THE
CONVERGED CITIZEN
Volume IX Issue VI
www.ThemedIaPleX.com
aPrIl 23, 2014
Campaign promotes organ donation for all
S ee NEWS
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Photo by Dan Gray
S ee NEWS
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MP Brian Masse ( Left ) and Rob and Nancy Campana look on as Amanda Iarusso speaks about the icandonate.ca campaign. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness about the discrimination against gay men who want to donate organs.
The Birder cast speaks about Point Pelee Shaun Garrity Citizen Staff Reporter
See SPORTS
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See REVIEWS
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An actor with the movie The Birder says he accepted his role because of emails he received before the audition process. Marc Rendall, 26, was speaking at a press conference April 3 at the Capitol Theatre. Media outlets had the opportunity to interview the film’s cast during a Q and A. Rendall shared a story about two emails messages he received from his mother and The Birder associates which he said were kind of spooky. “There were two emails in my inbox: one from Gerry (Lattmann) and Ted (Bizaire) sending me the script and one from my mom. The email from my mom was that she was out in Point Pelee with my grandmother and her sisters spreading my grandfather’s ashes,” said Rendall.
“The reason they chose Point Pelee, was because my grandparents met there when they were 14 and 16.” He said he remembered his grandfather being an avid bird watcher his entire life. “To have those two emails side by side, felt spooky, almost felt like it was fated,” said Rendall. When Rendall read the script he said it was absolutely hilarious. He found the film to be memorable and meaningful. “It followed a birder in Point Pelee, who bears an uncanny resemblance to my grandfather,” said Rendall. Birding is a recreational activity involving the observation of birds. It can be achieved with the naked eye, with photo devices like cameras, telescopes or by simply listening for bird noises. Actress Tommie-Amber Pirie, who plays Laura in The Birder, said Paul Pratt, naturalist for the City of
Windsor, became involved with making of the film. She said Spratt was a bird-enthusiast and educated the cast about birds. The Birder cast relished Pratt’s company and one day while filming he could not be found. “One day he went missing. I guess he had red-eyed to Mexico. He discovered a bird was traveling and he needed to get there to photograph it,” said Pirie. The crew also had several notable memories. Jamie Spilchuk, 29, actor in the film said he remembers the part when a barn was set ablaze with pyro technicians. “We got the local Windsor Fire Department to play the actual firemen in the film,” said Spilchuk. The Birder will play at the Lake shore Cinemas for the next week. for more information go to www.thebirdermovie.com.
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NEWS
APRIL 23, 2014
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City wants Paul Martin Scaffolding removed Justin Prince Citizen Staff Reporter
The City of Windsor intends to charge the Canadian government more than $51,000 in encroachment fees if it doesn’t remove the scaffolding in front of the Paul Martin Building. City council passed the proposal after receiving word from Public Works and Government Services Canada on April 7 that they didn’t intend to remove the scaffolding in front of the building on Ouellette Avenue. According to Mayor Eddie Francis, the city plans to change the level of fines against the agency from a hoarding permit to encroachment fines. The fees will increase from greater than $2,000 to less than $52,000. This will make the fees more than 25 times more than they were before. The city has given the PWGSC until July 1 to remove the scaffolding before the fees come into effect. The city’s current bylaws state the maximum period a hoarding permit can be used at
Photo By Justin Prince
Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis stands in the middle of the Council Chambers during a city council meeting at Windsor City Hall on Monday, April 7. a certain location is two years. According to city engineer Mario Sonego, the scaffolding has been in place since 2010. “City administration has reviewed the recent correspondence letter from (Public Works and Government Services Canada) as to our request to come up with a plan dealing with the scaffolding that’s been permanently erected on the sidewalk,” said Francis. “Scaffolding by its intended nature and definition
is supposed to be temporary to allow for fixes to take place. It’s clear in this case that neither has taken place.” According to a letter sent to city council from the PWGSC March 10, the scaffolding is needed “for the purpose of ensuring public safety” and is needed until the building’s façade is repaired. The agency also said in the letter that they don’t plan to do the repairs until the building is sold as is. According to Francis, the city
has little jurisdiction over the government decision. “Because of this situation, we realized we had a hole in our policy,” said Sonego after the meeting. “Hoarding permits are generally temporary in nature, usually a couple of years. Usually encroachment agreements are things that last a long time … so we had a hole in our policy where we charged so little for an encroachment or hoarding agreement that there’s really
no incentive for anyone to act fast. They could sit for $2,000 and it was cheaper to not do anything.” But during the meeting, there was some disagreement over the decision among city council. Ward 3 Coun. Fulvio Valentinis asked Francis after it was approved if the PWGSC was already on notice, which led to an argument about the situation. Francis told Valentinis that there were no available options other than to approve the new fees. He also said the city can’t take down the structure because of the safety issues brought forward by the government. “I don’t think the $51,000 is going to be a significant deterrent in terms of getting them to move on that particular project,” said Valentinis. “We’re talking renovations of millions of dollars required. The $51,000 is not going to be significant.” The PWGSC was unable to be reached for comment before publishing time. According to the proposal, once the hoarding agreement expires July 1, the encroachment agreement will come into effect.
Snow Angels receive funding for next winter Justin Prince Citizen Staff Reporter
The city’s Snow Angels won’t be melting away after all. Windsor city council has approved $25,000 in funding for the Snow Angels Volunteer Snow Removal Program following the snowiest winter on record. The program helps assist any residents who are over the age of 65 or have a disability by shoveling their driveways and sidewalks. According to program coordinator Katherine Mersch, the Snow Angels need the funding as soon as possible. She said the program will use the funds to start its volunteer process this September, which includes registering and screening volunteers. The funding will be coming from the Public Works Operations Department budget. City Engineer Mario Sonego
Photo by Justin Prince Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis (Centre) congratulates Burke Koekstat and his family for winning the Snow Angels Volunteer Snow Removal Program’s raffle during a city council meeting in Windsor on April 7. said council told him to try and find other organizations to fund the program. “We looked at various organizations and they don’t want to do it because of the complexities of the situation,” said Sonego. “It became apparent only the city can do it.” According to Sonego, the program saw an increase in demand for both volunteers
and people who needed assistance this winter. The program currently has 98 volunteers who help 189 people. Statistics Canada’s 2011 National Census reveals those 189 people account for less than one per cent of the city’s 65 and older demographic. Presently, there are more than 33,000 people in Windsor who are in the age group.
Sonego also said there were a few times this winter when where there weren’t enough volunteers available to help people who called for assistance. According to the Windsor Municipal Code, all citizens are required to remove any snow or ice in front of, beside or behind their property within 12
hours of a storm ending. “If we can double our volunteers, that’d be great,” said Sonego. “We increased (our volunteer roster) by over 30 per cent … since December. We’re hoping for a much better result (next year.)” During the meeting, Mayor Eddie Francis announced the winners of the Snow Angels raffle. Francis gave prizes to two families in attendance. The top prize was an iPad Air. Other prizes included season passes for the Adventure Bay Water Park and Tim Hortons gift cards. There were also three people who won prizes who were not in attendance. “We think it’s a great program,” said Peter Burke, whose family volunteered with the Snow Angels last winter. “We’d love to participate in it this year as well.” The funding will also be reserved for Windsor ’s 2015 annual budget.
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SPORTS
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University gets a whole new kind of athlete Alice Hewitt Citizen Staff Reporter
Photo by Chelsea Lefler
LaSalle Vipers defenceman Austin Hall.
Hall signed to Guelph Storm Chelsea Lefler Sports Editor Seventeen year old, Austin Hall has been signed to the Ontario Hockey League’s Guelph Storm. Hall is a former Sun County Panther and played defence for the LaSalle Vipers at the Junior B team this past season. He won the 2014 Mickey Renaud Award which is given out each year in honour of the late Windsor Spitfire who died in 2008. “It’s a huge honour for me. Mickey was a great player, a great role model for everyone in the hockey community, especially around the Windsor area,” Hall said after winning the award. “I watched him growing up, though he was a great player. It’s just a huge honour to get this award.” Hall was a seventh-round pick by the Guelph Storm
in the 2013 OHL priority Selection draft. Hall said he is looking forward to the experience of being away from home, getting to play in the OHL which he said is the best junior hockey league in the world, and is excited to play with the players in the league. “Austin was a contributor right from the first day. His hard work has paid off, he brings constancy and is a very competitive young man,” said Vipers head coach Bill Bowler H all s aid he is g o in g to mis s playin g f o r th e Viper s , an d th at it w as his best and favourite year of h o ck ey. H e s aid he ho pes the O H L w ill be even b etter. “It means everything to me,” said Hall. “Everything I have worked for in my whole life has paid off and I’m really proud to have the opportunity to try and make the OHL.” said Hall
TUESDAYS @ 6PM Cogeco Channel 11
If the competitors were nervous, they weren’t letting on. The Windsor Essex FIRST robotics challenge was held at the University of Windsor’s St. Denis Centre this past weekend. Forty-two high school teams from across the Great Lakes region participated in the challenge. The teams were split into either the red or blue alliance and played against each other in an aerial assist match. Each match lasted less than three minutes and saw the 120-pound robots facing off to score coloured balls into the goals at each end of the pitch. Teams were awarded additional points if those
goals were scored through robot teamwork. The all ages crowd was there to show their support for the teams and their robot competitors. Irek Kusmierczyk, Director of Robotics and Youth Services at WETech Alliance, said the response to the event had been tremendous. “We have a challenge here in Windsor and Essex which is that on the one hand we have a high unemployment rate for young people and on the other hand, we have a skilled trade shortage and a shortage of engineers and programmers,” said Kusmierczyk. “This program in a way directs young people onto those tracks and into those fields like science and technology and skilled trades where jobs do exist.” Each team received a
specialized kit and had six weeks to design and create a robot. After that point the robots had to be bagged and kept untouched until competitions began. Mentor Lee Awad worked with the Sandwich Secondary students to produce the Sabre Bytes robot. “As part of your registration there’s a kit that comes with it. It consists of motors, a processor… that sort of thing just to keep a level playing field,” said Awad. On the last day of the event, awards were handed out and teams got to know if they had what it takes to make it to Regionals. The Sabre Bytes was one of those teams lucky enough to make it. According to Sabrerobotics.com, the Sabre Bytes are the only high school robotics team south of London.
Watkins, Poulino take home major hardware at banquet Brett Hedges Citizen Staff Reporter Saints rookie men’s baseball catcher, Jeff Watkins, and graduating men’s soccer forward, Gabriel Poulino, took home major awards at the 47th St. Clair College athletic awards banquet on Wed, April 9th at the St. Clair Centre for the Arts in downtown Windsor. Watkins, an Amherstburg native, led the men’s baseball team in most hitting categories in 2013 and took home the Male Athlete of the Year award. “My heart was pounding the whole time… I couldn’t believe it,” said Watkins, whose team won the first ever Ontario Colleges Athletic Association men’s baseball championship in 2013. ”I couldn’t be happier that I got this award.” Poulino led the men’s soccer team to back-toback OCAA semi-final
appearances and received the Inter-Collegiate Athlete of the Year award as a graduating senior. Poulino led his team and the OCAA in goals scored over his two seasons and was named MVP of the men’s indoor soccer team as well. He said celebrating the award with his teammates was an honour. “My teammates had my back and to receive these awards means a lot to me, especially in my last year,” said Poulino, who plans to travel to the U.K. in his pursuit of a professional soccer contract. “My time here was awesome. I just came here trying to be the best that I could… but coming out as top goal scorer in the league was amazing.” More than 300 members of the Saints athletics family joined in the evening of fine dining, memorable speeches and trophy presentations for student-ath-
letes involved in varsity and intramural sports and acknowledged individuals on their athletic and academic achievements during the 2013-2014 year. J.P. Jabbour , St. Clair College Student Athletic Association President, said the annual event is the time for everyone to relax and look back at the success of the S.A.A. “It’s a big Saints party to recognize everyone here,” said Jabbour, who has been on the S.A.A. board for three years. “Nothing good comes easy. The varsity teams have grown and that didn’t happen overnight… to achieve great things, you have to work hard at it every single day.” As a graduating student himself, Jabbour reflected on his time on the Saints athletics board. “It’s really something that I won’t forget,” said SEE BANQUET PAGE 4
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EDITORIAL
APRIL 23, 2014
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Is the world ready for virtual reality?
Chris Mailloux Layout Editor
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ith products like the Oculus Rift and Project Morpheus in production one has to ask, are consumers ready for virtual reality? The idea of virtual reality dates all the way back to the 1950s. Over the decades, companies have put research and development into the concept, but it wasn’t until recently that it actually became a reality. Imagine going to a virtual movie theatre to watch Captain America: The Winter
Soldier, or exploring the world of Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as if you were walking through it. Now imagine doing those things while you are inside your home. The idea of virtual reality has been used for a long time in films and television. Films like The Matrix Trilogy and the Tron series have focused on virtual realities. However, now that the idea is finally coming to life, is it too good to be true? Consumers can already purchase the Oculus Rift Dev Kit, which while not the final model, is still impressive. The device allows them to not only create applications, but also use applications that have already been developed. One of the apps in development includes the independent but successful Minecraft video game, VR Cinema and Jerry’s Place. Jerry’s Place lets the consumer walk through the famous apartment of Jerry
Seinfeld’s apartment from his series, Seinfeld. VR Cinema is an app that allows users to have the movie theater experience while sitting on their couch.
the Oculus Rift I think the world is ready for this step into the future. This is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a child. Imagine exploring New York while sitting on your couch or walking on the moon. The possibilities are endless depending on the number of developers interested and devoted to creating new and exciting things. Now that Facebook has purchased Oculus Rift users can now have a chance to help create a new Social Network.
Think of a world like The Sims where you could hang out with friends from around the world in a virtual environment. Imagine having a long distance relationship and being able to spend Friday nights on a couch watching television as though both of you are in the same room. However, while this device could be used to bring people together, there is a danger of it creating isolation. If people get too comfortable with the virtual world, they may not explore the real world as much. For adults this may not be as big of an issue, but it has potential to negatively influence teenagers and children. Something like this will be better for them in small doses. One thing to note is the relationship kids and teenagers have with tablets and phones. Currently most of them spend their time spent on these devices because they give
We live in Canada, deal with it
Shaun Garrity Citizen Staff Reporter
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inter has ended and spring has officially begun. However, temperatures are lower than normal and every Facebook status in North America uses graphic words to voice their opinion on the woman they call Mother Nature. Windsor, the most southerly city in the country, has been blasted with inch after inch of snow just like everyone else in the nation. Windsorites shoveling snow are wishing they had put a snow blower on Santa’s Christmas list. Record snowfalls all across Canada have had snow plows and salters out on 18 hour shifts for five straight months.
People have come up with excuses for the climate with such chitchat words; maybe the weather today is an “Alberta Clipper.” The two phrases that make me laugh hysterically are the “Manitoba Mauler” and the “Saskatchewan Screamer.” Really? Those have to be the most outlandish words used to describe cold fronts. We are Canadian, and compared to other nations, we are commonly known for harsh winter. There is no need to invent a new form of language to portray winter. A typical stereotype of a Canadian is that we play hockey and live in igloos. We are hardy Canucks. If it is -20 degrees put on those long johns, make a hot chocolate and go about your day. To get warm, it takes only two feet and a heartbeat. Turn your negatives to positives, make the best of it and go to your local tobogganing hill. Make a snow angel. From 1812-1814, a series of prehistoric volcanoes erupted in the Caribbean, Indonesia, Japan and the
Philippines. The catastrophic disasters sent a substantial amount of dust particles through the atmosphere. The massive volcanic eruptions caused the Earth’s average surface temperatures to drop 1 degree, climate changed dramatically everywhere including North America.
The cold was caused by less sunlight passing through the stratosphere due to the dust from the volcanoes. Several people died from starvation because there were no available crops. It would later be called the “Summer that Never Was.” Do you hear the people from Eureka, Nunvut bawling their eyes out when temperatures reach negative 51? No, that’s just not going to happen. They pro-
vide for their families and live another day. What is bellyaching that you should be seeing butterflies and flowers rather than snow and icicles going to do? It is going to do zilch. Winter does not have a conscience. We as citizens of Windsor are fortunate to be southern, and not geographically close to the Northern provinces like Nunavut. Windsor’s warm season lasts from May 27 to September 18 with an average daily high temperature above 22 Celsius. The cold is in our DNA, we are genetically wired for the forces of long winters. Mayor Eddie Francis is resigning in December and maybe before he does we should all park in front of his South Windsor home and demand a change in the weather. Please, before you decide to scrutinize the weather remember that Canadian culture revolves around bleak weather conditions. So suck it up and stop crying. This is the home of the Maple Leaf, home of the cold, Welcome to Canada.
them access to multiple entertaining features. With a device like this that has even more possibilities, one can only imagine the effect it could have. While we still can’t be sure if consumers are ready for virtual reality, we can definitely tell they want it. The kickstarter campaign for Oculus Rift began in 2012 and has already generated $75 million in funding. More recently, Project Morpheus was announced with the headset being developed by Sony. With these devices on the horizon and the prototypes already available, it’s hard to yet gauge the overall lasting effect they will have on the market and consumers. As of right now, it appears virtual reality is the next logical step towards the future but at the same time it could be a dangerous step for the overall social life of future youths.
FROM BANQUET PAGE 4 Jabbour about being S.A.A. President. “It’s truly been a lot of history in the making for St. Clair College… the($1,250 per athlete per semester) scholarship program being offered, the new SportsPlex being built. It’s really exciting. I wish the best of luck for future boards.” The most talked about statistic during the banquet was not the number of provincial medals and championships, but rather the number of all-academic awards given to Saints athletes by the OCAA. In 20132014, St. Clair had a schoolrecord 41 athletes receive the award for a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Athletic coordinator, Jay Shewfelt, summed it up best when he talked about the record. “It’s amazing what happens when you offer $1,250 scholarships,” he said with a laugh.
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FEATURE
Advisor discusses ADHD in schools Shelbey Hernandez Associate Managing Editor The University of Windsor offers help to those who suffer from ADHD and other disabilities during exam time. Richard Hayes, disability advisor and student strategist in the University of Windsor Student Disability Services office, said exams can be a stressful time for those with ADHD. Since one of the major symptoms is a difficulty paying attention, accompanied by a lack of focus, many students who have ADHD struggle when it comes to studying for exams and writing them. Hayes said for these reasons, it is important for the university to provide help to students with ADHD or any other mental or physical disorders. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in childhood. The Canadian Mental Health Association shows that one out of 25 Canadian adults are diagnosed. The symptoms also include a lack of impulse control and hyperactivity. Hayes said of the individuals who go to disability services for help, those with ADHD made up for 22 per cent in the years 2012 and 2013. In 2005 and 2006, that number was less than half than what it is now. He said part of the reason is because many students who come to the university weren’t originally diagnosed with ADHD, but discovered their diagnosis upon beginning post-secondary education. “I kind of had a hunch when I started university just because the material gets so much different when you’re in university and it’s a little bit harder to coast along and blend in,” said Caroline Jacobson, a political science student at the
APRIL 23, 2014
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MOVIE REVIEW
University of Windsor who wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until she was 20. “It took me a couple years to get people to take me seriously about it.” Hayes said ADHD is difficult for people for many reasons. He also said that although some students may be concerned of becoming too attached to the extra accommodations the university gives to those with ADHD, it is important for that help to be available. Two of the most common accommodations are extra time to work on assignments and the ability to work in a quiet room at the disability services office to do an exam. He said the extra time helps because it allows students who process information more slowly to have that time and the quiet room helps because it gives students a distraction-free environment. “If you have difficulty focusing your attention, maintaining your attention, sustaining your attention for a three-hour lecture, shifting your focus when the prof shifts from this to that or the other thing, if you’re distractible and every time somebody opens a door, or coughs or clicks a pen you lose focus, those are all things that can make learning difficult,” said Hayes. Hayes said although some may see the accommodations as an unfair advantage, it is important for people to realize the purpose of accommodations is to level the playing field. He said one of the best pieces of advice he can give to those coping and trying to study is to just find out what works for them. Some people use white boards, some people walk around with their notes to study and some people make multi-coloured bristle board representations for their notes.
Horror comedy brings the laughs
Chris Mailloux Layout Editor Tucker and Dale vs. Evil, directed by Eli Craig, works as a parody and a tribute to the classic slasher films of the 80s. The film stars Alan Tudyk (Firefly, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story) and Tyler Labine (Reaper, Rise of the Planet of the Apes) as two hillbillies who take a vacation to their recently purchased cabin in the woods. The film is a horror comedy designed for young adults looking for a laugh and fans of classic horror films that has a similar style to the cult classic film, Shaun of the Dead. Tucker (Tudyk) and Dale (Labine) head to their new “fixer upper” cabin to enjoy their weekend and have some beers. One night, while fishing, a teenager falls in the water and Dale jumps in to save her. Unfortunately her friends assume they’re trying to kidnap her. The teenagers devise a plan to rescue their friend and fight back against the loveable hillbillies. What happens next is a large amount of accidental bloodshed and confusion for the main characters. The most lovable parts about this film are found in the writing. The film brings a lot of laughs and the two hillbillies are characters you immediately find yourself rooting
for. You can see the motivation of the villain but at the same time he often appears over the top, a clear nod to old school horror films. The gags throughout the film are often set up perfectly, one of which was the chainsaw scene. As Tucker is working on the house with a chainsaw, the teenagers look on and prepare an attack. Tucker hits a bees nest and begins running away with the chainsaw appearing like a maniac. The setup is fast and leads to a funny punch line. Another aspect of the film that worked really well was the set design. When the main characters head to the cabin it has the appearance, inside and out of a killer’s, home. Most of the film takes place in the woods, at the cabin or at a mill, so there isn’t much for scenery. The few settings found in the film are crafted wonderfully. The benefit of the scenery is how often it plays a part in the jokes. At one point in the film, Dale and Allison, played by Katrina
Bowden, are digging a hole as they work on fixing up the house. The teenagers see this and believe that Dale and Allison are digging Allison’s grave. This leads to an attack on the hillbillies that produces a lot of laughs. Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is a film that manages to get better every time it’s viewed. The film is worth it just to watch the chemistry between Tudyk and Labine as the pair make a perfect comedic duo. To the fans of horror films and anyone looking for a lot of laughs, Tucker and Dale vs. Evil is highly recommended.
4/5
The conVerged Team Managing Editors
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Photo Editor
Chris Mailloux Sean Frame Tecumseh MacGuigan
Justin Thompson
Copy Editors
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Shelbey Hernandez
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