood for a relaxing night of jazz and drinks. Depending on the day of the week, talking during performances is often discouraged, but the atmosphere on Tuesdays is more easygoing and quiet chatter is permitted.

The food is a bit pricey (appetizers such as edamame and yam fries start at $9), but according to staff, students do frequent the below-ground bar.

“A lot of UBC students come here,” said waitress Sarah Hawkins, adding that students tend to buy appetizers and alcohol.

There’s no cover charge on Tuesdays, but there is a $10 minimum charge for food or drinks. If you go with friends, you can share a plate of nachos for $14.56.

Carman J. Price and company play Oct. 25 and Zapata Negro, an AfroCuban jazz group, plays Oct. 28.

The Landing Pub & Grill – 5449 Ladner Trunk Rd., Ladner
Price: 4/5; Service: 3/5; Food: 4/5; Atmosphere: 3/5; Music: 4/5.

For a less expensive musical experience, the Landing Pub & Grill has a blues band and $3 off appetizers every Thursday night. With the discount, you can get bruschetta for $4.99 or steak bites for $6.49.

Rick Dalgarno and Ted Tosoff of Blue Voodoo pick their guitar strings every Thursday beneath multicoloured lights. They play original and cover songs for the audience, which they say is getting younger.
“College crowds seem to be catching on more to blues and how blues used to be,” said Dalgarno.

“The future of music anyways is the next generation,” added Tosoff.

At times, the music is hard to hear, but there’s plenty of seating to find a good view with better sound. The pub has two pool tables and free Wi-Fi.

Dishes such as fish tacos and potato skins are basic bar food, but surprisingly tasty. An order of three cheeseburger sliders, after taxes and with the $3 discount, totals at $6.29.

Dublin’s Crossing – 18789 Fraser Hwy., Surrey
Price: 2/5; Service: 3/5; Food: 4/5; Atmosphere: 4/5; Music: 4/5.

The Irish-themed Dublin’s Crossing pub in Surrey offers live music Tuesday through Sunday nights, and occasionally on Mondays.

On the first Monday of October, guitarist Jason Bonnell covered a blend of modern rock (“Use Somebody” by Kings of Leon), Top 40 (“Umbrella” by Rihanna) and bar favourites (“Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash).

There’s a lot of seating, including tables on a mezzanine. But the music tends to get stuck in the background while patrons socialize at the bar or eat dinner, hardly noticing the person on stage.

The service is a bit spotty, but the food at Dublin’s Crossing is better than average bar food. The best deal for Monday nights is 35cent chicken wings, which comes to $3.91 with taxes if you order the minimum of 10 wings.

Dublin’s Crossing also hosts Geoff Gibbons on Oct. 27, James Moore on Oct. 28 and the Pat Chessell Band on Oct. 30 and 31.

The Foggy Dew Irish Pub – 7331 Westminster Hwy., Richmond
Price: 4/5; Service: 3/5; Food: 4/5; Atmosphere: 4/5; Music: 3/5.

The Foggy Dew Irish Pub in Richmond has live rock and R&B on Friday and Saturday nights, starting at 10 p.m.

Though the restaurant is small, it’s a comfortable place to dine out on a budget. You can share a basket of onion rings with friends for $5.59 after taxes.

Other menu items are moderately priced and of good quality; the priciest entree is a New York steak at $17.99. Hamburgers are a deal, priced from $8.99 to $11.99.

There’s something on the menu to fit everyone’s tastes, but the entertainment may not fit everyone’s musical tastes.

The bands and DJs change weekly, playing a variety of genres, but often sticking with modern hits and memorable songs.

There’s no entertainment on Halloween weekend, but DJ Jeff plays the following weekend and the Undercovers play Nov. 13 and 14.

Washington Avenue Grill – 15782 Marine Dr., White Rock
Price: 2/5; Service: 3/5; Food: 5/5; Atmosphere: 4/5; Music: 4/5.

The Washington Avenue Grill isn’t a place for inexpensive dishes, but that’s the price you pay for good live music, free parking and no cover charge.

Parking is limited, but once you’ve found a spot, you can walk up the stairs to a candlelit table near the band.

Outside is a Statue of Liberty wearing a Canucks jersey, but this is not a sports bar. There’s talented live entertainment Wednesday to Sunday, and the line-up changes regularly.

The prices are a little steep, but the desserts are worth your money. For the price of the cheapest appetizer (yam fries), you can get homemade tiramisu or New York cheesecake at $7.34 a slice.

Phil Dixon plays guitar on Oct. 25 and Jani Jakovac plays piano on Oct. 28.

Eighteen 27 – 9185 Glover Rd., Fort Langley
Price: 2/5; Service: 5/5; Food: 5/5; Atmosphere: 4/5; Music: 4/5.

If you’d like to spend $7.34 somewhere else, you can get triple chocolate paté at Eighteen 27 in Fort Langley while listening to Kurt Thys, the restaurant’s personal piano man. Thys bears some resemblance to Billy Joel, but counters that with a pair of white Elton John–style glasses, making his piano playing that much more entertaining.

The restaurant’s a bit dark, but it’s supposed to be, for this swanky joint. Expect to spend a bit more for a bit less. The portions are small and the prices are big, but the food is amazing and items such as fondue aren’t readily available elsewhere.

Entree’s go from $12.99 (sirloin burger) to $23.99 (12-ounce steak), but you can’t put a price on quality. Just try to save a nice tip for Thys, which he collects in a brandy glass at the end of the piano.

The Wired Monk – 12219 Beecher St., Crescent Beach
Price: 4/5; Service: 5/5; Food: 2/5; Atmosphere: 4/5; Music: 3/5.

If you enjoy a walk on the beach before seeing live entertainment, try the Wired Monk at Crescent Beach, which has an open-mic night on Wednesdays.

It’s a small coffee shop where an variety of local talent perform easy listening, blues and soft rock. The performances draw some local regulars, so seating is limited, but there are often enough chairs for everybody and parking is free.

The shop has a very organic, earthy feel to it with shades of brown and green on the walls. It’s a comfortable place to sit down and relax with a cup of coffee. For $5.61, you can get a blended coffee (mocha, espresso, etc.) and a cookie. Their coffee is considerably better than their baked goods.

The Surrey campus G Building will have a Tim Horton's built in room 1105 by the entrance from the courtyard. (Jacob Zinn photo)

Workers at the Chartwell’s cafeteria and Grassroots Café  on the Surrey campus think the planned addition of a Tim Horton’s outlet may affect their business.

“It’s going to impact all of us,” said Belinda Kaplan, director of food services for the Surrey Chartwell’s. “[Students and staff are] probably going to have their morning coffee and their doughnut there instead of here.”

The Tim Horton’s, which is tentatively scheduled to open in February or March, will be built in room 1105 of G building. The room used to be used by faculty, but staff have since been moved to another room.

The project is currently at the drawing stage.

Student demand prompted the addition of the quick-service restaurant. An on-site franchise review by Chartwell’s and Tim Horton’s determined the student population is big enough to support three food services, according to Scott Gowen, director of materials management.

Jim Meschino of facilities management said, “There was a need to recognize that there should be multiple food services available on-site for both faculty staff and students, and there is a growing trend at other universities.”

Other post-secondary institutions such as Douglas College, Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology have Tim Horton’s on their campuses, which are run by Chartwell’s.

“Basically, Tim Horton’s gives Chartwell’s a license agreement to run the Tim Horton’s,” said a manager of the Douglas College Chartwell’s.

Meschino confirmed that the Surrey Tim Horton’s would be run through the Kwantlen Chartwell’s, but added that the school is looking into the possibility of adding more services, such as a Starbucks or Blenz outlet.

Kistie Singh of the Grassroots Café hopes that despite reasonable prices at Tim Horton’s, the allure of movies and quirky workers will bring business to her end of the G building.

“I think it’s important that students recognize that this is a student establishment, not some big corporation,” said Singh.