Brantford charities successful Page 2
Nipissing to withdraw partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University Page 3
Wired in: An obsession with the web Page 7
Issue 9 | Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015 | www.thesputnik.ca
WHAT DO YOU
WANT TO BE WHEN YOU DIE?
}
{
Become a vinyl record, a shotgun shell or be launched into space.
Karly Rath Features Editor The transition from 2014 to 2015 is a reminder of how when one era ends, another begins. It may be the same with human life: can we live on after death? Depending on your beliefs, you may believe in an afterlife or perhaps that it is possible to live on through a legacy of sorts. For most people, there are only two options that come to mind when thinking of what to do with their physical body
after death—cremation or burial. But does that have to be the end of the story? There are actually many post-mortem options available that may just shock, terrify or excite you. EXPLOSIVE FIREWORKS: There are several companies that can turn your ashes into a colourful celebration that can be set off at a memorial service or in the privacy of your loved ones’ backyards. One international company, Heavenly Stars Fireworks, offers two minutes of explosions at over 100 feet for £249.99. SHINING DIAMONDS: If you want to transform your corpse into something classy, you could become a diamond. One
company, Heart in Diamond, requires 70 to 120 days to complete the process of turning your carbon into a personalized diamond. This option can get pricey though—they offer options that range from $875 to over $22,000 and that excludes the cremation fees and setting the certified stone in jewelry. For a cheaper option, you can become glass, whether that be pendant jewelry, marbles or even dishware. PLANT FOOD: You can always choose to simply decompose and give life to plants. Natural or green burials consist of simply placing the body in the earth – no coffin, no chemicals and often no marking above ground. Of the few cemeteries
in Canada that offer green burials, one of which is near Toronto, Duffin Meadows Cemetery. There, grass isn’t mowed and no “tokens of remembrance” such as cut flowers can be left. VINYL RECORD: A legitimate company called www.andvinyly.com, provides you with a 10-step process to immortalize your life in the form of a working, audible record. In summary, you choose the audio and art content, attend the mastering of the record while alive, after your passing (Step 6 is “Die”) your loved ones attend the pressing of your ashes into the record and finally, you “Live on from beyond the groove!”. - CONTINUED PAGE 2
Point of care testing may revolutionize flu diagnosis
Davis Vallesi Staff
A new method of testing for seasonal influenza may help relieve the strain on medical institutions and reduce wait times for Canadians who have fallen ill. This new process, known as point of care testing, was launched on Monday Jan. 5, at Shoppers Drug Mart locations in Alberta. If the pilot test is successful, it is possible the system will be implemented across the country by next year. Currently, if an individual thinks they have contracted the flu, they have fairly limited options in confirming the influenza and receiving treatment, like, going to the emergency
room, visiting a walk-in clinic, or making an appointment with their general practitioner. These options are often impractical due to long wait times at hospitals or clinics and it can sometimes take weeks to secure an appointment with a family doctor. With point of care testing, an individual who believes they have the flu can simply go to their local pharmacy and undergo a short medical test. The pharmacist takes a nasal swab from the patient and then inserts the sample into a device called a “Veritor” reader. Within approximately 10 minutes, the pharmacist can view the results of the test and determine whether the patient has the flu with up to a 90 per cent accuracy rate. At the program’s pilot pharmacies in Alberta, if an individual tests positive for the flu, the pharmacist can prescribe them an anti-viral medication instantly. The procedure requires a fee from the patient, however no appointment
is necessary. Peter Marshall, of P.C. Marshall & Associates, was involved in negotiating an agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart to launch the program. He calls the development “cutting edge” and believes the program will soon become widespread across the country. “This new technology will revolutionize the way that flu testing is done in Canada,” he stated. Marshall also believes that the testing should become government funded, allowing the service to become free for all Canadians. By conducting point of care testing within pharmacies, he feels hospitals can better care for other patients. This is because point of care testing takes the strain of flu testing away from hospitals and labs, moving them into pharmacies. The new system can be especially beneficial for university students studying away from
home, who do not have a local family doctor to visit. It may also ensure that individuals such as the elderly and small children, who are particularly at risk to death from the flu, receive attention immediately and efficiently. Despite these benefits, the potential for corruption within the process still remains. This can be seen in the fact that the same pharmacists conducting the tests and diagnosing the flu are also the ones dispensing the anti-viral medication. Whether this is a conflict of interest will become an issue of intense debate among experts and analysts of the industry. The new point of care testing will likely become a topic that engages many Canadians, since the flu is such a widespread illness. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s FluWatch report, the majority of laboratory flu detections occurred in the provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec, during the week of Dec. 14 – 20, 2014.
Brantfords Farmers’ Market Open year round . Friday 7am - 5pm . Saturday 7am - 2pm Laurier Students get 10% discount Located close to Laurier downtown campus & residences . 79 Icomm Drive
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The Sputnik
News
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Taylor Berzins | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news
Brantford charities celebrate successful holiday season Davis Vallesi Staff Many local charities were busy over the holidays, gathering donations to help those in need. The Brantford Food Bank recently completed their annual Christmas Baskets Program, benefiting people from Brantford, Brant County and Six Nations. The program was successful in providing baskets to all of the households that registered for the program. Brantford citizens supported the program through monetary donations, as well as donating their time by helping to deliver over 2000 baskets to the households. The success of these programs is the result of a collective effort within the community, according to Christmas Baskets Program Manager, Cindy Oliver. “We rely on everybody, donations come in from all parts of the community. Churches are a regular supporter, they always drop off donations weekly. We have different groups that will do food drives; we
have places like the grocery stores, that support us on an ongoing weekly basis,” Oliver stated. The Brant United Way is celebrating their successful 2014 campaign, having raised $1,657,930 as of Dec. 18, surpassing their goal of $1.651 million. “We had many new or increased donors come on board and we are pleased to announce that a number of new businesses joined our list of supporters in the past few weeks,” stated Lauren Theobalds, interim Campaign Director of the Brant United Way, in a press release. “I am so proud of our community for what they have accomplished – they stepped up when we said we were short, and they’ve made this success a reality!” Charities have a large influence, whether it be in small communities or across the country. According to the Statistics Canada study “Charitable giving by Canadians”, financial donations to charities by Canadians totaled $10.6 billion in 2010. The median amount of these donations was $123. The study also found that 94 per cent of Canadians aged fifteen and over made a charitable donation in 2010 that was either financial or of goods/food, in a survey of 15,482 respondents. It is evident that donations to charities are at their peak during holidays such as Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter. It is positive that com-
munities can generate so much support during this time; however donations are needed all year round, especially during the winter months. Cindy Oliver spoke about this problem, which affects the Brantford Food Bank, as well as other charitable organizations in the city. “Once Christmas is over things are pretty slow into January and February. We start to pick up again around April; there is always a big focus around food banks and food donations during holiday seasons.” It is clear that the people receiving charitable donations will see an increase in their quality of life, however the donors may also stand to benefit as well. The study “Effects of Social and Human Resources on Charitable Giving”, completed by Pamala Wiepking at the University of Amsterdam, examined factors among charitable donors in the Netherlands, such as level of education, financial resources and presence of pro-social personality characteristics. The study discovered that, “Donors are likely to receive psychological and social benefits from their donation, such as feelings of joy or warm glow, enhanced self esteem, and increased social status.” Oliver affirmed that donations are more than welcome all year round, and any support is greatly appreciated. “We are open Monday to Friday, and also the
and be prepared. To ensure the safety of you and your family, make your vehicle winter ready – pack a survival kit, plan your routes and always drive according to changing weather conditions.” Said, Brian Patterson, President & CEO, Ontario Safety League in a December press release. “Sometimes individuals believe that if they have a roadside assistance coverage that is all one needs, but that’s not the case since if you’re stuck they might be too,” says Stephanie Kibbee, Laurier’s Director of, Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management. According to Kibbee, preparing an emergency survival kit is an essential part of safe winter driving. “Unfortunately, there isn’t ‘one tool for all roadside emergency needs’” says Kibbee. Kibbee
suggests avoiding pre-made emergency kits and to opt for making a more personalized one. Emergency kits should be tailored to the driver, “such as if you have young kids, a medical condition or other specific needs.” Kibbee recommends that commuting students prepare a kit that includes; water, a blanket or a warm jacket, a first aid kit, a candle in a deep can with matches, a flashlight, sand, salt or cat litter, jumper cables, warning signs or lights, and nonperishable food. “If you are going to have an emergency kit it is important to make periodic checks on the equipment to ensure it’s in working condition and up to date.” says Kibbee. The Government of Ontario also suggests
The Brantford Food Bank recently completed their annual Christmas Baskets Program. Cody Hoffman local grocery stores have donation bins, so they are more than happy to take food donations, and we pick up from them every couple of days,” she stated.
Winter drivers encouraged to make emergency survival kits Taylor Berzins News Editor With winter beginning to rear its ugly head, those driving in Ontario are urged to take the necessary precautions. Alongside the winter driving basics of scraping off windshields, and switching to snow tires, the Government of Ontario is urging winter drivers to assemble emergency survival kits through their “Be Prepared, Plan Ahead” campaign. “The key to safe winter driving is to plan ahead
that drivers check the Ministry of Transportations’ (MTO) Ontario 511 service, to review road and traffic conditions before travelling. Ontario 511 operates as a traveller information phone line that can be accessed by dialing “511”. The service also maintains a website, which offers users the ability to view their route through traffic cameras before taking to the road. “Our top priority is to keep Ontario’s highways safe. Our winter maintenance standards are among the best in North America and I urge all drivers to do their part – prepare your vehicle for winter driving hazards, be aware of road and weather conditions, slow down and stay in control.” Said Steven Del Duca, Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, in a December press release.
Get involved with Brantford’s art scene this winter Taylor Berzins News Editor The Brantford community will be a stir with student friendly events throughout the Winter Term. “If you look for it, there’s lots going on,” says Brantford Manager of Tourism and Marketing, Nicole Drake, “and there are lots of organizations that have smaller events that would love participation from students.” Harmony Square “Harmony Square is, of course, right in the heart of campus,” says Drake, and this winter students have a number of Harmony Square events to look forward to. Located 89 Dalhousie Street, the downtown venue offers free skating daily between 10am-10pm, weather permitting. Family day weekend, Feb. 14-16, will welcome Brantford’s annual winter carnival Frosty Fest. The event boasts, “Rides, Ice Carving, Skating, Snow Taffy and MORE!” Sunday Feb. 22 will see the Square host Brantford’s annual Chili-Willy Cook-off. The event will provide attendees with live music, free skating and the opportunity to dine on the best chili in Brantford.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Layla Bozich eic@thesputnik.ca MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Nathanael Lewis nathanael.lewis@wlusp.com PHOTO EDITOR Cody Hoffman photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Neha Sekhon visual@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR Dylan Kellendonk web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Roberto Belardi Dana Tenn-Miller
Brant Rant Barb Day launched Brant Rant in Sept. 2014 after being on four national slam teams, because she wanted to bring something fun to Brantford’s postsecondary community. Poetry slams run monthly at Rockling’s Tap and Grill, located in Harmony Square. “The problem with poetry, is because it’s poetry, people are like ‘oh my god, I’m not going to that boring thing’, so I want to say, come out once and see- it’s not what you think!” says Day. “The main objective of these slams is for people to come out and have fun.” says Day. “In December we had a stand-up comedian from Toronto who’s a headliner at Yuk-Yuks, he was so funny. I was actually crying I was laughing so hard.” On Jan. 14 at 7:00pm, Brant Rant will be hosting an “Anything Goes Slam”, in which the typical rules of slam poetry are cast aside to allow performers of different mediums to express themselves. Day is hoping to see a variety of artists, from rappers and musicians to thespians and spoken word performers. The event will be featuring Patrick de Belen, a National Spoken Word Champion, and Canadian Youth Poet of Honour. The February slam will be themed around “Anti-Valentines Day”, and March will be “Saint Patrick’s Day”.
The Crawford Collective Come February, King Street will be home to a new art gallery and working studio called The Crawford Collective. “I’ll be there, cutting glass and bleeding through the days,” says Crawford, who hopes the space will bring a new edge to the downtown community. The Crawford Collective, which will be located at 4 King Street, is tentatively set to open on Valentines Day, and will function as a space to showcase artists and artisans, alongside Crawford’s own work. Crawford hopes that during the off-hours of the gallery, artists and artisans being featured in the space will use the gallery to host workshops for curious members of the community interested in getting to know more about art. Every month to every two months, the space will highlight a member artist from within the gallery community and host an opening reception to showcase their art. Crawford hopes the venue will be an inclusive and exciting space within the downtown community. “A friend of mine, back in December, invited me to go down into Toronto to see an exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario,” says Crawford, “to me, ‘oh I’m going to an art gallery’… I felt intimidated, like I don’t belong- whereas it is so important to me that with the artists and artisans that we have in there, people shouldn’t feel intimated to drop by.” says Crawford.
NEWS EDITOR Taylor Berzins news@thesputnik.ca
Nadine Saba Miles Smith Davis Vallesi Melissa Weaver
ON CAMPUS EDITOR Josh Adesina oncampus@thesputnik,ca FEATURES EDITOR Karly Rath features@thesputnik.ca ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR Dillon Giancola arts@thesputnik.ca SPORTS EDITOR Kyle Morrison sports@thesputnik.ca OPINION EDITOR Brittany Bennett opinion@thesputnik.ca CONTRIBUTORS Jacob Dearlove Fatbardha Lajci Christina Manocchio
WLUSP BRANTFORD 202-171 Colborne St. Branford, ON N3T 2C9 (519) 756-8228 ext. 5948 PRESIDENT Dani Saad (519) 884-0710 ext. 3565 dani.saad@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Tammy Rowe (519) 884-0719 ext. 3560 trowe@wlu.ca FRONT PAGE PHOTO CREDITS Left: Cody Hoffman Middle: Cody Hoffman Right: Cody Hoffman Main: Christina Manocchio
The Brantford Arts Block Gerry Lafleur, Operations Manager of The Brantford Arts Block, says the space is hosting a lot of events throughout the winter term, and hopes to see a better student turn out. “People from [Laurier], don’t know the city exists beyond the river,” says Lafleur, “they may not even know the facility exists.” The Arts Block is a non-profit, volunteer driven organization, located at 111 Sherwood Drive. The Arts Block operates as a venue which hosts’ concerts, plays, exhibitions, classes, workshops and festivals. The facility also houses a recording studio, gallery and studio spaces, as well as operates as a venue for film screenings. In late January, the Arts Block will be offering Salsa and Swing dance courses. Feb. 8 the Arts Block will be hosting “Cymer”, a celtic drum workshop and performance. Feb. 13-15 Stage 88 will bring the play “Love Letters” to the Arts Block stage. Feb. 20-22, “The Second Self”, a play by Victoria Hudson-Muir will be on stage. Feb. 24, The Bent Elephants, an indie-pop band from Montreal will perform. “The big event for the spring term is definitely going to be the performance in early April by “Ajinai”, an electric folk-punk outfit from Mongolia,” says Lafleur.
The Sputnik is a member of the Ontario Press Council, which is an independent ethical organization established to deal with editorial concerns. For additional information or to file a complaint, contact info@ontpress.com of call (416) 340-1981. The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP). 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.
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
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The Sputnik
On Campus
Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus
Nipissing University has officially announced its plans to end its partnership with Wilfrid University to reduce the increasing numbers of teachers. Cody Hoffman
Nipissing to withdraw partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University Josh Adesina On Campus Editor Nipissing University has officially announced its plans to end its partnership with Wilfrid University to reduce the increasing numbers of teachers. The decision made by Nipissing will bring the Concurrent Education program at Laurier Branford to a halt. The announcement of the partnership between Wilfrid Laurier University and Nipissing came from a media release on Tuesday, December 16th. The students that are currently enrolled in the Concurrent Education program will be allowed to complete their studies for the remainder of the five-year time line. Bob Pipe, the spokesman for Nipissing University, has said that eight members of faculty will be put in a new location while another eight will be terminated – according to the Brantford Expositor. Although this is so, there will be members of faculty and staff remaining at Nipissing to assist students while they work towards the completion of their studies. After the current
“The reasons behind Nipissing terminating its 12-year long partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University include an attempt to manage provincial finances, and control the amount of teachers in Ontario.”
Con Ed students have graduated and received their degrees, Nipissing University will not be taking in students for the 2015-16 year. The reasons behind Nipissing terminating its 12-year long partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University include an attempt to manage provincial finances, and control the amount of teachers in Ontario. According to the Nugget, Bob Pipe has said that Nipissing’s decision is a step towards tackling a debt of $11.8 million. Details about the partnership have been ongoing since 2009-10 when the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities reduced the amount of spaces available in the Concurrent Education program at Nipissing University by one-third. In addition, another reason was that there were not enough teaching jobs available for Con Ed graduates.
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Brantford residents and students have been expressing their concerns about Nipissing’s decision through social media. Mason Alexander, a current Con Ed student at Nipissing shared his thoughts about the news. “I was completely shocked. However, with the recent restrictions made to education programs, it makes sense. I’m sad to see it go though. Nipissing did a lot for the city,” said Alexander. Kevin Crowley, Director of Communications and Public Affairs was able to shed some light about the situation. “Laurier will do all it can to support current Con-Ed students in completing the BA portion of their joint-degree program. Meanwhile, Laurier is exploring possible options for admitting new students next year and continuing the program beyond the current cohort of existing students,” said Crowley. “While the job market for new teachers is undeniably challenging at the current time, much depends on the individual graduate’s teaching specialties, experience, and willingness to relocate. As well, the joint BA/Bed earned through the Laurier-Nipissing Concurrent-Education program provides excellent training for a wide range of careers in education and other sectors.”
“While the job market for new teachers is undeniably challenging at the current time, much depends on the individual graduate’s teaching specialties, experience, and willingness to relocate.”
Brantford Mayor Chris Friel has expressed his frustration with Nipissing prior to the release of the news. According to Brant News, Friel will not be happy with seeing the funding go towards other projects. A petition with the title Keep Nipissing in Brantford! #SaveNUbrantford has been created for students and locals in the Brantford area to vote against Nipissing’s decision to withdraw its partnership with Wilfrid Laurier University. The petition has a goal of 1,000 signatures and has received 332 thus far. The Sputnik and Wilfrid Laurier University will keep all students updated with any new information.
The Sputnik
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Wednesday, January 7, 2014
On Campus Josh Adesina | oncampus@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikoncampus
Laurier community saddened after loss of former professor Melissa Weaver
Staff Laurier staff, students and alumni were saddened after hearing the news about the death of Dr. A. Margaret Evans, a history professor at Waterloo College and Waterloo Lutheran University from 1940 to 1965. Evans maintained a lifelong connection to the university but unfortunately passed away on Saturday December 20th, 2014. Evans attended university during the Great Depression and was told
that because she was a woman, her time would be wasted getting an education, as she would get married and never use it. This fuelled her passion for history and women’s studies and her love of education. Evans was later hired by Waterloo College as professor of History, and served as Dean of Women, along with being a Lecturer and Reference Librarian. A renowned historian and author, Evans was made an Honorary Member of the Wilfrid Laurier Alumni Association in 1997 for ‘valuable contributions’ to the Association and the University. Evan’s book, “Sir Oliver Mowat”, Ontario’s longest-serving Premier who also served as Prime Minister of Wilfrid Laurier’s cabinet, was described in a review as ‘a thor-
ough, well-written study of the life and career of Oliver Mowat. Evans also co-authored and co-published “Century One: A History of the Ontario Veterinary Association 1874 – 1974” which was described by the Royal Society as ‘an important contribution to the history of medicine’. Evans married fellow Waterloo College Professor Wellesley Dorland (Don) Evans, who passed away in 1954. Their sons Robert (BA ’67) and John (BA ’74, MA ’83), and grandson Rob (BA ’01) attended Laurier. The Evans family established the W.D. Evans Award for students following the passing of Don Evans.
Photo courtesy of Wilfrid Laurier University.
Getting prepared for school after the holidays Josh Adesina On Campus Editor After the family dinners, expensive gifts and steady consumption of alcohol – you are back for the Winter semester and classes are about to start. Before you know it, the summer will be here and you will hopefully have plans to do something useful. For those that didn’t do so well in the Fall semester, and those that aspire to do better, now is a time to reassess your habits and appropriately manage your time. Here are some tips for you to apply to the new academic year. It is important that students are aware of how they are spending their time at university. Before you know it, you will be a graduate, and your life will begin. Although parties and social events are fun, doing well ought to be the main priority. Get the most out of your four years, and make the right choices.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES Although your grades are important, involving yourself with extracurricular activities can also contribute to your university experience. Commitment with organizations such as Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP) will give you skills that you may not learn in the classroom. In addition, getting involved with extra-curricular activities will allow you to socialize with students that have similar interests. Your involvement in activities outside of the lecture can have a positive effect on your learning abilities.
SLEEPING HABITS
The way you sleep is an obvious one. As students, we tend to ignore the fact that our bodies need significant amounts of resting time. Getting six to seven hours of sleep everyday will help you pay attention in class, and study efficiently. According to Student Pulse, students that do not get enough sleep may suffer from mental and physiological issues. It may not seem like it but you will benefit a lot from getting those extra hours of sleep. Student Pulse also pointed out the comparison between a student that performs well in school, and a student that doesn’t. The student that performs well academically is more likely to have a better sleeping pattern, compared to those that do not perform as well.
Above: Neha Sekhon Doodles: Nathanael Lewis
YOUR WELL-BEING It is normal to feel insecure about yourself as a university student. You will and would have met so many different people. Dressing well is a method that can help you think well of yourself, and perform well. Sweats and flip flops will always be an option but dressing well can help you feel prepared for the day. How you present yourself can boost your esteem, as well as help your listen attentively and take proper notes.
PLANNING YOUR DAY / STUDYING HABITS As a student, you may need to evaluate your previous studying habits and find room for improvement. Building a timetable for the week will make sure you get small amounts of work done every day. Whether you are studying for a midterm or tackling an assignment, productive daily habits will relieve you of stress. Avoiding procrastination will also help you get started early on the piles of schoolwork you have.
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
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The Sputnik
Features
Karly Rath | features@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikfeatures
The Laurier French teacher who lights fires Karly Rath Features Editor Teaching the French language may not seem like the best way to inspire generations, but Bob Howard does just that. Howard, 71, does not just teach how to conjugate verbs, he changes lives. Howard has been a French conversational teacher at Laurier Brantford for five years, but a French teacher for 51. In fact, he taught French in elementary schools in 1964, before French was even part of the public school curriculum. From the beginning of his teaching career, he realized that he needed to make students value their time with him which would then make them value the course content. To do that, Howard uses unique tactics to make his students enjoy their class and reflect on their lives. Each class, he gives out the Passionate Cookie Award – he gives a chocolate chip cookie with an icing smile on it to the student who has the winning smile that day. “All winners have to stand in front of the class, with their cookie, smile, and say [I feel good and it shows].” Howard says this lesson is important to keep in mind for professional reasons. “You can be the brightest light on the tree but if you are not plugged in, you are not going to shine,” he said. “In other words, you have to show it in an interview.” He also gives out lollipops that put smiley imprints on your tongue – students stick out their tongue and laugh while doing this, to show that you shouldn’t take yourself too seriously. Although some may say these games seem silly, especially for university-aged students, Howard says they are “games with purpose”. At the end of the day, students do not remember the passé composé of irregular verbs, they remember how they feel and the lessons they learned. Howard says his passion in life is to inspire people, to light fires in students. His hero is the lamplighter, the character from the famous book Le Petit Prince.
“When you light a fire, you have no idea how long it will burn,” he said. To show his students how important it is to find their own passions in life, he turns off the lights in his classroom and physically lights a candle. He wants them to know that they will one day discover their passion in life. “You plant the seed and it will grow.” Howard ensures that he takes his own advice by living each day how he wants his students to. He plans how to use all 1440 minutes of the day effectively, he does not judge people and he does something every day that scares him. Laurier alumni Amanda Pemberton, 24, knows firsthand how inspirational Howard can be. Pemberton graduated from the concurrent education program in 2013 and is now a Grade 3/4 teacher. From time to time, Howard sends his past and present students colourful emails filled with words of inspiration. Howard constantly reminds his students: “Once a Bob Howard student, always a Bob Howard student.” Pemberton can attest to that as he has supported her through her university career, job search, and first years of employment. “I may have graduated, but I am, still to this day, a Bob Howard student - I can always go to him in times of need,” she said. “Bob continues to check in on me, sees how things are going, but most importantly, he continues to inspire me.” Howard says he aims to not be a crutch for his students but instead a bridge. “There’s an old saying in education that teachers are like bridges that students pass over and then burn,” he said. “I want to be that … When you burn the bridge is up to you.” Pemberton aims to enter her classroom every day with a smile just like Howard modelled for her. “Such positivity and excitement shown by the classroom teacher in turn generates the same feelings within your students,” she said. Over the years, Howard has received countless cards and words of thanks from his students, many expressing how he has taught them invaluable lessons about themselves or their lives. He values these tokens of appreciation not because of the compliments but because they illustrate he is
You would make an excellent Residence Life Don or Education Advisor.
Laurier French conversational teacher, Bob Howard, 71, holds one of his teaching tools: a lollipop that leaves a smile imprint on your tongue. Karly Rath
achieving his goals in life. Pemberton offers her own words of thanks to her teacher and role model. “Monsieur Howard… Thank you for believing in me, even when there were times when I stopped believing in myself. You never gave up on me.” Outside of teaching, Howard has been a basketball coach, husband and father of three. His daughter, Julie, was an Olympic swimmer at the young age of 15. Howard has recently officially retired from being a supply teacher. This semester may be the last for Howard at Laurier Brantford as he is unsure of the demand for his classes now that the
Nipissing concurrent education program is no longer accepting new students. Even though Howard’s teaching career may be drawing to a close, the ripple effects of the estimated 6,800 students he has influenced over the years will continue to make waves in people’s lives.
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RESIDENCE LIFE IS HIRING! Interested in being part of a dynamic team? Attend one of the Residence Life info sessions listed below on this invitation. If you are unable to make one of the five sessions, please contact brantfordresidence@wlu.ca. wednesday, January 14 | 2:30 pm & 10:00 pm | rcw 202 thursday, January 15 | 2:30 pm | rcw 202
wilfrid laurier university BrantfOrd | Waterloo | Kitchener | Toronto
RESI-876-DEC14
wednesday, January 21 | 2:30 pm & 10:00 pm | rcw 202
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Features
The Sputnik
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Karly Rath | news@thesputnik.ca | @sputnik_news
The Middle East from the eyes of third culture kids Nadine Saba Staff We are ‘third culture kids’ –we grew up in a culture that differs from the culture our parents were brought up in. While some of us go back to our home countries for post-secondary education, many go abroad. Since my mother’s side of the family lives in Ontario, my brother and I chose Canada. I am Lebanese, but I grew up in the Sultanate of Oman which is a few hours’ drive from Dubai, a booming city in the United Arab Emirates. We have many of the same stores you can find in a Canadian mall. Some countries in the Middle East even have a Tim Hortons! The inherently Canadian restaurant opened a couple of years ago, and now rivals Second Cup and Starbucks which have been here for years. I always get asked by people back home if I feel some sort of culture clash while in Canada but my answer is usually, “not really, I just had to get used to the cold”. I consider myself lucky for not experiencing trouble in adjusting to a new environment. I would say it is thanks to the large number of expatriates who live in the Middle East, which makes English the main language spoken in private schools. Laurier Brantford student Sarah Yoder, was born in Cairo, Egypt and moved to Al Ain, the United Arab Emirates, when she was 3. She spent her summers visiting family in Canada and the United States but made a permanent move to Canada for university. Yoder said this move was a shock to her even though she is Canadian. “I felt like an international student in a lot of ways,” she said. “First year was challenging - most of the cultural differences were more subtle and hard to pinpoint, but there were definitely a lot of little things that I had to get used to. A big one was experiencing real winter for the first time!” Varun Vasudevan was born in India, grew up in Oman and moved to Canada in the fall of 2014. He is pursuing a graduate chemical engineering degree from the University of Waterloo. He describes Oman as “warm, peaceful and safe” and his life in Waterloo
Tim Hortons, an inherently Canadian restaurant, at a mall in the Sultanate of Oman. Nadine Saba as “quiet, socially diverse and cold”. Vasudevan said he did not find it difficult to adjust to Canada because his schooling was international and this made it easy to befriend students from different backgrounds. But he said students who did not come from English-speaking backgrounds are more likely to experience culture shock. In recent years the Middle East’s conflicts have been covered extensively by the media so the area is not known for its safety but many countries in the Gulf are free of war. Yoder said the Middle East is plagued with false religious and cultural stereotypes because of the rise of ISIS and terrorist attacks. “Many people have come to associate Islam or Muslims with the stereotypical extremist [or] terrorist image, and have become fearful of travelling to countries in the
Middle East or maybe even befriending Muslims as a result,” Yoder said. “This saddens me, as this is a false stereotype, for the most part. Some of my closest friends have been Muslims from various Arab countries.” Vasudevan said he does not think visitors should worry about their safety when visiting a country such as Oman because it is secure. “I think [Oman] is safe … I haven’t heard of any cases where any physical assaults or crimes [took place],” Vasudevan said. “It could happen or there might have been cases of crimes [but] from what I know I think it is quite safe.” Yoder said she considers the Middle East to be home. “[The area] has a rich culture and heritage, centered around tradition and strong family ties, which I really appreciate,” Yoder said. “Middle East-
ern countries are more international than you may think, especially Gulf countries where the percentage of locals make up less than 12 per cent of the total populations.” “I’ve had some people ask me whether I rode a camel to school every day [but] that’s like asking if all Canadians live in igloos!” said Yoder. “The UAE and the Middle East in general is more developed than a lot of people think.” “If you’re planning on visiting the Gulf, especially Dubai, anytime soon, you can expect to see lots of nice cars, innovative architecture, numerous shopping malls and people from all over the world,” Yoder said.
If you have the cash, you can be more than ash
About 240 pencils can be made out of your body’s ashes. Cody Hoffman
Your DNA can be embedded into a tree to become a living memorial. Cody Hoffman
- CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
DNA-EMBEDDED TREE You can literally have your DNA embedded into a living tree. Biopresence, an artistic and scientific initiative, takes using your body to nourish plants to a new level. According to its website, “Biopresence creates Human DNA trees by transcoding the essence of a human being within the DNA of a tree in order to create ‘Living Memorials’”.
MEMORIAL PENCIL Whether you are a writer, artist or academic, perhaps turning your body into pencils is right for you. Nadine Jarvis, a designer of unique post-mortem solutions, has created the Carbon Copy. From your body’s ashes, about 240 pencils could be made and put into a wooden box for your loved ones to use one at a time. The sharpener built right into the box allows the shavings of the pencil to stay inside the box, which turns it into an urn over time. With each pencil personalized with the deceased’s name, your loved ones could remember you every time they need to write something down. SHOTGUN SHELL Holy Smoke, a company based in Alabama, U.S., turns your ashes into bullets or shotgun shells. The company’s website reads “Let us help you take your loved one on one more hunt or one more round.” One pound of ashes gets you about 250 rounds.
BE SENT INTO SPACE Celestis is a company that can put your ashes into a tiny capsule and launch them into space. Your family and friends can attend the liftoff. Your cheapest option is to be shot into space and then parachute back down to earth which starts at US$995. If you want to be launched into “deep space”, the moon’s surface or a lunar orbit, it will cost you a minimum of $12,500. Fortunately, you have plenty of time to save up for your final send off!
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
7
The Sputnik
Arts & Culture
Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts
There are 152 million daily users of Facebook in the U.S and Canada alone who spend on average 39 minutes on Facebook, per day. Nathanael Lewis
Wired in: An obsession with the net Miles Smith Staff Students spend plenty of time on their computers writing essays, watching movies,
researching information, and connecting with friends. But it turns out that not all students are as addicted as they seem. Now one thing must remain clear, students are by no means connected to their computers at a healthy amount during their free time; it simply does not register as addiction in professional eyes. For the purposes of this article, an addiction is defined as a repeated habit by
an individual that has possible rehabilitation treatment. There are 152 million daily users of Facebook in the U.S and Canada alone who spend on average 39 minutes on Facebook, per day. The average amount of time people say that they spend on the computer usually clocks out at around three and a half hours, with one hour outside of the house on their smartphone. These statistics can be very skewed, whether by guilt of the consumer, or just sample size for the study. The numbers are difficult to rope in, but by looking around Laurier Brantford, students may be spending much more than three and a half hours on their computers.
“Most of the literature does not talk about ‘internet addiction’, it will talk about addiction to different facets of the internet which is cyber porn or massive multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft and League of Legends.”
Regardless of the numbers presented, internet usage stand-alone is not considered an addiction by rehabilitation clinics. They instead find the term very dated and branch off into two main aspects for rehabilitation: cyber porn and online gaming. “Most of the literature does not talk about ‘internet addiction’, it will talk about addiction to different facets of the internet which is cyber porn or massive multiplayer online games such as World of Warcraft and League of Legends.” says Felix Vikhman, a rehabilitations officer at his own private practice. Fear not, the ‘you time’ you’ve scheduled on the Saturday night is probably not you feeding your addiction. According to Vikhman, an addiction is “the hijacking of the pleasure circuits in the brain,” meaning that the singular addiction is the only thing giving you pleasure. So if the thought of watching some porn on a Saturday is the only thing keeping you going Monday, then you might have a problem. Now same thing applies for MMORPG, if that raid is the only thing motivating you throughout your day, then you may have a problem. The problem is a mental preoccupation, and the ability to misjudge consequences based on those actions. Now theoretically, cyber porn addictions and online gaming addictions are two completely different animals. While cyber porn is closer related to a gambling addiction – action
“It is when that pleasure starts to interfere with your ability to lead your life that it becomes an issue.”
and payoff - it has the constant payoff as opposed to gambling which has a non-linear payoff. “Cyber porn is very much a classic addiction,” says Vikhman “The stakes go up, so they might start looking at general porn, but after a few months or years they develop a tolerance and suddenly they are straight and start looking at gay porn, something they aren’t necessarily interested in and they don’t understand why. In really strange situations people start looking at kiddy porn even though they aren’t pedophiles, they need more and more excitement to keep up the level of high that porn gives.” Online video games on the other hand aren’t so much an addiction in the aspect of cause and reward because the payoff is usually linear and there is no way to raise the stakes. The problem resides with the escapism aspect easily found in MMORPGs. People get so comfortable within the game community that they have bonded in a way that going back to society afterwards proves to be extremely difficult. People often escape for days and make friends, real friends, in game. “It’s not a hijacking of the pleasure circuits, it’s giving on reality,” says Vikhman. “They are given a sense of importance, because you need to make friends to go on raids, so suddenly because you’re an integral part of a team to go on raids, you feel important. So my argument is that when it comes to video game addiction, video games aren’t addictive at all, the one’s where we see the problems with it isn’t because of the addiction, it is because of all of the other factors: social anxiety, being bullied, they just don’t want to be in the real world.” Not everyone is addicted, not by a long shot. One can enjoy a raid with their friends, or a bit of alone time as well, and be perfectly fine. It is when that pleasure starts to interfere with your ability to lead your life that it becomes an issue. Please seek help if you fall into this category. The rehabilitation process for escapism and online porn addiction, according to Vikhman, is one of the easiest to implement and one of the most successful.
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Arts & Culture
The Sputnik
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Dillon Giancola | arts@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikarts
Looking back at 2015: a map for the future Dillon Giancola Arts & Culture Editor After a month’s worth of ‘Best of 14’ blogs on people’s Facebook profiles, 2015 is finally here. As we go back to school for a new semester, the biggest question is : what will be the first huge trend, fad or tragedy of 2015 to distract us from our studies and lead us to going crazy on social media? But on a more serious note, what did we learn from the entertainment world in 2014, and societies reactions to these stories, that can show us what to expect in 2015? I do not know if this is really the case, but a quick look back to 2014 seems to recall more large societal events than usual, at least in the areas of social justice. There is always something that stands out, be it a revolution in Egypt, Kony 2012, or Rob Ford, but this year seems to have taken the cake. There was the death of Robin Williams, and the outpouring of grief and love in his wake, leading to a huge, positive discussion about depression and suicide. Further showcasing the hope and love society can make when they come together is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge trend that took off near the end of the summer. Millenials everywhere joined to voice their opinions in support of those struggling with disease, be it physical or mental. Then of course there was the increase of feminism in the everyday conversation. With first the Ray Rice incident, in which he punched his then fiancé in the face in an elevator, and then the alleged sexual assaults committed by Jian Ghomeshi and Bill Cosby. These stories brought the issues of domestic abuse, sexual consent, rape culture and victim blaming to the forefront in a way never matched before. But no discussion of 2014 would be complete without mentioning the shooting of Michael Brown by a Missouri police officer and the subsequent riots that broke out in the sub-urb of Ferguson. The story gained more exposure and backlash once the Grand Jury in the case chose not to indict the officer, and two New York police officers, both minorities, were shot dead in their car in a separate, later situation. There were other memorable stories, such as the recent Sony hocking scandal that led to The Interview not being released. And this is not considered a scandal per se, but the fact that the top selling album of 2014 was Taylor Swift’s “1989” is absolutely outrageous.
So what can we expect to see in 2015? While we surely can’t anticipate what stories will break, we can see if the arts and entertainment world will pick up on these issues. Already in 2015 we have the impending release of “Selma”, the critically acclaimed Martin Luther King Jr movie. As well, former R&B star D’Angelo just released is first album in 15 years, titled “Black Messiah.” D’Angelo described it as being, “about people rising up in Ferguson and in Egypt and in Occupy Wall Street and in every place
where a community has had enough and decides to make change happen.” We can be certain to see more of a stance against racism and racial tensions in 2015, whether it be from musicians, movies or literature. The criticism of the NFL’s handling of Ray Rice’s discipline did a bit to overcrowd the discussion of domestic abuse. Specifically, does an employer have the right to fire someone for something that he was not found guilty of in the courts, and does an employer, or in this case, professional sports league, have an obligation to be a frontrunner in social change. The NFL and its commissioner, Roger Goodell, were heralded for the action they took in suspending Ray Rice for the season, until it came out that Goodell probably knew about the video of the altercation months before it was released to the public, and that maybe he was just reacting to public outrage instead of taking a strong social stance. Whatever the other storylines that muddle the issue, you can be sure that the conversation of abuse and rape will continue in 2015. Perhaps you will see women artists follow Beyonce’s lead and write more feminism-inspired songs (even if she isn’t really a feminist). The cases of Gomeshi and Cosby show us that we really are not united in what is abuse, what is rape, and who is really at fault in these situations. It will take some time to sort this out, but the issues are real and they will not go away in 2015. Art imitates life, as they say, and I think there is no issue that will be more presented in the New Year than those of domestic abuse, rape culture and victim blaming. While the specifics of the news stories that will break, and the art that will make waves, are yet unknown, we can see the increase of people, especially millennials, taking to social media to discuss these important social issues. We take it for granted now, but it is a trend that continues to grow, with 2014 having the most social media activity yet. And although the internet can be a very negative place, its potential for good is unmatched. We see that in the continuing of the social conversation on mental health, and it is exciting to think of the possibilities that social media will spread hope in 2015. There has been no huge stories in 2015 yet, but it won’t be long before this year produces its first major news event. And If it is anything like last year, there will be hopeful times for society, controversial times, and opportunities for art and entertainment to contribute to social change. I can’t wait to see where this year will take us. Taylor Swift does #icebucketchallenge. Nathanael Lewis
Study sheds light on what might be the secret to a chill relationship Sophie Isbister The Other Press (Douglas College) NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. (CUP) — As if Canada needed another reason to legalize cannabis for recreational use, a recent study out of the University at Buffalo (UB) at the State University of New York found that married couples who regularly smoke marijuana have fewer instances of partner violence over time than couples who don’t. Kenneth Leonard, PhD, the director of the UB Research Institute on Addictions and the scientist who collected data for the study, is quoted in a news release from the university stating that “our study examines patterns of marijuana-use and the occurrence of violence within a year period. It does not examine whether using marijuana on a given day reduces the likelihood of violence at that time.” Leonard adds that more research needs to be done in this area to make a link between marijuanause and same-day incidents of domestic violence. Because of this gap in the data, the study should not be taken as carte blanche to blaze all day, every day (in fact, the couples in the study only smoked weed once a week)—and Leonard also points out that the results may be correlative rather than causal. “It is possible, for example, that — similar to a drinking partnership — couples who use marijuana together may share similar values and social circles, and it is this similarity that is responsible for reducing the likelihood of conflict,” he is quoted in the news release. It all seems pretty self-evident; weed relaxes you, making it a good way to chill out after a stressful day at work, in moderation. People in harmonious relationships tend to share hobbies, so the fact that the couples in this study are toking together means
Image courtesy Ed Appleby/the Other Press that the use of a scheduled substance is one thing that they’re not arguing about. Compare that with another likely situation: one member of a partnership is completely opposed to drug-use, and so the other member either begrudgingly gives it up, or does it in hiding. Both reactions could easily lead to massive
differences. While alcohol is involved in many situations of partner violence, violence in relationships is a complicated issue and can’t be solved by simply saying “people should smoke weed instead of drinking.” But perhaps if weed becomes legal, cheap, and
accessible, in a few generations we will see more couples partying in peace with Mary Jane. There’s a lot to like about a casual intoxicant that may hold benefits for relationships.
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
The Sputnik
9
Sports
Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports
Clockwise: Laurier’s women’s powderpuff football team (Scott Lowell), women’s soccer, and men’s baseball teams (Heather Davidson).
Laurier’s top five athletic stories of 2014 Kyle Morrison Sports Editor Another year of sports has come and gone, so let’s recap the year that was for Laurier Waterloo and Brantford. There have been some surprises throughout 2014 – some good, some bad. But overall 2014 was successful for Laurier on both campuses. So, without further ado, here are my top five athletic moments at Laurier in 2014 (listed in no particular order). 1. Women’s Powderpuff Football team finish 2014 as champions One of Laurier Brantford’s newer teams put themselves on the university athletics map with a huge championship victory at Sheridan College this past March with a 7-6 victory against Western University, arguably the best Powderpuff Football team this past season. The team had many obstacles to overcome throughout the tournament, playing the entire tournament shorthanded. Players were forced to play on both sides of the ball in positions they had little experience playing.
And then on the field the women had a tough road to obtaining first place, including a come-frombehind, tense 10-round overtime victory against Waterloo to make it to the finals and then needing another comeback to win it all. “One thing I’ve tried to teach the girls is to not look at the score, especially at halftime,” Captain Alysha Emerson said. “That was one thing that definitely changed this weekend … [The team] was focused on coming back and winning.” With a full roster in place, look for big things in 2015 from Laurier’s Powderpuff Football team. 2. Laurier Brantford’s co-ed dodgeball team continues to excel After a season of multiple tournament final appearances in both 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, the Laurier’s co-ed dodgeball team finally broke through and were victorious in their first tournament of the 2014-2015 season beating their rivals, Humber Lakeshore. “[Humber-Lakeshore] is a very well coached team … they’re one of those teams that you always want to beat, too,” Captain Adam Zack said. Humber got the better of the Golden Hawks in their second meeting in the finals, but considering this year’s co-ed dodgeball team is younger and less experienced, they’ve performed well and Zack is really proud of the team. Their last tournament of the
year takes place this month and if they stick to their formations and gameplan, there’s a good chance that once again they’ll finish first. At the very least, because the team is young, they should have a strong core of players for at least one or two seasons and continue to be one of Laurier Brantford’s best extramural teams. 3. Women’s varsity soccer team finish fourth in the OUA after a single loss season The women’s soccer team for nearly a decade has been one of the best teams in all of Canada and in the regular season, 2014 was no different. The Golden Hawks coasted into the OUA playoffs, owning a 14-1-1 record at the end of the season, placing them as the fourth seed in the CIS. All-Canadian Striker Emily Brown once again led the charge with another remarkable offensive season, tied for the most goals scored in the CIS with 21, six of them game-winners. But her offensive performance was not enough, as the team struggled in the playoffs. After winning their opening game against York University, Brown and the rest of the Golden Hawks were left off the score sheet the rest of the playoffs. Their second game was against the University of Ottawa, the team that beat them in the CIS gold medal game two years ago. Unfortunately the result was the same, losing in heartbreaking fashion, 1-0 in extra time. With the loss, the defending OUA champion Golden Hawks dreams of repeating were crushed and for the first time since 2009 the women’s soccer team did not make it to the CIS national playoffs. What makes this even more of a difficult pill to swallow is that Brown is in her fourth year of athletic eligibility, so next season will be her last as a Golden Hawk. Losing a player of her caliber will mean the window of opportunity to win a championship may be beginning to close for the Golden Hawks and even though the women’s soccer team has been a dynasty for the better part of a decade, their seasons have often not ended with first place finishes, a disappointment in 2015 they will surely want to improve on. 4. Men’s baseball team finishes third in OUA playoffs, but win the second-most games in team history The men’s baseball team were Laurier’s Cinderella story in 2013. After seasons of mediocrity and a 2012 hazing scandal weighing them down (resulting in four forfeited games), the men came out of nowhere to become OUA champions in 2013 carried by some very impressive pitching. With a first place mentality and championship defense on their minds, the purple and gold did not disappoint, finishing the 2014 regular season with a 14-4 record that placed them as the second seed in
the OUA playoffs. In the double-elimination playoffs it takes two losses for a team to be eliminated and right away the Golden Hawks put themselves behind the eight ball, losing their first game to Waterloo, 6-3. The guys bounced back incredibly well on Saturday with a 10-0 win against the Western Mustangs and 6-3 win against Guelph, the highest scoring team in the OUA. This set up another game against Waterloo, who once again they could not solve, losing 3-0, bouncing the Golden Hawks from the playoffs and squashing their repeat champion aspirations. Although the overall result did not end with another trophy, there was a silver lining to the season that the Golden Hawks need to be proud of. With an overall season record of 23-13 (including exhibition, regular season and playoff games), the men finished with the second-most wins in school history. “The end result was not what we had hoped for at the beginning of the year,” commented Head Coach Scott Ballantyne after the loss to Waterloo on the Wilfrid Laurier Athletics’ website. “Having said that, I am extremely proud of this group of studentathletes as they played hard, respected the game and have a lot to be proud of.” The core team should mostly be intact next season, so it looks like Laurier’s men’s baseball should be in good shape for years to come. 5. The headache that is the YMCA-Laurier Athletic Complex and the archeological dig that has made things even more of a pain Probably the only moment in 2014 that was a real problem for Laurier – at least the way I see it. The $58.4 million project was announced all the way back in 2012 with a projected opening date of 2015 yet they only purchased the land and broke ground this past summer pushing the expected opening date to 2017. Getting financial support from all parties has seemed to be the biggest hurdle, so even though there’s very little to show for it, Laurier Brantford students have been paying $8.00 per 0.5 credit to a maximum of $40 per term for a building that isn’t close to being on schedule and that isn’t acceptable. Students deserve a much more spacious place to exercise and more space to hang out with their friends. Wilkes simply doesn’t cut it. And then to make matters worse, at the end of October 1,500-year-old artifacts were found on the construction site, pushing back development at least another two to three months. Ultimately, these hurdles can’t necessarily be foreseen, but overall trying to make the YMCA/Laurier Brantford Athletic Complex has been a tedious process from day one, to say the least.
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The Sputnik
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Sports
Kyle Morrison | sports@thesputnik.ca | @sputniksports
A guide to the NFL Playoffs for beginners Jacob Dearlove Staff The NFL Playoffs began this past weekend, starting with the Wild Card Round. For those who have allegiances to teams who didn’t make the playoffs, or for those who don’t have a favourite football team at all, we’ve got a guide for who to cheer for in the remaining three rounds of the playoffs.
Rob Gronkowski is a massive man, who is also extremely fast, and has incredible hands; he’s the best tight end in the league today and plays a massive role in the Patriots’ offence. Gronkowski, better known as “Gronk”, has been in the NFL for just four seasons, yet already holds nine individual records. Tom Brady loves to pass to Gronk, if you watch the Patriots during these playoffs, you’ll be hearing his name quite often. Other names to know: Darrelle Revis (CB), Jamie Collins (LB), Vince Wilfork (DT), Julian Edelman (WR) Likely path to Super Bowl 49: vs. Baltimore, vs. Denver, vs. NFC Champion (SEA, GB or DAL)
Players to know: Marshawn Lynch is all about that action, boss. Also known as “Beast Mode”, Lynch is a talented running back, known for punishing defences, long rushing touchdowns, and being short with the media. The Seahawks’ running back was fined $100,000 in the 2014 season after his third violation for not speaking with the media following a game. Anyone cheering for Seattle in the playoffs will get to know Lynch’s name well, as he’s a huge part of the Seahawks’ offensive game-plan. Richard Sherman, the leader of the Legion of Boom, is known equally for his stingy on-field defensive coverage as much as he’s known for his abrasive off-field antics. Sherman specializes in locking down receivers on the field, and Twitter battles and controversial press conferences off of it. Other players to know: Russell Wilson (QB), Earl Thomas (S), Kam Chancellor (S), Bobby Wagner (LB) Likely path to Super Bowl 49: vs. Carolina, vs. Green Bay, vs. AFC Champion (NE, DEN or IND)
New England Patriots For fans of: Spy movies, Uggs, super models and hoodies The skinny: The New England Patriots are the top seeded team in the AFC, one of the two NFL conferences. If you’re looking for a team you’ll be able to cheer for at least two more weeks, the Patriots are a good candidate. The strength of the Patriots’ game lies in the strategy of coach Bill Belichick, who is known as likely the greatest coach of this era; Belichick is also known for the “Spygate” scandal, during which he was accused of spying on opposing teams to gain an unfair advantage. Players to know: Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks of the current generation of football players, and possibly one of the best quarterbacks ever. Brady has made a name for himself as one of the league’s most accurate pocket passing quarterbacks, and has been doing so for 13 seasons now.
Seattle Seahawks For fans of: The number 12, action, trash talk and loud noises The skinny: The Seahawks are the top seed in the NFC, the other conference in the NFL, finishing their season with a record of 12-4 as well. Seattle relies on a strong running attack, led by running back Marshawn Lynch and speedy quarterback Russell Wilson. On defence, the Seahawks are known for playing hard-hitting, smash mouth football; their secondary is referred to as the Legion of Boom, and is known for shutting down opposing passing offences. The Seahawks are also known for their extremely loud fan-base and home field, where the fans are referred to as the “12th Man”.
Denver Broncos For fans of: Foreheads, chicken parm, pot roasts and Papa John’s The skinny: The Broncos are just one year removed from their last Super Bowl appearance, after losing last year’s final game by a score of 43-8 at the hands of the Seahawks. The Broncos are led by one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time, Peyton Manning; however, their offence as of late has been on the back of young running back, CJ Anderson. Denver relied on their highly-skilled offence and strong run defence to earn a 2014 record of 12-4. Players to know: Peyton Manning is plain and simple, one of the best quarterbacks to ever play football. His play of late has been less than impressive, but nobody is more motivated to win another Super Bowl than Manning. If you don’t recognize Manning on the football field, it’s quite possible you’ve seen him in commercials for Papa John’s (of which he is a partial owner), Nationwide Insurance or Buick. Von Miller is one of the game’s premier defensive players, and he’s just 25 years old. Miller often dominates opposing offensive lines with a rare combination of power and quickness that allow him to rack up the quarterback sacks. If the Broncos are to have success in the playoffs, the young Broncos pass rusher will need to make his name heard with some big defensive plays.
Other players to know: Demaryius Thomas (WR), CJ Anderson (RB), Emmanuel Sanders (WR), Chris Harris Jr. (CB) Likely path to Super Bowl 49: vs. Indianapolis, @ New England, vs. NFC Champion (SEA, GB or DAL)
Green Bay Packers For fans of: Cheese, moustaches and leaping The skinny: The Green Bay Packers won the NFC North division for the fourth straight season, finishing second in the entire conference with a record of 12-4. The Packers play their home games at Lambeau Field, one of the most iconic stadiums in pro sports. Led by QB Aaron Rodgers and his arsenal of weapons in the passing game, the Packers also boast a strong running game in the form of young running back Eddie Lacy. Players to know: Aaron Rodgers was a unanimous choice as this season’s First Team All Pro quarterback, and for good reason; the veteran QB, who is also talented at moustache-growing, had yet another phenomenal season, throwing for 4381 yards, 38 touchdowns, and just five interceptions. Rodgers’ continued success will be key as the Packers look to win their second Super Bowl of his tenure in Green Bay. Eddie Lacy is the prototype of an elite NFL running back; Lacy can grind out the tough yards between the offensive tackles, or bust a long run with some shifty moves, not to mention his passcatching ability. The second-year back who won a BCS National Championship MVP award at Alabama will be hoping to do the same with his NFL team in the Super Bowl. Off the field, Lacy is not a flashy guy (other than when he’s posting pictures of Madden victories), still driving the old car that he drove in college. Other players to know: Jordy Nelson (WR), Randall Cobb (WR), Julius Peppers (LB), Mike Daniels (DT) Likely path to Super Bowl 49: vs. Dallas, @ Seattle, vs. AFC Champion (NE, DEN or IND) For breakdowns of all eight teams that remain in the NFL Playoffs, go to www.thesputnik.ca.
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Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Opinion
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Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion
We can track a shark in the ocean, but apparently not an airplane Brittany Bennett
Opinion Editor Now that 2014 is over and done with can we just take a second to digest the fact that we literally lost two airplanes, one of which is still currently missing and has been for over ten months. Two extremely large objects soaring through the sky somehow deceived our technology and managed to disappear off radars just like that. Yet we have the technology to find our car keys, cell phones, vehicles, wild animals, and even sea animals, but we lose two airplanes in the ocean. Now I can comprehend the two plane crashes in themselves, but no emergency contact? No back up tracking device? As of a week from the most recent plane disappearance of AirAsia Flight 8501, searchers have found 30 corpses of the 162 passengers and crew aboard, according to the Globe and Mail. Although I am thankful that this search is showing much more hope unlike the 239 passengers and crew that are still currently missing from the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 in March, the idea that both of the causes of these crashes are still unknown bothers the heck out of me. How is it that we only have a black box to rely on for this information, of which is on board these planes. This makes no sense to me. So I, along with many others are stuck here wondering: Why is there no retrievable back up hard drive? Why isn’t this information sent to air traffic controllers regularly throughout flights? Why is there not a backup generator specifically for distress calls? Why are we relying on a box that goes down with the plane for the information of how the plane went down? We live in an era where these questions should not have to be asked. I am thoroughly disappointed because these questions were not looked into when they should have been, 371 cannot be properly put to rest. It is a tragedy within a tragedy, one that I believe could have been prevented.
Fort Worth is currently on station conducting helicopter search and recovery operations as part of the Indonesian-led efforts to locate missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Antonio P. Turretto Ramos
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Opinion
The Sputnik
Wednesday, January 7, 2014
Brittany Bennett | opinion@thesputnik.ca | @sputnikopinion
The Canadian medical system and its antagonizing problems Brittany Bennett
Opinion Editor According to a report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) the average gross payment for a Canadian physician in 2013 was approximately $328,000. Now I understand that many physicians have additional fees to cover since they normally run their own business, but think about it, their only employees are a secretary, maybe two, and they only rent out a substantially small area to fit in a waiting room and few offices. But this number is over 8 times the average Canadian salary of $38,700 found in the latest household survey of Statistics Canada. Yet physicians are charging their patients for petty tasks such as filling out compensation forms, writing medical notes for employers, refilling prescriptions and even in some cases responding to phone calls. Many of
these fees differ between each physician but each one is not eligible for compensation by OHIP or just about any type of insurance or coverage. According to the CIHI report the average cost of a clinical service puts about $58.15 in each physicians’ pockets. For family doctor’s that is about $43.45 per each patient visit, and about $77.69 for specialists. Now, we are shown to be at an all-time record level in Canada’s number of physicians per the 100,000 population, as of 2013 CIHI reports that number to be approximately 220. But as you can see, physicians still have an outrageous amount of future income because their patients are still endless.
“According to the CIHI report the average cost of a clinical service puts about $58.15 in each physicians’ pockets.”
The CIHI report also shows that 71 per cent of the total clinical payments for Canadian physicians’ are fee-for-service; otherwise insurance money from the state. So if we scratch the 29 per cent of alternative payments –which our petty little doctor’s notes fall under – the average gross payment for a physician will turn into about $232,880 which is still over six times the average Canadian salary. But apparently that is not enough. Still the wealthy make attempts to take all they can from the lower classes, otherwise continuing our countries wonderful cycle of keeping the rich, rich and the poor, poor. To bounce off of this fabulous feefor-service payment that dominates our medical system, while physicians are still trying to take money out of Canadian’s direct pockets, they too have the opportunity to get all they can from the state. This system has created an emphasis on volume over quality, which gives physicians even more money, and gives us less professionalism. Ever wonder why your family physician tries to cover only one problem at a time during visits? Well they get paid for each service, so if
they separate each one of your concerns into different visits they get more money. Very convenient for the ones that have to take more time off work in order to put more money in our rich physicians pockets eh? Ever wonder why you have to wait a substantial amount of time for your scheduled appointment with your family physician? Well they are always over booked of course, the more patients equals more services which equals more money for the rich doctors yet again, and less time spent
“This system has created an emphasis on volume over quality, which gives physicians even more money, and gives us less professionalism.”
with each patient. This more service more money phenomenon encourages physicians to also provide more treatments, even unnecessary ones. Again, resulting in us taking time off work, losing money and physicians gaining even more money! Honestly docs, you seem to be doing one hell of a job getting all you can from our government. Since these wonderful tactics are already wasting your patients’ time and money, how about you cut it out with the additional payments that take you only a matter of minutes to do anyways?
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This more service more money phenomenon encourages physicians to also provide more treatments, even unnecessary ones. Neha Sekhon
Student stress and its consequences Fatbardha Lajci
Staff The transition between life of a high school student to the life of a university student can be challenging for some. University is a stressful experience for every student and with it comes many expectations that students feel they must fulfill. For instance: the large pile of assignments, adjusting to the university life, the longer classes, and expectations of parents regarding academic performance. It’s not like we can cut out all the fun assignments to make it less stressful. Those assignments are beneficial for you to do well during exam week by having a better understanding of the material. Stress is a constant factor found in everyday life. In fact, research reveals that stress is a common problem among students in specific. It’s not something we can completely prevent or put a stop to. I personally find the studying for exams just as stressful as the exam itself. I think this way for a variety of reasons, such as when I find the course and/or material more difficult than usual or if I don’t know what is going to be on the exam (sometimes it’s a little hard to
find the important information that may be the key to getting an amazing mark). Another worry is when I have two exams on the same day and I don’t know which one to begin studying for at what time, or relying on the bad habit of procrastination. Stress can lead to a poor grade on exams. The important thing to remember when combatting stress is to be prepared. By being prepared I mean truly studying and not leaving it to the last moment; going over the material from the beginning of the term that way you have plenty of time to fully comprehend it and ask any questions that could help you better understand. In a 2014 journal article called “Sleep Quality during Exam Stress: The Role of Alcohol, Caffeine and Nicotine” written by Matthias Zunhammer, Peter Eichhammer, and Volker Busch, stress is reported to have a great impact on student health. The rates of consumption of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine are reported to change due to the level of stress during the exam period. As a result, it affects the quality of sleep or sleep withdrawal, which can lead to a low academic performance. In a journal article called “Academic Stress: Its Causes and Results at a Ugandan University” written by Gladys Nakalema and Joseph Sse-
nyonga, academic stress is stated to be caused by poor study habits such as poor time management when studying for exams or coursework. Hence, the student needs to develop good study habits that can be used as coping strategies to help the student in meeting the academic demands of the university. Our university could help reveal student stress by providing workshops for exam preparation and stress management. Even providing something to take the students’ minds off the exams could help relieve the stress. For instance, this fall during exam week, the school had puppies that students could play with for the purpose of relieving stress. Initiatives such as these should be continued to help relieve student stress, but more should be looked into as well.
Stress can lead to poor exam grades. Neha Sekhon