The Fulcrum - Vol 75 Issue 16

P.4

Scanning for risk

P.6

minding your business

sleep out in P.10 the cold

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IN THIS ISSUE Open books P.4

Student works for federal budget transparency and accountability

Dentistry students partially-suspended P.7 Protests at Dalhousie in response to university’s disciplinary action

Start the year in style P.8 United Way Student Association hosts campus clothing swap

Give breaks a break P.9

Stop cutting movies into smaller parts

Recap roundup P.12-13 Looking at Gee-Gees prospects going into 2015

A better Israel debate P.14

Acknowleding the difference between Jews and Israelis

Real fake athletes P.15 Give pro wrestlers the respect they deserve

YouTube setting industry standards P.16 Vertical video comes to the big screen

NEWS

NEWS EDITOR

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

Student calls for greater access to federal budgets

Righting the wrongs with Canada’s financial accountability Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

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third-year political administration student at the University of Ottawa has generated a lot of buzz in her campaign to make federal budgets more transparent.

Olivia Dorey is working on a website called Matters that will simplify financial data and use basic demographic information to create personalized profiles so Canadians can find out how the government’s policies affect them financially. “(Matters is) more than a translation,” she said.

“I’m wanting it to be a two-way conversation on public finance.”

Matters began a year and a half ago when Dorey was a parliamentary page. She distributed the budgets to Members of Parliament (MP) but found it challenging when she tried to decipher the documents herself.

Dorey said there are “quite a lot of things wrong” with budgets.

She shared her concerns with her public finance professor at the time, Kevin Page, formerly the parliamentary budget officer and now the university’s Jean-Luc Pepin research chair.

“Canada’s parliamentary institutions are not functioning in a healthy way,” Page wrote in an email to the Fulcrum. He decided to get involved in Dorey’s project to help create “strong institutions for our democracy and future transpar-

ency,” he said.

“Budgets are made from the top down in a highly secretive environment. The focus is largely on antiquated concepts of fiscal balance over the short term. There is little focus on longer term sustainability issues… There is little focus on allocation and efficiency at the departmental levels,” said Page.

“The processes set up to hold the executive to account are broken,” he added.

Both Dorey and Page want to change the way MPs vote on budgets, so they vote on specific programs rather than departmental activities.

Dorey said she had consulted with several MPs to determine their understanding of the federal budget.

“They don’t necessarily have the financial background that you would hope that they would have when they’re going in to vote on how all of this money is being spent,” she said, but added, “They have a real willingness to learn, and that’s what’s been most promising for me.”

Her website is “a civic engagement process as well as a financial literacy (one),” said Dorey, which could be a vital tool as Canadians head to the polls in October.

In 2011, 61.1 per cent of eligible Canadians voted in the federal election, while only 38.8 per cent of people aged 18 to 24 cast a ballot.

Dorey said she believes a lack of youth engagement stems from politicians not addressing the issues young people care about. “We’re a generation that can really rally a lot of forces.

I think we just haven’t necessarily had some-

“(Matters is) more than a translation. I’m wanting it to be a two-way conversation on public finance.”—Olivia Dorey

Olivia Dorey said two “remarkable” high school teachers led her to pursue an interest in politics.

thing to rally around.”

Dorey hopes her website will one day expand beyond financial data so that it encompasses all government projects at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels.

Matters is among one of several initiatives that have popped up in recent months in hopes of igniting a greater public interest in politics.

The Faculty of Social Sciences at the U of O will host the next instalment of iVote, aimed at communicating the importance of youth engagement in the democratic process, on March 25, with NDP leader Thomas Mulcair, Liberal

U of O students enjoy extended holidays

Photo: Nadia Drissi-Bouzaidi

leader Justin Trudeau, Green Party leader Elizabeth May, and Conservative MP Michael Chong.

The Your Question Period program, created last March, is another initiative that hopes to increase political engagement, which gives Canadians the opportunity to pose their questions to their Senators.

After the launch of Matters, Dorey hopes that citizens will say, “’OK, I see what the government’s doing for me, I understand why I bothered to go out and turn out for elections, and why I bother with all of this, because I can see what this means.’”

University policy, not clerical error, makes for longer winter break Nadia Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor

Thousands of university students across Canada were holed up in airports, bus, and train stations the first January weekend as they tried to make it back in time for Monday classes, while winter storms pounded the country.

But students at the University of Ottawa, who don’t begin classes until Jan. 12, avoided the fuss as they got to enjoy another cozy week at home.

Many students assumed the extra week of holidays was due to a clerical error, but it’s actually because of a university policy.

The policy states that the winter term “is to begin on a Monday, preferably the first or second Monday of January but never before January 6th.”

Caroline Milliard, manager of media relations, explained the policy was adopted in 2010 “to allow the longest possible break for students returning home for the holidays.”

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She noted that this was especially important for the 10 per cent of the U of O’s student body who are international students.

“Classes must begin on a Monday, because there are already two statutory holidays on a Monday in the winter session. A course runs once or twice a week, so the semester needs to include a proportionate amount of each weekday,” said Milliard.

However some faculties did not get an extended holiday because they have different class schedules and semesters.

Common law students, for example, have been required since 2004 to take an intensive three-week course in January, which provides the opportunity for students to fulfill their heavy course requirements, as well as learn from visiting professors. They then have a second winter semester from Feb. 2 to April 14.

Students in some other faculties that offer professional or graduate programs have also

begun classes Jan. 5, including education, engineering, health sciences, and medicine.

The winter term will still consist of 12 weeks

of classes just like the fall, meaning U of O students will finish a week later than other Canadian university students.

In 2010, the University of Ottawa’s senate decided classes would not begin before Jan. 6, giving students an extra week of holidays.

Photo: Marta Kierkus

thefulcrum.ca

News Briefs

two teenagers charged in relation to death of international student Police have arrested two Ottawa men, John Ruch, 19, and Steve Kozielo, 18, in relation to the death of 23-yearold Carleton University engineering student Tausif Chowdhury.

Ruch and Kozielo have been jointly charged with one count of manslaughter and one of robbery. Both men are students at Gloucester’s Norman Johnston Secondary Alternate Program.

Chowdhury, an international student from Bangladesh, was found dead the morning of Nov. 27 by two cyclists on the Sawmill Creek pathway, which lies between the South Keys OC Transpo station and the Airport Parkway.

He left his home around 9 p.m. on Nov. 26 to withdraw an undetermined amount of cash from his bank account according to friends, which police believe he planned to use to buy marijuana from a dealer. Police believe the robbery was planned, but the attackers did not intend to kill Chowdhury, according to the Ottawa Citizen.

Friends described Chowdhury as a brilliant but humble student.

Chowdhury’s body has been flown to Bangladesh after a funeral prayer at the Ottawa Mosque.

—Jasmine van Schouwen

three groups honour fss with year-end design awards

Photo: Marta Kierkus

The University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) building received three honours from separate organizations for its design and engineering at the end of 2014.

The 272,000-square-foot, 15-storey building located on the western boundary of the downtown campus

was named the Top Institutional Building at the annual Ontario Concrete Awards in December.

Despite some mechanical issues in the fall that caused some of the foliage to die, FSS’s six-storey living wall snagged the Award of Excellence at the Green Roofs for Healthy Cities conference in Nashville in November.

The Ontario Wood Works! Program also recognized the building’s design with the Interior Wood Design Award. Wooden structures are found throughout the building, notably in the atrium that connects it to Vanier Hall.

FSS opened just over two years ago, making it one of the university’s newest buildings. It was the first time the faculty’s 10,000 students, 260 professors, and 100 staff were brought together under one roof.

Diamond Schmitt Architects of Toronto and KWC Architects of Ottawa designed the FSS building. The living wall was designed by Alan Darlington of Nedlaw Living Walls.

—Miriam Saslove

Flu virus hits ottawa hard Ottawa is seeing an unusually high number of cases of influenza this year, including two deaths.

According to Ottawa Public Health, there have been 149 cases of the flu this season, 20 of which required hospitalization. There have been 19 flu-related deaths in Ontario this season. A lag in data means there may be more cases than reported.

The majority of cases have been seen in those over the age of 65.

Most cases have been due to the emergence of influenza A, H3N2, an

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aggressive strain of flu which is not entirely prevented by the flu vaccine, but the effects of which may be mitigated by it.

It is partly a result of the aggressiveness of the strain and partly changes in the virus. Ottawa Public Health notes that vaccination remains the best method of protection against the flu.

The high incidence of flu cases is being seen across North America. In the U.S., 15 children have died as a result of virus.

—Jasmine van Schouwen

NEWS | 5

U of O Innovations: Predicting strokes Associate News Editor

“Strokes are the third-leading cause of death in Canada, with over 14,000 people dying per year,” said Jeffery Perry, co-senior author of a new study that looks into how brain scans can help determine those who could be at risk of a stroke.

Perry is also an associate professor of emergency medicine and a research chair in emergency neurological medicine at the U of O, and a senior scientist in clinical epidemiology at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.

U of O researchers George Wells, Dar Dowlatshashi, Grant Stotts, and Ian G. Stiell also partook in the study. The results were published in the American Heart Association journal, Stroke.

The project Strokes occur when blood flow to the brain is restricted, resulting in oxygen loss. The researchers decided to look at the after-effects of transient ischemic attacks (TIA), or minor strokes that require hospitalization, for insight on fatal strokes.

TIAs have been used traditionally as a predictor of stroke risk because major strokes often follow TIAs

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after a short period of time.

“We wanted to assess the use of CT scans with TIAs,” said Perry.

“We knew their value as a diagnostic tool, but had never examined them as a way to help prevent future attacks.”

With this knowledge, the researchers administered a CT scan of TIA patients within 24 hours of the attack, seeing if they could predict whether the patient is at risk of another stroke, or when their symptoms will worsen.

They gave 2,028 TIA patients in hospitals all over Canada and the United States CT scans over a fouryear period. The scans were analyzed to determine if there was new or old damage in the brain, and the similarities between patients.

The result “We knew that the imaging would be an important preventative measure, but we never expected the magnitude of their importance,” said Perry.

The brain scans revealed that of the 2,028 patients, 814 (40.1 per cent) suffered brain damage due to ischemia, a lack of sufficient blood flow. These patients were 2.6 times more likely to have another stroke within 90 days.

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

The risk for stroke was also 5.4 times greater for those who had previously damaged brain tissue, and 4.9 times for those who had blood vessel damage, or microangiopathy.

Those patients who exhibited all three symptoms were eight times more likely to suffer a stroke.

“During the 90-day period, and within two days after the initial attack, patients with acute ischemia and additional damage were more likely to have a subsequent stroke,” said Perry.

In total, 3.4 per cent of the people in the study group had a subsequent stroke within 90 days, however this number rose to 25 per cent of patients who displayed all three symptoms.

Perry said he and his team hopes their research will help people who suffer minor strokes to “receive complete investigation and maximum stroke management immediately.”

Canadians should expect to wait up to two weeks for further investigation of stroke-risk, according to Perry, however this could be too late for those patients whose CT scans revealed to be at a greater risk.

Physicians should be “more aggressive” in managing patients with TIA when previous tissue damage is present, he said.

What’s next?

The Canadian TIA score already

Most patients who suffer minor strokes, undergo CT scans, but Perry said this should

Lindsay MacMillan

be a requirement for all patients who experience TIAs. photo: CC Reigh LeBlanc

Researchers use brain scans for earlier detection and prevention

“We knew that the imaging would be an important preventative measure, but we never expected the magnitude of their importance.” —Jeffrey Perry

classifies the severity of minor strokes, however the findings from the U of O researchers will be used to update the score classification system.

Most patients with TIA undergo CT scans, but Perry said this should be required for all patients, as the images have proven a crucial way to “help healthcare professionals identify damage patterns leading to worse symptoms or future, more harmful strokes.”

The researchers also hope to develop the use of CT scans in diagnosing strokes, said Perry, integrating them with the identification of other risk factors including age, hypertension, and diabetes.

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National News

Dalhousie partially suspends dentistry students for Facebook comments

Students protest Dalhousie University’s course of action regarding male students who posted offensive comments about their female peers in a Facebook group. Photo: Nick Holland/The Watch

Rachel Ward

CUP Labour Bureau Chief HALIFAX (CUP) — Thirteen dentistry students at Dalhousie University who were part of an offensive Facebook group may still be able to attend classes next week, despite being suspended from degree-required clinic work.

Dalhousie president Richard Florizone said in a press release on Jan. 5, hours before a community protest against the

treatment of the victims, that the suspension only affects the publicly attended dental clinics. Dentistry classes have been postponed until Jan. 12.

The sanction follows revelations of misogynistic Facebook posts targeting female dentistry students.

The scandal broke out in mid-December, when sexually explicit Facebook posts from the 2015 DDS Gentlemen’s Club Facebook group were made public by the CBC and the Coast.

The posts show male dentistry students voted on which female student to have “hate sex” with. Others joked about getting women unconscious with chloroform or nitrous oxide in order to “bang until stress is relieved.”

Another man defined “penis” as “the tool used to wean and convert lesbians and virgins into useful, productive members of society.” Another member replied, “by productive i’m (sic) assuming you mean it inspires them to become chefs,

B.C. study looks at healthcare problems for female international students Ashley Wadhwani The Omega

KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CUP) — Researchers at Thompson Rivers University are conducting a pilot study looking at healthcare accessibility and use by female international students.

The researchers, senior lecturer Florriann Fehr and coinvestigators Kim Munich and Wendy McKenzie, are collecting data through interviews with women on their experiences with Canada’s healthcare system.

The interviews are focusing on the “specific cultural and religious influences (that) may influence unaddressed healthcare needs while attending Canadian post-secondary programs,” according to the study’s description.

According to Fehr, the data is already showing insufficiencies in Canadian healthcare, particularly maternity care.

For example, international students, specifically women from Saudi Arabia, are having babies in Kamloops, but where these women are getting postpregnancy care is unclear.

The data is already revealing a misunderstanding on the insurance coverage that international students have, where some fe-

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Florriann Fehr, Kim Munich and Wendy McKenzie are investigating female international student experiences with the Canadian health care system at TRU. Photo: Ashley Wadhwani/The Omega

male students believe it’s cheaper to travel back to their home countries in order to have basic procedures, according to Fehr.

The data has also shown a disconnect between Western uses of medications and other cultural beliefs or practices. According to Fehr, some Chinese students bring an extra bag of luggage filled with traditional medicines from home such as teas and herbs.

“They don’t have any trust with the Westernized system.

There is no bridging between the kinds of (medications) we have offered here and their stuff,” Fehr said. “When they go and see a doctor, they’re worried that they’re going to be given medicine that isn’t safe.”

Other cultural differences found in the data include the concept of 911. In Mainland China they have several emergency numbers for specific emergencies, according to Fehr. “Some have phoned 911 not knowing what to expect on the other side

and have panicked,” she said.

Other misconceptions include the role a pharmacist plays in prescriptions, how breastfeeding clinics work, and a struggle adjusting to Canadian food that can lead to skin and stomach issues.

The group has mostly interviewed female students from China and India, but the pilot study is looking to expand to all groups on campus.

“At this point we’re just collecting data,” said Fehr. “We need more answers and we definitely need other cultures.”

Fehr completed her PhD with a focus on students raising children while they’re in post-secondary programs.

“My whole interest is making sure that this transition, of coming here on campus and having their academic life, is balanced with all the other stuff they need to have done outside of school,” she said. “There’s this vulnerable group or unknown group of TRU international students, females in particular.”

housekeepers, babysitters, etc.”

Jacob Boon, city editor at the Coast, reported receiving private Facebook messages showing members of the group discussing the media storm. Some suggested apologizing, Boon reported, but not all: “Fuck an apology,” said one.

Four Dalhousie professors submitted a formal complaint on Dec. 21 using the Student Code of Conduct.

Francoise Baylis, a bioethics professor at the university, said the penalization process is transparent, would result in a clear decision of innocent or guilty, and not require the women to publicize their names. The women have so far remained anonymous in media reports.

Instead, Florizone is proceeding with a restorative justice procedure through the sexual harassment policy. That, in part, involved the men and women meeting to “resolve complaints between the parties.” The process would be secret and result in no decision on whether sexual harassment happened at all.

Community members have voiced their disagreement on social media using the hashtag #dalhousiehateswomen.

The partial suspension is part of a second process using an Academic Standards Class Committee consisting of dentistry professors who teach fourthyear students. A question and answer page about the decision on Dal’s website said the committee will assess each student individually to see whether he meets professional requirements. Florizone’s press release said this committee may create a remediation plan, which could

recommend academic dismissal.

“There must be significant consequences for those that endorse and enable misogyny on campus,” wrote Florizone.

The news at Dalhousie comes amidst an ongoing University of Ottawa taskforce investigation prompted by two highly publicized incidents last winter: a sexually graphic Facebook chat about student federation president Anne-Marie Roy was posted online, and two members of the Gee-Gees men’s hockey team were charged with the sexual assault of a Lakehead University student.

In the case of the five male students who wrote the Facebook comments, four were student officials who resigned from their posts, though none were formally penalized.

According to taskforce chair Caroline Andrew, the U of O has considered implementing its own student code of conduct like the one at Dalhousie and other schools. Students at schools that have a code of conduct are expected to meet the required standards of personal conduct and can be penalized for behaviour that happens online or outside the campus environment. The Student Federation of the University of Ottawa has strongly opposed a potential code of conduct here at the U of O. Baylis said the Dalhousie professors want their complaint to be acknowledged and the proper procedure followed. If their complaint is followed under the code of conduct, Baylis said the president could issue an immediate suspension from classes.

“Every single student that comes to Dalhousie should be

aware that we have a commitment to a safe and supportive learning environment,” she said. “At this point I’m in a position that I’m at least questioning whether that’s true for the fourth-year dentistry students.”

Baylis said if the victims are sitting next to any of the men in class, they “might be imagining all kinds of things, right? How is that providing me with an appropriate environment in which I can focus on my studies?”

Florizone said in a press conference the decision to suspend the students from clinic work was actually made on Dec. 22, but postponed due to concerns several men were at risk of selfharm. The school wanted to give students “appropriate in-person support” including counselling.

“It’s not really much of a consequence for the Dalhousie dentistry students, but it looks good that Dalhousie is taking some action,” said student Madison Foster, who attended the community protest.

Student Hannah Milley was also there. She’s a board member of South House, the studentfunded gender resource centre which has helped organized two protests so far.

“What about our mental health?” she said. “What about the people who had to spend their holidays worrying about if they’ll be forced back into classrooms with the classmates who threatened to rape them?”

On its website, Dalhousie said details will be released soon of a presidential taskforce related to these events.

—With files from Sophie AllenBarron, Nick Holland, and the Fulcrum

NEWS | 7

ARTS &CULTURE

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

Let your January wardrobe detox begin Charitable fashion on the racks with United Way Student Association

Savannah Awde, Jessica Eritou Proofreader, Arts & Culture Editor

Why it’s famous: An unavoidable classic that perfectly embodies the feeling that comes with finishing a period of one’s life and dealing with the apprehension of a terrifying new one. The Graduate examines the coming of age ennui and being completely uncertain of what to do next.

Famous lines: Benjamin: Mrs. Robinson, you’re trying to seduce me.

Mr. McGuire: I just want to say one word to you. Just one word.

Benjamin:Yes, sir.

Mr. McGuire: Are you listening?

Benjamin: Yes, I am.

Mr. McGuire: Plastics.

Why you haven’t seen it: Either you read the book, or you haven’t heard of this story at all, in

8 | ARTS & CULTURE

United Way Student Association members Alexia Bystrzycki and Elizabeth Nunan already have ideas as to what to bring for the swap.

Photo: Martia Kierkus

the association does. By holding events like the clothing swap, UWSA makes an effort to combat the funding downturn.

Created in 2006, the fund assists students faced with financial stress, to be used for urgent necessities such as food and access to services.

In 2010, thanks to a similar United Way campaign, 162 students received funds and food cou-

pons. With the help of the university staff and various campaign activities, the group raised more than $78,000 in total that year.

“Higher education is a privilege,” says Elizabeth Nunan, the group’s vice-president social. She says these contributions help make sure students have the right to food security while they are obtaining their education.

which case, it’s time for you to seriously rethink your priorities in life. commentary about the languor of Really, who hasn’t seen The Gradu- human existence. ate?

Fun Facts: Why it might be tough • When Dustin Hoffman showed to get through: Not only is up at Joseph E. Levine’s office Dustin Hoffman painfully awkward in for a casting interview, the prohis role as Benjamin Braddock, but ducer mistook him for a window this film is also a challenging one to cleaner, so Hoffman, in charachandle for the simple reason that it’s ter, cleaned a window.

• This movie marked the first time just so relatable. While most of us a director was paid a flat salary haven’t engaged in an affair with the (not including points) of $1 milwife of our dad’s business partner, lion. most students, especially those who • The leg in the poster for The have recently graduated, have felt Graduate belongs to actress absolutely lost, confused, and unsure Linda Gray from the Dallas telethat they’re going anywhere in life. vision series, uncredited.

Why you should see it anyway: Familiarity is paradoxically also the element that makes this movie so profound. Not only is it the film perfectly set to all the best Simon & Garfunkel hits, but it has also been pointed to as a profoundly philosophical existential

Fly over to Laurier Social House for some wings

Pub-lounge fusion may have what it takes to stick around

The wings are worth the hype but don’t count on great service

Jasmine Van schouwen STAFF Contributor

On Jan. 13, the United Way Student Association (UWSA) at the University of Ottawa will host a clothing swap where students can bring $5 and any amount of unloved clothing to make some trades.

The proceeds will go to the student aid fund, a bursary offered at the U of O. “It’s a win-win for students that want to do something different when they come back from the winter break—get rid of their clothes, but also helping students that will need these funds throughout the year,” says Alexia Bystrzycki, the UWSA’s vice-president of communications.

The fund has been declining over the few years due to the recession and losing government help, according to United Way Campaign Officer Julie Vaillantcourt. One of UWSA’s central mandates is to hold fundraising initiatives for fellow students.

They also want to let others know about the work

#fulcrum food review

I

f your grandma got you two-sizestoo-big pyjamas for Christmas and you were too polite to say anything, they don’t have to sit in your closet after all.

The UWSA’s fundraising goal for this month’s clothing swap is $300.

Other events this year have included a launch fair, the Make Change Happen event that raised about $600 for the Student Aid Fund, free Zumba classes, a fundraising book drive with the U of O’s bookstore, and a dodge ball tournament.

The clothing swap allows students to give their wallet a rest after the holidays and still find some new or hardly worn items seen in contemporary clothing stores. Items include business casual wear such as jackets, dresses, and accessories—ideal items for job interviews that can be expensive on a student budget. For $5, participants can leave with an entirely new outfit.

“It’s all about initiating students to what the United Way does both on campus and outside of campus, and how they can get involved—we want to start that discussion,” Bystrzycki says.

Nunan says it’s also a place to engage and connect with like-minded peers. “We really want people to come, not just to swap clothes, but it’s a great opportunity for people to network and get to know each other,” she says.

The clothing exchange will take place on Jan. 13 from12to4 p.m. at the UCU.

Moussa Sangaré-Ponce

It might be Associate Online Editor too early to say, but ity. What the menu lacks in Laurier Social House seems to have more staying size, it makes up for in taste.

The chicken wings are more power than its predecessors than a notch above most HillTop Resto Bar and Urban of your standard pub fare.

Well. Though aesthetically They’re offered with a homethe place pretty much looks style barbeque sauce, jerk like the bars that were there chicken marinade, and honey before it, Laurier Social House Sriracha—the latter of which sets itself apart with simplic-

packs a uniquely spicy punch while the honey keeps it from being too hot to handle. Aside from their wings, the Laurier Social House has a decent selection of draught beer and cider.

The restaurant seems to have a bit of an identity crisis, not knowing if it wants to be a sports pub or a more refined lounge. Though the prices are a bit expensive for a place located in a campus neighbourhood, the menu and their specials should be enough to help them stick around.

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Don’t cut the reel Film adaptations should not be broken up into parts

William Hume Contributor

When the producers of the Harry Potter films decided to split the final instalment into two films to avoid cutting out any key plot elements from the book, they started a problematic trend in today’s film industry.

It proved a success, as both film instalments went on to garner critical acclaim and become the highest-grossing films in their respective years.

Thus began the trend of adapting single books into multiple film instalments, a trend that continued with the film versions of The Hobbit, Twilight, and The Hunger Games.

It’s a problem because studios are shamelessly using it in service of box office returns rather than coherent narrative storytelling.

A fragmented release strategy makes sense from a financial perspective; why not reap the benefits of two or three major theatrical releases instead of one? The multi-part film releases of The Hobbit, Twilight, and the Harry Potter films cracked the top 10 highest-grossing films for each respective year.

While some studio heads and directors may be carrying out these decisions under the guise that they (like the people behind Harry Potter) are doing so to produce more faithful or complex film adaptations, I believe they are hurting the narrative flow of the movie itself.

Take the most recent cinematic instalment of The Hunger Games for example. Since Lionsgate Entertainment decided to break up a short book (around 400 pages) into two films, the standard narrative flow of the original story (which has a distinctive beginning, middle, and end) is not present in this first film instalment. As a single movie, Mockingjay—Part 1 doesn’t have a beginning or an end, since it picks up from unresolved developments from the previous film and closes on an unsatisfying cliffhanger. It leaves you feeling like you’re reading from a book that has half the pages torn out.

Movie fans have similar problems with The Hobbit film trilogy.

Although I personally enjoy the creative liberties director Peter Jackson took with J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel, I can see why some

think the artificial lengthening of this short children’s book into three fantasy epics might take away from the stark simplicity that made the original story such a classic.

Even though this production and release policy has proven to be mixed at best when it comes to fan reception, Hollywood is ready to move full steam ahead.

In April, Lionsgate announced that Allegiant (the third novel in the Divergent series) will be split into two films. In October, Marvel Studios and Disney showcased a series of planned films for phase three of their cinematic universe, including the multipart Avengers: Infinity War. Filmmakers need to make sure they employ this strategy in the service of story rather than box office returns. But given the fact that Hollywood is milking boatloads of money from this strategy, I won’t be holding my breath.

The Fulcrum’s 2015 Hot/Not List Jessica Eritou • Arts & Culture Editor Hot

The Netflix binge

NOT

House of Cards (spoiler alert): Even though the new season premiers in February on Netflix, it seems as though people might move on from the show since President Frank Underwood took over. Some may grow tired of his knuckle-tapping to find another program with more drama and unresolved conflict.

Hot

Black Mirror: This British show takes an anthropological look through a dark lens of modern society and its addiction to technology. The show picked up more attention and momentum over the holidays when Mad Men actor Jon Hamm took part in the series’ Christmas special.

NOT

Super foods

Kale: By now we should all know the health benefits of kale from every article we’ve read in 2014 to the point of exhaustion.

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Matcha: It’s filled with antioxidants and it may even relieve stress symptoms. This Japanese fine powdered green tea can be added into more pleasurable treats like cookies, ice cream, chocolates, and even roasted brown rice.

NOT

Literature

50 Shades of Grey: Once the flocks of folks who go to see the film version on Valentine’s Day buy the three-part series, most will realize this was never worth the hype and is actually pretty terrible.

Hot

Everyday people living extraordinary lives: If life imitates art, then we should take note now that books like Cheryl Strayed’s Wild and Chris Kyle’s American Sniper have piqued the interest of Hollywood producers.

NOT

Movie genres

Science fiction: With huge hits like Guardians of the Galaxy, Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Interstellar, some of us need to come back to Earth for a while.

Hot

Psychological thrillers: After Gone Girl’s success in 2014 it seems like there will be more spooky and realistic psychological thrillers to come.

Background noise

NOT

YouTube playlists: With more and more commercial breaks added to your 40-episode playlist, it seems like you might as well have your television on.

Hot

Podcasts: Serial took reign in 2014 leaving everyone on the edge of their seats. Perhaps the podcast will finally be embraced at the level it was always hoped to be with new drama series driving its popularity.

NOT

Dating

Tinder: Swiping right usually leads to stories only your closest circle of friends will ever hear.

Swipe at your own risk.

Hot

In person: Talking to people you find cute may be scary at first, but at least you won’t be catfished. Think that girl in your history class is attractive and smart? Ask her what she thinks of your prof. At least you have a shared common interest already.

ARTS & CULTURE | 9

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t’s another difficult morning before that early Friday class. Into the shower you go; it really seems to wake you up so that’s the first thing you do while you ponder last evening’s events—wait, did you shampoo your hair already? Oh well, it’s time for breakfast anyway.

As you mow down your morning cereal, you read a lengthy, impassioned article in the Fulcrum about… wait, what was the article about again? And hold on—are you sure it was cereal that you were having? Not oatmeal… or a muffin? Are you sure you even ate?

With so many distractions—people, things, noises, flashing lights— vying for our attention at any given moment, it is harder than ever these days for people to be present in the present.

The boredom of our childhood, when we actually had to think of things to do—times that inspired such creative enterprises as "dark tag," or "grounders," or perhaps our finest Crayola self-portrait—can now be wholly avoided by applying pressure on a touchscreen. While technology has made it possible to engage our minds more quickly, the rapid brain processes needed to keep up with the modern condition can leave behind seemingly insignificant memories like words and breakfast.

A solution steeped in age-old wisdom exists for this modern issue: mindfulness.

The meaning of mindful “Mindfulness means slowing down,” says Dr. Heather MacLean, a neurologist at the Ottawa Hospital and leader of the mindfulness curriculum working group for the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Medicine.

It means “purposely paying attention to all aspects of the reality of what is happening now and not being completely lost in your own thoughts and swept away by your mind’s opinions and judgments,” says Dr. MacLean.

Mindfulness means opening yourself up to the daily train of emotions, thoughts, and ideas that one experiences, without filter. For example, being mindful can mean focusing on the physical sensations of a hot shower in the morning, the gentle spray of water on your face, the scent of your shampoo and your body literally warming up, rather than being lost in planning for the day or worrying about an upcoming exam.

Or, being mindful can mean paying more attention to the people around you, which could involve concentrating more on your conversations and less on what else you should be doing, or looking more often at the faces of those you’re talking to, and less at your phone and surroundings.

“The definition of mindfulness that I like to use is the following: paying attention in the present moment, on purpose, and in a particular way, with qualities such as curiosity, compassion, and acceptance,” says Dr. MacLean.

Mindfulness practice by the average student can ground an otherwise harried and chaotic existence in the university environment.

Art Assoiants, a mindfulness facilitator with the Healthy Student Initiative and a psychology student at York University, recognizes the difficulties students face.

“The American College Health Association has found that, as a general whole, the student body of Canada’s universities is not in a good place,” says Assoiants.

“Students undergo a great deal of stress and anxiety and a number of them have sleep difficulties. Mindfulness meditation is one of the ways to manage this startling finding.”

Looking to the past for a modern problem Mindfulness is derived from traditional Buddhist meditation practice dating back 2,500 years. Modern proponents of the practice have been quick to adapt mindfulness to the current day, emphasizing its ability to help alleviate stress and improve concentration.

Recently, the practice has rapidly gained traction in the world

of healthcare, in education, and even the corporate world, with veritable household names such as Google, LinkedIn, and a wealth of Fortune 500 companies incorporating the practices for professional development.

Its widespread acceptance perhaps indicates a collective agreement on our part for the need to slow down and truly experience life. But its promises of increased productivity, efficiency, and happiness have enthralled the masses, making it questionable whether practitioners today really understand the deeper meaning behind mindfulness. Critics have argued that mindfulness practices are simply knee-jerk responses to a society that has become too busy, needy, materialistic, and expects too much from itself.

In an essay appearing in Cabinet Magazine, philosopher Slavoj Žižek said mindfulness and other forms of Western Buddhism justify our full participation in the frantic pace of the capitalist game because we sustain the perception that we are not really in it. Žižek argues that these practices suggest we understand how worthless the spectacle of our society is, but that we accept it because “what really matters to you is the peace of the inner Self to which you know you can always withdraw.”

Critics argue mindfulness does nothing to address the underlying issues behind the frantic modern condition of our thinking patterns. On the contrary, they say it encourages the status quo by providing a medium through which to lose the tensions and stresses brought on by the realities of modern life.

“All the woo-woo mystical stuff, that’s really retrograde,” said Kenneth Folk, a meditation teacher, in an interview with Wired magazine. “This is about training the brain and stirring up the chemical soup inside.

Far from the original purpose of Buddhist meditation for self-actualization and reducing our attachment to worldly affairs, mindfulness has ironically come to be regarded by many as a tool for improving our abilities to achieve materialistic goals.

Mindful through the click of a button Yet there is little doubt that to some mindfulness is a very powerful and meaningful practice.

Hardly just another fad, it has been rigorously studied as a form of therapy, and as a tool for the alleviation of stress.

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“It has been demonstrated that mindfulness reduces negative automatic thoughts, which eat away at a person’s productivity and satisfaction with life,” says Assoiants.

“As well, seeing as how mindfulness has a built-in component of learning how to breathe in a particular fashion, one can learn how to access the body’s natural state of restoration, healing, and creativity.”

Research has shown mindfulness techniques improve short-term memory and our ability to focus, make people more adaptive in stressful or negative situations, develop emotional stability, and reduce overall stress. Mindfulness techniques can also benefit physical health, such as strengthening one’s immune system.

While the philosophy behind the practice is centuries old, modern technology has made it more accessible. “One can now tap into recorded mindfulness sessions through the click of a button,” says Assoiants. “All it takes is searching terms like 'guided,' 'mindfulness,' and 'meditation,' and leaders in the field like Jon Kabat-Zinn and Thich Nhat Hanh will pop up.” In fact, the availability of mindfulness is a huge part of its popularity.

Dr. MacLean stresses that mindfulness meditation is especially relevant for budget- restricted students because it isn’t limited to formal training or sessions. She says that while mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) courses cost around $500, one can learn some of the basic premises of mindfulness just by reading books or listening to audiotapes and podcasts, and trying to practise at home.

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“My favourite mindfulness techniques are not lengthy meditation sessions but rather inserting brief moments of presence in my day,” she says.

“The moment you realize this you have briefly awakened from the incessant brain chatter. Even if only for a second, it is a welcome relief and an interesting realization of how caught up in your own thoughts you were. And if you can extend that moment a tiny bit longer, by taking a deep conscious breath, or looking around at your surroundings and taking in all the sights and sounds just for a moment longer, you feel recharged.

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“This takes no training whatsoever—just the realization that it happens and the invitation to observe it when it happens in yourself.”

Mindfulness Strategies for the Busy Student 1. Have a ‘mindful morning routine.’

For example, when taking a shower, become aware of the sound of the water as it sprays out of the nozzle, the feel of the water on your skin, the smell of the soap, and the movements of your arms as you wash. Also, eat mindful meals, take mindful commutes, complete mindful routine chores, and so on.

2. In between classes or studying, take regular moments to do nothing but appreciate input from your senses— stop and look around, feel, smell, listen. Intake without judgment or interpretation.

3. Access Healthy Student Initiative’s own guided recordings by searching for ‘Ritvo Lab’ on YouTube.

4. Check out mindfulness-geared apps such as ‘Stop, Breathe, and Think,’‘Smiling Mind,’ and ‘Insight Meditation Timer.’

5. When feeling overwhelmed, take a minute to stop everything and focus all your attention on your breathing.

Notice your breath as it enters through your nose and begins filling your lungs. Notice the movement of your diaphragm and your abdomen. When your mind wanders, acknowledge it, note what is distracting you, and try to bring your focus back on to your breathing.

SPORTS

Men’s basketball sweeps Maritime competition in mid-season exhibition games

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

Back on the attack

Women’s volleyball returns with high hopes of Big matchup against Carleton archrivals to go down Jan. 10 a spot in the CIS top four in the new year Tima Hacini

Staff Contributor

Men’s basketball ranked second throughout the country for six consecutive weeks.

Spencer Murdock Staff reporter

The second-ranked team in the country capped off its holiday season as champions at Dalhousie’s 2015 Shoveller Memorial Tournament.

The Gee-Gees came into the break undefeated in Ontario University Athletics (OUA) after playing at an elite level during the first half of the season.

The trip to Halifax reaffirmed their standing as the Gees downed some of the best teams Atlantic Canada has to offer. In three games, the men averaged a 20-plus point win and nearly doubled their opponents’ shooting numbers.

In the first game of the tournament, the GeeGees ran rampant on the Saint Mary’s Huskies in a 115-72 win. The most significant aspect of the game was the debut of fifth-year senior forward Alex Ratté, a transfer from Laurentian, where he was the third-leading scorer in the nation last season.

Ratté had been sidelined with knee issues in the first half of the season, and an early return with ample playing time before the playoffs could make the Gee-Gees favourites for the national championship this year.

Johnny Berhanemeskel dazzled with a 21-point, five-rebound performance in the semifinal game against the St. Francis Xavier X-Men. The Gees advanced to the final to take on the tournament host, the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) leading the Dalhousie Tigers.

During this game, Gees’ star junior Caleb Agada took over the game and led Ottawa to an 83-62 win.

Women’s hoops finish second in holiday tournament

Gee-Gees show promise on return from winter break Spencer Murdock Staff reporter

Gee-Gees veterans starting off 2015 with stronger play.

Photo: Richard A. Whittaker (geegees.ca)

12 | SPORTS

Photo: Richard A. Whittaker (gee-

gees.ca) Agada would earn tournament MVP averaging 15 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the three games.

The tournament proved valuable for the GeeGees as they are gearing up for a difficult schedule in the second half of the season, which will likely result in a deep playoff run.

Moving forward in the regular season, the Gees will face their biggest test yet as they have a major matchup with first-ranked archrivals the Carleton Ravens on Jan. 10 at Montpetit Hall.

The teams have not met since last year’s national championship final and the garnet and grey squad has their sights locked on seeing their name on the W.P. McGee Trophy this season.

There’s a strong possibility the Gee-Gees are a better team than Carleton this season. No doubt Carleton is talented, but putting the lineups side-by-side, the Gees look to have more dangerous weapons.

They also have a more immediate reward if they win the Jan. 10 game. If the Gees come away victorious, they would in all likelihood become the number one team in the nation in the weekly top 10 rankings, something no team but Carleton has done in five years.

Although the Gee-Gees and Ravens will meet again for Capital Hoops in February, this will likely be the biggest test for the teams because it will set the tone for the rest of the season.

But whoever wins the game will also have the biggest target on their back; every weekend a new team will want to dethrone the best.

Tipoff is on Jan. 10 at 7 p.m. at Montpetit Hall.

Tickets are available online at geegees.ca and the game will be broadcast live on OUA.tv.

Gee-Gees women’s volleyball returns this January to serve up some competitive matchups, starting with two exhibition games against McGill on Jan. 7 and Montreal on Jan. 9.

Mid-season, the team now sits in second in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) East and 10th in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).

They’ve come a long way from their faulty start to the season, recording a strong 8-3 record before heading off for the holiday break.

“We bounced back quickly after our first weekend of losses,” says Kaly Soro, left side hitter. “And, also grew and used those losses to fuel us for the rest of the games.”

Indeed, the top highlights during the 2014 part of the season were their rematches against Nipissing and York, two great games that showed the two teams the Gee-Gees were capable of dominating.

“All the work that we’ve put in since our loss against York has paid off and what we’ve been working on is now getting results,” says Soro.

Head coach Lionel Woods added that it was the team’s “most complete match all season.”

With 10 games left, the team aims to win another OUA championship and hopefully a CIS title.

“This is normally the goal in the second half of season,” says Soro. “The focus of being first in the OUA and reaching top four in CIS has not changed, and I don’t think it will change anytime soon.”

The new year often comes with hefty and elusive resolutions, but the team wants none of that “new year, new team” cliché. Rather, their goal lies in maintaining the consistency they are known for.

“The team’s focus is to be the most improved team since the last game played,” says Soro.

“We’re really trying to get more aggressive and consistent with our serving, and we’re working on digs with more precision on defence.”

The two exhibition games at the beginning of January will put that hard work into play.

“Montreal is placed third in the country so it will be nice to play them again just in case we meet them in a CIS final,” says Soro.

The team will return to regular season play on Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. with a match-up against the Lakehead Thunderwolves in Thunder Bay, followed by a home game on Jan. 17 at 2 p.m. against Waterloo at Montpetit Hall.

Women’s volleyball ends the first half of the season with a spot in the CIS top ten.

Photo: Richard A. Whittaker (geegees.ca)

The women’s basketball team finished the first half of the season with a 5-3 record good enough for a first place tie in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) North division before travelling to Halifax to take part in one of the more competitive mid-season tournaments.

During the first match, the Gees faced the Acadia Axewomen, a struggling team in last place of the Atlantic University Sport (AUS) standings. The garnet and grey showed flashes of their potential in a 72-56 win led by guard Sarah

Besselink, who netted 27 points and pulled down eight rebounds in the game.

The Gee-Gees would go on to face a familiar foe in the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, and this time it would be point guard Julia Soriano’s turn to lead the team. She put up 14 points, with seven rebounds and four assists, and played stringent defence in the 77-50 win.

Fourth-year Kellie Ring also posted a double-double against Toronto, scoring 17 points to lead all

CONtinued on pg. 13 ...

thefulcrum.ca

Setting up camp How to survive the wilderness—and the cold Garry Balaganthan Contributor

Gee-Gees have ice cold finish to their season. But they closed ahead of the Carleton Ravens in the standings.

Photo: Richard A. Whittaker (geegees.ca)

Disappointing end to the first half of the season

Women’s hockey need to find their stride in 2015 Tima Hacini

Staff Contributor The Gee-Gees women’s hockey team fell consistently short during the 2014 part of the regular season, closing with a 3-7 standing record.

In what can be summed up as a disappointing end to the year—evident in the threegame losing streak—the GeeGees are in second last in their division, ranking fourth out of five teams, with Montreal leading the board and the Carleton Ravens in last place.

“We have a solid group of players who are learning what it takes to have success in this

Women’s basketball continued from pg. 12 scorers with 10 rebounds.

Advancing to the tournament final, the Gees faced the Lakehead Thunderwolves, a 4-3 middle-of-the-pack team in the OUA Central. The T-Wolves proved how deep the OUA can be as they topped the Gee-Gees by 10 points in an 83-73 win to capture the tournament championship.

The Gees had three players earn tournament honours as Krista Van Slingerland was named an all-star, Kellie Ring

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league,” head coach Yanick Evola said on Nov 20.

But 2015 might have better results.

On Jan. 2, the Gees won against the Canadian University Sport (CIS) third-ranked Western Mustangs at the Teresa Humes Invitational with a score of 3-2. The game went into overtime, then to a shootout, where goaltender Maude Lévesque-Ryan executed her role very well, sealing the win.

But the New Year’s boost came to a halt on day two of the tournament with an 8-5 loss to Quebec.

The team has some resolu-

tions they need to work on in order to avoid more losing streaks.

“We have played consistently for a few now. We just need to continue to work on our ingame systems,” said Evola.

“The power play is definitely an area we need to work on,” he said. “We know we need to be consistent in this league to be successful, so this is what we are trying to do every day.”

The women’s hockey team will face the McGill Martlets at the Minto Sports Complex on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m., followed by two games against the Carleton Ravens on Jan. 16 and 18.

earned top rebounder—tallying 18 in the final—and Julia Soriano took home top `defensive player.

Earlier in the season, head coach Andy Sparks said he expected more from his veterans on the team. The squad was making common sense mistakes, and it was costing them games.

But this tournament proved the break had done well for the experienced players. As they struggled most of the first half of the season with defending and rebounding, the Gee-Gees looked stronger, and this can only have

positive effects for 2015.

Transitioning into the next phase of the season, the GeeGees will open the second half by taking on the Carleton Ravens for the top spot in the OUA North. With the promise shown in midseason competition, there’s a chance the Gees could see a deep run into OUA playoffs, and possibly the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) final eight in March.

Tip-off against Carleton will be at on Jan. 9 at 7 p.m. at Montpetit Hall.

Cold mornings, early sunsets, and a lack of money following Boxing Day shopping have you bored, tired, and broke.

The right remedy to keep your sanity might be a winter adventure. Winter camping can be a great experience. It’s far from crowds and the busyness of the new semester, and it’s the perfect opportunity to test your resilience.

But experiencing the north doesn’t come without its hazards, and should you be daring enough to sleep outdoors in chilling temperatures, you should be prepared.

You’ll need to thoroughly research the area where you want to have your adventure. Keeping in mind weather changes and having a rough schedule can help with planning. Unlike summer camping, a lack of planning can cause a lot more hardships, made exponentially worse by the cold weather.

The most important factor to enjoying your trip lies in your ability to stay warm, using layers of clothing effectively.

Layering is essential to monitoring your body heat,

increasing the amount worn or shed, depending on the activity. An increased amount of layers act as an insulator you can control in order to limit the amount you’ll sweat when overheating. Your body is the heat source; the clothing only traps the heat. If you have too much clothing on, you will begin overheating, and the moisture from sweating will make you colder.

Pay close attention to the material when selecting layers. Cotton is impractical in the winter. It absorbs moisture and the water occupies the space previously occupied by dead air. This means a high chance of cooling, and a garment that’s almost impossible to dry out.

Most importantly the key to staying warm is keeping your head, hands, and feet warm.

Covering your face is important since it’s easily susceptible to frostbite. A balaclava can help solve this problem. Mittens provide more heat than gloves, and it’s useful to have an inner mitten insulating your outer shell.

When choosing a pack, try looking for one with an internal frame. The lower centre of gravity allows you to maintain

better balance while snowshoeing or skiing by allowing for more movement.

Sleeping bags for winter camping should be rated to temperatures below what you will likely experience if you want to be comfortable. Having a mummy-style sleeping bag is ideal as the hood can further insulate your body from cold temperatures. You also need to insulate yourself from the underlying snow.

Foam pads or inflatables work well. The insulation should be a least a half-inch thick. It’s best to use full-length pads so your entire body is insulated.

You also have to take into account the demands of the cold weather. Having a stove is the easiest method to cook, as preparing food can take longer given the temperature.

Also consider your caloric intake, since your body will be burning an increased amount of calories as it works harder to heat itself. Timed meals and increased water intake are the best tools to avoid hypothermia.

Once you’re bundled up, packed, and ready to go, enjoy your stay in the great white north.

When taking a break from physical activity, put another layer on so your body doesn’t cool off too much.

Photo: CC Andrew Van Pernis (flickr.com)

SPORTS | 13

OPINIONS

OPINIONS EDITOR Kyle Darbyson

opinions@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

We need healthier debate on Israel Criticizing a government and criticizing its people are not the same

Emily Glass Contributor

F

or the last couple of decades the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been an increasingly touchy subject amongst Canadians and the rest of the world.

This was especially true in 2014, when events like Operation Protective Edge and other brutal attacks had supporters on both sides pumping up their divisive rhetoric.

Since the situation is so controversial, loaded words like “anti-Semite” or “terrorist” tend to be thrown around liberally. The situation is not helped by the use of this kind of language.

Not only does this vocabulary shut down any rational conversation that might take place, but it also perpetuates the idiotic idea that criticizing the state of Israel is the root of modern antiSemitism.

This kind of attitude was thrown around a lot in the last year.

This past January, while addressing the Israeli parliament, Prime Minister Stephen Harper likened criticizing Israeli policy to attacking Jewish people in general. In July, during the early days of Operation Protective Edge, Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird subtly reinforced this position by condemning the United Nations’ criticism of Israeli-led airstrikes against Palestine.

In February, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry found himself on the receiving end of this kind of brazen accusation, being con-

It is important to distinguish between Jews and Israelis when discussing these issues. demned by high-level Israeli politicians after endorsing efforts to enforce economic sanctions on Israel if they failed to reach a peace accord with Palestine.

A Dec. 4 letter to the editor in the Fulcrum even claimed that the local chapter of the Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights club is inherently anti-Semitic and doesn’t have any place on campus.

This kind of sentiment is ridiculous. If I criticize the government of France, I am not necessarily anti-French. If I disapprove of American foreign policy, it does not mean I hate all Americans.

In this light, it is important to distinguish between Jews and Israelis when discussing these issues. After all, Israel is a small, isolated nation state and—despite talk of it being a spiritual homeland—its government does not represent the sum of all 13 to 14 million Jewish views and experiences worldwide.

Governments and the people they represent are not interchangeable, especially when half the globe’s Jewish population lives outside the state of Israel.

This call for calm isn’t to suggest that overt anti-Semitism doesn’t exist in the 21st cen-

Ghostwriting is a matter of transparency

Money must be made, but hard work should never go uncredited Kyle Darbyson Opinions Editor

For the longest time, ghostwriting was the dirty little secret of the publishing industry. In the pre-Internet age, most of the general public had no idea that the work of uncredited writers was crucial to the publication of countless celebrity autobiographies and popular book series.

But these days, more and more peo-

14 | OPINIONS

ple are starting to clue in to the practice of anonymous authorship.

The most recent example of this public unmasking came at the expense of British YouTube personality Zoe Sugg (also known as Zoella), who received a lot of flak after it was revealed that she was not the sole writer of her debut novel Girl Online.

Cases like this have provoked a mixed reaction from avid bookworms. Some like to think it's a decep-

Approximately 70 Israelis and 2,200 Palestinians were killed during Operation Protective Edge, Collage: CC wikicommons, collection by Nick.mon

tury. Far from it. The recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 2014 has revived a lot of old, ugly prejudices in places like Europe, where people like Dieter Graumann, president of Germany’s Central Council of Jews, impart the idea that “these are the worst times since the Nazi era.”

While we may never be able truly comprehend this modern surge of Jewish hatred, encouraging insecurities by throwing around

tive practice in which greedy publishers exploit a lesser-known writer by selling their hard work under a more profitable name. Others are more forgiving and believe that ghostwriting is perfectly acceptable as long as the “real” author gets paid.

I like to think that the answer to this ethical dilemma lies somewhere in the middle.

The reality of the situation is that the publishing industry is largely dependent on the hard work of uncredited writers. In an interview with NPR, literary agent Madeleine Morel outlines the necessity of this practice, estimating that up to 60 per cent of non-fiction bestsellers are ghostwritten. While big-name celebrities and political figures surely have interesting stories to tell, not all of them have the time or writing talent to present this information in a compelling way.

Coupled with the fact that many ghostwriters can make a prosperous living by publishing anonymously or under a different name (with some making hundreds of thousands of dol-

loaded words like “anti-Semite” when they’re not warranted is surely not the best way to discourage it.

We need to stop assuming that critical debate surrounding Israel’s military policy, or the act of giving a voice to the territories it occupies, is the same thing as attacking it from a place of hatred.

In order to change things for the better in Israel, we need to permit criticism, even if it isn’t precisely what we want to hear.

lars per book), this collaborative process seems to benefit all parties involved.

Not only is the idea of ghostwriting manipulative and borderline false advertising, it also comes off as being a little condescending.

However, there are still some elements of this process that are undeniably shady.

Not only is the idea of ghostwriting manipulative and borderline false advertising, it also comes off as being a little condescending. By holding back on the mention of an additional writing credit, publishing houses seem to communicate the idea that the act of artistic collaboration somehow diminishes the value of their product.

This is a worrisome sentiment, especially since most worthwhile works of art are the result of multiple contributing parties.

At the end of the day, the one deciding factor that will help mediate both points of view is that of transparency

on the part of the publisher.

This means that publishing houses should go out of their way to highlight the collaborative efforts that make these books possible in the first place, while also maintaining more marketable names as top billing.

This strategy is used for the latest novels featuring Jack Ryan and Jason Bourne, two book series that prominently feature both the names of their money-making deceased authors (Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum) and the “real” author on the cover (albeit in much smaller text).

While this policy is still partially dishonest when it comes to highlighting the level of each author's involvement, these publishers at least manage to find a fitting compromise: maintaining financially bankable names in their marketing while also admitting to the involvement of lesser-known writers.

Hopefully in the future, more publishers behind high-profile celebrity properties will have the confidence and good sense to take a similar approach.

thefulcrum.ca

Heckles

Professional wrestling is not

fa k e

Pro wrestlers show a kind of physical resilience and tolerance for pain that would put most “real” professional athletes to shame.

Philosophical Sh*t

Varsha Carpen Staff Contributor

I’ve been told that dreams are meaningless or that they are just a random assortment of colours and images that are not reflective of real life. That kind of mentality is nonsense, since there is significant evidence to suggest that dreams are the true measure of who we are as people.

Sigmund Freud believed that dreams reveal something about our subconscious self.

In his view, dreams allow us to see things our conscious mind would otherwise filter out during our waking moments. Freud believed all dreams are a kind of “wish

thefulcrum.ca

fulfilment,” that is, the resolution of some conflict in the mind.

Carl Gustave Jung, who was a student of Freud, agreed with this dream interpretation to an extent, believing that dreams reveal, in some symbolic way, a certain aspect of the dreamer’s psychological life or psychological transformation.

More recent studies back up this claim, indicating that a person’s dreams are in fact reflective of their mental state.

In a study titled “Psychopathalogical Symptoms of Trauma, Dreams, and Inhibitions,” Dr. Calvin Kai-Chung Yu asserts that dreams, particularly disturbing dreams, are indicative of psychological mental states such as anxiety or depression.

In simpler terms, common dreams that include running, falling, flying, or being chased often point to some level of real-world anxiety in the dreamer’s life.

But dreams are not just useful as a barometer to measure people’s negative emotions.

They can also be used to im-

Are dreams significan t? prove our mental health.

Some researchers believe the act of dreaming can positively affect one’s mood, since it provides an avenue for subconscious conflict resolution. Conventional psychology holds that when we sleep our brain is busy organizing and storing information from the day’s events. So, if you go to bed with a problem on your mind, you might get this issue worked out during your brain’s nocturnal activity and find yourself waking up with a greater sense of clarity and perspective on the situation.

Dr. Rosalind Cartwright, former professor of psychology at Rush University, likens this experience to having “an internal therapist.”

At the end of the day, people need to wake up to the reality that our dreams are significant and meaningful tools that can help improve our mental health by penetrating our souls and revealing who we really are.

Kyle Darbyson Opinions Editor

This past December, former wrestling superstar Philip Brooks (known by his ring name CM Punk) announced his intention to fight in the ranks of UFC. Predictably, this announcement prompted a cavalcade of dismissive rhetoric from mixed-martial arts fans, many of whom believe Brooks isn’t cut out for the likes of UFC because he isn’t a real athlete.

In their eyes, he is just a performer in a fake sport.

Being an on-again off-again fan of pro wrestling for most of my life, I have been confronted with this kind of uninformed argument time and time again. And quite frankly, I’m sick of it.

While it’s true that the moves, storylines, and outcomes of individual matches are predetermined, pro wrestlers still need an incredible amount of athleticism to succeed in their field.

Not only do they have to physically look the part, they also have to display tremendous self-discipline while performing in the ring. The skills required to properly deliver a German suplex or a power-bomb (so that you don’t cripple your opponent) take years to perfect. So much so that many wannabe pro wrestlers spend most of their early careers being taught these techniques in wrestling school.

But just like in any real contact sport, no matter how many safety precautions are taken, people are inevitably going to get hurt.

Pro wrestlers show a kind of physical resili-

ence and tolerance for pain that would put most “real” professional athletes to shame.

In traditionally rough sports like hockey, rugby, or football, most coaches will tell you they won’t allow their athletes to play unless they are 100 per cent. However, the relentless schedule of the pro wrestling circuit requires that their talent must wrestle two or three times a week, for more than 250 days a year, which doesn’t always allow for ample recovery time from a sore back or a tender mid-section.

Furthermore, because of the pure physicality of this type of entertainment, the risk factor involved is also very high.

As such, I would love to see someone in the “wrestling is fake” crowd spout their bullshit to someone like Joey Mercury, who had his nose completely shattered during a tag team ladder match in 2006.

Or they could talk to superstars like Shawn Michaels or “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, both of whom would be very receptive to the idea that they are not real athletes, especially since they continued to wrestle after recovering from a broken back and broken neck, respectively.

And I’m sure Mick Foley would love to hear about what a glorified actor he is, after making a career of brutalizing his body with folding chairs, barbed wire, and thumb tacks.

At the end of the day, CM Punk may or may not go on to become a great MMA fighter. But pro wrestlers like him should not be automatically dismissed as shallow entertainers, since they are some of the gutsiest athletes working today.

OPINIONS | 15

British Parliament bans physical contact in porn Adult entertainers fire back with emerging body condom sub-genre Kyle Darbyson Tom ato

Editor

In a continuing effort to make the nation’s adult entertainment as bland and frigid as possible, British lawmakers have decided to forbid the act of touching in U.K. produced pornography.

Now, porn actors are expected to simulate intercourse through miming certain sex acts, such as air humping and pantomime fellatio or cunnilingus.

According to some members of British parliament, this is a much safer alternative to actual physical lovemaking.

“When two people start to touch each other in a dirty picture, it sends the wrong kind of message,” said conservative MP Cecile McTavish. “Everyone knows that all forms of physical contact eventually lead to violence. Why propagate that kind of message in a piece of so-called ‘erotic entertainment?’”

The new laws come on the heels of similar British legislation that was enacted in December, which effectively banned the filming of a number of sex acts such as spanking, strangulation,

fisting, and face-sitting. The no-touching policy was designed to correct the shortsighted nature of these original amendments.

“We quickly realized that the act of banning arbitrary and subjective sex acts like aggressive whipping would be a real pain in the neck to enforce from a logistic point of view,” said Lionel Featherbottom, head of the U.K. censorship board. “So we simply decided to outlaw touching altogether. That should make our jobs a whole lot easier.”

The British pornography community has reacted to this news with widespread outrage, believing this latest stipulation will negatively affect home video sales and make it more difficult for performers to do their job.

This kind of sentiment is championed by influential figures in the industry like “Union” Jack Hammer, the charismatic star of popular adult films such as Tally Hoes 1, 3, and 7.

“This new law is absurd because it expects us, as performers, to use our imaginations to simulate eroticism,” said Hammer. “The only problem is that we’re in the pornography game and

you’re not expected to leave anything to the imagination in this business.”

To combat what he views as an unjust law, Hammer has decided to write, produce, direct, and star in a series of films that aims to exploit the loose language of the legislation.

“This no-touching law very specifically forbids skin-on-skin contact, but what’s to stop us from wrapping ourselves in latex and going to town on each other?” Hammer said during a Q&A exchange with fans on Reddit.

“Hopefully, my upcoming project Body Condom Bonanza will become successful enough to establish itself as a legitimate porn sub-genre.”

Hammer reportedly got this idea from reading about the body condom craze that is sweeping the U of O campus.

Amid all this nationwide controversy, Prime Minister David Cameron finally decided to break his silence on Wednesday.

“I don’t know what all the fuss is about,” he said in an afternoon press conference. “To the best of my knowledge, all of my friends and colleagues haven’t touched their wives in years.”

“Union” Jack Hammer has led the charge against the UK’s latest porn laws, Edits: Marta Kierkus

Vertical video poised to become Hollywood norm George Lucas already plans to release ‘slim’ version of Star Wars on Kyle Darbys

Tomato Editor

Now that 3D has mostly exhausted its mainstream appeal in theatres, high profile movie directors are looking to adopt vertical video as the next big filmmaking gimmick.

This emerging trend came to light on Tuesday when director Peter Jackson announced he will be using the vertical format to shoot the upcoming motion picture trilogy adaptation of the children’s classic If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.

In an interview with Variety, Jackson said he was attracted to this shooting style after spending an “embarrassing amount of time” watching fight videos and amateur booty-shaking montages on sites like YouTube and WorldStarHipHop. “I was struck by the incomplete quality of these videos,” said Jackson.

“Those big black bars on either side of

16 | OPINIONS

the screen leave so much to the imagination. Movies today are missing that kind of stark ambiguity.”

Jackson’s adoption of this new vertical format has already sent shockwaves through the industry. Film traditionalists have expressed doubt concerning this new shooting style, since motion pictures have always been framed horizontally to complement the natural placement of people’s eyes.

However, pro-vertical director James Cameron believes that by embracing the new format, Hollywood will be able to tap into a key demographic it has long ignored.

“Since as far back as I can remember, the globe’s Cyclops population has been completely neglected by the world of cinema,” said Cameron on the set of the now vertically shot sequel to Avatar. “Hopefully, the film industry can get over its phobia of the horizontally challenged and allow vertical video to become the norm.”

To capitalize on the promise of a new

Original image: Bazonka, CC, wikicommons.

Edits: Marta Kierkus

“Those big black bars on either side of the screen leave so much to the imagination.

Movies today are missing that kind of stark ambiguity.”

—Peter Jackson, pro-vertical director

Certain filmmakers are planning to vertically re-format classic films like Lawrence of Arabia.

emerging demographic of movie-goers, director George Lucas has announced his intention to re-re-re-master and rere-release the original Star Wars trilogy in theatres and on home video.

“These new ‘slim’ editions will give me the freedom to change even more stuff about Star Wars,” Lucas said in an interview with the Tomato. “Not

only will Greedo shoot first in this new version, but you won’t even get to see where the shot came from.”

Several industry bigwigs are eagerly waiting to see if the shooting style will pay off financially. Ellis Jacob, president and CEO of Cineplex Entertainment, has already indicated that he is willing to drastically redesign his

movie theatres to accommodate for vertical video.

“Tall and skinny screens will be the name of the game in five years. I guarantee it,” said Jacob. “Admittedly, that might make sitting in the front row even more of a pain in the neck for theatre-goers. But I’m not worried— their bones will change over time.”

thefulcrum.ca

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di,

As Mother Nature would have it, my period is due next week. After being home for more than a month and getting no action, I am really tempted to continue with my next birth control pill package in order to skip my period. Is there any downside or risk to taking the pill continuously so I can avoid my period and get the pleasure I’m craving?

—Blame it on the Holiday Celibacy

Dear BHC,

Many a gal has faced your predicament of pleasure versus the pill and period. And many have chosen pleasure, so if you really need that quick fix and opt to swap your monthly gift to get some lovin’, don’t worry. In general, playing around with your body’s hormones and skipping your normal cycle will probably give you some wonky feelings, but they are rarely serious. Most commonly, women experience similar symptoms to those they had during their first few months of starting the pill, such as breakthrough bleeding or spotting, cramps, and headache.

If you can wait to satiate your carnal craving, make an appointment with your doctor or swing by the campus pharmacy. A physician or pharmacist should know the specific side effects and risks associated with your form of birth control and be able to suggest what you may experience from skipping your period.

If you’re interested in having more flexibility to accommodate your sex life (and skip the monthly menstruation) on a more long-term basis, you may want to speak to your doctor about various contraceptive options. For example, there are many different types of birth control pills available that cause you to have fewer periods (such as four menstruations per year) and alternatives like patches, intra-uterine devices, and implants. Whatever you decide, I wish you all the best in getting back into the swing of sex after the holidays!

Love, Di

Dear Di,

I came home from the break a little late this year, so my roommates had been at our house for a few days before me. When I went into my room, I noticed that my sheets were a little ruffled. I know I did my laundry and washed my sheets before I left for the holidays, so that was my first clue that something was wrong. Anyway, I dismissed it … until that night when I was slipping between the covers. I noticed that my sheets had this crusty stuff all over them. I’m pretty sure it was dried semen, and I was so disgusted that I slept on our couch that night. I figured that using your own bed for your business was a given, but clearly my roommates didn’t get the memo. How do I bring something like this up and make sure there is no repeat performance?

—Goldilocks Gone Wrong

Dear GGW,

Well, someone definitely beat you to ringing in the New Year—in your own bed. That’s definitely one surprise you never want to find when you’re about to curl up under your covers. You have every right to find out who the coital culprits were. It might make for an awkward conversation between you and your roommates, but there’s no need for your bed to become the stomping grounds of Sandy Hill.

I would suggest talking to your roommates oneon-one and then as a group. It’s possible that they threw a party while you were still away and a pair of frisky party-goers snuck away to get some in your room by accident. If this is the case, you can remind your roommates that your room is off limits. If they didn’t host a large party, then it is more likely that one of your roommates had their own party for two that ended up in your bed.

Whether your roommates fess up or not, let them know how you feel about it and remind them that they can keep the business of themselves and their friends to the confines of their own bed. Your roommates are responsible for their guests and themselves, and leaving you with dirty sheets is not only repulsive but really disrespectful. You may want to consider getting a lock for your bedroom door—it’ll make sure your bed stays exclusive for you and your own guests.

Love, Di

thefulcrum.ca

FEATURES EDITOR Jesse Colautti

features@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

Distractions Sex Researcher Profile Getting the goods:

The U of O’s research on sex

Dr. Jocelyn Wentland is a sex researcher at the University of Ottawa. Her work focuses on studying casual sex and dating, and she’s interested in studying the sex terms we use today, such as one-night stands, booty calls, and friends with benefits.

If you want to get involved in some of her work, she’s currently supervising a group of undergraduates completing a research project on sexual activities and relationships that begin online versus offline.

Need to spice up your course selection this winter? Interpersonal relationships, the psychology of adolescence, human sexual behaviour, and advanced studies in human sexuality are all courses taught by Wentland at the U of O. You can follow her on Twitter @JocelynWentland.

DISTRACTIONS | 17

Jan.8 to Jan. 30 2015

THRYLLABUS

MUSIC arts Sports FUN Thinking

18 | DISTRACTIONS

Thursday, Jan. 8 The Interview, Mayfair Theatre — 6:30 p.m.

Foxcatcher, Mayfair Theatre — 9 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 9 Women’s Hockey vs. McGill, Minto Sports Complex — 7 p.m.

Official reopening of Grande Allée, Tabaret Hall front steps — 12:00 p.m.

Food trucks and hot chocolate to celebrate the reopening of Tabaret’s new front lawn.

Planning Your Career and Transition to the Labour Market, Simard Hall, Room 125 — 10:00 a.m.

Workshop offered by Faculty of Arts.

Zero Motivation begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Ottawa Senators vs. Montreal Canadians, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Gemma Bovery begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Balance and Composure, Ritual Nightclub — 8 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 12

Friday, Jan. 16

Yoga Mondays with UOHS and Art of Living, 90U Residence Lounge — 6 p.m.

Mr. Turner begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Free weekly yoga open to all students

Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Bytowne Cinema — 7:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 Career Consultations for Faculty of Arts students, Café Alt— 1-4 p.m.

Free 20 minute walk-in consultations offered every Tuesday until March 31st.

Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Bytowne Cinema — 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 14 Faith, Fear and Fair Trade: An Embattled History of Global Trade from GATT to the WTO, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 3 p.m.

Best of the Banff Mountain Film Festival, Bytowne Cinema — 7:30 p.m.

NASH 77: Canada’s Student Journalism Conference hosted by the Fulcrum begins at the Ottawa Convention Centre

Thursday, Jan. 15 Clear Writing Seminar, Vanier Hall, Room 1026 — 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

Professional development workshop for graduate students. Registration required.

Saturday, Jan. 17 Mommy begins playing at Bytowne Cinema Women’s Volleyball vs. Waterloo, Montpetit Gym — 2 p.m.

Ottawa Senators vs. Carolina Hurricanes, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m.

Cellphone + Durs Coeurs, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

Annihilator, Mavericks Bar — 9 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 21 Ottawa Senators vs. Toronto Maple Leafs, Canadian Tire Centre — 7 p.m. dj Oddity, Father & Sons — 10 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 22 Northlander, The Rainbow Bistro — 4 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 23 Royal Winnipeg Ballet, National Arts Centre — 8 p.m.

Frontier Ruckus w/ Wierd With Cats, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 8:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 24 RAW RAW RIOT w/ Slumlord and Death Stare, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 26 Candice Sand, The Daily Grind — 9 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 29 August Burns Red w/ Miss May I and Northlane, Bronson Centre — 6 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 18

Les Miserables, Centrepoint Theatre — 7:30 p.m.

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

Ottawa Senators vs. Dallas Stars, Canadian Tire Centre — 7:30 p.m.

Blade Runner: The Final Cut, Bytowne Cinema — 9:20 p.m.

Lowell, House of TARG —9:30 p.m.

Monday, Jan. 19

Friday, Jan. 30

Snow Festival begins across campus

Still Alice begins playing at Bytowne Cinema

Free beaver tails and maple taffy on snow offered all week on the FSS terrace.

Fast Romantics + Repartee, Zaphod Beeblebrox — 8 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 20 Dark Realism: Confronting the Dark Side of Global Governance, Faculty of Social Sciences Building — 12 p.m.

Mental Fix w/ Dead Weights and Police Funeral, House of TARG — 9 p.m.

SHAMELESS, Babylon Club — 10 p.m.

thefulcrum.ca

EDITORIAL Volume 75, Issue 16, January 8, 2014 Balancing the books since 1942.

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

staff Sabrina “Account” Nemis Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcum.ca Adam “Deposit” Ashby Gibbard Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Adam “Withdrawal” Feibel Managing Editor content@thefulcrum.ca Marta “Income” Kierkus Visual Editor visual@thefulcrum.ca Nadia “Expense” Drissi El-Bouzaidi News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca

learn to SHARE already

Jesse “Fixed” Colautti Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Sarah “Savings” Nolette Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca

W

Kyle “Late Fee” Darbyson Opinions Editor opinions@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Remit” Van Dyk Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Spencer “Payment” Murdock Staff Reporter Remi “Twinkleflakes” Yuan Staff Photographer Lindsay “Credit” MacMillan Associate News Editor Moussa “Statement” Sangaré-Ponce Associate Online Editor Annalise “Disconnect” Mathers Associate Features Editor Savannah “Enclose” Awde Staff Proofreader Chantale “Discretionary”” Streeting Webmaster Deidre “Invoice” Butters Ad Manager ads@thefulcrum.ca Andrew ”Charge” Hawley General Manager manager@thefulcrum.ca

Contributors L. A. “Fiscal” Bonte Jasmine “Deficit” van Schouwen Varsha “Debt” Carpen Emily “Tax cuts” Glass Khizer “Earmarks” Amin Garry “Mark-up” Balaganthan Tima “Omnibus” Hacini William “Mandatory” Hume Miriam “Entitlement” Saslove

Cover art A) Marta Kierkus B) Reigh LeBlanc C) Marta Kierkus D) Andrew Van Pernis

thefulcrum.ca

a b

C D

e all learned in kindergarten that you have to share. What began in our lives as a basic classroom rule has become the economic system many industries are moving toward. The sharing economy can be exemplified by companies like Uber and Airbnb, which are making the act of sharing physical resources and services easy and cheap.

world we live in, it’s not like no one saw this coming.

These new companies have come under criticism from those in established industries and have received pushback from policies designed to protect them. For example, two Ottawa Uber drivers are fighting charges that they broke taxi licensing bylaws.

So if companies and municipalities saw this coming, they aren’t doing their customers or citizens any favours by choosing not to evolve their service and policies to accommodate the new shared economy. Instead, they’re wasting resources fighting what appears to be the inevitable.

With many great things already developing in the shared economy, established companies protesting the success of their competition, and bylaws that uphold the monopoly of companies with subpar service sound more than a bit like whiny four-year-olds who don’t want to share their Transformers toys. While there are legitimate concerns about holding up standards of service in this brave new

Even Back to the Future II predicted this would be what 2015 looked like in 1989. While we don’t have a biometric payment system in place (yet), the taxi industry’s failure to embrace the importance of touchscreens in monetary transactions is their own failure, not some mean trick played by unlicensed drivers offering rides to strangers in exchange for payment.

Just over 10 years old, Couchsurfing is a shared economy service backpackers have helped to grow. The service connects travellers with strangers willing to provide accommodation. Couchsurfing developed a rating system that allows people to evaluate users and choose their connections based on those ratings.

This service allows for accommodation sharing to move

from couch space shared between strangers to the development of Airbnb, where a more upscale clientele rents rooms or apartments for short periods of time. The website also provides ratings from consumers, and connects with their social media profiles to see if you have mutual friends, or at least confirm you are renting from an actual person.

Industries that can benefit by connecting the people who have resources with the people who need resources have no reason not to embrace the possibilities created through mobile applications.

Opponents of Uber have pointed to the possibility that although there is a rating system, without licensing, drivers may not meet reasonable standards. But as anyone who’s taken a taxicab anywhere knows, a license doesn’t guarantee the person is professional and trustworthy. For a normal taxi service, there’s no rating system to let you know it if they turn out not to be.

As the development from something simple and free like Couchsurfing to a more

complex exchange facilitated

by Airbnb demonstrates, companies are working out the kinks of providing good service and learning how to be more profitable.

The alarmist hype ends up being less about protecting consumers than it is about protecting business. Of course business owners are welcome to try and protect their livelihood, but embracing advances is usually a better way of dealing with innovation than trying to pretend it might go away.

Municipal policies that protect less efficient services are doing not just their citizens a disservice, but also tourists and innovators who may look to invest their ventures elsewhere.

It’s time they all went back to the lessons we learned in kindergarten: share. Share the marketplace, share the resources, share the future. Because there’s no time out chair when you get to adulthood. If you can’t bring your business up to current market expectations, the market will move on without you.

EDITORIAL | 19

Photo: blogcdn.uber.com

Jessica “Variable” Eritou Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca