You.
News, pg. 3-4
LANSDOWNE
HOSTS ERAS GALA
Local Child Care Centre celebrates 5o years
Sports, pg. 5
BALLON D’OR
Which champion will win soccer’s most prestigious award?
Arts & Culture, pg. 10-12
ROCKY HORROR COMES TO TOWN
Fans wait in antici.......... pation
Volume 24, Issue 2 - October 3, 2024
Opinion, pg. 13-14
IT’S FALL Y’ALL
Students’ hot takes on fall and Halloween, is it overrated ?
Feature, pg. 8-9
HOT TO GO
Celebrities, they’re just like us, right? So why do we treat them like caged animals?
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alexa Ford eic@thesputnik.ca
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LEAD NEWS WRITER Piper Force
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LEAD SPORTS WRITER VACANT
ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Sienna Bilancia arts@thesputnik.ca
LEAD ARTS & CULTURE WRITER Jahnavi Jagdeo
OPINION EDITOR Anna Pieczula opinion@thesputnik.ca
LEAD OPINION WRITER Niyati Pancholi
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Welcome to the spooky issue of e Sputnik. As always, our team of dedicated writers, editors and photographers have put together a spectacular edition for your October reading. In this issue we focus on all things spooky, as the world around us continues to get scarier. While it easy to focus on spooky season as a fun time to explore our own inner horror enthusiasts, there is plenty of real-life horror that happens daily.
For the rst time in their history, Missouri executed a man despite opposition from both the prosecutors and the victim’s family. Marcellus Williams was convicted for the murder of journalist Felicia Gayle in 1998. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, Marcellus Williams, 55, was executed on Sept. 24 for crimes that DNA evidence taken from footprints, ngerprints and hair proves he did not commit.
the state of Missouri has conducted.
tinue to face in this nation.
Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. WLUSP is governed by its board of directors.
Opinions expressed within the Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reect those of the editorial board, e Sputnik, WLUSP,
e prosecutors were never able to link Williams directly to the case that took place in 1998 because there were two witnesses who said they saw Williams with the victim’s laptop. Despite the abundance of physical evidence found on the scene Williams was excluded as the source of all of it. However, all of this and the public opposition of the death penalty from both the family of Gayle and prosecutors, Williams was still executed. Many media outlets like MSNBC are saying this execution shows the double standard in the American justice system. Williams’ execution was the 100th that
As one year since Oct. 7 approaches, it is easy to switch the news o and focus on the happier things that fall brings. However, it is important to see, listen and talk about the Israel-Gaza war. Almost one year ago, terror attacks were launched by Hamas and other militant groups into Israel. Since Oct. 7, the latest death toll on Sept. 30 stands at 42,334 Palestinians and 1,139 people killed in Israel according to Al Jazeera’s daily tracker. Since the beginning of the term, it’s amazing how quickly the sun sets and how quickly we forget our own history. As September ends, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation is honoured on Sept. 30. Orange shirts are worn to remember the atrocities that Indigenous people have faced and con-
According to the Assembly of First Nations, between 2001 to 2014, the average rate of homicides involving Indigenous female victims was four times that of those involving non-Indigenous female victims. In the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, it says, “Indigenous women, girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA people live with an almost constant threat to their physical, emotional, economic, social, and cultural security.”
So, while, for one night of the year our siblings, children and friends dress up, it is important to remember that we can take our scary masks o at the end of the night, but we are still surrounded by frightening people, things and groups well past Oct. 31.
Long-term care centre Fox Ridge Care Community was recently bought by the City of Brantford in e orts to provide more a ordable housing.
e purchase was made when Fox Ridge put its current centre up for sale earlier this year to move into a new three-storey facility at 166 Lynden Rd . While the city is still in the early stages of the planning process, the overall goal is to assist the homeless population in Brantford by providing more a ordable housing. e early planning of the homeless facility is looking at possible transitional, supportive and a ordable housing
for those in our community. “ ere’s a critical need for housing with multiple di erent needs in the community,” said Maria Visocchi, the director of communications for the City of Brantford. “ ere’s lots of di erent groups the city helps get into housing.” e main goal is nding faster ways to provide more a ordable housing for families in need.
Some qualifying families includes survivors of domestic violence and those who need rent-geared-to-income or subsidized housing.
Fox Ridge became an opportunity for the city, as it’s already built and can be facilitated. is is seen as a bene t because this is a much less costly project for the city to provide shelter for those in need. A similar project was made from Lucy Marco Place, a previous Wilfrid Laurier University student resident building. Many residents have voiced
concerns that the surrounding community will be faced with issues following the project, such as drug-related activity, concern for the safety of children and the overall quality of the neighborhood.
“It’s really premature to determine what kind of tenants will take shelter in the building,” said Visocchi. “ e city will provide security to ensure the safety of residents within the community. We understand it can make people feel unsafe.”
It’s been con rmed that the city will hold meetings for residents to voice concerns about the facility to ensure the community’s needs are met, while still providing housing for those in need Visocchi said. ese meetings will be scheduled once the development reaches its later stages. Locations for meetings have not yet been con rmed.
Lansdowne hosts gala to raise money for development of new building
Lansdowne Children’s Centre is hosting an Eras Gala on Saturday, Nov. 16 to celebrate 50 years of helping children develop their learning in Brantford and the Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk counties.
support the needs and development of the new building. e goal is to provide children of all abilities with equal opportunity to experience childhood in the community and discover their potential.
e upcoming event is also a kick-start celebration for a new centre being built in addition to the current centre in Brantford, which is currently located on Mount Pleasant Road. e location of the new centre is not yet known, as the team is still in the early planning stages with the City of Brantford.
“We see over three thousand or more children a year providing services, and we work to help all these individuals based on what their needs are,” says Jenifer Huxley, the director of client services at Lansdowne. “We work with
e gala will take place at the Brantford Golf and Country Club. Tickets are priced at $200. ose who wish to attend can register through the Lansdowne website. Tickets include access to the event where there will be a dinner included in the ticket price and its main attraction, an interactive display, so residents can go back in time and view the history of Lansdowne. e event will also include entertainment, a cash bar, a silent auction and a fundraising ra e for attendees to participate in. e event is formal wear.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/LANSDOWNE CHILDREN CENTRE
children from birth sometimes till they’re 18.”
Since 1974, Lansdowne has been assisting families across the community. e facility works with children with multiple learning and developmental challenges to help them thrive in everyday life. e centre includes services
such as physiotherapy, occupational and speech therapy, along with social services. e Brantford centre speci cally also o ers additional programs to help children reach their full potential. Proceeds from the fundraising gala bene t the Lansdowne Children’s Centre Foundation and
A new facility means even more children in Brantford can get assistance. Almost 30 per cent of children entering school have a developmental vulnerability that a ects their families, learning and everyday life, as mentioned in a media release by the Government of Ontario. A new Lansdowne Centre allows more services and space for more children.
Issues students face while attending the downtown campus and what the university is doing about it
e Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is a statute put in place in the province in 2005. e AODA aims to create accessibility standards across all public, private and non-pro t organizations across the province. Wilfrid Laurier University, being a public university in Ontario, has a responsibility to ensure all spaces are accessible and meet the codes that the AODA lays out. But Students say some buildings on the Brantford Campus are not accessible enough.
Under AODA regulations, all new and redeveloped buildings must have ramps, lifts or elevators whenever there are stairs. Automatic doors and wide doorways at entrances to buildings and common areas, lighting, accessible public washrooms, barrier-free paths of travel into and through buildings, accessible seating and auditoriums and visual re alarms in auditoriums and hallways.
ird-year social work student Alanah Legget has navigated the Brantford campus for three years with a disability and has noticed
many issues with accessibility and brought them to the attention of administration.
“ e world was not made for people with disabilities. It was made by able bodied people for able bodied people,” said Legget.
Ulrike Gross, the assistant vice president of facilities and asset management at Laurier, said her team has received extensive training from a third-party trainer who came to the university and reviewed all buildings and taught sta what to look for in terms of accessibility issues.
“We take accessibility very seriously,” says Gross.
Laurier buildings are formally inspected by the facilities department either annually or semi-annually and issues are reported said Gross.
Accessibility needs for people with disabilities vary depending on the person said Legget, but some common features that make life slightly easier are accessibility buttons on every door, signage indicating where elevators are, braille on signs and elevators spaces and comfortable temperatures in classrooms.
Especially during hot months at the beginning of the term, an issue Legget and many other students face is the temperature of the classrooms. In a One Market classroom last year, she said she lost consciousness because of how
warm the room was.
While technically complying with AODA code, 97 Dalhousie’s accessible entrance is in an alley that takes an extra ve minutes to reach from the front entrance.
In the basement of the Odeon Building, the accessible bathrooms are reachable via elevator, but the door leading from the elevator to the accessible washroom does not
have an accessibility button. If a student in a wheelchair needed to access the washroom, they would have extreme di culty getting to it, despite it being the accessible washroom, said Legget.
“Some of our buildings are from the 80s and code was di erent at that time and it’s quite challenging to work with an existing building where you already have things
built into that building,” said Gross.
“We try wherever we can retro t to make a space accessible. In some instances, we have to wait until we have a capital project and we have funding for it because we can get into some very, very big dollars to be able to make those changes.”
Elevators are another major issue for students. All campus buildings have elevators but there are no signs to direct students where they are.
“I wouldn’t know where to go,” said Legget. She said unless a student was shown where the elevators are, in many buildings, the elevators are tucked away like in Carnegie Hall.
Elevators must have braille for people with vision loss. e main elevator in One Market does have braille, but Legget says that the braille is incorrect.
“For a town that is relatively connected with the community of people with vision loss because there is the school for the blind on Brant Ave., there should be a lot more accessibility for people with vision loss.” said Legget.
A classroom that Legget believes to be almost perfect in terms of accessibility is room 207 in the Carnegie Building because of the open oor plan, whiteboards on all walls and the tables and chairs being more accessible than other classes.
e Athletics and Recreation Department is housed in the Laurier Brantford YMCA, just across from Harmony Square. Your membership to use the facility and its amenities is included in your tuition, so all you have to do is scan in with your OneCard. e LBYMCA is open Monday to ursday from 5:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sundays from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
IMPORTANT DATES:
ursday, Oct. 3, at 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (LBYMCA Double Gym)Varsity Women’s Indoor Soccer Tryouts #1
ursday, Oct. 3, at 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. (LBYMCA Double Gym) - Varsity Men’s Indoor Soccer Tryouts #1
Saturday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Fanshawe Conservation Area) – Varsity Cross Country Invitational
ursday, Oct. 10, at 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. (LBYMCA Double Gym)Varsity Women’s Indoor Soccer Tryouts #2
ursday, Oct. 10, at 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. (LBYMCA Double Gym) - Varsity Men’s Indoor Soccer Tryouts #2
Saturday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Centennial College) – Varsity Cross Country Invitational
Saturday, Oct. 26, at 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Seneca College) – Varsity Cross Country Provincial Championships
Extramural men’s and women’s ice hockey tryouts will be hosted throughout the month of October. Please keep your eyes on our website and Instagram page for those announcements!
Homecoming tickets can now be purchased! Don’t miss the Alumni Basketball Game and Drag Bingo on Saturday, Nov. 2. A Homecoming Package with tickets for both events can be purchased online for only $8!
Ever since 1956, the Ballon d’Or has been hosted annually by French football magazine, France Football, as the season’s best footballer is chosen for the prestigious award. On Oct. 28, a new winner will be announced ushering in a new era for international football. France Football, which gathers journalists from across the 100 best ranked men’s football countries in the world and together, they vote for who wins the prize. As of September, the voting process has begun and a shortlist of the top 30 nominees has already been released. is is momentous, as this year will mark the rst time that legends Lionel Messi and Christiano Ronaldo are absent from the competition. Ever since 2008
when Ronaldo won his rst Ballon d’Or, followed by Messi in 2009, the two have been at odds, as seemingly each installment of the competition has been won by either one or the other. Currently, Messi won his nal prize last year, taking the lead with a total of eight victories, a competition record. Ronaldo followed behind with ve wins, holding the record for the most nominations at 18. As both legends’ retirement looms closer, a new era of football is upon us. With voting progressing, the football community is still reacting to the competition’s shortlist, as it has had its fair share of controversy over which players made it and which were snubbed. ough the legends are past their prime, there has been some criticism over Messi not making the shortlist despite his e orts with Argentina, as he led them in winning the Copa América this year. To this is a greater argument about the competition having lost some of its prestige due to a lack of star power nominees post Messi and Ronaldo and their generational peers. is might be a
greater discussion for football as a whole, however.
ough the old guard might be gone, the list is lled with wonderkids and legends in the making, as stars like English Jude Bellingham, Brazilian Vinicius Junior and Spanish Rodri have taken the lead as likely winners of this installment. Bellingham and Junior have been phenomenal, having won the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and LaLiga with Real
Madrid as teammates. While Junior’s Brazil struggled in the Copa América exiting in the quarternals, Bellingham was in uential in helping England reach the nals of the Euros. Spain would beat England in that nal, and Rodri would be at the heart of it raising the cup while also winning the player of the tournament award. If Rodri were to win the Ballon d’Or that would be 34 years since a mid elder won it and the second
Imane Khelif has become an international sensation. Everyone from a United States of America presidential nominee to one of the bestselling children’s authors of all time and even the richest man in the world have all had something to say about her.
Maybe it’s because she is Algeria’s rst female boxer to ever win gold at the Olympics. Maybe it’s because she is the only boxer, male or female, to have won Algeria any medal since 2000. Sadly, none of these inspiring reasons are why seemingly everyone knows Khelif.
I’m of the opinion that this is quite unfair, unjust even. She’s worked hard all her life, taking punch after punch in order to nally achieve what many can only dream of. She is an inspiration to Algerians, Arabs and Africans everywhere. She symbolizes how they too could win glory with
enough hard work and perseverance.
Yet, most of us know her because of the recent controversy where she was accused by the aforementioned individuals and others of not being a woman and thus not deserving of her victories.
is accusation ties into the broader debate about trans athletes’ participation within women’s sports, as certain vocal groups believe that transwomen should not be allowed to compete.
As of now, the accusations against Khelif have bore no fruit as the Olympics have not stripped her of her victories and have remained unchanged in their decision to have let her compete.
I now seek to shine a light on the human being at the center of all of this, nally giving Khelif her much deserved owers.
Khelif was born in Ain Sidi Ali, a town and commune in Laghouat Province, Algeria. An interesting tidbit is thanks to her e orts at the Olympics, Khelif has now put her town on the map by just being born there. She was raised in another province in a rural village. Her mark is felt as she received a hero’s welcome once she returned
time a Spanish player won it since 1960, the rst being Luis Suarez who was also the rst mid elder to win it. Despite not being an attacking player, which the competition usually favors, Rodri has helped his club win the English Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup, scoring in each campaign.
Anything is still possible, however, as the likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé and many more are in the running.
home from Paris.
In Tiaret Province, a young Khelif already displayed an athletic passion as she was playing soccer at just six years old! is developed into boxing, which did not come easy, as she said initially her father refused her because he didn’t like girls boxing. Khelif did not give up, she worked hard to pursue her sport. In order for her to get to her boxing training sessions, she had to take the bus and make her own money to pay for the fare. Khelif sold bread and scrap metal in order to a ord the fare and continue pursuing her dream.
She rose up the ranks participating in numerous tournaments all over the world, rising from amateur to professional. ere was a lot of losses in the beginning as nothing came easy, but she would eventually win her rst medal in Istanbul in 2021 while also participating in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, becoming the rst female boxer to represent Algeria in the Olympics.
Read the rest at thesputnik.ca
I stood before a tombstone, black rock glittered as the sun’s rays fell upon it, illuminating an incomplete inscription. “Husband William Jacobs 1930-2023 and Wife Mary Jacobs 1935 –”
“I pray to die,” my mother’s voice echoed in my mind. “You’ll understand once your love leaves you.”
Beyond the stone sat a white picket fence, a barrier between solid ground and the cli . Below, the salt wind drove the dark waters onward, goading frothing waves to madness, abandoning them to crash upon the rocks. en the wind owed upwards, over the cli face, where it stung my eyes, causing me to weep.
Grey moved across the sky, obscuring the light; a chill fell upon the graveyard. I wiped my eyes, trembling, I swept my gaze across the hazy silhouette of shoreline. Reluctant to linger where I stood, I turned and saw a shape before me. Terror sprung in my mind as the apparition’s slender limb brushed my cheek.
“Just a pine.” With those words,
terror thawed, uncovering grief underneath.
I pushed the limb aside, disrupting the illusion like a swift wind through fog. e ancient pine was hunched, its edges blurred by scattered needles that clung to weathered branches. e wind gusted, causing the limbs to dance.
I moved with them, stepping underneath, directed by the wind,
I passed the tree and emerged into a clearing.
Here the truly old rest, each tombstone crafted from aking white stone, all slanted in soft soil. It was amongst these stones the blueberries grew, their skin the colour of Atlantic water.
Grief sprouted in my throat like the arms of a bindweed. My voice broke, “Beautiful.”
I found an old stump, sat and began to pluck the berries as my mind swirled with memories of my family, whole and happy, picking berries together.
e vision faded, replaced by a table, surrounded by men and women dressed in black, each shared a story; we laughed and cried.
“Remember our memories of
him. We should take comfort in honouring him.”
At the centre of the table rested a bowl of blueberries.
“ ey’re beautiful, each a blue droplet; don’t neglect them, these are our sweet gifts. Eat and rejoice in them. But be sure to share or else they are wasted.”
e berries glinted in the lamplight as we lifted them to our mouths, grief within my heart roared like a tempest, yet as we partook of the berries, memories and good company pierced the gale and guided me like a lighthouse to safe harbour.
High above the graveyard, a beam of light burst through the clouds. I popped a berry in my mouth, felt the esh burst, tasted the juice pool on my tongue. I sobbed one last time. en I raised my head and let the sun dry my cheeks. I stood and returned to my father’s grave, ran a nger over the etching, “Husband William Jacobs.” I placed a handful of berries on the soft moss.
“I love you Dad,” I whispered. “I’ll bring Mom with me next time.” I stood and smiled as warm, salt air played across my cheek. e wind rose began to dance and underneath the creaking of the pine and swishing grass, I could have sworn it whispered, “I love you, little lamb.”
e diner sat between the long, cracked highway and the rocky, forested hills. Its sign claimed it was home to the best burger in the north, but for more than twenty years, it had only been home to overgrown weeds and rodents.
“ ey say the old man went crazy after his wife died. Abandoned the diner to do Lord knows what,” my father would say as we drove by it. I had never seen the man, but I didn’t have to. e image of a greasy old man with bags under his crazy, red eyes played through my head.
I stepped over police tape and entered the building for the rst time. I never thought I’d step foot inside; I had been dared to a few times but never had the guts. Now I had no choice. e child in me felt like the old man could be around any corner, ready to jump out and attack me. Each step I took was cautious, the checkerboard tiles were littered with broken bottles and animal droppings. e walls
were decorated with art of happy families and breakfast, though now gra ti also covered them. Some tables still had menus laid open, covered in a thick layer of dust, so faded I could hardly make out the words. Red booth cushions held the indents of patrons long gone. Red. e rest of the diner was drenched in it, from the splat-
ters on the jukebox to the pool of blood dripping from the counter onto the bar stools. e girl’s body was splayed out over the marble, like she had fallen, like she was pushed. e knife in her chest pointed up to the same crack in the ceiling that her foggy eyes stared at.
“ e boys found her like this,” the sheri said. Two young kids sat
A child experiences the horrors of the unknown
e dark expanse of the hall loomed outside of their bedroom door. ey simply wanted water. Before the move, it was part of their nightly routine, sitting a glass by their bed. Alas they had fought with their mother over dinner, one stupid slip of the tongue when discussing the new house and suddenly she was o ended. She sent them up to bed despite dinner hardly being nished.
Now they sat on the edge of their bed, curling the blanket tightly around themselves, staring through the crack of their door at the endless expanse of pitch black. eir old house was never this
dark.
It was hard to swallow now, their throat was parched and scratchy from yelling. Crying certainly hadn’t helped. And neither did the dust from all their half-unpacked boxes strewn about. Hesitantly one foot touched the oor, then the other, nothing but thin socks separating cool wood from skin. ey tiptoed to the door, blanket dragging slightly behind them, and touched the handle. It was brass, cold to the touch, and gave them goosebumps. ey opened the door further and took a tentative step into the dark; the hall sent a chill up their spine instead. ey left the safety of the moonlight cast from their bedroom window and were surrounded by shadows. ey couldn’t see an inch in front of them. ey should’ve lit a candle, but had yet to put any in their room.
e stairs were to the left, and they set out that way. eir hand
trailed along the rough wallpaper, feeling fraying beneath. ey longed for the smooth walls of their old hallway which were always reliable, here they still didn’t quite know where the walls led or what turn to take down the corridor. Despite their footfalls being gentle, every other step produced a new creak. ey cringed at each sound, afraid their mother would hear and fearful the shadows would rush them from behind. For a second it sounded like there were creaks behind them and their breath hitched. e immediate shadows seemed to thicken, so thick it felt alive, felt like they could reach out and touch something solid as rock. Could the shadows hear their heart race? Would they consume them? Drown them in darkness? It was hard to breathe, more di cult to swallow. eir unease grew as their pace did. Feeling like they were being watched, they tightened the blan-
outside, huddled under blankets while other o cers comforted them. He looked at the body, brows furrowed. “She’s been missing for months.”
e girl’s ngers were pale, waxy, frostbitten, despite the warm summer weather. Even her lips were slightly blue.
“He killed his wife and stored
her body in the freezer,” I muttered, thinking out loud.
“You see something?” the sheri asked.
“Sorry, just a story my cousins would tell me when we were boys.” is building was steeped with legend.
“Focus.”
We ventured further into the diner, behind the counter. e door to the freezer was large, made of shiny metal. It was so heavy, it took both of us to pry it open.
It should’ve been warm, there had been no power for two decades and yet, we were blasted with cool air. e other side of the door was covered in scratches. ousands, all at di erent heights. e sheri met my eyes with fear for the rst time; this girl wasn’t the only one.
e body was later taken away, but we stayed there, well into the night. No one ever came by though, not one sign of life besides vermin.
“Ya think maybe it was...?” the sheri spoke as we sat in the cruiser, watching cars speed by on the highway. We were parked in front of the diner, where a rusted Cadillac used to sit sometimes.
“Myths do have some truth to them.”
ket around themself so it would protect them. It still smelled like home. Earlier the hallway hadn’t been so long, but now it felt never ending. No matter how far or fast they walked they got nowhere, surrounded by pitch black shadows. en their mother stirred in the other room. Back along the expanse of wall, the shadows rippled, as if paying attention to the sound, before wrapping around their
arms, their legs, tripping them. ey felt the blanket slipping, the shadows just brushing their neck, until footsteps echoed from behind.
“Sweetheart?” eir mother’s voice cut through the darkness. e cool hold of the shadows loosened when she gently touched their shoulder, and the air nally cleared, allowing them space for their chest to expand again.
Parasocial relationships, boundaries and perspective
ANNA PIECZULA
OPINION EDITOR
We are living in the age of entertainment, so there is no surprise that we want to be entertained. e consumption of art is something that is not new to human beings. rough many generations, humans have had various sources of fun, notably nding that through the observation of other people. From plays back in the days of ancient Greece to kings and queens inviting composers to their court, to now watching people through our screens. ough throughout history, art was sought out, there
has been a switch in relation to art and celebrity status. I am sure that many will say they have a deep appreciation for art. Even if not outright, most of us are listening to music, watching a lm or even engaging in written works (yes, writing can be art), we are constant consumers of art. Art is important and it is something rather special that people can make money through artistic pursuits. Shared passion and appreciation is something that comes along when one has respect of another. e ability for humans to be able to engage all over the world with a creation of a blooming mind is one that should not be taken for granted, but often is.
Celebrities and the famous are in a separate society from us, their class, status and community all make them seem detached from
the everyday humanity that we have. At the end of the day, everyone still has basic needs; groceries, sleep and time to themselves. ey are people who happen to exist in a public sphere. However, because now we do have access to seeing them whenever and wherever we want via media, seeing someone you idolize in real life can be a shock. eir physical manifestation is one that is uncommon to us, but because we have the habit of seeing them whenever we please, the entitlement of access can transfer to real life. It is understandable to want interaction, this is when you must be reminded of their humanness. ey are not an object for your consumption, but a subject of their own life.
You do not own your favourite artist.
“ eir career would not exist without us,” no career would exist
without human engagement. For example, Tim Hortons needs customers to stay open, but you do not mistreat the barista simply because without you, they wouldn’t have a job. You do not walk to up said Tim Hortons barista when they are not behind a Tim Hortons counter and ask them to make you an Iced Capp, then proceed to be outraged when they say no. Sure, celebrities can assume there are certain things that come along with fame. Bene ts such as brands sending you free things, getting free meals at certain restaurants, riches that are associated with their careers. However, alongside these there are also the drawbacks of not being able to go out in public most of time without the fear of a crowd. e looming threat of someone potentially assaulting them or paparazzi taking photos of them
balance. It can be argued that when you become a celebrity, your identity is associated with that forever, but this is not the only career that has this attached to it. Doctors, for example, are known as doctors to their friends and family. ere are often instances when they are o the clock and people ask them health-related questions. ough they may be o the clock, there are no breaks, it is a lifestyle. We can all acknowledge that this must be annoying. Imagine constantly being treated like you are on the clock of your job and having to act like you are. ough their existence has become commodi ed, they are still not objects being sold. You cannot claim ownership of a person, doing this denies them their humanity.
how well it works to get people to engage and purchase various content. Feeling a deeper connection with a celebrity is something that can make you feel special, it is a one-sided psychological relationship. For example, KPOP idols will post vlogs of their days or go on reality shows and you can “really get to know them” or you “know” their personality. When you truly think about it, we see about 10 edited minutes of their days. ere is much that is left out, and it can be easy to act like a speci c kind of person, especially when your job depends on it. Even when you work a retail job, there is a switch that many people do in their voice and personality to have happier clients. Seeing someone
for 10 minutes does not mean that you know them, let alone when you see them through a screen. Nonetheless, this can make it di cult for boundaries to be set, as there is a certain vulnerability that comes with posting yourself doing everyday tasks. In a way humanizing themselves can cause fans to romanticize them, allowing them to interact with an idol’s everyday life. is gives the impression that they are actively apart of it, when they are a passive observer.
this sudden burst of fans and engagement has been overwhelming for her and she even spoke about it on stage. is caused a swarm of comments, attacking her by saying, “she is not built for fame.”
No person should have to adjust to harassment.
A good example of a celebrity drawing boundaries is American singer Chappell Roan. In two TikTok videos, Roan expresses that she wishes to be left alone when in public, giving examples of if she were not a celebrity that this behaviour would be renowned as intolerable and strange. Many people would know Roan has had a boom
e fact that harassment towards celebrities has become commonplace is something that poorly re ects our society and displays how tolerant we are of criminal behavior. We should reect as consumers and adjust our relationship with media consumption to profound appreciation and not obsession.
Even walking into an art gallery comes with the assumption that you will conduct yourself in a manner that will respect others but
preciate it in a respectful manner.
The fact that harassment toward celebrities has become commonplace is something that poorly reflects our society.
Paintings get more respect than real living beings, let that sink in.
Paintings real living beings, let that sink in. someone’s dignity because we
Perhaps our constant access is the reason that engagement with art has changed to entitlement to the artist. is is deep-rooted into our lives. It won’t change overnight, and it is something that has to be unpacked and spoken about in a
Over generations of growth, this family farm has been a staple in the Brantford community since 1891
ere are a few main attractions that Brantford is known for, such as the Bell Homestead National Historic Site, Myrtleville House Museum and many more. Among them is Brantwood Farms.
e farm rst opened in 1891 and has now been a part of the Brantford community for over 100 years and ve generations of the original family who owned and ran Brantwood Farms, the Pate family. Kara Pate and her brother Andrew still own and run the farm together. Brantwood Farms have held the same farm space since they opened in 1891, but as the city evolves, so does Brantwood Farms.
In 2026, Brantwood Farms will be moving to St. George Road, just a seven-minute drive down the road from where the farm is currently
located on 251 Powerline Rd.
“We really appreciate how supportive Brantford has been for us,” said Kara.
In the past century, Brantwood Farms has seen Brantford go through many changes and has become a pillar of the community. e farm has a wide variety of activities and events that go on
all year long, although fall is a big season for the farm because apples and pumpkins are coming into season and are ready to harvest.
A popular attraction, especially with young kids, is going to see the farm animals. Brantwood has a highland cow, a donkey, goats, chickens and rabbits for the whole family to see. e annual Fall
Festival is an event- lled Saturday and Sunday, that takes place every weekend in September and October. ere are over 20 activities happening at these festivals, like a forest scavenger hunt, bubble bar and pumpkin bowling. Of course, a fall favourite is apple picking. Brantwood farms has 14 types of apples to choose from in their
Books It Up presents books for you to enjoy during the changing season
KATIE BIRD
LBBIU PRESIDENT
Nothing screams reading like the vibes that autumn brings, and everyone knows that it is the season the book community thrives in. If you are looking for a good series to create cozy vibes, keep reading to hear about the big three from Laurier Brantford’s Books It Up. If you have been keeping up with BookTok, then you know there has been a collective agreement about what the three big series are in the romance genre. e rst series in the big three is the Addicted series by Krista Ritchie and Becca Richie. e rst book in the series is Addicted to You and it follows Lily, one of the three Calloway sisters, and Loren Hale. Both characters struggle with completely di erent addictions and rely on each other to maintain a facade that they are happily dating and functioning college students. But as people start to
orchard, which is open until 5 p.m. daily.
An aspect of the farm that some eople may not know about is the teaching and eld trips that happens at Brantwood.
“We will have groups from Kindergarten classes to brownies to seniors’ groups to experience the orchard and we will talk about how our apples grow and how pumpkins grow or ower trips to learn about how things grow and what we do on the farm,” said Kara.
e Brantford community has had the opportunity to learn about agriculture and see how corn grows or even the di erent stages of an apple tree growing for over 100 years. Not something that many people get to see every day. e city of Brantford has done their part too, showing support for Brantwood Farms over the years.
“We really value being able to share the space with the community and have the opportunity to teach people a little bit whether directly or inadvertently by just being on the farm about agriculture,” said Kara Pate.
in ltrate the walls they have put up around them, they nd hiding liquor and random guys that pass through their apartment is harder than they thought. Even as they cling to their addictions, they also nd themselves clinging on to their relationship. ey both want to try and give their relationship a real shot, but they question if they can give up their addictions…but for each other, they are willing to try. e second series in the big three is the Magnolia Parks Universe series by Jessa Hastings. e rst book in the series is a wild ride that Laurier Brantford’s Books It Up has written about before. e second book in the series is Daisy Haites and follows the story of a 20-year-old girl, Daisy, being raised by her gang lord brother Julian. Her life is beyond complicated, it only gets more twisted when she nds herself falling for Christian Hemmes. Christian is happy to use Daisy as a distraction from lusting after his best friend’s
girlfriend. As things progress, Daisy and Christian realize their relationship might run deeper than they thought, but in their world, things don’t come that easy.
e third series in the big three is the Boys of Tommen series by Chloe Walsh. e rst book in the series is Binding 13 and follows Shannon Lynch, a girl whose life is crashing down around her. Shannon has been badly bullied at her old school and halfway through the year, she transfers to a private school in Cork, Ireland. Johnny Kavanagh is the school’s star rugby player who is determined to claim his future as a professional rugby player for his country. What happens when their two worlds collide on the pitch on Shannon’s rst day at school? She wanted to keep a low pro le, but her growing relationship with the popular boy at school is making that impossible. As their relationship grows, Shannon is forced to decide if she will let Johnny into the deep, dark
secrets of her home life. All three of these series are incredible books that will have you falling completely in love with the characters as you dive into their
worlds. ese series do have deep topics and it is important to read the trigger warnings.
Occult classic, Rocky Horror will be in Brantford at the Sanderson Centre for the Performing Arts for one day only. On Halloween, there will be two showtimes available at 6:30p.m. and 10:30p.m.
For students looking to attend the production, student discounts are available at the box o ce for all uGO performances. UGo performances are certain shows that the Sanderson Centre makes available to post-secondary performances with a discounted rate. Students with a valid student card can purchase tickets to these shows for $20. ere are prop bags for sale at the theatre
“I think that Rocky Horror is such a cult piece that it will really be a multigeneration night. I am expecting lots of students, expecting a lot of people leaving their young families at home, right through to retired people because they grew
up with it,” said Sanderson Centre manager Glenn Brown. e show is put on by Playful Fox Productions. is is not the rst time the production company has brought Brantford live theatre. Last year, Playful Fox Productions presented Beauty and the Beast. e show sold out so fast and with such a big audience, there was a third date added for shows.
“My favourite moment performing together has to be doing ‘ e Time Warp’. It’s as infectious and chaotic as you imagine,” said Rob
who plays Brad in the show e Rocky Horror show, and picture show were both released in 1975 because they are the same show. e Rocky Horror picture show is the movie, and the Rocky Horror Show is the live performance. It is called picture show because the movie is lmed, and the live performance is not. While this show was anticipated to be a great failure, it ended up doing the opposite. e show thrived in the 70s and has continued to hold and
grow its fan base. e show has always had a large fan base with the LGBTQIA+. When the show was release in the 70s, it was a controversial time for society. e views of sexuality and genders were changing in the eyes of society. e production had progressive views of such topics and pushed the boundaries of the time when it came to gender and sexuality. Now almost 50 years later, people line up outside the theatre’s door to see the production.
“If I’m not on stage, I’m backstage for every Playful Fox Production show. I think my favourite moments are the many jokes and laughs we hear during rehearsals. I’m loving being a part of the show,” said Marissa Kate Wilson, who plays Janet. is is the same for those who want to play the parts in the show. e cast and crew of the Playful Fox Productions are no exception.
An ongoing column reviewing the latest and greatest, this month’s spooky reads
ALICIA COON
OPINION WRITER
RACHEL WOUTERS
OPINION WRITER
e leaves have begun to fall, and the weather is slowly getting colder. at can only mean one thing: the spooky season is upon us. Fall is the best season to nd a good book and get cozy with a blanket and a cup of tea. We have found two perfect spooky season and fall books that will leave you scared out of your mind… or craving a pumpkin spice latte.
e rst book on our fall must reads is called All Good People Here, a novel written by Ashley Flowers. All Good People Here follows the narrative of a journalist named Margot who returns to her old hometown in an attempt to uncover the dark secrets surrounding an unsolved murder of her childhood friend. However, as she digs into this dark mystery, disturbing secrets, savage betrayals, and hidden truths are all exposed. All Good People Here reveals that not everything is as it seems in this seemingly pleasant small town. is novel is the perfect blend of thriller and psychological suspense, making it a 5-star read and
one of my all-time favourtie thrillers. is novel is perfect for the spooky season and will have you double checking that your door is locked before you go to bed.
e second must read book for this spooky season is, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder written by Holly Jackson. If you are someone who enjoys watching crime documentaries then this book was made for you. is young adult mystery follows the story of a teenage girl named Pippa who is working on her senior project where she chooses to investigate an old murder case that occurred in her hometown. Andie Bell, was supposedly murdered but never found. Her boyfriend Sal ends up taking his own life. Did Sal murder Andie, the girl he was so in love with? Is the murderer still out there? Or did Andie never die? Pippa analyzes all of these questions and as she digs deeper into the case, she uncovers dark secrets from everyone in town. A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder will leave you wanting to make a conspiracy board and solve a case on your own. Personally I would say this is a four star read and once you nish it you get the reward of watching the new show just released on Net ix.
ere’s no better way to embrace the season than with a good book in hand. Whether you’re drawn to the eerie depths of a small-town mystery or the thrills of a high
stake investigation, these fall reads promise to deliver just the right mix of suspense and intrigue.
With All Good People Here and A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder on
your reading list, you’re set for the season of spine tingling excitement and cozy evenings. Happy reading, and may your fall be lled with just the right amount of spooky!
mother’s cooking as I do.
My name is Shakir Omar, a Pakistani and Sri Lankan rst-year student here at Wilfrid Laurier University studying economics. Over the last month, my life has changed in some of the most drastic of ways, as it would have for many other international students.
I’ve left the city I grew to call home; I’ve started a new chapter in university here at Laurier (Go Golden Hawks!) and I’ve uprooted myself entirely. Although I’ve never been particularly good with change, moving across the world doesn’t seem to have gone to my head as much as I thought it would. Either that or I’m still in shock. But I know without a doubt that I’m not the only one. Solidarity among numbers, right? ere are many more students here at Laurier who are just like me. ose who left their home, thousands of kilometres away, who left their family and friends to pursue an education and de nitely those who miss their
Although the experience of moving to Canada has been amazing so far, there are a few pills I’ve had to swallow with a cubic mile of salt. e rst bizarre practice I’ve noticed is how early everything closes. At 5 p.m. it’s lights out for most, if not all, businesses. I mean, what’s up with that? But in all seriousness, everyone here has been nothing short of kind and welcoming to me. So, for that I thank all of you for making me feel accepted and welcome here.
e rst day I landed in Canada, I thought to myself, “ is is it. is is home for the next four years.”
And the thought surprisingly didn’t completely terrify me. But it did make me excited. Albeit, Brantford isn’t the most exciting place in the country, but this quaint town does have its little quirks and kicks I’ve learned to appreciate. One of them being the fact that we have the second largest YMCA in Ontario said a YMCA employee. It’s more than that. I’ve come to notice that here at Laurier, the communities
are very tightly knit, with close and personal relationships being formed outside the lines of boundary when it comes to classes and clubs.
To combat feeling blue and bored, I myself have decided to step out of my comfort zone. I signed up for Mock Trial Club, as I’ve been a debater for most of my life. I interviewed for the First Year Leadership Program Athletic and Wellness Council. In addition to that, I now write for e Sputnik! My point to other students, both international and local, is to immerse yourself in everything. Work on those assignments, apply for that position in the club that caught your attention, go out there and do something. Anything. Anything that makes your gears turn, anything that provokes critical thinking and anything that gets you excited. Life is changing for all of us, and change can be scary, but embrace it. Use it and take it in stride.
As per the 2024 calendar, Sept. 22 o cially marks the rst day of autumn or what I like to call fall. is season is one of the best seasons to exist among the four that Mother Nature gives us. If you think about it, you won’t be overwhelmed with intense migraines, sticky humidity or those relentless heat waves that send you plunging to the oor. Not only that, but there are those hideous creatures that leave you with horrible bug bites or those who follow you around. I am talking about mosquitoes, wasps, bees and those pesky house ies that invade your home like unwanted guests, buzzing in your ear all day.
However, with fall it’s di erent. e temperatures cool down and days become shorter. e air becomes chilly and the trees slowly change colours from bright green to shades of red, orange, yellow and brown. You may even smell
smoke from a distant bon re, along with the sound of laughter as people gather around the warm blaze, roasting marshmallows and making s’mores.
But no doubt, the shorter days
can feel a bit depressing — and they are — at least for the most part.
In a positive light, fall is a great way to transition from summer activities to something more calm-
ing. By that, I mean it’s a season for slowing down and caring for yourself. Like cuddling up and watching movies, going on cute dates, sipping on your favourite fall drinks from your local café’s menu, lighting scented candles, journaling, wearing cozy out ts and the list goes on and on.
Aside from my Pinterest-perfect view, fall brings a deeper sense of purpose or urgency.
For all the party and spiritual lovers, Oct. 31 highlights the celebration of Samhain or All Hallows’ Eve, most commonly known as Halloween.
As kids, we grew up wearing costumes and going trick-or-treating and in our adult years, this celebration turned into something more.
As Cady Heron from Mean Girls famously quotes, “Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.”
It’s a night where people of all ages can dress up as a character and events like parties, haunted houses and pumpkin carving all build up excitement around this holiday.
But in a spiritual aspect, it’s more than partying and wearing
costumes. Halloween is the time when people let go of negative energies and welcome new positive vibrancy. It’s also said to be a strong turning point that represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth. For many — myself included — it’s a great way to manifest your goals and let yourself loose for a night.
As Dec. 31 rolls around the corner, there’s a growing awareness that the year is quickly ending. For some — including myself — as the days get shorter days and time feels like it’s slipping, it can feel like a reset button, giving us a chance to re ect on everything we set out to do in our New Year’s resolution. As the chaotic vibes from summer fade away, with fewer distractions, we can turn our attention to what matter most — whether that’s completing a project, getting back into a routine, accomplishing our tness goals or simply taking better care of ourselves. In short, fall reminds us that it’s not too late to nish what we started. Well, I am looking forward to fall 2024, are you?
LIFESTYLE
As October wraps up, Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, All Saint’s Eve or whatever you like to call it is just around the corner and it’s one of those holidays that people either love or hate.
Some nd it extremely boring and childish, while others love the idea of going out with friends, wearing costumes or even locking up their pantry with free snacks and chocolates. Although it’s celebrated by many with excitement — often indulging in Halloweekend celebrations — there are still plenty of people who aren’t on board with the spooky season and its traditions.
To get a clearer picture of these opinions, I created an anonymous survey using Google Forms.
Here are some of my personal unpopular opinions surrounding this holiday:
◊ Although Halloween isn’t an o cial holiday, it deserves a day o . Realistically, Canada has some of the
most unnecessary holidays, so if we can get a day o for Victoria Day, why not for Halloween?
◊ Teachers/professors should NOT give students tests, quizzes or assignments during Halloweekend or the day of Halloween.
◊ ough Halloween is meant to be a fun day, people need to be mindful of the costumes they select as certain costumes can count as cultural appropriation.
◊ Candy corns are delicious, and they don’t deserve the hate they get.
◊ e hype around Halloween is manifested through TikTok, creating pressure to actually go out and have fun.
◊ People should hand out bags of chips instead of chocolate or candies.
◊ Handing out candies from Dollarama should be banned. If you’re going to participate in Halloween, put in a little extra e ort and avoid being cheap.
◊ Halloween is just a way for businesses to boost their sales (a.k.a. Starbucks) and the holiday’s signi cance is
mostly commercial.
But what do others think?
Here’s a look at what di erent people had to say about Halloween:
◊ “Halloween is overrated and should not be celebrated.”
◊ “KitKat and Co ee Crisp are the best chocolates to hand out.”
◊ “People need to be more thoughtful and informed about their costume choices. Some costumes can appropriate cultures or sexualize communities that value modesty, making them the subject of unwanted objecti cation.”
◊ “Halloween is the best holiday for its creativity, nostalgia and a sense of community.”
◊ “ e Barbie costume was so overused last year.”
◊ “Single costumes are way better than couples or group costumes in a sense that you get total creative freedom and don’t need to worry about what others want to do.”
◊ “I don’t like pumpkins.”
◊ “Halloween doesn’t have a background story.”
◊ “Trick-or-treating is boring and shouldn’t be a thing.”
◊ “ e idea that adults can’t go trick-or-treating is stupid and frustrating to think about. Everyone has the right to relive their childhood.”
◊ “ ere is so much pressure
Stepping outside of your comfort zone.
As September comes to an end many of the rst year students here at Laurier Brantford got to experience an amazing warm welcome to the campus. Whether you live on campus or not, university can be a scary experience at the beginning but with orientation week you get to be involved and meet new people through exciting activities. My rst year of university was during Covid and I was not able to make the same memories. Unfortunently I was stuck in my dorm room and only met with my oormates via Zoom. Now that I am in my fourth and nal year I decided to become an icebreaker to get involved and hopefully make rst year students feel more
comfortable. So, do you see yourself becoming an icebreaker? You might be wondering if you’d t the role. Maybe you’re thinking, “Do I really have to be loud and cheery all the time?” I felt the same way when I rst signed up. But after just one day, I went home, looked in the
mirror, and was amazed at how loud and cheerful I had been all day. Even if you’re unsure about whether this role suits you, I encourage you to give it a try. is experience has helped me come out of my shell and meet so many amazing people. Despite not getting the traditional rst year expe-
rience, volunteering for orientation week made me feel like I did. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is hard but you also need to know that you never know until you try something. As an icebreaker this year during training we had the opportunity to meet with Sam Demma, a motivational speaker. His words of advice really helped me make this week even better than I could’ve imagined. He told us a story about a bus driver he met one day and how the bus driver seemed to be having a good day. When he spoke to him the bus driver told him to never settle for a good day, always push to make it even better. is will always resonate with me because why settle? Why not continue to try and make your day better? What if someone around you is having
to get plastered and party with absolute strangers.” ese were just some opinions that were summited. Whether you’re a fan of the spooky season or prefer to skip the celebrations, it’s clear that Halloween is a holiday that brings out a mix of excitement and skepticism.
a bad day but you are the one that pushes them to feel better? We only have one life, we only have one chance, why not give it all you got? Why not push yourself to do something you feel you won’t like when you haven’t even tried it? If you told me last year that I would be volunteering for orientation week or even writing in the Laurier paper I would have laughed in your face. But this community is so welcoming to everyone and where you will meet some of your best friends. Give it some thought because getting out of your comfort zone can be alot to take in but trust me when I say this, YOU ARE NOT ALONE get out there and make the most of your Laurier experience. It truly is great to be a golden hawk.
What will be the most popular costume this Halloween?
“Gypsy Rose Blanchard.”
-Piper Force, Lead News Writer
“Trump, Biden and Harris.”
–Thando Bhebhe, Creative Director
“Rob and Leah from Love Island.”
–Alicia Coon, Opinion Writer
“Beetlejuice.”
–Anna Pieczula, Opinions Editor
“Chappell Roan.”
–Olga Steblyk, Lead Photographer
“Sabrina
Taste.”
–Jahnavi Jagdeo, Lead Arts and Culture Writer
Woodland Cultural Centre honours history of Indigenous peoples
