Andy examines hip hop’s enigmatic star www.thesil.ca
McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER / THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
The Silhouette
601 THROWING THE BALL AROUND THE OFFICE
Est. 1930
*IS THIS THE
YEAR FOR
?
GENERAL
*
ASSEMBLY
= QUORUM FOR MSU GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Brian Decker and Sam Colbert Executive Editor and Managing Editor
General Assembly (GA) has total control of the McMaster Students Union (MSU). It can recall presidents, change student fees and fundamentally repurpose the MSU and its services in whatever manner its attendees see fit. That is, as long as 601 people show up. That number represents three per cent of the more than 20,000 full-time undergraduates at McMaster, which is the required percentage to reach quorum – the level at which votes are binding on the MSU. Without sufficient attendance, the Assembly’s motions are powerless. This year’s General Assembly will take
INSIDE THE SIL
place on March 28 and has a chance to break an unfortunate trend. Quorum hasn’t been reached since 1995, with attendance suffering since and bottoming out with a 25-person gathering in 2008. “We’ve had some pretty substantial issues in the past couple of years that have gotten a lot of people out and we still haven’t reach quorum,” said MSU speaker, Jeff Wyngaarden, who will chair the event. With a new marketing campaign and a few big-ticket motions already on the table, there’s a modicum of optimism around GA this year. The new campaign, which include signs advertising only “the601.ca,” has been part of a collaboration between Campus Events, Underground Media
& Design, the MSU’s student life coordinator Michael Wooder and president Matthew DillonLeitch, among others. “I think when you say ‘General Assembly’ – when the MSU throws its logo on different things – people sort of shut down and ignore it,” said Dillon-Leitch, who is hoping this year’s GA will be different than in the past 17 years. “You have to make things a little different, a little more interesting, because the impact is really what’s important,” he said. “It holds the Board and the SRA (Student Representative Assembly) accountable,” said Wyngaarden. “This is really the opportunity to
• PLEASE SEE EFFORTS, A4
VOLUME 82, NO. 26
251 25 3% ATTENDANCE AT LAST YEAR’S GA
ATTENDEES IN 2008
PERCENTAGE OF STUDENT POPULATION NEEDED FOR QUORUM
1995 LAST TIME QUORUM WAS REACHED
MSU Teaching Awards
THIS WEEK Recognizing top McMaster faculty OPINIONS
Dina Fanara
Assistant News Editor
IS IT REALLY OKAY FOR A SHY GIRL TO FREAK OUT IN A LIBRARY? WE NEED A RAGE CHANGE.
SPORTS
SEE A11
“McMaster is the place where great teachers are made,” said MSU vice president (education), Alicia Ali at the 2011-2012 Teaching Awards Recognition Ceremony on March 21. McMaster president and vice chancellor Patrick Deane was the next to take the floor, offering words of encouragement and praise to all who were nominated. “Of all the awards I’ve received, those from students mean the most to me,” Deane said, truly capturing the essence of the event and awards, which would be shortly presented to the recipients. More students and faculty members gathered at the event than there were chairs provided. Deane continued, “There are a wide array of approaches which benefit students,” which YOUSSIF HADDAD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
• PLEASE SEE MSU, A4 Kinesiology student Alasdair Rathbone presents Dr. Krista Howarth with an award.
TEDx Conference
United by “Bridges and Barriers” Kacper Niburski
Assistant News Editor
OFSAA CHAMPION AND TEAM ONTARIO GUARD DANIELLE BOIAGO COMMITS TO THE MCMASTER BASKETBALL PROGRAM.
It was among these questionable times, where differences seem to take precedent over similarities, and commonalities are anything but common, that TEDxMcMasterU hosted the event “Bridges and Barriers” on March 17.
The McMaster conference included talks from 11 different speakers, whose careers varied as much as their speeches did. From numerous undergraduate students to a pediatric neurosurgeon at McMaster’s Children’s Hospital, the speakers addressed the challenges and opportunities inherent in attempting to progress in both an academic context and
SEE S2
ANDY
ANDY LOOKS AT THE WILD HURDLES FANS JUMP TO GET THEIR COVETED SHOW TICKETS. YOUSIF HADDAD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
SEE D5 The TEDxMcMasterU team worked extensively to plan the conference.
the surrounding world. Jeanette Eby, the coordinator of McMaster’s Discovery Program, began the event by reminding the audience of their connection to Hamilton and the broader community. Drawing upon the lessons learned in the Program, she explained that knowledge is often contained. Higher institutions, while serving to spread the accumulation of knowledge, tend to be hindered by various obstacles. But by engaging with students in an open forum, whether young or old, able or disabled, knowledge is expanded upon in an entirely new perspective. This idea was furthered by Shafeeq Rabbani, a first-year Engineering student at McMaster. As opposed to relating such a world to humans, however, Rabbani began with the question, “When will robots get here?” Unfortunately, his answer was somewhere between unsure and hesitant. While robots have had an increased role in industry, they have yet to make a noticeable private impact. Rabbani, though, hoped that his TED talk would not only inspire or simply disseminate an idea, but instead cultivate the passion to fuel the much-needed impetus in the field of robotics. • PLEASE SEE FROM, A4
This is a paid advertisement by the MSU
the
PRESIDENT’S PAGE Katie Ferguson VP (Administration)
Duncan Thompson VP (Finance)
Matthew Dillon-Leitch President
Alicia Ali VP (Education)
McMASTER STUDENTS UNION GENERAL ASSEMBLY MARcH 28, 2012 AT 4:30pM IN BURRAGE GYM Just what is the 601?
Matthew Dillon-Leitch President president@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 23885
601 represents the number of people we need at the annual MSU General Assembly for our decisions to be binding upon the Student Representative Assembly. Currently, quorum for our General Assembly is 3% of the full-time membership of the MSU and that number just so happens to be 601. The MSU is mandated to host a General Assembly every year, but it hasn’t actually met quorum since 1995. The General Assembly is a unique opportunity for students to actively participate in the decisions we make that impact student life at McMaster. This year there will be two motions that I have personally submitted; one regarding Welcome Week and one suggesting an all-inclusive concert. Having been a Welcome Week Representative, I know one of the barriers we often face is getting students involved in the activities, specifically those who did not purchase a MacPass. There are many reasons why a first year student chooses not to purchase a MacPass. Perhaps it was too expensive. The Student Success Centre may have sold out. A student may not have been interested in the programming. Often times, however, first year students didn’t purchase a MacPass simply because they were not aware of the sale. As a
Welcome Week Rep, there was nothing I hated more than to see a first year who wanted to take part in the activities, and having to turn them away for not knowing how or where to get a pass. Unfortunately there will always be a cost associated with Welcome Week, and at the General Assembly we are proposing the motion for a Level One (i.e. first-year students) fee of $120 to eliminate the $136 MacPass to fund Welcome Week. This would make the activities accessible to every first year, lower the cost to the individual student and ensure everyone can participate. Furthermore, Faculty Societies also play a huge role in Welcome Week. Within this same motion, we would move the support of the Faculty planners away from the Student Success Centre and instead have the MSU Campus Events Department assist the planners. Thus, the MSU will act as a support system for our Faculty Societies and help facilitate their success. This new support structure will help the planners throughout the summer and also help Faculty Societies provide a better Welcome Week experience to their students. The second motion I will bring forward centres on the concept of an all-inclusive concert. Examining what exists at Western, the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Calgary, I think Mac can take a lesson. Western offers a free live music event called Purple Fest, with beer gardens and events in the first semester. At the University of Calgary, students are treated to a large festival event with live music called Bermuda Shorts Day and attendance is in the
5000+ area. At UBC, the Block Party is held on the last day of classes where there is live music and between 50006000 students attend. I want to create something like that at McMaster, and the motion proposed is a $5.00 fee from every MSU member to establish a stadium concert/festival event, etc. where admission would be free and students will help select the music genre and/or band(s).
General Assembly is also the time and place to share your thoughts for the future of the MSU. You are encouraged to submit your ideas as well. If you are interested in submitting a motion, please email our Speaker at speaker@ msu.mcmaster.ca. I truly think that we can create something amazing here at Mac. Help change McMaster University. Be part of the 601.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTIONS ON THE HORIZON
Duncan Thompson VP (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 24109
While presidential and Student Representative Assembly (SRA) elections may be over, the race for office isn’t quite finished yet. The elections of the three Vice Presidents remain. Together the President, and VPs Administration, Finance and Education comprise the MSU Board of Directors (BoD). Together, the BoD has vast responsibilities within the organization and to the undergraduate students of McMaster University. Together, this team of four individuals are employed for a year-long term,
governing the daily operations of the McMaster Students Union. The Vice President (Administration) is responsible for managing both the service and political branches of the MSU, specifically concentrating on the student-run services. The Vice President (Finance) oversees the accounting department and is the organization’s highest signing authority for disbursement of MSU funds. Furthermore, the VP (Finance) is directly responsible for ensuring the efficient financial management of all MSU departments. The Vice President (Education) is the chief external and internal advocate for the MSU and McMaster students on issues of post-secondary education. The VP (Education), in coordination with the MSU president, is responsible for gauging and responding to student opinions on the quality of academic life at McMaster University to
Administration, the municipality, the province and the federal government. Each of these positions is a fulltime employment opportunity. To apply/run for any of these positions, you need not form a team or run a campaign. You must, however, attend the SRA meeting taking place on April 1 at 12:00pm in Gilmour Hall 111 (Council Chambers). If you are interested in running, you will be nominated for the position. The election process gives each candidate the opportunity to speak to their qualifications and then Assembly members will have the ability to question the nominees. Following this procedure, the election will take place. If you think you are the right person for the job, check out the full job descriptions at vpelections. msumcmaster.ca and join us on April 1. Vice Presidents are not the only elections for which you can run. If you
The President’s Page is sponsored by the McMaster Students Union. It is a space used to communicate with the student body about the projects, goals and agenda of the MSU Board of Directors.
www.msu.mcmaster.ca
are an MSU member (enrolled in 18 units or more and not a sitting member of the SRA), you can run for an MSU seat on any one of our Committees, there are several to choose from. Hopefully there is something that will suit your interests. Have a look at the list here: Bylaws and Procedures, External Affairs, Finance, Operations, Services, University Affairs, Clubs Executive Council, Teaching Awards, Elections, Faculty Cup Award, Residence Cup Award Committee, University Book Store Committee, Child Care Centre Advisory Committee. If you are interested in getting a seat on any one of these committees come to the SRA meeting taking place on April 15 at 12:00pm, in Gilmour Hall room 111. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact any member of the Board of Directors, or feel free to email the MSU Elections Department at election@msu.mcmaster.ca.
THE SILHOUETTE • A3
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Higher Education
Seeking student input for change
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Open forums ask student what they look for in their education and what can be done to improve the learning experience
SCIENCE Farzeen Foda
Senior News Editor
The faculty of Science offers courses that cross a range of learning objectives and styles, as some courses are lecture-based, while others require a lab component. In between, are Science courses that hold potential for more invigorating student experiences. To tackle the issues facing the Faculty of Science specifically, an open forum was held on March 21, hosted by the McMaster Science Society to give students an opportunity to voice their concerns about Science education at McMaster. The informal discussion began with an introduction from University president, Patrick Deane who opened with a snapshot of the current status of Canadian universities. “Governments do recognize that higher education is important,” said Deane, after explaining that even in the difficult economic times
currently facing government spending, every effort is going toward preserving higher education. Not only is McMaster on the verge of transformation but the country as a whole, is in the process of rethinking education, a longoverdue endeavour. The current model of higher education, noted Deane, has not changed since 1967 and Ontario’s per student funding at the post-secondary education is the lowest across the country. “I am still very proud of the quality of education, but it is not a sustainable way of doing things,” he said, with particular reference to how a degree is structured and how to best incorporate the foundations of a discipline into the curriculum. It is important to garner those skills vital to developing a career, while building a holistic experience which may come from experiential education and incorporating research into undergraduate education in a feasible way. Such far-reaching goals would only be a product of additional funding, something that will not be a reality for many years given the current economic situation. What can be done, however, is reconfigure the university’s budget system, “which might make the money go further,” said Deane. The University is currently in the process of implementing a new budget model. One consideration proposed by an audience member, was the possibility of outsourcing education to companies that could provide the resources that the University is currently struggling to provide. As attractive as this alternative may seem, it may lend itself to numerous legal complications and there is no deficiency in faculty expertise at this University, explained Deane. Another audience member expressed the promising role of mentorship programs, while another stated the need for students to take charge of their education as well. The event concluded with a panel discussion, moderated by Alison Sills, associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Panelists spoke about problems faced when trying to implement discussion-based courses. The overarching problem was that students don’t take charge of self-directed learning and poor test results are reflected in the teaching evaluation of professors. To be noted as well, is that many students are juggling many different things and prioritization is a natural part of dealing with the copious amounts of work, noted Dr. Kimberly Dej, professor in the department of Biology. A blended model of discussion and lecture-based approach is one that may be more effective. A financial investment has already been put toward to bringing online courses to McMaster and incorporating a blended model of teaching. The Faculty of Science is among the faculties that may be used for the pilot project, noted Sills.
SOCIAL SCIENCE Dina Fanara
Assistant News Editor
While much of the Social Science course content is interesting and engaging, the applicability of this knowledge in the workforce upon completion of the degree is something of concern to many students in the faculty. On March 15, the Faculty of Social Sciences held a forum, with the theme: “Understanding Our Difference, Building Our Future.” The theme of the forum was influenced by president Patrick Deane’s Forward With Integrity letter. The programme consisted of two halves: an academic panel and an industry panel. At both, professionals from the field were invited to partake in discussion with faculty and students from the Social Sciences faculty. The speakers present on the academic panel were: James Benn, department chair of Religious Studies at McMaster, Tina Moffat, associate professor of Anthropology, Greg Flynn, CLA of Political Science, and Sandra Preston, director of Experiential Education and assistant director of Social Work. Those present on the industrial panel were Mark Chamberlain, member of the Board of Governors, David Admes, president and CEO of Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Rebecca Bentham, executive director of the Hamilton Law Association, Paul Johnson, director of the Neighbourhood Development Strategies in Hamilton, and Denise Doyle, CEO of YWCA Hamilton. The main objectives of the forum were to recognize the strengths, discuss potential strategies for enhancement of the undergraduate experience within the classroom and in the community. Additionally, it aimed to identify the fundamental skills expected of Social Sciences students upon graduation, with a discussion of how Social Science education can prepare students for the workforce while providing a forum for networking within stakeholders in education. While the academic panel focused on the strengths of the faculty in relation to others, the industrial panel focused on the skills that are required from graduates. “What you learn at university is a starting point… it’s a lifelong challenge,” said Chamberlain. “You don’t teach creativity, you don’t teach productivity, you learn them.” The industrial panel discussed how many of the skills listed as requirements for a job position are often learned on the job through experience. According to Doyle, it is the “responsibility of employers and organizations to talk about who they’re looking to hire.” Bentham explained that “the majority of jobs aren’t given to applicants,” but are given to people who have connections within the company. Students need to learn how to properly brand themselves to companies to look appealing and earn the career of their dreams.
A4 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Excellence in Teaching
MSU awards outstanding educators • CONT’D FROM A1 he felt had been captured by the recipients of the award. McMaster’s associate vice president (Academic), Peter Smith, acknowledged, “there is not much guidance as to what makes a good instructor.” It’s something that is open to interpretation by the individuals in the profession, though Smith remarked, “you have to be willing to learn from your students.” All recipients expressed gratitude for the honour. Unlike many other universities, both research and teaching takes centerfold, the latter of which was highlighted at the ceremony. Dr. Krista Howarth was the recipient of the award for the Faculty of Kinesiology, professor Hartley Jafine for Health Sciences, Dr. Gary Dumbril from Social Sciences, Dr. William Scarth from Arts and Science, Dr. Nick Bontis from Commerce, Dr. Giuseppe Melaciniy from Science, professor Cameron Churchill from Engineering and professor Simon Wood of Humanities. “McMaster teaching really counts,” said Social Sciences recipient Dubmril.
Efforts in place to break GA record • CONT’D FROM A1 make sure they’re doing what you want them to be doing, and also to bring forward projects that aren’t on the table that you want to see happen.” As of Wednesday night, Wyngaarden had received four motions for this year’s Assembly – the first two moved by Dillon-Leitch. The first would scrap the MacPass, putting in its place a flat $120 fee for all incoming first-year students whether they attend Welcome Week or not, subsequently increasing funding for the Week overall. Second is a proposal for a fivedollar charge to all full-time undergraduate students for an annual, Roy Joyce Stadium-sized concert. With the additional funds, Campus Events could bring in a major act and accommodate more than 5,000 students for a free show. The third and fourth motions are both for mandated MSU lobbying efforts, one for a grocery store in MUSC to replace Travel Cuts and the other for a reduction in tuition,
Motions passed at General Assembly have the same power as those in referenda.” along with additional grants for students and an increase in provincial funding for universities. Motions passed at GA have the same power as those in referenda, which typically accompany the MSU’s presidential elections. Through GA, students can do things the SRA can’t do on its own – make fee changes, for example. The MSU, which is distinct from the University and operates under a multi-million-dollar annual budget, charges four to five hundred dollars to each student yearly. With that money, it supports a governance structure, businesses and a number of services (including the Silhouette). Wednesday’s event will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Burridge Gym. It is expected that more motions will come forward before the event. Aware of the Students Union’s annual struggle to reach quorum for the Assembly, Dillon-Leitch kept his answer short when asked if he thought this year’s GA would draw enough people. “I sure hope so,” he said.
ARTS & SCIENCE
Dr. Patangi Rangachari
Dr. William Scarth COMMERCE
Prof. Hartlet Jafine HUMANITIES
Dr. Kinda Stockon
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Prof. Nikolai Penner
Dr. Nick Bontis
Prof. Simon Wood
Dr. Maureen Hupfer
Prof. Joseph Argentino
ENGINEERING
KINESIOLOGY
Dr. Aaron Childs
Dr. Krista Howarth
Prof. Cameron Churchill Dr. Waldemar Okon
Dr. Miroslav Lovric Dr. David Brock
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Dr. Giuseppe Melaciniy Dr. Dick Day Dr. James McNulty
Dr. Michael Mercier
Dr. Gary Dumbrill Dr. Tracy Prowse
From science to creativity ... ... and everything in between • CONT’D FROM A1 Brianna Smrke, a second-year Arts and Science student, similarly tackled the need for progress, but did so through the lens of complexity science. “Essentially, complexity science is the search for something behind everything,” she said. Discussing the shared yet hidden language latent in all things, Smrke hinted at a perpetually budding world that is connected but different, apart but the same. In order to discover it – and in turn bring about universal progression – Smrke stressed the need to “test, think and repeat.” Giovanni Carranza-Hernandez and Alex Ramirez took a much different approach in an attempt to bridge barriers. Carranza-Hernandez, a McMaster graduate from the Department of Social Work, elaborated on the inescapable heteronormativity pervasive in a phallocentric society, specifically how male expression leads to violence against women. Dividing the male psyche into a polarized spectrum, with hegemonic masculinity on one end and an alternative on the other, he expressed the need to recognize misogyny, and in doing so, challenge the cultural norms of gender stereotypes. Ramirez, on the other hand, spoke about the unyielding spirit of activism among youth and the faulty perception of apathy in student culture. “I think young people are willing to bring changes to society, but need to find out what they want to do,” he said. But this desire for change applies to all, not solely the youth. Speakers Shelia Singh, Gordon Guyatt, Cary Massarella and Christopher Aruffo were prime examples. Discussing the novel identification
YOUSIF HADDAD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Rick Monture spoke at the annual TEDxMcMasterU event. of a population of cancer stem cells that exclusively drive the formation of brain tumours, the need to have research evidence that guides clinical practice, the stigmatization of the transgender populous in medical treatment and the way to remove barriers to second-language speech, each speaker proposed a paradigm shift in their respective fields. To close the day of inspiration, Oskar Niburski, in his second year of the Arts and Science Program, challenged the audience. Niburski preformed two poems that contested conventional creative thinking. “As writers, we are trying to
convey our thoughts and emotions to others,” he said. “But it is beyond conventional structure where creative writing flourishes. Now I am not telling you to start your next lap report with a haiku nor your essay with some wild equation, but I am urging you to realize that whenever you write, you are trying to communicate and when you communicate, you do so to the world.” And each year, TEDxMcMasterU brings the world’s ideas to McMaster in hopes that McMaster will one day bring the world its ideas.
Blaze causes commotion on campus Managing Editor and Assistant News Editor
Construction workers at the site of the to-be Shoppers Drug Mart and Starbucks building on Main Street West and Emerson Street, across the road from McMaster, caused a fire after hitting a gas line on March 15 around 1:40 p.m. Emergency vehicles surrounded the building as the intersection and surrounding streets were closed off. The eastbound ramp for Highway 403 to Main Street was also temporarily closed. The businesses, some of the homes and the nearby elementary school close to the building were evacuated and with-
Compiled by Farzeen Foda Brawl outside MUSC Hamilton, ON – St Patrick’s Day ended on a sour note after a verbal dispute resulted in physical assault, leaving an 18-year old in hospital with a broken jaw, among other non-life-threatening injuries. Police arrived at 11:30 p.m. outside the McMaster University Student Centre. No particular suspects have been identified at this time, but an investigation is underway. One perpetrator has been described as a white male between the ages of 19 and 21 with a muscular build. The second aggressor was described as having a thin build. The incident began as a confrontation between two groups. One member of the group was treated on site while the other was taken to hospital. St. Patrick’s Day riot London, ON – Fleming Drive is the well-known party district in the college/university city of London and has been the site of disorder in years past. On St. Patrick’s Day, the heart of the student ghetto was alive with parties and the colour green. Soon, the peaceful festivities turned into the most violent riot the city has ever seen. The crowd on the street slowly reached 1,000 and police arrived to maintain order. Those efforts quickly backfired as the crowd retaliated, and officers were soon holding riot shields. Police had beer bottles thrown at them, a CTV vehicle was overturned and nearby houses suffered significant damage. In the wake of the horrifying incident, a total of 19 charges have been laid and 13 people have been arrested, of which seven are students of Fanshawe College. Eight Fanshawe students have been suspended. Protests in Montreal
Fire Off Campus
Sam Colbert and Dina Fanara
This month in CRIME
HEALTH SCIENCES
Dr. Stefan Rodde
SCIENCE
Newsbites
out power until the fire was extinguished. Power remained out in the surrounding neighbourhood for a few hours. Fire fighters, who arrived on the scene almost immediately, did not extinguish the flames until gas could be shut off, as this was deemed to be the safest plan of action. Union Gas did not arrive on the scene until 2:20 p.m., some time after the start of the fire. Flames could be seen from the south side of the building, reaching up to the top of the two stories. Traffic from Main Street was re-routed to side streets south of Main and through campus. No major injuries were re- Fire at Main and Emerson on March 15. ported.
TYLER HAYWARD/ THE SILHOUETTE
Montreal, QC – In light of rising post-secondary fees and police brutality, demonstrations have become commonplace in recent weeks. The Quebec government has enforced a planned tuition increase of $325 for the next five years. Nevertheless, the province of Quebec currently holds the lowest tuition fees for within-province students, even after the fee increases. The ongoing protests of CEGP and university students throughout March have resulted in numerous arrests and fines for protestors. Although the hikes appear minimal in comparison to other provinces, students contend that it is a question of principle, and this fee increase will only serve to limit access to education. Meanwhile the Charest government sees this as a way to improve the quality of education in the province. Stabbings at UWindsor Windsor, ON – On March 9, the University of Windsor’s campus pub, Thirsty Scholar, was the site of numerous stabbings. Four young men suffered stab wounds on two separate occasions. One of the victims, aged 23, suffered a stab wound to the thigh. Two other victims aged 18 and 19 were also admitted to hospital with stab wounds to the elbow and back. Another victim was hurt outside the pub in the nearby parking lot. A 21-year-old Windsor resident, known to police but not a UWindsor student, appeared in court on March 12 facing charges of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and breaching probation. The three victims were unknown to each other. Troubles in the North Iqaluit, NU – Nunavut Arctic College faced two serious incidents earlier in the month. An off-campus fire left 80 people homeless and two dead. Additionally, one man was arrested after firing a high-powered rifle at a residence on campus.
THE SILHOUETTE • A5
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Global Engineering Conference
Mac hosts new EWB event
YOUSIF HADDAD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
EWB’s Mac chapter held the first Global Engineering Conference on March 17. Farzeen Foda
Senior News Editor
On March 17, amidst the St. Patrick’s Day festivities, was the first ever Global Engineering Conference hosted by the McMaster Chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB). The event was held as part of National Engineering Month and was jointly sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Engineering and the PV Lab, which operates out of the McMaster Innovation Park. The goal of the conference was to foster discussion pertaining to engineering education and how academics in the field can incorporate and promote awareness about some of the realities facing the discipline in the 21st century, such as sustainability and social responsibility. Other topics of discussion pertained to the current requirements for the accreditation of an engineering curriculum according to the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board
(CEAB). This discussion included David Wilkinson, dean of Engineering, and Jacinta O’Brien, a representative from Engineers Canada, which is the national engineering licensing body. They discussed “what challenges lie ahead, and a dialogue was established for future enhancements,” said Dhaval Bhavsar, president of the EWB McMaster chapter. The event featured representatives from Hatch, Engineers Canada and the CEAB. Given the success of the Conference in its first year, it is quite likely that it may become a yearly event, noted Bhavsar, explaining that such an event could be very informative to students enrolled in disciplines outside of engineering. “I think any student, whether they are in engineering or not, if they have ever asked the question, ‘Why am I learning this, I am never going to use this in the real world,’ need to be part of this conversation,” he said.
McMaster Innovation
A year in review: R&D cross-sector international partnerships so as to address the most urgent needs in society. “Research universities must position themHome to some of the best minds in the coun- selves to seize the opportunities and respond try, McMaster University has grown to be a to the challenges related to internationalizaleading global figure in research initiatives. tion and globalization,” said Mo Elbestawi, Whether it be through McMaster’s vari- Vice-President of Research and International ous Canada Research Chairs, a $300-mil- Affairs. lion annually funded governmental program And in October, these challenges of designed attract the world’s most promising “internationalization and globalization” were researchers or it’s world-renowned teaching realized by a joint sequencing of the Black programs and departments, McMaster’s repu- Plague led by Hendrik Poinar, Director of the tation for both discovery and innovation is Ancient DNA Centre at McMaster. certainly merited. With a team of international researchers The 2011/2012 year was no different. from Canada, the U.S. and Germany, the anCurrently, McMaster is cient epidemic that killed milhome to more than 70 relions within Europe during the search centres and houses 14th century was tracked and McMaster is home sequenced – an arduous and a faculty of 1300 members. to more than 70 This year alone, this staff painstaking process that allows has garnered $395 million research centres and researchers to observe how huin grant funding. manity has evolved with dishouses a faculty of ease and vice versa. This research year began with the unveiling of 1300 members. This “With research projects, the McMaster Automotive year alone, this staff it takes quite a bit of time to Resource Centre (MARC), get it moving,” Nick Marketa $26-million project par- has garnered $395 tos, Assistant Vice-President tially funded by the Conof Research Partnerships. “But million in grant servative government’s once it starts moving, because funding.” Prosperity Initiative, meant it attracts attention from others, to accelerate economic desuddenly you have more provelopment in Ontario. jects coming towards you.” The MARC calls for an 80,000-square- He added, “That’s what happened this foot building that will be constructed in Mc- year. We’ve had a lot of inquiries from indusMaster’s Innovation Park. try, including international players, such as Professor Ali Emadi, a leading U.S. de many from Europe.” veloper of electric powertrain technology But research is not solely restricted to and a Canadian Research Chair, is one of the faculty. The benefits stretch to undergraduates many who will be making use of MARC. as well. Whether USRAs or NSERC research Most of his work will focus on the next gen- grants, undergrads are given ample opportuneration of hybrid electric cars, with projects ity to contribute to University. ranging in electrified powertrains to hybrid The Associate Vice-President of Research battery/super-capacitor energy storage sys- at McMaster, Dr. Fiona McNeil, stressed this: tems. “There is a strong link between education This was soon followed by an open in research. Students are given USRA and invite to the global village: the International NSERC. As we go forward, we’d really like Research and Development (R&D) Confer- to strengthen that link with additional fundence in early September. The first of its kind ing.” conducted by a Canadian institute, delegates As successful as the year been, the quesfrom Brazil to China and everywhere in be- tion arises whether research funding is worth tween came to LIUNA Station in Hamilton to the millions. To those outside of academia, discuss issues, both contentious and trivial, in what does it matter if a researcher can do R&D. something like synthesize a methylene-glu The international forum focused mainly taric anhydride monomer? on the global participants – from industry, While the understanding of research may academia, government and the private sector be beyond the comprehension of some, it is – and their critical role in the dissemination the whole that comprises the sum. Without of knowledge and discoveries in a volatile such specific understandings, general knowglobal economy. With some two hundred ledge would useless. Only because of such guests representing nearly a dozen countries, specific research can people understand genMcMaster stood steadfast in the hopes of erally. Kacper Niburski
Assistant News Editor
A6 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
EDITORIAL
editor’s extension: 22052 letters: thesil@thesil.ca
From the Editor:
A wasted opportunity, 17 years running
The Silhouette
General Assembly’s continued irrelevance perplexing
McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
TheSil.ca
It’s been 17 years since General Assembly, potentially the most powerful event of the year for McMaster Students Union members, has mattered. For nearly two straight decades, more than 97 per cent of the student population has decided to pass on the chance to have perhaps the most direct influence they’ll ever have on a major organization. It’s not hard to blame students for skipping out on something with a name that sounds like it’s something from elementary school. (I can hear it now – “okay class, remember to use your indoor voices at the assembly!”) But the numbers are staggering, and it’s time to wonder how we got here in the first place. Maybe it’s never been properly advertised to students. Before this year’s ‘the 601.ca’ campaign (which, though promising, still needs to be proven successful), there have been meager attempts at brining people out that more closely resemble themed nights at TwelvEighty than a chance to have an impactful vote. Maybe it’s the fact that GA usually comes at a terrible time of year. At the end of March, students are generally suffering from the following symptoms, all of which lead to indifference towards GA: a) exhaustion from exams, b) attraction to nice weather and c) a nagging hangover from St. Patrick’s Day. But most likely it’s that students just don’t care. As much as people in the MSU’s clubs, administration and services (yes, including the Sil) tend to think they’re important, the average student doesn’t give a damn about what they do. While GA has the power to do crazy things like removing presidents, that just isn’t likely to happen, and the alteration of Welcome Week fees and concert administration just isn’t all that appealing. This is, really, the most puzzling part. It’s astonishing that so few students care what some organization they don’t care about is going to do with their money. This year’s motions include the proposal of a $5 fee to all students for MSU events, a long-term plan to develop a grocery store on campus, a $120 fee to all first-year students to cover the cost of Welcome Week MacPasses and a major lobbying campaign to reduce tuition, convert part of student loans into grants and increase per-student funding from the provincial government. Major news? Probably not. Impactful on students’ money? Absolutely, and definitely cause for people to come out and spend a few minutes raising their hand. There are a lot of people to blame for 17 years of irrelevance. But no amount of campaigning will buck the trend; students simply have to come out and participate. And until they do, General Assembly will continue to be the MSU’s albatross and gigantic missed opportunity. •
Editorial Board Brian Decker Executive Editor Sam Colbert Managing Editor Jonathon Fairclough Production Editor Farzeen Foda Senior News Editor Kacper Niburski Assistant News Editor Dina Fanara Assistant News Editor Andrew Terefenko Opinions Editor Fraser Caldwell Sports Editor Brandon Meawasige Assistant Sports Editor Natalie Timperio Senior InsideOut Editor Cassandra Jeffery Assistant InsideOut Editor Sonya Khanna Business Editor
Brian Decker
Jemma Wolfe Senior andy Editor
Letter to the Editor:
Myles Herod andy Entertainment Editor
Middle East deserves better discourse Middle Eastern conflict is a touchy subject for many students on our campus. Most people who have an opinion on the matter feel very strongly and as such, opinion articles in our campus newspaper can be particularly bothersome. The opinions section of the Silhouette is not the right forum for discussing Middle Eastern conflict. Each week, an opinion piece takes a different stance, insulting the previous article and instigating another individual to respond in the next week’s issue. This cycle is not constructive. Opinion pieces arguing back and forth seven days apart do NOT do justice to the complexity or the sensitive nature of the issue. Certainly, the Silhouette should not stop publishing articles about the Middle East, as this is an important issue on our campus. A better way to discuss Middle Eastern conflict in a more productive, informative way would be to publish a debate on the topic. Two students who are educated on the matter could both express their opinions simultaneously and respond to each other in a mature fashion with a high level of discourse. Readers would be presented with a balanced explanation of students’ opinions and encouraged to learn more about the issue in order to form their own opinions. I would welcome this kind of discussion in the Silhouette. •
Perri Maxwell
WE’RE HIRING.
Josh Parsons andy Music Editor Tyler Hayward Senior Photo Editor Renée Vieira Assistant Photo Editor Joy Santiago Multimedia Editor
Silhouette Staff Bushra Habib, Christine Pugliese, Julia Redmond, Chanéle Jordan, Amanda Teseo, Katherine George, Aaren Fitzgerald, Ben Orr, Maggie Cogger-Orr, Ryan Mallough, Rob Hardy, Erin Chesney, Paul Fowler, Nolan Matthews, Jason Scherer, Jenna Shamoon, Sandro Giordano, Jeremy Voisin, Baldwell, Deodorant
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The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil. ca. Please include name, address, and telephone number for verification only. We reserve the right to edit, condense, or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions expressed in The Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, or university officials. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette board of publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community, and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
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to basement rescues. to new kicks.
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to $3 doritos. the vending machine is a damn thief.
to baldwell.
to every single person ever being stoked for patios opening.
to the ball, the greatest game every played.
to dina’s prejudiced oppression of the ball.
to j.f. in 20 years.
to “self defense.” seriously?
to patios being open.
to the last full-board wednesday. to transitions lenses. eat it, nat and cass. to mail it in march. to golf. to tere-aoke again. to max. thanks for the interview, man.
to realizing it’s almost over. damn. to dan hawie, you texan bastard. to detlef schrempf. to tebowmania. it was a good run, kind of. to jesus and the jets. to bald sweatpants man.
did we upset you this week? are we blatantly offensive and unworthy of print? is this paper only good for making into a pirate hat?
to fraser’s caesar salad love affair.
let us know. send us a letter and we’ll publish it right here on the editorial page.
to al guesting on off the pages. thanks dude!
to playing monster truck twice in one show.
just don’t be too mean to us. thesil@thesil.ca
to elk capone’s favourite artist, rembrandt-ler.
to looking under the office couch. yikes.
to office nudity.
THE SILHOUETTE • A7
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
OPINIONS
production office extension: 27117 opinions@thesil.ca
Backseat social networking Andrew Terefenko Opinions Editor
You were certain, absolutely sure, that nobody would ever find out about that sexist comment you privately messaged to your friend six months ago. Then the reality of modern interview practices hits you like a freight train and you find yourself embarrassed and jobless. Where did this startling new trend emerge? America, land of the mostly free, of course. Deep in the bowels of Baltimore, Maryland, a job prospect found himself at odds when his to-be-employer asked for his Facebook username and password, so his techies could delve into his account and vet him thoroughly. He called this practice “akin to giving them my house keys.” Well said. The man refused, as one might given the circumstances, but the event definitely turned some heads as major litigation began the conceptual process to disallow this disgusting practice. Due to the Wild West-like nature of Internet regulation, this is going to become much more common before the good word comes down and either bans or ignores it. I’ll go ahead and save you some trouble, then, future employers. Seven months ago I messaged my sister a humourous picture encouraging women to stay in the kitchen. A week after that I liked a borderline racist comment discouraging continuing immigration practices in Canada. Yesterday I joined a Facebook group that promised to end the Your employer may be privy to your private digital details if you don’t take a stand against internet injustice early. run of a prominent religious group if it reached one million vate and otherwise, your groups, your profile information are ceding the right to control our actions and submitting to members. Does that information rub you the wrong way? and, in most cases, every single photo that you may or may frighteningly Orwellian practices. That is, of course, the reason I set my profile to private, so not have intended to be viewed by random people. Tomorrow I will probably do something equally unyour sensitive, hiring ears and eyes don’t have to be exposed Who are we to say no? Not everyone can afford walking acceptable in the eyes of human resource executives, but to the ugliness that is my secret online world. out of the rare job interview stage on principle alone. Most thankfully they will never have to know because I will not The house key analogy is quite poignant. By providing of us will submit to this process and thoroughly de-weed our give them that opportunity. I will do many things for a job, your account login credentials it is tantamount to inviting accounts beforehand, but is that really the response we should but compromising my digital integrity, if you would like to your employer into your digital home, to root through your be giving? We have prided ourselves on being a society of call it that, is not one of them. stuff and try to find any dirt that might compromise your unmitigated freedom, prosperous in privacy from coast to Because only a dumbass would give a stranger their hiring prospects. They will look through your messages, pri- coast. When we have to trim the fat of our private lives, we house keys. TYLER HAYWARD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR
Downtown Mac
Inject McMaster into the core Bringing the school elsewhere could invigorate the city Any day during the week every coffee shop, bakery, and restaurant is packed with no empty retail space in view. Anywhere within walking distance from the University students will What has happened to the downtown core? On King Street and Main go to spend money. Street it seems there are more closed stores than open ones. As well as The fact that another Shoppers Drug mart and Starbucks is going in even less people walking the streets to visit these few open stores. across from McMaster furthers the point that students boost the city’s However, it is not as if this happened overnight and equally cannot economy. So why is it that when the city of Hamilton is given a great opbe fixed over night. The city will not see any progress portunity to bring more people to the downtown core, that until larger companies and institutions are brought into plans fall through? the downtown area. McMaster University already has buildings in Burling Hamilton used to be a youthful city. The city of in- Hamilton used to be ton and Kitchener and will most likely continue to go outnovation! How the city looks now would tell you other- a youthful city. The side of Hamilton if plans for expansion continue to deteriwise. Time has not been a friend to Hamilton. The city orate with the city council. city of innovation! Just as Hamilton was first choice for the Pan Am Velohas been hit hard with economic struggles and currently looks as if no one believes in it. At times it looked as How the city looks drome and then left to make plans with Milton, McMaster if things could turn around. Pan Am games brought that now would tell you University can do the same. hope and the promise of hundreds of visitors who would As the debate between Hamilton city council and the spend their money in the downtown core. It seemed like otherwise. Time has University move into its third deal, there is hope that the a smart move for a struggling city. Though, clearly the not been a friend to city will come to its senses and reach a deal. The city Hamilton Council did not share this vision. needs more young people in order to grow and McMaster Hamilton.” Another opportunity arose for Hamilton, the idea of graduates want to stay. If the city were to allow McMaster McMaster University moving more buildings into the to move into the downtown core students would bring downtown core. Seems like a pretty good deal. As Hamincome into small businesses that struggle for visitors. ilton seemingly begins to move away from being an industrial city; we Unlike business people on Main and King, students would also live in the could move towards becoming an education city. With McMaster Univer- immediate area promising for business 7-days a week. sity comes, administration workers, professors, researchers and students. Possibly the city council will realize that not coming to an agreeThese students will spend money, will move into houses near the down- ment with McMaster University will be another missed opportunity for town core, and will have parents and friends who will visit, and spend the entire city. Hopefully they have learned from the mistakes of Pan Am money. and see the potential in this deal. The Westdale area is a perfect example of students’ spending money. Perhaps the third time is a charm? Jennifer Bacher The Silhouette
INSIDE HEADTOHEAD The London riots have turned some heads. Is the strict curfew an effective response to curb future outbursts?
Page A9
Feedback Are you comfortable with your Facebook privacy as these students are?
Page A10
This Week in Opinions Hobo Techno
Faithlessly Yours
Cirque d’Freak Out
Five days for the homeless was a valiant endeavour, but did it really accomplish its goal in the face of its musical overtones?
Two students give their two cents on the modern world’s relationship with religious zealotry.
If a timid girl can be driven to freak out in a library setting, is there a societal pandemic of pushing down latent rage?
Pg. A8
Pg. A8
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A8 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Sweet beats for the homeless Aaron Grierson The Silhouette
Last week was certainly full of something to wake us all up from our end of term stupor: loud music strategically placed right outside of the student centre. Now, it isn’t altogether unusual to hear loud music around campus; university students have a pretty hefty amount of freedom. This time, it was more the cause that surprised me. I first saw the banner on Monday morning en route to class. “Five days For the Homeless.” It sounded like a fairly noble cause, though most charity group events do. But what something sounds like isn’t always the same as what the organization, or members of the organization, represents. Some get arrested for public drunkenness and masturbation, others for fraud. As far as I know, no one involved in last week’s event was arrested for anything. At least I certainly hope not – playing non-discriminatory music just isn’t a crime. To wish ill upon those that mean well just smells like bad karma to me. But I digress. My attention was taken not
so much by the banner, but by the mad techno beats that were dropping on my way out of class. Now, I also heard “Walk Off The Earth”, so I can’t really complain. About the music, that is. The first thing that crossed my mind when I heard the music was something along the lines of “What the hell? That makes no sense!” And it still doesn’t. I’m a fourth-year student, can safely say I’ve learned a lot and am probably no idiot. But the connection between ‘living like the homeless’ and having a free D.J. set for several hours a day evades me. Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand that there is awareness raising going on, in the same fashion that liking a Kony video might accomplish. In other words, not a whole lot is actually being done. Sure, the people looked friendly, and I saw dancers and cupcakes, but all of that really adds to the nonsensical nature of living like the homeless outside of a university with fancy sleeping bags and the luxuries that apparently come with it. As someone who loves to camp, the setup they had was awfully comfortable looking. It certainly sends a message to
me. One that I have to think about of year for these sorts outside of the general area, as it of events. Let’s face can be quite hard to think when it; end of term is there is loud music blasting away. not the most luxAside from selling food and show- urious experiing people their moves, I don’t ence. That way, really think a whole lot was accom- there would be plished. Now I’ll probably piss a fewer excuses lot of people off, but that seems to for going farther be the case with a lot of the social and doing real “movements” that have been hap- work next time. pening “across the country” lately. So maybe next Yes, that includes those of us that time you try and suptake pride in occupying a corner of port the homeless, you a building that they’ve already paid should get out and panfor. handle. At least I wholeheartedly agree with the that way you’d intents of these groups of people. be making some I’m just very sceptical about the change. follow-through of these intents. There is a lack of action in my opinion. Fundraising is all well and good, but even major charities have been known to put a lot of the funds they raise towards exuberantly large paycheques. The audience at McMaster is comparably small to the rest of the city, or region for that matter, and in my experience, Hamilton has one of the better public transportation systems in these parts. And it should be known that there are better times The effort to make us aware of the homeless has got us dancing. JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Errant exams at Easter Taylor Davis The Silhouette
Sunday, April 8 is Easter Sunday, and for many, this day is more than just another long weekend. The Easter weekend is a cross-generational and cross-cultural sacred celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God. It’s a time during which Christians around the entire globe celebrate God’s Son’s miraculous triumph over sin, death and the Devil himself. The celebrated sacred weekend begins with the passion of the Christ and His crucifixion on Good Friday, and which finds its victorious climax on Easter Sunday morning, the day of resurrection. Yet, the sacred celebration of Easter has been marginalized by McMaster University, the same university that was founded originally as the Toronto Baptist College. Students of the Christian faith at McMaster University may find it slightly difficult to celebrate the Easter weekend this year. Not only has the university scheduled the beginning of final examinations on the Saturday during Easter weekend, but they have also scheduled exams to take place on Easter Monday. Now for some, this may not seem like much of an issue. If Easter is only about bunnies and Easter eggs, then the greatest loss is that of a couple of days off. But for those whose faiths revolve around the celebration of Easter, this is unreasonable and could even border on the edge of discriminatory. To begin, there are already many personal challenges that accompany exams: stress, weariness, anxiety and adapting to the changes in social life. Situate that in the middle of Easter weekend and all traits that have the potential of ruining the celebration of Easter are present. A person cannot commemorate the importance of the day when they are exhausted and stressed about an exam that they have to write the next day. Unrealistic expectations are placed on students of faith as they are punished with an unfair decision. Devout Protestants and Catholics alike are required and expected to
neglect their religious celebrations in order to prepare for and write their exams despite the conflicts it creates. The most troublesome part about having to face exams on Easter weekend is knowing that if it were any other religious holiday, there would most definitely not be exams happening. More and more frequently, the Christian faith is the one being maligned in politics, in the media, with policy makers and in institutes of higher learning. Christians are seeing their values and belief system slowly erode away before their eyes as they are disrespected, disregarded and pushed aside by those leading secular society. Those in positions of power are slowly weeding out the Judeo-Christian faith in the Bible, which once governed the country and schools. Canada’s national anthem, which sings, “God keep our land, glorious and free” has lost meaning, as it now refers to any god but the God of Christianity. It can also be seen in the way that prayer has been removed from classrooms, talk of God in elementary and secondary schools has been banned and the fact that “Merry Christmas” is now politically incorrect and offensive to people. ‘Conspiracy’ may not be an appropriate word, but clearly there appears to be an agenda of marginalizing the Christian faith. Easter is more than just bunny rabbits and chocolate eggs. It holds meaning and significance for many people, as it is one of the most sacred days in the calendar year for those of the Christian faith. Scheduling final examinations during the weekend places students in a tough predicament, where they must choose between celebrating a sacred occasion or studying to achieve good marks – both choices being important and valuable. The faith that the school began with is being sacrificed for the convenience of scheduling and business. However, the Easter weekend is a sacred event for many here at McMaster University, and the joy that comes with the celebration should not lose value due to the final weekend of exams.
Religion as an artifact STUDENT RENTALS Jen Howey The Silhouette
One day, churches will be museums. People will come to them to learn about times when what had been learned was smothered and soiled in fear. They will learn not only about the Dark Ages that preceded the Enlightenment, but those that came after: those that we live in now, as we reject the progress of humanity and fall on our knees because we’re afraid. We’re so deathly afraid. Afraid of what? Fill in your own blank. The truth: it’s really not hard to be a good person and believe in possibilities, or even probabilities. But apparently it is hard to stay true to your own convictions instead of submitting to what one Book tells you, and no others substantiate. What is this Book’s claim to fame, or to authority, one may ask? The Book is the one true Book because it says so in the Book. You’re better than this. What you feel in your heart may indeed be a wonderful conviction, a hope that keeps you strong and one you feel could never falter. But here’s the problem. Billions feels the same as you, only for something slightly or significantly different. Are they are wrong? Yes, you
say. Why? Because I have faith. Because my faith is stronger. Because, because, because ... To quote the brilliant Sam Harris: “We have a choice. We have two options as human beings. We have a choice between conversation and war. That’s it. Conversation and violence. And faith is a conversation stopper.” I can personally attest to this. It is unbelievably frustrating when, in the middle of an intelligent discussion, the other person says to you, “I don’t have conviction. I don’t have proof. I have faith. And I can’t convince you that I’m right. But please respect it anyway, because a billion other people happen to believe it as well.” Conversation: ended. Progress: halted. Don’t let faith be a conversation stopper. Please. If you feel a wall when you pray, if you feel doubt when you turn the pages of your scripture, if you see a darkness, a doubt, in your preacher’s eyes, know that it’s there because it’s real. Ask yourself: what is it that you worship? Is it the same God who had to drown his own people? Is it the God who told Abraham to murder his son? The God who, to paraphrase Greville, created us sick, and then ordered us, on pain of eternal torture, to be well again? Maybe it’s the God who inspires you to awe and wonder at the
majesty of his creation. Maybe it’s the God who keeps you safe when you pray. Is it the God who cares not about death of thousands every day? The God who says, “No, that was worth it – they’ll have a better time next time, when we share a pint in heaven”? Why would you ever want to believe in Him? He’s not even worthy of miniscule humanity. Believe in something worth believing in. Believe in discovery, in imagination, in curiosity, in creativity, in openness – however you may see it. But don’t claim as knowledge what you can’t prove. Don’t believe in the guy who says he created everything and then fucks with God to prove a point. Don’t believe in the guy who talks of comity between all people and then praises suicide bombers for their valour. These are two different planes entirely, one stretching with beauty and the other shrivelling with pettiness. How could they ever become equated as they have? Oh, I know. People conveniently forget their equality. Because people only read what they want. Which is why the fanatic stopped reading this long before you. You need not give up hope. You need not give up possibility.You need to give up the hope that there is no other possibility.
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THE SILHOUETTE • A9
HEAD TO HEAD HASHEEL
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
MEGHAN BOOTH
DEBATE: Is
a strict curfew an
acceptable respone to the
MEMBER AT-LARGE MCMASTER DEBATING SOCIETY M: In light of recent events, namely at Fanshawe College in London this past weekend, the idea of a curfew on minors has been put on the table as a means of curbing delinquent behaviour. This, though, presents the problem of how a curfew would be implemented. Any child under the age of 18 would have to be accompanied by an adult outside of the home between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. This is on the basis that much of the petty crimes, vandalism and unwelcome loitering are committed by minors. In addition to society not being burdened by despondent youth, there would likely be positive externalities that would occur as a result of a curfew. With less time spent in parks and in front of the local Tim Hortons, more focus would be put towards things like homework. Furthermore, families would be able to enjoy more time together; building stronger bonds between parent and child paves the way for more responsibility and accountability in our youth. For these reasons, and many more, a curfew is an idea that would prove to be beneficial to youth themselves and to society in the long run. H: The main reason behind the curfew laws in London is to set an example of bad behaviour. Perhaps curfews might do those students some good at this point, but it doesn’t make sense to impose it over all of Ontario, essentially punishing every individual for the acts of a few. This has never happened before, and never will. Besides, imposing a curfew isn’t in any way going to reduce the amount of crime that takes place; it will simply relocate it (in this case, indoors). For the rest of the kids, keeping them indoors every night will only develop their false sense of security. Think of the ‘boy in the bubble’ scenario. Suddenly turning ‘legal,’ they will be exposed to public nightlife too quickly. Being isolated from the entire world, including peers, is bound to lead to psychological problems later on in life. The burden of proof lies on you to show exactly why keeping kids in the dark will be beneficial for them or for society. M: While I see your point about the ‘boy in the bubble’
St.
patrick’s day
London, Ontario riots?
issue, I think the fact that we abolished Grade 13 in 2005 demonstrates the regard the government has for rushed exposure to adult life, which is none. A curfew is furthermore not indicative of a false sense of security; if being at home with your family, or at a friend’s house with their family, is a ‘false’ security, then I don’t know what real security is. A curfew will not eliminate petty crime and vandalism, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Kids crave stability and accountability, which can surely be better provided if they are in a home setting. With teachers having their classroom hours scaled back more and more, kids are left to their own devices. As for this type of incident not having happened before, this may be an isolated event in terms of its scale, but broken bottles, vandalism and general debauchery is a drop in the bucket of youth acting out. If anything, a curfew is an option to be explored seriously. The permanence of it can be left up to its level of success. H: I still don’t understand how forcing kids to stay indoors will solve anything. Someone who wants to vandalize property will just do so in hiding or during the day when no one is looking.This “general debauchery” you speak of isn’t going to suddenly stop when you take away the right to leave any sort of shelter at night time. In fact, it will probably give kids another reason to get fake IDs, which means even more kids going out into the danger of this so called “cover of the night.” If not, then they’ll just have more house parties, more internet crime and of course more sex (unprotected, of course). Some children who spend their evenings outside their home have a reason for doing so. They could be living with abusive families or need to work in the evenings to pay for their education. Should we be forcing these kids to stay indoors? All of us have a right to a standard of living that is adequate for the health and well-being of ourselves and our families. This ‘solution’ doesn’t solve anything. What you are proposing is a cop-out for the government to actually spend any real effort on controlling crime on our streets. By moving everything indoors, where the government has no real jurisdiction, the police are now the ones to say “not in my backyard.” M: My opponent highlights the possible benefits of a provincial curfew. While the pro-
LODHIA
VP FINANCE MCMASTER DEBATING SOCIETY posed curfew doesn’t claim to eliminate crimes and shenanigans committed by youth, it is an idea with no immediate foreseeable downside. Kids getting fake IDs and trying to get into bars may happen, but most of the time they are caught and turned away anyways (provided the bar isn’t crooked in its dealings). As for unprotected sex, that’s an educational thing. It’s the province’s responsibility, as well as parents at home, to preach the benefits of either protected sex or abstinence. Kids are less likely have sex if parents are upstairs. Furthermore, it’s not about forcing kids to stay indoors; it’s about exploring alternatives for letting kids with boundless energy loose with nothing constructive to do. As you also pointed out, there is the issue of kids with abusive families. If a kid has to spend more time at home because of legal constraints like a curfew, then they will be more likely to speak up and want to change their situation. Lastly, if you’re proposing that we do not enforce a curfew because there’s no governmental jurisdiction over what happens in the home and that we should just let kids roam the streets in the night like hoodlums, then I say that that is pure baloney. For these reasons, I resolve that a curfew on minors would likely be a beneficial thing for society if it was able to be enforced. H: This motion is unconstitutional, plain and simple. Everyone has the right to paid work, mobility and other essential freedoms. You mention that parents should be responsible for preaching values. I agree! They should also be responsible for keeping their own kids in line. I know mine did. Once again, you assume that all kids are good for nothing “hoodlums” with “nothing constructive to do.” I for one remember my evenings filled with debate club, band practice and Kumon (thanks, Mom), not filled with running around with boundless energy, hollering in Timmies parking lots, spray painting nearby dogs and pushing over old people. The only message we will be sending out to these kids is, “You cannot be trusted as individuals in society.” Yes, there are certain restrictions we put on underage children and youth such as driving, drinking and voting, but you are going one step too far. We don’t simply ‘experiment’ with drastic regulations such as this. You haven’t even mentioned how the government plans on enforcing this. If anything, it will be more money and resources spent on useless measures such as this.This is just another case of the older generation blaming the younger for things that they are completely innocent about. This resolution must not and will not stand.
Impressionable spelt with a capital X partying and going all out and what not. At the same time, they are getting a post-secondary education, and because of this, they St. Patrick’s Day comes around once a year, should have a standard level of common and with a movie like Project X recently hit- sense. Personally, I thought that if someting the theatres, was it really so surprising thing like this were to happen, it would be that something like this would occur? On some high school party. Sadly, this was not Saturday March 17, thousands of Fanshawe the case. Personally, I think that partying is College (plus other) students got together great, and when you are trying to get that to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. By the end degree, you need balance just to stay sane. of the night, a car had been flipped and set Regardless, balance does not mean geton fire with numerous people continuously ting completely wasted or high to the point feeding it through the night. As of right now, where you think that flipping a car, feeding eleven students, including seven Fanshawe a fire and having the SWAT team show up at students, have been arrested due to all of the your party is acceptable. Throwing your life away after working so hard to get where you events that had taken place that night. When hearing about this story as a stu- are now is not the smart thing to do. dent in a post-secondary school environ- Being a University student puts all of this in perspective a little. ment, one could not help but By this I mean, of course on feel ashamed. Regardless of feeling this way, it was not Balance does not St. Patrick’s Day everyone is wanting to be drunk all surprising for one second. mean getting com- day long and party with their After watching Project X, it is found that a lot of people pletely wasted or friends. With that said, I’m not going to be naïve and felt somewhat “inspired” or high to the point say that you should not do “encouraged” by the movie. Many statuses on Face- where you think that that, but my point is, be rebook or posts on Twitter re- flipping a car, feed- sponsible about what you’re The eleven students garding how “sick” it would ing a fire and having doing. that have been arrested have be to have a party like that is not something that can the SWAT show up is not only messed up their lives but they’re made a just be ignored. Aside from acceptable.” reputation for the students this, it was just a movie, and of Fanshawe College and one can only have faith that something like this would not occur, seeing the people of London, Ontario. that, after all, it was just a completely un- Students are looking to have a good time. No one is saying that’s wrong, but it realistic movie – or so one might think. Without giving much away, Project X is all about balance. People make mistakes was about four boys who were throwing a and they are paying for it now; $100,000.00 birthday party and wanted some recognition of damage is not something that someone and chance to be popular in high school. At can just ignore or forget about like being this party in the movie, a lot went down in- arrested or fined. There will obviously be volving tasers, SWAT, fires, drugs, sex and those people who will have no regrets about a lot more. Of course, when you watch the the night they spent at this party, but there movie, the situation seems really humorous, will always be those people. but this is just assuming it is so because it’s University and college is a place to classified as a comedy at the movie theatre. learn, grow and become independent. Just Earlier I said that I was ashamed but not be responsible about it so what are suppossurprised, and I’ll talk about why now. Uni- ed to be the best years of your life, don’t versity and college students are known for become regrets. Felicia Bunsee The Silhouette
GOT AN OPINION? NEXT WEEK’S YOUR NEXT WEEK TO SUBMIT IT TO US... EVER! OKAY, UNTIL JUNE. BUT THAT’S LIKE, A LONG TIME.
A10 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Selling fish habitats down the river Leslie Breadner The Silhouette
Last week, Otto Langer, a retired biologist for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, revealed leaked information that the Canadian federal government is planning to amend the Federal Fisheries Act as part of an upcoming Omnibus Bill. Canada’s Fisheries Minister, Keith Ashfield, has since confirmed the proposed amendment. For anyone who places value on environmental conservation in Canada, this news is appalling. The key change that the Harper government wants to make to the Fisheries Act is removing any reference to fish habitats. The Fisheries Act as it stands now protects fish habitats from “harmful alteration, disruption or destruction.” The new wording of the act would not protect fish habitats but instead ban activities that result in an “adverse effect” to fish of “economic, cultural or ecological value.”
The new phrasing has been rightfully criticized for being vague and open for interpretation. The current legislation is very explicit: if a body of fresh water has fish in it, you cannot harm it. The proposed amendment creates a lot of grey area. What constitutes an “adverse effect”? Which fish, particularly those not of economic interest, are considered “valuable”? Many speculate as to the reasons for which the amendment was proposed. One premise is that the government is responding to years of pressure from large corporations, for which the Fisheries Act is a barrier to inexpensive and unchallenged development. Others see this amendment as a loophole created for Enbridge Inc to ease the approval of the Northern Gateway Pipeline project. This is not the first time the Fisheries Act has been amended in the interest of factors other than the protection of fish resources. In 2002, Schedule 2 was added to the Metal Mining Effluent Regulations under
Feedback Compiled by Andrew Terefenko and Renée Vieira
Would you be all right with giving up Facebook login credentials if a potential employer asked for them?
“What is privacy worth anyways? I’ve got nothing to hide.”
-Jon “52 Cline” Kinesiology III
“It doesn’t seem relevant to the interview, so no.”
-Jeremy Henderson Art Sci III
“I don’t have anything incriminating on my profile, but it’s troubling that they would ask.” -Kate Sinclair Art Sci III
the Fisheries Act. Although it is illegal under the Fisheries Act to discharge harmful substances into fish-bearing waters, Schedule 2 allows fresh bodies of water to be reclassified as “tailings impoundment areas.” Lakes reclassified as impoundment areas are no longer considered fish habitats, but dumping sites where mining companies are allowed to dispose of toxic materials and effluents with the approval of the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. Currently, nineteen Canadian lakes are listed under Schedule 2, and there is no limit to how many can be listed. Yet the effects of Schedule 2 are miniscule in comparison to the potential ramifications of the amendment currently proposed. The protection of fish habitat under the Federal Fisheries Act is arguably the most important environmental regulation in Canada in terms of conservation. Many prominent leaders in environmental conservation, including Elizabeth May, have identified the Fisheries act as the strongest piece of
Environmental Legislation we have. Currently, every threat to fish habitats caused by industry triggers an environmental assessment, which forces companies to review their development process and make plans to mediate any environmental degradation they may cause. The Fisheries Act is also commonly used as legal leverage for protecting aquatic ecosystems from environmental degradation. If the proposed amendment goes through, these vital conservation strategies would not apply, and there would be little legal recourse left to protect our waterways. The Harper government is trying to change the Fisheries Act to remove its influence on industry and, in effect, is opening the way for unregulated destruction of freshwater habitats. Is it worth it to compromise the future of our natural environment and economically valuable fish resources just so we can build a pipeline?
THE SILHOUETTE • A11
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Indexing unchecked aggression Rob Hardy
Silhouette Staff
RENÉE VIEIRA / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
A library can be host to a freak out as easily as any location.
This week, I came across a story online that I felt quite important to write about. Though I’m not much one for viral videos, it nevertheless did what it was intended for: to interrupt, make people take notice and then find themselves on either side of a highly charged and divisive debate. Nevertheless, I will proceed with what became a fascinating meme for a relatively minor Internet audience last December. The incident happened at California State University in Northridge, where a girl apparently had a minor freak out in the library during finals week. Speaking in what seemed to be a relatively controlled manner, despite her extreme visible frustration, the girl becomes aggressive in demanding silence and respect from students who have made it impossible for her to effectively study in the library. That the girl is Asian (and the perpetrators are African-American) further fuels and in fact gives this talking point much of its staying power in the common arena, as many of the comments detract from what relevant conversation may be found here, reducing it to a discussion on racial proclivities. Now that you have enough information to become participatory voyeurs yourselves, what follows are my thoughts on what I will assume you have now been compelled to watch and weigh in on. This video for me stood out on many levels. I will leave out any comments relating to the girl’s Asian ethnicity except to say that universities today definitely have a strong reliance on the funding that international students bring to the table, funding that winds up partially subsidizing the education that regular citizens in America and Canada get for a much lower cost. We have much to learn from a global classroom, and this video illustrates that though globalization has begun, we are far from accustomed to its presence. At the centre of this debate is the issue at hand: the girls were clearly being disruptive in an academic environment, and when confronted about it during what was obviously the untelevised portion of the video preceding its start, they decided to deliberately aggravate her, with the intent of taping her provoked frustration to post online. As I have spent considerable time reading, there are many comments for this video, along with the noise level of libraries in general, which support the girl’s actions and sympathize with her anxiety. Though others may disagree, I also applaud her fearlessness in speaking out and confronting the problem directly, likely having spoken for at least a few others who were too timid and would otherwise have suffered through the noise and chatter. In today’s society we have become far too politically correct in establishing blanket zero-tolerance
policies for expressing anger and frustration. This has led to businesses and people in general taking advantage of the expectation that people must be willing to absorb whatever legitimate concerns are greatly bothering them. That is not to say that people should habitually, or even semi-regularly, go around “hitting the roof” or “blowing their stack.” Indeed, it should be avoided at all costs, for several reasons, one of which is that it is simply no longer socially acceptable, and the second being that you could find yourself on YouTube while having a really bad day. On the other hand, the girls filming the frustrated student were clearly in the wrong by actually instigating the physical manifestations of the resultant book slamming. That they claim to be just sitting there minding their own business does not wash when it is clear they knew exactly what they were doing. One would suspect that had they the misfortune of appearing in front of Judge Judy, they would be in for a severe dressing down. With all the talk of bullying going on, it is also extremely disappointing that two students who appear to be in university would get so much pleasure from participating in this tacky display, and be immature enough to want to actually broadcast this to the world. Perhaps it is a generation’s easy answer to surrounding themselves with the kind of drama that triples their online friends in a week and makes them feel important as they busy themselves responding to a considerable volume of email. Regardless, the result is that our already suggestible psyches become reconditioned by polarized debates that quickly whip up people into Facebook vigilantes, feeling quite impassioned to defend their point of view to the death. I feel guilty of this to a degree for propagating the incident in this article, and further feel more likely to simply not watch that which was perhaps public, but only in the strict confines of what the girl felt was the actual extent of her public space. This assumption needs to be consciously broken, however, for our surroundings are now no longer limited to the physical. To sum it up, I agree wholeheartedly with the girl suffering through finals in a noisy library, and who obviously had to be there for some reason, or she would have already moved without incident. She was clearly going through a lot in a challenging situation and was at least partially provoked. The domain of public space, however, is less personal than ever. Libraries have become just as vulnerable to societal declines and must conform to newer standards, while silence and the benefits it brings has become another luxury that some who live in disruptive or precarious housing simply cannot afford to secure for themselves. Though it’s of little use at the time, especially when you are right, the old adage of counting to ten is one that is quite wisely remembered.
Teacher tribulations Canadian educators should accept their good position Rebecca Annibale The Silhouette
Summer is fast approaching. For most, this means vacation time is near, but not for the provincial government. This is the year of the upcoming renewal of collective agreements for many of Ontario’s teachers that expire this August. School boards across Ontario are buzzing with chatter about recent comments from Education Minister Lauren Broten. But what has caused such a stir? Teaching has historically been known as a noble profession. Young adults are still enrolling in faculties of education across Ontario intent on getting their coveted teaching certificate, despite the prediction that for the next ten years, securing a permanent teaching job will continue to be extremely challenging. But people remain hopeful they will land a teaching position, since after all, it is a great job with excellent benefits. Imagine earning $72,879 a year as a teacher who has worked less than ten years and has not taken a course upgrade since being certified. Imagine earning $95,000 when you reach top level after your tenth year and getting a cost of living increase yearly. Imagine only working ten months of the year in addition to having one to two weeks off at Christmas, another week off in March and having statutory holidays off. Imagine having 20 fully paid sick days a year and banking unused days that will be paid when you retire. Imagine starting your day at 9 a.m. and ending at 3:30p.m. Would this not resemble a dream day? So why are some teachers’ unions so reluctant to come to the table? Well, the government is considering recommendations from the Don Drummond report that would freeze wages, reduce the paid sick days from 20 to six full paid days with 14 days paid at two-thirds salary, and eliminate the banking of unused sick days. What is the government thinking? How fair is this? Teachers have one of the most important jobs in our society: to educate and nurture our young. Teachers have a passion to shape lives. Most are dedicated, dynamic and hard working. They coordinate afterschool sports, trips and school productions.
They help form the academic, physical and emotional aspects of a child. They foster curiosity, promote a joy for learning and nurture a sense of self-esteem and self worth, obviously not an easy task in the ever-changing society we live in. However, what is a fair price for this service and when does greed take over? Has greed taken over the passion for this profession? How would you categorize demands for benefits that the average person does not receive? According to the Drummond report, by the 2017-2018 school year, the government expects costs to increase by $900 million simply from automatic salary increases as teachers increase their qualifications and move through their salary grid. If you add estimated wage increases using current trends, full-day kindergarten expansion and continued staff increases, we can expect an overall increase of $4.4 billion in educations costs. We live in a society that consumes twice as much as it did in the 1940s. We strive to make more and more money so that we can retire and enjoy our leisure time. But teachers are not retiring, making it harder for new teachers to find jobs and become contributing members to our economy. The Drummond report adds that school boards, teacher federations and support staff unions may be able to lessen the impact of spiraling costs by $1.18 billion by agreeing to: larger class sizes, fewer non-teaching staff and a reduction in the pupil foundation allocation portion for textbooks, learning materials, classroom supplies and classroom computers. Is it not ironic that the teachers are fighting for more dollars that would essentially be paid by eliminating other resources they need to effectively carry out their job. But ultimately as taxpayers, it is our money that funds education and the costs of teachers’ salaries and retirement benefits. By the way, according to Don Drummond, “the typical teacher works 26 years and collects a pension for 30 years.” How many professions can make the same claim? Can the teachers’ unions declare in good conscience that the proposed contract offers are unfair?
A12 • THE SILHOUETTE
SpeculatoR The Hamilton
Thursday, March 22, 2012 Buggs Vindaloo Speculator It was more than money that drew Pay-a-ton Manling to Denver. This week the Speculator obtained an exclusive copy of the star quarterback’s 10-year, $196-million contract with the NFL’s Denver BroBros, revealing shocking bribes and a culture of illegitimate benefits paid to the 14-time Super Bowl champion. “Manling shall receive $19.6 million per year along with a lifetime supply of ribs,” states clause 1.2b of the contract, which was leaked to the Speculator by Gregg “Shucks” Johnson, the BroBros’ head bidet custodian. “I hear the guy has a ferocious appetite, so I’m not surprised that he went for the classic “rib clause”, commented Johnson. The rib clause, to those out of the loop, was first awarded to all-star quarterback Willy Rumpkiss of the 59’ Green Day Plaquers after a contract extension. Sadly Rumpkiss died the year after from a broken rib that punctured both his lungs. Pay-a-ton Manling’s contract isn’t without harsh criticism, especially from the American Luddite Association, a group of fearless vagabonds that are trying to keep bionic limbs out of professional sports. As we all know, Manling took last season off to have his neck replaced, which can now swivel at 360 degrees, just like a goddamn snow owl. Although the hot topic of this week is all about Manling, the BroBros’ former quarterback, Jesus H. Christ, has officially left the mile-
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
INSIDE THE SPECULATOR
A4 - News editor traded for tictacs C6 - We wax on pundit bees-ness D1 - Taupe is the new black, says fern F1 - NASCAR watched by non-redneck
Bleeding into city gutters since 1968
F
Pay-a-ton wants ribs; Jesus to Scranton
JONNY “SKITTLE BITS” FAIRCLAWS
The Denver BroBros overhauled their franchise this week, signing Pay-A-Ton Manling while trading Jesus H. Christ. high city to join the newly formed Nazareth indoor football league, based out of Pennsylvania. Though many Denver fans are sad to see him go, it’s thought that people stopped believing in Jesus the moment he played on the Sabbath and threw
away too many hail mary’s. Jesus’ transfer to the NIFL hit a snag on Monday, however, when his new team, the Scranton Schnitzel, took issue with a clause in his contract signed in Denver. A source suggested Schnitzel
GM Morty Bertles took issue with Jesus’ no-sex clause and demands to have “My Sacrifice” by Creed as his stadium entry music. “I fucking hate Creed, and our offshore, offseason sex parties are a real team bonding experience,” said
Bertles in an email to the Speculator. As of press time, reports suggested Jesus could be placed on waivers, with potential suitors being the Seattle Sushi and Portland Antlers.
WANTED BY THE RCMP
For the serious offences of defecating in public, cud trafficking, aggravated assalt-licking, ten counts of gross vagrancy and escape from reformative penitentiary Elkatraz
ELK CAPONE
Date of Birth: Height: Weight: Occupation:
February 29, 1992 8’6” (with antlers) 1300 lb. Lead Guitar, Rembrandtler
Remarks:
Mr. Apone is missed deerly by his herd after recent escape from Elkatraz. Authorities urge any sightings to be reported as he is often neither seen nor herd. Elk responds positively to chocolate melk and answers to the phrase “off the hoof.”
What did you learn this week, Timmy? “Thirty seconds is the difference between
mad game and class 2 felonies.” Disclaimer: Stories printed in The Hamilton Speculator are fact. Any resemblance to persons real or dead is likely intentional and done out of spite. Opinions expressed are those of The Speculator and if you disagree with them you are wrong. And stupid. Possibly ugly as well.
S1 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
The Silhouette
SPORTS
Sil Sports sits down with Marauder setter Amanda Weldon as she discusses Harry Potter, rookie gaffes and the wise words of Tim Louks. See S2.
YOUR SOURCE FOR MCMASTER MARAUDERS SCORES, STORIES, UPDATES AND ANALYSIS
ADDING A CHAMPION
EDITORIAL
The NFL’s harsh punishment of Sean Payton ignores the inherently violent culture of football. See S3.
FEATURE
Ex-Marauder and Olympic bronze medalist Mark Heese has turned to mentorship in retirement. Details on S4.
PHOTO C/O MARK HEESE
OFSAA quad-A champion and Team Ontario guard Danielle Boiago commits to McMaster and will ply her trade at the Burridge Gym next season. See S2 for details.
S2 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Women’s Basketball
Meet a Marauder
Provincial guard joins Marauder program
Weldon serves up advice
Brandon Meawasige Assistant Sports Editor
The McMaster women’s basketball team announced this week that local standout Danielle Boiago, point guard at Hamilton’s St. Thomas Moore Catholic Secondary School, has committed to spend her university basketball career as a Marauder. Boiago is the first recruit to commit to the women’s program this year, and will join a team that is loaded with young talent at the guard position. “Danielle was our number one recruiting priority and we are extremely pleased that she has committed to McMaster. There may be other players to add in coming days but none to report at this time,” said head coach Theresa Burns about Boiago and the plan for recruiting. “We feel that we have added a key piece of the puzzle with Danielle. Player development over the summer will focus on individual skill development that will help address team needs particularly in the area of perimeter scoring.” As a highly touted recruit, Boiago will be expected to make an impact immediately, something that Burns believes is quite possible for the freshman, who will be studying Kinesiology at Mac. “I do believe Danielle will make an impact right away, and play significant minutes right away. Like all first-year players she will go through a learning and adjustment period at this level but I think she will adjust fairly quickly.” The signing of top recruit like Boiago is a victory for the Marauders, who have traditionally been a contending team under Burns but have failed to make noise in the OUA playoffs over the past three seasons. “McMaster is a school that has so much to offer. Coach Burns and her coaching staff have done an incredible job in developing the women’s basketball program and the Kinesiology program is a perfect fit for me. I feel • PLEASE SEE BOIAGO, S3
Amanda Weldon has played the part of creator for the Marauders for the past two seasons, helping them reel off eight consecutive wins to roar into the playoffs this year. This week, Sil Sports sits down with Weldon as she offers up nuggets of rookie wisdom, Twitter advice and a quick glossary of Tim Louks’ infamous phrases. Fraser Caldwell (FC): If you had to choose just one, what would you pick as your best or favourite match? Amanda Weldon (AW): I think the best game was this year – I want to say Alberta – but I think it would have to be our game at Queen’s because I think we really came out with passion and it was our TSN Turning Point. It was when we really came together and realized that we could really do this thing. FC: Who’s your greatest rival as a team? AW: I feel like I have more individual rivals, which I can’t really tell you. I think that for every team we manifest a rivalry. If I had to pick one it would probably be Western. I think that’s one thing that a lot of universities have in common. No one likes Western. FC: The team went to Florida and made a point of seeing the Harry Potter area at Universal Studios. So who’s the biggest Harry Potter fan? AW: Meghan Leigh Jamieson. Absolutely. She has a blanket and she bought a wand there and a mug. She has a Dumbledore shirt that she wears underneath all of her clothes. Definitely her. FC: What’s the best gym to play in outside of the Burridge? AW: That’s really tough, because I just love the Burridge so much. I’d have to say the gym at Queen’s just for the facilites, even though I don’t necessarily like playing there. They have a massive window and sometimes when you play during the day it blinds you. But I’d have to stay with that, just for the change room that we get to use.
JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF
• PLEASE SEE SETTER, S8 In her third year as a Marauder, Weldon was the creative centre of the team.
THE SILHOUETTE • S3
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Women’s Basketball
Boiago to don maroon
Editorial
Punishment of Payton ignores NFL’s violent culture Fraser Caldwell Sports Editor
PHOTO C/O DANIELLE BOIAGO
Danielle Boiago has led team Ontario to a gold medal at nationals, hoping to bring success to Mac as well. play and as a point guard I have the ability city of Hamilton overseas in Greece. Boiago • CONT’D FROM S2 to get the ball up the court for easy transition says it’s for the Hamilton born recruit, to be privileged that all of the things I was looking baskets.” pursued by her hometown school. for in a school happened to be in my home- “I also have experience playing the “It is an honor to be pursued by a school town,” Boiago told the Sil this week. shooting guard position and I’m comfort- like McMaster that has a reputation for ex On the court, Boiago brings with her able taking the outside shot,” says Boiago. cellence both on the court and in the classan intriguing skill set, according to coach Boiago lists her favorite CIS player is room,” shared Boiago. Burns. Jacklyn Selfe, a University of Western On- Holding up that reputation of excellence “She has a complete skill set; she is tario guard who ironically helped eliminate should require no transition for Boiago, who strong offensively, defensively and has great the Maroon and Grey from the OUA play- averages 23 points per game for her Hamwork ethic and will to compete. She is a offs this past season, but has high hopes to ilton club team, Blessed Sacrament in the great teammate, positive, supportive. make her own impact in the CIS this year. provincial JUEL league, leading all scorers “We feel that we have added a key piece “I know I will learn a ton from the coach- with those numbers. of the puzzle with Danielle. Player develop- ing staff as well as the other girls on the team For a team like the Marauders, who ment over the summer will focus on individ- and I hope to make a quick and smooth tran- made the playoffs last season, adding a playual skill development that will help address sition. As far as goals for the next five years, er like Danielle Boiago could potentially team needs particularly in the area of perim- I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet. make the difference between simply making eter scoring.” I’m just excited to be moving on to a new the playoffs and being a serious champion As for the 5’7” Boiago, next season will chapter in my basketball career,” says the ship contender. offer a chance to learn the CIS game and de- high school standout. With this signing being the first of sevvelop as a player. Boiago is no stranger to the spotlight, as eral according to Burns, next season could “I’m a calm, but competitive player. I she competed and brought home gold med- see a shakeup at the top of the OUA West love the fast-paced game that the Marauders als for both team Ontario at nationals and the standings.
The NFL appears to be stuck at a philosophical crossroads, and Sean Payton is the most recent member of the gridiron ranks to pay the price of the league’s indecision. On Mar. 21, the New Orleans Saints’ head coach was handed a one-year suspension for his role in a system of player incentives that awarded defensive team members for injuring opposing players or knocking them out of a game. The decision apparently shocked the Saints’ bench boss, and stands as yet another fire and brimstone example of league commissioner Roger Goodell’s resolve to enforce discipline in defense of the United States’ most beloved game. Goodell has made no bones about his desire to see an end to what he and others would term “cheap shots” in the NFL. Of course, if I were heading an organization that was being forced to wade across the legal minefield of the current concussion panic, I would probably be sermonizing about physicality as well. Concern over the neurological ramifications of head hits runs the gamut of North American sports, and is hardly an issue unique or confined to the gridiron game. But of all of the major sporting organizations on the continent, the NFL has been the most proactive and vocal in its commitment to the brain health of its players. In the summer of 2010, the league launched its first major initiative to combat headshots, bringing about a slew of rule changes designed to protect “defenseless players” from the unsuspecting onslaught of bloodthirsty defenders. The health-first measures yielded several early results, dealing out suspensions to notorious headhunters and first-time offenders alike in their opening season of operation. Perhaps the most heavily penalized of all was Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison, caught out on multiple occasions • PLEASE SEE SCANDAL, S7
S4 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Feature
Heese puts storied career to use Heese, an Olympic bronze medalist is putting his experience to work as a trainer and mentor Fraser Caldwell Sports Editor
PHOTO C/O MARK HEESE
Mark Heese played 17 years of beach volleyball at the international level.
In 1996, Mark Heese mounted an Olympic podium as one half of the third-best beach volleyball tandem on the planet. But years earlier as he entered university at McMaster, volleyball was a distant second priority for the ten-time Canadian national champion. Heese had family connections to the Maroon and Grey before deciding to attend the Hamilton campus in 1988, as his father – himself an Olympian at the 1964 games in Tokyo – had studied and competed as a canoeist at McMaster. When it came time for the younger Heese to enter the McMaster community, he had his sights firmly set on being a dual-sport athlete. Eventually, he would become a prized member of the Marauders’ struggling volleyball squad, and come to value the sport and his own talent to an entirely new level. But as he explains, his initial passion was for an entirely different ballgame than the one he would come to dominate on the beach. “Being at McMaster basically helped me realize that I was a pretty good player,” said Heese of his time in the Maroon and Grey. “When I entered school I had aspirations to play for the basketball team. Coming out of high school that was my favourite sport, and I tried out for both teams thinking that I could play for both. “I was cut from basketball right away. There were about 75 guys who tried out and they cut it down to 65 or so early to get rid of the jokers. I was one of those first 10 cuts. It really affected my confidence, to be honest.” The horror of being so unceremoniously dropped from the basketball setup rankled with Heese, but it became quickly apparent that he was wanted and needed on the volleyball court. “When I found out that the volleyball coach really wanted me, and how well I fit into
that team as a starter, I uncovered how good I was at volleyball,” said Heese. “After my second year and playing beach in the summers I made my big breakthrough and made the finals at the national championships. “My experience at Mac and the leadership role that I was given allowed me to develop the skills necessary to become good and I ran with it.” And good he certainly was for a very long time. Heese would graduate from McMaster in 1992 and turn his attention to the beach volleyball scene on a full-time basis. Quickly, he and longtime partner John Child became fixtures on the international stage, and captured Olympic bronze at the Summer Games in Atlanta. That same year, the two won their first FIVB event in Berlin and enjoyed four more top-three finishes on the international tour. 1996 was undoubtedly the high point, but perhaps the most impressive of Heese’s achievements is his sheer longevity. The Marauder-turned-Olympian competed on the FIVB stage for 17 seasons between 1992 and 2008, and even sized up a run at the 2012 Olympics before deciding to retire. When asked to explain his incredible ability to compete at the highest level for nearly two decades, Heese indicated that his longevity on the sand derived from his work ethic and continual commitment to training. “I really took preparation and the sport itself very seriously,” said the ex-Marauder of his approach to the beach game. “When I was first starting out as a professional in the mid-nineties – in the world of such a young sport – there was no one that serious about it. I approached it as my full-time job and as a passion, and I was one of the first guys in Canada to run practices on the beach. “I built up things like that – differentiators – that separated me from other players in the country. Once I made it to the international stage, I realized that even there – at that point in the sport’s development – people weren’t
Heese and longtime partner John Child won a bronze medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and a FIVB event in Berlin in the same year. full-time athletes for the most part.” Heese believes that such a realization allowed him to exploit his training to overcome the natural physical obstacles that came with being a six-foot player in a tall man’s game. “I took that as a sign that that was what I had to do,” said the Olympian of his full-time commitment to the beach. “Especially for a guy like me who’s only six feet tall and can’t really jump that high or move that fast. I was physically very average and even below average in some ways, and had to find ways to make up for that.” Since retiring from the sport in 2008, Heese has turned his attention toward instilling the values of hard work that served him so well in a new generation of athletes. He indicates that after such a long and storied career in the sport of volleyball, he feels it his duty to give back to the game in some form or other.
“It just feels right,” said Heese of his mentorship role. “It’s about more than any sense of accomplishment. My partner John and I are two of the very few that have gone through what we have in the sport and been on an Olympic podium. We played the sport professionally for nearly 20 years, and I feel like it owe it to the sport to stay involved. “I found a way to do that and to pass on my experience and knowledge since retiring from playing three years ago. I work with my longtime sponsors Overkill and they’ve been very supportive of my various projects like the Child-Heese Beach Camp and the training we provide in conjunction with the Ontario Volleyball Association.” Most recently, Heese began a personal venture to personally tutor promising young volleyball players, centered on the very con-
cept that he believes propelled his career forward. “I started a business called Maximum Reach that aims to help young, elite athletes find just that – their maximum reach,” said the ex-Marauder. “I feel like that’s what I did as a player, I found a way to maximize my potential.” The most fundamental lesson that Heese has to offer aspiring players is simply to believe in their ability, regardless of the restrictions they may be inclined to place upon themselves. “I was amazed at just how far a very average guy like me could go,” said the Olympian. “I wasn’t on anyone’s radar for a regional team, let alone a national team or an Olympic podium. I worked hard to discover the inner confidence that I lacked for a long time when it came to sports.
PHOTO C/O MARK HEESE
“You never really know how far you can go. We naturally put limits on what we can accomplish. If someone had told me in grade 11 or 12 that I would end up on an Olympic podium, I wouldn’t have thought that it was possible. That taught me that you need to stretch your limits, and that’s what I always tell people, whether they’re young athletes or older people: don’t limit yourself, just go for it.” Such a message is particularly pertinent for one of Heese’s current clients, as Western’s Garrett May gears up for a late attempt to qualify for the London Olympics. The odds are clearly stacked against May, who will have only a matter of weeks to train before the final qualifying events get underway. But with Heese at his side, the Mustang standout remains resolute in his mission to compete in the Summer Games.
S6 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
NCAA Basketball
March madness is overrated Scott Hastie Silhouette Staff
It’s over. My passion for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament has come to an abrupt end after years of my being a huge fan. I watched nearly every game of the tournament and followed the conference championships closely to try to= pick the perfect team to make the run to the national championship game. Selection Sunday was the best day of March, with weeks of scepticism about bubble teams and number one seeds finally coming to fruition. But this year, March Madness does not feel the same and I could not bring myself to watch games past the second round. If it were not for the bracket challenge I had entered, I would have no idea which teams were playing at this point. I would only hear about incredible performances through what I saw on Twitter, not because I had watched the player. But what happened? Why is my love affair with the Madness over? I honestly can’t put a finger on one single issue that caused the change of heart, but I’m able to name a few that contributed to my March Madness break up. Maybe the game is just not exciting as it once was. The shot clock in NCAA men’s basketball is 35 seconds and that’s frankly too long. The ball is passed around like a hot potato, with coaches trying to run the same play for their best player over and over until there are single digits on the clock. What the viewer gets is bad shot attempts, resulting in low scoring games, and a poor quality product. The buzzer beating shot at the end doesn’t make up for the other 39 minutes of boring basketball either. March Madness also focuses too heavily on the losers and not the winners, and that makes the tournament about failure rather than success. One of the most memorable moments in tournament history was the end of the Fab Five era, with Chris Webber calling for a timeout, drawing a technical foul and eventually losing the game. But who did they lose to? It’s a good question and taking it a step further, how many NCAA championship finalists can you
name from the past five years? I struggled to even name last year’s finalists, let alone eight other teams. Personally, I enjoy seeing a team win a championship and secure their place in history as the best team of that given calendar year. But in March Madness, are they really securing a place? Will the champions even be remembered? One of the most overrated aspects of the tournament is picking brackets. Every year, people put in an incredible amount of time to find the best teams and the best upset candidates. In reality, most of us have not paid any attention to college basketball all season and it’s impossible to learn about 64 teams in the time between Selection Sunday and the beginning of the tournament. Besides, we all have that friend who can barely name any premier basketball schools, and who will get lucky and beat us in the bracket challenge anyways. So why waste all the effort and money? The biggest issue that was on my mind before this year’s tournament even began was the issue of player compensation. Paying college athletes is not an issue that just affects basketball but every single sport in the NCAA. The March Madness tournament generated $771 million dollars from its TV contract in 2011, and the players who created the product received exactly zero dollars for it (at least legitimately). While most of the players are receiving scholarships from their universities, they are not free to get a part-time job to pay for necessities like new clothing and gas in their cars so they can get to practice. Yes, they are receiving a free education, but they are generating millions of dollars and receiving none of it, being promised money later on in life when they start their careers. Would you spend thousands of hours, working hard, travelling across the country, and generating astronomical revenue figures, for money that you are not even guaranteed to receive? I know I wouldn’t. The NCAA exploits young men and women and buying into the March Madness allows the organization to continue to get away with this. Maybe once some of these issues be-
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
March Madeness is about the wrong things and fans are taking notice.come resolved I’ll fall back in love with the Madness, but it’s hard to tell. People are always going to love picking brackets and mocking teams like Duke when they lose. The NCAA is going to fight to the death to keep their gravy train going, and as long as TV revenue figures continue to grow, we
will not see any major rule changes like the one needed for the shot clock. You guys can have your March Madness tournament, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it. I’ll be over here with the NBA, watching meaningless games and not missing out on a thing.
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
THE SILHOUETTE • S7
Editorial
Scandal underlines aggression • CONT’D FROM S3 by the “defenseless player” clause. However, while many lauded the effect of the new rules, others were less certain of the direction they implied for the NFL game. Harrison’s own reaction to his recurrent suspensions offers an interesting insight into the quandary in which today’s professional football players are increasingly finding themselves. The emblematic Steeler greeted his disciplinary setbacks with simple confusion, uncertainty over how he was supposed to be playing the game he had been practicing for so many years. Because you see, Harrison and so many other gridiron giants of his generation were raised as athletes with one very simple concept in mind. For defensive stalwarts, the message has traditionally been that violence is the goal, that aggression is the only acceptable attitude. The health of the receiver you were lining up for that bone-crunching hit was not your concern. Your only mission was to make exceptionally clear that no extra inch of field turf was to be gained on this given play, and that if the bad guys’ quarterback was going to throw that crossing route, his intended target would be coming back to the huddle with Ikea instructions. There is, after all, a reason why the term “hospital pass” came into being. The problem is that the current crop of concussion-related measures flies in the face of this time-honoured mentality. It’s no longer acceptable according to Goodell for a defender to blindly launch himself into a tackle. Instead, he must take into consideration the placement of his hit, and the neurological impact that his effort could have on the poor sap receiving his intended violence. The question is whether such a thoughtful approach to tackling is feasible or desired in a game that only gets faster and more physical in nature with every passing year. Each season sees the entry into the nationally televised Royal Rumble that is the NFL of ever more imposing and gifted athletes, capable both of incredible feats of skill and brutality. The league depends on this trend to continue for its financial benefit. Who would willingly pay for a product that was being
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Sean Payton was suspended for a full season for his involvement in the bounty system enacted in New Orleans. forcibly diluted by regulation? The issue for them. The coach himself was fined $500,000, NFL execs and fans alike is that such dilu- In a disciplinary sense, the harsh action the team $250,000 and the Patriots docked a tion could be the effect of rule changes that at Payton’s expense also reveals a slight- first round selection in the next year’s draft. curb the athleticism of players. ly disturbing prioritization on the part of New England’s coaching staff was not Perhaps more importantly, the bounty Goodell and the NFL front office. blown apart, its management team not sescandal suffered by the Saints and paid for Where the New Orleans bench boss verely hampered in its ability to run the footby Sean Payton (reportedly to the tune of a must forfeit a year’s wages and control of his ball team. Money was exacted and a rela$7 million yearly salary) indicates that the squad for the duration of the 2012-13 sea- tively useless draft pick confiscated. very attitude of the league’s coaches and son in recompense for an internal policy that This seems to indicate that transgresperformers stands in stark opposition to the indirectly endangered opposition players, sions such as Belichick’s are more readily health-first approach of Goodell and the another infraction that posed a more funda- accepted by the NFL’s head office. Gain an more legally minded among the NFL elite. mental competitive problem went relatively unfair competitive edge and the league will While the New Orleans franchise fell unpunished. slap you on the wrist. But encourage a wideons a proverbial sword, many sources with- The scandal in question is the Spygate ly accepted attitude of aggressiveness within in the league hint that bounty schemes simi- incident of 2007, which saw the New Eng- your team with the incentive of cash and find lar to that punished in the Saints’ case are a land Patriots punished for illegal video sur- yourself without a job for a year. dime a dozen in the NFL. veillance of the New York Jets (and alleged- Don’t get me wrong. Bounty systems are Quite frankly, injury and blind violence ly many other teams) during a regular season a gruesome business that appeal to the worst are defensively profitable. A defensive coor- game. elements in football, and should not be tolerdinator who advocates caution and consider- Despite the immense tactical unfairness ated. ation would not only find themselves quick- that stealing signs represents, the Patriots But to ignore the fundamental aggresly scanning classified sections, but would and their coach Bill Belichick escaped with- sion that breeds such schemes is to turn a likely be openly ridiculed by those around out punishment near the scale of Payton’s. blind eye to the very nature of football.
S8 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY MARCH 22, 2012
Meet a Marauder
Setter talks Potter, rookie hilarity
PHOTO C/O MICHAEL P. HALL/MPHCENTRAL.COM
Amanda Weldon was a key component of the Marauder volleyball team that rolled into the OUA playoffs on an eight-game winning streak. given as a player? in the States so much credit for having such ry so much swag, but I really don’t. I used to • CONT’D FROM S2 spirit, but I think the Vanier really showed be a big soccer kid, so probably soccer. But I FC: Quick meals are a given on the road. AW: Never be surprised. Always expect the our school how much spirit we could whip wanted to play basketball so badly last year ball. That’s applicable for every skill, not up amongst each other. Being in the gym when they were short on players. I asked if What’s the best fast food for a road trip? just setting. It’s something I tell every camp- downstairs, I have never jumped on some- I could do it but Tim wasn’t having any of AW: If I didn’t say McDonald’s here, the er that I’ve ever coached. To always expect one so fiercely as I jumped on Meghan that it. I was the MVP of our team at Waterdown High but we only won one game, so that’s rookies would probably kill me. So McDon- the ball. Because when you get hit in the night. face and you’re a little camper it’s nobody’s not saying a whole lot. ald’s it is. fault but your own. FC: Is there a joker on the team, and if so, do you have an example of a joke they’ve FC: If you had to pick a role model as a volFC: I know that you’re pretty involved on leyball player, who would it be? Twitter. If you had to recommend one fol- FC: Your coach is known for his collection pulled? low for everyone reading, who would it be? of sayings. What’s your favourite Tim-ism? AW: Everyone on our team is a joker in their AW: I’ve always looked up to Jenn Holt and AW: I want to say [basketball guard] Liz AW: There are just so many to choose from. own way, usually because we’re making fun the way that she plays, but I’d also have to Burns, just because she says the funniest “Keep your eyes on your fries” is one. of each other. This year the funniest things mention Larissa [Puhach] just because she’s things. Or [football quarterback] Marshall “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath wa- have been things that we just can’t believe the spunkiest, most charismatic girl that I’ve Ferguson, because he gives me a lot of facts. ter.” He’ll just yell words like “Elevate!” and that the rookies have said. Taylor Brisebois ever met. It’s hard to pick one because Tim I learn something from that guy every day. “Hips!” He’s been going with “stick to the always says the most ridiculous things. Ear- chooses such amazing girls to play for his lier this year, she wasn’t completely sure that team. He’s the informational Twitter account. He plan” lately. “The Plan!” “The Plan!” Ottawa was the capital of Canada. knows everything about football and I’ll FC : What’s on the iPod these days? read it and not understand but take some- FC: If you had to pick one best moment as a FC: If you weren’t playing volleyball, what thing away from it. And he was the one who Marauder in general, what would it be? sport would you be playing? AW: It’s definitely country. But at our house got me on Twitter. AW: I’d really like to say the Vanier Cup we’ll be studying at the table and cycling FC: What’s the best advice that you’ve been win. Because people always give schools AW: I want to say basketball, because I car- through all of the White Panda remixes.
THE SILHOUETTE • C1
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
INSIDEOUT
production office extension: 27117 insideout@thesil.ca
Start planning tomorrow, today Pave the path that most suits you and your interests Amanda Teseo Silhouette Staff
“What am I going to do with my life?” It’s the dreaded question we ask ourselves at almost every developmental stage – from childhood, when you were convinced you could become the best magician in the world, to old age, when you look at where you’ve been in life and formulate a plan for the remainder. By emphasizing the importance of building a career, society pressurizes us to decide what we will make of ourselves in this world. Ultimately, choosing a career is a very personal process that involves knowing yourself, discovering opportunities and making decisions. It can be very difficult to make this decision process a personal journey, one that silences outside pressures and focuses on individual fulfillment. This is your life – no one is going to live it for you. So, here are some guidelines on how to make informed choices regarding your future endeavors. First and foremost, for any of you who haven’t heard of the McMaster Student Success Centre, it’s a great resource for a multitude of student issues, especially career planning. Building a future seems like it’s supposed to be a linear succession forward, where you progressively make decisions that keep you on a constant path moving towards your final goal. Realistically, you may be faced with various obstacles, harsh realities and unexpected opportunities along the way. The Student Success Centre calls this the “Planned Happenstance,” which is the process of maintaining and building goals while being open to novel situations that may arise and potentially alter those goals. There is no “yellow brick road” to your perfect career. Many of us wander and search for much of
TYLER HAYWARD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR
Follow which ever career path in life will make you the most happy. For some, this means professional photography. our lives. In order to embark on a Orientation this past weekend, and ated one of my favorite childhood are traveling towards but too busy journey where you build your own I was astounded by the inspira- books Hope for the Flowers by climbing to reflect on the matter. yellow brick road as you approach a tion that it instilled in me. Jerome Trina Paulus into his presentation. In the end, they both become career, five characteristics will help Chang, who I quickly added on The plot follows two caterpillars, butterflies, much to their surprise. you: curiosity, persistence, flexibil- Facebook (friend request still pend- stripe and yellow, through an ex- Jerome ended his presentation with ity, optimism and risk-taking. ing), delivered an amazing presen- pedition of growth and discovery. the piercing words, “Do you know I had the opportunity of at- tation about planning your future. First, they travel up a “pillar” of tending a Student Success Leader He enthusiastically incorpor- caterpillars, unaware of what they • PLEASE SEE FOLLOW, C3
Pipe dreaming: a week in Portugal Jonathon Fairclough Production Editor
I woke up on a dry August morning with a mild hangover and a silly grin. Everyone was already up, walking around my bunk, showering, talking about the tides. In an hour I’d be paddling in the Atlantic on a softboard, learning how to surf for the first time. My grin lasted for an hour. I could barely eat my breakfast (try eating cereal with a cheeky grin – not possible), but I was set, full and ready to go. I hopped into a beat-up station wagon, owned by one of the hostel managers, and we ploughed our way to the beach.
Surfing had been a pipe dream of mine (har, har) ever since I caught the movie Endless Summer on a late February night when I was going through my annual winter blues. As per usual, between the winter solstice and reading week I get a horrible sense of powerlessness that can only be resolved by looking forward. Endless Summer, the essential surfing movie of the 1960s, documents surfing around the world. I start dreaming, plotting my escape, and that’s how the Portugal trip began to develop. Andy and I crammed into the car with some Germans and drove through the Portuguese countryside, ending up at the beach in less than
ten minutes. All the surfers around me were jumping up and down, screaming with giddy anticipation – they hadn’t seen waves this good for months. We couldn’t have chosen a better day. We went through the rigmarole of surf instruction in the sand before we entered the water, which only took 20 minutes. The water was wonderfully warm and welcoming, the wash was light and the waves were glassy and constant. 45 minutes of paddling, watching, wading and falling, and I was up on my first wave. Andy was slapping the water with exclamation, as were the other students, and every time anybody else made it up we all celebrated
like we’d just learned to ride a bike for the first time. This kept going for the better part of the afternoon: standing up and falling, wading and anticipating, until my shoulders ached with dull exhaustion and my neck was ripe with sunburn. Paddle into the beach, avoid the body borders who plague the shallows, and walk along the sand to the lazy hostel-goers who just wanted some sun. Eat a sandfilled sandwich with some Pringles and fall asleep in the middle of the beach, sprawled out, with the sound of the waves all around me. I’d done it, I’d surfed it, and I dozed off to that happy accomplishment in the back of my head.
Surfing was paramount to my happiness that week, but it was only half the story. The most important part of my week in Raposeira was my encounter with the people there – the beautiful, outlandish, insane guests of Good Feeling Hostel in the South of Portugal – and the reason why I’ll return again and again and (guess what) again. Any hostel-goer will tell you the same thing: your experience with the people in a hostel can make or break your time in a given city. I’ve been miserable in beautiful cities, and lost in others, because the • PLEASE SEE SAND, C6
Fun with spin
Sexual Labels
Bored with your workout routine? Try a cycling class at the Pulse
Why is our society so fixated on labeling our sexual identity
Pg. C3
Pg. C6
C2 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Sweater, Skirt and Jeans: Clothing Swap
CountThread Connor Dobronyi Third Year Studio Arts & Science
Describe your style: Thriftin’ What do you look for in a significant other? One whose clothing I can share
Photos by Tyler Hayward
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THE SILHOUETTE • C3
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Follow your dreams, control your future • CONT’D FROM C1 what you are climbing towards? If you do, is it where you truly want to be?” Like the caterpillars, many of us are climbing a “pillar” in our lives without knowing if it is really what we want. Maybe your parents or peers are pressuring you into becoming something that doesn’t correspond to your personal inclinations. The reality is that many of us are so caught up in the monotony and stress associated with university life that we forget to reflect on our lives. Is this really what you want to become? Do you want to be a lawyer solely for the money? Are you writing the MCAT because your parents are forcing you? It sounds simple, but take some time to think and explore. The first step towards your career should be self-discovery. Explore your areas of interest, aptitudes, weaknesses, values, personality, characteristics, etc. Next, visualize your ideal life. Maybe it’s being a freelance writer and roaming the streets for inspiration. Maybe it’s becoming a kindergarten teacher and rounding up students for “circle time.” Travel deep into the experience of visualization and ask yourself if what you see makes sense with your persona. For example, can you picture yourself in an operating room without feeling nauseous? If the mental scene you are painting for yourself is overcome by a foggy haze or loss of fascination, you need to do your research or change your vision. Try building a network of connections, going to campus events, joining groups that
interest you and attending information sessions. Third-year McMaster Economics student Kirina Kissoon says, “the key to success is to stay positive, constantly persevere and surround yourself with ‘winners,’ or people that inspire you.” Kirina praises DECA, a commerce-centred group on campus that participates in business-related competitions, as a great opportunity to work with different people, learn how to present yourself professionally and form connections. Finally, don’t be afraid to take risks in every area of your life. I go back to my pending Facebook friend, Jerome Chang, for inspiration in this area. “Risk-taking is a way of telling yourself that you’re alive,” he says. When we take risks, our minds become fuelled with renewed curiosity. You become the star of your own reality television show, waiting in anticipation for the final result. Think about how scary it can be to ask that special someone out – during the act, every sense is heightened. Will he/she say yes? Did my voice crack while I said that? Oh gosh…now I’m blushing. If you feel compelled to do something or are interested in an opportunity, take the plunge. Even if things don’t work out as planned, you will look upon yourself with a renewed sense of achievement for being courageous. I promise. Overall, your life is your canvas. You have to get hungry for success. You have to be passionate and intentional. With the right resources, attitude and motivation, you are well on your way. Get yourself closer to making that mental image a reality.
Try something new and kick up the intensity with the Mac spin classes.
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Spin into something new Work up a sweat and feel the burn with McMaster’s cycling classes Cassandra Jeffery
Assistant InsideOut Editor
It’s a beautiful, crisp Wednesday morning. As most students are just pulling themselves out of bed, the active, athletic types have been up for hours getting their daily dose of exercise in before breakfast. Although getting up before eight o’clock in the morning seems to be a seldom fought battle, making sure you maintain a healthy lifestyle is important. With exams right around the corner, running a marathon is the last thing on our minds, however keeping up the physical flow will pay off in the end. With that being said, getting out of bed to beat the crowd at the McMaster athletic center can also be more nauseating than the pounding headache you’ll have to endure after running on the treadmill for thirty minutes. If you’re frustrated with a boring and mundane workout routine but are desperately seeking a way to maintain that perfect body, try the McMaster spin classes. Most of the student population has a general lack of knowledge when it comes to exercise involving a bicycle. If you’re anything like me, you would assume that biking can’t possibly be that difficult, let alone provide an adequate workout. From visiting and experiencing various Mac cycle classes, I can vouch for the intensity and quality of workout. The cycle classes range from beginner (Mac cycle), to intermediate (extended cycle) and advanced (psycho cycle), though the Mac cycle, if done correctly, can be just as intense and difficult
as the psycho cycle or the extended cycle. Usually, the spin classes last for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, and for the entire duration, the talented instructors push for the best possible effort. A common misconception of Spin is that the class simply gets on a stationary bicycle and peddles for an hour. At the half hour mark, you’ll be wishing this myth was true, but instead, the instructors push pulse members through a vigorous and exhausting workout routine that involves frequently shifting gears, working the abdominal/core area and completing a series of standing exercises in order to properly work leg muscles. Variety is key to a good workout, which is why the McMaster athletic center has a range of trained cyclists teaching the spin classes. Each instructor has a unique way of making everyone sweat and a different taste in motivational music. From Saturday morning Canadian rock to Tuesday morning modern dance hits, the Mac spin classes will surely have you coming back for more. And if you can’t pull yourself out of bed for an early morning class, Mac cycle offers various afternoon classes as well. If you don’t have a Pulse membership, you can always purchase a day pass and try a class out for yourself. Otherwise, grab that rusty bike that’s probably been collecting dust in the basement all year and go for a spin around the block. Take advantage of Hamilton’s beautiful weather and charming bike trails while it’s here and start getting in shape. After all, bathing suit season is just around the corner.
C4 • THE SILHOUETTE
QSCC Formal Mar. 24, 7 p.m. - 11:55 p.m. Hamilton Convention Centre This year’s theme is Vices and Virtues. Come for dinner, drinks and fun! Impaired Driving Simulation Mar. 26, 9:15 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Outside University Hall Archway SHEC and EFRT demonstrate the effects of impaired driving.
Gain from exchange Students may benefit from studying abroad
Upon arrival, Asiedu attended an AIESEC conference in Montreal, where he grew ac customed to Canadian culture. He engaged Since last week, the “Kony 2012” campaign in workshops, simulation groups and tasks has raised awareness of injustice globally. that cause you to think outside the box. He McMaster University students, being part of was able to learn leadership skills in a global a globally minded community, are equally learning environment catered to young procapable of raising awareness and promoting fessionals. This offered him a great transition justice worldwide. and beginning in Canada. With technological innovations and social He has now contributed to societal change networking online our world is more global in his community and abroad while exploring then ever before. We are all connected and and developing unique skills and competencan share ideas instantly with people across cies. International talent and a global mindset the globe. help foster peace and fulfillment of human Our generation is the first to experience kind’s potential. The various Canadian internthis, and being the leaders of tomorrow, we ships provided this year help maintain good can make a difference in ways we never could global connections. before. Student internships provide an avenue Asiedu’s boss Bruno Santia says “he has for just that, creating global been nothing but positive” and citizens, one internship at a is an “excellent, hardworking time. Being the leaders of and reliable individual.” In Travelling abroad terms of his actual work, Bruno tomorrow, we can confirms Asiedu is currently in allows students to take an active role in their learning make a difference in a sales environment. to increase youth impact in ways we never could He is making great progress the world. and is moving the sales cycle before. Student The most recent interforward. Although initially national intern at AIESEC internships provide hesitant about his new workMcMaster, a student-run an avenue for just place, everyone is very helpful organization dedicated to in his transition at B2B Credit youth leadership develop- that, creating global Chex. He now describes his ment on the global scale, is work environment as “like a citizens.” Ghanaian exchange particifamily.” pant George Takyi Asiedu. Since he started his posHe arrived in Canada this past January for a ition in January, George has created his own paid internship with the Oakville company impact. Doing credit reports has allowed him B2B Chex Inc. The opportunity for inter- to work with companies all over the GTA, national exchange is parallel to no other, of- Ontario, and Canada, even in New Brunsfering unique and valuable experiences to last wick. a lifetime. The challenges George had to face in “They asked me about countries I’d like order to come to Canada were more than to visit, and I stated ‘Canada,’” said Asiedu. worth the rewards he gained. “They told me there was ‘no way.’” Despite One of the ways McMaster youth can deall odds, he fulfilled his dream of coming to velop their leadership potential is by becomCanada. ing an international exchange participant. In He describes his travels as “a lot of mo- this way, youth can truly make a difference in ments to live.” Asiedu was amazed at “how world issues. Asiedu’s internship offered B2B trusting and kindly strangers are in Canada, Credit Chex Inc. and himself the opportunity the community and people are very warm. A to be global citizens. very nice, friendly, safe environment. It is through experiences such as Asiedu’s “There are so many good things about internship in Oakville that globally minded Canada too. What is striking is the diversity communities and international talent can be of people who live here,” he says. linked and developed. Michelle Goldenberg The Silhouette
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
TECH Free Thursday Mar. 22, 12 p.m. MUSC 213 Closing ring sale at bookstore Mar. 22, 10:00 a.m. Titles, main book store Gilmore Hall B110 Blood Donor Clinic Mar. 22, 10:30 a.m. 3rd floor MUSC
THE SILHOUETTE • C5
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
IntheKitchen
Have a French toast feast Sonya Khanna Business Editor
Ingredients: 1 cup milk 3 eggs (may substitute with egg whites for a healthier option) 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 tablespoon white sugar 6 slices of bread
Fry up some French toast for a meal any time of day.
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Directions: Measure the flour into a large mixing bowl. Mix in the milk. Add in the eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract and sugar and whisk until smooth. Set frying pan over the stove at medium heat. Soak each bread slice in the mixture until completely covered. Cook the bread evenly on each side until it appears to be golden brown. Serve with your choice maple syrup and toppings. Although the dish may not be French in origin, this recipe is a delectable way to kick off your day. With a fluffy, light texture and a rich, heavenly taste it provides a temporary release from the hectic realities of undergraduate life. The initial recipe calls for three eggs and a tablespoon of sugar; cutting the sugar level in half and opting to use egg whites as a sub-
stitute for eggs creates a heart-friendly and equally satisfying meal. A pinch of cinnamon added to the toast provides a sweet aroma coupled with a faint yet pungent flavour, adding a much-needed comforting kick to the dish. The vanilla extract offers a savoury and poetic richness to the French toast. If midterm season has you in a rut, what better way to lift your spirits than with a well deserved flavourful treat. Sprinkle it with fruits or nuts to create a colourful masterpiece, igniting a euphoric sensation. Friends and family will swoon at the aroma and shower you with compliments for channelling your inner Betty Crocker. Although there is much debate as to the origins of French toast, the Oxford English Dictionary cites 1660 as the year the item first graced us with its presence. However, the supposed original preparation omitted the present day-soaking of toast in eggs, instead opting to pre-soak bread in a solution consisting of wine, sugar and orange juice. Another historical account suggests the origin of the breakfast recipe derives from the late-19th century, with similar preparations appearing under the similar name of “Egg toast” as well as “Spanish toast” and “German toast.” Regardless of its origins, it has maintained a place in the hearts of many toast enthusiasts across the globe.
Eye Oh Tidbits Face your dreams
In our dreams we see real faces of real people that we have seen during our life, but may not know or remember. We have seen hundreds of faces, so we have an endless supply of characters for our brain to utilize during our dreams.
St. Piggy
Atlantic Canada has some of the worst Canadian obesity rates and contains the two cities that are home to Canada’s fattest people. St. John’s obesity rate is 36.4, followed by an obesity rate of 34.7 per cent in Saint John.
The small and the speedy
Like all insects, ants have six legs. Each leg has three joints. The legs of the ant are very strong so they can run very quickly. If a human could run as fast for his size as an ant can, they could run as fast a racehorse.
C6 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Sand and surf: an end of a summer Writers, leave your mark! With summer fast approaching, the Silhouette is coming to the end of another volume. To all you eager writers, you have one week to get the last word in.
E-mail insideout@ thesil.ca
• CONT’D FROM C1 guests can put you in a funk. Conversely, the smallest and unlikeliest hostels can deliver the greatest experiences of your life. Good Feeling, above anything I’ve ever seen, delivered this. Sometimes, time and place permitting, you fall into a place you never want to leave. A collection of travelers all in the right place at the right time, on their different ways, only there for a second – but a second worth remembering. One of the travelers was Maria, an Austrian surfing babe with a big smile and a bigger heart. She called me Sandy (because I could never get the sand off my skin) and rolled her eyes at my German curse-word vocabulary. Another was Vincenzo, an Italian fashion company owner, a complete nut from Italy and an epic traveler. Jimbo and Sam were Aussies, completing a one-year transcontinental odyssey, stopping by Good Feeling for a few days before heading to Spain. The German girls, students from Munich, played me at backgammon every night and drank with us for almost a week straight. They told me how to pick up German girls at a bar and they actually wrote a script for me (which can be found somewhere on the internet). Now I know how to say “you are beautiful” and “I am no longer infected” in German … could come in handy? But by far the most important person I met while at the hostel was Ben, a loud, German, lone traveler with a big mouth and a ridiculous attitude to everything in life. Ben would drink with Andy and me every night, sharing stories from back home and talking about the places he’d seen. He, Andy and I were as thick as thieves, getting up to the stupidest of shenanigans. All of these people were at the hostel at the same time, all interacting with one another, all feeding off each other’s energy. If only you could have see it. I spent the week like this: surfing until my arms fell off, sitting in the sun until my skin burnt, eating until my stomach was full, drinking until I couldn’t stand, talking until I couldn’t stay awake. Eight days of this – eight days of love and interaction with everyone around me, eight days of a time spent and gone. The 12-inch gash in my bag wasn’t going to fix itself, so Ben took it to the beach one day and spent three hours sewing it. To this
MARIA MUELLBURGHER / AUSTRIAN SURF VIXEN
I learned to surf one summer on the shores of Portugal. Here I am, ladies and gents, wet suit and all, after a long day in the water. day I don’t know how or why he did it, but my bag is bulletproof now. I was to leave the next day, and my pack was fixed and I was ready to go home. Vincenzo drove us all to the train station for our train to Lisbon. Good Feeling faded out of the rear-view window and that time was gone – temporarily, at least. Another adventure awaits; it always does.
I’ll return to Portugal, and to Good Feeling, in time. Never forget the promise of human interaction, the wonder of temporary friendship and the power of a bottle of wine with complete strangers. I may never experience a time like that again, but I’ll always keep looking for it. Until next week, and my final travel article of my student journalism career, farewell, readers.
Labels are for soup cans Society is troubled by the need to constantly define sexuality Chantal Cino The Silhouette
Labels. Everyone seems to be obsessed with them. Society desires easy and simple categories when it comes to describing our world. Naturally, this includes people. And since people’s sexualities are one of the most complex things about them, we want to simplify those most of all. And this seems to work, on the surface at least. But for many people, the standard labels of gay, straight, lesbian or any of the other titles on the growing list of sexualities neglect to truly represent their bearer’s complexity. While these labels can be helpful for people in constructing their personal identities, they are also extremely limiting for those whose desires do not always fall in line with their strict definitions. Take a straight person for example. By definition, they should be solely attracted to the opposite sex. But what if once and a while someone of the same sex catches their eye? What if they decide to pursue this interest? What if a relationship develops? Now, the straight people around them will immediately demand an explanation, and the answer they are likely looking for is that this person was never really straight to begin with. On the other hand, their gay friends may see this as simply another straight experiment and dismiss it as inauthentic. But what if this person still identifies as straight, which will confuse these straight friends, but they also have true feelings for this new person they are dating, which these gay friends may not be willing to accept. Suddenly, the skin they always felt comfortable in is constricting. What do they call themselves now? Straight with a dash of gay? Bisexual (which, though debated by many, is a completely legitimate sexuality)? However, the real question is: Why should they be forced to change their identity at all? Here is the problem at the heart of the labels issue: the categories enforced by this practice do not allow for variation in romantic choices. The solution? It could be the popular model proposed by the Kinsey Scale. It is likely that you are familiar with the term, but not quite clear on what exactly it is. Essentially, the Kinsey Scale rates sexuality on a scale as opposed to a category, such that a
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Our sexual identity isn’t easily categorized; we have unique sexual orientations that cannot be labeled. score of zero reflects exclusive heterosexual- cate includes a sexuality section to which you of others, sometimes it needs to be underity, six reflects exclusive homosexuality, and can never make changes. stood that you will not always completely anyone falling in between can choose what- So you’ve always dated men, but you’ve understand. ever number suits them best. fallen for an adorable girl? Go for it! The We, as a society, need to learn to be okay However, the issue with this method is other way around? Why not! Maybe you like with this. When it comes down to it, what we that there is no simple label for every score. to dabble in both genders. Whatever works should really want for other people is happiWhat really needs to be understood is that a for you is fine. ness, not for them to go out of their way to label is never set in stone. It doesn’t define a The moral of the story: while most people appease the limited ability of others to relate person for life. It’s not as if your birth certifi- may hate being confused about the sexualities to their situation.
THE SILHOUETTE • C7
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Are you technologically impaired? Vanaja Sivakumar SHEC
I know what you must be thinking: another article about the dangers of impaired driving, the same old stats that we have been hearing since high school. Well, the media, alongside groups such as MADD, has done a good job keeping our society constantly aware of the ultimate repercussions of driving under the influence. So, this article will not be about alcohol or drugs but about the distractions you do not really think about, the ones that have crept into your everyday lives. Though they may seem harmless at first, they can cause just as much damage as drugs and alcohol when used in combination with driving, and in some cases, even more so. BBMing, IMing and texting are getting more popular and have become a part of our everyday lives. Though many adults have become accustomed to the occasional text, our generation has been the most affected to a point that one could call it, dare I say, an epidemic. Many people would say this habit is relatively harmless in that it actually promotes networking for job searching and other benefits. Until recently, however, very few have recognized the dangers of these habits while driving. A new survey conducted by Stats Canada said that 8/10 Canadian drivers were distracted behind the wheel. Unfortunately, most of these drivers were between the ages of 18-30, a large portion of our university’s age group, and cell phones are to blame. “We think we’re invincible,” says fourthyear Life Science student Fariha Husain. “We all know that being distracted while we drive is a bad idea, yet the common mentality is ‘I’m a good driver, it’s not going to happen to me. I mean I look up after every word I text, that is ridiculous!” The list unfortunately does not end at cellphones for culprits that cause distracted driving. Elaborate car accessories, such as GPS systems and iPod docks, which are supposed to make driving easier, have escalated the problem. Part of the issue for GPS devices is that drivers rely on them too heavily and follow its directions blindly, even in some
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Our generation of tech savvy individuals cases, right into oncoming traffic. Finding the right song to match your mood while driving has regrettably become more important than keeping your eyes on the road and your hands on the wheel. A study conducted at Drexel University in the Department of Computer Science in Philadelphia received results that showed that selecting media on an iPod had a significant effect on driver performance as measured by lateral deviation from lane centre (translation: not being able to drive straight). Similar results were also seen with cell phone use and driving. Now onto a happier note: the general populace are slowly becoming aware of these issues and fortunately, are reacting and doing things about it. Laws not only in Canada
are putting themselves in danger from the constant need to text while driving. but all over the world are being passed pro- costs roughly $10/month and works by taphibiting the use of cell phones or other elec- ping into the phone’s GPS system. If Textetrical device use while driving and hefty fines cution determines that the vehicle is moving are being placed on the delusional people that over 10 km/h, it disables the phone’s texting still do. capabilities. The law is not the only venue being used Similar features have been installed in for change; celebrities such as Oprah are get- GPS systems, where it detects how fast a ting in on the “No Phone Zone” in cars, and vehicle is moving and disables the user from they are proving to be quite effective. using the device until the vehicle has come to The most interesting solution that has a full stop. been used to solve this rising problem is Being aware of the problem is the first exercising technology to combat technology. step. To gain further insight on this issue and Applications in the car and cell phones are witness the consequences of impaired driving, becoming available to prevent the use of elec- McMaster’s Student Health Education Centre tronics while driving. (SHEC) and the Emergency First Response For an example, Textecution is an An- Team (EFRT) will be hosting an Impaired droid application aimed to restrict the user Driving Event on March 26 in front of Unifrom sending text messages while driving. It versity Hall every hour starting at 10:20 a.m.
Culture is growing in downtown Hamilton The Pearl Company is taking steps to re-vamp the art industry our community” said Santucci. “We’ve been working closely with neighbourhood businesses and they are excited to be part of the The red brick building at 16 Steven Street Pearl District.” in downtown Hamilton has housed caskets Santucci and partner Milne have faced and costume jewellery for years. Since 2006 their share of challenges. The same city that in there has been something decidedly different 2008 honoured them with Lifetime Achievewithin its four walls: arts and culture. It was ment awards in the arts has also charged then that Barbara Milne and Gary Santucci them for illegal commercial use of the Steven took over the old factory they would even- Street property. tually call the Pearl Company, in honour of Changes to the area’s zoning in the 1980s the plastic pearls, courtesy of the Canadian relabelled most units residential. The legal Costume Jewelry company, battle continues, but the pair that are wedged between its is optimistic about changes floor boards. They turned the top that the new Urban Hamilton They turned the top Official Plan, currently being floor into an floor into an open-concept vetted by the Provincial Legisopen-concept living lature, will bring to the city. living space. The middle became an intimate perspace. The middle The plan, according to the proformance venue and the became an intimate motional materials from the bottom transformed into an Economic Development and performance venue Planning Committee, calls for art studio and gallery. Six years later, Milne and the bottom trans- “multi-sectoral collaboration and Santucci’s vision of a formed into an art to focus on such matters as job thriving cultural hub apcreation and retention, povstudio.” pears threatened. erty...and arts and culture”. While the Pearl man “These are the changes ages to attract high calibre we’ve been fighting for” said talent, “We’re not attracting sustainable num- Santucci about the new plan. “Our perseverbers of people,” Santucci explained, “because ance will pay off”. of the reputation of the neighbourhood. There Santucci and Milne hope their actions have been problems with crime – there’s a will make private citizens realize what they perception of decrepitude and decay.” can accomplish without relying on govern The pair have turned crisis into opportun- ment funding, as the Pearl has never sought ity. The Pearl Company is expanding, hoping any funds besides its own. to do the same for its Lansdale neighbour- “With us, it’s not just a business, it’s our hood as it has done for its building –revitalize way of life – we live here, we create here, we it while maintaining its character. Together work here” said Santucci of the Pearl buildwith the Lansdale Neighbourhood Associa- ing. tion they helped to create, they are expanding While there’s always work to do, he’s the Pearl Company into the Pearl District – confident that the Pearl’s struggles have a multi-use corridor that will see a grocery paved the way for others to make for themstore and cafe added to the area, as well as selves the communities they want to inhabit. a quarterly neighbourhood arts and culture “With the new Urban Plan, conditions are magazine – the Pearl Review. now good for the kind of changes we want to “Our goal is to create a collaborative make” he said. “Others likely won’t have to economic model that will attract people to run up against the same problems.” Brianna Smrke Silhouette Staff
C8 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2011
THE SILHOUETTE • C9
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
BUSINESS
production office extension: 27117 business@thesil.ca
Obesity meets irony
Google sued over Pepsico displays conflicting corporate strategies new privacy policy
What is less easy to understand, however, is why such a direct and explicit mandate was deemed feasDon’t expect pop and chips to be ible by the company, when the enserved in Pepsi’s boardroom for suing media backlash was highly much longer. predictable. In any case, the next In recent weeks, more and more few weeks will give us a better idea headlines have emerged regarding a of how the brand is affected by the dispute between Pepsico and many debacle. of its American However, to workers over a $50 focus primarily on Increased monthly charge on Pepsi’s possible employees with criticism has been inconsistency is certain lifestyle to detract from an habits and health directed at brands issue underlying in conditions. like Pepsi for the this scenario which Obesity has is far more presshealth been the most highing: that of health ly-publicized in consequences pro- compensation, and this issue due to its a majority of vided by many of where relation to the idensociety wishes to their products.” place a responsibiltity many attribute to the company’s ity for its costs. products. Boasting A recent survey a broad arsenal of by Towers Watson soft drinks, chips and other snack and the National Business Group foods that have delighted consum- on Health indicated that the number ers, infuriated health experts and of U.S. companies adding incenprovided increasing dividends to tives or penalties to influence shareholders, Pepsi has imple- healthy lifestyles increased by mented marketing strategies that 50 per cent from 2009 have built a strong brand identity to 2011; the fact that for the company and increased its even a company profitability over the past few years. which depends on Increased criticism has been the sale of lessdirected at brands like Pepsi for healthy items has the health consequences provided also signed on by many of their products, and the for such a mancompany’s image currently finds date further itself at odds with a human resour- indicates an ces policy rolled out four years ago. The policy charges employees who have detrimental lifestyle habits, unless they attend classes and workshops providing suggestions on how to increase their physical well being. Logically, such a strategy may make sense to Pepsi from a financial standpoint, as health issues can not only harm a company’s productivity but increase health benefit costs significantly as well. Similarly, from a human resources standpoint, the ability to afford health benefits for employees and provide them with opportunities to maximize their quality of life can help a company attract top talent. Felipe Senisterra The Silhouette
increasingly firm stance among corporations when it comes to health costs. What’s left to determine is where policymakers and society choose to place the responsibility for coverage of these expenditures, and it has already been an increasingly-heated debate in both Canada and the U.S. in the past few years. While the ongoing Pepsi dispute is currently focused primarily in the United States, and health policies in general are far different south of the border, we bear many
more similarities with our American neighbors than we’d often like to admit, both in terms of increasing rates of obesity and increasing costs of health provisions - albeit, not always to the same degree. Issues such as these will hopefully force corporations, governments, insurance companies and society as a whole to continue reflecting on where they stand on healthcare provisions; this will also depict how much responsibility they wish to attribute to each other for a healthy population and how much they’re willing and able to pay for it when it’s needed – simply ignoring the increasing costs will not make them go away. If not, at the very least, the Pepsi debate will make for an excellent case study for marketing and Human Resources students.
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Sonya Khanna Business Editor
They say a little white lie never hurt anyone, and Google Inc. is proving to the world that sometimes transparency can come at a cost. Google Inc. has landed itself in hot water once again as the online privacy debate ensues with the company being sued by customers over recent changes to its privacy policy. This comes as the company has been sued by two men alleging breach of the implied warranty of merchantability and fraudulent business practices. “The new privacy policy makes me uneasy because it’s a blatant violation of our personal privacy,” said fourth-year McMaster student, Diane Lee. “They will be collecting information from us based on our search history and using it to supposedly provide a more precise experience, but I just think it makes people uneasy – kind of an invasive feeling of someone breathing down your neck.” The company is being sued on the grounds that they had misled customers on the new privacy rules, which merged separate policies for roughly 60 observations. Represented by the lawsuit are individuals who held an account with the company or had any mobile phone powered by its Android operating system since Aug. 19, 2004 to the imposition of the new privacy policy on March 1 of this year. Although the company has received significant backlash from the recently unveiled privacy policy, Google Inc. insists that the revised policy aims to provide customers and users with an increasingly restructured experience. The lawsuit aims to provide financial compensation to customers for the alleged deception, including the violation of the Computer Fraud Abuse Act as well as the Stored Electronic Communications Act. Google claims the aim of the policy is to provide an increasingly personalized experience for users with information collected through any Google accounts being used to provide more relevant ad selections and suggestions. If the intrusive nature of the privacy policy gives you the heebie jeebies, simply log off your Google account. Even if Google has the best interests of its users in mind, I’m sure the last thing anyone wants is for countless awkward searches to be meticulously observed. If you plan to search “how to make natural cat repellent” in the next little while, do yourself a favour and log off to avoid any further anxieties. Better yet, clear your history or seek another avenue to fulfill your searching desires. Although clearing your history may not take into effect immediately, disabling the ‘record search history’ option on Google will allow users remain partially anonymous following an 18-month period. To opt out of this option, check out google.com/history. Various advocacy groups have expressed concern regarding the new policy changes, including concern that the policy refrains from providing consumers freedom of choice relating to the separation of data. Google’s Chief Executive Officer, Larry Page, was hit with a letter outlining said concerns, signed by 36 attorneys.
This Week in Business Pop goes the housing bubble
Baby boom buzzkills?
Home prices exhibited gains for the month of February.
With the baby boom generation reaching retirement age, where does that leave younger generations seeking employment?
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C10 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Canadian home sales rebound Sizzling housing market hints at increased consumer confidence
RENÉE VIEIRA / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Recent figures show growing numbers of home listings in Canada for the month of February. up 6.7 per cent from previous re- Windsor, hinting at a broadly balsults. anced market nation-wide moderat “While sales remain healthy, ing at its own accord. It seems it’s more than just the un- prices are far from running wild The number of newly listed seasonably mild weather that has nationally,” said homes for the month Canadians in a stir. Doug Porter, of February re Despite enduring a few bumps Deputy Chief bounded at 1.9 per Monthly data sug- cent on a monthand bruises in early 2012, optimis- Economist, BMO gests demand tic figures indicate a thriving Can- Capital Markets. over-month basis. adian home market for the month “Average prices preferences for the The national of February, shunning concerns of a rose a moderate average price for month of February homes sold in Febhousing bubble and sparking buyer 2.0 per cent year interest. Home sales rebounded in over year fol- have been skewed in ruary, not accounting the month of February, with mod- lowing an even favour of single and seasonal adjustments, erate year-over-year increases with milder rise in the demonstrated a hike experts suggesting fears of a hous- two prior months, family homes, which of two per cent from ing bubble have been overstated. dampening con- generally tend to be the same month last Figures released by the Can- cerns about a more expensive.” year, to $372,763. adian Real Estate Association depict housing bubble.” The national growth in seasonally adjusted sales, The cooling average growth in up 1.4 per cent from January and housing market in Vancouver was prices for the previous year was 8.6 per cent from a year prior. The offset by Double-digit price gains sparked by an increase in the sale of CREA reported a total of 61,772 exhibited in three Canadian cities, high-end housing in Vancouver. home had been traded in early 2012, including Toronto, Sudbury and “The national rise in both sales Sonya Khanna Business Editor
activity and the number of newly listed homes beyond the normal seasonal increase provides clear evidence that Canadians are confident in housing market prospects,” said Gary Morse, President of CREA. “Confidence varies by region, as do prospects for housing demand. For that reason, buyers and sellers should talk to their local realtor to understand current and prospective trends in their local housing market.” Growth in both sales as well as in new listings has rejuvenated confidence among Canadians for housing market prospects. The national sales to new listings in homes above the seasonal average increase, provides a glimpse into market balance; it is a measure of overall balance in the housing market. “Continued moderation is a welcome sign, and it bodes well for
prospective homebuyers – particularly in a low interest rate environment,” said Katie Archdekin, Head of Mortgage Products with Bank of Montreal. “Canadians looking to buy a home should consider a 25-year amortization as a way to significantly reduce the amount of interest paid over the life of the mortgage.” An unwavering balance between supply and demand in Toronto has boosted notably high gains in housing prices nation-wide, particularly for single and detached homes. Monthly data suggests demand preferences for the month of February have been skewed in favour of single and family homes, which generally tend to be on the expensive side of things. With this steady trend observed, the national average has succumbed to additional upward pressures.
The baby boom apocalypse Mike Lakusiak The Cord
WATERLOO (CUP) — The baby boom generation of Canadians — those born between 1951 and 1966 — make up a large demographic in the nation’s workforce. The clock on their working lives seems to be ticking louder than ever before. With lots of noise being made in media and government about the imminent retirement of so many people from the labour market and associated costs of government benefit programs and health care, the aging population is getting lots of attention. The question for students looking to enter the working world is this: what does this shift mean for their future? The more things change It is encouraging, according to now-retired University of Waterloo professor of statistics and actuarial science Robert L. Brown, that the topic of what happens when boomers stop working is nothing new. “It’s going to be a challenge, but it’s not a crisis and it’s been known for years,” he said, reached between golf games in balmy British Columbia. “There’s probably been more research [in this] than any other Canadian topic, going back 25 years.” A key component of this discussion is Old Age Security (OAS), the government program that provides a monthly contribution to those 65 years of age and older. A recent study by Sun Life Financial lends to the idea that working life doesn’t just end at 65, however, with more than two-thirds of Canadians polled expecting to not be fully retired by 66. With the average life expectancy far greater than
it was when the age threshold of 65 was brought in, an extension to 67 to be brought in by 2020 is being considered by the federal government. “I’m not sure that it’s inevitable,” said Brian Lee Crowley, managing director of the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, a nonpartisan think-tank in Ottawa. “But I think it’s prudent to do it.” The idea has drawn fire from some organizations including the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP), who say that such a move would push some seniors below the poverty line. “You can accommodate almost any kind of program as long as you’re willing to give up other things,” Crowley continued, noting that OAS and its sister service, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), will rise from 15 per cent to a full quarter of federal government spending in the coming decades. “Is that sustainable?” he asked. “Sure, you’ve just got to get people to agree to stop spending ten per cent on something else.” The legacy of such a large cohort of people in the workforce is that perceptions of what working life and retirement should be like are maintained by younger generations as well. “Part of the problem in people understanding this is that we’re all stuck with the image of the last 50 years,” Crowley said. “Everyone including older workers will have a very strong interest in keeping older workers in the workforce as long as we can.” He noted that much of what has underpinned Canada’s economic growth and stability for the past few decades can be attributed to that generation making Canada’s labour force the largest relative to the number of dependents — chil-
dren and the retired — among large industrialized nations. The costs associated with an aging population can be mitigated by creating conditions that don’t encourage people to retire early simply because they have reached a certain age, he said. “I personally think that extending the working life of Canadians is very much going to be in the interests of young people as well as older people,” said Crowley, adding that If most of the population plans on working longer anyway, the benefits for both Canada’s production of wealth and the public costs of supporting those that are ready to retire would be substantial. I can has jobs? Whether the OAS age is raised to 67 or not, baby boomers will continue to retire, progressively more so as we near the next decade. “The hope is, with the retirements among the baby boom age population, that will open up job opportunities,” said Morley Gunderson, the CIBC chair of youth employment at the University of Toronto’s Centre for Industrial Relations and Human Resources. “Not that someone at 65 retiring will have someone fill that exact slot, but other people will.” It seems inevitable that because of retirements and the requisite cut cakes and gifted watches, recent graduates should be in higher demand as more slots open up. Crowley said that while there is some uncertainty as to how all this will play out, signs will start to emerge in the short term. “The impact of the population aging on the workforce and number of people available to work has not really started to hit home yet because there is a five-year period where we make the transition from the baby boom generation in the
workforce,” he said, adding that once this transition period is over, things will have changed considerably. “Over the next 50 years, the workforce will barely grow — I think it’s supposed to grow 11 per cent over those 50 years, whereas it grew 200 per cent over the previous 50 years,” he explained. “One of the consequences, in my view, is clearly going to be that the value of workers is going to go up, the wages are going to rise and employers are going to try and do everything they can to keep people in the workforce rather than see them retire.” Whether this means more job opportunities for young people is not assured, but it certainly cannot hurt. Gunderson left some question as to whether labour shortages will be as endemic in the market as some have forecast, but there will be challenges. “It’s not clear that young people can expect the kinds of jobs their parents had,” he said. “Almost invariably now people will start out with a limited term contract or contract job if they get one at all — that’s in a sense the new probationary period. Some of those will turn into permanent jobs and some will be something to work while you look for a more permanent job.” Recent graduates who either moved back in with their parents or struggled to find secure jobs can certainly attest to this reality — but will things change? Gunderson said that there has been a paradigm shift from working a secure job from graduation until retirement, the way previous generations often did. “The jobs their parents had were often blue-collar manufacturing, well-paying blue collar jobs — now it is more extreme,” he said. “Some jobs are high-paying that people can move into, but the big issue is the
middle where the job distribution has kind of fallen off and hollowed out. “If you start off at the bottom end, working in a service job or flipping burgers, things like that, it’s possible you could be stuck there for a while. Those middle jobs aren’t there as much right now.” Fortunately, and perhaps annoyingly so, the old adage that education is the best investment one can make seems to still apply, and is also encouraging some students to remain in school longer until the job market stabilizes “In general, getting more education still seems to keep paying off — perhaps somewhat surprisingly, given the large numbers entering higher education such as universities,” Gunderson continued. “Yet, those returns seem pretty high, though they vary considerably by field of study.” Return on investment can vary, he said, from a five-per cent dividend made up in increased salary for each dollar spent on education to more than 15 per cent in some professional programs like engineering. There is a legacy impact on when graduates enter the labour market to consider as well, he added, as shown in a study by his colleague Philip Oreopoulos at the University of Toronto. The study showed that when people enter a job market in a recession or find work that is lowerpaying, the impact on their earnings over time lags behind those who began during a boom. “We have moved to a knowledge economy and even people in fine arts and things like that get a reasonable return [on investment in education],” he said. “It’s much lower, but that’s a love of labour — • PLEASE SEE JOBS, C11
C11 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Where have all the jobs gone?
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
As the baby boom generation rapidly approaches retirement, many young job seekers are increasingly anxious about job prospects. • CONT’D FROM C10 it’s what they want to do.” So, the short answer is not unexpected. Things will improve and there very well might be more jobs available for graduates once the baby boom cohort retires, but there is still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the situation. What about when I want to retire? With longer working lives seen even among the baby boomers, by the time current twentysomethings decide to stop the 9-to-5 and enjoy their golden years, the situation will have likely changed again. In 40 years, when a current student would be in their late 50s or early 60s, demographic studies lead Brown to believe that the situation will have normalized. “If you’re retiring after 2050, you’d be coming back into a period of stability,” he said. “Students now will be retiring just on the cusp of the end of the bad times and the beginning of the next demographic dividend-paying period.” “The baby boomers will just
about be gone by 2050,” he explained. “The baby boom created its own cycle and was followed by the baby bust. There’s a tidal wave of shifts in dependency ratios and producers and retirees. It’s been fairly constant for the past 25 years so the period from 2050 to 2075 should be pretty predictable and it will be an easier time than from 2030 to 2050.” Nevertheless, with possibilities for both private and public-sector pensions and benefits not as assured as they once were, adjustments will need to be made to prepare for when the next generation looks to retire.
bunked by studies into the costs associated with aging and what such a large demographic of aging people might mean. “In every single agesex group, people are pretty healthy and they don’t account for a whole lot of health care costs,” she said. “Where it gets a little bit tricky is that a lot of costs are associated with the time right before death.” All things being equal, the cost of health care per person does not necessarily increase because they are older, it remains relatively stable in most cases until very close to the end of a person’s life, when there may be an increase. Deber explained that extrapoThe health question lating the health care costs to apply Along with mechanisms like to the baby boomers makes little OAS, a common cause for concern difference if people are working when discussing an aging popula- longer and living longer in general, tion is health care. Raisa Deber, a simply extending the age they die. professor at the Institute of Health “In fact, if you have someone Policy, Management and Evalua- who is aging and becomes very tion at the University of Toronto sick, the odds are the hospital isn’t explained that while there are some going to throw everything at them difficulties, Canada’s public health in the same way they would if it was care system as a whole should a younger person,” she said.“There weather the storm. are a lot of reasons to be worried in She said that any doomsday terms of costs but the evidence is scenarios have largely been de- pretty solid that what’s driving the
increased cost is more what you pay providers.” She said that private-sector concerns like home care and nursing homes, many of which are not-forprofit private institutions, will be in greater demand as the population ages, but that largely falls to families or private insurance to cover costs. While health care as a provincial expenditure is increasing, she said that it does not draw the viability of the system into question. “Maybe one or two per cent of the cost increase is coming from [having an aging population]. The question is whether that is the big cost driver that is going to make the system ‘unsustainable,’ and the answer to that is no, not from the data anyone is looking at.” Between drugs, home care and nursing homes, Canada’s population will see increased money spent in the coming years, just as it is now; but on a broad level, things seem as though they should work out reasonably well. “It’s not that those aren’t real costs,” Deber said, “You’re looking at who is picking up those costs.”
a person has, what the legislation says, it doesn’t matter how you label different generations: the point is that people need to produce goods and services in order to be consumed,” he said. “Someone is out there so I can go golfing and go to a movie and have a steak for dinner and so you [students] can eat Kraft Dinner. Those things need to continue to be produced.” He said that while the system may take some time to right itself, things should balance out when considering factors like women in the workforce — which wasn’t always the case to the degree it is now — as well as skilled immigration and people working longer.“The point is that we have to produce goods and services before they can be consumed, that’s the bottom line. You can play games with everything else; pensions, money supply, it doesn’t matter.” So there you have it, kids. There is no doubt that the baby boom generation’s gradual aging will impact Canada and younger Canadians. Thankfully, the signs point to more possibilities for younger Prognosis people in the labour market — even Brown chose to explain the if it means they will be saddled with situation on a very basic level. “It some of the burden of caring for doesn’t matter how much money baby boomers as they age.
Interested in writing for the final issue of the semester? Want to express your love for all things business-related? If so, come out to our weekly Wednesday meetings at 1:30 in MUSC B110. Or email us at business@thesil.ca for more information.
C12 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2011
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THE WEEKND • the shins the breezes • ticketmaster
andex
thursday, march 22, 2012
Senior Editor: Jemma Wolfe Entertainment Editor: Myles Herod Music Editor: Josh Parsons
Contributors: Paul Fowler, Cooper Long, Simon Marsello, Aaron Joo
Cover: Tyler Hayward
coming up
mar.24
The Kestrels Homegrown Hamilton 9:00 p.m.
mar.25
Jiggawatts This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.
mar.25
Hacienda The Casbah 8:00 p.m. Damo Suzuki This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.
The Sunshine Boys Player’s Guild of Hamilton 8:00 p.m. 80 Queen St S. Hamilton, ON. (905) 529-0284 Twelfth Night Mac Thespian Company 8:00 p.m. Robinson Memorial Theatre (CNH 113) macthespians.webs.com
film
The Deep Blue Sea The Hunger Games Brake
now
mar.23
The Pack A.D. The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
may 4-19
mar.23
1964 Hamilton Place 8:00 p.m.
theatre
mar 21-24
mar.22
Caveman This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.
mar.27
music
andy’s ticks
opening
in the hammer
daily bong, walking to school, march camping, march fajitas, jemma’s boring salad, german salami, new cars, sumbit to the unconscious, bulimia hunger games, the eternal present, one week left, lack of job, the sirloin cellar, steve robbs, nikkatsu noir, akg’s, damo suzuki: go see him, july camping at killbear, luganos
“
If you don’t like what you’re doing, you can always pick up your needle and move to another groove”
write for andy meetings are held on tuesdays at 2:30pm in musc b110 e-mail your submissions to andy@thesil.ca
this week in music history...
March 23,1973: John Lennon was ordered to leave the U.S. within 60 days by the immigration authorities; he began a long fight to win his ‘Green Card’
free your mind
• Timothy Leary
editorial
thursday, march 22, 2012
the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D3
Inspiration is a great starting point for a list. If you think about it, films are tailor-made for this sort of thing. Lodged in memory, the reverie induced by a cinematic spell is magic – pure and personal. So I beg the question: What happens when the lights go down? Has a movie ever spoken to you? The great French filmmaker Francois Truffaut once proclaimed, “The most beautiful sight in a movie theatre is to walk to the front, turn around and look at the light from the screen reflected on the upturned faces of the members of the audience.” Evidently, we can only imagine what others ponder. For me, it’s simple. Situated in a darkened room, I disappear and become the characters. I become the scene. I’m braver and stronger, better dressed, better looking. When the light’s come up, the essence does not dissipate; it lingers. Who am I again? What am I supposed to do now? The power of sound and image
lays in its ability to provoke. Whether dazzlingly inventive, technically breathtaking, shockingly simple or simply shocking, films form a subjective opinion that determines what we like and what we forget. My fondest memories of the movies are alongside my father, or with friends, sampling the latest art house indie. The first film I ever witnessed was The Little Mermaid in 1989, where I fearfully fled the theatre at the sight of the film’s villain, Ursula - the sea witch who steals Ariel’s voice. As I overcame that unfortunate embarrassment, a critical eye for films followed in my early teens. I recall watching Stars Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace on a summer camp trip and blankly uttering, “that was complete garbage.” From there my affinity for ‘good’ films flourished, supplanted with a singular effort released in 2001. Entitled The Pledge, it showcased an assured directorial effort by actor Sean Penn and a marvelously worn performance from
Jack Nicolson. The film’s blend of bleak storytelling and beautiful cinematography blew my eyes agaze, never to be closed. As it ended, one patron of the nearly vacant theatre blurted out, “well, that was depressing.” I studied her face, illuminated by the glow of the screen, and questioned her reaction. Surely it was downbeat, but it was real, too. What gives? Films are mere distraction for some. Others, like me, view cinema as a window onto society and the world, affording challenge to entertainment. I sometimes wonder what films, or scenes, offered the greatest impact on me. Undoubtedly, ‘the dawn of man’ sequence from 2001: A Space Odyssey was life-affirming. For sheer adrenaline, you can’t go wrong with John Travolta and Uma Thurman’s Pulp Fiction chemistry of dance and drugs, or the botched bank heist of Straight Time, a gritty ‘70s gem that stars a sleazy Dustin Hoffman. Strangely, one moment of
seemingly breezy charm always sticks with me, though. Evoking a smooth blend of ‘80s MTV inventiveness and introspective calm, John Hughes’ ‘art gallery’ montage of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is like no other. Splendidly edited, the moment intercuts between a couple’s kiss and Ferris’ best friend, Cameron, neurotically staring at a Seurat painting. Translated into successive inserts of his deep stare and the composed colours of a painted child, the final frames materialize into the coarse surface of the canvas itself. Hughes’ pop cinema defined the 1980s, and then some. As a scene, it leaves one to reflect on, or even debate on its meaning. Indeed, one of the greatest gifts a film can lend is ambiguity – suggesting something, but not telling. Rather than forfeit to Hollywood’s hand holding, find yourself a film that makes you think; it may inspire you.
the big tickle
adie martinez
“princess diaries” ryan valconi
• Myles Herod, Entertainment Editor
what movie inspires you?
compiled by myles herod & renée vieria
“lord of the rings”
ITOR
IA ED
IMED
/ MULT JOY SANTIAGO
“lion king”
“brother son, sister moon” terence to
myles gardner
“the fountain” ghadeir alwahidi
the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D4
Montreal’s The Breezes are not only defined by their geography, but by an irreverent dose of humour, unpredictable at any instant. Consisting of Matt Oppenheimer, Dan Leznoff, James Benjamin and Adam Feingold, the electro-pop foursome possess tunes and talent of adroit jest, as evident in their viral, sing-a-long anthem “Count to Eleven.” However, as guitarist Dan Leznoff explains to ANDY, their roots are everything. “Seriously, Montreal made us. We’ve seen every band. Living here, the culture just breathes into you, covers you like a film of dust you don’t notice.” Questioned further as to what gives Quebecois artist’s their certain ‘je ne sais quoi’ over Western Canadian cotemporaries, he didn’t hesitate to lay it down, proud and precise. ”Montreal is significantly cheaper than Vancouver and Toronto. It attracts artists who want to focus deeply on their craft without having to worry about rent and food. When you are really dedicated to learning about your art
music
you come to Montreal and then you move on hopefully. It nurtures growth more than other cities.” While the band’s sound derives from a dance floor zeitgeist of neon vibes and skinny ties, The Breezes undoubtedly know how to craft tasty hooks that balance the digital divide between today’s Top 40 and indie-chill. Indeed, adopting inspiration from all facets is integral to their tone – channeling the spirit of everyone from the late Owen Hart and Evel Knievel to Guns N’ Roses and Ice-T, “boyhood heroes” as he calls them. As for songwriting styles, Dan makes no bones about it: it’s about camaraderie and analogies. “A songwriter is just like an athlete, after a while he stops thinking about what he does and just does it. All you can do is live your art, study and listen a lot. Being in a band is all about building together. Competition is a force that helps the building process but one that can obviously destroy everything. Its all about figuring out how much space to give and how much to take.”
Aided by an escalating profile, the band exudes confidence, rather than evince egotism – something blithely reflected in the strength of their music and the successful manner by which they are managed. The Internet can be a pitiless pool of blog-o-sphere build-up. For The Breezes, life’s too short to worry – embracing technology, but also swaying to their own sails. “Aint no taint to the paint. The Internet has leveled the playing field and opened the door for people all the way from Xanadu to Atlantis to Shangri La to know about you instantaneously, no matter where you’re from. We download music, shop at record stores, listen to the radio, go to clubs and the library to find music. Digital streaming and blog stuff have changed surprisingly little. A song is still a living, breathing thing that you hear with your ears and feel with your soul. ” Online, songs can sustain longevity. However, to succeed professionally, a group lives or dies by their ability to perform live. From a recording studio to
thursday, march 22, 2012
stage milieu, Dan explained the difference between both in typical Breezes fashion. “Our live show is much more free and loose, like a virgin in Tijuana on Spring Break. The record is like her audio engineer twin sister, who views Spring Break as extra study time to nitpick and dissect sonic mysteries.” Anticipating label approval, and a subsequent debut LP within months, the band are currently on tour, turning people onto their EP of bedroom psychedelia entitled “Update My High.” The future looks bright, as Dan concludes, with good times ahead “In two years hopefully we won’t see The Breezes, hopefully people will see us. The party is starting very soon…” If that’s the case, count me in. The Breezes will be performing in Toronto on March. 24 at Wrongbar • Myles Herod, Entertainment Editor
thursday, march 22, 2012
music
the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D5
the ticketmaster monopoly lamenting the hurdles fans face to see their favourite bands Radiohead’s exalted 1997 album OK Computer explores the themes of distrust of technology, alienation in a mechanized society and the emptiness of consumerism. Unfortunately, these are also some of the feelings that the ordeal of buying Radiohead tickets can bring about. I was ecstatic when the band expanded its tour two weeks ago to include a performance at Toronto’s Downsview Park. However, the method by which tickets were sold soon tempered my enthusiasm. There were two rounds of sales: an allotment was released through an official fan site before the remainder became available from Ticketmaster the following day. The pre-sale was evidently intended as a favour to loyal fans, but in this regard, it backfired immensely. The start time for the pre-sale was kept secret, forcing myself and other fanatics to sacrifice sleep in order to avoid missing out. Beginning at 5 a.m., I reset my alarm every half hour so that I could frantically refresh the site. Buzzing online message boards informed me that I was not alone in my obsession. After several heart-stopping page loads, I claimed victory six hours later from the back of my physics class. As widely expected, the pre-sale sold out within hours. Sadly, my sense of triumph was equally short-lived for several reasons. Ticketmaster’s supply lasted for many more days. Moreover, Ticketmaster extended the pre-sale discount to all Rogers wireless customers and offered an otherwise unavailable VIP option. Rather than rewarding its most faithful followers with the pre-sale, Radiohead inadvertently subjected them to much confusion, sleeplessness and aggravation for little benefit. This miscalculation highlights the madness that often accompanies scoring tickets for the biggest and most buzzed-about performers. The digital age has made buying music simpler than ever, but getting concert tickets JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
can still be a trial. Many McMaster students recently experienced the problem firsthand when a TwelvEighty show by The Weeknd sold out within hours. It is a disappointing reality that as an artist’s popularity rises, it can become more difficult to appreciate their work in person. Ticket sellers routinely exploit the resulting desperation of fans. It is not surprising that Radiohead would try to circumvent Ticketmaster with its pre-sale, as the company has been widely criticized for its monopolistic business practices and excessive markups. Ticketmaster is the exclusive ticket provider for most large venues and charges service fees that typically amount to a sizable percentage of a ticket’s face value. In 1994, Pearl Jam famously sued to lower these fees. The band subsequently cancelled its tour when the U.S. Department of Justice decided in Ticketmaster’s favour. More than a decade later, buying high-demand tickets remains troublesome. However, there are some possible solutions. Influential bands should follow the examples of Radiohead and Pearl Jam by working around Ticketmaster and experimenting with alternative sales strategies. Still, such approaches must serve the interests of fans and provide an obvious advantage over the status quo, which Radiohead’s pre-sale approach certainly did not. Meanwhile, live music lovers should explore their local scene. Take the opportunity to see up-and-coming bands now before they explode and purchasing tickets for their shows becomes a nightmare. Once Radiohead launches into their set, I highly doubt that the Downsview Park crowd will be contemplating the hassles they experienced buying tickets. Nevertheless, Radiohead won its devoted following with innovative, high-quality albums. Music fans deserve a system for buying concert tickets with these same features. • Cooper Long
D6 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine
music
thursday, march 22, 2012
shin splints
the painful state of a once-revered band Several years ago, James Mercer ruthlessly fired every single one of his longtime band mates from The Shins, raising serious questions about the future of the darling little indie-pop band from Portland. Mercer dabbled in some side projects, announced that he would no longer be recording under the storied Sub-Pop label and hired a new cast of musicians for The Shins, all while trying to convince everyone that he wasn’t a raging asshole. When the follow up to 2007’s Grammy-nominated Wincing the Night Away was finally announced, fans were quick to forgive, and we immediately started waiting for Port of Morrow like lonely teenagers desperate to fall in love. When the album finally came out, many experienced the same letdown that every lonely teenager eventually goes through – some things just can’t live
up to the colossal expectations we have for them. It’s certainly difficult to listen to Port of Morrow without thinking back to The Shins’ early work. The Shins have always had an undeniable pop appeal, and even through the lo-fi production of their debut album, they sounded like a band destined for the mainstream. Port of Morrow dials up the powerpop, resulting in an album that feels like it’s gunning straight for the Top 40. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Port of Morrow is smooth, infectious pop music perfect for a sunny spring afternoon. Unfortunately, the album does feel slightly empty. The Shins used to make music that sounded effortless. On Chutes Too Narrow, every time Mercer opened his mouth, a hook that would make Paul McCartney
jealous poured out. On Port of Morrow, every sound and melody seems carefully calculated, and although the results are pleasing, the album is missing the breezy spontaneity that made Mercer famous. Mercer has a rather interesting place in the world of indie rock. Ever since the famous scene in The Garden State, where Natalie Portman claims that listening to The Shins will “change your life,” the band has become synonymous with early-2000s indie rock. Although it would be a gross exaggeration to say The Shins changed my life, like many people in their early 20s, The Shins were one of the first “indie rock” bands I ever truly fell in love with. Any disappointment with Port of Morrow is likely an unpleasant byproduct of this. As we develop close emotional ties
to music, our expectations for new material balloon out of control. With a five-year delay between albums, expectations for the new Shins release were massive. It was simply impossible for Port of Morrow to deliver. When I put on Port of Morrow, I was hoping for the same rush of energy that hit me the first time I listened to The Shins sophomore album, Chutes Too Narrow. I was desperate to fall in love with Port of Morrow, but I just couldn’t. It’s not that it’s a bad album. In fact, Port of Morrow is pretty enjoyable. Some would even argue it’s great. But after Mercer fired everyone in the band and made me wait for five years, I wanted something that would change my life. • Paul Fowler
album reviews
thursday, march 22, 2012
the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D7
featured throwback review
’s
y and
‘60s s
Captain Beefheart Trout Mask Replica
HHHHH
k
pic
Rarely are experiments that dare to blend rock music with absolute surrealism worth a second listen, and even less often do they become defining records. By far, the largest exception to this rule is Captain Beefheart’s wildly eccentric Trout Mask Replica. It’s quite difficult to explain why this album is so important; to the uninformed, Trout Mask Replica sounds like the recordings of a drunken hobo. What many fail to realize is the obsessive, although unconventional, level of perfection that possessed one of the 20th centuries most underestimated geniuses. The record merges elements of experimental jazz, American blues and heartland folk with off-beat production and electric madness. The result is an entirely idiosyncratic album that has gone on to influence such diverse artists and
Tom Waits and the Minutemen, as well as help catalyze the genres pots-punk and alternative rock. Even I’ll admit that Trout Mask Replica hard to digest all at once. To hear Beefheart jump between the poignant social satire of “Dachau Blues” and the stream-of-consciousness psychobabble of “Ella Guru” in successive minute-anda-half songs is certainly jarring, but it is important to remember that this album is much more about totality than individual songs. Far too often overlooked is the completely subversive nature of this album. Never before had the rules been so wholly ignored, and for his courage alone Beefheart will be forever remembered as the grandfather of all things avantgarde in popular music. • Josh Parsons, Music Editor
Julia Holter Ekstasis
Lee Ranaldo Between the Times and the Tides
HHHH
HHH
1. “Song of a Sinner” Top Drawer 1969 2. “Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” Bob Dylan 1962 3. “Chain Gang” Sam Cooke 1960 4. “Mr. Tamborine Man” The Byrds 1965 5. “America” Simon & Garfunkel
1968
6. “Cuckoo” The Monks 1966 7. “Hey Grandma” Moby Grape 1967 8. “Girl” The Beatles 1965 Julia Holter’s latest album Ekstasis takes its name from the Greek term for ecstasy, which departs from the conventional understanding of the word, as it denotes a state of being outside oneself. And the album carries this throughout: where we should find the occasional strain of dream-pop surfacing here and there as common, familiar, we feel instead a removal, a displacement between elements in the best kind of way. The album is honest and attentive, a careful construction of otherwise disorientating elements. String instrumentation plays gracefully alongside plucky harpsichord riffs, interspersed with ambient noises of bustling crowds and complicated, haunting melodies. The whole album has a medieval aura to it. It is bedroom music meets orchestrated bardic plainsong with plenty of cultural and literary references along the way. Points of contact that Holter places make for one of the most unique albums of this year. • Aaron Joo
Though the alt gods Sonic Youth may soon split at the seams, their individual components are still going strong. Guitarist Lee Ranaldo’s latest solo release, Between the Times and the Tides, gives the distinct impression of a record destined to grow on its listeners with time. However, initial impressions leave a bit to be desired. Decidedly world-weary lyrics aside, lackluster vocals seem to suck the life out of solid melodies offered by the album’s impressive instrumentals. Ranaldo’s voice is best reserved for every sixth angsty Sonic Youth track rather than attempting at earnest heartfelt ballads like “Stranded.” The album is not without its bright spots, however. Closer “Tomorrow Never Comes” is a joyous clash of sound. An explicit nod to “Tomorrow Never Knows,” the closing track of the Beatles’ 1966 classic Revolver. The track mimics Ringo’s famous beat in the most sincere way possible, throwing a screaming lead guitar over a melody Ranaldo is actually suited to sing. Songs laden with jaded beauty like “Off the Wall” and “Hammer Blows” should bring listeners around for a second sniff. • Simon Marsello
9. “Dead Man’s Curve” Jan & Dean 1964 10. “Hungry Freaks, Daddy” The Mothers of Invention
1965
11. “Whiter Shade of Pale” Procol Harum 1967
thursday, march 22, 2012
andy examines the enigmatic up-and-comer after march 16’s show at twelveighty Amidst flashing lights, screaming fans and pulsing beats, The Weeknd took to the stage, opened his mouth and poured out his heart. The crisp high notes, powerful lyrics and crashing music of his opening song “High for This” swallowed up my skepticism about the recently famous Torontonian. So this, I realized, is what all the hype is about.
The Weeknd’s meteoric rise to fame may not have occurred if rap superstar Drake hadn’t innocuously tweeted a lyric from the Weeknd’s track “Wicked Games” just over a year ago. Since then, he’s released three mix tapes – all of which are available for free download on his website – the most notable of which is House of Balloons. That album (the first of the three) was nominated for the 2011 Polaris Prize and ranked highly among most music publications as one of the best albums of the year. It’s easy to see why critics and fans alike love the Weeknd. His progressive sound, which has been categorized as “post-dubstep,” “PBR&B” and “alternative hiphop soul,” moves in new and exciting musical directions. The heavy synths, crooning vocals and eclectic samples his songs employ speak to the increasing interest in hybrid forms of contemporary music that pull from the old and new to create something unique. His performance at McMaster’s TwelvEighty on Friday, March 16 was an intoxicating journey through his innovative albums that rendered the fact that he has performed publicly less than ten times absurd. Initially, the idea of a concert setting for hearing The Weeknd seemed strange: the melancholic subject nature
of his lyrics and the mellow, often ethereal vibe of his music didn’t seem cohesive with the upbeat, fancrazed nature of live performance. Inexplicably, however, it worked, and by the time he was starting on his second song of the night – a reworking a Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana,” called “D.D.” – I was sold. I finally realized what everybody else in the room – who had stood in line for hours to buy tickets before the show near-instantaneously sold out, who had bought scalped tickets for up to a rumored $70, who had counted down the days until this performance – already knew: that this guy is definitely a superstar in the making. An element of the Weeknd’s draw that cannot be ignored is the skillful way in which he (or his management) has crafted his public image as an enigmatic musical genius. Few photos and videos of the 22-year-old exist, encouraged by tour managers fiercely adamant against press coverage; no interviews or photographers allowed. Details about his real life are scarce, other than his real name (Abel Tesafaye), his Ethiopian descent and his Toronto hometown. His website lists no personal bio section or any other typical identifying features that are often available for perusal online. All the website has is the music. In a society obsessed with celebrity, rampant with fanatical fan culture and intent on knowing the nitty-gritty gossip of every public figure’s life, it’s refreshing – albeit frustrating – to get to know nothing about The Weeknd but his music. And really, when you think about it, the music is all that matters. He leaves us wanting more – both of himself and of his catchy, innovative sound. • Jemma Wolfe, Sr. ANDY Editor
JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR