The Sheaf - January 30th, 2014

Sex Week is Feb. 3-7 at the U of S — do you talk about it?

OPINIONS 13

THE sheaf

30 January, 2014 • The University of Saskatchewan student newspaper since 1912

Students lead workshops in cultural awareness and understanding.

NEWS 2

The women’s volleyball team hopes to end their season in winning fashion.

SPORTS 5

We The Artists celebrates fine arts at the U of S. CULTURE 10

Slopestyle snowboarding comes to the Olympics

Making its debut in the Olympic Games in Sochi, snowboard slopestyle incorporates both rails and jumps into one competition.

SCOTT DAVIDSON Associate News Editor A new snowboarding event called slopestyle is being added to the Olympics and will debut at the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

In slopestyle snowboarding, athletes perform tricks on a course made up of a variety of obstacles. Athletes are judged on the difficulty, style and variety of the tricks in their run.

Slopestyle courses are typically divided into two sections: rails and jumps. In the rails section, athletes perform skateboardinspired tricks on narrow metal pipes.

Following the rails section is a series of jumps where athletes perform aerial maneuvers such as flips and spins.

Snowboarding joined the Olympics in 1998 with halfpipe and slalom events.

Snowboard cross was added to the games in 2006. Slopestyle is the fourth snowboarding event to be added to the Olympics.

Despite the addition of these events to the games, the Olympics have been criticized by snowboarders who believe the Games do not offer a true representation of their sport.

Halfpipe, slalom and snowboard cross are disciplines only practiced by a minority of snowboarders. By contrast, slopestyle is seen by many as more representative of what most snowboarders do.

Yet the new event has not been without its critics. Veteran NBC sportscaster Bob Costas compared slopestyle to the MTV

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show Jackass, in which amateur stuntmen performed a variety of dangerous tasks.

Olympic athletes were quick to deride Costa’s comments.

“We just got into the Olympics and already we have guys who know nothing about the history of our sport telling us we’re a bunch of jackasses? That’s pretty demeaning.” said Sage Kotsenburg, a United States slopestyle team member in an interview with ESPN.com.

Slopestyle • continued on 7

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NEWS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Prof. unearths key to reclaiming Alberta’s oil sands

THE sheaf Editor-in-Chief: HenryTye Glazebrook, editor@thesheaf.com Production Manager: Samantha Braun, layout@thesheaf.com Senior News Editor: Anna-Lilja Dawson, news@thesheaf.com Associate News Editor: Scott Davidson, associatenews@thesheaf.com Photography Editor: Jordan Dumba, photo@thesheaf.com Graphics Editor: Cody Schumacher, graphics@thesheaf.com Culture Editor: arts@thesheaf.com Sports Editor: Kim Hartwig, sports@thesheaf.com

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The Sheaf is non-profit, incorporated and studentbody funded by way of a direct levy paid by all partand full-time undergraduate students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S). Membership in the Society is open to undergraduate students at the U of S, but all members of the U of S community are encouraged to contribute to the newspaper. Opinions expressed in the Sheaf do not necessarily reflect those of the Sheaf Publishing Society Inc. The Sheaf reserves the right to refuse to accept or print any material deemed unfit for publication, as determined by the Editor-in-Chief. The Sheaf is published weekly during the academic year and monthly from May through August. The Editor-inChief has the right to veto any submission deemed unfit for the Society newspaper. In determining this, he/she will decide if the article or artwork would be of interest to a significant portion of the Society and benefit the welfare of Sheaf readers. The Sheaf will not publish any racist, sexist, homophobic, or libelous material.

Corrections • There were no corrections brought to our attention this week. If you spot any errors in this edition of the Sheaf, please forward them to copy@thesheaf.com.

SCOTT DAVIDSON Associate News Editor

A University of Saskatchewan professor is researching a process which could change the way strip mining sites in Alberta’s oil sands are reclaimed.

Susan Kaminskyj, a professor in the Department of Biology, has found a fungus that allows plants to grow in the toxic soil petroleum strip mining leaves behind.

Most bitumen — a semi-solid form of petroleum found in Alberta’s oil sands — is accessible only through strip mining. Once all the bitumen is extracted from a site, the mines are filled and oil sands companies haul in new soil and new plant life to reclaim the site.

However, a small amount of toxic bitumen remains in the soil, poisoning the area and preventing the return of native plant life for years. The remaining sites are referred to as tailings sands.

“The processes the oil sands companies go through are complicated, they take a lot of time, they’re very expensive and they sometimes have to be done multiple times before everything takes,” Kaminskyj said.

“Our technology allows us to plant directly on the tailing sands and hopefully allow us to do everything in one pass.”

The particular isolate of the fungus Kaminskyj is testing, trichoderma harzianum, seems to be able to metabolize the toxic hydrocarbons found in tailings sands. By neutralizing the toxic elements of the soil, the fungus allows healthy plants to grow without fertilizer and return the area to its natural state.

The fungus can be applied to a wide range of plants. T. harzianum is an endophytic fungus, meaning it is grown within plants and has no detrimental effects.

In lab trials, Kaminskyj and her team dipped tailings sands plants in bleach to sterilize them and then grew t. harzianum on the plants. The fungus was successful in allowing tomatoes, wheat and a variety of grasses to grow in

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Tailings sands north of Fort McMurray, Alta. required 65,000 truckloads of dirt to be covered. bitumen contaminated soil.

Kaminskyj started researching the fungus when she examined the “pioneer plants” that were found growing on tailings sands before anything else. She consistently found t. harzianum in the plants and began to search for a connection.

“These [plants] aren’t well looked on because they’re just weeds, but weeds are important because they’re pioneers and they’ve figured out how to grow on stressful sites,” Kaminskyj said.

The use of t. harzianum is not a complete land reclamation system in itself, but Kaminskyj said it could be used to improve existing methods.

“We don’t want to take over reclamation, we just want to improve it,” she said.

Kaminskyj has approached several oil field companies, including Suncor, Syncrude and Albian Sands with the technology, but none have shown interest.

“They say their engineering solutions work perfectly well. They say, ‘Why would we trust your science when our engineering works?’”

Kaminskyj said.

To prove the viability of her idea, Kaminskyj is working on finding sites for field testing.

Though t. harzianum has been successful in lab tests, Kaminskyj and her team have not been able to do any field testing because no oil sands companies have granted them access to their tailings sands sites.

Kaminskyj said she is currently working with an American company to test the

process on areas contaminated by previous industrial use.

One of the biggest problems with existing tailings sands reclamation methods is that they take a long time. Furthermore, they sometimes need to be worked on multiple times before plant life begins to grow.

Because of the slow pace of land reclamation, tailings sands are being created faster than they are being reclaimed. There are currently 715 square kilometres of tailings sands. Only 1.04 square kilometres have been certified as reclaimed.

“Part of the problem is that our species is very energy hungry and needs to become more modern,” Kaminskyj said.

Kaminskyj acknowledged that the oil sands are an important resource for both Canada and the world, but efforts to counter their detrimental effects need to be increased.

“I think that we should focus our efforts more on conservation and conserve our resources for a future date,” she said.

A colleague who was researching biology in stressful environments spurred Kaminskyj’s interest in oil sands reclamation. She said she originally wanted to work in the high arctic, but was directed to northern Alberta’s oil sands as a more accessible stressful environment that has greater relevance to the U of S community.

Kaminskyj has been researching tailings sands reclamation since 2006. She hopes to have several academic papers, mostly written by her students, published in 2014.

Building Bridges to cultural acceptance TAYLOR BOROWETZ

Vacations away

UPCOMING EVENTS

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Travel Presentation Journey Through China & Tibet Monday, February 3, 7:00 pm

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Dr. Felix Veloso

Question & Answer Dementia Prevention Naturally Friday, February 7, 1:00 pm

Connecting students from all walks of life, two University of Saskatchewan students have planned a seven-week long cultural awareness campaign titled Building Bridges.

Building Bridges is a series of workshops that offer an open environment to learn about other Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures through various sessions and discussions.

At the head of this project are Davida Bentham and Jannelle Pewapsconias — two students devoted to cultural acceptance.

They have researched similar programs and designed their own workshops to present as part of Building Bridges.

Titled “Understanding Indigenous Canada,” the next session will take place on Feb. 3 in the Aboriginal Students’ Centre.

Bentham said this particular workshop is specific to the diverse range of Aboriginal Peoples in Canada and provides context for both Canadian and international students. Led

by Dion Tootoosis, a previous cultural liaison at the ASC, this presentation will include information about Canadian Indigenous cultures, historic systems and ceremonial protocol.

The following sessions are structured as sharing circles where discussions will be centered around one theme — food and health, science and technology, or language.

The sharing circles are intended to offer a comfortable and safe space where students can engage in cross-cultural dialogue and share their different understandings on each topic. While different views will be expressed, the purpose of Building Bridges is to find common themes in everyone’s beliefs and connect students to their peers.

“It is really relaxed and informal,”

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

Janelle Pewapsconias and Davida Bentham led the way for Building Bridges.

Pewapsconias said. “Everyone gets to say as much or as little as they need.”

The sharing circles will start off with a small meal before moving on to the large group conversations.

Bentham said each of the sharing circles’ topics are significant in that not everyone experiences language, technology or food in the same way.

“I am looking forward to the sharing circle about science and technology,” Bentham said. “Often in Canadian society we assume everyone perceives the same benefits from technology but in reality — depending on one’s geographical location and culture — technology can be important or not important, advanced or not advanced.”

Aware of the strength of communication, Pewapsconias is most looking forward to the session on languages.

The sharing circle “is hosted during Aboriginal Achievement Week and encourages sharing on how we experience our language and demonstrate the diversity of languages in Canada,” she said.

Pewapsconias and Bentham’s goals are simple: have fun, begin to understand more

about each other, become more culturally aware and partake in respectful discussions.

The two students are aiming to increase student engagement with one another and enhance the importance of building crosscultural relationships.

Bentham hopes that each participant will feel comfortable during the sharing circles, make new friends and then use the tools they have gained in their daily lives afterwards.

“We hope that our programming serves as a jumping point for further understandings of our global relationships and strengthens our cultural relationships between our Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples,” she said.

The Building Bridges series works to establish this important climate of acceptance in its participants. Often people have a certain bias associated with different groups of people, Bentham said, based on the background they might have. She said the Building Bridges sessions allow people from all walks of life to come together and learn about one another in an environment where asking questions and learning through other’s experiences is acceptable and encouraged.

Pewapsconias noted that Saskatoon’s population celebrates each other’s differences and individuality. Although the city’s communities demonstrate excellent leadership toward diversity, she said Saskatoon needs to go beyond and see the deeper parts of everyone’s worldviews and integral similarities.

“A common lesson we understand is that racism isn’t only in single acts, but also in systems, social norms and institutions,” Pewapsconias said. “We want to address underlying issues of oppression in the contemporary context of the urban Aboriginal experience.”

NEWS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

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Vaccinations available again in Saskatoon, U of S ANDREW COOPER

Vaccinations are back in supply across the city and on campus, though students are generally unaware or uninterested in getting vaccinated.

After an increase in H1N1 flu reports, vaccines had been in short supply for nearly two weeks.

“One of the things that’s very different this time around than when we were preparing for the pandemic back in 2009 is that back then there wasn’t a vaccination for H1N1,” said Lynn Kuffner, manager of Student Health Services.

“It was a new strain of virus and nobody was immunized against it.”

Kuffner said this year’s flu season was different from 2009.

“We wouldn’t call this recent outbreak a pandemic by any means. We do have increased instances of H1N1 though.”

It was this increase in H1N1 reports in lateDecember of 2013 that prompted a higher demand of vaccinations. Public Health offices in each health region requisitions a number of vaccinations for Saskatchewan based on demand from previous years, though this year there were not enough vaccinations to keep up with the demand.

“We were asked not to give it out except to pregnant mothers and babies. When Public Health issued that message, we were down to four or five doses,” Kuffner said.

Unfortunately, many students did not have the time to book an immunization appointment before the recent outbreak of H1N1. The flu shot has been available to students since the fall, though there hasn’t been much of an uptake.

“It wasn’t until after Christmas, when there were several confirmed cases of H1N1 and a lot of messages about it in the media, that we started to get a pickup,” Kuffner said. “There were 50

immunizations done in this clinic in one day just after that.”

Though students’ reasons for not getting vaccinated vary, many claim not to have the time.

“Last time I went to my clinic, there was a three-hour wait,” said Jeanine Thrasher, a drama student at the University of Saskatchewan. “I understand why you should get the flu shot, I just don’t have the time or patience.”

Other students decided against getting the vaccine this year because they were already sick with the flu when the shot was available, as was the case with fourth-year microbiology and immunology student Kirk Johns.

The vaccination program on campus is especially beneficial to students living in residence because of its convenience and

proximity to campus. Offering the vaccine on campus saves students a trip to an off-campus clinic to get immunized.

Second-year psychology student Kristen Kurtenbach said she does not like needles and was unaware that alternative methods — such as an oral mist — are available.

The mist vaccine is a modified live flu virus, whereas the traditional injection vaccine is a dead, inactive virus. Both operate by allowing your body to build up the necessary antibodies to combat influenza, with the benefit that you will not get sick from the vaccine itself. People who have a weakened immune system cannot take the mist, which is preferable when doses are low in clinics.

Currently, Student Health Services only offers vaccinations to students. However, Kuffner

has contacted administration inquiring whether there should be a public clinic on campus, with the worry that Student Health Services may be inundated due to demand for the vaccine.

“Young men in this age never think they’ll get sick, though during the 2009 pandemic they were the group that was most likely to get sick,” Kuffner said, adding that she is unsure if a lack of awareness is the reason why students don’t get vaccinated.

One argument for getting vaccinated is the social responsibility to keep others in the community from getting sick as well, said local business owner Peter Garden.

Garden said he believes that it is up to the community to get immunized, as it prevents high-risk groups — such as those who are immunocompromised — from contracting what is to them a more dangerous sickness than it is to others.

“I would say it is as much about protecting the community as it is about protecting oneself,” Garden said. “I run into people who are antivaccines and there are some good arguments... I just think those people aren’t taking into account the larger social question.”

This anti-vaccine idea is not new, though it is a growing issue. U of S Students’ Union VicePresident Student Affairs Nour Abouhamra said recent media coverage of anti-vaccine advocates is to blame for a decrease in vaccinations.

“Because of all the media attention on the risk factors of vaccines, some people prefer not to get vaccinated,” Abouhamra said. “For example, some people decide not to get their children immunized when they’re young. Now some diseases that we haven’t seen in a long time are reappearing because of this. So I think it’s very, very important to get vaccinated.”

STEPHANIE MAH

Student unions strive for environmental responsibility ANNA-LILJA DAWSON Prairies and Northern Bureau Chief

SASKATOON (CUP) — The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union joined the ranks of environmentally conscious student unions across the country on Jan. 23 when its newest building received a prestigious ranking.

The expansion to the USSU’s existing Place Riel student hub received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver rating after undergoing major renovations.

LEED ratings are given to buildings as an international mark of excellence in eco-friendly and responsible practices during construction, design and operation. Certification can be given to residential, commercial and institutional buildings and is administered by the Canadian Green Building Council. LEED has four rankings — Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum.

When the USSU decided that Place Riel was in need of not only a renovation but also an expansion, they voted to design the addition in compliance with LEED standards.

USSU General Manager Caroline Cottrell said that every aspect of the building came down to a decision pitting LEED certification against financial responsibility.

“As a student union, of course we had huge concerns around the financial component. We know who’s paying for this building,” Cottrell said. “We were very concerned that we balance the financial costs against the environmental responsibility but also to create a space that fulfilled the non-athletic, non-academic needs of the students.”

Cottrell said that a major issue the project overcame was having the student union’s executive members explore how the Place Riel project would affect both current and future students.

“It’s easier to look at the short term and save money, but in fact if they can look at the long term they’ll recognize the savings are achievable in the longer term and that they have that longer responsibility to students and to the planet upon which we all live,” Cottrell said.

“Get beyond your own term, get beyond

your four years at university and look at the implications of what you’re doing.”

The Place Riel expansion is one of 10 LEED certified projects in Saskatchewan, while there are over 1,000 across Canada.

Cottrell attributes the low number of LEED projects in Saskatchewan to a misconception that certification will be a large added cost. The prairie climate also plays a role in LEED certification, Cottrell said, adding that decisions like window placement and different heating costs become factors that may not be as important in other regions of Canada.

A new student union building at the University of British Columbia is currently underway and

is expected to rank in at LEED Platinum — the highest rating — when it opens in late 2014.

The Students’ Association of MacEwan University is in the process of creating a business plan for its own building to be completed as early as 2017. SAMU Vice-President Operations and Finance Josh Stock said sustainability is valued on their campus and will be incorporated into the association’s building.

“Sustainability is one of the eight ‘pillars’ MacEwan University has adopted this past year,” Stock wrote to the Canadian University Press.

“While we are a separate entity, SAMU also embraces this pillar fully. Our future building will be constructed to, at minimum, the LEED

The Place Riel expansion received the LEED Silver ranking from the Canada Green Building Council.

Silver standard.”

Jeremy Ring was the USSU Vice-President Operations and Finance during the two major planning years of the Place Riel project and was present when the USSU received the LEED Silver award. Ring spoke to the impact that student governance can have.

“I want to remind this council of the validation that they have. You’re student leaders. This council can affect the educational and the social careers of students currently and in the future,” Ring said. “There are significant impacts that you can have, this is just one of them.”

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

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NEWS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Student concerns go unheeded by administration ANNA-LILJA DAWSON Senior News Editor

University Council gave no response to a motion of non-confidence in the TransformUS process that University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union President Max FineDay presented at the Jan. 23 council meeting.

“We were disappointed with the lack of response from administration regarding the motion,” FineDay said. “What we saw though were faculty and students really engaged by this act of the University Students’ Council.”

The motion of non-confidence is based on poor student consultation during TransformUS, that students have expressed concerns about the process, that the consultation period is inadequate and that there is no student representation on the Provost’s Committee on Integrated Planning.

The last two points of the motion, student representation on PCIP and possible changes to the consultation period, have been met with responses from senior administration indicating that the USC’s requests will not be met.

University President Ilene Busch-Vishniac has said that the consultation phase will not be extended to include further engagement with the student body because of the strain that will be put on the implementation phase of TransformUS. “If we extend the period for consultation and therefore come up with an implementation plan later than the end of April, then there is

very little chance of us taking some of the easy actions that will have impact immediately,” Busch-Vishniac said.

“If that happens, we are in the position where we might have to make cuts that are deeper for the future because we’ve allowed for the deficit to get larger rather than try and control it.”

Despite the consultation period not being extended, Busch-Vishniac has offered to have a meeting with the USC and Association of Constituency Presidents to discuss TransformUS. “Although [Busch-Vishniac] may not say that the consultation period was extended, we certainly will be having high level talks past the end date of the consultation period with key student leaders,” FineDay said. “There will be an extension of the consultation period whether officially recognized or not.”

Similarly, on including student representation on PCIP, Fairbairn said that there will not be any students on the committee.

“I don’t think it would make much sense to me to have an administrative committee and to have students within it,” Fairbairn said. “This really is a committee within the administration.”

However, students are on other governing bodies — Senate, University Council and the Board of Governors — where they are involved in the decision making processes allotted to each body.

PCIP is made up of the university’s vice-

KATHERINE FEDOROFF

Provost Brett Fairbairn has said that students will not be included on PCIP.

presidents, a dean and the vice-provost, and is responsible for planning and budgeting large-scale items for the university.

Fairbairn said that PCIP has three main tasks: to give recommendations to the university’s three governing bodies, act as a means for the university vice-presidents to coordinate plans and allocating the Academic

Priorities Fund — money set aside to support the university’s priorities as laid out in the Third Integrated Plan.

“In my view, one of the most important principles to follow in complex organizations like universities is really to focus on policy governance,” Fairbairn said. “I really encourage everyone to get involved in the venues where we talk about directions, about setting policy.

“I think council, senate and the meetings we have around things like the Integrated Plan are great places to do that.”

FineDay said he is disappointed with Fairbairn’s response to the motion and that students will not be given a seat on PCIP. “I would hope that the role of students wasn’t confined to simply attending classes and going about their business when such an important process is taking place on campus,” FineDay said.

Despite the lack of formal response to the motion, FineDay said USC’s actions have not gone completely unnoticed.

“USC doesn’t put forward motions like that very often. I think that really speaks to how students are feeling,” FineDay said.

“The role of USC is to advocate for their members and I think there’s power in that…

It’s sort of made people pay attention, or help people realize that there’s some significant issues with the way that TransformUS is being rolled out.”

Gov’t hopes to double international students JANE LYTVYNENKO Ottawa Bureau Chief

OTTAWA (CUP) — Canadian university classrooms could have twice the international students within the next eight years.

On Jan. 15, the Conservative Party of Canada announced a strategy to double the amount of researchers and students coming from abroad. The program centers around $5 million per year in funding primarily going toward branding and marketing.

The funding was approved as a part of the

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There may be more international students at universities in Canada in coming years.

Economic Action Plan last year.

Minister of International Trade Ed Fast announced the program at Ryerson University. Fast said in a press release that in addition to the marketing money, “the strategy will provide $13 million over two years to the Globalink program of Mitacs, a national not-for-profit organization that fosters innovation through research and training programs.” The initiative will focus on six key regions: Brazil, the Middle East and Vietnam, China, India, Mexico and North Africa.

While critics say an increase in international students is a positive overall goal, they add there needs to be more details on the program. Alex Usher, president of Higher Education Strategy Associates, said the newly announced strategy needs to be better thought out to be successful.

“There are lots of reasons why you might want to increase the number of international students but lets be explicit about what they are and work backwards from there,” Usher said, adding there is no clear purpose for doubling international students.

Usher said the document presented

by Fast should not be called a strategy.

He wondered whether provinces and educational institutions were consulted when putting together the plan.

“The only goal I can see is double the number of incoming students,” Usher said.

“I don’t know why that number was picked and if you don’t know why the number was picked you’ll have a hard time justifying it.”

Dan Harris, the NDP post-secondary education critic, said the idea of doubling international students in Canada is not a bad one.

International students “make an important part of the student body in Canada and help provide resources to universities through tuition fees,” Harris said.

He added that the government needs to ensure the resources and support are there for the new international students, many of whom face a culture shock when coming to Canada. Gary Slater, associate vicepresident international at the University of Ottawa, said new students often have

a language barrier and have to deal with different methods of teaching from what they’re used to.

Harris echoed Slater’s concern with resources for international students, saying, “We have to make sure they succeed and we have no problems arise from a larger student body.” He added that universities will need additional funds to provide adequate programming for the new students, something that’s not currently outlined in the strategy.

Slater said that because education is a provincial matter, the federal government can only hope the numbers double as projected. The rest of the work falls on the provinces, some of which have a hard time recruiting international students.

“We have to recognize that a national policy like that will be differently seen in the French and the English world,” Slater said, pointing out that Quebec has a harder time recruiting international students. “It’s much easier to recruit students that want to study in English than in French. We have to work hard if we want to keep a linguistic balance in the country.”

Slater said while Canada has a great post-secondary education system, it has to compete with the United States. That’s where the $5 million yearly initiative for advertising comes in.

“The number one thing the federal government can do is give Canada a good reputation outside the country,” Slater said.

“It’s a marketing issue to a large extent.”

According to Harris, Canada also needs to ensure there is an easy way to immigrate for international students who decide to stay.

“We should be putting a focus on making sure there is a path to immigration and family reunification,” he said.

Whether the students stay or go back, Slater said anyone studying in Canada is an asset for the country. Those moving back often forge strong links with the institution they studied in, while students who immigrate contribute to the economy.

“They bring a lot not only to university but to society,” Slater said.

SPORTS 5 Preview: Men’s Team profile: Women’s volleyball hockey returns to the 30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

ice against Dinos

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor Heading into the final games of the season, the women’s volleyball team has their eyes on a playoff berth. The Huskies haven’t advanced to the post-season since the 2001/02 season, but are in a good position to do so this year.

Currently in a battle with the University of Regina Cougars for the seventh and final playoff spot, the Dogs will need to finish their season off well if they want to make their goal a reality — something head coach Jason Grieve thinks the team is capable of doing.

The team’s goal “is to make the playoffs and right now we’re in that hunt. We’re in a tight race for it,” he said.

The Huskies had their best start since the 1998/99 season after opening with two wins over the University of Alberta Pandas, but have since had trouble maintaining consistent results.

“We’ve had some good success,” Grieve said. “We’ve had lots of ups and downs though, and we’re hoping to continue it on an upswing to finish the season.”

Facing lower ranked squads for their final season matches, the Huskies have a great opportunity to pick up some much needed points. But the Dogs won’t be underestimating any of their opponents.

Instead, they’re focused on taking it one match at a time.

“The majority of the top teams in the country are in our conference,” Grieve said.

“Every weekend you’re playing a very good team. You can’t look at a team’s record and judge them just by that.”

Since Grieve took over the leadership role in 2012, the team has been steadily progressing. The Huskies hadn’t won more than four matches since the 2007/08 season and have already doubled that total this year with more games still to play. Grieve attributes much of the success to the work the athletes put in on the court and in the gym and believes the team can become even stronger.

“We’re still a relatively young team, so we’re still trying to improve in all areas if its tactical or technical pieces,” he said. “I

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

JORDAN DUMBA/ PHOTO EDITOR

The Huskies women’s volleyball team is enjoying one of their best seasons in years. think the biggest obstacle for us right now is going to be the mental/emotional piece.

As we’re getting into new experiences and new situations, new pressures, how do we manage through that? How do we prepare for that? How do we deal with it within the game?”

The Huskies are a smaller team than many of the others in the conference and rely on certain strengths to beat their bigger opponents. Rounding into the final games, the team will have to keep their game sharp if they want to take down the big dogs in the division.

“We really rely heavily on our skill and on our speed of our game,” Grieve said. “For us it’s just trying to work on increasing the speed of our offence … and to play a bit of a relentless defence.

When teams play against us we should be a frustrating team to play against from a defensive standpoint.”

Apart from building high-performance athletes, Grieve also focuses on preparing the players for the challenges they will face after leaving the team. Knowing that the athletes only spend so long competing on the court, he tries to instill values that will aid them in all endeavours including

passion, competitive fire, desire to learn and resiliency.

“We’re preparing them for a volleyball game right now, but at the end of the day when they graduate we’re preparing them to be well prepared to jump into the next goal after university,” he said.

In the coming seasons, the Huskies are looking to challenge the best in the country and come out on top. Grieve thinks success is well within the team’s bounds.

“We’re looking towards building a national championship program with the U of S and there’s no reason why we can’t,” he said. “We just have to continue to work hard year-round and keep adding more pieces to the puzzle.”

As for why students should come out and support the Huskies, Grieve isn’t short on reasons. Apart from quick pace rallies and excellent athleticism on display, the athletes thrive off the environment the fans create.

“When you’re out there and you have all these people supporting the Huskies, you get into it and a lot of school pride comes out,” Grieve said. “For our players, when they get out there they love having that support behind them.”

After a bye week the University of Saskatchewan men’s hockey team is ready to get back on the ice. The Huskies will face the University of Calgary Dinos on Jan. 31 and Feb.1 at the Credit Union Centre in a crucial series.

Holding the top spot in the Canada West division with a 20--02 record, the Dinos have been all but unbeatable this season. The Dogs have a respectable 12-9-1 record and are only two spots back in the rankings, but in terms of points they trail the Dinos by a lofty 17.

The Dinos lead all teams in the country with goals scored — 106 across 22 games — while only seeing 39 scored against them. In net the Dino goaltenders have been precise, leading the division with a 93 per cent save rate.

The Huskies have landed 75 goals in total — third in the division — while having 55 scored against them. Starting goaltender Ryan Holfeld has been tough in net, helping the Dogs to a 92 per cent save rate.

Playing on home ice should give the Dogs a slight advantage. No one has been able to defeat the Dinos on home ice this season, while the Huskies boast an 8-3 record when playing in their own yard.

Christopher Collins will look to continue leading the Dinos’ offence. The forward is the third highest scorer in the league with 17 goals and also has 15 assists.

For the Huskies, Derek Hulak will look to generate scoring opportunities. The forward has netted eight goals and 25 assists.

The Dogs will need to be on their game if they want a shot at upsetting the Dinos. There aren’t many holes to exploit in the Dinos’ game so the Huskies will have to convert on the opportunities they get and use any momentum they have from riding a two-game win streak.

Heading into the final six games of the season, the Dogs are already assured a spot in the playoffs and the University Cup. But if they want a shot at bringing home any titles they will have to show they can play with the big teams in the country.

Puck drops at 7 p.m. on Jan. 31 and 2 p.m. on Feb. 1 at Credit Union Place.

Upcoming Huskies Games

Canada West Standings

Men’s Basketball Jan. 31 vs. University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves at 8:00 p.m.

Feb. 1 vs. Mount Royal University Cougars at 8:00 p.m.

• Feb. 7 and 8 in Winnipeg vs. University of Winnipeg Wesmen at 8:00 p.m.

Men’s Volleyball

Women’s Basketball Jan. 31 vs. University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves at 6:15 p.m.

Feb. 1 vs. Mount Royal University Cougars at 6:15 p.m.

• Feb. 7 and 8 in Winnipeg vs. University of Winnipeg Wesmen at 6:00 p.m.

Men’s Hockey Jan. 31 vs. University of Calgary Dinos at 7:00 p.m. at Credit Union Centre Feb. 1 vs. University of Calgary Dinos at 2:00 p.m. at Credit Union Centre • Feb. 7 and 8 in Vancouver vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 6:00 p.m.

Women’s Hockey • Jan. 31 in Calgary vs. University of Calgary Dinos at 7:00 p.m.

• Feb. 1 in Calgary vs. University of Calgary Dinos at 6:00 p.m.

Feb. 7 and 8 vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 7:00 p.m.

Men’s Volleyball • Jan. 31 in Vancouver vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 8:00 p.m.

• Feb. 1 in Vancouver vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 7 and 8 vs. Mount Royal University Cougars at 8:00 p.m.

Women’s Volleyball • Jan. 31 in Vancouver vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 6:00 p.m.

• Feb. 1 in Vancouver vs. University of British Columbia Thunderbirds at 5:00 p.m.

Feb. 7 and 8 vs. Mount Royal University Cougars at 6:15 p.m.

Track and Field • Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in Winnipeg at the Bison Classic • Feb. 7 and 8 in Regina at Kinsmen Meet

1. Trinity Western 2. Alberta 2. UBC 4. Thompson Rivers 5. Calgary 5. Saskatchewan 7. Brandon 7. Mount Royal 7. Winnipeg 10. Manitoba 11. UBC Okanagan 12. Regina

Men’s Hockey GP-W-L 18-17-1 18-13-5 18-13-5 18-11-7 18-9-9 18-9-9 18-8-10 18-8-10 18-8-10 18-7-11 18-4-14 18-1-17

*Top seven teams from each division qualify for playoffs

Women’s Volleyball 1. UBC 2. Brandon 2. Trinity Western 4. Manitoba 4. UBC Okanagan 6. Alberta 7. Regina 7. Saskatchewan 9. Mount Royal 10. Winnipeg 11. Calgary 12. Thompson Rivers

GP-W-L 18-16-2 18-14-4 18-14-4 18-11-7 18-11-7 18-9-9 18-8-10 18-8-10 18-6-12 18-6-12 18-5-13 18-0-18

*Top seven teams from each division qualify for playoffs

Home Game

1. Calgary 2. Alberta 3. Saskatchewan 4. Manitoba 5. Regina 6. Mount Royal 7. UBC 8. Lethbridge

Women’s Hockey GP-W-L-OTL 22-20-0-2 22-19-2-1 22-12-9-1 22-9-10-3 22-9-11-2 22-9-12-1 22-8-13-1 22-2-17-3

1. UBC 2. Alberta 3. Saskatchewan 4. Manitoba 5. Regina 6. Calgary 7. Lethbridge 8. Mount Royal

GP-W-L-OTL 24-18-5-1 24-16-5-3 24-14-4-6 24-13-7-4 24-11-10-2 24-10-12-2 24-7-12-5 24-7-14-3

*All eight teams advance to playoffs

*All eight teams advance to playoffs

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

Prairie Division 1. Alberta 2. Saskatchewan 3. Lethbridge 3. Winnipeg 5. Brandon 5. Calgary 7. Mantioba 8. Regina

GP-W-L 16-14-2 16-12-4 16-11-5 16-11-5 16-5-11 16-5-11 16-4-12 16-3-13

Prairie Division 1. Alberta 1. Regina 1. Saskatchewan 4. Calgary 5. Winnipeg 6. Brandon 6. Lethbridge 8. Manitoba

GP-W-L 16-14-2 16-14-2 16-14-2 16-11-5 16-8-8 16-5-11 16-5-11 16-3-13

Pacific Division 1. Victoria 2. UFV 3. Thompson Rivers 4. UBC 5. Mount Royal 5. Trinity Western 7. UNBC 8. UBC Okanagan

GP-W-L 16-14-2 16-11-5 16-9-7 16-8-8 16-7-9 16-7-9 16-4-12 16-3-13

Pacific Division 1. UFV 2. UBC 2. Victoria 4. Thompson Rivers 5. UNBC 6. Trinity Western 6. UBC Okanagan 8. Mount Royal

GP-W-L 16-12-4 16-11-5 16-11-5 16-9-7 16-4-12 16-3-13 16-3-13 16-1-15

*Top four teams from each division qualify for crossover playoffs

*Top four teams from each division qualify for crossover playoffs

6

SPORTS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Women’s hockey splits series with Cougars KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

After a tough weekend series against the University of Regina Cougars, the Huskies returned home with one win and one loss. The Dogs fell to the Cougars 3-4 on Jan. 24 but came back to win 1-0 on Jan. 25 in Regina, Sask. The Dogs are now 14-4-6 and sit in third place in the Canada West division.

The Huskies held an early lead on Friday night’s game but the Cougars fought back to win during a shootout.

After a scoreless first period, the Huskies had

a good chance to score during a powerplay in the second. The Cougar defence was able to fend off the threat and later that period Alexis Larson scored a goal for the Cougars during their own powerplay.

The Huskies immediately struck back with a goal from Marley Ervine to tie the game and two minutes later Kaitlin Willoughby gave the Dogs a 2-1 lead. Keeping the momentum going, Sara Greschner scored the Huskies’ third goal within ten minutes to give the team a 3-1 edge.

The Cougars began their comeback push in the third period with a goal from Bailey Braden 18 seconds in. The Huskies continued to hold a

one goal lead until Tori Head was able to push the puck into the Dogs’ net with 1:29 left to play.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net during overtime and so the game headed into a shootout. Cougar Brooklyn Moskowy scored the only goal to give her team the victory.

Cassidy Hendricks made 24 saves on the night for the Huskies.

The Huskies snuck out the win on Saturday night, edging the Cougars 1-0.

Huskie Paige Anakaer scored the lone goal of the night less than five minutes in. Anakaer corralled a loose puck at the side of the net and shot it past Cougar goalie Toni Ross to give the

Dogs the lead.

In the second period the Cougars pushed for the equalizer but Huskie goalie Karen Lefsrud was too tough in net. The Huskies had chances to extend their lead during a powerplay in the third period but Ross was also up to the challenge and denied all shots.

In the final minute of the game, the Cougars pulled Ross to send an extra attacker onto the ice but they still couldn’t break through — the Huskies held on for the win.

Lefsrud made 23 saves while Ross made 29.

The Huskies face the University of Calgary Dinos on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 in Calgary, Alta.

Men’s basketball stalled by Pronghorns Women’s basketball dominates Pronghorns KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The clash between the number two and three men’s basketball teams in the Prairie Division was set to be a close affair, and this past weekend’s series delivered.

The number two Huskies downed number three University of Lethbridge Pronghorns 87-55 on Jan. 24 but the Pronghorns got the better of the Dogs 97-84 on Jan. 25. The Huskies are now 12-4 on the season and are four points back of the top ranked University of Alberta Golden Bears in the Prairie Division standings.

The Pronghorns gave up an early lead on Friday night and quickly fell behind 18-9 after one quarter. By the end of the first half the Huskies had a 13 point cushion with the score at 40-27.

The Huskies offence began rolling in the third quarter and soon the Dogs amassed a 72-46 lead. The Pronghorns had no answers for the Huskies’ form and never worked their way back into the game.

Dadrian Collins netted a game-high 22 points, while Ben Baker added another seven points and 12 rebounds.

The next night it was the Pronghorns’ turn to have a hot start, opening with a 14-6 lead, but the Huskies fought back for 26-21 after the first quarter.

The Dogs kept their lead until midway through the second period, but the Pronghorns began to find their range. The Pronghorns ended the half with a 16-6 run to pull ahead 75-69.

The momentum stayed with the Pronghorns in the third quarter despite the Huskies’ best efforts to steal it back. Heading into the

The women’s basketball team brought their best to the court in two wins over the University of Lethbridge Pronghorns, meeting on Jan. 24 and 25 at the Physical Activity Complex.

With the wins the Dogs now boast a 14-2 record and remain in a three-way tie for first place in the Prairie Division with the University of Regina Cougars and the University of Alberta Pandas.

Capitalizing on 25 turnovers by the Pronghorns, the Dogs won Friday night’s game 58-44.

The Huskies began dominating the court from early on, leading 20-8 at the end of the first quarter. Continuing their exceptional play the Dogs held a considerable 40-16 lead at the break. The Pronghorns committed 18 turnovers in the first half.

After three quarters of play the Dogs maintained a healthy 51-29 lead, but the Pronghorns began to work their way back into the game. With three minutes left in the fourth quarter the Dogs’ lead slipped to 11 but the Pronghorns weren’t able to come any closer as the Huskies wrapped up the win.

Kelsey Trulsrud scored a game-high 13 points and grabbed six rebounds. Desarae Hogberg chipped in 12 points and Kiera Lyons recorded four steals.

The Huskies outclassed the Pronghorns for a 80-58 win on Saturday night.

Neither team was able to gain much of an upper hand in the beginning and by the end of the first quarter the Huskies held only a slight 1310 lead. The Dogs put more distance between themselves and the Pronghorns, with the score at 40-29 for the home team by halftime.

KATHERINE FEDOROFF

Evan Ostertag goes up and over Pronghorn defenders.

fourth the Huskies were back by six points.

The Dogs kept the score close but a jump shot and a three-pointer from the Pronghorns in the closing minutes was enough to net the win.

Evan Ostertag led the Huskies with 25 points. Baker recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Stephon Lamar chipped in 21 points.

The Huskies host the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves on Jan. 31 and the Mount Royal University Cougars on Feb.1.

KATHERINE FEDOROFF

Desarae Hogberg helped then Huskies earn two wins over the visiting Pronghorns.

Continuing to up their play, the Huskies led by 18 points at the end of the third quarter. During the fourth, the Dogs refused to let the Pronghorns back into the game and kept a 20 point edge throughout.

Dalyce Emmerson led the Huskies with 29 points and 11 rebounds. Lyons added another 14 points and Kabree Howard had six assists.

The Huskies host the University of Northern British Columbia Timberwolves on Jan. 31 and the Mount Royal University Cougars on Feb. 1.

Women’s volleyball battles Dinos Men’s volleyball sweeps Dinos KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The Huskies women’s basketball team and the University of Calgary Dinos battled through two five-set matches on Jan. 24 and 25 in Calgary, Alta. The Dinos snuck out the first match but the Dogs came back to win the second night.

With an 8-10 record, the Huskies remain in the playoff hunt and are tied for seventh place in the Canada West division with the University of Regina Cougars.

The Dinos fought for a hard-earned 3-2 (1825, 25-18, 28-26, 25-27, 15-7) win on Friday night.

Finding their groove earlier than the Dinos, the Huskies jumped out to a 9-5 lead in the first set. The Dogs continued to outpace the Dinos and converted their first set point at 24-18 thanks to a Dino error.

In the second set, the Huskies found themselves down early. The Dogs fought back to 15-18, but after a 6-2 run the Dinos had set point. The Huskies saved one with a kill from Kayla Tycholiz but Dino Ali Woolley sealed the set with a kill on the next point.

The third set was a hotly contested affair but the Dinos were able to sneak it out after scoring three straight points from 25-26 down to lead 2-1.

The Huskies fought back to level the score at

19 in the fourth set after getting down early and eventually forced the decider.

After early mistakes from both sides, the Dinos settled down and were able to close out the match after taking the fifth 15-7.

Candace Hueser led the Huskies with 17 kills.

Tycholiz recorded another 16 kills and Emily Humbert added 10. Libero Haley Williams tallied 20 digs and Jina Baker recorded 48 assists.

On Saturday night it was the Huskies’ turn to earn a five set victory.

The Dogs fell behind early after the Dinos took the first set 25-21. It started to look like a victory for the Dinos was in the cards after they won the second 25-23 to go up two sets to none.

The Huskies began their comeback in the following set and wrapped up the third 25-15.

After sneaking out the fourth set 27-25, the Dogs headed into the fifth with renewed confidence.

Tied at 5 in the fifth set, three straight errors from the Dinos gave the Dogs a slight lead.

The Huskies were able to hang on and take the decider 15-10 off a kill from Emmalyn Copping.

Humbert recorded 17 kills for the Huskies and Copping followed with 16. Hueser added 10 kills and 14 digs and Jina Barker recorded a game-high 52 assists.

The Huskies play the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Jan.31 and Feb.1.

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor

The Huskies men’s volleyball team improved their record to 9-9 after sweeping the University of Calgary Dinos. Following the wins the Dogs are now tied for sixth place in the in the Canada West division with the Dinos.

The two teams battled for five sets on Friday night with the Huskies eventually prevailing 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 25-27, 16-14).

Tied at 21 in the first set the Huskies were able to slowly pull ahead and eventually captured the set 25-23. Untimely errors cost the Dinos in the second set and the Huskies took a 2-0 lead after another Dino error.

The Dinos were in control for most of the third and from 16-14 they continued to outpace the Huskies and eventually clinched the set 25-20.

The two teams battled for the fourth set and were evenly matched throughout. Tied at 25, the Dinos landed two straight kills to send the match into the decider.

The fifth set was the same story, with neither team able to keep their nose in front.

The Huskies held a set point at 14-13 but it was quickly snuffed out by a kill from the Dinos. Kills by Bryan Fraser and Tyler Epp on

the next two points gave the Dogs the set.

Paul Thompson led the Dogs with 17 points and 11 digs. Fraser and Jordan Nowakowski each added 12 points and Emory Wells contributed 36 assists.

The Huskies had an easier time on Saturday night with a 3-1 (26-24, 24-26, 25-21, 25-16) win.

Down 20-24 in the first set, the Pronghorns were able to fight off four set points to tie the score but two straight Fraser kills wrapped up the opener.

The second set was a mirror image of the first with the Dinos holding two set points at 24-22 but this time the Dogs were able to level the score at 24. The Dinos stole the next two points to level the match at one set all.

The Huskies began to pull away from 1616 in the third and took a two sets to one lead after Thomson sealed the set with a kill. The fourth set belonged to the Dogs from early on as they built a 12-3 lead. The Huskies worked their way to 24-16 and ended the match with a service ace.

Fraser recorded a game-high 21 kills and seven digs. Thomson added 10 kills and Zak Rempel landed 32 assists.

The Huskies face the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

SPORTS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

7

Slopestyle • continued from 1 The event, which begins on Feb. 6, will feature a loaded field of athletes. The men’s side includes thirty athletes from thirteen countries while the women’s portion includes twenty four athletes from twelve countries.

In the men’s competition, the podium will likely belong to three nations: Canada, Norway and the United States.

The Canadian team is led by Reginaborn Mark McMorris. The twenty-year old exploded onto the competitive scene in 2011 by landing the world’s first triple cork — a complicated aerial maneuver that involves multiple flips and rotations. Since then, McMorris has won a number of major slopestyle competitions including the 2012 Dew Tour and 2013 X Games.

Unfortunately, McMorris suffered a broken rib from a bad fall at the 2014 X Games on Jan. 25 — the last major competition before the Olympic games.

According to McMorris’ Twitter account, he still plans to compete in Sochi.

Behind McMorris is a trio of talented young Quebecers in Max Parrot, Sebastien Toutant and Charles Reid. In addition to taking a gold medal in the X Games big air competition on Jan. 24, the nineteen-year old Parrot beat favorite McMorris to take the gold medal in slopestyle as well.

The Norwegian team has two members who could easily contend for medals.

Torstein Horgmo has struggled in competition this season but brings a deep bag of tricks to the competition and could easily make the event. Meanwhile, Stale Sandbech currently holds the top spot on the Ticket to Ride World Snowboard Tour, which serves as a series of Olympic qualifying events.

Legendary snowboarder Shaun White will lead the American team, but is unlikely to contend in the slopestyle event as he is a halfpipe specialist. However, Chas

Norway’s Torstein Horgmo showcases his skills on the rail portion of slopestyle.

Guldemond and Sage Kotsenburg are fringe medal contenders.

Outside of Canada, Norway and the U.S., other contenders include Finland’s Peetu Piiroinen and Belgium’s Seppe Smits, who will be the first Belgian snowboarder to compete in the Olympic Games.

On the women’s side, American Jamie Anderson and Canadian Spencer O’Brien were expected to enter Sochi as heavy favorites. However, both were upset

by Norwegian Silje Norendal at the X Games and took second and third place respectively. With the win, Norendal took over first place in the women’s TTR World Snowboard Tour rankings.

Beyond the X Games medalists, the women’s field is fairly evenly spread. The Czech Republic’s Sarka Pancochova is highly ranked on the world tour and holds several high profile wins at slopestyle competitions this season. Finland’s Enni

CAMP OF CHAMPIONS/FLICKR

Rukajärvi is an active competitor who always seems to finish just off of the podium. Possible dark horse contenders for medals are Norway’s Kjersti Buaas and Finland’s Merika Enne are.

The Olympic snowboarding slopestyle competition begins with the men’s and women’s qualifying rounds on Feb. 6. The men’s semifinals and finals are on Feb. 8, with the women’s semifinals and finals on Feb. 9.

8

FEATURE

Olympic timeline 1906 Games in Athens, Greece • Peter O’Connor scales the flagpole to wave the Irish flag 1916 Games in Berlin, Germany • Cancelled because of the First World War 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium • Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Turkey and Hungary are not invited • Soviet Union does not attend 1928 Games in Amsterdam, Netherlands • Germany allowed to attend for the first time since the First World War 1936 Games in Berlin, Germany • Boycotts are threatened • American Jesse Owens wins four gold medals 1940 Games in Tokyo, Japan • Cancelled because of the Second World War 1944 Games in London, England • Cancelled because of the Second World War 1948 Games in London, England • Soviet Union does not attend • Germany and Japan are not invited • Czech athlete Marie Provaznikova becomes first athlete to defect from a communist country 1956 Games in Melbourne, Australia • 45 Hungarian athletes defect during the Games • A fight erupts between Hungarian and Soviet athletes during the water polo semi-final • East and West Germany compete together 1964 Games in Tokyo, Japan •South Africa not allowed to compete 1968 Games in Mexico City, Mexico • Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ Black Power salute on the podium 1972 Games in Munich, Germany • Terrorists storm Olympic Village and kill two Israeli athletes, taking nine others hostage 1976 Games in Montreal, Canada • More than 20 African nations boycott • Taiwan withdraws 1980 Games in Moscow, Soviet Union • More than 60 countries boycott 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain • Germany competes under one flag • South Africa allowed to compete for first time in 32 years

The Olympic games: politics

SPORTS

KIMBERLEY HARTWIG Sports Editor The Olympics have long been a stage for political statements and upheaval.

The controversies surrounding the upcoming games in Sochi, Russia are just the newest in a long saga of unrest accompanying what is meant to be the greatest exhibit of athleticism in the world. To say the Olympics, or sports themselves, exist outside the realm of politics is inaccurate.

While commenting on Amy Bass’ Not the Triumph but the Struggle, a book on the history of black athletes in sport, Bob Costas of NBC Sports said, “In addition to being competition, entertainment, business, and shared experience, Sport has often been a stage where significant social issues were played out. In the twentieth century, those issues often pertained to human rights and race. Sometimes the dynamics of sports served to clarify those issues, sometimes to muddle them.”

The Games are meant to be a global event where countries come together in the name of competition, an impartial arena for the pursuit of excellence. But in bringing together countries with diverse political, religious and ethnic backgrounds, the Olympic Games are not immune from national and international conflicts.

The affair between the Olympics and politics began at the 1906 Games in Athens, when Irish athlete Peter O’Connor was forced to compete for and under the flag of Great Britain. In protest, O’Connor scaled the flagpole during the medal ceremony and waved the Irish flag.

Olympic controversy has since run the gamut from boycotts to political statements, terrorist attacks to all out fights between athletes from embattled nations.

Despite the International Olympic Committee’s attempts to remove politics from the games, the link persists.

One of the biggest concerns surrounding the 2014 Winter Games is Russa’s stance on LGBTQ issues. The host nation passed legislation in June 2013 which bans distribution of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations” among minors.

But Russia is not the first host to be reprimanded for it’s stance on human rights.

Most recently, the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing brought attention to China’s less-thanillustrious human rights record. The 1936 Games held in Berlin, Germany were criticized for taking place under Nazi party rule.

In each of these cases there were calls to boycott the games that never came to fruition.

Boycotts in these instances are meant as a sign of protest, but attending the games often makes more of a statement.

The Berlin Olympics was one of Hitler’s major propaganda machines used to spread the Nazi ideology, specifically the superiority of the Aryan race. This ideology was challenged when African-American sprinter Jesse Owens won four gold medals in track and field events.

African-American athletes considered boycotting the 1986 Games held in Mexico City to protest racial inequality in the United States but the boycott never materialized.

Instead, Tommie Smith and John Carlos made a much bigger impact by attending the games.

After placing first and third respectively in the 200-metre race, Smith and Carlos made their political statement on the podium when they raised their fists and bowed their heads in a Black Power salute as the U.S. anthem played in the background.

As for what will happen in Sochi, Rule 50 in the International Olympic Committee Charter states that “no kind of demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda is permitted in any Olympic sites, venues or other areas,” but this doesn’t mean the athletes will follow suit.

IOC President Thomas Bach said athletes will not be denied their free speech but are not permitted to make political points while competing or during ceremonies. Individual views can, however, be expressed during press

conferences. If any athletes violate this rule, they are subject to sanctions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that there will be no discrimination on the grounds of sexuality at the Olympics but, due to the recent negative backlash surrounding Russia’s laws and practices, the public perception of this matter is undoubtedly already tained.

With openly gay athletes competing in the Winter Games and travelling to Sochi as delegates, it’s only a matter of time before personal views rise to the surface and are broadcast for millions to see.

OPINION

ALEXANDER QUON Political controversies are taking over the Olympics, which is unfortunate when this shouldn’t ever be the case. Athletic performances should be the focus, not a country’s politics.

On Feb. 7, with much pomp and circumstance, competitors will march into the Fischt stadium in Sochi, Russia waving the flags of their home countries to officially open the 22nd Olympic Winter Games.

But no matter what happens during the course of the games, who wins or what country will

9

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

and controversy place first in the medal tally, I will remember something different. What I will remember is that in the months leading up to these Olympics, the narrative has not been about the athletes but instead the political controversies surrounding Russias as the host country.

We should be focused on the athletes taking centre stage, but instead the world chooses to direct its attention on the host country and the controversial policies it has implemented, effectively distracting everyone from the simple act that lies at the heart of the Olympic Games: a sporting competition.

STEPHANIE MAH

This year’s event has had no shortage of controversies. While these games started with a projected budget of US$12 billion, due to extensive spending the budget has expanded to over $51 billion — making the Sochi Olympics the most expensive games in history. But the debate extends beyond simple finances.

Russia has a controversial track record regarding human rights — due in no small part to the country’s current stance on LGBTQ issues. While homosexuality is decriminalized in Russia, the ability to openly express homosexuality is prohibited.

None of these controversies are excusable — in fact, they are deplorable. LGBTQ rights are a major issue being addressed in Russia and around the world. They are, and I cannot stress this enough, one of the most important social and political topics that currently exist in the world today — and they will continue to be important in the years to come.

But the Olympics are a competition unlike any other. Instead of watching highly paid athletes compete, we watch top-tier athletes receive very little or no pay while participating in events that often go unnoticed simply for the glory of representing their home nation.

The Olympics are supposed to be as free from politics as possible, but historically they have proven to be anything but. By the virtue of its competitors representing unique nations, it is difficult for any Olympic Games to be free of political affiliations. Everything is viewed through a particular political lens, even the judging of individual events.

Vladimir Putin, the current president of Russia, has not made the political nature of the Olympics any less apparent. When responding to questions about Russia’s policy on LGBTQ, his responses have been noncommittal at best and perplexing at worst.

In a recent statement, Putin claimed that when gay people are in Russia they can “feel calm and at ease” just as long as they “leave the kids alone.” What does that even mean? Those who are apart of the LGBTQ community are not trying to corrupt anyone, they are simply trying to be themselves and live their lives.

While the implication that the LGBTQ community targets minors is incredibly disturbing, it should not receive as much attention as it already has. Due to the large focus on Russia’s human rights, other controversial or unique stories have fallen to the wayside or been ignored altogether.

For the first time in 12 years, a Jamaican bobsled team will be making their way to the Olympics. Made up of Winston Watts and Marvin Dixon, the two-man team is currently seeking donations through PayPal to raise the $80,000 needed for their trip to Sochi. In under three weeks the world will be able to see how Jamaica’s long absence from the bobsled scene has affected their chances of gold.

And let’s not forget Canada’s remarkable results in the last winter Olympics. We not only hosted the games in Vancouver, B. C. but won gold in a sport at an Olympic games we had hosted for the first time in Canadian history.

Canada won 14 gold medals in total at the Vancouver Olympic Games, breaking the previous Canadian record of the most gold medals of 13. We may not be hosting the winter Olympics this time around, but the chances of Canada producing another spectacular performance are very high.

So why are these other news stories not the focus of the media? Russia’s domestic and internal policies should not be the central focus of the media coverage leading up to these Olympics.

The spotlight should be centered on the athletes and the sports they compete in, not the politics surrounding them. The media should focus on the unique stories that are presented by the athletes and coaches, not the countries and the policies they represent.

The plight for LGBTQ rights around the world is an important one and attention should be brought to this battle in Russia, but the sole focus should not be on that plight. The Olympics are apolitical and they should stay that way.

10

CULTURE

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Campus collaborates on third annual We The Artists

RAISA PEZDERIC

RAISA PEZDERIC

Jordan Bulgis returns to We the Artists this year to participate in a live-action painting.

Nevin Buehler, Stephen Davis and the rest of the Jared Tehse Trio will perform at We the Artists.

JILLIAN BORROWMAN

show the students’ artistic works to the public.

The hope was that through coming together as an artistic community there would be a stronger sense of fellowship created both on and offcampus.

Fast-forward three years and We The Artists has grown into an annual showcase with increasing size and reach. Every year there is a display of visual artworks and a program of musical and theatrical acts.

As We The Artists has grown so has the goal of the event. The new mandate aims at enriching the arts in Saskatoon and encouraging “likeminded individuals and groups to remain here and aid in shaping the cultural map of the city’s future.”

There have been a number of changes to the program thanks to the commitment of this year’s

We The Artists executive board. The 2014 event will be held at the O’Brians Event Center, which boasts a formal stage. There has also been a reworking of the general setup for the evening so that more focus can be placed on the individual acts and displays.

This year’s program will include stage combat, an original spoken word piece, studentwritten sketch comedy, an ensemble jazz band and Spanish guitar with vocals, among others.

The night will also see a live-action painting crafted by U of S artists Jordan Bulgis and Floranne St. Amand, who will collaborate on the piece over the course of the evening. The painting will be auctioned off at the end of the event.

In addition to the acts there will be special U of S alumni speakers in attendance including

Heather Morrison, Zachari Logan and Chris Kelly.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for people to grab a drink and peruse the artwork, with the formal program starting at 7:30 p.m. and running for approximately an hour and a half.

Festivities will continue with appetizers provided by Picknic’s Catering, live music from the Jared Tehse Trio, a cash bar and further enjoyment of the arts until 11:00.

The event is semi-formal, so feel free to don your cocktail dress or dinner jacket. Tickets are $20 for students or seniors and $25 for general admission.

O’Brians Event Centre hosts We The Artists on Saturday, Feb 1. Tickets are available in the U of S Arts Tunnel from 10 am – 3 pm until Jan. 31 or online at obrianseventcentre.ca

scenes. Predominantly French to fit the setting, the music is usually upbeat and reflects the optimistic atmosphere of the production.

The high points of the play are the monologues delivered by each of the male characters. In one instance Francois speaks of the things he hates about Sophie, only to transition into how he loves the way she blows her nose — among other little details that he claims drive him crazy.

Francois’ humourous speech is second only to the brilliant lecture delivered by Robert on

his infuriatingly lazy students — I believe he used the term “little idiots” — and the equally frustrating inefficiency of the university as anything other than a money sucking institution (but far more eloquently put and convincingly delivered).

Special mention must be given to the lighting team during Robert’s monologue, as the audience can’t help but be drawn into the passionate address when the lights came on over their heads — as if the crowd gathered suddenly

becomes Robert’s miscreant students.

Charming, guaranteed to put a smile on your face and oh-so-sweet, Strawberries in January is about the relationships between its characters and is presented in a way that highlights the humour and romance inherent in the script. Have a taste, you won’t regret trying it.

Running until Feb. 9 at Persephone Theatre, tickets to Strawberries in January are available at the door or online at persephonetheatre.org.

There is no better way to forget about the cold of winter than by getting dressed up and heading out for an evening of drinks, food and artistic appreciation with We The Artists’ fine arts showcase.

Three years ago the University of Saskatchewan began striving for greater community engagement. This push sparked the three student associations of Music, Drama and Visual Arts — led by presidents Mitchell Bonokoski, Adam Naismith and Emma Anderson, respectively — to come together to create We The Artists, a collaborative association of students in the fine arts.

The event started as a way to connect fine arts students to off-campus communities and

Strawberries in January is a sugary delight ROSE LIEN

Strawberries in January is not about saying the right words at the right moment to the right person. Rather, it’s about pulling on doors meant to be pushed, regretting things left unsaid, doctoring real life to conform a little bit better to our dreams and eventually and accepting that just maybe things happen exactly as they should.

Written by Montreal-based playwright Evelyne de la Cheneliere, translated by Morwyn Brebner and directed by Gordon McCall, Strawberries in January takes place in presentday Montreal and features a number of familiar faces from Saskatoon making their main stage debut at Persephone theatre.

The play follows a quirky love story involving four Montreal singles. Francois (Jaron Fancis), a strapping barista who spends his days writing screenplays involving the people in his life, is in equal parts love and denial with his roommate and ex-fiancee Sophie (Anna Seibel). Hopeful, cheerful and completely relatable Sophie is fixated on looking for the perfect man; if he happens to be handsome and able to speak fluent Italian, all the better.

Lea (Kristina Hughes), Sophie’s estranged childhood friend, is a quirky woman making the best out of a somewhat bleak situation after falling in love and ending up pregnant by a mystery man who had briefly stayed at her country inn. French literature professor Robert (James O’Shea) is both eccentric and endearing, like all the best professors.

The one-act play mixes fantasy — taken from Francois’ idealized screenplay version of how he wished things would have happened — and real circumstances both past and present. These events fall out of order, which is a bit confusing to begin with. But by the second half of the hourand-a-half production, the sequence of events come together to form a somewhat cohesive storyline.

With the exception of the chronologicallychallenged narrative, the play is likable in its simplicity. The set requires very little change and is accessorized minimally by the multi-purposed props that moved around to create different cozy

(Left-to-right) Francois, Sophie and Robert navigate the humourous trials of love in Strawberries in January.

STEPHEN RUTHERFORD

CULTURE

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

12 Years a Slave is a difficult, superb film JANE GALBREATH

Certain movies go beyond entertainment and capture a story that leaves a lasting impression on its audience. Directed by Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave is one of those movies.

Based on a 19th-century memoir with the same title, 12 Years a Slave tells the story of Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a free black man living with his wife and children in Saratoga, New York.

Solomon is abducted and sold into slavery in 1841. This well-respected carpenter and violinist is stripped of his past, his family and his identity before being transported to the Deep South as a plantation slave. While he insists on his freedom at the beginning of his enslavement, the scars from initially speaking up haunt Solomon and put him into a state of silence for most of his captivity.

Re-christened as Platt, Solomon is sold to a relatively sympathetic master named William Ford (Benedict Cumberbatch) but is later resold to the sadistic plantation owner Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender).

Epps is a merciless master and is obsessed with a female slave by the name of Patsey (Lupita Nyong'o). Epps’ cycles of infatuation and rage with Patsey wreak havoc on the plantation, having a profound impact on Solomon.

Though he endures unimaginable beatings, it is the psychological torture that weighs heaviest on Solomon. While he attempts to forget his family and feels stripped of his dignity, there is an irresistible drive to escape enslavement that Solomon battles with throughout the plot.

The movie successfully portrays the complexities of Solomon’s survival through phenomenal character development that must be credited to the skill and heart of Ejiofor. Solomon is portrayed as a gentlenatured man who struggles with maintaining his true self in an unjust situation. Ejiofor has the ability to convey palpable anguish to the audience as they witness his relationship with both the other slaves — particularly Patsey — and his masters.

Just as talented as the leading man, Nyong’o and Fassbender are rightly Oscar nominated for their supporting roles.

In a world overrun by technology and watched over by the internet, it seems that nothing is safe from the dreaded public leak — not even a script from high-profile director Quentin Tarantino.

Leaks of information, music, movies and more have become so commonplace that most people don’t even think twice when they hear about the latest popculture phenomenon being spread around the internet well before its release date.

It’s even been speculated that some celebrities — namely musicians — leak their own content online to generate hype for a new release.

Such does not appear to be the case with Hollywood legend Tarantino, who has cancelled his upcoming film Hateful Eight after the script was leaked online in mid-January.

According to the Django Unchained director, he shared his script with only six people — one of whom must have given it to another agent. Tarantino was unaware his script had even leaked until his own agent started receiving calls about castings and auditions for the film.

Tarantino did not have plans to start filming until at least next winter, but it now looks as if Hateful Eight will remain off the big screen for the foreseeable future.

Upcoming Events Thursday Jan. 30 • Jazz Jam with the David Fong Trio at The Bassment • Latin Dance Night at Louis’ • The Wilderness of Manitoba with guests at Vangelis Tavern

Friday Jan. 31 MOVIE STILL

12 Years a Slave stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (middle-right) as a free man who is captured and forced into slavery.

Cumberbatch’s Ford is an intriguing character that the audience, like Solomon, can begin to appreciate while still being disgusted at the ambivalence he demonstrates. The contrast between Ford and Epp highlights an important point; sadistic or good-natured, when fundamental beliefs of superiority are upheld anyone is capable of furthering an evil an unjust system.

McQueen does not shelter the audience from the brutality of such a system. His use of long shots during horrific scenes makes the audience wince in pain with the characters while wishing for the scene to be over.

In particular, the audience is held with Solomon as he dangles in a noose after a plantation overseer tries to hang him.

The viewer is forced to wait with him for what seems like hours for someone to cut him down. The silence in these moments, coupled with Solomon’s periodic gasping for air, is excruciating.

Indeed silence is used throughout the movie, and when music is incorporated it is purposeful and effective. Solomon’s violin plays an integral role in the plot and

the sounds of the instrument are beautifully interwoven into the movie’s score. At the forefront of some scenes and other times complementary to the movie as a whole, the score is always absorbing.

Solomon is eventually freed, as the title suggests, but his abductors are never brought to justice. With Solomon’s captors left free, the audience cannot walk away without a sense of dissatisfaction at the injustices experienced by Solomon and so many others who were enslaved.

McQueen can be commended for approaching the subject matter in a way that does not alienate his audience with a sense of guilt, yet it is impossible to leave this movie without drawing a parallel with present day attitudes on slavery.

From beginning to end, 12 Years a Slave does not disappoint. It is a poignant tribute to the real Solomon Northup and the countless others who suffered until slavery was finally abolished in America. Although far from leisurely viewing, this historical movie is a must see.

12 Years a Slave plays at Roxy Theatre until Feb. 6.

Although Tarantino’s outrage has been causing a storm online, Hateful Eight is certainly not the first film to be affected by a leaked script.

Going as far back as 1941’s Citizen Kane, leaked scripts have been affecting films for decades with or without the help of the internet.

Although there is an assumption that leaking a script online can be something of a promotional stunt, history has proven

that in the majority of cases the effects of a leaked script are generally negative and lead to panic among the film’s creators.

In the early days of the internet, when the script for Scream 2 was leaked online while the movie was still in production, writer Kevin Williamson was forced to frantically re-write the screenplay to change the ending.

Bill Condon’s 2013 film The Fifth Estate on Wikileaks also faced a script leak, and it became the subject of severe criticisms before reaching theatres. Whether or not this situation had a direct impact on the film’s poor box office performance is unknown, but it certainly makes a person speculate.

Perhaps having a script leaked can be likened to wanting to share a brilliant surprise with a friend, only to discover that same friend heard about your plans from somewhere else.

It has been suggested that Tarantino may be overreacting, but the truth is he is not. The Hateful Eight screenplay was his property, his own written words, and he trusted just a handful of people with that work. One of those people that he put his faith in sold him out.

Tarantino has every right to feel betrayed; hopefully all of the noise he is making can help bring to light the gravity of his and many other writers’ unfortunate situations.

Script leaks an ongoing problem WILLIAM LOUISON

11

MIKE TREMBLAY

• Aaron Adair at The Bassment • Chinese New Year Party at Louis’ • Future Forests with Auto Pilot and DJ Marketmall at Amigos Cantina • West Side Story opens at TCU

Saturday Feb. 1 • All Mighty with Gunner & Smith and The Dead South at Amigos Cantina • Basement Paintings with Electric Grapevine and The Mailman’s Children at Rock Bottom • Gatsby Night for Autism at the Western Development Museum • Jan Janovsky Sextet at The Bassment • We the Artists at O’Brians Event Centre

Sunday Feb. 2 • Heritage Festival at the Western Development Museum

Monday Feb. 3 • Bleeker Ridge with Despite the Reverence at Louis’

Tuesday Feb. 4 • Kool Keith with Snow Goons, Ka Lil, Mic Flont and more at Amigos Cantina

Wednesday Feb. 5 • Embrace Theatre Fundraiser at Louis’

12

CULTURE

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Against Me! returns to form on Transgender Dysphoria Blues SCOTT DAVIDSON Associate News Editor

gender roles and identities. As a whole, it is an unrelenting approach that very few artists today would have the bravery to commit to like Grace does.

Musically, most of Transgender Dysphoria Blues sounds similar to the band’s most recent albums, New Wave and White Crosses. The pop-punk flavor of both albums shocked long time fans of Against Me!, who had grown accustomed to the anarchist folk-punk sound that defined the band’s earlier work.

Luckily, this is where the similarities end.

While New Wave was a good album, White Crosses was a disappointing effort that many

Much has changed in the two and a half years since the release of punk band Against Me!’s last album. In May 2012, the band’s singer — then known as Tom Gabel — publicly came out as a transgender woman and announced her plans to begin living under the name Laura Jane Grace.

The title of the band’s new album — Transgender Dysphoria Blues — reflects the diagnosis given to individuals who feel discontent with the gender identity they were assigned at birth. After announcing her plans to fully transition to living as a woman, Grace said she has dealt with gender dysphoria since childhood.

Transgender Dysphoria Blues is told from the perspective of a young, transgender prostitute who is dealing with feelings of gender dysphoria. Though the story is several steps removed from Grace’s own life, the album retains a deeply personal feel and offers insight into her own struggles with gender identity.

Grace has never been afraid to speak her mind as a lyricist. She approaches gender dysphoria with an unflinching honesty that is almost unheard of in today’s music.

“You want them to see the ragged edges of your summer dress/You want them to see you like they see any other girl/They just see a faggot/They hold their breath not to catch the sick,” Grace sings on the album’s title track.

Other songs offer deeply personal insight into the struggles Grace experienced in coming to terms with her own gender identity while growing up. At times, these lyrics offer biting commentary on other gender issues including traditional notions of masculinity.

“I’m drinking with the jocks/I’m laughing at the faggots/Just like one of the boys with my dick in my hand/All my life/Just like I was one of them,” Grace screams on “Drinking with the Jocks.”

Grace’s lyrics paint a brutally straightforward portrait of a society that has struggled to accept anything that does not fit into its traditional

Against Me! lead vocalist Laura Jane Grace explores gender issues on Transgender Dysphoria Blues.

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fans would prefer to forget. The album was criticized for abandoning the radicalism and political messages that defined earlier albums such as Against Me! is Reinventing Axl Rose in favor of ready-for-market pop-punk anthems.

With Transgender Dysphoria Blues, Grace proves that Against Me! hasn’t lost its edge.

Tracks such as “Osama Bin Laden as the Crucified Christ” and “Black Me Out” show that the band is still grounded in its punk roots.

Transgender Dysphoria Blues feels like the album Grace has wanted to write for long time.

As far back as the 2005 album Searching for a Former Clarity, Grace was writing lyrics about

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“confessing childhood secrets of dressing up in women’s clothes.”

On New Wave, a song called “The Ocean” included an entire verse about what Grace’s life — still living as a male at the time — would be like as a woman named Laura.

Grace’s deeply personal lyrics and brutally honest perspective on gender issues, society and acceptance alone make Transgender Dysphoria Blues worth a listen. Yet behind this is a musically diverse album that completes the experience and will appeal to both old and new fans of Against Me! alike.

MERON/FLICKR

Cosby returns to NBC KATELYNN BALDERSTONE Comedian and television star Bill Cosby is going to bring his skills to NBC once again. But can Cosby stand up to modern audiences?

The television network recently announced that they will be bringing the actor back for a new sitcom tailor made for him, 50 years after Cosby’s first appearance co-starring as Alexander Scott in the drama I Spy and 30 years after his famous role as Cliff Huxtable in his sitcom The Cosby Show.

Both of these series were hits for NBC while they were on the air and working with Cosby once again — as well as producer Tom Werner, whose company helped produce The Cosby Show — seems like a tried and true formula for success for the network.

While Cosby’s more recent attempts at launching a series have met with mixed results, he continues to have a strong showing with standup comedy — including his Comedy Central special Bill Cosby: Far from Finished — and certainly has enough charm to attract new fans alongside previous viewers. Cosby has always kept a focus on universal humour without resorting to profanity or crude jokes, looking at personal stories and comments on family life that hold a pleasant charm.

Cosby is keeping with what works best for him. In a November interview he told Yahoo TV that his new show would focus on “a married couple that acts like they love each other, warts and all, children who respect the parenting, and the comedy of people who make mistakes. Warmth and forgiveness."

NBC hopes putting Bill Cosby back on television screens will bring in viewers.

SHOW STILL

It’s a fair assumption that this series has the potential to be great. Cosby has a warm and friendly charm to his routine, and one doesn’t stay in the comedy industry for 50 years without knowing how to gain and keep an audience. NBC could also benefit from another major program in its television lineup to stay relevant.

If anything is going to interfere with the show being a hit it will likely be the production team. It won’t be enough to rest on Cosby’s fame and acting chops — NBC did that when they committed to a full season of The Michael J. Fox Show only to see it result in mixed reviews and low ratings. If they want to compete with other networks and make a good show in the process, NBC will have to work for it.

And it won’t be easy.

With the current state of television, filled with reality shows, cop dramas and premises that sometimes feel like we’re stepping backward, perhaps some honest effort and a reminder of better times is exactly what we need.

OPINIONS

13

Let’s talk about sex!

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

TRAVIS HOMENUK Opinions Editor

Sex isn’t the holy and sacred thing it used to be — and for the most part, this is a good thing.

While some of us are still saving ourselves for marriage, others have dove into the wonderful world of sex. One path is not better than the other, but there’s something to be said about how many in our society now perceive coitus, the horizontal mambo or hanky panky.

The biggest improvement about sex that’s taken place since our grandparents and parents were figuring out where things went is the whole notion of communicating about sex — which works on a few different levels.

How awesome is it that we can all talk about sex openly? Pretty damn awesome. Something that was once taboo and very hush-hush has since been erected into something for the masses to rejoice over.

Whether it’s talking about your one-night stand with your pal over brunch, taking a trip to a sex store with your lover or simply communicating with your partner about what you do or don’t like in the bedroom, sex talk is something that happens all the time.

I fully understand that we all come from differing backgrounds — some more conservative than others. I don’t want to seem offensive to those who view sexal intercourse in a different light than I do.

But if we’re truly moving towards a society that is anti-oppressive and inclusive, it should be okay to talk about these things should the situation permit itself to such discussion.

Obviously talking about banging someone in the midst of an academic lecture is probably a poor life choice.

If sex is going to be an appropriate topic of

CODY SCHUMACHER/GRAPHICS EDITOR

conversation, it still needs to be approached judiciously. There are some friends with whom sex just isn’t a topic of conversation, and it’s also not something I’m going to discuss with grandparents or family friends. Just like having sex, there’s a time and a place for such discussions.

More and more young adults are able to talk to their parents about sex — hurray! It’s not as if parents and their children are talking about the full-fledged details (and really, your mom doesn’t want to know if you gave someone a blow job), but just having an open line of communication is key and so important to everyone’s sexual health.

My own family is quite liberal-minded — partially because of who’s in our group of family and what experiences we’ve all gone through — so sex can be an open topic of conversation in my house if it’s warranted. If it’s not directly talked about, it’s at least implied by other conversations we’ve had.

Just hearing “it’s okay if you don’t come home some nights, but please let me know what’s up”

is a comfort to the ears of all dating-inclined children who happily exploit their parent’s generosity by living at home during university.

I feel terribly for those whose parents prohibit them from staying over at their partner’s houses.

I’m sure it must be difficult for parents to admit their little babies are sexually active, but pretending they’re not doing the deed isn’t going to help anyone either.

So communicating with family and friends is one part of sexual communication that’s key, but the other aspect that’s important falls on partner to partner communication — which is perhaps the most crucial part.

I don’t care if you’re having a one-night romp fest or if you’re “in it to win it” as some might say, sex needs to be talked about in a healthy manner between lovers.

You might date and fall in love with someone who wants to save their first time for their wedding night, but make sure that you both are comfortable with that and discuss it.

I’ve heard far too many stories about one

partner being pressured into having sex when they really weren’t wanting to — but they didn’t want to break up, so they gave in or just fought about it all the time. That’s just a big old recipe for disaster.

In other instances, you and your partner might be long-term lovers but that doesn’t mean you can just carry on having intercourse without ever talking about it. My sympathies to those who have those lacklustre love lives. Spice it up! Talk about it.

I think the greatest sexual liberty of all is being able to communicate with your partner about what feels good, what doesn’t, where you want to have sex and how you want to do it. This doesn’t mean you’re talking dirty — which is also cool and fun — but sometimes it might mean that you and partner have a frank discussion about sex over a cup of joe or a bowl of soup.

Sex talk shouldn’t be solely confined to the bedroom in my opinion, but if that’s where you feel safest then leave those discussions for when the lights are off and the clothes are few and far between.

Sex Week is taking place from here at the University of Saskatchewan from Feb. 3 to 7, which says a lot about how the demographic of students here at the U of S approaches, views and discusses sex. The open-minded attitude is reflected by their student representatives.

“It’s important for students to feel like they can talk about healthy relationships — Sex Week offers that atmosphere,” said University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union President Max FineDay. Let’s hear three cheers for Sex Week at the U of S and for sexual communication in general.

Be safe, be smart and talk about sex.

You count more than calories: Eating disorders illuminated KATIA HUCL

Eating disorders are a reality for many Canadians and dealing with these issues comes with education and awareness — especially around the history and terminology associated with such health problems.

In a society where beauty and self-worth are often tied to body weight and physique, it’s hard for many to maintain a positive self-image.

This inability to love ourselves is reflected through increased rates of eating disorders and disordered eating across the globe, which is why we need to be aware of them.

Hospitalization rates for eating disorders have increased steadily since the 1950’s, moving towards 18 per cent between 1999 and 2006 alone — and increased by 118 per cent in

children in the same time period.

In an American survey, 91 per cent of college-aged women had attempted to control their body weight through dieting which many carry out incorrectly, often leading to the development of an eating disorder. This high percentage is certainly something to consider.

Disordered eating in general is when a person’s attitudes about food, weight and body size lead to very inflexible eating and exercise behaviours.

Some behaviours include obsession with calorie counting, extreme exercising and excessive feelings of failure when things don’t go according to plan. These habits can threaten one’s health, happiness and safety.

Disordered eating may begin as a way to lose a few pounds or get in shape, but for some these

STEPHANIE MAH

behaviors can quickly become obsessive and can even lead to a full blown eating disorder.

The difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder is that the former cannot be classified in and of itself as a specific eating disorder, whereas the latter is indicative of a specific eating disorder like anorexia.

Usually people are most familiar with anorexia and bulimia because they are the most publicized forms of eating disorders in North America — primarily due of the media coverage they receive. However there are many other lesser known forms of eating disorders that affect people.

Eating Disorder Awareness Week takes place in the first full week of February across North America every year, rightfully bringing these issues to the forefront of people’s minds.

This year, the University of Saskatchewan’s awareness campaign is trying to bring attention to four of the lesser-known eating disorders.

These disorders are only a subsection of the disorders with rapidly rising rates of diagnosis in college-aged persons, but should not be taken lightly.

Binge eating disorder is classified by frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in a short period of time. The amount of food eaten in a binge is usually much larger than a normal meal or eve more than a person would eat in a whole day. Binges are associated with feelings of guilt, disgust and having no control. Those who have binge eating disorder might binge in secret, making it hard for family and friends to notice.

Diabulimia is only found in Type 1 diabetics.

Those with diabulimia take less insulin than they need to control their blood sugar and induce weight loss but risk serious medical issues such as falling into a coma and even death.

Drunkorexia is a new slang term that describes the practice of restricting food intake in order to drink more alcohol. It’s often driven

by a desire to avoid gaining weight by replacing calories normally obtained from food with nutritionally empty calories from alcohol.

Statistics from an American study of student psychology suggests that 30 per cent of 18-24 year olds have skipped meals in order drink more alcohol later on. Drinking on an empty stomach is particularly dangerous and can lead to excessive intoxication, blackouts, alcohol poisoning and illness.

Lastly, orthorexia is defined as the compulsion to eat only what is labeled as “healthy,” “clean,” or “natural” foods. Those with orthorexia may have started with the goal of improving their diets but spiral into excessive food fixation.

Those suffering from orthorexia may refuse to eat foods they have not prepared themselves, citing various self-imposed dietary restrictions.

Food choices eventually become so restrictive that physical and mental health suffers. Those suffering from orthorexia often view themselves as completely dedicated to their health.

If any of the above information is something that you have done or have considered doing, then it might be a good idea to step back and think about your relationship with food and body image. It might not mean that you have an eating disorder, but how we eat is worth thinking critically about.

Eating disorders can take over your life in ways you may not notice. You have power over your life. Your relationship with food and your self-image should not dictate how you live.

If you suspect that you have an unhealthy relationship with food, tell someone. If you feel anxious, guilty or distressed when thinking about food, eating or your body, it may be time to think about reaching out for assistance.

Tell a parent, a partner, a friend or healthcare professional — just make sure you tell someone.

Seeking help is the only way to improve your health. A dietitian, counsellor or doctor can help you find a healthier path.

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OPINIONS

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

Under-appreciated unknown bliss JORDAN BARANIECKI

The unknown has always been a fearful circumstance because we want the answers to something right now and we want them presented right in front of us.

Living with that mentality is convenient, it’s easy and it’s simple. Life as we know it now will never be the same simple as it was before. 50 years from now it will be a different kind of simple, yet I have no idea how exactly it will look.

But that does not mean I’m afraid of what is in store. Of course there is a level of anxiety that comes with not knowing something, but the curiosity is the drive we really need in order to make an impact for positive change in the world.

Maybe I’m coming off as a global idealist but I believe that everything can start from a simple idea.

For this argument about the unknown, it does not matter how the world came to be. But focusing on the belief that man developed over time is essential.

The answers to survival were not known to man and needed to be experienced to be understood. Where would we be if man never discovered or feared fire? Heat is such an essential part of life that we take for granted, but remember that it was once unknown to us.

The difficulty of wrapping our minds around these ideas comes from the huge gap between something that is the way it is right now and knowing where it came from. It’s about knowledge. The only thing that matters about where something came from is how it once came to be.

From there, we can understand where it is going in the future.

In a way we can predict where the future is going by looking into the past to discover patterns of how things evolved over time.

Plato wrote in Phaedo about a theory called the “Argument of Opposites.” The premise of this was that all things were created by opposites. The future only

exists with the past. So when we know about the past, we can know about the future quite easily — which is why the unknown really isn’t scary at all.

Take the example of online reading.

We can buy and read books online which is much easier than getting ourselves to a bookstore or library to check one out. Take your thinking one step further and you can understand the opposing outcome: bookstores will slowly become less important.

But what if we look at it from another perspective? Books will turn into something that can be read on the computer, phone or tablet. Is that more beneficial than a physical copy of a book?

What if I am more susceptible to develop issues with my eyes?

I am writing this article on an iPad and I am exposed to the internal lights that emit from it. Sure I can turn down the brightness but over time I believe I might develop eye problems. I may very well have to get glasses when I’m 30, or may develop cataracts, which is caused by unprotected exposure to light.

I am not a scientist, but basic common sense is all you need to realize that it is easy to see these things if we just think beyond what is known to us. There is a consequence for everything.

If we acknowledge different things and have a small portion of anticipation for what will happen in the future, we will know what will come next without fear of not being ready.

So what about the present moment?

Where does that fall in the importance of our lives? The most important aspect of the present moment is being one with your mind so we are not either dwelling on the past or anxious about the future.

The beauty of something right now is that it’s all you need. Spend time in the present moment with someone you really cherish, read a good book, go for a run — but just think about those things as they are right at that very moment. You don’t

MIKE TREMBLAY

need to be thinking about what you’re having for dinner, what homework needs to be done or what new meme you’re missing out on. Be in the now.

If you’re dwelling on the mistakes you’ve made in the past or over-thinking your future, when are you ever going to live in the present moment?

The right now is known to you and is that not what we are striving for? The way

we experience life is through curiosity and the root of being curious is to not be afraid of something foreign.

We can have all the answers to the immediate future, and depending on how far we think ahead there is a lot we can learn to better our own lives and the lives of others. Just be careful with thinking about the future and remember to live in this very moment for all it’s worth.

Neil Young and the problem with celebrity ALEXANDER QUON

Whether you love or hate Neil Young, over the past few weeks the Canadian musician has undoubtedly completed his goal of raising awareness for both the environment and First Nations treaty rights. Even so, I disagree with some of his commentary.

Young’s well-intentioned but misguided Honour the Treaties concert tour has experienced sold out shows and unbridled media attention. It has once again brought the controversial topic of the oilsands to the forefront of the Canadian psyche, as well as to the front page of national newspapers.

There are very few topics unique to Canada that are as divisive as the development of the oilsands. It seems that every Canadian has an opinion — whether the development of the oilsands should be permitted, to what degree they should be developed and whether or not the companies or governmental bodies in charge of regulating these areas have done their due diligence to name a few.

At the moment, no individual has the nation’s attention quite like Young. But all of the music awards he has won mean nothing when compared to his criticism of the oilsands.

I have great respect for Young, but I cannot support his position on the oilsands. Though Young may argue that he is not on an “anti-tar-sands crusade,” his

Is Neil Young more passionate about music or politics? hyperbolic statements prove otherwise.

His most recent and most controversial statement compared the oilsands area of Fort McMurray, Alta. to the remnants of Hiroshima after the explosion of the Little-Boy atomic bomb. This stance not only gave his critics more fuel to fight his statements but also discredited any type of rational argument he may have presented.

Well-intentioned as he may be, Young’s statements are at best controversial

NRK P3/FLICKR

propaganda for a movement which has been gaining traction over the last few years and at worst are an affront to any reasonable Canadian.

As an oilsands development area, Fort McMurray is a project which has many pros and many cons. To say that the oilsands have had no negative effects on the environment is false. However, to compare an environmental disturbance to an event which took the lives of 135,000

people is not just poisonous to Young’s campaign but also hurts any valid criticism of the oilsands that he may present.

His comments have not hurt his movement, however, and have likely drawn more followers and attention to the cause. Young’s celebrity has given him an embedded audience which will believe what he says no matter how hyperbolic his comments may be.

Parallels can be drawn to celebrities like Jenny McCarthy, who claims that childhood vaccinations cause autism and other medical disorders despite having been disproven by scientific research.

McCarthy has her own following of fervent supporters and she has made outlandish statements which would discount her claims to any reasonable person. Nonetheless, it appears as if support for her movement has grown larger in recent years.

Celebrities are great mouthpieces for ideological views and bringing attention to social issues, but they are not always correct.

Young is one such celebrity. His belief and faith in his movement are admirable, but his arguments are invalidated by the audacity of some of his more outlandish statements.

The oilsands are undoubtedly a project which needs to be discussed, but it’s crucial that the conversation remains civil.

HUMOUR

30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com

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Campus Chat What’s your favourite winter olympic event?

Downhill skiing because there is more to it than people realize.

Jared Haight

Hockey because I love hockey.

Lauren Seymour

Fake News

Snowboarding because it’s entertaining.

Tami Matthies

Curling because I like the screaming.

Troy Hagen

Sex planned in Place Riel To kick off Sex Week at the University of Saskatchewan, an orgy has been planned for Monday, Feb. 3rd in Upper Place Riel.

Organizers at the U of S decided to try something different this year in order to reach a larger demographic of students, hence the orgy.

“We’ve been hearing about a lot of orgies happening in residences on campus.

We wanted to offer this opportunity to all students to whip out their bits and get off — and to alleviate some stress — in a warm and welcoming environment,” said University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union President Max FineDay. The orgy is set to begin at 10 a.m. and continue until 5 p.m. assuming participants come and go as they please.

Ilene Busch-Vishniac is expected to take part around noon during her lunch break.

It’s rumoured that students are supposed to call her “the Busch” during the orgy.

There will be waxing clinics offered on Friday, Jan. 31st to get students ready for the event. FineDay notes that “every student should have a clean work surface — which means no surprises covered by hair.”

Buckets of condoms and lubricant are being provided. All students wanting to participate will also have to go through a brief screening process beforehand, which is set to be conducted by students from the College of Nursing. Students who are found to have a sexually transmitted disease will not be allowed to participate, but will be encouraged to watch from behind a transparent splash guard.

“We figured if some students can’t participate, they might still want to have a look and masterbate at their convenience,” said Vice-President Operations and Finance Jenna Mollenbeck. “For that reason, we’ll be live streaming for the duration of the orgy on PAWS.”

MIKE T.

DAN

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30 January, 2014 • thesheaf.com