The Silhouette - March 14, 2013 by The Silhouette

Mythical beasts abroad Worlds collide at Pangaea See A3

See B1

Silhouette

McMASTER UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2013 VOL. 83 NO. 25 MSU STUDENT HEALTH PLAN CHANGES

INDEX

Who’s got you covered?

At its March 10 meeting, the SRA discussed whether or not adding coverage for oral contraception, paramedical services and vision care to the student health plan is worthwhile. It voted to allow a referendum to go to students next year. Below are stills from our live video feed and quotes from three members on the inclusion of birth control pills in the plan. Visit thesil.ca/videos to re-watch the meeting. Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma Senior News Editor McMaster is known to have the cheapest but sparsest student health insurance plan in the province. But at Sunday’s SRA meeting, a motion was passed to allow for a referendum to ask students if they want an extended health plan that would include vision care, oral contraceptives and paramedical care. Extending coverage to all three categories would result in a $47 increase in student fees. The referendum, which would run alongside the MSU’s 2013-14 presidential election ballot, would offer students the choice for no increase, a $15 increase for vision care, a $19 increase for oral contraceptives or a $47 increase for the vision, oral contraceptives and paramedical care package. Paramedical care includes vaccines, physiotherapy, massage therapy, chiropractic and naturopathic care, psychiatric care and speech therapy. In some cases, there is only partial coverage of these services. Simon Granat, SRA Social Sciences, who introduced the motions and was part of the Health Care Task Force, noted

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9:43 p.m.

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9:46 p.m.

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9:52 p.m.

Jeff Wyngaarden

Simon Granat

Elise Milani

“Right now, we have a plan that covers what I would call emergency things that keep you in school, whereas this would add things that are supplementary to [that]. Vision care I sort of put in a separate place; I think that’s pretty important. But the paramedical and oral contraceptives are sort of tangential to the needs of a student in academia.”

“In my mind – and I don’t want to be speaking out of turn for some of the women here, and I don’t want to be preaching – how I see it personally is, it’s really about equalizing discretionary income and equalizing the amount that people have to work. A lot of the time, we don’t take the domestic life into the account of the professional life.”

“I’m having a little bit of an issue with all the men in the room talking about my body, in a way, in talking about what we should cover in terms of women. I would like us just to pass this and let the students decide what they want to pay for and what they don’t want to pay for, because it’s kind of uncomfortable sitting here.”

that McMaster has one of the few student unions that doesn’t provide more comprehensive care. The Assembly was especially concerned with how a change to the healthcare plan would impact the MSU’s current opt out policy. Currently, students can choose

to opt out of the health plan, the dental plan or both. However, students who choose to do this must prove to the MSU that you have equal or comparable coverage. Jeff Wyngaarden, MSU VP Finance, explained that under a

new plan, “equal and comparable” coverage would need to be redefined. The current definition of equal and comparable would be inapplicable to the new healthcare plan.

MSU VP (Finance)

SRA Social Science

SRA Humanities

OPT OUT, A3

Student conduct violations hit five-year high Totals don’t include instances where reports were made to Hamilton police Anqi Shen Online News Editor New numbers on last year’s student conduct violations were released at the University Senate meeting Wednesday. The total number of major violations committed was 199, up from 162 the previous year and the highest in five years. The most notable increase from 2010-11 to 2011-12 was the number of violations involving alcohol, which jumped from 46 to 68. “Early in September we saw a lot of the Major A [Alcohol] and Major B [Drug] violations,” Tim Cameron, student conduct officer, said at the Senate meeting. Security does a sweep for drugs and alcohol in September, particularly in the areas behind residences, to set a tone at the beginning of the year. ‘Major’ violations include offences involving alcohol, drugs and weapons, among other offences like stealing, vandalism and physical violence. One point raised at Senate was that stealing was second highest major offence committed (50) last year, behind incidents involving alcohol (68). According to Cameron, there have been perplexing trends of theft for the past few years. “Pretty much every incident last year was shoplifting from La Piazza,” he said, noting that the items stolen averaged about $1.50, with the most expensive being

Student Code of Conduct Violations

Kim Crosby visits Mac Human Rights activist speaks out against racism at Convocation Hall. Feminist, A5.

DSB students go homeless Business students camp outside MUSC to raise money for homeless shelters in Hamilton. DeGroote, A4.

Tame Impalas take on wild city scene ANDY looks at the up and coming psychadelic rockers to see why they sell out entire warehouses in downtown Toronto. This Impala, C4.

Oz the not-so-great Last Friday’s Oz redux meets viewers with not a bang but a whimper. Where did it go wrong? Oz, C5.

Numbers taken from the Student Code of Conduct (SCC) 2011-2012 Report from the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards to the McMaster University Senate (March 13, 2013)

68 50 18 15 Violations by Faculty Engineering: 47 (1.04%) 14 Social Science: 38 (0.8%) 13 Business: 29 (1.3%) Science: 28 (0.5%) 7 Humanities: 20 (0.7%) Health Science: 3 (0.3%) 6 Arts & Science: 1 (0.4%) 4 THREATENING BEHAVIOR Nursing: 1 (0.15%) Graduate Students: 1 (0.02%) 3 Divinity College: 0 (0%) 1 TAMPERING WITH FIRE/EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT, UNAUTHORIZED USE OF THE UNIVERSITY, 0 WEAPONS, MISUSE OF KEYS, PORNOGRAPHY, RISK MANAGEMENT, FAILURE TO COMPLETE A MAJOR SANCTION about $12. Most students’ justification was along the lines of being late for class and wanting to pick something up on the way, said Cameron, some with “the underlying attitude that they’re paying too much to be here anyway.” But in some cases, mental health was a factor. Engineering and Social Science had the most students committing violations last year,

with 47 and 38 respectively. Social Science’s population was a little higher than Engineering’s. Business was close behind with 29 out of 2,297 students committing offences. Nursing, Arts & Science and Graduate students had only 1 violation each. The number of students in violation last year breaks down to 140 males and 28 females, with some students committing more than one violation.

Cameron noted that the numbers from the Student Affairs report could be more so an indication of how many students get caught than how many are committing the offences. The number of students who violated the code of conduct is roughly 0.8 per cent of the student population. Notably, more serious offences would have been reported to and handled by the Hamilton Police.

A feral cat-astrophe Feral and stray cats are equally deserving of our purr-fect affections, so why do we shy away at the mere thought of petting them? Stray, A11.

How to leave Mac with your head held high An essential guide to making a new life in a post-Mac environment, whether that means grad school, the workplace or just life. Leaving, B5.

Bronze for Coates Victoria Coates wins her sixth CIS medal at a recent track meet. Coates, B7.

the

PRESIDENT’S PAGE Jeff Wyngaarden VP (Finance)

Huzaifa Saeed VP (Education)

Siobhan Stewart President

David Campbell VP (Administration)

2012/2013 BUDGET REVIEW Jeff details this year’s budget to-date and the upcoming approval for 2013/2014 fiscal documents

Jeff Wyngaarden VP (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 24109

In a few short weeks the Student Representative Assembly (SRA) will be approving the operating and capital budgets for the 2013/2014 fiscal year. Creation and approval of the budget is one of the most important ways that students set the direction for the MSU. The annual budget encapsulates all of the priorities that have been identified throughout the year by students, staff, and volunteers. It also provides clarity for future Assembly members as they guide the MSU. The past few years have seen a positive trend in the MSU’s finances, and this year was no exception. As indicated in Figure 1, the MSU has continued this trend with respect

to its finances. As a not-for-profit organization, the MSU’s year-toyear goal is to provide a multitude services as well as advocacy, without a significant surplus or deficit. With respect to our current finances, we are on track to achieve this goal again for fiscal 2012/2013 year. We aim to provide quality services at as low a cost as possible to students, and in order to do that we try to balance revenue generation with service provision. One of the greatest challenges in doing this is deciding how to structure the MSU’s revenue streams and how best to return that investment in the form of services, and the budget is the beginning of that process. Once this important document is approved, price points can be set, plans can be made for events and staffing compliments can be determined and hired. This year we’ve begun the process of conducting a strategic review of all MSU departments. I hope doing

so will spark a larger discussion over the coming years of the purpose and direction of each component of

the MSU. As part of the budgeting process we were able to sit down with all of the largest departments, including the Union Market, Campus Events, CFMU 93.3 FM and TwelvEighty. The goal was to examine and discuss in detail some of the strengths and weaknesses that have been identified by the managers of these services and businesses. Ultimately, this information will be helpful in future years for setting the direction of the organization as

a whole. As the SRA General Election draws to a close, it will be supremely important for all newlyelected representatives to take the time so as to learn some basic financial literacy. Approval of the annual budget is a serious affair. In essence, we will be deciding on the future direction of a $14 million organization that is powered by the work of over 300 parttime employees, 30 full-time staff and nearly 1000 volunteers. Further to that, all of the decisions have an impact on serving the needs of nearly 21,000 full-time undergraduate students on campus. The simple act of voting on the budget will have vast ramifications on the lives of students on campus, and I urge anyone who is interested in the process or curious about the inner workings of the MSU to attend the second SRA meeting in April and see what it’s all about.

SWHAT “Walk-a-thon” to support campus anti-violence campaign

David Campbell VP (Administration) vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 23250

MARCH 1 ST TO MARCH 31 ST Any day between 7pm−1am For a walk:

905.525.9140 x27500 swhat@msu.mcmaster.ca or Visit: MUSC Rm 204 Call:

Email:

MSU

SWHAT STUDENT WALK HOME ATTENDANT TEAM

For every walk SWHAT donates 1$ to SACHA

Last week was the launch for a new on-campus project spearheaded by the Sexual Assault Centre for Hamilton and Area (SACHA) and the YWCA Hamilton. It’s Time…to end violence against women was designed to address issues of violence against women on our campus. The goal of the launch was to publicize the work which has already been done and to spark conversations among students around the issue of violence against women on campus. It’s Time involves a safety audit of campus, focus groups, a campaign designed to raise awareness, and more. The project is gaining momentum next week with the beginning of a safety audit for McMaster campus. The safety audit, run through METRAC (the Metropolitan Action Committee on Violence Against Women and Children) will allow students to

discuss campus safety concerns related to physical features of the campus, attitudes, behaviours and practices or policies of the University. All students are invited to attend these sessions, which are taking place Monday, March 18th at 1:30pm and 4:30pm, and Tuesday the 19th at 2:30pm. All sessions will be hosted in DBAC room WB 113. The MSU has extended its support to SACHA through another channel as well – SWHAT’s walkathon. For every walk SWHAT provides this month, the service will donate $1 to SACHA. To get a safe walk home from the MSU’s team, simply call extension #27500, or drop by their office on MUSC second floor. We are lucky at McMaster to live on a campus with a relatively safe reputation. But issues may go unnoticed or unreported which do significant harm to our community. Addressing these underlying issues requires support from all corners of campus, and all members of our community. So this month, support the It’s Time campaign and do what you can to make McMaster and the greater Hamilton community a safer place.

GREEN ROOF INITIATIVE UPDATE: DESIGN CONCEPTS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR STUDENT REVIEW AND FEEDBACK

www.MSUMCMASTER.CA/GREENROOF

The President’s Page is sponsored by the McMaster Students Union. It is a space used to communicate with the student body about the projects, goals and agenda of the MSU Board of Directors.

www.msumcmaster.ca

NEWS

News Editors Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma, Boodhoo-Leegsma Julia Redmond and Anqi Shen Section Meeting Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. Contact news@thesil.ca

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Passport to Pangaea Cultural festival enlightens students about food, dance and traditions of over 50 countries

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Opt out still possible in new health plan But students unable to opt out selectively CONT’D FROM A1

JESSIE LU/ ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

LEFT: The festival introduced attendees to exotic dishes from faraway locations. TOP: At the Israeli pavilion participants were encourages to write wishes on the Western Wall. BOTTOM: A representative at the Afro-Carribean pavilion discusses an artifact with a captivated audience.

Jemma Wolfe & Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma Managing & Senior News Editor For one day only, students received a McMaster-issued passport to travel the world, all within the confines of the student centre. On Sunday, March 10, Pangaea 2013 transformed the student centre into a global bazaar and performance hall where students could experience 21 different regions of the world. Pangaea has taken place at McMaster for over 10 years and is known as the largest multicultural event on campus. MUSC rooms are used as country pavilions where cultural clubs serve food from their culture and have visual displays. Displays featured costumes, masks, historical posters, art and music. The main feature of the pavilions, the food, was a smorgasbord of flavor. It’s not everyday that students get to accumulate over 50 countries’ traditional food on only one plate. Some particularly standout dishes were served by a variety of nations. The Egyptian stall featured koshary, a popular street-vendor dish in Egypt comprised of rice, noodles, lentils, chickpeas and fried onions, topped with tomato sauce. The West Africa pavilion served spicy Jollof rice, a traditional Senegalese dish. The Armenian room offered boreg, a feta-stuffed phyllo pastry turnover topped with sesame seeds. The Indian section included the sweet gulub jamun, syrupy milk-based dough balls. Yet it was hard to isolate particular dishes amidst the vast selection of sweet and savory items; every pavilion made a mouth-watering effort to proudly represent their country’s culinary achievements. Some particular exhibits arranged by the cultural groups for display at their pavilion were also notable for their interactive nature and enthusiastic delivery. On the first floor of the

exhibit, Isreal stood out. Israel’s pavilion was unique in the longterm promise it offered attendees: that any wish they wrote and stuck to the poster-board imitation of the Old City of Jerusalem’s Western Wall will be brought to the real Wall. This is a sacred Jewish location where over a million written prayers and wishes are slid into the crevices every year in the hope that they will be answered. During one club member’s trip to Jerusalem this summer, the wishes will be delivered and painstaking inserted into the auspicious wall. Moving to the small but vibrant island south of India, Sri Lanka also didn’t disappoint. The Sri Lankan pavilion offered a fun interactive activity: trying on the traditional Kandyan saree. This version of the women’s sari is unique to Sri Lanka, and looks very different from other kinds. Participants were guided through the three segments of the traditional dress - skirt, sash and frilled upper-skirt - while aspects of Sri Lankan culture were discussed. Afterwards, a photo-op in front of their map and artifact display was encouraged. The Japanese pavilion featured many traditional elements of Japanese culture such as an origami station and the opportunity to try on a kimono. Students were also on hand to teach attendees about Omikuji, a form of Japanese fortune-telling. The game has a series of fortunes ranging from great fortune to very bad luck. The general fortunes are written on narrow bamboo sticks which are shaken out of a small container. They are then traded in for written pieces of paper with specific adages. Some examples of fortunes The Silhouette encountered were, “Do not leave your house – certain misfortune”, “Something bad will happen to you soon” and “You will succeed in some of the things in your life.”

Moving away from the Asian subcontinent towards the tropics, the MACaws or the McMaster Association of West Indian Students, occupied a pavilion where multiple nations were represented. Some countries included were Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica. The MACaws welcomed students into their pavilion, adorned with a lei curtain and blasting soca music. Students were treated to peanut punch and ginger beer while they took in the palm trees, fishing nets and hammocks that were set up. The event also featured a dance performance element that was repeated twice throughout the day. Cultural clubs were invited to showcase different cultural dances and submit small writeups to explain the significance of their culture and its traditions. Groups invited people of any background to join their dance pieces. For example, the Latin American group featured many types of dances and activities characteristic of Latin America, such as salsa and involved nonLatin American students.

Khurum Shafi, a recent McMaster alumnus and dancer in the Latin American piece and the McMaster School of Bhangra piece, explained how Pangaea created a unique cross-cultural forum for students to learn about other student’s cultures through performance. “Usually a cultural performance is done in front of people of your own culture and background but Pangaea is one opportunity to do it in front of other cultures.” The styles of dance presented were as varied and diverse as the nationalities they represented. From sensual Egyptian belly dancing, to ceremonial Assyrian dancing, the audience was introduced to many dance styles they may not be able to encounter on a regular basis. Such was the spirit of Pangaea in all its forms: introducing students and community members to people, food, dress, dance and cultures they might not have previously encountered, and encouraging an ethic of inclusion, cooperation and respect along the way.

Under the new policy, students would most likely not be able to opt out of specific segments while choosing to use others. Oral contraceptives was specifically mentioned as an example of coverage that some students may want to opt out of. Granat identified oral contraceptives as a core part of the coverage, ensuring equitable coverage for all those who may face financial barriers. He also reiterated the importance for men to “step up” to this. However, Wyngaarden stated that a change to the plan represented a fundamental shift from solely emergency care to a more supplementary plan that provided services that were “tangential” in nature. This prompted a noticeable response from several representatives who argued that these services were in fact essential to student life and members should not be debating about particulars of services that should ultimately be decided by students in a referendum. Granat explained that by putting the referendum on next year’s Presidential ballot it gave the Healthcare Taskforce and the MSU ample time to hash out details and would guarantee quorum on the vote. A student survey is also planned to gauge students’ interest on an extended healthcare plan and to understand the impact of increased fees on students. “The survey is ready but we just held it off because there have been a lot of surveys recently and there could be survey fatigue,” explained Granat. “[But] I think there is a hunger for this and I think a survey won’t hurt us [by seeking feedback].” Wyngaarden explained how he would be interested to understand why students would vote against the referendum, especially if they found the costs to be prohibitive on top of their tuition or the services inapplicable. Granat argued that part of the plan’s intent should be to provide equitable coverage to all students, mimicking the vision of the greater Canadian healthcare system. “Students would be paying slightly over $100 per year, which is still $12.43 less than the provincial average, and possibly getting a better plan than they get from their parents. I think this is a risk we [the MSU] should be willing to take.”

CANADIAN CAMPUS NEWS Ronald Leung Silhouette Staff

U of A next in line for spending cuts

U of O students raise puppies for the blind

Wilfried Laurier holds $4 million of WLUSU debt

CFS fights blood donor policy

MUN investigates possibility of law school

After last week’s announcement of massive spending cuts by the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Alberta is the next school to report budget constraints, facing a structural deficit of $12 million and possible cuts to the province’s funding. With bad news on the horizon, the U of A has no choice but to implement reductions. The first response by the governing board is to implement program cuts and increase fundraising initiatives, especially from alumni. The administration declared that they have no intention of instituting a hiring freeze.

The University of Ottawa has responded to the Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind (CGDB) after the group reached out looking for students to temporarily house puppies who will be trained to become guide dogs. Starting in 1984, CGDB has nurtured over 700 seeing-eye dogs and in 2010 they expanded their services to also provide canines for other mobility-related disorders. Steven Doucette, CGDB special events manager, says that the idea behind the Puppy Walking Program is for volunteers to raise a ‘good dog’ and teach basic obedience and socialization.

The Wilfred Laurier University Students’ Union (WLUSU) has racked up a debt of $4,250,156 to the university according to a 2012 auditor’s report. Although the WLUSU streams most of its board meetings, financial issues often carry confidential baggage, preventing live-cameras of those particular discussions. The auditor’s report also noted a 54 percent fall in revenue for the WLUSU in 2012, from $14,497,956 in 2011 to $7,890,159. Roly Webster, WLUSU executive director, said the board is going through a budget process and that this situation should not impact student services.

A detailed questionnaire preludes every donor session, but the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) feels that the male-donor specific question “Have you had sex with a man, even one time since 1977?” is outdated. If the answer is yes, potential donors will be turned away. This strict policy originates from Canadian Blood Services and Héma-Québec, the two groups responsible for blood collection in Canada. The CFS feels that this policy is outdated and discriminatory, without accounting for usage of protection or a male’s knowledge of his sexual partner’s background.

Without any law schools in Newfoundland, Memorial University (MUN) located in St. John’s is studying the feasibility of introducing one by looking at the demand of lawyers, demographics of current law schools and the benefits this move would bring to MUN. The university originally examined the possibility 25 years ago, but the 1976 Harris Report stated that there was no need for a law school at MUN. The Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Bar Association and the Law Foundation of Newfoundland support this current review into the possibility of a law school.

A4 NEWS

Thursday, March 14, 2013

PHOTO: DeGroote students brave the cold for charity

JESSIE LU / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Most students would balk at the idea of being separated for a week from their warm beds, clean clothes, and hot showers. But six DeGroote commerce students are spending a week outdoors in support of the annual 5 Days for the Homeless campaign to raise awareness about homelessness. The McMaster team is camping outside of Titles from March 10 – 15. “Sleepers” pictured from left to right are Ryland Varcoe, Gavin Cook, Riley Booth, Max Planques, and Ari Fejzaj. Chloe Cross (not pictured) is the sixth “sleeper.” Despite hardships, Fejzaj assured students, “We’re perfectly fine… Don’t worry about us. The best thing [you] can do is come around to show support and donate.” The team’s goal is to raise $12,000 for Hamilton youth shelter Notre Dame House by the end of the week.

Students join discussion on arms treaty Karen Wang Graphics Editor With the second round of negotiations on the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty to be held in New York on March 18, students at McMaster are joining the mission to spread awareness about the issue. The December shooting in Connecticut reignited the gun control debate in the United States and abroad. Months before this shooting, diplomats from Canada and other nations attended the global conference held in New York under the auspice of the United Nations to discuss the draft version of the first international multilateral treaty on the regulation of conventional arms trade. The July conference ended

inconclusively after the United States and several other countries, such as China and Russia, requested more time to look into the treaty. Talks are scheduled to reconvene starting next Monday, March 18, ending March 28. The Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) will be an international regulation on the export, import and transfer of conventional arms. The United Nations is also working on reinforcing the Program of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons. Most conflicts in the world are done with conventional weapons, and most of these weapons are produced in Western countries. As of now, there is no international regulation in place on conventional arms trade, which is estimated at $70 billion. The United States is the world’s biggest

arms trader, accounting for 40% of transfers of conventional arms. Canada supports the inclusion of small arms, light weapons and ammunition within the ATT, so long as it is consistent with the principle of national discretion. Domestically, the Conservative government discontinued the registry early last year on the grounds that it is costly and inefficient. The Canadian Conservative government has played a minimal role in treaty negotiations, with its major priority being the interest of law-abiding Canadian gun owners. In 2011, Canada proposed to exclude hunting rifles and “civilian” arms from the treaty, retracting the proposition only after stern criticisms from other nations. Dr. Andrew Lui, a profes-

sor on international politics at McMaster University, describes Canada’s position on the treaty as difficult. Canada is isolated in regards to its stance on international Issues, such as with the recent withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. “[The Canadian government] is led by pragmatism than principle”, explained Dr. Nibaldo Galleguillos, a professor in comparative politics at Mac. In recent years, the country has backed away from its peacekeeping reputation. Canada has rarely been a leader, and has often abstained or followed other nations when it comes to international human rights and humanitarian causes. The execution of small arms control is complex. “UN agreements are not

enforceable,” said Galleguillos. “The question is, to what degree is [the treaty] effective when it is not supported by the superpowers.” On campus, War Child at Mac, an MSU-recognized humanitarian club concerned with child soldiers in war-conflicted countries, is launching a video to spread awareness on the importance of the Arms Trade Treaty. War Child Canada, a nongovernmental organization followed by War Child at Mac, is in coalition with Control Arms, an ATT-advocacy group campaigning for a more bulletproof treaty. March 11-17 marks the global week of action for Arms Trade Treaty. War Child at Mac will be running an information booth in MUSC this Friday, March 15, to spread awareness of the Arms Trade Treaty.

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Thursday, March 14, 2013

NEWS A5

Women’s Day marks review of campus safety Devra Charney The Silhouette On Friday March 8, the global community celebrated International Women’s Day. The 2013 theme focused on promoting gender equality in a modern progressive world. On campus, McMaster hosted multidisciplinary activist and educator Kim Crosby. Her workshop on anti-racism as well as her keynote address were much-anticipated events for a number of students and community members. Emilee Guevara, member of Feminist Alliance McMaster (FAM), was pleased to see McMaster bring Crosby and the values that she represents to campus, hoping for similar speakers in the future. “This event was awesome, to have Kim here speaking. International Women’s Day is to talk about women, but it’s to talk about issues that affect all women, so that’s where her theme of intersectionality is really important… I hope that events like this can continue every year and in every space, not just on specific days.” FAM endeavours to make sure campus remains accessible throughout the year for students looking to connect and align with other feminists in a safe environment. Guevara added that FAM’s activism also extends off campus to related community events where members can meet up and attend as a group. “Women and men have joined together to go to certain events, like Take Back the Night, like the SlutWalk, celebrate International Women’s Day… hopefully making connections for women who have felt either silenced, objectified, sexualized, who have experienced rape and harassment and sexual assault – realities in the lives of women everywhere.”

And in an effort to address the issue of violence against women in a McMaster context, The Sexual Assault Centre of Hamilton & Area (SACHA) and YWCA Hamilton have partnered together for the It’s Time to End Violence Against Women on Campus project funded by Status of Women Canada. Project coordinator and Mac alum Alicia Ali said that McMaster currently lacks specific guidelines on dealing with violence against women on campus. “The project is split into two phases – information gathering and outcome,” she explained. “The information-gathering phase includes surveys and focus groups to identify current gaps, priorities, resources, opportunities, and strengths around the issue of violence against women on campus.” Students are invited to attend sessions as part of a Safety Audit scheduled for March 18 and 19 so that they can provide feedback on safety around campus. A campus walk-about will also allow students to point out specific problem areas and voice their concerns about unsafe parts of campus after dark. “The second phase of the project includes a campus wide awareness campaign, events on campus, and a campus community protocol in how the university responds to instances of violence against women,” said Ali. “We hope to explore the possibility of introducing a gender-based analysis to all policy development at the university.” The project coordinators and advisory committee will provide the University with a list of recommendations after a two-year period on how to increase safety for women as well as involve the campus community in a more informed approach to dealing with the culture of violence against women.

Feminist Kim Crosby visits McMaster

Activist Kim Crosby spoke about anti-racism and the power of women to McMaster students at Convocation Hall.

Aelya Salman The Silhouette McMaster frequently plays host to a number of incredibly talented speakers, and this was shown on March 8 when Human Rights and Equity Services welcomed the multi-hyphenated activist speaker Kim Crosby to McMaster, in what proved to be several hours of engaging with some difficult but crucial topics. Crosby refers to herself as a “daughter of the diaspora”. Her multi-hyphenated identity comes not only from her heritage – she is Arawak, West African, Indian, and Dutch – but also from her professional titles as an artist, activist, consultant, facilitator, and educator. Crosby facilitated a workshop on anti-racism and later delivered a keynote address in Convocation Hall, summarizing the workshop content and discussing the power of women. The topics covered included rape, masculinity, the dismantling

of debilitating institutions, and solidarity amongst the marginalized. She reminded the audience of the importance of undoing internalized behaviours that arise from years of problematic ideologies. Crosby’s aim was to draw attention to the various ways that oppression can arise, and how multiple oppressions come together to create a more inclusive picture of any one individual. A key topic touched on during the workshop was the dismissal of activist efforts within certain spaces, particularly academic spheres. The university, Crosby rightfully pointed out, is an institution that often operates on us without our consent. She was quick to remind her audience, however, that change is more than possible. In her own words, these systems, including schools and financial institutions, for example, were created, but as members of these systems have the ability to un-create them. She illustrated

this by explaining, for instance, that we undo capitalism every day in the gestures we perform for others out of good will. “You don’t give your friend a bill, asking them to pay for what you did for them, do you?”, Crosby asked her chuckling audience. The breadth of topics and their various nuances cannot possibly be covered in one sitting, and that was most visible when Crosby seemed to run out of breath or looked as if she had more to say but couldn’t due to time constraints. While this workshop along with others like it are not the be-all-end-all of activist discourses, they provide the necessary catalyst for real changes to occur on campuses nationwide, including and especially McMaster. After all, difference begins with education and what better way to begin our education than on campus?

Refugee health cuts causing confusion, say Hamilton health workers Anqi Shen Online News Editor Sue Grafe and Nikki Bozinoff have seen first-hand how last year’s changes to the federal health care program have affected refugee health care in Hamilton. Grafe is a nurse practitioner at REFUGE, a Hamilton refugee clinic, as well as a nursing professor at Mac. Bozinoff is a McMaster medical student and member of Hamiltonians for Migrant and Refugee Health. Along with Mac economics professor Michel Grignon, they discussed the impact of last year’s refugee health cuts Tuesday at a panel hosted by the Global Citizenship Conference. Cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) were brought into effect on June 30, 2012. As of then, refugees not assisted by the government have no vision, dental or medical coverage except in emergencies. Refugees from a “designated country of origin” don’t get any coverage. At the panel, Grafe and Bozinoff said since the cuts were implemented, there has been confusion among practitioners about who has coverage and who

doesn’t. “We [at REFUGE] see people regardless of coverage, but the problem becomes, what do you do?” said Grafe. “There are pregnant clients who don’t get prenatal care because they fall within the gap of having and not having coverage.” Bozinoff also said there were problems with IFPH even before the cuts were made. “Even before the cuts, many [refugees] were turned away if they didn’t have knowledgeable providers,” she said. Grafe said prior to the cuts, Hamilton refugees were using walk-ins more often, but because of the confusion, they’ve have been using those services less. Grafe anticipates that refugees from Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic would be most affected in Hamilton, recognizing that refugees from various countries tend to settle differently across cities. She also said there are some “ironic” inconsistencies in the system with changes to the IFHP. In some cases, she said, “you can get their medication covered if they qualify for Ontario Works, but you can’t run any blood work.”

Panellists Michael Grignon, Nikki Bozinoff and Sue Grafe discuss the implications of budget cuts on refugree health in Hamilton.

In getting coverage through Ontario, she and Bozinoff pointed out, the health care costs would be downloaded to the Province. Michel Grignon, director of the Centre for Health Economics and Policy Analysis, approached the issue from a socio-economic perspective. On whether or not Canada’s international image would be negatively affected by the cuts, Grignon doesn’t think so. “We’re still doing reasonably well in terms of [the numbers] of refugees who come here—we are still seen as fairly generous.” Currently, Canada is home to 5 refugees per 1000 people. The US has a ratio of 0.9 per 1000

while Syria has 49 per 1000. He did express some qualms about the policy moving Canadian healthcare toward a two-tiered system. “What’s great about universal coverage is that doctors don’t have to worry about who is covered. In the UK nobody will ask you anything, they just treat you,” said Grignon. Since the changes to IFHP were announced, there has been considerable opposition from medical professionals and lawyers. This past February, the Hamiltonians for Migrant and Refugee Health denounced Minister Jason Kenney’s decision to add eight countries to the designated coun-

“

“Even before the cuts, many refugees were turned away if they didn’t have knowledgeable providers” Nikki Bozinoff, member of Hamiltonians for Migrant and Refugee Health tries of origin list. According to Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the IFHP costs $84 million per year, and the cuts would save $20 million annually to a total of $100 million after five years. The program is intended to minimize abuse of privileges and promote a fairer health system.

EDITORIAL

Executive Editor Sam Colbert Email thesil@thesil.ca Phone 905.525.9140 x22052

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A6 S

A story of inherited conflict to a production fuelled only by peanut butter, salted peas and sour foot candies. to dressing “papal chic.”

to no more marauders. to seeing that there are a bunch of new comments online, but then realizing that they’re all for isreal/palestine articles.

to metaphors. to subincision. don’t google it. to stories about nono’s tomato garden. to u.s. netflix. to the correct spelling of diarrhea. to mail waiting for me at my parents’ house. is there anything more exciting? to old english. both the font and the beverage are near and dear to me.

to forgetting to bring a date to thesis gala. with whom could i share my witty observations? to my poorly ventilated office smelling like dill pickles. i really can’t explain it, but i don’t recommend visiting. to selecting a 77-year-old pope. did we learn nothing from benedict? to caring about pope gossip.

to the important lessons i learned from boy meets world. thanks, mr. feeny.

to no good home yet for wentworth house tenants.

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To my sister and me, springtime meant something special when we were growing up: the start of another season of hide and seek. There was a gap in the fence between our backyard and the neighbours’. We’d spend whole days outside with the kids next door, running between the front and back of our houses, and over to the park. Through July and August, they were our best friends. Our parents, I guess, were friends too. My parents would go to their parents’ Christmas parties. My dad and their dad coached us in t-ball together. But us kids didn’t give much thought to that. We only really cared about each other, and about hide and seek. That is, until the fight about the tree. An old maple tree sat between our yards. The fence stopped on one side of it and continued on the other. The trunk

was more on our property, but the branches leaned over to the other side. Our neighbour, who was sick of the falling leaves making a mess of his yard, chopped half of the branches off one day while my parents were at work. He cut straight up, in line with the fence. The beautiful old maple (my dad and I used to lie on the grass and look up at it) was now a deformity. I remember my mom crying. I remember my dad storming outside to yell at our neighbour while my sister and I watched from the window. A surveyor came by to mark the property line. It turned out that, because of the trunk’s location, the tree was ours. It was a small victory for my mom and dad. The tree’s branches have since grown partway back. But I don’t think my sister and I played much with the kids next door after that. Our parents stopped speaking, too. A larger fence went up between the yards.

The gap was filled in. We grew up. Some of us moved out and went to university. And now, I don’t really see those kids anymore. I don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t know what they’re like. I don’t know what I’d say if I saw them again. Our families are feuding. But, personally, I’ve got nothing against them. I wonder how they feel about me and my family. I think about getting in touch with them sometimes. I could add them on Facebook, and I could send them a message. But every time I go home, and I see the way my parents avoid eye contact with the neighbours, I’m reminded of the day our tree got cut in half. So I guess that’s why I don’t reach out to my old friends. I guess the conflict, no matter how long-standing or far removed from my personal life, made too deep of an impression on me. But I’m trying every day now to get past it.

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Legal The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address and telephone number for verification only. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions expressed in The Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.

Want to join our editorial team? We’re currently hiring next year’s staff. The deadline to apply is March 27. Visit msumcmaster.ca/jobs for position descriptions. Apply through the online portal or by emailing your resume and cover letter to thesil@thesil.ca.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

In defence of SocSci’s Welcome Week spending Re: “What a welcome costs” by Julia Redmond [Published March 7, 2013 on A1] Dear Social Sciences Students, Due to many questions regarding Welcome Week spending, the McMaster Social Sciences Society (MSSS) wants to ensure all students are able to see exactly where funds were allocated. During this year’s Welcome Week, we greeted 1215 Social Sciences students to McMaster, and did all that we could to make their experience memorable. The MSSS has included all expenses incurred for and during Welcome Week, including but not limited to: i) Welcome Week Representative training and appreciation ii) Shinerama Toga Party Fundraiser (1) Run for all Welcome Week Reps prior to Welcome Week; iii) Faculty Day

a. Unexpected expenses were incurred on Faculty Day due to last-minute rain accommodations were out of our control. iv) Faculty Night v) Social Sciences “Swag” a. The MSSS included expenses for purchasing Social Sciences promotional material (Swag) given out during Welcome Week, and for the remainder of the year, as well as next year. b. The MSSS strives to prepare for year-long initiatives, purchasing all promotional materials at once, to take advantage of bulk cost savings. It is important to note that the released number by the Welcome Week Review Subcommittee for Social Sciences was incorrectly reported. The McMaster Social Sci-

ences Society spent $48,542, broken down into spending of $28.95 per student (not including the $11 per student for each MacPass sale). This compares to the following faculties’ spending: Arts & Science: $757, $0.30 per student; Business: $19,804, $26.94 per student; Engineering: $18,015, $7.75 per student, Health Sciences: $4934, $15.68 per student; Kinesiology: $3284, $5.84 per student; Nursing: $13,037, $87.76 per student; Science $17,650, $7.23 per student; Humanities: $33,421, $42.39 per student. Visit themsss.com, or contact me at the email below, for more information. •

Anne Marie Montpetit, MSSS VP Finance vpfinance@themsss.com

Get involved with BoG and Senate elections Re: “Apathy or lack of awareness?” by Jemma Wolfe [Published Jan. 31, 2013 on A7] The following is a selection from the complete letter. Visit our website to view the letter in its entirety. In her article “Apathy or lack of awareness?” published in the January 31, 2013 edition of the Silhouette, Student Senator Jemma Wolfe makes some very important points about the significance of the elections of undergraduate and graduate student representatives to the University’s governing bodies. As Ms. Wolfe points out, student representative seats on McMaster’s Board of Governors and the Senate are instrumental in ensuring that both undergraduate and graduate students have a voice in the academic and financial governance of the University. Ms. Wolfe is to be commended

for her efforts to raise awareness of and interest in the various elections for student representatives on University bodies. Participation on these bodies is an important service to fellow students and to the University. I would urge all students to participate at every opportunity either by standing for election or, at the very least, by casting their vote. [...] During the 2011 Spring elections, there were eight student vacancies on Senate (four undergraduate and four graduate student seats), and one undergraduate student vacancy on the Board of Governors. Five seats were filled during the Spring elections. The remaining four vacancies, along with three additional seats that had become vacant over the

summer (because the incumbents had graduated), were filled in the 2011 Fall elections. Students elected in those Fall elections took up their seats immediately, meaning those seats were vacant for a total of two months while Senate was in session. The 2012 Spring election successfully filled all eight vacancies for student representatives to the governing bodies, and that year there was no need for a secondary Fall election. [...] Elections for student members of Senate and the Board of Governors will be held on Tuesday, March 19 and Wednesday, March 20 – Be sure to vote! • Helen Ayre, Acting University Secretary and Freedom of Info. Officer

OPINIONS

Opinions Editor Mel Napeloni Section Meeting Wednesdays at 2:30 p.m. Contact opinions@thesil.ca

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A7 S

COLUMN

Preserving our linguistic culture We should embrace bilingualism

The loss of a legend

Julia Redmond Assistant News Editor I’m not an expert in French. I don’t think I even knew a word of French until I started kindergarten. And even then, at my Anglophone school, in an Anglophone city, we students were only so involved in developing what was for most of us a second language. We’d do an hour here, an hour there, learning the basic vocabulary that you’d expect of a group of five year olds. And this basic education continued through our elementary years. By the time my classmates and I reached high school and had the opportunity to choose classes, I was surprised to find that many of them jumped at the chance to give up French for good. Whether it was because they struggled with it or just lacked interest, they had no qualms at closing the door and never looking back. I was perplexed at their choice. Maybe it was because I just loved the sound of the language or the writers we studied. But it seems I was, and am now, in the minority. Of the 33 million people who live in Canada, just over 17 per cent speak both official languages. And predictably enough, almost 60 per cent of those bilingual people live in Quebec. What people seem to very easily forget is that Canada is a bilingual country. After all, the French established a permanent settlement years before the British ever did. Quebec may be the only solely francophone province now, but Canada’s history has a strong sense of connection with all things French. So how is it that people are so disillusioned? It’s been over 40 years since the Official Languages Act made the two languages equal under the law, but since then, if anything we’ve lost enthusiasm in pursuing our two native tongues. French immersion programs are widespread, but bilingualism is on the decline. Meanwhile, Quebec is hanging on to its language rights for dear life. A recent criticism of an Italian restaurant menu in Quebec created “pastagate,” a scandal that made the province a global laughingstock. The Office Quebecois de la langue francaise ordering that the restaurant remove the word “pasta” from its menu may seem extreme, but such strict measures are just a demonstration of how strongly the office wants to preserve the linguistic integrity of its province. It’s true that Canada is a widely multicultural nation, and perhaps it’s unreasonable to ask that newcomers to our country learn both official languages. But for people still in school, those with the chance or even the requirement to study French, it’s time to embrace bilingualism. Being fluent or at least comfortable in Canada’s two languages can open doors with jobs all over the country, or even elsewhere in the francophone world. And if nothing else, it serves the purpose of preserving our national heritage. So embrace it, Canada. And vive la langue francaise.

Israel: a false narrative Edward Lovo Silhouette Staff Racist discourse becomes so entrenched in everyday language that speakers will defend it as something different from racism. History is rife with examples: phrenology, eugenics and racial jokes. “It ain’t racist, it’s fact!” or “It’s funny!” It proves to be extremely difficult to show the racism latent in these discourses. An astute way to do this is to frame questions that shine light on racism hidden in the shadows. Both Israeli Apartheid Week and Israel Peace Week receive a lot of backlash for different rea-

sons, including allegations of racism. Israel Peace Week showcases the humanitarian efforts of Israel and also Israel’s efforts to live in peaceful co-existence with its neighbours. The Israeli narrative is that Israel has been in search for peace with its neighbours: unilateral disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank is cited in support of this. No narrative should go unquestioned, especially in the realm of politics, but there are questions that emerge from counternarratives that Israelis will be hard-pressed to answer. While no one can (or should) deny Israeli philanthropic ef-

One of the greatest Latin American leaders is dead Alex Ramirez The Silhouette Hugo Chavez was a unique political figure, controversial for his political stances, his vocal out lashing of former U.S. President George W. Bush (calling him a donkey, as well as the ‘devil’ during a United Nations General Assembly speech) and forging close friendships with some of the Western world’s gravest enemies; Mahmoud Ahmadineajad of Iran, Fidel Castro of Cuba and the recent Muammar Gaddafi of Libya – to name a few. Yet, most people fail to acknowledge what Hugo Chavez truly represented not only for Venezuela, but Latin America. You can disagree with his political, economic or ideological stances, but one thing that cannot be negated is that Hugo Chavez has entered the history books as one of the greatest Latin American leaders in the history of the Americas. Having won 13 out of 14 elections and referendums throughout his 14-year tenure as President of Venezuela - elections that even former U.S. President Jimmy Carter stated, “…as a mat-

ter of fact, of the 92 elections that we’ve [The Carter Center] monitored, I would say that the election process in Venezuela is the best in the world” - you will have a tough time arguing he was a dictator, unless you were threatened by his radical political and economic agenda. Understandably so, some did not benefit from Chavez’s sweeping reforms, in particular those who benefitted from the previous economic order in which he was radically transforming. If you want to make an omelette, you have to crack some eggs. Chavez was never afraid to make his revolutionary omelette regardless of the powerful enemies he would make. Even when the traditional oligarchy of Venezuela illegally removed Chavez from power in a short-lived coup d’etat that lasted less than 72 hours, this did not intimidate or scare him into reconsidering his political course. Instead, it added fuel and conviction to his fire. What could have been his fire? Some will say social justice. Some will say a tyrannical quest for power.

I argue that it was his desire to reclaim a historical debt. Hugo Chavez was a son of an Amer-Indian and Afro-Venezuelan; the two most victimized racial entities in the historical development of Latin America. He (literally) embodied the moral authority to reclaim the historical debt owed to the most marginalized and impoverished populations of Venezuela, Latin America and the Caribbean. The proof is in the pudding: he single-handedly fulfilled that moral authority, highlighted in the fact that his death will have reverberations beyond the boundaries of Venezuela. Chavez leaves a legacy and an example in the history of the Americas. He is a legend that will be spoken about for decades and centuries to come. It is a tough pill to swallow for his political adversaries, especially for Venezuelans who opposed him. But in the words of Winston Churchill: “You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” Hugo Chavez certainly had some powerful enemies.

FEEDBACK

What is your favourite St. Patrick’s Day memory? Compiled by Mel Napeloni and Yoseif Haddad

I attended a Dominican Parade. Hot day and good times.

There were, like, eight different keggers happening around Mac my first year.

Montreal, grade 12. I was legal. Oh, and a random drunk guy gave me his hat.

Teagan McKnight, PoliSci II

Corbin Broad, Commerce II

Sarah Fairclough, PoliSci II

forts, there is little question with regards to the absence of such efforts towards Palestinians. If Israel cares so much about the well-being of all individuals, including Palestinians (who are often condescendingly chastised for not seeking peace with their neighbours), there would be no room for the following questions to be asked: why are Palestinian women giving birth in checkpoints in Israel and its settlements? Why do Palestinians have such long wait times to leave the checkpoints? Why are there Palestinian and Jewish-only buses that run from the West Bank to central Israel? Why did the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu decide on building more settlements in the West Bank in response to Palestine’s newly acquired statehood? Why are Jewish Israelis allowed to build homes in some regions of the West Bank and the Israeli Arabs aren’t? Why do the Israeli Arabs have their homes demolished to build new homes for Israeli Jews? The answer is racism. But the Israeli narrative – in particu-

larly common vernacular - will respond with justifications for their behaviour, such as security reasons. It is common behaviour, especially from governing authorities with specific agendas, to rationalize aggressions to assuage their citizens and to garner support. It is unfortunate and representative of the Palestinian struggle to have atrocities rationalized in diplomatic language that perpetuates apartheid. Does the word “apartheid” make you uncomfortable? It shouldn’t. A common argument is that calling Israel’s regime apartheid diminishes the experiences of the South African black community. One should wonder why Zionists choose to contest the term if Israel supposedly does not mistreat Palestinians; if nothing bad is happening, what is there to contest? Furthermore, several South African anti-apartheid activists have spoken out against Israel, and it is disrespectful for their firsthand experiences to be silenced by Israeli officials. Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu have spoken out

against Israeli apartheid. A famous example of a South African activist speaking out is Denis Goldberg, who is also Jewish (mentioning this is important because non-Jews are often seen as illegitimate points of view for many Israelis). In 1964, Denis Goldberg was sentenced to life imprisonment for his activities against the South African apartheid regime. With the help of his daughter and top Israeli officials, Goldberg exiled himself to Israel. However, upon seeing the similarities in the oppression of blacks in South Africa and the oppression of Palestinians in Israel, he refused to remain in Israel and moved to London. And Goldberg is just one of many scholars, activists and educators who have spoken out. Asking those sorts of questions and taking into consideration the outspokenness of South African anti-apartheid activists, surely the dams that language has placed on racism will burst and reveal the oppression that Palestinians and Israeli Arabs undergo in Israel and its settlements.

S A8 OPINIONS

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Israeli Apartheid Week: divisive and deceptive Why is all the focus on Israel while political atrocities in surrounding nations continue? Alon Coret The Silhouette Every March, the tensions of the Middle East are felt at McMaster University in the form of Israeli Apartheid Week. This campaign intimidates Jewish and Israeli students on campus (as well as passersby), spreads propaganda under the guise of “human rights” and demonizes the only liberal democracy in the region. Don’t get me wrong – I believe we all have the right to express our opinions and be critical of any government’s policies - but let’s get rid of the hypocrisy. Suppose for a minute that Israel was a Muslim nation, but with the same policies regarding the Palestinians. Do you think that McMaster students would really go out of their way to criticize it, call for boycotts and sanctions against it, or compare its policies to those of Nazi Germany? I doubt it. That would offer obvious proof that IAW is an anti-Semitic venture - a week whose sole purpose is to gang up on the Jewish State. I hope that I am wrong. Maybe I am giving too little credit to our school’s “social justice” clubs, and they are not really trying to be hypocrites; perhaps if Israel were a Muslim nation, they would organize a campaign to try to delegitimize it. Well then, I ask, why are we only hearing about Israel’s faults? This is an issue worth exploring. Take Syria, Israel’s northern neighbor. If you opened a newspaper in recent months, you are probably aware of the atrocities committed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime against his own people. We have seen thousands of civilian deaths, Internet being shut

McMaster Israel on Campus holding up Israeli flags in front of the student centre in solidarity with the nation.

down, rampant censorship, towns being bombarded - it’s a brutal civil war. To make matters worse, Palestinians in Syria are being especially targeted and cannot escape the country. Where is Syrian Human Rights Week? In Egypt, tensions rose as the country’s new Islamist leader tried to implement more conservative Muslim legislation. The government is shaky; the political situation still hasn’t settled since the recent revolution. While all this is happening, minorities in Egypt, specifically Coptic Christians, are oppressed and persecuted. Copts have suffered mob assaults on their churches, Coptic girls and women have been regularly abducted and trafficked, and Copts face state-sanctioned discrimina-

tion at both political and judicial levels. Where is Egyptian Human Rights Week? In Jordan, there is a monarchy with a tight grip on the population. A large portion of Jordan’s population comprises of Palestinian refugees, or those of Palestinian descent; nearly two million of the country’s population of six million. Jordanian Palestinians do not enjoy the same rights as their Jordanian counterparts, and are severely underrepresented in the higher education and electoral systems. Where is Jordanian Human Rights Week? In Lebanon, Palestinians face perhaps the worst of discrimination. They are barred from over 25 professions, including medicine, law and engineering. They

“

C/O ERIN CHESNEY

Choosing to obsess over Israel is hypocritical at best and antiSemitic at worst. I believe that the McMaster community deserves to see a better use of their student centre.

are also prevented from registering property, and according to Human Rights Watch, they live in “appalling social and economic conditions.” Where is Lebanon Human Rights Week? These are only Israel’s neighbors. Countless other human rights abuses are taking place all over the Middle East. Any critical thinker could understand that the cases of Syria, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon represent serious human rights violations and are topics worthy of discussion. To date, little if any campaigning has been done at this university to shed light on these issues. If anything did take place, it was a far cry from a week of boisterous and aggressive action - the kind of week dedicated to criticizing Israel. So we’re back to the start. If students committed to human rights, peace and justice are going to campaign on this campus they ought to cover more of the issues. Choosing to obsess over Israel is hypocritical at best and anti-Semitic at worst. I believe that the McMaster community deserves to see a better use of their student centre. The IAW slogan commands us to “call it what it is” and so we should. IAW is toxic, it is divisive, it is a twisting of facts and most of all it is hypocritical. If you want to gain knowledge about the Middle East, you can do better than this. Check out scholarly research, read various newspapers, or take a course on the region’s history and contemporary issues. By educating yourself and thinking critically, you will become a more responsible global citizen.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

KAREN WANG / GRAPHICS EDITOR

Chris Alaimo Silhouette Staff In the digital age, we are absolutely mired in music. Music is more accessible and varied than ever. We carry around smartphones that can store thousands of songs and with which we can listen to music privately. Music is a commodity for personal consumption; it’s an industry. I think we’ve lost our appreciation of it. It is no longer magical, awe-inspiring and inspirational. Listening to music is just what one does to pass the time on the bus or whilst studying - it’s commonplace. My aim is to encourage an appreciation of music and the structures that make it possible to experience music. I want to draw out the complexities of our experience of music. How is music possible? First, we note the phenomena of successiveness. Each moment is preceded and followed by another moment. This is partly constitutive of the tripartite structure of pastpresent-future. While obvious, it is necessary for any and all experience. Imagine a melody played in a world that lacked successiveness: there would be only chords, multiple notes played simultaneously. Music, as we experience it, would not be possible. Successiveness permits temporal discreteness. They are distinct and unconnected moments of time. Our experience is smooth and fluid, lacking any real discreteness except that which we retroactively impose. In any experience, there is a horizon of meaning, a horizon of retained and anticipated moments. This temporal horizon explains the continuity of all experiences but in particular it explains the unity of music, why we don’t just hear unconnected, temporally discrete notes, but songs, symphonies, melodies and harmonies. Each time a note is played, a trace of the last moment remains with us. It is present as it is distant and fading. As one note succeeds the other, the first note remains part of our experience as justhaving-been-experienced. The past moments of our musical experiences, and all experiences, are as important as the present moment. Combined with the present and future moments, they create a horizon of meaning and temporal continuity upon which it is possible to experience music at all. Without the past, the present is necessarily the genesis of a brand

new experience, each moment arising and instantly forgotten with no trace of ever having happened - the next moment arises anew. What of the future? All future moments are anticipated and intimated in our present experience and as anticipated they are present in our current experience. There seems to be a pattern - a natural range of courses for a piece of music to follow - that we expect and anticipate. As a note is played, future moments are part of our experience as yet to be experienced. From the moment the first note of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries,” is sounded, our imagination goes to work, anticipating the forthcoming symphony, the triumphant flurry of notes. Musicians often exploit this particular element of our experience in order to build up harmonic tension, a sort of unconscious expectation of dissonance, typically a series of chords ending in a diminished suspended chord only to resolve in consonance that is typically a major chord. This technique isn’t exclusive to any genre of music it appears in progressive rock metal, experimental, jazz and classical music. This anticipatory structure is not unique to familiar pieces of music. Familiarity merely sharpens our ability to recognize and predict. Familiarity may breed boredom, but not because we experience the future as if it were present. It is because we are too familiar with the patterns of the particular piece of music, the lines it draws in the sand. It is no longer novel and captivating. We’ve gone down that path dozens of times. We can too easily predict the harmonic twists and turns the music will send our way. It is the melody, the song as a whole, which is empirically primary. We do not hear individual successive notes that later sum up - in combination with the horizonal structure - to make a melody. Instead, we make sense of our experiences of the notes as parts of our experience of a song, a larger whole. Our musical experiences are not merely series of heard notes. We hear songs. We listen to songs, not series of notes. Music is creative not only because it takes a creative, innovative mind or tortured soul to make it but because it takes a creative, innovative mind to experience music at all. If there is anything we can rightly call a gift, it is our ability to experience music.

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The act of listening is a form of creativity

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Music is an experience

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OPINIONS A9 S

S A10 OPINIONS

Thursday, March 14, 2013

We need to dumb down our spectacle society From our Oscars and films to our personal interactions and social groups, why does everything have to be funny?

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Seth MacFarlane hosted the Oscars this year. He made light of many serious subjects, though it might have been far more useful to approach them in a different tone.

Rob Hardy Silhouette Staff Changes in the way societies function and interact with each other occur over time. There are points when we sometimes take notice and recognize the shifts taking place. We suddenly realize that a marker, such as the demise of MSN, says much about the new worlds we are entering and the old ones we leave behind. Some of these changes are positive and may not always be seen as such, while others are for the worse. But unlike earlier times when we could more easily withdraw from or ignore the symbols and mediums of our cultural experiences, this is now more difficult to do. We find that culture is not something that is somewhere out there but actively following us. One of these sociological trends is likely not very recognizable to generation Y or Z, even though they helped spur it

on. However, they became very evident at this year’s recent Oscar ceremony. Apparently thinking that any degree of formality or seriousness is now an archaic throwback to out-dated values, an incredibly vulgar and tasteless host was chosen to invade our televisions. Jennifer Lawrence was also the cool kid on the block weeks earlier, cheekily making fun of her fellow nominees on SNL, including the more serious Jessica Chastain. Never mind that the incredible dearth of worthy performances this year actually helped to further boost the young Lawrence - nearly an acting newbie - to Hollywood’s highest honour. But perhaps it was fitting given the clear lack of gravity that permeated most of the proceedings. That the purpose of the awards is to poignantly celebrate the touchstones of people’s careers takes a backseat to Twitter gossip. Because, after all, when every-

one gets in on the act, it always needs to be a punch line, even if the “jokes” are neither funny nor in keeping with the occasion. But media has always been quick to trade in for the cheap laugh and fast money. Witness the news channels of today, whose newscasters are now supposed to be witty and entertaining as opposed to the more respected voices of a bygone era. When hard-hitting issues are shown on TV, they are turned into programs like Storage Wars, which shows bickering hucksters bidding on lockers appropriated by storage companies which served as the last refuge for broke Americans that lost all too much in the recent recession. Apparently though, this takes a backseat to the contrived battles as other people’s final possessions get sold for pennies on the dollar. But it gets much worse in 1,000 Ways to Die, where people’s final moments get dramatized for a laugh, as their lives are

reduced to comedic abstractions and their deaths played out so that people can shout “what a loser!” in their living room. What all of this tells us, if we are brave enough to observe our behaviour, is that we live in a society that may be turning into a joke. While fun and games are all good, we have to ask ourselves why we seem so ready on the trigger, and where our humanity has gone. It seems to be the de facto cultural handshake of our time to presuppose beer commercial scenarios in our backyards. For further evidence, take a look at the first cast of Big Brother Canada currently airing on Slice, all chosen for their youth and craziness since the oldest contestant is only 38 - so much for a mixed group and differences based on deeper philosophical thought. The problem with this sharp turn is that it has made it very difficult for us to know when we

really need to buckle down. We may, for example, overstep and screw up a job interview because we assume everyone will be okay with what we thought was a goodnatured retort. Similarly, many a loose office culture has brought companies to ruin. But even more so, we have lost some ability to be compassionate and empathize with the very real troubles that people face – the kind that can’t be lifted with a smile. As a result, we may deem tears and sentiment to be sappy and cheesy because we have become too removed, too uncomfortable to stoically face life’s grimmer realities. Though we use humour to successfully navigate life’s obstacles, there are times when we forget that it is just one tool out of many and its overuse can become quite ridiculous and not in the funny Zach Galifianakis kind-ofway.

Social anxiety is not the same as excessive shyness Chris Alaimo Silhouette Staff This past Friday I went to dinner with a few friends and a bunch of strangers after a social activist event hosted by United in Colour, McMaster’s Black Feminist Club. At the bus stop, I waited patiently a few metres from two attendees of the event. I tried to remain inconspicuous and I pretended not to have seen them, but I had. I knew they were there, somewhere

beyond my field of vision - I could feel what felt like a menacing presence. On the overcrowded bus, we stood but a few feet from one another. I could not bear to make eye contact or strike up a conversation. What would they say? Oh god, what would they think? I yearned to talk to them but I couldn’t manage it – I felt like everyone was looking at me. “They’re going to call me ‘fat’ and ‘stupid’,” I thought. “They’re all go-

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ing to laugh at me and hate me.” I got off the bus when they did. I could not entertain the thought of walking more than a few steps with these surely judgmental, hateful, rude strangers, so I lumbered around before deciding to go to the restaurant. As I arrived at the restaurant, I felt the sudden onset of nausea, lightheadedness, and the uncontrollable desire to escape. Resigned to my inability to enter the restaurant, I sat across the street, adjacent the parking lot, feeling dejected, alone and frustrated. After minutes of sitting alone in the cold, I approached the restaurant entrance again. As I curled my fingers around the door handle, my muscles tensed up and I froze momentarily. Propelled by the anxiety that standing at the door too long provoked, I rushed inside. But there were my two travel companions, seated with the friends I was meeting. “Oh, god, no” I thought. And yet it turned out that my travel companions are actually very considerate people. The experience I described above is typical for me and is a form of social anxiety disorder. Let me say a little bit about social anxiety. According to psychologist Thomas Richards, Director of the Social Anxiety Institute, social anxiety is “the fear of social situations and the interaction with other people that can automatically bring on feelings of self-consciousness, judgment, evaluation and inferiority.” The Diagnostic and Statistics Manual of Mental Disorders IV describes social anxiety as a “marked and persistent fear of one or more social and performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny by others.” The individual with social anxiety disorder “fears that he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be humiliating or embarrassing.” Adults with social anxiety disorder recognize that their “fear is excessive or unreasonable.” The socially anxious person avoids the “feared social or per-

“

Social anxiety (disorder) and shyness are not the same things. The relationship between the two is more complex.

formance situations are avoided or else are endured with intense anxiety or distress.” Finally, the distress or avoidance “in the feared social or performance situation(s) interferes significantly with the person’s normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning, or social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress about having the phobia.” There is one myth about social anxiety and social anxiety disorder that I would like to dispel. The myth says that social anxiety is just exaggerated shyness. This myth encourages the idea that anxious people are merely weakwilled pushovers. It is partially because of this myth, I think, that well-intentioned people offer the relevant but insensitive and patronizing advice like, “Don’t worry about it!”, “Just do it” and “Face your fears.” Social anxiety (disorder) and shyness are not the same things. The relationship between the two is more complex. The American Psychological Association defines shyness as “the tendency to feel awkward, worried or tense during social encounters, especially with unfamiliar people.” They note that in cases of severe shyness, “people may have physical symptoms…; negative feelings about themselves; worries about how others view them; and a tendency to withdraw from social interactions.” The feeling of awkwardness, for me, as a socially anxious person, is a consequence of my situational fears that sometimes interrupt the natural flow of conversation and my fear that their anxiety will manifest itself. Shyness can progress and become social anxiety, with the newly developed social anxiety exacerbating the initial shyness, forming a vicious feedback loop. Thus shyness, for the socially anxious person, can be a cause and an effect of social anxiety. It depends on the individual. You’ll find that some socially anxious people are not, in fact, shy in social or performance situations that do not induce fear. So stop telling me that I’m just shy.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

OPINIONS A11 S

Stray cats respected, feral cats mistreated No animal should have to suffer based on what someone did to them or how they were raised

KAREN WANG / GRAPHICS EDITOR

Light Chau The Silhouette It is funny how underwear and bikinis are the exact same thing. They reveal the same amount of skin and, yet one is socially accepted whereas the other isn’t. The same can be said about stray and feral cats. Every day when I walk home, you would not believe the dozens of cats that I see with their curious eyes watching from the tall grass. There is even a colony of cats and kittens living by a bridge nearby my house. With cuteness being my kryptonite, I made it a habit to feed them every morning. After doing a bit of research, I found that it is okay for a person to feed a stray cat because they were once indoors and are used to human contact. It is not recommended, however, for a person to feed a feral cat because of their lack of inter-

actions. Not many people may know the difference between the two; a stray cat is any cat that has been lost and a feral is the offspring of a stray cat. Of course you can wear that bikini top with a pair of shorts during a hot summer day, just don’t mistake it for your bra. I thought this was ridiculous; a starving cat is a starving cat. That was enough for me. Feral cats that are brought into shelters are euthanized after a certain holding time to make room for more stray cats that are said to have a better chance at finding a home. I’m sure that if two cats were presented to me I wouldn’t be able to tell which was stray or feral while browsing through the cages. Feral cats shouldn’t have to be segregated because of their upbringing. It’s just a matter of giving it time and love - anyone

would be cautious of their surroundings if they had been fighting for survival throughout their whole life. These cats should not have to suffer for what someone most likely did to them. They did not just one day end up on the streets. A lot of careless owners let their pets escape or abandoned them simply because they were no longer wanted. The numbers of cats living on the streets are increasing, just as are the amount of bikinis and old lingerie being added to landfills. Of all the cats being brought into shelters, only 10 per cent have been spayed or neutered; that leaves the other 90 per cent able to find mates and reproduce. Unlike bikinis that are only manufactured seasonally, most cats start carrying offspring as early as five months and can reproduce up to three times a year. The numbers just keep increasing. I hope that the govern-

ment will start funding for a stray and feral cats program so that there will be more shelters that are willing to take in and care for feral cats instead of putting them down. This is also for the safety of other animals as well as us. A lot of the cats are territorial and end up in fights that leave them with injuries that go untreated, which results in diseases that can be transmitted. With more cats off the streets there will be a lesser chance of a flea infestation and less complaints from your neighbours about loud cat fights and mating sessions. I also hope that pet owners realize the urgency in getting their pets neutered and spayed so that if their pets do wander off into the streets, there won’t be any unplanned litters and less fights due to hormones. Not only does it benefit us, but them too. Spay-

ing and neutering will prevent diseases and cancer and help limit the already overpopulated streets and shelters. You would not believe how many girls I recently saw wearing a sheer chiffon shirt layered over top of a bra. That’s not appropriate for the public; they should have just worn a bikini top instead. We really need to get our hearts straightened out and stop categorizing strays from feral cats. They’re all facing a common problem and suffering just as much as the other. They both need our help and have the right to receive the same kind of attention and care. Shelters should stop euthanizing feral cats to make room for stray cats just because one is claimed to be more adoptable than the other. They are both animals in need of love and care and that’s all that should be accounted for.

Gender conventions need to go Nichole Fanara Silhouette Staff The other day I was minding my own business and staring blindly at the TV when an ad came on that angered me. The Ferrero Company, who makes Kinder Surprises, created a new product, and it is in the form of a Kinder Egg. I was offended at what I saw. The pictures of a happy little girl and her mom sharing a Kinder Surprise made entirely for girls. What was inside didn’t surprise me at all. Little toy trinkets of toy shoes and toy dolls. I got mad. Real mad. What do they think of girls like myself when all they offer us is gendered capital for wealth? Pink wrappers and dolls inside only reinforce stereotypes. And for what? I wonder how often people question gender norms when they are exposed to products such as this. I was embarrassed for the company who thought this was a good marketing ploy. Not all girls are defined by the colour pink or by shopping or dolls or little toy trinkets. But these ideas are the norms in which we teach our girls in the Western world, and what’s worse is that it cannot be escaped. Biological arguments aside, what if we stopped acknowledging girls as girls and boys as boys? This idea has in fact long been discussed and even implemented in some cultures. For example, there is a pre-school in Sweden that does not acknowledge cultural gender norms between boys and girls. Here, they carefully choose books that do not incorporate gender norms but instead focus on themes of love,

respect and moral lessons. Disney stories like Cinderella would not be found anywhere near this school because of the gendered language that works to define the woman and the male’s role in society. So what if we gave a child the opportunity to decide their role in life, not by telling them what they can or cannot be, but instead giving them the opportunity to decide for themselves based on what feels inherently right? In the elementary school that I volunteer at, my teacher uses the phrase “friends” instead of boys and girls to talk to her students. Although our government does not monitor cultural gender norms, teachers and other educators are aware of gender reinforcement such as language through their schooling. What benefits could society have if we stopped using such biased language? What kind of opportunities could open up to students if there was less emphasis on gender roles and more on the student’s capabilities? For people entrenched in the Western way of thinking, it is hard to imagine such a possibility. Targeting education as a site for gender neutrality would cause an uprising. Should TV ads like the “girls” Kinder Surprise be taken lightly? With women’s groups and advocacy working to create equality for all, it is important to remember how far we have come from the subjected female roles in the home. Lives are often based on the rules of the culture, but with the stereotyping of girls in the form of a formerly neutral gendered candy, I can’t help but wonder how far our thinking has really come.

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KOREA-PHILES Nor th Korea advocates deny reality as tensions ‘worsen’ A6

THURSDAY MARCH 14, 2013

HAMILTON SPECULATOR THE

SPORTING A LAUGH HEARD FOR MILES SINCE 1934

Paying dues to the Don An inside look at how one commentator is changing the national pastime, bruise by bloody bruise

TIBERIUS SLICK Sports Speculator

The NHL used to stand for something noble. A sport Canadians could call their own while not having to compromise living in sub-zero temperatures year round. Then came Donald. When Don Cherry entered the NHL coaching scene, he saw the inherent value in fighting and physical aggression in

REVIEW

the sport, and for the last three decades has been slowly putting together a way for his vision to come to full fruition. Cherry has proposed a slew of changes to NHL rules, including but not limited to, awarding points for fighting during, between and after matches (including a three-point clause for a clean knockout). Additionally, the puck is seen as a distraction from any kind of brutality, so the rock and

net are going to be removed in favour of an elevated “freedom arena” where players can enter during the game to display their intent to rumble. “I just feel that the sport would be a lot more interesting if it was less hockey and more ‘street fights on ice’ which would definately appeal to a more defined, Cherrian demographic,” said Cherry in a press release. Cherry has been reportedly traveling to other teams’ home

cities and ‘convincing’ managers to sign away their players to the new league. Consequently, many players in the league are now refusing to speak to press on the new initiative, shaking violently on the mere mention of Cherry’s name. Cherry additionally proposes that he be the sole discretionary chairman of the league, taking only “a little bit off the top” so that “operations can run without disruption.”

He just stood there, waiting for me to say something out of line or unCanadian. BEARDY JABRONI NHL PLAYER?

VATICAN-DO ATTITUDE

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Speculator series leads to nothing being done Nobody doing anything thanks to our efforts

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A Speculator series on social change has gone unnoticed in the community at large, and nobody is really worse off for it. The Association of Everybody read the article, but didn’t see a need to raise a fuss or give us compliments. Life is still carrying on as before, and we have accepted that reporting on our reporting is not news, nor has it ever been.

We dig into which stereotypes are true A3

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What did you learn this week, Timmy? “I learned,

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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.

INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 14, 2013

InsideOut Editors Sam Godfrey and Amanda Watkins Section Meeting Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. Contact insideout@thesil.ca Graphic Jessie Lu

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Thursday, March 14, 2013

Shadeen Francis 4th Year Honours Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour

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Thursday, March 14, 2013

INSIDEOUT B3 S

SEXandtheSTEELCITY

On writing smut: a how-to guide whole scene, tension and arousal builds to the climax (pun fully intended) of the story. A snapshot of smutty action can be equally riveting, tantalizing the reader into imagining about what happened before and what will follow. Writing smut is almost purely hedonistic fun. There are a few things to be aware of when writing smut. A medical description of putting Tab A into Slot B isn’t smut. Flowery euphemisms for genitals and an overuse of adjectives will turn the story into a comedy. Similarly,

Magan Cheng The Silhouette It begins with a fantasy that must be translated to words. There’s no one way to do it; it can be sweet and gentle or rough and desperate, but done right, it’s a turn-on. In short, smut is sex in print. While sex is full of repetitive motion, licking and thrusting, the writer makes some actions stand out, making a lick or a thrust special by the way it makes the character feel or what it makes them think. If the smut is of a

puns are not sexy, although they are hilarious. An example to illustrate both these points is “his gigantic one-eyed snake reared its head” which I still cannot read without laughing. Extensively describing a character’s attire or proportions is dull unless it’s part of a kink. Avoid having the characters give inner monologues. Don’t break up the action with constant revelations on how sexy they think their partner is and how much that’s turning them on. Finally, general good writing

tips apply, like saying the dialogue aloud, keeping track of how many limbs each character has, where they are and whether an action is actually possible. Sensation and motivation are what grips a reader and drives the action. Make it easy for them to follow what’s happening by being clear about which character is doing what and why. Are they desperate to see each other naked? Do they have specific roles in their relationship, and does that relate to their day to day life? Is there mind-body

conflict? Why does an action feel especially incredible? A reader with more inclination to the connection between characters may be more drawn to the motivations unique to a writer’s specific character while a reader just looking for some literary porn may be just as happy reading about general characters getting it on. At the end of the day, if readers are left hot and bothered after reading smut, the author has succeeded.

Leaving McMaster How to approach and understand the path to grad school Palika Kohli Student Health Education Centre Last summer I had what I’ve now termed my “mid-undergraduate-crisis.” Until then, I hadn’t realized how stressful figuring out my future could be. It was always a vague haze, far away from my present, and I gave it an equally vague, hazy title that would somehow sound concrete. I realized that not only the path I had always imagined myself taking was one of many, but also that I basically knew nothing about that initial path in the first place. It was all very confused. I switched my projected career path about three times, gave my parents conniptions and took the mandatory trip to Europe to “figure myself out.” How I determined my future path might not be how you choose to consider yours. But what I realized is that it’s never too early to think about your future. The worst that can happen is that you’ll change your mind. And if you don’t know where to start, here are some tips and resources that I have found to be pretty useful.

Look around you

The faculty you’re a part of must reflect something that interests you – it was, after all, chosen by you. And the best part is, it’s full of resources that are potentially relevant to your own interests, like:

a. Volunteering opportunities: if you’ve dreamed of going away or just want to help out in the Hamilton community, your faculty has information on positions that may actually pertain to your field of interest.

b. Research: a position in research allows you to work with professionals and gain handson experience. Also look into getting a grant, like the USRA (Undergraduate Student Research Award). c. Job shadowing: one of the easiest things to do is to get the email of someone with a job or career that interests you. Ask them if you can follow them around for a day (or two) to see what it is that they do.

d. Experiential education: this is a learning style that is really being pushed in different faculties, like Arts & Science and Social Sciences. You can get credits and experience - a pretty solid combination. Specialize

Look into specializing, combining, majoring, minoring (whatever is required in your program or faculty) in a subject of your interest.

a. What kinds of courses are required? Are you interested in taking them throughout your undergraduate, or do their titles just sound nice? b. How many of the courses are required to meet the goal you’re aiming for? What kind of average do you need to maintain to continue on in the program of your choice? Branch Out

It’s time to widen your sphere a bit. Even if you’re only in first or second year, it can be helpful to get an idea of where you want to go, just to see what it takes to get there.

a. Ask yourself: what graduate

programs, future jobs or internships interest you? Which ones are available to you? Or, look into internships or jobs available in your field – you can try looking through company websites and agencies or updating your LinkedIn profile. Go to networking events and job fairs.

b. Start by researching. Where do you want to study or work after completing your undergraduate? Maybe you want to go back to your hometown, or maybe anywhere in Ontario/Canada/the world works for you. c. Check out what kinds of

grades are considered. Some professions, like Chartered Accountancy, have exams that require a certain GPA (in this case, the UFE).

d. Speaking of which, are there any standardized tests that you’re required to take? (More on this in the next section!) e. Finally, what’s the application process like? Do you require a certain number of research hours? Do you have to put together a portfolio? Will you be interviewed?

Standardized Testing

As an undergraduate student, you’re already swamped with midterms, essays, assignments and finals. Time to consider the possibility of one more… Here are some of the most popular tests: a. LSAT: “Law School Admission Test” – the name says it all.

b. MCAT: “Medical College Admission Test” – this is for students applying to medical school, or a health professions school for allopathic, osteopathic, podiatric or veterinary medicine. c. GMAT: “Graduate Manage-

ment Admission Test” – for students planning on getting their MBA or applying to other management education programs.

d. GRE: “Graduate Record Examinations” – this is a test that is required for a huge range of different graduate programs. e. Finally, there are different tests depending on your chosen path, such as the DAT (“Dental Aptitude Test”) for dentistry school, the OAT (“Optometry Admission Test”) for optometry, the HRM exam for “Human Resource Management” and the CFA exam for “Chartered Financial Analyst,” to name a few. Look at your study habits. Would a prep course help? Would it fit into your budget? If you decide on taking a prep course, you’re going to have to pick one. Kaplan, The Princeton Review and Prep 101 are amongst some of the most popular. Each has its own strengths – choosing one is up to you! The future can be stressful. But it can be argued that what’s the most stressful is simply considering it, without doing anything about it. Sometimes taking action is the most effective method of ridding yourself of stress.

S B4 INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 14, 2013

“Sex Ed”: The right way A new weekly series about doing the deed and knowing your facts Nicole Jedrzejko The Silhouette Whether you’re having it or not, everyone has strong opinions about sex. What it really is, who should be having it, good vs. bad, fears, fantasies, successes and shames. We have left high school, often the first environment where sex becomes a factor in interpersonal communication, and entered the big, new world of university. Suddenly surrounded by thousands of peers with dramatically differing backgrounds and lifestyles, you start to notice changes. For many of us, university is the first time we are granted full autonomy in decision-making, without the usual parental (or other authoritative figure) supervision. Are we prepared to start making these decisions, especially when it comes to sex? It is tough to summarize sex’s influence in the lives of people within the McMaster community. Unlike the University of Toronto or Queen’s, McMaster does not have a sexual health-specific

resource and education centre. Our beloved SHEC combines physical, emotional, mental and psychological health issues along with a dedication to sexual health promotion. Unfortunately, SHEC’s association with sex ed has overshadowed many of its other focuses on nutrition, stress, fatigue, body image concerns and more. It is a major concern that many of SHEC’s services are underutilized based on some students’ perception of SHEC as the “sex ed place.” This begs the question: why are many of us so uncomfortable being associated with sex? The stigmas and judgments surrounding sex are nothing new to us. It is still quite challenging to navigate conversations on sex with our peers in a candid and open manner, especially when our preferences, experiences and knowledge on sex are completely unique and often not discussed. This awkwardness is perpetuated by society’s narrow view that male + female + nothing freaky = the right kind of sex and

TYLER HAYWARD / SILHOUETTE STAFF

anything that strays from that = wrong. Then you start realizing the people who are vocal about sex come from a wide spectrum of those who are very active, very opinionated or even very immature. That leaves the rest to believe their views on sex don’t belong anywhere. Most of us have been involved in sexual health education for years, ever since that memorable day when we brought home a parental permission form for next week’s reproductive health unit in elementary school. But now that most of us have finished our formal sex ed curriculum from high school health class, our sex questions are often answered via anecdotal evidence from peers or the “trustworthy” World Wide Web. We know we can’t simply organize an info session or discussion group to eliminate the stigmas on sex, preventing some of us from accessing accurate sex ed sources. So what can we do to create an environment where peers can view discussions

on sex ed as positive, inclusive, non-judgmental and fun? As university students, we represent much of society’s hopes of an open-minded future prepared for change. Personally, I felt the right thing to do was write about it. Too many people that you know, that you walk by on the way to class, that you sit next to in lecture or on the HSR have struggled with questions and fears regarding sex. It is up to all of us to not only initiate these discussions, but to lead an accepting lifestyle where opening conversation about sex will be met with sensitivity and respect. We all know the stigmas exist, but it takes an effort from all of us to overcome them. From STIs, birth control, questioning sexuality, virginity, pregnancy, navigating safe sex options, sexual abuse and manipulation, fertility issues, sex ed curriculum changes and more, this column will be here to provide new information and perspectives on the wild, weird and wonderful world of sex ed. Start thinking.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

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2 6 8

2 8 6

8 5

8 6 7

4 3

1 2

1 7

3 9 8

Across

1 3

HOW TO SUDOKU: FILL EACH 3x3 BOX, COLUMN AND ROW WITH THE NUMBERS 19 WITHOUT REPEATING IN ANY OF THE THREE INSTANCES. SO FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A 7 IN A BOX, YOU MAY NOT HAVE ANOTHER 7 IN THE EIGHT REMAINING SQUARES OR THE ROW/COLUMN THE 7 IS CONTAINED IN. GAMES COURTESY OF CANADIAN UNIVERSITY PRESS WIRE PUZZLES PROVIDED BY BESTCROSSWORDS.COM. USED WITH PERMISSION.

1 Like better 7 ___ Quentin 10 Gone by 14 Bristly 15 O Sole ___ 16 Bakery worker 17 Few and far between 18 Funnyman Philips 19 Shrivelled, without moisture 20 Capital of Utah 23 Narrow street 26 Last: Abbr. 27 Horne and Olin 28 Intake 29 Weep 30 Loser to DDE 31 4th president of the U.S 33 Ltr. holder 34 PC monitor 37 Gerund maker 38 Parisian pal 39 Vane dir. 40 Him, to Henri 41 ___ kwon do 42 Once around the track 43 Distort 45 Used to be

46 Put Down 47 Egg-shaped 48 Clan symbol 51 Hi-___ monitor 52 “Die Fledermaus” maid 53 Removed bends 56 Ship stabilizer 57 Towel word 58 Finally! 62 Formerly, formerly 63 Director Lee 64 Actually existing 65 Course 66 Likewise 67 A chicken’s tooth?

Down

1 Ltr. addenda 2 Agent 3 LAX info 4 Norse god 5 Composition 6 Film spool 7 Emitting odor 8 Draw a bead on 9 Breakfast area 10 12th sign of the zodiac

11 ___ the hole 12 Simmons rival 13 Low cards 21 Root vegetable 22 Cricket team 23 Fess up 24 Climbing vine 25 Flat shelf 29 Deep sleeps 30 Bother 32 Italian sausage 33 Sheath 34 Aromatic spice 35 Rustic 36 Championship 44 Rug rat 45 Affluence 46 Releases 48 Expressed disapproval 49 Cheri of “Saturday Night Live” 50 Head lock 51 Thick-skinned charger 52 Big name in insurance 54 Steps down to an Indian river 55 Neet rival 59 Faulkner’s “___ Lay Dying” 60 Fast flier 61 Mystery writer Josephine

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S B6 INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 14, 2013

M Y T H I C A L C R E AT U R E S O F M C M A S T E R Uzair Faruqui outlines three types of rare students that occasionally wander through the realms of campus

THE DESTRESSED GENIUS Legend speaks of the beauty so rare and solitary it has rarely been sighted with any textbooks, in any classes, or even in the library. This is the one your best friend swore he sighted a glimpse of, walking out of that killer lab two hours early. Where do they originate? Apparently there was a large import from China a while back, but the rest remain a mystery living among us. Be warned of the seemingly benign appearance of the genius, underneath is a powerful beast of untold mystics. It has immense powers almost unique to each specimen, having being sighted performing engineering and health sciences among other things. The genius’ power is dangerous to humans and is used to set up elaborate traps to catch prey. Be alert for any invites to go catch a movie three hours before a big test. If ever hunting for the de-stressed genius, they can be spotted prior to exams sporting a shocking air of confidence.

T H E P E R F E C T G Y M B U D DY The one thing in that gym that’s equally as unfit as you are. This wonderful creature was only a danger to you maybe a freshman-fifteen ago. Not fifty pounds ahead of you on every machine, and not bad enough that you’d be embarrassed to show up to the gym with, this mythical creature is the only way you can manage to slug your way to the gym more than once every other month. The gym buddy shows no judgment at your doughy core and mediocre work ethic, which normally doesn’t heed the call of the topless gym douches it coexists with.

THE GAME ADDIC T The game addict is a reclusive creature who stays for days at a time in their little cove. They owe much of their time to quests, raids, and strategizing… on the computer. They needn’t much to survive, going days at a time with a few large packs of instant noodles. The very existence of these creatures is under scrutiny, as they are only known to exist in their own carefully barricaded dwellings. There is a strong aversion to sunlight and forms of communication, which can sometimes aggravate the addict. However, most are quite docile, and other students have claimed to live with them for extended periods. They can be easily recognized by their characteristic cheetoh-stained sweatpants and call: “five minutes guys”

JAVIER CAICEDO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

HOW TO SNIFF OUT A LIAR Ronald Leung Silhouette Staff Trust is critical in all aspects of our lives, whether it be personal or professional. Humans are naturally trusting creatures. However, there are times when we feel the truth is being withheld. Use these tips to weed out lies and get the facts.

STEP 3:

Stressful symptoms

Be sensitive to unpleasantness

Experts say to look for a rise in vocal pitch or if you’re close, dilated pupils

Liars are more uncooperative and make more negative statements

STEP 1:

Watch Body Language Sweating and fidgeting betrays the liars

STEP 5:

STEP 4:

Maintain eye contact

STEP 2:

Seek Detail

Only truth-tellers are generally not afraid to look you down

The more you push for particulars, the more likely slip-ups will occur STEP 10:

STEP 6:

Listen to your gut

Pausing

STEP 8:

Overly-honest

If you think someone’s lying, keep the pressure up.

STEP 9:

If someone continuously uses phrases like “to be honest”, they may be trying to lie, because most people assume they will be trusted most of the time

When forced to make up a story, liars will often take time to pause and think

STEP 7:

You may be your greatest enemy

Repeat your questions

Ask yourself if you don’t want to hear the truth because if you don’t – you won’t

Asking again allows for more inconsistencies to slip out

SPORTS

Sports Editors Brandon Meawasige and Scott Hastie Section Meeting Fridays at 2 p.m. Contact sports@thesil.ca

Thursday, March 14, 2013

B7 S

Breakout season comes to an end Looking Back

Despite a youthful roster, the Marauders finished the season in fourth place in the OUA

In 2013, the Marauders went 12-9, ending in OUA 4th place, despite having the 9th most difficult schedule in Canada. In 2012 and 2011, we placed 9th and 13th respectively, pushing out a mere 6 wins in the 2010-2011 season.

C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor Although it was nearly four months after their first matchup, the result was the same. In the women’s basketball OUA bronze medal clash, the Ottawa Gee-Gees defeated the McMaster Marauders 71-50. Mac was able to keep it close for the first half, with a 35-25 score after the first 20 minutes. But the third quarter would be the Marauder’s undoing, as the Gee-Gees clamped down on defence. Mac was held scoreless

for the first five minutes of play. Ottawa continued to put the ball inside, relying on an experienced frontcourt to carry the offensive workload. Danielle Boiago ended the third quarter with a ridiculous three-quarter court shot to beat the buzzer, but the Marauders were unable to sustain any momentum. The Gee-Gees would continue to increase their lead through the fourth quarter. Despite having the game in hand, Ottawa was trying to solidify a wildcard spot in the CIS

Final 8 tournament and clearly wanted to use the game against Mac to show that they were worthy of a berth in the national championships. Hailey Milligan put together a masterful performance to end the season, finishing with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Both totals were team highs. Milligan put the previous match-up in the rear view mirror and put the Gee-Gees on notice for next year’s tilt, shooting an efficient 6-8 from the floor. The All-Star finished with a double-double average of

14.2 points per game and 14.5 rebounds per game, while also shooting 51 per cent on field goals. Danielle Boiago finished with 15 points against another physical defense. The OUA West Rookie of the Year finished her first playoff season with an impressive 19.0 points per game average, while also chipping in 4.5 rebounds per game. Missing out on a medal is a tough pill to swallow for the young squad, but the Marauders have plenty to be proud of. Though, they were the only team

The addition of two recruits may cover some weaknesses going into 2013-14. to not earn a national ranking in the medal round. Carleton, Windsor and Ottawa all earned a spot in the CIS top-ten poll, as well as a berth in the Final 8 tournament in Regina. McMaster will also have the opportunity to put the exact same squad on the floor as last year, while also adding two formidable recruits to address some holes in the roster. Next week, the Silhouette will review the season with head coach Theresa Burns, and it will preview the path going forward for the upstart bunch.

Coates takes bronze in farewell race Marauder track and cross country athlete wins sixth medal in her final meet Laura Sinclair Silhouette Staff Victoria Coates is very familiar with CIS medals. In all of her years as a Marauder, she has six, with four of them being won for cross country, and two of them won for track. The 3000m is her specialty event, and on March 8, she proved that by winning the bronze medal in a showdown race that was all too familiar. Coates finished in third place, no more than a couple seconds behind the first and second place finishers Andrea Seccafien and Carise Thompson of Guelph, who also came first and second respectively at the OUA Championships two weeks ago. The results of this CIS Track Championship in Edmonton played out the exact same way as the CIS Cross Country Championships did in November, and Coates wanted to carry the momentum from her amazing cross country season to the track. As this CIS Championship meet was her last one as a Marauder, Coates wanted to have the perfect race, which can be hard at the big-time meets that are all about strategy. “My coach, Rory, had me very prepared for this race. We talked about every possible scenario so I knew exactly what I wanted to do depending on how the race was unfolding,” explained the senior. This race, in particular, started off as a jog compared to the speed that the fastest woman in the country are used to, so Victoria decided to take matters into her own hands. “I wanted to make sure that I was in control and that the race would play out to my strengths, so when the pace went out slow, I knew what I needed to do and I took the lead,” said Coates. Coates led the race for a little

Victoria Coates (right) won a bronze medal in her final race while donning the Maroon and Grey. C/O CIS

over a kilometre before the pace started to quicken, and when that happened, she tucked into third and stayed there for the rest of the race, running to a time of 9:43, and finishing off her final season as a Marauder with yet another medal. “While I didn’t run quite as fast as I had hoped, overall I think I had a great season that

was topped off with running a personal best and picking up the bronze medal at CIS, so I couldn’t be happier,” said Coates. Although it is her final season wearing the maroon and grey, Coates says she is not done with running yet. “I’m looking forward to the outdoor track season where I will be running the 5000 m. There is

also the possible opportunity to compete at the Canada Summer Games this year, so that will be something that I’ll have my eye on to qualify for.” As for school, Coates is currently looking at the University of Toronto, Queens, or Ryerson for their Urban Planning program, where she will compete for one of the lucky school’s teams

for her final year of eligibility. Despite the school switch, Coates will miss the McMaster University and the track team, and will always be a Marauder at heart. “I’ve had such an amazing experience with the best coaches and teammates that anyone could ever ask for, and I really can’t thank them enough,” confesses the bronze medalist. Coates was not the only Marauder that scored the bronze medal this weekend. Scott Hutchinson, the powerful and versatile sprinter, also came back with the bronze medal in the 300 m. He ran to a time of 34.34, in an exciting race that saw him just milliseconds away from second place. Hutchinson was very active in the CIS Championships, running a total of five races including the preliminary heats and relays. Hutchinson will be back as a Marauder next year, and hopes to do more on the track, with a new specialty event: the 600m. Among other notable finishes for the McMaster track team, Rudy Baronnette finished eigthth overall in the 300m, just missing out on the final. He ran to a time of 35.24s. The 4x200m saw the powerful team of Scott Hutchinson, Rudy Baronnette, Connor Mabbott, and Garrick Mok finish seventh overall. Lastly, the 4x400m team made up of Scott Hutchinson, Rudy Baronnette, Connor Mabbott and Brandon Huzevka finished 12th overall. Next on the schedule for the McMaster track team is a little break before starting to train again for the outdoor track season that begins in May. The Guelph Gryphons captured the men’s CIS Championship, and Calgary Dinos won the women’s title.

S B8 SPORTS

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Carleton captures ninth national title

No opponent was strong enough to challenge Carleton on their way to hoisting the W.P. McGee trophy. Carleton will keep their roster intact, with the Scrubb brothers returning to defend their title. C/O CIS

Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor The decade of dominance continues. The Carleton Ravens ran over the competition in the Final 8 tournament and wrote the final chapter of the Lakehead Thunderwolves’ Cinderella story. Head coach Dave Smart’s squad won their ninth national title since the 2002-03 season. The Ravens won in a convincing fashion, setting the CIS record for margin of victory with a 50-point blowout. After sweeping aside the University of Victoria Vikes in the quarter-final and the Acadia Axemen in the semi-final, the no. 1 seed Ravens found themselves facing off against a familiar rival. The name of the front of the jerseys was not new, but the team was. This was not the Thunderwolves squad that CIS

fans were accustomed to seeing. Ryan Thomson, the squad’s leading scorer and face of the program, tore his ACL in the OUA semi-final. Yoosrie Sahlia was playing with three slipped discs in his back. Greg Carter dislocated his shoulder in the CIS semi-final against the Ottawa Gee-Gees. He also played the final three minutes of that game with his shoulder out of its socket. Despite the injuries, no .7 seed Lakehead managed to get to the CIS championship by playing their trademark tough defence and getting incredible offensive performances from Ben Johnson and Joseph Jones. By the time they met the mighty Ravens, their luck had ran out. Carleton was more than prepared for the Lakehead game plan. An 11-0 run for the Ravens to start the first quarter all but

ended the Thunderwolves’ miracle run. Smart and his crew were well prepared for their opponents, locking down the three-point line while attacking the banged-up defenders. The Scrubb brothers were magnificent, combining for 32 points. Carleton’s defence also held the Lakehead offence to an effective field goal percentage under 30 per cent. Carleton will return the majority of their roster next season, making them an early lock for CIS favourites in 2013-14. The 92-42 victory meant that Carleton now holds the record for the most men’s basketball CIS championships. They overtook the Victoria Vikes with their ninth win. The silver-medal finish for Lakehead is the best in the program’s history, but it appears to be a mark that won’t be bested any time soon. Head coach Scott

Morrison will say goodbye to six members of the team as they finish their fifth year of eligibility. Their graduation also symbolizes the end of the “Great Group of Dudes,” a nickname the team earned after the Globe and Mail ran a profile of the squad in 2008. When Kiraan Posey was talking to the Globe about his experiences with the team, he said, “I love it here. It’s just a great group of dudes.” As the group departs, Lakehead will have to rebuild, and Morrison has a tough climb ahead of him if he wants to get back to the Final 8 tournament. This year’s Final 8 created a few more narratives. There was a clear flaw in the seeding, all but confirming the need for an upgraded ranking system. The Cape Breton Capers were the no. 2 seed at the tournament but did not look

anything close to the second best team in contention. Lakehead beat them by double digits and the McGill Redmen defeated them 86-84 in the consolation semi-finals. The OUA as proved to be the strongest conference in the CIS when it comes to men’s basketball. Carleton and Lakehead grabbed the gold and silver medals, respectively, and the Ottawa GeeGees finished with bronze medals around their necks after defeating the Acadia Axemen in an intense overtime game. Going forward, the landscape of the CIS may change as key players like Cape Breton’s Jimmy Dorsey and Ottawa’s Warren Ward graduate. But the champions will likely remain the same, as Carleton will return the majority of their roster next season. Dave Smart’s crew is the early CIS favourite for 201314.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

SPORTS B9 S

TOP FIVE: Individual efforts Brandon Meawasige Senior Sports Editor

SWING CIS track medals. To the Toronto Star article about Joey Cupido. A dual threat, indeed. To basketball fans that travel from across this country.

Michael DiCroce

Danielle Boiago

Angelo Cavalluzzo

Jori Mantha

After missing the entire regular season with an injury sustained in training camp, DiCroce made his return on a big stage, making his debut on Nov. 3, in the OUA semifinal against the Western Mustangs. Though his presence was enough to give the passing game a boost, DiCroce went above and beyond the call of duty, finishing with five catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns. That monster stat-line included a game-changing 103-yard touchdown reception, which put the Marauders back in the driver’s seat after being down at half. That catch was a definite turning point in the team’s playoff run, making it the top individual performance of the year in Marauder sports. Made possible by Kyle Quinlan, of course. Final score: Marauders 42, Western 28.

Boiago ran the Marauder backcourt the entire season, but no game was more important in her rookie campaign than the OUA quarterfinal against the Brock Badgers. Averaging 15.5 points per game in the regular season, the 5’7” guard had a massive game offensively in St. Catherines, scoring 30 points in 36 minutes on the floor. Not only did she contribute a prolific scoring effort, but an efficient one as well, shooting 11 of 19 from the floor, adding 6 three pointers (6 of 12 from beyond the arc). With her final basket, Boiago became the only girl on the team to reach the 30-point plateau. Final score: Marauders 73, Brock 67.

It is always difficult to follow up a championship season. Hopes are high and the hype often creates even higher expectations. This year’s men’s soccer team lived up to those expectations and goaltender Angelo Cavalluzzo was a big reason why. His most important performance came against the Carleton Ravens in the OUA Championship game. Cavalluzzo stopped a relentless attack from the Ravens in the first half, including a diving save that deflected a shot just wide of the net. Going into half the Marauders were up by a slim 2-0 lead and the young net minder’s strong play in the second half allowed Mac to pull away from an eventual defence of their provincial title, a shutout nonetheless. Final Score: Marauders 5, Carleton 0.

On the volleyball court, McMaster’s men dominated all season, going 17-1 in regular season play. Both veterans and rookies contributed, but there is something to be said about players that contribute when the stakes are high. Jori Mantha went beast mode in the OUA title match against Western. For an outside player, a .250 average on hits is considered to be a strong performance. For his team (and game) leading 25 kills, two aces and two blocks, Mantha had a .432, including .600 in the final set. His performance was a big reason why the OUA Championship made its way to the Steel City. Mantha was also awarded player of the tournament his overall dominance. Final Score: Marauders 3, Mustangs 1.

(Football)

(Women’s Basketball)

(Soccer)

(Men’s Volleyball)

(Men’s Basketball)

To an amazing season across the board for Marauder sports. 2012-13 was one for the books. To all the athletes that have played their last game in the Maroon and Grey. Thank you.

AND A

MISS To people saying Carleton should join the NCAA. Please stop. Take Laval.

The men’s basketball team did not exactly dominate this season in the tough OUA, but there were plenty of bright spots. The Marauders were a young team in 2012/2013 and that translated into exciting basketball. Taylor Black contributed big blocks and slams all season, but he found his groove against Laurier late in the season. In the thick of a heated playoff race, Black dropped 28 points and 8 rebounds. Not only did he help Mac to a decisive win over the Golden Hawks, but he did it with style-throwing down two break-away dunks to add an exclamation point to his seasonbest performance. Final Score: Marauders 90, Golden Hawks 65.

___________________________________________________

To saying goodbye to CIS polls for a few months. We will miss you.

To the end of an era in Thunder Bay.

Taylor Black

134 Emerson Street at Royal Avenue 4 blocks South of McMaster Medical Centre

To the OUA west for getting that much easier next season

To the seeding for the Final 8. To CIS-SIC.tv. To the NHL changing it up, again. To hype. It never ends up quite how you want.

GUITAR MIKEY JACOB MOON A HAMILTON HOMECOMING and THE REAL THING

ANNUAL HOMECOMING

APRIL 6

APRIL 14

QUARTETTO GELATO

MARTHA WAINWRIGHT

a seven-part sunday evening teaching series “THE EMPIRICAL BASIS FOR CHRISTIAN FAITH”

17 march – 10:30 am 7:00 pm

FIFTH SUNDAY IN LENT

morning prayer evening prayer and lecture #5: “...but this birth was like death, our death”

___________________________________________________

APRIL 25

APRIL 27

TICKETS: COPPS COLISEUM BOX OFFICE OR TOLL FREE 1.855.872.5000

MAC-SIL-MAR14

visit our website for details: www.stgeorgehamilton.ca

Thursday, March 14, 2013

SPORTS B11 S

Mac men headed to the CFL combine

Michael DiCroce has been one of the Marauders’ most outstanding players over the last two seasons. Despite missing most of this season with injury, he may get a shot at the pros along with teammates Matt Sewell and Ben D’Aguilar. C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Brandon Meawasige Senior Sports Editor Most of this year’s off-season hype surrounding the McMaster football team has revolved around the professional prospects of graduating quarterback Kyle Quinlan, accompanied by the occasional excitement about new recruits. Quinlan, who signed with the Montreal Alouettes in December, usually gets most of the attention from media when it comes to playing at the next level. CFL scouts, on the other hand, look past the superstar and see Mac as a much deeper breeding ground for professional talent. Each year, the CFL invites 50 players from around the country to participate

in the “E” (evaluation) camp, where the prospects can showcase their talents for scouts. This year’s combine will take place on the weekend of March 22-24 at the University of Toronto Varsity Centre and will feature a strong presence from the Marauders, who will send three players to the camp. From Mac, defensive end Ben D’Aguilar, who won the CIS award for best d-lineman, offensive lineman Matthew Sewell, who is widely considered to be one of the nation’s best prospects, and standout safety Michael Daly will all have a chance to display their athletic capabilities. Cornerback Joey Cupido was also invited to the event, but had

to decline as a result of his commitments to the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth, who drafted him last year. Sewell is not only ranked as the No. 2 prospect overall, but standing at 6’8” 335 lbs., he is also the most physically imposing offensive lineman (and player in general) headed to Toronto later this month. The Milton, Ont. native has been turning heads as the guardian of Quinlan’s blindside, a big reason why the Hec Creighton winner only landed on his back 23 times last year. The subsequent time spent in the pocket allowed for the pivot to find his favorite targets including receiver Michael DiCroce, who received an invite

despite being injured for the majority of the 2012 season.When he returned from injury DiCroce resurrected his Vanier Cup-winning form, sparking the Marauders to a playoff victory over Western with an incredible performance that included a spectacular 103-yard touchdown reception. Injuries on both sides of the ball plagued the Maroon and Grey in 2012, but a mix of youth and veteran leadership held the team together. Michael Daly was one of those veterans on defence, playing centrefield for the best secondary in Canadian university football. Daly picked off opposing QB’s three times in the regular season, adding another in the playoffs against Western to change

the tempo of the game. He was a big reason why Mac’s defensive backfield led the nation in interceptions the last three seasons. It should come as no surprise that these players would have their shot at a career in professional football. Undoubtedly, there are other Marauders deserving a shot who will help another run at a championship season. The E Camp selections are a testament to the increasing strength of the McMaster program, which can only be expected to improve in the future. Even if their camps don’t end in pro contracts, or draft selections, Daly, D’Aguilar and Sewell are each eligible for a return to Ron Joyce next season.

s ’ n o t l hami Free

Weekly Shuttle Bus Starting Sept. 26th

Wednesdays

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TAKE A TOUR & SPIN THE PRIZE WHEEL EVERY SPIN IS A WINNER limited time only. while supplies last. rates, fees, deadlines and utilities included are subject to change.

6pm | 6:30pm | 7pm Last pick-up from Fortinos at 8:00pm

Pick-up From Mary Keyes Residence At The Cootes Dr. Entrance

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Debtors Anonymous is a 12-step group based on the principles of alcoholics anonymous

KIRKENDALL BUS

FOOD DRIVE

Special City Bus will drive through Kirkendall Streets to collect food for Mission Services Food Bank. Watch for the Bus! Have your non-perishable food items ready on your front porch

April 26-May 1 Alternate Drop Points:

For more Information:

Dell Pharmacy

president@kirkendallhood.ca

We meet every Sunday At 5pm Unitarian Church 170 Dundurn St South

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 905-570-9174

www.kirkendallhood.ca

FOUNDATION

TUESDAY, MARCH 19TH 12:00pm – 2:00pm in MUSC Atrium in support of the St. Baldrick's Organization and the Childhood Cancer Canada. Honoring a child named Joseph, 10yrs old, suffering from acute leukemia. To raise awareness and fund-raise for childhood cancer research. What we need: more shavees, volunteers, and donations

If you want to donate, follow the link below and click DONATE www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/9844/2013

Join our Facebook page or send us an email if you want to become a volunteer.

Email: ccmac@mcmaster.ca Facebook: facebook.com/groups/ childhoodcancermcmaster

NEW DONORS NEEDED UPCOMING BLOOD DONOR CLINICS: Tuesday, February 12 Tuesday, February 26 Tuesday, March 5 Tuesday, March 19 In MUSC CIBC Hall (3rd Floor) 11am − 5pm BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT TO SAVE A LIFE. Online: www.blood.ca Call: 1 888 2 DONATE (1 888 236 6283)

andex

c2 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 14, 2013

Senior Editor: Nolan Matthews Assistant Editor: Bahar Orang

Contributors: Tomi Milos, Andrew Terefenko, Rhea D’Costa, Phil Wood, Sonya Kahlon, Michael Skinnider

Design: Karen Wang Cover: Bahar Orang

Mon., Mar. 25

Joel Plaskett This Ain’t Hollywood 8pm

Lee Reed Casbah Lounge 9pm

Casbah 8pm

Silver Linings Playbook Westdale Theatre 7:30pm

Wed., Mar. 27

The Call The Incredible Burt Wonderstone From Up on Poppy Hill

Tue., April 4

Opening

Flayed Man Art Gallery of Hamilton

Until Mar. 30

Shout Out Out Out Out

film

Thur., Mar. 14

Zidane, a 21st Century Portrait Art Gallery of Hamilton

B.A. Johnston Casbah Lounge 9pm

Deaths/Memorials/Births Centre3

TV Freaks Casbah Lounge 8pm

Until April 28 Until April 13

Tue., Mar. 26 Thur., Mar. 28

St. Alvia This Ain’t Hollywood 9pm

About the Mind McMaster Museum of Art

The Salads Casbah 8pm

Ikebe Shakedown This Ain’t Hollywood 9pm

Until May 5

Two Hours Traffic Casbah 8pm

Thur., April 4

Elliott Brood This Ain’t Hollywood 9pm

Fri., April 19

Haolin Munk Casbah Lounge 8pm

art

Sat., April 20

Sat., Mar. 23

Fri., Mar. 22

Wed., Mar. 20

Fri., Mar. 15

Thur., Mar. 14

music

Barbara Jackson Square Cinemas 7pm La Voce di Rosa Art Gallery of Hamilton 6:30pm

Earlier this week Apple’s purposed music-streaming service, rumoured to be called iRadio, had some trouble working out license agreements with record labels. The source of the problem? Apple has proposed to pay 6 cents for every 100 songs streamed, which is quite a bit lower than the going rate. For comparison, after every 100 songs Pandora pays 12 cents, iHeart Radio pays 22 cents and Spotify offers 35 cents.

editorial

thursday, march 14, 2013

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • c3

are hipsters hip? Hipsters have somehow become the butt of every joke. And these jokes are not just the product of generational warfare. “Hipster” is used as an insult by professors, writers, peers and hipsters themselves. Why has hipsterdom become so caricaturized, so laughable, so insufferable? Subcultures are about honesty, about authenticity - but it seems that hipsters are perceived as anything but authentic. Subcultures are cool. Hipsters have been accused of killing cool. The history of the contemporary hipster began in the ‘90s, with a movement that rejected consumerism, capitalism, and superficiality. Then came the “white-trash-hipster” (a term eloquently coined by Gawker), when aspiring artists who worked day jobs near city financial centres in New York City provided a “neo-bohemian” milieu for young, wealthy businessmen. The friction between those social groups produced a white, male, post-1999, truckerhat-wearing hipster who shopped at American Apparel and read Vice magazine. This brand of hipsterdom faded in 2003 and was revived by the environmental movement in 2004 and came to include women, skinny pants, and nostalgia for the fifties and sixties. Today, hipsters are recognized by their beards, their

flannel shirts, their oversized spectacles and their too-small jeans. We identify hipster neighborhoods by farm-to-table restaurants, Dutch-style bike stores, vegan bakeries and independent art galleries. Hipsters are criticized for their “hipper than thou” personalities, for being snarky, for being posers, for using irony as self-defense. They are rarely art school drop-outs or quasi-communists, but instead middle to upper-class individuals who think that by buying the right mass products they will become progressive. They think that by wearing certain clothing items and owning certain things, they are defying authority, when in fact they are only buying from that authority. They wear thrifted denim shirts to match $100 haircuts. Hipsters are written off as common consumers disguised by an identity constructed by a collage of stolen ideas and purchased products. I can’t confirm whether or not these criticisms are unfounded. But I can say that this description is grossly incomplete. The “hipsters” that I know are individuals who are passionate about art, who care for animal rights, who have an interest in health and fitness, who are sympathetic,

the big tickle

get down on by kool & theit gang -emily gallom azzei

bies drunken lulla olly m by flogging med ahmed - moha

open-minded, curious and intelligent. They do wear skinny pants, shop locally and are often vegetarians. But they are undeniably stylish, they are interesting, they are knowledgeable, and they are non-judgmental. They do not reject popular culture. Instead, they observe it. They consider new perspectives, new ideas. They do not think they are better than popular culture. But they challenge themselves to constantly explore misunderstood ideas and discover hidden gems just around the corner. They believe in irony and silliness and humour. They believe that creating art is the noblest profession of all. They believe that there is something valuable to be found everywhere, in everyone and in everything. Capitalism has perhaps claimed some parts of hipsterdom, but there are places where it remains untainted and inspirational. Maybe I’ve been lucky and haven’t had the displeasure of encountering these so-called “fake” hipsters. But I know for sure that real ones still exist. And if their values are the ones that may someday, somehow become “mainstream,” well, we could do a lot worse. •

bahar orang

what song will you be drinking to this sunday?

compiled by nolan matthews and yoseif haddad

sea shanties -maddie wilkes & isabelle dobronyi

drink by LMFAO - keisha belgrave

& red bull drinking rum . future fambo an ft by beenie m rdozo & yathor oo a - valentina c

c4 & c5 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

this impala can’t be tamed.

Although Toronto’s Kool Haus is better fit for raves than psychedelic rock concerts, the easygoing Aussies that comprise Tame Impala made themselves at home this past Saturday. The quintet of Kevin Parker (vocals/guitar), Jay Watson (synth, vocals), Dominic Simper (guitar/synth), Nick Allbrook (bass) and Julien Barbagglo (drums) displayed an ability to acclimatize that seems beyond their years. An eclectic sold-out crowd upwards of 2000 people filled the warehouse-like venue, attesting to the band’s heady rise to prominence as a mustsee act. From the stonewashed Levis-wearing older men who probably have Rolling Stone subscriptions and stories about the Aerosmith shows they drove cross-country to see in the ‘70s to the bespectacled hipsters who just got off shifts at artisanal, fair-trade coffee shops on Queen Street, I was among good company. Fellow Perth natives The Growl did a good job of keeping the anxious crowd attentive - or at least as well as anyone opening for Tame Impala can. “Smoke It Down to the Bone” was a groovy piece of stoner blues-rock that was commandeered by an earth-shaking bassline and the frontman’s grizzly vocals. To say that they are the Aussie version of The Black Keys — except they haven’t sold out (no shots, though) — would be fair, but they exceed the comparison.

After a quick soundcheck, which may have just felt that way because of the plentiful number of drinks imbibed, Tame Impala suddenly strode on stage to clamorous applause. Without greeting the multitude of fans, the band complacently jammed before launching into Innerspeaker standout “Solitude Is Bliss.” Even when distorted by vocoder, Parker’s John Lennon-like vocals sent girls swooning into fits. Although the song is about the frontman’s introverted mentality, it brought the crowd together as they ironically sang along to lyrics meant to alienate him from others: “you will never come close to how I feel.” Flanked by a projection screen that displayed trippy visuals and whose fluctuations seemed to be synced with Parker’s Rickenbacker guitar, the band deftly wove their way through Lonerism’s “Apocalypse Dreams” without appearing to be phased by the large crowd. Heavily touted for their live performances, the band showed their worth with “Music To Walk Home By,” which, even through the Kool Haus’ shoddy sound system, sounded better than the studio version. Sure, the band might’ve employed a genius sound engineer, but the jampacked closing minute of the song was too well performed to be a fluke. Not content to give the crowd a breather, Allbrook sent the fans into a rabid state with the visceral bassline of “El-

ephant”. Those who had been politely swaying to and fro lost any sense of middle-class reservation and avidly banged their heads along to the fuzzy jam reminiscent of the ‘60s. Tame Impala ramped the energy up even further with Lonerism’s clear standout, “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards.” In a brief three minutes, the band expressed their mastery of the oft-done wrong psychedelic genre in a perfect sonic blend of their maximalist use of technology. The 14-song set was tight, but short (too much so) enough to leave everyone pining for more. Although he had the crowd ready to proclaim him Toronto’s new mayor (God knows he’d fare better than the current KFC poster-boy in office), Parker maintained a steady distance from the concert-goers and made little banter other than to thank everyone for their support. But even without that paltry bit of interaction, the band’s music was more than enough to captivate. Tame Impala is clearly on their way to selling out bigger venues, and next time they roll through Toronto they may well have graduated to the stunning acoustics of Massey Hall. Along with many others, I look forward to it. •

tomi milos

thursday, march 14, 2013

reel short reviews

the perks of being a wallflower

ex drummer

take this waltz

synecdoche, new york tue taste of tea

Saccharine drivel focusing on a group of self-important “outcasts” with no real life problems. Throws a dozen teen “issues” at the screen and casually skates over them. Predictable, and as dull as watching dust fall.

Beautifully ugly work of Belgian cinema. Filled with psychosis, surrealism, sex, drugs, and rock and roll. If you like your humour black, it doesn’t get any darker than this. If you see it, be ready to take a shower.

Literally made me nauseous. Features an irresponsible and flighty lead character we’re supposed to sympathize with. It’s also rife with contrivances, and a “cutesy” sensibility that I just couldn’t get behind.

Cerebral, sad, bizarre, funny and complex: Its own unique flavour of quirkiness. Just like its writer/director Charlie Kaufman.

•

oz the greatly boring When I was eight I saw 1939’s The Wizard of Oz for the first time. It didn’t change my life or teach me any unique lessons, but it was never boring and it wasn’t afraid to break the mold as far as cinematic standards were concerned. Last week I saw Sam Raimi’s attempt to bring me back to that far-away-fromhome fantasyland, but it seemed to be two ruby slippers short of having a pair. My main criticism of Oz the Great and Powerful is that it was afraid of taking chances. Every scene, line of dialogue and plot ‘twist’ seemed formulaic to almost an insulting degree. This movie wasn’t trying to take me back to Oz, it was taking me on a theme park ride through it, throwing cheap platitudes at me at every turn in an attempt to sell me on a newer, ‘cooler’ Oz that had younger actors and sex appeal. Speaking of sex appeal, I found it difficult to accept the movie’s version of an ‘ugly’ witch in the form of Mila Kunis. They slapped on some thin green face point, a slightly curved nose and gave her some chin putty. She still could have won Miss Oz ‘13 with the effort they put towards her uglification. I love James Franco as much as one man could disingenuously love a geographically-distant celebrity entity, but I feel that he only hurt his career by signing on to this

emerald cash-in. This isn’t the same James that survived a rock-climbing disaster, fought Spiderman and got high with me. With his younger brother Dave getting his name into some big titles recently, including a short-lived but deserved role in Warm Bodies, it might be the dawning of a new era of Franco. To put it simply, Oz the Great and Powerful was boring. It didn’t do the universe justice and seemed to exist for the sole purpose of setting up a new merchandise-heavy trilogy. If I had to cite any redeeming factors in the movie, it would have to be Zach Braff ’s sarcasmladen performance as Franco’s CGI helper monkey. I laughed at every other one-liner he sent my way, though the movie never really explained how Franco’s Kansas aide managed to throw his voice all the way to Oz. In that same vein, the movie didn’t explain a whole lot, such as why Michelle Williams’ character was identical to Oz’s realworld sweetheart. And it seemed like Raimi was setting us up for a different kind of “it was a dream all along” ending but chickened out halfway through directing the thing. Frankly, that would have been better. •

andrew terefenko, production editor

thaddeus awotunde, video editor

c6 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 14, 2013

rumour has it fleetwood’s back Rumours is Fleetwood Mac’s 11th studio album. Most people find this astonishing, perhaps thinking it’s just their second after Fleetwood Mac, which came out in 1975. In fact, the band formed in 1968 (the name comes from the rhythm section – Mick Fleetwood and John McVie) and began life as a straight ahead British blues band in the John Mayall tradition. Some early songs from that incarnation – “Oh Well” and “Albatross” (No. 1 in the UK) - are well worth a listen for fans of the genre. Fast forward to the mid-seventies. Fleetwood Mac had relocated to Southern California and were looking for a new guitar player to replace Bob Welch. After hearing the track “Frozen Love” being recorded at the Sound City Studios by Buckingham and Nicks, Mick Fleetwood asked Lindsay Buckingham to join the band. Buckingham replied that he and Stevie were a package, and so Fleetwood Mac became five: Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, Christine McVie, Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. For a first-person account of how this happened check out Dave Grohl’s fantastic documentary, Sound City. The first LP from the new Fleetwood Mac was a great success. It sold over four million copies and has one of my favourite Fleetwood Mac songs of all time, Christine

McVie’s “Over My Head.” But the original release of Rumours took the band’s success to an entirely different level. It has sold more than 40 million copies and was pretty much No. 1 world-wide in 1977. In fact it stayed at No. 1 on the US album charts for more than 30 weeks. The 2013 reissue (the subject of this review) has been re-mastered and contains significant additional material. The original 11 song LP has been augmented by the strong B-side “Silver Springs.” Disc 2 contains the Live 1977 Rumours World Tour and the third disc has 16 outtakes from the recording sessions. The main album holds up extremely well. The song writing remains fantastic. The story behind Rumours is now well known – the McVies were in the middle of a divorce, Buckingham and Nicks were breaking up and Mick Fleetwood’s wife was having an affair with his best friend. The resulting conflict and emotional turmoil led to some of their best efforts – Christine McVie’s “You Make Loving Fun” about her new love, Lindsay Buckingham’s classic “Go Your Own Way” (‘Loving you/ isn’t the right thing to do’) and Stevie Nick’s response in “Dreams” (‘Now here you go again/you want your freedom’) still resonate today. The playing is equally superb and the sound quality, fantastic for the time, still sounds great today. Favourite

tracks for me are “Go Your Own Way” and Nick’s “Gold Dust Woman.” If you want to see Stevie Nicks at her best check out “Stevie Nicks rare 1981 solo Gold Dust Woman” on YouTube. It’s an eight minute version recorded at the Roxy with Bob Welch and friends (great cowbell by Mick Fleetwood) that shows how this group could rock. The additional material is only mildly entertaining. It is very interesting however to see how some songs have developed from their early and acoustic versions on the third disc. I was a graduate student in Southern California when Rumours came out in 1977. The gossip around campus was that one of my profs was travelling in the same crowd as Stevie Nicks, which, needless to say, heightened our interest in Fleetwood Mac. I’ve seen them perform several times, including the Rumours tour. Their next LP, Tusk, was a big disappointment for me (the USC marching band played a prominent role) and represented the end of an era. I’m still a huge fan of Fleetwood Mac, though – both eras! •

phil wood, mcmaster’s associate vice-president (student affairs) and dean of students

thursday, march 14, 2013

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • c7

andy’s album reviews Album: Black on Blonde Artist: k-os Impressive is the only way I can describe the latest k-os album. Black on Blonde is the fifth studio album by the Canadian rapper since his last release in 2010. The album comes as a double disc with the different types of music on each. The Black album is his rap and hip hop side, while Blonde is his rock side. The two sides are distinct but unite so well. They compliment each other perfectly.

Album: Laid Out Artist: Shlomo In the two years since the release of his debut LP, 2011’s Bad Vibes, Shlohmo (a.k.a. Henry Laufer) has strayed broadly from that album’s abstract hip-hop sound collages. Last year’s Vacation EP ditched field recordings in favor of mangled vocals and a more polished, emotional spin on his chilled-out sonic palette. Meanwhile, a series of remixes found him experimenting with dance, screwed, and trap, the last of which is the focus of his latest effort. No one’s going to mistake Laid Out

Album: Classified Artist: Classified From the very beginning Classified’s selftitled album sounds like a work of art and different from everything else. It’s refreshing, upbeat and looks at the positives instead of the negatives. Classified is Nova Scotia-born and doesn’t sound like your average rapper,

The Black side of the album is what we’re used to. It’s what made us fall in love with k-os in the first place and features great Canadian artists like Saukrates and Shad. The Roots’ Black Thought and Travie McCoy are also featured. The Black side shows us that he can still be a great rapper while introducing elements of rock to perfect his sound. A rock influence finds its way to the Blonde side as k-os plays his guitar on some of the tracks. The side also features great Canadian artists like Emily Haines from Metric and Sam Roberts. Even though we aren’t used to hearing just rock music from k-os, you can hear the dedication that was

put into the Blonde side of the album. I’ve never been an active rock listener, but I can appreciate what k-os does. The album as a whole is refreshing and well performed. The creative sound incorporates genres of rap, hip-hop, rock and a little bit of pop, which shows off the many talents of k-os. Instead of falling into a mainstream view of what a hip hop artist looks like, k-os has deviated from that identity with this great album. Black on Blonde deserves a listen.

for, like, Flosstradamus, but trap’s signature note repeats unmistakably dominate the EP. Shlohmo’s take on trap is, of course, distinctly more mellow than those of his EDM contemporaries, all lush synths and soaring R&B melodies. The EP’s centrepiece, “Later,” pits one such vocal performance against a stuttering duet between a snare and a hat, while “Out of Hand” soulfully disfigures a more ethereal sample. Most of the hype surrounding the EP, though, centers on opener “Don’t Say No,” a collaboration with guest vocalist How to Dress Well, which builds its frozen synths and melismatic falsetto into an

anaesthetic climax. All the while, trap hats provide the perfect rhythmic counterpoint to the sepulchral tempo. The brooding latter half of the EP is a bit of a letdown in comparison, but all in all, Laid Out is an atmospheric, R&B-heavy slice of hip hop that proves Shlohmo is just as adept with a MPC as he is with a field recorder.

avoiding degrading women or bragging about his money. Instead he delivers positive messages, excellent beats and talks about what it feels like to raise a daughter and all the struggles he faced during high school. His messages are relatable, which is what I think makes him a great rapper. Classified features a lot of great Canadian artists like David Myles, Saukrates, Skratch Bastid and Kardinal Offishall. It also features the legendary Raekwon, one of the original members

of Wu Tang Clan. With so many talented people on one album, it has to be a hit, and in Canada it went to number one on the Canadian Album Charts. Classified’s message is inspirational and this album should make any Canadian proud.

•

Sonya Kahlon

Michael Skinnider

•

Sonya Kahlon

c8 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 14, 2013

PSY can’t get enough

With 1,414,645,794 YouTube views and counting, “Gangnam Style” hardly needs an introduction. If you haven’t seen the music video - either voluntarily or by coercion - you must have been living under a rock this year. Armed with a catchy tune, infectious choreography and a quirky music video, Korean hiphop artist Park Jae-Sang, a.k.a PSY, single-handedly captured the hearts and dance-floors of audiences across the globe. Heck, the trademark “horse dance” even sent one Brit to his grave. With a Super Bowl commercial (selling pistachios?), a New Year’s Eve performance at Times Square and multiple stints on daytime television shows, PSY has become one of the most successful offerings of the Korean Wave, or Hallyu, a term coined to define the growing interest in South Korean culture and entertainment that has swept across Asia, and is gradually making its way to American shores. The Korean music industry has rapidly expanded to become a multi-billion dollar business, and churns out legions of young pop-stars on a monthly basis. Over the past few years, many big names in Korean entertainment like Rain, SE7EN, BoA, the Wonder Girls and Girls’ Generation have tried to

break into the American scene. However, most of these acts failed to generate enough buzz to be taken seriously. Then along comes PSY, a 35-year-old performer who, unintentionally, proceeded to explode onto the international scene. So, how did he do it? In recent interviews, PSY himself admits to having no idea how his single sparked an international sensation. In fact, he often wonders if anyone, including himself, will ever be able to top the success of “Gangnam Style.” Whether he can follow up with another hit or not, the song has had a significant impact not only on popular culture as we know it, but also on how the rest of the world perceives South Korea. Picking up on this new trend, several big names in American music, including Will.i.am, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz and Teddy Riley, have started collaborating with Korean artists in the hope of creating the next big thing. It must be noted that, unlike his contemporaries, PSY remained true to his image and did not try to anglicize himself for his international debut. He performed in Korean (although the “Heyyy, sexy lady!” hook seemed to transcend national boundaries) and was pleasantly surprised by the warm reception he

received. South Korea has also been reaping the benefits of PSY’s success. It was recently reported that registration has risen dramatically for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), a written test for non-Koreans interested in pursuing a career or education in South Korea, from 2692 applicants in 1997 to 151,166 in 2012. Korean tourism organizations also see the benefits of cashing in on the growing interests of international tourists. The Gangnam district in Southern Seoul has become a local hotspot for highend fashion boutiques and plastic surgery clinics. District officials expect to develop a ‘Hallyu Start Street’ by 2015, paving a section of the street using stones set with Korean celebrities’ handprints, not unlike Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. The entire project, a very ambitious investment, may cost up to 20 million U.S dollars. And to think that it all began with a viral music video. So the next time you hear that all-too familiar beat, turn it up and jump onto your saddle, because Gangnam fever is here to stay. •

rhea d’costa