The Concordian - Fall 2014 Issue 02 by The Concordian

theconcordian

Volume 32 | issue 2 | Independant student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983. | September 9, 2014.

News p.3

How will ASFA stay afloat?

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

In this issue

LIFE

p.6

The purr-fect cafe

ARTS

p.10

FOFAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funky exhibits

MUSIC

p.14

Exhibit: looking at time

SPORTS

p.16

Three Stingers homeopeners

We tell your stories. Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

OPINIONS p.18

Polish with a purpose?

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news 2

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY MILOs KOVACEVIC News editor

>> Metro names to stay

The STM has backpedaled over earlier plans to rename 19 metro stations with more syntactically-correct names. The STM said the changes, which were heavily criticized at a time when the STM’s budget was being cut yet executives were receiving bonuses and pay increases, were never approved by the board of directors The only approved name change was the modification of Metro Square Victoria to highlight the presence of the nearby Civil Aviation Organization (OACI in French), which by itself cost $25,000 in reprints and sign changes.

>> Persistent pothole Problem

A massive pothole sitting around since April in the Mercier-Maissoneuve-Hochelaga borough and measuring two meters across and one meter deep has remained unrepaired long enough for weeds and shrubs to sprout from it. Despite repeated complaints the city has so far done little more than cordon it off with safety barricades, but promises a resolution by the end of Sept.

Chinese school or spy base?

The head of a local Chinese language school located at Dawson College has accused Canada’s spy agency, CSIS, of visiting not only the school but her home = on multiple occasions, and thinks it’s due to suspicions of the school serving as a base for Chinese espionage. The schools in question, collectively called the Confucius Institutes, are often located on university campuses and are partially funded by the Chinese government.

Concordia profs get $5.4M to lead projects Seven-year projects to look at senior technology use and rural communities Milos Kovacevic News editor

n late August, the announcement was made that two Concordia professors had received $5.49 million in funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) to lead a pair of massively collaborative projects on social change. Mapping cross-generational attitudes towards technology Technological progressivism has taught us that technological progress is equated with improvement. Yet the only individuals who have come through the technological revolution – those decades of breathtaking change between room-sized computing machines to ubiquitous apps – are the baby boomers and their immediate predecessors, and what their attitudes and experiences have to teach us is what Concordia Communications professor Kim Sawchuk’s 7-year, $2.99m grant will be looking for. “I’ve been working on issues of digital technology for the past 20-25 years,” said Sawchuk of the Ageing, Communication, Technologies (ACT) initiative. Sawchuk’s career, as well as her experience as a feminist media scholar and collaborator in community-based learning projects, will help her in her work. “This project to a certain extent is an extension of that kind of impetus but as well is taking into account two really large megatrends in our society,” she said of her passionate curiosity on the effects of the circuit on the modern man. Like Reimer, Sawchuk’s project will cross international boundar-

ies and include dozens of fellow researchers in opening up the discussion on how older adults use technology in a rapidly aging society with an increasing predominance towards mobile and digital communication. A good part of the research will be gathering data and dispelling stereotypes. Sawchuk is keen to clear up misconceptions tied to digital ageism. (Or, as she puts it, the idea “that young people are just born knowing computers and digital media and older people aren’t.”) Take for example the notion that all seniors past a certain cutoff like retirement – what she calls the ‘grey zone’ – are homogenous without taking into effect their sometimes widely different experiences with gadgetry. By carefully untangling concepts and analyzing them, the researchers aim to explore the shifting and fluid concept of age under various cultural, national, and urban/rural contexts. “The whole question is not to just accept age as a demographic variable [but] to really ask the question: how do we age well, and [about] the art of aging given our new media environment,” she said. “We’re asking questions on how we can set up intergenerational connections between different types of users of technology and within media studies [and] trying to shift the focus away from a preoccupation on young people,” she said on the importance of giving the experiences of older adults proper weight. She’s quick to point out that contrary to popular beliefs, plenty of studies show septuagenarians, octogenarians, and beyond taking up computers – and others show them choosing to consciously opt-

out. By finding out how seniors are integrated into network societies, and how they are not policies and strategies, could be developed in increasing their inclusion at a time given when the digital landscape forces certain exigencies forced on them. “You can say they’re cynical [about modern technology] but what it is is that they’re realistic about what it will do for them. Older people don’t tend to care about cool, they tend to care about whether or not it is useful for them to maintain connections and to get what they need to get done done,” she said. Yet sometimes this leaves them behind the curve; for example as when care facilities relying on landlines to keep families in touch while communicating with the families themselves have shifted to Skype and webcams. “It is asking the question of what it is they actually do know that may have to teach us about the present technologically-saturated world we live in.” RPLC: The importance of Rural and Northern communities Retired Concordia sociology professor William Reimer, meanwhile, will be using his 40+ years of experience with Canada’s northern and rural communities to begin work on systemizing and exploring the complex workings of such communities and their relationship with urban centres for the sake of better, more informed policy formulation. Reimer said the $2.5 million received for his project, called the Rural Police Learning Commons (RPLC), won’t be so much for research purposes as for the fostering of partnerships with other organizations and individuals. His research over the years has

McGill’s dubious research ethics After being accused of unethically carrying out research linked to the defense industry in the past, McGill landed in hot water again after some students said it did not follow established protocol in disclosing the military backers of a psychological project to its participants. The project looked at young Somalis, their level of assimilation, and the risks involved in terrorist affiliations and was funded by the Canadian military.

Research // news

Concordia researchers William Reimer and Kim Sawchuk. Photo by David Ward.

pointed to a decline in small communities (a wide definition that, albeit roughly, encompasses small and oftentimes unique population centers outside the commuting sheds of metropolitan areas) far from cities – save those tied to mining, oil, or special touristic advantages like Banff. The amenities of rural communities rely much more on the delicate balance of social services pooled from their limited population. Should these shrink, a domino effect takes hold. “That whole package of services starts to shrink and gets into a kind of a cycle whereby that makes the place less attractive and in turn more people move out – [it becomes] a cycle of decline which can be very problematic for [their] sustainability,” Reimer said. Meanwhile rural areas adjoining urban centres are facing the opposite problem, as a population eager to leave the cities stream in a move that alters their fundamental identities as rural areas. Seeing as these regions serve as crucial intermediaries for Canada’s food production and resource extraction, understanding the reasons behind the changes and better understanding northern and rural groups are of critical importance. Reimer says his experience working with large networks will aid in increasing cohesion between the approximately 30 institutional participants and 60 individual partners. As he describes it, his job will be figuring out how to operate under such circumstances. “The problems of simply coordinating and communicating become extremely difficult, but on the other hand there are tremendous advantages because it means

Continued on P. 4

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Milos Kovacevic News editor

he Arts and Science Federation of Associations (ASFA), Concordia’s largest faculty organization, recently voted to add $16,000 in additional expenses to bring an already red budget deficit to a total of $61,000. VP Finance Melina Ghio explained that the deficit is a response to rising costs, inflation, and additional funds given to ASFA’s member associations (MAs), which are department specific student associations. She says two budgets were originally proposed during council deliberations back in June. “There was one option where we did not have a deficit, where we had cut majorly where we could ...so you ended up having a zero dollar deficit,” she said of the so-called ‘Thrifty Budget.’ These cuts would have been to both fixed-amount costs (such as the money available to managers, accountants, auditors) and to variable costs, like administration. Ultimately the council decided on adopting the ‘Generous Budget’ over the one that would have curtailed costs and eliminated the gap. Originally, before additional costs were voted in late Au-

gust, the previewed deficit was at $44,000. “The reason, I think, that council thought it was best to go to the generous budget is that we’re going to look into increasing our fee levy this year,” Ghio said. “Economically speaking, ASFA’s income has been fairly stable — our main source of income has been the fee levy, by far. Essentially the fee levy is the source of our income.” Comparing last year’s budget to this year’s showed the fee levy income (which currently accounts for around 75 per cent of ASFA’s revenue) to have increased by less than $2,800, while expenses have in some cases gone up dramatically. Currently, the fee levy for ASFA stands at $9.75 per credit per student. “That [fee levy] has not increased, but MAs...need more money,” Ghio said. She believed the fee levy discussions and changes would most likely come next year, but couldn’t commit to any firm dates. “Nothing’s been set in stone...but we definitely want to look towards covering most of...the deficit [with the fee levy],” she answered to the question of how big the increase would be, saying several more weeks would be required to crunch the math and come up with accurate numbers. Alongside factors like election expenses and the creation of a communications coordinator position, ASFA purchased a

printer and related office supplies for some of the MAs located at the Loyola campus. “Instead of imposing it on their budget, FinCom thought it would be better to have it as part of ASFA’s budget,” she said. Counting the supplies, printer, and surrounding expenses, it added $1,500 to the bill. “If [the fee levy hike] doesn’t pass, ASFA has enough money in its bank account to account for the deficit,” assured Ghio, though she would not say how much of a surplus the ASFA coffers contained. Aside from fee levies, Ghio did say there has already been a higher-than-expected profit from ASFA’s first event of the year, Frosh Week. “When we hold events, there’s a certain amount of money that comes in from our events, but not much,” she said, saying Frosh had earned around $5,000 more than anticipated. In any case, the VP explained

“

Campus // news

ASFA’s 2014-2015 budget loosens belt with $61,000 deficit Banks on fee levy increase to mitigate deficit

that previous experience has shown budget spending to be more prudent than the figures show. “Generally speaking, according to the budgets that we make, we don’t spend as much as we anticipate. To look as ASFA historically, I’d say we anticipate spending more money than we do over the course of the years.” She says MAs, for example, typically organize less activities than planned because of time constraints and other commitments. She also said the deficits were broadly proportionate to those of other organizations like the CSU, which she says will also be asking for a fee levy increase to cope with rising expenses. “We didn’t want to be in a situation where we end up with a crash,” she said at the fattening of the budget and in relation to previous financial difficulties encountered by Concordia student organizations.

Economically speaking, ASFA’s income has been fairly stable - our main source of income has been the fee levy, by far. - Melina Ghio City // news

22nd Regiment marks 100 years of history Text by Natasha taggart Production assistant Pictures by Keith race Photo editor

On Sept. 4, one hundred members of the Royal 22 Regiment of the Canadian military marched past City Hall on Notre-Dame St. E, to recognize the one hundredth anniversary of the old droit de cité. The tradition allows a military unit, such as the Regiment, known as the Van Doos, to parade the streets with beating drums and bayonets drawn.

NATION Milos Kovacevic News editor

>> Liberals tote marijuana plan

A Charlottetown Liberal MP has been given the reins for his party’s plan to legalize marijuana and has called on the Canadian government to follow U.S. states Washington and Colorado if it wished to protect Canadian youth. MP Sean Cassey was quoted by the CBC as saying ‘Let’s go at the source. Let’s get it out of the hands of the gangs and organized crime, tax and regulate it, so it’s not going to be as easy, so we do have some control over access”

>> 9-year-old steals and crashes bus

A 9-year-old boy from Saskatoon stole an empty city bus and managed to drive it several city blocks before crashing into another bus and a parked vehicle before coming to a stop. The bus had been left idling by maintenance crews who did not follow standard safety protocols when the boy walked in and took it for a ride. There were no injuries and the boy, owing to his age, could not be charged by police and was instead given over to his family.

>> Canada’s housing market not just hot, but scalding British magazine The Economist has crunched the figures of renting and buying properties as compared to income and declared Canada’s housing market as one of the most overvalued in the world and at risk of a U.S.-like housing crash. Many Canadian economists have tried to downplay any potential risks, despite internation concerns. The magazine also notes other overvalued markets such as those of Hong Kong and New Zealand.

>> Beaver

attacks snorkeler A terribly irate beaver has been described as hunting down and mauling a snorkeler off Nova Scotia’s coast. A friend of the unfortunate man said he initially thought the furry creature approaching was a harmless seal, since beavers do not live in saltwater environments like the sea. When it ventures too close and he pushed it aside, the beaver instead bit down on 23-yearold Jeremy McNaughton’s thigh with its thick incisors. Aside from stitches, McNaughton also required five rounds of rabies vaccinations at a nearby hospital.

4 //

Tuesday, september 9, 2014

WORLD Milos Kovacevic News editor

>> Lego world’s #1

An 11 per cent jump in this year’s revenue has pushed Lego ahead of Barbie-maker Mattel as the world’s largest toy company by sales figures. This year’s impressive rise had many factors, from the $470-million earned by The LEGO Movie, to the 50 per cent jump in Chinese sales. The trick will be in keeping the lead, especially as the critical Christmas holiday season approaches.

>> Malaysian Airlines contest gaffe A contest to lift the profile of embattled Malaysian Airlines hit a snag after the airline launched an ill-conceived ‘Bucket List’ challenge asking fliers to come up with things to do before they died. Only after a backlash on social media did the airline, which mysteriously lost one plane without a trace and another shot down over Ukranian airspace at the combined loss of 537 lives, realize their mistake. They’ve since renamed their contest the ‘ultimate to-do list’.

>> Exotic new

lifeform found? A mushroom-shaped creature found off the Australian coast has so far stymied scientists by its refusal to be easily placed on the many branches of the established animal kingdom - an extremely rare occurrence that has happened only a handful of times. The specimens, caught all the way back in 1986 but only properly analyzed now, did have certain similarities with some current lifeforms, but not enough to conclusively fit in any single family. Indeed, the authors of the research article noted some similarities stretched all the way back to ancient long-extinct organisms existing over 600 million years ago.

>> Saudi gov’t to destroy Muhammad’s tomb?

A leaked document proposing the destruction of the Prophet Muhammad’s tomb and his anonymous interment in a nearby graveyard have caused ripples in the Muslim world. The proposal, supposedly designed in part to remove objects visited in particular by Shi’a pilgrims, has been criticized as a step towards destabilizing the already-difficult sectarian tensions. Saudi Arabia’s puritanical strain of Islam prohibits any veneration of remains or objects, including that of the Prophet.

Campus // news

Concordia graduate launches dedicated textbook marketplace SwapMyBooks.ca already has nearly 2,000 texts since its launch in August Kate Sheridan Contributor

tudents looking online for affordable course material this semester now have a new, dedicated option alongside Facebook groups and craigslist boards to help them find the textbooks they need at low prices. SwapMyBooks is a new website focused on connecting students who want to buy and sell specific school books. Creator Gabrielle Jacques said she worked together with website designer, Rob Lebrocq, to make it more user-friendly after she heard that students use several platforms to sell their books. She even heard of students posting on four different Facebook pages to find a buyer for a single item. With this, she told herself: “If everyone would use one website, everyone would find each other.” Students can also find books more easily on SwapMyBooks than on other websites. “If you want to find a book [on other websites], you have to type it exactly as the person who posted it did,” said Jacques. To avoid this problem, her website consults a database. Users can search by author, title, and ISBN to arrive at the same page where all the listings for the same book are grouped together. If someone searches for a book that hasn’t been posted yet, the book’s Amazon listing is offered instead, though absent from the site are listings for brick-and-mortar bookstores, such as the Concordia Bookstore. Jacques came up with the idea during her time at the John Molson School of Business, while Lebrocq contributed the tech know-how. Jacques created the site after she became frustrated with the book buyback program offered through the Concordia Bookstore. “My

problem was the fact that not only do they buy [a book] back for a super-low price, but they also make a profit after,” Jacques said. “To me, it doesn’t sound fair at all.” According to Concordia’s director of media relations, Chris Mota, the university’s bookstore (as a member of a campus retailer’s association) uses a standard buyback pricing scheme where a student could receive up to 50 per cent of the original price of a textbook or as little as five per cent, depending on what books are needed and where they’d go after the bookstore buys them. “Students have a lot of options as to where they can buy their books,” Mota said. Whether students purchase books online or at a bookstore, she said, “they just have to realize that they should purchase the book that is the appropriate one for that particular course.” Specifically, Mota advised students to use caution when purchasing previous editions of textbooks, as she said she believes older editions won’t meet the needs of a course. “Even though a student may believe there is not much of a difference from edition to edition, if a professor thinks there is, they need to keep that in mind,” Mota said. That may not stop students from trying to buy and sell current and older editions of textbooks on SwapMyBooks; about 1,800 books have been posted so far by some 1,300 users since the beta version of the website launched in August. It certainly won’t discourage Jacques from continuing to work on the website. Her future plans include creating a barcode scanning function and a complementary app feature, for which she’s currently searching for outside investment, though she hopes to launch it within the next year. She is also considering adding relevant local

advertisements to the website; the site’s current revenue comes from the Amazon affiliates program. Jacques, though, sees the website as a service for students. “I’m really not doing this for profits,” she said. For now, she’d be happy if traffic paid for the site’s hosting costs. She hopes that students will

Don’t

use the feedback form on the website to help her streamline the website and make it more functional and easier to use. “It’s to help students,” she said, “so I don’t see why students wouldn’t want to help me make it a better platform for them.” To check out the site, visit swapmybooks.ca.

let your books gather dust on a bookshelf, display the titles and

swap your texts. Above photo by Rodrigo Galindez on Flickr. Below photo by Rob Wall on Flickr.

Campus // news

Ambitious international collaborations Continued from P. 2 we get the opportunity to find out what’s happening in Norway or Italy or the U.S. and so on, and what they’ve done that have ameliorated some of the challenges we’re facing here and vice versa.” To build and maintain connections, Reimer and those working with him plan to attend many conferences and events and videoconferencing when physical presence is impossible. He calls the project a tremendous opportunity for students and participating faculty, and says the efforts will be

very interdisciplinary. Not only sociologists will be present, but social workers, economists, those in the health and environmental sciences, and geographers, among others. “A lot of these types of analysis require perspectives from these many different disciplines,” he said, highlighting the special role of both Canadian and Quebecois participation.. “From a research point of view it’s a fantastic blessing,” he said of our geographical breadth. Canada’s sheer size means “you can’t have a one-size-fits-all type of pol-

icy, because of variation” Quebec, aside from its colourful range of unique rural communities, is also the only province with a rural policy governing the political and economic relationship between government and non-metropolitan regions. “There’s plenty that’s going on in Canada, and particularly in Quebec, that’s of great interest to other countries.” The project’s seven-year lifespan may seem like a long time, but it’s really just the beginning. “If we’re looking at the long term consequences, our objective

would be to establish a robust partnership network that will go on beyond the seven years. We don’t know what the pressing issues are going to be in seven years. We can’t set up a mechanism to address them all but what we can do is set up a mechanism whereby the people who are most likely to be informed and the people we want to train for this uncertain future are well equipped,” he said. “Our objective is to make sure there’s a strong, well connected, informative, collaborative network established by the time our seven years are up.”

life

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com

Food // Life

Concordia’s City Farm grows greens on campus Stop by the farmer’s market at Loyola to taste the fruits of their labour pauline nesbitt Contributor

Did you know that those delicious-looking tomatoes in the farm garden on the Loyola campus can be purchased at Concordia’s farmer’s market? The market stand is just a few steps away from the garden, and on market days the produce is harvested just before it opens at 11 a.m. This is food that is truly market-fresh and organically grown. Jackie Martin, the City Farm School coordinator, explained that the market garden is an internship program that provides the necessary training for students to design, manage and run small-scale urban gardens from seedlings to market, and is a key component of the school. The market and garden at Loyola, along with the garden at the downtown campus’ Hall building, are great tools for the students to practice their skills. Serving at the farmer’s market enables them to share their knowledge and to interact with the community. From spinach to squash, an impressive array of produce can be found in the gardens: salad greens, radishes, beets, carrots, peas, beans, Swiss chard, several types of kale, cucumber, zucchini, patty pans (zucchini shaped like spaceships), cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, broccoli, tomatoes, ground cherries, currants, raspberries, blueberries, pears, edamame, garlic, eggplants, an amazing selection of sweet and hot peppers, grapes, and fine herbs. “The first crop that appears at our market in early spring is spinach, which is the best tasting thing in the whole garden,” says Martin. The appearance of the winter squash sig-

nals the end of the growing season. The schedule of vegetable availabilities per period can be found on the City Farm School website, which is updated regularly. When customers see the bright red Russian kale, or the Swiss chard they frequently ask “what is it?” and “how do you cook it?” says Martin. She and the interns are more than willing to share their own recipes and cooking tips for these food items, which will be added to their website soon. As an urban agriculturalist, Martin ensures that both the farmers’ market and the City School projects subscribe to the

three pillars of sustainability: community, economy, and environment. She confirmes that the only pesticide used in the garden is made of a plant purée that is lightly fermented in water and sprayed directly on the crops. Compost is used as a fertilizer, along with fish or algae emulsions or chicken manure. The planning for next year’s market crops will start in November, so that the seeds can be ordered and planted in the greenhouse by early March. Next May, Martin will host the annual plant sale where some of these young organically-grown plants can be pur-

chased by anyone who wants to try their hand at urban agriculture. The farmer’s market receives some support from the Sustainability Action Fund and is in partnership/collaboration with Sustainable Concordia, People’s Potato (which uses produce from the gardens), Concordia Council on Student Life, and the Concordia Food Coalition. Its operating hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. until the end of October. For more information visit: concordialoyolacityfarm.wordpress.com

Fat bunches of grapes, and juicy sun-soaked tomatoes are sold at the market. Photo by Johanna Pellus.

Column // Life

Another Windows goes out the window Out with the old, in with the new: Windows 9 is already on its way to a laptop near you jocelyn beaudet Online editor

It’s only been two years since the last major version of Windows was released to the shelves. Only one year since its major update with version 8.1. But the rumor mill’s been churning, and a handful of tech sites have already reported Windows 9 as being in the works, with a hopeful release date in 2015. But is it too early for another major change in the way we run our PCs? Let’s be honest, Windows 8 had a very rocky launch. Users complained about the touch-friendly interface being poorly implemented into traditional laptop and desktop

users. To add to it, Microsoft’s decision to remove the beloved start menu had very few supporters. In truth, the decision to merge its touch-friendly interface with the “metro” styled start screen (which is already well implemented into the Xbox360 and Xbox One platform) emphasized on users switching over to Microsoft’s “Surface” PCs. Unfortunately the sales on Surface hardware didn’t go so hot, leaving Windows 8 in an odd limbo state between what tablet users want, and what traditional PC users have been asking for. The Windows’ 8.1 update provided some welcome changes in stability and strength, as well as compliance with a lot of older software. The announcement of Windows 9 – rumored to be released in mid-2015 – comes

as a bit of a shock to a handful of people. Given Microsoft’s presence on campus and the strong push to advertise the strengths behind Windows 8, it almost feels like the release date is premature. There isn’t much we know about Windows 9, but a bigger focus on the start menu has been leaked to several online tech sites. The move to release this early after Windows 8 suggests one of two things; Either Microsoft’s bad press on Windows 8 is forcing them to push out a large content upgrade under a new name in hopes of refreshing its brand, or the company is planning on a tighter release schedule for its future operating systems. The latter option is, quite honestly, a little disturbing to say the least. Given the heavy price of buying a

new operating system, students may be left behind on support for popular applications they use for courses. Regardless of their reasoning, users who are planning on buying an upgrade kit can still expect a much smaller deal -- comparable prices can be expected. With the student edition of Windows 8.1 currently going for about $70, the only question to answer is whether or not users using Windows 7 will have the opportunity to upgrade directly to 9, or if they’ll need to purchase a brand new licence. Mainstream support for Windows 8.1 will continue on until January 2018, so if you aren’t in a hurry to upgrade, you don’t have to worry about being left too far behind in the long run.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Review // Life

Coffee, cream, and a cuddly companion Montrealers are invited to take a ‘paws’ at North America’s first ever cat café Casandra De masi Contributor

oncordians, you know the routine: find a café, get a good book, grab a coffee, and unwind as a cat nuzzles against your leg… wait, where did the cat come from? That is the last question being asked at Montreal and North America’s first cat café. Le Café des Chats opened its doors to the public on Labor Day weekend, welcoming cat lovers from high and low to grab a cup of joe and mingle with the resident felines. Youssef Labib wanted to open a themed café in the city. Following the popularity of cat cafés in Asia and Europe, Labib and business partner Nadine Spencer thought it would be perfect for Montreal. “A lot of people cannot have cats because of landlords and apartments, and a lot of students are here for short periods,” Spencer said. Located on St. Denis, Café des Chats is a haven for the cats, and a whole new experi-

ence for guests. “Everybody adores cats; they are just so therapeutic,” Spencer said. This project is also about giving these cats a second chance. There are currently eight felines living at the café. They were all adopted from the SPCA. The SPCA helped pick the cats based on their personalities to ensure that they would thrive in a social environment. They were happy to take part in the project. “New and original ways that find a loving home for animals is always something we are interested in,” said Anita Kapuscinska, Media Relations Coordinator for SPCA Montreal. The cats were gradually introduced to each other, and the café was their home two months before it opened, so they had plenty of time to mingle. Running a café comes with its challenges, even more so when you add animals to the mix. “There are basic rules to keep it as zen as possible,” Spencer said. Some of these rules include: no flash photography, no handling cats forcefully,

Cuddly cats and cups of coffee, the cat cafe has it all. Photos by casandra de masi.

no waking cats from their siestas, and no feeding the resident pets. This is all part of what Spencer calls “kitty prevention.” The café was renovated with the cats in mind. Guests must wait to enter the café through a second entrance to avoid runaways, and doorknobs open upwards. The kitchen is also closed off from the rest of the café for sanitary reasons. The cats have their own private room that they can access if they need to take a break. This room houses their beds and litter boxes. The staff have all been trained to take care of the animals, and they even have their own in-house veterinarian. The space itself has a simple, minimal design, something customer Calvin Heinrichs appreciates. “I think it’s a really nice kind of openconcept. The cats have room to run around and it’s interactive with them. It’s awesome,” he said. The furniture is light and easy to move, which makes cleaning simple. The cats have their own scratching posts, and other feline friendly furniture to keep them happy. “With all the clients coming in and out they are always playing, so they are pretty happy campers,” Spencer said. The furry residents are completely re-

Let’s talk about sex

Ladies, love yourselves — literally selina gard Contributor

aunchy sex stories are met with wide eyes and coy grins from most friend groups, be they male or female. Foolproof techniques or new backbreaking positions are happily discussed, each party eager to share their latest escapades. One subject on which the female popula-

tion remains relatively mum is masturbation. Usually met with choruses of “ew I don’t do that,” “that’s gross” and grimaced faces — it is one of the few sexual acts young women often feel uncomfortable discussing, even with their closest friends. Young men rarely, if ever, experience such reservations when talking about taking their pleasure into their own hands, if you’ll excuse the pun. The differences between the two genders have been enumerated in many Cosmo articles, but no concrete answer has been given as to why this discrepancy exists. It should be underlined that it is not simply because more men do it than women, simply that fewer women are

willing to talk about it. The To Do List, a 2013 coming of age film comedy, addresses this issue in a quick exchange between the protagonist and her two best friends. When asking if the other two ever masturbate they both quickly respond with “what no, that’s gross.” When pressed further, one reveals that she only ever does it if she cannot sleep, which earns her a sideways glance from the others. The film effectively captures the social stigma around female pleasure. If delivered by another partner it is applauded, but if it’s solo, it should not be spoken about. This stresses the notion that women are not allowed to be, or rather should not

laxed in their environment, and they approach guests with ease. “They have different personalities too so it is fun to interact with them,” said customer Dina Santina. The menu itself is not too extensive, hosting various types of coffees, a few beverages, and some sweets. While there are plans to add to it, the team wants to keep it simple. “People mainly come here for the cats — that’s what we wanted — cats and coffee, right?” Spencer explained. It’s been a little over a week since the café opened its doors, but Spencer and the team are already looking for ways to improve. She says she wants to collaborate with local businesses to promote their products, from food to art. With a second cat café set to open soon, Spencer believes there is plenty of space for more in the city. “In the end I think what we need to remember is that we are doing it for the cats. We really want to make it about giving a second chance to the kitties.” Le Café des Chats is located at 3435 St. Denis. For more information visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ catcafemontreal.

Column // Life

be, in control of their own pleasure. That someone should hand it to them, but never seek it out privately. Women’s bodies do not belong to them and exploring them is for other people. That being in control of your own body and pleasure is shameful and discussing it openly should be left to the boys. The rise in scenes of solo play in pop culture has increased over the past year, and hopefully it will trickle down into conversations too. Considering how much sex and nudity is thrust upon us on a regular basis, we have to realize that female masturbation is simply another mundane sex act. Everybody does it.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Food // Life

Montreal’s Burger Week round-up Return of the Mac is not your average burger robin stanford Staff writer

Lucky’s Truck - Return of the Mac burger, $10 Return of the Mac is the ultimate comfort food. It starts with a patty, consisting of homemade macaroni and cheese, encased within a crispy coating. Although not what one would typically think of as a burger, the addition of coleslaw, tomatoes, bacon, and spicy mayo certainly make it feel like one. This is not due to the fact that such toppings are typically found on a hamburger, but rather the

overall blend these elements bring. What makes Lucky’s offering the perfect burger is its texture. At once the Mac is both soft to bite into yet still retains a satisfying crunchiness. The mixture of sensations provides the illusion of a juicy burger without any meat patty being present. Currently it is unknown if the Return of the Mac will be a permanent feature on Lucky Truck’s menu. All that we know is that this is one of the most creative burgers out there. Whoever the mad genius that thought it up is, hopefully we will get to see even more creative food combinations from Lucky’s soon!

9/10

Le Majestique BB is burger royalty nicole yeba Contributor

Hinnawi Bros Bagel - Le Majestique BB bagel burger, $9.99 This majestic dish known as the Bagel Burger offers a spin on the classic burger with the buns replaced with a sesame bagel. The sandwich is a triple decker, with two slices of Swiss cheese, a homemade patty, confit onions, roasted tomatoes, lettuce, and spicy garlic mayonnaise, accompanied by a little plastic cup filled with their secret maple meat house sauce

placed between three bagel halves. Their secret house sauce impressed me — it was a nice little touch for those of us with a sweet tooth. The burger is served with chips and small pickles. The best thing about this burger is that it was not too heavy, even though the buns were replaced by bagels. You can also add extras to the burger for an additional cost. The burger was available at Hinnawi Bros Bagel & Café located at 372 Sherbrooke East in the middle of Quartier Latin.

8.5/10

Photo by Robin Stanford

My big fat Greek burger nicole yeba Contributor

beer beignet. This humongous burger is not easy to eat as a whole. Most of the fries fell out as I was taking bites so I ended up eating them before and leaving some aside. The

Photo by Nicole Yeba

flavours of the burger worked well with the fried cheese, meat and vegetables. Some fine herbs garnished the burger over the cherry tomatoes, adding a hint of spice.

Zoe’s Food Truck - Mad Moose-aka! burger, $12 This burger was inspired by the Greek dish moussaka. Moussaka is traditionally made with layers of meat, eggplant and tomato. Zoe’s version has minced beef meat, fried “saganaki” (a Greek fried appetizer) cheese, grilled eggplant and slow-roasted cherry tomatoes. The bottom of the burger has oregano garlic fries and is topped with a cheesy “Mythos”

Photo by Nicole Yeba

Buffalo Bill won’t blow you away robin stanford Staff writer

Frite Alors! - Buffalo Bill burger, $12 The Buffalo Bill burger from Frites Alors!, made with a beef and bison patty, has potential but unfortunately it falls short. The first thing you notice is the sauce and toppings. It tastes fresh and creamy without being overpowering. After the second or third bite, the taste of bison starts to

poke through, similar to beef but slightly gamy. Although quite pleasant in itself, the meat falls short as the patty itself is rather dry. When paired with the overpowering sauce, it lacks the balance of a great burger. All the elements to make an exquisite burger are there but simply don’t come together to make something special. Hopefully the next time the Buffalo Bill is placed on the menu, it will be revamped so as to let the meat shine.

6/10

Photo by Robin Stanford

I put the beer beignet aside to savour as a dessert. The beignet was light, contrary to appearances. You can taste a bit of the beer flavour and more melted cheesiness. It was a good way to end the meal. I really enjoyed this burger, which was different from typical American style burgers. I love Greek food so I knew I was going to enjoy this Greek version of a burger. The burger was available at La Sandwicherie Zoe’s located at 8855 ave du Parc and at Zoe’s Food Truck, which travels around the city.

9/10

Delicious Dude Burger does it right Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor

Burger Bar - The Dude, $14 Last year, Burger Bar on Crescent Street won the People’s Choice Award for their Burger Week delicacy, The Hangover Burger. This year, I was anxious to see if The Dude burger, inspired by The Big Lebowski’s titular character, would live up to the restaurant’s former glory.

The Dude’s patty was a triple threatmade with AAA beef, pork, AND veal, it was a carnivore’s wet dream. The meat was tender and flavourful, and was the shining component of the dish (as it should be). The burger was topped with Burger Bar’s homemade ketchup, Monterey Jack and Mozzarella cheeses, and crispy fried onions.

8/10

Photo by Sara Baron-Goodman

arts 8

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com

Festival // arts

Let’s get hot and heavy… healthy and entertained

Montreal is getting a little more musical with its flamenco festival this week Frédéric T. Muckle Arts editor

weaty bodies entangled with one another, mesmerizing rhythms possessing them, a trance-like state of being only achievable in those rare moments of ecstasy… Yes folks, we are evidently describing the art of dancing. For many people, dancing is one of the most sensual and emotional ways to express one’s true self. It is not only a healthy and fun activity, but also a real passion for some. Inseparable from it, music could be described as the soul mate of dancing. One could hardly exist without the other, and the former’s main reason to be is to serve the latter. Keeping this in mind, the specific case of Flamenco, the Andalusian dance and music form, is a perfect example of this ardent relationship. Thanks to this flamboyant art, Montreal will get a little hotter and sweatier in the next week while Montreal’s Flamenco Festival is taking place. A number of music and dance shows will be held during those few days. International musicians and dancers will make flamenco’s aficionados wonderfully happy. Well-known figures such as Dani Navarro

and Fiona Malena will be sharing their latest performances with their Montreal fans. If you prefer the idea of being seduced by flamenco’s suggestive ambiance while unwinding after a hard day of work, drink in hand, the festival is the place you should be. Flamenco’s happy hours will be held in charming bars and little restaurants around the Mile-End neighborhood from 5 to 7 p.m. during the whole week. It is a great way to combine deals on delicious culinary goods, tasty beverages, and an enjoyable show. Usually, those said happy hours will be situated near the venues of the evening shows. People longing for more music and dance will then be able to get a really satisfactory sum of flamenco’s splendor. Another interesting event offered by the festival is the intermediate and advanced flamenco classes, taught by the previously mentioned Dani Navarro. Furthermore, a photo exhibit will be presented at the Dépanneur Café for the whole duration of the festival. Flamenco dancers dancing and singing to the music with passionate fury is an attractive photographic subject and this will surely inspire photography’s amateurs to pass by and take a look. As a whole, Montreal’s Flamenco Festival will give Montreal’s dance and music ama-

teurs an exceptional opportunity to enjoy both arts marvelously entangled together. Montreal’s Flamenco Festival will be on from Sept. 7 to 13.

For more information on this upcoming event, consult the full schedule on the festival’s website: festivalflamencodemontreal.org.

Dani Navarro, one of festival’s well-known figures coming this week to Montreal.Photo by Rafa Sánchez Pulido.

Documentary// arts

A look into what it takes to make a delicious burger Cowspiracy delivers the often silenced effects of animal agriculture on mother nature Frédéric T. Muckle Arts editor

od knows documentaries can be patronizing. Sometimes it is the almighty narrator who knows all, other times it is the gruesome images that try to guilt you into becoming something you are not. Well, that is not the case of Cowspiracy, the first film by director duo Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn. In many ways, this documentary about the unsustainability of the current agricultural industry is very different from those said condescending documentaries seemingly made to make you feel stupid. One of those key differences is the way the documentary feels personal and subjective in a positive way. The movie follows the thinking evolution of one of the directors, Kim Andersen. This shows his transformation into what we could call a “true” environmentalist. This is not as drastic as you may think. We are talking here of someone simply starting to change little habits, like taking shorter showers and using a bike instead of a car, to lower his carbon footprint. Then, he gets more and more interested in deeper environmental issues such as the effect of agriculture on the planet, and the odd fact that this problem is rarely addressed by any major environmentalist organization.

From there, he starts to investigate this incongruity by going up to worldwide organizations such as Greenpeace and Oceana, just to name a few. With him, you rapidly realize that there is something fishy about the fact that experts and huge pro-environment groups are simply looking the other way when questioned about the effect that animal agriculture has on the planet. It seemed much easier for them to pin Mother Earth’s health problems on cars and plastic bags than talking about one of the most unsustainable industries in humankind history. Just to give you an idea, a UN report cited in the movie states that animal agriculture causes about 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, while all transportation only account for 13 per cent. From there, the narrator and main protagonist of the documentary go on to interview an array of interesting people connected to the issue. Cowspiracy is not only talking about a major environmental problem, but also critiques the forefront organizations that are supposed to help spread awareness. It denounces the rarely mentioned reality of environmental organizations choosing which issues to address in relation with the risk it involves. In this case, the agriculture industry is described as a very aggressive group, to say the least. It gives to the documentary a more nuanced point of view of the situation. It is not only about the good guys fighting

the bad guys. Everyone is in a greyish moral during a Cinema Politica screening on zone. The movie also uses comprehensive Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. in the D.B. Clarke Thegraphics and animations to demonstrate the atre. For more information about the movnumbers that the narrator is often sharing ie and future screenings, you can visit the with the audience. movie’s official website: cowspiracy.com. The movie also has its weaknesses. Obviously set up scenes such as Kim Andersen bringing his Al Gore poster down to show that he has lost the respect that he had for what was his inspiration to become an environmentalist shows a certain immaturity on the part of the filmmakers. It also uses a few cheap cinematographic techniques to put a sense of tension not necessary to the movie. Still, the way Cowspiracy is looking at the importance of sustainability and one of its worst enemies makes this film different than most other documentaries of this kind. More importantly, this is the only movie that sincerely makes me think about becoming vegan. I am a carnivore, but since Cowspiracy, I have become a very confused bacon lover. Watch this documentary, Cowspiracy; a movie about how animal agriculture is afand you will understand. fectng the planet. Cowspiracy will be shown

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Movies // arts

The summer’s best and worst films of 2014 A look back on what the film industry had to offer this summer at the box office Bashir Rifai Contributor

Hollywood’s panicking! The news as stated by

livered a solid performance and was supported by a strong cast. Combined with the talented director, it produces a fun, feelgood summer superhero film. Lets leave the “dark,” “realistic” superhero movies to DC. Guardians of the Galaxy was a definite summer season winner.

the New York Times is that summer 2014 was the worst summer film season since 1997 at the United States box office. Although the debate rages online as to why that is the case, that shouldn’t stop us from breaking down some of our favourite, and not so favourite, films of the season.

The best:

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes The sequel to the 2011 film, Rise of the Planet of the Apes--in which human civilization collapses due to the spread of the ALZ-113 virus-takes place a decade later. While humanity struggles to survive, the apes, led by Caesar, evolve and build their own separate civilization. With the underlying theme being the coexistence of good and evil in all of us, regardless of species, both humans and apes end up going to war in their quest for dominance. Directed by Matt Reeves, the film succeeds in delivering an original perspective on the classic franchise. Supported by great visual effects and exceptional acting across the board, Andy Serkis reprising his role as Caesar steals the show. Already a proven heavyweight in motion capture acting, giving audiences memorable characters such as Gollum, King Kong and soon Baloo in the upcoming Jungle Book: Origins in 2016, Serkis’s portrayal of Caesar is generating some well-deserved Oscar buzz. If he snags an Oscar nomination, the result could be game-changing in Hollywood, as the Academy has yet to acknowledge motion capture acting. Overall, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is a must-see summer film.

Godzilla Note: spoiler alert. A reboot of the Godzilla franchise, this film offers a new take to the classic monster story, which was originally created to reflect the destructive consequences of nuclear weapons. This film, however, portrays the monster as humanity’s saviour against creatures called “MUTOs,” who feed off of radiation and multiply, threatening to wipe out human existence. This reimagining disappointed some fans of the franchise, especially in Japan, where Godzilla is an important cultural symbol. This was not the only risk taken by director Gareth Edwards: two lead characters--played by Bryan Cranston and Juliette Binoche-- were featured heavily in the film’s promotion, only to get killed off. Yet for all the risks taken, the result was a critical and commercial success. The film gives a nod to classic monster movies, such as Jaws, by withholding a glimpse of the monster from the audience until roughly halfway through the film. Even then, scenes featuring Godzilla are sparse, so that the monster’s appearance leaves audience members intrigued and wanting more. It is a film worth watching, if for nothing other than the Halo jump sequence (you’ll know it when you see it), complete with a tribute to Stanley Kubrick’s classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The worst:

Guardians of the Galaxy Marvel has done it again. The studio that can seemingly do no wrong has made audiences all over the world fall in love with relatively unknown superheroes, and actor Chris Pratt in the leading role. Directed by James Gunn, the film follows the story of Peter Quill, AKA Star Lord, a space pirate with a criminal record, as he assembles a group of misfits to fight a rogue supervillain named Ronan who’s hell-bent on destroying the galaxy. While the storyline is typical of superhero movies, the film saw tremendous success, making it the top earner this summer. It also paved the way for sequels, mainly because, like most Marvel films, it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Chris Pratt’s de-

Maleficent Maleficent is Disney’s latest retelling of one of its classic films. Director Robert Stromberg reimagines the classic tale of from the perspective of one of the most powerful Disney villains, Maleficent. Maleficent is portrayed as misunderstood, turned evil due to being betrayed by a peasant boy, who uses her to gain the kingdom’s throne. She takes her revenge by cursing his daughter Princess Aurora; yet, as the princess grows older, Maleficent grows fond of her and eventually becomes good again because of her love for the girl.

Even considering the strong visual effects and a solid portrayal of Maleficent by Angelina Jolie--a part the actress fits perfectly--the film wasted its potential. The story line ignores any character development except for that of Maleficent. The narrative is constructed in a way that does not make the audience care for anyone other than the villainess, or understand why the story unfolds the way it does, resulting in a sloppy, boring retelling of a truly classic fairy tale. The movie is essentially 97 minutes of watching Angelina Jolie fly around in a kick-ass costume. Somewhere Walt Disney is turning in his frozen grave.

Transformers: Age of Extinction Explosions! 165 minutes worth of them! In the longest, and by far the worst, Transformers movie to date, director Michael Bay once again made a film which introduces new characters--human and alien alike. He also makes sure the audience doesn’t care what happens to those characters or even remember who they are when coming out of the theater. The story takes place five years after the battle of Chicago, where humans have turned against the Transformers, hunting them down and forcing them into hiding. However, attempts to build an imitation of the Transformers by a corporation called KSI leads to the reincarnation of Megatron, the big villain, who plans on using “the seed” to destroy mankind and create more Decepticons ,the bad guys. This forces the remaining Autobots, the good guys, out of hiding, who then team up with Cade Yeager, played by Mark Wahlberg, and friends to save the day. After four Transformers movies and countless complaints by critics and fans, director Michael Bay ignores all the noise, and with good reason. This latest installment is, inexplicably, the second highest grossing film of the summer in the United States box office, making over $1 billion worldwide, and is overall the highest grossing film of 2014. An absolute train wreck, but let’s hope that the fifth installment will be handed over to another director.

Whats your take on the summer’s best and worst films? Let us know by tweeting @theconcordian or send us an email at opinions@theconcordian.com

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Gallery // arts

Three simple words: Just Watch Me An art gallery gets transformed into a social club for Montreal’s artistic enthusiasts Elsbeth Cossar Contributor

ince before the time of the Quiet Revolution, Quebecers have lived in the constant flux between Francophone and Anglophone culture. In the past, these discussions took place among artist collectives in cafes, bars and other public places. Today, the desire to come together to discuss the questions of identity and modernity is rising to the forefront of the population. From Sept. 5 to Oct. 11, The Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery has been transformed into a social club. So much more than a static exhibition, Just Watch Me is an immersive experience that emulates – in appearance and purpose – artist collectives such as Mousse Spacthèque, one of the first night clubs of the Quiet Revolution era. From retro decoration and vintage tables to lounge chairs and disco lighting, the gallery has become a place of discussion and exploration for questions of identity and Quebec culture in the aftermath of the Quiet Revolution. The month-long event was initiated by Romeo Gongora, who is himself an artist, and was made a reality through his partnership with other organizations such as University of the Streets, CUTV and Les Éditions de la Tournure along with many individuals. Anne-Myriam Abdelhak of CUTV described the T.V. station’s involvement: “Romeo contacted CUTV because of its nature of being a community organization dedicated to video production and in giving voices to various communities, but also because of its

history of producing socially and politically engaged content.” CUTV’s role in the Just Watch Me exhibit is organizing weekly activities such as a camera workshop and filming The Pulse, CUTV’s News show, to name a few. On their website, the organizers state that for Gongora, “revisiting the social and political issues which arose during this period is crucial

in order to pursue a continuous quiet revolution”. Michèle Thériault, Director of the gallery, described the project as “an entry point.” It is meant to emulate the environments created by artists in the 60’s. She described the atmosphere of those clubs as being utopic. They were places filled with people hoping for change. The gallery, which serves as a café by day

From disco ambiance to cozy social club vibe, Just Watch Me has it all. Photo by Elsbeth Cossar.

and a discotheque by night, has been turned into a place of discussion and discovery. With events happening within the space for the entire month, including Disco every Friday night, artist talks, film screenings, residency programs and more, the usefulness of this creative space becomes clear. The need still exists for a public space of free speech and dialogue for the exploration of a cultural identity; a place free of the ‘just watch me’ attitude. The title of the event, Just Watch Me, is taken from the renowned and controversial quote made by Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau during the October Crisis in 1970. Shortly following this interview, the War Measures Act was put in place for the first time during a period of national peace. The phrase has since been seen as a dismissal of not only the civil rights due to every Canadian, but also of the concerns and convictions of the people of Quebec. Clearly, Trudeau’s actions were an inspiration to the artists, as seen not only in the title of the event but in the content as well. Upon entering the gallery visitors come face to face with the video recording of Trudeau making the famous comment. After the Maple Spring student protests, still fresh in the minds of many, as well as the heated debates that occurred over the Charter of Values, discussion surrounding the new identity of Quebec society have yet to reach any conclusion. Just Watch Me will be held until Oct. 11 at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery. For more information, visit the gallery’s website: http://ellengallery.concordia.ca/en/expositions_justwatchme.php

Review // arts

FOFA’s vernissage opening with three new exhibits Contemporary art takes over the FOFA gallery for the semester’s first exhibit Laura Marchand Opinions editor

oncordia’s faculty of Fine Arts has started the year with a bang: the faculty’s FOFA Gallery, located on the ground floor of Concordia’s EV building, held a vernissage Sept. 4 to usher in the new school year and its three newest exhibitions. Parallax: Landscapes in Translation, located in the York corridor vitrine, is the collaborative project of Cynthia Hammond, Kelly Thompson and Kathleen Vaughan. The three artists, who all work for the university, used a variety of medi-

ums, from acrylic on canvas to woven fibres, which often represented the departments they are a part of. “The work is really talking about landscape and the passage of time, and travel, and discovery as you’re walking through spaces,” said Jennifer Dorner, the new FOFA Gallery director. “And it’s really functioning in that way, within the space itself.” As visitors enter the main room of the gallery, they seem to topple into a completely different world, one of sharp black and whites and thumping bass: the world of Eyelash Wars. The product of the duo Inflatable Deities, also known, individually, as Emily Pelstring and Jessica Mensch, Eyelash Wars is the story of

Creative and unconventional: two of the main characteristics of Fofa’s new exhibitions Photo by nathalie laflamme.

two beauty vendors in a battle for commercial supremacy. The piece is backed by a “warped new-age rap soundtrack,” as described by the FOFA Gallery site. The display is also visible from the SteCatherine vitrine. “It’s a really fun premise,” added Dorner. “It’s very playful, a little bit absurd…They’ve used a really nice range of technology, and performance and painting, and really recreated the space.” The last exhibit, That innate and ineradicable craving for what is out of the common proves how glad we are to have the natural and tedious course of things interrupted, occupies the Black Box room of the gallery. An interactive work by Jérôme Nadeau, the exhibit is composed of light-sensitive photographic papers on a white table. Visitors are encouraged to

don white gloves and move the papers around, causing them to slowly shift in colour. Every hour, a picture of the table is taken and uploaded to the FOFA website, allowing viewers to track the changes in the gallery. “His idea is that the photographic paper becomes the document of the exhibition experience,” said Dorner. “It’s a beautiful piece, and it’s going to change as the exhibition goes on.” The vernissage concluded with a musical performance by Inflatable Deities in the main gallery. The current exhibitions will be on display until Oct. 19. The FOFA Gallery is located on the ground floor of the EV Building in the Sir George Williams campus.

music

Tuesday, september 9, 2014

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

Profile // music

The Gaslight Anthem is a gas gas gas Their new album, entitled Handwritten, is inspired by heartbreak and moving on Justinas Staskevicius Contributor

n 2012, The Gaslight Anthem released Handwritten to the acclaim of critics and fans alike. After two years and countless miles under their belt, these Jersey boys are back to amaze once more. In the mid-August Billboard Charts, dominated by pop artists and summer beats, The Gaslight Anthem’s fifth studio album, Get Hurt, a grungy rock EP, debuted at number four. Currently touring North America, The band will be rolling into town on Sept. 18. The Concordian recently spoke with Alex Levine, the group’s bassist and backup singer, to talk about the band’s past, present and future. “It started in our parents’ basement. At first it was just me and Brian [the group’s frontman] and then the other two guys were in a band together,” Levine recalled. “We all got together and the rest is history as they say.” Taking the name of the old New York venue, The Gaslight, for their own, the group set out to craft their sound. Even though the venue closed in 1977-- long before their time -- many of the performers who played that stage influenced The Gaslight Anthem’s work. “We were influenced by [artists] like Bob

Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. Any artist worth a dime will start off one place and end up somewhere else. We were really just a punk band but with a singer-songwriter twist,” Levine said. This past year has been a time of both work and change, Levine recounted. “In the last year or so we’ve become more professional. We would never practice all together before a tour. I guess we kind of enjoyed the thrill of figuring it out [live] but now we realize that we don’t have time for that. We don’t have time for a shitty show,” Levine said. Before going on tour, the band rented out a small venue to practice on a stage and set up a “full production with lights and everything,” Levine explained. The past year was also marked by a nearly nine-month period off the road. “That stretch at home gave us time to figure out what direction we wanted to go in for this record,” Levine said. The band’s songwriting process is far from an exact science. “We don’t have a formula, everything is up for grabs. Nothing is done a set way. Brian writes the lyrics -- that’s always been his thing -- but somebody might have a whole song or a riff and we go from there,” he said. In the end, Levine likes the final product. “It’s pretty bold and pretty simple. It’s stripped down in terms of imagery, but it’s

a lot of growing up, heartbreak and moving on. A changing of the guard as they say.” Levine sees the new album as a landmark of sorts. “I think that years from now, looking back, this record could be a turning point in our careers. We’ve grown as musicians. I think we’re at a point where we really feel like we know what we want to get out of our work.” Since the release of Get Hurt, the group has done a handful of publicity, most notably their appearance late last month on The Late Show with David Letterman. The band caught fans off guard by including a small string section when they played their new album’s title track, “Get Hurt”, on the show. “The string thing came about out of nowhere; our manager was friends with one of the composers. We did a lot of versions of “Get Hurt” in the studio; we thought it would be cool. We thought that this was a way of showing that the newer songs are more versatile.” While interesting, Levine would not want to have the violins on the record. “One of my greatest pet peeves is when people go back and record songs to make them sound better. You can never record the same song twice or three times. There’s a certain authenticity, an energy, when you first record a song, and redoing it loses that

feeling. I’m glad that we have the studio version and I’m glad we have the Letterman version.” While Fallon and Levine are the founding members of the rock band and share a certain connection (the two even have matching lyric tattoos from “Young Lions” by The Constantines) the group as a whole has been solid for nearly a decade. “Our ten year anniversary is coming up next year. We haven’t decided what we’re going to do for it yet but … we want to do something a little bit original,” Levine relayed. The bassist even stated that “we’re already writing new songs at this point -there might be another album out before you even know it.” What we can expect, however, is to hear “Underneath the Ground”, Levine’s favourite song off the new album, on Sept. 18 when the band plays Metropolis. As for what Levine thinks of our fine city, “Montreal has a special place in my heart. When I was 18, I lost a lot of money at the Montreal casino, but your town gave me a chance to sow my wild oats as they say.” So when the group inevitably says that they love playing in Montreal, as all bands claim, you might just be able to believe them. The Gaslight Anthem plays Metropolis Sept. 18 along with Against Me!

Catch The Gaslight Anthem performing some of their new sonfgs off the album Handwritten at Metropolis Sept.18 along with Against Me! Press.

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Playlist // music

Morning Mixtape Side A: “The World is Mine

Side B: “Do Your Thing”

1. “Edge of Seventeen” - Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna

1. “Heads or Tails” - Shannon and the Clams - Dreams in the Rat House

2. “11:11” -Rodrigo y Gabriela - 11:11

2. “Winged/Wicked Things” - Sunset Rubdown - Random Spirit Lover

3. “Certainly” - Erykah Badu - Baduizm 4. “I’m Set Free” - The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground 5. “Birth” in Reverse” - St. Vincent - St. Vincent

Compiled by Nora Smolonsky Contributor The new semester brings new stresses in every aspect of life, not just academia. Carrying a backpack overflowing with syllabi and hearing the shouts of an entire city, one’s priorities can easily be forgotten. The temptation to follow the crowd is strong, but you can always put on your headphones to drown out the demands of others and do your thing, whatever that thing may be. Everything seems to be happening all at once, and you may not be able to stop time, but you can certainly make time for yourself. Try not to mistake the desires of others for your own. Erykah Badu gave the individual a oneline anthem when she sang, “The world is mine when I wake up I don’t need nobody telling me the time.”

3. “Real (feat Anna Wise of SonnyMoon)” -Kendrick Lamar - good kid, m.A.A.d city 4. “I Want the World To Stop” - Belle & Sebastian - Write About Love

6. “Vengo” - Ana Tijoux - Vengo

5. “Chamber of Reflection” - Mac DeMarco - Salad Days

7. “Vesuvius” - Sufjan Stevens - The Age Of Adz

6. “Hey Mami” - Sylvan Esso - Hey Mami/ Play It Right EP

8. “A Simple Answer: -Grizzly Bear -Shields

7. “Eau d’bedroom dancing” - Le Tigre - Le Tigre

9. “Below the Heavens”- Pt. 1 - Blu & Exile on Below the Heavens

8. “Goldtone” - Kurt Vile - Wakin On A Pretty Day

10. “Hey Life” - tUnE-yArDs - Nikki Nack 9. “Sunshine” - CocoRosie - The Adventures of Ghosthorse and Stillborn 10. “Try Anything Once (You Only Live Once Demo)” - The Strokes -Heart In A Cage

Know a talented student musician? Have a band you’re dying to interview? Want to listen to early releases from your favourite artists? Get involved with the music section! Email music@ theconcordian.com to learn more!

Tuesday, september 9, 2014

Profile // music

You don’t wanna miss Monomyth

Quick Spins

The band’s sound touches upon space pop and psychedelia Jessica Romera Contributor

riving through the American midwest, Monomyth crank up the stereo volume to better hear Devo pumping through the speakers. Fitting, since the classic alt band hails from Ohio, where Monomyth are gearing up to perform as part of their ongoing North American tour. “They’re pretty excited that we’re Canadian,” said vocalist, guitarist and bassist Josh Salter, of the group’s American fans. “It’s like a novelty. Most think we’re from Vancouver since we’re on Mint Records.” Part of the ever evolving Halifax music scene, the guys from Monomyth--comprised equally of Seamus Dalton on vocals, guitar and bass, Graeme Stewart also on vocals, bass, guitar and piano, and Matt Peters on drums--lend their instrumental and vocal talents to fellow east coast bands like Quivers, Nap Eyes and Dog Day. Having previously released several singles and cassette tapes including the album King, Does This Not Please You? the Halifax quartet continue to touch on monarchical themes in their album titles with the release of their debut LP, Saturnalia Regalia!, through the previously mentioned independent West coast record label. In pagan tradition, Saturnalia was a high holiday where slaves would essentially be free from their regular duties and from their masters. Social norms were turned upside

down, blurring the lines of make believe and reality – for a little while at least. In the early stages of Christianity, the holiday would eventually be replaced by the likes of Christmas. In Latin, ‘regalia’ refers to royal garb or symbols of power. “[Saturnalia] was kind of like the equivalent of Mardi Gras or something, with the king of the fools,” said Salter. “Mostly I just really liked the sound of it when I was trying to find a name,” he added. “I wanted it to sound like a celebration, but maybe also with some dark undertones. It also went with the cover we came up with.” Keeping in tune with this festive nature, the album artwork features a sun cake emblazoned with Zodiac symbols, with a vase of yellow and orange carnations in the background. Though their sound has been described as space pop or psychedelia, Monomyth have a hard time situating themselves under any specific genre. “Usually I just say rock’n’roll because it cuts the conversation short,” joked Salter. Turning to his bandmates for their input, Salter replies, laughing, with “[Dalton] says the sound is good?” Consisting of eight tracks, some bright and bubbly and others darker and moodier, Saturnalia Regalia! carries with it an underlying dreamy lucidity. “I think we went a little more straight pop on this record...but there’s a lot of different sounds.” Though Monomyth wouldn’t consider themselves experimental, Salter adds that “[the album] definitely has elements of noise and strange loops.”

The record itself was mastered in New York, but Dalton and Salter did the mixing themselves. “The sound is pretty consistent I guess; we wanted it to sound like it all fit together really well so we dubbed almost all the vocals just to keep it consistent.” “When we were recording, we pretty much knew exactly what we were going to put on.” Looking ahead, Monomyth are already looking into creating new material. “We definitely have a lot of songs between us,” said Salter. “We just want to start pumping out some new stuff, or at least get the ball rolling.” When asked if there was any particular song that the band never tires of playing, Salter promptly laughed and said “No. God no,” before Dalton cheerily chimed in the background, “We don’t get tired of playing the new ones!” Stopping in Montreal later in September, Monomyth will be performing multiple shows as part of the annual POP Montreal International Music Festival, with Scott Grundy taking the reigns on drums. “While we’re down there, we’re going to try and record a few new songs too.” “We’re also in town for the entire week, so we’ll get to take it all in a little more,” said Salter. “I’m excited, I think it’ll be fun,” adding coyly, “we’re a great band...come see us play! You can catch Monomyth on Sept. 18 at l’Escogriffe sharing the bill with Nap Eyes, The Yips, Boyhood, Strange Attractor, and Hag Face. For more details check out popmontreal.com.

The Kooks – Listen (Virgin EMI; 2014) It has been five long years since the well-loved band The Kooks released new music. Their new album, Listen, will not disappoint those who have been patiently waiting. The album is made up of 15 great songs, alternating between soothing and upbeat, but all with the classic British flair we have grown to love. Some songs, like “Bad Habit”, are more soulful, while others like “Forgive & Forget” and “Around Town” are perfect for a day at the beach. All the songs on the album are modern, yet bring back a nostalgic sound, reminiscent of The Beatles and even The Rolling Stones. Their new music has more depth than their previous hits, like “Naïve” and “Seaside”, yet bring forward the same emotions. “Bad Habit” will have you clapping along, while lead singer Luke Pitchard is accompanied by what seems to be a quire for “Around the Town”. Pritchard’s lovely voice will finally fill ears again, this time accompanied more than the classic electric guitar and drum combo. Listen will make you do just that.

Trial Track: “Bad Habit”

9/10

-Nathalie Laflamme

Benjamin Booker - Benjamin Booker (ATO Record; 2014) From living in a punk community in Florida to opening for Jack White during his recent world tour, Benjamin Booker’s life could almost read like a Dickens novel. Currently based in New Orleans, the 25year-old singer-songwriter’s debut self-titled album is raw and unrestrained. Booker combines garage rock, blues, and punk to create a sound that is abrasive and loud yet soulful. The lo-fi analog recording of this album adds an organic quality to the gnarly soundscape, channeling the unabashed experience of a live performance. Paying homage to Blind Willie Johnson, T. Rex, and The Strokes, Booker succeeds in channeling his influences in a refreshingly modern manner. Considering the overwhelming amount of buzz surrounding his debut, it is apparent that Benjamin Booker may be the future of blues music.

Trial Track: “Violent Shiver” Monomyth will be playing new songs off Saturnalia Regalia! Sept. 18 at l’escogriffe for POP Montreal. Photo by Steve Louie.

8/10

-Paul Traunero

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Profile // music

Take a trip to the 90s with Solids Solids’ music combines all your favourite postCobain bands Sam Haughton Contributor

orty shows in nine countries on two sides of the Atlantic Ocean in a span of three months is enough to render any group of human beings good and pliable. However, the critically-lauded hard-rock duo Solids are as sturdy and as vibrant as ever. Indeed, one could be forgiven for thinking they weren’t two musicians I was speaking with in a Cafe Express near Papineau Metro, but two Montreal-bred, industrial sized Rubik’s cubes, seated in the two comfy armchairs across from mine. And the analogues don’t stop there: if we take the bright September sun streaming through the window as a giant stage light, Louis Guillemette (drums and vocals) and Xavier Germain-Poitra (guitar and vocals) are presently the spitting image of their live sets: Germain-Poitra is inclined a little forward, not demanding so much as politely requiring our attention, while Guillemette is more casual, taking more or less full advantage of the back of his chair. G-P: We played [The London Calling Festival] in Amsterdam and at first it was weird…the drums were all the way far behind. G: Usually I play [alongside him] up at the front of the stage, but it was a festival with really fast changeovers. So he was playing up front…totally alone. G-P: Exactly, at first we were like “ahh this is going to suck,” but then it ended up being super wild. People got crazy. One can imagine. The official London

Calling website puts it best: the Solids guys have what is called “veel enthousiasme,” the kind that can’t help but rear its banging head. Their live shows manage to be visceral while remaining metronomically flawless, with Germain-Potra’s guitar running through a fairly massive guitar amp, a bass amp and a bass cab; achieving a wider range of frequency than most four-pieces can attest to. And who needs a four-piece anyway, when you have what can only be described as Quebec’s answer to Dave Grohl tearing through the measures beside you, the aural inclination is inevitably towards assault. But that’s not to say Solids’ music is emotionless: listen to the first track on their debut LP, Blame Confusion, and it’s quickly apparent that you should really be listening to this on your Sony brand non-skip discman, traveling back to a soul-destroying high school in the early ‘90s. In short, their songs have that beautiful dynamic of angsty introspection and cathartic exuberance that both characterized and dominated the post-Pixies alt set for most of the early ‘90s: G-P: I’d say for our influences, of course, the bands that are always mentioned; Dinosaur Jr., Sonic Youth.

“

G: Because when we were in [our first band],

Expectorated Sequence, we were listening to a lot of Breach and Converge and we still like that kind of style. G-P: I think there’s a new Breach, eh? G: A new Breach?!? The Concordian: A new “Bleach”?!? G-P: I think there’s another band, like, called Breach. The Concordian: Oh… I thought you meant “Bleach” like, the Nirvana album.

still maintaining a certain individuality. Good vocals, heavy drums, and dense, detailed production are what make Solids’ album, Blame Confusion, stand out from most of the other throwback bands currently making a resurgence. Another thing that is immediately apparent both on Compact Disc as well as face-to-face is that Solids are having extreme amounts of fun doing what they do. Their primary focus is on hammering out fresh tracks as much as possible, hitting their fan base hard and often.

G: The Swedish band.

G: At first we wanted to do only EP’s so we could get something out every 6 months, always writing new jams and having new jams coming up, but doing an LP is a whole different process.

G-P: Yeah it’s like a Swedish…noise-metal I’d say? Maybe?

G-P: Yeah we try not to overthink but it happens anyway.

The ‘90s are confusing, folks. But, returning to the matter at hand, one is inclined to ask whether Solids brings anything new to the table set by all the above-mentioned bands. The answer is yes and no. The remarkable thing is how Solids manages to be so much a synthesis of all the different strains of Cobainism – everything from My Bloody Valentine to Swans is traceable here – while

The Concordian: Do you guys prefer working in the studio or doing live shows?

Both: Ohh nononono!

At first we were like, “ahh this is going to suck,” but then it ended up being super wild. People got crazy. - Xavier Germain-Poitra

The two-piece will be blasting their new songs Sept. 19 for POP Montreal at Bar le “Ritz” P.D.B. (Il Motore). Photo by Amanda Fotes.

G-P: We really enjoy both, it’s just that at some points in the studio the feeling can get lost. In the studio it’s more zen, but [sometime you hear] something so many times that you don’t know… “Is it even good?” G: And now the only thing we do in life is play music. So for the next album for the first time we’ll really get the chance to work a fuckin’ lot. That is, right after they finish another three months of touring. After performing at POP Montreal on Friday Sept. 19, Solids are heading west to Ontario and then down into State-land. They’ve set themselves the goal of having a new LP on the shelves by Fall 2015, which means having the recording done around February. They also offered the vague clue that they were planning to experiment a little more. So…Keytar, I’m assuming?

sports

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

Student’s story // sports

What it takes to make the cut How a new student-athlete is juggling school, sports and life tim lazier Sports editor CHRIS BOUTIN Contributor

he varsity season is officially underway, but most of our studentathletes spent the summer working out and getting ready for tryouts. First-year lacrosse player Chris Boutin is no different. He explains what it was like to try out for a Stingers squad and make the team, and how varsity athletes have to juggle a packed schedule. I started playing lacrosse back in highschool, because it made me feel like a part of the school and more than just a student. At first it was just a way to stay in shape and I honestly thought it might be a onetime deal, so I gave it a try. After that first year, in grade 10, I was hooked. I played again in grade 11 and was not only a starter, but a captain. Heading into my first year at John Abbott College, I had that itch to keep playing. Like all athletes and their respective sports, I just couldn’t wait to get back out on the field. It was something that I wanted to pursue and had the goal of playing at the university level. Lacrosse isn’t one of Concordia’s most prominent varsity sports, but being under the radar, especially as a first-year player, fit Boutin just fine. The tryouts were held at the Loyola campus during the last weekend of

August. Heading into the tryouts for Concordia’s lacrosse team, I was nervous but also very anxious to get out there. No matter what the sport, student-athletes everywhere know that feeling. It was a new bunch of guys, but they made me feel welcome. After getting the cobwebs out, it was less about nerves and more about just playing the game. I was confident enough in my abilities and myself to not be timid. Athletes know that if you’re shy and hang in the background, no one will notice you. Tryouts are all about that first impression. I wanted to be outgoing, to be a part of the team. Like many athletes, I just wanted to be a part of something bigger. Knowing that all the players and coaches were there and working toward the same goals was motivating. It was something I had missed for a very long time. Whether they play on a varsity team or not, all university students have hectic schedules. But between classes, a job, practices, games and homework, there are no days off for student-athletes. When I first really thought about trying out and potentially playing lacrosse for Concordia, I knew I had to make a choice. My main hours for work are on the weekends, yet all of our games are too. I knew something had to go, but before deciding, I talked to my boss about it. Boutin works at La Tuilerie, a flooring and tile store in Vaudreuil-Dorion and has been a salesman there since January. I walked into my boss’s office one day,

sat down and explained to him my interest in sports, saying that I’ve always wanted to be a part of a varsity team. Surprisingly, he was very open and encouraged me to go for it. I realized that’s something not all bosses would do. I thought it was generous of him. He understood that sports make you excited about school and fill you with a sense of connection to your school. We worked out a schedule that not only fit my lacrosse schedule, but my class schedule as well. Boutin is a second-year sociology student at Concordia who aspires to be a professor one day. Now that he has made the team, he is excited to get the season underway, beginning with a road trip to Ontario this past weekend. The Stingers played against Queen’s University on Saturday and then traveled to Trent University on Sunday. Pure excitement is the best way I can describe being on the team. Heading into this fresh season, I hope our team can come together and be a competitive squad. We’ve been practicing hard these past couple of weeks and we’re all just excited to hit the field. It’s great that we started the season with a road trip. I think it’s the perfect way to build team chemistry, bond a bit and just get to know each other. I know the team struggled last year but this is a new start. Along with the other rookies, I hope I can make an impact. When I throw on the Stingers jersey for the first time, it’ll give me a sense of pride.

Sports in the News Safia Ahmad

Contributor

>> Tennis GrandSlam Season Over The U.S. Open marked the end of the Grand-Slam season in tennis this Monday. However, fans can look forward to the return of tennis in just a few weeks with the Beijing Open at the end of the month. One of the main storylines is the potential return of ailing Rafael Nadal, who has been plagued with a wrist injury since the Cincinnati Open in August. The former world no.1 is definitely seeking to return to the top. Canadian fans can also look forward to watching the progression of stars Milos Raonic and Eugenie Bouchard, who have stunned many players on the circuit this season. After a disappointing Grand-Slam season for Andy Murray, it will be interesting to see whether he can rack up some wins and gain some momentum to carry him into the new Grand-Slam season that will start in January with the Australian Open.

The team’s first home game is on Sept. 13 at Loyola against Carleton.

>> Pacioretty: Habs Next Captain?

Illustration by Marie-Pier LaRose

Max Pacioretty has developed a new-found love for EA Sports, which will release NHL 2015 on Sept. 9. In thwe video game, Pacioretty is wearing the “C” on his jersey, causing speculation among fans and pundits. Although the left-winger denies rumours of potential captaincy, he is willing to take on more leadership responsibilities in the upcoming season. With the departures of former captain Brian Gionta and former assistant captain Josh Gorges to the Buffalo Sabres, other players will need to step up in order to fill the leadership gap. Many also believe that recently inked defenseman and 2013 Norris Trophy winner PK Subban should dawn the “C” on his chest. Whether the Montreal Canadiens are willing to name a captain this season or opt for co-captaincy throughout the season remains to be seen. This issue will certainly be a topic of interest at their annual golf tournament on Sept. 15.

Tuesday, september 9, 2014

Football // sports

Concordia captures home opener The Donovan era is off to a perfect start following the first win of the season Casey dulson Contributor

The Concordia Stingers football team played their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 6, against the Bishop Gaiters and came away with a 25-15 victory. The Stingers fans and players were hoping to forget about last year’s 0-8 season and a win was just the way to do it. Under new head coach Mickey Donovan, the team came out ready to play with a new attitude and noticeable energy. The game started perfectly as Stingers linebacker Travis Bent recovered a fumble by Bishop’s running back Ron Lee King-Fileen on the Gaiters’ first drive. Stingers kicker, Keegan Treloar, kicked a 24-yard field goal to cap off the drive and give the Stingers the early 3-0 led. By the end of the first, the scored would be 6-3 Concordia. Halfway through the second quarter, Bish-

op scored the first touchdown of the game on a one-yard run by King-Fileen after a sevenplay drive of 75 yards. By halftime, the Stingers would head into the locker room trailing 13-6. The best player on the field was Concordia’s rookie running back, Gunner Tatum. By the end of the first half, Tatum had already racked up 144 rushing yards on 20 carries. Unfortunately for Bishop’s defense, he was just getting started. The Stingers came out flying in the second half on defense as they stopped the Gaiters three times on third down plays. They also picked-off Bishop’s quarterback Shane McDonald three times in the second half. With less than five minutes left in the third quarter, the Stingers regained the lead with a touchdown run by Tatum, putting Concordia up 16-13. Although Canadian football is typically a passing game, Concordia relied on Tatum who finished the day with 192 yards on the ground. Midway through the final quarter, Concordia ended Bishop’s hopes of a comeback. Stingers quarterback Francois Dessureault con-

nected with wide receiver Jamal Henry. Dessu“The team feels like a family and [the] reault had a quietly productive day as he went coaching staff loves their players, just like they 9/15 through the air and ended the day with love their own children”. 114 yards and one touchdown. Henry was DesThe Stingers will travel to McGill this Frisureault’s go-to receiver as he led the Stingers day, Sept. 12, to play the Redmen in the annual with five catches. Along with his touchdown Shaughnessy Cup at 7 p.m reception, Henry had 82 yards in the game. Whenever a team wins, everyone is happy. However, under Donovan, Dessureault noticed differences right away between this team and previous squads. “In the past, people would do their own thing. This year, everyone [is] supporting each other. [It’s] just a global family-effort, which is awesome.” Although he is new to the team, Tatum also commented on the team’s Photo by Brianna thicke chemistry.

Women’s Soccer // sports

Stingers shut-out Gaiters for first win Women’s soccer team dominates during Friday night showdown

Elias laradi Contributor

The Concordia Stingers women’s soccer team began their season on a positive note when they hosted the Bishop’s Gaiters in their home opener at Loyola on Friday night. The match got off to a good start as the Stingers dominated possession early in the game. At the 10-minute mark, the Stingers got on the scoreboard with a corner kick from midfielder Frédérique Labelle. Labelle gave a solid cross into the box, where it was headed in by

Concordia defender Stephanie Liganor. Concordia had the early lead over Bishop’s 1-0. The Gaiters tried to apply pressure and take back the momentum, but couldn’t break Concordia’s solid defense. Five minutes after Concordia’s first goal, the Stingers scored an identical second goal. Once again, Labelle delivered another corner kick with finesse and power that Liganor finished off for her second goal of the night, giving Concordia a 2-0 lead after 15 minutes of play. The Stingers took over the game from there and dominated possession. The Stingers had more shots on net and did not let the Gaiters get past midfield.

After 20 minutes, unfortunately, Labelle got her leg tangled up with a Bishop’s player and was injured on the play. She was to be substituted by Shauna Zilversmit. The half ended with Concordia leading Bishop’s 2-0. The second half was much of the same for the Stingers. Even though the score did not change, Concordia kept dominating the play. The Stingers did not allow many chances for Bishop’s to score as their defense continued its strong play. From the first whistle, it was clear that Concordia was the stronger team. Concordia’s complete team effort led to an impressive first win of the season. After the game, Stingers head coach Jorge Sanchez was proud of his

team. “I was content with the game. We got two early goals [and] I was very optimistic even before the match,” said Sanchez. “It was great to win. I liked how we managed the game, and I told [the team] at halftime they weren’t going to score on us and I am happy with the result.” After her strong game, Liganor had this to say about her stellar play: “I love to be back. This being my last season with the team, I really got into it and I just wanted to play my game, not having played a lot last year.” It was a great way to start the season for a team who had a disappointing season last year.

Men’s Soccer // sports

Stingers men’s soccer team suffers tough loss at home McGill Redmen score late in the game to spoil Concordia’s homecoming SAM OBRAND Contributor

The season opener for the Concordia Stingers men’s soccer club was spoiled on Sunday afternoon, following a 2-1 loss against the McGill Redmen. The Stingers found themselves energized and motivated to succeed against their local rivals, as McGill knocked them out of playoff contention last season. “We wanted to prepare the team for three points, to start the season at home and we didn’t do that, so we’re highly, highly disappointed,” said Stingers assistant coach Francois Bastien. The match began with a very defensive, yet aggressive style. The first half displayed minimal chances from both teams due to relentless effort from Concordia and McGill’s defensive units. During the 22nd minute of play, Concordia’s goalkeeper raced a streaking McGill forward, Valentin Radevich, who managed to get to the ball first and flip it lightly over the

goalkeeper’s head for a 1-0 McGill lead. The lead would ultimately stand until the end of the first half. Although the first half showed very few scoring chances from the Stingers, Bastien said

Photo by Marilla Steuter-Martin that they wanted to apply what the team practiced and not make any dramatic changes to their strategy. At the start of the second half, Concordia showed a lot of energy and endurance. Just

over five minutes in, Concordia midfielder Karim Haroun placed a perfect corner kick to Nick Sisti who scored to tie the match. Following the tying goal, both teams set their tempos even higher than before. Efforts from both teams showed no results until late in the match, when a cross from McGill forward, Antoine Chauvel, found fellow striker, Alexander King, for the late 2-1 lead. The lead was just enough for McGill to hang on and spoil the Stingers’ homecoming. “We have a lot of new players especially on the starting eleven so we were preparing for the entire season to get our formation and set plays organized,” said Bastien. “This was the first test and there are things that we obviously want to get better at and work on.” There was no lack of persistence when it

came to Concordia’s effort on the pitch. The defensive unit and goalkeeper played a terrific match, allowing for very few opposing opportunities. Meanwhile, their offensive unit was able to apply a sustainable amount of pressure to the Redmen mid-fielders. “We wanted to pressure them and that’s what we did. Put pressure on their midfield [and] take over the midfield area, and I think we succeeded in doing that,” said Bastien. “We didn’t succeed in finishing. We should have, of course, capitalized on some opportunities and we should have minimized those mistakes. We made two mistakes in the back which led to two goals.” Despite the team’s first loss, coach Bastien can still pick out the positives of the failing effort. “We started off with I think seven recruits today, so it’s always nerves that make the season hard to get started, especially if they haven’t played in university yet,” said Bastien. “Since we’ve taken care of that, we can really move forward.” Concordia’s men’s soccer club aims to turn things around on Sept 12. against Laval.

opinions

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com

Editorial // opinions

Beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive In this day and age, women should not be judged by their appearance

his week, the Concordia Student Union (CSU) hosted a sustainability fair as part of their Orientation 2014 activities. The Concordian was one of the many clubs present. We were able to speak to many amazing students, some of which wanted to learn about our paper, others who wanted to tell us about their initiatives. One particular conversation has stuck with us and urged us to write this editorial. Two of our female staff members, who will remain unnamed, were manning the table when a few young men approached. They asked about The Concordian, and

the exchange went something like this: Students: You work for the Concordian? The Concordian Staff: …Yes. Students: But isn’t that a newspaper? The Concordian Staff: …Yes. Students: …But you guys are hot. They then explained that they had assumed that both women were fashion design students because of their apparent good looks, and had no shame in hiding the fact that they were completely surprised these women had vital roles in our paper. Of course, we acknowledge that fashion design students work very hard at what they do; it should just not be assumed that all women are necessarily in-

terested in pursuing fashion careers. This exchange has left the whole masthead (which is predominantly made up of women) flabbergasted. How could it be that, in this day and age, a group of men would automatically assume that two young women who were welldressed could not also be intelligent and involved in academic activities? It is also quite difficult to imagine this kind of conversation taking place had two of our male employees been promoting our publication. People should never be judged based solely on their appearances and gender. And yet, that is what happened this week to members of our staff. This kind of mi-

sogynistic thought process happens all the time, even in professional settings like job interviews. This should not be the case. What makes this worse is that these students probably genuinely believed that their comments would be taken as compliments. Concordia students -- and anyone else, for that matter -- please do not judge people by their appearances or gender. This society’s patriarchal tendencies of pigeonholing women into limited categories based on things like physical appearance is outdated, offensive, and has no place in a community of higher thinking.

Politics // opinions

A parliament for Scotland to call its own A British take on the case for Scottish independence

MattHa busby Contributor

As the date of the referendum on Scottish independence looms, the polls suggest that support for the No vote has narrowed to 48 per cent, while the Yes vote trails with 42 per cent; a marked improvement from the 32 per cent the Yes camp were polling this time last year. At the least now, the Yes campaign appears to have attracted sufficient support to be able to force the issue of another referendum within a generation. Perhaps in November of this year we will be drawing comparisons between the 49 per cent of Scots in 2014 and the 49 per cent of Quebecers in 1995. The opposing camps, Better Together and Yes Scotland, have both sought to define the debate in their own terms. The Yes campaign romanticizes and waxes lyrical about patriotic nationalism and self-determination; the No campaign scare-mongers and refuses to fathom a competitive post-independence Scotland. It is a polarized debate in which the old stalwarts of union square are up against nationalistic upstarts. This opposition is typical of an independence debate, yet the Scottish case also has its own particularities that Catalans or Quebecers may not relate to. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, as its name

suggests, a synergy. A less-than-united kingdom would find it difficult to have its voice heard on the international stage. But perhaps the era of Britain’s having its voice heard, which spanned much of the last five centuries, must end. The big difference between the Yes and No camps, I believe, is that Westminster politicians like Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown would rather see themselves as part of a bigger whole than as part of a nation of a mere six million people. A modest selfrule, for them, would mean that Scots would never have their voices heard on the global stage. The Yes campaign’s would-be remedy to this dilemma is membership in the European Union. This, however, leads to another debate: surely Spain would exercise its veto of Scotland’s membership for fear of creating a precedent that Catalan or Basque nationalists could use to their advantage. An independent Scotland in the European Union would also be able to pursue popular policies which are blocked in the Westminster Parliament, such as not renewing Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent Trident, nationalizing the North Sea oil reserve, stimulating the public sector, plugging the gaps in the welfare state, along with ceasing privatization of the National Health Service. Many Scots have their greatest grievance with both under-representation and misrepresentation in politics. Of the 59 parliamentary constituencies in Scotland, only one returned as a member of the Conservative Party, which leads the twoparty governing Westminster coalition that is pursuing policies in Scotland that, frankly, few Scots voted for. Your man on

the street, however, may not know whether Scotland returns 59 or 259 Members of Parliament to Westminster, he simply does not want to be governed by a Parliament 500 miles away from his own. Therefore, I urge anyone reading this article who has the right to vote in the

referendum next month to rid themselves of the fear of the unknown and realize self-determination by voting YES. Surely Scotland ought to be ruled from Edinburgh: you would not want to be asking yourself “what if?” in twenty years, as many Quebecers now do, would you?

Photo by Marie-Pier LaRose

Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Culture // opinions

Fighting tooth and nail against sexual assault Is nail polish the answer to the rape culture epidemic? Robin stanford Contributor

Could a manicure prevent someone from being raped? According to a group of undergraduate students from North Carolina State University, the answer is yes. They have perfected a clear coat nail polish which changes color when in contact with the most common types of date rape drugs. The invention, named Undercover Colors, is being heralded by the popular media as the best way to protect women. Others, however, warn that such an invention is born of a culture which does not understand rape and will ultimately blame the victim for the crime. Rape, or sexual assault, is thought of in the public consciousness as an act committed by mysterious strangers with the aid of drugs. According to Julie Michaud, Administrative Coordinator for The Centre for Gender Advocacy, this perception is deeply flawed. Most cases of sexual assault are perpetrated by someone the survivor already knows and may only use alcohol to inhibit the victim. In such instances, the survivor is not likely to consider testing their drink or to find any drugs at all. Even in a crowded bar, surrounded by strangers, such a detection system may be dodgy at best. It is unclear at present how elements such as wear and tear will affect the nail polish or how long it will work after the initial application. This product may end up working more due to the media coverage it has received rather than the ability to detect substances. A woman tipping her finger into her drink is not a very subtle gesture and may serve as a deterrent. Unfortunately and realistically, what this does is train rapists to adapt and evolve as well. Michaud points out that the nail polish will probably cause drug producers to find new drugs which cannot be detected. Although this may take several years, it undoubtedly will happen. In the interim, predators will simply monitor the actions of their victim more closely.

Further, such a media stir will ultimately place the responsibility of sexual assault on the survivor. Society’s message to women is to “make sure the perpetrator targets someone who isn’t you,” according to Michaud. If someone is raped, the question becomes more about why they were not wearing the right nail polish, dressing modestly, or participating in any number of activities portrayed as preventing such behavior. Such a stance ignores the fact that a predator will select a new target, or find way to circumvent any protective measures taken in order to impose their will upon another. No one doubts the good intentions of the team that invented Undercover Colors, its portrayal as the best defense against rape is deeply flawed. The issue is not the invention, but rather the way our society understands sexual assault. Michaud summarizes the current situation well: “Amazingly, we almost never hear about innovations to teach people not to rape such as creating a comprehensive sex and consent education program in all elementary and high schools, or implementing mandatory consent workshops in universities, workplaces, and other organizations.” As much as society interprets it as otherwise, the main problem with cases of sexual assault is not what the survivor didn’t do, but what the rapist did do. Could a manicure prevent someone from being raped? According to a group of undergraduate students from North Carolina State University, the answer is yes. They have perfected a clear coat nail polish which changes color when in contact with the most common types of date rape drugs. The invention, named Undercover Colors, is being heralded by the popular media as the best way to protect women. Others, however, warn that such an invention is born of a culture which does not understand rape and will ultimately blame the victim for the crime. Rape, or sexual assault, is thought of in the public consciousness as an act committed by mysterious strangers with the aid of drugs. According to Julie Michaud, Administrative Coordinator for The Centre for Gender Advocacy, this perception is deeply flawed. Most cases of sexual assault are perpetrated by someone the survivor already knows and may only use alcohol to inhibit the victim. In such instances,

the survivor is not likely to consider testing their drink or to find any drugs at all. Even in a crowded bar, surrounded by strangers, such a detection system may be dodgy at best. It is unclear at present how elements such as wear and tear will affect the nail polish or how long it will work after the initial application. This product may end up working more due to the media coverage it has received rather than the ability to detect substances. A woman tipping her finger into her drink is not a very subtle gesture and may serve as a deterrent. Unfortunately and realistically, what this does is train rapists to adapt and evolve as well. Michaud points out that the nail polish will probably cause drug producers to find new drugs which cannot be detected. Although this may take several years, it undoubtedly will happen. In the interim, predators will simply monitor the actions of their victim more closely. Further, such a media stir will ultimately place the responsibility of sexual assault on the survivor. Society’s message to women is to “make sure the perpetrator targets someone who isn’t you,” according to Michaud. If

someone is raped, the question becomes more about why they were not wearing the right nail polish, dressing modestly, or participating in any number of activities portrayed as preventing such behavior. Such a stance ignores the fact that a predator will select a new target, or find way to circumvent any protective measures taken in order to impose their will upon another. No one doubts the good intentions of the team that invented Undercover Colors, its portrayal as the best defense against rape is deeply flawed. The issue is not the invention, but rather the way our society understands sexual assault. Michaud summarizes the current situation well: “Amazingly, we almost never hear about innovations to teach people not to rape such as creating a comprehensive sex and consent education program in all elementary and high schools, or implementing mandatory consent workshops in universities, workplaces, and other organizations.” As much as society interprets it as otherwise, the main problem with cases of sexual assault is not what the survivor didn’t do, but what the rapist did do.

Undercover Colors nail polish, pictured above, is said to help prevent sexual assault.

Politics // opinions

It turns out, nobody is watching the watchmen A take on how Bill 3 exposes the hypocrisy of Montreal’s police force Frédéric T. Muckle Arts editor

If you have been out of the house in the past few months, chances are your path has crossed with strangely-dressed police officers, overabundant red stickers and oddly ornamented municipal cars. As you may already know, those are all techniques used by the police, the firefighters and other public worker unions to protest Bill 3. This bill, as well as a number of other political and economic measures, was brought forward by the Liberal party as a way to help with the impending deficit of Quebec’s society.

In the last few months, these groups protested quite heavily with other, more intense actions; they lit a fire in front of Montreal City Hall and, more recently, they ransacked through it and chased the mayor through the halls. Adding to the absurdity of it all, the policemen on duty were standing by and did nothing to stop the protesters. For all those people who have been arrested, pepper sprayed or harmed in any way in the student protests of 2012, this social and political situation seems quite hypocritical. Can anyone imagine the police response to students pushing their way into City Hall or lighting a bonfire at Place Émilie-Gamelin? What kind of double standard allows one

group to physically intimidate government officials in their workplace, but makes the police conduct mass arrests on the other because of an unannounced itinerary? Also, people leaving their posts to protest is one thing, but when we are talking about those who are supposed to protect and serve the general population, it becomes a question of safety. It is true that protesting is a fundamental right of any worker and citizen in a democratic society. Still, tragedies usually do not care about the protesters’ will to bully the mayor. Nonetheless, it is important to state that, in many ways, the government employees are right to protest a bill that makes them pay for mistakes that others did. A number of people that would be affected by the bill are either

swallowing this harsh pill or looking to negotiate with the government. Still, a certain group of people — composed mainly of firefighters, policemen and blue collar workers — are acting as bullies, thinking they will get something out of it. The fact is that, by doing this, they alienated the part of the population that did not already think that they had become the thugs. Also, anyone without a pension or any kind of financial security has only one thing to say: tough luck. It is obviously hard for anyone to have advantages you cherish taken away from you. Still, in this case there are two sets of rules that seem to apply: if you are the law, there is not much to stop you.

CORRECTION: In an article from last week’s issue, “A Love Letter (And Simple Request) for ASFA”, it was noted that ASFA could not be reached

for comment. After the article was written, we were able to get in contact with ASFA President, Paul Jerajian, who assured us that no monetary exchange took place between ASFA and MTL Blog. Unfortunately, this information did not make it into the print edition. We sincerely apologize for the error, and it has been corrected for the online edition.

Letter // ETC

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – more commonly known as Prince William and Kate Middleton – have announced that they are having a second baby. Just as the Prince George baby excitement had time to fade from the public eye, there’s a new little one around the corner. Twitter reacted to the news basically how you’d expect. For your enjoyment, The Concordian has assembled the best and most hilarious of the #royalbaby tweets. (Prince Phoebo, anyone?)

@meldeprinse If it’s a girl phoebe, if it’s a boy phoebo #royalbaby

I think it is foolish to suggest that the CSU should only speak and act in the interest of all students. Does this mean even those students who don’t care about any given issue? This is not their job and this is not a popularity contest; it’s student politics. Council and the executive are charged with making decisions and taking a stance on the values that elected them, just as any other respectable political party would. It is worth noting too that the current executive and a good bulk of the council were chosen above many centrist and apolitical candidates. Like all politicians, a good measure of success in their tenure will be how well they made good on their purported values. A good job is acting on the platform with which they ran. The CSU’s Community team is delivering on their promise with their current stance - they alluded to being interested in community building and sustainability in their campaign. Certainly there is nothing community enhancing or sustainable about bombing hospitals, power plants and UN shelters. If siding with the UN is unwise for a government, then we should be directing our criticism at the electorate. Keep up the good work, CSU. Its good to see student politicians act with a little bit of conviction, cut through apathetic rhetoric and follow through on their campaign promises. Picking a side may make things worse - but often they have to before they get better. - Jamiey Kelley

@Vextrix_Vapes This is Murica who the hell cares, the #royalbaby is not really important, the royal family is the equivalent of the kardashians in the USA @steveclarkuk #BREAKING: WOMAN EXPECTING BABY #royalbaby

@GeorgeKyris the interchange between #royalbaby and #ScotlandDecides in BBC news is just so telling for this country, isn’t. @joechiari just what we need, another young family on benefits having a kid #royalbaby @tr_everett Anyone else want announce their contraceptive failures today? #royalbaby @BBCPeterHunt Prince Harry: it’s very exciting news. I can’t wait to see my brother suffer more. #RoyalBaby @BritishLogic Sibling rivalry can be intense, especially when you know your older brother is definitely going to get a better job than you. #royalbaby @Headkutter A baby that doesn’t have a name or even genitalia is already richer and more famous than I will ever be. #royalbaby @james150374 Scotland: ‘That’s it, I’m leaving’ England: ‘You can’t! We’re pregnant!’ #RoyalBaby @THunt1309 If the #royalbaby is a girl and they don’t name her Princess Consuela Bananahammock, than what is this all for, really?

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Michelle Gamage Production manager production@theconcordian.com Milos Kovacevic News editor news@theconcordian.com Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor life@theconcordian.com Frederic T. Muckle Arts editor arts@theconcordian.com Mia Pearson Music editor music@theconcordian.com

Jocelyn Beaudet Online editor online@theconcordian.com Marie-Pier LaRose Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com

Laura Marchand Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com Keith Race Photo editor photo@theconcordian.com

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Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com

Tim Lazier Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com

@jenniesmash I am not ready for 6-plus mos. of reading about another #royalbaby. People, we fought 2 wars for the right to not care. @AlexHomatas So we hear all about the #royalbaby just as it looks like #Scotland will vote yes.. coincidence, I think not

// ETC

Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.59)

Tuesday, September 9, 2014 Vol. 32 Issue 2

Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Sep 9 02:06:03 2014 GMT. Enjoy!

Gregory Todaro Julia Scandella Emily Gaudet Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com Christina Rowan Natasha Taggart Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistants

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Contributors Kate Sheridan, Pauline Nesbitt, Casandra De Masi, Seline Gard, Robin Stanford, Nicole Yeba, Bashir Rifai, Elsbeth Cossar, Justinas Staskevicius, Nora Smolonsky, Sam Haughton, Paul Traunero, Elias Laradi, Safia Ahmad, Chris Boutin, Sam Obrand, Mattha Busby

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I am writing in response to the editorial that critiqued the CSU’s decision to stand against Israel on it’s treatment of Palestinians.

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EVENTS AT CONCORDIA

Have a good week Film Cinema Urbain, Paris, Texas, Place de la Paix - Sept. 9

Art Packplay: The Design of Packaging, UQUAM Centre de Design - Sept. 10

Music

Chet Faker, Olympia - Sept. 12 The Growlers and The Garden, Il Motore - Sept. 13 Bear in Heaven with Young Magic and Absolutely Free, La Sala Rossa - Sept. 14

Literature International Literature Festival - Sept. 12-21

Other

Queer, Trans Friendly, Anti-Racist Yoga - until Oct. 29 Montreal Comic-Con, Palais des Congres - Sept 12-14 Cirque de Boudoir: Temple of Kink with Patrik Plastik and JNNBNNRCK, Mary Hell and Davide - Sept 12 Women in Clothes with Sheila Heti, Heidi Julavits, and Leanne Shapton, Rialto Hall - Sept. 16 Quartier Danses Festival - Sept. 12-20 Flamenco Festival - until Sept. 13

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