Satisfy your sweet tooth New candy store opens in Cam bridge.
SPOKE
A L E A R N I N G N E W S R O O M FOR J O U R N A L I S M
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18. 2013
Repair Cafe Volunteers fix broken belongings.
STUDENTS
CONESTOGA COLLEGE, KITCHENER, ONT.
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44TH YEAR - NO. 23
Student named athlete of the year BY RANDI CLARKE
A Conestoga College student has been named Cambridge athlete of the year. At the 40th annual Cambridge Sports Awards on Nov. 1, Ashley Nichols, who competes in martial arts, beat out six other athletes - runners Nathan Brannen and Jordan Sherwood, water skiers Jason McClintock and Whitney McClintock, gym nast Victoria Moors and rower Carling Zeeman. The event recognizes those athletes who are involved in individual and team sports at a provincial, national or inter national level. Nichols, a second-year police foundations student at Conestoga, had been nominated twice before for the Tim Turow Award for athlete of the year. The honour is just one of m a n y for Nichols. In the past year alone, she has won three gold medals. Last month, at the 2013 Sportaccord World Combat Games in St. Petersburg, Russia, she won a bronze medal. Nichols is the first woman from a First Nations’ tribe to win a world professional title, which she did in Thailand. She belongs to the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and Oneida Nation. Although she loves compet ing, Nichols said her main goal right now is to graduate from college and then maybe attend university now that her com
petitions are done for the year. “For the last few years with being a national team member, I’ve been called away a couple times for a few tournaments and that kind of affects my attendance marks,” she said. “Now that the competitions have finished for the year, for me, I can focus on my grades and my course and everything.” She said her training actu ally helps her with her police foundations program as well. “With martial arts or any type of combat sport or any type of fitness, it helps with balancing your stress levels and it helps with giving you energy. It helps with stress management - I think that’s important too and it helps keep you fit.” Nichols has been doing muay thai for six and a half years and said that Brazilian jiu-jitsu is still a little new for her. “When I say new, I mean for the amount of knowledge there is to gain in both. I’ve been doing Brazilian jiu-jitsu for three and a half years now, so I feel like that’s new.” The key to all this? “It’s always finding a balance between everything that you’re doing.” Nichols, originally from Toronto, moved to Cambridge to be closer to her coach. She has a lot of respect for her coaches, referring to them as her mentors. “In martial art sport we always pay homage to our
PHOTO BY RANDI CLARKE
Ashley Nichols, a second-year police foundations student at Conestoga College, is the first woman from a First Nations’ tribe to win a world professional title. She has won three gold medals in the past year. teachers because they spend so much time and they believe their students will do well,”
Nichols said. “My coaches, Kru Chris and my Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach Kru
Jeff - I’m very thankful to them for all the effort and all the time we’ve been together doing this.”
CSI increases spending in revised budget BY JOSH BURY
A surplus of $945,000, accu mulated over several previ ous years of operation due to increased student intake, is now firmly in the crosshairs of Conestoga Students Inc.’s first-ever budget revision. The new budget, portions of which were revealed at CSI’s annual general meeting on Oct. 30, aims to increase spending with the goal of using up the surplus funds. CSI is not supposed to run a surplus - as a non-profit orga nization they could have their non-profit status revoked by the Canada Revenue Agency if that were to continue.
"W e always try to budget a deficit to try to eat away at the surplus (but increased enrol ment has resulted in more money coming in than initially thought). If we continue to run a surplus ... we will be taxed like a corporation,” said Jason Wright, CSI president. The company that CSI uses to audit the budget is BDO International, who initiated the discussions about elimi nating the deficit. “(BDO) had advised us that
we needed to start eating away at our surplus, other wise the CRA would start to question our not-for-profit status,” Wright said. The decision to revise the budget is a company-first for CSI, pointing to the need to look seriously at ways to reduce the surplus funds of almost a million dollars which reside, for the moment, in a low-interest guaranteed investment certificate. Wright says the spending increases are designed to go right back to the students. ‘W hen we revised the bud get, we made sure that stu dent activities were the first ones to see big increases.”
That means that students at all campuses can expect bigger and more numerous events this year. The Guelph campus will receive $45,000 in total, over twice as much funding as originally antici pated, while all other cam puses will see their events budget increase by an addi tional $10,000. Wright says specific plans for these new funds are up to the co-ordinator for each cam pus, but the funds will trans late to better event support and likely some new events in the winter semester. “I know at our Waterloo campus we will try to have more events throughout the
month. I know Cambridge is looking for bigger events and more events as well,” Wright said. The revised budget also includes a large increase in funding for the shuttle bus service, to allow for increased demand and an intended future purchase of a larger bus that is better able to han dle the local climate. One of the shuttles was in use in a southern state and ill-suited for the Canadian cold. Wright said the new bus would need to be custombuilt, and that the process would take six months. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3
NEWS
Page 2 ♦SPOKE
Monday, November 18,2013
Now deep thoughts ... with Conestoga C ollege Random questions answered by random students
If you could pick yo u r own nicknam e, w hat w ould it be?
“G oose.”
Sarah G ray, second-year broadcast television
PHOTO BY KELSEY DUNBAR
Ian Kearney,a Student Life programmer, reads a poem by Don Crawford as students, faculty and staff reflect on the past at the Remembrance Day ceremony at Conestoga College on Nov. 11. “ Fergie, because everybody calls me t h a t ”
Conestoga College rem em bers
N ick Ferguson, second-year broadcast television
BY KELSEY DUNBAR
“ Lolo, my baby cousins call me t h a t ”
Laura C arpenter, first-yea r protection/security and investigation
“ Baby M oon.”
G us Yacoub, second-year broadcast television
Two minutes of silence is observed on Remembrance Day to let us reflect on and honour the many soldiers who have given their lives and those who continue to serve. At Conestoga College in the Atrium on Nov. 11, a ceremony put on by Student Life allowed students, faculty and staff to gather together to remember. The ceremony included words from Myeengun Henry, man ager of Aboriginal Services, and the recitation of poet Don Crawford’s poem, Why Wear a Poppy, read by Ian Kearney, Student Life programmer and organizer of the ceremony. A boy came whistling down the street, bouncing along on carefree feet, his smile was full of joy and fun,
“Lady” he said,”May I have one?" When she pinned it on, he turned to say, "Why do we wear a poppy today?” The lady smiled in her wist ful way, and answered “THIS IS REMEMBRANCE DAY and the poppy there is a symbol for the gallant men who died in war, and because they did, you and I are free That's why we wear a poppy you see.” A montage of photos and foot age from wartimes was shown right before the two minutes of silence was observed out of respect for the thousands who gave their life in service.
;
In uniform , Gordon G reavette and Gary Szczerbaniwicz attended the ceremony to remember their friends and loved ones lost in battle. Greavette was a lieutenant-colonel in the Air Force and is currently the chair of the School of Liberal Studies and Communications at Conestoga College. Szczerbaniwicz was also a lieutenant-colonel and is pres ently the chair of the School of Business at Conestoga College. “I am standing today for sev eral friends but in particular my wife’s grandfather,” Greavette said. “I am standing for two uncles who died in the Second World War, and a close friend who died in the peace corpora tion,” Szczerbaniwicz said.
Princess.
B rittn e y Ince, second-year broadcast television
“ Emmett Brown, because Back to the Future is the greatest film ever created
Leo G antioqui, second-year broadcast television
Sm ile Conestoga, you could be our next respondent!
WINTER IS IN SIGHT The last few fall leaves cling to the trees along a trail in the Hespeler part of Cambridge, as winter approaches. The week will see below average temper atures, with a chilly low of -6 C on Wednesday.
PHOTO BY CALLIE WRIGGLESWORTH
NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
SPOKE* Page 3
Revised budget will reduce $945,000 surplus CSI increases spending for shuttle service, student events and cheap pizza as well as full-time staff salaries, staff conferences and retreats ♦ FROM PAGE 1
Wright says CSI is focused on making sure that they support a Canadian company when placing the order for a future vehicle/ “There have been some issues with (the existing buses) ... we’ve allocated money in the budget for it.” Half a million dollars of the surplus money has also been put aside for a “capital devel opment project,” but Wright refused to confirm that the funds were for the upcom ing rec centre renovation. CSI general manager Janie Renwick and Wright are both part of the management team on that project.
"W e’re not pulling the numbers out of thin air." - CSI president Jason Wright Even with the revision, the surplus won’t likely be elimi nated this year, but Wright says the new budget is the first step to eliminating the surplus “over a number of years.”
WHAT ELSE? Besides events and the shuttle bus service, the CSI budget includes entries for a number of other items. The CSI meal subsidy, bud geted at $45,000, is what allows for $2 pizza at the Sanctuary Cafe on Tuesdays. Wright says the subsidy required a budget increase because unprecedented inter est in cheap pizza meant the program was “reaching capac ity.” Another part of the bud get expense is dedicated to enhancing the furniture found around campus. The Doon campus cafeteria and School of Business recently benefited from some upgrades, but CSI president Jason Wright says they’re looking at other proj ects as well. “We are still looking at enhancing the Sanctuary fur niture as well, and maybe adding a little bit more to the landing (in the Atrium),” Wright said. While there has been a con siderable increase in studentfocused spending, there are still employees to be paid. After the budget revision, full-time and part-time per-
sonnel will cost students $962,000 this year. The $42,000 increase over the pre vious figure is because CSI is looking at hiring two full time staff members on oneyear contracts, one of who would replace a current full time employee who is away on maternity leave. Salaries for full-time CSI staff are calculated using soft ware called PayScale, which gives employers an idea of what an employee should be paid in the current market. “We’re not pulling the num bers out of thin air,” Wright said. Parking costs for full-time CSI staff are covered in the budget, but in the new docu ment provided to SPOKE, those costs are no longer a separate item, but included as part of the previously men tioned $962,000 figure. CSI pays for 13 parking spots for full-tim e staff, but Wright says that the amount budgeted is more than enough to cover the spots. Full-time staff also have basic cellphone plans and travel mileage for CSI purposes covered. The revised budget also increases funding for CSI to attend conferences and retreats for profession al development reasons. A $10,000 increase in this budget entry will allow most of the board of directors to attend the upcoming assem bly of the National Center for Student Leadership in New Orleans on Nov. 21, where previously only full-time staff would have been in atten dance. “It’s where we get all of our speakers for our leader ship conference ... they are phenomenal speakers and that’s why we bring them in,” Wright said. A student leadership pro gram, which includes a lead ership conference for stu dents, is in itself a big ticket item at a budgeted amount of $160,000. Of this amount, the conference and associated costs represent between 50 and 60 per cent, according to Wright and leadership devel opment co-ordinator Lisa Steele. The conference took place on Nov. 17 and 18 at Bingemans. The student leadership pro gram also involves a lead ership ambassador program which allows students to vol unteer time to plan communi ty events, and a global service leadership component where
PHOTO BY JOSH BURY
Demand for the CSI shuttle service continues to grow, and funds have been budgeted to allow for the purchase of a new vehicle with better cold-weather capabilties.
■ $7-$175 per studen t: Student fees. Students at the Ingersoll campus pay at the bottom end of this range, aind Doon and Cambridge at the top end. ■ $1.8 m illion: Total pro jected student fee rev enue f or this year. This represents the largest source of actual revenue in the budget.
PHOTO BY JOSH BURY
The section of the Doon campus cafeteria immediately adjacent to the School of Business had new couches and tables added as part of the budget’s $70,000 entry for student furniture and fixtures. students are sent to support communities in a less fortu nate part of the world. The budget also includes some funds which are con tributed to charitable orga nizations. Am ong oth ers, the budget includes a $5,000 donation to Christian Horizons, a faith-based orga nization that serves people with developmental disabili ties in Ontario. In some cases CSI donation money is paid to these people with disabili ties as a sort of paycheque, albeit a small one. “They go around and they collect recycling around the college ... they’re normally here with an individual that follows them around to make sure nothing goes wrong,” Wright said of their activi
ties, which take place across all campuses. When asked about the deci sion to support a Christian faith-based organization, Wright said it was made in the past. “As far as I know, it’s been a part of the organization since before my time, so it’s been implemented by past boards of directors ... as of right now, we don’t favour one religion over the next.” Those interested in looking at the budget for themselves should check CSI’s website periodically. Students who attended CSI’s annual gen eral meeting were told that the budget would be avail able online on the CSI web site but, at press time, it was not.
■ $2.5 m illion: Health plan fees bring in this amount in revenue, but most of this is paid out to the insurer who provides the plan. ■ $45,000: The amount that CSI will save by hiring only part-time employees who qualify for the work study program. This means they must be able to demon strate financial need to work part-time for CSI. ■ $37,000: The projected amount that Tim Hortons and the Sanctuary Cafe will pay to CSI this year for the use of their space. ■ $20,000: Ticket sales projected for CSI events this year. ■ $7,000: The amount that the surplus is expected to generate in interest.
COMMENTARY
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Monday, November 18,2013
Rob Ford should step down BY COLE FROUPE
Toronto’s mayor Rob Ford continues to be the centre of attention, making headlines all over the world after admitting he did, in fact, smoke crack, but he refuses to step down as mayor. His political career has been mired in controversy even before he became mayor. In 2010 when Ford was just a mayoral candidate he was asked by a Toronto Sun reporter of an incident in Florida back in February 1999 where he was arrested for drunk driving and mar ijuana possession. He denied it, but later backtracked, saying he “forgot” about the incident. How can you for get if you get arrested? Let’s jump ahead a few years to Aug. 14, 2012. A Twitter user who goes by the name of @ RyanGHaughton snapped a picture of the mayor read ing while driving on a busy highway in Toronto. The photo made its way around social media. When a reporter asked the mayor if he read while driving his response was,“Yeah, probably, I’m busy.” On June 19, 2013 the infamous crack video is reported on and the website, Gawker, holds a kickstarter where if they reached a goal of $200,000 they would buy and release the video. Ford denied the video existed saying (say the following in Cartman’s voice from South Park): “These allegations are ridiculous. It’s another story the Toronto Star is going after me. That’s all I have to say for now.” After denying it repeatedly, on Oct. 30 Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair called a press conference and confirmed that they had a copy of the video after recovering it from a hard drive and that it is consistent with what has been described in the media. Finally Ford admits and apologizes for smoking crack on Nov. 5. Despite all this controversy, he still has the nerve to say he won’t step down. You have got to hand it to the disgraced mayor though. It must be really hard to run one of the biggest cities in Canada while on crack. Now crack addicts everywhere can think, wow, I can be mayor one day if I just believe in myself. All joking aside, Rob Ford needs to step down and go to rehab pronto. The views herein represent the position of the newspa per not necessarily the author.
,
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’staches are coming in well.
How to easily annoy a nation White is the new red in the case of poppies. Haven’t you heard about it? White poppies are just the biggest thing in haute couture Remembrance Day wear. Yeah? No. Last year alone the Royal Canadian Legion sold $ 14-million worth of poppies to support various veterans’ services and over 18 mil lion Canadians wore the pins, but this year a group of peace activists in Ottawa are trying to put an end to the glorification of war, by dishonouring the very sym bol of Remembrance Day. The whole idea of the white poppies actually origi nated in Britain back in the 1920s and now they have resurfaced, thanks to the Rideau Institute in Ottawa. The group’s leader argues that the red poppies are glorifying war and that the new white ones are symbols of peace. So red poppies glorify war huh? Well, obviously some one fell asleep in their high school history classes. The red poppies are a symbol of military sacrifice.
| Opinion They represent every man and woman who gave their lives so that we can live the way that we do and by wear ing the red poppies we’re not only acknowledging this sac rifice but honouring it. I am not entirely against the basic idea of the white poppies. Symbols of peace have been around a long time. I mean, take a look at the peace sign. I am, how ever, against them being used as an anti-poppy sym bol. Supporting peace is fine but you should never do it by dishonouring those who lived and died so that you can have the right to even try this stupid idea. The only thing truly offen sive about the white poppy is that it is both copying the shape of the poppy as well as dishonouring the idea behind them. Personally I am both a
fan of peace and a fan of respecting the sacrifices of our veterans and to me the red poppy has always been very important. Despite all of this the group continues to try and push their white poppies, even going so far as to place a wreath of them on a memorial statue. Back in high school I took a drama class and my teach er told my class something that resonated with all of us. “Every time you discard a poppy or step on it in the halls, you are stepping on the sacrifice of a soldier,” she told us. To this day I cannot walk past a fallen poppy without picking it up and bringing it home with me to keep it safe. I guess that is why I see the white ones as so dis respectful. The organizers of the white poppies are try ing to make us forget these people, whether they realize it or not. If anything these white poppies are nothing but a black mark on Remembrance Day and I, for one, will stick to proudly wearing my red one.
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NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
SPOKE ♦ Page 5
K-W Symphony kicks off new season BY AARON CRECES
Are you a fan of excellent classical music? Are you a student with $14 who is look ing for something to do on a cold night in the city? If so, check out the KitchenerWaterloo Symphony and their latest 2013/2014 concerts. After four years of the Intersections series, KWS cel ebrated its fifth year with Intersections Encore on Nov. 8 and 9. Conducted by KWS director
"
When everything
comes together with the full orchestra the result is really mind-blowing." - Edwin Outwater
Edwin Outwater, the series of performances featured some of the most popular pieces from past Intersections shows, includ ing Lullaby, a piece written by co-founder of The Barenaked Ladies, Andy Creegan. “I love working with such amazing composers and art ists,” Outwater said. “And when everything comes togeth er with the full orchestra the result is really mind-blowing.” The night began with a piece never performed in an Intersections series, a number titled Aheym. It was written by American composer Bryce Dessner, drawing inspiration from stories of his parents,
who were Jewish immigrants. Next in line were The Fiddelnist Rim and Song of the Winter Solstice, two beautiful original pieces from Baltimore composer and elec tronic musician Dan Deacon. Taking the show in a different direction, his pieces featured electronic music blaring on loudspeakers with the sym phony playing in sync. His first stint with sym phony orchestra was with the K itchener-W aterloo Symphony back in their 2010/2011 season. While cheering and boister ous applause is a surefire way to get you kicked out of a symphony, audience members showed their delight in other, more subtle ways during the program intermission. Murmurings around the concert hall showed all too well how the night was going, though audience members were reluctant to discuss their opinions Creating a trance-like state in the third act, Creegan’s Lullaby piece was featured once again, being a favou PHOTO BY AARON CRECES rite from the symphony’s Drums anyone? Ben Reimer raps the snare drum during a performance of 2012; Triple Concerto for 2012/2013 season. Power Trio: Fantasia on Themes by Rush at Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony on Nov. 7. “This is a great piece,” Outwater said of Lullaby. “It’s got a smoky jazz feel to it, but from the music of prog-rock three additional musicians exciting music that we have also an Asian pentatonic kind power trio, Rush, for that playing the musical roles of the performed on this series.” All in all, it was a success band; with Steve Raegele on of thing going on.” one. Shaking things up in the The piece was structured guitar, Ben Reimer on drums ful start to the KitchenerSym phony’s final act was Nicole Lizee’s around the music of the band, and Remi-Jean LeBlanc on W a te rlo o 2013/2014 season of per piece, 2012: Triple Concerto but made to sound as if the bass. “T onigh t’s concert was formances. For more infor for Power Trio: Fantasia record which contained the on Themes by Rush. Not *music had been heavily dam really amazing,” Outwater m ation on the KWS and surprisingly, the Canadian aged. said. “It is incredible to their programs, visit www. com poser took inspiration The performance featured bring back some of the most kwsymphony.ca.
It is too early for Christmas It’s that time of year again. The time where most of the stores have put out all of their Christmas decorations, candy, cards and gifts. It’s the same time that those stores tend to play Christmas songs over and over and over again until most of us become sick of them. Most retailers wait until after Halloween (like Nov. 1) to start putting up their Christmas decorations. Most also wait until after Remembrance Day to start playing Christmas music out of respect for our veterans. However, some like to get a jump on things. Costco actu ally put their Christmas mer chandise out before Halloween. That’s right, they had their Halloween and Christmas candy and decorations on dis play at the same time. Shoppers Drug Mart actu ally played their Christmas music so early last year that they received a backlash from
Randi Clarke
Opinion customers who were upset with them for playing the music before Remembrance Day. Even the employees were a little taken aback. “It was disrespectful. Not just to our veterans, but to everyone,” said a Shoppers Drug Mart employee, who wanted to remain anony mous. “I don’t think that Christmas celebrations should start until the begin ning of December. October and November are way too early for that.” Even if you don’t agree with those stores’ decisions to start Christmas early, some people said the Christmas celebrations do add a bit of
cheer to their day. “It’s nice to have the decora tions and the music going in November,” said a regular Shoppers Drug Mart customer. “I realize it’s a little early and all, but everything is just so cheery about Christmas. Why not have that cheer come a little sooner? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.” While the music and deco rations may seem like a bit much in November, it is a good idea to get started on your Christmas shopping a little early. That way you can save your money and buy for everyone on your list before those last-minute Christmas Eve shoppers. After all, you don’t want to be one of those do you? “Personally, I like getting my Christmas shopping done as soon as I possibly can,” another Shoppers Drug Mart employee said. “Sometimes I even shop in September!”
NEWS
Page 6 ♦SPOKE
Monday, November 18,2013
How sw eet it is BY MARK LORENTZ
You’re finally finished that last candy bar from your Halloween stash, and figure it’s a bit too soon to grab the peppermint candy canes. Luckily a new candy store has opened just six kilome tres from Conestoga’s Doon campus that can satisfy all your sweet-tooth cravings. Candy Funhouse had its grand opening on Nov. 9 after four months of painting, plan ning and more painting. You can’t, miss the store located on King Street in Cambridge. If C.C. (Candy Crusher), a sixfoot-tall purple gorilla, doesn’t give it away, the purple, pink, blue and yellow paint job on the outside of the building surely will. Owner Moe Hejazi has a biology degree from the University of Windsor and, at 26 years of age, owning a candy store would seem the unlikeliest of career paths. “Ya, I mean, eventually I’d like to do something with my degree, but my dad owned a candy store growing up and it’s just stuck with me.”
"
It’s beyond words, it is
supercalifragilisticexpialidoscious." - Moe Hejazi The store is filled with a wide variety of sweets and toys, even having diabetic and kosher options. Most of the candy is shipped from the U.S. with a small selection coming from overseas. The most popular candy, CurlyWurly’s, comes from Cadbury in the U.K. Retro candies were a hit amongst the older people who attended the grand open ing, giving them flashbacks to their childhood. “I remember this gum (Thrills). It says on the pack age “tastes like soap” and it really does. I have no idea why I enjoy it so much,” said Anna Maslen, a retired book keeper. The children, on the other hand, enjoyed taking part in the “shock challenge,” eating a powdered candy that is so sour it can cause a variety of reactions. “Some people’s reactions go from sweating, to extreme convulsions, and some people have no reaction at all,” said Nikkila Rox, man ager of Candy Funhouse. The store also had special appearances by Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig, “Santa Claus” and a Willy Wonka impersonator. Craig was only in the store a short time,
to say hello to the owners and wish them luck with their new business venture, and participate in the cer emonial ribbon cutting, alongside Shirley Bowman of the Preston Towne Centre Business Improvement Area. When asked about having such young business own ers in Cambridge, Craig said that there has never been a limit on the age of a business owner. “Having ambition to achieve your dreams early is a trait to be admired,” he said. The mayor was given chocolate cigars as a token of appreciation for making an appearance. The grand opening ran from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., with vari ous musical acts, face paint ing and door prizes through out the day. Hejazi estimated that around 500 people vis ited the store. “It’s beyond words, it is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious,” Hejazi said. From the clichéd kids in a candy store, to parents and seniors alike remembering the days of simpler times, Candy Funhouse offers some thing for everyone. Tanya Hartman, an employee and the “candy queen,” said there’s a certain energy to the store that can’t really be explained. “People come in here and assume it’s just another candy store, but after spending time in here and getting to know us, you remember the experi ence, that’s what we’re trying to do,” Hartman said. Candy Funhouse may look like just a candy store at a quick glance, but they have so much more to offer, from hosting birthday parties to baby showers, and everything in between. The owner is also keen on helping out the community, and is always looking for local talent to per form, paint or draw within the store. “We’re about the commu nity, so having local artists come in and paint the walls or design a mural, it really adds to the store and what we’re all about,” Hejazi said. For more information on store hours, how to get involved in art shows or openmic nights, visit www.candyfunhouse.ca
PHOTOS BY MARK LORENTZ
Willy Wonka made a special appearance to the delight of young and old alike.
Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig (right) cuts the ceremonial ribbon at Candy Funhouse with owner Moe Hejazi (centre).
Candy Funhouse’s grand opening had door prizes, free giveaways and special appearances through out the day. Over 500 people visited the store for the festivities.
NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
SPOKE ♦Page 7
PHOTOS BY BRUCE CHESSELL
First-year electrical engineering technician student Holly Carson takes her talents to the table at the Waterloo campus on Nov. 5.
Carson, left, battles first-year tourism student Jusem Adams in a thrilling game of tabletop hockey. Students can look forward to a football toss marathon tomorrow.
Conestoga laces up Tabletop hockey takes over Waterloo campus BY BRUCE CHESSELL
Conestoga students at the Waterloo campus got to play Canada’s greatest game on Nov. 5, but they didn’t lace up skates or put on pads. Conestoga Students Inc. (CSI) set up two tabletop hockey games in the W aterloo campus’s B-wing in order to give students a break in between classes and also win gift cards from Future Shop, Tim Hortons and Chapters. Students stopped to try their luck against their fel
low classmates in games that crowned the first one to score three goals as the winner. Two students who stopped to play a quick game of pick up were first-year electrical engineering technician stu dent Holly Carson and firstyear tourism management student Jusem Adams. “It’s a good way to get everyone together to play something that’s distinctly Canadian,” Carson said. “Tabletop hockey is a classic game that a lot of Canadians, guys and girls, play growing up. It’s a lot
Adams concentrates while attempting to score.
of fun and we can get some people out to relive their childhood a little bit,” said Joseph Hefford, CSI com munications co-ordinator for the Waterloo campus who was overseeing the event. When asked what the goal of the event was Hefford said, “It is just to have fun with the students, maybe make a little better environment around here and make the place a little more happening.” Hefford said the next big event being held at the Waterloo campus was a foot ball toss marathon tomorrow.
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NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
Khrushchev’s son discusses C o ld War famously known as the son of Nikita Khrushchev, the man The 1960s was a decade of who led the Soviet Union tension during the Cold War. through the most tense events What were the two leaders, of the Cold War, relived his John F. Kennedy and Nikita memories of his father, while Khrushchev - who were con Blight did so for Kennedy. stantly knocking heads — Khrushchev said his father thinking during these tumul was happy when Kennedy was tuous years? elected president, because it This was the heavy topic would give the two countries of discussion on Nov. 7 at a chance to patch things up. the Centre for International “My father told President Governance and Innovation, Kennedy, T was on your side where approximately 250 during the elections,’ because people gathered to listen to he didn’t like Nixon ... he Sergei Khrushchev, James wanted to resolve problems Blight and j anet Lang (who over Berlin, and he wanted spells her name with a lower to improve these relations,” case j) travel back in time. Khrushchev said. The event, called Six More “He looked at Kennedy as Years: What They Might the President of the United Have Accomplished, featured States - our adversary ... Khrushchev and Blight elabo but I do not support that he rating on the emotional and thought President Kennedy practical reactions of both the was weak.” American and Soviet leaders, Blight, on the other hand, with Lang as their moderator. argued that Kennedy’s first Lang, who is a research pro year as president, 1961, was fessor at the Balsillie School a complete humiliation, espe of International Affairs cially at the Invasion of the (BSIA), and Blight, the chair Bay of Pigs. Blight said the of foreign policy development president did not understand also at the BSIA, have been “how a bunch of guys with good friends with Khrushchev beards and green outfits on this pipsqueak island defeat for quite a few decades. Khrushchev, who is most ed the Americans.” BY DEVON HAYES
More or less, it was a reality check - or maybe a paranoia trigger. “In 1961, nuclear weapons are presumed by many people to be like weapons. Kennedy saw them as just pieces of a Doomsday machine,” Blight said. The debate covered many topics, including both lead ers’ views on major develop ments, such as the building of the Berlin Wall, and most importantly for Khrushchev, Kennedy’s assassination. Audience members and those watching the live stream were allowed to ask questions during the last minutes of the lecture. Most interestingly, a ques tion was asked from an audi ence member that has been a longstanding question for years: is the Cold War consid ered a war? “Millions of people died in violent conflict during the Cold War. They didn’t hap pen usually to be Americans or Russians, but all over the world the war was fought by proxy states, and there’s no reason to be nostalgic about it whatsoever — it was war,” Blight said.
PHOTOS BY DEVON HAYES
Jim Blight (from left), janet Lang and Sergei Khrushchev discuss the reactions of John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev to the failure of the Invasion of the Bay of Pigs on Nov. 7, at The Centre for International Governance and Innovation in Waterloo.
Khrushchev prepares his notes before his Cold War debate.
Repair Cafe volunteers fix ail BY SPENCER BEEBE
PHOTOS BY SPENCER BEEBE
Repair Cafe volunteer Ravi Baboolal works on a broken clock at Kwartzlab Makerspace, Nov. 9.
Volunteers work to repair a bucket taken from the inside of a damaged ice cream machine.
If it’s broken, Repair Cafe volunteers can fix it. Organizers of the Repair Cafe, which was held Nov. 9, invited Kitchener residents to bring in their old, broken or damaged appliances, toys, electronics or clothes to be repaired by skilled artisans. Visitors brought in a vari ety of belongings, from simple watches and phones to more complicated devices such as computers and ice cream machines. “We have the skills to repair anything,” said Sylvie Spraakman, a repair volun teer and one of the event orga nizers. She added that the event is about people learn ing new things, and reducing waste. “It’s awesome; it’s so much stuff not getting thrown out,” she said. The cafe was held at Kitchener’s own Kwartzlab Makerspace, a public loca tion that often hosts work shops, community activities and events like this one. The lab’s website states that it is a place where members can get together to make things, to be creative and to pool their knowledge and resources to
work on personal projects or bigger collaborations. “People bring computers, furniture, jewelry, clothes,” said Doug Moen, another event organizer who was happy to see so many people bringing things to be repaired and getting to know others in their community. While this was the first Repair Cafe to be held in Kitchener, the concept has been popping up all over; Moen said it is an internation al movement that started in the Netherlands, and similar events to this one have been held in Toronto and other Canadian cities in recent months, along with dozens of other locations around the world. The cafe had a positive atmo sphere, with people talking, laughing and learning while enjoying music and snacks courtesy of the Kwartzlab. “I got my bike light fixed,” said Paul Nijjar, a Kwartzlab member. “Now it won’t leak and get ruined in the rain.” Interested in learning more about the event or the venue? Visit repaircafe.org or kwartzlab.ca for more information or to see when the next Repair Cafe will take place in your area.
NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
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Nerds of Kitchener-Waterloo unite BY scon DIETRICH
Do you enjoy science, comic books and other fantasy fic tion? Do you enjoy playing sports video games rather than actually playing the sport? If so you may be clas sified as a nerd, but don’t worry, if you live in K-W you’re not alone. Nerd Nite K-W is a social network that is open to anyone in the community but specifi cally tailors its culture to sci ence fiction, fantasy and other nerdly pleasures. It is a grow ing global network that began in New York seven years ago, and has since spread all over the world. They usually meet in a pub, have a few drinks, meet some new people and, of course, learn. There are prizes to be won and games to be played. The non-profit organization promotes itself as a social profit club. Charlotte Armstrong is the “boss” of the K-W chapter which was founded in 2012. She came up with the idea to bring Nerd Nite to K-W when she first started going to meetings in Toronto. “Two years I was travelling back and forth to go to the Nerd Nite (events) in Toronto and then I realized, K-W is
way more nerdy,” Armstrong said. “This is like the nerd capital of Canada, so we should have one here.” Although Nerd Nite events draw a lot of the same people time after time, Armstrong said you don’t have to know anybody to come to an event as all are welcome. “A lot of people come by themselves and wind up making friends and connecting with the com munity,” Armstrong said.
f f T h is is like the nerd capital of Canada, so we should have one here. V - Charlotte Armstrong
The last event they held was on Nov. 9 in the Rum Runner Pub and was called Carl Sagan Night, a loving tribute to a man whose pas sion for science popularized it. His show Cosmos: A Personal Voyage was influential on the careers of many academics in the field of science today. Guests of the event could dress up a Carl Sagan paper doll, make a mask out of a photo of his face and watch a non-stop playlist of Cosmos
episodes. It was a perfect way to honour the memory of a man who wanted to educate everyone and bring science into homes all over the world. Armstrong said the first time she saw Carl Sagan’s show is the moment that she fell in love with space, “He was the first scientist to be in the media and you heard the love and passion (for science) in his voice.” Another popular attraction at the event was the Oculus Rift, a state-of-the-art virtual reality machine. People could put on a pair of plasma screen goggles and noise cancelling headphones, and be suddenly rushed into a different time or place. Since the viewer cannot hear or see anything in the real world, the illusion is cre ated of being in the place the machine is projecting. The screen also syncs with the movement of the viewer’s head, so if the projection was the viewer travelling through space, he could look to his left and suddenly see an aster oid that he didn’t know was there. For more information on upcoming events and trips, go to Nerd Nite K-W’s Facebook page.
PHOTO BY SCOTT DIETRICH
Doug McDowell sits at the Oculus Rift Virtual reality machine, enjoying a trip around Earth.
Writers challenged to finish a novel in 30 days BY ASHLEY KOWITZ
For most writers, both new and old, November is known as National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo as it’s better known. During November people are to write 50,000 words. The challenge started in 1999 as an accident by the founder, Chris Baty. Baty is a teacher at Stanford University and the author of both No Plot? No Problem! and Ready. Set. Novel! He started NaNoWriMo with a group of 21 friends and it grew to become a force of 300,000 writers from more than 90 countries around the world. Brian Walsh, a business stu dent at St. Lawrence College in Ontario and author of The Way of All Flesh, said as a stu dent he finds it very difficult to maintain his writing during the school year and NaNoWriMo helps him keep up with it. “Every time the end of October nears, I can’t help but think that I could use the fol lowing month to catch up on my writing even though time is tight. That’s when you have to bust out those notebooks and write whenever you get the chance,” Walsh said. The NaNoWriMo.org forums have all sort of information
PHOTO SUBMITTED
November is National Novel Writing Month. for writers. They are able to use the forums to discuss the woes of trying to write 50,000 words in just 30 days or boast about the ease in which they are increasing their word count. But there are also places to post soundtracks or request someone to make a cover for your novel. Writing is a very soli tary hobby. However, NaNoWriMo gives authors a
chance to interact with each other, but not just online. The forums have set-up a place for regions all over the world to plan meet-ups and write-ins. They are a fun way to get people involved with other writers, to have word wars that help increase word count and get writers out of their offices and bedrooms. In Kitchener-Waterloo writeins are held at cafes around
the city, such as The Princess Cafe, Starbucks and Misty Mountain Cafe. “They’re really great for get ting word count done, since there’s almost always a word war going on and that really makes you hustle. It is also nice to talk to people about the stress of writing a novel and get their opinions,” said Katherine Witzel, a Kitchener resident who has been partici pating in NaNoWriMo since 2009. There have been over 250 NaNoWriMo novels published by traditional publishers as opposed to the self-publish ing route. One of those nov els was Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, which went on to become a film star ring Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon. Other NaNoWriMo novels published by traditional means are Erin Morgenstern’s Night Circus and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl. “Publishing, in cold reality, is a battleground with a lot of competition, but NaNoWriMo is like boot camp where you can develop a bond with your fellow writers,” Walsh said. But not everyone writes for the purpose of publish ing. Some people, like Witzel, write just for the joy of it. “My favourite part is Dec. 1
when I can say I finished the 50,000 words,” Witzel said. At the end of the month, authors are encouraged to ver ify their 50,000 words through the website. If they have suc ceeded in reaching the goal they are rewarded with gifts from the sponsors. Some of this year’s prizes include 50 per cent off writing software from Scrivener and Storyist as well as self-publishing servic es, such as CreateSpace and Kobo Write Life, offering free copies of your novel in either print or e-book form. The 50,000-word goal in just 30 days can be a lot with life always getting in the way, but participants show that it’s possible. There are week ly “pep talks” sent by email to participants encourag ing them and giving helpful tips from published authors such as James Patterson and Rainbow Rowell. On top of that, NaNoWriMo.org reminds participants each time they update their word count that it takes only 1,667 words a day to reach the goal on time. “There is always time to write. Write while you eat. Give up TV. Keep a pock et notebook. Give up some sleep. No matter what, there is always time for writing,” Walsh said.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Monday, November 18,2013
Film is star-studded heartwarmer BYTASHA LUNNY
Last Vegas is an emotional rollercoaster that will have you laughing one second and wiping away a tear the next. The movie follows four best friends in their late 60s and their spontaneous weekend trip to Las Vegas for a bach elor party. The movie, which was directed by Jon Turteltaub, was released on Nov. 1, and fronts some of the best actors in the business. Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline are the faces of the childhood friends who break free of their regular lives and seek a last hurrah in Sin City. The movie clearly resembles The Hangover, and could easily be one of its sequels 30 years down the line. The movie is clearly directed at an older audience, as it showcas es the funny and sad realities of aging. Last Vegas was fun and heartfelt. Although the actors5 appearances might have filled the theatre seats, it was the real life problems that reso-
INTERNET PHOTO
Last Vegas was released In theatres on Nov. 1 and brought in $16 million at the box office. nated with the audience. Although it had its comedic moments, the self-realizations that each character individu ally finds at the end of the movie is endearing. Though movie critics deemed the film too predict able, audiences liked it. On the weekend of its release it
K-W ART GALLERY:
brought m $16 million at the box office, ranking it third behind Ender’s Game and Bad Grandpa. Last Vegas is a good, life comedy. It won’t be winning a Golden Globe, but it is a decent movie to watch if you need a little pick-me-up. I give it three out of five stars.
c ir c l in g t h e in v e r s e s q u a r e
PHOTO BY ASHLEY KOWITZ
This is one of several geo plastic images by artist Richard Sewell that regards image as an experimental object in terms of location. The exhibit is one of three currently on display at the Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery.
NEWS
Monday, November 18,2013
PHOTO BY BRUCE CHESSELL
Arun Kumar, from left, Dushyant Puri, Fidelia Otokhina, Dickson Obasuyi, and Taiwo Yussuff pose with their OneMatch shirt.
OneM atch com es to Conestoga BY BRUCE CHESSELL
Today inside Door 4 at Conestoga’s Doon campus five international students will be manning a registration booth for OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network. Dushyant Puri and four other first-year project manage ment students, Arun Kumar, Dickson Obasuyi, Fidelia Otokhina and Taiwo Yussuff, are all passionate about OneMatch even though they can’t register because they are not Canadian citizens. The organization matches volunteer donors to patients who require stem cell trans plants. Fewer than 30 per cent of patients who need trans plants will find a compatible donor within their own family so the organization relies on volunteers to donate. “According to OneMatch’s rules, as an international stu dent you cannot be a part of the donation process,” Puri said. “I can’t donate because I don’t have an Ontario health card, and I also need to have insurance that will cover everything because the dona tion process does involve hos
pitalization.” But that hasn’t stopped them from getting involved. “There are a lot of people out there who need stem cells. Really, really need stem cells. Because there are not a lot of cures for a lot of diseases this gives people a ray of hope,” Puri said, who then went on to explain why he and his group want to be a part of OneMatch. “Our basic idea is aware ness. We want people to know what stem cell dona tion is, because people con fuse stem cell donation with stem cell research and what a lot of people don’t know is that cells that are required for research are completely different than the ones that are donated.” In addition to wanting a big turnout at their booth, Puri said he wants the people he gives a flyer or pamphlet to, to go home, read it and think about it. “Because you are coming into something that is going to affect a lot of lives.” You can register to donate at the OneMatch booth today inside Door 4 beside the Tim Hortons.
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NEWS
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Monday, November 18,2013
Hawks claw Condors 30-0 BY JOSH BURY
Conestoga College’s men’s rugby team travelled to Humber College on Nov. 10 for the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association semifi nal game, where they were defeated by the Humber Hawks 30-0. The Condors managed to keep it close until halftime, allowing only one try before the break. Things fell apart after that, with another 25
points added by the Hawks during the final half. The undefeated Hawks, who were heavily favoured to win the contest, moved on to the OCAA final, which was held this past weekend. They faced the Algonquin Thunder, who were also undefeated, for the gold medal. Conestoga took on the Trent Excalibur for the bronze. Results were not available at press time.
PHOTO BY AARON CRECES
The winter weather is coming, yet these geese continue to bathe in Doon campus’s pond. Why are these guys still here?
Canada
These feathered friends are true Canadian symbols Even in sub-zero temperatures, the black, white and grey birds are still a common sight around Doon campus
PHOTO BY AARON CRECES
While most animals and people would freeze to death, these geese have no problem with cold water.