The Sheaf 18/10/12 - Volume 104 Issue 7

Do summer students need a U-Pass?

NEWS 4

Sheaf the

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Renterra Farm Auctions takes home $50,000 startup prize

NEWS 3

18 October, 2012 | The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912

University of Saskatchewan Argo demonstrates Ben Affleck’s club softball team takes third in growth as a filmmaker national tournament SPORTS 7 SPORTS 8 CULTURE 15

Huskies volleyball hopes new season will bring better results

Quit drinking the Romney Haterade OPINIONS 16

Crews dig in on overdue STM addition

A digital rendering of the STM expansion viewed from across College Drive. The school is making room for more classrooms for the first time since the 1960s.

DARYL HOFMANN Senior News Editor Construction crews set up chainlink barricades and revved up the backhoe Oct. 15 as work began on St. Thomas More College’s muchneeded $8 million expansion.

The 12,000-square-foot project is still expected to wrap up by the end of next summer as originally planned, despite starting several months behind schedule. The three-storey expansion will provide more classrooms, offices and a central atrium for students to

congregate.

About half of STM’s classes are currently being taught in other buildings on campus. The addition, which includes two 100-seat lecture halls, is expected to boost the college’s capacity by 25 per cent.

richard medernach

“We’re very much crammed for space,” STM President Terry Downey said from his second floor office overlooking the construction site.

“This is the first expansion here in more than four decades.”

The last time STM’s building

expanded was in the 1960s, when the college only had about 750 students. There are roughly triple that now, with between 1,800 and 2,000 undergraduates currently enrolled in STM courses.

The existing facility has three wings and the addition will connect a fourth directly along College Drive to create an inner courtyard, or quadrangle.

“We’re enclosing [the building] and then putting an atrium over the centre for receptions or for student areas,” Downey said.

The construction site will temporarily take over a 100-metre strip of sidewalk on College Drive and the bus stop in front of the STM chapel has been moved a block west.

Downey took over as college president last fall. Soon after taking office, he launched the Creating More campaign to shore up funding for the expansion project and for the creation of an endowed chair, or professorship, of Catholic studies.

The campaign set out to raise $4 million for the building expansion and $2 million for the creation of the chair.

STM addition

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Huskies steal win from Bisons COLE GUENTER Sports Editor

An offensive explosion led by two first-year Huskies earned the Dogs 28 points in the fourth quarter against the Manitoba Bisons Oct. 12 at Griffiths Stadium.

The Dogs were down 29-16 entering the final frame, but the surge of points completed their 4439 come-from-behind win.

“We said we weren’t going to quit and fortunately we didn’t.

It was a character win,” Brian Towriss, the Huskies head coach, said in a press release following the game.

“The kids battled… they hung in there and found a way. They believed they could win.”

Chase Bradshaw, in only his second CIS start, matched a Canada West record with 38 completions on the night. He racked up 426 passing yards, averaging more than 15 yards for

every completion. The pivot threw three touchdowns on the night, two of which came in the fourth quarter comeback.

Bradshaw connected with receiver Kit Hillis for a 40-yard touchdown five minutes into the fourth quarter. He followed that up with a touchdown of his own on a goal-line quarterback sneak and added a 16-yard touchdown toss to Mitch Stevens. A big 70yard gallop from Bisons tailback Anthony Coombs between the Dogs touchdowns, however, meant the Huskies still trailed by two points with time running out.

Shane Buchanan, a rookie tailback suiting up for the first time since sustaining an injury in the preseason, scored with one minute left to play to complete the comeback.

Huskies vs. Bisons

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Huskies receiver Garrett Burgess picked up 12 catches for 135 yards against Manitoba Oct. 12.

raisa pezderic/photo editor

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NEWS

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

Sheaf Louis’ beach volleyball league gets bumped for campus hotel the

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ANNA-LILJA DAWSON Associate News Editor The university is looking to rezone the land next to the Stadium Parkade for a hotel development.

The plot along College Drive is currently home to beach volleyball courts and a century-old seed barn, both of which will be demolished in 2013.

“For quite a number of years it has been identified that [the university] wanted a hotel in this area,” said James Cook, manager of the University of Saskatchewan business opportunities office.

Cook works to strike lucrative deals for the university with the private sector.

“We’ve had lots of interest from hotel developers for a site near the university so we know there is a good market opportunity now.”

Cook said that the city is expected to approve the rezoning application in December, at which point the university would begin accepting proposals from developers.

For years, the U of S Students’ Union has used the beach volleyball courts for Louis’ summer league. The university has never charged the USSU for use of the courts and the league has been one of the union’s most dependable sources of income, raking in an average profit of roughly $24,000 each summer for the past 10 years.

The university gave the USSU a one-year notice of its intention to change the use of the land.

STM addition

The site just off College Drive, home to the university’s beach volleyball courts for decades, will soon be developed into a hotel.

USSU Vice-President of Operations and Finance Steven Heidel said he has been working with the university to find a new location for the courts.

“We’re hopeful that over the long term we’ll be able to find a location somewhere else in the College Quarter project that will be just as accessible,” Heidel said.

He said a recent spike in the popularity of the beach volleyball league proved that rebuilding the courts is important.

“We’re a little disappointed [by the development decision] because the number of teams over the past few years has been increasing,” Heidel said. “Overall in the city, beach volleyball has been declining in popularity. For some reason our courts were an exception.”

For Jordan Nowakowski, a thirdyear member of the men’s Huskie volleyball team and a regular at the beach courts, the nixing of the

The century-old seed barn will be torn down next year.

league is disappointing.

“I know that Monday to Thursday they had volleyball every night and there was full attendance and commitment and I think that it’s a shame that they would get rid of that,” he said.

Nowakowski said that this will be a loss for students interested in

shan lu

file photo: raisa pezderic/photo editor

being physically active during the summer.

“The vast majority of the teams were just students looking for some fitness and some fun.

They’re joining a league with their friends, having some fun with a little competition every now and then.”

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DORA DUECK

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Reading & Signing What You Get at Home with guest author Leona Theis Tuesday, October 22, 7:00 PM

Representatives from STM and Quorex Construction at the official groundbreaking ceremony Oct. 15.

Downey said the college already had $6 million banked for both projects.

Reading & Signing The college recently announced Blown Away: A year through the lens of the Creating More campaign had The Tornado Hunter received three donations totalling $2 million. Prominent local Tuesday, October 24, philanthropists Leslie and Irene 7:00 PM Dubé contributed $1 million to the

GREG JOHNSON

sheaf run oct 18, 2012.indd 1

10/7/2012 2:07:30 PM

creation of the chair and David and Karen Host of Warman and Allan Markin of Calgary contributed $500,000 each for the building expansion.

“We’re down to $3 million remaining for the building expansion and $1 million remaining for the chair of Catholic

studies,” Downey said.

Catholic studies involves the study of the traditions and teachings of the Catholic Church, as well as the church’s relationship with other religious denominations of the world. The endowment is the second of its kind in Western Canada.

richard medernach

“We think it’s important that students that graduate from university these days have a sense of the great faiths around the world,” Downey said.

“The adherence of the those faiths obviously has an impact on what policy looks like in various nations across the globe.”

NEWS

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

Tech Venture Challenge gives U of S edge in cut-throat startup industry

The W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence and the Industry Liason Office can help you cash in on your business idea.

KENDRA SCHREINER Lyndon Lisitza saw a gap in the marketplace when his father wanted to sell the family farm in 2008. There was no easy way to connect rural landowners with potential buyers and renters.

That’s when he hatched the idea for Renterra Farmland Auctions.

Renterra, a farmland rental website set to launch Nov. 14, allows farmers to auction their land to potential renters and allows renters to search for land that fits their needs.

“We’re trying to put a mechanism in place where both farmers and farmland renters can find a fair-market value for the

land,” said Lisitza, a graduate of the Edwards School of Business.

Lisitza got the chance to turn his idea into a reality after winning this year’s University of Saskatchewan Tech Venture Challenge on Oct. 11.

The Tech Venture Challenge is a business competition for young entrepreneurs with an idea for a startup company.

Renterra Auctions won $50,000 cash, a year of free office space at Innovation Place and $6,000 in services from Deloitte, a business consulting firm.

“The concept I’ve developed is completely new. There are no other firms doing what I’m doing,” Lisitza said by phone from Regina after his victory.

There has been a lack of support for startup companies.

In Saskatchewan we don’t have incubators or accelerators. We don’t have gap funding.

Lorna Shaw-Lennox ILO Representative

shan lu

“You first have to have that great idea and the passion to take that great idea forward and put it to work.”

The other finalists in the competition were Triumf rewards, a company that enables retailers to send promotions to customers’ smartphones, and Indie Ink Publishing, a book publishing company that offers its product on both digital and traditional platforms.

“What we’re trying to do is engage people in entrepreneurism and to engage people in thinking about their research and their ideas in a different way,” Lorna ShawLennox, a representative from the U of S Industry Liaison Office,

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said.

The ILO put on the challenge, which was open to students, alumni, faculty and staff, and sent each of the 10 finalists through months of workshops designed to help them develop a solid business plan. Now, the ILO will continue to work with each of the finalists to bring the companies into the market and connect them with investors.

The top three startups were invited to pitch their businesses to the Saskatchewan Capital Network.

Shaw-Lennox said the Tech Venture Challenge’s main goal is to spur the province’s entrepreneurial sector.

“There has been a lack of support for startup companies,” she said.

“In Saskatchewan we don’t have incubators or accelerators. We don’t have gap funding.”

Many young entrepreneurs leave the province to places offering better opportunities.

The ILO, along with the W. Brett Wilson Centre for Entrepreneurial Excellence, are trying to change that trend.

The centre offers courses in entrepreneurship, hosts businesses competitions and works closely with the ILO to help students and alumni turn their business plans into a reality.

“We get out there to find people who have ideas and want to start growing their business and we try to help them out by connecting them to the right people,” Stephanie Yong, the centre’s director, said.

Yong is optimistic about the future of startups in Saskatchewan.

“I think that because our economy is in such a large growth right now that we’re starting to see entrepreneurship really adding to that… and I think that it’s just going to keep growing,” she said.

Renterra Farmland Auctions launches Nov. 14 at the Brett Wilson Pitch Party at Prairieland Park.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT Incidents at the University of Saskatchewan involving Campus Safety from Oct. 9 - 14 Citations issued: 3 speeding 2 disobey stop sign 3 minor possess alcohol 1 intoxicated in public 1 alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle Reports: • Officers attended a report of a fire in the construction area between Place Riel and Q Hall Addition. A mop covered in tar was on fire. Officers quickly extinguished the flame with a fire extinguisher.

• Officers investigated one hit and run accident in front of the College of Dentistry. File is still under investigation.

• A bike was reported stolen from the racks at Saskatchewan Hall.

• A bike was reported stolen from the bike racks at Seager Wheeler.

• A male was arrested for being intoxicated in public. He was transported to city police cells.

• A male was transported to hospital after he had cut his hand while smashing the glass on a fire box. The male was charged with “minor possess/consume alcohol.”

The male will make restitution for the damages.

• A vehicle was towed for using a stolen parking permit. The permit was recovered and the suspect was dealt with internally.

• Officers attended three medical calls.

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NEWS

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

University of Windsor cuts Christian prayer after persistant lobbying by atheist group Darryl Gallinger — The Lance (University of Windsor)

WINDSOR (CUP) — The University of Windsor has answered the call from a campus atheist group asking for the removal of Christian prayer from convocation ceremonies in favour of a personal moment of reflection.

Chief communications officer for the university Holly Ward confirmed the Christian prayer will be removed from the graduation service.

“It’s definitely a tradition of the University of Windsor to use a prayer, as it has been a tradition to use prayers at most universities nationwide,” she said. “Having a moment of reflection is not unusual.

“It’s changed because we have a changing campus. We have a lot of diversity on our campus … we want to make sure you feel included.”

Shawna Scott, president of the Windsor-Essex County Atheist Society, lobbied for the prayer’s removal. She feels validated by the recent decision.

Windsor-Essex County Atheist Society President Shawna Scott.

“I’m really proud of the university for making this change,” she said.

Scott challenged the portion of the convocation prayer that refers to an “eternal God” as “the source of all goodness, discipline and knowledge.”

“The end result of us graduating is a product of our hard work, support from our family and friends and everyone working really hard to build our own success,” she said. “To us, it

the lance

doesn’t come from a deity … it makes it really awkward to be there and feel excluded like that.”

Scott founded the atheist group in 2010. Its 170 members fundraise for charities and provide a network of non-believers with resources and support.

“The sentiment of a prayer is a beautiful one,” said Paul Anderson, a member of the atheist society. “However, it’s impossible to write it in such a way that can accommodate all faiths, including

those who don’t believe in god.”

“Or even those who believe in more than one god,” Scott added.

Scott first expressed concerns about the prayer following her undergraduate graduation in 2010 and again in 2011 in formal letters to university. She never received a reply from administration.

In preparation for the fall 2012 convocation ceremony, where Scott would be recognized for obtaining her master’s degree, she wrote the university once more, suggesting a moment of personal reflection as an alternative to the traditional prayer.

A month after the letter was sent, the university confirmed the change.

According to the new script, Reverend Mary Templer of the University Community Church will ask the graduates to, “Take a moment to reflect on those who guided you along your path of learning, to appreciate our families, our teachers, our peers, the world in which we live and all that inspires us.”

“There’s another piece that people miss,” director of the

university’s human rights office Kaye Johnson said. “There is a lot of diversity within Christianity and the type of prayer is not reflective of all of Christianity. There was discomfort that’s not only within people who have a different faith, but also of Christian faith.”

“The thing with public prayer in a context like that, it also imposes words onto people,” Johnson said, explaining that even those who wish to pray at convocation cannot choose what is being prayed to and why.

Jordan Legg of the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship is not troubled by the change.

“I’m more concerned about people actually engaging with who Jesus is and loving him completely with their words and actions rather than giving him lip service at a convocation ceremony,” he said.

Legg explained that his group talks about Christianity with students on campus, and for him “teaching others to love Jesus” is more important than maintaining a campus tradition.

Spring and summer U-Pass referendum question confirmed; vote in coming weeks

University of Saskatchewan undergrads will soon vote on PAWS to determine if the USSU-backed spring and summer mandatory U-Pass will become a reality.

ANNA-LILJA DAWSON Associate News Editor The undergraduate referendum question for the proposed spring and summer universal bus pass, or U-Pass, has been given the green light by students’ council and the students’ union lawyer.

The question asks whether or not students support the implementation of a manditory U-Pass for the spring and summer academic terms, costing $36.75 each session.

Students not registered in spring and summer classes will not be charged.

The campuswide referendum is expected to happen in late October or early November.

The students’ union bylaw

states that at least 10 per cent of undergraduates must vote for the referendum to be legitimate and that a majority is needed for the motion to pass.

If the referendum passes, undergraduates registered in at least one spring or summer class will have the option to use a discounted bus pass.

The fee will be subject to a yearly consumer price index increase and be added to the students’ union dues.

Normally, a city bus pass for a post-secondary student is $75 per month suring the summer.

A similar U-Pass program is currently in place for undergraduates from September to April. Undergraduates are charged $73.51 per term — or roughly $19

a month — whether they activate the pass or not. Students who live on campus or outside Saskatoon city limits, who hold a disability parking pass for the U of S or who are enrolled exclusively in distance education courses can apply for an exemption. The same rules for exemption would be applied to a spring and summer U-Pass.

Students who choose to use the pass may activate their student cards at any time during either semester.

Reid Nystuen, the 2011-12 USSU vice-president of operations and finance, spearheaded the spring and summer U-Pass program last year and spent much of his time in office working with Saskatoon Transit.

USSU Vice-President

Operations and Finance Steven Heidel, who took over the transit portfolio this year, told students’ council last week that he hopes they choose to support the U-Pass during the two-day online voting period.

He said he’s worked with Saskatoon Transit to put the finishing touches on the potential agreement.

Students in favour of or against the spring and summer U-Pass are invited to register their campaign committee later this month.

Campaign application forms must include an outline of the campaign platform, an advertising budget, contact information of the committee’s leaders as well as a $100 deposit.

raisa pezderic/photo editor

Referendum Question: Do you support the implementation of a Spring and/ or Summer U-Pass (universal bus pass) for undergraduate students enrolled in May and/or June (Spring Session, Quarter 1 and 2 or the entire spring term) for $36.75 with a yearly consumer price index adjustment for those students enrolled in May and/or June and for July and/or August (Summer Session, Quarter 3 and 4 or the entire summer term) for a fee of $36.75 with a yearly consumer price index adjustment for those students enrolled in July and/or August.

NEWS

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

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Landlord and tenant relations often turbulent affair JUSTIN SMIRLIES — The Cord (Wilfrid Laurier University) WATERLOO (CUP) — Dealing with a landlord is a new experience for most students — and it can fucking suck.

“I think from time-to-time over the years you could say there has been issues associated with more absentee landlords,” said vice-president of student affairs at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ont., David McMurray, who has worked heavily with students living in the housing developments in the neighbourhoods surrounding the school.

“There are landlords who may not respond — as a good landlord should — to issues associated with your accommodations.”

Many students feel their relationship with their landlord is non-existent.

That is exactly the case for fourth-year Laurier business student Mike Megraw. Megraw is subletting an apartment for the semester and rarely sees his landlord — especially when help is needed.

“I don’t know the landlord as much but I do know he is very delayed in doing activities that should be done frequently,” Megraw said.

“We have a big issue with garbage in the apartments. It took him like a month to take out the garbage that accumulated over a

christina rucchetta/the cord

Take a look at that shit-hole.

long period of time.”

He added that at one point the garbage room in his building was overflowing and the stench was unbearable.

Additionally, a broken semiglass door in his apartment wasn’t fixed for weeks after he notified the landlord.

“It’s a safety concern because you’re getting glass everywhere and if you’re touching the wrong part you can accidently cut your hand,” he said.

In a more extreme case, a recent Laurier graduate who asked to remain anonymous, rented an apartment last year. She believes that her landlord who lived in the side unit of the building was a drug dealer.

“He was a drug dealer... when I moved in there were sketchy things going on,” she explained.

“I was only living there because it was cheap rent and I can’t

He was a drug dealer... when I moved in there were sketchy things going on.

Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate

afford to live in an expensive apartment.”

According to the Laurier graduate, the landlord was unresponsive, reluctant to do repairs, had people come to the building at inconvenient times and told the tenants to not call the cops to the property.

“When we first started off we did have a few issues with the landlords where they wouldn’t do things that we would recommend and they wouldn’t spend the money where it needed to be spent. We have gotten rid of many landlords because of this,” said Ho Tek, part-owner at Domus Student Housing Inc., which manages properties for landlords that do not live in the city.

“We’ve had our own fair share of problems. We just let go of our property manager because we didn’t feel like he was getting to repairs in a timely fashion,” Tek added.

Many issues do arise with landlords if they are “absentee,” meaning they do not live in the area where they rent a house or building. As a result, it is more difficult for them to do repairs or help tenants unless they have additional infrastructure to do so.

“I don’t think it’s a big a deal, but the landlords come all the way from Vancouver to all the way from Australia,” Tek continued, noting that Domus has their own maintenance person to address specific repair issues.

“In that case, it is very important to have someone here. If there’s an issue it can be dealt with right away.”

Megraw wished there were resources at the universities to prepare him for dealing with his landlord.

“It would be nice if there were a lot more readily available resources to help out with certain issues. What can we do in the instance where the landlord is threatening to kick us out?”

SASKATOON

CIVIC ELECTIONS YOUR CITY. YOUR SAY. VOTE! WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2012 This Wednesday, Saskatoon citizens who are eligible to vote will elect a Mayor and City Councillors for the City’s ten wards. Elections for Trustees of the Saskatoon Public School Board’s ten wards, and seven Trustees elected at large for the Saskatoon Catholic School Board will also be held. Find the full list of candidates in your Saskatoon Voters’ Guide and online at www.saskatoon.ca/go/vote.

ELECTION DAY VOTING HOURS ARE 8:00 A.M. TO 8:00 P.M.

SASKATOON VOTERS’ GUIDE The Saskatoon Voters’ Guide was delivered on Sunday, October 7 with the Sunday Phoenix, and includes information on who can vote, where to vote, and when to vote. Ward listings and candidate profiles are also included. The Voters’ Guide is also available online at www.saskatoon.ca/go/vote, and at Public Libraries, Leisure Centres and City Hall.

WHERE TO VOTE Consult the Voters’ Guide, or visit www.saskatoon.ca/go/vote and use the online form to find your Polling Station.

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| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

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SPORTS

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

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Dogs volleyball gears up for new season COLE GUENTER Sports Editor

Huskies hope to fix fifth-set frustrations Last February, in the final weeks of the 2011-12 season, the Huskies men’s volleyball team managed a string of three consecutive wins, their longest streak all season. However, it only pushed their team record to a meager 4-16 on the season, leaving them outside a playoff spot.

Despite the team’s lopsided win-loss record last season, head coach Brian Gavlas believes the record wasn’t an accurate portrayal of how the team played.

“We played in eight five-set matches and won one of the eight. Five of the seven matches we lost were lost in extra points in the fifth set,” Gavlas said.

“It means we’re right there and if we can get over a little bit of a hump with our confidence and understand that we are capable of winning those close sets, the season will go well for us.”

The Huskies have been practicing since returning home from a team trip to Japan at the beginning of September. Fourth-year middle blocker Braden McLean credits the trip for bringing the right kind of chemistry to the team early on.

“The team bonding on the trip was huge.

It was big step in the right direction for us,” McLean said. “Coming back from that trip it feels like we’re much more of a team” The Dogs only graduated one player last year, Geoffrey Zerr. The middle blocker was named a Canada West second team allstar for his performance last season. Coach

Gavlas says it will be hard to replace Zerr’s presence in the middle.

“Losing Geoff is a tough loss for us. He was a very effective middle player,” said Gavlas, who is considering moving the Dogs best spiker, Matthew Busse, who traditionally plays right-side hitter, to the middle position to fill the void left by Zerr.

Gavlas wrangled a few off-season recruits that should make an impact this season as well.

Most notably is Joel Dyck, a transfer player from Briercrest College in Caronport, Sask. Briercrest played as part of the Alberta College Athletic Conference, and during Dyck’s four years on the team he tallied 738 kills and 552 digs playing on the right side for Briercrest.

Matthew Erickson, also a new recruit, played high school volleyball at Saskatoon’s Centennial Collegiate but spent last year competing in B.C.’s PacWest league.

Gavlas is hopeful Erickson will be a core member of the team for years to come.

“Matthew Erickson is providing some depth in the libero position and will probably be our libero of the future,” Gavlas said.

“This group of guys is probably the best group I’ve been with in my four years with the team,” McLean said after a practice just a few weeks before the start of the season. “I think we now know what’s required to win those close games.”

The Huskies men’s volleyball squad will team up with the women’s squad for their season-opening road trip Oct. 26 and 27 to take on the Alberta Golden Bears.

Fresh faces to bring fresh start to women’s squad This year’s Huskies women’s volleyball team needs only one win to improve upon last season’s 0-20 record. The record left the squad with a last place finish in the 2011-12 season.

With the regular season commencing Oct. 26 the team will have their first chance to prove that they are not going to play like the team Huskie fans saw last year.

The team definitely won’t look the same as last year, boasting nine new faces.

Jina Barker played against the Huskies last year as a member of the Winnipeg Wesmen, but transferred to the U of S in the off-season along with other transfers Carmen Dubnick, Tallan Black and Jaylene Koski.

The Huskies will also see five rookies enter the program.

Jennifer Hueser is one of those rookies.

Hueser is the younger sister of fourth-year Huskie Candace Hueser. The siblings were excited about playing on the team together this season, but those feelings of excitement were put on the backburner Aug. 29. The girls were driving through an intersection in Saskatoon when another vehicle drove through the adjacent stop sign and hurled into the side of the Heuser’s car.

Fortunately, both girls sustained non lifethreatening injuries. They were, however, both seriously injured enough that neither will start in the season-opening game against the Alberta Pandas, almost two months after the crash.

Jennifer is still in a neck brace to prevent her from causing further damage to her neck

and back. She expects to get the brace off in a few weeks, but says she will require further rehabilitation to strengthen her neck and back muscles before she comes back on the court.

Sister Candace has recovered from a concussion since the accident and is currently rehabilitating her back muscles.

“It’s definitely hard being on the sidelines but I can’t wait to be out there with them [the team] as soon as I can,” Candace Hueser said. “Over the summer the girls have been training and working out. We’re really dedicated to the program and we will give teams a run for their money.”

Candace is one of only five returning players from last season, and the most senior. Anne Hanbidge, Kayla Tycholiz and Haley Williams are all returning for their second year with the club. Libero and outside hitter Lindsie Scott is returning for her third campaign.

With such a young team, the 2012-13 season might be another struggle for the Huskies women’s squad. They will rely on their returning players to lead by example on the court and hope that the squad can find some kind of rhythm with the new members of the team.

Dog Watch: Braden McLean COLE GUENTER Sports Editor Braden McLean is a volleyball globetrotter. Along with being a dominant force in the middle for the Huskies men’s volleyball team for the last three years, he has been playing for Canada in international tournaments.

“I’ve been all over the place and it’s been pretty cool,” McLean said.

It started in August of 2011, McLean’s first leap across nations to play volleyball.

He helped lead the Canadian Junior men’s team to an 11th place finish at the World Junior Championships in Brazil.

“We were all pretty young and hadn’t travelled much yet,” McLean said. “We had a few farmboys on the team, and for them going out and seeing the ocean for the first time was like bringing kids to a candy store.”

McLean turned 21 this past summer and was no longer eligible to compete as a junior, so he made the transition to the Canadian men’s Senior B team.

The team trains to compete in the Fédération internationale du sport universitaire (FISU), an international tournament for university athletes. The FISU games are played every two years, with the next one scheduled for Kazan, Russia in 2013.

Because there were no FISU games this past summer, McLean and the rest of the Senior B squad travelled to the Dominican Republic to compete in the 2012 Pan Am Cup. The team went toeto-toe with national teams from Argentina, Mexico, Dominican Republic and eventually Brazil, who knocked them out of the quarter finals.

Now entering his fourth year with the Huskies, McLean checked off another country when the Dogs went to Japan for a pre-season training trip at the beginning of September.

“It was so much fun. Learning through the new experiences, the new culture and everything else Japan offered us was immense for the team’s growth.”

McLean, a Birch Hills, Sask. native has no intentions to stop travelling. He says he will try out for the national team again next year in hopes of competing at the Russian FISU games.

McLean is currently studying kinesiology but admits that if he gets the chance to play professional volleyball after university he would jump at the opportunity.

“When I’m done my five years here I’ll try to go pro over in Europe.”

Professional volleyball would allow the six-foot-nine middle blocker to keep playing the sport he loves, but also keep

raisa pezderic/photo editor

him travelling: to play in a professional volleyball league McLean would likely have to move overseas.

“Professional volleyball doesn’t happen here in North America, but in South America,

Europe and Asia it is quite popular and I would love to take advantage of that... and play volleyball as long as I can.”

8

SPORTS

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

Women’s soccer team enters Huskies history BROOKE GARNER

Women’s squad clinches playoff berth The Huskies women’s soccer team has earned a spot in the postseason for the first time in the squad’s history.

In 1999 the team was also in the playoffs, but only made it by default because Saskatoon was the host city of the tournament-style post-season that year.

The team challenged the University of Alberta Pandas and the Mount Royal Cougars Oct. 13 and 14 at Griffiths stadium. Showing heart and grit on the field, the Dogs won both games and sent themselves into the Huskie record books.

The Dogs first win came against Alberta, who entered the game undefeated. The action started in the 14th minute of play when Huskies second-year striker Ali Goodman received a pass from teammate Jenelle Zapski. Goodman fired the ball into the back of the net.

Less than a minute later, though, Alberta countered. Out of the pandemonium of feet fighting for the ball in front of the Huskie goal, it was the Panda’s Carleigh Miller who got her cleat on the ball and slipped

the ball past Saskatchewan keeper Marissa Struik.

The game was tied at halftime and remained that way until the 61st minute. Zapski broke into the Pandas end and shot the ball just over Alberta keeper Kelti Biggs’s outstretched hands.

Zapski’s goal was followed by a goal from teammate Nicholle Morrison 16 minutes later. Biggs ran from the net to collect the ball but Morrison beat her to it, sending the ball past Biggs for the goal.

The game ended 3-1 for the Huskies, leaving Alberta with their first loss of the season.

The following day the Huskies made light work of Mount Royal, downing the Cougars 5-0.

Rookie striker Zapski scored a hat trick in the game.

At only five-foot-two, the Saskatoon product danced around Cougars’ defenders and gave the Dogs a 2-0 lead by the 23rd minute.

Jenna Newton made it three for the Huskies before the end of the half.

In the second half, Zapski notched her third and the team picked up another from Morrison.

Saskatchewan outshot the Cougars 24-5 en route to the shutout victory. Mount Royal’s record

drops to 0-7-3 while Saskatchewan rises to 6-4-0 ensuring the Dogs at least eighth place in the standings regardless of how they do Oct. 20 and 21 when they play their final two regular season games against the Calgary Dinos and the Lethbridge Pronghorns, respectively.

Huskies men shutout by western opponents The Huskies men’s soccer team dropped two games at home to a pair of western foes who sit atop the Pacific Division in the Canada West conference.

On Oct. 13 the Dogs faced the visiting Trinity Western University Spartans on Field 7 at Saskatoon’s PotashCorp Park.

The game was evenly matched through 88 minutes of play, with each squad taking 11 shots on goal but neither team finding a way to beat the goalkeepers.

Trinity Western was given a free kick 20 yards from the Huskies goal with only minutes remaining in the match. Spartan Jarvis Ambaka found the ball in the ensuing scrum and booted it to the top left corner past Huskies keeper Mark Diakiw.

The next day the Huskies lost again, this time to the University

Huskies defender Kasya Naidu chases after the soccer ball.

of British Columbia Thunderbirds, who scored two first-half goals and played solid defense to hold on to the shutout.

UBC’s striker Steve Johnson scored in the seventh minute and midfielder Greg Smith beat the Huskies keeper in the 19th minute to

catapult the Thunderbirds to victory.

UBC’s record improves to 9-0-1 and Saskatchewan’s falls to 5-4-2.

The Dogs are tied for second in the Prairie division with the Calgary Dinos but will try to move ahead of them Oct. 20 and 21 when they travel to Calgary.

U of S softball team claims bronze COLE GUENTER Sports Editor

The University of Saskatchewan ladies softball team earned a bronze medal at the national tournament held in Regina Oct. 6 - 8. It marks the fourth time the U of S team has medaled at the national championships since the team’s inception in 2008.

“This team is the best-kept sports secret in Saskatoon,” the club’s head coach Brian Shalovelo said.

Shalovelo feels that part of the reason his team doesn’t garner as much attention as other U of S sports teams is because his team is ineligible to don the ‘Huskies’ name; a sports tag that Saskatoon locals connect with high level university sport.

Shalovelo has asked for permission from the U of S to use the moniker and been refused. The university’s official nickname is reserved for varsity sports teams — Huskie Athletics holds a copyright on the Huskies name and logo.

Shalovelo’s squad is made up entirely of U of S students, but the team’s jerseys do not display a nickname, only the words “U of S Softball.”

“Only teams that are Canada West and CIS sports [teams] have the Huskie name,” said Nicole Betker, the Huskie Athletics sports information director.

“Softball is deemed a club sport,” added Betker. And clubs do not compete in either Canada West or CIS. The U of S boasts the motto, “We are all Huskies,” but last year the cheerleading team found itself also excluded from using the Huskies name. In June 2011, lawyers from the university’s athletics department sent a letter to the coach of the cheer team informing him that their right to use the name had been revoked. The squad was forced

to return their jerseys and to stop choreographed cheering on the sidelines of home sporting events.

The team still competes at national competitions but is now called the U of S Cheerleading Team.

Despite the university’s policy on the distribution of the Huskies name, the women’s softball team is still proud of their achievement, which highlights the high skill level of women’s softball at the University of Saskatchewan.

“The team really came together at nationals. We played some tough games in the tournament but came through strong in the end,” said Kelsey Wildeman, who plays left field for the team.

The squad played five games in round-robin competition at nationals, going 3-2 to make it to the bronze medal game. In the medal game they faced off against Humber College, a post-secondary team from Toronto.

Humber had given the U of S one of their two round-robin losses earlier in the weekend and it looked like the bronze medal game would have the same outcome. Humber jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the top of the fourth inning.

The Saskatchewan squad batted in the bottom of the fourth, though, and took over the game. The team seemed to suddenly know exactly where Humber’s pitcher was going to throw the ball. The U of S went through their entire batting line up and finished the inning ahead 7-6.

The Saskatchewan ladies didn’t look back after that, adding another three runs in the sixth inning and playing strong in the field to not allow Humber another point.

The U of S squad won the game and medal with a score of 10-6.

Coach Shalovelo will hang the new medal alongside the team’s gold medals won in 2010 and 2008 and silver in 2009.

The U of S ladies softball team’s pitcher Lindsay Hrycuik was named an all-star pitcher at nationals Oct. 6 - 8. cheryl shalovelo

Canada West Standings Football

W-L 1. Calgary 6-0 2. Regina 4-2 3. Saskatchewan 3-3 4. Manitoba 3-3 5. UBC 2-4 6. Alberta 0-6 *Top four teams qualify for playoffs

Men’s Soccer

Prairie Division 1. Alberta 2. Calgary 3. Saskatchewan 4. Mount Royal 5. Lethbridge 6. Winnipeg

W-L-T 7-1-3 5-4-2 5-2-4 4-7-1 3-4-4 0-9-3

Pacific Division 9-0-1 1. UBC 7-1-2 2. TWU 5-3-2 3. Victoria 3-3-4 4. UFV 0-12-0 5. UNBC *Top three teams in each division qualify for playoffs

Men’s Hockey

W-L-OL 1. Calgary 3-1-0 2. Regina 3-1-0 3. Alberta 3-1-0 4. Saskatchewan 3-1-0 5. UBC 2-1-0 6. Manitoba 1-3-0 7. Mount Royal 1-3-0 8. Lethbridge 0-3-1 *Top six teams qualify for playoffs

brett smith

Women’s Soccer

W-L-T 9-1-0 1. TWU 8-1-1 2. Victoria 7-1-2 3. UBC 7-3-0 4. Regina 6-3-1 5. UFV 6-4-0 6. Saskatchewan 5-2-3 7. Alberta 4-6-0 8. Manitoba 3-4-3 9. Calgary 1-8-1 10. Lethbridge 1-8-1 11. Winnipeg 12. Mount Royal 0-7-3 0-9-3 13. UNBC *Top eight teams qualify for playoffs

Women’s Hockey

W-L-OL 1. Alberta 4-0-0 2. Calgary 4-0-0 3. Mount Royal 2-1-1 4. Regina 2-2-0 5. UBC 1-1-2 6. Lethbridge 1-2-1 7. Saskatchewan 1-2-1 8. Manitoba 1-3-0 *Top six teams qualify for playoffs

SPORTS

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

Huskies vs. Bisons

9

1

continued from

Buchanan put the Huskies on the Bisons’ nine yard line after a 31-yard sprint through Manitoba’s defence, then trotted into the end zone on the next play.

Buchanan showed a veteran’s determination in his first CIS start. Altogether, he picked up 144 yards on 13 carries and notched the touchdown that put the 4,575 people in attendance on their feet in celebration of the Huskies win.

The Huskies victory brings both teams to 3-3 records on the season.

Saskatchewan holds the tiebreaker, however, placing the Dogs at third place in the playoff race and pushing Manitoba to fourth with two weeks left in the season.

Manitoba will play the UBC Thunderbirds next week while the Huskies travel to Edmonton to play the winless Alberta Golden Bears.

Alberta has been at the bottom of the league since the Dogs beat

them 32-0 in the first week of the season. The Bears are also coming off a 51-1 home loss at the hands of the Calgary Dinos. Sporting a 0-6 record, the Golden Bears are out of playoff contention and would shock the league if they found a way to beat the Huskies Oct. 20.

Huskies rookie cornerback Travoy Martinez played a big role in the first game between the teams, intercepting Alberta’s quarterback Curtis Dell twice in the match.

Alberta has the league’s worst points for-and-against team statistics as well. The Bears average only 12 points per game while giving up 43 points on average to their opponent’s offence through the first six games of the season.

In comparison, Saskatchewan is averaging 28.8 points of their own and has allowed teams to score

30.7 points against them.

Quarterback Drew Burko could be cleared to play as early as Oct. 18. He has been healing a broken bone in his wrist since Sept. 21.

Burko has started non-contact practice with the team this week but has to use a splint and is still feeling pain when he throws the ball.

Even if Burko gets cleared to play on the 18th, Towriss doesn’t want to risk putting him in with such limited practice time.

Meaning Chase Bradshaw will get the start against Alberta.

“Chase has played the last three weeks for us and has done a nice job,” Towriss said.

Tailback Jeremy Andrew runs up field with a Bisons defender in pursuit.

calvin so

Huskies split wins against Manitoba COLE GUENTER Sports Editor

took a pass from Derek Hulak and beat Bisons veteran netminder Jesse Deckart. Deckart closed up the holes after that, stopping 21 shots in the game.

The Bisons gained a one goal lead midway through the final frame and got the insurance marker with 1:32 left to play when fourth-year forward Ian Duval potted a pass from Macaulay.

The Bisons had another strong start Oct. 13, but the Huskies’ Holfeld stole the show. Holfeld led the team to a 2-1 victory, improving his squad’s regular season record to 3-1 and landing them in a four-way tie for first place in the Canada West.

“Our league is incredibly difficult.

You have to play hard every night to earn a spot at the top,” Huskies head coach Dave Adolph said.

The Dogs return to action Oct. 19 and 20 when they host the Alberta Golden Bears in special weekend match up at Credit Union Centre.

Women score five in first win of the season

The Huskies women’s hockey team also played Manitoba, hosting The number four ranked Huskies the Bisons at Rutherford Rink for men’s hockey team ended their games on back-to-back nights Oct. weekend series with the unranked 12 and 13.

Manitoba Bisons Oct. 12 and 13 in In the first game Manitoba scored an even draw. Each team won one three unanswered goals in the of the two games played at the Max second period to go up 3-1.

Bell Centre arena on the University Huskies assistant captain Danny of Manitoba campus.

Stone tightened the match, scoring The Bisons got the best of a backhanded marker before the Saskatchewan in the first game of end of the second frame. The the weekend, defeating the Huskies Dogs thought they had tied it on a 3-1 en route to Manitoba’s first deflected goal in the third, but the victory of the season. point was disallowed because it Fourth-year forward Blair deflected off a high stick.

Macaulay led the Bisons with two Manitoba won the first game of goals and an assist in the match. the weekend 3-2.

Macaulay also started the scoring in The Huskies found their stride the first period, sniping a wrist shot in the second match, redeeming over the right shoulder of Huskies themselves with three goals in five goalie Ryan Holfeld. shots on Bisons starting netminder The Dogs tied the game at one Leiette Klassen, who was replaced 19 seconds into the second frame. in net by Dée-Ana Marion late in the Sheaf forward Ad2 Risk Factors 2012:The Sheaf 8/24/12 10:09 AM Pagefirst 1 period.

Rookie Jimmy Bubnick

Bisons upset Huskies

Rookie forward Rachel Johnson speeds past Manitoba’s Kyleigh Palmer.

The change in goalies sparked the Bisons to score their second goal of the match 1:05 into the second period on a scramble in front of the net, bringing the score to 3-2.

The Huskies’ Cami Wooster added the Dogs’ fourth goal in the third period while rookie Rachel Johnson scored her first Canadian Interuniversity Sport goal with just over seven minutes left in the game

to cap the 5-2 Huskies victory. It was the Dogs first win of the season.

The Huskies hope to carry the momentum from their final game into Edmonton where the Dogs will put their 1-2-1 regular season record against the undefeated Alberta Pandas on Oct.19 and 20.

Risk Factors ◆

born in North America, Northern Europe

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alcohol misuse

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strong family history of breast cancer

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physical inactivity

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hit puberty before age 12

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tobacco use/exposure

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high levels of radiation exposure

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to second hand smoke

to the chest

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unhealthy weight

use of oral contraceptives

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poor diet

Shanna (Shan) Larsen was only 24 when she lost her life to breast cancer teamshan.ca facebook.com/team.shan.ca

logan mcmanus

10

FEATURE

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

Saskatoon votes: Who’s who in the cast TRAVIS HOMENUK

I love Saskatoon. We may not have the poutine and bagels of Montreal, the oceanic views of the East Coast, or the nightlife of Vancouver, but there’s a lot to be said about our city of bridges.

This is home for me, and no matter where I go in the world, I’ll always come running back to Saskatoon.

Because I love where I live, I care about the ways this fine city is run. Civic politics are important and should not be brushed aside. As Canadian citizens, we are beyond lucky to have the right to vote in civic, provincial and federal elections.

Besides, you can’t bitch about the mayor and city councillors if you don’t take the time to vote for them in the first place.

If you’re having trouble deciding on which mayoral candidate to vote for, here are my thoughts on the matter.

Clay Mazurkewich Honestly, this guy has no chance of becoming mayor. It is difficult to take him seriously. I had the unfortunate experience of reading his pictureless auto-biography in the “Saskatoon Voters’ Guide,” and I was dumbfounded by what I read — or tried to read.

Mazurkewich fails to put together even one coherent sentence in his 100 word bio.

I’ve never seen comma splices so bad in my life. Our society abides by the conventions of a standardized system of grammar for a reason, Clay, and it’s time you learned to write and proofread, especially if you want to be mayor.

That said, this guy’s heart is in the right place.

Mazurkewich responded to my interview request promptly, which is always appreciated.

Perhaps he’s not as flaky as he seems.

Mazurkewich claims to watch news avidly, so he should be up to date on what’s shaking in Saskatoon. As a self-proclaimed blue collar candidate, he “stands for the people of Saskatoon,” and wants to focus on rent decreases, tuition rebates for university students, a plan for a 70th street overpass and infrastructure in the city.

Mazurkewich has also noted that if elected mayor he will donate 25 per cent of his yearly salary to charities in Saskatoon — aww, what a nice guy. Seriously, that would be awesome. It’s too bad he worded it so poorly in his biography.

He took time during our interview to attack the current mayor, saying that Saskatoon has an insular political elite, an idea he wouldn’t comment on further.

Mazurkewich apparently heard about this conspiracy from his financial advisor “who knows a prominent lawyer in Saskatoon.” Yeah.

Give me a break, Clay.

He says Atchison has made empty promises in his “six years as mayor.” Atchison has been mayor since 2003, which is nine years.

Mazurkewich isn’t too impressed with Atchison’s attempt at unifying the city either, stating that Circle Drive should be an octagon rather than a circle.

You shouldn’t vote for this guy, even if his platform has certain redemptive aspects.

Donald Atchison I was surprised that Atchison took the time to call back a university student during a lovely Saturday afternoon. Not only did he call me back, but he also spoke to issues directly related to a university-aged demographic, sharing personal experiences about his children to reinforce his mindset and platform.

Atchison is a good figurehead and leader for Saskatoon. With 18 years of civic experience, he should know what he’s doing by now.

I like the idea of having someone in charge who has taken an interest in civic politics for years. Atchison is a businessman at heart, but he’s a genuine guy who has given much of his time to creating a better city for everyone to enjoy.

Atchison is realistic about his expectations for civic growth and infrastructure. He acknowledges that “everything is a process,” stating that his focus has always been delivering concrete outcomes.

I realize that citizens tend to get pissed off when the timeline for a new bridge or overpass gets thrown out the window, but what do you really expect the mayor to do about it, or city councillors for that matter? Each member of council, including the mayor, only has one vote when it comes to making decisions. There’s no absolute ruler.

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| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

Tom Wolf Apparently Wolfs don’t answer e-mails. I never heard back from Tom Wolf, which was disappointing to say the least. If the octagon-loving Mazurkewich can take time to call me back, I’d expected Wolf to do the same.

Wolf is Atchison’s only real competition, and it will be interesting to see how close the race gets on Oct. 24. However, I am not happy with Wolf’s lack of civic experience. He’s a researcher and policy analyst for Agriculture Canada, a career that doesn’t directly relate to mayoral duties.

There’s not much that strikes me as groundbreaking about Wolf’s platform. He supports the development of the north commuter bridge and emphasizes “thoughtful land use plans, urban agriculture and community gardening, as well as a 10-year-plan to end homelessness.”

Wolf would probably be wise to run for city council before he dives into mayoral drama. However, if you are tired of Atchison and want a new mayor for Saskatoon, I don’t see anything horribly wrong with Wolf.

I do not appreciate that Mazurkewich and Wolf both speak against the current leadership in Saskatoon as a part of their platforms, as I don’t think this accomplishes anything.

Each mayoral platform should be strong enough to stand on its own. Saying that Saskatoon’s “current growth lacks direction” doesn’t bode well for Wolf if he should win the election — ­ that statement not only criticizes the current mayor, but also current

councillors, many of whom will be re-elected and will work with the new mayor.

There are also a few vague promises in Wolf’s platform that carry little significance. For instance, Wolf pledges to “improve snow removal and street sweeping.” Oh really?

Perhaps if Wolf had taken the time to get back to me, I’d have some clarification on the aforementioned issues. As it stands, I have to wonder how he intends to make the changes he’s suggested. I’ll admit he does offer fully fleshed plans for other parts of his platform, but there are certain points which seem arbitrary and unnecessary.

What does he mean when he says one of Saskatoon’s infrastructure needs is “good roads,” for instance? We live in Saskatchewan, with extreme temperatures. Potholes are inevitable. Deal with it. Not even a big, bad Wolf can fix this issue.

That said, I’m sure Wolf would theoretically be a fine mayor for Saskatoon, should you want a change from Atchison.

raisa pezderic/photo editor

When I spoke with Atchison, I was primarily concerned with housing, employment and transit issues.

He emphasized the importance of creating enough jobs for post/ secondary graduates in Saskatoon so students have the choice of continuing to live here after graduating. Indeed, Atchison not only wants to see continued employment growth, but he also emphasizes the importance of “high-paying jobs.”

The recruitment of “national and international corporations into the city’s employment market” may be one way to accomplish this tedious task.

Affordable housing remains an issue in Saskatoon, especially for recent graduates, but Atchison notes that if we can increase the job market, “home ownership will become a reality for young people, encouraging grads to stay in Saskatoon.”

Atchison endorses the U-Pass and says that “university students are the biggest customers for Saskatoon Transit.” Atchison would like “more rapid transit in the city to better serve customers, offering higher frequency times,” but notes that buses are expensive.

Atchison says we need to “believe in what we’re doing, and get it done.”

This guy is committed to Saskatoon, and has been for years. raisa pezderic photo editor

Summary If you like octagons as opposed to circles, vote for Mazurkewich; if you’re craving change and don’t mind someone with no civic experience, Wolf is your guy; if you want an experienced guy who knows what he’s doing, Atchison is your best bet.

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| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

YEARS OF THE SHEAF The Sheaf has been the University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since it published its first issue on November 1, 1912. Today, the Sheaf continues to publish every week and, when this year’s Thursday, November 1st paper hits the stands, it will mark exactly 100 years sine the first-ever Sheaf.

Sheaf Centennial

Celebration Weekend

November 2nd & 3rd

Friday, November 2nd

University of Saskatchewan

Registration Noon - 2:30 p.m. Sheaf Office

Diefenbaker Canada Centre walking tour of campus and reception 2:30 - 6:30 p.m. Diefenbaker Canada Centre

Pints and conversation 8:00 p.m. Winston’s English Pub & Grill Reconnect at a favourite haunt for current and recent Sheaf alumni.

Saturday, November 3rd

Keynote speech

1 - 2 p.m. Neatby - Timlin

Theatre, Arts 241 Sheaf alumnus and Globe and Mail cartoonist Brian Gable will deliver a keynote speech about the history of the Sheaf and his experiences.

Panel discussion

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. Neatby - Timlin Theatre, Arts 241

Sheaf alumni currently working in the industry will talk about the future in journalism and newspapers. What will the Sheaf look like in another 100 years?

Gala dinner 5 p.m. Cocktails 6 p.m. Dinner Entertainment to follow Louis’ Pub, 93 Campus Drive

Semi-formal, cash bar, ticket required.

Centennial Ticket Prices are $100 for Non-students and $60 for Students

Tickets can be purchased online at sheaf100.com or picatic.com/sheaf or by calling the Sheaf office at 306-966-8688

CULTURE

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

13

Stop the McDonald’s run!

Breakfast is the first step to a healthy lifestyle SOPHIE ISBISTER — The Other Press (Douglas College) NEW WESTMINSTER (CUP) — The average student doesn’t need a news article to tell them that life can get hectic — and quickly.

They can just look at their personal schedule to see the slow build of quizzes, assignments and readings that pile up on life, work and family obligations.

When times get stressful, the impulse to reach for convenience food can be strong. Gorging on cheap college staples like Mr. Noodles and Kraft Dinner or filling up on quick options like burgers might seem like the obvious choice, but are you piling your plate with the building blocks your brain needs to function for academic success?

Registered holistic nutritionist Kate Orlando gives students the skinny on turning your brain into a lean, mean, course-killing machine.

If you think of your brain as a machine, Orlando says you can think about complex carbohydrates as the fuel that keeps it running.

She recommends whole grains, beans and lentils, which are slowly absorbed by your body and provide your brain with constant nourishment — as opposed to simple carbohydrates, which just give you intermittent bursts of fuel.

Starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams and carrots are great examples of complex carbs: think carrot sticks for an easy snack at school.

Healthy fats are key to keeping your brain limber and well-oiled.

These fats include omega-3s, omega-6s and phospholipids, which are all important for memory building.

Omega 3’s and 6’s can be found in flax seeds, hemp seeds, walnuts and fish. Phospholipids are found in good sources of cholesterol like eggs which are an excellent food option for students. Plus they’re easy to hard-boil in advance and eat on your way out the door, or throw into a salad for lunch.

Eggs are also a good source of protein, which leads me to amino acids, the building blocks of protein. Orlando calls aminos “brain messengers,” and says that

Quick and healthy choices will make you feel better and more alert than the fast-food options on campus.

broccoli, tofu and nuts.

Intelligent nutrients like these “are the minerals and vitamins that sort of fine-tune your brain,” said Orlando.

She explained that a diet rich in whole grains can get you most of the B-complex vitamins that you need. A plate full of dark, leafy greens (kale, chard or spinach lightly steamed) can give you the calcium and magnesium that your brain craves.

Your body fasts while you sleep at night, which means it’s digesting and detoxifying the food you’ve eaten all day. they improve brain communication and function. Protein-rich foods like fish, lean meats and poultry are solid options, but if you don’t eat meat or eggs, don’t worry!

Orlando has advice for you too.

“Combining grains and legumes, like eating rice with beans or chickpeas with wheat berries, is a great way to make a complete protein for people who are vegan or vegetarian.”

Other protein-rich foods from non-animal sources include peas,

Don’t just reach for the milk to get your calcium: Orlando cautions that while milk isn’t the worst thing to drink, milk contains only calcium and is missing other vital nutrients.

“It’s better to get calcium and magnesium together from a cleaner source like leafy greens,” says Orlando, adding that if you’ve chosen an animal-free diet, “it might be a good idea to use supplements to get these intelligent nutrients, especially vitamin B12

and zinc, [which are] both mostly from animal sources.”

By now you’re probably thinking, “How is this supposed to make my life easier? Didn’t you already say my life was stressful, and now you’re putting this new task of eating brain food on my plate?”

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by nutrition, but having been a

micagoto/flickr

college student herself, Orlando stresses the importance of taking baby steps and states that any improvement, great or small, is still significant to our bodies.

Keeping it simple is crucial to success, which is why it’s a good idea to focus on only a couple of areas where you can make changes. The best suggestion that Orlando can give to students is to

eat breakfast.

Your body fasts while you sleep at night, which means it’s digesting and detoxifying the food you’ve eaten all day.

“If you skip breakfast, you’re starting with your energy levels at zero and depleting [them] further — you’re essentially running on empty.”

Breaking your fast with something nourishing like oatmeal (sweetened with cinnamon or fruit), whole-grain bread with almond butter, or a hard-boiled egg (skip the toast if you’re going the eggs route) is the absolute best thing you can do for your mental wellness.

Orlando also warns against dehydration and strongly encourages everyone to drink a full glass of water upon waking up, and then six to eight glasses throughout the day.

“Dehydration causes fatigue, headaches, brain fog, muscle soreness and it can affect sleep — all of these things make it harder for your brain to do its job,” Orlando says.

She notes that the main reason her clients don’t get enough water is that they have a hard time remembering to drink it. She suggests putting a full glass of water by your bed or desk, and constantly carrying around a metal or glass water bottle.

Ultimately, eating for your brain isn’t going to work if you spend your whole day pulling your hair out with worry over the process.

Orlando stresses the importance of keeping it simple.

“If you go from eating breakfast zero days a week to eating breakfast one day a week, that’s an improvement.”

So break out the black beans, sprinkle some blueberries onto a salad, or enjoy a raw egg in a smoothie. Try something different and your brain (and GPA) might just thank you for it.

14

CULTURE

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

Baby, it’s cold outside — let’s play dress up!

Kelsey Meidl, Kendra Bast and Amy Mann.

JENNA MANN Culture Editor The last few warm days of fall are passing quickly, and long-past are days of shorts, sandals and slinky sundresses. It’s time to layer up.

Despite urges to bury ourselves in baggy sweats and oversized toques, or to wear fleece pajamas to class, there are actually ways to stay classy and warm through the winter.

Even if we forget how to drive every winter, let’s not forget how to dress ourselves.

On the coldest days adding an extra layer does wonders. Long johns, tights, camisoles and slips are your best friends. Tights can be worn under your jeans or layered with leg warmers for skirts and are warmer than nylons when worn with a dress.

Winners sells bundles of tights at around $18 for a pack of three.

Funky patterns and darker colors are in this winter. Tights are a much better buy than nylons, which only cost about $10 but often develop runs after their first

wear or two.

But if nylons are a bit more your style a helpful hint for dealing with runs is using clear nail polish on the damaged spot which will stop runs in their tracks. For both nylons and tights, always check the size guide at the back of the package to make sure you’re buying the right fit.

As far as jeans go, I don’t want to tell you what to wear — but I’m going to.

For women, straight, bootleg and skinny fit are flattering on most body types. Stay away from flared jeans as they make hips and thigh areas look larger and cause most body types to appear stocky.

For men a pair of fitted jeans that aren’t overly baggy, stylized or tight that fit straight through the leg without falling too low on the hip is always a great choice.

Darker washes are better for the winter season.

Patterned and colored jeans are currently trendy for women but can be hard to match to an outfit.

If you have a patterned jean, stick to a plain top, jacket, and pair of shoes.

Recipe: hot chocolate

JENNA MANN Culture Editor

One of the best ways to welcome the cold weather is with a hot beverage. Hot chocolate can be much more than a cup of cocoa, sugar and milk. There are endless ways to elaborate on the classic cup.

You can make hot chocolate simply by adding a few spoonfuls or squirts of Nesquik into a glass of cold milk and zapping it for 1:35, but here at the Sheaf we like to think of ourselves as capable of taking these simple recipes to the next level of deliciousness.

First, start with a standard cup of hot chocolate.

Ingredients: • 2 tbsp. sugar • 1 tbsp. cocoa • Dash of salt • 1 cup milk, water, or milk substitute • 1 tsp. vanilla or flavor of your choice.

6. Lactose-free almond milk or vanilla milk substitutes add extra flavour and are stomach friendly.

You can substitute regular milk with vanilla, chocolate, strawberry or banana options.

sebastian mary/flickr

Instructions: 1. Mix sugar, cocoa and salt in a mug. Add about a third of the milk with the mixture and heat in a microwave or stovetop.

2. Now, add some flavour! (In this example we’ll use vanilla. More flavour options are listed below.)

3. Add a teaspoon of vanilla and stir until the mixture is thoroughly blended.

4. Once blended, add and heat the rest of the liquid.

Remove from microwave and stir gently.

5. Let it cool before drinking!

are always popular but riding boots with a few nice details for women and combat boots on men and women are fashionable this year.

Look for a shoe that will keep you warm and have good traction on the icy streets. Black is always a good color choice but there have been a lot of nice reds, olives, and rust coloured shoes on shelves lately.

Over the past few years we’ve seen a lot of what I like to call “ski lodge chic” winter clothing — baggy knit or wool sweaters with alpine scenes or animals patterns.

These sweaters are cute but clunky to wear under a fitted winter jacket. Long, heavy or baggy sweaters will go better with the longer, looser style of jackets that are currently very popular.

A goose-down jacket is a good buy for warmth. On the other hand, waist-length pea coats are a classic choice if you’re looking to get dressed up and will go with nearly any colour-matched shoe choice.

Leather jackets should be avoided unless it’s a relatively warm night. Leather doesn’t hold much warmth and will cool down

Avoid jeans like those they sell at True Religion with chunky white stitching, excessive fading and wear and tear. Over-stylized jeans are tacky and belong in the same category as Ed Hardy t-shirts, gold chains and excessive cologne usage.

For winter it’s best to stick with darker and deeper shades of colours like green, purple and blue but if you’re going with a warmer color scheme most shades are fine, just make sure to put your pastels in the back of the closet until spring.

One reason boot-cut, skinny or straight-leg jeans on women are great for winter is they go well with boots. A good pair of leather boots match well with jeans and will help keep the snow out. Check out Traxx on Eighth Street, Town Shoes in Midtown Plaza or one of the many quality shoe stores on 22nd Street West.

Get your shoes treated before wearing them out on the salty streets. As long as they’re treated, a good pair of boots can realistically last you three years.

Calf-length boots with a kitten heel

Flavours to perfect your hot chocolate: • cayenne pepper • chili powder • vanilla extract • almond flakes • marshmallows • chocolate flakes • nutmeg • peppermint extract (one or two drops) • cinnamon • flavoured sugar • ginger • flavoured ice cream • finely chopped fruit • peanut or hazelnut shavings • whipped cream (plain or flavoured) • coffee • candy cane pieces • flavoured alcohol like Baileys, creme de menthe or creme de cacao

jenna mann/culture editor

Breton Turanich and Spencer Chilliak.

quickly. Moto-style leather jackets or thinner cloth jackets look great paired over a fitted hoodie. Leave ski and snowboard attire for the mountains: it is comfortable and warm but mostly unflattering and gaudy.

A good toque, scarf and mitten set is a great find. You can now buy touchscreen gloves with special finger pads that allow you to use your smartphone while keeping your fingers warm — or you can be a little more retro punk with convertible mittens. I’ve seen both these gloves at Lululemon and on Karmaloop.com.

Accessories are important. Gold will go well with warm colors, silver with cooler shades. There have been a lot of punk-inspired jewelry choices floating around Saskatoon at the moment as many people are wearing skulls, crossbones and spikes. But if that’s not your style, Etsy.com sells awesome homemade jewelry and you can literally find anything you’re looking for — and if not you’ll find someone willing to make it for you!

Fairness in government services.

You expect it.

We protect it.

Promoting and protecting the fairness of provincial government services, such as health services, is what we do. If you have a concern about services you’ve received:

Step 1

Talk with your service providers, including your health region's Quality of Care Coordinator or Client Representative Office.

Step 2

If you are still concerned, talk to us.

Promoting Fairness

1-800-667-9787 ombudsman.sk.ca

CULTURE

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

15

Argo: Canadians taking in American hostages and only a single “Eh” was spoken

Affleck and Cranston discuss an operation to remove American diplomats from Iran.

BECKY ZIMMER

Ben Affleck’s new film Argo, based on true events, tells the story of a CIA mission to rescue six American diplomats hiding out at the Canadian Ambassador’s house during the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the take-over of the American embassy in Iran.

The plan to rescue the diplomats, concocted by Tony Mendez (Affleck), a CIA agent specializing in fake identities, involves a fake Canadian film and smuggling the diplomats out as the film’s crew.

With the help of John Chambers (John Goodman), a Hollywood make-up artist, and Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), a Hollywood bigwig, he creates a fake production company and a fake script titled Argo.

Affleck’s dramatic approach does surprisingly well considering his previous films like Dogma, Mall Rats and Daredevil, which were less-than-serious compared to his more recent films Argo and The Town. Just like his character, Affleck’s direction focuses on telling a story and forgoes good guy/bad guy labels.

The storming of the embassy in the opening scene provides background for the Iranian side of

supplied

Affleck’s dramatic approach does surprisingly well considering his previous films like Dogma, Mall Rats and Daredevil.

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Sunday

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housing staff and self.

Affleck does not snub this Canadian connection that was so powerful during the events of the film, nor does he present stereotypes of Canadians. The Canadians in the film take responsibility for the hostage removal operation to protect the American hostages still in the embassy.

If you ignore the increased film quality, the cars, clothes and hair styles make you feel like you are watching a film made in 1979. You can feel authentic tension between the six American diplomats, the Canadian ambassador, his wife and the hostages at the embassy. Every facial expression and every bit of body language shows the fear that was present during this turbulent time.

Whether a knock on the door or a strange look from security personal, little moments in the film are shot so well that you’re always left wondering if this is it for the diplomats. Argo solidifies Affleck’s assent into serious film making.

supplied

A tense moment between Affleck’s character Tony Mendez and an officer in Iran.

Upcoming Events Tonight it’s Poetry at Lydia’s 8 p.m.

the conflict. The Iranian protesters’ takeover of the American embassy was because of the Americans’ refusal to extradite Mohammad Reza Pahlavi back to Iran after his violent and abusive reign as Shah of Iran.

The film focuses on six people stuck in a tense political situation and a man who has a plan to get them out. The terror of the remaining hostages is present in news clips and short scenes depicting their living conditions and the psychological turmoil they went through in 444 days of captivity.

The events in Argo are not just old news. The modern revolutions in Eygpt and Syria mirror the fight for freedom that is still not realized in the Arab Spring.

Dictatorships where powerful men abuse their power because of this the events portrayed in this movie are relevant to today’s worldwide political strife.

The Canadian ambassador, Ken Taylor is played by Canadian actor Victor Garber in true Canuck spirit. The ambassador Taylor takes in the American diplomats, risking the lives of his wife,

Monday

Metal Monday at Lydia’s 9 p.m.

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Tuesday

Open Stage at Lydia’s 8 p.m.

Dollar Draft at Louis’ 7 p.m.

Karaoke Deathstar at the Fez 10 p.m.

24

Wednesday

18

Thursday

19

Friday

20

Classics for Skeptics -- A Halloween Spooktacular at TCU Place 7:30 p.m.

Royal Wood at the Broadway Theatre 6:30 p.m.

Roots Series: The Gords at the Bassment 9 p.m.

RCA Band Jazz Task Force with Dave Morgan at the Bassment 9 p.m.

Jacqueline Woods and Denise Fillion at the Bassment 8 p.m.

Crooked Creek with Little Criminals and Oldman Luedecke at Lydia’s 8:30 p.m.

Catherine Maclellan at Lydia’s 7:30 p.m.

Ladyhawk at Amigos 9:30 p.m.

Rockfest at the Odeon featuring Disposable Heroes and Mr. Brownstone at 8 p.m.

Souled Out at Lydia’s 9 p.m.

Open Mic at the Fez 10 p.m.

The Light in the Piazza opens at Persephone Theatre 8 p.m.

Ashley Maclsaac at Broadway Theatre 6:30 p.m.

Saturday

Slaughter House at Odeon Events Centre 8 p.m.

Trivia Night at Louis’ 9 p.m.

for the week of October 18 - 24

16

OPINIONS

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

Please shut the fuck up about how much you hate Mitt Romney ISHMAEL N. DARO U.S. presidential elections seem to get longer every cycle. A president is hardly moved into the White House now before one or both major political parties start looking for their next candidates.

The 2012 vote now seems like a tired TV show late in its run. We know all the characters and we pretty much know the script, but somehow new episodes still come out week after week. CNN has to fill 24 hours of airtime every day, after all.

To be fair, American elections can be entertaining, even thrilling.

As Canadians, we get to enjoy all the fun of the presidential campaign without being directly affected by the result.

Because of this ringside seating, earlier this year we had an entire week when the biggest political issue in the most powerful country on earth was that Mitt Romney strapped his dog to the roof of his car on road trips and that Barack Obama had once eaten dog meat — and Americans tried to decide which of these two offences

constituted the greater act of animal cruelty.

Americans seem to think these quadrennial political events constitute a kind of democracy and that they truly have a say in what happens to their country. In truth, only a handful of swing states like Ohio can actually alter the outcome of a national election, so voters who live in Texas or New York may as well stay home.

Besides, the supposed choice offered voters is non-existent in most ways. Both major parties have become more conservative over the last few decades and today only offer voters a centreright and a far-right option. (There are of course other candidates out there, ones who are far more representative of the American mainstream than Obama or Romney, but good luck catching a glimpse of them on TV.) Nevertheless, each election becomes another all-or-nothing, life-and-death struggle for the very soul of the nation. There’s a great villain and a brave hero, and the campaign is a choice between ruin and salvation. And because

everything in America has to be taken to the point of absurdity, you can now show the world whose side you’re on by getting your 7-Eleven coffee in either a Romney or an Obama cup. (The plain variety are known as nonpartisan cups.)

But what concerns me isn’t Americans’ attitudes about their election, but ours. Canadians get a ringside view of the whole messy affair every four years and, unfortunately, many of us absorb the same good-versus-evil mentality that Americans have accepted. And because Canadians are generally more left-leaning than Americans, that means a lot of people have become mindless Obama zombies who think Mitt Romney will destroy the planet if given the chance.

A lot of people, myself included, were swept up in the historic 2008 election and were heavily invested in Obama’s victory. As it turns out, he’s just another shitty politician who has done some decent things and a lot of awful things in office.

Romney might be slightly less or slightly more shitty than Obama,

but the shit quotient will remain relatively stable.

Yet I’ve been privy to a lot of heated discussion lately about how stupid and evil Romney is and how Obama is so clearly the better choice and if only those dumb Americans would realize it already, like, c’mon, he totally went on Jimmy Fallon once and slowjammed the news while Romney was all, like, dining on the bones of poor people, and can you even believe how much Romney just lies all the time? Ugh!!!

What bothers me most about the Obama cheerleading isn’t just that the American presidential election won’t directly affect us in Canada; it’s the amount of wishful thinking and excuse-making that goes on to defend Obama (the leader of another country), while the same leniency would never be afforded another politician.

Guantanamo Bay still open?

That’s because evil Republicans blocked its closure.

The health care law being nothing like the universal health care Democrats have wanted for the last 40 years? Well, it’s better

than nothing.

Not doing anything to clean up the abuses of Wall Street, even after bankers nearly destroyed the global economy? Just give him four more years.

Killing hundreds of innocent people around the world in secret drone strikes? Yeah, but at least it’s not George Bush!

Meanwhile, anything Romney says or does is put down to his innate stupidity or cruelty, because Republicans.

To all my politically-engaged colleagues at university: bashing Romney is neither funny nor original, and just because you watch The Daily Show doesn’t mean you’re any more informed than the average American.

We all know that a lot of Republicans believe in some weird shit, but the other guys aren’t that much better when they actually run things. If the Democrats existed in Canada, they would be to the right of Stephen Harper on most issues, and I don’t see Harper enjoying the 65 per cent approval that Canadians afford Obama. Just give it a break already.

samantha braun/graphics editor

The Saskatchewan branch of the Canadian Federation of Students recently revamped its cheque-signing procedure, but that isn’t enough to convince me that the University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union should rethink its position on membership in the national student lobbying group.

CFS simply gets into too much shit to be taken seriously.

On Sept. 27, the University of Regina student newspaper, the Carillon, published an interview with former U of R Students’ Union President Haanim Nur. Nur stepped down as president in June of this year after the URSU board of directors found out she had forged two CFS-SK cheques totaling $700. She also attempted to cash another $300 forged cheque during her time as the CFS provincial representative.

CFS-SK national executive representative Kent Peterson says he cancelled the third cheque after the bank informed him in February of the suspect money made out to Nur. Following the Sept. Carillon article, Peterson issued a statement on behalf of CFS-SK. In it he said he froze the account and removed Nur as a signing officer before completely closing the account and transferring the money to the CFS national organization.

Peterson told the Sheaf that the CFS never made the issue public because Nur never gave an admission of guilt until she talked to the Carillon. He has since filed a complaint with the Regina police regarding the cheques.

Peterson informed the Sheaf via email that, prior to the account being frozen, cheques only had to go through “two provincial signing authorities,” himself and Nur. Now, the money is held in a national account.

“The new procedures are much more vigorous,” Peterson wrote.

“To make a payment, proper receipts and invoices will be sent to the national treasurer, and a cheque will then be issued and signed by two national signing authorities and sent to the appropriate vendor.”

Prior to the incident involving Nur, CFS-SK had its own bank account separate from the national organization. According to CFS’s national chairperson, Adam Awad, the Saskatchewan chapter should not have had its own bank account in the first place, because it is not a separate body from the CFS. While I’m glad that these new procedures ensure a stronger system of checks and balances for the CFS, the national body never foresaw a problem with an account run by two students with no national oversight — which is obviously worrisome.

Awad said the account was started by the URSU on behalf of the federation’s Saskatchewan chapter a few years ago, though he couldn’t give an exact date.

Now, ironically, the

URSU has filed an audit request with CFS-SK. The entire situation illustrates why the CFS is not worth the USSU’s time and money — even if that money is a relatively small amount, at about $5.60 a year for full-time students.

Since 2009, the CFS has been involved in at least four membership disputes, each of which involved the CFS denying members’ requests to leave the organization.

According to the University of British Columbia student newspaper, the Ubyssey, the CFS requested over $100,000 from three separate student unions as they attempted to leave the organization.

“On one occasion, they told the Concordia Student Union that they owed over $1 million, and when asked to explain, produced a signed agreement with the CSU’s past president that said the student union should be responsible,” the Ubyssey wrote.

The USSU, which was a founding member of the CFS in 1981 but left in 1993, went through its own legal battle with CFS in 2005 after former USSU president Robin Mowat challenged the results of a referendum to rejoin the CFS. Students had voted to rejoin the CFS, but according to Mowat, the results were skewed because the referendum did not follow USSU or CFS bylaws.

For instance, the referendum question was not verified two weeks in advance of the ballot and the question did not notify students that their fees would increase with membership into the CFS. Mowat won the case and the judge ruled the referendum invalid.

At the time of the ballot the USSU was nearing the end of a

samantha braun/graphics editor

one-year trial membership with the federation. The CFS insists that because no referendum was technically held, the USSU is still a prospective member of the CFS. The USSU argues, however, that they separated entirely from the organization when their trial ran out and that they, in fact, were never actual members.

“I think we’ve spent over $60,000 on lawsuits to not be a part of it,” USSU president Jared Brown said. “They say that they represent [students] yet you see them spending a lot of that money on lawsuits from students’ unions trying to get out of the CFS.” Brown also says the services the USSU provides are far superior than those of the CFS, citing bus passes and health care in particular.

“The services that they provide are substandard to the services that we currently have,” Brown said.

CFS-SK is too small and requires too much supervision from the national body to be more effective for U of S students than the USSU. Aside from representatives from each of the provincial chapter’s three members, which are the URSU, the First Nations University of Canada Students Association and the U of S Graduate Students’ Association (there are four members if you count the USSU), the Saskatchewan arm only consists of a chairperson and a national representative, both of whom are students working on one-year terms.

There are no full-time staff members working out of the Saskatchewan office to keep the likely inexperienced workers in check — and as Nur showed, sometimes when students are handling thousands of dollars, they need supervision.

The USSU, by contrast, has several full-time staff members as well as a student executive. The CFS business model is simply inferior.

The senior managers at the USSU, unlike the staff at the CFS national offices, are in the same offices as their student executives every day. They can keep a close eye on spending and can keep the executive, which changes nearly every year, up-to-date on what was effective and ineffective in years past.

They provide continuity.

I’m not saying that the USSU is perfect, of course, and I’m not saying that there is no communication between the CFS’s national office and its provincial component, but it does appear that, especially based on the most recent controversy regarding forged cheques, CFSSK is stranded.

The Saskatchewan chapter simply does not have the numbers (both in terms of staff and members) or the structure to significantly benefit U of S undergraduates. I don’t see any point in the USSU reconsidering its position that it is not part of the CFS.

go abroad

Can we take CFS seriously?

KEVIN MENZ Editor-in-Chief

17

OPINIONS

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

Looking for a life altering experience?

Study Abroad!

No matter your major, you have the opportunity to thrive in a culture different than your own while taking classes to fulfill your degree requirements.

To find out more, attend a Study Abroad information session (no registration required)

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NOV

Arts 214

Murray 299 1–2:30 p.m.

4–5:30 p.m.

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4:30–6 p.m.

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1

Arts 146

students.usask.ca/goabroad

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Sutherland

974-3900

18

HUMOUR

| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |

smbc-comics.com

xkcd.com

FAKE NEWS OF THE WEEK

Reptoid candidates offer stark policy contrasts In the second of three presidential debates this year, American President and reptoid Barack Obama and his Republican reptoid challenger Mitt Romney faced off on national television Tuesday night.

The live event saw both alien lizards shed their human shells and face the nation in their natural forms in order to “be honest with the American people,” which has been a hallmark of the 2012 election cycle. Reactions were mixed as the 12-foot-tall lizards took the stage. One audience member narrowly avoided being sideswiped by Obama’s tail as the president vigorously disagreed with Romney’s assertion that the United States is headed for

economic disaster.

Romney and Obama present American voters a choice between two distinctly different plans for America for the first time in decades. While Obama favours a rededication of public funds to the social welfare net, amnesty for illegal immigrants and looking at decriminalizing marijuana, Romney has campaigned on a renewed focus on cutting the national debt, reducing unemployment and strengthening the military.

Voters have found the campaign refreshing in comparison to recent elections that were often decried for their lack of substance.

Indeed, one of the only issues on which the two candidates do not differ substantially is the enslavement of humanity. While the candidates’ positions on the matter have not received much media coverage, they are nearly identical.

“It is so great to hear the two men who might run the country present legitimately different views,” said John Templeton. “Usually candidates claim to have different policies but end up debating such a narrow set of ideas that it’s practically irrelevant which one wins.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he added sheepishly, “alien lizards.

I’m still getting used to that part I guess.”

CAMPUS CHAT

| thesheaf.com | 18 October, 2012 |

19

What would you do if you were in charge of the Sheaf?

I don’t know enough about the Sheaf to do anything with it.

Adam Fedrau

Include more global current events.

Ahmed Soomro

Blow it up.

More fashion and gossip.

Chris Molnar

Shalom Ogoh

House Music Tricks and Treats Special Halloween WANP Upstairs at Diva’s

Saturday Oct 27th

220 3rd Ave S (alley entrance), Saskatoon - Phone 665-0100 www.divasclub.ca

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| 18 October, 2012 | thesheaf.com |