March 10th, 2011

McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER

www.thesil.ca

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

BoG voting will begin March 15

FROM CAMPUS TO YOU AND BACK AGAIN

VOLUME 81, NO. 22

Will your vote count?

MSU ByLaw 10 - Elections Section 3: Polling for the election of divisional representatives on the Student Representative Assembly shall begin no later than March 13

JEMMA WOLFE

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

Elections have been scheduled for next week to fill the vacant position of Undergraduate Student Representative on the Board of Governors. Third year DeGroote School of Business student Patrick Lee, and third year Psychology student Melanie Iarocci are competing for this position.

The Board of Governors is the body of individuals fundamentally responsible for all of McMaster’s financial planning. They have the executive authority to set student tuition and fees, allocate funding, and monitor the financial health of the university.

The role of the Undergraduate Student Representative is to provide a student voice on the board, and communicate to the Governors any undergraduate issues related to finance during their two-year term of office. The student has voting power for motions, and traditionally serves on the Finance Committee, which as W. Bruce Frank, the University Secretariat in charge of facilitating the Board of Governors commented, “is, if not the most, certainly one of the most important of all the standing committees of the governing body.”

The two candidates for the position of Undergraduate Student Representative on the Board of Governors bring with them very diverse perspectives and experiences.

Patrick Lee is a financially minded student in the long-term pursuit of a Chartered Accountant designation.

He has employment experience in taxation and auditing, is a TA for accounting courses, and was part of the By-Laws Committee of the Inter-Residence Council (IRC).

He feels that the IRC experience in particular relates to his qualifications for the position, and stated, “[The IRC and By-Laws committee] is very structured and I really like that: how we all had the opportunity to talk, the opportunity to vote, and I feel like having previous experience with that will allow me to succeed in this position as well.”

Lee’s interest to run for the Undergraduate Student Representative position stems from his curiosity for financial procedures.

“I want to see what it’s like to be behind the scenes; I’m curious … I want to see what it’s like to be part of the planning [of McMaster],” said Lee. In addition to personal growth and development, if elected, Lee hopes to achieve “transparency between the student body and the Board of Governors, so that [students] can see how the financials and the budgeting works, how everything is allocated, and what the reasoning behind that is.”

Melanie Iarocci is also a student with extensive qualifications. As a mature student, she feels that her life experience significantly prepares her for the position of Undergraduate Student Representative.

Iarocci was born in South Africa, and spent many years in Singapore, Canada and United Arab Emirates before recently returning to Canada. “I’d be good because I can relate to both younger people and older people. I have a multicultural type of background, so I can relate to different people and be

EST. 1930

MSU Constitution Section 5: The President and the members of the SRA shall be elected by March 15 of each year

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Change to polling dates could invalidate SRA election results PETER GOFFIN & SAM COLBERT

EXECUTIVE EDITOR & SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

With an MSU Elections official having, by her own admission, violated an MSU bylaw, questions have arisen as to whether the results of the General Election will be invalidated.

The issue began on March 2 when, just hours before nominations were to close for SRA Generals, the Elections Committee delayed the polling days and nomination deadline. Voting was moved to March 14 and 15 rather than their original dates, March 9 and 10.

“I pushed it back because we got numerous complaints from various members of the MSU, gen-

eral students, who came and spoke to me about their concerns, as well as SRA members,” said Callen Clarke, MSU Chief Returning Officer. “It was just so many concerns from so many people, we considered that and said, according to the Constitution, we do have more time.”

Students complained that the election was not well enough advertised, which would have caused some potential candidates to miss the deadline.

Clarke readily acknowledged, however, that she and Deputy Returning Officer Steven Thompson had violated MSU bylaw by delaying polling and confirmed that this was known at the time that she and Thompson made they made the decision to do so.

“Yes, we are breaking a bylaw,” she said. “But in terms of what the general spirit of what the bylaw is, if you look at what the purpose of the bylaw is, it’s to ensure that MSU elections are run in a fair and equitable manner.”

MSU Operating Policy, ByLaw 10 (Elections) states, “Polling for the election of divisional representatives on the Student Representative Assembly shall begin no later than March 13.” This means that the 2011 SRA General Election polling will be a day late, violating the bylaw.

Clarke defended her decision to delay polling, saying that she was still adhering to the MSU Constitution’s election rules. “We thought, ‘Yes, we’re breaking a bylaw, but we’re still under the

mandate of the constitution,’” she said. “‘We can push it back one day.’”

Section 5 of the MSU Constitution explains that “The President and the members of the SRA shall be elected by March 15.”

The new dates would come just in time under this limitation.

“If a bylaw is ever contradicting the Constitution, it’s automatically void,” Clarke said in an interview late on March 9. In this case, however, the bylaw does not contradict the Constitution. Rather, the bylaw establishes a mandatory start-date of polling and the Constitution sets out an end-date. Accordingly, Clarke confirmed that she and the Elections Committee were always aware that the Constitution • PLEASE SEE POSSIBLE, A4

GCC connects Mac to global issues CHRISTOPHER CHANG SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Action through awareness: that is the Global Citizenship Conference (GCC) in a nutshell. The GCC has been an annual event hosted by McMaster University since 2006.

This year, the conference was held on March 5 in the Burke Science Building.

The key groups involved in planning and support of the day were the McMaster Social Sciences Society, McMaster Student Affairs, the Faculty of Health Sciences, the Arts and Sciences Program, and the McMaster Students Union (MSU).

The GCC is an all-encompassing event drawing undergraduate and graduate students from McMaster, as well as professors from various universities. Hamilton residents were also welcome • PLEASE SEE PROMISING, A4 to participate. Attendance for the

conference this year was described as excellent and extremely diverse, which, according to the co-chairs of the conference, Dharsha Jegatheeswaran and Vanessa Subramaniam, “allowed for diverse perspectives to be contributed in discussions at the conference.”

The goal was to create a baseline understanding of the roles and responsibilities of people as global citizens. Conference attendees were strongly encouraged to stand up against inaction and apathy, a strong barrier to progress, especially in developing nations.

The conference aimed to bring awareness to the way people are connected around the world, and to inspire those who attended to take more proactive roles in tackling current issues.

The day began with a • PLEASE SEE GLOBE, A5

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Sonia Verma addresses the events in Cairo and social media.

[This Week in the Sil] Volleyball 6th at Nationals Tech Obsessed Generation The men’s volleyball team finished the season sixth in the country after Nationals this past weekend.

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If you can’t get to the end of this blurb without checking your phone, you might be obsessed.

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#teamsheen Santino Marinucci commends Charlie Sheen’s way of life and his talent of “winning” when it counts.

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This is a paid advertisement from the MSU.

the

PRESIDENT’S PAGE Nick Shorten VP (Finance)

Mary Koziol President

Joe Finkle VP (Education)

John McIntyre VP (Administration)

EXERCISE YOUR DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS AT G.A. On March 14th, members of the McMaster Students Union have the opportunity to raise poignant issues that surround their student experience and vote to see tangible change Why are you here? Arguably, the purpose of university is to facilitate dialogue and reach conclusions about the scope of what we know. Some might maintain that the role of university is to critically analyze why we know what we know. Or on a grander scale, that the university’s role is to precipitate change within greater society. Futhermore, others might point to the relativism inherent in this question and say it depends on the person. Well, what kind of person are you?

If you are a person who believes in the integrity of the political process, the right to peaceful discussion and debate and the optimism of the unfaltering hope that the world is fundamentally a good place, the MSU has an event for you.

The MSU General Assembly is the constitutionally-mandated annual meeting of all full-time undergraduate students, where any student may submit a topic for discussion or debate and speak for - or against - any issue. If you have ever felt silenced, shy, or nervous to raise questions, now is the time to overcome those barriers in the name of free and fair speech. As long as what you have to say is peaceful and constructive, the student body will listen.

We have seen revolutionary demonstrations in Iran, Egypt, Tunisia and Libya, where many people struggle every day for the basic right to democratic freedoms. We watch political upheavals in countless countries, as people awaken

to the oppression of their governments and the tyranny of dictatorships.

We witness atrocities that make us thankful for the rights we enjoy in Canada. And yet, it is easier to avoid our problems than to address them directly.

It is always easier to walk away than to summon the courage to speak.

This is not to say that any problems within the MSU – whether real or perceived- are comparable to the turmoil that individuals are subject to across the world on a regular basis.

However, the overarching concept of change starts with one individual deciding to attend one protest. One individual with one thought. One thought becomes one word, one word becomes one sentence, one sentence becomes one dialogue. One dialogue facilitates action. As long as we are still talking about issues that affect our experiences, our purpose is fulfilled.

Make that decision and be that individual by attending General Assembly.

We own our education at McMaster University and by definition, we own the McMaster Students Union. General Assembly is your cause, and you can make what you want of it. It is time to start the conversation. General Assembly is March 14th, 2011 at 4:30 PM in Burridge Gym. Naheed Yaqubian Speaker, McMaster Students Union Chair, MSU General Assembly 2011 speaker@msu.mcmaster.ca

MSU businesses show huge success in 2010-2011 fiscal year Positive numbers are a result of strategic negotiations with suppliers and tightening of management Nick Shorten VP (Finance) vpfinance@msu.mcmaster.ca ext. 24109

The MSU has made considerable efforts over the past year to bolster our financial position, while simultaneously improving the quality of service delivery for students. Three of our most visible services, TwelvEighty, Underground Media + Design and the Union Market have all shared in this success.

TwelvEighty has undergone a number of changes over the past couple years, the most notable being our renovation. This year, we focused on refining our position in the

student experience. As such, we have redeveloped our menu to include more fresh ingredients and halal options, while maintaining our competitive pricing.

Furthermore, TwelvEighty has worked hard to leverage their suppliers and have been fortunate to receive many benefits in the form of student give-aways and swag which you may have seen on a number of club nights this year.

All of this was achieved while reducing the overall deficit experienced

by TwelvEighty. As this year draws to a close, we will be working hard through the summer to improve the delivery of the service. The MSU stands behind our contention that TwelvEighty is where Mac lives.

Another MSU business success story is Underground Media + Design.

The team at Underground has worked tirelessly throughout the year to improve their student services. This year saw the installation of nine new Xerox machines, three new computers and a new store layout. Students now have more rapid access to the already outstanding services that Underground has to offer.

A newly negotiated Xerox contract has significantly reduced the operating costs of Underground, thereby assisting in the expansion of the business. The MSU courseware project has developed to include first year Psychology and Engineering, thereby creating a new stream of revenue that will only continue

the McMaster Students Union is

to grow. As a result of both savings and increased sales, the Underground’s profits are much higher than projected and will most likely continue on the same trend.

Finally, Union Market has been over-achieving all year long! When designing our budget for the year, we conservatively estimated a small profit for Union Market. With shrewd management, the service is currently experiencing a record surplus, yet still offers the cheapest prices on campus.

This year, MSU businesses delivered fantastic results all-around for McMaster students. As we build the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, we are optimistic about applying the experience we have gained to continue this success.

NOW HIRING www.msu.mcmaster.ca/jobs

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

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

www.msu.mcmaster.ca

THE SILHOUETTE • A3

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Your City Survey

Grads looking elsewhere Newsbites PETER GOFFIN

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

The MSU’s Your City Survey concluded last week and, in the days since, Student Representative Assembly (SRA) External Affairs Commissioner Huzaifa Saeed has been compiling the results in the interest of understanding more about how students relate to the city around them.

“Our role is the make the student experience better and a lot of that is improving their experience with Hamilton,” Saeed said.

The survey asked respondents to answer 21 questions, including how often they leave the campus, what Hamilton attractions they most enjoy, and how likely they were to stay in Hamilton once they had graduated. The survey also asked respondents to rate the importance of various city attributes such as commuting times, entertainment venues and affordability, based on importance.

Most notable amongst the figures yielded by the survey was that only 21 per cent of respondents said they would consider staying in Hamilton after graduation, while 39 per cent said they would not consider staying and 38 per cent said it was possible. Another stand-out was that 55 per cent of respondents said the City of Hamilton does not do a good job of promoting job opportunities to students, compared to only 13 per cent who said it did.

Saeed, along with the External Affairs Committee, is now

in the process of analyzing the raw data so that it can be presented to the SRA by the end of March, along with recommendations as to what the Assembly should do with the survey-derived information.

According to Saeed, the most likely recommendations will focus on discussion with the municipal government about how to improve student-city relations.

The value of the survey, according to Saeed, is that it is, in part, a service to the leaders of the

Ultimately, though, improving the student relationship with Hamilton is about improving students’ satisfaction with their environment while they’re at Mac.” City even though, to his knowledge, they have never asked the SRA for help on the matter. More realistically, the survey will serve as a means of collecting hard evidence pertaining to students’ attitudes towards Hamilton, something that the MSU has never had before.

“We [the SRA and MSU] wanted the see what people actually think about the city,” Saeed said.

“Right now it’s just a lot of stereotypes and rumours, myths, like ‘Stu-

dents think that’ but we don’t really know if they actually think that.”

Saeed expressed the hope that providing municipal government with definitive data indicating a tendency amongst students to stay in Hamilton might encourage the City to contribute to initiatives oncampus. “If we want more promotions, if we want more investment … we need to show them that there is a problem with students not staying back so they can give us [that investment].” He cited the funding of Job Fairs on campus as an example of something that could conceivably come out of identifying such a problem and encouraging the city to rectify it.

It is also Saeed’s belief that it is important to have a generally positive attitude towards Hamilton amongst the student body. “If [one student] is saying ‘Hamilton is a shitty city and I can’t wait to leave’ … and the other student is being like ‘I love the city I love going to Cootes, I love going to waterfront, I like being here, I get along well with the citizens’… who would the MSU want more of in the [student] population?”

Ultimately, though, improving the student relationship with Hamilton is about improving students’ satisfaction with their environment while they’re at Mac. “Environment isn’t just the campus.

Environment can include outside environments. If someone is really scared to go to Jackson Square to buy stuff, we don’t want that perception. We want that to go away.”

University Administration

Deane announces new VP Williams to begin term as Vice-President, University Advancement on May 1 FARZEEN FODA

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

On March 3, McMaster University President Patrick Deane announced the appointment of the new VicePresident, University Advancement, Mary Williams.

In light of the coming retirement of Roger Trull, a vote was held at the Feb. 24 Board of Governors meeting and the Selection Committee voted in favour of Williams as the University’s new Vice-President, University Advancement.

Following approval at the February Senate Meeting, Williams was officially chosen as McMaster’s new Vice-President, University Advancement. Williams will begin her role on May 1.

Like many other members of the Board of Governors, Williams is also a McMaster graduate.

She joined McMaster in 1983 as an undergraduate student in Kinesiology.

Upon graduation, she worked at the University for some time before leaving to pursue graduate work. She returned to McMaster as director of Alumni Advancement in 1994, after which, she became Associate Vice-President of University Advancement.

Williams stressed how important this role is to her, not only as a McMaster graduate, but because she has felt very connected to the university her whole life. “I’ve had almost a lifelong relationship with McMaster. I grew up just down the street from the university, so I spent a lot of time as a kid coming onto campus and doing different things, but more formally through high school programs and leadership opportunities,” said Williams.

During her time at McMaster, Williams was highly involved in a range of extracurricular activities. She wrote for The Silhouette and represented her faculty in the Student Representative Assembly (SRA), while taking active roles during her Residence experience and within her faculty.

Now as Vice-President, University Advancement, Williams will be responsible for a wide array of initiatives pertaining to the further development of the University, which deals with building the reputation of the institution while managing various affiliations to foster an environment of growth and support.

“We’re really here to help

Compiled by Jemma Wolfe and Farzeen Foda Take the pledge against plastic water bottles They take thousands of years to decompose. They may be laced with Bisphenol A. They threaten human health in ways modern science has yet to uncover, yet so many of us carry them around with us everyday. That’s right, plastic water bottles are not as pretty as they look, and most likely the water in those bottles didn’t come straight from the majestic mountains printed on the label. In Canada, 25 per cent of bottled water is just reprocessed tap water.

In an effort to expose the perils of these environmental detonators, all MSU staff vowed to stay away from plastic water bottles as of Feb.28, and all McMaster students are encouraged to do the same. Students can “Take the Plastic Bottle Free Pledge” by submitting their name to the registry on the MSU website, where one can also find all the dirty gossip about plastic water bottles and their effect on your health, your wallet and your planet. Did you know that Ontario has the highest standards of drinking water in the world, and 29 water bottle products were recalled by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2000 alone because of bacterial or chemical contaminants? Say no to plastic water bottles, tap water is better for you anyway.

Speak up about your university experience You may have seen the announcement on the right-hand side of the Avenue To Learn login page encouraging all first and final year students to participate in the NSSE (National Survey of Student Engagement) survey for the chance to win an iPad. The survey is currently being conducted across Canadian and American universities to gather information on student experiences. The survey confidentially collects significant data about how much time and effort students put into their studies and other activities, how the universities allocate their resources and organize their curriculum, and what learning opportunities are offered.

McMaster plans to use the collected information to understand how students are engaged, and what improvements might be made through changes in policy. The survey also helps the institution understand how students spend their time and what can be done to improve student life. To thank students for their participation in the survey, all students who respond to the survey by 11:59 p.m. on March 21 will be entered into a draw to win one of four Apple iPads.

Cheater or not? Listen carefully to find out Jillian O’Connor, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour at McMaster, is leading a study on the relationship between the pitches of people’s voices and their percieved faithfullness in a relationship. Research has shown that women believe the lower the man’s voice, the more likely it is that he will cheat. Conversely, men subconsciously think that the higher a woman’s voice is, the more likely it is that she will be unfaithful.

This is due to the relationship between pitch, hormones and infidelity. David Feinberg, an Assistant Professor and advisor on the study, explains that “men with higher testosterone levels have lower pitched voices, and women with higher estrogen levels have higher pitched voices. High levels of these hormones are associated with adulterous behaviour and our findings indicate individuals are somewhat aware of the link and may use this in their search for a romantic partner.”

One Week Job Project: 52 Jobs in 52 Weeks

‘The McMaster Alumni Association has organized Sean Aiken, creator of the One Week Job Project, to speak on Mar 10 at 5 p.m at the University Club. The “One Week Job Project” was Aiken’s initiative in 2008 to work 52 jobs in 52 weeks throughout North America to search for a field he was passionate about. He sampled a variety of careers and their associated lifestyles, such as baker, teacher, and real estate agent while raising $20,000 for charity along the way. Upon hearing that other people were following in his footsteps, he realized the significance of his movement, and the inspirational message it holds for students. His current “Discover Your Passion” campus tour utilizes an interactive, multimedia approach to share his story with 30 Canadian Newly appointed VP, Mary Williams will begin her term May 1. campuses to encourage students to pursue a career they really want. In addition to Aiksupport the university in its growth, we should all be really proud of the en’s address, the documentary “One Week helping to develop the reputation of reputation of the institution, and Job” will be screened, and refreshments will the institution through public and that only helps to make the student be provided. government relations, and com- experience even better.” munity relations,” said Williams.

“The value of the institu- Mac salutes women on International Women’s Day

She stressed that one of the tion and the reputation of the instimain goals of University Advance- tution helps all of us who are Mc- March 8 was International Women’s Day, and this year marked the 100th ment is to build life-long relation- Master graduates. The stronger the anniversary for the day devoted to the celebration of the economic, politships with members of the univer- reputation, the stronger our degree,” ical and social achievements of women past, present and future, and resity community, while establishing said Williams. minds us of inequities still to be redressed. The first International Women’s funding from the government, com- Throughout her time work- Day was in 1911, and in some countries, International Women’s Day is a munity, and alumni. “The resources ing with McMaster, Williams has national holiday. McMaster held several events this week in the spirit of we bring in, whether it be through worked closely with Trull, who will International Women’s Day, including a public lecture on racism in Canada, fundraising, through government continue his service to McMaster a luncheon with two McMaster midwifery relations or through other sources, until April 24, after which time he graduates who shared their experiences all help to enrich the student experi- will retire. about being volunteer midwives in Haiti, ence and academic life on campus, Trull was also a McMaster and a lecture on how history, gender, prowhich could be things like provi- graduate and maintained a life-long gramming and policy impact aboriginal sion of student awards, scholarships relationship with the university, people’s health in Canada. On March 10, or bursaries.” something rather rare in this day a public lecture will be held about women

McMaster has come very and age, noted Williams.“I’m very learning to fight through peace in India, far over the years and has reached proud to be following his footsteps presented by Reva Joshee, at 5:30 p.m. in this level through the efforts of uni- and I’m very sorry to see him leave the Health Sciences Centre Room 1A4. versity advancement in its many the university but he leaves behind forms. McMaster’s reputation has an outstanding legacy and he has A2L goes down, but still beats ELM grown rapidly, as it consistently earned this retirement. I’m perclimbs scales of university rank- sonally really happy for him and I A sudden failure of the online student learning management system Avenue ings, making it an institution of hope he enjoys his retirement, and to Learn interrupted University activities this Monday morning. Many stuchoice for many students, noted we’ll certainly miss him a lot, but dents experienced removal from their registered courses on the site, and Williams.

I’m really excited to build on what general accessibility to the site was limited. Between the approximate

Having such a long his- he’s helped to develop as a Vice- hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., Avenue to Learn was shut down for maintentory with McMaster, Williams has President, University Advance- ance as the Centre for Leadership in Learning and Desire 2 Learn – the had the opportunity to examine ment.” vendor of the software – worked quickly to solve the issue and get students its growth over the years, “It has “We have an outstanding team re-registered in their courses as quickly as possible. This is another incibeen really interesting to watch the working in University Advance- dent in a string of technical difficulties Avenue to Learn has experienced, growth of the university, having ment, many of whom are McMaster but the CLL asserts that A2L is functioning normally and all issues have three decades of involvement with graduates themselves. My hope is been resolved. General student sentiment is still in favour of A2L over its the university. We’re now an inter- that we can continue to build on that predecessor ELM, despite occasional difficulties. national calibre university. We’re a outstanding group of folks,” said special class of our own and I think Williams.

JONATHAN FAIRCLOUGH / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

A4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Promising candidates for BoG Possible consequences of bylaw violation vary offer diverse perspectives Only two candidates seeking election • CONT’D FROM A1 objective about certain situtation.”

Her financial and human resources work experiences further contribute to her credentials. “I do have a lot of financial background, so if I was on [the Finance Committee] I’d be useful there,” said Iarocci.

Her motivation to become Undergraduate Student Representative comes from her desire to contribute to the student community.

“I’m an older student. I came back to university to start a new career, and it’s been good to me. I’ve enjoyed being here, I’ve enjoyed learning, and I just want to give something back.”

While both candidates have much to offer, the low number of candidates is a notable element of this election. A similar situation is unfolding with the upcoming Senate Elections, where many faculties are lacking nominations.

Unlike the Board of Governors, the Senate has student representation from every faculty.

However, no nominations were received for the Undergraduate Faculty of Health Sciences or the DeGroote School of Business Student Representative positions, or for the Graduate Faculty of Health Sciences or Social Sciences positions.

Additionally, two of the other available positions were filled by acclamation due to lack of competition. Frank does not see this as particularly surprising, noting, “It’s not unusual at most universities I think. We do advertise widely, and do try to publicize to all students that there are vacancies available.”

Regardless of its regularity, however, the issue of vacancies remains and the source of this problem certainly puzzled the candidates. Lee suggested that lack of

JONATHAN FAIRCLOUGH / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

TYLER HAYWARD / SILHOUETTE STAFF

BoG candidates Iarocci and Lee go head-to-head in elections. information coupled with disinterest might be to blame.

“There’s a lot of work to it and a lot of people don’t know what [the Board of Governors] is about.

At first I didn’t know what Board of Governors was about, I had to go research,” said Lee, further explaining that, “misunderstandings turn [students] down from apply-

It’s not unusual at most universities I think. We do advertise widely, and do try to publicize to all students that there are vacancies available.” ing in the first place.

The actual process is not that difficult.” Iarocci expressed a similar sentiment, “I think lack of awareness is a big factor.”

Frank expressed disappointment in the markedly low voter turnout, and conceded that

the cause “could be at some times apathy.” He also added, “I don’t think we’ve ever had a student election where more than 10 per cent [of students] vote.”

By-laws require that if positions are not filled in the spring election period, then by-elections will be held in the fall. If vacancies still remain after the by-elections, then there simply is no representation for a certain faculty.

Notably, the Health Sciences Graduate Student Representative position has been vacant for the past year, and has had no nominations to fill it for the coming year.

Whether this greater situation is due to lack of information or to student apathy remains up for debate.

The Undergraduate Student Representative for the Board of Governors and Senate positions that did receive nominations will be decided through an online election to be held on March 15 from 8:30 a.m. until midnight and March 16 from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

Voters who do not have access to a computer are encouraged to vote in the University Secretariat’s office in Gilmour Hall, room 210.

• CONT’D FROM A1 and bylaw referred to two separate requirements. “It’s our elections bylaws and we know these documents inside-out. It’s our job to do that,” she said.

In an interview conducted earlier that day, however, Clarke told the Silhouette, “The Constitution says that the SRA reps have to be elected by the fifteenth [of March], and then the bylaw says the thirteenth,” suggesting that the two documents did, in fact, contradict one another.

If the results of the election were called into question, MSU election bylaws dictate that the issue would be brought before the MSU Elections Committee. As MSU President Mary Koziol explained to the Silhouette, the Committee, a body made up of five MSU students and three SRA members, would review the case and decide whether the results are valid or not.

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the Committee’s decision, they can ask that the issue of validity be decided by the Electoral Appeal Board, according to section 11.2 of the elections bylaws.

The Electoral Appeal Board is chaired by MSU Speaker Naheed Yaqubian and consists of University Secretariat Bruce Frank and long-standing Political Science Professor Nibaldo Galleguillos.

Their judgement on the issue would be binding. In the event that the SRA elections are invalidated, Clarke said, “My first thought would be that we would just run it again.”

Asked whether there was anything in the MSU Operating Policy that supported simply re-running an invalidated SRA election, Clarke responded, “I’m pretty sure the bylaws are mute on that issue …

We’d probably get a mandate from the Elections Committee to run it again.”

She later added that, “[rerunning the election] would be fulfilling what we’re supposed to do.

We’re supposed to get elections

done within certain timeframes.”

The second election would be exactly the same as the first in terms of campaign length and protocol. “It would probably cost the exact same [as the original election],” said Clarke.

Clarke acknowledged that adding a polling date on March 13 to prevent bylaw violation is an option and that it had been considered, but she and Thompson explained that it was not an ideal one. “I don’t think we think it’s necessary to do that,” Thompson said. “Even if we do open polling on Sunday, it will really just seem like we’re trying to weasel our way out of something that’s an issue.” Clarke added, “Running a poll on a Sunday is a little awkward, and doesn’t usually result in a great [voter] turnout. It’s an option, though.”

The consequences for breaking an MSU bylaw are varied but do exist. “There are bylaws that are periodically broken and when they are, people seek forms of retribution for it,” said Koziol.

Censure typically happens if a person breaks a bylaw intentionally or if they break bylaws more than once, explained the Union President. In those cases, the consequences can range from a formal reprimand and warning to recall, a diplomatic term for dismissal. Although the possible punishments for breaking the Constitution are the same, a person’s chances of being recalled are greater. Punishments in both cases are left up to the SRA’s judgement.

While the violation of bylaw opens the door for election results to be invalidated, Clarke and Thompson remain confident that this round of votes will stand. “I don’t think that [starting polling a day late] is a valid reason to invalidate an entire election,” said Clarke, “especially when our reasoning for pushing back the polling was to make it more democratic, and make sure more people knew about it and more people had the opportunity to run.”

THE SILHOUETTE • A5

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Direct Democracy

General Assembly motions coming in

With SRA election polling moved, dental plan will not be a topic of conversation SAM COLBERT

Yaqubian, who will chair the event.

There will, though, be a range of other topics to debate. MoProvided the gathering reaches tions are due on March 11, but as quorum, which this year is 589 of March 9, Yaqubian had already students, decisions made at the received 12 motions and heard that McMaster Students Union (MSU) more were forthcoming.

General Assembly on March 14 The discussions will inwill be binding on the MSU. It’s the clude a week-long study break most effective opportunity for Mc- between classes and exams, forMaster’s full-time undergraduate cing the MSU Board of Directors population to exercise direct dem- to pay union membership fees, a ocracy on their students union. joint campus space for MACgreen

Absent from the event, and Farmstand and a Union-led though, will be a motion on the campaign to oppose Islamophobia, dental plan, given that the plan’s anti-Semitism and racism. Another referendum was moved along with motion has recommended that Student Representative Assembly TwelvEighty change its name back (SRA) General Elections to March to “Quarters.”

14 and 15.

“General Assembly is al “In this case, as voting on ready institutionalized as part of the referendum begins prior to Gen- MSU documents, but what I’m eral Assembly, I would declare any trying to do is institutionalize it motion out of order on the basis that as part of MSU culture,” said Yathe question is already currently qubian. Attendance through the being posed to the student body,” years has fluctuated. The 2009 Genexplained MSU Speaker Naheed eral Assembly drew a particularly SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

Globe reporter shares stories of conflict

sparse crowd of roughly 60 students. Last year, 309 attended.

The Speaker explained that attendance levels have multiple causes. “I think there are two ways you can look at this. On one hand, you can say that students are apathetic and that they simply don’t care. On the other hand, students aren’t driven to come out in droves because they’re satisfied with the level of representation and services they’re receiving from the students union. In reality, I think its somewhere in between.

“I don’t think it reflects student apathy, but I don’t think it reflects student satisfaction either.”

For those students who aren’t involved with the MSU, don’t plan to become involved and don’t feel attached to any motions, students may wonder what reason they have for attending.

“Free food,” Yaqubian joked. “But in all seriousness, I refuse to believe that there are stu-

dents out there that are so detached, that are so turned off by the political process that they genuinely do not care about anything but themselves.”

A March 3 article in the Silhouette explained that the change in SRA elections polling dates from March 9 and 10 to March 14 and 15 means that, in the event that the dental plan referendum attached to the elections does not reach quorum, it could not then be presented as a motion at General Assembly after ballots are counted. Quorum during referenda is 10 per cent of the MSU membership, while it is only three per cent during General Assembly.

“It would be a lot easier to get quorum at General Assembly than to get quorum at the General Elections, given the numbers in the past,” said Callen Clarke, MSU Chief Returning Officer.

Yaqubian noted that having SRA elections and General Assembly on the same day was an

Strong candidate turnout for SRA Generals Polling Dates: Monday, March 14 and Tuesday, March 15 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Voting Locations: Arts & Science: BSB Lobby (referendum only) Commerce: DSB Lobby Engineering: JHE Lobby Health Sciences: Ewart Angus Centre, in HSC (referendum only) Humanities: CNH Lobby, by Robinson Memorial Theatre Kinesiology: DBAC Lobby Nursing: Ewart Angus Centre Lobby, in HSC (referendum only) Science: BSB Lobby Social Science: TSH Lobby

• CONT’D FROM A1 keynote address from David Berkal, Executive Director of Operation Groundswell, a volunteer travel company. Following the keynote a variety of panels pertaining to social media, humanitarian aid, and volunteering were held throughout BSB. Later on, workshops were held by a myriad of organizations ranging from the McMaster Engineers Without Borders to the DeGroote School of Business.

To conclude the conference, keynote speaker Sonia Verma, a reporter from The Globe and Mail shared her experiences and expressed her views on issues discussed throughout the day. Verma has reported in many countries for Canadian, American, and British newspapers.

Most notably Verma reported on the protests in Egypt regarding the presidency of Hosni Mubarak, during which time she was detained and held at gunpoint for three hours along with her colleague Patrick Martin.

Verma elaborated on the importance and the role of social media in the world as a medium for news and the sharing of ideas.

The use of Twitter allowed Verma to relay anecdotes about her experience in Cairo during the protests, shedding a new light on the benefits of social networking sites.

Social media was praised for its ability to foster diversity of thought and speech. Social networking allows all people to have a voice wherever they are, and have access to all sides of stories from all around the world. According to Verma, this means that media biases can be mitigated.

The new presence of social media will also allow for news in other countries to be reported by the countrymen and read all over the world, bringing eyes and ears to a new perspective. This brings all parts of the globe closer together and sheds light on issues from around the world, resulting in an elevated a sense of unity, and a feeling of inspiration and balance in the world.

unusual circumstance, and it made the possibility of presenting a dental plan motion at the Assembly a difficult and unprecedented issue. If the matter were to come to one conclusion at the Assembly and another in the referendum, the conclusions would conflict.

The plan lost roughly $50,000 this year and the changes were expected to eliminate the deficit. Nick Shorten, MSU VicePresident (Finance) explained that he has a contingency plan. “The 2005 [dental plan] referendum said that the fee can be up to, I believe, $110. That’s my limit if I want to raise it.” While this won’t provide as much relief as the $115 or $119 fees outlined in the current referendum, it will help.

Motions are due to Yaqubian on March 11 at noon. General Assembly will run from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on March 14.

Check the next issue of the Sil for post-event coverage.

Incumbent CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

SRA hopefuls attend an all-candidates meeting prior to campaigning on March 7.

SAM COLBERT

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

The Student Representative Assembly (SRA) is the legislative body of the MSU. Representatives are selected by academic devision. This year, an unusually high number of candidates have emerged. 50 students are competing for 31 seats.

The twelve-month term of successful candidates will begin April 1.

Engineering (5 seats) Abdelrahman, Salah Bot, Emily

Commerce (3 seats)

Science (6 seats)

New Candidate Social Sciences (6 seats)

Ahmad, Adnan

Al-Amad, Ahmad

Ali, Abdiwahab Bashi

Kim, Daniel

Daniel, Maria

Ali, Sarah

Knezic, Igor

Dhawan, Neha

Fram, Caroline

Mushtaha, Mahmoud

Jaideep, Dheria

Gandhi, Siddhesh

Shantz, Nadine

Mohamed, Fahad

Granat, Simon

Simoes, Sandi

Sharma, Melissa

Grewal, Ramneek

Somers, Andrea

Husain, Bilal

Yin, Charles

Kanani, Maya

Humanities (4 seats)

Dimen, Richard

Ayyash, Rana

Govardhanam, Vivek

Bifano, Lisa

Golendukhin, Astrik

Erl, Chris

Plati, Nicole

Ramirez, Alex

Hashmi, Owais

Kuzman, Tanya

Rathbone, Alasdair

Saeed, Huzaifa

Jamieson, Brian

Napeloni, Mel

Recoskie, Sebastian

Sayed-Rahman, Samira

Sahani, Mradul

Health Sciences (2 seats)

Kinesiology (2 seats)

Nursing (2 seats)

Toye Ojo, Andrew

Sayani-Mulji, Riaz (acclaimed)

Marlowe, Andrew (acclaimed)

Zuchowski, Shane

Wiener, Joshua (acclaimed)

Redick, Karina (acclaimed)

Metrailler, Jean-Marc

Sparrow, Ryan Arts & Science (1 seat) Campbell, David (accplaimed)

A6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

EDITORIAL

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

But where’s Assange?

Last week, the American Army charged Pfc. Brandon Manning with 22 new counts of treason. Manning was initially arrested and charged last summer when authorities attained information that he had allegedly smuggled tens of thousands of confidential military documents to Wikileaks.

Army prosecutors have extended to Manning the apparent courtesy of not pursuing the death penalty in his case but, for his alleged crimes, Manning is still facing life in prison. With his lawyers now pursuing a plea deal, it looks as though Manning will cop to traitorousness and go to the brig for a good long time.

And there are a glut of parties to blame for Manning’s dire situation. There is the Army, there are the lawyers, there are the US nationalist politicians calling for Manning’s head. There is even Manning himself. But there is also, quietly, Julian Assange.

Regarded as either a Messiah or a Judas alternately, Wikileaks founder Assange has been undeservedly inflated to giant-like status by both ends of the political spectrum, and that alone may cost Manning his freedom.

On one side, the American military will most likely make the case that Assange is an enemy of the state, which would make Manning a traitor for aiding Wikileaks. On the other side, Assange’s fans regard him as the singular mind behind the leaks and, as such, will not rally to Manning’s defence the way they did Assange’s.

Now, Julian Assange performs quite a service. He has risked his own well-being to break information barriers and bring open access to the truth. He is not the demonic figure the American government has made him out to be. But neither is he the benevolent hero of the people that many members of the observing public continue to revere. I would hesitate, even, to call him a journalist.

Assange is a service provider. He is the founder and operator of a medium. By way of being the face of his medium he has become the face of these document leaks, but he is not solely responsible for them. Assange would have nothing if it weren’t for his sources, the men and women who acquire and disseminate information to outlets like Wikileaks. The US Army recognizes that. In fact, they are holding Manning solely responsible; Assange has yet to be charged by the American military or government.

And so, living free and beloved, Assange will ride a wave of hero-worship ’til the day he dies. The US military, for its part, will survive the Wikileaks scandal, scarcely the worse for wear after having some of its secrets publicized. But Bradley Manning is now, and will forever be, alone in the middle of it all, not getting the recognition he deserves from those who laud Wikileaks, while also bearing the full brunt of blame from those who loath it.

If Assange truly were the superman he’s been made out to be, he would stand trial right next to Manning. He would not leave Manning to fend for himself. If Assange wants to revel in the glory of Wikileaks’ accomplishments, he must be prepared to take the heat of the fallout too. If Assange wants to preach freedom of expression and the right to leak secrets, he should do so in a courtroom, where it matters, where he can win, or at least go down swinging.

Maybe it’s fitting that Manning, the man who really made so many of the Wikileaks happen, will be the one who takes the fall. But it is a tragic, unfair irony that if defenders of Wikileaks would give Manning the same credit as the courts have, enough pressure might be applied so as to let him off. The rallying cry in support of Assange has been deafening, but it is Manning who needs their helping voices, Assange’s most of all.

•

The Silhouette McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

TheSil.ca

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

Silhouette Staff Kevin Elliott, ANDY Trevor Roach, ANDY Victor Pek, Sports Sandro Giordano, Ad Manager

PETER GOFFIN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

And this is why our top story matters: I want to take this opportunity to straighten out some details regarding our top story this week (“Will your vote count?” pg. A1). I know that in reading a story about bylaw violation and MSU Operating Policy it is very tempting to dismiss it all as nitpicking wankery. And, to be fair, a lot of bylaw talk is just that. But the knowing violation of MSU bylaw by the MSU’s own Chief and Deputy Returning Officers matters because the MSU is built on that nitpicking wankery. I don’t generally go in for big webs of rules, but when it comes to organizations like our Students Union, rules is all they’ve got. Without all the bylaw literature, the MSU is just a gaggle of 22,000 students who happen to go to the same school. If its officials start glossing over the odd bylaw, they hack at the very foundation of their own Union. It doesn’t really matter what the justifications are, they will still be destroying the MSU’s only means of existence.

It is absurd to justify your actions by saying you are still following one set of rules despite violating others. Rules are imagined guidelines. They are only as binding as you make them. If you want to start putting arbitrary precedents on some of them over others, it’s well within the realm of possibility, but it destroys the entire concept of rules itself.

And yes, Returning Officers Callen Clarke and Steven Thompson could potentially get away with violating bylaw and still run a valid election. If neither the Elections Committee nor the Electoral Appeal Board censures them, they most certainly will get away with it. But just because they can violate bylaw without consequence doesn’t mean they should. If you subscribe to the idea of principles – and considering we are at a dignified institution of higher learning, I sure as hell hope we all do – you follow the rules because it is the right thing to do, not because you might be punished if you don’t. And you follow the rules regardless of what excuses you can come up with. When you work for an organization like the MSU, you follow the rules because the rules are all you’ve got and it’s your job, above all else, to uphold them. That’s the way of the world. You get a job, you get a set of rules to follow, you do your damndest to follow those rules. And if you don’t, it’s your ass.

Now, I’m no judge or jury, I’m not here to hand out consequences. But I’d hope the parties involved in organizing this election recognize they have strayed from their responsibilities. I’d hope they, and you, the reader, recognize that even these nitpicky bylaws do absolutely matter.

•

Legal

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

YOU THERE! GET TYPING!

PETER GOFFIN EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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

TheSil.ca Actually, we sold the URL to raise money for an office pet. The website is gone, but we’re $28 away from that iguana. We’re waiting for ya, Iggy.

Write for the Silhouette e-mail thesil@thesil.ca or come down to MUSC B110

AND ALSO...

Tune in to the Sil’s radio show every Friday at 2 p.m. on CFMU, 93.3 on your dial, cfmu.msumcmaster.ca on the web.

to the triumphant return of Inadequate Man on pag A12. to the all burrito week. to the phoenix. to marble rye. to golden tee. to the useless weekend. to the dubbed version of what women want. oh helen hunt, you’re delightful in any language.

to the latest night so far. to sunshine at the end of my day. ooh, poetic. to “that’s what she said”: the lazy man’s ”can’t get no respect.” to earing out my voice recorder. stop giving me stories to cover. to the continuing popularity of “thumbs up, thumbs down.“ i just want to go home. to the heat.

Correction In last week’s issue of the Silhouette, an article entitled, “Quitting Facebook” appeared in the Opinions section.

It was credited to Katie Jansen when, in fact, the author’s name was Katie Jensen.

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

THE SILHOUETTE • A7

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

OPINIONS

production office extension: 27117 opinions@thesil.ca

Get the most out of school

CASSANDRA JEFFERY OPINIONS EDITOR

I have been a McMaster University student for over a year and what I have realized in my short time at this facility, is how little students are engaged with the content they are studying. Just out of high school, I always assumed some sort of direction. I knew I would attend a university and I knew that I would take full advantage of the opportunities presented to me; the opportunities I was paying six thousand dollars annually for.

However, it seems there are those students who are simply in university for the sake of being in university.

Whether it be for the atmosphere, the social aspects, or pleasing mom and dad, it seems as though students enrol into university in order to fit amongst a criteria within society, rather than for their own personal and educational gain. The standard norm in our western society is to obtain a higher education after high school. Does this mean students are eager to learn or just following societal normalities? Unfortunately, from my experience, it seems to be the latter.

I am not insinuating that all students who attend a university fall into this category, however when you are paying a substantial amount of cash and dedicating hours of your life to attend class, would it not make sense to fully submerge yourself into what the professor is teaching ?

Sure, there are always those classes which turn out to be incredibly dry, although in your second year and beyond, students should be learning material they are interested in. Material they want to attend class to hear.

As a Communications and English major, I genuinely enjoy the content I am learning and when other students, the ones that I am referring to now, rudely interrupt a lecture I feel inclined to speak up on the issue. Have you ever had a group of students sit behind you in lecture and obnoxiously discuss their epic, detailed version of what they did over the weekend? Perhaps you have experienced students who openly reject what the professor is lecturing, constantly referring to the material as ‘stupid’? And of course, there are always those students who just don’t understand what the professor is saying. Maybe it’s because he or she isn’t a good professor, but I somehow doubt that; there’s a reason why professors

acquire doctorates.

In my opinion, students are ignorant and have no inclination to study in their chosen field. Try paying attention and maybe you’ll know what’s going on.

Even worse then having to sit through a chattered filled class, is having to hear closed-minded students respond negatively to the material taught in lecture. Recently, in one of my Communications classes, an obviously deeply enthralled individual decides to voice his concern, but only loud enough so those lucky listeners sitting around him could hear him say “this is so stupid, what is she even talking about? This has nothing to do with Jimi Hendrix!” Thank you deeply enthralled student, I really appreciate your eager need to say ridiculous comments during, what I thought was, an interesting lecture. Maybe if you were paying attention twenty minutes prior to your idiotic statement, you would realize that in fact the professor is making perfect sense.

If you are to get anything out of your university career, especially within the Humanities, it should be the development of critical thinking skills. Students should be open-minded, and of course ask questions, however before you take it upon yourself to criticize a professor’s seemingly useless reference to Jimi Hendrix, take a minute and think outside the box.

Essentially, my question is why are these students here? If you have no interest in education, cannot find a goal to keep you focused and driven, cannot have an open mind, cannot asks intelligent, contextual questions during lecture, and most importantly cannot think critically of the world around you, then why are you wasting thousands of dollars on something that simply does not interest you?

Success in life depends on how much time and effort you are willing to put into something and if you are not fascinated by what you are learning then why continue with it; more importantly, why pay for it? I know what I want in life and I know I want a degree, however my education is hindered by those who, seemingly, couldn’t care less. In other words, don’t attend university because it seems like the right thing to do. Attend because you want to learn and because you can sit through a three hour lecture without bothering those engaged students You’re in university to educate yourself, so pay attention in lecture and don’t annoy your fellow peers. around you.

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Time wasted is time well spent ANDREW TEREFENKO SILHOUETTE STAFF

“Have you really been doing nothing all day?” A phrase I am subjected to far too often, when it is far from the reality of my situation. No, I did not sit in a corner, breathe and shut off my brain for twelve hours. In fact, I was enveloped in a hearty session of video games, and there is nothing wrong with that.

I can probably safely assume that at one time or another, everyone has been accused of wasting time, whether by someone else or themselves, but I am here to relieve them of that burden. Time cannot be wasted.

Whatever task you assign yourself to, as mundane or

productive as it may be, is a valid usage of time, because it is yours to allocate. Do not let someone tell you that you could make better use of your time, because no one can know the actual extensive value of whatever you are doing, in the larger scheme. It’s not a waste of time to be on Facebook for six hours, because that social network you are building could land you all the right connections for your dream job.

It’s not a waste of time to play video games, because you may be relieving yourself of stress that might have ultimately led to a mid40s heart attack. It is not a waste of time to research conspiracy theories on Wikipedia, because you may be humanity’s only hope when the

lizard men invade our culture from sure of, so chastising someone for within, and we are counting on you. watching Jersey Shore is not within

How we spend our time anyone’s authority. (The “because” for that one is, of course, because it teaches us boundless ways to approach the human condition It’s not a waste of through personal conflicts, and it time to play video taught me how to avoid posers.) games, because you

Obviously there are times where it is not apparent why there may be is value in, say, you watching paint relieving yourself of dry, but when you become the next stress that might have Vincent Van Gogh, it might have ultimately led to a been the most important influence in your life. mid-40s heart

I believe Bertrand Russell attack.” said it best when he told the world, “The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” in the present can have future Even if for some reason ramifications that we cannot be you aren’t having fun, enjoyment

can come in many forms, which itself can sometimes not be readily apparent. I may not have fun writing essays, but I get a keen sense of enjoyment knowing that I am contributing to the rest of my life in a very tangible way.

I just hope that the fear of “wasting time” does not prevent the world from utilizing its time in a way that puts fulfillment in the forefront.

Was it a waste of time when I sat in a corner and breathed for an hour prior to writing this? I would say no because it gave me the idea to write this opinion piece.

Well, that and it takes about an hour for lizard men to get into their human disguises, but that is beside the point. Ssssss.

[This Week in Opinions] Green-eyed monster

Finding Happiness

Global warming a hoax?

Like any other emotion, when dealing with jealousy, always stay true to your individual values.

Find what makes you happy in life and everything else will naturally fall into place.

A new theory has developed: apparently the world is not going to warm up. On the contrary, the earth is going to freeze over.

Pg. A9

Pg. A11

Pg. A8

A8 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Let’s all just learn The ugly green monster strikes again to take it easy EDWARD GULOIEN

the so-called totality by adjusting their environments to minimize their discomfort.

They must not have gotten Since we were very young we have been asked questions and presented the memo, because they can’t stop the cycle. The only thing they sucwith choices in our lives.

What do we want to do ceed in preventing is the experienwhen we grow up? What classes ces they actually enjoy participating should we take? What should we in. Hardly an efficient way to minido with the spare time in between? mize anxiety.

The feeling of control we What booze do we want to purchase for this weekend? What’s for dinner seem to strive for, possessed or lost, tonight? How am I going to get rid is really an illusion. By making of this rash before my date in 20 choices in a world with unpredictable patterns we are paddling minutes?

As you may already be against a current much more powerable to tell, making the proper deci- ful than us.

Sometimes we reach our sion when faced with these choices can be anxiety producing. Why? We destination, other times we get feel that we are in control and are swept away, far from our comfort responsible for how our lives play zones. Either way, we end up exhausted, stressed out. and without motiva When our tion to carry on. decisions work out When our

Realas planned, we are in bliss and we feel decisions work out izing control as an in total control of as planned, we are illusion allows us to unhinge it from our lives. We can account for any- in bliss and we feel our current state of thing and everyin total control of mind. We become thing and make our our lives. We can free to experience and enjoy the ride desires happen at account for anything without the urges will.

But we’ve and everything.” to avoid or change them. all heard the saying

We can “shit happens.” It worry less about the refers to the fact that there are variables that exist choices we feel responsible for and beyond our knowledge and control. we can relax for once. We can stop They are unexpected, seemingly rehashing all the things that didn’t random events that smack us upside go our way and live a regret-free, the head, knock us off our path easygoing life.

I can see why religion nuts and leave us dizzy and wandering around for the pleasant trail we once believe so strongly in fate. It accomplishes essentially the same refollowed.

We sit and wonder without laxation and respect for experience purpose, desperately searching for with one addition: the assurance of the missing piece that will reinstate the Divine plan that everything will our oh-so-content lives. If we are work out.

This, I am not so sure lucky, we find it and regain our about due to the lack of evidence, sense of control.

That is, until the next time both for and against. But the underthe fecal matter hits the proverbial lying notion remains the same: No fan. It’s an ongoing cycle of totality worries, man. You’ll get there one way or the other, so feel free to and void.

Control freaks maintain enjoy the ride.

OPINION

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

When the ugly, green jealousy monster is on your back, make sure to stay true to your values.

NICHOLE FANRA SILHOUETTE STAFF

Identity: Envy. Created By: God. Last Known Location: The Soul.

First Appearance: Second day of kindergarten when little Cindy Lou brought Oreos and all you had were Fibre bars. Powers: Destruction of lives, eats away at souls, etc. Team Affiliations: Hate, anger, rage. As Seen In: The destruction of friendships, intimate relationships, and general bonds of any kind. Interesting Fact: It can devour you from the inside out.

Bio: Jealousy is the ultimate evil-doer in society, masquerading as an emotion inside of our hearts. Like a darkness that consumes our soul, jealousy has the potential to devour your morals and make you do things you would otherwise recognize as wrong. It holds the power to manipulate the innocence of life into a monstrosity.

If handled correctly, jealousy can be quite useful. It can help you survive situations, overcome obstacles, and overall, help you develop into a stronger person.

Jealousy sprouts from the seed of distrust. If you think about it, it’s kind of true. If you trust a person fully and completely, why would you feel the need, for example, to be jealous of their relationship with someone else? Is it what they do behind your back that gets under your skin? Or it could be the idea of being compared to a mystery person. When you don’t have pure trust, jealousy can exist.

It is to say, though, that pure trust

cannot exist. We constantly guess and second guess relationships. So is jealousy always present then?

Jealousy can also stem from selfishness, which is why I believe it is so prominent in children.

Kids tend to have a lack of empathy, and so therefore, when you don’t understand the situation of the person next to you, you might just fall into this nasty habit. Empathy is so important when dealing with jealousy because it is this crucial understanding that will allow you to move on from jealousy and to the appropriate emotion to deal with whatever issue is plaguing you.

However, jealousy itself is not bad. It is what we do with it that makes it destructive. The understanding that you are feeling jealous can open your mind to a realization that you want something. If the sight of something makes you green with envy, then bingo, we have found a trigger. Something has finally caught your attention and it’s time to get your ambition on and go grab it. But, there are times when you have to make peace with the fact that something is unattainable.

It is making this healthy distinction that can save you from a lot of personal destruction.

There is the other issue of not dealing with jealousy at all. Equally dangerous, if left unaccounted for, jealousy will grow.

When it sits, it is constantly in the back of your mind, like an aneurysm waiting to explode. When that other person does something to remind you of it, it burns on the back of your throat like a vampire

determined to feed, and suddenly, you have no choice other than to acknowledge it.

Moving on from the realm of you, what about when jealousy is spotted in someone else? Sometimes, if your eye is quick enough, you can catch this almost sceptical, judgemental look in the other’s face.

Plan your next move wisely before moving forward when dealing with this, unless you’re just an extremely honest person that puts everything on the table when it ought to be.

Keep in mind that the one thing that destroys jealousy is selfrespect. Jealousy is the feeling of inferiority to someone or something else. If you can take pride in yourself and your life, then there is absolutely no need to be jealous. Sincerity is the key.

Genuine knowledge of the self will allow you to make the decision that is right for you. When you do this, it suddenly begs everyone else around you to look at their own life and realize what it means to be your own person.

Even when a relationship is over, jealousy is something that still affects you. If life doesn’t look like what you think it should, then change it. Stop waiting for the right moment; stop looking around at the beautiful people who had the courage to do something about it.

Stand up for yourself and realize that as you change, your surroundings will too, and as you adapt to respecting yourself, others will as well. Now perhaps this ugly green giant will stop following you around.

THE SILHOUETTE • A9

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

What is happiness and where can I find some?

JASMINE KEILLOR

What makes you happy?

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trying to figure out who I am and what I’m doing with my life, that I’ve kind of forgotten the meaning of the word. It also occurred to When I was small and the world was big and me that fun has a lot to do with living in the life was but a series of butterfly chases and moment – another skill I seem to be lacking holes dug to China in my backyard, I never these days. questioned who I was or what my life was When I was a tiny tot, fun came easy all about. Sometimes I’d hear adults talking and I never cared about what I did or said. I about such things as finding one’s self or self- wasn’t worried about what other people were discovery but I was never quite able to grasp thinking about me, wasn’t nervous about the concept behind these words. making a bad impression, wasn’t concerned

I am Jasmine, I would think to that one wrong word might fly out of my myself, I have blond hair, green eyes, I like mouth the wrong way and throw my entire bumble bees, bubbles and cherry pie. What social existence off kilter. Ahhh the joys of else is there to know? As the years went by growing up. Such important worries that and I grew bigger and smarter, the premise consume us (or me a least). It is thus that I of this question began to appear to me more concluded that quite probably the problem at and more complex. I began to realize, with the heart of all my problems is the fact that great astonishment and a hint of dismay, that I’m thinking much too much, I’m worrying the entire existence of a human being cannot much more then need be, and as a result I am be summed up by a liking for insects, bubbles slowly but surely driving myself crazy. and pie. In fact, there is a lot more to know.

We are living in a society where

With the beginning social status and social of high school and the surge I began to realize, identity mean everything or adolescence, I struggled and in our desperate attempts with great with overwhelming shyness to fit in and be somebody, we as I tried desperately to find astonishment and a are losing the very thing that my place amongst my peers. I hint of dismay, that so many of us set out to find wanted to know where I fit in. in the first place: our genuine I wanted to know who I was. I the entire existence selves. I think that if we searched long and hard to find of a human being take heed from the carefree an answer to these questions. cannot be summed days of our childhood and I searched for myself in sports realize that we don’t have to up by a liking for try so hard to conform to a and I walked away with shin splints. I sought to define insects, bubbles, and specific idea of who we think myself with perfect grades, we should be, then who we pie.” perfect hair, perfect cloths, but really are will fall nicely into still, I didn’t find what I was place. looking for. After some time it occurred to me I think that the question of who we that perhaps I was searching in all the wrong are as individuals will continue to remain places. a complex one, and we will continue to

One day in a particular, ardent bout change and grow from day to day and year of teenage angst and soul searching, I asked to year. I think the key here is not to worry my mom “What is the most important thing too much. Not to over think it. To enjoy life in life?” “Happiness” She replied; and so I and appreciate all the little moments. And in stormed away to ponder this awhile. It didn’t doing so hopefully happiness will assume its take me long to realize that this is probably the rightful role. greatest answer anyone could have given me; But wait a minute, what is happiness however inevitably it also brought on a whole anyways? Happiness is not something that new stream of philosophies and questions, can be explained easily. It’s not difficult to such as What is happiness and where can find. It’s not hidden somewhere, at the bottom I find some please? And so at the eager, of a drawer or under your bed. Happiness is confused age of eighteen years old, standing there all along and it is all around you. Like on the brink of adulthood but not quite ready most things in life, it’s all about perspective. to take the leap, I looked back with envy and Stop worrying so much about who you are longing at the simple contented state of mind and the meaning of life, and all those other that underlay my existence all those years ago important things, and you might just stumble and I tried to figure out exactly what it was across it. This is when I think to myself, so that made my little clock tick. One word came what if I don’t know exactly who I am and to mind: fun. exactly where I’m going. Life is sweet and

It occurred to me that I’m so busy someday I will find my place.

SILHOUETTE INTERN

“Having a balance between my social life and my academic life.”

Marlie Valencia

“My dog.”

Alaina Butler

“The least amount of time spent studying.”

Kyle Goodenough

“Spending quality time with friends.”

John Peel

“Depends on my mood.”

Palwasha Temor

Compiled by Cassandra Jeffery and Christopher Chang

A10 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

THE SILHOUETTE • A11

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Wisconsin crisis is blueprint Global warming? I’m more for Harper’s regime worried about freezing ERIC WILLIAMS OPINION

It would be fair to say that most of us are not paying any attention to Wisconsin politics on a regular basis, but it is time to tune in.

Here’s the back-story. Wisconsin’s Governor Scott Walker and the majority Republicans had run on a series of ambiguous slogans that could be readily adapted as a mandate for extreme policies that citizens might not have directly supported. The current crisis in their state capital was constructed by calculating conservatives who pushed through tax cuts for corporations and the ultra-rich in order to manufacture a budget shortfall.

Because it would be unthinkable to reverse these tax cuts, the only other possible solution, the one they had always wanted to push through, was a policy of massive cuts to pensions and social services, along with permanently declawing the public sector unions. Basically they want to rollback labour rights to the 1930s, and eliminate the New Deal in Wisconsin.

If this story sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it many times before.

Former President Ronald Reagan used rising deficits to a similar effect during his tenure.

In Canada, we’ve seen these tactics expertly used by Stephen Harper, Mike Harris, and more recently, by Toronto’s new mayor, Rob Ford. Ford won with reactionary politics, and in his current budget, laid the seeds for next years planned fiscal crisis.

Candidates take power with ambiguous platforms that are highly rhetorical and reactionary. Victors enact fiscal policies, which exacerbate or cause a budget crisis that is used to justify drastic reforms.

Along with deregulating markets, minimizing labour rights, and privatizing government services, a crucially important aspect of neo-conservative politics is creating massive government deficits. Not only can it be used to justify drastic cuts to the social welfare, it also ensures that future administrations, left beholden to banks with crushing debt, will be unable to initiate any socialist reversal. Massive debt locks them into a fiscal policy that starves the poor, while enriching banks and corporations.

We steal from tomorrow’s health and education so that we can buy F-35s fighter jets today. This debt is an unfair form of inter-generational taxation, a tax burden on the unborn. That’s what is happening in Wisconsin, in Toronto, in Ottawa, and in Washington.

While the mainstream news

routinely defends the insatiable greed of Wall Street, teachers are outrageously vilified as freeloading deadbeats, whose exorbitant salaries are as draining to the public purse as they are undeserved.

The unabashed hypocrisy shown by critics of the Wisconsin Strikers was highlighted on the March 3 episode of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Stewart repeatedly contrasted the rabid attack against Wisconsin teachers against even more rabid defence of the fiscal sector profiteers who catalyzed the great market crisis of 2008.

It’s sickening and troubling, and it makes democracy seem like a sham. Again and again, we see major social strife being caused when a handful of selfish individuals and companies decided that their financial needs and entitlement was more important that the welfare of the entire nation. Something has to change.

In a recorded prank call, Governor Walker admitted considering using plants in the Wisconsin strike to make the protesters appear violent. The Governor described this as a tricky play, for the agent provocateurs had to be agitating enough to make the protesters look bad, but not to the point where an arrest was required, as an ensuing trial might reveal the entire plot. Don’t believe me? The entire conversation has been posted on YouTube, and was widely acknowledged.

Are things any different here?

Harper’s regime ran emphatically on accountability and transparency and has since worked tirelessly to obfuscate inconvenient truths, and shirk responsibility for their policies. When the next Federal election is called, pay close attention to how much debt has been run up by Harper’s administration, and whom they blame for the damage they’ve caused (hint: the Liberals).

Neo-conservatism is sophistry designed to swindle the state, while enriching a select few. A situation where a tiny fraction of the population is consuming more than two-thirds of our resources is simply unsustainable. You can see this issue coming to a head in Wisconsin. It’s time to take sides.

Will you side with the middle class masses, who are out defending our welfare?

Or will you sell out and swear allegiance to corporate oligarchs, hoping to catch a salty splash of trickle down treasure?

Think of it as an economic Pascal’s Wager.

Sure you might be a billionaire and cash in, but why not put your chips in with the rest of humanity, and vote for a fairer, more ethical state that looks after the disadvantaged as well as the decadent.

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Which conspiracy do you believe-- is the world going to heat up or cool down?

EDWARD GULOIEN

raged for test and assignment extensions, and people who didn’t have to drive anywhere went about their daily life as usual. Do you It had been on my mind over the past few really want that to happen again? Because it years, ever since I heard all the chat on what would be like that, only two or three or four Al Gore’s movie made. I had a blind belief times worse across the global. that global warming had cursed us all. It We’re probably going to die with our seemed there was nothing to do but wait until tongues stuck to space heaters clutched in our it decided to smite us with its vengeful fists of grasping hands. Icicles will hang from our magma and heat rash. eyebrows.

I was so naive. I

We’ll wish we never took everything those tricky listened to Al Gore. We’ll scientists said as eagerly as It turns out that we wish we increased the amount a toddler grasping for cheap of greenhouse gases we were are on the edge of dumping into the atmosphere. chocolate and pixie sticks.

Little did I know there falling into an ice Then, we will realize that was a threat of equivalent warming was not a age. Apparently we global proportions coming from problem, but a solution. It was the opposite side of the are well overdue for our last hope for human life thermometer. It turns out that one and the whole in the 21st century, our Luke we are on the edge of falling world is going to go Skywalker. into an ice age.

But, instead of dying Day After

Apparently we are with regret, I propose we put well overdue for one and the all our efforts into doing the Tomorrow.” whole world is going to go opposite of whatever global Day After Tomorrow. Except warming enthusiasts say. That this blizzard is going to take a slightly longer way we can combat the ever-looming ice ages time period than one day to overrun us. A few and take them out before they even get here. tens-of-thousands of years would be a little So, bring on the Sunday drives. more accurate.

No more carpooling. Hell, even let your car

But let’s not quibble over the details, idle for minutes on end. Water your lawn too we’ll split the difference and say the ice age much. Leave all your lights on in the house is coming in about 10 years. and make sure you’re using only incandescent

Holy crap, 10 years? That’s even or halogen bulbs. sooner than scientists predict global warming Do your laundry at peak times. Eat is going to turn us into mashed potatoes. Yes, lots of beans and don’t be afraid to fly your it’s clear now what the real threat to humanity flatulence flag, it’s for human kind after all. is. You saw what happened a few weeks ago And don’t forget to swing by my house and when Hamilton got a foot of snow. take out my garbage Monday morning, the

McMaster freaked out, the students pile is getting pretty big.

OPINION

A12 • THE SILHOUETTE

SpeculatoR The Hamilton

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

INSIDE THE SPECULATOR

Ultrasound images.

So that’s where my ring went.

Thursday, March 10, 2011 F Sniffing your unmentionables since 1930 .

Fugitive dentist found in Argentina

A Harlequin romance

by Buck Horowitz

Toothsome war criminal missing for sixty years

SAL “MEATBALL“ MARINARA

Authorities apprehended the man who tickled Goebbels’ gums.

BUCK HOROWITZ SPECULATOR

Apprehended in Argentina this week was Werner Baedeker, a wanted war criminal and the only orthodontist to have faced charges at the Nuremburg tribunals. Baedeker, now 92, was the Nazi party’s official dentist between 1936 and 1945 and is said to have overseen the building of the Fuhrer’s night-time retainer.

Dr. Baedeker surrendered to American troops outside of Berlin in May of 1945, believing he would be granted immunity in exchange for his dental x-rays of Herman Goering. Baedeker, however, was imprisoned and brought up on charges of war crimes instead once Allied intelligence closed their dental file and moved on to a footrelated project.

Nuremburg prosecutors alleged that the orthodontist had been complicit in the Nazi high command’s plans, as leader of the SS DDS. Throughout his arduous three-month trial, Baedeker maintained that he had merely been following orders to fill the cavities of Germany’s leaders, and had only been an unwitting cog in the Nazi war machine. “They had a really good dental plan,” he told the court.

“I had no choice.”

His defence was finally brought down with damning testimony by Rudolf Hess, that Baedeker had systematically given

M n a e t Inade qua Ret urns

subpar caps to the molars of Allied prisoners during the course of the Second World War and forcing many to wear embarrassing headgear which made them look silly in the eyes of their peers. Baedeker’s insistence that Hess was framing him in retribution for braces that had left the Deputy Fuhrer with an underbite fell on deaf ears and the orthodontist was sentenced to death by root canal.

But Baedeker cheated his captors, tunnelling out of his cell with floss and a plaque scraper, and escaping to South America by steamship while disguised as his wife’s miniature schnauzer. He then disappeared for 64 years.

For decades, rumours circulated that Baedeker had been taken in by the Soviet Union for the purpose of fixing the gap between Jospeh Stalin’s bottom six and seven. Another version of the story said he had been given asylum by the American government and was fixing the teeth of Apollo astronauts.

This last rumour was debunked by John Glen in 1973, however, when he revealed that he still had his wisdom teeth.

Baedeker was finally apprehended Buenos Aires where he was earning a living selling palate spacers to tourists at the airport. He will be removed to the Hague where he will stand trial for crimes against dentistry.

As dusk settled over the flame-red sky, Annie was standing at the sink washing dishes. She stared longingly out the window over the sink as she tenderly dried each plate and slipped it into the voluptuous drying rack. She had a lot on her mind, and yet it was her body that needed the most attention. What with Pa’s illness and all the work it had taken to keep the farm afloat, she hadn’t known the touch of a man in nearly two years. Just as Annie let out a deep breathy sigh, one of the relatively less rugged farm hands entered through the back door and cleared his throat in a slightly nasal tone, catching Annie’s attention.

“Hello?”

“Miss?”

“Oh it’s you. You’re the boy from the fields. The one who falls down a lot.”

“That is true, Miss.”

“Call me Annie, farm hand. And what may I call you?”

“People around these parts call me Inadequate Man,” said Inadequate Man.

As he blew some pollen from his nose, Inadequate Man slid across the kitchen towards Annie. Dusk had given way to night, and the sky was as black as Annie’s hair. By the dim light of the ceiling lamp, Inadequate Man’s scattered facial hairs were a quite visible dusty brown.

Timidly, Annie turned back around to dry the rest of the dishes, but no sooner had she done so than Inadequate Man skittered up behind her and, placing his arms around her waist, drew her in close.

“I must have you, Amy,” he whispered in her ear.

“Annie,” said Annie, coyly wiping the spittle out of her ear. She had that “come-hither” look in her eyes, he had a “what’s that itch?” look in his, and after a minute of staring blankly at her, Inadequate Man made his move. He kissed her, hard. On the nostril at first and then, passionately, on the ear.

Within seconds, the couple were tearing each others’ clothes off with careless abandon, stopping only for Inadequate Man to cut Annie out of her brassiere with a kitchen knife, and then again when he got his head caught in is sweater.

The moon, now fully risen and shining through the kitchen window, glistened off the reedy hairs on Inadequate Man’s neck.

“Yake me. I’m tours,” he panted, vaulting toward Annie.

“Um, okay,” she replied. “Do you have a...”

“Government approved I.D.? Um, no I...”

“No, I mean protection. We can’t... I mean, I’m not on...”

“No, right, of course.”

Twenty minutes later, having returned from the drug store and stripped back down to his torn jockeys, Inadequate Man advanced on Annie, pushing her against the kitchen counter.

“Am I in?”

“You’re sort of i- NO! NOT THERE!”

“Oh, sorry. Wait, how about now?”

“Yeah, okay, you’ve got it.”

Coiled around her like an oddly hairy garden hose, Inadequate Man made semi-athletic love to Annie, as his mouth probed her collar bone and his hands ran gingerly over her armpit.

Two and a half minutes later, exhausted and spent, Inadequate Man back on the floor, spread-eagle, unsheathing himself to the open air of the kitchen.

“So…” said Annie, her skin recoiling in speedy waves, her clothes shooting back on like cotton bullets.

“That was interesting.”

“Boy was it ever!” beamed Inadequate Man. “A new record!”

‘’No, I mean, it was –“

“Inadequate?”

“Well, yeah,”

“You’re welcome. Do you want a smoke?”

“You’re blowing bubbles out of a pink plastic pipe.”

“Real smoke inflames my lymph nodes.”

“Alright, well, listen I.M., thanks for the great 180 seconds but I’m going to get going. I’ve decided that life alone and untouched on this dirt farm is not the worst I can do. And that greedy detestable land developer offering to buy my land in exchange for being his wife doesn’t seem so bad anymore either. I guess I owe you my thanks.”

“Think nothing of it, Amy. For wherever there is trouble, wherever a woman is contemplating playing the field, I’ll be there. Wherever a man is being compared to other potential suitors, I’ll be there. Wherever my subpar physique, unstimulating conversation, and disappointing sexual performance can be used to fight evil, I’ll be there. For I, am Inadequate Man!”

When Inadequate Man finished his diatribe, he was alone in the kitchen, the breeze coming in through the open back door hitting the strange lumps and unexpected mounds on his naked body. Over the gentle rush of air and the creaking of the June bugs, could be heard a faint cry, “My name is Annie, you asshole. My name is Annie.”

“What Did You Learn This Week, Timmy?”

“I learned that after the eighth time, it kinda starts to go dead.”

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

THE SILHOUETTE • B1

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

SPORTS

Men’s Volleyball

Squash

Lessons learned out West

Mac squash rookie takes national championship FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

The Marauders came away from the CIS Championship in Langley, BC with a sixth-placed finish and valuable experience.

FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

This past weekend, the McMaster Marauders’ successful season finally came to an end at the CIS National Championships.

The Marauders, representing the OUA on the national stage after winning the conference title the previous weekend in London, won one of their three contests over the course of the threeday event.

McMaster opened the tournament, hosted by the Trinity Western Spartans at their home gym in Langley, BC, with a four-set loss in their quarterfinal tilt against the Brandon Bobcats (25-15, 25-19, 21-25, 25-15). That early setback placed the Marauders in the consolation round, where they salvaged a four-set decision against the UNB Varsity Reds (25-22, 23-25, 25-16, 25-16) to earn themselves a Sunday opportunity in the fifth-place match.

There, the OUA champions met the surprisingly unseated Alberta Golden Bears – a perennial favourite at the year-end event – in their tournament-ending contest.

Despite a spirited effort, the Marauders could not overcome the superior line-up of the Albertans, and dropped a four-set decision to the Golden Bears to finish sixth amongst the weekend’s competitors (25-22, 25-23, 22-25, 25-18).

McMaster began their account at the national championships with a daunting quarterfinal against a team renowned for its offensive prowess. The Bobcats boast the most fearsome hitter in the country in the form of Australian-born left side Paul Sanderson, who was complemented by his equally capable outside partner Kevin Miller.

If the Marauders were to advance to the semi-finals, they would need to effectively shut down this Brandon tandem. But Miller in particular proved to be unstoppable

on Friday afternoon.

The veteran right side converted 24 of his 37 hitting attempts in the Brandon victory, which translated to an ultra-efficient hitting rate of 57 per cent. Sanderson meanwhile contributed 17 kills of his own, and added two free points from the service line.

The discrepancy in competition between the OUA champions and their Manitoban opponents was evident from the first rally, and the quicker and more deceptive Bobcats routinely outdid the Marauders. McMaster largely turned to its own outsides, Kevin Stevens and Shayne Petrusma to respond, but the Marauders’ hitters simply could not compete.

In the aftermath of the quarterfinal loss, the Marauders’ head coach Dave Preston acknowledged that his team had been unprepared to deal with the speed and skill Brandon had to offer on Friday afternoon.

“I thought that going into it, we were pretty prepared,” said Preston. “We weren’t familiar enough though. We weren’t familiar enough with their speed and their physical presence.”

The coach admitted that match practice against a team of Brandon’s calibre was lacking, despite the Marauders’ trip to California and preseason experiences against Calgary and Laval.

“I would have liked to have played a team like that a few more times to get familiar for our guys.

They outmatched us physically and it took us two sets to catch up. We pushed back but they responded the next set.”

Despite the loss, Preston was impressed by the way his squad defended once they become thoroughly engaged in the contest by the third set.

“I thought that when we • PLEASE SEE CANADA, B5

The McMaster Marauders’ squash team continues to post impressive results, and one member of the maroon and grey in particular is turning heads at the highest levels.

The Marauder’s women’s contingent participated in the Canadian University and College Squash Championships at the University of Toronto this past weekend.

Here, first-year Marauder Shauna Wentzell enjoyed a standout performance, winning the women’s premier ‘A’ Division.

She accomplished that feat by dealing a 3-1 defeat to the Varsity Blues’ competitor Dariah Shamin.

The Marauders would similarly take hold of the ‘C’ Division through Melissa Song, who clinched the division win with a full five-set victory.

A few weeks ago, the women’s squad showed signs of the progress that would propel them to prominence at the Canadian Championships in Toronto.

The Marauder women competed in the epically named Dread Cup at the White Oaks Resort in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and went on to dominate the competition.

The maroon and grey would win the ‘A’ Division through the efforts of the Quebec-born Kristina Taylor, who bested the Western Mustangs’ Samantha Henning over the course of five close games.

The Marauders would lay an even more impressive beating on their competitors in the ‘B’ Division, with their second and thirdseeded athletes advancing to face one another in the divisional championship series.

Here, the aforementioned Shauna Wentzell and Albertan teammate Katie Buck battled each other in an all-McMaster match, with Buck getting the best of her compatriot in three consecutive games.

With these results behind them, the Marauders appear fully ready to achieve at the highest level in next weekend’s OUA Championships.

Men’s Basketball

Wilson Cup an early dose of March Madness BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

When it was announced the OUA Men’s Basketball Championship would be held at McMaster’s Burridge Gym, there were whispers of concern about fan attendance and event attention. The event was in town at the insistence of The Score, who broadcast the game to a national audience. But with teams coming from as far away as Thunder Bay and Ottawa, would enough fans pack the gym?

It turned out to be a moot point. Thousands of fans witnessed CIS basketball at its best as the Lakehead Thunderwolves triumphed in a wild weekend of March Madness-like hoops.

The Thunderwolves, ranked No. 6 in the country, beat

the previously-undefeated No. 1 Carleton Ravens 77-62 in front of a packed gym to capture their firstever Wilson Cup.

It was a big step for a program that had won just six games two seasons ago, and just one a year before that.

“I think it means we’ve arrived,” said Wolves coach Scott Morrison. “It’s been a long time since we were this high up, and it’s a great accomplishment for us, but I hope it’s just the start of a number of times we get to do this over the next few years.”

While it was a massive win for Lakehead, it was just as shocking a loss for the seemingly invincible Ravens.

“They wanted it more, we • PLEASE SEE OUA, B4

PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

The Carleton Ravens look on in disbelief as the Lakehead Thunderwolves claim OUA gold.

[This Week in Sports] No takeoff for Jets This week’s editorial examines the ongoing relocation saga surrounding the Phoenix Coyotes, and cautions against Winnipeg optimism.

Pg. B2

Profiling a quarterback

Championship in photos

The Meet a Marauder feature makes its comeback as Victor Pek interviews the Marauders’ star quarterback Kyle Quinlan.

Pg. B4

The Wilson Cup OUA basketball championship is retold through photos of the weekend Final Four action at the Burridge Gym.

Pg. B6

B2 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

THE SKINNY

What You Need To Know This Week In Sports Sports Editorial

No one’s winning in the ‘Peg FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

A new chapter in an age-old hockey saga is unfolding right now, and it’s one that is very familiar to anyone who enjoys puck-on-ice and happens to live in the Hammer.

You guessed it sports fans: it’s NHL relocation frenzy time once again. And don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m not getting too giddy.

This year’s edition of the seemingly annual Canadian relocation lottery centres on Winnipeg, the onetime home of the Jets. ***

The Manitoban capital enjoyed professional hockey in one league or another beginning in 1972, when the Jets were conceived as one of the foundational squads of the fledgling World Hockey Association.

Indeed, Winnipeg was the darling of that ill-fated organization, luring the legendary Bobby Hull from the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks with the promise of a then-astronomical $1 million contract. Oh how times have changed.

With the “Golden Jet” anchoring a forward line with super Swedes Anders Hedberg and Ulf Nilsson, the Manitobans claimed three WHA championships in the mid-70s. Things were looking up for the Prairie outfit.

But then the World Hockey Association folded. Having resisted the indelible power of the NHL and maintained their spirited alternative organization for seven seasons, the league could no longer survive by 1979.

The WHA closed its doors, and the Winnipeg Jets were absorbed into the National Hockey League alongside three of their peers. ***

The transition to the NHL was not the most seamless of moves, but the Jets nonetheless plodded along for the next 17 years, posting many admirable regular season results along the way.

Of course, with the playoff format what it was in the 1980s, with opening rounds being divisional in nature, Winnipeg often got the short end of the post-season stick.

Because in order for its talented but overmatched squad to advance out of its region, it frequently had to take on two of the most powerful teams of the decade, the Calgary Flames and the vaunted Edmonton Oilers of Wayne Gretzky and company.

Needless to say, the Jets made little noise in the playoffs, being repeatedly beaten down by the Oiler behemoth that quickly turned into one of the greatest dynasties in North American professional sports. ***

But another development was even more worrying for the Winnipeg brass. As the decade of hair-metal and atrocious perms rolled over into that of grunge and presidential fellatio, something was changing in the world of hockey: players were getting more expensive.

Recall that it had been the Jets who had made a splash in the year of their inception, offering their marquee WHA signing Bobby Hull what was considered at that time the staggering sum of $1 million. In fact, the deal had been so costly, that the WHA had passed around the proverbial collection plate amongst its member clubs to subsidize it.

But since that bombshell in 1972, player salaries in the NHL, and indeed in professional sports as a whole, had risen steadily. And in the early 90s in particular, that trend was exploding upwards.

For example, the highest paid player in 1989 was Mario Lemieux, whose team in Pittsburgh was shelling out $2 million for his services. By 1996, this ceiling figure had tripled, with three different players earning at least $6 million per year (Wayne Gretzsky, Mark Messier, and Keith Tkachuk).

In this climate of financial excess, and with the loonie falling faster and further than Charlie Sheen’s career, the tiny market of Winnipeg could no longer compete. With the team leaking money and struggling to find corporate partners, the Jets were sold and moved to Phoenix after the 1995-1996 season. ***

Since then, the rebranded Coyotes have lived a quiet existence in the NHL’s Western Conference, having failed to advance past the opening round of the playoffs to this point in their rather short and uneventful history.

And now, with the team’s fan support seemingly more arid than the desert state’s climate, the relocation buzzards have begun to circle Phoenix. Sure, this saga is not a particularly new one. Indeed, the Coyotes were the subject of wild speculation last season, as RIM owner Jim Balsillie attempted to strong arm a deal that would see the squad land in Hamilton.

But the Blackberry-toting Balsillie offended the wrong people, and took aim at the very pint-sized dictator whose country club he was trying to join. The end result saw Gary Bettman finessing the buying of the team by the NHL, and the Waterloo billionaire returning to doing what he does best: institutionalizing attention-deficit disorder and carpal tunnel.

But the league’s ownership of the Phoenix franchise is to be only a one-year deal, with the understanding that a private buyer for the bankrupt outfit is right around the corner. And this is where Winnipeg comes in. ***

After all, as the many advocates of a Manitoban return for the one-time Jets argue, the prairie metropolis offers exactly what the Arizona market cannot.

Winnipeg boasts a hockey-crazed fan base, and offers immediate and intense rivalries with other regional squads in the Western Canadian cities of Edmonton and Calgary. Games at the MTS Centre would undoubtedly be passionate and well-attended affairs.

In addition several financial considerations seem to have changed in Winnipeg’s favour. The obstacle of a floundering loonie is no longer a problem, as the Canadian dollar has come to match, and even eclipse, the value of the greenback. And with the instrument of the salary cap in place, the NHL is supposedly small market friendly on an unprecedented level.

But despite all of this, I remain unconvinced that we will see a triumphant return of the Winnipeg Jets. ***

Firstly, many underestimate the extent to which Gary Bettman will fight to keep the Coyotes franchise in Phoenix. Not only would relocation cause a headache for the league, it would constitute a serious challenge to Bettman’s long-time business plan.

For years, Bettman has championed the growth of hockey in the southern United States, to penetrate vast television markets in the heartland of the Confederacy. For the commissioner to allow Winnipeg to reclaim a club moved for that very reason would be to admit the failure of his principal strategy. Suddenly, his position becomes a whole lot less tenable.

But beyond the machinations of hockey’s own Little General, Winnipeg remains questionable on its own merits. Regardless of the area’s passion for hockey, the Manitoban capital remains a dangerously small market in a business involving ridiculous sums of money. ***

Consider that if it were to be readmitted into the world of North America’s major professional sports, Winnipeg would stand as the second smallest market in the Big Four (NHL, NBA, MLB, and NFL) behind only Green Bay, Wisconsin.

In addition, the MTS Centre, the proposed home of the returned Winnipeg franchise, would be the smallest arena in use in the NHL with a capacity of 15,000. And while the existing salary cap would unquestionably help the Manitobans to compete, a franchise in Winnipeg would undoubtedly hover near the bottom of the league’s pay scale.

Ultimately, while the NHL may have changed since 1996, the harsh realities of the Winnipeg market have not. And so, while hockey-starved fans dig out their White Out gear across the prairies, I will remain unmoved by developments in Arizona.

Would a successful franchise in another Canadian centre be a positive development? Yes. Is it likely to happen? Unfortunately not.

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

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

Male Performance of the Week

Tyson Alexander - Volleyball

At their last competitive event of the season, the Marauders’ sophomore middle hitter Tyson Alexander showed considerable poise. In McMaster’s Saturday match against UNB at CIS Championships, Alexander notched a game-high of 19 points, including 12 kills.The middle also defended admirably to tally 10 block assists in the win.

PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Female Performance of the Week

Shauna Wentzell - Squash A first-year newcomer to the Marauder fold, Wentzell made the best of first impressions this past weekend. Competing in the Canadian National Championship event at the University of Toronto, Wentzell won the women’s ‘A’ Division with a 3-1 decision over the Varsity Blues’ Dariah Shamin.

PHOTO C/O JESSIE BARRETT

Top 5

Failed Sports Franchises 1. Any American CFL Franchise

2. Atlanta Flames (NHL)

3. Vancouver Grizzlies (NBA)

4. Phoenix Coyotes (NHL)

5. Montreal Expos (MLB)

THE SILHOUETTE • B3

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

MEET A

MARAUDER

Kyle Quinlan

VICTOR PEK

SILHOUETTE STAFF

Lining up behind centre for the football Marauders is Kyle Quinlan, a special talent who played a major role in keeping the team on the winning track in 2010. Despite a flurry of injuries that plagued the roster last season, Quinlan was a model of consistency. He posted impressive numbers in all passing categories and also proved to be a legitimate rushing threat. The Sil’s Victor Pek got a chance to fire some questions at the third-year player and learn a little bit more about one of the OUA’s top quarterbacks.

Victor Pek: Who has had the most profound influence on you during your time at Mac? Kyle Quinlan: I’m going with the obvious answer in [coach Stefan] Ptzasek, but for good reason. He has the best offensive mind in the CIS as well as a great ability to share his perspective of the game with our players and coaching staff.

It is really important to thoroughly understand the offence that you run as a quarterback, and coach P has made me feel confident in executing the game plan each week. This was one of the main reasons I committed to Mac, and he has more than lived up to my expectations.

VP: Do you have any pregame rituals?

touchdown or running one in?

progress each year.

KQ: They each have their perks.

Sticking to the game plan and delivering a touchdown pass is always very rewarding, but being able to improvise when things break down is definitely something I pride myself on doing.

VP: What is the best play you’ve seen a teammate make?

VP: Do you sing in the shower?

KQ: I don’t discriminate. Sometimes you just have to let out a good beat when you’re feeling the rhythm.

KQ: There was a series in our semifinal game this season where Jordan Kozina and our offensive line just went off. It was unlike anything I have ever seen. I just handed him the ball and watched the boys do work.

VP: What is your favourite away stadium to play in?

QuinlanStats - 2010 Passing Yards: 2018 (2nd in OUA) Comp./Att.: 127/209 (60.7%) Rushing Yards: 479 (9th in OUA) Touchdowns: 19 (2nd in OUA) Interceptions: 6

KQ: University of Toronto.

VP: What was your proudest moment of the past season?

VP: Which team do you consider McMaster’s biggest rival?

KQ: I think it has to be our home playoff win against Queen’s. The KQ: That school down in London. coaching staff put our bye week to good use and had us extremely VP: Can you share a personal confident and prepared heading into memorable moment from a game that game. In fact, that is the most against them? prepared I have ever felt heading into a football game. It was extra KQ: Upsetting them at their homespecial being able to execute in coming in 2009 is something I’ll front of a great home crowd. never forget. We came out fired up and played unreal in all three facets VP: What moment would you like of the game for 60 minutes. to forget?

VP: What was the last song that you KQ: I mishandled a snap against listened to on your iPod? Laurier that ended up on The Score’s highlights. I bobbled the KQ: Wiz Khalifa – “Say yeah.” ball three or four times before it sat conveniently on my helmet long VP: Do you prefer playing on grass enough for a Laurier player to grab or artificial turf? it and return it 60-plus yards for a touchdown. Thankfully we pulled it KQ: Turf. together in the second half and won the game, or else I wouldn’t be able VP: Who would you rather have on to look back and laugh at that play your team: Terrell Owens or Randy quite yet.

Moss?

KQ: I’m not superstitious to the point where I have to do certain things exactly the same way on every game day. I basically just like to get out on the field and walk around, maybe throw the ball VP: What is the best place to grab a around a little bit and get comfort- late-night bite around campus? able with the overall atmosphere.

Oh, and I drink a pint of tiger blood. KQ: I’m all about the Westdale Café during the day, but at night I’d VP: Which professional football have to go with Jimmy Gringo’s. player do you most admire?

VP: What do feel sets you apart KQ: Aaron Rodgers. He has a from other quarterbacks in the rocket arm and can make plays OUA? happen with his feet. I have a lot of respect for his toughness and KQ: I consider myself a student of leadership as well. the game who is always willing to learn new techniques and adapt to VP: You’ve proven to be a very different concepts. The combinamobile quarterback yourself. tion of our top-notch facilities and What’s more special: throwing for a coaching at Mac has allowed me to

KQ: [McMaster receiver] Mike DiCroce.

VP: What is the best advice you have ever been given?

KQ: Compete. From a legendary high school football coach in Michigan named Al Fracassa. He said to not only compete with those around you, but to always compete with yourself and challenge yourself to meet your potential.

VP: Who has the most embarrassing nickname on the team, and what is the story behind the name?

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

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

B4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Men’s Basketball

Wilson Cup

The two sides of Matt Wilusz

OUA Championship series successful at McMaster • CONT’D FROM B1

BRIAN DECKER / SPORTS EDITOR

Matt Wilusz has produced a solid varsity career along with an excellent academic record.

BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

Those who have watched Matt Wilusz play basketball for the last four years likely know him as the blond-haired guy with a penchant for talking trash.

He used to sport a sometimes-floppy, sometimes-spiky, always-blond hairdo that occasionally solicited jeers and calls of “Aa-ron Car-ter! Aa-ron Car-ter!” from opposing fans.

And of course, he’s always been one of the most verbally outgoing players on court, never shy to let an opponent know exactly what his thoughts on the game were.

“In sports, you need to be sort of two completely different people,” says Wilusz. “Off the court you can be the completely friendly, awesome team guy. And when you’re on the court you gotta turn it up a little bit.”

For Wilusz, being that different guy off the court goes beyond being an “awesome team guy.” It actually goes right to the classroom, where he’s nothing short of an AllStar.

Wilusz, a Biochemistry major, will be enrolling in the DeGroote School of Business MBA program. He says he’s deciding whether pursue his MBA in health services, general studies or finance, and hoping to go into Pharmaceuticals or Hospital Management.

And while stereotypes persist about varsity athletes sneaking through their degrees by majoring in Basket Weaving, Wilusz has excelled on and off the court.

“It’s about going to class, putting your head in the books for all the time you have when you’re not at practice,” Wilusz says of his success off the court. “It’s about time management … we don’t have that much time to manage.”

The Stoney Creek native out of Cardinal Newman Secondary

School averaged 4.4 points and 4.3 rebounds this year, playing in all 22 conference games. And while he’s rarely the kind of player to stand out on the score sheet, he’s not shy about being physical and doing the dirty work.

“I’m a role player. I’m not a crazy scorer. I’m about getting rebounds, setting screens and getting other people to the bucket,” says the six-foot-six Wilusz.

As one of the most senior players on a young McMaster team, Wilusz says he relished the chance to help his younger teammates this season.

“Being a fourth year player, it was easy to communicate to the younger guys and tell them where to go. I helped first year players like Satar [Wahidi] who maybe didn’t know where to go at a certain time.”

“When you’re in first year, you look up to the older guys. I think Joe Polizzi and Andrew Losier were guys I looked up to because they played the same position and everything,” Wilusz says of the players who helped him grow as a player and student. “They were just crazy hard workers. They weren’t getting 25 or 30 points in a game, but were just crazy hard workers.”

Wilusz also cited former teammates Aminu Bello and Jermaine DeCosta as influences in his early career, both of whom he watched growing up in high school before joining them at McMaster.

Although Wilusz has certainly made his contributions as a quality character to his teammates and schoolwork, his reputation as a grade-A trash talker will often be associated with his game. And that’s perfectly fine with him.

“When you’re in the moment and you’re bangin’ the whole game it kind of just comes out,” Wilusz says of playing with on-court intensity. “It’s just the nature of the game.”

played like the team that already got there,” said Carleton coach Dave Smart, who says he saw too many weaknesses in his team over the past month to get by in a championship game.

“That was going to happen for sure [at nationals] if it didn’t happen tonight,” said the coach of the previously undefeated Ravens.

Smart says he’s glad their first loss came tonight rather than next week.

“It probably gives us the best chance to win next week. We weren’t winning [nationals] if we won this game. I promise you that,” said the coach.

While the final provided plenty of action, it was preceded a night earlier by a pair of wild semifinal games.

First, the Lakehead Thunderwolves turned a late-game collapse into a last-second triumph thanks to a jumper by guard Venzal Russell with 0.7 seconds left on the clock. The Wolves had squandered

a 13-point lead to the Ottawa GeeGees and looked like they were going to fall in a dramatic upset.

That’s when a late Ottawa turnover gave Lakehead a last chance to score, and Russell’s dramatic shot gave them a 71-69 win.

In the other semi-final, the Ravens nearly saw their seasonlong win streak come to an end, defeating the Laurier Golden Hawks 83-76. Thanks to busloads of gold and purple fans who traveled from Waterloo, Laurier held leads as large as 13 points in the second half before the Ravens turned on the afterburners to pull away.

A capacity crowd of over 2,000 fans watched that game, helping quell the fears of anyone concerned about an empty-looking gym.

The Thunderwolves and Ravens will both advance to this weekend’s Final 8 Championship, held in Halifax. The tournament kicks off Friday afternoon, with the championship game taking place Sunday evening at 6 p.m. EST.

THE SILHOUETTE • B5

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Men’s Volleyball

Women’s Volleyball

Canada West asserts its Mac veterans look to the future dominance in Langley • CONT’D FROM B1 started rolling, we started playing some decent defence. We dug some balls, and we tried to make them make some shots that we could handle. But we didn’t serve and pass very well and we didn’t put them under enough pressure from the baseline.”

After the disappointment of the quarterfinal, McMaster rebounded well on Saturday to overcome the opposition of the AUS champion UNB Varsity Reds in a consolation semi-final.

Over the course of the four-set victory, the Marauders were buoyed particularly by the play of sophomore middle hitter Tyson Alexander, who dominated McMaster’s East Coast opponents on both the offensive and defensive sides of the net.

Alexander hit with brutal efficiency over four sets, converting 12 of 17 hitting attempts, and complemented those offensive efforts with 10 block assists. Those accomplishments notched the second-year Marauder a game-high of 19 points in Saturday’s win.

The result against UNB allowed McMaster a third match at the weekend tournament, placing them in the fifth-place contest against the Alberta Golden Bears.

However, in Sunday’s consolation match, the Marauders once again struggled to compete with a premier Canada West outfit.

While they competed well with the Bears throughout, and extended the match to a fourth set, McMaster could do little to resist Alberta’s multifaceted attack.

Led by efficient performances from Spencer Leiske, Mitch Irvine, and Jay Olmstead, the Bears brushed the Marauders aside in the fourth frame and clinched a disappointing fifth-placed finish at the tournament.

While McMaster undoubtedly struggled against Canada West opposition over the course of the weekend, they were hardly alone in that trend.

The traditional powerhouse of CIS volleyball continued to dominate the field at this year’s tournament, with Western squads finishing with a 6-0 record against teams from the rest of the country.

Unsurprisingly, Canada West swept the podium at the championships, with the host Trinity Western Spartans claiming the national title with a surprisingly lopsided straight-sets victory over the Brandon Bobcats on Sunday night.

The Calgary Dinos, seeded first at the event, completed the Western sweep of the medals by claiming bronze with a hard-fought five-set win over the Quebecois champions Laval Rouge et Or earlier in the afternoon.

Despite failing to medal at the national tournament, McMaster will likely be pleased with their showing in Langley, a tournament that few Ontarian observers would have predicted them to be competing in.

Regardless of the result, the Marauders young squad gained crucial experience on the national stage, and that can only serve to help McMaster to compete in the future.

JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Outside hitter Kaila Janssen is one of four seasoned Marauders graduating this year.

FRASER CALDWELL

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Turnover is a yearly ordeal for varsity squads, but for the McMaster Marauders women’s volleyball team, this off-season will see a particularly drastic changing of the guard.

That’s because there are four senior players who have played their final game in maroon and grey with the conclusion of this campaign. For veteran hitters Larissa Puhach, Sarah Kiernan, Kaila Janssen, and Genevieve Dumas, their Marauder volleyball careers have now firmly entered the past tense.

One would think that the way in which those careers collectively came to an end would be a source of disappointment for the players, but they explain that this is not entirely the case.

While there remains the understandable sadness of losing out in a conference quarterfinal, the graduating Marauders argue that the manner of the loss – coming as it did in a hard-fought five-set decision – is a source of some pride.

“It was sad,” said Puhach.

“But I think that we all came in and agreed that it was a fun game to play in for our last match ever.” Kiernan agreed, adding, “It was a good fight.

I was really glad that it didn’t end in three.”

When asked what they would remember most about their

time in maroon and grey, the veteran Marauders were unanimous in pointing to their teammates and the close relationships that they have cultivated as the most lasting result of their careers at McMaster.

“We’ll remember the team,” replied Janssen. “We’ll remember who we played with and who we became family with. All of our games mean a lot to us but at the end of the day, a game is only a couple of hours. You spend every day, every week with those people.

We’ll remember them forever.”

Most immediately, the players are struck by the sudden gaps in their days that the lack of a constant practice and workout schedule has created. But as Dumas pointed out, school has done much to take over that time thus far.

“I feel like it hasn’t hit me yet, since it’s midterm season and I’ve been just as busy with school,” said Dumas. “I think it’s really going to hit me when the team starts practicing again, and in the summer.”

On the topic of their longtime coach Tim Louks, the Marauders were glowing in their praise of a man who has come to occupy a central and infinitely beneficial role in their lives.

“He was like a Dad to us,” remarked Kiernan. “He was always really caring, and he always understood us.” Janssen quickly piped up with a quip of her own, jokingly adding, “He almost understood too well sometimes. He just got into

your head so well with what he interpreted about you, that sometimes you wished he wouldn’t.”

Being the oldest and most experienced of the Marauders, the graduating players indicate that mentorship is a role that naturally fell to them this season, and one that they openly embraced.

“By the end, you’re still very much trying to leave your legacy here,” said Janssen. “Everything that you’ve learned in your time training, you want to pass on to the people that are coming up and coming through so that they don’t make the same kind of mistakes that you did.”

Going forward, the Marauder veterans argue that the one area in which have benefited most from their time in the varsity program is in the growth of their interpersonal skills.

“Being with a new group of girls every year, a whole different team, you really learn how to adapt to different personalities,” said Dumas. “It helps you to understand people differently, and I think that will really help us in the end.”

The Marauder veterans will look to use that experience in the coming years as they advance from university and into the workforce.

But while the semester lasts, the graduating players will continue to enjoy the company of their teammates, and look to impart what wisdom they can.

B6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

ERIC HOUGH / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Above: The victorious Thunderwolves begin celebrating the euphoria of becoming OUA Champions.

Below: Ottawa forward Nemanja Baletic struggles to hide the emotion of the loss - and the end of his varsity career.

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Lakehead wing Venzal Russell drives the ball up court against the Carleton defence.

PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

A Championship in Photos The Wilson Cup at Burridge Gym showcased the highs and lows of university sport.

From the euphoria of victory and the sobering finality of defeat, take a look at the best parts of this weekend’s action.

JEFF TAM / SILHOUETTE STAFF

The Thunderwolves pose with their program’s first-ever OUA Championship banner and Wilson Cup after defeating the No. 1 Carleton Ravens 77-62.

PHOTO C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

A section of Laurier’s travelling crowd urges on the Golden Hawks in the OUA semi-final.

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Thunderwolf Jamie Searle fights through the Carleton defence.

THE SILHOUETTE • C1

INSIDEOUT THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

production office extension: 27117 insideout@thesil.ca

Islam Awareness Week LAUREN JEWETT THE SILHOUETTE

This week, the McMaster Muslim Students’ Association held Islam Awareness Week in hopes to open up discussion and educate their fellow students on their faith and beliefs. Among the events was a lecture series leading discussions on topics ranging from Muhammad to an open discussion forum on Salvation that they partnered with the McMaster club that promotes Christian beliefs; Campus for Christ. I had the opportunity to meet the club President, Abdul Wasey Faruqi, and Outreach Director, Salma Hindy, and discuss their goals for this week, Islam and the Qur’an.

I went to the first of three lectures being held during the week to meet Faruqi and Hindy. When the event was over, I stuck around long enough to be offered a free, pocket-sized version of the Qur’an, to which I replied, “Oh sorry, but I don’t speak Arabic.”

The man looked at me and laughed, “That doesn’t mean you can’t follow the Qur’an.” After realizing that it was translated in English, I also thought about how many other students at McMaster know as little as I did about Islam and being Muslim.

To find out more I sat down with Hindy and Faruqi to discuss the three lectures that took place during the week as well as other Islam Awareness initiatives.

Salma Hindy is a first generation Canadian whose parents are from Egypt. From a family of five, Hindy grew up in a typical Canadian household. She did not, however, go to a public high school. Hindy went to high school at the Mississauga Isna Islamic Centre. Now, she is in second year Biomedical/ Electrical Engineering.

Faruqi was born in Saudi Arabia and moved to Canada at a very young age. He is in third year Commerce with a focus in Marketing. I asked about their goals for this week as a club. Both of them were very quick to explain that the success of Islam Awareness Week can’t be measured. The only way to tell is if they feel as though they have had discussions about Islam with as many people as were interested, and that they were able to answer questions for their fellow students.

Faruqi explained that they rarely run into issues because they find the students at McMaster to generally be very mature and open-minded.

The MSA certainly created a relaxed atmosphere that welcomed any type of question with understanding and a great deal of knowledge. They had several booths in the Student Centre Atrium as well as Health Sciences Library during the week for people to find out more and have their questions answered.

The MSA also organized three lectures. The first featured Hamza Tzortzis, with a very extensive open discussion and Q&A afterward. The lecture on Tuesday was in collaboration with Campus for Christ, with speakers Zohair Rahman and Mark Feather discussing Salvation from a Muslim and Christian standpoint. The audience was welcomed to text in their questions, which were then fielded by Rahman and Feather, as well as many in the audience.

Wednesday’s lecture featured noted community speaker and Hindy’s brother, Ibrahim Hindy. He delivered a lecture and led discussion on how the prophet Muhammad affects and influences daily life and how Canadian Muslims live according to the prophet Muhammad’s life.

After much discussion about events around campus, I finally asked them to define Islam for me. Hindy gave me the only explanation that wouldn’t require days of background knowledge.

Islam means submission to God, and following the Qur’an and Sunnah. It does not mean you are from a certain country or only speak Arabic. Faruqi explained that many club members are Muslim but do not speak Arabic and come from a huge range of places

KAITLIN PETERS

ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

“Where R U? BIG NEWS LOL!”

Can the average student even remember what life was like without the continual chatspeak interspersed throughout their day? For many students, life revolves around the subtle vibration of their cell phone and the latest status updates on Facebook. And for some, being chased by Freddy Kreuger in their dreams would be nowhere near as frightening as finding themselves without their BlackBerry for a day.

According to a survey of American cell phone users, over one trillion text messages were sent in 2008, which equals about 13 texts per American per day. To some of you, this estimate may actually seem rather moderate as many people are easily sending off over a dozen texts before they’ve eaten breakfast and are out the door.

But texts aren’t the only things that are in the trillions. People talked off more than 2.2 trillion minutes in 2008, which was an increase of 100 billion minutes from just the year before.

• PLEASE SEE BLACKBERRY, C3

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

• PLEASE SEE MAC AWARE, C3

[This Week in InsideOut] Shop the sex toy market

Int’l Women’s Day

Goodbye gluten

Shopping for a sex toy best suited for you needn’t be confusing. Find the toy that tickles your fancy.

Women have made great strides throughout history, but there’s still much to be done.

Gluten got your gut feeling gangly? You could just be gluten intolerant or Celiac.

Coping, however, may not be as difficult as it seems.

Pg. C5

Pg. C2

Pg. C4

C2 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

SEX and the STEEL CITY

Perusing the sex toy market Ensure you get a quality gadget by becoming a sex toy connoisseur RANDAL DESOUZA CARLA BROWN SHEC MEDIA

In the market for a sex toy? Whether it is your first time experimenting with toys, or your collection already fills your underwear drawer, these tips will help you find the toy that is right for you.

First, you need to consider if you want a toy for use alone or for with a partner. The most common toys for solo play are masturbation sleeves for men and vibrators and dildos for women.

These toys can be used with a partner, but there are other toys made exclusively for use with another person, including cock rings, anal stimulators, and double headed dildos.

You’ll also need to decide whether you want to use your toy externally, for clitoral or penis stimulation, or for vaginal and anal penetration. Vibrators, for instance, are shaped differently if they’re meant to be used for penetration than if they are bullet vibrators meant for clitoral stimulation. The kind of toy you’ll want depends on your unique needs.

One important consideration is what you would like your toy to be made from. Most toys are made of plastics, which can either be hard silicones or soft jelly plastics. If you’re purchasing a soft toy, be careful to avoid phthalates, which are chemicals used to soften plastic that may be toxic. Look for toys labelled phthalate-free or use a condom over the toy. This is not a concern with silicone toys. Some toys can be made from more exotic materials, like stainless steel, glass, or wood. These tend to be more expensive and more durable.

If you’re looking for some subtlety with your sex toys, there are plenty of options available to you. Vibrators shaped like rubber

ducks or tubes of lipstick are popular, and also make a great kitschy gift. Another important consideration if you’re buying a vibrating toy is noise. Be sure to test any toys you might buy in the store, as vibrating toys with strong motors can sometimes be loud enough to hear from the next room.

As a student, you probably want to keep budget in mind. Sex toys are available in all price ranges, from $3000 diamond-encrusted Jimmy Jane vibrators to $10 vibrating cock rings.

Typically, plastic toys are cheaper than those made of other materials. Toys with electronic controls are more expensive than those without. For a longer lasting toy, look for buttons attached directly, rather than a remote which might wear out.

The Love Shop in downtown Hamilton offers a 10 per cent discount to students with a student card. If you’re not comfortable shopping for a sex toy in person, there are many places to buy them online with discreet shipping.

Once you’ve picked out your ideal toy, you should find out how to clean it. Unclean toys can harbour bacteria, spreading infection to places that you absolutely do not want infected. Waterproof toys can be washed with soap and water, or else a dilute bleach solution if they’re being shared between multiple people.

Most places where you can buy sex toys also sell antibacterial cleaners if your toy cannot be exposed to water. If you’re sharing sex toys, it’s best to use a fresh condom to cover the toy for each partner.

Remember, sharing toys can spread STIs.

Sex toys can be a fun way to spice up your sex life, solo or with a partner. With this knowledge, you’re ready to find the toy that’s right for you.

From cock rings to the “fleshlight,” sex toys extend far beyond the traditional vibrator.

SILHOUETTE PHOTO FILE

ThreadCount Jenlynn Harding

Second year Communications and Cultural Studies Describe your style: A mix of vintage and modern.

Favourite quote: “Life’s too short to be anything but happy.” - Nicole Visser What do you look for in a significant other?: Humour, spontaneity, nice shoes, great smile, similar music taste, excited about life.

Cardigan: Urban Outfitters - $20 Scarf: Urban Outfitters - $34 Jeans: Urban Outfitters - $60 Bag: Mintage - $40 Wooden ring: Cambodia Owl ring: Vintage shop in Vancouver - $10 Bag: Mintage - $40

Presented by Tyler Hayward

THE SILHOUETTE • C3

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Being Blackberry befuddled • CONT’D FROM C1

In fact, one in three people admit they couldn’t live without technology.

Let’s just stress this statistic again, the question wasn’t asking whether you could live comfortably without technology, it was asking whether you wanted to continue to live at all.

It seems the days of calling up your friends on the telephone – that device attached to the wall – to hang out at the mall or go to the movies are all but over. All one needs to do nowadays is send out a mass text or set up an event on Facebook.

Better yet, if you’re already at the mall why not just Tweet everyone to declare your location. It’s like your life has become a small-scale film, complete with a continuously self-narrated script and a cast of supporting roles depending on how many friends you can claim to your network.

What’s truly odd about this technology revolution is that the more connected technology seems to make us, the more disconnected we become.

How often have you tried having a conversation with a friend, but you can’t seem to focus because one or both of you can’t keep your paws off of your cell phone? It’s almost like real life just moves too slowly to be an attractive option anymore.

Why talk to one person for half an hour when you could connect

with your entire network of friends in a matter of seconds without the annoying aspect of proper grammar or an empathetic connection.

We’re the ultimate multitaskers, and getting ahead in the rat race of life means you’ve got to drive in the fast lane.

Our obsession with texting and online communication has left some experts worrying that we’ll forget to know how to have real, authentic human relationships.

Technology isn’t a complete crapshoot of course, and there are some definite benefits.

In the past, tasks that would have taken hours to do manually can now be done with a click of a button. In addition, we have access to huge amounts of information.

For example, imagine doing a research paper by having to go to the library every time you needed a new source and manually flipping through hundreds of academic journals.

Google Scholar is a goldmine of information that anyone can access as long as you have the Internet. And let’s be serious, who isn’t connected to the web these days?

Plus, being connected to a network of friends and family all the time can be a good thing. Getting into a car accident, missing the last bus in a bad part of town, and suffering an emotional breakdown are not the anxiety-ridden and potentially dangerous situations they used to be.

On the other hand, how

can one distinguish between simply using technology to make life easier and becoming so dependent on it that one cannot function without it? Our generation is starting to be referred to – none to fondly – as the Technology Obsessed Generation because even in our leisure time, 43 per cent of us can’t seem to switch off.

We use technology for work, school, and for entertainment.

College students are using some form of media for seven hours and 38 minutes every day. It seems technology has become embedded into every aspect of our lives.

Researchers are already starting to see that our generation is fast losing mental faculties like mental mathematics, decisionmaking skills, and memory power.

Why try to strain for distantly learned multiplication tables when your cell phone has a built-in calculator, and if you’re having trouble making a decision one can always ask Jeeves.

In addition, James Billington (the Librarian of Congress) suggested that young people’s electronic communication might be damaging “the basic unit of human though” – the sentence.

The quality of writing is being degraded by electronic communications due to its carefree spelling, lax punctuation and grammar, and acronym shortcuts.

And though your cell phone can be extremely handy in an accident, such comfort is short-lived if your unfortunate texting habit

was the cause of you rear ending the car in front of you in the first place. Phones have been blamed for 6 per cent of all accidents each year, involving 2600 deaths.

And though most people who are subjected to your enthusiastic conversation about your best friend’s breakup are only annoyed, phone users should also be aware of the potential that their conversation is being carefully monitored for important information.

Many people don’t realize how vulnerable their personal information is when it’s made public.

Not only should you be worrying about who hears your conversations, but your online profile can be used as a goldmine of personal information. Many employers now check out any potential employees by scoping out their Facebook page. Don’t expect to get a call back if your pictures are dominated by beer-chugging, bar-hopping fun times and your wall is littered with profanity and lewd references. Is it fair that your personal is clearly mixing with and affecting your professional life?

Not so much, but it seems almost inevitable when the average person is connected using Facebook, Twitter, and a cell phone (because who has MySpace anymore?).

Knowing the potential dangers and detriments of technology, you may be deciding to take off those rose-coloured glasses you’ve been wearing.

So how do you know if you’re just mildly obsessed like the majority of Canadians, or if your love of your phone has come to rival the place your mother used to hold in your heart? Check out some of our signs you may be tech obsessed:

If you forget basic bodily functions: sleep, eat, use the toilet?

Such basic functions may go out the window when the translucent LCD screen of your cell has you hypnotized.

If you collect ridiculous accessories. Your cell really doesn’t need it’s own personal armchair cradle. Contrary to popular belief, lying on its side truly doesn’t cause any discomfort to the electronic device.

If you know your friends by their online “handles” rather than their real names. If your best conversations are with PartyAnimal76 you probably need to get out more.

If instead of laughing, you say LOL. Some of you probably haven’t even realized you’ve been doing this.

If you answer your mobile phone when you’re on a date.

Fourteen per cent of people have admitted to answering their phone during sex.

Is your heart now pounding with the knowledge that you are truly tech-obsessed?

Fear not my stalwart friend, though the umbilical cord currently attaching you to your phone and laptop may seem permanent, you have the power to cut it.

Mac plays host to Islam Awareness week • CONT’D FROM C1

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Islam Awareness Week is aimed at providing information about Islam to whoever is interested.

like Canada and even Vietnam.

When asked about misconceptions, both felt that there were few within the McMaster community. Hindy mentioned that there is often some miscommunication about the role and rights of Muslim women, and that many people were under the impression that women are generally very oppressed. She also went on to say that if it were true, how would she be in post-secondary education?

It was no surprise to find that Canadian Muslims live very similar lives to non-Muslim Canadians. We all want to contribute to our society and succeed in life. Hindy explained the role of Islam in her life brought her an inner strength.

She explained how she has realized the wisdom of Islam in her life here in Canada and described how Islam can fit into any lifestyle

in any society. Faruqi explained that being Muslim affects his life as a Canadian by motivating him to stand for what is right and just, as well as kindness.

Both Hindy and Faruqi felt very welcomed as Muslims at McMaster. It is clear that the MSA is a very strong club that is simply offering education and the chance for discussion to other students. They are not about forcing anyone to learn about their beliefs. Islam is about submission to god and the teachings of the Qur’an. It can be practiced by anyone in any language wherever they are in the world.

Islam Awareness weeks are run at universities across Canada. Here at McMaster it is an annual event for well over a decade.

The MSA holds weekly prayers on Friday at 12:30 p.m. and again at 1:30 p.m. in the East Auxiliary Gym. Each session is a 20 minute sermon followed by prayer.

C4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Do we have equality yet?

Reflecting on the past, present and future in the wake of Women’s Day KAITLIN PETERS

ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

Women’s economic, political and social achievements from the past, present and future were celebrated this past Tuesday as part of International Women’s Day. Initially, industrialization shifted the traditional ideology away from the idea that a women’s role was in the home, where she should focus on being a good mother and wife.

And with the arrival of the new millennium, women’s and society’s thoughts about women’s equality and emancipation have changed significantly.

The huge gains that have been made for women by women have unfortunately left many of the younger generation in a state of naivety. Many women from the older generations often spout that younger generations feel “there’s nothing left to be done” because the

battle has already been won. Statistically yes, great gains have been made for women: there are more women in the boardroom than ever before, greater equality in legislative rights, and women’s increased presence as role models in every aspect of life. Yet women have still not gained true equality, which was struck upon sharply at Queen’s Park on Tuesday.

In a legislative assembly, members of the NDP party questioned the governing Liberal party about a variety of issues that still plague women today. Namely, why homemakers — a womendominated industry — did not have the opportunity to sign a union card when other workers from maledominated industries do, and why women are still only making 70 per cent of what men make?

The preceding questions relate to issues of pay equality and equity for the women of Canada.

Contrary to popular thought, pay equality and pay equity are not two different terms describing the same concept. Pay equality is the right for women to be paid the same wage as men for equal work. Pay equality is required by law in each of Canada’s 14 legislative jurisdictions and is guaranteed under the Canadian Human Rights Act.

In contrast, pay equity refers to “comparable worth” which states that female-dominated occupations must be paid the same as male-dominated occupations of similar value.

Essentially, the difference between the two is that pay equality addresses the rights of women employees as individuals, while pay equity addresses the rights of female-dominated occupations as a group.

Pay equity is particularly hard to address; how can someone accurately assess and compare the

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value of jobs across different industries? If you were to compare nurses and electricians, how could you decide what criteria should be used to determine value? For many cases it’s like trying to compare apples and oranges.

Historically, men and women tended to work in different jobs. Even today, 70 per cent of employed Canadian women are working in fields that are female-dominated, such as teaching, clerical, health, etc. And the more heavily women are concentrated in a job, the less it pays. The wage gap is even larger for racial minority women, Aboriginal women, and women with disabilities.

The effects of a reduced income are not short-term mildly annoying inconveniences like not being able to afford the penthouse suite. Discriminatory wages affect women throughout their lives from their first jobs and continuing into

retirement. Women are more likely than men to enter poverty in old age for reasons connected to discriminatory pay.

A lifetime of lower income means that women have less income they can save for retirement, and smaller incomes also translate into smaller pensions. In addition, women outlive men by about three years, which means they’ll have to stretch their already small retirement savings even further.

Realizing how serious the repercussions of the wage gap are, this year, become inspired to enact change for women. Everyone in society will benefit when women can enter the workforce confidently knowing they are guaranteed pay equal to that of their male counterparts.

The eradication of poverty and overall improvement of women’s and their children’s wellbeing depend on it.

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March 16, 20, & 27 Sweet Taste of Spring - Maple Syrup Festival 12:30 p.m. - 4 p.m. @ Westfield Heritage Village check out conservationhamilton.ca for more info

THE SILHOUETTE • C5

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Getting going with gluten-free NATALIE TIMPERIO SENIOR INSIDEOUT EDITOR

Fat free, trans-fat-free, low in saturated fat, reduced sodium, 50 per cent fewer calories – gluten-free?

These first few phrases may strike us as very familiar. In fact, each and every day we are bombarded with bold and bright letters, sometimes numbers, appearing on packaged foods, and even candy wrappers.

Nowadays, even McDonald’s has resorted to listing all nutrition facts on their boxed burgers, albeit “nutrition” is a questionable use of wording here.

We at least have a general idea of what this all means: it’s “better for your health.”

Well, what if you no longer had the option of eating half, or more, of these foods that say things like “fat-free” and instead, looked to foods that were glutenfree? “Gluten-free?” you say?

That’s right, nowadays, a growing number of people limit their intake of foods not fitting the gluten-free description.

First of all, the term “gluten allergy” does not distinguish between gluten intolerance and Celiac disease — which are two very different types of disorders.

The symptoms for both Celiac disease and gluten intolerance are similar; however Celiac disease tends to be much more severe and damaging for the human body.

Basically, Celiac disease occurs when gluten triggers your immune system to overact causing antibodies to wear down the lining of your intestinal walls. Over time, your body is increasingly less able to absorb nutrients, causing serious health defects. Gluten intolerance, however, makes consuming gluten foods at least somewhat tolerable, with less discomfort.

Chloe Lenarduzzi, a

second-year economics student, identifies as having Celiac disease.

However she had no idea that she was Celiac until she was tested: “I didn’t have any symptoms, I only got tested because my mom, grandma, aunt and uncle were diagnosed.”

Gluten intolerance and Celiac disease most often are a result of genetics. Chances are, if you are intolerant to gluten in some way, up to ten per cent of your immediate family will also have this same intolerance.

In fact, gluten intolerance and Celiac disease are relatively common. Distinguishing what is gluten is the first step. Gluten is a highly complex protein that is generally found in wheat, rye, barley and even oats.

This makes gluten highly present in many different types of foods such as breads, pastas, pizza, and even those stale bagels we all love from the Union Market — basically, the staple foods of a student diet. Now, can you imagine not being able to enjoy these everyday foods, and more?

Lenarduzzi emphasized that being Celiac “is very inconvenient. I can’t eat any fast food or anything at school really, other than maybe a salad. So, it’s difficult because I have to be careful of what I eat and I have to make a lot of stuff myself now. And, if I have anything I buy at a store or go out to eat I have to check and make sure that I can eat it. So, it’s more annoying than anything else.”

Although gluten intolerance and Celiac disease may go unnoticed, they can sometimes be identified by a variety of symptoms. The most common of these symptoms are gastrointestinal, such as diarrhoea and bloating.

However, other symptoms

may occur such as headaches, and even skin problems like eczema.

Yet, the problem with identifying gluten intolerance or Celiac disease solely from such symptoms is no guarantee that gluten is the cause of your problems.

These symptoms can of course be an indicator of many other issues. The only sure-fire way to identify if you really do have a gluten allergy is through an elimination diet or, more commonly a visit to the doctor’s.

An elimination diet means cutting all gluten containing foods from your diet for four to six weeks.

The point of doing this is to empty your body of all potentially harmful foods, in this case those containing gluten.

Afterwards, reintroducing gluten foods back into your diet and determining how you feel based on your body’s reaction to this reintroduction should determine whether or not you do in fact have gluten intolerance or Celiac disease.

However, an elimination diet of gluten is extremely restrictive, so more often than not people will turn to their medical professionals to seek out a diagnosis. Generally, this is conducted through a series of blood tests and an intestinal biopsy.

However, the issue here is that often these tests only pick up Celiac disease, rather than gluten intolerance. Since a small portion of the population has Celiac disease, a lot of the time gluten intolerance will not be detected, thus leaving many people with untreated symptoms.

In addition to those faulty genes, there is no cure to gluten intolerance or Celiac disease. The only way to cope is through a gluten-free diet. Although this may initially seem like an impossible lifestyle, nowadays an increasing number of food products are sold

CHRISTOPHER CHANG/ SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Bagels are just one of many gluten containing foods. gluten-free. Even some restaurants do has changed.” Many health food cater food that is gluten free. stores such as Goodness Me! offer

Lenarduzzi noted that, gluten-free foods, so, as Lenarduzzi although being prevented from further explained “I don’t have to eating some of her favourite foods, worry.” “most restaurants have something I So, even with the highly can eat so it doesn’t really change socialized student life, going glutenanything that I can do. free is not necessarily the supposed

“I can obviously do the “downer” that may initially be same things but what I eat when I thought.

Kaitlin Peters

Squash and Chickpea Moroccan Stew Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil 1 medium yellow onion, small dice 4 medium garlic cloves, small dice 1/2 tsp. cinnamon Freshly ground black pepper (to taste) 1/2 pound butternut squash 1 large red potato 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juices

Directions: 1. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat.

2. When oil simmers, add onion, garlic, and cinnamon, and season with freshly ground pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spices are aromatic and onions are soft and translucent, about 5 mins.

3. Add squash and potatoes, season with freshly ground pepper, stir to coat, and cook until just tender, about 10-15 mins.

4. Add broth, chickpeas, tomatoes, and their juices, and saffron. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until squash is fork tender, about 10 mins.

5. Remove from heat and serve over couscous garnished with toasted almond, hummus/or yogurt.

With

files

from

Ohsheglows.com

C6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2011

THE SILHOUETTE • C7

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

BUSINESS

production office extension: 27117 business@thesil.ca

The Future of oil

Nobel laureate fired Bank’s future thrown into turmoil SIAVOSH MOSHIRI SILHOUETTE STAFF

CHRISTOPHER CHANG/ SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Has the cost of oil finally plateaued? What does the future of oil hold for students?

SANTINO MARINUCCI

ASSISTANT BUSINESS EDITOR

Generally, oil futures are some of the most volatile of the commodities that are traded on the stock market. This is because so many different factors affect the price of oil on a regular basis which generally determines whether the resource is in demand or not.

In addition to this the other unfortunate variable, which has been in the news recently, is the inflated oil prices due to conflicts in oil-rich countries.

These conflicts drive the prices up substantially for all countries who import from them.

This sort of thing is by no means anything new, we have had

conflict in the Middle East over oil for as long as I can remember but this time it is different. This time the spread of democracy, the violent protests, the revolutions sweeping North Africa and the Middle East have resulted in a harsh reality for Western countries who invest in foreign oil; it is simply getting too expensive.

This leads to the inevitable question: how much longer can we afford the price spikes as oil supply diminishes and prices constantly go up?

The leaks in the barrel are becoming more visible as the United States has announced that they have begun discussions to begin tapping their oil reserves due to the conflicts in Libya and Egypt

rocketing costs.

The U.S. government’s plans to tap reserves are most likely going to be blocked by legislators as an unnecessary measure, saying that the emergency protocols should not be used to control price fluxuations, as they are in this case.

This means oil will most likely continue to be at the mercy of the Middle East but how much longer will we have to wait until we turn out like Europe, where people currently pay close to two dollars a litre in some countries?

The answer to that question is hard to gauge; many of oil’s largest exporters have said that there is nothing to worry about, but it seems that this is only to subdue worried investors who have been

jittery the past few weeks surrounding oil prices.

But chances are countries will have to come to terms with the fact that oil prices are going to inevitable rise to unaffordable highs and they will have to start implementing more affordable alternatives.

What is the future for us students?

That future is also fuzzy, but chances are we will be paying through the nose to drive, take public transportation, and buy products made from plastic.

Regardless of the unsure future that oil has as a commodity, one thing is for sure: be prepared for extremely high prices for a long time.

When Mohammed Yunus won the Nobel Prize in economics in 2002, many saw it as a victory for social economics. In a field of study that was often charged with being the ‘dismal’ science only looking at monetary gains without looking at social costs, Yunus’s work at the Grameen Bank stood out specifically because of his proactive approach to fighting poverty.

However, in recent times Yunus has come under increasing political fire by what certain politicians have characterized as bad leadership and mismanagement of funds. The Prime Minister has gone as far as to accuse him of “sucking blood from the poor.” This backlash has culminated in Yunus being fired from his position at the Bank and losing a court appeal yesterday.

The origins of Yunus’s work are very central to this story. In his native Bangladesh, Yunus saw a large majority of the population stuck in what certain economists have labeled the ‘poverty trap.’ In essence, the trap is when a person remains in a state of sustained poverty due to certain social and economic mechanisms surrounding them. Such a trap could persist through generations.

A simple example would be a poor person who works at a meager wage. This person has very low levels of capital and has a small family. Due to his low income level, this person will not receive a loan from the bank so he has no chance of investing to create higher levels of future income.

If this person slowly chooses to live at this meager wage, he will pass on to his family even less capital since what that person had will be divided up. He is stuck at this stage in development with no way out.

Yunus sought to change this in his native land. His solution to this was implement microcredit finance – a loan-giving system where money is given without any sort of collateral to the poor. To make sure payment is received, those who receive loans are put into five member groups made up of fellow borrowers.

The group is to act as a support mechanism and to remind the borrower about his/ her responsibilities. As of now, the bank has had mixed results in terms of payback. Certain areas report a 98 per cent return rates while other areas are mired in the low 50s.

In addition to the group system, Yunus (through the Grameen Bank) emphasized the importance of loaning to women.

In a male-dominated society like Bangladesh, women were often forced out of the world of commerce.

Seeing this as a gross inequality, Yunus explicitly encouraged the female population to join. Presently, over 95 per cent of the members are women.

While the Grameen Bank • PLEASE SEE GRAMEEN, C9

[This Week in Business] Revolution is over

Stock Track winner!

Your taxes this year

Find out who won the MARS Apprentice competition and which team won the final boardroom.

Congratulations to all of the contestants this year. Find out who won the greatest prize of them all.

Take some time to figure out your taxes this year with us and find out what you are doing wrong.

Pg. C9

Pg. C10

Pg. C11

THE SILHOUETTE • C9

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

In Industria grinds to a halt Brief MARS Boardroom

Infinity pulls out all the stops to win final boardroom

Forbes richest list released

If you like to live vicariously through obscenely rich people, the annual Forbes rich list for the year has been released. The top five richest people do not change very much from year to year, basically how their stocks are doing determines who comes out on top. This year Carlos Slim, Mexico’s mobile baron raked in 74 billion USD with Bill Gates sitting at 56 billion USD and Warren Buffet at 50 billion USD. Guess I should have invested in gold when it was cheap, damn.

Asian Aspen?

Two Chinese billionaire’s sons, Richard Li, and Francis Yeoh are investing 1.2 billon USD into a region of China in the hopes in turning the village into an elite escape. The region they are planning on transforming is the northern part of Hokkaido Island for skiing and winter activities. The pair have been attracting numerous investors to build condominiums and chalets starting at 1.2 million USD.

Setting human back 100 years

rights

Recently in Wisconsin the controversial bill to hinder collective bargaining agreements between business and unions was passed in the state legislature due to budget constraints. The bill basically limits the collective bargaining rights unions have to negotiate wages within the state of Wisconsin. Legislators were trying to close a $137 million budget shortfall with a plan that calls for curbs on public employee union bargaining rights.

Cotton a hot commodity?

Despite Infinity’s win, this week’s boardroom saw Canadian Tire SIMON GRANAT BUSINESS EDITOR

For the two teams competing in this year’s MARS Apprentice, history had all but been written. Team Industria had done what no team had done before, sweeping Infinity off their feet by winning the first four boardrooms.

The only question this week was whether or not Industria could break their own record, make history by sweeping the series.

It would turn out that this week team Infinity was able to put a stop to the Industria Revolution.

And despite the overall winning team already being announced, both teams came out of the gate with a surprising rigor and energy.

“The mood this week, down four, was that winning really didn’t really matter anymore. It was all about showing our stuff, what we have and putting it all out there,”

said Emily Dunphy of team Infinity.

This week’s challenge was sponsored by Canadian Tire and tasked the apprentices with designing a marketing strategy capable of increasing the company’s hockey equipment sales by $10 million.

In addition to sponsoring the challenge, the world’s largest hockey equipment supplier promised that they would provide an internship placement for one of the apprentices.

It was standing room only for the last boardroom. Team Infinity kicked it off. Just as in past boardrooms, the team boasted a three-tiered strategy of connect, entice and maintain. Beyond that, team Infinity’s strategy was to not leave anything on the table.

“Our team strategy was really, give it all we have and not let anyone down,” Emily Dunphy.

For teammate Attah Urrehman, the whole series of challenges

The prices of cotton are starting to increase steadily, making certain products like T-shirts, dollar bills, and socks more expensive to manufacture. Apparently the price of raw cotton is the highest it has been in over 140 years, which makes cotton money rain down on team Industria. producers nervous. The U.S. Treasculminated in tonight’s perform- instead of being the secondary re- ury, which prints the dollar bills for ance, “I think our mentality over search guy. We paired up people the country, uses cotton to produce the challenge has changed. At first that were animated with people its bills. Actually 75 per cent of a we’re like, ‘we have to win every who weren’t so animated. So we bill is made of cotton. Officials have challenge’ but we thought, ‘what really took our original model said, reported that switching the materiare we getting out of this program?’ no risks, screw it, let’s just do it and als used to make money would save It’s not just the win, it’s learning. flipped it on its head, and had a lot the government 5.5 billion USD That kicked in mid-way and we of fun doing it,” said James Max- over 30 years. started learning things. So that’s well of team Industria. what I think resonated with the In the end, Infinity’s sleek RIP Guitar Hero judges when they saw our presenta- presentation edged out team Indus- Like every alcohol- and drugtion today.” tria’s pitch. Industria was unable to fuelled party, good things always

Industria was the second shut out team Infinity and the end must come to an end. In this case, the team to pitch their strategy to the score of MARS Apprentice is 4-1 end of Guitar Hero is no different.

The party that began in 2005, which judges. But in what would prove to Industria. be Industria’s Achilles’ heel, they The victory was short- made thousands of people believe changed their form. Instead, the lived as no sooner had the winning that they could become rock stars team decided to shake things up, team been announced by the judges, realize that they will never become step out of their comfort zone and than a storm of Canadian Tire actual rock stars. In the end it was pitch their marketing strategy in a money and balloons rained down purely about numbers, showing that the fifth and final instalment only different way than they had in the on everyone in the lobby. previous four weeks.

Although the competition sold about half of its units than the

“For this presentation we is already over and the winner has year before. People will just have to decided to shake it up, we tried new been determined there will be a settle for playing real guitars again, things, before we got very routine. closing gala for MARS Apprentice instead of mashing coloured buttons together to form songs.

So for me, I’m doing research now, in CIBC Hall on March 21.

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

Grameen Bank’s future depends on Yunus • CONT’D FROM 7 gained a great amount of prestige after Yunus’s Nobel win, the reputation of the two has come under attack by many sides of the political spectrum. Certain Muslim activists despise the bank as they see all forms of credit and usury as a sin. Marxists feel that the bank enslaves the poor into working for banks instead of themselves; Grameen is seen as only worsening the poverty trap. All of this pressure recently came to a climax yesterday.

The court appeal ruled that Yunus had worked well over the legal mandatory retirement age (60 in Bangladesh) and “had no legal basis for employment.”

Supporters of Yunus have argued that the court should have overruled the law, as this is what most people would consider a special circumstance. The supporters also charge that the attacks have been mainly fuelled by the ruling political party. They

want to see Yunus banished as he attempted to set up a rival party in 2007 while the current Prime Minister was imprisoned by the previous ruling government.

Because of Yunus’s firing, the bank’s status has been thrown into question. The government recently announced they will be setting up a committee to look at the internal finances of the bank and to look for potential foreign donors.

The overwhelming majority of the outside world has seen this as a politically charged move which will hurt Bangladesh’s reputation in the political world. This was illustrated in Hillary Clintons comments recently; she stated that she found the move troubling and voiced her full support for the Grameen bank and Yunus himself.

As for Yunus himself?

There are very few options left for him outside of attempting to take his case to the international court in The Hague.

C10 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Raging Bull

The Silhouette Stock Why stray away Challenge announces from economy? a winner!

Pre-election campaigning leaves Congratulations to nandolya

voters, investors in the dark SIMON GRANAT

right about one thing. There is growing instability in the world; this is especially true when it comes to the economy. And with By all intents, purposes, and mudslinging it respect to some issues we should be mindlooks as if Canadians are on track for another ful that no matter which party is elected, oil election. Despite the political positioning and will be pumped the same way it is today, and the ongoing theoretical debate on how tyran- gas prices will continue to rise. And while no nical Harper is, how boring Ignatieff is, how party really wants to admit it, interest rates are healthy Layton is and how French Duceppe largely set by the Bank of Canada independis, there is a problem: no one has seriously ent of the Ministry of Finance. addressed Canadian business or the economy.

Almost all of the important eco The economy is always a hot button nomic decisions of the next two years will be topic during elections and with a still-wound- made independent of the government. They ed Canadian economy, a redwill occur in the market, the hot Loonie, rising oil prices Bank of Canada, or by investAt best, the Conand a possible stock market ors. merger, one would think that servatives refuse to The question beadmit that the eco- comes how the government all parties would take a definitive stand on the issue. nomic landscape will will deal with a changing eco But right now it nomic landscape. Which govseems as if voters, econo- change, while other ernment will be able to adapt mists and investors have parties need to step to the possible merger of the been left in the dark. While I up on their soap- London Stock Exchange and appreciate that we are not yet the Toronto Stock Exchange? boxes and cry out If accepted, which governformally in an election, we might as well be. The writing to anyone who will ment will be the best suited is on the wall. The Conservato keep Canadian fiscal soverlisten.” tives have already rolled eignty, while co-operating in a out a series of television adnew market? vertisements, one of which depicts Stephen Financial environments thrive off Harper working away in the Prime Minister’s predictability.

Office.

The more predictable, stable and

The camera is quick to point out the downplayed events are, the more likely they piles of files on his desk, as statistics wash are to have little or no negative impact. It’s over the audience. The statistics are all real, scary then, that in this kind of environment but have very little meaning without compari- none of the parties have given us definitive son. answers for how they plan to clean up the re They state that Canada has added cession’s mess.

225,000 new jobs, and as the commercial At best, the Conservatives refuse reaches a crescendo the advertisement proud- to admit that the economic landscape will ly states that, “Canada’s unemployment rate change, while other parties need to step up on is lower than America’s.” their soapboxes and cry out to anyone who

That’s not much of an accomplish- will listen. ment when America’s unemployment rate is They need to send a message that 9.5 per cen. The trouble is that the ad only they have a plan, by investors, for investors says that, “we should keep working.” that will ensure a safe and secure environ No doubt whatever party is elected, ment where their investments can grow. save for communists and anarchists, will keep Without a plan, investors will have working. What we need is a party, to come to make a vote based on whether it’s best to out and take a definitive stand. toss your money into the frying pan or the

The tone of the advertisement is fire.

BUSINESS EDITOR

Please email business@thesil.ca to arrange a time to come down to the office to claim your prize!

Thank you to everyone who played!

Bull Bear

Bear Visa (NYSE: V)

The man formally known as CEO Tom Wilson has left Visa up the creek without a paddle. After the credit card company had been investigated by the competition bureau for allegedly imposing “anti-competitive” rules on credit cards, Wilson departed abruptly to “pursue other opportunities.” Hopefully those other opportunities don’t involve anti-competitive allegations and a perpetually sinking stock price. Good luck Tom.

Bull Suncor (TSE: SU) There’s an upside and a downside to everything.

The downside to the turmoil in the Middle East and the rise in oil prices is a huge jump in the price you pay at the pump. Some analysts predict oil will hit US$200 a barrel. Additionally the United States has been forced to dip into its oil reserves. The upside?

If you own shares of Suncor you could be in a pretty sweet spot. With a possible, dare I say, “oil crisis,” light sweet crude may be the way to go.

THE SILHOUETTE • C11

THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 2011

Your Money

Deduct stress off your taxes

This year file your taxes right and on time. That way you won’t let the government cheat you out of money that could be yours.

SIMON GRANAT BUSINESS EDITOR

For many students, early March is one of the busiest times of year.

Midterms, applications for other schools, work, family, friends and other extracurricular activities meld together to create one giant headache.

The Canadian Government surely did not have students in mind when they planned for tax time. Many of us are too busy to even plan what to eat for dinner, let alone plan to do our taxes.

Taxes are relatively easy to file, with forms, workbooks and booklets that give a line-by-line breakdown of the process available for free at post offices. As well, there are plenty of websites and computer programs available to help you file

your taxes. But if you’re looking for an easier way out, check out a certified accountant or reputable company such as H&R Block, and for a fee, they’ll file for you.

While taxes may add insult to injury and upgrade your headache to a full-blown migraine, there is good news; tax time can really pay off for students.

Currently, students can earn just under $16,000 a year without owing much in tax, thanks to a tuition deduction.

If you earn any more than this, the amount of tax that you paid throughout the year on your paycheques will be counted toward your tax payment. When you make significantly more than that, you will be taxed any outstanding fees that you have not paid throughout the year.

The biggest advantage that fulltime students have is their tuition grant. Full-time students are provided with a tax deduction that counts against the amount of income that you have made in the past year.

This means that you can earn more while not paying tax. In addition to tuition, there is a $65 per month of school attended federal tax credit available to full-time students. Part-time students are allowed $25 per month of school attended.

In fact, any scholarship or bursary that you receive as a part of program that allows you to claim the amount against your education is not taxable. Any other scholarship that you receive is taxable if it exceeds $500. For instance if McMaster provides you with a scholarship, that is not taxable.

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Research grants are also tax deductable.

This includes any expenses used to help fund research. This includes things like salary paid to an assistant, the cost of minor equipment and supplies, laboratory charges and certain moving expenses.

The moving expenses that are tax deductable are if you are moving between your home and a temporary home used for your research, from one temporary work location to another, or research driven field trips.

During these types of travel, both meals and housing are deductible.

Other travel expenses such as living at your home are considered to be personal expenses and are not tax deductible.

Other things that are not

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SENIOR PHOTO EDITOR

deductible include unreasonable expenses, or expenses paid for you by a facility, such as a university or a hospital.

Moving expenses are also tax deductible, provided that your new home is no further than 40 kilometres, by the shortest public route, to your school.

Expenses that are eligible for deduction are, transportation, storage, travel expenses, the cost of cancelling your old lease excluding any rent paid, and up to 15 days of meals and temporary housing.

There are plenty of tax breaks available for students, but if you find yourself unsure of what you’re doing or how to file you can always check out the Canada Revenue Agency website or speak to a certified accountant and they will help you through the process.

C12 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27, 2011

Offering hope & healing

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

Tuesdays

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

Wednesdays

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

Thursdays

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

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

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

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

How to Register for a Program:

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

rango • charlie sheen personals • puis-je fumer

andex

thursday, march 10, 2011

Senior Editor: Roxanne Hathway-Baxter Entertainment Editor: Myles Herod Music Editor: Dan Hawie Contributors: Aaron Joo, Ariel Fisher, Michael Clemens, Santino Marinnuci, Corrigan Hammond, Vanaja Sivakumar, Phi Wood, Mia Johnson, Jasmine Keilor

Cover: Tyler Hayward

in the hammer mar.10

Redanda The Casbah 8:00 p.m.

mar.10

Tanuki This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.

mar.10

Joel Plaskett Hamilton Place Studio 8:00 p.m.

mar.11

The Heels The Casbah 9:30 p.m.

mar.12

June and July This Ain’t Hollywood 8:00 p.m.

mar.12

Lee Reed The Casbah 10:00 p.m.

mar.15

music

Electroluminescent This Ain’t Hollywood 9:00 p.m.

theatre mar.17-18

hurray for volunteers! hurray for amazing casbah bands! smokes, i miss fred, phoenix sammiches, new strokes, sam roberts, jian ghomeshi, tokyo police club, ads, lazing on a sunday afternoon, machu picchu, howard hughes: the spruce moose, bright eyes t.o., saxophones, sack taps, “nice guy” joel plaskett, stinky hammond

this week

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

film opening

now

andy’s ticks

Bsttle:Los Angeles Red Riding Hood Mars Needs Moms

the right thing is to write things

preferably in this publication

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

science says that annually, you shake hands with six men who have recently masturbated without washing their hands. gotta hand it to science.

musc b110

thursday, march 10, 2011

f.u.b.a.r.

graph and piece of art was absolutely captivating. Her eyes could cut glass and her smile had the radiance that every editorial column toothpaste ad hopes to roxanne hathway-baxter convey. Marilyn Monroe was absolutely beautiful, but above all, she exudMarilyn Monroe has been known as one of the most iconic images of ed an undeniable aura of class.

Everything about her imfemale beauty in the 20th century.

The blonde bombshell defined age seems to be in such stark confemininity for generations and trast of modern female idols and her image has been used countless sex symbols. Now, to be fair, this times by artists, has been recreated isn’t to say that all female celebrities by modern celebrities and has even du-jour only have licentious behavbeen used posthumously in ad cam- iour and silicone enhancements to paigns. When you look at her, it’s offer their fan base, but there are not hard to understand why Mari- many who use this overt sexuality lyn has transcended the times and to bolster their presumed talent. emerged as, dare I say it, the most Katy Perry, for example, is one of the most beautiful starlets in Holbeautiful woman in the world.

I had the pleasure of view- lywood today. Her songs are catchy ing a fantastic exhibit entitled, Life and climb all of the billboards, but as Legend: Marilyn Monroe at the if you have seen any of her videos McMichael Art Gallery in Klein- it’s clear to see that there’s more burg. The exhibit was comprised of than a pretty face and the voice of hundreds of photographs spanning an angel selling her songs. The first the entirety of her career, as well time I saw her video for “Teenage as several pieces of modern art by Dream” I was stunned.

I’m not an avid viewer of artists who have centred their work around her image. There was even a today’s music videos. I think the gen-u-ine Andy Warhol, it made me last time I watched MTV’s Top 20 Countdown I was in grade eight, feel so amazingly cultured.

I was so struck when I was sitting on my parents’ couch on a perusing the gallery. Every photo- Friday night drinking a Coke. I re-

column

member thinking that 50 Cent’s video for “P.I.M.P.” was racy because of the scantily clad dancers and his oh-so-subtle references to his junk under the guise of “the magic stick.” Sure, my purity levels have dropped since I was 13 and I no longer spend my Friday nights drinking Coke, but I figured, maybe optimistically, that the music industry had hit a sort of sexual plateau.

How very wrong I was!

The video for “Teenage Dream” had my shock level as high as the shirt on Katy Perry’s exposed midriff. I’m not a prude, I swear.

There was writhing, there was gyration, there was a greasy hotel room, all the elements necessary for a truly awkward and regrettably memorable first time. It’s a great song; don’t get me wrong, but where has all the class gone?

My opinion is not to say that Marilyn Monroe was a beacon of innocence and moral decency.

She took part in nude photo shoots, she had plastic surgery to correct a bump on her nose and she certainly used her sexuality to further her career. But somehow, she pulled off these actions with considerable class. She didn’t walk down the red carpet wearing dresses that pushed her voluptuous chest up to her chin and skirts that leave absolutely

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D3 nothing to the imagination. She wasn’t stick thin, looking as though eating a piece of toast would push her over the edge. Early photos of her when she was a model show that she had a little bit of a tummy, which by today’s standards would be the first thing to be airbrushed right off of the magazine pages.

It’s an idealist standpoint to wish that Hollywood would reconsider what they consider the most attractive. It’s foolish to suggest that we go back to our quasimodest roots and at least partially cover our celebrities up. It’s a different time, it’s a different generation.

We’re living in an age where Katy Perry gets our hearts racing in her skin tight jeans. We can see, however, that there are some examples of celebrities who are subverting the bodily norms that are present on screen and in print. Zooey Deschanel has a wholesome beauty that is resonating amongst younger generations, whereas Christina Hendricks of Mad Men is bringing back the Marilyn Monroe-eque curviness.

It’s not a crime to use sexuality. Sometimes I just think we should reconsider what we define to be an iconic beauty and realize that sexiness doesn’t always have to include sex.

the big tickle

avery brooks-joiner

“lady gaga” matthew macdonal

1. Yer Spring Hey Rosetta!

2.Living in Sin in the USA Oakley Hall 3. Aeroplane Zeus 4. Waffle Iron Yukon Blonde 5. New York Minute Don Henley 6. Machu Picchu The Strokes 7. Judy The Pipettes 8. When You Were Mine Prince 9. What’s Free is Yours Pony Up!

who do you think is the greatest female sex symbol today?

compiled by jonathon fairclough & roxanne hathway-baxter

“natalie portman”

andy’s picks

“katy perry” olivia d’allessandro

“lady gaga” mehalan garoonanedhi

“zooey deschanel” katie jensen

D4 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

music

thursday, march 10, 2011

what i lived for andy chats with local musician and label owner scott orr In today’s music industry, few can afford the luxury to abandon image for sincerity even for a millisecond. For Scott Orr, Hamilton based singer/songwriter and founder of Other Songs Music Co., image and sincerity are inextricably linked. The earnestness of Orr’s newest record and the recent success of Other Songs demonstrate how masterfully he has combined the two.

In his latest album, the aptly titled Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, Scott Orr sings openly about his struggle with love, faith, and God. The album is a moving portrait of a man who wrestles with a God who feels distant and the transcendent moment when he finds his creator in unexpected moments.

Orr’s inspiration for the album came from a chapter of the same name in Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. When Thoreau moved into a cabin just outside of Concord, he sought to remove himself from society and experience the purity of solitude.

Like Thoreau, Orr holed himself up in his home and rarely saw visitors. Rather than growing potatoes and pontificating about the wild however, Orr sat down and recorded an album. With the industrious fervor of Thoreau the folk musician sat down every night and went to work.

“I would put a two-three hour shift each night,” Orr laughs. “There is certainly a production parallel [to Walden],” Orr says “I recorded the album four straight days without any visitors. I started going insane.”

There is a refreshing intentionality to the record that demonstrates a deeper maturation in Orr’s music. Out of his selfimposed exile, a truly authentic album about “place” and “self” was birthed. “With Walden I really liked the [idea] that everyone has their own story. I really wanted to explore that,” explained Orr.

What is striking about Where I Lived, and What I Lived For is Orr’s openness about his own “story.” The songwriter lays himself bare by exploring the difficult tensions inherent in his own life, shifting from moments of spiritual despondence to ecstatic clarity.

“I didn’t fake anything on this record,” Orr remarks. “I didn’t write an overtly spiritual record because sometimes I don’t feel overtly spiritual.”

JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Songs like the deeply thoughtful “In the Belly of a Whale” were written from very personal experiences according to Orr. “That song came out of a very literal moment where I fucked up, and I really needed a second chance,” he explained.

Orr’s record explores the ebb and flow of failure and reconciliation and the brief moments in our lives that define who we are. His song writing captures the essence of Thoreau who once commented that God himself culminates in the present moment, and will never be more divine. We are enabled to apprehend all what is sublime and noble only by the perpetual instilling and drenching of the reality that surrounds us.

What’s remarkable about Scott Orr is that he made What I Lived, and What I Lived For while running the newly established record label, Other Songs Music Co. According to Orr, the label originally started off as a joke when he decided to put a sticker on

his first two released albums. But as Scott’s own music gained popularity alongside fellow label mate Pe-Ro, Orr decided it was time to expand.

His vision for a community-centred approach to music has gained quite a following; over ten artists including Bruekke, and the Good Hunters are now on the Hamilton based label.

Part of the reason for establishing Other Songs came out of a discontent with the Hamilton music industry. “The Hamilton scene seemed really fragmented to me,” Orr laments. “It didn’t feel like a community.”

Orr’s passion led him to start his own indie folk label: “We just started our own thing and I stopped worrying about fitting in.” Other Songs Music Co. is becoming a household name as more and more artists are calling or sending demos to Orr.

He is admittedly surprised at the

how quickly Other Songs has taken off. “We planted something that’s growing really fast,” Orr explains. “Everything is happening so fast and right now my preference is working on the label.”

The label’s logo (an elk) is quickly becoming a recognized image in Hamilton – something that the business side of Orr has carefully cultivated. “We want people to connect that image with quality music,” says Orr. After hearing Where I Lived, and What I Lived For it is easy to believe that Other Songs will become increasingly popular in the years to come.

Other Songs will be having their first label party at the Mulberry Cafe on James St on Saturday March 19th. A sampler album of the musicians on Other Songs will be available for free download on band camp on March 15th.

•

Michael Clemens

thursday, march 10, 2011

art

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D5

cloudy judgement the mcmaster museum of art looks into smoking culture Puis-je fumer? Loosely translated as may I smoke?, is the new art exhibit showcasing at McMaster Art Museum. The very title evokes a wish for a drag of smoke that seems to be out of reach. Why is it unattainable? Strong opinions from present day society, culture and media made it so and the artist Christos Dikeakos attempts to capture this century old habit in all its disgrace and glory.

When you first step into the exhibit, you are bombarded with sculptures, photography, collages, and bold quotations written on the walls yet all arranged in a simple and, dare I say, orderly manner. The visitor eventually learns that the reason for such an assortment of artwork is due to Dikeakos’ passion for the 18th century French artist Marcel Duchamp. As observed in a majority of the exhibit, Dikeakos uses Duchamp’s work and thoughts and incorporates it into his own; an example is Duchamp’s popular painting “Nude Descending a Staircase” No. 1 and 2 displayed along one of the exhibit’s lengthy walls.

The main theme of the showcase is smoking as a social behaviour and its cultural dimensions throughout history and the present day. Dikeakos does a good job in neither celebrating nor demonizing the act of smoking, but merely presents the changing views from different vantage points. The artist explores the social ladders, eroticism, irony and culture of this now unacceptable societal norm plaguing our streets today.

Aristocrats are shown to be much more than a social class in Dikeakos’ exhibit.

Perhaps trendsetters would be the operative word. In the 1920s, the aristocrats were as close to Hollywood as the average person would ever experience and the painting, “Eros c’est la vie” shows the glamour of this life, which of course, could not be complete without a pack of Virginia Slims. This painting not only celebrates the act of smoking but popularizes it into something that would appeal to the everyday person.

Sexuality as a propaganda tool is probably the most powerful device used today in the advertising industry to draw in young viewers, and this tactic started a long time ago. Duchamp’s painting of a naked woman atop a cigar not only appeals to pubescent

boys, but what woman wouldn’t want to be objectified in that way? It is an ironic truth, sex sells and the smoking industry, whether it be in the early 1900s or present-day, is not ashamed to use it.

Dikeakos seems to live and breathe irony in all his work, from the placing of the photography or paintings on the wall to the precise location of the sculptures. An example is an advertisement of an ad campaign proposal from the Tobacco Harm Reduction Unit from Gray’s Anatomy picturing a healthy pink lung. Right next to it however is another advertisement from the 1950s cryptically entitled “Defense de Fumer, et charger” directly translated to “defence of smoking, and load.”

These two advertisements not only are contradictory to each other in its content and location in the exhibit but also show the ever changing views and opinions on smoking. It also is fascinating to see that in present day, science is becoming a strong method in advertising reflecting our world of technological revelations.

Tradition, a word one does not normally think in terms of lighting up a cigarette, has become synonymous. Smoking has become engrained in many cultures sometimes defines whole countries. Dikeakos uses Cuba as the ideal country to showcase this viewpoint highlighting some cigarette brands that have been a part of Cuba’s tradition for more then a century. They have been made into a whole industry and it has become a way of life.

Dikeakos displays this cultural phenomenon in a glass display in the middle of the exhibit with pictures of tobacco farms, production and selling of top brand cigars.

Whatever way you look at it, lighting up a cigarette has been controversial since their introduction to society. Dikeakos does a fabulous job in displaying the varying views and history of this globalized habit. The exhibit is worth a visit and as for the topic of smoking, as they often say in the art industry, it is up for interpretation.

More info on the McMaster Art Museum: http://www.mcmaster.ca/museum/ • Vanaja Sivakumar JOY SANTIAGO / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

D6 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine The fourth piece of the Theatre & Film Program’s Honours Performance Series, Personals, written, directed and choreographed by Carissa Bowerman, Steve Boxall and Rose Usenica, opened last week on March 3rd, and unfortunately, this review comes too late for those who missed such a great and heartrending show.

Telling its stories through brief episodes and gorgeous dance sequences, Personals explores the many different relations that human beings experience throughout their lifetimes. Bravely tackling issues of coming out of the closet as anything other than heterosexual, dealing with homophobia and misunderstandings of sexuality, the show challenges our notions of “natural” behaviours and what it means to be queer in a world where queer isn’t “normal.” In one sequence, a young man tells his father that he shouldn’t have to “come out” as gay, because his dad didn’t have to “come out” as straight.

Another sequence finds a young woman questioning her own place in the flamboyant wildness that is the annual gay pride parade, feeling that she doesn’t measure up to the other more explosive participants. There is a scene that explores submissive and dominant relationships between two partners. All these sequences give us a look into these characters’ lives for brief moments and help us see past our previous notions of

theatre

what being queer and being normal mean.

Then there are the dance sequences.

Absolutely stunning dance sequences that each tell their own story with stunning clarity and breathtaking movement. Every one of the dancers should be given great praise for their ability to move so fluidly and gracefully in accordance to the choreography. The use of music was extremely well done and organic, with each song providing a subtext to the dance sequences that gave the audience a clear understanding of the messages behind the movements of the actors. Save for one dance sequence, I never found myself at a loss for meaning or understanding.

All the actors should be commended for their bravery in tackling such nonnormative subject matter in their roles and abstaining from turning their performances into stereotypical depictions of the queer community. The entire cast plays multiple roles, and within the span of mere minutes, they create memorable characters that stay with the audience long after the show is over.

The writing and the directing make it clear for the audience to understand just who these characters are, and the costuming gives the entire production a nice touch – each cast member is given a colour that sticks with them throughout the production, culminating a rainbow of costuming come the brilliant final dance sequence.

There is a danger in most plays that try to stress a message, or say something that the writers feel is important. That danger is in the feeling of having the message “hammered” into our heads and being heavy handed in its delivery. Most fortunately, Personals said what it needed to say, and presented its ideas in a straightforward and sincere way. It didn’t try to trick the audience or manipulate them into feeling things, and wasn’t needlessly ambiguous or complex in a way that would have confused its message and disorientate us.

Using statistics and philosophical ponderings by the cast members in spotlights to bookend the individual episodes and dance sequences, Personals invited the audience to question the way that the world proceeds when it comes to thinking about queerness, or just alternative ways of being.

One of the most amusing examples involves Wyll McDermott talking about the nature of the prostate. While some audiences may have found these statistical bits, as well as some of the dialogue in the show, overtly explicit and pandering, I found them useful in helping the audience digest the scenes and gain a better handling on them after being given a context to set them up with.

Though I have very few criticisms, I have to admit that I did not understand the placement of one of the dance sequences,

thursday, march 10, 2011 and its importance to the overall show. That the sequence itself was enormously entertaining helped me enjoy it for what it was, so it is not a total loss.

My other nitpicking with the show could not have been helped due to the scant running time of only 50 minutes, but I would have liked to seen even more examples of alternative relationships, such as bisexual relationships shown in a positive light, polyamory, and stories involving transgendered/transsexual individuals, for example. However, I can’t complain, seeing as how the show managed to pack in so much already.

Personals is a wonderful production, graceful in its sincerity and open-heartedness, and brave in its explorations of the many different kinds of relationships that we as human beings can share with one another.

I highly recommend seeking out the future works of the three writer-directors behind it, and am glad to have been able to see their show when I did. Love happens in colourful ways indeed.

The Honours Performance series continues with iGen — on the Robinson Memorial stage — March 17th and 18th, with shows at 12:30 and 8 p.m. both days.

love is a many coloured thing •

Derek Hung

mcmaster honours performance series connects on a more personal level

PHOTO C/O KRISTI BOULTON

film

thursday, march 10, 2011

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D7

the wild west isn’t dead. it’s animated.

Rango Dirceted by: Gore Verbinski Voices by: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher

HHHH The story of a chameleon with an identity crisis, Rango finds itself crossing boundaries from classic Western to drama, romance, and slapstick, following a relatively typical formula in an unconventional manner.

Flung from the seat of his car, Rango (Johnny Depp) is thrust into oncoming traffic, having one of the first of many ingenious film references.

The Hawaiian shirt-clad Rango lands upon the windshield of Depp’s Hunter S. Thompson from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. With a “Damn lizards!” grumble and a brush of the windshield wipers, Thompson Rango is tossed to the ground where he meets the cause of his geographic upheaval: an armadillo aptly named Roadkill (played by Alfred Molina) who was hit by his car, nearly halved on the asphalt.

With sage-like wisdom, the rapidly

recovered Roadkill instructs Rango to walk into the Mojave Desert and travel to the town of Dirt to find the Spirit of the West (later embodied by Timothy Olyphant in a convincing Clint Eastwood impression). And so the suburban chameleon with an identity complex wanders aimlessly into the desert, accompanied only by his Greek chorus of Mariachi owls.

As he stumbles into the despotic dystopia that is the town of Dirt, it becomes clear that something is amiss. With water as their primary currency, the Dirtonians find themselves in an inexplicable drought, which forces the townsfolk to surrender their land to the suspicious Mayor (voiced by Ned Beatty).

All too aware that he sticks out like a sore thumb, Rango takes on the role of hero for hire, asserting himself as a force to be reckoned with in a town where gunslingers have gone the way of the dodo.

The talent in Rango seems limitless as the film is filled with major names that live up to their reputations. Depp emotes effortlessly, giving genuine depth, heart, and selfdeprecating humour to the title role, while Aussie actress Isla Fisher adds a convincing

Southern drawl to her purely decorative character, Beans. Bill Nighy and Ray Winstone, respectively, bring Rattlesnake Jake and Bad Bill to life with genuine malevolence, while Harry Dean Stanton gives his blind prospector Balthazar a shudder-inducing sliminess.

None of the characters here are fluffy and cuddly, least of all the bunnies.

It truly is a motley crew that inhabits Dirt, and they are ugly. Rabbits with missing ears, roosters with arrows impaling their skulls, and halved armadillos.

This is not your typical children’s movie. In fact, it is a distinctly mature cartoon. Filmic references will surely fly clean over the heads of any youngsters in attendance, and are geared towards those true film buffs that will appreciate the visual homage to their favorites.

Rango makes distinct references to Chinatown throughout, as well as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Apocalypse Now, and even True Grit. Roger Deakins, cinematographer on the remake of True Grit, served as a visual consultant on Rango. His keen eye and knowledge of the style, along with Verbinski’s love of the Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone, can be directly attributed to the ardent Western hom-

age throughout the film.

The homage perhaps goes too far, so as to make it the same typical duration of the classic Westerns of yore. Averaging around two and a half hours in length, Westerns feel as long as the Wild West felt vast.

Rango mimics this as much as a cartoon can, at about two hours in length. Perhaps one of its few flaws is that it feels too long for an animated film, which detracts from its enjoyment.

Though it follows a conventional plot, rudimentary to its very core, Rango is approached in such a unique manner that even the harshest critics will enjoy its whimsy. With dizzying visuals, it is a real treat for the senses.

A mature children’s animated film that doesn’t pander to its audience, it makes intelligent references through visual cues as opposed to the standard hammering over the head found in films such as the Shrek franchise.

Rango is subtle and refined in how it cites the classics, and appears to be a genuine product that every cinephile will enjoy.

• Ariel Fisher

D8 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

literature

thursday, march 10, 2011

heavy living, light lifting

andy reviews alexander macleod’s thought-provoking tales of reality When Alexander MacLeod’s debut collection of short stories, Light Lifting, was published last year it was quickly commended with positive reviews and, to even his surprise, made it to the shortlist in the richest Canadian literary award for fiction, the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Offering the author of the winning text a whopping $50,000, the prize strives to promote and maintain literature as a facet of Canadian culture. Despite falling out to Johanna Skibsrud for her novel The Sentimentalists, MacLeod has nevertheless met fair success.

The seven stories that make up Light Lifting are each in their own way thoughtprovoking, and at times powerful. They are all founded on a grounded reality, stories of real people living real lives, clearly inspired by personal experience. Oddly familiar, and thoroughly accurate reflections of everyday episodes are at the core of these stories: swimming lessons, road hockey, and a job paving driveways. There is constant movement throughout the book, of average strangers working and engaging themselves in their environment, a physically bound stream of existence.

Yet the movement extends beyond this very physicality and there are small moments of internal progression on multiple levels, whether it involves characters overcoming fears or encountering gritty instances of

human weakness. Often the stories will pose an instantaneous snapshot wherein these routine, almost obsessive characters are faced with a jarring, juxtaposing event that undermines their mechanical lifestyles.

The book opens with “Miracle Mile,” two ardent track runners, childhood friends, who methodically go through their personal rituals before a mile-long race. There is an underlying tone of normality to the unconventional motions the athletes go through; legal performance-enhancing drugs, vigorous diets, psychological stimulation are all day-today customs for them.

The narrator remembers back to their reckless spirits when they were in high school, racing alongside trains in a tunnel, despite the stories they’ve heard of people being crushed under the tracks, losing limbs.

In a tense moment, the narrator watches his friend, Burner, charge towards him with the light of the train hovering over him, calls him the “stupid…one who somehow gets away.”

A headstrong, goal-driven individual, Burner poses the dangers of disassociating too much with reality.

The longest, most developed story in the book is “Adult Beginner I,” of a young woman named Stace who we find standing 60 feet high on the roof of a Holiday Inn, preparing to dive into the river just below. Af-

ter a night at the club, her lifeguard friends come here and do it for fun. As Stace faces her social initiation, the narrative weaves through her experience with water, her close encounter with death in the Atlantic Ocean as a child, her psychological conquering of the pool, and soon mastery over the element.

Still MacLeod writes, “[w]e are made most specifically by the things we cannot bear to do,” and by the end, Stace faces an instant wherein her ability is compromised and comes to realize that there is a limit to all things.

In an article in the Toronto Star, MacLeod was quoted in saying that he wanted the stories to be “tight enough [so] that you wouldn’t know exactly how they were going to resolve themselves.” It’s true, they are interestingly dense for such a minimalist style, and the general summaries I’ve briefly constructed here definitely don’t give the stories justice.

At the same time, I’m not entirely sure whether the ambiguity surrounding the conclusions of the stories is a good thing or a bad thing. It’s definitely subjective, but for me at times it works and at times it falls through.

On occasion some stories appear to drop dead at the end with nothing much to take from it.

In “The Loop,” MacLean writes the

story of a boy who works for a pharmacy delivering the personal orders of their clientele.

One of them is an unpleasant man named Barney, who suffers from obesity as well as every other disease in the book. On a delivery, the boy finds Barney unconscious on the floor, and for the first time in his short life encounters the brutal fact of life: it ends eventually. Even though the paramedics arrive and sustain Barney, the narrator decides he wants to go home and spend the rest of his life eating Twizzlers and Fun Dip, and watching The Dukes of Hazzard because the good guys always get away.

The story is beautifully written, but something about the conclusion bugs me. It’s too reactionary and seems like a cop out on both the part of the character and the author.

Characters, people, are stronger than that; they don’t get over things by slipping into a Peter Pan persona.

Despite that, there is much to appreciate in Light Lifting, its brash poetry in motion and the fact that it’s a story about all of us really. It gives this novice writer great pleasure that there are individuals like MacLeod whose lives are in every respect about literature, and that it still plays a role in the creative Canadian community.

•

Aaron Joo

under the radar

thursday, march 10, 2011

off the web

is it normal? isintnormal.com

“Is it normal?” is a site dedicated to either reassuring or stigmatizing any comers who feel they have an unusual problem. Users post their unique predicaments or situations and then visitors to the site vote either “yes” or “no,” with the percentage of normality, as dedaily yummo cided voters appearing right under the post. http://dailyyummo.blogspot.com/ While some people wonder if it’s normal to The perfect website for horny girls or guys be addicted to music, others will ask about who don’t have enough shirtless men in their anilingus. It’s a delightfully mixed bag. life. Personally, I know that a baby-faced and • Peter Goffin hairless Emilio Estevez really gets my motor running.

• Roxanne Hathway-Baxter

the beat get your scene points!

fiddy cent drops fiddy four He’s come a long way from being a P-I-M-P. The trailer for rapper 50 Cent’s new movie Things Fall Apart has been released and, just sayin’, he looks a little terrifying. Fiddy, who drops a staggering 54 pounds for the role, plays a college football player who comes down with a pretty bad case of cancer. The weight loss on its own would be an epic accomplishment, but the trailer boasts that it’s “the most critically acclaimed role of his career.” Way to go, 50. The world is anxiously awaiting your next role on the big screen and outta da club. Don’t get mad that I’m asking you 21 questions, but what’s your weight loss secret?

hey! i must be going!

A few years back Genesis drummer and notable bald enthusiast Phil Collins suffered a spinal injury while on the band’s reunion tour, and the world held its breath over whether the Sussudion had put away his sticks for good.

Against all odds, Phil nullified rumours with a bold statement of telling the world, “Take a look at me now.”

Earlier this week, Mr. Collins mentioned a possible bowing out from the musical world not because of injury reasons, but more along the aged-rocker lines of becoming irrelevant. An excerpt of his reasoning is as follows: “I look at the MTV Music Awards and I think: ‘I can’t be in the same business as this’...I don’t really belong to that world and I don’t think anyone’s going to miss me.”

Geez. After 40 years of making music, let’s hope Mr. Collins at least remembers that he’ll forever be in our hearts. But seriously.

• Dan Hawie & Roxanne Hathway-Baxter

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D9

write us a story for the andy short fiction contest theme: relationships (parental, friendship, romantic)

prizes: 1st place: $50 Titles giftcard 2nd place: $35 Titles giftcard 3rd place: $20 Titles giftcard

what to do: 1. write a story 2,500 words or less 2. include your name, student number, email, phone number, submission title, and word count on title page 3. type in 12-point Times New Roman font 4. be a McMaster undergrad student 5. submit a hard copy to The Silhouette office (MUSC b110)

deadline: March 18, 2011 winners will be published in the March 24 issue of andy

D10 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

music

thursday, march 10, 2011

rock n’ roll isn’t dead, it’s just stale andy probes the current state of music and its lack of so-called greatness Rock N’ Roll’s two greatest clichés are that it is a) dead, and b) can never die. Anyone who will recite one of those clichés is probably never very far removed from looking at you and dead seriously reciting the other.

Of course, neither of those clichés are true. Just because Rock N’ Roll hasn’t died yet doesn’t mean that it won’t — so don’t expect your grandkids to spend anymore time listening to Hendrix or The Arcade Fire than you currently do enjoying George Gershwin or Irving Berlin.

The problem with Rock N’ Roll is that it gets boring a lot. It’s only about every three to five years that something really interesting happens. Once that happens every interesting angle of that fascinating new sound gets tediously explored by the good folks in the music industry until everything magical about that one particular perfect moment gets worn away until it’s as thin as dust.

Inevitably, very few of so-called great rock bands ever put out truly revolutionary album more than five or six years after first “breaking.” That’s not to say that a lot of very influential bands haven’t released great records and very musically competent records decades into their careers — think of bands like Radiohead or songwriters like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan who’ve struggled against mainstream music decades into their career.

2011 seems like the perfect year for some new artist to make some really interesting new music. I came to that conclusion after watching The Strokes and Miley Cyrus on SNL this past week. As Julian Casablancas stood on stage like an energy-less, leather-clad mannequin, it occurred to me that his band, which everyone thought would be the new Nirvana a decade ago, has yet to truly follow up their ground-breaking first record, Is This It?, in 2003.

Their shelf life should’ve expired around 2004 or 2005, about the same time as bands like The White Stripes, Broken Social Scene, and The Arcade Fire intent on further transforming what The Strokes had already changed.

But instead The Strokes stuck around like a stale cigarette, putting out new music that the unfortunate masses got to confuse for “new” music. And they weren’t alone. The Hives, Radiohead, and at least a dozen other major bands (that I still love) all kept rehashing themselves over and over, until today, where we need a new new-Nirvana to once again storm the mainstream and shout everyone down. That sort of change though never simply happens on its own.

When I turned eighteen, I did what any smart Ontario kid does at that age, and snuck off to Montreal (where the legal age was me) for a glorious summer. That was the year The Arcade Fire broke — and, as they brought a whole rash of local bands from Controller Controller to Malajube into the global indie-zeitgeist, Montreal became the coolest city on earth.

Montreal 2005 just one part of a tremendous year for a now-lost Canada. Dudes were marrying dudes in Toronto. American army deserters were sneaking north across the border. And thanks to the outgoing Prime Minister’s pledge to legalize marijuana, at all hours of the day you could walk up and down Montreal’s main boulevards and smell funny substances blowing in the wind.

Without realizing how endangered the spirit of the day was, for an eighteen-year-old kid there was a real sense on the streets that something was going to change — which it did. The rest of world decided to spend the next five years pretending that moment hadn’t passed, when really it was as long gone as any hippy remembrance of Woodstock or the punk rock lore that creeps out of CBGB (which, by the time I finally saw it, had morphed into a souvenir shop).

Across the world, a new moment which isn’t dissimilar in spirit to the transformative mood of my fabled summer in Montreal is taking place. Currently in the Middle East the people have decided to fire their governments just like the people of Eastern Europe and the former USSR did 21 years ago.

Not only would I like to know what kind of music an eighteen-year-old in Cairo or Beirut might be listening to or dreaming of making, I’d love to hear the sounds that an eighteenyear-old kid here, watching the footage on YouTube or Twitter or even on television, is going to hammer out in the garage with his or her buddies.

If you’re bored with the music that you’ve been hearing, just like I’ve become, don’t worry; a change is about to arrive. When they tore down the Berlin Wall back in ’89, the biggest bands in the world were Bon Jovi, Guns N’ Roses, Poison, Motley Crue, and a thousand similar hair bands. Within three years they’d all been replaced with a new breed of punk. I’ve got a good feeling within three years we won’t have to endure any more Killers or Kings of Leon albums.

Rock N’ Roll isn’t dead yet — once tired bands like The Strokes finally burn out or fade away, you’ll know that change is a’coming.

• Corrigan Hammond

in stereo

thursday, march 10, 2011

the silhouette’s art & culture magazine • D11

featured review Hey Rosetta!

Seeds

HHHHH Seeds is the third album from Newfoundland based Hey Rosetta! Their second album, Into Your Lungs, found them short listed for the 2009 Polaris Prize and broadened their fan base from their island home. Seeds should find them an audience across Canada as it is truly excellent. It’s a departure from their earlier, straight-ahead, recorded live-off-the-floor style that was produced by Hawksley Workman. This time they’ve hooked up with Scottish producer Tony Doogan (Mogwai, Belle and Sebastian) to create a much more lush, heavily instrumented sound – reminiscent of Arcade Fire or Broken Social Scene. Frontman Tim Baker wrote (or co-wrote) all of the songs, sings and plays several instruments although it is a six-piece group including a fulltime cellist and violinist. All of the songs are excellent but the best is “Yer Spring.” Starting out as floating, spoken word kind of thing it morphs into a ripping guitar/cello inter-play. Fantastic!

• Phil Wood

Eisley The Valley

These Kids Wear Crowns Jumpstart

Toro Y Moi Underneath the Pine

HHH

HH

HHHH

Eisley’s third full-length album The Valley, falls nothing short of expressing heartbreak. Not only is this evident in the emotionally profound lyrics that are presented, but also in the optimistic instrumentals that establish a feeling of promise and recovery. With Sherri and Stacy’s wailing voices, comparable to Feist’s, they sing to cheerful melodies, creating irony throughout the album. This is obvious in the track titled “Sad,” that is undoubtedly, not sad at all. As the album trudges along, the songs begin to mesh together. Lyrics begin to overlap and melodies are akin. However, one track that protrudes from the rest would be “Ambulance”; with its heavier tone and moderate beat, it actually leaves you feeling a tad heartbroken. Recommendation would be to anyone who is in the process of mending his or her heart and is in hopes of finding new love.

It’s bands like these that remind me of why I don’t watch Much Music anymore. Making a name for themselves on the channel’s popular reality TV show Disband, this sextet from Chilliwack, B.C., are representative of all things predictable, uninspired and cliché. They spew out exactly the sort of soulless sound that appeals to the masses of screaming prepubescent girls that undoubtedly make up their fan base. Thank god I’ve outgrown that phase. Lacking in substance, originality and genuine quality, their first album, Jumpstart, is a picture of overused synthesizers, bubble gum lyrics and bad techno beats. These guys are pop trying to be punk, disco trying to be good and cheese trying to be, um, Swiss.

Forget the hipster glorification, forget the Chillwave branding, Underneath the Pine is a new departure for Chaz Bundick. Here is an airy, albeit accessible album of indie psychedelia concocted for one’s aural pleasure.

While Toro Y Moi’s last album, 2010’s Causers of This, was a mix of eccentric bliss, it lacked cohesion from beginning to end. Underneath the Pine picks up the slack, stepping up Chaz’s potential in both production and writing. The suggestive, sun strewn cover alone evokes a different direction, and era, with its '70s influenced typeface and stylized photography.

Simply put, the songs on this record are just catchier, instant, and more enjoyable.

Channeling a Beach Boys vibe, Animal Collective comparisons may arise. Think nothing of it. With tracks like “Got Blinded” and “Divina,” just picture yourself on a beach, sipping a piña colada, and contemplating those tasty waves before the sun goes down.

• Mia Johnston

• Jasmine Keilor

• Myles Herod

D12 • the silhouette’s art & culture magazine

feature

thursday, march 10, 2011

@charliesheen, you’re a #winner Cocaine, goddesses, celebrity status, millions of dollars, and #winning. This is the wonderful world of Charlie Sheen.

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, you should be well aware of the immense media attention that Charlie Sheen has been receiving lately.

In addition to this, most people have become well versed in his famous cosmic warlock quotes, while some have chosen to live vicariously through his seemingly rock star life.

It’s evident that everything coming out of this man’s mouth is either quote worthy, has deserved its own meme, or is passed off as “winning.”

However, as a person who has immersed himself in the growing Charlie Sheen bonanza, I have watched him get interviewed by countless reporters who question his lifestyle, life choices, and even morals. When I see this I cannot help but think, “Who gives a shit?”

No but seriously, who really cares?

Sheen has been hit with every curveball, every extremely personal question about his struggles, his drug addiction, and the guy keeps a winning face.

And the best part is, Sheen doesn’t give two shits either, you know what? Charlie Sheen is already #overit, and let me tell you why I think he is a #winner.

Sheen has done it all, had lavish parties with porn stars, gone on benders, and successfully gotten fired from the hugely popular television show Two and a Half Men. Many would say he is crazy for ruining his $1.8-million-an-episode career, but it is Sheen who is having the last laugh.

After Sheen leaves the show he may not be getting those $1.8 million paycheques anymore, but the networks that use the episodes for his show in the future will be cutting him royalty cheques for the rest of his life.

He has also managed to accomplish a feat that would even impress those who have not donned the #teamsheen moniker. He has successfully attracted one million Twitter followers in 24 hours.

One million followers. Not even Ashton Kutcher and his adorable hair could have managed that in such a short period of time.

Also don’t forget, Sheen is an accomplished actor, who has starred in films that just emit bad-assery from them. Some of these films that you may have heard of include: Platoon, Wall Street, and Major League to name a few.

Still not convinced that Sheen is the coolest guy since James Dean? Well the guy has his own goddesses. What man do you know who has a goddess? That’s right, you don’t know anyone.

These goddesses, who are his own personal adult film stars, have their own rooms in his house. Each day, Sheen gets to choose which one he feels like having and just makes the decision based on his mood.

The man knows what he wants and goes out and gets it, and there is nothing wrong with that.

Talk about having cake and eating it too.

While much of this article is based around how ass-kicking Charlie Sheen is, there are people who are not so impressed by his shenanigans.

This can be outlined by the more recent anti-Sheen movement as of late, with reports saying that he will die by the end of the year, being parodied on Saturday Night Live, and even ones saying that he is pulling a stunt similar to Joaquin Phoenix.

Many people who have known him for years have even come forward to say that none of these actions even surprise them, and that his behaviours are nothing new. People like this include his ex-wives, and father.

Regardless of this fact, whether he is winning or losing, Charlie Sheen has successfully plastered his face across the globe through social media. Despite negative connotations, the movie offers, the money, and the women are still coming in and will continue to do so whether people hate him or not.

Charlie Sheen is a winner, plain and simple. He is a winner because he has repeatedly gone on air, told it how it is, regardless of the reaction.

In my opinion, no matter who the person is, whether it be Charlie Sheen, or your average Joe, if they can get on national television, stick to your guns and say it how it really is, they have some serious balls, and I respect that.

Not to say that I completely agree with the way he has handled his cocaine and stripper-fuelled weekends, the multiple wives, and the image he gives to his children. Sheen has managed to do what many celebrities fail to do, and that is maintaining support while their image is tarnished.

To sum it all up, the best part about the Charlie Sheen debacle is that he has just been himself. He has been as real as he can be, and this carefree view on what people think has been missing in Hollywood.

Also, instead of feeding himself to the media wolves, like other famous actors have done recently, *cough, Mel Gibson, cough*, he has created #teamsheen which creates a medium for supporters of his cause, and despite the negative media attention, he has managed to ignore his ground and keep positive. #keepwinning Charlie Sheen.

• Santino Marinucci