Issue 5 - October 11, 2012

sputnik

the

Thursday, October 11, 2012 - Issue 5 // 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

15

Opinion

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Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

Pro-Life rally in Brantford page 3

Bacon Shortage Hoax page 2

Homecoming page 9

Rise in Plagiarism page 11

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Pork shortage now considered ‘bologna’ Jordan Johnston News Editor In the last week of September, the global announcement of an extreme pork shortage was made. For bacon lovers, this was disconcerting, but according to experts over the past two weeks this has been deemed ‘bologna.’ Although pig farmers have now been faced with the new high costs of pig feed, this will not affect pork production in North America. Costs for all pork however, are expected to rise significantly in the next 4-6 months.

A hard hit economy already, for local Brantford and area farmers this was not good news. Buying local can often be pricey enough, but it is unfortunate that farmers will now have this cost strain added to their business.

The drought that much of North America

and the Midwest were faced with this past summer has seriously impacted soya and corn production. Rumors began to spread that farmers had to sell their livestock and condense the size of their farms. According to the Toronto Sun, hog supplies will most likely shrink for the year, but it should not make that much of a difference on consumers.

Canada produces a lot more meat than they can consume. Other countries however, may have some more concerns aside from price increases.

As a precaution, many pig farmers worldwide have been getting credit protection to help ensure and protect their business.

A National Post article on the topic reported, “The culprit is the US drought.

Dry conditions in the Midwest last summer

affected nearly 90 per cent of the US corn fields, instantly kicking up prices by as much as 50 per cent.”

It is almost a guarantee that by the summer of 2013, hog prices will be the highest in history.

The National Post goes on to say, “Although pork is scorned by Muslims, Jews and Rastafarians, it remains the world’s most popular meat with humans consuming about 100 million tonnes of pigs per year.”

The reference to this being a shortage isn’t exactly the truth; it is more of a scare.

Farmers have needed some loans here and there to help fund their hungry pigs but have not subsidized farm sizes or sacrificed pigs in result.

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 Caitlin Henshaw web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Ahmed Minhas Alicia Saunders Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Jordan Johnston, Local News To be hired, On Campus Layla Bozich, Features Courtney Langstaff, A&E Kyle Morison, Sports Leisha Senko, Opinion CONTRIBUTORS Aaleya Waslat 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 Melissa McGuffin Matt Cook Stephanie Di Bartolo Craig Hagerman Madison Hawkins Elizabeth Medeiros Kim Jackson Kaya Firth

WLUSP BRANTFORD Pigs for bacon. (Photo by Jordan Johnston)

The battle of downtown parking Melissa McGuffin Staff It seems that the game of “musical chairs” is one that is played quite frequently in Brantford’s downtown core; except in this version, students are consistently moving their cars from parking space to parking space – and the cost of losing is a ticket. Although commuting students have their fair share of complaints about the city’s lack of parking spaces available to them, and the very limited amount of time allotted per space, the options available to them are very much present, and the concerns do not go without any attention to it.

With the growth and development each year at Laurier Brantford, the main concern of students is the limited amount of parking, and what will be done to help this problem. While there are around 950 spots available for $45 a month at the Market Centre parking plaza, there seems to be a lack of use for these spots.

Victoria Readings, a third-year Criminology student commuting from Brant County says, “I don’t pay for parking because I don’t feel safe in the Market Centre parking lot, therefore paying for a spot in there is useless if not ridiculous. People have their cars keyed, broken into, and damaged in the parkade all the time. The lighting is terrible, and the security is scarce.”

Readings continued to explain, “Even student permit parking lots are inadequate.

There are very few spots and even when you pay for a permit you often cannot get a spot.”

Third-year Concurrent-Education student Amanda Censner said she had experienced getting a parking ticket in her first year while she was in class. The ticket cost was $20 and her usual parking spot, which was Laurier parking only, had been taken, forcing her to

use the street parking. The Laurier parking allowed for students only is very limited, and at a first come, first serve basis.

Censner says that her main concern with Brantford parking is, “It is always so difficult to find a spot, and you usually have limited time to stay in that spot. This makes it difficult for when students have back-to-back classes because you always have to be concerned about moving your car and not getting a parking ticket.”

Students already pay the high cost of tuition, so the extra costs of ticketing should not have to be a worry, according to Censner.

Although the students of Laurier Brantford have no doubt raised the downtown core of Brantford up, the parking for businesses located downtown must also remain and also be kept in mind.

Transportation Technologist Robert Smith commented on how the students felt about the lack of transportation, “There’s plenty of parking in the Market Centre parkade, it’s just that students don’t want to pay for parking.”

When asked about the safety concerns of the parkade, he said, “It’s a valid concern, but whether one feels safe or not is objective, there are safety guards, safety cameras, and in regards to the lighting, it is being looked into and improved.”

Smith continued to say that the street parking is not intended for students, but rather for the people going about their day, and that is why there is so little time allotted for each spot. In regards to the growth of Laurier Brantford’s student body, Smith says that there are plans for another parking garage adjacent to the transit terminal that will be combined with it.

Heather Bouillon, Financial Coordinator at Laurier Brantford, feels there is sufficient parking to meet the student’s needs.

“This past year, we formed a Laurier Brantford Parking Advisory Committee, including two student representatives to look at how better to serve our customers. From this committee, came key changes, such as certain lots that are now exclusively for the use of students during the academic year.”

Bouillon also commented on the parking allotted to students only saying, “Of those that were successful in the lottery for on-campus parking, almost a quarter did not come in to pick up their permit. We will be surveying those who did not pick up their permit, which should provide some insight into why students opted out of campus parking.”

Bouillon also suggested the use of carpooling and buses to cut the cost of parking and to get rid of the chance of parking tickets.

Although the concern of parking when it comes to students is valid, there are ways students can cope with it. The use of Foot Patrol can be used to walk to the Market Centre parkade if one feels unsafe in doing so, and any safety concerns can be discussed with the Special Constables. The future of student parking in Brantford’s downtown is hopeful.

Censner feels the same way, “I can already see a change as Laurier is making more parking available for students. If there are more spots available, it will make it less stressful for students who are commuting and are trying to get to class on time. So as long as they keep expanding the parking, it should make it easier for students who are driving to school.”

To the students shuffling from parking spot to parking spot, make your voices heard by complaining to the school, and help solve the problem. “Musical chairs” was fun in grade school, but it’s not fun to play with cars and tickets.

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: Cody Hoffman Left: Jordan Johnston Centre: Cody Hoffman Right: (Art) Diane Sison

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Brant 'Right to Life' protest Melissa McGuffin Staff On Sunday, September 30th, the “Right to Life” campaign held its 20th annual protest against abortion, organizing a life chain along St. Paul Avenue. Young and old, the protestors stood on the windy day holding signs that read, “Abortions Kill Children” and “Jesus Forgives & Heals,” in hopes to spread the word that women have other choices than abortion.

Abortion is a topic of great controversy, especially with the recent defeat of Motion 312 (a motion to essentially make the act of abortion illegal) the life chain this year had more importance to those who wanted to see the motion pass. Around 50 or more people showed up to express their opinion and promote pro-life, each of them coming from different Christian denominations.

For 19-year-old Kristin Deboer, this year’s life chain was her second time participating in it, and was important to her because she had known some people who went through with abortion and regretted it. In her two years of protesting, it has not always been easy. In one case, she had someone throw food at her.

“People who honk at us a lot usually means they agree with us and like what we’re doing, we usually get the finger if they don’t,” she explained.

For Deboer, her main goal in the protest is that she hopes people will look into abortion more, and know that people are always welcomed to come and talk to the church.

“You don’t have to be a Christian to stand along this roadside,” said Paul Vandervet, a lawyer and the vice president of Brant Right to Life.

Vandervet’s arguments for stopping abortion are that of dramatic consequence. He argues that abortions will not allow the demographic to sustain itself, saying, “I know that between 10 and 15 years from now, you cannot sustain an economy over more than a generation or two without [abortion] just devastating the economy, you don’t have your consumers and you don’t have your producers.”

Vandervet continued to say, “With the western promotion of sterilization, contraception, [and] abortion, that’s what the radical feminists have been able to promote all over the world. It’s going to have devastating economic consequences; you ruin your economy, you ruin your family life, you ruin your morals. And so you have to wave the flag.”

Protester holds sign in the “Right to Life” Campaign. (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

In Vandervet’s beliefs and opinions, abortion faces serious consequences for the future of society. When asked about sex before marriage, he replied, “Sex is for two things only; babies and bonding.”

The number of people against abortion is very seldom

against those who believe in pro-choice. Those who fight to eliminate abortion are largely religious, and lack numbers.

The great debate of whether or not abortion should be legal has been argued for many years in western society, and one that will continue to do so for many more.

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

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NEWS Charity workers catch a break on Ontario student loans Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Darryl Gallinger The Lance- University of Windsor

WINDSOR (CUP) — Students working in the not-for-profit sector will be soon be able to keep the student loan sharks at bay a little longer.

Students who work or volunteer in a registered not-for-profit organization for at least 30 hours a week will have an extended grace period of one year for their OSAP loans. The Ontario government announced the extended grace period on Sept. 19.

“The not-for-profit sector is vital in helping to create jobs and attract new investments to Ontario,” said Glen Murray, minister of training, colleges and universities. “Providing a financial incentive for our graduates to work in this important sector will not only benefit the graduates, but will also support our economy.”

Normally students don’t have to start

repaying their government post-secondary loans until six months after graduation, but the new program will grant full-time not-for-profit volunteers and employees an additional six months.

Jacquie Rumiel, general manager of the YMCA of Windsor and Essex County, has recently hired a university graduate.

“I think it’s a great idea,” she said of the initiative.

The YMCA offers services to newcomers to Canada, a fitness facility, and children’s programs like swimming lessons. “We don’t turn anyone away if they can’t afford it … and that’s what makes us a charitable organization,” Rumiel said.

Although Rumiel appreciates the support the government is offering to recent graduates and not-for-profit organizations, she is not sure how many organizations will be able to take advantage of it. “Notfor-profits just aren’t big hirers,” she explained, adding that YMCA’s job turnover is low.

Many not-for-profit organizations rely on charitable donations and government grants to fund their work. Their operating budgets vary year-to-year, making the ability to take on more employees less certain.

Penny Marrett, CEO of United Way Windsor-Essex County, is enthusiastic about the initiative. “We’re certainly pleased to see that the Ontario government is recognizing the need for post-secondary graduates who are volunteering or working in the post-secondary sector to have an extended grace period.”

United Way is a not-for-profit organization that collaborates with local agencies, government, businesses and labour to address health and human service issues.

“For many post-secondary graduates who are entering the job market, they’re not always able to find full-time employment right away,” Marrett said. “If they do, it’s not at a very high pay-level because they’re

just starting out … so it’s important that the government recognizes that.”

Marrett added that the extended grace period offers graduates the chance to build up their skills to enhance their employability by volunteering. It will also encourage them to check out the not-forprofit sector and see if it is right for them.

Students must apply for the extended interest-free grace period within six months of graduating to qualify for the extension.

Graduates who work at schools, hospitals, and federal, provincial and municipal governments and their agencies are exempt from this repayment extension, unless their primary role is to organize charitable activities for these organizations.

According to the Ontario government, there are more than 46,000 not-for-profit organizations in the province, which employ about 15 per cent of the workforce.

They bring in about $47 billion in combined revenue to Ontario’s economy.

Trudeau announces Liberal leadership bid Alanna Fairey The Cord- WLU Waterloo

WATERLOO (CUP) — After much speculation and ongoing predications, Justin Trudeau has announced his Liberal leadership bid.

On Oct. 2, Trudeau arrived at the William-Hingston Centre in Montreal and met with Liberal supporters. With his family, including his wife Sophie Grégoire and their two children, Trudeau declared his intention to run for leadership of the party.

“I am running because I believe Canadians want and need new leadership,” Trudeau said in his statement.

“The Conservative government is taking this country in a direction most Canadians don’t want it to go. We want a vision for Canada’s future grounded not in the politics of envy or mistrust.”

As the eldest son of the late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, the younger Trudeau had previously been hesitant about running for leadership in the near future, citing family commitments as one of the primary reasons.

His announcement, according to Wilfrid Laurier University professor Barry Kay, may be a result of the Liberal Party having no other serious alternatives.

“The Liberals are no longer a serious contender,” Kay said.

“I think the Liberal strategy is not about winning this next election, it’s about improving themselves and positioning themselves as the alternatives to the Conservatives.”

Trudeau, having been an MP for the Papineau riding in Ottawa since 2008, does not have many years of experience in politics, leading some to question the validity of his campaign.

There has been speculation as to whether his family’s history in politics has had more of an impact on his popularity than his own political background. It has also been noted that Trudeau has not adequately addressed his thoughts on issues such as economy and foreign affairs.

Kay agreed that Trudeau would have to focus on policy matters, not simply his

(Photo courtesy of davehuehn/Flickr Creative Commons)

moniker, in order to be effective.

“I have reason to believe that he is bright and can pick stuff up along the way, but he hasn’t been a great parliamentary figure until now,” Kay reasoned.

“He may be deep in terms of policy ideas, but he hasn’t shown any of that and he’s going to have to show if he’s going to be taken seriously, he’s got to be more than just a celebrity.”

Some may have a difficult time trying to overlook the impressive family history of Trudeau. Dan Entralgo, the president of the Wilfrid Laurier University Young Liberals, believes that Trudeau’s political endeavours are often overshadowed by the legacy that his father left behind in Canadian politics.

“The Trudeau name has a legacy that goes along with it and it’s kind of seen as

Canadian royalty,” Entralgo said.

“It will have a huge impact because people will be looking at Justin Trudeau, not who he is or what his policies will be.

That means that we have to focus on his leadership race.”

Despite the question of his political abilities, Trudeau has previously been admired for his advocacy for youth.

Notably, he campaigned against the cuts for the Katimavik youth program, which he chaired. While some believe Trudeau has sparked interest in Canadian youth, he must converge with the rest of Canada.

“Ever since Justin Trudeau started his political career, his focus has always been advocacy of the youth, so he’s obviously going to appeal to the youth,” Entralgo said.

“It’s going to be a critical balance between appealing to the youth and appealing to experience.”

While it is still too early to determine what kind of a leader he will be for the Liberal Party, Trudeau is looking forward to revolutionizing the party and making vast improvements for Canada.

“Part of what it means to be a citizen is to step up when you think you can make a positive difference by serving your fellow citizens,” Trudeau said during his announcement.

“This is one of those times. And the Liberal Party of Canada, together with its current members and its new members and supporters to come, is ready to make that positive difference again.”

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

ON CAMPUS WUSC student refugee To be hired // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

students live under circumstances that make pursuing their dreams difficult.

“WUSC’s Student Refugee Program is primarily funded by student groups who Wilfrid Laurier University has been are fundraising on campus. These groups working together with WUSC (World raise approximately $1.5 million every Universtiy Service of Canada), to support year,” said Kristin Downey, Manager of students in developing countries to enroll Communication and Development. at universities in Canada. WUSC works University students donate four with professionals, students, volunteers, dollars each semester towards funding the and faculty and community leaders to education of the students; the donation is find solutions and provide opportunities shown on their invoice on LORIS. to the world’s most marginalized people.

“It is a fabulous way of being part of Each year, students apply for the Student something that is adding international Refugee Program and the program offers experience towards our campus,” says Raag a scholarship that applies to students Patel, a second-year Laurier student. Raag who live in refugee camps, have good has met Abdikarim, known as Abdi, who grades and pass the Toeffl English test. The is a sponsor student who has successfully scholarship does not only mean “money”, passed his first year at Wilfrid Laurier it also includes a new beginning, a safer University. environment, and an education that is life“He is really friendly and I have seen changing. him interacting with a lot of students on Dammee Sero is a sponsored student campus, he knows more people than me,” who currently attends Human Rights says Raag proudly. courses at Laurier Brantford. She is originally Abdikarim Osmaan started his trip from Ethiopia, but her family went to the from Dadaab camp, a refugee camp near Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya to find the border of Somalia. shelter and security. Many other young “Whenever there is a crisis in Somalia, the people from Somalia come over and they have weapons,” says Abdikarim.

“No one says Abdikarim, I am known as Abdi,” he says happily while talking about his favourite things in Canada. “Canada is not that different from my camp, but I like the food, rice is my favorite.”

Abdi is in his secondyear studying science. “In my camp there are not many teachers but we have school, my favorite subject is math and I was a teacher’s assistant in chemistry and math.”

“I am really happy that I can study safely and I am here in Canada,” says Dammee, who just started her trip at Laurier.

The refugee camps in Kenya support the refugees with water, food Warm welcome to Canada. (Courtesy of Dammee Sero) and shelter. “Every camp Aaleya Waslat Staff

Sero in Ethiopian classroom. (Courtesy of Dammee Sero)

is different,” said Abdi. “My camp has people from the government; they would come and check on us.”

While Abdi is from a refugee camp that runs businesses and has stores, Dammee is from a place quieter and with less security; although she says that there are hotels, buildings, entertainment, and different communities.

Dammee and Abdikarim were chosen from a list of many applicants.

“Any of the students who apply and have good grades and pass the test, will for sure come to Canada, we just have to find someone who fits [in] to our university,” says Alexandra Carson, coordinator of the student group.

Kasey Furry who is the president of WUSC had a life-changing experience with the sponsor students.

“I have learned about other cultures, and I have discovered my passion for working in the field of resettlement, which I plan to continue on with as a career after graduation.”

Between volunteering and the class schedule, the student group of Laurier Brantford has managed it all.

“My experience as the president of WUSC has been exceptionally rewarding and educational. Seeing the sponsor students arrive and watching them grow over their first year in Canada is heartwarming, and hearing their stories about hardships they have gone through is inspiring [for me] to keep myself working harder,” says Kasey with the excitement for next year’s sponsor students.

The WUSC Student Refugee Program has raised a different voice in Laurier students. The students are giving more meaning to the term “education.” The education we receive at Wilfrid Laurier allows us to find our place in the real world but the education given to Dammee and Abdikarim has changed their lives, their environment, and their dreams.

“I wanted to become a scientist but now I wish to be a social worker”, says Dammee with a strong voice.

The sponsor students see it as a responsibility to do well at school.

“Their families back home are depending on them to come to Canada and become successful so the students can help their family have a better life,” says Alex.

The Laurier Brantford student community doesn’t see Dammee or Abdikarim as refugees or sponsor students.

“They speak fantastic English and they joke around, they aren’t different, they are Laurier students,” says Patel.

It is important that Laurier students know that they are a part of the WUSC program. Every donation allows us to welcome more students to our university.

All Laurier students, faculty and anyone else interested in meeting Dammee and Abdikarim and knowing more about the WUSC Student Refugee Program will have the opportunity to do so on October 24th from 4-6 PM at the RCW building.

YOBO – you only Brantford once Carla Egesi Staff

Now that I’m entering my final year here at Laurier Brantford, I am fraught with the debilitating anxiety brought on by the fact that I am slowly, reluctantly, coming to terms with the fact that not only will I be leaving this wonderful institution, but in addition to that, I will have to face the looming OSAP payments that wait for me in the darkness of my somewhat uncertain future.

Wow, that got dark really fast.

Suffice to say - I’m not ready to leave! Why should I be? This place has been my home for the past three years, and now I find myself facing a blistering reality that I will never again end a beautiful summer day with a battle-royale against a lagging, uncooperative, overburdened LORIS for a class that I was so certain would be a bird course, but actually turned out to be the exact opposite. On second thought, probably not that last bit.

So why am I writing this? Surely, The Sputnik wouldn’t endorse the self-indulgent ramblings of a slightly neurotic fourth-year student. Let’s skip past the melodramatics, bypass the filter and arrive at the point; make the most of your time here, or else risk graduating with simply a

degree with a barren Co-Curricular Record, and no memories nor tales of late night Lonnie’s runs, going to concerts at The Mixdown or awkward moments at NV. If you’re reading this and you plan on sticking around for the next few years, I suggest you do one or more or all of the following. In no particular order, Laurier Brantford, I present to you the most important tidbits of advice one could give in order to make the most of your time here at Laurier Brantford.

Get involved Never underestimate the things you can learn from getting involved around campus. The call from student leadership here is as great as it is never-ending. Although fall hiring may be closed for WLUSU and Student Affairs, WLUSP could use some great writers. You can always join a campus club, and if you don’t like any of the clubs available, you can always make your own.

Why get involved? Well, not only can you put these things on your CCR, you’ll be networking, making friends, and doing something that you enjoy. While the academic rigor of your studies may provide you with joy, you still need to take a break and devote yourself to something remotely recreational.

Don’t Procrastinate When I first wrote this, a “Boromir” meme that read “One does not simply stop procrastinating” came to mind. It’s important. The reason you hate writing essays is because next to your JSTOR tabs you have Facebook, Twitter, Iwastesomuchtime, and quite possibly Thisiswhyimbroke, in the very same window waiting to elicit your productivity downfall.

Or the reason you failed to submit that paper into the dropbox on MyLearningSpace may have something to do with the fact that a night stumbling home from NV while gorged on the decadent treats afforded to you by Admirals won out over actually doing your homework.

Resist the urge, my friends. NV and Admirals will always be there, but remember your GPA is in a state of constant flux (depending on the kind of student you are).

I suppose what I’m trying to say in both cases is: find balance in your life. You only get one shot at this undergrad. When you look back, make sure that it’s replete with awesome memories, while at the same time; ensure you actually get your degree. Make the most out of it, and seize that carp, Laurier Brantford.

RETRACTION NOTICE “‘Oh Lay, Oh Lay:’ Homecoming raises multicampus concerns” as printed in the September 26, 2012 issue.

The corrections are as follows: 1. The Oh-Lay Oh-Lay campaign is not at all affiliated with retail services or Wilfrid Laurier University.

2. There has been no managerial or structural push to promote a campus divide.

3. Laurier Brantford wear is not a specific clothing line within retail services. However, students can still purchase or request clothing with a specific campus location.

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

FEATURES

Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

Grand River - grand attraction Layla Bozich Features Editor

The best medicine for the midterm blues this season is most likely in or around your own backyard.

The Grand River is one of the most accessible places to get your outdoor, chilly air, leaf-changing fix without costing you a dime. Not only does it offer scenic trails, but museums wait to be explored, galleries to be viewed, and fish to be caught.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize they have such a great opportunity in their own city,” said Tracy Burgess, design and development assistant at Brantford Parks and Recreation. “People [need to] know they don’t have to go to Hamilton or Waterloo. They can spend a weekend here with a lot of things to see.”

Despite tourism being a multi-million dollar industry in Brantford, the number of travellers along the Grand River’s trails is not a concern for Brantford Parks and Recreation and Tourism Brantford.

Tourism Brantford’s tourism information

coordinator, Heather McEwan, said they have a general idea of the number by the amount of people who inquire about the trails. More important are the activities offered along the river for tourists to enjoy, even during autumn.

McEwan said your adventure depends on what kind of visitor you are. “If you’re looking for outdoor adventure, it’s the trails.

If you’re looking for arts and culture, it’s the Mohawk Chapel or the Bell Homestead.

If you’re looking for recreation, it’s bird watching or fishing.”

If you want to trek the Grand River trails in hopes of gaining some cultural insight, many sites await your arrival. The Bell Homestead, a National Historic Site, is an 1870’s home displaying Alexander Graham Bell’s achievements in telephone history as well as other family heirlooms that offer visitors a glimpse in to the past. The Glenhyrst Art Gallery offers an exhibition of contemporary arts as well as an outdoor sculpture garden and art classes. Her Majesty’s Royal Chapel of the Mohawks is the oldest Protestant church in

Ontario, constructed in 1785. It is also the oldest surviving church in Ontario.

Trails Take Flight, a Grand River Country project partnered with the Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion and the Guelph Field Naturalist Club, listed two of Brantford’s Grand River trails among their top 20 favourite birding trails in the Grand River Watershed. The SC Johnson Trail, which runs 11km from Wilkes Dam in Brantford to Oak Park Road, just south of the 403, and the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway, which begins in Waterworks Park and travels 3km to the Wilkes Dam, are among their list of popular bird-watching trails.

McEwan says autumn is a great time to explore and see the river take on a new season. “It’s the time of year when everything is changing. It’s going to look completely different then when you saw it in the summer,” she said.

Heritage River Canoe & Kayak Company is open for paddling from late April through early November and lets you see the Grand from a new perspective,

while Brant County Angling exercises the catch and release method of sport fishing in the Grand to ensure the continual health of the river’s inhabitants.

If you are more inclined to take a driving tour of Brantford’s section of the Grand River, a scenic driving route suggested by tourist agency Grand River Country begins at the Brantford Visitor Centre, and stops at sites such as the Brant County Museum and Archives, the Glenhyrst Art Gallery, the Myrtleville House Museum, Apps’ Mill, Brant Conservation Area, Bell Homestead, the Woodland Cultural Centre, the Mohawk Chapel, the Hamilton to Brantford Rail-Trail, and the Six Nations’ River Road, Chiefswood, and Salt Springs Church.

“Get to know your city and you can have a cheap vacation right in your city,” said Tracy Burgess.

The arrival of autumn does not signal the end of fun in the outdoors. Enjoy the exercise and get your mind off school, if only for a little while, by exploring one of Brantford’s many great attractions.

Biking through the Autumn leaves (Photo by Layla Bozich)

How far will you go for the next big thing?

Matt Cook Staff

Hundreds stood in crowds at stores throughout the country for the release of Apple’s iPhone 5 on September 21st.With the world’s fixation on Apple products today, it comes as little surprise to see eager customers lining up days in advance, hoping to be one of the first of thousands to get their hands on Apple’s newest iPhone.

Lining up in advance for a product, once limited to the most diehard fans of niche markets, is now a common sight when new technology arrives on the scene.

But there is still a question many of us ask while passing these crowds on the street: why do they do it?

These massive lines also appear during major sales. Amanda Krzewski, a Concurrent Education/English student at Laurier Brantford, once spent Christmas standing outside for 12 hours in preparation for a Boxing Day sale.

“I’m not really that nto technology,” Krzewski said. “But my siblings were, so I went with some friends to get the new iPod. This was a few years ago, so it would’ve been the third generation iPod.” So why did she do it?

“I really wanted the experience. My friends and I stood in line from 6:00pm [Christmas Day] to 6:00am the next day. I didn’t do it for the money – I only saved ten dollars off the iPod, but I wasn’t really standing there for the money,” she said. “It was fun talking with my friends, meeting new people in the line, getting Tim Hortons, trying to stay warm. It was a really great experience. It’s fun to say that I did that.”

“I wouldn’t do it again though,”

Krzewski added quickly.

With Apple’s products as popular as ever, it appears customers are more than willing to stand outside for days waiting for their new products. The iPhone 5, the newest iPhone on the market, sold five million phones in its first three days on store shelves. This was up from the opening weekend for the iPhone 4S, where four million phones were sold in the opening weekend.

However, this new trend may not last forever. John O’Neill of Brant Stereo, a local audio, video, and home theatre store, feels that Apple’s long-term survival is not a guarantee. Next year when people are standing in hour-long lines, it might be for something entirely different.

“Apple used to be better at keeping their products top secret,” he said. “Today it’s a lot harder for them. There are technology blogs that post rumours and photos about new Apple technology months before Apple even announces it. Gizmodo.com had photos of the new iPhone three months ago.”

It is easy to see how, with today’s massive online media, the suspense of a new product is easier to spoil. A customer may not want to stand outside for hours waiting for a product if they can learn all they need about a product with a quick Google search.

“People will always line up for major discounts like Boxing Day sales. They like to do that, and we’ve had that happen here at Brant Stereo before. But Apple’s really the only company that inspires these long lineups with their new products,”

How many of one brand of technology do you have? (Photo illustration by Kim Jackson)

O’Neill said. “Still, that’s no guarantee of their future. You can be on top one day in the technology market, and you might be on the bottom 24 hours later. Just look at Blackberry.”

It still seems likely that the country’s most tech-savvy customers will be standing in line for new technology next September.

It’s a fun experience to share with friends,

and it is becoming more popular as a cultural phenomenon. But it remains too early to tell if customers will be lining up next year for the new iPhone, for a brandnew product, or simply for a good sale.

We’re all waiting to find out.

9

The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

FEATURES

Layla Bozich// features@thesputnik.ca

Laurier Homecoming 2012 kept under control

Elizabeth DiCesare The Cord This year, despite the amount of enthusiastic fans at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Homecoming game, the event itself went surprisingly well. In order to ensure that the environment was as safe as possible, new measures were implemented by Laurier Athletics.

Fourty-Two contracted security guards were hired this year to ensure that behaviour at the game was under control.

“Our game is not just focused on students, so we want to make sure it’s a family environment,” explained Ari Grossman, associate director: business operations for WLU athletics.

He also explained that while the security guards were there to enforce policy, there were no major behavioural incidents that occurred.

However, there was one male spectator who ran out onto the field in the middle of a play and disrupted the game.

“With 9,200 people [in the stands] it’s definitely a chal-

lenge to manage every single person,” continued Grossman.

“Unfortunately though, some students take it upon themselves to push their limits a little bit … they disrupt the game and cause challenges for themselves.”

According to Kevin Crowley, it is not known if that person who ran across the field was a student or not. He was promptly removed from the stadium after the incident.

“There was no investigation or charges or anything,” he said, adding that the Homecoming was busier, but there were no major incidents.

While many people were not pleased with this incident, it did not cause any physical harm to anyone involved, and there was no major implication towards the game itself.

Besides this single incident, everything else at the game went as planned.

“We didn’t have any ambulances dispatched to the stadium this year, which means that people were kind of able to hold their alcohol,” said Grossman.

For the first time, Seagram Drive was also closed between Albert and Lester streets to help deal with student and vehicle traffic, which helped solve previous congestion problems.

“I think people are just looking for good entertainment on top of the game and to have a good time with their friends, and we want to make sure they are doing so in a safe and fun environment,” stated Grossman.

In order to impress fans in new ways, this year a plane flew overtop the game, which was accented by parachutist and pyrotechnics. “The plane flying over came from an idea to honour Fred Nichols,” explained Grossman, which was a common theme over the weekend.

While the total cost of extra entertainment at the game was roughly $7,500, Grossman concluded by stating that new and inventive ways will be pursued to keep fans engaged at future homecoming games, so they can hopefully be as smooth as this weekend was.

Al photos on this page were taken by Cody Hoffman, and Kim Jackson , and Elizabeth Medeiros.

Want more?

Check out our facebook page for more photos from homecoming! thesputnik.ca

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

FEATURES Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

Commonplace: plagiarism and academic misconduct Graeme Gordon Editor-in-Chief

On the website Essay Experts Inc., a slick salesman in a YouTube video on the main-page pitches to customers “model papers” that are “completely customized and 100 per cent original, with no plagiarism!”

A disclaimer at the bottom of the page explains that “All works ordered through this site ... remain the property of Essay Experts Inc. Any written works sold by Essay Experts Inc. are intended for research purposes only and may only be used as a reference source by students writing their own essay.”

Yet when contacted by phone, the customer service representative of the company explained the discrepancy: “For the most part our writers at least have a master’s degree, so if everything is in detail of what needs to be done you should get a pretty decent mark on your paper, but [we] can’t guarantee a mark.” The sales representative continued, “We have a quality department and the paper has to pass a plagiarism test ... you can change it as little or as much as you want.”

When management was contacted by email they preferred not to comment, “We are not interested in participating in any articles or talking to anyone. Our website speaks for itself.”

Another representative of a writerfor-hire website, ca.bestessays.com, chuckled when asked if it was okay to use a customized paper from their site to hand into a professor. “That’s usually how the process works, Sir. When the customer orders a paper from the site they hand it into their professor, tutor, instructor.”

The writers of these writer-by-hire companies are composing original essays.

This means that these academic papers are virtually untraceable when professors use plagiarism databases like turnitin.com. Of course, there is the cost factor of buying an authentic essay. (An undergraduate, platinum-level eight-page paper can cost $195.68, with a 10-day timeline.)

But business is nevertheless booming.

Ca.Bestessays.com main-page traffic boasts over 1,400 orders being currently processed and over 900 active writers.

Also, the recent proliferation of dozens of these websites online suggests a trend that is only worsening.

An article in the Globe and Mail from 2010 by Kate Hammer looks at this alarming trend in post-secondary institutions. Using data analyzed by the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL), Hammer assessed the rise in academic cheating. Survey data, compiled by Guelph University of 20,000 first-year Canadian university students across the country, found that 73 per cent of students admitted to “committing one of the more serious acts of academic dishonesty” on past written work.

On the CCL site the CEO, Dr. Paul Cappon, was quoted saying: “Over the past decade internet and high-tech devices have enabled a virtual explosion of classroom cheating … educators, parents and students have to work together in order to properly address what has become a serious and widespread problem.”

Since 2007, Kathryn Carter, Associate Dean at Laurier Brantford, has been in charge of disciplining students caught committing plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct. Carter, on average, deals with 10 to 30 cases of plagiarism per semester. “Only one or two get expelled each year, some years the number is zero,” says Carter.

“The first thing that I do is I see if this is a first time offense, or if it has happened before. We deal with it one way for first time offenses than repeat offenders,” says Carter. “The severity of the offense is also taken into consideration.”

Usually a first time offense results in

Trade me. (Art by Diane Sison)

a zero on the assignment, which in many cases results in a failing grade in the course, explains Carter. “A repeat offender usually results in expulsion of two years from the university.”

“We’re going to have an officer who looks after academic misconduct, and they’ve had one forever in Waterloo. This will be the first time that we will have one in Brantford, and it will be Judy [Eaton],” says Carter.

Judy Eaton, currently an Associate Professor in Psychology at Laurier Brantford, is acutely aware of the challenges the university faces in combating academic misconduct. As universities have cracked down on cheating, students have come up with new, creative, and sophisticated ways to cheat.

“You’re no longer allowed to wear baseball caps because people were writing on the brims. You can’t have water bottles or Coke anymore because students were writing the answers on the inside,” says Eaton. “You’re not allowed to have your cell phone because it’s a portal to answers.”

Carter explains that when there is the opportunity to cheat, some are finding a way.

Eaton has noticed with the vulnerability of online assessment there is ample opportunity for rampant cheating.

“I just posted an online quiz—I gave them three days to do it—and the students who did it early on, the grades were much lower than the students who are doing it now” says Eaton. “It’s very difficult to know how to deal with it, other than to maybe scrap online quizzes altogether, because you can’t really monitor it.”

Carter has looked at IP addresses in the past, but even with this circumstantial evidence, she has not been able to prove — without a doubt — that cheating has taken place, because students are doing it in the privacy of their own living quarters.

Without any clear evidence, Carter has been unable to discipline suspect offenders of online misconduct.

Eaton, who will be filling her new officer position in a couple of months, is interested in finding out the severity of the cheating problem within Laurier Brantford.

“Sometimes [academic misconduct] happens and it doesn’t get to the [on record] stage, so it would be great to develop statistics on whether it’s increasing. Professors may or may not report it, for whatever reason (too much extra work, too much trouble), so I’d like to collect data on the incidence rate that it’s occurring. How many more times is it happening in a more casual way,” says Eaton.

The CCL report supports Eaton’s belief that there are cases of misconduct going unreported.

Surveys done by American and Canadian universities found that “41 per cent of faculty had admitted to ignoring incidents of suspected a c a d e m i c misconduct.” The survey shows there is not only

an increase in the rate of cheating, but that some professors are also turning a blind eye to the problem. These problems, compounded with impenetrable cheating of online quizzes and purchased-essays — and there is a real epidemic within postsecondary institutions.

Eaton stresses the importance of remaining vigilant for the sake of Laurier Brantford’s reputation: “It cheapens students degrees … we all kind of suffer ...

If we allow a culture of cheating, no one is well-served by it.”

Carter also sees it from an ethical viewpoint: “I guess this gets to the larger issue of what do students want to get out of this experience … if you are looking to simply get a paper at the end of four years, then I guess it doesn’t upset you, whatever means you use to get to that end. If however you want to learn something while you’re here and digest what we have to offer, and make these skills your own, then obviously the onus is on the student.”

12

The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

Fashion magazines out, Pinterest in Madison Hawkins Staff

(Art by Diane Sison)

Amber Richardson Staff

Mountains in Jasper

Olivia Rutt onto Landscape Board

Love love love antiques!!

Look at the pretty fall colours

Olivia Rutt onto Cool Things Board Olivia Rutt onto Autumn Board

With the cooler weather and leaves changing colour, it’s time to put away the shorts and update that fall wardrobe. Coloured jeans and over-sized scarves are in this season, but it isn’t always easy to know how to wear the newest styles. With an already tight school budget, it isn’t realistic to be turning to the hottest fashion magazines for tips on how to wear the newest designer trends. That’s where Pinterest steps in.

Pinterest is the newest fashion magazine that is more budget friendly, not to mention environmentally friendly.

With a simple Internet connection, you have thousands of trendy, up to date clothing and hairstyle ideas available right at your fingertips. In addition to pictures of new trendy clothing, Pinterest also shares links to websites where you can ‘get the look for cheap’, and includes ‘how-to’ tutorials.

First year Mohawk College Art and Design Foundations student, Kira Meunier relates to those who want to keep up with the newest fashion trends, but are on a tight budget.

“I love Pinterest. With magazines, you have to throw them out [and] they cost money. They also take up a lot of space. At least with Pinterest you’re getting ideas from all over the world that are up-to-date,” said Meunier. “What else I love is the step-by-step tutorials [explaining] what

to do, especially with the nail [ideas]. I’m really bad with [figuring out] what to do,” she added.

Not only are fashion forward students using Pinterest to freshen up their style, but leading names in the fashion industry are also turning to the site.

Erica Billups from The Outcast Agency, the representative group of Pinterest provided some interesting information about the fashion boards belonging to those found within the industry.

Oscar de la Renta used Pinterest to live stream images of a bridal fashion show in April early this year. Keeping fashion lovers informed with up to the minute pins.

TOMS, who are famously known for their shoes, created a Pinterest board to introduce their new eyewear line, as well as their new wedding shoe collection. Calypso St. Barths hired a Pinterest fashion pinner to ‘live pin’ a Caribbean photo shoot for the label’s new summer look.

With live streams, fashionistas can get the newest fashion trends a lot quicker. No more waiting for this month’s magazine to hit the newsstands.

Whatever the occasion is and whatever the budget, Pinterest can help with outfit ideas, nail techniques and hairstyles. With new ideas and suggestions every minute being shared with 4 million visitors daily, there are endless possibilites.

BDSM (Bondage Discipline and Sadomasochism) is an increasing trend in the realm of sexual experiences.

The most common practice when engaging in BDSM is the delegation of roles: submissive and dominant.

Currently, male domination and female submission is the most common practice, but not by much. There is an increasing presence of male submission and female domination that has psychologists attempting to explain why social roles have been discarded, and also rationalizes why some people choose to keep and re-enact social roles in the bedroom (in feminine-submissive/male-dominated relationships).

First, it is important to note that BDSM, while integrated into one’s sex life, it is not actually about the sex.

Having dominant and submissive roles allow people to breach the margins of their social roles. For example, type-A personalities and Alpha males may actually experience psychological relief by handing their power and social dominance over to someone else, says Matthew Hutson of Psychology Today. In fact, those who may not be in socially powerful positions may enjoy taking control in the bedroom instead. Quite typically in these cases, the roles played in the bedroom are not reflective of the lives of the participants outside of the boudoir.

A current cause for controversy surrounding BDSM is its supposed “infliction” on the Feminist movement.

Upon discussing this matter with many females aged 1832, many women find that surrendering in the bedroom means succumbing to oppressive societal roles placed on women. Again, this goes back to the idea of Alpha personalities wanting to give up control. In fact many submissive women are in positions of power or authority in their social lives and are more than willing to allow their partner to take over that sense of control. It is also important to note that when regarding women as submissive, subs (especially women) often have more control than the one dominating them. There are ALWAYS limitations, and very often there is a safety word, which allows for the obedient to control what the dominant person is doing.

Dr. Leon Seltzer of Psychology Today states that female submission is often centered around the inherent want to be “irresistible,” or desiring a man to be unable to control himself in the sexual pursuit of the woman. Upon examining this theory and sharing it with the females I had previously talked to, the majority now find female submission to be a form of empowerment (as long as there are limitations).

Researchers Ogas and Gaddam suggest that both submission and dominance can trigger psychological pleasure. People are typically biologically and socially programmed to act a certain way (females submissive, males dominant), and both acting out those roles in extreme, and completely reversing them will provide pleasure in certain circuits of the brain.

This research suggests that taking on either or both dominant and submissive functions, either simultaneously or not, can prove to be an outlet for pleasure in both men and women. If being tied up or dominated is what you’re into, or you really want to know what it is like to take charge in the bedroom, talk to your partner about the guarantee of pleasure and try it out!

Five study apps you’ll actually use Danielle Piper The Ubyssey (University of British Columbia) By the onset of fall, many students find that the academic enthusiasm they felt at the start of the year has dissipated. Menacing midterms and tiresome term papers are looming closer and it seems that all those handouts and homework assignments are blending into one giant mess. For those of you who are constantly on the go, we’ve compiled a list of five study apps under $5 to help you get on track.

won’t my PowerPoint open? Oh no … no, no, no, no.”

If you’ve ever said those words before, then you know they’re not good. Dropbox specializes in storing extremely large files. Save your notes, group projects, presentations, music, videos and PDF documents here. Best of all, if you mess up, you can revert back to any previous version of the file. Platforms: All Cost: Free

Evernote Student Type: Dude … Where’s my notebook? Instead of endlessly flipping through your folders while the paper you’re searching for stares you right in the face, sync the notes and documents from your computer to your phone. Then access and share all your notes with one simple click. Platforms: All Cost: Free

iTunes U Student Type: The Overachiever Need more university-level reading material? Or another opinion on a topic? Maybe you need a better source for that term paper of yours? Welcome to iTunes U, which provides you with access to the New York Public Library and 500,000 lectures on a variety of topics from several other universities. Platforms: iPhone and iPad only Cost: Free

Dropbox Student Type: Dazed and Confused “Why

iStudiez Pro Student Type: The Young and the

Organized Ever wonder what it would be like to be perfectly organized? This app tracks your homework, class schedule and grades. It then presents a complete portrait of all the things you have to do today, tomorrow and in the upcoming weeks. Platforms: Mac, iPhone, and iPad Cost: $0.99 Flashcards Deluxe Student Type: The Professional You have less than 24 hours to memorize a semester’s worth of information. Challenge accepted. Whether it’s multiple choice options or open-ended questions, this app automatically turns off a card when you get it right.

This way, you have more time to revise the stuff you don’t know. Platforms: iPhone, iPad Cost: $3.99

13

The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

Radio show ‘Wright’s Rant’ unifies Laurier’s campuses Courtney Langstaff A&E Editor Radio Laurier is finally coming home to Laurier Brantford with a more unique show, “Wright’s Rant: The Brantford Takeover.”

Fourth-year Law and Society Student Matt Wright, from Laurier Brantford, sat down with me to talk about his new show that he says is based on exposing the hip hop culture and musical talents of Laurier Brantford and Waterloo Students.

Wright explains that his interesting name of his radio show comes from his “knowledge and passion of music and how it can be transcended into our everyday life.”

‘Wright’s Rant’ is one of the first radio shows to come out of Laurier Brantford to be put onto Radio Laurier based out of the main Wilfrid Laurier Campus in Waterloo. When Scott Glaysher, host of “The RapUp” on Radio Laurier heard of Wright and his musical potential he immediately approached him and added him to the radio lineup. Wright explains just how easy the process was. “[Glaysher] messaged me and had the idea of me on Radio Laurier because we share a similar ideology and he wanted the station to branch out,” said Wright. After planning through the summer “it became official about a week prior to school, Radio Laurier had to approve it.”

Wright added.

Wright’s Rant brings a unique interpretation of hiphop, and shines light on local talent within and around

the Laurier community on both campuses. Starting a radio show is not necessarily a common thing for a student to do and Wright highlights his inspiration for his show.

“My passion for music made me want to start the radio segment, I wanted to be able to represent our Brantford campus and create unity of both campuses through love of music where listeners can address their thoughts,” said Wright.

One of the main purposes Wright describes for his new hit show is to bridge the gap between campuses through music. He wants people to come together with their ideas and thoughts within the realm of music because he feels that, “our school is segregated by campuses, and music is more than just a sound, it is an art or a passion that connects us all in some way.” Explains Wright. “I preach for audiences to tune in and get involved even if they like my show or not,” he added.

One difference between Radio Laurier and Radio Laurier Brantford, Wright notes is that “[Radio Laurier Brantford] does not provide a studio and live-to-air discussion” where as the Main campus’ station provides that extra factor to create conversation between the host and the listeners.

Wright’s Rant is broadcasted once a month on Wednesdays for two hours beginning at 8 p.m. Listen live for the next ‘Wright’s Rant: The Brantford Takeover’ on Radiolaurier.com on October 17th.

Matt Wright in the Studio. (Photo courtesy of Matt Wright)

Studio id band members. (Photo courtesy of Studio id)

Subject id ready to rock illScarlett show Stephanie Di Bartolo Staff Having been a band for only a little over a year now, Brantford, Ontario natives, Subject id are quickly making a name for themselves in Brantford and the surrounding areas.

The band was recently selected as a supporting act for Canadian rock and reggae group, illScarlett, and with the big show at Club NV just a few days away, Subject id is ready to rock Brantford.

With front man Dave Mercante on vocals, guitar and piano, Anthony DeDominicis on guitar, Taylor Kitchen on bass, and Levi Kertesz on drums, these four guys have managed to create their own unique sound, and broadcast their talent together under the name Subject id.

“Dave and I have been friends for a long time, since we were in high school basically, and then we both went to Brock and we lived together and every night we would just write stuff on our acoustic guitars” said guitarist, Anthony.

“We kept writing more and more, and then we found Levi, which is another good story,” he added.

Dave explained that his dad managed a Shopper’s Drug Mart and Levi had handed in an application for employ-

ment that mentioned playing drums as a hobby of his.

“My dad called Levi and said, ‘Hey Levi, you didn’t get the job, but my son plays in a band so could I pass along your email [to him]?” laughed Dave.

Then there’s bassist Taylor Kitchen, which Anthony says he has been friends with forever.

“He’s always played guitar and piano. He’s really skilled,” Anthony mentioned.

The boys have played several shows throughout Southern Ontario, including stops in St. Catherines, Toronto, and, of course, their hometown.

“We’ve played Toronto a lot recently. We played at the Rivoli a couple of times and we did the Sound Academy, which was really sweet,” said the guys.

After receiving the news that they would be supporting illScarlett on their stop in Brantford, Subject id has nothing but excitement in the coming days of the show.

“A friend of mine, Jamie Mittendorf, runs shows around here and owns a company called Blackout Productions. We played a show with Street Pharmacy and after the show we asked [Jamie] if he had a spot for the illScarlett show and he

put us on the bill. We were really excited,” explained drummer, Levi.

Though the guys are super stoked to share the stage with illScarlett, there is another part of the show that they are really looking forward to.

“The crowd, definitely,” started Levi, “If it’s an illScarlett crowd, it’s going to be big. I’m excited to just talk to people after the show and see how many people we can get to check us out again.”

The band also has some other super exciting projects in the works.

“We have plans for a live EP. We’ll be recording very soon and it will be six to eight tracks,” said Dave. “And we’ve just printed t-shirts which can be purchased by contacting us through Facebook or picking one up at the merch table at our shows,” added Anthony.

With so much excitement surrounding Subject id in the next few weeks, it is safe to say that big things are coming for these boys, and they are definitely making their city proud.

14

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The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

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15

The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Homecoming heartbreaker Anthony Fusco Staff The Laurier homecoming game ended in heartbreak. With just 14 seconds left on the clock, Guelph kicker Daniel Ferraro made a nine-yard field goal that put the Gryphons up 22-19. Three plays later and the game was over leaving the Golden Hawks dismayed with a 2-3 record on the season. ''We're extremely disappointed,'' said Head Coach Gary Jeffries, ''I thought we played the first 20 minutes as well as we could play. Our kids played our hearts out and I’m proud of this group.''

Coach Gary Jeffries was optimistic, despite the loss. When asked about the

effort his team gave during the game he said that the team fought hard.

“I think our kids competed hard for 60 minutes, this is all I ever ask. We fought back from nine down in the second half and had a chance to win with the ball in their end in the last five minutes,” said Jeffries The game was an extremely close affair between the two teams. Laurier jumped out to a 10-1 lead courtesy of a field goal and shortly thereafter a touchdown. Despite the lead, the Gryphons didn’t give up and fought back with a couple touchdowns of their own to make the score 15-10 halfway through the second quarter. Before halftime arrived the Gryphons were leading 19-10.

In the second half the Laurier defence

stepped up and shut down the Gryphons offence. This allowed the Golden Hawks to work their way back into the game and eventually tie it up at 19 apiece. But with time winding down, that fateful field goal was kicked in and the game was over.

The Golden Hawks squad was again hurt by turnovers in this game by giving up three interceptions and a fumble. This has been a continuous problem the squad has tried to correct since the beginning of the season.

“More physical mistakes than anything.

If we could change four or five plays in the game the result would have been different...I know we can though! Defensively we must tackle better,” said Jeffries.

The team dynamic is also very good

Men’s extramural hockey team ready to go Craig Hagerman Staff The Laurier Brantford men’s extramural hockey team held its first tryout this past Tuesday and already there is a lot of optimism surrounding the team. The boys came off a season last year where despite some impressive semi-final appearances and great play, they were never able to bring home any hardware. However, cocaptain of the team Dylan Jones believes that the team will have the players to be competitive this year, with a core of returning players leading the way.

“I am expecting just over half of last year’s team to be returning players, with a core group of third and fourth year students who have all played on the team since their first year, so I am expecting good team chemistry once again this year,” says Jones.

Despite this core group of third and

fourth year students returning to suit up for the team, they will be missing a big part of their team due to many veteran players graduating last year.

As captain Dylan Jones points out, “The other half of the team last year were older players so we will miss their experience, but there are plenty of talented first and second years who I expect to fill those positions and be able contribute to the team right away.”

Recreation Program Coordinator Lynne Gulliver, who’s in charge of scheduling games and piecing together the team, was impressed by the tryouts on Tuesday and also by the number of junior who came out.

“I feel the tryouts went well. We had 28 guys tryout and we were only able to take 15, plus two goalies. There were a lot of first years attending which is always good to see,” says Gulliver.

Although the boys are filled with talent

this year, despite the loss. With new young players as well as veterans, the team has become very close.

Coach Jeffries also wanted Brantford campus Golden Hawks fans to know that they should keep supporting their team.

“Don't give up on us, these kids are competing day in and day out and working extremely hard, we want to make Laurier proud!” said Jeffries.

Laurier has a couple games left on their schedule that are sure to be entertaining.

First up is the always-strong Western Mustangs, and rounding out the list is the powerhouse McMaster Marauders. Come out and support the Golden Hawks as they make their push for the playoffs!

Homecoming fans. (Photo by Kim Jackson)

up and down the roster and have made the semifinals on a regular basis, Jones believes that changes need to be made to how the boys play together as a team. He feels the team needs to play on the ice as a unit with everyone knowing and doing their part for the team.

“In my opinion, this year our team needs more structure. We have a roster of very talented individuals but we ended going into tournaments and playing in a scrimmage style, which worked against weaker teams but was too inconsistent in the long run. I would like to see us establish certain players as specialists, i.e. power play guys and penalty kill guys, so that guys have a role that they can really get into and they know their job each game,” says Jones.

Gulliver also believes that this team is something more than what it has been in previous years, especially with the overall dedication and attitude of the guys.

“Compared to last year we seem to

have more talent and dedication. This is very important to me as I look for a team that is both committed and good role models around campus,” says Gulliver.

Co-captain Andrew Pawluk also believes this year’s team has added talent to an already solid roster and believes that these improvements may be what the Hawks need to finally come out on top.

“We have added some talented new players as well as depth to the lineup. We have a dedicated and passionate group of guys and hope to bring home a championship to Laurier Brantford,” says Pawluk.

The team is currently trying to organize an exhibition game against Conestoga College for October 19, but until that comes together the boys will be getting ready for their first tournament scheduled for November 23, when they head to Humber College with the hopes of finally bringing home some hardware.

Marlies wrap-up pre-season in Brantford Craig Hagerman Staff It was the perfect end to the Thanksgiving long weekend for 1,800 hockey fans as the Toronto Marlies finished off their two game pre-season series against the Hamilton Bulldogs in front of a sold out Wayne Gretzky Centre. After winning the first of two exhibition games by a score of 3-1 in Cobourg, the Marlies finished off the pre-season with a 2-0 win over the Montreal Canadiens affiliate.

It was a very tight game, and the Marlies relied heavily on the strong play of goalie Ben Scrivens – especially during the first period when the Marlies were outshot 17-6.

The Marlies however, were able to strike first when half way through the 2nd period captain Ryan Hamilton was sent in on a breakaway and deked past the Bulldogs’ tender.

The Marlies would add another goal when Sam Carrick finished off a beautiful cross-ice pass from Greg McKegg. For Carrick it was his first goal as Marlie. Goaltender Jussi Rynnas would finish off what Ben Scrivens started, as he was able to preserve the shutout for the Marlies who finished the two game series outscoring the Bulldogs 5-1.

For forward Greg McKegg, having another solid game on Monday may have helped to solidify a spot for him on the roster. The Marlies are expected to trim the roster down Tuesday and with his solid play throughout training camp, along with a goal and an assist during the two game series, it seems McKegg might be a lock to make the team.

In a TSN.ca report, Coach Dallas Eakins has been impressed with McKegg and what he calls his swagger. “I just feel like he’s getting a little moxie going there. It’s good to

Marlies game (Photo by Alicia Saunders)

get your swagger, especially when you’re a young guy and I feel like he’s kind of getting there. We’ll have to go over our opening night lineup, but I would be guessing that he would be in.”

Unlike the NHL, the AHL has no roster restrictions and Marlies head coach Dallas Eakins plans to take advantage of that. “We might keep two or three guys on fifth line

to start and the other guys might go play [elsewhere].” Eakins also plans to keep eight players on the blue line, believing that each defenseman brings something to the team and could each play a valuable role. “We’ve got eight guys who can all firmly play in the league, on any team,” said Eakins.

The Marlies will be looking to keep up their winning ways when they open the

2012-2013 season on Saturday when they take on the Buffalo Sabres’ AHL affiliate from Rochester at 5:00 at Ricoh Coliseum. So, with an NHL lockout in-effect, hockey fans may now get their hockey-fix from the AHL and once again the Marlies will hope to push for another chance at the Calder Cup.

16

The Sputnik // Thursday, October 11, 2012

OPINION Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

Falling out of orbit Alicia Saunders Staff It’s different here. The walls are vibrant, filled with “Roommate Wanted” signs, advertisements for various events, as well as local ads. It feels like a maze with all these staircases, hallways, and doors; ones that could lead anywhere. It’s probably best to find a route around here first so I won’t get lost, because after all, this is a weird place that I don’t know. It seems like I’m so far away from home, but I’m not; this is my home. This is my university.

This is the difficulty of being a Laurier Brantford student. The minute I step onto the university grounds in Waterloo, usually for a fleeting event, it feels like I’ve been transported to a different planet.

It’s not just the scenery that’s changed; it’s the entire atmosphere of a more “typical” university campus. It’s larger, with more to offer, and even more to see.

Though I know this is my university, too, it never quite fits. I know that I’m a Cinderella here.

At midnight my time will run out, and I’ll return to the life I’m used to back in Brantford. A yellow school bus is my pumpkin, and the fantasy of living here will run out. So I soak in as much as I can, because I know it’ll all be over soon.

I’m here for the homecoming game, one of the only times I ever come here. I came prepared so I don’t draw any attention to myself, and feel even more like an outsider. I wear purple and gold like the rest of the campus so I blend into the crowd easily. No one can tell by looking at me that I don’t actually attend school here. It’s an invisible inferiority I feel, knowing that this isn’t my campus.

I have been lucky over the years that I can fake my way around. My sister was here for her undergrad and after visiting her during that time, I learned my way around. This also proved to be incredibly useful because I know the language of this campus, both verbal and non-verbal. I know what the Terrace is, and that the hawk outside Wilf’s, the campus pub, is sacred and should never be stepped on, no matter what.

So in this way, I’m probably the best person to explain this unnerving feeling to you, since I’m not a completely lost Brantford student, but I’m also not a native of this campus. It’s the worst feeling when someone asks you what program you’re in only to have to further explain that the reason they’ve never heard of Journalism is because it’s only offered in Brantford. This usually leads to the next question of where Brantford actually is. I’m now able to quickly respond, with the explanation, it’s in close proximity to Hamilton. But there is a certain look in people’s eyes when they hear that I’m from “that other campus.”

It’s not to say that our Waterloo counterparts think of themselves as superior to us, but for most

Why hazing is for losers

of them they simply don’t know anything about us. And why would they? Even though our campuses are connected in many ways, in just as many they are separated. First, we call ourselves Laurier Brantford, which automatically labels us as different. Why not just call us Wilfrid Laurier University like they do in Waterloo? Also, it feels like the only times we ever see any sense of community is at homecoming. While this is all well and good, having a sense of being united doesn’t do us any good when it only happens once a year. Yes, we are represented in the Student’s Union, but our voice isn’t likely to be heard over those that represent Waterloo’s wants and needs. We are the same university, so shouldn’t we be seen as equals?

But we aren’t, so we continue to carry around this hidden feeling of being an outsider every time we visit Waterloo. Well, that plus an enormous amount of campus envy. Personally, the library alone makes me incredibly jealous. A friend of mine commented to me at homecoming that it’s not just the campus she’s jealous of. For her, it’s the offcampus atmosphere that she longs for. The streets and streets of just students having parties bring out the quintessential movie university experience we all grew up watching. Of course, it’s hard to compare the student situation because Waterloo simply has more students than Brantford does.

That same friend pointed out something else to me that I had never really thought about before. She mentioned how we’ve become so accustomed to having to wake up early and take a bus for an hour to attend our own homecoming where at most other schools, students simply leave their houses and walk to campus; no long trips required.

Though I am glad that they do bring us there, otherwise this divide between the campuses would feel even more extreme.

Regardless of the efforts, this divide is still present. Sure, our school has been around since 1911, but the Brantford campus is still new. It’s been thirteen years since our campus’ doors opened and it’s grown at an amazing rate. So maybe that’s a part of my campus inferiority complex; I’m comparing apples and oranges. Is it really fair to compare campuses that have an 88-year difference? Waterloo has had an obvious head start. Who knows what Brantford will look like ten, twenty or even fifty years down the line?

I walk into the campus feeling like a foreigner, in a place that is supposed to be my home. But for me, my university experience exists in the pleasant city of Brantford, a place that has provided me with so many memories. So maybe I do feel like a stranger at the main campus, but I love my school.

Waterloo or Brantford, it doesn’t matter; because even though I may feel uneasy at the other campus, it is still Laurier. For me, Laurier is my home, and a difference in location will never change that.

Ouf of Orbit. (Photo by Elizabeth Medeiros)

THE MOUTHPIECE It seems that there is a virus of huge changes going through the websites for student resources on campus. Possibly the most frustrating to date is the new electronic format for the Weekly News. While, yes, it is pretty and using a cool program (it’s now hosted on issuu.com), it’s incredibly inaccessible to the average student. Some older students might remember Kevin Klein’s updates being less flashy, but at least we could read it uber-fast, and on-the-go. Blackberry’s have enough problems with the browser without trying to load a huge page like that, let alone trying to navigate it, that is, if the cell phone gods are

Hazing Sucks. (Art by Diane Sison)

Kaya Firth Staff Most student athletes responsible for hazing would tell you they were just having fun, or that it wasn’t serious. Although this may be true in some cases, it certainly isn’t in all. That’s why it’s worth examining what falls under the umbrella of hazing, and what truly is just good, old-fashioned, team bonding.

Hazing is formally defined as forcing a new or potential recruit to perform strenuous, humiliating, or dangerous tasks. Broken down so bluntly, it sounds demeaning and somewhat barbaric, yet it’s a fairly common practice among competitive sports teams. Hazing is distinguished from good-natured initiation rituals by an element of humiliation, intentional damage to a person’s physical or psychological well-being, and the establishment of a power imbalance within a team.

Humiliation often comes into play at rookie parties – events held by the more experienced members of the team specifically for the purpose of initiating new players. Usually, these parties involve forcing rookies to consume excessive amounts of alcohol to lower their inhibitions, making them more susceptible to doing humiliating or demeaning things that they wouldn’t otherwise do.

Sometimes excessive drunkenness is the extent of the humiliation, with pictures or videos being the only lasting effects.

There are more extreme cases, such as in 2005, when McGill University’s football team stripped their rookies naked, gagged them, and poked them with a broom handle. Any members of the team, it appears, will not soon forget such significant humiliation.

University teams are not the only ones that participate in hazing. The Windsor Spitfires, an Ontario Hockey League team, forced four rookies to strip naked in the bathroom on a team bus, and turned the heat up – a ritual called a “sweat box”. These examples are not only humiliating but also include an element of cruelty that definitely crosses the line of good-natured fun.

The impacts of being hazed can be far-reaching and long lasting. University is a stressful experience for new students, and people join sports teams

on your side and you manage to open it. Okay, so you can’t check it on your phone, not the end of the world – you’ll check it on your laptop in class. Unfortunately, you’re class happens to be one with bad internet connection, and it takes most of the class to log in, or load the damn thing. You run around as students do, and forget about the News entirely, until something awesome comes along and you missed out because “Well, it was in the Weekly News.” I can appreciate the effort put in by the Student Life Office to make it more visually interesting, but what was wrong with the old way? Open the email, scroll through until you find the sections you care about, read it in about five minutes (including time to jot down important dates), and move on with your day.

Sincerely, A traditionalist.

to feel like they belong. A negative team experience, where people are humiliated or made to feel inferior, can make the transition even more difficult, and sets the tone for insecurities in other areas.

Another concern arises when hazing rituals go too far, even unintentionally: this can be extremely dangerous. In November 2010, the men’s volleyball team at a New Brunswick university held an initiation party involving excessive amounts of alcohol. One of the rookies, Andrew Bartlett, was found dead the next morning. He had fallen down the stairs at his apartment building after the party and hit his head. This is an extreme example, but it’s easy to see how such a tragic accident could happen as a result of hazing.

Players humiliated or demeaned by these rituals, often lose their confidence.

Even after having earned their spot on the team, hazing can make them feel as though they don’t deserve it. Teams that don’t get along individually often don’t perform well as a cohesive whole. This can lead to frustration and resentment between teammates. With the rise of anti-bullying initiatives, most universities and sports organizations are taking a more strict approach to hazing. Where in the past, some institutions may have turned a blind eye, and let the team sort itself out. Now there are serious consequences for any team caught participating in hazing of any kind, including suspension for up to an entire season.

Administrators - coaches and general managers - of teams are also susceptible to punishment if they allow hazing on their team, motivating them to be more watchful.

Many teams have put together positive initiation experiences that are not degrading for the rookies, making them feel welcomed, and forming positive memories for everyone involved. These teams often create lifelong friendships, and these experiences are the ones that universities are now trying to promote, and as a result of this, the extreme cases of hazing are becoming more rare.

These are all steps in the right direction towards creating more communityminded players, and making organized sports something that students can enjoy and remember fondly.

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