Chronicle 15 16 issue 11 by City Media

People would have a one-night stand based on purely physical attraction. Volume XLIII, Issue 11

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â&#x20AC;&#x201C; See page 3

February 16 - 22, 2016

Holler-ing downtown page 2

Photograph by Alex Ross

Butting heads over social media

pages 6 - 7 Photograph by Taylor Waines and Chris Rego

Needing a fine-tooth comb

Rising out of the ashes

page 11

Photograph by Marina Tyszkiewicz

page 3 Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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KCAB FRONT

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of the

DC journalism students look at Durham College and UOIT, and beyond, by the numbers and with their cameras

Photograph by Logan Caswell

Thumbs-up to DC's All-Canadian Durham Lords basketball all-star, Lindsay Panchan, celebrates at a ceremony honouring her for being named an All-Canadian with her nephew, Kayden Panchan, 6.

Hollerado gets ready to cross the pond Canadian indie-rock band Hollerado performed a set of small local shows, one in Peterborough on Feb. 5 and another in Oshawa on Feb. 6. These were their first two concerts of the new year. The local shows were a header to announce their upcoming UK and European tour in late February with Ajax rockers, Sum 41.

Photograph by Alex Ross

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chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

Nit-picking to be lice free Tabitha Reddekop

way to go when it comes to stopping the spread. This is the policy many schools in the GTA have taken in the past, including the TDSB. She says no-nits will reduce the chances of children spreading lice to other children who will bring the bug home to their families. Mills describes lice as reddish brown insects, which have up to a

month-long life cycle. The bug lays three-to-five eggs a day, which are called nits. Nits hatch within 10 days and the next few weeks repeat the cycle by laying more eggs. Adult lice can spread by headto-head contact or by head to item contact, but the nits are stationary and are attached tightly to the bot-

tom of the hair shaft. She says the problem is if the nits are not removed before they hatch the infestation can begin all over again. Mills says it’s important for parents to be educated about lice because many don’t know what to do when their children bring it home. “People will try anything when

they are stressed. They will put stuff in their kids’ hair that they probably shouldn’t.” Mills, who has been in the head lice removal business since 2013, says fighting the insect is a reduction process, which requires a special comb that can remove the hard to remove nits. “A lot of people turn to the harsh pesticides, thinking they only need to do one treatment, but really, if you have a good comb and keep combing, you can get rid of them.” The former nutritionist turned bug buster says although public health policies view the insect as nuisance rather then a health concern, people have different reactions to the bug’s bite. She says lice releases substance into the bloodstream, similar to a mosquito, which helps the blood flow freely. People’s reactions to the foreign substance in their bloodstream vary and could lead to severe itching. “You will see scabs on the head in more severe cases,” she says. “People wake up in the middle of the night. Other people will have no symptoms. “Some people don’t even know they have it for the longest time until they go to the hair dresser or a bug falls out of their hair.” She says at the end of the day, whether people itch or not, nobody wants bugs in their hair. To avoid getting lice, Mill advises not sharing hats, helmets or anything that involves head-to-head contact even taking selfies. “People who take selfies will put their heads together and the lice will crawl from head to head.” But she says the best way to handle lice is to be proactive and check for lice regularly, especially if you are going to be working with children. “We always say, ‘take a peek once a week. Check ahead to stop the spread’.”

in Toronto. Sharma says that because of what Tinder has to offer, people can choose whether they will want a short-term or long-term relationship. “But that’s not to say they might not be using it as the potential to find someone more dateable longer term.” Tinder is a free, location-based mobile app that has a less complex process that most dating apps require. The simple set-up only requires a total of six photos for viewers and a short bio about the individual. Simply swiping left indicates you are not interested, but if you swipe right, it means you are interested. If that same person swipes right on your profile then you will see the words “It’s a Match!” and the app will urge you and your match to get chatting. But it’s what the app has to offer that can often have people wondering can Tinder lead

to a long-term relationship? Or is Sharma says that because your the app only for hook-ups? These first instinct to swipe right to a perare some questions that lead to the son is usually based off of physical plenty of discussion about the “ser- attraction, this is what can make compatibility a bit harder to seek. “Tinder is set up so that you have very little information about the person before you make a decision about whether you’re interested or not," says Sharma. "You’re basically using strictly visual stimulation in deciding ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Just based on the fact that it’s purely visual and physical, I think people are going to be more inclined to see it as a hookup app because for dating usually people are interested in more information,” . says Sharma. Tinder continues to grow in popularity. The app has received so much use that it has started to give users premium features such iousness” of mobile dating apps. as a “passport” to expand distance People may find these apps and explore new matches that exsuperficial because of how simple ceed the 160-kilometre range that and easy they are to use. the basic Tinder allows.

Whatever the reasons, people are swiping away on Tinder worldwide. In fact, research shows there are 50-million active users on Tinder, who spend an average of 90 minutes per day on the app and check their accounts 11 times per day. Although there are no statistics of how many active Tinder users there are in Canada alone, Tinder’s popularity has created a name for itself worldwide. “There’s a demand for what Tinder offers and Tinder is building it,” says Sharma. Sharma says although people may view the app as a casual experience, depending on your experience and choices, the idea of a relationship can arise. "Before technology maybe people would have an encounter in a bar or a club and have a one-night stand based on purely physical attraction and sometimes that does turn into a relationship,” says Sharma. “It’s not impossible.”

The Chronicle

The owner of a Durham Region lice removal clinic is pleased the Durham District School Board isn’t choosing the same open head lice policy as the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Lisa Mills, owner of the Whitby Lice Squad clinic, says the recent Toronto School Board (TDSB) decision to allow children with head lice to attend school will promote the spread of lice. “I think kids going back and forth freely with lice is risky,” she says. She believes the Durham District School Board (DDSB) policy, which excludes students from attending school until they have received treatment and are checked for active lice, is more effective against the bug. “If people can do their part and check their children before sending them back to school, that goes a long way,” she says. The TDSB announced its policy change last month in response to a change in the Toronto Public Health policy regarding the head-dwelling insects. The TDSB says the changes it will be making to its head lice policy will keep kids with lice from being excluded and missing classroom time. Mills disagrees with this idea. “It’s important for them (the students) to be there to learn, but at the same time people miss a day or two for a cold.” She says the open policies such as the one the TDSB is undertaking will lead to more people getting lice because the insect spreads easily amongst children. “That’s how school age children interact, they are always hugging and their coats are really close together… they are always playing in close contact.” She says the no-nit policy is the

Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop

Lisa Mills, owner of the Whitby Lice Squad, thinks kids should stay home from school when they are infected with lice.

Romance being swiped left or right Tinder saves the embarassment of being shut down at the bar Mariah Pardy The Chronicle

Tinder - does it scream one-night stand or the ringing of church bells? It’s no match.com or eHarmony but it’s the romance app of the 21st century that has just about everyone talking. But it’s the simple steps of the app that leave people questioning its ability as a dating app, according to Natasha Sharma, relationship expert and founder of NKS Therapy

People are going to be more inclined to see it as a hookup app

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016 chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

PUBLISHER: Greg Murphy EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Brian Legree AD MANAGER: Dawn Salter

Editorial

How results in Iowa, New Hampshire impact America On February 9th, voters from the great state of New Hampshire went to the polls for their state primaries. If the first primary in Iowa is any indication, American politicos will have their share of excitement in two close races. February 1st officially marked the start of the 2016 Presidential Election. After literally years of polling, voters in the Hawkeye State finally had their chance to make their voices heard, whether through ballots in a box, or a barn of huddled bodies. For the more casual follower of American politics, the true start of the general election campaign can get lost amid the bluster and speculation of the never-ending string of

polls and televised debates. The last time a non-incumbent Republican won both the Iowa caucus and the Presidency was 2000 when George W. Bush began his trot to Washington. In 2012, Tea Party sweetheart Rick Santorum barely edged out eventual nominee Mitt Romney. In 2008, small government crusader and bass playing friend of Ted Nugent, Mike Huckabee ran away with more than one-third of the vote. John McCain finished a distant fourth behind former ‘Law and Order’ star, Fred Thompson. Official results show that Ted Cruz won the night with 28 per cent of the vote, while Donald Trump and Marco Rubio finished

EDITORS: Deen Albertini, Sachin Bahal, Andrew Brennan, Alyssa Bugg, Ryan Burden, Logan Caswell, Megan Chase, Bill Christou, Michael Clark, David Conti, Alexander Costa, Jordan Edmonds, Alyssa Erwin, Michael Fletcher, Jordyn Gitlin, Sean Heeger, Kyle Johnson, Shane O’Neill, Mariah Pardy, Sherise Peart-Kent, Reba Pennell, Remona Maria Pillai, Cameron Popwell, Taylor Prest, Amanda Ramlal, Tabitha Reddekop, Christopher Rego, Alexander Ross, Justin Stewart, Marina Tyszkiewicz, Sandhya Visvanathan, Taylor Waines.

in a dead heat for second and third place with 24 per cent and 23 per cent of ballots respectively. But what does it all mean? Well, in as few words as possible, not much yet. Despite winning comfortably, a Cruz ticket is by no means guaranteed. Like Huckabee, Santorum and George H.W. Bush before him, Cruz’s more “radical conservative” brand may not translate to votes in more moderate, cosmopolitan states. Even Jeb Bush, who is seen as the moderate candidate, is still technically in the race despite getting less than 3 per cent of the vote. The result of the Republican caucus in Iowa likely indicates the beginning of the big, national

donors moving their super PACs and donations behind the top three front-runners. As more fringe candidates, like Mike Huckabee, begin to drop out. Despite leading by a substantial margin in each of the last ten polls of Iowa Republicans, Trump was not able to hold onto victory in the Hawkeye State. While a second place finish is an incredible achievement for a first time candidate and political qoutsider like Donald Trump, many political muckrackers believe that his alienation of wide swaths of the population has finally stalled his ascent to the White House. For the Democrats, the front-runner is still unclear. In

Iowa, Hillary Clinton defeated Bernie Sanders by the slimmest of margins. Token third-candidate Martin O’Malley formally dropped out of the campaign somewhere around 10 minutes after the first ballot was cast. As the world awaits the results of the second set of caucuses in New Hampshire, many questions remain unanswered for the time being. Even though November seems far away, as famous political commentator F. Bueller once said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Shane O'Neill

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The Chronicle is published by the Durham College School of Media, Art and Design, 2000 Simcoe Street North, Oshawa, Ontario L1H 7L7, 7212000 Ext. 3068, as a training vehicle for students enrolled in Journalism and Advertising courses and as a campus news medium. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the college administration or the board of governors. The Chronicle is a member of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association.

Publisher: Greg Murphy

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February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

Opinion

Adopting a pet is purr-fect Taylor

The negative impact of technology on children

Prest

The Chronicle

The decision to purchase a pet depends on a family’s specific preference of either adoption or an “established” shop. The differences between these two options are clear: one is rescuing an animal from a cruel fate while the other is supporting a brand that breeds solely for profit. Mills breed their animals in inhumane and unsafe conditions while shelters support animals that have been abused and abandoned. Canada’s Humane Society stated that there is an estimated 3.7 million unwanted pets that must be euthanized at shelters ever year, because they couldn’t find their forever home. This information should be enough to change the minds of future owners who are considering purchasing through a store for a younger puppy or kitten. The Animal Guardian Sanctuary in Ontario is a charity-run shelter for abused animals in need of a home. On their website they state that people who purchase an animal through a store are naïve and don’t think about the other possible options. The more people who don’t support pet stores and animal mills, the better. If price is an issue, then humane societies strongly suggest adopting an animal and saving a life. Stores sell their animals double the price of some breeders while shelters have a minimum fee for saving the life of a dog or cat. The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals say that despite what people think 25 per cent of animals at shelters are purebreds. The main reason they don’t get

Kyle Johnson

animals, which is the only effective way of birth control. Most humane societies spay and neuter their animals something mills and stores do not commit to. When considering a pet, always have adoption the number one option. There are many shelters around Canada with breeds suited for each family. The stores that receive their animals through the production of mills for profit are slowly being exposed, hopefully changing the minds of future owners. Rescuing an animal in need is the right choice for all future families and couples.

Technology is advancing rapidly. These advances bring many benefits to anyone who uses things like tablets, cell phones or laptops on a daily basis. On the flipside, technology brings with it many negative effects, on our young generation in particular. If used frequently enough, technology can change the way a child thinks or feels and it can put the child’s privacy and safety at risk. Above all, technology can adversely affect a child’s health. While using iPads in the classroom can arguably lead to student engagement. If used too much at home technology can ruin a child’s thinking process. Although technological advances has perks, in terms of methods of learning in school, these advances can also ruin a child’s thinking process, especially if used too much at home. An article in Psychology Today by Jim Taylor, a recognized author who has a PhD in psychology, believes that the advances in technology are having negative impacts on the attention levels and imaginations of children. “The Internet was invented and children were thrust into a vastly different environment in which, because distraction is the norm, consistent attention is impossible, imagination is unnecessary, and memory is inhibited,” Taylor says. The social media side of technology definitely has its advantages in a sense that you can stay in touch with friends and keep up with dayto-day news but with children, it has many privacy and safety risks that should be examined. According to Internet Safety 101, in 82 per cent of online sex crimes against minors, the offender used the victim’s social networking site to gain

information about the victim’s likes and dislikes. A quarter of young teens say they have been bullied through either text message or the Internet, according to a cyber-bullying statistic on NoBullying.com. Technology can be very entertaining and can keep anyone who knows how to use it occupied for hours but if it is used a lot, it can have major health issues on a child. Once children become addicted to using technology, they will spend more time using it rather than getting any sort of physical activity. This will often lead to childhood obesity. According to an article on the Live Strong website by Elle Paula, who has a PhD in sciences and nutrition, childhood obesity is one of the leading health concerns for parents. Paula states about onethird of American children and teenagers are overweight or obese and that the combination of inactivity, increased snacking and lack of sleep resulting from increased screen time can lead to obesity. Many people nowadays will only see the positive things that technology does for our quickly advancing world but they are unaware that for children it should be used more cautiously. The frequent use of this technology can add risks like changing the way a child’s brain works, safety and privacy on social media and even physically affecting the child’s body weight. There is no doubt that technology is going to continue to advance and more children are going to use it for many different reasons but hopefully people will become aware of the risks that come along with it. If they fail to do so, the world will eventually be filled with overweight children with minimal imagination and short attention spans.

sporting organizations will allow sites like Netflix to stream their events. But how can you make sure you catch the latest elimination on Dancing with the Stars, or the crowning of the next American Idol? There’s always putlocker, mediafire or ggvideo but these are more likely to give you a virus than a good viewing experience. What about the news? The news is one of the most important things to follow, and by removing yourself from the land of cable completely means losing a lifeline to what’s going on around you. The next problem with streaming television instead of having cable is that you don’t have access to all shows. Many HBO series like “Game of Thrones” or “Veep” can only be viewed through their streaming service. As of early 2016, if you don’t

reside within one of the 50 states of America then you need to subscribe to the Canadian version through your cable provider. One way around these restrictions is to download all this content through torrents. Most of these will be up within an hour of airing on cable TV. The problem is that Internet service providers like Rogers and Bell watch what you download online so downloading illegally may mean you lose your Internet provider. If you don’t care about premium channel shows, there are still some things you’ll never get access to on a streaming service, which is a real let down, especially for fans of daytime television. If you want to catch up on General Hospital, you’ll have to hop over to the ABC website which still requires a cable subscription. You even have to pay

to view their shows released to iTunes. The final problem with streaming services is the time you have to wait to gain access to some shows online; not every show is available to view the next day, and are sometimes only available to view as a full season months after airing. This also extends to services like Hulu; you need that cable service provider login in order to watch your shows the same day. There are many reasons to get rid of cable but the only way to get everything, live and truly at your fingertips, is to spend extra money and keep the television service we all grew up on. The world may be changing but that change is in process. There’s only one way to make sure you never miss out, and that’s keep your cable.

Photograph by Taylor Prest

Adopting a pet is better than buying one from a store.

adopted is because they’re either runts or mixed breeds. There are purebred rescue centres in Durham for abandoned or abused dogs and cats. This allows future owners options other than pet shops and puppy mills. Many shelters are overcrowded leading to euthanization of animals. Adoption not only rescues lives but also opens up the doors for more abused animals to be cared for and taken in. In order to help reduce overpopulation of animals on the streets, it’s important to sterilize

Cable has more than one life to live It’s true that around 2.6 million homes are considered “broadband only,” but that’s really only 2.8 per cent of American households. Americans watch on average 141 hours per quarter of live television, according to Nielsen in 2014. That number has gone down in part because people are using their DVR function, or the video on-demand service provided by their cable company. In Canada, Netflix subscriptions rose about 10 per cent in one year, according to a report published by the Canadian Internet Registration Authority. But to say that cable is dying and will be taken over by streaming video on-demand services is a stretch. After all, 85 per cent of Canadians who own a streaming device or subscribe to an online service still have an active cable or

Sean Heeger satellite connection, according to the technology research firm IDC. Why? If they only use streaming services, they can’t access everything they want when they want it. Think about the allure of live television; streaming services cannot yet provide reality shows and sporting events. Moreover, not every show is available for streaming online, and a lot of shows take months to view as a full season. If you don’t care about catching the Superbowl then streaming might work fine, but sports fans might want to hold off on cutting the cable cord because it’s unlikely

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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A debate of issues: The Chris and Taylor argue the positives and negatives of social media Chris Rego Taylor Waines The Chronicle

INTRODUCTION:

ssena O’Neill, an Australian model, made headlines after she traded the perfectly crafted captions on her Instagram posts for the real “Behind the Image” captions. She starved herself for photos and took hundreds of pictures just to get the ‘perfect selfie’. The captions O’Neill shared include her yelling at her sister until the photo was perfect and posing in

agers log on to their favourite social media site more than 10 times a day, says The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in their clinical report The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. There are many growing concerns around social media including how it is viewed, marketed, and used. Taylor Waines and Chris Rego discuss the pros and cons to social a candid way that was anything but media. candid. O’Neill also posted a video explaining her reasons for quitting TAYLOR: social media and the reality behind the self-promotion of ‘Instafamous’ Social media is harmful to models. In reality, O’Neill says she self-image, consumers, and social was the furthest thing from happy. interactions. Social media distorts a “I was surrounded by (people who person’s self, and causes one to lose had all this wealth, all this fame, sight of who they are. all this power, and yet they were The constant need for online all miserable, and I had never been acceptance creates what psychomore miserable,” O’Neill shared in analyst D.W. Winnicott describes her YouTube video. “I was the girl as an unhealthy False Self. The that had it all and I want to tell you False Self is a persona rooted in that having it all on social media compliance, Winnicott says in his means absolutely nothing to your paper The Maturational Processes real life.” and the Facilitating Environment: More than 20 per cent of teen- Studies in the Theory of Emotion-

al Development. The purpose of the False Self is to defend and act as protection of the True Self then adapt appropriately for social situations, says Winnicott. When a person uses their False Self so much that they lose sight of their True Self, they create an unhealthy False Self. “At the extreme of abnormality, the false self can

social media. “Not everyone on social media is fake…I think that the person who’s fake here is Essena,” Nina Nelson says. Many other YouTube personalities, and models came forward in response to O’Neill’s video. They agree that social media is what the user makes it. Social media can also be used as

Not everyone on social media is fake...I think that the person who is fake here is Essena. easily get itself mistaken for real,” Winnicott says in his paper. If you live too much in your unhealthy False Self, your mental health may be at stake and you may become depressed or anxious, according to Carrie Barron, M.D. and Alton Barron, M.D. in their book called The Creativity Cure. “The real self is under threat of annihilation; suicide can then be a reassertion of the true self,” noted Winnicott. In order to get rid of the problem, it is important to uncover your True Self, and differentiate it from the unhealthy False Self. With trends like the Kylie Jenner lip challenge, where teens suck on a cup to enlarge their lips, many are just trying to fit in. By doing so, they lose sight of their True Self. This urge to be accepted creates an unhealthy False Self. By quitting social media, O’Neill and many of her followers are on track to develop their True Self.

a platform to share problems, and seek help. Some online communities help to support, advise and, in some cases, even assist financially. Though some see social media as a hindrance to mental health, it can be beneficial to those affected by mental illness. Illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar dis-

order drive many to seek out others online because they can share more freely on an open forum. These forums allow for discussions of the fears or stigmas that sometimes accompany illnesses. “Excellent health resources are increasingly available to youth on a variety of topics of interest to this population, such as sexually transmitted infections, stress reduction, and signs of depression,” says The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in their clinical report. TAYLOR:

CHRIS:

Chris Rego

While social media may contribute to the creation a False Self for some, for others, social media might help build confidence. Social media is subjective in that it is dependent on the individual, business or relationships one is building. Social sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are mostly used for the expression of an individuals’ own personal tastes and interests. It is up to the individual to determine what is posted. These social media platforms are ways to share not just tastes, but also talents, hobbies and even details of one’s own life. YouTubers Nina and Randa Nelson were friends with Essena O’Neill, the Australian model who quit social media. The Nelson sisters disagree with O’Neill’s stance on

It may be true that social media can create an online community but it is undeniable that social media is harmful to some people’s self-image, many consumer habits, and individual social interactions. Businesses use social media to manipulate people into buying products. From selling fake followers to YouTube views, businesses can deceive people through their online presence. A false image can be created and cause many to see a business for what it is not. In 2013, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman busted 19 companies for creating fake reviews. These companies hired people from all over the world to write fake reviews making one to 10 dollars per review. This spawned the term ‘astroturfing’, which means fooling consumers by creating fake reviews of a person, brand, or product.

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February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

social media discussion “Companies know the power of social media and they’re exploiting it,” O’Neill the Australian model who quit social media, says in her video. She explained in her video how companies told her everything from what to wear, to where to put the product, to even what to say in

we’re promoting our art, our music, stuff we love,” says Randa Nelson. Though O’Neill may have been ‘extorted’ as she says, many others who promote brands for money use it as a way to show followers their likes, where they get their clothes, and what products they use. Companies use models on a contract basis, meaning it is ultimately up to the individual to decide if this is what they want to promote and associate themselves with. TAYLOR:

each post. By doing this, O’Neill misrepresented herself and allowing businesses to exploit her for money regardless of her young age. Social media is now a business, says O’Neill. “If you don’t think it’s a business then you’re deceiving yourself.” CHRIS: While some businesses use the online realm to deceive, others use social media to build their brands, consumer base, and create a twoway conversation with themselves and consumers. Companies are using social media as advertising methods to create brand recognition. Danielle Cudmore, the Corporation Communications Coordinator for the City of Oshawa said social media helps keep the people up-todate. “We’re able to get our information out to people…they’re getting it right there on their phone, they’re getting it in the moment,” said Cudmore. “They’re getting the information they need, and interacting with it online. This shows us that the message is being received.” Social media allows for constant

The online realm promotes more than products, it also promotes socialization but this causes many to rely on numbers for self-worth. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, being social is defined as “tending to form cooperative and interdependent relationships with others.” From that definition, the term interdependent means to have a relationship in which two people are dependent on each other. O’Neill says there is nothing social about social media. Like many, O’Neill relied on followers for social approval. “I let myself be defined by numbers,” she says. O’Neill thought that more followers meant more friends, but she says she was wrong. O’Neill says she was just living in a screen. As social media grows, people find themselves lost in the online world. “I can mindlessly click for hours,” said Michael Cameron, a professor in The School of Business and Information Technology at Durham College. In O’Neill’s case, the urge to gain friends through the online realm pushed her to become increasingly unsocial. The depression and anxiety that some social media users may feel has been coined Facebook Depression, according to researchers. Facebook depression is defined as “depression that develops when preteens and teens spend a great deal of CHRIS: time on social media sites, such as Facebook, and then begin to exhibit Regardless of the addictions that classic symptoms of depression,” the can come with social media use, it is possible to avoid these traps with time management and knowing when enough is enough. The time spent on social media sites varies from person to person. When we asked how much time they spend on social media, students’ and professors’ answers ranged from 30 minutes to five hours. Allie Wadden, a Library and Information Technology student at DC, laughed as she answered the AAP says in their report. question, saying, “Probably a lot The AAP urges doctors to in- more than I should.” crease their knowledge of the digital This can be a serious issue but world and understand that this is a with most things in life, it is all growing problem. about time management. As social media becomes more It is up to the individual how popular, Facebook depression will much time they spend online. continue to appear more and more Just as a student has to carve out in youth and young adults. time for homework, it is up to the Without doctors who are properly individual to think about how much equipped to treat these issues, the time they are spending on social dangers of social media will con- media. tinue to grow. Self-esteem is something many

If you don't think it's a business you're deceiving yourself. communication between businesses and consumers. “It can really establish more discussion and networking,” said Cudmore. Companies have begun hiring individuals to use their products on their personal social media sites and then show off and review said products. The Nelson sisters, who were shocked by O’Neill’s video, shared their truth behind promotion. “We’re promoting a message,

Taylor Waines

people deal with on a daily basis but social media can be used to build up a person’s self worth. When people post pictures, they feel they look good in and as a result receive positive feedback it helps build their self-esteem. It is crucial that individuals think about how social media is used in their life as well as how long they use it. Technology is everywhere and humans are more connected than ever before, so it is important to remember the words of Oscar Wilde, “Everything in moderation, including moderation.”

CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the digital footprint left behind by social media use depends on the users and consumers of social media. When self-promoting, the lines can be blurred and many get lost trying to fit within the social norms. By erasing the boundary lines between the False Self and the True Self, many begin to promote their unhealthy False Self. This False Self is not only a factor in self–promotion but can be found in promoting businesses. In terms of being social, social media can both promote and hinder socialization. This allows people to communicate over long distances, but when used too much it can cause some to become anti-social. “The bottom line is that social media is not a negative thing,” as Randa Nelson says in her video response. Rather, social media is a very useful tool when used appropriately and in a responsible manner.

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February 16 - 22, 2016

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Defeating Islamophobia chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

How one UOIT student took a stand Deen Albertini The Chronicle

A Muslim UOIT student brought a unique approach to create discussion about Muslim-Canadians on the Durham College-UOIT campus in the hopes of defeating Islamophobia. Djihane Gasmallah, 18, an Algerian-Canadian studying criminology, stood at the hallway opposite Riot Radio Feb. 2, blindfolded and holding a sign that said ‘I am Muslim and that makes me____.’ Gasmallah was part of the Islam & the Media conference promotional event put on by the Student Association to bring awareness about Islamophobia. This wasn’t the first time Gasmallah held up a sign to bring awareness to Islamophobia. Late last year, she held up a sign at UOIT inviting students to comment on what they think about Muslims. “I did this before Christmas break and I did it before the (Student Association) SA event. After the Paris attacks, a lot of people were saying negative stuff about Muslims, so I wanted to see if that influenced people at Durham College and UOIT,” said Gasmallah. Gasmallah was contacted by SA vice-president Siraj Syed, who had heard about Gasmallah’s sign and asked her if she would like to

Photograph by Siraj Syed

Muslim students take part in the Islam & the Media conference event on campus Feb. 2. The event included signs for students to sign, along with a booth where students could get their names written in Arabic. be blindfolded while holding a sign that read the same message. Following the Paris 2015 terrorist attacks, Gasmallah was inspired by watching a video on YouTube called I Trust You, Do You Trust Me? Give Me A Hug | I’m Muslim Not A Terrorist. The video affected Gasmal-

lah so much that she got a sign that said the exact same thing as the sign in the video and walked around receiving hugs from students. Gasmallah looked at some of the comments that were posted on her sign during the Islamophobia conference and said they were positive.

Some of the comments that were posted said ‘beautiful’ and ‘religious’. Gasmallah plans to continue sign activism in the future. Gasmallah says she would like to do it in different countries because she travels a lot.

“I want to continue doing this. Maybe more around my neighbourhood, but I am not fully comfortable with that yet. I kind of want to do it around the world because I travel around a lot. I travel to Paris a lot so I kind of want to get that engaged there,” said Gasmallah.

tics may be a societal issue rather than a prejudicial issue. According to Murray, the carding program is generally put into effect as a result of a high crime rate in an area. “Unfortunately, as a result, it tends to vis, carding was developed in re- make it look like the police are tarsponse to the growing population geting a specific demographic,” says of Canadian cities. The high civilian-to-police ratio of 206 officers per 100,000 Toronto-based civilians caused police to lose what Travis calls “community-based policing”. Officers became progressively less and less likely to know the individual people in their jurisdiction as the population of that jurisdiction increased. “The population tends to be 500 to 1 for civilians to officers,” says Travis. “Officers don’t have time to know everyone in a neighborhood. Carding was developed to help bring back community policing in some capacity.” Further attention and controversy surrounding the practice was Murray. “When in reality, it’s all sparked in 2006. It was at this time based on the numbers coming out that police officers started to ask of certain regions.” He went on to carded individuals for their signa- express that while he believes prejuture in addition to their informa- dice can exist in the carding system, tion. Eventually, statistics coming it was not the reason for which it out of high crime areas started to was developed. “What we really show that residents of these areas need to take a look at is the existing often had a shared ethnicity. socioeconomic issues present in the According to Durham Crown areas that usually under the carding Attorney Paul Murray, these statis- program, as these are the issues that

need to be dealt with.” Further debates regarding the program arose when Peel Region Police allegedly leaked emails that showed they could not prove the success rates of their own carding program. In Durham Region, Murray says his experience leads

carding by the end of 2015. Based on Bernie Travis’ experience with both Durhawm Region Police and the R.O.P.E. squad (which deals with Canada-wide arrest warrants), he believes that this may severely impact the ability for law enforcement to quickly arrest consistent offenders in high crime areas. Travis believes the effects of the decision to remove random stops will be widespread. “There’s probably going to be some kind of mandate put in place, so they’ll have to stop it, and every police service in the province is going to suffer from the lack of contact,” says Travis. He believes that the lack of communication between police and the community will result in police being less likely to solve cases that would have normally hinged on that kind of cooperation. Should the restrictions by the Liberal Government be put in place, they would only affect Ontario officers. Despite the potential impact on police service, many are eager to see the restrictions on the carding program put in place. However, the carding program has remained unaffected in both Ontario and on a Canada-wide scale. As of October, 2015, the information of nearly 1.5 million carded Canadians has been collected and stored in a database for potential future use.

Understanding the police carding controversy Does carding lead to racial discrimination or community building? Cameron Popwell The Chronicle

Between accusations of racial targeting and invasion of public privacy, police carding is a constant source of controversy. The Liberal Government has announced that they plan to make the act of random carding illegal. But what exactly is carding, why is it controversial, and why is it that there’s been nothing done about it until now? In response to high crime areas showing consistent patterns of illegal activity, the Toronto Police Service introduced carding in 2005 under the title “The Community Contacts Policy”. The practice involves collecting information from individuals in high crime areas. When a crime is committed in that area, the gathered information can then be referenced. People who have been carded may be approached later as either a potential suspect or witness. Constable Bernie Travis of the Durham Region Police Service is a former member of the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET). According to Tra-

Officers don't have time to know everyone in a neighbourhood... Carding was developed to help bring back community policing in some capacity. him to believe, “the risk you run is people getting offended by being spoken to if they have nothing to do with crime, simply living in high crime areas.” “It becomes a privacy issue,” says Murray. As a response to the allegations of racial discrimination, the Liberal Government of Ontario has announced that they plan to outlaw offices’ ability to commit “random”

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

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Helping a petting farm owner recover Marina Tyszkiewicz The Chronicle

From cash donations to cream pies, Wild Things Petting Farm owner Norman Collier, who lost his house to a fire in Nov. 2014 remains blown away with the amount of support he continues to receive. Collier estimates the fire caused more than $130,000 in damages. He says he thinks it was an electric problem that sparked the blaze. Collier’s benign face, wavy grey curls, paired with a fleece sweater and blue jeans are the second thing visitor’s notice once they get past his enormous smile. The petting farm is located just outside of Toronto on the Pickering Townline and is open to the public year round. Collier has been running the farm for 18 years. It’s home to several critters ranging from chickens, to goats, sheep and occasionally calves. According to Collier, none of his animals were injured or killed during the fire. The loss of his home wasn’t the only challenge Collier’s had to face since the fire. Collier received treatment for prostate cancer last year and has had to deal with various health challenges. “I recently had a pacemaker put in too, because I was unstable, I would be rushing and slowing down and the pacemaker has helped a lot with that. Now I feel pretty healthy again, for no good reason,” says the 73-year-old. Collier says since losing his house and adjusting to living in a trailer, which was donated to him by a local construction company, the support he continues to receive is still overwhelming.

“I still get resources offered from quite a few people, and it always surprises me that they are still conscious of it. And people who haven’t offered their services in the past are doing it now,” he says. Collier says he has received clothing, food and firewood. He even had someone pay for half of his TV. Collier says he received a Christmas card from an anonymous donor with a warm message. In it the sender enclosed a donation of $70, signed off with the words ‘your city neighbours’. “This stuff happens all the time, somebody leaves me food all the time. Somebody left me a custard coconut cream pie, it was the best pie I’ve ever had in my life and I don’t know who the person was otherwise I would track them down and demand more,” he says. Collier says he’s also been able to trade some of his farm-grown resources, like chicken eggs, in exchange for services and other goods. “Somebody does my laundry and cooks for me in exchange for bread and eggs. A lot of people come in for eggs, and I don’t sell eggs,” he says. Collier says he has had some new additions to the petting zoo since the fire but he isn’t planning on acquiring new members anytime soon. “This has held me back a little bit, not knowing what the future is going to be. I wouldn’t want to have 100 animals and them not be able to stay,” he says. Collier says a new house is going to be built but he has some concerns over the potential cost of his rent and if he will be able to afford it. “The landlord is going to build

Photograph by Marina Tyszkiewicz

Norman Collier has been receiving support from the Durham Region community. a house but I really need to know that I have the assurance to rent it at a price that I can afford, which is not a lot,” says Collier. Collier says when the house is built, he’s hoping to share a portion of it with people who have a disability or other various needs. “The group I had before were ex-psychiatric patients,

and it wouldn’t matter what kind of group it was but it’s a nice place for a group like that. The therapy is here and there’s room for a really big garden,” he says. Ron Langendyk is one of Collier’s landlords and he says construction for the new home will begin this summer. Langendyk says in the

meantime he is still doing some planning and will make sure the living space will be affordable for Collier. “The rent will be feasible, we’re coming up with a very nice plan for him. It’s going to be a winwin for everybody but there is going to be some nice changes happening there,” he says.

Bickle goes on to say that students sometimes don’t have the resources to cope, be it the finance or the time, causing that feeling of stress to become negative and unstoppable. This allows campus consolers like Bickle to produce the resources for students and other faculty alike. In the end, the students and faculty who look for support benefit. But those who do not look for support flounder. The Outreach Centre says students find the stress of their academic careers more overwhelming at the end of each semester. Fitting their outside life into the school cycle is challenging and this can cause negative side effects. Daley knows the struggles his fellow students face with trying to fit everything into a schedule. It isn’t only tough but tiring, which doesn’t help already exhausted students. “With having a busy schedule it’s difficult to find the time to seek help,” says Daley. Mental health has been called a crisis on college campuses across Canada, according to CBC Toronto. The University of British Columbia primarily offers their students resources online dealing with the hardships of post-secondary having a primary tab on their school website. Their institution is one of the first online to display multiple resources and information about the cause of stress and how to overcome it.

Durham College isn’t far behind with health centres and services but the website still lacks a primary mental wellness tab. Nearly half of a student’s stress load in Ontario is the courses and lack of knowledge of resources. Managing stress alone for students is an effective way to make their lives better during the upcoming Christmas holiday. Bickle says students should be proactive about stress and anxiety and read up on the resources around campus. Accepting the fact that you are stressed is a part of the healing factor and Bickle says it does more good than students realize. Meditating, being social, and taking breaks is just a few simple ways to reduce the feeling of becoming overwhelmed. “Here at Durham College we look at that full perspective of getting back to what needs help, like diets for instance so no one is running on empty stomachs during exams and of course exercise to reduce the tension and built up stress,” says Bickle. Bickle suggests her clients start with a healthy lifestyle. This is the first step in reducing stress and helping to deal with other mental and physical problems. Lead support coach, Melissa Bosomworth, oversees supporting student success in general health and wellness with stress and time management. She also helps students discover different resources

around campus or even off campus to help deal with their specific needs. Bosomworth believes students are not only stressed with post-secondary but stressed with what is happening in their lives. Balancing the demands of everything causes the negative side effects of stress to skyrocket. Coaches like Bosomworth are known to help reduce the side effects of stress. “Pretty soon there is going to be advertising for stress relief and so we will have a bunch of new activities and support lined up for students,” she says. “So they can now take advantage of those types of activities for a break from their exams and stress-related problems.” Durham College, in conjunction with the Outreach and Wellness centres, also offer a service called Aspiria for students requiring help off-campus. Aspiria can be contacted through email at info@aspiria.ca or by phone at 905-415-0500 or at 1-800742-9820. For the students thinking about giving up due to exams and drama, always know that the resources and a chance for help is either right around the corner or even a phone call away. Wellness Centres, Outreach Services, and health support is available year-round on campus. With a more in-depth look into each one, there is bound to be at least one way to motivate the reduction of all negative and stressful situations.

Academic stress and how to deal with it Taylor Prest The Chronicle

Welding student, Patrick Daley, says there are stresses students must go through in order to succeed in their academic careers. Personal issues make it difficult to have enough time for school and work, says Daley. “There is a lot of work and the amount of time I have to do it with a job and bills to pay leaves me with not much time.” he says. Stress is a primary source of misery for students around campus, especially during midterms and finals. This causes procrastination, mental and physical problems, and overall defeat in finishing a hectic schedule. But even with the levels of stress at an all-time high this month, there are many ways for students to deal. Having someone to talk with and tell your problems to reduces stress. The Wellness Centre says communication is key and should be encouraged when emotions become hard to handle. Changing your eating habits, exercising, talking with friends and family, and even acknowledging your professor by returning those emails could help these haywire feelings. A survey produced by The Canadian Association of Colleges and Universities in 2013 said 89 per cent of students were overwhelmed by the workload. More than half of those surveyed said they felt hope-

less and wanted to drop out, while 64 per cent felt alone and unable to have any social interactions. On the other hand, 56 per cent of students felt overwhelming anxiety and depression and 10 per cent had considered suicide. Stress is universal and will always linger no matter what issue is causing the negative emotion. It can easily be fixed if the proper resources are shown to students needing assistance. You can locate more information on The Outreach Services at durhamcollege.ca and sadcuoit.ca. There is always help for any situation, most students are unaware about available services. Outreach Worker, Heather Bickle, helps students daily with personal counselling sessions and providing a stress free environment for those dealing with overwhelming levels of anxiety and depression. The Access and Support Centre have a 30-day calendar for student wellness outside of their door to remind students about what they can do outside of school. Getting a minimum of eight hours of sleep or writing five positive things about yourself are some examples. Bickle’s services are available daily and can be contacted through appointments or even walk-ins if the moment requires immediate attention. There is help everywhere, even when it may be hard to imagine that help exists.

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

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'The real crime is what's happening to these animals' Activists challenge livestock transport

transport regulations pigs, horses, and chickens can be transported for a total of 36 hours without access to food or water. But cattle, sheep, goats, and other ruminant animals can be transported under the same conditions for 52 hours. Animals must also be given an additional five-hour withdrawal period so they don’t get sick. The transport industry for livestock subjects millions of animals to grave journeys each year. It’s priority for animal welfare has been regarded as negligible, and the rules set out are being poorly enforced. Lynn Kavanagh is on the committee board for the Canadian Coalition of Farm Animals. She says pigs are most susceptible to stress during travel and are more likely to suffer from heart attacks while en route. A few weeks prior to slaughter, Kavanagh says pigs are often fed Paylean to increase fat tissue. The side effect of the medication causes pigs to have heart attacks once they experience high stress. Overheating and freezing is another reason why animals die during transport, especially with poultry. Eric Van Boekel is the farmer who owned the pigs Krajnc gave the water to on the truck. He said he phoned the police the next day, but it wasn’t Boekel that laid the charges. “We did not lay the charges. The police and their investigation laid the charges,” he says. When it comes to his views on the trans-

port conditions assigned to his pigs, Boekel says, “It’s an ongoing process to do what’s best for the animals. Inhumane treatment of an animal is inappropriate for anyone at any given time. But we’re following all the CFIA guidelines and the transport industry guidelines to get these animals delivered to the plant and to their final destination. It is a top priority for all transporters.” In 2014, Maple Lodge Farms plead guilty to 20 out of 60 criminal charges laid against them when CFIA discovered that thousands of their chickens froze to death while being transported. According to the federal law, animals used for public and commercial consumption must be slaughtered at a federally registered slaughter establishment, for health and sanitation reasons. Thus, animals need to be transported to slaughterhouses, which are often spread out. Some slaughterhouses only cater to certain species, and only operate on certain days. Along with substandard transport conditions, Kavanagh says often animals that don’t survive the journey were animals unfit for travel. Cull animals are animals that by industry standards are considered unproductive, and undesirable. Generally, this refers to female livestock, like sows that are no longer producing piglets, or dairy cows that can no longer produce milk. Many unproductive dairy cows suffer from lameness or have various aliments, and are sometimes emaciated.

Many slaughterhouses will not slaughter cull animals. They will often be transported to auctions and sold for little value, then transported again for slaughter. Kavanagh says, “Really the most humane thing to do to for a cull dairy cow is to kill the animal on the farm and have their bodies picked up to be decomposed rather than transport them.” According to CFIA regulations, “downer” animals, or animals that are unable to stand or walk, are prohibited from being transported. But according to CFIA records, there are still instances when downers are being transported for slaughter. In 2012, Krajnc was charged during a protest; she walked towards a slaughterhouse to capture a video of a pig screaming as it was being electrically prodded while it was being off-loaded from the transport truck. “It’s a universal principle. When someone is suffering, you try to help them,” say Krajnc. Using an electric prod while off-loading animals is a practice accepted by industry standards. However, there are restrictions on which parts of the animal’s body can be used. According to Krajnc, these prods are sometimes being poked into the gaps of the trucks and the animals are often prodded without discretion. “It’s not only illegal the way they operate in terms of cruelty but we also think it’s fundamentally wrong and immoral to use these instruments of torture against these gentle babies. They’re babies. They’re four to six

months old,” say Krajnc. The charges against Krajnc for that incident were eventually dismissed. The welfare standards of livestock in transport are poorly enforced within Canada, but conditions can be worse for animals that are being exported. In 2010, the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada gave CFIA a “D” because it failed to meet its requirements under Canada’s Access to information Act. “There’s no rules or regulations, and inspectors on the road. In Europe there’ s inspectors on the road that will pull over the truck and check on the animals. We’re really so far behind in this regard,” says Kavanagh. Once animals are exported, they are no longer subject to Canada’s welfare standards and can be shipped to countries with little to no animal protection. Most often livestock from Canada are exported to the U.S. for fattening and slaughter but according to Kavanagh, the transport industry does not factor the time the animals have already spent transported on Canadian soil. “The clock starts at zero again. If they’ve been transported for 15 hours in Canada and they cross the border, now they’re subject to the American regulations which is 28 hours,” says Kavanagh. The slaughterhouse reports to Boekel if any of his animals are dead on arrival. “We have had animals in the past that haven’t made it,” says Boekel. According to Boekel, on average his pig spend no more than two hours being transported from his farm to the slaughterhouse. Krajnc says what Toronto Pig Save does is bear witness to the animals suffering on a journey. She takes the videos and images of these animals en route so people can acknowledge their circumstances. “It’s important to give water to thirsty animals, but it’s also an opportunity for people to see if they want to participate in exploitation of these incredible creatures,” says Krajnc. Due to the lack of prioritization for animal welfare, safety and enforcement of the animal procedures by its own administration, Krajnc’s act of civil disobedience for serving water to thirsty animals sends the message that if consumers want animal welfare, and the transport industry held accountable, an activist’s compassion might be the only welfare treatment these animals will get.

perspective, but a Pew Research Center poll released back in October had 52 per cent of Canadians in favour of the deal with only 31 per cent opposed to it. Now back in October, the document was just released so percentages may have change greatly since then but there are still many who see this deal as a good thing. Canadians want a debate before the final decision. The Liberals have always been for free trade but Freeland and Trudeau promised they would consult with Canadians about the deal and they have done so, more or less.

But signing does not mean ratifying. “Just as it is too soon to endorse the TPP, it is also too soon to close the door,” Trade Minister Freeland wrote recently in an open letter posted on her department’s website. The signing does not mean the end of the world; it sets the stage for the deal’s opponents to be heard in full strength. This will happen when the TPP comes up for debate in Parliament. Only a majority vote can allow the agreement to pass, signing is simply a step in the process. All the other countries will follow this same route

and each will have up to two years to consider everything before the final decision. As a middle power, the Canadian government will likely wait until larger countries ratify it before they do it themselves. Even America is having second thoughts. While Obama wants this to be his last great move as President, frontrunners in the 2016 election from both sides have come out against the trade deal. Trump, Clinton, Cruz and Sanders all oppose the TPP so there may still be a chance for the U.S. to back out. This move will make Canada

back out too. Although with Canada’s economy in the state that it’s in, and the country’s oil industry in such a poor state, many argue Canada needs this deal. Add onto that a failing loonie and it doesn’t seem like Canadians have a better choice at the moment. “Right now when Western Canada is hurting… the Trans-Pacific Partnership offers huge opportunities, particularly in business services sector and agricultural sector,” said Conservative Leader Rona Ambrose in Ottawa recently, urging the government to support the TPP.

Marina Tyszkiewicz The Chronicle

When a truck driver transporting pigs to a slaughterhouse got out of his truck and threatened to phone the police on animal rights activist Anita Krajnc for giving water to the thirsty pigs inside, Krajnc advised him to call Jesus instead. Krajnc and members from Toronto Pig Save have been handing out water and watermelon pieces to transported pigs for the last two years. But back in June while giving water to the pigs, during a confrontation that was captured on video and has since gone viral, Krajnc has what she describes as a very ‘unique’ and ‘tense’ confrontation with the truck driver Jeffrey Veldjesgraaf. As a result, a phone call was made to the police. Krajnc has since been charged with criminal mischief under $5,000 and could face a potential jail sentence of up to 10 years, if convicted. Of the 700 million farm animals killed each year in Canada, nearly every one will undergo transport at least once in its life. According to reports by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA), three million animals die during transport every year. “I’ve been charged with criminal mischief, but the real crime is what’s happening to these animals,” says Krajnc, who adds that the suffering these animals endure is unfathomable. According to the Humane Society International Canada, the conditions of these transport trucks offer poor ventilation, and expose animals to outdoor temperature extremes. Overcrowding on trucks is another factor, which leads to some animals getting trampled and killed. Often animals cannot lie down during long journeys, and can overheat. The journey also subjects animals to decrease in airflow, as well as high ammonia levels, and poor air quality. Humane Society International Canada has described the Canadian transport standards to be “among the worst in the industrialized world”. Under Canada’s

Photograph by Anita Krajnc

Crammed pigs are being transported to a slaughterhouse in the summer heat across Canada.

Canada will not close the door on TPP deal Michael Clark The Chronicle

Canada’s International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland has signed the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) at a meeting in New Zealand. The TPP affects everything from tariff policy to intellectual property. Opponents to the deal will be disappointed with this decision but it had to be done. If Canada didn’t sign the deal, it would mean withdrawing from the TPP altogether. Now that may seem like a good idea from the opponent’s

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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Cafeteria craze on campus Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle

The Durham College cafeteria, also known as Marketplace Food Court, is more than a place for students and faculty to get food. Students join together to get group projects done and their individual homework completed in the cafe. It might not be the quietist place in the school, but it sure spreads the exciting college feel. Aramark is a food service that first started in 1932. After 80 years of expanding their company, they’ve made their way to Durham College. The cafeteria can hold roughly 200 students and offers Pizza Pizza, Smokes Poutinerie, Express, Extreme Pita and more. Several dietary issues are considered at Durham College whether you’re vegetarian, vegan or have any allergies there is a meal option for you. Shelley Horeczy is a retail manager for Aramark. She previously worked at some restaurants at the UOIT campus. Horeczy says the most popular restaurant the cafeteria has right now is the Smokes Poutinerie that opened up this year. She says the cafe environment is friendly but “it’s a busy area,” if students are looking to study there. The cafeteria is often busy and

filled with students. The cafeteria is one of the most common areas on campus for events, inluding the recent Lord of the Fries poutine contest. Keziah Campbell is a student studying nursing prep in the General Arts and Science program. She says she often frequents the cafeteria. “It’s not a good place to study,” Campbell says, but admits she gets her homework done there while she eats. Her favourite meal to order at the café is pizza from Pizza Pizza. “It’s what the students want,” Horeczy says. Aramark takes student surveys to find out what restaurants they want in the cafeteria. “We try and figure out the most popular restaurants they would like and try to put it in,” she says. Meal plan options are available to students with access of their campus ID cards. The way the card works is students go to the Aramark office located in the cafeteria. They can bring money to put onto their cards like a prepaid credit card, allowing them access to skip the lines at other food service locations on campus. Student input is needed in the surveys to help improve food options at the school says Horeczy. Without student feedback, Ara- Students flock to the cafeteria during their breaks for a place mark won’t be able to fit the needs to grab a bite to eat and relax with friends. of students.

Photograph by Taylor Waines

Jo-Anne Puglisevich, a client services and support expert at Durham College.

Keeping the IT at DC functional

Taylor Waines The Chronicle

From ensuring DC Connect is working to helping anxious students with their technology issues, Jo-Anne Puglisevich and the Information Technology (IT) desk located in the Computer Commons helps make Durham College (DC) work. From beers to tears, Puglisevich has seen it all in her eight years at DC. One of her most interesting experiences here has to be a sudsy interaction she faced with a student. “I had an electrical engineering student come in with his laptop full of beer,” Puglisevich laughed. Behind the scenes, Puglisevich’s job is to maintain the networks, phone systems and ensure all the computers in the labs are up and going. Puglisevich and other IT employees help both students and faculty with any other technology issues.

She says she has seen many crying students as she helps to ease the stress of students during exam season. Without hesitation, Puglisevich said the people make it worthwhile. “The people are great, the students are great,” Puglisevich said. “It’s a great place to work, the people I work with are wonderful, and everyone gets along pretty good,” Puglisevich said she has had many wonderful experiences at Durham College but student interaction is the best part of her job. Sharing her advice, Puglisevich urged students to get involved around the school. Whether it be in functions or school events Puglisevich said it helps to make your school experience better. So next time your computer crashes during exams or you can’t connect to the printer, you can thank Puglisevich and her team for their constant support and problem solving of all your IT issues.

Photograph by Amanda Ramlal

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

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Simcoe building awaiting change Cameron Popwell The Chronicle

“The building is starting to feel as old as it is. I think it’s definitely time to get it up date.” This was the impression given by several students attending classes in Durham College’s Simcoe building. The building is the oldest building on campus, having been constructed in 1967. In 2013, Durham College and UOIT released the “Master Plan” document. It outlined planned architectural development to the campus. According to the document, the plan was divided into two phases: the first included older buildings and parking lots and was set for completion in June of 2014. The second phase was planned to be finished in September of 2015. One of the buildings included in the document was the Simcoe building, included in “Phase 1”. Despite the Master Plan outlining a plan to “replace” the Simcoe building by mid-2014 and in fact claiming that Phase 1 was completed on schedule, the building has remained untouched up to a year-and-a-half after the estimated completion date. Vice President of Facilities and Ancillary Services Alan Dunn, could not be reached for comment as to why the reconstruction of the nearly 50-year-old building had been delayed. Students and faculty in Simcoe building have expressed positivity towards the prospect of a newer, more modern building to be able use. “The fact that the enrolment rates are high enough to require the update of the [Simcoe] building is a great indication of positive growth,” said Matt Devlan, Principal of CultureWorks, which operates out of Simcoe building, “I think it’s important that the students here get something more modern, in both technology and architecture.”

February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

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After two years of enraging Canadian consumers with lack of stock, Target closed its doors in Canada.

Photograph by Ryan Burden

Missing the Target: The reason for closure Ryan Burden The Chronicle

Target shot into Canada back in 2013 with colourful promises and loads of personality. The company was known to be a top retailer in the U.S., and Canadian consumers thought Target would bring their exclusive products and competitive prices to their backyard. This retailer would bring a new heavy hitter to Canada, to compete with the likes of Walmart, Loblaws and Sobeys, and stop Canadians from travelling across the border to do their shopping. Despite new and appealing products and a seemingly bright future for the American giant, Target Canada filed for bankruptcy almost exactly two years after their first stores opened. Target Canada was not able to compete with the low prices of Canada’s existing retail giants, and did not offer enough unique merchandise to make a consumer’s visit worthwhile. Customers would frequently complain about empty shelves in the stores, and more often than not, shoppers would leave Target empty-handed and frustrated. Target reported $2.5 billion in losses before taxes at the end of 2014, and eventually the effort to turn sales around seemed hopeless. In a blog post, Target CEO Brain Cornell said the company was “unable to find a realistic scenario that got Target Canada to profitability until at least 2021.” However, when Target withdrew from Canada, they left behind 133 stores, and left 17,600 employees without a job. The sudden closure left many Target employees confused and upset. Target hit a low point in 2013 with a failure to stock shelves, but the company was seemingly improving through 2014.“I have no idea what went wrong, I thought the sales were fine but I guess it wasn’t as good as I thought,” former Target employee Michelle Blakely said. “I loved working at Target.” The first, and likely biggest issue for Target’s survival in Canada

was the store’s big prices. Statistics Canada reported that Canadians travelled to the United States more than 56 million times in 2012, and while Canadians were down south they spent about $468 billion, accounting for two per cent of Canada’s total retail sales In just one year. In fact, Target had produced a study showing that 10 per cent of Canadians would travel to the U.S. to shop at Target stores, and 70 per cent of Canadians knew of the Target brand. With so many Canadians travelling to the U.S. to shop at stores like Target or Walmart, the expansion into Canada was a natural next step for Target. It wasn’t until Target started opening its first stores in 2013 that the company realized it wouldn’t be so easy. “Transportation costs are higher, distribution costs are higher, fuel costs are higher, wage rates vary across the country, the tax rates are different, cost of goods are different, the duties…” Target Canada President Tony Fisher said in a statement. “Canada is quite different from the incredibly different, densely populated U.S. marketplace.” Target purchased 189 empty Zellers and Hudson’s Bay Company locations across Canada in 2011, and had many of them open for business by 2013. This ambitious decision ended up in a commercial failure because there were too many stores and not enough merchandise delivered to them. Many consumers would arrive at Target to find many empty shelves with small red signs that read, “We’re stocking up so you can too.” Target’s massive launch in Canada left a huge number of convenient locations for shoppers, but most of the stores were nearly empty. Former Executive Team Leader (ETL) of Logistics Anthony Barron worked at Target’s Ajax location, and said it was one of the more successful launches compared to other Targets across Canada. “When our store opened in Ajax we maybe had 85 per cent of our shelves stocked and that’s being generous,” Barron said. “It’s pretty embarrassing to know many of the

Target stores launched with empty shelves showing the consumers they weren’t ready. Had they taken a different approach with the number of stores launched, it could have driven better sales.” One Target logistics employee, Nick Jolly, thinks Target did too much, too quickly. “I think it was because they opened up too many stores in such a short period of time,” Jolly said. “They weren’t able to ship so much merchandise to all the stores in such a short time.”Jolly worked as an overnight truck unloader and merchandiser at Target’s Ajax location, where trucks would often carry too many of the wrong products.“We got a lot of duplicate items and not enough rare or licensed items,” he said. “People would always come in to get milk or some groceries with their RED card, and ended up leaving the store because we didn’t get the produce shipment.” The RED card was an attractive offer from Target Canada. Shoppers could sign up for a Target MasterCard or debit card that

important sale items were under order and they underestimated the demand of items whether it was under-ordering or over-ordering. The whole supply chain was flawed. Essentially they did not do a good enough job managing inventory and always failed to deliver on the big sale items.” Target was unable to understand the Canadian marketplace, and treated the then-flourishing economy like the opportunity it was- it was the execution that was a failure. The company made a bad impression on Canadian consumers with empty shelves and higher prices than U.S. Targets. “Target failed to make a positive impact on consumers from the launch date. Many Canadians anticipated a similar shopping experience to what they get in the U.S. but they really got a glamorized Zellers,” Barron said. “As much as they praised it at the time, opening 125 stores in a calendar year was not an accomplishment. It just added focus to the flawed supply chain and logistics systems they had in place.

Everything in regards to the logistics of the operation was a failure. they could use to save five per cent on anything bought in the store. Consumers would wish to use this card when a large seasonal sale was announced, but often the stock wouldn’t arrive. Target would announce large sales on select items throughout the season, but the logistics department couldn’t keep up with client demands. “Everything in regards to the logistics of the operation was a failure,” Barron said. “There never seemed to be a steady flow of inventory to the stores, many times

“From day one, it seemed like the strategy was flawed as the push was on using ‘best practices’ established in the American operation. It just showed Target failed to do enough research and pull enough market data to truly understand the Canadian consumer,” he said. “It almost seemed it was American ignorance with some of the projected sales forecast numbers for stores in comparison to the Zellers stores they took over. They failed to grasp the demographics and thus couldn’t position themselves well

with Canadians.” Target and its employees suffered from a hasty launch, but failed further with its continuing stock issues and unrealistic, dated policies. “Some of [Target’s] policies showed they were out of touch with the current market. For example, consumers needed a hard copy flyer for price matches when a lot of people are using digital means for flyers. They seemed to find more ways to enrage customers then satisfy them.” Shoppers were enraged at many of Target’s policies, but none more so than the empty shelves. Customers would often enter a Target with the week’s flyer in hand, only to find out the newly discounted items were either out of stock, or had never been in stock in the first place. “I called for about three months, probably every day, trying to get a PlayStation Vita at the flyer price I had it on hold for,” Byron Williams, a Target consumer said. “They never got it in stock so I cancelled it and went to EB Games.” Target was a commercial failure in Canada, but it touched the lives of thousands. While the company didn’t have stocked shelves or favourable prices, at times it carried unique and quirky products that Canadians couldn’t find elsewhere. Target had great offerings to its clientele, and had the company taken its expansion slower, we may have seen Target become bigger than the likes of Walmart or Sobeys. While many Canadians found Target Canada to be unimpressive, some were sad to see it go. “It’s sad to see Target go,” Williams said, “they didn’t have a lot of stuff when I needed it but the stores were cleaner and nicer to go to than a Walmart. Plus, they had Starbucks.” Target’s real estate in Canada is still being sold off, and 12 of the locations were sold to the home furnishing company Lowe’s in July 2015. Until the remaining stores are sold, Canadians are forced to live with the rest of the abandoned facilities.

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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Fine Motor Clinic

What we offer :

Kidsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; clinic on campus run by Occupational Therapist Assistant/Physiotherapy Assistant (OTA/PTA) A) program. pr

What are we?

Fine motor intervention to groups of children with fine motor delays. This service offers an OT assessment during the first week, followed by weekly treatment sessions with the OTA/PTA students and under the direct supervision of the OT to implement the treatment plan in the progressing weeks. For more information visit http://www.durhamcollege.ca/services/campus-services/fine-motor-clinic Services are provided free of charge, with a one-time registration fee of $30.

Campus

Freezing flavours Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle

Chia seeds were originally grown in Mexico. In the Mayan language “chia” means “strength”. Using chia seeds in popsicles is a fun and easy way to get nutrition such as vitamin E or Omega-3 fats. This strawberry chia popsicle will supply your body with vitamin E and Omega-3 fats but also fiber, protein and much more. Omega-3 fats help keep your hormones in balance. When a person is feeling stressed out, their skin will suffer. Omega-3 fats help fight stress keeping your hormones in balance and skin looking healthy. Just two tablespoons of these little seeds are equivalent to four ounces of salmon. Chia seeds are nature’s most rich antioxidant. What’s in the chia seeds attacks inflammation and wrinkles by helping to strengthen cell membranes. On top of fighting off wrinkles, chia seeds also combat acne. Chia seeds have 6 times more protein than kidney beans. The protein found in chia seeds also maintain collagen that is found in hair, nails and skin keeping you looking your best and healthy. Chia seeds also contain magnesium which helps regulate blood sugar and keeps your nervous system in working order. Chia seeds contain more magnesium than almost any other food except for the cacao bean. Incorporating chia seeds into popsicles is an easy way to enjoy these benefits. Creating your own popsicles at home gives you the power of controlling what’s in it and the amount of sugar added. You’re also able to enjoy popsicles no matter what season. Popsicles are also a great way to get children or any picky eaters in your family to eat healthy too. Chia seeds aren’t the only benefit from this recipe. Coconut milk is a great substitute for cow’s milk. Coconut milk is lactose free, perfect for anyone who is lactose intolerant making the popsicle enjoyable for all. Ingredients: • 1 cup of vanilla yogurt • 1 tsp. vanilla essence • 1 cup of frozen strawberries • 1 tsp chia seeds (or grounded chia) • ½ cup of coconut milk • 1 tsp honey Instructions: Add a half cup of vanilla yogurt to a bowl. Add a tsp if vanilla essence than another half of vanilla yogurt to the mixture. Mix together. Add a cup of frozen strawberries into a blender. Pour in the vanilla yogurt mixture. Add a half cup of coconut milk. Blend for a minute.Add a tsp of chia seeds (I used ground seeds). Add a tbsp. of honey to sweeten. Blend again till smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds. Freeze for 30 minutes then add popsicle sticks. Freeze overnight or for six hours minimum.

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

New Year workout planning If you feel like quitting, DON'T As February winds down, so does the resolve of everyone who decided to workout. If you’ve made it through the month, then congratulations and keep up the good work! Although the gym may still be packed all day, almost every day, you’ve made it farther than most do when heading to the gym as a new year’s resolution. Most people make the resolution to get in shape and either lose five pounds, see a little bit of progress and quit, or don’t work out seriously, see no progress and quit. If you feel like quitting, don’t. The missing element to having a

good workout could simply be that you don’t have the proper knowledge or you may lack an end goal. These goals don’t have to be anything big. No one is expecting you to put on 20 pounds of muscle in two months or lose 100 pounds in a year. The first thing you need to realize if you want to see progress is that it doesn’t happen overnight. Simply working out three times a week won’t get you in shape. There needs to be a commitment to fitness as a whole if you want to see progress. The best way to go about effective exercising actually has nothing to

do with exercising your body, and everything to do with exercising your brain. Without the knowledge to exercise effectively and safely, you can get hurt or become ill. Before making any big commitments to a program, see a nutritionist or physician and find out how to properly eat and supplement yourself for the level of exercise you are doing. If you don’t pay attention to your eating habits or get the proper nutrition you can have more problems than just fat loss or gain. Many new gym-goers often think that cutting out macronutrients like fat or carbs and having a high protein diet is the key to eating healthily, when in fact a balance of all of your macronutrients is the key. When reducing fats and carbs, you need to know what kinds of fats

From student to business owner

But she says for this to happen students need financial support. “They (the students) will have a great idea... but they won’t have money to get their idea off the ground,” she says. McGovern says the fund really helps the students because they often need money to file government paperwork or to speak to lawyers about their company. “For…students that’s usually the biggest barrier…and that (funding) seems to help get them off the ground.” To receive funding, students have to attend a free weeklong entrepreneur boot camp offered by the fund. The boot camp helps students develop good business plans. Afterwards, they can submit their ideas for the opportunity to win financial support.Last year, nine awards were given out for students at a total value of $40,500. These awards helped students begin new businesses, such as a smart watch company started by

two UOIT students. The company called Henlen Watches allows users to have interchangeable watchbands so people can use different bands for activities, such as going to the gym. The concept was created secondyear engineering students, Kyle George and Gregory Barnes. The pair received a $5,000 grant from the Firefly Fund to start up their company. They will be launching a Kickstarter campaign in the summer for investor contributions before they start the manufacturing process. The Firefly Fund also partners with the Spark Centre in Oshawa to give students additional support with their new companies. The centre provides funding, advice and other supports for entrepreneurs, such as George and Barnes. But the university is contributing more to the economy than just future entrepreneurs. Lindsay Coolidge, manager of government and community rela-

tions at UOIT, says many people don’t realize the many ways the university affects the economy. “I think everyone always thinks about the students (here) but they forget about the other ways we actually impact (Durham Region).” The university contributed more than $200 million to Ontario’s economy in 2014 and has created more than 900 jobs in the since the school opened in 2004, according to McGovern. McGovern spoke about those contributions, along with the Firefly Fund at an Oshawa city council meeting Feb. 1. She hopes the awareness of the economic benefits the school brings to the region will encourage future donations. “We aren’t asking for a handout,” she says. “We are looking for a hand-up.” McGovern will be speaking at council meetings across Durham Region and Northumberland over the next few months.

rise about four per cent. This means that the average Canadian household will pay about $325 more on food. Prices have been increasing over the past year but the problem seems to be growing with a decreasing Canadian dollar. John Kerr is the food service Director for Aramark at Durham College and UOIT. Kerr says if food prices go up they will surely increase at school as well. The campus is franchise heavy with eating options from Tim Hortons, Pizza Pizza, Mr. Sub, Smoke’s Poutinerie and many more which all set their own prices. But according to Kerr, Aramark sets food prices for its own outlets which include Miso, Pan Fusion and Express fridges. Kerr says Aramark tries to keep

campus food prices the lowest they can for students, but adds with rising prices it makes it difficult to maintain. Food prices at Aramark’s outlets are set in the spring, says Kerr, adding Aramark doesn’t make changes throughout the year. Any price changes will be implemented in August. Rising food prices might force some students to turn to the campus’s food bank. Camille Talag is a volunteer event coordinator at Outreach Services. She says rising grocery prices could impact the number of people coming to access the school’s food bank. DC and UOIT’s food bank is part of the Student Association’s Outreach Services. Any student attending either school can gain access by filling out a registration

form, then they’re put into the system. Students are able to access the food bank once every two weeks. Donations are on a one off basis and regularly come from staff, faculty, students and parents of students, Talag says. “It’s nice to see that the community cares and they know about the food bank and how often students need it,” says Talag. As prices continue to increase Kerr guarantees the school gets the best prices that they can for students. There have been times when Aramark might recommend a price increase by four per cent but the school might not agree to that, says Kerr. They might say, “three per cent because students can afford that.”

Bill Christou

and carbs to remove. You want to keep complex carbs and essential fatty acids in your diet . If you cut out too much of either, you could experience bloating or water retention, a constant need to pee, and in the case of cutting out all fats and carbs, it’s not uncommon to have a diminished sex drive. If you want to continue going to the gym and getting in better shape, you need to have the information on how to do so first. The Campus recreation and Wellness Centre, or even your family doctor can help you get in the right direction when it comes to nutrition and overall physical fitness. Always remember that these are your goals, and to be successful you need to always look forward and better yourself just like you would in your career.

Big bucks for new businesses Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle

A UOIT fund will give student entrepreneurs $250,000 to start their future businesses in Durham Region. The Firefly Entrepreneurship Fund raised the money so students can pursue their ideas in Durham Region, in hopes it will benefit the future economy of the area. Susan McGovern, vice-president of external relations and advancement at UOIT, says the fund will encourage students to start their businesses locally, which will provide more jobs and revenue for the region.

Grocery costs increasing in 2016 Food price increase could impact campus Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle

Canadians may be paying more for food this year – and that could mean students at Durham College (DC) and UOIT will have to dig deeper into their wallets to satisfy their stomachs. Meats, fruits and nuts are all expected to see the greatest increase in prices for 2016. The University of Guelph Food Institute predicts food prices will

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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Campus

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The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

DC grads realize policing is changing Alyssa Erwin The Chronicle

Aspiring police officers learning their profession at Durham College are worried about their future and how the public will view them because of a growing stigma towards police officers and the irresponsible manner in which some officers enforce the law. “I feel like when I get into that field, how people view me is going to go down because of all the negative feedback that people give the police,” says Drake Perry, a Protection Security and Investigations student at Durham College. Media sources claim that the most recent case in which a police officer was mistaken for being violent was November 30, where a Toronto police officer chased a man from a robbery and proceeded to attempt to make an arrest. Two individuals then confronted the officer during the time of the arrest by trying to pull him off of the man being arrested. The individuals claimed the office was using “excessive force”. In this case, the officer was not in the wrong and the individuals were charged for interfering with

Photograph by Alyssa Erwin

The Police Learning Centre features multiple police vehicles with which students interact. the arrest, according to multiple media sources. Lucas Robinson, a Durham College Police Foundations student, says police are only recognized for their negative actions, never the positive. “The volunteering, the safety we bring, is masked by incidents where authority is abused,” Robinson says.

Perry believes that those who have a negative view of the police are the ones who tend to get in trouble with the police. He also believes that troublesome teenagers and youth are the ones who placed a negative view on police. “It’s mainly teenagers because they’re the ones that have a prob-

lem with them [police],” Perry says. “They are the ones going out, getting in trouble, buying drugs and all that stuff.” Robinson and Perry both agree that police are not credited for the work that they do. Robinson says that police officers “can’t make an honest mistake.” Robinson believes that “average

citizens hold them [police] to a high standard and that if you want to be a police officer you can’t make any mistakes in your life.” Robinson believes that a major factor behind the discrimination towards police is the events that occur in the United States in which police are abusing their title. “What is happening in the United States is not how all police officers act. People let that overshadow the greatness we bring to communities,” he says. Police officers face stigma everyday on and off the job. One of the most popular places the police are targeted is over social media websites, especially Facebook. Sheridan Beesley, a former Police Foundations student at Durham College, says she often sees individuals sharing, posting and writing posts and pictures that are offensive to police officers. The stigma and discrimination towards police officers can leave aspiring police officers worried about how they will be viewed as police in the future. However, Perry and Robinson believe that their dreams are worth any obstacles that may follow them in the future.

Taking a look at the stars The iPhone 6:

Worth the hype?

Alex Ross

The Chronicle Look up to the skies in Oshawa and you’ll see both sides of Canada. To the north and to the east you’ll see clear country skies. The southwest is a different sort of sky. There is a haze and faint glow of the city lights that Toronto so graciously shines upon the suburban cities. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) has added an astrophysics specialization to their general physics course. The program is the newest and only laptop-based undergraduate astrophysics program in Canada. The interest in astronomy at UOIT has been so active that some students have even started an astronomy club. “It was their own initiative, I can’t take credit for that,” says Dr. Rupinder Brar, one of the Senior Lecturers of Physics and Astronomy at UOIT. Dr. Brar, is one of the faculty members involved in the development of the program. The club is entirely run by students, but they sometimes treat Dr. Brar as a guest and bring him in to speak to the other students that may not be in his course. The astrophysics specialization program is based off the physics program, which is run out of the UA Science Building at UOIT. Next year will be the first year of classes after the program’s announcement three years ago, the first years at the time of the announcement will be going into their fourth year when the specialization becomes available to students. The school has acknowledged the interest in astronomy and with the new program launching next year they have installed an observatory

Amanda Ramlal The Chronicle

Photograph courtesy of Dr. Rupinder Brar

Dr. Rupinder Brar showcases the newly installed telescope on the roof of the library in Polonsky Commons.

telescope on the roof of the library, says Dr. Brar. It has been over a year since the school gave approval for the telescope and during that time they took into consideration which location would be best. The library was chosen because it is one of the most northern buildings on campus and gives a clear view of the northern and eastern night skies. Dr. Brar says, “the telescope is ready to use… it’s working perfectly.” The observatory will be used in January at the start of the winter semester.

Dr. Brar received his PhD in Astrophysics from Queen’s University, while teaching at UOIT as a part-time lecturer. Once he graduated from Queen’s he came to UOIT to teach full-time in the physics program. He briefly moved to teach at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, but came back to UOIT and later became a Senior Lecturer. Despite the time away, he never lost his interest in astronomy. “As long as I can remember, I’ve been into space,” says Dr. Brar.

Apple launched its latest phone design the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus this year. Their tagline for the brand new phone is “the only thing that’s changed is everything.” But is that really true? The phone looks very similar to last year’s model, the iPhone 6. The only difference that truly stands out are new features and a few upgrades like the 3D Touch, improved Touch ID and a 12-megapixel camera. Apple also added a new colour to its line, rose gold. Ingrid Brand, a program coordinator for the Marketing Program at Durham College says, “success in a business is if you can make and sustain a healthy profit.” She continues, “What Apple has done is created a trusted and sought after brand.” Besides the expected internal and external improvements, Apple created a brand new feature to the iPhone with 3D touch. This was first introduced with its latest MacBook which uses Force Touch. Depending on how hard you touch the screen it will do a different command. Some customers’ favourite upgrades that Apple has made to the latest iPhone is the camera. The quality has gone up a lot compared to past models like the 5S, which only had an eight-megapixel camera. There is also a new front flash, timer mode, improved noise reduction, auto image stabilization and “live photos.” Live photos capture a couple of seconds before and after you take a photo creating a “gif” or what other people are recognizing

as a “Harry Potter effect”, because of the famous wizard’s newspaper Daily Prophet, that feature moving images. The iPhone 6S also features 4K video recording, that records at 30 frames per second (fps). Another quality offered is 1080p HD Video recording at both 30 fps and 60 fps. While recording, it is still possible to capture photos in eight-megapixels while still recording in 4K. A feature that was first introduced with the iPhone 5S is Touch ID. It is a fingerprint sensor that is built into the phone’s home button. Once people fell in love with the Touch ID they started to notice some of its faults. Fingerprints eventually got more difficult for the phone to read or it was slow. Users would give up with using the Touch ID and type in their passcode when all of a sudden the iPhone would unlock because of the previously used Touch ID. All of these were later corrected with the 6S model. “Apple has positioned themselves as the creative, the people that are ‘into it’, front-runners,” says Brand. The phone’s biggest improvement has been the camera. The front camera flash is a very handy feature too. Another thing users are really liking about this phone is the screen size. It fits in the hand perfectly and everything is in reach. Apple even included a feature where a double tap on the home button, will bring down the application screen lower, a useful tool for anyone with small hands. Apple is a company that is under constant change and development. Its products continue to enter the homes of consumers and wow us with each improvement.

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

Entertainment

Machine picks out art to display Technology takes over Whitby Station Gallery Tabitha Reddekop The Chronicle

Normally a curator picks what hangs on an art gallery wall, but at one Whitby gallery, a machine is doing the choosing. An exhibit at the Whitby Station Gallery includes a machine that is programmed to use evolution and math to pick out art. The computer is part of an exhibit called Conscious Machine and will choose one piece to display each week at the gallery through to March 26. “It makes my job that much easier and I can start thinking about my retirement,” jokes the gallery curator, Olexander Wlasenko. Conscious Machine is the brainchild of Oshawa artist, Jessica Field, who also creates robots for art. “I like to design artificial life projects that think for itself,” she says. “I like to program something until I don’t understand it anymore and see what happens.” She says contrary to the exhibit’s name, the machine is not actually conscious, but uses math, social science and evolutionary formulas to choose what to display. “It’s really testing to see what that math means and see if it can actually show how humans do behaviours.” Visitors can try to influence the machine by answering questions about themselves to help the machine modify behaviours. She says the machine tends to view the visitors’ answers as distrustful because it can’t understand

Photograph by Tabitha Reddekop

Jessica Field, Oshawa's new media artist, with her exhibit The Monoliths at the Whitby Station Gallery.

human beings do not behave the same way as machines. She says the point is not to show artificial life replacing humans, but to show its limitations. The machine will pick a different artwork to display each week and so far has picked three out of the 10 pictures it will choose over the course of the exhibit. The machine chooses from the Station Gallery permanent collection of more than 300 works and then the curator hangs its choice beside it in the gallery. Wlasenko says the machine has made decisions about art he wouldn’t have considered in the past. The art it has picked so far includes a piece by well-known First

Nation artist, Robert Houle. Field has other work also displayed at the gallery for the next two months. The other displays include robots and rhythm, which is used to explore human emotions and stereotypes. The exhibit is called the Monoliths. At first glance, the display appears to be three black fridgeshaped boxes arranged on the gallery room floor, but the boxes are actually sound machines that are activated by movement. Once activated, rhythmic thumping and pulses reverberate around the room and peepholes allow viewers to take a peek inside the machines. Fields says the point of the piece is to show people things are not always

what they seem. “One peephole has lovers and we look through the peephole and we see they actually have broken hearts,” she explains. But the exhibit does more than show happily-never-afters, the machine also attempts to explain the emotions and stereotypes in a scientific way. Field uses colourful blackboard drawings as part of the display to label the different aspects of the machine, in the same way a scientist would write down a complicated formula. “I use scientific methods to try and explain the human condition, which is ironic because science tends to avoid these things…it can’t explain,” she says.

Wlasenko expects the exhibit will draw in several thousand people over the next two months because Field is a well-known artist locally. “People are big fans of Jessica here,” he says. Field believes there is something in her work that could appeal to everyone, not just the scientifically-minded. “You don’t have to be a professor to enjoy my work, maybe you like the colourful blackboard drawings or just looking at the robots.”Wlasenko agrees. “The interesting enquires she makes regarding science and the scientific method, I think is very engaging for viewers to see.” Field has also had displays at the Robert McLaughlin Gallery and Oshawa Space Invaders.

The awakening of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 Ryan Burden The Chronicle

Since being one of the biggest media launches of 2015, Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 (COD) has only grown in size and stature. Its first expansion, “Awakening”, was released on February 2nd for Playstation 4 users. Like usual with Call of Duty games, the expansion contains four new multiplayer maps, and one new zombies mode experience. The quality of “Awakening’s” contents is truly impressive and well worth the price. First off, the multiplayer maps. “Awakening” introduces Splash, Gauntlet, Skyjacked and Rise to the game’s roster. Usually, one or two of the maps are disappointing. This is not the case here.

The best of these new maps is Splash, an abandoned waterpark. It has twisting waterslides, a wave pool, and even a giant Kraken. Despite the map’s beauty and creativity, it has suffered from various glitches and issues that make it unplayable for many, although these issues will likely be patched in an update. Being a waterpark, this map takes full advantage of the underused underwater mechanics. It is a playful and colourful map, which is a welcome change from COD’s signature war-torn city environments. There’s even a “NO SELFIE STICKS” sign, which begs the question: will selfie sticks still plague us in 2065? Gauntlet is not a typical military training facility. The map is divided into three areas, each entirely

unique from the other. Players will find themselves crawling through a dense jungle, only to make a wrong turn and arrive in frozen tundra filled with icy cliffs and endless drops. The third area is the least exciting: a rainy urban street. This map is designed to follow the three-lane philosophy by making each area entirely different, and it does so in a distinct and memorable way. Skyjacked is actually a re-imagining of an extremely popular Black Ops 2 map, Hijacked. This time, instead of fighting on a stolen yacht filled with booze and Jacuzzis, the map has been newly designed as a massive hovercraft in the skies of Zurich. With the new environment comes brand new gameplay and movement mechanics not present in the map’s

predecessor, and delivers much more fluidity than before. Players may experience vertigo, however. The breathtaking view of the city below is so beautifully animated it looks as though you may actually fall if you make a wrong step. Below Skyjacked lies the final multiplayer map, Rise. Set in a snowy construction site in Zurich, this map is very classic and true to the COD franchise. It is the largest of the four maps, and contains a variety of cover-to-cover combat and open areas. Finally, the zombies map Der Eisendrache, pronounced eyes-enndragg, is a gorgeous, mountain-top medieval castle set in the Austrian Alps. The map introduces a slew of `hidden features and secrets.

COD has found the perfect balance between survival and adventure so this map is not overwhelming for casual players, but still has a lot for those that like to dig a little deeper. It doesn’t force its complexity upon players, but instead offers it as optional layers of depth. Like Splash, this map has suffered from some glitches at launch. SCORE: 8/10: Each of the new multiplayer maps brings something unique and special to the current rotation. Despite the quality of the maps introduced in the update, some maps suffer from glitches and other issues at launch. The new zombies experience is a spectacular entry in the series, allowing players to discover something new each time they return to it.

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

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Sports

Free agents swimming in cash It's a great year for teams to add quality to their lineups

ite, David Price, signed a seven-year contract with the Boston Red Sox for $31 million per year. Many fans felt that this was a huge over payment for a player who hasn’t proven he is able to pitch in the playoffs. The Red Sox are looking to bounce back from last season’s last place finish as they also traded four prospects for closer Craig Kimbrel this off-season. The youngest free agent in the pool this year was 26-year-old Jason Heyward, and after signing

an eight-year $184 million contract with the Chicago Cubs, he is expected to do big things. The right fielder has huge upside and is coming into his prime. Heyward has already done some impressive things in his career: winning three gold gloves and becoming an all-star in his rookie season. He will join an already young cohort of players in Chicago who will look to do one better than last season and reach the World Series. Perhaps the team who has been

the most active in the free agent market so far is the Detroit Tigers. After an abysmal 2015 season, which saw them at the bottom of the American League Central, the Tigers knew they needed to upgrade in many departments to get back to winning ways. The Tigers have spent $270 million on player contracts so far, signing six players. Of those signed, Justin Upton will bring a powerful bat to an already powerful team. Jordan Zimmerman brings a quality arm to a

struggling Tigers rotation, which is crying out for a leader. Mike Pelfrey, Mark Lowe, Mike Aviles and Jarrod Saltalamacchia bring also bring depth to the roster. Notable pitchers who have been signed by new clubs as free agents include Johnny Cueto (Giants), Scott Kazmir (Dodgers), Doug Fister (Astros), Mike Leake (Cardinals), Jeff Samardzija (Giants), Tyler Clippard (Diamondbacks), John Lakey (Cubs) and Wei-Yin Chen (Mariners). Ben Zobrist (Cubs) and Daniel Murphy (Nationals) are the two big-name infielders that have found new homes. In the outfield, Denard Span (Giants) and Gerardo Parra (Rockies) will both be in a new ballpark this season. Notable players who have resigned with their former clubs include powerful first baseman, Chris Davis (Orioles), all-star outfielder, Yoenis Cespedes (Mets), solid outfielder Alex Gordon (Royals), catcher Matt Wieters (Orioles), infielder Howie Kendrick (Dodgers) and pitcher Marco Estrada ( Jays). These are all examples of players who looked to gain larger contracts but were content to stay put. There are still plenty of quality players who could help many teams for the upcoming season. Here is a list of the best players who have yet to sign with a club: Infielders: Ian Desmond, Jimmy Rollins, Juan Uribe and Justin Morneau. Outfielders: Dexter Fowler, Austin Jackson, Alex Rios, Shane Victorino and Nate McLouth Pitchers: Tim Lincecum, Yovani Gallardo, Josh Johnson and Alfredo Simon.

is reported to drink his own urine every morning before he trains. Durham and UOIT athletes also have their own superstitions and routines but perhaps not as extreme. Hope Eagleson of the Durham College women’s basketball team has a routine every time she takes a free throw. “Before shooting a free throw, I spin the ball, pull my shorts up and bounce the ball twice before I shoot,” she said. Eagleson said that this enables her to stay clam when the pressure is on, because one or two points

could make the difference between winning and losing. Marina Christie of the women’s softball team said that her superstition developed so she would relax in the batter’s box. “Three years ago, my coach told me to keep my feet square when I was batting, so I got mad and hit my cleats with the bat,” she said. “This helped remind me to stay square, so I do it every time I get in the box now.” Christie also uses another technique, which she said has helped her achieve better results when hitting.

“I started rocking while I was at the plate around two seasons ago, I soon found that it calmed me and when I’m calm I hit well instead of popping up or striking out,” she said. Food is also something that is crucial for an athlete to perform as it provides you with the energy needed to play at the highest level possible. Alex Cuccovillo of the UOIT men’s soccer team eats the same thing before every game. “One thing I do before every game is eat at least two hours before

and it is almost always pasta,” he said. “It has to be two hours before, any earlier I feel too hungry and any later I feel way too full.” Some teams also have their own collective routine to prepare them for games. Durham College softball player, Mackenzie Naccarato, explained what her summer club team does. “We get into a circle to focucs on our breathing," she said. We all focus on connecting with each other, being able to support your team and believe in one another helps you win games."

Jordan Edmonds

ajor League Baseball’s (MLB) free agent pool is arguably the best it has been for many years. There have been some huge signings so far and there are still some big players out there who have yet to be picked up. Free agents can sign for any team that offers them a contract but many of the big names command a premium price. Zack Greinke was no doubt the biggest free agent after the 2015 season. The 32-year-old had a stellar season with the Los Angeles Dodgers posting a 1.66 ERA with a 19-3 record. He eventually signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for a bumper $206 million six-year contract. Many feel he decided to leave the Dodgers because he wanted to be the ace of an organization, so it will be very interesting to see if he can make a big impact for the Diamondbacks, especially as they had a losing record last season. Toronto Blue Jays fans were left heartbroken after the fan favour-

Photograph by Jordan Edmonds

MLB teams have been extremely active in the free agent market this year.

Superstitious minds at Durham and UOIT Jordan Edmonds The Chronicle

Many athletes have always had some sort of superstition, routine or habit that they believe will help them with their performance or enable them to stay calm. There have been some famous superstitions in professional sports, some weirder than others. Former major league baseball player, Jason Giambi, used to wear a golden thong when he was in a slump. UFC fighter, Lyoto Machida,

Games in your backyard Friday, Feb. 19: Saturday, Feb. 20: Sunday, Feb. 21: DC Women’s Basketball vs St. Law- UOIT Women’s Hockey vs Toronto, Oshawa Generals vs Ottawa, 6:05 rence, 6 p.m. 7:30 p.m. p.m. DC Men’s Basketball vs St. Lawrence, 8 p.m.

Sports

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

Photo by Logan Caswell

February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

Photo by Logan Caswell

DC ballers on the court With sports winding down at DC and UOIT, some teams are preparing for playoffs, while others start to look forward to the next year. On Feb. 6 the men's basketball team lost to Canadore 79-87. The women's volleyball team once again continued its dominance, beating Canadore 3-2 on Feb. 7. With only a few games left, it's crunch time for the Lords' sports teams. Here are some photos from recent games. Clockwise from top left: Braydon Rodgers (14) cheers after the Lords score; Christoff Pierre (2) gets around a defending Canadore player; Camille Lefaive (11) bumps the ball up while her teammates Jessica Broad (8) and Emily Hacker (12) prepare to go in for the kill; Allison Marshall (1) celebrates the victory with teammate Megan Romain (15); Aaron Hayles (4) pulls off some fancy moves to keep possession of the ball.

Photo by Logan Caswell

Photo by Michael Fletcher

Photo by Logan Caswell

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca

February 16 - 22, 2016

The Chronicle

February 16 - 22, 2016

chronicle.durhamcollege.ca