Incite Magazine - December 2005

letter from paris

mcmaster in burlington?

good bread, cheap wine

08 | 03 december 2 0 0 5

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EDITORIAL

fter Canadian Thanksgiving, but still several weeks before the American one (at a time christened “Orthodox Thanksgiving” by one of the participants) we had Thanksgiving at my apartment. Sam (the vegetarian of our house) bought a tofurky, and she and Shauna and I were going to eat it, just the three of us. But somehow, between the tofurky purchase and the night we appointed as our Thanksgiving, our intimate dinner for three ballooned into a feast for 11, with the tofurky now supplemented by two chickens (in lieu of a turkey, which was unavailable) for the meatatarians in the crowd.

Dinner for 11 seemed a bit beyond a “follow–the–directions–on–the–tofurky–package”–kinda meal, and, having never cooked meat larger than a single salmon fillet before, I knew I had to phone 1–800–GRANDMA to solicit advice. “Now, surely you’ve cooked a turkey before, Catherine,” were her first words—to which I had to sheepishly admit that no, I hadn’t. While this admission was embarassing enough, it was nothing compared to my next faux pas. “So, do you have a recipe for stuffing?” I asked. “Well—” said grandma, pausing, (You know that grandmotherly pause—the one where there’s a piece of information that she thinks is just so obvious, and of course she’s

going to share her wisdom with you, but there’s clearly something wrong in your genes because this is the kind of information that you should have just known) “I don’t have a recipe, I have more of a method.”

She proceeded in the next ten minutes to elaborate on the “method” with helpful phrases such as “some butter—not too much, you don’t want it to drown, but if there’s too little, it will be too dry” and “an onion—maybe two if one’s too small”. The page on which I inscribed her every word ended up looking more cuniform than culinary, but something in those scrawls must have preserved some part of the “method”, because the stuffing was well–recieved by all.

I was happy that everyone enjoyed the stuffing, but sad, too. It didn’t taste like grandma’s—a taste discrepancy that is one of the constant tragedies of attempting to reproduce a grandmother’s cooking. No matter how long you’ve sat at her knee and absorbed knowledge, and no matter how painstaking her attempts to quantify the “dash of this and a little bit of that” that characterize her culinary methods, your dish is never exactly the same. It’s almost like an intergenerational game of telephone, where each time the secret gets passed on it changes, whether on purpose or inadvertantly. (I wondered recently if the game, played out over generations, could result in a

Editing and Production Co–ordinator Catherine M.A. Wiebe Editors Samantha Green Kerry Scott

Kate MacKeracher Jacob Stewart–Ornstein

food speciation of sorts—“Grandma’s Chocolate Cake” eventually becoming “Grand Macho Carrot Bake” or something equally ridiculous.)

And so it goes with many things, not just chicken and stuffing. Writing down a memory or a method will preserve it, certainly, but it’s also a surefire way to modify it. The parts the scribe chooses to record may be different than the parts that the teller thinks are vital, and even a verbatim transcipt is often cut or rearranged to suit the needs of the intended audience. My chicken scribbles (pardon the pun) of stuffing and turkey tips could never hope to reproduce the entirety of the “method”, and even my attempt at enacting the method was not quite correspondent with the original.

This unavoidable synonymity between recording and modification is a constant struggle for us magazine– producing types, as I’m sure you can imagine. We’re always trying to put our own unique spin on things, but try never to spin so much that we end up dizzy and our subjects end up unrecognizable. The glut of information one is confronted with—be it sheaves of interview transcripts or mountains of papers on a particular topic—demands collation, analysis, and synthesis, and the inevitable result of these methods is a preservation of something never–exactly–the–same as the original. This task is difficult,

but I, for one, think our writers perform it admirably.

On page six, Hayley Watson and Emma Love do a marvellous job of sifting through the opinions and data proffered by many different sources to inform readers about McMaster’s planned satellite campus in Burlington. They consulted many people, and heard many different stories, in their research for the article, and the result is an excellent piece that informs as well as challenges.

On page ten, we have the first of what I hope will be a regular “Letter From...” feature. Architecture student Angie Ng has written us a letter from Paris, where she’s on a co–op term.

Nowhere is the inevitability of change between the experience and the recording more evident than in correspondence—it’s impossible to transmit the entirety of such a marvellous experience on paper, and one must always pick the things deemed most important, with the result that many other parts are left out.

The ways in which things change or are omitted in the telling vary from piece to piece and story to story; not all the testers’ witty bons mots got printed in the wine review, and the breadmaking toolbox was only big enough to focus on one type of bread. Even this editorial is not quite how I pictured it in the beginning—from stuffing to stories, everything changes in the telling.

incite

INSIDE

Layout Co–ordinator Sylvia Andreae Graphics Co–ordinator Erin Giroux

FEATURES

Graphics Emma Genovese Jesse Hodson Anne van Koeverden William Moffatt Kendra Scarlett Contributors Marion Abbott Paisley Canning Ben Freeman Emma Love Angie Ng Anna Strathy Mary Wiebe

Boram Ham Evan C. Lichty Katie McCoy Irfan Pirbhai

6 Burlington Bound?

14 Needing Bread 18 Boozing on a Budget 20 Activating Activism

What is up with the Burlington Satellite Campus How to make mana of the gods

Claire Marie Blaustein Zsuzsi Fodor Rob Lederer Elise McCormick Erin O’Neil Hayley Watson

Incite reviews wine your wallet will like Getting involved at the grassroots level

Sombrero Man by Jesse Hodson

Printing Hamilton Web Printing

DEPARTMENTS

Impact Youth Publications 1004 King St. W. Hamilton, ON L8S 1L1 incite@mcmaster.ca Incite is published six times per academic year by Impact Youth Publications. 10,000 copies are distributed in the McMaster University–Westdale area. Entire contents copyright 2005–2006 Impact Youth Publications. Letters up to 300 words may be sent to the above address; they may be edited for length and clarity and will not be printed unless a name, address, and daytime phone are provided. Opinions expressed are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Incite’s staff or Impact Youth Publications.

Cover art by Katie McCoy Cover design by Catherine Wiebe

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Happenings: News from Near and Far Letter From Paris Wanderings: James St. Art Galleries Column: Rock of Ages Column: Pop What If...

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HAPPENINGS

MINUTES FROM LAST MONTH selected news from near and far

Exhibitions at Museum of Art

Three exhibitions are currently on show at the McMaster Museum of Art. Chewa Masks of Pain and Loss: AIDS in Malawi and …the Beast not Found in Verse run until 22 December. The former is a collection of traditional carved masks by Malawian folk artists, which were acquired by the exhibit’s curator, a social anthropologist, during her research on AIDS in Africa. They combine traditional art and the community’s contemporary experiences. The latter consists of depictions of animals by different artists, investigating the human condition.

The last exhibition, Unnatural Disasters, runs until 26 January and is a selection of works from the McMaster collection depicting scenes of war and violence. It emphasizes consistencies in the portrayal of violence throughout history.

Kong lives

McMaster University associate professor of geography Jack Rink has definitively proved the existence of a primate that was almost ten feet tall and weighed upwards of 1200 pounds.

The aptly named Gigantopithecus is the largest primate ever to have lived.

It resided in Southeast Asia, and died out 100 000 years ago. This timeline

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suggests that it coexisted with early humans who were well established in Asia by that time. Luckily for them, analysis of Gigantopithecus’ teeth suggests that it was herbivorous.

The first bones of this giant ape were found in China in 1935 and for the past 80 years scientists have sought definitive proof of its existence, its range, and when it lived. For this accomplishment and his ongoing research Dr. Rink has been invited to join the exclusive Explores Club, which, since 1904, has honoured the world’s top field scientists.

Tandem accelerator fire

Just past five p.m. on 29 November, a chemical fire erupted in the Tandem Accelerator building.

During the decommissioning of a piece of equipment, a small quantity of arsenic and phosphate ignited. As a precaution, an employee, a grad student, two EMS workers, and three firefighters were taken to hospital, but they were released that same night.

Damage to the building is apparently minimal and after some additional testing on Wednesday morning to ensure that there was no contamination of work areas, the building resumed its research and teaching functions.

inside the bubble

Hungry for change

On Wednesday 30 November, the annual Hungry for Change dinner was held in Wentworth Lounge. A one dollar ticket entitled participants to dinner, discussion, and to three speakers. Most people ate rice, some fed on rice and chilli, while a select few feasted on a gourmet meal. The number of people who received each type of meal was proportional to the worldwide distribution of wealth, and was a good lead–in to the lectures that followed about poverty. One speaker discussed the Wesley Centre and poverty in Hamilton. McMaster professors Dr. Gary Warner and Dr. Nibaldo Galleguillos answered questions about the dimensions of global inequality. The night was sold out.

Fat pillows & peroxynitirite

Two separate studies at McMaster have provided novel insight into heart disease. Dr. Yu–Jing Gao and Dr. Robert Lee of the Department of Anesthesia have determined that fat tissue surrounding arteries may be beneficial for recovery from coronary bypass surgery. The fat appears to relax the arteries, allowing easier blood–flow into the heart following surgery. Dr. Richard Austin of the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine led a team that

has discovered that nitric oxide, previously thought to protect against arteriosclerosis, can convert into the toxic byproduct peroxynitrite.

Avian flu test

McMaster professor Jim Mahony has developed a wide ranging test for many common respiratory infections. The test includes the H5N1 strain of avian flu and SARS corona virus that has been spreading in Asia.

In collaboration with Tm Bioscience Corporation, a Toronto based company, he expects to have the test available for field testing in early December.

In any viral outbreak, the speed, accuracy, and availability of a test is critical to limiting the spread of the virus. The strength of Mahony’s test is that it simultaneously checks for many potential infective agents, making it much quicker than the current single virus tests. Being able to distinguish between prosaic repository infections such as the common cold and more serious infections with a minimum of false positives will allow medical resources to be focused where they are needed most in the event of an epidemic.

Compiled by Ben Freeman, Sam Green, Elise McCormick, Kerry Scott, and Jacob Stewart–Ornstein

in hamilton Citizens being left out of city’s 25–year plan

Councillors worry about inten- Bus fare hike? sification

City move means $1 million for low–income families

City staff are finalizing plans for Hamilton’s next quarter century, but some councillors fear the public is unaware of what’s happening or its significance. Ward 5 councillor Chad Collins told the manager of the city’s Growth Related Integrated Development Strategy (GRIDS) last week that “the average citizen, by and large, hasn’t taken part” in the process.

When the six GRIDS growth options were unveiled at a public meeting at the end of May only 57 people attended. An invitation–only session held earlier that day attracted only 28 out of 160 invitees.

Dundas councillor Art Samson has said that if the city is going to promise community involvement “then we have to make it meaningful community involvement”.

The city’s website claims that “the consultation program includes opportunities for informal meetings with stakeholder organizations.” However, no meetings are listed on the website, which doesn’t appear to have been updated recently.

Some councillors are worried about the provincial government’s requirement that 40 per cent of new growth in Hamilton be in the form of intensification. This requirement is one consequence of the final draft of the Ontario Places to Grow legislation, which was released during the last week of November.

Paul Mason, the City’s director of long–range planning, contends that “simply increasing the density without improving the quality of life is a disaster.”

Councillor Chad Collins predicted strong community resistance to the intensification plans. He asked, “Is it realistic we’re going to reach those provincial numbers, even though the broader [Hamilton] community may say—we’re not in favour of that provincial direction?”

The GRIDS manager said, “the province has made it very clear that 40 per cent is what municipalities must achieve; it’s not a discretionary number.” Collins replied that that meant more conflict ahead. “So in certain areas of the city we may bring people on kicking and screaming? That’s how I see it.”

Council is putting some financial muscle into its opposition to the provincial government’s clawback of social assistance benefits from children. The move should mean that an extra $1 million dollars will flow into the pockets of low–income families in Hamilton.

The federal government provides about $100 per child per month to low–income families, but the province deducts (clawbacks) this same sum from provincial welfare and disability payments to these families.

The city of Hamilton receives a share of this clawback—about $3 million annually—and uses the money to pay for social welfare programs. Hamilton City Council has repeatedly told the province it disagrees with the clawback and has now decided to wean itself off this provincial subsidy and try to find a way to transfer the monies directly to the families for whom it was intended.

City councillors are considering HSR and DARTS fare increases of up to 40 cents. A report on the issue recommends fare increases, though it accepts that it will inevitably mean fewer riders. As Hamilton’s share of the provincial gas tax monies is calculated mainly based on ridership, these reductions could lessen the dollars flowing to the city from Federal government.

The report also notes that higher fares will be particularly harmful to the 25 per cent of Hamiltonians living in poverty. It also warns of the environmental costs of raising fares, reminding councillors that transit generates only 0.3 per cent of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions in contrast to the 8 per cent that comes from car use in cities.

After a more than two–hour debate on 28 November, city councillors postponed a decision on the bus fare increase. Although councillor Sam Merulla’s motion for no increases was defeated with only one supporter, other councillors have indicated that they might eventually vote to uphold his position.

Condensed from reports by Citizens at City Hall. www.environmenthamilton.oct/CATCH. For updates, contact catch@cogeco.ca. Reprinted with permission.

in canada and the world Duceppe favours separation… a giant pink condom. The struc- cea for the pandemic, but cites lack in sports ture, which is nearly identical to the of distribution in many of the hardest

French woman becomes real life two–face

QUEBEC—Gilles Duceppe, the leader of the Bloc Québécois, has declared that Québéc should send its own teams to international sporting events. The Canadian hockey team would be stripped of its Québécois players, who would then form the Québéc hockey team. This would mean that players like Vincent Lecavalier and Martin Brodeur would no longer play for Canada. Hockey players from both Québéc and the rest of Canada have reacted with surprise, saying that there is no place for separatist politics in the sports arena. Duceppe’s political opponents also reacted with scorn.

Prime Minister Martin said, “Do you hear Mr. Duceppe talking about the environment? Not really. Do you hear him talking about better health care?

Not really. What he is talking about is having a hockey team.”

FRANCE—A team of doctors in Lyon, France have successfully performed the world’s first face transplant. The patient, a 38–year–old woman, was mauled by her dog in May. She lost the lower portion of her face, which made her unable to speak or eat properly. The procedure removed the nose, lips, and chin of a brain–dead donor and transplanted them onto the woman. Doctors were pleasantly surprised that the skin colour and texture matched better than they had expected. Other doctors raised concerns about the risks of the operation and potential long–term psychological damage to the patient.

The woman is now recovering, and will receive physical and speech therapy, in addition to seeing a psychologist. She will remain on anti– rejection drugs for the rest of her life, which will make her more vulnerable to infection. This is not the first controversial operation that the French team of doctors has performed. The team completed the world’s first hand transplant in 1998, and the world’s first double forearm transplant in 2000.

1 December, 2005 marks World AIDS Day ARGENTINA—The city of Buenos Aires took a different tack this year when commemorating World AIDS Day on 1 December. City officials wrapped the obelisk, the city’s most famous—and phallic—landmark, in

Washington monument, is a popular tourist destination.

SWAZILAND—The country with the highest HIV rate in the world snubbed World AIDS Day last Thursday. All activities planned for the event, including a speech by the Prime Minister, were cancelled at the last minute. The cancellations were by royal decree from King Mswati, who cited a conflict with a traditional harvest festival ceremony. Mswati has been criticised for setting a poor example of AIDS prevention. He currently has 13 wives.

UNITED NATIONS—A report released by UNAIDS paints a dismal picture of the global HIV/AIDS situation. It estimates that there are 40.3 million people living with the virus worldwide, including five million new cases in 2005. It warns of a growing epidemic in parts of Europe and Asia, but says that Sub–Saharan Africa is by far the hardest hit area of the world, with 25.8 million infected persons. Over 3 million people died of AIDS–related illnesses in 2005, more than 500,000 were children. The report points to antiretroviral treatments as a potential pana-

hit regions as a major obstacle. The report concludes that funding, for the purchase of drugs and research, is urgently needed to stem the epidemic.

Protestors march for a greener future outside UN Summit MONTREAL—On 3 December, protesters braved cold weather in downtown Montreal to voice their concerns about global warming. Police estimated the crowd numbered about 7 000. Delegates from 189 countries are meeting in Montreal to discuss climate change. It is hoped that the summit will result in the adoption of the Kyoto accord by all countries present.

However, developing countries such as China, India, and Brazil—which are some of the biggest produces of greenhouse gases—are not present in Montreal and would not be legally obliged to follow the Kyoto accord if it were adopted. In addition, the United States, who is present at the summit, has declared it will not implement the Kyoto accord in its present incarnation. These problems are overshadowing delegates’ discussions on a treaty to replace Kyoto when it expires in 2012.

Compiled by Erin O’Neil

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FEATURE

?

BURLINGTON BOUND? Incite Investigates McMaster’s Proposed Satellite Campus in Burlington BY

EMMA LOVE AND HAYLEY WATSON

With Files From Paisley Canning and Ben Freeman

M

cMaster University has long been synonymous with Steeltown, and most Mac students are used to looks of pity from friends who assume that they live in Ontario’s industrial armpit while attending school.

But less than two years from now, this assumption may no longer be valid. In 2007, McMaster plans to open its first satellite campus in the City of Burlington. Mac has already dabbled in expansion outside its original borders, with the Centre for Continuing Education in downtown Hamilton, and the as– yet unfinished Innovation Park a few blocks from main campus. The Burlington campus, however, represents a much more significant departure from McMaster’s roots in Hamilton. Despite the major change to the university’s operations occasioned by the Burlington campus, there has not been a corresponding effort on the part of the administration to keep the McMaster community informed.

Keeping Up with the Joneses The University of Toronto was the first Ontario school to expand beyond the boundaries of its original site when, in the 1960s, the university opened campuses in Scarborough and Mississauga. These two campuses were built to meet the educational needs of the GTA’s growing population, and to offer new programs not available at the downtown campus.

The expansion of Ontario universities continued into the 1990s, with the University of Guelph–Humber, which offers joint college and university degrees, opening in West Toronto. In 1999, Wilfred Laurier’s Brantford campus opened its doors to students. Both of these schools offer unconventional interdisciplinary degrees rather than traditional academic disciplines. At Laurier Brantford, for instance, a focus on “contemporary studies” unites the various programs that the school offers.

The planners of McMaster’s Burlington campus also intend to emphasize unorthodox programs. McMaster Vice–President and Provost Ken Norrie is one of the lead organizers of the Burlington campus project. He believes that, “by starting fresh with a new campus, we can think creatively about how education can work.”

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From Hamilton to Burlington

The Planning Process

Although universities typically decide to expand and then approach possible cities in which to do so, Laurier’s expansion to B r a n t f o r d happened the other way around.

The city of Brantford actively sought a university for their community, and Laurier proved a willing accomplice.

McMaster’s proposed expansion has followed this same model, with Burlington playing middle–aged cougar to McMaster’s undergraduate boy.

In 2004, looking for a university willing to expand into their city, Burlington City Council formed the Mayor’s Task Force for Post–Secondary Education. The mayor of Burlington was particularly interested in bringing McMaster into the community, but the city was also open to the possibility of another university filling the void. According to MSU president Tommy Piribauer, “McMaster had to act quickly on this offer, since the administration did not want competing universities in the nearby area.” McMaster’s hazy ideas about expansion seemed to crystallize with the announcement of Burlington’s search. The prospect of a competing university located less than 15 kilometres down the road stirred the university’s planners into action, and the school jumped at the chance to get involved with the new campus. McMaster administration and the City of Burlington entered into formal talks later that year.

Plans for the satellite campus formally began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Burlington and McMaster in September, 2004. The flurry of publicity that announced this agreement would have been useful to the university community earlier—the MSU was only briefed on the talks four days before the agreement was signed. The administration has declared their wish to open the new campus in the fall of 2007, but Norrie admits that to be an ambitious goal. “The programs are ready to go but we need approval from various committees within the university and the provincial government,” he says. “We are also working with Burlington to identify an area for a campus and buildings. McMaster would love to have it ready for 2007, but we will push it back if we have to. We won’t send students to a half–finished school.”

AIR

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Why Burlington?

Some members of the McMaster community contend that the Burlington expansion makes academic and economic sense. “A large proportion of our students come from the Burlington–Oakville–Mississauga area,” says Norrie.

“This move allows McMaster to service the popu-

lation there and be closer to the GTA.” McMaster’s decision to build a new campus in Burlington was made easier by the fact that the city is a fast growing, affluent community whose economy can support such a venture. According to Piribauer, “Burlington has a strong economy and there are financial incentives for setting up a campus there.” The campus will be at least partially financed by Burlington investors, and the administration believe that McMaster graduates living in the Burlington area would be more willing to donate funds to a school closer to them.

Norrie sums up the McMaster administration’s attitude towards Burlington, saying, “they are very easy to work with, because they are innovative and have a solid financial base.” But “innovation” and “a solid financial base” do not a complete campus make. Critics of the plan question the ability of the Burlington campus to be self– supporting, and worry about sapping the main campus’s resources. Cam Jackson, Burlington’s Conservative MPP, has told members of the MSU executive board that he opposes McMaster’s expansion into Burlington. This resistance will present another hurdle to Norrie’s plans.

Projected population growth in McMaster’s catchment area, and an accompanying increase in demand for post–secondary education, is a prime reason for McMaster’s outward expansion. Norrie says that the university’s move to Burlington is a strategic one that will address the increase in demand. To Piribauer, the expansion is “a positive development because it is branching out and further promoting the McMaster brand.”

Burlington is a chance for McMaster to “try something new,” as Norrie puts it. “There is no longer any room to expand on this campus,” he said. “The new area provides the space for facilities that cannot be built in Hamilton because there is not enough space.” Norrie’s comment is puzzling in light of both the university’s endless campus construction and the presence of university–owned undeveloped sites within the City of Hamilton.

Why not Hamilton?

Even if off–campus expansion is essential to McMaster’s survival, as members of the administration suggest, Burlington was not the only possible location for the growth to occur. SRA members and the MSU administration, for example, were in favour of opening a downtown Hamilton campus.

Many McMaster students rarely venture outside the Westdale bubble, making it easy to forget that Hamilton is an industrial city with a struggling economy. Opening a downtown campus could help to transform this situation. SRA member Rob

the City and still has an active presence outside of West Hamilton. “The Continuing Education Centre is located downtown and it is a very popular part of McMaster,” he explains, “and we are putting money into the McMaster Innovation Park which will include educational programs.”

Norrie’s statements about the university’s continued commitment to Hamilton contrast sharply with the comparative size of the Burlington expansion; a 5000–student campus is several orders of magnitude removed from a one–building Centre for Continuing Education and a still–being–demolished site for a future Innovation Park.

Although we doubt Mac plans to have Burlington students shacking up with their profs...

Gillezeau spoke to this concern. “Hamilton needs economic support,” he told us, “while Burlington is getting on just fine without McMaster University.” He added that a downtown campus would “bring some life to the inner city and would be a sign of good faith to the city that has been Hamilton’s home for so many years.”

Piribauer was also personally in favour of keeping the university local, but according to him, “this was not the wish of the Hamilton City Council. They felt that a downtown university was not a priority and instead chose to focus on ventures that would create more jobs, such as the Innovation Park.”

Norrie maintains that, even though McMaster did not pursue a downtown campus with Hamilton City Council, the school remains committed to

What’s going on over there, anyway?

The Burlington campus of McMaster plans to depart from the Hamilton site both structurally and academically. The administration has been touting the new campus as a chance to create fresh programs and implement radical learning strategies. Attempting to get an understanding of the university’s vision may be trying—navigating McMaster’s website devoted to the Burlington campus is akin to getting lost in a business presentation. There are lots of diagrams that don’t seem to mean anything, and plenty of buzz phrases like “e–commerce,” “information management,” and “new media.”

The most obvious structural change is the new campus’s proposed “academic village” concept.

The idea of the “academic village” originated with Thomas Jefferson, who structured the University of Virginia in this manner. When the university was founded, academic disciplines were each assigned a building in which both students and professors would live and learn. Although we doubt Mac plans to have Burlington students shacking up with their profs, the university does seem to share Jefferson’s goal of increased student–faculty interaction.

Burlington campus planners have chosen to organize the campus around three founding villages, each of which will eventually house a number of related interdisciplinary programs. In a valiant ef-

WELCOME TO

HAMILTON

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fort to increase their jargon–per–village ratio, the planners have named the villages Arts and Technology Village, Sustainable Environments Village, and Communication Management and Social Responsibility Village.

Dr. Geoffrey Rockwell, an associate professor at McMaster’s School of the Arts, is the university co–chair of the McMaster–Burlington Joint Planning Committee. He is also in charge of the founding program in the Arts and Technology Village, a multimedia and computer science blend named “Interactive Arts”. Dr. Rockwell wants students entering the school to have smaller class sizes and more interaction with their professors, to give them a tighter–knit first year experience. By the time students reach fourth year, Dr. Rockwell envisions them engaging in self–directed learning through research projects and occasional guidance from professors. In a Hamilton Spectator article from December 2004, Dr. Rockwell noted that, “we’re trying to use the word discovery rather than research. We’re looking at trying to imagine how third– and fourth–year students might be integrated into research teams with graduate students.” The website and other publicity materials for the new campus abound with just this sort of enthusiastic rhetoric, but concrete plans are in short supply. For example, the website gives no indication of how these lower student–prof ratios will be funded.

Provost Ken Norrie has visions of new academic possibilities as well. “The new programs will not use an input–based approach,” he says, “we are looking at what a person should know by the time they get their degree and what skills they would need for their discipline. For example, if someone were studying to become an economist, instead of taking 10 courses every year for four years, we would have a flexible approach that allows the students to accumulate skills through work or travel.”

How this type of approach will be integrated with the structured learning style of the Hamilton campus has not yet been decided.

Another possible difficulty in linking the two institutions is the plan to have the Burlington campus use a different marking scheme. According to MSU President Tommy Piribauer, the Burlington campus is planning to use a pass/fail marking scheme, rather than the Hamilton campus’ 12–point grade scale. Potential incompatibilities between these two systems, and the resulting difficulties for students wishing to take classes at both campuses, have also not been addressed in publicly available documents.

Another idea that Dr. Rockwell has proposed is that of “Learning Ballrooms”, which would replace the traditional classroom. While we can’t help but imagine professors and students engaged

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in a “learning dance,” the name apparently comes from the ability to rearrange these spaces to satisfy the teaching needs of a variety of different groups.

Founding programs have also been proposed for the other two villages. In the buzzword–friendly Sustainable Environments Village, the first program to be developed is the vaguely–named Community Stewardship program. The rather

will represent discrete disciplines with unique courses, rather than simply a selection of courses from different faculties.

Another way in which the new campus will differ from the Hamilton campus is the degree of collaboration between the university and a variety of colleges. Organizers are currently planning to move the Fine Arts department to the new campus, and are in talks with the Ontario College of Art and Design about a joint program between the two institutions. Other possible collaborators are Conestoga, Sheridan, and Mohawk Colleges.

In the Memorandum of Understanding, the organizers say that they are looking to create an institution that “dissolves the boundaries between college and university, between undergraduate and graduate education, between learning and working, and between campus and community.” One may wonder at Mac’s ability to “dissolve” said boundaries without sacrificing its academic reputation, but answers to such questions are as yet officially unaddressed.

“They [Burlington] are very easy to work with, because they are innovative and have a solid financial base”

What about the rest of us?

Orwellian–sounding Communication Management and Social Responsibility Village plans to open with Communications Management, a program that proposes to blend social sciences and business. Like Health Studies or Environmental Science at the current McMaster campus, they

Despite the administration’s optimistic view of the new campus, many people at McMaster’s Hamilton campus have been left to wonder what effect the Burlington campus will have on our faithful home base. Although Norrie says that the Hamilton campus will always remain the heart of McMaster, some students and faculty feel that this is a heart in need of surgery. “Students here have to deal with classes of 500 and no tutorials,” says second–year student Colleen Bain. English professor Dr. Tim Walters shares her concerns with the state of the current campus. “The Humanities here are chronically and increasingly underfunded,” he says, “we have too few profs teaching too many students, and too many of them are only hired as sessionals, the academic equivalent of temps. TAs are being forced to lead bigger and bigger tutorials, which is bad for everyone. Fourth year seminars have almost doubled in size in the past few years.”

Both Piribauer and Norrie stress that the funds to build the Burlington campus will not be diverted from the Hamilton site and that the project will be beneficial to the school. Although much of the money for the Burlington campus is new and contingent on the campus’s construction, it is foolish to deny that existing resources—be they human or financial—are also being directed towards the proposed campus.

Walters feels that all the problems on this campus should be fixed before investing in “superfi-

“We do not have the resources to do the same things on the Burlington campus, since the MSU fees that will come from there are not enough to cover the cost of staffing a satellite MSU office.” – Piribauer cial trinketry.” “Most of us who are actually here would rather the school invested in things that would actually improve the quality of the ‘product’ we are here for now, rather than paying to build the ‘brand’ so as to entice those who may follow in our footsteps.” Student Amber Fox echoes his sentiments, stating, “The administration of McMaster University should be more concerned with the many problems that currently plague the mental, physical, and educational health of the students at this campus than expanding their corporate appearance and reach into another city.”

In addition to these student and faculty voices of dissent, the 2002 Master Campus Plan also seems to raise questions about the proposed expansion. The plan states that “McMaster’s current campus will be the focus for future growth and development.” There has certainly been growth on the current campus, but—if recent construction projects are any indication—it seems focused in Athletics and Recreation and DeGroote–friendly disciplines.

Next Steps McMaster may have a curriculum for the Burlington campus, but it’s not of much use if there is no place to teach it. Currently, there is no official site for the campus. Norrie says that he is working with the Burlington city council to identify an area, but when the campus does open it may not be the village image that has been proposed. “The village concept is the ideal,” he explains, “and we will always try to fulfill that vision. But it is more likely that when the campus opens it will be comprised of a main campus with several buildings.”

Even after they have constructed the buildings, the university will still need to provide services to the students. Can you imagine a campus without a cafeteria or a library? The MSU is working with the administration to identify creative ways to ensure that Burlington students are taken care of.

Piribauer suggests that in the case of services like academic counselling and integrity, there could be a facilitator on the Burlington campus to help with simple issues. The facilitator would direct the student to the correct department at the Hamilton

campus for more serious problems. Whatever the eventual arrangement, planners are trying to provide access to the same services that we enjoy on the main campus. This task will certainly prove challenging, particularly given their ambitious timeline.

At present, organizers aren’t sure how McMaster will provide Burlington students with a gym, restaurants, and other facilities present on the main campus. Piribauer thinks that these amenities will be run by the private sector. “We are looking at what could be out–sourced. A gym could be run by the YMCA and on–campus eateries could be run by private restaurants.” A planning meeting held last year involving both administration and students came to the decision that the school would not be opposed to a corporate presence at McMaster Burlington. Even “corporate involvement with teaching spaces can be considered”, according to the meeting summary.

This apparent openness to corporate involvement contrasts sharply with the results of the recent student referendum on the Coca–Cola exclusivity contract. Students resoundingly rejected the Coke contract, seeming to indicate that an increased corporate presence will not be perceived as an asset to the new campus.

A potential problem has also arisen concerning the MSU and McMaster Burlington. The MSU has yet to decide if it will also cover the students who are on the satellite campus. “Being a part of the MSU entitles students to certain things such as EFRT and student walk home service,” says Piribauer. “We do not have the resources to do the same things on the Burlington campus, since the MSU fees that will come from there are not enough to cover the cost of staffing a satellite MSU office.” If the Burlington students can’t take advantage of the facilities for which they pay fees, Piribauer would prefer them not to pay fees at all. While this is a noble view, the spectre of 5000 students—one–quarter the current full–time student AIR

population—without the representation and benefits afforded to current students is unsettling, to say the least.

The MSU is actually opposed to the Burlington project, albeit informally. Last year, in an unofficial SRA poll, members voted to oppose the opening of McMaster Burlington. Piribauer says that the SRA will decide on a formal position sometime this academic year. The SRA’s vote, however, is not the only way for Mac students to voice their opinions on the Burlington issue. Piribauer says that the MSU would be open to a student–led referendum on the topic, and the decision from such a referendum would dictate the MSU’s position on the expansion. Still, even if students were to vote against the expansion, it is likely that the project would proceed anyway. MSU referendums are not binding to the university’s administration, who thus far seem keen to integrate McMaster into the Burlington community.

A Tale of Two Campuses According to the Burlington campus website, planning the new branch of McMaster is supposed to be a collaborative effort between the administration, the City of Burlington, and the students of McMaster. While the administration has indicated that they do not wish to unveil too many details before the project progresses further, many students are still unaware of the proposed expansion, and even those who are informed are unclear on the structure of the plan.

More communication with the university community beyond the doors of Gilmour Hall is necessary if the administration is to build trust in its motives and support for its initiatives. Unlike the comparatively minor proposal for the new Athletics and Recreation Centre project, which actively solicited student support and funds in a referendum, students and other university community members are being left in the dark as to the nature of the plans for an entire new campus.

In light of their plans for a new “Communications Management” program, perhaps McMaster should learn from its own spiffy names, and give us all some indication of what our satellite campus is really going to be.

MAI

L

GRAPHICS BY E. C. LICHTY

incite 9

LETTER FROM

Une Lettre de Paris Angie Ng is a student in the Architecture program at Waterloo doing her co–op term in Paris. She paused from her busy schedule to write Incite a letter about her experiences in the City of Light.

Chère Incite,

GRAPHIC BY E. GENOVESE

Escargot is to the French what poutine is to the Québéçois—you know it has its roots somewhere in the culture way back when, but now it’s more of a ploy to lure tourists.

Same goes for berets. Don’t get me wrong; I’m not out to shatter all our quaint notions of Parisian culture. I have observed numerous Parisians carrying fresh baguettes from the corner boulangerie walking briskly home to their compact (and often adorable and utilitarian) apartments with French balconies and stacked chimneys.

As an outsider trying to fit in, I can tell you this much: the French are not as snobby or xenophobic as they tend to be portrayed. In fact, most people in Paris aren’t even from Paris themselves. And if you’re Canadian, they’ll love you. Québéçois? Even better—although they may joke endearingly about your accent.

One thing I must set straight is that Québéçois French, if anything, is actually more adherent to the original French language than Parisian French. Phrases you’ll hear in Montreal, such as fin de semaine and magasiner, are le weekend and faire du shopping here.

Even someone with limited French will have no trouble getting by in Paris. Almost everyone speaks at least some English and, for those times when a translator would be helpful, most Parisians have a good sense of humour. Once, instead of saying je l’aime (I like it) in reference to a colleague’s work, I said, je t’aime (I love you). It took me a second to realize why the whole office was laughing.

smooth nor crunchy is popular on this side of the pond. When you ask for it, people look at you as if you’re mad, which is why Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have climbed quickly on my list of things to devour as soon as I return to Canadian soil. Ethnic foods can be found all over the city, though, but it always seems to have a French spin. The Thai and Japanese aren’t usually Thai and Japanese, they’re Chinese. The Greek isn’t Greek either, it’s Lebanese or Turkish.

But the French do know how to make pastries, there’s no question of that. It’s well worth splurging on these mouth–watering treats. My recommendations include the mille feuille (thousand layers), pain au chocolat, and pain Suisse. I’m not big on the wine, but it is often cheaper than water here, if you’re willing to compromise a bit on quality. Again, it’s consumed at almost every meal. Unfortunately, cigarettes are also a social expectation here—their stench permeates all. On the packets, in bold Arial font, it says “Fumer tue” (smoking kills). That is the most straightforward French signage I’ve ever seen. Usually, their signs are rather ambiguous. For example, the sign in front of statues at a museum in Canada would probably say: DO NOT TOUCH. In Paris, they have: To touch is to dirty.

Art and culture infiltrate everyday Parisian life through beautiful architecture, cheap museums, and ever–present history. Parisians try their best to preserve this culture; for instance, it is against the law to build higher than six storeys. Most museum entrance fees are waived for students, and if you are a student in fine arts or architecture, you get even higher priority—Versailles, Opera Garnier, and the Musée d’Orsay are completely free. There are also many smaller galleries, amazing parks with sculptures and fountains, and formally landscaped walkways throughout the city. Moulin Rouge at Montmatre is the best place from which to view the city. It’s worth two visits: one during the day and one in the night. Cliché? Yes, but with good reason.

If you love downtown Toronto street meat vendors, the Paris equivalent, crêpe stands, will blow your mind. They also know how to make a good cup of coffee around here— although they’re lacking in the tea department—and they must have café after every meal. It is as if they are not full The urban planning here is impeccable. It may be a without it, and it’s as standard as a me- driver’s nightmare—safely exiting the 12–spoke rounddium fry at McDonald’s. But if you’re about at the Arc de Triomphe is nothing less than mia peanut butter lover, beware: neither raculous—but it is incredibly efficient. The city is ar-

10 incite

ranged rather like a bullseye, with the 20 central arrondisements spiraling outwards, each with its own unique character. It’s so pedestrian friendly that it’s no wonder people are thinner here. The Champs– Elysée sidewalk is wider than the street itself, and the extensiveness of the métro is a great reason to forgo gas–guzzling vehicles. In this town, bigger is definitely not better. The SmartCar rules the streets (and parallel parking) while Hummers and SUVs are non–existent. The streets are plagued with the unfortunate smell of urine, although the aroma of fresh croissants at the boulangerie more than makes up for it. The very talented buskers, playing everything from Mozart to Mongolian to Marley, also remove the senses’ focus away from the nostril–burning scent.

You’re probably wondering about the riots here—the French media have kept them on a very low profile. Despite North American coverage, the riots have not affected central Paris in a noticeable way.

Apparently, burning cars have long been a symbol of civil disobedience in France, where an average of 80 cars were burned each day so far this year. That isn’t to say that the riots should be taken lightly by any means, as they reveal deep flaws in French society.

Systemic discrimination plagues minority groups, who also experience high unemployment rates. After 2 888 arrests, 3 deaths, and 200 million Euros worth of damage From my observations, the fashion in the current riots, one would here is about one year ahead of Canadi- think their message is loud and an styles, if we North Americans even get clear. But from what I can see, there. Small, edgy, good quality boutiques not many seem to care. in Paris outnumber frumpy, low–end department stores by a wide margin. Since All things aside, the best evening the weather is more temperate, it is easier I’ve had here was cheap, simple, and to dress–to–kill than dress–to–not–be– thoroughly local—a picnic dinner on the killed–by–hypothermia.

Combine the Pont des Arts, a pedestrian bridge over aforementioned with the innate French the Seine. It was late August and the fashion sense (scarves are essential!) and a temperature was perfect. We brought strong regard for beautiful things, and the our fresh baguettes, various cheeses, French’s superior sense of style is no sur- wine, cold–cuts, veggies and dip, and prise. pastries. Being new at this, we had forgotten to bring a corkscrew, but a The French are all about laissez–faire. bit of French and a smile later, we On the métro, even on the most packed had borrowed one from a neighdays, no one complains. If you ever thought bouring group. The bridge was the honour system for luggage pickup at packed with many others: couples, airports was pretty relaxed, it happens all friends, and families were there over here. For the bus, you can get on at to enjoy the weather, atmosphere, the back doors no questions asked, be- sunset, food, company, and music. cause they assume you have a pass. At the Accordionists and cellists played on library, if your book is overdue, there are the centre of the bridge, while groups no fees. They just politely remind you to of dancers waltzed to the tunes. A slight bring the books back as soon as you can. breeze came from the west, where we had And on the trains I took to the suburbs, no a view of the Eiffel tower with the sun setone even checked my ticket. This casual ting behind it. To the north was the Louvre, attitude even applies to the work week: a and to the east was Pont Neuf, the oldest 35–hour week is the norm. I work an av- bridge in Paris, renowned for its romantic erage of 45, however, because I work for atmosphere. From there, I really felt the an international company! bohemian spirit I had heard so often in descriptions of Paris. And I felt part of this place, even if just for a short while.

, s ou

s i B or s Ng G gie An

PHOTOS BY ANGIE NG

incite 11

in th e Hear t

A Tour of Hamilton s Downtown Art Galleries Hamilton Artists Inc.

The Print Studio

Downtown Cultural Centre

Blue Angel Gallery

You Me Gallery

Loose Cannon Gallery

Mixed Media

By Anna Strathy

I

Print by Katherine Zarwell

must be crazy. On the first of December, instead of studying, writing one of several pressing papers, or catching up on a term’s worth of overdue journals, I decided to spend the day art gallery gallivanting. After a morning highlighted by my nearly taking a sledgehammer to our malfunctioning microwave, this solo adventure was just what the doctor (or editor) prescribed.

At noon I left our little McMaster community and took the HSR into uncharted territory—James Street North. Walking up James from the Main Street bus stop, the frigid air enveloped my exposed face and carried with it the smell of cigarette smoke and exhaust fumes. Leaving Jackson Square and the surrounding strip bars behind me I trekked further into a narrowing street. Small grocery stores and abandoned buildings with broken windows and boarded doors towered above me. I was beginning to doubt the wisdom of this excursion.

But with each block north I felt that this little community was embracing me with arms of artistic bohemian love. In this community, I found art galleries hidden amidst abandoned buildings and a sea of Chinese and Portuguese restaurants. Multiculturalism, artistry, and unoccupied tenements synthesize harmoniously on James Street North.

Walking up James Street towards Cannon, I spotted my first destination: Loose Canon Gallery. Its narrow storefront, dominated by a huge bay window, seemed like just the place to warm my freezing finger tips. I had already read a little about this gallery. The owner, a young guy named Dane, had graduated from Mac with an art history degree and opened his gallery in April 2005.

As I swung open the door, three heads turned my way, each face quickly dissolving into smiles and friendly greetings.

A purple–haired girl was holding up framed works of art while a man wearing thick–rimmed glasses and tight jeans nailed them into the wall. A man who I recognized as Dane stepped over a bench piled with the rest of the un–hung artwork to shake my hand. He looked like a Starbucks Barista from Queen Street West in Toronto—the one who would always remember your order. He was super casual, warmly welcoming, and extremely enthusiastic about Mac students and Incite.

We chatted next to the bay window, lined with red cushions for seating, and I fell a little bit in love with

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A rt

Sky Dragon Centre

his gallery.

It was small and eclectic.

He expressed his aspiration to promote new and emerging artists, to give them a chance and a jumping–off point. He was passionate about his work and stressed that the gallery was extremely experimental; he was willing to give all art a chance. Dane said that the size and style of the gallery had initially drawn him to the area. It wasn’t until he moved in that he realized what a niche James Street was becoming for artists. He directed me down the street to the other galleries and shops on my list and I promised I would return at the end of the day to look at the artwork once it was hung on display.

I carried on to Mixed Media—more of an art shop than a gallery—that had opened only a month prior. I introduced myself to Dave, the co–owner, whose youth and enthusiasm reminded me of Dane. He owns the store with his wife, and really, it doesn’t get much cuter than that. I’ve always been a major sucker for art supply stores—there is something about sharpened pencils, blank canvases and perfectly square charcoal that satisfies the perfectionist in me—and this place was no exception. Local artists can display their work on the walls, select from the well–labelled art supplies that line the shelves, and pick up one of the unique cards or journals that also find their place in the mix. The open décor and high ceilings give the place a Soho feel, and the coffee table and arm chairs at the front suggest that customers can come in and kick back for a bit. I would definitely go back to Mixed Media to pick up unique and beautiful cards (one had a cookie recipe on the front) or a cigar– box journal (seriously, the cover is a recycled cigar box), and for some good conversation with sweet–heart Dave. If you’re artistically inclined then you’ll have even more reason to visit Mixed Media. While eavesdropping on Dave’s conversation with a “real” customer, he sounded extremely knowledgeable and was offering to special order what this woman needed if his store didn’t have it in stock. Dave and I spoke about the co–operative and welcoming artistic community growing on James Street, and how at home he’s felt in this “Kalla’s Head–Dress” by Laura Hollick

WANDERINGS

,

Print by Anita Weitzman

little artsy niche. He excitedly described the development of the artists’ haven ing oils, pasthat’s being realized in this Hamilton neighbourhood, where print facilities, tels, watercoart supplies, and galleries are all within blocks of each other. lours, and prints.

Right across the street from Mixed Media I found The Print Studio. Inside The owner told me he was an impressive display of massive printing machines. Each looked as if it had been a curator for required a license to operate—but Colina, one of the founders, assured me that a long time and, while his all you need is to buy a membership to have all their resources at your dispos- focus was on local artists, he al. Like Mixed Media, The Print Studio carries the work of its members and also had a great interest in Japaguest artists at the front of the store, but the massive expanse of floor space is nese art. My favourite part of this covered by machines, chemicals, an exhaust room, and a dark room. For art- gallery was the accent piece, not even ists looking for large scale equipment, this is the place to go. Using grants and meant to be a part of the collection—an sponsorships, Colina and co–founder Katherine have created a serene working aqua marine Muskoka chair in the middle environment filled with equipment worth bragging about. Like so many other of the floor. Classic. I would recommend You art exhibits and stores on James Street, The Print Studio is a new addition to Me Gallery on the basis of the chair alone. the neighbourhood. Colina described them as “open”, but still needing time I finally caught sight of Hamilton Artists Inc., to build a clientele and raise funds to renovate the basement. Between the art where a man stood outside talking on a cell phone, supplies and the print studio, I was ready to ditch university life and get some wearing a cozy wool sweater and a five o’clock shadow, paint on my hands! and enjoying a smoke. He gave me a big smile, and as soon I inadvertantly passed my next planned destination—Hamilton Artists Inc, as I reached to open the door, he wrapped up his phone call, which is actually on a side street off of James—and stumbled instead upon butted his cigarette, and followed me into the gallery. Inside, Blue Angel gallery. To my disappointment it was closed. Spurred on by my he introduced himself as Steve Mazza, the gallery’s programming sense of adventure, I peered through the closed curtains and knocked on the director—although his friendly persona and willingness to chat made door. From inside came the most threatening growl I had ever heard. Just him seem more like a camp director. I soon understood that this place before the barking overcame my journalistic bravado, a middle–aged blonde was like an artist’s co–op. The gallery operates “for artists, by artists”, weavwomen restrained the dog, opened the door, and ushered me in. Thank good- ing a web of support in the community. It seemed to me to be the epicenter ness I hadn’t given up at the “closed” sign, because Blue Angel was my favou- of James Street art as I realized that many of the gallery owners had actually rite of the galleries I visited. gotten their starts here. The large space was minimalist. The Chelsea Treahy iot” by R r u Cynthia Hill, an established artist and the gallery olo front gallery section held what Steve described as “C owner, introduced me to her dog Axe, a Presa the 30th anniversary collection: one large white Canario (who was still salivating menacingwall was filled with framed black and white ly) and her seven birds, whose screechphotos from the Inc. in the 1970s and the ing made conversation a bit of a strain. adjacent wall displayed framed colour A couple of her friends were sitting photos of the members of the Inc around in their pajamas sipping coftoday. Both years were done with fee. The warm lighting created an a mix of candid and portrait style inviting ambiance, and I noticed a shots. The members’ gallery in the stage at the front of the gallery with back holds some of the best and speakers and comfy chairs on it. most original art I had seen thus far, The walls were lined with a rotating including framed scrabble blocks, a collection of art; this month featured sculpture of a rabbit–man urinating, small, colourful, two–dimensional piecand photographs of grocery stores. It es. Cynthia even brought me into the basewas a fantastic visit. ment—her apartment—to take a sneak peek at As promised, I returned to Loose next month’s artist’s work. She didn’t skip a beat Canon before jumping on the bus back home. A when her upstairs neighbour climbed down the fire escomplete transformation had taken place. All of the artcape in her bathrobe for a cup of tea. She told me about the James work was hanging, each piece complimenting the others around Street community of artists, and how, like a family, they feed one another and it. Moulds of torsos were mounted on canvas and painted, the Virgin Mary’s provide financial assistance during hard times. brain had been blueprinted, and a butterfly painted to the scale of a small dog She predicted that within 20 years Hamilton would be the new New York, caught my eye. They encouraged me to come back for the authentic opening as far as artistry goes. Her philosophy was that if you have mastered any art the following Friday, and after farewells and “good lucks”, I said goodbye to form, then you can master them all—a formula of sheer dedication. When the my new friends and waltzed out. conversation shifted to the gallery’s crazy bohemian parties, Cynthia’s friends Hands in pockets and head down, I emerged from my James Street North joined in trying to convince me to come. Her gallery brings art to life—the adventure straight into the freezing wind swirling down Main Street. This traditional gallery shows are complimented by performances of spoken word, time, however, I didn’t feel quite so cold. All those I had met along the way music, and improv classes, while a tiny bar at the back serves its visitors were connected to the artistic community, passionate about promoting art, coffee during their stay. She was lovely to speak with and an inspiring free and eager to help me discover James Street. So, full of inspiration, I’m now spirit. sitting here writing, with Microsoft Paint open, determined to tap into my Next, I popped into the You Me Gallery which opened in May 2003. Its artistic capabilities. owner was James Streets’ art scene veteran. This was the first time So here it is: I’ve got a plan for you. You’ve just written one exam and your that I felt intimidated by an owner due to my lack of artistic next one isn’t for a couple of days. Your brain turned to complete mush halfknowledge, but he warmed up...a little. The wood way through writing that last exam so you definitely need a break. Specifically, floors and stark white walls were a beau- you need art therapy. Make your way to James Street and check out some art. tiful backdrop for a collection If possible, go on a Friday; a lot of the galleries are co–ordinating their openof about 30 works ing nights to promote “gallery hopping”. Your best bet is the first Friday of the i n c l u d - month. Grab dinner at any of the fantastic Portuguese restaurants—ask Steve for a recommendation—and maybe invite Dave and his wife. Afterwards, check out a couple of the new exhibits and end your night at Blue Angel for some poetry reading and drinking. You can even stick around until the early morning—if you do, let me know what those bohemian parties are like.

She didn’t skip a beat when her upstairs neighbour climbed down the fire escape in her bathrobe for a cup of tea.

PHOTOS BY K. SCARLETT

incite 13

TOOLBOX

Need Bread?

Incite shows you how to rise to the occasion.

by Jacob Stewart–Ornstein and Catherine M.A. Wiebe

A

student must have yeast and a kitchen of one’s own, said Virginia Woolf.

Actually she didn’t at all, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Moving out of residence gives many of us kitchens of our own for the first time.

The intimidating bulk of the Joy of Cooking and our dearth of culinary equipment may cause many of us to recoil in fear, images of blackened pots and smoking ovens dancing in our heads. We may thus be tempted to retreat into the prepackaged world of Kraft Dinner and Thai takeout—safe solutions to our imagined culinary catastrophes. But those brazen enough to brave the kitchen can open a world of possibilities by acquiring the simple skill of bread baking. Not only is it impressive to friends and family, but, with the addition of different store–bought spreads and soups, a single bread recipe can offer many varied meals. Additionally, bread can serve as a currency of sorts; if you offer to provide home–baked bread it is easy to con the remainder of a meal out of other dinner guests.

Bread can also be thought of as a gateway food; after a few loaves you will acquire an itch for further cooking of all sorts. Soon cakes, crisps, pies, and muffins will spring forth from your oven. For these reasons, and because we both really like bread, we offer this tour of all things bready.

A typical home kitchen will likely have all tools necessary for delicious bread, but assuming the same thing about a university abode is perhaps unwise. Before you begin, check to see that you have the following: a ginormous bowl, a clean surface large enough to knead on, a functioning oven, bread pans (cheap aluminum ones can be purchased at the grocery store for less than a dollar each), and all the ingredients for your recipe.

There are a Goldberg’s worth of variations on the theme of bread, ranging from flatbreads to sourdoughs to quickbreads. They all contain the triumvirate of bread: flour, salt, and water. Flatbreads have no rising agent, quickbreads rise with the help of baking powder or baking soda for a denser, usually sweet loaf, sourdoughs rise with wild yeast, and yeast breads rise with packaged yeast activated by warm water.

Sourdoughs and yeast breads are the typical fluffy loaves you’d find at any bakery. Since sourdoughs require the careful nurturing of a sourdough starter (a mixture of flour, water, and yeast that can be augmented and reused indefinitely) they may not be the best beginner breads. There’s also the additional danger of a roommate mistaking your starter for leftovers gone wrong

GRAPHICS BY B. HAM

14 incite

and disposing of it (or of mistaking it for a biology experiment and bringing it to school). Instead, why not begin with an easy and delicious yeast bread?

First you need to wake up the yeast. Yeast is like a slumbering giant or hibernating bear, unwilling to emerge from its self–imposed stupor unless jolted awake. But unlike for giants, the smell of human flesh is insufficient to awaken the yeast. Instead, you should use a bath of warm water (35–50º C) with a hint of sugar. If the water’s too hot, you’ll kill the yeast, and if it’s too cold, the yeast won’t froth. Again unlike the giant, the yeast does not feed on human flesh; rather, it feasts on sugar. The sugar (1 or 2 teaspoons), water (½ a cup–ish), and yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons) should be left alone in a bowl in order that the yeast can proof (which is the baker’s way of saying “burst forth and multiply into a giant bubbly beige mass”). This process will take five to ten minutes, depending on how warm your kitchen is.

Once the yeast is proofed (you can tell by its bubbled appearance), it’s time for the big bowl. The yeast mixture should go in first, followed by about two cups of water, around a tablespoon of salt, possibly a couple more teaspoons of sugar, and a quarter to a half cup of fat, which is usually butter, shortening, or oil. It is now time to add the bulk to the bread. The flour should be added slowly, a cup at a time, while stirring constantly.

The addition of a kitchen assistant or an extra arm is useful at this stage. Once it’s too stiff to stir comfortably (3–3 ½ cups of flour added), it is time for cruder measures. Abandon the mixing spoon and use your (washed) hands to work the remainder of the flour into the bread. When you have added enough flour, the dough will cease to stick to your hands—its consistency should be moist and ever–so–slightly sticky. If you have added too much flour, and the dough is very stiff, you can add a little water (1 tablespoon at a time) until the desired consistency is achieved.

Kneading is the cathartic part of breadmaking. By stretching and pulverizing the dough, you are building up the gluten (protein fibers) that will give the loaf its breadlike consistency and allow it to rise. To knead, place the dough on a lightly floured surface (tabletop or cutting board) and...knead. Everyone has his or her own technique—some violent, some soothing. You just need to hit or massage the bread for about 10 minutes. Once the bread is kneaded, place it in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a tea towel. Put the bowl

in a warm place—the top of the refrigerator, a sunny window, on top of the radiator, or in the oven with only the light on are all ideal spots—until the dough has doubled in size. This should take about an hour.

The dough needs to rise twice to produce a truly yeasty flavour. After the first rising, it thus needs to be deflated so that it can rise again, phoenix–like, to its fullest flavour potential. Begin the deflation with a decisive punch to the solar plexus of your dough. You should feel the dough buckle under the crushing strength of your fist and hear the gentle hiss of its deflation.

Then turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or so. Don’t be alarmed by the fact that your dough has shrunk back to its original size—this is only temporary. The time has come to put the bread in its pans. A typical recipe makes enough for two (9” x 5”) loaves of bread.

Divide the dough into two equal parts, shape into a vaguely loaf–like shape, and place in greased pans. The pans should be about half full. If you’d like to personalize your loaves with some stylish marks in the top for that chic “artisianal–bread” look, now is the time. Get out a knife and lightly score the tops of the bread in a design of your choosing. Since the rising will distort the design slightly, simpler is better.

Cover the pans with a cloth or teatowel and put aside in a warm place until they double in size (about 45–60 minutes). Be careful not to let the bread rise too high, or it will collapse when baking. Once the bread has risen for about half an hour, preheat the oven (400º F is typical). When it has fully risen (it should just be peeking over the tops of the pans), place the pans on the middle rack in the oven. You can tell the bread is done when it is golden brown in colour and sounds hollow when you tap it, which usually takes 20 to 30 minutes.

When the bread is finished, remove it from the oven and empty the pans onto a cooling rack (your oven rack sitting on the counter will do in a pinch). Let it sit for 10 minutes before eating to avoid that “destroyed–by–my–own–creation–a–là–Victor–Frankenstein” vibe that often afflicts overeager breadmakers.

Now, these are the basics—certainly enough to impress housemates and parents, but perhaps not quite enough to win the approval of Ukranian grandmothers, professors, or other potential visiting dignitaries. The simplest variation is a whole wheat loaf, which involves adding a bit more yeast and replacing some of your all purpose flour with whole wheat flour (about 2 cups whole wheat to 3 cups all purpose). Using molasses instead of sugar as your sweetener also lends a depth of flavour to your whole wheat bread that separates the wheat from the chaff, so to speak. If you are going for a truly gourmet loaf then you may also wish to consider the so–called “hard flours”—they can be both whole wheat and white—which have higher protein content and thus make a more elastic dough and a lighter bread. Hard flours may be difficult to find, but are available at specialty cooking stores and some markets.

Adding different fillings to your bread is also a sure way to impress those of discerning palate. After separating your individual loaves, but before the second rising, roll the dough out into a sheet (¼–½ inch thick) and spread your filling of choice on top. Roll it into a log and place it in the pan, then let

rise and bake as usual. Make sure that the seam where your roll ends is facing down, otherwise you may be confronted with a “she’s come undone” scenario in your oven. Grated cheese, particularly a sharp cheddar, makes an excellent filling, as does a cinnamon–sugar–butter mixture with or without raisins sprinkled on top.

You can also add nuts, raisins, oats, or other vaguely–healthy– sounding stuff to your bread by working it into the dough after the first rising and kneading. Be cautious, though—some fillings that make great sandwiches don’t do so well in the oven (see “Jelly, Peanut Butter and”).

Whatever the type of bread you’re baking, remember that it should never be made with clockwork precision. Recipes should be seen as guidelines, within which variation is possible and encouraged. In many circumstances it is dangerous (to the bread at least) to follow the instructions too closely—humid days produce stickier dough, and on dry winter days, dough may require more water and time to rise. Unlike cakes, bread is resilient to recipe changes, so do not be afraid if you have not used all the flour called for, or need to add some extra to reach the right consistency. This is equally true for fillings or flour substitutes—replacing some of the wheat flour with corn or rice flour, for example, can add flavor or lighten the bread. Be cautious, though, when substituting flours—non–wheat flours may also require a gluten replacement in order to produce bread of non–rocklike consistency. One of the great joys of bread making is that experimentation will produce nothing worse than a hilarious story, but will more often be the toast of your friends.

At this point, you may have mentally tallied the time for kneading, rising, kneading, rising, and baking, and be thinking something along the lines of “well, this all seems to take a lot of time.” Time being a precious commodity in our procrastination–and–work–full lives, it is easy to assume that the 3 or 4 hours required for bread may be out of reach of most university students. In fact, upon hearing that we’re regular bread bakers, friends often ask if we use a breadmaker. Perhaps they assume that our busy student schedules leave no time for the zen of bread or are unaware of our neo–Luddite kitchen tendencies. Either way, they’re met with a derisive snort and the quick retort of “No. I am the breadmaker.” While breadmakers certainly have their place (although we may argue that that “place” is permanent storage), nothing compares to the joy of true engagement with your bread. Also, a loaf of fresh bread gracing the kitchen counter is a lot better thing to show for your procrastination than just another completed Sudoko taped to the fridge.

We both had our first baking moments under the tutelege of our parents and grandmothers, but neither of us began regular breadmaking until we got to university. The magical combination of much to do and no particular time in which it must be done produces afternoon–long blocks of time that could be filled with Chem 1A03, but instead cry out for chemistry of a more organic sort. Equipped with yeast, a kitchen of your own, and the recipes on the following page, you, too, now have the skills to rise to the occasion.

Let it cool for 10 minutes before eating to avoid that “destroyed–by–my–own– creation–a–là–Victor–Frankenstein” vibe that often afflicts overeager breadmakers.

incite 15

got recipes?

The following recipes (courtesy of grandmothers/bread gurus Marion Abbott and Mary Wiebe) are excellent for novice and experienced bread makers alike, and we’ve inserted some explanatory notes for beginner bakers.

Home–Style White Bread

(from Marion Abbott—Makes two 9” x 5” x 3” loaves) 1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons) active dried yeast ½ cup warm water 1 tsp sugar 2 cups milk and water, mixed ¼ cup lard, shortening, or margarine 2 tbsp sugar 2 ½ tsp salt 6–6 ½ cups all purpose flour Dissolve the yeast (make sure you’ve got the correct kind—bread machine yeast cannot be substituted for active dried yeast) with a half cup warm water and one teaspoon sugar and leave to stand for 10–15 minutes until frothy. Combine milk and water, lard or margarine, sugar, and salt in a saucepan and heat just until the fat is melted. Pour into a large mixing bowl, allow to cool until lukewarm, then stir in the yeast mixture.

Add three cups of flour and stir until smooth, then gradually work in enough additional flour (≈ 3 cups) to make a soft, pliable dough. At this point, the dough should be just past the sticking–to–your–hands stage— too little flour and the dough is too sticky, too much and your bread will be tough rather than soft and fluffy. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for at least five minutes, adding extra flour (no more than a ¼ cup at a time) if the dough is sticky. When the dough is smooth, return it to the cleaned bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel (or place the bowl in a large plastic bag) to prevent the surface of the dough from drying out.

Leave to rise in a warm place until the dough is doubled in size—about an hour.

Knead again for three to four minutes, then cut in half. Knead each piece into a smooth sausage shape seven to eight inches long, place in greased loaf pans, cover with wrap or a plastic bag, and leave to rise in a warm place as before. This will take about 40 to 60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400° F while the loaves are rising and bake on the centre rack for 35–40 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when the crust is tapped. Slip the loaves from the pans. If you like the sides nice and crusty, return the loaves to the oven for a further five minutes. For a soft, glossy crust, rub the tops with a little soft butter. Cool on a wire rack.

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Wholewheat Molasses Bread

(from Marion Abbott—Makes two 9” x 5” x 3” loaves) 1 ½ packages active dried yeast (3 tsp) 1 tsp sugar ½ cup warm water ¼ cup molasses ¼ cup salad oil 2 ½ cups warm water 1 ½ cups all purpose flour 1 scant tbsp salt about 6 cups 100% whole wheat flour Soften the yeast with the first amount of water and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, combine molasses, oil, and the remaining two–and– a–half cups water; stir in the yeast mixture when it is ready. Stir in white flour, salt, and three cups whole wheat flour until smooth. Gradually work in sufficient remaining wholewheat flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead briskly for at least three to four minutes, working in extra flour as required.

Return the dough to the clean bowl, cover, and set to rise in a warm place for an hour or so until it has doubled in bulk. Continue as for white bread, although the individual whole wheat loaves may take longer to rise than the white. Bake at 400° F for 30–35 minutes until the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Butterhorns

(From Mary Wiebe—Makes 64 rolls) 2 packages yeast ½ cup warm water 1 ½ cups milk, scalded and cooled 2 eggs ½ cup sugar 2 tsp salt ¼ cup shortening 5 ½ cups (or a bit less) sifted all–purpose flour Soften the yeast in water, scald the milk (scald = to add one or two tsp of sugar and heat to almost–boiling), add sugar, salt, and shortening. Cool, add 2 cups flour, beat well, then add yeast and beaten eggs.

Make a soft dough with the rest of the flour. Let it rise in a warm place in a covered bowl. Knead down and divide into four equal portions. Roll each into a circle about an inch thick, spread lightly with soft butter, and cut into 16 pie–shaped wedges. Roll up each wedge, starting at the wide edge, place on baking sheet with end of roll tucked under, let rise and bake at 400° until brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

I would like to declare that that is a lie.

I’d love to know where my staggering genius comes from, but I doubt I gained more as a child from listening to Beethoven than I did listening to the Bee Gees.

Surprisingly enough, I can actually back this up.

The McMaster Institute for Music and the Mind is a new interdisciplinary research group on campus. Their aim is “to create a world– class facility where musicians, scientists and researchers can work together to study questions about the physical structure of music, the evolution of music, the neural processing of music, the performance of music, and the perception of music.”

Wow, that’s a lot of stuff. Let’s break it down.

Musicians and a whole bunch of scientific professionals are trying to figure out how music works on and in the brain. To this end, the MIMM is sponsoring a series of lectures and concerts.

The first of these happened on 19 November, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Hamilton. The title “Does Music Make You Smarter?” fed my curiosity, so I grabbed a friend, and off we went to be edified.

The lecture was by Glenn Schellenberg, a professor at the University of Toronto. He started out by explaining the Mozart Effect—the classic experiment where students, after listening to Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante K 488 for 10 minutes, were given an IQ test. Those who listened to Mozart preformed better than the people who sat silently for the same amount of time. Tada!

Mozart makes you smarter.

Well, not exactly. Professor Schellenberg suggested that it isn’t really Mozart, but rather anything that catches your interest that makes you smarter. He tried the experiment again with a batch of 10 to 12 year olds, having some of them listen to Mozart while others grooved to pop songs by the alternative band Blur. The music they liked, Blur, raised their test scores more than Mozart. Another experiment took adults and compared the results of another piece of classical music, this time a standard funeral march, and found that although that piece is of the high classical tradition, it didn’t have the same stimulating affect as Mozart. Schellenberg argues that this music fails to enhance performance because it doesn’t engage the listener.

This thrilled me to no end. Take that, you classical snobs! The pedestal begins to crumble!

But really, considering the concert that followed the talk, the classical arrogance still seems pretty solid. What’s wrong here?

rock

After hearing this wonderful message of musical equality, the concert line–up gave us pause. With appearances by pianist Valerie Tryon, soprano Mary Lou Fallis, and The John Laing Singers, among others, it was a fairly impressive line–up of classical music—no Blur in sight.

The scientific data told us that one type of music isn’t privileged over another. But at the same time, this particular concert program obviously implies that there is one type of music we should be listening to, or studying, and it’s classical music—classical music is somehow higher, somehow better, and manages to make you smarter.

THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC

Doesn’t jive, does it?

There is another issue here as well. We’ve established that it isn’t classical music that makes you smarter—it’s music in general. Or more accurately, it makes test scores go up. But do test scores really give much insight into intelligence? I apologize to all those parents out there who have been buying “Mozart for Baby” tapes, but, although your little cooing infant may enjoy the music, it’s probably not going to turn her into Einstein. Sorry.

The “intelligence” measured by IQ tests is severely limited by the preconceptions and expectations of the tester. A better measure of how truly smart you are is your capacity for applying your amazing brainpower. And building that capacity takes more than just plunking down near a CD player for a few minutes.

The second half of the program did address the idea that studying music is linked to intelligence as well. Prof. Schellenberg again challenged current assumptions by arguing that any kind of extracurricular activity that vaguely resembles a school setting will make a kid smarter Although I found this perspective refreshing, I was still a little bothered by something—I don’t really want music to make me smarter.

G RAPHIC BY W. M OFFAT

COLUMN

T

he image of the classical musician I brought up last month—nerdy, obsessive, and in complete control of troves of worthless information about dead white men—is an image fed by the contention that classical music makes you smarter.

I think that far too many people listen to classical music for all the wrong reasons. They listen because they think it’ll make them look smarter, because they think it’ll make them be smarter, or because it’s some kind of status symbol.

I’m not saying that you don’t have to think about classical music—sure, many pieces are incredibly complex, with layers of technique and meaning that a person could invest hours of thought into. But that isn’t all of it.

What is really great about music, any music, is that it isn’t about what you think—it’s about what you feel. It’s about that thing that makes your pulse race, that makes your feet tap. And if, as Prof. Schellenberg said, it’s about what “turns you on”, then whether it gives you a two point bump in your IQ or not, music is a good thing because it makes you feel good.

Time’s up, please put your pencils down, the test is over. Now, forget about IQ and go listen to some music—it’s good for you.

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ages

by Claire Marie Blaustein incite 17

REVIEW

A

limited budget is no reason to forgo the sophisticated pleasures of fine wine.

With Incite’s help, you now can add an element of class to an intimate supper or a dinner party among friends without depleting your rapidly shrinking funds.

Moreover, amid the agonies of term papers and exams, you may wish to consider the sagacious advice of Saint Thomas Aquinas: “Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath, and a glass of wine.” Seeking consolation at the bottom of a wine bottle has a long and (somewhat) honourable history, from the ruby nectar of the Olympian gods to Sideways’ draught of depression. Thus, for the sake of our suffering fellow students, we have combed the shelves of Hamiltonian liquor stores and stomached intolerable inebriants in a grand enterprise to locate the best cheap wine in the city.

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Gato Negro — 2005 Merlot Appearance: 5/5 Taste: 2/5 Price: 2/5

Boozing on a Budget Incite

reviews the cheapest wine since Jesus went to weddings

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750 mL ($8.85)

The deep blue label against the green glass, combined with the hint of apricot in the aroma, imbues this dark wine with mystery and elegance. The label features a black cat with a three–in–the–morning, drinking–all–alone sort of look in its eyes, which prompted one Inciter to call this a “starving artist rejection letter wine.” A different reviewer said it felt like a wine you’d drink with your parents (we diplomatically omit speculation into said reviewer’s familial relationships). Alas, Gato Negro’s taste does not live up to its alluring first impressions. Although a few of our tasters described it as a “deep, throaty wine,” and assigned it the euphemistic adjective “bold”, most of us would rather drink antifreeze. After her first sip, one reviewer spoke of the sad gap between expectations and reality: “this doesn’t have hints of apricot—it has hints of gross.” Another critic gave a pithy final indictment:“there’s a reason there’s a black cat on the label—I wouldn’t want to cross paths with this wine.”

Gray Fox — 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Appearance: 4.5/5 Taste: 5/5 Price: 3/5

750 mL ($6.95)

Despite the mass confusion occasioned by a golden fox on the Gray Fox bottle, our reviewers were generally impressed by this wine. The sylvan label, with the fox framed by a golden–leaved oak tree, gives the wine, in the words of one taster, a “woodsy and rustic, yet classic” appearance. As we popped the old–fashioned cork, we speculated about whether the grapes were tended by wood elves, and the wine aged in an oak barrel. Legolas would drink Gray Fox. Giving it the highest taste score, Inciters commented on this red’s “interesting depth” and ease of drinking. A reviewer called it “smooth,” adding somewhat ambiguously, “…like water, perhaps?” One incongruous note was the wine’s aroma; a few of our tasters proposed it exuded a cheddar–cheese–like scent, to which another taster countered, “I think it smells like harsh chemicals.” We concluded that Gray Fox is the perfect accompaniment to Pierre Burton’s defining Canadian activity of “making love in a canoe”—lamenting only that it is Californian, not Canadian.

Cesari — 2004 Merlot–Venezie Appearance: 3.5/5 Taste: 2.5/5 Price: 3/5

750 mL ($6.95)

This classy red looks like it has sat in a basement wine cellar since the late 1920s.

The pleasant font and old–school label design make for a distinguished bottle, but the red–and–burgundy colour scheme is rather unfortunate. Its colourful name did give us the valuable opportunity to practice our Italian pronunciation, an activity that increased in entertainment value as the evening progressed. Impressions of taste were mixed, with some calling the wine an easy drink, but slightly acidic, others finding it a hard swallow, and the odd reviewer extolling its sweetness and richness. Unless you’re trying to do a roaring twenties re–enactment on a budget, seeking a faux well–aged look, or just a really, really boring person, we would not highly recommend Merlot Venezie. We were left with just one question for the fellas and flappers: why does this wine smell like celery?

Wh Appearance: 3/5 Taste: 4/5 Price: 3/5

750 mL ($6.95)

With its friendly, brightly–coloured label and near–colourless appearance, this is the type of wine that twelve–year–old girls would pilfer from their parents’ liquor cabinets at slumber parties. Perhaps recalling the innocent, carefree days of their own prepubescent alcoholism, our reviewers described Rivercrest as “sweet,” “so easy to drink,” and “pleasant but light.”

In a beautiful bridging of generations, one taster claimed it is also a “menopausal–woman’s wine”, conjuring up heartwarming—or heartrending— images of little girls and their mothers bonding over booze. The water–like colouration and minimal aroma make Rivercrest ideal for drinking undercover; just fill up your Nalgene, and all anyone will ever know is that you were unusually giggly in your 8:30 a.m. stats class.

We worried that the cartoonish pictures on the bottle might be dangerously attractive to small children, but were comforted when one reviewer suggested it may be just watered–down apple juice anyway.

French Cross — Dry White Appearance: 1/5 Taste: 3.5/5 Price: 3/5

s ite

Rivercrest — 2004 California White

1 L ($9.25)

Offended by the false advertising of its appellation (French Cross actually hails from an Ontario winery), we were unsure whether to assign this white extra points for being local, or to deduct a penalty for not being as sophisticated and imported as its label first intimates. Possessing a mildness similar to Rivercrest’s and an almost non–existent aftertaste, French Cross was described as “sweet like juice” and “a good gateway wine” for novice drinkers. Despite the false pretensions of its name, French Cross generally embraces its plebeian nature with dignity; you may feel seedy drinking this wine, but at least you’ll feel authentically seedy.

Its spare and unaffected label has an air of quiet desperation, and, on our bottle, was offset at an angle one charitable reviewer called “jaunty.” We speculate it may have been applied by someone who consumed a little too much French Cross himself. Most importantly, the bottle’s unusually elongated neck and hefty base make it the weapon of choice for any drunken brawls that might erupt in your student pub.

L’epayrie — Blanc de Blancs

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Appearance: 2/5 Taste: 2/5 Price: 5/5

1 L ($8.05)

Rich, bubbly, and authentically français, L’epayrie satisfied our reviewers’ angst–filled craving for maturity by being a suitably Grown–Up wine. As one Inciter observed, “French Cross I’d take home for the night; L’epayrie I’d take home to meet my parents.” After the more cloying whites, this wine’s less sugary, more complex flavour came as a relief to some, although one taster called it “bitter, icky at best.” Those with a background in organic chemistry may enjoy the hint of acetone in the wine’s aroma. As it comes in one–litre portions, you could likely bring a bottle of L’epayrie to your orgo lab, share it around with the people at your bench, and still have plenty left over for washing out your glassware. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this wine is the bottle’s graphics. From a distance, the label looks goofy and fun; upon closer inspection, however, the wine’s crest–logo proved to feature a rather alarming alien morphing into a boar’s head. We’re sure it makes more sense in French.

by Kate MacKeracher

incite 19

INTERVIEW

ACTIVATING ACTIVISM Incite’s Zsuzsi Fodor sat down with two Canadian student activists during a time when most undergrads are more focused on exam scores than social change. Both have developed dynamic projects centred on educating and supporting other potential activists.

Both feel that building networks of activists is key to realizing their goals of social justice.

D

mentor who will fit their needs and provide them ev Aujla established and helps children’s rights and it led me here. with the necessary resources. lead Dream Now, a non–profit, Incite: How did you get such a massive unnon–governmental, web–based Incite: What’s your vision for the future of dertaking off the ground? organization. Dream Now supports inDream Now? ternational youths’ projects, from sus- D.A.: It started in small steps and then just took tainable chicken farms in Uganda to off. You don’t even realize what happens; you get a D.A.: In February, we’re going to be launching a website and business cards, and then all of a sud- call centre. There will be a place on the website climate change conferences in Canada. den you have an organization and there are people where you can type your phone number and we’ll Dev is a student in English and Philoso- working for you and you have salaries and pay- phone you back right away. You’ll then have a ten– minute conversation with a Dream Now mentor phy at the University of Western On- rolls.

It slowly expanded following the launch. We who will help you start your project. The first ten tario presented it in Australia at the International Youth minutes are really important to open up dialogue,

Dev Aujla: Dream Now is an international non– governmental organization that teaches youth how to take action. Youth come to us with an idea with which they want to get involved, and we take them the rest of the way. We help them start projects in their community, from sending clothes abroad, to a local eating disorder awareness project, to anti– bullying programs—absolutely anything you could possibly imagine, we help with. There are over 600 projects that we’ve helped start so far. We’ve been going for about two years. We launched it in Morocco for the United Nations Youth Congress in 2003.

Every program and conference out there gets everyone really excited, and then nothing happens once you leave, so what we do is make sure something happens. We take an idea from a conference, and then we take that idea and make it into a project. We provide mentors, guides, and resources all the way along.

Incite: What was your inspiration for founding the program?

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Incite: What have been the successes and Incite: Have you been in contact with kids challenges you’ve experienced in creating who felt like no one would listen to their this organization and running it over the idea because of their youth? last two years?

D.A.: People always tell you that once you hit two years everything will start coming together for you.

It’s exactly like that. Once we hit our two–year mark, all of a sudden grant applications started coming through and we started hiring staff. It’s pretty exciting.

There’s one project in Victoria called “Lights Out Canada”. The girl who started it had the idea to turn out the lights in high schools for a day and then do programming on energy conservation. It’s just taken off and now she’s actually doing her pilot next week in four different high schools across Canada. The successes really do come in the individual projects.

Incite: Who does your organization support?

D.A.: There are a lot of people from across Canada and a lot of international youth as well who have ideas for everything you could possibly imagine.

The desire is out there, it’s just a matter of [helping them accomplish their goals]. I get emails everyday saying, “I really want to do this! I just don’t know how.” It’s amazing to be able to show them how and to connect youth to one another who are involved in similar projects. All the youth involved have so much to teach and so much to share; I can’t teach that kind of stuff. My role is to put them together so they can learn together. I’m the guy who makes the connections and makes sure it happens.

Incite: How can interested people get support from Dream Now? D.A.: All they have to do is go to our website (dreamnow.org) and we connect them with a local

D.A. Yeah! I’m currently working with a seven– year–old in London [Ontario] who’s organizing a recycling project. He’s gone around to the London Children’s Museum and put up signs to recycle and has gone to the board of directors and asked them if they recycle in their businesses. That kid’s going to be a super–activist by the time he’s fifteen!

Incite: What have you learned about running an organization?

D.A.: It’s about the number of people you talk to.

You have to tell yourself, “I’m going to run this international organization one day!” The more you believe in yourself and the more you start talking to people, the more likely it is that it’ll happen. You never know if someone you meet will open a door for you. It takes a lot of work, and it’s definitely not easy. At the same time, it’s what I love to do and that makes it really fun. It’s great to see your vision become a reality.

Incite: What’s your advice to anyone who wants to make a difference?

D.A.: Go to DreamNow.org! No, no…

Take a first step. Find whatever it is that you love to do or something that pisses you off in your community that you really want to change, and find a way to bring it together. Give us a call or email us, and we’ll help you get started. It’s really easy once you know what to do and realize that there are tons of people out there doing similar things. Then, you can connect with them and make it happen.

§

D.A.: I’ve been involved [in activism] since I was sixteen. I went on a family trip to India and it made me realize how lucky I was. I had a mentor who helped me get stuff done that, without him, wouldn’t have happened. I thought that if I could give that same mentorship and support to other people along the way, then thousands of people would be doing thousands of projects in thousands of communities. I was on a youth council in Victoria, B.C. and was one of those people who said “yes” to everything. When I was first getting involved it was really isolating. I felt like I was the only one in my high school back in Victoria doing anything. But once you realize that there are amazing international events you can go to and so many cool people you can meet and travel around the world with, it’s pretty exciting. One thing led to another and I started traveling and speaking about

to throw ideas back and forth. We’re in the process of getting it built, so that’ll be the next big step. If you want to do something, just give us a call and we’ll make it happen.

§

Incite: What is Dream Now, and how did your idea to create the Dream Now organization materialize?

Parliament, which is a big international forum. It kept on growing because people heard about it and spread the word. I started it with my brother and now he chairs our board of directors.

Incite: What is the Sky Dragon Centre?

Marya Folinsbee: Sky Dragon is located downtown. They have two locations right now—across the street from Gore Park on King and a new [location] on King William, across the street from Pepperjack Café. The Sky Dragon Centre is a community co–operative. It’s based on non–hierarchical worker structures: everyone who’s involved in the centre has equal say in how things happen. Their mandate is to provide a free and comfortable space for community events, projects, and especially activism. They do a lot of social justice work. For example, they have social justice cabarets featuring folk singers, they raise money for charities, and they show documentary films. It’s also an open space for dance classes and adult education classes. They started releasing a magazine called MayDay, which is a [monthly] social justice magazine in Hamilton. They’re also looking to start a food share program and, in the spring, are trying to get a rooftop garden. They provide a comfortable space for the community that’s not corporate. It is a common space where people can come together and do good things.

Incite: How is the centre organized?

M.F.: [The centre] is run through a council system.

You can support it by buying shares in it and you get a five per cent return every year if the centre makes any profit. Once you have a share, you have decision–making privileges within the council. The centre is largely dependent on volunteers. They also rent out the space to individuals who want to run events for a nominal fee.

Incite: What is your relationship to the centre?

M.F.: I’ve been a patron of the centre and am now working with one of their founding members, Kevin McKay, to acquire space for my project called “Radical Change Machine”. We’re going to build a network of high school students from around the city who are interested in social justice issues and run discussion groups and workshops with them.

For example, we’ll have nights focused on topics like media literacy, environmental issues, the beauty myth, volunteerism, community activism, and culture jamming. Ultimately, the direction that it goes in will be based on the youth who are involved. We’ve gotten feedback from some students who are really interested in talking about how to change the system from within, how to make their high schools more democratic and equitable, how to enforce change within their communities and peer groups, and even how to deal with the issue of apathy. The foundation of the project is to provide students with a space where they feel that they are powerful agents of social change and that they have the potential to do some good in their community. We’re acting as older, potentially more seasoned activists. We’re looking to provide them with a safe space and some guidance, wisdom, and tangible tools with which they can take on their own projects and respond to their culture in a progressive way.

Incite: How far along is the program?

M.F.: We have met a few times so far. We’re looking to have our first discussion night in early January and then start a pretty regular series of workshops throughout the next semester. When I first started, I felt like no one was going to come and it would be just me in this big room, really sad because no one bought into my idea, but then we had our first meeting and twelve people came and they all had wicked ideas to contribute. It’s kind of slow to start because you have to hammer out what your motives are and what direction your actions are going to take. Since we’re doing this through OPIRG [Ontario Public Interest Research Group], and one of their mandates is that all of their working groups are consensus driven, getting consensus between twelve people is a really slow and hard process.

We’re still in the process of [deciding] what format our work is going to take on, but it gets more promising all the time.

Incite: How does OPIRG support projects like yours?

M.F.: OPIRG is an organization that provides resources, feedback, and legitimacy to activist groups.

There are “PIRGS” all over North America. They have an office in the Student Centre [MUSC/229] where you can buy fair trade coffee and chocolate and have a huge library of resources about activism. [OPIRG] is the umbrella group and through them people meet and create working groups. These groups are put together to tackle one specific issue. There’s an “eat local” working group, a “no sweat” group dedicated to fair trade and workers’ rights, a vegetarian association, and [a group called] Transportation for a Livable Community.

[OPIRG] provides groups with guidance and a photocopying budget.

They also release weekly newsletters and a pamphlet every term. [OPIRG] is based on consensus so everyone who participates has to agree. They give consensus training, and non–violence, anti–racism, and anti–oppression training to make sure that your working group remains open and equitable and anyone who wants to join can, regardless of race, creed or [anything else]. It’s an activist hub—that’s how I think of it.

Incite: What drives your activism?

M.F.: As a kid, I lived in Alberta. When I was seven Ralph Klein was elected as Premier and started slashing the education budget—that made me really angry. I got politically involved right away.

I went to my first protest when I was eight years old. It made me feel a part of something bigger than I could ever be by myself, something progressive, and something I really believed in.

My actions make a difference and the way I live has an impact beyond what I could possibly imagine. My choice not to litter, or not to drive a car, is going to affect people who I’ll never meet. We as human beings can work to make the world better: it’s a matter of taking conviction into our own hands, into our own hearts and acting on it—living your beliefs.

This project is to encourage other people to recognize their agency, how powerful they can be, and how their actions, good or bad, have an impact beyond themselves and their own life. We can all do things as individuals to change the world but the more we do things as communities to change the world, the more powerful our actions become.

“The foundation of the project is to provide students with a space where they feel that they are powerful agents of social change.”

SKY DRAGON BY A. VAN KOEVERDEN

M

arya Folinsbee is a third year Peace Studies and Cultural Studies student at McMaster. She is spearheading a project called Radical Change Machine, a working group of Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG), out of the Sky Dragon Centre.

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COLUMN

POP WITH ROB LEDERER

I

made a new friend last night. The encounter didn’t involve a botched two–step moment in the middle of the dance floor or a witty aside while sipping soy lattes at a fine dining establishment; it wasn’t the result of a half–true dating profile; and my new companion wasn’t disarmed by the Zach Braff–ish charm I dream of possessing. There has really been no recent encounter between us at all.

I first met Julia White in Mr. Frasier’s split grade five/six class, and was reintroduced to her last year by my housemate. It has been almost a full year since I’ve spoken to her, yet we are friends—or so it says on Facebook.com. Facebook is a sort of online web of tin can telephone lines.

In the tradition of MySpace and Friendster, Facebook is meant to spark and sustain inter– and intra–university companionships.

When signing up, users indicate the university they attend, and can then create a profile (picture optional), upload photos, send personal messages, and form thematic groups for others to join.

You can start making friends on Facebook immediately. It isn’t very difficult, and rarely involves any hardcore Cyrano–style wooing. Forming Facebook friendships is like picking someone up at a bar—there may be desire on both sides, but in the end, someone needs to step up and ask for the other’s digits or a dance. In Facebookland, friendships are by invitation only. You can offer companionship to anyone you like, stranger or long–term love interest, but for the webpage to recognize your union, the object of your affection needs to agree to the partnership. It’s sort of like a marriage proposal, without the honeymoon to look forward to.

The built–in Facebook screening process—the ability to reject anyone’s offer of friendship—is, in my opinion, even more effective than a group of partially–sober pub–going pals. Like your grade six graduation, not everyone will accept the invitation to dance. You choose who you of-

Facebooks

fer your friendship to and, more importantly, whose proposals you accept.

Just as in real life, forming bonds on Facebook has its benefits. Although not as wonderful as weekend cottage invites or unrestricted pool use, friends on Facebook can view each others’ profile—a step up from normal settings, when students only have access to the profiles of others at their home university. Seeing someone’s individual page can be a sacred experience.

Okay, not really—but information as varied and personal as sexual preference, music taste, summer employment, and favourite quotations can be filled out at the owner’s discretion.

Every profile displays the number of friends someone has, a characteristic that I think caused the evolution of the “friend collector”—a genus that deviates sharply from ordinary Facebookers.

They prey on new arrivals, offering friendship to those they’ve never even met before. It’s sort of like My Best Friend’s Wedding, when Cameron Diaz announced her plan to make Julia Roberts her surrogate maid of honour less than a week before her wedding. However, unlike Cameron’s character (who wanted to avoid her classless cousin’s hostile takeover of the maid of honour duties) this breed’s motives are far less obvious.

Presumably they see Facebook friendships as a popularity contest, a blend of student council election and Most Extreme Elimination Challenge (without the physical trauma).

But the befriending competition is only the short program in the Facebook Olympics. A new feature of the webpage is the ability to upload pictures. By prompting uploaders to indicate who is in each photo, profiles can tell members how many pictures a user is featured in, and by extension, how much of a life that user has.

Who does it matter to if you have 5 or 505 friends? Will anyone really care if there’s only one picture of you on a borderline stalker–centric webpage? Well, before answering these questions, you must remember that Facebook is great

In

A

for keeping in contact with high school friends.

And, in this case, I mean “friends” in the most I–talked–to–you–for–five–minutes–in–S.K.–before–you–disappeared–into–the–playground’s– abyss–never–to–fingerpaint–again kind of way.

It seems that, if you went to high school with someone, they will e–friend. In Facebookland, pothead and punk, goth and geek are all united. Maybe it’s because of the simplicity of the whole operation—friendships can be made in 10 seconds flat and there are absolutely no obligations.

It reminds me of the time Slater went out of his way to talk to Bayside’s über–nerd, when he was trading his varsity jacket so Zach could have a role in Swan Lake. This act was totally self–motivated, and I sense that perhaps these high school acquaintances’ goals are tainted as well. Maybe they are trying to look popular, posting pictures with tons of friends having a great time, although I think that interpretation is a bit too pessimistic. Really, they probably just want to maintain a connection to the past.

Even if we never said a word to each other in school and never message each other on Facebook, there remains a sense of community with each name on my friends list. In any case, sifting through online photo albums to see who has the most attractive new friends may inspire one to seek out a real friendship, and perhaps end up with a more exciting love life.

All of that aside, Facebook can be more entertaining than a TBS–filled afternoon of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. I have been known to meander around the webpage for several hours.

Whether boyhunting for a friend of mine (in jest, I swear) or telling tales of people watching, Facebook holds great potential for witty banter.

In this small slice of the web, it’s a nice feeling to have that high schooler insecurity that nobody wants to associate with you erased. Because, on Facebook, it seems like everyone wants to be your friend.

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GRAPHIC BY IRFAN PIRBHAI