The return of Moon Knight The brainchild of Warren Ellis is back. Page 12 Monday, March 24, 2014
SPOKE
The final day of Con-G The fan-run con comes to an end. Page 7
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Conestoga College, Kitchener, Ont.
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45TH Year — No. 11
Get healthy with the Heart Club by bruce chessell
Two Conestoga students have started an initiative through the Heart & Stroke Foundation to bring awareness and advocate for heart health and disease prevention. Second-year recreation and leisure students Fitsum Areguy and Mary Hillis brought the Healthy Heart Club to Conestoga, an initiative that started at other universities and colleges around Ontario. “The goal is to engage students and faculty on health promotion, heart health, disease prevention, all of those sort of things that are really important,” said Areguy, who is president of the Healthy Heart Club. “Students find it hard to have the resources, time or knowledge to live in a healthy way.” The club currently has more than 20 members and is looking into holding events on campus such as CPR workshops and Jump Rope for Heart events. Areguy said they are aiming to hold one of these events in late April. “Heart health and disease effects everyone, but especially students,” he said. “Statistics show that the majority of students aren’t eating in a healthy way, even for myself it’s tough. You’re always on the go, you’re not thinking about how many calories or the content of the food you’re eating, you’re just trying to survive really.” Hillis, who is vice-president of the club, chimed in on why
PHOTO BY BRUCE CHESSELL
Fitsum Areguy and Mary Hillis are the president and vice-president of the Healthy Heart Club at Conestoga College. this is a big deal for postsecondary students in general. “Activity levels usually drop when students reach the
college or university level, because there aren’t as many organized sports through the school. So we are trying to
bring in the healthier aspects that can be done.” The club is free to join and has a Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/groups/ HEARTCLUB.conestoga/. You can also contact Areguy at fitsum.a.areguy@gmail.com.
park has ample parking and capacity to host an event of this size. The festival will run from Friday, July 11 to Sunday, July 13. Last year it took place in Belleville and featured such artists as Hedley, Burton Cumming and the Counting Crows among many others. Owen Sound, Wiarton and Bobcaygeon, Ont. have also been home to the festival in the past featuring artists such as ZZ Top, The Sheepdogs and Three Days Grace.
“I can’t tell you the names. I can only tell you that they are very big stars, international stars,” Mark Higgins, the president and founder of Big Music Fest, said at a press conference in Toronto on March 14 about who will be performing this year. Higgins also said the bands were already confirmed and signed for the summer’s event, but the announcements of who will play have not yet been made. It will be the seventh year for Big Music Fest.
Andrew Parronchi, a Kitchener resident, said he will be waiting to hear the lineup before he decides if he will be attending. He said that the acts will make a huge different in the turnout. “I support all arts coming to the area, even if it is something that I wouldn’t attend. I think it’s great that there is another live music festival coming and it’s real bands, not DJs,” Parronchi said. There are already several large music festivals held in
the Kitchener-Waterloo area such as KOI Music Festival, Kitchener Blues Festival and Cambridge’s Rock the Mill. Higgins is hoping the festival will attract 30,000 people per day on the weekend. According to a story in the Cambridge Times, this could mean $20 million for Kitchener’s economy over the course of a single weekend. Go to bigmusicfest.com for announcements in the coming days regarding the artists as well as ticket prices.
Big Music on Mount Trashmore BY ASHLEY KOWITZ
Canada’s Big Music Fest is coming to Kitchener. The three-day event will take place in McLennan Park, well known as Mount Trashmore, this summer. McLennan Park is located at 901 Ottawa St. S. The 39-hectare park was built on a former landfill site and has since become a prospering area that has a skate park, basketball courts, trails and a splash pad for the kids. The
NEWs
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Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College Random questions answered by random students
If you could have any actor or actress portray you in a movie, who would it be? “Steve Carrell.”
Andrew Wood, first-year general arts and science health option program
“I’m just so outgoing and crazy, I don’t know if any actor could portray me.” Tiffany Preiss, first-year design foundations
Monday, March 24, 2014
Buy a calendar to help charity By SPENCER BEEBE
Calendars will be sold at Conestoga this week and next to help raise funds for a new facility for Community Support Connections – Meals on Wheels and More. A group of students from Conestoga’s project management program will be selling the calendars at booths set up at Doon at Doors 3 and 6 tomorrow, Friday and next Thursday (April 3) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and at the Cambridge campus in the atrium on April 1. Proceeds will go to CSC, which provides a range of supports and services that enable seniors and adults with disabilities to live at home with independence and dignity. In addition to delivering meals, the agency holds exercise programs, provides transportation and co-ordinates care for
elderly citizens and people living with disabilities. CSC began looking for a new facility more than two years ago, requiring a site that would enable them to build their own kitchen and co-locate their Kitchener and Waterloo offices to introduce more programming opportunities. Operating their own kitchen will allow the agency to accept food donations and invite volunteers into the kitchen, bringing down costs and saving money. To fund the initiative, CSC launched a $600,000 capital fundraising campaign. To help raise money they partnered with the Levene family on the special calendar project which will also help keep the memory of their son alive. Leejay Levene died in July 2007 while undergoing a routine wisdom teeth extraction in an oral surgeon’s office in
Waterloo. Since then his family has donated the aspiring architect’s artwork to fundraisers across North America. Each year they select a local charity to work with on the Leejay Levene Calendar Project. “Leejay had a very kind heart and always considered the well-being of others,” said his mother Shirley in a press release. The group selling the calendars call themselves the FAB – SIX, and consists of students Shashidhar Narasimha, Parth Shah, George Dwamena, Vaidehi Patel, Emmanuel Vincent and Olusola Odunsi. The calendars featuring Leejay’s artwork cost $10 each, with proceeds going to the CSC fundraising campaign. For more information, contact CSC’s resource development team at 519-772-8787.
Liars’ ‘Mess’ is organized “I would say Angelina Jolie.”
Lindsay Moniz, first-year design foundations
“Either Leonardo DiCaprio or Tom Felton.” Andrew Dron, second-year educational assistant
“Jullianne Hough.”
Alexandria Barker, first-year practical nursing
“I don’t know. Will Ferrell, I guess.” Richard Belanger, first-year police foundations
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
By JODY ANDERSON
The group Liars creates strange, unique and mostly creepy records. They have since their debut album They Threw Us All In A Trench and Stuck A Monument On Top in 2001, which was a punk album with some odds twists and turns that hinted they weren’t another run of the mill group. They proved that with their next release, They Were Wrong, So We Drowned, a chant-filled disc about witchcraft. Another big change was their 2012 album called Wixiw, which had the band making extensive use of electronic instruments for the first time. It was a sort of introspective record from the band that showed maturity and patience and opened a new avenue for the group. That brings us to Mess their album that comes out tomorrow. It is their second “electronic”-style record, although it and 2012’s dark and remote Wixiw are very different in key aspects, namely attitude. Wixiw is quite insular whereas Mess is boisterous and attention grabbing. Mess is a loud, bouncy and weird record, for the most part anyway. The first track, Mask Maker, is an energetic, voice-distorted masterpiece, with sounds flying all over the place. Vox Turned D.E.D. contin-
CD Review
ues the bombastic beat party but isn’t as crazy as the track previous. There are quieter moments like Can’t Hear Well, a synthy stroll which is nice and subdued with a lot of effects on the vocal. The single Mess On a Mission is in the middle of the album and it is a hyped-up dance-along with an either infectious or annoying chorus depending on the listener. The highpitched repeating of the lyrics, which are “our mess on a mission,” “our next evolution,” or any number of word combinations, can be grating to some. Darkslide is a highlight that features some nice percussions and a beat that conjures images of a Van de Graaff generator (aka those metal ball things that make your hair stand up when you touch them.) Boyzone is definitely not a boy band song like its name suggests. It has a rumbling beat and metallic sounding noises overtop. Dress Walker has some really interesting elements that almost sound like the electronic equivalent to someone tuning up a bike. Besides that,
internet photo
Liars’ new album is their second electronic-focused effort. it has a vocal that sounds like someone is playing it on a keyboard at times. It changes in the second half and picks up the pace, so much so that you could dance weirdly to it. The last two songs are longer, less immediate tracks. The first is Perpetual Village, an eight-plus minute epic. It rolls along like a dark cloud, offering thunder or flashes of lightning from time to time but is mostly content to be foreboding. The final track, Left Speaker Blown, is the quietest song on the album. It’s a slow burn that goes out on a whimper, not a bang. It, and thus the album, end with a ghostly fadeout. Mess is an exciting listen. Longtime fans of Liars can be assured that the group has not mellowed out as much as Wixiw may have suggested and potential fans can find an interesting if not completely accessible way into their catalogue.
NEWS
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Polls open today to elect CSI board of directors Students should receive an email with a link to vote this week BY JOSH BURY
Students will head to the polls this week to elect the Conestoga Students Inc. board of directors for the 2014-2015 academic year. Voting takes place this week online. It will be accessible through a link in an email to school email addresses that will be sent by CSI. Each student can select up to eight candidates on their ballot. No current directors are running, and the only current member of the board returning is vice-president-elect Cameron Jones. Jones served as vice-chair initially, and then transitioned to chair after the resignation of former chair Paul Oniga. He was elected to the new vice-president position earlier this month. Directors must be full-time students during their term as
directors. Some current directors are graduating from their respective programs, so they are ineligible to return unless they decide to apply to a new program. Others, like Jaclyn Wingfield, are choosing not to run again despite being eligible to do so. “I have co-op terms during what would be two of my three terms as a board member. I feel that I wouldn’t be available enough to students, which is a large portion of being a board member. Even though I could be a great board member in other capacities, I’d rather the spot be open to others who can really be there for students,” Wingfield said. “Let someone else have the opportunity to fully be in the position,” she added. Candidates were allowed to begin their campaigns last week and will be allowed to continue
campaigning this week. As part of their campaigns, the candidates were given 100 prints for campaign posters that were paid for by CSI. Other rules for candidates included following the student code of conduct and conducting an independent campaign free of collusion with the other candidates. Candidates also had to adhere to the college’s posting rules, which meant no more than 20 posters per campus, and that the posters had to be spaced at least 30 metres apart. Spoke reached out to the candidates for some brief comments about their platforms. “I’ve already been actively involved in student life on campus to the point where I’ve exhausted everything I can do for my fellow Condors at this level,” wrote candidate Katie S. Turriff.
THE CANDIDATES
For candidate Michelle Graves, a priority will be “making stronger connections and relationships between the students and their board of directors. I believe the students should know who their board of directors is and what they do in their position and how it relates to Conestoga College.” Andrew Leaman, another candidate, also emphasized the importance of communication. “I want to show (students) everything CSI has to offer in an effort to make their college experience even better than it already is and help make their voice heard should they have any concerns or ideas for change,” wrote Jake Reay. One prevalent theme in the responses was the commitment to improve school spirit. “My top priority is the improvement of school spirit to bring better value to stu-
dents,” wrote Zoey Ross. Carol Stares agreed, saying her “top priority for next year is to increase school spirit. School spirit can improve students’ college experience and create endless memories that they can carry with them for a lifetime.” In his discussions with students, candidate Brian Clark said he found that “people aren’t interacting outside their respective programs, so my main priority for next year will be to implement more social activities based upon what the students enjoy.” Asked what his words to the new board at their first meeting would be, candidate Alfred Paul Karathra replied “a house is built by hands, a home is built by hearts.” And as students now head to the polls, they’ll have the chance to decide exactly what kind of home that will be.
In stark contrast to last year’s turnout when additional directors had to be recruited, this year’s board, composed of eight directors, will be selected from a field of 15 candidates. All images courtesy of CSI.
Brian Clark Program: Human services foundation Platform: Ensure student inclusion, connect with student body, expand Respect campaign
Colin Gaudet Program: Civil engineering
Michelle Graves Program: Public relations Platform: Strengthen board’s relationship with students, promote school spirit
Segel Jacob Program: Biotechnology technician Platform: Promote diversity, create school unity, inspire student leadership
Alfred Paul Karathra Program: Construction and project management Platform: create friendly and positive atmosphere, utilize student feedback
Platform: Plan exciting and inclusive events, create a sense of community and pride
Hope Krempa Program: Graphic design
Andrew Leaman Program: Accounting Platform: “Live young, act mature,” accessibility and transparency
Alice Lee Program: Biotechnology technician Platform: Use student opinion, provide effective responses to student concerns
Qasem Najem Program: Elec. eng. tech. – telecommunications systems Platform: Provide effective representation and voice for student concerns
Jake Reay Program: Human services foundation Platform: Increase student outreach, use transparency to show students what CSI does
Platform: Strengthen school pride, publicize opportunities for students, create new events
Zoey Ross Program: General arts and sciences Platform: “Only together can we achieve greatness,” reduce parking fees, improve school spirit
Carol Stares Program: Public relations
Steve Taylor Program: Nursing
Katie S. Turriff Program: Business foundations
Platform: Increase visibility of events, increase transparency, act as a voice for students
Platform: Use communication skills and personable attitude to increase student outreach
Cassandra Tran Program: Hospitality management Platform: Form inter-campus relationships, advocate for satellite campuses
Platform: Increase CSI presence at orientation, inter-campus mixers, lower bus and parking rates
The above information was obtained via email responses from candidates or from the candidates’ information on the CSI website.
COMMENTARY
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Shakeup looms in Quebec BY SCOTT DIETRICH
While Quebecers are preparing for a provincial election in October, the incumbent, Pauline Marois, is forgetting the one element of a campaign that makes it a success. Timing. Lately Marois has been flipping and flopping, portraying herself first as a separatist and then a federalist. First she wanted a referendum on making Quebec a sovereign nation, but now she is avoiding the topic. After bringing Quebec businessman Pierre Karl Peladeau into the Parti Quebecois, she has suddenly become afraid of bringing up independence. This is in contrast to Peladeau’s remarks when he was introduced to the media two weeks ago. His goal, he said, was “to make Quebec a country.” Within the span of a week, Marois went from trumpeting this savvy separatist to literally shoving him away from the microphone, Maybe it had something to do with the polls that were taken the same week that PKP was welcomed into the party, which showed the federal Liberal party taking a huge leap in major ridings. It seems that Marois didn’t realize that the majority of Quebecers are fed up with the issue of sovereignty. This makes Quebecers and fellow Canadians question Marois’s convictions. It seems like she will do or say anything to get elected, including changing her beliefs on a dime. It appears the one thing Marois loves more than Quebec independence is holding her position as premier, by any means necessary. The premier has brought a gun to a knife fight by bringing PKP into the fold. She may be able to push him away from microphones now but it won’t be long before the mogul steps in front of a microphone sans Marois. The other faux pas that Marois made was to ask for more federal money the same week she reopened the sovereignty issue. She is like those students in high school who won’t go to the prom with you, but are all too eager to hang out before the big exam and do their homework. This is what Quebec has done; claiming the need for separation on one hand and benefiting off a federal relationship on the other. A major shakeup is looming in Quebec, with another October crisis in the not too distant future. The views herein represent the position of the newspaper, not necessarily the author.
Letters are welcome Spoke welcomes letters to the editor. Letters should be signed and include the name and telephone number of the writer. Writers will be contacted for verification. No unsigned letters will be published. Letters should be no longer
than 500 words. Spoke reserves the right to edit any letter for publication. Email letters to: www.spokeonline.com with the subject line “Letter to the Editor,” or bring them to Room 1C30 at the Doon campus.
Quebec Premier Pauline Marois doesn’t know if she’s a sovereigntist or a federalist.
Is Rogers skating on thin ice? George Stroumboulopoulos’s move to Hockey Night in Canada has been compared to Sesame Street. Scott Moore, head of production at Rogers Sportsnet, said in a televised news conference that George will be the one thing that is not like the others. This phrase is well known from the children’s television show. I know Rogers is hoping George will attract a younger audience, but how young are they thinking?
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I know Rogers is hoping to attract a young audience, but how young are they thinking?
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I would expect that with headlines such as Seven sobering stats about violence in Canada and More than 900 workers have died building World Cup infrastructure in Qatar, which appear on the Strombo page on CBC. com, George’s viewers would be made up of those 25 years of age and older.
Kelsey Dunbar
Opinion The March 10 announcement is Rogers’ biggest change to Hockey Night In Canada. The company is hoping to gain viewers from George’s awardwinning show, George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, and make great use of his interviewing skills. In my opinion this big switch could work out really well. I must admit that when I first heard this news on the radio, I almost pulled my car over. I had no idea that Rogers was even planning this and the decision was made very quickly. But the more I think about it, it could work. Although that could just be me and my positive outlook on life. The more I consider George hosting Hockey Night In Canada and about TV hosts’ connection to their shows, the more I saw the lack of
connection and the more I realized it doesn’t matter. For example, join me on my little slightly off topic rant. How was Ryan Seacrest ever chosen for American Idol? I know it is hard to think about because Seacrest has been hosting the show for 13 years, but before his mega stardom, he was a radio personality. Seacrest isn’t a musician or a songwriter, so how was he ever considered for the American Idol job? Yet, after 13 seasons I couldn’t image anyone else better suited. The same goes for Jeff Probst, host of Survivor. I conclude that all the haters of this big switch in late night hockey television should give George one season to either go up in flames, which all the haters would love to see, or set the bar high for Canadian television hosts. George has a very unique style of interviewing and is a very dedicated host. I am sure he will pour all of his blood, sweat and tears into whatever show he works on, regardless of the network he is on.
Spoke
is p u b lis h ed a nd prod u ced weekl y b y t h e j o u rn a lism s t u den t s o f C ones t o g a C olle g e Editor: Laurie Snell Assignment Editors: Steph Smith, Kelsey Dunbar Advertising Managers: Tyler Batten, Ashley Kowitz Spoke Online Editors: Brandon Hommel, Katrina Edlefsen, Spencer Beebe, Devon Hayes,
Aaron Creces Production Managers: Casey Schellenberger, Jody Anderson, Tony McLellan Photo Editors: Greg Stamper, Mark Lorentz, Cody Steeves, Bruce Chessell, Callie Wrigglesworth, Becky Sheasby, Cole Froude, Randi Clarke
Social Media Editor: Josh Bury, Tasha Lunny Circulation Manager: Hailey Merkt, Scott Dietrich Faculty Supervisor and Adviser: Christina Jonas
Spoke’s address is 299 Doon Valley Dr., Room 1C30, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 4M4. Phone: 519-748-5220, ext. 3691, 3692, 3693, 3694 Fax: 519-748-3534 Email: spoke@conestogac.on.ca Website: www.spokeonline.com
The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper do not necessarily reflect the views of Conestoga College. Spoke shall not be liable for any damages arising out of errors in advertising beyond the amount paid for the space. Letters to the editor are subject to acceptance or rejection and should be clearly written or typed; a MS Word file would be helpful. Letters must not contain any libellous statements.
NEWS
Monday, March 24, 2014
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Should you drop your clothes here? BY TYLER BATTEN
Little Boxes, a children’s song turned nonconformists’ anthem, written by Malvina Reynolds in 1962, comes to mind when I drive through Kitchener-Waterloo. Not because the region is filled with wartime houses that “are all made out of tickytacky and all look just the same,” but because littlecoloured boxes literally line the streets. These little boxes are more accurately called donation bins. They’re basically oneway clothes hampers, full of unwanted textiles and sometimes garbage. Both cities are inundated with them. No wonder Canadian-worn clothing exports are estimated to be worth around $200 million per year. Currently, the two main operators in KitchenerWaterloo are KB Textiles and Textile Waste Diversion Inc. (TWD.) Both operations are for-profit and have close affiliations with recognized Canadian charities. KB Textiles uses blue boxes and are affiliated with the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiing and the Jewish Russian Community Centre of Ontario. TWD use bright green boxes and partners with the Canadian Community Support Foundation (CCSF). KB Textiles licenses various registered charity logos and pays them a percentage or flat fee. Their best textiles, or what they call their “cream de la cream,” (sic) are sold to local stores like Value Village, Goodwill and small vintage boutiques. The rest of what they collect is sent to “wholesalers from all over the world.” The exact price KB Textiles receives for its used clothing is uncertain but a conservative estimate puts the going domestic rate at around $2 per pound. TWD diverted “30 million pounds of textiles and two million pounds of miscellaneous items from landfills in 2013 alone.” According to Alibaba. com, an online wholesaler, worn Canadian clothing is currently sold overseas for around $1 to $2 per pound, depending on the season. That’s about $45 million in gross revenue. Their website boasts that in 2013 they were able to donate $125,000 to registered Canadian charities. Goodwill is at war with the affiliated charity of TWD in Windsor. Apparently the CCSF and their easy-toaccess drop spots are creating an unfair advantage in the lucrative, free-textiles mar-
ket. In reply, TWD argues that they use a better operation model. “Despite the availability of used clothing reuse depots and for-profit thrift shops like Value Village, less than 24 per cent of Canadians donate their used clothing. Instead they are more apt to throw them out with their regular garbage, even though 98 per cent of textiles are completely recyclable, regardless of condition.” With the accessibility of bins throughout the region, residents are more likely to donate, reducing textile waste. Daniela Siggia, former executive director for CCSF and current Textile Waste Diversion Inc. employee, has even had a cease and desist issued to Kevin Smith, CEO of Goodwill Essex-KentLambton. Siggia claims that, “Mr. Smith has been going to locations and slandering us, and getting (business owners) to not want the bins anymore.” The Little Short Stop at the corner of King Street and Fairway Road, in Kitchener, was unavailable for comment regarding the placement of their CCSF, or TWD, bin — seemingly, the same company operating under different banners and legal statuses. The owner of Kwik Stop Variety at 2191 Kingsway Dr. hosts a KB textiles donation bin. “They pay $100 quarterly. They come here two or three times a month,” to collect donations and clean up the area around the box, he said. The lock on this particular bin was missing and the door was pried open. It looked like someone may have been living inside. About a half kilometre away on a Fresh Co. parking lot, at the corner of Weber and Franklin, there are two more donation bins belonging to KB Textiles. These are sideby-side and seem to be in working order. The manager “believes” they were placed there rightly, but doesn’t know for sure. Last winter, yellow bins predominantly coloured the city. According to signage, they belonged to a company called “ECCA.” Their banner read, “helping community one piece of clothing at a time.” After a public battle with Ray of Hope, a local charity that helps people struggling with addiction, homelessness and crime, about illegally-placed bins on their properties, effectively undercutting Ray of Hope’s own endeavour to collect used clothing, they pretty well fell off the regional map. Mike Lambkin, the owner-operator of ECCA, who says the acronym stands for
PHOTO BY TYLER BATTEN
Textile Waste Diversion Inc. owns this donation bin at the corner of King Street East and Fairway Road South in Kitchener. The industry generates an estimated $200 million annually for the private sector. Eagle County Community Association, went public with his divisive business practices in the summer of 2012. In a Brantford Expositor article he admitted that of the 80 boxes he set up in Brantford, only half were placed with consent. The yellow ECCA boxes are now a thing of the past making room for other colours purporting charitable services. One of the few remaining ECCA boxes can be seen buried in a snowbank in front of a liquidation store on Gateway Drive in Cambridge. Despite the lack of presence Lambkin’s ECCA bins have in the region, he refused to comment. “I’m no longer involved with bins, so (there’s) not really much I can tell you.” Those involved in the business of used clothing remain tight-lipped. The donation bin operators make a killing by selling a valuable product with an almost non-existent overhead, the charities, in some cases, receive money that they wouldn’t have otherwise and so do property owners, at least those who are aware that companies will pay to place bins on their properties. The Canadian Community Support Foundation did not return calls requesting an interview, and the Canadian Association of Disabled Skiing turned down the request. “There’s a pink one and a green one and a blue one and yellow one and they’re all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same,” echoes Reynolds’ 1962 classic. It’s a fitting interpretation for what it’s like to have everything but be empty inside, much like the donation bins of today — filled with good intentions by generous donors but having little positive impact thanks to the operators.
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Monday, March 24, 2014
feature
Monday, March 24, 2014
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Saying goodbye to
Con-G
Geeks mourn the loss of a beloved convention
BY KATRINA EDLEFSEN
The dragon watches as snow begins to fall lightly outside of his den, knowing full well that as the snow fell so did the curtain of fantasy that he and his followers had placed around his den. As the final colourful denizens of his land cast a mournful glance at the building before walking away, the spell is broken and the six-year reign of Kon the dragon ends. Sunday, Feb. 23 marked the final day of the non-profit fan-run convention, Con-G, of which the dragon Kon was the mascot. Fans, volunteers and vendors alike climbed back out of the rabbit hole and into the real world after a final weekend filled with
as much colour as the wildest parade and the warmth of the closest family gathering. The convention, whose name is a combination of the words “Convention Guelph” and a play on the Japanese writing system kanji, was the brainchild of a group of friends, who, according to Con-G cofounder Lindsay Barker, found themselves lost on the way to another convention. “So we had a very long car ride and we randomly started coming up with ideas for a convention in Guelph because, at that time back in 2008, there actually weren’t any cons west of Toronto,” Barker said. “It’s why the convention was in February too, as there wasn’t any currently running in February and we
PHOTOs BY katrina edlefsen
Above, Anthony Vink shows off his costuming skills in his awardwinning Garrus Vakarian costume from Bioware’s Mass Effect series. Right, Cosplayer Lindsay Anne Barker prowls the con as a velociraptor.
didn’t want to pull attendance from any other convention. Most of us had been on the exec of the FLASH club at the University of Guelph and had run smaller one day events over a few years and ran them successfully with a very, very small budget.” The event the group came
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I know it’s just a convention but Con-G meant a lot to me and I’m really sad that it is all over. — Becca Pollington
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up with ended up becoming Con-G. Initially created to be a Japanese comics and cartoons (known as manga and anime) convention, it ended up expanding to include almost all forms of nerd culture. Along with its genre change, Con-G has also moved three times since its first weekend in February 2009, at the Ramada Conference Centre in Guelph. This year it took place at the Delta Guelph Hotel and Conference Centre which proved to be a much more solid location for the growing crowd. However, according to John Reddick, the early days of the con were some of the best ones. “Con-G would also be the first con that I actually made friends at,” Reddick said. “I’d gone to Anime North 2008 and Fan Expo, but Con-G 2009 was so personal and small that it was easy to meet people, even for awkward teenagers.” Starting in 2010, Con-G began to play host to multiple voice actors and other special guests, all of whom helped draw fans like moths to flames. For its final year, Con-G played host to Dante Basco who is best known outside of the geek community as Rufio in Steven Spielberg’s Hook. Along with the voice actors, Con-G has also hosted smaller celebrities in the geek community ranging from popu-
lar cosplayers like Dawn “Kaijugal” McKechnie to Internet celebrities like Dr. Holocaust who, according to Cristopher MacKinnon, a member of IXI! Studios, helped make Con-G that much more special for attendees. “Con-G was great because it packed all the fun and socializing of other conventions into a much smaller space, and it always had a great selection of what I like to refer to as “Internet celebrities,” said MacKinnon. “People who are always cool to chat with the fans and hang out and do whatever as long as they don’t have another panel to run. They’re just like normal con-goers in a sense, and it’s always fun to pal around with people you idolize.” Despite its popularity though, all good things must come to an end and in 2013, con-goers received the shocking news that 2014 would be Kon the dragon’s final flight. After six years on the con circuit, Con-G was coming to a close. For some of Con-G’s longtime fans, like Becca Pollington who attended all six years of the con, the news came as quite a shock, but only spurred her to enjoy the final convention more. “I vowed to attend every day and to make sure I made every minute count and I’m glad I did,” Pollington said. “I know it’s just a convention but Con-G meant a lot to me and I’m really sad that it’s all over.” But why did the con end? According to Barker it was one of the hardest decisions she ever had to make in regards to the convention.
“It was a roller-coaster of emotions when we decided to end Con-G,” she said. “We started running Con-G right after most of the staff were in our final years at university for undergrad or masters or had just graduated, so we had a lot more spare time then we do now with full-time jobs, significant others, houses, etc. And unfortunately we had to make a choice between our real lives and running Con-G because it wasn’t fair to either doing both. And we didn’t want to see Con-G go downhill because we couldn’t run the best convention we could possibly run. And I do think that was the right decision.” For its final year, 1 , 6 0 0 geeks, n e r d s and general oddb a l l s arrived in a flurry of colour with the passion of a political rally to say o n e final goodb y e to the dragon and the people w h o brought him to l i f e every year.
NEWs
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Under pressure: the male body
BY Mark Lorentz
David Beckham, Channing Tatum and Mark Wahlberg circa 1991, all have what the media portrays as the “perfect” male body. Objectifying men didn’t happen overnight. Nor did men’s obsession with obtaining the perfect physique. There is now a proliferation of men’s fitness magazines, new gyms are popping up everywhere and sports supplements are a billion dollar industry; Hook, line and sinker. Chris Chard, a personal trainer at World Gym in Cambridge, said a lot of younger males are still involved with various sports teams so they train at the gym to get bigger and stronger for their upcoming seasons. “Those who aren’t involved in sports, do it for the sole reason of looking good naked. They might not tell you that, but they do it for the opposite sex mainly,” Chard said. Women are bombarded with images on a daily basis, representing unrealistic ideals of the female form, unrealistic because sometimes the bodies are exactly that. H&M found themselves in hot water back in 2011 with feminist groups and ethics committees as they admitted to using real models’ heads attached to computer generated bodies. The media portrayal of men is catching up, and with a vengeance. “We know that women, within seconds of looking through magazines, start to feel very depressed about themselves, I can’t imagine men being much different,” said Dr. Sharon Roberts, a sociology professor who lectures at the
University of Waterloo. Like women, men will need to take notice that the standards shown in adverts are not even remotely close to the real average. Just because you don’t look like a supermodel doesn’t mean you should feel bad about your own body image. “The average (female) model is 5-feet-11, 117 pounds, whereas the average woman is 5-feet-4 and 154 pounds. You can see my classes quickly comparing themselves in their head, it’s quite astonishing,” Roberts said. She pointed out that the media tends to portray two types of men. Either the tall, dark and handsome one who gets all the girls, or the fat one who’s solely there to provide comic relief. Look at any movie with Jonah Hill and look at his co-star for reference. “We have to destroy the notion as a society that losing five pounds somehow makes you a better person, it has no bearing on your character,” Roberts said. Destroying that notion will be no easy task, as more and more men are hitting the weight room to bulk up or tone down to fit their own personal body shape goal. “I was 129 pounds back in Grade 10,” said Cody Keeldy, a first-year protection/security and investigation student. He added, “I got picked on a lot, so I just started hitting the gym almost every day for two hours. Now I’m well over 200 pounds and hopefully will compete in an all-natural body building competition soon,” Keeldy said.
Although gaining or losing weight might not change your morals or core self-identity, it would be hard to argue against the confidence boost one receives when pants fit a little looser or you break a personal bench press record. “Each person goes to the gym for a different reason. The older crowd might go because of a doctor’s recommendation, whereas the younger crowd goes to look good and still benefit from the health aspect,” Chard said. Work collars are changing from blue to white. As more men transition to an office job instead of a factory one, the emphasis to look good has caused more men to opt for plastic surgeries and hair transplants in order to look and feel successful. The other extreme often used to master your own physique is the use of anabolic steroids. The cliché holds true in this situation as well; if a man openly talks about his body issues or insecurities he’ll be labelled as weak and the best advice he’ll hear from his peers is to man up and get over it. “Eventually your body reaches a natural limit. I don’t care about being the biggest guy at the gym, I really just stack for my own personal goals,” said an anabolic steroid user who wanted to remain anonymous. The media can show you how to look, and society can tell you, but it’s up to you as an individual person to listen and make up your own mind about how you want to look and live a happy and healthy life.
Photo by mark lorentz
Cody Keeldy, a first-year protection/security and investigation student, wants to compete in an allnatural body building competition in the near future.
Monday, March 24, 2014
NEWS
Monday, March 24, 2014
SPOKE s Page 9
Conestoga lends a helping hand BY MARK LORENTZ
Conestoga College has teamed up with Ray of Hope for the second straight year in a community building project. This year Conestoga, the Waterloo Region Home Builders Association and a handful of construction companies are rebuilding Ray of Hopes’ headquarters located at 659 King St. E. in Kitchener. Second-year students in the renovation technology program spent two weeks working at the community centre, taking what they have learned from the classroom and applying it in the real world. “Now it’s time to take their talents from the classroom and bring it into the community,” said Doug Lockston, who teaches carpentry at the Waterloo campus. He added the community benefits, the college benefits and the students do as well. For seven years now, Conestoga’s School of Trades and Apprenticeship Training has given back to the community. Lockston estimates that in the seven years the school has donated well over $14 million worth of working hours to the various projects. Ray of Hope focuses on those within Waterloo Region who are overcoming addic-
Photo by Mark Lorentz
Second-year renovation technology student, Philip Jamieson, is about to put a layer of sheet rock on dry wall seams. tions, people with troubled pasts or homeless youth. With the help of various members of the Waterloo Region Home Builders’ Association and Conestoga students, Ray of Hope will be able to provide meals and services more efficiently, thanks to a new layout and larger area, making it easier for social workers and
volunteers to hold multiple programs at the same time. Starting March 3, students work Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. The first students to work on the community build were in women in the skilled trades program (WIST), and the second-year renovation technology students split into two teams of
15 to work on the rest of the project for the last two weeks. “A lot of projects we take on and get as far as we can – we will only guarantee the company who hired us a certain component and they know that,” Lockston said. That’s where a lot of other contractors come in handy (pun intended). One is Pioneer
Craftsman, a company that has been building and renovating homes in Waterloo Region for over 60 years. “We focus mostly on residential areas, so this is a little bit outside of our expertise, but it’s a nice challenge for us,” said Jamie Adam, president of Pioneer Craftsman. With the number of people working on this project, Adam predicts the whole thing will take about a month to complete and will be operational by the time the warm weather is finally here to stay. “We wanted to do something that benefited the community,” he said. We sat around like we would any project and discussed what we thought would be near and dear to our hearts and we took on this task.” This is the only project Conestoga has taken on thus far this calendar year, however, Lockston and other program advisory committee members are always looking for the next project through various social work agencies. “One year we took on four projects and that was absolutely crazy. Four different job sites, splitting up students, it was nuts. We cap it to one or two a year max,” joked Lockston. For more information on Ray of Hope visit their website, www.rayofhope.net
‘The A-Team’ speaks out about autism By Devon Hayes
They call themselves the A-Team. Alex Gobbi worked on his homework. A couple more talked quietly amongst themselves. Taylor Burwash ate his lunch. One thing is clear: this group of students, each on the autism spectrum with varying degrees and combinations of symptoms, are just trying to make it through the school year like everyone else. “I’ve always kind of had self-esteem issues,” said food processing technology student Mark Kennedy. “I have trouble making decisions, and I often make impulsive decisions. Conestoga has helped me with these issues.” Kennedy held a book in his hand – Asperger’s from the Inside Out – and was happy to talk about it. “I found this book really helpful,” he said. Conestoga counsellor Kelly Laurila asked Kennedy, “did you buy it to help you understand yourself?” “I think so,” he replied. “It has all the different character-
istics and stuff like that. It has the negative interpretation of those characteristics, and then it has the positive interpretation. I found that very helpful.” Laurila was happy to point out the positives. “The talent in this group is incredible. Everything from singing to developing video games and drawing pictures – many of you talk about it being a de-stresser,” she said. According to the Autism Canada Foundation, autism “impacts normal brain development leaving most individuals with communication problems, difficulty with typical social interactions and a tendency to repeat specific patterns of behaviour.” The foundation also states that symptoms of autism often differ, resulting in a spectrum. It is pretty clear that this is a smart group of students, though they want you to know that they think differently than other students. “You have the same capabilities and abilities as other college students,” Laurila said. When it comes to being
Photo by Devon Hayes
Mark Kennedy (from left), Vanessa Wojcik, Zak Martin, Greg Bartlett, Michelle Shoemaker and Alex Gobbi, all members of the A-Team, spoke about the highs and lows of being a student with autism. bullied by others, Alexander Menage said those who bully are ignorant. “It turns out that the bullies who pick on people like me are bigoted,” he said. “When I say bigots, I mean those who are ignorant of the fact that you have Asperger syndrome lack the understanding of what it means to have that, and therefore, think that you are a lower class human being.” While Menage would rather keep his struggles with autism to himself, Kennedy said he finds telling those who don’t
seem to understand helpful. “You kind of have to feel people out,” he said. It can be hard for them; a few have experienced bullying here at the college. “You have the right to be here,” employment adviser Charlie Matjanec reminded them. The A-Team wants you to know they are a diverse group struggling with the same disorder, and they all think a different way. In the weeks leading up to the seventh annual World Autism Awareness Day,
which will take place on April 2, the A-Team has been hard at work preparing to educate their peers here at Conestoga. The World Autism Day slogan is “Light it up Blue.” Blue is supposed to be a colour that represents calming and destressing for people along the autism spectrum. Major world landmarks will be lit up on April 2, including the CN Tower. If you want to learn more about the autism spectrum, this group of students will be at Door 3 on April 2.
Feature
Page 10 s SPOKE
Monday, March 24, 2014
Fashion Forward Metrosexuality does not mean homosexuality
BY BRANDON HOMMEL
The metrosexual male is a rare and brave breed. He roams the earth embracing what he loves, not worrying about what others may think. But, with rebellion comes backlash. In this case it’s discrimination. The metrosexual male is defined as, “A person who is especially meticulous about his grooming and appearance.” They are wrongly stereotyped as being homosexuals because society thinks that only gay men want to dress well and take care of themselves. The sad truth is that’s the reason why many men don’t dress well, in fear of being typecast as something they are not. With that being said, there were men out there who didn’t care what people thought and wore what they wanted to, paving the way for the modern-day metrosexual. If we take a trip down memory lane, and remember the ’80s, who comes to mind as the first metrosexual, before it was even a term? The one and only, Prince. If he wasn’t wearing makeup and high heels and showing the world that real men actually DO wear pink, he was letting the world know that it’s OK for men to care about how they look and make their own fashion statements. Oh, and he dated the most beautiful models in the world while wearing backless pants. The ’80s were a great time for the metrosexual. Duran Duran was showing the world that it’s cool for men to wear ankle high pants and boat shoes. Michael Jackson
was wearing skinny jeans before the hipster kids, and Miami Vice was letting us know that a blazer and a deep V was the way to go. But no one knows more about being a metrosexual in the ’80s and
PHOTO BY BRANDON HOMMEL
The metrosexual male (a person who is especially meticulous about his grooming and appearance) is often labeled as homosexual. Spoke reporter Brandon Hommel, left, enjoys dressing well but doesn’t like people assuming he is gay when he is not. However, he does enjoy hanging out with Andrew Parronchi, right, who is openly gay, because of their shared interest in fashion. dealing with the discrimination and stereotypes than Peter Gugins, a former male model for Armstrong Men Modeling Co., when models were actually good looking. Photoshop didn’t make them beautiful, and chest hair was a must. “All the g u y s wore
makeup back in the ’80s.” Gugins said. “Personally, I didn’t, that wasn’t my thing, but no one thought
anything of it. The girls loved it. That was the ’80s. If you weren’t plucked and polished, you were doing something wrong. With that being said, of course there were the few individuals who took the look out of context and used it as fuel to hate and bring down a culture they knew nothing about and shouldn’t have been putting down in the first place.” As we take our metrosexual time machine forward to present day, there is one
man who made it OK to wear a bow tie every day, and that is Ed Westwick, the former Gossip Girl star who is best known for his character, Chuck Bass, the bad boy with the million-dollar bow tie. Westwick’s character paved the way for the bow tie to be worn in more contem-
porary ways. Not only did he make it cool to have a bow tie in your clothing arsenal, but he showed us that suits aren’t only for prom. He dressed to the nines every day, inspiring men to step their game up. He made it cool to dress well, and for that we salute him. But, of
course, w h e n there is a positive, there is usually a negative not too far behind. If there isn’t an ignorant sexu-
ality comment being thrown, there are people thinking metrosexuals only dress well for attention. There is a fine line between dressing for attention and dressing well because you care about what you look like. For example, if you go to school or work wearing a clown wig and shoes, that may be for attention. But if you’re wearing a properly tailored suit, it may be because you have a sense of style. For those working in the fashion industry, there are also misconceptions about sexuality. Redundant questions are asked about why would a man want to work in a clothing store, why would he want to sell shoes to women? Christian Guadette, a suit salesman at Stars Men’s Shop in Kitchener for over 19 years, is no stranger to these questions. “The scariest part about working in the fashion industry is how open people are to just straight up asking you about your sexuality. Just because I shook your hand when you entered my store doesn’t mean you have free range to insult me by asking personal questions. If you see a man wearing a suit and assume he is gay, there is something seriously wrong with you.” At the end of the day, dress the way you want to because as hip-hop artist Kid Cudi said, “Cause in the end they’ll judge me any way so whatever.” If you truly love fashion and are not afraid of what people may think, just know that you’re not alone. Tons of people in this world love to dress well and sexuality has nothing
to do with it. There will always be angry, small-minded people in the world ready to hate on someone for being different. That alone should be your inspiration to put on your best outfit, play the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive and strut your stuff.
fun & games
Monday, March 24, 2014
SPOKE s Page 11
Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope Week of March 24, 2014
Aries
March 21 April 19 Your words are having unintended impacts on those around you. Slow down, consider your actions. This weekend: Analysis.
Taurus April 20 May 20
You had a solid victory at the beginning of last week, but you need to keep pushing. This weekend: Cosmos.
Gemini May 21 June 21
Your week is kind of like a platypus: it doesn’t know what it wants to be. Don’t let it decide for you. This weekend: Currents.
Cancer June 22 July 22
Your thick skin will come in handy this week. Stay with it. This weekend: Tough it out.
Leo
July 23 August 22 Someone near you needs reassurance, but you’ll need to shift focus for a moment in order to help. This weekend: Marshmallow.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 Remain optimistic and your week will fly by. Look out for someone close to you who is potentially toxic. This weekend: Groove.
The pancreas produces Insulin. Americans on the average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.
Libra
September 23 October 22
Relative to size, the strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
Your input is greatly desired by an unknown party: keep your eyes and ears open. This weekend: Perception.
Your stomach has to produce a new layer of mucus every two weeks or it will digest itself. Google rents goats to replace lawnmowers at their California headquarters.
Scorpio
October 23 November 21 Your dedication to a cause has paid off – it’s time to hand off the reins. This weekend: Transition.
Cats spend about 70 per cent of their lives asleep.
Sudoku Puzzle
Sagittarius November 22 December 21
Fill in the grid with digits in such a manner that every row, every column and every 3x3 box accommodates the digits 1-9, without repeating any.
If you close your eyes, it’s hard to see all those golden opportunities. This weekend: Vision.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
Someone’s got your goat recently, but your luck is about to change. This weekend: Next steps.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
It’s time to stop moping around and start dictating the pace. This is your strong suit. This weekend: Control.
Pisces
February 19 March 20 The currents of discovery will guide you to a new work or school opportunity. This weekend: Drift.
Ephram Strange has seen the future. Yeah, THE future. You don’t want to know.
Word Search
FEATURE
Monday, March 24, 2014
SPOKE Page 12
A SPECTOR IN THE KNIGHT B-list favourite Moon Knight returns as the brainchild of Warren Ellis BY JOSH BURY
British author Warren Ellis isn’t known for penning “normal” comic book characters. Transmetropolitan’s Spider Jerusalem, a journalist dealing with (and partaking of) the excesses of the dystopian future, is not a model citizen. Retired CIA agent Frank Moses, the main character of RED (later turned into a feature film) is hardly your average pensioner. But Ellis’s mastery of the bizarre is further accentuated in his triumphant return at the head of Marvel Comics’ new Moon Knight #1, released on March 5 under the “AllNew Marvel NOW!” imprint. “What’s the barometer for ‘weird’ in the Marvel universe?” Ellis asked USA Today. With Moon Knight, Ellis is happy to raise the bar. While it’s true that Marvel has its fair share of strange characters, it is also true that Marc Spector, also known as Moon Knight, is up there with some of the most eccentric. A former mercenary who was gunned down during his only attempt to show mercy, he was raised from the dead by the Egyptian god of ven-
geance, Khonshu. Wearing the cloak of one of the deity’s priests, Marc Spector fought strange and supernatural crime in the United States with a variety of gadgets, and his fists, as Moon Knight. Making the situation even more complicated is Spector’s alter-egos, which he used to gain easy access to both the criminal underworld and elite, that also eventually became alternate personalities, calling Spector’s mental health into question.
“
IMAGES COURTESY OF MARVEL
see him coming. Now that’s nuts …. I like that,” Ellis pointed out to the LA Times. Sadly, Moon Knight had been neglected by Marvel for some time. The failure of Vengeance of the Moon Knight, released in 2009, showed that the character was in limbo, with no real sense of direction, evident in the volume’s writing. A further relaunch of the character in 2011 made him barely recognizable. Enter Warren Ellis.
This book is a baseball bat with nails dipped in LSD that’s going to hit you right in the gut. — Nick Lowe, senior editor at Marvel
The character had a lot going for him: an internal psychological struggle, an offbeat supporting cast, a unique take on fighting (he’d rather take a punch than dodge it,) and a white costume that illustrated his mindset perfectly: he wanted his enemies to know he was there. “[His] cape is actually a crescent moon and he goes out only at night and dresses in reflective white so you can
”
Marvel senior editor Nick Lowe told USA Today that the Ellis-led volume of Moon Knight is “a baseball bat with nails dipped in LSD that’s going to hit you right in the gut.” He is correct. Working with artists Declan Shalvey and Jordie Bellaire, Ellis is able to evoke a potent and gritty image of New York City as it buckles under the weight of crime. After an initial explanation of Spector’s past as Moon Knight, we find that he is also working with law enforcement as the white-suited “Mr. Knight” – a flimsy loophole that prevents the “freaks and capes” unit on the police force from having to apprehend him for his acts as Moon Knight. This first issue reads more like a detective story focused on, as Ellis put it in an interview with Marvel.com, “weird crime.” Spector’s character exudes an aura of calm collectedness throughout much of the issue and exhibits less of the brutality seen in previous volumes, but his multiple personalities are also discussed (and, intriguingly, further explained). Ellis’s storyline asks the question: is this a new Marc Spector? Or is “Mr. Knight” just one of his personalities? And is Khonshu himself, who sometimes interacts directly with Spector, simply a hallucination? “There’s a reason why he was crazy in previous incarnations, and a reason why he appears more sane now,” Ellis
told USA Today. Shalvey and Bellaire’s art style complements Ellis’s storytelling well. Shalvey’s strong lines and use of light and shadow work well with the storyline and create atmosphere. There are times when he shows Mr. Knight essentially in silhouette, but a bright white one instead of the usual black. Shalvey’s page-wide panels are able to say a lot, without any dialogue at all – and he has several in this first issue. He also makes effective use of extreme close-ups: a risky proposition that pays off by creating dramatic tension. Bellaire is responsible for the colouring, and it adds depth to Shalvey’s pencils. Blacks, deep reds, pale oranges and sombre browns contrast against the stark white of Mr. Knight’s three-piece suit, mask and gloves as he navigates both the surface of and depths below New York’s
streets. Readers unfamiliar with Moon Knight will find this series a great starting point. The history of Moon Knight is explained in brief, but none of it is necessary to understand this volume and there are few references to prior material. This is the perfect place to pick up this series, and if you already like stories in the detective, crime procedural or supernatural vein (Lowe specifically mentions fans of HBO’s True Detective television series,) you should enjoy it. Familiar Moon Knight fans will enjoy the new “explanation” for Spector’s personalities, and will likely enjoy the fresh “Mr. Knight” concept. But purists have nothing to fear, as preview images for issue two show a very familiar mask and cape in his future. And, based on the quality of this first issue, it looks like Marc Spector is here to stay.