Thursday, October 9, 2014
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The Silhouette thesil.ca | twitter.com/theSilhouette facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette
ONLY
11% OF ALL MSU PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES HAVE BEEN FEMALE.
ONLY FOUR
OF THEM
HAVE WON. This, among other startling figures, begs the question...
WHERE
ARE THE WOMEN? An investigative look at the lack of women in student government positions.
- PAGE 6 -
S
LOOKING BACK
The Silhouette
Volume 85, Issue 8 Thursday, October 9, 2014 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper
EDITORIAL BOARD executive editor | thesil@thesil.ca Andrew Terefenko @andrewterefenko managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Julia Redmond @juliaeredmond production editor | production@thesil.ca Amanda Watkins @whatthekins section editors
Krista Schwab @kschwabi assistant news editor Patrick Kim @patrickmkim features editor Christina Vietinghoff @cvietinghoff opinions editor Ana Qarri @anaqarri sports editor Scott Hastie @scott1hastie assistant sports editor Laura Sinclair @Lsinkky lifestyle editor Jason Woo @jayjai223 assistant lifestyle editor Tobi Abdul @toe_bee andy editor Tomi Milos @tomimilos assistant andy editor Michael Gallagher @mikeygalgz news editor
online
NOVEMBER 7, 1985
Mac opens its door to young technology enthusiasts
Jonathan White photo reporter Eliza Pope @eliza_pope multimedia editor Catherine Chambers @catchambers19 video editor Colin Haskin @colinhaskin
“Local elementary and high school students got a chance to try out computers, watch robots, listen to a lecture and generally explore all facets of a university education, at last Friday’s Science and Engineering Open House. Here, a young student tries out the Engineering Department’s Vax computer system, and finds that it’s pretty good for playing computer games on.”
interns
[originally published in The Silhouette as Security crack-down planned.]
William Lou @william_lou online reporter Shane Madill
online editor
art photo editor
Inaara Sumar Anthony Manrique
silhouette intern silhouette intern
sales ad manager
Sandro Giordano sgiordan@msu.mcmaster.ca
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The Silhouette
Thursday, October 9, 2014
NEWS
www.thesil.ca
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New university ranking reports show McMaster remains one of the top 100 universities in the world
New 3D printer located in Lyons New Media Centre offers free printing to McMaster students
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Bringing peace to Hamilton The annual Peace Festival celebrates Gandhi’s legacy of peace
Krista Schwab News Editor @kschwabi
Despite the cold weather, hundreds gathered in downtown Hamilton for the twenty-second annual Gandhi Peace Festival on Saturday, Oct. 4. in support of the peace movement. “I am happy today to be here in the company of people who understand that we live in a time where there are more wars than ever,” said guest speaker Itah Sadu, an entrepreneur and expert community builder, in her keynote speech. “In the spirit of Gandhi and Mandela, we can walk in a non-violence expression of resistance.” The festival had humble beginnings as a community event, but has grown to include a range of entertainment, guest speakers, an award ceremony and a peace walk. “In the beginning, we used to do a potluck dinner,” said Jay Parekh, the Chair of the Gandhi Peace Festival Organizing
Committee. “The numbers have grown […] this year a little bit less because of the cold weather, but last year we had over 500 [people].” The festival aims to promote non-violence, peace, and justice, while building community among peace and human rights organizations. This year, the theme was Nelson Mandela’s Life and Legacy. Leo Johnson, a new member of the festival organizing committee, was invited specifically to help the festival with this new theme. For the last four years, the festival has been centered around the life of Gandhi, but this year they have taken a new approach. One of Johnson’s goals is to encourage the peace movement in Hamilton to grow beyond the single-day festival. “What I’m hoping to do with my involvement is make a platform where people from all walks of life in Hamilton can project themselves […] not just at this event but on an ongoing basis,” said Johnson. “Be it the ebola situation in West Afri-
ca, the situation in Syria, the situation in Ukraine, I believe that the festival and peace movement in Hamilton should be present.” Johnson was a refugee who fled from Liberia during the civil war, and came to Hamilton in 2006. Since then, he has started his own community building organization called Empowerment Squared and has received numerous awards including the YMCA Peace Medal. He is also a graduate from McMaster University in the Political Science program. The festival has been around since 1993, and continues to work towards creating a permanent community of peace in Hamilton. “I don’t believe the culture of peace and the movement of peace is the lifespan of an event,” said Johnson. “I think it’s every day.” The festival is sponsored by the McMaster Centre for Peace Studies, the India-Canada Society Hamilton and the City of Hamilton.
“
I don’t believe the culture of peace and the movement of peace is the lifespan of an event. I think it’s every day. Leo Johnson Gandhi Peace Festival Organizing Committee
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Hamilton comes together along Main Street; The Gandhi statue outside of city hall, a donation from the festival in 2012. KRISTA SCHWAB/ NEWS EDITOR
4 CANADIAN CAMPUS NEWS Inaara Sumar Silhouette Intern
McGill graduate wins Noble Prize in medicine John O’Keefe was recently named one of three co-winners of the 2014 Nobel Prize in medicine. O’Keefe is receiving the award for his contribution to the discovery of “inner GPS” cells in the brain that can track where the body is located in space. Receiving his doctorate in physiological psychology from McGill in 1967, O’Keefe is the tenth McGill graduate or professor to win a Nobel Prize.
UBC software glitch exposes some banking information A software glitch found at the University of British Columbia may have exposed some students’ personal information, including bank account names and numbers. The glitch caused students to see the information of the next user on the online Student Service Centre system. The glitch was present for two years before the university was made aware of it, and it was said to affect one in 1000 users. Kate Ross, UBC’s registrar, said that this is not enough information to hack into someone’s bank account, and says the effects of this bug are minimal.
Ryerson launches modern 3D printing lab Ryerson University has opened its new Advanced Manufacturing, Design and 3D Printing Lab. The lab will immediately become one of Canada’s most technologically advanced 3D printing research facilities, and was launched in partnership with Edward Burtynsky, co-founder of Bionik Laboratories and Think2Thing. The lab will serve as a hub for collaborative research, innovation, and training.
SMU to offer new degree abroad Saint Mary’s University is planning to offer a Bachelor of Commerce program at the Beijing Normal University near Hong Kong, China. The program, which would debut in January 2016, would give students who cannot afford to travel equal opportunities to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce from Saint Mary’s University.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
McMaster rankings remain strong World rankings consistently place McMaster University around the top 100 Patrick Kim Asst. News Editor @patrickmkim
“If you can walk and talk faster, you can go to McMaster.” On one hand, there’s a level of juvenile appeal in comparing and bragging about the superiority of one’s own school over another. But McMaster students can still take pride in their school after the most recent updates to world university rankings reaffirms McMaster’s strong position in the global community. With the release of the annual reports for the three most influential world university rankings, McMaster continues to demonstrate a consistency in both its ranking and its relation to Canadian contemporaries in post-secondary education. Gord Arbeau, Director of Public and Community Relations, says that it indicates the prestigious standard McMaster is held to. “If you look at [recent] rankings, if you look at them all together, the university has done quite well,” Arbeau said.
“It’s a reflection of the university’s ability to attract and retain some of the best faculty members in the country, and to attract the very highest quality students.” In an early October update to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings, Canadian universities actually suffered in position, with the exception of the University of Toronto, which remained at its position of 20. While McMaster dipped from 92nd to 94th overall, the school remains as one of only four Canadian universities in the top 100 in the world, behind the University of Toronto, as well as the University of British Columbia and McGill University. Meanwhile, earlier in September, the QS World University Rankings saw McMaster make a large leap to 113th, from 140th last year. Along with similar trends among other Canadian universities, QS noted the best indicator for improvement was academic reputation. McMaster also rose in standing in the latest update to the Shanghai Jiao Tong Academic Ranking of World Universities,
moving from 92nd to 90th late this summer. “I think with rankings, the important thing to remember is that they really are a snapshot in time, that each of the rankings use different methodologies and measure different things,” Arbeau said. “When you look at [recent rankings] individually, you might see the university might move up a spot or down a spot, but when you look at them collectively [...] you’ll see that McMaster remains one of four Canadian universities firmly entrenched in the top 100 in the world. There are some 15,000, 16,000 universities around the world, and McMaster remains in the top 100.” Each of the three major ranking systems uses its own unique criteria when judging the placement of universities. For example, the THE looks at 13 performance indicators grouped into five areas, with an emphasis on teaching and research. The QS rankings uses the student to faculty ratio as a simple measure of teaching quality, with an added attempt to evaluate more subjective
criteria through their focus on a survey of reputation. In contrast to the THE and QS rankings, the ARWU system attempts to focus on more objective criteria, with a heavy emphasis on research. Criteria such as faculty that have won Nobel Prizes or other major awards, and the number of citations in prestigious journals are all weighed heavily. Among the three rankings, McMaster specifically performs well in the evaluation of its science programs; this includes a global rank of 25 in THE’s assessment of Clinical, Pre-clinical & Health programs. In comments captured by a recent news release, Patrick Deane responded to the recent updates on world university rankings. “When this ranking is considered with the others released over the past few weeks, it is clear McMaster is providing high quality teaching and learning, conducting groundbreaking research and attracting and retaining the best faculty and staff.”
Sharing the wealth of dragons Successful entrepreneurs come to McMaster to share financial advice Kevin Cochran provides advice to students on financial success as an entrepreneur. JON WHITE / PHOTO EDITOR
William Lou Online Editor @william_lou
Twenty minutes before doors opened, dozens of students lined the halls, waiting anxiously outside TwelvEighty. Inside, a pair of entrepreneurs were on hand to offer financial success advice. The first was Kevin Cochran, founder of enRICHment Academy. The other was Bruce Croxon, co-founder of dating website Lavalife and most notably, a former judge on CBC’s hit show Dragon’s Den. Cochran spoke first. He recounted a rags-to-riches tale of how he went from being $20,000 in debt working as a mechanic, to being the vice-president of sales at a startup earning $250,000 a year. A natural-born salesman, Cochran spoke with passion and excitement, an attitude to which he attributes his success. Croxon took the stage after Cochran. The former Dragon’s Den judge preached the importance of attitude and humanity, and the triumph of humanity
over technology. “Increasingly, it’s less and less about ideas,” Croxon said. “Because the difference today, versus when I started a business 30 years ago, is that things change so quickly.” “It’s about screening and looking at the people, and looking at if these are the types of people who can change? Are those the kind of people you feel good about and working with?” Croxon also gave his share of tips - work hard, being a team player, being open to change - before wrapping up his talk with a few stories about his time at Dragon’s Den, including a friendly jab at fellow Dragon Kevin O’Leary, who is best known for his abrasive persona. “The question I get asked most often [about O’Leary’s personality]. Yes, he is really that much of an asshole in real life. I’ve come clean on that. He’s not someone you would want to go fishing with.” Read the full article online at www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
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Printing for free in 3D Rachel Katz Contributor
The 3D printer is located in Lyons New Media Centre in Mills Library.
McMaster staff and students can now print anything from a Pokémon figurine to a petroleum molecule. Thanks to an endowment from the Student Life Enhancement Fund, the Lyons New Media Centre now owns a 3D printer. According to Rhonda Moore, manager of the LNMC, this is not the first 3D printer on the McMaster campus; however, it is the first one available for any student or staff member to use. “Since it was funded through the SLEF, it is free… until we use up all of the filament, which we are unlikely to run out of for a few years,” said Moore. It is unclear what the cost of a print job will be once this period of free use ends. There are two options for printing files. Staff and students can create their own virtual “pattern” using Blender, a type of 3D software available in
the media centre, or they can download a premade file from an online catalog. Moore says any files downloaded from an online collection such as Thingiverse are not considered to have violated any copyright laws since the files were publicly shared online for others to use. The media centre has encountered two main issues since the 3D printer opened. Some submitted files have been too big for the printer and staff have had to use 3D software to scale them down. “We’ve also noticed that people aren’t aware of how long it takes to do a print job,” Moore said. “So something that looks fairly small can still take in excess of several hours to print.” According to the LNMC website, print jobs over six hours will require special evaluation to determine whether they can be printed. A complete walkthrough of the printing process is available on the McMaster library website, along with information about the filament colour,
which will change on a monthly basis. “So far people have been sending fun little experiments,” Moore said. Fortunately the Lyons staff have not had to contend with people wanting to print objects deemed inappropriate. “We do have limitations… basically anything that is a weapon, looks like a weapon, or is part of a weapon we will not print.” Moore and the LNMC staff are firm about this policy. Every file submitted to the media centre is reviewed by staff, and the printer itself is constantly monitored. “If there’s something that we think is inappropriate, we email the person and tell them that,” she said. The buzz around the new 3D printer isn’t going to die down any time soon, and while the project is still in a trial-and-error phase, nothing beats a free Darth Vader pen holder.
Mac team takes first place at hackathon Krista Schwab News Editor @kschwabi
On Friday, Oct. 3, 13 teams gathered at the Google Canada headquarters in Toronto to compete in a 12-hour hackathon. The hackathon, hosted by entrepreneurial non-profit group The Next 36, was focused on programming wearable technology. Groups had to choose from five programmable technolo-
gies, brainstorm an idea and build software to make the technology functional. Six students from McMaster’s Engineering and Computer Science Faculty came up with an innovative approach to using the technologies. The team consisted of Kurtis Berg, Danielle Shwed, Robert Valencia, Kemal Ahmed, Kurt Da Costa, and Janelle Hinds, who are all a part of Hack it Mac, a hacker community at McMaster. They wanted to design a wearable technology that would stop intoxicated people from
driving after they had been drinking by automatically locking them out of their car. The group chose two of the technologies: a wristband that measures cardiac rhythm and a headband that can measure five types of brain waves. “It started with the wristband. [...] When you get close enough then it sends the signal from the wristband to the headband, which then will track your brain waves,” said Kurtis Berg, a member of the winning team. “When you’re drunk, there’s a big spike in your alpha
waves, so it tracks that and averages out over five seconds or so […] if you’re over your baseline, which we measured earlier, then it locks you out of your vehicle.” After coming up with this idea, the team needed to make it a reality. “We decided our idea at 9:51 p.m., and we wanted to do the drunk testing thing, but the only issue with that was that you actually need to test it,” said Berg. “So at that time me and Kemal sprinted from the 14th floor of Google down 1.7 kilometres through downtown
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Toronto to get to the LCBO.” The competition was judged by top Chief Technology Officers from companies such as Google Engineers, Thalmic, and Bionym. At the end of the 12 hours, the team’s idea was successful, earning them first place at the competition. This win has made some members of the team top candidates for the National Selection Weekend, an event where the top 36 innovators from across the country will be selected to be a part of The Next 36 entrepreneurial program.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
FEATURE
A male-dominated assembly Among Ontario student governments, McMaster currently ranks second last in gender equality. Where are the women, and why aren’t they running for seats? Christina Vietinghoff Features Editor @cvietinghoff
There is a noticeable gap in the percentage of women that make up the McMaster Student Representative Assembly. Only 34.3 percent of the SRA is female and none of the executives on the Board of Directors are women. These results put McMaster eighth amongst nine major research universities in Ontario compared in terms of representation of men and women on student governing bodies. In the last SRA election, almost all the female students who ran won their seats, so the absence seems to be from a lack of female students putting their names forward rather than students being unwilling to elect women. The gender gap has led some to question whether targeted strategies to create a more diverse student government should be considered. A male dominated history Although McMaster consistently ranks among Ontario’s best universities, McMaster is the second worst when it comes to gender equity in student government. Of the 35 students and elected executives on the SRA, only 12 are women. Furthermore, of the six SRA standing committees elected by the SRA, only one has a female commissioner. The Student Representative Assembly is the MSU’s legislative body and it plays an integral role in creating MSU policy and running services on campus. The MSU has a budget
of over $13 million dollars. The lack of female representatives is most apparent in the highest-ranking positions of student government. There are currently no women amongst the President and Vice Presidents. This trend has been fairly consistent throughout McMaster’s history. The MSU President has always been male, with only four exceptions. One recent exception, Siobhan Stewart served as president from 2011-2012. “It’s important to have the voices of many not just women, but different communities and different perspectives” said Stewart. “It’s not just an issue within the MSU it’s an issue within society.” The Vice Presidents have also been predominantly male. Of the 33 Vice-Presidents over the past 11 years, only ten have been women. Moreover, women have been significantly underrepresented in the VP-finance position (only one woman in 11 years) and VP-administration (only two women in eleven years). Although the gender imbalance might have been a product of a predominantly male student body in the past, this is no longer a possible explanation, because female students now outnumber men in most faculties, and overall at an undergraduate level at McMaster. A problem stemming from socialization The majority of the women elected as vice-presidents have served under the education portfolio. However, even in this sub-field women have been underrepresented compared to men.
This trend is evidence of the way socialization affects people’s choices. “You may choose an area where you think there will be less dissonance between who you are and what people think of that role, it may be that people think that people may be more likely to see me as suitable candidate for the education portfolio rather than the finance portfolio, so it may be that
‘rational’ choices about what’s the place where your profile will have less disassociation with the position you’re aiming for,” said Professor Caroline Andrew, the director of the Institute on Governance at the University of Ottawa, and an expert on women and inclusivity in local governance. The gender gap at universities might not only be a product of social norms; it may also con-
tribute to the lack of women in leadership positions in society more broadly. High ranking governance positions can lead to other important opportunities. For instance, last year’s MSU president David Campbell now studies at Harvard’s school of government. “Deciding to run even at a municipal level, or provincial or federal, takes an act of deciding
PERCENTAGE OF WOMEN ON EXISTING STUDENT GOVERNMENTS:
Thursday, October 9, 2014
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Should underrepresented groups be specifically targeted?
“
It’s not the women aren’t interested in being part of student leadership positions, but there seems to be something about the election process that’s prohibitive, Naomi Pullen Deputy Returning Officer of MSU Elections
that you would be better than other people at doing this,” said Andrew. “And I think that’s still, in terms of socialization for a lot of women, that’s a hard leap to make.” In total, 80 percent of the female candidates who ran for SRA in the last election received seats. This seems to indicate the lack of female representatives is not due to students being unwilling to vote for female students, but rather, a lack of women being willing to put their name on the ballot due to systemic barriers. One way to address these systemic barriers is by creating an ad-hoc group of SRA members. And yet, currently the SRA doesn’t have any such group. “The SRA is elected by the students, for the students. By virtue of the election process, the SRA is representative of the student body. The creation of ad-hoc groups is completely governed by the will of the assembly,” said Mike Cheung, Speaker of the SRA.
Zaynab Al-waadh and Lindsay Robinson are McMaster student researchers involved in the recently published Women and Diversity EXCLerator Report. They see McMaster’s underrepresentation of female student leaders in the most visible positions as symptomatic of a lack of women leaders in other sectors in Hamilton. “When you constantly see the same kind of person, the same kind of people holding the top positions in clubs or student groups… you have the assumption that’s the kind of person that is a leader,” said Al-waadh, who is in her fourth year of her Bachelor of Social Work. They say strategies to specifically engage women should be considered at McMaster. “Gender quotas can be a good idea if representation is really low,” said Robinson, a fourth year Political Science and Labour Studies student. But she says these tools should be implemented cautiously. “At the same time I don’t think we should have token females only representing female interest.” Without a culture of inclusivity, gender quotas can be divisive. “The SRA has discussed having seats for marginalized groups… and we always end up shooting [those ideas] down,” said Naomi Pullen, a former SRA member and the current Deputy Returning Officer of MSU Elections. Various ways to increase diversity The elections department is interested in increased promotional strategies. “We are working with the advocacy street team and looking at how we advertise our elections,” said Pullen. “We are really just starting to talk about it right now.” She notes that women are fully represented among part-time managers, which are non-elected positions. “It’s not the women aren’t interested in being part of student leadership positions, but there seems to be something about the election process that’s prohibitive,” she said. Andrew said that peer-topeer encouragement might be the best way to engage women. “I think you could have some of the people who are part
of the student representatives and some of the women who are on them to maybe directly try to seek out likely candidates, and to say ‘I think you’d be good at this, have you ever thought about it?’” This strategy could be particularly effective for engaging diverse students from other underrepresented perspectives. “I think the MSU should take a more proactive stance in perhaps holding information sessions, or reaching out to different groups... because no
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one really knows how to be on the SRA. It’s very ambiguous— you have to be really involved in the student union to know,” said Al-waadh. “They can tell people, ‘by the way it’s important that if you’re a woman, or you’re this, or you’re that, we want you.’” Given that this imbalance is not unique to McMaster, the Ontario University Student Alliance might be equally interested in systemic solutions. “OUSA has to report to the SRA every so often, and I
- percentage of women who have filled the position - percentage of men who have filled the position
haven’t heard of them doing anything like this,” said Pullen. “Even OUSA leadership is male heavy.” It is up to the current student leaders to take initiative not only at McMaster, but at all universities in Ontario to ensure the next generation of student government accurately reflects the student body.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Ward 1 Candidate Profile: Jason Allen
Jason Allen is advocating for fair student-housing and a customer service culture at city hall Daniel Arauz Contributor
This is the second in a series highlighting the six candidates for Ward 1 Councillor in the upcoming municipal election. The Silhouette will be profiling each candidate in advance of the election on Monday, Oct. 27. Jason Allen became interested in politics during his time as President of the University of Calgary’s Student Union. As a candidate for Ward 1, he strongly believes in the positive and meaningful effect municipal government can have with people every day. Jason has worked for Metrolinx as a Quality and Training Leader for the past five years, while participating in a wide variety of community committees and organizations. He is a frequent writer for Raise the Hammer, Chair of the Association for the Down Syndrome Association of Hamilton, and is a long time Beaver Scout leader. His platform advocates for more complete streets that balance public transit, cycling, walking, and driving. One specific dangerous traffic situation he would like to address is
Emerson St., through a comprehensive study with the end goal of making the road more accessible to different types of transit. Allen is also an advocate for a rental housing by-law addressing both the concerns of Westdale residents and the deteriorating properties around them. If elected, he would provide residents an avenue to raise concerns and have safety inspections done on their homes. Allen believes that Light Rail Transit will address student housing issues, as it provides housing choices further away from campus that they may not have now with the current transit options. “The buses coming into Westdale from across the 403 are packed in the morning. I know people who work at McMaster and have waited five, six, seven buses for one to finally stop and pick them up,” said Allen. “If you give people a genuine choice on where they live, then students get to experience a really amazing community they may not get to see now.” However, one of Allen’s most unique plans as city councillor would be the creation of a “customer service” culture in
city hall. “I want to create a situation where if you call city hall for help or assistance of any kind, any issue large or small, you know you’re going to get the right answer the first time,” he said. “Right now city hall is a patchwork of departments that largely don’t communicate with each other and right now it can be difficult getting a consistent
Ward 1 Candidate Jason Allen
Université d’Ottawa
|
answer.” Allen is hoping that if there is ever a situation that needs to be addressed, such as landlord conflict or pest issues, students will feel comfortable calling their city for assistance. Allen is a trained facilitator, and is hoping to use these skills to bring community members together in conversation to solve city issues and work out
disputes. “I’m a big believer that if you just get people in a room and have a conversation, often with a facilitator of some kind, you come to a conclusion very quickly.” Visit www.jasonaallen.ca to learn more about his campaign.
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Ward 1 Candidate Profile: Ira Rosen Ira Rosen is bringing a lifetime of experience with Westdale to improve student life Daniel Arauz Contributor
This is the third in a series highlighting the six candidates for Ward 1 Councillor in the upcoming municipal election. The Silhouette will be profiling each candidate in advance of the election on Monday, Oct. 27.
Ward 1 Candidate Ira Rosen
Free
Ira Rosen, an almost life-long Westdale resident, has been an active member of the community for over a decade. Rosen emphasizes the great impact McMaster and its students have
in the local community. As a Ward 1 candidate, Rosen is greatly concerned with solving landowner, student and Westdale resident conflicts by improving the overall conditions of student-rental homes, as well as working with developers to build new homes that fit into the financial model of students. His plan also includes encouraging the development of small businesses on Emerson St., in a similar manner to Locke St. and Westdale Village, as well as introducing big box retailers for the area, such as
Weekly Shuttle Bus Starting Sept. 17th
Canadian Tire. responsibility for their homes, Rosen has had a long Rosen acknowledges students history with McMaster, working often only live in single rental with numerous MSU Presidents homes for one year because of including Teddy Saull, as well as poor conditions. the Presidents Advisory Com“It’s terribly unfair for the mittee on Building an inclusive students. For many students it’s Community. He has acted as a the first time they’re living on nominator for the MSU-spontheir own,” said Rosen. “The sored Good Neighbour Award, international students have no a coordinator and supporter idea what they’re getting into for the Student […] they aren’t Community from our area, Support Centre they don’t know and is as an avid what our stanRosen has had supporter of the dards are […] a long history Peer-to-Peer proand they’re living gram that allows with mould and with McMaster, local residents to mildew and working with peacefully solve potentially other by-law issues health issues.” numerous MSU with student Rosen also Presidents. neighbours withsupports the out the involveuniversity’s ment of the city ongoing downor police. town expansions, noting that Rosen is an advocate for the current campus capacity has the implementation of a rental been maximized. housing license to hold property “I can work with Patrick owners accountable and subject Deane as well as the staff of the to health and safety inspections university and we can really and standards. do great things, but we have He recalled his involvement to work together […] we need in an MSU pilot study on fire to know the enrolment plan of safety after several incidents in the university so we can make student rentals, some of which sure we are doing things that involved fatalities a number are best for the university, best of years ago. Though students for the community, and best for must observe by-laws and take downtown.”
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Visit www.irarosen.ca to learn more about his campaign, or follow his twitter @IraWRosen.
STUDENT ELECTIONS TO THE SENATE VOTE ONLINE @ MACVOTE Wednesday, October 15, 2014 – 8:30 a.m. until midnight Thursday, October 16, 2014 – 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Vote online at: https://elections.mcmaster.ca/voter/index.cfm Voters will need their MAC ID and password to cast a ballot.
Wednesdays 6:00pm | 6:30pm | 7:00pm Last pick-up from Fortinos at 8:00pm Pick-up From Mary Keyes Residence At The Cootes Dr. Entrance
Look For The Big Yellow School Bus
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS: Faculty of Engineering: Daniel Elbirt Ryan LaRue Faculty of Health Sciences: Jacob Bailey (acclaimed) Faculty of Humanities: Varda Khan (acclaimed) GRADUATE STUDENTS: Faculty of Business: Maryam Ghasemaghaei Afif Nassif Faculty of Engineering: Sarah Nangle-Smith Jonathan Moscardini Philip Tominac Faculty of Humanities: Evan Johnston Jeffrey Wyngaarden Faculty of Science: Ayush Ranawade (acclaimed) For candidate résumés: www.mcmaster.ca/univsec/elections/senate/senate3
Questions? Contact the University Secretariat, 905.525.9140 x24337, or univsec@mcmaster.ca
The Silhouette
10
EDITORIAL
www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
S
The effect on the unaffected An article may not have an immediate allegory to your own life experiences, but the problems of your peers are everyone’s burden, not just their own. Andrew Terefenko Executive Editor @andrewterefenko
What makes an issue universally relevant to a student body? Does it have to affect every student personally? Does it have to be neutral in every ethnic, gender and social category to resonate with the most amount of people? Universal appeal sometimes means the effect on the whole rather than on the individuals that compose it. You may not be one of the women who is intimidated by entering the ruthless world of political contests, and you may not even be involved enough to know whether you are represented by a man or a woman,
but the issue affects the apathetics as much as the die-hards. Some (look below) will criticize us for taking a seemingly one-sided approach to an issue, but it’s not our aim to lay blame, at least not in this case. We aim to explore systemic issues so that the greater student body is educated enough to discuss it among their peers. It is in your best interest to be as knowledgeable as possible on the issues that affect the people around you, because those people will be your peers for the rest of your life, not only the next few years. These are the issues that affect my sister, my editors, my fellow human beings, so it is my responsibility to ensure that every ounce of scrutiny is expended on the topic.
We’re not asking you to solve these problems, we’re asking you to become aware that there is one, so you can become involved insofar that, as childhood PSAs would tell us, “knowing is half the battle.” We do our best to touch upon as wide a variety of issues as we can, but like any publication, time and space are limiting factors, so if there is an issue that you think we are turning a blind eye to, just tell us. You’ll find that we are pretty receptive to new ideas, if you make the effort to inform us. It is way more effective than criticizing The Sil in your social justice circlejerks. And if we seem a bit heavy-handed at times, it’s because some issues need an incredibly strong push.
Letter to the Editor
What I have noticed over my last three years here as a student is that The Silhouette has become a rather heavy-handed outlet for student crusades on issues of sexuality, feminism, and gender norms. It is as if young students have just read a little Derrida or listened to a professor rant about feminist theory and now they have an incessant need to tell the entire university community about something we’ve already heard before or they will explode. If one were to apply the same logic as is commonly done in postmodern equity activism, that McMaster’s campus newspaper ought to publish with equal air-time both sides of a given issue. Having a regular section “Feminism for Thought” devoted to an exclusively gynocentric worldview is utterly biased and does not lead to the perception of The Sil as a balanced and fair publication. Such ideologuous pieces, which often range from mildy offensive to dogmatically misandric, can easily foster enmity and division. I have spoken with many women and men across this
university who actually feel intimidated to share their true beliefs on a host of issues because of the one-sided rhetoric that has dominated the academy on all levels. How many student activists would be taken seriously either in lecture halls or in popular forums such as this if they advocated for the ending of abortion? The scientific case for gender complementarity? Or the importance of religious voices in the public sphere? These angles on popular debates are often treated as abhorrent or simply discounted outright. One can not, in genuineness, demand the preference of one special interest group while simultaneously condoning the stereotyping or silencing of another. To close, my encouragement to this newspaper is allow adequate coverage of both sides of any published social issue. Do not allow the views of the student majority to push you into a corner of reticence. Moral, traditionalist, and even conservative voices have a place at McMaster University. You are an important part of this institution. -Edward Parsons
IF YOU DRINK, DON’T DRIVE.
CALL BLUELINE! 905.525.0000
W W W. 5 2 5 B L U E . C O M
To 3D printing innappropriate objects.
To tarnished future viewings of 7th Heaven.
To Miles, the official office baby.
To the great Buzzfeed debate of 2014.
To wine and cheese affairs. GD you make the rest of us look bad. To adding chicken to Mac & Cheese. As effective as it is cheap. To our involved readers. Keep the letters coming. To our undefeated birds of prey. Keep that energy going for the Yates. To Dwayne Gretzky. To liking Love, Actually. To the fearless karaoke crew. To Dido. To JB, for making it through another riveting BoP. To Gotham. It’s Batman without Batman, which is surprisingly better. To Guess Who and rejected front pages.
To pouring rain and shelterless bus stops. To Netflix forgetting which episode I was on. To candles with extremely short wicks. To the demise of our radio show. If you’re reading this on Oct. 9., listen to our last one today at 1 p.m. To Speculator jokes that go over people’s heads. Only I will ever know. To the multiplying globes at trivia. To Egyptian gods and mendicants. To seven in-house ads. Wow, rough week? To Pluto being called into question again. Stop teasing me. To heights.
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www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
The McMaster Students Union
PRESIDENT’S PAGE
Close your eyes and imagine the most incredible upgrades you would like to see on our beloved McMaster campus. When I paint the picture of an upgraded campus, I imagine things like a huge flat-screen TV (I’m talking cinematic-quality) above the MUSC fireplace for people to watch Leafs games. I picture more
seating for students throughout campus, and I see heated bus shelters for when the air turns frigid in the winter. How about you? On a campus full of thoughtful scholars, new and exciting ideas are not very hard to come by; the tough part is getting them off the ground. Great ideas need great people to drive them forward, and they almost always benefit from, if not depend on, substantial financial support. This is where the McMaster Students Union (MSU) and the Office of Student Affairs want to help. Together, the MSU and Student Affairs form the Student Services Committee. This Committee oversees the allocation of tens of thousands of dollars for projects and initiatives that enhance student life at McMaster. This pool of funds, derived from a portion of the Student Services Ancillary Fee, is called the Student Life Enhancement Fund. The Student Life Enhancement Fund provides seed capital and financial support for student-run and University-based service providers to expand their programming, infrastructure and/or operations; so pro-
posals typically come from student service managers or departments. This process will continue, but we also want to hear ideas and initiatives from students that demonstrate a commitment to improving and enhancing student life. Ideas don’t have to be perfectly articulated and thorough just yet – right now we just want to hear as many ideas as possible, from all corners of campus. If you’ve got something on your mind, head to enhance.mcmaster.ca before November 7, 2014 to submit your idea online. Between November and January, the Student Services Committee will investigate each idea for its logistical and financial viability. Some ideas will undoubtedly receive automatic funding due to their dramatic contribution to student life. The best of the rest will be made available for public consultation and voting in January – super exciting! So hop on your mobile device or personal/shared computer system and submit your idea. This is our opportunity to make healthy investments into campus life and shape the many facilities and services that our tuition dollars pay for.
1. 2. 3. 4.
GET A COMPUTER & VISIT ENHANCE.MCMASTER.CA LOG IN WITH YOUR MACID TO SHARE YOUR IDEA VIEW ALL THE OTHER IDEAS & COMMENT (IF YOU WISH) BUY A UM COFFEE & REVEL IN YOUR OWN SELF-WORTH
NO IDEA IS TOO BIG OR SMALL TAKE A LOOK AT SOME PAST PROJECTS
3D TECHNOLOGY
CAMPUS LIFE
- 3D PRINTER IN LYONS NMC - DIGITAL ARCHIVE OF THE SIL & MARMOR -
OUTDOOR LEARNING
- COMMUNITY ICE RINK - McMASTER OUTDOOR ORIENTATION - AUDIO SYSTEM UPGRADES TO BRIDGES EXPERIENCE (M.O.O.S.E.) - ACCESSIBILITY UPGRADE TO DBAC - McMASTER TEACHING & COMMUNITY GARDEN -
COMMUNICATIONS - CAMPUS MEDIA SCREENS - RESIDENCE INFORMATION SYSTEM -
TO LEARN MORE AND SUBMIT YOUR OWN IDEA VIST:
ENHANCE.MCMASTER.CA The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.
TEDDY
SCOTT MALLON
NARRO PÉREZ
RODRIGO
JACOB
President
VP (Finance)
VP (Education)
VP (Administration)
SAULL
BRODKA
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Around Campus
www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Eliza Pope Photo Reporter @eliza_pope
“Is there anyone that inspires you?” “Well, lots of people. I’ve had wonderful teachers. People that are remarkable in the way that they open the world. One that changed my vision of the future was my teacher of physiology, who was a complete nutcase. He was very celebrated, in fact, he had actually been one of the best electrophysiologists in the world. He would waltz into class and his classes would go either for a minute or an hour, depending on his mood, and he would simply throw a problem at us and walk away. ‘Oh, figure it out.’ Everyone was scratching their heads saying ‘what the hell is going on’, but I thought ‘wow, isn’t that interesting’. He’s just that kind of person - very charismatic, complete nutcase. He disobeyed all the rules - there was no course objective, no clarity, no slides, no nothing. That’s why I always felt that clarity is grossly overrated. What you need is confusion, to stimulate people to think. I was very very lucky. In fact, that’s the funny thing - from medical school, I remember all of my teachers, but none of my fellow students.” “What’s one piece of advice you can offer to students?” “I think the best piece of advice I can offer is a) the fact you are in an university makes you extraordinarily privileged, and extraordinarily lucky. And you have to fulfill yourself to your complete potential, and use all the resources available, whatever they are. Stop moaning - there’s all the time to moan about it later. Your university experience must be seen as nothing but pure bliss. The other thing is try to be flexible - the future is definitely uncertain, and the more flexible you are, the better you can adjust. And don’t ask for things to be given on a silver platter - they never are. The world is a battlefield, just be prepared for it. Oh, one more thing. Find something to do so that you never look forward to the weekend.” “What books did you bring with you today?” “I bought this book when I was doing my PhD in 1968. There’s a poem called ‘Ithaca’ by Cavafi that is beautiful. It’s about when you set out for a journey, and how the trip makes all the difference, it’s not where you end up. This other book by Freemon Dyson I’ve read again and again - it’s wonderful because it merges science, poetry and arts.”
“Tell me a bit about yourself.” “Well, I’m 71 plus, so it might take me a bit of time.”
“What’s your biggest accomplishment?” “Colouring something!”
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“What do you want to be when you grow up?” “A worm!”
The Silhouette
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
OPINION
13
This week, learn more about the complexities of Hong Kong’s “Umbrella Revolution” PAGE 15
My country isn’t a punch line Why do we shy away from understanding foreign places? Ana Qarri Opinions Editor @anaqarri
Humans have a tendency to oversimplify things. On numerous occasions I’ve heard friends say that some ideas are too complex to tackle and too complicated to address. I don’t know why people have this aversion to complexity, this need to put labels on things they don’t know. And most of all, I don’t know why everyone feels the need to know everything. An idea can be complex and that’s okay. You can look over these remarks when the too-complexto-deal-with ideas are so distant from your daily existence that you’ll never come across them again. But when they affect you and your identity, it can result in harmful stereotypes. I first encountered this notion of oversimplification in a Harry Potter book. I don’t remember which one, but I recall reading the name of my native country in the pages of my favourite series. I loved Harry
Potter as much as the next kid – I read everything I could and owned everything I could. I spent the day after its release at home, pretending to be sick so my mom would let me skip school, to read the book. I should have been happy that the name of an obscure,
southeast European country like Albania made it onto those sacred pages, but I wasn’t. I put the book down and told my mom about what I had just read. I told her I would send J.K. Rowling a strongly worded letter. Albania is no place for the villain of the story to hide, I said. And it’s not just full of peasants, either. And, how dare Ron say that the entire country can be searched in one afternoon! It’s ridiculous, I insisted. I was upset that a country as beautiful as Albania, with people as beautiful as my family, was portrayed in such a neg-
ative light by a book read by millions of children. As I was read-
ing that line, I noticed myself create a dark, depressing image of my own country – one that I knew to be false. For a while, this was my only encounter with Western society’s blatant stereotyping of distant places. The lack of knowledge wasn’t what bothered me. A lot of people are ignorant about world geography, and I never cared that no one knew where Albania was located. That wasn’t important. I don’t know where a lot of countries are located, and on most days, I really don’t have a desire to learn. When I moved to Canada and became engulfed in its culture, I heard the name of my country more times than I expected given its size. I heard it in tele-
vision shows and saw offensive caricatures of Albanians, clearly included to portray the broader “Eastern European identity” as perceived by the West rather than actual
Albanians. According to these shows, all Eastern Europeans have the same accent, the same history, and the same culture. I read about it in news stories about prevalence of blood feuds in Northern Albania which, unfortunately for the journalists who spend hours trying to unravel them, aren’t that prevalent. They certainly exist and they are certainly condemned, but they are not a morally accepted practice as so many stories would lead you to believe. I read it in books about Albanian “mafia” that sensationalize crimes by coupling it with the country’s national identity. Time after time, I heard the name of my native country used in oversimplified ways, associated with ideas rarely discussed inside its borders. Yet, the Western world is so fascinated by old cultural practices in its most isolated areas, things that even Albanian “peasants” would find disturbing. Logically, these instances of stereotyping are ridiculous. No reasonable person would equate an entire culture with blood, crimes, and death. But readers, watchers, consumers of media are never given enough information to form reasonable views. And sometimes, even when given all the information, some choose to maintain a restricted view. Stereotyping and sensationalizing are entertaining. They sell products. They get people to consume whatever information you’re selling them, no matter how narrow-minded it is.
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As I was reading that line, I noticed myself create a dark, depressing image of my own country – one that I knew to be false.
The stereotyping of small countries isn’t always negative, and although my experience with it has been mainly so due to the uncomfortable relationship Western countries have had with Eastern European powers, countries and cultures can also be overly romanticized. Cultural practices are taken out of context and put up on a pedestal of beauty and romantic ideals. While being a “positive” stereotype is definitely better than being a negative one, the act of stereotyping and telling only one side of the story is dehumanizing. We know that there’s more to a person than their good or bad days, and to respect them, we recognize their broad range of emotions and behaviours equally. It should not be any different for people we don’t know. Cultures and countries should not be literary devices, used to carry symbols of good or evil, nor should they be things to sensationalize for the pleasure and profit of those who choose to remain ignorant about the lives of humans in foreign places. Places you don’t know have people you don’t know leading lives you don’t know. Their stories of their places, their pride of their cultures, and the dignity of their complex, human lives, should always come first.
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www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Stricter regulations The Galliano disappointment for e-cigarettes Maison Martin Margiela should not have hired anti-semitic designer
Use of electronic cigarettes is on the rise, and we need to assess their risks before it’s too late. Sophie Hunt Contributor
The last thing you would expect to see while sitting on a city bus is a puff of smoke. Yet there I was, on the number 44, sitting next to a young man exhaling smoke in my direction. It took a moment to realize that it was not a cigarette he was smoking, but a thin metallic cylinder about the size of a cigar. With the sudden rise in the use of electronic cigarettes, this is a sight that is becoming much more common. Electronic cigarettes, or e-cigarettes, use a mixture of water, nicotine, flavouring, and other additives as a replacement for real cigarettes. Whether people are choosing to smoke them in order to kick their smoking habit, or simply as a less harmful alternative, e-cigarettes are not as safe as people seem to think. The liquid nitrogen used by this product can be very dangerous in a concentrated form. Also, the smoke released can potentially contain chemicals that, while less harmful than
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Tomi Milos ANDY Editor @tomimilos
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regular cigarettes, can still have an impact on people that inhale it through second-hand smoke. The lack of information regarding e-cigarettes has led to a disregard for the regulation, and even creation, of laws that control the use of this product. Currently there is a Canada-wide ban on the importation, sale and advertising of this product. Despite this, people are still able to bring them into the country. But this is not the main issue. There is a startling absence of regulation on the use of e-cigarettes in the province. Many people are using their e-cigarettes in public places that are considered smoke-free, raising questions of whether or not they are potentially harmful to both the smokers and the people around them. Which begs the question: should e-cigarettes have the same restrictions as the average cigarette? Little is known about the full health risks associated with smoking e-cigarettes. This
makes the growing presence of them in public spaces even more terrifying. If there are harmful effects associated with the inhalation of second-hand smoke from e-cigarettes, then it may be too late for many who have already come into contact with too much of this smoke without realizing the risk. But it is not too late to take action in order to educate people of the possible risks of inhaling e-cigarette smoke. Not only should the Government of Ontario put more effort into fully exploring likely health risks, work should also be done to raise the public’s awareness about the growing presence of e-cigarettes. It is not enough to simply limit the distribution of e-cigarettes in Canada. By exploring the potentially harmful risks of e-cigarettes, the government can create more rigid laws regarding where e-cigarettes can be smoked, and as a result make public spaces – including city buses – safer throughout the province.
Fashion may be too quick to stand by the old adage “forgive and forget”. It has only been three years since John Galliano was shamefully ousted from Christian Dior after a video of an anti-Semitic tirade he made was unearthed. The famed British designer went from one of the most successful faces of fashion to a reviled figure who Dior couldn’t distance itself from quick enough. Despite Galliano’s best attempts to reinsert himself in the scene, he has remained on the outskirts. A workshop that he was scheduled to lead at Parsons last year was called off after it came to light that Galliano was not willing to comply with the New York design school’s wish for him to conduct a forum about the effect of his remarks on his career. Galliano was thrown a bone by Oscar de la Renta who allowed him to design a collection of dresses for his New York Fashion Week show last year, but he has still largely been ostracized. Galliano’s condemnation to the periphery was alleviated on Oct. 6, when Maison Martin Margiela announced that he would be taking over as art director. The house’s namesake had retired in 2009 and had since been headed by a col-
lective of unnamed designers. Of the appointment, Renzo Rosso, president of Margiela’s parent company, had this to say: “Margiela is ready for a new charismatic creative soul … John Galliano is one of the greatest, undisputed talents of all time – a unique, exceptional couturier for a Maison that always challenged and innovated the world of fashion.” I’m all for a progressive mindset, but appointing a known anti-Semite may be challenging the world of fashion in the wrong way. Galliano apologized for his conduct in an interview last summer saying, “it's the worst thing I have said in my life, but I didn't mean it...I have been trying to find out why that anger was directed at this race. I now realize I was so ------- angry and so discontented with myself that I just said the most spiteful thing I could.” Galliano apologized, but there’s really no coming back from praising Hitler. It’s too bad that an esteemed house like Margiela felt the need to resort to Galliano, for not only will he bring the wrong kinds of scrutiny to an already stressful operation, but he’ll bring his penchant for heavy-handed theatrical designs to a normally avant-garde couture line. As LL Cool J said in “Mama Said Knock You Out,” don’t call it a comeback. Instead, usher Galliano out.
Is the lack of women on the Student Representative Assembly an issue?
Sara King
SRA Humanities
What’s a greater problem is that between the six commissioners and B.O.D, only one is a women and those individuals for the most part are elected by the SRA and they have even more decision-making power.
Anser Abbas SRA Science
We need women to be able to speak to the female experience at McMaster, but what can we do to address [this gap]? That’s a great conversation that we need to have, that we haven’t had yet.
Katie Lehwald SRA Humanities
Sometimes people are also more critical of what you wear or how you look rather than your ideas [as a woman].
Rodrigo Narro
Vice-President Education
This is an issue because you would want to see student representation to be reflective of the student body, but 34% [female representatives] does not reflect this.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
15
Understanding the Umbrella Revolution Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor @jayjai223
The upheaval in Hong Kong these past weeks is a number of things: brutal, saddening, and terrifying, but simple is not one of them. As someone who called Hong Kong my home for a good part of my childhood, it’s easy to say the umbrella revolution is about Hong Kong citizens fighting for democracy and that what China is doing is completely wrong. Yet, that stance is a very narrow Western point of view. These
recent events actually reflect the culmination of years of growing tension between the parties. Many people forget that the novel and incomplete democracy Hong Kong possesses was given by the Chinese government in 1997 when Britain returned the colony to China out of desperation. As China grew to become the superpower it is today, Hong Kong prospered and received much of the economic and cultural benefits as it served as the gateway to China. Citizens retain the right to demonstrate, and the legal system is still rooted in British law.
The root of the issue is the impossibility of “one country, two systems.” As Hong Kong became a financial hub, its importance to China increased, and China needed complete control. This was imperative, for Hong Kong constantly criticized the central government while being content to prosper under their rule and ignore China’s large underdeveloped rural population. So the Chinese government did what it does best – slowly screen out critics through coercion and dirty tactics. The chief executives of
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Hong Kong, screened and supported by the central government, consult Beijing before making decisions. Prior to their discussions, Beijing outlines what it wants, so no matter where the discussion goes Beijing always gets what it wants. It’s sort of like negotiating with your parents. You might get some playtime, but you are definitely eating your vegetables. The government has also tried to implement patriotic education as well as interfere with the press. While these efforts have ramped up recently, the truth is China could not have hidden their agenda through the years – citizens have simply, for the most part, been passive. The change in behaviour began as more Chinese citizens became filthy rich over the past decade due to urbanization in China. As China is mostly underdeveloped, hordes of millionaires flooded Hong Kong because they needed a classy place to make it rain. The change was dramatic when I
visited Hong Kong two years ago. All employees spoke Mandarin as opposed to just Cantonese. When my family visited Louis Vuitton, we were barely paid any attention. They knew we weren’t the ones who would buy a LV suitcase to carry all the other LV items purchased. Land prices soared to unprecedented levels. In short, Hong Kong citizens were getting pushed out. This resentment is made stronger by the fact that Hong Kong has always considered the rural Chinese population to be uncivilized. Given Mainland China’s political landscape, and Hong Kong’s history, it was inevitable that we would reach this point. The mistake us bystanders make is to talk about democracy as an ideal and guarantee for Hong Kong. What we should get riled up about is the underhand approach China is taking. If you’re going to rescind your promise, at least nut up and admit your intentions.
Facebook isn’t your therapist Seek professional help when you need it. Bina Patel Contributor
Anonymous Facebook pages for McMaster students serve many purposes beyond getting our opinion out. They have become a catalyst to express opinion and concern about many topics, from finances to relationships. Like many people, I find them incredibly funny. They can be educational, informative, and even insightful. But every now and then, a post is shared that I think needs to be given more attention than the few sentences that some people are generous enough to write. This is not to degrade the amusement that so many students find, or to pinpoint what someone can and cannot say. It is to shed light on something that I think should be the highest level of importance for everyone: their health. Often, while scrolling through pages of anonymous comments, I’ll find a post about feeling depressed, alone, angry, etc. Most of us, if not all, have or will at some point experience difficulties in mental health. It’s critical to maintain our mental health, especially as students, because it affects our performance and our overall well-being.
This is why I think more assistance should be asked for, and it should be directed to other sources on campus, such as the Wellness Centre. As mentioned before, I think everyone is free to express their opinions and concerns, but I also know that there really is nothing quite like university to test someone’s resiliency and ability to strategize through tough times, all the while trying to balance work, school and relationships. It’s not unusual to feel stressed, anxious or depressed. The trained and educated professionals at the Wellness Centre are there to help control or at least aid in maintaining mental health, while the people on a Facebook page are not. It’s not right to allow the difficulty coping with all that there is to deal with to swallow you up. Nor is it right to give into this habit of trying to resist the feeling of not being okay because it seems like you’re the only one. That’s why so many of these posts are up on pages like Spotted and McMaster Confessions. The anonymity makes it easy for people to admit feeling helpless, but it is also dangerous. It further stigmatizes mental health issues and provides low-quality support to those who are facing them.
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Why aren’t we donating? Donating blood was surprisingly easy. With a “first time donor” sticker on my t-shirt, I was in and out within an hour. The staff was nice, the procedure was simple, and I got to nosh on free cookies afterward. They even helped me schedule an appointment for my next donation. Looking exclusively at my experience in the clinic, it’s hard to understand why Canadian Blood Services is facing its lowest blood inventory levels since 2008. On Sept. 30, right before I happened to donate, the organization announced that they would soon only have a three-day supply of blood, as opposed to the five to eight day buffer they need. The need for blood has been increasing by two percent each year, and the number of donors has been steadily decreasing. Canada-wide, only 3.7 percent of eligible donors give blood. Rates are even lower in big cities like Toronto, where less than two percent of residents donate. So, why aren't people taking the time for a simple procedure that can save lives? I may be too idealistic in believing that people genuinely want to help, but I like to think that Canadians live up to our reputation as good-hearted people. There's a better explanation for the low blood levels: Canadian Blood Services' public outreach campaigns leave much to be desired. In general, people are unaware of the need for donations, don't know how to book appointments, and aren't sure if they're eligible. Their website is old-fashioned, and their clinic locator tool breaks on a regular basis. Maybe it was just the hubbub of the poster sale, but on the morning of my appointment I didn't see any signs to direct me to the blood clinic. None of my reminder e-mails had the exact location, either. I went to Compass to ask, and like a nurse trying to find an elusive
vein, they directed me to the wrong place. I had to do a considerable amount of research and running back and forth to locate the clinic. This was not the fault of the woman behind the desk at Compass. Nobody had told her about it. After my appointment, feeling inspired to help, I asked a number of my friends to book appointments. “They do that here?” asked one, surprised. Another one, not a McMaster student, tried to book an appointment online and was met with a faulty clinic locator. Many of my friends did not know how to find out if they were eligible, and many thought blood could only be donated once a year. (The maximum is seven times, by the way.) Most, like myself before I donated, were unaware of the severe blood shortages. While Canadian Blood Services is not a government agency, it receives funding from taxpayers and has similar clunky websites and uncreative advertising to government agencies. Many people have suffered through the archaic web pages of OSAP or Health Canada, but people have no pressing requirement to do the same to donate blood. After all, blood donation isn't going to pay for a university education or ensure an appointment with a health specialist. Canadian Blood Services needs to up its game on advertising and education. Although it definitely has its downfalls, I might be treating Canada's saver-of-lives rather harshly. Canadian Blood Services' Blood Signal campaign and the GiveBlood app are steps in the right direction for a tech-savvy, user-friendly, and successful charitable model. There is work to be done, but its Twitter account is pretty fantastic. I agree with Canadian Blood Services and urge you to donate as soon as possible. Clinics are held on the third floor of the Student Centre on every other Tuesday. Come well-hydrated and ready to help save lives. After all, as the slogan says, “it's in you to give.”
Blood reserves have reached their lowest level since 2008. Here’s what Canadian Blood Services can do better.
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The Marauders Men's and Women's volleyball teams are back and ready to get their season started
Marauders women's soccer is not giving up yet. Their goal is to finish 5th in the OUA.
PAGE 18-19
LONDON FALLING
McMaster beat Western on the road, 32-29 and jumped ahead of them in the both OUA standings and CIS top ten rankings. What's next as they head into a bye week?
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LEAGUE AT LARGE The OUA at a glance
Men’s Soccer OUA East
OUA WEST
W L Pts
8 5 4 5 2 1 1 1 2
RYERSON QUEEN’S CARLETON TORONTO NIPISSING RMC UOIT TRENT LAURENTIAN
0 2 1 2 3 7 4 6 4
24 16 15 16 9 3 6 4 8
W L Pts
WESTERN YORK GUELPH WINDSOR MCMASTER LAURIER BROCK WATERLOO ALGOMA
4 8 4 4 5 3 1 0 0
4 0 1 3 0 4 4 6 7
13 25 14 12 17 11 7 1 1
Women’s Soccer OUA East
OUA WEST
W L Pts
QUEEN’S 4 OTTAWA 6 UOIT 6 CARLETON 4 LAURENTIAN3 TORONTO 4 NIPISSING 2 RMC 0 TRENT 1 RYERSON 2
2 1 0 2 4 2 5 6 5 5
13 18 19 13 10 13 7 1 4 6
W L Pts
WESTERN YORK LAURIER WINDSOR GUELPH MCMASTER WATERLOO ALGOMA BROCK
8 8 7 4 2 3 0 0 3
1 0 1 3 5 4 7 8 6
24 25 22 12 6 9 0 0 9
Football OUA
CIS TOP 10
MCMASTER OTTAWA CARLETON WESTERN GUELPH LAURIER QUEEN’S WINDSOR TORONTO WATERLOO YORK
W
L
4 2 2 3 3 2 0 3 1 0 0
0 2 2 0 1 1 4 0 3 4 4
LAVAL CALGARY MCMASTER WESTERN MONTREAL GUELPH SASKATCHEWAN MT. ALLISON CONCORDIA LAURIER
Men’s Rugby OUA GUELPH MCMASTER WESTERN QUEEN’S BROCK
C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK Jaycee Cruz The Silhouette
Since 2009 Mac and Western have split their rivalry pretty evenly, but this past Saturday the Marauders got the most recent victory in this heated rivalry upsetting the Mustangs on the road in a 32-29 thriller. Very few saw this upset coming. Mac’s gameplan going in wasn’t supposed to be passheavy on offense, but the game ended up being that way. Offensive coordinator and assistant coach Jon Behie said, “We thought we’d have to sling the ball around a little bit, but 52 times is a lot…but that’s the way the game flowed. We’re not looking at those stats mid-game. What we prepare on the sideline and what we call is based on how the game’s going.” The Marauders offense didn’t feel like they had to prove anything to anybody going in and entered the Western game with an attitude of confidence
despite their underdog status. Coach Behie commented that an important part of their game plan was to control the clock. “I think we controlled the time of possession against them. We won that battle and kept our defense in good spots for the most part. We told our quarterbacks to take as much time out of the play clock as they could, control what we could control on our specific side of the ball,” said Behie. By doing that successfully, Western was limited in points just enough to secure the McMaster victory while also keeping their perfect season intact. With the victory moving McMaster from No. 4 to No. 3 in the country, Mac now has a bye week and two regular season games left against Laurier and Ottawa. “The main thing for the players is to rest up and get as healthy as we can for the home stretch. We are practicing three times this week and focusing more on self-reflection on who
we are and what we can do better rather than worrying about an opponent,” said Behie. “It’s a great time to have a bye on Thanksgiving because we can send our players home to their families where they can spend some quality time with their loved ones at home and come back refreshed, ready to get after this stretch run of two regular season games and then they count.” The timing of the bye week could not have been any better as the No.3 McMaster Marauders head into Thanksgiving weekend with a 6-0 record and plenty to be thankful for. The coaching staff hopes this week of team self-reflection and self-examination will iron out any kinks before Mac makes their run at the Yates Cup.
W L Pts
W L Pts
4 4 2 3 2
1 0 0 0
0 0 1 0 2
20 LAURIER 15 RMC 10 WATERLOO 15 TORONTO 11
Mac's win tees up the squad for an easier path back to the Yates Cup •
•
•
•
If McMaster wins out the season by beating Laurier and Ottawa, they will finish the season first overall. First and second place teams get a bye to the OUA semifinals. First place plays the lowest remaining seed, the other two remaining teams square off. If the standings hold, which is likely given Western and Guelph have easy schedules, the two teams could face off in playoffs. The winner of the Yates Cup will play in the Uteck bowl against the AUS playoff winner.
4 2 0 0
Women’s Rugby RUSSELL
The road ahead
3 3 3 3
SHIELS W L Pts
MCMASTER 3 QUEEN’S 2 TORONTO 0 TRENT 2 YORK 1
0 1 3 1 2
14 11 0 10 4
W L Pts
WATERLOO GUELPH WESTERN LAURIER BROCK
1 2 2 2 0
1 0 1 1 3
8 11 11 5 1
On the lookout: Athletes to watch this week The whole defence Women's soccer › Zero goals against in past two games You can't single out one player from the D who will be key this weekend. Mac needs to get as many points as they can and will rely on their defenders to do that. Stephanie Black Women's rugby › Six conversions in three games Black will be busy kicking conversions this weekend as the women's rugby team starts playoffs against Trent.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Marauders volleyball is back After a heartbreaking season, the Marauders volleyball team has never been more ready
The Marauders are travelling to Ohio State University for the Friday and Saturday of the Thanksgiving. C/O YOSEIF HADDAD
Laura Sinclair Asst. Sports Editor @Lsinkky
The McMaster men’s volleyball team has been through a lot in the last year. After a heartbreaking loss in the CIS semi-final to the Western Mustangs, the team left the court feeling disheartened and disappointed – but they didn’t hang their heads low for very long. “It took us about six weeks after our national championships last year for things to really start to write themselves. It really didn’t start to settle in until about the first or second week of April, once exams finished, it was difficult,” said head coach Dave Preston. Despite the difficulty of putting the past behind them, the team decided to use the loss last season as a learning lesson for the season ahead, where they will hope to use their tremendous experience of both victory and loss as motivation. “Our lessons were learned,
they were painful,” said Preston. “But in 22 years of coaching collegiate volleyball at the CIS level, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a more motivated group than what I saw this summer.” After the season ended, each member of the team dedicated themselves to their own training regimens, whether it was through work in the weight room, or rest and recovery, every member of the team had a plan, and every member stuck to it. This is very impressive, considering the majority of the team went home for the summer, which can make it easy for the guys to get distracted. “If there is any indicator as to what those matches in the last couple of years taught us, I think that the fruit that we bear out of this summer was pretty impressive,” said Preston. The Marauders have already had an opportunity this season to showcase the hard work that they have put into their summer, with a match that they won 3-1 against the
Manitoba Bisons. On Oct. 10 and 11, the team will get another opportunity on a road trip to Ohio State where they will take on the highly competitive Buckeyes in two exhibition games. McMaster will be using this trip to make sure their system and tactics are ready to go for league play. “It’s a really good, competitive environment against a well-coached, very talented team, but it has a lot more to do with us and our performance than whether or not we win,” said Preston. Preston plans on putting at least one rookie on the floor in the Ohio state match-up, just like how he did in the match against the Manitoba Bisons. There are currently five rookies on the Marauders roster, and they all provide a tremendous amount of depth for the team. “The McMaster way for us is we’ve got to get ready from Monday to Thursday. The delivery model of our program is positive rivalry and internal
competition on a daily basis, so that depth is really, really important to us,” said Preston. The first year players’ main role on the team is to make an impact during the week in order to help in getting the rest of the team ready for competition during the weekends. “The things that they will do for us will probably go unseen to the general student population until further on in their career, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t contributing to our development on a daily basis,” said Preston. “We will get much, much better because of every one of those guys, there’s no doubt in my mind.” Of the rookies, Andrew Richards is the top recruit, having qualified for the Canadian Junior National Team along with teammate Brandon Koppers, and also representing Canada at the Summer Youth Olympics in China on the beach shortly after. Unfortunately after a busy summer of high-level competition, Richards now has a
lower-leg injury and will not compete until the end of the season. “We have to treat them accordingly. So at this stage, we’re going to do what we can right now so that he can be ready when we need him to be,” said Preston. There is a lot of work the Marauders as a team have to put in between now and the end of the season, however. And when it comes to their season, and the future aspirations of the team, Preston is taking it one day at a time. “We’ve got to take care of today, and not look too far ahead into tomorrow. But if we get a chance to live tomorrow, we’re going to take advantage of it.” The team leaves for Ohio State on Thursday Oct. 9, and will be back on Sunday Oct. 11 where they will get to have a very rare and much needed rest and recovery period for Thanksgiving.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
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Revamped Marauders set to defend OUA title Scott Hastie Sports Editor @scott1hastie
With the OUA regular season set to kick-off in under two weeks, the McMaster women’s volleyball team is still finding themselves. Injuries, unexpected departures, graduations and incoming rookies have put the reigning OUA champions into a period of change to start the year. Typically, a team with meaningful games rapidly approaching would be nervous. Head coach Tim Louks is confident and eager to get the season underway, looking to build towards another championship run. “I think we have same typo of athletes in the house that we did last year,” said Louks. “But because we’re new, those connections aren’t there yet. That is what we’re trying to work our way through.” McMaster is young, with only one fifth year and three fourth years while all other players fall below, meaning that the team is inconsistent so far, according to Louks. The team wants to play at the same tempo offensively as they did last year, but have hit roadblocks when trying to
accomplish that for a variety of reasons. For one, Mac’s setters are new. Amanda Weldon and Kayla Ng split duties at the setting position last year, but both have graduated and left the team without a maestro. Lauren Carter, a fifth-year occupational therapist student, is carrying the setting load with second-year Caitlin Genovy. “We’re not in a familiarization stage right now, we’re in an accumulation of information. The setters and hitters are trying to work within a set of parameters to build those rhythms and do that while on the run,” said Louks. Mac has a ways to go, including the shoring up of transition play. Louks says that will come together over time, and will be accelerated when key players return from injury. Fourth-year Lauren Mastroluisi had an allergic reaction before the Ottawa tournament (where McMaster won the consolation round), libero Carly Heath has an elbow injury and another handful of players are battling lingering injuries. None of the injuries seem to be long term, but they do hamper the growth of the team. “The unfortunate part is we are going into Thanksgiving getting ready for our season open-
McMaster women’s volleyball team will reboot quickly after losing some key pieces to a variety of reasons. C/O YOSEIF HADDAD
er against Western, and we don’t have the players that I think will have an impact against them. It’s kind of a funky scenario,” said Louks. Regardless of the setbacks, the coaching staff is excited with the growth of other pieces and what they can bring to the team dynamic. Mac experimented with players in different positions throughout preseason and was impressed with the results. Louks says the team played Ottawa tough, a team that will be in the hunt for an OUA championship. But in recent years, the
women’s program has been labelled as getting off to slow starts, with this paper being perpetuating that label. Louks explains that the team does not intentionally lag out of the gate. “We’re trying to go forward. Do we have enough right away to have a performance outcome against Western that is in our favour? I’d hope so. I’d like to have these nicks and bruises cleaned up, but when they are standing or riding a bike, the players aren’t getting that connection,” said Louks. McMaster will be a team in contention for the championship again, but they may round
into their peak form as the season goes on. The team has an abundance of questions marks with the performances they will get from certain positions, but the ceiling is high across the board. Making a return to the CIS national championship tournament is the goal – something that not many OUA programs can say they have accomplished in the past decade. But this year more than most, Mac’s journey and growth will be the most intriguing part of the season, not the wins and losses.
Head coach Tim Louks is heading into his 28th season at the helm of the program C/O YOSEIF HADDAD
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
Women’s soccer using defence to climb standings With four games left, Mac’s defence has adjusted well to the injuries and looks to vault the team into playoffs. C/O FRASER CALDWELL
With four games left, Mac has a lot to play for. Scott Hastie Sports Editor @scott1hastie
With four games remaining and a total of 12 points up for grabs, McMaster’s women’s soccer team heads into the critical stretch of their season. At first blush, their 3-6-3 record is uninspiring. Given their circumstance, it is a respectable tally and sets them up to be only one point out of the playoffs. Mac grabbed two points this weekend by drawing No. 5 York and No. 7 Laurier 0-0 in both games. The ability to hold opposing offences at bay has put McMaster in the thick of the playoff hunt. Captain Sophie Ykema said the team was prepared for the powerhouses and adjusted accordingly. “We changed our formation for the two games, we were aware of the threats that Laurier
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and York had,” said Ykema. Ykema. “Against Western, we Nicole Pacheco, Kelsey Orrecognize they are one of the lando, Steph Davis, and Ykema best teams in the OUA and in along with other rotating pieces Canada, so we’re going to try to helped comprise the back line play them similarly to how we in front of star keeper Brittany handled York and Laurier.” Duffey. In 12 games, The path to Algoma has conOUA playoffs ceded 128 goals runs through a against, or 10.6 handful of away goals per game. In games. Trips to fairness, McMaster Western, Windhas struggled to sor and Algoma score, only finding make up the fithe back of the net nal games of the nine times in their Sophia Ykema 2014 campaign. 12 games. Those first The women’s McMaster women’s soccer two tests will be squad controls Team captain tough – Western their own fate, with is ranked No. only five points 8 in the CIS, separating them Windsor is the second game of from fourth place. Final standa back-to-back – but the douing position will not matter bleheader in Sault Ste. Marie, as much as it has in past years Ont. is a nearly-guaranteed six as the top-three teams – York, points. Western, Laurier, respectively “Our goal this weekend is – are all jockeying for position not to drop any points,” said and well clear of the pack. Mac would prefer a easier quarterfinal game, should they get there, but the team beams confidence about any playoff situation. “We’re trying to sneak into that fifth-spot, where we’d love to play Windsor on the road,” said Ykema. “We think we could win a game against Laurier, Western or York, but we’d rather those teams beat each other up and we come in for the next round.” There’s an added bonus with having the weak Algoma squad on the last weekend of the regular season, as the team will have an opportunity to get its offence going. Players are slowly getting back to full fitness and despite an underwhelming regular season, McMaster could be poised to make some noise in late October.
“
We’re trying to sneak into that fifth spot.
Mac Farmstand When: Every Wednesday and Thursday from 11:00AM until 04:00PM Where: Outside University Hall We are a student-run campus farmers market aiming to provide students, faculty, and staff access to fresh and local fruit and vegetables from June to October.
Women’s Rugby vs. York
The SHEC Show Navigating Through the Dangers of Relationships When: October 13, 2014 from 01:00PM until 02:00PM Where: CFMU 93.3 This show will be all about exploring the wonders Hamilton has to offer outside of the University bubble. Things from places to eat, where to go to see movies, hiking trails, and how to navigate the HSR.
When: October 10, 2014 Where: Ron Joyce Stadium OUA Quarterfinals
Open Circle Body, Mind, Spirit When: October 10, 2014 from 01:30PM until 02:20PM Where: MUSC 215e This is a supportive space for sharing about our journeys, questions, and ideas about spirituality and authentic healthy living. Whether you are looking to explore your spirituality or following a specific spiritual path we can learn from each other in an atmosphere of respect and openness. Try out practices for wholistic living such as meditation, creative expression, journaling, hiking.
Open Circle Creativity Circle When: October 14, 2014 from 01:30PM until 02:20PM Where: McMaster Museum of Art – basement Educational Library Whether you are already an engaged creative artist, or are beginning to explore your creative journey for the first time, this group has something for you. Learn from each other to live all of life creatively, whether through an artistic medium or through how you raise questions and engage society and your inner life.
Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Show When: October 14, 2014 from 12:00PM until 01:30PM Where: TwelvEighty On October 14, MSU Campus Events is pleased to offer a student comedy special featuring comedians Graham Key, Patrick Haye, and Matt O’Brien. Come back to Mac from the long weekend with this hilarious and affordable comedy show in TwelvEighty! Tickets can be purchased at Compass for $4.00 (students/all ages) and $6.00 (guests/19+). Doors open at 8.00 PM.
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
GAMES
DOWN 1] Flew like a fly ball 2] “____ got to be kidding!” 3] Middle name of President Garfield 4] 1952 Olympics site 5] Needle point, sometimes 6] Did a crossword construction duty 7] Bench-press iterations 8] Offspring in the offing 9] Involves 10] Pretentious syllables 11] Famous boxer 12] Stocking stuffer? 13] “____ give you the shirt off his back!” 18] Not the original color 19] Indian dish with stewed lentils (Var.) 24] Visualizes 25] Unruly bunch 26] Enter, in a way 27] Fixes typos
28] Decay 31] Theatrical platform 32] Worse than bad 33] Donald Duck’s love 34] Clause connector 37] Steps all over 38] Do a trucker’s job 39] Systematically arrange 40] Arched bone 44] Clock radio features 45] Apollo’s creator 46] Plant for burlap 48] Acts with violent anger 49] Embroidered loop 50] Dictator’s helper, once 51] Historical region of England 53] Mean mood 55] Maple fluid 56] After-school meeting org. 57] Act closer? 58] Keogh plan relative 59] It holds the line
SCATTERED SUDOKU
ACROSS 1] Asian nannies 6] Big reptile, informally 10] Groundwork for plaster 14] Judicial gowns 15] The L of L-dopa 16] Skin-cream additive 17] Felt very ashamed and sorry? 20] Peron and Gabor 21] Oui or si 22] Frat-sweater X 23] Conveyed an estate 25] More intoxicating 29] Flanders of cartoons 30] Florida City 31] Japanese beverage 33] Mend socks
35] Orchestra’s location 36] Beatles hit 40] U.K. fighter pilots’ gp. 41] Fair offering 42] “Fine” or “liberal” things 43] Arboreal lizards 46] Warm hello 47] Ellery Queen portrayer Ralph 48] Backsliding episode 52] Venomous serpent 53] Walton of Wal-Mart 54] Immature parasites 55] Strains on pocketbooks 60] Molecule unit 61] Buffalo’s county 62] Layer with a hole
63] Stove-top sights 64] HS seniors’ exams 65] Betty Ford forte
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It’s like regular Sudoku, but now your corner boxes are irregular. Good luck!
1 6 9 8 3 2 8
9 3 8 2 7 4
1 1 6 5 4 6 5
6 2 9 1 5 2 9
The Silhouette
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
LIFESTYLE Do 1. Eat your Brussels sprouts. 2. Make a divot in your mashed potatoes for gravy. You’re welcome. 3. Help clean up.
23
Feeling grey? Check out how you can rock grey in the fall
when turkey met manners
4. Thank the cook and compliment the food. 5. Dress appropriately. Put on a nice dress or chinos.
PAGE 26
Do not 1. Arrive late… or too early. 2. Be on your cell phone. Bae can wait. 3. Talk about how Thanksgiving is the celebration of colonialism. It’s not an appropriate time and you’re just coming off like a jerk. 4. Get wasted. Turn down for Thanksgiving.
6. Contribute or bring a small gift.
5. Invite extra guests. 6. Bring up controversial topics.
7. Think of some relevant conversation topics if you anticipate awkward silences with your uncle.
7. Speak with your mouth open.
8. Have a not snarky response to ‘How’s School?’ and ‘Do you have a significant other yet?’
8. Hog all the gravy. 9. Talk about your diet at the dinner table unless you have a dietary restriction.
9. Ask if the host wants help in the kitchen.
10. Blow on your food or play hot potato. Let the food cool if it’s too hot.
10. Excuse yourself when leaving the table.
Coming to dinner tables October 13
Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor @jayjai223
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Dear insomnia, Grace Bocking Contributor
It always begins with that anxiety in the pit of my stomach. I see the alarm clock, poised in anticipation, ticking away the hours until it gets to go off in an explosion of horns and sirens to wake me from what should have been a blissful eight hours of sleep. I lie there, accompanied only by the noises being created by my roommate upstairs who’s doing god-knows-what at this hour. I try different sleeping positions. I count some sheep. Heck, I even get out of bed and make a pathetic attempt at yoga because that’s supposed to help, right? Wrong. Nothing works. Insomnia is like some incurable disease that preys on the sleepdeprived. Those of you who have REM cycles that are practically on demand won’t be able to relate to any of these frustrations. However, if you are far too familiar with early morning
infomercials (the ShamWow guy never sleeps either), you’ll understand where I’m coming from. There is nothing worse than not being able to sleep when you really need to, and I have the dark circles to prove it. Of course, this isn’t to say that insomniacs aren’t able to get a couple hours of sleep in some of the time. At some point after your full emotional breakdown at 3 a.m., your thoughts finally stopped talking and you must have fallen asleep. Maybe you didn’t get enough of a rest to function properly the next day, but you’ll get by if you have a coffee...or three. Starbucks makes a killing off of you. Still, the worst part about insomnia isn’t the money you spend on caffeine each morning, but the fact that it always strikes at the worst possible time. So, you have a midterm the next morning in that godforsaken 8:30 a.m. class? Don’t count on getting enough sleep, kid, you’re staying wide awake.
www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
zzz
...
You have a job interview tomorrow and want to look your best? Here’s hoping you can rock those bags under your eyes. While the rest of the world lies unconscious, there are always a few of us awake in our beds, watching the hours pass by. I don’t mind having to pull the occasional all-nighter, but at some point, sunrises lose their appeal. The next time you see one of us in the library, slouched over with drool coming out of our mouth, don’t judge. We’re just catching up on the sleep we’ve been missing out on. Sincerely, Tired and frustrated university student
Julia Busatto Contributor
Nick Jonas’ recent racy pictures in Flaunt Magazine have generated much intended hype. The photo shoot features his ripped body in tight Calvin Cline boxers grabbing his junk in the style of Marky Mark. Baby Jonas has grown up.
Game of Thrones bosses burn through $200,000 keeping actress Lena Headey’s naked body from being seen during a shoot in Croatia. Over 200 security guards protected the area from prying eyes as Headey (Cersei) stripped down.
Jersey Shore’s infamous Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino was recently indicted for filing false tax returns. He allegedly owes $8.9 million in escaped income taxes. Turns out his tax returns are as embellished as his tan.
Karl Lagerfield now claims to be a feminist, putting on a fashion show featuring models walking down the runway with signs like “We Can Match the Machos” and “Yay Girls”. Karl’s superficial feminism is influenced by the notion that feminism is trendy. We’d say he missed the mark.
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
CBS desperately needs blood – just not your blood Jennifer Chambers SHEC
As young adults, we tend to see ourselves as a pretty accepting and understanding generation – at least compared to previous ones. Watching movies such as Dallas Buyers Club or Philadelphia, we reflect on how ignorant people were back then. We are told to not only be accepting of others, but also to express who we are, to celebrate ourselves, and our differences. There are still some causes to fight for, but when your gay friends get harassed at the bar you think, “that’s just one homophobic jerk that needs to get with the times.”. “The times” are reflected in our institutions and systems that no longer discriminate against gay men. But is that really the case? Canadian Blood Services (CBS) has recently announced that blood supplies have hit a six-year low. With such a shortage you would think that any healthy and willing individual’s blood would be accepted. After lifting a 30-year ban, which
prevented men who have sex with men (MSM) from giving blood, CBS still discriminates against these men by requiring that they be abstinent for five years before being allowed to give blood. This policy echoes the old prejudice that only gay men can have HIV/AIDS, when in reality anyone regardless of gender and sexual preference can be at risk of spreading the disease. Heterosexual couples practicing unsafe sex, or those deciding to get tattoos or piercings are also at risk. It is specifically discriminatory that anyone with a tattoo or piercing only has to wait for six months before they are acceptable to the CBS. If HIV antibodies can be detected by blood tests within six months of infection, then why is there a discrepancy between the two groups? Why not apply the rule to MSM? Another reason this policy is discriminatory is that it suggests all MSM individuals are likely to contract HIV/AIDS, regardless of the fact that they may be practicing safe sex or be in a monogamous relationship.
These kinds of policies should be aimed at screening individuals and letting those engaged in generally low-risk practices donate much-needed blood. Of course, in such important and potentially life-changing matters, CBS should be cautious and make sure that blood donations are safe for the receiving individuals. But the fact that individuals can have such different eligibility requirementsas a result of sexual preference seems ridiculous. Instead, we should be shaping our institutions and social structures around good screening practices, so that any healthy and willing individual – regardless of their sexual identity – would be given the chance to save a life. Because, ultimately, it’s in all of us to give. SHEC: Peer support, resource, and referral service, by students for students MUSC 202 905-525-9140 ext. 22041 M-TH 9:30-6:30, FR 9:30-4:30 Got a problem? Let's talk. We want to listen.
CAUSES OF SEXUAL ASSAULT: ...................................................................................
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What not to do during midterm season Mitali Chaudhary Contributor
It’s time for countless sweatpants, bruised-looking under-eyes, and the “I just woke up hair”. It’s midterm season. Luckily, exactly 95.87 percent of the stress can be avoided this year by these helpful tips for the midterms.
Don't: •
Start watching another season of whatever TV show you enjoy binging on. There’s no use in rationalizing the hours you plan to spend on Netflix, or convincing yourself of the reason you need to watch one more episode. You know it in your bones that there’s no way you’re stopping at “one more episode”.
•
Take five minute Facebook/Tumblr/Reddit breaks. They’re never five-minutes long; the range is more like one to two hours and you know it. It’s no use even getting on those sites in the first place because they suck you in. No one enjoys that soul-crushing post-surfing oh-my-god-I-wastedso-much-time-on-the-internet guilt either but we all still do it. Because this activity is so addicting, it’s better not to engage in it in the first place, since we clearly get transported into another dimension where time always breaks the speed limit.
•
Put yourself through six-hour, no break, study blitzes. Especially the night before the midterm. Although it may seem like a good idea when it first crosses your panic-stricken brain, it’s an extremely counter-productive practice. On average, the human brain can focus on a single task for no more than a stretch of 45 minutes. Taking short, frequent breaks while studying gives the brain some time to absorb what it just learned and gets it ready for another informational onslaught.
•
Become a total hermit. Sitting in your room all day, only coming out to forage for food, is tiresome. We’re on the edge of Cootes Paradise! Taking short walks and getting some exercise into your schedule improves concentration, gets the heart pumping, and is a good way to spend a study break. It’s also a nice change of scenery—fall is beautiful at McMaster and it’s worth venturing out for before winter comes our way.
•
Procrastinate. Okay that sounds like the most “duh” DON’T, but avoiding it is the best way to succeed during any time of the year. Dividing your hours up into study and break time as well as time to eat and sleep (good nights of sleep are key!) will help you focus on one thing at a time and keep you on track. Honestly, the hardest part about this is making a realistic schedule—you just have to stick to it afterwards, which is pure willpower. The feeling of satisfaction that comes with completing all your tasks in a day is worth it, I promise.
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And with these five tips, as well as some smart studying, you’ll be able to breeze past midterm season with ease to face the more dreaded finals.
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www.thesil.ca
Thursday, October 9, 2014
Tommy
4th Year Honours Commerce Hat:
Supreme
Hoodie: Wtaps
Favourite brand? Visvim
Go-to item in your closet?
Pants:
My Vans Old Skools or Naked and Famous jeans
Shoes:
Typical Friday night?
Levi’s
Visvim GBT
Out with friends or playing games and having drinks
Jessica
4th Year Honours Commerce Sweater: Acne
Acne
Skirt:
Go-to item?
Shoes:
Typical Friday night?
AA
Converse x CDG
C/O Amanda Watkins
Favourite brand? My Unif Concho hat Out with friends or playing Mario Kart and baking
» Outlander PAGE 29 » The Simpsons meets Family Guy » Hyrule Warriors PAGE 31
PAGE 30
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www.thesil.ca
EDITORIAL
Keeping up with Coming up in Hamilton
Raury needs more time
This week’s quick picks
MUSIC
THE CASBAH > Zeus > The Crooked Brothers > The Wooden Sky > Secret Colours
OCT 9 OCT 10 OCT 11 OCT 15
HOMEGROWN HAMILTON > Beach Season > Songwriter Showcase
OCT 14 OCT 17
THIS AIN’T HOLLYWOOD > Laura Cole > Radio Free Universe > DOA > Metal Mondays
OCT 10 OCT 11 OCT 12 OCT 13
MOVIES
Westdale Theatre > Tracks > My Old Lady
Thursday, October 9, 2014
OCT 3-16 OCT 10-16
MUSEUMS
MCMASTER MUSEUM > Dredging a Wake by Jenn E. Norton
RL Grime Ft. How To Dress Well
Reminder RL Grime’s shows draw a diverse crowd beyond those annoying white people gone off molly who can only appreciate a song with a drop. Those people will be turned off by the L.A. producer’s latest effort, “Reminder”. Since the track premiered on BBC Radio 1, it’s all I’ve been listening to. How To Dress Well’s vocals figure prominently in the rather subdued track to great effect. Make sure to listen to the BBC radio rip, because everything sounds better with a emphatic Zane Lowe introduction.
THE ANDY CHARTS
#
ALBUM TITLE
1
Aquarius
2
You’re Dead!
3
Plowing into the field of love
4
Small VVorld
5
Art Official Age
6
Everything will be alright in the end
7
See Me On Top 4
8
New Legend
9
Playland
10
“War on Drugs: Suck My Cock”
Alvvays take over The Casbah
Alvvays returned to Hamilton to play a sold-out show at The Casbah this past Sunday. The Toronto five-piece played a brief, but terrific set that left everyone satisfied. Head to The Silhouette’s website to catch our review of the excellent gig.
Raury has a ways to go before he can live up to how good he thinks his output is.
Tomi Milos ANDY Editor @tomimilos
Like him or not, Kid Cudi changed the game when his MySpace sleeper hit “Day’n’Nite” absolutely took over in 2008. As legend has it, Cudi chased Kanye down after the rapper visited the Bape store he was working at in New York and gave him his mixtape, A Kid Named Cudi. The fully-formed project impressed the Chi-town heavyweight and he promptly signed Cudi to his G.O.O.D. Music label. Cudi later went on to record two classic records in Man On The Man I and II, but has since become a shadow of his former self, releasing flop after flop. Part of that has to do with burning bridges with his two best producers, Plain Pat and Emile Haynie, but most of the problem can be attributed to the fact that he has since surrounded himself with a bunch of yes-men who
don’t call out his shitty production and equally suspect creative decisions. A quick perusal through his Twitter will leave you drowning in compliments from fans he has retweeted. Simply put, Cudi has become too comfortable releasing mediocre music to a fan base that doesn’t have the discerning taste level to call him out on it. This editorial isn’t meant to bash Cudi, whose earlier output I will always enjoy, but rather critique the rise to fame of a poorly-disguised insufferable hybrid by the name of Raury. The young Atlanta native has been championed by what is normally my favourite music blog, Pigeons and Planes, a website worth mentioning because of its affiliation with the media empire that broke Cudi to the masses, Complex. For this reason it’s sad to see that the blog hasn’t picked up on Raury’s poorly contrived sensibility that only draws on the worst bits of Cudi, who he idolizes. Watch any interview
with the smug artist (having a song in a Scarlett Johansson movie will do that to you) and your eyes will permanently roll to the back of your head at his replies. I can see stoned high school bros falling for his pseudo-philosophical posturing, but this guy is just so full of shit it’s sad. What’s worse is that he really sees himself as a musical messiah and talks about how he is bringing a new genre-less approach to his craft that will change the game. This guy actually covered the worst Nirvana song (“Smells Like Teen Spirit”) at his recent New York show and then took his “indigos” (what he calls his fans) for ice cream. It’s reminiscent of when Cudi dropped that ill-advised WZRD rock album and fell off. I get that Raury’s still young and needs time to learn, but hold off on hastily placing him on the throne before he’s actually proven himself. One internet hit does not a star make.
the
big
tickle What’s your ideal TV crossover?
Cordell
Daniel
“Buffy The Vampire Slay- “Dexter and The Office” er and Glee (before it got dumb)”
Nicole
“Full House and Boy Meets World”
Tyler
“The West Wing and The Newsroom. I love Aaron Sorkin”
Lauren
“Ru Paul Drag’s Race and Criminal Minds”
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
29
Review: Diving into Outlander tish town, Claire is transported pendence vote was happening, back in time to 1743 Scotland Outlander had reached a climax opening up a world of possibilof the Scottish versus the British. ities. The show is based on the While most Scots have voted book series by Diana Gabaldon, “no thanks” to independence originally published in 1991 now, it really makes me wonder and because how Scotland of this it and England already had came to stand a huge fan differIn particular, Claire atentsuch following. sides. is a refreshingly I recently Despite finished the the educaindependent, book myself, tional aspect and the show realistic, and strong of this story, does well Outlander female character, to mould definitely has helping to make itself to it. In sex appeal. particular, Other than Outlander so Claire is a Claire’s first appealing refreshingly husband independent, Frank, realistic, and there comes strong female character, helping Claire’s love with Jaime Fraser, to make Outlander so appeala Scottish Highlander. Ladies, ing. Whether it’s nearly getting this one hunk is really enough to raped, or almost killed for being get you watching. But to all the a spy, Claire is a fighter. Or, as guys, I promise there is somethey would call her in the show, thing for everyone. With the a Sassenach (an English permid-season finale having just son, an outsider, someone who finished at eight episodes, now doesn’t belong). is the time to catch up. Now if I thought it was a weird you’ll excuse me, I’m off to learn coincidence that, at the same some Gaelic. time that the Scottish inde-
“
Claire Beauchamp and Jaime Fraser, characters from the new Scottish period TV show, Outlander
Nimra Khan Contributor
When you think of Scotland, what usually comes to mind? I know: kilts and bagpipes. I used to be on the same page. Thankfully, a show called Outlander has begun to shine some new
light on our highland cousins. When I first heard of Outlander, it was for its amazing openness to the independence of a woman in a world of men, and how the show did not shy away from women enjoying sex--without repercussions. But mostly I thought: “Scottish his-
tory and time travel? What more could I ask for!” Outlander follows the story of Claire Beauchamp - a woman who was a nurse during the Second World War - as she travels through Scotland with her husband Frank Randall. During their visit to a Scot-
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Thursday, October 9, 2014
The Simpsons vs
Family Guy
an opportunity to see what happens when the characters from two different worlds come Family Guy recently had an epitogether. sode that crossed over with The The first point of interest is Simpsons, resulting in a witty the relationship between Stewie commentary on creativity and and Bart, which most highartistic influences, and more lights the differences between than a few crude jokes. the shows. At one point, Bart At the start of the episode, shows Stewie how to prank call the Griffins are watching a Mod- and Stewie “pranks” Moe with ern Family and All in the Family an inappropriate rape joke. It crossover and is interesting to Chris says, see how Bart will “a crossover respond to this always brings kind of joke out the best that he isn’t How can one com- typically in each show. It certainly exposed plain about the doesn’t smack in crossover episode to of desperhis if the show itself ation. The world. already made fun His silence priorities are always was an approof the idea? creative and priate response not driven by as it showed that marketing.” he was just as This is sneaky. How can one shocked as the viewers. complain about the crossover The episode also poked fun episode if the show itself already at each of the shows, most made fun of the idea? notably being a legal battle But my intention isn’t to in which the beer in bash the idea of a crossover Family Guy, Pawtucket episode. I took the episode as Patriot Ale, is accused
each Family Guy character sitting with their Simpsons counterpart during the court hearing. Quagmire sat with Lenny,
Michael Nisiak Contributor
of being a rip-off of the beer in Simpsons, Duff. This legal battle echoes the accusations that Family Guy is a rip-off of The Simpsons, and even emphasizes the similarities by having
“
Cleveland sat with Karl, Mayor Quimby sat with Mayor Adam West, etc. In the end, the verdict came from Fred Flinstone, who commented that both beers were a rip-off of his favourite beer, Bud Rock. In other words, sure, Family Guy might be a rip-off of Simpsons, but Simpsons is a rip-off of another show, which is a rip-off of another show. The way the episode comments on how the two shows interact with each other is by far the most intriguing aspect of the crossover. Unfortunately, if one were to watch the episode for the story, they’d likely be met with disappointment. The plot was paper-thin, with no direction or purpose. It seemed to mainly be used as a device for bringing the characters together and forcing them to interact. As for the jokes in the episode, let’s just say that for my taste, they’re a bit too Family Guy-ish.
ALBUM REVIEWS Tove Lo - Queen of the Clouds Nicole Vasarevic Silhouette Intern
26-year-old Swedish singer Tove Nilsson, better known as Tove Lo, has finally released her debut single album on Sept. 30, and has outdone herself. Queen of The Clouds is the ultimate soundtrack to a reckless Saturday night out after a bad breakup with someone who you thought was your one true love. Tove Lo has had a slow, yet promising rise in the music industry. Besides her popular solo work, some may recognize her from Icona Pop’s hit “I Love It” or the catchy intro to Disclosures “Latch” featuring Sam Smith. These hits come as no surprise, as Tove Lo was bound for success at a young age. Starting out as a lyricist
and writing for artists including Cher, Lo has earned her place in the music industry. Queen of the Clouds chart-topping single “Habits (Stay High)” is the perfect walkthrough of what the album is about: love, heartbreak, and all the ill-advised ways of dealing with it. Featuring a music video where Tove Lo is covering hickeys and making out with boys (and girls) in graffiti covered bathrooms, “Habits (Stay High)” channels the reckless energy that makes Lo’s songs so compelling. Lo’s sweet and girlish voice will catch you off guard with her vulgar and almost self-destructive lyrics, and boy, the girl can belt out those high notes. In “Talking Body” she doesn’t sugar coat it by saying, “if you
love me right, we fuck for life.” It is this kind of energy that makes Tove Lo a shocking breath of fresh air in a time where pop music has been lacking in rawness and edge. By manipulating spacey beats beat that wash over you and possess you to do something reckless, Tove Lo explores the animalistic and archaic emotions that lie deep within us all. Listening to Queen of The Clouds is a fantastic experience, but it may release your inner ex-boyfriend-calling, pool-hopping self. So be warned.
The Verdict
Thursday, October 9, 2014
www.thesil.ca
31
Review: Hyrule Warriors The new Dynasty Warriors and Legend of Zelda hybrid has been released. How does it fare on the Wii U? Michael Gallagher Asst. ANDY Editor @mikeygalgz
Like many fans anxiously awaiting the arrival of a new Legend of Zelda game on the Wii U, the announcement of a hybrid of Dynasty Warriors and The Legend of Zelda definitely piqued my interest. This hybrid – aptly named Hyrule Warriors – was introduced with a series of exciting video teasers that showcased both the interesting gameplay and seemingly endless graphical fan service that many fans of The Legend of Zelda were looking for. Unfortunately, having worked my way through much of its ten-hour story, I can safely say that Hyrule Warriors doesn’t go much deeper than that. For those familiar with both series, Hyrule Warriors is much more aligned to the gameplay that Dynasty Warriors offers, meaning that fans looking for the traditional complex puzzles and dungeons the Zelda series offers are looking in the wrong place. Instead, Hyrule Warriors allows players to enter vast battlefields fighting off swarms of enemies as a hero that has the power to single-handedly turn the tide of a battle. Each of the 13 playable characters has a wide variety of moves, offering a lot of selection. Where the game sticks closer to the Zelda series is in its story. From the start, characters are barely introduced, making it seem like the creators are deliberately marketing this to fans familiar with the long-standing series. However, even though the game seems to work under the impression that fans are familiar with the universe, it sticks to some tired tropes found in previous titles. If the game is intended for Zelda fans, why bother hiding the identity of the character Sheik, if this secret has been revealed time and time again? These kinds of conflicts hinder the player’s imVerdict
mersion into the story, making the story alone not compelling enough for fans to want to push through the whole single player campaign. Thankfully, the many rewarding aspects of the gameplay are enough to keep fans moving through each level. With a variety of character options and the ability to customize their move set through the discovery of items and materials, Hyrule Warriors does a good job of motivating players to explore each level to the best of their ability. Graphically, the game truly feels like it takes advantage of the high definition capabilities the Wii U offers. Fans of the series will be delighted to find their favourite characters have been modelled brilliantly, making you eager to test each of them out. Still, this doesn’t mean the game is without flaws. Despite the variety of characters, it is clear that some did not receive as much attention as others. Thanks to poorly chosen move animations, characters like Midna are frustrating to play with, as you are required to watch lengthy combo animations for even the simplest of attacks, making battling enemies particularly tedious. Moreover, the targeting system when fighting often felt cluttered if there were several higher profile enemies on screen, further slowing down the adventure. Alongside these flaws, the game does a poor job of laying out your objectives, often offering key pieces of textual advice beneath flashes of lights and colours during an attack animation, or simply forgetting to describe the objective all together. Too often I found myself running around a level trying to understand a goal that would have been simple, had it been explained clearly. A strong showing for fans of both series, but lacking the substance that diehard Zelda fans expect.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of Hyrule Warriors was the difficulty. The game offers easy, medium and hard modes, but the hard mode simply feels redundant. Rather than offering a challenge, all it does is make every enemy have more health. This only makes each battle feel tedious, rather than more challenging, boring the player more and more after each encounter. This leaves little challenge for advanced players, making the experience simpler and simpler as you go along. Upon finishing Hyrule Warriors I would be lying if I said I didn’t have a good time. The game offered a hack-andslash adventure that appealed to my love of The Legend of Zelda series. Unfor-
tunately, due to both the poorly thought out story and frustrating game mechanics, I found myself too often wasting my time and energy. Minor changes could have made Hyrule Warriors great, but every poor design choice I encountered had me feeling otherwise. If you’re a fan of either of Zelda or the Warriors series, give Hyrule Warriors a chance, but for those who aren’t it isn’t worth the price of admission.
“
Graphically, the game truly feels like it takes advantage of the high definition capabilities the Wii U offers.
FORMER COACH’S CAT DIES Retired TiCats Coach’s Tabby cat dies af ter 12 years in obscurity. S3
THURSDAY
THE
HAMILTON SPECULATOR SHOWING YOU THE WORLD SINCE 1934
NOTSPEC.COM
OC TOBER 9, 2014
Ebola targeting enemies of the patriarchy Where educated discourse fails, biochemical warfare is sure to succeed
JONAH THRILLS The Hamilton Speculator
Recent reports have found that the ongoing wave of Ebola cases is anything but random. As many as 94 percent of Ebola afflictees are being reported as “allies of the equality movement.”
“My friend Laurie has been in the hospital for days, they won’t tell me anything. She’s missed six roundtable discussions on dismantling the oppresive social norms that maintains the unbalanced sta-
tus quo,” said one person affected by someone affected by the disease. Researchers are hard at work to determine whether there is a direct link, and if a steady diet of normalized, mysogynistic behaviour will
HCO runs Witness Prevention Program
strengthen one’s immune system to the disease. Hamilton has been notably resistant to this strain, scientists are finding, for reasons yet unknown. E”bro”la continues / / A4
OPINION
Slow walker talkers MICHELLE SAVAGE Rants on Rants
I’ve had it up to here with people who complain about slow walkers. They take forever to get to their point, and get in the way of me trying to get to my destination article in a timely manner. It’s worse when they complain about it in groups of three or four, side-by-side, as it makes it that much harder to get around their argument and get ahead of the drivel. They should make a special column just for people to rant about slow walkers, so the rest of us can read at a normal pace.
INSIDE
The Hamilton Criminal Outfit ran a weekend-long workshop to help local crime elements prevent the simple mistakes that get them caught TIBERIUS SLICK Hasn’t seen anything, he swears
Have you been thinking of commiting an indictable offense lately and live in the greater Stoney Creek or East Hamilton area? Then these guys have got your back. A local ragtag gang of rapscallions and ex-convicts gathered together to host a three-day convention with the goal of helping
people who are new to Hamilton’s oldest industry. “We felt that there weren’t enough resources in place for the up-and-comers, the kids who had their heart in the wrong place but didn’t have to means or experience to express it,” said one unnamed brigand. The workshop, which ran from Friday to Sunday, offered a variety of tutorials such as “Dig Deeper
or Die Trying,” “Witness Prevention for Beginners,” and “Step On It: Turning Your G2 Into A Breakthrough.” The HCO felt the event was successful enough for a repeat performance later this year. Officers of the law are reminded that they are not welcome, and that nothing is going on officer, this is all totally legit.
"We are very fortunate to live in a city where seedy lifestyles are not only ignored, but encouraged." Jimmy “Two-Eyes” Kendy Local Snitch
Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Unless you’re into that sort of thing. Then do what you want. I’m not your dad.
MOLECOOLS A6 YUKON’T KEEP POSTING SELFIES AS OFTEN AS YOU DO A7 I NUIT BLANKED OUT B3 FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS PRIVATIZE B7 HAVE YOU MSAF’D YET? B10 PROUD NEW CUNCLE C3 IT WAS MURDER FOR MONEY, CROWN SAID. THE MAN SOLD HIS ENTIRE FLOCK OF CROWS FOR A TIDY SUM D5
PER ISSUE: 1 OCEAN’S ELEVEN BOX SET INCL. HST, PST & not the 3rd one.