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McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER / THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Est. 1930
VOLUME 80, NO. 25
$1 million closer to liberal arts building
McMaster Association of Part-Time Students donates in Peter George’s name SELMA AL-SAMARRAI SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
On Mar. 23 during McMaster President Peter George’s tribute gala, McMaster’s Association of Part-Time Students (MAPS) announced their $1 million donation to the funding of the upcoming Liberal Arts Building at McMaster. The building is expected to follow the model of the Michael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, which opened in September of 2005. The Liberal Arts Building should provide space
for undergraduate, graduate and research programs in the faculties of social sciences, humanities and health sciences. Sam Minniti, the Executive Director of MAPS, explained that a large majority of MAPS students are enrolled in either the social sciences or humanities programs at McMaster. Therefore, according to Minniti, “With this most recent gift, the MAPS Board of Directors wanted to benefit the overwhelming majority of part-time students that are enrolled in the social sciences and
humanities.” “In particular, it is well known that it is more difficult to fundraise for the liberal arts given the understandable focus of many benefactors is on health sciences, engineering, science, or business.” MAPS is a service provided on campus since 1979 to meet the interests of McMaster’s part time students, meaning students who complete less than 18 units a semester. Prior to the donation, Minniti explained that he spoke with Charlotte Yates, the Dean of Social Sciences and Suzanne Crosta, the Dean
of Humanities in order to ensure that the funds would be able to provide students with higher learning opportunities such as on-line learning, podcasting and vodcasting. “This gift… comes at a time when the world is changing rapidly. Through this gift, part-time students have helped to ensure that our scholars are equipped with the analytical and research tools needed to engage our community and beyond, and to drive innovation in our teaching,” said Yates of this recent contribution. Crosta expressed her opinion
Spring is in the air: As March brings warm weather, Mac students take advantage of a green campus
of the recent donation, “This generous gift is a testament to our students’ and university’s commitment to liberal arts… We warmly thank MAPS for their exceptional investment and strong support of our disciplines.” According to the McMaster University website, the Liberal Arts Building is expected to provide space for a centre of global citizenship and culture, a learning language commons, centre for performing and visual arts and new media, and a research institute for the social sciences and humanities.
Dundurn Street stairs vandalized LILY PANAMSKY
ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
McMaster students breathe in some fresh air and relax outside of the North Quad, weeks before the semester ends and final exams begin.
Parts of the Dundurn Street Escarpment Stairs were damaged following an act of vandalism that occurred over the weekend. Al Dore, manager of parks and cemeteries in the city of Hamilton, explained that several concrete boulders were dropped on the stairs, which caused damage to approximately 50 treads. The 50 stairs will have to be removed and replaced. The steel staircase, which consists of 350 stairs, connects upper and lower Hamilton as it runs from the top of Dundurn Street, up the Escarpment, and to Beckett Drive/ Garth Street. Repairs commence on Thursday, Mar. 25, and are expected to last four or five days, depending on • PLEASE SEE ESCARPM., A5
Ann Coulter talk called off at Ottawa University LEN SMIRNOV THE FULCRUM
OTTAWA (CUP) — Chaos erupted on the night of Mar. 23 as hundreds of protesters clashed with police to prevent Ann Coulter, the radically conservative U.S. pundit, from speaking on the University of Ottawa campus. The dozens of spectators who had been admitted into the school’s Marion Hall auditorium and were waiting for Coulter to appear were eventually told that it was “physically dangerous” to proceed with the event and were evacuated from the building. “It is an embarrassing day for the University of Ottawa and their student body that couldn’t debate Ann Coulter and chose to silence her,” said Ezra Levant, a Canadian conservative activist who was to introduce Coulter at the event. “Never in my whole life [have] I thought I would have to tell people how to get out of a university safely.” The speaking event was part of Coulter’s three-city Canadian tour, organized by the International Free Press Society and the Claire Boothe Luce Policy Institute, an American organization supporting conservative women in politics. Coulter was scheduled to speak on political correctness, media bias, and freedom of speech.
She is perhaps best known for making controversial comments that have included, shortly after 9-11, calling for Islamic countries to be invaded and all Muslims to be converted to Christianity. Students and local residents began lining up in front of Marion Hall several hours before the event. Shortly before the scheduled speaking time, though, the building’s fire alarm was pulled and the speech was delayed. After groups of people began to chant lines such as “No more hate speech on our campus” and “Coulter go home,” and crowded the doors to the building, Levant announced to those present in the auditorium that the event was cancelled, citing security concerns. While Levant indicated it was protesters who pressed against the doors to the building, witnesses outside claimed that police blocked the entrance to Marion Hall. A group of activists, including several members of the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO), the school’s students’ union, took credit for the protest. “We support a positive space on campus. We don’t tolerate hate speech,” said social sciences student Taiva Tegler, one of the organizers of the protest. The audience inside the auditorium consisted largely of Coulter’s supporters, but several protesters were able to get inside by regis-
MATT STAROSTE / THE FULCRUM
People gathered outside of Marion Hall at the University of Ottawa and waited to see Ann Coulter speak. According to the University of Ottawa, her speech was cancelled due to potential safety concerns. tering earlier with event organizers. “I think it is very disgraceful that there are so many people here that support a woman who has made very homophobic, racist [and] sexist comments,” said graduate student Samantha Ponting, one of the protesters who gained entry to the event. “By allowing her here on campus, it has created an unsafe space. That’s why we closed the event,” she said. Coulter’s supporters were upset with the cancellation of the event. Ottawa resident Bob Ward has fol-
lowed Coulter’s work — which has included several New York Times bestsellers and numerous television appearances — for five years and registered for her speech weeks in advance. “I think the University of Ottawa really should be quite embarrassed by what’s happened here tonight,” he said, suggesting that the university should apologize to Coulter and invite her back to campus. Frances Ladouceur, another Ottawa resident, was unable to get into the event after the protesters
pulled the fire alarm. “I’m upset that a bunch of punks . . . that obviously aren’t from this country, they’re Arabic or whatever — they ruined it for everyone else,” she said. “It is a communist university and I will never send my children to this university.” Last week, SFUO president Seamus Wolfe wrote an email to University of Ottawa president Allan Rock, asking him to ban Ann Coulter from speaking at the school after the event was moved from the • PLEASE SEE COULTER, A3
A2 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2010
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-"('.'//%-(#',$* :-$&%$&'%'07%()%$&'%;'"#%-0%,-1&$<%5-,&"/%$"=',%"%>-08$'%$(%#'?'6$%(0%@&"$%-$%>'"0,% $(%A'%"%,$87'0$%/'"7'#%"07%1-B',%$&"0=,%$(%$&(,'%@&(%&'/+'7%"/(01%$&'%@";%% April is fast approaching and soon the term will come to an end as exams begin. Traffic on campus will slow down, libraries will become the main hives of activity, and campus will become more and more empty every day. For a lot of us, this experience can be both exciting and heart-wrenching as we say goodbye to friends and fellow students. I have definitely been feeling a combination of both as my term draws to a close. I have only a month left in a position that I care for deeply. The prospect of looking forward brings on a lot of mixed emotions. Since arriving on this campus as a first year student, I knew I was home. From my fellow floor residents,
to the CA’s that encouraged me to get involved, the students here at McMaster have always been inspiring. When I took my first crack at being a student leader, it brought me to Mary Keyes Residence as a CA in my second year. It was my turn to give back and work with students in first year to guide them in the right direction, much like my CA’s did for me. This year I have had the unique opportunity to see most of these people graduate, many of whom have now become accomplished student leaders themselves. I’m incredibly proud of all of them and wish them the best of luck in their future endeavors. Since my second year, I have kept myself involved in campus life. Through my interactions with various students and groups, my participation eventually guided me to the MSU. I joined the MSU as the Vice President Education last year, and it provided me with a different
dimension to my understanding of the term ‘student leader’. I realized that my interactions with a lot of you brought out incredible amounts of passion in me. This passion made me want to fight for the accessibility, affordability and accountability of higher education, not only at McMaster, but more broadly in both our province and our nation. This year has been a tremendous year. Being elected as your President was a great honour and to serve students in this capacity was both challenging and rewarding. To serve with my fellow VP‘s Andrew Richardson, Andrew Caterine, and Chris Martin was a privilege. Gentlemen, thank you. The cyclical nature that our campus brings to our lives ensures new beginnings and new opportunities. As things are wrapping up for us four in this office, I’m looking forward to the new generation of student leaders that will
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!"#$%&'$(")$*+,-).#/+"0* !"#$%$&#''%()%"%$&#''*+"#$%,'#-',%+#(./-01%$&'%234% 5-6'%!#',-7'0$%+(,-$-(0,%8+%)(#%&-#'%$&-,%9+#-/% You may not know it, but the VP Education is the best position in the McMaster Students Union. I’m biased of course, but I can’t think of a more rewarding job possible to get at 21 years of age. The VP Education gets to be the voice of students to all of the MSU’s partners in issues of academics and the educational experience. The VP Education is in charge of representing students to the provincial government, the federal government and the University. Within the VP Ed portfolio is the supervision of the teaching awards process, as well as the valedictorian process. The VP Education is the primary delegate to the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). As well, the VP Ed has governance and representation responsibilities in both organizations. It’s a lot of responsibility, but also a lot of fun. The most important trait of a VP Education is self-motivation. The VP Education has no boss, save undergraduate students, and is less handson with the day-to-day functioning of the student union than the other Board positions. Unlike the VP Finance and VP Administration, the successful candidate will manage very few people. Without strong self-motivation, as well as a clear understanding of what you want to do with the role, it would be easy for a VP Education to prove rather listless. At the same time, from those around campus that do pay attention to the VP Ed, expectations are sometimes too high. The results of a successful VP
Education’s term are often not realized until well after that person has moved on from office. Additionally, you will come under fire for travelling too much and not being internal. The inevitable criticism aside, the VP Education is both an intricate and vital role within the governance structure of the MSU. What anyone running for this job has to realize is that the VP Education is the person in the MSU most able to positively impact the only thing that matters to all students - school. A good VP Education will pick a couple aspects of the educational experience to really focus on, in an attempt to make a long term impact. My goals have focused around Student Services and Teaching and Learning. I’ve had to represent students through two labour disputes, program cancellations, University budget cuts, and a watershed year for post-secondary education provincially (with both the tuition framework and strategy for university funding on the table). This has been a tremendously rewarding experience. Your time as VP Ed could be too, all you need to do is come out on April 11th. Please feel free to contact me if you would like more details on the election process or more information about the role of the VP Education. Chris Martin VP (Education) vped@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 24017 !" # $ % " $ & ' () # * ' + ' , )
take on the role of making this campus feel like home for every student. I would like to extend my heartfelt best wishes to Mary Koziol and her team-to-be for next year, I’m sure you will all do amazing things. Furthermore, I would like to congratulate all outgoing and incoming CA’s, IRC, SOCS, and Welcome Week Reps for all the good years and for the many more to come. Above all, I want to thank the students of McMaster. You are the inspiration for many and you are my inspiration. This is Vishal Tiwari, your McMaster Students Union President signing off. Vishal Tiwari President msupres@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 23885
THE SILHOUETTE • A3
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Transforming Tim Hortons cups to biofuel SAMANTHA LOCKHART THE MANITOBAN
WINNIPEG (CUP) — David Levin and Richard Sparling have been collecting Tim Hortons cups for more than just what’s under the rim — they’re converting the cups into biofuel. The two University of Manitoba professors are looking for bacteria that can eat cellulose chains directly, breaking them into smaller sugars and eventually hydrogen or ethanol. Because the research focuses not only on how the metabolism of the bacteria works, but also on what the bacteria should be fed, coffee cups became a viable option to try. Prior to using the Tim’s cups, they used easily available hemp and flax from Manitoba. “But it occurred to me one day as I was passing by Tim Hortons . . . that this would be a perfect substrate for our bacteria to eat,” said Levin, an associate professor of biosystems engineering. “Plus, (you) can’t recycle them.” He doesn’t know how many
cups are sold daily on the University of Manitoba campus, “but I bet it’s a lot.” Sparling, an associate professor of microbiology, said the idea started by just buying a coffee and rolling up the rims. Then, he said, “Instead of throwing our Tim Hortons cup, we actually put it in a medium . . . and then asked, ‘Will it degrade?’ ” Sparling said that the two were originally unsure whether the cups would break down because of the colours used to dye them, as well as the plasticized liners that prevent the cups from leaking. But, he said, “it worked quite well.” The two researchers looked into using both Tim Hortons and Starbucks cups — however, it appears the bacteria works on the Tim Hortons cups more effectively. “There’s something in the Starbucks cup that’s more inhibitory, and that’s one of the things we want to find out,” said Levin. “What is the difference between the cups, and what’s the best way to process them and what can we make out of them?” The bacteria did degrade the
Starbucks cups, but they worked more effectively with those from Tim Hortons. “I think it has nothing to say about Tim Hortons or Starbucks, as opposed to different companies will be using different suppliers,” said Sparling. “What it tells us is strictly regarding our bacterium. I would not infer one (cup) is more biodegradable than the other.” Sparling was surprised that the Tim Hortons cups are not recyclable and said their research “is a way of recycling, in the sense that we are taking a product that is of low value and it is converted into a product that we hope is of value, meaning biofuel.” The researchers said that the Tim Hortons headquarters in Oakville, Ont. has contacted them, saying they heard about the project and were very interested in helping support it. In the coming weeks, they hope to discuss with the company what the next steps will be. Currently, Levin and Sparling are doing small scale testing on a lab bench but they hope to scale up
TYLER HAYWARD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
University of Manitoba professors seek to convert Tim Hortons cups into a source of biofuel. to a bioreactor in the coming month. “As we scale up into to the higher concentration,” said Levin, “we’ll be able to get a good idea of actually how much . . . fuel we can make.” “Then we could do that calculation and say that ‘OK, if we took all the cups sold in Canada in a year and put them into bioreactors, we might make enough ethanol . . . to run your car for a year,’ or some-
thing like that. We can’t do that yet, but that’s the kind of thing we want to get to,” he continued. Sparling said that this research could be one of many ways to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. “I don’t think that we would be able to replace the Alberta oil wells with Tim Hortons cups,” he said, but “recycling and biofuel productions from Tim Hortons cups would . . . hopefully capture imagination.”
Coulter’s talk cancelled over ‘safety concerns’ • CONT’D FROM A1 Carleton University campus, where it was originally scheduled to take place. Wolfe said in an interview outside of Marion Hall after the cancellation, “I am very proud that students didn’t allow somebody who consistently spreads hate and promotes violence to come and do
that on our campus.” The SFUO executive took an official stance against Coulter and refused to allow the event to be advertised in the school’s student centre. Francois Houle, the University of Ottawa’s provost, sent a letter to Coulter on Mar. 19 in which he warned her of Canadian hate speech laws and encouraged her to “educate [her]self, if need be, as to
what is acceptable in Canada.” The letter was leaked and Coulter responded to the administrator’s comments in an email to the Ottawa Citizen on Mar. 22. “I see that [Houle] is guilty of promoting hatred against an identifiable group: conservatives,” she wrote. “Not only does this promote hatred against conservatives, but it promotes violence against conserva-
APPLY TO All 2010/11 Silhouette Editorial Positions are now open. Applications are due by Wednesday, March 31, 2010. Submit your resume and cover letter to thesil@thesil.ca. Please indicate which editorial position you are interested in. See A6 for more details.
tives.” Coulter drew criticism a day earlier at a speaking event in the University of Western Ontario where she told one Muslim student to “take a camel” if he didn’t have a magic carpet, a reference to a past comment she has made. Levant praised Coulter’s Mar. 22 speech, which drew 800 people. “It was a tremendous civil
debate,” he said. “It was a great night for democracy. A great night for freedom.” Lars Hedegaard, president of the International Free Press Society, has promised to bring Coulter back to the U of O campus in the future. Coulter is scheduled to speak at the University of Calgary on Mar. 25.
A4 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010
THE SILHOUETTE • A5
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Feed the Bus raises 1,200 pounds of food for charity Newsbites Compiled by Nicole Siena
SAM COLBERT
SILHOUETTE STAFF
The Feed the Bus campaign concluded last Friday after raising nearly $800 in cash donations, 150 pounds of clothing and more than 1,200 pounds of food. The event, presented by campus food bank Mac Bread Bin, ran all of last week in support of Hamilton social service agencies that address local hunger and poverty. Kris Hughes, Mac Bread Bin Program Coordinator, admired the commitment, enthusiasm and generosity of the event’s volunteers and donors. “It really showed to me that the campus truly cared about the event and what it was trying to accomplish,” he said. A few campus groups lent their support throughout the week, including a large contingent from the McMaster Society of Off-Campus Students (SOCS). In addition, a number of student musicians donated their time and talent to the cause on the Wednesday for an afternoon of live music at the bus. Food and money went to the Neighbour to Neighbour Centre on the Hamilton mountain, while clothing went to the local Good Shepherd Centre through the 5
CHRIS CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
The Feed the Bus event raised nearly $800 in cash, 150 pounds of clothing and 1,200 pounds of food. Days for the Homeless campaign, in which McMaster Commerce students camped outside of the Student Centre to raise awareness and collect donations. The event ran during the same time as, and in cooperation with, Feed the Bus. In addition to its food bank, Neighbour to Neighbour helps members of the community find employment, provides tutoring and after-school programs for young students and offers counselling on a variety of matters, including legal issues and finding housing. Last year, 2,900 households used its food bank. Food donations, including those from Feed the Bus,
enter through the Kyle Hoult Memorial Food Drive, which was inspired a boy who worked with the organization, even while receiving leukemia treatments. Denise Arkell, executive director of the Neighbour to Neighbour Centre, expressed her gratitude for McMaster students’ efforts. Arkell explained that, while the Centre receives many food donations in November and December, Feed the Bus comes at a time when supply begins to dwindle significantly. Arkell also addressed the necessity of some individuals to choose between food and shelter. “[The donations] are going to help people maintain their housing, because we
can now provide food to the families so that they are able to put their money towards their rent.” Almost 20,000 people access Hamilton food banks every month, 42 per cent of which are under the age of 18. Feed the Bus was first run in 2004 with the intention of becoming an annual event. Although it has been three years since its last campaign, Bread Bin brought it back this year with hope for its continuation. Bread Bin runs similar events throughout the school year, including Trick or Eat and Skip a Meal, using the materials and expertise of national charity Meal Exchange.
Escarpment stairs to be replaced • CONT’D FROM A1 ditions. Dore maintained that the stairs would not be closed off to people, but that warning signs that urge pedestrians to exercise caution will be placed at the top and bottom of the stairs. A significant number of people use the Dundurn stairs as an alternate transportation route or as a form of exercise. “As we move towards more walking and cycling, these different alternatives seem to be getting used a more often these 50 Dundurn stairs were vandalized. days.” PHOTO SOURCE: FLICKR.COM
World’s hottest chili being used as military weapon After conducting tests, the Indian military has decided to use a new weapon against terrorism; the world’s hottest chili. The thumbsized, “bhut jolokia” is going to be used to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects. They suspect that it is going to be an effective non-toxic weapon because its smell can choke terrorists, and ultimately force them out of their hiding areas. In 2007, Guinness World Records accepted the chili, also known as “ghost chili,” as the world’s spiciest. The chili has more than 1 million Scoville units (the measurement of a chili’s spiciness). Regular Tabasco sauce range from 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units, while jalapenos have about 10,000. Unsuspecting man hit by plane A 38 year-old-father who was running on a South Carolina beach died instantly when a small plane hit him from behind as it was trying to make an emergency landing. The plane had lost its propeller, and began leaking oil at about 13,000 feet. It had originally tried to make it to the closest airport but couldn’t make it. The pilots’ vision was blocked by oil on the windshield. The coroner said that the victim, Robert Gary Jones, apparently didn’t see or hear the plane because it was “basically gliding.” Topless gardener prompts housing authority to amend rules Catharine Pierce, a 52 year-old woman from Colorado prompted housing authorities to amend rules after neighbours complained about a particular incident where Pierce gardened in only a yellow thong and pink gloves. This isn’t the first time that Pierce has received this type of complaint. The woman’s husband says that he will fight any changes that will keep his wife from gardening topless. “They’re making a big mistake,” he said.
A6 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
EDITORIAL McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
The Silhouette TheSil.ca Editorial Board Executive Editor Jeff Green Managing Editor Bahram Dideban Senior News Editor Selma Al-Samarrai Assistant News Editor Lily Panamsky Features Editor Paige Faber Opinions Editor Peter Goffin Sports Editor Brian Decker Assistant Sports Editor David Koots Insideout Editor Lindsay Jolivet Assistant Insideout Phyllis Tsang Photo Editor Will van Engen Staff Photographer Terry Shan Multimedia Editor Ava Dideban Production Editor Katherine Marsden Web Editor Jason Lamb Health Editor Sarah Levitt Distribution Coordinator Jonathon Fairclough Business Editor Simon Granat Business Editor Santino Marinucci Ad Manager Sandro Giordano
Senior Andy Editor Grace Evans Music Editor Corrigan Hammond Entertainment Editor Myles Herod
Silhouette Staff
Fraser Caldwell, Ben Orr, Sam Colbert, Joey Coleman, Kevin Elliott, Noah Nemoy, Julie Compton, Jenifer Bacher, Michael Hewak, Christopher Chang, Lauren Jewett, Jacqueline Flaggiello, Natasha Pirani, Amanda Fracz, Aaron Joo, Katherine Snider-McNair, Farhang Ghajar, Ben Small, Jemma Wolfe, Michael Hewak, Dan Hawie, Josh Parsons, Roxanne Hathway Baxter, Catherine Brasch, Trevor Roach, Remek Debski
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Dalton McGuinty’s failing grade Exams are approaching, and if you’re Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty, expect a failing grade. As you’re cramming for exams, possibly for the last time, the Ontario Liberals are expected to release a budget including a $24.7-billion deficit. What does this mean for Ontario students? More competition. This is because of McGuinty’s proposed solution for Ontario Universities to make their money by adding 18,000 foreign students. A lot of their reasoning is placed on a federal study from 2008 outlining that foreign students spent $6.5-billion on tuition, accommodation and other expenses, according to the Globe and Mail. So despite the fact you’ll be living in a province $24.7-billion in debt, you’ll have a harder time getting into university or college. Talk about taking care of your own. McMaster has taking preliminary steps into attempting to tap into the foreign tuition market with their proposed China campus, and the University of Waterloo intends to raise foreign undergraduates to 20 per cent. Current tuition rates don’t have enough money to pay for the campus expansions needed to accommodate the extra 18,000-student goal set by McGuinty. Ontario students would benefit from the campus expansions, but only if they can get in to the university or college. Give McGuinty some credit – he works within a system where he has no more money to give and can’t raise students’ tuition any more than he already has. It doesn’t seem like a situation in which McGuinty can win, or pass for that matter. Maybe the feds will step up to the plate and bell curve funds to Canadian students. I guess this one is up to Dean Harper. •Jeff Green
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Worth Repeating:
‘If feminism was already dead there wouldn’t be so many people trying to kill it’ Laura Carlson The Cord
WATERLOO, Ont. (CUP) — To Jessica Valenti, some people are “just too freaked out” by feminism, as members of society actively embrace stereotypes because they feel threatened by powerful women. “The anti-feminist narrative hasn’t changed much” since the women’s suffrage movement, she said. “It comes down to a fundamental distrust of women and their bodies.” Valenti visited Wilfrid Laurier University this month to deliver a lecture entitled “Purity, sexism, feminism and power.” Valenti — author of various books including The Purity Myth, Full Frontal Feminism and He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut as well as founder of the popular website Feministing.com — shared her views on feminism and its relevance in today’s society. After asking how many identify as feminists, and the vast majority did, the audience was encouraged to yell out the most prevalent stereotypes against feminists. “Hairy,” “lesbian,” “ugly,” “manhating” and “can’t get laid,” were among the audience responses.
“For most young women, all they know is these stereotypes,” said Valenti. She spent some time explaining the scare tactics that are used to highlight the promiscuous nature of young girls, specifically speaking to the immense coverage of “girls gone wild” in the media, as well as books that highlight the negatives that are associated with being a sexually active female. She also presented theories from her latest book The Purity Myth, which works to debunk the definition of virginity and highlights problems of always equating premarital sex and negative repercussions. Despite depressing realities such as these, Valenti remains optimistic about the future of women’s movement and what people are doing today to fight for feminism. “If feminism was already dead, there wouldn’t be so many people trying to kill it,” said Valenti. Though she recognizes the various stereotypes associated with the word, Valenti highlighted the importance of embracing it and not being afraid to self-identify as feminists. “We’re selling ourselves short if we’re not calling our feminists.”
Food workers union puts more than just meat on the table Amber Yake The Omega
KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CUP) — Want to learn how to cut meat? At Thompson Rivers University, two unions are putting their money on the table for scholarships to make it easier for their members to learn how. Part of its culinary arts department, Thompson Rivers has the longest standing meat-cutting program of its kind in Canada. Locals 247 and 1518 of the United Food and Commercial Workers union have committed a total of $150,000 for scholarships with the program. The funding will help their members train for new careers at meat cutters and help experienced meat cutters become accredited as journeypersons. “This is the first time we’ve ever had the industry sector step forward like this,” said Ken Jakes, chair of the retail meat-cutting program. Local 247 and UFCW Local 1518 have each established five annual scholarships of $10,000 for their respective members registering with the entry level program. “How it’s going to work is the department along with the deans of culinary school and the deans of tourism have developed an application package and members of
to student recognition. to a masked man who almost tried to rob willy dog. seriously, it’s a slow week. to hatin’ on katherine’s wee wee. to people who apply to the sil.
the union working in a particular store can apply,” Jakes said. “You don’t have to be a meat cutter, just a working member of the union.” The scholarships are designed to cover all of a student’s educational costs. “The $10,000 takes care of school, books, tuition and has a little bit of living expenses built in,” Jakes said. UFCW Local 247 represents approximately 14,000 retail and meat-processing workers in B.C. Local 1518 represents about 26,000 workers in numerous sectors of the B.C. food economy. According to Jakes, because of the retirement of baby boomers in coming years, the meat industry will face a shortage of meat cutters. “This is designed to get people into the workforce and get the industry involved to pay for and train future meat cutters,” he said. Bruce Jackson, a representative of UFCW Local 247, estimates that 40 to 50 per cent of the province’s meat-cutting journeypersons will be retiring in the next decade. “There will continue to be transitions in the retail meat industry, and in conjunction with TRU’s expertise and input, we believe these scholarships are a good step forward in helping create an environment that fosters good, stable careers for workers in the meat industry,” said Ivan Limpright, president of UFCW 1518.
to student recognition being hijacked by pg rec night. to the whiskey shits. to justin bieber. to the school board in the state of texas; really?
Overheard at McMaster... Random girl: “Like she has really nice individual facial features, but you put them all together they look like crap.”
THE SILHOUETTE • A7
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
OPINIONS
production office: extension 27117
opinions@thesil.ca
Torture isn’t part of my Canada Having prorogued Parliament and blocked access to certain documents Harper and MacKay have been accused of impeding investigation into abuse of detainees Riaz Sayani-Mulji
after being handed over to local authorities. This torture, which included Everyone has heard of the proroga- the use of electricity, extreme temtion of Parliament that took place peratures, knives, open flames, and prior to the Winter Olympics and sexual abuse, was standard operended just a short while ago. Ste- ating procedure of Afghan interrophen Harper claimed prorogation gators. As a result, the transfer would give him time to work on of detainees is in violation of the the economy, while some of the third Geneva Convention, which opposition stated that he did it to indicates that no nation can turn stack the Senate with Conserva- over prisoners to another power if tives. However, there is another it suspects that these prisoners will issue that may have been fueling the be tortured. prorogation, one Colvin attempted which has been a to raise these major thorn in the Canadians will find issues with senior sides of both the military officials out to what extent during his time in Harper and Paul Martin administra- our government has Afghanistan, but to tions – the abuse crossed the lines of no avail. It was a and torture of struggle for Colvin Afghan detainees. international law and to even be able to This issue en- joined the US as part- testify in Parliatered the limelight ners in a rendition ment, as the Conin 2007, when Uniservative governversity of Ottawa scheme that... subju- ment invoked the law professor gates human rights.” national security Amir Attaran used order as a method an Access to Inof silencing him. formation request Most recently, to gain documents showing that Eileen Olexiuk, another Canadian three Afghan prisoners in the cus- diplomat in Afghanistan, has stated tody of the Canadian military were publicly that she also warned the tortured by Afghan authorities. government under Martin in 2005 The situation intensified when about the torture of Afghan detainthe Globe and Mail published inter- ees, but was similarly ignored. views with 30 men who claimed Although Colvin and Olexiuk to have been tortured after being have no hard evidence, the docuhanded over by Canadian forces ments that Attaran accessed, along to Afghan security, and of course with the numerous cases of torture hit the boiling point when in 2009, documented by the Afghanistan InRichard Colvin (one of the senior dependent Human Rights CommisCanadian diplomats in Afghanistan sion, would explain if Harper and during 2006 and 2007) testified that Martin were aware of the torture probably all of the Afghan detainees of detainees at the hands of these in Canadian custody were tortured Afghan interrogators. However, OPINION
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
With the advent of accusations that the government had knowledge of the torture of POWs, Canadians question how much responsibility our past and present leaders should shoulder. access to these documents has been blocked by the Conservative government. In fact, a motion was passed in Parliament demanding that these “classified documents” be turned over to the House of Commons in their uncensored form, but Defence Minister Peter MacKay has refused on the grounds that to do so would be “injurious” to national security. This of course is in full violation of Parliament’s constitutional right to have access to these documents, while MacKay’s behaviour has described by some as a method of circumventing years of bedrock constitutional history, in which Parliament has the implicit right to hold
the government accountable for its actions. A few days ago, Attaran stated that not only did both Martin and Harper’s governments turn a blind eye to the torture of Afghan detainees, but that the uncensored documents he previously had access to prove that not only did Canadian officials know about the torture occurring, but in fact explicitly intended for prisoners to be tortured for intelligence-gathering purposes. Conservatives have asked a former Supreme Court judge to examine whether the release of the documents would be “injurious” to national security, even though his decision would be non-binding.
Currently there exists a standoff, as all of the opposition parties have united to force the Conservatives to give them access to the documents, while Speaker of the House of Commons Peter Milliken is planning to rule within the next week and a half on whether this privilege will be granted or not. If the files are leaked, we as Canadians will find out to what extent our government has crossed the lines of international law and joined the US as partners in a rendition scheme that completely subjugates human rights. What has happened to our country?
I’m ready for whatever comes next
Anxiety’s great and all, but I’d rather stop worrying and embrace the future Peter Goffin OPINION EDITOR
What’ve I got to worry about? Yeah, I know. I’ve read the signs. I’ve got my whole life to worry about. I’m at what is known as a crossroads. I’m getting to be what they call mature. Jesus Christ. But I’m not panicked. Panic has boarded up the old family home and moved to a better neighbourhood. I’ve got a new outlook now and I’m leading not with a fuck you! but with an embrace, open-armed and welcoming. “Com’ere world, you’re not so bad. We were made for each other. Don’t fight it.” I want to see what comes next. So what if I don’t have plans for the rest of forever? Fuck plans for forever. I got plenty of plans for now. I’ve got plans to go climbing up whatever I can. And after I’m done that I’ll go find more things to climb. Shit. What’s the worst that can happen? Bad job? Quit it. Wrong degree? Get another one. Or you can learn to live in an imperfect world like everybody else. It’s all changeable, baby. You go down one wrong turn, you spin your ass
I’m tired of the burden of worry, I’m tired of feeling unsure, I’m tired of having adulthood loom over me like a dangling guillotine blade. But most of all I’m tired of avoiding all that future stuff. Tired of talking about it, tired of crying, tired of worrying, tired of being passive, tired of hangdogging around all mopey and angsty, I’m tired of acting like I’m 14. I’m big now, I can take it. I can handle what comes next down the road. Because like I said, I’m big, I’m grown, and I’m good, and if I can’t do it now, I never will be able. That’s right, I’m being set loose on this earth, like a real live grown up adult but I’m okay. I’m going out into the world and I’m going to make it. It isn’t a case of “I’ll try my best.” That’s implied, man, it’s a given. I actually am going to make it. And yeah I’ll miss all this easyMy bags are packed. Mentally, anyway. Physically, I can’t find my lucky underwear. going collegiate stuff, all this talk, around and go back. Simple. Why No floods and no locusts and no kid in a grown-up world. I’m getting and all this company and all the worry about something you can plagues either. I’ve taken all that fear restless. I want to move, man. I want sweetness of university and all that. always change? of the future and turned it into ag- to get up and unhook. I want to I really will miss it. But I knew I Sca-rew all that angst and crisis gression, action, momentum, man. I get all those tight sheets untucked wasn’t staying forever, and as long as talk. The ground ain’t opening up wanna go go go go go go go. I’ve had from my mattress corners. I feel I’ve got to leave anyway, I might as underneath anyone. The sky’s still it trying to slow things down and go constricted, I can’t breathe (gasp!). well do it right and do it now. I want up there, not falling on anyone. Peter Panning around playing little I want to breathe, sweetheart. to move, bud, I want to go get’er. SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
A8 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Why dieting is fighting a losing battle
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Keeping a stingy eye on your weight may not always be healthy. Bahram Dideban MANAGING EDITOR
Dieting is a fool’s game. I really believe that. But I also believe it’s a game that can be beaten. What’s troubling though is that despite what one might think, the education needed to win this game isn’t progressive; it’s more of a de-education. We actually need to forget most of the stuff we’ve learned in order to lose weight. When I was young I lived in a very different world. I remember very few things but I lived in a country where restaurants weren’t by any means, the norm. I remember eating almost all my meals at home and if we ate out, we ate at a relative’s house. But then I grew up a little. I moved to a different country and started high school. I got busier and skipped meals, I hung out with my friends more and ate their food. I started going on dates and ate restaurant meals and movie popcorn. Then at some point, probably around freshman year, I fell for a whole different kind of lover. I began what turned into a torrid love affair with takeout meals and frozen dinners. Betty Crocker and Marie Callendar swept me off my feet. They were irresistible and
convenient. They wined and dined me and were the most affordable dates I could ever have. But like any relationship, there were sacrifices to be made and I made mine with my six-pack and probably a few years off my lifespan. And so I had to watch what I ate but the more I read, the more I got scared. There were reports, websites, radio shows, journal articles, news stories, pamphlets, books, movies, photos and every other form of media under the sun informing me, warning me of the dangers I was about to face. The sheer volume of information alone terrified me. And that’s the truth, isn’t it? There is just too much information for one desperate person to sort through let alone listen to. Who was I to know which one I should read? I was still a kid, I thought. And that’s how the industry gets you. Not with information or knowledge but with marketing. It’s past education now, it’s just advertising. It’s no wonder Americans spent $46 billion on fad diets and self help books in 2005. But when you think about it, the very existence of the diet industry is proof of its ineffectiveness. If there really was a magic pill then one company would skyrocket
while the others went out of business. But that’s not happening. In fact, two thirds of dieters regain all their lost weight within one year and 97 per cent regain the weight within five years. What’s worse is that as of now there are more ‘pop’ diets than you can count on your fingers and toes. And they all seem to work because of their marketing ploys. Atkins basically convinced you that you’re not capable of deciding what you should eat so you should let someone else decide for you. Then, Nutrisystem told you that not only do you not know what you should eat but you’re not even competent enough to buy it, so you should just let them ship you the food in neat little packages. Nutrisystem profited $430 million in 2006 by stopping people from doing their own shopping. This is pretty ironic considering how good of a workout it would be to walk around a grocery store for an hour. What’s more amazing (or pathetic) than the advertising gimmicks is that some of the diets are even based on other diets. The Pritikin and South Beach diets are almost identical and Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig are based on the same thing. A rather scary notion is a new diet that’s emerging
based on the Atkin’s diet called the Ketogenic diet. Essentially, the diet mimics a state of starvation by depriving the body of carbohydrates almost completely. In this state, the liver forcibly breaks down fat deposits to use as energy so the dieter loses weight. The diet was originally intended to help patients suffering from epilepsy but it’s recently become something of a fad in the fitness industry. This is the desperate state of unhappy ‘overweighters’ that the diet industry profits from. This brings up another more amazing (or more pathetic) point: all of the diets, even loosely, are based on the Glycemic Index (GI) or the Insulin Index (II). The Glycemic Index is essentially a grading of various foods based on how quickly they are digested and raise blood sugar compared to pure glucose. Foods higher on the index are more easily digested and so they lead to higher blood sugar levels, increased insulin levels and increased hunger. These in turn lead to increased eating and weight gain. So eating foods lower on the GI should theoretically help reduce weight. Also, since it’s based on level of digestion in your stomach, things like overcooking your food, or chewing it too much can increase the GI level of them. This concept isn’t anything new. It’s been around for years. It was developed at the University of Toronto in the early 1980’s and was originally used to help patients with diabetes. It’s now been used as a basis for the low carb and complex carb revolution. The GI index is one of the reasons all the diets stress eating brown whole wheat foods over white processed foods and why they favour fruits and nuts over simple sugar snacks. What’s stranger is that the index isn’t even that accurate. Studies have shown that certain foods can increase insulin levels disproportionately to their glycemic index value and some foods, like proteins, can elicit an insulin response despite having no carbohydrates in them. A better system is the insulin index, which is a graded ability of foods to raise blood insulin levels. It is highly correlated with the Glycemic Index but theoretically more accurate. These two are part of the reasons why the common nutri-
tional advice your mother gave you worked. “Eat your vegetables, no sugar ‘til after supper, don’t eat too fast”. Only your mother didn’t tell you all this to keep you thin, she told it to keep you healthy. So, why don’t these diets work despite being based on some sound scientific evidence? Because they’re incomplete. There was another thing your mother told you as a kid, “go play outside”. That’s the thing that most these diets neglect; the value of proper exercise. In nutrition classes the weight loss equation is dumbfounding: energy expenditure > energy intake = weight loss. Diets try to limit energy intake, but they completely ignore energy expenditure. Any good dietician will tell you this, ‘if you want to lose weight, you need to exercise’. I’m not saying that all the work scientists put in the field of nutrition is useless, in fact it’s the opposite. They do it to find solutions for better health, not thinner bodies. Thinner bodies are just byproducts of better health. What’s upsetting though is that those scientists constantly have to work to solve some of the problems that we are causing ourselves. And we do it not just by eating so badly and exercising so little. We also do it by letting the diet industry have such a firm grip on our beliefs. What’s sad is that 76 per cent of women who are dieting say they do it for cosmetic reasons rather than health ones. And it’s contagious. So contagious in fact that the age of dieters is getting lower and lower every year. We’re letting our kids bear the brunt of our failures in addressing our image issues. We’re losing an entire generation of free spirited taggers, capturethe-flaggers and hide-and-seekers. We’re letting them slip away. And we’re the ones who are supposed to be dishing out the advice now. We’re supposed to be the moms and dads with the answers and yet we’re letting our own insecurities get in the way. Instead we should be letting them be our inspiration. Their knowledge and their lifestyle are all we need to not only lose weight but be healthy. We should be fostering better environments and we should do it quick. Before we lose the best motivators we could ask for.
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
So long Mac, it’s been great
THE SILHOUETTE • A9
Feedback What are your postuniversity plans
Many of us are walking past the ivied walls for the last time as students. Lindsay Jolivet INSIDEOUT EDITOR
The first experience of my university career did not take place in a lecture hall, or a bookstore, or even in a pub. There was nothing especially remarkable about it, even, but I have no doubt the memory will remain clear for years to come. It was the day I arrived in residence. I was 18, scared, and trying to move in while rain poured and overly enthusiastic jump-suited students cheered in my face. Once my parents had left, I found myself without direction, comfort, and oddly, with nothing left to do. A CA advised me to hurry out and get my welcoming package before our residence floor meeting in 10 minutes. Feeling like I finally had a reason for moving seven hours from home, I darted into the pouring rain. Of course this moment didn’t represent the purpose to my university education. And of course, I didn’t listen to the directions. Half an hour later when I arrived at our floor meeting, my long hair was dripping everywhere and I looked something like a drowned dog. But as I sat down halfway through the name game and looked at the faces around me I realized
something. My turn was coming up and I’d missed all their names. Looking back, however, I realize something more. These were the faces that would define my university education. Not only them, but others like them too. I think of this initial image as a microcosm of those I’ve gotten to know over the past four years. Faces that would never become names, faces that would fade out quickly, gradually, possibly with bitterness, or would remain as friends that make McMaster feel like home. Finally, there were the faces that would come to represent the people most important to me. Since that day, things have certainly changed. The faces of many of my residence floor-mates have been replaced one by one, leaving only those with the strongest connections or those that appear from time to time. But one thing has not changed: university is still about people. Despite the frustrations of older generations, who sometimes see us as life procrastinators, wasting away four years and twenty thousand dollars to “find ourselves,” I’m beginning to question what else there really is to find. More accurately though, I think we are finding each other.
?
SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
Maybe I’m just getting emotional in my old age, but I believe what I’m taking away from this experience is better than a full bookshelf and a piece of paper. Better still than the promising career I hope for in ten years. What I’ve gotten is the knowledge our professors won’t teach us, though I’m sure some of them would like to. What I will remember from these four years is the iced cappuccinos from Mary Keyes we had far too often in first year when we were using up the last of our meal plans. Although the taste of them now makes me sick, they were replaced by beer on the patio of the Phoenix on a sunny afternoon. When the workload got too heavy it became a big pot of tea to share after school. The knowledge I’ve gained is the value of time spent with others. Although I’m grateful to my professors for their guidance and inspiration, I’m more grateful to those who have graced my life for their influence, however small. I’m grateful to those who hurt me for teaching me that life goes on, and I’m thankful for those who have been there through it all.v Go ahead, first-years, laugh at my nostalgic rambling.You’ll be here soon enough.
“I’m going to try to get into law school.” Nhan Huynh
“I going to Med School.” Alana Bartolini
“I want to be the Minister of Health.” Adrian Tsang
“More school.”
Tiffany Woods
Compiled by Christopher Chang
A10 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
The other side of the CASA debate VP responds to article on MSU’s relationship with lobby group
Chris Martin OPINION
Let me set the stage a bit. For those of you who don’t know, the MSU represents you federally through the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). This is a national lobbying organization headed by an elected staff member called the National Director.The current National Director is Arati Sharma, former MSU Vice-President (Education). Recently, Ms. Sharma resigned from her post. At the last SRA meeting, I made a number of critical remarks about the organization. In last week’s Silhouette, post-secondary education reporter Joey Coleman wrote an opinions piece saying that the MSU has been supportive of CASA until this point, and that now we have changed positions. He raised concerns that this change might be linked to Ms. Sharma’s re-
signation, and that the MSU is simply sup- ute to that voice. However, I have always porting her career aspirations. He called been open with my criticisms of CASA. I on me to shed some light on the situation. have never been, as Mr. Coleman put it, a So here’s the truth: the MSU is re- cheerleader for the lobbying group. viewing its membership currently, but this After a year of being McMaster’s voice process has nothing to at CASA, I remain undo with the resignation convinced that pursuof our national direcing full membership is a The MSU is reviewtor. They are separate good idea. I also firmly ing its membership issues. believe that retaining I have always been [in CASA] currently our current level of critical of CASA. I have membership (associate but this process has membership) for much communicated these nothing to do with concerns to the SRA longer is a bad idea. We on multiple occasions, the resignation of our get no vote, but still pay as well as through writfees (albeit these fees national director.” ten articles on the are half of what they President’s Page ad in would be if we became the Silhouette. full members). I believe in the importance of federal In case you were wondering, our lobbying and a national student voice, and issues with CASA are: an unfair fee strucif possible I would like the MSU to contrib- ture, an unstable governance model, as
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opinions@thesil.ca MUSC B110
well as general attitudes of the membership. I will elaborate on these further for any MSU member that is curious to know more. We will be discussing these issues over the course of the next year with students, the SRA and the CASA Home Office staff. I will be leaving the next VP Education and SRA with a report of my impressions as well as recommendations, but I will not be making the membership decision myself. This is all to say that the concern that the MSU would leave CASA due to the resignation of Arati Sharma is understandable, but unfounded. If the MSU drops its associate membership, it will be because the SRA determines that CASA does not suit our needs. We’ll make this determination after an open and transparent review.
THE SILHOUETTE • A11
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
A General Assembly experience Interdisciplinary co-operation needed Tabling a motion at the big meeting Proposing new ideas for clubs Eric Williams
installation, organize a public event, or something charitable, political or provocative. Calling all smarty-pantses: what we There are a lot of people around need at McMaster is more inter- who would like to shoot a feature disciplinary creations, and for that movie, and that is a good annual purpose, I propose a new club. Call project that the MC3 could support. it the McMaster Creative Cooper- It would develop crucial skills, and ation Collective or MC3 for short. draw attention and money to the So what would it do? university, and hopefully, the stuWell, I think that there are a lot dents. To support major projects, of potentially excellent things that cash awards would be helpful, but can happen once we start bringing best used in the form of a contest. interesting minds together for the So say for example we want to purpose of developing academic make a movie, then a script writing and extra curricular contest is hosted, projects. with a cash prize of For example, in There are a lot of $200 for the winning Multimedia, there potentially excellent entry. Groovy, step are some interestone done. things that can ing projects going Then take the happen once we script to theatre and on that could really benefit from the asfilm, and draw actors start bringing sistance of computand talent from interesting minds there to first make er science students. There is a lot together story boards, do of opportunity for for the purpose auditions, and then music and theatre shoot and edit. of developing students to take It’s a big comon rolls writing and academic projects.” plicated series, so performing. Perhaps maybe some highly there are Enginorganized business eering or Med stustudents could condents interested in developing an tribute organizational assistance, to audiovisual component to support keep things on track. their work. And of course, there is Some mechanical enginnetworking, that’s where the real eers could create a robot for the money is. psychedelic special effects sequence Take a look at rich businesses involving the gorilla head and talking and inventors and you so often bananas, or develop other special see that key partnerships were de- effects. Real Med Students for the veloped in University. Plus dating role of Doctor Gonzo. You get the outside your faculty is so bohemian. idea. The MC3 need not directly Just like the real world, you’d manage every project, and in fact, be connecting with lots of different it would be quite appropriate for people with different backgrounds smaller groups to work independ- and abilities. If such a project could ently within the collective, and be sustained, it would be a wondereventually branch off on their own. ful incubator to develop big ideas, The MC3 wouldn’t own your join creative minds and enrich creative work. Instead, it would be campus culture. a forum (in meatspace and cyberThe potential for excellent space) where people from different life long partnerships to develop is programs could get together and really high, and that’s why I’m calling pitch ideas, or offer skills to support you out. I would like to draw subothers. missions from interested students Ideally there would be a couple and faculty to form a organizational major projects that would focus the executive, that would go about creagenda, but it would really be up to ating the club, and doing what needs the people involved. to be done to get started. Possible projects could be: The plan would be to form at create a feature Film, develop a the end of this year, and fully launch weekly web newscast, develop a and recruit in Fall 2010. Please smart phone application or video e-mail thinkMC3@gmail.com or game, make a music video, invent a join the MC3 Facebook group. Give product, win a contest, build an art it a shot! OPINION
CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
The turnout at GA was good, but dwindled after the major votes took place. amidst the revelry. The prospect of copious amounts of green beer and a wild story to tell in 9:30 lecture Was I wrong? Did I simply misjudge the next morning was far more althe general will? Or was it an appro- luring than any political happenings. General Assembly was not priate representation of the general quite as we expected, either. The will? Does any of this matter? General Assembly: a democrat’s most concerning motions were greatest dream manifesting itself those pertaining to the dissolving of in reality. The gathering of citizens to engage in the purest form of As I rose to speak, democracy imaginable, proposing, debating and subsequently creating I peered down at the laws that will govern their bemy clipboard, then haviour until their next meeting. It would be no great exagup into the geration to say that I walked into audience. It was a General Assembly last week with scant crowd.” an overly optimistic supposition of what such an event would entail. My idea was so buoyant that I took the painfully bold step of introducing a the Kinesiology caucus on the SRA and an incredibly vague motion remotion. Motion 10, moved by myself garding frats advertising on campus. and seconded by the ever ambitious Each motion had its respective Parisa Vafaei, proposed that the groups out, and it’s fair to say the MSU allow candidates the option event’s 306 attendees were mostly to form and join officially recog- of Kin students and frat boys. After nized electoral slates for all elec- the motion about Kin was defeated, tions to any office in the Student half the room picked up and walked Union. In layman’s terms, it would out. Of the remaining crowd, many be the equivalent of a party system of the “Greek Life” supporters left after their motion was approved. for student politics. Motion 10 was raised at the The process seemed so simple. Present the proposal, debate the end. As I rose to speak, I peered merits of the proposal, pass the down at my clipboard, then up proposal, bask in the golden beams into the audience. It was a scant of freedom that poured forth from crowd. Following a speech that was the people’s mass in the cathedral hardly my best, Parisa and I stood at of democracy that is the General the front of the room while MSU Executive and SRA members fired Assembly. Before making our way to counterpoint after counterpoint at the Burridge Gym, we stopped our motion. Our sacred cow looked less by TwelvEighty to encourage our friends and supporters to come and less divine in the face of such out, support direct democracy and principled, such eloquent and such lend our motion their support. But, well-prepared criticism. By the it being St. Patrick’s Day, we found time the vote came, it looked as a considerable number of friends if Parisa, SRA Social Science-elect engaged in festivities, to the extent Jones Musara, and myself were the where our pleading went unheard only people in the room to vote in Chris Erl OPINION
favour. Needless to say, the motion was soundly defeated. As we sat around a sticky table back at TwelvEighty, we ran over the whole event in our minds. I took meager solace in the fact that, as philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau states in the deepest, darkest depths of the Social Contract, we in the minority simply misjudged what was best for the community and were unequivocally wrong. Parisa countered, saying that the General Assembly was far from an appropriate representation of the general will, since so few people attended and, of those who did, most were interest groups austerely concerned with what was best for them, not for the whole community. She had a point. For General Assembly to work, we would need everyone to engage in the system without reservation and, idealistically, voting not on personal preference, but for what is best for the community as a whole. That is something we did not see at the General Assembly. We saw a gathering of special interests with narrow goals mobilizing their base to achieve objectives without regard of those aims’ benefit or lack thereof to the community. This begs the question: did our motion fail because it was not good for the community or did our motion fail because the assembly lacked legitimacy and participation from the entire community? That question will be answered as people like Parisa and myself continue to advocate for further dissolution of powers to the people and reforms like the introduction of the slate system. Only time will tell if our crusade is righteous or not, but such is the nature of politics. The idealism, the reality and the perpetual fight. It’s our calling, and we wouldn’t give it up for the world.
A12 • THE SILHOUETTE
SpeculatoR The Hamilton
Thursday, March 25, 2010
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
INSIDE THE SPECULATOR Guts and organs and bones and marrow and sinew and a couple of pennies we swallowed as kids. Look.
F Movin’ on up, runnin’ them down.
Texas drops out of Google, consciousness State no longer legitimate after being rejected by online map
Welcome to texas, where everything is bigger, the women look better, and the cows are the smartest broads around. Delicious too.
Vincent Sauvé SPECULATOR The Speculator has recently learned that internet giant Google may be pulling out of Texas amid concern over of state’s censorship laws as early as next week. Since January the Texas Board of Education has passed over 100 ideologically driven amendments to the state’s school curriculum – including motions to ban the discussion of Darwinism, Thomas Jefferson, and slavery from Texas classrooms. “Yehaw! History class will be just like watching Yosemite Sam, and those jack-holes at Google can’t handle it!” calmly explained Dr. Don McLeroy to me, a member of the Texas Board of Education. Despite his assertion in the New York Times that his organisation is “adding balance to the curriculum,” which he has described as being “skewed to far to the left,” The Speculator has found out that Google is alarmed that the changes McLeroy has championed will essentially erase substantial and
controversial parts of American history. Although Google has attempted to self-sensor their search engine in order to conform to local access to information standards, the company is adamant that such efforts haven’t worked in the past, and that they won’t work now. “We pulled out of China because of their strict censorship laws, why should Texas be any different?” their spokes person explained to me. “Did you know that a teacher in Texas can now loose their job just for mentioning the word slave or the name Thomas Jefferson in their classroom,” he continued. “Censorship is censorship – it doesn’t matter whether we’re talking about covering up Tiananmen Square or pretending that the Alamo is just an old building Ozzie Osbourne peed on,” he continued. McLeroy however disagrees. “I think the New York Times is a lot of commie bull shit” McLeroy told us. “And so is Google. A bunch of pansies –
we Santa Anna’d Mexico, and we’ll Santa Anna them too [he paused to spit out a wad of chewin’ tobacco]. If Davey Crocket and Sam Houston didn’t know what Juarez or evolution or separation of church and state was, then our kids will be just fine. … I mean, I was practically raised on that Davey Crocket movie, and did you see how many Injuns he killed in that – I bet he didn’t learn to do that by prayin’ to monkeys or eatin’ Doritos or whatever they do at the New York Times.” “Heck,” he continued, getting a little fired up, “now that we don’t talk about the darkies in our school rooms, our children won’t have to go through the trauma of all this health-care hublah or even knowing who Obama is. We’ll just tell ‘em John McCain ran unopposed because the Demo-crats was too dang prissy-toed to git a candidate back in oh-eight. They’ll probably figure they spent the whole time brandin’ each others hair and making-out with each other in San Francisco.”
When I asked him about concerns from many publishers about meeting new text book demands in time for the new school year, McLeroy explained to me that they’ve already figured out the problem. “I aint the lone member of the only Mensa chapter south of the Mason-Dixon line for nothin’” he retorted. “We’s already got that figured out. First we were gonna git Glenn Beck to write ‘em all up, but then he told us that he was so sure book is about to go out of fashion, y’know, because of all them San Francisco lefties who read ‘em, that he never bothered to learn how to read. So my wife and I just got out the TIVO and TIVO’d his whole dang series. The kids will love it.” McLeroy’s new curriculum, which has prompted Google’s threats to withdraw from the state is radical departure from that offered in other American jurisdiction. While state’s like California and Omaha offer courses on such traditional subjects as mathematics or science, Texas now offers students full courses on
topics Reagonomics and the lives of American heroes like famed communist hunter Senator Joseph McCarthy. “Republicans need a little credit for that,” he said. “I think it’s going to surprise some students.” “Plus, my brother Rick is fananglin’ up a brand spankin’ new YouTube for us to put them new text books on – y’know, since the old one is owned by the Google,” he continued. The Speculator has learned that the pending name for the new service will either be AmericaTube or Palin2012Tube. We speculate that it will be your one spot-stop for hi-def ZZ Top videos, Blue Collar Comedy clips and officially authorised Glenn Beck Texas State Curriculum. Texas is proud to challenge their decidedly un-American critics at Google. “Let ‘em quit Texas. Texas don’t need Google. We’ve got Glenn Beck,” McLeroy boasted, before breaking starting to hum the Star Spangled Banner and exclaiming: “what a dang bunch of pussies.”
“What Did You Learn This Week, Timmy?”
“I learned that you can only push me so far. I swear to Gad.” 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.
THE SILHOUETTE • B1
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
SPORTS
sports@thesil.ca
production office: extension 27117
Marauders finish OUA season with conference’s third best win percentage
JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH / DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR
McMaster finished the 2009-2010 season with only two OUA banners, but finished third in winning percentage in a comparison of nine of the province’s biggest sports. DAVID KOOTS
ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
On Sunday Mar. 28, the 2009-2010 CIS season will conclude with the men’s hockey championship. We at the Silhouette decided to take a look back at this athletic year and compare the performance of McMaster’s teams to the rest of the teams in Ontario. Our comparison
showed that while McMaster does not have the province’s highest winning percentage, it ranks among the best province-wide, with only the Queen’s Gaels and the four-sport Carleton Ravens winning a higher percentage of games this year. Since few schools have the financial resources to field a team in every sport, we decided to only look at those sports in which the CIS has
a national championship, minus the three sports in which Mac does not have a varsity team—women’s field hockey, curling and hockey. The remaining sports are men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, soccer as well as men’s football and women’s rugby. While men’s rugby is not a CIS sport, we included it anyway due to the sufficient level of competition in Ontario.
We took the season records of each team and added up the wins and the total games played by each school in our chosen nine sports. By simply dividing the total number of wins by games played we determined the winning percentage for 16 of Ontario’s schools. Queen’s came out as the top team, having won 69.4 per cent of their games this year. Carleton’s
strong basketball program, combined with the school’s two soccer teams, take second place with a winning percentage of 68.9 per cent. But next on the list is McMaster, whose powerful volleyball teams propelled Mac to a winning percentage of 65.9. That’s right, Mac’s teams were more successful this season than • PLEASE SEE MAC, B4
OUA REGULAR SEASON WIN PERCENTAGE
QUEEN’S
Carleton MCMASTER
OTTAWA
WESTERN
WINDSOR
TORONTO
LAKEHEAD BROCK
YORK
LAURIER GUELPH
RYERSON
LAURENTIAN
WATERLOO
RMC
AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
March Madness overshadows CIS Final 8 FRASER CALDWELL SILHOUETTE STAFF
With the Ides of March comes March Madness, a time in which even the most basketball illiterate fanboy tunes in to the NCAA Division I hoops tournament, builds a bracket, and prays beyond all hope that some tiny college from a dusty corner of the Union can pull off an upset. In its overwhelming power to attract attention, the Madness proves itself able to transcend borders, sweeping Canadians up into a court-sport fever along with our Southern cousins. Forget the fact that we can’t tell you where Murray State or Drake University are (Kentucky and Iowa respectively).
In our obsession with all sports adorned with the gloss of American mass media coverage, we Canucks agonize over the exploits of these unknown institutions, in search of a storyline, a Cinderella squad that storms into the Elite Eight or a once great dynasty able to relive past glory. Whatever the slant, we flock to the Madness like teabaggers to a Glenn Beck meltdown. Make no mistake, this in itself is not a bad thing by any means. High level sport is worthy of attention no matter where it is held, and the NCAA showcase is undoubtedly the home of some serious talent. It is home to the greatest young prospects that the hoops-crazed United States has to offer, many of whom While March Madness sells out game after game, the CIS Final only will soon be playing in the NBA. managed to draw approximately 6,000 fans.
SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
However, the Canadian obsession with March Madness is troubling for one simple reason: it obscures our own national product. That’s right sports fans, while the first and largely insignificant rounds of the NCAA tourney were dominating television sets across the nation, the CIS men’s basketball tournament was being broadcast with little fanfare and draconian oversight by TSN2. If you had no idea that this was in fact the case or simply could not care less, don’t feel too badly, because you are only one small part of a much bigger problem. While the contrast of basketball tournaments is a telling case, the fact is that the • PLEASE SEE CANADA’S, B5
B2 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
A look at some unheralded sports DILLON LI
SILHOUETTE INTERN
For too long, we have treaded in the same waters. For too long, we have played in the same boundaries. For too long, we have been playing the same games. It’s time now for a change in pace. That’s what I thought at least when hearing the news of Chess Boxing filling stadiums across the UK. Two completely different ideas coming together to make a sport like no other intrigued me, which lead me to dig deeper to find out other sports of this kind. And boy, looky what I found. There are a number of creative (or even bizarre) sports that go beyond the sporting status quo around these days, and it’s time to take a look at what a few of them have to offer. Tchoukball, invented by Swiss Biologist Herman Brandt, is a sport designed for fun, fairness and no violence. The requirements for a match are a team of nine players, two square, tightly strung nets, and a basketball or handball court. The nets are placed at either end of the court, and the goal is to throw the ball off the nets and have it land outside the circle. The twist of the game, however, is that teams can score at either end of the court. Add to the game the fact that defenses can make diving plays to prevent the ball from landing, and you’ve got a game that puts together hard work and hustle with friendly competitive spirit and fairness. Keeping along the lines of somewhat bizarre and creative games, Sepak Takraw fits the description perfectly. The game, also known as kick volleyball, is a mixture of volleyball and soccer. The game began in Malaysia and is now the country’s national sport. Sepak Takraw very closely resembles the
rules and setting of volleyball but the catch and, the uniqueness of it, is the restriction of hands or arms to handle the ball. The game is played in a besttwo-of-three sets format, with sets being played to 21 and requiring a win by two. The sport is great for increasing eye-foot coordination and improving ball handling, and flexibility. But while it sounds difficult and toned down slightly from volleyball, nothing could be further from the truth. The game is nothing short of a phenomenon to watch. From the amazing acrobatics to the powerful foot spikes is just sweet candy for the eyes. Purely by definition, one of the most interesting sports around is Octopush – also known as Underwater Hockey. Yes, that’s right, Underwater Hockey. The game is played at the bottom of a pool and player equipment requires a snorkel, mask, fins, water polo hat and a swimsuit (obviously). You also need a threepound puck and a foot long shaped stick for handling. The goal of the game is just like hockey, where teams try to score on each other’s net, well in this case, a three-metre long tray at the ends of the pool. While Octopush initially may seem more like a game than a sport, it is a lot more than just mindlessly swiping at an underwater weight and splashing around in fins. Don’t be fooled - this sport takes great endurance and skill. Limb strength is important, but lung capacity and knowing precisely when to dive are the keys to being a good octopusher. While chances to play these sports are few and far between, an opportunity to play any of them should not be passed up. They’re a nice break from the status quo of sports, and worth more than being relegated to the bizarre wasteland of Sepak Takraw, a mix of football and volleyball, has a growing following and is the national sport of Malaysia. underrated sports.
WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
THE SILHOUETTE • B3
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Canadian hoops on the rise
PHOTO C/O ROB PETTAPIECE, CISBLOG.CA
The Saskatchewan Huskies defeated the UBC Thunderbirds on the way to their first CIS title. Above: Nathan Yu (8) and Blain LaBranche (5) react to UBC’s championship game loss. BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR
After the final buzzer sounded and the Saskatchewan Huskies were crowned national champions at the CIS men’s basketball Final 8 last weekend, two things were eminently clear: one, that the CIS is as deep a league as it has ever been, and two, the Canada West conference is the place to be for a CIS hoops powerhouse. The tournament featured an all-western showdown between the Huskies and the UBC Thunderbirds, who went home with the silver medal for the second time in as many years. The Saskatchewan win was labeled by many as a Cinderella story, upset victory akin to the once-a-year fairy tales told by the NCAA March Madness tourney down south. But make no mistake, the Huskies were never an underdog, not even against the highly touted Carleton Ravens in the tournament semi-final. Sure, the Ravens are the first (and usually only) superb team most can think of when it comes to Canadian men’s hoops, having won last year’s title and six of the previous seven. But Saskatchewan’s win just goes to illustrate the depth of quality teams and players that were showcased at ScotiaBank Place last
weekend. Every team in the tournament knew what the Huskies were capable of, regardless of whether they were recognized as favourites by fans and commentators coming in. The team plays fundamentally sound ball at a high tempo, and was labeled by Ravens Head Coach Dave Smart as “the best team here” before the tournament started, despite being seeded as the No. 5 team. Just getting to the tournament was a tough task in and of itself. Saskatchewan had to first endure a thrilling overtime victory over the Thunderbirds in the Canada West semi-final, and then had to deal with the Calgary Dinos, another Final 8 team, in the gold medal game. “It’s a battle out there, people don’t realize it, but there are a lot of good teams out there,” said Huskies forward and tournament MVP Troy Gottselig about playing in the Canada West conference. The fact that a team could defeat all of the top contenders from across the country goes to show how deep the CIS is. One can point to the recent dominance of the Ravens, or the University of Victoria’s hegemony over the national title not long ago, as reasons to suggest otherwise. But the days of a small hand-
ful of teams taking hold of all the country’s best recruits are over, with teams looking not only out of province, but out of country for the best players. In the Championship game, UBC was led by Kamar Burke of Mississauga, while the Huskies’ offensive tour-de-force was guided by Showron Glover, a California native who found his way to the Great Plains to continue his hoops career. No better example exists of the growing profile of CIS hoops than Glover, who finished his second season for the Huskies. The 5’10”
guard led the CIS in scoring and steals this season with averages of 28 points and 3.6 steals per game. The guard was also announced as a CIS All-Canadian, along with UBC’s Josh Whyte, St. Francis Xavier’s Christian Upshaw, Ottawa’s Josh Gibson-Bascombe and McMaster’s own Keenan Jeppesen, who took home the award after his only season with the Marauders. Whyte was named Player of the Year in a close vote over Glover and Gibson-Bascombe. The Final 8 will move to Halifax next year, and the Huskies are certainly a favourite to return to
defend their title. But with so many other hungry teams duking it out in the CIS, there are no guarantees for any team. A smart bet is on Canada West producing another winner next year, and they’ve got the quality squads already to do it. But with the depth of teams growing in the CIS, it’s a whole new game, and next year’s tournament will likely reproduce what happened this year. To the untrained fan, it’s another upset victory. To those who know, it’s just another chapter in the growing profile of CIS hoops.
B4 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Mac ahead of Golden A sit-down with Chris Chelios The Peak’s Justin Orlewicz catches up with an NHL great Hawks, Mustangs Justin Orlewicz The Cascade
• CONT’D FROM B1 anyone west of Kingston, including the oh-so-loved Western Mustangs and Wilfrid Laurier Golden Hawks. The winning percentages of Laurier and Western would be higher were Ice Hockey included, but with McMaster’s lack of either a men’s or women’s varsity team, they were not included in the calculations. While regular season success was a staple of McMaster teams, playoff victories were a different story. Of the team sports, only the men’s soccer and the swimming teams came home with an OUA banner. Volleyball got shut out, as did basketball, football and rugby. At the National level, the Marauders took home only one team CIS medal, a bronze in women’s cross country. No one school can dominate every sport, as funding must be spread out across the entire Athletics Program. This is a major reason why a school like Carleton only has four varsity teams, so that extra dollars can go towards building a winning program such as basketball. Schools across the country have decided to focus on one or two sports, such as Trinity Western’s volleyball team or Cape Breton’s basketball program. The end result is that these schools dominate on the national level in their chosen sport, while floundering or even
not competing in the underfunded sports. In McMaster’s case, teams in each sport are given a chance to contend, and most of the University’s sports teams are continually competitive in league play. No one team is the school’s focus of funding and resources. The sacrifice for this relative parity across campus is that national titles become harder to come by. Although these sports are not professional by any means, money is still an important factor in teams’ success. Rules in the Canada West conference allow for bigger scholarships with fewer restrictions, which could be a significant reason for why the division dominates national competitions. In 2009-2010, Canada West schools claimed 27 of a possible 56 national medals, with the OUA placing second with 18. Of Canada West’s 27 medals, an impressive 13 of them are gold. Success at the national level is difficult to come by, especially in the bigger team sports. But despite winning only one national medal, the school’s winning percentage shows that Marauder teams are among the very best in Ontario. And when all is said and done, laying a beatdown on Western or consistently being one of the teams to beat in any sport may mean as much to our athletes and fans as the kind of pride any kind of CIS medal can bring.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. (CUP) — On Thursday, Feb. 4th, the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves were in Abbotsford, B.C. for a rumble with the Heat — the same Chicago Wolves that signed threetime Stanley Cup champion and hockey legend Chris Chelios. After the game, the three-time top NHL defenceman sat down to talk in the Chicago Wolves dressing room. Justin Orlewicz: How does it feel to be playing in Chicago again? Chris Chelios: It’s always good to come back home. For me, that’s probably the biggest reason why I’m in the AHL, is I had the opportunity to play for the Wolves. It’s been a great experience so far — staying with my family, my son — and being back home in Chicago. Orlewicz: How does it feel to not just play again, but still be putting up great numbers? Chelios: I got the opportunity to have a regular shift now, some games playing close to 18-20 minutes. We have a good offensive team. I know what my roll is: to play defensively and to kill penalties. But it’s always nice to chip in offensively. I haven’t had a chance to do that for three or four years; it’s been like a breath of fresh air to able to contribute offensively Orlewicz: Your plus-minus is great too. Chelios: I have a great partner in Artie (Artus Kulda). We keep it simple; my goal is for us not to get scored against, make simple plays and keep it out of our end.
Orlewicz: What’s the transition Chelios: It’s been the same thing for from the NHL to the AHL been like? 25 years: Either steak and spaghetti, or chicken and spaghetti. Chelios: Preparation: I think the biggest thing, the hardest thing, is Orlewicz: What’s getting played playing three games in three nights the most right now on your iPod or and the travel for the team. Not ne- stereo? cessarily me — I have only been able to play two of them (of the Chelios: I don’t get a change (of) three games). I am fortunate they music with these guys — different gave that luxury but I don’t think generation. You know I’m 20 years that’s going to last much longer. ahead of them, so I don’t have much The travel, it’s tough; you come in say when it comes to the music. the day of the game, and I’m not It’s unfortunate, because I hate the used to that. I’m used to getting in music they play. the night before. Orlewicz: What’s the last movie Orlewicz: I noticed that you have a you saw? pretty extensive stretching routine in the warm up. Is there anything Chelios: Mel Gibson’s movie “The else you are doing before games to Edge of Darkness.” I just saw it. keep fit? Orlewicz: Your numbers have been Chelios: No. Like I said, the fact great this year. Are you hoping to that we arrive sometimes on the day step back into NHL play? of the game, that’s the most important thing for me: to get ready and Chelios: That’s what everybody is working towards, to step up from get loose. the AHL. You’re one league away, Orlewicz: Are you still working one call away. out with T.R. Goodman in the off Don’t kid me — I would love to be back, but I am really enjoyseason? ing my time here. If this is where Chelios: Yeah. That’s never going it’s going to end, to try and win a to stop as long as I’m playing, so I championship with this team, then will continue to work out with him. so be it. I have two sons that have started working out with him the last I thanked the hockey legend for his couple years; it’s been great. time and started walking for the dressing room door. Orlewicz: Your son that’s playing Before I could leave, Grant Lewis of the Wolves yelled out, with Michigan, I’m assuming? “Why don’t you ask Cheli who his Chelios: Yeah. Michigan State. And favourite team mate is?” the other one is playing in the USHL (United States Hockey League) and So I asked, and he replied with a he will hopefully play for (Mich- laugh: “I hate all of them.” igan) State or another college team. Chelios has since been signed by Orlewicz: So what does your pre- the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers and has played in three games. game meal consist of?
Mac hockey trying to regain varsity status BEN ORR
SILHOUETTE STAFF
When considering the success of this year’s McMaster Marauders athletic program as a whole, one is forced to marvel at the amount of choice offered to varsity athletes at this school. From football to squash, from golf to soccer, McMaster is well represented in the sports spectrum. Still, Hamilton’s, and indeed the nation’s, most popular sport does not enjoy varsity status at our university. I refer to hockey, of course. Both the men’s and women’s teams are considered competitive clubs, and do not enjoy many of the luxuries that come with this varsity status. This is not due to a lack of trying on behalf of hockey players at Mac. Still, awareness is key, says men’s hockey team captain Kelly Phair. “We’ve talked with Jeff Giles (athletic director) about it. The main thing is getting people aware about the team, talking about it and knowing about it.” The problem is, because McMaster has not had varsity hockey teams for so long, interest can be
difficult to find within the student body. Without a rink on campus and sufficient funding, the teams cannot reach varsity status. “Most of the funding we get comes from community donations and the players themselves - it’s about $200 a player,” says Phair. The men’s club team has enjoyed much success this year, taking home three tournament titles while competing in the Ontario College Athletic Association. Most recently, the men beat out LaurierBrantford, Conestoga College and Sheridan College in a weekend tournament win. The women compete in the Golden Horseshoe Hockey League. Judging by the campus atmosphere during the Olympic hockey tournament this past February, a lack of arena and varsity teams cannot be blamed on a lack of interest. While the construction of an arena on campus may seem daunting and perhaps unthinkable, Phair and his fellow Marauder hockey players are examples of students who are willing to pay the price. If they can convince more of their peers to do the same, they might not be a club teams for much longer.
SOURCE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Having a viable home stadium is one of the biggest obstacles standing in the way of McMaster varsity hockey.
THE SILHOUETTE • B5
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Canada’s own big dance
Paralympian takes three gold medals CIS Final 8 serves up drama just like NCAA Final Four SAMANTHA JUNG THE UBYSSEY VANCOUVER (CUP) — Dropping out of the 12.5-kilometre biathlon on Mar. 17 was a good move for Calgary-born Brian McKeever, as he swept up three Paralympic gold medals this year, in the 10-kilometre and 20-kilometre cross-country races for the visually-impaired and the one-kilometre sprint. “It was a hard decision,” McKeever explained. “When you think about the Olympic schedule, there are five to six races in 16 days, and we have five to six races here in ten days. During the Olympics, almost no competitors will do every race, and the ones that do are often not strong by the end. “I think it’s important to get the wins where we can.” This is the third Paralympic Games for McKeever, who has seven medals from previous Games. As a visually-impaired athlete, McKeever needs a guide to help him down the ski hill, and his brother Robin fills that role. McKeever took home three medals at this year’s Games, the first in the 20-kilometre freestyle. McKeever spoke about the problems he faced last week. “Classic may be my event, but (the biathlon) is definitely not,” Brian explained. “I just don’t quite have that kind of speed in my body — so Robin was definitely leaving me behind many times today. It was tough to be in sync.” That wasn’t the case off of the course, as the two often finished each others’ sentences. The icy conditions affected a few athletes on the course, but the power duo seemed to thrive off of the troublesome conditions. “The more technical it is, the better we are,” explained Brian, who resides in Canmore, Alta., along with his brother. “We train in conditions like this a lot because of the weather we have in Canmore, so we’re used to it. (It) makes us more comfortable.” The two showed that they were comfortable on home soil. The McKeevers were almost two minutes ahead of the next competitor early on in the 10-kilometre race, and maintained that speed at the halfway point at plus 45.3 seconds. Their final time of 26 minutes and 1.6 seconds was over a minute ahead of Norway’s Helge Flo with his guide Thomas Losnegard, who took the silver medal. Nikolay Polukhin of Russia with his guide Andrey Tokarev took home bronze. Despite winning gold, the McKeevers said they could have had a faster time if they didn’t have “some issues out on the course.” “Where we started, we couldn’t get any information on our competitors and we didn’t get the proper information that we needed from our coaches today,” Brian said. “There was some frustration that was happening in the race course, and by the end . . . it kind of came out a little bit at each other. So we weren’t celebrating, ‘cause it wasn’t a perfect race.” “You have to wait until everybody is across the line before you start celebrating anyways,” Brian added, “because all the fast guys come later.” The McKeever family was extremely pleased with the brothers. “Didn’t you hear them?” Brian joked. “They’re the ones that were screaming.”
Know rugby? Coming back to Mac next year? Want to be the one, the only, the righteous rugby writer for the Sil?
Email sports@thesil.ca
PHOTO C/O ROB PETTAPIECE, CISBLOG.CA
Head Coach Greg Jockims’ Huskies won an exciting Championship game on Sunday, but only a small number of people watched the game. • CONT’D FROM B1 CIS’ losing battle to pry attention from the vice-grip of American competitors is one occurring on many fronts, affecting the organization as a whole rather than a single sport. The obvious question then is why. Why are Canadian sports fans so loathe to watch their own collegiate athletes and so eager to watch Villanova edge Robert Morris? The response to such a question is that there is no ready-made answer, but rather a series of rather plausible explanations. First and foremost is the reason most cited by fans who dismiss the CIS: the perceived dearth of talent in Canadian university athletics as opposed to the NCAA. Proponents of such a view can certainly point to statistics which demonstrate American dominance of international matches in virtually any sport. However, CIS teams have not been without success against their Southern counterparts. The UBC Thunderbirds basketball squad for example, have knocked off the SEC powerhouse Georgia Bulldogs and the perennial March contender Kansas Jayhawks in recent years. In addition, it must be said that CIS and NCAA teams are often playing entirely different games,
even when they compete in the same sport. Beyond rule differences, which are often substantial, there is routinely a marked stylistic difference between Canadian and American squads. Thus, when judging CIS teams against those of the NCAA, one may as well be comparing apples to oranges. On the most fundamental level, the attitude of Canadians towards our university athletics can likely be attributed to a shared conception of sport which elevates what we see as American professionalism and denigrates our own perceived amateurism by comparison. For a casual sports fan, connection to a professional league with which they are familiar is key. So it is that the average basketball enthusiast will identify more closely with the NCAA, which produces the lions-share of the NBA’s young talent, than with the CIS, whose graduates are entirely ignored by pro scouts. The same could be readily said for football, where a CIS player’s only hope for professional play comes in the form of the significantly smaller CFL. So long as everyday Canadians are fed on a strict diet of American pro sports, they will naturally follow the organizational streams which feed the major US-dominated leagues. Since these feeder organiz-
ations are largely based South of the border (with the notable exception of junior hockey, in which case the Canadian Major Junior system remains the gold standard), Canadian attention will invariably drift in that direction. So it is that only a small hand-
ful of die-hards witnessed the Cinderella story of the Saskatchewan Huskies in this year’s CIS basketball tournament. The rest of the country was content to bask in the last second heroism of the Michigan State Spartans, or the surprising surge of Cornell.
B6 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010
THE SILHOUETTE • B7
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
INSIDEOUT
production office: extension 27117
e-mail: insideout@thesil.ca
ThreadCount
Cristian Fernandez What do you look for in a significant other?
Honesty, good energy, sense of humour What is your favourite quote?
“Plans have to be realistic, dream don’t!” -Shania Twain What is your favourite band?
Michael Buble, Norah Jones, Camila How do you describe your personal style?
“Refined but fun.”
Make hanging art out of
coffee sleeves
PHYLLIS TSANG
ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR
Art doesn’t need to be expensive. For Ava Dideban, president of the campus group Artists Anonymous, incorporating everyday objects that are “not worth throwing away” is part of the creative process. “I first think of an item, something that’s easy to find. Then I start thinking about its
shape and its material – like how much you can bend it, manipulate it, and what you can do with it,” Ava shared. “It also helps to take the item and just look at it from different perspectives, or put a group of them together and look at them.” Out of coffee sleeves, Ava created a hanging art that is beautiful, functional, and eco-friendly. She generously shared this step-by-step guide with all art lovers.
How-to-do-it with Ava Dideban - Lots of coffee cup sleeves - Glue gun and lots of filler sticks - Optional: paint, rope, backboard
Materials that you need: Shoes: Thinsulate $70 Pants: Robert Lewis $45 Belt: Robert Lewis $30 Necklace: “Silver” Eaton Centre $20
1
Collect a lot of coffee cup sleeves, by any means. For this piece, you’ll need 24 (some extra as back ups would be good).
2
Take 2 sleeves and glue them together.
a
Make sure the sleeves are curving in the same direction. In other words, when you put the two on top of each other, they line up perfectly.
b
Only put glue on the lower half of the sleeves. See Fig. 1.
Fig. 1
Glasses: GMO $240
c Fig. 2
3
Repeat this for the rest of the sleeves. So you’ll have 12 pairs.
a
4 Shirt: ZARA $40 Sweater: Foster $40
After gluing them together, you should be able to pull open the sleeves – like you open it up to slide your coffee in – and they will be in the shape of two leaves. See Fig. 2.
4 of these pairs will make up the first level of you art piece. The remaining 8 pairs will make up the second level.
Now, you want to grow the pattern by gluing two pairs of leaves on top of each other. To do this, hold open one pair and glue another pair in between the two leaves. At the end, you have a group of four leaves, or something that looks like a wheat stalk. See Fig. 3.
5
Do this four times, total (so you’ll still have 4 unused leaf pairs).
6
Glue the four groups together. See fig. 4.
7
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Keep building! Add the unused pairs to the shape you have in dynamic, creative ways. See fig. 5. Fig. 5
More ideas:
> Try changing up the pattern. It helps to get a piece of paper and plan out different designs. > Paint the coffee sleeves before you start gluing them. > Glue a loop of rope at the tip so you can hang it from your ceiling or mount it onto a poster board and hang it on your wall.
Jacket: Cueros Armando - Argentina gift
WILL VAN ENGEN / PHOTO EDITOR
PHOTO C/O PHYLLIS TSANG
B8 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Beware of mood-changing weather CSD provides support for students with Seasonal Depression
NATALIE TIMPERIO SILHOUETTE STAFF
Since the weather has warmed up, the McMaster student body has taken to campus grounds with new found vigour. The melancholy mood of the winter season has at last come to pass. Yet, what is it about the wintry weather that causes us to feel “blue”? Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes referred to as Seasonal Depression, is a form of depression that generally occurs in the winter months. More specifically, as described by Mayo Clinic, “SAD is a cyclic, seasonal condition. This means that signs and symptoms come back and go away at the same time every year... problems may start out mild and become more severe as the season progresses.” Symptoms of SAD are closely associated with those of depression, which includes “hopelessness, anxiety, loss of energy, social withdrawal, oversleeping, loss of interest in activities once enjoyed, appetite changes, especially a craving for foods high in carbohydrates, weight gain and difficulty concentrating and processing information.” These symptoms, broad in nature, may nonetheless be an indication of a more serious condition such as SAD, therefore, it is necessary to seek professional help, such as that of a doctor’s, when these symptoms persist. Although the exact causes of SAD are unknown, experts in the field point to three particular areas of concern including circadian rhythm, melatonin level and serotonin levels. According to Mayo
Clinic, circadian rhythm refers to your body’s biological clock in which “the reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may disrupt [this] clock, which lets you know when you should sleep or be awake.” SAD may also result from reduced levels of melatonin, a natural hormone which influences sleep patterns as well as mood, and serotonin, a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) that affects temperament. Sunshine increases production of Vitamin D, which helps the production of serotonin. Of course, Vitamin D is also available in many foods. Seemingly, SAD is a heightened influence of the factors that make many of us feel a bit more cheery when the sun is shining and it’s warm outside. Fortunately, SAD is easily treatable, ranging from light therapy (also referred to as phototherapy), prescribed medications, and psychotherapy. There also exist multiple home remedies—exercise, for example—and alternative medicine including nutritional supplements and mind-body therapies such as yoga. Support networks, such as the Centre for Student Development (CSD) here at McMaster University, also provide formidable services for those dealing with SAD. Clinical Director of CSD, Debbie Nifakis, explained that although SAD occurs amongst one to two per cent of the population, CSD helps students among this group to cope with SAD. At CSD, Nifakis informed that the Centre offers a variety of counselling services for those impacted by SAD, some of which includes psychotherapy. In respect to counselling, Ni-
fakis says the Centre “sees students with a host of different problems across the continuum. So anything from ‘I’m having trouble adjusting to university’...to more serious things like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal thinking...there’s a whole host of mental health issues [as well as] developmental adjustment [issues]. So we would see people for any of those kinds of problems.” While reassuring that SAD is a tolerable condition with the correct treatment, Nifakis explains it is sometimes the case “that people just don’t identify [SAD]. They may be experiencing depression and don’t necessarily come in and talk about it as a seasonal thing per se.” Thus, it may often be difficult to recognize SAD. Also, the weather is not only a mood-changer for those affected with this illness. “Most people will respond to sunlight [as it] is very uplifting, [making] people a lot more outgoing and happier,” stated Nifakis. Studies of the general population have shown that even small changes in weather, unrelated to season, can affect mood. When exposed to air that is more “ionized,” which happens before or during storms, people tend to experience emotion more intensely, possibly leaning toward the negative. Records show that car accident, crime and suicide rates increase during stormy weather. While the turn of the season may bring a little extra bounce in the step of most students, for those affected by SAD, it also marks an escape from depression for which If bad weather gets you down more than average, you may have SAD. many have surely been waiting.
TYLER HAYWARD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
THE SILHOUETTE • B9
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Hong Kong: an urban paradise
From convenience to landscapes, Hong Kong is worth a visit
TYLER HAYWARD / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Despite the ultra-urban environment in what is often called a “concrete jungle,” Hong Kong doesn’t fail to deliver on attractions and fun. DILLON LI
SILHOUETTE INTERN
Summer has been synonymous with travel for me ever since I was little. With summer just around the bend I can’t help but reminisce about my past. Cruising across the shores of Rome, walking through the catacombs of Palermo, and bargaining my way for a t-shirt in Thailand are a few of the ways I’ve spent the summer months. Though as of late, I’ve been thinking more about the life and culture I’ve experienced on my trips. The journey there is always a long, tumultuous one. Almost like the trials-before-paradise you tend to see in the movies. And after three foreign films, a dead Ipod and a light imprint of a floral design on your face, you see the beautiful forest mountains and sea-land coastline break under the clouds to make it all worth it. Welcome to Hong Kong, population seven million. How the hell did you get here by car? Right when you get off
the plane, you experience one of the many attractions Hong Kong has to offer—its airport. After such a long flight it’s almost like a reward being given to you for your strong virtue of patience. Hong Kong International airport is awarded the Airport Service Quality Awards 2009, and it’s easy to see why. Easy to follow signs, clean facilities, pleasant modern décor, a 4D cinema and much more make this airport without a doubt the best one that I have ever been to. Happily walking out of the airport after claiming your luggage you walk outside, and depending on what season it is, you get rushed with one of two types of drafts. One being a temperate, humid breeze usually occurring around early spring or late fall to winter. Two being a sticky, thick, hot, humid wind that usually occurs from late spring to early fall. The summer weather can definitely be overwhelming to many, yet there is a part of me that misses that sweltering heat. A part of me misses that feeling
of walking into a store or mall and being graced with the icecold air from the air conditioners. The contrast from outside to inside gets your blood running and gives you this unbelievable feeling of refreshment. At this time I usually board on a taxi to my grandparents’ apartment. As you look outside you notice the unique west meets east street life of outdoor vendors, neon light signs, righthand cars and double-decker buses. Commuting is also an experience itself. What is so great about Hong Kong is how every district and city is interconnected and close. The subway system is so efficient and cheap you can go almost anywhere. Not to mention almost every sign is labeled in English, which allows foreigners to be able to navigate throughout the city easily. After a restless night, you get up early to get a good seat at a breakfast restaurant. Choose your favourite dim-sum restaurant and stuff your face for the
morning. Now after that is when the fun starts. There are so many attractions in Hong Kong it’s impossible to see them all in a week or two. But thanks to the handy dandy subway station you can cram a lot of stuff in a day. Most shopping malls are seriously five minutes away from each other. As a matter of fact that sometimes right when you exit a subway station, you are already in a mall! The convenience absolutely astounds me and I sometimes see myself longing to live there just for that fact. Also, there are two theme parks in Hong Kong – Ocean Park, and Disney Land. Both are conveniently accessible by the regular subway line. For a more exotic experience, Buddhist and Taoist temples are scattered everywhere throughout Hong Kong. Lantau Island has a popular tourist attraction that is a giant 85-foot bronze statue of Buddha. Now you’re done sight seeing and shopping. It’s time to get your freak on. Nightlife in
Hong Kong is quite tame - in the sense that you probably won’t get into trouble enjoying yourself. Streets like Lan Kwai Fong and D’Aguilar have a multitude of bars and restaurants to party in. One of the city’s finest nighttime charms is strolling along the Tsim Sha Tsui harbor waterfront, watching the nightly Symphony of Lights outdoor laser and light show. And after a crazy night, you crash on your bed and fall asleep. And next day you do it all over again! It’s always really sad when the vacation is over and you have to go back on that airplane. Sure, the flight back may be shorter, but the movie selection hasn’t changed yet. Though the weather and congestion may not be all that ideal, the charm of Hong Kong for me is the lifestyle, the subway, the cold stores, and the feeling of everything being within arm’s reach. For this reason, I’ve gone back to Hong Kong annually for the past ten years without complaint.
B10 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
A sexier version SEX THE Celebrating Earth & of the home vid STEEL CITY Hour once again ourselves as if from an outsider’s perspective. But our Facebook profiles only display one view of us— our own. Arguably, we are at our least self-conscious during sex. The candid aspect that makes pornography such an interesting cultural study makes it even more interesting when the camera is turned toward us. However, people are looking for more than a simple representation of themselves having sex. Sex in front of a mirror and even the camera on a tripod setup are getting old.
The candid aspect that makes pornography an interesting cultural study makes it even more interesting when the camera is turned toward us. Couples have started to seek technical quality in their homemade porn. There are now videographers with technical skill in filmmaking offering to videotape couples on Craigslist and other informal advertising sites. Having a third, so to speak, allows for various types of shots and lighting that are more flattering than a simple still camera. The philosophy behind the desire to tape sex shifts once the technical is involved. More like on blogs Technology is changing how we see ourselves and our sex. or profiles, various lighting, angles and potential editing manipulates the “real” image of ourselves we explained. see in a simple shot. When homeLINDSAY JOLIVET A quick Google search reveals made pornography gains quality, it INSIDEOUT EDITOR a plethora of homemade porn that can gain the potential to fulfill more Don’t turn the lights off, baby, the made it from the video camera to than idle curiosity. the web. While having your romp In the same way pornographic shot won’t be clear. Perhaps not generally the con- displayed on the Internet might be productions are made for sexual text in which these words are heard, the last thing you want, there cer- arousal, a flattering image of yourbut after all, sex is always chang- tainly is a market for pornography self having sex can make you believe that—well, you’re a hot lay. ing. In a recent article in the Globe of the non-paid variety. The bigger market, however, Hence, more sex with more conand Mail, Alison Lee discussed the gaining popularity of homemade probably lies with those who prefer fidence. It’s difficult to determine pornography. Lee is the manager of a little private experimenting that how thoroughly this trend has popular Toronto sex shop Good For never has to leave the confines of caught on since closed doors rarely Her and believes there is “a growing the house. Perhaps this phenomenon reveal sexual trends. However, it market of people who are looking to is the result of an increasing desire seems like celebrities can barely tape themselves.” Her knowledge to know ourselves that pervades the keep their clothes on in front of the is based on questions from patrons age of camera technology, blogs, camera, or their videos from posting on the Internet for that matter. looking for equipment, advice and tweets, and Facebook profiles. Technology allows us to receive If nothing else, the idea is raising sometimes help. “It’s the idea of putting yourself centre stage,” she feedback on ourselves or to look at eyebrows. JEFF TAM / THE SILHOUETTE
Ways to spend an hour in the dark PETER GOFFIN
OPINIONS EDITOR
“Hey everybody, let’s go get turned off!” No, you don’t hear that sentiment being expressed very often. But on Mar. 27 at 8:30 at night, millions of people around the world will be doing it. It’s Earth Hour, a green initiative founded by World Wildlife Fund Australia in 2007 to raise awareness of energy use and reduce energy consumption. Since its inception, the event has spread to over 4, 000 cities across 88 countries. Last year, more than 50 million people participated. Of course, the common question that arises amongst the rest of the world’s population is, “What do you do for a whole hour without electricity?” It’s a valid concern. And considering you have decided to observe Earth Hour and turn off all of your household electrical appliances, you have a couple of choices. One is to sit alone in your house with the lights off and gaze psychotically at a fixed point on your wall, repeating some mantra to yourself over and over again (“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” comes to mind). Or you can make the most out of self-imposed electricity ban, get out, see people and have some blackout fun. There is a growing trend toward celebrating Earth Hour, rather than merely enduring it. Blackout parties are springing up all over the country as environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and good old-fashioned hard-core partiers are all seizing this unique opportunity. To many, Earth Hour is more than an environmentally conscious act of self-sacrifice; it is an excuse to throw a themed party or a chance to reconnect with family or friends without the distraction of TV and computers. Taking a quick look around at what others have done and are doing to celebrate the event shows just how many possibilities are out there. There’s always the option of
holding your regular Saturday night university party by candlelight, but you can also go one step further. Shot in the Dark Mysteries, a Toronto company that sells role-playing party games online, is offering so-called “mini-murder mystery” scenarios to be played out at murder mystery parties during Earth Hour. Furthering the environmentally friendly cause of the day, Shot in the Dark Mysteries will plant a tree in the name of each person who purchases a mystery scenario. Alternatively, if you are of a more domestic persuasion, you
Of course the common question that arises amongst the rest of the world’s population is, “What do you do for a whole hour without electricity?” could throw a dinner party with a green theme, which doesn’t necessarily mean loads of broccoli and spinach. WWF’s activity guide suggests serving dishes made up of locally grown or fair trade foods, cooked using little or no electricity. In fact, Earth Hour’s founding organization has a whole host of suggested pastimes, including making your home or neighbourhood more eco-friendly. They propose that people spend the electric-free hour installing more efficient appliances, weather-proofing your house, or even picking up garbage in the streets and parks around where you live. There really is a lot to do. Earth Hour doesn’t have to a passive event. So give the hour a shot. You might find it’s out of sight. And not just in the sense that it will be too dark to see.
APPLY TO
All 2010/11 Silhouette Editorial Positions are now open. Applications are due by Wednesday, March 31, 2010. Submit your resume and cover letter to thesil@thesil.ca. Please indicate which editorial position you are interested in. See A6 for more details. SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO
This Saturday, turn out your lights for an hour starting at 8:30PM.
THE SILHOUETTE • B11
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
Interactive
Kyle’s Crossword Across 1- A mouse! 4- Pertaining to vinegar 10- Joke 14- News letters 15- Alberta’s home 16- Peter Fonda title role 17- It may be picked 18- Very advanced in design 20- Exclamation of disgust 21- Revenuers, for short 22- Prescribed doctrine 23- Serious wrongdoing 25- Angered 28- Electrically charged atom 29- Mata ___ 30- Ascends 31- “___ She Lovely?” 32- State in the NE United States 35- Altdorf’s canton 36- Beast of burden 37- Fungi group 44- Heap 45- Santa’s aides 46- Ground 48- Chang’s twin 49- Fear greatly 50- Ablaze 51- Accumulation of fluids 53- Corrosion 55- Flight 56- Probable 59- Feeling of selfimportance 60- “___ Brockovich” 61- Objects from everyday life 62- Kan. neighbor 63- Aborigine of Borneo 64- Yearly records 65- Driller’s deg. Down 1- Castrated man 2- Witty saying
Sudoku
By Sandy Chase / CUP Graphics Bureau Chief
Crossword puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com (http://www.bestcrosswords.com). Used with permission.
3- Greek island 4- Sharp 5- Still 6- Intestinal 7- Sully 8- Agency of the United Nations 9- Engine part 10- Martial art 11- Sad poet 12- Religious discourses 13- Occupant 19- Eccentric 24- Abuse 26- Monetary unit of Romania 27- Compositions 30- Commando 31- In and of ___
33- Hindu title 34- Computer key 37- Place where books are bound 38- Country in North Africa 39- Land in la mer 40- Pertaining to the female gonad 41- Bone marrow 42- Final part 43- Livid 44- Annoyed 47- Discharges from the RAF 49- ___ Kapital 50- Gillette razors 52- Lustrous fur 54- Travel on water 57- 401(k) alternative 58- Adult males
Solutions
The solution to last week’s sudoku, crossword and jumble 4 9 6
3 5 7
1 2 8
7 3 5
8 1 2
6 4 9
2 8 1
9 6 4
5 7 3
3 5 7
8 1 2
6 4 9
2 8 1
9 6 4
7 3 5
4 9 6
5 7 3
1 2 8
8 2 1
GUINNESS SHAMROCK LEPRECHAUN CELTIC IRELAND
Don’t Drink Too Much…GREEN BEER
2 1 8
3 7 5
1 8 2
6 9 4
3 6 9
8 5 7
1 4 2
4 7 5
9 1 3
6 2 8
2 3 6
7 8 5
9 4 1
8 1 2
4 6 3
5 9 7
3 2 8
6 7 4
1 5 9
[Insert favourite drink] jello
SGSAR __ __ __ (__) __ TPUIL __ __ __ __ (__) WELSORF __ __ __ __ __ (__) __ IDSRB __ (__) __ __ __ RENGE __ __ __ __ (__) MOOBLGIN __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (__)
• • •
5 3 7
5 8 6
Springtime Jumblyjumble
Three cheers for the… __ __ __ __ __ __
4 6 9
2 3 4
Breadbin
On a hot day, no one says no to jello. It’s colourful, it jiggles, and it’s fruity. What’s not to love? Well, it turns out it’s really easy to make from scratch, not to mention cheaper. Why be limited by the box flavours when you can have orange-passionfruit, apple or mango? One box of gelatine powder makes more than a box of instant jello would. You can also add fruit, but if you want papaya, pineapple, or kiwi, use canned fruit. The natural enzymes in these fruits will prevent your jello from setting. Enjoy your favourite juice as your jello. Here is another easy crowd pleaser.
7 5 3
7 9 1 4 8 5
DUBLIN GREEN CLOVER RAINBOW
9 4 6
9 1 6
2 3 7
5 7 4
1 2 9
3 6 8
6 9 1
8 5 2
7 4 3
RESSHOW __ __ __ __ (__) __ __ TUBQOUE __ __ __ (__) __ __ __ BELLAMUR (__) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ FADDILOF __ __ __ __ __ __ (__) __ UNS __ __ (__) RAWBION __ __ __ __ __ (__) __ LEGXNAIR __ __ __ __ (__) __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ KATHERINE MARSDEN / PRODUCTION EDITOR
2 tbs gelatine powder 3 cups juice/drink Sugar to taste
Boil one cup of juice. In a bowl, dissolve the gelatine and sugar in the hot juice. Stir in the rest of the juice. Pour into serving dishes and let set in the fridge. Optional: Add fruit chunks to the serving dishes before pouring in liquid. •
Photo and recipe by Rebecca Ang, Mac Bread Bin Co-Director
AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
B12 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
HEALTH
production office: extension 27117
in partnership with SHEC
Keep your sleep account balanced SARAH LEVITT HEALTH EDITOR
Club Mills in March is often crowded until the early hours of the morning. With midterms, essays, and other assorted assignments, students often find it difficult to go to bed at a reasonable hour during the week. The weekends, when students celebrate completing the past week’s homework in Hess’ clubs, also only offer little slumber. This lack of sleep can result in students feeling fatigued all the time, even if they slept a reasonable amount the previous night. Individuals who experience this constant exhaustion may be suffering from sleep debt. Sleep debt is the difference between how long you slept and how long your body needed you to sleep. Sleep debt results from the accumulation of sleepless nights, usually due to sleeping disorders or insomnia. In the university environment, many individuals experience sleep debt simply because of the pressures of living the student life. Sleep debt can occur gradually or after just a couple nights of poor sleeping, so even just a few nights of cramming can cause students to feel drowsy for days. The value that we are in sleep debt grows every time we shave any time, be it minutes or hours, off of our sleeping time. On average, Americans enter one hour of sleep debt per night, meaning that over the course of the year, individuals lose more
than two full weeks of slumber. A Stanford study showed that 80 percent of undergraduates, nurses, and medical students were dangerously sleep deprived. On a more relatable level for students, losing one hour of sleep per night over a week is the equivalent to pulling one all-nighter (and we all know how we feel after those). Furthermore, as our sleep debt grows, it becomes even harder to stay awake. The body’s mechanism for controlling our sleeping patterns is called the sleep homeostat and is located in the brain. It regulates our sleep by increasing our tendency to fall asleep in direct proportion to the size of our sleep debt. This correlation is supposed to prevent us from becoming dangerously sleep deprived, but often the pressures of daily life cause us to resist our bodies’ needs and allow our sleep debt to reach dangerous levels. This syndrome can have dire consequences for students. Sleep debt results in a hazy brain, decreased vision, impaired driving, and memory problems. Our mood is also affected by tiredness; depression, increased irritability, and the loss of our sense of humor are all symptomatic of poor sleep. Our drowsiness also prevents us from being able to focus on mental tasks, a skill that is essential for success in academic life. In the long term, sleep debt can lead to obesity, insulin resistance, and heart disease. Sleep deprivation may also slow the healing process.
For students, this consequence is of serious concern as falling behind on work and missing out on social events are often inevitable when we catch ill. Current research suggests that the maximum sleep debt that people enter before they completely crash is twenty hours. Unfortunately, you cannot sleep ahead to prevent later sleep debt, but it is possible to pay it back over the course of a couple of nights. Sleep debt can only be reduced in increments of one to two hours, meaning that sleeping in until 2PM on the weekends is not going to do the trick. To truly pay back your sleep debt, try going to bed earlier than usual while maintaining your normal waking time. Naps are also a great tool for paying back sleep debt, but make sure you lie down in the earlyafternoon so as not to shift your biological clock. Making a habit of going to bed and waking up at a reasonable hour will help ensure that you do not accumulate a new sleep debt. You will know when you have recovered because you will feel more alert. Students often do not realize just how important sleep is. We prioritize our work or social life over getting the rest we need, not realizing that if we sleep better, we will improve the quality of our work and enjoy our friends more. As we head into the busy exam period, be aware of your sleeping patterns and work towards making your sleep If you can fall asleep anywhere, you might be in sleep debt. debt zero.
RYAN JENSSEN / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Quinoa is a great protein in your diet regions of Peru, Chile and Bolivia for over 5,000 years, and it has long been a staple food in the diets of Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wah”, natives to those regions. The Incas is a recently rediscovered ancient considered it a sacred food and re‘pseudo-grain’ native to South ferred to it as the “mother seed.” America. While relatively new to Quinoa was greatly prized by the North America, quinoa has been Incas because it contains all eight cultivated in the Andean mountain essential amino acids and therefore LINDSAY FLEMING SILHOUETTE STAFF
is a complete protein. This seed was frequently used to increase the stamina of Inca warriors. The growth of quinoa slowed for quite sometime after the Spanish conquered South America. Recently, the food has made a comeback, becoming increasingly popular in the United States and Canada since
MICHELLE NG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Quinoa is a complete protein, making it a filling, tasty, and nutritious addition to any meal.
the 1980s. Technically quinoa is not a true grain, but rather the seed of the Chenopodium, or Goosefoot, plant. It is used as, and substituted for, grains because of its cooking characteristics. Quinoa has a fluffy, creamy, and slightly crunchy texture with a nutty flavour when cooked. Related to beets, spinach and chard, quinoa is high in protein, calcium and iron, and a relatively good source of vitamins B and E, which improve metabolic, immune, and neurological functions. Quinoa contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans and can be used to help treat various health conditions. For example, migraine sufferers often incorporate quinoa into their diet because of its high levels of magnesium. Magnesium is a mineral that helps relax blood vessels. Blood vessel’s elasticity means that when they constrict, there is rebound dilation, and this movement often causes migraines. Relaxed blood vessels rarely constrict, thus quinoa can help migraine sufferers. Quinoa is also a good source of riboflavin, which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Riboflavin (also called vitamin B2) has been shown to help reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine-prone individuals by improving the energy metabolism within their brain and muscle cells. Quinoa has also been recommended to help improve cardiovascular health and prevent atherosclerosis.
Quinoa can be readily purchased at a variety of health food stores and is usually either pre-packaged or stored in bulk bins. Once purchased, it is recommended that you store it in an air tight container, and preferably in the fridge if possible, as it will increase the seed’s lifespan. Before cooking quinoa, it is recommended that you rinse the seeds under cold water in order to get rid of the bitter film, called saponin, which surrounds the seeds. You will know that you have properly rinsed your seeds once there is no longer a soapy residue in the water and the seeds are not bitter to taste. In terms of cooking, quinoa is prepared like rice—boil two parts water for every part seed. One cup of quinoa cooked this way usually takes fifteen minutes to prepare. When cooking is complete, you will notice that the grains have become translucent and the white germ has partially detached itself from the seed, appearing like a white-spiraled tail. If you desire the quinoa to have a nuttier flavor, you can dry roast it before cooking. Dry roasting involves placing quinoa in a skillet over medium-low heat and stirring constantly for five minutes. Given its superfood qualities and relatively low price point, quinoa is definitely worth a try. The next time you are thinking of cooking rice or pasta, substitute quinoa instead. Quinoa goes great with stirfry, meat, or even chili. So bring a little bit of South America to the table with this magical “grain.”
THE SILHOUETTE • C1
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
BUSINESS
production office: extension 27117
business@thesil.ca
AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
WHO’S BOSS? Canadian economy surging while others stagnate
Simon Granat Business Editor
The Loon has never been such a strong figure in world financial markets. The Canadian economy is strong. And while the economy may not be booming like it was mid century, Canadians have many a reason to celebrate the Canadian cherished icon, the Loonie. The Canadian economy is surging compared to the rest of the world. GDP numbers are up, employment is looking as if it will start to turn around and Canadians are paying off the national debt? What’s not to like? Finance Minister, Jim Flaherty has been all smiles as of late. Canada’s quick recovery out of the recession has afforded him the privilege of lecturing other countries on their finance policy. The problem is that the world has a short memory and Flaherty isn’t as responsible for Canada’s quick recovery. Bank regulation is. Canada’s financial sector remained vital throughout the recession. This gave the Canadian economic recovery a head start. The American economy is growing faster but the Canadian economy remains more viable. This goes to show that bank regulation saved Canadians’ bacon. Here at home real GDP rose 0.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2009. This is the largest increase in GDP since Q3 in 2000. The increase in GDP was in large part due to an increase in exports, a decrease in imports and an increase in personal expenditures. Canadians are spending again. This could be a sign that the economic stimulus has started to trickle through the economy, in which case Flarherty will be heralded as a hero. Or, the increase in GDP could just be a sign that consumers aren’t as worried as they were a year ago. If so, GDP may have no bearing as an economic indicator. Canadians don’t have much to brag about. GDP was higher to the South. Real GDP for 2009 rose by 2.2 per cent in Q4 in the US, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Unemployment is currently on the decrease. Employment rose in Feb. by 21,000 jobs. As a result, the unemployment rate dropped from 8.3 per cent to 8.2 per cent. Contrary to this the US unemployment rate currently sits higher at 10.4 per cent.
While Canadians may stereotypically shrug off the stellar economic recovery, they need not be modest. The strong economic numbers indicate that the Canadian economy has finally pulled itself out the recession. This has prompted many analysts to speculate that the Bank of Canada will announce a raise in interest rates sometime this week. Currently Canadian interest rates sit at 0.25 per cent, a historically unprecedented low. The bank has kept interest rates low to ensure a bargain for those looking to borrow, loan, and spend. Many analysts speculate that interest rates will stay low. At least for now. This week Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of Canada will make a speech to the Canadian Association of Business Economists in Ottawa. There have been indications that the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates sometime this summer. There is really no reason to assume that the bank will jump the gun any earlier. Last month’s substantial economic numbers are probably in part due to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games. Canadians will glimpse a more accurate picture of their economy when numbers GDP numbers com out next month. However, if for some reason Carney decides to raise interest rates earlier than expected, look for him to blame the Loonie. Canada’s iconic currency has had a strong run on the green back in the past 2 weeks. Currently, the Canadian dollar sits at 0.98 cents U.S. Look for the loon to hit parity sometime near the end of the month. The rise in Canadian currency prices may force the Bank to prematurely raise interest rates. A high Canadian dollar poses problems to foreign investment and Canadian exports, making them less attractive to potential buyers from other countries. A rise in interest rates may stimulate foreign investment into Canada. This may offset the investment that would be lost by the rise in the Loonie If interest rates rise too early, there could be a sudden drop in the Canadian economy, the housing market, and a double dip into recession. It is likely that the Canadian government will not surprise investors this week. Chances are that they will wait until they are sure of the economic recovery before they take action.
A European standoff Financial Aid the only thing that will prevent Greece from riding into the sunset Siavosh Moshiri Silhouette Staff
Like something out of a Western movie, Greece and the EU are at a standoff. One side sits a country teetering around the edge of an economic collapse and in desperate need of financial assistance. On the other side, lays an organization that prides itself in monetary conservatism and strict financial laws. How did this happen? A strong currency coupled with extremely low interest rates are a reckless government’s dreams. Both help fuel spending, but the combination of the two often makes states become very short-sighted. Greece is a prime example of this. In the past decade, Greece’s budget has bloated out of proportion. In some cases, public sector workers received 100 per cent raises. This staggering growth in budget was often spurned on by a strike happy work populace that has a rather long history of using this manoeuvre to get a pay increase. Greek farmers received a $400 million package in 2009 and
just last Thursday (in a move that seems almost too ironic to be true) Greek tax collectors went on strike. While present Greek officials have done a good job of not placing blame on themselves, former ministers have been calling for changes in spending for some time. Stefanos Manos, a financial minster from the 1990’s has been seen as the most vocal. He has called for a stop in the uncontrollable spending. Those not familiar with the current financial scene might think of this as a nonstory. Greece is a very small country; why don’t the EU just let them suffer the consequences of their actions? While this will have definitely have crossed the minds of the organization’s members, letting Greece go would lead to a chain reaction. If Greece were to fall to speculative attacks, the same thing could soon happen to other financially weak European countries. For instance Spain is currently a vulnerable country. Their unemployment rate just hit a record high. Speculative attacks, the massive selling of a country’s currency assets by both domestic and foreign investors, are rarely one off events or isolated to a single countries. One
needs to look no further than the Asian Financial crisis of the late 90s to find that debt crises such as this often affect entire regions. Daniel Gros, director of the Center for European Policy Studies, was recently quoted as saying, “if it was just Greece, they could consider letting them go down the drain, but it threatens the entire euro zone.” If this economic package were to be given the richest member of the EU, Germany would bear the brunt of its cost –a cost that would be political as well as financial. The German population was overwhelmingly against the replacement of the mark by the Euro. If this Greece package were to be given, the current chancellor, Angel Markel would face even more criticism than she has already for the financial problems the country is facing. With declining exports and a shrinking population, Germany is in a precarious situation. A German sponsored bailout package would be rather expensive but the alternative; help from the International Monetary Fund would be economic and political suicide. • PLEASE SEE STUCK C3
C2 • THE SILHOUETTE around the globe Mexico
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
YOUR MONEY
Gang violence in Mexico may affect the tourism industry for the second straight year. There has been a lower number of college age travellers to the Latin American country. This is believed to be due to the drug violence near the U.S Mexican border. Acapulco also predicted a 30 per cent decrease for spring breakers this year to 17,500 travellers. Other major hindrances to the economy have been the recession weakening the U.S economy and the recent swine flu scare.
China Chinese energy firm China Windpower Group Ltd. (HK:182) will be developing over $65 billion in wind power plants in China with U.S energy firm Duke Energy Corp (NYSE:DUKE) in an effort to reduce the reliance on polluting energy sources like coal in the developing nation. The company has decided to invest in the wind power technology because of the falling prices of turbines and the government funding associated with going down this path. Prices for turbines have fallen by 15 per cent to $1.44 million a turbine. The company is also investing in wind because it means more energy for less cost.
United Kingdom A report conducted in the United Kingdom surrounding the prices of luxury homes around the world found that prices of apartments fell, including some of the world’s most expensive cities. 56 locations around the world felt the burn of the recession, averaging a 5.5 per cent decline in each location. Play grounds for the rich like the Monaco saw prices decline by over 15 per cent along with Caribbean destinations falling by 13 per cent. However places like Shanghai, riding China’s quick recovery saw rising prices.
United States Warren Buffet is at it again, slowly taking over the United States, one business at a time. This time Buffet and his company Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK/A) has acquired alcoholic beverage distributor Khan Ventures Inc. This acquisition was done in part to provide a good position for Berkshire with the opportunity when acquiring similar distribution firms in the future. This company will be integrated into Berkshire’s McLane unit, which deals with chain restaurants and other retailers. This unit currently accounts for more than a quarter of the company’s revenue.
CHRISOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Spend or save
What’s your summer endgame? Santino Marinucci Business Editor
Well you have finally made it through yet another year, another barrage of exams and tests and you are coming to the end of the madness. In addition to this, your previous hard earned summer savings have finally seen the end of their lifespan. Crying over how broke you are will not change the fact that you need to come up with a summer savings game plan. This plan generally consists of questions like; where will I work? How will I possibly be able to afford that trip to Wasaga Beach? Or maybe you have more important financial goals in mind, you know, like next year’s tuition and books. So for the sake of argument, let’s say that you want to do your best to save up over the summer so that you will not be eating grilled cheese sandwiches and ramen in the last months of the school year again. Well this can be easily achieved through simple measures that will leave you more financially stable in the long run, if you choose to save. The first and most obvious step to start saving is to get yourself a job in the summer so that you actually have an
income to save. However, if you are one of those students who does not feel the need to work in the summer, try volunteering and keeping yourself busy. Not only will this potentially ramp up your resume, making you look more employable for your future career, it will in turn keep your mind off being bored and wanting to spend money you just don’t have. Another major dent in most university students’ incomes, especially students who do not live at home in the summer, is the excessive eating out that we are all guilty of. Going out and getting that $5 frappacino from Starbucks may seem like a good idea when it’s hot outside, but when you’re doing it every day, that is some serious coinage lost. So go out and buy groceries for yourself, $40 worth of groceries stretches a lot farther than a $15 pizza, be smart with your money and you’re fall won’t turn red, it will stay green. So it is nearing the end of May and finding a job has proved impossible, as was the fate of many students last year, and you have decided to move back home. You have tuition taken care of by your parents and are riding the financial tsunami of success. The tide has come in and you have decided to spend your money. Well, one can still spend without com-
pletely flushing it down the drain. If you budget out a trip that is within reason with a group of friends, and you can realistically afford it why not go for it? Even for the student who plans on working throughout the summer can probably afford to place away a small amount of money for a trip to get away from the slave labour you experience at your job on a regular basis. All inclusive trips to Cuba can prove to be very affordable, running around $500 or less all in. Vacations are an affordable option for whether you want to spend or save this summer. Take a break, you earned it. Lastly if that pay cheque is seriously burning a hole in your pocket, but you just cannot afford to spend your money on something that is school related, set up a small savings pool for one main event or purchase you want, and work towards that one item. This will not only save you money, but douse your need spend by rewarding yourself. So whether you decide to spend your money or to save it this summer, do both wisely and you may come out with a pleasant median on both ends.
Raging bull Simon Granat Business Editor
Even though our city still wears the title “Steel Town,” it hasn’t depended on the steel industry for some time. Stelco was shut down when China stopped buying steel in the middle of the economic recession in 2007. As a result, Stelco closed its blast furnace and left 700 people out of work. In fact, Stelco and Dofasco had been constantly downsizing their workforce for the past two decades. Currently, health care and medical industries are the number one employer in town. We are the armpit of the province, especially when the price of Nickel is on the rise. On Feb. 22 Hamilton’s economy got a shot in the arm. Canada Bread Co. (TSE: CBY), the company that produces Dempster’s brand bread, will open a factory in Hamilton. Analysts expect the investment to inject $100 million into the city’s economy. A part of this will be in the form of the construction of a 375,000 square foot plant to be built in the North Glanbrook Industrial Park. The park is located near where the Lincoln Alexander Parkway and the Redhill Expressway join. It’s about time that there was some good news for Hamiltonians. Whether you just go to school in Hamilton or you live in town you’re probably tired to see endless employment lines that characterise our city. I know that I am. The problem is that there is no promise that Canada Bread will cook some jobs up.
Earlier this semester, when the company announced they would be relocating, they promised current employees a job at the new factory. With unemployment high, chances are that employees will grit and bear the commute from Toronto. Additional jobs will be created that offshoot from the new factory. But, will it be enough? Probably not. Canada Bread’s relocation from Toronto to Hamilton will give the city more than potential jobs. The successful influx of capital investment will give us some much needed street cred. In the past few years there is has been a long list of companies that have moved out of town (Siemens), have downsized their workforce (Stelco) or filed for chapter 11. Do Hamiltonians still want the city to be an industrial centre? Some, like the steel workers that protest on the corner of James and King would. I bet that many university students wouldn’t. Do we want steel mills burning bright, polluting our air? Or do we want something else? Given the choice, Hamiltonians would want a green alternative. The trouble is we can’t afford to be picky. This city is so desperate that jobs take precedent. No matter what the cost. All we can see is the employment line. The shorter it is, the better. The relocation of Canada Bread Co. is proof that the city may at least be doing something right. I just hope that it lasts.
The Sil Business Section
Wants You!
Writers and Warren Buffetts, if you are interested in writing, analyzing, or predicting the future of the business world, there’s only one chance left to volunteer this year so, e-mail business@thesil.ca • Weekly meetings held Mondays at 1:30 p.m. in the Sil office, MUSC b110
THE SILHOUETTE • C3
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
the water cooler
executive silhouettes
Thriving in tumultuous times
Compiled by Santino Marinucci
Armani’s first hotel postponed The opening of luxury clothing designer Giorgio Armani’s new hotels will be put on hold. The hotel was located in the Burj Khalifa building in Dubai. Construction has been postponed for a month due to mechanical malfunction. Reports say that the hotel will open on April 22, 2010, instead. The 160-room hotel will boast Armani designed decor and furniture. Canadians finally starting to spend again Retail sales in Canada have increased 0.7 per cent in January according to Statistics Canada. Building and outdoor home supply stores saw the largest increase in gains at 7.4 per cent because of people trying to cash in on the building and home renovation credit offered by the government. The highest increase in Canada was seen in Newfoundland and Labrador at 2.1 per cent. Boeing anticipate sky high sales
SUPPLIED PHOTOS
Carol Hansell, director for the Bank of Canada tells what graduates need in the economic recession Simon Granat Business Editor
There’s no getting around it, the Bank of Canada is the most important financial institution in the country. No other bank, company or lender has the political power to enact monetary policy and cause widespread financial change like BOC. Recently the bank has been credited for the success Canada has had emerging and going into the recession. That’s if you think anyone can successfully go through a recession. Carol Hansell currently sits on the board of directors at the Bank of Canada. This position effectively puts her ahead on the economic food chain. A Hamiltonian by birth, Hansell took her BA in History at the University of Western Ontario, in London, Ontario in 1981. In the next five years she gathered three more degrees, in 1982 an MA in International Relations from the University of Toronto, an LLB from Osgoode Hall a year later and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business at York University in 1986. For most of those who make it to the
top they have a role model that has pushed them somewhere along their road to success. Hansell credits a, “very strong influence from parents” as her inspiration. In and out of school, Hansell worked hard. After graduating Schulich she landed a job articling for Osler Hoskin and Harcourt LLP. Hardwork, determination and lots of elbow grease put Hansell where she is today. “You don’t get anywhere except by doing a lot of heavy lifting. I’m not sure that there’s any substitute for that,” Hansell said. In October 2006 Hansell was appointed to Board of Directors for the Bank of Canada. She considers the post, “very important.” Prior to her appointment to the bank, she had advised them on a number of issues surrounding corporate governance. Still, Hansell has appreciated the difference moving across the table. “Moving from the role as an outside advisor to sitting on the board of the Bank of Canada was a pretty terrific change from my perspective,” Hansell said. Even though the bank is a public institution, its functions mirror boards in the private sphere. “The board of directors is the oversight body. We would, for ex-
ample be responsible for hiring the governor of the Bank of Canada,” said Hansell. While the board appoints the governor, Hansell says it does not handle monetary policy. “We would oversee the activities of the bank with the exception of monetary policy.” Currently Hansell is the one of the world’s premier corporate governance attorneys, according to the International Who’s Who of Lawyers. She is currently a senior member of Davies, Ward, Phillips and Vineberg LLP in Toronto. In 2007 she did went where no non-American has gone before. Hansell was the first non-American to be appointed chair of the American Bar Association’s Committee on Corporate Governance. Students who enter the workforce today face different conditions than those in our shoes thirty years ago. “Technology has changed a lot of things. Those are things that I would have been doing as an articling student 25 years ago. In part [it] means that we don’t need students to do all the things they used to do.” Hansell said.
Stuck between a rock and hard place
Financial aid could come from EU or IMF • CONT’D FROM 1 Some might disagree. With its purpose being to help countries pay off long term debts, the IMF and its resources would seem like a perfect solution. Except that it would be a disastrous public relations move for the Euro Zone. Many members of the EU fear that IMF involvement would undermine confidence in the
single currency system. This standoff cannot last forever; the future of the Euro will be decided in the coming weeks. Greece’s economy cannot afford to be in limbo much longer. The Euro just recently rebounded from a 3 week low but investors doubt it’s going to rise back to
Bear:
Blockbuster Video
(NYSE: BBI)
What I remember about VHS: 1 – The tape would always get stuck in the machine. 2 – You didn’t mind the poor picture quality. 3 – Renting movies from blockbuster. Now, it looks as though the proliferation of self made illegal DVD’s, BlueRay Disks and Internet movies have taken a toll on Blockbuster. The movie rental giant’s share price plummeted over 50 per cent, from $0.61 at the end of Jan. to sit around $0.24 now. To make matters worse the company has admitted bankruptcy may be in the cards. No need to rent Titanic, just watch Blockbuster.
its original highs. Investors, the key players in this situation, are holding on to the maxim of ‘time will tell.’ The United States, home to many of these investors, will be releasing economic data soon and should help point to the direction that investors might take.
Bull: Telus
(TSE: T) Canadian cell phone providers are in uncertain waters because their industry will soon be deregulated. Economists are even less certain what will happen. Telus admitted that they had money as they recently released plans to spend $650 million to build an IPTV network to try and stalwart Shaw’s plans to enter the Western Canadian market. If deregulation means that Canadian companies will be in for a fight, Telus’ move to try and stay ahead of the curve could pay off for investors and consumers alike.
Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA-N) is preparing its production line for increased demand for sales in the upcoming year for its 747 and 777 models. The company believes that the airline industry will recover this year and will ramp up production in mid 2011 for its 777 models. Other factors influencing this decision are the increasing demand from Asian airline companies, who favour the newer airplane models because of the fuel efficiency. Suncor ramps up oil production Oil producer Suncor Energy (TSE:SU) has been given the go ahead to expand its oil producing operations in northern Alberta. The Canadian based firm produces 60,000 barrels a day, this expansion will double that, totalling around 120,000 barrels a day. The new oil sands project will include a new type of technology named Firebag, which is steam assisted gravity drainage technology. This is done to liquefy the heavy crude and pump it more efficiently. Canadians prefer computers to TV For the first time in history Canadians are spending more time online than watching television, according to an Ipsos Reid poll. The data indicated that most age groups are spending more time online, with the exception of the 55 year old age group who still predominantly watch television. This is evident by the increasing amount of content that is available for free online, this shift shows that there is a shift from how Canadians gather their information. Internet Explorer not so popular in Europe An American software firm has made it easier for consumers to download other browsers. As a result, Microsoft’s (NADAQ: MSFT) Internet Explorer has seen a drop in market share. This decline comes on the heels of a long anti-trust dispute between Microsoft and the European Union. Internet Explorer’s share of the market dropped in France by 2.5 percentage points, in Britain by 1 percentage point and in Italy by 1.3 points all in February. The next big 80’s rock star: Warren Buffet Billionaire investor Warren Buffet made his annual appearance in a Geico video. In the short, Buffet sings while he is dressed as an 80’s rock star, complete with bandana and long red hair. The film is a short video shown to Geico employees at their annual meeting.
C4 • THE SILHOUETTE
THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010
FROM THE GOULD TRADING FLOOR
WORLD WIDE BUSINESS
Loonie takes flight JONATHAN STYPA
GOULD TRADING FLOOR
The Canadian dollar has once again reemerged from the darkness, reaching $0.9828 USD after posting gains for three consecutive weeks on the speculation of interest rate changes, inflation rates and strengthening consumer prices in the past months. These underlying factors have contributed to investors’ perception that the economy is turning around and showing a positive forecast for future growth. Analysts believe that the Loonie will stabilize in the $0.95 area by summer 2010. This will take place after the Bank of Canada raises the overnight or ‘discount’ lending rate. The market consensus is that the central bank will adjust rates by 25 basis points (0.25 per cent) in July, part of its strategy to
limit inflationary pressures without putting a damper on the country’s still fragile economic growth. However, the Bank could be expected to begin the tightening cycle earlier if the inflationary pressures continue to exceed projections. With an above-average outlook for economic growth, the stable Canadian financial markets have made Canada an increasingly attractive destination for investors’ cash. This has been the principle underlying pressure behind the upward momentum of the Canadian dollar over the previous weeks. The Bank of Canada will soon face a choice between raising interest rates sooner than expected to suppress inflation, or continue to underwrite the country’s recovery. The value of the Canadian dollar is dependent upon this decision.
Gould Trading Floor Market Outlook IN CANADA, economists expect the country’s leading indicators’ month-over-month growth to have slowed from 0.90 per cent in January to 0.80 per cent in February. IN THE UNITED STATES, meanwhile, analysts expect statistics on the country’s annualized quarter-over-quarter Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to show 5.90 per cent growth, unchanged from the last reporting period. The country’s initial jobless claims will likely fall to 450 thousand, down from 457 thousand, while continuing claims are expected to drop from 4.58 million to 4.56 million. IN EUROPE, Alistair Darling, Britain’s Chancellor of the Exchequer unveils the country’s budget on Wednesday March 24. Recent figures show that Britain’s deficit, while vast, has expanded less than previously thought. With an election looming in the spring, Mr. Darling’s urge to tackle the deficit may take the back seat to local sweeteners from the Labour Party. MEANWHILE, EUROPEAN leaders will meet in Brussels for a two-day summit starting Thursday, March 25 to discuss both the recent Greek debt crisis and continued fragility of other EU member countries. The political and economic bloc’s members are divided on how to approach the issue, with Germany skeptical about providing financial aid to struggling economies. IN ONTARIO, an increase in minimum wage is scheduled to take for almost all jobs on Mar. 31, 2010. The General Minimum Wage will see an increase from $9.50 to $10.25, student wage will go from $8.90 to $9.60, Liqueur servers will go from $8.25 to $8.90, homeworkers will not see a raise. EARNINGS HIGHLIGHTS for the upcoming week include releases from such prominent names as jeweler Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF), pharmacy chain Walgreen Co. (NYSE:WAG), cruise ship operators Carnival Corp. (NYSE:CCL), cereal-maker General Mills Inc. (NYSE:GIS), discount store operator Dollarama Inc. (TSE:DOL), and Canadian wealth managers DundeeWealth (TSE: DW).
CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
Chinese citizens will only have access to Google’s Hong Kong server.
Pulling out of China may get messy for Google OMAR MASUD
SILHOUETTE STAFF
During his first year of presidency in an annual review of the national security strategy, Barack Obama ranked “nuclear, biological, and cyber” attacks the highest among all potential threats to the United States in the 21st century. These fears were proven true when on Jan. 10, 2010, Google announced that “highly sophisticated and targeted attacks,” originating in China were made on its e-mail service, Gmail. Along with services of at least twenty other US technology companies. Even though other firms have turned a blind eye towards this issue, Google has taken a strong stance against the Communist regime by announcing that it is “no longer willing to continue censoring results on Google.cn, and so over the next few weeks we will be discussing with Chinese government the basis on which we [Google] could operate an unfiltered search engine within the law, if it all.” On Mar. 22, Google took down their Chinese search engine. This may cause severe friction and public outcry in and outside of China. Currently, Chinese citizens can access Google’s Hong Kong search engine. However, it is probable that the Chinese government will block mainland access to the Hong Kong website. China which has made every feasible effort over the past
decade to encourage foreign investment might be hurt by a departure by a US giant like Google. With this said, China’s refusal to censor will definitely undermine their own efforts regarding investment. Especially since the media is advertising this move as “a new approach to China” and declaring Google a “champion of free speech” so other companies might have to follow Google’s foot steps to ensure that they don’t lose public support back home. As an added pressure for China, a dispute with Google means straining bilateral relationships with a key trading partner as the U.S has decided to throw its full support behind Google. In a recent press-conference U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said “U.S. technology companies should resist censorship of the Internet and the perpetrators of cyber attacks such as those against Google must face the consequences.” On the flip side a pull-out from China is not going to be a walk in the park for Google either. According to Bloomberg, “Google earned 2.27 billion Yuan ($333 million), from China in 2009.” This accounted for a mere two percent of Google’s total revenue. However, if they shut down their Chinese operations it would mean losing access to the world’s largest online market.
From data collected by Tencent Holding Ltd., operator of China’s biggest online chat service, currently there are over 384 million internet users within China, which is more than the entire US population; this number is expected to rise to over 840 million by 2013. Furthermore, Andy Miedler, an analyst at Edward Jones & Co. explains that Google already dominates 75 per cent of market share within the US and Europe. So the only real growth markets excluding China will be Korea, Japan and India. Unfortunately, these markets are much smaller and have well established local rivals making them much harder to penetrate into. Google’s exit from China will have an everlasting financial impact on Google’s balance sheet as well as will be a cause of global embarrassment for Chinese authorities. Hence, both sides should formulate a deal that will be beneficial in the long-term. Google should respect local government and take minor steps towards ensuring freedom of speech rather than bluntly refusing to follow government policies. Chinese administration should assure Google that the privacy standards by which it adheres too will not be violated again in the future and the level of transparency will be increased gradually over time.
Inside Canada’s undiscovered industry SANTINO MARINUCCI BUSINESS EDITOR
When the term structured settlement comes to mind, not many people are aware of what it is. According to McMaster grad Robert Nigol, BA, MA and current owner of Henderson Structured Settlements here in Hamilton, a structured settlement is a fairly new concept. According to Henderson Structured Settlement’s website the industry arose in 1980 through a revision within the income tax act to create an incentive for people affected by injury or death and to place the money they receive through compensatory damages into something more long term. The incentive is if you put your damages from personal injury or death into a structured settlement
the interest component will not be taxed on payout. Where does Henderson come in to all of this? Essentially the claimants are the main clients and they are represented by insurance companies or counsel against insurance companies. The claimants use Henderson to structure out the lump sums given to them by insurance companies or the state over time so that the claimants do not spend all of their winnings. Structured settlement insurance protects people, “It’s a good public policy because it’s moral but on top of that it’s in the interest of the government and 90% of them blow all of their money within 1 to 5 years. It is in enlightened self interest for the government to create an incentive for people to put their money away because they will lose it”.
Nigol also said that this was in the best interest for the government because if these individuals spend all of their winnings they will be unable to work and have to collect government assistance. Nigol applied his knowledge of the insurance industry into what he was studying at McMaster for his graduate degree. “But given my vocational knowledge in the P and C insurance industry I decided that that familiarity would lend itself well to a master’s thesis so I effectively applied game theory to some political decisions with automobile insurance and effectively got my masters in insurance law and finance”. Nigol explains the industry is untapped because of the barriers to entry, “The barriers to entry to this profession are enormous, ...It is not sufficient simply to understand
the life business you have to understand the legal process with it as well”. He suggests that one must have knowledge in multiple fields to understand the process and only a handful of people and firms in all of Canada actually deal with this type of service. “Not to sound completely un-modest but it is extremely complex and while it would seem that this is a business that should be more competitive than it is it isn’t because at this time there are maybe 20 to 30 people in Canada that are licensed and have the capabilities that the five of us have here. And not all those people are full time structured settlement people”. There are only two firms in Canada that have the licensing capabilities to perform structured settlement services.
index
D2 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine
thursday, march 25, 2010
Senior Editor: Grace Evans Entertainment Editor: Myles Herod Music Editor: Corrigan Hammond Contributors: Catherine Brasch, Michael Clemens, Jordan Collver, Julie Compton, Harrison Cruikshank, Kevin Elliott, Roxanne Hathway-Baxter, Dan Hawie, Michael Hewak, Chris Hoy, Derek Hung, Aaron Joo , Noah Nemoy, Josh Parsons, Trevor Roach, Ben Small, Katharine Snider-McNair, Jemma Wolfe Cover: Jon Fairclough
this week
we’re going backpacking this summer with your parents... write for andy. musc b110.
mar.27-apr.8 dec.5-april.11
Hamilton Public Library Central Branch, 4th floor 55 York Blvd., Hamilton theartof language.pr@gmail. com
Jackson Square Cinema
jan.16-may.9
Young Rivals The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
“The Art of Language: A Chinese Experience”
Liquid of Rain and Rivers Art Gallery of Hamilton 123 King St., Hamilton 905-577-6610 info@artgalleryofhamilton. com Ritual Evidence Art Gallery of Hamilton 123 King St., Hamilton 905-577-6610 info@artgalleryofhamilton. com
The Bounty Hunter Fri - Sat: 6:30, 9:10
theatre
Green Zone Fri - Sat: 6:50, 10:20
How To Train Your Dragon Fri - Sat: 6:15, 8:50 Diary of a Wimpy Kid Fri - Sat: 6:50, 9:15 Repo Men Fri - Sat: 6:25, 9:00 Festivals Ancaster 2010 Film Fest The Last Station (Apr. 12) Mon: 7:15
mar.10-mar.28
The Flatliners The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
Alice in Wonderland Fri - Sat: 6:50, 9:40
Doubt: A Parable By Marcia Kash Theatre Aquarius 190 King William St. 1-800-465-7529 boxoffice@theatreaquarius
Impromptu Splendor Theatre Aquarius 190 King William St. 1-800-465-7529 boxoffice@theatreaquarius
andy’s pick now
Samuel James This Aint Hollywood 9:00 p.m.
opening
Gordon Lightfoot Hamilton Place Theatre 8:00 p.m.
ancaster
Jason Collett Absinthe 9:00 p.m.
Silvercity Ancaster
She’s Out of My League Fri - Sat: 7:30, 10:20
jackson
Coco et Co The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
Hot Tub Time Machine Greenberg Chloe
Hot Tub Time Machine Fri - Sat: 7:45, 10:30
festivals
apr. 2 apr. 7 apr. 8
Mathew Barber Hamilton Place Studio 9:00 p.m.
apr. 8
apr. 1
Poirier Absinthe 9:00 p.m.
apr. 8
mar.30
Two Hour Traffic The Casbah 8:00 p.m.
apr. 10
mar.28
Said The Whale The Casbah 8:00 p.m.
Magneta Lane The Casbah 8:00 p.m.
apr. 12
mar.27
Spirits Absinthe 8:00 p.m.
Buddy Guy Hamilton Place Theatre 7:30 p.m.
apr.14
mar.27
Carol Welsman Lincoln Alexander Center 9:00 p.m.
Tokyo Police Club Rokbar 8:00 p.m.
apr.21
mar.27
Brasstronaut The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
apr. 1
Death Point Absinthe 9:00 p.m.
Hunter Valentine The Casbah 8:00 p.m.
apr. 21
Sons of Butcher The Casbah 9:00 p.m.
The Budos Band Pearl Factory 10:00 p.m.
may.1
mar.25 mar.26
Dragonette Hamilton Place Studio 8:00 p.m.
mar. 26 mar. 26
Peter Jackson Absinthe 9:00 p.m.
art
film
music
mar.16-mar.27
in the hammer
cousins we didn’t know about. making the most beautiful cake ever. seriously, with fondant daisies and everything. going home for the weekends. finding five dollars on the floor.
the sil is hiring editors for the 2010/2011 school year
you should apply andy positions include: music editor entertainment editor senior editor e-mail your resume and cover letter to thesil@thesil.ca deadline march 31st
thursday, march 25, 2010
column
In recent times, the term “quarter-life crisis” has developed in order to describe the anxiety twenty-somethings are facing at the prospect of finishing their degrees and entering the workforce, and the increasing pressures to find early success. And now, in a time of competitive job markets and a failing economy, finding fulfillment after university seems even more elusive. In the foreword to It’s A Wonderful Lie: 20 Truths About Life In Your Twenties, Alexandra Robbins writes, “It is more difficult to be twenty-something now than it was 40 years ago. We face the most competitive hiring pool in history, with increasing numbers of college graduates. Furthermore, the age at which older generations expect us to succeed is rapidly plummeting…we’re made to feel that if we haven’t achieved something monumental by age 25, then we’re already over the hill. Regarding marriage, we are heavily influenced by that legendary 50 per cent divorce rate. We do not want to make our parent’s mistakes. The truth is, we’re not averse to growing up; we simply want to grow up responsibly.” The theme of the Andy short fiction contest is the quarter-life crisis. The submissions we received revolved around the anxiety and apprehension in young people as they negotiate the pitfalls of growing up. In first place, Aaron Joo’s
the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • D3
“Carousel” follows a girl’s wandering thoughts as she confronts the ennui of post-graduation and the sometimes-painful nostalgia of childhood memories. You can read Joo’s story on D6. “Secret Spills” by Erin Aspenlieder is the second place-winning entry. It looks at a young woman’s building resentment toward her mother framed by two separate, yet intertwined, landmark events. You can read Aspenlieder’s story on D8. Third place is Alyssa Comfort’s “Some Conversation About Plans,” in which a young woman’s interaction with a clinical drug trial participant influences her decision as to what to do with her immediate future. Honourable mention goes to Adam Riggio’s “Write My Name in Hangul,” which deals with two very different young men’s experiences as Canadian living in South Korea, and Siavosh Moshiri’s “The Warrior’s Son” which looks at drug dependency and the desire to fulfill parental expectations. You can read all of the top five submissions online at thesil.ca. The winners will receive a copy of Andy’s short fiction anthology with their published story, and first, second and third place winners will also receive a gift certificate to Titles. •Grace Evans and Peter Goffin
CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF
D4 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine
advice by the book
literature
writing advice from first-time published author lauren kirshner
Lauren Kirshner is a Toronto-based author who has recently published her first novel, Where We Have to Go. A recent graduate of the University of Toronto’s M.F.A. in Creative Writing, she shared some insights into her novel as well as some writing advice for aspiring young writers with me. Grace Evans: Are there elements of your novel that are autobiographical? Lauren Kirshner: I think for sure anytime an author creates a fictional world they’re going to bring in parts of the world as they know it…Lucy isn’t me and it’s not my family but I definitely took in parts of the world as I grew up in it, through my neighbourhood in Toronto and sort of the things that Lucy is passionate about or is afraid of I have those things in common with her. The short answer is that rather than it being an exact reproduction of my life, it’s certainly not, but I took some inspiration from my own life, did some embellishing and invention on top.
thursday, march 25, 2010
Can you talk about your experience being a young writer and publishing your first novel?
before, but in terms of getting the publishing deal I had help with that.
It took about three years to write. I started when I was 23 and finished it when I was 26, now I’m 27. I’ve been writing since I was in high school, this was always a dream of mine to be a writer… I was always working on this novel, I think I probably started this book in my head as a teenager. [As a part of my M.A.] I started this book as a short story... It was just about 25 pages, around the section where Lucy is eleven and really obsessed with ALF, closer to the beginning of the book. When I got to the M.A., Margaret Atwood became my mentor, and she encouraged me, [she thought] I had a good story and she thought it was publishable. Having a mentor, having someone who reads your work and can give you either constructive feedback or just encouragement is really valuable. I had that, and I had friends, and I was part of a writing community who were all trying to do similar things…get to the point where we were ready to put out a book. [It took] a lot of putting off my friends I can’t go out tonight, I’m writing, writing. And just, you know plugging away at it, and not getting discouraged because there are a lot of days where you’re writing and it’s not always working… It’s a lot of trial and error, it’s like putting together a house when you don’t even know what that looks like. For me it was a huge learning experience and whenever someone asks me who is trying to write a book I tell them to tell yourself that you’re not trying, you are going to write a book, commit to yourself but it’s going to be a lot of trial and error. So patience, that was one of the really important lessons I learned, to have patience with myself and also with the story.
What happens next? Do you already have a deal for your next novel?
Was this book a part of your M.A. in Creative Writing at UofT?
I can recommend a couple of really amazing writing books that helped me. One is called Writing Down the Bones, by Natalie Goldberg. And the other one is called If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland. Then of course just finding writers who you feel like their voice excites you, and writers who you feel you connect with on an emotional level. It’s really about just making a promise to yourself that you’re going to work on it no matter how tough it gets… After the program is over, now it’s just me and my cats all sprawled out on the desk and my computer screen and my music…If you like to write and if you go through all this education about writing, you come out with these tools but you’re literally in the same place in terms of the creative process, learning how to inspire yourself and how to bring out the best most creative part of you. The goal going into a writing program is to learn how to do this for yourself so that you can be your editor, you can be your coach, you can be your cheerleader when you’re having a bad day.
You have to produce 150 pages of a book length work. It could be novel or short stories to graduate. After I graduated, a month afterwards McClelland & Stewart bought the book when it was half finished. I spent the next eight months finishing it on my own. How did that work? Margaret Atwood had four or five chapters and she showed it to an editor there that she has a relationship with. And then two weeks later I got a phone call from the publisher of McClelland & Stewart… I just put on my nice dress and rode my bike down to the swanky offices; it was totally dream-like and unexpected. Before I published the book I [was] published in newspapers and small literary journals, so the whole process of publishing in journals and writing query letters I had done that
Well the book isn’t finished yet, so I will show it to them when it’s finished. They’ll be the first one’s to see it, that’s in the contract. Would you recommend a writing program for aspiring writers? For people who want to write, I think an M.A. or an M.F.A. is a good idea, in terms of it gives you the discipline, and you get used to producing a story a month or whatever you need to produce to meet the requirements for your workshop or for your portfolio. It hopefully makes you open to people’s feedback, you’re in these workshops where people write comments in the margins to say this is working, and this isn’t working. You know if you don’t have a lot of humility…you really develop it quickly because some people are going to like your stuff and some people won’t. In a writing workshop, you just sit there while they critique your work and you don’t say anything, you just listen to it and hopefully you’re learning and if you don’t like their comments then you block them out or whatever. But your story kind of gets strong from there, and everyone looks at it and touches it and takes it apart. It helps to see the story less preciously as a sort of object and you work at it. You learn how to edit and really go back… I quickly learned that a lot of the writing happens in the editing process. What advice can you give aspiring writers?
thursday, march 25, 2010
literature
where we have to go
compelling new book by toronto author lauren kirshner Lauren Kirshner’s recent first novel, Where We Have to Go, follows the main character Lucy as she grows up in Toronto during the nineties. Published by McClelland and Stewart, the novel takes a close look at Lucy’s family dynamics, and the tense relationship between her parents as a result of her father’s infidelity. Lucy Bloom first appears inn the novel at age eleven, and grows into young adulthood by the end of the novel. Kirschner writes a convincing voice for Lucy from the perceptive eleven year-old, to the selfconscious teenager, and into a strong young adult. She’s a little weird, but identifiable and naïve. Lucy has a mild obsession with cats and pretends that her own cat has a job, as well as a minor obsession with ALF. But her earnest growth into adolescence is convincingly painful at times as she moves between school and home, where the tension between her parents holds Lucy suspended between them. The other characters are written with a lot of depth and care. The book examines how people try to find what makes them happy. Lucy’s father tried to find it in an affair and as a result her mom tries to leave, but that doesn’t make her happy either. They exist in the quiet painful family home, where her father walks on eggshells and it’s clear that her mom is disappointed in the choices she has made. Lucy is painfully aware of everything that is going on, but as a child she is also misinformed. She oscillates between trying to fix things at home herself and trying to run away. Lucy’s parents, Frank and Joy, are written with complexity and depth in a delicate relationship balanced by tension and silence. Both unsatisfied and searching for a greater happiness, they attempt to latch on to other people and take Lucy with them. Their relationship fluctuates through various stages as the novel progresses, and it is an intimate and considerate depiction. Lucy’s best friend Erin is written with the colour and vivaciousness that it is clear Lucy desires for herself. Erin is impulsive and scattered, and her and Lucy’s lives quickly become intertwined as they make plans with one another. Erin provides a source of support and a way for Lucy to be more fearless and live less quietly. Erin tells Lucy: “We’re too young to have plan B. I don’t even know what my plan A is.” The only part of the novel that I take issue with is the disappearance of Lucy’s eating disorder. Up until this point Lucy’s compulsive counting, intense self criticism and role as the only child caught inbetween parental conflict set the stage for her own
struggle as she internalizes this guilt and pressure. After she seeks treatment at a house for “the criminally thin,” she returns home and the eating disorder seemingly vanishes from the narrative altogether. Even though her parent’s relationship continues to fluctuate throughout the novel, Lucy’s weight and food issues have vanished, and given the intimate connection between them I am uncertain as to how realistic this omission is. Kirshner said “I don’t want to say that an eating disorder is like a light switch and one day you have it and one day you don’t, I don’t think that’s true from all the research I’ve done. But I did want to show that Lucy is finally taking charge of her life. So much of her life before had been dominated by the wishes and the problems of her parents. I think this is the moment in the book where she is really deciding what in her life is most important. She chooses her friends and she chooses dependence rather than the cage that her family and her eating disorder has put her into. While I think it might seem like it’s disappeared, because it’s a first person narration, Lucy’s kind of steering the ship at that point. For me as the author I felt like Lucy really wants to focus on everything but the eating disorder, and she wants to focus on freedom and the eating disorder was the opposite of that.” As she grows older Lucy demonstrates the stupid idealism of being young and imaging your perfect adult life, being critical of your parents and imaging that you’ll do it better. She struggles internally with self criticism and insecurity all the same, and tries to work through her feelings about herself and family to locate her own independence. Lucy continues to have thoughtful and introspective ideas as she develops into young womanhood, especially in regards to the personality and character traits that make up individuals and bind relationships together. She reflects “People are like switches. When they’re on, the currents of life are flowing through them: they’re funny, they sing you a bar of a stupid song without caring how they sound, and they talk before they have a chance to think about what they want to say. I was like that with Erin. Dad used to be like that with me, in his own blunt way. Now he shut everyone down. Now he’s shut himself down.” It is exciting to read a story that revolves around familiar places, like Bathurst Street and Lee’s Palace. Where We Have to Go is an entertaining read with a lovable character who is easy to relate to. •Grace Evans
the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • D5
feature
D6 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine
thursday, march 25, 2010 • D7
carousel
by aaron joo
in this first prize-winning entry, our narrator recounts childhood memories of joy and fear before experiencing the anxiety of trying to let them go
An open window lets a breeze stream into the porous apartment. I get up and shut it. “Sugar and cream, sweetie?” “No, black, mom.” A pause, then, “I’ll leave some on the table in case you change your mind.” I shiver. This place has a life of its own; even with all the windows and doors closed, it breathes. A draft still lingers in the room, creeps around the sparse furniture, crawls up my arms. The floors are covered with cheap linoleum tiles. On hot days it feels tacky under my feet. In some spots, where the yellowing walls meet, the tiles curl. I hear mom cluttering about in the kitchen, fixing her own breakfast. She starts humming an aimless tune. I feel restless, but I sit back down in my chair. “Here’s your coffee,” mom says, bringing in a small tray. “Thanks.” I turn to my breakfast; poke at the gelatinous oatmeal sitting in my bowl, and eventually convince myself to mouth a spoonful of it. It’s bland and dull on my tongue, and reminds me of sawdust. I forcefully gulp it down. It sits in my stomach uncomfortably. I take a large satisfying swallow of hot coffee. I look for something to distract me, something to read maybe. There’s an open newspaper by mom’s seat across the table, but on second thought, I’m not exactly in the mood to be reminded how the economy’s been going to shit this early in the morning. I stare at the small print from where I’m sitting, laid out in neat columns like perfect pillars row by row, then gradually, little by little, it falls out of focus, as if crumbling, and then collapses in a cloud of black and grey debris…I take a deep breath, lean back in my chair, my eyes feel heavy, I let them fall. And I think, that it all feels like one constant dream. Lately, insomnia has been stealing selfish portions of my sleep. I’m always walking around half-awake, slipping in and out of my daydreams, gliding between fragmented images of scenes from the past. Sometimes it almost feels as if my head’s been severed off and was being held suspended high above my body, floating in some ethereal realm, in a sea of memories. In these moments, my head feels dense, and my thoughts tightly packed, like a film reel, a long string of still shots, images that I can flick through in my mind. Every single day for the past few months have been a 24-hour long movie on loop: I watch the same people in the same scenarios, walking about, conversing, animated, but slow, as if frozen in my memory. It comes to me only as a blurry timeline of short arbitrary film clips. There’s a flash in my head, an instantaneous photograph taken and saved, so I can hold on to some sense of progression but everything seems prolonged; time falls on its stomach, and crawls forward, dragging its feet behind it. I look down at the porcelain mug of coffee in my hand. It’s lukewarm. I stir at it with the end of a teaspoon. Slowly I pour in some cream from the small carton mom left on the table,
drop by drop. The cream swirls and dissipates, turning the black into hazelnut, and now a dark toffee. I glance up at the clock, it’s already a quarter past ten. Mom must’ve left for work, and I didn’t even notice. I get up to put my dishes away, then I head to my room. I look at my cramped desk. There’s a stack of books, papers, everything’s disarrayed, envelopes violently gutted, tossed here and there, like an alphabetical homicide. Like a trail of evidence, all this proves is that my life consists of consecutive failures. I‘ve been stuck like this for the past two years. Finishing university means nothing, especially when there’s no place to go from there. Right now, nobody’s hiring, so even if I did get into a graduate school, I won’t be able to pay the expenses. I ruffle through the mess. I find a discoloured photograph. I stuff it in my sweater pocket. There are some job application forms that I have to fill out, but I know they’ll never be read. Underneath an old resume of mine, I find three rejection letters from graduate schools, one from teacher’s college. By the edge of my desk, I spot a couple of overdue bills that I can’t even afford to pay. Fed up, I throw it all aside, lie on my bed with a sigh. I pull out the picture I found. It’s really old. It’s a photo of me when I was in kindergarten. I was a “late bloomer”: a teacher’s euphemism. I gaze intently at the little four-year-old girl sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor at school. I’m there again and I can see myself squinting at the blackboard, brow furrowed, deep in concentration, as this image of myself rolls the letters around in her mouth only for it to dribble off her lips in an incoherent babble. Her tongue is a thick swollen pad of cotton, awkward and heavy. I watch the expression on her face as she desperately tries to piece the sounds together in her head but I know they make no sense to her…and then I start to remember. There’s mom and step-dad hovering over me from across the dining room table in our old house. I tour this place in my mind, as if I’m really there, revisiting. I remember the way the old house felt, the spacious rooms, the simple decor, and the sleepy lifestyle. I grew up here, back before step-dad decided he was sick of us, back when we could afford a decent place to live. In this sliver of memory, I can hear them. I can hear the disappointment that weighs down their voices. They sigh a lot and turn their backs to their own daughter. There are colourful illustrations on large, laminated vocabulary cards, dozens of these, spread out over the surface of the table. It’s like elementary tarot cards. I watch a younger version of myself as she picks one up with her tiny hands, carefully, so as not to drop it, as if her very future was contained inside it, as if I was inside it. She stares at the picture, a depiction of a carousel, the grainy, red and yellow ink roof, and underneath it a single word, bold and threatening. Mom looks straight into her eyes. She looks right back, searching mom’s stare for a trace of compassion. Her face holds a sad strain. “This is a carousel, sweetheart, can you say carousel? Come on, say it with mommy…” Carousel… CONTINUED ON D8
ANDREW BAILEY
D8 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine CONTINUED FROM D7
fiction
I think of my first visit to an amusement park. A day dedicated to spending time with family, with promises of fun and indulgent consumption of fluffy, matted cotton candy, hot dogs greasy, and smothered in ketchup, funnel cakes with doughy strands that twist onto one other. I can hear the sounds. The loud noises grate my eardrums. I watch people on massive cart-like machines creeping inch by inch until they reach the climax of towering steel hills, gravity then yanks them down, and they scream and scream in joyous ecstasy as they spiral through upside-down arcs, feet dangling in the air, the rattling of wheels spinning on bars of steel, the grinding and scraping of brakes as they come to an abrupt halt. I hear it all, then the scene changes, and — It’s nighttime now, and a soft evening mist just starts to bloom, covering everything with a thin sheet of dew. I see the carousel. A wide, golden, cylinder sprouts out from the center of a round platform. As if a living organism, it reaches up to an immense dome, like a giant mushroom. Its edges are intricately laced with small glass bulbs; perfect spheres of light that emanate with a pretty, warm glow, I can’t help but stare. It illuminates everything under its roof, like a brilliant spotlight. Then I notice the horses bolted down to the wooden base. Each one is embellished with trims of gold, and some have pearl white fur, others similar to jade. And I feel sad for these poor creatures, being forced by engines, doomed to an existence of carrying strangers in circles for eternity. I wonder, exactly how the horses have come to this unfortunate fate. Maybe an evil witch turned them into statues. Maybe they’re just trapped inside these fancy plastic shells. Maybe the horses are still alive inside. Maybe not. Walking through a gate and up a short set of steel steps, I cross the platform and hesitantly approach one statue of a particular celadon hue. Its dark mane is cold to the touch. Collected in the shallow curves of its body are beads of condensation from the moist air. It holds a permanently fastened smile, and I look straight into his glossy almond eyes, past his thin halter and blinders. Leaning forward, I gently pat his long, powerful face. Then I hoist myself onto the rigid saddle. Slowly, the platform moves and turns, and high above me, a timeless Russian waltz begins to play. I try to keep my eyes on Mom, who leans forward on the fence surrounding the entire mechanism. The horses start to pump up and down, circling, and circling. Aside from mom who stands so close to the edge, the crowd behind her is invisible to me, camouflaged by the night and the shimmering darkness of the wet ground below them. As I circle around, mom too disappears from my sight, but always returns to me, right where I left her. I try to smile hoping she’ll see. She does; she waves. But when I pass by on the fourth turn, she’s not there anymore. Something’s wrong; I hear a tense noise permeating from the shadows outside the intense light.
thursday, march 25, 2010
I try to step off the horse, but all of the sudden the weathered floor gives a hard jerk, then starts moving faster and faster in pace, like a metronome in time with my suddenly galloping heart. Out of fear, I tighten my grip on the pole that’s impaled through the horse’s chest, and throw my head around to see if I can spot someone, anyone, but no one’s there. I’m completely alone. I cry out, but by now I’m racing so fast the wind overpowers my voice, fluttering it helplessly behind me. Everything around me is obscured by streaks of light. My eyes water from the cold mist that rushes at my face, I feel helpless, I feel a pressure, a heavy weight on my shoulders, then my entire body starts to feel it, I grit my teeth, clench my hands, sticky from cotton candy, sweaty, my knuckles turn white, my thighs taut, straddling the stallion’s girth, the carousel spins faster and faster, the platform groans from the speed, I can’t hold on, I have to hold on, just until Mom gets here. Then I hear a dry crack, of wood being split. All at once, I can feel my horse sliding across the deck, away from the relentless force, away from the other horses rushing by in the opposite direction. I’m inching closer to the edge, I feel off-balance, like I’m falling backwards, but then my horse bucks and leaps off the platform, carrying me with it, pieces of wood and plastic, crumbling off into the darkness below me. I remember thinking that there was something about that point in time, as I soared over the metal gate, across the black asphalt. Everything slowed down, and my head flickered with so many thoughts. And I thought, that I was going to die. Maybe I was just scared, but the instant I thought of the possibility of dying, I said it with such frightening sincerity, so overtly, it was as if I was entirely familiar with death even at such a young age. As if I fully understood something only a few people knew. I felt my life as being so momentary, but still, at heart, I was contented, because I had played my part of something true, something real; existence and that was all. I felt different. I felt new. My eyes looked up to dark clouds amassing in front of a bright sliver of light in the sky, revolving overhead in a dim halo. I noticed my heartbeat still hammering away in my head. Faintly, I could hear sirens in the distance. Then watching the ground close up on me, I took a sharp breath, and braced myself. I’m roused with a jolt. The sunlight glares through the window, lands across my face. Squinting, I stand up from my bed and walk towards the light and look outside, where I see a trickling of people carrying out their afternoon tasks. I see Mr. Conrad leave the apartment for his daily walk heading briskly towards the park with his cane. I watch a man step out of the convenience store on the corner and open a fresh pack of cigarettes, littering the plastic wrap behind him. Across the street, a Hispanic family pushes a cart full of groceries back to their car. One of their children, a small boy tickles his younger brother then runs a few feet ahead and circles back to see if he’s being chased. My eyelids feel heavy again. I throw on a light coat, take one glance at the meager room, and walk out the front door.
AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
thursday, march 25, 2010
fiction
the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • D9
secret spills by erin aspenlieder
blood of the body. andy’s second place winner explores insecure femininity AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Until I turned twelve or thirteen I used to pee while my mom brushed her teeth, or fixed her hair, or did whatever in front of the bathroom mirror. A quick pull down, squat, pull up, all the while chatting about what we planned to do that day, or weekend, or school night. One morning a brown smudge appeared in my underpants – “panties” my mom called them, a word that still makes me shiver, a word too childish for what it describes. I looked at the smudge, and looked up at my mom’s reflection in the mirror. She was asking me whether her outfit matched, while clipping on her earrings. And I remember thinking “should I ask her what this is?” and instead of finding out what the smudge was and whether it was – and I was - normal, I quickly pulled up my pants and my panties and headed off for my grade seven field trip to the Toronto Science Center. And now, eight years later I know the smudges for what they are, though every day for the last fourteen days has been spent searching the toilet paper after I wipe for trace signs, any indicators, the littlest, tiniest, pinkest of the smudges; anything. I wait for the whisper of a cramp to come crawling along my spine and settle in the small of my back. I have run furiously up and down stairs and then done jumping jacks for fifteen minutes without stopping, praying, pleading, demanding that the blood start flowing. Today is day fifteen and I concede that the blood will not, might not, come. Only because I had worn thick cotton panties on the day of the field trip, was I spared the humiliation of a dark stain on the back of my jeans. In the stall of the girls’ washroom (could I still call it the girls’?) I bunched up wads of toilet paper and stuffed them between my legs. The rest of the day I walked with my legs clenched together, biting my lower lip, and shaking my head ‘no’ when my teacher asked me if I wanted a turn with the muscle moulds or gravity simulator. When I got on the bus to go home I tied my jacket around my waist. I remember it being cold and wanting my jacket on my arms and back. I remember being furious with my mother. I was not, and am not, ordinarily angry. I appreciate that sometimes people argue, but I am not someone who gets mad; and I certainly never get mad out loud. But there have been occasions when I have felt annoyed, or even angry, at my mother. Times when she has forgotten to pick me up from piano lessons, or made me wear a hand-me-down on the first day of school. I might even have been mad the day she told me that under no condition could I leave the house without my training bra on. Training for what, I wondered. Now I realize it was training for the real thing, with snaps, and colours and lace; but when I asked
for the pretty bras that the other girls displayed in the gym change room, I was told not to be ridiculous. Just that: don’t be ridiculous. Even still, the fury I felt riding home on the bus, with wadded toilet paper between my legs, came without precedent. It felt cold and hot and helpless and overwhelmingly unfamiliar. A fury that I had to sit there, on my own, wilfully bewildered, because I had not asked. I couldn’t. For $17.99 I will sleep tonight; relaxed and at ease. I am sure that it is only because I have changed pills, and am stressed out and tired. I only had sex once and when I did it was with Michael. I could not be, am not, pregnant with Michael’s baby. To be pregnant with Michael’s baby would be to admit that I had sex with Michael. The indignity of squatting over a pencil sized divining stick occurs to me and I suppress a shudder. I don’t want my roommate to know what I am doing in here. I don’t want anyone to know what I am doing or what I haven’t been doing. I haven’t been peeing that’s for sure. Maybe if I imagined blood flowing, coursing in rivulets from between my legs into the toilet bowl. Thick clots of blood with the hair-like tendrils streaming out from the dense centers; maroon and black and red and crimson and purple all swirled together in one triumph of assurance. Imagination fails, I pee. I turn off the light to wait for the chemicals to work their trickery. The kit I bought for $17.99 is the cheap version; the makers have assigned a happy face to “pregnant” and a sad face to whatever the opposite of pregnant might be – what is that? infertility? barrenness? emptiness? When I turn on the lights I am, therefore, temporarily confused. Shouldn’t this happy face mean all is well? Shouldn’t it be the sign that I can continue on my path of reckless whimsy? Instead this happy face mocks me. Bright pink it trumpets “caught! at last!” I look around, worried that being locked in the bathroom has not been enough to keep this, my secret. When I got home from the field trip my mom asked me how it was, what I learned, whether I had fun. I can’t remember what I said. I must have said that it was fine, that I learned about skeletons and electricity and acid reactions, that I had fun. I said nothing else. The next night when I got off the bus I ran directly to the corner of the neighbour’s field furthest away from our house. I dug a hole using my hands and buried in it the blood stained toilet paper that I had kept lumped between my legs for the past two days. I had stolen a maxipad from my teacher’s purse at recess and was wearing it while I performed this burial. A pad I had only known to look for after consulting a library book on menstruation. Sanitary napkins the book called them, and yet, nothing about them felt clean. I wore the same pad CONTINUED ON D10
D10 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine
fiction
thursday, march 25, 2010
CONTINUED FROM D9
until the bleeding stopped three days later. By the third day it felt impossibly heavy for such a small thing and smelled – oh, how did it smell? Could the shame be so great that I cannot remember the smell? The smell that used to follow me around for days after the bleeding stopped, so much that I would catch the trace scent of what I imagined to be my evidence in my pyjama drawer and backpack. And now I can’t give you the words for the smell: a dense smell, a smell like moss and dirt and dirty. A smell like a steak abandoned on a patio, forgotten on the BBQ, and left to rot in the sun. Rotting, earthy, was the smell of my secret. The waiting room has fresh flowers in the corner and an aquarium against one wall. I can’t imagine how they select the magazines to put on the coffee table; is it wrong that part of me would like to see Today’s Parent brazenly left out to mock us, the supplicating women, the would-not-be mothers? I can see into the adjoining room where the lights are dimmed and there is a circle of leather recliners; several are occupied with the recovering women, covered in blankets, exhibiting blank stares. The other women here – in the waiting room – have someone with them. The men, characteristically holding hands with their “partners” – never a more appropriate time for this term, after all, it is with a partner that you commit this kind of crime - turn their heads at every noise, as if the receptionist dropping her pen is the sound that will break the spell that holds them in this pastel painted room. I have no partner. Looking back, it’s almost funny. After eight months of burying my little packages of paper towel, toilet paper and pinched pads, the dog dug them up and carried them home to the side porch. My mother found him gnawing the corner of a blood soaked, crusted, saturated, pad and screamed. It’s almost funny. The office I have been called into is really more of a cubical. There are six or seven of them in a row, each with three and a half walls; producing the illusion of escape, I suppose. I am led to the office-cubical decorated with an Impressionist print, no family photos - of course – and a desk which has only the nurse’s name plate – Patricia Peters, RN - and a file folder on it. The folder, I soon learn, contains a list of questions for me, and recommendations for contraceptives. The nurse sits across from me and she doesn’t look like she is judging me. Frankly, she doesn’t look interested at all; my extraordinary is her ordinary. I wonder what I could say that would surprise her. That this is my fifteenth abortion? That I just love the idea of a procedure called Manual Vacuum Aspiration? That I have no good reason for an abortion other than it is utterly beyond my comprehension that my body could play host to another human being? The last part is true, but I doubt it would surprise her. I return to the vacuum part. “Why is it called ‘vacuum’? I mean, really, vacuum?” “Well. It’s simply really. It’s called vacuuming because, while the procedure is relatively quick and painless, it does involve the insertion of a tube into your uterus to scrape and extricate the implanted egg.” “You are scraping my insides clean?” “Try to think of it as a gentle dislodging and I can assure you that you will be given medication to distance you from the discomfort.” I accept that I will likely feel no pain, that I will be distanced, but I remain
concerned that this vacuum won’t ever quite leave me clean. Three years ago, on the night she lost her virginity, my best friend called me and we talked for hours about the pain, about her surprise, about how utterly unspectacular it had been. Unspectacular is another way of saying ordinary. All sorts of words are available when you want to describe the extraordinary circumstances: tired, hungry, sick, menstruating, pregnant. But what are the words for the absence of the unusual? When sex does not happen the way the movies promise, with a soundtrack and with candles and with simultaneous orgasms that leave both “partners” gasping in one another’s arms, what is it? We concluded, hours later, that sex might just be ordinary. And now, if I am not pregnant and I am not barren – am I a woman, with an ordinary body, doing what it is expected to do? I must be. This is a routine procedure. This body is in the state that does not warrant description. I explained the dog’s findings by telling my mom that I had no idea where he had uncovered such items. No I had not started my period yet. Of course I would tell her when I did. She believed me, because – well – I can’t imagine why, but she did. How could she believe me? After that I took to hiding the bundles in the basement, in the garage, in the barn. I fumed each time my belly bloated so much that I had to lay curled in bed hugging a water bottle for my “muscle aches” or when I stormed from the room crying for no reason whatsoever. Couldn’t she smell my guilt? And what would she do with it? With the evidence, with the remnants of my – her - own filth? There is a park behind my apartment. It has a small forest and a stream and occasionally, very late at night, deer wander through the swing sets and nibble at the dandelions around the edges of the sandbox. Two days after the procedure, when the pad I have been wearing is threatening to soak through my pants, I put it in a plastic bag. The blood is oozing out of the pad now, and streams of blood streak the inside of the plastic. I have visions of putting the plastic bag in a box and into the mail, addressed to my mother. I have visions of her opening it and untying the bag and finding my blood soaked pad. Only this time it is not my blood that fills the cloth bundles, it is the blood of my body and this other and she will have to know the difference. I have other visions. One of standing on my mother’s front porch and knocking on her door and holding her head in one hand and the bloodied pad in the other and forcing the two together. Forcing the pad into her mouth, until my blood is choking her; until her chin and neck and chest are smeared and dripping with our mess. Instead I tie a knot and swing the bag from one hand as I walk towards the park. It might be thought inappropriate to whistle as I walk, but such is my relief that I cannot stop myself. In the furthest corner of the park, on the border between soccer field and forest there is an oak tree of fairytale proportions. On my knees, I dig a hole, and ready myself to toss the bag aside. But, staring at the hole, at the grit in my fingernails, and the little pile of earth I have excavated – I am unable to finish. For once I might have to admit there can be no tidy ending; no way to be sure that what I bury will not be dug up. Would it be inappropriate to cry now? But I will.
thursday, march 25, 2010
comic
the silhouetteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art + culture magazine â&#x20AC;˘ D11
D12 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine
theatre
thursday, march 25, 2010
much ado about a winter’s tale
mcmaster thespian company’s production of the winter’s tale shows this week in robinson memorial theatre The Winter’s Tale is a difficult play. Combining tragedy with comedy, it’s both a fable warning of the dangers of jealousy and anger and a hopeful tale of redemption. It is Shakespeare at his darkest, at his most brooding and yet, in a single line, this play transforms into one of his lightest, most joyful comedies. The challenge of The Winter’s Tale is to capture the play’s bipolar switches – to make the audience anxious and then to elicit their laughter. Because of the difficulty in performing The Winter’s Tale well, many directors and theatre companies shy away from performing it. The McMaster Thespian Company, lead by local theatre veterans A.J. Haygarth, Rebecca Singbeil and Natalie Ruginis, not only took on this challenging play, but also brilliantly captured its many nuances. The Winter’s Tale is the story of the jealous king Leontes (Haygarth) who mistakenly accuses his pregnant wife Hermione (Singeil) of having an affair with Polixenes, the king of Bohemia (played by Cary Ferguson). In true Shakespearean style, Leontes cannot be convinced, despite pointing to the contrary, of his wife’s innocence and has both her, and her newborn daughter, Perdita (Ruginis), put to death. By chance both escape execution and are magically reunited 16 years later with the now redemptive Leontes. And just to add the celebratory nature of this reunion, the now grown up Perdita weds Florigel, a Bohemian prince – proving that, in the world of Shakespeare, all’s well that ends well.
Under the direction of Michael Anania, the cast of both new and experienced McMaster students brought The Winter’s Tale to full and magical life. Haygarth and Lain Lacourt (playing the trickster clown) put on exceptional performances. Every time that Haygarth enunciated a word, it was an instance of full-bodied passion. He exuded the language, conveying powerful and broken-emotion in his throat, face and volatile movements. Lacourt, likewise, became his character’s comedy. Whenever his was on stage, everything that he did – whether he was trying to woe “loose women,” swindle “rustic” shepherds or simply avoid arrest – evoked the audiences’ laughter. As a spry rascal, he was the perfect foil to the script’s natural darkness. The supporting cast was equalling exciting to watch. Actresses like Nicole Harper and Tanya Keyman skillfully focused both the onstage tension through subtle and worried glances on their faces or quiet trembles in their hands, and also were able to flirtatiously bring the electric joy of more celebratory moments to electric life. They, along with a sparse set and carful costuming, were Anania’s secret weapons. Indeed, when the lights first went up, the audience was greeted with a deceivingly empty looking space. All that we had been left to look at was a tree, three blocks and a scarcely used, curtained pavilion. As characters came and went, this durable set produced a fluid sense of motion. This was particularly true during both Hermione’s trial and
climactic return to life during the play’s final scene. On both occasions she was dressed all in white and descended downward into the audience – an artistic choice on Anania’s part that was perhaps intended to convey to us a sense of the angelic. Anania was also able to utilize costuming as though it were an extension of his set. Rather than settle for clunky set changes to transport us from Leontes’ gloomy court (an anxious place that is filled with overwhelming delusion and deranged brooding) to the happier and more frivolous Bohemia, he simply switched up the tone of costumes and shifted the audience’s mood. Again, Anania primarily relied on the supporting actors to achieve this. Instead of dressing Harper and Keyman in dark, drab blues, he clothed them in exciting and powerful bright colours. This was particularly effective as Perdita and her son to be husband (both dressed in a light, almost pastoral green) passed out flowers on stage while the supporting cast flirted and danced. Tickets for The Winter’s Tale are currently on sale at Compass or at the door. There are four shows left, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. as well as a 2 p.m. matinee on Saturday all at Robinson Memorial theatre. For more information visit www.macthespians.com. Don’t miss out – after all, it isn’t much ado about nothing! •Corrigan Hammond