The Bull & Bear February 2013 Issue

February 2013 Issue 006 Vol. 10

A publication of the

B

THE BULL & BEAR

Entertainment Management Conference Protest Protocols Sought by Administration Getting into the Game Your Body Talks Louder Than Your Résumé Mangled Management

Why Help Doesn’t Flood In Thoughts on the Bystander Effect

bullandbearmcgill.com

Editor’s Note Sameer Rizvi

LEAD MARKETS EDITOR

I NEWS 4 Entertainment Managemnt Conference Takes Desautels By Storm 6 Further Input on Protest Protocols Sought By Administration 8 McGill Seeks to Limit Access to Information Requests 10 Greater Representation Granted to BA&Sc Students

MARKETS 11 13 14 15

Getting Into the Game A Wave Worth Catching Herbalife Explained The Next-11

LIFESTYLE

17 Your Body Talks Louder Than Your Résumé 18 Hire Me 19 An Unforgettable Evening With Your Valentine 20 You Can’t Spell Valentine’s Without an I 22 Stop Giving, Start Doing

think it is safe to say that the first six weeks of 2013 have whizzed by faster than we could have imagined. Just yesterday, we were in our homes celebrating Christmas and enjoying our welldeserved break (20°C Dubai winters in my case), and here we are battling through one of the harshest winters Quebec has seen in years. Despite all this, the austere McGill academics show no signs of weakness – as my roommate likes to put it, “McGill is essentially rounds of four month long battles. You get a few weeks to recoup and then you’re back at it.” I dare someone to disagree.

Yet, the most strenuous part of 2013 so far, especially for us U2s, is recruitment. Are my cover letter and resumé in order? Am I the right fit for the industry, the firm, and the job? Do I know my “technicals” inside out? Have I practiced enough cases? And most importantly, do I wear a grey or black suit to the interview? These are only a few of the plethora of questions that I hear floating about in Bronfman everyday. Not getting your dream job out of college can sometimes feel like the be-all, end-all. Yet, it is crucial to take that “50,000 feet view” and appreciate the fact that we are hardly 20, we already know the ins and outs of the industry, and we have gained the exposure of interviewing with important individuals in various firms.

At the end of the day, it is most important to get your foot into the industry: if you have true passion and work hard, there is no reason for you to not make it. Stay strong.

In this month’s issue, we delve deeper into the “Next 11” emerging economies, explore the flaws in scapegoating the PQ, gain an insight into the Entertainment Management Conference (EMC), and even highlight ways to survive Valentine’s Day. There is something to read for everyone. We hope you enjoy this issue and keep reading our articles on our website.

Cheers, Sameer Rizvi sameer@bullandbearmcgill.com

OPINION 24 Why Help Doesn’t Flood In 25 Mangled Management 26 I Blame You 28 Queer Russia 30 Shut Up and Cheer 31 Hot or Not

Desautels Business Conference on Sustainability

PHOTO VIA JEAN MOIREZ

Sean Wiltshire discusses the employment of people with disabilities. Read the full story at http://bullandbear.musonline.com/2012/01/desautels-businessconference-on-sustainability/

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Briefs

BRIEFS Ménage à Trois February 28, 10pm Thompson House Arts’ IDSSA, PSSA, and ESA present a classy mixer that includes drinks and apps. Get your tickets before they sell out!

Your guide to events around campus AUS-SUS Departmental Fair February 19, 10am-3pm SSMU Ballroom Still deciding upon a major or minor?

Learn about the academic programs offered in the Faculty of Arts and in the Faculty of Science here.

5 Days for the Homeless March 10-15 Roddick Gates Students will participate in the event to raise awareness for “Le Bon Dieu dans la rue.”

Around the World Pub Crawl February 22, 7pm Gerts Bar Spending too much time in the library?

The Exec Committee of Desautels’ own International Case Competition will show you how MMICC throws it down!

Majors and Concentrations Fair March 13 Bronfman Building Still deciding what you might want to major in? Stop by and gain some valuable insight into what Desautels has to offer!

International Food Festival February 22, 5pm-9pm SSMU Ballroom Through food and entertainment, Borderless World Volunteers showcase different cultures and traditions. The festival is open to all, so come all and come hungry!

P[h]assion March 22, 10pm Bronfman Building With a passion for humanity, and a love of fashion, this charity will hold its annual fundraiser for a local charity, Maison Plein Coeur.

McGill Race for Dignity February 23 Currie Gym Spin Room $10 for a drop-in spin class, with music, entertainment, and free food and refreshments to support HIV/AIDS research.

Ampersand: the Conference Presents Identity 2.0 February 23, 11am-4pm Lev Bukhman Room- SSMU Building Attend this year’s Ampersand 2013 conference about technology and identity. Speakers include Brian Christian, Rives, and Dr. Derek Ruths.

SSMU Winter General Assembly February 27, 5pm SSMU Ballroom Come to the new and improved GA and have a voice in your student government. New features include online ratification, GA guides, and workshops on rules and debating.

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

Dan Novick Executive Editor Jessica Simmonds Managing Editor Alessandra Hechanova Chief Layout Editor Jean Moirez Media Editor Aimee Pellegrino Lead News Editor Doron Lurie News Editor Sameer Rizvi Lead Markets Editor Max Feinsot Markets Editor April Wu Lead Lifestyle Editor

Vidal Wu Lifestyle Editor Zain Alimohamed Lead Opinion Editor Marisa Samek Opinion Editor Anthony Heinrich Matthew Hunter Brian Lau Michael Tong Layout Editors Kapil Mehra Advertising Director Sami Jaber Henry Fuz-Keeve Diana Cheptene Web Editors Charlotte Plamondon Social Media Rep

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Entertainment Management Conference Takes Desautels by Storm

PHOTO BY DAICHI ISHIKAWA

NEWS

Desautels’ newest conference features expert panelists and innovative case competitions Jessica Simmonds MANAGING EDITOR

Aimee Pellegrino

LEAD NEWS EDITOR

D

esautels’ Bronfman building opened its doors to the unique and competitive world of the entertainment industry by hosting the first Entertainment Management Conference (EMC) from February 1st to 2nd. The conference welcomed over 200 students from all faculties at McGill as well as from Quebec and Ontario universities, such as Ryerson, HEC, UofT, and more. The two day conference

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began with a jam-packed day featuring guest speakers and panelists, including entertainment industry executives, CEOs and company representatives. The panel discussions were then followed by a case competition judged by EMC sponsor evenko.

The first day of the conference allowed the participants to learn about the different facets of the entertainment industry from some of the field’s most

prestigious names. The keynote speakers included President and Co-Founder of Just for Laughs, Andy Nulman, and CEO and Founder of INK Entertainment, Charles Khabouth. The conference placed special emphasis on the music industry, branding and marketing, media, and events and festivals by featuring panelists ranging from IMC President Barry Garber, to Senior VP Production of Cirque du Soleil Charles Joron, to

NEWS Management; Aylam Hofstein, U1 Management; Junyi Liu, U1 Management, as well as JMSB’s Anthony D’Urbano, U3 Marketing and Phillippe Ostiguy, U2 Marketing. Together they devised a social media platform that played to the concept of brand ambassadors that D’Urbano

The conference placed special emphasis on the music industry, branding and marketing, media, and events and festivals.

36 teams. The teams were given less than 12 hours to crack the case, which called for the development of a feasible concept that connects the university student market with the evenko brand.

The winning concept would actually be implemented by evenko. The teams were expected to call upon their creative energy by presenting the evenko judges with a student-directed campaign that had to stay within the constraints of a $5,000 budget.

Judge Dustin Moores explained that the team was looking to “see what evenko’s strengths and weaknesses are from the perspective of their target audience. [They] also wanted to see original ideas that will capture the attention of a large student body. The winning idea was ultimately the most feasible and well-organized.”

The offered prizes acted as great incentives to the participants; prizes for the runners-up included two tickets to an available evenko event of their choice.

The grand prize included the opportunity to go behind-the-scenes as a “Roadie for the Day” and “Photographer for the Day” on the production of Bon Jovi’s February 13-14 shows at the Bell Centre. It was made clear that the winning team will be able to see and aid firsthand in the streamlined yet hectic production of a live rock concert, with each student having the opportunity to work with the crew backstage, interview the crew, and take photos as if they were the local press for the event.

The winning team came from a combination of Desautels and JMSB students. The group was composed of Desautels’ Manuela Gonzalez, U2 The Bull & Bear - February 2013

claimed “would personify the evenko brand on any university campus.”

When asked what differentiated his team’s idea from the others, D’Urbano spoke to the fact that his group’s plan stuck closely to the judges’ iterated criteria: “Ultimately, our concept was not the most original, but it was the most well thought-out. It was ready to be implemented tomorrow.”

Manuella Djuric and Sean Finnell, the Executive Directors and Co-Founders of EMC, spoke to The Bull & Bear regarding the extensive planning for the conference and their overall impressions of how it went.

They initially pitched the idea for EMC to the MUS Board of Directors in March 2012. “Everyone was really excited about the concept from the beginning,” says Finnell. Most of the research and planning began in September 2012, with the organizing committee devoting countless hours per week to EMC, especially in the weeks immediately preceding the conference. “It was a lot of hard work. We wanted to create an all around groundbreaking experience, especially because it was the inaugural year,” notes Djuric.

The organizing committee was thrilled with the outpouring of positive feedback they received from the conference attendees. “It’s a humbling experience in terms of the positive feedback we received. A lot of the participants came up to thank us personally,” finds Djuric. “It just made it all worth it,” exclaims Finnell.

Djuric and Finnell hope that EMC had a lasting impact on students, especially those seeking a career in the

entertainment management industry.

“One common theme from all the panels was having passion and valuing relationships. In this industry, a lot of it is genuinely wanting to do what you’re doing,” Djuric explains. “We’re very lucky nowadays that we don’t have set career paths. It’s good to know that this is another option that isn’t necessarily highlighted at McGill but is a very successful industry.”

The organizers would like to thank the Dean of Management’s Office, the McGill Bookstore, Jay Hewlin, Karl Moore, Sandiford Staff, Alumni Relations, Kathi Murphy, Robert Mackalski, Feldman and our volunteers, HéGarçon, Prep101, Peg Brunelle, the SSMU, Building Services, and founding partner evenko for their invaluable support. “We’d also like to thank our committee. They worked really hard and we’re very proud of them. We knew that it would be tough, and I hope that they will carry this on. I know they are now ready

PHOTO BY DAICHI ISHIKAWA

VP of Astral Radio Martin Spalding.

The day concluded with workshops in networking and negotiating, which were then followed by a cocktail.

Post-cocktails, the conference rolled out its evenko-centered case competition in which students were divided into

Charles Khabouth, CEO of INK Entertainment

to conquer anything they set their minds to,” notes Djuric.

“Our goal from day one was to broaden people’s horizons in terms of the fact that everything in this faculty doesn’t mean you have to go work on Wall Street.

You can use your degree to do something with regards to entertainment. There’s a fun industry out there where you can apply your studies to.”

Dan Novick contributed reporting.

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PHOTO BY ALAIN KASPARIAN

NEWS

Much of the debate surrounding the Operational Procedures section centres on exactly how non-peaceful protests are defined

Further Input on Protest Protocols Sought by Administration Suggested protocols draw criticism from students, CCLA Dafe Oputu

NEWS WRITER

T

he McGill Administration has begun a new phase in the process of creating a provisional protocol governing its response to student protests and demonstrations.

The draft protocol has been split into two sections: a Statement of Values on Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly, and a more contested section on Operational Procedures in the event of protests and demonstrations.

Much of the debate surrounding the Operational Procedures section centres on exactly how non-peaceful protests are defined. According to the draft document, a peaceful protest

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must not take place in “libraries, staff or administrators’ offices, or the reception

definition also includes inconvenience as a measure of non-peaceful protest,

Some critics consider the guidelines in the protocol to be too broad and thus open to arbitrary interpretation. areas of such offices,” language seen by many as a clear attempt to prevent a repeat of last year’s occupations. The

a matter of contention for civil rights groups such as the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

PHOTO BYJEAN MOIREZ

NEWS

In a letter addressed to Vice Principal of Administration and Finance Michael Di Grappa, Cara Zwibel, Director of the CCLA’s Fundamental Freedoms Program, criticized the draft protocol. In the letter, she warns of “a very real potential to prohibit a variety of completely peaceful demonstrations,” and suggests it implies that “events that are simply disruptive or cause some level of inconvenience are not peaceful.” In her view, “inconvenience and disruption are to be expected and

many demonstrations.

According to Vice Principal of Administration and Finance Michael Di Grappa, the lack of specificity in the document is a necessity. “It would be impossible to set out in one document all the possible permutations of every conceivable situation with which the University has to deal,” he explains.

The process of creating these protocols has its roots back in November 2011. In his report responding to the occupation of the James Administration

Two Consultation Fairs will be held in the coming weeks to receive further recommendations from the community will not (and should not) be the subject of sanctions.”

Some critics also consider the guidelines in the protocol to be too broad and thus open to arbitrary interpretation. The draft document refrains from dictating which actions could lead to disciplinary response by the University, or exactly what prerogatives Security Services personnel have should demonstrators refuse to comply with instructions. The protocol also deems that protests as not peaceful if they involve verbal assault, though “verbal assault” is not strictly defined. Zwibel expressed concern in her letter that this could be interpreted to include chants, which are typical to The Bull & Bear - February 2013

Building, McGill’s Dean of Law Daniel Jutras recommended the creation of such a protocol in order to provide specific guidelines for dealing with civic protest on campus. In addition, he recommended to “make it easier for security teams to determine the circumstances in which they should refrain from intervening in what faculty, students and the rest of the university community construe as a peaceful assembly.”

Principal Heather Munroe-Blum called for the creation of provisional protocols after a second occupation of the Administration Building that took place from February 5th to 11th, 2012.

These protocols would specifically

seek to address the second of the six recommendations given by the Jutras Report, that “University authorities should revisit the standard operating procedures of McGill’s Security Services, with a view to articulating clear directives or frameworks in relation to demonstrations, protests and occupations on campus.”

The Jutras Report has been discussed and debated on Universitylaunched websites and at the Open Forum on Free Expression and Peaceful Assembly, led by Dean of Arts Christopher Manfredi. SSMU and other student groups have also given input, and SSMU was specifically consulted prior to the circulation of the most recent draft protocol.

Two “Consultation Fairs” will be held in the coming weeks to receive further recommendations from the community, one on February 13th and another on the 20th. The former will be held on Macdonald Campus and the latter on the downtown campus.

“After the Consultation Fairs, and after the community has expressed its views via our website, the documents will be revised as appropriate,” says Di Grappa. “The Statement of Values will go before Senate at its meeting of March 20th and before the Board of Governors at its meeting of April 26th. It will be up to those bodies to determine any next steps.”

The section on Operating Procedures will not undergo the same review process. Di Grappa explains that the protocol on Operating Procedure is not scheduled to go before the Board of Governors or the Senate for approval, since “procedures are not normally put before such bodies.”

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NEWS

McGill Seeks to Limit

Access to Information Requests Administration alleges that ATI requests motivated by retaliation

Dan Novick

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Aimee Pellegrino

LEAD NEWS EDITOR

M

cGill University has sought to limit Access to Information (ATI) requests. On December 7th, 2012, McGill filed a motion with La Commission d’accès à l’information du Québec to request “to be authorized to disregard requests that are improper because of their number and systematic nature.” Specifically, McGill is seeking to deny several recent ATI requests, filed by 14 students, along with student publications, as well as to have some discretion over adhering to future requests.

Citing various articles published in the McGill Daily, The Concordian, and La Press, the motion reads that “the requests are specifically formulated not only for the purpose of gathering material for publication on the McGilliLeaks website but essentially as a retaliatory measure against McGill in the aftermath of the 2011-2012 student protests.”

ATI requests in question ranged from detailing administrative finances, to uncovering McGill’s role in military research and fossil fuel investments.

McGill is lumping the 14 students together to make the point that there are too many requests being filed and that the “the scope of documents and information requested by the respondents is unreasonable,” notes the Administration in the motion.

McGill is seeking authorization to disregard numerous requests due to their broadness and because the University

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finds that the processing of the requests would seriously interfere with university activities. McGill is also seeking to disregard future requests that show one or many of the following characteristics: overly broad, frivolous, target trivial documents, are similar or identical

The ATI requests listed were filed during the period from October 5th to November 28th, 2012. One ATI request from October 14th, 2012, the exact same ATI request that McGill received on October 11th, seeks to obtain documents and information relating

ATI requests in question ranged from detailing administrative finances, to uncovering McGill’s role in military research and fossil fuel investments. to previous requests, associated to documents published on McGilliLeaked, or “are intended to fail because are obviously subject to imperative restriction to the right of access.”

ATI requests involving military research seek information regarding the Shockwave Physics Group, part of the McGill Department of Mechanical Engineering, which focuses on “the study of high-speed turbulent deflagration and detonation phenomena.” The requests are particularly interested in research at McGill involving military scenarios, arms, detonation, combustion, and shockwaves.

to: “the names and research topics of all researchers employed by McGill who receive funding from external bodies involved in military operations, including arms manufacturers, governmental departments of defense, armed forces, and police agencies.”

On October 19th, McGill requested additional information to adequately process the request. On November 13th, the respondent provided an extremely broad clarification, which included a list of 33 private military contractors, 41 arms manufacturers, as well as Wikipedia

disambiguation lists of: all militaries by country, Ministries of Defence of 67 countries, and Departments of Defence of 7 countries. Also requested was information regarding the names of all researchers employed by McGill who receive funding from external bodies involved in ten police agencies in Canada, including the RCMP and Montreal Police, as well as the Department of Justice, Department of Homeland Security, and the NYPD in the US. Another ATI request, dated October 22nd, 2012, seeks documents listing the amounts of investments held by McGill, including endowment and pension funds in several oil companies, including Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell Company, Enbridge, Transcanada Corp., Imperial Oil, and Suncor Energy. It goes so far as to request documents detailing any ties or conflicts of interest that senior university officials or professors have with said companies.

This, in effect, is seeking the information on the personal investments of university employees.

Other ATI requests seek information on matters including: the amount spent on lobbying and the scope of lobbyist activities, communication between Montreal Police and the Principal’s Office or McGill Security, and the floor plans and maps of all McGill buildings, tunnels, spaces, emergency exits, and fire escapes.

Also requested were: all Memoranda of Understanding and Memoranda of Agreement between McGill and other entities, documents relating to Plan Nord, as well as catering receipts for the offices of Provost Masi and Principal MonroeBlum from 2002-2012.

While the scope of the requests is extensive, the respondents argue that if the motion filed by McGill were to be granted, McGill would have the power to effectively disregard requests from campus media, students with inquiries, and general access to information requests. They find that it would give the Administration near total discretion to decide to grant or deny which ATIs it files.

One of the respondents, who declined to be named, is concerned that “the University cannot be trusted to use this discretion in any fair way. This could deter students and journalists alike from filing ATIs for fear of having their requests rejected.” In addition, the The Bull & Bear - February 2013

PHOTO VIA THE GATEWAY ONLINE

NEWS

respondent finds that “there is no logic that holds up for why these 14 people are being lumped together.”

Christopher Bangs, McGilliLeaked founder and U3 Economics student, states that “the fear is not just for the 14 of us, but anyone who has a connection with us or the aforementioned media sites.

How will McGill decide who is connected with us and our organization? What sort of justifications will the University have in the future?”

According to the respondents, the McGill Administration never forewarned the students that their ATI requests would be denied, nor was it brought to their attention that their requests were “too complex.” Bangs exclaims that he has begun to “question McGill’s motives, because they never told us it was too much, too complex, before they filed this motion. They never talked to us about it.”

In the motion, the Administration writes, “it must be noted that certain requests have been processed in whole or in part by McGill, which demonstrates the willingness of the University to respect its obligations under the Access to Information Act.” The Administration finds that “the scope of documents and information requested by the respondents is unreasonable, each request often representing hundreds if not thousands of pages, and spanning a time period of often more than 10 years.”

The Administration argues that they cannot process all of the requests within prescribed delay of 20 days, nor within the additional 10 days period provided by the Access to Information Act. The McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) spoke to The Bull & Bear regarding the Administration seeking to deny certain ATI

requests.

Dan Novick: In the motion, I was wondering if you could clarify what is meant by the text, “the requests are specifically formulated not only for the purpose of gathering material for publication on the McGilliLeaked website but essentially as a retaliatory measure against McGill in the aftermath of the 2011-2012 student protests.”

Julie Fortier, Associate Director of the MRO: Many of the respondents in the motion have been quite vocal about their disagreements with the Administration and some are closely associated with events that occurred on the McGill campus last year, such as the occupations of the James Administration Building.

Submitting requests that they know are impossible to respond to within the required delays is just another way for them to disrupt university operations, and claim that the University is poorly managed. For example, two of the persons requesting a lot of documents did not come to pick them up when they were informed that they were ready.

Novick: Some students argue that granting this motion would give the Administration near total discretion to decide which ATI requests it grants or denies. What sort of precedent do you think that granting this motion would set for future ATI requests?

Fortier: Let us clarify: we are only asking for permission to ignore abusive requests from these individuals, or others associated with them. This does not mean that we will not deal with other reasonable requests, even requests from these 14 if they are not abusive.

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NEWS

Greater Representation Granted to

BA&Sc Students

BASiC, Nursing and PT/OT pass SSMU motion granting them independent Senate seats Pallavi Kamalsurya NEWS WRITER

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PHOTO BY JEAN MOIREZ

A

fter finally getting the Arts and Science Representative to SSMU last year, this time around the Bachelor of Arts and Science Integrative Council (BASiC), along with representatives from Nursing, and Physical and Occupational Therapy (PT/OT), sought to amend the SSMU by-laws and get seats on the University Senate. This motion passed in the SSMU Legislative Council meeting on Thursday, February 7th.

In an interview with The Bull & Bear, BA&Sc rep to SSMU Victor Lam, Nursing Representative Shane Anzovino, and PT/OT representative Sophia–Maria Giannakakis, indicated that the rationale behind this motion was to get more representation for these smaller programs on Senate.

The 11 senate seats (excluding two for the SSMU President and VP University Affairs) are currently distributed between different faculties on the basis of student enrollment. While each of the different faculties is assigned one seat, Arts currently holds two.

Until this motion, the interests of these smaller programs were represented by the bigger faculties. Arts Senators, as well as Science senators, represented the interests of BA&Sc students, the Medicine senator represented PT/OT and Nursing, and the Arts Senator represented Social Work.

While students from each of these smaller programs are encouraged to run for these seats, the movers of this motion felt that the representation was insufficient.

Lam believed that “there should be an increased diversity of voices heard on Senate.” He found that despite the relatively small size of these programs (between 350650 students), the unique interests of these student bodies are not fully represented by student Senators that are not directly within their program.

How can this seat redistribution be done? At the end of the extended

nomination period, vacant seats are reallocated to the faculties listed based on the student-to-Senator ratio. The motion pushed for by Arts & Science, PT/OT and Nursing called for these vacant seats to be allocated to smaller programs based on enrollment, such that only students from these programs could run for those seats and represent their respective student bodies.

recently sent out another survey to inform the student body and so far has received 58 responses, with 93% in favour of this motion.

“It’s about time,” finds third year Cognitive Science (BA&Sc.) student Wook Yang. Other students have expressed similar views. Nursing President Angela Herman remarked, “This is a big step for small programs. Our interests are fundamentally

Until this motion, the interests of these smaller programs were represented by the bigger faculties.

More importantly were the opinions of the program’s constituents, which showed a clear standpoint. In a survey sent out this January by BASiC, 24% of the BA&Sc student population responded with a resounding 90% approval for this motion.

BASiC, PT/OT and Nursing have also

different from the faculties that represent us right now and with this move, we now have a sense of identity and our voices are not lost in the shuffle.”

Since the motion passed, new Senate seats will be filled by these growing programs in the coming years.

MARKETS THE INVESTMENT BANKER

Getting Into the Game Investing in the US professional sports industry Ethan Belmonte

MACROECONOMIC COLUMNIST

U

nless you are a real estate magnate, hip-hop icon, millionaire tech prodigy, or high-net-worth individual of the like, the odds of you owning a significant share of a sports franchise are quite slim. According to Forbes, out of the 31 current NFL owners, 18 are billionaires. Similarly, 10 out of 30 NHL owners, 10 out of 30 NBA owners and 8 out of 30 MLB owners share this coveted ten-figure status.

What makes investing in the professional sports industry so lucrative? And with recent lockouts in the NBA (2011) and NHL (2012), coupled with the common perception that teams are constantly in the red, why do sports franchises continue to experience increases in value?

Why would Joe Lacob and Peter Guber, for example, purchase the perennial bottom-feeding Golden State Warriors franchise for $450 million, a 43% premium to Forbes’s fair value estimate of $315 million?

Aside from the obvious social and prestige-related benefits associated with owning a sports team (case in point: Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, or Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks), the industry has in fact been quite financially rewarding over the years.

Regulations favouring owner profitability, too, have played key roles in turning the professional sports industry into the attractive business it is today.

Favourable Economic Conditions The economic climate for owners of sports franchises has improved substantially over recent years. The industry managed to withstand the 2008-2009 recession relatively unscathed, even posting Y/Y revenue increases in each of the four major sports leagues (the MLB, NFL, NBA, and NHL).

Sports fans, and evidently, their wallets, maintained loyalty to their teams throughout the economic turbulence.

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

SOURCES: US DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, NATIONAL BUREAU OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH

According to WR Hambrecht + Co.’s annual report on the US professional sports market, spectator sports are increasingly receiving a larger chunk of American consumers’ disposable income, reaching levels unseen since the mid-90s.

Franchises Increasing in Value The report also showed that over the

over the ten-year period. MLB, NBA, and NHL franchises also displayed reasonable growth, recording 7.1%, 5.8%, and 4.3% CAGRs, respectively, over the decade.

This bull market can be explained by the robust performance of each of the industry’s main revenue streams. Higher gate receipts, surges in television revenue,

Aside from the obvious social and prestigerelated benefits associated with owning a sports team, the industry has in fact been quite financially rewarding over the years. last decade, the average value of a US professional sports franchise has ballooned considerably, climbing to all-time highs as of 2011. NFL franchises exhibited the most growth in terms of value, posting an 8.3% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate)

longer network contracts, and the establishment of new arenas (or improvements to old ones) subsidized by taxpayer funds have all played significant roles in fueling the growth of the industry. As a result, overall revenue has soared in each of the

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MARKETS four leagues over the last six years, posting impressive CAGRs subject to low levels of volatility.

The increasingly long-term and profitable nature of television contracts has been a key impetus to the upswing in the value of sports franchises. In 2011, for example, the NFL signed a nine-year television rights contract with CBS, Fox, and NBC, resulting in a record-setting estimated $28 billion in television revenues over the period. ESPN, under Disney, similarly has a significant $1.8 billion in TV rights payments committed to the NFL and MLB through 2013, and to the NBA through 2016.

Franchise owners also have benefited from favourable stadium subsidies from local municipalities. According to research by the College of Holy Cross’s economics department, an excess of $15 billion of taxpayer revenue has been spent on NBA, NFL, and MLB stadium financing over the last decade, saving owners millions in building and renovation costs.

These subsidies, virtually unheard of ten years ago, are buffered by the owners’ threats of franchise relocation, as well as promises of economic benefits to municipalities.

Lower sports-related costs, too, have helped expand the owners’ bottom line.

Recent lockouts in the NBA and NHL are appropriate examples of this. Thanks to amendments to collective bargaining agreements during lockouts, player costs have fallen over recent years. The NBA’s new 2011 CBA, for example, pays players 10.5% less as a percentage of basketballrelated revenue.

Diverse revenue streams and a strong consumer base capable of weathering the ebbs and flows of the economy are the key reasons savvy investors continue to pay premiums for sports franchises. But

SOURCE: FORBES, WR HAMBRECHT+CO

industry. The bubble theory, founded on the increasing disparity between franchise prices and actual cash flow, as well as the industry’s dependence on cable TV subscribers, remains the most important issue. But the increasing tension between players and owners, fueled by unsatisfac-

SOURCE: FORBES, WR HAMBRECHT+CO

tory CBA terms and lockouts, is a longterm problem that must be followed with a careful eye.

Getting Into the Game You don’t have to be Justin Timberlake (minority owner, Memphis Grizzlies) to enjoy a piece of your favourite sports

But the increasing tension between players and owners, fueled by unsatisfactory CBA terms and lockouts, is a long-term problem that must be followed with a careful eye. what’s the downside? Labour disputes, as well as the growing fear that the pro sports industry may indeed be in the midst of a massive bubble continue to loom over the

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such as Manchester United PLC (NYSE: MANU). Another notable publicly-owned franchise is that of the Green Bay Packers, whose untradeable, no-dividend-paying stock serves more as a collector’s item for diehard fans than an actual functioning share.

team. But you may have to be a European football fan. Presently, the majority of publicly held professional sports franchises are European football teams,

Sports-hungry investors can also gain exposure by buying shares in the major companies affiliated with sports franchises. The Toronto Blue Jays, for instance, are owned by the Rogers Blue Jays Partnership, a division of Rogers Communications (TSX: RCI.B), while The New York Knicks and New York Rangers are owned by The Madison Square Garden Co (NASDAQ: MSG).

Disclosure: I have no positions in any of the aforementioned stocks, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

All charts and graphs are taken from The U.S. Professional Sports Market & Franchise Value Report, 2012 by WR Hambrecht + Co.

MARKETS THE TRADER

A Wave Worth Catching?

The consolidation of the Pound Sterling Maxime Riahi

COLUMNIST FOR THE TRADER

F

rom mid-2008 to 2009, the pound sterling lost around 36% of its value against the US dollar.

Usually, after strong and sustained moves in the market (a trend), there will be a cooling off period known as consolidation. During this period market participants take their profits or losses and decide where they think price will go next.

Consolidation periods are marked by uncertainty and indecision. There is no clear direction of price; it is bound by a range.

The consolidation for the Pound, or GBP/USD, is in the form of a symmetrical triangle. There are many chart patterns for consolidation, with triangles being among the most common. In a symmetrical triangle pattern, the lows are getting higher and the highs are getting lower. Price extremes are converging as both bulls and bears are losing steam.

In this case, price is converging to the psychologically important round price of 1.6000. Now the point of price patterns is that they can sometimes help us understand what price will do in the future.

With enough of a sample size, we can be reasonably confident of the accuracy of patterns in predicting price action.

Since triangles appear every day over multiple time frames for financial instruments across the world, it is reasonable for us to use the ensuing behavior of these triangles for predictive purposes. Remember, though, that, like anything else in trading, patterns are not a magic crystal ball; they simply improve your chances of being correct on direction.

What are the defining characteristics of this pound consolidation triangle?

First let us look at its width in time. The triangle, as a whole, if we extend to the end, goes from 2009 to 2014. That is a 5 year triangle. This baby is huge, and therefore incredibly critical. The bigger the triangle, the more important it is.

Why? Because it is obvious and everyThe Bull & Bear - February 2013

PHOTO VIA TRADINGVIEW.COM

Height: 3700 pips Width: 5 years Directional Bias: none

one in the market can see it. Second, we look at the height of the triangle and we see that it is about 3700 pips, also very large. Third, we see that it is a symmetrical triangle, where both the upper resistance and lower support (red lines), are converging. This implies that there is no directional bias within the market for this triangle.

So what?

The implication of a consolidation

bears take power of the market. Because this is a symmetrical pattern with no directional bias, we cannot reasonably predict in what direction it will break, but we know that it will.

Of course there is one caveat. Some triangles never break at all and price fizzles out to the very end point, which is, in this case, early 2014. When this happens, the triangle should be considered invalid and trading based on triangles should be

Some triangles never break at all and price fizzles out to the very end point, which is, in this case, early 2014. pattern of such magnitude is that once it breaks, the ensuing move will be just as big. All consolidation patterns break. This means that the investors who were previously undecided on price direction have now taken action. Therefore, the consolidation pattern breaks through its support or resistance level as either the bulls or

avoided. As you may have inferred, triangles should always break before their end points. Since we are nearing the end point, this break could be very soon.

We don’t know what direction the break will be in, but be ready for it when it comes because this could be a wave worth catching.

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MARKETS THE INVESTMENT MANAGER

Herbalife Explained A pyramid scheme or simply a multi-level marketing strategy?

Colton Dick

INVESTMENT MANAGER COLUMNIST

The Business erbalife is a $4.3 billion global nutrition company that helps ordinary people pursue a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on weight management. Herbalife’s product suite ranges from weight-loss programs to nutritional and personal care goods. It currently operates in 87 countries and employs around 5,000 people.

Herbalife uses a multi-level marketing business model to sell its products worldwide. Multi-level marketing (MLM) is a method of direct selling that compensates its sales force not only for the sales they personally generate, but also for the sales of people they recruit.

MLM has a negative perception due to its similarities to illegal pyramid schemes, and its concentration on the recruitment of a personal sales force.

H

The Problem Over the past few months, Bill Ackman’s hedge fund, Pershing Square Capital Management, has undertaken a substantial short position (~20 million shares or ~20% of float) against Herb-

PHOTO VIA DEALBREAKER.COM

investors and regulators about the fraud.

Ackman states that his thesis is only realized when Herbalife share price touches $0. In December 2012 and early January 2013, Ackman saw unrealized gains of 35% as Herbalife tumbled.

Contrary to Pershing Square, two major financial participants have sided with Herbalife. Daniel Loeb of Third Point Capital has undertaken an 8% long

Icahn has threatened to tender an offer for Herbalife, insinuating that Ackman would suffer the “mother of all short squeezes.” alife. His investment thesis states that Herbalife is a pyramid scheme because more revenue is recognized from the recruitment of Herbalife’s sales force than from the actual sale of their products. Using the media, Ackman has asserted numerous accusations, hoping to enlighten

14

position, while Carl Icahn, a billionaire corporate raider, has not disclosed his stake. Both investors state that Ackman’s claims are unfounded and “preposterous”.

Recently, Icahn and Ackman discussed Herbalife on CNBC where they eventually resorted to the schoolyard tactic of name-

calling. The ongoing battle has inspired confidence in Herbalife as the stock rallied in late January 2013 and erased Ackman’s 35% gains.

What’s Next?

Icahn has threatened to tender an offer for Herbalife, insinuating that Ackman would suffer the “mother of all short squeezes.” The threat is probably more inflammatory than valid, but nonetheless remains a possibility. Secondly, there are several pending lawsuits and investigations that call the validity of Herbalife into question. If any of these investigations conclude with a definitive answer, the stock market will most likely respond accordingly. On January 30th 2013, the FTC shut down Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing for running an illegal pyramid scheme. Herbalife closed down around 4% even though there are no direct implications for the company. Although the outcome is uncertain, markets are inherently zero-sum. The conviction behind both financial mammoths means only one thing: someone is going to lose a lot of money.

MARKETS THE MACROECONOMIST

The Next-11 Goldman calls out 11 nations that have impressive growth potential Alan Liu

MACROECONOMIC COLUMNIST

F

ollowing the success of the BRIC nations, investors and speculators worldwide have been discussing some of the world’s largest future economies. Coined the Next-11 by Goldman Sachs, the nations include Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam.

Despite having varying levels of development, these countries were selected for their high opportunity of future economic growth. While all are either abundant in human capital, natural resources, or a combination of the two, there are still major obstacles hindering the prospects The Bull & Bear - February 2013

ILLUSTRATION BY MOHAMMAD KHAN

of these states becoming a new global economies.

Bangladesh Arguably the least developed state on this list, Bangladesh has a high potential for economic growth thanks to its large population and proximity to India. However, its lack of infrastructure, rampant corruption, and ever-rising inequality will undoubtedly cause problems for the country in the future. While Bangladesh may be the last state in the N-11 to begin rapid development, it has the capability to become a burgeoning player in its regional economy.

Egypt Following the stagnant economic leadership of Hosni Mubarak, there was hope that Egypt would eventually adopt new economic policies following the 2011 revolution. Sadly, the country still remains in political and financial turmoil with the prospect of slumping growth, a widening budget deficit, and a decline in foreign currency reserves. For these reasons, Egypt will face difficult challenges in becoming a more global player.

Indonesia The largest economy in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is a regional economic

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MARKETS

Iran Possessing immense oil reserves, Iran nets handsome government revenue from selling to energy-hungry Asia. However, unlike its Gulf Arab neighbors, Iran does not seem to be ushering in the petroleum wealth seen in Qatar or the UAE. The main problems facing the Islamic Republic are the continued embargo it has with the United States and Europe, its tumulus relationship with its Arab neighbors, and the theocracy that rules the state. Unless more liberal policies favouring privatization are adopted and what could be hyperinflation (in the high 20%’s) is stopped, the immediate economic future for Iran is bleak.

Mexico Mexico’s main pressing issues are corruption within the government, vast income inequality, and an ongoing drug conflict near the American border. Its profitable and skilled labor force has made Mexico into a major industrial exporter in basic and high-tech goods alike.

Coupled with its proximity to major markets, Mexico is poised to be one of the biggest growers in the N-11 in upcoming years.

Nigeria Despite being the dominant member of ECOWAS and having abundant supplies of oil to anchor the economy, Nigeria suffers from a factional divide between the predominantly Muslim north and the Christian south. The conflict has resulted in sporadic violence that has swayed foreign capital away and destabilized the region. I predict Nigeria will retain its position as a regional leader but will not become a more influential player in years to come and will be on a lower tier of growth

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in the N-11 group.

ily due to its already prominent status on the international economic market.

Pakistan Pakistan poses immense potential with regards to infrastructure and its demography, but suffers its own unique share of problems. Rolling power outages, the threat of terrorism, and the loss of faith from investors have caused the richest Pakistanis to move their assets overseas. However, a growing literacy rate and gradual efforts for political reform may change the country for the better in the future. Despite some glimmers of hope, I suspect Pakistan will remain among the lower rungs of the N-11 nations for several decades to come.

Turkey Turkey’s strongest asset is its proximity to Europe. The biggest problems right now in Turkey are inequality, much like many other states, and regional conflict destabilizing areas, notably in the eastern part of the country, where the Turkish government is facing an ongoing conflict with Kurdish rebels. The nation already features strong infrastructure, maturing services and industrial output. In terms of future outlook, Turkey ranks alongside Mexico in being one of the most promising N-11 states in decades to come.

The Philippines The Philippines’ most valuable assets are undoubtedly its rich, fertile land and workforce. English is widely spoken throughout the country, making it easier for international business’ to communicate. Already extensive investments in industries such as automotives, mining,

Vietnam With the highest GDP growth among the N-11 nations, Vietnam is the most likely candidate to showcase China-like economic growth in the next few decades.

However, like many countries on the list, Vietnam suffers from high inflation and nepotism that leads to severe inefficien-

Although its placement is controversial, Korea is argued to have the ability to become one of the world’s largest economies. and electronics have built a firm foundation for future economic growth in the country. Like many of its fellow developing states though, it suffers from importexport imbalance and improper financial austerity measures. Much like its Southeast Asian neighbor, Indonesia, I predict the Philippines will be in the mid-range tier of the N-11 nations.

South Korea Perhaps the biggest outlier on this list, South Korea is the only full democracy among the N-11, has an advanced economy, and is already a wealthy country on a per capita basis. Why are they even on this list? Although its placement is controversial, Korea is argued to have the ability to become one of the world’s largest economies. I disagree with the placement of South Korea in the N-11, primar-

cies. Average growth for the country within the next few years hovers between the high single digits to low double digits. Rising prices in China are causing a growing number of manufacturers to shift production to Vietnam, leading to high investment and growth. Vietnam is also proving to be an invaluable strategic partner to its former adversary, the United States. Vietnam should rank amongst the fastest growing countries within the N-11 in the coming decades.

While these countries have their unique and separate problems, they also possess the ability to become economic powerhouses in their own right. While they may not compete against China or India in terms of raw GDP in the future, the N-11 countries do have the ability to rival the G8 states (save the United States) in decades to come.

PHOTO BY MAJD STEITIEH

power that has high potential for growth thanks to its abundance of natural resources and human labor. Foreign investors seem more attracted to Indonesia following recently curbed inflation and increasing safety of its government securities. On the flip side, it also suffers from severe economic disparity within certain regions, along with high levels of corruption within the government. The economic outlook in Indonesia seems promising as a whole, and I predict that it will be one of the mid-range growers in the N-11 in the next few decades.

YOUR BODY

TALKS LOUDER

THAN YOUR

RÉSUMÉ

Gaining confidence with the two minute power pose Chloé Demeunynck LIFESTYLE WRITER

W

e’ve all been there – sitting across from that person holding your CV, glaring at you contemplatively while seemingly scrutinizing every word you say. You know you have what it takes, yet before you know it, your nerves get the best of you, and you end up improvising instead of delivering your oh-so-well-rehearsed speech about your accomplishments and qualifications.

What if I told you that instead of your nerves getting the best of you (or worse, in this case), you could quite literally control them, instead of them controlling you? Well, the answer lies closer to you than you might think.

Whether we are aware of it or not, we communicate through our body language. We wave as a sign of friendly recognition, bunch our eyebrows together when confused, nod our head as a sign of approval, or gracefully extend our middle digit when offended. But we also give off signs that we might not necessarily be conscious of—like when we bring in our shoulders when we feel inferior, or how we tend to lean forward when talking to someone we like.

It’s not surprising that people, especially those evaluating you, can tell a lot about you just by the way you compose yourself. But what truly caught my curiosity is when I heard that our body language could actually shape the way we think about ourselves. Intrigued about the possible implications, I watched a The Bull & Bear - February 2013

TedTalk by social psychologist Amy Cuddy, whose video received an overwhelming 3 million views, claiming that faking a “power pose”—a wide stance with chin up and elbows out—can actually make you feel more confident and powerful.

According to Cuddy, adopting this ‘fake it until you make it’ strategy “changes our testosterone and cortisol levels, increases our appetite for risk, causes us to perform better in job interviews, and […] configures our brains to cope well in stressful situations.” Aside from thinking that it would look hilarious to just stand still like Superman for

PHOTO VIA VIMEO

PHOTO BY MAJD STEITIEH

LIFESTYLE

able to frown due to botox injections “are happier, on average, than people who can frown.” Botox, anyone? Amy Cuddy even cited a study that found how our “judgments of political candidates’ faces predict 70% of senate and gubernatorial race outcomes.”

The point of all this is that even though this research seems to tell us to ‘fake’ a stance or facial expression to evoke an emotion, there’s an advantage in doing this, especially in today’s society where having self-confidence, successfully coping with stress, and feeling powerful are adaptive traits. As Amy Cuddy

According to Amy Cuddy, adopting a ‘fake it until you make it’ strategy configures our brains to cope well in stressful situations. two minutes in the washroom before a job interview (cape optional), her claim reminded me of the idea of a self-fulfilling prophecy: the ability to turn a false idea into something real.

I decided to investigate whether we really hold the power to change ourselves physiologically by “faking” a positive thought or an assertive stance. Well, many studies show that there is indeed a feedback loop between our body language and the emotions we’re feeling.

One study found that people who are un-

suggests, we can bring out these adaptive traits by simply manipulating our body language.

With the risk of sounding a bit philosophical, “if [you] define a situation as real, they are real in their consequences.”

So next time you’re feeling nervous before a job interview or feel like you could use a confidence booster, do the power pose (bonus points if you wear a cape), and who knows, you might end up sitting on the other side of the desk sooner than you’d think.

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LIFESTYLE

Tips that Career Services doesn’t teach us Claire Llewellyn LIFESTYLE WRITER

I

n the past couple of months, I have become a Career Services junkie. As far as I am concerned, Peg Brunelle is God. I have been endlessly attending Career Services boot camps, Career 101 talks, CV and cover letter writing workshops, and job-hunting sessions. Thanks to them, I now possess a handshake as firm as Donald Trump’s and one sexy CV (in the Desautels resume template of course).

Yet, here I am, two months into my internship search, and nothing, nada, zilch.

A few weeks ago, I attended a session labeled “For anyone who does not have a summer job yet...” In seeing this, I almost peed my pants. This was me!

I instantly canceled all of my plans for that night and made my way to Bronfman 151. There, I found myself sitting

They were the same people I saw burning their eyeballs out, staring at their Macs while ferociously editing their papers until 2 a.m., on the second floor of Bronfman. They were the same ones I networked with at cocktails while spending our weekends doing case cracks, the people who spoke four languages and regularly multitasked.

Plus, I am sure there were a few from the Arts faculty, wondering why they weren’t in Management.

I still don’t have an internship for this summer. So, while I do value each career finding tip that Career Services have given me to be as good as the Ten Commandments, I have a few things I need to say to all my fellow job hunters.

Firstly, I think that we all need to get off of our high horses. They teach

You have a greater chance at being successful, proving your skills, and developing yourself professionally if you are working in a position for which you have passion, interest, and engagement. in a packed auditorium, so full that people were sitting on the ground.

Sitting there amongst the unemployed of Bronfman, I thought to myself, what is wrong with us? Sitting next to me were my fellow peers.

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us in Frosh Week to yell, “Someday we will manage you.” At this rate, the only thing we are going to manage is our allowance (thanks Mom). You need to get down to your very root areas of expertise - be it communication, tech-

PHOTO VIA ROLLINGSTONE.COM

Hire Me

nology, or writing, and leverage those skills to your advantage. If anything, there is one thing that I have learned from all of the workshops I have been to: our skills are malleable.

With that said, it’s time to get creative. Recently, I had an interview with L’Oréal Canada. Despite of the fact that I didn’t get the job, they asked me what my passions were. The truth is, I had a hard time answering this question. All I could think about were my Excel skills, my language skills, and my intercultural perspective. To some extent, these are all incoherent building blocks, not conclusive to any one career path. At the age of 20, we too are moldable. Beyond all of our skills, I have now come to think that our passions are what will get us forward.

So, while I am not a biblical prophet coming down from the employment gods to take you down a path of wealth and prosperity, I believe that by pursuing your passions - as an entry-level average Joe or future CEO, you will be happy. You have a greater chance at being successful, proving your skills, and developing yourself professionally if you are working in a position for which you have passion, interest, and engagement. While having the drive still might not get you hired, I would rather die trying while pursuing my passions.

Let me close by saying that finding a career, an internship, or just an entry-level job is not a passive activity.

You can be like me and go to endless workshops, but this still will not get you anywhere beyond being employment ready. Now that you are ready, let the pursuit begin.

LIFESTYLE

An unforgettable evening with your

Valentine

Maison Boulud at the Ritz-Carlton Kokulan Mahendiran LIFESTYLE WRITER

I

t’s once again that time of year when cupids are busy letting loose arrows in preparation for the most romantic day of the year! Yet, the fact is, it is more likely the pants-wearers, if I may, who are those truly burdened with all the arrangements.

These poor folks would like nothing better than to give their significant other an evening they’ll never forget – be it out of affection, or because they’d otherwise be facing the wrath of their significant other.

What to do? Where to go? Well, what better place to treat your date than La Grande Dame itself, which recently reopened its doors after a multi-million dollar restoration? Regrettably, the cheapest room at the Ritz-Carlton is currently going for $425.00 plus tax. Fortunately, the gem of a hotel situated on Sherbrooke West, between Drummond and Mountain Street, is also home to one of Montreal’s finest restaurants.

Daniel Boulud was born in Lyon some 57 years ago. After working throughout France and Copenhagen under renowned Chefs, he went on to become the private chef to the European Commission in the US capital. 20 years ago Boulud opened his very own restaurant in the Upper East Side of Manhattan called Daniel. Three years ago, Daniel was awarded three Michelin stars, the highest possible rating for a restaurant. Less than a year ago, the acclaimed restaurateur with 14 different restaurants in such cities as London, Singapore, New York and Miami brought his magic to Montreal.

If interested, book your tables ASAP because this is a tremendously hot venue on any day of the week, never mind Valentines Day! Opened this past spring within the newly restored Ritz-Carlton, Maison Boulud is simply astounding and Montrealers are well aware of the hype. Boulud has man-

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

PHOTO VIA TOURISME-MONTREAL.ORG

aged to create and maintain an atmosphere of elegance and comfort, while axing futile opulence and thereby avoiding any accusation of being ostentatious. Upon walking in through the inviting front doors to the restaurant, just right of the hotel’s storied entrance, you are greeted by gracious - and often gorgeous - hostesses who’ll quickly take your coats and get your party seated. As far as seating is concerned, you’ve got some pretty tough choices. There is of course the more casual lounge to your immediate right, followed by the well-stocked bar (capable of inducing Saint Valentine himself to alcoholism), the immaculate dining room, and of course the Jardin du Ritz with its famous duck pond – unfortunately, the garden is not accessible in the winter months.

Alcoholism is however, the least of the sins you should concern yourself with whilst at Maison Boulud. It is in fact gluttony, which is bound to get the better of you. From my own experiences and those of my friends, it’s quite safe to say that there are few dishes at this restaurant that are anything short of exceptional.

As far as the appetizers go, the Duo de Saumon Sauvage has completely won me over. Wild salmon is served using two distinct approaches, both equally delicious. The main course, the Lasagnette de Homard brings new meaning to delicacy.

The lobster is impeccably prepared and the whole dish just goes together marvelously.

For those who prefer red meat to God’s gift from the sea, the Rigatoni Au Jarret Dagneau Braise shall not disappoint. It is truly some of the best braised lamb I’ve ever tasted.

Moving on, no trip to Maison Boulud can be complete without a plate of their mouthwatering deserts. Whether you get their Tarte Mont Blanc or an assortment of

their delicious sorbets, you’re in for quite a treat - the sight of it, the smell of it and the taste of it! Although I’m usually happy with a scoop of chocolate and another of stracciatella come dessert time, if you’ve still got room, the Chocolat Coulant is well worth filling yourself up with. Just think of chocolate, liquid caramel fleur de sel and caramelized milk ice cream all perfectly coming together on a single lip smacking plate!

Although the restaurant has a fine wine list, with especially good brunello di montalcinos, do try out a drink or two from the cocktail menu – the comme à la maison in particular!

Going out for a nice dinner on Valentine’s Day has become an annual tradition for couples around the world. If you want to make sure your date has an unforgettable evening, and ensure you have an unforgettable night, Maison Boulud is the place to go.

Please note that menus at restaurants will vary on and around Valentines Day. If you do not wish to take the preset Valentine’s Day Menu, call ahead to make sure à la carte menus are also available.

Appetizer: Duo de Saumon Sauvage - $17 (wild salmon, olive oil rillettes) Main: Lasagnette de Homard -$34 (Lobster lasagnette, cipollini, wild mushrooms, coral emulsion) Dessert: Chocolat Coulant - $13 (Chocolate Coulant, Liquid Caramel Fleur de Sel, Caramelized Milk Ice Cream) TOTAL: $64.00

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LIFESTYLE

PHOTO VIA BLOGSPOT

You can’t spell Valentine’s without an I

A single’s survival guide to Valentine’s Day Majd Steitieh

LIFESTYLE WRITER

F

ebruary 14th. For some it’s one of the greatest days of the year - receiving flowers, getting yummy sweets and chocolates, and spending time with the one you love.

For others, it’s a day on the couch, eating rocky road ice cream, watching the Vampire Diaries, and wishing for that special someone to come into their life. And as bad as that might sound, they’re still better off than the last group of people: those who associate February 14th with the day before their Cost Accounting Midterm (yikes!).

If you belong to the second group of singles, there is an alternative to spending the night cradling a tub or

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ten of Ben and Jerry’s. We at the Bull & Bear have categorized five alternate ways for you to celebrate Singles Awareness Day, depending on whether you’re smooth, sassy, silly, sluggish, or smart.

Single and Smooth If you’re the smooth, cool girl type then this is your section. Make

this day all about YOU! Remember that book that you still haven’t finished reading (and no, we don’t mean textbook)? Take the time to finally read that last chapter! Are you into taking a day off and just letting your mind rest? Then pamper yourself, and go get a relaxing massage.

If exercising gets your adrenaline flowing, hit up the gym for a bit. Although you may not be getting candy hearts, you’ ll be gifted with a ton of eye candy, and that’s a great tradeoff.

Who doesn’t like seeing guys work out? Plus, you won’t really care how sweaty and messed up your hair will be, because ultimately you’re going there for yourself.

LIFESTYLE

Single and Silly

If you’re the fun and adventurous girl, then this section is for you. Challenge yourself to do something you haven’t done before, or rarely get to do because of your packed schedule.

Take this free day as an opportunity to do something really fun and silly outside of Bronfman. How about going to a Zumba class with some friends?

You’ ll be doing way more laughing than dancing, but it’s a great way to let loose and spend quality time with your friends. Bonus challenge: tape yourselves during the Zumba class.

We guarantee that it’ ll be hilarious watching it afterwards. In fact, why not relive the old high school days and have sleepover at your place? Do all the things you would’ve done back when you were 14: play truth or dare, do each other’s nails, watch a movie (or your tape from Zumba) and of course, dance around your room after you’re all dressed up in silly clothes.

Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” might be particularly fitting for this occasion.

gle”, then this is where you should direct your attention. For you, this day is a blessing in disguise, it’s your chance to meet new people and just have fun! If you love indulging yourself, then spend your morning getting a mani-pedi for absolutely no reason.

While you’re at it, why not get your hair done as well? In the afternoon spend your time shopping (window shopping counts too), and try to find something fabulous to wear for later that night. Most clubs will probably be full of other singles, since most couples will opt to dine out at an expensive restaurant, so it could be a great opportunity to meet someone new or to dance the night away with good friends, as well as new friends you may make at the club that night.

Single and Sluggish If you’re the easy going, “I never want to leave my house” kind of girl, then read on, my friend. Being single on this day is the greatest thing that could ever happen to you! Not only does it mean that you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home, but you don’t need to get out of your pajamas, put on make up, wear heels, get a

gift (or pretend to like the gift you received), or do anything at all. If there were a soundtrack to your life, it would be Bruno Mars’ “The Lazy Song”. Enjoy being comfortable on this day; sleep in and order in (and since it’s just you, you can order messy finger food - no need to be elegant).

Single and Smart If you don’t identify with any of the above, then maybe you’re the smart girl. With midterms just around the corner (dum dum DUM!), it’s not a bad idea to take this time to hit the books and catch up on all your missed readings! Cupid might’ve given you an F in love, but you can offset that by getting straight A’s in school.

But, we go to McGill, so most of us will settle for two As, an A-, and some Bs. No matter what type of girl you are, make sure to have fun and make this day memorable (for the right reasons). Happy Valentine’s Day!

Single and Sassy If you’re the type of girl that uses the phrase “Single and ready to min-

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

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LIFESTYLE

Stop Giving, Start Doing

Ditch the clichéd gifts and plan the perfect date Emily Barber LIFESTYLE WRITER

F

or those of you with significant others, Valentine’s Day can induce emotional states of hysteria and horror. It is, without a doubt, the most highly anticipated holiday of the year by many couples. According to Time Magazine, Americans were expected to spend approximately $126.03 a person on Valentine’s Day last year. However, 82% claimed that they would rather receive an “experience” than a gift from their sweetheart. So this year, dazzle your darling, astonish your admirer, or blow away your beau (no pun intended) by doing instead of giving. After all, flowers die, chocolate gets eaten, but memories (and diamonds) are forever.

Create Your Own Scent

Perfect for: the creative couple running out of cologne and/or perfume; alternatively, those who want to hint subtly at showering more Essence Workshop is a two-hour experience that begins by being introduced to the olfactory world of essences. Following your introduction, you and your partner will be aided by the onsite chemist to create your very own fragrance!

You’ ll leave with 50 ml of your personalized scent, the formula archived for future orders.

Workshops are held upon confirmed reservation only, at L’Hôtel Place d’Armes in Old Montreal. Visit their website for more details: http://essenceworkshop.com.

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Night Skiing

Perfect for: couples that have stuck to their New Year’s resolutions about being active; alternatively, a subtle hint to work out more.

For the sporty couple, what better way to celebrate V-Day than hitting the slopes by moonlight? Bromont (not a joke) is just one hour from Montreal and can be easily reached by bus via https://transdev.ca. Ski Bromont is the largest lit skiable area in America, with 156 different runs spread out over 450 acres of white bliss. Finish off the evening by enjoying aprèsski in the chalet before heading back to the city.

LIFESTYLE

Skating and Hot Chocolate

Check out CookandDate

Perfect for: couples with a passion for cuisine Montreal business CookandDate is a dating network for 364 days of the year, but this Valentine’s Day, they’re offering a couple’s event with Chef Dino Cordileone. Couples will learn from the chef and help him prepare a four course meal consisting of stuffed fig alla coeur de lion, homemade cavatelli in a tomato basil sauce, grilled filet mignon served with chimicuri salsa and homemade vinocotto, and berry tiramisu. This hands-on dining experience is sure to be a fun and delicious evening of learning for any couple. Register with http://www. cookanddate.com to sign up.

Perfect for: hopeless romantics on a tight budget Montreal is home to a multitude of beautiful outdoor skating rinks that serve as the perfect venue for a Valentine’s Day date. Here are the top 3 outdoor rinks around the city. To escape the concrete jungle, make your way up to the top of Mount Royal to enjoy free skating on Beaver Lake surrounded by trees and nature. For the ultimate urban skating experience, take a stroll down to Old Port to skate on Bonsecours Basin and enjoy a most amazing view of La Belle Ville. If the plateau is more your scene, head on over to Parc Lafontaine to glide through one of Montreal’s most romantic and charming parks. When finished skating, don’t miss warming up at Juliette & Chocolat over their to-die-for nutella hot chocolate and chocolate fondue.

Kick back at the spa

Splurge on a night in the Snow Village

Perfect for: adventure-seeking couples who love body heat as a source of warmth; alternatively, those who desire to #elevate their lifestyle.

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The Bull & Bear - February 2013

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23

OPINION

Why Help

Doesn't Flood In Thoughts on the bystander effect Marisa Samek

A

lthough no one was seriously injured during the flooding on January 28th, and the girl in the YouTube video riding down McTavish picked herself up at the McGill Bookstore with, worst case scenario, soaked underwear and a defunct Macbook Pro, a surprising number of students echoed chagrin about not helping her or other students wade through the Reservoir rapids to safety.

These sentiments recall more extreme events, such as the photojournalist who snapped a photograph of a man pushed onto the tracks of an oncoming subway train in New York. The photojournalist defended himself by claiming that he was too far away to assist, shifting the blame onto the bystanders closer to the victim.

Several weeks later, a man was beaten to death in an Edmonton train car carrying at least fifteen other passengers. Not one intervened.

Did the people on the subway platform or the passengers on the train refuse to act only because they felt their personal safety was jeopardized? Or, does the paralysis that comes with making a quick decision to help another stem from a deeper psychological cause? Even though I’ve never had to act fast to save anyone from an encounter with death, I like to think that I’m the type of person who wouldn’t freeze. My only evidence is that I rarely fear helping others in everyday situations such as offering my seat to an old man on the 24 bus, pointing a disoriented

24

OPINION WRITER

tourist in the right direction, or carrying a disgruntled stranger’s groceries.

I wasn’t always so friendly. My mother grew up in Buenos Aires during the Dirty War and taught me and my sisters to be cautious while walking home at night by telling us stories about los desaparecidos (the Disappeared ones) and clipping newspaper articles to our fridge about children being assaulted in the park or metro station near our house.

We internalized the mantra, “don’t talk to strangers,” way before elementary school.

his fly undone, is it your responsibility to tell him? More importantly, how should you tell him? It’s especially difficult to get involved in situations in which we cannot predict how the other person will react and, usually, to avoid miscommunication leading to awkward situations, we choose to do nothing. Haven’t we all crossed the street to avoid a potentially disastrous interaction with an acquaintance? Getting over the fear of not knowing what to say or how to act leads to having the courage to reach out to stop a stranger from rushing

Getting over the fear of not knowing what to say or how to act allows us to have the courage to reach out.

This mantra essentially taught us to view those around us with perpetual suspicion. The city fosters the outlook that nothing is at it seems and “street smarts” is the awareness that everyone has ulterior motives. Montreal, however, is a much safer city than Buenos Aires, and my experiences here have shown me that trusting a stranger doesn’t always lead to triple homicide, as the daughter of an avid CSI-fan was prone to believe.

On a more personal level, the city is full of moments where good intentions come head to head with social etiquette.

For example, if one of your professors has

down McTavish.

I got over my fear of social interactions by playing the following game on the bus.

I look for the people who seem completely different from me and then try to imagine their first kiss. In my imagination, I take them off the bus and into another setting where they carefully transform into nothing more than sweaty palms, sensitive lips, and palpitating hearts. This always reminds me that we all share the same fears, challenges, and desires.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Bull & Bear.

OPINION

Mangled ManagemenT

Why the Faculty of Management isn’t teaching the Management we need to know Tarun Koshy

OPINION WRITER

G

iving the BCom program a cursory glance, it seems that after three to four years, you are given a piece of paper stating that you are now a proud double major in ‘writing’ and ‘recitation,’ with a concentration in ‘following instructions.’

In fact, I have overheard students from both Management and other faculties cynically refer to the BCom program as more of a vocational school for today’s apprenticeships than an actual university-level education.

To be honest, I fell trap to this very aspect, initially joining McGill because it apparently had a great finance-specific program and was internationally renowned by employers.

Having been sorely disappointed, however, in what I was getting out of a semester full of finance classes (because who really needs a life outside CAPM regressions?), I decided to be radically explorative this semester and try new things. Which for me, being ever the adventurer, meant taking Applied Investments and a – wait for it – a Leadership class (gasp). Both classes pleasantly surprised me by demonstrating that the essence of management involves using more than just one aspect of business. It’s not just a math, nor a science, or even an art for that matter. It’s not finance, or marketing, or accounting. Instead, it’s a unique blend which is this program’s greatest potential.

In its current state, the programs offered operate as silos under the Desautels umbrella.

For example, the finance stars focus only on banking, corporate finance, and capital markets theory, the accounting students focus only on IFRS rules and regulations, and so on.

Furthermore, the attempt at building a base of knowledge via the mandatory cross-sectional core courses only encourages students to seek their own field faster, rather than tie a common thread between them all. For instance, with an average grade of 50% on the Introduction to Financial Accounting midterm, who would

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

ever want to explore it further apart from the hardiest of accountants?

That said, there are a few rare gems that I’ve managed to find in my own finance field. Over the past four weeks, both Applied Investments and Leadership have explored a side of management that I’ve never experienced before. From day one of Applied Investments, the professor deliberately avoided theory (or even the actual management of a portfolio), and

core courses mesh together, how a manager has to consider not just finance, marketing, or information systems, but how to juggle it all while dealing with people.

Ultimately, management is the art, science, and math of working with people. It borrows the curiosity to seek out problems from science, the rigor and persistence of dealing with abstracts from math, and a consideration of more than the current state from the arts. Would it not therefore be vastly

With an average grade of 50% on the Introduction to Financial Accounting midterm, who would ever want to explore it further apart from the hardiest of accountants? instead focused on the approach one should take to finance and markets in general, as well as recommended readings like The Ascent of Money and Moneyball. We were told that a good finance practitioner (if not people in general) should always be well-versed not only in finance but also in conceptual subjects like philosophy and physics.

The Leadership class offers even more.

It allows students to discuss the concept of management with leaders in the business world . This is where the essence comes out— opportunities where you can sit down and actually understand how it all fits together— outside the picturesque world of academia.

This offers the greatest value; not memorizing some set of equations to apply when the information is neatly presented in one paragraph. By listening to and researching the speakers, students gain a sense of how all the

superior to build this thread into the entire program? Rather than relegate such value to one silo of courses, why not ingrain these fundamentals in accounting, marketing, and finance classes?

So, at the end of the day, I encourage you all to take what is there for you, go outside the classroom and integrate it all into one giant, messy environment, because that’s what it’s like out there; not the clean, multiple-choice exam waiting for you in a few weeks. If Desautels really wants to say “Beyond Business As Usual” with conviction, they should build this vision of a holistic view to problems into the everyday core classes. It won’t be easy, but anything of real value rarely is.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Bull & Bear.

25

OPINION

I Blame

YOU! Calling attention to scapegoating Laura Thistle

OPINION WRITER

O

n the day of the infamous flood that turned McGill into an island in a matter of minutes, a friend of mine got soaked trying to make his way home. This friend, who has repeatedly voiced his negative opinions about the Parti Quebecois, texted me saying, “The PQ are a bunch of incompetent idiots. I blame them for my wet shoes.� Aware of his longstanding hatred for the PQ , I rolled my eyes, shrugging off his comment. I would expect such a reaction from him; he has always blamed unfortunate occurrences in Quebec on the PQ , no matter how directly they may or may not be responsible. However, he is not the only one who does so;

26

OPINION scapegoating is an omnipresent and counter-productive part of all our lives.

After speaking with my Torontonian mother, I discovered that many Ontarians had made similar brash accusations.

Apparently, she had spoken with a

caused this, right? Wrong...According to a construction worker on site, a valve which was supposed to be closed was left open that afternoon, causing overwhelming pressure on the water equipment to which the valve led. Thus, the true cause of the flood was simple human error. Not a political party and

After disaster, we invariably look for someone whom we can hold responsible. friend who also claimed that the flood was somehow the PQ’s fault, stating it was “poor planning on their part”.

Another popular argument was that the drastic change in temperature over the course of just a few days had been too much for the old pipes to handle, and that such strange climate conditions had been unprecedented since the pipes were built. A potentially more compelling argument is that climate change is to blame for the flood.

Scapegoating – the habit of singling out a particular person or party for unmerited blame and negative treatment – has always been an inherent aspect of human nature.

Charlie Campbell, author of Scapegoat: A History of Blaming Other People, states in his book, “The blame game is one of mankind’s oldest rituals. After disaster, we invariably look for someone whom we can hold responsible.” Desire for retribution, and the very strong negative emotions it elicits, often cause individuals’ judgement to become distorted and biased. Once people have established an entity toward which they feel significant negativity, those individuals become accustomed to blaming that entity for all unfortunate events or circumstances. This tendency can grow proportionally to the resentment felt toward that entity.

Why did McTavish flood? Easy, the PQ! I already dislike them and this happened on their watch, so I might as well blame this on them. I can say the same for climate change.

Everyone knows it’s bad; it probably The Bull & Bear - February 2013

not a global climate phenomenon.

Another well-known instance of scapegoating occurred during and following the spread of HIV/AIDS in North America in the 1980s. When a modern disease breaks out, the scientific community seeks to identify the first confirmed case of the disease.

After the outbreak of HIV in North America, the term Patient Zero was coined to describe the person who received this first diagnosis. Gaëtan

delving into a full analysis of problems and their causes. As a result, individuals who blame problems on pre-established scapegoats fail to accurately assess the full picture, thus preventing them from establishing a logical and, more importantly, effective solution.

The more we turn to scapegoats for answers, the more we distance ourselves from finding real solutions to our problems. In this information age, it is more important than ever to maintain an objective and unbiased stance when analyzing a problem and its possible causes and solutions. After all, as Campbell bluntly concludes in his book, “Scapegoating doesn’t work”.

The erroneous accusations made on January 28th were the result of a longstanding human tendency to jump to conclusions based on pre-existing negative feelings toward particular scapegoats. Human nature dictates that we crave justice and retribution; unfortunately, this desire can often be so strong that we fail to analyze situations objectively and rationally, allowing negative emotions to cloud our judgement. The PQ was not at fault for the January flood. However,

Scapegoating is a lazy practice.

As a result, individuals who blame problems on scapegoats fail to accurately assess the full picture.

Dugas, a Canadian air steward, was identified as HIV’s Patient Zero. He was accused of knowingly spreading the disease to countless partners, and much of the blame for the spread of the disease itself was laid on him.

While there is no denying that Dugas had been diagnosed with HIV, it is unrealistic and unfair to blame the spread of a complex disease on any one person, particularly when that disease is one which neither we nor Dugas fully understand.

Scapegoating is a lazy practice.

It provides for a quick escape from

many individuals impulsively blamed them, out of habit of holding the PQ responsible for problems in Quebec of all sorts in the past. Brash allegations against scapegoats like the PQ are unjustified and unproductive. It’s time we forget about of our go-to culprits and start looking at our problems from a rational, objective viewpoint. Then, maybe some solutions will take shape.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Bull & Bear.

27

OPINION

A Return to Stalinism?

Russian LGBT policies reminiscent of darker times Scott Wilson Myres OPINION WRITER

O

ver the past twenty years, the international community has seen an increasingly global push for universal human rights. For Russia, however, there has existed an icy relationship between the government and such pesky humanitarian movements with their exasperatingly altruistic promoters.

More recently, the rights of LGBT citizens have come to the fore of domestic Russian politics. Yet instead of looking to the West for means of dealing with the situation, the former Soviet state has dusted off its history books of the Stalinist era.

Before charging into a moral judgement of its system (which there will be, fear not), it is important to disaggregate the Russian context. As it currently stands: The Russian Federation considers homosexuality legal (since 1993); Single LGBT citizens are permitted to adopt (though LGBT couples cannot, as same-sex marriage is illegal); Citizens are given the right to change gender (since 1997); and Blood donation is allowed regardless of sexual orientation (since 2008). There are also, officially, no restrictions on homosexuality in the military, though soldiers are de facto advised to hide their sexual orientation.

Despite these civil liberties—some of which are simply loopholes in the system— the Russian model serves as a most draconian example of state discrimination in the Western world. Same-sex marriage is banned, without even the inferior status of civil partnership offered in many less developed nations. Adoption is prohibited, with only married couples permitted the privilege. And, perhaps most disconcertingly, the rights of LGBT citizens to speak and assemble publicly have become increasingly restricted.

This last trend, gaining ground in recent years, has also garnered considerable media attention abroad. With various levels of Russian government making

28

OPINION moves against so-called “homosexual propaganda,” LGBT citizens have found themselves dispossessed from their own public sphere. Moreover, legislation currently before the Federal Assembly of Russia would prohibit the dissemination of such “propaganda” to minors. The fear is that this would encompass such events as gay pride parades, LGBT demonstrations, and even public displays of affection between same-sex couples.

To make matters more complicated, Russian governments are not acting against an opposed public. A majority of Russians themselves continue to hold views that many in the West would consider to border on bigotry. In January 2005, the All-Russian Public Opinion Research Centre conducted a poll showing only 14% of Russians in support of legalizing same-sex marriage.

More ominously, a similar poll that year found 44% of citizens in support of the re-criminalization of homosexual acts between consenting adults. The historical entrenchment of such antihomosexuality runs deep, though, as revealed in a 1989 poll. It showed 32% of

Soviet Russians in favour homosexuals being isolated from society, with another 31% in favour of their execution.

LGBT activists clearly face an uphill battle, fighting against a country that seems to relish repeated dives into the quagmire of Western opposition and international distaste. Especially while so many nations, both developed and developing, are moving to legislate against discrimination based on sexual orientation, Russia appears content to aggravate domestic intolerance.

Stories of discrimination in the workplace are common. As revealed

by Project GayRussia.ru in 2011, after founding an LGBT employee group at Aeroflot (the state-owned airline), flight attendant Maxim Kupreev was given an ultimatum: enter into a heterosexual marriage with his former high school girlfriend, or face dismissal. Kupreev ended up marrying his former girlfriend.

Discrimination in the public sphere is even more prevalent. Moscow Pride parades in particular, begun in 2006, have been banned annually by Moscow City Hall. Despite activists continuing to hold them every year regardless of

governmental approval, each parade has found itself shut down within hours, if not minutes, by city police—or, as in 2011, attacked by ultra-Orthodox protestors.

In June 2012, Moscow courts thought it prudent to institute a hundred-year ban on the parade.

All of this must be placed against the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing attempts at regaining the international weight and superpower status it lost following the USSR’s dissolution. Yet such aims are laughable when the world finds itself unable to overlook Russia’s medieval domestic policies and desultory attempts at solving them.

Rather than using foreign policy as a means of reliving the Soviet past, it should instead focus its attention on protecting and consolidating the rights of its own citizens. For, how can a nation such as Russia find empathy from others when it treats its most vulnerable citizens in ways jarringly reminiscent of the Stalinist era?

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Bull & Bear.

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29

OPINION

Shut Up and Cheer A two-sided look at the culture of negligence in professional hockey Wyatt Hnatiw

OPINION WRITER

H

ockey’s back. I can’t wait to embrace my national stereotype, pound some Molson and cheer myself hoarser than the last day of Management Carnival. Although I’m incredibly excited, I’m more concerned with the state of the game and the NHL in general. One side of me wants to spend my remaining grocery money on Canadiens tickets and warm Molson Export whereas the rational me wants to analyze the latest lockout.

Rational Wyatt: There have been three NHL lockouts in the last twenty years. In the wake of each, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has to deal with the potential loss of fans and market share. In Canada, however, this will never be an issue. We return to the game with the same passion that compels Canadiens fans to flip police cars when they win. Even if the Air Canada Centre crowd mostly consists of businessmen eating sushi, the Canadian attendance is there. Since Bettman took the job as commissioner in ’93, the emphasis

fourth sport in the US, lagging far behind football and baseball in popularity. Even though it attracts nearly as many viewers as basketball (sports.yahoo.com), hockey still gets far less attention from ESPN, or any news outlet that isn’t TSN. As the NHL continues expanding in the States, attendance and viewership rise, Gary Bettman annually announces record revenues, and then every six to ten years, like clockwork, hockey surrenders a large portion of its season to a lockout. How can Bettman expect American expansion when he subsequently turns his back on new fans by taking the game away every time the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) expires? Does he really think last year’s fans, such as those drawn by LA’s unlikely Stanley Cup, are going to come rushing back?

Fan Wyatt: Who cares about the American fans? I’m in Canada and hockey’s always going to matter here. It’s Montreal versus Toronto tonight and I’m revving to see the Habs knock the Leafs back to 1967.

These lockouts have become the de facto negotiating tool of the NHL. has been on the growth of the American fan base. While this offends many Canadian fans, from a business standpoint, it’s not practical to focus on Canada where the market is already well in hand.

Fan Wyatt: Who cares about viewership and attendance? It doesn’t change how much I enjoy a game. Not to mention, it’s fun to crush those small American market teams. Bring it Columbus.

Rational Wyatt: The NHL should increase market share in the States but the current pattern of labor disputes continues to hamstring efforts to grow the game in the USA. Hockey has always been the

30

Rational Wyatt: These lockouts have become the de facto negotiating tool of the NHL. The NHL Players Association and the Board of Governors refuse to discuss the terms of the next CBA until right before the season starts. The season can’t start without a ratified CBA and this is never achieved until many games are cancelled.

Furthermore, games are lost to these lockouts are over problems the team owners created in the first place.

The NHL Board of Governors’ issues revolve around player salary. They argue about implementing new rules that limit the term, value, and circumstances of

player contracts.

The problem is that the team owners and GMs who issue these contracts then proceed to complain that the very same contracts kill profitability.

Prior to the recent lockout, Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold commented, “We’re not making money… …And [the Wild’s] biggest expense by far is player salaries.” (ca.sports. yahoo.com) The Minnesota Wild then signed Ryan Suter and Zach Parise to contracts totaling 196 million dollars.

Fan Wyatt: I don’t care about these contracts as long as the Canadiens have a solid team.

Rational Wyatt: Evidently, NHL owners are not interested in their own advice. They refuse to curtail spending and conform to the rules that they cry for. The same issues will resurface as a result of this CBA, and they likely won’t be resolved until part of the 2022-2023 season is lost. At this point, I have no hope for any CBA negotiation ending in an equitable deal along with a full NHL season. That being said, this CBA expires in ten years so until then I’m going to enjoy being Fan Wyatt for just a little longer.

Fan Wyatt: Exactly. Split a 24 of Molson with me and let’s get our hockey on!

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Bull & Bear.

OPINION

Hot Not orr

Our guide to your next opinionated conversation Vidal Wu

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

McGill Flood Girl

Recruitment Season

She swept into our hearts, and then slid right down McTavish. Here’s lookin’ at you, girl.

Dry clean your suits and purge your loins, the headhunters are coming and ready to draw blood. Are you ready?

100 Arts Courses to Be Cut

The Penny’s Demise

By far, the most pathetic and transparent cop out given by the Administration, it stands as a testament to how truly little the Administration cares for the wellbeing of students that aren’t in Management or research.

As of February 4th, Canada has ceased to produce the tiny coin. Sashay away, copper comrade.

Queen Bey

Blackberry

Super Bowl, Vogue, and a new album. Be still my beating heart.

Amputating RIM didn’t do much to sweeten the cautious optimism of critics after the release of Blackberry 10.

Fashion Month

The Death of 30 Rock

When the sweaters you’ll be wearing in six months are chosen for you, from a pile of stuff.

#nvr4get the magic, the ham, and the Legacy of Lemon.

Subway Ending “Le Sub du Jour”

Michelle Williams

Being ripped off notwithstanding, maybe it was an attempt to cut their bottom line and our waistlines. Corporate America, always on your side.

Poor Michelle. You’ll always be in our prayers, even if your mic is always turned down.

CHECK US OUT ONLINE TO STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS! @MUSBullandBear

The Bull & Bear - February 2013

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