The
Leaf to B6 for your go-to guide on telling apart a vegan from a veg-head
Silhouette McMASTER UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Thursday, February 6, 2014 VOL. 84 NO. 21
TEDDY TALKS The campaign is over, and Teddy Saull won the race. Get to know the man that McMaster voted for to be the next MSU President.
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ELIZA POPE / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Students make mark on mental health On Jan. 28, Bell’s Let’s Talk initiative took place throughout Canada. With over 109,451,718 text messages, phone calls, tweets, and Facebook shares, Bell came through on their promise to donate five cents for each of them and contributed $5,472,585 towards initiating a conversation about mental health issues. One McMaster student, Cassie Boettcher, took this opportunity to start a conversation in the McMaster community through artwork. “You could feel the vibrations through campus already, people were tweeting and texting… so it was already on everyone’s mind that this would be the day to tackle this topic,” said Cassie, a fourth-year Sociology student. Cassie, a painter by hobby, began with a blank canvas and spent the day asking students to dip their thumb in paint and put their thumbprint on the canvas.
Each thumbprint represents themselves or someone they know who is affected by mental illness. By the end of the day, the canvas had over 250 thumb prints, each signifying someone who is struggling with mental illness. Out of everyone asked on that day, only one person didn’t know anyone affected by mental illness. “There is this interconnectedness,” Cassie explained. “That’s why I love that they overlap. Right there [in that corner] there are 20 people who are suffering.” When asked why she chose the thumbprint, Cassie responded, “The thumbprint is your identity. To me, it’s almost like the painting is holding everyone’s hand. This person probably doesn’t know that person but look what they have in common.” Cassie’s inspiration for the artwork extends further than the Bell Let’s Talk initiative. “I have a lot of very close friends and relatives that suffer from debilitating mental illnesses. Originally I was
Were students not informed enough on health referendums?
Doing Valentine’s Day on the student dime.
Krista Schwab The Silhouette
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going to just do this piece and show them, and say look, we can do this, you are not alone.” Now, the artwork will be auctioned by the Hamilton Health Science Foundation and afterwards displayed at the McMaster Children’s Hospital in the mental health ward. “I hope this inspires people to feel comfortable talking about it with loved ones or understanding if a friend comes to them that it’s okay to have those conversations,” Cassie said. “But this battle is far from complete – this is just a ripple in the ocean that needs to change.”
Cassie spent a day getting students to decorate the canvas with their thumbprint, in an effort to display how many people are dealing with mental illness.
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“The thumbprint is your identity. It’s almost like the painting is holding everyone’s hand.” Cassie Boettcher, Fourth-year Sociology Student
Hamilton band The Zilis release second album.
KRISTA SCHWAB / THE SILHOUETTE
The OUA is reorganizing the Ontario basketball divisions. Are the Marauders ready to take on a new league?
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the S ’ T N E D I S E R P E G PA MSU hiring soon-to-be Mac grads for Full-Time Employment Next Year This time last year, I really didn’t know what I was going to do with myself. I was getting set to graduate in May with an Arts & Science degree and felt that Graduate or Professional School wasn’t right for me just yet. If you are in the same position as I was this year, I wanted to let you know that there is an option for you and that option is with the McMaster Students Union. The MSU is looking to fill seven “Student Opportunity Positions” for the 2014-2015 year. These positions work in a variety of our departments, everything from our campus newspaper The Silhouette to our convenience store the Union Market. We have roles in communications, administration, Clubs and community outreach as well. Don’t worry – you don’t need direct work experience with our services to apply! We are looking for passionate people who are willing to work hard for the year and to learn a lot all while bettering the student experience on our campus. Each of these roles are one year, full-time contracts with competitive salary and benefits, beginning May 1, 2014. So if you have thought that working for the year might be right for you, I strongly encourage you to apply for one of our SOP roles. Check out the MSU Website www.msumcmaster.ca/jobs for more details on each of the positions available. Given the year I have had, I can guarantee that the MSU is an awesome place to work.
Anna D’Angela VP Administration vpadmin@msu.mcmaster.ca
ext. 23250
Enjoyment Sadness
Student Opportunity Position
Moving Home
Graduate School
The ‘Working World’
As shown, having a Student Opportunity Position is the best way to both enjoy your life as a graduate while minimizing any potential sadness that could occur.
100% of current Student Opportunity Position employees interviewed love their job* * Sample size: all 7 employees
Perks List: pened fun.) ks JUST o c u rb ta on all the S t u o s is (Don’t m ice office.) ur own off o y t e g share an u to e v - Yo a h fs (Most pro nesdays ts fi e en t on Wed e rk a M - Health b n io ffee at Un - Free co ess card in s u b ate cMaster - A legitim to student life at M ute - Contrib yed be emplo lieved.) l - You wil will be re ts n re a p r u o (Y gain skills reer and a c r u o y rt - Kick-sta
Student Opportunity Positions (1-year full-time contracts) close at 11:59pm on Feb. 12 For opportunities at these services and more, visit www.msumcmaster.ca/jobs to apply!
The President’s Page is sponsored by the McMaster Students Union. It is a space used to communicate with the student body about the projects, goals and agenda of the MSU Board of Directors.
www.msumcmaster.ca Spencer Graham VP (Education)
David Campbell President
Anna D’Angela VP (Administration)
Jeff Doucet VP (Finance)
fb.com/MSUMcMaster @MSU_McMaster
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
A3
Look for special Valentines’s Day inserts in next week’s issue!
Editors Tyler Welch & Rachel Faber & Tomi Milos Email news@thesil.ca @theSilhouette Phone 905.525.9140 x27117
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MIIETL strives for new learning projects Kyle Park The Silhouette Formerly known as the Centre for Leadership and Learning, the McMaster Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning promises initiatives that look at ways to improve the practice of education for students, professors, and faculties at large. After going through a name change, the McMaster Institute for Innovation and Excellence in Teaching and Learning has its sights set on several first-year courses. MIIETL’s director Arshad Ahmad said that many new initiatives revolve on the redesign of first-year courses like biology, chemistry, ecology and economics. Right now the institute is focused on first year undergraduate classes hoping to gain a better understanding of how best to serve students in their adjustment to university life and ultimately
TYLER WELCH/SENIOR NEWS EDITOR
increase the rate of returning students. A successful project of MIIETL is their recent work with Dr. Joseph Kim, a professor of psychology, to make the IntroPsych course fully online by next September. To fulfill this goal, the imperative lies in effective research according to Ahmad. “We gather evidence on
teaching and learning. To become a research center, an institute, you have to find the kinds of evidence that improves practice,” said Ahmad. He continued, “We’re not just finding evidence so we can publish an article and feel good about it. We take that evidence to redesign courses and learn from that process.”
TEDx comes to Mac
Another research project aimed to synergize teaching and learning was a series of studies on ‘lecture-capture’ investigating how students interact with recorded lectures, that is, whether they are used as a supplementary resource for additional studying or as a substitute for the actual class. The survey-based research asked students about the frequency of their engagement with captured lectures and their overall approach to studying. “Lecture-captures are a strong practice because they are used by students as very useful study aids, and particularly for those students who are approaching the class with a deep and meaningful engagement,” said Beth Marquis, the Educational Research Consultant at MIIETL. In addition to the increased drive for research, MIIETL also acknowledges the value in employing students as active members of the research team, to provide a space for students to
New MSU service to Spark first year growth Abhi Mukherjee The Silhouette McMaster University will begin the 2014-15 school year by initiating a pilot program called Spark. Spark is intended to be a student-led, student-run service of the MSU that will be devoted to setting the stage for student success. The service was proposed by the MSU’s Vice-President of Education Spencer Graham and will specifically cater to incoming first year students at no extra cost. Spark will begin at the start of the coming fall term and will be designed to provide students with small group environments that facilitate first-year growth, and build personal development and reflection skills. It will introduce students to campus services, clubs, leadership opportunities and encourage extracurricular participation. It will also connect students to their peers and upper-year students to promote increased support on academic issues and associated first-year challenges. The program will be comprised of weekly sessions led by two undergraduate Success Facilitators. Each session will be between 1-2 hours long and will take place throughout the entirety of each term. A session may involve leadership activities, presentations from speakers, discussions, journaling/reflection periods, games and other activities. Students will have completed the program upon the completion of three self-directed activities within the University or broader community of Hamilton. There will be several optional, open study groups at various points throughout the week to promote building inclusive student learn-
The TEDx conference landed at McMaster Innovation Park this week. This year’s conference focussed on the merger of preparation and opportunity, stressing to participants that they can make their own luck.
Photos by Patricia Nguyen
pursue research projects proactively. “Rather than hiring students simply as research assistants, which certainly still happens, we are also trying to think about the contexts wherein students can come up with their own research projects around teaching,” said Marquis. When asked about the funding for the increased student employment, research production and upcoming renovated office space, Ahmad said that the university is making significant contributions from Forward With Integrity funds in combination with support from many faculties. With its drive for research and partnerships among students and professors, MIIETL emerges as a prosperous initiative seeking to produce real changes on campus.
ing communities. Online applications will be made available for students and will ask students specific questions, which will help arrange them into groups. These groups will be created with the intention of dividing students according to diversity of goals, personality types, level of comfort and level of prior engagement. “The idea for Spark came to me when I was running for VP Education a year ago. I came up with the ideas through some of my old personal experiences and some things that I noticed in the school community in general,” said Graham. “Students nowadays are very much expected to go to university; its an expectation placed on them by their parents, peers and society and throughout their years at university, they have very little time to sit down and think why they are here in the first place. That is what Spark will be all about.” Explaining the philosophy behind Spark, Graham said, “The idea is that first years come into the university and they will be put under the guidance and leadership of upper-year students to be successful, so the program is meant to crack open the box on why you are here and what you can get out of university and what first steps I should be taking as a first year to get to where I want to be.” Participant spots are first come first serve for the Spark program. It will be open to students from every faculty. As the first installation of the program is a pilot project, the total number of students to be accepted will be approximately 100 per term, however this number depends on the available resources that will be deduced by the Spark coordinator.
CANADIAN CAMPUS NEWS Patrick Kim The Silhouette SMU suspends football players over alleged offensive Tweets
uWaterloo’s Velocity startups raise over $100-million
Concordia unveils plans for library transformation
uOttawa receives decision on Rancourt dismissal
UNB and faculty end strike, reach tentative agreement
Six members of Saint Mary’s University’s football team have been suspended after allegedly tweeting racist, sexist, and hateful messages. The swift action comes after an online student publication by the University of King’s College School of Journalism cited a number of tweets coming from the football players’ accounts. University officials have spoken to the players and are looking to confirm that the suspected students indeed authored the offensive remarks. The tweets follow an incident this past fall that involved an offensive frosh chant, which lead to national attention and major disciplinary action.
Since being launched five years ago, the startups for the University of Waterloo’s Velocity entrepreneurship program have raised over $100-million in funding. An initiative to support young entrepreneurs with free space and mentorship, the startup programs have received investments from a variety of sources, including venture capitalists, government programs, and the crowdfunding website Kickstarter. Pebble, the first Velocity team to crowdfund on Kickstarter, raised more than $10-million in 2012 for its idea of a “smartwatch.”
Concordia University has announced plans to transform its libraries’ operations and reshape its physical spaces “in line with an innovative vision of a learning environment for the 21st century.” The plan was developed in response to an increasing demand for study spaces and changes in information technology. Guylaine Beaudry, Concordia’s Interim University Librarian, stated the plan involves “creating new spaces to stimulate intellectual discourse by accommodating group interaction and more social forms of learning as well as better conditions for silent study.”
Former University of Ottawa professor Denis Rancourt will not be returning to teach after arbitration ruled in favour of the university. Rancourt, a tenured physics professor at uOttawa, was dismissed in 2009 after being warned for unconventional grading practices. According to The Ottawa Citizen, “the arbitrator rejected arguments that Rancourt’s teaching methods were protected by academic freedom, freedom of expression and his tenure status.” The dismissal came about after Rancourt awarded an A+ to every student in an advanced physics course he was teaching.
The University of New Brunswick and its academic faculty have reached a tentative agreement that will allow classes to resume this week. Close to 550 academic staff and librarians had been on strike since January 13. A final vote amongst members of the Association of University of New Brunswick Teachers will decide on an agreement that includes a salary increase of 2.5 percent in the first two years of the contract. While the school has announced plans to cancel March break and extend the semester to make up for the lost time, UNB’s student union has called for its members to be compensated financially for the strike.
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
A4 Executive Editor Jemma Wolfe Email thesil@thesil.ca @theSilhouette Phone 905.525.9140 x22052
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FINANCIAL LITERACY
Credit card salespeople don’t belong in the student centre
to the junos. to canoe, finally. yum. to putting satsc to bed. pun intended.
Jemma Wolfe Executive Editor I’m never comfortable around salespeople. I feel awkward in clothing stores when associates want to help, it makes me sweat thinking about negotiating the price of a car, and I avoid eye-contact with street-corner fundraisers like they have the plague. I don’t believe I’m alone in this discomfort. That’s why I think it’s completely inappropriate when bank representatives set up shop in the middle of the student centre to push credit cards on passers by. It all starts with an innocent “hello” and before you know it, you’ve signed up to apply for a credit card you may or may not need, and may or may not understand. Believe me; I have a BMO “McMaster” Mastercard. I got it in the
student centre. I got it before I fully understood the complications, consequences and financial details of having a credit card. All I knew at the time was that I didn’t want to have to call my parents and borrow money every time I wanted to make a purchase online or pay my phone bill. It’s worked out for me. I’ve never paid it late and I’m enjoying watching my Air Miles grow. But mine isn’t the story of many students who quickly fall into the cycle of credit card debt trying to make ends meet. Instead of useless “careers” classes in high school and vague first-year “inquiry” classes in university, we need personal finance classes to give young adults the knowledge and empowerment necessary to manage their money. Financial literacy shouldn’t be the sole domain of commerce students; everyone needs to know how
to deal with their bills, loans, lines of credit, chequing accounts, credit cards and everything in between. In an environment where young people are away from their families, newly independent both physically and often financially, students should be learning how to take care of themselves and their money, not feeling vulnerable to sales people in MUSC. Students need credit cards. I’m not denying that. They need to build credit, pay their bills and earn all the fun points and rewards associated with plastic. But they need to do so in an informed way, in their own time and of their own accord - not because someone approached them in the student centre and talked them into it. @jemma_wolfe
Would the songbook be an issue if it was written by women? In reply to “Seeing red” by Jemma Wolfe, published January 30, 2014 on A1
McMaster University administration should feel embarrassed for suspending the Redsuits from University activities over a songbook. Whatever happened to the ideals of free speech and free expression? If any place is supposed to be open to freedom and thought, expression and association surely it is the halls of a university. As a graduate of Mac I find that the administrations in giving into the desires of a few over the rights of the many to be repugnant. The songbook may have been offensive to some but anything written has the Constitutional
inequality for men and members of the majority! McMaster Administration should apologize to the Redsuits and reinstate their rights at McMaster immediately for the sake for equality, justice and true liberal education. •
Michael Girdlestone, class of 1998
Most popular
Most underrated
Most discussed
NEWS: “Teddy Saull elected MSU president” by Anqi Shen. First published on Thursday, Jan. 30.
NEWS: “Mac forced to relocate downtown Centre for Continuing Education” by Tomi Milos. First published on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
OPINIONS: “McMaster’s response to Redsuits is inappropriate” by Alexandra Sproule. First published on Wednesday, Jan. 29.
E–Mail: thesil@thesil.ca Facebook.com/ TheMcMasterSilhouette Twitter.com/theSilhouette Production Office (905) 525-9140, extension 27117 Advertising (905) 525-9140, extension 27557 10,000 circulation Published by the McMaster Students Union
Write To Us Letters to the Editor should be 100-300 words and be submitted via email by Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. to be included in that week’s publication.
Legal
to creationist debates.
to our netherlands bureau chief.
to u.m. closing early.
to doritos and salsa. to my decision-maker. definitely. or, no way. or, ask a friend. to almost reading week.
to the university making it a snow day after a full work day was already done. to celine dion. to the price of via rail.
to earlier nights.
to lucid dreams on go trains.
to friends that make an effort.
to my own lack of financial literacy.
to upcoming mac theatre productions.
to rent, bills, and the price of comfort.
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 and editorials expressed in The Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, the McMaster Students Union or the University. The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette Board of Publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn: The Silhouette Board of Publications. The Board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.
EDITORIAL BOARD Jemma Wolfe | Executive Editor thesil@thesil.ca Sam Godfrey | Managing Editor managing@thesil.ca Andrew Terefenko | Production Editor production@thesil.ca Anqi Shen | Online Editor news@thesil.ca Tyler Welch | News Editor news@thesil.ca Rachel Faber | Assistant News Editor news@thesil.ca Tomi Milos | Features Editor news@thesil.ca
Laura Sinclair | Sports Editor sports@thesil.ca Alexandra Reilly | Assistant Sports Editor sports@thesil.ca
They may have been published in previous weeks, but these online pieces deserve a second look
MUSC, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4
to pyjama production nights.
Kacper Niburski | Opinions Editor opinions@thesil.ca
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Constitutional rights at stake over Redsuit songbook sanctions
right to be offensive, or plainly put: ‘crap has the right to be crap.’ No one has to read it or buy it, yet no government nor university should have the right to ban it or punish those who compose it. I must question whether this songbook would have even been an issue if it had been written by a sorority or women’s group to debase men? Likely than it would just be considered women breaking free from sexual oppression or expression their feminism. I have noticed how radically the pendulum has swung the opposite direction in the last decade. I am for equality for women and minorities but not at the price of
to the snow.
The Silhouette
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
to sharing citizenship with robin thicke.
Remember to check out our website throughout the week for fresh content daily! We’re no longer Thursday exclusive – we’re your constant source of everything McMaster, every day.
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Section Meeting Times News Thursdays @ 3:30 p.m. Opinions Tuesdays @ 1:30 p.m.
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Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
A5
FEATURE
Ready, Teddy, Go
Your MSU President-elect has three months to get into gear. Here’s the man you (most likely) voted for.
GET TO
KNOW TEDDY Birthday [May 23, 1992] Chocolate Bars of Choice
Teddy Saull, the incoming MSU President, won the the position with a margin of 102 votes by the end of the final round of preferential voting. Is he ready to take the reigns?
Largest Influence [My Immediate family] Top T.V. Show
ELIZA POPE / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
On a typical night, you won’t find Teddy Saull at a party or a rowdy get-together. He prefers a quiet night in with some ice cream and a few episodes of whatever TV show he’s watching at the time. But on Thursday, Jan. 30 he and a crowd of friends and supporters took to Snooty Fox for a night of celebration. After three days of voting, and more than 8,300 votes cast, Saull emerged as the victor of a two-week race for next year’s MSU President, defeating early favourite Jacob Brodka by only 102 votes in the final round of voting. Before mid-September 2013 Saull hadn’t thought much about involvement in MSU politics; he was just an average, self-described nerd.
He grew up thinking he would become a medical doctor. He delved into athletics as well. “I was part of the all the sports teams in elementary school, when they weren’t as competitive, and then in high school there was no way,” he said. Despite the drop off in sports participation, high school was still a time of involvement for Saull. “I did pretty much everything…I was in a lot of clubs: Social Justice Club, I was President of Student Council,” he said. “I was a nerd, it is what it is.” “I think I even got a few carry-over votes from high school,” he said of this year’s MSU Presidential race. “When I was campaigning, I talked to someone and they said ‘Yeah, you were President when I was in grade nine, so I already voted for you’.”
Growing up University “I was a very late bloomer. I’m For university, it came down to quite tall now. I was very short McMaster life sciences or Western until the summer between Grade health sciences, still wanting to 11 and Grade 12,” said Saull of his be a doctor, but after a tour of the high school days. campus, McMaster was secured as He continued “I had a buzzhis first choice. cut, braces, weighed about a hun“Western seemed fun, but dred pounds and was about five McMaster felt like home, right foot two. And I liked science and away. It even math—not the had that most appealing Hogwarts feel combination.” that you can’t Saull grew replicate,” he up in Ajax— “I had a buzzcut, said. living in the He moved same house for braces, weighed about into Edwards his whole life— a hundred pounds and Hall in Septemas the third was about 5 foot 2” ber of 2010 and in a series of began his life at four brothers. McMaster. His mom, is Teddy Saull, MSU PresidentAfter a an educational elect, on himself in high school year of life assistant with sciences and special needs some time of children, and reflection, Saull decided to switch his dad is a business owner in the to the psychology, neuroscience fasteners industry. and behavior program. In elementary school, Saull “I realized that I loved psych, loved to learn and had a particonce I was in it. I was very lucky ular desire to study science and to find what I’m interested in. math, but also enjoyed English.
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VOTING BREAKDOWN Round One
I am fascinated by the human means that you can come at mind,” he said. things as a student, and as a learnSaull stayed on campus as a er. Then you can provide insight Community Advisor in Hedden, where you think it’s best. People and then Bates, before moving off respond well to that,” he said. campus for fourth-year. When voting begun on Jan. “I wanted 28, Saull and to belong to his team were something. unsure if his First year was message had tough—I think “I had no idea if we were connected with it is for most enough voters winning or if we were in to win. By the people—I dead last” thought I could time the polls create an enviwere closing ronment that on Jan 30, the Teddy Saull, MSU Presidentwould make doubts were elect, on election night people comforteven stronger. able,” said Saull, “I genu“You get to inely had no see people grow. You see people idea. I had a feeling on Thursday come in as their nervous, shy pernight [Jan.30] that we had lost, son, or the super-outgoing person but there was no way to tell,” said and you watch them evolve into Saull. the person that they become.” “I had no idea if we were winning, or if we were in dead last.” Journey to MSU President When all the votes were talSept. 2013 is when Saull decidlied, Saull had emerged the victor. ed he might make a good MSU He was sitting at home, President. His team worked trying to catch up on homework throughout the year to construct and preparing a Facebook post to a platform that could improve address what he thought would be student life and a campaign that an election loss, when his phone could convince them of its merits. rang with a call coming from Coming from outside of the current MSU President David MSU was a challenge that the Campbell. team knew could be a deterrent to Campbell informed him that winning the election. he had won and Saull joined his “It was close. The success for team to celebrate. us was that it was close—even if we had lost by a hundred votes, that would have been a success Going forward because of where we were coming “The transition really starts now. from,” he said. I’ll start working with the Board “Nobody expected that we [of Directors] and getting to know would have a strong campaign the role and preparing to start in because it was so clear that we the summer,” said Saull. did not have an overwhelming Teddy Saull’s term as MSU amount of MSU experience.” President will begin on May 1. “I was very thrown off, per“I will say this: I will not run sonally at times, at all of the negfor elected office ever again,” said ativity,” he said. “I had never been Saull. a part of politics before, except for watching The Ides of March.” @tylerwelch4 His campaign attempted to use this lack of experience as an advantage. “Not having that experience
“
After all first-preference votes are counted, the candidate with the fewest number of votes is eliminated and his or her votes are redistributed based on further preferences.
Round Two
Round Three
Israa Ali Jacob Brodka Jyssika Russell Teddy Saull Jason Wolwowicz
First Kiss [Grade 8, in a war museum in Ottawa. I remember it like it was yesterday.] Childhood Dream Job
[Doctor]
Tyler Welch News Editor
Vacation Staple [I go to Sauble Beach every summer — that’s probably one of my favourite places.] Ideal Last Meal
[Deep Fried Shrimp, Pasta, Ceasar Salad, Ice Cream Sandwich & Garlic Bread]
+
Relationship Status I am happily not single. I have a girlfriend.
Fave Actors
Round Four
SAULL wins the
[Tom Hanks]
[Anna Kendrick]
nomination with
6748 of the total 8364 student ballots cast. ALI - 689 BRODKA - 2836 RUSSELL - 737 SAULL - 2904 WOLWOWICZ - 396
ALI - 689 + 39 BRODKA - 2836 + 125 RUSSELL - 737 + 64 SAULL - 2904 + 123
BRODKA - 2961 + 266 RUSSELL - 801 + 174 SAULL - 3027 + 211
BRODKA - 3227 + 368 SAULL - 3238 + 459
40.5% of the student population
On His Wheels
[I have 2 scooters, one for the winter/rain and one for the nicer weather. Both are Razors, I think the winter one is an A1 and the nicer weather one (faster but more susceptible to debris) is an A6.]
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
A6 The ban on Redsuits has resulted in a sea of support and criticism
Editor Kacper Niburski Email opinions@thesil.ca @theSilhouette
Check it out on A10
Phone 905.525.9140 x27117
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Email Insecurity
The secret no one mentions
Editorial Cartoon
Content: Kacper Niburski / Graphics: Karen Wang
Kacper Niburski Opinions Editor At this moment, you are being followed. Don’t turn around. Don’t look up. They know that you will. You’ve told them as much. It started with an email. “Dear Dr. InsertYourNameHere, it typically read from a person unsure of themselves and uncomfortable enough to say ‘Hey’, “I hope this email finds you well for at the other end, this is not the case. I’m sorry that I was late sending…” and on and on it droned. It was a private moment of vulnerability, a rare occurrence where your cry for help was necessary. Sending it embarrassed you. You tried to balance the gravity and the gobbledygook. Hours were spent on the word choice. You clicked backspace more than you typed. And yet moment you sent the email, this instance of uncertainty became public property. Your gift of gab was assessed, your words were analyzed, and you were constructed in a compartment of ones and zeros. From a complex person with insecurities and idiosyncrasies, who hated Tuesdays, who wondered if other people’s belly buttons hurt to touch as much as yours did, you were reduced to an electronic profile. Online on Feb. 4, I showed that this personal exposure was an inevitability of the National Security Agency (NSA) current surveillance apparatus. At the same time, however, I criticized the policy, the legal framework and the mandate that have made it so. Though this seems naively lofty for a student newspaper to do – perhaps like trying to fart in an opposing wind – know that such conceptual complexity cannot be a scapegoat for the issue is not restricted only to greater minds. Not does it just concern the international climate. Instead this dragnet surveillance is a blanket over us here at McMaster most of all. Because more than anything, we have become complacent gears in its well-oiled machine. Check your email and you’ll find proof: a scatter shot of bureaucracy and the clumsy fingerprints of legality. Before signing in, we’re led through the labyrinth of law lingo. It starts, “McMaster is committed to respecting the privacy of its students’ personal information.” But this ‘respect’, as it is loosely defined, fades away as the text rolls on. The “Ontario Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act” and the terms of Google Inc. are cited as our expectations of privacy, which is a nice way of saying there is none at all. Listen: the former legal document states we have a right to privacy, but this fundamental allowance is at the institution’s discretion. And the latter term is where such full-blown helter-skelter madness precipitates. Forget the discussions of backdoor access to companies in the United States, the recent revelations of cloud collecting by the NSA, or the leaks that have pointed towards encryption breaking. Instead focus on the implications of providing our information to a third party. By allowing our email to become an electronic export, rather than handling it internally, we no longer have management of it. It veers off to another land. It escapes our reach. And as a result, our privacy becomes illusionary. Richard Godsmark, the Senior Manager of Security, Technology and Risk at UTS, stated similarly, “Privacy should not be assumed with email as it cannot be considered a secure communication medium… When you send something by email, you lose direct control of it.” This is surprising not because it is necessarily unexpected but because we have been led to believe otherwise. Our emails are secure under McMaster. We have the juggernauts of Google protecting us against the onslaught of cyber threats. Countless SRA stated that the highest standard of privacy was ensured in the Gmail service. And the conditions we agree to each time we sign in “use all reasonable efforts to provide the user with a safe and secure email system.” But this language is just a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Our McMaster email is found in the hands of someone who sits behind a bigger desk. Our security is found only in knowing how insecure our email is against prying eyes. And our agreement is not a statement of privacy. It is a statement that we have no privacy at all. If the NSA fallout has suggested anything, no reassurance that we can be given is steadfast. This is true for McMaster and Google. Granted that Google often defends the privacy of its customers in court, there is no direct evidence that Google has acted outside the bounds of its terms, and this is exactly the problem; there is no guarantee of the protection of information. Instead as the Edward Snowden leaks have suggested, the reverse seems true. Yet even if this is the case and even if we don’t have a reasonable expectation of privacy, isn’t our privacy a reasonable thing to ask for? Are we not right in assuming we agreeing to exactly what we believe we are agreeing to, without cause to worry else wise? Though it seems like ancient times when days were scrawled away on tablets of stone, not Ipads, this was the standard three years ago. Back then McMaster was connected with the MUSS system, which was strictly McMaster run. With warranted frustration due to unreliability and limited capacity, however, a previous MSU president, Matthew Dillon-Leitch along with Huzaifa Saeed, the then SRA Commissioner of External Affairs, pushed for a new email service.
Why I wear the hijab Despite the media perceptions that are clouded by stereotypes, the hijab is a model of self worth Israa Ali The Silhouette And it's over. The MSU Presidential elections. The incredible race which led to a historic voter-turnout of 41 per cent at McMaster. Seeing so many unite and others abstain has been quite the experience for me. Never in my life, did I think I would realize so many epiphanies all at once. Nonetheless, I’d like to take the time to address one of the offensive comments that had come up during the elections to ensure more minds are enlightened: “How can you call for equity when you are wearing a hijab? Hijab is a symbol of womyn’s oppression.” If anything, the hijab I wear is a call for equity. To me, it’s a real life manifestation for the definition of women’s liberation, rather than oppression. Your statement, despite the immense ignorance it encapsulates, had strengthened my attachment to the value system I hold. I have been a passionate advocate against oppression and a proactive visionary towards building an inclusive community ever since I chose to wear the hijab. Note the “I chose” in the aforementioned? Exactly. Though, you’re probably not the only one who doesn’t “get it.” Let me shed more light here.
The hijab has been used by the media as a symbol for oppression to reduce an entire population and strip away its identity to ensure its voice is eliminated. To ensure all those who practice the hijab are rather degraded and their opinions undermined…. And I know exactly how that feels like. So yes, the hijab is a symbol of women’s oppression brought forward by a dark cloud of stereotypes and misconceptions. I am oppressed and I am undermined, but this begs the question… by who? If you refer to the values I hold dear, then I would beg to differ. I carry forward a call for integrity, a model of self-respect and these same values have been the source of my empowerment. So no, I am not oppressed by the value system I hold. It’s the society I am living in, the one that’s swayed by the media. The media that advocates for profanity, hate, lust and women objectification. That, I can say with absolute confidence, is the source of women oppression… in general. The hijab is a model of selfworth and an entire advocacy system for women empowerment. It’s a pursuit for focusing on the intellect and strengthening of the identity. Despite the propaganda. Despite the hate and despite the political agendas thrown here and
there, the hijab to me is a beautiful way of life. A life I will forever cherish and love. So yes, I dare call for equity. And no, I am not oppressed. After all, I did run to be the next president of the McMaster Students Union.
“
“The hijab to me is a beautiful way of life. A life I will forever cherish and love”
PRIVACY, A9
FEEDBACK Compiled by Kacper Niburski & Eliza Pope
Do you think there should have been a snow day on Feb. 5?
“Yes because closing school at 5:30 was pointless.” Nadine Kexel, Kinesiology II
“Yes because I had to walk though unplowed sidewalks and the freezing cold.” Roohie Sharma, Life Science III
“No because I didn’t wake up for class anyways.” Asad Khan, Life Science I
“Yes - have you looked outside?”
Tina Cody, Arts and Science V
“As a business, they couldn’t close, but for accessibility and safety of students, they should’ve closed.” Rob Carroll, Commerce II
theSil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
OPINIONS
A7
MSU shouldn’t purchase clothing made in Haiti Ethical purchasing should be a priority for student government
Edward Lovoquintanilla The Silhouette
KAREN WANG / GRAPHICS EDITOR
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APPLY NOW!
POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATES business.humber.ca/postgrad
AT ITS VERY BEST
Following Haiti’s 2010 earthquake, many outside observers - whose purview extends only as far and wide as their television screens - waited expectantly for social breakdown and looting. Instead, most communities had rapidly mobilized to deliver mutual aid before the arrival of foreigners. Throughout Haiti, foreign aid did not arrive for days, weeks in other places, yet Haitians reached for whatever was in grasp and dug themselves out of the rubble, often with their bare hands. With a barely functional government, the people of Haiti themselves tended to the injured, set up camps, fed one another, sang, prayed, and mourned together. This self-mobilization has a long history that stretches back into the postrevolutionary period when Haitians transformed traditions of farming inherited from Africa into innovative ways of the management of the land, despite an almost indifferent leadership. Century upon century of foreign intervention and manipulation layers the history of Haiti, never quite able to extinguish the fires of self-
determination beneath its sands. Nation after nation, corporation after corporation has sought to suckle the milk from Haiti’s soil by the sweat of its people. In the presence of French warships, the Baron de Mackau coerced the President of Haiti, without further consultation, into buying the freedom of Haiti for 150 million francs; which is no freedom at all, but the bonds of economic dependence. The bonds forged by economic dependence have become Haiti’s garment industry, owned by the white and lighterskinned elite, some of whose production belongs to Wal-Mart and Gildan Active Wear. The workers are paid nearly a third less than the minimum wage, coerced into working more than the legally allowed work-week, rendering food unaffordable; eating, a practical question the worker faces every mealtime. Not only is Haitian law broken in the treatment of workers, but it also violates the code of conduct of the corporations whose production is in Haiti’s garment industry. In fact, it also violates the ethical purchasing policy of the McMaster Students Union, who
purchases clothing from Gildan Active Wear. Can we conscionably stand idly by while our student government contributes to the current chapter of this centurieslong story of dependence, extortion and exploitation? Ethical purchasing is a question that is being raised by McMaster students, and we are waiting for the answer.
“
Workers are paid nearly a third less than the minimum wage, coerced into working more than legally allowed...”
A charity ball for everyone
BAHAR ORANG /ANDY EDITOR
Kacper Niburski Opinions Editor When I walked into the MSU Charity Ball, I didn’t exactly hold my breath. Instead I staggered in, put my hands into my pant pockets, and whispered to no one at all, “Here we go again.” Maybe it was the jumbling together of the decay and life of the city that branded me with a smug weariness. Right near Jackson Square with the wet-smog of a sewer filling my nostrils, I was asked for change by a homeless man. I, donned in my suit and tie, probably seemed insulting in my fumbling reply: don’t have any. Or maybe it was because I felt the night would be like all others. Loud music would drum through my ears. I’d bounce. I’d teeter. I’d repeat in that order. I’d dance this way then that way then this way again, painfully aware of how bad I am at shuffling around. Photos would be taken. I’d smile, be told I blinked, I’d smile again, be told I wasn’t smiling, I’d smile one more time, and a grumble of forced satisfaction would answer how I looked. I’d talk to people who I don’t know for no other reason besides close proximity. I’d have dressed up myself in every way, laughing at jokes that I don’t find
funny and doing things I probably wouldn’t do otherwise. Most of all, I’d probably be drunk – poisoned at any cost in order to have fun. But unlike my brain-grinding first year formal events where being zonked was a requirement, not a necessity, the Harry Potter themed Charity Ball was different. I was surprised. For the first time a party’s mould wasn’t forced onto the attendants. Rather than everyone having to dance to music that a select number of people liked, there were videogame consoles, silent auctions, rooms playing alternate music like Motown, and rooms filled with various hors d’oeuvres, from vegetarian poutine to cotton candy, where one could just sit and socialize with friends. This variety was enlivening. Though I have been critical of the MSU in the past – an inevitability that comes with this position – I saw this less like a ball and more of a gathering of many different people with many different interests. More than glitter on the dresses or the lasers that pulsed through the darkness, what shined through was the attempt to be inclusive for all those in the diverse McMaster community. If you pardon the poor play-on words, this inclusivity was magical.
The work necessary to be a volunteer
Nichole Fanara The Silhouette I have mixed feelings about volunteer work, mostly because it can be used and abused by the people who already have enough money and power. But I hope to inspire you, student, to look for something to be passionate about, to apply for an exec position next year, and to keep the good work alive at Mac. Volunteer work for the sake of volunteer work. There is just some work that is too important to not be done, and yet a paycheck is not involved. These are the things that make us who we are - the free work we do. These are the stories that give us a passionate heart and a compassionate mind, and a sense of being needed, of giving back. And in University, working two jobs, homework, and volunteer work is almost impossible. It can feel thankless. But hold on there, the bright side is coming. When you give back to the community and don’t ask for anything in return, your web of inspiration falls so deep and touches so many hearts that you can’t possibly see or understand how far it rippled. Volunteer work makes the world go around. It gives people a chance to connect; it helped me understand the importance of sticking with a cause even if the cause isn’t something affecting me personally. No matter what, there is volunteer work out there somewhere for you to do, and even if you’re looking for pay and can’t find it, this could be a good way to realize your
potential. McMaster has a million and one places to put your volunteer time. Imagine all the people waiting to meet you, to be inspired by you, to feel less exhausted looking into eagerness and content as you all work together and do something good. We are lucky. McMaster University has one of the biggest volunteer bases in Ontario, with clubs about virtually anything that will connect you to all kinds of passions and people. I’ve seen words of wisdom shared through cursive letters, galas for those less privileged than the perfectly able-bodied, even working shifts at the Ronald McDonald House next door to our campus. Sometimes volunteer work doesn’t feel worth it. You can lose your focus when the work you put into running a society drains goodness from other places in your life. Sometimes you put all your efforts into campaigns that become less than what you expected. Remember who you are doing it for, remember why you keep it going, and understand that by doing work like this, you’re making a difference in so many different lives that you could not map it out. You’ll see, one day, when a thank you comes from someone you barely know, just how far out of your personal bubble your helpful hand has reached. Keep on reaching, volunteers.
CHECK OUT WWW.MSUMcMASTER.CA/TWELVEIGHTY FOR MORE!
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
CHEAPDRINKS, AMAZINGFOOD, PRICELESSMEMORIES.
theSil.ca
THURS BAR NIGHTS! HOTTEST DJ’S! LOWESTDRINKPRICESINHAMILTON! STUDENTPRICES!
A8
theSil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
OPINIONS
A9
Inadequate communication on health plan referendum “Yes, the students can make their own decision, but that’s assuming that the students are informed.” Ana Qarri Staff Reporter Last week, the majority of students who casted ballots voted against adopting any of the potential MSU healthcare plan add-ons. The failure of all three referendum options is incredibly disappointing and disheartening. The addons were, in short, an incredible deal for students. For very low prices (a total of $77), they would cover most of the costs of vision care, prescription contraception and a variety of other medical services. The last two add-ons could have been viewed by some students as “controversial,” however I find it hard to believe that the average student voter does not understand the impact of vision coverage on someone’s health, performance, and success. This tells me that this was a decision made by an uninformed student vote. I think, in this case, the combination of lack of communication from the MSU, voter apathy, and some other factors are to blame. Of course, there is only so much the MSU can do to engage students if they are not willing to participate in the exchange of information. But there were several shortcomings of the MSU in this process that have to be discussed. Although it is not the responsibility of the MSU to actively campaign for a side of a referendum, it is the job of the MSU to accurately communicate important information to students. David Campbell told the Silhouette last week that “doing more to
ANQI SHEN/ ONLINE EDITOR
communicate what we do” is one of the MSU President’s main priorities throughout the year. I will not deny that the MSU effectively reached out to students about the existence of referendum questions on the presidential ballot, however it did not communicate to students the substance of these questions. The weeks before the election period saw various instances of poorly and often inaccurately communicated information. Additionally, the proposed HSR questions were often presented in a positive light, covered in at least two stories by the Silhouette, and shared with enthusiasm on an HSR referendum video posted on the MSU’s website. The health care video that was posted, on the other hand, used neutral
language and expressions. The issue wasn’t solely the MSU’s lack of communication. Even an engaged student willing to learn more about the referendum questions would have hit a brick wall upon arriving on the MSU website’s referendum page. The information provided in the section is limited to the questions that were going to be included in the ballot. In the case of the HSR referendum, the proposed changes were self-explanatory, but the same was not the case for the health care questions. In addition to using the terms “oral” and “prescription” contraceptives interchangeably, information was lacking on the third option. The extent of the coverage offered was not adequately explained and
some of the wording was ambiguous. Documents outlining the potential plans in detail and the implications of their implementation didn’t exist, and even the explanations for the plans in the existing questions appeared incomplete. There is a difference between promoting one side of the referendum and providing the student body with substantial information on the issue. Much more could have been done to inform the students. Providing us with health plan comparisons, explanations, and engaging graphics are just a few possibilities. Another source of confusion could have been the students’ ability to opt-out of the plan if these options were passed. As it
currently states on the MSU website, students can only opt-out if they have “comparable” coverage. Once again, the wording is vague, leads to misinformation, and no explanation of how the implementation of the add-on would affect students’ ability to opt-out was provided. As I mentioned earlier, I don’t think the MSU alone is to blame for the failure of the health care referendum. Despite having the highest voter turnout so far, we’re still at only 40.5 per cent of the student membership population. It is very likely that many students did not think beyond their own health care insurance when answering the question. A student covered under their family’s insurance could have seen the add-ons as entirely useless to their own well-being. Seeing as the majority of the students were motivated to cast of ballot so they could vote for a presidential candidate, it’s also important to examine how the candidates talked about the health care referendum. Several candidates said that they supported most or all of the add-ons, while a few held that students could make their own decisions. None of the candidates promoted or discussed the health care referendum as much as they could have. I think the lack of promotion from the candidates is also partially responsible for the outcome of this year’s referendum. Yes, the students can make their own decision, but that’s assuming that the students are informed. The MSU could have done much more to promote this referendum and educate students. The candidates, too, should have taken more proactive roles. This plan could have been a great opportunity for low-income students and those without coverage. Many students are disappointed with the outcome, and rather than denying them the option to make an educated decision, I think the MSU should consider bringing the questions to the SRA and the student body for a vote again.
Privacy at Mac is an illusion CONTINED FROM A6
Follow me as I rant, poke fun at, and admit ignorance to events online.
Taking student input over different service providers, Gmail was chosen and later implemented. Nowadays Gmail is the sole choice, not the alternative. There is no internal regulation, no other provider offered. Instead we come to McMaster, we use its email service, and yet it is not ours in the slightest. We may be private in it, but in it nothing is private. Perhaps this is inevitable, and perhaps we cannot do anything about it. I’m not sure. But if our standard for privacy is to be so low that we have none at all, then I believe that venues of communication must be reinstated. We must understand that we do not have any expectation that our emails are our own. We must be told the limits of our model.
Otherwise, who knows? We might write to Dr. InsertYourNameHere that our computer blew up, our homework was lost as a result, and when we are trying to sleep in our bed feeling groggy from the electronic fubar, Black Ops might give us a little visit to ensure that everything is okay. It sounds dramatic but then again, so does this: “respecting the privacy of its students’ personal information” when this impossible. With no privacy to respect, at best this statement is useless handwaving; at worst, it is an outright lie.
theSil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
OPINIONS
A10
Cancel the Red alert
C/O KATHERINE HO
McMaster’s response is hypocritical Wade Genders The Silhouette I did my undergrad in engineering at Mac and I’m currently here as an engineering graduate student. In light of the recent events involving the Redsuits, I’ve felt compelled to write this letter as I feel my faculty’s representatives have been unfairly disciplined. I must admit, during my undergraduate time I was never a Redsuit and I even found them somewhat annoying and obnoxious. It seems a hint of sweet irony to me that I now write in their defense, but I feel the University has acted swiftly without being consistent in their judgment of student groups at McMaster. If McMaster is legitimately concerned with eliminating ideals which stand in opposition to education, sexism, violence and discrimination, then it must judge all student groups the same. My concern is do we judge all student organizations by any material with apparent ties to the organization in question, regardless of the strength of the evidence with regards to wrong action being committed? I do not dismiss the concerns of individuals who consider the material in this document to be offensive or indecent, but I see this application of academic discipline as reflexive and biased towards the Redsuits. McMaster University has many student groups which promote a variety of causes; sports, technology and various cultures. If the Redsuits are being suspended for these materials alleged (I use the word alleged as there is no evidence that these songs were ever sung on campus) as their property, then I can easily point to other student groups who explicitly promote documents much more abhorrent who do not face such scrutiny or discipline. Two student groups in particular, McMaster Catholic Student Association (MACSA) & McMaster Muslim Student Association (MACMSA), both promote literature with language and ideas which are vile in message and incompatible with a 21st academic environment. Does McMaster University hold MACSA and MACMSA accountable for the ideas found in their respective holy books? How should any member of McMaster’s LGBTQ community feel to know that MACSA and MACMSA are able to promote books, the Bible and the Qur’an respectively, which explicitly label homosexuals abominations and prescribe death for their homosexuals acts (Bible : Leviticus 18:22 /20:13/ Qur’an: 7:80-81 / 27:54-55 )? Or how should the women of McMaster feel to know that both of these organizations can promote misogyny and the inequality of the genders; that women can be beaten (Qur’an 4:34), they are less than men (Qur’an 2:228b, 2:282),
and should be stoned to death for pre-marital sex (Deuteronomy 22:13-21)? The Redsuits were basically suspended because of a document on the Internet; both MACSA and MACMSA can promote their causes which are intrinsically tied to their holy scriptures and contain the repulsive and barbaric writings which stand in direct opposition to the values that McMaster supposedly holds and is using to justify the punishment of the Redsuits. How the university can allow religious student groups to promote theirs causes, which unquestionably include the barbarity I’ve outlined by the sheer virtue that they exist in their scriptures, and yet punish another group for a document which isn’t even officially endorsed by said group? An inquisitive reader might respond, but the MACMSA & MACSA don’t promote the specific values and thoughts I’ve outlined, they don’t promote that specific part of the Bible or the Qur’an. It may be true that neither the MACMSA nor MACSA have posters or booths on campus promoting these specific tenants of their scripture, but by the logic expressed in the recent disciplinary actions of the University, you can’t have a Catholic or Muslim student group without endorsing the Bible or the Qur’an. The MACMSA and MACSA are allowed to promote their causes freely on campus, including their literature, yet another non-religious student group has some unofficial document tied to them on the Internet and they are suspended without hesitation. The interests of these religious groups are much more self-serving than the Redsuits. Redsuits ultimately exist to promote engineering, and this is a university after all, we teach facts about science, mathematics, engineering, social sciences,
medicine, literature and the arts. Yet McMaster University seems willing to afford more protection to religious groups who promote literature full of intolerance and violence than they will to their own faculties. The arguably tenuous link between this songbook and the Redsuits is enough to get an entire student group of hundreds of engineers suspended, while these religious students preach with impunity. This action is heavy handed and is punishing the majority for something a small minority of the group did. Given the events that took place recently at other Canadian universities, it is easy to understand that McMaster University wants to avoid being associated with any behaviour considered intolerant. However, if McMaster truly wants to cultivate an environment which is free of intolerance, if must apply its judgment in an impartial manner. It can’t be denied that the Redsuits have contributed greatly to McMaster University, raising money for venerable causes via the Bus Pull (cystic fibrosis) and Santa Hog (Interval House Hamilton). Until it can be shown with evidence that the Redsuits in any official capacity distributed this document or promoted these songs on campus, it is hypocritical for them to be punished and yet allow student groups such as MACSA & MACMSA to continue operating. McMaster administration is cutting down the whole tree because of a few bad apples, bad apples that haven’t even been proven to have come from the tree in question. McMaster needs to provide better evidence as to why the Redsuits are being disciplined or commit to applying this same scrutiny to all student groups, not just the ones who make a lot of noise. “We are the engineers, so pity us”
The few do not define the whole Nichole Fanara The Silhouette I read once that opinions articles should encompass all the possibilities of the issue at hand and express all the potential of the future. But I also believe that the capital, the system, should always be questioned, should question itself, and ultimately, be accountable for its actions. So here I want to make McMaster University accountable for suspending the Engineering group called “Redsuits” from Welcome Week 2014 by telling my personal welcome week story from my first year four years ago. I came to McMaster University in September 2010. I was (and still am) a proud off-campus commuter from Hamilton, and alongside joining SOCS, I looked to my faculty to inspire school spirit within me. Unfortunately I did not find a home within the Humanities reps. I found them off-putting because I felt that they did not care. I have seen tremendous attempts by the Humanities reps to change (and I believe they are only going to get better) but four years ago, their reps were not inspired to engage with the first years (or at least, I did not meet the ones who were). So on faculty night, a fellow Hummmer and I went with our Engineering friends to their faculty night. Now, faculty nights are traditionally off-campus, and as unofficial off-campus rules go, cheers can be sung that are not allowed on campus. I was not told anything about the Engineers having a dirty songbook. My Eng friends did not have access to a handbook that said “Prepare yourself for the scandal.” On campus during the week, we had seen their superheros running around with plungers, we even heard a rumor that their reps drink beer (all the reps?! Aren’t they, like, 20 years old?). So we were prepared for a
fun night out, meeting reps and fellow first years. And then we got onto a bus. And that is when the truth came out about the Redsuits. Reps came up to me, talked to me, tried to get to know me, my interests, what classes to take and profs to watch out for. The Engineers made me feel so accepted and included in ways my own faculty didn’t that I will always remember that night as a real welcoming to academia. It was the most amazing feeling to come to a new place and have people actually care that you are a person, not some firstie. I cannot say that for more than half of the classes I have attended at this school. But I can say that for the Engineers. McMaster University is making a huge mistake in suspending the Engineers from Welcome Week 2014. The MSU is only backing them up because they have to. And the other faculty groups should take a stand against this if the Engineers are banned from participation. That group has the most fun and offers great help and support to so many young adults coming into school. If they are banned from Welcome Week, then I am ashamed McMaster cannot understand the great social impact they have versus the stupidity of a few students to publish such profanity. Those cheers have been around since at least the 1980’s. Every rep group has cheers that are dirty, that go back to our parents’ time, and are not sung. They come out at reunions, sometimes off campus. But the fact that they exist within every group means that the Engineers are being persecuted for – quite literally - the sins of our parents. The Redsuits as a whole do so much good that it is completely uncalled for the University to punish them all. Long live the Redsuits.
C/O KATHERINE HO
Welcome Week is defined by the Redsuits and their antics
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
Marauders get ready to compete at the OUA Championships
B2
B1 Track team prepares for the Valentine invitational
B5
Editors Laura Sinclair & Alexandra Reilly Email sports@thesil.ca @SilSports Phone 905.525.9140 x27117
S BASKETBALL
Doubling up on divisions The OUA is splitting up the existing two east and west basketball leagues into four distinct divisions. What does this mean for the Marauders? Scott Hastie The Silhouette The recent influx of basketball programs has caused Ontario University Athletics to make a change. According to multiple sources with direct knowledge, the OUA administration is in the midst of realigning the men and women’s basketball conferences. Currently, the OUA is split into two divisions: the OUA West and OUA East. The proposed realignment would radically shake the landscape and create four divisions instead of two. Algoma University, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., began OUA competition this season, and Nipissing University, based in North Bay, Ont., are set to join the league in 2014-15. The realignment aims to cut down travel costs, shorten the season to possibly 19 games and balance the amount of distance that each team has to travel. The OUA confirmed that realignment is being discussed, but would not go into greater detail about what the conference would look like. Sources say that the four divisions could look something like this: McMaster, Brock, Guelph, Lakehead Waterloo, Laurier, Western, Windsor, Algoma - Toronto, York, Ryerson, Queen’s - Carleton, Ottawa, Laurentian, Nipissing.
Those divisions have not been confirmed by the OUA. However, it could mean that teams within the same division would play twice – home and away – and non-divisional teams square off only once. The first draft of the 2014-15 schedule has been released to athletic departments, but there are potential issues with travel already. One school has Algoma, Carleton, Laurentian, Lakehead and Nipissing travelling to their school, which means that the next year, all of those games would be on the road. Games are slated to take place on Wednesdays, Fridays or Saturdays throughout the season, which would be a change for teams in the OUA West. Under the current system, West teams play weekend double-headers against the East and Lakehead, and play Wednesdays and Saturdays in divisional match-ups. The OUA says that the season structure is not finalized yet, but an announcement will be made within the coming months. Playoff format has yet to be decided, and currently, there is no information available on what it would look like. @scott1hastie
A brand new playing field The division revision will aim to cut travel time and costs, in addition to shortening to number of games per season per team to an estimated 19 games from the roughly 22 the Marauders play now.
The Marauders, having just come back from two double headers at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ont. will likely appreciate the reduced travel times associated with the new division. YOSEIF HADDAD / PHOTO EDITOR
YOSEIF HADDAD / PHOTO EDITOR
Projected Division Compositions
McMaster, Brock, Lakehead, Guelph
Waterloo, Laurier, Algoma, Western, Windsor
Toronto, York, Ryerson, Queen’s
Carleton, Ottawa, Laurentian, Nipissing
theSil.ca
SPORTS
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
B2
Mac fights for playoff spot Tobi Abdul Staff Reporter The women’s volleyball team travelled to Kingston, Ont. this past weekend to take on both the RMC Paladins and Queen’s Gaels. As the team moves closer to the playoffs, every game must be a win if they are to knock Guelph out of first place. McMaster currently has one more loss than Guelph, putting them within two points of first place. During the Jan. 31 game against the Paladins, the Marauders’ five game conference winning streak came to a halt after a five set battle. The Marauders were able to take the lead in the match after winning the first set 25-23. In the set, the Marauders worked on having accurate passing and great serving. They seemed to be developing on skills that cost them sets in previous matches. “Working through adversity should become easier as we continue to develop as a team,” said first-year player Sophie Bukovec, who led with 23 points during the match, including five aces. McMaster’s next set showed an offensive weakness and they seemed like a different team who had played the set before. RMC outplayed the Maruaders in the second set, and tied up the match at 1-1, after beating McMaster 25-14 in the second set. “We just need to have confidence in our ability as a team to perform at its best at all times,” said Bukovec. The Marauders were back in the swing of things during the third set, commanding a lead and outplaying the Paladins. The Marauders were able to get the upper hand, reversing the score and taking the set 25-14. McMaster was hoping to win the match in four sets, after leading 2-1, but fell three points short. A close match from the start, the Paladins were able to pull
ahead and win the set, 25-22, tying the game at 2-2 and bringing it to a fifth set of 15. The fifth set was a struggle, needing to go to extra points, but eventually RMC came out on top, winning the set 17-15 and the match 3-2. In a weekend double header, the Marauders knew that losing this game put them one loss behind Guelph, and knew that they needed to win the next game against Queen’s to have a shot at that first spot. “My goal for the rest of the season is to finish first in our conference, which will require us winning the next few games,” said Maicee Sorenson. The Marauders lost the upper hand to Guelph after a close first set. The Marauders had excellent play at the net, and led at the technical time out. McMaster continued to lead and seemed to have the set in the bag at 24-16, however, a dismal performance allowed Queen’s to score eight consecutive points to tie the game at 24 all. The Marauders fought to stay alive, but Queen’s took the two point advantage, winning the first set 27-25. The Marauders entered the second set playing as a team that wanted to win the match and started setting up the ball perfectly for kill opportunities. The Marauders, down a point at the technical timeout, took the opportunity to rack up consecutive points and outscore the Gaels to take the set 25-21 and the match one set apiece. After a poor start to the third set, the lineup was shifted, hoping to make a difference. Queen’s got close to winning at 23-20, but McMaster dominated the offense, landing kill after kill to eventually take the set 26-24. The fourth set saw a similar back and forth play between the Marauders and the Gaels. Things were in McMaster’s
favour as they led 12-10 but Queen’s quickly got the lead, getting within one point of winning the set, but were held off by three consecutive points scored by the Marauders before eventually taking the set 25-23. The Marauders were headed to another 15 point set. Despite the last one not ending in their favour, the Marauders were determined to put another win onto their record. The Marauders stole the lead at 8-6, and ran with it. The Marauders showed their excellent offense, but won the match point with an amazing defensive double block, winning the match 3-2, making their record 11-6. Joanna Jedrzejewska led the team with 20 points and 17 hits, and Taylor Brisebois, Maicee Sorenson, Mira Krunic and Sophie Bukovec had 13.5, 13, 12.5 and 12 points respectively. The cohesion that allowed five players to achieve double digits will help them in future games if it can continue. “It’s important that we stay focused with every single point of every match we play, and in order to do this, we must stay connected with each other,” said Krunic. The Marauders take on the Brock Badgers on Feb. 7 in St. Catharines, Ont. @toe_bee
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“My goal for the rest of the season is to finish first.” Maicee Sorenson, Marauder Women’s Volleyball Team
YOSEIF HADDAD / PHOTO EDITOR
WOMEN’S FOOTBALL
A new side of football Alexandra Reilly Assistant Sports Editor
During the months of January and February it is normal for University football players to be enjoying a well-deserved bit of time off until their training camp commences once more for another season of grueling practice schedules and weekly games. For a select few players however, these months remain a very important part of their training and OUA season preparation. When these McMaster football players aren’t spending their season fighting for an OUA title they are using their knowledge and love for the game to give other’s the opportunity to love it too. That is what Powderpuff football is all about and for Marauder football players like Mike Daly, Tom Sterling, Dahlin Brooks, Aaron Clarke and many others, this is a time for them to step into a new role. The role of a football coach. With two McMaster tournaments completed, the journey continues for some of the team’s as a win in the first tournament determined if a trip to Laurier University this coming weekend was in the cards. With a major tournament win for the team of Sterling, Daly and Brooks, they remain one of the select few McMaster team’s packing their bags for Waterloo this weekend in hopes of coming out with a tournament win to end their season on a high note. As a football player during the months of August through November, many of the Marauder players-turned-coaches know that their love of the game is the reason that brings them back to coach year after year. Third year offensive linemen Tom Sterling has been coaching Powderpuff football for three years now and loves teaching the concepts to players who remain
C/O RIALI GODDARD
excited to learn more about the game year after year. “I’m an offensive line coach and I coach Powderpuff because it’s awesome to see other people who have a passion for football,” said Sterling. “I love coaching people who are excited to be able to play and the season is always so much fun.” Sterling also uses his Marauder football playbook as a key tool in drawing up plays for the girls on his team. “Most of the plays and schemes we draw up as coaches are from our own playbook so it’s a great refresher during the offseason,” Sterling added. With each coach bringing something new to the table, their roles remain important in shaping the outcome of the season as well as their ability to not only show their understanding for the game but to find a way to teach other’s
about it as well. Fifth year Marauder football player Dahlin Brooks takes his role very seriously and ensures that each player is given a fair chance to play. “My responsibilities are to come up with practice plans, assess player skills and try to find a position that fits their skill set. I’m also responsible for teaching the girls the basics of flag football and implementing an efficient offense that they can understand and succeed with,” said Brooks, explaining that he does this in various ways which include practices and ‘chalk talks’. Brooks describes that it is his love for the game, the opportunity to share ideas and concepts and the chance to meet new people that kept him coming back to coach for five years. “I love the game and I feel I have a lot of cool ideas and con-
cepts to bring to an offense and Powderpuff is a way I can see my ideas come to life,” said Brooks. They always say winning isn’t everything and in the case of Powderpuff, this remains important in order to ensure the value of learning and teamwork is not overshadowed. “I like winning a lot but the most rewarding thing is seeing something we worked on in practice executed perfectly. Not necessarily anything big, it can be as simple as keeping your head forward while running patterns,” said Brooks. “Any little improvement I see in the girls is what I enjoy the most. When we succeed as a team they’re all so happy and I love the camaraderie and support these girls have for each other.” Teamwork will always be the glue that holds any sport together, and Powderpuff football is noth-
ing short of that kind of a sport. The concept of teamwork and the notable determination coaches and players put forth is something that could keep any young female Marauder coming back for another season despite the brutal temperatures and icy conditions. There is no better feeling than being a part of something. A part of a team, and for Marauder football players, there is no better feeling than finishing a season knowing they have taught their team something, whether that would be running routes or simply how to be a team player. In the end it all counts for something. @Miss_AReilly
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Curator's Talk and Tour: Margaret Watkins Exhibition
Techno Colour Dreams - Paint Party!
MacLEAD – Mastering the Art of Meetings
When February 06, 2014 from 12:30PM until 01:30PM
When February 08, 2014 from 01:00AM until 09:00PM
When February 11, 2014 from 12:30PM until 01:20PM
Where McMaster Museum of Art
Where Compass Information Centre
Where Gilmour Hall 110 Meeting Room
Lori Pauli, Associate Curator, Photographs Collection at the National Gallery of Canada will be presenting a Talk and Tour of the exhibition, MARGARET WATKINS: DOMESTIC SYMPHONIES, Organized by the National Gallery of Canada, and on view at the McMaster Museum of Art from February 6 - May 3, 2014.
Tickets are sold out for this event.
This person missed the meeting, that individual dominated the discussion, and many group members are unclear whether the purposes of gathering together were even accomplished. Meetings should be an opportunity to address specific issues, affirm shared expectations, and act as a launch pad for action; however, even a highly motivated team can struggle to facilitate meetings. Effective meetings create a space for different voices to be heard while at the same time ensuring that the group is making clear and timely progress towards achieving its goals.
Open Circle Creativity Circle When February 06, 2014 from 01:30PM until 02:20PM Where MUSC 215e Open Circle is a diverse and consensus-based community of McMaster students where we value, respect and learn from each other Creativity Circle is a supportive space for sparking the flame of your creative fire. Join us to... Discuss our thoughts on and experiences of creativity Challenge each other to stretch ourselves in listening to and following our inner voice Connect into our center, here gaining strength that flows out into authentic being and acting Reflect on life and meaning as we seek to integrate creativity and spirituality
Lecture by Michael Hardt "Multitudes in Revolt, from Tahrir to Taksim" When February 06, 2014 from 07:30PM until 09:30PM Where CIBC Hall, MUSC 319 Presented by McMaster Centre for Scholarship in the Public Interest 2013-2014 Speakers Series Alternative Futures: Public Intellectuals in Uncertain Times. For more information, please email info@mcspi.ca.
Date of Event: Saturday, Febuary 8, 2014 Location of event: TwelvEighty Hosted by: Campus Events
February 8 Emergency First Aid and CPR/AED (Level A, C, or HCP) Recertification Course When February 08, 2014 from 09:00AM until 05:00PM Where MUSC 230 This is a certified Red Cross Emergency First Aid CPR/AED recertification Course taught by experienced members of the student volunteer Emergency First Response Team (EFRT). This course provides simple First Aid and CPR techniques useful in the home or workplace. CPR/AED Levels A, C, and HCP are available. Current Red Cross Emergency First Aid and CPR/AED certification must be valid.
Blood Donor Clinic When February 11, 2014 from 11:00AM until 05:00PM Where CIBC Hall (3rd Floor MUSC) 115 donors are needed at each McMaster University blood donor clinic! If you keep just 1 resolution this year, make it to save a life. Book your appointment to donate online at www.blood.ca or by calling 1 888 2 DONATE (1-888-236-8283). On average 40 people miss their scheduled appointment to donate at this clinic. Please make every effort to keep your appointment so Canadian Blood Services can maintain an adequate blood supply for hospital patients in need.
HISTReENet: History of Ideas, Science, and Technology Research and Education Network When February 11, 2014 from 03:30PM until 04:20PM Where Connections Centre, Mills Library HISTReENet is for any members of the McMaster community who have an interest in History of Science topics, whether as a student, an amateur, an instructor, or a researcher. Our definition of history of science is broad, encompassing all geographical areas, time periods, and fields of study (including history of mathematics, history of medicine, philosophy of science, and history of technology).
Dirty Sexy XXX Bingo When February 11, 2014 from 07:30PM until 10:00PM Where TwelvEighty Dirty Bingo will be returning to TwelvEighty by popular demand, on Tuesday, February 11! With over $500.00 worth of prizes to be won, the stakes of Dirty Bingo have never been higher.
Sexologist Dr. Robin Milhausen is also back this year and will be sharing shocking and informative facts that will leave you speechless with her “Great Canadian Sex Quiz”, to find out just how much you know (or don’t know) about sex! If Bingo and the “Great Canadian Sex Quiz” weren’t enough, our friends at SHEC will be sharing their “Guide to Kink” info session as well! This FREE event in TwelvEighty is all ages!
Planetarium Show: She Is an Astronomer When February 12, 2014 from 07:00PM until 08:00PM Where McCallion Planetarium, Burke Science Building (BSB), room B149 Throughout history, many women have made significant contributions to shaping our current understanding of the Universe. However, their considerable efforts often go unnoticed. Join us as we shine a light on these remarkable heroines of astronomy, both past and present, and explore their amazing achievements, which include their roles as "Harvard computers" and the first discovery of "little green men." She is an Astronomer is a cornerstone project of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. See www.sheisanastronomer.org for more details on gender equality in astronomy.
Wine & Dine for Peace of Mind When February 13, 2014 from 07:00PM until 09:00PM Where Phoenix Bar & Grill Join us for our semi-formal Wine and Dine for Peace of Mind event with some great speakers, a silent auction and some great food! http://www.facebook.com/events /204788533050363/
theSil.ca
SPORTS
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
B5
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
Mac takes it ‘slow and steady’ Laura Sinclair Sports Editor The Marauders are reaching the final stages of their successful season, which has seen them ranked the number one team in the CIS, with an outstanding record of 17-1 and they haven’t even reached their peak yet. There are two more games in the regular season that are coming up this weekend where Mac will face the York Lions and Nipissing Lakers, but after these two games comes what Coach Dave Preston likes to call the “fun” part of the season - the OUA Championships. Due to the Marauders firstplace ranking in the OUA, they will get a bye through the quarter-finals, which Coach Preston sees as a major advantage for his team. “We don’t have a match to prep for next week, so we can take care of our league matches this weekend and close the regular season out,” said Preston. “And then the first week of our playoffs we get to ramp up our training a little bit, mainly physically, so that we can taper off of it after.” Preston’s plan is to get the team to work hard in their byeweek, so that they can bounce off of that during the OUA Championships where they will taper their training. After the OUA Championships, the team will have little time to rest for the CIS Championships, as they will have about a week between the OUA semi-finals on the Feb. 21 weekend, to the first round of the CIS Championships which will be taking place at the University of Calgary on March 2. “It’s within nine days of each other, so you don’t have time to readjust things in there. You just stagger and go. From a planning perspective it works out pretty well,” said Preston. So far this season, Preston is very pleased with the team before heading into the Championships, especially with their performance without star-hitter, Jayson McCarthy on the right-side. McCarthy - the 6’9’’ hitter
- has seen a major decrease in playing-time over the past couple of weeks due to a nagging ankle injury. Although this may seem like a major setback for the Marauders, it hasn’t been, as Shayne Herbert has stepped up in the role and has done a tremendous job thus far. When McCarthy was healthy for the first part of the season, the position was undoubtedly his. But after Herbert’s ability to take advantage of his starting role, the position is officially up for grabs. “Shayne is playing great for us right now. It’s not Jay’s spot, it’s the spot, and Shayne and Jay are battling for it,” said Preston. The battle for the right-side isn’t a bad thing, though. It just means that the Marauders have tremendous talent both on the court, and on the bench. “The luxury for us is we’ve got two really good right-sides right now,” said Preston. Aside from the players on the court that have contributed to the Marauders successful season thus far, lots of work has been done by the assistant coaches—Nathan Janzen and Parrish Offer -- to assist the Maroon and Grey with their winning formula. During and after every single game, against every single opponent, Assistant Coaches Janzen and Offer get together and create a detailed sheet of the statistics of every contact and play of the game, and they rate it at a fivepoint scale. So they get to keep track of how the other team is passing, hitting, blocking, serving and digging - and then they relay the information to the team, so that they can make the necessary inmatch adjustments. Due to the Marauders seeing teams multiple times during the regular season, they have managed to see patterns with each team that remain consistent. This information allows them to have each team in the OUA down to a science. “We’ve got 5 or 6 matches on Queens, 8 or 9 matches on Waterloo, 8 matches on Western, we’ve got ten matches on York. We’ve got almost half of the sizeable data
YOSEIF HADDAD/ PHOTO EDITOR
we’re getting now, so you start to see some tendencies. When you start to put ten matches on a team, their repeatability starts to show.” Preston credits this “information-gathering” method of coaching to his experience with coaching Team Canada. Professional and international teams use the same kind of method, which gives them that extra edge on the competition. “I’ve been doing this for 15 years, and this is what you do internationally, this is how pro teams work, this is how national teams work, this is how you win Olympic championships,” said Preston. Another part of the Marauders success lies in four main principles that Preston drills home to the entire team, every single day. These four principles include: simple, repeatable, manage risk, and reduce variance. “It’s not rocket science. We’re not flashy,” said Preston. “The tactical, the technical, the physical, the mental, we don’t need to be pushing five thousand pounds one day and not pushing the next. Just do what we do and do it right.”
Before the Marauders get too ahead of themselves, however, there are still two more games in the regular season that they will need to get by this weekend before the OUA play-offs begin. Preston is very happy about where the team stands heading into the play-offs, and he knows that his team is more than prepared for any adversity, or obstacles that they may face along the way. “There’s always the unknowingness of sport. That’s kind of why we do it though, that’s the adrenaline rush to it. But we’re ready for it, we’re prepared for it,” said Preston. “This isn’t a challenge that is beyond them or too much for them. This is what they came for, this is what they want to do. So from my perspective, we’re going to keep doing what we do, whether it’s our regular season or playoff season or national championship, we’re going to play our game.” When it comes to the Marauders season so far, Preston compares it to the children’s parable that he reads to his two daughters for a bed-time story The Tortoise and the Hare. “Slow and steady wins the
race. I don’t really prescribe to the slow part of it, but steady for sure. Just know who you are, keep doing what you do, and know how you do it.” The Marauders will look to keep doing what they’re doing this weekend against the York Lions and Nipissing Lakers in their last two games of the regular season, before they work harder than they have all season in their bye-week. @Lsinkky
TRACK
Marauders outkick competition
CO/ PETE SELF
Laura Sinclair Sports Editor The Marauders track team has once again continued to perform exceptionally well at their fourth meet of the season at York University. The meet served as preparation for some of the athletes that will be heading to the Valentine Invitational this coming weekend in Boston. Some of these athletes include Chelsea Mackinnon and Maddy McDonald, who both raced the 1000 m event. Mackinnon came second place overall in the event, running to a time of 2:58, while teammate Kaitlyn Pansegrau finished fifth overall with a time of 3:01. Head coach Paula Schnurr is thoroughly impressed with Mackinnon’s performance following
her injury issues over the past couple of years. “Her strength has improved since cross country and with some more speed workouts and racing she hopes to get back to where she was two years ago. She is hoping to run 2:55 in Boston,” said Schnurr. In Boston, Mackinnon will be sure to run to a great time, as she will be head-to-head against some great competition. “She will take advantage of some girls setting a good pace and will just hang on for the ride,” added Schnurr. As for Pansegrau, her goal is to break three minutes in the event at the Team Challenge Meet in Windsor. McDonald is new to the 1000 m, and used this race as a workout before her 3000 m race in Boston next weekend-- which
will be her main event and focus for the season. In her first 1000 m race ever, she finished eighth overall with a time of 3:04. In the men’s 600 m event, Brandon Huzevka lit up the track again, running to a new personal best time of 1:21. Huzevka has managed to run to a personal best time at the last couple of meets that he has competed in, and Coach Schnurr could not be more pleased with his progress thus far. “It’s very exciting for Brandon. He continues to get more comfortable with the strategies that go along with racing the 600 m. He didn’t have a clean race so I know he can run even faster once he runs ‘the perfect race,’” said Schnurr. Unfortunately for Huzevka, there is not a 600 m event at the Boston Valentine Invitational.
Schnurr says he will either take the weekend off, or he will join some of his other teammates and run at the team challenge meet in Windsor. Not too far behind Huzevka was Greg Hitchon, and second-year Jeff Mah, who both had a photo-finish race, running to a time of 1:24. Hitchon, a fourth-year student, is very impressive in what he has been able to accomplish this year. He was a high school track runner, but decided not to take up the sport in university until his fourth year. He showed up at tryouts in September, and managed to not only make the roster, but be one of the fastest people on the team. In the men’s 1000 m, Luke Charbonneau finished with a time of 2:35, and in the men’s 1500 m,
Gabe Ghiglione finished with a personal best time of 4:04. Now the best on the Marauders track team will gear up to head out to Boston, where they will be up against some of the fiercest competition in both Canada and the United States. Among some of the athletes that will be looking to have great races include Chelsea Mackinnon in the 1000 m, Jeff Tweedle and Eric Barry in the 1000 m, Maddy McDonald in the 3000 m, and Blair Morgan and Jordan Bierema in the 3000 m. The rest of the team will be competing at the Team Challenge meet in Windsor. @Lsinkky
theSil.ca
Sex
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
and the
STEEL CITY
B6
hits newsstands Feb. 13
Veg*n following a meat-free diet can be a beneficial and accessible change.
Survival of the fittest can be a skewed term. In apocalyptic scenarios, common methods of endurance tend to favour the idea of burly men cutting down trees, sowing and gathering seeds, and the inevitable hunting of animals. Although meat may seem like an element of a balanced diet and a necessity for survival, recent studies have proven that vegetarianism may be the way to go. Research completed at Loma Linda University in California has proved that, on average, vegetarians had a 12 percent reduced risk of death from any possible health-related scenario as opposed to meat-eaters, who all appeared to be looking down the barrel of death. Five McMaster students share their veg*n stories and prove that
VEG*NS ON CAMPUS Second-year Electrical Engineering student Michael Podlovics chose to make the move to meatless when he started university. “When I was planning on living away from my parents, I realized that moving out was a chance to build my own lifestyle,” he explained. Podlovics has now transitioned to veganism and is still rooted in his initial cause for making the change. “The biggest concern I had, and still have, with the industry is the staggering environmental impacts and ethical issues associated with industrial production of livestock.” A commonly overlooked trait of the food industry is that meat production doesn’t rely solely on animals that are born and raised naturally in farm settings. Livestock production and harvesting is a huge industry that uses valuable natural resources and fossil fuels to mass raise and transport animals that are born to be turned into meals. It’s both an
Email lifestyle@thesil.ca silhappens.tumblr.com Phone 905.525.9140 x27117
S
VEG*NISM IN THE HISTORY BOOKS
Five students share what it’s like to keep a meatless diet at McMaster Amanda Watkins LifeStyle Editor
Editors Amanda Watkins & Miranda Babbitt
environmental and ethical issue that resonates with many turned veg*ns. “After opening up my eyes to the reality [of meat production], I knew that being vegan was the right choice for me,” explained Tori Jelilyan, a second-year Health Science student and a vegan since May 2013. Both third-year Multimedia student Rebecca Annibale and fourth-year Philosophy and Multimedia student Mathew Towers made the transition to vegetarianism when they were in the tenth grade. “The main reason I decided to become a vegetarian was the disdain I felt towards eating meat; not only did I find it not appetizing, but I found it unethical as well,” explained Towers. Meg Peters, a fourth-year English and Arts & Science student, is also one of the presidents of the McMaster Veggie Club. Peters became a vegetarian at age 12, and a vegan at age 13. For almost a decade now, she has been devoted to maintaining her diet and has used knowledge of the practice to spread its pros and cons with the McMaster community.
ACCESSIBILITY AT MCMASTER “Bridges is a godsend for veg*ns trying to eat on campus,” added Peters. The on-campus vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant has been run in collaboration with Diversity Services since 2005. The café also contributed to McMaster being ranked as a top veg*n friendly campus through the “peta2” list (a branch of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in 2006 and 2007. Bistro, or East meets West, has also been noted as a great campus spot for veg*n friendly cuisine as it easily makes substitutes for ingredients. “A nice new addition to campus has been the Mac Farmstand in the summer and fall, which
has started serving up wonderful fresh and local salads,” said Jelilyan. Although McMaster has definitely proved itself to be a veg*n friendly campus, there is room for improvement to make it more inclusive for all dietary concerns. “One of the main problems that I have heard from a lot of veg*n students at Mac is the lack of transparency on campus with respect to ingredients,” said Peters. As tasty as Mac’s vegetarian and vegan options are, many of the servers that deal directly with the students are not well informed on the contents of dishes being made and served. The Veggie Club is looking into fixing this problem by developing a sticker system that would involve labels being placed next to campus foods that are veg*n or can be modified.
COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MEATLESS “The biggest struggle of being a vegetarian is gaining understanding from others, and constantly having to justify our choices,” said Towers. Identifying as veg*n often leads to associations with pushy beliefs and an otherwise “hipster” culture. “Sometimes I feel when I tell someone I’m a vegetarian/vegan they instantly assume I’m the leader of an animal rights protest who is going to push my beliefs of vegan-ism on them and everyone I meet,” explained Annibale. Veg*nism is a lifestyle choice that is often rooted in ethical beliefs and environmental and societal concerns. With negative ideas surrounding their choices, sometimes the true reasons for their beliefs can get clouded in misconceptions about neighboring cultural patterns. VEGGIE TALES, B7
One of the first famous vegetarians was the Greek philosopher Pythagoras who lived at the end of the 6th century B.C. In fact, the term “Pythagorean diet” was commonly used for a plant-based diet until the term “vegetarian” was coined in the 19th century. Vegetarianism has roots in ancient India. In fact, currently 70% of the world’s vegetarians are Indians and there are more vegetarians in India than in any other country in the world. The first Vegetarian Society was formed in England in 1847. The society’s goal was to teach people that it is possible to be healthy without eating meat. Benjamin Franklin was an early American vegetarian (though he later became a meat-eater again). He introduced tofu to America in 1770 Taken from facts.randomhistory.com
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“One of the main problems that I have heard from a lot of veg*n students at Mac is the lack of transparency on campus with respect to ingredients.” Meg Peters, President of the McMaster Veggie Club
YOSEIF HADDAD / PHOTO EDITOR
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
B7
LIFESTYLE
CONTINUED FROM B6
Veggie tales Another common misunderstanding is that veg*ism does not provide enough nutrients to sustain an active lifestyle. “I have noticed no visible hindrance in my athletic or academic performance. I have actually noticed improvement due to being overall more conscious of my diet and nutrient intake,” explained Podlovics, whose recent veganism and yearlong vegetarianism has yet to affect his athletic performance in recreational sports. “After substituting plantbased foods for meat, I can honestly say that I feel healthier, more energetic, and I actually have been getting sick less often,” added Jelilyan. If a veg*n diet is maintained thoughtfully, it can include the
same amount of protein as a diet including meat.
CONSIDERING A VARIETY OF VEG*N? “Should students consider a meatless diet? I say yes! Meat causes more emissions than all transportation combined. But if you’re not into binary solutions, just minimize the amount of meat you consume,” said Annibale. “And as an added bonus for students, meat is expensive and I have found that going vegan has even left me with more money in the bank,” noted Jelilyan. With a campus that has proved to work for other veg*ns and has been noted as a progressive school in terms of its food diversity, McMaster may be a great
place to taste test veg*nism. “There’s a strong community of veg*ns at Mac,” said Peters. Keep in mind though that becoming veg*n isn’t a decision you should make overnight. It is a thoughtful diet that requires planning and understanding. The more restrictions you choose to make, the more difficult it will be to accommodate your diet. Look into the various types of veg*nism that exist and choose the right one for you and your lifestyle. Going veg*n can have a positive impact on your health, the environment, and the ethical treatment of animals. And when it comes to the game of survival of the fittest, you may just come out on top. @whatthekins
AMANDA WATKINS / LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Defining “veg*n” Variations of vegetarianism and veganism and what they mean
VEGETARIAN
VEGAN
PESCATARIAN
This diet includes refraining from all types of meat, including seafood. It can also include a removal of some meat by-products such as gelatin.
Excluding all meats, including seafoods, vegans also remove animal by-products including dairy, eggs, and honey.
Removing red meat, pescatarians allow themselves to eat seafood, and in some instances, poultry.
LACTOVEGETARIAN
OVOVEGETARIAN
OVO-LACTO VEGETARIAN
This diet includes the removal of all meats and animal by-products, save for the exception of of dairy products.
Excluding all meats, this diet also involves the removal of animal by-products, except for eggs.
This diet allows the consumption of both eggs and dairy, but excludes all meats and other animal by-products.
FLEXITARIAN
FRUITARIAN
Synonymous with “occasional vegetarian,” flexitarians sometimes allow themselves to eat meat infrequently.
This was not a made-up diet for Notting Hill, this is in fact real. Fruitarians will only eat food that was gathered without hurting the plant it came from.
Hi. I love you.
RAW FOODIST FREEGAN Removing meat, raw foodists only eat raw, uncooked foods. They believe that food should be enjoyed naturally without any of its nutrients being removed or altered.
Freeganism involves rescuing discarded food items, usually vegan, and give them a second life… as food.
RECIPE
Vegan-friendly
red wine pasta & radicchio salad Amanda Watkins LifeStyle Editor With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, having wine-infused pasta on your holiday menu is a great suggestions for both couples and singles alike. If you’re planning on cooking a romantic, homemade dinner for your partner, this recipe designed for two will have the perfect balance of well-loved carbs and spirited
spirits. Or if you’re planning on staying in solo and binge-watching Season 2 of House of Cards, not only will this recipe accompany your Netflix queue well, but the leftover wine will have you wishing everyday was Valentine’s Day. Follow this simple recipe for a meal that will please the masses. @whatthekins
Ingredients
Directions
For pasta: • Roughly 2 cups of pasta (Preference for penne, rigatoni, or other medium-sized varieties) • 2 cups red wine (opt for Lake & River Series River Rock Red VQA, for an inexpensive, fruity, Canadian choice) • 1 cup water • 1 cup feta cheese (optional, for garnish)
1. Combine water and wine in a pot and bring to a boil. If you’re planning on making a larger serving two portions of wine to one portion of water should do the trick. Add pasta and let boil for around 10 minutes, or until pasta reaches your desired tenderness. 2. While your pasta is boiling, chop your radicchio and mix in a large bowl with your vinegar and oil as a dressing. 3. Once your radicchio is well coated, add in your chopped olives and tomatoes and mix. 4. Combine your pasta mixture and salad in a bowl and crumble your feta cheese on top as a garnish.
For salad: • 1 head radicchio • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar • 1 tbsp olive oil • ½-1 cup black olives, chopped • 1 large tomato, diced
C/O ABEAUTIFULMESS.COM
theSil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
M.A.S.H.
LIFESTYLE
Across
Down
1 Predict 5 Revels 10 Business note 14 Without variation 15 Tropical hardwood 16 Dry 17 Festive 18 Classes 19 Hem in 20 Bread cutters 22 Engrave 24 Droppings 26 Opts 30 Vein’s counterpart 33 Dynamo part 35 Necklace unit 36 Armament 38 Small 39 Fall behind 40 Syringa 42 Fodder grass 43 Thus 46 Antivenoms 47 Brash 48 Smallest possible 50 Feared fly 52 Churned 53 Doze 55 Dressing set 57 Opens up 61 Pathway puzzle 64 Papal crown 66 Sonic rebound 67 Double curve 68 Around longer 69 Chase off 70 Frog’s place 71 Like marsh plants 72 Conveyed to a destination
1 Beseeches 2 Ellipse like 3 Food shop 4 Passed 5 Disloyalty 6 Immeasurable void 7 Soak up 8 Fibula-femur joint 9 Method 10 Vegetation cutter 11 Epoch 12 Russian fighter aircraft 13 Lyrical poem 21 Transgress 23 Applaud 25 Small towns 27 Circuit breaker 28 Groups of three 29 Wooden bench 30 Remove by erosion 31 Erected 32 Ticketed 34 Make a loud noise 37 Young lady 41 Curve shaped 44 Flavoring for candies 45 Stead 47 Hold back 49 Newspaper chief 51 Gather 54 Trapped 56 Floor covering 58 Muscle soreness 59 Sound unit 60 Chimney grime 61 A loosely tangled bunch 62 Before 63 Buddhist school 65 Fruity drink
DID YOU KNOW? Panda’s throats have a special lining to protect them from bamboo splinters. How to play M.A.S.H. If you’ve never played this middle-school classic, M.A.S.H. is the game
that predicts the future. Playing with a partner, have them draw tallies in the box until you tell them to stop. Whichever number you land on is your “magic number”. Around the edges of the box, lay out categories that could be a part of your future. On the right, have your partner write down four possible spouse names. Along the bottom, write four possible career choices. On the left, write four numbers (the higher the better) that will represent your future number of children. The “M.A.S.H.” at the top stands for Mansion, Apartment, Shack and House and will be your future living arrangements. Have your partner count across all the numbers, starting with “M” and crossing out each choice that lands on your magic number. The last choice to be crossed out in each category is your future!
B8
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theSil.ca
SUDOKU
LET’S GET QUIZZICAL
easy.
SIMPLY
B9
LIFESTYLE
Which Willy Dog topping suits your personality? 1) What is your choice method of transportation to school? a. By foot b. By car c. By bike d. By bus 2) Android or iPhone? a. Doesn’t matter. b. I’m already on the waiting list for the 6. c. Probably iPhone. It makes my Instagram more legit. d. Android, please.
evil.
3) Best comedian to grace the realms of SNL? a. Kristen Wiig b. Jason Sudeikis c. Chevy Chase d. Tina Fey
4) Favourite building on campus? a. The Student Centre b. MDCL c. Wentworth House. Yeah, I know it’s gone. d. Hamilton Hall 5) Best pita at Need-a-Pita? a. Philly cheese steak b. Club, with extra bacon c. Veggie d. Beef fajita, with grilled everything
Results:
Mostly A’s// Ketchup: You’re a pretty swell guy/gal. You enjoy simplicity and ease, and as an easy-going person, you go pretty well with everything. You’re well liked by most but are sometimes neglected or treated like a simpleton. Mostly B’s// Onions: You’re an acquired taste that can be resented by some, but also loved by many. You enjoy the finer things in life, and when someone meets you, they cling to you for your unique and classy flavour - not to mention your aromatic scent. Mostly C’s// Sauerkraut: Exotic and adventurous, you are a hip and urban socialite who basks in praise and validation. You have your good days and your bad days, but overall people are drawn to you for your adventurous and modern approach to the world. Mostly D’s// Potato Chips: You are probably the greatest person in the world. You do your own thing, enjoy life, and are the crispy finish to an otherwise soggy dish. You enjoy the classics, but also thrive in alternative settings. Go ahead, treat yourself to a Willy today, you deserve it.
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theSil.ca
An excuse to eat candy Miranda Babbitt Assistant LifeStyle Editor
Couples
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
Valentine’s Day
B10
and smell the roses @mirandababbitt
Errybady
Surprise bubble bath! Nothing is quite as steamy as a shared bubble bath (literally). Set the mood with some melodic songstresses and have a glass of wine on each tub end waiting. To really drive home the cheesiness of this entire scene, add a single candle (or two, or three). Don’t be embarrassed by the cheese. Cupid has always been a fan!
LIFESTYLE
Singles
DIY cards!
Date with yo’ movie crush
Greeting cards bought from the aisles of a drug store are generally thought to be pretty low on the scale of “popped into my mind while showering” to “your happiness consumes my every thought.” Now it’s fine to teeter around the lower end for the acquaintances that come in and out of your life (you don’t want to creep anyone out), but it’s safe to say things are very different for your lover/ bf/gf/formal cuddle buddy. So why not get your hands glittery and make one yourself? I like to create a heart shaped card, complete with ruffles, dainty borders, and sealed with a kiss. The message you leave on the inside is up to you!
Every gal or fella has that one unattainable specimen of perfection they lust over from a tragically far distance – aka the distance between the seats of a movie theater and the screen. At least there’s good popcorn. Well, you know what? Up that quality time with your movie crush. Make him your date all night long with a long list of his best movies ready to play, a devilishly large bowl of popcorn awaiting, and a friend or two who shares an equally ridiculous obsession. So keep out, boys! One, you have cooties. Two, only fangirls allowed in.
Sushi date for two Trying anything new with your lovely date for V day can be fun, but why can’t it be yummy too? And not just fancy dinner date yummy but feeling damn satisfied with your exotic creation yummy. Feel free to play around with the culinary theme. Italian pasta dishes are especially fun too – everyone looks rather adorable when playing the Lady and the Tramp. But if you do go with sushi, you can have sushi rolling competitions. Whoever wins, gets a kiss. Win-win, eh?
Secret admirer party
Valentine’s Day from Ryan Gosling
Have you ever heard of feminist Ryan Gosling? As if our perception of him wasn’t perfect enough, this fictitious side of Ryan Gosling says things like, “Hey girl. Though the day itself originated through some non-romantic, religiously specific events, I’m always thankful to have a chance to celebrate my love for you.” Swoon. Swoon. Swoon. Keep saying swoon.
Whenever a Secret Santa pops up over the Christmas holidays, I rejoice in the giving spirit that infectiously spreads through us all, because it’s responsible for this wonderful game of guessing who gave you a present. The best type of guessing game ever, if I do say so myself. Well, now you only have to wait two months (but really this can happen anytime you please) for another reason to get a bunch of friends together and gush over the copious amounts of chocolate received. Instead of signing Secret Santa, sign your secret admirer. You can get as cheesy as you like given the date, and go on to list just what you admire about them. Valetine’s Day is about spreading the loooove, even the platonic variety.
high Master the art of heels Amanda Watkins LifeStyle Editor
If last week’s Charity Ball had you stumbling home with almost-fractured ankles, here are a few tips that you can use for upcoming nights on the town, Valentine’s plans, or whatever other exciting adventures you lead in your daily life.
ONE Break them in A cold toilet bowl of water has never looked more inviting than when you’re crashing through a formal in pain attempting to find solace for your discomfort in a bathroom. But to prevent yourself from easing your feet into the porcelain sea, your first step in heel mastery is breaking in your shoes. Walk around in them in your house, wear them under your desk at work, and stand in them when you’re cooking. Whenever you aren’t forced to wear arctic-ready winter boots, practice walking in your heels to break them in. It will probably be a bit embarrassing and loud, but it’s better than taking your shoes off at the end of the night to find a small pool of blood.
TWO Poise No, I’m not talking about the brand of adult diapers, I’m talking about your actual posture. Even when you aren’t sporting your 6-inches, be sure to sit with a straight, unarched back. Imagine you’re balancing something on your head, or for that matter, actually try balancing something on your head. You may look crazy, but then again, you are wearing bits of plastic on your feet to make yourself look taller, so I think that ship sailed a while ago.
s ekin h t t a h @w
THREE Invest in squishies Several shoe brands sell inserts for your heels that can make them more bearable. Invest in a set. They may not be the chicest addition to your ensemble, but they’re going to be inside your shoe anyways, and let’s get real, no one really cares. You’ll be more comfortable and more pleasant to be around.
FOUR Get sized This may seem like a no brainer, but buy shoes that actually fit you. Squeezing your feet into your grade eight shoes will be painful for you and for your nostalgia. Get sized at a reputable shoe store (sorry Payless), and buy pairs that fit you snuggly around the heel, and with wiggle room for your toes.
FIVE
Walk the line
Much like the tried and true drunk driving test used by the police, when practicing in your heels for a night out, test yourself by walking in a straight line. Follow the lines of your tile or hard wood, lay out a piece of tape or string, or eyeball it and trust your own judgment. Put on some Johnny Cash, and you’ve got yourself a party!
Dr. Scholl’s For Her High Heel Insoles, available sizes 6 - 10
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
ANDY E-mail: andy@thesil.ca
C2
Senior Editor: Bahar Orang
Meeting Time: Tuesdays @ 5:30 p.m.
Assistant Editor: Cooper Long
Phone: (905)•525•9140 ext 27117
Contributors: Josh Spring, Michael Gallagher, Hannah Loo, Shane Madill, Nicole Vasarevic
Cover: Bahar Orang
coming up in the hammer the casbah •feb. 7 •feb. 8 •feb. 9 •feb. 11
| | | |
the ollivanders 10th annual bob marley tribute adonyne the treble
homegrown hamilton
music
•feb. 7 | billy moon •feb. 13 | open mic •feb. 14 | the kettle black
R.I.P. Philip Seymour Hoffman
this ain't hollywood •feb. 7 •feb. 8 •feb. 9
| the zilis (CD release party) | the saffron sect | nelson mandela tribute
club absinthe •feb. 14 | cooper black •feb. 15 | rusty
baltimore house
cinema
•feb. 7 | gatekeeper •feb. 14 | sensei
westdale theatre •feb. 7 - 20 | the monuments men
art gallery of hamilton •until feb. 9
art
theSil.ca
•until feb 9
| the painter pictured: french nineteenth century paintings and portrait photographs | a play on nature: joseph calleja & viktor tinkl
hamilton artists inc. •until mar 1 | Corinne Duchesne, Peter Horvath and Anna Torma
BROOKE WILLIAMS/THIS IS AUTHENTIC
“If you’re a human being walking the earth, you’re weird, you’re strange, you’re psychologically challenged.”
theSil.ca
ANDY
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
C3
EDITORIAL Allen, released a harrowing letter that accuses her father of sexually molesting her when she was seven. In it, she throws down the I have grown up loving Woody gauntlet to the entire Hollywood Allen. I have been inspired by his ability for storytelling, by his witty establishment, which has recently honoured Mr. Allen for a lifetime humour, his incredible creativity. I have found his films emotionally of achievement. Anyone who’s a friend of Mr. Allen, she insists, engaging, intellectually stimulatis no friend of sexually abused ing, and entertaining for their children. Of course, in the days beautiful cinematography and vibrant settings. My love for Woody that have followed, articles have surfaced with details of the story has grown and developed over that support Woody, or at least the years and has allowed me to complicate the issue. At the time negotiate complicated ideas. I can of the alleged abuse, he and Mia relate to many of his female charFarrow were locked in a custody acters while also being critical of the way they have been portrayed. fight. She was furious over his affair with Soon-Yi (her 21-yearI can find his love stories funny old adopted daughter) and Allen and honest but also unrealistic believes that Mia coached Dylan and weird. I can be comforted by having human anxieties articulated to tell the abuse story. There is evidence to back him up. Dylan’s but also accepting of the undenistory changed several times, able condescension of those same the doctors found no physical narratives. I have read his biogdamage at the time, and Allen’s raphies, watched the documentapsychiatric and lie-detector tests ries about him, and even looked beyond his cinema at his ventures support his stance. Mia has been cited as unstable, and she apparinto theatre and literature. He has ently sent Woody a Valentine’s been an important creative role card that told him, “You took my model in my life and I stand first daughter, and I am going to take in line for every new film (which yours.” is an admirable feat considering Of course, none of this inforhow prolific the man is). But now I feel lost and disgusted, both with mation is particularly compelling. Woody Allen is rich and powerful, myself and with Woody. and his influence almost certainly This past weekend, Dylan helped his case. This would not be Farrow, 28, the adopted daughthe first time that a celebrity has ter of Mia Farrow and Woody Bahar Orang ANDY Editor
evaded criminal charges through their position. And calling Mia crazy and unstable is not a new defense against women seeking to resist injustice, and for me, the
WTF!
sexism undermines its validity. Abuse victims have always been silenced by our society and regularly blamed for their traumas. It would be easy for me to call upon Woody’s defense in an attempt to reassure myself that it is okay to keep liking him. I could use the additional information that the headlines have likely purposefully excluded and tell myself that I can carry on – both Woody and
his fans are innocent until proven guilty! While this might allow me to remain selfishly steadfast in my love for the man and his work, it would be shallow and hypocritical. If I can recognize at least some of the hegemonic structures at work in this story, I cannot simply discount them because they involve an artist who has deeply influenced me. So what now then? How to reconcile the possibility that a brilliant artist might actually be a horrible man? The question of should we and could we separate the art from the artist has always been with us. From Roman Polanksi to Coco Chanel to Pablo Neruda to Orson Scott Card to Wagner to Esra Pound to T.S. Eliot. Anti-Semitism turns up so often in the résumés of 20th-century artists that it almost seems part of the job description. Perhaps it’s relevant to consider the extent of immorality. Is a rapist more deplorable than a racist? A misogynist worse than a homophobe? A child molester worse than a murderer? Maybe in the case of comparing a psychopath to a sexist the seriousness of the crime becomes relevant. But otherwise, the area is so gray and so subjective that these debates of moral relativism are likely not relevant. It’s easy to point out that in
the case of the artist, badness or goodness is a moral quality or judgment; in the case of the art goodness and badness are terms of aesthetic merit, to which morality does not apply. But it seems confusing and contradictory. When you experience art, it seems ennobling. It challenges our assumptions, changes our discriminations, broadens our horizons, and indirectly asks us to be more sensitive, human, vulnerable, honest. Surely art makes us better people. And if art has this power over those who simply experience it, then it must have given something far more inspirational to the creator of the art. Clearly this is not necessarily the case. Woody Allen has a new film coming out and I was looking forward to seeing it. Especially since it’s starring Emma Stone and she seems perfect for an Allen script. I want to support the art, but not the artist. But this is impossible – the two seem inextricable. It will be easier to draw the lines when Woody dies, but given that he’s going strong at 74, this is not currently a viable (hah) option. And what kind of person does that make me, wishing death upon someone so I can go to the movies? @baharoh
the
big
tickle Philip Seymour Hoffman’s best moment? LIZ POPE /ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR KACPER NIBURSKI /OPINIONS EDITOR
Talyssa F.
Keegan M.
David C.
Michael H.
Kathy Q.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Red Dragon
Ides of March
Pirate Radio
Mission: Impossible III
the-
theSil.ca Sil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
ANDY
five artists for 2014 (it’s gonna be a good year for r&b)
Sampha is best known for lending his smooth, soulful vocals to Drake’s “Too Much” and “The Motion.” However, his EPs and acoustic session have proven that he is much more than a chorus man. Sampha’s early recordings, released on his Sundanza EP, sound like a funky, frenetic arcade-cum-dance-bar. On his 2013 releases, Dual and Too Much/Happens, Sampha brings it back to the basics. One piano, one microphone, one man, and his soul. This is minimal music, permeated with a lonely urgency. Piano, vocals and the occasional drum beat are all Sampha needs. With a diverse array of sounds under his belt, he will no doubt continue to croon and swoon in 2014.
Hailing from our very own Hamilton, Ontario, Jessy Lanza released her bold debut album, Pull My Hair Back, in late 2013. She is the lone songstress on Hyperdub, the prolific London-based label, known best for its instrumental electronic artists. This is a testament to her musical talent. Jessy makes amorphous electro-R&B. Synthesized arpeggios flutter beneath her breathy vocals, which pulse with a diffident sexiness. She experiments with a variety of sounds on her debut, ranging from funk to trap. Stay on the lookout; she is likely to bless her hometown with a(nother) live show soon.
FKA twigs is sexy. The vocals on “Weak Spot,” the first song on her first EP are spoken almost entirely in a seductive whisper. It is not until the end of the song that we hear twigs sing. Or rather, moan, a sensuous, melodic moan. This is aphrodisiac music. The breathy vocals that permeate the rest of her two EPs (aptly named EP and EP2) strike a seemingly discordant balance between dominance and vulnerability. It works for twigs. Her voice floats atop sparse production, lending to the ethereal intimacy that is so often a part of sex. Here’s hoping that 2014 brings us more of FKA twigs’ sultry, tripped-out R&B.
C4 & C5
By JOSH SPRING THE SILHOUETTE
SOHN’s music is haunting, mournful, and melancholic. His electro-soul sound lies somewhere between The Weeknd’s brooding moodscapes and Rhye’s lamenting love songs. A native of London, England, SOHN now lives in a quiet neighbourhood in Vienna. His music is reflective of this environmental shift. It is minimal, punctuated by empty space. Infrequently, songs will build to a dense climax, reminiscent of London’s cramped chaos. SOHN has dropped two EPs, The Wheel and Bloodflows. He has an LP slated for release in 2014. Catch him in Toronto on May 14 if you’re around. If you aren’t, wait patiently for his debut album.
SZA is the first female artist signed to the powerhouse American hip-hop label Top Dawg Entertainment (or TDE), alongside prolific artists including Kendrick Lamar and Schoolboy Q. If that is not enough to convince you of her artistry, one listen through of either of her EPs will. See.SZA.Run and S are filled with woozy, synth-drenched soundscapes carried by SZA’s dreamy vocals. This is outer-space-wavy R&B that would be easily complemented with a blunt on a summer’s evening. TDE CEO Anthony Tiffith has announced that the entire roster will release solo albums in 2014. Stay tuned for SZA’s.
theSil.ca
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
theatre & cinema at McMaster
ANDY
C6
MTC’s La Ronde: acting turns heads but script makes me queasy chain of lovers revealed throughout the show. While the show began on After watching La Ronde, McMas- shaky ground, the cast soon proved ter Thespian Company’s latest - and their talents, making the romantic pasts of the characters all the more highly sexual - production, you believable. All actors and actresses may not be surprised to find out were enticing, compelling, expresthat the play was only performed sive, and engaging. Annalee Flint twice during Arthur Schnitzler’s, in particular did a fantastic job of the playwrite’s, lifetime. Set in portraying “the actress,” reflecting 1890s Vienna, the play contains both her talent and the experience 10 scenes about the moments before and after sexual intercourse. gained from the Algonquin College Theatre Arts program. Despite a strong performance Instead, the show’s flaws come from the cast, the “no means yes” mentality behind many of the male from its source material. While it is clear that the play looked to be a characters’ sexual advances would commentary on morals surroundmake even Robin Thicke question ing sex, adultery and an examinawhether this script is due for an tion of classism within a sexual update. The story is simple: a dialogue context, it was hard to ignore that between two characters soon finds many of the encounters could be defined as rape. them having sex that will only Watching scene upon scene further complicate, and inevitably wherein female characters repeatconnect them to an interlocking Michael Gallagher The Silhouette
edly verbally and physically rejected male sexual advances, only to suddenly comply at the last minute or irrationally fall in love with the man after sex, made La Ronde feel like a perverted dominance fantasy. This made it difficult to care about the moral complexities of having multiple partners, or cheating, when a far more controversial – though likely unintentional – theme of the play was ignored. The result is a play that for all its talent and style leaves the audience both frustrated with the decision to not acknowledge the complexities behind the men’s advances, and uncomfortable instead of intrigued by the affairs and scandals.
take one for the french department’s cinema club Québécois movies.” I had the pleasure of attending the opening night to watch the The McMaster French Department black and white classic Les Quarecently introduced a new club cel- tre Cents Coups (The 400 Blows). ebrating French Cinema, launching The film offers an outlook on life through the eyes of a rebellious a biweekly tradition of watching 12-year-old boy, Antoine, living in French films. With a joint collecParis during the 1950s. Director tion of French DVDs and a common love for film, Jonathan Royce François Truffaut explores his own troubled adolescence through the and Joëlle Papillon came together young lead amateur-actor Jeanfor the birth of “Le Ciné-Club.” Pierre Léaud, who plays Antoine. The club plays French films Throughout the film you folwith English subtitles every other Tuesday night in an open minded, low Antoine on his mischievous Parisian adventures, he is ignored close-knit environment in TSH and abandoned by both teacher room 201. Diverse collections of and parents and left with excesFrench films have been previously chosen by the duo to provide mem- sive freedom. Papillon says, “You really get an idea of what France bers with fresh variety every visit. would have been like in the 1950s “We purposefully chose movies – especially the discipline that was that would show different sides of enforced on kids at school and at French cinema,” explained Papillon, specifying that choices include, home.” With his excessive freedom, Antoine sadly follows a downward “Two classics in black and white, spiral as he cuts class, runs away two animated movies, and two Hannah Loo The Silhouette
from home, and commits petty crime. As Antoine gets caught over and over again, the audience is left a deeply empathetic feeling of, “Oh no, not again!” Papillon describes it as “both funny and tragic, making you feel the impossible situation he is in.” Antoine’s character reflects an honest perspective of troubled adolescence, and makes it easy to compare today’s youth to those of Paris in the 1950s. Le Ciné-club has plans to show the following French-language films in the coming weeks: Rebelle (War Witch), Un monster à Paris (A monster in Paris), Persépolis (Persepolis), Le jour se lève (Daybreak), and J’ai serré la main du diable (Shake Hands With the Devil). There is casual discussion following every film (not to fear, it’s in English). The next screening will take place Tuesday Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m.
theSil.ca
ANDY
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
C7
album review Shane Madill The Silhouette
Revenge of the Dreamers Artist: J. Cole
JUNO Awards 2014 Jemma Wolfe Executive Editor @jemma_wolfe
The Canadian leg of awards season kicked off this past Tuesday with the announcement of nominees for the 2014 JUNO Awards at a ceremony in Toronto’s Design Exchange. The nominees named are a mixed bag of classic Canadian favourites and fresh up-and-comers, with a few surprises in the mix.
TOP 6 TAKEAWAYS FROM THE NOMINATION CONFERENCE:
1
Arcade Fire continues to be a tour-de-force in the indie-cummainstream Canadian music scene. Unsurprisingly, they lead the pack with a total of six nominations – more than any other artist. They’re favoured to do well for Reflektor, their fourth studio album, which was released to widespread praise (and placed 8th in
ANDY’s top 10 picks of 2013).
2
People still care about Celine Dion, apparently. She’s been nominated in four major categories including Album of the Year and Artist of the Year. I won’t pretend to understand this one.
3
Robin Thicke is Canadian. Who knew? With an American mother and a Canadian father, Thicke has
dual citizenship and along with that, eligibility to be nominated for Artist of the Year and Pop Album of the Year. Fun Canadian trivia: Wayne Gretzky used to babysit him.
4
Henry “Cirkut” Walter runs the Top 40 charts. He’s up for Songwriter of the Year and Producer of the Year for his work on Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Ke$ha/Pitbull’s “Timber,” Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball” and Robin Thicke’s
January 28 was a massive day for J. Cole. He marked his 29th birthday by announcing a partnership between the powerhouse Interscope Records and his own Dreamville Records, on top of a newly released mixtape from Dreamville. Later that night, his headlining performance at a soldout Madison Square Garden included surprise guest Jay Z performing a few collaboration tracks. A piece of hip hop history was then gifted – Jay Z gave his original chain from when he first founded Roc-A-Fella Records to J. Cole. Kendrick Lamar then came onstage as another surprise guest to perform some songs from good kid, m.A.A.d city, and to give praise to J. Cole. “He was one of the first people to accept me in the music business,” Lamar said, “This is not a regular rapper friendship; this is my brother.” With these votes of confidence, J. Cole had to be feeling on cloud nine. But how does the mixtape hold up? Though he is considered to ‘play it safe’ relative to other modern rappers, J. Cole still offers crisp lyricism and production on all of his efforts,
“Give it 2 U.” And that only scratches the surface of who he’s involved with.
5
Justin Bieber is going downhill. His only receiving a singular nomination this year further emphasizes his streak of bizarre and illegal activity and overall negative image. Fan Choice Award is his only category, and since this category is voted for online by (obsessed/ oblivious/pubescent) fans, the award
and members of the Dreamville group, consisting of KQuick, Bas and Omen, manage to hold their own. KQuick may only show up on the hook and background of the track “Lit,” but his silvery voice singing, “Do you believe in love?” and “What’s your drug?” provide an interesting contrast to lines like, “I never thought that I would fuck Irish hoes.” Bas spits about New York in “Golden Goals,” about money, weed and girls in “Ceelo With the G’s” and joins J. Cole and Omen on “Bitchez” to talk about pulling even more girls. Omen provides the surprise of the mixtape in expanding from these conventional themes expected to be associated with a J. Cole project to talk about more personal and introspective matters on “Motion Picture” and “Henny Flow,” which adds an additional layer to his represented persona on the previously mentioned “Bitchez.” All in all, this is another relatively safe mixtape from a prominent artist expected to put out material like this. J. Cole might not win any new fans, but interest should definitely increase for his supporting crew of KQuick, Bas and Omen, as they hopefully explore new territory with Interscope in the future. The production, flow, and lyricism are all quite good for what the mixtape represents, but what it represents is content that has already been explored by countless other artists.
manages to simultaneously matter and be of little significance. Much like Bieber himself.
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The more obscure you are, the better chance you have of being nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Brett Kissel, Florence K, Tim Hicks, Tyler Shaw and Wake Owl are all up for the honour, and I’ve never heard of any of them. Until now.
theSil.ca
ANDY
Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014
the Zilis keep rocking and rolling
C8
The Hamilton band prepares to release its second album, Sketches II
JOE FUDA/FUDAGRAPHY
JUSTIN BOZZO/THE ZILIS
Nicole Vasarevic The Silhouette The year started off with a bang for Hamilton band The Zilis. Band members Justin Bozzo (bass and vocals), Zander Lamothe (drums) and Sean Royle (guitar and vocals) are not only doing a local tour with stops in Toronto, Ottawa and Kingston this month, but they are also releasing their second album, Sketches II. Bozzo, a McMaster student, says fans can expect “more bluesy, R&B, [and] some soul” on the new album. He expands on this, explaining how bands
“We listen to 20s blues as well, the older jazz music that shows off a lot of good improvisation”
such as The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and The Beatles have influenced the Zilis’ sound. “We listen to 20’s blues as well, the older jazz music that shows off a lot of good improvisation,” said Bozzo. The new album will have “a lot of variety,” according to Bozzo. “It includes the song types we didn’t include in the first album, Sketches.”
Sketches II is just one more stepping-stone in the Zilis’ eight-year-long journey in the music industry. The band has played with The Arkells, Hey Rosetta, Flogging Molly among others, including opening for the legendary bands KISS and the well-known Bon Jovi. With experience playing before crowds as large as 25,000, the Zilis are no strangers to being on the road and playing live. The band has played from coast to coast in cities including Vancouver, Toronto and Quebec City. The band started out in Hamilton venues such as the
Cashbah and The Lazy Flamingo, who helped them kick-start their career. They have also played at The Phoenix, and McMaster’s own Faculty Hollow for Welcome Week 2013. Sketches was also nominated for rock recording of the year at the 2012 Hamilton Music Awards. The boys are kicking off their new tour with a CD release party right here in their native city on Feb. 7 at This Ain’t Hollywood. Fellow Hamilton bands The Bandicoots and Go To The West will open. The Zilis have stated that they will be playing Sketches II,
start to finish. During past gigs, the band has been known to play impressive three hour sets where the boys lay everything they have out on stage. The Zilis have done some amazing things in the past eight years in both the Hamilton and Canadian music scenes. The release party for Sketches II will be dedicated to celebrating this latest accomplishment with fans, which should make for an incredible and memorable night. Sketches II became available on iTunes on Feb. 4 2014.