mitZinecontents 4
Lloyd Roberston
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Harper’s Crime Bill
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DJ Craze
mitZinefeatures specialfeature
arts&entertainment
world
4 10 15 An Interview with Lloyd DJ Craze Englufs London Libya Gets a No-Fly Robertson mitZine editorial team
westernlife
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Beyond the Richmond Gates Elizabeth Sarjeant
8 Time to Let Out Your Inner Freak Laura Panopoulos
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24 Hours in MIT
Taylor Pearce
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Erika Fabian
12 The Thing About Deleting a Facebook Friend Jennifer Stranges
13 Who is Really the Man’s Man? Tania Overholt
14 Pull the Plug Hannah Nicholls Purple and Proud Angelica Ng
Zone. Syria Gets No Flyers Sarah Koopmans
16 Head to Head: Omnibus Crime Bill Julian Uzielli & Aaron Zaltzman
18 Contentious Oil Pipeline Moves Forward Amber Garratt
19 It’s Easy Shopping Green Emily Stewart
mitZinestaff editor-in-chief Jonathan Forani
managing editor Taylor Pearce graphics editor Jordan Coop world editor Julian Uzielli arts & entertainment editor Erika Fabian western life editor Elizabeth Sarjeant web editor Jordan Pearson promotions coordinator Marisa Dametto
Editor’s Note Show/Biz: Striking a Balance written by Jonathan Forani
In some kind of perverse admission from one of Hollywood’s bigwigs, Jeffrey Katzenberg – otherwise known as Mr. CEO of DreamWorks Animation – noted at a Fortune magazine conference this summer, “there is this sort of unholy alliance that has existed forever between art and commerce, show and biz.” Call him an unlikely martyr for the common folk, or a hegemonic liar intent on building that as a cute facade, what the CEO says is true and visible in every crevice of capitalism. It’s nothing new. In one corner we have the Show side of it all; and in the other corner, the Biz side. As FIMS students, we think we know all too well about that one. We’re expected to resist and subvert it like a countercultural pack of dogs. But the unfortunate fact of the matter for many of us will be that the closest we’ll get is some kind of compromise. This is something I learned as an intern at TV Week magazine in Vancouver,
a position I landed this past summer through the FIMS internship program with Susan Weekes. The Show/Biz divide is increasingly visible in journalism. That the mitZine is a fully subsidized entity makes us particularly privileged, but in the “real world” advertising needs drive editorial meetings, desperate moves to rebrand ailing titles are everyday, what is Local is neglected in favour of what is American, “advertorials” replace real editorials, and the journalist is otherwise pushed under the rug. The Biz was so overwhelmingly dominant for some at this Vancouver publishing company that the Editor-inChief of one of its major publications stepped down from his position as an act of editorial defiance. In fear of sounding too resistance-is-futile-y I’ll say that there is always something to be said for these FIMS-like efforts to defy the powers that be. It is in applying our Derrida, Schiller and Foucault to form
be more than a reader: contribute to the mitZine We’re always looking out for talented writers, illustrators, artists and other contributors. Make your voice heard and your work seen in the official FIMS undergraduate student publication.
Contact Jonathan Forani for information or inquiries: editor@mitzine.ca Visit us online at
www.mitzine.ca
some kind of compromise that we can have an impact. You don’t have to wait until you’re a wandering grad to find out first hand – FIMS’ Internship Coordinator, Susan Weekes, is having information sessions this month.
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The Occupy Wall Street Movement: will it prove to be effective?
Sound off on the mitZine Facebook page.
a “short” guide to abbreviations You’re part of the Faculty of Information and Media Studies (FIMS), which is broken down into three undergraduate programs: Media, Information and Technoculture (MIT), Media Theory and Production (MTP), and Media and the Public Interest (MPI). FIMS has its own undergraduate representatives who make up the Media, Information and Technoculture Students’ Council (MITSC). The MITSC is part of the campus-wide University Students’ Council (USC), which represents every student at the University of Western Ontario (UWO). Confused yet? At some point this year you might find yourself wandering through the University Community Centre (UCC), North Campus Building (NCB) or maybe even the Social Science Centre (SSC). You’ll also get to know plenty of Teaching Assistants (TAs) in your larger classes. If you want to know who makes academic policy decisions for FIMS, look no further than the Undergraduate Affairs Committee (UAC).
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mitZinespecialfeature
Lloyd Robertson
Lloyd Robertson was the chief anchor and senior editor of CTV’s national evening newscast, CTV News with Lloyd Robertson. Robertson retired in September, 2011, as Canada’s longest serving news anchor.
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An Exclusive Interview with Canada’s Legendary Anchor written by the mitZine editorial team
For Canadians, there are few voices more recognizable than Lloyd Robertson’s. The crisp baritone of the veteran news anchor guided CTV’s national evening newscast for 35 years, and with his post, Roberston brought a sense of stability and authenticity even as the media waters grew murky. The mitZine editors were humbled, to say the least, to be able to speak with the Canadian icon and hear his perspective on everything from citizen journalism to Paris Hilton. How have you seen the credibility and sheer quantity of news sources change over the course of your career? Quantity, yes; however, the multiplicity of sources has not enhanced credibility, as that quality usually requires some time to become established. How can the average Canadian ensure they’re getting the most complete perspective of the news they can? Read a daily paper for local, national and international news and watch a favourite newscast. If you wish for more depth, there are news magazines like Maclean’s and Time and specialty periodicals on a wide range of subjects. You’ve got to be an activist about this, you can’t let it all just come to you if you want to be really informed.
“You’ve got to be an activist about this, you can’t let it all just come to you if you want to be really informed.” In your opinion, what are the effects of the 24-hour news cycle on journalistic integrity and standards? The 24-hour cycle has pushed all of us to work harder and faster. It has increased sources for the general public, and that’s good, but it has caused more mistakes because of the pressure to meet deadlines. What are your thoughts on “citizen journalism” as an increasingly important tool? As Morley Safer of 60 Minutes says: “I wouldn’t trust a citizen journalist any more than I would trust a citizen doctor.” Seriously, they’re fine for reporting the fire next door but don’t look for perspective, balance or depth. Was there ever a moment in your career where you thought, “We need to be better than this. News is better than this”? Yes, it happened the first time we reported a story on Paris Hilton. She is a celebrity not because of any accomplishments but merely because she is the daughter of a multi-millionaire family. Talking about her makes for a waste of valuable news agenda space. What do you think Canadian broadcast journalism can teach other countries’ news media, if anything? Do we stand to learn anything from them? Canada has a sophisticated and very advanced journalism community. However, we can always learn from others and we should always be willing to help those in areas where freedom of speech and information are impeded by autocratic governments. Do you have any advice for young people planning a career in news journalism today? If it’s your passion, go for it! Read up and be ready for a career that is about as far from the 9 to 5 norm as you could ever imagine. Good luck to all!! [mitZine v11.i2] 5
mitZinewesternlife
Beyond the Richmond Gates: Global Community, Distant Locality written by Elizabeth Sarjeant
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ccording to my cab driver, Western students are “the flower of London.” He’s heard rumours of the university’s plans to expand campus downtown, and he thinks he knows why. “They want to get all the students downtown and get all the sketchy people out,” he says with a chuckle. More likely, the university’s plans to branch into the physical heart of the city are part of a larger design: better integration of students with the London community. At a recent Senate meeting, UWO President Amit Chakma took an optimistic approach to media criticism of Western’s disengagement with the rest of the city. The value attributed to university students in statements such as that of my cab driver is important to Chakma, according to Western News’ Heather Travis. The silver lining for the president is the fact that Western, the so-called “flower of London,” is in the position to play a major role in the city’s development. The cloud is the perceived failure of the university to fulfill this potential. There is a dichotomy in the city of London between student life and – well, everyone else’s. The divide may have something to do with the physical isolation of the campus. For many of us at Western, “downtown London” only extends as far as Jack’s. Yet during summer breaks and reading weeks our students can be found trotting the globe on exchanges, service trips, and various other horizon-broadening experiences. Flocks of Western students spend entire semesters studying overseas in Denmark and Australia without ever having ventured as far as Dundas and Adelaide, just a fifteen-minute bus ride away from Alumni Hall. For us, the “Western bubble” is an integral part of the university experience. Many students choose the school for its strong sense of community. And in fact, this close-knit campus experience is unique to our culture. Daniel Ng, a fourth-year Geography student at Western, spent last year at the University of Copenhagen. Over there, he explains, university buildings are dispersed throughout the city, and student residences are shared amongst schools. Student life is bound up in the overall city experience.
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International exchanges are important, Ng believes, because they allow us to “see outside the bubble.” He now volunteers at the International and Exchange Student Centre, which was established two years ago when Chakma first came into office at Western. Since then, Ng asserts, “Western is doing a very good job of internationalizing the student experience.” Sure, the University of Singapore has never felt so close. But at what cost? While closing in on the rest of the world, Western students seem to be distancing ourselves from the very city we call home for eight months of the year. “Come visit Western!” we tell our friends from other schools, as if it were a city in itself. You can even catch a Greyhound straight to the Natural Science building. Meanwhile, we live in an increasingly globalized world. Culture and commercialization seep back and forth across continents. When it comes to education, perhaps we should pause and think local. A Globe and Mail article authored by the UWO president in 2010 justifies his emphasis on internationalization by pointing to the importance of thriving in a new “global economy.” However, the president may be overlooking the importance of supporting local economies first and foremost. Instead of rushing students overseas, critics of Chakma’s global vision suggest that Student Development programs bring local opportunities into focus for graduating students, with the goal of supporting the London economy. According to Travis’ report of the Senate meeting, Chakma’s defense of the university’s involvement centred around a claim that the “presence of Western contributes to the local economy.” If physical location is the only metre by which the school’s contribution is measured, the downtown expansion my cab driver mentioned could be a solution in itself. “Several other universities in Ontario have put campuses in downtown cores and are credited with giving a boost to arts, culture, business and housing,” points out Randy Richmond of The London Free Press. Richmond’s September 29th article also confirms that downtown expansion is part of Chakma’s plan for the school. However, the president’s assertion that a downtown presence for Western will “enhance the city’s image as an Education City” is problematic. Waving the Western flag from a more central location in London isn’t going to integrate students with city, just as the mere presence of technology in a Third World country doesn’t bridge the digital divide. If our UWO e-mail inboxes are any indication, international opportunities are being promoted to a far greater extent than anything London-based. Western’s October Volunteer Fair, a great opportunity for local student involvement, slid inconspicuously under the radar in the UCC. The only notification students received was lost amongst the hype surrounding the Alternative Spring Break Program and the International Centre’s new office hours. But Western needs to know that it’s possible to explore student opportunities without buying a plane ticket. In order to “see outside” the Western bubble, we have only to explore the city right at our doorsteps.
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Time to Let Out Your Inner Freak written by Laura Panopoulos, illustrated by Jordan Coop
I On Halloween
written by Dr. Kane Faucher The pleasure in dressing up as something other appeals to one of two factors: the need to express the polar opposite of what we regularly are, or as subconscious expression of inner strife. At bottom, during Halloween most people desire to be seen, and to be perceived as achieving a notable effect on others. Hence, spooky or gruesome costumes and sexy costumes both have a similar agenda: to be noticed by means of something shocking or transgressive. Halloween is considered a socially acceptable event in which to experiment with role-playing and identity experimentation without fear of social judgement. So, I would not be surprised if it turned out to be true that a certain percentage of those in costume are actually expressing something very personal about themselves that they would not otherwise display. Of course, dressing up as a dominatrix does not necessarily imply that the wearer is a dominatrix in private; rather that there is something appealing about the image of that role to the individual with respect to some aspect of one’s personality. Many of the costumes we see are richly symbolic of personality traits that are idealized or aggrandized in some way. For example, dressing up as an authority figure, leaving aside intentional irony, invokes an authoritative or assertive image. Either the wearer possesses these traits and wishes to have them in some way recognized, or the wearer does not but wishes to compensate for this lack. Costuming renders difference “safe” in so far as it is performed within a recognized social context that encourages dressing up as something other. When it comes to the freak or teratological discourse, Halloween is less a celebration of difference or abnormality than a reification of standard norms which further juxtapose physical differences during the remaining 364 days of the year.
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know deep down you all have one; that “inner freak” is wriggling to let loose. Often our inner freaks get lost and trampled down by societal norms. With Halloween fast approaching, however, it’s time to break out of our “normal” shells and get a little freaky. The “freak” label dates as far back as the 19th century, when those with physical abnormalities were driven to perform in sensationalized exhibits for “normal” individuals of both upper and lower classes. To this day, the label is still applied to physical abnormalities, as well as to behaviours and actions that are considered different. The state and media present us with constant images of how we should look and behave. Knowing that people make character judgements based on appearances, we dress for success and popularity. The dress-up box doesn’t only come out on Halloween. Unlike on Halloween, however, our everyday costumes often lead to a noticeable similarity in style and disposition. Many of us at Western aim to fit the archetypal characters of exemplary student at lecture or party animal at the bar. But I don’t think any of us are ready for the zombie apocalypse, or a rendition of The Stepford Wives. Why be all the same? It’s time to embrace difference. Halloween is an excellent party excuse. But when has it been difficult for Western students to find an excuse to party? Soon to come are the costume keg parties, themed “spooky” bar nights, and spiked pumpkin juice we saw last year. We’ve all seen the costumes, too: sexy [fill in the blank] which can be anything from lingerie with ears to a pre-bagged fantasy from McCulloch’s. Now don’t get me wrong, I love Halloween. As soon as each year’s festivities are over I’m already seeking out my next costume. But I don’t think we should only view Halloween as an excuse to party. This year, I’m creating my own Medusa costume. For those of you a little rusty on your Greek mythology, Medusa was originally a beautiful priestess in Athena’s temple. She was raped by Poseidon, and had to endure punishment for her loss
of purity, cursed to a life of solitude as a hideous Gorgon with snakes for hair. The reason I decided to be Medusa this year is firstly because I am a strong advocate against victim blaming, and additionally because her image has been adopted multiple times as an icon of female power. There may be more history and symbolism in your costume choice then you are aware of. Remember the classic elementary school witch? Perhaps more recently experienced as the “sexy witch”? The witch-hunts of Early Modern Europe took place due to the panic resulting from rapid transformation of society, economy and religion, and was in fact a mass “gendercide”. The result was the trial, torture, and execution of tens of thousands of “freaks” (mostly women) who lived independently from the expectations of a patriarchal society. The young, sexy witch and the elderly witch are both similar in the sense that they do not conform, whether alleged to be “promiscuous” or a “spinster.” This year, the opportunity awaits to present your nonconformity, to let loose your inner freak. Remember when you were a kid and it was appropriate to wear a superman cape or tutu in public? On Halloween, you can be anyone, whether or not spiked pumpkin juice and lingerie are involved. And if you take true advantage of this opportunity, you can wear a costume that represents who you are and what you believe. Fearing vilification because of difference is common, and today people are still constantly adapting their appearances and even personalities to harmonize with society’s ideal subject. But be courageous: who are you? What do you believe in and support? This is a day you can stand out and exhibit yourself to your fellow students. And I hope that when the everyday costumes re-appear, a little bit of the freakshow remains.
24 Hours in MIT
written and illustrated by Taylor Pearce
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very day I wake up at 7:21 AM to commemorate the birth of Marshall McLuhan. After meditating in a critical mindset during commercial breaks of Al-Jazeera This Morning, I am mentally prepared to start blogging. Some people blog for pleasure, and some for work, but I blog for the greater good of society. I like to expose the world to my profound ruminations for a good hour or so, or at least until my latest post has made it to the front page of Reddit. When my “upvotes” have surpassed my Facebook friends, I can move onto breakfast. Although most people ascribe to the outdated act of eating, I prefer the thought provoking process of staring at a package of Banania. It never ceases to amaze me how moved I am by my reflections on race and colonial implications, and I feel the only way to properly express myself is through the creation of animated GIFs. It’s 1:00 PM at this point and I still need to finish my homework. I watch Finding Nemo (#ripsteve) and the classic, Histoire d’un poisson rouge. It’s difficult because I only have 3000 words to substantiate my argument that the cultural undertones found within each film directly relate to the amount of people at the time who could snap their fingers. As I write the last words of my essay, I notice the clicking sound of my computer keys would work perfectly as the finishing touch on my folk-dupstep project. I quickly start up GarageBand (#ripsteve) and lay it over the track; Stereogum here I come. With my maestro mixing complete, I notice it’s 5:30 PM and I should get ready for class. Looking in my closet, I have a hard time deciding whether I feel more ironic lumberjack or mainstream mittie today. It’s hard to tell, so I just keep my leggings and oversized sweater on. Once I’m in class, I settle down for some mind-stimulating speculation. After learning about the connections between FischerPrice commercials and social movements, I feel enlightened to the point that I might even add Buddhism as my religion on Facebook. To top it off, my professor doesn’t let us use laptops; I look forward to these three hours every week when I really feel connected to my ancestors. Before I can say “Walt Disney was a despot,” it’s 9:00 PM and my day on campus is finally done. Once I’m back home, I take to my nightly activity of checking the Trifecta: Twitter, YouTube and Tumblr. Some people have told me I’m antisocial, but that’s silly since I’m on every type of social media there is. I start to get sleepy and decide to watch The Matrix to unwind. It’s been a busy day; thank god tomorrow is Friday and I don’t have class.
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mitZinearts&entertainment
DJ Craze Engulfs London written by Erika Fabian
“Are you going to Avicii?” That question was the go-to conversation starter during O-Week. The outdoor tent party, hyped as “the biggest and most anticipated Frosh Week event to ever hit London,” did not disappoint. From the second Avicii dropped “Fade into Darkness” the crowd exploded with a surge of energy that did not let up until the end of his set. The ticket price may have been hefty, but it did not stop thousands of kids from showing up. In true Western fashion, the first party of the year was spun by a top 100 DJ; an impressive feat that left partiers hungry for more shows. While Avicii fans were still buzzing off of the concert high, an announcement was made: Steve Angello would headline a two-day tent party during
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Homecoming weekend. This time, the tickets cost approximately 70 bucks, a price point justified by the fact this show would surely be more epic than the last . Again, it seemed every student in London banded together under that massive tent for another weekend of non-stop house music. The tent was more frigid this time around, but the event was, as promised, even more insane than O-Week. Riding off of the O-Week and Homecoming hype, London’s biggest promotions companies have announced several more DJ shows in the upcoming weeks including Dada Life, Porter Robinson, and Steve Aoki. Unfortunately, tent season is over. There is great possibility concertgoers will be chasing a party experience that
peaked at the beginning of the year. Within the past two years, the electronica subculture has creeped its way into the mainstream. The best parties these days are always hosted by a renowned DJ, making the regular bar scene, and their resident DJs, seem mundane. DJs, agents, promoters, and venues are majorly cashing in on this trend while students are breaking the bank to be a part of it all. The party scene in London has drastically changed within the past two years. With the surge in popularity of house music, there are budding DJs all over UWO who aspire to be the one who makes the crowd go wild. The way music sharing technology has developed within the past two decades has been both a blessing and a curse for the electronic music scene. When music
“Next time you’re about to drop a week’s worth of grocery money on your next rave ticket, think about why you’re going.” went digital, the role of the DJ changed forever. Now anyone can build a massive music library. Before MP3s, being a DJ used to be about tracking down vinyls and lugging them around to shows. The best DJs could spin tracks no one else could. Now though, computers make it easy for anyone to jump on the house music bandwagon. If you know the right music blog, you can find the next big track as soon as it is released. Having the right music sets the mood for the pre-drink and the party; it can make or break a night. Because the best DJs are catered to us in London, we’re all getting pretty insistent on having good music wherever we go. So, if pretty much anyone with a MacBook can spin the same tracks as Avicii or Angello, what are we paying
for? For one thing, it’s the experience. The world class DJs who perform in London can bring the crowd to an insane high. If you’ve never experienced it, you should at least once. Partygoers are now accustomed to these high energy events; a regular bar night just doesn’t seem to cut it anymore. Despite the unifying power of house music, these shows are mostly popular because everyone goes, not necessarily because the concertgoers are passionate about the music. The passion is really for partying. Could these tickets be cheaper? Sure they could. These DJ shows are glorified to a point where it’s exploitative. The prices in London are particularly high because UWO has a reputation for being one of Canada’s wealthiest schools. From
a business perspective, these events are brilliant. Everyone is wanting to jump on the house music bandwagon, so promoters make sure the wagon stops by every weekend. With so much selection, it’s hard to know which shows truly are the “must-attends.” What makes a show good is partly timing, partly the performer, but mostly, how many of your friends are going. Next time you’re about to drop a week’s worth of grocery money on your next rave ticket, think about why you’re going. Is it the artist? The party? The fear of missing out? If we start being more selective about which shows we attend, we will start seeing more affordable ticket prices in London.
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The Thing About Deleting a Facebook Friend written by Jennifer Stranges, illustrated by Gagan Singh
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ou’re walking on campus, going about your business, when suddenly you see a familiar face in the distance. You have no issue offering a friendly smile or saying hello, however there’s a disgusting amount of tension. Instead of making eye contact, one of you looks straight ahead or hides behind your phone in an effort to avoid the other. And all of this because you deleted them from Facebook. To this I say: Big. Fucking. Deal. When Facebook first became popular it was of social protocol to immediately add everyone you had met. You remember the drill: saw them across the room at a high school party? Add them! The friend count was an endless list of people you didn’t care about, but you wanted them there anyway. Seven years onward we experience the exact opposite – we pride ourselves on limiting who we add on Facebook. How many status updates have you seen recently that read something to this effect: “Did a Facebook cleanse and deleted 200 friends! You made the cut!” Oh happy day. The act of deleting a friend is ambiguous. To one person it’s a passiveaggressive technique to provoke a reaction; to another it’s a way to protect their privacy. To me it’s usually as simple as this: if Facebook didn’t exist, would you have that much access to my life? If not: goodbye. I don’t mean the oh-hey-nice-knowing12 [mitZine v11.i2]
you-I-hope-I-never-see-you-again kind of goodbye. Deleting someone from Facebook doesn’t mean deleting them from your life. Just your online life. Many say that if they wouldn’t stop and say hi to someone they have on Facebook then that person is a perfect candidate to be deleted. I’d like to propose the opposite for consideration. Why can’t we publicly acknowledge a friend of Facebook-past (unless the delete was malicious and deliberate)? Allow me to preface this brief anecdote by acknowledging that there are obvious differences between deleting an old flame and an old friend, but hear me out. This past summer while at a bar in Toronto, I bumped into a first-year fling. After the obligatory hug and awkward small-talk, he said ten words that made me wish I had another round of Früli beer on the way, “I couldn’t help but notice you deleted me from Facebook.” Yes, I did. For one, he no longer goes to Western. Secondly, we hadn’t spoken in almost two years. That was reason enough for me to conclude the lackluster story of our online friendship. I suppose he assumed that I held some sort of animosity toward him because when it comes to deleting a past flame it’s usually a bitter cry for attention. This wasn’t the case at all. It was as simple as me not thinking it was necessary for him to have access to what I put on Facebook, family photos and all. If you’re never going to write on their wall, if they’re never going to write on yours, if it would be too awkward to
comment on one of their photos; how can one honestly be offended by being deleted? The confusion about deleting Facebook friends is a result of people taking it way too seriously. Facebook is not real life. And yet it’s made to be much more complicated than that. When did we start validating our real life friendships online? It’s as though if it doesn’t happen on Facebook, it never really did. Birthday wishes are posted on Facebook walls because it apparently confirms the authenticity. When we feel like we need to add someone as a friend or maintain their access on Facebook in order to substantiate our interactions in reality, haven’t we reversed the natural process? There are Facebook friends people argue are necessary to keep. Maybe it’s for networking purposes (although, that’s sort of the point of LinkedIn), or that the person is fun to creep (you should probably take up knitting or something), or it’s just too awkward at this point in time (I look forward to the day after Commencement just as much as you). All I’m saying is that real-life relationships can be and should be separated from online friendships, and it’s rather frightening that we need a reminder of this. Our generation is the first to experience awkward moments as a result of social media, and agreeing upon the trivialized nature of the Facebook delete would just make life– and those walks on campus–so much easier.
Hockey Players vs. Figure Skaters: Who is really the man’s man? written by Tania Overholt, illustrated by Gillian Cummings
E
ver heard of the saying “Thou doth protest too much?” Now that the NHL season is underway, the league’s promotional ads are all over television. These commercial spots effectively portray the intensity of the game, but the ads also reek of over-emphasizing the players’ masculinity. While it’s a team sport, the opening thirty seconds offer a montage of high-angled close-up shots of a single athlete. While the men are going off to battle in an arena, the warrior music screaming in the background would have you believe they’re preparing for war. And the best part is the closing line: “This is the game.” Is it really? Because after every featured fantastic goal, the clip cuts right before the team’s big bear hug. And every fighting clip fails to include the part where the ref has to step in and put both players on a time out. Two theorists’ definitions of hegemonic masculinity challenge the ad’s notion when they define it as having psychological traits of “aggressiveness, hardiness, rationality [and] the ability to think logically, abstractly and analytically, ability to control one’s emotions,” (Rosmarie Tong) and “having aggressiveness, strength, drive, ambition, and self-reliance” (Cliff Cheung). Using the definitions, not the ad’s spin, it would seem Men’s Competitive Figure Skating is, in fact, a better way to prove one’s masculinity on the ice. Don’t get me wrong, athletes from both sports have undeniable strength, drive and ambition. These qualities led the Toronto Maple Leaf ’s Bobby Baun to play sixty minutes on a broken leg, and Canadian figure skating legend Elvis Stojko to claim an Olympic silver medal with a pulled groin. They allowed Canada’s Paul Kariya to score in overtime after being knocked unconscious and USA’s Scott Hamilton to claim one Olympic gold medal and four consecutive World championships and US Championships in figure skating. Where NHL players fall short is in their execution of aggression, a term Oxford Dictionary defines as “the practice of attacking or defending,” as it conflicts with other parts of the definition. The “ability to control one’s emotions” is compromised when a man’s aggression leads to another in the hospital or on the injury list. Also, cheap hits and dangerous stick play screams the inability to “think logically” and “rationally” when the ending result is almost always a power play (of which 24.5% of goals were scored in the 2009-10 season). Figure skaters execute their aggression in working towards defending their title or attacking another. They foster aggression into multi-directional transitions, difficult jump combinations and intricate footwork. The men are thinking logically, using aggression to benefit their positioning in the competition, and controlling emotions, landing quadruples with added pressure. Last, a man must be self-reliant. Sure hockey players take their own penalty shot, but score or miss, he returns to the bench for team support (a.k.a. a pat on the bum). A figure skater competes with the responsibility to win lying on his shoulders alone. Three points figure skaters, one point hockey players. And I didn’t even touch on the locker room rituals or layers of pads hockey players can wear to hide their uni-tard.
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Purple and Prou d
written by Angelic a Ng If you want to look to leaf through th fashionable on campus, there is e latest issue of Vo no insider would know gue. As any UWO need , all fashion th e biggest trends flo our beloved unive urish right here in rs ity . Be lo w ar e keep you looking th smart and stylish e top four trends that will .
Purple Feve
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Birkenstocks may comfort of fashion editors not have a sparkling reputation in comfy walking. Al, but on campus, they are the ultim the minds exhausting, Birkenthough treks across campus can ate in way through. Wesstocks help support your arches be quite Birkenstocks by patern fashionistas have updated thall the socks to bunch jus iring them with thick socks. Allo e typical wing t a bit will elevate fashion status. Birkenstocks to hig the h
r With the football ga fresh in every frosh me, concerts, and inspiring char Head-to-toe purp ’s mind, Western is having a purpity events still campus, but for thle is one way to make a spirited st le moment. to achieving subt ose not quite so daring, accessoratement on le spirit. Pick up or even purple bind Rain over m a purple lanyard, izing is key sweatband, er s an d pens - anything to Western pride. Rain boots rarely e show your Western studentsmake appearances on the runway No Sweat successfully pullin aren’t ones to conform. The trick, but The classics are ba overtop fitted jeansg off a pair of rain boots is to wea to ck in th e form of sweatpan There are a variety reign over chunkie or leggings. As for style, sleek r them ts an rain boots leg or tapered; gr of sweatpant styles seen on camd hoodies. and white rain bo r ones, although Western’s very ow ey ot pu , s n purple bl s: re ac ig st k n ra or ab ig , of co ht ove all. simply pair them with jeans, or comurse, purple. As for hoodies, aforementioned sw Th plete the look w en again, in reali outfit, as this look eatpants. Avoid accessorizing with the whether you’re w ty, everyone is too busy studying is meant to be co ith such an Just remember thearing the latest in campus fashio to notice ol and casual. n or is key piece of fash stay proud. ion advice: stay punot. rple and 14 [mitZine v11.i2]
mitZineworld Libya gets a no-fly zone, Syria gets no flyers
written by Sarah Koopmans, illustrated by Warren Kong
B
oth nations are part of what is known as the “Arab Spring,” the rash of popular uprisings in Middle Eastern and North African countries that began in December 2010. Both nations are, or were, ruled by violent dictators, and in both cases the unrest continues. While Libya’s citizens have been on the receiving end of political and military support from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Syrians have not, and that is not likely to change. Civil war broke out in Libya on February 15, beginning as a series of protests seeking to depose dictator Muammar Gaddafi. When the regime responded with armed force, protesters ramped up their demonstrations into a movement that spread throughout the nation and led to the forming of an alternative democratic government called the National Transitional Council. In January, Syrian demonstrators started demanding that autocratic President Bashar al-Assad and the ruling Ba’ath party, in power since 1963, step aside to allow the establishment of a democratic government. Assad mobilized his army to stamp out the demonstrations using force, and since then an estimated 3,000 people have been killed in the ongoing conflict. The government has made several compromises, but protestors remain unsatisfied, with no resolution in sight. Though NATO forces have been active in Libya since March of this year and have performed thousands of sorties and strike missions, an Associated Press news report on October 5 stated that only eight of NATO’s twenty-eight member nations were involved in the decision to send troops there. The others worried about reprisals affecting the organization’s obligation to Afghanistan. Arab nations were among the supporters of the Libya mission, known as Operation Unified Protector. In the case of Syria, though, they fear the wrath
of Assad, who reportedly commands a large and modern military and is wellconnected with Hezbollah and Iran. Libya, on the other hand, has a fairly small and ill-equipped military. For the US and some of their principal allies, the campaign in Libya was seen as affordable, requiring no excess firepower. Syria, meanwhile, would be a formidable, and expensive, opponent. According to the AP report, Canada and the US, along with European members, supplied the majority of the strike aircraft that were used in Operation Unified Protector. Now, those countries are not as eager to be the first ones to volunteer funds. “I think there is an expectation on all NATO members…that countries will share proportionately the load,” Canadian Defense Minister Peter McKay told AP. The US is facing budget cuts. Europe is dealing with economic crises. Canada is hoping to pull out of the Middle East. Who will fight for Syrians? Possibly no one: Assad is a force that even the most powerful country in the world may not be willing to face. What makes the situation more disheartening is the fact that Assad is aware of his dominance, and will most likely use it to maintain his death grip on his country. “Syria is a lot more like Iran than it is like Libya,” Dave Barno, a retired threestar US Army general, told The Atlantic. “It’s a police state which is willing to do virtually anything to hold onto power. And that means Assad is probably going to weather this.” Both Syria and Libya have violent and bloody histories. They are part of the same series of armed rebellions. Both have a Mediterranean coast. But the Libyan people were at long last rewarded with deliverance from autocracy, while Syrians may be forced to either subject to an oppressive totalitarian government, or flee. Either way, they may be risking their lives..
Memorable Quotes “For more than a decade we’ve been told that endless tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy would result in millions of jobs and a booming economy. That’s the same old trickle-down economics that has never worked before and it is not working now” (Iowa Senator Tom Harkin on OccupyWallStreet) “We have to be careful not to allow this to get any legitimacy. I’m taking this seriously in that I’m old enough to remember what happened in the 1960s when the left-wing took to the streets and somehow the media glorified them and it ended up shaping policy. We can’t allow that to happen.” (Republican Congressman Peter King on OccupyWallStreet) “We realize that Occupy Wall Street is calling for systemic change. We support this call to action and are honored to join you in this call to take back our nation and democracy.” (Ben & Jerry’s Board of Directors) ”There’s a real revolving-door problem in our provincial [prisons]. If you’re going to throw even more people in there, you can bet that the recidivism rate in the provincial system is likely to go up. If you want to get tough on crime, that’s fine. But don’t sell it as increasing public safety. That’s just not true.” (Stacey Hannem, chairman of the policy review committee at the Canadian Criminal Justice Association, on Harper’s Omnibus Crime Bill). “It’s time to move forward the Ontario way. It’s about building and working together. It’s not about giving in to defeatism or negativity. It’s about building a bright future with ideas, enthusiam and hope. We didn’t listen to the naysayers, we listened to Ontarians. Liberalism in this great country is alive and well and living in Ontario” (Dalton McGuinty on winning a minority government) ”I’m a fourth-quarter player.” (Obama explaining his political air-balls and why Americans should re-elect him)
check out mitzine.ca for additional commentary on world events...and much more. [mitZine v11.i2] 15
Head to Head: The Omnibus Crime Bill
written by Julian Uzielli and Aaron Zaltzman On September 20, the government tabled a huge 102-page omnibus crime bill in Parliament, called the Safe Streets and Communities Act. Comprised of nine individual pieces of legislation, the bill mainly targets young offenders, sex offenders, and drug offenders with new harsher penalties. The Conservatives failed to enact all nine pieces of legislation during their time with a minority government. Now, with a majority in the House of Commons and the Senate, the Conservatives are able to pass the legislation.
16 [mitZine v11.i2]
Julian Uzielli
T
he government’s aim with this legislation is obvious: the Conservatives want to show Canadians that they’re going to get things done with their new majority. The problem is that this legislation is born not of evidence, but ideology. By enacting it into law, the government will do little more than overcrowd our already-packed prisons without significantly reducing crime at all, at a cost that could climb into the billions. Over the summer, Statistics Canada reported that the national crime rate is on a continuing 20-year decline, and is at its lowest point since 1973. Critics have charged the government with ignoring the facts, and they’re right to do so. Why, if crime rates are steadily declining, do we need to enact sentencing reform that will put more Canadians behind bars for longer? And furthermore, is there evidence to suggest that this will reduce crime any further? According to Justice Minister Rob Nicholson, “We’re not governing on the basis of the latest statistics; we’re governing on the basis of what’s right to better protect victims and law-abiding Canadians.” But rhetoric is not evidence. To say that this is “what’s right” without providing a shred of evidence to support that claim is simply not good enough—you can’t govern a nation based on gut instincts. One measure of the bill would introduce mandatory minimum sentences for people convicted of growing at least six marijuana plants. First of all, I must disagree with mandatory minimums on principle: they undermine judges’ mandate to administer punishment as they see fit (that, however, is a separate debate). Beyond that, it’s no secret that Canadians love their pot—in 2003, Statistics Canada reported that 10 million Canadians had tried it at least once—and increasing penalties on growers is not going to change that. Demand is far too high to be ignored; locking up non-violent dealers will do nothing but create a power vacuum that will be filled by suppliers more willing to bear the higher risks of growing— typically, gangs. Greater gang control of the market will likely lead to turf wars and more violent crime. This is the same kind of policy that has failed miserably in the American War On Drugs, and helped fuel drug-related gang wars in Mexico. It simply does not work. The Safe Streets and Communities act will not make our streets and communities any safer. It will run up millions in increased cost to prisons that need to find room for thousands more inmates without doing anything to address the causes of crime. These types of policies have not worked elsewhere before, and there is no reason to believe they will work here today.
Aaron Zaltzman
I
agree with my colleague on certain aspects about this issue. I won’t deny that I think the Conservative party are using this legislation as a demonstration of their newfound majority power. However, they did try to pass these bills as a minority government as well, so they obviously believe in the aims of the legislation. It’s not as though it wasn’t properly discussed either; followers of this saga will notice that arguably the most controversial element, the so-called “warrantless surveillance component,” was taken out before Bill C-10 was passed. My feeling is that if each of these bills were passed individually in the span of six months (a blink of an eye in government time), nobody would have known about them. When one looks at each proposed law, one finds that they merely make small, albeit sometimes notable, changes to existing laws. For example, the bill regarding drug crimes did not suddenly make it illegal to sell drugs, nor did it suddenly make prison an option for sentencing. All it does is set harsher minimums for production and trafficking, and targets criminal organizations as well as distribution to youth by including new corresponding aggravating factors (elements of a crime that are deemed to make it worthy of a harsher sentence). The two longest minimum sentences are three years, for production of schedule 1 drugs (the most dangerous ones), and production of 500 or more cannabis plants, both with the aggravating factor of health and safety risks. The bill changes little to nothing regarding possession and small-time trafficking, and is mostly targeted against larger producers and distributors. If one looks into the bills, one finds that most of the changes regarding harsher punishment and stricter judiciary process (as in the case of young offenders) leave a huge amount of discretion to the presiding judge and prosecution. For example, the act regarding violent young offenders would require the prosecution to consider trying young offenders as adults for the most serious crimes, such as murder and aggravated assault; the Crown must now inform the judge if it chooses not to do this. There are many other components of the bill, dealing with issues such as handling of landed immigrants and refugees, as well as stricter rules for obtaining a pardon for serious crimes. I don’t necessarily agree with each one of them, but on the whole this bill is nothing more than a large series of slight tweaks to our judicial system. People are naturally going to be concerned with its size, and point to an absence of evidence for the proposals, but again I stress that none of these bills individually would warrant any attention, nor are they ground breaking enough to require studies. If one wants to bring up questions about the wisdom of the penitentiary system or the wisdom of cannabis prohibition, this is not the bill to warrant them. I highly recommend that those interested in this large omnibus bill take a close look at its individual components; they certainly prove that, in legislation, size isn’t everything. [mitZine v11.i2] 17
Contentious Oil Pipeline Moves Forward written by Amber Garratt, illustrated by Lauren McVitti
O
ne of Canada’s most precious and abundant natural resources is about to be shipped off to Texas, but it won’t be going quietly. TransCanada, a Canadian-based energy development company, proposed the Keystone XL pipeline to transport crude oil from the oil sands in northern Alberta to refineries in Texas. The proposal and development of this pipeline has made national headlines, as people have been up in arms over the project because of the environmental, economic and political implications. “We believe we are building the safest pipeline system in North America,” Terry Cunha, spokesman for TransCanada, said. “The Department of State issued their environmental report on August 26 and they highlighted that this project would have a limited impact on the environment.” Despite TransCanada’s confidence that it will be the safest pipeline, there are many concerns. “This is one small step in the ongoing slow integration of Canada and the United States, especially at the economic level,” Adam Harmes, a political science professor at Western, said. “A lot of the political issues on both sides are less about Canada and the US and more between the oil industry on one side and the environmentalists and activists on the other.” Construction of the pipeline has already begun in Canada as regulatory approval has been passed and TransCanada is just waiting for the presidential permit from the U.S. Department of State who are expected to have a decision by the end of the year, explained Cunha. The 18 [mitZine v11.i2]
pipeline is expected to be operational by 2013. “The reason the environmentalists are opposed to it is because of the location of the pipeline itself passes through the Ogallala aquifer and Nebraska, which are sensitive lands, so if there is a leak, there is a problem. They keep saying there won’t be a leak, but this particular company has already had leaks—and leaks happen,” Harmes said. TransCanada insists the location of the pipeline does not put the environment in jeopardy. “We do not believe the Ogallala aquifer is in any risk. Right now there are thousands of pipelines crossing the aquifer through Nebraska, delivering a variety of petroleum products. We are building the newest and safest pipeline and we wouldn’t put the aquifer at risk,” Cunha explained. It is believed the pipeline project will provide energy security within North America. However, Debra Davidson, an environmental sociologist in the faculty of agricultural, life and environmental sciences at the University of Alberta and co-author of Challenging Legitimacy at the Precipice of Energy Calamity, believes the energy security argument isn’t justified. “Oil isn’t equated to energy, oil is just one particular kind of energy,” Davidson said. “We are actually burning up a more important source of energy, namely natural gas that we use to heat our homes, in order to produce a synthetic crude product that is going to go into the gas tanks of SUV-driving suburbanites in the United States. When you really talk about energy security which one
makes more sense—preserving our essential heating fuel or helping to feed suburbanism in the United States?” The future of the U.S. extension of the pipeline lies in the hands of the U.S. Department of State, and according to Harmes, the future looks promising. “A lot of people are in favour of diversifying more to places like China. It is currently being used as a stick to push the United States administration to approve the pipeline. They are able to say if you don’t approve the pipeline then we will have to start thinking about selling our oil to China, which just means the United States would have to depend a bit more on oil from other countries,” he explained. The development of the Keystone pipeline shows potential now, but many worry about the future, or end, of oil viability. “What I think would make much more sense is if we start doing some very serious future strategic planning which develops a future beyond oil,” Davidson expressed. “We need to start investing our research and innovations into the new emerging fields.” At the end of the day, regardless of people’s concerns, the oil will continue to flow. “My best guess is the state department will approve [the pipeline] and that will be that,” Harmes said. “Oil will flow, I am sure there will be leak down the thing, environmental and political issues at the time will raise the debate about the oil sands back and forth again much like BP. It will come and be political for a while and then carry on.”
It’s Easy Shopping Green
T
written and illustrated by Emily Stewart
here are many concerns with the state of the planet and humanity, and many people want to help. Improving our world can be just as simple as buying an environmentally friendly or fair trade product. Fair trade products are beneficial for communities, consumers, and the environment. Under fair trade deals, artisans in developing countries receive a reasonable income for their products, a safe work environment, and education about the trends in international markets. The environment is also positively impacted by fair trade farmers, who use organic farming techniques to produce their crops. Eco-friendly products help reduce the carbon footprint left behind from similar, more harmful products. For example, appliances marked with the Energy Star label use 20-30% less energy than non-certified products. Eco-friendly products also often reduce waste because they are biodegradable, recyclable, or compostable. Luckily, to find ethical options in London, we don’t even have to go past the Richmond gates. Faith Patrick, a second year visual arts student at Western, founded the eco-friendly clothing line Loco.Eleven in 2009. Their selection includes scarves, headbands, and t-shirts, and the products are made of either organic cotton or bamboo, which is known for its biodegradability and soft texture.
Patrick has been passionate about art since she was young, and became involved with social justice and environmental clubs in high school. She believes in the importance of a lifestyle that supports fair trade and is environmentally friendly. “Fashion is a very important part of many people’s lives, and producing and distributing eco-friendly and fair trade clothing is helping people make a small step towards a more sustainable life,” she explained. Loco.Eleven Apparel is sold at Mesh Boutique (204 John Street), P’Lovers (525 Richmond Street), and soon to open Desi’s Boutique (505 Bathurst Street), and online at www.faithpatrick.com. A new online store is expected to open soon at www. locoeleven.com, and will showcase a variety of ethical, environmentally conscious, and art inspired fashions hand picked by Patrick herself. The line has also expanded to other cities such as Stratford and Montreal. The Ausable River Soap Company, founded in 2010 by London residents Jamie and Caleb Dunlop, sells organic bath and body products. Jamie Dunlop explained they were inspired to create products that provide local, sustainable, and artistic products for the public. “When we are over-exposed to multiple chemicals on a daily basis, it allows for a bit of reassurance when you know that you don’t have to think twice about what is in your family’s systems, or going into the natural ecosystems when something is certified organic by a reputable organization,” she said. Ausable River products are sold at the Covent Garden Market between Thursdays and Saturdays. Their products can also be found on their website, www.ausableriversoap.ca. Another local fair trade store is Ten Thousand Villages, located at 630 Richmond Street. The company, originally called Self Help Crafts, was founded in 1996 by Edna Ruth Byler as part of the Mennonite Community program. Currently, the business carries a variety of unique gifts such as picture frames, musical instruments, and Cocoa Camino organic and fair trade chocolate bars. With the holiday season fast approaching, these and other environmentally friendly and socially conscious businesses should be considered for gift purchasing. Not only will your friends and families receive unique gifts from you, but the environment and communities around the world will be better for it. [mitZine v11.i2] 19
20 [mitZine v11.i2]
contents 4
8
Zach Valliant President
Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood Production Co-ordinator
Jonathan Silver
Jesse Graham
VP Communications
5
Graduate Representative
Jessica Segal
VP Communications
Jennifer Stranges VP Events
9
Jessica Bronstein
Jordan Coop
VP External
6 Taylor Pearce
MTP Representative
Katie Hetherman MPI Representative
Linley McConnell Alumni Commissioner
VP Academics
Kelly Mark VP Finacnce
7 Rebecca Trautwein Chairperson
David Arromba
10 Matt Wright
Street Team Co-ordinator
Mitchell Sturm
Head Soph Representative
Paula Brent
Charity Commissioner
Webmaster
Jonathan Forani
mitZine Editor-in-chief
11 Monica Abadir
First Year Representative
Steph Schoenhoff
First Year Representative
Erin Uberig
FIMS/Social Science Senator
Letter from the President First off, I hope you have all settled in well to the first month and a bit of school. It is amazing how time flies, by the time we know it, December will be here and we will all be preparing for the New Year! I wanted to take this time and give you a sense of what I do and how that translates into what I can do for you this coming year. As President I sit on three very important committees: University Students’ Council, Undergraduate Student Fund Committee, and FIMS Faculty Council. In these meetings not only am I soaking up information to relay to all of you, but I am also given the opportunity to share my opinions (a.k.a. your opinions) to these committees. Therefore I urge you to reach out to me and share your opinions in regards to our faculty or this school that you want to see or want changed. Something that I want to give a little more attention to is the USF (Undergraduate Student Fund). This is something ALL OF YOU have paid into when you registered for school this year. This money gets put into an account and sits there, waiting, waiting, and waiting for someone to use it. The MITSC wants YOU to use it because after all it is YOUR money! How it works is simple: if you have an event of some sort that would benefit our faculty in any way, and it requires money to run, we encourage you to apply to the fund to make your idea a reality. I sit on the committee who approves the grants, if we feel your event would be a benefit to the faculty then we will approve it. You can find applications ONLINE on our MITSC website (mitsc.ca). There are three deadlines set throughout the year where applications will be reviewed. Please, I am begging you, take this money and use it for whatever creative ideas you are currently thinking of right now! Speak to you soon. Yours truly, Zach Valliant
Your Program an Honours Spec. M d Year: IT, Year 4 Email: zvallian@uwo.ca What I do for yo Represent you to u: and be your voice the best of my ability !
Zach Valliant President
What I’m workin g on this year: Grants, Inclusivene Events, oh, and try ss, Communication, famous people, se ing to bring in some riously… What I would us Use it to put on eve the Levy money for: population would ents the mass FIMS education and so enjoy, use it for cial fun! Favourite FIMS We are stylish stereotype:
d Year: Your Program anIT, Year 4 M . ec Sp s ur no Ho Email: jsilve27@uwo.ca u: What I do for yo eryone is up to date I make sure that evon in MIT. Check your with what’s going uwo mail and carrier twitter, facebook, pigeon! g on this year: What I’m workin going to look the Everything MIT is e savviest faculty, so same - we are th vviest brand. Oh, and we deserve the saed? Holla at me. want to get involv for: e the Levy money What I would us ptors Fix the Toronto Ra t from the ‘90s: What I miss mos Nokia Cell Phones
Jonathan Silver
VP Communications
Year: Your Program and te in Writing, Year 4 ca rtifi Ce T, MI in jor Ma Email: jstrang2@uwo.ca What I do for you: ve a fun idea? I plan fun things! Ha ’ll plan it! Contact me and we on this year: What I’m working straight back to you ing go is y Your mone what I mean in a few this year - you’ll see months! Levy money for: What I would use the party from m foa the I’d bring back it was a great ard he previous O-Week’s time in three words: The meaning of life olish. Fo Stay Hungry, Stay
Jennifer Stranges VP Events
Your Program and Honours Spec. MIT, Year: Year 4 Email: jbronst2@uwo.ca What I do for you: I represent YOU on YOUR University Student Council
Jessica Bronstein VP External
What I’m working Memorizing Zacharyon this year: gotta be prepared for’s snack schedulePresident’s right hand anything as the woman! What I would use the Friendship bracelets. Levy money for: faculty. Just Kidding. For the whole money to increase intI would use the abroad opportunities ernship and . What I miss most fro m the ‘90s: My Tamagotchi
Your Program and MIT, Creative WritingYear: Minor, Year Email: tpearce6@uwo.ca
4
What I do for you: I organize all things academic from student panels to Me diations, MIT’s academic journal.
Taylor Pearce VP Academic
What I’m working This year I want Me on this year: the different sides ofdiations to showcase students. As we all MIT/MTP/MPI to FIMS than essaysknow, there’s more . What I would use the MIT Free Tuition Lotte Levy money for: ry... feeling lucky?
What I miss most fro m the ‘90s: Wishbone. Now if on ly dog’s clever internal I could hear my dialogue...
d Year: Your Program an r in English Popular ino M IT, M 3 Major in ltural Studies, Year Literature and Cu Email: kmark6@uwo.ca u: What I do for yo . ey on m ing yth Ever
g on this year: What I’m workin to use our funds, and ly Budget efficient nities to spend money find new opportu I want to make sure on for our faculty! to see where their our faculty is able what it is used for. money goes and for: e the Levy money What I would usent! Give back to the A faculty wide ev MIT family. t from the ‘90s: What I miss mos ughty lyrics. na d an Boy Bands
Kelly Mark VP Finance
and Year: Your Program MIT, Year 4 Honours Spec. Email: a rtrautwe@uwo.c u: oning as a whole What I do for yo t Council is functi I make sure tha you! for rly and prope are ng on this year: What I’m workisure the minutes of our meetingre I want to make eryone. I also want to make su accessible to ev at each meeting. council is well fed ney for: nts. e the Levy mo What I would using speakers just for MIT stude az am in To bring . erberg Like Mark Zuck s: st from the ‘90le. mo What I miss go-to sty My s. clip ir ha Butterfly
Rebecca Trautwein Chairperson
Your Program an Honours Spec. MId Year: Programs, Year V T, Writing for Professional Email: darromba@uwo.c a What I do for yo u: I build and mainta informed of coun in mitsc.ca to help you stay cil events and op portunities. What I’m working Collaborating with on this year: stronger web and other council members to build a and student life. brand presence for our program
David Arromba Webmaster
What I would us Bring Slavoj Žižeke the Levy money for: reasonably feasib to speak at Western, if le. What I miss most The reverence an from the ‘90s: popular music albd attention span required for a um.
and Year: Your Program MIT, Year 4 Honours Spec. Email: editor@mitzine.ca u: so What I do for yoth an outlet for free expressionand Provide FIMS wi the powers that be, Western you can critique beyond. ng on this year: event What I’m worki ne Volume 11, and a special (see tZi mi of t res to make films The like o wh u yo of involving those tober Issue) back cover of Oc ney for: e the Levy mo What I would usopportunities for FIMS. More internship
stereotype: me?” Favourite FIMSCan you design this poster for T? MI in e u’r “Yo
Jonathan Forani mitZine Editor-in-chief
Your Program and Honours Spec. MIT, Year: Year 4 Email: hmertins@uwo.ca What I do for you: Make your faculty loo photos, and more. k legit. Videos, posters,
Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood
Production Co-ordinator
What I’m working An unexpected, impon this year: ossible-to-ignore visu presence that pushes al interest, engagement, the MITSC to a new level of and professionalism . What I would use the Lev y mo ney for Cell phone and Wi-Fi : jammers for every bui campus. lding on What I miss most fro m the ‘90s: Pre-catastrophic leve the Western world. ls of national debt throughout
Year: Your Program and, Year 4 Honours Spec. MIT Email: jgraha94@uwo.ca What I do for you: stresses/concerns of MIT/ I make sure that anyaddressed. MTP/MPI grads are on this year: What I’m working at end-of-year event for those Planning a really gre ideas of what you want to graduating. Have anytalk! see? Email me! Let’s Levy money for: about What I would use the e talk to students com to r ake spe a g Gettin personal branding. m the ‘90s: What I miss most fro m Spice Girls Bubble Gu
Jessica Segal Faculty Liason
Jesse Graham Graduate Representative
Your Program Honours Spec and Year: . MIT, Year 4 Email: jsegal6@uwo. ca What I do for I’m the studentyou: student body rep on behalf of you - the - and the MITS MIT FIMS faculty on C, policies that aff to work with the ect students. What I’m wo Grade transparking on this year: and whatever rency (i.e. participation grad serious: send else you want me to lobby es) me an email. Le for together. t’s make chan. I’m ge What I would The best thing use the Levy money for: s in life are fre e. What I miss m os t fro m the ‘90s: Saved by the Bell
3 and Year: Your Program ia Design and Production), Year MTP (Multimed Email: a jcoopmen@uwo.c u: yo for erns of MTP What I do erests and conc Represent the int vide a much-needed bridge students, and prowe and Western. between Fansha ng on this year: n What I’m worki cohesive relationship betwee m re mo a g tin ea the MTP progra Cr ing giv rn; ste ll. We Fanshawe and and a larger presence overa more recognition ney for: e the Levy mo What I would uscloser. we Move Fansha s: st from the ‘90 What I miss mo Mushroom Cuts.
Jordan Coop MTP Representative
Your Program an Honours Spec. Med Year: dia and the Public Interest, Year 4 Email: khetherm@uwo.ca What I do for yo Connect the MPI u: classes and ensur heard. e their voices are
Katie Hetherman MPI Representative
What I’m working Aligning our socia on this year: l activists with larg campus like GetRE er groups on Club; planning a AL and the Transitional Justice ne tw ork ing eve nt so we can all ge to know each oth t er better. What I would us e the Le vy money for: Sessions from MP career prospects. I alumni who can help us out with Favourite FIMS stereotype: “So, like, you guys just talk about like stuff?” , Facebook and
m and Year: Your Progra . MIT, Year 2 ec Sp s ur no Ho Email: o.ca lmcconn9@uw you: see what r What I do fou with alumni so you canw. I connect yo , and where they are no they’re doing year: king on this the alumni What I’m wor working on profiles for ers Day” in ing inu a “Speak ing I’m cont niz ga or n to blog in additio. second term money for: t and use the Levy mee What I would s for a student-alumni Rent out Ceep greet e ‘90s: most from th What I miss hes tc wa G Baby
Linley McConnell Alumni Commissioner
Your Program and Honours Spec. MIT, Year: Year 2 Email: mwrigh87@uwo.ca What I do for you: I’m responsible for MIT collective; promoting ’s guerilla marketing and spreading MIT’s around campus. legend What I’m working on this year: In your face. Aggressiv new style of Street Tea e. Interactive. This is the to be talked about FIM m promotions. Prepare S, we’re about to get #buzzworthy.
Matt Wright
Street Team Co-ordinator
What I would use the A guest lecture from Levy money for: branding www.johnn Johnny Cupcakes on digital ycupcakes.com The meaning of life Pleasure and persev in three words: erance.
Year: Your Program and, Minor in Film, Year 4 Honours Spec. MIT Email: msturm3@uwo.ca What I do for you: soph team, & MIT clothing sale. Represent the best on this year: What I’m working than we actually do. Making Making us look nicer ar and wear often, and things MIT gear you can we your years here. that’ll hold up beyond Levy money for: all the What I would use the milkshake and bring MIT nt gia a ke ma I’d yard. girls and boys to the m What I miss most fro Eurodance music.
the ‘90s:
Mitchell Sturm Head Soph Rep. Your Program and Year: MPI, Year 4
Paula Brent Charity Commissioner
Email: pbrent@uwo.ca What I do for I organize varioyou: awareness ca us MIT-wide charity initiativ mittens to get mpaigns, and fundraising eves, involved in! ents for What I’m work Providing the ing on this year: cover) with sukids in Arts For All Kids (see continue to pr pplies of their own so that thback actice music, ey can visual arts outsi dr de of the prog ama, dance, and ram. What I would Sticky stick-on use the Levy money for: ticklers for all! What I miss m ost from the The 80’s. ‘90s:
and Year: Your Program MIT, First Year Email: a mabadir2@uwo.c u: ar. What I do for yot you. What you want this ye you Here to represenwill look forward to and a year u Events that yo will love. ng on this year: most What I’m workifor first years and creating thet Being available ts MIT has ever seen! Look ou incredible even ming for you! UWO, we’re co ney for: e the Levy mo d teach them how What I would us eaters an sw e nic dy bo Buy every to dance. s: st from the ‘90 What I miss mod Art Attack… an e inc Fresh Pr
Monica Abadir First Year Rep.
Your Program an d Year: MIT, First Year Email: sschoen2@uwo.c a What I do for yo u: I keep you posted represent 24/7. on everything MITSC, and
Steph Schoenhoff First Year Rep.
What I’m working I’m stoked to bring on this year: create a legendary together the first years and forward to our eve class of 2015. Oh and look nts, they will get wil d. What I would us e the Le vy mo ne MIT projects, rap music video produy for: and the like. ction money What I miss most My razor scooter, from the ‘90s: Pinky and the Bra Cobain. in and Kurt
m and Year: Your Progra ce, Year 4 Political Scien Email: o.ca euberig@uw the Senate; r you: What I do foMS and Social Science on any major or FI s t ue en iss es ic Repr ges, academ lobby for chan ents have at Western. concerns stud year: king on this are heard, What I’m worthat the students’ voices te; while taking Making sure eir concerns to the Sena bring forth the role in policy changes. a more activ money for: Senate; use the Levy r of What I wouldstaches for every membe completely ou Invest in m ts do it, I don’t see it being if British cour unfeasible. e words: of life in thre The meaningark. m ur yo Make
Erin Uberig FIMS/Social Sci Senator
MIT has heART
written by Paula Brent Arts For All Kids is a London-based, grassroots, not-for-profit group that is dedicated to providing kids with the opportunity to attend lessons in piano, violin, guitar, creative writing, dance, drama, and visual arts, who wouldn’t otherwise have the means to enjoy them. This year, MIT has chosen once again to support Art for All Kids and to raise money and awareness through a variety of ways. Students can participate by volunteering with the kids once a week on-site at the London Food Bank, by helping with Arts For All Kids promotions (designing a logo, creating a new website, etc.), or by just attending MIT events! A Charity Coffee House and Art Auction in November will give students the opportunity to stage their talents in order to help kids develop their own. Other MIT events and initiatives throughout the year will showcase the kids’ art and will allow students to get more involved. Karen Pincombe, one of the founders of Arts For All Kids says: “We’re not looking for talent. We’re looking for them to love it.” For many of these kids, Arts for All Kids will be their only opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities, especially ones related to the arts. Drama, dance, music, creative writing, and visual arts give kids confidence, help to develop their social and creative skills, and instill in them a sense of pride and accomplishment. Arts for All Kids was able to expand their program with new student volunteers and to purchase guitars, art supplies, and more through donations from MIT. Let’s show them again this year that MIT has heART. For more information on Arts for All Kids visit the MITSC webpage at www.mitsc.ca Or email your Charity Commissioner at pbrent@uwo.ca