The Concordian Winter 2015 Issue 03

January 27, 2015 Volume 32

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Issue 16 |

Independent student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983.

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theconcordian

News p. 3

Prose applied

What to do with your English literature degree

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

In this issue

LIFE

p. 6

From erotic to athletic

ARTS

p. 9

Chicago razzle dazzles

MUSIC

p. 13

Evolution of hip-hop

SPORTS

p. 18

Stingers crush Citadins

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

OPINIONS

p.22

Konnichiwa, Concordia

theconcordian.com

news 2

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Write to the editor: news@theconcordian.com

CITY Laura Marchand Opinions editor

Campus // news

A more dynamic Concordia?

President Shepard: “We have to keep up to speed, whatever that might mean”

>> No-go for Plateau’s nosnow plan Plateau Mont-Royal reversed its decision not to clear all snow off its streets, as announced Monday. Earlier this week, Luc Ferrandez, Leader of Projet Montreal and Mayor of Plateau Mont-Royal, made waves when he announced on Twitter that the borough lacked sufficient funds to clear all the roads in the borough.

According to the Montreal Gazette, Ferrandez cited a cut of $800,000 to the snow clearing budget as the reason, making the Plateau MontRoyal the only place in the city that will not clear all of its roads. Ferrandez has since stated that the decision not to clear the ice and snow was made “in error”.

>> Victim identified in St. Catherine homicide Bobby Pellicano was named the victim of Montreal’s second homicide of 2015. Pellicano, who worked as a sandblaster on construction sites, was the victim of a stabbing at a house party on Ste-Catherine’s street early Sunday morning. According to CBC News, the 26-yearold was dead by the time paramedics arrived at the crime scene. Police claim that several witnesses were covered in the victim’s blood, and according to the Montreal Gazette, the victim may have attempted to exit the building before succumbing to his wounds. The investigation is still ongoing.

>> McGill students craving some sugar According to SeekingArrangements.com, a dating site that puts together wealthy “Sugar Daddies” or “Sugar Mommies” with young, presumably attractive “Sugar Babies,” McGill University is the second largest sugar baby university in Canada. With 161 new sign-ups from McGill in 2014 alone, the Montreal school lags only behind the University of Toronto, with 195 prospective sugar babies. The system, wherein a young, attractive person is paired with a wealthy, older man or woman in a sexual and financial relationship, is purportedly majoritively university students. On SeekingArrangements.com, it is estimated that university students account for 42 percent of its overall membership.

Milos Kovacevic News editor

The times, they are a changin’.

Concordia’s Academic Plan and Strategic Framework are expiring and the university is seeking to engage the entire community in deciding what comes next.

This is the takeaway message Concordia President Alan Shepard wants the student body to know as he and his administration get set to enact the Strategic Directions drive, the process by which we’ll all be able to chip in with our two cents in an act of participatory community building.

“For me it’s important both in a formal sense that we have a document, and in an informal sense in that it facilitates the conversations. I think we’re having right now and all around the place conversations about where we we want to go, whether we want to go there or not, how do we get there, how much that will cost, and what resources do we need,” said Shepard when asked as to the raison-d’être of the initiative, which isn’t a necessity for universities.

The campaign calls for a short planning timeline of six months so that by June some preliminary points can be sent over to the senate and the Board of Governors for approval. Then will come the time to hear from the faculties and staff for what they foresee their realistic needs and areas for growth can be. Eight groups, organized under headings like experiential learning or innovation and entrepreneurship, will help organize the endeavour.

“We’ll ask those units where they want to go within the framework that’s been established,” said Shepard.

For the rest of the semester a slate of speakers at the forefront of university education will come by and give public, free lectures.

“It’s designed to bring in outside voices, because there’s nothing worse than planning for five to 10 years down the road and [be] talking to only yourself.” Up to 25 academics, intellectuals, and notables will form those outside voices via free public lectures open to all.

One thing the administration seem eager to broadcast is a plan to expand focus on research.

“Universities today cannot be

as they once were—almost exclusively teaching institutions— because we will find that if we do that we wouldn’t be providing the faculty with the latest research,” he said. It’s well known that the Federal government takes a positive view to giving grants when there’s research on campus.

Another point of focus will be a pressing need to find space for the Fine Arts faculty, which has had space issues in the past.

Shepard said experiential learning—specifically co-ops and internships—was another point to be discussed. “We will gradually have more online stuff, whether it’ll be whole programs, individual courses, or, more likely, more blended courses.”

When asked what universities Concordia is using as an example, Shepard mentioned Arizona State University—which has catapulted in the last few years into a major research university and is the largest public university by enrollment in the U.S.—as an institution worthy of emulation.

“I think the days when each domain of knowledge was separate, I think those days are waning, both in terms of how knowledge gets organized and what

students want and need.”

This may mean a reorganization of programs and the possibility of new classes and programs.

Everything is on the table, even increasing revenue from other partners—but how and from whom wasn’t said.

Even though Strategic Visions is getting a fair dose of fanfare, it isn’t meant to be a do-all, end-all.

“It isn’t a detailed plan; it’s not a playbook,” said Shepard.

The previous academic plan had scores of recommendations; not this one. “I don’t see us changing our stripes to be something we’re not,” said Shepard, who likened successful universities as those nimble enough to seize opportunities fast, rather than scratching their heads about whether its prescribed on a bullet-point list.

The first lecture as part of the speaker series will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 28, by former University of Wisconsin-Madison and American Council on Education President David Ward.

Georgetown University Vice-Provost for Education Randy Bass visits on Feb. 5.

Please visit concordia.ca/ about/strategic-directions/events. html for more information.

Culture // news

Living it up in Montreal’s Death Café Participation in a lively conversations on our inevitable demise Frederic T. Muckle Assistant news editor

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hirty people, old and young; some with pen and paper, others simply holding a cup of tea; the subtle background sounds of a coffee machine accompanying the whispers of scholarly exchanges; all this in what looks like half arts and crafts studio and half hippie café.

This was the perfect setup for a sometimes stimulating, sometimes sad, but entirely civilized and unexpectedly humorous conversation about death.

The workshop, entitled “A Deadly Taboo” took place Monday, Jan. 26, at the café Le Milieu. It was part of the University of the Streets Café event, a Concordia community initiative organized each semester on a weekly basis and touching on numerous

topics, hosted in various public spaces around the city.

The main guest of the night was Kit Racette, a supporter of the international Death Café movement (of which Montreal

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tion was moderated by life coach Minda Bernstein.

Death was discussed by the array of people showing up for this semester’s second weekly event in various ways: some-

We’re all here between birth and death.

has a franchise), writer, and member of the Tel-Aide suicide hotline.

The Death Café movement aims to provide a peaceful and calm social setting for deathbased discussions, though it does not seek to be macabre, and avowedly denies itself as grief counselling. The conversa-

- Kit Racette times very rationally, often emotionally, occasionally spiritually and politically. For a moment, the café became an unusual place where strangers shared stories, experiences and thoughts about things that you may rarely speak of even with close friends. The format was centered on this idea of sharing and discussing with

others what death may be really about, either when it is our own demise or of others, and why we should try to be more comfortable with it.

As you may expect when dealing with such a delicate topic, awkwardness, sadness and strangeness sometimes crawled into the conversation. Still, this kind of sentiment is what is often lacking in our daily, mundane conversations consumed by the Habs’ last game or clever observations about the weather.

As taboo as it may be for some, death demands to be discussed because in the end, as Racette put it, “We’re all here, between birth and death.”

For more information about University of the Streets Café’s weekly talks, visit the concordia.ca/univcafe. To learn more about the Death Café movement or Kit Racette and her work, visit kitracette.com.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Panel shares experiences and tips on how to land that job upon graduation

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f the major degrees, English is the perennial butt of jokes for finding postschool success. We’ve all heard of English graduates, optimistic rather than practical, joining the swelling ranks of arts majors looking down the gullet of an unsure future and competitive academia the moment they descent the podium steps.

The possibilities aren’t that bleak if the search is widened and non-traditional careers are considered. “What To Do With Your English Degree”, an event sponsored by the Concordia Association of Students in English (CASE) and featuring four great panelists speaking from experience on their professional journeys through non-traditional careers.

Enter Kasper Hartman (Video game writing), Katia Grubisic (Freelance editing and translation), Chris Masson (TV Writing) and Jack Allen (Digital Marketing), the quadrumvirate putting everybody’s minds to ease.

The game path Kasper Hartman graduated from Concordia back in 2008 and has always dabbled in creative writing and games before joining the two. He says gamers’ expectations have kept pace with improvements in technology—that is to say exponentially.

A decade ago, games were first created and the finished product sent to the writers for words and actions. Now, the strategy is reversed, with storytelling skills

and narrative development seen as an important resource foolish to skimp on. Developers have realized (as the Star Wars prequels have not) that technology and graphics can create a world, but made for a thin veneer when it comes to breathing it to life and offering the player a sense of meaning and motivation. Creatives are increasingly taking control and dictating the terms.

“As many years ago a writer may have been the very last person hired for a project, today they might be among the very first,” he said, adding,“There’s a lot that goes into the job that’s not just purely writing, and the more versatile you can be, the better you’ll adapt to the ups and downs.”

“Talent and craft and a little bit of courage” The best advice editor and translator Katia Grubisic has is not to worry.

“The skills you have and that you didn’t know you had will prove themselves in the coming months and years,” she said.

Grubisic is a freelancer, that perilous and scary existence entirely dependant on you selling yourself without a middleman or corporate security, but with the advantages of being able to schedule and run it at your own pace.

She divides careers into three parts: the incredibly lucrative, the professionally unavoidable, and the enjoyable.

“It’s really strange what you wind up enjoying,” she said.

“The smallest thing can steer you down a path,” she said, embodying the millennial experience of lesser job security

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Campus // news

Ways to use your English degree Milos Kovacevic News editor

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and greater mobility. If you’re freelancing, the enjoyable may not pay as much as the status quo, but don’t close yourself to it. On the other hand the lucrative niche might be the one you devote more of your time to, but won’t necessarily be the most interesting one. “The more you do the work, the more people will be willing to believe you could do more work.” And that, she says, means being able to charge more.

Then there are the unavoidable, potentially painful and exhausting stepping stones. These are the opportunities, internships, and volunteerism that might not fit perfectly with your idealized career, but one that instinct tells you won’t come again. Seize them, do your best, and see what happens.

Grubisic’s bonus tip for polyglot translators: There’s a rush happening to standardize texts and contracts as countries become better integrated and join larger political and economic unions. For example, with each European country entering the EU, there’s a very real demand for translators to step in ease the transition. This means fluent third- or fourth- language speakers stand to gain.

Practicing the art of ‘showing up’ Chris Masson’s background was in creative writing and theatre and he’s always believed it’s about putting the work before the ego. Many jobs are collaborative. “If at any point you’re pushing back or resisting change or feedback or criticism, that’s going to reflect badly on you,” he said. Making yourself a plea-

sure to work with will greatly improve chances of an encore, as reciprocity is a universal rule.

This means networking, networking, networking. Spend time around like minded people, share ideas and absorb tips.

Grubisic points out, though, that explicitly wishing to network can come off as inauthentic. Don’t be a business card distributing machine: people will see through you. Rather, take a genuine interest in people. You’re interesting if you’re interested.

Grades and French are important...up to a point Jack Allen is currently an online marketer and an anglophone, he says a lack of French won’t hold back a skilled and ambitious individual from breaking out in Montreal. Grades matter if you’re aiming for postgraduate studies and beyond, but skillsets are learned outside the classrooms and it’s more a matter of leveraging your effort and personality towards a desired goal.

“For most job applications, you wouldn’t put your GPA,” he said.

All four share broadly similar paths: an eagerness to take on work, no shyness for approaching people and offering their services, and versatility. The particulars are centered around English students but the advice is universal: market yourself, try for that rung just above your immediate reach, and remember that skills can be learned on the job and you’re more likely to be hired based on your perceived enthusiasm and attitude.

Engage and you’ll find success.

NATION Natasha Taggart Production assistant

>> Thousands gather for slain Mountie Thousands of police officers and hundreds of spectators lined the streets of a city outside Edmonton to pay their respects to RCMP Const. David Wynn on Jan 26. Wynn was shot in the head during an incident involving a stolen car at a casino in St. Albert on Jan. 17. He died four days later in hospital, succumbing to his injuries.

Auxiliary Const. Derek Bond was also shot during the struggle but is expected to survive despite what will be a lengthy recovery.

CBC reports Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Alberta’s Premier Jim Prentice were in attendance. Wynn, 42, leaves behind his wife and three sons.

>> Loonie woes expected to continue

Canadians can expect the dollar to keep dipping over the next few months. This may be unsurprising as it reached a sixyear low last week, dropping 3.5 per cent. The Huffington Post is reporting that the investment bank Goldman Sachs is predicting the Loonie will continue sliding, eventually reaching a value of 71 cents U.S. in 2017. Over the next three months they predict it will fall through the 80 cent mark and by the end of the year will stand at 76 cents. Though there is an upside to the dollar’s dropping value: it is good news for Canada’s tourism and Canadian retailers hoping to capitalize on Americans looking to take advantage of their stronger currency. It currently stands at 80.48 cents U.S.

>> ISIS threatens more “Ottawastyle” attacks

Kasper Hartman, a video game designer with a Concordian English degree, speaks about how to use your degree to get a job. Photo by Julia Scandella.

A new audio recording from an ISIS spokesperson is the latest in a series of threatening speeches referring to future attacks in Canada. The National Post is reporting that Abu Muhammad al-Adnani alluded to the terrorist attack in Ottawa and suggested that “what lies ahead will be worse, with Allah’s permission.” This comes after an unofficial ISIS video was released on Twitter earlier this month showing a compilation of threats made against Canada, urging followers to kill Canadian citizens and police officers. The account has been suspended.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

WORLD Milos Kovacevic News editor

>> ISIS kicked out of Kobane

The Kurdistani media site Rudaw has announced that a grueling 134-day siege by ISIS of the strategic Kurdish village of Kobane in Iraq has been broken at last, and peshmerga forces are now in full control of the town. Seen by some as ISIS’s Stalingrad, due to the contentious, street-by-street nature of the fighting and heavy casualties sustained by both sides, the self-styled Caliphate at one time controlled 80 per cent of the town. U.S. air support and Kurdish resistance has pushed back the Islamists, with over 1,000 ISIS militants dead.

>> Russian spy ring busted

Business Insider has announced the breaking up of a Russian spy ring in New York by the FBI. The American agency said a Russian spy was a member of the Foreign Intelligence Service posing as an employee in a Russian bank in the city and funneling back economic information on the U.S. and its continuing sanctions on Russia. Additionally, complaints were filed alleging Russian media outlets in the U.S. are also hosting intelligence operatives. The Russian bank has so far refused any comment.

Campus // news

Pondering and laughing over Charlie Hebdo The seriousness & jest in satire & religious mockery Milos Kovacevic News editor

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wo satirists and a religious studies professor walk into a room: this isn’t a joke, but what happened last Tuesday at an event sponsored by Concordia’s Montreal Institute of Genocide and Human Rights Studies (MIGS) in light of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in France.

The panel’s resident academic and assistant professor in the Departments of Religion and Theology, Dr. André Gagné, began by contextualizing the discussion and showing the historical and modern differences in Islam itself. Islam, said Gagné, has had a long history of using imagery, and rather than forbidding its making, made the distinction between imagery for representational and illustrative purposes— which was sanctioned— and imagery as something to stand between God and man and be the object of worship—which was considered idolatry.

“It is sad to see there is actually little justification for such horrific crimes,” he said, continuing: “[these are] interpretations over which people are fighting to the death in the Middle East.”

For Gagné, religious adherents pick what they will of their religions, and thus picking one ‘authentic’ Islam among many for the role of yardstick is an ambiguous concept: “There is no such thing as a true or false Islam. Scholarship has abandoned the concepts of orthodoxy and heresy. What we see are simply the various manifestations or facets of a religion,” he said.

However, this does not mean that the violence exhibited by some Islamists is completely groundless, especially when one considers the concept of abrogation, whereby latter, generally more forceful and violent, verses of the Qur’an (revealed at a time where ascendant Islam feared less from its pagan milieu) replaced older, sometimes more peaceful commandments revealed when Muhammad needed to tread more lightly.

“People who say that the Bible or the Qur’an do not contain violent commands or narratives have not carefully read them or are simply deluding themselves.

Holy books do contain the good and the bad,” he cautioned.

These exhortations can sometimes give direction when personal and collective injustice is experienced, or when people searching for an aggressive worldview as answer to the ‘hopelessness they experience.’ When one is vulnerable, says Gagné, is when one is most open to radicalization, and it is up to modern secular societies

to both integrate and accept religious traditions and to maintain a critical perspective toward ideologies by upholding humanistic principles.

“Ideas that promote violence should be denounced and resisted. This is why Islam, or any other religious tradition that stifles human dignity, should be critiqued.” For Gagné religion, unlike other parts of culture, is still strangely off-limits and sacrosanct. Pluralism entails the right to disagree, and the need for religions to cope with disagreement—something contemporary global Islam may be as yet unable to do.

“Muslims can surely disagree with the assessment people can have of their tradition, but the best way to state their case is with ink and paper. This is what freedom of speech is all about,” he said in a brief statement at the start of the panel.

“It is strange how we are quick to say the perpetrators of the Paris attacks do not represent true Islam, but rarely say the same thing when the attacks are far from home,” said Gagné, referring to the West’s obsession with Islamist attacks only insomuch as it was the centre of the story. Ignored is the the rampant Muslim-on-Muslim violence the world over.

The Montreal Gazette cartoonists Pascal Élie (Pascal) and Terry Mosher (Aislin) balanced the intellectualism with the welcome dose of (solemn) light-

heartedness that befit satirists.

“If you’re going to laugh at other people, you’re going to have to laugh at yourself. The proof is in the pudding,” said the irreverent and rascally Mosher.

“When the Pope says we are not allowed to poke fun [at religion],” he continued, referring to the Pope Francis’ reaction to the attack when he said the world should not be surprised by violence when the sacred is mocked, “let me be blunt: fuck him. This is a very established part of the process. We poke fun, this is what we do, and we’re a very important part of freedom.”

Fittingly, humorous self-criticism alongside Gagné’s academic introspection was at the heart of the message Pascal and Aislin delivered. More than anything they pointed to the need for criticizing ourselves and making fun of our own actions, as during the PR nirvana that occurred when world leaders joined in a solidarity march in Paris in support of the freedom of expression. The amusing thing the two noticed— and drew—was a good portion of those ministers and presidents were part of coercive, oppressive regimes that have a long pedigree of media control and intimidation.

“We grab these things and sort of run with them,” said Aislin, cycling through a series of cartoons poking fun at the ‘Je Suis Charlie’ trend. “You have to get cheeky and poke fun.”

>> That cheap, cheap, wonderful Venezuelan crude

Bloomberg has said government devaluation of Venezuela’s falling currency has pushed the price of a gallon of Venezuelan gasoline to 0.2 U.S. cents—or less than 1/20th of a penny per liter, the cheapest in the world. The government, which has long subsidized gasoline for its citizenry, has responded that it may raise gasoline prices in an effort to raise cash for its sputtering economy. This runs the risk of social unrest in a country that has wanted for much under its socialist system but has never wanted for petroleum. At this price, driving from Montreal to Venezuela would set you back around $50.

Cartoonists Pascal and Aslan discuss religious satire at the panel on Tuesday about Charlie Hebdo. Photo courtesy of MIGS.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Campus // news

Hubert Lacroix on the future of CBC The president of the CBC spoke to a class full of journalism students on Wednesday, Jan. 21

Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-chief

On Jan. 21, Hubert Lacroix, the CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, addressed a journalism class in order to discuss the future of Canada’s public broadcaster.

Concordia Journalism Chair and Associate Professor Brian Gabrial introduced Lacroix, and the many students in the roam all clapped. Right away, Lacroix made a comment that that was more applause than he had gotten as of late, and students knew that this would be an interesting talk. He was referring, of course, to the fact that he has been quite unpopular around the CBC these days because of the massive cuts, both in labour and finances, that have transpired.

“Before I start this, full transparency: I’m a double McGill grad,” he said, and the students in the class laughed. After making a few more jokes about his background, Lacroix began talking about CBC, and the jokes were soon a thing of the past. Instead, during the nearly 90-minutes he spent talking to students, three themes seemed to keep coming back: financing, Canadian content, and scandals.

Financing Lacroix asked the room and asked how much cable costs most people, and how much people are willing to pay for it. One student mentioned that Bell had approached him saying that it would cost $50 a month.

“If you pay taxes, you actually give, to CBC/Radio-Canada, per year, for all the services, en anglais et en francais, toutes les platformed, about 8 cents per day. $29 per Canadian, per year,” he replied.

According to a document published by House of Commons back in 2008, it was recommended that Parliament should “increase the appropriations it gives the public broadcaster, from $33 per capita to $40 per capita a year over the next seven years.”

This number was considered the amount for continued quality production, and did not take in account inflation. And yet, funding has since decreased for the public broadcaster.

Lacroix spoke about the CBC losing the rights to broadcast hockey last year, a contentious and public decision, stating that the costs was much too high, and that the money would be split in half between players and the NHL itself and therefore leave Canada.

“There is no way in the world a public broadcaster can justify spending $5.2 billion of taxpayer money on hockey.”

Lacroix also spoke about the high costs of producing content,

both in Canada and elsewhere.

For example, one hour of house of cards costs 5 to 7 million to produce. He explained that that is why other Canadian networks often just pay for rights to air American content, which costs much less money, hence a lack of Canadianproduced content on all networks except for CBC. Lacroix spoke of public broadcasting funding in other countries, showing just how low the CBC’s numbers are compared to others.

“Everybody wants us to be the BBC. Look at the numbers. I’m sorry, but they have something like five times our budget, one language, and one time zone.”

Content For a perspective on CBC’s content, Lacroix once again asked the room to name a program they watched on CBC or Radio-Canada in the last week. People mentioned Tout le Monde en Parle, CBC News, or The National, to name a few. He then asked how many had the CBC App, how many people watch Schitt’s Creek, Book of Negroes, and other shows. He asked students about what they like so much about Netflix, and on how everyone uses every platform: most Canadians have four, Lacroix explained. This has changed the way that content is delivered to Canadians.

“It’s not true that people watch television and series on their mobile phone yet. when we create content, we have to consider that a number of Canadians are still watching in the old way.”

Lacroix also spoke about why Canadian content is so important right now, showing the audience that other networks barely run any at all—most of the programs

shown on other networks are produced in the U.S. He then explained why this was such a big problem.

“People ask: is public broadcasting a good investment? Well, for every dollar that the CBC gets, we generate about $4 for the Canadian economy,” Lacroix said.

“We create jobs, we commission programs, there’s a whole industry that supports us, and, what’s interesting, is that if you take us away, you immediately take two and a half times the amount that the government invests in us, which is a billion bucks, and you take it away from the Canadian economy, because we indirectly create jobs for that value.”

To rest his case he said the CBC last year invested $762 million in Canadian content, while all the other canadian networks combined invested $500 million.

Scandals Understandably, concerns came through on the many scandals the CBC has lately been involved in.

Lacroix openly spoke of what transpired with Jian Gomeshi, saying that what happened caused a national conversation about sexual harrassment. “I think our job is to manage this, go to the bottom of this and put in place the best possible programs and make them easy so that you’re not scared or fear retribution when you actually put your hand up and say ‘The behavior that I witnessed or that affected me was improper,” he said.

Lacroix also spoke about the recent allegations against Amanda Lang, saying that, although he would not defend the situation, the Royal Bank had never straight-out paid Lang and was in fact sponsor-

ing an event where she was paid to speak.

He explained that the situation in question had caused many talks within the company on whether journalists should be allowed to make paid appearances. “It’s a little complicated. The issue around the Amanda situation is an issue around should we as an organization allow our people to take speaking [events] of any kind for any situation.” As we now know, the CBC announced on Jan. 22 that CBC employees (excluding freelancers) would no longer be allowed to make paid appearances.

Q&A After the talk, The Concordian got the opportunity to ask a few extra questions to Lacroix.

The Concordian: What can we as consumers of the CBC do to make sure that there is a future for the public broadcaster?

Hubert Lacroix: I think that the time has come to ensure that if you believe in public broadcasting, that your voice is heard. That the people who choose on where the tax dollars go, if they hear that public broadcasting is important to Canadians in this country— because it does ensure Canadian culture, it ensures democracy in this country—if the people who are going to be seeking votes and who are elected understand that it is important for you ... if you make those statements clear, that’s going to be the big difference maker.

C: You spoke a lot today about the importance of Canadian content, and yet one of the first things that the CBC cut was in-house productions. A lot of known personalities

like Peter Mansbridge have spoken against this. What will the 2020 plan mean for in-house productions? Will they be returning?

HB: No. Because Canadian content doesn’t have to be done by CBC/Radio-Canada in-house. We can actually partner with an independent Canadian producer, creating Canadian content, and have it on our programing schedules in the same way. It’s just the making of it, inside our shop, with the infrastructures, with the square footage, with the technical equipment, that is what we have chosen to do less of, inside our shop. CBC actually was not doing much inside our walls … We commission the program. We decide, ok we are going to greenlight your project, we are going to invest in it, and we are going to show it on our network.

C: You mentioned that you give a lot of talks like these. Why do you think that it is important to talk about CBC today to university students?

HB: Because the interaction that I get, the questions that I get, the blank stares when I talk about CBC and our programming ... shows me that in order to be able to reach the audience that is the next generation of our audience, plus, people in this faculty that could actually work for us one day, we have to continuously listen. Listening, seeing what your consumption habits are, what you’re doing in your schools, the subject matters that are important to you, the matters that you raise with me... all of that is absolutely key to how I see the broadcaster evolving ... And because you are going to be involved in here, some of the challenges that will impact your work area.

The CBC’s CEO Hubert Lacroix discusses the public broadcaster’s fincances and the price of producing original content. Photo by Nathalie Laflamme.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

life

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com

Feature // LifE

Pole dancing: not just for professionals Anyone can try out this hot new workout regime Mim Kempson Staff writer

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here are two reasons why I decided to try pole-dancing lessons. One: I was bored with my monotonous weight lifting routine and wanted to try something new.

Two: I wanted to become more of a lady.

As a dance-gymnastics-acrobatics hybrid, pole dance is characterised not only by the femininity it evokes, but also by the seemingly superhuman amount of strength it requires. This is largely why pole dancing has exploded in popularity amongst Montrealers: it’s one heck of a workout.

As both an isometric and cardiovascular exercise, there are endless benefits to pole dancing. You can develop core strength; increase your flexibility, sense of balance and coordination skills; and burn more calories than an aerobics class.

Located in Old Montreal on St Jacques Street, Milan Pole Dance Studio is entered through an unassuming doorway that radiates exclusivity. Inside, the ambience is light and upbeat. The almost entirely white studio is coloured by crisp “mood” lighting— pinks, blues, purples. But of course, it is the tall, golden poles that define the space.

There are 16 poles on site, spinning ones to be exact. I learnt that there are actually two types of poles: the other is stationary. You may have watched a few Hollywood movies and wondered, how do women spin around the poles so swiftly and quickly? Well, in all likelihood, they’re working with a spinning pole, which means that it is on a rotating wheel beneath the floorboards. Having said that, the spinning pole is not necessarily better than static. The difference is that they allow dancers to do different tricks.

With zero experience in dance, I was afraid that I wouldn’t fit in. To my surprise, I discovered that everyone had come to pole dancing with different backgrounds and in varying shapes, sizes and ages. For some it was their third class, for others it was their third year.

Whether it’s fitness or dance that you’re interested in, Milan Pole Dance Studio caters to all. You can choose a class that is focused on the contemporary dance aspect, there’s a “gym” class, a conditioning pilates-esque class, a Flexy class (like yoga but with a pole) and, of course, the traditional exotic dance class. I personally chose the fitness oriented ones to replace my previous weight lifting regime. In a sense, there’s still a bar. It’s just vertical instead of horizontal, and my body became my “weights.” Working with your own body weight makes for a very different (and fun) challenge.

Even the three young strapping men in

the class (who clearly worked out) weren’t capable of the same moves that some of the other women were doing. Nevertheless, the group cheered them on as they persevered.

The supportive and encouraging atmosphere at Milan Studio is clearly a motivation for its students to continue going to classes.

For Isabelle Le, it wasn’t just the paradoxical mix of team spirit and independence (it’s just you and the pole) that magnetised her to pole dance, it was the challenge it offered as a sport.

“What I love about pole dancing is the pride and satisfaction you experience from noticing your own progress,” says Le. When she received a Christmas voucher for pole dancing five years ago, she had gone to the classes thinking that it would be a laugh. Once an avid tennis player and cyclist with absolutely no dance background, Isabelle is now a teacher at Milan Studio. She was hooked after the first class.

So was I. After my first class I left the studio with a one-month membership. Determined to develop my skills, I went almost every day for the rest of the week. I watched as some girls gripped onto the pole almost solely with the fold in their elbow as they did the splits mid-air. Obviously moves like that take months of practice, but by the end of my second class I had at least learnt how to suspend myself upside down. I was proud of my accomplishment, and this became part of my motivation to continue going.

Milan Pole Dance Studio is located at 50 St Jacques St. More studios that offer pole dancing in the city are Alternative Fitness at 925 Ste Catherine E., and Pole Fitness Montreal at 178 Jean Talon E.

Isabelle Le instructs a pole dancing class. Photos by Keith Race.

writer Mim Kempson participates in her first pole dancing fitness class at the Milan Pole Dance Studio. Photo by Keith Race.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

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Campus // LifE

Discussing identity and politics of adoption Annette Kassaye and Nakuset to explore their identities as adoptees in first event of series Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor

On Friday Jan. 30 the Centre for Gender Advocacy will begin a semester-long series focused around race, gender, and political resistance.

Events will be held every month, each one tackling one particular nuance of these intersections between gender and cultural background.

“There is no possible way, as we see it, to separate gender form race or from class or anything else,” said Maya Rolbin-Ghanie, Publicity and Promotions Coordinator for the Centre for Gender Advocacy.

“We wanted to have a space where some of these issues could be focused on more so than they generally are, we feel that any kind of feminist discussion that isn’t looking at race or cultural identities is quite limited in many ways,” said Rolbin-Ghanie. “It weakens any struggle when intersections aren’t acknowledged.”

The first event, The Racial and Cultural Politics of Adoption: Adoptee Perspectives, will be a discussion on politics of adoption, with guest speakers Annette Kassaye and Nakuset.

Kassaye, a Concordia graduate, is a transracial Ethiopian adoptee, who was adopted into an anglophone Québecois family from the Eastern Townships

Annette Kassaye and Nakuset will discuss their experience as adoptees on Friday. Photo courtesy of the Centre for Gender Advocacy. when she was a year old. She currently writes for an online magazine, Gazillion Voices and Lost Daughters, which aims to be a forum for adoptees to have their voices heard. She is also the founder of Ethiopian Adoptees of the Diaspora.

“Adoption is much more of a political issue than people may realize, and being an adoptee can be as well,” said Rolbin-Ghanie. “She’s going to talk to how women, especially women of colour come up against certain issues when they’ve been adopted into white families.”

Nakuset is Cree from Saskatewan,

adopted into a Montreal Jewish family.

Growing up, she found it difficult to assume her own identity as a Native person within her adopted family, and has dedicated her adult life to advocating for Native rights. She is the executive director of the Native Women’s Shelter of Montreal, and works with Aboriginal children in care.

The discussion is sure to be eyeopening for anybody interested in identity issues, as well as the general cultural and political implications of adoption, from an adoptee’s eyes.

“Whether or not somebody has been adopted, having this kind of discussion

can bring to the forefront a lot of identity issues that a lot of us struggle with,” said Rolbin-Ghanie. “So many of us have to deal with being isolated identity-wise in so many ways, whether its race, being a minority, language, class, gender, and I think the discussion on adoption will raise some really interesting questions about notions of adoption, and how many people see it as a really benevolent act to adopt a child, but theres so many racial and cultural undertones and implications to it.”

The talk will be held Fri Jan. 30 from 6-8 p.m. in EV 1.605, 1515 SteCatherine St. W.

Let’s talk about sex

Boys, bars, boyfriends, long-distance and open relationships Anonymous

Long-distance relationships are the shittiest things in the world. No, really. I live approximately 4,909 km, or a 45 hour (straight) drive away from my lover’s front door according to Google Maps, and that means my life is ass.

My long-term, long-distance boyfriend remains in the city I hail from, while I get on a plane twice a year to come out to Concordia and systematically break my heart all over again in a messy PDA of snot-running-down-my-face, hysterical sobbing while I walk through securitytype way.

If I hear one more person tell me that I’m lucky, “just to be in a relationship,” I swear I’ll start hitting people.

Long-distance relationships can, yes, fulfil you emotionally in this beautiful age of Skype, Snapchat, text messaging, and unlimited across-Canada calling, but physically the relationships are entirely stunted.

After a really long tough day, he can’t give me a hug. When I’m horny and feeling like getting horizontal and dirty with him, all I have is my own hands and a hot-pink vibrator to get the job done.

And I’ve spent so many “date nights” in my room, alone, with a bottle (or two) of red wine and a well-used Netflix subscription that I can recite Grey’s Anatomy and Gilmore Girls episodes by heart.

It’s no wonder, after a year and a half apart (plus a month now, with January almost over) that my boyfriend and I have decided to open up our relationship a bit.

And that means I’m allowed to kiss boys. Boys that are not him. Boys that I meet out in bars, at parties, at Jean Talon market, you name it.

This is an arrangement that took three long months of fighting (us), yelling (me), and crying (still me) to be established. It wasn’t easy.

We have strict rules. We tell each other each time we hook up with someone and I will freely offer up all details he wants to hear if he asks, though he usually doesn’t.

We don’t kiss mutual friends, we stay vertical(ish), and fully-clothed while playing tonsil-hockey with hot strangers. We have softer limits on time, where

Column // LifE

hands can wander to, and if we can meet said hot strangers a second time. Those we kiss know about our relationship status before things get hot and heavy.

There is absolutely no sex, fingerbanging, oral, anal, vaginal, or any other type of sex someone could concoct.

These are rules we sat down and banged out together, giggling, bickering, and gravely nodding as we decided where we stood on butt-grabbing, hickeys, and the right to collect phone numbers.

These are rules that we have, for the relationship that we have, for the life that we have. And it works, for now, for us.

So why are people so quick to judge me, my boyfriend, and my “open-ish” relationship status?

First, if you are not currently in a long-distance relationship then you have absolutely no idea how lonely it is, and have no right to comment on what rules I choose to live by. This goes for singletons and couples alike.

Second, yes, I am allowed to kiss boys. No, this does not mean that I am going to have sex with them. Believe it or not, I see kissing someone and fucking them as different acts, with dramatically different levels of intimacy. Shoutout to the chick in the bar this weekend who couldn’t wrap her head around why I

was willing to kiss a stranger, but not go home with him.

Thirdly, the same rule applies to those who have alluded—to my face—that I am mildly slutty for, if I may, have my own cake and eat other boy’s cake too.

Or suggested that I’m not really in a relationship if I’m kissing other boys. Or suggested that I have zero sexual boundaries, or any other manner of unkind slights.

It’s these rash judgements that have me withholding my byline from this article. Because people seem very willing to judge me for being a sexual being while refusing to listen to how I’m miserably lonely and miss my boyfriend.

Because I already have a boyfriend.

So I shouldn’t complain. And should sit in my room with my wine and Netflix and pine for him like a good little spinster.

Fuck that.

Long-distance relationships are hard.

And I’ve found a (small) way to make mine easier. And if anyone, anywhere, discovers a similar way to make their long-distance relationship any less gutwrenchingly lonely then they should cling to that like a sailor clings to flotsam in a storm. Because it’s your relationship. And it isn’t anyone else’s damn business.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Column // Life

Mim meets Montreal: Moving day Making a new place feel like home with a splash of colour Mim Kempson Staff writer

W

hen I moved out of home for the first time, it wasn’t a matter of moving down the street.

Instead, I packed my life into a single suitcase and whisked myself to the other side of the world: from Melbourne to Montreal. To all the international and exchange students out there: I imagine that coming to Concordia was your first time moving out, too. Considering that I extended my stay from one to two semesters and signed a lease (rather than living in student housing) I genuinely feel like Montreal is more than a temporary lodging. It’s my home.

That is why, when my housemate decided to move to Portugal for a change of scenery and told me that I needed to find somewhere new to live, I was a little shaken. Once again, I became a lost wanderer.

Being an exchange student isn’t all fun and games. This became apparent when I started spending my Fridays filling in visa applications and my Saturday nights modifying “apartment lease transfer” ads on Kijiji. I’ve since realised that being an adult is determined not by responsibility, but by the amount of paperwork there is in your life.

Moving apartments is an epic task.

Moving in winter adds a whole new layer of complexity. It’s things like digging the car out of a mound of ice that remind me that I’m not in Australia.

Finding a new place to live isn’t easy.

Actually finding the place isn’t easy either: as in, sometimes the snow is so thick that it covers street signs and house numbers.

Apartment hunting tip number one: introduce yourself to strangers and ask if you can live with them. Just kidding.

Though, that’s kind of what happened to me. Whilst moshing to Chet Faker at his concert in September, I met a Montrealer named Sophie. Three months later it was Sophie who referred me to her friend who was looking for a new roommate.

The spaciously unfurnished room had a spectacular view onto a grey brick wall and was as well lit as a dungeon (probably a result of the vomitraspberry colour of the walls), but I took it. Tip number two: choose an apartment for the roommate (someone who can envisage yourself living with), or at least make it a top priority. The issue of the aesthetic (or lack thereof) was easily solved. After four coats of white paint (done over eight hours) and a trip to IKEA on the other side of town, the room was transformed into my new haven.

I’m glad that my experiences in Montreal haven’t always been smooth sailing and glamorous. I’ve learnt that it’s also the small and trivial things— like decorating a room—that make a place feel like home.

Mim and her roommate Michelle giving her new bedroom a makeover. Photo by Mim Kempson.

Column // Life

Ten tips to maintain your computer part III

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The truth is, it boils down to just putting a long green chip in a slot and clamping it down. There is hardly any way to get it wrong.

Laptops and Macs are a bit more complex. Laptop RAM is generally smaller, a bit more expensive, and requires that you replace a couple of tiny screwdrivers. Under your laptop you’ll usually find a few spots that are screwed shut (in some cases, just one). Macs tend to be a bit harder to service, usually requiring a few tools to crack open, and have a fairly limited supply of hardware to replace their usual lineups. But it CAN be done!

1. Upgrade your RAM Random access memory isn’t just name of that hip new Daft Punk album, it’s also essentially the heart of the computer. More RAM means more things can get done simultaneously and, to a certain extent, at a faster speed. In standard desktop PCs RAM is fairly easy to replace, and there are hundreds of image guides and YouTube videos floating around to show you just how to do it.

2. Change your motherboard and processor (PC desktops only) So things aren’t running so hot: your computer is older than your nearly completed Bachelor’s degree (or worse, older than your nearly completed Master’s), and you think it might be time to give the old computer a good makeover. Motherboards and processors are essentially the brain of the computer, and this pair usually make up the bulk of the price of a new computer. If you’re not looking to go top of the line, though, models from

Keep your cmputer clean and upgrade often Jocelyn Beaudet Online editor

efore the Christmas break, we tackled some tips on how to maintain your computer, and we prefaced the dreaded section that deals with becoming a “computer mechanic”. So let’s stop dawdling and paddle on through!

a season or so ago can be fairly inexpensive. Shopping around for deals on Amazon, Newegg Canada or NCIX is a great way to keep an eye out and give your computer a makeover for a few hundred dollars. The process itself does require a bit of finesse and skill, but if you follow the instructions patiently, you’ll have a new brain for your evil Windows robot.

the best computer you can with the budget you’ve got, if you’re willing to get your toolbox out and spend a few hours plugging things into one another. Mac users, you haven’t been forgotten (much): Apple is ALWAYS giving discounts to students, often up to 20 per cent off of their laptops and desktop computers.

Take advantage of this, seriously!

3. Start over from scratch When push comes to shove, sometimes it’s okay to just let go, bury the hatchet and give your computer a proper burial. Laptops are expensive to service in-depth, and sometimes it just isn’t worth footing the bill to keep your desktop PC on life-support. But if you’re already this far down the line, you may want to consider starting from scratch. If you’re broke, and just trying to get something that can throw some text down, keep an eye out for clearances at local electronic shops, or on the sites listed in tip number two. Clearance items will drop as low as 50 per cent of their original cost, and nothing says “hell yeah!” like paying $300 for what is basically a new laptop. Desktop PC users, rejoice too: PC Part Picker will help you build

4. Be patient There’s no other way to put it. Taking good care of a computer does require a little bit of TLC. Computers are tools (for now anyways), and problems are usually solved by being patient and methodical. If you keep your cool when servicing your or your friends’ computers, you can get through things faster and often learn a thing or two about how to do it better next time.

Computers are hard work sometimes, but ultimately, taking good care of it while it’s still healthy will keep it alive a lot longer than just pushing the poor thing for years on end without any regard for its well-being. Until the machine overlords rise up and take over the earth, we’re lucky that we can get away with it.

arts

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Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com

Theatre // arts

McGill’s production of Chicago is a killer A talented ensemble and sweeping jazz score charms all Marco Saveriano Staff writer

intended! The entire performance was fuelled by a fiery passion, each actress upping the ante, one after another, as the women of “Murderess Row” shared the tales of their heinous crimes.

Suffice it to say, by this point in the show I could already predict that the production was going to be a hit.

The women don’t deserve all the credit. Olivier BishopMercier gave a heart-warming performance as the charmingly oblivious Amos Hart, and Kenny Wong’s take on the cocky, scheming Billy Flynn stole the show. His hilarious rendition of “We Both Reached For The Gun,” which, for those not familiar with the musical, features the ensemble as journalists being controlled like puppets as Flynn speaks through Roxie like a ventriloquist dummy, was executed perfectly.

A scene as ridiculous as this one could have been a disaster, but with such strong choreography (and an even stronger cast), it turned out just as humorous as the original.

The show wasn’t without its mishaps, as is expected with the debut of any production,

but a couple of flubbed lines and technical difficulties here or there are hardly anything more than a small scratch on a massive success.

Chicago is being presented at McGill’s Moyse Hall from Jan. 22 to 24 and 29 to 31. For ticket info, check out autsmcgill. com.

Are you ready for a night filled with sex, murder, and “All That Jazz?” McGill’s Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society (AUTS) has taken a leap of faith with its latest production, the wildly popular Broadway musical Chicago—and the risk definitely paid off.

Set in the mid-1920s in (you guessed it) Chicago, the musical tells the story of Roxie Hart, who murders her lover and winds up in jail. Little does she know, her crime could be her ticket to stardom. Unfortunately, she has some competition in fellow inmate Velma Kelly, who has her own eyes set on vaudeville fame.

The live band set the tone for the show, transporting the audience back in time to a jazz lounge of the roaring ‘20s and taking the production to a whole new level.

The stars of the show, Natalie Aspinall as Velma Kelly and Vanessa Drunsnitzer as Roxie Hart, were exactly that: stars.

Both women exuded charm and sex appeal on the stage, with powerhouse vocals and on-point dance skills to boot.

Their shining moments are too numerous to mention. In fact, the female ensemble was full of very strong performers, giving the men a tough act to follow.

These strong female players were the reason artistic director Debora Friedmann wanted to tackle the show in the first place.

“We have so many incredible, strong female performers, and I really wanted to find a show that I knew would showcase that,” said Friedmann, a fourth-year anthropology student. “I thought it would be the perfect show to really both showcase the incredible female talent that we have here at McGill and at the same time send out a more distinct message than some other musicals.”

Friedmann, also the show’s choreographer, drew a lot inspiration from Bob Fosse’s original choreography. She even took some cues from watching videos of Beyoncé, as well as from her own personal street dancing background.

One of the stand-out moments of the night was the “Cell Block Tango.” Over the years, this song has become one of the show’s most ubiquitous tracks, as well as an anthem for powerful (albeit murderous) women.

So how did the AUTS ladies A roster of McGill’s most talented performers prepare to bring forth a rousing rendition of Broadway’s well-loved musical, Chicago. compare? They killed it—no pun

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Documentary // arts

Hip-hop finds a Home in Kahnawake The short film discusses rapper Daybi’s music, family and race Steve Zylbergold Contributor

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ome, Mathieu Favreau’s recent short film about Canadian rapper Daybi, captures an artist whose long-held belief in the strength of community has taken him from his native Winnipeg to meccas of hip-hop culture like Vancouver, Los Angeles, and New York, and ultimately to the Kahnawake Mohawk reserve just south of Montreal.

There, the absence of a highly visible hip-hop scene has allowed him some creative breathing room and, most importantly, a solid, positive, nurturing environment for his 12-year-old son.

On both an artistic and a personal level, Daybi is undoubtedly one of the more unique characters spitting out rhymes over beats and samples. His story, in a way, can be seen as a reflection of the evolution of hip-hop itself: from its origins as an underground streetwise subculture in poverty-stricken slums of major urban centres to its eventual journey beyond the big cities and into more remote corners of the globe.

The language of hip-hop has grown more diverse, and given artists a vehicle for more complex and varied forms of self expression. Daybi makes use of that expansive musical and lyrical vocabulary to tell stories that draw upon his often lessthan-rosy past experiences, though he’s now living a happy life with his son in a tight-knit community steeped in culture, family, and tradition.

He has a lot to say about record labels greed-motivated abuse of his ethnicity, the extreme frustration of being pigeonholed as a native musician, and breaking the cycle of the sins of fathers being visited upon their sons.

Daybi answered a few questions about all of the above.

The Concordian: So, first of all, tell me how this film came about?

D: Mathieu and I have known each other for more than 10 years. We first met when he did some colour correction on a film I’d worked on, and a few years later he shot a video for one of my old groups, Slang Blossom.

It was really cool to collaborate on the film with him, because we have really different approaches to art, but they really complement each other. He’s really disciplined, whereas I’m a bit more rough around the edges, but there’s a real mutual respect and admiration.

I’d also like to emphasize that the film is dedicated to the memory of Sharon McGoogan, who sadly passed on not long ago. She was a really important behind the scenes figure in Canadian hip hop.

She had a cool record shop, did test pressings for my early records with Slang Blossom, and always provided general guidance and support to struggling artists in the hip-hop scene.

C: Home is quite focused on your life in Kahnawake, your appreciation and love

for the community, and the solid positive foundation you’re providing for your son. How does living on the reserve influence your music?

D: Well, the impact is indirect. I don’t write about native issues in my music.

My environment impacts my art by giving me a certain serenity that affects my overall state of mind, and that also comes through when I create.

The community here is really important to me, and it’s an amazing community… there’s a real economy, and sense of family. I’m so happy to be raising my 12-year-old son here, because it’s giving him a positive foundation Hip-hop artist Daybi that I sadly missed out on when I was his age because of my dad [dealing] with certain personal issues and disappearing from my life for a while.

That neglect definitely played a role in steering me onto a troubled path during my teenage years. I don’t want to make the same mistakes with my own son that my father made with me.

finds creative and cultural inspiration on the native reserve of

C: As you said, you don’t really write about native issues and culture or incorporate native sounds into your music, but you are often labelled by the music press as a native hip-hop artist. How has the frequent unwanted emphasis on your ethnic background affected you?

D: It’s quite annoying to be pigeonholed like that, and it’s really misrepresentative of what I’m about. Record labels have tried to exploit and push a native angle.

One record label got one of those big government grants meant to support native artists for doing one of my records, and they ripped me off and pocketed most of the cash.

In the end, I decided I’d put one over on them and just make the music available for free on my website. It’s a misleading, dishonest emphasis, meant to cash in on my ancestry, and it’s not just disrespectful, it really doesn’t help me in any way.

I remember going to HMV and seeing that my album wasn’t in the hip-hop section, but it was filed under “native music.” A lot of people expect me to be all about my heritage… they’re looking for tracks with feathers in them. I am native, and a rapper, but I am definitely not a native rapper, know what I’m saying?

Home, directed by Mathieu Favreau and featuring Daybi and Tekaronhiawakon Cross-Pranteau, is streamed for free on Vimeo.

Daybi’s previous releases are available for download on his website, www. daybi.us.

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Kahnawake.

Tuesday, January 27, 2017

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Poetry // arts

‘he never came on my stomach/ also he was afraid of elevators’ Accidental social media poet gains credibility in arts scene Lindsay Richardson Arts editor

S

ocial media: the beast without a conscious, a filter, or any real artistic relevance. In fact, its use normally invokes a sense of mindlessness, of inane commentaries or agenda-pushing statuses. But for 22-year-old Los Angelean and creative prodigy Mira Gonzalez, Twitter became a creative vehicle, a prompt to produce a collection of succinct, self-aware poems that would become part of a movement that I’ll continually refer to as “Twitterature.”

In her own words: “hell hath no fury like a woman on social media.”

Gonzalez writes with a bald, almost vile honesty about topics like drugs, sex, loneliness, self loathing and recklessness. Most are anecdotal, based off of her own experiments with prescription drugs, loneliness, and sexual trysts with unconventional men. Her Twitter feed is a collection of pithy and darkly humorous updates, which she amassed into an anthology, i will never be beautiful enough to make us beautiful together,

published by Sorry House in 2013. However, after Lena Dunham instagrammed a photo of the book earlier this year, Gonzalez became more visible—and distinguishable—among her literary peers.

The publisher’s description of her work states that she is “brutally honest to the point of appearing unhinged or wildly fantastic,” and a who’s-who of readers have come forward to acclaim her brazen and nervy approach to daily activities and thoughts. Blake Butler, writer and editor of HTML Giant, said it straight in his review of the book: “It’s messed up and feels honest, open, like lying naked on the floor with your arms chopped off.”

More established poets denounce this form of self-expression, claiming that it glorifies and beautifies depression and self-damaging, self-deprecating habits.

They are also ruffled by the non-exclusivity of this type of movement.

Twitterature, for the most part, threatens those people who write heavily veiled, heavily nuanced pieces of work. The simplicity of Gonzalez’s poems cause some to question their depth.

Her lack of formal education also brings her talent and understanding of literature into question.

Also, they’re readily available to reject stanzas like “he said ‘I’m gonna come on your stomach’ 15 to 20 times while/ breathing heavily and putting his penis on different parts of my stomach/

every time I attempted to touch his penis he moved my hand away/eventually I gave up on trying to interact with his penis/ he never came on my stomach/also he was afraid of elevators.”

But aside from style and overall lack of pretention, Gonzalez and other Twitterature figures are distinguished by their openness and honesty. In an interview with Vice, she stated that hiding the truth about her drug use would be hiding a part of herself. Twitterature is less involved, less focused on overall impact or analysis of the work, rather than putting the poetry into the public domain in a non-exclusive, somewhat ubiquitous way.

The “club” or “venture” itself isn’t discriminatory. Gonzalez tweeted, quite candidly, that “being a poet is cool if you like being poor and unhappy.” The emphasis of her work is clarity and impact.

Gonzalez also warns us, and her publishers, to look out for her next manuscript: “a piece of paper that says ‘can i have money’ written in my own blood.”

Poet’s Corner

We are just balloons in the wind.

We float around searching for love.

We search for a place to tie down.

We fear the sting, that will kill, pop!

We fear the fear of death and life.

We reach for the stars, but we pop.

We pop, we stop, we die, we love.

What is there to be afraid of?

We are just balloons in the wind.

- Laurent Pitre

Poetry // arts

Your smile lights up my day.

In your heart, I wish to stay.

Your eyes are whirlpools to my soul.

Clever thief, my heart, you stole.

Your touch heals my wound, my pain.

My heart’s love, I cannot restrain.

- Laurent Pitre

Laurent Pitre is an honours graduate of Dawson College’s professional theatre program where he received an award per year, a current Playwriting student at Concordia University and a bilingual professional theatre artist. His theatre

company, 32-Hour Theatre Company, has so far produced some of his plays (If Only, This is not a play), some of others (Honestly, Ok) and is currently producing the MainLine Gala for Student Drama.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Film // arts

Still Alice is heartbreaking, memorable Julianne Moore shines as a professor diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimers Emilie Berthier Contributor

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CONCORDIA

ith the 87th Academy Awards less than one month away, a movie like Still Alice’s (2014) release in theatres this week is perfectly timed. The movie’s leading lady, Julianne Moore (Far From Heaven, The Kids Are All Right), is nominated for best actress alongside contenders like Marion Cotillard, Rosamund Pike, Felicity Jones and Reese Witherspoon.

In the movie adaptation of Lisa Genova’s book, Moore plays the role of Alice Howland, a 50-year-old woman diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s. Her life as a wife, a mother and a well-respected college professor is slowly torn apart from her as words, discussions, plans, faces— and eventually her own self—escape her memory.

Alice desperately tries to remain who she is. As a language expert, it is particularly striking to witness her means of communication diminish one word at a time.

“Sometimes, I can see the words hanging in front of me, and I can’t reach them, and I don’t know who I am,” she tells her youngest daughter Lydia (Kristen Stewart).

For Alice, it isn’t just an issue of vocabulary. Her intellect is a fundamental part of who she is, and she had always been defined by it. If she loses this aspect

of herself, who will she become? She is ashamed of her condition; she explains that people don’t understand it and tells her husband in a moment of anguish, “I wish I had cancer.”

Through it all, an important message is delivered. As Alice puts it, though one’s life may be shorter than anticipated, what matters is that it is filled with moments of joy, which she still experiences with her family.

People with Alzheimer’s should not be treated as though they are suffering, but rather as though they are “struggling to stay connected to who [they once were].”

Richard Glatzer, who directed the film with his partner Wash Westmoreland, was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, only a few months before they were approached with this project.

Perhaps this personal experience has influenced his way of portraying, and directing, how degenerative diseases affect people’s lives.

This candour is without a doubt nourished by Moore’s performance, which is impeccable—it is no surprise that she is vying for an Oscar for this role. She portrays Alice with sensitivity, in her

character’s determination as well as in her growing vulnerabilities.

As for Stewart, her acting potential may have been underestimated in the past. She gives the best performance of all the supporting cast, with a somewhat bigger role than her on-screen siblings Kate Bosworth and Hunter Parrish, who

nevertheless have touching moments.

Alec Baldwin is unremarkable as Alice’s husband, John Howland.

Still Alice is a touching, tear-jerking movie which brilliantly demonstrates how Alzheimer’s disease affects human beings’ most fundamental gifts: individuality and autonomy.

CONCORDIA PRESENTS

THE FUTURE OF THE UNIVERSITY AND THE FUTURE OF LEARNING What kind of university do we want to be in 10 years?

How can we prepare students for the 21st century?

What opportunities should we pursue?

What kinds of challenges do we need to be ready to face?

To help us answer these questions, Concordia is inviting a wide-ranging group of thought leaders from across Canada and the U.S. to Montreal. Their insights and know-how will help us chart our university’s strategic directions over the next decade.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5

TUESDAY, MARCH 10

WHY SHOULD UNIVERSITIES INNOVATE?

WHAT IS NEXT-GENERATION LEARNING?

11 a.m. – noon Room MB 2.445, John Molson School of Business Building (1450 Guy St.)

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Room MB 10.121, John Molson School of Business Building (1450 Guy St.)

HOW CAN UNIVERSITIES GO FROM GOOD TO GREAT?

David Ward Former president, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Randy Bass Vice-Provost for Education, Georgetown University

#CUdirections

Plus, more speakers are coming! For times and locations:

concordia.ca/directions

Elizabeth Cannon President, University of Calgary

music

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com

Opinion // music

Hip-hop in danger II: the root of the problem Last week’s article looked at hip-hop’s beginnings, and we now dive into the genre’s corporate soul Matthew Swishman Contributor

Continued from last week (issue 15)

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all me skeptical, but anybody who thinks that the interests of black America will take priority over the interests of corporate America probably has a very optimistic understanding of capitalism.

Although some puritans will debate the exact moment corporate America decided, “Hey! We can package and sell this!” hip-hop’s commercialization arguably began in 1986; the first year rap albums started appearing on the Billboards.

From then onwards, hip-hop was to be considered as much of a commodity as it was an art form, a class of brandable merchandise whose primary goal was to capture market share by delivering consistent quality and digestible programming.

Unsurprisingly, the music’s capacity to provide insightful cultural commentary took a backseat role. Rap musicians were now contributing to somebody’s bottom line, and maybe if they felt like it, also chose to paint that all-too familiar image of the black American experience in their music. Whatever the case, the profitabil-

ity of specific musicians and topics would dictate who or what was to be pushed to the majority. Here we are in 2015, and whether or not those same practices remain detrimental to hip-hop culture—and by extension, the black community— has become largely irrelevant. If the financial interests of the music industry were dependent on an artist’s profitability, why change a recipe that has been so historically bankable? For hip-hop to be lucrative in the United States, it must remain familiar to the 63 per cent of people who compose the majority of its population: white America.

The thing is, white America has been listening to hip-hop music for quite a while, now. That is hardly news to anybody. Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes, a documentary directed by Byron Hurt, stated it plainly: white people consume 70 per cent of “all hip-hop produced” (the exact implications of that remain unclear), they have also been making hip-hop music for quite a while, and with great success. The Beastie Boys’ License to Ill became the first hip-hop album to hit the Billboards in 1986. But as we have come to understand, hip-hop music’s original source of inspiration were the laments of the disadvantaged, frustrated and marginalized; the realities that blacks faced in the United States, which was, if we can

be blunt, historically the consequence of white people. Macklemore, probably one of the most controversial white people in music right now, provided very germane perspective during his interview on Hot 97, where he affirmed that as a culture that came “from pain, that came from white oppression,” he will not “disregard… [his] place in [hip-hop] as a white [person.]” Indeed, some very constructive dialogue at such a fragile period for race relations in hip-hop culture, and in America.

I’ll take a hot minute to drop a quick PSA for you, humble reader: this is not an article calling for the banishment of white people from hip-hop. White people have been contributing positively to the culture for decades. On top of that, it would be downright insulting towards pretty much every race to equate all of white America with corporate America. Maybe 2014 being the music industry’s most unprofitable year to date (according to Forbes) is just a symptom of how truly out of touch the industry has become with hip-hop culture. Let the eruption of online discussion revolving around Macklemore’s victory over Kendrick Lamar at the 2014 Grammys act as substantial proof of that disconnect. There have undoubtedly been upsets at the Grammys before, but what made this upset particularly remarkable is

realizing how people were more agitated by the transparency of the decision-making process than anything else; today, the Grammys are more comparable to a showroom than an art gallery. It serves as nothing more than a presentation of the music industry’s “most popular products,” in much the same way that the Billboards do. Corporate America is focused on delivering prepackaged hip-hop content that caters to a national audience, where two out of three people are Caucasian. So no wonder that we are seeing less and less black hip-hop artists receiving accolades.

I guess we have come to realize that the influence exercised by corporate America over hip-hop is beginning to jeopardize the legitimacy of the genre as an art form.

The unfortunate reality of the situation is that when art becomes product, the narrative of its creation is rarely dictated by what the artist thinks you need as a viewer. Instead, it is dictated by what the industry thinks you want as a customer.

Neither the people, nor the sounds of hiphop continue to serve its modus operandi.

People are struggling with the definition of hip-hop because the industry’s presentation and acknowledgement of what truly constitutes hip-hop can no longer be fully corroborated by the black experience in America. It is for this reason alone, that hip-hop is in danger.

Graphic by Matthew Swishman

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Quickspins // music

Cotillon - Cotillon (Burger Records; 2015)

Belle and Sebastian - Girls in Peacetime Want To Dance (Matador; 2015)

Joey Bada$$ - B4.Da.$$ (Cinematic; 2015)

The Dodos – Individ (Polyvinyl Records; 2015 )

Within the Burger Record’s Burgerama Soundcloud playlist, one track stood out more than any other—that was Cotillon’s “Before” asserting itself in a list of punk and pop songs.

“Before” is depressingly dark and immediately moody, beginning with the line “She woke up, perfect, every morning”—a lyric that glistens with ghostly reverb. The brains behind this masterpiece song is Jordan Corso, whose debut album I immediately scrambled to find.

The rest of the eponymous album, however, wasn’t as musically magical as “Before.” Cotillon’s other songs were full of simple chord arrangements that displayed none of the virtuosic riff creation that had me drooling on “Before.” “Asteroid” is cool enough—crunchy guitar drives the song while Corso speaks directly to a girl. “Holding You Back” sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song that could have been held back from the album. Once at the 10th song, “Convenience,” the album picks up again, but the song seems to lack in a few instruments to fill it out. Oh, “Before,” if only the whole album could wake-up like you— “perfect, every morning”.

For their ninth studio album, Glasgow’s indie pop darlings have taken a decidedly more liberated approach to their music.

Up until now, Belle and Sebastian have been known for their consistent raw songwriting and chamber pop style, but with Girls in Peacetime Want To Dance, the band members have reinvented themselves with a synth-heavy, danceable Europop sound.

Longtime fans of the band’s almost two-decade long career will recognize songwriter Stuart Murdoch’s clever and introspective songwriting and catchy pop melodies, but it is undeniable that the band has never sounded so refreshed and playful. Belle and Sebastian could have easily coasted on their established fan base and familiar aesthetic, but what makes Girls in Peacetime Want To Dance so significant is that it shows the band’s willingness to challenge themselves and loosen the rigid confines of self-limitation—we should all take note!

Joey Bada$$ emerged into the spotlight in 2012 with 1999. It is now the beginning of 2015, and Joey has just set loose his much anticipated debut album, B4.DA.$$, on the world. I knew it could go anywhere and that it would definitely be a challenge to match the amazing sounds of 1999. He took his classic ‘90s hip-hop vibes and amped them up into something new. He took his vocals to another level with flow that is very much onpoint, clean, and crisp. Producers such as Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, J Dilla, and The Roots infuse his tracks with the warmth of melodic jazz and piano and the classic hiphop feel of the dirty snare and hi-hat combo.

Some more modern production techniques were added to mix in and mix up harmony, bass, rhythm, and melody, which created vibes completely unique and new. As hiphop has transitioned from its classic era to it’s present form, it has been reshaped and abused by commercial artists, and some have said that it is dead. With B4.DA.$$, Joey proves that pure hip-hop is very much alive and well.

After 10 years as a band, The Dodos—a duo made up of singer/guitarist, Meric Long, and drummer, Logan Kroeber— have released their sixth full-length studio album, Individ.

An appropriate companion to 2013’s Carrier, Individ is slightly more energetic and heavier with reverb, though it maintains the familiar guitar-picking and pulsing drum beats that create their distinct sound. The majority of the album feels fast-paced. Most songs are peppy with rhythm and movement, but then, for a moment, we can catch our breath as the track “Bastard” drags to a slower pace, with vocals comparable to singer Ed Droste of Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear. The second calmest track, “Darkness,” makes use of beautiful, tragic choir-like vocals and harkens back to earlier sounds from The Dodos.

Overall, Individ is loud and passionate; tracks like “Goodbyes And Endings” and “Retriever” exemplify these emotional bursts of noise, worthy of a good listen at a high volume. If you are not familiar with The Dodos, you now have six albums to get yourself caughtup—godspeed!

Trial Track: “Before” and only “Before”

Trial Track: “Nobody’s Empire”

Trial track: “Piece of Mind”

Trial Track: “The Tide”

6/10

-Mia Pearson

8/10

-Paul Traunero

9/10

-Emmett Stowe

7/10

- Oneida Crawford

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Opinion // music

Borgore can ‘suck it’ The artist rises to fame all while putting down women

Girl, take example from these bitches/ In bed, act like a ho but first, do the dishes!” is a lyric from Borgore’s song, “Act Like a Ho.” It’s cool, though, because he said in an interview with Rolling Stone that the lyric is just a joke. I’m sure that Borgore’s joking nature was quickly understood by Stacey Anderson, who met with Borgore to conduct the Rolling Stone interview.

“When I first met Borgore, he locked eyes with me and said, ‘The thing I love most is cummin’ on your face, suck it, bitch,’” Anderson said in her BuzzFeed article entitled “Borgore Wants You To Know That He ‘Fucking Loves Women.’”

I had initially intended to write a piece on how painfully muscled-up his EDM songs are, and how the synthgenerated melodies, really, introduce nothing innovative to the world of electronic music. I would have further delved into how his disinterested vocals match the tone of a prepubescent teen trying to reach high notes.

In the same immature fashion, Borgore sings about “blow[ing] your mind” if you were to go over to his place tonight on his song, appropriately titled, “Blow Your Mind.” I would have then pointed out that no lyric of that low a calibre should be accepted by any music genre—but, then, with a quick Google search on this electronic artist, Borgore did blow my mind.

Borgore calls his style of music Borestep—it’s a mix between rap and dubstep—but there’s also a handful of scum mixed into his tunes. In his song entitled “Glory Hole,” he labels a woman as a whale and then sings “Nah, sea mammals are not on my fuck list.” Is this another of Borgore’s jokes? I would expect such a line to induce disgust rather than laughter.

Misogynistic tendencies are rampant in pop-culture songs, though often hidden under the blanket of double-entendre. Without justifying lyrics that demean women, Borgore seems to take a step further than many popular artists, and appears to live what he leeches.

At the end of his interview with Anderson, she describes Borgore as commenting “disinterestedly on the lack of celebrated female DJs in EDM.” Borgore replies to the question by saying “I have no idea…It’s a lot of travelling.

Maybe that’s it?”

As the music editor for The Concordian’s bumping music section, I had received Borgore’s press release, and set-up an interview with a willing writer—this was before I was aware that Borgore’s music was synonymous with whatever you may find in a vacuum bag. Borgore did not answer his phone, and after rescheduling the interview with his manager, Borgore still did not answer his phone. Moreover, Borgore texted the writer that he would be ready for the interview now after having rescheduled twice, but the DJ kept rejecting the writer’s calls— toying with a writer who’s just trying to do his job.

Borgore is like a spoiled child desperately grasping for attention— trying to push the boundaries of what he can do and say.

His music also exudes the cleverness of a souped-up monkey. I just couldn’t believe how hilarious the song “Dolphin Attack” was, because, you see, at multiple points in the song, Borgore will say “dolphin attack” and, in quick response, a sound sample of a dolphin is heard. After having mopped-up the drink I spewed from my mouth in laughter, and kicking myself for not having come-up with something that clever, the album continued to roll, and I thought: “IS THAT A LASER SAMPLE I HEAR?!”

If only more people were like Boresnore.

Flickr Photo by Oliver Scherillo

Mia Pearson Music editor

Top 10 // music

Top 10: Male non-frontman icons Justinas Staskevicius Staff writer

C

entre stage, a place for the frontman (almost always the vocalist) to strut his or her stuff and hold the audience’s attention. Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Bono; as their band’s rise, their names go down in history. What’s harder, though, is being remembered without even opening your mouth. These 10 artists rose to a level of stardom that rivals their respected vocalists while rarely, if ever, singing.

10

Matt Freeman This bassist rose to fame as a member of both Operation Ivy and Rancid.

He played on arguably the best ska punk albums of all time including ...And Out Come the Wolves and Indestructible.

9

Neil Peart Peart’s drum kit is truly something to behold. The kit surrounds him with 360 degrees of percussionary bliss: cymbals, an electronic kit, toms and even a xylophone. It takes quite the drummer to

wield such an overwhelming kit and Peart has done so masterfully for decades in his time with Rush.

8

Tony Iommi Being a founding member of Black Sabbath, the group that almost singlehandedly invented metal, is impressive. If that’s not enough for you, he did it after having lost two of his fingertips in an industrial accident. Even more impressive, he managed to not be totally eclipsed by the massive shadow of vocalist, Ozzy Osbourne.

7

Tom Morello As the guitarist for the politicallycharged Rage Against The Machine, Morello created new sounds with his instrument that had never been heard before. Look no further than “Killing in the Name,” the second song on the band’s first album, to hear why Morello stands above most.

6

Travis Barker While most famous for his time with Blink 182, this drummer never sleeps.

He’s a current member of The Transplants, as well as a former member of +44, Box Car Racer and TRV$DJAM. He’s also done

collaborations with Yelawolf and other hip-hop artists. Barker even put out a solo album, Give the Drummer Some. Quite the achievement for a drummer.

5

Sid Vicious Vicious is the only person on this list who doesn’t stand out for his extreme musical talent. He’s most famous for being a member of the Sex Pistols, yet he is only credited with having played bass on one of their songs, “Bodies,” off of Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols, the band’s only album. Vicious is a punk icon even though he wasn’t really a musician in the strictest sense of the word.

4

Angus Young AC/DC’s schoolboy-outfit-wearing guitarist has written catchy guitar riffs for decades. “Thunderstruck,” “Back in Black,”” You Shook Me All Night Long,”—if these titles are new to you, where have you been living for the past 30 years? Young’s guitar work duckwalked its way into our collective ears and never left.

3

Flea Even the most famous bass players often get the short end of the stick. Not Flea.

This bass slapping, mononymous god is the exception to pretty much everything that you thought you knew about bass players. He’s been breaking conventions and bass strings for over 30 years with The Red Hot Chilli Peppers and has more recently been working with his supergroup, Atoms for Peace.

2

Slash Another mononymous musician for this list, Slash has played on arguably some of the greatest rock anthems of all time. From his iconic top hat to his low hanging Gibson Les Paul, Slash is hard to ignore, even when he was sharing the stage with the extravagant Axl Rose in his Guns N’ Roses days. Since that band’s explosive breakup, Slash has kept himself busy with Velvet Revolver, Slash’s Snakepit, and a solo album.

1

Jimmy Page It’s hard to be part of a group that is as famous as Led Zeppelin and not get a bit of attention. Page crafted his fair share of beautiful solos as the group’s guitarist.

From heavier songs like “The immigrant Song,” to ballads like “Thank You,” his work truly runs the gamut.

sports

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Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com Women’s hockey // sportS

Stingers beat Ravens, get back on track Led by their four power play goals, Concordia’s offence could not be stopped Elias Laradi Staff writer

T

he Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team was looking for their first win of 2015 and found it when they rolled over the Carleton Ravens on Friday night, winning 6-1.

The first period began and the Stingers started very strong, throwing everything they had at Ravens goaltender Katelyn Steele. Later in the period, the Ravens got called for a penalty when Charlene Duffett was sent to the box for interference. Concordia quickly capitalized on the advantage when Keriann Schofield gave a pass to the point and Danielle Scarlett fired a quick shot that fooled Steele for the 1-0 lead.

The Stingers continued to dominate and it looked like the Ravens were simply no match. Once again, Carleton got penalized when Kaylie Welk got called for cross checking. Concordia took advantage again as Alexandria D’Onofrio took a shot that was tipped in by Valerie Wade for the 2-0.

Quickly, the Stingers were in the driver’s seat and there was no turning back.

The Ravens played very undisciplined hockey as their frustration grew. Near the

end of the first period Rebecca Dow got a penalty for yelling at the referee for an offside call.

As the second period started, Concordia went back to work on the power play and put the game out of reach indefinitely.

One minute into the man advantage, Marie-Joelle Allard took a shot from the point at the net where Devon Thompson tipped it home for the 3-0 lead.

The Ravens started to attack the net

“

finally got on the scoreboard when a Sadie Wegner shot found the back of the net and cut the lead to 3-1.

Having not learned from the first period, Carleton’s undisciplined play cost them again when they were called for a tripping penalty on Olivia Keefe. Like clockwork, the Stingers power play punished the Ravens for the fourth time when Allard took a shot at the net that once again got tipped

by Devon Thompson for her second of the

It was a really solid team effort. Special teams were very good and it was nice that we spread [around] the scoring.

with more success after that but Concordia’s goalie Katherine Purchase was stopping every shot she faced and refused to let Carleton back in the game. The Ravens

- Les Lawton game and a 4-1 lead. After Carleton made a switch in net, pulling Steele for Hailey Perreault, the second period ended and the Stingers were one period away from their

first win of 2015.

The third period started in similar fashion as Concordia continued to dominate.

Five minutes into the period Stingers forward Veronique Boudreau wired the puck past Perreault for her first goal as a Concordia Stinger and gave her team the 5-1 lead.

Concordia was not letting up and it looked like the Ravens couldn’t find a solution to solve their opponent’s attack. The Stingers added one more goal to make it 6-1 when forward Valerie Wade made a nifty pass to Ann-Julie Deschenes who tucked the puck past Perreault.

The game would end on that score and Concordia sealed a dominating win. After the game, Concordia’s head coach Les Lawton was proud of his team.

“It was a really solid team effort. Special teams were very good and it was nice that we spread [around] the scoring,” Lawton said.

Thompson had three points for the Stingers and was also very happy with the result.

“We had a couple good weeks of practice and we came off two games where we had slow starts; we wanted to change that. We looked a lot at power plays and it showed today. As long as we work hard as a team, we can be successful.”

Stingers forward Valerie Wade handles the puck across the opposition’s blue line. The women’s hockey team exploded for six goals and crushed Carleton 6-1. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

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Pro sports // sports

Top seeds set to battle in Super Bowl Super Bowl XLIX pits past and present dynasties against one another in the desert Tim Lazier Sports editor

Now that everyone has commented on Deflategate and made just the right amount of inappropriate puns involving Tom Brady’s balls, we can finally get to the game. It happens to be a pretty good one too. On Feb. 1, the world will watch as the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks showdown in Arizona on the biggest stage in sports. Here’s how each team can give themselves a shot at bringing home the Lombardi Trophy.

Seattle can win if: After the chaotic NFC Championship game, at least Seattle knows they can play their worst possible game and still come away with a victory. It’s no secret that the quarterback is the most important player on the field, but if Russell Wilson is relying on another miracle comeback to earn him his second Super Bowl ring, better luck next year. Wilson simply needs to do a better job of contributing to his offense’s production.

The Seahawks are nearly impossible to stop when Wilson and Marshawn Lynch are both on, and “Beast Mode” is rarely

off. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Matt Patricia will scheme to stop, or at least slow down, the run game. That means Seattle’s success may hinge on Wilson’s ability to sit back in the pocket and read the coverage. Wilson is now 9-0 against past Super Bowl winning quarterbacks, but last week’s game against the Packers showed that he isn’t invincible. If Wilson can find his rhythm and force the Patriots defense to hesitate instead of attack, than the Seahawks can unleash their full arsenal. It will be hard enough for the Patriots to slow down Lynch, so Wilson’s performance can easily bust this Super Bowl wide open.

Seattle’s defense is the best in the business and everyone knows that defense wins championships. Because of the defense, no matter who is lined up on the other side of the ball, it gives Seattle a chance to win. Star cornerback Richard Sherman and partner-in-crime free safety Earl Thomas were both banged up in the NFC Championship game. However, the two have both been cleared for practice and vow to be ready for the dance. With them leading the secondary and Seattle’s disruptive front seven still intact, the Seahawks defense just needs to show up to become a difference-maker.

New England can win if: Fun-fact: Tom Brady is 3-2 in Super Bowl performances but has never left the field in a Super Bowl whilst his team is trailing. Long story short, their defense has always fallen just short in previous playoff runs. However, that’s good news for Patriots fans because this year’s defense is the best unit that Belichick has had since the early 2000’s when they captured three titles in four years.

There’s no question that Seattle’s defense is still the best, but make no mistake, this is a battle between two elite defenses. Darrelle Revis regained his pro-bowl play this year and reclaimed the title of league’s best cornerback (sorry, Sherman). Along with New England’s acquisition of Brandon Browner, the Patriots secondary has adopted the Legion of Boom mentality and has dominated the opposition’s wide receivers all season. The more often the Patriots defense can get the Seahawks’ offense off the field, the more times it gets the ball back to Brady. Simple game plan, but not so simple to execute.

Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor will attempt to do the impossible this Super Bowl: stop Rob Gronkowski.

No one has found a way to shut down the Patriots tight end completely and

Belichick is hoping that it stays that way for at least one more game. Chancellor has a knack of blowing up other teams’ game plans but this may be a matchup that even he can’t win. If the Patriots can get Gronk the ball, he can turn the Legion of Boom into the Legion of Bust.

The Seahawks will attempt to burst through the Patriots offensive line and get in Brady’s face as quick as possible.

In order to give the Patriots a chance, the offensive line needs to help Brady stay on his feet. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Belichick know this is priority number one. If they can map-out quick drop-backs for Brady and short routes for their wide receivers, it won’t matter how many times the Seahawks blitz.

Prediction: Patriots 17 - Seahawks 14 Normally there is a clear-cut favourite heading into a Super Bowl. Even last year against Peyton Manning, experts leaned towards Seattle’s defense and the weather conditions at MetLife Stadium.

But this year looks like a coin toss. So when all else fails, go with your gut.

There is something poetic about Brady’s Bunch returning to Arizona and finally getting that fourth ring.

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

Men’s Basketball *RSEQ DIVISION

Men’s Hockey *OUA EAST DIVISION

4th place, 4 wins – 4 losses

8th place, 8 wins – 17 losses

8 points

16 points

Women’s Basketball *RSEQ DIVISION

Women’s Hockey *RSEQ DIVISION

4th place, 3 wins – 5 losses

3rd place, 5 wins – 6 losses - 6 OT losses

6 points

13 points

OF YOUR CONCORDIA STINGERS IN THEIR RSEQ DIVISIONS

Ŷ/06)9 2Ŵ63-;)7

CURRENT RECORDS AND STANDINGS

The Seahawks will be looking to become the first team since the Patriots to win back-to-back championships. Photos from Flickr users Keith Allison and Philip Robertson.

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 27, 2015

Women’s basketball // SPORTS

Stingers get thumped by the Citadins UQAM overpowered Concordia early on and muscled their way to a 60-44 victory Casey Dulson Staff writer

T

he Stingers hosted the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins on Thursday night. The Stingers came into the game with some momentum after sweeping a home-andhome series with the Bishop’s Gaiters last weekend. On Thursday night, the Citadins prevailed with a 60-44 victory over the Stingers. Concordia had a horrible shooting game: they only shot 24 per cent from the free throw line and missed 47 shots in total. The Citadins, in recent past, have been the Stingers’ Achilles heel due to their physical play. This was the Stingers fifth straight loss to them.

The Citadins started the game scoring the first three points on a basket and free throw by center Jessica Lubin and forward Lorna Desrameaux-Simon. The Stingers ended the quarter going on a 4-0 run on baskets by guard Kaylah Barrett and forward Marilyse Roy-Viau. Yet Concordia still trailed UQAM by the end of the first, down 11-7.

Stingers guard Tamara Pinard-Devos hit a jumper to score the first basket of the quarter. The Citadins responded with a basket of their own by guard Janice Quintos. The Stingers went on a 6-0 run however, at the same time, Citadins’ Quintos went beyond the arc and hit back-to-back three-point-shots to erase any progress the Stingers made. Concordia was down 11 points at halftime, 33-22. Quintos was clearly UQAM’s most deadly weapon on

the court, scoring 12 points in the second.

The Citadins scored the first points of the third quarter on a basket by forward Sarah Cabana. Stingers responded and scored their first points of the quarter on free throws by Roy-Viau. UQAM ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run orchestrated

by Desrameaux-Simon who scored all six points. The Citadins led the Stingers by 20 points, 52-32 after three quarters, putting the game out of reach for the home squad.

The Stingers tried to make things closer

in the final quarter. Stingers Barrett and guard Daphne Thouin both hit free throws to start the fourth. The Citadins only got their first points of the fourth quarter two minutes later on a three-pointer by Célestin. Concordia went on a 6-0 run led by Barrett who scored four points on the run.

The Citadins got another three-pointer scored by forward Juliette Delaune which brought the score to 58-40 and secured the victory for the visitors.

Stingers head coach Keith Pruden blames the competitiveness of the league

for the lack of scoring.

“When we played out of conference, we were scoring in the 70’s. And in Quebec, we score in the 40’s and 50’s. The RSEQ is the roughest conference in the country,” Pruden said.

Concordia’s best player of the night, Barrett, believed with more players on the bench, it would have been a closer game.

“If we had more bodies, we would be able to get some more rest and collect our thoughts instead of making changes on the fly,” Barett said.

The Stingers offence couldn’t find the basket on Thursday night as UQAM’s defense stood tall. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

Men’s basketball // SPORTS

Men’s basketball team crushes UQAM The Stingers jumped out early and never looked baack as they crushed the Citadins 72-57 Casey dulson Staff writer

W

hen the men’s basketball team played host to the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) Citadins on Thursday night, it was a different story. The Stingers dominated the Citadins in Thursday’s affair and won by 15 points, 72-57. Five different Stingers had double-digit points including guards Aamir Gyles and Mukiya Post, who both had 13 points in the win. The big difference in the game was the way Concordia capitalized off of the Citadins 17 giveaways, scoring 27 points off turnovers alone.

Concordia got off to a fast start and scored the opening points in the game with baskets by forward Mike Fosu and Aamir Gyles. However, the Citadins went on their own 4-0 run to tie the game on baskets by forward Alexandre Bernard and guard Davidson Joseph.

The teams exchanged points throughout the first quarter until Concordia was able to take control late in the opening act. Concordia ended the frame winning 14-7.

The second quarter began as a stalemate. At one point it seemed as if neither

team would get any points in the second.

The first points of the quarter came only with 5:34 left when Gyles hit a two-pointer. Then a few seconds later, Stingers forward Ken Beaulieu went airborne for a slam dunk to wake up the crowd.

The Citadins would get their first

points of the second quarter with 4:17 left on a basket by guard Jean-Yves Kazadi.

As they did in the first quarter, Concordia pressed the tempo of the game late in the quarter to take control. The Stingers responded with a 4-0 run which included a one-handed slam dunk by Ken Beaulieu.

Stingers guard Ricardo Monge takes the ball into enemy territory. Photo by Brianna Thicke.

Concordia was up 12 points at halftime, 24-12.

The Stingers kept the pressure on the Citadins to start the second half and began the third quarter on a basket by Beaulieu which sparked an 8-0 run to increase their lead. The Citadins’ Joseph provided a little push-back for his team by scoring six points in a minute and 19 seconds for his team.

The Stingers continued to score baskets but a key moment in the game occurred with 3:45 seconds left in the quarter as the Stingers had back-to-back slam dunks by center Jean-Louis Wanya and Beaulieu.

Any hope and momentum that the Citadins thought they had vanished once and for all. Concordia took a commanding 20point lead to end the third quarter, 53-33.

Concordia would start the final frame with a bang when Post went beyond the arc for a three-pointer. The Citadins did close the gap to 11 points with 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter on free throws

by Alexandre Bernard, but the game had already been decided at that point.

Despite the convincing win, Stingers head coach John Dore believed that there are still aspects of the game that his team needs to improve on.

“We played solid defence in the first half but we committed too many fouls and turnovers,” Dore said.

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

opinions

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Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com

Editorial // opinions

Media today: Canadian content matters Why people should be passionate about public broadcasting

O

n Jan. 21, Hubert Lacroix, the CEO of CBC/Radio-Canada, addressed some of Concordia’s journalism students and asked them a question.

“How many of you care about Canadian content?”

The answer was, quite frankly, underwhelming. A few people said yes, and a few said no. At least a hundred young adults sat in that room, and none seemed to feel strongly about the

importance of Canadian content.

We won’t mince words: this is depressing.

As Canadians, this is an important time for us to band together and express an interest—no, a need—for Canadian-produced content. Because supporting Canadian content means giving a chance to people in our own country to produce things that matter to us, like films, documentaries, T.V. shows, everything. It means creating more jobs, and knowing that we are supporting our own.

Let’s not forget the idea of a cultural identity: it’s the reason the CRTC was made in the first place! Before, in

the deep dark ages of the early 20th century, Canada was inundated with American content. Media is a part of “soft power,” and it was this slow encroachment from our neighbours to the South worried many Canadians, who felt that it was slowly eroding any national identity Canadians have.

The best way to create jobs, protect content and craft a cultural identity, is by watching Canadian content.

Even if fiction and television don’t interest you, your interest in The Concordian is proof enough that you care about the news.

Publicly-funded news is not beholden to corporations or private interests:

it is only loyal to the public that provides its budget.

After all, who didn’t tune in to CBC during the Ottawa shooting? During the elections? During 9/11? Having a news source that is not pressured by ad revenue, one that cares more about getting it right than getting it first, is invaluable in the era of the 24-hour news cycle.

If Canadian content matters to you, or if public news matters to you, or if the CBC/Radio-Canada matters to you, remember to vote for it! Canada is in an election year. Consider voting for Canadian content. Consider voting for un-commercialized news.

Culture // opinions

Society’s love affair with the Academy Awards The Oscars aren’t just glitz and glam: they’re validating Matthew civico Contributor

A

wards season is upon us, and you know what that means: we will mercilessly judge well-dressed strangers while sitting in our pyjamas with a bag of chips.

Celebrities make it easy to be cynical. They’re practically living advertisements for the clothes and jewelry designers loan them for the night, and many of us are aware of this. Why then, do we love to watch the Oscars? Is it the glamour of fame and fortune, or a critical interest in filmmaking? Perhaps for some, but I think most of us are watching for a reason that goes a bit deeper: validation.

Did your favourite movie even get nominated? Is The Lego Movie being snubbed for casting too many yellow plastic people?

Will Benedict Cumberbatch become too mainstream if he wins? I too am wrestling with these questions, and we won’t have a solid answer until the Academy hands out its awards.

But wait—aren’t all value judgments subjective? Sure, that’s what your professors may have told you, but when I observe people around me I see very few shrugging their shoulders in apathy.

I see people making arguments to support their positions.

I see people craving authoritative objectivity: external validation.

It’s not enough to like a movie and enjoy it, we want to know that we en-

joyed it because it was good. I’ll admit that the human desire for objectivity is

a big topic to unpack, but all I want to do is provide a springboard for reflection. Why do you watch the Oscars? Before you proudly declare that you don’t watch the Oscars because they’re commercialized bilge let me tell you that you’re doing the same thing when you read IndieWire, or when talking Sundance over beers with your film friends.

We all do it, no shame here.

Despite our time’s love affair with ‘the self,’ individualism has its limits: I cannot congratulate or love myself. Of course I could, but if given the choice I’d choose external validation every time. Why? Because it’s objective to me.

Being congratulated means I’ve accomplished something, being loved means I’m lovely, and when a film is nominated for Best Picture I can safely assume that it is very good.

I don’t expect everyone to agree with me—in fact, I can poke holes in my own argument. Take my favourite movie of the year as an example: Calvary, an Irish movie directed by John Michael McDonagh and starring Brendan Gleeson.

It’s not even nominated—for anything!

Does that mean it’s not good? I’d be the first to say “I don’t think so!” but I’m still indignant about the lack of Oscar recognition for this great film.

Therein lies my conclusion.

If objectivity is a fiction I certainly don’t live like it doesn’t exist, and chances are neither do you. While it’s obvious not everyone agrees with my pick for Best Picture, I believe it deserves more than a pile of zero recognition. I want the validation that The Oscars gives, not only for myself, but also for you. Why? Because we’re all attracted to the best and greatest.

That’s why we love watching The Oscars.

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Tuesday, january 27, 2015

Language // opinions

Language politics & Quebec’s crippled democracy How arguing over language turns our province’s politics into a zero-sum game ANTONI NERESTANT Contributor

W

e got another rousing reminder last week that as long as language issues continue to dictate Quebec politics, democracy in this province will remain a flawed concept.

Despite the urging of Canada’s Commissioner of Official Languages Graham Fraser, the Quebec government refused to create an office of anglophone affairs.

It appears that aiding a province’s linguistic minority to navigate the political realm is not always in vogue in la belle province, even if there are such offices servicing francophone minorities in other provinces.

After all, Quebec’s divisive battles over language cultivate a fear of cultural assimilation and turn politics into a zerosum game that has a detrimental effect on the democratic process. Some could say that many votes in last year’s general election were cast to avoid an undesired outcome rather than to pursue desired policies. In such circumstances, the ability to hold the governing party accountable becomes severely compromised.

The cringe-worthy PQ Charter of Values is a thing of the past. Quebec sovereignty appears to be as unlikely as it has been in decades. Yet there is an odd feeling that the Couillard government is back to dealing with the issues that matter the most—the economy, education and health—by being much less malleable to citizens’ concerns.

Fraser’s recommendation coincides

with rising concerns that the Liberal Party’s proposed Bill 10 will erode anglophone control over its institutions and hamper the delivery of health and social services within their communities.

In his public support of the government’s refusal, David Birnbaum—one of three anglophone MNAs in the Couillard cabinet—encapsulated an essential problem in Quebec democracy.

He acknowledged that responses to

anglophone concerns can be slow, only to boast shortly thereafter that the Liberals are more understanding of those issues than their PQ predecessors (stating the painfully obvious).

In short, the Liberals have spared anglophones and many other Quebecers that are turned off by questions of sovereignty, and it seems they should all be thankful regardless of how or when their other vital concerns are dealt with.

Any concession to anglophones will be interpreted as a loss for the francophone majority by Philippe Couillard’s opponents who—for now—represent a worst case scenario for many Quebecois.

Democracies are never perfect. But the word “impunity” should never be contemplated to describe a party’s rule.

The lingering cloud of language politics in Quebec does just that.

Photo by Abdallahh from Flickr.

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Tuesday, January 27, 2015

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Campus // opinions

Threats can’t silence Israel-Canada talk Marc Garneau IsraelCanada talk will be rescheduled Bradley martin Contributor

On Jan. 12, Member of Parliament for the Liberal Party Marc Garneau was scheduled to speak to university students on the subject of Canada-Israel relations. The event was to be presented as a co-sponsorship by both the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) and the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research (CIJR). The morning of the event, CIJR received a call from the Montreal Police saying that there was a threat of violent protest from a demonstration estimated to comprise of at least 60 individuals.

These threats were very real and can be corroborated by several officers. It was indeed a cause for concern, considering that the police saw the need to call CIJR in the first place.

The National Chairman of CIJR, Jack

Kincler, therefore decided to postpone the event due to concerns over whether the building could be secured as well as to ensure the safety of attendees.

This comes at a very dangerous and sensitive time. The right to freedom of speech as well as religion recently came under attack with the horrific massacres that took place in France earlier this month. Twelve people were murdered in an attack against the French satirical weekly newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Known for its strongly secularist, anti-religious and left-wing views, the paper was targeted for its satirical cartoons depicting the Prophet Muhammad. A French police officer was killed shortly afterwards. Two days later, another gunman entered a kosher food supermarket in east Paris and murdered four Jewish hostages.

Because of Quebec’s close cultural and national relationship with France, these attacks have resonated strongly with us. This is especially true with regard to the Jewish community, since so many have family and friends in France. This event was meant to be an opportunity to present a forum for Marc Garneau, a respected and accom-

plished Member of Parliament, to present his views concerning Canada-Israel relations and interact with students.

It would not have been postponed had there not been a real concern over the safety of attendees. The fact that university students could be in danger for simply attending an event and meeting with their representative of government is an egregious violation of their civil liberties.

On Jan. 20, a similar situation arose at the University of York. Luke Akehurst, a Labour Party activist, was scheduled to speak about the IsraelPalestine conflict. That lecture was cancelled, due to fears of security risks. This only serves to highlight the seriousness of the situation we face and how even the mere mention of subjects pertaining to the State of Israel are under attack on campuses by those who oppose its existence. Proper security precautions must be made in order to ensure the right of free assembly for all people, especially in the wake of these massacres.

“We will not be intimidated. [The supressing of] freedom of speech must be opposed on and off campus,” says Director of CIJR, Dr. Frederick Krantz.

It must be stressed that this event has not and will not be cancelled. To do so would be to give in to the whims of weak-minded fundamentalists, whose sense of self can be easily compromised by different opinions and something as trivial as cartoons. To value freedom in the form of expression and religion and not surrender to terror is the best way to send out a clear message that such thuggish tactics are not acceptable in civilized discourse.

As of now, another venue is in the process of being finalized and MP Marc Garneau has announced a willingness to reschedule. The event has been rescheduled to take place next month, at a location where the security of all participants can be ensured. One thing is certain: while this turn of events has been unfortunate and threats of violence should not be considered legitimate forms of expression, this is anything but a victory for bullies who seek to silence discussion on Israel.

Bradley Martin is a Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) Fellow and student at Concordia University.

Technology // opinions

Into the Deepnet: can buying ecstasy be art?

Randomized computer art program that purchased drugs seized by police ROBIN STANFORD Staff writer

W

hen a robot buys drugs in the name of art, who’s to blame?

Is there a point at which art stops being art? These are some of the questions that police in Switzerland are now trying to answer.

The machine in question, The Random Darknet Shopper, is a computer program designed to make one random purchase from the Deep Web a week with $100 in Bitcoin. The items are then shipped to the sight of the art exhibit, titled The Darknet: From Memes to Onionland, and added to its previous purchases.

The only problem: the marketplaces being bought from are comparable to the Silk Road. Items purchased thus far include: the complete Lord of the Rings book set, a pair of Diesel jeans, Nike shoes, a fake passport, stolen credit cards, and ecstasy pills.

The the artistic group responsible— !Mediengruppe Bitnik—said in an interview with The Guardian that the goal of the work was to get the public to think.

“We really want to provide new spaces to think about the goods trades on these markets. Why are they traded?” The project also notes that they aim to explore the ways that trust is built between anonymous participants in online transactions for possibly illegal items.

Their exploration of the darker side of the web came to a close on Jan. 12, when police seized the bot and exhibit.

According to a statement made to TechCrunch, “the confiscation [was] to impede an endangerment of third parties through the drugs exhibited by destroying them.”

It is unclear, at the time of writing, if

any legal action will be taken against the group who created the work. Aside for the question of who is responsible, this situation comes down to one question: what is art?

In !Mediengruppe Bitnik’s conversation with The Guardian, the Swiss constitution is described as having articles which state that “art in the public interest is allowed to be free.” This would indicate that, if deemed artistic, there is no crime.

Remember, the police took no issue with displaying fake passports and credit

cards, which could potentially be used— just the ecstasy.

Through the non-issue with all other forms of illegal items, there seems to be an understanding that The Darknet is art.

The question then changes from whether its art, to how far should art be allowed to go.

Should there be a limit to what aspects of human reality should be broached by artists? Historically, artists of all types, have been the first voices silenced by authoritarian political regimes. The reason for this is precisely because the artist can

speak about things which are taken for granted or ignored in society.

There are no numbers on exactly how much money is spent on black market websites each year, but it is reasonable to assume that there is a fair amount.

This is something that most people turn a blind eye to. Perhaps this should not be so.

Whether or not The Darknet: From Memes to Onionland is good art, it is something worth thinking about. At the very least it’s left us with a lot of questions.

Graphic by Marie-Pier LaRose

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Tuesday, january 27, 2015

Foreign exchange // opinions

Tales from Abroad: Osaka Love Letter SATURN DE LOS ANGELES Contributor

I

t’s been a while, but it’s great to be back home.

As I finish writing this piece, I’m safe and sound, but exhausted. This dose of the flu has increased my distaste for this sub-zero weather, and now I’m craving sugar-infused caffeine.

The habits I’ve become so accustomed to are coming back. Gone are the days where I can buy a pair of delicious rice balls (onigiri) and a canned coffee between class periods, or hear that eerily Westminster-themed eight-tone Japanese bell that heralds the start and end of a long school session.

But with all of this nostalgia slipping away from my memory, I digress.

It’s been weeks since I returned to Montreal and the chaotic rush of the winter term is underway. It’s surreal to be riding on these retro blue-hued subway cars and hearing unsolicited random conversations of mixed English and French on the side. While I’m happy to be here, I still yearn for the little details that I’ve gotten so used to in my daily commute living in Japan: those catchy melodic jingles played in-between stations, those futuristic touch-screen ticket machines, the va-

riety of people I see—from the kinds of the suit-and-tie businessmen to the flawlessly fashionable youth—all scrambling to get to their destination (not to mention those friendly and super-accurate train announcements).

Talk about reverse culture shock.

Last fall, I lived as an exchange student in this small, cozy, town of Hirakata, a corridor town between Osaka and Kyoto in Western Japan. The school was Kansai Gaidai—a global university with a local Japanese flavour, housing a student population of 15,000 or so. It was a surprise for me to be chosen alongside fellow Concordia students to fly over and study there.

Words cannot suffice how different everything was, from the architecture, to the lifestyle, and—perhaps what stood out for me the most—the hospitality and attitude of the student community.

Within the confines of the classroom, for someone who had minimal experience of learning Japanese, the language classes were intensive, challenging, and stimulating. The lecture courses helped us reflect on the social issues happening in Japan and in Asia within a global context. With extra-curricular activities, meetups, and other related social events on top of that, it is not surprising that student life can be hectic and sometimes stressful in Japan.

I’m thankful that everyone has been extremely supportive, in good times and bad times. The student community is what makes Japan unique—because despite how challenging things can be, it’s reassuring that everyone’s got each other’s back.

From the students—Japanese and foreign—to the teachers, and to the people I met everyday: there is a genuine desire from all to learn from each other in a strangely euphoric way that I’ve never seen before and is hard to put in words.

Everytime I walked onto campus and into the glass-walled student lounge of Building 7, I always witnessed the space evolve into a makeshift meeting spot for students from around the world to chat about virtually anything under the sun.

For instance, a five-minute conversation about cats with a friend can turn into a two-hour discussion about how youth from other countries aspire to survive in difficult times. There’s tension, there’s seriousness, and there’s a willingness to listen and understand; but there’s also laughter, spontaneity and fun that I’ll admit I truly miss seeing, witnessing and participating in. They sort of resemble those 18th century coffeehouses in Europe—except that instead of newspapers, they have smartphones: exchanging contacts, swapping photos and arranging times to hang out outside school.

It’s these random conversations, no matter how mundane, no matter what language, that becomes the catalyst in forming and fostering deep friendships.

We may be students by occupation, but we’re also the youth who are on the crossroads of carving our own paths, our own futures—and hopefully, something better than the status quo, together. It’s this forward looking point-of-view that really got me, and it’s something that I’m currently trying to integrate in what I do everyday

back home. I can only do so much, but I can try.

Living in Japan is a wild, challenging, and fulfilling journey into the unknown and unpredictable. You never know what’s in store, but there’s never a dull moment.

There’s an outburst of energy, life, and enthusiasm that’s injected into everything.

It breaks away from the norm of what we’ve been so used to. It doesn’t matter if your Japanese is bad or your English is good or vice-versa: it’s that collective desire and strong interest for everyone to connect that’s important. It is this sense of community that makes this journey all worthwhile, and even now that most of us exchange students have already returned to our own home countries, I remain optimistic that this will not be the end of our journey and our friendship.

There’s a reassurance that wherever you are in the world, you’re not alone.

There are people who have a great heart and desire to support each other for a better future. I guess it’s that sense of hope that we may so often forget, and it gives me much more faith in humanity than I ever had.

While I am still experiencing a distorted sense of homesickness, I still look forward to sitting down to take a bite of a sweet icy maple-flavored taffy in the spring. Except this time, I hope that I will not be alone, but together with the newfound friends I made in Japan and around the world. We all continue to grow and move forward beyond the four walls of the classroom, and into the ever unpredictable future in store for all of us.

Photos by Saturn de Los Angeles

Exchange isn’t just about studying, but growing together

Comic // ETC

Tuesday, January 27, 2015 Vol. 32 Issue 16 Nathalie Laflamme Editor-in-Chief editor@theconcordian.com

Ah, love. So tempting, yet so elusive. How does one start down the thorny, rose-lined path to romance? With a corny pick-up line, of course.

We proudly present to you the worst of the worst, the creme de la creme of horror, the #Worst3WordPickUpLines.

Michelle Gamage Production manager production@theconcordian.com Milos Kovacevic News editor news@theconcordian.com Frederic T. Muckle Assistant news editor Sara Baron-Goodman Life editor life@theconcordian.com

@Hai_CaLviN “#Worst3WordPickUpLines I’ve done worse.”

Lindsay Richardson Arts editor arts@theconcordian.com

@kinneychaos “Probably not contagious. #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Mia Pearson Music editor music@theconcordian.com

@RetweetTheSongs “What is love *music plays* #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Tim Lazier Sports editor sports@theconcordian.com

@andylassner “Follow me back? #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Laura Marchand Opinions editor opinions@theconcordian.com

@Mangum1 “I’m bad at math #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Keith Race Photo editor photo@theconcordian.com

@cmclymer “I vote Republican. #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Andrej Ivanov Assistant photo editor

@Ewizubef “Sign this waiver? #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @TrivWorks “a/s/l? #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @andrewrobscott “You. Me. Applebee’s? #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @wwwess “Are you saved? #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @kristenhuff300 “You a cop? #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Comic by Michelle Gamage

Laura’s Joke of the week // ETC

Hey Sara, do you know what is hard about steak jokes?

@Purpledove711 “#Worst3WordPickUpLines $100.00 per hour.” @Matt_Klenk “#Worst3WordPickUpLines who’s your friend?” @mmichaelkohler “#Worst3WordPickUpLines send me pic” @kinneychaos “You’re paying, right? #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @AlexanderSegall “*walks up to woman in the bar, strokes her hair gently and says* “You’re my precioussss!” #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Marie-Pier LaRose Graphics editor graphics@theconcordian.com Gregory Todaro Emily Gaudet Marilla Steuter-Martin Copy editors copy@theconcordian.com Natasha Taggart Marilla Steuter-Martin Production assistants Editorial office 7141 Sherbrooke St. Building CC-Rm 431 Montreal, QC H4B 1R6

@GenXtremist “I’m on LinkedIn #Worst3WordPickUpLines” @mentalerase “Almost disease-free! #Worst3WordPickUpLines”

Jocelyn Beaudet Online editor online@theconcordian.com

514-848-2424 ext. 7499 (Editor-in-Chief)

I dunno, what?

Marc-Antoine Cardin Business manager business@theconcordian.com William Atsaidis Advertising manager advertising@theconcordian.com

C’mon, it’s a rare medium, well done!

Tyson Lowrie Jacob Serebin Ruben Bastien Board of directors directors@theconcordian.com

Contributors Emilie Berthier, Christina Lulia, Karen Massey, Laurent Pitre, Marco Saveriano, Paul Traunero, Emmett Stowe, Oneida Crawford, Justinas Staskevicius, Steven Zylbergold, Elias Laradi, Casey Dulson, Saturn De Los Angles, Matthew Civico, Antoni Nerestant, Bradley Martin, Robin Stanford

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Film Out In The Night, Cinema Politica - Feb. 2 Backstreet Boys: Show ‘em What You’re Made Of, Phi Centre - Jan. 29

Theatre McGill’s Undergraduate Theatre Society presents “Chicago” - Jan. 29-31 Forever Plaid, Segal Centre - Feb. 1-22 Terminus, Centaur Theatre - Jan. 20 to Feb. 15

Other Thick Skin: Reflections on Race, Gender & Political Resistance, EV 1.605 - Jan. 30 Samson & Delilah, Opera de Montreal - Jan. 22-31

Exhibition Marvels and Mirages of Orientalism:From Spain to Morocco, Benjamin-Constant in His Time, Montreal Museum of Fine Arts - Jan. 31 to May 31 Speculations. Risquer l’interprétation, Leonard & Bina Art Gallery - Jan. 20-31

Music Stars, Metropolis - Feb. 5 The High Dials, Bar le Ritz - Feb. 5 Igloofest, Vieux Port - Until Feb. 8 HIGHS, Sala Rossa - Until Feb. 8 Sick Feeling w/ Obliterations, Turbo - Feb. 13 Ben Howard, Metropolis - Jan. 31

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