The Fulcrum - Vol 75 Issue 14

You’reStudying

ALL WRONG P.4

a hand in the future

P.5

basketball Seasonal double feature P.14 distress

P.19

IN THIS ISSUE Budget woes P.4

Overspending for 101 Week

New PhD program P.7 Telfer accepting applications for new management program

Female MBA representation P.8

Enrolment below half at most Canadian universities

Keep the winter blues away P.9 Wellness Week tackles mental, physical, and social health

Delaney debut P.10 Twitter comedian releases book

Out of the gym, onto the trail P.15 Cross-country skiing around Mooney’s Bay

A step in the right direction P.16 Reviewing the best running shoes

To shop or not to shop P.17 Debating the merits of Black Friday

Dying with dignity P.18 Assisted suicide should not be a crime

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

101 Week budget in the red for second year running

Imroze Shaheen, president of UOSERT, confirmed the cost Eaton gave is correct, but said “almost all of it are costs for equipment that we will not incur again.” Shaheen estimates that future UOSERT costs for 101 Week will be $500.

Fed bodies surprised by expenses that went 30 per cent over budget Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

T

he Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) ran a deficit for 101 Week last year and more than doubled it this year, the executive recently announced.

Dave Eaton, the SFUO’s vice-president of finance, told the general assembly on Nov. 17 that the student federation ran a $32,357 deficit for 101 Week in 2013 and a $77,857 deficit in 2014.

Those figures put them 15 per cent and 30 per cent over budget, respectively.

However, Eaton said that after former vicepresident social Pat Marquis resigned on March 1, “there (were) a lot of things that didn’t get added to the 101 Week costs until much later.”

Last year’s 101 Week was a much bigger event, he said, though the SFUO had budgeted $45,000 less than they did this year.

The SFUO wasn’t able to adjust the budget in time for this year’s 101 Week in order to account for the previously unrecorded costs from 2013, “hence an even bigger deficit this year,” said Eaton.

This month’s budget announcement followed several complaints from students about the planning and consultation involved in 101 Week, epitomized by a $10,000 surplus in unused fireworks meant for this year’s closing ceremonies.

Complaints about the budget, however, have been in regards to the SFUO’s enlistment of the

University of Ottawa Student Emergency Response Team (UOSERT) during September’s activities.

Several vice-president socials of federated bodies are saying they weren’t informed about the extra costs of having UOSERT replace safety ambassadors at 101 Week this year.

The responders cost approximately $15,000, according to Eaton.

According to Anne-Marie Cooke, vicepresident social of the Science Students’ Association, she and others were aware that the student-run team—which became an official SFUO service after a successful by-election referendum in late October—would be replacing safety ambassadors.

“But we were never explained the extent of their implication,” she said, “nor were we made aware of the exorbitant amount of money it cost.”

Hanna Fazal, vice-president social of the Students’ Association of the Faculty of Arts (SAFA), said she also wasn’t informed about the added costs of UOSERT. Imroze Shaheen, president of UOSERT, confirmed the cost Eaton gave is correct, but said “almost all of it are costs for equipment that we will not incur again.” Shaheen estimates that future UOSERT costs for 101 Week will be $500.

She also added that the individual members of UOSERT contributed $300 to help bring down costs.

They also cut down the number of ambulances needed throughout the week, and incidents were “much lower than in previous years,” said Eaton.

Beginning this January, UOSERT will be dispatched 24/7 to respond to student emergencies.

Emergency response costs weren’t accounted for in the May budget because the SFUO didn’t decide to have the student responders at 101 Week until July, he added.

Beginning this January, UOSERT will be dispatched 24/7 to respond to student emergencies.

In regards to the deficit, Eaton said that the university charged them to use certain facilities that they had not had to pay for previously.

Due to construction on Tabaret lawn, the SFUO had to move the location of their annual Eid Dinner to the Faculty of Social Sciences parking lot.

Photo: Courtesy of Zoom Productions

Caroline Milliard, the university’s manager of media relations, clarified that as in previous years, anyone who uses any of the university’s parking lots has to pay.

Eaton also pointed out that the university charged the SFUO for use of guide-training rooms, which was “never the case in the past.”

The last major factor, he said, was the cost to bring in Lupe Fiasco and Kardinal Offishall for Fedstock, which cost more than previous entertainment costs of 101 Week.

Eaton said the SFUO remains at an overall surplus despite the 101 Week deficits.

Ivan Stojmenovic remembered

Former professor was ‘one of those giants upon whose shoulders we stood’ News Editor

“Many of us here today, who have faced rigorous educational challenges … know that in such situations there is usually very limited time to describe something much bigger, and deeper, and meaningful than what our modest presentation skills can actually convey.”

Rafael Falcon spoke eloquently of the late Ivan Stojmenovic to a crowd of friends and colleagues at his funeral on Nov. 9.

“In the same way, attempting to capture in a few minutes the life and ideals of a visionary and a man who rose above all the challenges of his time to leave a lasting legacy in the hearts of many is a quite difficult endeavour,” he said.

Stojmenovic, a former professor of electrical engineering and computer science at the University of Ottawa, passed away on Nov. 3 when his vehicle slammed into an overpass on Highway 416. He was 57.

4 | NEWS

Born in Serbia in 1957, Stojmenovic grew up to study mathematics and earn a bachelor and master's degrees in science from the University of Novi Sad in Serbia and a PhD from the University of Zagreb in Croatia. He taught at numerous universities around the world before settling down at the U of O in 1988.

He left behind a wife, Natassa, two children, Milos and Milica, and a granddaughter, Lana.

According to Milica Stojmenovic, her father's biggest inspiration was Nikola Tesla, a man he often talked about to begin his presentations.

Both scientists had “beautifully gifted yet humble minds,” she said.

Professor Amiya Nayak, who supervised graduate students with Stojmenovic, said they first met in 2003 and the two worked closely on numerous projects since then.

Stojmenovic strongly emphasized quality, said Nayak. “He had guidelines for all students (on) how to write good technical article(s). He

was strict on our students, especially when they did not follow his guidelines,” he said.

But it wasn't just for students; Stojmenovic enforced his own rules throughout his extensive research. He had a special interest in communication networks and algorithms, and published more than 160 articles over the course of his life.

In 2008, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers named him an IEEE Fellow for an “extraordinary record of accomplishments” in data communication and wireless sensor technology. He was also listed on the 2013 Thomson Reuters list of highly cited researchers with more than 15,000 citations. The U of O presented Stojmenovic with the Excellence in Research award in 2009.

But, according to his daughter, “his diplomas and certifications don't do his devotion to research justice.”

The genuine affection that Stojmenovic showed his students “will also accompany us for

the rest of our lives,” said Falcon, who concluded his eulogy with a reference to another prolific scientist, Sir Isaac Newton.

“Sir Newton said: ‘If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.’ Ivan, you are one of those giants upon whose shoulders we, and countless others, stood.”

Like his idol Nikola Tesla, Ivan Stojmenovic was a ‘beautifully gifted yet humble mind’, said his daughter.

Photo: Courtesy of Amiya Nayak

Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi

thefulcrum.ca

Photos: Marta Kierkus

a hand Kathryn Tubridy Pakenham Contributor

“Children grow so much every year, no one would be able to afford that many prosthetic limbs if they all cost $20,000.

With these printers, we can allow him to have (the) use of the hand now, so he can play sports, and do other things all children should be able to do.”— Lety Chavarria thefulcrum.ca

The Faculty of Engineering has challenged the University of Ottawa community to put their fingerprints to good use to help a six-year-old boy in need of a prosthetic limb.

During the official launch of the uOttawa Makerspace on Nov. 20, the student-run engineering and design hub launched a competition to create a 3D-printed hand for the boy, named Sebastian Chavarria. The contest will continue until March when he’ll pick his favourite design.

Lety Chavarria, Sebastian’s mother, spoke about the many difficulties faced by children who need prosthetics.

“Children grow so much every year, no one would be able to afford that many prosthetic limbs if they all cost $20,000,” she said. “With these printers, we can allow him to have (the) use of the hand now, so he can play sports, and do other things all children should be able to do.”

Nemanja Babic, a third-year biomedical engineering student, demonstrated how to design a prosthetic hand during the launch, and explained how 3D printing will change the development of pros-

Cheryll Johns, left, Robert Dizon, and Jason Robb at uOttawa Makerspace.

Lending

Makerspace kick-off launches with prosthetic design contest

thetics.

“In the past, prosthetics were more for the aesthetic appeal,” he said. “They didn’t really serve a purpose except for appearances.

Now we can build hands that have at least some of the functions of a hand, they can grab and lift things.”

The makerspace, which has been open since September, is free for those in the U of O community to use throughout the week, and for the greater Ottawa community on Sundays. In addition to 3D printers, the facility has a wide range of equipment to cater to any innovative ambitions.

“I was always a fan of the DIY, ‘do-it-yourself,’ or the maker movement, which is rapidly growing,” said Omar Dowidar, one of the makerspace’s student coordinators.

Dowidar said he hopes the makerspace will inspire similar enthusiasm for innovation in other students.

“Our main goals were not just for students to gain access to expensive tools, but more about learning how to turn raw ideas into prototypes that can be tested, refined, and improved through feedback,” said Dowidar.

Dowidar said the launch was a “huge success” with a turnout of

more than 300 students, faculty members, and community members.

The launch was part of Global Entrepreneurship Week (GEW), the “largest celebration of the innovators and job creators who launch startups that bring ideas to life, drive economic growth, and expand human welfare,” according to the GEW website.

The U of O has put forth a variety of services in recent years to support student startups, including Startup Garage and the newlyminted Entrepreneurship Hub. The Ontario government has also taken notice of young entrepreneurs, having recently made a $2-million investment in Ottawa’s four post-secondary institutions.

Looking ahead, the engineering students hope to expand the capacity of the makerspace by acquiring more equipment and expanding operations so they reach more students, said Dowidar.

He also said they hope to create more cross-disciplinary projects, “for example, engineering students may get ideas from watching artists work out solutions.”

“Essentially, more collaborations are more likely to happen with the challenges and competitions planned for the space.”

NEWS | 5

News Briefs

Eastern Ontario MPP’s son joins fights against ISIS Dillon Hillier, the son of MPP Randy Hillier, has travelled to Iraq as a solo volunteer to fight the extremist group known as ISIS. Randy Hillier and his wife have said they are very proud of Dillon, 26.

Although they have limited contact, Randy confirmed that his son was safe in a written statement.

Dillon, who served in Afghanistan in 2013, has joined many other former members of the Canadian Forces who have made their way to Iraq with the help of an informal network headed by another Ottawa veteran to join Kurdish forces. Hillier is ex-

pected to reach conflict zones by the end of the week.

Philippe Lagassé, an associate professor of public and international affairs at the University of Ottawa, said he believes there are no restrictions on Canadians joining an allied or non-enemy army, such as the Kurdish Peshmerga forces.

The Canadian government announced they would deploy a small military force to aid rebel groups in the fight against ISIS in solidarity with many other Western nations.

—Allegra Morgado

U of O researcher awarded prestigious Polanyi Prize Jennifer Brunet, an assistant professor of human kinetics at the University of Ottawa, has been recognized for her research on the benefits of exercise for cancer patients. Brunet was among five professors awarded the renowned Polyani Prize on Nov. 17.

Brunet has investigated how physical activity can greatly improve the quality of life of cancer patients and survivors, and has explored the factors that deter those suffering from the disease from being physically active. Her research attests to the role of exercise in cancer prevention.

The Polyani Prize, valued at $20,000 per prize, is presented annually to leading researchers at Ontario post-secondary institutions in the fields of chemistry, economic science,

literature, physiology and medicine, and physics.

Named after Nobel Prize-winning chemist Charles Polanyi, the prize is “the highest honour researchers can achieve from the province of Ontario,” according to Max Blouw, chair of the Council of Ontario Universities and president of Wilfrid Laurier University.

The other 2014 awardees are William Bennett of the University of Waterloo for chemistry, Rahul Deb of the University of Toronto for economic science, Andrea Charise of the University of Toronto for literature, and Eduardo Martin-Martinez of the University of Waterloo for physics.

—Everett Kehew

Experts discuss youth homelessness in Ottawa A group of 120 experts gathered in Ottawa to address the issue of youth homelessness in the National Capital Region.

The City of Ottawa’s Youth Services Bureau (YSB) estimates that there are at least 1,000 people between the ages of 16 and 24 who use emergency shelters in Ottawa. But the YSB has only two women’s shelters and two men’s shelters, each providing 30 beds, said Joanne Lowe, executive director of the YSB. The remaining homeless youth have to turn to adult shelters, which aren’t always a good fit, Lowe told the Ottawa Citizen.

The diverse group of experts discussed Housing First, a program that aims to give people a place to stay be-

6 | NEWS

fore addressing any other issues. The conference also put an emphasis on prevention by looking out for teenagers at school and spotting the first signs of trouble.

“The longer someone is homeless, the more they are entrenched in street life. Their health worsens. They have problems with addictions,” said Stephen Gaetz of York University’s Canadian Observatory on Homelessness.

He said homeless teens have a different set of needs than adults and are often forced out of their homes because of abuse. “That’s where we need to do things differently, and help young people stay in their communities.”

—Menrika Christian

thefulcrum.ca

Telfer coins new PhD program Government funds help kickstart management doctoral program Christina Yee

staff Contributor

will benefit both public and private sector organizations.

“In spending public and private money, they need to be aware of the best kind of research that could help them in their decision-making process.”

Angus, who served as the dean of the U of O’s population health PhD program from 2003 to 2010, and vice dean and associate dean of the school from 1999 to 2002, sat on the committee that advocated for the creation of the new program.

“We have a variety of different disciplines in the school of management, something probably a lot of people are not aware of,” said Angus. “All of these elements could be drawn together to actually do some really, really important

U of O Innovations

David Campion-Smith staff contributor

research.”

Bonaccio said the new program isn’t just for those who want to teach.

“We are taking a holistic approach to the student. We recognize that a lot of students who are taking a PhD may not go into academia and in fact, it’s the norm for somebody to do a PhD and not go and be a university professor,” said Bonaccio.

The program is expected to have small classes of 10–15 students, which is in line with other universities.

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2016 program.

Photo: Rémi Yuan

With the help of provincial funding, the Telfer School of Management has announced the creation of a new PhD management program to be piloted in 2016.

The idea had been floated for the past 30 years, said Silvia Bonaccio, an associate professor at the University of Ottawa and director of the new program, but serious planning only began two years ago.

“The PhD is a very good avenue for students who enjoy asking interesting questions, complex questions,” she said, “and for those who like finding creative, innovative, and cross-disciplinary answers to those questions.”

The program will focus on five main areas: accounting and control, entrepreneurship, finance, health systems, and organizational behaviour and human resources. The full-time, four-year program purports to allow students to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills through methodological and statistical courses and thesis work.

Telfer’s program is unique because of its focus on less saturated fields of study such as entrepreneurship and health systems, said Bonaccio.

Douglas Angus is a professor at the U of O specializing in health policy, who will be supervising students in the health systems program.

He said the new program

Silvia Bonaccio said Telfer will now be among the few schools in Canada to offer PhDs in health systems and entrepreneurship.

“The PhD is a very good avenue for students who enjoy asking interesting questions, complex questions and for those who like finding creative, innovative, and crossdisciplinary answers to those questions.” ­—Silvia Bonaccio

International effort rewrites earth’s history exposed means that the rock formations can be more easily examined and analyzed by geologists.

The Result

Located in the St. Lawrence river, Anticosti Island’s 600km coastline has provided valuable geological insight.

Photo: public domain wikimedia commons

Researchers from the University of Ottawa and University of Strasbourg in France have rewritten the story on the second-largest mass extinction in Earth’s history, an event that wiped out about 85 per cent of life on Earth at the time.

The researchers have proven that this mass extinction was caused by multiple glacial events over an extended period of time.

The Project

André Desrochers, a professor from the Department of Earth Sciences at the U of O and a thirty-year veteran in the field of paleogeology (the study of geological history and earth’s origins) lead the research team from Ottawa.

They divided up the project, with the U of O researchers analyzing sediment from Anticosti Island while the Strasbourg team worked on a site in Morocco. Located in the St. Lawrence River, Anticosti Island has a 600km coastline, providing abundant sediment records.

Due to continental drift, Morocco was situated near the South Pole 444 million years ago at the time of the mass extinction, while Anticosti Island was located near the equator.

These two locations were important because “they are exceptionally well exposed…It’s like a book,” said Desrochers. “You have not only every page you (have) every line of the story.” Being

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By comparing the sediment levels of Anticosti with corresponding levels of glacier formation in Morocco, the teams were able to show that the glaciers not only formed at the same time as the sea levels dropped but that they were the cause of the drop. “So each time there was a glacial deposit in Morocco we record(ed) a sea level fall on Anticosti.”

This process of glaciers forming and melting happened numerous times at the end of the Ordovician period, 444 million years ago. The massive loss of life was a result of the repeated nature of these glaciations, not due to a single glacial period as previously believed.

The mass extinction occurred in two phases, according to Desrochers, with the first phase being associated with the onset of glaciation, while “the second phase of extinction has been associated with the end of glaciation.”

The first phase signified a loss of “ecospace,” said Desrochers, as the glaciers formed and drew water from the oceans. That second phase came when the glaciers melted and the melted ice water tainted the environment that marine life had become adapted to.

What’s next?

Desrochers isn’t finished yet with Anticosti Island, as he hopes to further examine the Ordovician-Silurian boundary in the next five years.

He hopes to include more students in his research, to help them gain the skills necessary for entry into the workforce.

“The overall goal of my research program,” said Desrochers, “is to answer 21st century questions about the ocean-atmosphere-biosphere system during one of the most dynamic intervals in Earth history.”

NEWS | 7

National News

Bias in business may mean fewer female MBA students

Study links educators’ skepticism to poor academic performance among minorities

Rachel Ward

CUP Labour Bureau Chief HALIFAX (CUP) — Experts say women are at a disadvantage when it comes to studying business. The standard path to upgrade skills—a master of business administration (MBA)—is much more popular for men. Female enrolment is below half at most Canadian universities, according to enrolment numbers from 2013, with women surpassing barely a third of classes at most of the bigger schools.

Most MBA programs require several years of work experience in order to apply. Unlike a law or medical degree which offers a professional certification, an MBA does not guarantee career advancement.

Universities are challenged to convince women to go back to school, spending upwards of $80,000 for tuition alone.

Schools have tried a variety of women-only programs, including a recent initiative by a Texas-based organization that has partnered with Toronto universities. That program, MBALaunch, offers 10 months to boost applications for $500.

The universities agree to waive application fees and offer several $20,000 scholarships.

Dara Gallinger, a marketing MBA student at McGill University, said she enrolled because the timing was right. At 31, she had years of experience as an entrepreneur and marketing contract. McGill’s reputation and international focus drew her in, despite its high price tag.

She now works full-time while in her second year, still finding time to volunteer with the student society.

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Photo: Marco Arment/Flickr, CC

“MBA programs are really just a mirror reflection of what’s going on in the workforce,” said Gallinger. “For whatever reason, more men than women seem to be a little bit more ambitious and looking to build their careers.”

Managers promote men ahead of women, according to a recent report by the non-profit think tank Catalyst, despite equal education and experience. Women also make more than $8,000 less than men in their first post-graduation job, according to the report.

“It’s a bit of a gamble,” said Jeanne Martinson, owner of the diversity consulting company Martrain. “There’s no guarantee,” she said, that an MBA will “make a difference in your economic future or your promotability.”

The result is slow job progression causing women to believe advancement is out of reach. The Women Shaping Business survey by Randstad Canada found that close to 30 per cent of women were undecided on whether they’d seek senior management jobs, and

almost 50 per cent felt those positions were unattainable.

Randstad Canada, for example, found women fear that taking time for family commitments will hold them back professionally and that senior managers have little confidence in female leadership ability.

The Harvard Business Review followed its MBA graduates, and found more than half of male, married students expect to put their careers over their wives’. Two thirds also expect their wives to handle all childcare, according to the report.

In Canada, almost 65 per cent of women with kids under age three are working, more than double from 30 years ago. Harvard also found men are “significantly” more likely to take on senior management roles.

At McGill, Gallinger balances working full-time with a highly demanding MBA program. She says she’s all set up to progress in her career, but she’s aware of the inequalities.

“I think MBA programs’ demographics is a reflection of women in management positions in the workforce.”

Groups at Ryerson, such as the Tri-Mentoring program and First Generation are helping students grapple with the difficulties of succeeding at post-secondary education. Photo: Rhee Joseph/Ryersonian

Rhiannon Joseph The Ryersonian

TORONTO (CUP) — Some Ryerson educators aren’t surprised at a study that says teachers who don’t believe in students might negatively affect their success.

“Am I surprised? No. Am I disappointed? Yes,” said Wendy Cukier, founder of the Diversity Institute of Ryerson University. “We know unconscious bias is everywhere and we have to work to combat it.”

Cukier was commenting on a recent study published by the Center for American Progress (CAP), which says students from low-income families and diverse racial backgrounds may suffer in school based on their teachers’ expectations.

It found that teachers had less faith in some students being accepted into university: 42 per cent less likely for Hispanic students, 47 per cent less likely for black students, and 53 per cent less likely for students from low-income families.

“For us, what was surprising

was that individuals (whose teachers had high expectations) were three times more likely to graduate from college,” Ulrich Boser, a CAP researcher, told the Huffington Post.

The study suggests the theory of a self-fulfilling prophecy: If you believe something will happen, you will consciously or subconsciously try to achieve it.

For some at Ryerson, the study wasn’t particularly revealing, and shone light on an issue they’ve been combating for years.

“I’ve had students come up to me and talk about how difficult it was to grow up in their neighbourhood,” said Mariam Hashemi, a program facilitator for Ryerson’s Tri-Mentoring Program. “The expectation was that you’re not going to go anywhere and that you had limited choices on your future.

Now that those students have crossed those boundaries, it paves a path and creates a way for others to look at them as role models.”

Ryerson president Sheldon Levy said this is the first time such an issue has come to his attention.

“I have never heard anything like that,” Levy said.

The First Generation project, a branch of Ryerson’s Tri-Mentoring program, offers support to students who are the first in their families to attend university. Student mentors help to provide support for students in their own communities.

Zayan Rafeek, First Generation engagement ambassador and fourth-year business student at Ryerson, remembers discouraging experiences with his high school teachers.

“There was one particular teacher that kept telling me that I would drop out of university in my first year,” said Rafeek.

“It’s sad to see teachers who should be encouraging students to follow their passion tell them otherwise. Even if you think you can do it, when you hear someone say you can’t every morning, five days a week, you start doubting yourself.”

Programs such as First Generation help individuals who may not have thought about attending university, perhaps based on their background, community, or lack of encouragement in high school.

Mohamed Moustapha, a Ryerson student and mentor at the First Generation Project, is one of those students.

Moustapha, who grew up in a neighbourhood characterized by public-housing units and high crime rates has taken advantage of programs aimed at his demographic.

“I love my neighbourhood but I’ve always wanted to do bigger and better things,” said Moustapha. “And school is a driving force to obtain that success.”

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ARTS &CULTURE

A&C EDITOR Jessica Eritou arts@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Wellness Week cares for body, mind, and soul UOHS reaches out to students with multi-faceted awareness event Savannah Awde Proofreader

than an apple a day to I tkeeptakesthemore doctor away.

University of Ottawa Health Services (UOHS) dedicated the week of Nov. 17–21 to promoting a wide-ranging approach to wellness that includes mental, physical, and social well-being.

The inaugural Wellness Week’s activities included live demonstrations on how to make nutritious smoothies or salad dressings, physical fitness challenges, lectures on topics such as time management and battling the anxieties that may come with public speaking—and timeless favourites like pet therapy and free massages.

Kristine Houde, manager of Health Promotion at UOHS, said the idea started very small but grew into something even bigger. “We’re hoping that next year we’ll be able to reproduce the same thing again,” she said.

Over the four years she’s worked with UOHS, Houde said she’s noticed a common

Photo: Rémi Yuan. Edits: Marta Kierkus. Caribbean Hammocks - Phoot: Joe Shlabotnik, CC flickr.com

problem is that students in distress simply may not know about services that could be helpful to them. Wellness Week sought to change that.

UOHS has previously held a mental health fair one day per semester, among other initiatives, but they wanted an event that would cover more ground.

OWNing it with Oprah

Student-produced show picked up by the Big O Justin Chandler

The Eyeopener (Ryerson University) TORONTO (CUP) — A Ryerson student-produced television show called The Naked Entrepreneur started airing half-hour episodes on Rogers TV on Oct. 28, and will be broadcast internationally in one-hour episodes on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) beginning in January.

“OWN and Rogers came to us seeking great Canadian content,” said Sean Wise, the host of the show, in an email. “We were happy to provide.”

Wise is a professor at the Ted Rogers School of Management. The Naked Entrepreneur features interviews between him and Canadian business personalities such as Christine Magee and Harry Rosen.

The show gives students “relevant, candid perspectives” from successful entrepreneurs, said Dana Abou Shackra, assistant producer of the show and recent Ted Rogers grad.

Abou Shackra said that being Canadian makes The Naked Entrepreneur more valuable. Canadian business students see American culture in the media most often, she said,

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and The Naked Entrepreneur aims to be a better fit for Canadian business culture.

Wise said he started the show because students “needed more Canadian role models to be inspired by and to learn from.” When he decided he wanted to make The Naked Entrepreneur, he approached RTA Productions to help him. The production organization provides students from Ryerson University who are involved in their Media Production department with technical services to shoot film with the help of media professionals.

“For dozens of years, Ryerson’s radio and television faculty has been producing great TV,” Wise said.

“Staying on campus allowed us to not only develop the show but also provide experience to our RTA students.”

RTA Productions pays students in the RTA School to produce shows. Students apply, and are then put into roles and trained, said Rob Carver, general manager of RTA Productions.

Carver said the first episodes of The Naked Entrepreneur that will air on OWN are repackaged versions of content in the half-hour version

of the program.

Wise said a lot of work goes into the show. “It takes us approximately 10 hours to produce 21 minutes of great television.”

Caitlin Dosa, director and associate producer of The Naked Entrepreneur said working on the show has been a great experience. Being broadcast internationally shows the RTA Production’s work is credible, she said.

Charles Falzon, chair of the RTA School of Media, said the fact that the show has been picked up by OWN opens up new opportunities for RTA Productions. Soon more RTA programs may be on air—the group wants to further expand by getting content on Sportsnet, Falzon said.

The prestige of having content on network television is great for the school and the students who worked on the program, he said. “It’s always great when you have something (you) produced on the air.”

“We’re talking about mental health, but we’re talking about total wellness as well. So it’s mental health, physical health, and social health, social well-being,” Houde said.

“This idea, the joint initiative for profs, employees, and students … that’s where I really feel that this is a better experience than our fair.”

The interdisciplinary event also featured the participation of Campus Sustainability, Sports Services, Food Services, and the Student Academic Success Service (SASS).

Murray Sang, program director for SASS, encourages students to check out what the organization provides, such as Access Service for students who may have mental health challenges. “We were happy to see mental health be de-stigmatized with Wellness Week for students who need support to come and get it,” he said. SASS offers counselling services by appointment to help students deal with stress, anxiety, and more.

Houde said it’s important to know that help is there when you need it, and encouraged students to visit UOHS at UCU 203 any time they need support.

Ryerson students now have bragging rights to say their show is on OWN. Photo: Bill Ebbesen, CC

ARTS & CULTURE | 9

More than 140 characters of laughs

Twitter king Rob Delaney delivers the laughs in candid autobiography Jessica Eritou

Arts & Culture Editor “Mother. Wife. Sister. Human.

Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban.

Cabbage.” Rob Delany’s Twitter bio is a seemingly random collection of words. It’s also the name of his first book. If you don’t follow him, you are truly missing out.

Delaney’s humour is raw, and unrefined, and certainly not for everyone. He has no boundaries—an important and refreshing quality when you’re in need of a laugh. As you scroll through his Twitter feed, you might find yourself clutching your pearls, but still laughing. Perhaps most comparable to Louis C.K. or the outspoken uncle at Thanksgiving who tells it to you like it is,

Delaney makes you wish you had the cojones to do the same.

Most comedians are afraid of having their jokes stolen, but Delaney was already in a lot of debt, and figured he had nothing left to lose on Twitter. His direct one-liners caught the eye of a public that was only just figuring out how to make their Twitter accounts worth anyone’s time.

The candid book follows Delaney’s troubled days of alcoholism in his early teens, and then depression, and how he overcame it all and started a family. Most of the stories have an underlying melancholic feel, twisted with situational dark humour. It’s cringe-worthy to read the first chapter of the book where

he recalls yelling at his mother for making him a special birthday cake with the faces of Danzig band members for his 13th birthday and refusing it. You probably realize how you can be ungrateful too sometimes.

Other parts are more frightening, as he recalls hitting rock bottom in the hospital one night after drunk driving. A few pages later, you’re laughing out loud about his adventures bungee-cording off the Manhattan Bridge in New York.

Breaking his life into five chapters, this book will make you realize that when life gets tough, it helps a bit to laugh through the tears.

One highlight of Delaney’s book is the featured tweets he’s included between chapters. If

you’ve followed him for a while you will remember the classics: “Just saw a guy on rollerblades.

He was surprisingly sweat-free for having presumably ‘bladed’ here from 1991.” If not, it’s a quick and easy introduction to what Delaney is all about.

This book is a delightful quick read. It’s great to take with you travelling, since his stories are so short you never have to remember where you’ve left off. Delaney focuses on the importance of family and what it means to him. It makes you appreciate your own family, your loved ones, and those we feel closest to. Now, go call your mother.

Writing papers sucks

Write a review instead contact arts@ thefulcrum.ca 10 | ARTS & CULTURE

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Jasmine Van schouwen STAFF Contribut or

Why it’s famous: This explosion of musical colour and pizazz is one of the most classic satires of the fashion editorial world and is inspiration for Beyoncé’s music video, “Countdown.” Most associate Audrey Hepburn with the classic black turtleneck, cropped pants, and ballet flats seen in this film. Pitch-perfect performances by Hepburn, Fred Astaire, and a delightful Kay Thompson enchanted moviegoers of its time amidst quirky music and an almost grotesque image of Paris as most Americans in 1957 would have stereotyped it.

Famous lines: Maggie Prescott: The quality woman must have grace, elegance, and pizazz.

Dick Avery: Well, every girl on every page of quality has grace, elegance, and pizazz. Now, what’s wrong with bringing out a girl who has character, spirit, and intelligence?

Dovitch: That certainly would be novel in a fashion magazine.

Maggie Prescott: Duval, please! I can’t hear myself think, and I’m trying to think in French!

Why it might be tough to get through : Like most musical romantic comedies from the ‘50s, everything is exaggerated, such as the huge number of musical numbers and the goofy situational comedy tropes that lend a hand to the unexplained plot lines to the film. (You fell in love with the guy? When? I think I blinked and missed it.) As far as satire goes, it’s pretty thin, as it works off the typical “beauty versus brains” logic we’re all pretty tired of nowadays.

Why you should see it anyway: This movie does feature brilliant performances by its starring cast. Hepburn demonstrates her absolute charm in her role as Jo Stockton, and if Fred Astaire doesn’t make you smile, I think you’re entitled to get your money back. At the end of the day, it’s a funny, colourful, feel-good classic that’s perfect for a rainy day.

Why you haven’t seen it: You’ve seen so many shots of Audrey Hepburn from this film, you are hesitant to see it for a full 103 minutes. It’s one of those films that’s referenced all the time and almost feels unnecessary to watch from overexposure.

Fun Facts: • Ditzy model characte r Marion’s interest in comic books was inserted into the film to reflect actressmodel Dovima’s (later known as Dorothy Horan) real-life passion for them.

• Audrey Hepburn’s terrier appeare d as the dog in the basket during the Anna Karenina train shot.

• In order to secure Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire on the cast, produce rs told each the other was already signed, figuring they would not pass up the opportun ity to work together.

•

Most of the movies mentioned in Movies You Should Have Seen are available for loan at the Morisset Library!

ew cocktails are as strongly associated with popular culture as the White Russian. The richly smooth vodka-based drink has become synonymous with the 1998 cult comedy The Big Lebowski, in which it’s the beverage of choice for lead character The Dude, played by Jeff Bridges. It’s easy to see why, as “the Caucasian” is an inspired combination of dairy and liquor.

F

WHEN To DRINK

RECIPE: For the Black Russian: 2.0 oz (60 ml) vodka 1.0 oz (30 ml) coffee liqueur For the White Russian add: 1.0 oz (30 ml) fresh cream or milk INSTRUCTIONS: Pour the vodka and coffee liqueur into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice. For the White Russian, top up with cream or milk.

Both the Black Russian and White Russian are extremely simple to make. As this series has recommended before, ditch the Smirnoff ($14.30 for 375 ml) in favour of Absolut ($14.55), Finlandia ($14.30), or Belvedere ($15.95) for a smoother taste. Kahlua ($16.45) is the standard coffee liqueur.

Low fat milk can be used to make a “Slim Russian.”

Bad days call for the Black, as you can pound it back and not worry about a sugar-fueled hangover. The heavier, sweeter White should be enjoyed slowly in a laid-back setting, just as The Dude would have it.

thefulcrum.ca

Modern French restaurant MeNa breaks tradition with Canadian ingredients

#fulcrum food review

Highballs witH

Andrew Hawley General Manager

Photo: Andrew Hawley

HaWlEyWood

The black and White Russian

A taste of Paris in Little Italy

Jessica Eritou

Arts & Culture Editor Walking in from the cold November wind, you’ll feel welcome and warm from the numerous candles lighting up the barn-style restaurant called MeNa. The main floor is very small with limited seating, so even if you reserve a table for two, you are placed beside the door. It took me a while to feel relaxed because I felt cramped within earshot of the hosts and they could hear every word of my life story until another flow of hungry people came rushing in.

The service is extremely attentive, and chef James Bratsberg is knowledgeable in the philosophy of French techniques, and uses fresh farm-to-table Canadian ingredients. MeNa is great for picky eaters since most of the menu offers mains based on fish,

photo: courtesy of Peter Hum Inside MeNa,

poultry, beef, and gnocchi (for vegetarians), only done with more oomph. They offer bread freshly baked in the restaurant, though the small and hard buns are a bit of a barrier to sampling their garlic butter.

For my appetizer I chose the cauliflower soup featuring gala apple, romanesco broccoli, and hazelnut butter. It was interesting since the cauliflower puree came to me in a milk jug contraption, so I could see the separate foods in the bowl before they were covered by the puree. The gala apple notes helped cleanse the palette for the entree.

For the main, I tried the roasted Cornish hen. It features fennel, polenta, and red pepper caramelized under the hen so each piece makes for a sweet and salty bite. It’s often hard to wow someone with poultry since it’s bland and depends on

photo: Jessica Eritou

the seasoning; MeNa’s execution is near perfect, but could use more bite than the simple sweet taste.

I tried the chocolate and banana ganache tart for dessert, delicately plated with blueberry ice cream. The natural sweetness of the banana helps the mild chocolate and blueberries.

MeNa is great for a special occasion, an anniversary, or just a day where you want to feel a little fancier. One thing about MeNa that still stuck with me is how much the staff kept checking in on us, asking if we were done with our plates even though there was still a significant amount of food left on them. I felt extremely rushed. I suggest trying to go there on a quieter, less frantic evening—and specifically ask for a table far from the door.

ARTS & CULTURE | 11

Commit this to memory It's study season and you're holed up in the library for hours with a pile of books and an even bigger pile of energy drinks. Turns out, you're wasting your time.

Strategies to improve memory: 1. Use self-quizzing methods. Allow sufficient time for you to forget the concepts slightly before using them. This will strengthen the concepts and help you weed out holes in your knowledge.

2. Vary and space out study time between subjects and concepts. This is more effective then all-out splurges in one area.

3. Elaborate on the topic. Find a deeper meaning or a useful metaphor that encapsulates what you are trying to learn.

4. Use mnemonic devices which are mental structures that make it easier to retrieve what you have learned. Acronyms and stories work well since they give you easy cues that will help you during tests.

5. Reflect on the knowledge and relate it to yourself.

This will make the knowledge more personal and easier to remember.

6. Don’t sacrifice a lot of sleep. Energy drinks might keep you awake, but they aren’t very efficient.

Sleep when needed to keep the brain running in a condition that's receptive to learning.

BY Abdo Elnakouri Staff Contributor

When you're faced with three months' worth of knowledge condensed into a three-hour exam, the sole determinant of success is what you remember when the clock starts.

When things go wrong, you'll have spent hours poring over course content only to have it all go to waste when it matters most. You'll blank on a question, or remember an answer when it’s too late. It's something most if not all of us have experienced, and it's sure to leave you frustrated and full of regret.

The importance of memory is obvious. What's less obvious is understanding how memory works.

Students pack and cram as much into their brains as possible, sometimes even minutes before an exam starts, in the hopes that it will stick. But memory, like any other muscle, requires sustained work and an investment of time in order to be able to masterfully apply concepts and ideas.

In fact, the way our memory works has a lot to do with how university classes are structured.

Muscle memory “In theory, the idea is that you have a class that lasts for a semester and you’re supposed to learn things progressively through the semester that will slowly build up a body of knowledge of abilities,” says Claude Messier, a leading brain researcher and professor at the University of Ottawa.

But this long and deliberate process doesn’t seem to work in practice, as the majority of students end up in heavy study bouts right before exams. Messier says this lack of application and work throughout the semester can end up being problematic for students because the brain is very much like a muscle.

“Did it ever occur to you that you could go to the gym and look at people who are working out and that would be sufficient for your muscles to grow? If you go to class … do you think you can sit and look at the professor, or look at people studying, and that will create changes in the brain?" he asks.

“If it doesn’t get involved and doesn’t do the lifting then nothing much will happen.”

The physical changes in the brain required to cement certain memories need the appropriate amount of energy and rest time. Cramming at the last minute isn’t helpful because it doesn’t allow for a deep review of the concepts.

According to Messier, cram sessions are the equivalent of someone weight training for a

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ncoding, storage, and retrieval

Luckily, if you haven’t been applying this ategy throughout the semester, it's not too te. A strategic approach to memory and dequate rest can help compensate for lost me and fast-approaching deadlines. There e some simple strategies that can make a real fference in memory performance.

Patrick Davidson, the director of the U of O's uropsychology lab, has researched memory d emphasized that although it can sometimes elusive, it comes down to three stages: coding, storage, and retrieval.

“Memory is tough and learning is tough cause you have to not only commit ormation to memory—encoding is how we lk about that—but you also have to store the ormation and the storage has to be faithful to e original,” said Davidson.

“Things can’t change or be distorted when ey are being stored. And then retrieval, you ve to bring that information back right when u need it: writing the exam.”

These three stages are all necessary in der to construct a sound memory that can be cessed when needed. But this process is prone error, and each stage of the process presents own opportunities for failure.

Overall health and well-being is a key ctor that can’t be overlooked when trying improve memory performance. Maintaining ood sleep and diet, and minimizing stress ring the exam period, are all simple ngs that will aid in the accumulation and aintenance of memory.

Make It Stick, a book published this year by ominent cognitive psychologists Peter Brown, nry Roediger III, and Mark McDaniel, covers me of the fundamentals required for successful emory and learning. Many widespread econceived notions about how to study ve no scientific backing in regards to their efulness.

Common misconceptions about studying Re-reading notes and textbooks over and over again may be the preferred strategy for millions of students, but research indicates that this is one of the least productive methods of studying.

As the book’s authors state: “The hours immersed in re-reading can seem like due diligence, but the amount of study time is no measure of mastery.”

It’s a concept that’s fairly simple to understand, if only because you’ve heard it in other words so many times before: quality over quantity. Why then do so many people believe that going over notes and texts is an effective method for learning?

It comes down primarily to how it makes us feel. While effective learning requires hard effort, simply glossing over words still makes us feel more familiar with the material. But this doesn’t really translate into tangible knowledge. This is especially true when you need to reorganize concepts on a test.

“When the going is harder and slower and it doesn’t feel productive, we are drawn to strategies that feel more fruitful, unaware that the gains from these strategies are often temporary,” the authors state.

Another trap that many people fall into is studying one subject or concept continuously for a prolonged period of time. It’s much more effective to distribute your study time between different subjects, interweaving them on the same day, switching between one and the other.

This will help cement and distinguish the different concepts in your mind.

According to Make It Stick, “Retrieval is harder and feels less productive, but the effort produces longer lasting learning and enables more versatile application in later settings.”

One of the most effective strategies to use is self-testing. Although it might seem tedious and unproductive, it’s actually considered one of the most powerful ways to remember information.

“You get multiple advantages,” says Davidson.

“You are re-exposed to the material, you become more comfortable with the testing process so you’re minimizing stress, and you get to know what you know versus what you don’t know and avoid being overconfident or under-confident.”

Self-test Sylvain Gagnon, a professor of psychology at the U of O, says there’s a lot of self-deception associated with studying, and self-testing is crucial to stopping that.

“We are not good at determining how well we will be doing in an exam because we often think of the total score,” says Gagnon. “It’s projecting yourself on something that’s global that you can’t really assess yourself on.”

Instead, Gagnon suggests students try to break down sections of notes and specific items that might be tested, and ask themselves how comfortable they are with that material. This allows for a more appropriate understanding of any gaps in knowledge one might have.

“You become much more realistic,” he says.

“Develop questions, answer questions, test yourself.

This is time investment, this is being strategic.”

Other means of effectively encoding information are to understand the underlying meaning of the concepts and then relate them to yourself. This grounds the memory within a stronger network of connections that will make it easier to remember.

“If you think deeply, thoroughly based on the meaning, the memory is going to get created.

You don’t need to force it in,” says Gagnon.

“Integrate yourself into the notes, ask questions, think about how this could apply to your life … enrich it in a way so that you can recapture the information based on yourself.”

These elaborate means of remembering are difficult and they don’t come intuitively. They require an active role on the part of the student and they push someone to be creative in the way they tackle the material.

“It takes time. It takes more time than reading through your notes, but you become an active thinker and the way you would be encoding would be different,” says Gagnon.

Learning how to effectively memorize and tackle information quickly has benefits beyond exam success—it can set you up to know how to keep growing as an individual.

“Not only do you want to have built a knowledge base, but you want to build the ability to build a knowledge base, which is much more important,” says Messier.

“A lot of knowledge will have changed in 10 years, but your ability to acquire knowledge and organize it within your brain … this training will be useful all through your life.”

While effective learning requires hard effort, simply glossing over words still makes us feel more familiar with the material. But this doesn’t really translate into tangible knowledge. This is especially true when you need to reorganize concepts on a test.

SPORTS

SPORTS EDITOR Sarah Nolette sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Two in Waterloo

Second-ranked men’s b-ball stay perfect on season with victories at Waterloo, Laurier Spencer Murdock Staff reporter

T

he nation’s number-two men’s basketball squad took to the road for the second consecutive weekend, this time looking to add their fifth and sixth wins To the young season.

The Nov. 22–23 weekend began against a winless University of Waterloo team trying to find their scoring groove.

It wasn’t long before the Gee-Gees jumped to an early lead on a spring of threes in the first frame. The highest-scoring team in the nation took a 33-6 lead to stun the Warriors early.

Third-year star Caleb Agada led the Gees in the early goings, as he collected the majority of his team-high 20 points and 10 rebounds in the first half.

Fifth-year senior Johnny Berhanemeskel continued his dominance with 15 points, along with five rebounds and five assists.

During the third, the Warriors finally found some life outscoring the Gee-Gees by

three points.

But it wasn’t enough, as the sharpshooting Gees team came away with an 89-48 win.

It was Ottawa’s lowest scoring game of the year, likely due to the entire bench getting the opportunity to register some minutes.

The next day, the team travelled less than a kilometre down the street to Wilfrid Laurier University to take on the Golden Hawks.

The 3-2 G-Hawks had put up an admirable fight in a loss to the number-one Carleton Ravens the night before, and were looking to prove they could hang with the nation’s elite in the matchup with the Gee-Gees.

The Gees came out far more sluggish than usual as Laurier held an early lead until the final seconds of the first quarter.

Laurier would continue to keep it close until the end of the half when the Gee-Gees’ two fifthyear leaders completely took over the game.

Berhanemeskel began shooting the lights out, racking up a season-high 34 points on the night to go along with seven assists and six rebounds.

Fifth-year centre Gabriel Gonthier-Dubue

was the anchor for the Gees, coming up with massive defensive plays and punishing Laurier’s bigs on the offensive post. Gonthier-Dubue finished with 20 points, three rebounds, and three assists.

Ottawa once again turned to their scoring ability to come away with a 115-95 win.

The win extended the Gees’ winning streak to six games and raised their points-per-game average to 103.2, more than 10 above Carleton.

The Gee-Gees will be in for their first massive test of the season next week as the number-three Ryerson Rams return to Montpetit on Nov. 28 in hopes of avenging their loss to the Gees in last season’s playoffs. Tip-off will be at 8 p.m.

Mehdi Tihani shoots the free throw for the Gee-Gees.

Photo:Remi Yuan

Women’s basketball splits weekend series

Gee-Gees get win over Waterloo but drop matchup with Laurier Spencer Murdock Staff reporter

Julia Soriano dribbling up the court to set up the play for the Gees.

14 | SPORTS

Photo: Rémi Yuan

The women’s basketball team entered the Nov. 22–23 weekend games as the second highest-scoring team in the nation and, along with the men’s team leading the league, the Gee-Gees certainly earned their “U of Offence” moniker.

Nothing changed for the Gees in their match against the Waterloo Warriors as they were held in check early, only to explode in the final three quarters.

The scoring was even amongst the Gees with the exception of fifth-year guard Stephanie MacDonald, who put up a team high 27 points that night.

Waterloo was swarmed by the Gee-Gees defence and couldn’t lock down their shooting on the other end of the floor as Ottawa improved to 4-1 with a 82-60 win.

Second-year guard Sarah Besselink was the Gees’ defensive leader, pulling down eight rebounds.

In the second matchup of the weekend, the Gee-Gees took on the Laurier Golden Hawks, a team that was coming off a four-game win streak.

Despite an early Gees lead, the Hawks stayed close and were able to take the lead and not look back after the first quarter.

As the game progressed, Ottawa’s play began to fall apart as they drew a slew of fouls and committed numerous turnovers. Gee-Gees head coach Andy Sparks became frustrated after a call in the fourth quarter and picked up a technical foul in an argument with a referee.

The game would ultimately be decided in the later stages of the game as the Gees could not find their

offence even as Laurier’s stalled. The game finished with a score of 69-59 for the Golden Hawks.

MacDonald was once again the leading scorer of the night as she tallied 16 points. Besselink, Krista Van Slingerland, and Jennifer Crowe would end up with nine points in the match as well.

The Gees still hold a twogame lead over the Carleton Ravens in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East division, but they’ll have to pick their offensive game back up if they want to have success against tougher teams.

The squad will be back home to take on the numbereight Ryerson Rams, who have only lost by a narrow margin to the nation’s best, the Windsor Lancers. Tip-off at Montpetit will be at 6 p.m. on Nov. 28.

thefulcrum.ca

Women’s v-ball finds redemption Team needs to stay aggressive ahead of difficult competition ahead Sarah Nolette Sports Editor

Photo: carlisle617, CC, flickr.com

Aerobics in the winter

Cross-country skiing, a total body workout Garry Balaganthan Contributor

The arrival of winter weather might have you pulling out your winter coat and boots, but that doesn’t mean you have to put away your exercise gear.

With more than 150 kilometres’ worth of trails throughout the Ottawa area, cross-country skiing is an excellent lost cost activity to pick up this winter season to keep your muscles working and heart pumping. There are several beginner and intermediate level trails in and around Ottawa, with the most popular trails in Mooney’s Bay. Five kilometres of trails surround Mooney’s Bay, including lit trails for night skiing. The City of Ottawa further contributes by providing lessons seven days a week, beginning in January.

To cut out the heavy invest-

thefulcrum.ca

ment in skis, the city also offers rentals if you’re just looking to try it out.

“The lessons at Mooney’s Bay are perfect for beginners as the classes are usually small and instructors are experts at the various techniques,” says Brianna Harris, a third-year criminology student and biathlete. Now a biathlon instructor and athlete who’s competed at the provincial level, Harris first began cross-country skiing through the lessons at Mooney’s Bay. This gruelling activity will help keep you warm while enjoying the outdoors. With skiers relying on their legs to propel themselves forward, cross-country skiing is an excellent way to keep your legs fit during the winter season.

Skiers propel themselves either by striding forward classic-style, or side-to-side in a skating motion, aided by

ski poles pushed against the snow.

“Cross-country skiing can be extremely rewarding as an aerobic exercise, with your whole body doing work, a contrast to running and cycling,” says Harris.

Few sports and activities can claim to be a total body workout, but cross-country skiing can. It combines both a lower and upper-body workout while simultaneously working both the “pulling” and “pushing” muscles of each region. Every major muscle group is involved in propelling the cross-country skier forward, and even muscles that don’t seem to be in use are actively involved to balance and coordinate the entire body.

So, pull yourself out of the house this winter and push yourself to try out cross-country skiing.

Unlike the first time the Gee-Gees women’s volleyball team met the Nipissing Lakers this season, the Gees had confidence during their play and redeemed themselves with a 3-0 win in their Nov. 22 rematch.

The ladies had an impressive opening set and kept Nipissing at eight points for the majority of the match. Fourth-year Alix Durivage took the Gees ahead 20-8 with eight straight serves in a row.

In the following set, thirdyear setter Kari Tome continuously put the ball in a scoring position for her teammates and helped bring the team to an early lead. But several service errors on the Gees’ part gave the Lakers an opportunity to win the match.

The Lakers and the GeeGees were neck and neck during the last set. At multiple times, the score was tied and Nipissing had a chance to bring the game into a fourth. But the garnet and grey pulled ahead

with a final score of 26-24.

“I thought we were in full control and at a good pace in set one, but it’s hard to stay at that pace for an entire match,” said head coach Lionel Woods. “Our service was aggressive, but it was a nightmare in set two.

“I don’t want to get that back by just popping them over and making it easy—we have to get that back with an aggressive mindset and I thought we did at the end today.”

The following day, the U of O took on the York Lions. Once again, the Gees had to face a team they had lost to earlier in the season.

The Lions came into the game with a 12.4 kills-per-set average, third in the nation. So it came as a surprise when the Gee-Gees destroyed York in the second set 25-11 and ended the game in three.

“That was our most complete match all season,” said Woods.

“Everybody was making plays today—very few balls hit the floor cleanly on our side.”

Overall, even though the

Meseret Tamrat tipping the ball down.

Photo: Rémi Yuan

Gee-Gees beat both teams in three quick sets, they’ll have to keep working on playing consistently strong and together throughout the game.

“Our goal for the remainder of the year is definitely to finish with two victories,” said fifth-year Kelsie English.

“I think were just looking to make sure we come out and give two solid performances, and staying connected.”

The garnet and grey’s defence has to stay resilient, and their passing needs to get to the setter position in order to have quality kills. The team has to make it more difficult for their opponents if they want to have success later in the season.

Intramural charity volleyball tournament

Photo: Marta Kierkus

SPORTS | 15

Sneaks with style: The Fulcrum ’s top running shoes

ASICS GEL-Exalt Running shoe

While a lot of runners’ eyes widen at frivolous bells and whistles when purchasing their footwear, I tend to go for something a little more streamlined. That’s why this has been my running shoe of choice for the last couple of years.

Although some might be put off by its simple design and industrial colour scheme, this running shoe is surprisingly comfortable with a rear foot gel cushioning system.

The GEL-Exalt also scores points for durability.

These puppies have maintained their structural integrity after I have dragged them through rain, snow, mud, and other kinds of hazardous terrain.

Because of this, the ASICS GEL-Exalt should be the gold standard for any jogging connoisseur.

—Kyle Darbyson

Saucony Hurricane 16

I found out I have pronation of the foot—my feet roll inwards while I run—so I need a stable shoe to keep me running straight. I also have a heavier build, so my feet need all the support and cushioning they can get.

I was recommended the Saucony Hurricane 14, and I still purchase the same model when my old pair grows tired.

What makes the run effortless, and the Saucony Hurricane a great shoe, is how my arches are always supported. This constantly helps me push myself further in my training. They also come in fun bright colours, which for me is a great plus.

—Jessica Eritou

Nike Free 5.0

I’ve been purchasing Nike Free running shoes since they were first put on the market.

This year’s model is extremely light, and perfect for wide feet.

The 5.0s are flexible and have ground gripping soles. This shoe however, is not supportive in the ankles, so I wouldn’t be playing any intense sports or running a marathon in them.

I believe they are the closest things to barefoot running, but with the comfort of slippers.

Overall, the Nike Frees are perfect for my daily runs, and they come in a great selection of colours.

—Sarah Nolette

Asics Gel Foundation 9

When I first wore the Asics Gel Foundation, it felt as if I was running on clouds, but I could feel every step under me comfortably. I have over-pronating feet, so arch support is important when I purchase a pair of shoes. I would highly recommend these sneakers if you have pronation of the foot.

The Asics are slightly stiff, but it took a short amount of time to break them in. I’ve had these babies for more than five years, and I use them for running, volleyball, and training. They also fit comfortably with my ankle braces when needed. Overall, I love these shoes and I will be replacing them soon with another pair.

—Marta Kierkus

Diyyinah Jamora Contributor

Graduating swimmer hopes to end her varsity career with a splash

Nicole Lachance

N

icole Lachance placed fourth in the 800-metre freestyle on Nov. 22 with a total time of 9:01.25 at the Stratten Divisionals. This swimming star is a fourthyear student in philosophy and women’s studies.

Born and raised in Edmonton, Lachance swam with the Edmonton Keyano Swim Club from when she was eight years old until she graduated high school. She has received the most improved award multiple times on her team and has competed at the national level.

“Swimming with a club was an easy way to make

16 | SPORTS

Photo: Richard A. Whittaker

friends and be active. It was a pretty thrilling experience,” says Lachance. “We got to travel virtually everywhere in North America. We got to go to camps in Florida and swim meets in Charlotte, N.C. On top of that, we got to every corner of Canada, which was so exciting as a kid.”

Growing up, her inspiration was Natalie Coughlin, a 12-time Olympic swimming medalist from California.

Coughlin was the first woman to ever win a 100-metre backstroke gold in two consecutive Olympics. “She had it all figured out in my eyes,” says Lachance.

Now in her final year of eligibility and her fifth year of swimming with the GeeGees, she says being on the team has been an uplifting experience.

“There is a rare and unique melange of talented and hard-working people who support one another. My favourite thing about the team is our undying support for one another. It’s remarkable to me.”

Swimming is a demanding sports. The swim team members train nine times a week for two hours at a time, and they lift weights.

Swimming at the varsity level is even more demanding.

“Varsity swimming is fierce and intense. We race hard and we race often,” says Lachance. “Usually in club swimming you don’t get the opportunity to race too much in a season but varsity is so different.”

This season, she hopes to make it to the Ontario University Athletic (OUA) finals and the Canadian Interuniversity Sport championship. She has confidence the Gee-Gees will come in the top three at the OUAs.

Photo: GrahamKing, CC, flickr.com

thefulcrum.ca

OPINIONS Point/Counterpoint

OPINIONS EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Black Friday

In the United States, Black Friday is known as the biggest shopping day of the year, where rock bottom prices on smartphones, flat-screen TVs, and video game consoles draw millions to stores from coast to

coast. These crowds generate big returns, with the overall brick-and-mortar sales for last year’s festivities equating to $12.3 billion. While this gives the economy a big boost, Black Friday deals have been

Black Friday raked in $12.3 billion worth of brick-and-mortar sales in 2013.

Black Friday is an offence to human decency Kyle Darbyson Opinions Editor

F

or the most part, I’m not averse to the massive influx of shopping that goes on during the holidays. After all, there’s nothing wrong with people wanting to buy gifts for their loved ones.

However, Black Friday, the official start of the holiday shopping season, always manages to turn my stomach, since it’s the very definition of consumerism gone awry.

By now, virtually everyone knows about the kind of madness and debauchery that goes on the day after American Thanksgiving. YouTube is rife with videos that feature Black Friday shoppers pushing, trampling, and body-checking each other in order to get their hands on cheap electronics. The whole affair resembles that movie The Purge, where people are given one night to loot, riot, and bludgeon each other in a socially acceptable fashion.

Similar to The Purge and other horror movies, Black Friday also boasts an official death count.

Since 2006, there have been seven deaths and 90 injuries associated with Black Friday, with fatalities ranging from store employees getting stampeded to two shoppers getting shot in a Toys R Us parking lot.

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Forget about the savings—this kind of behaviour does not encourage the growth of a good community or human decency in general.

What’s even worse is that much of this violence is encouraged and initiated by retailers. This is mostly accomplished through the diabolical invention of “door buster” sales, which stipulate that only the first few people into the store are given access to the best discounts of the day. As such, we can see that consumers are being actively manipulated by corporate fat cats to mindlessly consume material goods and kill each other.

The most tragic aspect of Black Friday mayhem is that it’s completely avoidable in the age of the Internet. The same kinds of savings are largely available through the online event Cyber Monday, which pretty much eliminates all the violence and misery.

Thankfully, it looks like people are starting to become wise to this improved method of shopping, since Black Friday crowds have subtly started to decrease, while Cyber Monday sales have grown by 20.6 per cent from 2013.

While we can probably never stop people from being shallow and materialistic, we can at least encourage them to do it in the safety of their own homes—away from sharp objects and stampeding shoppers.

known to bring out the worst in people, resulting in fights, riots, and even death. Is this shopping bonanza the epitome of consumer greed, or just a great way to get a head start on holiday shopping?

Embrace the practical benefits of Black Friday Spencer Murdock Staff Reporter

F

or many years now, Black Friday has been a staple of American consumerism.

Since around 2005, the fourth Thursday in November has been the busiest shopping day in the country.

While some may see the big lines and inevitable tramplings as the pinnacle of consumerist greed and excess, in reality it’s not all bad.

From a practical perspective, Black Friday is actually a great opportunity for lower income families to save money on their holiday purchases. The holiday season tends to be an extra stressful time of year for these families, as many of them have to opt for basic necessities (food, heating) instead of exchanging presents.

While those necessities are undoubtedly more important than material goods, Black Friday sales at least give these families an opportunity to provide their loved ones with even the smallest gifts.

These kinds of practical financial benefits also extend to middle-class families. Times are tough all over, and people are looking for any relief they can get. After all, saving tons of money isn’t just some shallow goal trumpeted by

Photo: Powhusku CC, flickr.com

shopaholics and materialistic blowhards—it has been linked to improved mental health. According to a study conducted by Claremont Graduate University, receiving discounts makes consumers more relaxed, since the act of using coupons reportedly releases oxytocin, a hormone that’s directly related to love and happiness.

Given the fact that the holiday blues are a real, tangible thing that affect thousands each year, people should take this kind of pick-me-up wherever they can find it.

In terms of the violence that goes on every year, I think it’s easy to say the whole thing is overblown. The media does tend to focus on the negative—magnifying the few instances of violence that occur across the country without acknowledging the thousands of other Black Friday events that go off without a hitch.

Black Friday will always have a bad reputation. Yet every year millions of people participate without fail, and it’s because the practical benefits simply outweigh the negatives.

Moreover, it seems like the first people to complain about Black Friday are also the first ones to complain about how much they had to spend on gifts or how they are “so behind” on their holiday shopping. Stop complaining—just set your alarm and go shopping.

OPINIONS | 17

Assisted suicide is not murder Canadian laws against euthanasia should be overturned Mackenzie Powell Staff Contributor

Imagine watching a loved one suffer from a terminal illness each and every day and having no power to help them. No way to ease their suffering.

That is a reality for many people in Canada.

In this country, assisted suicide, or euthanasia, is illegal. Under the Criminal Code, anyone who aids or abets a person to commit suicide is guilty of an indictable offence worth up to 14 years in prison. Many Canadians have been vocal about their discontent with this law, so much so that the Supreme Court of Canada is currently in the process of reviewing the issue of physician-assisted suicide.

Still, euthanasia remains a divisive topic in this country.

The federal government’s main justification for enforcing this law is the fear that widespread

instances of assisted suicide will somehow erode the value of human life. However, I think the refusal to grant someone who is terminally ill the opportunity to die with dignity is the bigger offence to the value of our mortal existence.

Every year, thousands have to suffer through degenerative conditions like Lou Gerhig’s disease (or ALS), which gradually chips away at a person’s muscle functions until they are barely able to speak, swallow, or breathe. Others will have to deal with conditions like congestive heart failure, which leaves the patient’s body starving for oxygen. Victims of HIV and AIDS also have to experience excruciating pain in the final stages of the disease, since their bodies literally waste away without a properly functioning immune system.

To me, that’s not what life is all about.

Life is about living each day to the fullest.

Being able to wake up in the morning knowing that today is a new day with things to look

Philosophical Sh*t Is i t bet ter to be book smart or street smart?

Omar Abdikader Staff Contributor

Recently, a colleague and I had an argument at work in which he accused me of being book smart but not street smart. Certainly each quality has its merits for different situations in life, but it got me thinking: When it comes to the pursuit of a successful career, which is more valuable?

The answer to this question depends on how you define these two terms. On the surface, they simply differentiate between people who have obtained most of their knowledge from school (book smarts) and those who have developed skills and know-how outside of the academic sphere (street smarts).

However, these days the term book smart is often used

18 | OPINIONS

in a derogatory manner, referring to those who lack common sense. In fact, the online Oxford dictionary defines being book smart as “having a lot of academic knowledge learned from books and studying, but not necessarily knowing much about people and living in the real world.”

Conversely, the term street smart is often shown in a much more complimentary light. Oxford defines a street smart person as someone who displays “the experience and knowledge necessary to deal with the difficulties or dangers of life in an urban environment.”

While this may seem unfair, it’s easy to see why more people tend to gravitate toward street smarts in this day and age.

According to an article in Forbes magazine, most of the

self-made super rich people in our society, with a net worth of $500 million or more, were not honour students or valedictorians of their college. People such as Bill Gates, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and Richard Branson did not need college degrees to become juggernauts in their respective industries.

Rather, they rose to prominence largely through ruthless ambition and a superb ability to read people and use that to their advantage.

But despite lacking the same “cool factor,” book smarts should not be totally dismissed. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, although being a disciple of book smarts doesn’t guarantee success, workers with a college degree earn nearly twice as much as those without one.

Moreover, one must take into account the fact that information, which is obtained from academic activities like reading books and doing research, is considered to be the most valuable currency in the modern techno-savvy world.

Coupled with the fact that most employers today won’t even look at your resumé unless you have a bachelor’s degree, the best approach to obtain success is to adopt a combination of both disciplines.

Street smarts and book smarts are equally important traits to the pursuit of your career, since the ability to make sense of information contained in books and documents requires formal education as well as common sense.

The Supreme Court of Canada is currently reviewing the country’s assisted suicide laws.

forward to. Life is not about the suffering and excruciating pain that each new moment will bring.

Gloria Taylor, an ALS patient and assisted suicide advocate from British Columbia, expressed this same kind of sentiment in an interview with CBC before her death. She said: “Palliative care to me is just doping me out of my mind. I don’t know what’s going on. You call that care?

If you cared about me, put me out of my misery.”

The enjoyment of life, especially in the final stages of a terminal illness, is so much more important than the number of days you are hooked up to a machine. Enjoying those final days, without being forced to suffer in a hospital bed, should be within the rights of every Canadian.

Photo: Rcp.basheer, CC, wikimedia

Luckily, people all over the world are finally starting to see that quality of life is so much more important than how long you stay alive.

Countries such as the Netherlands and Belgium, and American states like Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and New Mexico have enacted laws allowing physician-assisted death (with safeguards put in place to protect the vulnerable).

Laws regarding assisted suicide have even started to be challenged in Canada, with provinces like British Columbia and Quebec actively defying the federal government.

Hopefully, in light of this new Supreme Court case, the Canadian government will finally see which way the wind is blowing and stop equating assisted suicide with murder.

thefulcrum.ca

Arrival of winter triggers chaos on campus Severe loss of daylight prompts ‘sun vigils’

Sarah Bader St a f f

butor Co ntri

Although recent weather reports have stated that current temperatures are average for this time of year, students from the University of Ottawa are reacting to the recent change in season with shock and distress.

Despite what scientists are calling “average snowfall levels,” many students have decided to simply deny the arrival of winter, stubbornly wearing sandals, shorts, and other inappropriate attire around campus.

The problem has gotten so bad that U of O Health Services have even gone so far as to send out emails urging students to “dress appropriately” for winter weather, which they define as “long pants, warm coats, and boots.”

The transition from fall to winter has not been easy for everyone. On Monday, two desperate engineering students were spotted stapling leaves back onto trees outside the University Centre. When campus security asked them to stop, the shivering students responded with cryptic statements like “too soon” and “unnatural,” be-

fore fleeing the scene.

Others have decided to be more proactive and aggressively protest the arrival of winter. Employees at the Starbucks in Desmarais experienced a full-scale riot when their trademark red beverage cups were introduced for the holiday season.

One barista, visibly shaken after the chaos subsided, wondered aloud “why we can’t just give them back their pumpkin spice lattes.”

Other students have decided to hold “sun vigils” outside Tabaret Hall to protest the upcoming winter season. Participants said they are doing this to raise awareness about the sudden disappearance of the sun, highlighting the fact that sunlight levels have been dropping daily. Eventually, the protesters started demanding that Environment Canada investigate the missing vitamin D, vowing to remain on Tabaret lawn until something was done.

This same kind of shock and dismay is also evident in the general public. Reports of hot chocolate shortages are widespread, as shocked citizens have been relentlessly stocking up on this precious resource.

Shortages of salt, flashlight batteries, and

Some students just aren’t ready to let fall go .

fuzzy socks have also been reported. Municipal governments have stated that the public should not be concerned, and that snow removal will take place according to schedule.

Perhaps the only benefit of this upcoming “winter apocalypse” has been the increased vacation sales. The Travel Agents of Ottawa Association reported a boom in

Photo: Rémi Yuan

vacation sales, as desperate citizens are fleeing to the southern United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean.

For those who can’t afford to hop on an airplane and escape south, there’s another student-led “sun vigil” scheduled for this Saturday outside Tabaret Hall. Organizers are asking participants to bring lots of hot chocolate to help keep them warm.

Canadians flee country in search of better Netflix US streaming service sought after by TV-starved Canucks o Ellen Galup

Staff Contributo r

According to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), roughly 17,000 Canadians are due to immigrate to the United States in pursuit of the mythical American Netflix.

The CBSA is overwhelmed with massive amounts of requests, but the agency has remained sympathetic toward any Canuck looking to cross the border.

“Most of these citizens want nothing more than a cold beer and a large selection of Netflix movies at the end of a tiresome working day,” said Luc Portelance, president of CBSA, in a phone interview with the Tomato. “That’s something we’re willing to provide.”

On Monday, nearly 8,000 Canadian Netflix enthusiasts congregated

by Niagara Falls to join the massive immigration wave. This group of

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Netflix immigrants were led by Anthony Chan, who rallied supporters through clever and persuasive posts on Reddit.

“Canadian Netflix has been a source of frustration for many Canucks, since it only contains small, redundant selections of outdated movies and TV shows,” said Chan, addressing his followers at the commencement of their mass migration. “We are tired of being oppressed. This chronic Netflix deprivation is a threat to our basic rights according to the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms.”

He later went on to say: “There needs to be a change, and change begins in each of us. If American Netf lix can’t cross the border, we will.”

When asked why he and his followers couldn’t simply follow instructions to download the streaming service online, Chan said that streaming American Netflix ille-

“There needs to be a change, and change begins in each of us.

If American Netflix can’t cross the border, we will.”

Thousands of Netflix starved Canadians are expected to immigrate to the US by the end of the week.

gally has become increasingly difficult.

“Obtaining American Netflix in this country is not an option, as way too many pirating websites have been taken over by Internet trolls and anti-piracy organizations,” he said. “This crusade is to show the world that uprooting our lives and travelling to the United States is way easier than obtaining American Netflix in Canada.”

Original image: Bazonka, CC, wikicommons.

Edits: Marta Kierkus

Chan’s group of 8,000 migrants, ardent in their cause, crossed Niagara Falls in barrels by twos.

It’s unclear whether the group survived the expedition.

In lieu of this mass exodus, Members of Parliament are attempting to lure back these migrating Canadians with the promise of improved Netflix programming.

“After consulting with the chair of the CRTC, I’m proud to

—Anthony Chan, Netflix emigrant leader

announce that Canadian Netf lix will now be featuring the most current and up-to-date programming on the market,” said Prime Minister Stephen Harper during a Monday session of Question Period.

“Starting Wednesday, I hear that the third season of the original Dallas will be available to all. What a treat! I hear that ‘Who shot J.R.’ mystery is a real doozy.”

THE TOMATO | 19

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di,

My girlfriend has given me a straight-up no when it comes to us having sex while she’s on her period, but I’m more than willing to get messy. I think that there would be something really sexy about getting my girl off while she’s menstruating. How can I convince her to let me in during her time of the month?

—Parting the Red Sea

Dear PRS,

I used to feel the same way as your girl, so let me give you the goods on a woman’s thoughts about our monthly present from Mother Nature.

Some women feel bloated and undesirable during menstruation, and that can make it hard for us to gather up the same enthusiasm in bed. And because many girls aren’t into gore scenes at the best of times, the last thing we want is to create a bloody battle scene in the bedroom.

However, also speaking from experience, period sex can be great once you finally decide to take the plunge. You get the benefits of free lube, and sex actually reduces period cramps thanks to the feel-good endorphins released during sex and orgasm. And it might sound crazy, but period sex will make the length of her period shorter, as the contractions of her orgasm will shed the uterine lining a little more rapidly—so that may be enough to convince her.

The best thing you can do to get her on board is talk to her about it. Pass this article on to your gal, or tell her some of these benefits of shagging during her period. In the end, it’s her body and the only way you’re going to have good period sex is if she’s as into the idea as you are.

If you both decide to give it a go, you can also keep the sheets as clean as possible by laying some towels underneath her—and then it’s up to you to deliver the goods, because there will be less spillage when you’re on top. Personally, I always prefer to totally avoid clean-up duty with some steamy shower sex instead.

Finally, let her know that you have no reservations about taking the ruby road, and layer on the compliments around the time she’s going to get her period. If you make sure she feels sexy, she’ll be more comfortable trying something new.

Love, Di

20 | DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di,

One of my sexy guy friends brought me along to a double date with his friend and another girl. During the night, we paired off (me and my hot friend, and his friend and the girl). When we woke up in the morning, the hormones must have still been high, because soon we were joined by the other guy and his girl, and then all four of us were hooking up, sharing a bed. I found myself making out with the other girl—that’s all—but I have never even felt the slightest attraction to women before that. Since that day a few weeks ago, this girl and I have become really good friends, but I’ve never been able to forget our hot hook-up that night. Was it just the heat of the moment or am I officially now bisexual? Should I bring up that night with her and see if she feels the same way?

—Am I Bi?

Dear AIB,

Funny how a little morning light can bring quite the sexy swap of partners. I am in total support of trying out batting for the other team at some point in your life, just to see if the grass is in fact greener on the other side.

I don’t know if you can pin it down on being bisexual based on that one experience. You may have just been experimenting with some erogenous inner desire, felt more liberal in bed with two guys and another girl, or this could be the beginning of a whole new chapter in your own personal Kama Sutra novel. You might want to do a little inner sexy soul-searching: Are you comfortable as friends with her, or have you been wanting another make-out session (or more)?

If you two have stayed friends since that rather stimulating morning in bed, I think you’re OK to bring it up casually in conversation to try and tease out her thoughts on the experience. It’s quite possible that she’s just as confused as you are about your morning macking, and you two might be able to laugh it off as a crazy morning impulse.

Or, maybe she too has been craving a little more spice in her sex life, in which case you can talk about further feminine experimentation if you are both so inclined. If she already has some girl-girl experience, maybe she can help you understand how you’re feeling.

Make sure you respect her and yourself if one of you is more gung-ho than the other for some female lovin’. And remember that protection is just as important when us gals get together.

Love, Di

FEATURES EDITOR Jesse Colautti

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

DISTRACTIONS A little extra love:

Approximately one in every 50 women has an extra nipple.

Moving on up:

Researchers at the Wake Forest Institute have successfully discovered how to make labgrown human penises.

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Nov. 27 to DEC. 19 2014

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts

Thursday, Nov. 27

Wednesday, Dec. 3

Tuesday, Dec. 9

July Talk, Algonquin College — 9 p.m.

The Sound of Music begins its run at the National Arts Centre

Beerology Sensory Evaluation Workshop, Beyond the Pale Brewery — 2 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 28 W & M Basketball vs. Ryerson, Montpetit Gym — 6 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Rosewater begins showing at Bytowne Cinema Toyko Police Club w/ Said the Whale, Ritual Nightclub — 7 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 29 W & M Basketball vs. Toronto, Montpetit Gym — 6 p.m. & 8 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball vs. Ryerson, Montpetit Gym— 2 p.m.

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A Charlie Brown Christmas concert featuring the Jerry Granelli Trio, DominionChalmers United Church — 7 p.m. ($35) A Long Way Home begins its weekend run at Shenkman Arts Centre ($15)

#Chicagogirl: The Social Network Takes on a Dictator, Bytowne Cinema — 7 p.m.

Skydiggers, Neat Coffee Shop — 8 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 11 Ottawa Senators vs. Los Angeles Kings, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m

Friday, Dec. 12

Jenn Grant, National Arts Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Force Majeure begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Rome, Open City begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Cuff the Duke w/ Jonathan Becker & the North Fields, Mavericks — 9 p.m.

Solids w/ Hashed Out, The Dark Plains, House of Targ — 9 p.m. ($10)

Sunday, Nov. 30

Saturday, Dec. 6

Canadian Workplace - The Rules of the Game, Vanier Hall — 8:30 a.m.- 4:30 p.m (Free, but registration is required)

Flip Off Hunger: Pinball Tournament, House of TARG — 11 a.m.

Ottawa Tea Festival begins at Library & Archives Canada

Saturday, Dec. 13 Quite a Queer Qhristmas Concert, Centretown United Church — 7:30 p.m ($10 tickets for students)

Women’s Volleyball vs. Toronto, Montpetit Gym — 2 p.m.

Two-day event celebrating tea and its customs.

Happy sipping!

Women’s Hockey vs. Montreal Minto Sports Complex — 2 p.m.

A Christmas Carol, Ottawa Little Theatre — 6 p.m.

The Flatliners w/ PUP — 8 p.m ($15 tickets for students)

MOD Night, Babylon — 10 p.m. (no cover)

Sunday, Dec. 7

Tuesday, Dec. 16

Ottawa Senators vs. Vancouver Canucks, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m.

Chuck Ragan w/ Adam Faucett, Eamon McGrath, Mavericks Bar — 8 p.m

Nightcrawler, Bytowne Cinema — 9 p.m.

St. Vincent begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Museum of History’s Christmas Market begins

Advent Calender of Drinks begins at Hintonburg Public House Each day from Dec.1-24 a different drink offered, with process going to the Parkdale Food Centre.

Thinking

Networking Holiday Soiree, Lieutenant’s Pump — 6 p.m. ($5)

Wednesday, Dec. 10

Friday, Dec. 5

50 local food producers and artisan stalls with a festive theme.

FUN

The United Nations and Canada: Can We Do Better?, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 2:30 p.m. (free)

The Nutcracker begins its weekend run at the Algonquin Commons Theatre

Monday, Dec. 1

Sports

Thursday, Dec. 4

Finest Moments of Handel’s Messiah, Canadian Museum of History Theatre — 3 p.m. ($35)

Friday, Dec. 19

Monday, Dec. 8

Foxcatcher begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

City and Colour, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Anaheim Ducks, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m

Yoga Mondays, 90U Residence Lounge — 6 p.m.

Free Yoga open to all students.

DISTRACTIONS | 21

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear Editor, From now until Friday, December 5, full time undergraduate and graduate students have the opportunity to opt-out of paying fees to Ontario Public Interest Research Group-Ottawa (OPIRG).

According to their website, OPIRG’s mandate is to “facilitate and support campus and community activism in Ottawa and strive to work in an anti-oppressive framework.”

In reality, what this means is that OPRIG takes undergraduate and graduate student fees and uses them to fund highly politicized and radical groups, often right under the noses of university students.

Here is a brief selection of the causes that OPIRG is funding this year: The University of Ottawa Marxist Students Association: With the hammer and sickle as their logo, the uOttawa Marxist Students Association is draped in the symbols of one of the most oppressive regimes of history, a regime that was responsible for the deaths of more than 60 million people. According to their Facebook page, the Marxist Students Association, also known as the Revolutionary Student Movement, “aims to build a Canada-wide, revolutionary, combative, militant, and anti-capitalist student movement.”

Fossil Free uOttawa (FFUO): FFUO is associated with the national Fossil Free divestment movement, which advocates for nation-wide divestment from fossil fuels, including coal, oil, shale gas, and natural gas. This idealized environmental principle ignores the obvious fact that the Canadian economy is heavily dependent on investment in the energy sector. If this radical goal were to be realized, the Canadian economy would be crippled. Further, Canadian oil production is the most regulated, monitored, transparent, and socially responsible in the world. Shutting down Canadian oil companies won’t stop the flow of oil around the globe, but it will clear the way for totalitarian, oppressive regimes with unethical, state-run oil companies to increase their profit margins.

Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (SPHR): SPHR is the organization that promotes the annual “Anti-Israel Apartheid Week” and promotes the anti-Semitic BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions on Israeli products) movement events on campus. The Ottawa chapter is part of a larger group that gained national headlines in 2002 for instigating a violent protest at Concordia University, forcing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel his planned speech.

Any group that attempts to silence those who think differently than them or actively fight the free market of ideas on a university campus does not have my support.

Further, in their mission statement, SPHR expresses their belief that the state of Israel does not have the right to exist. Let me be clear, it is perfectly reasonable to criticize specific policies implemented by the Israeli government. But to criticize the very existence of the state of Israel is the root of modern anti-Semitic thought. The State of Israel was formed as a direct response to the atrocities of the Holocaust, so that the Jewish people would finally be able to live free from fear of discrimination, oppression, and slaughter. Anti-Israel sentiments are ignorant of the tragic history of the Jewish struggle.

In addition to funding these groups, OPIRG also prides itself on running a resource centre devoted to assisting students with “radical resources.”

The list goes on.

According to their 2014 annual report, OPIRG took a total of $167,784.43 from students to fund these groups last year.

While these organizations should certainly be allowed to exist in a free and democratic society, the notion that I should be forced to pay for them with my student fees is simply deplorable.

I decided to opt-out of OPIRG because I don’t support the organizations they fund, and I believe in maintaining control over my own finances. Using student fees for blatantly political causes that don’t represent the real concerns of university students is always wrong.

If you agree with me, you have until Friday, December 5, to optout of OPIRG. You will need to go to UCU 215D (behind the Terminus and 1848) for a refund. Don’t forget to bring your student ID card as well as proof of registration for this semester.

Dylan Kruger

22 |

Dear Editor, A quiet incident last Friday has left me frustrated. Since it’s the kind of thing that goes unnoticed, I’d like to call attention to it. I am the vice president of the University of Ottawa Students for Life club, and a team of us were putting up posters to promote an event we are hosting on Thursday. Nov. 27 in the UCU Agora. The event itself is a Silent No More Awareness Campaign, where women who have undergone abortions will publicly share their personal experience.

We had 30 approved posters throughout the (Jock Tucot) University Centre that were taken down within the afternoon. This was not the work of a mob. It was maybe a few students; it could’ve been even just one person. Regardless, are people really this unwilling to discuss life and its value? Since when has there been a fear of ideas and conversations? On a university campus, I thought we were open to dialogue. From my experience, many students are still ready to engage and listen with respect. Yet one person is enough to shut down our club’s event promotion efforts. I am deeply disappointed that there are people who think they have the right to do this.

They tried to silence women who wish to break the silence about abortion.

These women deserve a voice as much as anyone else. For those open to listen to them express what is seldom heard when talking about this issue, they will be speaking between 3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 27 in the UCU Agora.

Christine De Baets, vice president of University of Ottawa Students for Life

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EDITORIAL

Volume 75, Issue 13, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Thinking hard since 1942.

Phone: (613) 562-5261 | Fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this or we’ll lobotomize you.

staff Sabrina “Occipital” Nemis Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcum.ca Adam “Amygdala” Ashby Gibbard Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Adam “Oxytocin” Feibel Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Temporal” Kierkus Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Broca” Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Jessica “Endorphin” Eritou Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Jesse “Serotonin” Colautti Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “Hypothalamus” Nolette Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca

Spencer “Thalamus” Van Dyk Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Cerebellum” Murdock Staff Reporter Remi “Axon” Yuan Staff Photographer Lindsay “Limbic” MacMillan Associate News Editor Moussa “Neuron” Sangaré-Ponce Associate Online Editor Annalise “Basal ganglia” Mathers Associate Features Editor Savannah “Dendrites” Awde Staff Proofreader Chantale “Cerebrum” Streeting Webmaster Deidre “Peptide” Butters Ad Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Andrew “Dopamine” Hawley General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors

L. A. “Vasopressin” Bonte Brennan “Hippocampus” Bova Jasmine “Stem” van Schouwen Christina “Wernicke” Yee David “Cell” Campion-Smith Kathryn “CNS” Tubridy Pakenham Everett “Cortex” Kehew Menrika “Lobe” Christian Allegra “Ganglion” Morgado Christelle “Hemisphere” Musambi Garry “Medulla” Balaganthan Varsha “Receptor” Carpen Abdo “Synapse” Elnakouri Omar “Transmission” Abdikader Mackenzie “Root” Powell Sarah “Matter” Bader Ellen “Cord” Galupo Diyyinah “Noggin” Jamora

Cover art

a b

There is the careless use of power, as when those in positions of power say offhand things that influence the lives of others. A casual comment by a powerful person can demonstrate a lack of empathy, compassion, and understanding for people outside their life experience. The influence of one statement has the power to either facilitate or stagnate change.

This week in Ferguson and in Cleveland we’ve seen that when carelessness with power goes unchecked, it leaves room for serious abuse.

There is no greater carelessness than to allow those in power to disregard the lives of the vulnerable.

Kyle “Parietal” Darbyson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca

A) Marta Kierkus B) Marta Kierkus C) Rémi YUan D) Rémi YUan

P

eople in power can have so much responsibility it’s frightening. Frightening because we have no control over how they use that power or in whether they do so with the intention to protect us.

C D

To be clear, the shooting of black teens and men is not careless—it is violent and deliberate.

But the culture that surrounds and supports this reality is careless to the point of neglect.

It is the carelessness of believing it’s unusual, or an exaggeration, when coloured people say they are stopped often by police officers. It is careless to believe this is something that can only happen elsewhere.

If we look at documentation in Toronto for example, black people are stopped by police officers 2.5 times more often than white people.

In questions from the Toronto Star about this official documentation in non-criminal encounters, the chief of the Toronto Police Service responding by acknowledging that racial profiling is to be expected, saying “we recruit from the human race.”

We are to understand police racism not as a problem, but an unchangeable reality.

What the police chief gets right is that it isn’t just police officers who are guilty of racial profiling. The police exist in a society where anyone can see a coloured person not committing a crime and still feel justified in believing that person is a criminal.

We aren’t just talking about Michael Brown, but also Trayvon Martin and every person whose name didn’t make the national news. We are talking about the power of both police officers and civilians to kill coloured people without anything resembling justice.

The careless abuses of power

This culture of racism is so prevalent that an entire town can be divided over whether it was right to shoot a man with his hands up. It’s so prevalent that the entire country and people all over the world are divided as to whether this was a correct course of action for a supposed protector of the peace.

Canada’s police forces are not militarized to the degree that the United States police forces are. But although we don’t often see tanks rolling down the street, altercations between citizens and police forces still happen—conflict between First Nations antifracking protesters and police officers, for example.

The brief comments of people in power are influential and they are telling. The question is not whether we believe the Toronto police chief was right about there being many racist people, but whether we believe he was right in the implication that this is something we should accept.

Do we choose to accept that police officers have a lot of power, they will make errors, and some of those errors will be racially motivated? Or do we reject that and hold them to a higher standard? While the rest of the world fails to live up to protecting the vulnerable, we should expect more from those we put into power.

Ottawa Vigil For Michael Brown outside the American embassy on Nov. 25

thefulcrum.ca

Photos: Zach Verret

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