Issue 4, Volume 122

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VOLUME 122 ISSUE 4 OCT 3 2013

DRINKING WITH OLD GUYS SINCE 1895

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Thursday Mar 29 2012

Volume 120 Issue 20

EDITORIAL STAFF

Thursday, October March 21, 3 2012 2013 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Volume 121 Issue Issue415 Sean McEvoy122 xw.eic@stfx.ca | (902) 870-9431

OUR STAFF

PRODUCT ION MANAGER Emma MacPherson EDITORS-IN-CHIEF xw.product@stfx.ca

Sean Ron Jeremy McEvoy

MANAGING EDITOR Lewis Peter North Forward Joe T hibault xw.managing@stfx.ca | (902) 867-3732

news getting informed How the political parties Affect you as a student at X

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COPY EDITOR Alexandra Adams ART PRODUCT IST IC COORDINATOR ION MANAGER xw.copy@stfx.ca

MEGAN DEWEY | Senior Reporter

Clayton Jesus ART IST ICBlagdon COORDINATOR Marie-Eve Pomerleau xw.photo@stfx.ca xw.product@stfx.ca xw.photo@stfx.ca

Election time has come to Nova Scotia. In light of an extremely low student voter turnout during the last provincial election, I sat down with Student Union President and board member of Students Nova Scotia Ben Gunn-Doerge to discuss the issues affecting students and the power of the student voice.

What role does StudentsNS have in the election? :Students Nova Scotia is a non-partisan advocacy group made up of members from each of Nova Scotia’s universities.

We’re focused on four pillars affecting students in the province - affordability, accessibility, quality and student voice. We advocate to both the provincial and federal governments on behalf of postsecondary education issues.

What is the current political situation on campus?

In the last provincial election, only 60 students voted, which is an extremely low number. We’re not sure if that’s due to out-of-province students not knowing that they can vote here or due to students not being informed on the issues. We are trying, especially in light of recent events at StFX - the strike last year and the decrease in government funding, to let students know that their voices do matter and that they can be heard, but they need to vote in order for that to happen.

Even if you’re from out of

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Aaron Big 111D, L Thornell Rm. Bloomfield Centre PO Box 924 xw.sports@stfx.ca xw.culture@stfx.ca St Francis Xavier University Antigonish NS, B2G 2X1 SENIOR DIST RACT REPORT IONS EDITOR ERS

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province, Antigonish is your home right now. If you want to make an impact on your school and the surrounding community, this is your chance to do that. StFX is known for its passionate alumni, and in order to maintain X spirit and help our university grow, we need government support, and that support has been lacking. Voting in this election can help improve your time at X and make sure the university is the best it can be for future students.

StudentsNS has broken down the issues affecting students into four main categories: Tuition and Funding, Student Financial Assistance, Lifelong Wellbeing, and Student Voice.

Which of these categories do you think is the most important?

I think they’re all equally important, depending on where your passions lie. Individual students may put more emphasis on categories that personally impact them, but I think that all four categories have a lot of value to students as a whole.

How do you think the Student voice is represented right now?

I don’t think it is represented as well as it could be. Student Voice is how students in universities all over Nova Scotia can collaborate on issues that will affect them. Politicians will listen to groups that are vocal about the issues that matter to them, and the reason educa-

tion issues have been put on the back burner by politicians is because students are not being vocal about what they want. Politicians address the issues most important to the demographics that vote for them. When only 60 students in a riding vote, which was the case during the last provincial election, education issues get pushed aside.

Students need to realize that if they want politicians to focus on postsecondary education issues, they need to reflect that through voter turnout and student voice.

Anyone over the age of 18 who has been a resident of Nova Scotia since last March is eligible to vote. This means that roughly 3000 students at StFX can vote in the upcoming election. If every student who can vote does vote, how much of an impact do you think it will have?

I think it will have an incredible impact, especially in the Antigonish riding. The population size of Antigonish is very close to the population of the student body, so students make up a significant portion of the vote. Also, I think local politicians recognize that the town is reliant on the university, so in order for the town to grow, the university needs to be able to grow. Through that, there is a lot of value in the students and in the university, so I think students have the ability to make a huge impact on the outcome of

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the election.

If you look at the province of Quebec, the reason they have such low tuition rates and such a focus on postsecondary education issues is because the student voice is so strong. Students in Quebec have rallied for the issues they care about and have had a very strong political presence, so they are able to make change. StudentsNS has made a huge effort to emulate that political involvement in our universities, so I think that if StFX steps up its vote, that will urge students at other Nova Scotia Universities to do the same.

Does StudentsNS endorse a particular party?

StudentsNS is a non-partisan organization, so we are not endorsing a particular party.

We sent each party a list of questions concerning student issues, and we are presenting that information to students so they can make an informed decision before they vote. Overall, the parties’ engagement in our questions was somewhat lacking. We had to ask several times if they were satisfied with the depth of their answers, and each time we asked they gave us a little more information.

Again, I think this is a reflection on the current lack of student voice in Nova Scotia, something that needs to be improved before we can see change in the issues surrounding postsecondary education.

Is there anything else you’d like to say to the student body?

Don’t take democracy for granted. So many groups fought for their right to vote, and now we’re not using that right. It is so important to make sure your voice is heard and to fight for the change you want, and I think that the student voice is so powerful. No matter where you come from, during your time at X, Nova Scotia is your home.

It’s so important to be involved in the decisions that will affect you while you’re here, and to make sure future StFX students have a voice in the Nova Scotian political sphere.

Voting stations will be set up in the 3rd Floor SUB lounge Oct 1-3, and there will be a public voting station in the Antigonish Mall on Oct 8. If you are over 18 years old and have been a resident of Nova Scotia for the past six months (this includes everyone in second year or above) make sure you take the time to vote. As students, we have the power to make ourselves heard and the responsibility to use that power.

NEWS 3

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

Imagine a blue nova scotia Meet your local Progressive Conservative candidate Darren Thompson JULIA O’HANLEY | Contributor

Darren Thompson is the candidate representing the Progressive Conservative Party in the Antigonish riding in the upcoming election on Oct 8.

Although not a staff member here at StFX, Darren Thompson has been actively involved with youth in his community as a minor soccer and hockey coach, as well as coach of the Dr. J.H. Gillis High School soccer team.

Before choosing to run for provincial politics, Thompson spent his days working as a Physiotherapist at Strait Area Physiotherapy. Raised in Antigonish, Thompson studied Science at StFX before transferring to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. In 2000, Thompson moved back home to Antigonish County in hopes of finding work and starting a family.

Having the chance to move back home to Antigonish is why Thompson is passionate about giving young people the chance to have the same opportunity to move back to Nova Scotia and obtain employment. Thompson and the PC government say they will strive to make “a more affordable Nova Scotia,” if elected on October 8. How would a PC government achieve this?

Thompson said that the Conservatives would: - almost double the number of apprentices in Nova Scotia - help small businesses by eliminating the Small Business Tax - reduce HST by 2%

- freeze power rates for five years - implement a $200.00 “School Supplies” tax credit to help cover the cost of young families sending their children to school Thompson says his door-to-door campaigning has shown him firsthand the effects of the high cost of living here in Nova Scotia. Many young families are unable to find employment here at home, and are forced to move west – an option that most Nova Scotian families would rather not be forced into.

When asked about the issue of rural schools, as it is a large focus for Liberal candidate Randy Delorey, Thompson thought that “rural schools are important to rural communities.” He said a PC government would: - place a moratorium on rural school closures - shorten bus-travel times for rural students - protect rural classrooms by supporting the creation and expansion of community hub centers With NDP candidate Maurice “Moe” Smith raising the potential for public transportation in rural areas such

as Antigonish as current Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, we asked Thompson his thoughts on the issue. Thompson answered by stating the Conservatives desire to implement Nova Scotia’s first ever “Five-Year Transportation Strategy.” This strategy would be used to improve the movement of people as well as commercial goods throughout the province. He said this would encompass all different types of transportation and not be limited to simply highways, bridges, public transit, and ferry services.

When asked if he and the PC party would work to strengthen culture in the riding of Antigonish, Thompson said his party does plan to create a $500,000 endowment incentive program to help the cultural activities in the Antigonish area flourish.

So what benefit would there be to us as students here at StFX to elect a Conservative MLA? Thompson feels that he and his party would be the best choice for students because of their plan to create 20,000 new jobs in small businesses and apprenticeship posi-

tions. This would allow Nova Scotia students to live and work in Nova Scotia when finished with their education.

A PC Government would reduce HST and eliminate the extra petroleum taxes plaguing gasoline prices right now in hopes of making life more affordable for students. Thompson is also a firm believer in the long-term funding the Tories would make available to universities through the five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Nova Scotia universities. This memorandum is aimed at high-quality and affordable post-secondary education which would enhance the provincial economy and bolster population growth.

So what sets Thompson apart from Delorey and Smith? Thompson says the NDP and Liberal Candidates have many of the same policies in their election campaigns. Both parties defend “the gold-plated MLA pension plan,” which awards MLAs $6 for every dollar they contribute to the people of their riding. The NDP raised the Harmonized Sales Tax to 15% when they were elected in 2009, and the Liberals plan to leave this rate unchanged. The Tories, on the other hand, reminded Thompson, plan to lower this tax to alleviate residents and visitors of Nova Scotia from the extra sting felt at cash registers. Overall, Thompson believes that the PC party has a platform aimed to lower taxes, cut wasteful spending, and create more jobs for the residents of Nova Scotia.

stating “Community schools are vital. I am a strong advocate of fostering community schools.”

He mentions that the NDP government has already halted the school review process, a process he claims has concerned Nova Scotians. Smith tells us that the NDP has already initiated the concept of “hub schools” and created four Early Years Centres. Smith says, “Enhancing the use of community schools will go a long way to ensuring their stability and fostering community based education.”

In the area of culture, Smith recognizes the importance of culture in the district of Antigonish. He says his party sees the role StFX and the Coady Institute play in enhancing cultural life here in District 2. Smith says his party supports Festival Antigonish through funding many small, local organizations and events. Smith points out that the NDP government has funded the enhancement of the new turf field and local curling club/arena, helping enhance Antigonish culture.

So why should students choose to vote for Moe Smith and the New Democratic Party on October 8th? Smith says the NDP has put student concerns first in the past, and will continue to do so if elected. According to Smith, they

have shown this by instituting a tuition freeze which capped increases at 3%, as well as a cap on student debt at $30 000 for an undergraduate degree already as an elected government. The NDP have also instituted a graduate tax retention rebate which allows students tax credits of up to $15 000 over six years to stay and work in Nova Scotia, and increased the amount of bursary support to postsecondary students.

Smith says he is the best choice to represent Antigonish because he can offer continuity if the NDP enters its second term as government of Nova Scotia.

“Having been the MLA for Antigonish since October 2009 and the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal and Minister of Gaelic Affairs since May 2012, if re-elected I can provide an unbroken and continuous period of representation for all of Antigonish. Through my time as MLA I have made many contacts with the various government departments and am able to quickly contact the right go-to person to get a constituent’s issue addressed”, says Smith. Finally, he says his career as a Legal Aid lawyer provides him with the skills needed to assess needs and advocate in the appropriate manner for the residents of Antigonish in an experienced and incumbent fashion.

MEET MOE SMITH We spoke with local NDP incumbent and stfx alum moe smith JULIA O’HANLEY | Contributor

To those of us who pay attention to provincial politics, Maurice (Moe) Smith will be a household name. As our current sitting MLA for the past four years, Smith made history by being the first candidate from the New Democratic Party to ever be elected in this riding.

Four years after the last provincial election, Smith is back at it again, campaigning for re-election on October 8th.

Before being elected as MLA, Smith received his Bachelor of Arts here at StFX, and moving on to Dalhousie to study law. After graduation, Smith practiced law in Antigonish for over thirtyfive years: thirty-four of these years as a Legal Aid lawyer. Smith has heavy community ties, being a founding member of the Naomi Society and the Antigonish and Area Homemakers, and being a member and former president of many other societies in his district. He tells us he is proud to currently serve on the Board of Directors of Crumbs from the Table.

Smith says he and his party are focusing on issues that affect both the district of Antigonish and the province of Nova Scotia. The major issues Smith outlined in our interview cover a vast number of jurisdictions. He and the NDP plan to improve healthcare services, support job growth through investing in both

small and large businesses, take HST off many family essentials, provide longterm and tax-free fixed prices on energy through the creation of Maritime Link, focus on youth through intervention in “Early Years Centres”, create a “Graduate Home Assistance Program” to help Nova Scotia invest in their first house here at home in Nova Scotia, and keep a balanced budget.

With PC candidate Darren Thompson’s election campaign featuring strong focus on job creation, we asked Smith where he stands on this issue.

One of the most common concerns Smith hears when door-to-door canvassing is local employment. He points out that the current NDP government has already been working to create jobs in Nova Scotia. The NDP has done this by helping the Irving Shipyard acquire its national ship building contract, and by investing in Port Hawkesbury Paper.

Through their Jobs Here plan, the NDP strive to create opportunities for enhancing job opportunities through skills training to allow young workers to get needed training to obtain good paying jobs if elected.

On the issue of community schools, an issue with large focus in Liberal candidate Randy Delorey’s campaign, Smith expressed interest in the topic,

4 NEWS

Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian

Life & Times: Dr. RIley pt.2 An intimate retrospective look at one of x’s most esteemed presidents LAURA ALOISIO | Senior Reporter

United States President Harry S. Truman once said, “We must accept the president’s assessment of what the situation is because only the president is in possession of all the facts.”

Yet anyone who operates in the public eye knows that the decisions they make can come under public scrutiny and the person in power will collect both a band of followers and a group of critics.

When I asked Dr. Riley to reflect upon his presidency, he said that when he first took office, he did so “not to change the focus of the university, but to equip it to compete [against the other Canadian universities].”

Since he had direct insight as a student, he knew that the principles of egalitarianism and economic cooperation were what made StFX such a unique and venerable school.

“We had a great franchise, history and tradition that I believed was important to maintain,” Dr. Riley said, but his challenge was how to attract students with various academic interests to come to Antigonish in order to pursue their undergraduate work. The solution seemed obvious: “If you want Physical Science students to come, you have to build them

a Physical Sciences building,” explained Dr. Riley. In addition to a building, Dr. Riley added, “Talented faculty members would have to recruited and an investment would have to be made in research labs and teaching space.” And so, under his tutelage, StFX embarked on a mission with an objective to expand the facilities on campus so as to secure a brighter future for StFX. The challenge brought on by an expansionary plan of this magnitude was balance. Expand too fast, and professors and support services may not be able to be added in time to accommodate the increase. Expand too slowly and any success in leveraging the school’s reputation may never be attainable. Dr. Riley also had to consider what expanding now would mean for expansion, or lack thereof, in the future.

For Dr. Riley, the past 17 years have been about maintaining that balance. His most recent challenge to this balance was building the new residences and the recent faculty strike. “When all signs start pointing towards an imminent strike,” Riley continued, “the goal is to avoid it happening. When it comes, the goal suddenly becomes to limit

the damage.” During the 2013 strike, Dr. Riley was made subject to competing demands for how balance should be achieved and maintained. But now, from a more reflective vantage point, he provided a clinical explanation of how the strike unfolded.

He described how each party has a responsibility to do best by its members. For the unions, it was to negotiate better terms for their rank and file. For him, it was a responsibility to the Board of Governors to ensure there was enough money to pay the bills. “If you increase expenditures in certain areas, there needs to be either increases in things like tuition, or cuts must be made to things like employment.” All of these areas fit together and only work when all groups cooperate. When asked how he looked back on 2013 from a personal perspective he referred to it as “the most tense year I ever served as President.”

The decision to build new residences was also an area of contention. While explaining his thought process in commissioning the new residences, he made use of his experiences as a student at X. Dr. Riley stressed that, in addition to new campus facilities maintaining their financial worth and sustainable

value, the facilities must attract students. Facilities needed to be constructed that would entice prospective students to choose StFX. This is especially true when trying to attract international students, seeing as how the school has recently become more similar to other larger institutions while still maintaining the small town lifestyle.

Dr. Riley explained how he walked investors, donors, and the Board of Governors through varying options for campus expansion. First was the proposal to renovate Mount St. Bernard, but this proved to be unappealing; the cost and resources required would be greater than building a new structure on the site. Even renovating and expanding Lane Hall has been a challenge. Although it remains a priority, “you can’t get people to put their money in to an old building.”

At the end of the year, Dr. Riley plans on stepping down as President and giving the reigns to his successor who will certainly be in a privileged position, given Dr. Riley’s endeavours over the last 17 years. His diligence and creativity have truly been fundamental to StFX’s continued growth and forward progression. Bringing the school

into a new generation and helping establish a reputation on the national level is driving his vision of the U4 league. U4 is a collabora- tive effort between Bishops University, Mount Allison University, Acadia University, and, finally, our beloved St. Francis Xavier University. The establishment of the U4 league was for him a unique approach to create an Ivy League environment using academic criteria, community, leadership opportunities and a commitment to excellence that would place StFX as a “window to the world.”

He spoke candidly about what motivates him, and the answer was clear: students. He explained that when they reflect and speak positively about the ‘Xperience’, the challenge and hard work “was all worth it.”

Dr. Riley’s future plans include teaching, as well as hoping to get back to his roots in Foreign Policy and External Affairs. His experience in Finance and Business Management may also be of value, having managed a manufacturing company before coming back to StFX. But first, a little time off is in the plans – especially since his past 17 years have been busy building a legacy that has positioned StFX for a bright future.

discrimination slams the brakes on Drive u Off-campus councillor kerrin duggan’s claims of wrongful hiring has left the popular service sitting in park SEAN MCEVOY | Co-Editor-in-Chief

The first StFX Students' Union council meeting of the year on September 22nd was not without drama as Business and Information Systems Councillor Molly Norris brought forth allegations of discrimination in the Drive U drivers hiring process for the new year. The basis of the allegations according to Norris was that her constituent who brought forward the complaint was not hired given an interview or hired, solely because they were in their fourth year of study. This constituent has since been named by multiple sources to be Off-Campus Councillor, and Society Coordinator Kerrin Duggan. Duggan has declined to comment to The Xaverian regarding her claims.

"Basically, they had applied for a position with Drive U but were told that they would not be given an interview, as Drive U had to 'take into account the year of study to be mindful of staffing for senior events", explains Norris.

"With further investigation, we determined that not only had other new fourth year students been given interviews, but other new fourth year students had also been hired. To me right off

the bat, this didn't seem right. It is understandable that not a lot of fourth years could be hired due to the amount of returning drivers, but my constituent was not interviewed based on a principle that seemingly didn't apply to all senior students."

"My constituent [Duggan], my fellow Business & IS Councillor [Lauren Murray] and myself all felt that this was discrimination based on my constituents age. As stated in the Students' Union hiring policy, 'The Union does not discriminate on the basis of sex, religion, race, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or sexual orientation." Every student should be given an equal opportunity, no matter what."

Upon hearing of these allegations at council, Students' Union President Ben Gunn-Doerge stated that he was "very alarmed" by the claims and gave a 'guarantee" that an investigation would be launched into the incident. GunnDoerge declined to comment to The Xaverian regarding the claims and possible investigation to prevent a possible conflict of interest if an investigative committee is struck.

As a result of the claims raised

by Norris, council subsequently voted with twelve votes against, and three abstentions to not ratify the Drive U drivers that were brought forth to council, thus leaving Drive U severely understaffed. Since the vote, Drive U has run on a sporadic schedule, with the service not being offered three days a week including this upcoming Friday and Saturday of homecoming weekend. The result has left many students who often depend on the service stranded and forced to seek alternative modes of transportation.

The hiring panel for Drive U consisted of Students' Union VP Finance Gareth Winsor, Science Councillor Katy Grosicki, Lower Campus Councillor Matt Cormier, as well as the senior Drive U driver.

"Both Katy and I were unaware of the process behind selecting which applicants were to be interviewed for the positions", says Cormier. "In the hiring process, the executive or whoever is hiring for a position asks for two councillors to sit on the interview panel, and we interview those candidates who are invited. We do not have input on who is to be interviewed."

Winsor confirmed that all drivers that were up for ratification would have to re-apply for the job in a new hiring process.

The deadline for applications in the second round of hiring closed on September 30th, with interviews set to begin pending the possible investigation.

Although it has not yet been determined officially whether Winsor and the hiring panel were discriminatory against Duggan in the hiring process, the Students Union did issue an apology to her in a statement on their website.

"The Students’ Union would like to apologize to that student and other 4th year students that received similar emails", it reads."

It was not the intent of the hiring committee to make these students feel discriminated against based on their year of study."

"There have always been issues in the past when the team is to heavily weighted with 4th year students", the statement goes on to say. "Who wants to miss their X-Ring night to work DriveU? Not many. So it is imperative to have a balance of students from different years that are employed to work DriveU so the service

can continue throughout the year."

Norris stands firm that the concerns raised by Duggan are legitimate and needed to be addressed.

"When this came to my attention, I knew that it had to be brought up in the council meeting", she said. "I also think that council handled the situation the best way that we could have, and I hope that everyone understands that the hired drivers could not be ratified simply because the hiring process was not done in the best way that it could have."

"I seriously doubt that this was a malicious action on anyone's behalf, but it's important to be sure that we are maintaining the hiring process as layed out in the policy", said Norris. "My hope is that in bringing this situation to everyone's attention, we are able to avoid this from happening in the future."

As of now, the next chance for ratification of Drive U drivers will be at the second council meeting of the year on October 20th, although it remains a possibility an emergency council meeting could be called at an earlier date to restore the service to full capacity.

OPINIONS 5

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

OPINIONS FALLING FOR FALL WARM YOUR HEARTS AS THE TEMPERATURE GETS CHILLY DEVON GREENE | Contributor

Apple cinnamon candles, pumpkin snickerdoodles, wool socks, big cozy sweaters, red and orange leaves – the comforts of fall are endless. For a season that brings the end of summer, the return to school, and chilly weather, it somehow manages to be absolutely lovely. As a ginger, I am naturally attracted to fall. The reds and browns create the perfect colour scheme for my red hair and pasty skin and the fading sun saves my freckles from the abuse of its beating rays. But it seems like almost everyone has this strange attraction to fall. Something about the combination of changing colours and weather makes our hearts melt even as the days get colder.

The most obvious feature about fall must be the colours. Gradually, the lush green shades of summer turn to a collage of red, yellow, and orange.

Country roads become golden tunnels and between rainfalls the ground is showered with softly falling leaves, dancing in the wind before finally settling on the ground for their long winter nap. We do our best to reflect nature’s beauty as we say “goodbye” to faded Daisy Dukes and flip flops and “hello” to dark jeans and knee high brown boots. We trade in neon tank tops for oversized grey sweaters and scarves in a variety of dark forest greens, deep plum purples, and golden yellows. Fall turns a regular walk down the street into a colourful adventure, complete with a soundtrack of crunching leaves beneath your feet.

Our sight isn’t the only sense stimulated by the season. The tastes and smells of fall are warm and comforting and immediately bring us back to our happiest fall memories. As the nights

get colder and longer we crave warm comfort food and nature provides all the necessary ingredients. Apples and pumpkins epitomize fall in the way they look, taste, and smell; the farmer’s market becomes a cornucopia of fresh vegetables. Golden ears of corn pile up on the dinner table as the smell of summer barbeques is replaced by the sweet aroma of baking pumpkin pie. Cinnamon and allspice are the perfect additions to any recipe or warm beverage. While cold beer is always nice, warm mulled wine and hot apple cider start to creep onto after-dinner menus, and who doesn’t

big turkey dinner with all the trimmings, good wine (the expensive kind that you’d never buy for yourself), and apple pie, warm out of the oven.

While the beginning of October provides the perfect way to spend time with family, the end of October is the perfect way to spend time with friends. Halloween isn’t just a time for partying and drinking; it’s a time for candy, especially day-after discount candy. No longer do we rely on the generosity of our neighbours to provide us with bags full chocolate and sweets. Now we go straight to the source and take advantage of the Hal-

love to curl up with a book and a warm cup of tea on a chilly evening? Along with these everyday delights, fall brings with it some of the best opportunities to hang out and eat great food; Thanksgiving is one of my personal favourite holidays. Nothing beats a

loween specials, buying our favourite candy in bulk. Those of us who live off campus will make several attempts to stock up on candy for trick-or-treaters, only to have it eaten weeks before the costume clad children come knocking. It’s a good thing the temperature

is dropping so we can hide the demise of our beach bodies under our sweaters.

The return to school can leave us buried under a pile of work, but everyone has to surface once in a while for some fall activities. At this time of year, it doesn’t take much to make an adventure out of your day. There is no other time you can wander through a pumpkin patch, carve a jack-o-lantern, run through a corn maze and jump into a pile of freshly raked leaves.

Even going for a walk and watching the leaves fall can turn a regular afternoon into a romantic escapade. You can turn a lazy Saturday morning into a productive day with a quick trip to the farmers market to pick up some fresh local food and homemade mittens and scarves to bundle up against the biting fall wind. The weather is brisk and invigorating enough to be refreshing after the hot summer, but not so cold that it makes you want to curl up against the long Canadian winter and hibernate until the spring.

Conditions are perfect to make the most of the last couple months before the long Canadian winter sets in.

So, friends, break out your flannel and pull your toques over your ears.

Fall is finally here, and it is lovely. I’m sure I’m not alone in being in love with this wonderful season. Don’t be shy about your fall love; light a pumpkin spice candle, bake some apples with cinnamon and curl up with a cup of tea and some folk music – show the world you’re not afraid to be excited. Autumn is a beautiful season; don’t be afraid to fall in love.

“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” –William Cullen Bryant

WE ALL COME HOME WELCOME BACK, STFX ALUMNI. THINGS HAVE NOT CHANGED THAT MUCH AROUND HERE. LEWIS FORWARD | Co-Editor-in-Chief

When the alumni return for homecoming, they get to peer into the student life at StFX that they once lived. We’re here, behind a thin and nearly impenetrable barrier called enrollment; a living memory of great years. Luckily for them, they don’t have to join us in the library as we study (hungover) for midterms next week, though I’d imagine many of them would trade a few hours in the library for a day and night of student life. We’re lucky to be here, and without the work of our alumni, we wouldn’t be here. Personally, I’m looking forward to drinking a pint with an XRing wearer from the class of 1953, or from the class of 2013, who are the most recent initiates into the ranks of alum. This is their first homecoming. Seeing the excitement and joy of those returning after one year or sixty makes me feel lucky that I

live here every day. We struggle through work, we question our degrees, we stress over midterms, we grind through hangovers, and we all have too little money, but we’re here, with friends. What an excellent place this is. Thank you, StFX. I hope the alumni have a weekend that lets them relive these days, fully and intensely. We’ll be alumni, soon. Lets each buy an alum a beer, and have a great weekend.

2013 marks the 60th year since the graduation of the 1953 class. Seventeen ‘53 graduates are planning to attend this weekend. After some digging, we unearthed their yearbook. Some things were different in 1953- there was no Kenny’s, a BSc in Home Economics was a common degree, Rev. Moses Coady was still a faculty member, and some students were WWII and Korean War veterans-

but some things have not changed. The town beside them was small (very small).

The wheel served great pizza. The football team wasn’t doing so well. The student radio was broadcasting live. Some students had their post-grad plans made, but most seemed to be departing with destinations unknown, or on to further education. Their lives feel familiar across a few decades. Many of the same buildings stand, and the skyline of University Avenue in front of Morrison Hall looks nearly the same. Though we use different technology, and learn updated information in different ways, their university experience parallels ours. At StFX, we started fresh: forging new lives for ourselves, new friendships, and building the foundations for the rest of our lives. I don’t imagine the undergraduate transformation

would have been much different as a student in 1953.

Many of the returning ‘53 class members were avid athletes. Hockey bruiser Phil Sharkey, Maritime All-Star football player Doug MacMaster, and basketball co-captain Frank Gallant- who was described as “the epitome of gentlemanliness,”- all plan to make their way to campus. The reality of the era is conveyed in the final sentences of Frank’s yearbook entry: “faces uncertain future...Uncle Sam may make deciding choice.” I think we should win every game this weekend for these guys.

On behalf of the Xaverian, I welcome alumni back. One thing definitely hasn’t changed since 1953: the boundless hospitality of StFX students. I hope you all have a great weekend.

6 OPINIONS

Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian

Homesick but happy HOW HOMESICKNESS CAN SHOW WHAT TRULY MATTERS MOST BENJAMIN KENT | Contributor

Until recently, I had always felt that I was rather incapable of feeling homesickness.

My over-active imagination would run rampant whenever friends complained of homesickness; imagining myself as some sort of sociopath who is incapable of experiencing this one vital human emotion. This never bothered me in any way, though. I would see my friends become glum and morose towards the end of every semester with homesickness while I was perfectly content with the knowledge that I was to see my family in a few weeks.

However, two significant events occurred in recent months, which have altered my perception of homesickness and have led me to understand how my peers feel.

The first event occurred during winter break last year, when my parents decided to relocate our family home in Southern Ontario of the last eighteen years to upstate New York. This transition from my childhood home and community to some completely unknown corner of the world caused me to realize the difficulty I would have seeing my old friends in the future. Upon returning from the break, I found myself wishing that I had been able to spend more time with my friends than the one night we enjoyed together.

Once again, this summer, I had another encounter with homesickness. Due to financial concerns, and an inability to find a stable job for the summer, I made the decision

to go balls to the wall and join a tree-planting camp in Alberta. I didn’t know anybody in the camp, so it was truly the ultimate detachment from anything familiar or comfortable in my life. Among the various mental and physical challenges I faced, I found myself struggling to cope — for the first time in my life — with genuine homesickness. Every day was spent in total isolation for ten hours in barren clear-cut wilderness. Every night was spent socializing over supper with a group of strange and outlandish people who found themselves in the same circumstances as me. Every week when we ventured into town for our day off, I found myself staring at my phone in anticipation, waiting for those little bars

on my screen to tell me that I had cell service. I began to become upset whenever I would phone home on a Monday or Wednesday afternoon and nobody was home to answer my calls, meaning that I would have to wait another week to talk with my family or friends.

In that respect, it was a horrible experience because I was constantly longing for the comforts of home.

Reflecting back now, I notice a common theme in each of these events. In both circumstances, my perspective of my loved ones shifted from the assumption that they would always be there for me when I needed them to the realization that I did need them in that moment, and was unable to contact them. If there is one thing that can be taken

away from my personal stories, it is that we should not assume that the moments we have with those we care about are guaranteed. It seems that we take most easily for granted those things which are closest to us in our daily lives.

That being said, with Thanksgiving quickly approaching, make sure to take the time to show gratitude for the important people in your life. I know that I am looking forward to travelling back home and enjoying some time with my family soon, and although I have been experiencing this odd, unpleasant feeling for the last few days, I know that it means nothing more than the fact that I have some wonderful people in my life who I miss. Perhaps I’m more human than I thought after all.

was something important, would you really trust a text to deliver the message properly?

Also, with wifi available practically everywhere on campus, it is hard not to pay attention to notifications you receive in class. Easy solution? Put the phone away.

It’s hard to get distracted by something that isn’t there.

Some researchers have concluded that using social media sites such as Facebook while studying have negative effects on a student’s overall GPA. Whether or not you believe this is actually true, keep one thing in mind next time you pull out your phone when you are bored in class: it’s you who is paying to be in that class. So be there.

plugged in, tuned out Technology in the classroom can be a burden KATHERINE BEKKERS | Contributor

Technology is a great thing, don’t get me wrong.

The speed at which we can now perform tasks is unparalleled. The idea of having to use books for research is almost foreign to us. Staying in touch with loved ones is not affected by vast distances.

Or small distances, for that matter.

We are constantly connected to one another through technology. Texting, Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and a multitude of other social media sites enable us to keep updated with what everyone else is doing to a point where “reallife” has almost taken a seat on the back burner.

One of the places where this becomes most noticeable is in class. Seldom do you see a classroom full of students without phones, iPads or other tablets, and computers in hand. This is not to say that having these tools out during class is wrong. Used in the right way, laptops and other similar devices are a

helpful, and sometimes even necessary, mode of taking notes in lecture for some students.

It’s when they become “a way to pass the time” that they turn into a bother. It’s hard for your brain to switch tasks every ten seconds. You aren’t exactly flexing your concentration muscle by only half-heartedly listening to what the prof is saying.

With your attention diverted, the potential to miss important information is at an alltime high, and this can really affect your performance in the class. But these technological distractions don’t just affect you.

However small your screen, you may not be the only one enjoying that gif on “What Should StFX Call Me”.

Students can see your screen from behind you, even when you think they’re not looking.

Most of the time, it’s what’s on your screen (or what’s not on your screen) that’s more entertaining than whatever’s going on at the front of the

classroom. Not only does this make it hard for other students around you to concentrate, it also takes away from the experience of what a class atmosphere can offer.

Such an atmosphere is important not only for student engagement, but also attentiveness on part of the professor. Distracted students lead to a distracted professor. Professors work hard to prepare for each class, so it’s important to give them the respect they deserve and at least pretend to pay attention. Make “interesting eyecontact” with the human being standing in front of you instead of your lap and the pixels of your screen.

In all truthfulness, when you text or message someone it’s most likely not for any pressing purpose. Sure, it’s great news if you just saw someone walk into a pole or if your crush just smiled at you. But it can wait. 50 minutes is not a long time. It takes longer to play a game of Monopoly. Even if there

DO YOU HAVE AN OPINION? Editor: Laura O’Brien

proclaim it.

x2010pdb@stfx.ca

OPINIONS 7

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

SURVIVING PIPER’S how do you solve a problem like maria?

MARIA RIZZET TO | Columnist

Being behind the bar at Piper’s Pub in Antigonish on a busy night is arguably one of the most horrifying experiences I’ve had throughout my entire university career.

Aside from popular belief, I do not enjoy listening to jibberish coming from the mouths of my intoxicated peers, running back and forth like a chicken with my head cut off, watching people grope each other, sweating my ass off, and not getting to sleep until 4:30 am. I do it for the money, and only the money. I am aware that the majority of people who frequent Piper’s on a weekend are unaware of their actions the next day, but after recent bar tending endeavours, which include but are not limited to High School Dance Party, I feel it’s important to review some simple guidelines on how to get along with your bartender. I know that some of you may have just turned 19 and Piper’s Pub is your first “bar” experience. I also know that for some of you, it’s not. Even if you are belligerently drunk, you can get drinks fast, avoid making an absolute embarrassment out of yourself or pissing us off, and stay clear of the borderline between flirting and sexual harassment.

Rule one. Do not yell at me; I will definitely ignore you. I can hear you, and I can also see you. There IS a system. You very well may be the next person on the bar in my path but you also just weaselled your

way in there when the last person I served left. Of course I saw you. I’m sober. You are not “next.” Also, my name is Maria. Not Mary. Not Mariah. Not Megan. If you feel the absolute need to verbally announce your presence and immediate drink needs, get that right, at least.

Rule two. Well, this is more of just a statement. I have absolutely no problem skipping you to look after the awesome girl or guy that looks after me. If you’re being a bitch or a dick about it I will conveniently never get to you. You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours; and I scratch well.

Rule three. Don’t come to a bar with no cash. If we see a debit card in your hand we will deliberately skip you until it is not as busy. If you are somehow physically unable to walk the 10ft to the ATMs, make sure compensate for it with a tip. We could have served 6 people in the time that it takes your drunken self to pay enough attention to the machine to type in your account and pin. This, in turn, costs us money and time.

Rule four. Order everything at once if you’re with a group of people. This makes our lives and your lives easier because you will get drinks faster. If you’re really feeling helpful, don’t ask to pay for each of the 9 jägerbombs separately with 20-dollar bills.

It’s called pooling your money ladies- and it’s a fantastic concept. Most guys have this

down pat, well done gentlemen.

Rule five. When we tell you we don’t have something, we do not have it. It doesn’t matter how many times you ask or whom else you can flag down to ask; we still don’t have it.

Rule six. Keep the change? Keep the change? Just don’t say anything to avoid sounding like a pompous asshole when you graciously donate the remaining quarter from your $4.75 beer. A quarter is not “change”; it’s a quarter. A quarter is better than nothing and they do add up, thank you for that, but let’s save the “I’ll tip you big” comments.

Rule seven. Undergarments are crucial.

In total, I saw 3 vaginas during HSDP. If I can see your vag from behind the bar when you’re grinding, your skirt is too short. I love commando as much as the next person, but if you are planning to go from the window to the wall all night, I’d suggest you remember them.

Rule eight. If a girl is telling you she wants water, that does not mean she wants a double vodka lime, and it definitely does not mean to trick her and order her a vodka-water. It means there is still a small flicker of her responsible persona remaining and you’re trying to dispose of it. If you don’t respect her wishes, I will both take your money and give her solely H20, be-

cause you are an asshole. Buying drinks for people is awesome, but let’s make responsible decisions, people!

Rule nine. It’s a vodka-orange, not a screwdriver. The fancier you name the drink, the dumber you sound. We aren’t in a low-key hipster martini bar in Toronto where we need to speak in code; just tell me what you want and what you want it mixed with. Vodka-cran, vodka-lime, rum and coke, whiskey sour, gin and ginger…

Rule ten. Never say these phrases: “Surprise me.” – You’ll never get what you want.

“What’s your cheapest beer?” – All beer is the same and it labels you as cheap. I’m a cheap student too, dude, I get it; just don’t announce it and limit how fast you get served.

“Give me whatever.” – We are not you, we don’t like what you like.

“Two beers please.” – We have a lot of beer. Tell me what you want.

“Can I have two delicious shots.” – We don’t know what you find delicious.

“What shot will get this girl the most fucked up?” ...What is wrong with you?

As far as bartender-customer etiquette goes, that should put you above and beyond 93% of students at the pub. This will make us happy, and in turn will make you happy.

the balancing act the importance of staying on top of school work before midterms season arrive COLTAN THOMPSON | Contributor

We are almost a month into classes and midterms haven't even hit. You may be wondering why someone would write an article on fighting the terrors of testing-time madness and academia exhaustion so early. Doesn't such an article always come later, when assignments and looming exams make workers of even the most flippant students, and turn the rest of us into shades of ourselves living on textbook pages and KD? And you'd be right; I'm not talking about the end-ofterm freak-out. I'm referring to the student life rut.

At the beginning, you maybe don't foresee it; you spent your summer away from the 'Nish, working hard at a summer job or playing away the four months of respite—ideally you did a bit of both. But eventually you miss your friends. Early September, maybe even sooner, and you're settled back in, loving life (especially true if you spent the summer with your parents!).

There is a calm. Classes start to roll.

It's all good and you're revelling in the novelty of new courses and professors.

Nothing is expected from you at first; it's all introduction and general layout – “here's what we'll cover” and the like. But there is no need to think on any of it – tests, assignments, due dates; all so distant. The term has barely even begun, right?

Let those second and third weeks come... then you feel it, the familiar tingle of angst as you realize all that

you need to do and all you'll be expected to do. And keeping up may not even be hard – but all that free time you were used to having? Forget it. In fact, the temptation for some of us is to become workaholics, visualizing days in terms of time blocks to be filled by everything that needs doing.

You turn all those “things to do” into lists so you don't have to remember them. Only trouble is, you see that list in your mind's eye just the same. Your interests, the little things, the novel time wasters that always comforted you in ways you never knew, get sidelined. And you are left wondering, “Have I become a University student or a University slave?” Sacrifices must be made for success, sure; but, at least for a small subset of students, quality of living is reduced by unwavering service to the books.

I think most serious students have felt the day-in, day-out why-the-hellam-I-doing-this rut at some point.

When you want to do your very best but must also accept your own physical and mental limitations, where is equilibrium?

Force yourself not to cut corners with playtime. Ever. Obviously I mean this within reason, after all, relaxation time is going to take a justified hit when there's work to be done. It's the reason we put off buying that new video game or delay getting into that new show. On the other hand, a lot of students I know have NO trouble taking

“little” breaks (more often than can be justified in my opinion). And procrastination? Oh, they're professionals. But for the strong-willed, re-purposing playtime for study is all too doable – even though every part of the person under the tyranny of the will suffers with overwork. It is ironic that having a strong will, an otherwise laudable trait, can lead to burnout when over-applied.

In my first year, one my professors made a perennial declaration: “University is a race you never win.”

And how true. Every time I am tempted to follow my mental to-do list religiously, with the subconscious and naive hope that just beyond there is a brief respite where all tasks are completed, I quickly realize it just isn't true. There's always something new being added to your plate. So the goal, I've found, is to try to not

clean the plate—this leads to compulsive overwork. Rather, maintaining an equal ratio of task completion to incoming tasks is far more realistic. One must come to embrace the insanity and accept that the academic onslaught never ends, despite all reasonable efforts.

8 FEATURE

Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

FEATURE

9

10 CULTURE

Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian

Culture NEW HOPE FOR NATURAL HEALTH SUNFLOWER NATURAL HEALTH ON MAIN STREET HAS GOT ALL OF YOUR.....

ANITA RAYEGANI | Contributor

“When health is absent, wisdom cannot reveal itself, art cannot manifest, strength cannot fight, wealth becomes useless, and intelligence cannot be applied,” -Herophilus.

During this modern era of groundbreaking discoveries and continuous change, we often forget our roots and turn towards the fast and easy fixes.

The ones filled with chemicals, GMOs, and toxic ingredients.

Fortunately, there is an easy ‘alternative’ path that one can take. Those of you who may have walked further than “The Wheel” down Main St. may have discovered Sunflower Natural Health, the Nish’s very own health food store and naturopathy clinic. At first glance it may look like your typically friendly shop, with an amazing array or organic chocolates and the heart-warming smell of tea.

However, it is so much more.

Sunflower first opened its doors in the 1970’s when three

local women had one goal: have access to healthy food and provide this luxury to others. With this goal in mind, that is what they did, first starting with themselves, close family and friends and later expanding to provide an alternative choice for the entire town.

Ownership got passed down to the next generation, when it was sold in ’83 to Brock and Gail Elliott. The name Sunflower was never changed. Gail says she kept it when she bought the store simply because the sunflower is a symbol for hope.

I pushed my luck and did a bit of digging around, and when I got in touch Gail herself, I

asked her to tell me stories from the past.

The memories came like music, lovely and filled with a meaning only she could ever truly understand. “We ate, drank and slept it, between the two of us, my husband and I”, she recalled instantly with a laugh. Gail told of the days when it held the “hippie image” and how it used to be half a restaurant so that people could taste what could be made from the healthy array of foods that stocked the shelves. The restaurant eventually separated and was moved down the street, where now, many years later, a pizza parlor owns its old space.

Not only did Sunshine feed the people, but it educated them too. The couple had a show on the local radio station, presentations in the community and even lectures at STFX. They taught about the importance of healthy eating and traditional medicine. Their store and restaurants were filled with bustling customers, eager to learn about and try the foods that it offered.

In 2005, the store was sold to the current owner, and certified naturopathic doctor, Jennifer Lilly, so that Antigonish could have its very first Naturopathy clinic. Currently, the naturopathy clinic and health food store are located by Main St. and Church St. and continues to strive for holistic healing. Some of the traditional methods applied consist of herbs, homeopathic and physical medicines to restore the mind, body and spirit. They also continue to offer a wide array of unprocessed

foods, providing feel good fuel without chemicals on the side.

To receiving professional treatment, the process is really quite simple. “[There] are forms to be filled out to give the doctor some history about you. There is no referral or anything like that needed. Dr. Lilly is registered will all major insurance companies so you just check with your supplier and see what coverage you have. Once you have paid us for your appointment your insurance will reimburse you,” explains LeighAnne.

Sunflower Natural Health is there for everyone, whether you are seeking treatment or not has a long legacy in the community. It is providing us all with the option of taking on a new philosophy and way of life. So take that 12 minute walk down from the Main St. and St. Ninnian and discover it for yourself. It just might ignite a passion in you too.

to convey obscured light.

Another artist who makes use of heavy materials to capture striking scenes is Margaret Nicholson.

She is currently exhibiting a show in town entitled 1000 Aprons, a huge piece that was covered in last week’s Xaverian. If you can’t make it out to that, come down to the Art Gallery to see her pieces in Encaustic, a waxlike substance. One of Margaret’s pieces, Air We Breathe, is dense, almost disturbing to look at, but then you start to think about the intent of the piece – is she capturing a whole environmental dilemma in under two square feet?

There were a lot of sights to take in at the faculty art show from many artists, media, and perspectives, and its aesthetic nature made it more about the

feelings you could take from the pieces than the literal implications they could have. For example, Sharon Jan’s abstract Arisaig series, making use of big shapes, careful lines and both gently-fading and bold colours, is a feast for the eyes.

If you were lucky enough to catch the show, you’ve probably been inspired to join an art class or do some intricate doodles in the margins of your class notes. If you missed it, you can still check out their art through the Art Department Website.

Next in the Art Gallery: Anna Syperek, I Can See Far Off Yonder, Oct 1 through 28.

GET YOUR ART-ERIES PUMPING AN EXERCISE IN ART APPRECIATION from the stFX faculty art show PAULINE CAMERON | Contributor

Get your art-eries pumping An exercise in appreciating art: the StFX Faculty Art Show The faculty art show at the StFX Art Gallery provided a “unique opportunity for students to see the creative products of our talented professors,” says fourth year student Lisa Gunn. The pieces were arranged by artist, enabling the viewer to become familiar with each professor’s distinctive style and technique.

When you walked in, the first artist is Kate Brown-Geor-

gallas, a long time resident of Antigonish and creator of one of the biggest pieces in The People’s Place Library, displayed above the front desk.

At this show we see a different side of her, presenting gritty realism in her acrylic painting of a truck-stop with an air of Alex Colville. Compare that to Janette Fecteau’s Causeway Convenience, a batik piece that also illuminates the rural realities of Nova Scotia. Due in part to her vast travelling, Janette is able to bring sharp technique

that is really something to look at while also creating an appealing piece with its application to local scenes.

Someone new to the StFX art scene is Andy MacLean.

According to his StFX page, he “belongs to collections in Toronto, Halifax, Chicago, Ft. Myers, Stockholm, and Edessa, Greece”. Andy is, needless to say, an accomplished fellow.

The piece of his I like the most is Opening in the Woods, a faintly-lit woodsy scene that, through the use of dark oils, has managed to capture that pure light that can only be found in the forest after a rain. One of Andy’s other pieces, Rome 14 (Sant’Agnese), is a classical-style oil but from an interesting point of view.

His mix of subjects, nature, and artifice, are similarly intriguing through his application of sfumato, using oils

CULTURE

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

11

BROWNSTONE cafe our resident foodie went there, and never wanted to leave LAURA ALOISIO | Senior Reporter

If you ask anyone in town for a lunch or dinner suggestion, the Brownstone Café appears to be the hottest choice. Located on Main Street off of College, it is a good thing the restaurant is so close to the gym because there is no chance of you “having only a taste” of your meal. This is the ultimate cheat day meal!

The menu features many authentic Greek options like chicken souvlaki and Spanikopita; a famous Mediterranean dish of spinach and feta stuffed in phyllo pastry. Both are served with lemon potatoes and Greek salad. For a unique twist on traditional cuisine try their Greek chicken bites, Mediterranean grilled vegetables, and feta pizza.

The menu covers a full range of interesting options from Irish Nachos to Shrimp Sanganaki. The fish and chips and pan-fried haddock were recommended by friends and the Pulled Pork Sandwich was identified as a “you gotta try that” from a reliable source. All this became the source of great surprise, because when the Brownstone’s manager brought out their number one seller, she delivered a Brownstone Burger.

This burger is a 6oz seasoned patty stuffed with cheddar cheese and served with garlic aioli, sliced tomato, bacon, red onion, and romaine. So what makes this burger

such a big hit? Well, lets rant on; the patty is seasoned to perfection and you can taste the freshness from the very first bite. And why not, these burgers are made fresh on site and never frozen. The cheddar cheese is melted perfectly throughout the beef patty and they are definitely not skimpy with either one. Grilled just right, the burger is juicy, but without the normal grease you would expect.

As for the condiments, let’s just say that their garlic aioli might just become your new favorite burger topping. Jealous of the napkin, the Colonel may have to trademark the term “finger licking good” in Greek.

Topped off with lean crispy bacon and fresh romaine, they added some red onion thinly sliced on the bottom, which adds some crunch to each delicious bite. This burger is big, and leaves you feeling satisfied for hours, but don’t feel guilty. As mentioned, the ensemble of lettuce and onions can count as your vegetable servings for the day so all is forgiven.

If you want to stay in the burger section of the menu, try thee Opa burger with feta and eggplant or their vegetarian option, the black bean and mushroom burger. This carnivore’s alternative is homemade with tender black beans and sautéed mushrooms served on the same fresh bun as the Brownstone burger and

then topped with cheddar cheese and tomato salsa.

The prices at the brownstone are very reasonable, especially considering the large portions. The Brownstone Burger is only $9.15, contributing to its popularity among students, but value is not the only aspect that makes the Brownstone Café so appealing. The entrance is preceded by a wooden path with red chains on either side, which transform Main Street into a boardwalk. Inside the restaurant the soft stonework and

copper ceiling tiles create a calming atmosphere, with seating that allows parties of any size to enjoy their meal in comfort.

With the weather getting colder, enjoy your meal on the outdoor patio and soak in the last warm days of the year while you still can. Sitting back with friends and sharing an eclectic meal of Cajun Seared Shrimp, Mousaka and Penne Pesto Olio, you might not agree on where the chef is from, but you’ll be glad he came to the Nish.

SAID THE WHALE: HAWAII West coast indie sweethearts’ sound gets sweeter RACHEL REVOY | Contributor

Said the Whale, an adorably patriotic Canadian indie rock band hailing from Vancouver, recently released their fourth full length album titled Hawaiii.

In this new album, the band has reinvented their sound and infused each song with a certain amount of edgy attitude. Due to this dramatic sonic

overhaul my feelings about Said the W h a l e h a v e changed, but to this band I shall always remain faithful.

Hawaiii was recorded over six months and was released on Sept 17.

Said the Whale has said in the past that they are striving to make a living off of their music careers. The dream for them is to be able to quit their day jobs and survive off of the music they produce. So this justifies their recent change in creating a more mainstream sound. But do people actually prefer Said the Whale’s new music?

Hawaiii is a collection of twelve pop rock tracks involving subject matter that is somewhat darker than what they previously explored. Some of these tracks even include swears (gasp!).

This is completely new territory for Said the Whale. Hawaiii is generally about the reflections and progression of the band. These tracks are radically different from each other. One song, “Resolutions,” is echoey, moody, and seems to be pushing the envelope towards edgy.

This compares to “The Weight,” a slow peaceful jam showcasing Ben Worcester’s heavenly vocals and lyrics. It seems to me Said the Whale is testing out just about every genre and has shoved them together in this full length album. Some of their new lyrics are questionable; in the past, poetic lyrics defined the beauty of the band. Don’t even get me started with the lyrics from “I Could Smoke,” such as “wouldn’t be a bad idea at all, maybe I should go and get someone pregnant, put a little pressure on the situation.” Everyone should listen to “I Love You” from Hawaiii and then switch to “Dear Elkhorn” from Islands Disappear, an album released by the band in 2009. You see what I

mean about the sound overhaul?

Said the Whale made their daybiew in 2007, with the releasing of Taking Abalonia, a lyrically genius masterpiece that embodies all the wonderful things about this great land of Canada. A couple of years after this, one of my favourite albums of all time was released titled Islands Disappear (If you don’t know it, listen to it). Islands Disappear is full of dreamy songs that take you to a sunny day at the cottage in early July. Nothing suits Canadian road trips better than this album.

After Islands Disappear, my all time favourite band radically altered their whole sound identity. And, for some reason, I still love them.

No matter what, Said the Whale will have a special place in my heart.

Hawaiii is different, but still genuine and somewhat representative of the good things this band sings about.

Real things like the lakes and the trees, cold nights and first loves. Listen to Hawaiii; it may not be the best album in the world, but it is by the best band in the whole world. Or, like me, listen to Islands Disappear on repeat. Said the Whale will be performing at St. Matthew’s United Church on November 8th in Halifax. Check them out if you haven’t already.

12 CULTURE

Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian

ARCADE FIRE RETURNS WITH “REFLEKTOR” EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC VIDEO LIKE NEVER BEFORE EMILY KEENAN | Contributor

After a grueling three-year wait for Arcade Fire’s upcoming album Reflektor (coming to your iTunes via an illegal downloading engine Oct 29), Win Butler and co. proved that they really have been holding out on us. Last Monday featured the release of the album’s first single, Reflektor, nearly eight minutes of disco-inspired rhythm that leaves you both impassioned and haunted in true Arcade Fire form. Hell, it even features David Bowie.

But the excitement doesn’t end there. In addition a standard music video to accompany the track (which is, for the record, pretty cool), the band put out another video, or should I say a ‘virtual projection’ that is simply mindblowing. Written and directed by Vincent Morriset and in collaboration with Google Creative Labs, the shoot was filmed in Jacmel, Haiti and tells the story of ‘a young woman who travels between her world and ours.’

What makes this short film different from anything else you’ve ever seen is that it’s interactive, incorporating both your laptop and all the intelligence that smartphone supposedly has.

Search justareflektor.com on both your computer and cellular device, follow a few simple instructions to connect the webcams, and you’ll be on your way.

To do the video not even half the justice it deserves, your phone will essentially act as a light tunnel, a speaker, and a texturizer as you use it to explore the video as it progresses. Morriset demands physicality from the viewer as they tilt their phone around the screen, rather than simply staring at a screen and pressing a button. On top of that, you’ll be jamming to the first of what looks to be a very promising fourth album.

Even for those who aren’t so keen on Arcade Fire, it’s still worth a peek if only for

the psychedelic visuals. A separate page on the website allows the viewer to mess around with the different technologies used in the

video at their leisure. Link to HTML5 tutorials, JavaScript, and Google Technologies are provided for you real keeners out there.

In short, check it out. It’ll be some of the only seven minutes and forty-two seconds of your life you won’t regret spending in front of a screen.

sex with an x best places on campus to get it on MISS STEAKS | Sexy Lady

Sometimes, you need to have sex and you need to have it right away.

Spontaneous sex is hot and sexy even if the location that you’re doing it in probably isn’t. Maybe you’re in a relationship and looking to spice things up by taking it out of the bedroom.

Maybe you picked someone up at the Pub or Inn and just can’t make it all the way back to your house; or maybe you have a Bucket List that needs to be checked off. No matter your reasoning, having sex in public places gives you a badass story to share and earns a solid round of high fives from your best friends.

So if you’re looking to get down and dirty on campus this Homecoming weekend, here’s some prime places to bang that are a little more creative than the bushes: The library. Good ol’ Angus has certainly seen a large numbers of frisky frosh, sassy seniors, and everything in between go for a romp in its many dark corners. Prime sex spots would be the archive room in the basement, the top level of the far right stairwell and the aisle at the end of first floor that doesn’t have any books in it. Haven’t checked out any of these spots? Go scope them out and you’ll see that they’re just private enough to have some secret sex. Just remember to shhh and keep your pants on as much as possible in case you need to make a quick exit.

A residence lounge. It’s a public place, but not quite as public as the library. Plus there’s usually couches for added comfort and the doors often

have a lock. If anyone from the floor walks in on you it could get a little awkward, but everyone can appreciate a little bit of creativity in your location. You get extra points if neither of you live there or if it’s one of the lounges that’s surrounded by windows like in MacIsaac.

A classroom. StFX is filled with empty classrooms throughout the day, and pretty much all are guaranteed to be empty after 5. If the class was used at all during the day, it will probably be unlocked. Get your freak on in multiple seats throughout the room, or do it nice and hard against the teachers desk or table. Make chalk prints of your butt against the blackboard, go wild. Nicholson is probably the best bet for not getting caught, but the Schwartz tries so hard to be neat and clean, making it extra tempting to romp around in.

The X. Practically a StFX tradition, having sex on the big X of the turf is a challenge taken on by many students throughout their years here. Nearly every weekend you either see or hear naked students being chased off the X by security or being cheered on by their friends that dared them to do it in the first place. Sex on the X is a major bucket list item for many Xaverians out there, and you get automatic thumbs up from anyone if you’ve actually accomplished it.

Not recommended to try it out on Homecoming weekend though, because you probably won’t be the only ones on the field trying to get it on. Although you could also make Homecoming history with the first ever StFX giant X orgy…

Just a thought.

DISTRACTIONS 13

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

Distractions KALEIGH BENT | Distractions Editor/Jedi

EMMA DYSART | Cartoonist

Antigonish Unrated: Piper’s Pub or One Direction Concert?

INStagram of the week

It’s a Friday night, and you’ve decided to hit up Antigonish’s best (and only) “club” scene, Piper’s Pub. You and your friends are feeling great and decide to head over around 10:30, what you believe to be early time. Wrong. The line dwindling down College st. rivals the release of the final Harry Potter book.

It’s a place where alliances are made, enemies are developed, and a general sense of bonding forms. But don’t give up hope yet, because there is a strategy to conquering that tumultuous line. Firstly, always have a partner. Getting through that beast requires more than one body, but any more than two causes interference. Secondly, go in from the sides, where it is weak.

The smaller partner should bow down and break in, while the bigger provides damage control, keeping a path open. The biggest secret to getting in is the team work though. Find another duo and use them as leverage. Offer money, drinks, or your first born son, it does not matter. You’re going to need that helping hand if you want a dancing spot on the coveted stage. A word of warning, you ARE going to be violated while in there. People’s hands will be scratching to get ahead and sweaty armpits will be thrusted in your face. Keep in mind it is all worth it, because good memories are made at the pub, see you there for HSDP friends.

Inn Move Of The Week The Bernie STEP1: Close your eyes STEP 2: allow your torso to fall back until you are at a 75-90 degree angle (depending on your felxability) STEP 3: let your arms go loose falling towards the floor STEP 4: (Vital step) shimmy your upper body in a fluid fashion allowing your arms to sway behind you ADVANCED: If confident enough you may alternate between having your arms flailing by your sides and occasionally throwing them in the air

GUESS WHO? 1.

The only way you could tell me and my twin apart was my harry potter scar....and my privates...

2.

My spirit animal is clearly an eagle (note my wingspan)

3.

I lost my birthmark by running into a rail at an Indiana jones themed b-day party in grade 2...i was excited to find the lost ark!

????????????

LAST WEEK: CORINNA FITZGERALD

SPORTS AND HEALTH

SPORTS & HEALTH Eating Right - Not out of a box Manoeuvre your way through the Grocery store and avoid processed foods MAT T MACDONALD | Sports & Health Columnist

Have you ever wondered why a large percentage of Canadians are sick, unhealthy, and overweight? While the answer is not simple, there are several crucial factors that shape the health of all Canadians. These factors are called the social determinants of health. Income distribution, education, unemployment, early childhood development, food insecurity, and housing are just a few of the many social determinants of health.

While my intention for this article is not to discuss the social determinants of health, I believe it is important to establish and recognize health as a complex issue. Therefore, when we blame the individual for being lazy, unmotivated, or lacking personal responsibility, we fail to recognize the bigger, broader issues at hand. However, that being said, I believe every individual possesses the ability to control his or her own health.

To think otherwise makes us helpless victims.

While most students are strapped for cash, eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive. Foods such as rice,

pasta, potatoes, beans, lentils, carrots, beets, squash, and virtually every type of fruit or vegetable, are highly affordable. If fresh produce is spoiling before you get a chance to eat it, opt for frozen fruits and vegetables instead. Frozen fruits and vegetables have just as much nutrition as fresh produce because they are flash-frozen immediately after being picked. If you’re not a fan of eating them raw, try blending fruit into a smoothie and adding vegetables into a rice or pasta stir-fry.

Canadians, Americans, or any westernized country for that matter, are eating far too much FAKE FOOD. If it comes in a box, can, or bag, chances are it’s highly processed and full of salt, sugar, and fat. In fact, without these ingredients, most foods would spoil in a matter of days. Take tuna for example. If you cooked fresh tuna tonight for dinner, how long do you think it would last? Maybe two or three days max! However, canned tuna sits on store shelves for up to a year and is still considered ‘healthy’ to eat. How can this be? The

answer for most processed foods can be found in salt, sugar, fat, and preservatives, which have been chemically engineered to last longer. Major corporations, whose sole purpose is to generate profits for its shareholders, are getting rich at the expense of Canadians’ health.

Our generation has lost sight of what real food looks and tastes like. Most consider real food to be frozen pizza, chicken strips, sandwich meats, canned beans, Kraft Dinner, cheese slices, yogurt, protein bars, and Kellogg’s cereals. All of these have been highly processed and are full of salt, sugar, fat, and preservatives. No longer do we eat the foods that our greatgrandparents use to eat; we are eating foods that the major food companies label “low fat, low carb, vitamin fortified, no trans-fat, contains omega-3” etc. These are no more real than Santa Clause himself (for those who believe, I apologize)! It’s time to start critically thinking about the food we eat. We need to ask ourselves: Am I even eating real food?

5 Reasons to cut out processed foods 1. Processed food is marketing at its best. They often appear to be healthy (with claims like low fat and lowcarb, etc.) when these foods are in fact the very thing making Canadians unhealthy, sick, and overweight. Health is not found in one single isolated ingredient; it’s found in the whole food itself.

2. Processed foods are chemically designed to last for years. Take a can of fruit cocktail for example. If you were to cut up a mixture of fresh fruit, how long do you think it would last? Not very long! However, when we add tablespoons of refined sugar and excess corn syrup, it will virtually last forever.

3. Heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer have all been clinically linked to the foods we are eating. In places like China and Africa where the westernized diet is nonexistent, these diseases are virtually absent. Ever wonder why Westernized countries consume the most meat and dairy products, yet have the

highest rates of osteoporosis and cancer? Shouldn’t we have the strongest bones and lowest cancer rates?

4. Cutting out processed foods will make you healthier! Eating REAL FOOD will give your body more energy, help reduce weight, and improve mental clarity.

5. You can stop counting calories! What other animal on the planet counts calories, or is overweight? When was the last time you saw a horse with a beer gut? When you eat whole foods (fruits, vegetables, potatoes, rice, beans, quinoa, etc.) your stomach fills up quickly without filling out!

Next time you go to the grocery store, I challenge you to buy REAL FOOD! Matt MacDonald is a StFX Masters Student and founder of WE MOVE THIS TOWN. Matt owns his own personal training business and helps clients lose weight and gain lean muscle mass. Check out Matt’s blogs at www.wemovethistown.com and at www. driven2move.com

Sports Teams worth The cost?

A look at who pays for our X-men and x-women MEGAN DEWEY | Senior Reporter

Sports are a huge part of StFX culture, inspiring a lot of pride and spirit in the student body. In the wake of the university’s budget restructuring following cuts to government funding, the Xaverian got in touch with Varsity Athletics Director Leo MacPherson, Coordinator of Aquatics and Recreation Laurie Boucher, and Intramural Sport & Wellness Centre Team Lead Joe DeCoste to find out more about where sports funding comes from and how it was affected by the funding deficit.

Classification Varsity sports at StFX are those which are sanctioned under the Atlantic University Sports (AUS) league, a subset of the Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) league. The university is home to twelve varsity teams, men’s and women’s ice hockey, basketball, cross country, soccer, and track and field, as well as men’s football

and women’s rugby.

Club sports are those which are not sanctioned by the AUS, or which have not generated enough interest to justify receiving university funding.

Current club sports at X are cheerleading, baseball, dance, men’s rugby, field hockey, rowing, swimming and lacrosse.

In order to be recognized as a club sport, students must generate enough interest within the student body to organize a functioning team. This team must then operate as a society for two years in order to prove their commitment. After the two year grace period, the society must then join the provincial governing body for their sport (for example, StFX Swim is a member of Swim Nova Scotia), draft a constitution, and form an exec. Once these steps have been completed, the team may then submit an application to Athletics and Recreation seeking club status.

For the most part, varsity sports and club sports operate as separate entities, though there is some overlap. Club sports fall under the responsibility of the Athletics and Recreation department and must adhere to the guidelines of StFX Athletics. While the Athletics department does not provide financial support to club teams, they do provide guidance, administrative support, and advice should it be sought out by the club.

Funding Each year the university allocates between 1.5 and 1.8 million dollars to the varsity athletics program. In addition to the coaches and athletics staff needed to run the varsity program, this budget covers travel, equipment, and some recruitment. In addition to the funds provided by the university, the varsity program also receives revenue from alumni, friends

of StFX athletics, corporate sponsorship, and fund raising done by the teams themselves, which amounts to $300000 to $400000 annually. The athletics department split the varsity budget among the teams based on factors like the equipment each team requires, the length of a team’s season, the number of athletes on each team, and the amount of travel each team must do in order to compete. Some additional revenue is generated by ticket sales, which is used to offset the cost of staff and officials necessary for athletic events. The popularity of a sport has no bearing on the amount of funding it receives.

Unlike varsity sports, the financial burden of club sports is placed on the students themselves. Some funding is available through the Student Union in the form of grants, though The U is not able to fund club sports completely. Many club

teams generate additional revenue through the Adoptan-Athlete program, wherein members of club teams can be sponsored by family, friends, and alumni. As the funding for each individual club sport is generated by the team itself, the funding possessed by each team varies.

Cut-backs Government budget cuts have affected every area of the university, and the Athletics department is no exception. In the wake of its decreased budget, the Athletics department was unable to maintain its full varsity program. The Athletics department chose to eliminate four staff positions as well as the women’s volleyball team in order to meet budget reduction goals while affecting the smallest number of student athletes.

As of now there have been no official measures taken to create a club volleyball team.

SPORTS & HEALTH 15

The Xaverian-Volume 122 Issue 4

Home COMING

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK ALUMNI, YOU left the teams in good hands. Here’s your stfx athletes of the week.

COURTESY OF STFX ATHLETICS

sPORTS schedule

Friday October 4th 4:00 PM - Men’s Basketball vs. LavaL 7:00 Pm - Women’s Rugby vs SMU Saturday October 5th 9:00 AM - 5K Fun Run Race, Oland Centre 1:45 - Ceremonial Kick-Off, Football Game vs Mount allison 4:00 Pm - Women’s Hockey vs UPEI

Serge Dossou X-Men soccer defender Serge Dossou was named the StFX Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending Sept. 29, 2013.

Serge, a second year Arts student from Calgary, Alta., scored the X-Men’s only goal of the game in their recent 1-1 draw Friday night against Cape Breton.

Serge’s goal, his first of the AUS season, came in the 74th minute to tie the game and guarantee the X-Men a point in the standings. With a 4-2-2 record, the XMen are currently tied for second overall in the AUS conference.

Sabrina McDaid, X-Women rugby fly half Sabrina McDaid was named the StFX Female Athlete of the Week for the week ending Sept. 29, 2013. Sabrina, a second year Arts student from Scarborough, Ont. paced the X-Women with 26 points, booting 13 conversions in their 116-0 shutout over UPEI on Sunday. The 13 conversions set a new AUS record for the most kicked by one individual in a single game. Sabrina currently leads the AUS in total conversion (62) and is second overall in conference scoring with 72 points on the season.

Tivon Cook X-Men quarterback Tivon Cook was named the StFX Football Offensive Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 29, 2013. Tivon, a second year Arts student from Scarborough, Ont., made 11 of 20 completions for 119 total yards Friday night in the X-Men’s recent loss to Saint Mary’s. Playing in the second half for StFX, and seeing action in his first AUS game of the season, Tivon also had one rush for five yards.

Sunday october 6th 11:00 AM - Men’s basketball vs ottawa u 12:00 pm - Women’s Hockey vs UPEI 1:00 Pm - Women’s Soccer vs Dal 3:15 pm - Men’s Soccer vs Dal ALL WEEKend - AUS Rowing regatta at Stfx ( Lochaber )

XAVERIAN.CA

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Thursday, OCTOBER 3, 2013-The Xaverian