Issue 12 Volume 50

Special Feature Inside: Cats of Trent Calendar Volume 50 | Issue 12 | December 7, 2015

INside:

Chaplin

Photo by Samantha Moss

American Idiot: The Musical

trent new bio-med the student program refugee program

Things From Mom’s Basement

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Page 3- 5: Opinion

Page 10- 11: Community

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opinion

Adoptions: Don’t forget our furry friends this winter Photo by Samantha Moss

By Keila MacPherson

As the holidays and cold weather quickly approach, we shouldn’t forget about our furry feline friends that frequently roam the streets.

Quite often, there is a large number of animals waiting to be adopted by their forever family at the Peterborough Humane Society (PHS) and Lakefield Animal Welfare Society (LAWS).

An adoption agency like LAWS, for example, is run mostly by volunteers and rely on donations to stay open. They have many cats and kittens available for adoption right up until Christmas.

“We do adoptions during the month of December. We have to make sure the person receiving the gift knows it’s coming or is expecting a kitty,” said Mary Werner, a board member and volunteer at LAWS for 15 years. “[W]e make sure everything is safe. We don’t hand them out quickly.”

Executive Director of the Peterborough Humane Society Judy O’Brien also talked about the Adopt for the Holidays program they are running.

“Adult cats are available for $100 and kittens are available for $150. It includes everything, spayed/neuter, all vaccines, rabies shots, deworming and microchips,” said O’Brien.

She also suggests a few things to do when considering or giving the gift of a pet to someone. “First, you should get it from a shelter because the animals are fixed and it’s a good deal. Secondly, make sure the person wants the pet. Thirdly, make sure the parents know and that there’s a quiet area where the animal can get away from the hectic nature of the holidays.”

Both PHS and LAWS send some of their cats to PetSmart to assist in their adoptions.

Adopting a cat can be initially costly, and the price can vary based on the number of shots a kitten already has.

LAWS offers a $50 refund voucher for spaying, which lowers the cost of adoption to $100, and education on cat overpopulation to anyone adopting a kitten.

“That’s the reason we have so many shelters and they are so crowded. We can’t

take them all in. We educate the public on the importance of spaying and neutering,” Werner explained.

Older cats are already spayed or neutered when they are adopted.

“There’s an overpopulation problem of cats no matter where you go in Canada. We have an overpopulation in Peterborough,” commented O’Brien.

Both organizations also have a fostering program for animals where a family takes in pregnant or recently pregnant cats and their kittens for a few months. This allows the cat to give birth and the kittens to grow in a safe, quiet space away from the risk of disease.The kittens get their first set of needles, and are then brought to PetSmart to be adopted.

Social media has recently shed more light on the issue of black cats and the low adoption rates. Although the reason may vary and no one reason is known, the first thought for most people is likely superstition.

“We have a lot of really nice black cats on-site. They’re very affectionate. I think it is just superstition and it’s unfortunate

because they could be missing out on a really great pet.

We gradually get them adopted out.

We had a black cats sale on Black Friday; we try to promote it that way. You have to really tell their story and not focus on the colour,” O’Brien said.

Werner said she doesn’t think it has anything to do with superstition – black dogs often get overlooked as well. “I think what happens is when you walk into an adoption room, colours catch your eye [and the] black cats get overlooked.”

The volunteers at LAWS put in hard work and much effort to draw people to the black cats that are shyer than others.

Werner emphasizes that they can’t just sit around and wait for people to go to the black cats.

“There have been times where ones have been here a long time, we might even lower the price of adoption, not to lower the value of the kitties, but to say thank you for adopting them.

It’s up to shelters to work with people and make sure [the black cats] don’t get forgotten.”

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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Opinion

Beyond the $35,000 for the Student Refugee Program

Photos provided by Trent University

By Adriana Sierra

The Trent University community has raised $35,000 through Trent Gives to support the World University Services Canada (WUSC) Student Refugee Program (SRP). As a result of the combination of the student levy designated to the SRP and the University’s fundraising efforts, Trent will welcome one Syrian refugee in January and three more refugees in the fall of 2016.

As President Groarke notes, “The funds raised by the Trent community in support of the WUSC Student Refugee Program are a strong expression of Trent’s commitment to internationalization and social justice.”

Dr. Mike Allcott, director of the Trent International Program and an important figure behind the efforts to raise funds and support the SRP, shares in the view that such an accomplishment reflects Trent University’s desire to step up and take an active role in addressing the refugee crisis.

While university-wide support for the SRP is undeniably an incredible expression of global citizenship and must be recognized and celebrated, it is equally important to acknowledge that the $35,000 represents only a small victory in the context of the global refugee crisis and the on-going war in what was once Syria and

Iraq.

Dr. Allcott contends that the funds are but a small part of the resettlement process: “The thing that our community needs to learn is how to genuinely befriend someone with whom you have very little in common.”

He argues that the largest challenge in welcoming refugees is integrating them into the community and engaging in a process of mutual support, learning, and respect.

Building genuine support networks is essential for welcoming refugees into the community; however, such an effort is challenged by the negative discourse surrounding refugees and the rise in Islamophobia.

Addressing the refugee crisis is not simply a matter of raising funds, but of changing the way in which we imagine and construct ‘the other’ and in which we understand the interconnectedness of global issues.

Before blindly celebrating Trent’s open doors for refugees, it is essential to question why there are 59 million displaced persons in the world, and why our actions have not been adequate to the magnitude of this issue in past years? In our support for

Syrian refugees, let’s not forget that worldwide, the number of refugees is only rising.

It is essential to understand Canada’s role in displacing and failing to adequately respond to the 4 million refuges who have fled Syria and Iraq, and the 11 million who remain internally displaced.

Before celebrating our achievement in welcoming refugees, understand that Canada has carried out over 200 airstrikes in the area and has remained complicit with the daily bombings and civilian deaths in the Middle East, where the events of November 13 in Paris are repeated day after day by a multitude of actors. However, these bombs, we mistakenly call war, while the ones in Paris, we call terror.

Understand that in the past 10 years, Canada’s legislation on refugees has become increasingly regressive.

Understand that the 25,000 refugees that the government had initially pledged to so graciously grant entry by 2016, has been significantly reduced to 2,000 to 10,000 by 2016, out of which 80% are being funded by private programs and organizations, such as WUSC’s SRP. Understand that a refugee is not a victim who has been stripped of all agency

and autonomy that needs to ‘be saved.’

Our complacency with regressive immigration policies, continued violent and disruptive foreign interventions, and fictitious construction of ‘the other’ as a threat has contributed to the global refugee crisis.

Understand that a refugee is a person whose life has been disrupted because the world chose to wage its war on their territory, while we did nothing about it.

Understand that we are all connected to the global refugee crisis and to the conflict in the Middle East; that our support should not be thought of as charity or philanthropy, but as our responsibility as global citizens.

As Jason Najum writes: “When something terrible continues to happen, over and over, all of us are to blame.

By not resisting old ways of thinking nor doing whatever you can to open eyes, by not demanding better of your country or culture.”

Trent University’s commitment to financially support four refugee students is a portrayal of the university community’s values of global citizenship and social justice. It is a baby step in the right direction, but what we need are strides.

and (thankfully) former Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his “tough on crime” prison policies, there are now over 80,000 migrants in provincial maximum security prisons such as the Lindsay jail.

In some cases, these individuals have been detained for over ten years with no end in sight, for such inconsequential infractions such as overstaying their immigration visas.

Where this all starts to get fishy for me is when I learned that the violation of an immigration visa (this includes students, tourists, foreign workers, etc.) is considered, under the criminal code, an administrative offence.

For those not familiar, this is the equivalent to your average city parking ticket. Could you imagine sitting in a maximum security prison for 10+ years for something as meagre as parking in a fire route?

In late 2013, the inmates afflicted by this Canadian judicial malpractice took matters into their own hands in the only way they could think of while behind bars. On September 17, 191 detained migrants began a hunger strike while incarcerated at the Lindsay jail.

The end goal of this strike was simply to prompt Canada to adopt policies that are common practice in most other devel-

oped areas around the world, including the United States and the United Kingdom.

These practices state that any migrant jailed, whether it be due to a criminal offence or visa violation, should be subject to no more than 90 days in prison, at which time the offender should either be released or deported back to their home country.

This time in prison is recommended by the UN, and is referred to as a “presumptive period.”

The frustration for these inmates that has been festering among them during this time of injustice has leaked to the outside world, and has been received with an over pouring of support by people like Patterson and countless others.

These ambitious and driven groups of individuals have organized with the community in order to make events such as holiday card-writing, a possibility. While in attendance, I did my part as best I could and wrote two letters of encouragement.

End Immigration also took the initiative on September 17, 2014 to protest outside the Lindsay jail on one of the coldest days of the year to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the commencement of the hunger strike.

As well as this being a gross injustice and violation of human rights, Canadians can also take a look at this through an

economic viewpoint. Like all other inmates of Canadian prisons, it is our tax dollars that are funding the migrants’ indefinite stay in prisons across Canada. According to the information sheet given by EID, it costs roughly $239/day to keep an inmate in a maximum-security prison. Which means that, in total, Canadian tax-payers have paid over $50 million (comparable to four years of tuition for close to 1.8 million students) to keep these individuals behind bars, in our own backyard.

Patterson and her team have done a tremendous amount of work to help these people in need, and in light of the controversy surrounding whether or not Canada should be welcoming Syrian refugees, it is good to know that there are still true humanitarians out there who care.

The EID group also discovered that, although the majority of these inmates have family in their home countries, international phone calls are prohibited. This prompted the group to set up a separate local phone line so the inmates would be able to call them and speak with them at any time.

If you would like to learn more about this cause, how you can help, or if you would even like to send a holiday letter to these individuals, please visit their website: www.endimmigrationdetention.com

End Immigration Detention shows solidarity in letters

By Jordan Porter

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On Tuesday, December 1, 2015, I had the distinct pleasure of taking part in a cause, which, before this date, I had no knowledge of.

In some ways, I would have liked to remain ignorantly blissful of this issue, and had I not attended this event, it would have likely been the case.

The activist group End Immigration Detention (EID) led by Trent alumni Sasha Patterson hosted a small group of volunteers, myself included, at Black Honey on Tuesday evening to write letters of encouragement in light of the holiday season to inmates of the Lindsay maximum security prison.

However, the inmates they are writing to are not your typical high-risk tenants of the Lindsay jail. In some cases, these people have not violated our Canadian laws more than you or I, but are being held for what seems like an indefinite period of time with no forthcoming trial in sight.

These inmates are migrants to Canada, and many of these individuals have lived in Canada for close to 30 years. So, you may ask yourself, “Okay, well, why are these people in a maximum security prison then?” The answer is, in fact, a chilling one.

It turns out, thanks to our distinguished

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Campus

Trent University Board of Governers open session

By Reba Harrison

Open Session Information The meeting took place Friday, December 4 from 1PM to 3:30PM in the A.J.M. Smith Conference Room of Bata Library.

The next meeting is scheduled to take place January 29, 2016 at 1:30PM. The following summary does not contain every motion and discussion put forth by the Board. Meeting minutes are available on the University’s website.

Student Presence TCSA President Alaine Spiwak asked the board to consider international student tuition fees. While the TCSA understands that the Board is concerned about sustainability, it also understands the financial concerns of international students.

The student association has therefore decided to ask that the Governing Board of Trent University not allow the tuition fees of international students to rise at a higher percentage than domestic students (currently capped at 3% per year maximum).

The Board has agreed to consider the concern.

Spiwak spoke briefly to the Board about the students’ support of the new ownership to the Student Centre. “The students are very excited,” she said.

Otonabee College Capital Redevelopment The Board is looking towards contracting a $12 million package to renovate parts of Otonabee College. The package includes a maximum of $3 million to replace the roof of the building, which is identified as a time

sensitive issue. The roof will look much the same except the steel will be stained a dark brown and much-needed rain gutters will be added. This project is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2016.

The additional $9 million borrowed will include upgrading the College residency and lifespan while making the building more “current”. Windows, walls, and mechanical upgrades were listed as important structural updates.

However, accessibility costs were not included in the outlined package, which lead to a brief discussion. One member said that past studies have determined Otonabee College as “not accessible” and that upgrade accessibility measures would cost close to $1 million without the inclusion of an evaluator. It was suggested that an elevator would easily cost another $15 million.

A counter argument was made that $1 million would be an “unnecessary” amount for an elevator. It was pointed out that since the building is only being upgraded a small amount, accessibility requirements outlined by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) do not yet need to be met.

Additionally, board members were unaware whether a building permit has been required or not.

Trent Alumni Strategic Directions 20162018 Jess Grover, President of the Trent University Alumni Association (TUAA), and Alumni Affairs Director, Lee Hays, led a visual presentation of their two year strategic plan to increase the community brand and philanthropic gifts of Trent University alumni.

Alumni engagement and longevity of engagement is the first strategic priority for the TUAA. Through supporting department events, creating physical alumni presence at Durham campus, building on the Trent After Trent and Day of Green programs, and fostering outreach, the TUAA plans to achieve their goal.

The TUAA lists maintaining regular contact and fostering communications with alumni as its second priority. By redesigning its magazine and continuing to distribute one edition per year to the entire alumni mailing list, TUAA hopes to establish more contact that does not overwhelm some alumni, as does electronic communication.

Lastly, database improvements and volunteer recognition programs will be implemented to increase the capacity of alumni involvement at Trent University.

To pay for the $40,000 per year increase in its budget, TUAA is looking towards fundraising philanthropy to bridge the gap.

Quickly after it was revealed that an anonymous alumni gift of $100,000 was donated to this project earlier in the week, the Board of Governors unanimously voted to endorse the initiative by formally agreeing with the project in principle and concept.

TUAA will now launch a two month broad communications plan with ongoing conversation fostered among stakeholders, in order to begin this project.

Trent University Art Collection The Mackenzie House of Traill College housed Trent University’s first art gallery in 1963, showing a small collection of sculp-

tures. Fast-forward to today, and there are an abundance of important works and collections of artwork all over the Trent University campuses.

Professor Julia Harrison is a volunteer and hard-working representation of the Trent Art Collection Presidential Art Committee (TACPAC). Harrison gave a presentation at the Board meeting to emphasize the importance of this visual aspect of the University.

Her vision is that members on campus will soon be able to look at an art piece at Trent University and immediately access its information on their smart-phones.

In the meantime, Harrison wanted to recognize the role that cleaning staff and secretaries play in ensuring the safety and preservation of the campus’s multiple art pieces.

The presentation ended with an exciting announcement. To accompany the existing work of the University’s sculpture garden (think of that big black sculpture between Gzowski College and the NAME Bridge), artist Shayna Dark will soon be donating her piece titled “This Column Ends”.

Concerns for Traill There was a small joke made during the meeting that may have hinted that the future of Traill College is coming to an end.

Governors of the Board quieted down as soon as it was made and no further discussion continued on the topic.

With Traill College coming under review in the new year, and no budget allocated for the College in the $50 Million Campaign of Trent University, it is possible that Traill will soon cease to exist as a part of Trent University.

Trent Professor Narine awarded 500,000 in NSERC funding

By Dan Morrison

As the Paris Climate Change Conference highlights, as well as the accompanying marches and community meetings, fossil fuels are a burning issue. Finding more sustainable fuels is pressing, and it is in this light that a Trent professor’s award is so timely and important.

For his ongoing research into biomaterials, Suresh Narine, professor of Physics & Astronomy and Chemistry, and director of the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research (TCBR), has been awarded Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada Industrial Research Chair (IRC).

Having received $500,000 in NSERC funding, matches by industrial partners will see “a $2.25 million funding infusion for his biomaterials research program over the next five years.”

The NSERC funds and invests in research, with the aim to stimulate scientific and technological innovation. As its website notes, over the past ten years, the council has invested “more than $7 billion in basic research.” The council estimates that each year, around 12,000 professors are supported in their work by NSERC. Professor Narine’s work concerns biomaterials, heading up a centre which examines the creation and use of biomaterials. Biomaterials are materials, synthetic and natural, that are engineered to interact with living biological systems or are derived from natural crops.

Biomaterials have many uses, such as with polymers, in toxicology, immunology, and drug and gene vector design. Often biomaterials are incorporated into medical devices such as hip joints and heart valves. Trent’s

research centre stands out, as it has a “focus on development, agricultural utilization and geographical, environmental, and commercial impacts.”

Narine’s research is focused on finding new ways of producing things that are derived from petrochemicals, things like “car bumpers, colostomy bags, packaging, and lubricants.” Rather than using finite fossil fuel sources, his work seeks to derive solutions from “oilseed crops such as soy beans and canola.” The program focuses on converting vegetable oils into high value materials.

The Research Centre’s work extends further. In agriculture, it investigates seed modification and developing ‘sound practices’ for these crops. Through geographical analysis, the Centre looks at possibilities for sustainably maximizing land productivity to reduce the carbon that is released in land use. It also monitors landscape changes overtime - changes to biomass and productivity, for example.

At a time when we need to greatly reduce our fossil fuel use, the significance of this research should not be underestimated. Indeed, their research also deals with the less tangible side of things, like ethics and policy tools for integrating biomaterials into common use.

Here the Centre extends the work into developing effective business strategies for biomaterial use, and outlines why biomaterial research is important and what the best way to go about it is. Alongside this, it promotes understanding of the risks involved.

TCBR is looking to shape a more sustainable, ethical future, and Dr. Narine’s work lies at the forefront of this. This award is a recognition of the importance of the work that is going on.

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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campus

New Biomedical Science Program introduced at Trent University

Source: Trent bio-med website

By Ugyen Wangmo

Trent University just launched a new undergraduate Biomedical Sciences program, a four-year Bachelor of Science degree, upon its approval by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities in November 2015. The Biomedical Science degree is expected to start in Fall 2016. It will prepare students for careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary, physiotherapy, and other biomedical or applied health fields.

Its flexibility will allow students to personalize their degree by incorporating related areas of interests ranging from sciences, to the humanities, to social sciences.

“The Biomedical Science program was developed to reflect the growing needs of

the students for a more focused degree that a generic biology degree was not able to meet,” said Dr. Craig Brunetti, Chair of the Biology Department at Trent University.

Central to the program is the fourth year internship placement course which is unique only to Trent, that no other Ontario university offers for an undergraduate Biomedical Science degree, pointed out Dr. Brunetti.

The internship placement will provide a hands-on experiential learning opportunity in medical and health-related fields under the direct mentorship of the Professionals.

Besides what will make this internship initiative feasible is the fact that Trent had being doing this for years, commented Dr.

Brunetti, so they [Trent] will not have to worry about it not working: “We know how to do it and make it work.”

The Trent Biology Department has had specialization for almost 15 years, namely health sciences and conservation biology.

There were some things they wanted to do in the specialization but were restricted by the minimum requirements of the generic biology degree. Since they saw a lot of interest in the health sciences, they took the basis of that specialization and moved it into its own degree.

Dr. Brunetti also gave recognition to Dr. Leslie Kerr, associate professor of Biology at Trent University and one of the members of the committee who helped develop the new program. Dr. Brunetti recognized Dr.

Kerr as the lead driver of the proposal who had worked on it for about three years.

According to Dr. Brunetti, the new Biomedical Science program shares a lot of similarities with the specialization in health sciences degree, but since it is no longer a biology degree, they have been able to remove some of the biology degree requirements and have streamlined it to be more specialized in content.

Further, they are also looking at moving specialization in conservation biology into a separate degree in the near future, implied Dr. Brunetti.

It was also noted that current first-year biology students would have the opportunity to apply to go into the second year of the biomedical science degree. According to Dr. Brunetti, although the degree is designed for students to apply to while still in their high school, there is also a pathway for current first-year biology students to transition into the new program.

However, the process is under discussion. So, in Fall 2016, the Biomedical program will see both first- and second-year students.

When asked what this new program means to Trent, it was discovered that Trent has always felt that they had strong health researchers but not a lot of clear health programming at the undergraduate level.

This is one of the first movements made since Trent provided health, or health related, degrees at the undergraduate level.

“This recent program development is going to be a real selling point, one area that will help the University,” said Dr. Brunetti.

More information about the program and admissions requirements can be obtained from the Biomedical Sciences program page on Trent University’s website: https://www.trentu.ca/futurestudents/ program/biomedical-science

Symons Seminar Series wraps up for the season All photos by Samantha Moss

By Troy Bordun

The December instalment of the Symons Seminar Series was held at its usual time – the first Wednesday of the month – and in its usual place – Bagnani Hall. The Series runs seven events during the school year and allows two graduate students, one from the Humanities or Social Sciences and one from the Sciences, to present materials from their ongoing research.

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By having two scholars from vastly different fields present in the same evening, the idea is to ‘bridge the gap’ between the many disciplines studied here at Trent.

The Series is named after the founding President of the University, Thomas H.B. Symons.

December 2 featured Meredith Purcell (PhD candidate, Environmental and Life Sciences) and Chad Andrews (PhD candidate, Cultural Studies). Purcell discussed her recent studies of moose genomics. She sequenced samples of moose DNA and its possible relationship to their habitat.

Purcell presented various maps that tracked moose populations across Canada and the Northern U.S., with a particular emphasis on moose in Manitoba and Ontario. Her investigation attempts to locate possible genetic and genomic changes that would then provide scientific reasons for fluctuations in moose population, habitat, and displacement.

Purcell’s specific research question is the possible adaptation of moose DNA. She

wonders whether moose can adapt to meet the demands of climate change, and she hypothesizes that the dispersal of moose populations may be attributed to changes in their DNA. Her research will hopefully inform moose management policies, thus providing not an immediate and reactionary response to declining moose populations, but as part of an effort to prevent future declines.

Chad Andrews presented material from the first chapter of his dissertation. His field of study is science fiction literature in the 1980s. Andrews’s presentation, ‘The Technology of Consent: Technomilitary Fantasies in the 1980s,’ first defined each term in the title of the talk. He then considered the role of a short-run SF series, There will be War (1983-1990), in the development of President Ronald Reagan’s Cold War efforts. These volumes of short stories, essays, and articles did not directly inform Reagan’s SF fantasies of satellites with lasers, but SF discourse nevertheless

became a recognizable language to discuss real world problems and technological advancements.

Andrews also argued that this form of technomilitary fantasy continues to dominate the current social, military, and political landscape (cf. drone warfare).

Fictional and non-fictional discourses, in both the 1980s and in 2015, exist and inform each other.

Indeed, the evil plot that James Bond foils in Spectre (2015) involves the take down of a globalized system of ubiquitous surveillance. Recent developments and anxieties in surveillance are fictionalized in Spectre and made reality as governments presently (and opaquely) share information in their efforts to subdue ISIS and other terrorists.

As always, the Symons Series crew had a bevy of homemade appetizers and desserts.

The next event will be held on Wednesday, January 6 at 7PM in Bagnani Hall.

For more details, visit http://trentgsa.ca/ symons-seminar-series.

Campus

A message of support from the TCSA this exam season

By Alaine Spiwak

As the fall academic term comes to an end, the TCSA would like to take the time to wish you the best of luck on your final assignments and exams! Your relaxing holiday is just around the corner, but remember, you need to wrap up your courses before you wrap up your presents!

In case you need a little help along the way, make sure to take advantage of the supports and services Trent has to offer.

We also invite you to participate in the many (free!) TCSA Exam De-Stress events we have planned from December 7-9, including exam care packs, massages, and therapy dogs.

For your convenience, exam and service information from the Trent University website is listed below. Good luck and happy holidays!

The December 2015 exam period runs from Thursday, December 10 to Tuesday, December 22, inclusive. In the event of inclement weather, exams may be cancelled and will be rescheduled to December 22, 2015; therefore, we strongly recommend that you do not make any travel arrangements prior to that date.

Exam Conflicts There are two types of undergraduate exam conflicts: t Two or more exams at the same time (having two in one day is not considered a conflict), or t Three exams on the same calendar day. (Note: a calendar day is defined as 00:00-24:00 for exam purposes)

In the event of a conflict, please reach out to the academic department to arrange for an alternative writing date for one of the exams.

Student Accessibility Services Students requesting exam support on the basis of a previously documented disability (special need) are advised to sign up with the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) at Blackburn Hall, suite 132 to ensure exam accommodation.

Please go to mySupports (in your myTrent) to sign up for SAS exams.

Please note that two weeks’ notice is required for any exam booking with Student Accessibility Services (SAS) Durham.

Those requesting SAS support for

Trent University Durham can contact: oshexams@trentu.ca

Academic Skills Centre The Academic Skills Centre offers in-person and online instruction in writing and study skills to all Trent students. Bring us your work and ask us questions about:

t Grammar and composition t Critical reading and thinking t Research and citation t Time management t Essay writing t Listening and note-taking t Oral presentations t Exam preparation t Mathematics t Science writing and laboratory reports Book an appointment: www.trentu.ca/sep Drop-inSchedule: Monday 1-3PM at Gzowski College Office; sign-up begins at 1pm in GC. (Sign up begins at 12:45PM in OC, CC, LEC)

Tuesday 1-3PM at Otonabee College Office Wednesday 1-3PM at Champlain College Office Thursday 1-3PM at Lady Eaton College Office Friday 1-3PM at Otonabee College Office Counselling Centre The Trent University Counselling Centre provides personal counselling services to full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students. The Counselling Centre acknowledges and celebrates the strengths and fragility of the human spirit.

We are committed to providing services that respect the dignity and value of all people inclusive of age, gender, ethnicity, physical qualities, sexual identity, and ability.

Appointments can be made by calling 705-748-1386 between 9AM and 4PM, Monday through Friday.

Please note that we do not schedule appointments by e-mail. Counselling sessions are normally one-hour long and can be fitted to your class schedule. In the event of a crisis, students can be seen on an emergency basis.

How to battle exam-time anxiety

By Caitlin Coe

It’s the most stressful time of the year. It’s December. We’re counting down the days until we get to be at home with our families, cuddling our pets and baking cookies. But we’re still at school, camping out at the filled Bata library, where it’s crunch time to work on impending final papers, lab reports and study for exams. We all get stressed and anxious at this time of year, but those who it hits it hardest is the ones

like myself battling anxiety.

You start to worry there won’t be enough time to finish all you need to do. You waste time freaking out and calculating how long things will take you, and stay in bed longer putting of doing work, which then makes your stress worse. You work hard making study notes, and going over everything you might need to know, telling yourself you got this.

Then the exam day comes. You remember reviewing many of these concepts during the week, and know you know the material but somehow seem to forget everything you’ve learnt the last several months. You tense up, want to cry and feel like you’re going to hyperventilate, but you put down what you can remember.

Some people’s brains are more wired to deal with stressful situations than others, and anxiety is a hard thing to deal with, and can hinder one from doing their best.

Stress is a naturally healthy response to danger, but is not fun when stress and anxiety are caused by school, which is greatly increasing.

To be able to supply the body with larger

supply of oxygen, the heart starts to pump faster, increasing one’s blood pressure.

When you’re stressed, the body releases a large amount of a stress hormone called cortisol, which slows down one’s speed of memory retrieval.

The chemical dopamine is also important in determining how well a person’s brain thinks, and our brains work best when it is at a normal level. These levels are controlled by enzymes which get instructions from the gene COMT which helps regulate neural activity. There are two types of COMT, one creates enzymes that remove dopamine from the brain more quickly, while the other one removes dopamine more slowly. People usually fair better when they have slow acting enzymes.

Under a high stress level, dopamine levels increase so much the slow acting enzymes cannot keep up, and often the person cannot think properly.

There are lots of ways to reduce stress and anxiety around exam time. It’s important to remember in the grand scheme of these, one exam is not going to affect your future all that much. It’s important to study,

but often not the stress we put on ourselves.

Make a game plan, make a list of the things you need to do and organize when you are going to do them. It may seem overwhelming, but it helps to feel accomplished after checking another thing off your list.

Talk about it with someone, and write down how you feel, expressing emotions always works. Find a supportive study group, and organize your notes to make a sheet or few of everything you will need to know. Exercise daily; organize your time to include a trip to the gym or at least take a short walk around the block or to Tim Horton’s. Studies show that exercise actually helps us retain information, as well as increasing energy levels, helping us stay focused when we study and put you in a better mood.

Eat properly, drink lots of water, and lastly, get lots of sleep, it helps you focus and it is easier for enzyme levels to normalize. Exams are scary, but the end of term is in sight, and you’re smart and capable if you’ve made it this far. May the exam odds be ever in your favor.

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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community Modern Alchemy, a playroom for grown ups wins the first annual Cubs’ Lair

Photo by Samantha Moss

By Ugyen Wangmo

Deanna Henry, founder of Modern Alchemy, took home the winning prize at the first annual Cubs’ Lair entrepreneurship competition. Kawartha Artists, Artisan online (a platform to share stories and creations), and Royal Hydrographics (a custom water transfer printing business for Auto) were declared the runner-ups.

Of the five finalists present, the other two great ideas presented were by Symbi H2O, a water-resource management platform, and Zatiq, a local information- and ride-sharing application.

“A gym membership for the soul” is how Henry describes her Modern Alchemy. It is a playroom for grownups. The service (yet to open in Peterborough) based on science is for anyone who wants to improve their lives.

Henry started off her pitch to the judges by asking, “Why do we accept that play-

time is exclusive to kids? And why are we conditioned to believe that the more we work, the more we’ll succeed?”

According to Henry, people think that play is unproductive, the opposite of work.

But it is not, as she pointed out that the opposite of play is depression.

She justified her business plan by saying that play is supplemental for the well being of everyone, no matter the age. It’s an excellent way to relieve stress, boost creativity, improve brain function, and strengthen relationships, she explained.

Modern Alchemy is envisioned to inspire and bring out in her clients that “FEEL GOOD” state by furnishing a welcoming, positive space, filled with all sorts of fun, creative, and playful things for adults to do—such as painting, crafts, Lego, colouring books, puzzles, and board games.

In addition, Henry also gave a detailed account of her income plan. She will offer either a day pass or membership of prefer-

Trent community blog

By Christopher Morgan

Where’s the best place to eat on campus?

Where can I go if I’m struggling with school? Where are all my classes located?

Now all these questions and more can be answered by visiting one place: ourtrentcommunity.blogspot.ca.

The blog was created by 4 upper-year business students, with the goal of helping younger students navigate their way through university.

The blog is full of useful information that is sure to answer any questions a student might have. The best part about the blog is students now have one main place to go to have all their questions answered. Chances are, if you have a question, the blog will have the answer.

Perhaps one of the most important tools listed on the blog is what to do if you are feeling down or depressed. Trent wants you to know that you are not alone, and many people are feeling the same way you are; additionally, the blog gives clear direction about who to contact if you are struggling.

The blog is full of useful information. Do you have to walk on campus alone at night after you come back from a night out?

Who can I call if I have an emergency?

Where can I find the menus for the cafeterias at Trent? What time do the cafeterias open?

How can I book a room on campus?

Where can I find bus schedules? What does the Trent campus in Oshawa offer? Is there free parking at the Oshawa campus? All these questions and more can be answered by visiting the blog.

The group that created the blog are all fourth-year students. Their hope is that the blog will live on even once the students have left school.

If you would like to support the blog or have any questions you feel should be added, please email Chris at cmorgan@ trentu.ca. Any feedback is much appreciated. The group has one mission, and that is to make things easier for newer students. University can be overwhelming at times, so it’s good that blogs like this exist in order to let students know they are not the only ones with questions.

Students are encouraged to check out the blog and tell their friends about it as well.

So, stop what you are doing and go check it out! ourtrentcommunity.blogspot.ca.

Are you a part of any cool community initiatives?

Reach out to your local community via Arthur!

Email us at editors@trentarthur.ca

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ence. The members will be charged a nominal fee for supplies and services provided.

“Life is meant to be fun. So, make time for the things that light you up and make you feel alive—all of it,” Henry told the judges.

“Don’t be afraid to listen to your playful heart because nothing can compensate for a life not fully lived.”

The soulful business idea took home a prize worth over $8,000: a cash prize of $600, office space in the Innovation Cluster’s incubator known as “The Cube”, access to the Cluster’s expert Knowledge Partners as well as mentorship, coaching, and specialized services designed to help the winner take her business to market.

In addition, Henry was also awarded a video with blogger and social media expert, Michelle Ferreri, a “Team Building Package” from The Land Canadian Adventures, a “Social Media Package” from PTBOCanada.com, a 3-Star Membership to

the Peterborough Chamber of Commerce, and Professional Business Photos from Hazlewood Images ($300 value).

FastStart Peterborough (the youth entrepreneurship partnership that brings together Trent University, Fleming College, and the Greater Peterborough Innovation Cluster), and the Trent Youth entrepreneurship Society (TYES) partnered to present Cubs’ Lair, the new pitch competition for young Peterborough entrepreneurs between the ages of 18-29.

The competition finals which took place on November 27 at the Gordon Best Theatre in Peterborough were judged by Leslie Bradford-Scott (co-founder of Walton Wood Farm), Andressa Lacerda (COO Noble Purification), and Neil Morton (cofounder and publisher of PTBOCanada).

The Top 5 Cubs’ Lair finalists will be featured in the upcoming E-Connect: Merry Entrepreneurs on December 8, 2015 at 6PM at The Venue.

Trent Radio: “Soliloquy”

By Hayley Raymond

On Monday, November 30, I sat down with the host of Pop Can, the Friday morning operator, the Programme Director’s Assistant, and one wildly charming gal – and we all fit in the same office chair. How did we fit, you ask? We were all the same person! Me. Hayley, you’re currently the host of the radio show Pop Can. Could you tell me a bit more about your programme?

Gladly! Pop Can plays on 92.7FM on Friday mornings from 0900-1000. It’s a music show featuring Canadian pop music.

The show tends to deviate a fair amount sonically, but it sticks to the same basic tenet from week to week: Canadian songs with a verse-chorus-verse structure and an element of repetition. I also talk about the music and the bands that I play, providing as much background information about the artists, albums, and songs as I can find.

That sounds incredibly cool and interesting, Hayley. So, on top of being a programmer, you are also an operator.

What’s it like being an operator?

Being an operator is great. This is the second year in a row that I’ve had the Friday morning slot, and there’s something lovely about coming in first thing in the morning, unlocking the door, putting on the coffee for all the programmers and guests that will file in and out throughout the day… it’s a very peaceful time for me.

Then, when others do start to arrive, I have a super nice time chatting with everyone as they come and go through the kitchen. Also, Trent Radio gets the Peterborough Examiner delivered every

morning and I get to do all the puzzles.

That’s a good part of my week.

Oh! Oh! And I also get to listen to Stormin Norman in the Morning. Sure, you can hear him on the radio, but I get to hear his whoops and hollers from just down the hall. Since becoming an operator on Friday mornings, Norm and June’s show has become a fixture in my weekly experience from 1130-1300 on Fridays.

You’re also the Programme Director’s Assistant. What does that even mean?

Like, what do you do?

Well, full disclosure-- I don’t actually know.

I mean I do a lot of stuff, and it’s all over the place. I basically do whatever James Kerr doesn’t have time to do, and James is a busy guy. I wouldn’t have it any other way though.

I get to do graphic design work by making posters and the such, I get to talk to all of the programmers during programme proposal review time, I get to do a bit of housekeeping office work, I get to help plan event days and pub nights, and sometimes I even get to just talk to myself for a bit.

As you can see, it’s an odd sort of job. But frankly, it’s sort of my dream job. I’m always learning and being exposed to new things and new people and I love it.

Are there any last messages you would like to give Arthur readers today?

I’m always very happy to talk about it. I would like to encourage anyone reading this to get involved at Trent Radio because we all have individual interests and it’s incredibly fun to talk about them on the air and with others who do the same.

Community

Ever wondered about that place, Things from Mom’s Basement?

By Tyler Majer

Things from Mom’s Basement is most likely the coolest store in Peterborough.

The store is a haven for collectors, and a paradise for anyone looking for odd, cult, or nostalgic items.

Located on Charlotte Street just a few doors down from McThirsty’s pub, and close to a variety of other shops, Things from Mom’s Basement stands out. The windows show a few choice items of interest, just enough to get you to peak or slip inside.

Once you’re in the store, it is a totally different story. Unopened action figures abound, board games, video games, and records are stacked around. Vintage cups and glasses line some of the walls. Owner

Gregory Knowles described the shop’s merchandise, saying, “We stock a lot of things, from the mid-1800s to today.

Yes, a lot of it is toys of a TV and movie theme. But we also have a good amount of antiques and collectibles. Swords/knives, comics, lighters, weird items, records, books, radios, advertising, bar ware, signs, dolls, models, home video games, bottles, pinball, and arcade machines…” The list goes on. It is truly a sight to be seen.

The first step inside may be a little bit overwhelming. I know that the first time I went inside, I felt exhausted by the amount of cool things I wanted to buy, and touch, and hold. If you truly want to experience every facet of this shop, make sure to set aside a couple of hours. The amount of

things that you will want to buy is frightening. If I had $1,000 to blow, I would probably do it in there.

The store has been around for four years, and the owners have recently celebrated their relocation from a basement-style shop to an upstairs set-up. The origins of the store are quite simple.

Knowles had this to say about its opening: “We opened Mom’s Basement as kind of a storage for all my stuff I have bought in the past seven years. It is the third time I have had to sell off my collection.

It happened before due to moving. I have arcade machines and when I move, I can’t take it all. So I either sell off my toys or machines.” Whoever said moving sucks was wrong. Sometimes it can spurn a business.

The store is said to be a “go-to for your Mancave or Femcave needs.”

However, if you don’t have a cave of some sort, you should really make sure to check out this place anyway. You will find something, I guarantee it. Even if you don’t, you will surely have a good time looking at all the cool pop-culture artefacts and collectibles.

I mean, where else can you find opium scales and Saddam Hussein condoms within a couple feet?

All photos by Samantha Moss

Professor Eamon participates in Movember!

Professor Michael Eamon, Principal of Catharine Parr Traill College, participated in the Movember challenge this year.

Check out the stages of his beard as Arthur was able to capture the final shave!

Photos by Samantha Moss

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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arts

By Troy Bordun

The old Bond died in 2006 with Daniel Craig’s portrayal of the secret agent in Martin Campbell’s Casino Royale. The timeworn 007 was then buried deep in Skyfall (2012). In the latter film, director Sam Mendes introduced a sombre, more serious superspy and he altered the conventional narrative arc of the Bond film. The resurrection of the older-era 007 in Spectre (2015) surely came as a surprise.

In Spectre, we do see the death of Bond in three other senses: the obsolescence of the “Double O” program, replaced with a new global surveillance system implemented by the secondary villain Max Denbigh a.k.a. C (Andrew Scott); Mendes’s choice to not further his investigation of the personality and history of Craig’s Bond; and the end of Craig as Bond.

Craig recently said that he would rather ‘slit his wrists’ than play Bond again, at least for a year or two. However, on December 1, Barbara Broccoli stated that they would be going ahead with the next Bond film in the Spring. She expressed her desire for Craig to return, but with the rumours and discussion circulating around Idris Alba and Hugh Jackman, a new Bond seems likely.

So, there was something exciting about watching Craig have one last conventionally Bond adventure. Spectre is a continuation of the story in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace (Marc Forster, 2008), and Skyfall to be sure; however, to base an evaluation of Spectre solely on the series narrative trajectory and tone misses the larger context of the film-production machine known as the Broccoli family (Albert R. and Barbara, respectively).

Spectre isn’t just EON Productions’s bid

The death of James Bond

at an action film for box office revenues or part of a short-lived quadrilogy. The Bond films have carved out an important place in cinema’s history. Spectre is thus a film for the Bond cinephile. The 24th film restages and reinvents the familiar formulas with a self-conscious flare.

We might do ourselves a greater service by catching up on past films with Ernst Stavro Blofeld, Bond’s most frequent rival.

Indeed, Spectre borrows elements from every Bond film, not just Craig’s run. Among others, Spectre’s clinic at the top of a snowy, Austrian mountain similarly appears in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (Peter Hunt, 1969); the opening sequence set in Mexico City on the Day of the Dead has parallels in Live and Let Die’s New Orleans (Guy Hamilton, 1973); the train-fight sequence is surely referencing From Russia with Love (Terence Young, 1963); and Dave Bautista’s

henchman undoubtedly resembles Jaws (Moonraker [Lewis Gilbert, 1979]).

One of the standard plot events of a Bond film is to have 007 infiltrate a villain’s hideout under a pseudonym or be invited there by the villain himself. From within the villain’s lair, Bond is able to stop whatever evil deeds are taking place while simultaneously engaging in entertaining dialogue with the man he is tasked to kill.

Spectre accomplishes this with modest success. Blofeld, played poorly by Christoph Waltz, welcomes Bond and his current lover, Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), to his desert stronghold and unveils evil plans to keep the entire world under surveillance. While the sequence lacks the temporal longevity of the final act in Majesty’s Secret Service or the tension of dining with your assassin in The Man with the Golden Gun (Hamilton, 1974), it does

allow Craig and Seydoux a brief moment of emotional intimacy as the latter watches surveillance footage of her father’s suicide.

Upon Bond and Dr. Swann’s spectacular escape from Blofeld’s hideout, and after 007’s well-placed shot on a chemical storage container, the explosive but penultimate finale sets a new Guinness world record for largest film stunt explosion. Craig and Seydoux are almost silhouetted as the entire facility is blown to pieces. Alongside the remarkable opening sequence – a five-minute tracking shot through the Day of the Dead, an assassination, a building explosion, and a climactic helicopter fight – this was one of the highlights.

On the downside, Spectre may be Craig’s weakest performance as Bond, although he is able to revive some of the irony used in earlier films, particularly in his cheeky exchanges with M, Q, and Moneypenny.

Further, except for M (Ralph Fiennes), these characters are sometimes wonderfully given life outside the conventional exchanges with Bond. Ben Whishaw’s Q was outstanding in performance and in the plot of the film. In an effort to script better female characters, Naomie Harris’s Moneypenny outwardly rejects Bond’s advances and later, is interrupted post-coitus by an urgent call from the spy during the middle of a tense car chase sequence in the alleys of Rome.

Spectre enlivened my recent experiences with Bond. Quantum was a dud and Skyfall’s meanderings into Bond’s personal history and the home invasion genre left me bored. Spectre does not compare to Casino Royale, but it is exactly what the Bond fan should want.

Happy holidays from the Trent Film Society Photos provided by Trent Film Society

By Amy Jane Vosper

As the end of the term approaches, we would like to thank everyone who has made this such a wildly successful and busy year for the Trent Film Society. Through attending screenings, dressing up for events, participating in discussions, and spreading the word of TFS, you all are responsible for breathing new life into this film club and we couldn’t be happier!

We kicked off the year with a Back-toSchool themed selection of films and got our 1980s on for The Breakfast Club (1985) at Market Hall. We held the TFS’s first ever “Pyjama Party” while screening retro cartoons and serving up cereal. This event filled the Trend and it was wonderful to see how many people got into the spirit of the

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evening with PJs, slippers, and sleepwear.

We hope to make this an annual event!

Once October began, we kicked off our month of horror and screened some new favourites and some old classics.

Our screening of It Follows (2014) packed Artspace and there was a wonderfully lively discussion afterwards about horror films, personal fears, and the effectiveness of on-screen scare tactics. However, it was our screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) at Market Hall that drew the largest crowd of the year! In addition to screening the film, we held a costume contest and a trivia competition for prizes donated by local businesses.

During the screening, we featured performances by local talent including circus arts splendour, Thomas Vaccaro, and Peterborough’s own burlesque troupe, “The Kitten Academy.” Audience members jumped out of their seats to dance and sing along with their favourite songs. There were amazing costumes and viewers threw toast, blew bubbles, and shouted call-backs

during the show. It was such a remarkable success that Market Hall has requested that we do it again next year! Tell us, film fans, do you want to do the Time Warp again?

After Hallowe’en, we shifted focus and lightened up with some industry-oriented comedies. We screened a double-bill of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton films and our viewers were roaring with laughter! All these years later, these comedians once again proved that their humour is timeless. Our screening of Singin’ in the Rain (1952) was a joint presentation with the TGSA and it brought people out in the rain… and in costume!

For our final event of the term, we are hosting a Holiday Party at the Trend. For this night, we asked you to tell us which holiday films you would like to see screened at the party. There’s still time to get in your vote, so head over to our Facebook page and vote now. At the moment, Die Hard (1988) and Scrooged (1988) seem to be the most popular choices. But time will tell! We will be serving up tasty holidays treats and

there will be a cash bar available for festive libations. Two screens will be running simultaneously, so we can screen as many films as possible. Join us at the Trend on Wednesday, December 9 and, as always, it’s a free event!

Next semester, we have some seriously exciting events headed your way. We will kick off the year with a video game-themed screening of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) at Market Hall. Get ready for our Boss Battle Trivia, where we will test your video game knowledge and you could even walk home a winner! In February, we will feature some alternative love stories and then dive into some French New Wave films.

We are currently planning a short film festival for local filmmakers and we will showcase our top picks and winners at a screening at Market Hall in March. Then, inspired by the overwhelming success of our audience participatory screening of Rocky Horror, we will screen another film that encourages participation: The Room (2003) playing on April 20 at Market Hall!

Additionally, we are collaborating with several other student groups to put on fun, educational, and inspiring films throughout the year!

We hope to see you all at many more screenings in the future. Our success is dependent upon your enthusiasm and we want to continue to provide you with entertaining, interesting, and imaginative events.

If you have any requests or ideas for future screenings or events, feel free to contact us. “Like” our page on Facebook to stay up-to-date on all of our upcoming events and participate in our lively discussions.

From all of us here at the Trent Film Society: thank you for making this an unforgettable semester and we wish you all a safe and happy holiday!

arts

Punk rock’s not dead; it’s only sleeping (Part 2)

By Tyler Majer

Punk rock is dying, and it’s our job to save it. Within the past few decades, punk rock has taken a back seat to other forms of anger and aggression through music. As unfortunate as it is that punk rock has become dormant, it is equally important to note the rise of hip-hop as a supplement to punk rock aesthetic and sentiment. Although not directly similar in sound and content, punk attitude has manifested itself in the attitudes of hip-hop artists.

This discourse of anger and threat can be seen through the music of rhythm and poetry. Punk came from the anger of minimalized youth. The aggression rose as a response to the political oppression of the ‘70s and ‘80s.

For some reason - one too complex for a short comment - punk began to die down in the mid- to late ‘90s. Interestingly enough, this was around the same time that hip-hop began to manifest itself in the mainstream.

Artists such as Tupac and Notorious B.I.G. (to name the most popular) brought aggression-based music that highlighted the feelings of disgruntled AfricanAmerican youth to the forefront of youth culture. Both musical genres contain themes of political oppression and a general feeling of unease and angst towards a society that holds people back. Although each genre is generally different and contains completely different artists, the formations of both genres are very similar.

The most prominent era of hip-hop history, and probably the most aggressive and rebellious, was the mid- to late ‘90s where we saw the decline and selling-out of many punk artists. In the same year that Biggie Smalls released his debut album, and proclaimed to all that he was “ready to die”, Green Day released Dookie, a poppunk opus that, although enjoyed by many, helped propel punk into the mainstream, a distinction heralded by many as a step that led to the commercialization of punk.

Many believe that albums such as Dookie dumbed down the punk aesthetic, and aggression. New York Times reviewer Neil Strauss commented that this album

“barely resembled punk music.” From 1994 forward, punk became less of a music sung and consumed by an angry mass of youth, and transformed instead into a musical genre rooted in more pleasant and easily accessible soundscapes.

So, what’s the point?

I want to mention that this is not a scathing review or a hatred of punk. I love punk music and if it weren’t for punk, I would have a lot less to say about music and a lot more emotion to release.

However, the fact that punk rock is almost non-existent in the many different levels of the music industry is concerning.

This may sound like I am contradicting myself. On one hand, I say punk rock lost a lot of creditability through the popularization of its music. On the other, I say that we need more popular punk. Let me explain.

Punk rock is becoming a local music.

Local punk is not the problem here. Local punk scenes are abundant and are not dead in any sense. However, local punk rock will not go down in history. The selling out of punk rock, through the popularization of its music, is problematic in that it becomes its own type of history. Punk is slowly dying due to the fact that there are very few popular punk artists within the genre.

Mainstream punk or well-known punk is non-existent now. Maybe the most disappointing and scary point of my argument is that punk rock may be dead due to the lack of known artists. This is not an untrue statement - it is just a statement that falls rough on the ears of punk rock fans. Music lives on through history.

If a new movement of punk fails to emerge and punk continues to be only the music of local music scenes, then punk will eventually die. And the timeline of punk will be shortened by history. It will not go from 1965 to 2015, but from 1975 to 1995.

Punk rock’s timeline may be shortening by way of the same punk rock attitudes that helped the music grow. “We don’t have to be famous” is the statement. Yet maybe, without fame, you cannot leave your mark on history.

Bite the bullet that is made out of money and power and everything you hate.

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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arts

Cordwainer Productions’ American Idiot: The Musical

By Matt

Douglas

Punk Rock Musical doesn’t quite sound right. Punk Rock and Musical doesn’t sound like peanut butter and jelly. They don’t seem like two things that would go together well, but Cordwainer Productions did a marvelous job of merging the two.

American Idiot: The Musical is based off the Green Day album of the same name. The musical is co-directed by Dane Shumak and Jaime Schaffel. The show is constantly engaging and entertaining.

There is endless action, which makes it all the more exciting. However, at times, it can become busy in a way that one is left unsure where to direct their attention.

The story is an adaption of the album’s story. Three young guys, Will (played

by Andrew Little), Johnny (Ryan Hancock), and Tunny (Taylor Beatty), are to leave their town for the big city in early twenty-first century United States.

Quickly, the realities of adulthood start to stymie their plans. Just before leaving, Will’s girlfriend, Heather (Bronte Germain), tells him she’s pregnant. Will decides to stay behind to face the responsibility of fatherhood and to start a life with his girlfriend. The story of Will’s path is tragic. His relationship with Heather goes south and she moves out with the child.

Although one feels for Will throughout the show, his pain is best felt when Bronte Germain performs “Nobody Likes You”.

Johnny and Tunny make it to the city, but their paths diverge once they arrive.

Tunny is downtrodden by life in the city and decides to enlist in the military. He is injured in combat and loses a leg. Tunny’s story straddles a couple of themes. On one hand, it is appears to be political commentary on the pearls and unnecessary loss of American lives in the Middle East. On

the other hand, there is redemption as he meets and falls in love with a girl (Caleigh Chirico), who takes care of him.

Tunny is admirable. He does not spend his life the way the other two do, wasting it in pity and self-destruction. Instead, Tunny joins the army and at the end, seems to find happiness. Although it can be argued that enlisting is in itself a form of self-destruction, at least it seems he was trying to better his situation.

Johnny is the anti-hero that best embodies the album’s storyline. In the city, he looks to make something of himself, but drugs lead him down another path. He meets What’s-her-name (Caitlin Currie) and at first, their relationship seems healthy. It isn’t until Johnny encounters St. Jimmy (Kevin Lemeuix) that Johnny’s life starts to unravel.

Kevin Lemieux and Ryan Hancock pair up to make a terrifying duo. Lemieux creeps around the stage, interfering in Johnny’s life, pushing hard drugs on him. He

embodies his character St. Jimmy perfectly. He is the kid outside the class window daring you come out and play, only with an added wicked grin and a playful tone.

St. Jimmy introduces heroin into Johnny’s life, then keeps him down by appearing whenever it seems Johnny may be coming around.

It is hard not to sympathize with Johnny throughout the musical. He has grand ambitions and is well-intentioned. Yet, he cannot overcome his desire for pleasure, and it dooms him to a life of being doped up and losing his love, What’s-her-name.

Ryan Hancock and Caitlin Currie have a beautiful scene when Johnny injects What’s-her-name with heroin. They move quite artfully, playing with a tourniquet to the song “Give Me Novacaine”. It is chilling and uncomfortable as they masterfully embody the feeling of the music.

A band made up Lucas Duncan, Kyle Nurse, and Brayden McGregor, directed

by Sam Quinn, do a solid job of backing

Genuine Arthur Newspaper used on set!

All photos by Samantha Moss

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www.trentarthur.ca

up the show. A couple of times, they are even brought into the show in hilarious ways. The large dance sets are stunning.

The choreography excellently tows the line of symmetry and chaos, making it very enjoyable.

The album American Idiot was released in early 2004. It was labeled a punk rock opera, telling the story of an anti-hero in post-9/11 America. The album also makes strong political statements in the songs “American Idiot” and “Holiday”. The concept of the album, which is telling a story through music, opened it up to the possibility of a musical. The first adaption of the album was in 2008 by Michael Mayer in Berkley, California.

Cordwainer’s American Idiot: The Musical is unusual. Character development and the whole show for that matter happens primarily through the music. There is very little dialogue. However, the music and actors do an adequate job of moving the story along, and one can easily follow the story from beginning to end through the emotion that is portrayed. The punk rock opera sets a different tone that is captivating, exciting and heart-wrenching. The show encapsulates the feeling of the album a decade later, the most eminent of which is teenage angst and apathy. For most Trent undergrads, it may not bring back the nostalgia that it would for those a few years older, but it may bring back some fond memories of childhood ignorance.

The remaining cast is as follows: Braedon Sziklas, Conner Clarkin, Meg O’Sullivan. Josh Butcher, Liam Parker, Elizabeth Moody, Maura Wingle-Land, Nicole Kelly, Quin Shearer, Stephanie Jackman, Sydney Hawthorne, and Tom Middleton.

With choreography by Sarah Rorabeck, Elizabeth Moody, Will Armstrong, and Rachel Bemrose.

listings: Want your event in the paper? Send yours to listings@trentarthur.ca

classifieds

Electric City Gardens offers a 40% Student Discount on all Entrees. Daily changing menu featuring lovingly prepared seasonally-inspired dishes. Can cater to any special dietary requirements (vegan, gluten-free, etc) and culinary cravings. (Advanced notice appreciated for menu alte rations). ECG offers attentive service in an intimate setting. Find us on Facebook.L.G.B.T. friendly.

LLBO Licensed.

Reservations strongly recommended: 705-749-1909.

Interested in Learning how to play guitar, uke, or bass? Take lessons with Nick Ferrio at Hank to Hendrix Guitar Co. Personalized one on one instruction for beginners or intermediate players.

Contact: 70-768-7544 or nicholas.ferrio@ gmail.com Free Introductory Talk on Transcendental Meditation: Sunday Dec. 6th: 5:30pm - 7:00pm. Location: Peterborough YMCA Boardroom.

This free introductory talk will help you learn everything about the TM technique and how to learn if you are interested. Endorsed by Dr. Oz, Seinfeld, Oprah, Russell Brand, Paul McCartney, Ellen Degeneres and many other well-known celebrities.

To pre-register: http://ca.tm.org/web/ peterborough/introductory-talks

campus Volunteer with B!ke: Low on gold? Pay for your bike with experience points! Level up your mechanical skills by volunteering in our teaching shop to earn experience points, then put your

skills to use by refurbishing a bike from our dungeon! Collect 100 points in the shop and the bike is yours!

For more information or to register for the EarnABike Programme.

Contact B!KE at jeff@communitybikeshop.org

Local Religious Society of Friends (Quakers): With potluck lunch and discussion on the first Sunday of each month. Sundays, 11am.

Hobbs Library (room 101, wheelchair accessible) All welcome!

Sadleir House Library: The Sadleir House Library is a general academic library located in Room 107.

Anyone can borrow books or DVD free of charge from the library.

To get a library card, photo ID and confirmation of address (i.e. ID or mail) are required.

Room 107 (wheelchair accessible) Board Game Pub Night at Sadleir House: Back by popular demand! Sadleir House hosts a Board Game pub night. We have a small collection of games at the house but please bring your favourites to share. Free cover, coffee and tea provided, cash bar ($4-5 for alcohol and $1 for soft drinks).

(Unfortunately the Dining Hall is not wheelchair accessible). Thursday January 7 at 9:00pm. Sadlier House (751 George Street North) OPIRG Free Market: The primary goal of the Free Market is to provide a space for the redistribution of donated clothing and other items to everyone. At the Free Market “store” people can come in and take items they can use for free, without donating anything. This is not a bartering or trading system, but rather a space where items that are

no longer needed by one person can be redistributed to those who need (or want) them. Everyone is welcome to stop by during the hours of operation and take items free of charge. The Free Market is always looking for volunteers who could donate 2 hours per week to keep the project going. Wednesdays: 3-5pm, Thursdays: 1-5pm, Fridays: 1-5.

The Seasoned Spoon is delighted to invite you to a seasonal celebration that is sure to warm your heart and belly. It’s been another great semester here at the Spoon and we would like to celebrate with our community of supporters, members, friends, staff and volunteers and to thank you for all that you do to make the Spoon what it is.

Expect hot cider, cookies for decorating, music and more! Please bring a list of ingrediants for your dish as well. December 8th at Seasoned Spoon. 5:00-8:00pm.

Please bring a veggie dish to share Cubs’ Lair Entrepreneurship Competition: Cubs’ Lair is designed to meet the growing need for youth entrepreneurship programming, to help launch new companies. The 5 finalists (Kawartha Artists & Artisans Online, Modern Alchemy, Royal Hydrographics, SimbiH2O and Zatiq) will pitch their ideas to judges (Leslie Bradford-Scott, Andressa Lacerda and Neil Morton) and have the chance to take home the prize package worth over $8000. Located at The Gordon Best Theatre 216 Hunter St. W. Peterborough.

When: November 27th from 5pm to 7pm

arts AMERICAN IDIOT: The Musical to the stage. American Idiot is a Tony Award winning adrenaline rush - running just over 80 min-

utes, with no intermission, it’s a non-stop punk-grunge extravaganza.

You won’t want to miss out! This specific production is put on by Cordwainer Productions, a company started by a Trent Alumni! SHOW TIMES: Friday December 4 - 8:00 PM, Saturday December 5 - 2:00 PM & 8:00 PM, Sunday December 6, - 2:00 PM, Wednesday December 9, - 8:00 PM, Thursday December 10, - 8:00 PM. TICKET PRICES-General: $20 plus fees.

Student: $15 plus fees. Available at the above link, at tickets.markethall.org, outside of the OC Cafeteria from November 23rd-December 4th or at the Market Hall Box Office.

Focus Fair Annual Craft Sale: Lots of great locally made creations to be had. Come out to meet some of Peterboroughs many talented makers of art, crafts and more. Treat yourself or get some truly one of a kind gifts!

Starts December 12th at 11:00am and goes until December 13 until 1:00pm.

Will be hosted at The Spill!

Television Rd at The Garnet with Jane Archer & Broken Harmony: If you want to immerse yourself in the dark, bluesy underworld of Peterborough then this show is for you! December 12th at 9:00. $5.00 Great Lake Swimmers: Presented by the Peterborough Folk Festival. With Special Guests Sam Patch feat. Tim Kingsbury of Arcade Fire.

Thursday December 17th at the Gordon Best Theatre.

All-Ages/Licensed $25. Tickets available at the only cafe or online at: http:// www.ticketscene.ca/events/13982/ Holy Mount//SARIN//SHYY//WIZARD: at The Spill on December 30th , 9:00pm.

You r last chance to see a good show this year before 2016 hits! These are some fantastic out of town bands that you really shouldn’t miss out on!

Photos by Samantha Moss

Volume 50 | Issue 12 |December 7| 2015

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