Issue 4 - September 26, 2012

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012 - Issue 3 // www.thesputnik.ca

News

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On Campus

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Features

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A&E

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Sports

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Opinion

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Conestoga to Con-Ed: A Pipeline Join Brantford’s to Nowhere?

Over 12,000 teaching graduates will fight for ‘Academic under 5,500 jobsRow’ this year. page 4 Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

Mulcair speaks on unemployment in Brantford page 3

Baseball Team Hazing page 11

Jazz Fest page 9

Strut your Stuff page 7

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Iranian students caught in political crossfire EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Graeme Gordon eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Angela Taylor angela.taylor@wlusp.com (519) 884-0710 ext. 3560 PHOTO EDITOR Olivia Rutt photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Diane Sison art.editor@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR To be hired web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Ahmed Minhas Alicia Saunders Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Jordan Johnston, Local News Matt Mente, On Campus Layla Bozich, Features Courtney Langstaff, A&E Kyle Morison, Sports Leisha Senko, Opinion CONTRIBUTORS Allison Leonard Olivia Rutt Diane Sison Courtney Langstaff Layla Bozich Leisha Senko Kyle Morrison Carla Egesi Jordan Johnston Anthony Fusco Cody Hoffman Caleb Godin Alicia Saunders Amber Richardson

WLUSP BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Allison Leonard allison.leonard@wlusp.com PHONE (519) 756-8228 ext.5948 202-171 Colborne St. N3T 2C9

WLUSP OFFICE 205 Regina Street Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 PRESIDENT Emily Frost (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 emily.frost@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Taylor (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela@wlusp.com

The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Emily Frost - WLUSP, 205 Regina Street The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc.

FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREIDTS: Main: Jordan Johnston Left: Megan Cherniak, the Cord Centre: Olivia Rutt Right: (Art) Diane Sison

Jordan Johnston News Editor The Canadian government recently closed the Iranian embassy in Ottawa, leaving over 3,000 students without the support they are in need of. Students were not notified about the closure, which left them surprised and stranded. Iranian students are now left without funding, translators, documents and/or counselling services. This decision to close the embassies in Canada and Iran was due to diplomatic events referred to as ‘terrorism’ tasks, Iraninan students are left in the crossfire of politics.

Iranian diplomats were asked to leave as a preventative measure to keep Canada immune from terrorism.

All relations between Canada and Iran have been suspended.

“The determination shown by Canada is of great importance in order for

the Iranians to understand that they cannot go on with their race towards nuclear arms.

This practical step must set an example of international morality and responsibility to the international community,“ Harper was quoted in a National Post article.

Iran claims that Canada took ‘hostile actions’ to close the embassy. Canada did not try to resolve the problem politically or create a solution with Iran in which Iran would not be considered a significant threat to world peace. According to the National Post, Tehran’s foreign ministry says that Canada cutting political relations is “unprofessional, unconventional, and unjustifiable.”

Laurier Brantford does not currently have any Iranian students ensuring the oversees uncertainty, however, other students across Canada are waiting for documents, school funding, or passports.

Much struggle can be found in

adjusting to a new country without the added the concern of uncertainty, and school pressures.

In the United States, Iranian business is communicated through Pakistan’s embassy. Iranians and Canadians have not yet stated where students can expect to get consular services. Potentially, Iran will have to have a third country to act as a middleman between it and Canada in order to look after the foreign affairs here at home.

For some students, the closing of the embassy has made travelling and renewing passports the most difficult as they now will have nowhere to renew their Iranian passports. For others on student Visas, when their Visa expires, they will be in Canada illegally- such a case is quite unfortunate as it is no fault of the students.

Public Criminology receives huge local interest Carla Egesi Staff University of Hawaii professor Meda Chesney-Lind was in town last week to give a presentation to the fourth year Public Criminology class. The course includes guest lectures that are open to the public. ChesneyLind’s lecture was so popular that Carrie Sanders, one of the instructors actually asked students to give up their seats to community members and sit on the stairs.

This is the second time in North America that a course is being offered that flies in internationally renowned academics to speak about their research and initiatives.

Lauren Eisler, the other instructor of the course says that it was Carrie Sanders experience as a presenter at another university that inspired the course.

“Dr. Sanders gave a presentation for Dr. Christopher Schneider’s Public Sociology course over at UBC... She found the students to be so engaged. We sat down after and discussed how we could bring something like that to Brantford,,” says Eisler.

Despite the endeavor being a costly one, Eisler and Sanders received a great amount of financial support from those within the university as well as the Brantford community. Eisler says that the entire project would not have been possible if it were not for the handsome contributions of Vice Principal of Laurier Brantford Lesley Cooper, Vice-President Deborah McLatchy, and community member, Jeff Noble who generously sponsored a third of the initiative.

The course, Eisler says is designed to help create a dialogue not only within the classroom but also within the community.

“What this does, is that it takes us out of the ivory tower, allows the students and the community to engage with experts, creates

Students and Community listen in on Public Crim. (Photo by Carla Egesi)

the conditions necessary for us to engage in a conversation and in doing so, become more socially conscious as a community.”

Chesney-Lind’s presentation, one of the ten in this speaker’s series, confronted media portrayals of criminalized girls while also providing a social critique of the racialization of said group. Peopled with quirky popular culture references, while still substantiating her observations with shocking statistics in regards to the rise in feminine aggression and victimization, her lecture served to be both entertaining, and thought provoking.

This week’s presenter, Peter K. Manning, from the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Northeastern University

will be discussing the politics and flaws of ethnography in policing. Discussion points include the effects of policing on crime, the assessment of police performance and the impact of drug policing. He advocates that the analysis of ethnographic evidence reveals the tragic flaws of this method of research, and suggests the need to reconsider the role of ethnography. Public Criminology is open to all. The lecture takes place every Tuesday from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, and has been relocated to Resarch and Academic Centre East room 004.

and growing, it helps makes Canada a better place and the values of businesses and economy will increase on their own.

Using resources from Canada also assists the economy, rather than the alternative of using foreign products. More locally used resources means more local jobs.

People have to be willing to grow and help their community, especially in smaller areas and in struggling communities.

The results are not instant, but will take effect over time. Long-term solutions need to be created and enforced in order to help everyone in the long run. There are more students in post-secondary institutions nowadays, and many of them are struggling with tuition costs; increasing their debt in the future.

“Student debt is becoming a crippling issue,” said Laferriere. He also commented on how he can see the stress that debt puts onto the students.

Laferriere also commented on a former student of his saying that she “can’t afford the things her parents could at age 25.”

Small cities like Brantford do not

offer a lot of opportunity frequently. This is discouraging and often students then do not want to stay after graduation. When jobs do come up, what tends to happen is that so many people apply for the position and only a few people will get the job.

When people do not have frequent opportunities available to them, they are forced to move or are unable to afford the cost of living and then are in need of further financial support. Supporting local businesses and providing more jobs is a good way to start. When people are able to work, they are able to buy, thus entering the neverending circle of support that communities need in order to stay economically healthy.

Laferriere concluded, “[Brantford] does not create a big welcome sign for students to settle down and create a life in this community [but] we want them to.”

Mulcair speaks on unemployment in Brantford Jordan Johnston News Editor On Wednesday, September 12, 2012, NDP leader Tom Mulcair appeared at ProFab Plastics in Brantford. A tour of the facility was guided by owners Judy and Neil Tranmer. Mulcair was accompanied by local NDP candidate Marc Laferriere, and shared his vision for better employment in the region. Brantford and its surrounding area show that unemployment numbers have risen to the highest rate in the region.

Mulcair commented on how the NDP has targeted the problems with job loss and will work towards fixing them, unlike the current Conservative government who has made plans to fix major unemployment issues but never acted upon them.

Profab Plastics is a small local business and a prime example of the businesses that the NDP is looking to help.

Mulcair explained that it is a priority of the NDP is to assist small and medium sized businesses. With businesses succeeding

4

The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

ON CAMPUS Matt Mente // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Laurier streamlines scholarship process Alicia Saunders, Leisha Senko Staff

Money left untouched - that’s the unlikely issue Laurier Brantford faced, when it came to their scholarship roster; a real problem, which ultimately led to change. With the old way, students were forced to apply individually to each scholarship, which made the procedure both lengthy, and tedious. The new process, ushered in this past year, involves students submitting an applicable faculty profile. Now, the Student Awards Office automatically considers applicants for all relevant scholarships based on their program, year of study, financial need, and their volunteer experience.

“A lot of the funding was going unused,” says Shannon Wilson, an advisor with Service Laurier Brantford.

A fact that was turning into a bigger, and bigger issue, as donors began commenting on this to university officials.

Something, that with the old system, was almost unavoidable.

“We can’t make them apply,” explains Wilson, recounting the conversations she was relayed between local contributors and those at Service Laurier.

The new process, therefore, is designed to be more user friendly, for applicants, as well as the Student Awards Office. It will hopefully encourage students who previously didn’t want to apply, to apply. It will also streamline the work for the university, leading to less paperwork, and hopefully, less wasted funds.

The process also allows students

Scholarships can be applied to through LORIS. (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

to be eligible for scholarships they haven’t even considered. Previously university goers painstakingly chose their awards, and wrote redundant, mail in applications, sometimes pages and pages in length. On

the other end of the spectrum, workers at Laurier had to sift through these monologues, and pick out the ones that fit best. This revolutionary blank form, due on October 11 at 11:59 p.m. represents a new,

accessible, and higher tech experience for Laurier Brantford.

Oh-Lay, Oh-Lay: Homecoming raises multicampus concerns Caleb Godin Staff

Homecoming is a time when Laurier students get together and

c h e e r on their team in a night of revelry and loyalty.

What better way to commemorate such an event than with a T-shirt with a Golden Hawk design? That is exactly what Project Oh Lay Oh Lay, a Facebook group open to Laurier students, advertised.

A free shirt is available the day before homecoming, and is to be handed out to online registrants before the game.

Hundreds of students registered on

the group for a free shirt to help cheer on the hometown boys. However, when Brantford students asked how they could receive their shirts, the answer was that they would have to go

to Waterloo to pick them up.

For the many Brantford students going to homecoming, plans had to be made in advance to go down, tickets had to be purchased, and trips had to be scheduled. So when it was announced that all Laurier Brantford students would need to make two trips, an outcry was sent out over Facebook and even in the campus.

Employees at the university bookstore have said that, “at orientation there was a big push to encourage the one campus

mentality.” And they have banned selling Laurier Brantford wear at the bookstore as well.

Online, Brantford students have been filling the group’s wall with irate posts, such as Kelly Monaghan, “I’m all good with making the trek out to Waterloo

for homecoming, but having to do it twice is pretty lame.” M.J. Garcia had this to say, “Well, that’s just great. Thanks but not really, Waterloo campus.”

And when the issues on multicampus relations are raised, it seems as though Waterloo students aren’t very concerned when posting online, as evidenced by Brian Creighton’s post, “I’m pretty sure the homecoming game is at Waterloo, so basically all you guys are doing is trying to bum a free t shirt.”

This one campus mentality seems to have the best interests of students at heart, with a greater feeling of community being the desired outcome, but it begs the

question; if something so small can become a major divide, how can the university hope to deal with the larger concerns this system raises?

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

FEATURES

Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

From the ground up: profiling the citizen journalist Layla Bozich Features Editor

As long as there is life, will be citizen journalism.

This has been the reality for the world of media since the very beginning.

People have always been interested in sharing their angle of a story and speaking out about how it reflects their own life. From giant, sweeping events such as 9/11 to smaller, community-focused issues such as neighbourhood elections, citizen journalists have always been available to cover the story with a more human touch.

However, with great power comes great responsibility. A pen and paper (or an iPhone or a voice recorder or a camera) are all powerful tools that harness the potential to get people into a lot of trouble in the field. With this knowledge, the debate of citizen journalism versus professional journalism arises.

Tenille Bonoguore, a professor at Laurier Brantford, teaches a New Media Journalism class. Bonoguore is very familiar with the ethics that accompany professional journalism. Citizen journalists who are not familiar with these ethics, however, can be prone to practicing bad journalism.

“Bad journalism can ruin people’s lives, it can destroy reputations, it can destroy your own reputation, you can feed fear into a community and it can feed ignorance and bigotry,” said Bonoguore.

Even though the potential for citizen journalists to disregard many important journalistic ethics exists, they are still widely accepted as a credible news source.

The Toronto Star, for instance, welcomes citizen-submitted stories, known as “user generated content”. The British Broadcasting Corporation received 1,000 photos and videos, 3,000 text messages, and 20,000 emails from citizens within 24 hours of the London bombings on July 7, 2005, “When events like 9/11 happen, citizen journalists have the ability to provide on the ground, just-in-time coverage of the unfolding of events that traditional journalists most likely aren’t there to capture,” said Dr. Kenneth Werbin, Assistant Professor of Contemporary Studies and Journalism at Laurier Brantford.

Dr. Werbin said that while these kinds of events are unfolding, the combination of citizen and traditional journalists becomes an incredibly effective coupling, and many journalists agree. In a column by Toronto Star public editor Kathy English, she said that she thinks “such collaboration is the way of the future.”

“Citizen journalism recognizes its full potential when it helps promote the idea that the value of news isn’t just about the acquisition of information but rather that news is also an opportunity for conversation, dialogue, and healthy democratic debate,” said Dr. Werbin.

While many mainstream news organizations believe that they are recognizing the importance of citizen opinion, a space for moderated comments beneath their online articles does not do justice to the effort citizen journalists are putting in on the field in order to produce raw, discussion-producing material.

“Like we saw with the Arab Spring, it was actually citizen journalists that told there

Journalism is a juggling act. (Art by Diane Sison)

the world what was happening,” said Bonoguore. “I think it shows the strength of people just being able to say ‘This is what I’m seeing and this is what is happening.’”

With a new wave of technology at our fingertips, the ability to post and upload news stories from anywhere in the world has changed the game of journalism altogether.

“It was amateur footage, captured by regular Joes and distributed through social media networks that got people riled up,” said Laurier Brantford Journalism graduate Lin Abdul Rahman about the Arab Spring. “It was [that] footage and those organic distribution channels that created a shared sense of courage that finally pushed people out onto the streets.”

Rahman, who was an active member of Laurier Brantford’s Journalists for Human Rights group, is fascinated by the movements happening around the world that are fronted by citizen journalists, namely Occupy Wall Street based in New York.

Occupy Wall Street was initiated by Adbusters, who organized the first protest to be held at Zuccotti Park in New York on September 17, 2011. Since then, the movement has blossomed worldwide, with its main issues being greed, corruption, social and economic inequality, and the influence of corporations on government.

Throughout the protest in New York City, police brutality was a recurring issue. Police were caught on video by citizen journalists unfairly arresting protestors and initiating unnecessary and illegal violence. These videos and photos brought to light many horrific incidents caused by the hands of police that only made the Occupy protestors work harder to be heard.

The Occupy movement just recently celebrated its first birthday, and protestors and citizen journalists alike continue to fight for their beliefs.

“If you look into history, there’s been wave after wave of revolutions that

Citizen Journalism: 1963-2012 1. The video of the assassination of JFK (November 22, 1963)

5. Images and video from Hurricane Katrina (August 23-30, 2005)

2. Video of Rodney King being beaten by Los Angeles police (March 3, 1991)

6. Video of Neda Agha-Soltan’s death during the 2009 Iranian election protests (June 20, 2009)

3. Images and video of September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City

7. Video of police beating protestors in the G20 protests (June 2627 2010)

4. Images, video, and text messages from the London bombings (July 7, 2005)

8. Images and video of Arab Spring (ongoing since December 18,

parallel the Occupy movement,” Rahman said. “I thought Occupy was novel because I wasn’t around to witness the other revolutions that have occurred in the past. But now I can see that it’s a necessary part of a pattern.”

This pattern - the corruption of governments – has always been happening.

However, with citizen journalists reporting from the street, movements such as Occupy get the coverage they deserve in order to tell the government what they, the people, want.

It is clear that in this day and age, citizen journalism shows no signs of going anywhere. It helps us keep an all-seeing eye on the powers-that-be. It hinders us by not always adhering to proper journalistic ethics. It empowers us to be able to voice our opinion and be heard. But most importantly, it reminds us that as long as there is life, there will be those who report on it.

2010)

9. Images and video of Occupy Wall Street movement (ongoing since September 17, 2011) 10. Viral MItt Romney YouTube video (Released September 17, 2012)

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

FEATURES Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

Peacocking: style, superficial, or self-expressive?

Leisha Senko Opinion Editor Peacocking is an illustrious, timehonored tradition. It is the refuge of the elaborate, the joy of the stylish, and at least in popular perception, the bane of the outlier. For so long, the art of dressing up, in an attempt to attract attention, friends, or even sex, has been labeled a sport mainly for the inordinately ordinary, and some say, therefore, the inexcusably mainstream. This is an unfortunate opinion, particularly since stigmatized groups have been doing it better, more often, and for longer than the painfully dull parade of pumps and short skirts, musky colognes and suit jackets that we blindly accept as our most effective example. Peacocking, in it’s purest, pragmatic form, has always been for society’s ‘weirdos,’ that unconventional lot, itching to let their freak flag fly, but of course, not by everyone.

Gay men, before the sex revolution, did it by wearing green carnations in Europe, and red neckties in New York. Swingers self identified by displaying the switch symbol, which depicts two overlapping arrows, on clothing. Ravers, in the mid 90s, signified affiliation by donning hard plastic pacifiers. Today, oddly enough, there is more peacocking going on than ever before, but for a slightly different reason; in a world filled with acceptance, openness and let’s face it, posturing, how can one be sure that individuals are displaying their lifestyle, rather than just flaunting a passing trend, or worse yet, openly mocking a subculture?

Nerds have arguably been the most pronounced in weeding out the ‘baddies’.

Driven underground by the latest celebration of blockbuster superhero movies, and dark rimmed glasses, self professed ‘actual’ geeks have resorted to signaling each other through more and more obscure and complex means.

Have you ever seen the phrase allons-y crudely hand stitched across a canvas bag? If so, you were in the crosshairs of a peacocking nerd, flexing his or her muscles in the realm of British, cult classic, sci-fi material or more succinctly, genuine fan boy territory. Much the same as a student nervously flashing their home built computer screen as they fire up Linux, or better yet, an ostensible binary code tattoo, inked in pitch black down an unsheathed bicep.

The odd thing is, this type of selfdecoration is almost anti-style, a complete offshoot from the cultural appropriators who’ve used similar material ironically to create some form of fashion forward statement. Instead, nerd identifiers are gaudy, confusing and more than a little out there. But for those within the community, they mean something very concrete. It sends the message, that in more normalized language

might translate to, ‘Hey, my name is blank, and I like to party.’ Of course in this case, party likely has LAN before it, and a really insane night might just include a Joss Whedon TV marathon, some deep philosophical discussions, couched in references to Half Life three, and Gabe Newell.

Yet, as ludicrous as this all may seem, it’s really about taking pride in a legitimate identity.

Goths, punks, and all forms of radicals are in the same boat. With combat boots in every fashion magazine, from Vogue to Elle this season, clinging ‘authentically’ to that identity is becoming more and more difficult. Even funky hair is being cooped, with bubblegum pop princess, Katy Perry dying her locks vibrant neon’s. It makes one wonder, how truly subversive this act is? So, to retaliate, tattoos have been growing bigger, and more visible, Sex Pistol t-shirts have been replaced with the more obscure The Smiths, and surface piercing, even on the nape of the neck, have really caught on. While once considered badass, and slightly terrifying, being alternative is a lot softer nowadays with everyone hoping on the bandwagon. So what is considered different has grown more extreme out of necessity. The ye old days of punks receiving dirty glare after dirty glare, being screamed at from moving cars, and turned away from employment, have been replaced with a world of former cheerleaders turned ‘edgy’ scenesters, praying that a nose ring and purple highlights will somehow bestow on them a semi interesting personality and some street cred. The woman with two full, gothic tattoo sleeves, and a shaved head however, it’s safe to say, isn’t playing.

Possibly the least likely group currently dealing with this dilemma, is social activists. With the rise of ‘slackdivism’ - otherwise known as lackluster social media advocacy - there’s been a real scramble to differentiate between people who like helping, and people who like to look like they like

helping. So while service and conscientious living were always considered painfully uncool, media attention and school wide campaigns to make them desirable traits means it’s very hard to separate the boys from the men anymore. Actual advocates have had to get pretty creative, and most have gone guerrilla, with shirts from local charitable organizations in their wardrobe, a few occupy patches from the marches they attended, and a roster full of obscure but heart breaking issues on the tip of their tongues. They don’t over saturate their Facebook pages with cause celebs, and hopefully they’re not still going on about Kony 2012. They don’t display their service, or flaunt their connections. They may not look as flashy as the kid with a 30-dollar PETA shirt; but when it comes right down to it, that isn’t the point, is it?

Show me your plumage. (Art by Diane Sison)

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A&E

Kristen Stewart at TIFF 2012 (Photofrom Wikimedia)

(Art by Diane Sison)

Amber Richardson Staff If there’s one thing that pretty much always causes a blush or two in the bedroom, it’s those naughty words that escape the lips of you or your partner while you’re gettin’ it on. Dirty talk can be an extremely powerful way to express your sexuality to your lover, and spice things up in the bedroom...and you don’t even have to be the “sex kitten” type for it to be effective.

What is dirty talk?

Dirty talk is what you say when you’re in bed with someone wanting to be ravaged, or you’re sexting making them wish they were in bed with you. It can be vulgar, crude, and humiliating, or just sweet, flirty, and sexy.

However, crude and humiliating doesn’t work for most people, so at first, stick to the sweet hyper-sexualized stuff. Dirty talk is probably one of the most ‘awkward’ things for couples in the bedroom because it forces people to focus on the act in which their performing and it creates a transparency of both lovers in the bedroom. People also have the tendency to feel stupid for saying it, or think ‘they’re not like that,’ but really, who wouldn’t want to know how well they’re doing during sex?

How to dirty talk This method is a bit vanilla, but it’s great for first time naughty talkers: compliments are always nice to hear, especially when you’re naked and getting busy. You’re both extremely vulnerable at this point, and dropping a ‘you’re so sexy when you...’ will never hurt the situation. Chances are you’ll just turn on your lover who will then perform at maximum capacity.

Essentially, dirty talking is a way of ego-boosting your partner into performing at his or her best, which will only benefit everyone in the end. Vocalize what you like, your fantasies, what feels good, what parts of the body you like on your partner, what you’re going to do to next, etc. Sometimes, leaving

things to the imagination isn’t the best. For example, if he THINKS you’re going to go down on him, he’ll be happy, but if you tell him in a sexy way and he KNOWS you’re going to do it, he’ll be ecstatic.

Need ideas? Dirty phrases from Sexcigarsbooze.com’s “How to Talk Dirty”: “Do you like it when I touch myself here?”

“Lie back and shut up!”

“You can have me any way you want…”

“You look so sexy when you do that” “I want you so bad”

What LB Students Have to Say: “I love when a girl dirty talks. [Sometimes] I tell her what to say.”

“She [or he] has to be comfortable saying it... or it just makes it weird.”

“Some guys are too...I don’t know...into a fantasy. I don’t like the ‘b***h, whore, slut’ dirty talking.”

“I love when a guy tells me what to do, and then tells me how f***ing good I am.”

“Dirty talk isn’t just when you’re in bed with someone...I want a girl to text me and make me feel like I’m [having sex with her] by what she’s saying.”

These are only a few examples of the myriad of things you could say and do in bed, so use your imagination. And remember, do not say anything that you’re not comfortable with... if you’re not confident, it will come across and make everything way more awkward than it has to be. Now you’re probably a little turned on by the naughty phrases and the idea of sharing them with

Applied Dreams.

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

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Laurier Brantford “Sputnik”– Ad week Sept 24

Trendy Insider: Colour denim trends into Autumn Project: Docket: Element Description: Size: Artwork Built at:

Courtney Langstaff A&E Editor One of this year’s biggest and most popular fashion craze are continuing into the chilly weather this fall season.

What started off as red hot red and royal blue coloured jeans that you would literally see in virtually every fashion magazine in the early months this year, have grown exponentially from those two primary colours.

Big colours this season go anywhere from a salmon pink to a forest green, and literally everything in between.

Some colours that you can catch at any store in your local shopping center include burgundy, dark blue, mustard, and even tiedye inspired designs. But trendy pants and trousers are not limited to solid colours and

jean fabrics, for other fall season hits this year also prove that leather, floral patterns, and corduroy are also big fashion musts.

Keeping up with this trend can be expensive, especially if you want one of each style, which is why I recommend stores like H&M, Forever 21, Zara, and American Eagle who offer endless amount of these exact styles and also helps you fill your closet without completely emptying out your wallet.

Put away those knitting kits ladies and gentlemen. That’s right, knit shirts and sweaters are everywhere this year.

Whether it’s a heavy set sweater or a light cardigan, woolen knit is one of this season’s top materials, and from all sorts of styles

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and patterns there is literally something for everyone for both men and women.

Trendy colours & combos: Black and Blue Straight off the runway one of the hottest colour combinations this season is black and navy blue. Whether it’s stripped apparel or layered looks, this colour duo is definitely a hit both on the runway and on the streets. Now there are many different ways to mix and match these two colours.

If you have a navy blue shirt or tank dress it up with a black scarf or necklace. Also try trending up that black shirt hanging in your closet or stuffed in your dresser with a pair of royal blue denim jeans or trousers (You hit two fall 2012 trends with one outfit!).

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Burgundy, Burgundy and more Burgundy This year, burgundy is the new black. Doesn’t matter where you throw this colour into your outfit, just including it shows that you’re on top of this years fashion trend list. Burgundy is in someway every store, every item or every style from jeans to blouses and knit sweaters to bags and scarves, it is definitely a fashion colour you want in your wardrobe this fall and winter. And if you dress it up and design it right, it can be flattering on everyone and every shape and size.

9

The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

Q&A: Local musician at heart of Jazz Fest

A massive crowd is seen gathered to enjoy jazz at Harmony Square. (Photo by Olivia Rutt)

Caleb Godin Staff Jazz is a music genre that encompasses the entire medium of music. There’s blues-jazz, jazz-rock, Cuban jazz, and, of course, smooth jazz. The abundance of subgenres combined all together in to one allows for jazz to be accessible to many different groups of people. The Brantford International Jazz Festival (B.I.J.F) brings this versatile music, and puts it on display for all the people of Brantford to enjoy.

The B.I.J.F has been hosted by Brantford for the past five years, bringing in a multitude of different jazz sets into the heart of the city. With music legends like the Shuffle Demons, Buckwheat Zydeco, and Son Ache performing at this year’s festival, which was the largest it has been since its debut, at approximately 30,000 people in attendance over the three day period.

Frank Difelice, a local jazz musician, organizes the festival every year. He is a part of the Canadian music scene, and, of course, a jazz enthusiast. He and his wife Nancy have been part of the music scene for a long time, and when asked to sit down Frank happily agreed.

Me: Where did the idea for the festival come from?

Frank: The Jazz festival comes from our concert series

which is called Brantford Downtown Jazz, so after 2008 we felt that it was just a no brainer to think about a major jazz festival. We had sixteen years with the concert series, and we thought this was the ideal place for the festival.

Me: How did you get involved with the festival?

Frank: I am a musician, I do percussion. And we always wanted to bring jazz to this community, and it hasn’t been easy. So we worked hard on it and I think it’s a give-in that jazz has been accepted and as well the festival has been accepted by the community.

Me: Tell me about the relationship you have made with the bands.

Frank: Most of the time I either knew the performer myself, or I would know some of the musicians in the band that I needed to talk to.

Me: Why do you feel it is important for jazz and the jazz

culture to be here in Brantford?

Frank: You just said the magic word, culture. It is a very artistic kind of music that goes back to a long time ago, and we’re really happy about it. And we’re certainly making sure it is nailed down here.

Me: How do you think this helps local businesses?

Frank: The last I heard that there was approximately 60 per cent of the people here were not from Brantford, and I’m not talking about 30-40 miles, I’m talking Toronto, Kingston, Montreal, Detroit, Windsor, Niagara Falls.

The festival allows anyone to enter the street and take in the sounds of the many talented musicians who performed at the festival, and runs for three days in September. Frank also promises that next year, “The bar will be set even higher than the year before.”

“We’ve always wanted to bring jazz to the community, and it wasn’t easy.”

- Frank Difelice

Not your average studying soundtrack Mia Steinberg The Martlet (University of Victoria) In the spirit of a new school year, here are the best types of studying music for your first assignment of the year. While other lists may group items by era or subjective quality, this is helpfully organized in order of your study status: from determined and alert to panicked and caffeinated.

1. The Baroque-n Record Study Status: Fresh and eager. This year will be different; readings done on time, no lastminute cramming, and all A’s, baby.

Details: Classical music is fantastic for studying; no lyrics, interesting compositions and not too distracting. Plus, it’s easy to find online — Musopen.org has hundreds of recordings from different composers available to stream and download.

Recommended Tunes: Bach’s Goldberg Variations are lengthy and unobtrusive, providing hours of lightly interesting background noise. Any and all Romantic-era piano pieces work, too; after that, there’s always Mozart.

Possible Side Effects: Remember those horrendous piano lessons as a child? Spine straight, chin up, hands lightly floating above the keyboard? Well, you do now.

2. The Film Score Study Status: Needing a little motivation, but still on schedule.

Details: A film’s soundtrack is explicitly tied to the events onscreen and plays a large part in connecting you to the story.

The score alone can transport you back into a specific headspace, and you can begin to feel like the star of your own action movie.

Suddenly, finishing that biology assignment is a matter of life and death; without it, the Avengers can’t win against the Cylons and Darth Vader will crush the rebellion. They’re counting on you. You can do this. Yes, Tony Stark wants a fist bump — wait, no, you’re still in the library. Turn that imaginary highfive into a muscle stretch.

Recommended Tunes: The How to Train Your Dragon soundtrack is brilliantly energizing; for a real fist-pumper, grab the score to the first Pirates of the Caribbean film.

Possible Side Effects: Having flashbacks to the films you love leads to YouTube clips of your favourite scenes, followed by, “I’ll just watch the first 20 minutes,” followed by, “Does the library have popcorn? Because this trilogy needs popcorn.”

3. The Ambient Post-Rock IntelliRave Study Status: Your blood is now 52 per cent coffee, and your economics textbook needs some existential whimsy.

Details: This post-rock subgenre takes its cues from progressive, ambient, minimalist and experimental musicians. With few lyrics and a lot of slow build, post-rock can put you in a relaxed-yet-focused state of mind.

Recommended Tunes: The Campfire Headphase by Boards of Canada is exquisite elec-

tronica that pulls double duty as study aid and obscure music snob fodder. The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place by Explosions in the Sky is fantastic as well.

it’s amazing. And the next two tracks really deserve your full attention. After that, back to the books — you promise. You can stop any time you want to.

Possible Side Effects: Prolonged exposure can cause depersonalization, staring contests with the nearest wall and long, strange trips through Wikipedia articles. If you find yourself contemplating the black dwarf fate of the Sun, abort mission. Harsh that mellow. Do not walk towards the light.

5. The Bubblegum Pop

4. The Forbidden Fruit Study Status: Well, that five-minute break lasted nearly an hour, and there’s no way you can do the entire assignment tonight, but you can finish most of it. Probably.

Details: It’s a fact: as soon as you need to focus on schoolwork, you’ll discover a new TV show, musician or other fun distraction. All you want to do is immerse yourself in this new love, but you can’t — you have midterms to study for. So your new obsession sits just out of reach, positively dripping with all the fun you’re not having right now. And it knows you’ll give in; it’s a simple matter of time.

Recommended Tunes: Open your music player. Which album or artist do you automatically select, devoid of conscious thought? That’s the one.

Possible Side Effects: Complete denial. You can still work while listening to this album.

For sure. Except for this one part, because

Study Status: Brain melting error. Cannot compute. Just. Do. One. More. Page.

Details: You’re done. The barista has cut you off, the overhead lights seem to be buzzing in tune to “We Didn’t Start the Fire” and your textbooks are suddenly scribbled in gibberish. Your dignity disappeared at roughly the same time you somehow got ink all over your face.

Recommended Tunes: The music you loved before you had taste, right when puberty was hitting you and emotions were high.

The stuff you publicly decry but privately love. The dorkiest boy bands and most autotuned pop drivel. Put your drinks up, hit the dance floor, and let the beat drop.

Indulging in guilty pleasures can cause a surge in energy, temporarily boosting your productivity over the finish line.

Possible Side Effects: Those mindless beats at full volume will not foster poetry, kids.

Proofread that essay in the morning. While your ideas will be out on paper, they’ll be so exquisitely nonsensical that you’ll feel like they were written by a stranger. But it’s OK; next time you’ll do things differently.

Maybe listen to some Bach instead of Ke$ha, and avoid this whole desperate last-minute mess. Sounds like a plan.

10

The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

SPORTS

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Blue Jaysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; player reopens issue of homophobia in sports Kyle Morrison Sports Editor

Homophobia and the use of gay slurs, although very much diminished in western society, are still prevalent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; especially in the world of sports. This was made clear on Sept. 15 when Toronto Blue Jays shortstop, Yunel Escobar, wrote, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tu ere maricon,â&#x20AC;? meaning â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are a faggotâ&#x20AC;? in Spanish on his eye black. What would ever compel someone to do something so stupid and ignorant, especially when they are on a live stage in front of hundreds of thousands of fans watching on TV and in the stands on a nightly basis is hard to understand.

At a press conference on Wednesday, September 19, Escobar gave a pretty shoddy apology. Through a translator he said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sorry for the actions of the other day â&#x20AC;Ś itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not something I intended to be offensive â&#x20AC;Ś it was nothing intentional directed at anyone in particular.â&#x20AC;? Whether intentionally directed at anyone in particular or not, those words insulted an entire group of people. Escobar was given a threegame suspension, a punishment many feel did not fit the crime. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The three-game suspension is more for other players not to do it.

And $100,000 [the amount of pay Escobar would receive in those three games played] is nothing,â&#x20AC;? Laurier Brantford extramural basketball player, Oje Izirein says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the not the job of the baseball organization to stop people from feeling these feelings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the parents.â&#x20AC;?

How you are brought up by your parents and by society can play a role when it comes to making these kinds of statements and having these particular views. Escobar stated that â&#x20AC;&#x153;mariconâ&#x20AC;? is a word often used in Latino culture and some Latino-born baseball players, most notably Miami Marlins manager, Ozzie Guillen, has spoken out and dismissed this expression, saying it was a joke and that he uses it all the time. In an interview conducted with

The Palm Beach Post, Guillen said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think this kid did it without intending to hurt anybody. I think he did it just for fun. But in our country [Venezuela] we do that.â&#x20AC;?

Whether you are used to saying it or that nobody you know cares is irrelevant. As a professional it is crucial to adhere to what is and isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t acceptable in society as a whole. Just because you say it loosely in your own circle in absolutely no way makes it ok to say it in the public eye.

Canadian collegiate athletics suffer from a similar fate. Gay slurs are used just as loosely in the locker room and on the playing surface, as Matthew Wright, captain of the Laurier Brantford extramural basketball team explains. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It happens more often than people think. And a lot of people think just because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a sport and a lot of testosterone involved that thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a whole lot of homosexuals that play sports.â&#x20AC;? says Wright.

There are definitely more homosexual athletes than we think, but sports probably arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the best stage for them to â&#x20AC;&#x153;come outâ&#x20AC;?. An environment in which gays can be comfortable in their own skin seemingly doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t apply in the sports world because of the ignorance that exists. If they were to come out, life could become even worse. It would be hard to cope with all the media attention, especially with the tension that could be created within the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s locker room. Players could feel violated and betrayed by their teammate and naturally become defensive about things like changing with a gay teammate or showering with him or feel like he might make an advance on one of them. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Personally, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to see the guy come out. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d encourage them to do it, but ultimately itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s up to them,â&#x20AC;? Wright said.

Laurier Brantford teammates Wright and Izirein liked to think that sports are about results and winning and if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing everything you can to help your team win, who cares what your sexual

Yunel Escobar wrote â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are a faggotâ&#x20AC;? in Spanish on his eye black (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia)

orientation is. However, Wright does realize that some guys on the team certainly wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel that way. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think that some guys would obviously be very offended â&#x20AC;Ś the team is like a brotherhood and you feel if a guy was to come out â&#x20AC;Ś you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand what to do,â&#x20AC;? says Wright.

Izirein agrees that respect is an issue, â&#x20AC;&#x153;If you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet and see what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re talking about, you wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have respect for them.â&#x20AC;?

But how is it really possible to inform and teach athletes to be respectful? Unfortunately this kind of thing is not easy to police, especially from the locker room where most players are desensitized to the slurs. And it also takes strong character to stand up and call out a teammate for saying, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a faggotâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;Stop being so gay,â&#x20AC;? regardless of a lack of real intent or not.

Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what makes college and university such an important starting point. These institutions are a place of learning, whether it is scholastically, in life or on the playing field. Students are meeting and playing with new people and at this point they should be mature enough to handle others of different sexual orientation, skin colour, etc.

With this being the case, there is no reason for students to be held any less responsible for using gay slurs when theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re playing or in the locker room.

This is something Wright strongly agreed with. â&#x20AC;&#x153;College and university students should be held just as accountable for their actions and their words just the same as a pro player would. Just because they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appeal to the masses and they think it will go under the radar â&#x20AC;Ś You never know who is listening and who you could hurt,â&#x20AC;? says Wright.

When it comes down to it, the fallout for Yunel Escobar and the â&#x20AC;&#x153;eye blackâ&#x20AC;? incident is more than simply him being suspended and losing a small blow to his paycheque. This will stay with him throughout his career and hopefully he will become an example that athletes can learn from to become more aware and sensitive to the world around them. Who knows what kind of talented athletes may use these kinds of slurs if theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re discouraged and defamed by some ignorant teammate or fellow athlete. Society is above gay slurs and insults and sports should be too.

Rashad Evans helps Vitor Belfort prepare for his fight in Toronto Anthony Fusco Staff

After the UFC 151 fiasco finally ended, Jon Jones and Vitor Belfort were left for UFC 152 in Toronto. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a solid and exciting fight that represents how far the UFC has come. The fight is also the classic young lion vs. old lion duel, which should be an exciting treat for fans across the world.

Vitor Belfort was training for a bout against Alan Belcher at UFC 153 when he received the call to fight Jones on short notice. Belfort has been with the UFC for a long time and is well trusted by the company and by UFC president Dana White.

Despite taking this fight with Jones on short notice, Belfort has one big advantage in his training camp. Belfort is training with the Blackzilians in Florida, and heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans his coach for the upcoming fight.

This was a very smart move by Belfort, for a few reasons. Evans has championship experience, as evident by him being both the former champ, as well as a recent title challenger at UFC 145.

Rashadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s experience with Jones will also help Belfort.

Before the nasty feud got going between them, Jones and Evans were friends and training partners at Greg Jacksonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gym. Evans is also the only man to spend a full five rounds with Jones in an official championship fight.

That experience is valuable and will go a long way to help Belfort.

Belfort has as good a chance as any in this fight. He has given himself the best chance possible by bringing in Evans as his training partner and coach.

Evans will be a valuable asset in Belfortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s corner because he knows the strengths and weaknesses of Jones. Belfort has the skills to defeat Jones, if he fights a smart fight. He needs to keep the pressure on Jones with his striking,

while at the same time avoiding the is underestimating him, and that is offensive wrestling and striking of his never a wise thing to do. Belfort will opponent. rush Jones and keep the pressure on A big thing to watch out for is be- with his striking. He has all the skills to ing taken down by the champion. If dethrone Jones, as well as Rashad EvBelfort can remain on his feet, he has ans in his corner. Many men have tried a solid chance of catching and hurting to dethrone Jones in the past though the champ, before going for a technical none have succeeded. If anyone has knockout finish. a chance at defeating the champ, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Most importantly, Belfort needs to Belfort. listen to Rashad Evans in his corner.

Evans will help him dictate the pace of the fight, and shout out any pointers Belfort can use to get a leg up. He brought Rashad in as his coach for a reason, after all.

Belfort has a solid chance of winning this 5PMM 'SFF fight. Everyone

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11

The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Laurier men’s baseball suspended for hazing Kyle Morrison Sports Editor On Thursday, September 20, 2012, it was announced that the Laurier men’s baseball team would be suspended for at least four games, with the possibility of losing the whole season, due to an incident that involved team hazing.

The team is under a gag order and are not permitted to speak about the incident, but there’s a broad range of actions it could’ve been, as stated under the hazing policy in the Laurier Athletic Code of Conduct: “Wilfrid Laurier University interprets hazing as any act, whether physical, mental, emotional or psychological, that subjects another person, voluntarily or involuntarily, to anything that may abuse, mistreat, degrade, humiliate, harass or intimidate the person, or which may in any fashion compromise the inherent dignity of the person.”

Laurier Golden Hawks manager Scott Ballantyne said that the team is frustrated with the suspension and were hopeful about the appeal hearing which was held last Sunday.

“I’m disappointed we’re in this kind of a situation, but in talking to my players over the last couple days they’re obviously frustrated … they’re doing everything they can to make to prepare..,” said Ballantyne.

Both Laurier students and athletes were surprised and disappointed when they heard the news.

“As a fellow athlete it’s a shame to see a Laurier team get involved with hazing because it paints a bad picture for the school,” says former Laurier men’s soccer team midfielder, Stephen Hay. The indefinite four-game suspension comes at a time when the Laurier baseball team was playing quite well, winning three of their last four games against the University of Toronto and McMaster to get back to a .500 record at 4-4. With two games coming up against Waterloo (3-7) and two more against Western (7-4) there certainly would’ve been good opportunities to win some key games.

Instead, with the team having

to forfeit these games, having a record of 4-8 with nine games remaining is difficult to fight your way back from to earn a playoff spot. The task gets even more daunting when the Laurier would have to face the dominant Brock University (16-3) two days after the hearing. But Ballantyne is convinced things will get back on track.

“They’re already a close knit group despite the fact it’s a young team … we’re hoping as a team is that we’ll be able to put this behind us … and we’ll be ready to hit the field,” says Ballantyne.

This suspension and incident itself will carry ramifications beyond just this season’s play on the field. The team’s reputation will be tarnished from now on, which may have a negative effect on scouting and bringing in new players. With a young team on the rise, this could really crush the program’s progress. Ballantyne would rather have this incident used for awareness rather than have it being seen as a black eye for Laurier’s baseball program.

“This draws everyone’s attention to how devastating certain actions can be … hopefully a lesson other teams will learn to make sure they’re not doing anything against the student code of conduct,” says Ballantyne.

The team appealed the suspension on Sunday evening in front of athletic director Peter Baxter, interuniversity sport coordinator Wally Gabler and vice president of student affairs David McMurray.

Jordan Petruska, pitcher for the team said that the hearing went really well.

“It [the hearing] went great. We got our season back,” says Petruska.

The incident was certainly damning for Laurier and the Golden Hawks’ baseball team, but now it’s time for the team to give back and play hard on the field, where the team belongs, instead of breaking the rules off of it.

Laurier men’s baseball suspended for minimum of four games (Photo by NIck Lachance- the Cord)

Think you might party too much to remember the good times? Pre-order your yearbook today. www.wlusp.com

12

The Sputnik // Wednesday, September 26, 2012

OPINION

Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

‘You Are Beautful:’ the ugly truths Leisha Senko Opinion Editor Let's face it, a compliment's persuasive capability is largely lost when it's delivered via the medium of sticker.

It's safe to assume there are few people on the other side of this argument, however, one case has slipped through the cracks; the propaganda-esque 'You Are Beautiful' campaign, which encourages young, virile girls to plaster the above message to every barren surface. Admittedly, the people who came up with this almost aggressively egalitarian plan, had good intentions. Young women today display worryingly low levels of self esteem, high instances of eating disorders, and even show signs of severe depression. It's indisputable that they need to be taught self valuation, yet this organization hits every sour note possible, while fumbling towards an otherwise noble goal.

The first major misstep is failing to realize how heavily loaded the word 'beautiful' is. In it's most basic, traditional sense, beauty has always been used to describe a culturally accepted aesthetic appearance, exclusionary at its core. It's a definition that girls of this generation know better than almost any other. While boys are showered with the compliments that they're strong, smart and capable, little girls are used to hearing the same echo, look at you, you're so pretty, so cute and so beautiful. There is never any mistake as to what beautiful means or how absolutely central it is to being loved and respected. It is so thoroughly ingrained that trying to refurbish and reclaim the word can only lead to messy misunderstandings, mixed signals and further confirmations of an impossible standard. By telling those who are happy, confident, yet knowingly not beautiful in the traditional sense that they are in fact beautiful, it can't help but come across as insincere, condescending, but also dismissive of the other qualities they've cultivated. One article in the Atlantic highlights this; in it, a high school teacher creates a survey for her eleventh grade, all female class. The only question asked, which would you rather be, smart, kind or beautiful? Terrifyingly, approximately 97 percent of the participants chose beautiful, meaning only one strayed from the norm. The simple fact that 'you are beautiful' is seen as a greater goal, or a more powerful compliment than 'you are kind,' or 'you are smart' should be chilling.

The second and possibly most problematic component of this campaign, is the current reality that abandoning the quest for conventional beauty, will quickly put you on a short list of psychologically troubled individuals. Honesty, as it turns out, in this realm anyways, is seen as a cry for help, rather than refreshing. This only further emphasizes the importance of beauty in its most unhealthy form. For example, If a woman admits she can't sing, is terrible at math or can't cook, people chuckle and move on, but if a woman lets slip that although she may love herself, she doesn't feel particularly 'pretty,' people panic like the Matrix's been breached, and rush to protest, only further perpetuating the idea that to be truly homely is akin to a death sentence for the feminine individual. It's surprisingly easy to find high profile examples. Hilary Clinton's 'cold' face and 'ugly' pant suits were constantly talked about during the 2004 presidential campaign on the news, and even pointed out by a fellow contender in a debate. Successful entrepreneur, media mogul and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey has constantly been scrutinized because of her weight. Supreme Court Justice and former Harvard Dean Elena Kagal has been publicly criticized because of her 'butch' appearance, with some suggesting she didn't deserve the position because of this. Beauty, as it turns out, is almost always on the minds of ordinary citizens when it comes to women and no matter how utterly irrelevant or uninterested those in question are about such recognition, it is a focus they can never seem to shake.

Lastly, the realities of privilege, bias and differentiating experience, are completely swept under the rug when we refuse to admit that those who fit inside the realm of beautiful often have very different perspectives than

THE MOUTHPIECE I’m a former editor-in-chief of this fine newspaper and I have to say, I screwed up.

During my time as EIC, I focused on promotion. I wanted more readers, more recognition, and a seriously bolstered reputation. I figured that if we did lots and lots of self-promotion, we’d get more readers and ipso facto, we’d be a respectable media outlet. WRONG. Readers allow a newspaper to survive, but not to thrive.

If I could do it all again, this time I’d direct my energy towards fostering the stuff that makes journalism work in the first place. Here’s a perfect example: writing. In my two years as head honcho, I adopted a “hire-all” strategy, citing low applicant turnouts and a “more is better” philosophy.

You are “not” Beautiful. (Photo illustration by Olivia Rutt)

those who do not. This type of radio silence, unfortunately, can not only squash honest discussion, but it can also leave both sides bitter and unaware of the other's plight. Beautiful privilege, as it turns out, much like white privilege or male privilege, is titled as such because those on the receiving end are often unaware that they are. The Beauty Bubble, a phenomenon parodied by shows like 30 Rock, is a very real thing says researchers. Known in the academic realm as the 'Halo Effect,' psychologist Edward Thorndike found that our positive first impression of an individual can cloud our judgement. More recent studies by Pennsylvania University's Ingrid Olson finds that pretty people are naturally matched to positive yet unrelated words, making them more likely to succeed. Economist Daniel Hammermesh found beautiful people make on average 3 to 4 per cent more, compared to

I let a lot of piss-poor writing hit the printed pages of The Sputnik, and it still eats me up inside. Don’t get me wrong, for all the bad writing we spewed out, we also published some that I wouldn’t be surprised to see in the pages of The Globe and Mail. But while I was so focused on promoting The Sputnik, I often forgot to make it something worth promoting! Rigorous fact checking; diligent copy editing; original and interesting story idea generation; strict standards that are designed with the interests of ethics and our readers in mind – these, among others, are the things that build good journalism and good media.

I implore the current and future staff of The Sputnik to go the extra mile, to work harder, and to do more in your limited time at WLU Brantford. I know I wish I had.

-a former editor-in-chief

their ordinary business counterparts. All of this brings up a very practical question, if it really is the case that we're all beautiful, it must mean that some are more beautiful than others, and doesn't actively denying this fact seem even more sinister and unkind than embracing the truth? Or, do we need this pretty lie to keep the brutal reality at bay?

In all honestly, the reasonable answer to the latter is no. Nobody is suggesting it's kosher to walk up to complete strangers and tell them they're ugly, but what we must come to terms with is that insincere compliments are only masking the bigger issue. An issue, which as it turns out, isn't whether all women are equally aesthetically pleasing in the eyes of external spectators, we know the answer. Rather, what's most troubling, is that even the most progressive amongst us seem to think beauty matters so damn much.

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Send your 300 word rant to opinion@thesputnik.ca to write for The Mouthpiece!