Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Friday, May 16, 2008
How
vol 31, no 2
imprint . uwaterloo . ca
Part 1 of 6, page 13
GREEN
is my campus?
Tentative measures
Dinh Nguyen
maggie clark
Feds and UW administration test out new options for Fall 2008 term with summer students
Saying hello to Halal Dinh Nguyen Assistant editor-in-chief
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here’s curry in the air. The Fed’s new Indian and Halal food stand was a suprise last week for many returning UW students. Located next to Wasabi (the former Scoops location in the SLC), the new soon-to-be Feds business came as a result of a Feds survey last year, which asked students what kind of foods they wanted to be made available on campus. With its food prepared by Vijay’s Restaurant in Kitchener, cooked in the Bombshelter and then brought to the sale location, the business is currently in a tial run phrase and is expected to be fully operational by September 2008. “We’re working on the name, but we’re not sure yet. We have a few in mind, but it’s still being discussed. Today [May 14, 2008] is the first time we’ve talked about it,” said Fed’s food operation manager, Mike Ulmer. According to Ulmer “Curry Up” was one of several names suggested as a title for the business come fall, and as of press time this vendor name was confirmed by Feds advertising representatives. During its début, the new Feds business left many students confounded. “The first week everyone was confused because there was no advertisement, it just appeared.” said Samantha Eisleb-Taylor a UW student and part-time employee of the new business. “Students walk in [to the SLC side door], give us a weird look, and
walk away. Some even turned to their friends and said, ‘do you smell curry?’ and then left. But as the week went on, it [the new food stand ]became well received, people love it.” said Katie Blaszkiewicz, another student worker. And the food stand didn’t just take students by surprise. According to Feds Vice-President administration and finance, Del Pereira, the Feds did not expect the Halal and Indian stand to be on a trial run so soon. The food equipment for the business just showed up sooner than anticipated, so they decided to set it up. When asked about their views on the new food stand, many students were clueless and knew very little about Halal, which is food prepared to standards set out in Islamic law. Others welcomed the new addition with optimism. “ I think that it’s a step in the right direction, food services offer at least one Halal option at all their locations, it’s good that Feds is stepping up and trying to accommodate students as well,” said UW student Theresa Power. “ I don’t eat it but a lot of people seem to enjoy it. It adds variety and more food options which is a good thing,” said Karen Quaegebeur, another UW student. The new Halal and Indian food stand has been in beta mode for a week now. It currently offers Halal meat and vegetarian options, with the former including the ever-popular butter chicken. dnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
On the road to recovery When workplace safety isn’t enough: A threepart series, page 10
OSAP without the wait Maggie Clark editor-in-chief
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aureen Jones, UW’s director of student awards, has been watching the numbers. OSAP line-up numbers; OSAP applicant numbers; successful OSAP applicant numbers. And in recent years, they’ve all been going up. “There’s been a significant increase in the volume of applicants,” said Jones. “And since OSAP has changed its acceptance criteria over the past few years, we’ve happily seen a lot more students receiving funding too.” The 2007-2008 year, for instance, saw 9,258 students receiving OSAP funding, an 8.6 per cent increase over the previous year. But Jones is more pleased about the acceptance rate — 19.6 per cent of total applicants. The previous year saw an even more impressive turnout, with 25 per cent of students seeking OSAP funding receiving it. In contrast, the 2005-2006 year’s acceptance rate was only 7 per cent of the total applicants. But these numbers have consequences, and Needles Hall, where OSAP loans have traditionally been released, quite literally felt the squeeze. “The configuration of this buliding does not lend itself well to the number of students we’re working with,” said Jones.
“It’s hard to deal with the volume here. 26 per cent of UW students use our services, and while we can’t get around certain parts of the process — we have to meet face-to-face with each student, for instance; there’s no getting around that — if there’s something we can do about the line-ups, we’ve got to give it a try.” And the Student Awards office did: for two weeks they released OSAP documents at Fed Hall, where students reported “being in and out in twenty minutes.” The experiment proved positive enough that Jones has booked Fed Hall for OSAP services in both Fall and Winter 2008, with the intention of making the move permanent. “We considered a lot of venues on campus. Tatham Centre was one option, but our booking conflicted with Back-to-Campus events. And we tried two places in the Physical Activities Centre (PAC)— the upper level and lower gym — but the space really just wasn’t ideal. But Fed Hall is set up to handle crowds, and it can also accommodate the National Student Loans Service too, which is great. And Fed Hall is usually booked for evenings, so there were no conflicts for the space. ... Though spring term student levels are smaller, we’re confident that Fed Hall can hold levels three times the size of what we saw.” See OSAP, page 5
PSYCHOLOGY, RELIGION, AND MUSIC CULTURE Three new columnists join our ranks. Check them out on pages 22, 7, and 17.
News
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Free food debate continues
Emma Tarswell
Food not Bombs continues to serve free meals in Kitchener Civic Square beside Williams Coffee Pub after receiving a cease and desist letter April 12. This location is one of seven places currently being considered for future Food not Bombs service in downtown Kitchener. Andrew Abela news editor
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ver a month has passed since Food not Bombs received a letter from Kitchener city clerk Randy Gosse instructing them to “cease and desist free food distribution at Civic Square.” And since the cease and desist appeal meeting on May 5, UW-based group Food not Bombs has continued debating with downtown Kitchener businesses, with regard to the group’s right to serve free food in Civic Square. Food not Bombs is an international organization that seeks to provide food for those in need as well as to raise awareness for the “vast wasted investment of the state in military expenditures and war,” according to their website. The local chapter of Food not Bombs is an autonomous, consensus-based action group of the Waterloo Public Interest Research Group — an organization funded by UW students. Since receiving the letter Food not Bombs has continued to serve free vegetarian meals and distribute excess produce in Kitchener Civic Square beside Williams Coffee Pub. According to UW professor and Food not Bombs volunteer Dr. Kelly Anthony, they have done this for the past nine years without receiving a single complaint — until now. Complaints from downtown businesses such as David’s Gourmet and Petsche’s Shoes invoked a municipal policy requiring a cease and desist order to be issued. Claims of aggressive panhandling, fighting and blocking of the sidewalk, as well as apprehension for the safety of their customers, were referenced as causes of the complaints. Similar letters were sent to the Dream Centre and the Pentecostal Assembly, who also serve
free food at Kitchener City Hall but on different days than Food not Bombs. However, City Council has admitted that these letters were a mistake on their part and have since apologized for this error. Food not Bombs appealed their cease and desist request on May 5 in Kitchener City Hall council chambers. Approximately 180 people were in attendance, including UW students, professors, business representatives, and local residents. Delegates spoke on behalf of Food not Bombs and local businesses about issues of poverty, the marginalization of lower income people, and of the state of downtown Kitchener businesses.
Bombs service, all of which are near or around Kitchener City Hall. The worries of the businesses located in downtown Kitchener near City Hall were espeically evident the evening of the appeal. A written statement by Kitchener Downtown Business Association executive director Mark Garner declared that “Food not Bombs is being asked to consider being moved as part of a compromise.” Erin Young, who read the statement on behalf of Garner, mentioned that an increased police presence in the downtown core might help with the problems mentioned by customers. Petsche’s Shoes owner Anita Petsche remarked that Food not Bombs receives “men-
Issues of criminal activity in the downtown core must and will be dealt with separately and apart from the issue of Food not Bombs serving food. Kitchener Mayor Carl Zehr stated that “there is no fundamental difference in opinion about the right to food, that’s not the issue.” According to Food not Bombs volunteer Laura Hamilton, the group is concerned that they are being associated with the actions of others in downtown Kitchener and not necessarily the people they serve. When asked by city councillor Berry Vrbanovic if Food not Bombs would consider other locations for their service, Dr. Anthony declared that “the group will probably not agree to be less visible.” There are currently seven locations being considered for the location of the Food not
tion on websites such as Anarchism Canada” and associated the group with prominent terrorist organization al-Qaeda. The audience responded to these statements with laughter and booing. David Ehrenworth, owner of David’s Gourmet across from Civic Square, said that “it’s not just the innocent hungry who come for soup… I have also seen known drug dealers, prostitutes, and a convicted child abuser on the streets in the middle of the day, going to get soup, which creates a very dangerous setting.” Ehrenworth declared that he was physically assaulted by two members of Food not Bombs the week before the council meeting.
In response to this statement, Dr. Anthony said that if someone is assaulted on the streets she “hopes that the police are brought in immediately rather than going to a group like Food not Bombs to address an issue from an independent citizen.” In the conclusion of the meeting, Mayor Zehr explained that issues of criminal activity in the downtown core must and will be dealt with separately from the issue of Food not Bombs serving food. Since the meeting, discussion about Food not Bombs and downtown Kitchener businesses has continued on the internet in various formats. A Facebook group has been created in support of Food not Bombs, and Ehrenworth has created a website entitled “Take Kitchener Back” where “everyone in the community can have an unbiased voice,” according to the David’s Gourmet website. More formally, dialogue has happened between Food not Bombs and the downtown businesses in an attempt to reach an agreement that satisfies both parties. Food not Bombs volunteer Laura Hamilton expressed that “we’re getting some great support from businesses.” Regarding the future location of the food service, Food not Bombs hopes to remain in the same location underneath the roof outside of Williams Coffee Pub. Nevertheless, Hamilton noted that “even if we have to move, it’s only to the space underneath the Kitchener City Hall sign [in the courtyard], so we should still have the visibility we need.” aabela@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
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he Laurel Centre for Social Entrepreneurship hosted its first boot camp for budding social entrepreneurs at St. Paul’s on Monday, May 10. The boot camp lasted three days until Wednesday, May 12. The Laurel Centre was founded in order to provide resources and support for those interested in business and social change. Officially, the organization is only five months old; however, they have already managed to organize a highly successful conference on social entrepreneurship that took place in November of last year. Suzanne Gardner, the Laurel Centre’s Director of Communications, explained: “Our first initiative was the inaugural Waterloo Conference on Social Entrepreneurship, which saw more than 200 people come together from around the world from November 16-18, 2007, bringing those with a passion for social change together with those who have a business-minded discipline.” Social entrepreneurship seeks to entrench social change within society through strong organizational structure and business techniques. Although social entrepreneurship has been around for quite some time, it is only in recent years that it has become a more prominent force within society. Gardner describes it as being “…the combination of the passion of a social mission with the discipline, innovation and knowledge of traditional business fields.” During the boot camp’s introductory lecture, the Laurel Centre’s Chair, Andrew Dilts, described social entrepreneurship as being what happens when “Mother Theresa meets Richard Branson.” Later in the lecture, Dilts highlighted Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Foundation, as a contemporary example of a social entrepreneur. The Grameen Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that provides very small loans to the poorest of the poor. These loans are designed to help the impoverished start businesses of their own. The very low interest rates associated with the loans prevent them from turning into massive debts. Despite being told that he would be unable to succeed in such a venture, Yunus managed to implement this idea and create a thriving social enterprise. The boot camp was created in order to educate its participants in many different fields, including business planning, revenue generation, taxation/legal issues, negotiation, and marketing. The Laurel Centre managed to track down a number of talented lecturers from these fields including Geoff Malleck, an associate professor in the University of Waterloo’s economics department.
The boot camp attracted many people from Kitchener-Waterloo and the surrounding area, and event saw attendants from as far as Guelph, Mississauga, and Toronto. The 30 participants all had extremely diverse backgrounds. Some of the participants were students looking to get involved in social entrepreneurship, while others were already in charge of social enterprises looking to get some new tips and tricks for sustaining their businesses. Niall Wingham, a second-year student in computer science at Waterloo joined the boot camp in order to expand his horizons and network with other motivated, socially-minded students. Wingham is currently associated with a program called Students Offering Support (SOS). SOS is a volunteer-based program that offers mid-term and final exam review sessions to students in exchange for a small fee. The profits go towards charities that specialize in international development projects. “I think one of the coolest things for me… is being able to show people [that] … with a little effort you can be a global citizen, you can have this impact,” said Wingham. Tracey Thomas-Falconer owner of Anarres Natural Health — a holistic health practice located in downtown Toronto — was looking to the boot camp to help her deal with profitability issues. Thomas-Falconer makes her own beauty products from scratch and supports the use of sustainable and fair-trade supplies. “One of the challenges that I face is the profitability problem and that’s in part why I’m here, it’s to wrap my mind around it and share some thoughts with people,” said ThomasFalconer. She later elaborated, “When I make toothpaste, one-quarter of the cost, easily, is in my supplies and there’s overhead, and the labour, and the packaging, and all that stuff. When Colgate makes toothpaste it costs them nothing. Therefore they’re making a large profit.” Unfortunately, the problems facing potential social entrepreneurs can be many and extraordinarily varied. A social entrepreneur must be willing to be face adversity from many different sources. “I think that the biggest challenge facing potential social entrepreneurs is the challenge to persevere. Earlier this year we hosted a lecture called ‘How the World Will Try to Stop You and Your Idea’ from UW economics professor Larry Smith. His talk covered the hidden barriers and misleading guidance that can slow or stop those aimed at making an impact in the world” said Gardner. The Laurel Centre offers a variety of services including a mentorship program and a lecture series. Those who are intrigued by this field can find more information at their website: http://www.laurelcentre.ca. jdamaskinos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
News
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
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OSAP: Line-up Continued from cover
Andrew Abela news editor
Jamie Damaskinos assistant news editor
China troubled by recent eathquake A powerful earthquake of 7.9 magnitude hit a mountainous region near Chengdu, in the Sichuan province of China on Monday, May 12. The first powerful tremor hit at 2:28 p.m. local time. The disaster resulted in the destruction of 80 percent of the structures in the surrounding towns and cities. The earthquake was felt as far as Vietnam. One of the largest effects of the earthquake was felt in the city of Wenchuan where a school collapsed and trapped 900 students in the wreckage. Along with the school, two chemical factories were obliterated which spilled 80 tonnes of toxic liquid ammonia in the surrounding area.
In response to the earthquake, Prime Minister Wen Jiabao urged the people of China to “[h]ang on a bit longer. The troops are rescuing you. As long as there is the slightest hope, we will never relax our efforts,” according to a recent New York Times article. In the town of Beichuan, several thousand deaths have already been reported. Huaxi Hospital in Chengdu — one of western China’s largest hospitals — has been receiving patients since Monday afternoon. By the end of Monday night 180 patients had arrived from nearby counties that were heavily hit by the earthquake.
Another cyclone threatening Myanmar Recent estimates by a UN weather expert show the possibility of Myanmar delta soon being hit by another cyclone. The area was hit by Cyclone Nar-
gis on May 3, creating an estimated death toll of 34,763 and leaving 27,838 missing according to the Burmese government. There are approximately two million survivors still in need of aid. Unfortunately, UN agencies and other aid workers have only been able to help around 270,000. The US military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Centre has stated that there is a good chance that another typhoon will form and pass through the Irawaddy delta area. Fortunately, the second cyclone is not estimated to be as powerful as Nargis, the previous typhoon to hit the area. Due to the government’s refusal to allow foreign aid workers into the area, most of the survivors are living in miserable conditions without food and clean drinking water. aabela@imprint.uwaterloo.ca jdamaskinos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
— with files from the New Yotk Times and the Associated Press
Campus Events Black and White Night — Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society Thursday, May 29 @ The Bomber UW School of Pharmacy and Alzheimer’s Society presents a Black and White Night. Tickets are 5$ in advance and 7$ at the door. Tickets will be on sale in the SLC May 22-29. Dress in black and white. For more information please email bwnight@hotmail. com. Exploring Your Personality Type Part I Tuesday, May 20 2 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. @ Tatham Centre 1112 A two session workshop designed to explore your personality type. After finishing the MyersBriggs Type Indicator online, attend the first session in order to discover the advantages and disadvantages of your personality type. During the second session, occurring in the following week, determine how to apply your MBTI personality type to potential career areas. UW Women’s Centre Open House Tuesday, May 20 5:30 p.m. @ Student Life Centre 2102
Come check out their library, meet new people and learn about the centre’s plans for Spring term. Free food will be served. Work Search Strategies for International Students Wednesday, May 21 2 p.m. — 3:30 p.m. @ Tatham Centre 2218A A workshop designed to help international undergraduate, and graduate, students learn the best methods for searching for work. Workshop includes visa requirements. Sign up online at: http://www. careerservices.uwaterloo. ca/ Spring into Song – UW Well-fit Benefit Concert Sunday, May 25 2 p.m. — 4 p.m. @ Hagey hall, Humanities Theatre A benefit concert featuring the Twin City Harmonizers and their guests Grand Harmony. All proceeds will go to UW Well-fit… an exercise program for cancer patients. Interview Skills: Preparing for Questions Wednesday, May 28 3:30 p.m.— 4:30 p.m. @ Tatham Centre 1208 Learn how to improve
your performance in job interviews by studying taped excerpts of actual interviews. Sign up online at: http://www. careerservices.uwaterloo. ca/
However, Jones noted that a different set of student numbers gave her pause throughout this process: pick-up rates over the course of the Fed Hall experiment. “We’d originally booked Fed Hall this summer for three weeks, but we’re stopping early because the students just haven’t been coming by.” Jones said that this term’s loan release pick-up started off strong, with around 250 students picking up documents at first, but on Monday, May 12, the number of released documents was in the forties. “We still have 18 to 1900 documents just sitting in the office, waiting for students to pick them up,” Jones told Imprint on Tuesday, May 13. “And just one more day of the experiment to go. So we’ll see. This is an anomaly, the numbers being so low. It might just be that students still expect the lines to be large, so they’re putting off the pick up, but we haven’t really seen such low turnout before. We’re confident, though, that this doesn’t change the
outcome of the experiment: We’ve received nothing but positive feedback from the students.” Jones added that other initiatives have also been considered or implemented to improve the OSAP pick-up system for students. “We’re going to try to stay open late a couple of evening a week this fall, and maybe move some related registration services to Fed Hall to improve the process. We’ve also introduced the time ticket system to reduce the amount of time students spend waiting for their documents. We’re currently trying to set up an appointment system using the university website, but we’ll be testing that behind the scenes this summer before releasing it in the fall.” Jones said she welcomes student feedback about the OSAP process, which can be delivered directly to the Student Awards office. “Our goal is to make the process as painless as possible.” editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Islam Information Week Tuesday, May 27 through Thursday, May 29 Various times Student Life Centre The Islamic Information Centre is hosting a series of lectures and events to raise awareness about Islamic culture. Events include a lecture on the ststus of women in Islam (May 27, 1:30 p.m. to 2:!5 p.m, Multipurpose Room), a visit to Waterloo Mosque (5:30 p.m. departure from the Great Hall), a movie night (May 28, 9 p.m., Great Hall), and a poster exhibition from Tuesday through Thursday (Great Hall, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Interview Skills: Selling your Skills Thursday, May 29 2:30 p.m. — 4:30 p.m. @ Tatham Centre 1208 Learn how to get job offers by honing your ability to demonstrate your skills in interviews. Sign up online at: http:// www.careerservices. uwaterloo.ca/
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Opinion
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
the world after CKMS Friday, May 16, 2008 Vol. 31, No. 2 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editor-in-chief, Maggie Clark editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Sales Associate, Laura McQuinn Systems Admin. vacant Distribution, Mitch Sanker, Christy Ogley Intern, Dylan Cawker Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Jacqueline McKoy president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Sherif Soliman vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, vacant secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Peter Trinh liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Dinh Nguyen Lead Proofreader, Ashley Csanady Cover Editor, Michael Gregory News Editor, Andrew Abela News Assistant, Jamie Damaskinos Opinion Editor, Silk Halpern Features Editor, Tina Ironstone Arts & Entertainment Editor, Emma Tarswell Science & Tech Editor, Adrienne Raw Sports & Living Editor, vacant Photo Editor, vacant Graphics Editor, Joyce Hsu Web Administrator, Sonia Lee Systems Administrator, vacant Production Staff Paul Collier, Angela Gaetano, Monica Harvey, Alicia Boers, Rosalind Gunn, Megan Ng, Linda Abounassar, Susie Roma, Kaitlan Hukabone Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint. Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request. Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards. Imprint is published every Friday during fall and winter terms, and every second Friday during the spring term. Imprint reserves the right to screen, edit and refuse advertising. One copy per customer. Imprint ISSN 0706-7380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122. Next staff meeting: TBA 12:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: Tuesday, May 20 11:30 a.m.
It’s getting pretty lonely for media on campus
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ursuant to a student referendum in Winter 2008, CKMS Radio-Waterloo will no longer receive student funding as of September 1, 2008. Many variables played into the decision to drop the $5.50 fee, but that debate carries less significance now: what matters more are questions of media representation on campus — how much there is, how much there should be; how diverse it is, how diverse it should be. Anyone who’s ever studied political theory should be familiar with John Rawls’ Original Position, a hypothetical means of building the most just society possible by imagining future citizens deliberating from behind a “veil of ignorance.” These citizens have no sense of personal characteristics — race, religion, sex, age, physical and mental acuity — and no knowledge of how they will be placed in the society they’re building (whether they will emerge from poverty or wealth, reside on land with few resources or plenty), but they maintain a measure of general knowledge of human nature and economics. Rawls argues that citizens in this circumstance will — for fear of being cast the worst lot in their future society — endeavour to maximize the living situation for the poorest off. In the wake of this most recent shift on campus, I find myself wondering what media representation on campus would look like if we formed it from behind a similar veil of ignorance. And how much would that ideal differ from the reality? Whereas Rawls was seeking the most just society (and in so doing, presuming that all of
humanity would desire that outcome, and not some brutish free-for-all), the original position for media at UW would operate under the assumption that the desired outcome is finding the most effectively representative network of campus media possible. As citizens behind the veil of ignorance, you won’t know just where you’ll be placed in this community. Will you be a UW administrator, trying to maintain a university-wide reputation of excellence? A faculty member, trying to build a strong personal reputation — and in so doing, sometimes having to choose whether or not to support the university’s mainline stance? A research student? An undergrad — in engineering, or arts? If an administrator, control over most media channels would be most favourable, giving UW the outward impression of solidarity. And building a new media centre to centralize those resources (as UW is presently doing) is one road to achieving that aim. But such an aim would be disadvantageous to anyone who ends up a student on this campus. While a strong university reputation is key to making our education useful in the job market, students still need a means of expressing both the successes and weaknesses of that educations, as well as of life on campus, in order to improve the quality of both in a timely fashion. And because the tremendous turnover rate imposed by threeto-five year programs is exacerbated by co-op cycles, UW students especially require an institution that provides a record of their development
over time — as well as a forum for discussion that is autonomous from the university. This is the role a student newspaper fills. And then there are UW faculty and staff. Here I can only speculate, but I wonder if the reverse would be desirable for this contingent (if it’s even fair to regard the representative needs of faculty and staff in the same breath). While students are here for “only” a few years at a time, staff and faculty operate on a much longer timeline. This might make campus talk radio a better outlet for their representation: something said years back on air likely won’t make a re-appearance in employer online searches, and participants would still have the opportunity to deliberate over university matters in an insular, yet campus-inclusive forum. Still, individual university departments would likely feel underepresented in this model. To that end, subject-specific journals might be the answer. And individual students, regardless of their program, might still feel underepresented by their media, leading to the emergence of alternative student presses and the use of personal blogs to fill in editorial gaps. A community thrives best when the experience and insight of all its members is put to use. Could Rawlsian thought build a truly ideal landscape where this is the case? And if our present reality is so far off from that landscape, can we change it? Or will nothing rise up to take the place of CKMS? editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
A movement, not yet mature
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recently had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine about the heated presidential race currently going on in the U.S. It’s hard not to be captivated by the thought of the next president being either a woman or a black man, and my friend explained his theory that this election is a direct result of the postboomer generation coming of age. Since the turbulent sixties set the standard for the rights of women and African-Americans, the people making the political decisions — Gen-Xers approaching 40 and the Gen-Ys now at voting age — are people who have lived their entire lives knowing that one’s gender or skin colour doesn’t make them any less of a person. These post-boomer generations see no problem in electing a woman or a black man as the Democratic nominee, as the suffering and tribulations faced by their parents and grandparents has helped to build a nation where such things are possible. Of course, I have to ask myself where the gay nominee is. Although Scott Brison campaigned for the Liberal nomination during the 2006 convention that kicked off Stephan Dion’s diasspointingly mild mannered leadership of the party, it’s safe to say that Brison’s attempt never had a chance. Brison’s past as a red Tory aside, Canadians, and the Americans as well, are simply not ready to have a homosexual lead their country. In keeping with the idea that the current state of politics — mainly concerned with environmental issues in Canada and the emergence of women and blacks in higher U.S. governmental positions — is a product of the political movements of the ’60s, it’s no surprise that gays have not yet produced their Hillary or Obama, as we have yet to produce our answer to Betty Friedman, Susan B. Anthony, Malcolm X or Martin Luther King, Jr. The relationship between the gays of today and their boomer forefathers is nominal at best and non-existent at worst. Alongside the women’s liberation and civil rights movements of the ’60s, there was another
voice often forgotten in the history books. Although Dr. King spoke of the homophile and women’s movements as the brothers and sisters of the black civil struggle, the homophile movement is often forgotten amidst the social unrest of the Second Reconstruction for the simple reason that it achieved nothing in comparison to the movements of women and blacks occurring at the same time. Gays were left off of the Civil Rights Act, gay marriage was nothing but a fallacy at the time, and the movement still failed to create a strong and recognizable leader for homosexuals in the Western world. Gay bars were, in theory, still illegal at the time. Liquor laws in the States still prohibited serving alcohol to three or more gay men. The homophile movement of the 1960s had done nothing but inform those in far left circles that gays had some vague idea of equality, but little means or understanding to accomplish what they wanted. Then Stonewall happened. Although the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York are often considered the queer answer to the Million Man March, by looking at the following years it is clear that the riots might as well have been a drag queen slapping a cop for stepping on her dress. The riots, which instantly lost a lot of meaning when rationalized by the death of Judy Garland days before, produced a few groups that stood their ground for a while before eventually being torn apart from within over the issues of including trans individuals within the sphere of groups being fought for, and more still for having very few identifiable goals to begin with. The riots served to keep the police out of the bars and bathhouses and in effect helped keep the gay rights movement cemented for another decade. The gays were allowed to have their own confined centres for hedonism and those fighting saw this as their victory. What was lost, or perhaps never realized in the first place, was the idea of universal freedom to be oneself outside of the confines of a basement bar on Christopher street or to
be comfortable with one’s own sexuality beyond the walls of Steamworks. The gay liberation movement, as it was rechristened post-Stonewall, came closest to its own Dr. King almost ten years later in 1977. Harvey Milk in San Francisco was the first openly gay man to be in a supervisor posistion and the third openly gay man to hold a political position in the U.S., although his electoral victory is owed largely to a then-newly implemented district system in the city, the district he ran, including Castro Street and the rest of San Francisco’s gay ghetto. Milk’s time in office included fighting for a gay foothold as those opposed to homosexuality used the absence of a powerful homosexual pressure group to narrow the already slim freedoms of homosexuals at the time. Milk came to prominence fighting against the Briggs initiative, which would have prevented homosexuals from teaching in California schools and allowed the dismissal of educators on the basis of promoting homosexuality in the classroom, a ballot that had already passed in Oklahoma and Arkansas. Milk went on to spearhead a San Francisco law banning anti-gay discrimination in workplaces. These victories on Milk’s behalf, although monumental, came at a time when the civil rights movement was already being printed in history books, showing a marked lag in the gay liberation movement in comparison to its fellow fights for equality. Harvey Milk anticipated his presence at the forefront of the gay liberation as a potential cause for assassination, having seen the results of Martin Luther King’s omnipresence during the struggle for true equality for blacks. Milk had even gone so far as to prepare tapes to be released if he were to be killed. One day in November of 1978 — a full decade and a few months after the assassination of Dr. King — a disgruntled conservative Catholic former police officer and city employee, named Dan White, who had sat with Milk and Mayor George Moscone, entered city hall. See MOVEMENT, page 7
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Having faith in reason
F
aith and reason are often thought to be contradictions. Reason, however, is not always an intrinsic property of something; rather, it is a way of thinking that can be applied to anything. The conclusion you reach when applying rational thinking should be reasonal. The existence of a God and faith are often thought to be ilreasonal because, I believe, they deal with emotions and the metaphysical. But when such things as emotions, thoughts, and even the nature of existence itself, are an integral part of what defines us as humans, why should we not approach them the same way we do everything else? So the challenge is to consider faith in a reasonal way despite what you may already believe — or think you believe. To consider reasonally if there is a God and what kind of a God it is, and more importantly how this God, if it exists, can affect your life. The universe is enormous and follows rules that we are still trying to understand, but what is more profound than the existence of the universe is the existence of nothing. When there is nothing, why and how can there be something? Matter itself is a miracle. Most people think that you either subscribe to the Big Bang Theory, or that you believe a God created the universe, but isn’t it possible that if there was a God, he could have created the universe with the Big Bang? In his quest for understanding the universe, Einstein entertained the possibility of a God: Einstein is quoted as saying “In the view of such harmony in the cosmos which I, with my limited human mind, am able to recognize, there are yet people who say there is no God. But what makes me really angry is that they quote me for support for such views. (The Expanded Quotable Einstein, Princeton University Press, p. 214 as cited by www.spaceandmotion. com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm).”
The Big Bang theory, according to Wikipedia, states that all the matter and energy in the universe started as a singularity, but the theory has yet to explain where this singularity came from. Stephen Hawkings discusses two explanations in his 1988 book A Brief History of Time,:“ The idea that space and time may form a closed surface without boundary… has profound implications for the role of God in the affairs of the universe… So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end. What place, then for a creator?” A different discussion of the existence of a God is the role that He might play in the people’s lives. A common counter point is that bad things happen a lot, and to good people. However, should this make you lose faith in a God, or in people? If there were a God who created the universe and only wanted us to do good things, wouldn’t that mean we would have no free choice? Wouldn’t that mean He just created puppets and we wouldn’t be able to have an independent thought? Isn’t it possible that a God could exist and gave us free will which we use to do bad things? When considering the possibility of a God, an even more important question is why it matters. To some people, understanding that something created the universe could give existence a purpose and could make people more accountable for their own existence. If everything was created by accident, then it doesn’t matter if they exist, and on a smaller scale it doesn’t matter what they do and don’t do. Recognizing a purposeful existence could give a feeling of connection to everything: bacteria, plants, animals, the planets, solar systems, galaxies, black holes, everything
Continued from page 6
so divisive it proved only that, although gays may have gained one more liberty, we still lack universal freedom and understanding. So, when will the world be ready for the first gay Prime Minister of Canada, the first lesbian President of the U.S., the first generation of gay world leaders? The homophile/gay liberation movement was developmentally delayed alongside its sibling movements of the 1960s and has faltered every step of the way. The real answer is that the world won’t be ready for its gay political leaders until the gay liberation movement has found momentum and achievement as the civil and women’s rights movements did so long ago — and this can never be accomplished without strong leadership and firm goals. Who, then, will lead the gays past Stonewall and Milk? Who will bring the gay movement toward the futures visible in women and blacks? Who will rally, who will speak, who will march on behalf of what is possible? Milk said in one of his prerecorded tapes: “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door.” Who will help to lead gays to an equitable future? You will.
movement has to step up White had often sparred with Milk and Moscone’s liberal leadership of the Board of Supervisors for the city and eventually left the position before coming back to City Hall on November 27 to ask for his position back while concealing a loaded gun. When he learned from Moscone that the position on the board had already been filled during his absence he shot and killed the Mayor of San Francisco and then moved down the hall to Harvey Milk’s office, where he shot him six times, killing him. However, the aftermath of the shootings showed that, despite the feeble attempts of the gay liberation movement, they couldn’t even manage to find justice for their answer to Dr. King. Harvey Milk’s killer was convicted, not of first degree murder, but of voluntary manslaughter, despite having entered City Hall with a loaded weapon, avoiding security checks, and reloading his gun between the murders. White himself later admitted, after he was released from jail in 1984, that the entire event was premeditated. The idea of the gay liberation movement stalled for many years after Stonewall and Milk, only resurfacing for the fight for gay marriage that was
tmyers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
could be connected by the very fact that existence was no accident. This could make people more aware of their existence and they might be more likely to appreciate it. One creator could mean that we are all brothers, and it is our brothers we love, exploit, and pollute. Faith is the hope that not everything is pointless and that we are all connected. However, in the end, this might not really matter and people can be connected in other ways. The idea that we are all connected by the fact that we are meant to be here can be inconsequential to everyday happenings. After all, you don’t need to know where we came from and if we are all connected to decide if you want milk in your coffee. It doesn’t matter what conclusion you reach, just as long as you thought about it and recognize other point of views. You might believe in a God but understand why other people don’t, because it doesn’t really matter to everyday life, and while you might not find comfort in the idea that we were meant to be here you should be able to understand why it might be important to someone else. While you might not agree with the fundamentals you can at least respect what faith can mean to someone and why it doesn’t matter to someone else. This thinking could be applied to many other controversial issues that arise from religion, faith and spirituality. While these issues often divide different belief systems, a rational approach and discussion to each issue and their larger implications could bring a greater understanding to everyone. It doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you as you are open minded enough to respect what other people believe and at least are able to use a faith in reason to consider the reason in faith. mharvey@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
7
A private affair
I
t is always hard for David to take on Goliath, and as larger than life as politicians seem, it is still we — the people — who have the power to take them on. Taking on political Goliaths is our job as citizens — to keep their power in check and to ensure that the government speaks and acts with their power as all we Davids gave them our votes to do. Yet, in a disturbing trend, our head Goliath is again trying to strip us of our slings. Without much fanfare, our Conservative government announced that “the requirement to update CAIRS is no longer in effect,” as reported by the CBC and national newspapers. The Co-ordination of Access to Information Requests System (CAIRS), isused by individuals to track all the Access to Information Requests filed to government agencies and departments. CAIRs are used by Canadians, prominently reporters and activists, to obtain documents on particular issues from the government — often ones not easily available or otherwise politically sensitive. The Globe and Mail quoted Harper’s reasoning for the decision, that CAIRS “was deemed expensive, it was deemed to slow down the access to information.” They also quoted academic Alasdair Roberts — whom Treasury Board President Vic Toews referred to as “a leading expert on access to information law,” quoted by CTV — in condemning the system: “The database in question was created by the previous Liberal government. It was called ‘the product of a political system in which centralized control is an obsession,’ and that’s why the government got rid of it.” But NDP Leader Jack Layton , as reported by CTV, was quick to remind us that it was actually Brian Mulroney who introduced CAIRS in 1989, four
years before the Liberals took power. The National Post’s Kelly McParland pegged the ‘expensive’ annual costs to run the system at a mere $50,000. Worse still, Harper did not mention that Roberts said the system could be fixed by making the database available online, rather than having only AIF titles available online, and then having government agents search for the documents requested from CAIRS. He achieved this on his own by filing AIFs to obtain the documents and updating them online monthly. This was taken over by CBC’s David McKie in 2006, and the information can be found online at www.onlinedemocracy.ca. CTV reports that Roberts “suggested the Conservatives have simply gone to a less transparent method of centrally overseeing sensitive access requests.” Despite its imperfections, CAIRS has been a useful tool to keep track of politically sensitive information requests. The slow speed Harper decried has only developed since he took power, and CTV also reports that “formal complaints about late, incomplete or censored access requests almost doubled last year to 2,387,” a jump hard to explain on a system that has been running for nearly two decades. Three months ago, Maclean’s columnist Andrew Potter wrote of the progress of Harper’s paranoid government: “It looks askance at those who request information, and becomes hostile to agencies that are able to force it to disclose materials it would prefer to keep secret.” It would appear that every passing day, Harper’s control freak nature continues to further consume his governance, and we Canadians are left to wonder just what he is doing with the power we have given him. adodds@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
8
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Community editorials A sad anniversary on the Tamil calendar
I
was on the internet surfing through some sites the other day. I wanted to get a click on what’s happening around the world, so I decided to visit www.bbc.com (British Broadcasting Corporation). Being Asian, I clicked on South Asia first. I wasn’t surprised to see Sri Lanka featured in the headline news, and indeed, it unsurprisingly wasn’t anything to celebrate about, either: “UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour has criticized Sri Lanka’s rights record, questioning the government’s readiness to improve it.” Human rights violations are becoming a more prominent issue in the global media. Many areas of the world like Africa, South Asia and parts of Middle East are locked up in the “third world” dimension, where peace can only be found in a dictionary. Being a Sri Lankan Tamil student and going to school everyday in a very peaceful environment in Canada, I am able to pursue my career of interest; however, when I think about my country, Sri Lanka, and see headlines like this, it shows why my family and 300, 000 other Tamils came to Canada. To the outside world, Sri Lanka camouflages as a beautiful teardrop-shaped-island holding 19 million people surrounded by the Indian Ocean, but a look at the untold facts reveals another face of the island — a rather more bruised face — where ethnic conflict between the Tamil minor-
ity and the Singhalese majority has ravaged the country day and night for the past 30 years. As the month of July approaches, Canadians celebrate Canada Day, a very prosperous national holiday on July 1. Sadly, it is a grieving month for the Tamils who mark the 25th anniversary of Black July, which marked the beginning of riots against the Tamil community by Singhalese government-led agents, soldiers, and gangs back in the early and late 1980s. Thousands of Tamils were killed in the most inhumane manner within days, and much of their property was destroyed as well. Several recent events that have shaken the Tamil global community including the execution-style killing of 17 Tamil aid workers, the air bombing of 60 students at an orphanage school, and the assassination of several Tamil politicians. With a yearly increase, military spending, Sri Lanka expects to devote roughly $1.48 billion to military spending which reflects the already fragile economy’s record 30 per cent inflation rate. It seems the Sri Lankan Tamils suffer both economically and oppressively. Human Rights Watch reported on March 6, 2008 that “[the] Sri Lankan government is responsible for widespread abductions and disappearances that are a national crisis,” and urged the government to reveal the whereabouts of the “disappeared, immediately end the practice, and hold the perpetrators accountable.”
In another report by an international NGO, Reporters Without Borders expressed anger that “[the] northern Jaffna Peninsula, where Tamils are in the majority and which the army directly administers, has become a nightmare for journalists, human rights activists and civilians in general. A wave of murders, kidnappings, threats and censorship has made it one of the most dangerous places in the world for the press. Two journalists were killed there during the year, two more kidnapped and at least three media have been the victims of direct attacks on them. Scores of journalists have fled the region and others have chosen to abandon the profession altogether.” Although Sri Lanka keeps rejecting any sort of human rights monitoring, the Canadian government must put pressure on the Sri Lankan government to accept the United Nation’s Human Rights Monitoring Group to monitor the Sri Lankan government’s increasing human rights violations. As Bob Rae, a Canadian Liberal MP for Toronto, states in The Globe and Mail newspaper about Sri Lanka’s government’s corruption on May 12, 2008, “more death, more repression, more corruption, deeper economic stagnation — must not be allowed” For further information on Sri Lanka’s human rights abuses, please visit www.tamilcanadian.com and presscanada.org. — Shano Thiya
Emran Mahbub
Pissed off to be paying F a s h i o n a b l y R dumb
ecently, I have been doing some research on where our varsity athletes get their funding. I expected to be paying for some of it, but the amount that we pay turns out to be pretty staggering. The Student Services Fee encompasses many services such as career, health and counselling services, as well as the writing clinic and others. I was interested to know what percentage of our $124 fee (per term) goes to athletics. I have been in touch with a couple of people about this issue and I was told that a full 60 per cent of that $124 goes to athletics. I personally find this completely outrageous. Full-time undergraduate students are paying $75 per term so that other people can play
varsity athletics. [Editor’s note: The Athletics department encompasses more than varsity sports.] I don’t know about you, but to me, that doesn’t seem right at all. Over four years here, that comes to a total of $600 that each undergraduate student pays for other people to play sports, have new equipment, and walk around in personalized varsity sportswear. Considering the extremely small percentage of students who make varsity teams, and the small percentage of students who are interested in or care about varsity athletics this seems kind of unfair. Why should I have to pay for other people to walk around in varsity clothing? I’m very interested to know what percentage of Waterloo students agree
letters@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
with this point-of-view. For those who disagree, I respect and understand your perspective. I just really don’t think that it makes sense to give more funding to varsity athletes than it does to career and health services. This letter is meant not as a personal attack on those who play and support varsity athletics, it is merely an effort to raise the level of awareness among students about where their money is going, and to perhaps reassess what students at Waterloo consider important and essential services. Please forward all comments to varsity.funding@gmail.com — any and all opinions are welcome.
— Anonymous
I
gnorance is bliss. However, in an increasingly smaller and interconnected world, ignorance is usually bliss at the expense of others. So to be ignorant and happy is a natural, selfish tactic. Selfishness has never been something I see as a bad quality; as a huge fan of the theory of evolution, selfishness is one of the most natural of instincts to me. Pretension, however... But I won’t get political. Not out of fear: I do not have enough words here, so politics is for another day. Let’s just think of student life; after all, that is where attitudes are created, right? How many times a day do we hear someone boasting about how they did badly on a test, or are generally bad at school? In fact, how many times a day do we say something to that effect ourselves? It is especially cool to be bad at math: it is so cool in fact, that even people who are good at math don’t like to admit it and they often pretend that they are bad at math. So how does being bad at math help us in our social lives? There is the well-established social stigma that a smart person is also a dull person, and that a smart conversation is a dull conversation. Everyone makes jokes as a defence mechanism and people can be insecure about intelligence, so everyone pretending to be dumb is convenient and can almost be classified as good etiquette. However, it is surprising to notice the same tendencies in the Waterloo community that has consistently been considered one of the top intellectual hot spots in the world. This puts the
whole society’s alcohol dependence in perspective: life is just so much more fun when we dumb ourselves down, and ignorance is, in fact, bliss. Then stereotypes have the quality of sustaining the very ideas they propagate. So, once a group is considered dull and socially inept, it is harder for individuals in that group to act otherwise. If I am an astrophysicist or nanotech engineer, I start off on the wrong foot and the easiest way to flex my social muscle is not to lift the weight of sceptical eyes but to simply attempt to prove that I am not in fact as smart as the average astrophysicist or nanotech engineer: that I do badly on my tests, and I too am struggling in my program. Now that makes for interesting, easy conversation. On top of that, peer pressure means that if a person pertaining to a group does manage to escape its stereotypes, he would most likely be shunned by his original circle. Ah, the politics in day to day life! Whatever the advantages of being bad at math, being dumb is quite fashionable on its own. Being dumb means getting away with saying dumb things, which is a tool more powerful than we imagine. It is a lazy way to success; it is great refuge in an increasingly competitive world; it is rebellious; it is, in fact, ‘cool.’ And once these attitudes have been built and well established, it is an easy job to imagine the love of shelter through ignorance on a larger scale in communities, populations and nations. — Ali Alavi
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UW Imprint v1.indd 1
5/8/2008 2:44:55 PM
Features
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
The road to recovery
WSIB and the workplace, part one of three: Safety, insurance, and tips for protecting yourself Steven McEvoy staff reporter
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t is often said that when you are young, you think you are invincible and attempt do things you should not. Workplace safety is one of those areas where young people need to learn to take fewer risks. May 4 to10 2008 marked North American Occupational Health and Safety (NAOSH) week. Every year Canada, the US and Mexico join forces to help focus attention on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace. As someone who was injured at work and subsequently off work for two years, I know first hand the stress and pain that can be caused by a workplace injury. As such, this is the first in a three part series about The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) here in Ontario. In these articles I will try and chronicle for the reader some of what a worker in Ontario needs to know about workplace safety, and outline the process from injury to being back to work again. The WSIB has a youth site aimed at high school and university aged students; www.youngworker.ca. It states that, on average, 42 young workers are injured or killed on the job every day in Ontario. It also declares that workplace accidents can happen at any job and can cause serious injuries. The WSIB declares that, by law, you have basic rights, including:
1. The Right to Know what hazards there are in your workplace and what to do to prevent injuries from them. 2. The Right to Participate in health and safety activi ties in your workplace without fear of discipline. 3. The Right to Refuse work that you reasonably believe can be dangerous to yourself or others. However, you also have responsibilities including:
1. Work Safely: use all machinery and equipment the way you were trained to. 2. Report Hazards: if you know that Ontario’s health and safety laws are not being followed, you must report the circumstances to your supervisor or employer as soon as possible. 3. Use or Wear Protective Devices: don’t remove a guard or device designed to protect you. Wear your safety gear—it’s the law. As such you are protected by the law but also have responsibilities.
In Ontario all companies that hire full-time or part-time employees must register with the WSIB within 10 days of hiring the first employee. The WSIB has a long history of trying to protect employee rights and safety in Ontario. It all began in 1884 with the passing of the Ontario Factories Act, a system of inspection and enforcement of health and safety standards for all factories in Ontario.
The immediate precursors to the WSIB was the WCB (Workers Compensation Board), which was created by the Workers Compensation Act in 1914. In 1965, the WCB established the Safety Education Department to coordinate resources and programs from different industry and labour associations. Then, in 1998 the WCB became the WSIB for Ontario. This organization has over 100 years of history of working to protect and educate Ontario workers. Listed in the graph below is information provided by WSIB about workplace injury claims. As seen from these numbers even with all the advertising campaigns and awareness the WSIB is trying to generate, the number of claims remains consistent. Roughly 10 student employees are dying yearly on the job because of a workplace injury or accident. Therefore, it can only be concluded that all students, and all employees must be active in educating and protecting themselves and others in the workplace. The WSIB is a government organization that has developed over time, as working conditions and the labour market evolved and changed to meet the new conditions and requirements for worker safety. It is there to educate and to help if you fall victim to an accident or injury in the workplace. I f you are injured at work you have a responsibility to report it as soon as possible. If your employer tries to dissuade you from seeking medical attention be insistent. In the summer of 2005 I was working for a landscaping company, prior to my injury two other employees were injured on the job. One burned his hands on the muffler of a machine, and another hurt his shoul- d e r . Neither sought medical attention, because they were apparently told that ‘they would not have a job when they returned.’ Both worked with their injuries for months and if they have problems in the future they now have no recourse. An employer cannot do this. Even if they offer to cover your wages in exchange for you not filing a claim, do not do it. Follow the system, and protect yourself for the long term. Your employer cannot threaten to fire you for reporting an injury or for seeking medical attention. It is against the law for them to do so. Get the medical attention you need when you need it, even if you do not get time off from the job, at least the injury is documented. Educate yourself, and know your rights. Even with all the knowledge on accident prevention accidents can still happen. And in September 2005 it happened to me. I was working as a foreman for a landscaping company. My boss and I went out to do a side job, pulling some conduit for an electrician. Neither my boss nor I had the right equipment in our trucks or the right information from the electrician. So while we attempted to solve his problem it created a huge problem for us, but that is a story for another time. In the next installment in this series, I will chronicle the journey from my injury to a year later, and the surgery needed to repair my rotator cuff. smacevoy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
joyce hsu
According to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), the accident investigation process involves the following steps: 1: Report the accident occurrence to a designated person within the organization. 2: Provide first aid and medical care to injured person(s) and prevent further injuries or damage 3: Investigate the accident 4:Identify the causes 5:Report the findings 6: Develop a plan for corrective action 7: Implement the plan 8: Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action 9:Make changes for continuous improvement While work injuries sites say they are for employees it is best that one get representation to insure their rights are being met. Protect yourself because although places like Wsib helps employees the organization also has also been accused of functioning to favour employers. Also, WSIB has come under scrutiny for issuing rebates to companies found and prosecuted of safety violations that lead to death and/ or serious injuries: (http://www. dailycommercialnews.com/article/id27250) At the CIWA (Canadian Injured Workers Alliance) discussion board workers can use posts about injuries as a place to seek assistance: www.ciwa.ca/englishSite/forum/forum.html
Features
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
11
Book signings and public protests
Jamie Damaskinos
Maggie Clark
Two slices of religious life from the past two weeks. Left: Author Don Ranney signs a copy of When Cobras Laugh, a fictionalized account co-written with Ray Wiseman about retired UW Prof. Ranney’s “first life” as a missionary in South Africa. (Ranney’s wife, middle, is expected to feature in his next work, while Wiseman’s wife looks on.) Ranney took his book promotion to the SLC Thursday, May 8 between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., in an attempt to engage students more with his work outside of UW classrooms. Meanwhile, May 10 saw one iteration of what is expected to be a monthly protest of Scientology in Kitchener by “Anonymous” (www.xenu.net for more pan, which means an easy clean up for you! Rosalie Chung details). Setting up in front of the vacant Artery, where UW’s Render The recipe for the brownie is for those who special to imprint gallery hosts art shows, protestors set their sights across the street, want to try something from scratch rather at Kitchener’s Scientology office. his brownie is a moist and tasty treat than from a box, and for those who are still
savoury yet simple
T
for any occasion. It will delight you and your friends, because it is easy to make and it tastes great. When I was a young girl, my grandmother used to make many tasty delights. Anything she made would melt in my mouth. Her speciality was steamed egg cakes, —which don’t let the name fool you— are actually quite delicious. In some ways, I think it was her cake that inspired me to enter the kitchen and began my love affair with cooking. Although her skills in the kitchen were unquestionable; however, she did tend to make a fair bit of mess in the process. I think this is why my mom keeps such a clean kitchen as do I. I find that I tend to alter recipes to reduce the amount of dishes while maintaining the quality of the dish. My homemade brownies require only two bowls and a square baking
rather lazy or those who are not confident in their baking abilities but are looking for something simple but tasty to make. It took my took my roommate and I around 15 minutes to mix the ingredients together. The baking time is approximately 25 minutes. Let the brownies cool for about 10 minutes before you try frosting unless you enjoy runny frosting dripping everywhere. You can use any type of frosting or sauce you like or perhaps try it with jam. These brownies are something you can brag to your friends about and take pride in sharing. I often enjoy baking with my roommate and sharing with our friends. Baking is a great time waster and stress reliever. Take my advice: stop stressing and start baking today!
rskchung@uwaterloo.ca
Blushing Brownies Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup butter • 2 eggs • 1/3 cup sugar • splash of vanilla extract • 1/2 flour • 1/4 teaspoon salt • 1/3 cup cocoa powder • 1/4 baking powder
Directions:
live? o t e plac a r o ng f i k o Lo
Look no further... Benefits from choosing WCRI: - Minutes walk from UW campus, - Lower than market fees, - On-site laundry and maintenance, - Regular organized social events, - And much more. Don’t miss out on a great housing experience. Apply now! Applications are accepted year-round. Seniority deadlines are always: - March 1st for Fall, - October 1st for Winter, and - February 1st for Spring.
ROsalie Chung
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 2. Grease and flour pan (make sure pan is a small size or brownies will be flat). 3. Microwave butter. Hand stir butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract till smooth. Using a whisk, beat in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt to form a good consistency. 4. Place in oven for 25 minutes 5. Cool, add jam or frosting and enjoy!
WCRI: A whole new way to live together! Contact us today for more information or to arrange a tour. web: www.wcri.coop e-mail: info@wcri.coop phone: 519-884-3670 address: 268 Phillip Street, Waterloo
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Photo Feature
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Mackenzie Keast
A misty pathway, parallel to Ring Road, eerie, like a classic horror film.
sayamantak Dattam Gupta
Across the bridge from the SLC, a game of duck, duck, goose is in progress.
Campus Clicks Student expression though the lens of a camera. Share your art with us! Sandy Chow
Spring time sun light peeks through the blinds of a student’s room in UW Place.
Sonia Lee
A mysterious evening view of the overpass connecting the PAC to the SLC, or perhaps a walk home after Bomber Wednesday? Lynn Thomas
Tulips drinking the morning dew after s gentle spring shower.
Rajul Saleh
Dawn arrives as the majestic sun sets upon Minota Hagey’s rooftop patio. Philip Jama
A geese couple practicing their duet for the up coming season concert.
Please note: If you are submitting a photo for consideration that clearly features another person, you must have their permission to send that photo to us for publication. That aside, happy snapping!
Send your campus photos, along with the names of consenting individuals in the photos and a brief description, to photos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca.
How green is my campus? A six-part series on environmental sustainability at UW
Part 1: The Way We Eat May 16, 2008
Part 2: Spaces We Inhabit May 30, 2008 Part 3: Stewardship and You June 14, 2008 Part 4: Human Communities June 28, 2008 Part 5: High Tech, Low Impact July 11, 2008 Part 6: Growth for the Future July 25, 2008
Sustainability is...
1. The measure of how and what we consume, and the impact those choices have on our ability to maintain present practices indefinitely. 2. How we inhabit buildings and similar surroundings — are we building for today and tomorrow? 3. How we share communal spaces: are we protecting the longevity of natural resources, flora, and fauna as well? 4. How we interact and build social networks together, to spread awareness and to entrench more environmentally-friendly living habits. 5. How we develop and treat new technologies, as well as other consumer goods: Are we enhancing our society in ways that reduce waste and promote habits that can be sustained over time? 6. How we plan for tomorrow — are we learning from the past, and leaving a better mark for generations to come?
How green is my campus? Teach me, oh humble can Guy Halpern staff reporter
Campus foods; looking toward a greener future? Rob Blom staff reporter
F
ood and water cannot be denied as biological needs, but how “green” are our food outlets — and have UW Food Services (UWFS), society-based coffee and doughnut (CnD) shops, and the Feds taken the necessary steps toward reaching a healthy community food system? A checkup on the Region of Waterloo shows it has made adequate progress in approaching this ideal. The Region of Waterloo Public Health initiated Foodlink Waterloo Region, a network to link farmers and citizens together in the creation of a more sustainable food system — a network the UW Farmers’ Market uses. The region defines a healthy community food system as “one in which all residents have access to, and can afford to buy, safe, nutritious, and culturally-acceptable food that sustains the local environment, economy and rural communities.” This definition well suits UW’s culturally diverse student body — much of which face economic hardship and therefore requires access to healthy inexpensive food. The UW Farmers’ Market gets its food from Elmira Produce Auction Co-op (EPAC) that operates on a seasonal basis. Due to a diminished student volunteer base during spring terms, and an operational season from EPAC, harnessing a year-round operation is currently unsustainable. If students wish to see more market days in the basement of the Student Life Centre (SLC), there is but one course of action: to volunteer. “The whole UW Farm Market concept was a collaboration between students and UWFS,” remarks Lee Elkas, director of Food Services and member of the Waterloo Region Food System Roundtable. “It is a perfect example of how we determined a need together and developed a business model that supports our local community, which is the purest form of fair trade.” Fair trade, organic, and local purchasing are all key ingredients in a sustainable food system. All on-campus organizations, including the autonomous CnD shops, that strive to fulfill these idealized purchasing policies come up short. Although complexities do arise from barriers such as collaborations and bulk purchasing, suppliers unable to meet demand, seasonal fluxes, and external administrative guidelines, there is room for improvement. What can be said, however, is that, within reason, all outlets strive toward these fundamentally sustainable goals. “Although students are willing to pay more for local produce, with such a low food order, it becomes difficult to carry out such practices without seeing exorbitant pricing,” said Del Pereira, vice president of administration and finance, and spokesman of Feds. Although it caters to a slightly different consumer than former Feds business Aussies, the new Federation Xpress offers vegan options, nutricious salads, and local food options, thanks to an extensive local food feasibility study that was done by environment and business students June Too, Philip Hsia and Domico Liu. The ES coffeeshop has a firm stance on local purchasing, and little is bought outside the KW and Cambridge area. It also carries a selection of organic and fair-trade products including tea
and coffee. Their goal is 100 per cent local and organic purchasing, affordability, and maintaining a minimal footprint on the environment. The Engineering CnD has similar initiatives, but has not researched the demand for organic food. Despite the CnD’s attempts to reduce their ecological impact by purchasing from similar suppliers — thereby reducing transportation costs and fossil fuel consumption — they purchase independently. Elkas also intends to introduce organic produce throughout UWFS businesses, including the Farmers’ Market and Brubaker’s. Brubaker’s, although seemingly expensive, adheres to a standard business practice, as Elkas explains, “Generally, a 35 per cent food cost determines price.” There is also no Feds equivalent to Brubaker’s that match the products they sell. Brubaker’s also sets impressive standards on green initiatives with meat alternatives, local and fair trade purchasing, the elimination of styrofoam containers (in all UWFS outlets), and the switch to oxo-degradable cutlery. Bomber has similar practices including using bio-degradable containers, recyclable cups, and an internal setup that tracks the amount of waste in the kitchen — to reduce waste and food cost. Independence and decentralization is a common issue within our university, and its food outlets, but this comes with some hidden perks. For one, we are not affiliated with either Chartwell’s, Sodexho, or Aramark — the major corporate food distributors in school systems across Canada. UW, as part of a rare collection of universities, operates its own independent food distributor: UWFS. As one of the ancillary departments on campus, it encompasses a business model to meet the needs of students while protecting funds — rather than a ‘for-profit’ mentality. Another perk, illustrated well by the independence of UWFS and Feds, is that it is difficult to develop a monopoly over the entire food community on campus. Independently, the system works and allows for growth toward sustainable practices and student implementations. But campus-wide collaboration is a necessity for students wishing to see prices drop. The bottom line is that students unknowingly have a strong voice in the campus politics of food and are also slow to act. Although a fully sustainable food system seems unreachable, one need only to look to the University of Berkeley to see a system dedicated to a 100 per cent local and organic food purchasing policy. “I would say most initiatives don’t get off the ground — or end early, because students are lead to believe that institutional changes are not possible, or difficult to accomplish. This is simply untrue,” said food activist Matt Heppler. “There is no formal process recorded anywhere, leaving students confused as to where to start, who to contact, and how to propose their initiative to the body with the authority to implement it,” Heppler continues, despite his recent success with UW vegetarians, Elkas and Heather Kelly, event & marketing co-ordinators for UWFS, in implementing a battery-cage free purchasing policy. Students can engage CnDs through their respective faculty societies. Pereira represents you on the Feds Food Advisory Board that meets weekly, and Elkas always welcomes and encourages student input on the Food Advisory
Board that meets biweekly during the fall and winter terms, and monthly during the summer term for UWFS. Students are also encouraged to speak directly to chefs at various food outlets because as culinary experts, they may be receptive to students on their preferences and open to suggestions. One major barrier that students engaging in environmental activism may face is the lack of accountability these outlets have. This is generally not the case for CnDs as each have little to no non-recyclable and disposable materials. The ES coffeeshop has a convenient composting system, and the Engineering distributes leftover food free of charge to staff and students. Despite systems in place to reduce waste, and training for staff in current recycling practices, UWFS and Feds do not have policies in place to implement mandatory waste audits. This may change with Policy 26, “Greening the Feds”, in motion. However, all current waste audits done are through student projects, which leads to inconsistent data, as Brubaker’s latest audit dates back to April 2003, (according to the now defunct Watgreen’s webpage.) Tim Horton’s was recently audited in March, but there is no easy access to this data and it is not publicly available. Waste reduction is a necessity for student health, especially in the often crowded SLC. Most of the waste comes from Tim Horton’s, which replaced Feds business Ground Zero in 2003. Tim Horton’s cups are not recyclable by plant operations or the region, due to their plastic wax liner, although efforts to switch to a corn starch liner are in the works. Elkas also notes that students may bring mugs for a discounted price, as well as utilize the sitting area to use reusable coffee mugs and soup bowls. As for waste in general, strategically placed recycling bins, as well as collaborations with campus groups to help educate students about waste prevention, are but a few of the initiatives in place. Education outreach is an important tool in engaging students in green practices currently employed by our food outlets. The largest educational tool UWFS has developed is a nutritional program, enabling students to identify the nutritional content of the meals they purchase. In addition to this, an online cook book, recipe search and a guide called “Food Buzz”, containing insight on how to cook, shop locally and organically, stock your kitchen, and food safety, is also available. “It is important to note that all our nutrition programs are endorsed by the University Dietitian, UW Health Services,” states Elkas. The Feds marketing department is in charge of publicly educating students on their practices. They could not be reached by press time. While we have yet to achieve Berkley’s standards, or implement a student co-operative akin to Concordia People’s Potato. We do have things other post-secondary institutions lack: an independent food distributor, and an infrastructure in place to achieve our sustainable goals. While we have had some successes within this infrastructure, there is room for great improvement. Students need to continue to push on these issues in order to enable our Feds executives, Elkas, and people like them to continue to improve. rblom@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
E
xotic locations, international travel, homes on different continents, and millions of fans: the life of a pop can has a lot to be said for it. However, it isn’t all shiny labels and fizzy delights, no matter what the advertisers say, and it isn’t all environmentally palatable, despite the many recycling bins that litter our world. The pop can’s journey begins somewhere that has bauxite; once deposits are discovered, massive open pit mines are dug. The vast majority of aluminum deposits lie at or near the earth’s surface, and at 8.2 parts per million, it’s the third most abundant element on the planet, after oxygen and silicon. The bauxite ore is mined from the earth, a mix of aluminum, iron oxides, clay minerals and trace amounts of other chemicals. From there, an energy intensive process is used to transform the ore into alumina, the intermediary step before aluminum. The processing into alumina is generally done near the mining site, while the final transformation is done further afield.
From four tonnes of bauxite, one tonne of aluminum is produced. The mining process itself tends to leave massive tailing ponds in its wake, ponds contaminated with high levels of the caustic soda used in the mining process. That water inevitably leaks into the ground, contaminating local drinking water, and affecting local wildlife by drastically changing pH levels. Large amounts of greenhouse gases are created in the aluminum smelting process, including perfluorocarbons (PFC), a particularly potent family of greenhouse gasses. Sulfur dioxide is also produced, and when it bonds with water vapour is the leading cause of acid rain. Once the aluminum is pressed into sheets, massive plants cut and roll it into the familiar can shape. After being filled and sealed, the cylinders of fizzy sugar water are shipped through the distribution chain, eventually reaching a retailer or vending machine, ready for consumption. Even this stage of the process has associated environmental impacts, ranging from the electricity used by the vending machines to the fumes emitted by the trucks bowling down the highway.
It’s hard to avoid buying single servings of things like pop, juice, or water while you’re on campus. Of course, hard is a relative term: one may, and many do, simply bring drinks from home or make use of the frequently placed water fountains around campus. Still, for those seeking to part with some dollars for a cold drink there is a wide variety available, running the gamut from pop and juice to bottled water and sweetened green tea, not to mention that staple of burnt-out student existence, the energy drink. In a sense, it can feel like a guilt free practice. There’s an extensive array of recycling opportunities present on campus, with frequent and visible repositories for aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles. In contrast to the waste created by the ubiquitous but for all practical purposes unrecyclable Tim Hortons cup*, there seems to be a plethora of options available for recycling most commonly used beverage containers. It’s become almost a truism to say that environmentalism has entered the mainstream. The fact that this special section of sustainability
exists in the first place is a testament in itself to the commonality of concern of the issue. For the most part, however, people aren’t seeking to change their lifestyle in a dramatic sense; rather, the desire is for change that fits neatly into how they’re already living. Aluminum is one of the rare examples of economically viable recycling, where repeated reuse does not affect the quality of the end product and paying for recycling is actually cheaper than extracting raw materials. With any and every item we consume on a daily basis, there are unseen environmental impacts that are unlikely to be internalized. A pop can is just one example — and a minor example at that — as an extensive recycling program already exists. That said, if something as inoffensive as an aluminum can leaves this trail of damage in its wake, it’s worth considering the wider impact of our day-to-day interactions with the material world. *Tim Horton’s states that their cup is in fact recyclable, but few jurisdictions have facilities necessary to process the materials used in the cups’ production. ghalpern@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Part 1 of 6: The way we eat Seasoned Spoon leads the way for UW’s Eco-Café Kathryn Gwun-Yeen Lennon reporter
Cait Davidson head reporter
W
ith the closure of UW’s Watgreen, the sustainability office on campus, some were afraid that sustainability efforts on campus would fall to the wayside. Enter Lee Elkas, UW Food Services director, who saw a need on Waterloo’s campus for a sustainable food service and developed the new Eco-Café, which will be opening in September in the School of Accounting. Inspired by Trent University’s Seasoned Spoon, the Eco-Café is a first step to move Food Services in a more environmentally responsible direction. The Seasoned Spoon is a student-run, co-operatively structured, not-for-profit café, serving healthy, organic, local and affordable food since it opened in February 2003. The menu at the Seasoned Spoon varies from season to season, depending on the availability of locally grown foods. With soup, bread, wraps, salads, baked goods, fair trade coffee, and a lunch entrée, (vegan options are always available,) the Spoon has been a large success since it opened. Currently employing 16 staff and around 10 volunteers, the founding member and former Trent student, Lisa Swanston, said that the Spoon was born out of “dissatisfaction with existing food options and perceived lack of
convivial student space, and wanting to provide an affordable option and support local food economies.” As students are the main customers, it was important to make food affordable, while still achieving the original goal of accessible, locally sourced foods that supported sustainable alternative food economies. Making the food accessible to students did not mean buying the cheapest products, but finding new ways to make the food less expensive. Swanston said that this meant “recognizing that accessibility might mean changing the kinds of foods that we serve to make them financially an option for students, rather than looking for the cheapest way to produce foods that we wanted to serve.” The Spoon’s success could be attributed to the culture it adds to the campus, and the education of the students and customers on the importance of sustainable foods. Education was a component of the original business plan, and the same is true for Waterloo’s Eco-Café. Swanston said, “A big part of getting faculty and admin support was to show the educational component, not just position it as a food alternative.” Elkas also commented that he would like the Eco-Café to meet a consumer demand, as well as passing on sustainable ideas and logic, instead of being “just a passing fad.” At the Spoon, students are offered learning opportunities through paid and volunteer work, as well as increasing community awareness of
food issues through educational outreach. The Spoon also runs a workshop series around hands-on skills, practical application, gardening, food preparation, and food storage. The Spoon is also partnered with a rooftop garden on campus, which supplies some of its produce. The Seasoned Spoon uses the university setting to draw on the energies of the Trent students through developing research projects in the departments such as business, environmental studies or international development studies “that feed into the running and growing of the café,” according to Taarini Chopra, a former volunteer, cook, and researcher for the Spoon. In order to make the café socially sustainable as well as environmentally, the founding members thought it was important to have paid staff. The Spoon’s decision-making centres on a small board of directors. The board members consist of students, community members, faculty, growers, and will soon also include university staff. The board keeps the café accountable to its business plan, manages the budget, represents its members’ interests, writes proposals, and handles the educational initiatives. With the success of the Seasoned Spoon as Waterloo’s inspiration, some of the successes could be adapted to the Eco-Café, to create a space that’s more than just an eatery. cdavidson@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Joanna Sevilla
Arts
Talking “Green” with Dr. Ken Coates, the Dean of Arts Maggie Clark editor-in-chief
How do sustainability initiatives manifest inside the Faculty of Arts? There are three different ways environmentalism is covered in our classrooms: One, through courses dedicated to the subject. Two, through the kinds of questions and discussions, and course units, that emerge in broader classes. Three, you have a course where a professor’s personal value-system permeates into the coursework as a whole. So we’ve seen a lot of great initiatives across the board — in history classes, for example, as well as some very strong showings in English — because of the many different ways we can tackle the subject. There are [also] lots of initiatives within the faculty, outside of coursework, but [they are] really taken on an individual level. We have faculty and staff making a real effort to change their personal habits, like carpooling or biking to work instead of taking the car. As for more official or formalized initiatives, not so much. But you’ll get some departments where the habits of certain faculty members run over. For instance, Dr. Kevin McGuirk, the chair of English, has tackled reducing paper usage in the office, and Tim Kenyon of Philosophy is just great — I don’t know about his office policies, but he makes a concerted effort to match his beliefs with his day-to-day life. And I really think you’ll find that with a lot of people in the faculty.
Number of respondents, by willingness to support environmental initiatives (Yes, No, or Indifferent) in their faculty financially.
Green thoughts from students and staff in...
On a scale of one to ten, with “ten” being very important, how important do you feel environmental sustainability should be to your faculty? And are you willing to see more of your faculty’s financial resources dedicated to environmental sustainability?
Indifferent No Yes
Where “ten” means students think environmental sustainability should be very important to their faculty. survey data by cindy ward
66 students answered initially for the Faculty of Arts, but we’ll be adding to these numbers throughout the next 10 weeks, while also collecting data for other faculties. See how opinions across campus match up as we go!
Are there any plans to introduce more formal initiatives across the faculty, or do you feel satisfied with current approaches to environmentalism in your faculty? Not satisfied, no, because what I think we could really benefit from is a formal discussion. Having a discussion or debate about these kinds of matters, and how we’re handling them so far, would, I think, really help to crystallize the ideas of faculty and staff. And what I really want is for us to hook [these ideas] up with what our students want their faculty to be doing. I mean, what we’re dealing with here, with issues of sustainability and environmentalism, are really matters of profound urgency, and we need people to be thinking about these issues not just in a broad way, but also on a concrete, individual level.
Arts
Engineering
Math
Architecture
Environment (ES)
Applied Health Studies
Are there energy-reduction initiatives at work in the faculty? Not so much on a formal level, but again, we have some great people working in the faculty. Our plant manager, for instance, is always thinking about selecting different stage and sound technologies for performance arts — technologies that will reduce our overall impact on the environment. I think you’d find the same thing across the board, for most faculties. What do you feel is required on a campus-wide level, with regard to sustainability initiatives? What we really need here is more of a ground-swell of support from faculty and staff. And, well, pressure from the students, too. And we’re not there yet. What is needed are a lot of faculty and staff and students all working in the same direction — which is, really, to raise the standard of understanding and to increase our university’s commitment to environmentalism across the board. Last term students were working to get a Sustainability Office on campus, and I think the world of these students. But it’s not more administration that we need ... so much as just a really big change in the culture. We need as many people as possible to become a part of that more conscious, environmentally aware community. And the real way to do that is to work on the force of “Idea,” to implement that new way of thinking and living on an individual and communal level in UW. I would love to see the University of Waterloo and the Faculty of arts to be exemplars of changing the culture. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Our financial resources should go to education and research. Let the polluting corporations, car owners and other major sources of pollutants pay for the damage. — J. Moses Though it may cost me money I cannot necessarily afford now, I do view this as investing in my future. This is a way I can do my part to help future generations. — Erin Campbell UW is expensive enough. Do I really have to pay to keep this place green? — K. S. I believe that the environmental issues should be taken into account as our future generations should not pay for our mistakes. — Christina Stewart
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
An eclectic collection
courtesy of KWAG
Liz Robinson’s Memory, Consciousness, and Imagination at kw|ag Christine Ogley staff reporter
T
he Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery (kw|ag) has been running a quilted exhibition called The Grand National: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow since May 9, 2008 and will continue to exhibit it until July 6. This exhibition is unique not only in the materials used, but also in the wide variety of community members and artists featured. There are over 60 quilts on display, with only a few artists submitting more than one piece. The Grand National has been put on yearly by the kw|ag and Joseph Schneider Haus since 2003. Beyond such official details, The Grand National is an inspiring and insightful exhibit. The variety of works capture the eclectic interests, thoughts, and skills of the various contribu-
tors. Technically, each piece includes a quilted element, but many pieces include other artistic mediums as well. Materials used include taffeta, linen, cotton, yarn, buttons, ribbons, copper pipe, wood, paper, tyvek, wrapped pipe cleaners, keys, found objects, cheese cloth, paint, tulle, doilies, burned felt, and bubble wrap (among others.) The general theme starts as a reflection on time itself, the past and future, and what the passage of time means to the artist. Two other popular themes at the show are environmental issues and personal histories. My personal favourite, Landfill, by Joanne Young, reflects on our relationship to the earth through garbage. Young uses many different materials and fabrics, constructing the sense of both an earthy, warm creation, and a scrap heap. Overlaying fabric resembling twigs and branches is another fabric cut
and shaped to resemble chicken wire. The short explanation provided by the artist beside wonders what legacy we leave to the earth and the future by burying our garbage, referring to
crows. Some other notable pieces include African Proverbs, by Rippa Moore, Amazing Grace, by Maureen Kay, and Hanging By a Thread, by Sonia Bukata. Moore’s piece, while I didn’t happen to catch the themed connection (although I can surmise), deals with folk sayings from all over the African continent. People are depicted batik-style, with a proverb and its country of origin below them. These depicitions are laid over loose woven backgrounds. Some gems from this piece are; “Work is good, provided you do not forget to live.” and “the bitter heart eats its owner.” Kay’s piece is a symbolic tribute and thank you to Nelson Mandela, visually depicting South African apartheid, as well as Mandela’s influence in ending it.
Bukata’s piece was one of the more disturbing as well as moving pieces, dealing with her efforts at moving beyond her past, as well as looking back to it. Bukata is a survivor of WWII from the Ukraine. The piece features a rope noose, a large wooden branch, and gauzy fabric sewn over fabric black and white pictures, with sewn words underneath. The sheer fabric leaves the observer with a sense of looking at something not quite real, remembered, and perhaps lost or changed through memory. The sense of struggle, despair, and strength is palpable in this piece, as it hangs large and ominous in the gallery. Another favourite of mine, was a piece called Earthbound, by Jill Buckley. It portrays our connection to the Earth, and our need to protect it for tomorrow, says the artist. But even without this message, the image is fantastic. A female figure/tree extends her roots deep into the soil, in front of a surreal, colourful sky. The artist has stitched circles all throughout this ‘soil,’ giving the effect of, well, rocks and soil. As with many of the pieces, stitching is used extensively to portray the image desired. Some stitching is done to hold different scraps of fabric together, while other stitching is done upon the same fabric to create an intensely intricate pattern. A final piece I will mention, out of the 60 plus pieces, is Westmount Blanketed by HBC, by the Westmount Quilter’s Guild. This piece inspires a bit of tongue-in-cheek chuckling, as it uses a contemporary HBC (Hudson’s Bay Company, formerly) blanket to explore pioneers and traders around Westmount. The blanket is cut up and reconstructed, with pioneers, canoes, snowshoes and geography sewn on. The juxtaposition of contemporary brand-name imagery with the actual history of the brand is something that you need to see face-to-face for the art to do its magic. The Grand National exhibition runs until July 6, and admission for adults is only $6. There are truly a lot of pieces to see, and the amount of detail on each piece demands at the very least an hour to see the whole exhibition. (I’d recommend quite a bit more than an hour if you really want to appreciate the displayed quilts.) A few of the pieces go beyond quilts, including hand-sewn dolls, fabricated moths, and a record with an antique film-spinner. The Grand National features so many different styles and subjects that everybody is sure to find something they love. Kw|ag is open 106 p.m. daily, 1-5 p.m. Sundays, and extended hours on May 30 and 31. cogley@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Some rhythm for your rhythms
I
was in Grade 12; her name was Joanna. We were making out on the living room couch when she asked me if I wanted to “go upstairs.” I answered with a slight hesitation — purposely — so I wouldn’t look too eager, then nodded with a firm “yeah.” We ascended to her bedroom, her walls were filled with your typical high-school girl essentials — pictures with friends, stuffed animals, make-up, and a gigantic poster of J.T. She opened up her top drawer, reached to the back, and pulled out a black velvet box. Inside was one condom buried beneath a litter of love letters that I had written her over the course of the six months we had been dating. She approached me. I was nervous; she was nervous. We were nervous. I asked her if she had any music, and she grabbed the closest CD and hit play. That night, I lost my virginity to a Beyoncé Knowles album. I’ll spare you the awkward details of my first time; however, looking back, I will always remember that first time, not because of its
monumental significance as a defining moment in my sexual life, but rather because of the music. Say what you want about my self-absorbed, narcissistic personality, you can’t deny that music truly is the soundtrack to our lives. Some of the best, worst, and most memorable sex that I have ever had was heavily influenced by the music playing in the background. That said, sex and music are mutually inclusive. The genre of music you listen to during sex, can completely dictate the speed, tempo, and environmen. For example, if you and your partner end up in the bedroom after a romantic evening and are aiming for a long, meaningful fuck, an appropriate genre would be Motown soul or avant-garde jazz. Personally, a fitting choice would be either Marvin Gaye’s album entitled What’s Going On or Charles Mingus’s classic Pithecanthropus Erectus. Conversely, if you’re caught in the midst of a heated one-night stand, some Daft Punk or Justice could potentially amplify your already promiscuous encounter. However, if you were to play any form of country
music, it would probably make your partner want to fuck your ugly roommate instead. By playing the wrong music you could potentially skew your sexual experience. For example, if you’re really into metal and your partner is an appreciator of Radiohead, a train wreck of a conflict could arise. While you’re thrusting to Rammstein’s “Du Hast,” you’re partner may be experiencing a lousy, anti-climatic lay. Thus, it is essential as a good lover to recognize your partner’s feelings and preferences so that they can enjoy doing the dirty as much as you would. Frequently, sex is conducted without the accompaniment of music, but rather, to the sounds of your local geography. This could include the sounds of your roommate watching re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond and hearing the distinct, whinny voice of Ray Romano. By choosing to fuck without music as a complement, you risk exposing your personal insecurities. If you can hear what’s going on outside the bedroom, you better believe someone can hear what’s going
on inside the bedroom. Music, like sex, exerts a myriad of feelings and emotions. It describes and influences how we feel, as well as covers up our personal insecurities. By playing music while having sex, you could avoid any potential awkward silence between you and your partner — if there was ever a reason for such a thing — but more importantly, you are providing an adequate buffer zone between your social and your sexual world. Sex. You want it. You hate it. You had it. You love it. Music. You listen, you sing, you dance, you fuck. Like Adam and Eve, sex and music is a tandem that will forever be bound together. So the next time you’re about to go at it, be real, be smart, be safe, but most importantly, be conscious of your choice of music. A great playlist along with a good bottle of wine can turn your session into something hypnotic. hcolosimo@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Arts & Entertainment
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Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Fresh new webcomics!
movie review
O Iron Man Jon Favreau Marvel Studios
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he summer’s first blockbuster movie has hit theatres, and if you’re still deciding whether to go see it, you’ve already waited too long! Iron Man had an explosive opening weekend haul and deservedly so. This movie is enjoyable for everyone, from the casual moviegoer to the die-hard comic book fan. The movie begins with a look at our soon-to-be hero Tony Stark; billionaire, genius inventor, playboy, self-absorbed jerkwad, and owner of Stark Industries: the top weapons manufacturing company in America. After a demonstration of their latest missile, the Jericho, their entourage is attacked by a terrorist group and Stark is captured. Turns out the bad guys want this missile too, and are force him to make one for them. But, they will soon learn that the last things you want to give an imprisoned, genius weapons designer are the tools to make one as Stark proceeds to build a giant mechanical suit that enables him to bust out. Upon his return though, it seems that his eyes have been opened — thanks to a fellow prisoner who saved his life. He wants to shut down the weapons division of his company, but being the CEO apparently isn’t enough. So what does a billionaire industrialist do when his company is practically running itself? Use his amazing wealth to make a suit and gadgets to fight crime, that’s what! Batman did it too, you know! But in all fairness, Batman’s technologies can’t hold a candle to Iron Man’s. I mean,
grappling hooks and shark repellants are great and all, but I’d choose mach-speed flight capabilities over those any day. The suit as well as everything it shoots, looks absolutely amazing, thanks to the good people at Industrial Light & Magic; the special effects studio behind Transformers. Perhaps the greatest component of Iron Man, the one that propels it above most other superhero movies, is the superb acting. Robert Downey Jr.’s sarcastic and sometimes downright smug sense of humour is a perfect match to Tony Stark’s character, and keeps the audience entertained during the scenes where things aren’t being blown up. There is plenty of chemistry between him and all the other characters, be it the equally witty assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow), or Stark’s buddy Jim Rhodes (Terrence Howard). And let’s not forget Obadiah Stane, a bald, goateed Jeff Bridges playing Stark’s mentor and eventual enemy (normally, this would be a spoiler, but it is so obvious from the very first three seconds of laying eyes on him). Iron Man is an astounding opening to the summer movie season, and with fanboys and critics alike cheering it on, you can expect it to be running in theatres for a long time to come. Finally, I’d like to end with a spoilerific sentence for all the Marvel fans out there who haven’t already scoured the internet to find this information. Ironman 2 and 3 are in the works. Also, stay ‘til after the credits; there is a little scene that will make anyone who knows anything about Marvel nearly piss themselves. — Rajul Saleh
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ne thing I really enjoy about webcomics is that there’s always a chance of a new one being made — that is, until the end of the internet. What I love about it in terms of my column is that it also gives me something to write about if I can’t think of anything else. Every once in a while, there are some gems that emerge, and it usually takes some time before they’re either well-known or left in the dust. To prevent the latter from happening, I’d like to suggest some really cool comics and artists that I’ve found. Take a look at them and tell me what you think! I’ve become a recent fan of Kate Beaton, www.katebeaton.com, over the past months. A Canadian comicist, she’s mostly known for her History Project collections that first appeared on her LiveJournal account, taking a really comedic spin on the events of world history. For example, my favourite comic from her would have to be on Nikola Tesla as the brilliant, celibate scientist that women want. Her artwork is, I’ll admit, very rough around the edges, but the themes of Beaton’s comics stand out and can get away with it. If you’re a fan of wit, sharp writing, and CBC references, I’d highly recommend checking out her work. One comic that is fairly new — which is currently at forty pages or so — is a comic called Gtrood by Ty Halley, www.gtrood.com. A blackand-white comic drawn in Adobe Flash, it takes a dark humour twist into the world of life, politics, and sociology. It’s the kind of humour
that’ll make you cringe and laugh at the same time, so it’s definitely a “not for children” comic. As to the origin of the name, which I currently don’t know how to pronounce, I’d like to take a sample from the site’s “About” page written by Halley: “The name Gtrood comes from an online conversation I had with my friend Chris; he misspelled ‘good’ as ‘gtrood’ and for some reason we decided that Gtrood was some obscure anime that only hardcore anime fans knew about. I ended up buying the URL and putting together a fictitious ‘official website’ so I could tell Chris that the series was done with filler, and it was announced on the site.” I can’t stop laughing when I read these comics, which makes me afraid for my sanity. I wish Halley the best of luck with his comic. The last comic I’ll talk about is so new, I’m still not sure what kind of story it is. Strange Someone by Kel McDonald and Mia Paluzzi, www. strangesomeone.com, is about a girl named Liz who is interviewing a nurse for a romance novel she’s planning, but all is not what it seems. The artwork is really stylish and it looks like it’s going to be a neat story, but that’s pretty much all I can tell you about it. Keep your eyes open because the comic has some really good potential. These are three new webcomic artists that are less than six months old. While they’re pretty new, I have a lot of hope for them, and I won’t be surprised if I’m still reading these works years later. ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Book Review Into The Mist Patrick Carman Scholastic
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his is the first book in the second trilogy set in the Land of Elyon. It can either be seen as a prequel to The Dark Hills Divide or as a new beginning in a new saga. It really is in part both. In this book Alexa Daley and Yipes from the first series are on a sea voyage with Thomas Warvold, brother to the late Rolan Warvold. This book is the tale of Rolan and Thomas and their journey from being orphans in a house on the hill, to being respective leaders and adventurers in their own right. Our three adventurers are on a voyage — yet Thomas has not told Alexa or Yipes where they are going. He does tell them the story of how he got to be the captain of the Warvick Beacon. He also tells them the tale of his adventures with his brother when they were younger. The brothers journey from being little more than slave labourers to travels under the world, over mountains, and into a magical land where you do not grow old.
All the while, the readers know that they are being told this story, because Thomas had a task in store for Alexa and Yipes, a task related to his past and a task that must be faced. Evil has been released in the land of Elyon and a battle between good and evil is approaching be-
tween Elyon and Abaddon. A battle that once again young Alexa and her friend Yipes will have to decide to choose, either bravery and face the challenge at hand, or perish. There are many great facets of Carman’s writings. First is his smooth fluid prose. Second is the wonderful word pictures he creates in the readers mind and third, his stories center around normal people being called on to stretch their limits. It is not the classic story of the giant battle between good and evil. It is about small battles with people fighting to do right and learn from their own pasts. His stories have life leasons that can be applicable to almost any reader, yet written in such a way that he never preaches at the reader. The battles are between good and evil without it being a cosmic battle for the whole universe, the whole planet or in this case the land of Elyon. This book is a great read for a reader of any age, and since it is the first in a new trilogy, it will leave you wanting and eagerly awaiting the next instalment. — Steven R. McEvoy
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
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cd review
Pretty. Odd. Panic at the Disco Fueled by Ramen
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uying this CD wasn’t an easy choice for me. I remember their last album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, as being a bit harsh on my ears. The lyrics were kind of neat, but usually I follow melodies and harmonies more than words when I listen to music. Stuff from Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy isn’t the music I usually listen to. But a few months ago, I stumbled upon some YouTube making-of videos of their newest album and was a bit intrigued; they had a new sound. So the initial purpose of buying this album was pure curiosity and the hope that I would not have buyer’s remorse later in the day. Fortunately, the new sound of Panic’s album — while finally taking out that weirdlyplaced exclamation point — is an amazing improvement. Every song completely surprised me; there is virtually no electronica, the other band mates actually sing together in chorus at parts (with Alex Ross sometimes taking
over for Brandon Urie on lead vocals), and the music is cheerful and bright instead of cryptic and eerie. Hell, even the track names are shorter and easier to remember, which made me heave a sigh of relief rather than a gasp for air. Taking cues from classic rock sounds, and using their already-equipped (and improved) knowledge on composing, Pretty. Odd. actually made me believe I was listening to The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Of course, it makes perfect sense too, once I learned from the album credits that the amazing orchestra parts were recorded in Abbey Road Studios back in London, England. The track, “I Have Friends in Holy Spaces,” is probably my favourite song on the album, recorded in a lo-fi radio style with Urie on vocals and ukulele next to a ragtime accompaniment. It reminded me of the intermission track on the last album, and reminded me that although the band’s sound is new, the band is still the same composers from years past. It’s really refreshing to hear the other band mates sing. Ross’ vocals, I find, are better than Urie’s voice, being a bit more somber in tone. The variety of instruments are refreshing too, going from orchestrated brass and strings to clean guitar and harmonica. Songs blend in to each other, making it feel like the passing of night and day, rain and sunshine. It almost reminds me of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Mind you, it’s not that good, but it’s almost at that point. It’s safe to say that I don’t regret buying this album. In fact, it was well worth it. If you’re like me, a guy who is usually distant from such bands, I’d say to at least give this album a shot. — Peter Trinh
Narrow Stairs Death Cab for Cutie Atlantic
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’ve always been a sucker for the sound of Ben Gibbard’s voice and his sensitive lyrics, much like emotionally needy girls and children in pet stores glancing at newborn puppies through the window. Long before Death Cab For Cutie became a staple of most listeners CD players, iPod’s, and before they were featured on The OC, they were carving out a new form of melodic pop music in the intellectually smart, politically liberal geographic region of the Northwestern United States. Over ten years and six full-length albums later, Death Cab, along with Coldplay, have become the faces and saviours for major record labels in terms of sales. As for the music itself, what makes Narrow Stairs a decent album is that Ben Gibbard, Chris Walla, and the rest of Death Cab have become better songwriters and musicians over time. Part of the reason why they have maintained such a strong and supportive fan base is because they are still capable of writing and arranging great pop
songs. Narrow Stairs exceeds itself in its ability to remain intact over the course of its 11 tracks. Lead guitarist, Chris Walla, and bassist, Nick Harmer, deserve much of the credit for the catchy riffs and driving bass lines respectively. On the album opener ,“Bixby Canyon Bridge,” we are immediately exposed to Gibbard’s attention to detail through his animated lyrics that intertwine so appropriately with a clean guitar riff and a pulsating harmony. The first single and preceding track “I Will Possess Your Heart” emphasizes Death Cab’s ability to create dynamic music. With an ever-building yet repetitive bass riff, the song eventually breaks into its verse after four minutes and thirty-four seconds with the lyrics, “How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me.” Thus showcasing that even after going platinum, Ben Gibbard is still a romantic. Where Narrow Stairs differs from preceding albums is with its darker, less “poppy” overtones. Most recognizably, the album lacks the immediate catchiness in which previous albums Transatlanticism and We Have the Facts and are Voting Yes thrived. However, the record is more complete front to back than its precursor Plans with a balanced and flowing track list. The most impressive tracks of the album “Cath…” hints at early sounds of Death Cab while tracks “Grapevine Fires” and album closer “The Ice Is Getting Thinner” provide listeners with soft, lyrically cliché songs — which were part of the reason why we started listening to the band in the first place. If you are a Death Cab for Cutie fan and thought Plans was an exceptional record, Narrow Stairs should satisfy your musical and emotional yearnings. Or, if you are like me and the needy girls in pet shops, you can’t help but listen and enjoy — despite your better judgment. — Hunter Colosimo
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
A nanotechnology future starts here
joyce hsu
Above, one envisioning of the still-to-be-built Nanotechnology building, which is intended for the B2 green. Construction efforts are still in the preliminary phase, but a new director, Dr. Arthur J. Carty, has already been appointed to head the developing institute. Adrienne Raw science and technology editor
“A
global centre of excellence for nanotechnology and its applications.,” that is Dr. Arthur J. Carty’s vision for the future of the new Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology. Carty, a former chemistry professor and dean of research at UW, began his role as the institute’s first executive director on the first of this month. “It’s a surprise and a nice surprise,” Carty said of his new position. He also called the position “a new challenge, and it’s an exciting new challenge.” Though construction on the $120 million joint nanotechnology and quantum computing building hasn’t even begun, Carty is already hard at work on making his vision of the centre a reality. “This is a position where I think they’re expecting vision and leadership for a new organization,” Carty said. “Nanotechnology is an emerging, enabling approach to things. It’s the science and technology of material devices and systems that are very, very small — one billionth of a metre,” said Carty. Nanotechnology “will ultimately have an impact on many sectors of industry and society.” Applications of nanotechnology include new medical diagnostic devices and new materials for aerospace, automobiles, and energy storage. “Why is it exciting?” asked Carty. “Well, because it’s right at the forefront[…] the absolute leading edge of science.” Imagine the possibilities. A patient with brain cancer swallows a nanoparticle (a tiny particle with a least dimension smaller than one micron) containing a magnetic material (like a compound of iron) and a medical drug. With the aid of the magnetic material, the nanoparticle can be directed to exactly where it needs to go. The drug can then be released to affect only the cancer and not the surrounding tissue. But like any new technology, there are potential dangers involved in nanotechnology.
Nanomaterials are very small — small enough to potentially pass through membrane barriers. Though there is currently no conclusive evidence that nanomaterials have a negative impact on human health, possible toxic effects must be taken into consideration. Using nanoparticles for drug delivery is just one of the many areas of research the Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology will pursue. “From the research already underway, there are both fundamental discoveries being made in nanotechnology, but also potential applications being explored,” said Carty. Due to Waterloo’s strong connection with the industry sector, Carty feels that “Waterloo’s unique contribution to nanotechnology may be more towards the application side than it would be to the fundamental science of nanotechnology.” UW’s connection with industry is just one of the factors that make it an ideal home for the new Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology. “Waterloo has a unique opportunity in many ways because it’s already a strong group of researchers here who have interest in nanotechnology and interests in either the fundamentals of nanotechnology — the fundamental science — or the applications of nanotechnology.” Though UW already has a “good core of people” according to Carty, part of his responsibilities as the institute’s executive director will be to hire more people, including three endowed chairs. “Vision and leadership means that you find the best people, find the appropriate people for what you want to create,” said Carty. What Carty wants to create is an environment at the Nanotechnology Institute, “to make people as productive as they possibly can be.” The kind of environment he envisions is “an environment of trust, of co-operation, and collaboration. “It’s not so much people contributing individually,” he said, “but contributing creatively as part of a whole.” The idea of a creative team reflects the interdisciplinary nature of nanotechnology. One of the benefits of an interdisciplinary field is
the opportunities it presents for the interaction and involvement of others, from researchers to industry, both on and off campus. “One of the missions of the institute will be to reach out and build collaborative relationships with other nanocentres both in Canada and outside,” said Carty. Interest has already been shown by the Albany NanoTech at the University of Albany and one of the Indian institutes of technology. “How do we maximize the synergy by getting people to work in teams on projects where they can bring their unique skills to bear in a way that wouldn’t be possible if they weren’t working together?” Carty asked. This question will be at the heart of his vision of the institute. “The key to success,” he said, “will be not just how many good individual researchers that we have at Waterloo, but how we can mould that into a cohesive forefront effort.” Carty certainly has the experience he’ll need to make the Waterloo Institute of Nanotechnology a success. Born and educated in the U.K., Carty received his doctorate in chemistry from Nottingham University. After he came to Canada in 1965, Carty spent two years as an assistant professor at Memorial University before coming to UW in 1967. Over the next 27 years he spent at UW, Carty was promoted to professor, served as the chairman of the chemistry department for six years and as the dean of research from 1989 to 1994, and was the first director of the Guelph-Waterloo Centre for Graduate Work in Chemistry. In 1994, Carty became the president of the National Research Council, Canada’s principal federal research and development organization, where he stayed for 10 years. In 2004, he was appointed national science advisor to the prime minister, then national science advisor to the government of Canada. It is his considerable experience and his reputation more than his past work in nanotechnology that Carty feels resulted in his placement at the Nanotechnology Institute. But Carty’s new placement is certainly not the first time he’s been involved with nanotechnology. “It’s not new to me,” he said, “but it’s a new
challenge.” When he was president of the National Research Council the group started a national institute of nanotechnology through a joint effort with the University of Alberta, the government of Alberta, and the government of Canada. He has given talks about nanotechnology ever since. Carty has also done extensive work in “bottom up design and engineering.” His group, he said, “has principally been involved in making new molecules and making new compounds and determining their properties.” Carty’s past experience directing a large research and development institute (the National Research Council) will be a significant benefit in his new role. His duties will consist of providing vision and leadership for the institute, as well as minimizing conflict, securing funding for research, and directing the future of the institute. One of the future initiatives Carty has on his mind is a community outreach program. “[Outreach] is important for a number of reasons,” said Carty, “first of all because the public should know about what’s going on in nanotechnology, what its implications are for our society and our economy, and also the potential risks and dangers of nanotechnology. So entering into a dialogue with the public from the beginning when the institute’s forming will be important.” The institute’s interaction with, and contributions to, the public are key concerns of Carty’s. “The primary goal [of the institute] will be to put nanoscience and nanotechnology to work for the benefit of society through both fundamental and applied studies,” he said. Though nanotechnology research is already well underway at UW, the new building won’t likely be completed until 2010. Until then, Carty’s major challenges will be handling space and collaboration. And what does Carty see as the future of the Institute of Nanotechnology? “Great potential. Great future.” araw@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Taylor Helferty staff reporter
Microsoft releases MessengerTV
With social video services becoming more popular, it isn’t surprising that Microsoft has made its own — and integrated it tightly with its popular instant messaging service. Microsoft has released the new MessengerTV to join the ranks of features in Windows Live Messenger. This social video service allows users to watch videos together — ranging from TV shows to movies to viral videos (no, not viruses, short clips of popular content, the likes of which you see on YouTube) — and share their experiences. Although the program requires a fair amount of computational power, it serves its purpose by letting you watch a
Adrienne Raw science and technology editor
Pheonix to land on Mars in less than two week
The Pheonix Mars Mission, NASA’s first attempt at a powered landing on the red planet since the disappearance of the Mars Polar Lander in 1999, will land on Mars in less than two weeks. The University of Arizona led, $420 million project is the first Mars mission aimed at the northern polar region of the planet where orbiting cameras have detected subsurface ice. Scientists are hopeful that the presence of ice means they will find a habitat that is or was favourable for life. Though the Pheonix Lander won’t be able to confirm the presence of life, it will be able to confirm whether the environment is favourable for life, laying the groundwork for further missions to Mars. But first the spacecraft must survive the perilous journey through the martian atmosphere — a journey that scientists and engineers call “the seven minutes of terror.” There is reason to be concerned. Of the three dozen international missions to Mars launched since 1960, less than half of them have been successful. The Pheonix Lander is due to enter the Martian atmosphere on May 25. Record high levels of carbon dioxide reported
Scientists at the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii have reported record high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. According to the figures published by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, carbon dioxide levels have reached 387 parts per million. That number is the highest for approximately the last
video with a friend on Windows Live Messenger, comment on it, and share reactions with relative ease and enjoyment. This is something I’m sure Flight of the Conchords fans everywhere are sure to love. Not to mention the usage of phrases such as “OMFG” and “lolz” are going to be on the rise . . . again. Will ReactOS mark the end of Windows?
Probably not, but it’s an interesting project nonetheless. ReactOS looks to create an open source — free — operating system that is completely compatible with Windows XP. This way, people would have a free alternative to Windows without having to sacrifice favourite programs or having to relearn an entire operating system. Although the project is still
650,000 years. These figures also confirm that carbon dioxide levels are rising much faster than previously anticipated. Scientists fear the increase in carbon dioxide levels is a precursor to more drastic climate change and means that the Earth won’t be able to absorb nearly as much emissions as predicted in coming years. Consequently, carbon dioxide emissions will have to be reduced by more than currently projected to prevent a dangerous increase in global warming. A recent study has attributed the increase in carbon dioxide emissions to growth in the world’s economy, heavy use of coal in China, and a weakening of the natural “sinks” that absorb carbon. Robot designed for cold competes for prize in innovation
The Polar system, a robot designed to operate in sub-zero temperatures while caring for millions of biological samples, is one of the four finalists that will compete for the MacRobert award. The U.K. Biobank is already using the Polar system in its studies of debilitating diseases. The robot system is capable of caring for 10 million human blood and fluid samples for 25 years at -805°C. It already contains data from 100,000 volunteers and the UK Biobank is planning to collect samples from 500,000 more. The medical research facility will use the samples to investigate life-threatening illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. The MacRobert prize, awarded for technological and engineering innovation, will be given out on June 9. Drought reveals flooded medieval village
The massive Sau reservoir, a vital source
in its alpha development phase, the next release — still not complete, but intended for everyday use — is due this month, and people are working on making it fully functional as soon as possible. If it works, who knows? Maybe it could shove Microsoft off its operating system pedestal. Even if it doesn’t succeed in that, it will be pretty handy for all those students wanting a change that doesn’t cost them hundreds of dollars.
to use Canadian rock legend Young’s name for his music, but also for his sociopolitical actions. In a press release, Bond explains, “I really enjoy his music and have a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice.” Not only is Neil Young a rock legend, but he now has a name for himself in the science world as well. I’m curious if the name will make people less afraid of spiders: “Ah, I think I just stepped on Neil Young.”
New spider species named after Neil Young
Wind energy could power 20 per cent of U.S. grid
Okay, so it’s not completely relevant to the science and technology world, but it’s still pretty badass. A new species of trap door spider discovered in Alabama by East Carolina University biologist Jason Bond has been named Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi. Bond didn’t only decide
The Department of Energy released a new report stating that wind turbines could produce 300 gigawatts of energy by 2030. That much electricity could power 20 per cent of the US power grid. Not only would it reduce carbon emissions from electricity
production by 25 per cent, but it would also drop water consumption by about four trillion gallons at the cost of about $6 U.S. per person each year. Although the idea of reducing coal and water consumption by that much is nice, there is criticism surrounding the inconsistency of wind. Unlike coal and natural gas, wind can’t continuously produce an amount of electricity. Wind doesn’t always blow; it comes and goes. Even with this drawback, wind and solar thermal power remain the only renewable technologies that can produce power at the utility-scale. It just needs to be worked out how to continuously make 300 gigawatts. I smell a new project for UW engineering students in the wind (bad pun definitely intended). thelferty@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
of water in the mountains about Barcelona, has sunk low enough the reveal the ruins of a medieval village sunk beneath the water since the reservoir was flooded in the 1960s. The huddle of ancient buildings stands testament to the severity of Spain’s drought. This year is the driest since Spain began keeping records 60 years and the reservoir currently holds on 18 per cent of its normal capacity. Spain has been forced to resort to bringing in water by giant tanker ships to top off supplies. Climate change threatens mountain dwelling butterfly
Warmer temperatures in the mountainous regions of Scotland are forcing the UK’s only mountain dwelling species of butterfly, the mountain ringlet, further up the hillsides in search of cooler temperatures. Butterfly conservationists fear that the butterfly will eventually run out mountain to retreat to and become extinct in Scotland. Butterfly Conservation Scotland is appealing to the public to report sightings of the butterfly so conservationists can determine which species are hiding in the hills. — with files from The Arizona Republic, The Guardian, and BBC News araw@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
erectile dysfunction Now that you’re spooked, let’s talk about peeling away the stigma
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ost people are familiar with Viagra, its hopeful blue diamond shape easily associated with healthy erections worldwide. Since receiving government approval for sale in 1998, for temporary removal of erectile dysfunction (ED), Viagra has become so mainstream that commercials advertising the drug as universally relevant were recently aired on television. The commercials portrayed people excitedly babbling in Viagra-language, which evidently transcended all other languages, about the effectiveness of the drug. Despite their ineffective humour, the commercials played an important role in beginning to peel away the stigma of erectile dysfunction. Have you ever heard the phrase, “one in three men experience difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection?” It is often used, but Canadian research suggests that accurate statistics on how many men suffer from erectile dysfunction are seriously lacking, while some doctors estimate that about half of men aged 40 to 70 have frequent problems achieving or maintaining an erection. With numbers like these, it is easily recognizable
that erectile dysfunction is not a humorous disadvantage, but a realistic condition affecting many adults. Interestingly enough, information provided on InteliHealth shows that one in three men with mild to moderate erectile dysfunction do not respond to the use of Viagra at all. This has created an abundance of other drugs ready to step up to the plate, such as Levitra and Cialis. All three come from a family of PED5 inhibitors that inhibit the degradation of cystic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a substance that is produced during sexual stimulation and contributes to the formation of an erection. These drugs also increase the amount of blood flow to the penis, which makes responding to sexual arousal and achieving an erection much easier. Just like men, women need blood flow to the genitals to achieve sexual arousal, making Viagra a drug suitable for both genders. CNN reported that women taking Viagra experienced “enhanced lubrication, less pain, more arousal, and [fewer] problems with orgasm.” Although the drug has not been approved for use by
females, studies are underway to determine the advantages and hazards of Viagra for the female body. Just like the advantages of Viagra, its side effects are not partial to any gender taking the product — both males and females report common instances of headache, skin flushes, nasal congestion and stomach indigestion after taking the drug. The less common side effects of Viagra, according to Mark Cichocki, R.N., include dizziness, bladder pain, cloudy or bloody urine, pain during urination and diarrhea. Only in rare instances has Viagra use been linked to convulsions, anxiety, decreased or double vision, blue tint present in vision and prolonged or inappropriate erection of the penis. In addition, combining Viagra and Nitroglycerin, which are often administered to angina patients and people suffering from chest pains, is strictly prohibited as it can be lethal as a result of decreased blood pressure. But Viagra is not limited to treating ED alone. In February 2007, BBC News reported that Lewis Goodfellow was born 16 weeks prematurely, weighing just 1lb 8oz. After one of
Lewis’ lungs collapsed and not enough oxygen was able to access the bloodstream, the parents were told there was no hope for the child, until Viagra was administered as a last-minute resort, successfully opening blood vessels in the baby’s lungs. He is now safely at home with his parents in Tyneside, UK, who proudly call him a “little miracle” despite realizing the baby may develop health complications as a result of the premature birth. It is clear that Viagra should not be underestimated. With a decade of FDA approval celebrated in 2008, this little blue pill has not exhausted its medical uses and is bound to expand the scope of its patients in the upcoming years. Fun fact: The blue diamond shape of Viagra is a registered trademarked of Pfizer Inc, meaning that it is a symbol identifying the product which may not be reproduced or marketed without permission of the owner. Therefore, Viagra is the only legal blue diamond-shape pill on the market. alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Academic procrastination ... and links to threat aversion. But what are you so afraid of?
I
t’s the beginning of the summer term, that blessed period of time when students’ optimism overwhelms their sense of reality and makes them believe that this is the term they will write all their assignments early, get all their readings done on time, and be perfect, over achieving, transcript-padding machines. A few short weeks from now, many of us will have shed our idealistic notions and surrendered to a pattern of late night cramming and churning out last minute, caffeine-infused essays. For some, this is a revolving, never-ending pattern of behaviour — and patterns of behaviour are just what the study of psychology is all about. Procrastination has been the subject of a wide body of psychological research. If you type “Academic Procrastination” into Google Scholar, you might be surprised to find 11,100 articles available through that search engine alone. This, of course, is a narrowed search from the larger topic of “Procrastination,” and largely leaves out studies into why we put off doing the laundry, or walking the dog, or getting out of bed, or the million and one other things that we always “get done later,” focusing on students’ procrastination at school. This amount of attention given to such a narrow topic may surprise some — but may also indicate just how prevalent the phenomenon is. Many students would agree, no doubt, that procrastination is a part of university life. School administrators and academic advisors are often faced with how to address the deleterious effects that it has on students’ performance. Although the body of literature on the subject is dense and, at times, a subject of debate among researchers, you might want to take the time to consider a few patterns of data that you may have not previously considered. For example, research has shown that there are a number of factors that procrastinators report as motivating what some may call their “lack of motivation.” One particular theory that some students may not be quick to identify in themselves, but that seems eerily familiar upon further introspection is a fear of failure. Research has shown that different people procrastinate for different reasons, but this particular theory posits that, for some people, procrastination is a function of threat aversion. A very simplified way of considering this idea is this: a. Failure sucks and generally people are anxious about the possibility of it happening. b. To avoid these feelings of anxiety, some
joyce hsu
people may put off addressing the issue by avoiding the task entirely. c. Another way of avoiding these feelings of anxiety may be to attribute failure to an external source — by waiting until the last minute to do an assignment, a student may be able to blame a poor grade on the time constraints and not on themselves — effectively taking the pressure off themselves by saying “I didn’t get a bad grade because I suck, I got it because I wrote it the night before. I could’ve smoked it if I had more time.” This line of thinking, at least temporarily, mediates anxiety and protects the student’s self-esteem from the affects of self-attributed failure. These are just a couple of ways at looking at the reasons behind procrastination and research has also considered others, including simple disorganization and good, old-fashioned laziness. If these ideas have made you look at procrastination in a new way, you might also be interested to know that procrastination not only negatively
affects your grades (as research has shown), but also has negative effects on your health! Multiple studies have shown compelling links between procrastination and poor health, including increased rates of colds, flus, and insomnia, and you don’t need a laboratory to figure out why. Leaving things to the last minute can put undue pressure on yourself, and stress can weaken your body’s defenses. Some may argue that procrastination is, in effect, a vacation from stress — that refusing to address your growing pile of assignments is really just “taking a breather.” Others, however, would consider this a sort of “ostrich approach,” and say that sticking your head in the sand and turning a blind eye to work that has to be done doesn’t make it go away, but rather delays the inevitable and increases stress by ratcheting up the pressures of time constraints. If the drop in grades and threat of coughs and colds is making you reconsider your own study habits, you may be wondering what you
can do to reduce procrastination in your own life. Many experts point to time management and organization strategies as a student’s number one defense against procrastination. Supporting these suggestions is research that shows that high rates of self discipline are very strongly associated with non-procrastinators (For all you stats fans out there: in a particular study by Johnson & Bloom (1998), the correlation between procrastination and self discipline was r = -0.75). Overall, the take away message here seems to be “put a little work in, plan ahead, and you’ll be just fine.” For expert help with procrastination and time management, consider getting a hold of UW Counselling Services in Needles Hall, Room 2080, or calling them at UW extension 32655 to take advantage of their Study Skills program. If you’re anything like me, you might want to call now. And no, don’t do it later… agaetano@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Rec workouts underway
Slam dunk for UW
Waterloo names Tyler Slipp new women’s basketball team head coach Dylan Cawker imprint intern
T
yler Slipp was born into basketball; there is no question about that. His mother, Joyce Slipp, was not only the captain of the Women’s National Team but also the starting point guard for the team during the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. Later in her career she was also named the University of New Brunswick’s (UNB) Women’s Basketball team head coach. His father also has an impressive track record in the sport, suiting up for the UNB Varsity Reds and later on becoming an assistant to Mrs. Slipp for the women’s team. Starting June 3, 2008, Slipp continues his family’s coaching tradition as he becomes head coach of the Waterloo Women’s Basketball team. Slipp comes to Waterloo after being an assistant coach in the last season for Simon Fraser University women’s team — a team that was ranked number one team in the country for a majority of the season. Prior to his gig at Simon Fraser, Slipp worked as an apprentice coach at the National Elite Development Academy, a program that works with the best high school basketball players in the country. Slipp’s resumé also includes three years coaching experience with the University of New Brunswick, five years coaching for the New Brunswick under — 15 provincial squad and two more years coaching with the Centre for Performance — Atlantic through Basketball Canada. “I have spent several years as an assistant trying to learn from some of the best coaches in the country always with the hopes of getting to try things out on my own. There comes a point when you feel like you’ve learned enough things from enough people to be able to branch out and I feel ready for that challenge. I can’t describe how excited I am to start performing every detail associated with being the head coach at the University of Waterloo. It’s a great feeling and I hope this excitement lasts forever,” said Slipp Born in Fredricton, Slipp also attended the University of New Brunswick earning a Bachelors degree in computer science. He has also earned a level three coaching card from the International Basketball Federation
(FIBA) as well as another level three card from the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). When asked what goals he has set for the women’s team next season in terms of performance Slipp said, “I am a big believer in worrying about the things you control. As much as it may sometimes seem otherwise, winning and losing games depends on a lot more factors than you can control as a team. For that reason, I don’t think it makes sense to set outcome goals like ‘winning X number of games’ because there are so many things you have nothing to do with (i.e. injuries, referees, the other teams, luck) that affect the outcome of a game.” He then continued with, “The goals I set for my team are to improve in and be as consistent as possible in the areas of focus, intelligence and effort.” Out-going athletics director Judy McCrae only had good things to say about Slipp and his enthusiasim for the game. “We are really excited to have Tyler come into the Warrior family. Tyler brings youthful energy and a wealth of knowledge. He brings to experiences of five years as an assistant coach under three outstanding mentors. He is dedicated to the development of the whole student athlete and is keen to get started.” Growing up in New Brunswick and living the past year in Vancouver, Slipp has lived on two very different ends of our great country and is about to make the move to another area quite different from the two he has previously resided in, but is it?: “Being in Kitchener-Waterloo for the few times I have been has reminded me of my hometown, Fredericton in a few ways. I am looking forward to enjoying what I feel like is a small town feel for a bigger city, and finally putting some roots down for a while.” He went on to poke fun at the Vancouver weather by saying, “After spending a year in the Vancouver area, it will be nice to see the sun again during the months from September to May!” dcawker@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Talking to Beavers, Olympic-bound Dylan Cawker imprint intern
dinh nguyen
From top to bottom: UW Campus Rec trains new basketball referees while other campus rec clubs, intramural badminton and karate are in action at the CIF on May 14. While there is a student fee for joining these clubs, the first “sample” class is always free. For club registration and general Campus Rec information visit: www.campusrec.uwaterloo.ca
If you still haven’t heard the news yet, keep your eyes open because you may just be walking beside an Olympian, maybe even a gold medal winner on campus. His name is Keith Beavers, an individual medley (IM) and backstroke swimmer, and he has qualified for this year’s Summer Olympics in Beijing. Beavers was one of the Olympic qualifiers last month in Montreal. However, unlike in 2004 when he headed into the Olympics Trials already pre qualified for the Athens Games, this year he had to lay it all on the line. He began the qualifiers sporting a moustache but after shaving the moustache off he also shaved off seconds from his time, winning him the 400 IM and the 200 backstroke events, and scoring him a plane ticket to Beijing in August. The whole Olympic experience won’t be new to Beavers though, as he did participate as a swimmer in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece “I definitely think it’s an advantage. In Athens I thought I knew what to expect, but when I got there I never felt comfortable and didn’t end up swimming very well. So now that I’ve been swimming a bit longer and I’ve gone to a few more international meets, I think I’m better prepared mentally to swim at the Olympics,” said Beavers. If you think swimming is an easy sport to master, you’d be wrong according to Beavers. While working towards his degree in kinesiol-
ogy, he underwent a grueling training schedule that’s very similar to one he has now, preparing for the Olympics. “I do nine or ten two-hour practices in the pool and three weights sessions per week. However, my preparation for the Olympics will be the same as any other year, just with more attention to the little details. There’s no need to do anything different, but I’ll do everything a little bit better every day.” said Beaver In the 2004 games Beavers finished in 12th and 16th place in his two races. Now with four more years of experience, he is gunning for a higher finish, aiming towards top eight this time around. To reach this goal, Beavers is looking towards and embracing the spirit of the competition as it is partly why he enjoys swimming so much. “It’s never any one person that I like competing against, I just like swimming against the world’s best and feeling like I belong there with them. That’s just my nature and why I love swimming; the high level of competition gets me fired up,” said Beavers. Beavers will be leaving for Winnipeg in the middle of July for the summer national swimming competition. From there he will travelling to Singapore on July 21st, staging up a training camp. On August 5th Beaver will arrive in Beijing to prepare and partake in the long awaited event. dcawker@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
24
Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
Healthy skin-keeping for women Maria Karpenko staff reporter
Summer is just around the corner. All those lovely skirts, shorts, dresses, and tops are about to be brought out of their winter storage. But is your skin ready to be revealed? Does it perhaps show signs of frantic studying? Is it dry and blemished? Do you have dark circles under your eyes? Your answer is likely ‘yes’ to some degree. Don’t despair, just follow the following seven simple nutritional tips and you will get that glowingly fit skin you want.
Fish Oils
Salmon and tuna are excellent sources of omega-3 oils necessary for healthy skin. Environmental pollution and poor farming methods have lead to increased toxin levels in fish. Choose wild salmon and fish oils that have been distilled, are enteric coated and made from smaller fish such as sardines and anchovies.
Vitamin E-rich Foods
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin that prevents cell damage from free radicals and protects skin against UV light. The best form of vitamin E is in foods. Excellent sources are: almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, turnip greens, mustard greens and chard. Topical application of vitamin E protects the skin from sun damage.
Vitamin C-rich Foods
Vitamin C plays a role in collagen production and protects cells from free-radical damage. Broccoli, peppers, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, mustard greens, oranges, lemons, strawberries, papaya and kale are foods high
in vitamin C. Eat these foods daily to replenish your vitamin C stores.
Beta Carotene-rich Foods
Beta carotene is an antioxidant that helps to repair tissues and protects against the sun. Sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, mangoes and apricots are great sources of beta carotene.
Water
Water hydrates the skin and reduces signs of aging. Fresh lemon in water acts as a natural astringent in the body and helps improve overall health and skin.
Berries
Blueberries have 40 percent more antioxidant capacity than strawberries according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture analyses. Blueberries are high in vitamin C and can help strengthen collagen formation, which reduces aging.
Avoid Inflammatory Foods
Full-fat meats, cheeses and refined flours are examples of inflammatory foods. They cause red patches, puffiness, breakouts and under-eye bags. These effects can be reduced by anti-inflammatory foods such as nuts, organic fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. Your skin is the largest organ of the body and the best indicator of your health. Think of it as your health-meter and it will help guide you to wellness. So go ahead, start factoring the simple natural tips above into your health equation. mkarpenko@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Imprint Office Hours: Monday and Friday 8:30a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
CALLING ALL READERS: Imprint Publications is presently considering a trial membership with the Canadian University Press (CUP). Before doing so we would like to hear what our readers — that is,our organization’s members-at-large — have to say about the subject. As your official campus newspaper, we want to ensure that all our members have a say in the future of their media. Please send all your input to the Imprint board of directors (board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca) before June 30, 2008. For more information regarding CUP please visit www.cup.ca.
Campus Bulletin CO-OP/CAREER SERVICES Tuesday, May 20 – “Exploring Your Personality Type-Part1” – 2 to 3:30 p.m., TC 1112. Wednesday, May 21 – “Special Session for International Students” – 2 to 3:30 p.m., TC 2218A. Thursday, May 22 – “Basics of Starting a Business” – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., CBET Outreach Room, second floor of Accelerator Centre (building north of Optometry). Limited to 20. Monday, May 26 – “Basics of Starting a Business” – CBET Outreach Room - second floor of Accelerator Centre (building just north of Optometry). “Networking 101” – Prerequisite: work search module from the Career Development eManual. If you have submitted this module in PD1/Coop 101 or Co-op Fundamentals for Engineering, you have satisfied this requirement and may register for the workshop. 4:30 to 6 p.m., TC1208. Tuesday, May 27 – “Exploring Your Personality Type – Part II” – note: there is a materials charge of $10 payable at Career Services prior to the first session. 2 to 4 p.m., TC1112. “Are You Thinking About an International Experience?” – 3 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208. Wednesday, May 28 – “Interview Skills: Preparing for Questions” – Prerequisite: interview skills module from the Career Development eManual. If you have submitted this module in PD1, COOP 101, or Co-op Fundamentals for Engineering, you have satisfied this requirement and may register for the workshop. 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208. Thursday, May 29 – “Interview Skills: Sell Your Skills” – Prerequisite: interview skills module from the Career Development eManual. If you have submitted this module in PD1,
COOP 101, or Co-op Fundamentals for Engineering, you have satisfied this requirement and may register for the workshop. 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208. “Career Interest Assessment” – note: there is a materials charge of $10 payable at Career Services prior to the session. 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC 1112.
CHURCH SERVICE St. Bede’s chapel at Renison College offers worship on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Come and walk the labyrinth the second Thursday of each month, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more info contact Megan at 519-884-4404, ext 28604 or www.renison.uwaterloo.ca/ministry-centre.
VOLUNTEER City of Waterloo, 519-888-6488 or volunteer@city.waterloo.on.ca has many volunteer opportunities. Check out the website today. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 or www.volunteerkw.ca, has many opportunities available – visit the website or call today! The Kitchener Youth Action Council is currently seeking volunteers aged 14-24 who are concerned about issues facing youth and young adults across Kitchener. For more info e-mail youth@kitchener.ca. The tri-Pride Community Association is looking for people to get involved with various projects leading up to Pride Week 2008 which will take place during the month of June. For more info e-mail info@triPride.ca or www.tri-Pride.ca. Summer volunteer opportunities with Family and Children’s Services of the Waterloo Region. Summer buddies, reading club, special events
assistants and drivers needed. Contact 519-576-1329, ext 3411 or volunteer.services@facswaterloo.org.
ANNOUNCEMENTS “Morning Drive Radio Show” – 6:30 to 9 a.m., www.ckmsfm.ca, click on webcast for the latest news, traffic, school closures, interviews and a great mix of music! To get your important events on the air, e-mail morningdrivel@yahoo.ca. If you have an interesting person that CKMS should interview call 519-884-2567 between 6:30 to 9 a.m....qualify for a prize! The Grand House Student Co-operative is a non-profit housing co-op comprised of architecture students from UW, community members and professionals. Workshops are being organized on environmental techniques, solar power, non-toxic materials and more. For info/registration visit the website at www.grandhouse. wacsa.org.
STUDENT AWARDS FINANCIAL AID 2nd floor, Needles Hall, ext 33583. Please refer to safa.uwaterloo.ca to view a full listing of scholarships and awards. PLEASE NOTE: effective May 1, 2008 we can no longer accept the UW Watcard as a form of ID. Acceptable government photo ID includes valid drivers license, passport, immigration card, or citizenship card. May 18: deadline to submit OSAP Signature Pages and Supporting Documentation for winter and spring term or fall, winter and spring term. Last day to submit OSAP Rollover Form to add spring term to winter only term or fall and winter term. 2007/2008 Final OSAP Application deadline (with reduced funding) for winter and spring term or fall, winter and spring term.
Classified HELP WANTED
LOST & FOUND
Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, K-W Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. University of Waterloo Student Security Services is looking for outgoing and motivated individuals currently holding a valid Ontario “G” class licence to become part of RideSafe team. For more information and to apply, e-mail your resume to uwpss@uwaterloo.ca. Support person needed for 14 year old boy with autism. Support for summer camps and weekend outings in the community and supervision within the home during the school year. Must be creative with activity planning, altruistic in your desire to work with a special needs child and must have own vehicle. Laurelwood subdivision. $12-$13/hour depending on experience plus .37/km. Call Deborah 519-746-1584.
Found: a bracelet in REN 2102. E-mail description and contact information to wordchick@gmail.com (put “bracelet” in the subject line) and I’ll get it back to you.
HOUSING Attention Cambridge School of Architecture students! Live conveniently and comfortably right across the street from school in this beautifully renovated apartment. 4, 8 and 12-month leases available with excellent signing bonuses and rental incentives! Call Darlene or Joanne at 519-746-1411 for more details. Five bedroom house for rent – large rooms, two kitchens, hardwood, parking, laundry, clean. $1,900/month plus utilities. Available immediately. Call 905-398-4909. Room for rent for a quiet individual in a detached house near both universities. Parking and all amenities. Please call 519-725-5348.
Resurrection College HOUSING Single rooms available for Fall and Winter or Fall and Spring terms in Resurrection College residence. Five minute walk to Student Life Centre. Quiet co-ed residence, meal plan, large common areas, high speed wireless internet, local phone service, parking included.
ptusch@resurrectioncollege.ca or visit: www.resurrectioncollege.ca
E-mail:
Summer sublet – May to August 08 – $300+negotiable. Call Jason at 613-9895210 or kenkaniff02@hotmail.com.
TRAVEL
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
SPORTS
Attention female slo-pitch players – coed league, Sunday mornings, May 4 to August 24. No long weekends. Kitchener. $65. E-mail evansmatthew@rogers.com. Row for Heart – learn to row: register a crew of five or as an individual. Eight week lessons start the week of June 16. Call 519-571-9600 or www.fitforheart. ca for more information.
UPCOMING May 2008 Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener City Hall, hosts “Celebrating Youth” for local students between 12 and 24 years old. Open reception Wednesday, May 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 23, 2008 WPIRG and UW Bike Centre presents “Bike Maintenance 101” workshop from 1 to 6 p.m., SLC 101A. RSVP at info@wpirg.org before May 20. Sunday, June 1, 2008 “Shed A Light On AIDS Walk” – starts in Victoria Park at the statue of Queen Victoria. The Walk is to raise funds and awareness for programs within Waterloo Regions only AIDS service organization. For info call Lynn at 519-570-3687 or volunteer@acckwa.com. Saturday, June 7, 2008 10th Annual Charity Golf Classic of Bereaved Families of Ontario-Midwestern Region will be at Conestoga Golf and Country Club beginning with registration at 11:30 a.m. and shotgun start at 12:30 p.m. For more info call 519-894-8344 or www.bfomidwest.org/golf. Saturday, June 21, 2008 Uptown Country Festival – Regina Street, beside City Hall. Check out www. uptowncountrywaterloo.com for all info on the stars, vendors, etc.
DEADLINE is Monday at 5 p.m. for CLASSIFIEDS and CAMPUS BULLETIN, SLC 1116 or ads@imprint. uwaterloo.ca. IMPRINT is bi-weekly from May 2 to July 25/08
In Memory Jeffrey Millar, 1967-2008, who passed suddenly on Monday, April 21, 2008, in his 40th year. He battled juvenile diabetes for several years. A celebration of Jeffrey’s life was held with family and friends on May 8. Imprint remembers Jeffrey as President of the Board of Directors, 1992/1993.
May 24 long weekend May long-weekend – Port Burwell Country Camping – best party camping in Ontario! Party animal olympics, live bands, D.J’s and more! For more information please visit www.countrycamping.ca or call 1-800-863-3735.
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26
Comics & Distractions
POSTSCRIPT
IMPRESSION, BY JIM & LAN
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
BY GRAHAM MOOGK-SOULIS
BY PETER N. TRINH
GUEST COMIC
In need of a caption... E-mail submissions along with your name, your year, and your program, under the title “Caption Contest,” to: distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca.
BY SONIA LEE
Comics & Distractions
Imprint, Friday, May 16, 2008
27
Crossword Maggie Clark Across 1.Track-and-field event 7. Wool from a specific species of rabbit or goat 13. Improve 15. One who hangs in mid-flight 16. Positions 18. Pertaining to an extremist, false religion, or sect 19. Disparaging term for a British person 20. Cities found in Ohio, U.S., and Spain 22. More than one embryonic egg 23. A difficult obligation or task 25. A rock or small songbird 26.You could go down snowy hills in one 27. Experiments 29. Silence by force 30. Spook 31.To baptize again 34. Greetings 35. No living room is complete without one! (2 wds) 36. Female equivalent of “Sir” for a British knighthood 37. Nada 38. Flynn, the actor; Morris, the documentarian 42. Spheres 43. Plant secretion used in varnishes, concretes 45. Shout 46. Bobby of hockey fame 47. A feminine bow 49. International Documentary Association 50. Attempted to lose weight through regulated eating plan 52. Useful for procreation (2 wds) 54. Nested, as a predatory bird would be upon a cliff 55. State in Mexico 56. Having the quality of scum or waste
Sudoku
What really happened to the Bomber patio? by Michael Gregory
57. Sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, seeing dead people
Down 1.Tyrant 2.To speak with a singing tone 3. Alternate spelling for Seamus 4. Member of the family Felidae 5. “___ of measure” 6. An exclusive news story 7. A broad neck scarf, knotted in a particular way 8. We, en français 9. Not a guy 10. Bird name, from the Latin hortulanus 11. Alternate spelling for one who reaves 12. Where the coin-operated games are 14.Your professor, hopefully, is this 17.The FLQ were these
Maggie Clark
21.To put into digital form, as the British would say 24. Attacks with a machine gun 26.The natural features of a landscape 28.Your-, him-, and her- are these 30. Knicked 32. Instrument of play for pool 33. Abbrev. for blood relation 34. Mexican hat 35. One who passes on, but shows no symptoms of, a disease 36.Thingy-majig 39. Rules 40.The final stage of life 41. Large, grassy plain, esp. in Latin America 43. Having a healthy complexion 44. Core or centre 47. More than one of the third letter of the alphabet 48. “Days of ____” 51. “It is,” if you fancy yourself a Dickens. 53.To retreat rapidly, past tense
May. 2 solutions P A R A D E
C A L M I P O T E E R A G
7 5 3 2 1 8 9 6 4
Your iPod skin is the same deep blue as your eyes.You look cool, so you must have a sweet playlist. iWill show you mine, if you show me yours (-: - JP To the hottie in my eng lab You’re a guy And so am I God I do berate, For making you straight - Wilde for you Dear D: Why don’t you try getting up to 150, and then we’ll talk. I’ve seen fetuses with better biceps - Porky and Proud
To the sexy guy from my psych class last term. I said something to you I regret. I take it back. I’ll keep waiting for as long as it takes...or until I graduate, whichever comes sooner. - Your sexy brunette stalker You’re on the Wednesday night shift at turnkey and I always work late at Bomber. How about next week around 3 A.M we cue up Chubby Checker on the Great hall speakers and do the “twist”. B-unit B.J. - My father was right. I should’ve never moved in with you. Please leave. - A.G
A N G L O S
S H E
U P O O N I L L S I T T R I E E S
1 6 9 3 7 4 5 2 8
C R A O B R E C O L S I P S T R O U A M B A
4 2 8 6 9 5 1 3 7
3 4 6 8 5 7 2 1 9
R E P S
U P P E R
D E E R E
T O N G D E R O W E W O N R I S E T E A R R D O B
5 1 2 9 4 3 8 7 6
S C R L R U A R A N V E D E N L I T E N S T A T I O R E D I N E B T A U T S M O B R E U L E T E
9 8 7 1 6 2 3 4 5
6 9 5 7 3 1 4 8 2
2 3 4 5 8 6 7 9 1
5B Science
“Quantum flux apparition of Bomber patio before our time.” Jared Langerak 5A arts
“A bomb hit the Bombshelter.”
“Fighting between workers, they buried the body alive.”
4A economics
3A philosophy
Diana Wright
editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca S T U P O R
“Nano tech building.”
Brendan Smith
Foyo Juma
A G B E C E S T O R O Y N A P R O N S
R E S E A T
8 7 1 4 2 9 6 5 3
“They’re building a DDR dance floor.” Gy Vermeulen
“I happened to it.” Ryan Hube
Psychology grad ( and Bomber staff )
3A mechatronics
Lonely male seeking enterprising couple.To blondie with the exquisitely revealing dress, I first caught your eye in the Feds express. I love your style, baby-cakes. If you’re up for a good time meet me at the same place, same time, next week. P.S.Your man-friend with the tight bread basket can come too- J.M Missed a connection? Wanna break the ice? Send your missed connections to distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
“Never been, but hope they’re making it bigger like the Docks.”
“I didn’t know Bomber had a patio, but a subway system would be efficient...”
3A psychology
3A peace and conflict studies, & UW alumnus
Daneal Rambharose
Jenna Goodhand & Nick Petten
THIS IS NO ORDINARY PLACE TO LIVE. Seventy creative, entrepreneurial, tech-savvy students. One unique residence.
mobile + media incubator
Apply now for Winter 2008 @
velocity.uwaterloo.ca First round deadline May 30 I Second round (if needed) June 30 Info session May 28 @ 6:00 in DC fishbowl