Fishy friends Ripley’s Aquarium fascinates and educates. Pages 6 & 7 MONDAY, JANUARY 13, 2014
SPOKE
A LEARNING NEWSROOM FOR JOURNALISM STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
New age of music begins at Conestoga
WWW.SPOKEONLINE.COM
Celebrating sci-fi G33K Art Show showcases geek culture. Page 5 45TH YEAR — NO. 2
SICK OF SHOVELLING YET?
BY MARK LORENTZ
Who needs a recording studio when you can just use a MacBook or an iPad. This is the “revolution” in music Conestoga has started to promote this year. The college has launched three new courses this month at the Kitchener Studio Project, the new, small satellite campus on Gaukel Street. The courses will lead up to the launch of a new program, called modern audio arts, in September. There are already some pretty big names involved in the project. Bob Egan of Blue Rodeo fame played a pivotal role in designing the courses. He also persuaded his longtime friend and music producer David Gray to leave the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles to come teach at Conestoga in the fall. Dave Houde, an audio engineer, music producer and owner of the Sound Distillery located in Kitchener, welcomes the idea of Conestoga getting behind, and funding such an innovative and rapidly expanding field. “There’s so much potential out there, being an audio engineer leaves you with a million different career paths ahead of you. It’s great the school can see the potential and is investing into the local community to help expand the scene here,” Houde said. Like most of the programs offered at Conestoga in the School of Media and Design, Apple products and software will be the primary tool for the majority of the classes. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
PHOTO BY BECKY SHEASBY
Chris Park shovels his driveway after a massive overnight snowfall Jan. 6. This week light flurries are expected with significantly warmer temperatures, ranging from highs of -3 to 1 C.
YouTube’s copyright policy flawed
YouTube’s system for catching copyrighted material, called Content ID, issued thousands of claims to users in early December after a policy change allowed copyright holders to make copyright claims on a wider range of videos. To get more specific, it especially affected users who have monetized their videos, which allows them to received ad revenue. Content ID automatically goes through videos posted to YouTube and compares the content in them to a database. If there is a match, the video is flagged. The video can be de-monetized, allowing people to still view the video but removing any profit the uploader could’ve received and giving it to whoever has a copyright claim. The user’s account can receive a strike if the video is removed and once the account collects three, the account is suspended and can no longer upload videos. While people who use YouTube as a source of income aren’t the typical YouTube user, there are over a million of them. That’s over a million people
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Casey
Schellenberger Opinion whose income can potentially be affected by these claims. And if these were all legitimate claims, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. But, several game companies have come out and said that they’ve had nothing to do with at least some of the claims. “YouTubers: Pls let us know if you’ve had videos flagged today. These may be illegitimate flags not instigated by us,” tweeted Capcom. “We are investigating.” Most companies don’t have a complete ban on their material being shown in videos. Ubisoft, for example, allows people to make ad revenue off footage of their games provided that the video follows certain rules.
Music in the game can be claimed as well, and it’s very likely that most of these claims are because of music. In an email response to users concerned about Content ID, YouTube gave tips on how to avoid copyright claims, with an emphasis on what to do with in-game music. “Be aware of music. Many games allow you to turn off background music, while leaving sound effects enabled. And if you’re looking for music you can freely use (and monetize!), check out our Audio Library.” The response to this sudden increase in automated claims was swift and largely negative. Several users released video blogs concerning the policy changes. But, one of the most interesting responses came after YouTube’s response. YouTube user Dan Bull’s YouTube diss track is a rap detailing how the system works, how it has been and can be manipulated and how sometimes mistakes can happen. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
NEWs
Page 2 s SPOKE
Monday, January 13, 2014
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga College Random questions answered by random students
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
“Never give up.” Internet Photo
Khadicha Patel, first-year early childhood education
Saving Mr. Banks centres on the background story of the classic film, Mary Poppins.
Hanks is supercali... by callie wrigglesworth
“Don’t try to please everyone because if you do you won’t succeed.” Gabriel Silva, first-year supply chain management
“If you’re not a potato you’re a tomato.”
Samantha Lacey, first-year general arts and science
“In relationships, focus on the small things and you won’t have to focus on the big things.”
Any fan of the classic Disney film, Mary Poppins, will fall in love with Saving Mr. Banks which tells the unique story of how the beloved movie came to be. Tom Hanks stars as Walt Disney and there couldn’t have been a better actor for the role. Hanks does an excellent job of portraying a happygo-lucky Disney. The movie is based around the author of Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers, who is played outstandingly by award-winning actress, Emma Thompson. Disney promised his children that he would turn their favourite book into a film, and for 20 years, fought with Travers for the rights to her story. Travers eventually agrees to travel to Hollywood from her home in London to
meet with Disney to discuss making the film. Travers is an opinionated, outspoken, confident woman who is not afraid to tell anybody how she feels. She appears somewhat cold and hard, having the audience wondering how such a personality could create such a treasured children’s story. She shoots down almost every idea that Disney comes up with from dancing penguins and singing to Mr. Banks having a moustache. The movie takes you from present day, which was 1961, and flashes back to Traver’s childhood. As the movie progresses, the audience begins to sympathize with Travers and understand her character more. Saving Mr. Banks allows viewers to experience an array of emotions. Though the
movie is based around factual information, it is also very comical and will have you laughing out loud throughout. It brings tears of sadness and tears of joy and springs up memories for older audiences. Fans of Mary Poppins will catch and appreciate the quirky references to the classic movie that are both subtly and obviously dropped throughout the film. They will also sing along with such favourites as Let’s Go Fly a Kite and A Spoonful of Sugar. Audiences will find themselves rooting for both Disney and Travers. Although everyone knows Mary Poppins is a musical, there are, of course, dancing penguins and Mr. Banks definitely has a moustache, you can’t help but watch the movie with anticipation right up until the credits.
Paranormal franchise fatigued
Chad Neufeldt, second-year office administrative executive
BY COLE FROUDE
“If you never try you never fail.” Ryan Masson, second-year marketing
“Don’t go by anyone else’s schedule. Do things at your own pace.” Bronwyn Greavette, third-year interior design
Smile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is the fifth entry into the found footage franchise, giving fans more scares. However, despite expanding the back story the film doesn’t move the franchise’s storyline forward. Found footage, according to Wikipedia, is a genre of film making, especially horror, in which all or a substantial part of a film is presented as discovered film or video recordings, often left behind by missing or dead protagonists. The events on screen are seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved, who often speaks off screen. This Latino spinoff centres around two best friends, Jesse and Hector, who are really likeable. You get a sense that they have known each other their whole lives. The two break into a house in which
a witch died and Jessie gets a weird bite mark causing him to be marked. This means he gets super human strength but he soon learns the horrible truth of being marked. Writer Christopher Landon, who also wrote the second, third and fourth films takes a stab at directing this one and nails it for the most part. Landon’s timing with the scares are spot on after carefully crafting a suspenseful scene. Marked Ones also drops a lot of clues, hints and familiar sights for longtime fans of the franchise so they can sit there and put the puzzle pieces together in an attempt to unlock the mystery of being marked. Landon has also addressed complaints about the previous films by throwing a bunch of humour into this one so people won’t complain that it’s boring. However, the humour feels really out of place, as it is too much for the given sub-
ject matter. The special effects are well done but took me out of the film because the reason why the originals were so scary was that you believed this could happen. The bumps and bangs at home at night would prey on you way after the credits had rolled, making you get up at night and question everything you heard. This film just doesn’t do that. Marked Ones does feature a cool ending that fans will enjoy but if you start thinking about the ending and what happened in the previous films you will find a plot hole that doesn’t make sense and ruins the ending. Marked Ones is a strong entry into the five-year-old franchise but it is suffering from franchise fatigue. It’s still worth the price of admission for fans but won’t win over the average moviegoer.
NEWs
Monday, January 13, 2014
SPOKE s Page 3
Record-breaking wind chill CAUSES MANY STUDENTS TO CONTEMPLATE HIBERNATION
Big name assists small project
Blue Rodeo’s Bob Egan designs courses From Page 1
PHOTO BY CALLIE WRIGGLESWORTH
Nathan Vandeilaan (from left to right), Lucas Durante and Justin Smith, all first-year architectural engineering construction technology students, braved the -41 C winter weather outside the college on Jan. 7.
A cure for the winter blues
by Mark lorentz
It might be the cold weather, the lack of sunlight or the crash after the holiday season. Whatever the reason may be, seasonal affective disorder is more common than one might think. Fighting off depression varies from person to person. However, below are some of the ways you can beat the wintertime blues. Conestoga’s Counselling Services also provide’s professional help, and is a free service to all students. As assignments pile up and deadlines fast approach one of the easiest ways to relieve stress is to take an hour just for yourself. “Students tend to have a habit of leaving things to the last minute. Even if an
assignment is due tomorrow, take an hour for yourself, and then get back to finishing it,” said Sharon Wedderbourn, who works at the Counselling Services office. Having friends over for a cheap movie night is something Wedderbourn also suggests, as a distraction to the ensuing blizzards and cold spells that come with Canadian winters. “People don’t need to spend a lot of money for a relaxing night in or out. Have friends pick up snacks from the dollar store and invite them over for a movie marathon.” If you want to get out of your house, going to the gym or for a brisk walk around the neighbourhood can change your mood. There are several
explanations as to why exercise helps combat depression, some chemical, others behavioural. The mental benefits of exercise have a neurochemical basis. Exercise reduces levels of the body’s stress hormones, such as adrenalin and cortisol. It also increases the production of endorphins, the body’s natural painkillers and mood elevators. “Setting goals for yourself at the gym is important,” said Chris Chard, a personal trainer at World Gym. “Set a timeline but don’t worry too much if you miss it, just having a goal set is crucial for self-esteem and a reason to work at it.” If you find going to a gym too intimidating, find some sort of physical activity that
you do enjoy, or hate the least, to get active and make a routine out of it weekly. That way it becomes a habit, which is harder to break and you stay motivated. And last but not least, the long line at Tim Hortons on campus might be worth it after all. A recent study conducted by the American Nurses Association concluded that people who drink between 2-4 cups of coffee a day were at a 20 per cent lower risk of developing depression. Those seeking more information on depression or any other private issue, can book an appointment by going into Counselling Services located in Room 1A101 at Doon campus, or by phoning them at 519-748-5220, ext. 3360.
YouTube opens copyright law can of worms From Page 1
One of the examples is Gavin Dunne, a musician, who received seven claims in one day from INDMUSIC. Except that the songs that were being claimed were written and performed by Dunne. It took him more than a day to get the claims removed, with INDMUSIC taking 20 per cent of the revenue from those videos until they were.
So what can YouTube do? They can’t, and they shouldn’t, just ignore copyright laws. But they can’t just allow the system to keep doing what it’s doing if the mistakes and manipulation are as frequent and as easy to make as they seem to be. And right now, the system seems streamlined for the copyright holder. Claims affect channels and revenue is redirected quickly, while counterclaims can take much
longer, especially when dealing with things a bit more malicious than the mistake that led to the flagging of Dunne’s content. It isn’t like I don’t expect YouTube and other sites like it to stumble trying to find a happy medium when it comes to copyright infringement. Copyright and the Internet, as well as copyright and things like “let’s plays,” are mostly unexplored territory. YouTube has been around
less than a decade, compared to pretty much every other kind of media. A good start might be to apologize or at least acknowledge the faults in the Content ID system. Even if this won’t actually fix any of the problems, it would at least show their users that they are listening and taking their comments into account. Then YouTube should work to fix the system so it works for both the users and copyright holders.
Two courses in particular, Introduction to 21st Century Recording and Technology and Introduction to Electroacoustic Audio Creation, will require the use of MacBooks or iPads to complete the projects assigned. The launch of these courses still remains somewhat of a secret as there is no official website up and running and, as of deadline, their main source of media promotion is a small Facebook page. Houde said the Sound Distillery would welcome students seeking an internship once the course is fined-tuned and a clear direction is made by Conestoga in regards to producing music and the credentials they are looking to offer. “I think in the end all the gimmicks will wear off, and just pure music and talent will ultimately be left standing,” Houde said. Zach Gerber is the musical technician for the Canadian indie-rock group Walk off the Earth, which is making a name for itself south of the border now, with appearances on various network talk shows. Gerber grew up in Waterloo Region and wishes a program like the one Conestoga has launched was around when he was done high school. “I got extremely lucky, I was into the music scene early and knew a few people to get me this job. It’s brilliant that people can actually go to school and learn all these things that I literally learned as I went along,” Gerber said. He joked, “Sure we (musical technicians) might not get the groupies or the fame, but we still travel for free, and if you love the music, technically you love us too.” For more information on the modern audio arts program visit its Facebook page, Conestogamodernaudioarts.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, January 13, 2014
Educators don’t know best BY becky sheasby
Educators do not know better than students and parents. This is especially true when talking about students’ medications. On Oct. 9, 2012, Ryan Gibbons, a 12-year-old boy, died in Straffordville, Ont. when he began to suffer from an asthma attack and the school failed to provide him with his asthma puffer in time. Ryan died because his puffer was locked away in his school’s office and nowhere near him. Sandra Gibbons, Ryan’s mother, had repeatedly given the boy a puffer to take to school only to have it confiscated by teachers. Gibbons would receive phone calls reminding her that there was a puffer in the office and that Ryan wasn’t allowed to bring one to school. It is understandable why schools don’t want their students running around with drugs in their pockets; it would undoubtedly be a catastrophic mess. However, there is an enormous difference between mood-altering medications such as Ritalin for students with behavioral problems, and medications that are for fast-acting, life-saving purposes. Mood-altering medications are not required to save a person from death, so being out of range from the student is fine. Life-saving medication needs to be accessible immediately. The Ontario Lung Association says that 1.9 million people have asthma in this province, 500,000 of them being children. Every student should have direct access to their own medication, no ifs, ands or buts. Whether it’s a puffer or an EpiPen, it should be in the student’s possession, or be carried by the teacher who is on recess duty; it should never be locked away. Cassandra Lebel, a first-aid trainer, said that a child as young as four can be taught how to handle and properly take their own medications. If children are capable of knowing when and how to properly use these devices, then there is no reason they shouldn’t be allowed to carry them. Thanks to Ryan’s educators thinking they knew better than his mother, it cost him his life. Never again should a student die because their medication was locked away. All school boards should re-examine their policy and ensure they are not the next one to face such a tragedy. 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.
“‘Snowpocalypse.’ Snowmageddon.’ - Either way, there is too much white stuff.”
We have such a way with words A lot of words have changed over time. Other words sound so similar that they are often used interchangeably, with their intended meaning getting confused or even lost along the way. Here are five words that are most commonly used incorrectly: Travesty – Does not mean: a tragedy or unfortunate event. Actually means: a parody or satire, an exaggerated imitation of something. This word dates back to the 17th century when it was used to indicate a distorted reality for the purposes of mockery and comedy. Peruse – Does not mean: to skim or glance over something. Actually means: to look at something carefully and with thoroughness. This word originally came from the Middle English peruse, which means to wear out or use up something. Compelled – Does not mean: to willingly do something, or to do something impulsively. Actually means: to be forced, obligated or pressured
Steph Smith Opinion
into doing something against your will. This word means exactly the opposite of what it’s commonly mistaken for. Impulsive decisions come out of nowhere and you get to decide if you want to act on them or not. Compulsive decisions are something you get little to no say in, it’s something you have to do. Irregardless – Does not mean: regardless Actually means: nothing. While this word is often interchanged with regardless, the word irregardless does not have a meaning because it isn’t actually a word. This has caused much controversy since the early 20th century, but the use of the word in print dates back as early as 1795, where it was used in the City Gazette & Daily Adviser out of Charleston, S.C. Regardless
means that something isn’t worth regarding, hence -less, and according to Webster’s dictionary, the prefix ir- and the suffix -less mean more or less the same thing, so irregardless would mean to ... Regard something again? Anyway, it isn’t a word. End of story. Terrific – Does not mean: excellent Actually means: to inspire or evoke fear. Just like the other words, the meaning of terrific changed over time. The word terrific originated from the words terror and terrifying. Today, if something is terrifying, it probably also means it’s awesome. If you look up the definition of terrific, it means extremely good, excellent or of great size. However, its synonyms give way to its original meaning – terrible, dreadful, frightful ... Of course, there is a wealth of words in the English language that are used incorrectly. Is it best to try to set straight these errors or simply let the evolution of our language continue on its very bumpy course? You be the judge.
Spoke
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entertainment
Monday, January 13, 2014
G33K and unique:
The artistic soul of sci-fi and fantasy BY TONY MCLELLAN
The Kitchener city hall rotunda was recently taken over by an army of artists, musicians and writers, all of whom were proudly united under a single, unique mission – to examine what it truly means to be a “geek” through the mediums of paintings, crafts, song and discussion. The event, called the G33K Art Show, helped to bring the unique culture of the geek to the masses. The creation of this alternative art show can be credited to Miroki Tong, a Kitchener artistic performer and selfprofessed geek. “I saw a lot of fellow artists who didn’t have the same opportunities I had in getting funding or support for their work. So I decided to create the show to suit their needs,” Tong said. The initiative, now on its third year of production, has been increasingly popular in the community and beyond. This is good news for the participating artists who would be overlooked due to their unique focuses on such subject matter as fantasy and sci-
ence fiction. In the past, Tong said many professional artists have been judged simply because of their preference in subject matter, and ignored on an artistic level. Sean Chappell is one of the many artists who came to help redefine what it means to be an artist who focuses on traditionally nerdy subjects. While he and his wife attended the event in the past, it was only at this most recent show that they became participants, making Chappell’s bizarre, one-of-akind paintings available to the public. “My inspirations, aside from my own imagination, are horror movies and writing, as well as sci-fi and fantasy. All these various forms of art help to spur my own creativity,” Chappell said while showing off one of his latest paintings. The artists such as Chappell, who dare to colour outside the lines hope they will be thought of less as geeks and more as true artists. While their work is not what is imagined of a typical professional, the time and effort put into these works is easily up to that standard.
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Get your game on this year By KATRINA EDLEFSEN
PHOTO BY Tony mclellan
One of the many G33K Art Show participants shows off her artistic talent. Like those around her, she draws most of her inspiration from ‘geek’ culture.
PHOTO BY TONY MCLELLAN
Sean Chappell, one of the artists who attended the G33K Art Show at the Kitchener city hall rotunda, displayed some of his best work. The event was an opportunity for him and others to gain publicity and sell their art.
If you have yet to spend the EB Games gift card you received as a gift or have some Christmas money still burning a hole in your pocket and are looking for a way to escape from winter, then you may want to consider going on a five-star gaming getaway. The video game industry always makes a large profit during the holiday season and this year was no different with so many new titles and systems hitting shelves. If you are looking for some new games post-Christmas, you are in luck since you can now go take a look at the reviews given to the season’s big sellers. According to Harshbir Sandhu, who works part-time at EB Games while studying at Conestoga as a second-year marketing student, 2013 was a great year for games. “Call of Duty Ghosts, which is cross-platform, and Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag were both big sellers that came out this season,” he said. “And the Nintendo 3DS had a big game release as well, with Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds and the newest Pokemon which came out back in October.” Knowing what is popular is half the battle in choosing a game and reading reviews is a great way to decide whether or not the game is for you. It is easy to find reviews online but Sandhu advises being careful when looking at company- or magazine-based reviews. “I think it’s important to read player reviews rather than Gamespot and IGN reviews because they’re more real and aren’t paid for by the producers,” Sandhu said. “It gives a real sense of what normal gamers think of the game rather than what people who get paid to play think.” However, if you do plan on buying a game that you already know about, then reading reviews is often unnecessary according to Jae Dyer, a third-year computer programmer and analyst student and member of the Conestoga Gamers Club. “Reviews are good for games that you have never heard about or are new,” Dyer said. “But I usually don’t read reviews because I buy games I already know about.”
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feature
It’s a blue world
Monday, January 13, 2014
BY HAILEY MERKT
Children bounced around, squealing with excitement. A crowd stood memorized, staring at a tank of dancing jellies. A colour-changing light illuminated the invertebrates with a fuchsia, electric blue and tangerine hue. Surprisingly, the expected scents of salt and fish were missing from the air. A collection of small children stood with their hands and heads pressed against a triple sheet of glass — eyes glistening, pooling with mystery and awe. “Look mommy,” said one of the children, her voice filled with fascination. Her mother crouched down behind her, wrapped her arms around her waist and pulled her close. “It’s a whole new world on the other side of that glass,” she whispered. The little girl messily brushed her hair behind her ears and widened her eyes as she contently gazed into the unknown. “It’s so pretty,” she said. Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto is meant to fascinate and educate. It is the country’s largest indoor aquarium with more than five million litres of water and over 16,000 marine animals. It also features more than 100 interactive displays, 50 live exhibits, seven galleries, six play zones and a discovery centre featuring a live touch pool. One of Ripley’s most unbelievable creatures is the leafy seadragon. It looks like a seahorse
This lion fish at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada in Toronto is thought to be poisonous but is actually venomous. Poisonous organisms require their victim to ingest or absorb the toxin. Venomous organisms use a specific apparatus like spines or teeth to inject their toxin. crossbred with kelp. Its body is thin, long and squiggly with an overall luminous appearance. Leaf-like “wings” sprout from every edge of its fragile body, decorating it beautifully. “It’s remarkable what exists underwater,” said Toronto resident Candace DiCrease. “I’m amazed looking at all the wondrous sea creatures here.” This Toronto aquarium is deserving of its Ripley’s title because of its breathtaking
aquariums and unbelievable facts. “Did you know that a shark can lose and regrow over 40,000 teeth in a lifetime?” said six-year-old Mannix Freyseng. “The sharks are awesome, I love them.” Mannix’s father, Adam Freyseng, said his favourite part was the moving sidewalk through the aquarium tunnel. “All these fish and sharks swim around you as you just
The spotted lagoon jellyfish acts as a shelter for small fish, protecting them from larger predators.
stand there, taking it all in. It’s amazing really.” Aside from what meets the eye at Ripley’s, it also offers an overnight event where a group of 25 can “sleep with the sharks” in the “Dangerous Lagoon” shark tunnel. Ripley’s public relations associate, Maggie Doucette, said the aquarium’s peak hours are between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and it has been “more than busy” since its opening on Oct. 16, 2013.
“If you want to see it all without a crowd arrive when the doors open,” Doucette suggested. Ripley’s is open 365 days a year at 288 Bremner Blvd. in Toronto beside the CN Tower. Its hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday to Saturday. Ticket prices range from $9.98 to $29.98. For more information visit www.ripleyaquariums.com/canada.
This squishy, flesh-like coral wiggles in the shallow water.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Feature
PHOTOS BY Hailey merkt
A shark thrashes through the water, disturbing the surface and scaring away all small fish in sight.
SPOKE s Page 7
Two Pacific sea nettle jellyfish lazily drift through the water like feathers gently floating through the air.
Leafy seadragons are known to be the most ornately camouflaged creatures on the planet.
This fuzzy, feather-like coral sways in a slow-moving current. It serves as a home for many small fish.
Trevor Kearns, a third-year civil engineering technology student, thoroughly enjoyed his time at the aquarium, though it was very busy.
OPINION
Page 8 SPOKE
BlackBerry won’t continue slump One short year ago, the end of January marked the beginning of something new, something innovative for the newly renamed BlackBerry: the launch of the highly anticipated BlackBerry Z10 handset, as well as the new BB10 operating system, had the smartphone world buzzing. There were public skating parties held throughout the Region of Waterloo and Kitchener city councillors even voted in favour of waiving a long-standing city policy that forbid private companies from using public property for advertising to allow BlackBerry to hang banners on street light poles around city hall and parts of King Street; the hype was massive. Then the rest of 2013 happened. Failure, that’s the best word I can think of to describe the year that never was for BlackBerry and their Z10 smartphone and BB10 OS. On Sept. 27 of last year, it was reported that BlackBerry was being hit with a $1-million loss on a large amount
Greg Stamper
Opinion of unsold Z10 devices, and as of Dec. 21 of last year, had only sold roughly 5.6 million BB10 devices in the entire year. Compare that to nine million iPhone 5c’s and 5s’ sold in the first weekend they launched and you see just how brutally the BB10 operating system failed. While BlackBerry thought their new OS would help catapult their sales and resurrect the company, consumers were turned off because the BB10 functioned differently from the old BB7 model, while big businesses (which account for about 80 per cent of BlackBerry usage) backed away from the new models because BB10 devices couldn’t be hooked up to the older BlackBerry Enterprise Server systems that a large number of the big customers used. Throw in a $4.4-billion loss
in their latest quarter, thousands of job losses, the hiring and firing of CEO Thorsten Heins then hiring of current CEO John Chen, BlackBerry filing a patent lawsuit against startup company Typo and a new five-year partnership with Taiwanbased Foxconn to have them produce and keep inventory of the BlackBerry handsets, and you see 2013 was quite the year for BlackBerry. It will certainly be hard for the company to do any worse in 2014, and I think they won’t. Under new management with a new vision for the company, I believe BlackBerry is finally on its way to spinning out of their dramatic slump. Chen shares the thought, and is banking on BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) being a money-maker in the new year, based on its success on the Android and iPhone markets. Chen suggests revenues from BBM might come from a per-user per-month model or by the use of advertising, but admits, “we’re a long way from knowing how to do it.”
Monday, January 13, 2014
Posters would help find area’s missing children According to missingkids.ca over 50,000 children go missing in Canada each year, and I’ve yet to see a single Child Find poster in KitchenerWaterloo. Local community posting boards are filled with rental ads, used cars, event listings and lost pets but no lost children. Having visited every province in Canada through some of the most remote and rural communities, I’ve come upon towns that look just like my hometown of Kitchener and many which seem foreign. A visitor to this part of the country, after exploring a little, might easily come to the conclusion that missing people are virtually non-existent here. We don’t have those common Child Find posters which cover public building windows, train stations and newspapers so prevalent in the rural north and across the west. According to the Waterloo Regional Police Service (WRPS) website, over the past three years, 13 people who were reported missing are still unfound. Many online, independent reports would show that number to be a lot larger. An innumerable number of missing people may be in the area, but due to a lack of public knowledge these cases may go unsolved and become cold. During the mid-1980s the “milk carton campaign” posted the faces of missing children on the sides of milk cartons. The campaign began in New York and quickly spread around the world, including Canada. After just a few short years the campaign was completely abandoned due in large part to consumer dissatisfaction. According to the Globe and Mail, in 1987 a New Jersey supermarket chain spokesman relayed a message he had heard from a customer that “It was rather depressing at the breakfast table to be looking at pictures of missing children.” Of the 70 missing American children who were featured on milk cartons throughout the 1980s, only one was ever found alive. The others are either still considered missing or were found dead. In northern Manitoba during the spring of 2013 I came across a black-eyed and bloody-lipped girl who looked like she was in her late teens on a sketchy side street, after midnight, in downtown The Pas. She called herself Evangeline Makai. Slurring her words, she told me she was missing from Saskatchewan, that she was abducted and the people she was with were not
Tyler Batten
Opinion her friends. She told me the RCMP were looking for her. The people she was travelling with called her back quickly after separating from them to grab my hand. Around 10 of them got in between Evangeline and me. Although they were the furthest thing from hostile, I could still see her through the wall of these happy, chatty teens and she was unmistakably sad. They insisted that she was only drunk. The next day I filed a police report. The RCMP detachment in The Pas didn’t have Evangeline’s name on record and advised me that these occurrences often happen because of domestic spats brought on by drugs and alcohol. According to national statistics, taken from the Government of Canada’s website, in 2012 16,379 missing children were from Ontario. The same data set says that in 2012 “65 per cent of missing children reports were removed within 24 hours, while 86 per cent were removed within a week.” A few months later, I saw Evangeline shopping while I was picking up supplies at a store in downtown The Pas. She saw me too. She didn’t smile but at the same time didn’t seem in danger, as she was shopping alone, apparently on her own volition. Perhaps she didn’t remember me. Whether or not Evangeline wound up in good company is still a question on my mind, one that I suspect will never be answered. Often, these cases are resolved quickly, but some drag on forever. If there were nearly as many posters in southern Ontario as there are in rural Ontario and the west, the response and resolution of such cases would be expedited through the six degrees of separation found in our ever-broadening public networks. Perhaps, like the milk carton campaign of the 1980s, images of missing children are not something we who’ve never experienced familial loss could empathize with daily. For important information regarding missing people from the K-W area go to: www. wrps.on.ca/missingpersons.
ENTERTAINMENT
Monday, January 13, 2014
Divergent makes for an easy read
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Veronica Roth’s novel proves that young adult fiction can be well written BY DEVON HAYES
If you are a fan of The Hunger Games or The Maze Runner, Divergent should be right up your alley. The biggest hype right now in fiction is Veronica Roth’s Divergent series. With the upcoming March release of the first book’s film adaptation, it seemed fitting to give the first of the young adult novels a shot. Roth was just in her early 20s when she wrote the first novel in 2011, and quickly followed with the sequel, Insurgent, in 2012, and finished off the trilogy this past October with Allegient. The novel focuses on 16-year-old Beatrice, who lives in somewhat of a futuristic Chicago. Life is much different; people are divided by five factions – Abegnation for selflessness, Erudite for
Book Review
knowledge, Candor for honesty, Dauntless for bravery and Amity for peace – which determine their social and political differences. The reader meets Beatrice as a member of the Abegnation. At her age, teenagers have the choice of choosing another faction to live in, or stay in their own. The teens take a test beforehand which determines which two factions they best fit into. The twist: Beatrice doesn’t fit into any, which makes her Divergent. Does she stick with her Abegnation
faction or leave the humbled lifestyle for something more exciting? The novel is a quick and easy read, and the description of society and characters is easily imaginable. I could have lived without the romance aspect, but young adult novels thrive on romantic interests. The book did move slowly at times, and it was difficult to foresee the climax. When the climax did pop out of nowhere, it wasn’t long before the book ended. I was slightly disappointed at this, since I don’t have the next book in the series. You will probably find me at the movie theatre on March 21, 2014 for the movie release, which stars Shailene Woodley as Beatrice, Theo James as Four, and Kate Winslet as Jeanine Matthews. It is being directed by Neil Burger.
INTERNET PHOTO
The film, Divergent, which stars Shailene Woodley and Theo James, comes out in theatres March 21 across North America.
fun & games
Monday, January 13, 2014
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Useless Facts
Oh Cliff!
Horoscope
The only 15-letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is uncopyrightable.
Week of January 13, 2014
Aries
March 21 April 19 You will feel like you are being challenged this week. Keep pushing through and you will see success. This weekend: Keeping focused.
Taurus April 20 May 20
Pressure at school will cause you to blow a fuse. Find a way to manage your emotions before you go off like a volcano. This weekend: Zen.
Gemini May 21 June 21
Your flirty ways will land you an introduction to someone who may change your perspective on love. This weekend: Keep your eyes and heart open.
Cancer June 22 July 22
A miscommunication will leave you feeling self conscious. Don’t over think it. This weekend: Clear your head.
Leo
July 23 August 22 It is easy for you to put others’ needs before your own but you might want to take some much deserved “me time.” This weekend: Kick back.
Virgo
August 23 September 22 Being a fly on the wall will give you the upper hand in a new environment. This weekend: Silent night.
Cats have over 100 vocal sounds, while dogs only have about 10.
Libra
September 23 October 22
Blueberry Jelly Bellies were created especially for Ronald Reagan.
Uncomfortable situations could be headed your way. Don’t be afraid to say no if it doesn’t feel like the right fit for you. This weekend: Stepping up.
Most North American car horns honk in the key of F.
Scorpio
The mask used by Michael Myers in the original film Halloween was actually a Captain Kirk mask painted white.
October 23 November 21 Times are tough but maintaining a positive attitude will help keep you on track. This weekend: Light bright.
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.
The time has come to take a look in the mirror and own up to your actions. This weekend: Truth will set you free.
Capricorn December 22 January 19
Working together with others in a team environment will bring you a new opportunity. This weekend: Group work.
Aquarius January 20 February 18
You have been working hard, spoil yourself with a material object you have had your eyes on for a while. This weekend: Cha-ching
Pisces
February 19 March 20 Your negative mood will leave you needing extra support. A close friend will be there for you. This weekend: Hug it out.
Lady Celeste is the being of all beings. She enjoys microwaved popcorn and Cranium.
Word Search
Monday, January 13, 2014
NEWS Cambridge campus students HAVE GOT game
Conestoga students at the Cambridge campus were able to get their video game fix on campus Jan. 7 thanks to Conestoga Students Inc. The student union hired We Got Game! to bring in 16 gaming systems for students to enjoy while on break.
New year, same story Resolutions are made but none are kept The clock strikes 12 a.m. and the new year has finally arrived. For millions of people across the planet this means a chance to change or improve their lives. We call these commitments “resolutions” but most people end up going back to their old ways. Many people declared that 2014 would be a year vastly different from the last, yet most are setting the same resolutions that they failed to achieve time and time before. People want to lose weight, quit smoking or get out of debt. On Dec. 31, they are eating their last slice of cake or enjoying their last inhale of a cigarette. New Year’s Day arrives and gym enrolments increase, people create financial budgets or buy the latest fad in nicotine replacement. Every year seems to be the same thing and every year we see the same results – failure. The problem isn’t that people want to change and benefit themselves, it’s how hard they’re actually willing to work to try to make that change. According to Solutions to Resolution
Tasha Lunny
Opinion Dilution, an article published in 2004 on the American Psychology Association website, 60 per cent of resolution makers have already given up by June and only 19 per cent of people are still going strong after two years. Why is it that January sees the driven and happy faces of people aching to become better and by spring they are already throwing in the towel? Nobody ever said making changes was easy but maybe a lot of people weren’t ready to make them in the first place. Most set huge, unrealistic goals that require big sacrifices and yet they aren’t emotionally and physically prepared to take on the dedication needed to reach it. Just wishing you were skinnier will never make you skinnier. Hard work, focus and
time might. The study also proved that the people who were most successful were the ones who took time to set up a system and strategize about how they were going to accomplish said goal. For example, people who want to save money wouldn’t just go ahead and try and spend less, they would set up a savings account, a budget and plan how much money is available for spending. The truth is major change takes commitment and preparation, not just willpower. I give people credit for trying. You are 10 times more likely to make a change if you are setting a New Year’s resolution than just hoping it will magically occur. Most goals are very difficult and it is human nature for us to give in when times get tough but it seems like resolutions are just becoming an excuse to say, “Well, I tried but it was too hard.” For all the people who are already giving in to temptation, your 2014 resolution should be to start keeping your resolutions.
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PHOTOs BY Bruce Chessel
Two students go head-to-head playing the latest in multiplayer gaming.
ENTERTAINMENT
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Monday, January 13, 2014
A celebration of strength WAR: Light Within/After The Darkness exhibit explores stories of the Holocaust and the Second World War BY LAURIE SNELL
The room is dim and the only bit of light comes from glimmering glass and small spotlights on twisted clay. WAR: Light Within/After The Darkness at the Clay and Glass Gallery is a celebratory exhibit of survival and the spirit of resistance to war, that aims to transport the visitor to a time of little hope and blatant disregard for human life. With eight Canadian contemporary artists involved in the exhibit, each has a personal connection to one of the greatest tragedies of our modern history – the Holocaust – and a stunning ability to create pieces of art with clay and glass with beautiful articulation. Revealing the damage that war, genocide and hate do to nature, a handful of trees sit uprooted, surrounding a shadowed fence while one patch of grass sneaks between the scorched earth – representing the many people who fled the war and hid in forests. Footprints that turn to ash as you walk along a pathway that enters a large chamber, are a reminder of the gas chambers and how many were forced to take that illfated route. And as you look up, a transparent Star of David sparkles as the outdoor light falls on it – a sign of pride and a target of hate during the war. These are just a few of the scenes at the Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery that explore the darkness of the period. The exhibit, which began in September 2013, has been extended to March 16, 2014 because it has been so well received. It has had visitors from all parts of the country, young and old. Public affairs manager William Hlowatzki said even a few survivors have toured the exhibit. “There were a couple artists that were contacted by Christian to create something specific for the exhibition and it did have to have sort of a clay and glass background to it,” Hlowatzki said. But crafting WAR: Light Within/After the Darkness was not an easy task. Sparked by the family history of co-ordinator and curator Christian Bernard Singer, the exhibit is a reflection of stories handed down from his grandmother about his greatgrandmother’s experiences.
In his foreword to the exhibit, the curator explains, “they are the stories about love and privation, told through a lens of naivety and innocence … The history, and the stories about the letters that came from Europe begging for help to escape, provide the basis of inspiration for this exhibit.” Assistant director Katherine Ronzio explained, “We have had all kinds of exhibits … we usually stick to a theme and find artists to create pieces to go with the theme the curator decides on.” Ronzio also added that the artists involved are generally Canadian, but they have had work from Europe and the U.S. “I don’t think it’s all that difficult to find clay and glass artists,” she said, adding that they hold clay and glass crafting classes at the gallery for beginners and intermediates as well. While some artists, such as Claire Weissman Wilks, are better known for their drawings, many were not afraid to take chances and try something new. With swirls of clay bodies wrapped around glass vases and intricately placed, Weissman Wilks took on the unusual task of using unfired clay to create pieces of art. “Because they’re not fired, it makes them that much more delicate,” Hlowatzki said. But each piece, like all art, is open to interpretation. A scene in the centre of the exhibit depicts a torn apart living space, with laundry everywhere and glass shattered. It packs a greater punch when you hear the cause and desire for ambiguous interpretation by the artist. “What Mary McKenzie did was – her husband’s family were Dutch – and of course during the war that whole area was bombed heavily by the Nazis. So what she did was tried to find clothing and things of that era. Her process was to take those pieces and put them in slip – slip is watered down clay. So you take the material, dip it in and you let it dry. And you dip it in again until you get a really good build up. Then she puts it in the kiln and all the fibre gets burnt away and you’re left with these pieces, so they are really delicate shadows of what they really were,” Hlowatzki said. And the artist won’t answer whether or not the fictional family fled the scene, were taken, or even survived – it is
PHOTO BY laurie snell
Young boys at the Clay and Glass Gallery in Waterloo on Jan. 5 examine a clay art piece by Mary McKenzie that depicts an overturned apartment during the Second World War..
CANADIAN CLAY AND GLASS GALLERY INFO Hours: Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. 6 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free Located at 25 Caroline St. N., Waterloo all up to the visitor to decide. Some of the other artists involved include Chari Cohen, Laura Donefer, Tina Poplawski and Helene Brunet-Neumann, who are all based in and around the Toronto area. Most of the artists’ work is available for sale in the gift shop, employee Mariah Gomez said. “We have a really good relationship with the artists. There are a good amount of sales usually throughout the week and the artists get 65 per cent profit.” “(The exhibit) is supposed to show the struggle. I think each of the artists was individually inspired to be involved,” Gomez said. For more information, visit www.canadianclayandglass. ca or phone 519-746-1882.
PHOTO BY LAURIE SNELL
A crib made of glass hangs from a tree at the Clay and Glass Gallery’s WAR: Light Within/After the Darkness exhibit.