The McGill Tribune Vol. 20 Issue 19 by The Tribune

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McGILL TRIBUNE

P ublished by the S tu d e n ts’ Society of M cG ill U niversity

Tuesday, 6 F ebruary 2001

Issue

B o d y a n d S o u l: n e c ro p h ilia , v irtu a l s e x a n d d o g s u ic id e s José Lourenço________________ Once upon a time there was a Canadian playwright named John Mighton. Mr. Mighton wrote a play about existential dilemmas, such as “Why can’t we be happy with what we have?” and, “What relationship, if any, exists between the physical and the emotional?” He called this play Body an d Soul. Several years later, some people who live within 15 minutes walk ing distance o f each other thought that maybe, just maybe, they should assume the roles in Mr. Mighton’s play and show every body in and around McGill how well they could bring his work to life. Originally, this article was going to be an all-too-subtle attack on the practice o f McGill student writers reviewing McGill productions/concerts/recitals and raving about their peers’ work. The McGill student writer’s role is, sole ly, to praise everything. That’s right, everything. It’s a community o f support. A trust circle. We’re all in this together. I was prepared to break this cycle. The night before I saw the play (so as not to taint my objectiv ity), I wrote a completely over-thetop, glowing review. It was bril liant. It was superb. I used adverbs and adjectives. You can only imagPlease see M A S T E R F U L , page 22

O n lin e v id e o e x tra ! S e e for yourself: clips from the play and ca s t interviews a re available online. 4)

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Traiteur

Door bouncers accept bribes at Four Floors C o n cern s

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John Salloum Allegations o f bribe taking by bouncers at the recent Four Floors party have raised questions con cerning the professionalism of the student security force hired for the party’s entrances. Reports indicate that some door bouncers took money in exchange for allowing partygoers entry to the building, bypassing what was a very long lineup. "If you pretended you were on the guest list... [the bouncers would] say you can get in if you pay $10, when it’s really only $5 to

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a b o u t s t u d e n t s e c u r i t y f o r c e 's t r a in in g get in ..." explained Alex M cDonough, Ul arts. McDonough asked if she could bring in five friends and " [the bouncer] said ‘yeah, but it’s ten bucks each.’ "When you are waiting in line, you can see people waiting to get in the side door [too]... I’m pretty sure they just do the same thing there... it’s pretty sketchy," McDonough said. She was not the only partygoer to notice the express checkout lane. Danielle Nguyen, U3 science, was in line with her friends when she was approached. "This girl just came up to

us... she had spoken to the bounc er, and she said [he’d let us in for] $80 for 6 people," Nguyen explained. She and her friends did not accept the offer until the girl returned. "She came back and he said $10 per person. "We didn’t get a stamp. We saw a lot o f people doing it. Most people did it at the guest list line. I saw a bunch o f guys put a bunch of cash in [the bouncer’s] pocket [and then] he whispered something." Head o f Security, Paul Kolesnik, did not spend much time at the front door during the party, but he explained that he had received complaints about the

issue. "I have heard a couple o f com plaints. We specifically instruct people not to do this. My belief is that they did not do this. "The people who are working [here], they’ve been working [for SSMU] for three or four years and we have not had any complaints. This is the first time [that we have received complaints]. W hat I believe happened was that people were not happy that they had to wait in line for such a long time, and that they basically just wanted to get back at the bouncers who were not letting them in ... but I Please see E X P R E S S , page 4

Pino & Matteo invites all students to come to Stewart Bio & Law Faculty for low food prices. For the month of February...hot meals special starting @ $3.99 taxes included plus a FREE serving of cake. Salad bar prices start at $1.99 +tx A wide choice of pizzas and other selections available, including take-out.

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The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Project Interaction...continued

hadn’t had any negative feedback regarding his involvement in the case. According to Fraser Hall, the coordinator o f Queer M cGill, Somerville said "Oh you’re here. I’m leaving," when the students came in at the end o f her class period. Somerville took the invitation to the forum, but did not immediately accept. When Queer McGill stu dents entered Young’s class, she allegedly exclaimed "O h my," and left her classroom without taking the invitation. Hall said he placed the invitation in her mailbox. There is no word yet on when the forum will take place, or whether Somerville or Young will attend. — by James Grohsgal

• Concerned supporters o f samesex marriage rights continued their pressure campaign, last week, on two McGill professors slated to be expert witnesses against gay marriage. Members o f Queer McGill, accompanied by a Pulse News camera, entered the classrooms o f Dr. Margaret Somerville and Dr. Katherine Young last Tuesday to inform their students about the professors’ positions and to deliver invitations to a forum on gay marriage. Somerville and Young are also the targets o f a Project Interaction petition urging them to step down from the federal case. They were listed as the top two o f about a dozen expert wit nesses against gay marriage in a federal prosecutor’s email that was sent last November. Another professor on the expert witness list, Dr. Edward Shorter o f the University o f Toronto, said last week that he

Chapters and Trilogy reach agreement • According to a press release issued on Friday, Chapters Inc. and Trilogy Retail Enterprises

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have announced that "they have reached an agreement in princi ple on the transition to Trilogy’s management of Chapters". In accordance with the agreement, the Chapters Board o f Directors will declare a dividend o f 50 cents per share to shareholders on February 12. The merger o f Indigo and Chapters is now expected to run smoothly and swiftly, as Chapters has agreed not to pro ceed with its original proposal to engage in a bid offer from potential buyers. In turn, Trilogy has agreed not to receive the div idend from Chapters on the shares owned by Trilogy, and will "only be paid on the shares that were not taken up under Trilogy's offer, which expired midnight, Thursday Feb. 1." The agreement is still sub ject to a final approval from the Chapters Board o f Governors whose members will then resign to allow the Trilogy nominees to replace them.

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The Department of Jewish Studies C a ll for S u b m is s io n s :

BLACHER AND GLASROT FAMILIES MEMORIAL AWARD FOR HOLOCAUST RESEARCH E s ta b lis h e d b y M r. a n d M r s . J o s e f G la s r o t, s u r v iv o r s o f t h e H o lo c a u s t a n d r e s id e n t s o f M o n t r e a l.

O p e n t o a n y M c G ill s t u d e n t , t h e a w a r d w ill

b e p r e s e n te d f o r e x c e lle n c e in r e s e a r c h in H o lo c a u s t a n d r e la te d s tu d ie s , a n d p a r t ic u la r ly o n t h e h is to r y o f t h e G h e t t o s in W a r s a w a n d K o v n o [ K a u n a s ]. S t u d ie s

T h e a w a r d is a d m in is t e r e d b y t h e D e p a r t m e n t o f J e w is h in

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P r e s e n t a t io n o f t h e B la c h e r a n d G la s r o t F a m ilie s M e m o r ia l A w a r d w ill t a k e p la c e a t t h e C lo s in g

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S t u d ie s , T h u r s d a y , J u n e 7 , 2 0 0 1 . T h e v a lu e o f t h e B la c h e r a n d G la s r o t F a m ilie s M e m o r ia l A w a r d is $ 1 0 0 0 . • T h e co m p e titio n is o p e n to u n d e rg ra d u a te an d g ra d u a te stu d en ts a t M cG ill University. • S tu d e n ts m u st su b m it 2 ty p e d c o p ie s o f th eir essays. • E ssays ca n b e b a s e d on prim ary o r s e c o n d a ry m aterials. • Essay sub m issions m ust reach th e D e p a rtm e n t o f Jew ish S tu d ies O ffice, 3 4 3 8 M cTavish S treet, by April 3 0, 2001

G e n e r a l a s s e m b ly Mike Bargav A number o f students are attempting to form a General Assembly by collecting the required 200 signatures through a petition. A General Assembly is a separate body from the Students' Society of McGill University Council which can propose motions which regu late parts o f the Society. Among the concerns to be raised through the General Assembly are a slate system of vot ing where students vote for parties as opposed to individual candi dates, and the need for publication autonomy in choosing Editor-inChiefs. DJ Waletsky, editor-in-chief of the Red Herring, currently heading the petition for general assembly, spoke on the importance o f such an institutional leeway. "In terms of what I want to accomplish, I'd say that this General Assembly is supposed to be a 'legislative review' o f SSMU's executive policy decisions by inter ested members of the Society, and a forum for people to actually act on their concerns," said Waletsky. "This is not like a SSM U Open Meeting, where people go and grill the Executive and a week later everyone forgets about it. This is a chance to actually make or change SSM U policy," he added. Waletsky further explained that one o f the primary benefits of a General Assemby is that it is con ducive to tackling questions which might otherwise not be considered large enough to be posed in the SSM U referendum. "Well, usually the only way regular students can have any direct, democratic input into SSM U is via referendum. However, referenda are usually reserved for major questions. There are a lot of smaller things that I think would have never met with the majority of the students'approval," he said. SSM U President Wojtek Baraniak however saw the situation in a different light.

"[Waletsky] never brought his issues to us — and he is acting as an independent unit with a hidden agenda without ever bringing his issues to elected representatives," said Baraniak. Waletsky intends the General Assembly to aim at passing election by-laws, and having publications including The M cGill Tribune, The Red Herring, the Handbook, and TV M cG ill choose their own editors-in-chief. "Currently the heads o f all SSM U publications are appointed by [a committee involving the exec utive] and ratified by Council. I think it's patently absurd," said Waletsky. A large focus of the petition is the system o f slate voting. Waletsky, also a candidate associated with the Red Herring Institutionalised Revolution Party/ Liberation Front for the SSM U presidency spoke on what he sees to be benefits o f a party based system o f election the General Assembly will bring to McGill. "My interest is that it's an inte gral part of the Red Herring/Liberation Front cam paign, and we definitely want to get it pushed in General Assembly. It's not the only thing that we want, but we definitely want it pushed." Waletsky added, "I'm only out to further my own cause, I'm not trying to ruin anybody else's." "As I read the Constitution, Council cannot veto any measure passed in General Assembly. They can, however, establish an opposing policy, just the same way they can overrule referenda by passing con trary legislation later." Baraniak however disagreed. "I'm not sure what a general assembly can do anyway, it can't touch the constitution, can't fireanyone and it can't touch finances. It's a vendetta against the SSMU and council. Obviously we will log ically argue against anything he proposes, because I'm sure it will be ridiculous."

Carleton TA strike averted • OTTAWA — An 1 lth-hour tentative agreement reached between Carleton University and its teaching and research assistant union has averted a strike planned to begin on January 31. The union, local 4600 of the Canadian Union o f Public Employees, announced it would not go on strike early morning on January 31, after it reached an agreement with the University on an assistance plan to help graduate students cope with tuition increases and received a promise that a report on the effect o f the double cohort on class sizes for TAs

and the quality of education will be completed by May 2002. The double cohort comes from the Ontario government’s elimination o f the OAC (Grade 13) in 2003, which will have as a consequence that Grade 12 students having com pleted the new secondary pro gram and the last students completing grade 13 will all enter university at the same time.

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

News 3

M c G ill p r e p a r e s f o r a c a d e m ic r e n e w a l M e c h a n ica l e n g in e e rin g Nema Etheridge & Mike Bargav The McGill administration recently filled a new position that will oversee the Contrat de Performances stipulation to hire 100 new professors a year over the next ten years. Stuart Price, a veteran o f 22 years at McGill, and current Chair o f the Mechanical Engineering Department, was recently appoint ed to the position o f associate vice principal, academic staff and plan ning. "[The] new position [begins] February 12. But right now, I’m already sort o f involved in all sorts o f meetings," Price said. "Right now I’m trying to do two jobs at the same time; I’m still chair o f the department, and I’m getting involved with my new responsibili ties to. I am still teaching a course in fluid mechanics this year, and I will continue to teach that course through the end o f the year," he explained. Because o f a loss o f professors over the past few years, and the anticipated retirement o f many more, McGill is in need o f such a position, Price explained. "This is a new position. It has not existed before. I guess the rea son I see why this position was cre ated is that right now McGill has around 1200 academics. That’s 200 less than we had four or five years ago," he said. "The reason that we lost so

c h a ir re c e n tly a p p o in te d

many professors was because of budget cuts, which affected the whole university. In Quebec we don’t have a mandatory retirement, but it is estimated that of those 1200, almost fifty per cent could retire in the next ten years," said Price. Later he added, "...you can not say that once a professor reach es 65 that he or she will retire. In fact, you can retire anytime from 55 on. There is always a little bit of uncertainty as to when people will retire." Price however, explained that this expected mass retirement is not a problem specific only to McGill. "I think that this also has to be taken in context; almost every uni versity in North America is proba bly undergoing the same process. A lot o f universities in North America lost people because o f budget cuts, and are now trying to rehire peo ple," said Price. "And, looking strictly at demographics," he con tinued, "a lot o f professors are reaching the age where they’re like ly to retire. So, there is going to be a big burst of rehiring. This posi tion was really created to put some order into that process." In addition to the stipulations o f the performance contract, and a predicted gross retirement, Price believes that McGill will also need to consider what influence the Canadian Foundation for Innovation grants will have on the hiring o f new professors.

"The thing is that you cannot take any o f these things in isolation. At the same time that you’re look ing at academic renewal, you also need to consider McGill’s prospects o f obtaining CFI grants and what money can you obtain through the [Canada Research Chairs]," he said. "It is all part o f the process, too. So, I think when we’re looking at academic renewal all o f these programs have to be considered at the same time." Although certain CFI funding might have a bearing on the employment o f new professors, Price is certain that its impact will not be overbearing in the hiring processes. "All professors at McGill are required to do both research and teaching. So, no, I don’t think you can say that the hiring is being dominated by or is being governed by the CFI." Price was unable to say, as of yet, whether any one department might receive more new professors than others. "I don’t know. That will be one o f the first things that I’m going to have to find out, as to where the concentration of professors will be. Certainly right now I’m not aware o f that. I’m sure that type o f infor mation will become available, but at the moment I’m not aware o f it," he said. "I think these issues are ones the university will have to look at seriously within the next year.

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Because as people do start to retire, the ques tion is- is everybody replaced? Or- do some departments gain posi tions while some departments lose posi tions? Those are the types o f issues that have to be addressed." D o e s p ro v in c ia l f u n d in g re a lly e x ist?

Nema Etheridge

Price prepares for academic renewal

Projected provin cial budget cuts o f 400 million, coupled with a change in leadership have left many wondering whether the Ministry o f Education will actu ally be able to live up to its side o f the Performance Contract. Although no official state ments have been offered from the government, regarding such budget cut backs, McGill Principal, Bernard Shapiro, explained how the university would deal with such monetary reductions. "Since the provincial govern ment is sovereign in its own area of jurisdiction," Shapiro explained, "It is, o f course, always possible that they will decide not to live up to the arrangements so recently entered into not only with McGill but other

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provincial universities as well," he said. "Although I am sure that the government entered into these arrangements in good faith, changes either in tax revenues, fiscal objectives or educational policy might lead them to changing their minds," said Shapiro. "I am in no position to estimate the likelihood o f this, but if a change does occur, and if it is negative, we will have to adjust all o f our planning and budgetary arrangements."

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4 News

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

M c G ill

V IC E -P R IN C IP A L

(Information Systems and Technology) T h e A d v is o r y C o m m it te e fo r th e S e le c t io n o f a V ic e - P r in c ip a l (In fo rm a tio n S y s t e m s a n d T e c h n o lo g y ) h a s b e e n s t r u c k a n d is n o w re v ie w in g P r o f e s s o r A n th o n y M a s i’s p e rfo rm a n c e a s A c t in g V ic e -P r in c ip a l (In fo rm a tio n S y s t e m s a n d T e c h n o lo g y ). W e in vite m e m b e r s o f th e M c G ill c o m m u n ity to c o m m e n t in t e r m s o f th e ir o w n e x p e r ie n c e w ith P r o f e s s o r M a s i a s A c t in g V ic e - P r in c ip a l ( In f o r m a t io n S y s t e m s a n d T e c h n o lo g y ) . In a c c o r d a n c e w it h t h e U n i v e r s i t y ’s u s u a l p r a c t i c e , a ll c o m m e n t s w ill b e k e p t s tr ic t ly c o n fid e n t ia l a n d t h e y s h o u ld b e fo r w a r d e d to:

Dr. Bernard Shapiro, Principal c / o M rs. M a ry S h a w R oo m 608 M c G ill U n iv e rs ity 8 4 5 S h e r b r o o k e S tr e e t W e s t M o n tre a l, Q C H 3 A 2 T 5

E x p r e s s la n e to th e p a rty continued from page 1 haven’t seen anyone do it," Kolesnik explained. VP Communications and Events, Mark Chodos, confirmed that he personally witnessed securi ty taking money. "When I saw people coming in [through the guest list entrance] who I knew weren’t on the guest list, because I made the guest list... I thought that was odd. I asked [the bouncer] and he said, ‘They gave me all this money.’ Right in front o f me, he was still doing it... we have to find a solution," Chodos stated. "I can’t fire them on the spot, it’s not my place to do that because I’m not in charge of security. " Chodos would not say that the action was outright theft. "It’s one o f those really gray areas. Its certainly dishonest and unethical," he explained.

Use of force

stopped her between floors. There were no signs indicating that the area was off-limits. After a brief discussion, "...he got so frustrated that he grabbed my arm and start ed pulling me downstairs. I finally said something to the effect o f ‘get your claws off me.’ He muttered something under his breath... went back to the other bouncer and said, within earshot, ‘what a stupid bitch.’" Kolesnik indicated that he had no information on the inci dent involving physical force in the back stairway. VP Operations Kevin McPhee explained that security knows it is to be careful when using force with anybody. "They know that they are to be very cautious when using force. At the same time, tensions are very high... force does have to be used [som etim es]...to get dangerous people out o f the environment." T r a in in g

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While it is important to note that not all members o f the securi ty team stand accused o f taking money on the side, criticism has not been limited solely to the door. According Kolesnik, bouncers do not use physical force unless required to do so. "One o f the policies is not to use physical force unless you’re required to, like if someone makes a move at you, then you can defend yourself, but otherwise we never use physical force. They are specifically instructed not to." Third year political science student Shirlee Engel, also Features Editor at the Tribune, was travel ling in Shatner’s back staircase from the first to second floor when a bouncer followed her and

Part o f the Society’s current problems involving security may stem from a lack o f formal training when new members sign on to the team. Kolesnik explained that the current training is very limited. "We have a security policy form that they’re supposed to sign when they begin work," he explained. McPhee noted that new mem bers learn from older more formal ly trained veterans. "The training right now is very simple, it’s not much. A lot of it is more o f a tutoring program, it’s the older guys teaching the younger guys what to do. A lot of the guys who have been with us for

five or six years have more formal training from past years," McPhee said. "We are aware that there was a problem [at the front door] the other night, and we have been working to address that. We associ ate a lot of the problem with the administration o f the Students’ Society ourselves.” McPhee out lined a number o f issues he sees as contributing factors. "These guys are only making $7.50 an hour... they are realisti cally putting their lives on the line for $35 [a night]... we also identi fied that there is really no ramifica tion for [taking money on the side]... It’s obviously a wrong action, but if there is no [conse quence] for doing it... We obvi ously are not going to entertain the notion o f instantly firing anyone that we saw doing that, right now, [or] we’d end up replacing security every week," McPhee stated. "W hat we have discussed doing to solve the problem is a [50 cent] pay raise effective in September, because their salaries haven’t been raised in 6 years... [And] for the guys who are work ing the door, paying them more on nights where it is advantageous for people to pay to skip the line." McPhee noted that a small portion o f the money allegedly pocketed by front door security was turned over to him when he was standing at the front door peri odically through the evening. "Maybe they thought I saw them ... It was just a little bit [of money]. Two people would go in and they would turn in $10, one person would go in and they would give me $5."

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The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

News 5

S t u d e n t g r o u p s r a lly fo r e a r t h q u a k e r e lie f Shehryar Fazli________________ The M cGill Indo-Pakistani Students’ Association has collected over $8000 in an effort to raise money for the Earthquake Relief Fund, created to help families recover from a devastating earth quake that hit the Gujarat region of India. The quake, which occurred on Saturday January 26, measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale, destroyed sev eral hundred thousand homes in the westernmost province o f India. According to a Reuters report released on Saturday February 3, the number o f confirmed deaths now totals 15,706, and is expected to rise to over 30,000. Over 55,000 people are suffering from injuries. The same report quoted the finan cial loss incurred by the disaster at an estimated 4.5 billion dollars, and also stated that the Gujarat govern ment has warned that this figure could rise.

India’s government has under taken relief efforts to provide the

earthquake survivors with food and shelter. The government is receiving help from the international com munity, including the Red Cross that has intensified efforts to supply tents and blankets. The large Indian community at M cGill has joined in these efforts. MIPSA’s special events coor dinators, Montu Gupta and Mayank Mehta, contacted the Red

Cross early last week to seek the legal authority to raise funds on campus for the cause. After this request was granted, the organization sought the permission o f various stu dent groups, including the M cGill International Student Network and the University’s Tamil students’ association, to circulate emails through these groups’ mailing lists requesting volunteers for the project. By the end of the week, around 40 stu dents had helped to raise money by collecting donations at various booths around campus, including stations at the Roddick Gates, Redpath library, Leacock building and the Frank Dawson building. By the end o f the five-day period, the group had raised roughly $8100. The money collected has given the Indian community at McGill a sense o f gratitude towards the

University’s students and staff, after the distressing period following the disaster. Gupta described the shock he felt after hearing news o f the earthquake. “The first morning I was in tears,” he said. “And it just kept get ting worse and worse. The death count kept getting higher and high er. I have family in Gujarat. They are okay, but we’re all still unusual ly shocked. “Having so many Indians here at McGill, and a large Gujarat com munity, we felt it was important to [collect the money],” he continued. “We felt it was our responsibility to do this.” The earthquake in India seems to have touched not only the Indian community at McGill, but also the general population o f students and staff throughout the University. The Engineering Undergraduate Society has made a $250 contribution to the fund, and MIPSA is expecting a donation from Faculty of

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Engineering itself. “We knew we could get a lot of support, but it has been really amazing how many people have helped out,” explained Mehta. “It’s very encouraging to see how many people at McGill really care. The amount o f money we raised was way beyond our expectations. It’s enough to provide a lot o f the fam ilies with effective shelter.” “We are very sympathetic to any o f our students and the strug gles they have,” said Judy Pharo, the Faculty o f Engineering student advisor. “[The contribution from the faculty] is a token o f our sup port. International students make up a high percentage o f our student body, and our conscience tells us we should support them.” The Indo-Canadian Students’ Association will begin collecting donations this week. Contributions will then go to the Red Cross by next week.

6 Op/Ed

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Op i n i o n

— : ::

Editorial

“M a n is th e o n ly a n im a l th a t can re m a in on f r ie n d ly te rm s w ith th e v ic tim s h e in ten d s to eat. ” — S a m u e l B u tle r

Team Canada does Beijing W elcom ing a new era of W estern Im perialism Rhea Wong___________________________________________________

Turn the other cheek Stephanie Levitz may have a point in her ranting editorial on Erica Weinstein’s disapproval of the campus media, but the quote cho sen to go with the article was illchosen. “To show resentment at a reproach is to acknowledge that one may have deserved it,” Tacitus says at the top o f the editorial. This quote is aimed at Weinstein, but it also covers Mark Chodos’s attitude and Levitz’s attitude. Why would Levitz write a long, resentful edito rial about the comments o f one stu dent, unless what she had said about the campus media and The Tribune, in particular, was deserved? This smacks o f another silly argument between campus media and student groups. Can’t you guys | stop throwing insults at each other? j Turn the other cheek; Tactitus is right.

The upcoming voyage of Prime Minister Chretien accompanied by an army o f Canadians to China leaves no doubt that imperialism has returned with a vengeance. Instead o f doping the masses with opium and seizing the ports, this time Westerners come armed with checkbooks and contracts. The much touted nine-day trip will be a veritable media blitzkrieg complete with live webcam coverage, a travelling press staff and convenient photo opportunities. The objective o f this ‘trade mission is to share Canadian know-how and capital with Chinese industries and projects. Obviously, these deals come with a handsome investment return, aided and protected by the compliant Chinese government. Among the delegates are numerous investment firms, universities, and agri-businesses. As we all know, a spoonful o f sugar certainly does help the medicine go down. Along with contracts comes a good dose o f ideology. With membership into the W TO dangled in front o f China like a carrot, why wouldn’t we spread the Gospel of Capitalism? It’s the North American way. Before Deng Xiaopeng died, he hinted at a return to socialism at the same time that he extolled the merits o f wealth. Though I do not question the Lindsay Barks Chinese government’s commitment to financial integration on their own U2 Philosophy terms, the possibility o f doing so may be jeopardized when the West final The McGill Daily ly manages to dig their claws far enough into the domestic economy. At the forefront o f Sino-Canadian issues are human rights violations. More specifically, grassroots support for Falun Gong members, Tibetans I transmit herewith a copy o f a and jailed political dissidents have been pressed to the front of the diplo letter to the editors o f the M cGill matic agenda. Though these issues are obviously significant, we have no Daily, which was sent to them in right to begin preaching from the pulpit when First Nations people are liv late November. The said letter ing in dire poverty, North America’s environmental record has been flushed addresses a number o f concerns down the toilet and infant mortality rates in inner cities rival that of sub- | which I am sure would be o f inter Saharan Africa. Perhaps the more unforgivable human rights violation est to the McGill community. occurs when people are starving in one o f the richest countries in the Much to my chagrin, the edi world. tors o f the Daily indicated a lack of Finally, the question o f biased contracts and investment return space prevented them from pub remains. Though both countries have free will to enter into contracts as lishing my letter at that time. I see they please, I wouldn’t bet my bottom dollar on the gosh-golly-arerit-wethat since then, they have apparent just-nice-Canadians bending over backwards to provide an equitable con ly been struck by similar space con tract to the Chinese. O f course, China’s ace-up-the-sleeve happens to have straints, which again have prevent a big Made in the USA on it which could tip the scales. Yet, when ed them from publishing my letter. Canadians start talking about helping China with their environmental Will you publish my letter? problems and waste management while bringing tobacco farmers along on the Good Ship Lollypop, alarms should trigger. E d note: we try to publish The new era o f imperialism has successfully remade itself from hostile everything we get. to faux-friendly. Though the modern day infiltration o f China has parad ed itself in sheaths of goodwill and diplomacy, the reality o f lucrative Re: The McGill Daily exploitation and hopes o f emulation still remain. Culturally, we wish to | bring the last vestiges of Communism and those uppity Chinese down. Dear Sir/Madam: Financially, we want to dominate them. Let us first hold a mirror up to As a champion o f student ourselves before we begin the fingerpointing and checksigning. Let us rec- j interests and affairs, I find it odd ognize the reality o f what we’re doing, why we’re doing it and drop the that The Daily does not disclose its Pollyanna act. own. By that, of course, I am refer ring to The Daily’s practical failure to publish its financial statements

THE M c G I L L T R IB U N E Editor-In-Chief John S allo u m

Assistant Editor-in-C hief S tep h an ie Levitz

Assistant Editor-in-C hief Rhea W o n g

C ampus Editor Jonathan C o lfo rd

is an e d ito ria lly au to n o m o u s n e w s p ap er published by th e S tudents' S ociety o f M c G ill U n ive rsity

News Editor Shehryar Fazli

Science Editor Michael Ayles

Assistant News Editors Mike Bargav Nema Etheridge

Sports Editor Jeremy Kuzmarov

Features Editors Shirlee Engel Ian Speigel Entertainment Editors Grace Carter Marie-Hélène Savard

Assistant Sports Editors Jam es Empringham Neil Schnurbach Photo Editors Patrick Fok Nico Oved

On-line Editors Andre Nance Mildred Wong Production Manager E ric Oest Advertising and Marketing Manager Paul Slachta Ad Typesetters Dom Michaud Siu Min Jim Chris Essert

Staff: Emmanuel Dingeroans.Kiki Dranias, Judith Drory, Daniel Ehrenfeld, Chris Essert, Steph Gabor, Gooblar. Natasha Jategaonkar, Sarah Johnson, Nick Hall. Mark Kerr, Nina Kim, Ruquel Kirsch, Peter Koveu, Stephanie Kwoo, Amy Ltuigstaff, Jose Lourenco, Ben Madgett.Leah K. N’chamu, Michelle O'Brodovich, Andrew Raven. Willian Renner. Gaia Remerowski, David Schanzle. David Schipper, Shan Sne-Lin, Phillip Trippenbach, Dan Zacks

Stop th e P ress ________

L e tte rs

E D I T O R I A L

:: :::

Same-sex marriage and the quest for equality

or allow its Board to be fairly chal lenged in open election. Such things would seem the cornerstone o f any devoted organization such as The Daily claims to be or, for that matter, disdains others for so simi larly failing. Please do not take this to be an indictment o f The Daily’s practices, for I certainly would be remiss for neglecting to state that elections are held and financial statements are available (albeit to a very select few). Rather, accept these words as careful, constructive criticism for what efforts The Daily undertakes to make its operation transparent; they are ineffective and certainly well-below the bench-mark to which the paper’s journalists hold various other organizations across the campus. Trusting the foregoing to your satisfaction, I wish to remain, Yours very truly, M. R. Rintoul U2 Economics

I’m a Dylan fan too Just a brief note to say how wonderful the Drifter’s Escape piece (Issue 16, January 16) was. As one who has followed Dylan for longer than the writers have proba bly been alive, I was especially pleased to find such insight into what I see as the Dylan’s greatness. Dylan is quite a complex figure, I found it rather remarkable to find such a sensitive grasp o f that com plexity in what I gather is a college paper. Which is not qualify the praise as being “good for a college paper.” Far from it, these guys can write by any standard. All three portions were strong; I especially enjoyed the first two. Regards, M anor Folsom Melbourne, Florida P.S. - the mildest o f correctivesDylan’s 6 0 s tour with The Bandwas in ‘65/”66, perhaps better described as the “mid” than the “late” 6 0 ’s.

I was met with great distress and frustration as I examined Shehryar Fazli’s editorial “Triggerhappy petitions” in the Jan. 23 edi tion o f the Tribune. As an intern with Project Interaction: The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and TwoSpirited Initiative o f the McGill School o f Social Work, I am com mitted to the realization o f a just and equitable society in which all persons have equal access to social institutions, privileges, resources, rights, and opportunities. The numerous activties o f the Project attempt to make these aspirations realized as we work with the diverse communities o f M cGill and Montreal. A particular justice issue which we are particularly concerned about is the issue of same-sex marriage. As many are aware, Project Interaction has launched a campaign to stand in opposition to two McGill pro fessors who are testifying in a feder al court case in opposition to equal opportunity and choice. Dr. Margaret Somerville of the McGill Centre o f Medicine, Ethics, and Law, and Dr. Katherine Young of the Faculty o f Religious Studies have agreed to testify in an upcom ing national court case asserting that same sex marriage is unnatural and defies cultural norms. In this case and several similar suits across the country, the federal govern ment is being sued on the basis that there has been a violation of the human rights code on the basis o f sexual orientation. The McGill professors are contending, however, that preventing gay and lesbian couples from gaining access to the institution o f marriage protects mainstream values and inherently respects majority ideology. Critically analyzing this posi tion, Project Interaction is con tending that these cultural norm and minority/majority discourse arguments have been historically used to oppress marginalized com- muxiities. People o f colour, women, people with disabilities, and others have been subjected to these sorts o f ideologies which justify their

Please see S T O P , page 7 Letters must include author's name, signature, identification (e.g. U2 Biology, SSMU President) and telephone number and be tyjjed double-spaced, submitted on disk in Macintosh or IBM word processor format, or sent by e-mail. Letters more than 200 words, pieces for Stop the Press more than 500 words, or submissions judged by ihe Editor-in-Chief to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic, or soley promotional in nature, will not be published. The Tribune will make all reasonable efforts to print submissions provided that space is available, and reserves the right to edit letters for length. Bring submissions to the Tribune office, FAX lo 398-1750 or send to tribune@ssmu.mc:gill.ca. Columns appearing under 'Editorial' heading are decided upon by the editorial board and written by a member of the editorial board. All other opinions are strict ly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The M cGill Tribune, its editors or' its staff. Please recycle this newspaper. Subscriptions are available for $30.00 per year. A dvertising O ffice : Raul Slachta, 3600 rue McTavish, Suite 1200, Montréal, Québec H 3 A1 Y 2 Tel: (514) 398-6806 Fax: (514) 398-7490

Editorial O ffice University (.entre rm B01A, 3480 rue Me lavish

Tel: (514)398-6789 Fax: (514) 3 9 g.-, 7 5 0 e-mail: tribune@ssmu.mcgill.ca Web: http://tribune.mcgill.ca

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

O p i n i o n

Op/Ed 7

E d i t o r i a l

Close call at the Paramount H ow

a C a lv in

K le in s a v e d

Open Letter Amy L a n g s ta ff

To: tia@ckone.com From: alangsl@po-box.mcgill.ca Subject: Close Call at the Paramount Dear Tia, I feel so close to you already; it seems strange to have to introduce myself. But I suppose you don’t know me. My name is Amy Langstaff. I’m writing to you from Montreal, Canada. And I suppose I should begin at the beginning. Tia, I saw your ad. The one in which you’re draped languorously over the back o f a chair, an alluring sliver o f your “Calvins” visible over the waist o f your crisp khakis. I’m sure the image runs in wealthy countries all over the world- in magazines and on buses and sub ways and billboards and posters—so I guess I can’t expect you to know the specific ad I’m talking about. The one I’m referring to, Tia, was recently on display in our newest downtown cinema here in Montreal. The thing you should know about this particular repro duction of your image, is that it was immense. Really. Massive. You see, I believe this new theatre has some sort o f rule requiring all promotion al materials displayed therein to exceed the size o f the largest imagi

th e d a y

nable moviegoer by at least seven hundred percent. The effect o f this policy is alto gether nerve-jangling, as you may well imagine. Fifteen-foot faces everywhere; giant eyes; fingernails the size o f SUVs; animals that would be winsome at a normal size inflated to wild proportions and made monstrous. And all the while, Tia, the sound. One is hunted (not haunted, but hunted) by the sound. It’s a strange cacophony: firearm reports and the roar o f explosives from high-decibel video games are mingled with movie trailers that are by turns cloyingly inviting, goofy, and menacing. In this sort o f set ting, ostensibly “fun” but in fact tinged with lunacy, one can easily become disoriented and fall prey to severe nausea if one does not know how to protect oneself. Luckily, before my first trip to the cinema in question a friend had warned me about the atmosphere inside and had walked me through an informal preparatory drill at the campus athletic complex. The trick is, Tia, that one must begin the “sta bilizing” manoeuvre immediately upon entering the facility by find ing some fixed point at which to gaze amid the crashing commercial frenzy — some stationary refuge from the sensory tumult that is the Paramount. I’ve read that seafaring folk look to the horizon when they are in need o f visual constancy. Nausea, I gather, arises as the result o f a dis parity between the data being sent

to the brain by the fluid in one’s inner ears (responsible for one’s sense o f equilibrium) and the mes sages one’s eyes are simultaneously forwarding to the same organic CPU. So, upon experiencing the first tugs o f nautico-physiological unease within, oceangoers who know their stuff cast their eyes toward the ever-still “edge o f the world” and thus force a confluence o f the senses that calms their churn ing stomachs and soothes their frantic, sweating brains. Now. I have arrived at the part o f my story I have long dreamt of sharing with you. Short days ago, you, Tia, were my horizon. I was struggling with my take-home wheelbarrow full o f dill pickleflavoured popcorn and a huge inflatable X (complimentary) whose promotional aim I am still a bit foggy on. Some youths were playing on a virtual hang-glider to my left, and to my right a large plas tic statue o f Eddie Murphy (dressed as an obese elderly woman and yet, strangely, also as an astronaut) was rotating on a reflective pedestal. Hanging from the ceiling were a series o f banners advertising skull shaped buckets that might contain up to three litres of the carbonated beverage o f my choice. From beside the snack bar a gigantic Harrison Ford was knitting his gigantic brow to create that same look he always has: the one that says “Not only am I extremely worried but I am about to start running very quickly.” It was all too much. I started to reel

Free Video Presentation Falun Gong: The Real Story

and teeter. I felt that sickening coincidence that you were the only lump begin to rise in my abdomen one in that entire promotional fren zy that wanted to hear from me. and the scent o f my popcorn That you were the only one who moments before so delicious became suddenly acrid and repul welcomed feedback that didn’t take sive. I was going down. But then — the form o f legal tender. Your image oh, Tia — something about your reached out to me, spoke to me, I steady gaze (not at me - I mean, not now know, because yours was the at the camera - but at something only two-way street. The others just intriguing just outside the frame) wanted me to buy; you wanted me drew me in. I clung to you, visually, to be. Only a genius as innovative as as the world swirled and dissolved Calvin Klein could conceive o f such around me. Slowly, with your help, an oasis o f connectivity in such a I came back to myself. You were wilderness o f exploitation. Only someone as electric as you could cut granite in a landscape o f cotton candy; you were Janet amid a gaggle through the peripheral consumer o f Chrissys, Terrys and Cindys; you chaos to make me see - to make us were strong and constant and pres all see. Thank you, Tia. Thank you. Thank God for you. ent. You were awesome. Scanning the shadowy back . My love to Calvin, ground against which you were set, Amy Langstaff I noticed this e-mail address. Novel, yes, but somehow perfectly appro priate. I knew it could not be a S to p th e P ress continued from page 8 oppressed status and prevent access to resources. Though the Project does not take a particular stand on the oft-controversial institution of marriage, it contends that all peo ple should have equal rights and opportunities to make their own choices and participate fully in society if they so desire. Project Interaction has taken direct action by initiating a peti tion and engaging in other forms o f resistance, passionately com pelled to take a stand on equality issues that affect the well being of the McGill and broader communi ties. I assert that we have not been ‘trigger-happy’ in this campaign, for the cause o f justice and the burning desire to bring about a more equitable society should be upheld as a top priority at all cost. It is my contention that any sort of ideology or behavior that prevents a group of persons from participat

O ur university representatives will be heading to China on the upcom ing Team Canada trade mission to build and strengthen socio-econom ic ties... However, the illegal crackdow n on F a lu n G o n g in China is ever-worsening despite 18 m onths of peaceful appeal. The Falun Dafa Clubs of the SSMU and the CSU jointly invite the university com m unity to a viewing of a video docum enting both the history of Falun Gong and the severe persecution o f this ancient practice o f mind and body. Q & A period after the screening. 7PM Wed. Feb. 7th, DB Clarke Theatre, 1455 M aisonneuve West, Hall Building, Room 0050 For more information: Jen (Concordia) 938-2664, Dan (McGill) 931-2754 ww w.faluninfo.net w w w .falundafa.org

ing fully in societal institutions is a form o f oppression. To deny that Somerville and Young’s positions perpetuate the national marginal ization o f gays and lesbians serves to advance the conservative ideolo gies that have similarly oppressed women and people o f colour and shamefully attempts to justify oppression through a form of semantical manipulation. Let’s keep this issue in perspective and stand in solidarity as a university body, together striving to be liber ated from the malaise o f the dom inant societal discourse and strug gling towards becoming a commu nity in which all persons possess equal protection, opportunities, rights, and freedoms. Jeffrey Steen Master o f Social Work Programme Intern, Project Interaction

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8 Op/Ed

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

•• • E l l i p s i s * * * If there’s one thing I hate talking about., In this startlingly, dare we say frighteningly, original game, your task is to make as many

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Sunday morning pancakes I made these just this morning for my roommates and they were a hit so I thought I would share them with the rest of you. They are so easy... and so good.

words as possible using any combination of the nine letters arrayed to my immediate

o f course, are welcomed with opened arms.

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1 cup flour 1 cup milk2 1 egg 1 teaspoon baking powder Half a teaspoon salt Oil3

dred words with these letters, even given the fact that there’s no s so plurals are out.

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Instructions: First, mix the flour, egg, baking powder, salt and some o f the milk together. Then slowly add the rest o f the milk while mixing until you get the desired consistency (it should be relatively runny). If you want to add some fruit (see add-ins), mix it in now. Add about 2 tablespoons o f oil to a hot frying pan. Using a ladle or a big spoon, pour the batter into the pan. Each side should take about 1-2 minutes. Serve with maple syrup or anything else you like. I hope you and your roommates like them as much as we did. Footnotes: 1 Alternative add-ins: 1 chopped apple and half a teaspoon o f cinnamon Some frozen fruit (blueberries, strawberries, or mixed fruit) 1 chopped banana Anything else you want3 aI don’t know how Ginny forgot this, but as far as I’m concerned, the best pos sible thing to add to pancakes is chocolate chips. I mean, come on: chocolate chip pancakes, while more like dessert than breakfast, are certainly the best breakfast that exists, maybe because they’re so much like dessert. On a per sonal note, one of the first things I ever learned to cook was Chocolate Chip Pancakes, and my two friends and I would eat them after sleepovers all the time in grade 10. 2 You can play with the amount o f milk you add. The more you add, the thinner the pancake. 3 Our oil o f choice is canola or sunflower because it is the healthiest, but you could use butter if you want.

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Across 1. Duran Duran song 4. Weezer song, "My Name is ____ ' 9. They need shade 14. The edge 15. "Goodnight,____ " 16. Yale, Harvard, Princeton, etc. 17. Standardized test, abbv. 18. Implied 19. Walking space 20. Recent Bill Murray flick 22. Funny 23. Paper 24. Identify incorrectly 26. Still trendy food style 27. Not trendy clothes style 30. ________ Air 31. Coming up 33. Storage space 35. Canadian funnymen 38. Poison 39. Preceded by for40. Curve 41. Its capital is Nairobi 42. Closed tight 46. Amplified better 49. Not a soul 50. Burned 51. Florida State athlete 54. Lift 55. Sea creature 56. Often experimented-on creature 57. Famous orphan 58. Sleight o f hand 59. Serve it past your opponent 60. Light, en français 61. Rez? 1 2 62. Feminine possessive 14 Down 17 1. What might have been 20 2. A stampede to get in a 23 concert? 3. Battleship 26 Potemkinport 4. Dean or Carter 5. Cookie 6. Within striking dis tance 7. Author/Vampire Rice 8. Tennis unit 9. They're not to be trusted 10. Plane, en Français 11. Like 24 Across 12. Confused 13. Direction, abbv 21. Coif 22. Accomplished

n 24. Like a power ranger 25. Little guy 27. ________ -Factor 28. Cranberries song 29. Photographer Corbijn 32. Fairly common suffix 33. Feminine subject 34. Actually a boy band 35. Fuel 36. Starting (a riot) 37. Plane prediction, abbv. 38. Big car 4 L Frat party staple 43. Cheer 44. Take off your shoes 45. Balance (in the playground) 47. "Wake up, little . 48. Prefix; between 49. Sister's daughter 51. Big piece 52. Breakfast brand 53. Hired help 54. Director Hartley 55. Doctors' board, abbv. L a s t W e e k ’s P u z z le S o lv e d

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arts&entertainment

Tuesday F ebru ary 6, 2 0 0 1

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s t r ik e s a g a in , t h is t im e

Nick Hall

Two weeks ago, your favorite label, Ninjatune, struck again, suc cessfully laying waste to yet another dancefloor. Four o f the top ranking ninjas from the ninjatune army Strictly Kev, Fink, and the devastat ing duo, Dynamic Syncopation stealthily snuck in the back door at Tokyo, wreaking audio havoc on the full house. Beats were banging and vinyl cut the air like shurikens, as this motley crew o f hip-hop headz from overseas schooled the crowd on exactly what it means to be Ninja. On a tour o f Japan in 1990 and sick to death o f major label manipulation, M att Black and Jonathan More, also known as Coldcut, decided they’d had

enough. They wanted to be able to release what they wanted, whenever they wanted, and the only way this could be done was on their own. Surrounded by Japanese culture and media, the two developed the idea o f fusing an independent label with the philosophy of the ninja, relying on stealthy movement and physical and psychic camouflage. Ninjatune was born. Eleven years later and stronger than ever, the ninjas have managed to successfully infiltrate the hip-hop and electronic sections o f record shops across the globe, building a reputation as innovators in both music and technolog)', and infusing the shelves of said record shops with some o f the most consistently solid and original beats o f the electronic era. Featuring artists as diverse as Amon Tobin, DJ Food, and Montreal’s own Kid Koala, Ninjatune continues to grow in strength and number, having given birth to a number o f sub-labels, like NTone and Big Dada. In 1996, the London based label established their North American headquarters in Montreal. As a result, we are reg ularly blessed with Mr. Tobin’s rum bling bass or The Herbaliser’s jazzyhiphopfunk. 2000 saw the label joining forces with West Coast independent power house, Quannum, home to D J Shadow and Blackalicious, as well as the release o f the latest and arguably

strongest Ninjatune compilation, the triple disc, Xen Cuts. While con tinuing to release albums and run the label, Coldcut developed and released VJamm, a video editing program that enables the sampling and manipulation o f video using a similar philosophy employed to audio by many of the artists on the label. And all the while refusing to bow down to major label pressure, remaining independent as ever. And so, we arrive at the latest installment o f Ninjatune’s ongoing affair with the Montreal nightlife. Hot on the heels o f Coldcut’s mind boggling, sensory overload induc ing performance during the New Media Festival in October, ninja fans’ expectations were high. Some concern was voiced over the selec tion o f Tokyo on St. Laurent as a venue, given its limited capacity, but as usual, the ninjas failed to dis appoint. Arriving late, we were greeted to the sounds o f Fink’s unique blend o f bonking electro funk. The Bristol native had recent ly released his first full length, Fresh Produce, on Ntone, and was clearly enjoying his first stint behind the decks in Montreal. Mixing old school hip hop, his own material, and a host o f other funky bleeps and bloops (I think i even heard ‘Pump up the Jam’ somewhere in there), Fink got the full house’s rumps thumpin. But when Strictly Kev, o f D J Food, took the stage, the

A G ray co lo u r of life in

a r d

David Schanzle f N James Gray’s The LO , Yards is the type o f quiet, well-observed character study that- > Hollywood used to make in the seven ties. It’s not about heroes or a tri umph over adversity, but about people trying to create a stable life for themselves in a corrupt system. After being released from prison, Leo Handler (Mark Wahlberg) reenters his old life and tries to find a job so he can support his frail mother. A friend o f the family, Willie Gutierrez (Joaquin Phoenix) offers to set up an inter view with Frank Olchin (James Caan) who runs a subway car repair company. Leo is offered a spot in a training program to become a machinist, but he wants to work right away. Subsequently, he finds himself working with Willie, who does a lot o f work ‘under the law’ for the company. Willie knows that Leo took the rap for a grand theft

I am the coolest man in the world

auto charge involving many o f his friends, so he believes that he can be trusted with the realities of the job. “You find out what people want and you make it happen. If they want to go see a ballgame or show, you get the tickets for them, if it’s their mother’s or their wife’s birth day, you get them a fur,” he tells Leo, with a mixture o f pride and wariness. Frank and Willie are not bad

men. The system o f bribes, back door politics and sabotage is simply the way things operate in the yards, and if you don’t like it you won’t stay in business for very long. There is a well-written scene at a city gov ernment contract meeting where the competing companies blame each other for sabotage done to their equipment. We get the impression that tension has existed between the companies for a long

in T o k y o

booty went ballistic. Anybody expecting the dark, moody jazzscapes from DJ Food’s 1999 release, Kaleidoscope was sure to be sur prised (but not disappointed), as Kev ripped it up on the wheels of steel, simultaneously mixing and scratching on three turntables and an F X box, with cuts sharp like a Bushido blade. Closer to the original concept behind the DJ Food Jazz Brakes series in the early 90s, (ie. lood for D J’s to mix, remix and manipulate), when DJ Food served as an alterego for Coldcut and before Strictly Kev and Patrick Carpenter had taken over the reigns from Matt Black and Jonathan More, Kev laid down an eclectic mix o f beats and breaks, sometimes jazzy, always funky, and the crowd definitely approved. We moonlighted in the blue room for a while, a nice escape from the densely packed main room. Thankfully, the staff at Tokyo had the sounds from the main room pumping through the speakers in the chill room, so the two sound systems weren’t competing (for a change), and you didn’t miss out on any o f the music. Several drinks later, I was boogying around the bar (which seemed to be spinning), and waxing nostalgic with my friends. All o f a sudden, Kev’s set was over, and I thought our night had come to a

premature conclusion. I was so wrong. Dynamic Syncopation crept up behind the decks and rocked the joint like it’s never been rocked before. With the wax still hot from their first full length, Dynamism, which features collaborations with favorite ninja M C Roots Manuva and Herbaliser DJ Ollie Teeba, the dynamic duo of Johnny Cuba and the Loop Professor threw down a slammin set o f predominantly old school hip hop, at one point mixing Black Sheep into House o f Pain. Butt cheeks jiggled and hands were in the air, as the duo proved that the UK does know hip hop, and kept the crowd rockin’ till the breakabreaka dawn. The next morning I had a stab bing headache and a nasty taste in my mouth, but it was well worth it. Walking by Tokyo on my way to work, there was no evidence o f the carnage the ninjas had brought the night before. As stealthily as they had arrived, they were gone without a trace, and I couldn’t help but wonder what else the ninjas had in store for 2001. Check out www.ninjatune.net, fo r lots o f cool graphics, links an d all the ninja info you need.

^finysf'

s time, and will continue after these guys have left. Frank’s stepdaughter, Erica (Charlize Theron) is dating Willie. Eventually, they plan on settling down and living the American dream, but she doesn’t know what it is Willie really does for Frank. Leo finds that many of his old friends are working for Willie and before he knows it he’s involved in a nighttime trek to sab otage a competitor’s equipment. Something goes wrong and a policeman is put in a coma while a yardmaster is murdered. Leo becomes the prime suspect and his friends’ loyalties are put to the test. Mark Wahlberg, armed with a boyish haircut and teenager facial hair, brilliantly portrays a man who keeps quiet most o f the time in fear that too much talk will land him in more trouble. Not particularly savvy, he is bright enough to know what will get him killed. Wahlberg doesn’t play Leo as a misguided youth or a reckless young man, but as a person who has gone down the

Please see IT’S, page 16

J a y - J a y J o h a n s o n

Y o u c o u ld w in a c o m p le te o r an a u to o s te r! Q: In w hich v e n u e did Ja y -Ja y play his m o st re ce n t M o n tre a l c o n c e r t ?

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10 A&E

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

I little m iss Moffatts P re tty

b oy

p o s e u rs p la y to

Shan Soe-Lin I’ve been wondering why, in spite o f being almost universally despised, boy-band music is flour ishing. Canada’s contribution to the current lunatic craze rolled into town on January 26th, setting hun

dreds o f female hearts aflutter. Exploding on-stage with their hit single “Bang Bang Boom”, the Moffatts proceeded to delight the pre-teen audience at the Spectrum. I went to the concert vowing to keep an open mind. I’ve been pleasantly surprised more than once by performers whom I’ve written off. And I am not ashamed to con fess that I sometimes hum along to

p re -te e n s

“Misery” when it’s played on the radio while I’m doing dishes. Maybe seeing them live wouldn’t be all that bad. Okay, so I was dead wrong. Okay, so I deserved all the jeers I received from my friends when they heard where I was spending my Friday night. Not only did Canada’s most famous set of trip lets-p lu sone suck, they R E A L L Y sucked. Perhaps I don’t have the requisite per spective with which to do justice to the group. I admit that I’m not twelve, and I’d like to think that I don’t have an IQ that’s struggling to get out o f the double digits. But I’m not so sufficiently jaded and cynical a reviewer as to not be able to get into guilty pleas ures when given the opportunity. I admit that I have attended a Hanson concert o f my own free will and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The difference between Hanson

•

"Bomb Buster" tears up Tokyo

and the Moffatts is that the Hanson brothers have talent. The Moffatts’ only strength, if I can call it that, is an array o f bad teenage facial hair. Thirty seconds into their set, my attention was lost. It was briefly rekindled during their second song ‘Antifreeze’, but wandered off again after the hundredth repetitive chord. Third song ‘California’ was n’t helping things at all. While watching eldest Moffatt Scott strut ting onstage in a rock-star swagger, I began chewing on my ticket stub to keep myself from giggling hyster ically at the pantomime before me. I was sorely tempted to join the par ents clustered around the bar intent on finding refuge in drink from the ongoing aural assault. I wish I could say the show got better as it went on, but it didn’t. It would be a waste o f time and space to write more. If you’re twelve years old and your idols are Britney and N ’Sync, then Canada’s fab four are for you. If, however, you’re old enough to know better, then your time will probably be better spent at a bar; you’ll kill far fewer brain cells pounding back shots than lis tening to the agony that is the Moffatts.

N o

b od y

le ft u n m o v e d

Nico Oved Warning: the following article contains sweeping, unfounded gen eralizations about DJs loosely based on gender. It seems odd that the only two non-Canadian drum and bass DJs to drop sets in Montreal this year have been women. Does this mean that word o f Montreal’s lack o f a DnB scene simply hasn’t permeated the ranks o f female DJs, or that promoters here demand a headliner with appeal that surpasses mere tal ent? Regardless, both Freedom’s set last Tuesday and Storm’s set in November were anything but lack lustre. Both women demonstrated the depth o f their record crates through a vast range o f tracks, tak ing their audiences on a journey through the versatility o f contem porary drum and bass (men tend to find a niche and stick to it). Yet, Storm’s years o f experience shined through in her simple confidence behind the decks. On the other hand, watching DJ Freedom spin seems to be more a study in D J psy chology than the demonstration of quiet professionalism that audi ences here are accustomed to. Dropping by Montreal on an impromptu tour through central Canada, Freedom’s set was in sup port o f her new solo C D , Metro Breaks NXT, her reward for the suc cess o f her contribution to both the M etro Breaks and M etro Breaks 2 0 0 0 CDs. The series, produced by Nice and Smooth Records, was essential in establishing a name for Canadian drum and bass producers worldwide. Popular production is the next step in garnering acclaim for a city beyond that o f the mere presence o f talented DJs. As a Toronto ex-pat now living in “Dubya country”, Freedom eschewed the so-called “politics” of Toronto in order to help establish drum and bass in the relative infan cy o f the Dallas scene. However, it was only a matter o f time before she had to return to her home market to push her new release. Bounce Tuesdays, heavily pushed by Circa Footwear in the alternative press (Vice magazine, etc.), uses the swank Tokyo niteclub to further its “cooler than thou” image quite successfully... although,

show up any time before 1a.m. (a Montreal faux pas), and you’d seri ously question that. In a matter of twenty five minutes the place goes from empty, with people nervously avoiding eye contact and downing as many three dollar drinks as pos sible to ease the social tension, to ragingly packed with breakers and others dancers pop-and-locking their way to center stage. Last Tuesday, the residents, Future Lad and Density, warmed up the blue room, while 1999 ITF world champion DJ J-Smoke seam lessly mixed current underground and mainstream hip hop anthems in the red room. In spite o f his promising credentials, J-Smoke neglected to scratch and beat-juggle the crowd into a frenzy. Just as peo ple began wondering when this Texan Junglette they’d heard so much about was going to start, a wee five-foot woman dressed in what resembled a stylized white lab coat, casually walked behind the decks and began thumbing through a record bag. You could almost follow her thought process by paying atten tion to her selections and watching how she worked the cross fader. She started very sheepishly, dropping time-tested ballads ranging from Roni Size’s ‘Snapshots’ to Bad Company’s ‘Nitrous’, but her mixes seemed unsure, forced and quick. After twenty minutes, she seemed to find herself and began to draw out long, tighter mixes while con stantly working the EQs. As her record representative, Gerald Belanger appropriately said, “She’s a Bomb Buster!” Unlike Storm, who generally spins dark, rolling tunes, Freedom seems to have the figurative balls many female DJs lack. Her selec tions were not only dark, but hard as hell, pushing tracks that were already 180 bpm to begin with, all the way to +12 on the decks. The crowd responded with a fury of junglist “big up” patois phrases and gunshot licks. Bomb buster indeed, Freedom rocked the floor harder than anyone I’ve seen in Montreal, period. Needless to say, the venue staff had to cut power to the decks, turn on the lights and get the secu rity guards to shoo people out at the end o f the night.

111

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The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

A&E 11

T h e s t e a m y w o r ld o f t h e K it c h e n S t a d iu m B iz a rre J a p a n e s e c u lin a ry s h o w Peter Koven Ah, the Food Network - leg endary recluse for assorted gluttons and porn aficionados alike. Thanks to the ingenuity of Kaga Takeshi and his absurd, yet totally original concept, we deprived North Americans have access to something on this network that is actually worth seeing: Iron Chef, the greatest and most bizarre cooking show ever conceived.

Allow me to begin with an introduction for those unfamiliar with Iron C h ef (and I think most people still are, despite it attracting a large cult following here, and it being the target o f an incredible SNL parody a few weeks ago). Iron C h ef began in Japan in 1993 as the brainchild o f Chairman Takeshi, who envisioned a forum for famous chefs from all over the world to take

Iro n

part in “intense combat” to create “unheard-of culinary delights” (oh, the hyperbole!). He thus devised Kitchen Stadium, a gigantic, circu lar auditorium where said combat could take place, and hired his “iron chefs,” four chefs who would each specialize in a certain type of cui sine, and who would accept chal lenges from visiting chefs each week to determine the true master o f cui sine. The four current iron chefs are Masaharu Morimoto (Iron Chef Japanese), Chin Kenichi (Iron Chef

Chinese), Hiroyuki Sakai (Iron Chef French), and Masahiko Kobe (Iron Chef Italian). The format o f every show is essentially the same. Chairman Takeshi takes that same ridiculous, satisfied bite into a bell pepper each week as dramatic music plays and the overdubbed English voices (the whole show is in Japanese) do what ever they can to hype the upcoming battle. Takeshi then introduces the

C h e f ru le s th e

challenger, and what follows is an often comical look into the culinary history o f the challenger, complete with horrible dubbing (“I’m going to win this battle in honor o f my father, the finest chef that ever lived!”). You get the idea. The chal lenger is then given the opportuni ty to challenge the Iron Chef o f his choice, and what follows is, to put it mildly, a “marvel” o f modern spec tacle. The chosen Iron Chef accepts the challenge by emerging from under the floor o f the stadium sur rounded in a cloud o f dry ice, to the stunned awe o f the spectators pres ent. Takeshi then unveils the theme ingredient for the particular battle (which also emerges in a cloud of dry ice) and the chefs then have an hour to create a full, five-course meal utilizing that theme ingredient in every dish. A team o f commentators call the action as it unfolds (complete with the nerdy one who runs around interviewing the chefs to get their take on the battle), and once it is completed, four judges (three of whom are usually Japanese celebri ties) taste the dishes to determine who has the superior cuisine. I know what you’re thinking that this is the single most absurd concept for a cooking show ever devised. And in that sense, you’re correct. But there’s something about Iron C h e f that makes it spe cial and has its audience watching every week. It has to do with the whole idea o f subverting food from something you eat into looking at it more in the context o f theatre and art, to the point that it is a cooking show is nearly irrelevant. The only thing I can really compare it to in a North American context is Pro

N ig h t c a p : g e n r e t h r ille r

Food

N e tw o rk

Wrestling, which treats professional sports in the same way, converting them into a theatrical, soap operaish thing to the point where the actual sporting aspect (wrestling) is totally irrelevant to the enjoyment o f the show. Coincidentally, Iron C h e f is very popular among wrestling fans. Takeshi in fact bears a strange likeness to W W F overlord Vince McMahon, although Takeshi has never referred to himself on-air as a “genetic jackhammer” to my recollection. The basic message is this: you don’t have to enjoy cooking to like this show. I’m sure many of you are probably wondering why you should watch a cooking show when you’re still trying to figure out how to scramble an egg using that “Cooking Without Mom” cook book your parents bought you. Don’t worry, I’VE BEEN TH ERE. It will not detract from your enjoy ment o f Iron C h ef believe me. And if you have an appreciation for cooking, you will be awed, because some o f the stuff these guys come up with is unreal. Some examples I can recall seeing Shark Fin/Yogurt Stew, Pumpkin Cappuccino, Octopus Gelato (for which they actually chopped up the Octopi while they were still alive), and Sardine-Porcini Gnocchi. Unreal. And all you have to do to see this show is bear some of those terrib 1 e “Essence

o f Emeril” commercials, the worst thing I’ve ever seen on television (not including the Super Bowl Halftime Show, but I digress). You’ll learn to love all the little culinary subtleties o f each iron chef before long as well. Morimoto in particular is like the Picasso o f the iron chefs, if you will - he is the great experimenter, creating dishes that are incredible to look at, but defying every conceivable conven tion in their preparation, and the thought o f actually tasting one is enough to make me somewhat nau seous. And the judges are always good for a laugh. Here’s something one o f them, a professional Japanese baseball player, once said: “This food is so delicious that it will allow me to pitch many more innings!” Uh, yeah. Looks like he doesn’t real ly comprehend the Iron C h ef con cept either. But maybe that’s the point. It is art, after all. Iron C h e f airs Fridays and Saturdays a t 10:00PM, an d Sundays at 7:00PM on the Food Network. For much more info, check out www.ironchef.com.

Want to try something new? Meet new people? Get some exercise? E n joy C eltic sty le m u sic an d a LIVE B A N D ?

N e w E n g la n d S t y l e -----------------------------------------

w it h a c a p it a l " T " Kiki Dranias In most cases, those who claim to know it all don’t. But in some instances, self-proclaimed authori ties on a particular subject can actu ally share significant insights. Many cinema “experts” consider French movie director Claude Chabrol to be a mastermind o f the New Wave French film movement and a mas ter in the mystery genre. Now, that can leave any film critique panting with anticipation, never mind a little inexperienced virtuoso such as myself. Nightcap, Chabrol’s newest work, has a plot that is classic to most Chabrol films. The underlying subtlety, warning viewers that something is not exactly as it appears, transpires very slowly. Nightcap is a fine

thriller, stylish and intriguing. The best way to define what happens on screen is as a well-orchestrated and uneasy alliance o f realism. All the while, List’s romantic musical score packs more punch than the best of Hollywood explosive gimmicks. The movie is objective and cool as the story unfolds without overt compassion and understand ing being solicited from the audi ence. The most exquisite scenes all involve Isabelle Huppert as Mika, a blueblood and brilliant femme fatale. Huppert allows her character to display the right amount o f detachment in her tears, and to demonstrate the precise calcula tions of a woman who feels as if she has no place in the world. All the flaws o f the characters are revealed to the audience: people are cold,

*s>

C O N T R A D A N C E <6 * M o n tre a l, Q u e b e c

and a false happiness lingers in the air, but Nightcap does not solicit pity from the audience. Merci pour le Chocolat, as the movie is titled in French, is simple and brilliant. Even if you are not inclined to race off to Cinéma du Parc to see a French movie with English subtitles, see it for the bril liant homage it pays to the master o f psychological thrillers, Alfred Hitchcock. Don’t fret, Chabrol doesn’t need to copy or pretend to be Hitchcock; he simply under stands the mechanism o f thriller and applies it to his own unique format in the film. However, be warned: some o f the characters in this film are so disgustingly good at being bad, you will find yourself loving to hate them.

Join u s SATURDAYS 7:30 - 11:00 pm February March April May

24, 24, 28, 26,

2001 2001 2001 2001

Catherine Burns callling with the OLD SOD BAND Caller TBA with the SIAMSA CEILI BAND Beth Robinson calling with FROG BRIDGE BAND Ralph Sweet calling with DOMINO

L e M a n o ir ( N D G C o m m u n ity C e n tr e ) (M e tr o V i ll a M a r i a ) 5 3 1 9 N o tr e D a m e d e G ra c e A v e n u e , N D G What? You’ve never done this before? Arrive by 7:30 for the introduction for new dancers and you will be set to dance the whole evening! What is Contra Dance anyway? A beginner friendly social folk dance with easy walking style and easy to learn patterns which are taught before each dance, and coached by a caller. Do I need a partner? No. This is a great singles activity since different partners are chosen for each new dance and the dance patterns give you a chance to dance with almost everyone! Come alone or bring friends. EVERYONE WELCOME! Admission $8 Wear light comfortable clothes and flat soft-soled shoes (sneakers are okay) Bring your SMILES and water bottles. © © © Information: Lesley or Elliot Alpert (514) 344-1958 or (514) 344-0367 lalper@po-box.m cgill.ca

12 A&E

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Dream It Was All A Dream (Bad Boy Records/BMG) It Was A ll A Dream is the debut album from all-girl group Dream, but the time I wasted listening to this album was no dream. Think Spice Girls trying to be Destiny’s

Child and then subtract the Spice accents and Destiny’s Child’s talent. Dream was put together by Puff Daddy, which probably means this group will release a stream o f hits that aren’t that good but will get overplayed to death anyway. The group tries to fuse edgier pop with catchy beats. Unfortunately, it does not work for them. The first track, ‘It Was All A Dream’, features the girls speaking over spaceship-like tones saying, “It’s not a dream, this is reality,” and then repeating their names several times. In fact, the girls say their names a lot in various songs. The first track is followed by substan dard dance pop with current single ‘He Loves U Not’. The disc also

boasts a remix o f said song for those o f us who just can’t get enough of it the first time. One o f the better songs is ‘This Is Me’— one o f the only songs I could put up with. The other is the song ‘Pain’, which has the upbeatsong-with-the-feminist-growl thing down, like the songs o f the once popular Robyn. A large portion o f the album is devoted not to songs, but to inter ludes which involve the four girls gurgling on about everything from cheating boys (‘Reality’) to Jesus, the saviour, who they love (‘Our Prayer’). And then there’s the repet itive, overdone kind o f song, which is mostly what this album is made of. Puff Daddy himself makes his voice heard in the song ‘In My Dreams’. The girls say their names, and then Puffy comes on saying “Bad boy, baby!” Bad Boy being, of course, his label. It is very obvious that Dream is going to have to gar ner their success from being Puff’s girls and from their looks, not their music. - Judith Drory

M o in s d e s o le il, p lu s b r illa n t . Plus de 500 cours offerts inscrivez-vous Université d'été Faculté de l’aménagement Faculté des arts et des sciences Faculté de droit Faculté de l’éducation permanente Faculté des études supérieures Faculté de médecine Faculté de médecine dentaire Faculté de médecine vétérinaire Faculté de musique Faculté de pharmacie Faculté des sciences de l’éducation Faculté des sciences infirmières Faculté de théologie École d’optométrie R e n s e ig n e m e n t s

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Spineshank The Height of Callousness (Roadrunner Records) In an age where ‘emo-punk’ is actually considered a musical genre and Chino Moreno o f the Deftones can unabashedly profess his love for Morrissey, it’s nice to know that the fellows in Spineshank are still capa ble o f making harsh, thrashy tunes devoid o f any emotion save sheer pissed-offness.

For the follow-up to 1998’s Strictly Diesel, the group recruited renowned metal producer GGGarth Richardson and reas signed tech prodigy Amir Derakh to the task o f ‘song arrangement’. Consequently, the album smacks o f an unbelievably heavy programmed sound, with ‘Cyanide 2600’ spew ing an insane rhythm loop that bor ders on industrial and rendering the aptly-named ‘Synthetic’ almost (gasp) danceable. Like labelmates Coal Chamber before them, Spineshank make a conscious effort to forward the evolution o f futuris tic metal for the new millennium. But in the same way that early sci-fi film-makers thought they could accurately portray the 21st century by putting antennae on household appliances and making actors wear aluminum foil, new metal sounds a lot like old metal... with synthesiz ers. The album is still flecked with the band’s familiar biomechanicalman lyrics, down-tuned instru ments, and bipolar melodies, but to add to that newfound modernism, the whole affair is delivered much, much faster. The quartet spin off a blistering 11 tracks in 37 minutes, forcing Jonny Santos to roar more frantically than ever before. It’s enough to hospitalize a phone booth full o f schoolboys. Still, even though Spineshank have revolutionized their sound to present a more circuit-bound, irate front, not unlike an angry robot, The Height o f Callousness still remains an infectious and fierce breath o f fresh air in a sissy-rock society. W ith its merciless electro synthesis and spouted vituperation, this juggernaut o f an album is enough to induce cochlear haemor rhaging, all the while harkening back to that offensively brutal metal you knew and loved as a kid. -Leah K Nchama

Tomas Jirku variants (alien8 recordings) For those not in the know, Tomas Jirku is a 21-year-old Czechborn Montreal-based musician who produces computer-based electron ic music via widely available share ware. The process by which he cre ates his music is rather novel, hav ing more in common with visual artists like Nancy Chunn than with traditional electronica. For his latest release, variants Jirku produced a series o f fifty-nine compositions in quick succession that are each a variation on a previous piece, the ultimate goal being to fully realise his creative potential. The result o f this intensely per sonal endeavour is an intelligent, compelling album. Jirku floats through styles, from sublime mini mal techno to IDM with infectious beats, and creates tracks (named only with streams o f numbers) that are richly layered. Interesting use of static and digital manipulations demonstrates Jirku’s impressive technical wizardry while creating complex unconventional rhythms. He also avoids the monotony that some feel is too-often encountered in this genre o f music. Indeed, he has succeeded in creating a thor oughly interesting sound. For anybody looking to ven ture into the world o f cerebral tech no I fully recommend purchasing Jirku’s variants. For those already exposed to this genre o f music, watch out for Jirku’s gigs around Montreal (or any alien8 show.) - Dan Zacks

S c is s o r k ic k s a s s - k ic k s O v erseas

D J b u s t s o u t t h e y e a r 's

Dan Zacks So maybe Montreal isn’t so bad after all. Another sweet party at Blizzarts, this time courtesy o f England’s D J Scissorkicks and Thursday night residents DJ T ’Cha and DJ Bliss, made for one o f the most refreshingly funky evenings I’ve experienced anywhere in a very long time. Essex-based producer/remixer DJ Scissorkicks remains relatively unknown in North America although he has achieved a certain degree of critical and popular fame in European and Japanese break beat circles. In part a result o f a few high profile remixes o f Tom Jones and The Cardigans, Scissorkicks’ reputation is mostly due to his club

b e st b reak s

sets. The story goes that in an Osaka club, Scissorkicks spun a set so epic that the 2000+ clubbers wouldn’t leave at closing and demanded an encore. After the gig the Japanese remained so enrap tured with Scissorkicks that he was able to release a highly-successful Japan-only mix CD. He is sup posed to be that good. The Japanese, as usual, were on to something. Last Thursday, DJ Scissorkicks did indeed lay down some o f the craziest, funkiest, biggest bigbeats that I have ever heard. Although he’s not really breaking any new ground, so mam moth was Scissorkicks onslaught of hedonistic bone-shaking grooves that I couldn’t wipe that smile off my face for hours. The mixes were brilliant, the breakdowns absolutely

d a te

crazy, and the builds, well, they just had to be experienced. His rhythms and samples were deliciously varied, particularly his opening batucada breaks that shook the dance floor like I’ve never seen. The capacity crowd was refreshingly diverse, and was respectful and incredibly enthusias tic, just like one would expect from a group o f people congregating to enjoy a DJ. With the very reason able seven dollar entry fee (and no bouncers!) Blizzarts remains one of the premier destinations for good DJs in Montreal, a city that I’m beginning to think just might have some potential. DJs T ’Cha an d Bliss spin every Thursday a t Blizzarts, 3956A St. Laurent.

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Je Cherche Supernova Pop As A Weapon IMore Songs About Hair) CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry) M a n ...o r Astroman’s Destroy A ll Astromen LP is probably one o f the best surf albums recorded since 1964. T he band also managed to stay in their spacesuit shtick char acters for over a year straight. T h ey later w ent on to release a lot o f mediocre space related instrum en tal records and eventually formed the awkwardly overdone Lookout! project Servotron. (It was also rumored that the guitarist quit to play full tim e w ith Smash M outh!) Avoid that entire mess by going the other way and picking up this long delayed collection o f 7 ”, rare and previously unreleased tracks by the pre-Man ...o r Astroman space rock ensem ble Supernova. You m ay rem em ber their ‘Chewbacca’ contribution to the Clerks soundtrack or their ‘Gates o f Steel’ cover on the We Are N ot Devo com pilation.

The Weakerthans Watermark CD/EP (G7 Welcoming Committee) W hen you break up w ith your best love, all that will remain will be memories o f warm winter walks and h a lf sleeping to soft Weakerthans albums. You m ight call up your ex som e m onths later and say, “W hat was that really nice

sT vcdy

D a v id B arc la y 's a n ti-e s ta b lis h m e n t p ick s o f th e w e e k

record you used to play m e all time? W h o wrote those beautiful songs? W h o sang w ith sincerity alm ost equal to our love?” T his EP is the video/single for the latest Weakerthans album plus two live studio tracks (originally on Fallow) from their video release party. As a bonus this C D is enhanced with the Watermark video.

Dee Dee Ramone Greatest and Latest (Conspiracy) D ee

D ee was the

coolest

Ram one for a few reasons. First off, he was the on ly Ramone to leave the group to pursue a career as a rap artist under the name D ee D ee King. H e grew up in Berlin, w hich w ould explain the electro trash sound that he has used in his last few records. H e wrote 2 books, w hich were published under the name D ee D ee Ram one, and when he married Barbara Zam pini she became Barbara Ramone. Greatest

and Latest is pretty m uch just redone Ramones classics and new songs which have the same Beach Boys chord progression quality to them . Although this record doesn’t compare to the 1987 D ee D ee King Funky Man 12” single, it does contain som e good trashy punk rock.

Le Tigre From the Desk of Mr. Lady (Mr. Lady)

Sub m ittin g to th e

pop/rock music. You have no cash but you’ll do anything for another hit. All you w ant to do is listen to this over and over again. It makes

'Aç

w o rld of S ci-Fi TV Stephanie Kwoo Science Fiction is no longer a geeky pursuit. Addicts o f W B T V shows will agree w ith m e wholeheartedly. T he philosophy o f sci-fi shows governs not only the alternate universe in w h ich

characters

sire and his protégée, respectively. Angel isolates him self w ith good reason: he cares for Darla tremen dously, and she has loved him back

positive lyrics and a warm, low-res olution garage mix make this pro grammed beat perfect. Le Tigre can do no wrong.

reside, but also applies to the diffi cult life that you and I engage in day after day. O n e could argue that, going as

for 2 5 0 years— their bond is in their blood. Such a battle can’t be easy. N o w let’s step back to real life.

Stars Nightsongs CD/LP (Le Grand Magistery)

far back as Captain Kirk’s Star Trek, science fiction has always been a m ixed genre. O n the surface, it plays w ith jargon intended to repre

W e all have our Darlas and Drusillas, som ething or som eone

our

that matters to us greatly, but that we know is harmful or hurtful. For A ngel, the process o f breaking free from the haunting past is accom plished by ridding him self o f Darla

sent som e sort o f scientific realm, and brings us into the fantasyland that we envision the future to be.

the hair to back the band. Apparently, Chris Seligman picked up his Masters in M usic som e where along the line, w hich w ould explain the right-on musicianship and extremely accurate writing on this LP. Simultaneously, Torquill Campbell, childhood friend, lays dow n inspired and heartfelt lyrics that portray sim plicity and spon taneity. W h en com b in ed w ith James Shaw and Em ily Haines

com m entary that is both honest and bold. Traditionally, sci-fi criti cizes reality through metaphor, and

these show s have in com m on? Sim ple. Supernatural powers + attractive actors + trendy style and killer wardrobes = popular, highly rated shows that draw the m ost-

m ission, it’s as if, at that m om ent, w e learn o f our power to do exactly the same thing in our own lives. So really, we’re just like Angel. Except w e don’t suck blood. Sci-fi shows handle problems in a w ay that w e could not possibly manage to in real life (not to m en

Stars achieve a justified “Luxe, C alm e et V olu p té,” the band’s m inim alist manifesto. You may

coveted 18- to 49-year-old audi ence population. But is that all? Indeed, though shows appear to be superficial, even childish at times, they convey more than pfetty faces and action sequences. As

tion that they have som e o f the w it tiest dialogue and m ost clever hum or produced on T V ). T h e problems are a reflection o f reality, but the answers are not. However, fear not this incongruence — we all

does Star Trek, new sci-fi programs possess a higher purpose: they bring to light those things that we must, yet are often unable to, deal with; they ponder issues o f deep signifi cance to our lives. In the world o f

like short cuts. W hen we see Buffy repair her broken heart by buttkicking, our ow n broken hearts seem to feel better as well. W e receive som e kind o f therapeutic

also recognise Torquill from his appearance on Law and Order.

T C O T t T J V C T , I^ I’T L L r j t u t f z 2001 7 levels of Italian offered. You have the choice of living in an apt. with other students, or with a Florentine family Also available: painting, sculpting, cooking classes and photography

and Drusilla. O n the show, it is not

in the same way, it heals us and fuels us with a universal optim ism .

Bufly the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Charmed, and Dark Angel. W hat do

sci-fi, hum an weaknesses can be overcome and m ost problems are solvable. These sci-fi shows are the m edicine w e desperately need to ameliorate the pain and confusion we experience as a result o f the ambiguities and trials in life. T hey

Package includes: 4 weeks accommodation Registration at the private school (language course) Return airfare Tour Leaves from Montreal, Dorval Airport All this for approx. $2,600.00 Departure May 26, 2001. Return June 23, 2001

do heal and fuel us w ith optim ism . Too complicated? N o t possi ble? Let m e explain, with the aid o f

For more information contact Josee Di Sano 514-488-1778 Email: studyitalian@sprint.ca

Protecting our natural heritage Je a n Fail is a chief park w arden for Parks Canada. He and his colleagues protect the plant and animal life in our national parks. They also help Canadians explore and enjoy these special places. This is just one of the hundreds of services provided by the Government of Canada.

F o r m o r e in fo r m a tio n o n g o v e r n m e n t s e r v ic e s : •V is it th e S e r v ic e C a n a d a A c c e s s C e n t r e n e a r e s t y o u • V is it w w w .c a n a d a .g c .c a

T T Y / T D D : 1 8 0 0 4 6 5 -7 7 3 5

beloved

People toss around ‘preten tious’ and ‘charming’ like nobody’s business w hen talking about Stars. Sim ply put, these Canadians have

aosT

• C a l l 1 8 0 0 O - C a n a d a (1 8 0 0 6 2 2 - 6 2 3 2 )

an example. In Angel, Angel, the vampire w ith a soul, distances him self from all his friends because he m ust pre pare to fight Darla and Drusilla, his

you dance faster and harder. You’d put it on a silver tray and stuff your face in it if you could. Killer key boards, digital and analogue drums, ‘Satisfaction’ style guitar and above all brilliant song writ ing. W ell-thought out politically

T his is the crack-cocaine o f

‘l T 'A c m o T Y'A'jT ç

A&E 13

Canada

depicted as an easy task. W e can identify w ith him since w e know, in life, it isn’t easy. W hen Angel final ly succeeds in accom plishing his

reassurance that things really do get better, even if just for a short m om ent. Science Fiction can be so Zen.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are only on cable, Channel 46, every Wednesday at 7pm and 10pm. You can catch Dark Angel on CTV every Tuesday at 9pm, and Charmed on CTV some Sunday nights at 8pm.

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

A&E 15

Ah chocolate! The food of the gods g

Gaia Remerowski

s Valentine’s day approach es, m any w ill be rushing out to buy the quintessential ‘I

love you gift —chocolate. W hether you’re buying it for your parents, your girlfriend/boyfriend or even for yourself (don’t worry, I w on’t tell!) one thing’s for sure, February 14th w ill be one o f the biggest days o f the year for the chocolate indus try. C hocolate com es from beans harvested from the cacao tree. T he beans are ferm ented, dried, roasted and pressed to make a chocolate liquor (a 5 0 /5 0 m ix o f cocoa pow der and cocoa butter). W ith the right m ix o f cocoa and cocoa but ter it’s possible to create the deli ciou s ch ocolate that m akes up chocolate bars and other chocolate treats we love to eat. First m ade fam ous by the Aztecs in the 15th and 16th cen turies, chocolate has a history as rich and intricate as its flavour. D uring this tim e people through out M esoam erica enjoyed a bitter ch ocolate beverage m ade w ith cacao beans, pepper, chili, spices and vanilla — n ot exactly today’s

cup o f cocoa. T h e M esoam ericans believed chocolate was as good as

flavon oid s, w h ich occu rring plant

are naturally antioxidants.

five-pound dog. H um ans, on the other hand, aren’t likely to eat

gold - literally. At the tim e, cacao

T hese boost b lood flow and help

enough chocolate at one tim e to

beans were used as a form o f cur rency. Even the fam ous A ztec emperor, M ontezum a, hoarded the

block those nasty free radicals that can lead to cancer and cause heart disease. N o w to dispell som e com m on

cause any damage to them selves. U n fortu n ately dogs, w hen they find a good thing, just don’t know w hen to quit. A n oth er w arning: n o t all

beans like gold. C hocolate spread to Europe w hen C olom b u s cam e across a group o f Aztecs carefully guarding their prized beans. T h e Europeans were n ot big fans o f the bitter chocolate drink, but w ith a little m o d ifica tio n E urope has since

m yths.

“So dark, light cannot escape its surface”

becom e a producer o f som e o f the

nervous system to make you feel

best chocolate in the world. H o w does ch o co la te affect your body? There’s been som e

more relaxed and calm. So chocolate can change your m ood, but how about putting you ‘in the m o o d ’? O r at least m aking you fall in love? C hocolate co n tains co m p o u n d s called phenylethylam ines, w hich seem to be the chem icals that circulate in the brain w hen we feel like w e’re in love. Physically they act in the same w ay dopam ine and adrena

recent buzz that chocolate may have som e o f the sam e effects as marijuana. Can chocolate make you high? Probably not, but it does contain a substance called anandam ide w hich binds the same receptors in the brain as T H C (the active ingredient in marijuana). U nfortunately it w ould take a 6 0 kg person 11 kg o f chocolate eaten in o n e sitting to get high. T h en how can chocolate alter

line do - by heightening the senses

your m ood? First it has th e o brom ine, a stim ulant similar to caf feine. It also contains sugar w hich

and m aking us feel good. N o t on ly can chocolate make the heart fond, it m ay help keep the heart in shape. It seems to improve blood and platelet (blood clotting cells) function, both o f

boosts energy (but be careful, sugar ‘highs’ don’t last very long). A nd it has serotonin w hich is used by the

w hich are im portant for a healthy heart. C hocolate (especially pure dark ch ocolate) also con tain s

Are chocolate

cravings’

real? C hocolate was once thought to be addictive, kind o f like ciga rettes or heroin, but this has since been disproved. M ore likely, we crave ch o colate because it just tastes really good. A lso, contrary to popular b elief chocolate does n ot cause acne. D ie t in general doesn’t seem to have m uch affect on w hether or n ot w e get zits.

ch o co la te

N either does chocolate raise ch o lesterol levels. Pure chocolate can’t contain any cholesterol because it’s

A ccording to M urray Langham, a British psychothera

isolated from a plant and plants don’t make cholesterol. As well, the saturated fat in ch ocolate, called stearic acid, doesn’t raise b lood cholesterol like other satu rated animal fats do. So far chocolate doesn’t seem as unhealthy as we once thought. But beware, because it can sure do a num ber on dogs. T h e theo brom ine in chocolate is know n to stim ulate the heart. If a dog eats enough chocolate at one sitting, it can suffer a heart attack. Studies show a four-ounce bar can kill a

created

equal.

C hocolate in the form w e norm al ly eat it —chocolate bars, chocolate chips, other baking products — has a lot o f sugar and fat (since w ith no additives chocolate is very bitter). U nfortunately this fact can cancel o u t ch o co la te’s other healthy effects, so try to stick w ith the m ore pure forms o f dark chocolate.

pist, the shape o f chocolate you choose has a lot to do w ith your personality. If you like your choco late round you’re a friendly, social but possibly superficial person. W hat about square? You’re organ ized and reliable but w on’t get alon g w ith th ose spiral-shaped chocolate lovers w ho are on the disorganized side and have messy love lives. Regardless o f your chocolate personality, go ahead and indulge in that Valentine chocolate - after all, now you can argue that you ow e it to your body.

T h is w e e k a t M c G ill A th le tic s

a ls o M

Fed 1 0 v s S h e r b r o o k e l:Q 0 p m C o m p etitio n Hall a r tle t

v o lle y b a ll

Feb

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2 :0 0 p m C om p etitio n Hall

McGill Track &Field Open II S a tu r d a y F eb 17 S t a r t T im e 1 0 :0 0 a m

1 6 A&E

It 's

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

y a rd

life

continued from page 15

w rong road and must accept his lim ited options in life. Joaquin Phoenix has a trickier role. His character is seductive and reassur ing to all those he wants make com fortable, but he’s also frightened and easily w ounded. Phoenix has a way w ith his lines that suggests a man putting on a show o f total control w hile hiding how out o f his hands things have become. O ther actors, including James C aan, E llen Burstyn and Faye Dunaway, give excellent supporting performances revealing their em o tional turm oil in a subtle and understated way. Everybody knows m uch more than they dare say, and an enorm ous am ount o f informa

conversation. T h e film has a gritty look to it. It really does to seem to take place in the lower class neigh borhoods o f its characters. T hough it is stylized, the atmosphere evoked is nostalgic. Everything has the right feel to it— too m uch beauty w o u ld make the tragedy less poignant. Ultimately, The Yards is about accepting the choices life provides, and about trying to control things w hich cannot be controlled. It isn’t entertaining like a thriller, but it contains som e truths and convinc ingly shows the details o f a world that m any o f us are probably not familiar with.

tion is conveyed in the silences in

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3 4 8 0 M c T a v is h 3 9 8 -0 6 4 7 2 0 8 5 U n io n 2 8 4 -1 3 6 8 w w w .v o y a g e c a m p u s .c o m

How do you like your Steaks prepared? S tu d e n t film

s e rv e d

David Schanzle

u p

fre s h , h o t a n d

ra re

lems w ith the movie. M any overly

W e go to college to gain an experience and an education, but we also com e here for the sake o f security. There is a great safety net

is som etim es too up front w ith the details o f his personal life. O nce in the car, Sarah gets hit on by Fin, charming in a self-depreciating way, and she finds herself liking him . She d oesn’t take their budding

dramatic scenes are awkward and needlessly slow, making the film clunky. A subplot about their grow ing fame is handled badly, leaving you w ondering w hy M cG ill stu

in having a diplom a, or so w e think.

attraction that seriously because

dents w ould care about these peo

O n e o f the main them es o f Gavin H effernan’s stu d en t m ovie The Steaks is the fear m any students have o f life outside the secure gates o f higher learning.

their Jeep is too small for animosity. The Steaks works best in small m om ents, but fails w hen the char acters are m oved around to acco m odate the requirements o f the

ple w ho live in a Jeep. T hough it is supposed to take place over a fiftysix day period, we never get the feel ing that these people have spent alm ost tw o m on th s in a Jeep.

Writer, director, star G avin Heffernan turned a few heads last year w hen he decided to make a fea ture length m ovie exclusively using M cG ill students. For a film made

plot. Sarah and Fin’s relationship is not one o f passionate love, but o f two people w ho have grown to like one another and w ho see a relation ship as som ething they w ould both

Because the premise is utterly goofy and it almost sinks the story, every thing is too relaxed. A t the end, everyone goes their ow n separate ways, the w inner gets

on essentially no budget, The Steaks is an impressive piece o f work. Shot on video, it creates an intimate hom e m ovie atmosphere that actu ally works in som e m om ents. Four M cG ill students are cho sen by a radio station to take part in

like, rather than som ething they

the keys to the jeep in one o f the

need. There are well observed scenes such as one where Fin and Brian have a night-tim e conversation on top o f their car, and discuss their futures w ith humour. Or a date at

m ost anti-clim atic scenes I’ve ever scene. It is a testam ent to HefFernan’s focus and the cast’s skill that the w h ole m ovie doesn’t becom e fu n n y at inappropriate

a com petition called the Steakout. For fifty-six days, they w ill have to live in a Jeep Grand Cherokee with short break periods for exercise and bathroom use. T his is a situation that could have been brilliantly exploited for social satire, but the prem ise is taken seriously as a straight drama. Jake (N ick Kovacs) is set to graduate from M cG ill and wants to take his girlfriend Sarah,

the movies that explains volum es about the characters in a few lines o f dialogue. T h e best scene is one where they shoot a commercial for Joe’s Steakhouse, the contest’s spon sor. Very rarely is goofing o ff filmed and acted so well. T im e and tim e again w e think a scene is developing towards a cliché, and som ething unexpected happens that reveals real insight into how humans inter

(Lucie O ’Brien), to England with him . H e’s worried that she will drift away from him in the tim e she spends with three other men con fined in a car. Trapped in the car w ith her are: Fin the goofball, shy and reserved Loren, and Brian, who

act. W hat Heffernan shows in these scenes are intelligent characters w ho understand the greater context o f what they are doing, and w ho do not take their predicament more seriously than it should be. D espite this, there are prob

mom ents.

The Steaks screens a t 8p.m., February 7th in the Adams Auditorium. Admission is $5, and the proceeds go to Parkinsons research.

Online video extra! Check out TV McGill’s interview with the filmmaker, along with clips from the movie. tribune.m cgill.ca

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Masterful morguery onstage continued from page 1

-ine m y disappointm ent w hen I attended the perform ance and found that I actually enjoyed the 80

live/electron ic m usic iced w ith Rachel Levine’s delicate m andolin playing floats in and around the dialogue. T h e addition o f surreal

minutes spent at Player’s Theatre. An attack o f conscience (or, I sup pose, convention) led m e to delete m ost o f the original, chock-full o ’ ton g u e-in -ch eek praise, w rittenprior-to version o f this article; so impressed was I by this production o f Body and Soul that m y irreverent

film clips to the performance com pleted the dramatic m ultim edia experience. I believe the vernacular term is “kickass.” M elissa T hingelstad as Jane brings a wistful, sexual saudade to the stage, w hether she’s making kissy faces w ith a corpse or attem pt

inclinations will suffer but for the

ing to explain passion to her sister

follow ing genuine praise. A ttending Body and Soul is like going on a first date— edgy and exciting, w ith a dusting o f m elan choly. Director Taliesin M cEnaney

Sally (Raji Sohal). T he cast is a tal ented one. H ighlights include: H en ry the B uddhist, played

makes sure that the evening is D utch treat, as the audience must w ork to keep up w ith the inescapable barrage o f media care fully integrated into the perform ance. T h e them e o f all-pervasive technology is set by the tone o f an incessant radar blip before the show begins. Luxurious, am bient

tual sex technology; D an Werb stealing the show by performing manic healing rituals as a topless new-age analyst; and Ben Moran appearing as a manifest-your-destiny author on a talk show.

intensely by D ave Greenwood, vol unteering for the beta testing o f vir

Pablo Leppe’s set was elegant and clever. A 4x5 set of gray panels served economically and effectively

as a m orgue wall, a *presto changeo* living room set, and as a screen for the film projections. T h e crisp blocking was aided im m ensely by the organization o f the stage, and all props were struck and reset alm ost u nnoticeably w h ile the scenes continued. T h e director, cast, musicians, set designers, and technicians achieved a harm ony onstage that sated the thankful audience. O nly on e th in g cou ld have been im proved upon: the performance was w oefully under-attended. T hat is where you com e in, gentle reader; I hope it w ould not be untoward o f me to suggest that you take in a per form ance o f this provocative, thoughtful, com ic, and ultimately rewarding play. T hat way, everyone lives hap pily ever after.

Body and Soul is a t Player’s Theatre (3rd floor Shatner), Feb 7-10, 8pm, students $5, non-students $8

T u e s d a y ,

F e b r u a r y

6 ,

2 0 0 1

Incorporating religion into the student life Sarah Johnson Beer. Weed. Cable television. Going away to college allows for a certain amount o f freedom coupled with the responsibility o f creating a life separate from the influences of our families. Mark Twain once wrote o f Montreal: “This is the first time I was ever in a city where you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window.” Today, the same test might be applied to bars or nightclubs with similar results. Juxtaposing the sacred and the secular, can students at McGill find a balance, even a harmony, between the values of their childhoods and the complica tions o f student life? It is easy to become entrenched in the microcosm o f McGill University. Our concerns often include staying awake during classes, finishing papers on time, or finding places to sit at VeggieRama. The faith communities on campus encourage us to set our sights a little higher. The Newman Centre takes on several community service projects throughout the semester. Students visit the elderly at the Father Dowd Home, help out at the Labre House soup kitchen, visit the sick at Royal

Victoria Hospital, and par ticipate in prison ministry at Bordeaux Jail. Through this social justice work, students learn that they are part o f a larger community.

On Campus All college students are familiar with ritualistic behavior, whether it involves coffeemakers, prayer before exams, or per haps a stop at a particular pizza establishment after a long night at the bar. Philosophy students may experiment with the ancient Greek tradition o f hedo nism, especially on Saturday nights. The more spiritually minded at McGill, however, find a wealth o f campus communities to practice with and learn about, other students o f faith under the auspices o f the SSM U and the M cGill Chaplaincy Service. Opportunities to get involved appear continuous ly throughout the week. Religionbased clubs such as the Islamic Students’ Society, Hillel House, the Zoroastrian Students’ Society, the

Pentecostal Fellowship, and the McGill Christian Fellowship offer a variety o f programs while also serving as a stabilizer for many. “I see students helping each other,” said Rev. Fr. Brian Boucher, Chaplain at the Newman Centre. Fr. Boucher cited interdenomina

tional cooperation, extensive student involvement, and hospi tality as key elements o f McGill’s religious envi ronment. Rachel Sheps, a first year student who prac tices Conservative Judaism, noted that such organizations pro vide “a positive commu nity for development.” Since arriving at McGill, Rachel has built on the values she learned at home. On campus, McGill students can fill their social calendars with events put on by campus religious societies. Everyone, regardless of faith, is invited to par take in ski trips, retreats, lectures, dances (includ ing some highly acclaimed Swing Nights), coffee houses, and meals, to name a few.

Religion in the Classroom Not everyone sees such a clear connection between religious beliefs and the humanistic areas of

life. “People think o f God as kind o f separate from academia,” said student Nancy Rotman. “I think there’s a lot o f empha sis here on religion being some thing that belongs in the private sector,” added Jessie GersonNieder. Much o f this reaction stems from the awareness o f the diversity within the student body. While both Gerson-Nieder and Rotman recognized a general desire among their peers to learn about unfamiliar traditions or beliefs, certain problems arise from basic differences in world-views. “It isn’t when you’re talking about science,” said Rotman. “Two scientific theories cannot be right. Whereas science is something that matters in the classroom, I think religion should just be put out o f the classroom because there’s such a plurality and so many people coming from different stand points.” It is impossible, however, to remove matters o f religion entirely from the lecture hall. A study of history or philosophy would be incomplete, if not meaningless, without taking into account the active role o f faith.

Please see RELIGION, page 19

The Hype about Harry: wizards and the muggles who love them Michelle O’Brodovich Those o f you out there who did not immediately grasp the sig nificance o f the title should remember: today’s children are our future, and extra-credit kid frater nizing looks great on the old Harvard Law School application. It’s precisely this demographic that is being taken by storm by the latest fad — the latest literary fad, that is. Harry Potter is the new rage in the children’s literary world since being published in Britain in 1997. The first three books starring author J.K . Rowling’s brainchild have been met with unprecedented success, having been translated into more than thirty languages and sold over thirty million copies worldwide. A movie is to be released by Warner Bros, in November, and Toronto’s Sky Dome was filled with costumed children and their parents to hear the Ms. Rowling read for only an hour. Harry Potter seems to have permeated the consciousness o f the computer-game generation. The novels follow the adven

tures o f an eleven-year old boy who discovers that he is a wizard by birthright, much to the chagrin of his foul-tempered uncle and bully ing cousin. Harry is sent off to a boarding school for wizard’s called Hogwarts where he learns spells, battles the cruel Lord Voldemort, learns how to look after dragons and becomes a star in Quidditch, a wizard sport which resembles a cross between hockey and soccer (if they were played on flying brooms). Rowling weaves an intricate plot with as many twists as in a classic murder-mystery. She also shows the rare gift o f balancing gory scenes, such as the death o f a schoolmate in an evil ritual, with light-hearted humor which has led many a reviewer to compare her style to that o f Token. For many, especially those who avoided seeing Titanic for the same reason, the hype seems a bit much. In North America, the fall release o f the fourth installment in the series led to near hysteria among fans and parents alike. U2 Political Science student Amanda Beattie vividly recalls the night that Harry Potter and the Goblet o f

Fire was released. Working at an Indigo Bookstore in Burlington, Ontario she had a bird’s eye view when the clock struck midnight. The selling began, per instruction

o f Raincoast Books, which has secured the Canadian rights to the Harry Potter series. Parents and kids alike had shown up in cos tumes, hoping to get one o f the approximately four hundred pre ordered copies, and at times it seems the distinction was blurred. “There were at least two hun dred people,” says Beattie. “The parents were nuts! They were screaming and yelling, trying to get

a book for their kids.” Yet, she came around and all four in a mat ter o f days, judging them “bril liant.” For eleven-year old Adam Jameson, the hype is o f little con cern. “They are totally amazing. The fourth book totally blew me away!” Adam says he now realizes reading can be fun and has even earned higher marks in English class. Perhaps this could spawn a new interest in all things literary? “Yeah, maybe, but not until I’m done with Harry Potter [the series],” he says. It is difficult to pin down the exact source o f charm in the nov els, yet the amount o f thought put into them is obvious. For example, the characters in the world o f Hogwart’s are christened with witty, almost Dickensian names. The name o f Harry’s twelve-yearold nemesis is Draco Malfoy whose first name is Latin for dragon and family name is not far from “mal foi” or “bad faith” in French. Harry’s learned housemistress is named “Minerva” for the Roman goddess o f wisdom, while his

Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, a werewolf in his spare time is named Remus Lupin. John Cleese, best known for his roles in the Monty Python films, will bring to life Nearly Headless Nick, the unfortunate ghost, in the Harry Potter movie. The lioness’ share o f hype is perhaps belongs to J.K . Rowling when you examine the context in which the Potter series came to be. Rowling and her young daughter Jessica had been living in a onebedroom apartment and the single mother often skipped meals to pro vide for the needs o f her toddler. She wrote the series in various pubs around London, holding Jessica on her lap. That was in 1996. Last year, Forbes annual list o f top grossing international celebrities has Rowling at 24th, just behind Michael Jackson yet ahead o f Cher. Yet Rowling has determinedly kept herself out o f the spotlight, granti ng few interviews much to the dis appointment o f her fans. The Harry Potter series are enjoyable to read no matter what the age. Rowling also deals with many social issues such as racism

Please see POTTER, page 19

18 Features The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

I never imagined travelling to Australia would be this eventful Traffic rushes through the streets in a surging chaos o f scooters and minibuses. It is a photographer’s dream location. Three cultures (Chinese, Malay, and Indian) mix four religions (Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and Islam) and a dash o f colonial influence to make a cultural cocktail o f intoxi cating intensity. Malaysia’s stagger ing growth rate in recent years translates into a city in full explo sion. From my hotel room window, I could see thirteen construction cranes without turning my head. The dusty, peeling-paint shop hous es o f Chinatown, with their vendors selling pirated D V D ’s and pickled duck, contrast sharply with the city’s Golden Triangle, where the world’s tallest buildings vie for space with glitzy, exclusive shop ping malls. I wandered the streets, fasci nated at the little details o f life; ven dors selling strange deep-fried fruits, dragon dances being per formed to bless stores for the infant Chinese New Year. KLers can spot a tourist at a hundred paces, are very friendly, and most speak English. I got marriage proposed twice. (Really!)

N o te s fro m Oz Phillip Trippenbach

hen she sat down, I knew I was in trouble. | The Sikh matriarch lowering herself laboriously into seat 42k was elderly, her full fea tures weathered, hands worn and rich with statement, her corpulent frame draped in gold-embroidered veils. I was in seat 42h, which in a jumbo jet means that I was right above the right wing, next to the window. It had just become the worst j seat in the house, and we hadn’t even left LA yet. It was already bad, because a) You can’t see the view because there’s a ten-acre 747 wing in the way and b) You have to ask two other people to move out o f the way if you want to stand up. This may not seem like a big deal, but when you’re about to embark on a | 20 hour flight, as I was, being barri- | caded into your seat is a definite disadvantage. It had just gotten worse, because one o f the two peo ple blocking my seat was venerable, vast, and it took her three tries to Giving the patio a get up, on a good day. new meaning Realizing my prospects o f fre quent walks and stretching sessions One night I had dinner in falling away, I thought, “hey, it Chinatown. I found a food stall I could be worse. I’ll just lay my seat thought would be interesting — back and sleep. No worries.” Except that my seat was stuck they cooked chicken and rice together, in thick earthenware pots and wouldn’t recline. over hot coals. The whole operation By the time I arrived in Kuala was on the street, like most food Lumpur, I had fully experienced the purveyors, with the kitchen in a thrills of Trans-Pacific air travel, in trolley off to one side or in front, all its glorious, uninterrupted and the tables set out on the side monotony. walk and street. As I ate, tourists Kuala Lumpur (‘KL’ to the locals), capital o f Malaysia, is hot and locals would pass by not three feet away, shopping, selling, and and muggy, gritty and bustling. driving their cars. Lame beggars on

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mean hanging around in the Sidneysiders. The road curves gen Golden Triangle. I have nothing tly, and as I walked along it the against luxury hotels. But why don’t Opera House came into view bit by these people go out to see the city? bit, peeking out from behind the Isn’t that what travel is about? So I trees; first an edge, then the tip of went up to a forty-something the roof. Finally I came out onto American couple, sitting at a table the plaza, surrounded by hundreds at Starbucks, and tapped the guy on | o f swarming Japanese tourists. Like the shoulder. I grabbed him by the a man lost in the desert approach lapels and wobbled him to get his ing a dubious mirage, I drew near attention, saying, “you are in the Opera House slowly, my eyes Malaysia! Malaysia! You had to fly fixed on that impossible soaring over twelve hours to get here! roof. I climbed the steps, slowly, There’s a whole world out there, stood at the foot o f the towering with noise and bustle and market structure. I reached out and places and lame beggars and every touched it. thing! Why, in the name o f all that It was real. is interesting, are you sitting at a This amazing building, so table in Starbucks?” famous that some o f us could draw Okay, so I didn’t grab the guy. it from memory, so present in our But I felt like doing it. televisions and magazines, such a Three days in ILL went by part o f everyone’s consciousness, quickly, then off to Sydney. The was real. It stood right there in front flight, a mere eight hours this time, o f me, blazing white in the burning passed without a hitch. After clear blue Sydney sky, and I saw it with ing the airport and dropping my my own eyes, felt it warm and stuff off at the hostel, I set out on smooth- under my hand. It was real; foot to see the harbour. it existed in a place, a place on the I headed towards the Opera other side o f the Earth. House. I was at the end o f a street And I was there. bordered on one side by the botan I was there. ical gardens and on the other by a spanking new high-rise condo com plex, considered an eyesore by

Religion and student life continued from page 17

“Complete objectivity is not really possible,” said Professor Gershon Hundert, who teaches a course in Jewish history at McGill. “Religions present ideas that are not questioned, so [from] time to time students get upset.” While objective examination or open discussion may improve students’ understanding, dis missal or intolerance o f various ethical or religious views can cause some students to feel uncomfortable. Jordan M ilne, a Lutheran first-year student, feels that both intellectualism and religious beliefs are necessary. “I think the two complement each other. I think religion can open your mind to things educa tion can’t offer,” he added. “Also, I found in the university setting this year, there are so many people from different religions that it sort o f enters your mind to wel come new ideas and new beliefs.”

Tolerance

M e e tin g

o f th e

crutches - this prop, for some, was the extent o f their ‘lameness’ would hobble up to the table and call for alms as I ate. The whole experience was a clamorous riot of distracting sensory experience — with chopsticks. I loved it. What’s dinner without surging crowds, bright lights, loud buskers, and lame beggars? Obviously, for some this does not qualify as a premiere dining experience, as amply demonstrated by goings-on in the Golden Triangle. There, cell-phone-packin’, tricked-out-in-CK-threads young KLers cram Starbucks and Hard Rock Cafe. All the places — American rôtisserie chicken joints, Italian trattoria, and California sushi joints - have tables outside, with outdoor air conditioning. Set a little back from them are the hotels: the Marriott, the Hilton, the Shangri-La. Now, I understand that the locals, who are doing quite well eco nomically and who have a right to kick loose once in a while, would like to check out the newfangled American-style ‘strip.’ What I don’t understand is why tourists would ever want to stay there. By “stay there,” o f course, I

Not all students are as open as Milne to new ideas. However, due to the cosmopolitan nature of both the student body and the city, it is impossible to isolate one self from different cultures. Montrealers know a great deal about the importance o f tolerance in regards to Anglophone and Francophone issues, and religious toleration seems a natural exten-

sion. In both areas, however, con flicts occur. “I ’ve heard people call Catholicism a cult,” said student Jeb Assaf. “People have said that I’ve been brainwashed because I’m Catholic.” Casual bias or stereotyping can sometimes be a prob lem at McGill. Student David Nanni drew attention to his peers who assume an inherent bias due to a specific upbringing. “You believe a certain thing because you’re Catholic, or you believe a certain thing because you’re Jewish. You can’t just have a logical discussion.” According to Nanni, the unwillingness to ques tion their faiths prevents people from accepting the faiths o f oth ers. “I think a lot o f people are closed-minded,” he said. “A lot of people, whether or not they are afraid to think about it or, you know, they don’t want to think about it, a lot o f people are closed-minded to the idea that they could be wrong. They don’t want to look at that.” University chaplains meet regularly to maintain an ongoing interfaith dialogue particularly about sensitive issues such as the ethnic conflicts in the Middle East. “We are trying to create awareness,” said Fr. Boucher. “We are taking it on as a priority.”

You Are What You Eat Despite the prevalence o f religious organizations and the numerous opportunities to get involved, problems still arise for some students. Quebec’s affinity for smoked meat and poutine car ries over into the campus food establishments. Sheps has found that the cafeteria in Douglas Hall often does not accommodate her kosher dietary needs. “The cafeteria doesn’t always have a list o f ingredients,” she said. “It can be a little frustrat ing.” The frequent additions of cheese in vegetarian entrees and of pork or meat products in the dishes cause difficulties for Jews, Muslims, and other students fol lowing religious dietary rules. “It means you’re eating salad every day,” stated Sheps. “Which is not an enjoyable experience.” Religion at McGill seems to be what you make o f it. Like so many things in Montreal, the varieties are endless, the possibili ties unlimited. Students have found communities in which to continue their growth as religious people by expanding their knowl edge o f the world’s traditions. At any level o f faith or devotion, stu dents can find stability and fel lowship right on campus. And some extra prayer may even help around exam times.

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Features 19

Get a leg up on fitness G e ttin g

b u f f is a c h a l l e n g e a t M c G i l l b u t s t u d e n t s c a n

Raquel Kirsch Their perfect hard bodies taunt us. Their thighs are like two careful ly chiselled carrots, and their abdomens could easily stop a Jeep in its tracks. Every month, the models for Shape magazine flaunt the latest in exercise-wear on the cover o f a magazine that promises to give you ‘ballerina butt’, the ulti mate fitness makeover, and all moves that will give you an athlete’s body .(less the steroids). But how many students will actually take time out of their schedules to learn the best way to do a lunge? Exercise is one o f the most popular activities to get the boot come mid-term time. It’s not that we don’t know it’s good for us. We know it will make us feel better. But for some reason, the only time you’ll break out a sweat in the next 10 weeks is while trying to scrawl out an essay on Romanesque archi tecture. What exactly is it about the ‘E word that makes us, er, run the other way? There exists an infinite num ber o f reasons that working out ends up at the bottom o f the proverbial ‘to do’ list. Odelia Borten cites time as her number one hurdle on the road to physical fitness. With labs that last all afternoon and tutorials that end way past suppertime, this U1 psy chology student feels that she can’t fit exercise into her daily routine. “My schedule is tight,” she says. “Now most o f my time is con sumed on school. When I finally do have the titne to go to the gym, I’m too tired.” For U3 Management student Marie-Josée Salvas, making time for exercise is a matter of getting ones priorities in order. Though she

Yet it is the mis conception that exer cise and mental health are unrelated that keeps many stu dents from visiting the gym. Often exer cise can help clear your mind and allow your body to release the built up tension o f the day. Sitting in the tiny seats in Leacock 132 can’t do too many wonders for your body. Generally, fit ness experts recom mend getting 30 minutes o f exercise per day. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be Tae Bo to be good for you. _________ Simple exercises like Patrick Fok walking and stretch Kickin ass and takin names ing are good ways to enjoys physical activity, her hectic help keep in shape on a daily basis. university schedule sometimes has a What’s more is that the thirty min mind o f its own. In her first semes utes don’t have to be spent in one ter, fitting exercise into her schedule lump sum, says Jill Barker, fitness was almost impossible. But tired of coordinator for the McGill feeling drained and out of energy, Department o f Athletics. she decided to get back in shape by “You can get off the bus a stop taking up cardio and karate. early or throw away the clicker,” she “[Before], I felt out o f energy says. “All the little things add up. I and started to be self-conscious,” always say it’s better than sitting at she says. “Now my training is really home and eating cake!” intense; I feel refreshed and my There are plenty o f do-it-your stress level has gone down. I used to self ways to increase your physical put my studies ahead of my health health. Still, there exists a social — now it’s the other way around.” quality at a gym that you wont get Salvas’ active lifestyle may seem if you simply take the long way like a far cry from reality. From the home. Going to a gym is a good first day of class, we’re at a constant way to get fit, meet new people, and loss for time. As the semester pro get a change o f scenery. gresses, it becomes an even scarcer Despite it’s distance from main resource. And since fitness isnt for campus, the McGill Athletic Centre credit, it’s easy to justify doing a is one o f the most economical stats assignment over pumping places to work out. Lay down fifiron.

Potter taking kids by storm

g e t m o tiv a te d

teen dollars per semester, and you the store as a chore, think about it can have access to a new weight as a way to get some exercise,” she room, pool, and a host o f special says. “You should strive to be more ized courts. The centre also offers active every day. All the little things separate exercise classes ranging add up.” One o f the most important from kickboxing to power yoga. Salvas finds that while embark reasons we should work out is for ing on the new journey towards a the sake o f our future. Getting into more fit self, the important thing is the habit o f exercise is one o f the to stay motivated and focused on best things we can do to ensure a healthy body later on in life, your objectives. “I set myself daily goals and according to Dr. David Blank, I’m very disciplined,” she says. “My attending physician at the Royal [training] helps me mobilize my Victoria Hospital’s Lipid Clinic. “There’s more obesity in the energies towards one thing at a time under-30 age group than there was so I can do it well.” Like with anything, getting thirty years ago,” says Dr. Blank. started is the hardest part. Walking “Exercising on a regular basis is a into a weight room where every way that you can help reduce the risk o f chronic diseases due to body looks fit can be intimidating. Fitness keeners are already well lifestyle such as diabetes, heart dis established and committed to their ease, and even stroke.” Chances are if we added up all routines. It’s getting new exercisers to stay on a plan that’s the chal the moments we spent criticizing ourselves in the mirror, there would lenge, says Barker. be enough time for a few small “It’s a different philosophy; instead o f viewing having to go to workouts.

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Double the p o w e r of your degre e continued from page 17

and slavery. At Hogwarts there is a movement o f some wizards to dis criminate against and torment socalled “mud-bloods”, or wizards born to Muggle (human) parents. Ron, Harry’s best friend, takes his stand against this in The Chamber o f Secrets: “It’s a disgusting thing to call someone,” said Ron, wiping his sweaty brow with a shaking hand. “Dirty blood, see. Common blood. It’s ridiculous. Most wizards these days are half-blood anyway. If we hadn’t married Muggles we’d’ve died out.” Rowling makes sure to include characters o f different ethnic origin in the novels, but without falling into the common trap o f preaching to the children. For example,

Harry has a crush on a girl named Cho Chang, who is a superb Quidditch player, while Hermione, another friend o f Harry’s, falls for Victor Krum, the head boy o f a Russian wizarding school. However, not everyone has fallen under Harry’s spell. Berit Kjos synthesizes what have been reoccurring objections in the con servative Christian community (the entire article can be located at: http://www.crossroad.to/text/articles/Harry9): “...Children who delight in Harry’s occult world o f spells and magic will naturally learn to enjoy evil and crave more. But they can not ‘cling to what is good while they love evil. The two are incom patible,” says Kjos. Some parents object that a fas-

cination with witchcraft is a poten tially dangerous influence in the life o f children. Yet, in a day when bloody computer games such are the norm, many parents appear to simply be delighted that their chil dren have found a new interest in reading. As sophisticated as we are here at McGill, spouting Nietzsche and putting on our best Nike shoes to go protest the evils o f capitalism, taking the time to read Harry Potter may seem childish. But, this is the new Alice in Wonderland and will surely influence the mind set o f generations to come. At the very least, your pre-teen friends will think you are cool.

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“Browser Wars”, focused against competitor Netscape.

Daniel Ehrenfeld Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to get rid o f anyone that you didn’t care for? You could just wave a magic wand and your worries would disappear. Well, that fantasy can be a lot closer to reality when you have pockets as deep and a business mind as shrewd as Bill Gates. Many in the way o f Microsoft and Gates, its C EO , have been swallowed up or left to flounder by the wayside, enraging vanquished C E O ’s and consumer activists alike. One o f M icrosoft’s most publicized software battles, culmi nating in 1999 and dubbed the

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The Browser Wars While Netscape was desper ately trying to sell its Netscape Navigator to web users, Microsoft opted to simply give its Explorer away, bundled with its Microsoft Windows operating system (a sta ple in over 95 percent o f personal computers sold today). The ubiq uity o f Windows as an operating system slowly but surely propelled Explorer as most people’s default browser. Why go to the trouble of acquiring Netscape Navigator if Explorer was right at your finger tips? Netscape simply could not

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M icrosoft makes a com eback So where did this leave our Goliath o f the software industry? Would it be the end o f an era in computer hegemony? Not likely. As published in January 6th’s The Economist, the company has taken a long hard look at itself in the mir ror with the intent o f correcting any shortcomings and has come up with a plan; and this “new blue

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Peter Parker, eat your heart out! cate with each other freely, although such assertions by M icrosoft have been met with skepticism. Many see the technol ogy coming into conflict with another standard, Java script. While some clients such as the U.S. Department o f the Treasury are embracing .N ET and its capa bilities, not everyone is jumping on the bandwagon. General Electric Co. decided against using the plat form late last year, choosing to opt out at least for now, and many other large companies are expected to follow suit. Some feel uncertain about the capabilities o f the mostly yet-to-be-released software and some simply can’t wait that long to upgrade and integrate their sys tems. It is clear that Microsoft is a software powerhouse with seem ingly infinite capital at its disposal. Despite the market and legal trou bles that the company is facing, it is still far from being at any risk o f non-viability. That noted, Bill Gates’ change in strategy and inno vations in technology are definitely an evolution (if not revolution) in organization o f data that could prove either highly laudable or quite costly. Let’s hope that the future is now and that .N ET is the next big thing... for Billy’s sake.

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Chuck McMann handed reins to Redmen Football Program S t a m p s a s s is ta n t s u c c e e d s C h a r lie

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d ecad es Jeremy Kuzmarov Ever since Charlie Baillie announced his plans to retire at the end of the 2000 season after 29 years as McGill head coach, players, coaches and fans have been rife with speculation about his possible suc cessor. The widespread suspense ended on Tuesday with the naming o f Chuck McMann, a former Montreal Alouettes wide-receiver and an assistant coach with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League since 1992, as the new Redmen head football coach. Despite his impressive creden tials in the professional ranks, McMann didn’t hesitate returning to coach at the university level, where he first made an impact as a assistant with the Waterloo Warriors between 1988 and 1991. “This a dream job for me, a great opportunity which I couldn’t pass up.” said McMann, who earned Grey Cup rings in 1992 and 1998 with the Stamps as a special teams’ coordinator, and as a running-backs and receivers’ coach. “What really appeals to me at the university level is the ability to develop long-term relationships with the players. At the pro-level it’s a revolving door. Guys are in and out of the program very quickly. Here, you recruit guys, then you’re with them for four or five years, and you see them grow as people and get a great education while improving their football skills. Once they graduate, they’re alumni, and they’re still connected to the program.” McMann, who earned a Physical Education degree from McGill in 1981 and taught for the Lakeshore School Board and at John Abbott College in the 1980s, feels that his teaching background is one of the major assets he brings to the job. “I see myself as a teacher first and foremost, who happens to have an expertise in football, said McMann. “At the pro-level it’s a dif ferent type of coaching; I’m looking forward to doing what I do best here, and that’s using my teaching skills to help instill the fundamen tals of the game. I’m also looking forward to working one on one with the players, and developing a strong individual rapport with them.”

Chuck McMann is looking to build his own coaching legacy at McGill Given the success of predeces sor Charlie Baillie — the winningest coach in school history — there is a great deal of pressure for McMann to succeed right away. Despite the widespread rever ence for Baillie among the current crop o f Redmen football players, and among the Athletics Department, McMann is deter mined to carve out his own distinc tive identity and leadership style as a coach. He is undaunted with the task o f trying to follow up on the exploits of coach Baillie. “It’s an honour to replace a guy like Charlie Baillie, and I dont know if I could fill his shoes,” said McMann. “My hat goes off to him, but it’s not a competition here, or a comparison. I can’t be like Charlie as a coach, I’ve got to develop my own way of coaching. I came in here to do my job, and I’m excited for the challenges ahead. I’m going to give it my all in order to be success ful here.” Coach Baillie expressed confi dence in McMann’s ability as a coach. “He’s got the background, and the personality to do a great job, said Baillie. “I wish him well.”

Many Redmen players also expressed their enthusiasm over McMann’s hiring. “It’s great that he has experi ence at the CFL level, said allCanadian wide-receiver Ben Wearing who is set to graduate in the spring but still has one year of eligibility left. “It’s also a great thing that he’s offensive minded and has worked on the offensive side of the ball with the Stamps. Our offense could always use some fine-tuning, McGill has traditionally been known to ride on its defense and hopefully that’ll change this year. We’ll see how it affects my decision to come back.” One major advantage to McMann’s hiring is in the recruiting department. While with the Stampeders, he served as an admin istrative assistant to head coach Wally Buono and as the team’s director of Canadian scouting. During that time he made many contacts with high-school coaches across Canada which could be extremely valuable in future attempts to lure blue-chippers from across the nation to McGill. “I still keep in touch with all of my contacts both in Canada and the US, and that could pay dividends

M c G ill h e a d

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receptions last year. “It’s a young team with a lot of talent and a lot of heart, said coach McMann. “It’s going to be fun next year, I’m already excited for the sea son to start. We’ve certainly got the tools to be successful.” One thing coach McMann hopes to brush up on before open ing day is his French. Both for com munication purposes with many of his players who are native-FrenchCanadians, and for recruiting pur poses, McMann has set one of his priorities in the off-season as becoming fluently bilingual. Helping him out will be his eldest daughter Kristin, a political science major at the University of Calgary, who will give her dad some lessons to help him facilitate the transition to La Belle province. “My French isn’t that bad hav ing lived in Montreal before, but there certainly is room for improve ment. It’s important for the job.” said McMann. “ I’m also looking forward to returning to live here. It’s a great city and a great place to live, and my wife and I have fond mem James Empringham ories from the past.” for us when we’re trying to attract players,” said McMann. “Recruiting is certainly a key aspect o f the job, and I’m certainly prepared to put a lot of effort into it.” One issue that remains unre solved is the coaching staff for next year. It is uncertain how many assis tants under the Baillie regime will be retained, and how many of his own personnel McMann seeks to bring in. While that could take a couple of weeks to settle, coach McMann, besides recruiting, is already focused on analyzing the current teamroster, and developing a game-plan to help perhaps elevate the Redmen into one of the elite teams in the newlook Quebec conference which will be without Ottawa and Queen’s next season. McMann is excited at the youthfulness and exuberance of the squad which finished 5-3 in Baillie’s final season, including five straight come-back wins to start the year. The team will be largely intact from last year with the exception of CFLbound all-Canadian lineman Randy Chevrier, graduating interceptionmaven Loris Lucchetta at safety, and possibly star receiver Wearing who set the all-time McGill record for

This week in McGill Sports... Friday February 9th Women’s basketball 6 PM vs. Carleton at Love Hall Men’s basketball 8 PM vs. Carleton at Love Hall Saturday February 10th Women’s volleyball 1 PM vs. Sherbrooke at Love Hall Men’s volleyball 3 PM vs. Sherbrooke at Love Hall Women’s baskeball 6 PM vs. Ottawa at Love Hall Men’s hockey 7 PM vs. Ottawa at McConnel Arena Men’s baksetball 8 PM vs. Ottawa at Love Hall Sunday February 11th Women’s volleyball 2 PM vs. Université de Montreal at Love Hall Men’s hockey 3 PM vs. Concordia at Concordia University Men’s volleyball 4 PM vs. Université de Montréal at Love Hall Women’s hockey 1:15 PM QSSF semi-finals at McConnell Arena

11 Sports

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

A clean sweep for Redmen hockey Team

d is p o s e s o f R M C

e a s ily b e f o r e

s tr u g g lin g

g e t b y Q u e e n 's

Andrew Raven

1. By the time, the period was over period. He one timed a pass the Redmen had outshot the from Ducharme passed It was a successful weekend for Paladins 25-5, due in large part to Queen’s goalie John Skilnik to the McGill Redmen hockey team their overwhelming manpower give the Redmen a lead they who are mired in an inconsistent advantage. If not for Connerty’s would never relinquish. season. They managed to win two heroics, it could have been much Thériault returned the favour important games against Ontario worse for RMC. three minutes later on a two After the first period, University Athletics rivals, van man advantage. He spotted a Raymond warned his team that the wide open Ducharme at the quishing Royal Military College 5referee would be looking to even side o f net, and just like that it 1 and then disposing o f Queen’s by things up. a count o f 3-2. was 2-0. With Queen’s still “I told them to be careful. We down a man, Bergeron scored expected to be in the box the whole McGill’s third goal in four M cG ill Redm en 5 second period.” R M C Paladins 1 minutes and his seventh o f the At 18:23 o f the second period, year. The McGill Redmen, led by Paladin forward Ryan Vince Despite getting little brought his team within two goals, press, Dave Bahl and Paul Therriault, eas thé Ducharmeily handled the Royal Military only to see Theriault score his sec Thériault- Bergeron line has College Paladins 5-1 in a game ond o f the game a minute later. emerged as a consistent threat Dave Bahl capped the scoring mid with a little bit o f everything. marred by penalties and question able officiating. Referee Martin St. way through the third with his sec “For as long as I can Laurent assessed 42 penalties for ond power play goal o f the game. remember I have been known 133 minutes, including five ten Winger Greg Davis drew an assist as a defensive player, so that’s minute misconducts and two game on the .M il goal extending his my strength,” said the line’s point streak to a McGill record 28 misconducts. center Ducharme. “Paul is games. Goaltender Beniot Menard really fast and has good shot, Redmen coach Martin Raymond commented on the stopped 28 o f 29 shots in getting while Joel is strong and really the victory and evened his record at good at getting us the puck.” unprecedented game. “Never have I seen that many 5-5-1. Thanks to the French penalties. Especially in the first Connection this game looked M cG ill Redm en 3 period. It was just out control. We over by the first intermission, Queen's Golden Gaels 2 had some problems with [St. but the Golden Gaels fought Laurent] in the last game. He was back, lead by defenseman On a night when Greg Davis Aaron Fransen who scored two all over us, but this time he seemed failed to record a point for the first goals in second period, before being to be against R M C .” RM C coach Andy Scott was time in 29 games, the Redmen were ejected for cross checking. equally displeased with the officiat carried by their second line o f The third period belonged to Ducharme, Paul McGill goalie Benoit Menard, who ing in the first period, when his Stéphane team took eleven penalties to Theriault and Joel Bergeron, who made 12 o f his 24 saves in the final each recorded a goal and an assist, frame. Several were o f the spectacu M cG ill’s two. He berated St. Laurent from the bench yelling in a crucial victory over the Golden lar variety when Queen’s pulled “There are two fucking teams on Gaels. The win virtually assures the their goalie for an extra attacker in *he ice.” As the teams made their Redmen o f a spot in the playoffs the dying minutes. He made three way to the bench after the first peri and keeps them in the hunt for nice stops through traffic and od, Scott had a few inaudible words home ice advantage in the first robbed two Queen’s players during round of the playoffs. for St. Laurent. a goalmouth scramble. The win The secondary scoring was also improved his record 6-5-1 and low McGill opened the scoring only 28 seconds into the game a welcome sight for Redmen head ered his goals against to 3.13, both Martin Raymond. when defenseman Dan Maclean team bests. In saving 53 o f 56 shots “It’s tough for Davis and over the weekend Ménard made a found Theriault wide open in front [Dave] Burgess. They have a lot of claim for the number one goalie o f the net. Theriault settled the things on their shoulders. People position. puck and went to his backhand, However, Raymond beating RM C goalie Tom Connerty expect a lot and we expect a lot. But remained coy about who would the [rest o f the] boys played well start come playoff time. along the ice. Ten minutes later, defenseman tonight. Ducharme is a great leader “Menard has been playing real Dave Bahl scored a pretty goal on and an intense competitor. He’s ly well lately. He numbers are the powerplay to open up a 2-0 lead been injured for a few months and improving game by game but let’s for McGill. Bahl accepted a pass can hardly walk, he’s just going on just say that at this point the goalie from center Dave Burgess, skated to sheer guts. Theriault has come a who’s playing well is the one who’s the bottom o f the circle and placed long way in terms o f playmaking going to start.” a perfect shot in the top corner for and he’s a fast skater and good In what seemed to be a carry checker.” his first o f two on the night. over from the R M C game, 34 Theriault opened the scoring penalties were called which worked David Lizotte capped the first period scoring by converting a nice with his 20th goal o f the season, to the Redmen’s advantage who pass from Joel Bergeron on a 3 on just over six minutes into the first enjoyed fifteen powerplays. “The game was really rough,” said Ducharme. “There were a lot o f stick penalties and the referee S S M U O p e n M e e tin g should call those because they’re the most dangerous.” ( th e o n ly o n e o fp th e s e m e s te r) The Redmen power play strug T u e s d a y , F e b r u a r y 1 3 gled to the tune o f 2 for 15 in the absence o f team captain and quar 5 -7 P M terback Dan Maclean, who was sus G e r t 's P u b pended following his ejection for a boarding in Friday’s game. It was S h a tn e r B u ild in g , M a in F lo o r Maclean’s third boarding major of the year, and there could be some

supplemental discipline from the league. With the win the Redmen vir tually assure themselves o f playoff spot and a first round matchup with the Concordia Stingers. The only way for the Redmen to miss the playoffs is by losing their last

G A M E

four games and having fourth placed Ottawa win their remaining four. “We haven’t started to think about the playoffs yet,” said Raymond, but a first round date with the Stingers must be on the players’ minds.

N O T E S

Sure Thing?

M cGill hasn’t lost to RMC in 28 years and the last time the Redmen were defeated on home ice by Queen’s was 1968. Divine Gift

RMC, with a 3-17-0 record, has qualified for the playoffs in the three team Ontario Mid East division thanks to the absence of Laurentian, which recently dropped varsity hockey. Secondary Scoring?:

The trio of Dave Burgess, Greg Davis and Paul Thériault has accounted for a whopping 60 percent of M cGill’s goals this year. No Flow

In the two games against RM C and Queens, a remarkable 72 penalties were called for a total of 227 minutes. The teams played five on five for less than fifteen minutes in both games combined. Streaking

Since departing for Germany, the Redmen are 7-3-1, with two of those losses coming against first place clubs Toronto and UQTR. Discriminating W om en Only

The best advertisement over the P.A. system at McConnell Arena belonged to a revered McGill institution. It was: “Gert’s, a great place to pick up.”

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Sports 23

Just call him Joltin' Greg S o p h o m o r e w in g e r D a v is Andrew Raven Greg Davis certainly has a flair for the dramatic. On the verge of set ting a McGill record for consecutive games with at least one point, he entered the third period of Friday’s game against the Royal Military College Paladins pointless. “I was pressing a lot in general today. I had a lot o f chances but they weren’t going in for me, so I thought this might be the day where it would come to an end,” said Davis, a 6 ’4 ” sophomore winger. As it would turn out, his incred ible streak would come to an end one night later against Queen’s, but only after he set a McGill record with points in 28 consecutive games. On a powerplay midway

b re a k s

lo n g s ta n d in g

through the third, Davis came off the boards and found center Dave Burgess at the point. Burgess deliv ered a perfect pass to defenseman Dave Bahl who one-timed a shot top shelf, past RMC goalie Tom Connerty. The assist gave Davis points in 28 consecutive games, breaking the McGill record of 27 set by George Burnett in 1983. It is somewhat ironic about the fact that the record point came on a goal that Davis had little to do with. “It was a lucky assist on the last goal. [My teammates] were all con scious of it and they were trying to help me a bit. It’s nice when they put it in for you,” he said. Notwithstanding a little luck on Friday, Davis had been dominant during the streak. In the 28 games, he scored 27 goals and added 32

M c G ill's

assists. He leads the team in goals, power play goals, shots and shooting percentage and is second in assists and game winning goals. He ranks fourth in the nation in goals and eight in points. Davis was both happy and reliv ed that the record was finally broken. “[The record] means a fair bit because it shows you’re a consistent player,” he said. “[But] the last cou ple of weeks it’s always been on my mind. Now hopefully I can concen trate on playing my normal game.” Redmen head coach Martin Raymond had nothing but praise for his star winger. “He’s definitely an important part o f our team. He’s a great goal scorer, he works really hard and he puts a lot of pressure on the puck carrier on defense. I’m glad he got

p o in t s c o r in g

the point.” But hockey is a fickle mistress. One night after setting the record, Davis was held off the score sheet by the Queen’s Golden Gaels. “I felt a bit relieved,” he said about the end of the streak. “The last couple of games I was really slump ing and it was getting tough. Maybe now things can get back to normal.” But what seems to be normal for Davis is really quite extraordi nary. In September, he attended the Washington Capitals training camp as a non-roster invitee. He remained in camp for ten days, an impressive stay for a guy who played Tier 2 jun ior hockey in Alberta and wasn’t drafted after his final season. “[Training camp] was enjoyable because you see what you have to do to play in that kind of league. [It’s

s tre a k good] because it shows you where you’re at and [lets you] know that you could play there one day. You see those guys and you’re kind of in awe. You watch to see what they’re doing instead of playing your game.” Davis says that he doesn’t yet have an agent, but with great hands, a blistering shot, above average speed and 6’4 ” frame, he admits that he’ll probably get one soon. It looks like he’ll need it.

Online video extra! S e e fo r y o u rs e lf: clips fro m th e g a m e , in te r v ie w s w ith D a v is and his co ach . trib u n e .m c g ill.c a <e|i

Martlets end season on positive note S ta g e

s e t fo r p la y o ff b a ttle w ith

Jonathan Colford It’s down to the one game that counts this year for the McGill Martlets hockey team. With Friday’s 4-2 win against the Université du Quebec à TroisRivières Patriotes in the bag, the Martlets sealed up second place in the three-team Quebec Student Sport Federation conference and home-ice advantage in the QSSF semi-final to be held this Sunday. The winner o f this match gets a spot in the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union national champi onships. Veteran forward Paula Mailloux was the curse of the Patriotes once again, registering her second hat trick against U Q TR in a week, while linemate Sophie Acheson netted the other Martlet score in the win. Mailloux’s impressive performance gave her eight points in her last two games — both played against UQTR. On Saturday, the Martlets played essentially a meaningless game against the first-place Stingers, both teams having locked up their respective positions in the QSSF standings. Concordia jumped ahead to a 2-0 lead in the first period as the Martlets had some penalty trouble in the early going, forcing them off their game plan and to defend against the potent Stinger power play. At 6:23, forward Caroline Ouellette scored on her Team Canada teammate Kim St-Pierre while Martlet defenseman Peggy Donohue was serving an interfer ence minor. McGill did not take advantage o f Concordia’s own troubles with

U Q T R

the zebras midway through the opening frame — not while Stinger defenseman Janna Gillis was serving two for boarding around the tenminute mark and not while fellow

The Martlets, who registered 4 shots on goal in the first period, gen erated more offense in the latter two. With the defense doing a better job tying up Stinger top forwards Allard

defender Marianne Brien went out for interference barely thirty seconds after Gillis came back on the ice. The Stingers got their second goal as Brien’s penalty ended. Right winger Marie-Claude Allard took the feed from defenseman Roxanne Dupuis, stickhandled past the defense, hung on to the puck despite having one defender stuck to her and with St-Pierre jabbing at it with her stick. St-Pierre missed on a diving poke-check and Allard went top shelf. 2-0 Stingers.

(24 GP, 7-26-33) and Ouellette (6 GP, 8-6-14), McGill managed to keep the puck out o f their own net. “We had lots of jump, there was lots of energy both on the bench and on the ice, and the girls played with a lot o f confidence,” said Martlets Head Coach Peter Smith about the team’s play in the second and third period. Allard criticized the Martlets’ physical style o f play. “We just think they’re dirty, so we just want to prove that the best way to win a hockey game is having

skills and being good as a team rather than punching everybody in the board and pinning everybody in the board, being with their elbow in our face.” Véronique Lapierre, a rookie forward who is an excellent two-way player, put McGill on the board with 93 seconds remaining in the second period as the Martlets neared the end of a power play. While for ward Dana Rittmaster was tied up in front of the net on Stinger goalie Lisa Herritt’s glove side, Lapierre moved to the other side of the crease. Rittmaster’s linemate CindyAnne Carufel fired a shot that rebounded off Herritt towards her stick side, sliding across the crease to be picked up and put home by the waiting Lapierre. McGill then tied it up early in the third as Acheson lost the defend er by faking left and going right, threading the puck into the ,corner of the net on Herritt’s stick side. St-Pierre had her day in the third period. After Acheson’s goal, the Martlets had two good chances to score; one coming about two minutes after the goal when rookie forward Alexandra Gaudreau beat the defense yet shot wide left, and the other with 8 minutes left when Donohue found herself alone in front of the goalie yet had her shot tipped wide. Gaudreau took an interference minor with 7:42 to go. Concordia stacked the power play with four of their top-scoring forwards and one defenseman. Right wing Leanne Martell and defenseman Suzanne Kaye patrolled the point, while Ouellette, Allard, and Annie Surprenant lined up in hopes of retaking the lead for their side and perhaps putting the feisty Martlets

away for good. Allard’s shot, their first o f the man advantage, went high off the glass, and St-Pierre made several more stops, giving no good second chances. “We have to shoot more espe cially against Kim, because we know she’s good and we’re waiting to get the best shot,” Allard said. “Sometimes it’s the bad shot that goes in.” Stinger head coach Les Lawton was disappointed in his side’s approach to the game. Allard men tioned that some Stinger players were playing with less emotion since the team had clinched first place in the conference “We had some quality chances, we just couldn’t put the puck in the net, and Kim is K im ... you let her see the puck and she’s going to stop it,” Lawton said. “We certainly did n’t create enough traffic in front of her, and hopefully there’s another time we’ll play them and things will go better for us.” Allard didn’t seem to mind though. “We know we’re going to the Nationals, that game didn’t matter, and it’s hard to get people excited and everything... some think it will be easy [to beat McGill],” Allard said. Concordia outshot McGill 2720 in the game; the tie extended the Martlets’ winless streak against Concordia to 48 games (0-46-2), dating back to 1985. “It’s not going to be this year that they beat us, I’m telling you, no way,” concluded Allard.

24 Sports

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

The Punch that powers the Martlet offense M a illo u x , L o m a s , A c h e s o n , p r o v id e Jonathan Colford

watching them, I learn a lot from them. Every practice they’re on their game, they’re getting excited to play, they love it and it’s great to watch them.”

On a team which wins its games primarily on the strength of its goaltending, you may expect the role o f the top scoring line to be diminished. Yet having never had more than a handful o f offensive threats in the past three years, the top line is criti cal to the success o f the McGill Martlets. The line o f Sarah Lomas, Paula Mailloux, and Sophie Acheson play the role o f top line on this year’s Mardets. Not a team that scores in droves, McGill relies on gritty and physical play. Left-winger Mailloux (29 GP, 18-16-34) currently sits second on the Martlets in scoring, behind Lomas (29 GP, 13-22-35) Acheson is in third (29 GP, 18-13-31). Mailloux is currently on a four-game scoring streak in which she has tal lied 10 points (6 goals). Concordia Stingers head coach Les Lawton said the Martlets are noticeably less threatening offensively when the trio is off the ice. “They have a very good work ethic offensively and obviously to be successful against McGill you have to stop them from scoring because their offense really drops dramatical ly after those three,” he said. “They Martlets head coach Peter are the key to them offensively, just Smith, who has tinkered with line as St Pierre’s the key defensively.” Lawton called Acheson the combinations all season, put the line “gamebreaker” on the Une, which he together at the beginning o f the sea has seen make “some huge strides son and is full o f praises over how offensively in the last three years they have performed. “Sarah Lomas is the playmaker, when I look at them.” “The other two seem to work she’s the one who’s going to carry the weU around the net, all three work puck into the zone and get the shot down low together and make the on net, and Paula’s going to be the most o f their opportunities,” he one charging the net for the said. The line scored the Martlets’ rebounds and poke them in,” he tying goal on Saturday against said. “Paula is very very strong, all three are strong competitors... if Concordia. They are leaders in the dressing there’s, a puck loose around that goalmouth there’s no other player I’d room as well. rather have going at it than our “They’re great in practice, they’re always encouraging the rest number nine [Mailloux], for sure.” “Sarah Lomas has good vision o f us, and they’re talented players,” said rookie forward Courtney and good hands, Sophie’s going to Douglass. “Myself personally I like get open for a shot and Paula’s going

pace an d

p a tie n c e to

to come hard to the net, and that’s the combination that I like, I think that’s what makes the line very suc cessful.” Smith has had an impact on

them as well. “It’s really cheesy to say but he’s like our second dad,” Mailloux said. “You don’t want to disappoint Peter, even outside hockey... you never want him to see your bad marks in school, to hear bad things about » you.

Start in hockey All three players have benefited from their parents’ support in pursu ing hockey as a sport. Acheson was always involved in sports, taking up hockey when a friend encouraged her to do it. “My parents were really open about it, they knew I was always into sports, and now they come to all of my games,” she said. Mailloux began playing ringuette and only switched over to

y o u n g

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hockey in grade 11 after persistent nagging by her brothers, one of whom played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. “My two older brothers used to

say ‘Paula you should get your act together, why are you playing ringuette, why don’t you switch over to hockey, there’s more o f a future.’ I used to always play on the outdoor rink in the backyard with my two older brothers. They eventually switched me over,” she said. “My parents loved it, they thought it was great. I’m from a northern Ontario hockey town and lots of girls I knew played hockey.” Her hometown, Capreol, is 40 min utes north o f Sudbury, Ontario. Lomas had to persuade her par ents to let her play; her fifth grade teacher signed her up for her first league at age 10. She grew from one o f the last players to be put on the ice to top line forward. “She sucked, she had so much

potential and she just grew to that, and now look at her on the McGill Martlets,” Mailloux said. “She tells me stories o f back in the day when people didn’t even want to put her on the ice... cause she sucked that bad and now look at what she’s become.” “But that was a long time ago, I was like, ten,” Lomas said. Lomas parents are major supporters o f Martlet hockey; they regularly travel from Toronto to see her play. Lomas, in U3 Kinesiology, came to McGill for both the aca demic reputation o f the school and the opportunity to have a major role in building the Martlet hockey pro gram, which in three years has gone from perennial doormat to legiti mate national championship con tender. “At that point there were good things about building this team and hockey was something I wanted to do while at university,” she said. “It gave me an opportunity to play right away, to step into the lineup and get some decent playing time.” Acheson, in U3 Economics and Political Science, had always planned to attend McGill for the school’s academic strengths. She also has a family connection to McGill: her father, Dr. Nicholas Acheson, is a professor in the department of Microbiology and Immunology at the university. Mailloux chose McGill for the same reasons as Lomas. In U3 Physical Education, she wants to teach after graduation and McGill afforded her the opportunity to go to teachers’ college while pursuing the degree. Lomas is looking forward to the national championships, in which McGill has played for the last two years. Last year the Martlets won the silver medal and Lomas thinks they can do better this year. “Especially after we lost in the final last year, we appreciate we were that close and we’re a much better team this year.”

Redmen volleyball almost pull upset D e s p ite g r e a t e ffo r t te a m Will Renner This past Saturday, the McGill men’s volleyball team nearly pulled o ff what would easily have been their biggest win o f the year. In three prior contests, the Redmen hadn’t beaten the University o f Laval Rouge et Or. Even in the warmups, the size and skill difference between second ranked Laval and sub .500 McGill

lo s e s 3 - 2

was apparent. Surprisingly, McGill dominat ed the first set, thanks in part to the play o f middle Mugabe Walker. Walker was a crucial part o f a virtu al wall o f Redmen at the net. Numerous attack-hits by the Rouge et Or were immediately denied. In addition, the penetrating jump serve o f power Chris Garrat gave the Redmen the initial advan tage to win a handful o f points. The Rouge et Or put together a nice run

p o w e rh o u s e

near the end o f the set, but a service error erased any chance they had at 17-21. The Redmen went on to win the first set, 25-20. The key moment o f the second set came with McGill leading 2221. The line judge called a close Laval shot out which would have given McGill a 23-21 advantage. Shortly thereafter, the head referee overruled the initial call that knot ted the set at 22. The momentum clearly went to Laval and the Rouge

Laval squad et Or went on to win the set 25-23. The Redmen dropped the next set 25-21, but came back to win the fourth 25-22 thanks to some gritty play from their bench. The last set was every bit as closely contested as the prior three but Laval proved too powerful as they won 15-9 and 3-2 in sets. “Today we just tried to come out and have some fun,” comment ed head coach José Rebelo. “In the past, we played tight against Laval,

and it’s usually three to zero.” The team won’t know if they’re in the playoffs for at least another week, but a win against Laval sure ly would have made the picture clearer. In the meantime, the Redmen will be vying with Montreal and Sherbrooke for the final two spots.

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Sports 25

The rookie who runs the show B a s k e tb a ll s e n s a tio n

M a u d e

V a lliè r e s

s p e a k s s o ftly

b u t p la y s h a r d

David Schipper In a mere few months, first year guard Maude Vallières has made an indelible impression and consistent contribution to the McGill Martlets basketball team. Vallières is in the top ten in scoring in the country, averaging a formidable 17 points per game. She is steady from the free throw line. She’s also working on her allaround game, improving defensive ly all season long. Hailing from Fleurimont, Quebec, a small town just outside Sherbrooke, Vallières began playing basketball in Grade 4, and played for her high school team at Collège Sacre Coeur, a private girl’s school with an outstanding reputation for sports. She played soccer there until Grade 9, when she chose to focus solely on basketball. She is majoring in occupation al therapy at McGill, and it is a tes tament to her high skill level that she is able to balance her heavy aca demic load with her life on the bas ketball court. “I know that I chose the right program,” Vallières offered. “My good marks are my motivation to continue. When I finish in two years, I will have a job.” Vallières was the leading scorer in the competitive CEGEP league while at the Collège de Sherbrooke. Her team finished third in the championships in her first year on the team. She credits her coach, Gilles Gaudette, with much o f her success. “He knew how to talk to us. He made us want to play. We had respect for him,” Vallières fondly recalled. “I remember the good

practices. He made us run hard and build our cardio.” V a lliè r e s tells a story about a game against an unde feated team f r o m M ontm orency. Her team won by 10 or 12 points, not because they were necessarily better, but because they were confident and ready to play. There is a subtle analogy here about the s i m i l a r approach that the Martlets take against fearsome foes. W h i l e Vallières’ abili ties on the court have been a pleasant surprise to Marlet fans, Head Coach Lisen Moore is not surprised. “We knew the player that we were getting. She had good cre dentials and is doing the exact same thing now as she did then,” Moore declared. “Her personality is tremendous- her esprit,’ her inter actions with teammates. She brings a certain excitement to our game,

she has a good nature, and mental toughness.” Vallières is extremely happy that she has been able to both con tribute to the team both on and off the court. “I really like the team. There is a lot o f energy here and I enjoy

that,” Vallières enthused. “I like the other girls. They are easy to play with and talk to if there’s ever any prob lems. They were really nice to me from the start. I felt accepted.” Moore gives Vallières a bal anced report card thus far this season and is not surprised at the im p r o v e m e n t that she has shown. “She has her ups and downs. We would like her to play better defense, but she gives us instant offense, which allows others to excel,” Moore offered. “She is developing her work ethic, and one o f the best things about Maude is that she is extremely coachable. You will see an expansion o f her game in the year to come.” Like Cheeka Mitchell, who was in her rookie season last year, Vallières has found herself in a posi tion to provide leadership with her blazing performances on the court. “I talk more during the games

now,” Vallières said. “I still prefer to let Cynthia [Santamaria] speak, though. She has more experience and is the heart o f our team. She is ‘frippante’- exciting and leads by example.” Vallières is enjoying the fact that the team seems to be improv ing with each game, partly because they’re feeling more comfortable playing together. “Cheeka knows that I like to penetrate too. It makes me feel good to have her on the other wing. It is twice as hard for our opponents that way,” commented Vallières. The fourth year captain Cynthia Santamaria, was pleased to welcome Vallières into the fold. “I knew about her, that she was the leading scorer in the CEGEP league. I was really comfortable with her from the beginning,” Santamaria declared. “Maude is nice, down to earth, with no superi ority complex. She is competitive. It’s nice to have her around.” Santamaria also echoes Moore’s comments about Vallières improvent on the defensive portion of her game. “She has improved her back court game. She is getting better at anticipating passes, stealing balls, trapping it through double team ing. She knows her basketball.” Maude Vallières’ drive and determination has spurred the young Martlets team to some mid season success, and her effort con tinues to attract worthy acclama tion,

Embarassing weekend for Redmen cagers B a s k e tb a ll t e a m Neil Schnurbach The McGill Redmen had high expectations heading to Kingston, Ontario this weekend. The basketball squad was set to play the Royal Military College Paladins and the Queen’s Golden Gaels. They had trounced RM C by 30 points earlier in the year and were expected to do the same this time. But in order to win, you must first put balls in the basket. McGill shot a woeful 26 per cent from the field including a remarkably bad 1 for 19 from three point range in their 63-44 loss to the Paladins on Friday evening. The team was especially bad in the second half. After leading 3023 at the half, the Redmen only

lo s e s t o

u n d e r ta le n te d

managed to score 14 points in the second frame. “We didn’t execute and we did n’t focus,” explained Redmen head coach Nevio Marzinotto. “The first half was a struggle, but the second half was a total breakdown o f every thing.” Star sophomore guard/forward Frederic Bernard was a microcosm o f the team’s pitiful effort. Bernard fumbled three easy lay-ups from directly under the basket in the game. Bernard was not alone in his poor play. Domenico Marcario, the Canadian Interuniversity Athletics Union’s fourth leading scorer aver aging 21 points per game, managed only nine points for the losing side. While the Redmen clearly did not play well against RM C, they

R M C , th e n

cannot be solely to blame for their lacklustre play. They were playing in a dimly lit and poorly equipped gym that was not conducive to playing bas ketball. “That’s a cavernous gym that they’ve got there,” said Marzinotto. “It’s really tough to play in an atmosphere like that. There was music playing in the background while the team was trying to play. It was not fun.”

Team bounces back A lot o f credit should be given to the Redmen for recuperating from their worst loss by picking up a great win against Queen’s on Saturday. A day after having only one

b e a ts

Q u e e n 's

player score in double digits, McGill had a remarkable six players o f that feat against the Golden Gaels. The Reid Boys— Denburk and Kirk— led the way for the vic torious Redmen. Denburk Reid had 18 points and six assists, while Kirk Reid had 14 points, seven rebounds, three assists and four steals. Others scoring in double digits were Brady Murphy who chipped in with fourteen points, Pat Kieran and Domenico Marcario who had twelve apiece and Frederic Bernard who had 10. The news was not all good for Bernard who severely sprained his ankle in the contest. He is a doubt ful starter for this weekend’s home games against Ottawa and

Carleton. The team regained its shooting form by hitting 52 per cent o f their shots including 41 per cent from the three point line. Coach Marzinotto was much more pleased with his team’s effort this time around. “We played hard and shot well this game,” remarked Marzinotto. “We executed well and forced many turnovers. It would have been a really long bus ride home from Kingston if we did not win this game.” Incredibly, the Redmen did not drop out o f first place this weekend. Concordia also lost to RM C on the weekend while beat ing Queen’s. Both teams have iden tical 10-5 records with five games left in the season.

26 Sports

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Playing with your head C o n c u s s io n s

pose a

Natasha Jategaonkar For many ath letes, the possibility o f injury is simply part o f the game. Sometimes it seems that athletes are putting themselves at undue levels o f risk for serious injury, especially in sports played without much pro tective gear. Particularly harmful is a blow to the head, since the effects are not obvious and are not seen right away. Dr. Karen Johnston, an assis tant professor with the Department o f Neurology & Neurosurgery and a doctor at M cGill Sports Medicine, explains that head injuries can range from mild to severe. Among the most common head injuries is a concussion, which Johnston describes as “a forced movement o f the brain inside the skull.” Many nerves that mediate communication between the brain and all the other areas o f the body. A blow to the head can cause the brain to bounce against the inside o f the skull. Such a force can cause tearing o f nerves and blood vessels

s e r io u s

r is k f o r a t h le t e s

in the brain. “One o f the most severe forms o f concussion,” said Johnston, “is when the brain undergoes a rota tion and twists on its axis.” “[After sustaining a concus sion once] an athlete will become more vulnerable. It’s more likely that he’ll get a second concussion from a less severe hit, but the symp toms will be greater,” Johnston commented. Gino Lalli is a former McGill soccer player who knows the conse quences o f multiple head injuries all too well. Lalli opted to quit the sport when he suffered his fourth concussion. “The way I play soccer,” Lalli explained, “makes me prone to injury. I go in hard, and heading the ball is an integral part o f my gam e...I still play other sports, just not competitively.” Unlike football or hockey, soc cer players do not wear any gear to protect their heads. “There’s talk about getting players to wear the old style football helmets, like leather caps, at least for little kids,” said Lalli. “But I can’t really see anybody wearing them.”

Johnston says that helmets would only protect the head in cer tain instances. “If you get a direct blow to the head, then a helmet is protective. But let’s say there’s a different kind of blow, and your chin gets hit. Your head would get flexed back in a very dif ferent kind o f motion. A helmet would be no good. “Recently, there’s been a move towards more protective gear,” she added. “I’m not sure how much difference it will make.” But why not just play soccer without heading the ball? Lalli is quick to point out that none o f the concussions he sus tained resulted from direct contact between his head and the ball. “One o f my concussions I got once when I fell and my head hit the field...Another one was when I jumped up at the same time that a player from the other time did, and I guess it was badly timed, because he ‘headed’ my head. But none of my four concussions were from actually heading the ball.”

The McGill Martlets volley ball team’s prospects for making the playoffs are looking much dimmer after this weekend. The team lost to Sherbrooke 3-1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-14, 26-24) and then followed that with anoth er heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Laval (24-26, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 1614). Elizabeth Jamieson was a star for the Martlets in their losing effort to the Vert-et-Or o f Sherbrooke. She managed to tally an impressive 14 kills. MarieAndrée Lessard was another stal wart for the losing squad. She led the team with three stuff blocks and two aces. Baharreh Yavolleh added 15 digs. Jamieson, Lessard and Yavolleh excelled once again against the Rouge-et-Or o f Laval. In the later game, Lessard tallied ten kills, two aces, and a 2.61 pass ing ratio (out o f three). Jamieson had 16 kills, two aces, 16 digs and a 2.79 passing ratio. Yavollahy was the master o f the dig once again with 27. Shauna Forster was another standout in a losing cause. She had 51 assists, eight digs and four stuff blocks. McGill is now in a dog fight with l’Université de Montréal for

the third and final playoff spot. McGill now sits in fourth place with a 3-7 record in league play. Laval is 7-4, Sherbrooke is 6-4 and U o f M is 4-5.

Track women finish first, men finish second At the Laval invitational on Saturday, the Mardet track and field team finished first o f four while the men finished second o f four. Leading the way for the women’s team was third year psy chology student Sarah Millar. She captured gold in the 600m and the 4x400m relay. She also got a silver in the 60m hurdles. There were ten events won by McGill students: Sarah Ali-Khan (1000m ), Zane Odeh (1500m ), Dawn Creighton (triple jump), Erin Choy (long jump), Ria Bradshaw (60m ), Christine Lagarde (60m hurdles), Lara Peters (weight throw), and the 4x200m and 4x400m relays. The men’s team was led by Yohsuke Hayashi who won the 1500m and contributed to the win for the 4x800m relay. All told the men won seven events including: Daniel Cohen (600m), Ben

ports this, but Johnston suggests that decreasing the incidence of concussion could be much simpler. “It’s important for players to just play within the rules. Most of the times that you see an injury, it’s been caused by something that a player gets a penalty for.” Speaking about his own injuries, Lalli implied that they couldn’t really have been prevented. “It’s mostly just fluke and bad luck,” he said. When asked to give

advice to other players of the sport, he said simply, “Just be aware when you go up; be aware what’s around you.” Johnston also suggests that players should be alert for symp toms o f concussion once a blow to the head has occurred. “I’d say the most important thing is to educate coaches and ath letes to recognize the injury when it happens. You don’t have to be knocked out to have a concus sion. ..you might just be dazed. You might have a memory lapse where you don’t remember the score or which team you’re playing against.” Lalli experienced symptoms such as these. “I had to take time off school,” he remembered, “a few weeks, because I couldn’t concentrate. I had to read something five or six times before I could understand it.” Other problems he experienced light sensitivity and fatigue. “It’s like your brain is bruised,” he said. Still, when asked if he has any regrets from his athletic career, Lalli says no, remarking matter-of-factly. “I played hard. It’s the only way I know how.”

Scoreboard

Sports Briefs Women's volleyball doubtful for playoffs

Whether or not heading the ball in soccer actually contributes to concussion is a controversial issue. There is some evidence that sup

Brisbois (1000m), Timothy Woo (long jump), and the 4x200m and 4x400m relays. The team travels to Boston this weekend for the St. Valentine’s Invitational.

McGill-Adidas Athletes of the Week Paula Mailloux and Yohsuke Hayashi have been named the McGill-Adidas athlètes o f the week. Mailloux, a third year physical education student from Capreole, Ontario won the honour for the second week in a row. The 21-year old is second on the Marlets hockey team with 34 points in 29 games. This week she scored three goals in a crucial 6-4 victory over U Q TR. She also assisted on the game tying goal in a 2-2 draw against Concordia. Hayashi, a third year Computer Engineering from Brossard, Quebec was the star male athlete for the track and field team at the Laval Invitational. He ran the anchor leg for the winning 4x800m relay team and added an individual victory in the 1500m. Hayashi is a small fellow standing 5’7 and weighing 142 pounds but he runs like the Dickens.

M en's hockey McGill 5 RM C 1 McGill 3 Queen’s 2

W om en's hockey McGill 4 U Q T R 2 McGill 2 Concordia 2

M en's basketball RM C 63 McGill 44 McGill 87 Queen’s 74

W om en's volleyball Sherbrooke 3 McGill 1 (18-25, 26-24, 25-14, 26-24) Laval 3 McGill 2 (24-26, 22-25, 25-20, 25-20, 16-14)

M en's volleyball Sherbrooke 3 McGill 1 (24-26, 25-21, 25-12, 25-21) Laval 3 McGill 2 (20-25, 25-23, 25-21, 22-25, 15-9)

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C a ll J a m e s o r m a y b e J e r e m y ... b u t f o r h e a v e n ’s s a k e , le a v e N eil a lo n e . H e ’s h a d e n o u g h . 3 9 8 -6 7 8 9

The McGill Tribune, Tuesday, 6 February 2001

Sports 27

Women's ski team dominates the slopes Mark Kerr Picture it: five skiers, all pos sessing similar talent. Each weekend the women are pitted against one another in an attempt to capture first place. With a little manipula tion, Vince McMahon could have his next sports-media enterprise, complete with the backstabbing and equipment sabotage that would drive ratings through the roof. While, the requisites for hostile competition may exist on the women’s ski team at McGill, it is simply not a reality, and it is easy to see why after talking with the excitable team. “We definitely have a lot of fun,” said second year student Briane Law, concerning the team’s success. Law’s sentiment was echoed by teammates Kveta Safarik, Lesley White, and Margaret DeBruyn. The team, rounded out by Lisa Marie Acton, occupied first place heading into the past weekend’s meet at Mt. Original. For the team to achieve such a high level o f suc cess, however, more than just cama raderie has been necessary. “I think that this is the first year in a while where we have had a lot o f competition in the individual teams,” Law added. “So we are there to really push each other.

Everybody definitely works a lot harder because we push each other every race.” Skiing as a team sport may appear to be antithetical. For the Martlets, however, the idea is not a foreign one. With a strong individ ual effort every race, the team aspect takes care o f itself as they say in sports. “It’s a team sport in the sense that each individual’s scores count towards the team and that’s how we end up in first place,” said Law. “It’s

a matter o f everybody finishing and everybody has to do well every weekend. As good as it is to have one individual [performing] well, it has to be everyone in order to do well for the team points.” Asked which one was the best skier, the Martlets wavered. Their judicious stance, however, is sup ported by the season’s results. Two weekends ago, for example, Law finished first place on the Saturday o f the meet only to be delegated to third place the following day.

White and Action finished first and second respectively, demonstrating the depth o f the team. “Not one person has dominat ed,” said Kveta Safarik. “A different person has won almost every race.” “I think that pretty much any one could come up from the back at any time,” added Marguerite Debruyn. Lesley White concurred with her teammates, adding that while all o f the women are competitive, there are perhaps a few that stand

out because of their consis tency. T e a m depth will be the key for remaining on top the rest of the season. Law believes that the goal is an achievable one for the women’s ski team. As well as pursuing first place overall, the Martlet’s ski team eyes a loftier goal. “To get a top five sweep,” said Safarik as an additional objective for the rest of the meets. “We haven’t done that » yet. It can be guaranteed that the women will be moving toward these goals, not only as individuals but also as teammates. This might be disappointing for fans enticed by nasty feuds, but great for those gun ning for a successful team.

How do they get these names? folks in Columbus just invented a the Western Hockey League out of millions o f dollars and still not win word for their hockey team. I now | Brandon, Manitoba. Surprisingly baseball games. It’s a good trick but can see they just randomly opened j[ enough, this word was not in the for some reason the people o f Los dictionary. So to make more sense Angeles do not like it. a dictionary page and chose a nick Martlet (n .)- An imaginary name. Is an enlisted naval cadet o f it I will combine the definitions supposed to elicit a strong feeling o f Wheat and King. -T h e male footless bird borne as a charge. All towards a hockey team? I guess we ruler o f a state who specializes in o f the McGill athletes I have seen I Canadians do not know about making a cereal grass having spikes have feet. Not only that, they clear containing grains used in making ly are not imaginary. I’ve seen them j that. G am ecock(n.)- As in the flour, cereals. Only in the Prairies with my own eyes. sports is beyond me though. Redmen(n pi.)— An outdated can they get away with having University o f South Carolina Moving right along... Gamecocks. A specially bred roos Wheat in their nickname, but I and derogatory term for a Native Thrasher (n.)— As in the ter trained for cockfighting. I fig suppose they truly are “The Kings American or Aboriginal person. Atlanta Thrashers - a thrushlike ured it would be something like o f Wheat.” Well that definition just about says -'•«*» American songbird. Wow... that is that. I guess that the athletes from it all. Met (adj.)— Short for intimidating for a hockey team. A South Carolina are specially bred j Metropolitan- any large or impor There you have it. I hope that songbird eh? tant city. New Yorkers just can’t get your life is as fulfilled now as mine roosters. I wouldn’t be so flattered. Knick (n .) Short for Jazz(n.)- A kind o f syncopat enough o f themselves. Yes. Your is. And I have only one thing to Knickerbocker. Loose breeches ed, highly rhythmic music origi city is large and important. Way to say. G O W HEAT KINGS!! gathered just below the knee. Huh? nated in the late 19th Century. OK g°Who came up with that? Although smartypants.... We all knew what Dodger (n.)— A trick used in after reading the dictionary I am jazz was, I’m not as stupid as you evading or cheating. Another flat confident that Patrick Ewing uses think. The real issue I have here is tering nickname. The Dodgers both Gaiters and Knicks. that they may have Mormons and trick is how to spend hundreds o f E xp o(n.)Short for lakes in Utah, but they certainly do Exposition. A large public exhibi not have jazz. The Utah polyga tion or show. I think that the mists may have been a more snazzy S S M U O p e n M e e tin g Montreal baseball team should nickname. After further research, I change its name. Firstly, they do discovered that the Utah Jazz relo ( t h e o n ly o n e o f t h e s e m e s te r ) not put on much o f a show. cated from their original home in T ïie * d < f^ F e b r u a r y 1 3 Secondly, I don’t know if 5,000 New Orleans, the Jazz capital of bored spectators counts as a large the world. That makes more sense 5 -7 P M exhibition. I guess. Bluejacket(n.)— As in the C e r t s P u b Wheat King (n .)- As in the Columbus Bluejackets. -An enlist Brandon Wheat Kings. For those S h a tn e r B u ild in g , M a in F lo o r ed person in the navy. At first I was o f you not familiar with Canadian pretty confident that the good Junior hockey, this team plays in

Out of Left Field N e il S c h n u r b a c h Recently, I was watching a basketball game between the Bishop’s Gaiters and the McGill Redmen and I found myself think ing... What is a Gaiter and what is a Redman? I had similar queries when I watched the Atlanta Thrashers play the Columbus Blue Jackets in an N H L game. Thrasher? Bluejacket? (Even presently, my spell check does not know what these words mean.) In an attempt to make my life and yours a little bit more com plete, I have gone on a comprehen sive search to find out the mean ings o f certain sports names. (O K I just looked in the Webster’s New World dictionary... Sue me!) So the following is a list o f def initions o f some o f the team nick names I find most interesting: Gaiter(n.) - A cloth or leather covering for the instep, ankle and lower leg. OK, I understand the meaning. How this pertains to

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122-235 Côte Vertu 100-737 Côte Vertu

(514) 745-5078 (514) 748-8702

740 Côte Vertu, mezzanine 3 1530 Côte Vertu 1530 Côte Vertu 3131 Côte Vertu (J-11) 225-3333 Côte Vertu 200-605 Décarie Blvd 2167 St Louis 225-3333 Côte Vertu 305-960 Ste.Croix Blvd

(514) 744-4418 (514) 336-6464 (514) 336-6464 (514) 332-5012 (514) 745-7202 (514) 855-9669 (514) 855-0855 (514) 745-7202 (514) 744-1027

St-Michel Dr. PM. Srrith

3276 Jean Talon E

(514) 722-6696

Villeray Dr. Charles Malka Dr. Vien Le Dr. Thi -htiu-Mai Do Dr. Bias Georgette Dr. Christian Morency Dr. Kristopher Krimi Dr. Zina B-Guizaw i

8344 Saint Denis 207-8415 Saint Denis 1997 Jean Talon E 208-2348 Jean Talon E 7087 Chateaubriand 7087 Giateaubriand 208-2348 Jean Talon E

(514) 383-4867 (514) 384-9240 (514) 722-2136 (514) 722-6575 (514) 276-8884 (514) 276-8884 (514) 722-6575

W estm ount Dr. William J. Lambert Dr. Ew a Babarow ski Dr. A.L. Garellek Dr. Michael E Gardner Dr. Chantal Aubry

4484 Sherbrooke W. 370-4150 Ste. Catherine W. 370-4150 Ste, Catherine W. 350-4150 Ste. Catherine W. 4215 Ste. Catherine W,

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8 4 4 -4 4 2 3

202-5655 Park Ave 202-5655 Park Ave 202-5655 Park Ave 1374 Mont Royal E 5427 Park Ave

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