The McGill Tribune Vol. 30 Issue 18

Tribune

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L IO N S A N D T IG E R S A N D BEERS, O H MY! P A G ES î o -n

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P R O F M E N D E L S O N ’S S U P E R B O W L PICK, PA G E 19

Published by th e Tribune Publication Society Volume No. 30 Issue No. 18

M K back in action

S tu d e n ts v o ic e c o n c e rn s a t G A T o w n H a l

By T h e o M ey e r M a n a g in g E ditor A fter being shut dow n by the S tudents’ Society on January 25, M idnight K itchen, the Shatner B uilding’s popular vegan food co­ operative, reopened for lunch on Friday with a renew ed permit.

The cooperative’s sudden clo­ sure w as the result o f a “com m u­ nication fiasco” betw een M idnight K itchen and SSM U , said Emily Z heng, an adm inistrative co-coordi­ nator for the cooperative.

“It w as ju s t a huge m isunder­ standing,” she said.

The confusion, w hich shut dow n the cooperative for tw o days last w eek, began in Decem ber, w hen, according to SSM U V ice-President (Clubs and Services) A nushay K han, she sent M idnight K itchen an em ail inquiring about their progress on the renew al o f their operation perm it. The cooperative had oper­ ated under a perm it since last spring, w hen M idnight K itchen sent tw o o f

S S M U P resident Z ach N e w b u rg h discussed G en eral A ssem bly reform w ith students W e d n esd ay. (H o lly S te w a rt and S o p h ie Silkes / M c G ill T rib u n e)

By M a tt Essert_____________________ N ew s E ditor R oughly 40 students attended a

Hall to solicit further student feed­ back.

D uring the tw o-hour m eeting, councillors and students offered

discussion part could be only 10 people in the room and it w ould still be more valuable than no one.”

Erin H ale, U3 Philosophy, was

cil m eeting to m ake the w ording m ore clear.

M yriam Zaidi, SSM U vicepresident external, expressed m ixed

Town Hall m eeting last W ednesday held by the S tudents’ Society to dis­ cuss a proposed referendum ques­ tion about reform ing the G eneral Assembly.

The proposed m otion w ould re­ place the GA with an A nnual General M eeting and an online voting period for referendum questions. SSM U Council is set to vote February 3 on w hether or not to put the question on the Spring referendum ballot.

various suggestions for im proving both the G A itself and the proposed referendum question.

Max Zidel, clubs and services representative, responded to a com ­ m ent about weak turnout at G A s by saying that a lot o f the good things at M cG ill are done, or at least started, by sm aller groups o f students and that SSM U should foster this work rather than discourage it.

“I d o n ’t think it should be a

concerned that changing to the pro­ posed A G M form at w ould rem ove any real force and m eaning from the GA. “W hat separates [an A GM ] from a culture club?” she said. “ L et’s get together and talk about som ething.

People w ant to get together to make a decision. Y ou’re cutting the balls o f the GA by having these A G M s.”

O thers expressed concern about the w ording o f part 28.3 o f the p ro­

feelings about the event.

“I find it unfortunate that the turnout w asn ’t great, that the vast m ajority o f people w ere either coun­ cillors o r m em bers o f the m edia,” said Zaidi. “ [But as a positive], a lot o f argum ents that cam e up that not even executives or councillors thought of, not even those w ho are for the G A , like the education as­ pect.”

A t the Town H all, several stu­

SSM U President Zach N ew ­ burgh, the author o f the question, gave notice o f the m otion at the SSM U C ouncil m eeting on Janu­

problem o f w ho attends and how m any,” Zidel said. “ If it’s a prob­ lem of, ‘We d o n ’t w ant everyone to vote on behalf o f everyone because o f th at,’ we can reform the legisla­ tive aspect o f the G A, m ake it less bureaucratic, etc. B ut the forum o f

posed referendum question, w hich appeared to strictly lim it the scope o f debate at AGM s. But according to R obert’s Rules, this section w ould only lim it debate for the purpose o f voting. N ew burgh said he plans to am end this section at the next C oun­

dents suggested that the G A ’s atten­ dance problem s could be partially blam ed on the average student’s insufficient know ledge o f the inner

ary 20. A fter a num ber o f students contacted him w ith concerns, he an­ nounced that he w ould hold a Town

w orkings o f the GA. Som e suggested that m ore education on the capabiliSee “ N E W B U R G H ” on page

3

its m em bers, Salka Thali and M att Lee, to be trained in food m anage­ m ent and safety, in accordance with new provincial regulations.

B ut M idnight K itchen never received the em ail, Z heng said. In­ stead, the cooperative first learned their perm it w ould need to be re­ new ed on January 10, w hen Khan sent them another email. In re­ sponse, M idnight K itchen held a m eeting about renew ing their certi­ fication, Zheng said, but they didn’t think there was any rush to do so.

M idnight K itchen’s perm it ex­ pired on January 21, how ever, Khan said. Four days later, SSM U G en­ eral M anager Pauline G ervais and K han approached M idnight K itchen at lunchtim e.

“We were in the process of cooking when Pauline and Anushay cam e up,” Zheng said, “and Pauline told us that our perm it had expired, and unless we had a renew ed permit, w e couldn’t keep serving.”

See “C O L L E C T IV E ” on page

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---------------------N ew s ----------------SPEAKER O N CAMPUS

S e n a to r a n d p o li sci p ro fe s s o r d is c u s s S e n a te re fo rm Pair d e ba tes C o n s e rv a tiv e b ills w h ic h p ro p o s e e le c tio n by p ro v in c ia l vo te s, e ig h t-ye a r te rm lim it

By Kat Sieniuc C o n trib u to r

the Senate is increasingly becom ing a m irror im age to the H ouse o f C om ­ m ons, Senate reform is crucial.

“There is som ething fundam en­

C anadian Senator Serge Joyal

ernm ent’s plans for Senate reform .

tally w rong when a single individu­ al, Liberal or C onservative, has the ability to appoint pow ers to an insti­ tution that has the sam e pow ers as the [elected] H ouse o f C om m ons,”

The H arper governm ent has in ­ troduced tw o bills on the issue: one bill proposes an eight-year m axi­ m um term for senators, and the other bill calls for the election o f senators

he said.

Schultz contended that an elect­ ed Senate w ould be ideal. However, he noted that elections are not a way to fashion a legitim ate democracy.

joined R ichard Schultz, chair o f M cG ill’s political science depart­ m ent, in a panel discussion on T hursday about the C anadian gov­

by provincial votes.

Joyal contended that these bills w ould am ount to an unconstitutional change that w ould transfer pow er from the federal governm ent to the provinces.

“It w ould be as if we are im ­ porting the 10 provincial prem iers into the Senate,” he said.

Schultz agreed that any change m ust consider the com plex distribu­ tion o f pow er and the Constitution, but he still argued that reform s m ust occur.

“The contem porary Senate, for all the good it has done, is funda­ m entally flawed in that it lacks le­ gitim acy,” Schultz said.

Joyal em phasized the need to objectively understand the Senate as an institution before calling for

S en a to r Serge Joyal and Professor Richard S ch ultz discuss h o w to im p ro v e th e C an ad ian S en ate. (Ryan R eisert / M c G ill T rib u n e ) reform . H e stressed that changing part o f the structure o f the Canadian C onstitution cannot occur w ithout first considering how it w ill im pact the w hole body o f the C onstitution.

“The Senate is less partisan ... since we d o n ’t need to be elected we are not hostage to the pressure from different groups, w hereas M Ps are subject to that pressure,” said Joyal.

' “ If you change the volum e of air in one room , it will have an im ­ pact on the air conditioning system ,” he said.

Joyal explained that if senators

Joyal also said that an elected Senate w ould create problem s for C an ad a’s m inority governm ent. He argued that in a m inority govern­ m ent it is alw ays difficult to pass a

“We sim ply argue for elections as if th at’s the ideal form o f dem oc­ racy,” he said. “I d o n ’t think we should elect judges.”

Schultz agreed with Joyal that an elected Senate w ould result in pow er concentrated in provincial re­ gions, actually denying proportional representation.

For exam ple, Q uebec is divid­ ed into 24 senatorial districts, with som e in densely populated regions

w ere to be elected, they w ould have to be elected in different districts than the M Ps, w hich w ould not only increase governm ent costs, but also create com petition betw een fellow party mem bers.

A ccording to Joyal, it is essen­ tial to have a body like the Senate to take a second look at issues.

bill through three stages. W ith provincially elected senators, the sam e issues w ould arise in the Senate, e s­ sentially duplicating the H ouse o f Com m ons. “ It w ould create a system o f slow ing dow n the m achine,” he

and others in the rural areas. O ne o f the senatorial districts overlaps Q uebec and N ew foundland, w here there w ould have to be a com bined election. “ So w e w ould have great dis­ crepancies in representation that are

said.

grossly unfair,” Schultz said, ex­ plaining that such a situation would

Schultz m aintained that because

lead to incredible argum ents if the pow er o f the Senate and its relation­ ship w ith the H ouse o f Com m ons were not changed. He argued for an institutional modification, but not a constitutional change.

“Mr. H arper’s proposals con­ stitute a radical change in our C on­ stitution,” he said. “I think the Sen­ ate should be reform ed in order to enhance the legitim acy o f senators.

E lection is one way, but it w ould require C onstitutional reform that I don't think we should do.”

Schultz added that although there should be a change in tenure, eight years is an inadequate time pe­ riod because the turnover w ould be too high, and it w ould thus reinforce the pow er o f the executive.

“E ight years is extrem ely short,” he said. “You w ould never have to face accountability. We d o n ’t w ant another house o f short­ term am ateurs.”

U3 political science student A ndrew Bonnell said that Joyal and Schultz’s discussion shifted his opinion on Senate reform.

“I w as very pro-election for Senators,” he said. “I still think that there needs to be reform , but since listening to this panel, I don't neces­ sarily think electing a Senate on a provincial basis is the best route.”

SCIENCE

S c ie n tis ts u se lasers to c o n tro l w o r m s ’ m in d s H a rv a rd , Penn, and G e o rg ia Tech research e rs in d u c e m o v e m e n t and e g g -la yin g THE NEWS

By A n d re w M ille r C o n trib u to r In a recent study, scientists from H arvard U niversity, the U niversity o f Pennsylvania, and the G eorgia

o f Pennsylvania, A ravinthan D. T.

w here the w o rm ’s neurons are and

“We d o n ’t have to w orry about

Sam uel, a professor o f physics, and

re-aim ing the laser every 20 m illi­

H ang Lu, an associate professor o f bio-m olecular and chem ical engi­ neering, both from H arvard U niver­

seconds.

W ith these findings, scientists can develop a basic understanding o f neural circuits in sim pler crea­ tures like w orm s and flies w hich may, according to Fang-Yen, even­ tually help us understand the hum an brain.

Sam uel further celebrated the study and the technical advances that w ent into it.

“T his optical instrum ent al­ low s us to com m andeer the nervous system o f sw im m ing or craw ling nem atodes using pulses o f blue and green light [w ithout] w ires [or] elec­

laser m ind control in people for quite a w hile, for tw o reasons. O ne, the w orm s had to be genetically m odi­ fied to render their neurons sensitive

sity.

Institute o f Technology discovered that by shining a laser on particular neurons, they w ere able to control w orm s, encouraging them to m ove in varying directions and lay eggs. The published article, w hich appeared in Nature M ethods, shows how it can be used to study how neurons gener­ ate locom otion or sense touch.

A ndrew Leifer, a PhD student at H arvard w ho w orked on the ex ­ perim ent, explained the interest in studying how a handful o f neurons can w ork together in a circuit to gen­ erate behaviour. With that goal in mind, the research team developed the C ontrolling L ocom otion and B ehavior in R eal Tim e (CoLBeRT) system , a new tool that allows light

The cow orkers studied the nem atode C. elegans, an optically transparent w orm that is easy to m a­ nipulate since it only has 302 neu­ ro n s—com pared to over 100 billion present in a hum an brain.

“The general principle is that w e give a w orm genes to m ake its

to stim ulate or inhibit neurons in a w orm as it moves.

L eifer w orked with C hristopher Fang-Yen, an assistant professor o f bioengineering at the U niversity

the neurons that interested the scien­

trodes,” he said. “W e can activate or deactivate individual neurons or m uscle cells, essentially turning the w orm into a virtual bio-robot.”

B ut A dam C ohen, a Harvard assistant professor o f physics, ex­ plained that w hile the CoLBeRT system is a convenient tool that will

tists. The difficulty w as shooting at a m oving target, w hich the CoLBeRT system simplified by taking a new picture o f the w orm , figuring out

provide fundam ental insights into how neural circuits w ork in a sim ple w orm , sim ilar technologies are not likely to be used in hum an minds.

neurons light-sensitive,” L eifer said.

“Then we can stim ulate or inhibit those neurons by shining laser light on the worm. By w atching how the w orm responds we can learn about how those neurons generate the w o rm ’s behavior.”

A ccording to Leifer, the real trick w as to build an instrum ent that w ould be fast enough to track the w orm and shine laser light on only

to light. We c an ’t genetically m od­ ify people,” said Cohen. “A nd two, these w orm s are sm all and transpar­ ent, so it is easy to target an indi­ vidual neuron in the freely behaving anim al. People have opaque skulls and strongly scattering brain tissue, w hich w ould make optical targeting o f single neurons extrem ely diffi­ cult.”

In response to possible con­ cerns about future applications for hum an m ind control, L eifer said there is nothing for people to be w orried about.

“A t the m om ent, the CoLBeRT system can only m anipulate the neu­ rons o f genetically altered anim als that are m icroscopic and transpar­ ent,” he said. “T here is no need to w orry about the CoLBeRT system ever controlling hum ans. You can leave your tinfoil hat at hom e.”

E D IT O R S’ M ID TER M S ARE C O M IN G .

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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

News in Brief

C o lle c tiv e re o p e n s a fte r p e r m it d e b a c le C o n tin u ed fro m C O V E R SSM U allow ed

months.

But M idnight K itchen w as shut­ tered for days, rather than months.

M idnight

K itchen to serve the food they had already prepared for the day, but re­ quired the collective to shut down im m ediately afterw ard. A ccording to K han, SSM U could have faced a $2,000 fine if an inspector had hap­ pened to drop by the Shatner B uild­ ing after the perm it had expired.

“We got lucky that no one cam e by and checked,” she said.

A fter M idnight K itchen’s clo­ sure, m iscom m unication betw een

A ccording to Z heng, SSM U simply needed to prove that 10 per cent o f its kitchen staff had been properly trained. B ecause T hali and Lee had taken a course last y ear and were still cooking for the cooperative, the recertification process was.

“As soon as the paperw ork was in, we w ere able to reopen,” Zheng said. ' Khan said it pained her to shut

SSM U and the cooperative contin­

dow n the cooperative, even for a

ued. In an interview on W ednes­ day, Zheng said M idnight K itchen could rem ain closed for the next two

couple days.

“It was tw o very sad days,” she said. “ But the law is the law.”

City of Montreal drops $2,500 fine to AUS The* A rts U ndergraduate Soci­ ety no longer has to pay the $2,500 fine that it was originally charged w ith due to the placem ent o f an Arts U ndergraduate T heatre Society poster on a lam ppost.

D ue to financial constraints faced by the AUS this year, Presi­ dent D ave M arshall w as ready to personally represent the AUS in court against the City o f M ontreal, but after frequent com m unications, the pro secu to r’s office decided to w ithdraw the charges.

“T raditionally [this] is done because their office do esn ’t believe there is enough evidence supporting their case,” M arshall said. “The rea­ sons w eren’t disclosed to us, but re­ gardless, the situation is favourable for o ur students because the AUS d o esn ’t have to pay the fine or the court fees associated w ith it.”.

The fact that the AUTS is a stu­ dent group that w orks w ith the AUS

created a lot o f confusion regarding w ho was responsible for the poster.

T he fine w as charged to the

the restrictions M cG ill’s adm inistra­ tion placed on the use o f the M cG ill nam e earlier this year.

A US because w hen the A UTS post­ er w as found and the police looked into it, the only corporation that ap­

“This, I think, is a perfect ex­ am ple o f a liability issue associated w ith using the AUS nam e,” M arshall said.

By this logic, the AUS has found w ays to reduce the liability risk, as w ell as fight for its students if anything goes w rong w ith the use

peared to be officially registered w as the AUS. “T here w as still no proof at any point that anybody from the AUS could have put the poster up,” M ar­ shall said. “T hey didn’t catch any­ body in the act.”

A ccording to M arshall, the City now plans to review the law in order

o f the AUS name.

“I don’t expect this to be a m ajor step for M cG ill, but I think it should com e as a pretty pow erful indica­

to avoid sim ilar issues in the future.

“The law as it stands right now opens up a lot o f confusion regard­ ing these type o f charges that are not legitim ate and hopefully they will revise the law in the near future,”

tion that student groups are in a very

M arshall said.

The situation represents a li­ ability issue regarding the use of the AUS nam e, w hich is sim ilar to

from M cG ill.”

sim ilar position when it com es to the usage o f their corporate nam es, and yet we have taken a position that we will support our students,” M arshall said. “I ’d like to see the same thing

—M aria Flores

N e w b u rg h s e t to d e fe n d m o tio n

WITH SPECIAL GUEST

SWEET THING

C o n tin u e d fro m C O V E R

a No cam paign,” said M anagem ent

posed reform s have led some stu­

ties and operations o f the G A ought to be im plem ented so that students could feel m ore com fortable with the process and be m ore likely to at­ tend the G A and engage in debate.

representative Eli Freedm an. “I was under the im pression that we were reform ing [the GA] and I had ideas for reform ing it and I d id n ’t even think getting rid o f it w as an option.

dents to question N ew burgh’s lead­ ership.

“We have a large num ber of councillors w ho don’t trust the m o­ tivations o f our president,” K night

N ew burgh said many o f the com m ents m ade by m em bers o f the audience had already been consid­ ered during the w riting o f referen­ dum question, but that “there w ere a few new points that w ere m ade that are interesting to consider, som e o f

N ow with the referendum question, th a t’s the only option.”

K night said some o f the con­ cerns that have been raised could

said. “D o I have a huge am ount of trust for certain people and their m otivations right now ? No. A m I attem pting to w ork collaboratively?

Yes.” Zaidi responded to concerns that the SSM U executive w as di­

w hich w ill be addressed to the form o f am endm ents to the referendum question.”

A ny am endm ents suggested w ill be presented, discussed, and voted upon at T hursday’s Council meeting.

C lubs and Services representa­ tive M aggie K night noted that al­

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though she arrived to the event late, from w hat she saw, the Town Hall “w as successful in being a place w here people could share their ideas.

D epending on w hat happens with these results, w e m ight see some frustration or som e excitem ent.”

Looking forw ard to the next C ouncil m eeting, several SSM U councillors and executives appear to have strong thoughts one way or an­ other on the future o f the G A and the G A -reform referendum question.

“Personally, ideally it w ould fail at C ouncil. A nd if it do esn ’t happen then I ’d plan on being involved in

be traced to the com plicated w ord­ ing o f the referendum question and that re-w ording the question for clarity could alleviate som e o f the concerns. “ If we could re-w rite [the ques­ tion] in a way th at’s actually repre­ sentative o f w hat you could actually

vided on the issue.

“We are six people ... elected on an individual basis,” she said. “It happens that som e issues w ill divide us and this is one o f the issues that

do with it, then m aybe that w ould be okay,” K night said. “B ut, it doesn’t clearly outline: w e’ll have a debate and then w e’ll be able to vote on stuff for the next three days. T h at’s now here in there.”

Several councillors have said they plan to bring critical questions and am endm ents w ith them to the February 3 C ouncil m eeting. H ow ­ ever, N ew burgh said he w ill stand strong in his position to defend the m ain force o f the question.

does divide us.”

N ew burgh explained that the question w ent through the Council steering com m ittee w ithout any dis­ sent, and that he feels there would have been the “sam e outcry no m at­ ter w hat kind o f process ensued.”

“A ny am endm ent that provides the opportunity for a sm all segm ent o f the population to vote and ex­

going to continue to uphold an un­ dem ocratic institution for the sake o f students’ apathy, w e are failing at our job as responsible representa­

cludes all others is unacceptable and against the spirit o f the referendum question,” N ew burgh said.

K night, how ever, said the pro­

W W W .M C G ILLT R IB U N E .C O M

“U ltim ately bold steps needed to be taken in order to force people into consultation on this issue,” N ew burgh added. “T his is an issue about ensuring the dem ocratic char­ acter o f our society and if w e’re

tives and leaders o f the society.”

4

Curiosity Delivers, www.mcgilltribune.com

NEWS ANALYSIS

R u m o u rs o f fe d e ra l e le c tio n s w irl as b u d g e t re le a s e n ea rs Liberals, C o n se rva tive s, N D P d iv id e d o n tax cu ts , u n te n d e re d F-30 c o n tra c t, e n v iro n m e n ta l p o lic y

By A n an d Bery

party w ill seek to help “sandw ich parents” —fam ilies w ho have to sup­ port not only their children but their ow n parents as well.

“T h ere’s not enough in the so­ cial safety net to help them ,” she

Contributor The Liberals and C onserva­ tives have both fired attack ads at each other, rhetoric on all sides is alm ost a flashpoint, and ju st about every m ajor new s outlet in Canada has been running pieces on the im ­ m inent outcom e: a federal election

said. She added that a Liberal gov­ ernm ent w ould focus on pension reform for C anada’s aging popula­ tion, and w ould even increase aid for post-secondary education.

is around the comer.

H arp er’s budget, expected to be released in M arch, is being tout­ ed as a pivotal m om ent for the cur­ rent governm ent. If badly received by the opposition, it could be the spark that gets C anada to the polls.

Tensions betw een the Conservatives and Liberals have grow n over the governm ent’s econom ic, military, and environm ental policies.

A nnie D onolo, VP O perations for Liberal M cG ill, said the L iber­ als’ support o f the budget w ill hinge on w hat priority it gives to corporate

(Alice W a lk e r and A n n a K atycheva / M c G ill T rib u n e )

C onservatives, m eanw hile, will likely trum pet their econom ic poli­ c y ’s success during the recession.

Interestingly, it seem s that the N DP m ight support the new budget, but only if it contains m eaningful action for helping households with energy costs or if it strengthens the

tax cuts and how it proposes to cut

From across the floor, C onser­ vatives have said that tax cuts are necessary to stim ulate the econom y and encourage C anadian business.

In an em ail to the Tribune, C onser­ vative M cG ill’s D irector o f Events, Spencer Burger, agreed that the

and a m ore com petitive tax rate will bring m ore investm ent and jobs to C anadians.”

A nother m ajor Liberal criti­ cism o f the current governm ent is aim ed at its untendered F-35 fighter je t contract. D onolo said that the

unnecessary spending.

“It’s ju s t not the right tim e to offer tax cuts,” she said. “T h ere’s a good clim ate for business and a tax

proposed cuts are necessary for eco­ nom ic developm ent.

“The C onservative governm ent has m ade [it] clear that these tax cuts

Liberals appreciate the need for the best technology to keep C anadians safe, but w anted a com petitive bid process on the contract.

have loyalty to your party, but you also represent constituents.”

Specifically, the N D P w ould like to get rid o f the federal tax on heating bills and strengthen the CPP

cut are only going to hurt taxpay­

are proven jo b creators,” he said.

“W e live in a highly com petitive age

H owever, Burger pointed out

by increasing the G uaranteed In­

that the contract w ent through an “exhaustive evaluation process at the D epartm ent o f D efence,” and w as supported by the previous L ib­ eral governm ent.

A s the election nears, the Liber­ als seem to be positioning them selves for a platform anchored by social is­ sues. For exam ple, D onolo said the

com e Supplem ent (G IS), w hich they claim w ould bring many C anadian seniors back above the poverty line.

The parties have also done plenty o f finger-pointing over envi­

ers.”

News in Brief Science research council gives $3 million donation to McGill O n January 20, 2011, seven M cG ill research team s received a

and practical issues and focus on successfully reaching their goals.

total grant o f $3 m illion from the N atural Sciences and E ngineering R esearch C ouncil’s Strategic Project G rants program , w hich w ill be used over the next three years to “devel­ op and enhance tools, m odels and m echanism s in fields o f engineering and the environm ent.” These proj­

P rofessor E lena B ennett o f the M cG ill School o f Environm ent, em ­ phasized that the hardest part about applying for this grant is not so m uch the w riting, but rather finding a substantial goal that will benefit the w orld. W hile som e researchers m ay find this process frustrating,

ects include the building o f all-fibre infrared lasers and com ponents for chem ical detection application, im ­ provem ent o f ecosystem services,

she finds it fun, “because you get to interact with different people on things that m atter.”

The grants are not aw arded

biodiversity, and

until O ctober,

landscape

con­

so there

rem ains

nectivity, quality-driven integrated system design, design o f horizontal single-belt casting for the com peti­ tive m anufacturing o f ferrous and light metal alloy sheet m aterial, en ­ gineering o f nanostructured titania thin film electrodes for highly e f­

much to prepare for. Still, despite this gradual process, the projects all seem to be well on their way. M cGill researchers are honoured to have earned such national recognition.

■“A s ever, we are proud that M cG ill researchers can m ake such

ficient solar energy conversion and storage system s, the study o f p ost­ earthquake functionality o f schools and hospitals in Eastern C anada, and

broad and im portant to the developm ent o f C anada as well as the velopm ent that flows

new approaches to detect and char­ acterize environm ental risks through the study o f toxicity, transform a­ tions and transport o f engineered nanoparticles in soils.

This grant w ill help the leaders o f each project deal with financial

this know ledge from the laboratory to industry and to society at large,” said R ose G oldstein, M cG ill’s VicePrincipal (R esearch and Internation­

—Jimmy Lou

ronm ental policy and the use o f the A thabasca oil sands. T he C onserva­ tives have based their policy on that o f the U nited States.

tives have C anada slated for a 17 per cent reduction in carbon em issions from 2005 through 2020.

O pposition parties claim this am ount isn ’t enough. D onolo argues that H arper “em barrassed us at C o­ penhagen and C ancun [and] espe­ cially at K yoto.”

D onolo also noted that the re­ cently appointed M inister o f the Environm ent Peter K ent’s m ain re­ sponsibility has been to “im prove the reputation o f the oil sands” through a PR cam paign. “H ow does that contribute to a better environ­ m ent?” she asked.

A ccording to D ubé, the N D P also calls for “m ore federal regula­ tion o f the tar sands to keep up w ith our environm ental and health stan­ dards.”

Though the disputes betw een the parties are heating up, polls show few changes in the C anadian voting public, w ith the Liberals still trailing by about nine per cent. The m ajor­ ity o f C anadians, how ever, appear to be to be unconcerned w ith federal politics altogether. A ccording to the G lobe and M ail, Liberal pollster M i­ chael M arzolini found that only 15 per cent o f the Canadian electorate is presently follow ing federal politics.

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al R elations).

C anada Pension Plan (CPP).

“O ur point o f view has alw ays been that if we can get som ething out o f [the budget], then w e’re doing o u r jo b ,” said M atthew D ube, co-president o f N D P M cG ill. “You

“C anada is also restricted by its deep connections with the U.S. econom y, and the Conservatives have rightly dem onstrated that C an­ ada should follow U.S. m oves on this issue,” B urger said. C onserva­

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The Facebook generation On January 25, the nomina­ tions for the 83rd annual Academy Awards were announced. A film about a website received eight nom­ inations This wouldn’t have been possible five years ago.

The Social Network is im­ portant because Mark Zuckerberg changed our lives. It is about how we communicate, how we share, and how we approach every aspect of life. Although some people still avoid Facebook, its influence can­ not be denied: we are the Facebook Generation. In the 1970s, films about the Vietnam War revealed something inherently horrible about what was going on. For us, The So­ cial Network is our lives televised, filmed in an intelligent and thoughtprovoking way.

While 2010 will be looked back on as an excellent year in filmmaking, no other film was as perti­ nent, socially and ideologically, as The Social Network. I was riveted

by Black Swan, entranced by Incep­ tion, and entertained by Toy Story 3, but I am not a ballerina, dream interceptor, or action figure: I am a Facebook user. And this is what makes the film so significant, and why it should win Best Picture: it’s both good and relevant. The Oscars, for a long time, have been seen as outdated. But this year, something feels different. Young, talented ac­ tors and actresses are up against Hollywood heavyweights. Subjects are diverse and deserve the inter­ est of the audiences they attempt to bring in. A film about a website directed towards “the college expe­ rience” is up for the same awards as

Making the most of McGill’s offerings If I took a survey of first-year students, I imagine that most of them don’t use more than one or two services offered by McGill. I know I haven’t. In my first year of universi­ ty, I was completely unaware of the many things I could do at McGill— it took me a year to discover the school paper (and another year to discover that» there was more than

a film depicting a king being taught to speak properly, the latter being a natural Oscar contender. The Social Network, a premise that could have been turned into a boring movie, became a film of both restraint and intense dialogue; it’s visually ar­ resting, and showed that filmmak­ ing today can look modem, but feel classic.

In the past few years, dinosaurs ruled the Oscars stage, but with The Social Network, it feels like our generation has won something for itself. The film stars young people, it’s about young people, and it’s for young people. Although written and directed by veterans of the filmmak­ ing world (Aaron Sorkin and David Fincher, respectively), the film is innately young. And that is why the Academy should hand this film all the awards. Simply put, this is a film that matters. While others may have been more impressive, more grand, more beautiful, The Social Network was the most real. It felt like life transplanted to screen, only more exciting. The film is crisp, clean, and perfect. The filmmakers don’t judge or comment, but interpret, which is exactly what a great movie should do. It leaves the audience to decide what they think of the char­ acters and of the real people they are meant to portray.

The character of Zuckerberg isn’t actually Zuckerberg, but that doesn’t deter us from commenting on him as a real person because he is in some ways our own: a young, brilliant kid who knew what he wanted, got it, and ran with it.

Throughout the film, there’s an underlying sense that we are watch­ ing ourselves and our fate unfold before us. There may have been MySpace and Friendster and all of those other “revolutionary” sites before, but none have had a film made about them. And this is why Facebook is important, and why The Social Network is important.

On February 27, we’ll find out if the Academy agrees.

one), two years to discover McGill’s career services (CaPS) and three years to discover the McGill gym. I knew the gym existed and that I paid $120.50 a semester in Athletic fees.

But I believed that walking around campus and up the mountain to my residence was exercise enough.

Many soon-to-be graduates will tell you that as graduation looms closer, a sudden desire devel­ ops (coupled with a panicky feeling that the end is coming) to try every­ thing McGill has to offer. Recently I’ve tried to soothe the anxiety that I will never again be a student, will never take another McGill class, and will never again walk the halls of Leacock, by making the most of the services I haven’t yet used at McGill. And so, after overcom­

I’m not one for protests. Maybe my convictions aren’t strong enough.

Or maybe they haven’t been tested yet. Whatever the reason, I usually feel uncomfortable or sanctimo­ nious when I attend a protest.

In late September, I rallied with students to save the Architecture Café. I loved that café, but realized after the rally that I didn’t feel that strongly for the cause. So I wrote about the experience—about how I failed to empathize, how I felt dis­ sociated—in an opinion article for the Daily.

It was the first opinion article I had ever written, and I loved that people were commenting on my ideas—even if many misinterpreted, misrepresented, or disagreed with them. That was all copacetic. I felt involved in a good way.

I had managed to connect more closely with campus politics by writing about an experience that dis­ tanced me from involvement. It set a precedent. In November, I wrote another article for the Daily about how, as a Jew, I felt dragged into the debate on Israel and Palestine after witnessing an unexpected protest against IDF soldiers.

That article sparked some anger, some sympathy, and some lunacy. It was great. I had managed again to bring myself closer to an issue I originally felt estranged from.

I started to notice that that might be how I tend to cope with things.

My friends joke that I am preaching the politics of disen­ gagement or of apathy. But I think apathy is an overused buzzword.

At McGill, if you spend your time

worrying about student apathy, you should stop. Those who don’t seem to care probably do care more than you think. I’m one of them. And those who don’t actually care? Well, that’s their choice.

Now that I’m an opinion col­ umnist for the Tribune, I ’ll be writ­ ing regularly on topics many stu­ dents at McGill care deeply for. I can’t predict what I ’ll write about, but I imagine, if anyone actually reads this column, that I will offend some and flatter others.

Just know I’m not settled in my opinions. I fear that .could happen eventually, but for now, I’m still try­ ing to make sense of the world. I’m a student, still learning. And I want to learn through this column.

This is my last semester at McGill, and I ’ll admit that I’ve just started regularly reading the school newspapers this year. I used to pick them up from time to time, scan the articles, but usually condescending­ ly. I didn’t think they had much to say, which was sometimes true. But I was unwittingly estranging myself with that posture.

I have a sort of aversion to com­ munal involvement. Maybe that’s why I shunned the papers and why I’m not one for protests. Eventually, though, I started to realize that the McGill community is not so narrow and monolithic as it may look—and that I was already a part of it.

I wouldn’t say that you’re less informed if you don’t read the pa­ pers. You’re not even less involved.

But you’re focused in a different way. When I pick up a paper now, whether it’s the Tribune or the Daily, I turn straight to the opinion pages.

And although I usually furrow my brow in disagreement by the time I ’ve finished a column’s first para­ graph, I read on until the end.

I hope you’ll do the same for this column. Not because I want you to agree with me, but because I ’m really writing for you. My opinion only exists in relation to those who read it.

V______________ /

ing the protests of my out-of-shape body, I bought a gym membership and trudged up Pine Avenue to visit the McGill Fitness Centre.

I’ll admit that I’ve never really been to a gym. I’ve been blessed with good genes, and even though I love eating Oreos and Pillsbury cookies, my body hasn’t put on all the weight it should have. But when I run from class on Peel to my next one in Trottier, my heart is beating rapidly and I’m short of breath.

My desire to try the McGill gym might also have something to do with the course I’m taking called “World of Chemistry: Food” where, behind the details on which vitamins to take, and which food to avoid, the underlying conclusion is that we need to eat less and exercise more.

Visiting the McGill gym is both scary and exciting. At first, I had no idea where to go and couldn’t ask anyone for directions because I didn’t want anyone to guess that I wasn’t a real gym enthusiast. So, despite the wrong turns that led me to a locked stairwell where the only entrance led to the snowy outdoors, after walking around the gym back to the front entrance, I found the fit­ ness centre, hopped on a treadmill, and started my workout.

You don’t need the details of my first workout. But I will tell you that I can now check another item off my do-before-I-graduate list.

It’s hard to believe that in first year, I didn’t even know where the gym was or that McGill offers activ­ ities other than academics. Did you

know that there are clubs for virtual­ ly everything? There are even clubs catering to people who just want free food or people interested in playing imaginary games that only exist in Harry Potter books. If there’s one thing McGill and the Students’ So­ ciety should devote more time and money to, it’s promoting the many programs they offer that students may not already know about. Maybe they covered it in orientation week, but shockingly enough, students don’t remember everything they learn in orientation—I know I don’t.

McGill students: get to know your school. You’ll save yourself much anxiety later on and when gradua­ tion comes, you’ll know that you got the most out of your university experience.

This one’s for you

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C a n a d a s h o u ld s e n d T ra b e ls i b ac k to T u n is ia Among the more stirring as­ pects of the recent uprisings in the Arab world has been the reaction of those in the Tunisian and Egyptian diasporas—especially here in Cana­ da—to the turmoil that has gripped their native countries. Rallies in sup­ port of the Egyptian protestors have occurred across Canada over the past week, including a more-than-1,000 strong rally in Toronto and smaller ones in Ottawa and Montreal. Sup­ porters of the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia have also rallied across the country—especially in Montreal, where Tunisians comprise a signifi­ cant portion of the wave of Franco­ phone immigration that has arrived in the past few decades. Montrealers of Tunisian origin have had a par­ ticular reason to assemble in protest: Belhassen Trabelsi, the brother-inlaw of the deposed Tunisian presi­ dent, a man accused of stealing bil-

lions of dollars from the Tunisian people, arrived in the city with his family shortly after the revolution, via private jet. He has been staying at a luxurious hotel in Montreal’s West End. Members of Montreal’s Tuni­ sian community have been demand­ ing that Canada comply with the Tunisian government’s request that Trabelsi be arrested and extradited so he can face charges for his crimes against the country. Canada should do everything in its legal power to make that happen.

There are complications to this story that will have to be sorted out first. For one thing, Trabelsi was originally accepted into Canada last week based on his Permanent Resi­ dent status. That makes it more dif­ ficult for the government to deport him. Additionally, last week Trabelsi filed for refugee status in Canada; this will probably lead to a long legal

battle. It could be months if not years before Trabelsi is finally brought back to Tunisia to be held account­ able for the crimes of which he is ac­ cused.

The Canadian government has already made some gestures toward that end. Last week, both Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon and Prime Minister Stephen Harper declared that members of the former ruling family in Tunisia were not welcome on Canadian soil. While this obviously does not have the force of law, it is a step towards delineat­ ing precisely where the government stands. The next step, according to Cannon, will be to freeze the assets of the Trabelsi family—assets which the Tunisian and Canadian govern­ ments both say were gained illegally and essentially stolen from the Tuni­ sian people.

There is a concern that Tra-

belsi, should he be extradited back to Tunisia, may be tortured or even murdered in retribution for what he and his family did to the country.

The new Tunisian government has said they will not let this happen; the Harper government should work within international law to ensure that it does not.

There are many complications to this case, including the fact that the Canadian and Tunisian govern­ ments do not yet have an extradition agreement. The Canadian govern­ ment should take every possible step to ensure that members of the former Tunisian ruling family must answer to to the accusations that have been levelled against them. Declaring them unwelcome in this country is a good first step, but it’s important that this rhetoric now be followed by concrete steps to bring Trabelsi to justice.

R e fu g e e s ’ h e a lth h e ld h o s ta g e in d is p u te The federal government needs to negotiate with Quebec phar­ macists—and come to a solution quickly—on the provision of drugs to refugees awaiting citizenship sta­ tus. The Interim Federal Health Pro­ gram (IFHP) reimburses pharmacists for the “essential medications” they supply to new refugees who are in immigration limbo, waiting for their citizenship papers and federal health care coverage to arrive. But requests for reimbursements can take years to process, and while waiting for that government cheque the pharmacists are personally responsible for the costs of the drugs. Murky guide­ lines and bureaucratic inefficiencies burden some pharmacists with thou­ sands of dollars in debt.

Furthermore, the IFHP has never released a list specifying which drugs are covered under the program,

and since they began negotiating with Quebec pharmacists, they have claimed that one is unnecessary. Ac­ cording to the Association Québé­ coise des Pharmaciens Propriétaires (AQPP), the majority of pharmacists’ debts result from the IFHP’s refusal to reimburse them for drugs, claim­ ing that they are not covered under the program.

As a response, some pharmacies in Quebec are demanding that refu­ gees pay up front for drugs, while the AQPP works on negotiations with the federal government for clearer guide­ lines and a faster turnover rate. Citi­ zenship and Immigration Canada, the department responsible for reimburs­ ing pharmacists, has recently hired insurance firm Medavie Blue Cross, which promises to process claims within 21 days. The IFHP created an unfortunate situation, to be certain,

but was it really at such a crisis point that the lives of Quebec refugees had to be used as leverage?

Refugees are vulnerable and often don’t have enough money to pay for their medications out of pocket. As a result, as many as 3,000 prescriptions are going unfilled per month, according to the Gazette.

Refugees are forced into emergency rooms, where they can get free medi­ cations but have to wait for hours, only adding to the problems in Ca­ nadian ERs. Or, they stop treatment altogether, a dangerous route when the drugs covered include insulin, chemotherapy drugs, and STI treat­ ments. Failure to administer any of these drugs can have both immedi­ ate and long-term consequences on an individual’s health. Often finding it difficult to navigate the Canadian health care system’s bureaucratic

maze, refugees are less able to ad­ vocate for themselves than other groups of citizens. Would Quebec pharmacists dare to refuse treatment to a more priveleged demographic?

They haven’t yet.

We applaud those pharmacists that are still serving their refugee patients, but we find the actions of both the Quebec pharmacist associa­ tion and the CIC appalling. The latter consistently refuses to release a list of drugs in the health care coverage of refugees, a simple action which would resolve outstanding debts and prevent them in future. As for the pharmacists, risking refugees’ health to provoke the federal gov­ ernment amounts to treating them as disposable. The AQPP definitely had a point to make to the federal gov­ ernment, but this was not the way to make it.

As opt-out season comes into full swing, KANATA, McGill’s Indigenous Studies community, wishes to speak out in support of QPIRG. As a working group, KA­ NATA receives crucial support from QPIRG, giving us the ability to pur­ sue our goal of the establishment of an Indigenous studies community at McGill. Our group advocates for a minor program in Indigenous stud­ ies. Most importantly, KANATA strives for the creation of a space and a medium through which to build relationships of understand-

ing, dialogue, and mutual respect on-campus between Native and non-Native persons and with ripple effects off-campus.

At the centre of KANATA is the development and production of a student-led annual interdisciplin­ ary academic journal. This publica­ tion enables students to discuss and explore ways in which knowledge can be manifested and applied in the world outside of the classroom.

Though we hold a variety of fund­ raisers throughout the year (such as our famous chai tea and grilled cheese sales and well-attended open mics), the support we receive from QPIRG is vital. With finan­ cial and web support from QPIRG, KANATA has developed a website which allows us to not only print our

journal, but also make it available online. This has allowed the Indig­ enous studies dialogue at McGill to be distributed and read across Cana­ da and beyond.

As QPIRG working groups exist as autonomous organizations, KANATA is able to blossom and grow as we see fit. QPIRG allows KANATA to follow a direction that best suits our mandate.

In supporting QPIRG, you are supporting the work of KANATA and other equally worthwhile or­ ganizations doing valuable, con­ crete work in the McGill and Mon­ treal communities such as Campus Crops, Climate Justice Montreal, Greening McGill, Montreal Media Co-Op, Barrière Lake Solidarity, Qteam, and many more. We at KA-

NATA ask that you continue to allow QPIRG, with its broad education and research mandate, assist us and the other QPIRG working groups in carrying out research and advocacy that is making a difference on our campus and beyond.

Derrick Lovell U2 Canadian Studies

Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 1200, 3600 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A 1Y2 T: 514.398.6835 F: 514.398.7490 T h e M cG ill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Société de Publication de la Tribune, a stu­ dent society o f M cG ill University. T h e content o f this publica­ tion is the sole responsibility o f T h e M cG ill Tribune and the Société de Publication de la Tribune and does not necessarily represent the views o f M cG ill University. Letters to the editor m ay b e sent to letters@m cgilltribune.com and must include the contributor’s name, program and year and contact infor­ mation. Letters should b e kept under 3 0 0 words and submit­ ted only to die Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication S ociety to b e libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic cm-

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Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. A ll other opinions are strictly those o f the author and d o not necessar­ ily reflect the opinions o f the M cG ill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

Commentary pieces should be 550-625 words in length. opinion@ mcgilltribune.com

8 Commentary Maggie Knight

The spirit of GA consultation The Tribune has opined that those calling for more student con­ sultation on the “Resolution Regard­ ing the Abolishment of the General Assembly” are quibbling over the “degree rather than the principle” of the Students’ Society’s consulta­ tive efforts. What is truly at stake is not whether SSMU President Zach Newburgh or critical councillors understand what the word “consul­ tation” means, but rather if they un­ derstand the spirit it implies.

The original call for members of the General Assembly Review Committee went out in SSMU’s October 13 listserv, two days before applications were due. In the Octo­ ber 18 listserv, “Join and [rie] GA Review Committee” is listed in the announcement headings but no fur­ ther information is given in the body of the email. Given that this was during midterm season, the fact that SSMU garnered only one applicant is hardly surprising.

Not all students know what “GA” stands for, or what a General Assembly is supposed to be about.

Not all students are interested in sitting on SSMU committees—in

© ffith e Board

iM o o d

Small town, big town This past summer, I worked in northern New Hampshire. I like to read the newspaper while I eat, but unfortunately the only newspapers available at the lodge were the Con­ way Daily Sun and the Berlin Daily Sun. Every week, my co-workers and I would look forward to the release of the police log. It always had hilarious stories that would only ever be reported in a local paper out in the country. Some of the classics I remember (approximate, but totally true):

my experience, many students find the bureaucracy of SSMU confus­ ing and/or do not have the time to participate in committee work. Not all students read the SSMU listserv emails, especially during midterm season. But that doesn’t mean these students don’t have concerns about how they can participate in the dem­ ocratic process, or that they don’t deserve to be listened to.

Consultation is not only about finding the best ideas; it’s also about engaging students in issues that af­ fect them. Collaboration on GA reform can be an important way of increasing the ability of polarized groups to debate with (rather than at) each other. If we truly want to com­ bat student apathy, soliciting their feedback and listening to their con­ cerns is essential. If we are calling on the McGill administration to ex­ pand their consultation with students beyond tokenistic representation on committees, we should be modelling such behaviour ourselves.

If we are concerned that the GA is exclusive, it’s ironic to limit stu­ dents’ avenues for discussion to ap­ plying for a spot on the GA Reform committee. Moreover, the wording of the proposed referendum ques­ tion creates barriers to informed de­ cision making: it’s seven pages long and requires knowledge of Robert’s Rules to understand its implications.

Consultation is only meaningful if students have the knowledge neces­ sary to make an informed decision.

Trust and transparency are also concerns. When extensive efforts for

consultation are not made, and when rumours of ulterior motives abound, Council’s ability to collaborate is compromised. If our goal is really to serve and represent students, then we need to be making the effort to gamer their input in accessible ways.

The Town Hall was a decent attempt to remedy the situation, but, at the time of writing, we have yet to see how effectively the input gathered will be put to use.

Both the Tribune and President Newburgh have been quick to criti­ cize those who have called for more consultation. Contrary to the Tribune editorial board’s claim that those op­ posing the current referendum ques­ tion believe that “the GA, however flawed, shouldn’t be abandoned,” I will not lament the loss of the current form of the GA. What I am urging is that we make the most of this oppor­ tunity to truly come up with the best solution to the GA’s current woes.

As any competent academic knows, how a question is framed can bias your results. Yes, the referendum is itself a form of consultation. But if we offer students only the choice between two flawed options, are we really farther ahead?

I can only hope that this Thurs­ day SSMU Council will put the past twelve days’ worth of consultation into effect by proposing amend­ ments to the question which give back to the student body the best op­ tion it could give to us.

Maggie Knight is a Clubs & Services Representative on SSMU Council.

“7:09 p.m. A woman called about a beer bottle that looked sus­ picious.”

“8:01 a.m. A neighbour called about a suspicious man attempting to enter the house -next door. It was the neighbour’s son.”

“5:55 p.m. A woman called, saying that the deadbolt on her motel room was not functioning, and that the manager of the hotel was not helping. An officer advised her to find another motel room if she didn’t like the one she was staying in.”

Also, for a few weeks, some­ one went around pouring mustard and mayonnaise on people’s cars, netting five or six appearances in the police log.

This is a huge contrast to Phila­ delphia, my home city, where the police simply ignore anything below a certain level of gravity. Suspicious beer bottles would make Philly cops laugh, not respond to the scene.

As trivial as the crime scene in Gorham, New Hampshire might seem, though, I think there’s still something to be said for these small towns with their seemingly small cares. When this is the nature of the legal problems in the area, the com­ munity is in a certain sense closer, and the members are certainly more aware of their shared needs. In Phil­ adelphia, people seldom make eye contact. It’s not their fault. It’s just the only way that you can get along emotionally in this hot, crowded, and busy place. There’s too much to annoy you, too many people who are crazy or want to take advantage of you. A certain emotional distance is the only possible response to city life.

The sense of community in the letters in New Hampshire also came out in letters to the editor. While in the New York Times letters are about current legislation and press­

ERRATA Last week’s back page photo spread was credited to Ryan Reisert. The photos were actually taken by Samuel Reynolds. The Tribune regrets the error.

The article “Mentor program to launch” (Jan. 25 issue) incorrectly stated that the StaffStudent Mentoring program is scheduled to begin in March. It begins February 2. Students interested in the program can register at mcgill.ca/mentorship.

LEADERSHIP TRAINING PROGRAM ■' ■/

' '

'

Leadership Skills Development Workshops

L e a d e r s h ip

J w M c G ill Leadership Training Program First-Year Office

•In te re s te d in g aining skills in leadership?

• Involved in a student club, service or organization as an executive, organizer or event planner?

•Looking fo r w ays to e x p a n d & build on your life skills?

If the answer is ‘yes’ to any o f the above, then don’t miss this opportunity to sign up for the Leadership Training Program ’s FREE Skills D evelop m ent Workshops!

These workshops w ere created to give you the chance to develop and build on your leadership and life skills. Attend a minimum of five workshops throughout 2 0 1 0 /1 1 academic y e a r and receive a certificate o f completion.

This February, come and check out...

Troubleshooting Communication Breakdowns Thursday, February 10, 5:30-7:30pm (Dow ntow n campus) Become a better communicator and leader by making the messages you send and receive clearer. You’ll see it make a difference in your volunteer positions, at play and will help you in your career!

Knowing, Being, and Doing: Improving Your Leadership Tuesday, February 15, 5:30-7:30pm (Dow ntow n campus) A participatory workshop to explore the foundations of being a great leader: knowing oneself, being principled and inclusive and doing or acting. Explore the relational leadership model through dialogue and action and be pre­ pared to delve more deeply into your own personal journey!

R e g is tra tio n n o w a v a ila b le v ia M in e rv a !

To access the site a n d /o r see a complete list of workshops offered this semester, go to our website at:

www.mcgill.ca/firstyear/leadertraining / For more info, drop by the First-Year Office in the Brown Building, Suite 2100, or call 5 1 4 -3 9 8 -6 9 1 3

ing moral issues, these ones read as though they were recorded verbatim from front porch rants. Letters were titled “To the idiot who jumped in front of my car last Thursday,” or “To the person who keeps feeding the bears near our house.” The lat­ ter suggested the culprit be dipped in peanut butter, rolled in birdseed, and hung upside down from a tree.

The best letter was about “the person who almost hit me in the ShurFine [the local grocery store] parking lot.” The writer had this to say: “Had you really been paying attention instead of talking on your cell phone and backing out of your parking spot, you would have seen pain on my face, because I was in the middle of having a gall bladder attack. I was at the store to get some food for a rabbit at the shop where I work, as he didn’t have any food. In the middle of this gall bladder attack, I was thinking of something besides

myself. You on the other hand, had to belittle yourself and drop the Fbomb at me, making yourself more angry for some unknown reason, when you almost hit ME! Had you hit me, you really would have had something to swear at, or someone, like yourself.”

What decorum. There are cuter examples of this, like the repeated stories about mischievous bears (“Startled bear startles man in house: man receives 16 stitches and in sta­ ble condition”). One man reported a bear using his kitchen “like a human being in a bear suit.”

As small-minded as these plac­ es might seem, even the most cal­ lous city dweller has to admit they have their own petty worries, and everyone likes them to be taken care of. Small towns in America have the luxury of being able to air these out, while for the city they are drops in the sea.

Warm me up!

With your letters! opinion <§) mcgilltribune.com

S tudent L iving M ONTREAL MATTERS

RESTAURANT REVIEW

“ M r . B o u s ta n ” lo o k in g to sell

M e d ite rra n e a n d e lig h ts

Buyer must continue the Boustan tradition

Fine dining for omnivores, carnivores and vegetarians alike

By V icto r S zuper

By Jon a th a n R osenbluth___________

Contributor

Contributor Every true Montrealer knows Boustan. Touted by many as the city’s best Lebanese restaurant, this legendary establishment on Cres­ cent street, just south of Sherbrooke, has been around for 25 years serving delights such as chicken pitas, beef shawarma, and a wide array of veg­ etarian specials. After almost three successful decades of business, Boustan owner Imad Smaidi has an­ nounced his plans to retire and sell his lucrative establishment.

Smaidi, who insisted he be called “Mr. Boustan,” is the ex­ tremely talkative, friendly-faced gentleman that most customers as­ sociate with the Lebanese eatery.

Smaidi, who is nearly 60 years old, said he always had planned to sell the establishment once he reached a certain point in his life.

Originally, he wanted to pass the business down to his family mem­ bers. But, he said that although his family likes the restaurant, his chil­ dren have different career goals and don’t want to continue the business.

One of Boustan’s claims to fame is its incredibly long operat­ ing hours. The restaurant is open until 4 a.m. every night of the week.

According to Smaidi, he set these hours when the restaurant opened 25 years ago in order “to survive.” But the late hours have posed a problem for Smaidi and his family, who have told him that he “sacrifice[s] too

(S oph ie S ilk e s /M c C ill T rib u n e )

much for the business.”

However, Smaidi’s hard work and dedication to his business have ultimately paid off. “I always say I am spoiled by the clientele I have,” he said. The likes of Pierre Trudeau, Tom Selleck, Habs hockey player Sergei Kostytin, and the stars of the Canadian comedy show Trailer Park Boys have all stopped by Boustan at some point. Smaidi believes his res­ taurant’s “different style” as well as its location “in the middle of the ac­ tion” has enabled it to surpass even his own expectations of success.

As far as Boustan’s future is concerned, Smaidi hopes that, “the people [who] buy this business un­ derstand the philosophy of what I did.” He strongly believes that “the way we prepare the food should not change,” as it took him seven years to fine tune his recipes. A few of­ fers have already been placed on the restaurant, though none of them serious. Smaidi said he is looking for someone who recognizes the im­ portance of continuing the Boustan tradition.

Omnivore, a new restaurant in the Plateau, opened this past sum­ mer on the comer of St. Laurent Boulevard and Marie-Anne Street.

As the name suggests, the Mediter­ ranean-based menu boasts a wide array of vegetarian and carnivorous options. The meat, however, is an­ tibiotic free and contains no added hormones. The diversity of the menu took me back to my youth, where family dinners had to suit my veg­ etarian sister, my health-conscious dad, and my meat-loving self. Fam­ ily meals would consist of a variety of options, ranging from salad, len­ tils, and whole wheat bread to fish, chicken, and beef.

After studying the menu, my vegetarian friend ordered the arez ($6), which is found under “The Classics” section of the menu. The arez is a pita sandwich filled with grilled vegetables, goat cheese, and green pesto. Expecting the pesto to add a unique flavour, my friend was disappointed. While the goat cheese was a great addition, she felt that her pita tasted like a typical grilled vegetable sandwich that can easily be found all over the city (including supermarkets).

Being slightly more adventur­ ous, and also very hungry, I opted for the Omnivore plate ($9.50). My plate consisted of a choice of grill (I went with chicken), salad, rice, len­

tils, and pita. In contrast to her disap­ pointment, I was quite pleased: filled to the brim and bursting with flavour, my dish exceeded expectations. The chicken had a strong Mediterranean flavour and was grilled to perfec­ tion. While lentils have never been my favourite food, the rice and lentil side contained four spices and was a perfect complement to the chicken.

The green salad had a light oil and vinegar dressing and spices that con­ tributed to a unique Middle Eastern flavour. After listening to me rave about my dish, my friend tasted my plate (although 1 couldn’t convince her to try the chicken), and she im­ mediately regretted her choice of the arez.

The calm and relaxing ambi­ ence provides the perfect escape from the harsh Montreal winter and the busy atmosphere of St. Laurent Boulevard. Wooden panels line the walls, the smell of charcoal wafts in the air, and a friendly staff help make this a natural hangout. Contributing to the setting are a menu written on a big chalkboard on the wall and light music playing in the background.

Omnivore’s attractions include a great ambiance, reasonable prices, friendly staff, and good food. Spend the extra couple of dollars and go for a plate (carnivore, omnivore, or her­ bivore) instead of a “Classic” pita. If you want the best the restaurant has to offer, venture outside your com­ fort zone. Lunch for two: $25 with soft drinks, tax, and tip.

M CGILLIANS AFTER M CGILL

Up

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th e A ir m e e ts T h e H a n g o v e r

A McGillian’s success story at one of the world’s largest open-source software companies

By A lex W all

Contributor Ronak Mallik graduated from McGill in 2008 with a double major in psychology and computer science.

He lives in Chicago and works as a consultant at Amentra Inc., a Red Hat Company-the largest opensource software corporation in the world. The Tribune spoke to Mal­ lik about how he found his jo b, the perks o f working fo r the company, and how McGill helped him get to where he is now.

How did you get to Red Hat? The night before I was about to accept a full ride at a grad school, I got an offer from Amentra Inc. [That school] wasn’t my top choice for grad school, so it made sense to take the offer. mHow djd„ yoy J j i j jBg.com ­

pany?

They actually found me. Amen­ tra Inc. obtained my resume. They conducted a few phone interviews with me and then one night in the spring of my fourth year, they of­ fered me a position. The job was as a consultant, so I wouldn’t be working in one office—I’d be flying around the country meeting with lots of companies.

What’s your job like?

Right now, I ’m an open-source architect at a consulting company that belongs to Red Hat. Their tech­ nology is middleware: the glue that holds large business applications together. Our company has a com­ munity-feel mentality; we readily put people into positions to succeed.

You’re put on site with a client—a team of 20, 30 developers—where you’re expected to lead, teach, men­ tor, and instruct (hem on how to use

Red Hat’s technology.

I manage multiple projects and speak at different conferences. Last year, I was one of the first mentors to speak at the JBoss world confer­ ence—the largest conference for this sort of technology. I was awarded as one of the top presenters. It’s a big [difference] coming from aca­ demia—I never worked before.

What were your future plans during your McGill years?

I took a course at McGill in third year called “Human Computer Interaction,” taught by Jeremy Cooperstock in the Faculty of Engineer­ ing. After being a TA for that course in fourth year, I wanted to go to grad school for human computer interac­ tions.

Do you miss the McGill days?

Reminisce a lot about them?

I do. With my job, I can travel a bit; So my first year wprkipg I wag

able to visit a few times and party with my friends. Now it’s depressing since I don’t know anybody in Mon­ treal. It was so fun living in Greenbriar and on Stanley.

What do you like and dislike about your job?

I love working with differ­ ent companies. Clients range from biotechnology companies and large banks to large ecommerce, and even the government.

A friend said to me once, “Your life is like Up in the Air meets The Hangover." My job is nuts; it’s fun, but now after two years, the travel­ ling has made me tired.

What’s a typical day like for you?

My current project is a hybrid­ ization process for a large multi­ billion dollar publishing company based in the Netherlands. I mentor and teach the workers tJjrpqgljojjt

the day. We work on their long­ term initiatives and find ways that our technology will best help them achieve their goals.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to go back to grad school for an MBA. This job has been great—I’ve developed momentum with this company. I just recorded a conference that was shown to 7,000 people the other day. I see myself progressing with this company and working my way up.

Do you have any advice for McGill students regarding the job search?

Don’t limit yourself to whatever city or province you live in. Apply to jobs everywhere—in the U.S., etc. If you’re good at what you do, then the paper work can be done. Cast a large net; talk to alumni working in your ipterest f i e l d s ______ - ■ .. à

Creatively fulfilling, easy, and, perhaps above all, cheap (after an initial $100 for equipment, a $30-40 investment will yield 70 bottles) more and more people are realizing that good beer starts at home. Though to an outsider it looks like mixing water, wood chips, and dead leaves to create an advanced form of mud, the tut of homebrewing beer seems to be on the rise, at least among young people.

“You get a better understand­ ing of beer and a better result,” said Stéphane Laroche, proprietor of the Plateau homebrewing sup­ ply store Chope-à-Barrock.

“It’s extremely satisfying,” agreed Kevin Conely, U3 chem­ istry, the president of the newlyformed McGill Association of Stu­ dent Homebrewers (MASH).

Even though it might seem like a process only Belgian monks can master, you don’t have to be initiated into any monastaries to

get started.

“When we decided to start brewing beer, we really had no idea what we were doing,” said Conely. “We went up [to Chopeà-Barrock] and went to the guy and said, ‘We want to brew beer, give us what we need.’”

At its easiest, in fact, it is only slightly more complicated than making Kraft Dinner: you pour some powder in some hot water, add a pinch of yeast, and let it sit for a while.

Without the shortcut, you generally start with grain, usually barley, that’s been malted, which is a process designed to make it produce more sugars. You com­ bine that with some hot water in a vessel that can maintain a tem­ perature, like a cooler, and let it steep like tea. To complement the flavour of the malt, you add dried hops, a kind of flower with a dis­ tinctive beer taste, and boil the mixture for an hour.

You put it in a a large, sealed tank or a carboy, a vessel that looks like an office water-cooler tank. Gross and Conely had their carboy swaddled in a towel like a newborn to protect from the light, which affects the flavor. You let it sit for two weeks, add some sugar to carbonate it, use a siphon to put it in bottles, then let it carbonate for a week. The bottles can be re­ cycled; in a homebrewer’s house, their beer shelves will be a hetero­ geneous mix of bottles: Corona, Molson, Rickard’s, whatever they can pick up.

Caution is advised once they reach the brewing stage, there could be trouble. “[A] problem we experi­ enced with our second batch was too much sugar in the [bottling] stage,” said Jeremy Gross, U3 microbiology and immunology, and MASH’s Vice President. “The pressure builds up and if it gets to a certain point, the bottles will ex­

plode. It’s very, very messy.”

“They’re called bottle bombs,” added Conely.

Gross said that the shrapnel from one explosion he had flew 20 feet in every direction.

At all stages of the process, sanitation is essential.

“Everything that comes into contact with the beer has to be ab­ solutely clean, because you’re cre­ ating an environment that’s perfect for any wild yeast or bacteria to grow,” said Gross.

Beer with foreign bacteria in it won’t kill you, but its flavour will be ruined.

In general, attention to detail is important. A good how-to book needs to be a part of any homebrewer’s starter kit. “[Laroche] encouraged us to do the readings,” said Gross. “And it is really important in brewing.

There are a lot of scientific steps.

You really need to know what you’re doing if you’re going to

have a successful batch.”

Gross and Conely have brewed 12 batches since their start two years ago, including a Yukon Gold, a chocolate stout (their fa­ vourite), a regular stout, a smoke ale, an amber ale, and a batch of apple wine. Brewers vary their flavours mainly by using differ­ ent kinds of malts, and occasion­ ally with other ingredients, like cocoa in the case of their chocolate stout.

“When it really starts to get in­ teresting is when you start playing with grains and hops and yeast,” said Laroche.

With the kinds of variation possible, it is not an exaggeration to call home brewing an art form.

“I’ve been a brewer for over twenty years,” said Laroche. “I make a living out of it.”

As you can imagine, brew­ ing beer is no simple feat. Brewers spend an immense amount of time not only in fermenting and distill­ ing their beer, but also in coming up with new recipes, experiment­ ing with blends of often unusual ingredients to give their beer the subtle high notes that for some, set it apart from the others. Now, let’s cast aside all that hard work and ingenuity for the novelty of mix­ ing beer with something you’re not meant to and giving it a funny name. These are a few ways to drink beer you probably haven’t

tried—maybe because your com­ mon sense won’t let you.

B a h a F og

want to keep going. Some recipes tell you to work a lime wedge into the equation, but frankly you won’t have time.

Like most beer cocktails, this one’s simple. You’ll need a bottle of Corona (or a similar cerveza, you don’t need to be brand loyal) and a shot of tequila. Open the bottle, take a big enough sip so that the neck will be empty, and pour in the shot. Now, it would be irresponsible to instruct you to fin­ ish the bottle as fast as you can, so instead let’s just say that the longer you take drinking it, the less you’ll

This one’s for those of you who weren’t ashamed to eat some­ thing weird like a cheese and ketchup sandwich while all the other kids were eating peanut but­ ter and jam. Again, this one only has two ingredients: clamato juice and beer. Fill a pint three-quarters full with beer—lights, pale ales, and pilsners are recommended over

darker, heavy brews and, God for­ bid, stouts—and add clamato juice to taste (approximately two to four shots will do). It should go without saying, but given the strong taste of the clamato, it’s best not to jump into this if you’ve never had a Cae­ sar or even a can of V8 before.

recipe calls for two parts light beer mixed with one part cola. How­ ever, the tricky part is not having a mini Mentos-and-Diet Coke fizz up on your hands. Although there’s no “right” way to do it, you need to be careful when mixing the two ingredients—it’s best to use a flat surface and try to stay as still as possible, even if someone at the party puts on your favourite Katy Perry song.

Ales

Fuzzy Clam

Lagers

Wheat beers

The second main type of beer, lagers differ from ales pri-

As the name implies, these beers contain fer-

tion period. Brewing lagers uses the bottom fermentation process. which occurs at a lower temperature than ales. In this process, yeast sinks to the bottom then is skimmed out at the end of the seven to 10 days. When picking a lager to have with your meal, remember this: the lighter the food, the lighter the lager should be.

to the traditional fermented barley. They are referred ; to in other languages as “white beers” because of their cloudy appearance that comes from the untiltered yeast. Often served with a slice of citrus, some variations contain orange peel right in them.

Broadway Maybe a distant cousin of the vodka Red Bull, Four Loko, or a half brother of short-lived caffeinated beers like Molson Kick, the Broadway is a Japanese concoc­ tion made of beer and cola. The

—Sean Wood

—Kyle Carpenter

Cream Ale of beers, ales generally have stronger flavors and are typically served with richer foods like lamb and beef. Ales ferment for three to four days and have relatively high alcohol content and a darker colour compared to lagers. They are brewed using the top fermentation process, where yeast rises to the top and is skimmed off by the brewer.

Bock Extra-strong, these beers are often German and are typically dark. In fact, bocks are so robust that German monks used to use them as their only source of nutrients during periods of fasting.

Created in North America, this beer actually represents a mix between ale and a lager.

While produced through the same top-fermenting process as ale, they have the mild, smooth flavor of a lager, and are lighter in colour.

With at least nine different dépanneurs and grocery stores, the McGill Ghetto is likely one of the most saturated markets for beer in Montreal. If you live on Durocher Street between Milton and Prince Arthur, for instance, you’re three blocks from six different beer vendors. But which store sells the cheapest brew? To find out, the Tribune conducted a survey of beer prices at eight beer vendors in the two dozen blocks bounded by Uni­ versity, Pine, Sherbrooke, and St. Urbain streets.

We tracked down the best deals on a selection of four brands popular with students: Alexander Keith’s India Pale Ale, Molson Export, Rickard’s Red, and Pabst Blue Ribbon.

After tallying the results, we weren’t sur­ prised to find that dépanneurs sold cheaper beer than the Ghetto’s grocery stores, but we were startled at how much cheaper their prices were.

Unless it’s on sale, Metro charges $21.99 for a dozen bottles of Keith’s, $21.49 for Rickard’s, and $19.99 for Molson—far more than anywhere else in the Ghetto. (Metro doesn’t carry PBR.) Provigo’s prices are a few dollars cheaper—$17.49 for Keith’s and $17.99 for Rickard’s and Molson—but they’re still far higher than any of the dépanneurs in the area.

The winner, for overall price and selection, was the dépanneur in Galleries du Parc, better known as Super Dep or Hannah’s Dep. Twelve bottles of Keith’s will set you back $15.99, Mol­ son or Rickard’s $14.99, and PBR just $11.99.

(Greene’s Superette, on the corner of Durocher and Milton, matches their price on PBR.) If you’re buying a six-pack, though, Super Dep’s prices can be beat. The diminutive Dépanneur Lindell, on Prince Arthur between Jeanne Mance and St. Fa­ mille, sells six-packs of Molson Export and Rick­ ard’s Red for $7.99—a full"20 cents below Super Dep’s price—and matches their prices for larger boxes. It doesn’t sell Keith’s or PBR, though, making it a less attractive option unless you live east of Park Avenue.

—Theo Meyer

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Popular in Eastern Europe and originating in the German countryside, these beers have a colour range from amber to dark brown and are also commonly known by the name “dunkels.”

Named after the town in the Czech Republic where it was first brewed, pilseners fall into the lager family. Clear with a very light colour, what sets pilseners apart from other beers is the prominence of the hop flavour.

Light

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Stout beers With a colour range from dark brown to black, stout beers are the strongest available. Per­ haps the most common brand in North America is Guinness, which has been brewing the dark drink since the eighteenth century in Ireland.

12

Curiosity Delivers, www.mcgilltribune.com

c r o n e > c a K * £ ~

By M o n iq u e Evans & Chelsea Lytle

Contributors Last week, we discovered something that will forever change the way you think about cupcakes: you can bake them in ice cream cones. While you’d be hard-pressed to find some­ one who doesn’t like cupcakes, the edible cone far surpasses the traditional paper cup. You can make these using any cup­ cake and frosting recipe, but for this version we wanted to stick with an ice cream theme, so we chose to make these tasty treats orange creamsicle flavoured.

We used Martha Stewart’s orange vanilla bean cupcake recipe with our own whipped cream meringue frosting. De­ spite our whipping efforts, the frosting didn’t fluff, or as every cookbook would put it, the stiff peaks did not form. Neverthe­ less, it still served as a nice dip for our conecakes.

Ingredients & Directions: Cake • 1/2 cup salted butter, soft­ ened • 1 cup sugar • 3 tbsp vanilla (divided) • 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest • 2 large eggs • 3/4 cup heavy cream • 1/4 cup fresh orange juice • 2 cups all-purpose flour • 1/4 tsp baking soda • 1/4 tsp baking powder • 12-14 ice cream cones 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream butter, sugar, two tbsp vanilla, and orange zest until fluffy. Add eggs, beating well until smooth.

2. Combine cream, orange juice, and one tbsp vanilla extract in a small bowl.

Set aside. Mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture in three batches, alternat­ ing with cream mixture (flour, cream, flour, cream,

flour). Make sure the mixer isn’t on high speed unless you want flour all over the kitchen.

3. Divide batter among ice cream cones. You can fill them up to the brim. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool for roughly 10 minutes before frosting.

Frosting • 1/2 cup whipping cream • 2 egg whites • 1/3 cup sugar • 1 tsp orange zest • 2 tsp vanilla 1. Whip egg whites “until soft peaks form.” Add sugar and continue to whip until stiffer peaks form. Make sure you use an extremely clean bowl as any grease in the bowl will prevent the egg whites from forming peaks.

2. Whip cream with vanilla and orange zest in a sepa­ rate bowl.

3. Fold egg whites into whipped cream 4. Dip cones into the frosting.

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A&E FILM

E at, d rin k , a n d b e m e rry ...u n le s s y o u ’ re n o t Mike Leigh’s Another Year explores the trials and triumphs of old age

By B rahna S iegelberg______________

A&E Editor After tending to their vegetable garden and sharing a warm cup of tea, Tom and Gerri Happle go home to fill their wine glasses and cook a hearty dinner. Occasionally, they in­ vite friends, or their son Joe, to break bread with them. Through thick and through thin, from winter to spring, the London couple is the picture of domestic bliss.

This is the basic premise of An­ other Year, the latest film to come from acclaimed British director and writer Mike Leigh (Vera Drake, Top­ sy-Turvy). Set in a middle-class Lon­ don neighbourhood, the film traces one unremarkable year in the life of Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen)—not a reference to the cat and mouse—a happily mar­ ried couple well into their autumn years. Although their lives move throughout the months without a glitch, the people around them are not quite as fortunate: Mary (Leslie Manville)—a frequent, though not always welcome guest—is a single, middle-aged secretary with a drink­ ing problem and a knack for falling in love with men who are either un­ available or too young, while Ken (Peter Wright), Tom’s overweight childhood friend, suffers from seri­ ous depression and a likely case of emphysema.

What makes this movie so compelling is not the action or the drama—in fact almost nothing hap­ pens during the film’s two hours— but rather the beauty with which the camera treats the backdrop and the characters. Leigh, known for what critics have labelled “kitchen-sink

C lockw ise fro m left: M a ry displays her assets in hopes o f s nagging a m an (n e w c ity film .c o m ), M a ry com es b etw een m o th e r and son, T o m and G e rri share an in tim a te m o m e n t, (collider.com )

realism”—a slice-of-life approach that emphasizes the family and the domestic space—focuses on human emotion, the nuances of facial ex­ pression, and the essentially banal conversations in which people en­ gage. By breaking the year into four very distinct seasons, the film not only benefits from the varying land­ scapes, but is also able to symboli­ cally represent the ups and downs of human life; babies are bom, old people die, and life goes on as usual.

Aside from the visibly changing out­ door setting, the film reads much like theatre: the sets are limited, the cast

is small, and the drama is focused and specific.

This realist approach is made possible by the incredibly talented cast of seasoned actors. Broadbent, a long-time staple of British cin­ ema, embodies old, English virtue in his portrayal of Tom. Even during Mary’s drunken rants, Tom is willing to humour and engage her, always with a knowing twinkle in his eye.

Ruth Sheen’s Gerri is sympathetic and wise; as Gerri is both a loving matriarch and a hospital therapist, Sheen captures the tender yet stem nature of her character. Finally, as

Mary, Leslie Manville manages to ring true—if a little too true—to life.

Though Mary is continually plagued by misfortune, she gets up and skit­ tishly assures herself, and everyone else, that once she buys a car or takes a vacation, everything will be OK. While the film contains indu­ bitable merit, it does draw a slightly ambiguous line between misfortune and missed opportunity. It begins to feel like a morality tale, bidding the viewer to recognize “good” and “bad” life choices. Tom and Gerri are kind and welcoming, but the disparity between their own virtu­

ous life and the clear mistakes of their friends leaves them appearing ultimately smug and somewhat diffi­ cult to relate to. When Mary laments that married men don’t wear a sign that says “Don’t fall in love with me. I’m married,” Tom remarks, “I think it’s called a ring.” Rejecting men like Ken for superficial reasons, the film implies that Mary’s loneli­ ness, as well as her tragic financial woes, are entirely her own doing.

Similarly, watching Ken guzzle a pint of beer, Gerri bemoans that “life can often be cruel,” but there seems to be an implicit criticism of Ken for resorting to cigarettes and alcohol in response to his depression. Whereas Tom and Gerri are classic exemplars of how to live “the good life”—they are faithful to one another, they have respectable jobs, they raised a goodnatured son, and they tend to their Eden-like garden—people like Ken and Mary seem to have brought on their tragic fates through misplaced values and life mismanagement.

Against the backdrop of the Happles’ old British values is a nota­ bly new London. Joe is an immigra­ tion lawyer whose secretary wears a hijab, and Ken makes a few remarks like, “Nowadays, instead of going out for a beer, people go out for a curry,” and, “The pubs are becom­ ing bars.” Although Another Year zeroes in on the lives of aging white Britons, the film is carefully placed in a distinctly new and multicultural idiom. As Tom reads a book on the history of London and notes that his­ tory has never seemed so relevant, he demonstrates that while contexts are always changing, good old val­ ues still persist. \

Pop Iffietoric N o Kraft Dinner for Ted W illiam s

The first major entertainment story of 2011 was undoubtedly that of Ted Williams, also known as “the homeless guy with the golden voice.” Down on his luck and left panhandling to various passersby, Williams demonstrated his incred­ ible silky smooth voice, which was subsequently recorded and uploaded to YouTube. Literally hours later, the video had received millions of views, and Ted Williams was cata­ pulted into superstardom. He was

featured on CNN, G ood Morning America, and radio stations across the United States. Then came the of­ fers: a 30-second TV commercial for Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, a voice­ over position for the Cleveland Cav­ aliers (which also included a free house, mortgage paid), and numer­ ous morning news gigs. What a feel­ good story it was: a man, through the grace of God and the generosity of America’s wealthiest corporations, was going to pick himself up by his bootstraps and finally get the second chance he deserved. But it was all too good to be true.

The first problem with this story is the so-called generosity of these

companies. For Kraft Foods, offer­ ing Ted Williams a commercial spot was marketing gold. Sure, the com­ mercial would play his unique voice on television, but the real value was the message that they would be help­ ing a homeless man get back on his feet. Not only would the public be glad to see Ted land a job, they’d also be talking about the selfless humanitarianism of Kraft Foods. The small commission Kraft would pay Ted for his commercial was nothing compared to the enormous PR divi­ dends sure to follow.

None of us could have seen such a sensational story coming, but in the back of our minds we all saw where

this was going. Williams’s ugly past caught up with him, and the stories of drug abuse, alcoholism, theft, and child neglect hit major news outlets.

Later that week, police were dis­ patched to Williams’s hotel room to break up an allegedly drunken ver­ bal altercation with his daughter. In a further act of disingenuous charity, TV personality Dr. Phil extended his helping hand. He would give Ted all the help and guidance he needed— as long as their session was broad­ cast live on daytime television.

Now it’s February, and Ted Wil­ liams has vanished back into obscu­ rity as quickly as he emerged. Will this rags-to-riches story come true in

the end? It seems unlikely. After all, money doesn’t solve every problem.

In Ted’s case, given his admitted drug problems, it seems foolish to assume that he was able to imme­ diately put his troubled past behind him in the face of a media blitz and high-paying job offers.

Blame Ted for letting the fame go to his head or blame the sponsors for their shameless opportunism; in the end we’re left with a news sensa­ tion that was discovered, exploited, and forgotten in record time.

— Nicholas Petrillo

14

Curiosity Delivers - mcgilltribune.com

TELEVISION

M id s e a s o n S itc o m R o u n d u p Turn on your TVs (or computers) for the new year in primetime television Episodes

Parks & Recreation

Californication

While its concept sounded great, the Episodes pilot is not as exciting and hilarious as it should have been. The show, starring Matt LeBlanc of Friends fame and some Brits, plays off a familiar Hollywood theme: taking a British comedy hit and bringing it over to America. Last spring’s previews were promising, and included a scene of LeBlanc having to audition for the role of himself. Unfortunately, what looked good in the previews wasn’t included in the pilot. Instead, the first episode slowly brings two British writers to Los Angeles, and follows their adventures and the strange behaviour of their new studio associates. This episode was definitely missing screen time from LeBlanc, and sitting through it was slightly torturous. The blogosphere seems to be giving the show praise, so it never hurts to give it a second chance, but the pilot certainly failed to impress.

After being held back as a mid-season replacement by NBC, Parks & Recreation has made a hilarious return to primetime TV. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is back in full swing, rounding up her co-workers to get back to the Parks department of the small, fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana.

The first episode of the third season deals with the Paw­ nee government going back to work after being shut down months earlier (a coincidental parallel with the show itself being shelved for half the year). If you have yet to give this show a chance, please do. This season, new additions Adam Scott and Rob Lowe promise to round out an already great comedic cast who all play off each other in their own quirky ways. Although the first season may have started off rocky, the show found its groove last year and it’s now time to board the Parks & Rec train. The show is no longer about a government lady trying to turn a pit into a park; it’s got everything it needs to start contending with critically acclaimed NBC buddies 30 Rock and The Office.

It’s clear from the start of season four of Showtime’s hit series Californication that all is not well for everyone’s favourite dysfunctional writer. The first scene of the pre­ miere shows Hank Moody (David Duchovny) being picked up from jail by none other than his agent/best friend Charlie Runkle. The bailout is followed by some interesting plot developments, including Hank’s relationship with an ac­ tress and some other normal Californication shenanigans (sex, drugs, and alcohol). After months of waiting, fans of the show will get what they love, along with some promis­ ing new storylines for the upcoming season. For those who have yet to catch this show, don’t even think of starting with the current season. Backtrack, catch up, and dive into Moody’s past because it’s an entertaining one. The show’s season premiere brings even more trouble for Hank, who has yet to make up with his loved ones, including his exwife and daughter, which may force him to make a change in his lifestyle. Showtime certainly has faith in the fourth season of Californication; they have already renewed it for a fifth and Moody shows no signs of slowing down.

M a tt LeBlanc m akes his return to th e sm all screen w ith

A m y P oehler and th e Parks & Rec crew are back fo r m o re on N B C th is w in te r, (p o p to w e r.c o m )

Episodes, (p o p to w er.c o m )

D avid D u ch o vn y keeps th in g s in terestin g in th e fo u rth season o f C alifornication. (ew allpapers.b iz)

A n a ffa ir to r e m e m b e r Joe Louis: An American Romance explores the question of race in America

By T h ea Fitz-James

Contributor David Sherman’s J o e Louis: An American Romance is the per­ fect event to kick-off Black History Month. Thematically and visually complex, the play explores the life of Joe Louis—the African-American heavyweight boxing champion of the world—through flashbacks, fic­ tional scenes, and historical footage, to comment on the racial prejudice that still resonates today.

While the play is based on a true story, the author took many liberties with dialogue, time, and characters.

This paradox—the union of true and false—is the first of many presented in this complex “romance.” The play begins with a feminist auditor (Cary Lawrence) visiting Old Joe Louis (Ardon Bess). As the two discuss the money that Louis has spent, and the back taxes he hasn’t paid, the life of Louis unfolds through dementiainduced flashbacks. The actors often share the boxing ring stage, shifting

seamlessly from one time period to the next. These transitions are great­ ly aided by the lighting and sound effects that flood the stage with sepia colours of the past, or invoke the ambiance of a boxing match. Film is also used to illustrate the story of Louis’ life; historical footage of his fights are projected on stage by Young Joe (Samuel Platel), creating a layered and striking visual effect.

Bess brings honesty and en­ ergy to the extremely challenging role of Old Joe Louis. Arcing his performance beautifully, Bess gives us a character that at once makes the audience laugh and ache. Some of the best scenes are between Bess and Lawrence. Not only do the two bring a real intensity to the stage, but the themes at work are some of the most interesting; the conversations of a black man and a white woman broaden the racial questions of the play to prejudice against race and gender alike. As Young Joe, Platel is endearing and committed. Playing opposite

him as Lena Home, one of Louis’s wives, is McGill graduate Jessica B. Hill. When she comes on stage, it’s hard to ignore her presence, control, and detailed performance. The two younger actors are definite talent to look out for in the coming years. An incredibly capable chorus supports the entire cast; switching characters, accents, and costumes with skill, it’s a surprise to discover there are only four of them.

The biggest success of the play is the work of set designer James Lavoie. A boxing ring, on and around which the action takes place, fits itself elegantly into the beautiful

venue of Le Bain St-Michel. This makeshift theatre adds another di­ mension to the performance; while the audience watches a play, they’re also watching a fight, both literally and thematically. This raises ques­ tions regarding the scenes of domes­ tic violence in the play: What is the difference between watching a man hit his wife and watching a black man hit a white man? Or a feminist hit a black man? These are questions that the action of the play raises subtly, but artfully leaves up to the viewer to answer.

As the director suggests, Joe Louis “begs a dialogue about pngo-

ing racism in our society.” And yet, with a play that places the struggle of Joe Louis at the forefront, one must ask: What does it mean, considering this play was written and directed by white men? Is this not one further step toward racial appropriation?

While that thought certainly crossed my mind, I would suggest that noth­ ing could be further from the truth.

This play is a romance, pure and simple. Not one between individu­ als, but rather, between races. The play portrays Louis’s life as one that fought segregation and Jim Crow laws. It evocatively repeats the quote from sportswriter Jimmy Cannon: “Joe Louis is a credit to his race. The human race.” This is cer­ tainly a love story: a union of time and space, of sexism and racism, of white and black, and most im­ portantly, of an extremely talented, multi-racial cast and creative team.

Joe Louis is playing at L e Bain St-Michel, Tuesday through Satur­ day at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m . until F eb. 20. $J5.

15

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

LITERATURE

CD Reviews

R e v is itin g a b u rd e n e d a n d h a u n te d p a s t Andrew Pyp.er’s The Guardians transcends horror genre cliches

By E m m a H a m b ly

Contributor

Iron and Wine: Kiss Each Other Clean Stepping out of his element, Samuel Beam—a.k.a Iron and Wine—broadens his musical ap­ proach on his latest album, Kiss Each Other Clean. As in his previ­ ous work, Beam maintains his whispery vocals throughout the album, making it clear that this is an Iron and Wine record. Kiss Each Other Clean should be viewed as an artis­ tic development, and Beam should be commended for his innovation.

But his departure from Our Endless Numbered Days and The Shepherd's Dog is too great, and Beam loses himself in his experiment.

Kiss Each Other Clean fea­ tures 10 new songs plus two bonus tracks available only on iTunes. The album focuses on beats based on xy­ lophones, “easy listening” trumpets, and afro-beat drums. The song most illustrative of this experiment is “Run Rabbit Run,” in which Beam fuses electronica riffs, tam-tams, and a jazz flute to produce a song unlike any of his others.

Although his music has changed, it’s fortunate that Beam's delivery and lyrics have not. Based on this quality, “Half Moon” and “Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me” are the album’s best songs.

Despite the disappointment of Kiss Each Other Clean as an album, Beam says in “Run Rabbit Run” that “I still have a prayer, despite all the colours I've seen.” I still have a prayer that the next album will showcase Beam's talents as we have experienced them before.

— Natalia Evdokimova

Talib Kweli: Gutter Rainbows

Braids: Native Speaker

Alternative rapper Talib Kweli’s Gutter Rainbows displays the best qualities his subgenre has to offer.

The lyrical flow is fast-paced, the message isn’t overly materialistic, the production is heavily inspired by neo-soul, and Kweli’s attitude is, as he puts it, “cool like Fonzie.”

Throughout Gutter Rainbows, Kweli touches on the usual plight of today’s rapper. On “Wait For You,” he acknowledges the fine line between writing a profitable album and being labelled a sellout, but judging by his highbrow liter­ ary references—including Vonnegut and Voltaire—he has no intention of going pop (but warns that he could if he wanted to). His pedigree gives him some deserved elbowroom to pimp his wealth in “Mr. Interna­ tional” and “Ain’t Waiting,” both of which have enough soul to si­ lence any conscious hip-hop purists.

However, the swagger-heavy battle songs (“Palookas” and “Uh Oh”) aren’t as abrasive as they could be, and Kweli awkwardly shoehorns syllables into his lines on more than one occasion.

Kweli’s own words say it best: “My style married my substance and now they’re living in harmony.”

He accepts his minor role in the rap game, uses positive lyrics, flirts with political topics, and thanks his fans for their dedication. His style is al­ ways intelligent, rarely preachy, and never militant. In a genre that too often has lyrical viciousness akin to Malcolm X, he’s more of a Mar­ tin Luther King Jr. Or maybe just a Fonz.

— Nicholas Petrillo

The name Braids will be a familiar one to most McGillians.

These four Montreal locals (origi­ nally from Calgary) were one-time students here before dropping out to pursue music full time. After the suc­ cessful release of their debut album, Native Speaker, on Kanine Records on January 18, it looks like things have worked out nicely. Braids have garnered a favourable Pitchfork re­ view and are now set to embark on a tour of the United States.

The band draws a lot of obvious comparisons to indie experimental­ ists Animal Collective, though their instrumentally driven sound owes more to post-rock, in particular fel­ low Montrealers Godspeed You! Black Emperor. The band relies on sparse arrangements that sit atop a texture of looped vocals, keys and effects. But what sets Braids apart from other groups of their ilk are their distinctive female vocals, par­ ticularly those of singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston.

Standell-Preston’s vocals lead every track with a mixture of selfassurance and fragility that are as relatable as they are mesmerizing.

Native Speaker begins with fan fa­ vourite “Lemonade,” a medley of stuttering drums and dancing guitar that builds up to the repeated refrain: “All we want to do is love.” The tracks that follow play it safe—both “Plath Heart” and “Glass Deers” are great songs, but nothing out of the mould. The album’s sleeper hit is “Lammicken,” a dark mixture of distortion and reverb overlaid with some truly soul-shattering vocals.

—Alex Hamilton

W W W .M C G ILLTR IBU N E.C O M

| w r it e SEE F R E E | f O R A & E !

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It’s not always clear why hor­ ror is such a popular genre. After all, it intends to horrify—to inspire fear in shadows that seem to disappear the second we turn around. Andrew Pyper’s The Guardians reminded me of the reasons Stephen King novels and the endless slew of gory sequels do so well: like it or not, being scared can be fun. Pyper’s book is intrigu­ ing, fast-paced, and difficult to put down. And yet, the author pushes past the tried-and-not-so-true meth­ ods of his realm. The Guardians is a haunted house story, sure, but it relies on psychological taunts and a world o f fearful speculation, rather than shock-and-awe bloodshed.

The story concerns four small­ town boys, bound together by a hockey team as well as something much more sinister. The Guardians is told in alternating time periods, separating high school boys and middle-aged men. In 1984, Trevor, Randy, Carl, and Ben are united by the story of a damaged house that haunts them during their youth. In the present day, Trevor and Randy are called back to their small town of Grimshaw to revisit that ghostly building and revisit their past.

The narrator is Trevor, a mid­ dle-aged man plagued by Parkin­ son’s disease and loneliness. He is called to action by the suicide of his friend Ben, which acts as the catalyst for the re-emergence of crimes the four witnessed and committed back when they were teenagers. Just as he did in the winter of ’84, Trevor be­ gins to lose his grip on reality when confronted with the house and the disappearance of a beautiful young woman.

The house in question defies all horror stereotypes. It hasn’t been plucked from a Poe story. It’s not

creaky, cobweb-ridden, or cursed.

Inside, the house is tattooed with graffiti, remnants of parties, and evi­ dence of forbidden trysts. But out­ side, the house is normal. Its power comes from an ominous past and the cruel inventions of a frightened imagination.

This unconventional haunted house is representative of Pyper’s ability to exploit and surpass the boundaries of the horror genre. He leaves some of the house’s impact up to the reader’s imagination, but makes sure not to introduce any cli­ chés that would affect their vision of the setting. The supernatural force in the story, an always changing but ever-present boy, is treated in a simi­ lar way. The phantom is frightening because he is so vague, but Pyper describes his ghost in original, off­ beat language as “the opposite of music.”

Pyper’s distinctive, highly visu­ al writing style compliments his plot perfectly. The story’s developments are all unexpected, but it works.

Every twist and turn in The Guard­ ians is shocking, and yet still feels, right. The entire work is treated with a sense of realism; the characters are flawed but relatable, and the setting is raw and unembellished. This sets the groundwork for a tense, raging final showdown in the house.

The story’s conclusion elu­ cidates some of the most pressing themes in the book—middle-age anxieties, subjectivity, and the very real threat of irrationality. It’s an in­ telligent, well-worked haunted house story. Though Pyper gets beyond the traditional tropes of the horror genre, he mines it for all its worth and gives readers what they’re really looking for: can’t-tear-your-eyes-away fear.

Simply put, The Guardians gave me nightmares, but I didn’t want to put it down. If that’s not horror, I don’t know what is.

S ports TRACK AN D FIELD— M CGILL TEAM CH A LLEN G E

M c G ill h o s ts la rg e s t in d o o r tra c k m e e t in C a n a d a Nine meet records fall; with a stong showing in the 6om hurdle Stoffman delivers McGill's only medal

By M a ri M esri

Contributor Twenty-three teams from across the nation participated in the highly anticipated McGill Team Challenge at the Tomlinson Fieldhouse this past weekend. The Team Challenge is the largest indoor track meet in Canada and fields some of the most elite athletes in the country. This year’s event featured over 700 com­ petitors as hundreds of university athletes and an impressive list of national team members competed in the invitational races.

The large attendance gives ath­ letes an opportunity to gauge the prospective competition at the na­ tional level for the upcoming season.

McGill’s only medalist at the meet was senior hurdler Zaria Stoffman who took home the bronze medal in the 60m hurdles with an impressive time of 8.95 seconds. Stoffman is no stranger to the CIS competition and will be looking to build upon her already strong performance in her final season.

Sophomore middle-distance runner Sarah McCuaig posted two personal bests as she clocked in at 2:53.94 in the 1000m and 4:35.38 in the 1500m to place fourth in both events. McCuaig used the highly competitive field to help spur her to outstanding times.

“I was nervous going in be­ cause I had seen the times that the girls had run,” McCuaig said. “But I felt good. It was nice to be pulled

along by people in front of me.”

Another remarkable perfor­ mance in middle-distance came from sophomore Aimee Castro. Cas­ tro registered two personal bests as she finished the 600m in 1:37.23 and clocked 2:57.63 in the 1000m.

Castro and McCuaig along with junior Charlène Puel and senior Catherine Drouin-Audet, missed a podium finish at the Canadian Inter­ university Sport championship last year in the 4x800m by a heartbreak­ ing 0.01 second. Despite Puel and Drouin-Audet’s temporary absence due to injuries, they’re looking to make a comeback as the season pro­ gresses.

“The 4x800m is the one that we really are hungry for,” McCuaig said. “That’s the one that we want to come back and get our revenge for—we just have to get everyone back, healthy, and 100 per cent.”

In the field events, sophomore long jumper Joseph Ariwi set a new personal best with a leap of 6.34 me­ tres, placing eight overall.

“In my field the competition was very good,” Ariwi said. “The quality of the athletes here is always very high. It’s definitely a good at­ mosphere to be around people who are better than you.”

Showing their versatility were sophomore sprinters Genevieve Blanchard and Eric Ellemo who par­ took in two events and were on stand­ by for various relays. Blanchard ran the 300m and finished in seventh place with a time of 41.43. He also

T yler Levi leans in to th e tu rn ; record falls in pole v a u lt event. (A d am S cotti / M c G ill T rib u n e)

placed 16th in the 60m by clocking a time of 8.07. Ellemo ran the same events and registered a personal re­ cord of 35.95 seconds in the 300m.

Senior middle-distance run­ ner Daniel Kramer placed eighth in the 1000m (2:30.24) and 11th in the 1500m (3:59.79). As a veteran on the team, Kramer assessed the sea­ son that lies ahead of the team.

“People are ready to explode but it just hasn’t happened yet,” Kramer said. “A lot of injuries. Compared to last year we are a smaller team. It’s a team in progress.”

T H IR D D o n ’t fight the pain, there’s nothing to gain

I remember watching the 2004 MLB American League Champion­ ship Series when Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling took to the mound after receiving surgery on an injured tendon in his right foot. As each inning passed, and as the blood stain on his sock continued to spread, I was blown away by his stalwart performance despite so much pain.

To this day, it was one of the greatest baseball playoff performances I’ve ever seen. Playing through an injury that would have left many on the shelf for months was an incredible feat of will power and strength.

Schilling’s performance was extremely admirable, but at the end of the day, it is imperative that we acknowledge that playing through a

serious injury is silly and downright dangerous.

The discourse about “tough­ ness” and sports has reached a boil­ ing point in recent weeks with two high profile stories about athletes and their decisions to play injured.

The first was about Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler’s sprained MCL preventing him from finish­ ing the NFC Championship game against the Green Bay Packers. The other story is NHL players playing through concussions, with Sidney Crosby sidelined by a concussion and Marc Savard’s career in doubt after multiple failed attempts to re­ turn after concussions. Both the NFL and the NHL have come under in­ tense scrutiny over the last few years for their insufficient safety standards in a extremely dangerous working environment.

The Jay Cutler story provided an important reminder of the mis­

This year, nine meet records fell and new Fieldhouse records were established over the course of the weekend. Notably, the 2010 Ca­ nadian senior pole vault champion, Gabriella Duclos-Lasnier, shattered the previous Fieldhouse record of 4.06m by clearing 4.20m and win­ ning the event by a wide margin.

Former McGill athlete and cur­ rent McGill sprinting coach, Hank Palmer was amongst those chasing records. Palmer was a part of the Canadian 4x100m team that placed sixth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Other national team members in­ cluded Toyin Olupona (60m) and Kimberly Hyacinthe (60m, 300m).

The Guelph Gryphons walked away with the meet title, well ahead of the second-place Western Mus­ tangs. McGill finished in 14th place, an impressive finish despite a high number of injured athletes. The Redmen and Martlets will travel to New York next weekend for the New Bal­ ance Collegiate Invitational, to be held at The Armory, one of the fast­ est tracks in North America.

M A X IN

guided perception that playing through an injury is a testament to one’s toughness—a perception shared not only by the fans, but by the players as well. Arizona Cardi­ nals safety Kerry Rhodes tweeted during the game, “Cmon cutler u have to come back, this is the NFC championship if u didn’t know!”

Added Jaguars running back Mau­ rice Jones-Drew (MJD), “All I’m saying is that he can finish the game on a hurt knee ... I played the whole season on one ...”

MJD is an incredible running back, but he didn’t study medicine during his short stint at UCLA. It was revealed that Cutler had a sprained MCL. The MCL (Medial Collateral Ligament) is a ligament that is located on the inner side of the knee and links the thigh bone to the shin bone. Any damage that occurs to the MCL is termed a sprain and can range in its degree of severity.

If a sprain isn’t treated immediately, a player risks further injury to the MCL that would inevitably result in surgery. In addition, a ligament that is under constant insult after an inju­ ry is prone to arthritic degeneration later in life. With sufficient degen­ eration, the only option left is knee replacement surgery.

These players do make millions of dollars and lead lavish lifestyles, but there is no amount of money that can reverse the arthritic damage to a knee or the damage done to one’s brain after multiple concussions.

These athletes are incredible physi­ cal specimens, but they are not super human, and are not more immune to debilitating injuries then everyone else.

At the end of the day, it is up to the player whether they want to risk further injury or attempt to play through it. Sometimes there is virtue in playing injured. On a per­

sonal level, it’s admirable. We all can identify with someone willing to work when they’re not quite feeling up to it.

But the science is definitive on these injuries, whether it is an MCL sprain or a concussion. There is enough information on the detrimen­ tal effects of playing through injury.

A recent study revealed that many NFL players develop some sort of neurodegenerative disease from all the hits to the head they take during their careers. Playing through an in­ jury is stupid and dangerous, and is not the example we should be setting for aspiring athletes who have their entire lives ahead of them. If the fans and players do not want to acknowl­ edge science, they are in no position to question a player’s “toughness” for deciding not to play through an injury.

—Niresan Seevaratnam

17

Tliesday, February 1, 2011

VOLLEYBALL— M CG ILL i, M ONTREAL 3 (23-25, 25-23, 21-25, 23-25)

M c G ill’s d re a m s s p ik e d by s tro n g M o n tr e a l s q u a d Martlets lose another close one to their soon-to-be playoff opponents; Kelsey Irwin explodes for 21 kills

By S am H u n te r S ports E ditor

It turns out the third try isn’t the charm for the McGill Martlets vol­ leyball squad.

Playing to a crowd of 98, a quarter of whom were University of Montreal fans or players for their men’s side, the visiting Carabins came away with a three-sets-to-one victory over McGill at Love Compe­ tition Hall. The set-count was decep­ tive, with Montreal only outscoring the Martlets by six points over the course of the match. The gutting loss followed the same template as the previous two regular season games between the two clubs (both losses for McGill) over the past year.

The Carabins won the first set 25-23, lost the second by the same score, and then won the final two, 25-21 and 25-23.

“We haven’t beaten them very often this season,” said sophomore power-hitter Emily Kyte. “We just have to work on being more consis­ tent ... We’re always right there with them at the end of the game but it’s just the last two points that we can’t pull through.”

The pattern of narrow but regu­ lar defeats was established long be­ fore the current season.

G ene v ie v e P lante passes th e ball up to th e M c G ill fro n tlin e . (A d am Scotti / M c G ill T ribune)

“I ’ve played here for fourand-a-half years,” said fifth-year power-hitter Kelsey Irwin, who led the Martlets with 21 kills. “A lot of the time when we lose to Montreal it’s a really tight game. They’re not usually blowing us out, so it is really frustrating because we know we can beat them and we just need to learn to get those last couple points.”

Apart from kills by Irwin and the Carabins’ Marie-Sophie Nadeau, the game was characterized by ex­ cellent passing from both teams.

Particularly of note were McGill set­ ter Marcela Mansure with 36 assists, and Daphnée-Maude André-Morin and Genevieve Plante with 14 and 16 digs respectively.

“André-Morin, the libero, played really well today,” said Head Coach Rachele Beliveau. “Both setters [also played great]. When a team passes well, it’s most likely a kill, so who can destabilize the other team wins.”

Despite suffering their third loss in three tries, the Martlets stayed up­

beat and loose throughout. “[Positivity] is something we’ve been working on,” Kyte said. “Once a week we have [a sports psycholo­ gist] that helps us with that.”

The McGill Fight Band and a smattering of Red Thunder fans also brought some positive energy; un­ fortunately, they didn’t bring enough company to avoid an empty-looking Love Competition Hall.

The University of Montreal men’s team dominated the middle of the seating, wearing matching blue

t-shirts and creating a vocal presence to be reckoned with, they alternately cheered on their female counterparts and heckled the linesmen. Though not as easily noted, the now-defunct Redmen varsity volleyball squad was also well-represented.

“A lot of the guys still came to watch,” Kyte said. “They’re just not wearing their little uniforms.”

It’s likely that McGill and Mon­ treal will meet again in the semi­ final of the playoffs. In the RSEQ, where the top three teams make the playoffs, Laval currently sits first at 15-3, Montreal is second with the same record, McGill is third at 10-8, and Sherbrooke has already been eliminated with a 5-13 record.

When asked about the potential matchup, Beliveau was unequivocal in her response: “Our goal is to beat them.”

“I honestly like playing Mon­ treal,” Irwin said. “They’re really good at blocking but their defence isn’t as strong as Sherbrooke’s or Laval’s.”

Beliveau is convinced her team is capable, but as she puts it, “we’re still [a couple of] points away.”

McGill plays at 7 p.m. at home against Laval on February 5 in their regular season final.

INTERVIEW — J P- DARCHE

F o rm e r N F L e r a n d R e d m a n ta lk s p la y o ffs a n d m e d ic in e J.P. Darche sounds off on the difficulties created by football’s machismo culture

By Sam H u n te r

Sports Editor J.R Darche is the sole McGill alumnus to play in the NFL. He played a season with the Toronto Argonauts before joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2000. Before retiring in 2009, Darche became a team captain and played in the 2006 Super Bowl.

Now he’s a medical student at the Univeristy of Kansas.

We took the week leading up to the Super Bowl as an opportunity to talk to Darche about the playoffs, concussions, and sibling rivalries.

You can find the full transcript online at mcgilltribune.com Are you still a fo o tb a ll fa n since you left the gam e?

I definitely follow it, especially in the playoffs, I ’ll watch a couple of games every week. I have fewer and fewer friends that are still playing now. Most of the guys I played with are done. There are still a few guys I played with out there, so I keep tabs on them.

When you cam e to the Seahawks you were a bit o f an outsider, but by the end o f your time there you were a captain. How did that transition happen?

I guess it’s harder to get [that respect] when you’re coming from a Canadian school and the CFL. It’s not the easiest way to get to the NFL, but once you’re in the doors then it doesn’t matter where you came from. No one cares.

They judge you on what you do every day. Whether you show up on time, do what you’re asked to do, and it’s the same thing if you’re a high draft pick or whatever. Once you’re in practice, in the building, no one cares what you did in college.

It doesn’t matter anymore. A lot of good college players failed to do it at the next level and that’s what the professional game is about; produc­ ing.

As both a high-level fo otb a ll player and a m ed school student, what do you think about the con ­ cussion debate that’s been coming up a lot lately?

That’s an interesting one, and I

think in the next few years it will be the subject that people are going to want to talk about because it’s defi­ nitely a big issue. You see it, I mean I had a couple of concussions but nothing big and I ’m totally fine now ... or at least I’d better be because I don’t think I ’ll make it through school if not. But I have friends, guys that are done playing now in their early, mid-30s that are having some big problems with [the afteref­ fects of head injuries]. They’re not doing so well—headaches, depres­ sion—the things you hear, I ’ve seen it all. A couple of guys I ’m still in touch with, it’s sad to see. But that’s the whole culture.

I think the biggest thing is more knowledge about concussions. What they are, how they’re caused, what qualifies as a concussion, that’s a big thing.

The whole thing in sports, and especially at the pro level, is you play hurt. And that’s fine. You have a twisted ankle, you’re going to play on it. You know, bear the pain. You can do that, but the brain is a differ­ ent animal. Guys don’t want to look

soft or weak if they have a concus­ sion. You walk around with a con­ cussion and no one can tell you have [one]. It’s easier to hide it and play through it, and guys feel like they should be playing. Whereas if you break your leg, you break your leg.

Everybody sees it, you know it, and you can’t do anything about it.

What did you think about Ja y Cutler sitting out the secon d h a lf o f the N FC Championship?

I was a little surprised that some guys decided to call him out.

Other than Jay Cutler and the team doctor no one knows what was up with him. The report that came out, I think it said he had an MCL tear, and that’s pretty hard to play with ...

It’s not something you just shake off.

I ’d never be one to judge that stuff.

Only the guy knows and I doubt he didn’t want to play.

How was it coming back to school?

It was an adjustment. It’s ac­ tually going extremely well, but at first ... I mean everything's differ­

ent now. When I went [to university] ... you’re probably too young for this but the professor would put up the slides and write with a pen on them, no powerpoint. I mean email was getting started when I [was an undergrad]. So now it’s all paper­ less. I have my little laptop here and I download the powerpoint lectures, it’s all new to me.

When you g o back hom e, do you an d your brother (Montreal Canadiens forw ard and fo rm er Redmen hockey captain Mathieu D arche) get competitive with each other?

Not anymore, I think we’re too old for that. When we were grow­ ing up obviously, playing all those sports ... But now we’re really good friends, we’re really close. Right now I’m pretty excited to see what’s going on with him.

Growing up who was the better athlete? You or him?

He was the more natural athlete, I’ll give him that. He always was.

I

Curiosity Delivers, www.mcgilltribune.com

H O CKEY— M CGILL o, CARLETON 4

S h o rt-h a n d e d R e d m e n fa ll fo r th e fir s t t im e in re g u la tio n McGill fails to fill up both scoresheet and roster; shut out for the first time this season

By M a tt C hesser

Contributor As the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

For the McGill Redmen, that was the case on Saturday night, as the Carleton Ravens (15-7-2) hand­ ed the Redmen (22-1-2) their first regulation loss of the season—a 4-0 whitewash at the Carleton Ice House that ended McGill’s run of 24 games in which they came away with at least a point.

Linden Bahm, Andrew Self, Joe Pleckaitis, and Joey Manley scored for Carleton, while Ravens’ backup goaltender Ryan Dube made 32 saves to pick up his first shutout of the season.

For McGill, there are several mitigating circumstances for the loss: the team has already clinched first place in the Ontario University Athletic Eastern Conference, is miss­ ing three players who are represent­ ing Canada at the World University Games, and injuries are piling up as the team nears the playoffs.

“The guys worked hard—our effort level was definitely there,” said McGill Head Coach Kelly Nobes. “But bodies were lacking.

When you’re down to 14 skaters it makes things challenging.”

All in all, the Redmen were missing seven players at puck drop, and another two by the final horn.

Neither starting netminder Hu­ bert Morin nor the nation’s leading goal scorer Francis Verreault-Paul

dressed for the game. Morin suffered a possible concussion after hav­ ing his head sandwiched between a goalpost and an opposing player in a game on January 21, while Verreault-Paul was pulled from the lineup due to the recurrence of a leg injury that caused him to miss three games earlier this month. He had been tentative and ineffective in his prior two games—a rarity for the ex­ plosive scorer who has notched 28 goals in only 19 games.

The team was also without the services of captain Evan Vossen, for­ ward Maxime Langalier-Parent, and defenceman Marc-Andre Dorion, who are all playing for Team Can­ ada at the World University Games

in Turkey. Vossen and LangalierParent are among the best two-way forwards in the OUA, while Dorion is the reigning CIS Defenceman of the Year.

Add in injuries to fourth-liners Patrick Belzile and Jean-Francois Boisvert, and in-game ailments to top-six forward Andrew Wright and top-four defenceman Ben Morse, and one could fill a batting order with the missing McGill players.

“Six of our top seven [players] were out of the lineup,” said Nobes.

“We had guys who’ve only played a handful of games this year playing every third shift. So we need to get some bodies back in the lineup.”

This should not detract from an

impressive performance by Carle­ ton, however. Without the services of top-scorer Brandon MacLean and starting goaltender Matthew Dopud, the Ravens played a gritty, hard checking game. They peppered McGill netminder Antoine Tar­ dif with 17 shots in the first period alone, and have outshot the Redmen in all three meetings between the teams this season.

The victory extended the Ra­ vens’ winning streak to three games, including a victory over the perenni­ al powerhouse University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières Patriotes on Fri­ day, and moved them to within three points of the second-place Nipissing Lakers, with two games in hand.

“Carleton’s a good team, there’s no doubt about it,” said Nobes.

“They’re physical, they’re gritty, and they’ve got about 18 former junior players. They’re definitely a tough team to play.”

Despite the loss, McGill’s ac­ complishments are impressive.

They’re currently in the midst of one of the best seasons in the pro­ gram’s 134-year history. McGill has already matched the school record for victories in a regular season, and is ranked second in the CIS. That success has only furthered the lofty expectations for the Red­ men, as the team has set its sights on their first-ever CIS National Championship. McGill has made it to Nationals in four out of the last five seasons, but has walked away empty-handed each time.

“In the last few years we’ve had some very good teams,” said forward Simon Marcotte-Légaré after a 5-4 victory against Concordia on Wednesday. “But we’re trying to win Nationals this year.”

McGill is next in action on Sat­ urday night as they return to the Ice House for a rematch with the Ra­ vens. They finish their regular sea­ son home schedule with a game on February 11 against the Ottawa GeeGees at McConnell Arena.

Disclosure: As a casual employee o f the McGill Athletics Department, Matt Chesser provides play-by-play fo r Redmen home games on SSN Canada.

HO CKEY

S e c o n d -ra n k e d R e d m e n g e t ric h e r w ith g ift T H I N K Y O U CAN

Stephen and Nancy Molson give $i million to aid in program’s development

By W a lk e r Kitchens

Sports Editor 2011 is beginning to look like a very special year for the McGill Redmen hockey squad. The Red­ men have cruised to a 22-1-2 record and were ranked second in the na­ tion last week. Then, on January 25, Stephen T. Molson and Nancy Molson made a $1 million donation to support coaching, player recruit­ ment, and the program development of the men’s hockey team.

The donation comes as a birth­ day present for McGill’s hockey team. On January 31 the Redmen celebrated their 134th birthday and are acknowledged as the oldest hockey club in the world.

“We’re very fortunate and very appreciative of the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Molson,” said Red­

men Head Coach Kelly Nobes. “It really is going to allow us to take the program top the next level.”

The gift will allow the Redmen to hire another full-time coach, who will be known as the Stephen and Nancy Molson Redmen Hockey Coach, to support Nobes. This is extremely rare in the CIS, as most university squads do not have the budget to support two full-time coaches.

“The second full-time coach is going to give us the ability to be very thorough in our recruiting across the country,” Nobes said. “If you look at hockey organizations [at all levels], there is more than one guy on the hockey operations staff that is paid. It’s a necessity to have a second full-time guy and I think you’ll see it more in this country.”

Stephen T. Molson played for

the Redmen from 1958 to 1963.

Since his playing days, he has been closely associated with McGill Ath­ letics. He is currently a life gover­ nor of McGill’s Martlet Foundation, was previously an honourary chair of the McConnell Arena renewal campaign, and also co-chaired a committee that developed the McGill Sports Hall of Fame.

The Molson’s donation match­ es the million-dollar donation to the women’s hockey team by David and Sheryl Kerr in 2007 as the larg­ est gift to a varsity sports team in McGill’s history.

The donation by the Molsons will help solidify the Redmen hock­ ey squad as one of the perennially elite teams in the country. In the past five years McGill has started to become a national hockey power­ house. In 2005-2006 and 2008-2009

they won the CIS OUA Eastern Conference Championship. In ad­ dition, they have won the Queen’s Cup, which is awarded to the OUA league champions, a remarkable 14 times. Most recently they won the cup in 2007-2008 and 2009-2010.

“For us to continue to be na­ tionally competitive and to get to that next level we’re going to need to do a thorough job of recruiting coast to coast and leaving no stone unturned,” Nobes said. “Having a full-time assistant is going to give us that ability.”

This season is shaping up as another extremely strong campaign for the Redmen. Despite losing their first game of the season in regula­ tion this past weekend, they look to be the favourite to win the Queen’s Cup and have a great shot at win­ ning the National Championship.

D O BETTER T H A N THIS?

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SPO RTS @ M C G IL L T R IB U N E .

COM OR W E D N E S D A Y 5:30 T R IB U N E OFFICE

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TXiesday, February 1, 2011

S u p e r B ow l X L V P re v ie w Offence P ittsbu rgh - The Steelers of­ fence hasn’t changed much since we last saw Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl two years ago. Ben Roethlisberger has proven he’s capable of completing clutch passes and lead­ ing a game-winning drive. But, the key to winning their third champion­ ship of the decade might be Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall.

He was seventh in total regular sea­ son rushing yards, but needs to have a big day for the Pittsburgh aerial attack to avoid Green Bay’s topnotch pass defence. In order to take the Packers’ secondary out of the equation, the Steelers will need to establish a solid running game and complete short passes to tight ends like Heath Miller. A mix of rushing and passing should suit Mike Tom­ lin’s offence well and will keep the Packers defence on their toes.

G reen B a y - Mike McCarthy’s offence is built to beat the Steelers.

Pittsburgh has demonstrated in the past that a prolific QB surrounded by talented receivers can shake them. Aaron Rodgers will look to wide receivers Donald Driver and Greg Jennings in order to beat the Steelers through the air. In addi­ tion, Rodgers’ speed and mobility in the pocket will give him more time against the blitzing Pittsburgh defence. It will be interesting to monitor how much Green Bay will rely on rookie running back James Starks, who figured prominently in

playoff victories over Philadelphia and Chicago. Rodgers could have his way with Pittsburgh’s secondary, and if the Steelers aren’t prepared, Rodgers has the stuff to light them up like he did the NFC’s top ranked team—the Atlanta Falcons.

Defence Pittsburgh - Troy Polamalu is the linchpin of the Steelers defensive unit. He is capable of covering the entire field and was tied for second in the NFL with seven interceptions in 2010. Pittsburgh’s run defence, which was the best in the NFL in the regular season, should shut down James Starks easily, giving them more time to focus on Aaron Rodgers and the passing attack that torched the Falcons in the division­ al round. No team allowed fewer points than Pittsburgh this season, as they allowed an average of only 14.5 points per game. The Steelers allowed 27 points or more only once this season, against New England, but like Tom Brady, Rodgers might have the capacity to give the defence fits. Popular wisdom, however, holds that with an extra week to prepare for Green Bay, defensive coordina­ tor Dick LeBeau should have a plan to shut down Rodgers and company to win his third Super Bowl.

G reen B a y - Pittsburgh may have allowed the fewest points, but Green Bay trailed them in the regu­ lar season by just half a point, giving

up only 15 per game. Much of that success can be attributed to a pass defence that revolves around the three-headed-monster of Clay Mat­ thews, Charles Woodson, and Tramon Williams. Matthews was fourth in the NFL in sacks, registering 13.5 QB takedowns in the regular season.

His speed and tackling ability will be vital against Roethlisberger, who is adept at avoiding defenders until he can find an open receiver. The playoffs have been the coming out party for Williams, as he has racked up three interceptions already, tak­ ing one back 79 yards to the house against Atlanta. Teammates Sam Shields and B.J. Raji have two and one postseason interceptions respec­ tively, with Raji’s an 18-yard picksix that led to one of the more amus­ ing end zone celebrations in recent memory. If the front seven of the Packers defence can stop Rashard Mendenhall, Green Bay could hold the defensive advantage.

British tennis a joke-ovic TENNIS: A surprising Australian Open is now over. On the men’s side neither Rafael Nadal nor Roger Federer made the final. Instead, third-ranked Novak Djokovic domi­ nated Brit Andy Murray to easily win his second major title. The win marked only the third time since February 2006 that Federer or Nadal did not win a major tournament. It also continued Britain’s drought; since 1936 no British man has won a major. On the women’s side, Kim Clijsters continued her incredible comeback with her third major title since coming out of retirement in 2009 by defeating Li Na from China in the final.

Interesting All-Star game still only a fantasy NHL: The NHL All-Star game was getting stale, so the league decided to freshen things up by instituting an All-Star fantasy draft. Instead of the traditional East vs. West compe­ tition, two captains, Eric Staal and Nick Lidstrom, picked teams. While the new format added some excite­ ment, the game itself remained a high-scoring and often lackadaisical affair in which Team Lidstrom came back from a four-goal deficit to de­ feat Team Staal 11-10.

Pro Bore NFL: The week before the Super Bowl is always a downer as it’s the first weekend since September that no competitive NFL football games are played. Instead it’s the Pro Bowl (the NFL’s all-star game). Many stars skip the game due to injuries from the long regular season, and none of the players from either Super Bowl team attend. As a result, each year

The Experts Weigh In 21

24

— Sam Hunter and Walker Kitchens, Tribune Sports Editors

28

35

—Clinton Uttley, McGill Redmen Defensive Coordinator

27

17

—Matt Chesser, McGill Sports Broadcaster

20

27

—Eric Wen, McGill Daily Sports Editor

12

30

—Tori Crawford, Tribune Editor-in-Chief

17

24

—J.P. Darche, Form er NFL player and McGill Grad

17

24

—Christophe Boyer, Host o f “It Is What It Is Sports Talk Radio" on CKUT

0

49

—Zach Newburgh, SSMU President

Prediction

24

28

—Tom Fabian, SSMU VP Internal In a classic showdown between two of the NFL’s most storied fran­ chises, superb defence trumps high­ flying offences. Logic would say this should mean a Steelers victory, but Green Bay has been playing elimina­ tion games since Week 16 and have looked like a well-oiled machine in all of them. Chalk up a 17-10 Pack­ ers victory for their fourth Lombardi Trophy.

—Adam Sadinsky

Around the W ater Cooler The lazy person ’s guide to the most important, interesing, and hilarious stories in sports fo r the past week.

Amaze friends with your newfound sporting knowledge in less than 300 words—promise.

VS.

the Pro Bowl is talent drained, the score is high, and many mistakes are made. This year was no different as the NFC beat down the AFC 55-41.

Overall, the game saw a ridiculous nine turnovers, and defensive back DeAngelo Hall was named MVP of the game for snagging an intercep­ tion and returning a fumble for a touchdown.

28

21

—Monika Fabian, H ead o f Red Thunder

21

17

—Mari Mesri, Tribune Sports Contributor

31

24

—Earl Zukerman, Communications Officer fo r McGill Athletics Deputy Provost (Student L ife and Learning) Morton M endelson takes the P ackers by 3.

$15 student rate (tax included)

No appointm ent necessary First-come, first-served Open Monday-Friday

Boshasaurus NBA: Kobe and company lose again to the East’s elite, putting them even further off of last year’s pace, but the Lakers insist they aren’t scared. Du­ rant calls Bosh a “fake tough guy”.

I always though of him as more of a “fake brontosaurus”.

Quote of the week “Prize Money.”

—Chinese tennis player and Aus­ tralian Open finalist Li Na on what motivated her to com e back and win the third set in her semi-final show­ down with top-ranked player C aro­ line Wozniacki.

Peel

www.andiesbarbershop.com

Searching for light.

Photos by Ryan Reisert and Abir Shah