The Silhouette - March 21, 2013 by The Silhouette

InsideOut finds you a friend B1

The

Silhouette

McMASTER UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

THURSDAY, MARCH 21, 2013 VOL. 83 NO. 26

ANDY reveals movie magic C5

EVICTION NOTICE

Wentworth House tenants seek suitable relocation with demolition around the corner LEFT: MACycle requires space suited to its equipment. TOP-RIGHT: The Lodge is one of few spaces for off-campus students. BOTTOM: Mac MSA students don’t want to lose central prayer space. ANQI SHEN / ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

Anqi Shen Online News Editor When Amina Khan and Yusra Munawar were told last year that their on-campus prayer room would be torn down, they didn’t hit the panic button. Khan and Munawar, executive members of the McMaster Muslim Students Association, were assured by the University that they would be relocated before Wentworth House, home of the space, was demolished. Now, with weeks left until eviction, the MSA, along with

INDEX

several other groups, are still looking for answers. “Everybody’s scrambling. They’re trying to find spots for us in random places on campus, trying to find temporary solutions. We don’t know how long we’ll be in those spaces, and it’s just really frustrating,” said Khan. The MSA has more than 1,000 Muslim student members at McMaster and has rooms in Wentworth House that allow up to 100 students to pray at a time. “We were clear about our requirements – that the [new] space needs to be

carpeted. It needs to be a large, accommodating area that’s accessible to campus in order for Muslim students to pray there. Surprisingly, the space we were given is anything but that,” said Khan. Recently, some tenants, including the MSA, were told they would likely be moving to a portable unit in Lot O. The lot is about 1.5 km from campus, located past the bridge behind Mary Keyes. “Muslim students pray five times a day … between classes,” said Khan. “A place that needs a shuttle bus to reach is completely

BoG candidates question low student representation Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma Senior News Editor

Teaching Awards Mac professors are recognized for their excellence in shaping students’ futures. Profs, A3.

Shaming the Victim Recent Steubenville controversy has reopened dialogue on rape culture. Blame, A9.

Laws off the Court Scott Laws reflects on his final season with the Marauders and talks about overcoming his foot injury. Heart, B7.

unacceptable to the Muslim community.” Khan and Munawar said if the MSA had to temporarily move to Lot O, students would end up praying in various nooks on campus. “You can’t fit a thousand Muslim students in hallways of libraries and little corners across campus,” said Khan. About two weeks ago, several tenants came together to form the “Wentworth Group” in hopes of getting their individual needs across with more impact. “We’re deeply concerned there hasn’t been uniformity in

Elections for the sole seat for student representatives on the Board of Governor’s were held on March 19 and 20. But the question most candidates were asking was, how many students even know what the Board of Governors is? The Board of Governors (BoG) is the chief governing body that oversees the University’s financial and administrative operations. The BoG is legislated by The McMaster University Act, 1976. The act has been unchanged since its inception. Several of this year’s undergraduate candidates have called on the BoG to change member allocations, which are governed by the Act. They argue that by increasing the number of seats held by students, the Board will be better able to garner student interest and adequately address their needs. According to a 2011 OUSA report, the lobbying body that represents the MSU, McMaster has one of the lowest student representations on its chief governing body. One seat of the 34 has been allocated, under the Act, to undergraduates since 1976. One seat is also allocated for graduate students. The provincial average for student representation on governing bodies is roughly 1 in 14. Candidate Rory Yendt remarked upon how McMaster’s undergraduate student representation is significantly lower than other universities in

C/O JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH

the province Candidate Shanthiya Baheerathan noted that the Board is interested in giving students what they want. “Having one rep is not okay for 28,000 students. This is really important to recognize, if they really want to gauge student interests. Regardless of their receptiveness to student interests, they need to be more actively engaging with students.” In contrast, candidate Leah Pantich focused on how an increase in the size of the BoG could be detrimental to governance. “When additional members are added to a group, the structure of communication between the representatives and the group represented must be altered, and this can give rise to complication.” Candidate Derrick Yick reiterated the importance of the BoG but emphasized

how inaccessible it can be for undergraduate students. “Despite the influence and the responsibilities that the Board holds (such as overseeing financial investments), it seems that the largest group affected –undergrad – students, have the smallest voice.” Multiple candidates identified the issue of representation and student body awareness as core ideas in their platforms. “Honestly, if I were to ask students across campus if their concerns of the university are being heard, I can say that the majority of us will somehow mention the MSU,” said David Cheng, another BoG candidate. In general, the majority of the members of the BoG are from the external business community. Board members are also allocated to sit on specific committees. The current undergraduate representative, Melanie Iarocci, sits on the Finance and the Human Resources Committee. Helen Ayre, Acting University Secretary, explained that most of the BoG is governed almost entirely by the McMaster Act of 1976. “[In order to increase the number of student seats], it would require changing the Act, which would require the provincial government to change the Act, as a provincial piece of legislation. This would be a long and complex process.” When The Silhouette went to press, online voting was still being processed. The elected student representative for the Board of Governors should be announced on March 21.

the communication between McMaster and the tenants,” said Norm Pase, vice-president (external) of CUPE 3906. Pase started an open Facebook group Monday called “Save Our Space: Wentworth House Shutting Down” to create a forum for the parties involved. The MACycle bike co-op, located in the Wentworth House basement, finds itself in the same boat as groups like the MSA. MACycle director Connor Bennett knew that relocating would be a big project. WENTWORTH, A5

Your 2013-2014 SRA

WINNERS Arts & Science: Pullen, Naomi (106)

Business: Cicchi, Gabriel (acclaimed) Long, Jimmy (acclaimed) Mallon, Scott (84)

Engineering: Abdelrahman, Salah (168) Candemir, Melike (154) D’Mello, Ethan (189) Mackinnon, Jonathan (153) Tichenkov, Andrei (158) Van Nood, Adam (150)

Health Science: Harper, Chris (185) Jeyasingham, Gabriel (145)

Humanities: Leslie, Tiffany (120 + 32) Loewig, Hans (190) Milani, Elise (252) Wolwowicz, Jason (163)

Kinesiology: Collins, Stuart (acclaimed) Omran, Janine (acclaimed)

Nursing: Palczewski, Kornelia (acclaimed)

Science: Abbas, Anser (226) Brodka, Jacob (466) Garasia, Sophiya (272) Guarna, Giuliana (326) Morrow, Aaron (368) Narro Perez, Rodrigo (362) Rheaume, Alan (253)

Social Science: D’Angela, Daniel (229) Dicenzo, Kristine (136) Gillis, Eric (166) Paul, Tristan (262) Sparrow, Ryan (147)

the

PRESIDENT’S PAGE Jeff Wyngaarden VP (Finance)

Huzaifa Saeed VP (Education)

Siobhan Stewart President

David Campbell VP (Administration)

GIVING STUDENTS A VOICE Siobhan reviews OUSA General Assembly and discusses the importance of student involvement in the future of post-secondary education

Siobhan Stewart President president@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 23885

As stakeholders in the postsecondary education (PSE) sector, it is incredibly important that McMaster undergraduates are represented to the provincial government. It is for this reason that the McMaster Students Union holds membership within the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). OUSA serves as an important voice for students at the provincial level, expressing student issues and working to improve undergraduate education across the province. OUSA represents over 150,000 students at nine institutions in Ontario. This past weekend, OUSA hosted its semi-annual General Assembly. The General Assembly brings together delegations from member institutions to discuss and debate policy papers. Each university member sends a delegation to promote or discuss their unique viewpoint on PSE and their students’ vision for the

future. Together, they craft policy papers which outline the specific points that OUSA will lobby to achieve. These policy papers reflect OUSA’s mandate and goals which – created and approved by students – gives the organization a unified direction when engaging with the government. Recently, OUSA spent the week at Queen’s Park, meeting with members of provincial parliament at OUSA’s annual lobby conference. During the week, OUSA focused on three top priorities: A tuition freeze, more mental health support for Ontario campuses and a more robust credit transfer system to improve access across the province. McMaster was represented by a diverse group of students form a variety of academic backgrounds including the faculties of Social Sciences, Humanities, Sciences, Health Sciences and Arts & Sciences. Our delegation worked over three days to develop and shape OUSA’s latest policy papers, including online learning, public / private partnerships in PSE and student employment. Though the details of each paper were different, all three encapsulated a similar theme of reaction to a changing post-secondary education sector. In Online Learning, OUSA calls for increased investment in online education. In doing so, the organization would like

to see universities across Ontario develop course-to-course equivalencies for a large number of classes, and make them available to students across the province. This creation of online courses, coupled with a more robust credit transfer policy, would improve access to post-secondary education for undergrads in Ontario. This would allow for a student at McMaster to take a large number of online courses at other institutions while graduating from McMaster University. In developing the policy paper Students, Universities and the Private Sector, OUSA makes a case for private investment in universities, albeit under certain conditions. Private investment is welcomed if the donor respects all institutional autonomy and academic freedom. In addition, the paper calls for increased investment in local knowledge clusters and the development of entrepreneurial skills amongst undergraduates, to meet the needs of today’s dynamic labour force. Finally, in Student Employment, OUSA raises concerns that certain underrepresented groups do not have equal access to job opportunities, both during their time in university and upon graduation. The paper calls for increased government action on this subject including government investment into summer employment programs that target

underrepresented groups. In addition, the paper promotes the idea of wage subsidies for companies that hire summer students and tax cuts for businesses that either hire or provide on-the-job training to new graduates. These three subjects highlight the changing role of universities and the government’s role in ensuring a quality and accessible undergraduate education. Moving forward it is vital that McMaster students remain engaged with their faculty, student representatives and university administration to ensure that their voice is heard on these incredibly important issues. These issues will likely affect students at McMaster in a different way than our peers at other institutions. That is why sending strong delegations of motivated students from McMaster will grow ever more important, in order to ensure that McMaster remains well represented at the provincial level. OUSA presents an opportunity to give McMaster students the voice they deserve. However, to actualize our voice, it takes people willing to speak on our behalf, with an understanding of the needs of McMaster students. If you would like to learn more about OUSA, its structure or how policy objectives are created by this member driven organization, please do not hesitate to contact me.

MSU Award winners announced at annual Student Recognition Night

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

McMASTER STUDENTS UNION

Would you like

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

to make a tangible impact on your students union? Submit a motion to GA!

BURRIDGE GYM MARCH 26TH | 4:30–6:30PM

SHOW UP. SPEAK OUT. Contact/submit motions to: MSU Speaker, Simon Gooding-Townsend speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca

This week, the MSU hosted its 33rd annual Student Recognition Night. It is an event held each March to celebrate the hard work done on campus to improve the lives of undergraduate students. As well as a dinner and reception, the evening includes the presentation of several awards. These awards are one of the most tangible ways in which we get an opportunity to acknowledge the dedication of students and student groups, and I would like to share the winners here. The Honour M Award has been presented annually since 1932 in recognition of outstanding leadership, volunteer service, contribution and/or special achievement in extra-curricular activities. The recipients are: Lisa Bifano Jeff Wyngaarden Rudy Heinzl Award of Excellence has been presented annually since 1997 in recognition of an outstanding one-year achievement which improves the lives of students at McMaster University. This year’s recipient is: Lisa Bifano

The MSU Merit Scholarship Award is a recognition of outstanding and valuable service to university, student, or residence governments, departments, clubs, societies, charities, or athletics. The winners are: Michael Hewlett Matthew Ing Monica Molinaro Sarah Silverberg J Lynn Watson Award for Community Service has been presented annually since 1983 by the MSU and the Inter-Residence Council to the campus group that has made the greatest one-year contribution to charitable giving. Congrats to: Asian F.O.C.U.S. The MSU Spirit Award is presented to the campus group that has best demonstrated superior spirit on campus. Congrats to: McMaster Athletes Care The Part-Time Manager of the Year recognizes the MSU Part-Time Manager who has best excelled in the management of his or her service. Well done: Jyssika Russell, QSCC Coordinator SRA Member of the Year is given to the Student Representative Assembly member who has made the greatest one year contribution to students and the work of the SRA. This year’s recipient is: Simon Granat A special mention is the presentation of honorary MSU membership to Dr. Phil Wood, McMaster’s AVP (Student Affairs) and Dean of Students, to celebrate his career of working to improve student life.

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

www.MSUMCMASTER.CA/GREENROOF

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

www.msumcmaster.ca

NEWS

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

Thursday, March 21, 2013

A3 S

Profs recognized for exceptional teaching Two of this year’s MSU Teaching Awards winners reflect on their time at Mac Julia Redmond Assistant News Editor Once a year, students take the time to pay tribute to those people who make their education possible: their professors. After the recent announcement of this year’s MSU Teaching Awards, and the ceremony on March 14, the Silhouette sat down with some of the award winners to get their take on what it means to get recognized by their students. Dr. Felicia Vulcu is not your typical professor. Hailing from Romania, Vulcu spent her high school years in Edmonton and was pointed to McMaster by her guidance counselor. After completing her undergraduate degree, Master’s, and PhD all at Mac, in 2008 she ended up with a job in the same department that had trained her. As an assistant professor and undergraduate advisor in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, Vulcu is focused on the learning experience, making her a perfect recipient for the Pedagogical Innovation Award. What exactly do you do here at McMaster? I do a lot of things in the

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“For me it’s not to get students to learn, because I think everybody learns. It’s to get them to understand the research process, and see if they like it.” Felicia Vulcu, winner of the Pedagogical Innovation Award

program, but mainly I was hired to run the teaching labs. We are very research intensive, so we have a full-year second year lab — that’s the one I won the award for. The idea behind it was to introduce students to research but really sneak in techniques, instead of just giving them techniques. [We have them] do many different things – some inquiry, some presentation. I try to minimize their stress, especially with assessments. That’s my goal in life. For me it’s not to get students to learn, because I think everybody learns. It’s to get them to understand the research process, and then see if they like it, because if they like it, they should stick with it. How did you end up in your current job?

I had no plan on getting here. I know people sometimes sculpt, but I bumped through life. I didn’t know what to do in my undergrad. I liked the research concept, and when I went in, I loved it. Then I matured and I saw who I was as a person, what I wanted out of my own personal life—I wanted to be happy, and I wanted to have a social job, where I interact with people. I saw that the researcher job…didn’t fit my personality. I applied to every job known to man, and I just bumped into this. You can say it was luck—it was dumb luck. But once I got in it, I absolutely loved it. What does this award mean to you? It was not something that I set out to do—I just enjoy teaching. Getting this was very humbling for me, so I just felt warm all over. When the students give me something like this, it means that they really are responding to me. But it’s not just me doing this—we make a huge effort in our department to be innovative to get students to just see how passionate we are about research. It was huge for us—everyone in the department is happy that this program is being recognized. You can’t be innovative on your own.

YOSEIF HADDAD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Vulcu was recognized for her innovative teaching methods in biochemistry.

MSU Teaching Awards Winners Lifetime Achievement - Prof. Nick Cipriano (Kinesiology) Merit Award- Dr. Saiedeh Razavi Kinesiology- Prof. Andy Schmalz Social Sciences- Prof. Todd Alway Commerce - Prof. Stephen Charko Engineering- Dr. Greg Wohl Nursing - Dr. Kirsten Culver Health Sciences - Dr. Patangi Rangachari Arts and Science - Dr. Stefan Rodde

Argentino, who teaches music in the School of the Arts, won the award for the Faculty of Humanities. JESSIE LU / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Joe Argentino always knew that music was his calling. And now, as an Assistant Professor in Music Theory in the School of the Arts, he lives that dream and teaches music skills, as well as and music history for non-music majors. First coming to McMaster to fill a position for a professor on sabbatical, he has found a home at Mac over the past four years. As the teaching award winner for the Faculty of Humanities, and a nominee for last year’s awards, it’s clear that students like having him here. What exactly do you do here at McMaster? I teach skills classes, such as sight singing and keyboard

harmony. I also teach upper level theory courses, in twentieth century analysis and history courses, and courses for non-music majors. This year it was my keyboard harmony class that nominated me. Most of them were from this 2D03 class. It’s not usually a very popular course—it’s one of those classes where students are constantly assessed. Last year I was nominated for a sight singing class, which most people don’t like because they have to sing in front of their friends and it’s a bit scary. And obviously teaching is as important to me as research; they’re neck and neck. For my research, I generally analyze music from the twentieth century, and I would consider myself an expert

on the music of Schoenberg. I try to bring new approaches to the music. Sometimes this type of analysis I do can be very math heavy, and some of the work that I do takes the math away from it and makes it user friendly. What do you hope students get out of your classes? I generally want my students to enjoy themselves in my class. I want it to be an experience where they feel fulfilled, even just being there. Of course, I always have the goal to get through the content, but to be better thinkers, to have confidence in themselves…I try in all my classes where it’ll benefit them regardless of where they end up. I just think I try to make

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“There’s nothing better than getting that recognition from students ... Having won, being on stage - it was the absolute highlight of my career so far.” Joe Argentino, winner of the MSU Teaching award for Humanities

my classes very relaxed, so people can approach me. I use a lot of humour and try to be as encouraging as possible all the time, but at the same time…I really want people to excel and do their absolute best. People are not afraid to

Science - Dr. Pippa Lock Humanities - Prof. Joseph Argentino Pedagogical Innovation Awards: Prof. Chelsea Gabel Dr. Felicia Vulcu Teaching Assistant Merit Awards: Jason Jaskolka Jake Nease Sohail Mulla Jessica Slomka

talk to me, ask me questions, or make mistakes in front of me. What does this award mean to you? To be nominated, already I’d felt like I’d won. There’s nothing better than getting that recognition from my students. Sometimes you don’t know—last year when I was nominated, I was really surprised. I had no idea my students were enjoying the class. And this year it was kind of the same thing. Sitting at the ceremony, I felt very emotional. I wasn’t expecting to feel that. Having won, being on stage—it was the absolute highlight of my career so far. I can’t remember ever having experienced a better feeling.

CANADIAN CAMPUS NEWS Ronald Leung Silhouette Staff

CFS-BC moves to expel University of Victoria Students’ Society

UBC futures market facilitates student bets on provincial elections

Introduction of scholarship benefits students with ADD/ADHD

Laurier professor addresses shaky job market for young Canadians

New Ryerson Student’s Union policy passes without challenge

The Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) British Columbia chapter has voted to expel the University of Victoria Students’ Society (UVSS), citing unpaid fees and UVSS’s departure from national CFS as reasons for expulsion. UVSS students are still considered members of the CFS-BC until the winter session is over. The fees in question total to approximately $160,000, and according to the CFS-BC, are part of an alleged underpayment from over a decade ago.

UBC business professor Werner Antweiler has been running an elections futures market since 1993, hoping to teach students about how to predict election outcomes. The real-world elections futures market is trading heavily on this spring’s upcoming provincial election. Students participating in Antweiler’s market can buy and sell commodities as they please, resulting in reasonably accurate results in the past. In the 2008 federal election, the Conservative seat prediction traded steadily at just above 40 per cent, and on Election Day they picked up 36 per cent of the seats.

Shire Canada, a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on ADHD is creating a scholarship program for Canadian adults suffering from the disorder. It will be introduced this upcoming September and will include financial support for tuition and one year of ADHD coaching. Consideration for the scholarship is open to students actively seeking treatment for the disorder. The scholarship is available to students in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. A minimum of one student per province will be selected and a total of five spots are available.

Communications professor Greig de Peuter at Wilfrid Laurier University is readying students for careers that could be far more precarious than in his “Work and Cultural Industries” class. Bringing in guest speakers such as Nicole Cohen, founder of Shameless Magazine, is part of Peuter’s plan to illustrate short-term contract and non-permanent working conditions. Cohen speaks with personal experience, referencing her own shaky unemployment after completing her undergraduate degree when she worked freelance for some time.

The Ryerson Students’ Union (RSU) quickly adopted a new policy which will ensure the empowerment of women’s voices on campus: rejecting the concept of misandry – the hatred or fear of men. This came right on the tail of the attempts of a new group trying to start up the creation of a men’s issues group. Students involved in this group object to the new policy, saying that the group is not anti-feminist, but rather seeks to discuss men’s issues on campus, including misandry.

A4 NEWS

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The money behind the melody Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma Senior News Editor Mac will continue to hear the music next year. In a referendum attached to this year’s MSU presidential election ballot, students voted ‘Yes’ to award the McMaster Marching Band 90 cents per student next year to support their actions. Marching Band President Joshua Patenaude, a fourth-year BioPsych student, explained how the club has made both shortterm and long-term plans for this new wave of funding. “In the short-term we will be repairing everything we have. Everything needs repairs. But in the long-term, we’ll be building up our instrumental set and replacing instruments that have gone beyond the point of repair.“ The McMaster Marching Band will be receiving close to $20,000 next year because of the new levy. The band has budgeted for the money to be predominantly spent on instruments, while also allocating some funds towards instructional costs and uniforms. Queen’s University has a $5 levy attached to their student fees, while Western requires the members of its marching band to pay a $200 introductory fee. Marching band members at Mac have typically paid a $65 membership fee, $250 in uniform fees and a miscellany of fees attributed to their respective instruments and music. Patrick Osborne, a Marching Band VP and third-year Business Informatics student, noted that

How will the marching band spend the estimated $20k?

21%

12%

36%

Lyres $15 Shakos (Hats) $40 Stick Bags $100

31%

Drum Sticks $100 Harness $185 Uniforms $250 Clarinets, Flutes, Trumpets

Equipment

$400

Cymbals $400

Instruction Costs

Drums $600+

Maintenance Membership Fee Reduction

Saxophones $800 Sousaphones $1500 ANDREW TEREFENKO / PRODUCTION EDITOR

this funding does not completely solve all of the band’s problems. “The $20,000 is not sufficient right away. But we wanted to shoot for a long-term stable amount of funding. Five years down the road we think $20,000 is what the band should be able to be sustained upon,” said Osborne. The members all agreed that

the funding will significantly lower financial barriers that would preclude students from joining the band. Miranda Clayton, the band’s promotions director, described how certain instruments, such as the sousaphone, the instrument she plays in the band, are more expensive than the average cost of

repairs. Other major expenses include instructional costs, drum line replacements and possibly budgeting for the introduction of a colour guard to perform along with the marching band. Members said they were happy to be able to sustain the band and build Mac spirit.

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“The $20,000 is not sufficient right away. Five years down the road we think $20,000 is what the band should be able to be sustained upon.” Patrick Osborne, Marching Band

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY >>FRIDAY, MARCH 17, 1972

The 1972 Student Representative Assembly convened for their fourth meeting of the year, approving an all-time-high $146,372 budget for student organizations. Seventh from the right is a rep who, dismayed by the decision, buried his head in his hands and watched as $15,000 in salaries was approved for executive student managers.

Framing

the Experience $6,000+ in prizes

A photography contest sponsored by The Change Foundation, Ontario’s independent healthcare think tank.

What does healthcare experience look like to you? Capture the lived realities, emotions, and stories of patients and caregivers in Ontario today. Who? Post-secondary students in photography, digital imaging and journalism – full-time, part-time or continuing ed.

Deadline July 1, 2013. Contest opens April 1. Contest details www.changefoundation.ca/ framingtheexperience Contact asunnak@ changefoundation.com

Thursday, March 21, 2013

NEWS A5

Wentworth House tenants resist Lot O CONT’D FROM A1 He did some research on his own last summer, feeling a “slight sense of urgency.” Even so, he assumed a space would be secured by March. “When you’re told not to worry, it’s nice to hear, especially when you’re dealing with school. I feel silly at this point, seeing how unprepared they are. Now we’re getting to the end of March and they’re saying, ‘we need your help,’” he said. Bennett said the worst-case scenario for MACycle is to have to move twice because it has so many pieces of equipment. “This has worried me a lot. I care about MACycle. A lot of people care about it,” said Bennett. He said that moving to Lot O temporarily would discourage cyclists from using the co-op because of the uphill ride afterward. Roger Couldrey, McMaster’s vice-president (administration), said he was surprised tenants were worried about going to Lot O. He added that, so far, it’s only been decided that the McMaster Children’s Centre will move there by the end of April. “It seems that what I’m being told isn’t fully understood by the tenants or wasn’t communicated to them,” he said. Couldrey said an alternate space would be proposed to the MSA at a meeting on Friday. As for MACycle, he said that find-

Several Wentworth House tenants are resistant to the idea of being relocated to Lot O temporarily, on the west edge of campus. ANQI SHEN / ONLINE NEWS EDITOR

ing a space would be harder, but discussions are still ongoing. However, Facility Services coordinator Robert Craik confirmed that Lot O would be a default solution if no other arrangements are made by the end of April. According to members of the MSA, MACycle, CUPE 3906 and the Photo Club’s darkroom, getting mixed messages isn’t new. David Campbell, the MSU’s vice-president (administration), expressed similar sentiments. He’s been advocating for some of the groups and asking for updates throughout the year. “The first I heard about the

Lot O decision was in January, and I was disappointed that that was the decision they came up with,” said Campbell. Darkroom manager Myles Francis has been reaching out to administrators on his own since last spring, concerned about the darkroom being left behind. The Lodge, a temporary space for off-campus students in Wentworth House this year in lieu of the old Phoenix bar, seems to have been scrapped due to lack of space, according to coordinator Jennifer Kleven. Francis doesn’t want the same thing to happen to the darkroom.

“I felt like if I didn’t go out there and tell people that it existed, the building would have been demolished with the darkroom still there,” said Francis. Francis admits he doesn’t have nearly as many students coming in throughout the year compared to MACycle or the MSA. He says he’s been getting most of his updates from other tenants. Unlike most other tenants, Francis isn’t looking to stay on campus anymore. Since February, he’s been researching darkroom spaces in the downtown core, where he says involved students would be willing to go.

“I don’t like the idea of things being done for me that I feel I should have a hand in. I mean, nowadays who knows how to create a darkroom? Who knows what the darkroom needs, other than me?” While they’re unsure of long-term plans, tenants aren’t giving up on their cause. But they’re not buying University officials’ advice to not worry. “I think it’s an issue of prioritization on the University’s end,” said Khan. “Each club has different needs, but we’re united in that we all share the same space. Whatever we can do to help each other, we will.”

Frontier College expanding homework program

McMaster students make up a core group of volunteers for Frontier College, which provides after-school homework programs to at-risk youth in downtown and north Hamilton.

Devra Charney Silhouette Staff Mac students have been working off campus and volunteering in a new frontier: North Hamilton. The Hamilton branch of Frontier College, which promotes reading and literacy in high-need areas of the city, is undergoing plans to start a new homework club program beginning in October 2013. Community Coordinator Shannon Stevens said that it aims to partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Hamilton in order to reach out to more target areas. Stevens emphasizes the importance of the University to the success of the literacy programs, as the majority of volunteers are McMaster students. “We’re exploring one program

in the community at their Sanford location, and we’re exploring a possible school partnership, but we haven’t decided which school. “So it will be similar to our other homework club structures where it’s a registered program, kids come, and we help them with their homework after school.” Volunteer tutors from Mac are needed from September until late spring, as the Teen Homework Club continues to operate in the Central Public Library in May and June in order to help high school students prepare for final examinations. Frontier College runs nine programs in Hamilton during the school year, largely aimed at new Canadians and students for whom English is a second language. Fourth-year Arts and Sci-

ence student Chetna Mistry is an organizational team leader for the Dr. J. E. Davey Elementary After School Homework Club. She sees the program as necessary for a demographic that would otherwise face difficulties in keeping up with schooling. “The Dr. Davey program is unique because it serves students in mostly underprivileged communities. We get a lot of refugee immigrant students who are at really low reading levels, and that requires our volunteers to be extra aware of their situations and willing to really help out and be really patient with them.” Gerry Smith, Principal of Dr. Davey, agrees that the program plays an important role for students and parents. It fills a need in Hamilton’s

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“We have a lot of people for whom school wasn’t exactly their thing, or they’re new to Canada and aren’t able to support their kids, so we have an avenue where kids can go and get the support they need.” Gerry Smith, Principal of Dr. Davey Elementary School

downtown district for students whose parents are unable to help them with schoolwork. “In our school, we have a lot of people for whom, at home, school wasn’t exactly their thing, or they’re new to Canada and

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

aren’t able to support their kids, so at least for twice a week we have an avenue where kids can go and get the support with the homework they need. And that’s invaluable.” He added that it gives students who lack the motivation to do their homework the chance to study in a constructive environment where help is available. The volunteers are able to provide the one-to-one attention that many of his students need in order to focus on their classwork. “A lot of these kids don’t do a lot of structure, or you can’t count on them to do homework, so it’s an opportunity for them to go somewhere and also just get an extra push with reference to curricular objectives that they wouldn’t if they just went home.”

EDITORIAL

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

Thursday, March 21, 2013

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Why you probably shouldn’t go to the MSU General Assembly to the ol’ lingerie depot of jackson square. for the skint and sexy.

to the cost of a free meal.

to converse with suits.

to phoenix trivia being child’s play. step it up.

Sam Colbert Executive Editor

to plaid-clad thumbs.

to twelveighty farts.

to saving your nicest hoodie for a special occasion.

to tough decisions.

The buzz around the MSU’s General Assembly is noticeably quieter this year. In 2012, then-MSU President Matthew Dillon-Leitch orchestrated a major marketing campaign. The posters were well designed, the event had its own website, the Facebook page exploded, and it was hard to walk around campus without learning that 601 students would make quorum. The day of the event was like New Year’s Eve. There were counts coming from the back of the room: forty to go. And then thirty. Four, three, two, one, and we had it. For the first time in 17 years, votes made at General Assembly were binding on the Students Union. It was exciting. So why no big campaign this year? Where is “The 606” (or whatever the number will be) this time around? It might be absent because, for the brief period when there were enough students in the room to make motions binding on the MSU, no one seemed to know how to handle it. The question was whether or not students wanted to charge incoming first-years an automatic $110 for Welcome Week fees, rather than offering an optional MacPass. In what looked like a

to the hands of time. to going to someone else’s formal. pressure’s off. to that time in 1953 when tough sophs sloshed frosh, and then when everyone said it ten times fast. to rearranging my schedule based on the campus availability of free cheese and crackers. worth it. to hoping that the biggie and tupac poster in my office survives my tenure. dead leaders for a dead system, indeed.

to breaking the one good office couch. i’d just sit on the carpet, if it wasn’t so filthy. to when people go number two in a public washroom with the lights out. weird. to people who refer to “baba o’riley” as “teenage wasteland.” to when expired candy experiences go badly. to ‘69 sil sexism.

OFF THE PAGES

Listen to our radio show Every Friday at 3 p.m., visit cfmu.mcmaster.ca or tune into 93.3 CFMU to listen to the Silhouette’s weekly radio show. Our editors will discuss the week’s top stories. LIVE VIDEO

Watch your student government The Sil will be running a video feed of Sunday’s Student Representative Assembly meeting on its website. Visit thesil.ca/videos to watch it live or view it afterward. The March 24 meeting starts at 6:30 p.m.

pretty even split, the more than 601 people in the Burridge Gym ran to one side or the other to show their vote. Someone looked over the crowd, shot a picture, and it was decided. In about half an hour, it was determined that the Welcome Week fee would be applied. With the announcement, two things became apparent. First, 601 is not a big number. Least year, it was three per cent of the full-time, undergraduate student population. It takes 10 per cent of the MSU’s membership to vote on binding changes to the Union during a referendum. But at general assembly, 601 students were able to make a decision on behalf of the other (roughly) 19,400. Second, the decision was largely made on impulse. Visibly undecided until they saw friends run in one direction or the other, it was apparent that many hadn’t given the issue much thought in advance. And so, agreements between the MSU and University were rewritten to make the new fee work. The MSU, Student Success Centre and faculty societies each received a piece of the pie. The money was spent, and expenses were badly reported. But an optional Welcome Week payment is likely a thing of the past. It’s still true that a general assembly is a fine idea. It’s direct

democracy. It’s a lot of people getting together to talk about realizing ideas that the SRA can’t (or won’t) and that wouldn’t be done justice by a referendum question on an MSU presidential election ballot. But it doesn’t tend to work out that way. In that rare quorate Welcome Week fee vote, it wasn’t the will of the masses that drove the decision. The MSU president ran a campaign to get 601 people in a room. And then he introduced a motion. He spoke to it, and it passed. And then a lot of people left. There might come a time when McMaster needs General Assembly. During the peak of the Quebec student protests, masses of students were assembling to talk and to vote together as often as a couple of times a week. But that time doesn’t seem to be now. And given the toned-down General Assembly promotional campaign this year, the MSU appears to know it. So, before Tuesday, have a look at the agenda. If you care about one of the motions, go to GA. But if you’re only headed there to run with your friends across the Burridge Gym floor, stretching your legs after a 15-minute presentation, you’re probably better off staying at home.

NOW HIRING: APPLY FOR A JOB AT THE SIL Want to join our editorial team? We’re currently hiring next year’s staff. The deadline to apply is March 27. Visit thesil.ca/how-hiring for position descriptions. Apply through the online MSU jobs portal or by emailing your resume and cover letter to thesil@thesil.ca.

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IAW is Islamophobic, not anti-semitic Re: “Israel Apartheid Week: divisive and deceptive” by Alon Coret [Published March 14, 2013 on A8] Mr. Coret might have a point, and I can’t help but agree with him that IAW does focus too much on one country. However, I disagree with his assertion that IAW is a cypher for anti-semitism in Canada. If anything, putting the spotlight on Israel to the expense of human rights violations in neighbouring countries speaks to a deep underlying Islamophobia in contemporary discourse. Israel is criticized because Israel is held by Western public opinion to the standards of civilized nations. Predominantly Muslim “Arab” nations are less criticized because they are not held by Western public opinion to the same standards as Israel. IAW is symptomatic of a system of attitudes that is quite content to include Israel - much as it included apartheid era South Africa - in the community of civilization.

Only in the context of being within a community of communities can criticism ever reasonably be offered of policy to any standard above that of the particular sub-community. South Africa was called to account by the rest of the West precisely because it was identified as a nation from whom better was to be expected by the 1980s than practices officially abandoned in, for instance, America by the 1960s. Western critics of Israel call attention to the pernicious antics of the settlement lobby because they fundamentally consider Israel to be among a group that includes them. To contrast, “Arab” nations “escape” this criticism not because of any favouritism, but because of an underlying cultural and arguably racial bias that excludes them from the emotional space

occupied by the Western community. In such a symbology of contemporary discourse, Israel is the neighbour whose critics wish would better mend her fence - a civilized person - while the Saudi, for instance, is simply a particularly wealthy savage from whom no better can be expected. IAW does not exemplify anti-semitic tendencies. The lack of an equally high profile popular critical movement in the West targeting the abuses and depredations perpetrated by the regimes neighbouring Israel against equally valuable individual human beings provides a classic example of Islamophobia that screams its eloquence against the supposition of Western moral universalism. •

Will Innes, Humanities III

Get facts straight on SRA reform arguments Re: “Time for reform” by Sam Colbert [Published March 7, 2013 on A6] In “Time for reform,” The Silhouette argues the Student Representative Assembly is broken and prescribes ways to fix it. Is the SRA perfect? No, but a closer look of The Silhouette’s arguments is in order. The editorial suggests the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on Democratic Reform concludes the committee “accomplished next to nothing.” The report I read noted challenges faced and several substantive issues which the committee discussed at length. To dismiss work undertaken during 15 meetings over six months is neither accurate nor fair. The editorial also says the Committee discussed “...inviting the part-time managers of MSU services to be members of the Assembly.” No, the Committee discussed eliminating a rule that prohibits them from serving

as voting members of the SRA. PTMs already have observer status giving them speaking rights so their voices may be heard at the SRA. Regarding equitable representation, detailed reports scoped out the issues and offered options to inform the debate in which the SRA (for better or worse) made a conscious decision to retain the status quo. The Silhouette argues that the SRA needs to be bigger because the student body has grown. Web sites, email and social media are among the tools to inform students – and receiving their input – that didn’t exist when the Assembly’s size was set. A larger SRA is no guarantee individual members would be any better and significant expansion would make for a less effective group dynamic. The editorial further calls

for other elected student leaders on campus to be made members of the SRA. In fact, academic society presidents and others have observer status at the Assembly so their voices can be heard. Are observers less effective than voting members? No, not when decisions are guided by the strength of arguments. The editorial also contends interest in running for seats is low. Five seats were elected by acclamation, but that’s down from ten last year and the number of candidates in 2013 was the highest since 1994. The SRA will always have room for improvement, but the facts should be accurately and fairly presented to buttress calls for such improvement. • David Moore, MSU Alumni Association President

OPINIONS

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

Thursday, March 21, 2013 COLUMN

They say it’s all in your head; we say enough’s enough

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Who holds charity clubs accountable? MSU should take further steps to learn where our money goes

Mental health is real; you are not alone Mel Napeloni Opinions Editor I’m often hit with a compulsion to self-scrutinize. It’s not what some would call ‘ordinary.’ I’ll extract an impression of me and proceed to psychoanalyse the living shit out of it. Generally, these impressions will appear in the form of scenarios. For example, I’ll imagine that ‘Mel’ is on the other side of an inner-circle of friends. I, a stranger or acquaintance, will decidedly withdraw from the social sphere and observe him. I’ll detect habits and listen only to him. It’ll go something like “he’s a drinker, his emotional maturity is a see-saw, his quips are rare and often vain, his bouts of honesty are usually disrespectful and potentially injurious, his recurring need to project arduous qualities of himself is exhausting, his quirks are frequently stolen from others (subconsciously or not), and his self-involvement is dogmatic.” These compulsions are almost always late at night. Recently, I’ve been particularly interested in the topic of mental health. At the start of my term as Opinions Editor, one of the most common subjects among volunteers was just that. I’m a firm believer in expanding this discourse - the more we bring it up, the better. There was one point, however, when I wondered why it became so many people’s go-to issue. That question soon dissipated when I looked down at my prescription bottle. It was two days ago when I picked up my tablets of Xanax and anti-depressants. I went through years of writing emotional bullshit in my prison of a room, years of telling no one (especially my parents) the unsettling crap that pervaded my head on dark nights, years of laughing and letting go with friends only to come home and cry my eyes out for hours straight. The unquestioned belief that no one would or could understand - it only got worse. All these things we do and tell no one about. All these people we see and only tell strangers about whilst drunk. All that world-and-people-and-conventions-and-school-and-addiction we have to deal with and keep all to ourselves. We’re there and we’re laughing and we’re smoking but most of it just feels like a dream, and where the hell is anywhere but here, really? That’s the kind of thing that crushes your soul. The kind of thing that makes you ask, “What’s the point?” I’ve experienced quite a lot of heartache – in my short 20-year time though, I’ve learned that I’m not alone. So, be considerate when someone is honest with you about his or her mental health. Be understanding when someone feels they can confide in you. We live in a world that shuns people for acting off, twitching their face in ways they can’t control, breathing differently or finding unconventional means of reducing their inner pain. Be an ally, not an enemy. Chelsea Fagan, a Tumble blogger, once said, “Listen to the voice in the back of your head which tells you, as much out of sadness as anger, ‘You are ugly. You are stupid. You are boring.’ Give it the fleeting moment of attention it so craves, and then remind it, ‘Even if that were true, I’d still be worth loving.’”

What is the Canadian identity? Some call Canada a mosaic of different cultures, others say it privileges the few over the many. Whatever the answer, one thing is true - it is our story Simon Granat Silhouette Staff I remember my first university class. It was 9:30 a.m., Political Science 1G06 with Dr. Alway. Around the end of the class he asked us, his students, to think about Canadian identity.

Then, when I took a second year Canadian politics course, Dr. Flynn asked us to do the same thing. The result of all this thinking was the general consensus that there is no Canadian identity. There may be Canadian identities, or at the very most, there was

Aissa Boodhoo-Leegsma Senior News Editor You see the bake sales every week. Sometimes a particular treat pulls you in. Sometime a specific poster draws your attention. But how often are you directly concerned with the cause or where your money is going? Mac has over 300 MSU-affiliated clubs and approximately 125 are specifically related to social issues. These groups may be building homes in the global South or combatting domestic poverty. But how are we to know if what they say they’re doing, they’re actually doing? In a TED talk by AIDS Ride founder Dan Pallotta, he discussed how we are damaging the non-profit sector by refusing to look to business models as ways to improve their impact and our own charitable giving. As students, part of our MSU fees goes towards clubs funding. And don’t you want to know your money is being used productively? Besides the portion that goes to services we directly access, at SHEC for example, other parts of our fees go towards various other operations in the MSU. This is largely to do with the management of clubs. As someone who was once

on a club executive, I am acutely aware of the process that clubs undergo to simply renew their status and receive funding. But I don’t think it’s enough. You submit a rough budget, a year plan, lists of goals, etc. But fundamentally no one is holding you accountable to these goals. And specifically in the case of social issues clubs, I think this puts us, as investors, in a dangerous predicament. We are unaware if a club is sending money to where they say they are. Or we may not even know if they are achieving or struggling to achieve the goals they set out to accomplish. When I see the small, student-led grassroots initiatives in various countries, this fear seems especially real. How well thoughtout are their endeavours? Do they have a business plan based on short-term and long-term goals and an action plan to get them there? And from a human resources perspective, will all of the initial startup money they received from clubs funding be in vain if the founding students graduate and haven’t planned for a leadership pipeline? This problem can be just as applicable to other social issues clubs that are tied to larger

not-for-profits and NGOs like Amnesty International or Free the Children. These groups may be well structured and aligned with larger organizational goals, but can easily lose sight of goals or funds amidst all the bureaucracy. In five years here, I can certainly say I’ve seen social issues clubs pop up and collapse within the course of a year or two due to poor planning, lack of support and lack of goal setting and other accountability-based measures. I’m not saying that other types of clubs don’t face the same problems, but if we really want to call ourselves global citizens, and our generation really cares about addressing social problems, it has to start with caring about social issue-based clubs on campus. One day, we’ll have incomes of our own to invest at will. Hopefully we’ll choose to invest in notfor-profits and social enterprises that address social problems. And hopefully we’ll choose wisely and invest strategically in organizations that truly will make a difference. But until then, let’s critically ask if we’re doing enough on campus to hold social issues clubs accountable. So next time you’re at that bake sale table, speak up and ask what it is that you are supporting.

FEEDBACK

What are your thoughts on the pope and Vatican? Compiled by Mel Napeloni and Yoseif Haddad

The old pope did some corrupt things. It’s a human institution, and there’s nothing divine about it.

Media creates faces for the pope. The new one is a ‘small town’, ‘modest’ guy. The old ones were ‘edgy’, ‘badass.’

I think his work for the poor is good. Being from Latin America will provide a new perspective.

Hans Loewig, Humanities I

Jessica Loterman, Psych. IV

Trent Angiers, Sociology IV

is. And perhaps collectively, for many of us who were born here, the delineated meaning of ‘what makes a Canadian’ has faded with the passing of our ancestors. But simply saying Canadian identity does not exist is not necessarily true; the absence of a definition is not proof that no definition exists. For me, the definition of what makes Canada comes, in part, from the story of my father’s family. My grandparents and their children, my father and uncle, came to Canada from Poland in the late fifties. They were Jewish immigrants who had survived the Second World War. After settling in Toronto, they worked in factories, sewing clothes. It was a humble job, and I’m not sure how well it paid, but they worked hard. Yiddish was a dominant language in the house. My father received most of his schooling in Canada,

and went on to practice law for a time. By no means do I mean to embellish the ‘pull yourself up from your bootstraps’ mentality. Instead I tell the story to illustrate my point - that the Canadian identity is a story. It is the story of you, of me, of us. Sometimes these stories are good, sometimes they are bad. They can be filled with privilege, poverty, systemic barriers to success, great successes and great sorrows. The Canadian identity is a collection of identities, interwoven into the history of Canada. It is more than a mosaic - my grandparents would not have been legally allowed to purchase homes in some parts of Canada when they arrived. But it is their story, your story, our story - our lineage, interwoven into the social fabric of this country that constitutes our collective identity.

“

Perhaps collectively, for many of us who were born here, the delineated meaning of ‘what makes a Canadian’ has faded with the passing of our ancestor.

what we call ‘the mosaic’ - the idea that Canada is made up of distinct and separate cultures that make up our national identity. If Canadian history is any witness, it shows that (at one time at least) there were attempts to assimilate and impose an identity on many peoples. Maybe that’s why I don’t completely subscribe to ‘the mosaic’. Having been someone who was born in Canada and given the luxury of citizenship without the need to work for it, I have never been told what Canadian identity

S A8 OPINIONS

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Rape culture is a global infection Why are Western media sources victim-blaming in the West, but changing their tone for other cultures?

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Edward Lovo Silhouette Staff Rape is a social problem perpetuated by the culture of rape. Rape culture is an unfamiliar concept to many, and because of its unfamiliarity, many will deny its existence. Really. However, the concept becomes easy to digest when attention is drawn elsewhere. Over the past few months, CNN has provided a lot of coverage on India. CNN reported on the case of a New Delhi gang rape occurring shortly before the new year. The protests that the case initiated spread in pockets of

India and Nepal. There’s been aggression on the peaceful demonstrators committed by the police force, rapes committed by the police and more cases of gang rapes (including the even more recent case of a Swiss tourist), met with commitments from India to reform legislation. This is partly because of pressure from protestors and partly because of the international spotlight. CNN even included firsthand accounts by Anjana Menon and Shreyasi Singh detailing the culture of rape in India. However, CNN and other media sources have fixated on rape culture in India to the point of losing sight of rape culture in

North America. To make myself clear, rape culture is different in India than it is in North America, but this doesn’t change the problem that is rape culture here. For CNN and other media, the theme of rape undergoes a transformation from India to North America, or from East to West. The network is quick to highlight the backwardness of other cultures, but when addressing rape cases of its own society, it participates in the practices that it condemns in those cultures. CNN eagerly reports that women are raped by police in India, but doesn’t lift a finger to

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type the same stories in North America. CNN eagerly reports the rape culture in India, publishing firsthand accounts, but what about the many women that have spoken out against rape culture in North America? CNN is vindictive of rapists in India, but somehow found the heart to sympathize with the rapists in the recent Steubenville case. The disparity of coverage between India and North America by CNN gives birth to the illusion that rape is not a social problem in North America, but that it is in India. CNN isn’t the only culprit; ABC, NBC and USA Today have also contributed to this illusion. There is rape culture in North

America. Rape is a problem here, and it must be treated as such. Ironically, CNN has been participating in rape culture from the very beginning of its coverage on India. Due to the differences in rape coverage for CNN in the East and West, recipients of media are the recipients of distorted representations. Hidden in between the lines is the message, “India is backward, not us.” This message is part and parcel of rape culture, contributes to it, perpetuates it and glosses over it. We’re backwards. After all, SlutWalk didn’t start in Toronto for nothing.

CNN’s coverage of Stuebenville rape case is under fire

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Allison Barrie The Silhouette Well, it’s official. Steubenville, Ohio’s football team is ruined. The lives of Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond are destroyed, along with their reputations as good students with promising football careers. Nothing will ever come easily to these boys; for the rest of their lives they will forever be publicly known as registered sex offenders. Oh, I almost forgot, the 16-year-old girl that they raped might be damaged as well - the CNN glossed over that part. This past Sunday, the most recent report by the CNN on their website mentioned the boys’ verdicts. According to Judge Thomas Lipps, they are guilty and will be sentenced to time in a correctional facility for raping a 16-yearold girl. However, the way that reporter Poppy Harlow presented the story makes the viewers sympathize with the two people involved in this case that should be receiving the least amount of sympathy in the entire story. In her piece, she expresses how emotional and difficult it was to watch these two young men apologize in court and realize that their lives would forever be changed because of the crime that they committed. The problem here is that the media is so focused on sympathizing with these boys, that we forget about what they actually did. They took advantage of and raped a 16-year-old girl. She was drunk and she was passed out, but none of these facts should take away from what actually happened and how her life has changed because of it. It all started in August of 2012 at a string of parties where the victim got very drunk and was raped by two members of the local football team, Trent Mays and Ma’lik Richmond. What started out as a smalltown incident turned into a national issue and is now getting worldwide attention. Not only just because of what happened, but because these boys were star football players on the town’s prized football team. Matters have only gotten worse now for this young woman who was victimized when she began receiving threatening messages over Twitter simply because she testified against her

abusers. What message does this send to our society? The upsetting truth is that by reporting your case to the authorities, your perpetrator may receive justice. But in doing so, you will also be harassed and criticized by media and people on the opposition, especially if the accused are viewed highly in the eyes of everyone else. So now why in the world would a woman who was sexually abused even think about reporting her case? She won’t, and this is the problem that we now as a society need to deal with. What we need to remember is that rape cases such as this in Steubenville occur all the time. The only difference with this case is that this young girl spoke out and got justice for the crimes committed against her. The media and the people harassing this victim are prime examples of what is discouraging people all over the world from reporting similar cases. The common belief around reporting such crimes is that embarrassment, harassment and shame all come hand in hand with the justice that you may receive. How do we fix this issue? We need to rethink how we report news and issues that are occurring everyday. Although it may be easier to take a certain side on an issue, it’s important to understand all of the facts and understand who is reporting and what kind of bias might be involved. It’s easy to get swept away with a convincing story from a trusted news station, but one must also recognize the importance of understanding facts for oneself instead of believing everything that is said in the news. In the end, we can all breathe a sigh of relief for this young girl as her case is now coming to a close and she can get on with her life, but the question of “what happens now?” will always be in the back of our minds. It’s impossible to predict how Trent and Ma’lik will live their lives and what kind of obstacles they will face with their new titles as sex offenders. What we do know is that they are not to be pitied for the mistake that they made. They’ll learn their lesson and eventually move on, and that’s all that can be said in their defense.

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S A10 OPINIONS

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The wheels of Hamilton bike reform are turning In a city that is designed to distance us from the bicycling mentality, what are we to do?

K ARE

Kacper Niburski Silhouette Staff My bike is hardly fashionable. Each time I ride the metallic mammoth, the gears remain a curious experiment long forgotten, the chain rattles back and forth like the coming of the Grim Reaper, and the seat shifts, slithers and shakes uncontrollably. I’ve had it since I was eleven and I remember the same things it remembers. The bright sun. The blue sky. Birds singing. Cities fading. Races. Friends. Dares. Accidents. Sadness. Pain. Happiness. Smiles. I’ve also forgotten what it has forgotten. In the cascade of time, my bike and my memories have corroded. Somewhere in between the kaleidoscope of recollections and the imaginary games of knight jousting with pool noodles, I became bigger than my bike. Mountains became hills; hills became lumps; lumps became flat fields. I’ve grown, and with my growth, the mysticism and thrill of everyday – like the vibrancy of my bike – has been lost. Salt now

licks the wounds of both each winter, and I wonder if my bike will survive until spring. I wonder if I will too. Because nowadays when I ride, my knees buckle, I feel uncomfortable in my seat and the timelessness I once felt has been replaced with the realization that time always passes. I’m getting older and my bike is too. It, like me, is becoming a fossil that’ll one day be dug up in somebody’s garage. Yet despite looking no different than the functionless disaster of two hula-hoops strung together, I still maze my bike to school everyday. It’s not because of what my bike has been through nor is it because I hope to rekindle that childlike majesty of freedom. Though I could argue that I still feel like I’m flying through the guileless air while I’m cycling, this wouldn’t be the truth. I just don’t have brakes anymore. Instead, I cycle every day because besides being the most efficient, healthy mode of travel, it is incredibly accessible. Sure, I’m far from the ideal, Hollywood-esque hip cyclist; I wear sweat pants and

clothes that could easily get stuck in the cranks, I drift along with no hands on my handlebars and I’m an organ donor waiting to happen. No doubt. But in a city like Hamilton, even with such inept cyclists as myself, I feel as though biking should be the norm if only because cars seem so entirely superfluous. Bikes are the engines of invention without the need for pollution. Grant Peterson said it best: “Think of bicycles as rideable art that can just about save the world.” I’ll grant there are geographical, topographical and economic considerations to be taken into account when deciding on bicycling. In Hamilton alone, one cannot easily cycle from the Mountain (where I live) to McMaster. But these are not good arguments against biking; in fact, they suggest the opposite. They are consequences of a city trying to backpedal in an attempt to go forward. Hamilton has rarely had probike policies. Take Main Street West or King Street West as examples. Despite being the main roads

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for a zoo of students, both fail to accommodate cyclists with bike lanes. Even in the core of McMaster, bike lanes are not indicated by signs but by basic suggestion. This is commonplace throughout the city. In the downtown core, a report by the city of Hamilton, “Cycling Network Strategy”, found that the most common accidents happen in those without bike lanes. More importantly, however, was the finding that people do not cycle due to a combination of lack of convenience and perceived safety concerns without bike lanes. Certainly, these concerns are pertinent to a would-be cyclist. At the same time, however, it is worth asking whether bike lanes are the best measure for all Hamiltonians. Without a doubt, it improves cyclist’s accessibility by slowly developing a well-integrated network that is both perceived to be safer and convenient. Yet while increasing the perception of safety, some studies have found that bike lanes make riding less safe as they follow loosely fitting vehicular policy. This forgets that reconstructing

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roads with segregated bike lanes removes parking lots in front of already struggling downtown businesses, which suggests an equity and economical regression for the whole community. Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut answer in this debate. Yet even with such ambiguity, the biking culture seems to be growing in Hamilton and McMaster especially. This is seen in the development of the Arts and Science class 3BB3, where students have the chance to investigate the political, social and economical ramifications of the bicycle. In the coming weeks, they will present a “Bike Rodeo” in front of University Hall that is meant to engage both the McMaster community and the broader city with pro-bike spirit and knowledge. While a small accomplishment in its own right, the Rodeo is the tricycle wheels needed to put Hamilton’s cycling zeitgeist on the right track – one that even my clunky, dilapidated, jarring stead, with all it’s bumps, scratches and memories, will be able to fit into. At least, until the next winter.

Is technology really taking us to a better world? We might think our society is progressing, but are all these new gadgets really necessary? Abdullahi Sheikh Silhouette Staff There’s a severe disconnect between parents and their children over the use of the Internet, especially regarding social media. Years ago, families only really had one phone in the house, so it’s easy to see why modern families may find themselves struggling to cope with their children having separate phones. Once you get Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and the rest into the mix it becomes understandably difficult for parents to know exactly what their children are being exposed to. Although it may come as a shock to any adult readers, you were a child at one point and your parents did need some knowledge of what exactly you were getting involved in. And today, with our plethora of wireless connected devices, it’s

no small wonder parents are getting swamped. I’m not arguing for parents to have to learn how to use all these things; I am arguing for us as a society to realize what impact these technologies have on us as people and how we can work with that. It may sound vague, but let’s delve into it a bit. We’re always on the lookout for that new “killer app.” Why is that? Sure, all these applications enable us to reach more people than we ever could; now we can reach people across the globe in mere seconds. But what we gain in breadth, do we lose in depth? Isn’t something being lost in translation? When we see texting as an appropriate alternative to calling, or posting a Facebook status as the preferred way to send another a message, I feel we’re missing out on the benefits of dealing with one another face to

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

face. I’m not going to wax apocalyptic on you – far be it for the Computer Science student to wail about the dangers of technology. But I do think that a problem exists when people can get addicted to the Internet in lieu of meet-

ing people face to face and when parents think they’re stupid because they can’t understand that new device their child has picked up and especially when, as was documented in the news recently, teenagers see a rape in progress,

pick up their phones and upload to YouTube. So, it’s up to you to answer. Are these devices helping us to come together, or are we just one Facebook status from falling apart?

Thursday, March 21, 2013

OPINIONS A11 S

Having a university degree is overrated Christopher Joannou The Silhouette For as long as I can recall, higher education has generally been perceived to be directly correlated to success. Until now, I saw no reason to question that. But as a current university student, I’m beginning to wonder if I should. The government tells us that a degree increases your opportunity of getting a job. In other words, education is the key to your success. Our parents tell us the same. It doesn’t leave you with much of an option, does it? All this basically tells me is, go to university and get a degree, or be unsuccessful. I believe that being educated is one the keys to success, and that by following rules and passing exams you’ll do fine, but how can school expand your knowledge and improve your education if, for the most part, all it does is force us to cram information into our heads to pass an exam, only to walk out of the exam and forget almost all of it? For the most part, exams don’t even allow us to showcase our knowledge; they use multiple choice questions, which are really meant for making things more efficient to mark rather than helping us to learn. Multiple choice not only kills the creativity of an individual, but

it forces us to conform to a set of answers designed in a way to set you up for failure. All that I’ve learned from multiple choice is that, when I don’t know an answer, just pick C and that for the most part, it’s a game of luck – all the answers sound the same. Education should be about inspiring one’s mind, not just filling it. As a university student, I spend 50 per cent of my time trying to study and the other 50 per cent trying to avoid it. Not all of the procrastination is wasted time, though. I saw a quote on Facebook by Albert Einstein, and it states, “education is not the learning of fact, but the training of the mind to think,” and I don’t think that universities are doing a good job at allowing us to think. But one of the main questions regarding education that strikes me is: does success in the school system correlate to success in life? Or is the school system simply geared towards fact retention and regurgitation that’s only going to push me through to get my degree? To be blunt, browsing the Internet expands my knowledge more than sitting in a lecture attempting to stay awake. University used to be the product of the individuals whose parents could afford to support

G N I MM

CRA

YOSEIF HADDAD / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Universities nowadays don’t really care about our education - they’re businesses and what they want is our money

them throughout school. It was an esteemed level of exclusive education that required outstanding marks. But now, the system has been broken wide open and tertiary education is available to a far greater number of students. Really, anyone who wants to go to university can go, regardless of marks or family status. Sadly, Uni-

versities have become businesses in a market place, and thanks to the evolution of university fees, students have become nothing but customers. Life is long, and we spend all of it learning. To assume that all the learning much happen with a university degree in the year 2013 is one of the greatest mistakes to make.

The exclusivity of a university degree, which was once the core of its intrinsic value, no longer exists, and University has now become more of an expected requirement than an exclusive right. A university degree has become more expensive, and at the same time become more plentiful and less likely to be a cause of profitable employment.

Catholicism is more than what the church projects Sarah O’Connor Silhouette Staff Whenever any sort of religious conversation surrounds me, I always feel myself shrink, afraid to pipe in. Whenever such conversations occur, someone almost always mentions Christianity and how horrible followers of the faith are. This is when I find my voice. Half afraid, I say, “I’m Catholic.” And obviously conversation ceases. Everyone is now afraid of offending me. There is a certain stigma associated with being Catholic. Being Catholic, as defined by non-Catholics, means I hate gay people, I obey the Bible word for word, and I go to church every Sunday. Not living by these rules would mean I’d have to face a dreary eternal afterlife in Hell. Because of this unfortunate stigma, I feel the need to defend myself and other Catholics who are forced to deal with this stereotype, because really, not all Catholics are closed-minded, as the media likes to portray. Being Catholic does not mean I hate gay people. Gay people are people, plain and simple. And while some Catholics like to use the Bible to quote and prove this “sinful” way of life, I like to think that God has modernized in his way of thinking since then. Catholics should also realize that the Bible is an unreliable source of information; it’s been written and re-written too many times during history for anyone to know where the real Bible starts and where the edits come in. Some Catholics should also realize that they shouldn’t believe everything they read. I’ve heard many good theories as to why the Bible says the things it does and why there are so many contradictions. The popular theory is that the Bible is not meant for fact value, but for its lessons. My favourite is that the Bible is written with so many contradictions so readers can read past them and realize the true meaning of the it. I don’t take the Bible word for word, because it is not factual. It is something to learn from and something to question, but it isn’t something to base one’s life entirely upon. I do go to church ever week, Saturday evenings instead of Sunday mornings, but this is my decision. I know of many Catholics who only go to church every so often, only during the Christmas or Easter seasons, with some go-

“

I am Catholic, but I’m not crazy. I disagree with many things the Bible says, as well as the sexual abuse that does go on in some churches. ing only on Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. I like going to Church because it lets me be close to my faith. Being at McMaster, this is my first time being out of a Catholic school system, and while it is a nice break, I find it nice to go to mass every week to learn what is going on in the Church this week. I am also an altar server, a duty I’ve been a part of for nine years. Again, this was my decision; I don’t know many people from my elementary or high school that decided to become altar servers. It is a very small group. I joined because my ten year-old self thought it would be fun to help prepare things for the mass, and I did and still do enjoy it. But with the recent accusations in the past few years against priests doing horrible things to altar boys, I do see a trend with the number of new altar servers during the past few years. There are only five boy Altar servers at my church, four of whom are in university and one who is in high school. The remaining fifteen or so altar servers are girls, all of whom are in high school or university, except one who is in elementary school. While it is not directly said, the obvious lack of altar servers is because of parental fear that their children will be abused. After nine years of altar serving and two priests, I have never been abused, nor have any of the other altar servers. When I became an altar server, there were too many of us; the regular number of altar servers at mass at that time was about eight (the regular number is five). Then, of course, the older altar servers went to university and college, and there were only three altar servers per mass. While the number has risen a bit in the past few years, there are times where very few altar servers are able to serve a mass. This stigma faced by Catholics and priests needs to stop. How can it be right for people to falsely accuse someone of sexual abuse without proof? While there have been many priests found guilty of such things in the past few years, it doesn’t

mean every priest is a sexual assaulter. No one has the right to falsely assume someone is bad without knowing him or her. I am Catholic, but I’m not crazy. I disagree with many things

the Bible says, as well as the sexual abuse that does go on in some churches. I hate how, instead of these bad priests being arrested (like normal criminals), they are hidden in the Vatican. Out of sight,

out of mind. But I realize that not every priest is like this. Not every priest does horrible things, and not every Catholic believes what is written in the Bible verbatim.

NOTSPEC.COM

IT ’S GOLD JERRY Seinfeld reruns spark youth revolution, Festivus riot B2

THURSDAY MARCH 21, 2013

HAMILTON SPECULATOR THE

MAKING SHEET UP BROADLY SINCE 1934

TOP OF THE MOURNING

Paddy’s Day party kills three

BARKING NEWS

ASIA TEQUILA-DASH Bar Specustar

St. Patrick’s Day festivities took a turn for the macabre Sunday night as a West Hamilton house party resulted in the death of three healthy livers. Will Haus, former owner of one of said livers, spoke to The Speculator on his raucous affair with 150 ounces of Jagermeister. “I dunno, man. It was just a bad time, man. One minute I was neck deep in body shots and the next I was 37th down on the transplant list,” said Haus. The remaining two deceased livers belonged to Jim Kelly and Paul “Pour Me Another” Pinkson, both of which died along with their livers in freak alcohol poisoning incidents, as of yet unlinked to their liver failures.

RESHOOT

Mainstream media still cool, relevant; sources say Subvervise forms of information dissemination are lame; bias is an illusion

SOUND OFF

TIBERIUS SLICK

Burgler shushes photographer during stock photo shoot B4

Supercool Speculator

Sources close to The Speculator have come forward against allegations that mainstream media is ‘tired, archaic and dying.’ These allegations, raised by inscrutable and untrustworthy nobodies, have

REFUND

come in response to a changing media environment where the “audience has become the reporter,” a claim that is both dumb and insulting. “I think mainstream media is awesome, especially newspapers,” said Barack Obama, Bono and some third person that is influential in modern youth circles. Many news organizations are begin-

ning to reinforce their online and social media presence, a move which smart, sexy people deem foolish and cowardly. A real study conducted in 2013 found that 97% of people who engage in nontraditional media usage are more likely to contract embarassing sexually-transmitted diseases and are less attractive than their peers who read The Speculator.

INSIDE THIS WEEK ON SALE NOW Rich, tired parents prove that you can buy love A7

RETAKE

TRIVIAL PURSUIT Quiz master on day 3 of cop chase A2 INSIDE TODAY PER ISSUE:

METHLETE COMPETITION A2

TERMINALLY ILL CLOWN GETS

OLD AGE CATCHES WHIPPER-

LAST LAUGH D5

SNAPPER OFF GAURD C2

CANADA MAKES LIKE A TREE

of a toonie

FAN CATCHES GAME BALL,

AND INVADES YEMEN G4

INCL. HST, PST

BOWLING REF FROWNS B5

STUB PUMPER GETS TEN TO

DEO-RODENT B3

WIFE; MARRIES CRIPPLE B4

The inside part

where applicable.

WEATHER

Rightmares

HIGH: INTROSPECTION LOW: CONFIDENCE It seems like whenever I think too much I end up hating myself. What an asshole thing to do. SELF-LOATHING YOU, B1

SPECU

B.J.’S CONTRACEPTIVE

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

that there’s a thin line between redundancy and repetition.”

Shit Hastings criticizes his peers only to find out that they never existed. See SHIT SENSE, C1

CONDOME

THE “TINMAN”

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ING N E OP

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

INSIDEOUT

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

Thursday, March 21, 2013

B1 S

A is the only I need

JESSIE LU / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Friendly lovers Sam Godfrey and Em Kwissa share the meaning of friendship and “bromance” in this quirky interview How did we meet? EK: We met in Moral Issues. I don’t remember meeting you formally. You just came up to me and said, “Hey, my housemate and I think you’re super cool, want to come over for dinner sometime?” I didn’t know your name. But I knew your housemate’s and I found you in a picture on his Facebook wall. You were under a blanket and the caption said, “My demand for blankie is greater than the supply.” And I knew, “That’s her.” And then I sent you a message promising to get you pregnant. I mean, there was more to it than that. But I remember thinking, “That’s not a promise I can keep.” Oh, also I initially thought you and your housemate were together, and after I agreed to come over I worried it was maybe an untoward situation. More promises I couldn’t keep. What is your favourite bro activity that we participate in together? SG: The first bro-based activity we did (and it’s sentimental for that reason) is we made a lot of layered food. By a lot I mean two. Like nacho lasagna. I feel like we laid the foundation of our bromance as we laid every layer of that nacho lasagna. I feel like a lot of our bromance is food-based. A lot of my bromances are food-based. I can’t think of a bromance that’s not food-based. (Unless… Can it be beer-based?) Wait, we also pass each other notes in class. Do bros do that?

That’s probably the romance part of the bromance. Obviously we have got tons in common – like, hello – but what are some differences that are equally important to our friendship? SG: Other than puns. Let’s not speak of puns. Well, I feel like you’re a lot more in touch with your emotions. EK: Even though you cry more. SG: Even though I cry all the time. Happy cries. You can also internet much better than I can. EK: WHAT? NO. I DISAGREE. SG: Okay, no, we internet similarly. I’m drunk more often than you are. You can draw pretty things. (I just tried to spell that p-r-I-t-t-y, but Word was like “no.”) You don’t look like you got dressed in the dark. Which is an indirect way of saying you look nice. I feel like I embarrass myself in public more than you do. No, wait, that’s similar. You watch a lot more animalslash-body fluid videos. Maybe we should word that differently. “Medical videos,” yeah. You know a lot of cool idioms. Sometimes I try to keep up. And you’re good at keeping me in line in public. But also accepting me. But also telling me when to reel it in. “That’s okay, but only in private. Not in the grocery.” EK: You always wear your hair up. You hate dresses. I love dresses. You know way more fabulous gay people than I do. You’re a better

student than I am. You’re more activities-oriented. SG: You’re better at having good thinks. Like, your blog is great. It’s like, you use your life to illustrate things about other people’s lives. Even though your life is not like other people’s lives. I’m saying “life” a lot. And I’m not even playing Life. Your anecdotes are less family-friendly than mine. You used to flail a lot less than I did, sorry. Sorry. Pop quiz: Compare and contrast “bros” and “romance,” with “bromance.” SG: When I think “bros” I think about specific activities: sports bros, coffee house bros, work bros. And “romance,” I was thinking about the difference between romance and friendship the other day, actually. The only thing I could come up with was the kissing. But even then, there are romances that don’t have kissing. Well because you have Head Feels, Heart Feels and Pants Feels – and you’re looking for the trifecta. Friendship is just Brain feels, like “I’m so into your brain.” With some Heart Feels. But no Pants Feels. Maybe that’s what friendship is. That makes it sound like you’re less in the trifecta, when you’re just as much a part of it: you don’t even need them. What’s it like being the coolest one in the relationship? EK: That’s a loaded question. I think it’s very fortunate that we both think the other one is cooler.

Usually it’s not like that. Usually one person thinks they’re cooler than the other, all “Yeah, you’re lucky to have me.” And the other person feels like they don’t deserve them. But here we both feel lucky, it’s just like “GUYS. GUYS. LOOK HOW COOL MY FRIEND IS,” for both of us. I bet other people get sick of it. I know my mom does. “When do I get to meet Sam?” “How is Sam?” “Seen Sam lately?” Pfft. What a ludicrous question.

SG: I’m always very flattered, and I also like to play that up because it’s hilarious. I feel like that’s a small way of being an ally. Is that offensive? If you ask us if we’re lesbian for each other we’ll probably say yes.

What’s the best part of being in a bromance? And/or what is different between a bromance and a regular friendship?

How do you feel when people think we’re sleeping together?

EK: I think the difference is that when you’re in a friendship you have all of the things that are going to satisfy your friendship needs. Things that don’t require the African Violet. Bromance you are excited about the friendship itself. I don’t just get excited about you, because let’s be honest you’re pretty great, I’m also crazy about the bromance itself. So you’re great, and the friendship is great: Two levels of fan-fricken-tastic. Our friendship is like this third awesome person that’s the best parts of us. Don’t. Cry. How do you feel about people assuming we are lesbian for each other? (Yeah, like we are lesbian specifically for each other, give me a break.)

EK: Like that time Kate asked how we knew each other and I said we were sleeping together. And she was like, “I meant before that.” There is no before that. I don’t know when you count from, but there’s no before.

EK: I think it’s hilarious. It’s not insulting, because first of all, you’re hot, and second, being gay isn’t a bad thing. It’s like when people think I’m a natural blond. Silly, but hey. SG: (At this point Em took a YoYo off the coffee table and began using it. Obviously she is very affected by the homoerotic undertones of our relationship.) Would you still love me if I were fat? SG: I would love you if… Okay: I would call Guinness and report you as the fattest person on Earth and stand by you as they took your picture and I’d want to be reported as the person who was friends with this person. I don’t think that was even a sentence. What I’m trying to say is: yes. Why, do you want some more nachos?

S B2 INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Jessie Lu & Amanda Soukvilay 2nd Year Arts & Science / 2nd Year Nursing Friendship est. April 5, 2007

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Thursday, March 21, 2013

INSIDEOUT B3 S

Sex+ A brief explanation of sex positivity

Theresa Tingey Student Health Education Centre The sex positive movement has promoted safe, consensual and open sexuality for decades. Proponents of this ideology celebrate the healthy and pleasurable aspects of safe sexual activity among consenting adults. In an article for “Health Promotion Atlantic,” Lisa Tobin of Planned Parenthood Metro Clinic of Halifax explains that sex positivity includes having an open-minded, inclusive and comprehensive definition of sexuality, viewing sexual health as a human right and focusing on both the positive as well as some of the possible negative consequences of sexual activity to allow people to make their own informed decisions about sexual activity. Though many would agree nowadays that this perspective is more than reasonable, the sex positivity movement has not been without its share of opposition.

One particularly interesting and ardent opponent of this idea of sex positivity was John Harvey Kellogg, of Kellogg’s cereal. Besides building a breakfast empire, Kellogg also wrote about his very conservative views concerning sexuality in his books Plain Facts about Sexual Life and Plain Facts for Old and Young, which were published in the late 1800s. For example, Kellogg was especially concerned with masturbation. He believed that masturbation degraded the moral integrity, physical and mental health of both male and female practitioners and resulted in cancer, urinary tract infections, impotence, epilepsy, loss of vision and even death. Modern scientists, however, would tell you that not only does masturbation not cause these illnesses; regular masturbation has been linked to decreases in the risk of prostate cancer, increases in libido and mood and possible immune system benefits. In any case, Kellogg supported some especially

SEXandthe andthe STEELCITY

drastic procedures to dissuade people from masturbating. Such procedures involved applying carbolic acid to a female’s clitoris, circumcising males without anesthesia and literally suturing male genitals in place to prevent erection. In each case, Kellogg suggested that to truly discourage masturbation, individuals were to associate pain with otherwise pleasurable sexual activities. He even designed corn flakes to decrease interest in sex through his flawed notion that their high carbohydrate content would reduce sex drive. Interestingly, the creator of Graham Crackers, Rev. Sylvester Graham, also shared this belief that a bland diet low in protein would minimize libido. Kellogg was just one of many opponents of masturbation around in the Victorian era. At this time, females were also discouraged from riding bicycles, as the combined activities of straddling the saddle and vigorous pedaling were thought to lead to sexual arousal and masturbatory tendencies in

females. Special bicycles were even created that had a depression in the seat to avoid contact with a female’s genital area. Again, the reasoning behind this ridiculous modification was that bicycling would not only arouse women, but that this arousal was immoral and should be prevented. Though we’d like to think we’ve come a long way since the Victorian era, some ideas concerning sexuality and positive sexual behavior still seem taboo. It was not until 1973, for instance, that homosexuality was no longer classified as a mental illness in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Moreover, as of January 2013, same-sex marriages had only been legalized in nine states. This brings up some of the important reasons for having positive attitudes towards sex and sexual practices. Not only does this mindset support equal rights, it advocates for creating spaces for talking about safe sexual practices. Having nonjudgmental and open-minded

conversations that use inclusive language to discuss sexuality can help people express themselves in ways that are not only enjoyable, but are also safe and respectful of their partners. So next time you eat a bowl of cereal or ride your bike to campus, maybe consider some of the ways that you can have a more positive attitude towards sexuality. You can also stop by the SHEC office in MUSC if you have any questions, comments or concerns about your own sexual health.

Aromantic Attraction

Sensual Attraction

The desire for sensual contact with somone, like cuddling

“Squish”

The desire to form a strong platonic relationship with someone

SEXUAL

ROMANTIC

PLATONIC

Sexual Attraction

Romantic Attraction

Aesthetic Attraction

“The Hots”

The desire for sexual contact with somone

“Crush”

The desire to be romantically involved with someone

The appreciation of a person’s appearance, without the desire to form any type of relationship with them

Dinner

with

friends Jennifer Bacher Silhouette Staff

Planning a dinner for a group of friends takes a bit of planning. It is important to know how many friends will be coming (and if they intend to bring dates), what food you will be serving and if you intend to offer drinks. Here are some simple ideas to help make your next dinner party an easy one!

The easiest appetizers are ones that can be served quickly and require minimal work to serve. Cold appetizer recipes make entertaining easy and can be put together quickly. Hummus is great, whether made at home or store bought. Served with warm pitas and vegetables, hummus is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser. Another appetizer, which can either be pre-assembled or a “build-yourself,” is crostini with cheese and meats. Try goat cheese, jam and prosciutto.

The most stressful part of the party is creating an edible and successful dinner. Whether you chose something extravagant or simple, the key is to plan ahead. Make what you can ahead of time. This will allow you to spend less prep time in the kitchen when your guests are over. If you are looking to make something simple and easily customizable, why not try home-made wings, make-your-own nachos, hamburgers, homemade pizza (in the oven or BBQ) or lasagna.

The best part of a dinner party is the dessert. It can easily be made ahead of time, but no more than a day, (ideally that morning). Impress your guests with the new trend in the world of desserts: dips! Dessert dips are versatile, fun and easy to customize with your favorite flavours. From cookie-dough dip to cheesecake dip and everything in between, it can be served with fruit, pretzels or vanilla cookies.

S B4 INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 21, 2013

The art of awkward

How to make the most uncomfortable of situations into charming interactions with friends Yara Farran The Silhouette And on the second day, God created soul-crushingly awkward conversation followed by intense staring competitions and jilted laughter. It’s these uncomfortable interactions that form the basis of many people’s social apprehension. These fears are further magnified when forced into the infamous, “Should I say ‘hi’?” quagmire, where you end up battling your greater sensibilities in a game of tug of war. While your big old heart is advising you to take the plunge and just say “hello,” your mind is forewarning of potential disaster. What if the person you want to say hi to doesn’t say hi back? What if they don’t see you? What if after this painful ordeal you end up sitting beside this person in class, and have to spend a whole 50 minutes pretending that nothing ever happened? There are a few options to explore when faced with this existential dilemma, all of which have their own set of advantages and disadvantages.

The Stare

You spot your part-time BFFL on the other side of the walkway. She’s walking briskly. You’re deeply wondering. She’s cheer captain, while you’re on the bleachers (at most Marauders games, that is). As you near her, you decide to pull the classic stare – an intense gaze that is a daring hybrid between Blue Steele and a collection of Gary Busey’s mug shots. Pros: The stare, although initially creepy, can be quite understated when mastered. By quickly scanning your friend’s eyes you can determine whether or not they a) see you, b) show a willingness to say “hi” or c) aren’t in an early stage of catatonia. If your friend checks all three boxes, then you are all clear to proceed to the “Hey you!” phase. Cons: The stare scores high on the creep-barometer. Staring too long or too intently is problematic, especially when attempted in a highly populated area. Also, the stare can be misinterpreted. What may mean approachable and casual to you can mean scathing and judgemental to others. And if the stare is anything like the latter, you’re going to have some explainin’ to do.

The Smile

You’re making your way to the stairs and you discover

your professor taking a lovely afternoon stroll. You’ve talked to him a couple of times, but you’re still unsure if he knows that your name isn’t Kent. You want to be professional and warm and cool and awesome, all while maintaining the small inkling of grace that you (kind of) inherited from your mama. So, naturally, as your professor nears, you fall back into option deux, the smile. Pros: This is my personal favourite. The best thing about this approach is that if your professor doesn’t see you/ remember that you’re actually not Kent from fourth-year Economics, you can brush it off and pretend that your smile was directed elsewhere. Anyway, smiles are just so darn awesome. They make people feel good. They make you feel good, and really isn’t this what this whole thing is about? Con: The smile is almost 100 per cent foolproof, however, you need to take the smile spectrum into account. The “smile spectrum,” you ask? It’s the best way to evaluate whether a situation is in need of a full on toothy grin, head nod and finger point or a mild, sweet smize (yes, smiling with your eyes, ladies and gents). However, if you don’t have five seconds to pre-plan your smile, or if you’ve had past blunders with the smile spectrum (Did you once

lick your lips while greeting your Nan?) then this one might not be for you.

The Pass

You’re at the hottest night club in town and the DJ is playing your fave remix of Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise.” You’re breaking it down in the middle of the dance floor, when suddenly you spot your excrush. You wonder whether or not you should say hi, or continue doing the electric boogaloo. Decisions. Decisions. Decisions. Pros: By taking a pass, you can completely disregard all potentially awkward situations and pretend that you didn’t just see the former man of your dreams slowly rapping alongside Coolio. Dance on, player. Cons: Correction. Passing can actually be way more awkward and cause you to feel paranoid and worried all night. Plus, if you see this person again in the near future, ignoring them can cause permanent emotional scarring and a lifetime of strained conversation at the chip table. Well, that’s all folks! You now have the three best techniques under your belt to battle this predicament. But at the end of the day, if the stare, the smile or the pass don’t work, you can always go the unconventional route and just say “hi.” JESSIE LU / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Never too late to start eating right Johnny-Wei Bei The Meducator It is a well-known fact that a healthy diet can lower the risk of various types of cardiovascular disease. How far can the benefits of healthy eating go, especially for someone who already has cardiovascular disease or other age-related pathologies such as diabetes mellitus? Every year, more than 20 million people around the world survive a heart attack or stroke. Often, these patients are prescribed medications such as blood thinners or antiplatelet agents, which significantly decrease their risk of subsequent heart attacks, stroke and heart failure. However, Mahsid Dehghan, a nutritionist at McMaster University, says that “at times, patients don’t think they need to follow a healthy diet since their medications have already lowered their blood pressure and cholesterol – that is wrong.” She goes on to say that “dietary modification has benefits in addition to those seen

with Aspirin, angiotensin modulators, lipid-lowering agents and beta blockers.” To find an association between diet quality and cardiovascular disease, Dr. Dehghan recently led a 56-month study in 40 countries involving nearly 32,000 people over age 55, all with history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or severe diabetes mellitus. The participants were given questionnaires to assess their dietary intake, alcohol and smoking habits, and exercise levels. This is one the few studies to explore the effect of diet on people who already have cardiovascular disease. It was found that even after adjusting for potential confounders such as age, sex, geographical location and medications prescribed, a healthy diet consistently lowered risk for cardiovascular disease in patients with prior disease history, thereby greatly enhancing the benefits of their medication. This healthy diet would include items such as vegetables, fruits, fibres, nuts, and fish, and lower levels of saturated fats. The

.io

results of healthy eating included a reduction in risk of 38 per cent for cardiovascular death, 14 per cent for recurrent heart attack, 28 per cent for congestive heart failure and 19 per cent for stroke. This study bears great implications in healthcare and patient education. Healthcare providers are encouraged to stress the importance of good eating as part of therapy for heart and stroke patients. By learning to not simply depend on medication, but also lifestyle choices, patients can reap the benefits of both their medication and healthy eating to avoid recurring heart disease. Although the sample population consisted of older patients with cardiovascular disease, it certainly is very applicable to university students. Dr. Dehghan’s results support the notion that it is never too late (or too early, for that matter) to start improving one’s dietary habits – a new year’s resolution that has been plaguing many of us for months now, I’m sure.

Dear Friend... Ana Qarri Silhouette Staff Between the workload and the complaining about the workload, I often forget to appreciate your existence. So I’d like to do that now. I’m thankful that at this very moment you exist. I’m thankful that your existence overlaps with mine, in such a way that your existence makes mine much less depressing. You, friend, somehow find me to be a pleasant human being. You’ve listened to me talk about trivial and important things alike, and have at some point thought “Hey, this girl is cool.” That thought right there might not seem like a big deal, but it is. It is the biggest of all deals. In addition to tolerating my character on a daily basis, you also do nice things for me. You’ve brought me food during all-nighters. You’ve let me sleep in your room when the fear of

being alone suddenly hit me on a Tuesday night. You’ve let me cry next to you after arguments and breakups and whatever else it is I do to make my life more complicated. Not to get delusional here or anything, but it seems to me like you think I’m worth something, which is pretty cool of you. But, the actual point of this letter is that I think I might be platonically in love with you. It’s the kind of love that is sustained with rare hang-out sessions and the occasional conversation on the way to class. I might not see you often these days, but know that the thought of you makes me smile, or laugh hysterically, or stop and acknowledge your beautiful existence. Come here and give me a hug.

Love, Your friend

Thursday, March 21, 2013

INSIDEOUT B5 S

SOMEWHATSUDOKU

1 2 6 8 7

4 2 9 7 1 3

2 9 7 4 8 1

SERIOUSLYSUDOKU

1 4 9

7 8 2 5 3

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2 7

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8 1 2 9 3

9 4 7

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

1 Crazy as a ___ 5 Weeps 9 Highland hats 13 Superior of a monastery 15 Gator’s cousin 16 “The Time Machine” race 17 Din 18 Mandlikova of tennis 19 Follow 20 ___ Moines 21 Israel’s Barak 23 Ancient musician 25 Big birds 26 Flexible 27 Spider’s traps 30 Alley ___ 31 Swift 32 Desire for food 37 School founded by Henry VI 38 Fathers 40 From the U.S. 41 Monocle 43 Broadcaster 44 ___ Kippur 45 Ailment 47 The continent 50 Salamander

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51 Tropical fruit 52 ___ silly question... 53 Bordeaux buddy 56 Actor Stoltz 57 Bear in the sky 59 Arabian republic 61 Head of France 62 Beef cut 63 Big rigs 64 Citrus coolers 65 River to the Seine 66 Taboo

Down

1 Ground 2 It’s blown among the reeds 3 Kimono ties 4 Refusals 5 Straight downhill ski run 6 Toward the mouth 7 ___ vivant 8 Bivalve molluscs 9 Aquarium fish 10 Actor Delon 11 Damp 12 River sediment 14 Swarmed

22 Wheel center 24 Holy moly! 25 “Dallas” family name 26 Bishop of Rome 27 Algonquian language 28 Like Cheerios 29 Lodge letters 32 ___ longa, vita brevis 33 Spoil 34 Hungary’s Nagy 35 Golf pegs, northern English river 36 Makes a boo-boo 38 Brazil’s largest city 39 Woe ___ 42 City on the Rhone 43 Continuously 45 Demented 46 Monetary unit of Albania 47 Having auricular protuberances 48 Band together 49 Speed contests 51 Second letter of the Greek alphabet 52 Garage sale sign 53 Bullets and such 54 Chow ___ 55 Not ___ many words 58 Louis XIV, e.g. 60 Bard’s nightfall

S B6 INSIDEOUT

Thursday, March 21, 2013

HOW DOES YOUR

RANK?

Miranda Babbitt Silhouette Staff

YOU & YOUR BFF HERE

AMANDA WATKINS / ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

1. Your midterm is but a few days away and you may or may not have procrastinated. (Duty calls when there’s a Criminal Minds marathon on TV). Naturally, you call up your BFFL and proceed to rant about the incessant work you have. How do they respond? a. Let out a sly, contempt chuckle at your misfortune, tweets about your lack of diligence and under a guise of being a good friend offers you a stream of condescending advice about how you should have studied earlier. (1) b. Drops everything they’re doing, whips out the emergency cue cards they made for you in case this ever happened (it’s prepared for all of your tests) and literally runs over to your house to get their brain going. (4)

2. It’s Friday night, and you are intent on going out and letting your worries fade away. Your BFFL is of course the first one you call. You have a bottle of wine and bottled up energy. What does she suggest? a. Even though she feels sick, and even though you desperately told her to stay back, she manages to make her way over to your dorm and turns on a mix tape she made for this very event. She even weakly bobs to the music, smiling between coughs. (4) b. Someone said wine? Your BFFL arrives at your door breathless with a fresh application of red lipstick, two wine glasses in hand and two pieces of eye candy on each arm. Tickets to a sketchy rave are in hand. (3)

c. Offers to help you memorize some vocab over the phone, but incessantly slips in questions about the latest boy toy who is sending indecipherable texts with an abundance of winky faces. (2)

c. At precisely 9 o’clock, bitter sarcasm seeps into your room with her arrival, and you try to convince yourself that it’s just her dry, twisted sense of humour rather than a true desire for your pain. She also spiked your drink for kicks. (1)

d. In line with her spunky, premature rebellious stage, your BFFL happens to know the ins and outs of every McMaster office on campus, and has offered to steal you the answers. After moral deliberation, you say no. So she offers you tea and sympathy instead. (3)

d. Just as you finish curling your hair, your BFFL shows up at your door with a frantic need for a dress, alcohol, make up and/or pity as a result of her latest drama. As you are about to leave, she gets a text and makes a b-line for her booty-call. (2)

3. Holy guacamole, you’re getting old! It’s your birthday today and you’ve been surrounded by good wishes and presents, as well as 1,000 obviously sincere posts on your Facebook wall. What’s up your BFFL’s sleeve for the day?

SCOREBOARD

a. Not only can you hear your dorm room from a kilometre away, but there is a helicopter above your residence documenting the real-life dorm-sized Project X for your bday. You arrive to Steve Aoki’s second cousin blasting some serious tunes and an abundance of strangers who are all in their swimsuits. (3)

Hoo boy, you have more than a best friend on your hands. Yes, she makes you feel like the Queen, and yes, you could probably depend on her for your life - but I regret to inform you that she is also a psychopath who may or may not be obsessed with you. Cheers.

Mostly 4’s

Mostly 3’s

b. You meet up with your BFFL expecting a remark or two on the glorious nature of your age, only to be told that she’s happy it’s your birthday because you’re one year closer to dying. She then lets out a chuckle, because she’s totally just joking. You remain unsure. (1)

Ah, the fun-loving, party-hard BFFL. Nothing will stop her from having a good time, even the law. Although she makes you feel like you two are partners in crime and partying from a grungey, 90’s movie… you may or may not literally end up in jail by the time you’re 22.

c. You awake to the smell of sweet pancakes and drizzled berry sauce, as well as a pile of handmade cranes with sweet, sincere compliments written in periwinkle blue (your favourite colour). She sings happy birthday in her classically trained voice and leads you on a scavenger hunt through campus with gifts from Tiffany’s. (4)

She means well, she really does. But have you ever felt like she may actually believe that the universe revolves around her? Look closely at the model universe she made for her science project. Her head is in the middle.

d. It’s your birthday?! Oh my god, this means you can invite this list of people and ask for this list of gifts and go out to dinner and take incessant photos to make her ex jealous. She repeatedly squeals happy birthday whenever a potential mate walks by to attract attention. (2)

Get a jump on your education

Mostly 2’s

Mostly 1’s

It appears as though you have befriended a dementor. That, or someone else intent on your death.

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SPORTS

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

Thursday, March 21, 2013

B7 S

C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Heart and soul hangs it up Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor With seven seconds left in the 2012-13 season, Scott Laws exited a game for the final time as a McMaster athlete. It wasn’t dramatic. There was no romantic end. It was a playoff game at Lakehead University; this moment was not important to the people in attendance. Laws gave his coach a firm handshake and grabbed a seat on the bench. He didn’t show much emotion - other than frustration about losing the game. It was a simple moment for the end of a wild ride. The 6’4’’ guard out of Gormley, Ont. first came to Mac after being recruited by former head coach Joe Raso. His first two years donning the Maroon and Grey had an instant impact on the team, with his defensive abilities making him a key member of the rotation.

With a year of experience came more floor time, and Laws’ minutes jumped from 19.8 per game to 27.5 between his first and second year. But just as Laws was starting to come into his own, an injury struck early in November 2010 his third season. “I was going to the basket for a lay-up and came down on someone’s foot and then just twisted my ankle. Originally, we thought it was just an ankle sprain and I walked off the floor and all that kind of stuff. I thought it was fine. I tried to get back in and play,” explained Laws. “Every time I would try and step or run, it didn’t feel like my body was letting me do it. There was no stability, which was weird because it didn’t hurt. Immediately after the game, I couldn’t put any weight on it.” The following morning, Laws woke up with his right foot covered in bruises. He had broken

the fifth metatarsal, which was the pinky bone halfway up his foot. At the time, Laws and the coaching staff didn’t know the real extent of the damage. “I played the second half of the season with [a broken foot]. I had surgery once the season was done. I had a screw in it and then when they did the first surgery, it wasn’t viewed as that bad of injury,” said Laws. This was supposed to be the end. The nagging injury was supposed to disappear and Laws could get back to helping the Marauders on the court. It wasn’t that simple though. “The way [the bone] broke and the special kind of break that it was made it really difficult for it to heal with the way it was being treated. That’s just because my foot had been broken before but we didn’t know. Then it broke more,” Laws recalled. “The way that it broke, the bone peeled away and when they

tried to reattach it to the base of the bone, it didn’t mesh. Then they thought the bone was dying.” This kind of break is called a nonunion fracture. When a bone does not grow back, the ends of a fracture can be too far apart for bones to signal to heal together. Laws says that they can’t nail down when he originally broke his foot and that it could have been earlier in university, or even dating back to high school. The doctors said that the break could have been a career-ending injury. Laws would have a second surgery that would finally solve the break, but required a much longer recovery period. “They did a different kind of surgery where they wrapped some kind of mesh around it and attached a tendon underneath to the ligament,” explained Laws. “Then I had a bone stimulator that was supposed to encourage growth. It all worked, but just took so much longer because it

was a nonunion break.” Laws was forced to sit out his entire fourth-year. He applied his education to create some marketing campaigns for the basketball program, including the Midnight Madness team hype session and Pack This House event. After taking the year to get back to 100 per cent, the senior was at a crossroads. The program was going through a rebirth; Mac was rich with talent but not yet a national contender. Laws also had not been healthy in over a year and admitted to having concerns how effective he could be. “The question was always in the back of my mind of whether I’d be able to play to the same level I had before. Any athlete that’s been an athlete, if you can’t play to the same level you has before… It’s pretty difficult,” said Laws. VETERAN, B9

Marauders close door on surprising season After missing out on OUA bronze, coach Theresa Burns is still all smiles about the 2012-13 campaign Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor On the surface, 2012-13 was a great season for the McMaster women’s basketball team. They improved as the season went on, they produced an OUA All-Star and an All-Canadian Rookie, and they won more games this year than in the past three. But head coach Theresa Burns has more to be excited about than the accolades. “I’m proud of how far we’ve come from an on-court, technical performance standpoint. But I think we’ve always had a pretty positive team culture, and it’s hard to think, okay, how can we make this even better?” explained Burns. Burns says the second half of the season was overall successful, but the winter break trip to the University of Calgary was her personal favourite point in the season. The Marauders averaged 75.6 points per game and beat the Canada West powerhouse Calgary Dinos. The Marauders have the luxury of returning every player next year, and Burns is looking forward to bringing back what she calls is the hardest working group she’s ever coached. “You’re working with these absolutely 100 per cent committed people. Their work ethic is just off the charts. It’s pretty special,” she said. “Having the whole team return is also a testament to the leadership. Everybody bought in to the culture.”

Burns pointed to Hailey Milligan as one of the players who played a major leadership role while also improving her oncourt performance. Milligan exploded in the second-half of the season, tossing aside every defensive strategy thrown at her by the OUA West. The highlight performance of her season was a 27-point, 14-rebound showing against Laurier. The OUA All-Star erased any doubts that her fourth season was going to be her breakout year and not just an anomaly. Burns was also impressed with how Danielle Boiago was able to become a major threat right out of the gate. The transition from high school to university is difficult, but the AllCanadian rookie made it look easy. While Mac’s head coach was extremely proud of the squad, the time away from the day-to-day grind of the season has given the coaching staff some focus points for the offseason. “In the playoffs, you find out where you are strong and where you need work. Clearly in the OUA West Final against Windsor, and then the OUA Bronze game against Ottawa, the depth of scoring was a problem. It was an issue all year,” Burns said. To address the concern about a lack of bench scoring, Burns is taking a two-pronged approach. First, she hopes to use the offseason to turn into her players into more well-rounded ones on the offensive. Mac struggled to sustain a strong half-court offence for the majority of the season – an area that hurt the team against the

stronger squads in the CIS. The veteran coach says that having an all-around offensive game will allow for more synergy in the offence while also allowing for less reliance on the talents of Milligan and Boiago. Mac has also landed some recruits that will diversify the Marauder scoring. Hamilton local Lexie Spadafora will gear up for the Maroon and Grey in 2013, and her presence brings another facet

to the high-tempo attack. The guard was near the top of the scoring leaderboard for the Hamilton high schools hoops scene. The other notable recruit is Jelena Mamic, who was the top player on an OFSAA bronze medal team. Between Boiago, Spadafora, Mamic, and Vanessa Bonomo, McMaster is poised to have one of the most lethal backcourts in the OUA.

As the offseason begins, Burns says the team is already chomping at the bit to get back on the court. Last year, Mac used the offseason to reach an elite level of fitness. This year, the team will look to maintain that intensity while also tweaking aspects of their on-court performances. With a young roster and a wealth of experience, the Maroon and Grey could be adding some bronze, silver or gold next season.

Hailey Milligan was the standout performer from the 2012-13 season, emerging as the focal point for the team. C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

S B8 SPORTS

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Meet-A-Marauder: Taylor Davis Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor Taylor Davis is a member of the McMaster women’s soccer team and a second-year Communications Studies student, hailing from Minesing, Ont. In her sophomore season for the Marauders, the midfielderforward solidified her spot as a member of the starting line-up. The Silhouette took some time to sit down with Davis. Scott Hastie (SH): Who is your favourite soccer player and team? Taylor Davis (TD): “I don’t really watch a lot of soccer, as strange as that sounds.” SH: Okay. Who is your favourite team to play against the the OUA? TD: “Probably Laurier, because they’re one of our biggest rivals.” SH: Didn’t you guys tie them this year? TD: “We did yeah, it was a good year.” SH: What music do you listen to while getting ready for a game? TD: “I often listen to country music, I like listening to country music for everything. Florida Georgia Line, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley sometimes.” SH: Who’s the funniest teammate? TD: “That’d probably be Katy or Tara. Just the stuff they come up with and say, they’re just funny. Like it’s just their personalities. Katy will be happy I said her, I

Taylor Davis was a strong player on both ends of the field and will play a huge role in the women’s soccer team’s quest for the CIS tournament. C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

think it was her goal to be the funniest. You know, they’ve got some good one-liners.” SH: Do you chirp on the field and if you do, what do you like to say to other players? TD: “I don’t say a whole lot, I’m pretty quiet. But sometimes people will get under my skin. They’ll say something about the ref or about a call and I’ll just respond to them even though they weren’t talking to me.” SH: So, what sport would you be playing at McMaster if you weren’t playing soccer?

TD: “Well, in the off season I play flag football which I love playing, but that’s not really a varsity sport here. So I could probably play lacrosse.” SH: What’s your favourite TV show to watch, and then your favourite character in that show? TD: “I don’t watch a whole lot of TV.” SH: Do you have a favourite movie then? TD: “The Prestige.”

Veteran Marauder moves on to MBA program

Laws was a jack of all trades for the Maroon and Grey. JESSIE LU / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

CONT’D FROM B8 He pointed to spending a lot of time with teammates as a reason for why he returned. Having a year on the bench allowed Laws to foster a better camaraderie with the other Mac men. Laws return proved to be a major difference maker in his final season. Head coach Amos Connolly praised the quiet consistency of the team leader. “He showed the way. To return, under the circumstances that he chose to this year, to lead by example were big things for our guys. All our young guys this year needed to still be learning, and they are much more prepared going forward because of what Scott was able to do,” said Connolly. Moving forward, Laws has been accepted to the University of Toronto to work towards a Master’s of Business Administration. He explained that it’s bittersweet to walk away, as Mac is on the verge of breaking out next season. “I’m sad that my time is over but I’m proud of the time I spent there. I truly feel that I’ve left the program better than when I got there,” said Laws. As his rollercoaster career at

McMaster comes to a close, Laws won’t finish as an all-time statistical leader in anything. Defensive prowess doesn’t transfer well to the box score. But what Laws accomplished is more important than numbers can describe. When the Marauders headed to the locker room after the playoff loss, the players headed in while the coaches waited outside the doors to discuss what would be said in the postgame talk. The room was full of disappointment. After seven months of work, the team finished well short of their goal. Laws stood up and took control of the group – a side that fans don’t normally see. Laws asked them to make a promise. He wanted the group to make it back next year and to not make the same mistakes. What he was really asking for was perseverance. The same resolve he showed after his series of disastrous setbacks. The players obliged. If they make good on that promise of perseverance, the ceiling for this program is higher than ever before. A national championship could be in the future. Should Mac find themselves with a CIS championship, Scott Laws will be as worthy as anyone of wearing the gold medal.

“

“He showed the way. To return, under the circumstances that he chose to this year, to lead by example were big things for our guys.” Amos Connolly, men’s basketball coach

SH: Were you ever part of an underdog story?

SH: Yeah. Do you have any pet peeves?

TD: “Yeah. I tried out for Richmond Hill and I didn’t make the team. Coach said I wasn’t aggressive enough. So then I played for an academy team then tried again the next year and made it.”

TD: “I don’t know if it’s a pet peeve but... Other people’s hair like in the sink or the shower. I hate it on the floor or in my hair, especially dark hair.”

SH: Did you ever want to go down south for school? TD: “I did once, I did my SATs and I think I did alright on those. But then I decided I’d rather stay in Canada.”

SH: If you had one hour where laws didn’t exist for you, what would you do? TD: “I think it’d be fun to rob a bank. Even if you don’t need the money, just all the precise stuff that they have to do, and the get away.”

Thursday, March 21, 2013

SPORTS B9 S

TOP FIVE Most Valuable Team Players Brandon Meawasige Senior Sports Editor

1 Kyle Quinlan FOOTBALL

It is almost an understatement to name Kyle Quinlan as the MVP for the football Marauders. After a regular season of 19 touchdowns, Quinlan became the most prolific passer in school history, setting a record of 60 scoring passes in a career. He did this all while only throwing two interceptions and adding seven TDs on the ground. His 550 rushing yards was good enough for sixth in the OUA and the team lead. For his efforts, the 6’4” pivot earned the Hec Creighton trophy as the most outstanding player in the entire country. Though the Marauders did not win a second Vanier Cup, Quinlan set records, made history leading his team to 21 straight victories and put not only the program, but CIS football on the map. In December he signed with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League and has a bright future playing pro ball.

2 C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

To the Maroon and Grey at the upcoming CFL combine. To Scott Laws. You will be missed on and off the court by the Marauder sports community.

VOLLEYBALL

Austin Campion-Smith Shannon McRobert

After struggling to start last season, Campion-Smith regained his starting role this year and ran with it. The third year player from Bowmanville, Ont. was third in the OUA with assists per set averaging a beastly 10.23. His strong offensive awareness was a very important part of the dominant Mac attack that came within a set of being undefeated this regular season and captured the OUA title. Shannon McRobert is a well-rounded player and a veteran presence on the floor. As a senior, her fifth and final year in the Maroon and Grey was a success. At 6’2”, McRobert has natural size and that translates into her strong defense. Both players, in addition to individual good seasons, were part of a good showing from the Mac volleyball program this season.

Congrats to the Domincan Republic for winning the least shocking championship of the year. To the Miami Heat and Marauder-esque win streak. To rollerblading even when there is snow on the ground. To approaching the best part of the year, Blue Jays baseball and the CFL.

SOCCER

Mark Reilly Tara Dawdy

AND A

MISS To the March collapse, as it is affectionately known by playoff hungry Maple Leaf fans from around the country.

BASKETBALL

To one more year without a hockey team at one of Canada’s largest universities.

Taylor Black Hailey Milligan

To the Road to Rio that stopped in Honduras.

In her fourth year as a Marauder, forward Hailey Milligan averaged a double double with 16.3 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game. Those numbers ranked third and first respectively in the OUA. At 6’3” opponents on both sides of the ball felt her imposing presence. In addition to her offensive prowess, Milligan also had 26 blocks, outstanding enough for sixth in the OUA. Taylor Black had a breakout season in 2012-13 averaging 14.5 points per game and 6.9 rebounds per game. Black not only contributed solid production, but flashy dunks and blocks as well. The 6’7 centre from Stoney Creek, like Milligan, ranked sixth in the OUA for blocks with 20. His work in the paint was a major factor in the Marauders playoff push this season and with two years left of eligibility, he has plenty of room to improve.

To March Madness. The best month in basketball.

To pro contracts, Olympic medals and a cabinet full of awards.

Tara Dawdy played in 15 games for the women’s soccer team this season, took 22 shots and scored eight goals. Those numbers were good enough for the team lead, and one of the better tallies in the entire OUA. The fourth year forward from Burlington will return next season and will hopefully contribute similar numbers. Striker Mark Reilly is not only the most valuable player, but the most valuable leader as well. His presence on and off the field has been pivotal over the last two seasons in which the Marauders have captured back-to-back OUA titles. This season, Reilly led the team in scoring with 11 goals in 16 games, ranking him third overall in OUA scoring. The Hamilton native has one year left of eligibility, hopefully returning to the pitch for another OUA championship run.

SWING

To people who don’t believe the hype about Andrew Wiggins. Haters gonna hate. To high school basketball leagues. Do they even keep statistics? To having a broken bracket after one round; you just never know.

RUGBY

Andrew Ferguson Sarah Berry

To not having games to cover. Even Spring seems cold now.

Andrew Ferguson had another stellar year for Mac rugby. The third year scrum half enjoyed his most dominant season yet, leading the OUA with 83 points from kicks and tries. He led the team by example and for the third straight year earned a spot on the OUA all-star team. Sarah Berry led the women’s team from both an offensive and defensive perspective. Her hard running lines from her position of inside center caused a number of problems for opposing teams, while on D her tackling caused numerous turnovers for her teammates. Berry is a shining light on the field and earned an OUA all-star nod for her play.

To off-season firesales and rebuilding periods.

C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Thursday, March 21, 2013

SPORTS B11 S

Mac grabs two blue chip prospects Scott Hastie Assistant Sports Editor Head coach Amos Connolly’s season may have ended Feb. 23, but that does not mean the bench boss took any time off. The most important aspect of the early offseason is recruiting, and the Marauders go after the top recruits very hard. Connolly says he does not cast a wide net; he goes after a small number of blue-chip prospects. It’s a highrisk, high-reward strategy. But for the second year in a row, that gamble has worked out. McMaster announced two major recruits over the past week: Hamid Nessek, a 6’ guard from Hamilton’s Academie catholique Mere-Teresa (ACMT) and Trevon McNeil, a 6’ 1” guard out of Oakville’s Holy Trinity. Both recruits are ranked in the top of their class and received attention from a number of top programs. Mac’s newest addition addresses a number of concerns for Connolly, on both sides of the ball. “This year proved that we need more ball handlers. We need guys, similar to Aaron Redpath, who can play the point and shooting guard,” Connolly said. “It gives us a combo guard option. Both of the guys are fantastic defenders, which lets us pressure and play up-tempo.” Nessek received attention from a number of NCAA Division I schools, with a number of Ivy League schools pursuing the

Trevon McNeil will bring his ball handling skills to the floor next year. C/O ATH. & REC

2013 graduate. One of the most notable programs was the Princeton University Tigers, who appeared in the NCAA tournament in 2011. “The opportunity to get Hamid, who wants to be a doctor, that’s a no-brainer. He’s arguably the best player coming out of Hamilton this year,” said Connolly. McNeil was also rumoured to be on the radar of the Carleton

Hamid Nessek will bring a burst to the back court and strength on D. C/O ATH. & REC

Ravens, who are coming off their ninth national championship before committing to the Maroon and Grey. The Mac coaching staff has being watching the Oakville product for two years and lauded the kind of teammate he is. McNeil brings a talented handle to the court in combination with an excellent mid-range game. Both recruits come from winning programs. Nessek

grabbed an OFSAA Silver medal at the AA level and McNeil lost in the OFSAA AAAA bronze medal game. Having players who have experienced success is a huge asset in Connolly’s books. “Players that come from winning programs have coaches who’ve prepared them differently and that’s a critical factor. They come [to university] and they are not overwhelmed,” explained

Our programs are: Short – usually six months to one year Built on professional advice, taught by experts targeted to the skills and knowledge employers need

deSigned to give you the best real-world,

real-work experience

ConneCted – putting you in touch with key

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Connolly. Grabbing these two guards now puts Mac in a situation where their backcourt is competing with some of the strongest in the OUA. The Marauders’ head coach likened the guard rotation to that of Lakehead’s or Windsor’s. McMaster is excited about the recent commitments, but the recruiting season is young and there will hopefully be more announcements in the near future.

• Applied and Community-Based Research • Aquaculture • Cultural Heritage Conservation & Management • Emergency Management • Environmental Visual Communication • Expressive Arts • Geographic Information Systems Applications Specialist • Geographic Information Systems Cartographic Specialist • Green Business Management (online) • International Business Management • Project Management • Sustainable Agriculture Co-Op • Therapeutic Recreation • Wireless Information Networking

PETERBOROUGH | LINDSAY | COBOURG | HALIBURTON

Amos Connolly (above) has made some smart recruiting decisions during his time as head coach of the Marauders. Last season’s star recruit, Rohan Boney (top) made such waves that he was selected as the OUA rookie of the year for his play. PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Get a jump on your education

Build on Your Degree. For More inForMation:

flemingcollege.ca/postgrad or contact Brooke Lynch at: blynch@flemingc.on.ca 866-353-6464 ext. 3301

springsummer.brocku.ca

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

KIRKENDALL BUS

FOOD DRIVE

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

April 26-May 1 Alternate Drop Points:

For more Information:

Dell Pharmacy

president@kirkendallhood.ca

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

FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 905-570-9174

www.kirkendallhood.ca

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

B U D DY P RO G R A M 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!

R E C R E AT I O N P RO G R A M 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!

INTERESTED? V I S I T O U R W E B - S I T E , F I N D U S O N FAC E B O O K O R C O N TAC T U S ! w w w. e x t e n d a f a m i ly h a m i l t o n . s y n t h a s i t e . c o m 905.383.2885 e a f @ e xe c u l i n k . c o m ( B u dd y P ro g r a m ) e a f . c o n n e c t @ g m a i l . c o m ( R e c re a t i o n P ro g r a m )

1:3 Canadian women and 1:6 Canadian men will experience sexual assault in their lifetime.

45% percent of female college and university students say they’ve been sexually assaulted since leaving high school.

The victim and the accused are known to each other in 82% of cases – as friends, acquaintances or family

But… I am not alone! SACHA (Sexual Assault Centre, Hamilton& Area) is there with 24-hour confidential support, information or accompaniment @

905-525-4162

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andex

c2 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 21, 2013

Senior Editor: Nolan Matthews Assistant Editor: Bahar Orang

Contributors: Sarah O’Conner, Kyle Fisher, Michael Morehouse, Tomi Milos, Lucas Canzona

Tue., April 9

Sat., April 6

art

Drumhand Homegrown Hamilton 10 p.m.

Admission The Croods Olympus Has Fallen

From Vinyl to MP3 Bill Wehrens Hamilton Artists Inc.

Ikebe Shakedown This Ain’t Hollywood 9 p.m. Carrie Underwood Copps Coliseum 7:30 p.m. TV Freaks Casbah 8 p.m. Motem This Ain’t Hollywood 9 p.m. Leonard Cohen Copps Coliseum 8 p.m. Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries Hamilton Place 6:30 p.m.

The Silver Linings Playbook Westdale Theatre 9:20 p.m. Amour Westdale Theatre 4:15 p.m. Life of Pi Westdale Theatre 7 p.m. Barbara Jackson Square Cinema 7 p.m. La Voce di Rosa Art Gallery of Hamilton 7 p.m.

Until Apr. 6 Until Apr. 13

The Secret World of Arrietty BSB 138 7 p.m.

Sat. April 13

Thur., Mar. 21 Fri., Mar. 22 Sat., Mar. 23

Octoberman The Brain 8 p.m.

Sun., Mar. 24

Shout Out Out Out Out Casbah 8 p.m.

Wed., Mar. 27

Joel Plaskett This Ain’t Hollywood 8 p.m.

Until Apr. 6

film opening

music

Tue., April 9

Thur., April 4

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

Tue., Mar. 26

Mon., Mar. 25

Sat., Mar. 23

Fri., Mar. 22

Design: Karen Wang Cover: Bahar Orang and Karen Wang

The Human Condition Ben Burchert Hamilton Artists Inc. Deaths/Memorials/Births Erika DeFreitas Centre3 An Evening with Oprah Copps Coliseum 7 p.m.

“

Because here's something else that's true. In the day-today trenches of adult life, there is no such thing as atheism. There is no such thing as not worshipping. Everybody worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.” - david foster wallace

editorial

thursday, march 21, 2013

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • c3

“there used to be giants and they loved it here”

This past summer my friends and I piled into a car and drove up to Hamilton’s escarpment in the middle of the night. We brought blankets and wine and found a spot where we could enjoy a wide view of the city. I climbed a tree and looked down with my legs dangling over the edge. We stared at the world beneath us and felt both large and small at the same time. It was the kind of large you feel in your twenties when you’re laughing with your friends and the night is warm and you have few worries and many dreams. But we were small too, because we felt suddenly invisible in this immeasurable landscape. We went exploring and discovered a plaque that offered a poem that began: “Th-ere used to be giants, and they loved it here. They’d sit their giant hinds in a row along the top edge of the escarpment, and pick at the loose rock.” I later learned that it was written by John Terpstra, a poet based in Hamilton. The permanent installation displays the entire text of Terpstra’s poem from his collection, Two or Three Guitars. The installation marked the ninth “bookmark” in Project Bookmark Canada, an initiative that aims to permanently place text from Canadian works of poetry and fiction in the exact location described in the passage. I often find Hamilton decidedly unglamorous, but in the few years that I’ve lived here, this has become one of the city’s winning assets. Here I was, between the shrubbery, looking down at “steel city,” suddenly engaged in a conversation with myself, the poet and Hamilton. It was a kind of sincere and subtle beauty that few places can offer. In that moment, the city had reclaimed this poem and allowed me to experience it for myself in a way that could not have been possible by page. I look forward to hearing the poem on Monday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m. from the man himself at Brian Prince’s Booksellers. John Terpstra will be reading from Naked Trees and a selection of other poems along with British Columbia-based writer Kate Braid. Admission is free and all are welcome. •

C/O MARGARET NIBURSKI

what ‘s the best theme for a party?

the big pickle

compiled by nolan matthews and yoseif haddad

harry potter

casino -nicole living

sandwich

Bahar Orang, Assistant ANDY Editor

- big pickle

harry potter

- hooria raza

- fatma shibli

t gatsby nd the new grea - anna leblo

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

deaths /memorials /births the art of erika defreitas

C/O ERIKA DEFREITAS

I’m not sure how relatable this experience is, but during our family’s Sunday morning breakfast ritual I would quite often find my mom poring over the weekly paper’s obituaries. The image of my mom choosing to begin her day learning about the last of someone else’s is both deeply perverse and darkly humorous. To my cynical teenage brain it seemed to be further evidence that my parents were from an entirely different world. Artist Erika DeFreitas’ own version of this strange scene of morning ritual subversion provides the inspiration for an exhibit entitled “Deaths/Memorials/Births” that’s currently on display at the Centre3 gallery on James Street North. “I remember asking my mom why she was reading the obituaries section of the newspaper and she said it was because she never knew who she was going to find,” DeFreitas said. “So I thought it was a little creepy and a little weird. But then I started reading the obituaries myself.” Though DeFreitas was drawn to the obituaries in the same way as her mother, she’s still not really able to understand why. “I don’t know how to explain it. I was just looking for someone, not knowing if they were going to appear or not,” DeFreitas said. “It’s not that I was looking for someone I know to have passed away, but it was just the act of looking for someone.” Looking for someone in the death notices seems almost morbidly ironic, but it actually makes weirdly perfect sense. People are often defined in death notices almost entirely by their relationships to others – as loving father, devoted wife or adored grandparent, for example. It’s like the people who write death notices are looking to reaffirm and reach out to the relationships in their lives. “As I was reading, any sort of word that was interesting to me or that resonated me I would write down,” DeFreitas said. “My

feelings were attached to certain words. They described how I was feeling when I was reading.” After deciding on a few words, DeFreitas would cut out the obituary but leave the borders of the notice intact. She then reattached the words she had chosen in their original location on the page, creating a series of incredibly evocative almost-poems told using the words of many peoples’ lives. “After a while the whole thing became very bizarre to me,” DeFreitas said. “The newspaper is something that comes into many homes and many subway floors, but something as personal as an obituary is placed in this object that is then recycled. I guess that’s where I’m a little too sentimental. This is so weird but I remember getting angered that on the other side of the obituary notices would be advertisements. I started to take things personally.” I too had my own personal experience with DeFreitas’ work, though in a much smaller way. I didn’t see the exhibit until after its opening during this month’s Art Crawl, but I’m glad that it was after the busy crowds had come and gone. There’s something about the work that invites you to spend time with it, to imagine the stories of people whose lives ended up becoming defined by words like “corrugated” and “typewriter table.” But perhaps more than anything else it made me think about the mortality of our own relationships – how the connections we make fade into a few words when they were once the novel of someone’s life. “I think that’s something you question your whole life,” DeFreitas said. “When we’re out with friends, we’re always asking, ‘why don’t we do this more often?’” Deaths/Memorials/Births is currently being shown at Centre3 gallery and will continue until April 13. •

Nolan Matthews, Senior ANDY Editor

thursday, march 21, 2013

reel short reviews

upside down

happy accidents

i’m a cyborg, but that’s ok the science of sleep

loving exposure

Completely hollow film more interested in its “cool” visual ideas and contrived concepts than its plot or character chemistry. A struggle to get through.

On the eccentricity of the lead character alone, it’s worth a watch. The lovers have a great dynamic, and it keeps the viewer guessing whether or not things are as they seem until the very end.

Off-kilter love story about a mental patient who thinks she’s a cyborg and another patient who thinks he can steal souls. There are some striking visuals and hilarious moments. Wasn’t such a fan of the tonal shifts.

Set aside four hours in your day to watch this strange saga of love, innocence, insanity, perversion, religious satire and dark humour. Compelling from start to finish, and I wouldn’t complain if they made it four hours longer.

Almost a trip into Michel Gondry’s mind. Unique visuals and flights of fancy. The plot is a little sloppy.

•

the “romantic science fiction magical realism” edition

Thaddeus Awotunde, Video Editor

abracollabra:

carell and carrey duo is back

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone Directed by: Don Scardino Starring: Jim Carrey & Steve Carell Not since Bruce Almighty have Steve Carell and Jim Carrey worked together on a project. Bruce was a huge success and I was anxiously waiting for their next project. When The Incredible Burt Wonderstone was announced, myself and audiences everywhere had our wish come true. The movie follows the title character, played by Steve Carell, throughout his life from when he was bullied at school and had to celebrate his birthday alone because to his mother worked long hours, to his adulthood years as a Vegas entertainer. The audience follows Burt’s story from hardship to success. The film shows Carell and his stage partner Anton Marvelton, played by Steve Buschemi, struggle to reinvent themselves as

magicians who can remain popular with the new generation. The duo has been offering the same show for years, but their ticket sales are declining. To make matters worse, a new type of magician, with his own unique style, becomes a competitive obstacle for Burt and Anton. Steve Grey, played by Jim Carrey, is a street magician who films his cable television show in front of the Vegas crowd and offers a special type of magic: stupidity. Grey performs such tricks as holding his urine for 12 days and playing a human piñata that vomits candy. This new type of “magic” forces Burt and Anton to do their own street trick, the “Hot Box.” While elevated up in the air, they will remain in a glass box for a week. Their assistant, played by Olivia Wilde, mocks this

kind of entertainment by reminding them “all you have to do is literally nothing.” After 20 minutes of the stunt, Burt starts to get impatient, and while screaming and crying, manages to break the box, as well as his friendship with Anton. For the better part of the film, Burt deals with rejection and struggles to remain relevant all the while resenting Steve Gray and his “magic.” When Burt meets his idol in a retirement home, he starts to transform his cold hearted, egocentric character into the boy who loved his hobby and made a career out of it. After Burt starts to become himself again, Anton comes back, and they agree to become partners once more. When it’s announced that the winner of a

talent search would receive a five-year contract at the new Vegas attraction opening up, Burt and Anton battle Steve Gray for the spot. Both magicians give the audience their very best in a showdown that astonishes viewers from both sides, but for entirely different reasons. Burt Wonderstone delivers laughs from start to finish. The film reminded me of Blades of Glory - only with magic instead of ice-skating. Carell and Carey are both brilliant comedians who have the ability to make the most bizarre films genuine, hilarious and heart-warming. •

Matt Morehouse

c6 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

thursday, march 21, 2013

a very potter senior year: potter graduates from the stage

For those who don’t know, a big thing for Potterheads occurred on Friday night. No, it wasn’t the announcement of a new Harry Potter book, nor was it an exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling. It was the premiere of A Very Potter Senior Year on YouTube. For those who may not be “in” the Harry Potter fandom or for Potterheads who have never seen the musical, A Very Potter Senior Year is the third of three Harry Potter parody based musicals produced by Team Starkid on YouTube. The three Harry Potter musicals were uploaded onto YouTube in June 2009, July 2010 and now March 2013. Darren Criss (you may know him as Blaine from Glee) stars as Harry Potter and also writes much of the songs in the show. The show parodies several of the Harry Potter books throughout the three musicals: the first mainly focuses on The Goblet of Fire and Deathly Hallows, the second focuses on The The Order of the Phoenix, The Half-Blood Prince and

The Prisoner of Azkaban while the third focuses on The Chamber of Secrets and The Deathly Hallows. A Very Potter Senior Year takes place during Harry, Ron and Hermione’s last year at Hogwarts. The musical starts in The Ministry of Magic with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna (gueststarring Evanna Lynch!) being chased by Death Eaters for stealing a mysterious diary that the Death Eaters want for a reason that the audience doesn’t know yet. After capturing the Death Eaters, it’s time to go back to Hogwarts. Staying at the Burrow before heading to school, Ron worries about his relationship Hermione. She hasn’t kissed him in five years (since the first musical) and now all she does is read Young Adult romance novels like the Hunger Games written by the wizard himself, Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry and Ginny’s romance, however, is going wonderfully and before going to school, Harry gives her a gift – the diary that the Death Eaters

wanted. When the trio (and Ginny) return to school they meet their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart, who sings a jazzy tune (“Wizard of the Year”) about Harry’s lack of popularity. Harry then tries to be like the heroes in Gilderoy’s novels and starts a forbidden romance after breaking up with Ginny. Heart-broken, Ginny starts writing in her diary when a young man named Tom Riddle starts helping her with her problems. I’m sure you can see where the musical goes from here. Like every Harry Potter themed musical, A Very Potter Senior Year features catchy songs and great harmonies. The plot-line is also more focused and easy to follow and not as jumpy as the other two musicals. The musical also does an excellent job of easing the pain for Potterheads. While many eagerly waited for A Very Potter Senior Year, many also dreaded it. This would be the end of Harry Potter for good.

Fans have already dealt with the ending of the series in both novel and film form, and now the musicals were about to end. But the musical constantly reiterates the idea that while Harry Potter is important to this generation, it may not be important to the next and that’s okay. The song “Everything Ends” reinforces this fact, sung by Harry, Sirius Black, Lily, Cedric, Snape, James and Lupin (via resurrection stone if anyone is curious as to how these dead characters came back to sing). Team Starkid did their best to try and avoid sending Potterheads into another wave of Post-Potter-Depression. A Very Potter Senior Year is the best of all of Starkid’s Harry Potter themed musicals. The acting is fantastic, the songs are unforgettable and super catchy and the final message is both bittersweet and immensely meaningful. •

Sarah O’Conner

thursday, march 21, 2013

andy’s album reviews Album: The 20/20 Experience Artist: Justin Timberlake Following the enormous success of the FutureSex/LoveSounds, Justin Timberlake fell off the musical map and let his ceaseless ambition guide him down other career avenues. He’s proven his acting chops playing Napster founder Sean Parker in David Fincher’s The Social Network, but only after letting them go to waste on slapstick slop like The Love Guru. Timberlake seemed to remain in character as Mr. Parker, adopting the energy he brought to the role of the entrepreneur as the multifaceted host on Saturday Night Live. Ever the crowd-pleaser, he distanced himself from his boy-band image while performing the highly entertaining “History of Rap” with Jimmy Fallon. Sadly, it looked like JT had no desire to make another album. That said, it’s not like the R&B virtuoso had anything to prove. He certainly had more pressing matters to tend to after finally tying the knot with long-time girlfriend Jessica Biel (that one deserves a slow clap). Matrimony must have ignited a creative fuse in Timberlake, as he once again had the urge to get in the studio. Following the advice of collaborator Jay-Z, JT kept the circle very close-knit and the walls tall on the follow-up

Album: White Paint Artist: Hollerado Following the release of their widely successful Record in a Bag in 2009 and subsequent extensive tour schedule, indie-rockers Hollerado present their latest offering, White Paint, to much anticipation in the Canadian music circuit. The band has come to be known for their do-it-yourself approach and endearing touches on everything they call their own, including a hand-drawn website, an album filled with confetti and other goodies, a Twitter that churns out horse facts and an obsession with nachos. Formed in 2007 and originally from the town of Manotick, Ontario, the band is made up of four best friends since childhood: Menno Versteeg (vocals, guitar), Nixon Boyd (guitar, vocals), Dean Baxter (bass) and Jake Boyd (drums). White Paint was put out on their own

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • c7

to his seminal work. Enlisting the help of his good friend/super-producer Timbaland, J-Roc and songwriter James Fauntleroy, Timberlake primed himself for a triumphant return to the world stage. Choosing to keep the public in the dark regarding his comeback (but as LL Cool J would say, he “been here for years”), Timberlake cryptically toyed with eager fans regarding the prospects of a new album through Twitter before setting the record straight with a brief video on Youtube that announced his imminent return. The lead single “Suit & Tie” featured Jay-Z and was released to immense scrutiny. Sampling a deep soul cut from 1973 – Sly, Slick & Wicked’s “Sho Nuff ” – the track was a statement to industry and casual listeners alike that Timberlake was not shooting for radio airtime with this record. Instead, the silky smooth beat pandered to an audience that appreciated a more leisurely 95 bpm range (so, basically, no one born after ‘86). While it clocks in at just under five and a half minutes, “Suit & Tie” is the second shortest track on the album (“That Girl” takes top honours with a lowly 4:49 run-time), which again reinforces Justin’s plan to overshoot the radio altogether. But the sprawling and ambitious remainder of the album is certainly worthy of the club – DJs will be scrambling to incorporate parsed-down versions of the songs into their mixes. Whereas FutureSex/LoveSounds revolved around a feeling of intense sexual frustration and yearning, 20/20 Experience finds us listen-

ing to a more mature, self-assured Timberlake. On “Don’t Hold The Wall,” Timbo experiments with Bhangra rhythms in his production, while JT croons the straightforward, titular hook with verve. “Tunnel Vision” is perhaps most reminiscent of his past album, with its glistening synths adding to the feeling that Justin is still prone to being lovestoned. But the song’s relatively celibate focus on one female subject suggests that he’s been able to settle down. “Let the Groove Get In” is what James Brown’s “Get Up Offa That Thing” would sound like if it were placed on steroids and charged with an electrifying carnality that has come to be Timberlake’s touchstone. “Mirrors” is a heartwarmingly sentimental ode to his “other half ” in Biel that will surely serve as a fitting sonic backdrop for the first dance of the more contemporary couples getting married this summer. The album ends with “Blue Ocean Floor,” a song with a hazily nebulous and murky instrumental palette that encapsulates the feeling of waking up with your significant other and deciding to spend the day lounging about in bed. But as many will be happy to learn, Justin revealed that this sense of lethargy didn’t pervade in the studio, as he plans to release the second volume of The 20/20 Experience later this year. Which kind of makes sense, since ten songs in addition to another ten gives us 20/20 vision.

Royal Mountain Records, which is also home to the Toronto-based Topanga. White Paint shows a band that is allgrown up but still knows their sound. Right from the start of the opening track, “Wonder, Velocity, Charlie and Me,” things are distinctly Hollerado-esque with spaceship samples and soaring group vocals proclaiming the vastness of the world. Both guitarists’ work on hooks is evident through the entire album. “Lonesome George” stands out as an example of the band’s fine storytelling work, recounting the last days of the only remaining Pinta Island tortoise. (The track was previewed when the real Lonesome George passed away.) The use of narrative is also present on “I Want My Medicine,” an ode to a man who painfully sells his record collection to fund pharmaceuticals in the hope that he will live another day. A favourite for me on the record is “So It Goes,” a high-energy track Versteeg wrote about his grandfather’s experience during WWII. Captured by Germans, he claimed to be a horse doctor even though he knew noth-

ing about the trade. He would either hope the horses recovered on their own or proclaim they were beyond saving. Upon being found out, his life was spared by a sympathetic German soldier for whom he later testified at Nuremberg regarding his kindness. Such stories often accompany new tracks throughout Hollerado’s live show. Despite the new lyrical maturity, White Paint is still musically fun and danceable. Guitars soar and charge through the choruses, and solos are pulled out on a few tracks. A special mention goes to the rhythm section of drummer Jake Boyd and bassist Dean Baxter for providing a fresh foundation to build on. White Paint is raw in the right ways but solid enough for a sophomore release. This is a band that loves what they do.

•

Tomi Milos

Lucas Canzona

titus adronicus

ranting about the radio “Turn on the radio, nah fuck it, turn it off ” shouts Zack de la Rocha on Rage Against the Machine’s track “Vietnow” and I couldn’t agree more. Radio stations lately have been especially irritating to my ears. Now mind you, I am well aware my musical tastes might be a little biased but I’m just tired of the overplayed, undercooked music that stations like the Edge and Y108 persistently bombard their listeners with day in and day out. I’ve completely tuned out the radio. I listen to a decent variety of music but my personal favorites mostly come from the wide, wide world of rock and roll. My favourite band is Led Zeppelin. In fact, they are the greatest band in the world. But that’s some Classic Rock radio shit though so it’s not even worth talking about right now. The radio people I have beef with are the ones that present themselves as the beacon for “new” music – rock in particular. Pop music is not my thing and they are always playing the latest and greatest anyways so what’s for pop listeners go complain about anyway, right? When it comes down to rock radio, the stations that promote the newest bands just tend to shovel the same garbage into listeners’ ears every day. A typical radio schedule for a rock station these days is pretty much loaded with Mumford and Sons, the Black Keys, Mumford and Sons coattail-riders, Nirvana and, of course, the CanCon staple Tragically Hip. Where’s the goddamn variety? Do people have the balls to play new music anymore? Okay, so that’s not the only stuff getting played on rock radio right now, but the deviations are not far off. Swap Nirvana out for Pearl Jam, Soundgarden or, even worse, Nickelback (I’m looking at you Y108) and throw in the latest sonic trend, whether it be the folk vibe we have now or the retro rock revival of the Black Keys. Where are bands like Tame Impala? METZ? My Morning Jacket? Titus Andronicus? There are so many fantastic bands out there that deserve some airtime. Just play some new music that excites people, makes people interested and keeps them thinking. Stop stuffing us with the same shit all the time. I swear I heard Finger Eleven on the radio more times this week than I can count. Are they even a relevant group anymore? What did they do for music? Why keep playing them? Take a risk, rock radio, and show me something I haven’t heard before. Challenge your audience and challenge yourself because I’m over you. •

Kyle Fisher

less of

this

mumford and sons

TURN IT DOWN:

the tragically hip

my morning jacket

tame impala

more of this

thursday, march 21, 2013

the black keys

c8 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine