Issue 8 - December 2, 2015

A furry Christmas / p.8

Trans remembrance / p.6

The Ed Board’s joy / p.7

Issue 8 | Wednesday, December 2, 2015 | www.thesputnik.ca

The essence of laughter Brittany Bennett Features Editor Laughter is a universal, natural phenomenon shared around the world in the lives of human beings. It doesn’t matter what language you speak, where you came from, or how you were raised, you know how to laugh.

Let’s be real, human babies are pretty well useless at birth.

We can breathe, eat and poop: very basic survival instincts.

But, laughter is just one of those things wired in the human brain that we know how to do since our very first breath.

Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from India, is commonly referred to as “The Laughter Guru” or the “Guru of Giggling” by outlets such as The London Times. Kataria devoted years of his life to researching the effects of laughter. Kataria says laughter is a stress buster, an analgesic, an aerobic exercise, a fighter against cancer and tumor cells, diabetes and cholesterol issues, a gene regulator, and can result in improvement on the cardiovascular system and overall immunity.

No wonder one of our natural instincts is to laugh.

But what an odd thing laughter is: a tangle of weird breathing, obnoxious sounds,

honks, snorts and squeals, a contraction of muscles, and sometimes a leakage of bodily fluids. Yet, is feels freaking amazing. Think about it for a second. This overwhelming feeling takes our body to insane measures of reactions, and something inside of us lifts our spirits in a way that is contagious to those around us.

So, I set off on the journey of laughter. I was seeking new and exciting ways to find joy in my life and share it with my readers. I was unaware of the laughter movement that has already begun around the world: laughter yoga, laughter telephone hotlines, and laughter clubs have taken millions to new and improved lifestyles and overall health.

I thought I would try a laughter hotline. Listen to some weirdos force noises over the phone to one another in an attempt to release endorphins in their brains and stimulate a sense of happiness that results in overall better health.

Sure, why not?

So I called the line that has so many reviews all over the internet, and began with The Laughter Guru himself.

Laugholution with Melanie R. sounded like a good time, so I found myself at 10 p.m. on a Wednesday night looking forward to laughing with this friendly looking stranger.

“We’re sorry, the number you have dialed cannot be reached from your line.”

What?! No way! I could ac-

tually hear the sound of glass shatter as my heart sunk in my chest.

I jumped to my laptop, frantically searching google for another number to call, but each and every website leads back to this same general line.

I was actually pissed off.

I thought maybe it was just

“

And there I was, alone in my car, with the one little light shining in my eye, feeling like shit.” my phone provider, so I set off to try a friend’s phone the following night.

As I was driving over, I felt myself feeling a little bummed. Things seemed to be going so great this week, and there I was hitting a metaphorical wall with this laughter hotline, as silly as that may sound.

I get to my friend’s house, and he informs me I have to be quiet, so I could only use his phone if I went in my car to do the call. Thanks buddy, let’s make me look even more creepy and alone why don’t we?

So I found myself alone in

my car, a single light clicked on above me, praying that the line will connect.

“Welcome to the conference centre, a service offered by www.nocostconference.com Please enter your conference ID followed by the pound key” SUCCESS! I was so nervous, yet so excited.

“Thank you, please hold while we validate your conference ID.” A chipper song begins to play.

“Conference ID accepted. If you are the moderator press the star key now. Otherwise, please hold.”

The song continues.

“You are the only participant in this conference.”

And just like that, my smile swept away and I felt my face instantly droop in disappointment.

What?! Melanie, where are you?

I waited, and waited, and that chipper song soon made me want to throw my phone out the car window.

Wow, I could not believe how crappy I felt. This was supposed to be some silly thing I did to tell funny stories about later on. But there I was, desperate for some stranger to join this call and laugh abruptly with me for no reason. Is it totally pathetic that I have been thinking about this all week? Is it ridiculous that I was actually really excited to laugh for no reason to no one in particular? I guess maybe

I just wanted to be a part of something. Maybe I wanted to feel something unknown, something irregular from my day-to-day life, something that I didn’t understand. And there I was, alone in my car, with the one little light shining in my eye, feeling like shit.

So I tried again, and Melanie failed to join the call, again.

A couple days later I went for Happy Hour Laughter Group Call with Kevin at 8 p.m.

“You are the only participant in this conference.”

Fine. Maybe the laughter hotline thing just was not meant to be. I did some more research and found a laughter yoga class in Hamilton. Advertised for every Sunday it said, “be prepared to have the happiest day of your life, so far!

Bring water and your childlike spirit.” I thought that sounded absolutely wicked, how perfect. So I called in to confirm my attendance. They didn’t offer the class that Sunday.

I guess I wasn’t destined to laugh with strangers and tell you all how weird it felt. Instead, you get to see how weird I am for having this strange desire to laugh with random people. But also, you get to see how much laughter truly does affect a person, even just the absence of laughter takes its toll on your mental wellbeing. Now, I shall leave you with the proposition of laughing with a random stranger this week. Because, why the hell not?

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What to do this holiday

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and yes that means it is crunch time because Christmas is approaching. With the holiday season now here there are many things you can look forward to enjoying with your family and friends.

If you are traveling home for Christmas here are some places you may want to stop and see. Toronto has its annual Christmas Market where you can eat, drink and shop for Christmas gifts for your loved ones while listening to live music and Christmas carolers singing songs of Christmas cheer. Victoria Park in Niagara Falls has a Winter Festival of Lights you can walk around and enjoy the scenery with a warm cup of cocoa and your loved ones.

And if you are staying in Brantford for the holidays you can always catch a Christmas show at The Sanderson Centre. They have The Nutcracker and The Brantford Symphony Orchestra “Ring the Christmas Bells!”

As well as spending some time with your friends skat-

It’s the time of year for decorating, and holiday cheer.

(Anna Principato/ The Sputnik

ing in Harmony Square, once the weather is on track. If you are planning on spending time with the ones you love here are some simple things to do: ice-skating, Christmas movie marathon, driving through the neighborhood while looking at the lights, a walk in the park with hot cocoa, making gingerbread houses, Christmas shopping and Christmas baking.

I am looking forward to all of the food on Christmas day and just being able to spend time with my family and friends. My favourite Christmas tradition my family has is to write down three things this year that we are thankful for. We can look back at how our lives have changed over the years with new people

coming into the family and reminiscing on the ones who are no longer with us.

I think whether or not your family celebrates Christmas or has traditions, it is a great time to just spend time with the ones you love. School is over so you can be stress-free for some time before reality sets back in. You can also focus on yourself just relaxing and spending quality time with your friends who you don’t get to see you while you are in school.

Remember during the holidays to be safe with the icy roads and bad weather, and responsible when drinking your families’ special eggnog and all the other Christmas drinks. Have a safe and happy holiday!

(Anna Principato/ The Sputnik)

Misusing the soapbox In This Issue News Santa Claus Parade Dillon Giancola EIC If we are honest, most of us think of the word joy as cheesy, or phony. It does not seem to carry much weight, or be something that we truly value. At least as young adults, we may think it doesn’t have a place in our lives. We think sometimes we are happy, and sometimes school is hard and life sucks.

But what a shame this is.

If we would allow ourselves to grasp that elusive unspeakable joy, our lives would be transformed. Or at least we would be better able to manage our stress.

Not that it’s an easy task by any means, but merely the pursuit of joy is powerful enough to elevate one’s state of being to a better level.

There is no season in our culture more associated with joy than the holidays. When Christmas comes around, that is a six week sign to me to care less about all the crap that I have to deal with or that exists in the world, and remember the little, but

essential things.

Family, giving, loving – extremely cliché, but extremely important. Just the act of spending a day or two surrounded with some people you love and no other obligations for that day has an unspeakable affect on our minds.

Or being thankful. No matter what seems to be going on, joy can remind you of all you have. It can also bring you to reminisce of things that have passed by.

This is one of my favourite parts of the holidays, being nostalgic about the amazing memories I have shared with my favourite people. Sure, reliving the past is not always the most healthy thing, but remembering the times that were, and thus the times that are sure to come, will often put a smile on your face.

It would be ignorant to not mention the fact that some of us may find nothing to be joyful about this holiday season. Some of you may have lost a loved one recently, or perhaps the season makes you think of those no longer with us. This is unavoidable and often uncomfortable, but what can lift you up in these dark times is joy.

Which brings us back to students and not expressing joy. We seem to identify joy and happiness as something childish, something that is not relevant in the real world of adulthood. But to make it through University, and the years to come, joy is essential. There will be countless obstacles and disappointments to come, countless reasons to doubt yourself and feel like you missed the mark. The perfect counterpunch to that is joy, the act of realizing that you can still be happy, and that life doesn’t end, just because you failed an exam or your relationships are changing.

When we can look back at our lives, and see all the times that we picked ourselves up and put a smile on when we thought there was no hope, allows us to at least try and do that the next time rough times come.

So this holiday season, remember to be mindful of all that is right in the world, and not all that is bad. Enjoy every moment you are able to spend with those you love, and try to laugh when everybody at the dinner table is laughing.

I know I will be.

Refugee Crisis

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Happy Chemicals What’s Your Thing

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Holidazed & Confused Featured Artist

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World Juniors Laurier Extramurals

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Charlie Sheen Happy Tristan

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Features

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Anya Eland | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

Santa Claus returns to the streets

Santa Claus, doing a test run in Brantford’s Christmas Parade. (Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik)

Konnor Huard Staff Writer The annual Brantford Santa Claus parade rolled through downtown Brantford on Saturday night, bringing lots of smiles, laughter, and holiday wishes to everyone. This year’s parade saw 110 entries (with 70 floats). There were marching bands, food drives, dogs, and even alpacas as some of the entries into the parade.

This year’s theme was Christmas in film. There

were a lot of floats featuring different movies, including: Charlie Brown, Star Wars, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. “The theme changes every year. Last year theme was 40 years in Christmas, essentially based on the first 39 years of the parade,” said the committee chair of the parade, Shawn Stemmler. The parade goes on every year.

After the parade ended, Santa Claus hopped off his sleigh and went to the public afterparty happening in Harmony Square. The after-party had live music, vendors, and pictures with Santa. “Essentially it’s a party after the parade.

Santa is there and the kids can get their pictures taken with Santa and Mrs. Claus.”

Stemmler said, “I love seeing the kids smiling … you see all the kids light up when Santa shows up.”

“My favourite part about the parade is that it happens,” said Dave Carol, who was on the Freedom House Living Nativity float. “My favourite part is the fact that it’s one of the two biggest things [the other being Canada Day] in the community that the entire city comes together for.

You see people from all walks of life coming together to do good.”

“For the last three or four years it’s been the same. For a lot of years it was different each year based on what the theme of the parade was, so we would change it up each

year. For a lot of years Captain Kindness was a part of it, a character we created a while back,” Carol said, “but for the last four years, it’s been the Living Nativity … We have recreated the manger scene, so we have a full, really neat set that we use for the Living Nativity over in Harmony Square. So, we tear it down and rebuild it and rejig this thing, to be able to go on a big, giant flatbed truck. So our float is the stable, there’s bales of hay all over it.”

“Typically we’re in the range of 20,000 to 25,000 people. It’s a big event, a lot of people line the street,” Stemmler said, when asked how many spectators the parade was expecting.

There is a lot of behind the scenes work that goes on as well. “We have to work on the road closures... We have to do maintenance on the Santa float to make sure it’s fresh for Santa when he comes. Any other logistical issues with the road closures; making sure the traffic department has barriers put up for us; liaison with the city police and the auxiliary police to make sure we have traffic officers; and auxiliary officers for the road closures.” Stemmler listed off many things that need to be done in order to make sure the parade runs as smoothly as it can.

Social services prepare for the winter Taylor Burt Staff Writer As many prepare for the cold winter ahead, some are thinking about others. Shelters, the Food Bank and other organizations receive donations all year round, but it may be most important during the winter months.

“We strive to serve a hot [nutritious] meal and we serve any kind food you would serve in your own home; spaghetti, meatloaf, mac n’ cheese, a lot of casseroles. Our budget is low so we rely on the generosity of the

public, local businesses and our congregation for support,” said Brandy Greentree, a community resource advocate at the Soup for the Soul organization.

“We serve an average of 175 people every meal. The amount of people we get varies on the time of the month.

At the beginning of the month we have less people because checks are out, like Ontario Works, ODSP and pensions. As the month goes on our number rise because the money they have been given and the food they purchased is running out,” said Greentree.

“The Food Bank is available five days a week and is open to everybody,” said Cindy Oliver, the Food Bank Program Manager. “People can use the

Food Bank once per month.

They receive a 2-3 day supply of food based on their family size. People need to bring identification for each member of their household,” said Heather Vanner, the executive director for Community Resource Service.

The Food Bank also has a unit in which some employees gather volunteers to make Christmas baskets for people in need.

“The difference between the two programs is that the Christmas baskets [are] geared towards income and the Food Bank is open to anyone.”

Oliver said, “It’s two parts, there is toys and there is food. For toys, parents come in, they register and come back at a later date to pick

up toys. We provide toys for children 14 and under. For food, we provide a hamper.

Last year we did just over 2200 hampers. They come with non-perishable food in it and we add in a turkey or ham depending on the family size, potatoes, carrots and apples.”

The Food Bank also has other services that helps people find jobs, the foodbox program, an income tax program and a backpack program.

Not only is food important around the winter, but shelter is too. Some organizations cannot provide this kind of service, but they do point people in the right direction.

“We would refer individuals to the city housing depart-

ment if they needed help, or to the Welcome In (Out of the Cold) Shelter,” said Vanner.

“The shelter is open to men and women 19 and up,” said Roger Luton, Resource Centre Manager at the Welcome In Shelter. “We have no limit on their stay but begin working on housing right away.”

People are encouraged to donate what they can to help these organizations helps others in need. Oliver explained that donations are quite slow this year compared to past years.

The organizations make it known that they are grateful for the people that donate and for the people who give their time to help.

“We couldn’t do it without our volunteers,” said Oliver.

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Anya Eland | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

What brings students joy?

Anya Eland Photos by Christina Manocchio

Students at the Ugly Christmas Sweater Party hosted by the Nighthawks share what makes them joyful.

A holiday in Brantford Anya Eland News Editor The Holidays are coming up fast. Students are planning schedules on what they are doing for the holidays and many are going home to their families. However there are many students who cannot go home for the holidays due to last minute flights being all booked up to their far away homes. Don’t worry! There are many different types of events going on in Brantford during the Holidays to keep you busy and happy.

Brantford Lights at Glenhyrst When: November 27- December 26, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Where: Glenhyrst Art Gallery of Brant, 20 Ava Rd., Brantford

Criyl Tuazon

Want to enjoy looking at thousands of colourful lights?

Glenhyrst is putting on this annual event for the fourth time. Throughout the 16- acre park at the Glenhyrst Art Gallery, thousands of Christmas

lights will be switched on. It’s a beautiful scene. The event has started running and will continue until Boxing Day from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. There is no admissions fee to enter the gallery but donations can be made to the gallery or to the Brantford Food Bank. This event really lets people enjoy the holiday season.

Brantford Symphony Orchestra presents Ring the Christmas Bells When: Saturday, December 12, at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts Want to hear a beautiful orchestra play a bunch of beautiful Christmas music?

Head on down to the Sanderson center on Dec. 12 at 7:30 to hear the Brantford Symphony Orchestra present, Ring the Christmas Bells. Tickets are $20 for students. The symphony will also have special guests: Brantford Collegiate Men’s and Women’s Choruses.

Illusionist Vitaly Beckman When: Wednesday December 30, 7:00 p.m.

Where: Sanderson Centre

for the Performing Arts Want to enjoy a show full of illusions? Vitaly Beckman is an illusionist who performs tricks that many have never seen before. He is a mindblowing performer who never disappoints his audiences.

Some of his magic is impossible but amazing. Tickets are only $25. Go check out this amazing illusionist for some fun.

New Year’s Eve in Harmony Square When: Saturday, December 31, at 9:00 p.m, to 12:00 a.m.

Where: Harmony Square Don’t spend New Year’s Eve alone! Head on down to Harmony Square for a fun party.

The event will start at 9 p.m., to 12 a.m. There will be food, skating, music and fireworks to top off the night. The Ascot Royals will perform at 11:30 p.m. to get ready for the New Year’s Eve fireworks. As well, Canadian figure skater Mary Orr will be at Harmony Square performing an ice skating demonstration. Beaver tails will also be up for purchase!

Finding hope amidst the refugee crisis

Shreya Shah Staff Writer

Kate McKinnon

Sabrina Martinelli

Laurier Brantford hosted its very first mock refugee camp on Nov. 17. The event, which was hosted by Laurier Brantford’s committee of World University Service of Canada (WUSC) students, was held in the RCW lobby. WUSC is an Ottawa-based non-profit organization that focuses on the international development and empowerment of students.

A tent was set up in the lobby and inside were a few essential items, including pots, pans, a clothesline and a makeshift bed.

Dammee Sero, who works as the student refugee program coordinator, hoped that the event would help raise awareness and bring attention to the turbulent lives of refugees. “I know some people have never heard about refugees,” said Sero.

Sero, who is also a Laurier international student, has had first-hand experience with refugee camps. Her family had to flee their home country of Ethiopia during a period of violence and civil

unrest. “I remember we left our house as a family. We didn’t tell anyone, and we didn’t take anything with us.”

In the following years, her father and brother fled to Kenya, and soon after they were joined by Sero, her mother, and her remaining siblings.

Sero and her family lived in a refugee camp in Kenya for ten years.

Sero explained that her dayto-day life in the camp consisted of helping out around the tent, going to school and spending countless hours doing homework. Dammee was lucky to be able to pursue her studies because her father, who was a school teacher, firmly believed in education.

It was at the camp that Dammee first heard about the WUSC Student Refugee Program, which sponsors students as they pursue a postsecondary education in Canada. The process to apply and be accepted, Dammee recalls, was very competitive, “The most important factor is your grades. There is a minimum requirement that you have to meet. You must also be under 25 years old and have verified

refugee status. You then have to pass an English test, and then there’s an interview with different NGOs, including the United Nations.”

The Student Refugee Program accepts one new student every year, and the university sponsors the cost of tuition, living arrangements and textbooks, and a support system.

Refugees are often violently persecuted due to their political, religious, racial, or national background. Currently, there has been an outcry for humanitarian support for Syrian refugees. An estimated nine million Syrians have been displaced due to the civil war.

While the refugee situation may seem dire at times, Laurier Brantford has taken on a leadership role. The university will be sponsoring a family of five Syrian refugees to settle in Brantford. The university will be offering financial aid and language support, helping the children settle into school, and assisting the parents with employment.

Cheers to the gift of giving.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

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Anya Eland | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news

Laurier Brantford students unite as one at MyRespect’s candle lighting ceremony Anya Eland News Editor Laurier Brantford’s MyRespect is doing its part to promote diversity and acceptance throughout the campus. The committee held a candle-lighting ceremony on Wednesday, Nov. 25. A speaker from Brantford’s Muslim Association was brought in to gain more of an understanding of what recently happened in Paris. There were many discussions at this event, especially ones about the Paris attacks.

“We discussed how many were sad, about how heartbroken we were to see the extreme increase of Islamophobia in our community and even on social media. Many of us got extremely emotional thinking of the discrimination the Muslim community was facing. We decided we had to do something to show solidarity on our campus,” said Kate Harvey, coordinator for the MyRespect committee.

It was important for the MyRespect committee to show their support with the Muslim community and to not listen to everything we hear in the media. The event had a great turnout with a great number

of students and faculty who came and united as one.

Imam (worship leader) Shaikh Abu Noman Tarek was the representative from Brantford’s Muslim Association who came to speak to those who came out to the event. He opened the eyes of many and talked about how the religion of Islam is portrayed in the media.

“Diversity is part of God’s plan … God said I made you different so that you recognize everyone. The difference is there for a good reason… not show you are superior to others and not that someone is inferior to others,” said Tarek.

“The word Islam itself means peace … why is there so much violence in the name of Islam?

The media portrays Islam that looks like all violence is from the religion of Islam. Violence is taking place in the name of greed, tension etcetera. It’s so complex. It’s not only happening in the name of Islam,” said Tarek.

Tarek referenced the Paris attacks. People of Paris attacked Syria after the Paris attacks and Tarek responded with, “Islam only teaches peace … you cannot fix evil by doing evil.”

Many people were moved and inspired by Tarek’s words that gave people an understanding of the Paris attacks and the religion of Islam. After the discussion, everyone

at the event gathered in the courtyard for the candle ceremony. All stood in a circle while Tarek said a prayer and had a moment of silence “I loved everything. I loved the way students and faculty came together. I loved the opportunity to listen and learn from my peers about their feelings and what I can do to support them,” said Harvey.

Right: Imam Shaikh Abu Noman Tarek, a representative from Brantford’s Muslim Association, gave inspirational words at the Candle lighting ceremony.

(Konnor Huard/ The Sputnik) Bottom: Students came together and held candles to support the Muslim community.

(Konnor Huard/ The Sputnik)

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Features

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Brittany Bennett | features@thesputnik.ca |

Remembering our transgender warriors Melissa Weaver Staff Writer This year has provided many social movements, one of the most notable being the transgender (trans) movement. Yes there has been talk of celebrities such as Caitlyn Jenner, Laverne Cox and Chaz Bono, Janet Mock and Ruby Rose, but what about the trans movement in our own community?

Transgender is a term that entails someone whose gender identity or gender expression differs from conventional or socially-imposed expectations of what is male or female, while cisgender (cis) is someone whose gender identity and gender expression is the same as the sex they were born with.

The term trans is used as an umbrella to describe the spectrum of people whose gender identity and expression, to varying degrees, does not correspond with their physical sex characteristics or society’s

assigned gender roles and expectations. Although, these terms continue to be highly debated within the LGBTQ community.

A peer support group for Brantford’s trans community can be found at Gender Journey Brant. This group welcomes individuals who identify as trans, gender fluid, or who are exploring their gender identity. They also welcome the support and respect from cisgender allies as well.

The group meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of every month from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Grand River Community Health Centre. In addition, the Grand River Community Health Centre holds a LGBTQ coffee social on the first and third Tuesday of every month from 6 until 8 p.m. as well.

Nov. 20, 2015 was the 17th annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. On this day people everywhere are asked to remember, honour and mourn the loss of these murdered individuals. Finn Cole, co-facilitator of Gender Journey Brant said, “I like to call them trans warriors, because they are trying to live their authentic lives, trying to be true

to themselves and having so many people hate us for just wanting to be us.”

For the first time the Ontario Parliament had a moment of silence for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Cheri DiNovo, an NDP LGBTQ critic, called for Parliament to honour and remember the trans people that have been murdered due to transphobic hatred and prejudice.

Cole said, “It is truly a great accomplishment for the trans community to be recognized

by Parliament.”

A Trans Murder Monitoring project that began in 2008 found that in the past 12 months alone, there have been murders of trans people in 29 countries. The majority of these murders were recorded in Brazil at 118 murders, 27 in the US, and 24 in Mexico.

The update shows that between Jan. 1, 2008 and Sept.

30, 2015, there were a total of 1,933 reported killings of trans people in 64 countries.

The report states that “throughout all six world regions, the highest absolute numbers have been found in countries with strong trans movements and trans of LGBT

organizations that do a professional monitoring.” Cole explained that “visibility is great, but the more visible we are can also have that negative impact because it puts us out in the public eye. For the people that hate, we’re on their minds.”

The murders committed against trans people are particularly disturbing for Cole, being a trans man himself. He said, “Whenever I start thinking about it, I want to cry.”

In Tokyo, a trans man by the name of Yoshi Tsuchida was found dead last week.

His body was mutilated and draped in a blanket while his head was covered in a plastic bag, face skinned off.

In Philadelphia, Keisha Jenkins was the twentieth trans woman of colour murdered.

She was shot in the back by five to six men as she was getting out of her vehicle.

In India, Suman Singh, a trans woman was set on fire by four people this past January and died of her injuries in the hospital.

“These are such violent acts, they go beyond the regular violent acts – I mean the indignities that are done to the

bodies ... it’s to the extreme,” said Cole.

According to the Trans Murder Monitoring Update, as of Nov. 9 2015, there were 271 trans persons added to the list to be remembered, mourned and honoured. However, because the victims of these murders are often miss-gendered or go unreported, the number is believed to be higher.

Laurier’s Rainbow Alliance committee hosted a Trans 101 workshop on Nov. 20. With 25 people in attendance, the event spoke about the trans umbrella and defined important terms and identities.

They went over proper etiquette when speaking to trans people and closed with a guest speaker and an open discussion for the attendees to ask any questions they may have had for the trans community.

Events like these must continue to happen to educate and inform people of the issues that trans people face.

Cole explained, “There is a large trans community in Brantford and unfortunately, a great deal of them are afraid to come out because of transphobia.”

The “happy chemicals”: what are they?

Gabrielle Lantaigne Staff Writer Happiness: the sought-after feeling that can for many, seem just out of reach. Whether it is exam stress, family troubles, or just being stuck in a slump, everyone deals with periods of unhappiness at some point in their lives (periods that they would most likely prefer to avoid). But in order to combat these bad feelings and to attain happiness, it helps to understand what happiness is, exactly.

It is a well-known scientific fact that happiness is caused by certain chemicals, called neurotransmitters, that are released into the brain. But what are these chemicals, and how do they work?

According to Loretta G. Breuning, founder of the Inner Mammal Institute, there are four main “happy chemicals,” and each one plays a different role.

Dopamine is released when you succeed at doing something. It is what makes you feel good about reaching a goal, like getting a good grade on a test, or learning to ride a bike, or shedding those last

five pounds.

Serotonin is released when you feel important. It is what happens when you feel validated, like when a stranger compliments you, or when someone likes that selfie you posted on Instagram.

Oxytocin comes from the feeling of trust. This is what makes you feel good when you are with people you are close to, like friends or family members.

Finally, endorphin is the short-lived positive feeling that the body uses to hide physical pain – also known as “runners high,” a feeling of euphoria when one exceeds their limits. Most people tend to want to avoid pain (with good reason), but small doses of endorphin are also released when you laugh or cry.

Knowing the chemical recipe for happiness is certainly a step towards it, but the next step is to learn how to use it.

Once you do, the results may surprise you: according to a recent study by Harvard T.H. School of Public Health, being a happier person can even extend life expectancy by significantly cutting down the risk of health problems such as heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

With those impressive benefits in mind, here are a few tips to help you tap into your “happy chemicals” and use them

Happiness is caused by four main “happy chemicals” that are released into the brain: dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin and endorphin. (Sai Gnanaharan/ the Sputnik)

on your journey to happiness.

Dopamine: Unfortunately, it is impossible to succeed at everything, and sometimes success is simply out of your control.

Knowing this, the best way to activate dopamine is “working toward a goal with positive expectations,” as Breuning puts it. In other words, keeping an optimistic mindset will help you feel happier, even during those times where you do not succeed.

Serotonin: “You can’t control the world and the importance it gives you,” says Breuning. “But you can train your brain to feel confident in your own importance regardless of what others do.” Essentially, this all comes down to your own

self-confidence. Ask yourself what makes you so great, what you are good at, and what you like about yourself. Make this a habit. The key is to become your own biggest fan.

Oxytocin: Spending time with friends, siblings, parents, cousins, grandparents, or a significant other are all good ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin. It is only natural to trust some people more than others, but Breuning’s advice is to “[enjoy] the trust you have instead of focusing on the trust you don’t have.” Paul Zak, a neuroeconomist at Claremont Graduate University in California, also recommends giving hugs, using social media and gift giving as ways to stimulate oxytocin release.

Endorphin: While pain is something most people try to avoid, exercise is a great alternative way to stimulate endorphin.

According to Breuning, “varying your exercise routine can stimulate endorphin without harmful excess.” A study

by Loma Linda University in California also found that laughter (and even just the anticipation of laughter) causes endorphins to be released, so bring that sense of humour with you wherever you go!

Although it can be difficult, science proves that the final result of putting these steps into practice is definitely worthwhile, and can help you become a healthier, happier person.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Features

The Sputnik

7

Brittany Bennett | features@thesputnik.ca |

Talking joy with the Sputnik editorial board Back, from left to right: Christina Manocchio, photography editor; Matthew Burley, arts and culture editor; Dillon Giancola, editor in chief; Ben Cooke, video editor; Jamaal Owusu-Ansah, lead photographer; Josh Adesina, opinion editor.

Middle: Devon Momy-Gamache, sports editor; Anya Eland, news editor; Sai Gnanaharan, graphics editor; Kina Ferrante, copy editor.

Bottom: Brittany Bennett, features editor; Jaclyn Brown, web editor; Taylor Berzins (in print), Brantford manager; Spencer Campbell, copy editor. (Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik)

Q1: What

makes you experience joy?

Jamaal: If I were to single out one thing that allows me to experience joy, it would singing.

Matt: Ugly Christmas sweaters, having no class for two weeks and spending time with friends and family make me happy.

Anya: Friends and family, free food, Captain America, Disney, naps, Harry Potter, movie soundtracks, my two roomies, giant teddy bears and puns all bring me so much joy.

Sai: Seeing everyone so happy during the holiday season makes me feel joy. All the love being shared and smiles als0 makes me feel so happy!”

Christina: Channing Tatum, the Grinch, David Beckham and showers make me happy.

Josh: Being able to spend time with important people makes me experience joy.

Devon: Being able to go back to Ottawa and watch Senators’ games gives me joy.

Brittany: Certainly my loved ones are at the forefront of all my joy. I would not be able to feel this wonderful experience without the help of my family and

friends - furry friends included.

“

For me joy is intrinsically human, something that stems from love and appreciation of another person’s existence- just being able to sit across from someone and embrace the energy of their voice and beauty of an honest smile.”

- Jaclyn

Ben: To be honest, the joy of others gives me the most joy. I am much more happy when everyone around me is as well.

Taylor: A thought provoking book and a glass of wine; or a bitter beer and some deep conversation; or tea and a challenging documentary all give me joy.

Dillon: Reading, listening to punk rock and metal, and watching sports make me happy. I also love laughing and making others laugh, inspiring and encouraging others, and creating.

Q2:What

do you look forward to most at the holidays?

Jamaal: One thing that I look forward to during the Holidays is Christmas Day. The reason why is because it’s the only time that I get to hang out with my relatives and play a bunch of games, which tends to be very, very competitive.

Anya: I love food of course and just being with family and friends. I love the feeling of Christmas with all the lights and especially driving with the song “Driving Home For Christmas” in the background. I love Christmas movies, TV specials, hot chocolate, mittens and sitting by the fireplace with a nice cup of hot chocolate. Christmas music on the radio is also one of my favourite things about this time of the year.

Brittany: I love that moment when I wake up Christmas morning (typically around 3 a.m. and every hour after until my family will let me wake them up), and I open my brother’s door as say “Santa was here!!!” We then walk into the living room to see the beautiful Christmas tree glowing in the dim morning with presents scattered across the bottom, stockings filled, the

beer emptied, the cookies nibbled on, and I feel like a child in a magical fairy tale all over again.

Dillon: I’m a huge holiday goof.

Eggnog and every Christmas CD ever, like Celine Dion’s and Bad Religion’s, but not Leona Lewis’. Seriously it sucks. Also Home Alone references, our family Christmas eve fondu, playing Taboo and Christmas Eve Risk. But mostly, treating the holidays like they are a two week vacation from work for everybody – even if you have to work at 7 a.m. the next day, you’ve still got to stay up late, struggle through the day, and do it all over again.

Repeat until Jan. 3.

Jaclyn: Christmas baking is a long-standing tradition in my family. Every year we host a gingerbread house and cookie baking party with four of my youngest cousins and my immediate family. I bake year round, but there is something that tastes beautifully different about cookies baked by the littlest hands with lots of love. I also love seeing my Dad dress up as Santa on Christmas eve- priceless.

Q3: What

is a guilty pleasure that makes you waytoo happy?

Matt: Eggnog, but adding a little rum makes you forget about that guilt real quick ;)

“

Buying cheap presents that people think are expensive.”

-Josh

Christina: David’s Tea, presents that are in the form of cash, alcohol, oh, and some “me” time of course.

Devon: Watching titanic and eating massive amounts of unhealthy food.

Taylor: Candy cane ice cream and dark coffee. Also lazy days listening to old timey Dragnet radio shows with my partner... But don’t tell him I told you that... Who listens to Dragnet? #BORING Anya: Pick-up lines, British accents, The Polar Express, Neville Longbottom and Ugly Christmas sweaters.

8

The Sputnik

Features

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Brittany Bennett | features@thesputnik.ca |

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Features

The Sputnik

9

Brittany Bennett | features@thesputnik.ca |

The Sputnik Presents: A Furry Christmas

Owner: Taylor Burt Name: Carmen Breed: Sheltie Golden Retriever, age 11 Fun fact: This sneaky gal once jumped out of a bedroom window onto the garage roof and the fire department had to get her down

Owner: Falynn Whynacht Name: Sweetee Breed: Short Hair Domestic cat, age 11 Fun fact: This cute little one has a patch of fur shaped like a heart on her side

Owner: Alex Bowers Name: Mirabella, age 12 Breed: Jack Russel Fun Fact : After cold walks in the winter this little gal loves to warm up in a hot blanket fresh out of the dryer

Owner: Christina Manocchio Name: Blossom, age 4 Breed: Korat cat Fun fact: This smokey girl hunts all of her toy mice and puts them in her food bowl every night

Owner: Kristen Burry Name: Tilly Breed: Shorkie, age 2 Fun fact: She gets so excited when she sees humans that her tail shakes her whole bum and she loses her balance quite easily

Owner: Jaclyn Brown Name: Howard (left) and Legend (right) Breed: Black Lab, age 3 (left), German Shepard-husky, age 4 (right) Fun fact: These two handsome fellas are both rescue dogs from Saskatoon

Owner: Kathleen Binder Name: Allie Breed: Tabby cat, age 7 Fun fact: This picky kitty will only play with pink toys, she’s kind of a diva

Owner: Samantha Irvine Name: Buck Breed: Pug, age 9 Fun fact: This perky guy can lick his own eyeball

Owner: Kyla Garvagh Name: Chewbacca Breed: Tabby cat, age 2 Fun fact: This fury ball loves helping his humans open their gifts Christmas morning

Owner: Tammy Bennett Name: Jax (left), Sneakers (right) Breed: Havanese Jack Russel, age 2 (left), Bichon-poo, age 9(right)

Owner: Lara Shkilnyk Name: Leo Breed: Boston Terrier, age 12 Fun fact: This guy snores louder than most humans

Owner: Gabrielle Lantaigne Name: Bindi Breed: Domestic Longhair cat, age 8 weeks Fun fact: This tiny kitten mitten lived on a boat before being rescued

Owner: Devon Winkler Name: Bear Breed: Morkie, age 6 Fun fact: This little dude can say “peekaboo” and knows all his toys by name!

Brittany Bennett Features Editor

M

eet the Santas, Spreading Holiday cheer in their big red suits.

Owner: Kyra Zahn Name: Kindred Spirit Breed: Barn Owl, age 2 Fun fact: This angry looking chap may not be alive in real life, but he is very lively in the hearts of his humans

Owner: Falynn Whynacht Name: Hamish Breed: West Highland Terrier, age 8 Fun fact: This furry boy follows his sister Dixie wherever she goes, even that one time with the skunk

Owner: Tayler Buchanan Name: Kitty, age 3 (but the spirit of 85) Fun fact: This old-hearted soul followed her owner home one day and the household has had her ever since

Owner: Ashley Chan Name: Sully Breed: Tabby cat, age 3 months Fun fact: Just like Big Foot, this young little one is difficult to catch on camera as he is always on the run

Santa Dale has been strapping on his fake beard for over ten years now. At the age of 55, Dale also works for Home Hardware Paint, and has been a member of the Burford District Optimist Club for 25 years. It was the Optimist Club that began Dale’s journey as Santa Claus during one of their events. Dale enjoyed seeing the smiles it put on the childrens’ faces so much that he began dressing up as Santa every year since. Dale donates a portion of his funding received as Santa to the Stedman Community Hospice each year. For a lot of events, Dale will even volunteer his time as Santa Claus. “You as students going out in life I would wish you would share some of you time as a volunteer, one way or another it comes back tenfold in the future.”

Santa Richard has been asked to dress up as Santa multiple times over the past four years because of his natural white beard. The Christmas season is very special to Richard and his wife, each December brings them a real Christmas tree and decorations on both the inside and outside of their house by mid-November.

Richard is 62 years-old and enjoys gardening, hiking, cross-country skiing, walking his dog, writing engineering technical articles for his engineering consulting business, and cooking. While Richard’s better half is still working, he defines himself as “the house-husband.” One of the most unique gifts a child has asked Richard for was to bring home their family from Syria and grandmother from the Ukraine. “You do feel like the old gentleman himself. You get involved in the character and it is magical to see the kids’ reactions and thoughts.”

Owner: Shelby Do Name: Luna, age 3 Fun fact: This smart cookie knows how to play fetch and shake a paw

Santa Jason is a 43 year-old truck driver that has been dressing up as Santa for at least 10 years now. Jason originally began dressing up as Santa Claus for his family until one day, one of his own children caught on to the man beneath the fake beard and Mrs. Claus had to put an end to Jason’s ho ho hos at family Christmas. Since Jason had the suit anyways, he thought he may as well put himself for hire and has been happily doing it ever since. Jason’s grand entrance as Santa Claus includes the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”, a Santa dance, and high fives and hugs all around. “I very much enjoyed doing it because I love kids and how excited the kids would be when they saw Santa (I am a big kid myself).”

Santa Sigmar has been putting on the red suit for 25 years now, for the pure pleasure of nurturing young minds.

At 66 years-old, Sigmar is a retired English teacher that still continues to supply teach here and there. The moment that began Sigmar’s desire to become Santa was when a hired Santa came to his daughter’s December birthday: a 6-foot 350 pound man could barely fit into his obviously cheap Santa suit, his black hair peeking from the sides of his beard and wig, and a strong odour of alcohol creeping through.

Thus, Santa Sigmar was born to show children what a Santa should really be like. Sigmar always tells the children in order to receive their gifts they must do something kind for others.

Once, a four year-old girl proudly replied that she watches over her little brother when mommy and daddy want to shower together.

“So merry Christmas, good luck on your exams and a safe journey home for those returning to family during the Christmas Layout and Design by: Laurissa Mallen, Contributor

Owner: Lauren Onslow Name: Harley Breed: Chihuahua Pug, age 1 Fun fact: This tiny boy will only eat his food if you say “amen” or “okay get it” before

Owner: Adrianna Neto Name: Talula Breed: Morkie, age 1 Fun fact: This little one’s best friend is a 150lb English Mastiff

Owner: Taylor Henry Name: Titan (right) Breed: Lab, German Shepard and Boarder Collie, age 6 Fun fact: This big guy can open a fridge all by himself!

Owner: Sarah Eyndhoven Name: Simba Breed: Domestic Shorthair cat, age 2 (5 months in picture) Fun fact: This little boy has managed to escape from every harness he has ever worn

Owner: Sarah EyndhovenName: Jasper Breed: Main Coon and Domestic Longhair cat, age 6 in kitty heaven Fun fact: This bundle of joy was the most affectionate cat you would have ever met

Owner: Becky Fuchs Name: Kingston Breed: Paint Thoroughbred cross horse, age 10 Fun fact: This sweetheart gives kisses for treats

Owner: Hayli LaRue Name: Michelangelo Breed: Rex rabbit, age 8 months Fun fact: This lazy dude quite loves chewing on the Christmas tree.

10

Arts & Culture

The Sputnik

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Matthew Burley | arts@thesputnik.ca |

Brantford’s Soup Kitchen’s offer monster portions and warm, family vibes

Volunteer Marg James, front, and staff are extra busy at St. Andrew’s soup kitchen this time of year. (Alex Vialette/ The Sputnik)

Alex Vialette Staff Writer

With the holidays in swing, churches and TV ads alike point our eyes towards those less fortunate and how we can help. There’s tons of different ways to get involved, some of the most common are through monetary donations, giving to food banks, toy drives and helping out at local soup kitchens.

St. Andrew’s United Church has been running a community soup kitchen for nearly 30 years out of its basement, called Soup for the Soul. They give out food to anyone that shows up without discrimination twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays. It does not matter to the staff and volunteers that run the kitchen

whether it’s a holiday or not, they are there for those that come to them in need.

“We get families, we get elders, we get teens, university students will come, it’s their first year out on their own right.” said the head of the kitchen, Tania Topolinsky. “We get anywhere from assistance to disability to struggling working families, and mental health, some people just come for company.”

It might be something we most never think about, but these kitchens do not just give out soup. The night when this interview was held they had a fajita casserole with cookies and salad.

“We try to be creative, changing our casseroles up so that it’s not the same thing but we do a lot of casseroles, we do chilli’s, soups in the winter, wraps in the summer. When we say wrap it’s not like a little wrap that you’d make at home it’s a monster wrap with nice, homemade potato salad, and

we try to make as many homemade desserts as we can,” said Topolinsky.

The bulk of the kitchen staff working at St Andrew’s is volunteers, with only two of the cooks being employed by the church. During the winter months they get a lot of university students helping out, but once the winter leaves, so does their help. “In the summer we struggle a lot with volunteers,” said Topolinsky, “sometimes it’s only two to three people here during the day, two to three people here during the evening.”

“When I first moved to Brantford,” said Marg James, a volunteer in the kitchen, “I was a single mom raising kids, then I was a single grandma raising grandkids, and it was just to go out and help with the income, you know help budget. I had a hard time trying to make ends meet. I’ve always volunteered, I started volunteering when I was ten so it’s just part of me.”

“I think everywhere needs this, everywhere needs programs like this to run,” said Topolinsky. “There’s people in here that are here for family, it’s like a Christmas dinner every day. You go to a big family reunion and there’s fighting, there’s laughing, there’s arguing, there’s bickering, there’s hugging, and that’s what it is.

Every single meal day there is

Merry Christmas has been put on the naughty list for the last couple of years. Canada is a nation known for its multiculturalism, and to assume everyone celebrates Christmas is juvenile.

However, why is this saying the only Christmas related thing taking a hit? Cities around Ontario are still putting up nativity scenes (Brantford’s nativity scene was recently relocated to Glenhyrst for Brantford Lights). Canadian Tire still sports the Christmas related slogan “Canada’s Christmas store since 1922.”

Despite the recent controversy, Starbucks still spreads some Christmas joy by offering a “Christmas Blend” in-

stant coffee and Christmas themed gift cards. Christmas classics are still being rerun on television and Santa’s are flocking to malls everywhere.

The examples are endless.

So what makes hearing Merry Christmas in public about as rare as getting a lump of coal in your stocking?

In recent years, many have tried to attain a certain level of political correctness, which has made many weary of trying to insult others. People are also uncomfortable assuming whether someone celebrates Christmas, which leads people to be less likely to spread some cheer.

Ahmed Hanfi disagrees with the idea that people shouldn’t

say Merry Christmas. Hanfi comes from a Djibouti and Somali background and doesn’t celebrate Christmas but he feels that “Merry Christmas is just something you say during the holiday season, so I don’t think about it much.”

Vikrant Jaswal, a second year Laurier Brantford student, has a refreshing view on the holiday season; coming from an Indian background, his family doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but they still enjoy the opportunity to spread joy by giving.

“My family celebrates only some cultural aspects of Christmas. It’s a holiday made to be together, so we show each other Christmas spirit

something, and we all know how everyone reacts to each other now and it’s taken me a while but you know when they walk in the door if they’re happy or if they’re sad.”

The City of Brantford has a full list of when various soup kitchens in the city hold meals, as well as where they are, on their website online.

Not all soup kitchens serve only soup. Fajita casserole is a popular item served at the soup kitchen at St. Andrew’s United Church. (Alex Vialette/ The Sputnik)

Holidazed and confused Matthew Burley A&C Editor In a country filled with different cultures, isn’t it a bit peculiar that we aren’t allowed to express ourselves?

The situation at hand is, none other than, the idea that saying Merry Christmas is one of the worst things you can do in December (other than drinking the eggnog that’s been sitting in the back of your fridge since last December).

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to understand why

by showing appreciation towards each other, having big family dinners, giving awesome gifts and simply spreading the good vibes.”

Sounds a lot like what Christmas is about, right?

Even though Hanfi and Jaswal are just two individuals and can’t speak for entire groups, they are two examples of how people who do not celebrate Christmas are fine with the use of Merry Christmas. They remind us that saying It is a sentiment that is used purely to spread joy. Hanfi and Jaswal also remind us that you need to be open to other cultures, so many of us have a thing or two to learn.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Arts & Culture

The Sputnik

11

Matthew Burley | arts@thesputnik.ca |

The Featured Artist: Charis Hesketh Matthew Burley A&C Editor The Featured Artist is a Laurier Brantford student who is constantly striving for creative and artistic excellence. The medium isn’t what’s important; it’s the art. This weeks Featured Artist is Charis Hesketh.

When did you begin writing poetry?

I started writing poetry when I was twelve years old.

I watched the movie Camp Rock and I thought that writing songs was the cool thing to do, so for a long time I strictly wrote cheesy three minutes love songs. Then my teacher that year made us do a project where we had to make a book full of poems that we wrote. At that moment I started writing poetry and I haven’t stopped since.

Do you like to express yourself through any other artistic media?

I express myself through singing a lot. A song is basically poetry with music and I always found it so interesting how you can relate to a song, and when you do relate to it and you go up in front of people and you sing about your feelings it’s therapeutic.

How does poetry help you express yourself?

Growing up I never felt that

my problems or my thoughts were important enough to talk about out loud. I thought that no one wanted to hear them so instead of talking about what was bothering me, I wrote. I wrote about my guy problems, my anxiety about the future, identity issues, grief, my friends, social justice issues or whenever I felt excluded. Poetry was the only way I could say the things I wanted to say out loud.

Which emotions do you find consistently in your work?

I think that my work expresses joy because at the end of the poem I always end up finding my way.

Has there ever been a time when writing poetry has brought you joy? When was this?

Writing poetry has brought me happiness multiple times in my life. Though the time that stands out to me was when I was twelve and I wrote a poem about becoming who I was and starting to not care about what people thought about me. I got to perform it in front of a group of people and I found that at that moment I really started to be myself.

How do the holidays affect your writing?

The holidays affect my writing because I have a break.

My life throughout the school year is kind of boring so during the holidays I get to experience things, and the major-

ity of poems are based off of my life so when I come back get to write about those experiences.

Who are some poets who have influenced you in the past?

Maya Angelou because she was someone who was so honest through her work.

How about now? How have these influences changed over the years?

Not really, I still look up to her because I like honesty, I like expressing myself through words and I think she did it the best.

I read your poem, “The Theatre of Life,” and I enjoyed how you set it up by separating it into acts. How does it feel to write a poem like that compared to something in a traditional format like a haiku or a sonnet?

Well when I was writing this poem I thought about what life was to me. In my head (mostly because I was a theatre kid) I think of life as a play, and so from there I thought of the stages or “acts” the graduates have gone through. I wanted it to be traditional at first but art is about breaking the rules a little bit. This poem would not have turned out the way it did if I didn’t step out of the norm.

What do you do when you get writer’s block?

To be honest I listen to music that sometimes helps inspires me. If that doesn’t help I go out and interact with people and sometimes just a simple conversation can spark something in me.

Any quick tips for the readers?

If you’re having writer’s block just put the pen down and go out. Talk to your friends, listen to some music, or read. When it comes it comes and sometimes it comes in the most random moments.

Charis Hesketh writes positive poetry, and is a writer for Blueprint Magazine. (Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik)

If you could organize a poetry slam with four other poets, dead or alive, who would they be and why?

I would have Maya Angelou, William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe and Robert Frost because of their different styles of writing also I want to see how they bring their experiences to their poetry and see how different it is for each other. Plus, Edgar Allan Poe was weird and I think that will be awesome to see.

The Night Before is another reliably funny performance from Seth Rogen and friends.

The creatures are stirring for The Night Before Shelby Do Staff Writer

The movie The Night Before was released into theatres last Friday. The film stars Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie as a group of friends celebrating their last Christmas together, before life inevitably changes their holiday traditions. Ethan (Gordon-Levitt) is reluctant to let his Christmas traditions end, but the changing lives of his friends, Isaac (Rogen) and Chris (Mackie), force Ethan to grown up.

While the film advertises Rogen’s comedic moments heavily in its trailers, with his typical drug-related humour and dick jokes, the plot predominantly revolves around Gordon-Levitt’s character and his refusal to deal with his past issues, specifically his recent break up.

Despite having the film revolve around him, Ethan is the least interesting of the three main characters. His plot about growing up has been done before in better comedies. That being said, Rogen and Mackie’s side plots are surprisingly more interesting than Gordon-Levitt’s and provide solid development for both characters.

All the character’s plots do well to highlight the film’s message of growing up, and dealing with the problems of being an adult. The plot, along with the films 18A rat-

ing, effectively relates to their target audience - young adults in their late twenties and early thirties.

Mackie, though known for playing Sam Wilson/The Falcon in the Captain America films, as well as smaller, dramatic roles, proves himself in The Night Before, delivering solid bits of comedy, and maintaining great chemistry with Rogen and Gordon-Levitt, despite not working with either actor before.

Another shocking standout: Michael Shannon’s character, Mr. Green, who is not advertised in the trailers. He takes on the role of the “wise old man,” serving as a mentor for the three friends, and flips the trope on its head slightly, taking on the persona of an experienced stoner, who leaves viewers both laughing and thinking.

Like in other films that are Rogen and Evan Goldberg (writer) projects, the movie has a few surprise cameos, mostly consisting of Rogen’s regular group of comedic actors. While there are fewer cameos than expected, those who do appear in the film do not disappoint.

While there aren’t too many earth-shakingly funny moment, the humour of the film is consistent, and will make viewers chuckle a few times throughout. The Night Before will not go down in history as one of the best comedies of the last ten years, but it does leave the audience in good spirits, and is a good recommendation to anyone who simply wants to see a film and have a good time.

12

Arts & Culture

The Sputnik

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Matthew Burley | arts@thesputnik.ca |

Bright lights and smiles illuminate the Brantford Lights festival at Glenhyrst Alex Vialette Staff Writer On Friday, Nov. 27, Brantford lit up the town with spirit when Glenhyrst art gallery opened up their annual holiday light show. More than 50, 000 lights hung all over the Glenhyrst grounds, which were lit up at 7:15 p.m. Even with rain, a large crowd of families with young children anxiously awaited the unveiling. The town crier read the announcement of the starting of the light show from a scroll, dressed in full traditional crier clothing. After which, Mayor Chris Friel lead a count down to the flipping of the switch.

Mary-Anne and Edward Smith moved to Ontario 45 years ago and volunteered this year to work at the gates while the light show is running.

They enjoyed having the night off gate duty for the opening ceremonies. “We have a rule in our house that nothing starts before December the first,” said Mary-Anne, “so we’re a couple of days early but I’ll for-

give them this year.” The two of them have been coming to the light show for a few years, and believe that it definitely builds a sense of holiday spirit in the town. “Well yeah really,” joked Edward, “If it doesn’t, there must be something wrong with them!”

For the past four years, Glenhyrst has been putting on the light show. It was moved there by the city from Jeff MacDonald’s home on Joysey after he had been personally running it for four years. Since then the light show has boomed in popularity. Thousands upon thousands of locals pour through the gates while the exhibit is running, with more than 15,000 thousand guests having visited the show last. Some families even drive all the way from Detroit and Buffalo after hearing about the display.

“I think it’s become a big Brantford tradition now,” said Glenhyrst gallery director Ana Olson. “We actually have volunteers at the gate every night for 30 nights and we count and talk to everybody that comes through the gates. Over and over you hear people who have said, ‘this is my fourth year, great tradition, I come every year with my family’

Brantford Lights at Glenhyrst is once again drawing huge crowds to check out the beautiful display.

(Alex Vialette/ The Sputnik)

and everybody who’s visiting ‘I come every night’ or ‘I come every other night’ or ‘I come once a week.’”

While the display does have events where Santa Claus visits the kids, the display itself is not specifically Christmas themed.

“We don’t want to turn into something that’s symbolic for any one group of people,” said Olson. “We want it to be a place for the entire community and that everybody can feel welcome and everyone can celebrate.”

Matthew Shaw was there with his family to kick off their holiday season. Their family

has been coming to the light shows since it started on Joysey St. eight years ago. His favourite part of the display is watching his kid’s excitement.

“I used to got to Simcoe as a kid all the time, my parents took me there and I’ve got a lot of good memories from there.

I just enjoy watching them run around in awe over all the lights.”

The light show runs in tandem with an art display inside the museum featuring works done by students from Brantford and Brant county. “What we’re looking for,” said Olson, “is that people will come to the park and then come in-

side.” These students range from junior kindergarten to grade 12. The mediums are all mixed, with no certain type of art being featured. That being said, most of the younger students artwork were simpler class crafts that you would expect of kindergarten or grade one class.

“We’re now in our fourth year and it’s getting bigger and better, more lights, more people,” said Olson. “Some day we hope to be the biggest in the region and hopefully draw lots of people to the park.”

The exhibition runs every night from 6 to 9 p.m. between now and Dec. 27.

13

The Sputnik

Sports

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Devon Momy-Gamache | sports@thesputnik.ca |

Canadian Junior team ready to unite Canada Devon Momy-Gamache

Sports Editor

On Boxing Day, the annual tradition of Canadians cheering for a group of 18 and 19 year old hockey players will continue.

The annual IIHF world U-20 championships provide Canadians a chance to cheer for a group of kids that can barely grow a beard who will be playing the biggest games of their lives. A chance to spend time with friends and family while watching Canada go for gold seems like a natural event for Canadians during the holidays.

Not only do people spend time together, usually they get rewarded and watch Canada win gold. Canada has won gold more than any

other country including five in a row between 2005 and 2009.

This year Canada will open with a fitting matchup against their main rival, the United States. The matchup has become an annual tradition of sorts with the teams playing for the eleventh straight year.

Years of battling in close games have provided Canadians with many memories. One of the most defining moments for Canadian fans was the 2007 semi. In a game that would need a shootout to decide who would advance to the gold medal game. A pair of young stars shone in the shootout.

Carey Price made a couple of big saves to keep Canada alive before Jonathan Toews stole the show scoring on all three of his tries.

Winning, although joyful, is not necessary for Canadians to feel joy. In 2010, Canada would again meet the Americans in

the finals, this time going for a sixth consecutive gold medal.

In an exciting back and forth game Canada found itself down in the final moments.

Canadian hero Jordan Eberle would score two goals in the final three minutes to send the game to overtime and sending the country into a frenzy. Canada would lose but in defeat Canadians experienced one of the most joyful moments with the late comeback.

The top moment for many Canadians is the real reason Jordan Eberle is a star. In the final seconds, Canada was trailing their other main rival Russia in the 2009 semi-finals.

After a mad scramble on the boards in which Canadians felt the game slipping away before the puck bounced into the slot and on Eberle’s stick.

A nice move allowed Eberle to score the tying goal and keep Canada’s quest for a fifth straight gold medal alive.

The World Juniors provide a chance for friends and family to continue to spend time and cheer together after Dec. 25. (Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik)

The world juniors provide Canadians a chance to get together and enjoy the game they love with the people they love. A magical moment

can happen at any time, and when it happens against one of their main rivals it makes the joy even more powerful.

caps respectively, have played the most games for Canada of any active players. This may be their last chance at qualifying, with De Guzman being 34 and Hutchinson 32. Will Johnson is 28, younger than his fellow midfielders, and has been active for Canada since 2005.

After taking two years off for various reasons, Johnson has returned this year and started for Canada to add experience.

The final midfield spot went to a potential future star. Junior Hoilett had previously only played one game for Canada and only committed to playing for Canada in October at the age of 25. After choosing Canada over Jamaica, Hoilett played in a friendly game against Ghana, then was named a starter for the Honduras and El Salvador games.

Hoilett was recruited by Canada after playing five seasons in the British Premier League and wasted no time showing off his talents. Hoilett delivered the dangerous cross that Johnson headed and deflected off Larin for the lone goal.

A young group of midfielders are ready for Canada off the bench. Samuel Piette, Russell Teibert, Kyle Bekker and Jonathan Osorio are all under 25 and have the potential to contribute if Canada is looking for some fresh legs late in games off the bench.

The front line for Canada may lack experience, but they are a group full of talent. The leader of this group is Kyle Larin, who is only 20 years-old but flashed his potential. Larin was the first overall pick in the

2015 MLS super draft, the first time a Canadian has done so.

In his rookie campaign, Larin set an MLS rookie scoring record and finished tied for fifth in the league in goals with 17.

Larin would go on to win MLS Rookie of the Year becoming the second consecutive Canadian forward to win the honour.

The final piece of the offensive puzzle for Canada is Tosaint Ricketts. Ricketts is the active leader in goals for Canada with 12 and has played in 47 games. Ricketts provides veteran leadership for the young strikers.

The back line has been completely overturned since giving up eight goals to Honduras. The group of Marcel De Jong, Adam Straith, Dejan Jakovic and Karl Ouimette have paired with goalkeeper Milan Borjan to get shutouts in back to back games. David Edgar is the top option of the bench, but due to injury he was only used as a late substitute against El Salvador. Regarded as a strong leader, Edgar, previously named Captain for Canada for a 2015 Gold Cup match, can help stabilize the defence in big matches if needed.

Canada will continue group play when Mexico visits on March 25 followed by a visit to Mexico for the most challenging game of their schedule on March 29. Getting a point at home and possibly stealing one on the road would be a huge boost to Canada’s efforts to make the final round of qualifying.

Canada continues journey to World Cup Devon Momy-Gamache

Sports Editor

A win at home and tie on the road may not seem like a big deal to some, but for those who follow Canadian soccer, it is confirmation of the progress this team has made.

Although this is the fourth round of regional qualifying, Canada has yet to be challenged. Knocking out Dominica 6-0 in the second round and Belize 4-1 in the third round provided a warm up for the true challenge of the group stage. Canada is ranked 102 in the November FIFA rankings and is in a group including Mexico (24), El Salvador (94)

and Honduras (95).

Playing at home against Honduras, Canada got a goal from young star Kyle Larin late in the first half. Canada would pick up a big three points at home to build some confidence ahead of a trip to El Salvador. The match in El Salvador may have ended in a scoreless tie, but the point could be important at the end of the group stage for Canada.

The opening match against Honduras provided an interesting matchup to start the group stage. Canada last played Honduras in 2013 needing a tie to advance to the final round of 2014 World Cup qualifying. Playing in the tough

environment of Central America, in which Canada’s last win game in 2004, Canada was humiliated 8-1 ending their campaign.

Canada has gained momentum in 2015 prior to their match against Honduras thanks to a group of new players in the starting lineup. With five wins and only one loss in their previous 10 games Canada has been playing some of their best soccer in years.

Although the team has seen lots of new faces in recent years, the midfield has been consistently lead by three veteran leaders for Canada.

Julian De Guzman and Atiba Hutchinson, with 85 and 72

Canada got off to a successful start in their pursuit of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. (Sai Gnanaharan/ The Sputnik)

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Sports

The Sputnik

14

Devon Momy-Gamache | sports@thesputnik.ca |

Laurier athletes are finding joy in sports Jessa Braun Staff Writer A small campus, no varsity teams, a small athletics facility - how does one experience the joy of sports at Laurier Brantford? Let’s just say yes, Laurier Brantford is indeed a satellite campus, but that definitely doesn’t stop its dedicated athletes from incorporating the joy of sports into their lives.

The Brantford campus offers competitive extramural programs for a wide range of sports including soccer, volleyball, basketball, hockey, dodgeball and cheerleading.

“It’s a fun way to get exercise, meet new friends … sometimes you get free stuff,” said Jenna Wilmot, a first year on the women’s hockey team.

Exercise, friends, free stuff … what more do you need, right? Let’s face it, Laurier Brantford does miss out on the excitement and overwhelming school spirit that varsity sports bring to the table, but for a small, tight-knit campus like Brantford’s, extramurals can be the perfect thing.

“Because we have such a small team, we’re able to bond faster and learn each other’s playing style,” said Megan Elmhirst, a member of the co-ed dodgeball team.

The team was able to put its bonding and skills to use in a tournament they hosted on their home court at Laurier Brantford on Nov. 12 and made it all the way to the semi-finals. They also represented Laurier in a tournament in October and have one more to come in January.

“The advantage of sports here is that it allows people who are not amazing but overall good to represent the school and feel like we represent a campus, something that only high level -- OHL and Jr. B Elite -- players can do on main campuses,” said men’s hockey assistant captain, Michael Bondy.

“It is good for if you would not make a varsity team anyway, but you would stand out too much at intramurals,” added Bondy’s teammate Tyler Armstrong.

“Extramurals are a good mix between the two. And it’s a good level of hockey.”

“

A small campus doesn’t mean that all of its sports have a lighter skill level than larger universities.”

The men’s team has celebrated a few victories in their tournaments at Sheridan and Humber North in November. Both the men and women’s teams look forward to hosting tournaments on home ice at the Civic Centre in February. “[Hockey] has always been something I’ve loved doing at a competitive level and the team here allows me to continue playing at a high level while I still can,” said Bondy.

“So far all the guys from the team have been really good and all the returning guys have been really welcoming,”

said Armstrong.

“

For a small, tightknit campus like Brantford’s, extramurals can be the perfect thing.”

Another advantage is that athletics here are enough to keep dedicated athletes from being deprived of their passions, but they’re also not as time-consuming as varsity sports would be.

“It’s not as much, so you can balance school and whatever else,” said Wilmot.

A small campus doesn’t mean that all of its sports have a lighter skill level than larger universities. One team with strong proof that small is mighty is the cheerleading team.

Last year the team placed first in the Open and University National Cheerleading Championships. They also won first at the Maple Leaf Championships. This year’s team of twenty-one is just getting started and will work hard this season to be defending those titles.

“I’m excited about how quickly all of the stunt groups are advancing,” said the team’s captain, Serena Michelle. “There’ve been a lot of personal goals achieved so far.”

The team practices twice a week plus optional Thursday night practices to work on skills such as tumbling and stunting.

“My favourite thing about cheerleading is the bonds that are formed and how

everyone works so hard so support each other,” Michelle said. “When a group is trying a new stunt, the whole team is there to watch, lend a hand if needed, make sure everyone’s comfortable and cheer them on.”

Laurier Brantford sports are growing. This year the campus brought in a women’s extramural basketball team. The team ventured off to their first ever tournament on Nov. 6 at Humber North. The team started their season off strong as they finished the tournament in third place.

The co-ed volleyball team made a successful season debut in October as the team finished third in their tournament at Redeemer University College. They have two tournaments to come, one at Centennial College

and the other at Humber Lakeshore.

But the team’s fun doesn’t stop there. Unlike other extramural teams at Laurier Brantford, the volleyball team has the opportunity to play weekly games in an adult league every Monday night.

The co-ed soccer team also succeeded in their first tournament of the year on Nov. 6 as they claimed third place at Humber Lakeshore.

The Golden Hawks excelled in their round robin play, including an 8-1 win over Canadore College.

Competition became tougher for the Hawks as they faced UTSC in the semifinals. Laurier was sent home after a hard fought battle.

Their next tournament will be Jan. 15.

The extramural volleyball team gets to enjoy extra game time playing in the Brantford adult league. (Christina Manocchio/ The Sputnik)

Hockeyville is coming to Brantford Jessa Braun Staff Writer Two-time Stanley Cup champion Marty McSorley, Hockey Night in Canada host Ron MacLean and Leafs legend Darryl Sittler will be visiting Brantford Dec. 5 and 6.

They’ll be travelling with the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour, a hockey festival presented by Scotiabank

and Dodge. Brantford, the birthplace of Wayne Gretzky, has been selected as one of the twenty-four communities to host Hometown Hockey’s second annual tour. The festival will take place at the Wayne Gretzky Sports Centre.

The festival is free, friendly for the whole family and unites youth hockey players and families in the area.

The festival hosts a number of activities, food trucks and entertainment including

hockey skills competitions, being in your own Sportsnet Magazine cover shoot and having the opportunity to call an NHL game highlight reel alongside Sportsnet anchor Evanka Osmak.

The Scotiaback Community Locker Room will bring in meet and greets with NHL Alumni and will have a Scotia Hockey Club jersey giveaway for participants aged 16 and under. Dodge will be hosting its Stow ‘n’ Go Challenge and

a chance to win a 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan and $5000 for a local minor hockey association. The festival will also be giving out free hot chocolate and McCafé coffee to participants.

The Tour will be concluding with the outdoor viewing party, which will feature a game played by the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres. Ron MacLean will host a special pre-game show live on site from the

Sportsnet Mobile Studio at 7:30 p.m. ET on Sportsnet.

He’ll be co-hosting with TV host Tara Slone and retired Canadian national hockey player Jennifer Botterill.

The festival is open from noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5. On Sunday it opens at 1 p.m. and runs until the end of the outdoor viewing party on Sunday night.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Opinion

The Sputnik

15

Josh Adesina | opinion@thesputnik.ca |

Considering the Boko Haram Bombings Ricky Pacheco Staff Writer The holiday season buzz is back in full swing. It’s energizing the atmosphere as we become preoccupied with thoughts of holidays, gifts and families. Nonetheless, threats of terror, death and war continue to be a nonexistent part of our daily lives.

It’s time to evaluate our political thoughts and values. Especially now as the implications of our actions become more evident to how we identify with society.

Consider the consensual reaction, or lack of it, towards the Boko Haram suicide bombings that took place in Nigeria earlier last week. An instance in which 34 people were killed and attacks remained consistent during the week, according to Time Magazine.

Now consider how starkly contrasted it was to our initial

reaction of the attacks in Paris. In an affluent society, we might choose to buy into the first socially acceptable response available to coping with such tragedies. However, that’s not to say that the noble flag waving of Facebook users should receive any more recognition than those who openly opposed it.

I will acknowledge that as Canadians, we empathize with the world’s issues.

Considering what it did to us back in October last year, when we experienced our first sample of “terror,”

according to CBC. However, it undermines what we stand for as a nation, if we are so willing to support the victims in Paris before those in Nigeria, who similarly, were attacked by partners of the same terrorist organization – according to Time. Just to note, more sooner than later, it is a good time to re-define our political stance as we welcome new guests into Canada following the initiatives put in place by new government – according to The Hamilton Spectator.

In the wake of it all, it’s clear we might turn on each

other on unstable political footing.

Knowing what the information is saying is equally as important as where you found it and who is financing it. Remember, the implications of war are ongoing throughout life.

Chances are that we will face greater threats as well. We owe it to ourselves to understand our world as what it is, and not just what it looks like or who it prays to. This year, while we unwrap our gifts, let’s unwrap a deeper understanding of who we are and what we want to say.

Students, don’t end up like Charlie Sheen Josh Adesina Opinion Editor The countdown for the Christmas holidays has begun.

As we await that special time of year, we are reminded about the important things.

Although our communities, families and health have always been important to us, we tend to value them even more during the holidays.

Speaking of health, sexual

health is something that matters a lot – especially for us young people. Being sexually healthy is something that deserves a check on the long list of ‘things to be grateful for.’

Whether you have a spouse or a lover, it’s always important.

Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to be that important to certain people.

For those of you interested in Hollywood and all of its shenanigans, this probably won’t be a surprise to you.

The famous Two and a Half Men actor, Charlie Sheen, has been diagnosed with HIV. Yes, Charlie Sheen is HIV-positive.

According to Today, Sheen

revealed his diagnosis in an interview with Matt Lauer on the Today Show. During the interview, Sheen discussed his feelings about the situation, along with other things like previous sexual encounters.

Sheen also mentioned that he was still sexually active regardless of his diagnosis.

According to The Independent, Sheen also revealed that he has had unprotected sex with two partners prior to his diagnosis.

Furthermore, Sheen claimed that they were aware of him being HIV-positive before any sexual relations took place.

What a world we live in.

Sheen is a rich and famous

man that is neck-deep in the perplexed world of Hollywood. Casual sex would definitely be a normal thing for him. Although I’d be concerned for any regular person that contracts HIV, I don’t particularly feel sorry for highly-paid Hollywood celebrities that do. Sources haven’t concluded that Sheen contracted HIV through intimacy. Nonetheless, that hasn’t stopped people from assuming so. If you’re a fan of Sheen, then you know he has a lot of sex. Millions of dollars accompanied with several years of promiscuity? Sounds like a disastrous formula.

Celebrities like Sheen live such crazy lives that people like us can learn how a life shouldn’t be lived. Personally, I don’t encourage promiscuity.

However, if you are one of those people that like having several partners, please do yourself a favor and protect your bloody self! This should be a wake-up call to all the players who think they are immune to STD’s and such.

Wrong!

It’s Christmas guys, so let’s spread positive vibes and do the right thing this season.

Drink responsibly, and wear protection. Have an exciting and vibrant Christmas!

16

The Sputnik

Opinion

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Josh Adesina | opinion@thesputnik.ca |

What makes Tristan Wright happy?

Tristan Wright Staff Writer What makes me joyful? What makes me happy? The fact that Trudeau didn’t keep his gender equal cabinet promise.

Whiskey while writing as well as readying poetry. Old poetry, I refuse to read anything that is not at least sixty years old. I should really get into Blueprint Magazine.

I love Netflix nights with my girlfriend and premarital hand-holding. I and every other red-blooded Saxon adore big and slobbery puppy kisses while talking like an aunt to the newest family baby.

I love reading G.K Chesterton, C.K Lewis, Tolkien, Lovecraft, Saint Augustine and Marcus Aureliu, along with seeing Shakespeare plays (they’re pretty cheap for students, nudge nudge) and quoting Coriolanus.

Slaying sacred progressive cows and awaiting the inevitable destruction of western civilization is a personally favorite hobby.

Speaking of which, explaining why patriarchy is necessary is always a joyous occasion.

Having a lovely sparing match at Black Eye Boxing and then gorging myself on garlic bread and ice packs afterwards.

I love Les Miserables and Phantom of the Opera. I

“

I love philosophy and politics as long as they are pre-modern. Modernity sucks.” love theology, and trying to determine what lies beyond the physical. The most likely candidates for the ‘truth’ according to me, is Catholicism, Eastern Christian Orthodoxy, Judaism, Buddhism and Sikhism. You have a one in five chance of salvation, pick wisely.

I love planning for the future, saving money for a down

payment on a house. Having money in the bank is like a high-score in a video game.

But that might be because I grew up poor. You rich kids might feel differently.

I adore having a portrait of the Queen in my house. Even just planning businesses with my friends, from sheep farms, t-shirts to board games is also entertaining.

The last two are a little more realistic. I love philosophy and politics as long as they are pre-modern. Modernity sucks.

I love playing Warhammer 40k with my friends and painting the models. If you get that reference, you get significant nerd street cred.

Congratulations.

The pursuit of Truth in all its guises, to be as poetic as possible, has always made me happy. There is nothing better than a “Eureka!” moment.

Freedom of speech and me like hanging out, having a beer while being as offensive as possible.

I like playing video games with my friends and girlfriend. But what makes me truly happy is a Harvey’s Hamburger and that Donald Trump might actually be President.

Merry Christmas!

Tristan is very unapologetic about what makes him happy.

(Jamaal Owusu-Ansah/The Sputnik).