The Converged Citizen - November 13, 2015

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*Volume XI Issue 6 *November 13, 2015

The Power of the Future

Inside

Escape rooms on the rise in Windsor

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News

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Health & Lifestyle Photo by Justin Prince

Brent Riberdy, owner of Hidden Trail Escape Rooms, inside one of the rooms Nov. 3. The facility is the second of its kind to open in Windsor. The first one, Enigma Escape Rooms, opened earlier this year.

Accessible support for Down syndrome ESCAPE PAGE 9

Lyndi-Colleen Morgan Converged Citizen Staff

A Leamington woman would like to see Down syndrome programs and services become more coordinated.

Stephanie Segave is a mother of three and her son Brady Novak, 5, has Down syndrome.

Segave

volunteers her time at Up About Down, an organization that provides services to assist those with family members affected by the syndrome.

Down syndrome is a congenital disorder caused by a chromosome defect where the individual has extra genetic material on 21st chromosome. It can

Index

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Health & Lifestyle............................................5

Arts & Entertainment......................................11

Sports..............................................................15

cause intellectual impairment, delayed development and physical abnormalities such as short stature and a broad facial profile. According to the Canadian Down Syndrome Society nearly 800 children with Down syndrome are born every year in Canada.

Up About Down works to improve the lives of

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individuals with Down syndrome and their families. They provide accurate and positive information through advocacy and education of people in Windsor-Essex County. Up About Down operates under the Windsor-Essex Down

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Quote of the Day

Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.

—William Ja

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ONVERGED CITIZEN

for Novak and a respite provider so he can attend activities like day camp.

“There are a large number of services available in the community,” said Segave.

“Some of the services are funded and some are services that are paid. The problem is the services are spread out.

I have to call one place and then call another then call back to the first place. If my job wasn’t as flexible as it is I would have to quit. I think that if there was some form of coordination between the services it might benefit families.”

Sagave said she hopes new technologies can be used to help create coordination between services and information. She also hopes information about each individual’s appointments, nutrition and health concerns could be compiled in the same way.

She said the Government of Ontario is currently trying to help families by providing them with coordinators. This service is called the Ontario Special Needs Strategy which outlines three steps to identifying children earlier and getting them help sooner, coordinating service planning and making easier support and service deliveries.

This plan involves four ministries which are working with parents, youth, service providers and communities to help children with special needs.

They are Children and Youth Services, Health and Long-Term Care, Education and Community and Social Services.

The plan of the Ontario government is a system that is coordinated, accessible and centred on the needs of children, youth, adults and their families according to the Ministry of Children and Youth Services website.

Certain organizations are using some of these core

ideas in their approach to this issue. Community Living Windsor is one of the organizations utilizing similar methods to assist people in finding services that will fit their desired lifestyle.

Sue Armaleo, a manager of family support at Community Living Windsor, said the services provided by the organization help those who are disabled be more involved in their community. She also said the first step for people to get more involved is changing their view of people with disabilities.

“The language people use is very important and can affect the way people behave,” said Armaleo.

“People do say, ‘here’s a Down syndrome person’ instead of ‘here is a person who has Down syndrome’.

They should be recognized as a person first, a person who just happens to have a disability.”

More information about support services offered by Community Living Windsor can be found at www.clwindsor.org or contact 519-974-4221.

For information about services offered by Up About Down visit 519-9736486 or visit www.upaboutdown.org

the company says they will continue to develop, with a scheduled upgrade to a 10.3.3 version in March 2016. The Priv offers a hidden SmartSlide keyboard, DTEK

by BlackBerry warning system, 5.4” dual curved screen, 22.5 hours of multi-use battery life with a 3410 mAh battery, a Schneider-Kreuznach certified camera and sells without a contract for $899.

“We are focused on making faster progress to achieve profitability in our handset market,” said Chief Executive Officer John Chen in a financial release on Sept. 25.

BlackBerry was a leader in the smartphone market but began to slip in the last few years when users started

switching to Apple or Android which were upgrading and improving with the times.

They were offering more apps and this appeals to users looking for the next best thing.

The release of the Priv is looked at by some as BlackBerrys last kick at the smartphone can. The Priv will be offered online at Rogers.ca or BlackBerry.ca. The Rogers store on Tecumseh road willcarry them, but only on special order.

“All of our BlackBerry devices are on special order.

We just don’t sell enough of them to carry them in regular stock,” said Samuel McLean, who is a customer service representative for Rogers.

Some people think that it is a

great idea for BlackBerry to finally catch up and integrate with a new platform but feel it may be too little too late.

“I think it is great that BlackBerry is adding the Android platform.

The BlackBerry world was pretty limited but I really don’t think it’s worth it,” said Shannon DeWit, 36. DeWit was a loyal BlackBerry user until Android offered more for less. “I think they have a great idea but I just wouldn’t risk spending that much money on a chance,” said DeWit. BlackBerry is known for its own dedicated network for excellent security as well as the BlackBerry Hub an aggre-

Photo by Lyndi-Colleen Morgan

Brady Novak, 5, and his mother Stephanie Segave pose for a photograph outside the TD Student Centre. Segave makes weekly trips to Windsor to take her son to programs and appointments.

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Syndrome Association and has been serving the community for close to 20 years.

“We provide families with services like networking.

Networking between families allows individuals to share information,” said Segave. “We also have occasional classes like cooking and seasonal events that bring people together.”

Segave said these services are volunteer based and are not the same as those run by the government or private

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companies. The services offered are meant to bring people together and to get them involved in the community.

She said her son does receive some assistance through his school where he attends regular classes and is helped by a learning support worker.

Novak also receives occupational therapy with his fine motor skills, as well as physical therapy and speech therapy.

These free services are limited in the support they can offer. Segave pays for additional speech therapy

BlackBerry’s last kick at the smartphone can

The new BlackBerry Priv.

Michelle Laramie Converged Citizen Staff

Photo courtesty of BlackBerry

BlackBerry has announced the release of their new smartphone, the BlackBerry Priv, in November. hoping to regain their customer base for

handheld devices.

The Priv will combine the best of BlackBerry security and productivity with the benefits of the Android platform.

It will continue to run on the BB10 operating system which

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Funds raised for farmers market via tweet

ONVERGED CITIZEN

Photo by Taylor Busch

Charles Clarke Square, summer home of the Downtown Farmers Market, is pictured Nov. 5.

Taylor Busch Converged Citizen Staff

start to pay the city more money and maybe get to a point where they can buy their own building, that would be great,” said Liedke.

Less than 24 hours after sharing his pitch with the world, Liedke said his Facebook, Twitter and email accounts were flooded with messages of support from local media, interested sponsors and serious pledges. He said he was surprised to learn a lot of pledges were made by people in their 20s and early 30s who don’t typically get involved in politics. Still, he said he was excited to see the outpouring of support for the DWFM and hopes city council will spend less time arguing about money and more time focusing on what they can do to move Windsor forward.

“I’m glad it worked and if that means we can now start to have a conversation about amenities in our city and

whether or not people want to see these types of things continue I think that’s a great starting point,” said Liedke.

Rino Bortolin for Ward 3 was one of the four councillors who supported the Downtown Residents Association’s proposal to reduce fees again for the DWFM. As a former vendor and current restaurant owner, he believes the market is a valuable use of public space and the city should work to develop a direct partnership with the market in the future.

“It’s adding to the cultural fabric of the city, creating economic development opportunities and it’s nonprofit,” said Bortolin “I can understand Jon’s and other people’s frustration. I can’t believe how many emails and calls I’ve been getting asking how the city can nickel and dime one group for $3,000 then turn around and spend 5 million

dollars more on something else.”

Tim Marshall is a returning vendor and site facilitator for the DWFM. Marshall said the current $35 per week fee vendors pay is used primarily to cover the cost of DRA services including promotion, liability insurance and some salaries.

He also said vendors use a minimal amount of the city’s electricity and water in exchange for the many growing number of jobs and businesses they create year round.

“I’ve heard some people call it a special interest group before, but I have lots of customers who come down from Riverside, Tecumseh and South Windsor each Saturday so I guess everyone who lives in the city is a special interest group because we all benefit from the market, both the vendors and the people who shop there,” said Marshall.

Several city councillors restated Monday that their main

reasoning for continuing to charge non-profits like the DWFM for the use Windsor’s public spaces is because they do not want to create a “freefor-all” that could apply to all volunteer-based organizations. Bortolin, on the other hand, said he would like more groups to take up the challenge and more Windsorites voicing their opinion on important council issues using platforms like social media.

“If the problem becomes we have too many groups who are volunteer driven and doing great work like the DWFM then that’s a great problem to have, especially when we’re talking about waving fees for empty space and not handing out grants,” said Bortolin.

As of Wednesday, Nov. 4, shortly before 4 p.m. Liedke wrote another post confirming more than $3,000 in pledges have been made as well as promises for additional funds in the future.

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with the interactive multimedia features they offered and perfected first. Former Windsor mayor Eddie Francis was an avid user of BlackBerry.

“Until about a year ago when I started my new role (Vice President WFCU) and to my devastation they handed me an iPhone… I have

been on an iPhone for about a year now and I have been able to move on,” said Francis.

Ina Bragiannis, an operations manager at Team Industrial Inc. regularly used BlackBerry for work. “It was a very convenient phone to use for managing the 80 plus email interactions

daily,” said Bragiannis. Her company decided to change service providers and with that she was issued an iPhone.

“Change sucks,” said Bragiannis. “But you get used to it. It’s just a learning curve.” Bragiannis is not against switching back to BlackBerry but that would

be up to her company.

The make or break of BlackBerry rejoining the world of handheld devices seems to be how they market themselves towards large companies.

These companies are calling the shots on what phones are supplied to their employees.

Following council’s decision on Oct. 2 to not waive an additional $3,000 in fees for the use of Charles Clark Square next summer, one Windsorite used social media to launch the campaign that could help the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market succeed for years to come.

Jon Liedke of the Windsor Independent said he became frustrated Monday night while viewing Windsor’s City Council meeting on TV Cogeco.

Without much thought or planning he said he wrote a tweet inviting 29 Windsorites who shared his view to donate $100 to the Downtown Windsor Farmers Market just to highlight what a small amount of money it was.

“I want to see them become sustainable and see them get to a point where they can raise rates for their farmers,

gation tool for messaging making them popular amongst business professionals. Some companies that supply employees with their mobile devices have moved on to Apple or Android phones because they have surpassed them

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Neighbourhood program needs their CUP filled Alyssa Horrobin Converged Citizen Staff

A municipal committee has made a decision in favour of funding the city-wide Community Univeristy Partnership.

Ward 5 councilor Ed Sleiman, chairperson of the Social Development Health and Culture Standing Committee, made a motion to approve the CUP during the committee’s meeting on Nov. 4. The other four city council members on the committee backed him up.

Out of the two agenda reports that had delegations, only the CUP was discussed.

The other item, the Municipal Neighbourhood Liaison Model, was deferred.

The CUP is a program currently active in seven communities in the Windsor-Essex area that connects university students with members of a community that are more secluded or have trouble voicing their issues to their landlords. This can start with

Photo by Alyssa Horrobin City Council member Ed Sleiman takes his seat as Chairperson of the Social Development, Health and Culture Standing Committee before he begins the meeting, Nov. 4. something as simple as chatting over coffee in one of the CUP buildings, which leads to a relationship between tenants and students. This program builds trust which allows tenants to learn simple life skills, such as the ability to communicate problems to their landlords.

“Until you identify what the problem is you can’t go

about solving the problem,” said Jim Steele, chief executive of the Windsor Essex Community Housing Corporation.

Steele said the program also benefits the students by providing them with a better career image and more respect as well as service hours needed to complete their program.

This is gained from the hands-

on experience they get from working with the tenants in areas specifically geared towards their field of study.

According to Steele, the relationship that builds between the students and tenants helps change the students’ perspectives on a stigma the rest of Windsor may have about that particular neighbourhood.

“We are leaders in this,” said Debbie Cercone, Executive Director of Housing and Children’s Services. “We are a very unique program that many communities are the envy of.”

Cercone said that Mary Medcalf, Coordinator of Field Education Programs at the University of Windsor and Cheryl Taggart, Field Learning Specialist at the university, have presented this model in communities across the province.

Cercone credits Medcalf as the visionary for the CUP program. It started as a solution to some crime issues in one of the neighbourhoods and has grown from there.

Cercone said she believes the program has immense value for housing, students and tenants.

The request for funding will be brought to the next available city council meeting where a final decision will be made.

Martial arts benefit children with ADHD Annmarie Schlater Converged Citizen Staff

Participation in martial arts is proving to be favourable for kids living with ADHD. While many alternatives to medication for children who have ADHD come and go, participation in martial arts does not seem to be going anywhere. In fact, it is gaining support from parents and medical professionals alike.

John Ratey, the associate clinical professor of psychology at Harvard, is a firm believer in using martial arts to help children dealing with ADHD. Ratey has written several books related to the subject.

“This is not a cure, but it is certainly a useful intervention,” said Ratey in an article published in the New York Times.

Sally Armstrong, whose son was diagnosed with ADHD at age seven, said she did not need a doctor to tell her that martial art classes

Photo by Annmarie Schlater

Students at Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu School in Tecumseh listen to their instructor during a Thursday night class.

were effective.

“The fact that he could actually sit still after jiu jitsu was all the proof I needed,” said Armstrong.

Seth Quiring, an

instructor at Ribeiro Jiu Jitsu in Tecumseh, said that he sees firsthand the benefits of exercise, especially martial arts. He believes in the importance of the mind-body

connection.

“Physical activity is extremely important for people,” Quiring said.

Ratey mirrors that idea in his books, explaining that

exercise stimulates norepinephrine and dopamine, the chemicals in the brain that ADHD medications target. This chemical reaction can help to reduce some of the symptoms of ADHD, such as hyperactivity.

Ratey goes on to say that martial arts offer benefits that extend past those from sports such as baseball and soccer because it requires complex motor movements.

These extra benefits include helping kids channel their energy and practicing self-control in a safe and fun space, according to parenting.com.

It also provides structure and stability in the child’s schedule, which are key aspects of daily life for someone living with ADHD. Ratey said that martial arts not a substitute for medical treatment for ADHD, but a supplement and any medical issues should always be discussed with a physician.

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Fat under the microscope

CONVERGED CITIZEN NOVEMBER 12, 2015

There is a well-established link between fat intake and heart disease and stroke risk

Naureen Ahmed Converged Citizen Staff

Going from bad to good, butter, meat and cheese are a part of a healthy diet, according to an an investigative American journalist.

Nina Teicholz, author of the book The Big Fat Surprise, makes the argument on her website that modern nutrition science over the past 60 years has been wrong about dietary

fat. She is making a groundbreaking claim that more, not less dietary fat including saturated fat leads to better health, wellness and fitness and people should welcome these “whole fats” back into their lives.

But according to Windsor family doctor Lynda Hammond, there is a wellestablished link between fat intake and heart disease and stroke risk “Diets which are rich in

saturated fat and trans fat raise blood cholesterol level, which leads to clogged arteries that block the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the heart and brain,” she said.

Hammond explained that there are two type of fats, good fat and bad fat, otherwise known as called trans fat.

Good fats are an essential part of a healthy diet and are a great source of energizing fuel.

Trans fats have no known health benefits and there is no safe level of consumption.

Hammond also said that people usually do not know how much fat should be eaten, or how to avoid arteryclogging trans fat.

“The type of fat you eat is very important,” said Hammond. “The average 1,800-calorie diet should have between 40 and 65 grams of fat per day.

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins, meaning that fat in foods helps the intestines absorb these vitamins into the body. Fat also provides essential fatty acids and keeps skin soft.”

Surjeet Babbar, a dietician in Windsor, said a saturated fat is a bad fat, which is found in full-fat dairy products and meat. Saturated fat should not be consumed in more than 10 per cent of your total calories per day.

“High intake of bad fat can increase cholesterol levels which may risk heart diseases,” said Babbar.

“The main sources of your dietary fat should be oils, nuts, seeds and fatty fish which is good fat,” he said.

“Unsaturated fat is found in oils like olive, canola, sunflower. It is recommended to take at least two to three tablespoons of good fat.”

Eating unsaturated fat instead of saturated or trans fat can help lower your cholesterol levels and decrease your risk of heart disease.

Hammond said it is important to include good fats every day. It is also vital to meet the daily need for essential omega-3 and omega6 fats. Omega-6 fat is easy to get since it is found in all types of oil. A diet should contain

fatty fish, canola oil, flax, walnuts and omega-3 enriched products like milk, cheese and eggs.

Research from the Harvard School of Public Health indicates that trans fats can harm health in even small amounts. For every two per cent of calories from trans fat consumed daily, the risk of heart disease rises by 23 per cent.

Foods containing fat can be part of a healthy diet but experts say to eat the right ones.

Monounsaturated fats like almonds and avocados and polyunsaturated fats like walnuts and fish are really good for health, whereas trans fats found in fast food like fries and packaged foods like cake mixes should be avoided at all costs.

According to CBC, people might be puzzling over this new theory about The Big Fat Surprise and rethinking their eating habits. Most experts do not think of the book as controversial.

They just think the advice of the book advice is flat-out wrong.

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health & lifestyle ONVERGED CITIZEN Post-Halloween sugar rush

Samantha Wigfield Converged Citizen Staff

Children bouncing off the walls for weeks after Halloween is every frazzled parent’s nightmare. But when a child really wants that one last piece of candy before brushing their teeth at night, it might be hard to say no.

However, experts say sugar is not good for anyone, especially children. Too much unnatural sugar can result in obesity, affect learning at school and even cause pre-diabetes symptoms.

The director of Child and Adolescent Services and the Neurobehavioral Department at Hotel DieuGrace Healthcare, Cory Saunders, said while refined sugars aren’t necessarily good for you, having anything with synthesized

sugar, like pop or candy, is okay in moderation.

“What people don’t realize is that you don’t have to cut everything out of your diet you like,” said Saunders.

“Work, play, school, free time, good food, bad food, exercise, lazy time, even sleep and being awake.

Everything has to have its balance. Expose children to these healthy, raw foods when they’re young so they can carry these habits into their adult years but don’t say no altogether. They’ll want it more.”

Humans are designed to metabolize glucose, which goes everywhere in the body and is the preferred source for energy. However, the liver has a tough time metabolizing fructose, the “bad” sugar. When fructose and glucose meet, it makes

sucrose, which when refined, makes table sugar. The more unnatural refined sugars a child is exposed to, the higher the risk of obesity and other obstacles associated with it.

Saunders said children need to be

better educated about what is good and what is bad when it comes to their bodies and how to take care of them.

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“It’s not about eating leafy greens and never eating bad sugars. It might add a few years to your life, but it will make you miserable,” said Saunders.

There are ways to watch sugar intake over the horrors of too much candy when Halloween rolls around again. Before going trick-or-treating, ditch the giant candy bags and opt for a smaller bag, making it fun by decorating it before going out.

The Halloween witch could also pay a visit, which is almost like the tooth fairy. The witch (the parent) steals away the candy after a week or so to leave a special toy in its place.

Kathleen Hearns, a local mother of four, said she goes

by her own rules.

“I’ve always done this, where if my child is five, they get five pieces of candy that year. If they’re over 10, then we’ll talk. Just because it’s fun to go out for a few hours and get candy doesn’t mean it has to ruin my child’s health,” said Hearns. “After a few days, I’ll freeze it. Eventually the kids forget about the stash and I can put it in the garbage.”

Parents can also try getting their little ones to eat something healthy first and then have candy. This encourages children to eat more healthy food and leave less room for the sugary junk.

And if none of that works, try and make time to go to the park. Ten to 30 minutes is recommended but maybe staying out a little longer to burn off the calories might help too.

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Have a sweet tooth? Blame brain evolution Alexandra Latremouille Converged Citizen Staff

A biopsychology student at the University of Michigan has said evolutionary brain patterns make refined sugars desirable, even though the body cannot metabolize them well.

Even though Halloween is over, these brain patterns are making Canadians consume more sugar than they should.

Why? Historically, people ate sugar-dense foods because they provided energy and enlarged fat reserves during famines.

Over thousands of years, the association between sugar and survival created mental reward systems in humans, making them crave it frequently.

This reward system exists because sugar increases serotonin levels in the brain.

The release of this chemical stimulates the dopamine receptor D2, according to the student, Vikrant Garg.

“These receptors tell us that these high-calorie energy foods

are good for us,” said Garg.

“They tell the brain to look for them more and more.”

American physician Mark Hyman found some people have fewer D2 receptors than others. This causes them to require more stimulation, prompting increased sugar consumption. These people are then more susceptible to problems such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

The modern abundance of processed sugars, which contain fructose and little fibre, also contributes to these issues.

Fructose, a simple sugar found in plants, can only be metabolized by the liver. When overloaded, it turns the fructose into fat. It is unknown how long it will take for the liver to evolve to metabolize it better, according to Garg.

“The best answer is that it’s hard for me to say,” said Garg.

“It’s important to note that a lot of this research also isn’t done on humans, so even if they do find evolutionary changes in

rats, those same evolutionary traits may take much longer to show up in humans, if at all.”

Regardless, these issues can be avoided with subtle lifestyle changes. A local physical therapist and holistic health enthusiast said one way is to consume different types of sweeteners.

“Not all sugars are created equal,” said Jesse Chappus, who works at DJC Integrative Therapy. “There’s stevia, which comes from a leaf, xylitol, coming from birch trees. You know, these don’t have the same negative effects on the body. People should be aware alternatives exist.”

Unlike refines sugars, stevia and xylitol moderate insulin levels and improve dental health, respectively. Stevia also acts as an appetite suppressant.

Cravings can also be reduced by taking natural supplements, according to Ohio State University professor Jeff Volek. For example, by moderating blood sugar,

Photo by Alexandra Latremouille

Jesse Chappus in his office at DJC Integrative Therapy in Windsor.

chromium picolinate lowers people’s drive to eat unhealthy food. A 600 microgram dose over the span of eight weeks is particularly effective, according to Volek.

Chappus said small changes like these are among the most important steps in altering sugar addiction.

“This sort of addiction can happen to anybody,” said

Chappus. “This problem is happening on a chemical level and it will take time to break that addiction. But over time your cravings will change if you start making healthier choices.”

He and Garg said it is unwise to simply wait for evolution to make sugar-laden lifestyles sustainable.

“This would take lifetimes and lifetimes,” said Chappus.

privately sponsored refugee programs.

The Windsor Islamic Association collected donations on Oct. 31 for Syrian refugees.

Other local individuals and organizations also have launched programs to collect winter clothes Mohammad Shamim Ahmed, Windsor local, said he had donated money and winter clothes for those refugees.

“I feel bad when I see children over there are suffering so much. As a parent I can understand what their parents are going through,” said Ahmed.

As the Syrian conflict escalates, even people who fled the country are still suffering. The season is changing and winter is making everything difficult.

People are fleeing to other countries and risking their lives to find a safe place where they can get shelter and food.

“It is time for the Christians to extend their hand to the needy people of Syria. It can be anything, even by praying for those who are suffering,” said Brandon Taylor, pastor of the Riverside Baptist Church.

“People are drowning in the ocean and kids are suffering the most. They need help from us all.”

He said through their church they have collected donations so that food and water can be sent to needy people. A few people also directly deposited money to the refugee cause.

The Syrian civil war, which started in 2011 in a protest against the ruling government of Syria, has taken many lives. The United Nations continues to work torwards finding appropriate responses to its effects.

“Even a small contribution from people can help the refugees of Syria a lot,” said Taylor.

Helping the Syrian refugees

Photo by Rabiul Biplob

Brandon Taylor is photographed in his office at the Riverside Baptist Church on Oct. 14.

Rabiul Biplob Converged Citizen Staff

People of all faiths in Windsor are extending a hand

to help the refugees of the Syria, who are struggling with their lives inside and outside of their country.

According to Citizenship

and Immigration of Canada, a total of 2,563 refugees from Syria have been resettled in Canada as of 2015 through government assisted and

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Artists use social media to self promote CONVERGED CITIZEN NOVEMBER 12, 2015

Casandra Malynowskyj Converged Citizen Staff

Photo provided by David Zelko David Zelko is the creator of a local music collaboration project.

Windsor musicians working together for a good cause

Anthony Sheardown Converged Citizen Staff

Windsor musicians are collaborating on a new record and all proceeds will be donated to charity.

Multi-instrumentalist musician, David Zelko, is working on an album where he will collaborate with a different local musician on every track.

All profits from the project will be donated to children in low income families who can’t afford music lessons.

Zelko, 24, has been playing music in the local scene for six years and said he has been taking it seriously for the last three years. He is currently in two bands. Zelko said he came up with the idea for the record because he feels there is so much talent in this city. He also wanted the chance to work with other artists but did

not have the time because of his other bands.

“I decided that in order to do this, I would have to try and create a record where I could work with each person on a single song and then that way I can get the satisfaction of working with some of the artists I respect and that have inspired me so much over the past years,” said Zelko.

Zelko said he hopes that this record will help promote talent in the local music scene.

Tony Coates, 29, is one of the many musicians Zelko will be collaborating with on the record. Coates has been playing music for seven years and thinks it is a really good idea that Zelko is using music to give back and strengthen the community.

“It shows that music isn’t just entertainment and that

we actually care,” said Coates.

Coates said he cannot wait to hear how the record will turn out.

“There’s just so much awesome talent in this city that sometimes goes unheard of or unappreciated and it’s going be an honor to be on the same disc and/or tracks as some of these people,” said Coates.

Zelko also said they will start working on the record this month once he works out the studio time. Some of the artists he is going to be working with include Jamie Greer, Tara Watts, Max Marshall and Leighton Bain. He will also be working with local guitarists, drummers, bassists and other musicians to help fill out the album and create a big collaboration.

For many artists, social media has become one of the main platforms for self promotion.

Social media is becoming a place for artists to syndicate their content, create a brand and give access to their target audience. According to the Social Media Examiner, 92 per cent of all marketers indicated that their social media efforts have generated more exposure for their businesses.

Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram are at the peak of their popularity and taking the internet and marketing by storm, according to author and social media analyst Jeff Bullas.

Liam Higgins, a 21-yearold photographer and cinematographer said social media has greatly benefitted him.

“I started using social media as a platform for my art around a year and a half ago,” said Higgins. “Facebook and LinkedIn would definitely be the greatest tools I see for advertising myself because not only does it showcase it on a broader scale using Facebook, but LinkedIn allows me to showcase my work particularly to potential employers and those who’re interested in working on a more professional format.”

For some, Instagram is having the biggest impact on their work. 25-year-old local photographer and owner of Zeebrah Media Ryan Brough said Instagram has been the best social media platform for advertising and himself and his work.

“If you’re a creative artist or photographer or anything

visual and you’re between the ages of 16 to 28, I believe Instagram would be your best bet,” Brough said. “I was lucky enough to have a international touring artist, such as Lights, reblog one of my photos on her Instagram. Just by tagging her in my photo she saw it and posted it on her account of 429,000 followers.”

Paul Black, a 16-year-old artist from Assumption College Catholic high school, who primarily uses Instagram to showcase his artwork, said he uses the photo-sharing network to gain more recognition and support.

“I have been able to create a sort of portfolio of my works and it is great because you can apply tags to each individual post in order to ensure that your work will be seen,” said Black. “It has been very beneficial for my experience, as an artist, I have been able to network with other artists both locally and abroad.”

Networking and interacting with other artists is very important to someone like Black, and Instagram has provided him with that ability.

“I have received mostly positive feedback, and my fellow artists often comment with constructive criticism, allowing me to improve even more so. This has been very helpful for me because it allows me to see other artist’s opinions, which I value greatly.”

Popular social media platforms are expanding constantly, and for artists looking to branch out and create a name for themselves, their greatest tool at hand, besides their talent, is the world of social media.

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arts & entertainment ONVERGED CITIZEN Local filmmakers showcased at WIFF 912

Photo by Kameron Chausse Writer and director Maria Cusumano acts as the master of ceremonies at the 48 Hour Flick Fest at the Capitol Theatre on Nov 3. time limit.

Kameron Chausse As the name implies, the Converged Citizen Staff 48 Hour Flick Fest is a cineThe Windsor International matic challenge where a Film Festival annual 48 Hour group must create a short film Flick Fest was held on in less than 48 hours. The Tuesday, Nov 3, an event open organizers also set certain to local filmmakers that show- specific restrictions and cases local talent, creativity, requirements for participants and ingenuity, all under a strict to include specific props or

KICK PAGE 2

From the outside looking in, most people who walk by the Windermere building on Tecumseh Rd. would see just a normal structure.

But for those who enter the basement of one of the stores located inside it their experiences are anything but ordinary.

The basement is home to Hidden Trail Escape Rooms, a new attraction which opened Oct. 13.

An escape room is a room designed with a series of clues, puzzles or storylines patrons must decrypt to exit the room. They can be designed to follow a story or simply be a difficult room according to Brent Riberdy, the owner of the newest escape room in Windsor.

The facility has seen about 15 to 20 groups enter the rooms at Hidden Trail since its opening. It is the second business of its kind to open in Windsor after seeing popularity in other cities such as London, Ont. and Toronto.

He has seen rooms vary in size, from solo rooms to ones that can hold 50 people at once.

“One of the major differences I noticed is that in Toronto, nobody complains

lines of dialogue to ensure a group cannot submit a film made outside of those 48 hours.

Each film is reviewed by a panel of three judges, and awards were announced after the screenings on Nov 3. The award for best sound was awarded to From Within by Uncanny Visions. Best editing to Private Inspectors by That Darn Squirrell!, Best Story went to Two Do Today by As We Like It. Bob Frapples or How to Travel on Government Dime by Smog Town Films took home the award for best cinematography, and its director Ken Amlin received the award for best director. The award for best acting went to Dan Hyatt for his role in in Halowe’en Special by 23skidoo!, which also won best film.

“We’ve been doing it for seven years. It’s fun every time. You don’t get a lot of

NOVEMBER 12, 2015

sleep but it really pushes you to do something in such a short period of time,” said Kyle Van Dongen, who wrote and directed From Within. “It’s easy to get lazy through the year so this is really good motivation to get something done. This year was standout, start to finish.”

In total, eight films with varying genres and storylines were shown at this year’s Flick Fest. The main organizer of the 48 Hour Flick Fest, Svjetlana Oppen, said she was pleased with this year’s showing.

“We always have teams that have a great time, they tell us. It’s tiring, it’s exhausting, but they come up with amazing films in 48 hours,” said Oppen. “ We always hope to expand and popularize it because it’s challenging, but people who didn’t do it say ‘Oh my God, I should have done it’ when they come and

see [the end result].”

The 48 Hour Flick Fest has been part of WIFF for nine years with this year being Oppen’s first at the helm.

After this year’s success she is already making plans for next year’s 10-year anniversary of the program.

“When the Flick Fest started nine years ago, it was a group of local filmmakers that wanted to showcase local talent,” Oppen said. “I’d like to bring the originals back and I’d like to bring the films of winners from different years, to showcase and give props to filmmakers who come back every year… I’ll have a year to work on that.”

Oppen shouldn’t have any trouble showcasing local talent.

Those interested in participating in future 48 Hour Flick Fests can find more information at windsorfilmfestival.com/48hour-flick-fest/ and at facebook.com/48hff.

about having nothing to do There are more than 90 facili- Tecumseh Rd. W. is Windsor’s his girlfriend and decided to go in with seven other Heto go ties There in Canada listed firstTecumseh facility, Enigma and about you could his girlfriend andpeople. decided are more thanon90the faciliRd. W. isEscape Windsor’s havingalways nothingfind to do said inhewith learned how to change website.

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The real-life adventure designed Hidden trilogy for people to go the world. so rooms far. Riberdy said ahissmall towards the difficult end” andmore Overall, more than 100 groups profittheir game firstThe started in the virtual have seen designed to be “a little through. real-life adventure current basement facility is only has atowards 15 to 20the perdifficult cent success haveOverall, the challenge of trying to world as part a genre called profit so far. Riberdy said his end” and more than 100 groups game firstofstarted in the virtual a temporary location and hopes rate.

He said he recommends escape the office. roomworld escape.

In 1988, U.K. as part of a genre called has a 15 to 20 per cent success have the challenge of trying to current basement facility is only a largerlocation facilityand with participants have hesixrecommends to 10 Miller saidtheheoffice. doesn’t see to open publisher Zenobi InSoftware a temporary hopes rate. He said escape room escape.

1988, U.K. four to to open seven arooms in the near people in a group for his room. other escape rooms as compereleased the first example of larger facility with publisher Zenobi Software participants have six to 10 Miller said he doesn’t see Riberdy also heforprefers tition butescape rather as as being the released genre with a PCexample game of future.

Windsor four Miller to sevensaid rooms in the near people in asaid group his room. other rooms compethe first not to give many details about something where people can titledtheBehind Closed Doors, a should be able to support to genre with a PC game Riberdy also said he prefers tition but rather as being future. Miller saidtwo Windsor the room to participants go from one room to the next. game where players were three escape rooms and said it’s titled Behind Closed Doors, a not to give many details about something where people can should be able to support two to beforehand to keep clues a He go feels it is thatnext. trapped a restroom. highly likely he’llrooms expand hissaid to it’s the room to itsparticipants from oneimportant room to the gamein where playersThewere three escape and surprise. other places have the same ideatrapped soon made it to the real six rooms. in a restroom. The beforehand to keep its clues a He feels it is important that highly likely he’ll expand his to “I think most people once standard quality for the theirsame world in soon 2007,made whenitSCRAP “So six far,rooms.

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“It’s compean for ansimple, escape but room, they firstcalled escapeReal roomEscape event in not really experience was,” said Riberdy that ing about how awesome rooms are developing Game.

In 2011, escape interesting be pretty simple, butsuch a lot of Japan called Realrooms Escape tition,”market said where Miller.people “It’s an when asked was,” why said people experience Riberdy that rooms they’re are a little more diffi-such started opening in Singapore comeinteresting and complete thewhere profesdeveloping Game.

In 2011, escape rooms market people should enter an escape when asked whyroom. people cult …

But, a lot of rooms are and started in otheropening Asian countries. sor’s office and the immediate in Singapore that they’re a little more diffi- come and complete the profes“I think it’s just mostly someshould enter an escape room.

By 2014, were about 500 easyculttoo,” thingsor’s whatoffice most and of them say is … But,said a lot Riberdy. of rooms are and inthere other Asian countries. the immediate thing“Inew and creative “Usually you want to have a escape room games world‘I want to do another one. think it’sit’sjust mostlyand someBy 2014, there were about 500 easy too,” said Riberdy. thing what most of them say is if you haven’t tried it, trying good range (of difficulty). wideescape according to the Escape Where can I do it?’” room games world- “Usually you want to have a ‘I want to do another one. thing new and it’s creative and new is tried great,it,but Room Directory.

As of 6, Windsor some (of pretty diffiDrake part of one something if you haven’t trying goodhas range difficulty). wide according to Nov. the Escape WhereBaird can Iwas do it?’” it’s mentally challenging, it’s a that Room total has grown to more cult rooms (right now).” of the first 20 groups to enter Directory. As of Nov. 6, Windsor has some pretty diffiDrake Baird was part of one something new is great, but lot of fun and it builds teamthanthat 1,100 facilities and more Meanwhile, near the interEnigma’s escape room.

He had total has grown to more cult rooms (right now).” of the first 20 groups to enter it’s mentally challenging, it’s a thanthan 2,500 rooms registered. section of Dougall Ave. and found out about the room work.” lot of fun and it builds team1,100 facilities and more Meanwhile, near the inter- Enigma’s escape room.from He had than 2,500 rooms registered. section of Dougall Ave. and found out about the room from work.”

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Windsor International Film Festival kicks off Entertainment round up Rhiannon Lotze Converged Citizen Staff

Supergirl ratings not so super

Photo by Jordan Caschera A man walks into the Windsor International Film Festival’s box office at the Capitol Theatre, Nov. 3.

Jordan Caschera Converged Citizen Staff

The Windsor International Film Festival kicked off its week-long festivities at the Capital Theatre on Nov. 3.

WIFF is back with more than 90 films from around the world. The many films featured include multiple genres, some of which won’t be released in elsewhere in Canada. WIFF showcases Canadian, local and international feature films of artistic and cultural significance.

The festival is growing in popularity and the box office is proving it by already selling out most of the films for the opening day and the days following.

WIFF is a non profit organization who celebrates the art and international films and filmmakers. The festival is in

its eleventh year and according to executive director, Vincent Georgie, it’s only growing in size.

“We have 90 films this year, thats nine-zero,” said Georgie. “we’ve got comedies, dramas, documentaries, horror films, we’ve got action films… we’ve got everything this year.”

Georgie’s says, WIFF benefits everyone by creating tourism incentives to help downtown businesses.

Georgie said with films from 25 countries, crowds are becoming more diverse.

“These films are coming from around the world, some are upcoming blockbusters being released well before 2016 and some are hidden gems from other countries.”

Though the number of films has increased over the

years movie fanatics like Donita Desrosiers are finding it difficult to get tickets to desired films.

“This is my third year attending WIFF and it’s growing and growing,” said Desrosiers.

Attempting to buy just two tickets for two separate movies, Desrosiers said she suggests buying tickets online for future films.

The festival is growing in size and the future of the festival is looking bright said Georgie.

“It’s really about quality of life for everyone who lives here, thats why we do this,” said Georgie.

WIFF will be showing films at the Capitol Theatre until Nov. 8 and tickets can be purchased at the box office or online.

Following record-breaking ratings in its first week, CBS’s Supergirl has lost some of its momentum, according to Entertainment Weekly. The show’s premiere was seen by 8.9 million viewers. However, this may have been due to it being the follow-up show to The Big Bang Theory. After the first episode of Supergirl, The Big Bang Theory moved to Thursday nights. CBS reported a 29 per cent decrease in the ratings of Supergirl but project it will grow by about 65 per cent through DVR viewings in the next week.

Adele is rolling in the dough

Singer Adele recently released her first single in three years and it had the biggest sales week for a single in 15 years, according to Entertainment Weekly. The song, “Hello,” sold over one million copies in the span of one week, becoming only the second song in history to do so. The only other song to do this was Elton John’s tribute to Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind.” “Hello” is also the first song in history to reach one million downloads within one week. Adele’s newest album, 25, will drop Nov. 20.

Tarantino boycott

Police officers across the U.S. have been boycotting Quentin Tarantino films for the past month, following a rally against police brutality that the director spoke at. Tarantino has recently spoken out for the first time to defend himself and said he “won’t be intimidated,” according to BBC News. On the topic of the boycott, he is quoted as saying “It is to shut my mouth and even more important than that, it is to send a message out to any other prominent person that might feel the need to join that side of the argument.”

J.K. Rowling going back to her roots

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling may soon be going back to her roots as a children’s author, according to Entertainment Weekly. The author has been writing adult fiction since her Harry Potter series ended but has since returned to the world of witches and wizards by penning a play and the screenplay for Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Now, she may be ready to go back to writing children’s novels, she said

in an interview with BBC host Simon Mayo. “I have written part of a children’s book that I really love,” she said. “So there will be another children’s book.”

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Sports round up

CONVERGED CITIZEN NOVEMBER 12, 2015 Ryan Blevins Converged Citizen Staff

Lancers get rings and a win The Windsor Lancers Women’s Basketball team received their CIS Championship rings before their game Wednesday against the Laurier Golden Hawks at the St. Denis Centre.

Cheyanne Roger led the way with 24 points as the Lady Lancers topped the Golden Hawks 85-80.

In the night nap cap the men’s team beat Laurier 88-77. Alex Campbell scored 30 points and 11 rebounds and Windsor native Isiah Osborne had 21 points and 10 rebounds.

Photo by Ryan Blevins Windsor Lancers Centre Midfielder Chris Al-Youssef poses for a portrait.

Windsor’s best team nobody’s talking about Ryan Blevins Converged Citizen Staff

The University of Windsor men’s soccer team has gone the duration of a nationallyranked season without gaining much interest from many local sports fans and media.

The Lancers soccer team finished their season Sunday with a 12-2-2 record in conference play, good enough for second place in their division.

After this record setting season where the Lancers defeated the number one ranked York Lions, the Lancers found themselves in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport’s national top 10 rankings. This was the Lancers first time in the top 10 rankings since the final week of the 2013 season.

Being ranked as high as third in the CIS national rankings the Lancers looked to gain fan support on a regular basis but were unsuccessful.

The Lancers received what university officials believe to be the largest crowd of the season in their first OUA playoff game Sunday when an estimated 1,000 fans cheered on the men’s soccer team.

Windsor Lancers second year center-midfielder Chris Al-Youssef said he believes the team deserved more recog-

nition from fans “You see teams like the girls basketball team. They get a lot of recognition, they obviously earned it…. that’s how it should be. You should earn it and I thought this year we definitely earned the right to get some recognition,” said AlYoussef.

An estimated 1,800 fans of the University of Windsor’s women’s basketball team filled the St. Dennis Centre for their home opener Nov, 4.

Tickets for the game were $10 and was free for students. A team with such national success was able to draw fans in, but on a nightly basis the third ranked Lancers soccer team played in front of a mostly empty stadium.

University of Windsor director of the division of athletics and recreational services Mike Havey said he hopes to expand the teams brand to garner more fan support in the future.

“With all the digital platforms and social media that is out there we’ve never had any more control over our own brand than we have right now.

Before you would be nearly 100 per cent reliant in traditional media to cover your teams. Now with Facebook,

web, Twitter, webcasting... (we are) getting our brand out there,” said Havey.

In 2014 the OUA partnered with Stretch Internet to create OUA.tv, a free live streaming service that allows fans to watch basketball and football games from home. Regular season soccer games are not currently broadcast online.

Even with this limited service it isn’t always easy for teams to gain coverage. Currently there is no charge for soccer games at the University of Windsor’s home stadium, Alumni Field.

University of Windsor director of soccer operations Steve Hart attributes the lack of attendance to being unacknowledged in certain media outlets.

“The Windsor Star sometimes leaves me disappointed.

I wish they would cover more about soccer. We give information to them, it does not always hit the paper but it’s not uncommon for them to not put stuff in,” said Hart.

Nov 1 the Windsor Lancers men’s soccer team concluded their season with a 1-0 loss to the McMaster Marauders in the quarterfinals of the OUA playoffs ending their storied season without a championship.

Express bring in Raptors 905 In NBL and D-League ex-hibition action the Express fell to the newly formed Mississauga Raptors 905 117-114 in their inaugural game. The Raptors 905 were formed after the National Basketball League of Canada’s Mississauga Power was absorbed into the NBA’s D-League in the offseason.

Adrian Moss was the Express player of the game posting 38 points and six assists in the losing effort. 905 players Axel Toupane and Scott Suggs scored 20 and 19 points respectively.

This was coach Terry Jones first game as interim head coach.

Kentucky Basketball Catholic Central grad Mychal Mulder scored six points in nine minutes of action for coach John Calipari’s Kentucky Wildcats in a 117-58 exhibition win against the University of Ottawa.

Fellow Canadian Jamal Murray put up 22 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, falling one short of a triple-double.

WECSSAA hoops roundup The Girls Maranatha Panthers defeated the UMEI Lightning 48-27 behind 17 points from Mya Mailloux of Maranatha.

Emma Bedal had 15 points for UMEI. In other WECSSAA girls action, the Kingsville Cavaliers took down the Villanova Wildcats 40-26.

Blue Jackets recall Rychel Kerby Rychel of Tecumseh was recalled by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Nov. 4.

Rychel is leading the Lake Erie Monsters in scoring with 10 points this year.

Spits find way back into rankings The Windsor Spitfires are now ranked 10th in the CHL rankings with a 10-4-3-0 record after their loss to the Niagara Ice Dogs.

Windsor is ranked for the first time since week four. They will travel to Erie Saturday to take on the number one ranked Erie Otters.

Junior B Manny Silverio netted a hat trick for the Lasalle Vipers in their 5-3 win over the St. Thomas Stars at the Vollmer Centre.

Paolo Battisti had 35 saves.

The Leamington Flyers dropped their game against the London Nationals 5-2. Luke Sanko and Colin Moore each posted goals for the Flyers.

Junior C The Lakeshore Canadiens took a 4-3 overtime loss against Mooretown Wednesday. Aaron Moore, Jack Bartlett and Parker Boyle scored for Lakeshore.

In other Junior C action, Wallaceburg beat Amherstburg 5-2.

Ryan Holzel put up both goals for Amherstberg in the loss.

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Home is where the heart is

Photos by Christian Bouchard Luke Willson (82) presents the golden football to his former high school, St. Thomas of Villanova on Nov. 6, 2015. Willson is one of 15 Canadians to appear in a Super Bowl in its 49 years of existence.

Christian Bouchard Converged Citizen Staff

Despite winning a Super Bowl, LaSalle native and Seattle Seahawks tight end Luke Willson has not forgotten about his local roots.

St. Thomas of Villanova High School has not forgotten him either. The NFL Super Bowl committee and NFL Films has created the High School Honor Roll initiative to recognize players and coaches who’ve made it to the Super Bowl over the last 50 years.

Nov. 6, Willson returned to his former high school to present the golden football.

Awaiting his arrival was a gymnasium packed with students, friends, family and former coaches.

Willson said it felt amazing to return to his alma mater and be able to present the golden football as a token of his appreciation.

“To be one of 15 Canadians to play in a Super Bowl is awesome,” said Willson. “It’s a special feeling and I couldn’t have done it without my time here at Villanova and the people around me.”

The third year NFL tight end suffered what he is calling an “unfortunate injury” during the end of the Cowboys game in Week 8.

While Willson is still going through minor rehabilitation,

Luke Wilson waits to be called into the St. Thomas of Villanova gymnasium to present the Honorary Golden Football.

LaSalle native and Seattle Seahawks Luke Willson poses with the St. Thomas of Villanova football team and the Honorary Golden Football.

as soon as he got the green light to fly back home to present the ball he took the opportunity.

Tim Maitre, Willson’s former high school football coach at Villanova, said Willson is a community man who hasn’t forgotten how to give back.

“He brought the school one of their only championships,” said Maitre. “For him to come back and still remember everything that went on here, it’s outstanding. He’s a promoter of this school and he’s a promoter of LaSalle and Essex County. Everyone should be proud of him.”

Along with the golden football, Willson also brought a “12” flag for the school to

hang up. As 11 men are on the football field per team at a time, the Seahawks use the “12” to symbolize their fanbase being the 12th player on the field. He said he made sure the school got a flag because it’s a major part of the worldwide fan base. While the school has continuously shown him support throughout his career, Willson said the flag makes things official.

Willson spends a lot of his time in the offseason helping benefit his community, he added it never gets olds returning home where he feels like family.

“Villanova was a large part of my upbringing as a person and as football player,” said

St.Thomas of Villanova High School students gather in the gymnasium for the presentation of the Honorary Golden Football.

Willson. “I developed my passion for football here.”

After appearing in two Super Bowls in his first two seasons in the NFL, Willson continues to remain humble saying how much of a pleasure it is to be playing alongside the likes of Jimmy Graham rather than treating it as a competition.

Willson is now enjoying a

successful career in the NFL hoping to appear in a third consecutive Super Bowl.

While staying remaining true to himself and his community are things Willson said he takes pride in, he is also still continuing to inspire.

“I watch him every time he plays and he still amazes me,” said Maitre.

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Express host Raptors 905

Keanau Post of the Raptors 905 attempts a lay-up against the Windsor Express Nov. 5.

Axel Toupane of the Raptors 905 drives to the basket against the Windsor Express Nov. 5.

Axel Toupane (6) of the Raptors 905 takes a shot against the Windsor Express Nov. 5.

Photos by Jordan Caschera

The Windsor Express hosted the Raptors 905 at the Windsor Family Credit Union Centre Nov.5. The Express, part of the National Basketball League of Canada and the 905, part of the NBA-Development-League made history.

The game marked the first time two teams from either league have played each other. The Express fell 117-114 to the 905 after a close fourth quarter comeback.

Michale Kyser of the Raptors 905 takes a shot against the Windsor Express Nov. 5.

Shaquille Keith of the Raptors 905 drives to the basket against the Windsor Express Nov. 5.

Scott Suggs of the Raptors 905 attempts a lay-up against Papa Oppong (11) of the Windsor Express Nov. 5.