The Silhouette

McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

www.thesil.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

EST. 1930

FROM CAMPUS TO YOU AND BACK AGAIN

VOLUME 81, NO. 24

TEDx at Mac JEMMA WOLFE

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Students and professors alike gathered on Saturday, March 12 in the University Club on campus to participate in the sharing of ideas. Over the course of the day, 19 different segments, ranging from live speeches to animated videos to musical performances, all explored ideas pertaining to learning and knowing, leaving the audience enthralled and contemplative. This was TEDx McMaster U.

TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to the concept of “Ideas Worth Spreading.” What began in 1984 as a conference uniting people from the worlds of technology, entertainment and design has blossomed into a global movement featuring TED conferences, the TEDTalks video site, and the independent TEDx programs, such as the recent one at McMaster.

TEDx are independently organized TED events by communities, groups, or individual organizers who are enthusiastic about spreading interesting ideas. McMaster’s inaugural TEDx event was organized by a team lead by fifth-year Political Science and Communication Studies student Medina Abdelkader. Her initial interest in curating a TEDx event at McMaster came from her long-term respect for the TED organization.

• PLEASE SEE TEDx, A4 JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF

General Assembly peaks halfway to quorum Frat motion draws crowd, 1280 name change and MSU political endorsement struggle FARZEEN FODA

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Burridge Gym housed 251 students on March 14 for the annual McMaster Students Union (MSU) General Assembly. Union members came to vote on 16 motions put forward by their fellow students. But since the General Assembly did not reach quorum for the sixteenth straight year, none of the decisions will be binding on the MSU or Student Representative Assembly (SRA). If a vote is binding, the SRA must take action on whatever the General Assembly directs it to do.

The meeting commenced with a welcome by MSU President Mary Koziol, after which each motion was sequentially brought to the stage by their respective movers.

Quorum requires attendance of at least three per cent of the undergraduate student population, which was 589 people this year. This

number refers to the number of votes needed at General Assembly to validate the voting. Falling short of this quota, the vote of the General Assembly in favour or against the motions put forth was, “no different than if a group of ten students got together at TwelvEighty and voted on things that they cared about,” said Naheed Yaqubian, Speaker of the MSU and Chair of General Assembly.

Yaqubian noted, however, that many SRA members have expressed a strong interest in some of the motions brought to General Assembly this year. “I have heard from some new SRA members, as well as some returners, that they are thinking of bringing a few of the motions that came to GA (General Assembly) to the SRA, and I think that is very indicative of the fact that representatives are listening to what students want to achieve.” If a motion is brought to the SRA, then

it is binding, meaning that the MSU and the SRA must take action on the issue.

Thus, while many issues received the majority vote of the General Assembly, there is no guarantee that any of the motions that passed will gain any momentum, since the voter turnout was not sufficient to deem the vote valid. Yaqubian stressed that the turnout at this year’s General Assembly was quite impressive compared to previous years when attendance has been as few as 25 people, which was the turnout at the 2008 General Assembly.

Throughout the meeting, attendees were welcome to speak in support or against the motion put forth before the assembly was given a chance to vote on the motion. Of the 16 motions presented, seven of them passed, while four failed, and three were withdrawn by the mover and for two motions, the mover was

Mac alumni defy donation trends FARZEEN FODA & ROY CAMPBELL

not available to present their motion to the General Assembly.

The General Assembly is an opportunity for McMaster students to represent themselves, and bring to a vote, issues they feel are important to students. “It is a tool for students to use to directly effect what their students government does. It is a form of direct democracy, instead of representative democracy,” said Yaqubian.

First up for debate for the General Assembly was the renaming of “TwelvEighty” back to “Quarters.” Support for this motion came from the finding that most students refer to the campus bar as “Quarters” anyway, coupled with the argument that most of the successful clubs and bars in Hamilton have names confined to two syllables. The three syllables of “TwelvEighty” makes it annoying to say, consequently hindering its success as a hub for student life, argued mover Zachary Strong. The motion found little support and failed.

The second motion brought to a vote suggested that the MSU endorse a particular political party or candidate during municipal, provincial or federal elections.

The engagement of the MSU in external political affairs would, according to the mover, target voter apathy by getting students talking about politics.

Concerns were raised that if this motion were enacted, it could interfere with MSU efforts to lobby the provincial and federal government on matters of concern to McMaster students, while resulting in possible misrepresentation of the student body. After several attendees expressed their concerns and support on the motion, it was brought to a vote and was strongly opposed.

The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of

Recent findings from universities across Canada and the United States suggest that donations from young alumni are decreasing, according to Maclean’s on Campus, in an article entitled “To give or not to give?”

The root of the problem was traced to the finding that many recent graduates felt that they were treated like a number while in university.

Many of the luxuries McMaster students now take for granted are largely the result of generous donations of alumni who give back to the institution that paved the way to the careers they now cherish, and left them with a university experience they would never forget.

The McMaster University Student Centre, which serves as the hub for student life, did not exist until rather recently and was funded primarily through donations. This is a fact many students do not seem to realize, noted McMaster’s newly appointed Vice-President, University Advancement, Mary Williams.

Among current students, there are mixed feelings on the matter. Third-year psychology student, Ankita Dubey expressed her feelings and said, “The way I see it, by the time I graduate, McMaster will have taken 50 grand from me and I don’t think the school needs any more, but maybe later on in my life as I reflect on my experience and realize how much I have taken away from these years at Mac, I might decide to donate.”

Williams noted that while it may appear that young graduates are less likely to donate, it may be because they are reluctant to do so until they are able to stabilize their own financial situation, rather than because of overwhelming feelings

• PLEASE SEE DESPITE, A5

• PLEASE SEE YOUNG, A3

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR & SILOUETTE STAFF

JONATHAN FAIRCLOUGH / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

MSU President Mary Koziol addresses the 251 students that filled the seats of Burridge Gym.

[This Week in the Sil] What decline?

Despite the advancement in technology, writers are still a necessity in society.

Pg. A7

St. Patty’s Explore the origins of St. Patrick’s Day and its shift form a Christian feast to National Drinking Day. Pg. C1

The Vagina Monologues ANDY takes a look at McMaster’s upcoming performance of The Vagina Monologues.

Pg. D6

This is a paid advertisement from the MSU.

the

PRESIDENT’S PAGE Nick Shorten VP (Finance)

Mary Koziol President

Joe Finkle VP (Education)

John McIntyre VP (Administration)

CONFERENCE ABOUT LEARNING AND TEACHING REVEALS NEED FOR REFORM MSU President Mary Koziol attended a conference with University administration that pointed to both students and teachers as integral to a shift in educational practices Mary Koziol President president@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 23885

From March 6th to 8th, 2011, I accompanied President Patrick Deane and Provost Ilene Busch-Vishniac to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) workshop on undergraduate education. Several of the sessions focused specifically on hearing the student perspective on these issues, asking questions such as, what is important for the student’s learning environment? What methods of teaching resonate with this generation of students? What sort of changes would we like to see to our undergraduate education?

The entire experience was incredibly thought-provoking and challenged my peers and I to reflect on our personal experience.

The feedback we had received from our fellow students helped us to discern the student vision for improvements to undergraduate education in coming years.

It is important to note that all of the discussions we had revolved around teaching and learning, rather than treating teaching as a concept in and

of itself. Learning makes up the vital second part of this equation, the yin to its yang. We cannot have excellent teaching without engaged students.

Of course, as even the most active learners know, the responsibility to learn well certainly does not fall on the shoulders of students alone. The natural progression is that superior teaching precedes engaged students, and there are still a number of barriers to fostering even the best educators on campus.

One of the most sizable barriers is the lack of prestige afforded to teaching.

Despite its instrumental role in the learning process, teaching is often given secondary priority to research. This is particularly salient with respect to the tenure process, where a lack of emphasis on teaching is seen in the evaluation process.

This challenge was discussed atlength throughout the conference, with various solutions proposed - including having students be part of the tenure evaluation process. Given that teaching is so much more qualitative than research (amount of publications, etc) it is more difficult to evaluate, though certainly just as critical.

Another challenge is that professors often receive no teaching instruction.

This is a trend that is starting to be addressed at McMaster, particularly with the establishment of the Centre for Leadership in Learning (CLL).

The MSU sees teacher training and ongoing teaching workshops as a crucial link to improving learning outcomes in the classroom. This training must incorporate participation and feedback from students to serve the dual purpose; helping professors understand the most effective ways of teaching and having students recognize the necessity of being active learners. This training should include ongoing appropriate and effective use of technology within the classroom.

There are two points I would like you to take away from this article. The first is that I believe there is considerable room for optimism. Not only is McMaster already ahead of many institutions in terms of our commitment to teaching and learning (CLL, teaching-focused faculty, Problem Based Learning), since his inception at McMaster, President Deane has shown improving the quality of undergraduate education, particularly teaching and learning, to be a concern of utmost importance.

Following the conference, Dr. Deane hosted one of his many town

MSU presents paper that changes OUSA policy Paper submitted addresses issue of rising Ancillary Fees Joe Finkle VP (Education) vped@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 24017

This past weekend, the delegates representing the McMaster Students Union attended the annual Spring General Assembly of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). The general assembly is the highest governing body of OUSA and occurs twice a year. Member schools send delegations on a representationby-population basis to recommend, critique and approve new policy for the organization.

This general assembly saw three policy papers presented, including a update of the Student Success paper, the brand new paper on Aboriginal Students and an update on the paper regarding Ancillary Fees. The fees paper was updated and presented by myself and passed with new recommendations regarding the responsibility of university

administrations to monitor potential violations. All of the papers passed and have become official OUSA policy. The policies form the foundation of OUSA’s lobbying efforts and create the backbone of OUSA’s work.

A recent hot topic on campusand a perpetual concern for the vast majority of students- is tuition. This issue was discussed during the breakout session with the delegations. It is and will continue to be one of the paramount priorities of OUSA and the MSU. It will be of particular importance in the coming year leading up to provincial elections in October. The political parties of Ontario will be forced to address the issue of post-secondary education, of which tuition is the greatest concern.

Within the next year, the provincial framework on tuition expires and will be re-evaluated and renegotiated. OUSA and the MSU will be front and center in these talks to ensure students a high quality education at a fair and reasonable cost.

The President’s Page is sponsored by the McMaster Students Union.

It is a space used to communicate with the student body about the projects, goals and agenda of the MSU Board of Directors.

www.msu.mcmaster.ca

hall-style forums, bringing together administration, faculty and students to translate the concepts talked about at the AUCC conference to a McMasterspecific dialect, outlining the specific challenges we face as an institution and what steps need to be taken.

Again, many of these changes will come slowly and encounter multiple barriers, but I believe we stand on the cusp of a transformation of how both students and professors think about teaching and learning.

The final note I want to address is encouraging you to become part of the dialogue. What I realized from attending this conference is just how critical the student voice is in this discussion.

We are the ones most aware of shortfalls of the learning system, and are best poised to provide valuable feedback.

I felt my concerns and suggestions (many of which had come from my fellow students) were well-listened to and considered.

As McMaster strives to enhance teaching and learning on campus, get involved in the conversation. Tuition at post-secondary institutions is very expensive - be an active participant in the process of teaching and learning and take control of your education.

THE SILHOUETTE • A3

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Student Fees

Philanthropy

Is tuition

Young grads less likely to donate

too damn high?

It’s been an active year on campus for the movement to reduce tuition. With Ontario’s average rates well above national averages and amounts increasing each year, some students say now is the time to speak out.

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

SAM COLBERT

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

“If there is one thing I have noticed in the SRA election, it is the number of posters calling for ‘Lower Tuition’,” wrote MSU President-elect Matt Dillon-Leitch in a recent blog post.

The issue of tuition fees has pervaded campus discussion this year. When first-year student and SRA member-elect Ryan Sparrow arrived on campus in September, he observed the informal lobbying efforts on campus to convince University administration to lower, or at least freeze, student fees and was eager to join in. Having taken time off between high school and university studies to ensure he had secured finances to attend McMaster, he was familiar with the burden of education costs.

“To find a decent job, to develop the economy, university education is a must. If you want to escape poverty, it’s a must,” he said.

Despite its importance, he argued that there are significant barriers that prevent students of low-income backgrounds from taking advantage.

Sparrow’s Education for All campus group assisted with a February discussion on whether or not tuition should be free. The discussion was led by Blake McCall, Undergraduate Officer of CUPE 3906. Sparrow also circulated a petition calling for fee reductions at a

March 10 event called ‘Let’s Talk about Tuition,’ jointly hosted by the MSU and Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

At the event, four panellists – Joe Finkle, MSU VP (Education); Alexi White, OUSA Executive Director; Peter Smith, McMaster’s Associate Vice-President (Academic); and Nora Loreto, Communications and Government Relations Coordinator for the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) – debated the merits of governmentfunded versus tuition-based education.

Finkle’s role, as he explained in his opening statement, was to gather student opinion on the matter, though he added a few comments on possible alternatives to the Ontario education funding system. White explained that OUSA is advocating a two-to-one province to student pay ratio, while the current split between per-student funding and tuition payments is about 50-50. White said the current payment share of students is “way too much.”

Loreto took a more extreme stance. Central to the CFS, she explained, is “the principle of free education,” but “we recognize that there’s a context we have to work in.” The MSU was recently ratified as a full member of the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA), an alternative to the CFS. Both are federal groups that lobby members of parliament

and government officials on behalf of post-secondary students. Like OUSA, to which the MSU also belongs, CASA has typically adopted a more moderate approach in their activities than CFS.

Smith was unable to comment on a few of the questions related to University finances, as they didn’t relate directly to his role at the school, but he did share his perspectives on the complexities of the student versus province costs question. He explained that if students avoid paying tuition, they will end up paying off the deficit in taxes in the future. University students traditionally secure better paying jobs, thus the burden is projected to be higher on this group.

Joining roughly 50 students in audience were McMaster President Patrick Deane, Provost and VP (Academic) Ilene BuschVishniac, Dean of Students Phil Wood and other members of the University Administration.

The final portion of the event was focused on the importance of student participation in the October provincial election.

“One of the questions we get all the time from government behind closed doors ... is, ‘Why should I be willing to stick out my neck for you when your constituents don’t vote?’” said White. Loreto encouraged students to lobby the McMaster Senate for classes to be cancelled on Oct. 6, 2011 so that they are free to take the time to vote.

The SRA General Elections took place on Mach. 14 and 15 and although Sparrow was one of the six members elected to the Social Sciences caucus, there were unsuccessful candidates who also ran on a platform of tuition reduction.

“When it came to the [SRA] elections, we had a lot of students who spoke up against the tuition issue. We encouraged them to run, and run on a tuition platform ...

We said to students, if you’re really upset about the tuition, you need to run, you need to campaign. Through the MSU you will have a body of resources to really make change,” said Sparrow.

Campaign slogans included “Reduce tuition,” and “The tuition is too damn high.” The SRA has no formal authority to change student fees enforced by the University, but Sparrow hopes to affect change through advocacy. “I support student campaigns, I support the MSU adopting a position to fight against tuition hikes, to fight for reducing tuition. That was my campaign. The thing is, the MSU wasn’t taking that position.”

Sparrow also brought a motion to General Assembly on having the MSU lobby for reduced tuition, a portion of student loans to be converted to grants and to increase per-student funding in Ontario. Although the vote did not reach quorum and therefore was not binding, the students in attendance voted in favour of the motion.

• CONT’D FROM A1 of betrayal.

James Philipps, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from McMaster, expressed a similar sentiment. He said, “I haven’t donated as of yet, but I might in the future. I think McMaster was a great school while I was there and it got better and better every year. I also think its reputation has grown considerably and I think it deserves all of it. When I have a little more spare change in the future, I might start giving a yearly contribution.”

Williams explained that while McMaster does encourage alumni to donate, the University firmly refrains from being forceful.

The Maclean’s article credits current economic conditions for this trend. As well, donations from recent graduates were compared to years past, suggesting that the grandparents and parents of the current cohort of post-secondary students were more attached to their universities.

It is important to note that upon graduation, people of earlier generations were more likely to join the workforce than pursue a postgraduate education. The demand for post-graduate education is steadily increasing, leaving students with continued debt upon graduation and consequently less inclined to donate. Between 1986 and 2006, the number of Canadians holding post-secondary education has more than doubled, a trend also seen in the number of people holding a post-graduate degree, according to Statistics Canada.

Karen McQuigge, Director of Alumni Advancement, explained that the number of alumni who remain involved with McMaster has remained relatively constant, although this group now represents a smaller portion of alumni compared to previous years. “We decreased a little bit last year [in] the number of [alumni who joined as donors],” she said, but explained that the sum of alumni donations was higher than the year before, even though the contributions came from a fewer number of individuals. As a result, the university raised more money from alumni overall than in the year before.

While students express varying views on their likelihood to donate after graduation, McQuigge maintained that, “we have a pretty strong engagement level with our graduates.” She commended the University’s efforts to inform alumni of where their money is going and to give thanks for their generosity. One example is Philanthropy Week, when students were given the chance to sign “Thank you” cards that were sent to those who had donated to the University.

McQuigge stressed that the key to ensuring that students remain connected to the University as alumni requires creating a vibrant and engaging university experience.

Chris Charlton discusses women in politics MP for Hamilton Mountain makes post-International Women’s Day visit MADIHA KHAN SILHOUETTE STAFF

On March 15, Chris Charlton, Federal MP for Hamilton Mountain sat down with a small group of McMaster students to discuss women in politics. The one-hour event was hosted by the McMaster New Democratic Party and was a follow-up to the 100th International Women’s Day on March 8.

“I am excited to be here,” said Charlton prior to the start of the session. “I love walking into a room full of students that are passionate about political engagement.”

Charlton is the NDP Critic for Labour and Canada Post as well as the Deputy Critic for Finance.

She sits on the NDP Caucus Executive, and is the Party’s Deputy Whip.

Her ties to Hamilton stem not only from her electorate position, but also because of the fact that she is a proud alumnus, having completed her M.A. in Political Science from McMaster. Since only 65 of 308 federal seats are held by women, Charlton is also one of the few women active at the federal level and in politics in general.

When a member of the

group asked Charlton to comment on this under-representation of women in politics, she said that the current government does not seem to see gender equity as a fundamental issue. She used a controversial anecdote to emphasize the point.

“Just two years ago,” she said solemnly, “at a debate in the House of Commons, a female politician at the podium was commenting on the budget and the fact that economic indicators were going up and down. A male colleague sitting behind her retorted just loud enough for her to hear, ‘I’ll give you something to move up and down on, honey.’ ”

“No one watching the debate on TV could have guessed what had happened, and had the woman turned around and reacted, her behaviour would have been deemed outrageous.”

Charlton proceeded to add that it was the responsibility of each party’s leadership to enforce appropriate behaviour.

“In our caucus we make a point of reminding members not to heckle no matter what the provocation,” Charlton said. “But understandably this can be difficult when women are generally more at-

tacked than their male counterparts.

Women are criticized for the pitch of their voice, their clothing, and their looks instead of their message.

Media-influence has ensured that when it comes to women in politics, style is considered over substance.”

It would seem, however, that progressive action is being taken to increase the number of female politicians both at the federal and provincial level. Regions in British Columbia have adopted the highly progressive but contentious policy to fill the seat of any male incumbent that has retired, resigned or lost, by a woman until 50 per cent of all seats are held by women.

To many this may seem like a province-wide embrace of feminism, an idea which was brought up during the group discussion.

“There doesn’t seem to be an agreed upon definition of feminism,” said Charlton, “but a favourite quote of mine on the subject is

by Rebecca West who said, and I quote: ‘I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat.’ ” Charlton descibed her experiences with sexism in the House.

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

A4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

World Water Day Students to hold educational events ATHENA TUDINO THE SILHOUETTE

On March 22, McMaster’s Health and Aging 3Q03 course will be holding a series of activities around campus on behalf of the United Nations International World Water Day celebrations. This day was established to increase awareness for freshwater resources and advocate for sustainable water usage worldwide. This year’s theme focuses on urban water usage and highlights the interlocking relationship between water and health.

Events will be held throughout the day in the McMaster University Student Centre, with topics ranging from local issues in Hamilton to natural disasters in foreign countries. The display tables located in MUSC will feature displays of information, games, and activities for students to partake in. The two main areas of research focus that students have participated in are surrounding local efforts at McMaster, within Hamilton, and international issues with relation to water and health.

Local water conservation and means of involvement in Hamilton will be explored, with a focus on community involvement. Attention will be given to methods for student involvement in issues such as the fluoridation of drinking water at McMaster. The contamination of the water supply at McMaster with lead and copper is a hot topic to be addressed by students during the event, and pamphlets and flyers will be distributed regarding these issues.

International issues such as the New Orleans and Haiti disasters will also be explored, with information being provided about

how McMaster students can lend a hand to those affected by these disasters. Students also looked at the current situation in India, where the majority of residents own a cell phone but not a toilet.

The final topic being explored is a case study on the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, with a focus on how disaster strategies can be made more effective for the future.

With the earthquake and tsunami in Japan currently rampant in the media, students hope to shed light on the disaster.

At this event, the focus will be on the issues following a natural disaster that students do not normally consider, such as access to clean drinking water and a functional sanitation system. These fundamental human rights are waterrelated, and have a long-term consequence on the health and well-being of those affected by the tsunami.

Learning about new strategies for dealing with the aftermath provides a means of adaptation and progress for the problems posed by natural disasters.

The students from Health and Aging 3Q03 will also be holding a conference in the evening of March 22 from 7-9 p.m. in MDCL 1105. The conference will feature a presentation of the research projects that the students have been working on throughout the term, and will provide background information, relevant scientific research, and suggestions for future studies.

Refreshments will be provided for faculty, visitors, and students who wish to attend and engage in discussions on water and health related issues around the globe. RSVP is recommended for those interested in attending the World Water Day mini-conference.

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Psychology Professor Joseph Kim discusses the restructuring of university education on March 12.

TEDx event showcases diverse speakers • CONT’D FROM A1 “I’m an avid TED consumer. I’ve always been a fan of the video,” said Abdelkader. “As soon as I heard about this TEDx program, it was just one of those things that I knew I had to apply for.”

The format of TEDx events is standard: each involves a combination of short talks or performances on a wide range of subjects, the screening of a minimum of two pre-recorded talks from the TEDTalks website, and bias-free programming lacking any commercial, religious or political agenda.

Abdelkader was particularly drawn to this aspect of the program, saying “I liked the concept that it was about ideas, because it wasn’t about commercial interests, it wasn’t about someone pushing an agenda, it was just about pure, unadulterated ideas, and I thought that was really cool.”

McMaster’s event stayed true to this mentality. The day flowed seamlessly from live addresses to video talks, and incorporated a wide variety of topics all linking back to the theme of knowledge and learning. TEDx McMaster U explored the tagline, “the more we learn, the less we know.”

“It’s an old adage that really pays homage to these ideas of academia, and challenges the fact that you can research something to death but that doesn’t mean you know really anything,” said Abdelkader.

Speaking of the creative process behind their theme, she continued, “The crux of the discussion was that we wanted people to question academia; that we have to question the process of learning and teaching, and that all of us felt at some point unsatisfied with that process.”

Speakers were assembled with the intent of reaching a balance between professors and student speakers to provide the most interesting variety of ideas possible.

They talked against a striking back-

drop created by Professor Graham Todd’s Art 3J03 class, which was a large-scale floating grey and red depiction of neurons, behind which speakers disappeared upon the end of their presentation.

The first speaker of the day was McMaster President and Vice Chancellor Patrick Deane. His talk, entitled “Learning and Knowing: Getting in the Mood,” considered the influence language has over our approach to learning. He discussed the six major verb moods in grammar as a metaphorical examination of how universities go about imparting knowledge to students. His unusual and creatively intellectual address was the ideal way to kick off the event.

Another notable speaker from the morning session was Professor Hayden King, who passionately talked about university Indigenous Studies programs.

King chairs McMaster’s Indigenous Studies department, and argued that similar to other schools, McMaster segregates and marginalizes Indigenous Studies to the point of creating “academic reserves.”

King called for the integration of his program into the other facets of the University studies, and highlighted the correlation between Native knowledge and medicine, art, history, and language disciplines. His personal Ojibwe and Pottawatomi heritage informed his enthusiastic delivery, and his energy had the crowd on the edge of their seats.

After a morning filled with diverse ideas concerning education, technology, beauty, racism, and a comedy skit by McMaster’s Moist Theatre improvisation troupe, delegates broke for lunch.

The afternoon session continued in the morning’s vein of unconventional knowledge and diversity of learning experiences.

Talks explored environmental sustainability, obesity, musical innovation, and even yoga.

One significant presenta-

tion was final-year Civil Engineering student Erica Barnes’ discussion of her experiences with Engineers Without Borders in Malawi, Africa.

Her unique presentation style of speaking in the present tense had the audience feeling like they were along for the ride and as if her experience in Malawi was currently unfolding. She walked everyone through a day in the life of volunteering with fixing the water pump in a small village, and the significant interactions with the village citizens that she enjoyed.

Later in the afternoon, fourth-year Arts & Science student and certified yoga teacher Natalie Raso discussed the correlation between athletic performance and practicing yoga. She had the audience pause for a moment and close their eyes as she took them through a yoga breathing exercise, and then launched into the significance of yoga. Her work with high-performance athletes and sports teams revealed the direct relationship between improved athleticism and the regular practice of yoga. Her talk left the audience posture-aware and sitting up straighter.

For Abdelkader, the most rewarding part of seeing the event play out was the discussion it generated. “I think my favourite part about this entire event [was] during the breaks in the event, I overheard people talking about the things that they had heard … which was amazing,” she said. “These were connections that wouldn’t otherwise exist.”

Abdelkader’s hope is that all attendees left the event enthused and excited by the material they had heard.

“The nature of this kind of conference is that there is something for everyone, and so I can hope everyone can take with them something they can apply to their educational experience, because ultimately that’s what this is about – it’s about shedding light on this process of educating oneself within the institution and outside of it.”

Experiential learning focus of workshop Deane attends Halifax conference, stimulating dialogue for university changes MADIHA KHAN SILHOUETTE STAFF

McMaster President Patrick Deane attended a highly interactive workshop in Halifax from March 6-8, focussing on Canadian University Undergraduate Education. The event, which Deane had helped plan, was hosted by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada and consisted of small focus groups, large discussions and poster-presentations of innovative institutional projects.

The three-day workshop was designed to stimulate dialogue around how to ensure pedagogical progress in the face of challenges faced by universities today, including escalating costs, declining public investment and increasing enrolment.

Currently, universities are responding to these resource pressures by simply cutting costs that

manifests in ballooning class sizes amongst other things, whilst the “teaching technology” model has remained unchanged.

“Given the resource-limited context, universities need to re-evaluate the teaching-learning model,” said Deane. “The workshop, which is intended to be a longterm project and national summit of sorts, aimed to address key questions in the re-evaluation process... such as what one considers to be the desirable outcome of undergraduate education with due regard to interdisciplinary requirements.”

Twenty-five Canadian institutions were represented at the workshop from Victoria to the Maritimes, and each university sent three delegates: the President, the Provost and a student leader.

MSU President Mary Koziol attended as McMaster’s student leader. When asked whether a student leader could accurately

describe the typical undergraduate student’s experience, however, Deane admitted that the experience of a student leader would be greatly different from that of a student not active in the university system.

“We certainly need to find ways to engage more students and invite their feedback on these important issues,” said Deane. “The President’s [periodic] Forums are one such way... and an important way since there are no standard and optimal quantitative tools with which to fully gage the undergraduate experience. For the most part university administrators and faculty rely on an anecdotal or impressionistic sense of how their students are faring which makes these forums a good place to start.”

Deane went on to explain that student feedback was particularly important at large, highly research-intensive universities where it is harder to be innovative and

achieve the undergraduate experience found on smaller campuses.

Squamish B.C.’s Quest University, which is Canada’s first private, not-for-profit Liberal Arts College, has an enrolment of about 800 students and has made the most innovative changes to date. Instead of seeking reform within the existing academic system, Quest follows a “block program,” consisting of just one course at a time for 18 class days. This approach gives faculty maximum flexibility on where and how they teach, since the students’ attention is not diverted between other courses. This allows for field studies, project work, international travel and a wide variety of experiential learning.

“Although this is certainly a novel approach with some merit, there are potential issues of transferability and degree-recognition,” said Deane. “For the most part, innovation involves curricular chan-

ges and is typically seen in the arts and sciences ... larger changes are made with hesitation since it can impact the perceived value of the degree received by the undergraduate student.”

When asked what ideas presented at the workshop could be utilized at McMaster, Deane said that it was the same idea that he had been advocating for the last couple of months: that of experiential learning. “Students at focus groups throughout the workshop consistently described the transformative effect a co-op or an internship has on their academic career,” said Deane.

It would seem that in the case of universities, the change to thinking about learning rather than teaching is the necessary first step, as well involving more of the university community groups, such as faculty, in the dialogue around change.

THE SILHOUETTE • A5

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

SRA Election Results Commerce*

Daniel Kim, Igor Knezic, Sandi Simoes

Engineering

Emily Bot, Vivek Govardhanam, Astrik Golendukhin, Owais Hashmi, Shane Zuchowski

Arts and Science

David Campbell

Kinesiology

Nicole Plati, Alasdair Rathbone

Science

Ahmad Al-Amad, Maria Daniel, Neha Dhawan, Fahad Mohamed, Melissa Sharma, Andrea Somers

Social Sciences

Simon Granat OR Maya Kanani**, Jean-Marc Metrailler, Alex Ramirez, Huzaifa Saeed, Samira Sayed-Rahman

Nursing

Andrew Marlowe, Karina Redick

*One winner declined seat, recount underway

**Tied for the final seat, runoff election scheduled for March 17.

MSU Speaker values GA despite low turnout SRA members plan to take some motions to future meeetings • CONT’D FROM A1 a motion for the MSU to lobby for a one-week study break between the last day of classes and the commencement of the examination period. Since the vote did not reach quorum, the General Assembly vote is not binding on the MSU, and thus no action is required on the matter.

Another motion of interest, for which it seemed much of the attendance might have been attributed to, proposed that McMaster University recognize a Greek Life Council.

Its many supporters provided many votes in favour.

The last time General Assembly reached quorum was in 1995 when 479 students came out.

The main issue discussed was the creation of a fee to support a McMaster chapter of Ontario Public Interest Research Group, as well as a vote against the SRA’s desire to hold a second referendum on join-

ing the Canadian Federation of Students.

Since then, the turnout has consistently fallen short, yet Yaqubian remains confident that efforts to draw more students to the General Assembly have been effective.

In the past, the event has dealt with very pressing issues, noted Yaqubian, such as the cancellation of Welcome Week and a 10 per cent tuition increase in 1982.“We’ve seen very political, controversial, divisive, time sensitive issues come to GA,” she explained.

She further stressed that “it is most important that students know that [General Assembly] is available to them, should they wish to bring something forward, hold their representatives accountable for their actions or influence the priorities of their representation.”

The following motions were passed at General Assembly, but since quorum was not reached, none of them are binding on the SRA: Study Break between the last day of classes and the beginning of exams

Health Sciences

Riaz Sayani-Mulji, Joshua Wiener

Humanities

Lisa Bifano, Chris Erl, Tanya Kuzman, Mel Napeloni

Dental Plan Referendum

General Assembly

Establishment of a Social Media Coordinator Making McMaster a Fair Trade Campus Campaign against Islamophobia, Anti-Semitism and Racism on campus Recognition of a Greek Life Council

The vote was deemed invalid as quroum was not reached. A total of 909 votes were cast, but 1,963 were needed to reach quroum.

Banning tests during outside elections Changing tution lobbying efforts.

A6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

EDITORIAL

editor’s extension: 22052 letters: thesil@thesil.ca

Suddenly a bridesmaid

The Silhouette McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

TheSil.ca

Editorial Board Executive Editor... Peter Goffin Managing Editor... David Koots Copy Editor... Katherine Marsden Senior News Editor... Sam Colbert Asst. News Editor... Jemma Wolfe Asst. News Editor... Farzeen Foda Opinions Editor... Cassandra Jeffery Sports Editor... Brian Decker Asst. Sports Editor... Fraser Caldwell InsideOut Editor... Natalie Timperio Asst. InsideOut Editor... Kaitlin Peters Senior ANDY Editor... Roxanne Hathway-Baxter ANDY Music Editor... Dan Hawie ANDY Ent. Editor... Myles Herod Senior Photo Editor... Christopher Chang Multimedia Editor... Joy Santiago Asst. Photo Editor... Jonathon Fairclough Business Editor... Simon Granat

Just when I was getting the hang of it. You may not know it to look at me, but I have not always done exceptionally well with women. Now, I know this will come as a shock to those few of you who have met me, touched me, or stalked me across campus, but it’s true. Granted, it’s not my fault. A lot of girls are intimidated by the combination of good looks, wit and virility possessed only by me and a few people they keep locked away for the public good. But regardless of the cause, the point is that there have been times in my life when I’ve struggled to get a date. There. Now you know. The secret’s out.

But the good news of the gospel is that in the last little while I’ve actually been doing well for myself in that scene. Maybe I’m giving off a new musk, or maybe I’ve just grown into my face but, whatever the reason, there’s been a kind of a change. I mean to say that I’m getting slapped less and less all the time.

Not that it was easy. I belong to the trial and error school, which can make for a long, steep road to success.

Granted, I’m not getting hotel room keys and pairs of panties thrown at me in the street, but I would like to think that I’ve figured out the act of dating, at least to the point that I can participate without massive failure or physical injury.

And then, just as I was steadying my hand, startin’ to eeeeeease into confidence, the game changed.

Now, every time I turn around, couples, couples that I know, couples comprised of people not unlike myself, are moving in together, getting engaged, getting maaaaaarried.

It started gradually. In the relatively short time that I’ve been at university, for instance, three of my cousins, all a few years older than me, either got engaged or married, meaning that I am now the second eldest member of my extended family not hitched or waiting to be. But I was handling it. It wasn’t so bad.

But then the tide came in. A co-worker my age got married the summer after third year. A friend of a friend, two years younger than me was ring-shopping over Christmas break. An old school friend tied the knot over a year ago and, in the biggest blow of all, the girl from my third-year stats class with the lownecked sweater is going to take the big matrimonial hit in the fall. And none of them were pregnant.

Finding out that someone your age has gotten knocked up is a softer blow. Pregnancies can be accidental. Or incidental. They are a biological Russian Roulette game. Even 15-year-olds can get pregnant.

But marriage isn’t like any other life development my generation has experienced so far.

Marriage is willful. If it were a crime, it would be murder, not manslaughter. Wedding in the first degree. Marriage is an expression of people’s actual desires and thought processes. And so, when someone in my age bracket decides to take the plunge, get dressed up and ruin their lives, it scares the crap out of me because it means people very much like me actually want to do it. And I don’t.

I do not have an old maid complex. Being a 22-year-old man makes that a bit of a stretch. But I am afraid. Not of being alone, just of being behind the times. I would hate to be the one square who isn’t getting married, be like the one kid who doesn’t get invited to the party.

I may know how to date now. I can do it, and do it pretty well, I’d say. But the game that more and more members of my age group are playing is no longer called “dating,” it’s called “setting up house.”

Though the vast majority of my friends are still eons away from settling down, the weddings are coming in dribs and drabs, and soon a whole bunch will start falling. It’s the post-university, start of real-life marriage rush. And then will come the babies. Good God, the babies!

Life always changes. With each passing year, the standard to which we are held gets higher and higher. First it’s kissing, then screwing, then serious dating, then engagement, then marriage, then families.

It’s all a beautiful journey, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But my problem is, I’ve been playing catch-up my whole life. I’m always just a little behind because the changing of standards goes so fast, faster than my own expertise can develop.

This invariably happens to me. It’s my curse. The last essay of each year is invariably my best. I always get my room to look just right about a week before I move. I spend so much time getting into something that, by the time I do, I don’t have time to enjoy it. I have to move on to the next challenge. It’s like getting to a bar right before closing time and not being able to buy a drink.

I don’t want to get married anytime soon and, fortunately, thanks to my family’s apathetic attitude toward tradition, religion, and morality, I don’t have to. But marriage isn’t the point. The point is that I just want to be ahead of the curve on something, anything. As life speeds up, and the landmarks become larger, more extreme, I have that desire now more than ever. I want everything to slow down just enough that I can understand it, you know. I just want to get good at school, dating, life, whatever, before it passes me by.

• PETER GOFFIN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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 university officials. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette board of publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community, and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.

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For everything in these pages and some things that aren’t, visit

TheSil.ca Actually, we sold the URL to raise funds for a Guatemalan freedom fighter cell. Via con dios, Juan.

Viva el revolucion!

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to the time machine. turns out it was easier than we thought.

to future donuts. the future tastes like chloroform.

to time machine movies. scratch that. back to the future 1 through 3 are the only good ones.

to the mac hospital going 100 per cent pediatric. if i paid taxes i would be really mad.

to greasiness.

to the beach ball.

to recycling. only you can prevent not recycling stuff.

to being the “shoeson” editor. i’m way too responsible.

to kickin’ stuff.

to cleaning.

to whippin’ cupcakes.

to clean.

to my beard. may it grow and prosper.

to forced insomnia.

to joy sanitago. may you prosper as much as my beard.

to weird fuckin’ office vistors. we don’t come to the halfway house and bother you.

to the communication studies student symposium on april 6. thanks for the invite!

to fragility in the colon region. what happened, colon? we used to be a team.

Section Meeting Times Photo Fridays at 3:30 p.m. photo@thesil.ca News Fridays at 1:30 p.m. news@thesil.ca Business Tuesdays at 12 p.m. business@thesil.ca Sports Fridays at 11:30 a.m. sports@thesil.ca InsideOut Mondays at 1:00 p.m. insideout@thesil.ca ANDY Mondays at 2:00 p.m. andy@thesil.ca Opinions Mondays at 1:15 p.m. opinions@thesil.ca

THE SILHOUETTE • A7

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

OPINIONS

production office extension: 27117 opinions@thesil.ca

What decline?

Despite change in the literature industry, creative and eloquent writers are still a necessity in society CASSANDRA JEFFERY OPINIONS EDITOR

Pre-university, my dream was to become a doctor. My parents were proud because I would have a prestigious, well-paying job, and my profession would always be in demand. Basically there was no way I would be without a stable career. Well, to the disappointment of my hopeful parents, I eventually decided the medical field was not for me. Instead, I determined that I wanted to be a writer, a job which is often portrayed as a dead-end profession, a financially un-stable path, and obviously not as prestigious as our brain surgeons and Grey’s Anatomy wannabes.

But the far-too-exaggerated hype around the medical field did not matter to me. My love for writing would prevail and I would study the art of literature in university.

Profession aside, I believe there is a severe misrepresentation of literature in society. The stereotype: no one can make enough money to sustain a life as a writer, journalism is a dying field, and the book industry is significantly declining. In response, I would like to remind society of the thousands of authors who have made a significant amount of cash using their writing abilities.

Who do you think pens our course textbooks? Our favourite mystery tales?

That’s right, writers. Who do you think delivers the latest news from around the world? Writers, that’s who. Now I know what you’re thinking: “The world still needs writers, but they’ve been dwindling in recent decades.” Well I’m here to tell you you’re wrong, in part because I’m a writer myself, but mostly because the writing profession is actually still in demand.

The journalism industry is not a dying field, it’s simply changing, evolving along with every other aspect of culture in our technological world. The book industry may have declined, but the material is still being written, still being absorbed by the public.

To drive my point home, I would like to refer to a beloved Canadian author, Margaret Atwood. In an interview with The Globe and Mail, Atwood discussed her perspective on the idea of writing as a dying art. The reporter, Rosalind Porter, questioned • PLEASE SEE WRITERS, A8

[This Week in Opinions] Bad day blues When down in the dumps, turn to friends and family for comfort and support.

Pg. A9

Bimbo Wallace a racist

Border cops

UCLA student, Alexandra Wallace publicly expresses her annoyance towards Asian people in the library.

Security cameras should be used in all circumstances where border police are involved.

Pg. A10

Pg. A11

A8 • THE SILHOUETTE

What’s your

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

opinion?

In a new feature, the Silhouette asks members of Mac’s faculty what’s on their minds.

Compiled by Peter Goffin

Nick Bontis

George Breckenridge

Patrick Deane

Professor, Business

Professor, Political Science

President, McMaster University

“The number one most important skill students need to develop, regardless of what faculty they are in, is sales. For the rest of your life, whether it’s at work, at home, or at play, you will always be selling ... products, services and yourself!”

“Racial attitudes have been transformed and the face of Canada changed by the opening up of immigration; thanks to the feminists young women now have much the same opportunities as men; gay rights are well on their way to being won. After Vietnam, and certainly Iraq, we have learned that we cannot bring change to the rest of the world by force. So these battles have been won, and they were real battles with real casualties. Today’s students are as bright, energetic, and idealistic as ever. But what are the battles left to be fought?”

“Of all the forces which constrain what can be achieved in a university education – or indeed any other process of personal growth – none is greater or more difficult to address than our own self-limiting habits of mind.”

In the end, writers will still get paid • CONT’D FROM A7

Atwood on the rise of technology and the use of e-books as oppose to conventional methods of reading, also known as books.

Atwood suggested that the intention is still the same: “The author communicates with the book; the book communicates with the reader, and e-books are another connection between them. Whether the technology is printing a text on a Xerox machine or reading it in a book or writing it on a wall, there is always a triangle: writer, text, reader.”

We have to realize that

technology is constantly inventing new ways for society to move forward, for society to change.

Our culture is constantly adapting to new and improved methods of already seemingly easy tasks.

For example, reading.

It’s pretty easy to pick up a novel and read and yet those computer geniuses over at NASA have found a way to make reading digital.

This evolution in reading does not insinuate we have magic computer robots who can create a literature masterpiece.

As easy as it is to read, anyone can pick up a pen and put it

to paper, but in this day and age, it’s the talented and creative individuals who can turn literature into art; these are the writers, the innovators who continue to write in a technological world.

As Atwood has stated in the past, “Every time there is a new medium, people get hypnotized by it: the printing press, radio, television, the Internet. It’s certainly a change in the world, which then somehow adapts.” So let’s learn to the adapt; if we don’t we’ll certainly fail in more elements than reading.

On a similar note, journalists are still considered

writers. It can’t be denied that the journalism profession has changed with the development of the Internet, however we still need people to tell us what’s going on in the world.

We still need writers to voice their opinions and deliver interesting, well developed news.

Just as e-books, the news has changed in the way it is produced, much of which is through the internet, but there are still individuals writing the content you read every day on Yahoo.

The writing industry is not dying, there is merely a

misunderstanding over what constitutes writing.

Despite the method of publication, primarily based on technological advancements, writing is still writing.

You still need to have that creative edge and you still have to love putting words to paper, or in my case, typing words on a Microsoft Word document. Either way, I’ll start worrying about my job when robots take over the world.

Until then, writers are still in control of what is published; just not what format it will be published in.

THE SILHOUETTE • A9

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Beat the bad day blues

Great friends are always around when you’re down in the dumps CASSANDRA JEFFERY OPINIONS EDITOR

Life is full of unexpected surprises, hardships, and bad days but, when you have great friends and family, your problems seem less concerning.

It’s true that bad days are not easy, but friends make it a little less stressful. I’m talking about your true friends, friends who will still be your true friends 10 years from now. Random acquaintances come and go throughout the years, so hold onto to those friends who are willing to listen to your bad day rant and offer consolidation.

These are the friends with whom you have substantial relationships. Substantial, meaning you have more exciting memories than simply getting trashed together.

You understand one another, you know what to say when they’re having a bad day, they keep every single secret you’ve ever had, and they accept your most irritating flaws.

Why? Because that’s what friends do. They help you through the hard times, through the bad days, and share the most memorable moments in life.

So appreciate your friends and family. Tell those closest to you how much you value the relationship you share with them, because eventually you’re going to have a day when you want nothing to do with the world, want nothing except to lie in bed and cry, and when that day comes you’re going to want that person, that best friend to talk to and have listen.

If I have any downtime right now, it would be spent with those who matter most, those who are around when I’m having a bad day. When you get a chance, give a shout-out to those lovely señoritas and señors who matter most. It’ll turn your frown upside down.

?

How do you cope when having a bad day?

“Go to the gym.”

Adnan Ahmad

Feedback

We’ve all experienced them.

We’ve all endured the hardships of the terrible and exhausting circumstances they tend to cause.

I’m sure we’ve all had moments in which we’d simply rather break down and cry instead of dealing with the real world. There are always times when it seems much easier to embrace, rather than fight off, the tragic pitfalls of your life.

I’m talking about bad days. The days when you would rather stay hidden in the comforts of bed, TV remote and chocolate in hand. We’ve all experienced these wretched days of agony, sometimes weeks of despair, and unfortunately it seems as though there is nothing you can do to subside your sorrows.

You’re in an overwhelming state of stress and you’re completely, 100 per cent certain that the universe is out to get you. Believe me, I understand what kind of situation you’re facing, what kind of stress you’re dealing with, and the complete desire to drop everything and just relax for five minutes. But, sadly this is not our world; or at least not mine.

My life is in a constant battle for downtime with downtime severely losing. If it’s not essays or exams, then it’s something to do with work. If it’s not work, then it’s some sort of family crisis or a situation with friends. Time for a boyfriend you say? Ha! Perhaps I can squeeze a date into my busy schedule somewhere between class and assignments. But I must read two novels for next week’s English class, so can we do a rain check please?

To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I just sat at

home, in my pyjamas, with a bottle of wine, some food, and a great book, for pleasure, not educational purposes, to relax in the satisfaction of doing absolutely nothing.

Nothing, oh how I miss your sweet serenity.

By now, I’m sure you’ve realized that I am having one of those days. I’m swamped with work, dreading the entire months of March and April, and I’m pretty sure the stress is making my face break out. Great, another lovely result of my ever-hectic lifestyle; I’m overwhelmed and blotchy, how wondrous.

In my fit of panic, the only solution I could think of was to brainstorm what could be done to solve my current state of despair. What would I usually do in such a situation? Then it hit me.

I would most likely write about it. And I would confide in those who understand my personality, probably more than I understand it myself.

I’m not usually a very open individual. I tend to keep my emotions and feelings to myself on days like today. On days when the universe itself is against me, I feel as though my best friends would have a thing or two to say. And thus begins my written dedication to those important individuals in my life. You know who you are.

Firstly, you’re the best.

Secondly, thanks. Thanks for letting me know when my outfit looks like crap, for letting me cry on your shoulder when I can’t handle the stress of life, for agreeing with me when I say, “He’s such a jerk.” Thanks for taking the blame when I cut my own hair, and, most importantly, for encouraging me to look for the silver lining in everything.

“I do hot yoga.”

Amy Liddell

“I don’t really have bad days.”

Joshua Lewis

“I try to find soothing ways to relax and talk to good friends.”

Marina Vratarie

“Go home and be around my family and friends and try to be comfortable.”

Sandra Youssef

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Genuine friends are always around and willing to help you out when you’re having a bad day.

Compiled by Cassandra Jeffery and Christopher Chang

A10 • THE SILHOUETTE

Who needs money?

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Bimbo Wallace is a racist Student confesses annoyance through interweb, what an idiot!

An individual’s artistic value is not determined from the amount of cash offered for their work

JENNA SHAMOON

and expression for my entire life.

There are times when I feel very uncomfortable putting a price Throughout this year, I’ve written on artwork because art is such a articles in the Silhouette regarding precious and honest thing. art and wanting to become a visual This particular painting artist. Reading this article, you’re came from a very honest place, probably thinking, “Wow, I can’t deriving from very strong and believe she’s writing about art vivid emotions that I translated into again,” but this article isn’t like the a visual piece. To put a price on others. something like that seems ridiculous I believe that when you at times. choose to live your life a certain I was almost going to way, you have to take everything reject the idea of selling my painting that comes with it. It’s the same altogether. with choosing a job; when you It went against my whole take that job, you have to deal with perception of what art is about. everything that it entails.

Money certainly does not hold a After all this writing about special place with my art. art and wanting to be a part of the But then I began to think of small and elite art world, I’m not the person who had offered to buy sure if I’m quite ready to walk the it. Clearly, they had an admiration walk yet. for artwork, if they’re willing to Artists make their living actually pay money to own it. If you by being commissioned to work ask me, it’s people like that who on a piece of art or selling their keep the wheels of the art world artwork. going. By investing At first, in art, the value of I thought it would It also dispersed my it appreciated even be so easy to give more. previous away a painting.

A l s o , misconceptions of the emotion After all, I’ve that an artist’s life as a was evoked by always perceived art as a form of the painting must lifetime of entertainment, have meant that the scrambling for meant for the person offering to money. If I wanted buy it felt some kind viewing pleasure of others. If my of connection to it, to, I could work could make even if they couldn’t actually make a someone else explain it. They happy, or could living through this.” wanted to have it affect someone in a in their home. They certain way, that would be enough wanted to walk past it every day and payment for me. Money can’t buy look at it. They wanted to make it an that kind of appreciation. addition to their life.

Recently, someone offered So in the end, what’s my to buy a painting of mine. I had not decision? As of now, I’m willing to put a price on it since it wasn’t my sell it. This goes back to my original intent to sell it. But this person saw point. If I want to be a part of the it, liked it, and was willing to pay art world, I have to live the lifestyle. me for it.

I have to be willing to accept that I was extremely excited at people may want to own what I first. It made me feel like an actual create, and that the art may be more artist. It also dispersed my previous important to them than it is to me. I misconceptions of an artist’s life as have to be willing to give a part of a lifetime of scrambling for money. my creativity away.

If I wanted to, I could actually make In a way, my art is for a living through this. other people. If I was to withhold However, this excitement what I create from others, what was coupled with a big dose of would be the point of creating it? apprehension.

It would just be selfish I’ve always been a tad self-indulgence, which is not nervous about giving my art away. something I particularly want to For me, each piece of art that I make exhibit. is a part of me, as cheesy as that So, if I’m willing to put sounds. myself out there and be a part of Each work came from a the art world, I’ll have to deal with special place in my heart or mind. whatever comes with it. Anyone Each work was a form of therapy willing to make the first bid?

SILHOUETTE STAFF

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

A respectful American yet not-so politically correct girl expresses her grief over Asians in the library.

AARON JOO

SILHOUETTE STAFF

The Internet has become a sphere for social construction wherein individuals can question, interpret, and recontextualize the ideas around them. Although being anonymous can create a safety net for expressing violent misogyny, blatant racism, and profanity, the fact that communities at the same time challenge these things allows for productive development. Once in a while, it puts people in their place.

On March 13, a video, posted by a UCLA student on her Facebook, was in mass circulation on YouTube, called “Asians in the Library.” The video was reposted all over the web with an extensive variety of critiques and reactions.

In it, a certain Ms. Alexandra Wallace voiced her issues with the “hordes” of Asians in the library on their cell phones. She admitted that she was not the most “politicallycorrect” person, nevertheless her rant illustrates the latent, racist misconceptions of Asian people that still prevails in many American students.

But one student’s ignorance does not extend to an entire community, and this is something that UCLA’s Asian Pacific Coalition hopes to make clear.

The Asian Pacific Coalition posted a formal response soon after the video took flight. They offer a critical analysis of Wallace’s detrimental words, including how she upholds the dichotomy of the ‘us/them’ rhetoric that segregates people into two categories of those who belong and those who don’t.

Not only that, but she categorizes very dissimilar nationalities with a single identity, ascribing them with one universal language which sounds something like, and I quote, “ching chong, ling long, ting ta”.

In their response, The Asian Pacific Coalition raises another excellent point. In the video, Ms. Wallace shows strong aversion to the fact that many family members of Asian students visit them on the weekends to help buy groceries, prepare food, do laundry, and other domestic chores.

To this she responds by criticizing the parents for not allowing their children to fend for

themselves. Yet this is a heavy assumption and it doesn’t consider the culturally relevant value of the family unit. So the question becomes why does Ms. Wallace feel so hostile to this fact?

At the same time the group wishes to address the ignorant retaliations given by those on the other side.

The fact that Alexandra Wallace is a young, blonde woman has nothing to do with, and should have nothing to do with what she says. Instead the group wishes for individuals and communities to voice their opinions respectfully yet powerfully.

They suggest contacting such authorities like the leaders of the institution who guarantee a prejudice-free environment through the Student Code of Conduct. And there is an effect. Former graduates of UCLA, students all around the world, and those of the current UCLA community have posted video responses on their YouTube, tumbler and other Web-related accounts, as well as their own personal blogs. Such Internet spaces are exactly what are necessary to deal with cases like these.

THE SILHOUETTE • A11

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Border cops: No video, no justice ERIC WILLIAMS SILHOUETTE STAFF

Border crossing police have important jobs. They are supposed to keep our country secure. In the process of that job, they need to interview people coming in and out of the country. When you’re dealing with them, apparently normal constitutional rights do not apply.

This has never been tested by the Supreme Court. Don’t use that as an excuse to cause problems, but there it is.

In any case, they have the ability to cause some serious physical discomfort, including jail, handcuffs, tasers and body cavity searches. Clearly this has gone too far, more than a few times, and innocent people have been molested.

Given how readily available drugs and guns are on both sides of the border, the question has to arise: is this a farce? We need some border security, but we also really need to curb this kind abuse before it gets out of hand and we’ve got a police state to un-create.

I could bore you with anecdotal examples of malevolent abuse that occurred in a Vancouver bathroom, but just Google it.

Crossing the border is the worst part of any American vacation. They really are the troll under the bridge, looking to shake you down.

“Where’d that dress come from? How long you been dating her? She’s a little young for you, isn’t she? Where ya going? Where ya staying?”

Scan my iPod? Where’s my due process? Just roll the dice and take your chances. Take the abuse, and get on with your life. When people say “Soviet Canukistan” I don’t think about health care, I think about border guards.

Drab education leads to drinking Boredom in school causes students to seek fun elsewhere

Right now, 20 plus years into free trade, I really don’t understand why you can’t go and buy some clothes and videogames without paying duty on it. Or go see a Sabres game without getting a finger up your ass? How much of border services is obsolete or pointless in an age of Internet access and Homeland Security? It really is unjustified. We don’t need to get rid of the border, we just need to professionalize it.

So the point is that it’s not uncommon for people to report harsh and rude treatment by border security. In fact it’s far too common.

They really are the troll under the bridge between you and a pleasant vacation.

Normal Canadians should not have to deal with rude, unprofessional border security agents in our own country. The answer is simple: we need to have the exchanges on video tape.

Border crossing is important enough that it should be taped anyways. Citizens crossing the border should be able to download a copy of the recorded interaction between them and the border patrol anytime they want, without cost or explanation. Most of the time you wouldn’t care, just like any check at a concert. But when the person was a real douche, or said something rude or unprofessional, it should be your right to secure a copy of the video on that encounter.

And it should be easy. All I should need is my vehicle license plate, or passport number to reference it.

Turning the camera around will cut down on the abuse, and eliminate the bullshit. Some might consider this unfair, but it’s just the Spiderman Principle biting you in the ass. With great power comes great responsibility, whether you like it or not.

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

We should be exposing our kids to useful, applicable material, such as Pulp Fiction.

EDWARD GULOIEN

Have the border patrol police gone too far?

kids take up drugs and alcoholrelated activities and have nothing but good times. Fun fact: speed After almost 18 years of schooling balls and jagerbombs bring about and almost as many years of everything you could ever want: drinking, I have found myself pleasurable last call hook-ups, a questioning the occurrence of the sense of belonging with all your correlation between binge drinking fellow boozers, new meanings and formal schooling. to mundane life, and a feeling of

Binge drinking is the accomplishment derived from outepisodic and excessive consumption drinking the guy tossing his lunch of alcohol for the purpose of getting in the bushes out back. intoxicated. It is most common in adolescence and young adult hood. Is it a coincidence that kids Prevention methods of that age are also in high schools, can be improved colleges and universities? easily. Begin by

Binge drinking is prominent in many countries like Australia, removing the corny Spain, New Zealand, Russia, after-school specials Singapore, and the USA. It’s seen from circulation. throughout Europe and you’ve got to figure there are a few Inuit tipping That means no more flasks in igloos up in Nunavut.

Degrassi-like,

Fun fact: All these places overdramatic shows.” have schools. Coincidence? I think we’re all familiar with school. Go to class, zone out for a few hours, side effects include eat lunch, zone out for another few Minor hours then go home. Now, I’m not temporarily loss of basic math hating on what we’re learning in skills, motor function, and the school, or at least not the interesting judgment of whether someone is stuff. However, the way teachers hot or not. There are pros and cons are relating the material is about as to everything, right?

In the end though, boozing drab as watching water boil.

Eventually, the exposure helps us unwind and forget about to the boring and un-relatable the banal tasks we put ourselves atmosphere leads to feelings of through every day for the sake of disgust. And just like Pavlov’s some piece of paper proclaiming dogs, we associate the feelings to your adequacy at undergraduate the cue factors. That is, we despise study.

This can become a problem the whole process of learning. So we avoid it at all costs and seek out when the association between booze and good times becomes so strong other ways to spend time.

Some kids join clubs or take that we can’t seem to have a good up bowling. But there are only so time without it. This is referred to many bowling lanes. The other as alcoholism. It’s a self-induced SILHOUETTE STAFF

disorder. You cannot catch it, there is no vaccine, it is not caused by a chemical imbalance. It is entirely psychological. In other words, you cannot rid its symptoms by taking a pill, the only solution is to break down the association by sheer exposure.

Prevention tactics include watching cheesy after-school specials written by the same lame dudes who are making the school curriculum, the ones at the root.

And they really expect us to listen?

Please, save yourself the trouble, because the only way I’m going to be able to sit through that dummied down crap is if I’m inebriated to level where I can enjoy a fluent conversation with the wall.

Obviously school systems will not be changing their outreach methods any time soon. However, prevention methods can be improved easily. Begin by removing the corny after-school specials from circulation.

That means no more Degrassi-like, overdramatic shows.

Letting kids watch shows like that, you might as well be handing them dirty needles with directions to the nearest crack house.

After Degrassi purging, follow up with exposure to true to life movies about abusive tendencies and their effects. Movies like Trainspotting, Requiem for a Dream, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Pulp Fiction, Barfly, Factotum, and Strange Brew are a good start. We’ll scare those prebingers good, before they get the chance to glorify and justify their silly habits. Then once that’s fixed we can focus on the real problem of how shitty the school system is.

A12 • THE SILHOUETTE

SpeculatoR The Hamilton

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

INSIDE THE SPECULATOR Ultrasound images.

See that camera? That’s why we use ultrasound now

Thursday, March 17, 2011 F Marking our territory since 1930 .

Things to do on St. Patrick’s Day

s n r u t e r t e h p o r p s i n Pe

1. Drink a Shamrock Shake from McDonald’s.

2. Head to the Irishest bar in your vicinity, drink beer of the green variety.

Punxsie predi ct weeks of wint s six more er, shriveling

BUCK HOROWITZ JIZZY CARMICHAEL

3. Get overly intoxicated, make ethnically prejudiced remarks about the Irish.

4. Get advanced upon by angry drunken Irish mob (is there any other kind of Irish mob?), placate them by saying you were trying to address your friend, Mick.

5. Return to bar, continue to drink copious ammounts of heavy green beer.

6. Spew a stream of puke greener than Kermit the Frog, leave bar.

7. Search for food, come upon vegan restaurant, order their vegan chili, puke more green.

8. Return home, vow never to consume the colour green again.

9. Repeat.

SPECULATORS

Despite the unseasonably warm over the fact that vaginas cannot weather radiating down upon us cast shadows at all and, as such, these past few days, meteorologists have no place in meteorology.”

– or, no, not meteorologists. What’s Confronted with these asthat other thing? Oh right, alcohol- sertions during a later interview, ics with social diseases – assure us Wedgeby stuck to her guns. “Look, that there will, in fact be six more I’ve seen Jackson’s dick every year weeks of winter for three years now ahead. That is beand I’m sick of it. cause a special little If that makes me a As he has for (or at least slightly bitter feminist, then less than average) sign me up.” the last somebody, upon Regardthree years, Jack- less of whether he emerging from his dark dwelling, has Wedgeby’s supson didn’t see his shadport or not, MerMerriweather left riweather and his ow this year.

As he has his home on March man-piece have for the last three academia on their 14 and exposed years, Jackson side. Said ProfesMerriweather left himself to a crowd sor H.R. “Stretch” his home on March Armstrong of Mcof onlookers.”

14 and just outside Master’s Anatomiof Mills Library, cal Weather departexposed himself to ment, “If you look a crowd of onlookat the historical ers. This year, unlike previous years, data, Punxsie’s been 100 per cent however, Merriweather’s member, accurate. Every year he has seen his affectionately named Punxsutawny shadow, and every year winter has Pecker, did not cast a shadow. ended shortly after mid-March. I “The Pecker has spoken,” think the statistics speak for themsaid a messianic Merriweather from selves. We’ll just have to see what his pulpit next to La Piazza. “Six happens this year.” more weeks of winter. So let it be Armstrong is the author of written, so let it be done.” the academic article “Cocks: Can Other witnesses to the they predict the future?” published event were less convinced of its le- in January’s issue of Scientific Devigitimacy. “There are a lot of reasons ants Monthly.

Punxautawny Pecker might not Although, by Armstrong’s have seen his shadow,” protested accounts, Punxsutawny Pecker is Anatomical Weather major Kristine safe for the time being, 2012 may Wedgeby. “It was cloudy for one not be as bright a year for the phalthing. And, most importantly, it was lic future-teller. Plans are already in pretty cold out that day, so… you place for a rival personality to enter know.” the meteorological genitalia game.

An angry Merriweather Viarton Vaj is slated to make its first countered Wedgeby’s claims with a appearance next year in the same theory of his own: “I think it’s due timeslot at Punxsutawny Pecker. to jealousy really,” he said. “For Said Viarton Vaj’s owner, Kristine Kristine to be so against the idea of Wedgeby, “We’ll see whose vagina a penis that can predict the weather can’t cast a shadow, Jackson Meris obviously neo-feminist bitterness riweather. We’ll see.”

“What Did You Learn This Week, Timmy?”

“I learned that dames dig the pre-pube look.”

Disclaimer: Stories printed in The Hamilton Speculator are fact. Any resemblance to persons real or dead is likely intentional and done out of spite. Opinions expressed are those of The Speculator and if you disagree with them you are wrong. And stupid. Possibly ugly as well.

THE SILHOUETTE • B1

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

SPORTS Track

Men’s Rugby

Coates leads Marauders at CIS

Mac takes part in sevens invite tournament

PHOTO C/O PETER SELF

Victoria Coates (middle) led a contingent of Mac runners at last week’s CIS Championships.

FRASER CALDWELL

coming increasingly synonymous.

Victoria Coates, who enjoyed a fifth-placed finish at the year-end The CIS track and field season cross-country championships in late wrapped up this past weekend in October, gained a national chamSherbrooke, QC with the comple- pionship medal in Sherbrooke. tion of the national championship The sophomore performer meet at the home of the Vert et Or. managed to secure a silver medal

One Marauder had a par- in the women’s 3000-metre final, ticularly great weekend, the same which stood as the Marauders’ sole Marauder for whom success is be- podium finish on the weekend.

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Performance Tracker Victoria Coates: Captured silver in the 3000m race, finishing in 9:48.46 Women’s 4x800 relay: Team of Sara Giovannetti, Sarah Haliburton, Lisa Giles and Kim Volterman finished sixth.

Men’s 4x200 relay team: Team of Jimmy Tat, Rudy Baronette, Denis Noronha and Scott Hutchinson inished sixth.

The accomplishment becomes even more impressive when one considers that Coates had missed the OUA Championships a few weeks earlier due to illness. In fact, before this past weekend, the Marauder standout had not competed in a meet in a month’s time.

Her silver medal finish stands as only the latest in a string of recent accomplishments that has seen Coates rocket to the forefront of the national cross-country and track scenes.

In mid-November, the Marauders’ increasingly well-known redhead clinched the top spot at the Canadian Junior National Championships, which boasted the top cross-country club runners in the country.

Following close behind Coates in the 3000-metre event was fellow Marauder Sara Giovannetti, who managed a sixth-placed finish.

McMaster’s other notable results came primarily from their relay teams.

The women’s 4x800-metre team, featuring the aforementioned Giovannetti alongside Sarah Haliburton, Lisa Giles, and Kim Volterman finished sixth, while the men’s 4x200-metre unit managed an eighth-placed finish of their own.

The Marauders’ 4x400metre men’s relay team easily beat a long-held school record in their event, but it was not enough to vault them onto the podium.

The combination of Jimmy Tat, Rudy Baronette, Denis Noronha, and Scott Hutchinson finished their race in a time of 3:20.87, nearly two full seconds quicker than the McMaster record of 3:22.70 set in 1967.

The end result for the McMaster teams was a pair of mid-table finishes among their respective fields. The women’s squad placed 13th amongst the 21 schools present at the meet, with a combined score of 14. The men’s team struggled by comparison, finishing 19th in a field of 20, eclipsing only the bottom-dwelling Waterloo Warriors with their combined team score of four.

For her part, the silver medal winning Victoria Coates was exceedingly happy to have gained a spot on the podium, and showed no resentment of a second-placed finish.

“The girl who won is definitely the top of the field. Coming into the event, her time was 25 seconds faster than mine, so I wasn’t really disappointed,” said Coates. “I was really happy to get the second-placed finish because I spent most of the race struggling to keep up with the pack.”

The Marauder standout made a point of acknowledging the contribution of her teammate Sara Giovannetti, who helped her to lead the pack throughout the event.

“We decided that we would work together if we were in a position to lead the pack, which we were,” said Coates. “We were alternating in the leading position and eventually I just couldn’t lead anymore. I was really just trying to hold on until there was about three laps left and I knew I would be able to push myself through.

“It was really tough for me but once I was near the end of the race I was able to get a really good kick and grab the second spot by just a few seconds.”

On the topic of the illness that kept her from competing in the OUA Championships a few weeks prior to her successful run this past weekend, Coates suggested that it had noticeably affected her from the starting gun in Sherbrooke.

“It definitely affected the sharpness of my race. I wasn’t used to that racing feeling. I had originally thought that I would feel rested, but I think it did hurt me a little bit because I wasn’t used to it.”

When asked to what she attributed her growing success, the sophomore runner suggested that she had benefitted from the experience of a difficult rookie season.

“Coming into first year, it’s always a big adjustment period for athletes. You have to deal with different food, different sleep patterns, and a new training regimen.

I did struggle with that a little bit.

I had really low iron among other things.

“Into second year, I was a bit more fit and I’d adapted to the training well, and it really suits me.

With a little hard work, it’s really paying off at this point.”

Coates is encouraged for the future with good reason, and her team will look forward to next season with many young runners returning. For all intents and purposes, things appear to be looking up for McMaster’s track teams and athletes.

Players get national coaching exposure BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

Unlike their female counterparts, OUA male rugby players aren’t part of a CIS sport and don’t have a national championship.

That took a step towards changing, at least in part last weekend as the team travelled to Vancouver to play on a national level.

Mac’s rugby teams made a trip to Vancouver to play in the inaugural National Invitational University Rugby Sevens Championship hosted by UBC last weekend.

The event pitted eight teams from British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario against each other in a rugby sevens tournament to help showcase Canadian interuniversity rugby players.

“It was a Rugby Canada event that the CIS was watching, and it’s going to become a CIS-run event,” said Mac coach Shaun Allen

Rugby sevens is a sevenplayer variation of the 15-man game most players and observers are familiar with. While the game is slightly different from the one Mac plays against its OUA foes, Allen says Mac took up the event’s invitation to show off some of its talented players.

“Our program’s had a lot of success in Ontario, but since I’ve been involved we’ve never been on any kind of tour. This was a good opportunity to get some exposure,” said Allen.

Rugby Canada’s national coaches are all based out of B.C., and the event serves as a scouting opportunity for the university rugby community.

“It’s about getting our athletes in front of the national coaches and showing them what they can do,” said Allen.

The Marauders fell in the plate final, the event’s equivalent of a third-place match. They were dispatched 19-0 in their opening match by the Victoria, who feature seven players from the Canadian national sevens team, but responded with wins over UBC and UBC Okanagan and a tie with Calgary.

“We ended up losing [the Victoria game] 19-0, but we actually put in a very good performance. We were unlucky not to score a couple of tries,” said Allen, who noted the adjustment to playing sevens was difficult early on.

“We didn’t have the luxury of playing a lot of sevens before the tournament. As the tournament went along we started to learn the game a lot better.”

The Marauders won the OUA Championship last fall over the Western Mustangs, taking an exceptionally young team on a surprise championship run.

Allen says the tournament was a good component of the offseason for Mac to continue their winning tradition.

“Looking at the squad we had out there, there were a lot of first and second-year guys on the field who won their first OUA Championship. This helps us prepare to bring the same hunger to training camp as last year.”

[This Week in Sports] Hockey’s wake-up call This week’s editorial looks at the increasingly dangerous battlfield that is the NHL and what can be done to stop concussions.

Pg. B2

Meet a CIS Champion

Springtime Sports

The Meet a Marauder feature sits down for a chat with CIS and OUA Cross Country Champion Jessica Pearo.

Pg. B3

Warmer weather gives students a chance to hit the great outdoors. We’ve got a list of activities students can do around campus.

Pg. B5

B2 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

THE SKINNY

What You Need To Know This Week In Sports Sports Editorial

A wussy’s take on head hits BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

I never played hockey. I never played any contact sports, for that matter, in any kind of formal league.

So if I criticize hockey or football or any other sport where contact physicality is an asset for being barbaric or backward, I’m probably an easy target for criticism. After all, I wouldn’t know what it’s like to give or take a hit and thus, don’t qualify to offer criticism. But I’d like to offer a question, if I may.

What in the world is happening to hockey?

I’ve heard more about players hitting their heads than hitting the back of the net lately, and you can’t read about last night’s games these days without hearing about major penalties, suspensions and five-point rule changes.

And concussions. Those terrible, sometimes career-ending, life-altering injuries that are becoming a near-nightly occurrence and turning the hockey world into a verbal battlefield.

The issue of concussions in hockey has been all the rage of discussion in the hockey world since last week, when Boston’s Zdeno Chara demolished the head of Montreal’s Max Pacioretty into the stanchion by the Canadiens’ bench.

That hit, along with a rash of other head injuries to NHL players including Sidney Crosby, has sparked a fierce debate between hockey commentators about the role of physicality and even fighting in modern hockey.

It’s a debate that has certainly been fought before, but perhaps not with this sort of salience. On one side, commentators like former Canadiens goalie and current Member of Parliament Ken Dryden have pleaded for rule changes to stem the tide of concussions, with Dryden penning a Globe and Mail column titled “How could we be so stupid?” And on the other, tough guys like Rock’em Sock‘em hero Don Cherry have dismissed the rash of hits, saying the game has always been played this way and players know the risks they take.

It’s led PM Stephen Harper to ask the NHL to become safer and corporate mega-sponsors like Air Canada to question their involvement in sponsoring the league, helping stoke the flames of an increasingly heated debate. On Tuesday, Canadiens fans protested before a Montreal-Washington game, asking the league to reconsider the role of violent hits in the game.

But despite the violent nature of the hit and all the attention it got, Chara wasn’t suspended. It was within the rules. And that’s very telling of the problem.

Rule changes are difficult to legislate, especially around parts of the game that have been around for years; no two hits are exactly alike, and complications about intent can create debates of their own. And rules will never be able to fully legislate any element of the game, let alone curb the violent urges of the league’s enforcers.

That shouldn’t matter. Protecting the safety – and livelihood of players who suffer the devastating effects of concussions after their playing days – is something that shouldn’t need to be enforced by punishment. It should be second nature to people who play and work in an inherently dangerous occupation every day.

That should be even more important in a day and age where so many are suffering the ill-effects of an increasingly fast and physical game. Some estimates suggest more than 10 per cent of active players have suffered a concussion.

One of the arguments forwarded by Cherry and other pro-head hit commentators is that the players know what kind of danger they’re getting into when they play. But shouldn’t that just make it clearer to them that there’s a real issue that needs to be taken into careful consideration by those who play the game?

I’m not suggesting hockey becomes some sort of play-nice, hands-off sport. I’m just wondering why there isn’t an established level of respect in the game for player livelihood.

In rugby, players are taught from day one the right way to tackle opponents. It’s not about neutering a very physical sport, but more about teaching players how to bring down an opponent in an effective yet relatively safe way. No one questions the physicality of rugby players, and yet because players there play without helmets – and don’t develop an invincibility complex – they have at least a detectable level of respect for each other’s safety.

Hockey needs this kind of culture change. This isn’t about intent or “north-south” hitting contact or padded stanchions or modifying equipment. It isn’t about changing the rules so that the number of concussions goes down and head hits aren’t the most prominent part of the sport anymore.

This is about changing the jockocracy-dominated culture of contact sports, especially hockey. There’s something heroic about delivering a bone-crushing hit and demobilizing your opponent that’s popular across sports. But as playing hockey at a high level becomes increasingly dangerous, something needs to change.

A culture-shifting change like this wouldn’t be easy. It would be hard to go up against the Neanderthals who want to keep the sport dangerous, let along develop some sort of shift over the years. But it needs to start before people stop playing hockey for fear of their own well-being.

But then again, I never played. What do I know?

Bonehead Moment

Dany Heatley - San Jose Sharks Just as violent hits have been gaining more and more negative attention in the past few weeks, Heatley came up with a colossally stupid move, hitting Dallas Stars centre Steve Ott with a vicious elbow to the head behind the play.

Heatley was suspended two games for his hit by the league.

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Hero stuff

Barack Obama The First Fan filled out his NCAA March Madness bracket this week, choosing all four No. 1 seeds to make it the Final Four in Duke, Kansas, Ohio State and Pittsburgh. The President correctly picked North Carolina to win in 2009 and will reveal this year’s pick this week.

Athletes, coaches are people too BRIAN DECKER

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

SPORTS EDITOR

I was in Halifax this past weekend to cover the CIS men’s basketball Final 8 for a website. I saw the Carleton Ravens win their seventh title in nine years with a display of nearly flawless basketball, proving once again why they’re the class of the CIS. I saw the usual things one sees at a university championship: the highs and lows of winning and losing, the lifestyles of varsity athletes and the time and effort from numerous staff and volunteers that goes into producing a national championship.

These are all things I’ve seen before, as any observer of a college sporting event usually does. But I also saw things I’d never even considered in my time covering varsity sports.

After the Ravens had won and began celebrating, the players began the victorious tradition of cutting the mesh off the net and each taking a piece. But as I looked around, Carleton coach Dave Smart was nowhere to be found among the celebration.

Instead, Smart was spending time with his infant son, having gotten arena staff to lower one the nets and holding up his child so he could drop the ball through the hoop.

Here was a man I saw yelling from the sidelines coaching like a madman all weekend; by all accounts one of the hardest working coaches in university sports, and one who deserves to celebrate a title as much as anyone else on his team.

Instead, he was enjoying a peaceful moment alone with the newest member of his family, seemingly oblivious to the fruits of his labour suddenly available after months of hard work.

When we watch sports, we sometimes forget the people we watch are just that: people. Seeing this demanding coach peacefully enjoying a moment to himself and his kid reminded me of such.

Maybe next time I’m watching a game, instead of looking for the same things I always do, I’ll consider the people involved and the lives they lead.

Well, the season may be over But we still have a section to fill Have an idea?

Email or visit us! sports@thesil.ca Meeting: 11:30 a.m. Thursdays Twitter: @Decker_Brian @fraser_caldwell

Top 5

Top 5 dangerous sports 1. Bullfighting 2. Aussie Rules Football 3. Mountain/Ice Climbing 4. Red Bull Crashed Ice 5. Football

THE SILHOUETTE • B3

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

MEET A

MARAUDER

Jessica Pearo

FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

be very upbeat, something with a real beat. In the middle, something calm to keep you in rhythm, maybe some John Mayer. At the end you FC: Do you have a particular idol really need some motivation, so it’s in sports, someone who you look up back to the beats. to?

FC: What’s one thing that you can JP: I do look up to my coach Paula tell us about one of your coaches [Schnurr]. She’s a two-time Olym- that we wouldn’t otherwise know? pian, and I’ve learned a lot from her for the last four years. Both on and JP: Rory Sneyd can do the worm. off of the course.

Very well actually. if you would call that cycling. But it would either be that or swimming.

Something that required endurance.

There has been no greater example of individual achievement among this year’s class of Marauder athletes than that of Jessica Pearo. In the fall, the veteran cross-country competitor topped the field at the CIS national championships in Guelph, and secured a rare gold medal at the National level for McMaster this season. As the year draws to a close, we catch up with Pearo to get a better sense of the FC: What’s the most valuable FC: Do you have any rivals, within personality between the country’s lesson that you’ve learned from one the squad or outside? of your coaches? premier racer.

JP: I think they’re all friendly Fraser Caldwell: Do you have any JP: I think above all, that running rivals. Within the school, we’re all superstitions or pre-competition rit- is not the be-all and end-all. Our competitive people but there aren’t uals that you go through before a other coach Pete Self always says, any real rivalries. Outside, my main “we love you anyways.” It doesn’t rival would have to be a girl from meet? matter how you race. It’s about Guelph who I was going headJessica Pearo: I have to have learning how to properly detach to-head with throughout the salmon the night before a run. It’s yourself from how you race and to year. But there again, it’s always friendly once the race is done. weird because most runners like to leave that on the field. have pasta. But I had a good race a few years ago after eating salmon, FC: Are there any funny nicknames FC: Are you a person who takes pride in passing at the finish so it’s become a bit of a superstition. for anyone on the squad? line, or do you focus on runFC: Is there anyone particularly JP: Oh yeah. Andrew Yorke we ning a complete race? call Dad. One of the guys on the quirky or funny on the squad? team, Graham [Bowes] is called the JP: Honestly, when it JP: They’re all weird. I would say Lizard King. There’s a story behind comes to the finish line that the funny characters are Larry that one which I really can’t tell I usually don’t even remember crossing it. I Abbot and Andrew Yorke. Those you. give it all and in the are some of the dominating personalities. Some rookies that have some FC: If given the choice, do you last stretch I just want real personality would be Jordan prefer a hilly course or a flat one? to get through it. I’m Bierema and Duke Lloyd. There’s not one to raise the a bunch of pretty funny people out JP: Definitely a hilly one. I have arms or anything. I no speed, so give me the hilliest just barely cross and there. course and the muddiest one and then I collapse.

FC: Do you have a favourite course I’ll be thrilled. Because I don’t have speed, if you give me a flat course FC: Do you have anything to run on? and put me next to a track runner I you would term as a guilty JP: I would have to say that my can’t compete. pleasure? favourite course would be Queen’s home course at Fort Henry Hill. We FC: Do you train to music, and if JP: I do. I really love my had the CIS and World Champion- so, what sort of songs do you listen desserts. I actually just ships there last year so I would call to? gave it up for Lent for 40 that my home turf. days, which is very difJP: The only time I really listen to ficult for me right now.

FC: If you weren’t running, what music is if I’m out for a long run by Chocolate in particular. myself. If you’re out there running Paula, our coach is a fansport would you be playing?

20 kilometres alone, you need some tastic baker, and so she JP: Oh boy, I’m pretty uncoordin- entertainment. My song selection always brings brownies, ated with anything that involves will change throughout the course cookies, or pie to practice. technique. I’ve actually just started of a run. At the beginning, in the We’re constantly being doing a lot of spinning. I’m not sure first five to ten kilometers it would fed chocolate.

Meet a Marauder looks at the personalities of some of Mac’s star athletes.

Each week, we’ll get to know one of McMaster’s best and tell you a little bit about who they are off the field.

PearoStats - 2010 Meet Victories: 7 OUA Time: 17:00.4 (1st) CIS Time: 17:40 (1st) Athlete of the Week Awards: 2 Named OUA Woman of Influence

B4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Women’s Sport

Female athletes deserve better KYLE BROWN THE SPUTNIK

BRANTFORD, Ont. (CUP) — “Let the women play in more feminine clothes like they do in volleyball.”

These were the words that FIFA president Sepp Blatter uttered back in 2004, sparking intense controversy.

“They could, for example, have tighter shorts. Female players are pretty, if you excuse me for saying so, and they already have different rules to men — such as playing with a lighter ball.”

Blatter’s comments caused an outcry among female soccer players the world over, but in truth, he was not saying anything new.

Sports organizations and the media have been attempting to exploit the sex appeal of female athletes to sell sports for years.

2009 saw the most blatant example when the Lingerie Football League was created, a professional female tackle-football league that sees the players wearing only bras, panties, shoulder pads and helmets — with clear visors instead of face masks, of course.

Not all examples are this blatantly obvious, however. In 1999, the ruling international governing body for volleyball, FIVB, standardized beach volleyball uniforms to be smaller, even implementing a maximum size.

“There really is no empirical proof to prove this assertion,” explained Nicole Lavoi of the Tucket Center for Research on Girls and Women in Sports at the University of Minnesota. “Yes, we know sex sells — it sells jeans and perfumes and God knows what else.

But nobody has any proof that sex sells women’s sports.

“It’s a big assumption.

And those of us that critique that assumption, say, ‘Show us the data,’ because we have data that says otherwise. To those that actually

want to consume women’s sports, it’s quite an offensive assumption.”

More than from just inside the actual organizations, it’s the media portrayal and coverage given to women’s sports that puts an emphasis on sex. Each year when tennis’s Rogers Cup rolls around, it is rarely the number-one seed that gets to grace the cover of Canadian sports sections, but instead one of the players with universal sex appeal like Maria Sharapova.

“[What this does is it] makes female athletes think how they themselves have to promote this kind of sexy, hetero, feminine image — whether they want to or not. It’s kind of like that’s the business, so that’s what you have to do,” Lavoi said.

“This is problematic because it has nothing to do with athletic performance, but it’s kind of seen like you have to play this game to be promoted, and not all female athletes can conform to that feminine norm.”

By that same token, however, it’s hard to ignore the fact that some female athletes do project this sexy image themselves in other forms of media. Last year, U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn famously posed in a bikini atop a ski hill for Sports Illustrated, while tennis star Anna Kournikova has posed for men’s magazines Maxim and FHM multiple times.

Lavoi believes one reason for this could be the result of poor media attention and endorsements towards women’s sports, so the athletes are trying to take advantage of their fame and make a significant amount of money to help fund their training and simple living expenses.

The other side, according to Lavoi, is that these female athletes feel they have a choice to show off their bodies, but don’t realize that that choice is created in an unequal system.

“Yes, they have a choice,

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

If women’s sport is going to be taken seriously, debasing sexualization needs to be reduced. but their choices are tempered by this whole binary system that female athletes are never valued as much as male athletes,” Lavoi said.

“So when they go ahead and sexualize themselves they’re in fact becoming part of the problem, not the solution, but they don’t see it that way. And it’s not their fault they’ve been co-opted into believing this is the way to promote female athletes.”

Regardless of the reasons for sexualizing female sports and female athletes, it simply is not working in promoting the sports on the same scale as their male counterparts.

Looking at basketball figures, the WNBA averaged just over 7,800 fans per game in the 2010 season, while the NBA averaged a whopping 17,520. In college hoops, the female University of Connecticut Huskies team — who had a record 90 consecutive wins and were named third on SI’s “Teams of the Decade” — averaged 10,182 fans per home game, comparable to the Xavier University men’s team, who finished 44th in overall attendance.

Lavoi believes the media must cover women’s athleticism as opposed to the “sex sells” approach and that female athletes must stand up to this idea in order to get

women’s sports appreciated for the athletes themselves.

Another possibility, however, could simply be time-based.

Compared to the men’s professional leagues, many women’s pro sports are still in their infancy and trying to break into the mainstream market. Coverage and attention have gone up in recent years, so these leagues and sports may just need to go through this rough patch and time will bring them the desired attention.

The worst thing for them would be to be typecast for their sex appeal — that is, if they want to be taken seriously.

THE SILHOUETTE • B5

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Spring Activities

Spring opens new possibilities

Rouge-et-Or-et-Maroon

BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

As the snow melts and the lake between BSB and Divinity College becomes massive, spring is on its way. Along with other undeniable signs of spring, such as chirping birds and white dudes wearing shorts in mild-at-best temperatures, the changing seasons represent a chance for active souls to take back to the great outdoors.

Spring represents a chance for the sporty among us to escape back to the great outdoors and start to play games once again. Soon enough, Frisbees and footballs will be whizzing overhead as you walk to class, and people looking for exercise will move from the confines of the David Braley Athletic Centre to the great outdoors.

Here’s a look at some of the sporty ways to take advantage of the warmer weather around Mac’s campus.

Toss a Frisbee: Does any sport say university quite like tossing the circular disc around with some dudes? Whether you play by the detailed rules of Ultimate Frisbee or just throw the disc around with some friends, it’s a good way to get a breath of fresh air and mild exercise. Suggested place: Back 10 fields – there’s a smaller chance of accidentally dummying some unassuming texter with an errant toss.

Hike: With Hamilton being the City of Waterfalls, there’s no shortage of spectacular views available on the city’s hiking trails.

The Dundas Valley and Niagara Escarpment offer striking elevation changes, and with the warmer temperatures often comes emerging wildlife. Suggested place: Webster’s Falls, just west of Dundas.

Go for a run: As a runner with questionable-at-best commitment, I know there is no shortage of excuses to stay inside and eat nachos instead of getting some outdoor exercise. But with the weather warming up, crappy conditions no longer qualify as an alibi, and there are plenty of places around Mac to get out for a jog. Suggested

The McMaster football team will travel to Quebec City this summer to take on the Vanier Cup champion Laval Rouge-et-Or in an exhibition match. The teams will play a game on August 28 at PEPS Stadium and will also take part in an integrated practice the day before. The teams were scheduled to meet this past summer, but had to cancel after the OUA schedule was adjusted in light of Waterloo suspending their football program.

Ravens win - again The Carleton Ravens won their seventh national title in nine seasons, defeating the Trinity Western Spartans 82-59 in the Championship game. Despite falling two weekends ago to the Lakehead Thunderwolves in the OUA Championship game, Carleton rebounded to beat Concordia, Saskatchewan and then Trinity Western on the way to the title.

CCES announces clean tests

The onset of spring opens a number of new possibilities for those place: Princess Point – with eleva- make sure you win the battle. Sugtion changes and picturesque views gested place: Faculty Hollow – its of Highway 403, running down by budding springtime foliage proCootes’ Paradise will keep you en- vides extra fortification and ambush tertained. opportunities.

Play Baseball: Nothing Play Golf: Feel like bustsays spring like the sound of a base- ing out your argyle sweater and ball smacking an old leather glove. pleated plus-fours? Golf courses Whether you’re playing catch or will be open by the end of the month, smashing home runs, getting out giving you a chance to hit the links to play ball is a time-old tradition and take some swings. Bonus tip: to help welcome the new season. the worse you are, the more time Suggested place: Churchill Park is you spend looking for balls in the often free on weekends and even- woods, giving you more exercise. ings.

Suggested place: Chedoke Golf &

Have a Water Balloon Ski, just a 15-minute bike ride from Fight: They’re way more fun than campus ice balloon fights, and if it’s an es- Pinecone football: For the pecially nice day, you can hold off more frugal or spontaneous of you, hypothermia just long enough to pinecone football offers the fun of

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

looking to be active outdoors. tossing the pigskin with the relaxed and informal style of road hockey.

Teams play by finding an especially aerodynamic cone and a square patch of grass with impromptu end zone markers. Suggested place: The field behind Dalewood Public School. Straggling seventh graders make for surprisingly good wide receivers.

Slip ‘n’ Slide: If the weather is especially accommodating, Slip ‘n’ Slides offer a chance to get out the stress of exams and midterms and act wonderfully childish for a few hours. Bonus points are awarded for St. Patty’s Day-themed waterslides. Suggested place: Anywhere an overly ambitious slide won’t cause gruesome abrasions.

Lifeguarding

Lifeguards work on without funding PATRICK THORNLEY THE SILHOUETTE

If you took a poll of 100 students around campus and asked them about the McMaster Lifeguard team, most respondents would likely associate the team to the Ivor Wynne pool staff. In fact, a quick Google search of the McMaster Lifeguard team reveals little more than an outdated Facebook page and a few competition reports from 2008. That’s exactly what co-team presidents Tinya Lin and May Yeo

SportsBites

are trying to change.

McMaster Athletic and Recreation classifies the Lifeguard team as an extramural or athletic sport club (ASC), much like the Rowing team or Synchronized Swimming team.

“We are all certified lifeguards who enjoy putting our first aid and water rescue skills to use in various competitions held throughout the school year at the interuniversity level,” said Lin and Yeo. “We compete as a team of four, performing first aid treatment on vic-

tims and applying our NLS (national lifeguard service) skills, saving people in a pool setting.”

Inter-university lifeguarding competitions also involve a physical component. Challenges include “towing a manikin, a relay and a line throw event that involves throwing a rope 12.5 m out to a victim in the water and reeling them in.”

As newcomer David Sands points out, “Participating in a lifeguarding competition is a true test of one’s life saving skills and trains you to deal with any traumatic situation you may encounter as a lifeguard.”

As is often the case with smaller varsity and extramural teams, funding is major hindrance to the team’s preparation and access to resources. As outlined by Athletics and Recreation, ASCs are entitled to four hours of facility use per week.

Given two hour practice slots on Friday and Sunday nights, membership suffered this year, leaving the ten member strong squad, with significant financial burden.

“We are supported by the Department of Athletics and Recreation. [Although] Most of our funds come internally, through membership fees and fundraising initiatives,” noted Lin and Yeo.

The McMaster Lifeguard team recently wrapped up its 20102011 season over the Mar. 5 weekend, with a 13th place showing at the Ontario Lifeguard Champion-

ships held this year at Queen’s University.

The team is set up to give newcomers experience with the tournaments, competing in events such as Oktoberfest at the University of Waterloo for first time competitors and True Two, where teams of two further develop their skills.

Ultimately the best competitors are selected for the Ontario Lifeguard Championships at the end of the season.

Next year the club looks to compete in more events, with more members. “We would like to be able to send more teams and not have to worry about the cost of transportation, accommodations and equipment... Due to the nature of the sport, there are a lot of resources that are needed which are sometimes difficult to come by,” said Lin.

“Resource limitations [which] preclude the formal offering of each and every athletic interest that students or community members might request.” ASCs like the Rowing and Synchronized Swimming teams are more well known, but compete under the same competitive spirit as the Lifeguard Team.

Competing as part of an ASC is neither cheap nor easy but privileged varsity programs around the world could do well to learn from the McMaster Lifeguard team.

With or without money, they compete for the love of the sport.

The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport announced that no anti-doping rules were violated in a test of the Calgary Dinos football team. The tests were implemented following the steroid scandal at the University of Waterloo this past summer.

Lancers favoured to win The Windsor Lancers are favoured to become the new CIS women’s basketball champions this week as they host the CIS Final 8 this weekend. A new champion will be crowned after last year’s champion, Simon Fraser, left the CIS to play in the NCAA last spring. Other teams competing include Saskatchewan, Carleton, Cape Breton, Toronto, St. Francis Xavier, Laurier and Laval.

OUA pucks wrap up The McGill Redmen defeated the Western Mustangs to take home the 100th edition of the Queen’s Cup, the OUA men’s hockey championship. Both teams advance to the CIS University Cup next week in Fredericton, NB. On the women’s side, McGill completed a perfect season by winning the CIS women’s title. The Martlets went 33-0 in total this year and capped off their year with a 5-2 win over St. Francis Xavier in the gold medal game.

Squash royalty at Queen’s The OUA squash championships will be held at Queen’s this weekend. The Marauders enter the event having enjoyed great success a week ago at the Canadian University and College Squash Championships conducted at the University of Toronto.

There, McMaster’s Shauna Wentzell claimed the women’s ‘A’ Division title. She and her teammates will look to replicate that success this weekend, when they encounter the best players in Ontario. The competition in Kingston marks the end of the squash calendar.

wish this space were filled? so do we write for sports! sports@thesil.ca

B6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Track

Schnurr keeps Mac on right track FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

With the track season having concluded this past weekend, the first year of Paula Schnurr’s tenure as full-time head coach of the program also comes to an end.

The two-time Olympian came aboard as a high-profile addition to the Marauder coaching staff this past summer, having served as a part-time assistant for several years.

Her hiring was part of a multi-faceted effort on the part of McMaster’s Athletics and Recreation department to increase the profile of the school’s track program on the national stage after a sizeable donation to the department.

The end of this campaign designates the one-year mark for Schnurr and her efforts, and she is encouraged by what she has seen thus far from her new charges.

“We’ve had a very successful year. With our program focusing on middle-distance running, I think we’re going in the right direction,” said Schnurr. “The women improved on their cross-country ranking and CIS performance by placing second.”

“Obviously our goal is to eventually work towards winning CIS women’s cross-country in particular. On the men’s side we stayed essentially the same.”

The coach places much importance in her continued recruitment efforts, which have already reaped considerable fruit.

Most notably, McMaster managed to poach the longtime Guelph Gryphon cross-country standout Lindsay Carson.

“It’s still a matter of the waiting game for the most part until the end of May to find out,” said Schnurr. “We’ve certainly had many guys visit, and a couple people who we’re really hoping to secure.”

The first-year coach indicates that one of the first decisions made upon taking the reigns of the program was to focus track and field

PHOTO C/O PETER SELF

The Marauders wrapped up their first season under the tutelage of Paula Schnurr this past weekend in Sherbrooke.

efforts solely on the former consideration.

“We focused on track, rather than track and field. We’ve made that decision based on our facilities here, we can’t do that aspect as well as we would like.

“If we can’t do that part of the equation well, then we may as well focus our energy, our money, and our resources on track events.”

“It’s been a year of change in the sense of sticking to that focus.

Jeff Giles, our Athletic Director has been very supportive of that move.”

Schnurr has benefited greatly in her

transition to full-time duties from her previous acquaintance of many of the athletes that are currently under her tutelage.

She argues that the greatest change for them is her increased visibility and availability as a fulltime employee.

“They know me, and they know my coaching style, so in that respect there hasn’t been much change,” said Schnurr.

“The nice thing that I think the athletes would agree is that I’m on campus. There’s a place for them to come if they have issues. I’m

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able to communicate with them on an ongoing basis and be involved in their cross-training and health issues.”

With her first season behind her, the coach looks to move from strength to strength as the offseason looms and another campaign approaches.

“We have a large group sticking around this summer to train.

“We’re trying to create a year-round training facility for our athletes. That will be a little more extensive this summer with athletes

competing at the national level.

“For the fall, it will be a matter of building on the strength of our cross-country program and working towards the improvement of individual performances.”

Schnurr has very little time to relax before the summer grind kicks into full gear.

But she looks far from tired and strained as she looks towards the cross-training ahead. For now, the coach seems still to be reveling in her newfound role as the leading architect of McMaster’s track program.

THE SILHOUETTE • C1

INSIDEOUT THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

production office extension: 27117 insideout@thesil.ca

The takeover of St. Patty’s NATALIE TIMPERIO

in prayer. In his early 20s, Patrick escaped the confines of his captivity after a dream from God. In his It’s the most wonderful time of the dream, God told Patrick to leave Ireland via the coast. Here, Patrick year: Saint Patrick’s Day.

The 17th day of March was able to sail back to Britain marks the one day of the year where where he found ultimate safety. it is perfectly natural to “go Irish” However, God had plans regardless of one’s actual lineage. for Patrick beyond his escape from In fact, the day is so widely cele- slavery. In another dream from God, brated it seems to have assumed a Patrick heard the calls and cries of culture all of its own. the Irish. In time, Patrick began his

Immediately following path to priesthood, and was eventuthe highly anticipated or extremely ally ordained a bishop. From here, loathed Valentine’s Day, vendors Patrick was sent to take the Gospel relinquish their usual decor to all to Ireland where he began preachthings green – shamrocks and myth- ing. ical leprechauns, amongst other It is said that Patrick consomewhat tacky tokens encapsulat- verted all of Ireland to Christianity ing the day, such as tee shirts read- in only 40 years. Eventually, Patrick died March 17, 461. For all his efing “Kiss Me, I’m Irish.”

In fact, on an even larger forts, Patrick is now known and scale, the Chirecognized as the cago River is dyed Patron saint of Iregreen each year. Saint Patty’s extends land.

A shamBut Saint Patty’s far beyond the sym- rock is the ultimextends far beyond bolic decor, dress, ate symbol comthe symbolic decor, dress, and dye; it is and dye; it is a day memorating Saint Patrick as this is a day widely used as an outright and widely used as an out- what he used to exsurprisingly semi- right and surprisingly plain the Trinity legitimate excuse semi-legitimate excuse (the Father, Son and Holy Spirit – one to drink green beer to drink green beer of the mainstays of and get day drunk.

In the and get day drunk.” Catholicism). Green lives of students, is therefore better and quite frankly known as Saint Patanyone else who enjoys throwing rick’s colour.

So, how is it that society all care to the wind, Saint Patty’s has proved time and time again to has come to binge on vast quantities be one of the most looked forward of alcohol to celebrate the life and to days of the year in which to drink, work of Saint Patrick? After all, as a drink and drink. So, what accounts Christian holiday, drinking is surely for this shift in the way we value, one of the last ways in which we and commemorate the Day? should properly commemorate this

Saint Patrick’s Day is in Patron Saint. fact supposed to be a deeply Chris- The custom is said to come tian holiday. In Christianity, it is from an ancient Irish legend. It is custom to celebrate a saint’s death said that Saint Patrick was served a in honour of their life’s endeavours meagre measure of whiskey by an and entry into heaven. Saint Patrick innkeeper. is one of many saints that we honour In a most saintly manner, Saint on something known as a feast day, Patrick explained to the innkeeper which in the case for Saint Patrick is that a devil demon of some sort resided in the innkeeper’s cellar.

March 17.

Little is known about Saint This devil demon sustained itself on Patrick’s early life. However, ac- the cheapness of the innkeeper, and cording to the literature, Patrick would forever inhabit his cellar so was born in Britain sometime near long as he remained this way.

Sometime later, Saint the end of the fourth century. In his mid-teens he was kidnapped and Patrick returned, in which he taken captive to Ireland where he discovered that the innkeeper had worked as a slave. It was during his in fact changed his ways. The captivity that Patrick turned to God • PLEASE SEE TRUE, C2 SENIOR INSIDEOUT EDITOR

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Saint Patty’s normally consists of tacky trinkets and booze, but the Day has a religious history.

A little Peace of Chic goes a long way CHANÈLE JORDAN SILHOUETTE STAFF

This past weekend, fashionistas, revolutionaries and entrepreneurs alike came together for the third annual A Peace of Chic Fashion Show, presented by Invisible Children McMaster.

The show, which was held downtown at Hamilton Place, brought together a wide array of people, from those who have a strong love for fashion to those passionate about issues such as oppressed child soldiers. The event was aimed at raising awareness and funds to end the war in Northern Uganda. As their flyer proclaims, these “invisible children” have gone unnoticed for too long. It is time to tell their stories to the world and say no to injustice and yes to peace.

Although they were “fashionably late” to start, it was well worth the wait. The show was nothing less than spectacular, and to know that a group of McMaster students put it together made it that much better.

The show epitomized a high-fashion couture show, from the layout of the room to the talented designers. The audience had the opportunity to view the fashion lines of Hamilton and Toronto’s upcoming designers. Present at the show were BadHabits, Coziwun, Dakota Mae, Jason Meyers, Joyce Ma, Pamela Patricia Kowalski and Do Rae Me. Each of them had their own unique flair, causing the audience to continually gasp “That’s so nice!” or “I would buy that!” Although each of the • PLEASE SEE FASHION, C2

CHANÈLE JORDAN / SILHOUETTE STAFF

One of many fashion models performing at A Peace of Chic.

[This Week in InsideOut] What’s up with shoes?

Luckily, we don’t have hobbit feet, so shoes are an absolute must. But, it’s not all about shielding the soles of our feet.

Pg. C3

Vamp galore

Dating 101

Robert Pattinson isn’t the sole force driving our obsession with vampires.

Not only can dating be time-consuming, but it can also be nerve-racking as well.

Learn to overcome these obstacles.

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C2 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Wanted: Tall, dark, and dead

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

SONYA KHANNA SILHOUETTE STAFF

With the popular HBO show True Blood hitting mainstream society by storm, and the current obsession with the Twilight saga maintaining a steadfast hold on tweens worldwide, many might be wondering if society’s devoted fixation with vampires is purely cyclical or if the vampire phenomenon has secured a permanent place in the hearts of the public.

Although some may have just hopped on the vampire bandwagon given the recent Twilight craze, the recurring fascination with vampires is hardly a recent phenomenon. But why the fascination with vampires? If society can find sex appeal in an undead, blood

drenched, flesh-obsessed creature there must be some attraction towards zombies, right? But there’s just something about vampires that makes them appealing to a diverse set of individuals, ranging from tweens to fanatical moms, closeted vampire geeks, and everything in between.

For centuries, vampires have appealed to a mass demographic of individuals aching for a release from the day-to-day stresses of life. Through the troublesome times of modern society the concept of eternal youthfulness and timeless knowledge is very alluring.

The vampire pop culture boom can also be attributed to Hollywood’s portrayal of vampires as the ultimate sex symbol: a powerful, brawny and seemingly untouchable creature

of the night.

I was never too keen on the whole Twilight craze. Something about the gushy love-infested soap operaesque content didn’t appeal to me. I say this as diplomatically as I possibly can with the hope that hoards of enraged Edward Cullen devotees won’t harass me with death threats. But having been the ultimate Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan growing up, I did find True Blood to be quite fascinating. There is something profoundly alluring in the common themes of sex and death saturated in vampire mythology. It evokes a deep lust and triggers a rush of dark, forbidden passion. Vampires embody pent up fantasies society keeps buried in their subconscious.

Vampires have held vari-

ous cultural associations throughout the centuries. They once were epitomized as evil-doers feared for their parasitic, flesh-obsessed nature. According to Delia Konzett, associate professor of English and Cinema studies at the University of New Hampshire, these eternal narcissists can attribute an overwhelming resurgence of popularity to “the commodity driven, urban, competitive, and youth-obsessed culture we live in today.” In modern day society, vampires are depicted as highly cosmopolitan creatures.

A correlation can be made linking society’s obsession with youthfulness and the cultural fascination with vampires. These bloodsuckers represent a mosaic of unique, unattainable traits that have been highly regarded in various cul-

tures through the ages.

The “fountain of youth” concept is highly glamorised by modern society and has become increasingly popular in recent years through the emergence of botox, plastic surgery, and anti-aging cosmetics. So why is there such a staunch fixation on youthfulness?

Delia Konzett states that, “Those lucky to have been converted [to a vampire] will remain young forever at that age, a real asset in today’s culture, which prizes the appearance of youth, beauty and stamina.”

Vampires represent an exclusive group immune from the inevitable threat of aging. Preserving youthfulness with the intent of postponing death and aging is quite popular in society.

Fourth year molecular biology student Deepa Rana explained, “there’s a stigma towards growing old. People feel like they have more energy being young and falsely believe growing old means that you can’t do much. Our fascination with vampires stems in part from the desire to stay young forever.”

Perhaps society’s lure towards the unknown is responsible for our fascination with vampires.

Our secret fetish for the undead derives from an inclination towards a mysterious, brooding pent up fear towards evil. The vampire phenomenon embodies cultural beliefs that many hold strong; their eternal existence, wisdom, sex appeal, power and experience symbolize traits that appeal to a wide demographic.

Whether the current cultural fascination with vampires is a temporary fad or an endless fixation, with movies and popular TV shows infiltrating mass media, vampires have continued to maintain a fiercely loyal following, quenching society’s thirst for the unknown.

Booze can hurt your chances of getting lucky LAUREN JEWETT SILHOUETTE STAFF

University brings an overwhelming sense of freedom, especially to those who choose to go in alone and leave the nest.

Such independence can lead to reckless behaviour and a lot of mornings asking yourself “Where am I?” and “Who are you?”

Another common product of a wild university night is going upstairs to your roommate and starting your sentences with “Last night I was so high…”

Socializing at university often means going out to bars and clubs. When Thursday rolls around, most people are trying to figure out their plans for the weekend, which more often than not involves some

extra substance to make you party harder.

It’s clear that many use alcohol, among other things, to raise their self-confidence and find the words to ask someone to the dance floor, or even back to their house.

But after a night of drinking, how ready for sex can you really be? Many girls can barely walk in heels let alone be lucid enough to get on their knees after a night on Hess Street. Many guys find themselves hugging toilets all night. Cleaning up vomit is hardly the way to get that lucky lady in the mood.

In order to be on your best game, one would think you would need to be sober. At least sober enough to hold a flirty yet intelligent conversation, and stand on

your own two feet.

It is no surprise that alcohol impairs your judgment, and this goes far beyond driving. No one ever says, “I was so sober last night that I hooked up with this fugly guy.”

It just doesn’t happen.

If so many people know that the chance of them having great sex with someone they find attractive is severely lowered by binge drinking then why do so many of us do it?

Another common substance people feel will enhance sexual pleasure is marijuana. But a drug that is famous for creating extreme apathy and hunger doesn’t seem as if it would create the energy and focus needed for good sex.

Smoking up will have you reaching for cheetos instead of con-

doms.

Those looking for a more intense experience often turn to ecstasy or MDMA. This drug works to heighten your serotonin levels, which causes pleasurable sensations. This may at first glance seem like the ideal drug for the bedroom, but be warned that high levels of serotonin can cause you to become addicted and leave you wanting more. You don’t want to put yourself in the position of having to ask that girl to wait while you go pop a pill.

From a physiological standpoint, alcohol is one of the worst poisons you can put into your body if you’re planning to get lucky. Alcohol can leave you very dehydrated rendering you extremely tired, and in my opinion, useless.

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Large quantities of alcohol may be what you need to finally ask for that phone number, but it will stimulate the production of glucose, lowering your blood sugar, which is why so many of us lose balance, and sometimes consciousness.

If your plan for the night is to go and have a great time with the guys, then drink as you please. But, if you are looking for some company for the night, you might want to skip that next beer.

No lady is going to want to have to hold you up from the cab to your house, or even worse, be disappointed when you can’t keep the Sergeant at attention.

Sober sex produces enough natural chemicals to make you feel excited, happy, and then relaxed when it’s all said and done.

THE SILHOUETTE • C3

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Throughout March Great Canadian Laugh Off 8 p.m. @ Yuk Yuks Tickets $5 @ the door tourismhamilton.ca for more info

March 23rd MHF Global Health Speaker Series - Jacqui Lunday 6 p.m. @ rm 417 Mills Library RSVP to mhf@mcmaster.ca with “Jacqui Lunday” in the subject line.

March 19th Gospel Choir Doors open 6 p.m. @ Westdale United Church Tickets $8 email gospel@mcmaster.ca for more info

March 29th Hockey game: Hamilton Bulldogs versus Abbotsford Heat 7 p.m. @ Copps Coliseum Tickets $11 March 29th Japan Benefit Concert 6 p.m. @ This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N Tickets $15 at the door

Exploring-the-Everyday

Walking the path of the shoe LEANNA KATZ THE SILHOUETTE

Archaeologists recently announced they have discovered what they say is the world’s oldest known shoe. Carefully preserved under layers of sheep dung, the 5,500 year-old shoe is older than Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. It was made from cowhide and tanned with oil from plants or vegetables. The shoe, discovered last year in a cave in Armenia, is part of a collection of artefacts that provide information about the Chalcolithic period or Copper Age, a little documented, but great-

ly important era which saw the invention of the wheel and the domestication of horses, among other innovations.

Foot coverings were one of the first technologies developed by our ancestors. Necessity compelled them to protect their feet from sharp rocks, hot sand and other rugged terrain. Looking at how our ancestors have worn shoes over time can give us a better perspective of what it may have been like to walk in their shoes.

Some of the earliest shoes, which were created by Egyptians, were sandal style and had a rigid sole. Similar to today,

the quality of the shoe reflected the status of the wearer. Slaves were not allowed to wear shoes at all, while the average citizens wore plain-toed sandals, and royalty wore shoes with toes that extended upward into a spiral.

Greeks introduced the world to heeled shoes and created an art out of shoemaking. One fad included shoes that raised women as far as two feet off the ground. So many women fell and were injured that laws were passed to restrict wearing these impractical shoes.

High heels have been used historically and presently to increase stature, status and sex appeal. Heels first came to Europe in the 16th century and were called chopines.

They were highly impractical and thus embraced mostly by the upper-class. Fashionable and wealthy women around Europe wore them and received help walking from their servants or chivalrous men. According to the Bata Shoe Museum exhibit “the status gained by wearing chopines was matched only by the loss of mobility.”

The desire to wear ridiculously highheeled shoes for the sake of beauty and fashion still rings true today. Just ask a girl standing outside of a club in a foot of snow about to dance the night away in a pair of “killer shoes.” She will certainly feel the blisters on her feet, among other things, the morning after.

Yet most people would balk at the idea of being restricted from wearing a certain type of shoe like citizens were in ancient Greece, even though many women are still being injured. In fact, women account for 80 per cent of foot surgery, much of it related to wearing high heels. This is quite the cost for our health care system, yet a ban on heels is virtually unthinkable.

In 2009, the British Union Trade Congress tried to ban high heels at the workplace, calling them discriminatory and a health hazard. Yet many females opposed the idea, calling it a sexist tactic made by a predominantly male board to distract from more pressing issues.

In contrast, citizens in the 1700s wised-up about the disadvantages of heels. With the French Revolution in the air, and increasing criticism of aristocratic frivolity, there was a move toward embracing a more modest ethos. By the early 1800s, heels went out of fashion and stayed out for 50 years and in the meantime people wore flats, which symbolized equality.

Half-a century later, cities like Paris and New York had wide paved boulevards which welcomed an era of promenading, café-frequenting and window-shopping.

Wealthy women indulged in these pastimes wearing heels, albeit sturdier ones than in the past. Whereas previously both men and women wore heels as a status-symbol, they now become a distinctly feminine style.

At the turn of the 20th century, the feminist movement grew stronger, and woman gained an increasing presence in the political realm. Women did so, however, in heels. This signified that women could enter what was traditionally considered the male realm without sacrificing their femininity.

But some interpret the idea of not “sacrificing one’s femininity” as women being pressured to conform to an exacting beauty standard. Shoes can be politicized as a symbol of unequal social expectations which feminism strives to overcome.

Another very political aspect of the shoe was revealed in 2008 when Iraqi journalist Muntadhar al-Zaidi threw his shoe at President Bush. As he threw the shoe he shouted, “This is a gift from the Iraqis; this is the farewell kiss, you dog!” demonstrating a clear anti-American sentiment and a protest against the war. The shoe was significant because in Arab culture showing the soles of one’s shoe to someone is a sign of contempt.

Beyond politics, shoes play a prominent role in the narrative of our culture. We are familiar with stories of Mercury’s Winged Sandals, Puss in Boots, Cinderella and others.

From a cultural artefact, to a tool for political protest and a fashion symbol, it is clear that shoes don’t have one sole purpose.

C4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Fashion forward for freedom Proceeds to support a school in the war-torn area of Northern Uganda • CONT’D FROM C1 designers brought their own unique style to the table, I found Do Rae Me to be the most innovative. Created by two sisters, Dominique and Rae Watson, Do Rae Me is their line of custom made costume jewelry.

Rae shared the story of how they came up with the idea for the line. “We went to Fabricland one day and bought some chains.

One night, Dominique started fooling around with them and put them up to her ears. We put some pictures on Facebook and got a really good reaction, so we decided to start designing.”

The audience was the first to view their men’s jewelry line.

Their pieces are really glamorous, guaranteed to make any outfit go from bland to glam. “A lot of people think they have to spend a lot of money to look good but that’s not true. We have affordable prices but provide pieces that combine couture with everyday fashion,” explained Dominique.

The show was not only absolutely spectacular, but it was completely inspiring. It successfully combined charity work with fashion, demonstrating that when the two are put together, the result is nothing short of an amazing show.

President Navera Ammad and Vice President Sandra Piroteala

of Invisible Children McMaster said that they wanted the audience to know that “you can do anything that you want to raise awareness for any cause. We can use our creativity to help people in other parts of the world. We want to reach out to the community and McMaster students.”

The team was extremely lucky when putting together the show as they received an extensive amount of support from stores and organizations across Hamilton who wanted to play a part. “We were extremely lucky because we didn’t have to seek out sponsors. These people got in contact with us and asked how they could become a part of the show,” Ammad and Piroteala explained.

Proceeds went to a Ugandan school to support initiatives such as environmentally friendly latrines, rainwater harvesting systems and customized teacher-training workshops. As an audience member, it felt amazing to be part of the movement.

For the glamorous, those who refuse to accept current social issues as the status quo, and those who relate to both, the Peace of Chic Fashion Show should be a must on your social calendar. If you missed out this year, be sure to mark your calendar for next year.

CHANÈLE JORDAN / SILHOUETTE STAFF

This male model can be seen wearing some of the homegrown fashions that were on display.

True story behind St. Patrick’s Day • CONT’D FROM C1 innkeeper served Saint Patrick a generous serving of whiskey. Consequently, the devil demon living in the innkeeper’s cellar was no more.

Saint Patrick then proclaimed that everyone should drink on his feast day in celebration.

Although a number of issues arise from this legend, most prominent that Patrick’s feast day was declared after his death, so assuming he did not posses mystical powers, there is no way that he could have known his feast day before his death.

However, this legend does indeed prove one thing true: regardless of his Saint status, Saint Patrick’s do-gooding is often lost in the hype of the day.

Commonly, students spend the day getting drunk, generally beginning before the clock strikes noon and continuing onwards until the early hours of the morning.

Whether you’re at a house kegger or a bar, there is no escaping the madness of the Day.

Yet while drinking may be a fun pastime for some, it is not well suited for others. In fact, some may even feel discouraged from celebrating St. Patty’s altogether due to the assumed drunkenness that comes with the Day.

If you prefer to avoid the hangover, you can still find interest in celebrating Saint Patty’s without the alcohol. A good way to do this is to throw a non-alcoholic party; have a Saint Patty’s themed bash minus the alcoholic drinks and green beer.

Instead, offer green coloured food – just stay away from the veggies and instead use food colouring to dye pancakes and cookies.

There are a myriad of ways to enjoy Saint Patrick’s Day without consuming alcohol to any degree.

The Day doesn’t necessarily need to be about binge drinking amongst peers.

And remember, drinking with your friends doesn’t mean you have to get completely trashed.

Enjoying a green beer doesn’t automatically mean you have to start doing keg stands after 5 p.m.

Ultimately, though, Saint Patrick’s Day is a popular day amongst university students and Canadians alike. Whether you choose to remember Saint Patrick through prayer, spirits, or not at all, there is no denying that Saint Patrick’s Day plays a momentous role in both the university community and society.

THE SILHOUETTE • C5

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Tim Hortons bowling for kids’ sake having a case manager to match mentors to kids, activities for the kids, monitoring relationships, and Many of you are probably familiar for crisis intervention.

The funds required for with the organization Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Originally founded the mentioned logistics are merely in 1921, Big Brothers assisted boys to sustain current mentoring and additional brought before the Magistrate’s relationships, court, and the organization has funding is required if Big Brothers grown since then to include Big and Big Sisters wants to expand.

The program can have a profound Sisters as well.

A misconception about positive impact for struggling kids, the children involved with the yet 150 children are still on the organization is that these children waiting list hoping to be matched to are “bad kids,” which is far from the a volunteer.

But in order for the truth according to Laura Hickerson, organization to the communications expand, Hickerson director for Big that reliable Brothers and Big The kids involved states and sustainable Sisters. The kids with the organiza- funding is required. involved with the organization are at tion are at risk of If you think you don’t have the risk of not achieving not achieving their time to devote to their full potential. full potential . . . mentoring a child, They may be living Big Brothers and in poverty, with one They’re not bad Big Sisters has parent, struggling kids; they’re just a flexible and in school, having trouble making having a hard time.” rewarding program that is an excellent friends, or being opportunity for bullied. They’re not students.

The bad kids; they’re just having a hard In-School Mentoring program time.

In order to raise involves the volunteer travelling community awareness and funds for to a neighbourhood school where the organization, on March 3, Big they mentor a child for one to Brothers and Big Sisters held the two hours per week. And note: Tim Hortons Bowl for Kids Sake Laura Hickerson mentions that the at Hamilton’s Splitsville Bowling organization is especially lacking male volunteers. It’s a great option alley.

The event was Mardis Gras if you’re a foot-bound student and themed and teams came out decked have a busy class schedule to work out in their Mardis Gras-inspired around.

If you’re interested in ware hoping to win the prize for the becoming a positive force in a best-dressed team.

In addition to this event child’s life then check out www. being a fun bowling extravaganza, callbigbrothers.com for an online it’s essential for providing much- orientation and application.

And if you’re disappointed needed funding for the organization.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters hopes that you’ve missed out on the fun, to raise $100,000 this year to March 3 was merely a kick-off provide funding for their mentoring to a series of bowling events. Get your friends together and dust programs.

Though altruism drives off your old bowling ball to come the staff and volunteers involved out March 23, 26, 30 and April 2. with Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Hickerson stresses the importance hidden logistical and administrative of volunteering when you can, as it tasks require funds to pay for such only takes a little time to make a big things as recruiting volunteers, difference in a child’s life.

College: A time for an education and romance?

KAITLIN PETERS

ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

University relationships should be fun, not challenging and upsetting.

RANDAL DESOUZA SHEC MEDIA

Students don’t go to university only to expand their knowledge.

While it is true that university offers a breathtaking array of mental challenges to continuously stimulate one’s hippocampus, it also serves as a rite of passage into the adult world.

Often this journey results in increased independence and social awareness, as we immerse ourselves into different social networks and open up to diverse experiences.

Meeting new people slowly introduces a timid student to the dating world. But why are relationships and romances often so challenging to maintain in university? How can we make it a healthy experience?

For starters, romance is only one of the many things going on at university. Students have many responsibilities. They must maintain their social, personal and familial lives, while still making good grades and keeping up with

bills. At times it might seem like a real challenge to date, so learning how to balance your time is critical.

University life teaches you to be accountable for your time.

For some, it is a rather traumatic transition, fraught with angst and anxiety. Nurturing new bonds is an ongoing process, and accepting the new personal, physical, emotional and academic challenges that come with it takes time.

University romances and relationships should be fun and enjoyable, not challenging, upsetting or detrimental to your health in any way. It is important to balance all aspects of your life, and not lose touch with your other relationships once a romantic one picks up.

Although you may become quickly attached to a new partner, beware of lofty expectations. Instead, enjoy the time you can spend with your partner in the present and try not to get anxious about the future.

While it is not unrealistic to know what you want from a partner, it is important to take some time to relax and enjoy the moment.

Leave Prince Charming and the

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

token fairytale princess to the Disney movies of your past; love at first sight is rare.

Instead of projecting the future, try to immerse yourself in the moment and focus on the present. Enjoy the time you have with your partner in the moment.

Laugh, smile, let your guard down, and just be yourself – your date will see the truly wonderful person in front of them.

With spring on the horizon, perhaps there might be someone you might wish to ask to enjoy a coffee or an evening with you. It may take a little courage to push your boundaries, as the threat of rejection always looms.

If things don’t work out, you can always choose to celebrate the new season by enjoying the outdoors with close friends both old and new.

But if they do, simply let nature take its course and enjoy the new relationship as it blossoms. You can always look back and cherish the memories of your university dating experience as a new beginning to a brighter future.

Kaitlin Peters

St. Patty’s Smoothie (healthy and non-alcoholic) Ingredients

1 large frozen banana 1 cup almond milk (or any type of milk) Handful of fresh mint leaves, stems removed 1-2 handfuls spinach 1/8-1/4 tsp peppermint extract (optional) 1-2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate, for garnish

Directions

1. Add in all of the ingredients except the chocolate into a blender and blend until smooth. Adjust to taste and serve with a garnish of chopped dark chocolate and mint leaves. Enjoy with a spoon. Serves 1.

THE SILHOUETTE • C7

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

BUSINESS

production office extension: 27117 business@thesil.ca

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

The war on water

Will privatization of water catch on as new form of water management for Western countries?

SANTINO MARINUCCI

ASSISTANT BUSINESS EDITOR

The accelerated depletion of our water sources has been an ongoing event since the world began industrializing and our populations began multiplying, creating strains on the world’s fresh water supply.

This has led many countries that do not have access to a large water supply to resort to alternative methods of managing and dividing up water to the general public.

In Canada and other Western countries we use public utilities that set a price based on the level of water we use and it is divided up this way.

However in many underdeveloped countries a growing trend that has been happening for quite some time has been the privatization of water resources by private interests. The business model approach has led to skyrocketing prices for water to people who can simply not afford it. This diminishing access to the precious commodity leads them to drink dirty or diseased water.

With that said the question remains: is the privatization of water imminent in future society due to the increasing scarcity of water? Also is this a sustainable method of

controlling and dividing up clean water for the population?

While researching this topic I had the opportunity to talk to PhD candidate Kate Mulligan who currently studies water and health. She took the time to talk to me about water privatization and the effect it has on populations around the world.

When asked about what effects water privatization had on underdeveloped countries, Kate said that privatization has already taken off and is currently underway as we speak.

“It is already quite widespread around the developing world, whether it is in the form of water trucks that pull up into your neighbourhood where you go and buy water or whether it is more ingrained with local wells or pumps that are priced. Both of these models tend to price water outside affordability for the average person and especially the poor.”

This could also become a harsh reality for Western countries if they begin to adopt a business approach to managing water instead of using public utilities. On the United Nations website there is disheartening statistic available that shows that people in underdeveloped countries like Colombia pay

double for water than people in New York City or London.

This led me into my next question that concerned the growing popularity of the private water sector in underdeveloped countries.

Kate explained that “privatization supporters say that privatization and putting a price on water is a form of demand management, so it is a way of managing the demand and that is a relatively new approach, because before it was primarily focused on supply management and whether there was enough water to go around, so demand management in the last 20 years has become much more important on the world scene as a provision.”

This was interesting because a model like this would seem to be inefficient in countries that have low standards of living and low median income per year. However this interest in privatization would most likely be due to lack of government responsibility with integrating sustainable and reliable public utilities to be made available to the general populace.

The other question is would this method be possible in the western world as it has been in underdeveloped countries?

Most definitely – it is actually happening at

this very moment. Rich businessmen in the United States have already begun buying up vast swaths of water reserves to be privately run and delivered to consumers. These private firms currently sell American water resources to nations with this model for a profit and in a few years it may be the next big business next to oil.

Although it is not so prevalent within the western world yet, as global water demand increases, these private firms that sell water to countries who need it will soon begin branching out as a competitive alternative to public utilities in an effort to conserve water.

While it may not seem to be a great competitive alternative right now, soon water will be as valuable as oil and our current supply method of managing water will be compromised with demand-based initiatives.

Although it seems rather prophetic, until we manage to effectively gauge and divide up our water resources, we may face a problem similar to the one we are currently having with oil.

So remember, the next time you are doing your laundry, brushing your teeth, or doing your dishes, you may soon be paying significantly more for that water you waste on a daily basis.

[This Week in Business] Doing it for a good cause Find out why five students are camping outside the Student Centre this week and how you can help.

Pg. C10

Bon Jovi vs. Steve Jobs

Going all the way

Taking a look at the absurd things Bon Jovi has said about the music industry and why he is wrong.

We sat down to talk to two McMaster students who are finalists for Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec.

Pg. C10

Pg. C11

C8 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Gould Trading Floor

Mid-Week Market Summary

A marriage of convience Global exchanges seek refuge from competetors in mergers

World Indices

The week ending March 12, left world indices continuing to fall throughout the week before rebuilding slightly on expectations that companies could benefit from rebuilding efforts as the fifth largest earthquake ever recorded hit Japan and left the country devastated.

North American Indices

The S&P/TSX dropped 578.5 points over the week before closing at 13674.3. In the United States, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and the NASDAQ also all finished the week down closing at 12044.4, 1304.28 and 2715.61, respectively. This is the second weekly decline for all three indices.

Tech Sector

Tech stocks suffered loses this week with companies including Apple and Google dropping 2.2 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.

Hitachi fell 3.5 percent as Western Digital rallied on news that it would purchase the company’s storage business. U.S. Telecommunications company Sprint Nextel rose 15.2 percent on talks about a potential merger with the un-listed T-Mobile USA.

Oil

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

The takeover bid of the Singapore Exchange and Austrialia’s ASX has forced other markets to merge to stay competitive.

Although down from the prior week, crude oil still finished the TRAVIS BOND from bids by the London Stock Ex- Boerse to acquire Euronext for tors. week at the steep price of $101.16 SILHOUETTE STAFF change (LSE) to acquire the TMX about $10 billion. Furthermore, However, only two of a barrel. Gold continued to climb group, parent company of the To- in 2008 the NYSE and Deutsche Canada’s big 5 banks, RBC and before closing at $1417.45/troy Last year’s takeover bid by the ronto Stock Exchange, TSX Ven- Boeres had considered merging but BMO – both of whom are the advisounce on Friday, March 11.

Singapore Exchange Ltd. for Aus- ture Exchange, Montreal Exchange, a difference in valuations between ors on the deal – are endorsing the tralia’s ASX Ltd. has sparked a the Natural Gas Exchange and the the two parties resulted in the end of proposed merger. With this comes Middle East string of mergers and takeover bids Boston Options Exchange. the discussions. fear that Canada will lose regulaAs we enter the third week in as exchanges attempt to increase As for the Deutsche Boerse The most recent merger tory control of its biggest stock exMarch, investors will remain wary market share and to fight off com- and NYSE Euronext plan, the pro- proposal of the NYSE with Deutsche change if the deal were to go though in the short-term with the current petition from alternate trading sys- posed $9.5 billion dollar merger Boerse occurred shortly after LSE as proposed. state of Libya and the earthquake tems. When all is said and done, plan would create the world’s lar- had announced their plan to acquire With the interconnected that hit Japan. Companies exposed analysts predict there will be only a gest securities and derivatives trad- the TMX. The $3.1 billion stock ownership of a small number of to Japan will likely take the greatest handful of exchange giants around ing platform (based on market cap- offering by the LSE would create dominant international exchanges hits, as well as those in the nuclear the world. italization) valuing the merged firm the world’s largest bourse in terms being the next phase in globalenergy sector as these companies On Thursday, President at approximately $26 billion. of company listings and the top ization of financial markets, Gord will be pressured for higher regu- Atsushi Saito of the Tokyo Stock Deutsche Boerse would venue for energy and mining stocks Nixon, CEO of RBC, says “it will lation while expansion efforts are Exchange (TSE) announced that he own 60 per cent of the merged firm, as well as for international listings be very difficult for the governreexamined. will meet with the Osaka Securities with NYSE Euronext sharehold- from emerging markets. ment to say they can’t merge with Exchange Co. to discuss a possible ers taking a 40 per cent stake in the The proposed merger is London but you can sell yourself to Financial Policy integration of the two exchanges. company with dual headquarters in structured around LSE sharehold- Singapore or New York,” furthering Several central banks will meet in This would result in the second both Frankfurt and New York. ers owning 55 per cent of the com- his positive stance on the position. the following week to determine largest exchange operator in the The combined company bined company with headquarters On Wednesday the LSE announced policy. The U.S. is unlikely to hint world; the largest is the Deutsche is expected to generate annual cost in London while TMX shareholders its plan to target NASDAQ OMX in at any changes, and interest rates Boerse and NYSE Euronext. savings of around $400 million. In will hold seven of the 15 seats on a potential takeover upon the comwill remain close to zero.

This announcement stems 2006 the NYSE outbid Deutsche the merged firm’s board of direc- pleted merger with TMX.

THE SILHOUETTE • C9

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Your Money

Learning on a shoe string Strategies so that you can graduate almost debt-free

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Some of the strategies you can use to help reduce your graduatatory debt are: working extra hours and finding scholarships that haven’t been claimed yet.

SIMON GRANAT BUSINESS EDITOR

When it comes to paying for university, most students fall into one of two categories. Some are lucky enough that their parents pay for their education. They don’t have to work much, maybe during the summer, and they’ll come out of school relatively debt free.

Others aren’t so lucky. They work through school, and through the summer, trying to pay off their debts. But there are also students who work occasionally and rest on their student loan to get them through.

The trouble is that these students can’t see the forest through the trees. Even though the cost of tuition, rent, food and other expenses keep rising, there are strategies to escape your undergraduate degree almost debt free.

On average a year at university costs students in the neighbourhood of $16,000 to

$20,000. With this in mind it’s no surprise that work is the most important stream of revenue for any student.

It’s hard for many students to make ends meet, and some find that they have to work constantly just to pay the bills. When looking for a job it’s important to think about what the overall goal you have in mind is; to make a few extra bucks, without too much trouble.

You don’t want to make a career out of the job, it’s just a job, so look for something that is fun and stress free.

Something that you want to do, with people you like, and is close to campus or your home. Chances are that almost any student job is not going to pay much, so you might as well make the most out of it.

With summer coming up, finding a job changes. If you’re willing to work hard, go for it. Be careful and consider taking more hours at a job you like, rather than trying to

make the most out of a bad work environment.

If you can’t boost your revenue you can always try and decrease your expenses.

One way you can do this is by applying for scholarships. Each year at McMaster there are many scholarships, some of which are never even applied for. The value of the scholarships vary, some are as high as $2,000 while others are only a few hundred dollars.

At the end of the day every bit helps. But keep in mind that if some scholarships are never claimed, chances are that some of the ones that are claimed are not highly sought-after.

That means that if you keep your marks up, your chance of winning a scholarship is pretty good.

If all else fails, and you’re forced to take the plunge and rely on OSAP or other loans, you can still soften the blow to your wallet. It still helps to work throughout university, but try to save some of your earnings.

The Silhouette will be hiring for all editorial positions in April. Send your resume to thesil@thesil.ca

Make a plan and stick with it. If you say that you’re going to save 25 per cent of each paycheque, do it. Keeping a record of how much money you plan to save helps.

Even if it’s just a list of numbers written in a notebook. The point of keeping a record is to keep you on track by keeping your money on your mind. Another strategy is to budget with the savings in mind. If you do this you are essentially taking 25 per cent, or whatever the amount you strive to save, off the top.

Just be aware that when you do this, you have to make a conscious effort to lock the money away. If not, then you’re liable to save the money up and spend it on a large expense that is not related to school.

After school, you can use this money to help quickly pay down your student loan or any other expenses you’ve incurred in school. It takes a little self-discipline, but with a little patience and elbow grease, you can get through school almost debt free.

C10 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Campus Charity Events

Donating your roof for a week Five Days for the Homeless raises awareness for local poverty

JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Five Days for the Homeless has hosted events all week to try and attract attention to the issue. These events included concerts and flash mobs.

SIMON GRANAT BUSINESS EDITOR

Would you give up your home for a good cause? Would you live on the street for a week? What if it was for charity?

Five Days for the Homeless is back at McMaster for the fourth year in a row. And this year it has had some serious press. Five Days for the Homeless is a charity put on by the DeGroote Commerce Society that has five students live in the courtyard between Mills Memorial Library and the Student Centre for five days. The goal of the event is to raise proceeds and awareness for those who cannot afford shelter.

This year there are five sleepers, two from second year, one from third year and one from fourth year. “It was great to have that kind of spread and all of these guys are doing

a fantastic job so far, they’ve been taking it in stride,” said Steven Raymond, event coordinator for Five Days for the Homeless.

“The first two days were a little chilly, down to -10 and -11 but we really toughed through it,” said Raymond.

Any proceeds raised will be donated to the Good Shepherd. In addition, the event has arranged to have a cube van go through the Westdale and Saunders neighbourhoods, collecting used clothes donations on March 17 and 18. Flyers were dropped off at houses in those neighbourhoods on Monday, March 14 and those wanting to donate “should be expecting us to come between noon and seven on Thursday and noon and four on Friday,” said Raymond

This was Raymond’s first experience taking on a management role of this magnitude. “This year’s been a fantastic experience,

Raging Bull

Defending the music industry Bon Jovi has the future of the music industry all wrong SANTINO MARINUCCI

ASSISTANT BUSINESS EDITOR

Over the years, many artists and critics have attacked the music industry as a dying institution. We have heard competing claims that the Internet will be the inevitable death of music as we know it, and there is nothing we can do about it. Everything from piracy to buying music online gets individuals, more specifically artists, infuriated with the way things are currently being handled.

So why is this relevant? These discussions are definitly nothing new, but the recent outcry of Jon Bon Jovi damning Steve Jobs for destroying music got me a little pissed off. If you have been following the news, the popular singer said that the creation of iTunes is contributing to the death of the music industry because it is robbing today’s youth from fully appreciating albums coverto-cover.

Let me just take the time to explain that this is not the case at all and Bon Jovi, you are currently giving yourself a bad name.

Usually when it comes to any person going against Steve Jobs, I side with the other guy, because I’m not the biggest fan of Steve Jobs or Apple.

But on this issue I’m going to have to side with Jobs, because if it was not for the iTunes store I would argue that the music industry would be suffering much more at the hands of piracy and hurting artists exponentially more.

It seems that Bon Jovi is still living in the age of going to record stores and buying music the conventional way.

Although this nostalgic notion of an age that was once profitable was good, today’s business models are completely geared towards going digital and having a profound Internet presence.

If we followed Bon Jovi’s perceived notion of what the music industry should be, which is the classic store-bought approach, we would be slowly killing music sales every day.

This would leave Jovi living on the prayer that someone will actually go to the store and buy his record, where in reality they could just download it for free.

Buying your music online may be a more passive way of getting your music fix and the growing availability of buying single songs instead of the whole album does in some cases detach the listener from appreciating the full album.

However, at the end of the day, the artist still gets some money from online sales and people are buying a better product than if they were to just pirate it and get it for free.

This is almost hypocritical of Bon Jovi to suggest that this is killing the music industry as many people actually buy albums online that they already own on CD.

Case in point, when iTunes released the entire Beatles discography in its library everybody already owned those albums, but they wanted it electronically as well so they could listen to it on their computer or on the go.

Jovi, you are not a fool but you seriously dropped the ball on this argument. Especially since all of your records are currently available for purchase online.

You may not have noticed this, or maybe your millions of album sales have blinded you to the fact that you are a gigantic hypocrite in chastising the iTunes store when you benefit from it yourself.

Maybe if you pulled your discography from the store and practiced what you preached, then maybe I’d have your side, but not on this one.

Have a nice day, Bon Jovi.

any type of management experience that you can get before you graduate, you cherish so it’s been a fantastic campaign overall. And I’m really happy I can be a part of it.”

Despite this being his first managerial role, Raymond has been able to keep a firm grip on things and prevent any surprises from blindsiding him. “It’s been pretty much what you can expect from any organizational standpoint. There’s the good and the bad, especially dealing with the charity organization with a lot of volunteers, those that are super committed and they’re great to have around.”

This year the event has tried to touch as many people as possible. They have raised eyebrows from most media sources in the neighbourhood.

They have had coverage from CHCH, the Hamilton Spectator as well as Good News TV. “It’s difficult to measure how

many people we’ve touched just looking at the type of media that we’ve got,” said Raymond.

Raymond got involved last year as a sleeper when he applied to an email asking for volunteers. He signed up, went through the interview process and they accepted him.

It was that experience that prompted him to get onboard from the front end for this year’s Five Days for the Homeless.

“I went through it, had a fantastic time and I was in a good position to take on the leadership role this year, so this year I’m the organizer.”

Cash donations can be made directly to volunteers during the event.

Five Days for the Homeless was started in 2005 at the University of Alberta, and is now run at a number of campuses across the country.

THE SILHOUETTE • C11

THURSDAY, MARCH 17, 2011

Canada’s Next Top Ad Exec

Putting it on the line In Two McMaster students are finalists for marketing competition

Brief Soviet dog capsule for sale

The former Soviet space capsule which housed Zvezdochka, the Soviet cosmonaut dog, is to be auctioned off for the sum of $10 million USD at Sotheby’s in New York City. The auction will begin on April 12, 2011, the 50th anniversary of the flight. This is significant because shortly after the Soviet dog returned safely the Russians sent their first man to space, using the same capsule design.

Nuclear sector meltdown?

General Electric is feeling the heat with its atomic expansion projects into India with growing concerns mounting after the disaster in Japan.

The problems that are currently plaguing Japan and its reactors seem to be scaring investors from adopting nuclear energy. Many governments are reassessing the future of nuclear technology hindering companies like GE from offering technologies and energy alternatives.

Ugly dog sells for $1.5 million

Big Splash, a Tibetan Mastiff is now the world’s most expensive dog. A Chinese businessman bought the dog and believes that it is the perfect specimen and will be perfect for breeding offspring with perfect genes. In case you cared, the dog is 11 months old and weighs more than 180 pounds thanks to a diet of chicken and beef, spiced up with exotic Chinese delicacies such as sea cucumber and abalone.

Chicken wing crisis?

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

McMaster students Brandon Greenspoon and Ryan Martin have made it to the Next Top Ad Exec Finals.

SIMON GRANAT BUSINESS EDITOR

This coming week, the DeGroote School of Business will yet again be pit in one of the most exclusive, head-to-head marketing competitions.

Next Top Ad Exec, a nationwide, heavily sponsored marketing competition will see McMaster teams compete in the final round. There are ten teams that will be in the finals of the competition.

They will be offering half-hour long presentations where they try to pitch a marketing strategy to a board of 30 Vice Preisdents, CEOs and other General Motors marketing gurus.

The goal is to help sell the Chevrolet Cruze. The target audience: university students. The top prize is a Chevy Cruze for both members of the winning team.

“Our plan of attack is using social streams. We’re going to make as many videos as possible based

around a day in the life of a student, and trying to market around what a student wants in a car and how you can create a marketing campaign for a typical university student,” said Brandon Greenspoon, one of the finalists from McMaster.

Being university students means that the finalists have an insider advantage on knowing what will sell the car, “because the car is targeted around people 18-24 years old, we’re trying to focus on what would sell us on the car.

“We’re trying to focus on, if we were to see an ad or if we were to participate in some sort of marketing adventure, what would gain our interest,” said Ryan Martin, Greenspoon’s teammate.

According to Greenspoon, the team has been gaining notoriety amongst the business school. “The great part is that we’ve got support from not just our friends but kids all around the school. We’ve heard them asking, ‘do you want help?’

Everyone’s been offering support and it’s been amazing.”

A part of this is due to the fact that events like this have started to snowball and get other kids involved, “there are some students here who are really exceptional at what they do.

“So you need to stay active, and be a part of the family of McMaster students. And we’ve found that too, we need to show support and show that this school is a family,” said Greenspoon.

In addition to the top prize the finalists have been given a chance at winning an introductory prize. Whichever of the top ten teams can get the most people to like their Facebook page, that team will win a tour of the Chevrolet facilities, talk with marketers, engineers and get a chance to test drive the full line of Chevrolet vehicles, including the Camaro.

“We are rallying some support on our Facebook fan page,

we have to get more votes than the other nine teams, so we’re trying to generate a lot of interest using Facebook and Twitter and try and spread the word,” Martin said.

The most recent round of competition had the teams come up with a buzz word, and circulate it on the Internet.

The ten best campaigns were chosen to go to the finals.

Brandon Greenspoon and Ryan Martin buzz term was “I kill it.”

Even though they won, waiting for the results was tense.

“It was nerve-wracking and my mother was calling me every 30 seconds, asking me if I’d won yet.

Even though we knew what time the results were going to come out, we started checking an hour early because that’s the kind of kids we are,” said Greenspoon.

For the final round of competition the teams will be travelling to Toronto between March 27 and

Bear: Bull:

Canadian Tire Corporation

(TSE: CTC)

You know that storm clouds are gathering on the horizon when a company brings out a slogan that proactively fights the competition. Canadian retail goliath Canadian Tire did just that this week when they changed their slogan from “For days like today” to, “Bring it on” in anticipation of the arrival of Target in Canada. There’s no telling how Canadian Tire’s new slogan will resonate with consumers, but it will definitely send one message to Target: we’re afraid. No word on when Toys “R” Us will change their slogan to “Come at me, Bro.”

Royal Dutch Shell PLC (NYSE:RDS.A)

With unrest and environmental degradation plaguing the world, suddenly oil companies don’t look so bad. Enter Shell, as this week the company announced that they would be dumping US$100 billion over the next four years, investing in the oil sands. The plan is due to the rise in oil prices, which the company sees staying at that level for the next few months. It looks like the investment will be good for Alberta, but bad for environmentalists.

Businesses in the chicken wing industry may suffer if the NFL lockout extends into the regular season. This may sound silly but chicken wings are a staple game day snack and if people are not out buying wings at pubs or restaurants, then sales will inevitably decrease.

Many also believe that if the NFL cancels the season it will mean pure devastation to businesses, making me think, people really like chicken wings that much?

$5 ATM fees

If you already thought that banks were taking your money then you will be in for a surprise, well if you use a CHASE bank ATM. CHASE bank is experimenting with $5 ATM fees for non-customers in Illinois, and a $4 fee in Texas, which is a 25 per cent increase from its current fees. Meanwhile, HSBC Bank USA this month started charging all noncustomers a $3 fee for using its ATMs, saying that this pricing is more competitive.

TARP almost repaid

The United States Tresury has announced that 99 per cent of the government issued TARP loans to banks have been repaid. Of the $245 billion, $244 in total funds paid to banks has been repaid, making this a somewhat happy end to a horrible financial crisis.

But was their any doubt in our minds that the banks were not fully capable of paying these loans off?

C12 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2011

Offering hope & healing

“Look back but don’t stare. It is only when I make peace with what is behind me that I set my sights on what’s ahead”

Tuesdays

Binge Breakers 7:00pm -8:30pm Facilitator: Alison Colavecchia

Wednesdays

Yoga 7:00-8:30pm Facilitator: Leslie Landry

Thursdays

Teen Motivation Group: “Courage to Heal” 7:00-8:30pm Facilitator: Carly Lambert Support for Family and Friends 7:00– 8:30pm Facilitator: Jaime Thor Adult Support (Evening): 7:00pm– 8:30pm Facilitator: :Lesley Sardo

Please help us keep kids healthy, active, and engaged!

Go to www.ontopoftheworldforkids.ca to donate or sign up as a fundraiser!

Please see our website for full descriptions of our programs: www.daniellesplace.org

How to Register for a Program:

Drop in and fill out a registration 10 minutes before group, or call into the center Danielle’s Place Eating Disorders Resource and Support Center 895 Brant Street Unit #3 Burlington, ON L7R 2J6 We are a not-for-profit incorporated in Ontario 905-333-5548/1-866-277-9959 (001614555) and a federally registered charity info@daniellesplace.org (charitable number BN 85550 6671 RR0001)

HAMILTON & DISTRICT EXTEND-A-FAMILY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES “SHARE A SPECIAL FRIENDSHIP!”

B U D DY P ROGRAM We have over one hundred children and teens with special needs waiting to spend time with a volunteer buddy. Matched buddies spend eight hours a month pursuing a hobby, playing sports, or enjoying other activities in the community.

Gain volunteer experience, have fun, and share a special friendship with a young person with special needs and gifts!

FRIENDSHIP CLUB We offer a minimum of six recreation events each month, providing respite and opportunities for fun and friendship in the community.

We bowl, play laser-tag, go rock-climbing, and challenge each other in all sorts of fun ways.

We have a great bunch of volunteers who assist at these events and are always happy to welcome more!

I N T E R E S T E D? VISIT OUR WEB-SITE, FIND US ON FACEBOOK OR CONTACT US! w w w. e x t e n dafamilyhamilton.on.ca • 905-383-2885 e a f @execulink.com (Buddy Program) re c . e af@gmail.com (Friendship Club)

the wedge • tokyo police club art in hamilton • the vagina monologues

andex

thursday, march 17, 2011

Senior Editor: Roxanne Hathway-Baxter Entertainment Editor: Myles Herod Music Editor: Dan Hawie Contributors: Josh Parsons, Ariel Fisher, Victoria Tizzard, Leanna Katz, Trevor Roach, Chris Hoy, Catherine Brasch, Peter Goffin

Cover: Jonathon Fairclough

this week

mar.18

Pete Van Dyk This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.

mar.18

Colin James Hamilton Studio Place 8:00 p.m.

mar.19

The Lang-Tones The Casbah 6:30 p.m.

mar.22

a collection of paper cranes from a MUSC fundraiser held for the recent crises in japan.

music

Five Alarm Funk The Casbah 8:00 p.m.

mar.23

photo of the week

in the hammer

The Black Lungs This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.

mar.23

2011 spring music issue, hard as fuck farzeen, friday, rebecca black, tomorrow is saturday, sunday comes afterwards, fun fun fun, ‘grats mr. erl, hurray for grad school, still miss my cat, the sheepdogs, subway, potentially early night (pending), tyler the creator, green beer, green puke, almost going down belt sizes

Greys The Casbah 8:00 p.m.

mar.24

now

andy’s ticks

One Hundred Dollars This Ain’t Hollywood 8:00 p.m.

mar.17-18

theatre iGen Robinson Memorial Theatre 1280 Main St. West Hamilton, L8S 4L8 (905) 525-9140 ex. 24246

opening

film Paul Limitless Win Win

the right thing is to write things

preferably in this publication

meetings are held on mondays at 2:00pm in musc b110 e-mail your submissions to andy@thesil.ca

history says that winston churchill was born in a ladies bathroom. history.

jeff tam / silhouette staff

musc b110

column

thursday, march 17, 2011

f.u.b.a.r.

alone the bastardization of once good films.

Today’s mainstream fare exploits the wallets of many while editorial column undermining the few myles herod good pictures that Hollywood should be proud of. Funny thing is, the It’s bittersweet. The spring awakening that brings us warmer weather forgotten ones always come back as and the final days of school comes the most important.

Apart from the business with a price. Bad movies. While exams and good grades rack the side, what irks me even more is how minds of many at McMaster, I seem desensitized people have become to to neglect its creeping inevitability its flaccid approach. I recall a conversation of a family who had just and think ahead.

Summer sun and good exited from Transformers 2.

“That was one of the best times most certainly qualify, but what about Hollywood’s forthcom- films I’ve ever seen! Now that’s what ing entertainment? The pictures I call entertainment!” proclaimed that keep its ailing dream factory the father, as his brainwashed brood afloat and imbedded in our subcon- looked upon with gleaming acceptance. “You got to be kidding me,” I scious?

Surely some of you must remember saying as a depressed sadbe like me when watching television ness washed over me.

It comes as no surprise or rested in a theatre seat. A loud groan accompanying every coming though. When you’re perpetually attraction as you simultaneously spoon-fed blistering special effects shake your fist and curse the heav- and prime time television, you’re ens above. Ok, maybe that’s drastic, bound to disregard anything that would actually try to make you but can you blame me?

I loathe today’s American think.

Now, let’s give the majorcinema. Especially when you smell desperation proverbially seeping ity the benefit of the doubt. Local from its celluloid pours with re- theatres shy away from independent films, making it virtually impossible make after remake.

Churned out at a rapid to see interesting works on their pace, it’s embarrassing what passes theatrical run.

Given the explosion of for mainstream consumption, let

digital downloads and the comfort of one’s laptop, the question to be asked is: Do people even go to the theatre anymore? To make up the revenue, the consumption of popcorn and syrup-laden beverages must equal one’s gas station fill up nowadays.

A sinking economy is the film industry’s worst nightmare – hence 3D and what seems to be an overnight saturation of it. Don’t feel alone if you laugh at its incessant appearance everywhere either.

Its attachment to any film has become a joke in and of itself.

Alas, it’s a strategy the industry is taking very seriously. They want you to see it as the future, when in fact it stands as their only chance at survival. Coupled with astronomical concession prices, 3D averages 14 to 15 dollars a ticket.

And for what? Murky visuals that makes one’s perception a little more dynamic? It’s like drugs, without taking them. And even if it were true, it doesn’t improve overrated entertainment like Avatar.

My motto: A bad script makes an even worse 3D movie.

To appreciate film as art is to think outside the box and expose yourself to challenging work.

The misconception is that all movies should be something you strictly watch for pleasure. To a certain degree, that is certainly true. It just shouldn’t be your only option.

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D3

Believe it or not, there was a time when sequels were the worst trend in Hollywood, and box office tallies were only released through industry newspapers. Money reigns, and in today’s tinsel town; if it doesn’t translate to commercial on paper, your project is dead in the water.

It takes the likes of Sundance, Cannes, and The Toronto Film Festival to keep artistry alive in cinema, allowing such Independent filmmakers as Darren Aronofsky, Debra Granik, and Todd Solondz to create their uncompromising visions.

Even something as gaudy as the Oscars help small films, singling out their merits through screen writing and best picture nominations.

The decision to expand the best picture race from five to ten nominees is a plus more than a hindrance. People can now flavour the year’s crop with much more accuracy, as the recognition alone gets obscure films like 2010’s Winter’s Bone noticed.

Sadly, good films remain interesting to a select few. With the summer blockbuster season about to get into full swing, Hangover 2 and Transformers 3 will likely reap the rewards of the summer cash flow.

Buckle up, you’re about to get dumber.

the big tickle

andy’s picks

1. Gratisfaction The Strokes 2. Please Don’t Lead Me On The Sheepdogs 3. Born In A Flash Mother Mother 4. Careless Whisper George Michael 5. Window Blues Band of Horses 6. Silver Jenny Dollar The New Pornographers 7. Concrete Heart Great Lake Swimmers 8. Here We Go Jon Brion 9. Lua Bright Eyes

what’s your favourite movie sequel?

compiled by jonathon fairclough & myles herod

“revenge of the sith”

“toy story 3” tony hoang

evan james

“harry potter: order of the phoenix” jenelle gratton

“goldmember” jocelyn mateev

“lethal weapon 2” chad ribble

D4 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

film

thursday, march 17, 2011

is your bestie really best for the part?

Actors and directors are known to have interesting relationships. Some directors find themselves romantically involved with their cast members – Woody Allen is probably the most prominent example – while others are simply bosom buddies.

The key to actor/director relations is that the cast members are given their roles for the right reasons. Relationships can cloud judgment, and best friends and spouses can find themselves featured frequently, simply by virtue of their connection to the director.

Well known for their ability to recycle certain actors in a myriad of different roles, the Coen brothers seem to live by the old standby: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

They’ve forged remarkable relationships with many of their actors, which always takes a back seat to their creative endeavours.

Most notably of these is Joel Coen’s relationship with Frances McDormand, to whom he has been married since 1984, after meeting on the set of the Coens’ first film Blood Simple.

Though McDormand has found herself prominently featured in the Coens’ films, she has always been used wisely. After having auditioned for the title role in Blood Simple – a suggestion made by her roommate, Holly Hunter, who passed up the role – she

was only used in bit parts in the brothers’ films. It wasn’t until Fargo in 1996 that the Coens gave her a leading role, which earned her an Oscar for best actress. Since then, she’s been cast twice, in The Man Who Wasn’t There and Burn After Reading.

In every instance, McDormand’s talents have been used sensibly, and her job as an actress takes the foreground over that of the writer and director’s wife. It has never been a question of whether or not she is suited for the role, perhaps because she has been used so sparingly.

Actor Steve Buschemi has been used in more Coen brothers’ films than any other actor, above McDromand, and John Goodman – Jeff “The Dude” Bridges has only been featured twice. Featured a total of six times, often with very small, bit roles, the brothers have actively written parts for him.

Arguably his most memorable performance in one of their films was as Carl Showalter in Fargo, a role written expressly for him. The bit part in The Big Lebowski as “Donny” Kerabatsos was likewise created specifically for the New York actor.

Four out of the six parts Buschemi has played for the Coen brothers were written expressly for him. With the exception of The Tourist in Paris, Je T’aime and Carl Showalter

in Fargo, these have all been minimal, background roles. In spite of wanting to include some of their nearest and dearest, the Coens know when someone is right for a part, and if their body of work is any indication, they rarely if ever compromise on anything short of the best.

Unfortunately, not all visionary directors cast their actors so carefuly. One of the most prominent actor/director relations is, without a doubt, that of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton.

Featured in the title role in Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, Depp struck a cord with Burton. He has since been featured in the leading male role in seven Burton films in total, and at least half of these fell short from showcasing Depp’s full potential.

There is no doubt that the duo adores working with one another. Interviews with the pair showcase them giggling like schoolboys, goofing around as if they’d known one another their whole lives. However, the question remains: does Burton cast Depp wisely, or simply because he likes him?

Taking a cue from the Coen brothers, it can be suggested that, just because you like an actor, doesn’t mean you use them, constantly. While two performances from their list are remarkable – Edward Scis-

sorhands, and Ed Wood – others are mediocre at best.

Burton’s fiancée, accomplished actress Helena Bonham-Carter, is likewise featured prominently in his work. They met on the set of 2001’s Planet of the Apes, and Burton has featured Bonham-Carter in every subsequent feature film he’s since directed.

Casting both actors in Sweeny Todd was a notable mistake on Burton’s part. Depp severely lacked the vocal range and power necessary for the role, and Bonham-Carter was instructed to undersell everything, so as to avoid over-accentuation.

Both actors, however, clearly showcase a certain aesthetic quality fundamental to Burton’s films. A highly stylized director, he works within a very restrictive visual framework, and, over the years, he’s put that aesthetic ahead of content and substance.

Improperly cast actors can ruin the integrity of a project. It is not enough to base casting decisions on aesthetic criteria alone, as their cheekbones won’t bring the character to life. Whether they share a bed, or are simply bosom buddies, the integrity of the production at hand must take precedence.

Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

• Ariel Fisher

thursday, march 17, 2011

music

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D5

on the upswing andy discusses the merits of tokyo police club's creative work ethic Tokyo Police Club’s progression in becoming more than just one of Southern Ontario’s finest exports over the past few years has grown exponentially. Sure, just about any student or showgoer in the region can recall a Frosh week performance, a strobe-filled venue showcase down the road, or a festival appearance from the Newmarket quartet in the past.

But since releasing their sophomore full-length Champ last year, the band has unraveled their heap of regional support across the country in becoming one of Canada’s key purveyors of infectious indie rock. A recent JUNO nomination for “Alternative Album of the Year” beside the likes of Arcade Fire and Broken Social Scene is one of many feats to this constant upswing.

Despite the critical recognition that’s followed since the release of Champ, including a third appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman, performance spots on Coachella’s main stage last year, as well as countless tours across the globe, the band remains humbly grounded to a steady work ethic.

“We’re still slugging it out just as hard as we always have,” explained keyboardist Graham Wright in an interview last week. “The band’s progression has been slow enough in growth that it hasn’t really felt jarring at any point. So, in the case of touring nonstop and playing bigger stages over the years, it’s been such an organic build that [we’ve] become comfortable enough to not even really notice it anymore,” he added.

Accordingly, the band’s recent performance at the Verge Music Awards this month to an onslaught of notable musicians and personalities in Canadian music was treated as another stroll in the park.

For Wright, celebrating Canada’s finest was much more important than breaking any sweats over the audience. He explained, “We’ve never really done something where it’s in front of so many musically-oriented artists and fans alike, but at the end of the day, it was really about going on stage and playing our songs as a band.”

He continued, “Like any case, the worst thing that can happen is that the crowd just doesn’t care, and if it’s the complete opposite then that’s a bonus, but I guess we’ve gathered so much experience that it really just

boils down to doing your thing regardless of the outcome. There’s never any real work involved.”

No doubt the band’s knack for highstrung performances filled with tempo-hugging synth and plenty of interactive “Woowoo” hooks has become a routine. Their upcoming headline tour out West with dynamic counterparts Hollerado, Said The Whale and Dinosaur Bones will serve as a chance to spread their energy to a larger range of audiences in bigger venues.

On the importance of selecting tour partners, Wright explained, “It’s all about what makes sense. Successfully playing larger venues takes having a leg up on finding the right bands to help sell tickets. Thankfully those three are all great bands in Canada right now, both in terms of gaining a lot of exposure and bringing people out on a daily basis. We couldn’t be more excited to get this tour going.”

In the meantime, the band has taken advantage of a much-needed break after touring the States to catch up on personal en-

deavours before jumping back on the road at the end of the month. Though announced in February, their recent JUNO nomination fittingly started their March break with a breath of excitement, as Wright elaborated, “It was great to hear the news and be recognized obviously, especially since the JUNOs are the big kahuna for Canadian music. I mean, I don’t expect to win since we’re up against some pretty big bands like Arcade Fire, but it’s nice to be mentioned in the same sentence.” He added, “We’re definitely using this break as a chance to relax until then.”

Wright’s idea of unwinding has been through dabbling with his forthcoming debut solo album, Shirts vs Skins, which is slated for release this summer. He notes that much like his own work, the band’s creative impulse often sparks a number of other member-driven projects.

“If you’re a creative person you create – it’s just compulsion,” he explained.

“One example would be a limited-edition magazine that [bassist/vocalist] Dave [Monks] and I made over the Christmas break with

some friends. It was just a spontaneous idea for selling as a bonus at shows, and it showed an alternate side of creative expression through various poems, photos, and other fun stuff.”

Remaining in this inventive frame of mind is therefore an ongoing method for the band in the coming months instead of setting any lofty goals. Wright believes that progress will flow naturally.

He elaborated, “We’re incredibly fortunate to do this job for a living, and have become conditioned to using that creativity mentioned earlier on a daily basis. It’s definitely going to be a feature of our writing for this year, but even if we’re using it outside the confines of the band, we’re always going to be doing something along those lines. We have nothing else to do in life.”

Tokyo Police Club will be performing in Hamilton on March 31 at the Studio Theatre, Hamilton Place.

•

Dan Hawie

theatre

D6 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

warm, wet, fun

thursday, march 17, 2011

mcmaster’s performance of the vagina monologues is a unifying female experience There are a great number of hang-ups surrounding the word “vagina.” It isn’t the subject of a great number of discussions, for reasons ranging from fear to embarrassment to a lack of knowledge. Thousands of dick jokes come tumbling out of our mouths, penis cakes are made for birthday parties and, of course, there’s the ever-popular practice of would-be graffiti artists drawing a phallic symbol onto photos and posters, but female genitalia seems to get left out of these kinds of activities. Generally, the vagina remains as tucked away in the general consciousness as it is anatomically situated on the body.

The Vagina Monologues, written by Eve Ensler, was first performed as an offBroadway production in 1996. Over the years it has gained a huge amount of popularity, been performed in various theatres across the globe, and televised on HBO. The play seeks to challenge the accepted silence surrounding the vagina – a silence felt by both women and men – with both humour and poignancy.

This year, as part of V-Day, a global activism movement with an initiative to end violence against girls and women, a group of McMaster students under the direction of Melissa Morlacchetti are performing the famous play with grit and ferocity. The show leaves cries of femininity echoing through the hallways of McMaster and the rafters of the theatre.

The Vagina Monolgues is a compilation of stories told from the perspectives of different women covering topics such as birth, self-discovery, and rape. Every woman in the play is nameless, and in this namelessness they are able to represent women as a whole. Although the monologues are each told by a single character, they are all representations of personae embodied by thousands of women all around the world.

Dealing with the overarching theme of sexuality, the play handles the subject with absolute brilliance, illustrating the different ways in which sexuality is experienced by a variety of women. The play was incredibly accessible and undoubtedly many female spectators would be able to relate to at least one of the topics explored, whether it

is the stigma of pubic hair or the inability to reach an orgasm.

The monologues range from hilarious to dark, and use a combination of powerful dialogue and relatable humour. “Angry Vagina,” a monologue devoted to the objects and actions that make vaginas uncomfortable and mad, rings true for many women.

Who has ever enjoyed going to the gynecologist? And why would you, when the appointment revolves around a cold, metal speculum being pushed deep into your body? Not to mention the fact that the whole uncomfortable procedure occurs while wearing a sterile paper gown. I’m sure this process makes many vaginas angry, and don’t even let me get started about tampons and douches (the cleaning products, not your ex-boyfriends).

One of the most moving moments in the play was a brief interjection to discuss statistics related to female circumcision around the world. Male circumcision is a widely spoken-about practice, but little attention has been given to the female equivalent. Using graphic language to describe the procedure and the instruments it requires, the monologue truly evokes an emotional response from the audience. This monologue was successful in shedding light on the horrors of this practice, which although it was difficult to listen to, is a topic that needs to be addressed and thought about.

The mark of a good performance is often the cast’s ability to induce emotion in the audience. The actresses in The Vagina Monologues were able to both make me laugh and draw chills from the base of my spine.

I have not seen a recent production which was able to evoke such a strong emotional response from both ends of the spectrum.

Their use of accents was impeccable, and added to the sense of global connectedness amongst women.

The members of the production’s cast are all tremendous in their roles, portraying their characters with energy and talent. The variance between each monologue demonstrates the vast reserve of acting ability present in the group of actresses. The women represented in the monologues bridged several age groups, from a young child, to

young women, to the elderly. The play is a clear representation of the unity of women, no matter their age, location or status.

At one point during the play, a character refers to her genitalia as, “Layers, layers, opening up to more layers.” I found this to be a defining statement of The Vagina Monologues as a whole. The set and costumes are deceivingly simplistic. The removal of lavish sets and props allows the audience to focus their attention entirely upon the spotlight pieces that are being performed. The words of the play are loaded with value and realness.

The monologues are rich and layered in their meanings. They are an impeccable representation of femininity and describe the different experiences of being a woman with both brutal honesty and compelling beauty. It’s a play to be watched and taken to heart, one which might just open your eyes and make you realize that vagina is not a dirty word.

The Vagina Monologues runs March 24 and 25 at 8 p.m. and March 26 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Robinson Memorial Theatre, McMaster University.

• Roxanne Hathway-Baxter

“

If your vagina could talk, what would it say?

If my vagina could talk, it would talk about other vaginas.

”

photos c/o kristi bolton

D8 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

music

thursday, march 17, 2011

tune in, turn on, drop out andy highlights the triumphant return of much music’s alternative hour When it comes to finding new tunes, Much Music isn’t one of the first choices for an even half-educated Canadian music aficionado.

Hell, by the time I was 13 I realized this. There was something about it that just didn’t jive with the whole Sid Vicious wannabe vibe I was going for at the time.

In my preteen years, though, I’ll admit I spent hours with my eyes glued to the countdown and video flow. Those were the days when teen-stars stripped down, wearing next to nothing and singing unabashed anthems dedicated to the pleasures of promiscuity. Anyone remember the remake of Moulin Rouge? That video will be imprinted on the inside of my 12-year-old skull forever. Oh the days of blissfully ignorant pre-sexuality.

But as awesome as sex can be, it’s disheartening when a previously semi-respectable music source succumbs to the lure of the corporate dollar and peddles only generic TV sexuality and empty celebrity banter.

Over the past decade Much Music has become the wannabe younger sibling of North America’s shittiest television channel, MTV.

But don’t run yet, this isn’t entirely another angry student rant condemning the sorry state of the music industry in 2011. Instead, to the certain disbelief of many, I’d actually like to defend the reputation of one measly hour of weekly programming that has been floating amid this sea of crap for nearly two decades. Namely, I like to defend Wednesday night’s weekly update on anything alternative, The Wedge.

The Wedge arose way back in 1992 and was once a Monday to Friday update on the indie-rock revolution that was then just beginning to crack the mainstream.

In the mid 1990s, as grunge was rising to the top, falling suddenly and subsequently splintering into one million sub-genres, The Wedge was one of the most popular programs aired on Much Music and kept a legion of devotees on the cutting-edge of indie knowledge.

The show was originally hosted by exVJ Sook-Yin Lee, an extremely talented media personality who has since worked extensively with the CBC, directed movies, recorded albums, along with enjoying a flourishing career in acting.

But when Lee left both The Wedge and Much Music in 2001, the once daily update on the behind-the-scenes of the music industry was reduced to a weekly program jammed in late on the Friday night slot. Much Music’s new musical agenda was clear and evident.

For the next decade, The Wedge rested comfortably in its late nighttime slot. But without a host, the program served as merely a block of alternative music videos and seemed to lack the coherence and optimism about the indie community that Lee had brought to the show. One was left to wonder why they even aired the show at all.

But digging in a little bit I managed to find out why. For the past decade, The Wedge has been supported by the extremely active and tight-knit community of Livejournal.

The mass of flannel-clan grunge-rockers went digital and clearly had a hand in influencing Much Music’s decision to continue airing the show, despite the lack of host and inconvenient timeslot.

Within the past year, this blossoming online community as well as a growing discontent with the music industry in general must have caught the eye of Much Music executives.

This culminated in their decision to re-launch The Wedge this past January with a new format and finally and new host. Thankfully, Much Music did their research and picked the perfect host, Canada’s punk-rock teddy bear, Damian Abraham.

Now if you’re unfamiliar with the versatile collection of Abraham’s output, do yourself a favour and check this dude out.

Abraham, also occasionally going by the moniker Pink Eyes, has served for the past several years as the front man for Canada’s greatest contribution to the global punk community, Fucked Up.

Fucked Up received the 2009 Polaris Prize and have been argued as single-handedly carrying the entire genre of true bone-breaking hardcore punk on their backs, DIY ethic and all.

Outside the band, Abraham has become know in the music community as an outspoken supporter of almost anything artistic.

His appearance on several music panels as well as his frequent appearances on CBC Radio has certainly helped to raise the credentials of his media persona.

Damian’s impressive resume has helped to plug life support into the program and he has begun recapturing the glory days of The Wedge. The show now boasts an expanded format, featuring interviews, indie updates, live performances and, of course, the best alternative videos.

Stay tuned for weekly episodes airing Wednesday night at 10 p.m.

• Josh Parsons

under the radar

thursday, march 17, 2011

off the web

happening hamilton happeninghamilton.ca

Do you live in Hamilton? Do you like events?

Are you hip as shit? Well, son, if you answered yes to any or all of these questions, Happening Hamilton is a website for you. Still in its infancy, Happening Hamilton is maintained

by Hamiltonians, mostly McMaster students bent on publicizing mostly alternative arts cassette from my ex and culture-related events around the city. cassettefrommyex.com Considering it has only been up since late When a relationship ends, where does the 2010, the site has a glut of content, and is uplove go? All that you’re left with is a bunch of dated frequently, meaning the events listings left-over pieces, which can either be a blessing are desirably up-to-date. Happening Hamor a curse. This website is a compilation of ilton looks to be a handy little resource, esstories about lost loves and the mixtapes that pecially if you are a regular haunter of James accompanied those relationships. Authored Street North. by notable writers, the stories are a blend of • Peter Goffin poignancy and hilarity.

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D9

stay tuned for the andy short fiction contest theme: relationships (parental, friendship, romantic)

prizes: 1st place: $50 Titles giftcard 2nd place: $35 Titles giftcard 3rd place: $20 Titles giftcard

• Roxanne Hathway-Baxter

the beat get your scene points!

he’s got sole, but he’s not a soldier Brendan Fraser has been slipping off the public radar recently, but he’s going to come back with a vengeance after announcing his role in Whole Lotta Sole. That’s right, Brendan is going to pioneer a new type of action comedy: the fish heist. Fraser will be playing a fishmonger who has his shop pillaged by bandits. Thank God someone is brave enough to shed light onto this all-too-real problem.

I know fish store robberies are at an all-time high, and there isn’t a better face to draw attention to the problem than Hollywood treasure, Brendan Fraser.

rip nate dogg Iconic rapper and melodic chorus-bringer of G-Funk, Nate Dogg, has passed away at the age of 41 after a series of health complications that spiraled from a set of strokes suffered in 2007 and 2008. The West Coast flagbearer rose to fame in the ’90s through feature spots on Dr. Dre’s The Chronic (how could we forget “Deeeez Nuuuts”), and Snoop Dogg’s Doggy Style. He further solidified his knack for rhythmic cadence in his own material over the years, and also had a collaborative hand in the next generation of hip-hop personalities including Eminem, Ludacris, and others.

Indeed, this is a huge loss for one of hip-hops most legendary hook-bringers. Nobody did it better.

• Dan Hawie & Roxanne Hathway-Baxter

the top three submissions of our short fiction contest will be published in the march 24 issue of andy. pick up your copy to see if you won and read the best stories mac has to offer.

submission deadline: March 18, 2011

D10 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

feature

thursday, march 17, 2011

you’ve got the music in you

Before we had the technology to record music and bring it into our homes or take it with us, music listeners went straight to the source: the musicians.

For hundreds of years people went to concert halls, dance halls, and palace chambers.

This changed in 1889 when vinyl records were invented and, for a good 80 years, vinyl dominated as the main way that people listened to music.

Radio was the next format to catch on because of its convenience, being able to pick music up out of the air. Then eight track tapes became nearly as popular as vinyl because they were portable, whether in a car or in boom box players. Finally, the digital revolution changed music the way wheels revolutionized transportation.

Now we can take music with us wherever we go. On our laptops and iPods we plug in our headphones, stick them in our ears and are transported to a world of our own, shielded from social interaction in our own music bubbles.

On a trip to Burkina Faso two summers ago, I noticed that people also brought their music with them. But Burkinabes people don’t demurely plug themselves in and fade into their surroundings. Instead, they blast their music, most often of the Akon variety, from their cell phones in confined spaces where everyone present cannot help hearing.

Sometimes, if more than one person feels like listening to their own music, there is a battle of beats, competing to out-funk, out-rap, out-rock the other. In a way, it was nice that we were sharing the music, sharing the experience, rather than shrinking into our own music bubbles.

A few Thursdays ago, some of my friends attended the Headphone Disco at 1280. The concept was this: people come and dance to the usual club beats but, at a certain hour, the music stops and everyone is handed a pair of headphones which they use to tune into their own tunes, and “dance to their

own beat,” so to speak. As a friend of mine reported, “It was not really inhibiting.”

It seems to me that a lack of experiencing music together as a comunity would erect a wall of silence and create a division, one that is usually broken down with loud, bass-heavy beats and a shared desire to groove to whatever artist has some new insight regarding bling, breasts, and booze set to a catchy beat. In a club setting, music makes people do certain things: bob, shuffle, grind, or sometimes even dance like no one is watching.

But music has a different effect depending on the setting. Music can create ambiance in an intimate restaurant. Music can make the experience of being put on hold more enjoyable. Music, or muzak, can even make an elevator ride pass more quickly.

Music in a church, synagogue, or other place of worship can create a more intense spiritual environment.

Bilal Philips, once known as “Jimi Hendrix of Sabah”, now argues that God does not want Muslims listening to most forms of music. He is among a small group of Muslims who claim that music is to be avoided, since it goes hand in hand with un-Islamic activities like dancing, immodest clothing and alcohol. Many other Muslims disagree, but I see a logical line of reasoning.

Music can evoke powerful feelings and people often turn to music for solace in times of sadness or to enhance their joyous celebrations. But isn’t this the role of religion? The idea of music as a substitute for religion, while it may or may not be realistic, attests to the power of music.

Whether we’re listening to music while on hold on the phone, on our iPods at the library or with thousands of fans at a concert, we keep listening. The way we listen changes, but the music never stops.

•

Leanna Katz

joy santiago / multimedia editor

in stereo

thursday, march 17, 2011

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D11

featured review Mother Mother Eureka

HHH Mother Mother is one of those bands that one cannot even begin to categorize into a definite genre or style. Hailing from B.C., the five-piece crew brings together charismatic male and female vocals with an eminent bass line, ferociously catchy guitar, and colourful synth that seem to disallow any definite comparison to contemporary or classic influences. Their third and latest album, Eureka, shows a band that has confidently matured into a rollercoaster of eccentric pop rock that balances many different influences into one (or two) fascinatingly fantastic mother(s) of an eclectic and energetic genre. While the clever phrasing of “Original Spin” has your head spinning with a certain satisfying confusion, the stripped down appeal of “Simple Simple” clears your conscience for another empowering track. Overall, Eureka is a nice extension of the essence of Mother Mother’s powerful sound.

• Trevor Roach

Julianna Barwick The Magic Place

Amos Lee Mission Bell

HHH

Defeater Empty Days and Sleepless Nights

HHHH

HHH

Julianna Barwick’s music is strange and occasionally inspiring. Her wordless, celestial voice wafts throughout her new LP The Magic Place like a stoned choir. Accompanied by restrained piano passages, tottering drums, and electronic loops, there’s an abstract, weightless quality present – something that certainly sets her apart from most ambient artists. The problem seems to be a sense of tedium looming throughout, as waves of sound wash over the listener, leaving little room for substantial melody. The album’s track list, which contains some highlights, demands more than opened ears, testing one’s patience with endless repetition. Mind you, there are no empty spaces to be found. The Magic Place is crammed with Barwick’s relentless hum, broken into a multiple pieces, all singing together in a cloud of sounds and instrumentation. Ethereal yes. A wholly successful album? Not quite.

• Myles Herod

Mission Bell is the fourth studio album from Amos Lee. On this release Lee teams up with Joey Burns of Calexico, who acts as producer on this outing. Mission Bell is a soulful, mellow collection of songs, with Amos’ soothing voice adding to the acoustic textures of the guitar and organ. With this said, Lee is able to mix many different genres together and make one cohesive sound.

He mixes soul, folk, jazz and blues together, which creates mood and accents of edginess. This is most predominant on the track “Jesus,” with backup vocals hauntingly reminiscent of Tom Wait’s eerie croon. The unity of the album as a whole is captured in the essence of every track.

• Catherine Brasch

Boston’s Defeater is hardcore’s response to critics who claim the genre has become stale and tired. A band fully immersed in the artistic realm of music, this album follows a post-WWII narrative laid out in all their previous releases. But even without this preceding context, this album stands up as a solid example of innovative hardcore. The music leaps with a dynamic, unbridled intensity. However instead of clubbing the listener with dense power chords, it shows restraint in its ferocity with highly textured instrumentation. The only fumble is the second part of this album containing four acoustic folk songs. While this doesn’t take away from the rest of the album, it seems like an odd inclusion that will be skipped over by most listeners. Despite this, Defeater have crafted one of the best hardcore releases in recent memory and while they didn’t reinvent the genre, they certainly come close.

• Chris Hoy

art

D12 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 17, 2011

the heart of steel city art mcmaster art history students delve into the collection of hamiltonian valeska ramsay Hamilton is a city with a rich artistic community. The Art Gallery of Hamilton, the McMaster Museum of Art and the monthly art crawls on James Street North, among many other institutions and events, provoke an art-hungry population to remain active and inspired.

Valeska Ramsay, a Hamiltonian and dedicated art collector, has through her collection, captured years of artistic activity in Hamilton. She is now preparing to share some of her acquisitions with the public.

The exhibition, titled Art in Hamilton: Works from the Collection of Valeska Ramsay, will be showcasing 63 pieces by 32 artists in various media. Fourth year Art History students, under the instruction of Professor Alison McQueen, are helping to plan and produce an exhibition catalogue to accompany the show.

Also drafting the didactic panels, the students of 4H03, a seminar discussing the history of art collection, have extensively researched all of the artists and works selected as a project associated with both the seminar and the exhibition.

Student Erin Wall spoke about the experience: “It’s really great to be a part of this because we get to work on something that a lot of people will be able to see and enjoy. Having our own writing published in a catalogue is pretty special too — it’s a great opportunity.”

As Ramsay was quite welcoming, inviting the class of 19 into her home, students were able to view the pieces selected for the exhibition before choosing two works to research and write about.

Other students have dedicated their time and research to Hamilton art institutions such as the Print Space and the You Me Gallery. Write-ups and visual aids discussing the history of such institutions will be provided at the exhibition in order to help chronicle the evolution of Hamilton’s art community.

In order to track down information on the artists and institutions being exhibited, many students found themselves in various archives and libraries on and off campus.

Some, if possible, conducted interviews with their artists and institutions.

Electronically and physically, students explored Hamilton’s art community in order to become experts on their chosen topics. In this frame of mind they drafted the most interesting and appropriate catalogue

entries, as well as didactic panels to further expand on their topics.

Requiring students to get out of the classroom and into the city in order to conduct research, this project provoked the development of hands-on skills and offered the opportunity to attain real world knowledge.

This innovative learning experience also involved the organization and promotion of the exhibition as well as the mounting of the works, which gave students insight into a plethora of perspective fields.

McQueen noted that her seminar “extends student engagement with learning and applies their knowledge to a professional experience outside the classroom, a dynamic that is integral to the teaching of Art History at McMaster University.”

“This experience offers students new ways to excel in their chosen field and exemplifies the creative and original educational experiences that can be pursued at university-based Innovation Parks across the country,” she continued.

Art in Hamilton: Works from the Collection of Valeska Ramsay will be mounted at McMaster Innovation Park. The exhibition will contain works by George Wallace, who taught at McMaster for 25 years and is the creator of “Man Releasing Eagles,” the welded sculpture that greets students from its current home outside the Student Centre.

Other pieces include a Leonard Baskin print, as well as works by Catherine Gibbon and Conrad Furey. Also, paintings of Stelco and a Hamilton area waterfall will provide quintessential Hamilton imagery. While presenting the Ramsay collection, this exhibition seeks to explore artistic developments in Hamilton. Artifacts of this city’s culture, the works showcased span nearly a century.

McQueen explained that the exhibition of Valeska Ramsay’s private art collection will “be of great interest to the community.

The exhibition will offer an unprecedented look at Hamilton through its artistic heritage, oral and written histories.”

The opening will be held on March 31 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. and the exhibition will remain on view in The Atrium at McMaster Innovation Park until July 11. All McMaster students are encouraged to attend and take in the art that this colourful city has to offer.

•

Victoria Tizzard

art c/o susan davies