Issue 13 - February 27, 2013

Wednesday, February 27, 2013 - Issue 13 // www.thesputnik.ca

News

2

On Campus

4

Features

6

A&E

8

Sports

10

Opinion

12

Partnership with Laurier likely page 3

Road trips: Documenting the adventure page 7

Frosty Fest page 3

LB extramural qualifies for Cup page 11

Phantom DNA page 6

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Let's talk about mental health Jordan Johnston News Editor

“Canadians talked like never before” was the general message Bell Canada gave after the success of their annual Bell Let’s Talk Day..

On February 8th, over 96, 000, 000 tweets, Facebook shares, texts and phone calls were made in order to fund Bell’s donation program.

Over 4 million dollars was raised in order to help mental health programs across the country. This is not the first time this event has transpired and hopes to be even bigger next year. Last year was not nearly as widespread as this year’s event was. Bell Canada states that ‘an unprecedented national conversation about

mental health’ came as a result of their day to raise awareness.

1 in 5 Canadians will experience a form of mental illness somewhere in their life. Bell’s Let’s Talk Day sparked many individuals and groups nationwide to join in the discussion on mental health. The success of the event shows that word travels fast and that people joining together have a chance to make a difference.

In both Brantford and Waterloo, ‘Let’s Talk Day’ was advertised on the headlines of the website.

“We are so thankful to Bell for supporting peer

initiatives at Laurier,” said Adrienne Luft, a part of Laurier’s student support team for mental health.

Luft hopes that events like this will help students who may be struggling to seek out support.

“We hope that these events help students to feel safer reaching out when they are having a difficult time,” said Luft.

The university encourages students to express what is going on in their lives instead of struggling to deal with it on their own that is what these health services are here to provide. There is no shame in seeking out support.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27 , 2013

NEWS

Jordan Johnston // news@thesputnik.ca

Annual Frosty Fest is a success EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Rutt eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Angela Taylor angela.taylor@wlusp.com (519) 884-0710 ext. 3560 PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Diane Sison art.editor@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Caitlin Henshaw web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Alicia Saunders Ahmed Minhas Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Jordan Johnston, Local News Melissa McGuffin, On Campus Layla Bozich, Features Courtney Langstaff, A&E Kyle Morison, Sports Leisha Senko, Opinion

CONTRIBUTORS Dillon Giancola Sikander Panag Oren Weiner Amber Richardson Stephanie Di Bartolo Madison Hawkins Craig Hagerman Matt Cook Caitlin Henshaw Alicia Saunders Emma Dillabough Sebastien Bell Anthony Fusco

Frosty Fest fun (Photos courtesy of Freedom House)

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

WLUSP OFFICE 205 Regina Street Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 PRESIDENT Emily Frost (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 emily.frost@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Taylor (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela.taylor@wlusp.com The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Emily Frost - WLUSP, 205 Regina Street The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc. FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS: Main: Cody Hoffman Left: Freedom House Centre: Cody Hoffman Right: (Art) Diane Sison

Sikander Panag Staff

Brantford’s fourth annual Frosty Fest was held on Family day weekend in Harmony Square. The weekend-long festival, which began on February 16, drew thousands to the downtown area to celebrate the winter season.

A portion of Dalhousie Street was closed to accommodate the crowds as the festival extended outside Harmony Square and onto the street. While the skating rink, central to Harmony Square, remained busy throughout the weekend, the big crowds were drawn to the highlight attractions.

Entirely free, the attractions included ice carving shows, horse-drawn trolley rides, figure skating performances and snow slides. The free hot chocolate also drew a long line up.

Jennifer Middleton, Community Events Coordinator for the City of Brantford, says the Frosty Fest is an event initiated by Freedom House and explains that other organizations also plan events at Harmony Square.

“Harmony Square is a public space so anyone can use it. Anyone can hold an event for $275 a day and we are open and inclusive to pretty much any idea as long as rules and regulations are met,” says Middleton.

Harmony Square will be busy in the summer months with various events such as the Telephone City Car Show on July 21, Blues night on August 2 and Brantford’s largest Zumba class on August 24. July and August will have movies screenings

on Thursday nights and live music on Friday nights.

“Unfortunately, not many students are around in the summer. March, April and May are our slow months but it is encouraged that students go down there,” says Middleton.

She encourages students to submit proposals through their University clubs to use Harmony Square for social, fundraising and awareness events.

“We are constantly looking for volunteers, opportunities and partnerships with community organizations and organizations that students feel passionate about and can bring the community together,” says Middleton.

Black History Month celebrated in Brantford Dillon Giancola Staff

Saturday night marked the end of this year’s Black History Month events in Brantford. Sydenham Street United Church hosted the Black History Month wrap-up party. Over a hundred people attended the party, which had musical performances, inspirational readings and a Caribbean style meal.

The prevailing feelings of the evening were joy and remembrance.

It was the celebration of the lives and accomplishments of African-Canadians throughout the nation and more specifically, Brantford, and the looking back on all their triumphs and struggles and the inspirations they impart.

Yvonne Wright, the chair of the planning committee was also the MC for the night. One man’s performance of John Lennon’s “Imagine” left an inspiring and hopeful reminder that a better world is

possible. Donnaree Douglas spoke about Viola Desmond, a woman from Halifax who refused to give up her seat in a movie theatre, and the change that her actions carried.

This year, Brantford’s committee went bigger than other years and had a variety of events and topics. The festivities opened with a kick-off service on February 3 at Sydenham Street United Church, setting the tone of a celebration that continued throughout the whole month. A discussion panel was held at Nipissing on February 13 which included a video produced by Laurier Brantford’s own Rebecca Goldout.

The video included a month’s worth of interviews around the community on what black history means to people and is expected to be shared with the public soon.

A film festival was also held on Saturday, February 6.

The focus of this year’s celebration was to relish the success of African-Canadians and tell the history of slavery and its abolishment in Canada. While this annual event touches hearts and fills people with happiness and pride all over the world, it certainly is not without its detractors.

Morgan Freeman is often the first that comes to mind, with his quote, “Black history is American history.”

The thought is that having a separate month devoted to black history only furthers segregation and racism in the world. This has and will continue to be debated for as long as this month is celebrated. But what remains clear is that there are many in Brantford who identify with the themes of the month and hold them dear to their hearts.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ON CAMPUS Melissa McGuffin // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Stephen Haller: Professor, Scientist and Rockstar?

Oren Weiner Staff

Dr. Stephen Haller (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

As first and foremost Stephen Haller is a scientist.

Haller devotes much of his time to the discipline.

Although Haller may be devoted to his scientific discipline, he still finds the time to take up his extracurricular hobbies. This is the life of a scientist and philosopher who also is a musician and hobbyist.

“I was always interested in science; when I was young, my father was a chemist, and all my heroes were scientists,” Haller says.

Haller’s journey began in Ottawa where he earned his Bachelor of Science in chemistry and geology at Carleton University. After his four years of undergraduate education, he joined the labour force, working in the field that he studied at Carleton for five years. During his time working as a geologist and chemist, something new enlightened Haller - that something was philosophy.

Haller describes his preliminary interest in the subject matter, “I started to read philosophy; just came across it by accident.”

But it was a specific book that Haller read that really sparked his interest in philosophy.

“I read a famous book called the Structure of Scientific Revolutions, by Thomas Kuhn. That changed my life and undermined my belief in the ability of science to give truth. I really had to go study that question,” says Haller.

Reading Kuhn’s work had a profound effect on him as he chose to leave his job working for the Canadian government to study philosophy at Dalhousie University. The road didn’t end there either. Haller earned his doctorate at a GuelphMcMaster program, opening up doors to the world of teaching at the post-secondary level.

Having carried out his PhD program under the supervision of Michael Ruse, considered one of the most prominent evolution theorists in the modern era, Haller narrowed much of his academic focus on natural evolution.

“I got an interest in continuing my science, but in a philosophical way, and especially an interest in evolution,” says Haller.

This is where he stands today, teaching fulltime at Laurier Brantford in the Contemporary Studies program after years of teaching elsewhere, including his alma mater, Dalhousie University while he was a graduate student there. Haller’s tenure in Brantford started back in 2000 when the campus held a student body of a mere 35 students.

What enticed Haller most about joining the faculty at Laurier’s satellite campus was the opportunity to teach in an interdisciplinary style, between science and philosophy.

“I was really excited by the idea of interdisciplinary research and it would allow me to teach the kind of courses that I’m really interested in, in a sense of science and the interdisciplinary nature of it; how it’s political, philosophical, and historical,” Haller explains, “I liked that idea a lot.”

As an associate professor in the Contemporary Studies program, Haller teaches foundational courses that frequently deal with scientific topics with a philosophical spin on them. Some courses he instructs at the university include Foundations of Scientific Reasoning, Science and its Critics, as well as other philosophical courses such as the History of Modern Science.

While Haller’s life is heavily devoted and immersed in the world of science he still manages to pursue his hobbies, one of which is playing music.

His instrument is the fiddle, perfectly suited to the genre he plays, usually being a form of Irish, English or Quebecois style. Haller describes these styles as “very unique styles that have to be played in different places with different people.”

He recalls how he got into the hobby, dating back to his time as a student at Dalhousie.

“It’s really true, the cliché about Nova Scotia, that they all play an instrument; they all learn something in grade school, or high school, and you go to parties, they pull it all out in the kitchen,” says Haller.

Haller enjoyed the music environment of Nova Scotia and began to learn to play.

“That’s when I got excited, and at the time Nova Scotia had free music instruction for adults. So I picked up a fiddle, and took lessons, and started from then,” says Haller.

Haller’s fiddle takes him playing all over different parts of Southern Ontario where he’s played in Elora, Hamilton and on a regular basis, Cambridge.

The two parts of Stephen’s life may never directly cross, but they have certainly rounded him as a person. For now, Haller continues to instruct students in the Contemporary Studies discipline, while playing his fiddle on the side, but not on a roof.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

ON CAMPUS

Melissa McGuffin // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Mystery food services fee in tuition Melissa McGuffin On Campus Editor

With the recent decision from the 2013 Student Election, 70.8% of voters clicked yes to the Athletic Complex fee, which will result in another cost on the tuition bill (up to $40 per term). However, this is an investment we can see grow as students, but what about the food services fee that we already pay for, and continue to do so?

If you take a look at the fees that show up on your tuition bill every year, you may notice one that reads on Telaris as “Brantford Food Serv Facility,” or, Brantford Food Services Facility. This fee costs $3.75-$15 per semester, $7.50-$30 dollars a year. Full time students see the costs at the maximum amount. The only thing about it is, there is no such existence of a food facility at Laurier Brantford, nor has there been much talk about it.

This fee appears smaller than most on the bill, so some students may not realize what they are paying for. “I’m confused about what it covers. If it covers the pancake breakfasts and stuff like that then I would not have a problem with it. Also, if it covers the food bank I’m cool with that. Otherwise, I’m not very pleased I’m being charged for these ‘food services’,” says third year Criminology student Derek Wareham. “I don’t even care if we have any food services, we’re footsteps away from inexpensive restaurants and such,” he says.

Wareham’s comments are a prime example of how this fee is misunderstood, and also how more talk about the reasoning behind it is needed.

What may seem like a small fund for some seems to add up very quickly. Back

in 2008, it was voted that this fee would appear on tuition bills, and the fee started in 2009. At the highest rate, being thirty dollars a year, and 2700 students would make for a total of $81,000 dollars. With the addition of the Research and Academic Centre, the population of the school is projected to be around 3500-4000 students.

Then, add on the amount of years this has been happening, the dollars add up.

Although the number of students attending Laurier Brantford has grown, and this past year it is at it’s highest number yet, when the numbers are put into perspective, it may cause more of a concern for students of where there money will end up, and if they will see the day where it will be put towards a food service facility before their time at Laurier Brantford ends.

“This year we have established a Food Services Task Force and we are currently developing a survey to be filled out by students in an effort to find out what our core members are looking for,” explains Bre Carnes, Vice President: Campus Experience here at Laurier Brantford. Carnes continues to explain more plans into the development of the facility, she says, “We will also be holding Focus Groups on campus. Our goal is to develop Food Services that will benefit the campus and our unique structure.”

Although we may not have total control over what we pay for as students, the fees we pay should be easily recognizable.

Being able to recognize what fees are being paid for and why they are being charged enables students to actively participate, and let their voices be heard.

WLUSU hopeful for LB student pub Melissa McGuffin On Campus Editor

Waterloo’s campus has one, as well as many other schools. It’s not just a place to sit and drink, it’s also a place for students to come together, socialize, and for Laurier Brantford, it could provide another option other than N.V. Talks of LB getting it’s own student pub has been in the works, and while it could still be a bit longer, there are people who’s efforts are trying to make it happen.

Lauren Silvestro, Associate Vice President: Clubs & Activities, and Melissa Heaman, who held that position last year, started working on a student pub last year. “My focus was more on partnering with local bars to provide programming for students with the resources we had available downtown,” Heaman explains.

“Other than informal conversations with

university staff members and Students’ Union staff, no real progress was made last year to advance the creation of a campus pub,” she says.

While little progress has been made here, the success of Laurier Waterloo’s “the Wilf” can show how successful a campus pub can be. The Wilf has had live bands, trivia nights, “Hawk Den” (a spoof of Dragon’s Den, the television show), and open mic nights. For the month of November, the staff donated their tips to Movember. The Wilf also delivers to first year residences.

Nick Dufour, Residence Don and worker at the Wilf says, “I think an on campus pub is great because it provides students a place to go and just relax after class, or even just a bite to eat with friends.” He continues to say that, “It also provides a great campus

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atmosphere where you’re always bound to see a bunch of people you know.”

Stephanie Chartrand, third year student at LB thinks that it would be a great add to the campus here in Brantford. “Yes I would definitely like to see one here at LB, I’ve been to another school and gone to one of their pubs and I thought that it was nice to have a low-key place to have drinks and talk with people,” she says. Chartrand also suggested it would be a good place to watch sporting events which would also bring the community together. “A place that just belongs to the students is really nice. I think for a campus that is inspiringly different in how it has integrated itself in the community could benefit from having a place for just their students,” she explains.

While the idea for a campus pub at

Laurier Brantford still needs a lot of work, it is most certainly an idea that has been successful amongst many other schools and students. The desire for a campus pub needs to be shown, as well as dedication and the proper finances, which are key.

“Typically, business operations such as a pub would be done by full-time staff members for the Students’ Union, rather than having student executives on oneyear contracts taking on the task,” Heaman explains.

Our time at Laurier Brantford goes by quickly, if we want to see more for our campus, and enjoy more experiences while we can, the time to do so is now.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

FEATURES

Layla Bozich// features@thesputnik.ca

The DNA Phantom: Reality redefined Sebastien Bell Staff

In 1985, Dr. Peter Gariaev, of the Institute of Physics/ Techniques Problems Academy of Science of the USSR, was working with DNA and the correlation spectroscopy thereof.

What Gariaev observed was that light, when shone into a scattering chamber with DNA inside of it, follows a particular pattern, different than that followed when there was no DNA inside the chamber. The really surprising part, however, was that when the DNA was removed, the light continued to follow the pattern it had when the DNA was in the scattering chamber.

It would seem then, that DNA had left a spectre of its former self in the scattering chamber. This observation has led to all sorts of speculation, and has been embraced by conspiracy theorists and New Age theorists alike.

While this theory is exciting and surprising, its accuracy is suspect. While some claim that it is another victim of scientific suppression, others view it at best as incapable of being reproduced and at worst as pseudoscience.

Though the theory’s claims to scientific truth are scant, websites across the Internet claim it to be fact. One website even went so far as to email Dr. Gariaev, who mysteriously answered entirely in the third person.

The main argument against these types of theorists, as Andrew Lugg, emeritus professor in the department of philosophy at the University of Ottawa, brought up, is that they “base their conclusions on suspect evidence, immunize their theories against refutation, palm off unspectacular coincidences as spectacular ones, employ methods that are bound to yield confirmations, rely on the supposedly special ‘insight of the initiate’ and resort to ‘built-in’ fall-back explanations.”

The question of why these theories are so popular becomes an important one. It is a question that Professors Dick Houtman and Peter Mascini of the Erasmus University Rotterdam are interested in. In their paper published by the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion they ask why traditional churches remain empty while New Age belief structures grow.

Houtman and Mascini conclude that the move away from organized religion and the rise of New Age phenomena can both be explained by the rise of individualization. The New Age appeals to more morally individualistic people, those who are more concerned with personal fulfillment than collective needs.

Despite this, people who are likely to follow posttraditional religions are no more likely to be rational in their belief than people who follow traditional religions (Christianity or Islam, for example). It is therefore clear

Where do you leave your DNA? (Art by Diane Sison)

that rationalism is not the reason people are moving from traditional to post-traditional belief structures.

People carry a whole host of beliefs that even they consider crazy. Some believe in Santa, others firmly hold that the dryer is stealing their socks, while others still believe in magazine astrology.

Aimee Wright, for example, a student in her fourth year at Brock University, finds the idea of an omnipotent God, who has nothing better to do than watch us, odd.

“While I believe it,” she says, “it still seems crazy.”

When pressed as to how she could hold on to something she thinks is “crazy,” Wright said that it has largely to do with a lifetime of being told to believe it, and that “the thought of something being there is far more comforting than thinking we’re all alone and this is all there is.”

While some find these contradictions frustrating, the impulse to argue against these ideas often leads to closed minded arguments that lack the rationality that is demanded of the theories.

The website www.thescienceforum.com, for example, when confronted with the DNA Phantom Effect, was the

site of considerable scorn and sarcasm. One user wrote: “It seems that DNA in the context of the above item actually stands for: Did Not Appen. If it was true, surely somebody at some disco would have noticed it...”

Tellingly, however, those people brave enough to argue for the DNA Phantom Effect refused or were unable to answer the question posed by poster John Galt: “Have they published anything on this phenomena in a peer reviewed journal? What other work have they published?

What are their credentials?”

All arguments of suppression and government control collapse under the weight of this question. The simple fact is that phenomena, which cannot be replicated, cannot be proven.

Theories like the DNA Phantom Effect in vitro are exciting and show the promise of a whole new world untapped by the efforts of humanity so far, but fail to meet even the most basic requirements of the scientific method.

These conspiracy theories are not reality; they are, as the Conspiracy Show with Richard Syrett says it, reality redefined.

Dining out: Brantford restaurant hot spots Matt Cook Staff

As Brantford grows as a city, its options for dining grow as well.

A city with a population of nearly 100,000 is bound to have diverse tastes. Over 100 different restaurants are located in Brantford. Some are outposts of popular franchises, such as Harvey’s and Boston Pizza, while other restaurants offer something unique and original to draw in customers. Whatever your interest, the Brantford dining experience has something to offer you.

Some restaurants have built up their reputation in Brantford over decades, while other restaurants are new to the city. One case of the latter is Burrito Brothers, a restaurant that opened only five months ago.

Located on Market Street near the Laurier Brantford campus, Burrito Brothers specializes in serving burritos, tacos, nachos and soup.

“We offer chilli that people can customize, similar to the service at a Subway restaurant. We also put a real emphasis on serving fresh food,” says Lacey Hossack, menu developer of Burrito Brothers.

The young restaurant is currently spreading news by word of mouth, and intends to reach out to Brantford’s student population more in the coming months.

Other Brantford restaurants focus on more traditional food, but they add their own unique flair. Zaza’s Pizzeria is an example.

The restaurant serves wood oven pizza, as well as pasta and sandwiches. It is the only restaurant in Brantford that serves Sicilian rice balls.

The restaurant’s primary focus is on producing high quality food. This has helped the business grow during the recession, as its target market is not an audience who is looking for deals.

Zaza’s Pizzeria has been open for three years. To

open the restaurant, Matthew Polillo, the owner and founder, had help from Enterprise Brant who guided him through his business plan. They paid him compensation via unemployment while he set up the business, and he received help from his family as well.

“It was challenging to open the business at first,” says Polillo. “There are plenty of expenses you don’t foresee in your business plan. But so far we’re doing well. We have an established clientele and we seem to be doing better every year.”

Zaza’s Pizzeria is far from the only Brantford restaurant appealing to a niche market. Faisal Malak opened his own restaurant in downtown Brantford two years ago, and The Pita Pit has been thriving ever since.

The restaurant capitalizes on the pita’s recent rise as a popular meal in western culture. While there are other pitafocused restaurants in Brantford, The Pita Pit attempts to draw clients in with recipes such as beef wraps and falafels.

Unlike many other pita-focused restaurants in town, The Pita Pit uses fresh meat, as opposed to frozen.

Malak owned a restaurant in Toronto prior to opening The Pita Pit in Brantford, and he builds on his experience with it. He emphasizes that a restaurant’s success requires years for customers to grow and trust it.

Other Brantford establishments adapt their businesses due to popular demand, pressing economic concerns, and even the weather. Shaydeans Ice Cream normally operates on 603 Colborne Street, but it is currently closed due to the weather.

“In our first year in business we tried to stay open all year through the winter,” says Brenda Rideout, founder of the ice cream shop. “But that didn’t really work out. So we don’t have a set opening [and] closing date. We’ll probably open around March break and close around October, but

that really depends on the weather.”

Shaydeans Ice Cream mainly produces ice cream and ice cream cakes. They also produce a variety of other cold drinks, such as slushies and smoothies. They round out their selection by serving hot dogs, apple temptations and nachos.

A major focus of Shaydeans is the unusual types of ice cream that they offer. They serve flavour burst ice cream, which places syrup on vanilla ice cream to change the taste. This allows them to produce a variety of unique combinations. They also produce crunchy cream ice cream, which features candy inserted into soft ice cream.

Shaydeans is also the home of the Waffle Bowl Banana Split, unique among ice cream parlours in Brantford.

Currently Shaydeans is attempting to reach out to the Laurier Brantford community. Several years ago they attempted to provide coupons to Laurier freshmen with their orientation package. However the marketing plan was unsuccessful. Despite this, Shaydeans continues to thrive in the Brantford community.

Brantford is also home to more traditional restaurants.

Goo’s Take-Out is in its third year of operation, and serves a great deal of traditional western food. Items on the menu include wraps, poutine, French fries and hamburgers.

“We get a lot of students coming in here … it’s really great for business. Overall I’m satisfied with our success,” says Patty McNeil, an employee at Goo’s Take-Out. Regardless of your dining preference, it’s easy to find the meal you’re looking for in Brantford. As the city continues to grow, dining opportunities will continue grow along with it.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

FEATURES

Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

Not a long, lonely highway anymore Layla Bozich Features Editor

Paul Thompson is most comfortable when he is outside his comfort zone.

Three trips of a lifetime are the centrepieces to his blog, Last Great Road Trip.

He travelled to the Arctic Circle with his father in 2007, tacking on an extra week to his already planned schedule to include one of Canada’s most northerly towns, Inuvik. In 2008, Thompson travelled with his 14-year-old son to Ouray, Colorado, stopping at every skate park they came across that his son wanted to skateboard at. Thompson and his friend then drove the Baja 1000, an off-road racecourse in Mexico in 2011.

“No chase vehicles, no one but us to get us out of anything we got into and neither of us spoke Spanish,” says Thompson.

“Although we were still close, a lot of life had gotten in the way of staying in touch with my friend and this was going to let us reconnect.”

Thompson’s friends told him that his trips were the best mid-life crisis they had ever known. Others called him crazy. But all, friends and strangers alike, agreed they would love to do at least some of the trips he has taken.

Thompson’s blog is part insight, part video, and part photography. It features some of the maps he has used through his travels and a store featuring prayer flags – flags used by Tibetan Buddhists to promote happiness and prosperity – for sale.

He started the blog to keep his mother updated on where he was, and to notify

her that he and his father were indeed still alive at the Arctic Circle.

“Along the way on that first trip I started getting emails from stranger who express[ed] how much they enjoyed following our trip and encourage[d] me to keep it up,” says Thompson. “After that I wanted to see if I could keep it going and share my adventures with anyone who cared to follow along.”

Lani Lazzari, 19, is the owner of Simple Sugars, an all-natural skincare line based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Her road trip began at the age of 16, when she gave her hand-me-down car from her grandmother a makeover, suitably named it the “Simple Sugars Mobile” and decorated it with decals, pink rims, and pink zebra-print seat covers.

Lazzari decided that she was going to drive across the United States to promote her business with her mother and her intern.

“In the end, the trip became part social media, part press tour, part speaking tour, and part grass-roots promotional effort,” says Lazzari. “We tweeted, videotaped, Instagrammed and Facebooked the whole trip so people anywhere could follow the trip.”

Even though the road trip meant that Lazzari would have to miss six weeks of school, her parents encouraged her to take the trip and told her it was a once in a lifetime experience.

“It was so incredible to be able to see the whole country like that and to visit

Road trip: A photo essay Cody Hoffman Photo Editor

so many different places,” she says. “You never really get to see the country when you just fly from one place to another, so it was awesome to be able to see what it really looks like and to feel the scope of how big it is and how different each place is.”

Thompson and Lazzari saw the world in two completely different ways through the same pane of windshield glass.

For Thompson, he felt like he achieved his original mission for his road trip while standing in the Arctic Ocean, and again in Baja when his friend agreed to get his first ever pedicure in a small back alley shop.

Lazzari’s moment of accomplishment occurred when she spoke at an all-girl high school in inner city Baltimore.

“It was so encouraging and fulfilling to see that and to think that what I had to say resonated with them, and I just remember thinking that even if I just managed to encourage one of the girls in that audience to pursue something she is passionate about, it would be worth it,” says Lazzari.

Thompson and Lazzari agree that making time is the most important thing that they learned during their road trips.

Lazzari learned that making time to follow her passions paid off, and Thompson learned that by making time to listen to the stories of the people he met, he discovered that everyone wants the same things in life: To be happy and make a better life for their family.

The trips came with their fair share of hardships, though.

When Lazzari’s engine took on the sound of an airplane when they reached Seattle, they stopped at a mechanic before embarking on their 10-hour drive to Boise, Idaho. He did not have the parts to fix the engine, but reassured the ladies that they could make it to Boise as long as they kept their windows down to air out the potentially leaking carbon monoxide.

However, it rained hard for the length of their drive, causing Lazzari to make a pit stop to buy blankets and gloves to protect them from the rain beating through the open windows.

About five days into Thompson’s drive along the Utah Backcountry Discover Route, he got his vehicle stuck while taking the day off to 4-wheel in Moab, Utah. Thompson’s friend worked to free the vehicle but became a victim of heat exhaustion. Thompson focused on getting his friend back into town where he was out of commission for two days.

Thompson and Lazzari documented their completely different travels using the same media, achieving two different goals with the common catalyst of a road trip.

“The best experience, though, is the deep connection I’ve developed with the people who have embarked on these crazy adventures with me,” says Thompson.

“The bond that develops between people who share an experience that few others will ever have is one of the ways you build the stories that you will always remember and someday tell your grand children.”

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

A&E CORNER Name Writer

Photo description goes here. (Photo by Name)

W a r m B o d i e s Vampire Diaries Amber Richardson

Warm Bodies is a new release, and I suggest catching it in theaters while it’s still out. While the whole zombie thing is a little…ok, a lot…overplayed, this was a lovely change to the normal “I’m gonna eat your brains” zombie flick. This flick highlights the decline of the zombie pandemic, and examines what the world would be like if the zombies were a little more human. It’s a hilarious love story, with beautiful shots. Nicholas Hoult did a great job playing a half zombie, which was no easy feat considering it’s never been done. The mix between human and zombie was perfect. Kudos also go out to Jonathan Levine who wrote the screenplay and directed the film, and Isaac Marion for writing the novel that sparked this new revolution in zombie filmmaking. This movie was a funny and wonderfully directed surprise.

Two thumbs up.

Madison Hawkins

Vampire Diaries. How do I even begin to describe this amazingly addictive show? I am not one of those girls who are into the whole vampire/ walking dead/ werewolf craze. In fact, when I was first told to start watching this series on Netflix I laughed and vowed to never watch an episode. But Vampire Diaries is by far the best series ever. I am a little behind, with only being on season two, but the drama, the twists and turns, and of course the sexy vampire boys have me hooked. Every episode brings something new and leaves you staying up until 3 in the morning because you have to know what happens next. The love triangle is so hot, the magic is crazy, and the blood is delicious. Seriously, take my advice and throw every negative thought about vampires out the window. Watch this show. You won’t be disappointed. 5/5

Sex Talk: Giving up sex for Lent Amber Richardson Staff Some people are giving up sex for Lent, and while this may seem crazy to some, I applaud their commitment. Giving up sex doesn’t mean you have to give up being sexy, or doing sexual things with your partner.

I sent out a survey about giving up sex for forty days. Twenty-six people responded—and their answers may surprise you.

Out of twenty-six people, eighteen said that they would never give up sex, and surprisingly, an equal mix of men and women said they would give up sex for forty days. I thought that no men would want to give up sex, and though I was wrong, the men that responded were still raunchier than their female counterparts. Eighteen women responded to the survey, and while no one expected their partners to cheat on them while they were on their sex hiatus, almost everyone said they expected their partners to still try to have sex with them.

One male even said, “I would probably still try to have sex with my partner, but that sounds a little rape-y, so I prefer to think of it as trying to seduce my partner.”

This was, unfortunately, a very common response from the males that completed this survey. One survey responder answered why he would still try to have sex with his girlfriend, “Well if she decides to give up sex, she’s also making that choice for me. I feel like it should be a joint commitment if we’re going to do it. I don’t think anyone should decide that for me.”

I think that if you’re going to give up sex, he has a good point and you should make that decision as a couple, especially if it might affect your relationship.

What was most surprising is that only fourteen out of twenty-six people said that they would do foreplay instead of having sex.

Another responder who is giving sex up for lent answered why more people wouldn’t fool around without having sex, and she explained, “Some people aren’t just giving up sex, they are giving up all the pleasure that comes from sex and sexual acts. I mean, it’s not like we should be having sex anyways, we aren’t married, so he can either wait for forty days or until we’re married. I think he’d rather wait forty days.”

So, for those of you who are giving up sex by association, but haven’t made the commitment willingly, you can always masturbate. It might not be as good as the real thing, but look on the bright side—the sex will be so much better at Easter.

For those of you who are giving up sex but not all-sexual pleasure, you can continue to have fun with your partner by partaking in your regular foreplay—including the use of hands, mouths, and maybe even some toys.

Safe Haven

Hayden – Us Alone

To all the Nicholas Sparks Fans: This movie was amazing. It had the perfect mixture of romance, suspense, laughter and much more. It is in my nature to read the books after watching the film, as it helps me picture the characters more, especially with Spark’s novels. This one was definitely a good non-cheesy chickflick (can those words actually be in the same sentence? YES.) Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel had excellent on-screen chemistry, and the whole plot was very original. Especially, for those who have not yet read the book, the movie doesn’t give anything away, and the ending literally takes you by surprise. Overall this is a film I would actually see again.

I would say of all of Sparks’ novels, this one comes to a close second following The Notebook. Definitely recommend this film to both girls and guys, because the suspense mixed in with the romance takes you on quite the interesting ride.

Hayden’s newly released album Us Alone proves itself to be the perfect soundtrack for a mellow night with friends. It has the same vibe as Hayden’s past albums but now that the Torontobased singer/songwriter is finally getting more attention in the public eye, it’s no surprise that this has been his most successful album yet. In my opinion, Blurry Nights is the best track on the record as it portrays Canadian Indie at it’s best. This song alone is proof that it’s a simple as a nice voice and a few acoustic instruments to make a song that can give you chills. Almost Everything is another notable track on the record. The harmonica-filled tuned forcibly puts you in a great mood. All in all this record is beautiful; a nine out of ten, easily.

Courtney Langstaff

Stephanie Di Bartolo

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The Sputnik // Wednesday,February 27, 2013

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

85th ACADEMY AWARDS LIGHT UP TELEVISION SETS Stephanie Di Bartolo Staff With the months of preparation that go into arguably the most important night in film, the 85th Annual Academy Awards did not disappoint this past Sunday evening as the ceremony, which this year had a focus on honouring music in film, was full of entertainment.

Comedian Seth MacFarlane who definitely brought a different tone to the event hosted this year’s show. Though there’s no denying that MacFarlane is one of the most hilarious and entertaining comedians of today, it is certainly valid to question whether or not he was suitable to host the show. His opening monologue addressed not only the Chris Brown and Rihanna abuse drama, but also addressed things like George Clooney’s reputation for dating much younger girls.

Directly following, William Shatner appeared on screen as his famous Star Trek character Captain Kirk to stop MacFarlane from ruining the show. In a clip of the show Kirk brought back in time with him, MacFarlane broke out into a song and dance about the many females who have shown their breasts in some of the nominated films. Belting the lyrics “We saw your boobs” alongside several other male dancers, MacFarlane listed specific names of actresses who have bared it all in films as well as actresses he wishes showed more flesh in their movies.

Luckily, beautiful performances by both Jennifer Hudson and Adele took away from some of the less desirable parts of the show.

Adele graced the audience with a beautiful live rendition of Skyfall, the theme for the lat-

est James Bond film. Likewise, Hudson belted out And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls that had the entire audience on their feet.

The award for Best Supporting Actress went to the well-deserving Anne Hathaway for her role in Les Miserables.

“Here’s hoping that in the future, the misfortunes of Fantine will only be found in stories and not in real life,” said a tearful Hathaway who lost weight and shaved her head to play the starving women forced into prostitution to support her daughter.

Another notable moment was Jennifer Lawrence’s win for Best Actress for her role in Silver Lining Playbook. The star took a tumble on the stairs on her way to accept her award.

“You guys are only standing for me because I fell and you feel bad because that’s embarrassing,” joked Lawrence.

Best Picture, presented by First Lady, Michelle Obama, went to the ever-popular Argo.

Although Affleck was not nominated for the Oscar in Achievement for Directing, his acceptance speech was captivating and humble.

In his speech, Affleck provided a thank you to Canada, a key player in the CIA operation the film was based upon.

The night was filled with humorous, heart-warming, sad and surprising moments.

Through the good, the bad and the awkward, the millions of viewers and commentary on various forms of social media proved that this year’s Academy Awards were as successful and enjoyed as ever.

DRESSING THE PART

Interview ready (Photo by Elizabeth Medeiros)

Madison Hawkins Staff With school coming to an end and summer right around the corner, it is that time of year to start the always dreaded job hunt. Whether you are graduating this year and are looking for a fulltime career, or are just looking for a summer job to make some extra cash, it is important that you dress for the part. Before even heading out to hand out resumes, make sure you stop to think about where you are applying. It is important to do a little research about the different job opportunities you are after and make sure you are dressed appropriately.

If you are simply applying to the mall for a summer job, try to take the day before and scope out where you are applying. Every store has a unique style and you should try to resonate with the brand when applying for a job. If you are graduating and looking for that career job, research is key. Research the background of the company, figure out who you will be interviewing with and try to match your style with the company. It is always a smart move to be overly dressed, rather than under dressed. However, it can also be awkward when you are overly dressed. Therefore, it is al-

ways a good idea to purchase a pair of pants that are not jeans but not dress pants. Stick to a darker colour like black, gray or navy so that they look a little more polished and dressy. This way you can still look professional, but be comfy and wear the pants again. Pair the pants with a sharp blazer and a pair or low heels or flats. There is nothing professional about sky-high heels that you can’t walk a straight line in. Try to shower the day of the interview, wake up a little early so that you are not rushed or flustered. Keep you nails manicured and always keep a mint in your bag. It is important to not only have a well-stacked résumé but to look clean and well put together.

No matter what position or what company you are applying for, it is always important to dress in a way that is fitting to the particular company, however it is also essential to be and dress professional, even if you are applying for a position in a particular trade, like plumbing for example. Always dress to impress, as first impressions are the most important, and despite how good or how bad your interview went, their first image of your meeting will always stick with them.

THE CHARTS

By: Stephanie Di Bartolo, The Sputnik’s watchdog of the local, national and everchanging music scene. On this week’s agenda:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

MELLOW NIGHT OF CANADIAN MUSIC

Sam Roberts – The Canadian Dream Arkells – I’m Not The Sun Bedouin Soundclash – 12:59 Lullaby City and Colour, We Found Each Other In The Dark Hayden – Blurry Nights

Suggestions? Tell us what album, band, or artist you want to see reviewed or featured in The Sputnik by emailing arts@thesputnik.ca

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The Sputnik // Wednesday,February 27, 2013

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

UFC 157 makes history in women’s mixed martial arts Anthony Fusco Staff UFC 157 provided many memorable moments. This fight card had it all: a potential fight of the year between featherweights Matt Grice and Dennis Bermudez, Canadian Sam Stout won his bout against Carlos Fodor, and Lyoto Machida earned himself the top contender status in the light heavyweight division, On a card that featured that many stacked and entertaining fights, there was none that I was more excited for as the main event. The main event was in many ways historic for the UFC and for WMMA (Women’s Mixed Martial Arts) as a whole.

It was the first time that women fought in the UFC as well as the first women’s title fight in UFC history. Former Olympic Judoka and Strikeforce champion Ronda Rousey faced off in the Octagon against former Marine Liz Carmouche.

The two women put on one heck of a show. Rousey came fast right out of the gate and began to use her striking to cover the distance to her opponent. Carmouche met her and as Rousey had her up against the cage both threw some solid shots.

Rousey was then able to drag the fight into her domain – on the mat. Carmouche was able to keep her composure and escape the control of Rousey and take the champion’s back. From there she secured her over under hooks and began looking for a choke.

Rousey was defending well and Carmouche looked to have a nasty neck crank applied tight. Many thought they were about to witness a massive upset at the hands of the challenger. But Rousey, displaying some true heart, was able to shake Carmouche off her back and survive the

very close submission attempt.

Rousey was able to land some shots as Carmouche defended on the mat. She then threw a punch and landed in side control.

She tied up Carmouche’s head and began hitting her with strikes.

Throughout this exchange Carmouche was constantly trying to escape and take the back of the champ.

Rousey then transitioned into the mount position and began hunting for her opponent’s arm. She pulled off a beautiful roll while attempting to extend the arm and secure the submission, but Carmouche was resilient.

Rousey eventually hooked her arm around the arm of her opponent, pulled it free and extended it until Carmouche had no other choice but to tap.

Carmouche put on an excellent fight.

She put Rousey in a bad position and very nearly finished the fight. She displayed heart and toughness that was inspiring to watch.

As expected, Rousey did what she does best. Seven professional fights and seven first round armbar finishes. She broke ground for women fighters the world over and provided an inspiration and role model for many to follow. The star that is Ronda Rousey is soaring higher and burning brighter than ever.

In the end, both women made the main event worth watching. On a night when many doubted their ability, the women came through in spades and announced their presence to the fighting world. They are skilled, entertaining and above all here to stay.

Got something to say? Say it in the Sputnik.

Email your rant about roomates, WLUSU, food services or anything else to opinion@thesputnik.ca. All submissions are completely anonymous.

Eating right: the next step in getting fit Emma Dillabough Staff If you’re hitting the gym regularly but still don’t see the results you’re looking for, you may need to change up your eating habits.

Here are a couple of my suggestions for revamping your diet in order to shed some weight.

The first thing you should start doing is eating ‘clean’ food. Clean foods are whole foods or foods that are minimally processed. For example, instead of having tuna salad with mayonnaise, try making a tuna salad with onions and plain Greek yogurt.

Next, stop eating out. I’m a student too and I know first-hand how easy it is to grab a drive-thru lunch in between classes. Instead, plan ahead and pack a lunch from home. Include fruits, cut-up veggies, and some lean proteins. Examples of lean proteins are cottage cheese, turkey, chicken, and tuna. Definitely do not pack a pop or a juice box instead bring along a re-fillable water bottle.

The third habit is to try eating smaller meals more frequently throughout the day. Instead of three large meals try eating six small meals spread out. A meal can even be something as light as a yogurt and an apple. This is a great strategy because you won’t become ravenous between meals and binge on something you shouldn’t have eaten.

Finally, choose one day a week to have a cheat meal or you will drive yourself crazy. Order whatever you like for dinner and definitely get something sweet for dessert. My weaknesses are pizza and chocolate! Then, the next morning, get right back on track with your eating plan.

If you clean up your diet I can almost guarantee you will see results. Good luck with your new lifestyle and be sure to look for my next article on how to amp up your training schedule!

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

SPORTS Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

Women’s hockey team qualifies for Challenge Cup

Women’s hockey (Photo by Cody Hoffman)

Craig Hagerman Staff For the second time in two weeks Brantford was the home of extramural hockey.

Last Friday the women’s extramural hockey team took the ice, hoping for a big finish like the men’s team had achieved just one week prior.

The ladies opened the tournament against Conestoga College. With their dominant play the girls were able to come out on top with a 4-2 win thanks to the great play of Kristin Cavarzan and Jacqueline Legere who both had two goals for the Golden Hawks.

In their second game, the Hawks were paired against Fanshawe College. The girls played a tight game, trading goals throughout and after regulation the two teams were deadlocked 2-2. The teams would play an overtime period, but after both teams failed to score during the period the girls were headed to a shootout. Unfortunately

the girls fell after Fanshawe scored in the fourth round of the shootout.

However, game three saw the Golden Hawks bounce back against the University of Information Technology. Captain Brittany Howe and Shannen Head lead the way with two goals each and Erica Mathews added another as the Hawks took down U of IT 5-1.

After a rough fourth game against highly ranked St. Lawrence College which saw the girls lose 7-0, the girls had a chance to play for third place against Conestoga.

Having beaten them earlier in the tournament the team knew they could come out on top if they kept to their game.

“The girls knew we couldn’t take them lightly and didn’t want to go down after already beating them once earlier on in the day,” says Howe.

Fortunately for the Hawks they did just

that, coming out on top 4-1 with goals from Shannen Head (2), Jordan Stephenson, and Brittany Howe, taking a third place finish in the tournament.

With the third place finish the girls joined the men’s extramural team in qualifying for the Challenge Cup, which gives them a chance to play against the league’s best. Heading into the tournament Howe really likes the team’s chances.

“I believe that every team that we play against is beatable for us and we just need to make sure we bring everything we have and leave it on the ice every game.” Howe says, “It would be great if we could win the first Challenge Cup for Laurier Brantford and the whole team is aiming to reach that goal.”

However both Cavarzan and Howe believe there are a couple keys to the team’s game that they could improve on. Cavar-

zan believes that working on the team’s conditioning could help in the next tournament.

“Since playing up to five games in a day can get exhausting, some extra conditioning will definitely improve our game play,” says Cavarzan.

While Howe believes the team could work on their passing and team play.

“I think that we need to continue to work on our passing and just being aware where one another is on the ice,” says Howe, “Both of these just take time and getting use to one another’s playing style.”

The girls will hit the ice at the Challenge Cup on March 14 and 15 and with a few weeks until then to get prepared for the tournament, the girls will be getting ready to finally earn their spot among the league’s very best.

Co-Ed soccer teams grabs third place finish at redeemer Kyle Morrison Sports Editor The co-ed soccer team had to wait an extra week for their tournament at Redeemer University College, but they were no less preparing, returning to Laurier with a third place finish.

Co-captain Kamden Holder is pleased with their results and going into their final tournament at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus on March 15, feels they’re in great shape to win it all.

After winning against Fanshawe 2-1 to open the tournament, the Golden Hawks lost 2-1 to Humber. However, they bounced back to crush Sheridan Trafalgar 10-1, highlighted by a three-goal performance from Stephen Armstrong.

This emphatic victory sent Laurier to semi-finals against Humber College, a game in which ended in heartbreak. After

neither team being able to score a goal in 50 minutes of regulation, it came down to penalty shots.

All but one shot got passed goalie Tyler Webb, but that ended up being the goal that put Humber into the finals.

Laurier was a shootout loss away from beating Humber College to make it to the finals, who were the eventual winners of the tournament. “[Humber] has a good reputation and everybody expects them to win,” Holder says, “We almost beat them and we could’ve beaten them.”

He was impressed with how the team played and simply wants them to keep up the good work.

“Just keep the ball moving, making quick decisions to keep control of the game.

That’s all it comes down to,” says Holder.

Holder and the soccer teams at Laurier will be facing a whole new challenge in the coming year when they take the teams outdoors to play regulation varsity soccer.

But he is ready for the challenge. Holder has been in close contact with Laurier Brantford Athletic & Recreations Manager and is already preparing for next season and beyond with practices organized all throughout the summer.

The Laurier Brantford soccer teams will continue to be a part of the OCAA (Ontario College Athletics Association), but with everything bigger and better.

The team will mostly stay intact, with new players added to flesh out the roster

for 11-on-11 play. This is really important to the team’s success Holder says.

“When it comes to varsity, we will already have the chemistry we need,” says Holder.

And there are very few sports where chemistry between teammates is more important. You need to know where your teammates are at all times and when to pass to whom.

One tournament on the small gyms and nets remains for the Golden Hawks, and if they can avenge their shootout loss against Humber College and make it to the tournament finals, the confidence they’ll have when stepping foot on the real pitch couldn’t be any higher.

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The Sputnik // Wednesday, February 27, 2013

OPINION Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

The trouble with...

The Sputnik’s Opinion staff examines flaws in film, from “true life stories” to time travel. ...a time travel paradox

Caitlin Henshaw Staff In the world of fiction anything goes, but in the world of science fiction this isn’t quite the case. By introducing science into a fictional world, a framework of rules and boundaries are set in place. This framework becomes all the more complicated when the concept of time travel is introduced.

There are several theories that currently exist regarding time travel and its possibilities, but in the world of science fiction there are generally only three. There is the fixed timeline, the dynamic timeline and the multi-verse theory.

In the fixed timeline theory, the future cannot be changed. One can only travel to the past because it has already happened. For example, in The Terminator, John Connor only exists because he sent his father back in time to save his mother from a futuristic assassin. He literally cannot exist unless this act of time travel takes place. However, in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, the dynamic timeline theory is applied. With this theory, the timeline is not fixed and Sarah Connor is able to change the future.

But how can that happen? If Skynet doesn’t take over the world, then they will never send back a terminator to kill Sarah and John Connor will never exist. Many people (myself included) would just call this bad writing, but it could technically be explained by the multi-verse theory.

This theory suggests that infinite universes exist and that anything that could happen has happened in one of the universes. When one travels through time and makes a change, they create a new alternate universe. The timeline that they were previously associated with no longer exists to them.

Now, do I honestly believe this theory excuses James Cameron’s terrible writing? Absolutely not, but it does illustrate the most important rule of writing science fiction: Once you make a rule, you can’t break it.

...the same old horror

Alicia Saunders Staff The horror genre is no stranger to recycling. Plots, character stereotypes, even camera angles get repeated so often they become incredibly predictable. Horror also has a nasty habit of “rebooting” classic horror films to make them more appealing to a savvier, newer audience. A remake/sequel to the 1981 film Evil Dead is out in theaters in April and a new version of the classic Carrie is expected for the fall.

Clearly, the horror genre has gave up on coming up with original topics. I’ve seen far too many “found footage” films (which initially started with the success of The Blair Witch Project). There are now more devil possession films than I can count. However, there is hope within the genre.

Meta-fiction has become a huge player in the horror genre, as well as the combination of comedy and horror within movies. Meta-fiction simply refers to writers creating characters that are aware of the genre they exist in. A great example of this is the Scream franchise, which has had great success at poking fun at the horror genre. In the first film, the film geek character outlines the typical rules that one must follow in order not to die in a horror movie.

Another recent version of this is The Cabin in the Woods. The film plays off the many typical stereotypes of horror movies, including the jock and the virgin. However, combining genres has also helped to revitalize horror.

Shaun of the Dead is a great example of mixing a common horror plot with a humorous twist. The film revolves around two friends trying to survive a zombie apocalypse by making their way to their hangout, a local bar.

It’s clear that horror will be around for a while, but in order to stay new and fresh, innovative and creative plots will need to be brought out. No more possessions - there’s only so many ways to have someone be raised from their bed while muttering in tongues before it becomes redundant.

...repetitive true life stories

Leisha Senko Opinion Editor “Based on a true life story” films have always rubbed me the wrong way. There’s something eerily unsettling about the way producers hobble them together. Nearly all conform perfectly to well-known story arcs. Their characters, supposedly modeled on real people, lead lives that fit perfectly into classical narrative structures; from an underdog who earns his way to the top through hard work and just the right amount of chutzpah, to the man who suffers great financial and personal loss only to have it all recovered and then some (often including a younger, more beautiful wife).

I’ll be the first to state the obvious. Real life isn’t a movie.

It’s poorly scripted, badly timed and unbelievably, monotonously layered. This genre however, instead of addressing these issues boils our most poignant interactions and most crushing trials down to whatever base, familiar tropes are on hand at the time.

Why exactly is this the case? Well, it seems moviegoers will suffer through a bland, predictable “true events” story much easier than a bland, predictable, fiction film. If someone can convince others that there’s a historical or educational element to the contrived plot they’re being spoon fed, it somehow seems more palatable. Unfortunately, lazy studios know this all too well.

Good film is meant to challenge us, to shake us and move us. It’s intended to make us think, make us feel, make us genuinely laugh or sit on the edge of our seats. It’s an industry that once thrived on creative and unique pieces, complimented by truly skilled artists of every facet. So, if you want a slice of life, watch a documentary. Otherwise, don’t be fooled by the same old plot masquerading as a “true life story.”

Got something to say?Say it in the Sputnik. opinion@thepsutnik.ca When was the last time you needed to do research for an essay? Do you remember looking for a quiet place to begin? How about finding the perfect book just to realize that it would not arrive until the week after your assignment was due?

It is a well known fact among Laurier Brantford students today that the campus is rapidly expanding. Since 1999, when just under 40 students were enrolled, the campus has exponentially grown to 2,700 students (Globe and Mail, July 2012) spanning from Concurrent Education and Criminology, to Psychology and Health Studies. This is a great thing for campus diversity, athletics and leisure, as well as overall student life.

However, with the campus rapidly expanding, there comes the issue of overcrowding. Laurier Brantford’s Athletics and Recreation Department rightly addressed this issue by planning for a new joined facility, which is set to open in 2015. In addition, new campus buildings are opening every day it seems with the new Expositor Place, Nelson Residence and Research and Academic Centre being opened up in recent history.

With all of this recent development, what about our library? Libraries offer students a place to study, work on assignments (or in small groups) and do research. The current library we have was well-suited for the dismal 1999 student population. However, it is not adequate for the

exponentially larger population we have today (which is only expected to grow with time).

Am I saying that the student body cannot work with the Brantford government to produce a joined facility to accommodate everyone? No. I am simply saying that studying is arguably the defining aspect of student life; as the root word of student, is study. If our university puts other priorities ahead of our ability to study, are they really acting in our best interest?

-Bibliotheca