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Scantily clad mayhem: Cabaret steams up Moyse
New fee: it’s complicated O verhead Recovery Fee affects self-funding units THEO MEYER News Editor
In an effort to close a multimillion-dollar shortfall in the university’s budget, the McGill administration has introduced a small charge on all revenues received by the university’s self-funding units. These units, which include Students Ser vices, Athletics, Food & Dining Services, and the residence system, operate semi-autonomously from the rest of the university, at least in a financial sense. Student Services, for ex ample, receives funding from a combination of student fees, sales to students, and other smaller sources. The new charge, known as the Overhead Recovery Fee, redirects 1.5 per cent of reve nues generated by these units to McGill’s cen tral administration. Every time students buy beer at Redmen hockey games, for instance, or condoms at the Shag Shop, 1.5 per cent of the profits from those purchases are funnelled toward the McGill administration. According to Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Morton Mendelson, the income generated by the new fee goes toward For the full review and a list of upcoming shows, see page 14.
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ADAM SCOTTI
See CHARGE on page 2
AUS, Caribbean Students’ Society respond to Haiti earthquake M cG ill w ill observe m om ent o f silence today a t 4:53 p.m . STEVEN HOFFER News Editor
In response to the massive earthquake that struck Haiti last week, McGill student organi zations and the greater Montreal community are rapidly organizing to raise money and con tribute to relief efforts. With over 100,000 Hai. tians currently living in Montreal, the disaster
faculties of education, law, and science, the student response has been admirable. “The feedback has been incredible ... We have about 40 to 50 people who have just said ‘what can I do, how can I help?”’ Gould said. “It’s amazing to see how quickly people can come together in a time of crisis. It is un fortunate that we require a crisis to come to gether.” As of yesterday, the AUS had already raised $4,331.10 in its attempt to reach $6,000 by January 25—approximately one dollar per
AUS student. Because the money will be con tributed through Oxfam Quebec, an organiza tion on the Haiti Earthquake Relief Fund list, the Canadian government will match every dollar donated with an equal contribution of its own. Among the groups mobilized in con junction with the AUS is McGill’s Caribbean Students’ Society. Despite McGill’s relatively small Haitian community compared to other Montreal universities, the CSS has been ex-
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has mobilized the city’s student community. On Wednesday evening, the Arts Under graduate Society executive sent an email to its members, outlining its Haiti fundraising strategy. For the next week, the AUS will be visiting classrooms to collect contributions, and will solicit donations in the AUS lounge. On January 21, the AUS will also host a Bar des Arts event in the AUS lounge, with all pro ceeds going toward the Haitian relief effort. AUS President Karina Gould said that be tween student interest and the support of the
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2*19 January 2010
NEWS
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CAMPUS
Society of Automotive Engineers set to debut cars at auto show Little-know n M cG ill team designs its own racecars MORGAN ABRAHAM Contributor
It was a sunny September day as stu dents from the McGill Society of Automotive Engineers team brought their racing vehicles to OAP. These students represented four of McGill’s design teams that produced four types of vehicles: the electric snowmobile, the performance racing vehicle, the hybrid car, and the Baja All-Terrain Vehicle. One of these Students, Will Kerley, a U3 mechanical engineering student on the racing design team recalled a girl gasping in surprise. “McGill builds cars. What?” Although many students are unfamiliar with these teams, McGill’s SAE teams have performed exceptionally in SAE contests across the globe. Each team, representing vari ous top engineering universities, are studentrun groups that design innovative prototype vehicles, such as those that race down speed ways at up to 100 kilometres an hour, or en dure long distances on a limited fuel supply. The McGill SAE teams, which consist of over 60 students, began their most recent tri umph this weekend when all four teams were invited to present their vehicles at the Mon treal International Auto Show taking place from January 15 to January 24 at Palais des Congrès. McGill’s teams have seen an upward swing over the past five years as they continue to improve in competitions. The hybrid rac ing team earned first place in 2007 and 2008, while the electric snowmobile team trans formed an existing gas-powered snowmobile into an electric-powered snowmobile that has been used at skiing championships at Whistler and in France, and will be presented at this winter’s Olympics. Kerley and Adam Laidlaw, a U2 mechani cal engineering student who participated in the hybrid design team, have spent most of their McGill careers participating on SAE teams and have enjoyed the society’s continuous progress. Both teams have triumphed, manu facturing and designing their vehicles. “It’s the best thing I’m doing here at
PHOTOS. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : SEB HYLANDS, ADAM LAIDLAW AND JEFF TURNER
McGill’s SAE teams are showing at the Montreal Auto Show, taking place at the Palais de Congrès January 15-24th.
McGill. I’d be really put off if it was all just about class,” said Laidlaw. Both Kerley and Laidlaw cited the exer cise of hands-on skills rarely practiced before entering the workforce as one of the most im portant things that they have learned on the SAE teams. They have also had opportunities to work with a wide variety of engineers and meet experts in the auto industry to design ve hicles that race across the world. Teams must design vehicles, raise funds, construct their vehicles, and finally test them. The vehicles alone cost over $20,000 and al though McGill provides significant funding, students must show ingenuity and locate Mon treal companies to sponsor their project. They then must learn how to operate complicated equipment, design parts for their vehicles, and use computer software to analyze the vehicle’s performance. “It’s really nice to see new people coming
in and the cars coming together,” said Kerley. Throughout the design process, teams must test their vehicle’s performance and fix any problems they find. One major disadvan tage McGill faces, however, is the Montreal winter. Since the city’s snow often lasts until April, the design teams only have a limited amount of time to drive their vehicle and test it on the road each Spring. This is especially difficult for the McGill Baja team, which must endure very strenuous conditions such as climbing boulders and dealing with five-foot drops. Kerley and Laidlaw explained that each team faces unique challenges, however. The McGill racing team, which got first place in fuel economy and fourteenth place overall out of over 120 schools Formula SAE East competition in Detroit last year, faced dealing with a broken shaft during the race. Last year, the hybrid car’s engine overheated, causing
the exhaust pipe to melt and drain the battery completely. However, the car lurched on and managed to complete the 22 km race and earn fourth place. All teams are well underway in designing this year’s vehicles. The performance racing team is using last year’s design and modify ing it, hoping to improve its performance by changing the suspension and engine. The hybrid team, working on last year’s model as well, hopes to retake first place at the New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire this May. The Baja team is also far along in their design, having completed their fame. Kerley is confident that McGill’s teams, with their great track record, will do better in future years. “People will come to fear [us] and I feel that day will come,” he said.
Charge will net 1.5 % student fees for administration next year Continued from cover
paying for services provided to the self-fund ing units by the central administration. Units such as Student Services, he argues, make use of the university’s human resources staff, the accounting department, the McGill website, and other assets. The new fee helps to pay for those operations. “There is work that is done for those units, and that is part of the cost of business of those units, but up until now the units haven’t been contributing to that cost,” Mendelson said. Because the administration has exempted students fees—which make up the majority of the revenue of Student Services—from the charge as part of a phasing-in period, the Over
head Recovery Fee is only projected to bring in about $15,000 from Student Services this fiscal year. Student Services, said Jana Luker, the unit’s executive director, hasn’t been nega tively affected by the new fee. “We haven’t reduced any services,” she said. “We’ve been able to hold our own.” According to preliminary budget esti mates, however, the charge will redirect ap proximately $183,000 from Student Services to the administration next year when the ex emption is removed. Rebecca Dooley, the Students’ Society’s vice-president university affairs, said SSMU is currently taking “a cautious line” on the issue. “We want students to understand where
their money’s going,” Dooley said. “And if students think that it’s going directly toward hiring somebody in Mental Health Services, for example, that’s where we want to see it going.” According to Mendelson, however, this misrepresents the way that the university man ages its finances. If Mental Health Services hires a new counsellor, he said, students ex pect their money to go towards paying that counsellor’s salary, benefits, and perhaps the cost of the building she works in. But the cen tral administration must also pay for the cost of hiring the counsellor and issuing her a paycheque each week, which students often fail to realize. “It’s all part of the cost of having the extra
person in the position,” he said. Still, SSMU President Ivan Neilson shares Dooley’s scepticism about the fairness of the Overhead Recovery Fee. “The position of the Students’ Society [is] that these departments are providing fun damental services to the university and to the students and should not be charged, similar to any other department at McGill,” he said. Though there is a possibility that the fee could go up in the future, Luker said that is probably an unlikely scenario. “I can’t imagine that happening,” she said. “It’s not in anybody’s best interest.”
Curiosity Delivers.
19 January 2010 • 3
CAMPUS
CAMPUS
Ghetto Shul helps to raise $1,000 Queer McGill executives resign Continued from cover
tremely active in coordinating relief efforts. “We encourage all McGill students to dig deep and think about the situation that is going on in Haiti, and just to give as much as pos sible,” said CSS president Kyle Dorsett. Dorsett added that the CSS is also work ing with networks such as the National Society of Black Engineers, McGill African Student Society, and the Black Student Network, to develop additional fundraising efforts. “We are really concerned with making a coordinated, organized effort so that none of these organizations step on each others toes,” said CSS Vice-President Shari Haynes, who also noted the CSS’s collaboration with Con cordia. “Concordia has a fantastic set up and the Concordia administration has gotten deeply involved, so we have somebody more official to appeal to and somebody who can make ap peals for Haitian students to corporations and the provincial government.” Both Dorsett and Haynes said that the most effective role for the CSS currently is to act as an advisor and facilitate communication among individuals and organizations interest ed in contributing. In addition to efforts by the AUS and the CSS, the Ghetto Shul, a synagogue run by McGill students, offered its Park Avenue building to host “Hope for Haiti” last Saturday night. The event, which had an open-donation cover charge, raised over $1,000 for the Doc tors Without Borders Haitian relief effort. “We already had a small Saturday night event planned and I was just feeling so heart broken ... and then I realized that we could easily change it into a fundraiser—get some musicians together, get some people buying
beers—and send the money down,” said Leibish Hundert, Ghetto Shul Rabbi. “These are human beings and we care—and that trumps everything.” Also on Wednesday, McGill Principal Heather Munroe-Blum issued a statement of fering the university’s condolences to mem bers of the Haitian community and McGill community who have been affected by the
“These are human beings and we care—and that trumps everything.” —Ghetto Shul Rabbi Leidish Hundert earthquake. The university also announced yesterday that it will participate in a moment of silence to commemorate the victims of the earth quake. The commemoration is scheduled for 4:53 p.m., precisely one week after the earth quake struck, and will be observed by all other universities in the Conference of Rectors and Principals of Quebec Universities. Although no current students, faculty, or staff have been identified among the casual ties, The Globe and Mail has reported the death of McGill alumnus Guillaume Siemienski, an employee of the Canadian International Development Agency. Siemienkski had previ ously worked in Georgia, Russia, Turkey, and Slovakia, and was on assignment in Haiti with the United Nations.
F our o f fiv e vacant p o sitio n s fille d in elections on F riday TORI CRAWFORD News Editor
Four new Queer McGill executives were elected on Friday evening to fill some of the vacancies left by the five executives who re signed from the organization in December and January Queer McGill’s volunteer, policy and eq uity, political action, and publicity co-ordina tors resigned from the group, along with one of the organization’s co-administrators. The executives cited both personal and academic reasons for resigning. “It seems like [the executives who re signed] were doing what was best for them, and they needed to do what they needed to do,” said Parker Villalpando, Queer McGill coadministrator, adding that the resignations did not cause any major setbacks for the group. “It wasn’t really good timing since we had our retreat the first weekend of the se mester, which took a lot of planning. But that was pulled off perfectly, so there weren’t a lot of problems,” he said. “Luckily some of [the
resignations] happened right before finals, so there wasn’t that much going on with the or ganization at that time other than planning for the retreat and preparing for our General As sembly.” At the group’s General Assembly last Fri day, Pamela Fillion was elected as co-administrator, Carol Kwon as publicity co-ordinator, Zach Komblum as volunteer co-ordinator, and Kevin Wyllie as policy and equity co-ordinator. The position of political action co-ordinator remains vacant. Villalpando said he was happy with both the election turnout and results, and is confi dent in the new executives. “I’m definitely happy with how things went. I’m very excited to work with the new execs. They all seem to be very dedicated and excited to be there,” he said. “So I’m excited to work with them and hopefully everything will go smoothly for the rest of the semester. I’m sure everything can go as planned.” In addition, those who attended the Gen eral Assembly voted to provide a $300 hono rarium for all of last semester’s executive members, which represents a $50 increase from last year’s amount.
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SPEAKER O N C A M P U S
Donderi begins four-part lecture on psychology of UFO phenomenon Talk fo r m s p a r t o f annual F reaky F ridays series MATT ESSERT Contributor
Last Friday, the Redpath Museum audito rium was filled with students and faculty mem bers attending the first of a four-part lecture se ries by former McGill professor Don Donderi on the psychology and science behind UFOs and aliens. During his talk, Donderi laid out his basic thoughts on alien encounters, provided scientific insight into numerous examples of documented “close encounters,” and discussed what he intends to convey over the course of the entire lecture series. “First, [I want to show] that UFOs are so technically capable that national security is completely compromised and is dependent on their restraint,” said Donderi. “Second, that [UFOs] embody a technology far beyond our modem scientific knowledge, and third, that they are extraterrestrial vehicles.”
According to Donderi, UFOs are often brushed off as non-science because they are surrounded by a great deal of scepticism and disbelief. Donderi attributes this doubt to Leon Festinger’s Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. “[Festinger’s theory] explains that people tend to deprecate information that contradicts their beliefs. And in the case of UFOs, the ex traterrestrial hypothesis at least contradicts a lot of beliefs,” he said. “As a result, it becomes extremely uncomfortable to acknowledge it. The people most likely to reject it ... are, for the large part, natural scientists, because they don’t understand it.” Donderi’s talks are part of the Freaky Fri days lectures, which solicit McGill scientists to discuss popular misconceptions of science fiction and clarify the factual science behind the myths. After each presentation, there is an audience question-and-answer period fol lowed by a popular film matched to the subject material. Ingrid Birker, the science outreach co ordinator and Freaky Fridays organizer, ex plained that the lecture series has been popular
over the past few years, tackling topics rang ing from werewolves and sea monsters to melting glaciers and extreme weather. Birker said that Bruno Tremblay, a McGill profes sor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences, did a presentation last year on melting glaciers which the audience found so interesting that Tremblay was barely able to get past his first power-point slide without handling 45 minutes of questions. During the question-and-answer period following Donderi’s lecture, it appeared that some of the attendees felt that there were holes in his argument that needed clarification. How ever, Donderi assured his sceptics that these questions would be answered in the remaining three lectures. Natacia Tamburello, a McGill alumna, said she that found the lecture interesting, but is waiting for more information from the fu ture lectures. “All [Donderi] really did was set the stage for later lectures,” said Tamburello. “[Con cerning my belief in UFOs], I’m not on either side of the fence.”
Tristan Brand, another McGill alumnus, was also intrigued by the lecture and thought that Donderi’s approach for conveying his in formation was a good one. “I don’t see this as much about trying to convince us of anything as it is about saying this is how this information is handled,” said Brand. “That to me is more interesting because if I came here to have somebody convince me that a UFO existed, I don’t think I’d be sit ting here watching a presentation about it that would change my mind one way or the other.” The 1956 Invasion of the Body Snatchers followed Donderi’s presentation. Donderi’s re maining three lectures will take place on Janu ary 29, February 12 and February 26, all at 5 p.m. in the Redpath Museum auditorium with free admission. The upcoming topics and their corresponding movies are, respectively, “UFO abductions” followed by Communion, “Close Encounters” followed by Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and “Science, Philosophy and UFOs” followed by Contact.
mcgilltribune.com
4*19 January 2010
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
A conversation with Stuart Cobbett, Board of Governors chairman On January 6, the University’s Board o f Governors, McGill’s highest governing body, announced Montreal-based lawyer Stuart H. (Kip) Cobbett as its new chairman. Cobbett, who succeeds outgoing chair Robert Rabi novich, received his B.A. from McGill in 1969 and B.C.L. in 1972, and has since served the McGill community as both a lecturer in the Faculty o f Law and president o f the McGill Alumni Association, among other responsibili ties. The Tribune spoke with Cobbett about be coming chairman. Can you describe the history of your involvement with McGill and how you’ve come to this accomplishment?
It goes back many years to the late ‘80s. At the time. I was working not as a lawyer but in the film and television business. I was asked to get involved with something called the Board of Visitors for the Faculty of Arts, which is like an advisory body for the Faculty of Arts, and I was chair of that board for a few years. At about the same time I was asked to sit on the editorial advisory board of the McGill News. So that’s kind of what started my for mal relationship with McGill. Way before that I had taught at the law school, from ‘76 to ‘85
... And then I went to England in the mid1990s, and when I was there they asked me to take over the chairmanship of the McGill Alumni Association in the U.K., which I did. When I came back in 2000, they asked me to get involved with the Alumni Association here, and I became president of that and then subsequently ended up going on the Board a few years ago.
they need to have oversight of the universities, we think they already have the tools. It’s much more from the point of view that we just think this legislation is wrong. The students seem to agree with us, and the various faculty and staff associations seem to agree with us, but at the moment we’re all in a wait-and-see mode.
Where does the Board stand on Bills 38 and 44 at this point?
Robert did a lot of things well. One of his main accomplishments was the revamp ing of the board, and reducing the numbers of the board. Seven or eight years ago you would have 50 or 60 people at the Board of Governors meetings, and that’s just too big a group to have any sort of effective discus sion. So when Munroe-Blum became principal and when Rabinovich became chair, they em barked on a review and revision of the board. The result has been that McGill is at the fore front of governance structures certainly among Quebec universities, and I would say possibly even Canadian universities.
We’re not too sure where we stand at the moment. There were hearings before the Na tional Assembly committee back in November and December, but we haven’t heard anything back from that, so we’re just waiting. We hear that they are trying to make amendments but we don’t know that for sure. We just don’t think [the bills are] necessary. The problem is that each of the Quebec universities is indi vidual, so to try to have one overarching piece of legislation that applies to all the universi ties is almost, by definition, impossible. Each university is governed differently. Each uni versity is at a different stage in terms of the development of governance processes, and in terms of giving the government the tools that
What did Rabinovich do well, and what would you change?
Any specific goals you would like to see the Board of Governors achieve looking ahead to your term?
There are a number of things on the radar we are focussing on—diversifying the sources of funding is one. We are very dependent on government and we will always be very depen dent on government, but it will be nice to find other areas of support for the university. We’d also like to focus on students. When the prin cipal several years ago had the Task Force on Student Life and Learning, we are not putting many of those recommendations into effect— for example, the student centre going into the basement of McLennan Library. Sustainability is important as well. There’s a big commit ment to the campus being ecologically and environmentally defensible. ... It’s something to which the board is committed. We’ve had a number of presentations on it from [Asso ciate Vice-Principal University Services] Jim Nicell. There are always things we’re doing and trying to bring in. Any final thoughts?
McGill has done a good job at remain ing focussed on its mission. We are a particu lar university; we are a public university but we are containing our growth. As the princi pal reminds us frequently we are becoming a medium-sized university compared to others, particularly in Canada. We continue to main tain a spectacularly good position in the world; McGill has a great reputation, deservedly so, so what we have to do is make sure we keep it and improve it. We have a wonderful student body, a super faculty and staff; the whole thing is just in good shape. —Compiled by Steven Hoffer
UP TO SPEED World’s most expensive ham leg goes up for sale in London
“Connoisseurs will appreciate the meltin-the-mouth texture of this truly amazing Spanish ham,” Selfridges fresh food Buyer Andrew Cavanna told the BBC. Cavanna was referring to Manuel Maldonado’s meat creation, which is being hailed as the world’s most expensive ham leg. Valued at £1,800, the luxury leg of meat was developed by Maldonado in the Extrema dura region of Western Spain. A pig farmer and ham expert by trade, Maldonado selected 50 pigs that were fed a steady diet of acorns and roots to give the ham its unique taste. Weighing 15 pounds, the ham leg is the result of three years of salting and curing. Because the first taste comes from your eyes, prospective buyers in London—where the ham is being sold—will be enticed by the ham’s hand made wooden box, dressed in an apron designed by a Spanish tailor. “Connoisseurs will appreciate the meltin-the-mouth texture of this truly amazing Spanish ham,” said Cavanna. Placing the ham on the market is perhaps a signal that the international community is fi nally becoming less distressed over the swine flu epidemic. —Source: BBC
19 January 2010 • 5
Curiosity Delivers.
NEWS IN BRIEF L eadership T raining P rogram McGill researcher discovers new species of primitive sea cow
Archaeological remains discovered by Karen Samonds, a McGill researcher, have re cently been identified as a new species dubbed the ancient pygmy sea cow. Samonds, the curator at the Redpath Mu seum and an assistant professor in both the department of anatomy and cell biology and the faculty of dentistry, first discovered the remains at a dig in Madagascar in 2003. She fully recovered its skull two years later. The pygmy sea cow is an ancestor of the modem dugong, a cousin of the manatee indigenous to the coastal areas of the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific. “Not only is it a new species, but it’s the first mammal named from this 80-millionyear gap in [Madagascar’s] fossil records,” Samonds said. The dugong, like the manatee, is a fully aquatic marine mammal descended from ter
restrial ancestors. According to Samonds, the new species may be a missing evolutionary link between land and marine mammals. “Some characteristics look very much like modem sea cows and some look more like primitive ancestral characters,” she said. Samonds reacted to the discovery with “a mixture of complete shock and exhilara tion.” Virtually all the existing fossils of simi lar creatures came from the Northern Hemi sphere, making the discovery an unexpected one. In addition, previous primate mammals found in Madagascar were much smaller than the ancient pygmy sea cow. “When we found this piece of jaw with a big molar sticking out of it, it was about 10 or 20 times bigger than the tooth I thought we might find,” she said. Samonds will be returning to Madagascar this summer on an expedition funded by Na tional Geographic. —Kyla Mande l
E D U C A T IO N
More students take LSATs, GRE Tough jo b m arket leads m ore grads to p rofessional schools MOLLY GOMOLIN Contributor
Reluctant to head straight into the current lacklustre job market, an increasing number of American students are taking the tests required to pursue post graduate degrees. According to the Educational Testing Service, 19 per cent more Americans took the Graduate Record Examination in 2009 than in 2008. And 20 per cent more Americans took the Law School Admissions Test in October 2009 than in the same month a year before. According to Wendy Margolis, the di rector of communications at the Law School Admissions Council, more people took the LSATs in December as well. “We’re definitely up,” she said. “What we think is more people are considering going to graduate school because there are a limited number of jobs available.” The Law School Admissions Council also recorded a five per cent increase in ap plications in 2009 to law schools approved by the American Bar Association compared to the previous year. The downside of this surge in applications to law school and other graduate programs is the increasing competition. “When more people apply, it becomes more competitive to get in,” Margolis said. “The number of seats within law schools does not change much.” McGill’s highly competitive faculty of law appears to be an exception to this trend, however. Claire Hausler, the students affairs coordinator of undergraduate admissions to the faculty, said applications have been declin ing since 2007. According to Hausler, however, the de cline in applications has more to do with the faculty’s increasingly stringent admission re quirements than the poor state of the economy. The faculty, for instance, recently stopped ac
cepting French Baccalaureate students from outside the province. Due to this increased selectively, Hausler said, potential applicants “might look to a different faculty or univer sity.” Mark McNutt, the manager of public rela tions for the ETS, which administers the GRE, described “incredible growth” in the number of test-takers over the past year. Much of the increase, he said, has been driven by the deci sion of many business schools—including five Canadian ones—to accept the GRE in lieu of other graduate examinations. This trend is indicative of the growing desire of business schools around the world to diversify their applicant pools and student bodies, opening the door to more kinds of stu dents. While earning graduate degrees will not necessarily help students find jobs, data from Statistics Canada suggests that workers with graduate degrees are more employable and make significantly more money in their ca reers. “Having a job is very important in any economy—now more than ever,” McNutt said. “As landing that perfect job becomes increas ingly challenging, students need to position themselves for success in the job marketplace. Having that graduate or professional degree, like an MBA, gives them that competitive ad vantage. So it’s not surprising that GRE vol umes continue to grow.”
F a c ilita to r T ra in in g Interested in developing your facilitation and leadership skills in a student-friendly context? We need motivated students who want to be involved in our
Leadership Training Program! Learn key facilitation skills and have the opportunity to lead various workshops throughout the 2010/11 academic year. Successful candidates will take part in a free two-day comprehensive facilitation training weekend. You must be a returning student for the 2010-2011 year as well as available for training on the weekend of Saturday, March 13th and Sunday, March 14th from 10:00 to 16:30. After attending the training session and leading workshops you will receive a facilitation training certificate and a personal letter of attestation. Please pick up an application at the First-Year Office
and submit it in-person with your CV and cover letter to the First-Year Office, Suite 2100, Brown Building. (Macdonald Campus students ONLY - email apps accepted)
Deadline to apply is Friday noon, February 19th. Contact: Joan Butterworth leadership.training@mcgill.ca
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ANNE-CLAIRE CAMPS
Montreal police are recommending that the lookout on the Camillien-Houde parkway on Mount Royal be equipped with barriers so that it can be locked up after II pm.
6 • 19 January 2010
TH A T EV A LU A TIO N YOU R EQ U ESTED
You may recall many professors, in the last days of the fall semester, prostrating them selves before Canada Goose-clad undergradu ates, begging shamelessly for feedback—any feedback—via Minerva-submitted course evaluations. A philosophy professor offered to bring in cookies of indisputable quality should at least 60 per cent of students submit evalu ations. Another professor, a political theorist, devoted half of the semester’s penultimate class to figuring out why we’re so “apathet ic.” Coincidentally, early December was also when I received a batch of emails from Ama zon.com inquiring as to the extent of my satis faction with books I’d recently ordered for the holidays. No cookies were being offered. During all the time she devoted to the issue, the political theory professor never ac knowledged my raised arm, nor my desperate squirms intended to attract her attention. Had I been called on, here’s what I would have said: “I have a few questions of my own, Pro fessor: why is the undergraduate suddenly the measure of all things? By which credentials am I competent to assess how well you, a po litical philosopher, taught this course on politi cal philosophy? Lastly, why is my satisfaction or dissatisfaction the proper metric by which to assess the quality of the education I’ve re ceived? “Instead of trusting me to know a good professor when I see one, the university should rather ask students what their ideal professor would be like, and hire people with absolutely none of those characteristics. That’s the uni versity I want. “This willingness to trust us as judges of professorial competence represents a serious abdication of what is originally the universi ty’s responsibility. If nothing else, it perpetu ates the myth that we are actually full-time students who are invested in the quality of our education. “McGill obviously doesn’t get that the university has nothing to do with what it cur rently means to ‘go to university’ or ‘be in uni versity.’ The institution is almost completely
M Y BE EF W ITH SH W A R T Z ’ S
For 21 years I did the best I could to remain kosher as my parents raised me. The tradition was, and still is, a cornerstone of my dietary identity. But the allure of Montreal’s most renowned non-kosher Hebrew delicates sen—so famous that it appears as a landmark on Google Maps—was too much to resist. And Good Lord, Schwartz’s is delicious. With my first bite into that sandwich, however, I began to think about the implica tions of what we choose to eat. How do people
O p in io n absent from the equation. You, Professor, are utterly negligible.” A quick break in my imaginary mono logue, if you will, to note what Cleve Higgins, apparently an alumnus of QPIRG-McGill, wrote in these pages last week: “Although academics are obviously an essential part of a university education, it’s important to recog nize that you can often learn much more by engaging with issues outside the classroom.” Under the cloak of night this has become the unspoken consensus among students today, even among those unaffiliated with QPIRG or its politics. This is revealed every time some one casually—almost reflexively—complains about the difficulty of his or her current work load. Nobody pretends we’re here to receive the 18th best education in the world. Schoolwork is itself the distraction. Apparently the professors have not yet heard that education is dead. Anyway, back to my political theory class: “Perhaps apathy really is the problem, but it’s a deeper and more fundamental apa thy than anyone yet realizes. The student today faces an existential question: why am I here? Rarely is this question asked explicitly, because the answer is so obvious: McGill ex ists to manufacture McGill alumni. That’s why we’re here. It is to students of this mindset that the university has surrendered the authority to judge what it means to get an education. “You might respond to this by arguing that McGill is not senseless enough to actually use these evaluations in deciding matters of real importance. But you just finished prom ising the class that they are seriously used, particularly regarding tenure decisions. That was precisely your selling point for why we should submit evaluations. Either they aren’t used and you just lied to us, or they are used and your employer gauges how well you do your job by the satisfaction of your students. Which is pathetic. “You asked for a performance evaluation, professor, so here it is: your desperation to know what I think about you diminishes the respect I should have for you as both a teacher and an elder. Now I know that all along you were only catering to my petty whims, my preferences for ironic detachment, and the fre quent employment of multimedia. “I don’t want to be treated as your equal or your customer. I’m your subordinate, and I came here to be treated as such. Stop worrying about my satisfaction, have a little confidence, be an adult.”
define themselves by what they eat? Does it really contribute to their identity at all? Being kosher is certainly not the only dis tinct dietary path. Some choose vegetarianism because every time they look down at a plate of golden roasted duck they picture a golden roasted Donald Duck. Others observe halal restrictions, vegan guidelines, or weight loss programs. Furthermore, being kosher, much like any other dietary code, has a plethora of personal ized approaches and differing levels of obser vance. I’ll spare you the fins and scales, but suffice it to say that, like any tradition passed down through the generations, it has its share of variations. Much like in keeping kosher, theoreti cal questions exist in the ambiguities of other ideologies. Are you not a vegetarian if you eat fish? Should your vegetarianism be quali fied as different because the motivation stems
TH IS M O RTA L COIL
Existential crises are as awkward to talk about as bowel movements. In a milieu that celebrates irony more than sincerity, any at tempt to be philosophical is either going to make me resemble an overeager, emo teenag er, or an indecipherable, pompous intellectual, and I’m not sure which I’ll end up sounding like in this column. And I’m not sure which I’d rather be. My latest existential crisis took place in a movie theatre. Now, the success of any mov ie-going experience requires that you devote your full attention to the screen. But once in a while, my eyes drift from the aural and vi sual show transpiring before me. I notice how ridiculous the neighbour to my left looks with his mouth hanging open like a broken hinge. Soon enough, a small crack appears in the illu sion this film has been trying to create. But worse, sometimes this brief moment of distraction dumps me into an existential pit where I find myself cozying up to the remains of angsty poems. For me, it’s the realization that my neighbour, as silly as he looks holding popcorn between his fingertips like delicate offerings, has a whole interior world to which I don’t have access. I realize I have no idea how his circuit of optic nerves are mapping images on his mind. And I realize he has no awareness of my mind. I feel both lonely and independent and start wondering if they’re the same thing. I have similar existential crises after films that mesmerize me, that make me think—in spired slightly by Liz Lemon—“this movie is the thang.” The way light splashes across the white, nondescript screen. The way the crescendo of music matches the rise and fall of my heartbeat. A story that fulfills fantasies, characters who feel things the way I’ve felt them. In the movie theatre, in the darkness, in the show of light and color, packaged in cel luloid filigree: oneness! But then the film ends. Friends and ac quaintances gather outside the theatre and make necessary visits to the loo. Then, some one who I will either end up despising or ador ing asks, “What did you think?” The words I
from the immoral policies of the meatpacking industry? So you ate some beef poutine once at four in the morning after last call at Bifteck. Should you just throw in the towel on your vegetarianism? All of these questions feed a unique dietary identity. But the lunch line does not stop there. While vegetarians and the religiously motivat ed may reflect historical or political influence in their eating habits, anyone who eats sushi four times a week or can’t resist traditional Pakistani cuisine is representing themselves just as much by what they choose to eat. Every time you sit down for a meal or grab a bite on the run you are refining a dietary identity. Critics have played the sceptical God card on my religious dietary identity, but in my ex perience it’s difficult to end an argument that way. They say you’re not being adventurous— not living—but I ate a turkey testicle once so don’t tell me I’m not living, alright?
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offer in reply are flat compared to what I have just experienced, but I mean them, and I insist that I mean them, and to ensure that there has been no confusion, I bust out that prefacing wonder, “I know it’s a cliché but...” My friend looks perplexed. He’s unable to comprehend what could have drawn such a passionate response out of my usual placidity. A familiar throb of despair brings me down. Distance emerges between me and this person who I had felt close to before the film began. I can tell he has already forgotten what it was like to sit in that theatre, the way people forget what it’s like to sit on a toilet. And when this happens, I become aware
M aybe w e’d m anage our existential crises better if our discussions o f philosophy h a d n ’t been chucked from our daily lives and left to go stale in the H um anities departm ents o f universities
of an existential tragedy: my inability to proj ect onto someone else experiences that have wound themselves into the ‘essence’ of me. With that also comes the thrill of privacy and secrecy, the seductive idea that I am not en tirely discoverable, and that no one will ever know the beauty I have known. So lately, I’ve been thinking about how unknowable I am to myself and how unknowable others are to me, and yet, despite this, the confusing fact that I’m still chasing desperately after understand ing and intimacy. This type of philosophical meander ing only puts you on a draining search for a resolution that doesn’t exist. But maybe we’d manage our existential crises better if our dis cussions of philosophy hadn’t been chucked from our daily lives and left to go stale in the Humanities departments of universities. Or, in high school corridors bursting with hormonal urgency. Meanwhile, I could use a hiatus from introspection. 30 Rock, here I come. Mahak Jain is the Tribune’s newest col umnist. You can reach her at mjain@mcgilltribune.com We are still accepting applications for columnists. I f you want to appear along side Mahak every other week, send a cover letter and two sample columns to opinion@ mcgilltribune.com.
Anyway, curiosity may be what led me down the road to questioning dietary identity in the first place, but it’s not what waits for me at the end. Whether or not the choices concern ing where and what we eat are deliberate, over the course of three meals a day they contribute overwhelmingly to an aspect of our personal identities—just take a glance at the kids in line for Midnight Kitchen. Ultimately, my beef with Schwartz’s—not withstanding the inexcusable lack of authentic spicy deli mustard—is not its standards, but rather the dilemma it creates in my search for a dietary identity. By hiding behind the mask of “Hebrew Style,” everyone’s favourite smoked meat shop represents, for me, the difficulty in defining myself by what I eat and, even more so, the question of whether or not I should bother doing so at all. The saying, “You are what you eat” has never held so true.
Curiosity Delivers.
19 January 2010 « 7
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Thomas Quail editor@mcgilltribune.com MANAGING EDITORS James Gilman jgilman@mcgilltribune.com Carolyn Yates cyates@mcgilltribune.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Adam Scotti • ascotti@mcgilltribune.com NEWS EDITORS Tori Crawford Steven Hoffer Theoderic Meyer news@mcgilltribune.com OPINION EDITOR Matt Chesser opinion@mcgilltribune.com FEATURES EDITORS Shannon Kimball Brahna Siegelberg features@mcgilltribune.com ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITORS Kyle Carpenter Laura Tindal arts@mcgilltribune.com SPORTS EDITOR Kailan Leung sports@mcgilltribune.com PHOTO EDITORS Alice Walker Julia Webster photo@mcgilltribune.com
Helping Haiti: doing our part for the relief effort It has been one week since an earthquake measuring 7.0 in magnitude struck near Portau-Prince, Haiti, devastating the country’s in frastructure and sparking a humanitarian disas ter. The Red Cross has confirmed that 50,000 people are dead, while Haitian officials say the death toll could be as high as 200,000. This is, of course, an unspeakable tragedy—the earth quake has left a shocking number of Haitians hungry, homeless, and helpless, necessitating a far-reaching global relief effort. And now, more than ever, Haiti needs our help. McGill students across campus have taken this sentiment to heart. Last Wednes day, the Arts Undergraduate Society Council launched a faculty-wide campaign to raise $6,000 for the Haitian relief effort. The dona tions will supplement Oxfam Quebec’s relief work through the Humanitarian Coalition in Haiti. All week, students will solicit donations at the Roddick Gates, in the Leacock Lobby, the AUS office, and the Science Undergradu ate Society office. The campaign had raised $4,331.10 as of yesterday. The Human Rights Working Group and the Law Students’ Association have launched
a similar campaign, raising money for Oxfam and Doctors Without Borders. And on Sat urday the Ghetto Shul hosted a party which ultimately raised $1,000 for Doctors Without Borders. The Tribune applauds the selfless work of all these campaigns. Remember: the Canadian government will match all donations made until February 2, so we encourage you to do nate and support the relief effort in Haiti. As privileged global citizens, it’s our moral duty to assist the Haitian relief effort to the best of our abilities. Some students, we’ve been told, have in dicated that over Reading Week they may join the relief effort and travel to Haiti. However, we’d like to stress that unless you’re trained as a doctor, aid worker, or in another field of di saster relief, it’s better not to go. Unfortunate ly, well-meaning volunteers can often do more harm than good, in the sense that they provide less than they use, especially in the way of food. Instead, give money and supplies. The benefits your donation provides will be more efficient that way. Put together a fundraising campaign. Hold a bakesale. But don’t go:
you’ll just be another mouth to feed. The United States’ and Canada’s swift action, leading the Haitian relief effort, has also been impressive. On Thursday, Presi dent Barack Obama pledged $100 million to Haiti. Former presidents Bill Clinton (also the UN special envoy for Haiti) and George W. Bush have launched a national fundraising campaign, setting aside partisan and political differences in the face of tragedy. Three thou sand American troops have arrived in Haiti since the earthquake, providing security for the distribution of aid. On Sunday, Canadian Defence Minister Peter MacKay ordered the deployment of an additional 1,000 soldiers to the relief effort. Abraham Lincoln once said, “I feel how weak and fruitless must be any words of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming.” Words alone will not alleviate the suffering, nor will any amount of humanitarian aid undo this disas ter. However, we must do everything we can to aid in the reconstruction process and help Haiti on the long road to recovery.
uates were being targeted. As the campaign shifted, so did the nature of the organization. To not do everything within our power to get out word on the vote would have been a poor strategic choice on our part: winning ac creditation requires an absolute majority of all eligible voters to vote in favour. Every non vote—i.e., every person who was not aware of the vote—counted against us. We agree it is absolutely vital to contact every last member of the new bargaining unit, but we must wait on McGill to provide us such a list before we can begin to do it. I hope this helps to clarify things. AMUSE is currently in the process of struc turing itself and we need bargaining unit members to get involved! If anyone has any time or if they have any questions, they should be encouraged to send us an email at amuse @ psac.com. —Véronique Allard PSAC-AMUSE Campaign Lead Organizer
politics he is prone to: settling on convenient absence rather than thoughtful political action. Rather, Steven deemphasizes the problem, re minding us that the prorogue will last “only two months.” Furthermore, Steven attacks the notion of political activism made easier by Fa cebook. Does this not reflect a healthy democ racy? Our opinions can be broadcast more eas ily than ever, and their weight is strong enough to be detected by traditional media, as Steven has mentioned. Sure, this makes it easier for irrelevant and extreme comments to mindless ly be published, but can’t we apply the same criticism to many newspaper columns that use the same degree of extremism, thinly veiled in academic rhetoric and neat typeface? —Daniel Rotsztain
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In last week’s editorial, you stated that AMUSE—The Association of McGill Univer sity Support Employees—left some students “in the dark” by failing to adequately contact all potential voters. Out of respect for the newly accredited members of the bargaining unit and the supporters who spent countless hours contacting the eligible voters, I feel it is necessary to correct some blatantly incorrect facts you stated about the voting procedure. The list of eligible voters was created by McGill—not AMUSE—and was supposed to consist of all non-academic casual employees who were working both at the time of the ap plication to the Labour Board by AMUSE— April 2009—and the start of the vote period itself—September 2009. Although all non-ac ademic casual workers are part of the bargain i n g unit, only those who met this require ment were eligible voters. This is standard procedure and legal precedent, meant to pre vent anti-union mass hirings by the employer. Again as codified in law, it is the Labour Board who mails the voting ballots to ALL eligible voters to the address provided by McGill. AMUSE has NOTHING to do with the logistics of the vote. With a copy of the voters’ list, AMUSE was able to send an informational flyer and voting reminder to every address on the list. AMUSE supporters also contacted most of the voters by telephone to inform them of the vote. Many voters were contacted more than once. All voters were also informed by email. The email address you reference hasn’t been used for more to a year—as its acronym should tell you, it was from an earlier attempt at the same union-drive when only undergrad
Brendan is simple-minded
Brendan Steven’s column “Right Mind ed: Defending Prorogation” is a good exam ple of the limited nature of Steven’s political opinions. His blind reverence for everything the Harper government does is demonstra tive of the same sort of extremeness that he attempts to delegitimize in his column. The way Steven describes the “grassroots” opposi tion to prorogation seems to assume that such a position is exclusively held in the domain of Facebook. Steven describes examples of the very extreme opposition to Harper in the anti prorogue Facebook group, highlighting some of the most innane anti-Harper positions (that he is a kitten killer, for example). By address ing only extreme and irrelevant opposition to Harper’s prorogation of the government, Steven doesn’t do the issue justice. It is a fundamental problem that Harper found it ap propriate to suspend parliament as he found it convenient; it is demonstrative of the kind of
L.L. Bean, it’s good for your heart
In her recent article Die “Hipster” Die Zoe Daniels claims that the word hipster has “become a comfortable crutch for those lazy judges who see a single pair of plastic- framed glasses as an unbridgeable ideological gap” for various groups including those “L.L. Bean clad hikers.” L.L. Bean is a wonderful place that provides high-quality products at reason able prices, products that can be used long after the last pair of skinny jeans have been dumped into the Salvation Army bin, and will surely still be going strong on that beautiful day when plaid can once again be worn with pride. In 25 years —when people no longer ask what your tattoo means, but rather when your laser removal surgery is scheduled for—L.L. Bean will still honour their lifetime warranty on that backpack even though you bought it in the fourth grade. It is for these reasons, Ms Daniels, that I ask that next time you wish to criticize society, please, leave L.L. Bean out of it. It has done nothing wrong. —Alexander Soloway U3, mechanical engineering
No one cares what you think (U n less y o u ’re a T r ib u n e c o lu m n is t.) Are you the next T hom as F riedm an , M aureen D ow d, or D ave Barry? W ell how about the next M ax Silverm an or R icky K reitner? T he Tribune is accepting applications for tw o vacant colum nist positions for the second sem ester. C olum nists w ill be expected to w rite som ething w itty and insightful every second w eek, starting at the end o f January. I f interested, please send a cover letter and tw o sam ple colum ns to op in ion@ m cgilltrib une.com .
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Do you want to learn how to think critically? Do you want to be part o f a community, instead o f just attending classes?
What are you doing this winter? B itc h in g a b o u t th e w e a th e r? R e a d in g ?
Then maybe it’s tim e fo r you to join
L ib e ra l A r t s C o lle g e
L ucky for those w ith nothing planned, three M cG ill un dergrads have app ointed th em selves as the arbitrators o f T he G am e, a university-w ide challenge, echoing elem en tary school diversions like cops and robbers, M afia, and A ssassins. P articip ants pay a sm all fe e l—w hich goes to the ja ck p o t for the w in n er —and receive the nam e o f their target. U sing any m eans available, inclu ding F acebook, they m ust find their targets, tag them , and collect inform ation that leads to their next target. T he G am e starts F ebruary 1st, and the last un tagged player w ins the jack p ot. For m ore details, see thegam em ontreal.tum blr.com .
Small classrooms create a real sense of community, and individual attention from professors enables you to sharpen your
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St u d e n t l i v i n g
Curiosity Delivers.
USB
1
gadgets
3.0
Ever since they were first invented in 2000. USB ports have always been basically the same. That is, until USB 3.0 drives were released. Early models include the Seagate BlackArmor PS 110, which transfers data to your computer three times faster than the USB 2.0. Eventually, USB 3.0 could allow for data transfers of up to 0.4 GB per second. That means that a full-length movie could be transferred in about five seconds.
1
0
t o lo o k fo r in
2010 by lain Macdonald
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Google Nexus One
3
Roxxxy
Google’s attempt at stealing some market share from Apple is fast approaching. The phone features a sleek and functional design, as well as Google’s speedy Android operating system. But it may not be worth the money if you just use the phone for, well, phone calls.
At the 2010 Adult Entertainment Expo, a middle-aged ^ P balding engineer unveiled his creation: the world’s first sex robot (yes, it has been eagerly anticipated). Roxxxy is designed to entertain its owner both sexually and emotionally. She can have a con versation, feel you touch her, and even have an orgasm. This product is really not helping any stereotypes about engineers.
4
V 12 Canova Laptop
Why have a keyboard and a mouse on your laptop when ^ P you can have another screen? This laptop sports twice as many displays as any laptop on the market— though one does turn into an on-screen key board to make it function like most laptops. In addition, you can prop the laptop up and read it like a book.
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Bioshock
2
Bioshock places the player in an underwater world. The player then has to fight through hordes of mutants and mechanical drones to escape. The sequel hopes to be as exciting and engaging as the original game.
M IXEN VIXEN
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Project Natal
If you’ve ever played Nin tendo’s Wii, you know it’s easy ^ P to make a complete jackass of yourself (search YouTube: Wii broken TV). Fortunately, Microsoft has de signed an equivalent system for the clumsy. Project Natal, set for a late 2010 release, is the first controller-free game system. Players control the game using camera-recorded mo tions, which are translated into movement in the game.
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3 D Television
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3D Television will be available in the future, al-
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though not necessarily to middle-income consumers in 2010. It also looks like silly glasses will still be required for viewing.
19 January 2010 • 9
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Apple Tablet
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Expensive bikes
Rumours suggest that the Apple Tablet (nicknamed the ^ P “iSlate”) will be officially un veiled by the end of January. Analysts are expecting it to be a cross between an iPhone and a MacBook—a giant iPhone if you will. It will feature a touch screen, but not much else is currently known.
If you’ve been on Mount Royal in the fall, you’ve probably seen a few people with bicycles with motors. Sanyo’s Eneloop is similar, but electric: you still have to pedal, but not as hard. When you slow down, the Eneloop recharges its batter ies using kinetic energy, and converts it into electrical energy. With a $2,500 price tag, it seems unlikely these bikes will be in Bixi sta tions anytime soon.
W
ioSafe Solo SSD
The ioSafe harddrive takes backing ^ P up to the extreme. In a demonstration video, they lit it on fire, submerged it in water, and drove over it with a backhoe. After all of this, the technician took the casing apart, removed the hard disk, placed it in a new enclosure, and viewed some files on the drive. All that dura bility will cost you, however, up to $1,250 for the 256 GB model.
HOWTO
The classic cham pagne cocktail Culinary alchemy for incompetents This m ixed d rink is both easy a n d elegant CAROLYN GREGOIRE Copy Editor
Happy hour is a typical part of family life at my childhood best friend’s house, and her mother is an elegant woman who drinks her five'o’clock champagne cocktail religiously. Often sipped by leading ladies in classic black and white films—Bette Davis once famously said, “there comes a time in every woman’s life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne”—this sophisticated drink is a delicious relic of old Hollywood. A wonderful mix of smooth, bubbly champagne and a kick of brandy, the light and lady-like champagne cocktail is completed with a sugar cube that sits at the bottom of the glass fizzing merrily. After rekindling my love of champagne this New Year’s, I was inspired to make my own happy hour champagne cocktail, and it
turned out to be the perfect way to unwind in elegance after a long day of classes. The drink can be made using the highest quality cham pagne and liquor, or on the cheap with Provigo-bought sparkling wine and your choice of brandy. Though the classic champagne cock tail takes a multitude of permutations—many recipes include a dash of bitters—this easy, slightly sweeter variation is a great introduc tion to the drink. Ingredients
1 sugar cube 1 glass champagne of your choice 1 oz shot of brandy Directions
Pour one shot of brandy into the bottom of a champagne flute. Fill the rest of the flute with champagne and finish by dropping in one sugar cube. Sip like a classy broad while re clining on a chaise lounge and smoking a long cigarette.
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H ow to use the leftover bits and p ie ce s in yo u r frid g e BRAHNA SIEGELBERG Features Editor
After a gruelling day on campus, com ing home to a kitchen filled with random food items that don’t seem to relate to one another can be incredibly infuriating. In this situation, many revert to take-out or perhaps to pasta for the fifth night in a row. But even the barest of fridges or pantries can contain the basics for just about any meal. Whether you only have eggs, milk, butter, a starch, a few fruits and vegetables, or some form of protein, there are infinite combinations you can put together for a healthy, hearty, and delicious meal. For instance, the other day I was working with one sweet potato, a half-eaten container of tofu, feta cheese, an onion, and a small can of chickpeas. I first boiled the sweet potato (as little can be done with an inpenetrable po tato) while I chopped and sauteed the onion in a generous amount of olive oil, curry, and tur meric. Note: Indian spices are great for turn ing any bland dish into something satiating and flavourful. Afterwards, I added the tofu and left it to brown on both sides. I then added the softened and cubed sweet potato and the chickpeas. If you enjoy a more stew-like con sistency, adding a little milk or cream would also work well.
When all of the ingredients were sautéed together on a low heat, I sprinkled in a few pieces of the feta. Any kind of cheese would work well in this case, as the salty, sharp, and tangy qualities complement the South Asian spices nicely. Other times when I’m too lazy to buy groceries, I just make a salad. While you may think you have no salad ingredients on hand, let me just say that my definition of salad is a loose one. Lettuce, cucumbers, and peppers are all well and good, but there are lots of stray ingredients you can throw together to create a more satisfying one-course meal. Chickpeas, walnuts, dried cranberries, croutons, and fruits like strawberries, pears, or apples all taste great in a salad, and more im portantly, add substance. If you happen to have some tofu or a chicken breast, sautéing either one in oil and pepper is the perfect way to add protein. A dash of balsamic vinegar, olive,oil, and a bit of garlic powder and salt is always an easy dressing. For a sweeter dressing that works better with fruitier contents, you can use balsamic vinegar and a little sugar. I am a big believer in the idea that most ingredients work well together. Just don’t be afarid to experiment, and you’d be surprised how you can make a delicious dish out of al most anything.
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MONTREAL AND THE
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY BY SHANNON KIMBALL Like most sectors in today’s economy, the aerospace industry has suffered enormous losses over the past 18 months. Unlike its competitors, Montreal’s aerospace industry is heavily focussed on the production and distribution of regional jets. However, in the current economic climate, Canada’s primary aerospace hub will need to switch gears to a more environmentally friendly, more inter connected, and most of all, more innovative market.
THE BOMBARDIER LEGACY
“ [Regional jets] never should have been big to start with. It was a market that catered to the strangest group of all, the soon-to-be-bankrupt American major legacy carriers.” — Aboulafia
Montreal has had a prominent aerospace cluster since the early 20th century, but only during World War II did agglomeration really occur. Planes being shipped to Europe would converge in Montreal before flying to New foundland and then across the Atlantic. Mon treal’s aerospace industry soon began expand ing rapidly, and ultimately became one of the world’s largest. “What you started to see was the emer gence of various supporting services, and maintenance companies fine-tuning these planes before embarking on journeys during WWII,” says Sebastien Breau, a McGill ge ography professor. But it would take a boost from a larger manufacturer to really put the industry on the world stage. “It’s really only recently with ... the ad vent of Bombardier that the aerospace scene in Montreal has really consolidated as the number one cluster in terms of aerospace in Canada,” says Breau. Quebec hosts four major aerospace manufacturers: Bombardier, Bell Helicopter
Textron in Mirabel, QC, US-based Pratt & Whitney, and the flight simulator manufactur er CAE Inc. In addition, over 200 other small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are located in the province, employing close to 70,000 Que beckers. The cluster employs more than half of Canadian aerospace engineers and accounts for nearly 15 per cent of Quebec’s exports. Un like Seattle or Toulouse, the two other major aerospace centres, Montreal’s aerospace clus ter specializes primarily in the regional and private jet market, which experienced rapid growth over the last two decades. “Montreal won the aerospace lottery,” says Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at Teal Group, which conducts fi nancial research in aerospace and defence. “It was heavily exposed to the two fastest growth markets the industry has ever seen: business jets and regional jets.” However, that success soon waned with the recent economic crisis, hitting regional jets the hardest. Anyone who has travelled in the past year has witnessed the impact of the economy on airlines. Not only have ticket prices skyrock eted, but many airlines now charge for bags and have stopped providing meal service. The economic downturn has also extended to the manufacturing sector, with airlines having to pick and choose their aircrafts more frugally. While companies focussing primarily on mili tary aircraft or jetliners haven’t seen a rapid decline, Montreal’s previously booming in dustry hasn’t been so lucky. “What haven’t held up well are regional jets and business jets, which are a minority in the aerospace business but a heavy majority of
the Montreal aerospace business,” says Abou lafia. According to the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, Bombadier’s CRJ air craft is the most successful regional aircraft in history. While Bombardier may have revolu tionized the industry, it has had to lay off an estimated 5,000 workers since early 2009. Un fortunately, the regional jet market may be in trouble for the long haul. “We are about one third of the way through this process. It’s going to be a threeyear downturn, and obviously the first year was nasty and upfront—2009 was terrible,” says Aboulafia. He predicts that significant improvement won’t take place until 2012 or even as late as 2013. The regional aircraft industry grew rap idly because it was a cheap form of transporta tion, so it may come as a surprise that they’ve been hit so hard by this crisis. According to Aboulafia, the problem stems from the airlines who buy regional aircraft. “[Regional jets] never should have been big to start with. It was a market that catered to the strangest group of all, the soon-to-bebankrupt American major legacy carriers,” says Aboulafia. According to the AIAC, Bom bardier caters to 35 airlines worldwide, and many of them have cut or reduced their orders for regional jets. It’s not just Bombardier employees who are afraid of the downturn. Many small parts manufacturers are experiencing similar layoff patterns. “This pattern is almost unavoidable because what happens when a large original equipment manufacturer (OEM) reduces its deliveries to airliners, obviously they require
less planes so there is less work for SMEs,” says the Honourable Jacques Saada, president and CEO of the Quebec Aerospace Associa tion. “This will go on for a little while longer. I think the recovery should not take place be fore the beginning of 2011.” Despite negative predictions, there is some hope for Bombardier, provided they ex pand their market. “[The regional jet market] is going to prove more challenging to Bombardier in the years to come, but it could be offset by rela tive success in the civil aerospace with the CSeries,” says Breau.
EXPANDING SIZE AND PARTNERSHIPS While still not confirmed by the company, there’s been talk about Bombardier manufac turing a CSeries jet that will seat 150 people, a capacity more than twice as large as some of its CRJ family aircraft. The CSeries aircraft are designed to be more fuel efficient, as well as to cover more distance than previous regional aircraft. This may seem like a gamble, but the Canadian government has invested heavily in previous smaller CSeries models, and would most likely continue to do so should the air craft increase in size. “Bombardier now wants to enter with this new CSeries—the regional jet market which is the medium length trip, continental. This is where there are, at the global scale, markets that are growing, such as China and India,” says Breau. There’s great potential in those markets, but Bombardier will once again have
to compete internationally. “Right now the number-one manufactur er for the 100- to 150-seat jet is Embraer. But Bombardier wants to jump into that market too,” he says. While changing gears to an entirely new production process may be a major change, Montreal’s history as a cluster might allow for a smooth transition. “They do have the knowledge, the know how,” says Breau. “They have the workforce, they have the expertise here in Montreal.” Ad ditionally, Montreal is host to several institu tions that offer advanced degrees in aerospace, whether in engineering, business, or law. McGill’s aerospace program is internationally reknowned, although a majority of McGill aerospace students stay in the Montreal area after graduation to work in the field. While the industry may be suffering, or ganizations like the AQA are looking to future partnerships to get the industry out of the rut. Saada hopes that the AQA’s efforts will broad en partnerships for smaller aerospace compa nies both domestically and abroad. The AQA organizes think tanks and inter national missions in countries like Mexico and the U.S., and invites competitors like Embraer to Montreal. “We are trying to develop the po tential partnerships with our SMEs and SMEs throughout the world,” says Saada. These ef forts are likely to be rewarded, especially if some companies continue to use composite materials, which are lighter, more environ mentally friendly, and ultimately more cost efficient than their aluminum predecessors.
THE FUTURE OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS Boeing recently unveiled the Dreamliner, constructed of 50 per cent composite materi als. In order to recover economically, Mon treal’s aerospace manufacturers may have to follow suit. “The generation of Airbuses that are out there are using or seen as using older technol ogies,” says Breau. In order to overcome the slump of their regional aircraft, Bombardier will have to take advantage of a combination of composite materials and expansion to the Asian markets. “Composite materials is a key sector not only in terms of SMEs but also throughout the chain of production for airplanes,” says Saada. The AQA recently recognized Avior as 2009’s SME of the year, in part because it is so involved in the research and development of composite materials. Ultimately, aerospace in Montreal will depend on the combination of partnerships and environmental innovation. “We cannot continue to address the issue of the future on our own,” says Saada. “We need to develop a grouping of companies which have agreed to be more solid financial ly, to conduct research for the long term, and to develop products which are environmen tally sustainable for the long term.”
“We need to develop a grouping of companies which have agreed to be more solid financially, to conduct research for the long term, and to develop products which are environmentally sus tainable for the longterm.” — Saada
mcgilltribune.com
12 • 19 January 2010
FOOD GURU
C A M P U S SPO T L IG H T
Easy paninis
McGill student lights up the Olympic Games
A gourm et alternative to your basic lunchtim e sandw ich FRANCESCA FERENCZI Contributor
In Italy, “panino” just means sandwich, usually made up of pretty basic ingredients. On this side of the Atlantic, however, the name conjures up images of crusty bread, melt ing cheese and piles of meat, something that seems complicated and gourmet, but doesn’t have to be. Best of all, paninis are quick but pack a lot of flavour, and the varied ingredi ents make them a lot more exciting than your average sandwich. This panino can be made on any kind of bread, but I suggest a ciabatta roll (store a few in your freezer for the coming weeks). A thick layer of artichoke olive spread coats the bread, and is the perfect backdrop for the roasted Portobello mushroom and lightly wilted spin ach. This artichoke spread is also great to keep on hand as a snack, so make a few batches to store in the freezer. Of course the most im portant part of this sandwich is the bubbling melted cheese, so don’t be afraid to pile it on. Artichoke olive spread
SHANNON KIMBALL Features Editor
Most footage of the Olympic Torch Relay showcases celebrity athletes or political fig ures dutifully passing the Olympic flame in front of hundreds of cameras. While Olympi ans may be the only ones allowed to light the cauldron at the opening ceremonies, the Torch Relay consists of over 12,000 torchbeaiers, most of them non-athletes. Even so, opportu nities to pass the Olympic flame are hard to come by. But a couple weeks after the flame passed through Montreal, Tova Silverman, U3 world religions, got to leave her own mark on the Games. After winning an iCoke contest, Silverman carried the flame through Collingwood, Ontario. As part of the selection process, Sil verman had to pass several rounds, answering trivia questions and writing an essay about how she is active and reduces her carbon footprint in her day-to-day life. Silver is an avid runner, and also wrote about her love of camping and the outdoors in the competition’s essay. The Olympic Flame arrived in Victoria, B.C., on October 30, and will pass through every Canadian province and territory, travel
ling as far north as Inuvik, NT, before arriving in Vancouver on February 12. The tradition of the Torch Relay dates back to the 1936 Berlin Olympics and has become a symbol for the unification of a country before the Olympic Games. “It was a very empowering experience,” said Silverman. “I was representing Canada in that moment, holding the Olympic flame.” A crowd of 75 gathered in Collingwood early on the morning of December 29 to watch the passing of the iconic torch. “When the flame was actually lit every one lit up and was so excited,” she said. Sil verman described the experience as a great opportunity to bring the Olympic Games to all parts of the country. “I was really happy to be the representative to bring that spirit to all of
the people there,” she said. Silverman got to carry the torch for 300 metres—just a few minutes—but that short time will last much longer in her memory. In addition to other iCoke winners, Sil verman met three Olympians who also carried the torch through Collingwood. “There was a triathlete, a snowboarder on the Canadian Olympic team, and a paralympic alpine skier,” said Silverman. “The snowboarder and the skier skied and snowboarded the torch down and passed it to each other on the mountain. It was really cool to see.” The Olympic Flame will complete its journey in a few weeks, arriving in Vancouver on February 12 for the opening ceremonies. The 2010 Olympics will run until Feb. 28.
COURTESY OF TOVA SILVERMAN
Ingredients
• • • • •
1 can artichoke hearts, drained !4 cup sliced olives, drained 1 clove of garlic, peeled 2 Tbsp. olive oil Pinch of salt Directions
1. Place all of the ingredients in a food pro cessor and blend until smooth. Portobello Panini Ingredients
• • • • • • •
1 ciabatta roll 1 whole Portobello mushroom 2 Tbsp. olive oil Sprinkle of salt and pepper 2 slices havarti cheese A few spinach leaves 3 Tbsp. artichoke olive bread Directions
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Take the stalk off the mushroom and place it face up on a baking sheet. Drizzle a tablespoon of oil over it and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft. 3. Cut the ciabatta in half and evenly spread the artichoke olive spread on both halves. Place a slice of cheese on each side. Place the mushroom and spinach in between the halves. 4. Heat a pan over medium heat with a ta blespoon of olive oil. Place the sandwich in the pan, heat through flipping once until the cheese melts, about two to three minutes per side. Eat immediately.
I S. . . B O U L E V A R D S A I N T - L A U R E N T !
www. boul evar dsai nt l aur ent . com
A&E
Curiosity Delivers.
19 January 2010 • 13
M U SIC
LABprojects collaborate on the science of musical fusion Top M ontreal m usicians com e together fo r im provised show s RYAN TAYLOR Contributor
Great things tend to happen when estab lished musicians play with other established musicians. Take Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young and Cream, considered some of the earliest examples of the “supergroup.” or more recent bands like Broken Social Scene and The New Pomographers, whose members almost all had notable solo careers before breaking big together. And while the latter two have become pin-ups of the Toronto and Vancouver music scenes, Montreal seems to have found its own form of the supergroup in LABproj ects. Organized by Moondata Productions, a Montreal record label, production house, and event organizer, LABprojects brings together many diverse musicians from Montreal’s inde pendent music community for one-off shows at O Patro Vys on Mont-Royal. Created in 2003, LABprojects was in spired by the uncomfortably cold Canadian winter. “I hated touring in the winter so we in vited our friends to come play with us,” says founder Matthew Lederman. “We recorded the first show and to me, it was more fun than any thing I'd done up until then. We did one every two weeks and we kept selling out and we started it again the next year once a month.” Since then, many prominent musicians have graced the LABprojects stage, including members of Patrick Watson, Land of Talk, and the Besnard Lakes. But there’s a twist: instead of simply playing each others songs as a col lective, all of the music is improvised. And while it began with a heavy jazz influence, the
Members of Arcade Fire, Beast, and Bell Orchestre take the stage.
pop inclination of those involved has led the series to evolve into something less esoteric. “When I started them I was very much into the whole New York downtown jazz thing: loud, crazy, rapid changes, avant-garde weird ness,” says Lederman. “Personally, I [also] have a really strong pop sense and I’ve been working with some pop bands and the people I know have really incredible pop sensibili ties, so we’ve made this series kind of more focussed improvisation.” The focus comes in part from the aid of a little “homework” assignment where each mu sician is tasked with providing a musical idea.
EVELYN E BEDARD
be it melodic or rhythmic, that can be expand ed upon by the group. This structure helps to ensure the music stays grounded, for the sake of both the audience and performers. “Sometimes it can go a little bit too far, but it’s never gotten too gratuitous,” says Led erman. “The toughest ones have been when people come with very, very complicated, precise ideas that we have to try and follow ... When we just play with what we know, it’s good stuff.” Knowing what to play is especially im portant considering that many of the musicians involved only know each other in limited ca
pacities, if at all. “The only challenge really is just listen ing to everybody the whole time because if that doesn’t happen then the whole thing goes to shit really quick,” says Andrew Barr, drum mer for Land of Talk and frequent LAB project participant. Last Saturday’s show (featuring mem bers of Arcade Fire, Beast, and Bell Orchestre, among others) was a perfect example of what to expect from a LABproject performance: music that is at once spacious and dense, sinis ter and uplifting, and entirely unexpected. The level of musicianship was such that anyone unaware of the premise would think they hap pened upon a well-rehearsed instrumental rock group instead of a group of musicians who had met only hours before. The LABproject line-up changes from show to show, meaning no two nights are the same. Unfortunately, Lederman’s busy sched ule means these performances are hardly a regular thing, and are instead organized on a “when-he-can basis.” But that these shows even exist and are able to thrive after extended hiatuses is a testment to the strength of the cur rent Montreal music scene. “It’s really open and connected and people are really willing to participate with each other on a level where they’re able to listen and get intimate musically,” says Barr. “It really says the town’s got a lot of life and vibrancy.” Lederman echoes that same sentiment. “[It’s] really healthy. Super healthy, I’d say. I mean, that a venue will allow us to do this and people will come out and support it? Listening back to recordings you realize that you were a part of something that’s bigger than yourself.” The next LABproject is in February. You can find out more at www.moondataproductions.com.
Pop îÿietoric TYRA’S PEOPLE If I could do a case study on some of the alarming hypocrisy that characterizes media today, I would centre it on super model-turned-media mogul Tyra Banks. She truly embodies the modem rule of television: anyone willing to forego dig nity, self-awareness, and all ironic detach ments can potentially earn about $30 mil lion a year. That being said, I have nonetheless derived a perverse pleasure from skipping class and watching Tyra’s latest antics on The Tyra Banks Show. Whether she’s criti cizing the media or campaigning for short women as top models, the ironies of this woman’s actions never cease to captivate me. I was therefore quite dismayed when I learned that the show will soon be leaving the air forever. In its memory and honour. I’d like to recount some of my favourite — and by that I mean completely appalling— Tyra moments. Tyra is, first and foremost, very con fused when it comes to questions of body image. She has simultaneously made her
career as a supermodel—a job constructed around distorted notions of feminine phys ical ideals—and as a spokesperson for “ev eryday” women struggling with their self esteem. In one memorable episode, Tyra goes undercover as a 350-pound woman in order to discover whether people will treat her differently. Turns out they do. And what does she do to remedy this blar ing injustice? She takes off the fat suit (to reveal how hot she thankfully is), and then speaks to actual obese women to discuss how being fat “made them feel.” In another instance, Tyra appears on stage in the bathing suit that caused a stir in tabloids because it revealed her signifi cant weight gain, telling critics that they could “kiss my fat ass.” The irony: she then explains how the photos were doc tored, as she didn’t actually look that fat in the bathing suit. Later in the month, Tyra appeared on the cover of a magazine look ing fabulous as usual next to the headline “You call this fat?” While it’s very altruistic of Tyra to use her own weight gain as a means of addressing the problems with society’s unrealistic standards, her involvement in
the modeling industry as well as her zeal ous fixation on displaying her own perfect body as a statement of “fat” advocacy ex poses a women who appears to have issues about what it means to have real body is sues. Perhaps the Tyra crusade that strikes closest to home is the one where she de cides to make a “petite edition” of the hit show America’s Next Top Model. The idea behind this revolutionary movement is that she could singularly change the face of the modeling industry by giving short girls a chance. Speaking as a “petite” woman, I feel neither a sense of camara derie nor comfort from this ploy. Frankly, I like standing in the front of the chorus, I was always great at limbo, and I enjoy not worrying about finding a guy who is taller than me. I really don’t need Tyra to help assure me that I can still be regarded as womanly despite my lacking of Amazo nian dimensions. In yet another investigative expo sé, Tyra goes undercover as a homeless woman. We watch the supermodel ironical ly get her makeup done to look ugly, have ratty shoes placed on her feet, and have
camera crews follow her as she uncovers “what it’s like to be homeless.” After dis covering crack pipes along skid row and washing herself in a gas station bathroom with the cheap soap she could only afford after panhandling, Tyra breaks down and cries to cheesy background music. The slogan for this episode? “Being homeless can happen to you.” But with her own pro duction company and a status as executive producer of three different shows, I doubt it can happen to her. As usual, I was left dumbfounded by the level of condescension and imbecil ity involved in playing dress-up for a day and believing that she now had the right to claim solidarity with a plight that could not be further from her own. The end of The Tyra Banks Show by no means implies the end of the Tyra empire. Tyra will continue to believe that she is a crusader of social justice. My only question is: who will become America’s next top narcissistic-attention-monger? Brahna Siegelberg is a Features Edi tor fo r the McGill Tribune.
mcgilltribune.com
14 • 19 January 2010
THEATRE
Cabaret: song and dance lighten up Nazi-ruled Germany A U T S thrills with its fo u rth student production SAM JESSULA Contributor
“Wilkomen, bienvenue, welcome!” These opening words were never more sincerely spo ken than at the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s (AUTS) latest production. Cabaret. The show transports you straight to the Kit Kat Club, where inside all is fun and games while the outside world is crumbling. The play tells the love story of Sally Bowles (Callie Armstrong), a struggling dancer, and Cliff Bradshaw (Adrian Steiner), a starving author, and the life they lead filled with parties and celebration while the Nazis rapidly take over Germany. Cabaret is AUTS’ fourth show follow ing three immensely successful productions, including Little Shop o f Horrors, Urinetown, and Hair. The piece, explains director Julian Silverman, was chosen both for its political ly-charged history and its contemporary rel evance. Cabaret is a difficult play to stage, and AUTS masterfully uses all of Moyse Hall to capture the essence of a real cabaret. The play lets the audience leave their problems in the Montreal cold, and takes you on a journey of sensual, sexual, and dramatic beauty. Just like the Kit Kat Club, the entire cast of Cabaret is beautiful, and the quality and professionalism of the all members of the production make it hard to believe they are students. My hat goes off—and in this case my shirt and pants also—to the Emcee. The bril
ADAM SCOTTI
In Cabaret, promiscuous girls, provocative boys and perfunctory Nazis take over Moyse Hall.
liant Nicolas Allen plays the role to perfection. Look out for him during intermission, where he not only stays in character but stares you down in a way that would make Joel Grey jeal ous. The legacy of Cabaret—whether it be the book, movie, or previous theatrical stagings— makes it impossible to enter the theatre with out large expectations. As the piece evolves with every new production, it seems as though it would be difficult to ensure each new inter pretation is on par with previous performanc es. AUTS not only stepped up to the plate but delivered all an avid Cabaret fan could hope for: passionate men and women, a fiery atmo
sphere, and a burlesque cabaret intermittently interrupted by the realities of Germany’s fas cist beginnings. The most surprising aspect of the show is its overt sexuality; as a student produc tion, it would be easy to shy away from the erotic content of the play. Silverman explains that although he was a little worried about his parents’ reaction when they witnessed a few scenes, he figured the cast should have fun with it when they can. Like most musicals, the song and dance al lows the production to backhandedly deal with serious issues. Beyond perfecting the decadent atmosphere of the Kit Kat Club through dance
moves that will make your head spin and an amazing yet simple set, the genius of the play remains in how it manages to grab the heart of the audience and transmit the atmosphere of fear from the era. So ladies and gentlemen, whether you have seen the play a million times or have never heard of it before, come to Cabaret, where all your troubles will be forgotten and a unique spectacle will unravel in front of your eyes. Cabaret plays at Moyse Hall January 21-23 at 7:30 p.m. You can reserve tickets on line at http://auts-cabaret2010.blogspot.com.
M U SIC
Radio CKUT launches monthly showcase for McGill artists M cG ill bands excited fo r an o utlet to be heard on cam pus LAURA TINDAL A & E Editor
Getting your band heard when you’re first starting out is rarely an easy feat, even in a musical city like Montreal. Getting your band heard by your peers at McGill can be even harder, which is why Radio CKUT is launching Thursdays (A)Live, a free showcase of McGill bands playing every third Thursday of the month at Gert’s. “Montreal can be a bit of a closed com munity for musicians, and if you’re coming to a new city as a student it can take a while to know where the good places to play are and what radio stations to send your demos to,” says Erin Weisgerber, Radio CKUT’s funding and outreach coordinator. The monthly event is aimed at giving young bands the practice and publicity they need to thrive, as well as a way to bring CK UT’s underground music to campus. Although Gert’s has previously showcased McGill tal ent, Weisgerber says that Thursdays (A)Live are going to be a bigger and better way for bands to be heard. “I think we’re doing a lot better job of publicizing it [than previous student band nights]. We want it to be a bigger event, espe cially because we want it to continue regularly. We’re using all the resources of radio and print media. We’re recording all of the nights we’re
showcasing and playing them on the radio, getting them out to the Montreal community,” Weisberger says. CKUT plans to not only organize the night at Gert’s, but also to interview each band on the air and to play their demos with hopes of bringing lots of attention to these student musicians. Yet some McGill musicians believe that the real challenge isn’t so much breaking into the Montreal scene, but is instead catch ing the ears of other McGill students. Phil M., of the band Intensive Care, will be playing the inaugural Thursdays (A)Live this Thursday. In his experience, it’s getting heard on campus that has proven most difficult. “At McGill, the only thing we’ve done is OAP. We actually tried getting in touch with CKUT many times, but always with no response,” Phil says. “When we realized we actually wanted to pursue this as an actual project, we started promoting ourselves in the local [Montreal] scene and got to know other bands, promoters, venues and all these things. So now I think we’ve basically infiltrated the scene in many ways. It’s much easier to get shows.” Intensive Care recently released their first full-length album, Fairytales From The Is land, produced by Jace Laske of The Besnard Lakes. Yet shows on campus are few and far between. OAP and, in the past, SnowAP are the big campus draws, yet as Phil explains, “It’s not really the kind of event where people sit and listen. It’s always a little awkward, but we keep applying just because we love McGill
ANNE-CLAIRE CAMPS
Every third Thursday of the month, Gert’s will be hosting a lineup of McGill bands.
and it’s always fun to play there.” Which is why Thursdays (A)Live is full of potential, both for musicians and for stu dents wishing to hear their peers in action. On Thursday, three bands will be playing: Inten sive Care, The Pop Winds, and The Kelp Cen ter, with CKUT DJs keeping the music going between sets. So far only the first lineup has been chosen, but Weisgerber says that the sta tion has already received 14 other demos to choose from. “We’d like more [demos] in,” Weisgerber says. “A lot of what we’re getting is rock and folk, which is awesome, but we’d love to reach out to bands playing hip-hop and jazz and ex perimental, because we’d love to see a broader reach of music.” Bands can send their demos to
Radio CKUT for consideration, where they’re chosen based on overall quality and musicianship, how well they would fit with other bands in the lineup, and their adherence to CKUT’s indie, underground theme. If the nights are a success, Weisgerber says that CKUT would be very interested in increasing the event to more than just once a month. And with two-dollar drink specials and fresh new music, it’s worth taking a listen.
The first Thursdays (A)Live is Thursday, January 21 at Gert’s, in the basement o f the Shatner Building.
19 January 2010 • 15
Curiosity Delivers.
FILM
Far from home and close to danger in the Gaza Strip D oc explores the death o f an A m erican activist in Gaza JOEL ENTWISTLE Contributor
Rachel, a new documentary from FrenchIsraeli director Simone Bitton, tells the story of Rachel Corrine, an American activist who was killed while attempting to prevent the bulldozing of a Palestinian home in 2003. To this day Israel denies responsibility for her death, claiming the bulldozer operator’s line of sight was obstructed by the mound of dirt that crushed her. Eyewitnesses offer a contra dictory account, claiming instead that she was indeed within clear view. Rachel was one of several American and British volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), an organization committed to non-violent deterrence of Israeli military operations in Palestine. One of their objectives was preventing the Israeli army’s demolition of Gaza homes near the IsraeliEgyptian border. Donning reflective jackets, the volunteers would create a human barrier be tween Palestinian residences and 65-ton DW-9 bulldozers intent on demolishing the homes in an effort to clear the area of suspected hidden explosives. Internationals such as Rachel were in a unique position to protect the homes; any Palestinians attempting to do likewise had a better chance of being shot. The amateur video footage of the volunteers blockading the bull dozers is breathtaking. We witness an exasper
ated Israeli soldier, having advanced his DW-9 perilously close to the volunteers and finding them unmoved, attempting to explain, “This is not your land, go away.” Bitton patiently interviews eyewitnesses, Israeli soldiers, and military officials, in addi tion to examining key documents and surveil lance footage in an attempt to determine how such a standoff went tragically wrong. How ever, the film unnecessarily indulges in an interlude set in America, featuring interviews with Rachel’s college professors and home town friends who inform the audience that she really was a good person, as though we some how suspected her of being a thrill-seeker un worthy of our sympathy. So many contradictions go unresolved and so many questions remain unanswered that Rachel becomes the story of a failed en deavour to ascertain the truth. In the process, it also reveals the futility of resistance; the home that Rachel died trying to protect, and hundreds more, have since been demolished. However, the film’s message is not altogether cynical. Jonathon Polack, the Israeli peace ac tivist who housed ISM volunteers in Tel-Aviv, maintains that it is possible for one to resist without hope. “In revolt,” he contends, “there is great truth, whether it succeeds or not.” On December 27, 2008, Israel launched a major military offensive upon the Gaza Strip. The invasion lasted 22 days, resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 Palestinian civilians, and displaced over 50,000 Gaza residents. Humanrights watchdogs lambasted the assault, claim
ing that it constituted collective punishment of the Gaza citizenry for the rocket attacks car ried out by Hamas militants. The Israeli air strikes, which were claimed to target Hamas facilities, destroyed Palestinian mosques, hos pitals, and schools. One year later, Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is present ing a photo exposition entitled “Human Drama in Gaza.” This exhibition is being showcased by Cinema du Parc as a companion to their screenings of Rachel. The exposition depicts the plight of Palestinians living in Gaza be fore, during, and after the invasion. The ruins of Gaza serve as the backdrop for human tragedy in the touching photos, reminding us that even today, the Gaza Strip remains under Israeli blockade, stymieing humanitarian ef forts. CJPME intends the exposition, which is
at once provocative and macabre, to reveal the misery and suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as to expose the violation of human rights. However, images of Hamas—which has failed to revise its blood-curdling antiSemitic charter—are notably absent from the exhibit’s portrayal of Palestine, which chooses instead to highlight the destruction wreaked by Israeli force.
Rachel opens January 29 at Cinema du Parc (French subtitles) and AMC Forum 22 (English subtitles). A sneak preview is screen ing at Cinema du Parc on January 21. “Human Drama in Gaza ” will be at Cin ema du Parc January 15 to February 28.
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Change-of-Coverage Dates Only new Winter semester students can enrol themselves and their spouse/dependants between Jan. 14 - 28, 2010. The Member Services Centre is there to assist you from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays. (514) 789-8775 / Toll-free: 1 866 795-4435
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ih a v e a p la n .C a
16 • 19 January 2010
mcgilltribune.com
J a n u a r y 1 9 -2 5
Thursday. Theatre. Eurydice.
Why not visit the Greek under world? McGill’s Players’ Theatre is putting on its first show of the new se mester, a modern reimagining of the Orpheus myth, but this time from dead wife Eurydice’s point of view. Runs to January 30. @ Players' Theatre.
OPEN HOUSE JANUARY 28, 2010
Friday. Film. Creation. Legion.
This weekend you can choose the Paul Bettany that best matches your mood—as long as your mood is antiGod. The British actor from A Beautiful Mind and Wimbledon stars in Creation, as Charles Darwin struggling with sci ence vs. religion, and Legion, as a mur derous angel struggling with humans vs. God. Both open this week. @ Scotiabank Theatre and AMC Forum 22.
Find out about: - Our Master’s and Ph.D. programs - Summer research jobs or internships - Scholarships for students
Meet our professors Visit our cutting-edge research facilities
Saturday. Music. Dinosaur Jr.
This alt-rock band has been around since 1984, yet has managed to stay fresh and relevent. Finishing up their tour in support of their new album Farm, the band is still pumping out enough loud guitar riffs to keep fans happy. @ Club Soda.
INRS.CA de la société québécoise. L espace s’inscrit ’’action putiftijfae'&f'ifies rapports * ' -<>mSI comprendre l’amémigcsn'-
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Monday. Film. Horseboy.
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Université d avant-garde
A documentary about the parents of an autistic boy who decide to go horse back riding through Mongolia with their young son in attempt to find a treatment. Truthfully portraying the difficulties the parents of autistic children face, as well as looking at their son’s healing relation ship with horses. Horseboy is the com panion to father. Rupert Isaacson’s book. @ Cinema du Parc.
In d u s trie C anada
Work that Matters Every day, talented Canadians at Industry Canada are making real differences to the lives we lead. They’re addressing Canadian competitiveness in the global economy and supporting business growth. They’re developing policies and frameworks that
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Industry Canada hires talented scientists, economists, engineers, analysts, commerce officers, patent examiners, statisticians, inspectors, lawyers, accountants, communicators, administrators, and post-secondary stu dents and graduates from a variety of disciplines into important roles across Canada.
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19 January 2010 • 17
R E D M E N H O C K E Y - M C G I L L 12, C O N C O R D IA 3
Redmen raze Stingers behind raucous Carnival crowd M cG ill dispatches C oncordia w ith gam e-long scoring spree ADAM SADINSKY Contributor
The stellar play of the men’s hockey team is bringing the legitimacy of the McGill Ath letics advertising department into question. Wednesday’s annual Winter Carnival Game against Concordia looked and felt like any thing but a rivalry match. A pair of hat tricks from centre Guillaume Doucet and left-winger Evan Vossen punctuated a night of absolute dominance, as the Redmen steamrolled the visiting Stingers 12-3 on before more than 1,000 spectators at McConnell Arena. “It’s fun, especially when there’s a big crowd like that. We wait for those games all year. We know there’s going to be lots of peo ple,” said Doucet. “It’s always a tough game against [Concordia], and tonight we came out strong.” The Stingers came out aggressive and physical in the first period, but the Redmen responded at the 16-minute mark, with Vossen netting his first goal on the power play, and Doucet registering another only 27 seconds later. By the end of the first period, McGill held a healthy 21-4 advantage in shots on goal. The floodgates opened for McGill in the second period as Francis Verrault-Paul scored his league-leading 17th goal of the season less than two minutes into the frame. Three more goals—including Vossen’s second—increased the Redmen’s lead to six and ended Concordia starting goalie Maxime Joyal’s night. Concor dia finally got on the board with a shorthanded goal from captain Marc-Andre Element, but McGill would respond with two more goals in the period, capped by Doucet’s third goal to complete his hat trick.
The Redmen remained cool, collected, and fully clothed as they took down the visiting Stingers on Wednesday night.
With a 9-1 lead after 40 minutes, the Red men faced a difficult choice: run up the score, or hold back. “You don’t want to be accused of run ning up the score,” said Redmen Head Coach Jim Webster. “I’m in the coaching fraternity, [and] you don’t like that. We were playing ev erybody, and they just kept taking more penal ties.” By the time the final horn sounded, Con cordia had racked up 100 minutes in penalties, compared to McGill’s 22. The Redmen kept their composure throughout the game, and Webster recognizes that his squad’s poise will play a crucial role in the postseason. “I was really pleased with my captain, Yan Turcotte, [who had the] most penalty min utes in the league last year,” he said. “If we
want to win the National Championship, we need to stay on the ice. He took a crosscheck right in the face, and didn’t beat up the guy like he would have done last year. That could bring us down. I take my hat off to him.” Concordia received four 10-minute mis conducts and three game misconducts on Wednesday. The possibility of suspensions for key Stingers players looms large. “It’s tough to play, because you score some goals but you can’t get involved in the scrappy stuff,” said Turcotte. “You don’t want to get suspended. I liked what I saw, we didn’t retaliate too much.” In the third period, the Redmen registered two shorthanded goals before Vossen finished off his hat trick with a power play goal in the final minute. Concordia scored twice in the
ADAM SCOTTI
third period, but their efforts were ultimately in vain—and Concordia’s third-period goals cer tainly did not dampen the spirits of McGill’s Management Carnival crowd. McGill finished the game with 61 shots on goal. “Everybody’s playing, everybody’s work ing hard. It’s tremendous,” said Webster. The Redmen kept the puck moving on Fri day night, knocking off UQTR 2-1 in a com petitive match. But McGill couldn’t muster the energy to dispatch a well-rested Carleton squad the next day. The loss snapped McGill’s 19-game home winning streak, but the Red men remain atop the division standings. McGill will journey to Trois-Rivières to take on UQTR yet again on Wednesday night. The Redmen return home to face Nipissing University on January 24.
T H IR D MAN IN AN OPEN L E T T E R TO MANNY PACQUIAO Dear Manny, When you retired Oscar De La Hoya in 2008, how long did it take for the media to start downplaying your victory? A day? He was old, drained, and unfit. You had to win. When you ended Ricky Hatton’s career with one of the most devastating left hooks in boxing history, the haters still refused to crawl back into the woodwork. Hatton was a barroom brawler, not a boxer. He was slow, stubborn, and already damaged. How could you have lost? Even when you trans formed Miguel Cotto’s face into a bruised and bloodied mask just a few months ago, there were those who were quick to dismiss the win as predictably lopsided. Throughout your illustrious career, there have always been individuals who have sought to make excuses for your win ning ways. And time after time, you’ve
shrugged off their criticism and negativity. You’ve never been one for excuses; you’ve put your faith in your family, your religion, and your people, and for that, you have be come one of the most respected athletes in the world. And this is why I’m so upset with the events that have transpired over the past two months. In case you have missed out entirely on the media firestorm that has surrounded you and your camp from the moment the final bell sounded at the MGM Grand on November 14, let me bring you up to speed. The history books will show that you beat Cotto by way of TKO in 12 rounds, but everyone who watched saw that the fight was over in the fifth round. With the victory, you paved the way for perhaps the biggest showdown in the history of boxing: Manny Pacquiao versus Floyd Mayweather Jr. All the pieces were in place for a matchup unlike anything ever before, and the entire boxing world began to shake with anticipa tion. Then, the drug testing issue came up. Floyd’s camp wanted Olympic-style blood
testing instead of the usual urine tests per formed by the Nevada State Athletic Com mission. Strangely, your camp refused. The “Pac-roid” chants began, and despite at tempts at mediation and some concessions on both sides, the fight was declared dead three weeks ago. Your detractors levied new charges against you, more grievous than ever be fore, and for the first time that I can recall, you made excuses. Fear of needles. Super stition. Come on. I agree with what your trainer, Freddie Roach, said in an interview with ESPN last week: it’s ridiculous that any fighter should get to dictate the medical for malities surrounding a fight. However, it’s also borderline ridiculous that you and your camp could not put personal discomfort aside and save the biggest fight of your life. How often do two opposing forces meet at full strength with the eyes of the world upon them? As much as I hate the term, this fight would be absolutely epic. Not epic in the Toronto vernacular sense, but Paradise Lost-epic. Heaven versus Hell epic. Yoda
versus the Emperor. Harry versus Voldemort. Simply put, this is a fight that needs to happen if we want the Earth to keep spin ning. I’m still a believer. I cannot accept the possibility that you cheated your way to seven world titles in seven different weight classes. Driving in and out of Manila for over a decade, I’ve seen your face on bill boards, TV screens, and newspaper covers. I cannot imagine that you would risk the faith of 90 million people by juicing up. I believe that you have it in you to stop mak ing excuses, and do whatever it takes to fight Mayweather. Manny, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by agreeing to the blood tests and fighting Floyd. But right now, the Pretty Boy is up on the scorecards, and lumilipas na ang oras, Manny. Time is run ning out. All the best, Kailan Leung Sports Editor, The McGill Tribune
mcgilltribune.com
18 • 19 January 2010
M ARTLET BASKETBALL—M C G IL L 37, R O U G E E T OR 55
Dismal shooting dooms Martlets against physical Rouge et Or L a v a l’s size a n d strength too m uch fo r M cG ill to handle KAILAN LEUNG Sports Editor
Less than two weeks ago, the McGill women’s basketball team was riding high after upsetting sixth-ranked Laval on their home floor. Fast forward to Friday night, and the post-game atmosphere at Love Competition Hall was anything but celebratory. The Mar tlets failed to reach double figures in scoring in three out of four quarters, and connected on an abysmal 23 per cent of their field goal at tempts as they were picked apart by the visit ing Rouge et Or, 55-37. “There aren’t a lot of positives to take [from the game],” said Head Coach Ryan Thome. “We didn’t do much well. I think the lesson to be learned is that if you don’t play well, teams will execute and make us pay for it.” Both squads seemed incapable of gener ating any offensive rhythm early in the game;
with two minutes left in the opening period the score remained deadlocked at an astoundingly low 4-8. With no player standing above six feet tall in McGill’s starting lineup, the Martlets struggled to establish inside position ing and assert themselves on the glass, losing the rebounding battle 42-31. Despite poor play during the first half, though, the Martlets found themselves trailing by just three points at intermission. “We weren’t surprised to be down three,” said Thome. “I think we can beat that team; we beat them already. [In the second half] we stopped executing and doing the little things. We got down early in the first quarter because we [had] a gameplan and we didn’t follow through.” Weak screens, slow ball movement, and forced threes certainly weren’t part of McGill’s plan, yet that was all Thome saw from his squad on Friday night. The Martlets’ inability to take Laval off the dribble and penetrate the lane resulted in far too many contested perimeter shots, and on a night when McGill connected on just five out of 21 long-range attempts, of
fensive stagnancy proved deadly. Senior guard Nathifa Weekes was also critical of her team’s defensive effort in the match. “We had too many fouls in the first half,” she said. “Turnovers, and just poor defence all in all. If we start playing [defence] and work ing together, we’ll win.” In most cases, holding a top-10 team to 55 points and 33 per cent shooting, and forc ing 24 turnovers would all but ensure a victory. However, the Martlets coughed the ball up 20 times themselves, and were limited to just six free throw attempts—a strong indication of the team’s lack of activity close to the basket. “We know [Laval’s] big,” said Thome. “We’re not surprised by that. [But] if we don’t execute—if we’re not setting good screens to get people open—we’re not going to get open looks. They’re not going to give us a game, they’re going to fight. All the credit to [Laval], they played really well and fought hard, but we’ve got to execute as well.” Freshman guard Françoise Charest was the only Martlet player in double figures with 11 points. Sophomore forward Anneth Him-
Lazerenko—the team’s best offensive player in the post—was limited to just nine points on 4-11 shooting. With eight first-year play ers on the roster, the Martlets are unquestion ably young, but Thome was reluctant to use his team’s youth as an excuse for their sub-par performance. “Yeah, our team’s young,” said Thome. “But we have to stop saying that we’re young and start executing. We’re trying to play too fast at times and trying to make plays before we recognize what the open situation is. But we’ve [also] got four veterans who I think are solid players.” Veterans and rookies alike stepped up in a major way on Sunday evening, as the Martlets rebounded with a 75-59 demolition of visting UQAM. Freshman guard Marie-Eve Martin scored 16 points and the Martlets held the Cit adins to just three points in the second quarter. The win brought McGill to 3-6 in conference play, and the Martlets will look to improve on that mark when they travel to Lennoxville on January 29 to take on the Bishop’s Gaiters.
The Martlets failed to execute offensively on Friday night against Laval, but came back strong on Sunday with an upset win over the UQAM Citadins.
ADAM SCOTTI
M ARTLET V O L L E Y B A L L -M C G IL L 3, SH E R B R O O K E 0
Irwin leads the way as Martlets march past smaller Sherbrooke M cG ill dom inates the m iddle en route to straight-set w in KAILAN LEUNG Sports Editor
Going into Sunday afternoon’s match up against-the visiting Sherbrooke Vert et Or, Head Coach Rachel Beliveau stressed the importance of establishing a presence at the middle of the net as early as possible. Clearly, her players were listening. Sophomore middle Kaiva Mateus opened up the scoring in the first set with a thunderous solo block, and the McGill women’s volleyball team shut down the Sherbrooke offence en route to a convinc ing straight-set victory at Love Competition Hall. Senior middle Kelsey Irwin was close to unstoppable, racking up 10 kills- to go along with six solo blocks against a smaller and vis ibly overmatched Vert et Or squad. “It was definitely part of our gameplan to go through the middle,” said Irwin. “With Sherbrooke that’s usually what we do. It was a good game by everyone and Kaiva [Mateus] and I did a pretty good job in the middle.” McGill led 8-3 at the first technical tim eout of the match, and only trailed in the open ing moments of the third set. The Martlets held a 14-4 edge in total team blocks, and a 47-27 advantage in overall points. While Sherbrooke had little trouble handling the serve receive,
the Vert et Or simply could not cope with the dominant Martlet defence. “We’ve worked a lot on our blocking re cently,” said Beliveau. “And the last two games we played this weekend we blocked way better than before. It’s good for us because it [makes things] a lot easier on the defence.” While McGill’s back-row defence cer tainly benefited from the activity of the team’s middle blockers, they also proved themselves to be highly capable of covering ground and digging tough shots when need be. First-year libero Daphne-Maude Andre-Morin registered a match-leading 16 digs, while All-Canadian senior Jennifer Thomson notched a dozen in a relatively quiet performance. Beliveau be lieves that greater attention to blocking has also helped her team recognize the importance of proper court coverage, an area of the game that will play a key factor in determining the amount of success McGill has against more physically imposing teams in the future. “We’ve worked hard on covering,” she said. “Today, we covered a lot of blocked balls, and we’re going to keep working on that. We’re training with a higher block now to pre pare for [taller teams].” For at least one day, though, the Mart lets were more than happy to take advantage of being the bigger side. More than half of McGill’s attacks came out of the middle, and Beliveau made it clear that much of her team’s offensive success will hinge on Irwin’s pro
ductivity. “Kelsey is a really good hitter, and when she’s on the front line she scores a lot of [points],” said Beliveau. “But to get to that, we need good passing or else we lose her as a hit ter. Once we have the passing and the defence, we can use her well and [put her] in many dif ferent places where she becomes efficient.” Perhaps the most noticeable bright spot from Sunday’s game, though, was the con fidence and chemistry between Irwin and sophomore setter Marcela Mansure. Mansure dished out 23 assists for the match, to go along with successive back-set kills in the second set that elicited oohs and ahhs from the partisan crowd. “[Masure and Irwin] are working much better together,” said Beliveau. “Their confi dence is getting there.” Irwin echoed her coach’s sentiments, not ing the initial difficulties of adapting to a new setter. “Marcela and I had to start the year off fresh. At first, obviously, it’s pretty tough with a new setter, but it’s been unreal. She’s a great setter and she’s been doing a great job with me and Kaiva [Mateus],” she said. The Martlets have 12 days off before they head across town to take on the division leading Montreal Carabins, and very little of that time will be spent basking in the glow of Sunday’s win. “Montreal is a big hitting team,” said
MAXIME SAWICKI
Senior Jennifer Thomson rises for a tip.
Irwin. “Our defence and our blocks have to be there, and honestly I think tonight was a good precursor to a couple weeks from now.” McGill certainly has the pieces to chal lenge the top teams in the country, but the Martlets know that they must continue to work hard and improve if they wish to make a deep run in the postseason and at Nationals. McGill faces the Carabins on January 29, before re turning home to welcome the Laval Rouge et Or on January 31. QSSF playoffs begin on February 11.
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