Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Friday, February 20, 2008
imprint . uwaterloo . ca
vol 31, no 27
Crime on Campus: Part 1 of 6
pages 13 to 16
Former PM drops in
Election dissection
You didn’t leave early for Reading Week, did you?
Messes, meltdowns, and the means to improve in Feds Election 2009 Maggie Clark editor-in-chief
A
fter a week and a half of delays and setbacks, the 2009 Feds Election will finally see the announcement of executive, senator, and student council winners on Monday, Febraury 23 — providing there are no further upsets to what has thus far proved both a complex, yet also often enlightening, electoral process. Disenfranchisement afoot
During the original voting period, some students caught on to these upsets pretty quickly: 162 software engineering students especially found themselves unable to vote for a senate representative. The reason? Feds executive researcher and chief electoral officer John Andersen was quick to take responsibility for that mix-up: “That was my mistake,” said Andersen. “I wasn’t explicit enough in my request to the Office of the Registrar [for the voting website restrictions]. I should have had big asterisks in the emails, and while I thought I had mentioned [software engineers] early in the process, it’s evident they slipped through the cracks along the way.” But software engineers weren’t alone in this confusion, which saw a surprising lack of adequate representation among Certified Management Accountants (CMAs) at UW. Here, to the election committee’s great surprise,
The Right Honourable Paul Martin dropped in on Friday, February 13 for a conversation with what he expected to be a handful of students interested in Aboriginal affairs. Seeing the size of his crowd Martin opened the floor to questions on three subjects: the plight of Canadian Aboriginals (the “Third World at home”), the impact of climate change on vulnerable regions like agrarian Africa, and the economic crisis as it pertains to Canadian interests. The conversation began at 2:30 p.m. in the SLC Great Hall.
UW athletes finish on top
UW Drama in action
UpStart Festival upon reflection, and Mad Forest in preview — Details on page 18
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students did not have the opportunity for senate representation in their voting. The reason? UW administration had never aligned the program with one faculty, so Feds just didn’t know: were they arts students, or math? In this instance, then, the Feds election muddle shed light on a university oversight that could finally, and with evident urgency, be corrected over the last week. After consultation on all levels of UW administration, right up to the Secretariat, the Feds election committee received a verdict on Wednesday, February 11: since CMA students pay fees to both faculties, they should be considered as members of both. From an election committee standpoint, this decision created its own muddle, should these students then receive two votes? The decision was no, but CMA students can select which faculty they want to cast their vote for — an approach that just makes it more difficult, post-voting period, to interpret the senate votes submitted to date. To this end, Andersen will be sending out an email through the UW mailing list to all students of the affected programs; these students will have the means to vote more effectively for these senate positions. Not as easy to correct, however, is the matter of disenfranchisement among disabled students — a subject that will not be resolved by the end of this voting cycle.
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Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
MESSES: unrepresented students, procedural flubs in Feds election Continued from cover
In essence, the situation with disabled students pertains to how they are recognized by the university — as part-time students, or full-time. And as it turns out, while for OSAP purposes disabled students are required to take only two courses a term to be considered fulltime students, students taking those two courses are still part-time students by UW’s reckoning. As such, they do not pay Feds fees, aren’t part of the UPass, and receive no automatic Health and Dental Plan. Because they do not pay Feds fees, disabled students taking two courses a term receive no formal representation within the student union. The question then becomes, should this change? Geordi Graham, recognized as a special needs student since Grade 5, and now a parttime employee of Feds, thinks so. “We need to find out the reasons this decision has come to this and open up a dialogue, and then see if this decision can be changed, because the way it is, it is a double standard, and one I don’t think enough students are aware of. OSAP is generally thought of as a more conservative system, so if it considers a student to be full-time, why should it occur to that student that the university would think differently?” According to Andersen, other student unions do have considerable precedent for representing not just their disabled students, but part-time students in general, allowing everyone in the university student environment to opt in to the undergraduate student union’s benefits. Whether such a move will be deemed appropriate for Feds remains to be seen, as there is still much to be done simply to see this election cycle come to a close. In the meantime, Graham expressed a desire to move forward with his own advocacy of the subject. “One of the things I want to do is work with the university on this,” said Graham, “first by bringing this issue to the attention of the VPED and the president, and then by discussing it with Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD) and the administration. ... It’s unfortunate that we have a campus that talks about and promotes diversity, and yet here we have a group that’s totally without representation in that arena.” Graham was quick to note that the OPD office is a “spectacular organization,” citing bonds with the staff that feel familial and supportive, but by its very nature is geared more to a disabled student’s academic needs; the presence of a social community in the sphere of general student culture is still, according to Graham, very much lacking. Graham welcomes the input of fellow disabled students as he moves forward on this issue. Reading the not-so-fine print
Meanwhile, the elections committee has headaches of its own, above and beyond disenfranchisement. On top of dealing with
Amanda Tkaczyk
nine allegations to date, lodged against individual candidates throughout the course of the election campaign, the committee recently had to rule on the matter of budget submissions — more specifically, the lack of them. In a news item posted to vote.feds.ca, Andersen wrote, “38 per cent of candidates in this election failed to submit their standard campaign expense forms or ‘Zero Campaign Expenses’ email to the chief electoral officer.” In interview Andersen explained that this key requirement of the electoral process, bearing a penalty of disqualification for failure to comply, was listed in the candidate packages all candidates received at the outset, and followed up with emails to the election mailing list. Common excuses received by Andersen were that the candidates had not signed up for the mailing lists originally, or did not know they had to submit a budget if their budget was “zero.” Despite 18 candidates being affected by this enforcement of Feds election regulations, the elections committee voted on Wednesday, February 18 to disqualify all these candidates on the basis of this failure to submit budget forms. Whether or not these disqualifications remove too many candidates to make up a viable student council or student senator complement remains to be seen. Andersen noted that a byelection might be necessary as early as this term, but as many vacancies were already held in reserve for Spring 2009 students to weigh in on, it is more likely that any notable lapses can be accommodated at that time. Otherwise, allegations of rule breaking on any candidate’s part generally come with 15 per cent penalties to the accused candidate’s budget (which is why the submission of budgets is so crucial to fair play), and here, too, basic procedures came into sharp question in the 2009 election. Of particular note was the latest allegation, against Feds presidential candidate Allan Babor, for creating a new post on his website after the election period ended — a no-no where student politics at UW is concerned. An email to candidates from Andersen noted that as of February 4, 2009, Facebook pages and campaign websites were to remain static, but a screenshot of Babor’s site captured a post dated February 10. Intriguingly, the presence of new comments endorsing the candidate on the website were weighed into the decision, which favoured the complainant and levied a 15 per cent budgetary fine on Babor. Considering the heightened accessibility and 24/7 engagement of online applications, future elections committees might have to revisit the viability of a campaigning freeze for upcoming elections. Other allegation histories, as well as further elections news pertaining to the release of election results come Monday, February 23, are and will be available at vote.feds.ca.
Matthew Waller Brittany Boilard Raywatie Haicuchaud Sajjad Damal Tareq Ismail Ian Kasper Sarmad Qadri George Chiran Humberto Vigil-Gutierrez Stephen De Thomasis Peter Wawzonek Abhilash Jayakumar Edgar Bering Jared Hebert
editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
“38 per cent of candidates in this election failed to submit their standard campaign expense forms or “ZERO CAMPAIGN EXPENSES” email to the chief electoral officer.”
“
“
Candidates disqualified for failure to submit campaign budgets:
— John Andersen, Chief Electoral Officer
Aaron Ingersoll Donald MacGillivray William-Henri Sellier
News
Dinh Nguyen
assistant editor - in - chief
Boyfriend pleads not guilty to deliberate killing The accused killer and ex-boyfriend of Ryerson third-year hospitality and tourism management student, Natalie Novak, has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder charges. According to an article in the The Toronto Star, Will Robson a roommate of Novak was watching a movie on the morning of May 15, 2006, when he heard her yelling: “Get off me, get off me, get the hell off me.” He then met up with their other roommate, Keir Mierle, at Novak’s room, pounding on the door while hearing yells of: “What the fuck, what the fuck” coming from Novak. After hearing a crash on the garbage cans below their apartment, Novak’s roommate charged through a locked
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
door only to find Novak’s body, which was left with nine stabs wounds and a slit throat. The couple, Novak and her boyfriend, Arssei Hindessa, was allegedly in an argument, which led to her death, Prior to the incident, Hindessa has been convicted of three counts of assault to the 20-year-old Novak. He was also on probation with orders to have no contact with her. Neither of her roommates knew this. Instead of the first degree murder charge pushed by the Crown, Aston Hall, who is representing Hindessa in court, is seeking the charge of manslaughter. He is hoping to weaken the case of a planned, deliberate killing by proving that Hindessa did not bring the knife in to the room, and that the door was unlocked. —With files from The Toronto Star, and The Eyeopener
Woman fired after interview in student newspaper A day after the release of her statements, criticizing her employer’s new policy relating to the definition of “advocacy” in The Sheaf, University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union (USSU) victim advocate, Joanne Horsley, was terminated from her position. After the U Saskatchewan student newspaper hit stands, Horsley arrived at her office to find she had been locked out of her computer with a phone message asking her to contact USSU’s marketing and services manager, Jason Ventnor. Ventnor told her to meet him in his office, where she was fired by general manager Caroline Cottrell and him. Part of Horsley’s job was “ …to reduce the number of people that the survivor has to talk to. Some-
thing as simple as me contacting a professor to say: ‘Jane Doe came to my office. She’s dealing with something. Can you please give her an extension?’ she said And as a result, in an interview with the Sheaf, Horsley expressed concern over the USSU management’s decision to define advocacy as “the process of providing education and awareness on matters of concern in order to create positive change,” exluding the right to communicate on behalf of someone. This, Horsley believed lead to her being handed a letter which stated that the USSU had no choice but to dismiss her as a reult of her recent conduct. Prior to participating in interviewa with medis, USSU protocol states that employees must acquire permission from the higher ups. According to The Manitoban, Horsley believed that she
was given permission by a member of managemnet, and thought that the decision was still in effect. She was later notified that she did not follow protocol, and told by Ventnor not to do it again, after sending in an email of apology when she learned that she allegedly did not follow procedure. This was prior to her comments in The Sheaf hitting stands. “This is difficult [ . . . ] because we’re talking about a personnel issue here, and personnel issues are confidential. I do not feel comfortable disclosing the reasons for the termination,” said USSU general manager, Caroline Cottrell. “What I will say is that it was a consensual decision by the senior managers, [with] which I certainly concurred, but beyond that I’m not prepared to give specificsshe said.” Since the incident a group with over 300 members entitled: “Reinstate the USSU Victim Advocate,” was started over Facebook . Though Horsley claims strong probability of being terminated as a result of the article’s publication, according to the Manitoban, USSU “has warned people against making unfounded assumptions” but have neither denied or confirmed the allegation. — With files from The Sheaf, and The Manitoban dnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Khmer Rouge trials begin in Cambodia
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Thirty years after the Maoist regime of Cambodia resulted in the deaths of 1.7 million people, the trials of those responsible for these crimes against humanity are beginning to occur. Kaing Guek Eav, whose trial began on February 17, is the first to take place. He is being charged with war crimes including torture and murder as well as breach of the 1949 Geneva Convention. Kaing was the head of a prison where 14,000 Cambodians were tortured and executed. The prison, called Tuol Sleng or S-21, was a site where many died of execution, disease, overwork and starvation. Prisoners were reportedly shackled with up to 50 in a cell and kept close to the brink of starvation. The trials are being conducted in the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, after over a decade of delays and negotiations. Hundreds of survivors queued in order to catch glimpse of the hearing, including three survivors from the prison that Kaing ran and many Buddhist monks, who were persecuted during the regime. Despite that fact that the leader of the regime, Pol Pot, died in 1998 and therefore cannot be prosecuted, Cambodians are happy to see the
trials finally occurring. “I think there is a feeling of well, you know, finally – now it’s finally happening after all these years of waiting – hearing, fighting, negotiating,” said Youk Chhang, the head of the Documentation Centre of Cambodia. The trials of four senior Khmer Rouge commanders will follow later in 2009, after Kaing has provided testimony. The trials are only beginning now; the more fundamental parts are set to begin in March and are expected to last three to four months. Kaing could face anywhere from five years to life in prison. The Maoist regime lasted between 1975 and 1979 and resulted in the deaths of nearly one quarter of the Cambodian population. — With files from BBC, CNN, and Reuters Sri Lankan military closes in on LTTE rebels
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan military is gaining ground against the LTTE; the area the rebels occupy is now reduced to 142 square km. This was the result of a succession of quick triumphs which have led the government to call the offensive the most successful military effort against the rebels since fighting commenced in 1983. Over 34,000 civilians have fled to the army controlled safe zones cumulatively, and the number still
trapped in war zones has been reduced to tens of thousands, according to humanitarian organizations. However, some citizens who have successfully escaped report that many have been killed or injured while trying to flee the fighting, some in a direct attempt to prevent escape. Because those trapped did not know where to run for safety, many ended up deeper in the war zone, according to Reuters. “The situation was pathetic. We did not have sufficient food, no proper sanitation, not even a place to bathe or change clothes. Everyone was running from the fighting,” Kanagavel, a formerly trapped Tamil, said. Kanagavel stated that he and his family were forced to cut through jungle area in order to evade LTTE rebels and reach the zone. The UN also reports rebels recruiting child soldiers as young as 14 forcibly. “The reports we are receiving show an increasing number of children have been injured and killed in the past week,” UNICEF spokesman James Elder stated. UNICEF states that 6,000 children were recruited between 2003 and 2008. The Sri Lankan government suspects the LTTE leader is still in Sri Lanka, and has accused the group of using thousands of civilians as shields while they buy time to either flee or to make a last stand. — With files from BBC, IRIN and
NOTICE OF MEETING Imprint Publications, Waterloo
is holding its
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING on
Tuesday, February 24, 2009 at 2:00pm
in the Multi-Purpose Room of the
Student Life Centre
200 University Ave. W., Waterloo, Ontario, N2L 3G1 The proposed agenda for the meeting is as follows: 1. Opening remarks from the President 2. Presentation of financial statements, 2007/2008 3. Appointing the 2008/2009 auditor 4. Presentation of the 2009/2010 budget 5. Policy amendment ratification* 8. Election of the 2009/2010 board of directors** 7. Adjournment * Proposed policy amendments are available in the Imprint office, SLC room 1116, or on Imprint’s Web site, http://imprint. uwaterloo.ca. **Any students age 18 or older who have not claimed a refund on their student fee and are not in undischarged bankruptcy may run for, or be nominated for, any of the five positions on the Board of Directors. Term of office is May 1, 2009 to April 30, 2010. To run for the Board, you may either send President Sherif Soliman (president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca) a letter or E-mail declaring your interest in being elected and to which position - or you may simply say so at the meeting during the Board elections portion of it. (Nominations can only be done in the meeting with the presence of the nominator and the nominee, since the nominee must accept the nomination before a vote is to take place.)
Questions? Contact president Sherif Soliman by e-mail at president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca, or by phone at (519) 888-4048.
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Katrina Massey
Reuters Taliban coerces Afghan students into Pakistani madrasas
LASHKARGAH, Afghanistan Students in Afghanistan are being forced to go to madrasas, or Islamic schools, in Pakistan because of continuous attacks on local schools by Taliban terrorists. Attacks in southern Afghanistan by insurgents have caused over 630 schools to be shut down, depriving 300,000 students of an education. In madrasas, students are taught to sacrifice themselves for Jihad and for suicide attacks. “Pakistani madrasas brainwash students and teach them religious extremism, armed Jihad and hatred against the government in Afghanistan and the West,” Gulab Mangal, governor of a southern Afghanistan province, said. Insurgents are encouraging parents to send their male children to madrasas in Pakistan by offering immunity from Taliban attacks and providing free board and lodging for enrolled students. Tens of thousands of Afghan students are currently enrolled in these schools. At the same time, Taliban insurgents are influencing the Pakistani g over nment, which announced on February 17 that sharia, or strict Islamic law, will be implemented in areas of the North West Frontier Province, bordering Afghanistan. This is an attempt by
Pakistan’s government to hold off Taliban insurgents who have been beheading and kidnapping civilians in the area, as well as destroying girl schools. The Afghanistan government is currently stepping up efforts to protect schools and children, and has recently reopened 24 schools that closed because of insecurity issues. The education minister of Afghanistan, Farooq Wardak, has also stated plans to build hundreds of new schools, which will be implemented sometime in 2009. The Afghan government has also stated that they are willing to negotiate with the Taliban in order to prevent further acts of violence. Ongoing wars in the past 20 years has resulted in very low literacy rates for Afghanistan at 43.1 per cent in males and 12.6 per cent in females. Cumulatively, less than a third of the population is literate. — With files from CNN and IRIN
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The undersigned member of Imprint Publications, Waterloo hereby appoints: NAME: _____________________________________ STUDENT I.D.: _______________________________ PHONE NUMBER: ____________________________ E-MAIL: _____________________________________ as the proxy of the undersigned to attend and act at the meeting of Imprint Publications, Waterloo to be held on Tuesday, February 24, 2009, and at any adjournment or adjournments thereof in the same manner, to the same extent, and with the same power as if the undersigned were present at said meeting or such adjournment or adjournments thereof. Dated the ______________ day of February, 2009 Witness Name (Print): _________________________ Witness Signature: ___________________________ Witness Phone Number: _______________________ Member Member Member Member
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Opinion
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Terms of service and you Balancing trust and responsibility online
Friday, February 20, 2009 Vol. 31, No. 27 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 Ad Assistant, vacant Sales Assisstant, Abbas Abdulali Systems Admin. Dan Agar Distribution, Garrett Saunders Distribution, Sherif Soliman Interns, Brandon Rampelt Volunteer co-ordinator, Dinh Nguyen Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Sherif Soliman president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Vacant vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Vanessa Pinelli secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Peter Trinh liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Dinh Nguyen Head Reporter, James Damaskinos Lead Proofreader, Alicia Boers Cover Editor, Veronika Zaretsky News Editor, Vacant News Assistant, Ryan Webb Opinion Editor, Adrienne Raw Opinion Assistant, Christine Nanteza Features Editor, Vacant Features Assistant, Vacant Arts & Entertainment Editor, Tina Ironstone Arts & Entertainment Assistant, Vacant Science & Tech Editor, Rajul Saleh Science & Tech Assistant, Vacant Sports & Living Editor, Caitlin McIntyre Sports & Living Assistant, Vacant Photo Editor, Vacant Photo Assistant, Shannon Purves Graphics Editor, Vacant Graphics Assistant, Vacant Web Administrator, Vacant Systems Administrator, Mohammad Jangda Production Staff Paul Collier Graphics Team Paul Collier 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: Monday, February 23 12:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: Friday, February 20 1:00 p.m.
editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
O
ne dismaying day a year ago, I purchased some posters online — some for me, at least one as a birthday gift for a friend. I thought I knew all the ins and outs of such a purchase — being careful about my credit card, especially — but one thing I didn’t expect was to log into Facebook soon after, and find my purchases, complete with total cost, emblazoned on one of those infuriating little news boxes. This was horrifying: the fact that my purchasing history was being used as a marketing tool could leave me quite vulnerable. What if these hadn’t been “vanilla” posters — what if I’d picked something a little raunchy? And what about the gift? One of my Facebook friends was indeed the recipient of it; so much for surprises! More troubling for me was the fact that I didn’t click any box in the payment process for the “privilege” of advertising this company at the cost of my privacy. I tried to figure out how Facebook could allow something like this, and encountered the following in its Terms of Service (ToS), under Third Party Applications and Connect Sites: “If you authorize an Application or allow a Connect Site to connect with your account on the Facebook Service, you agree that such Application/Connect Site can (a) access information on the Facebook Service related to you (including your profile information, friends and privacy settings) and (b) generate and publish news feed and other stories about actions you take on such Application/Connect Site without any additional permission.” Here’s what I love about the terminology here: “If you authorize ... or allow.” What’s the difference between the two? Quite cleverly, the former pertains to progressive actions; the latter, to passive participation. And it’s in the latter vein that I suspect my particular transaction found itself on Facebook, until I actively “authorized” Facebook to stop promoting that damn story on my news feed. Which brings me to the most recent crisis between Facebook users and Facebook Terms of Service — specifically, the removal of a restriction on how long Facebook can use your content, regardless of whether or not you still have an account. (See info box for full text, and omitted text.) There is one huge caveat to this modification, and that lies in your privacy settings: Nothing can be made fully public that you’ve secured as private. And an acquaintance of mine, cited in the New York Observer, argues that the content can only be used “on or in connection with the Facebook Service or the promotion thereof ” — which would itself be quite limiting if I wasn’t convinced that segment of the ToS can be read as only pertaining to the second half of the licence in question. Facebook creator Mark Zuckerberg throws further intricacies into the fray on his February 16 Facebook blog post. “People want full ownership and control of their information so they can turn off access to it at any time,” writes Zuckerberg. “At the same time, people also want to be
able to bring the information others have shared with them — like email addresses, phone numbers, photos and so on — to other services and grant those services access to those people’s information. These two positions are at odds with each other. There is no system today that enables me to share my email address with you and then simultaneously lets me control who you share it with and also lets you control what services you share it with.” While I find this an interesting and important dilemma — and one I expect many online applications are going to be tasked with resolving in the coming years — I’m confused by the title of this blog post: “On Facebook, People Own and Control Their Information.” Which is it, Zuckerberg? Another alarming point for some is the forfeiture of content that you have “enable[d] a user to Post, including by offering a Share Link on your website.” In layman’s terms, you can see what they mean: if a person sees a link you’ve posted and posts content direct from that link in a note of their own, that content is subject to Facebook’s licensing agreement, but come on — does that really require the specific term it’s been given, especially when this terminology so
much more explicitly puts into the line of fire your third-party content for use at Facebook’s discretion? Remember those days of yore when we brave young explorers of the digital era actually read our ToS agreements, and even expected some measure of stability from them? Well, that didn’t last very long. Sure enough, the last few days have found a slew of Facebook groups protesting these changes, as well as many disillusioned users jumping ship. I was pretty hopping mad myself last year when I found my poster purchase splayed across my news feed. But when you get right down to it, there’s a powerful lesson in personal responsibility here. One, always know the ToS for any application you intend to use regularly—and if those ToS have gems like “We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to change or delete portions of these Terms at any time without further notice. Your continued use of the Facebook Service after any such changes constitutes your acceptance of the new Terms” then for heaven’s sake, check up on those terms regularly! And two, more importantly, recognize where your control over content begins, and sometimes ends: With your conscious posting of it. Most of the heated arguments and concerns
arising from this Facebook debacle pertain to our right to change our decision about Facebook at any time — and the expectation we have that we can make that choice as fully as possible, if and when the time comes. But as Zuckerberg points out, it’s not so easy in practice — or perhaps even desirable — to eradicate every trace of our initial presence on anything we do online. And real life is little different; hell, even in Total Recall memories are never completely erased. So yes, while it’s important to fight for second chances and clean slates, it’s equally important to be realistic about them. The internet is a land of golden opportunity, especially with regard to social networking and community-building. But the potential of this technology should never for a moment allow us to forsake personal responsible for the choices we make. It’s common sense, really: If we throw something — anything — into netspace, it might stay there for a long time. And who knows what people will do with that information once it’s loosed upon the world? So exercise caution — hey, maybe even restraint. The measure of a person, after all, comes less from how they perform under preexisting restrictions, than in the absence of clearly-defined rules. So. How do you measure up?
adrienne raw, courtesy facebook
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
7
Community Editorial What is “state” in Israel’s two-state solution? Bashir S. Sadjad respondent
T
here was an article titled “Majority of Israelis Favour Two-State Solution” in Imprint, January 16, 2009, by Alex Kaldor. This was preceded by another piece written by Imprint editor Maggie Clark, titled “Breaking Down Bias,” implying that media is biased in favour of Palestinians — yes Palestinians. This is a response to some of the misleading information presented by Mr. Kaldor and to the bias issue. Gaza crisis
Kaldor’s article starts with the statistics of 60 rockets per day launching into Southern Israel for the past eight years, while on the other hand Israel steps toward “peace” by pulling out of Gaza in 2005 and ceasefire in 2008. In response, let me start by clearly saying that this article is not to justify Hamas actions, some of which I believe are stupid. However if we are aiming for a “just” peace, the first step is to avoid selectively choose events that favour one side. Let’s look at this 2008 ceasefire that led to the recent Gaza conflict. The six-month ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel started on June 19, 2008. According to Avi Shlaim, a professor of Oxford who served in the Israeli military in the 1960s, the average number of rockets fired before July 2008 was 179 per month. This figure dropped to three rockets per month after this date. In fact, Hamas even threatened that it would imprison those
who fire rockets from Gaza. Avi Shlaim’s figures come from the website of the Israeli Foreign Ministry, so they cannot be disputed. This was the case until November 2008 — although the blockade of Gaza borders by Israel continued, which is an act of war itself. On November 4, 2008 (still in the six-month ceasefire period), Israeli forces, in a clear violation of the ceasefire, killed several Hamas members in Gaza. Since then, the number of rocket attacks jumped to more than a hundred in November, with several Israeli air strikes on the other side. Basically the ceasefire was dead. Another minor but important comment: Guess what was the news of the day on November 4, 2008? Yes, it was U.S. presidential election day. I leave it to the honest reader to see who planned for a Gaza ceasefire failure. No wonder that it was followed by the massacre of 1,300 Palestinians, close to a quarter of them minors. A little bit of history
Here, very briefly, I try to analyze Kaldor’s claim that Israel is for peace and is for a two-state solution. What is called “occupied territories” are the pieces of land that Israel occupied in the “six-day” war in June 1967 by a surprise attack on neighbour Arab countries. This includes the West Bank, which is part of the future Palestinian state in this “two-state” solution. The West Bank is not controlled by Hamas and there is no rocket launching “excuse” there. According to United Nations security council resolution 242 ratified in November
courtesy UN archives
1967, Israel must withdraw “armed forces from territories occupied in the recent conflict.” It also emphasizes “the inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war.” This has been emphasized in several General Assembly resolutions as well, including a recent one in 2004 passed by a vote of 169 to 5 (United States, Israel, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Palau), so this is almost international consensus. Israel has not only continued the occupation for 41 years, it has also built many settlements in the West Bank which are “illegal” according to UN Charter and several UN security council resolutions including resolution 446, ratified in 1979, which “Determines that the policy and prac-
tices of Israel in establishing settlements in the Palestinian and other Arab territories occupied since 1967 have no legal validity and constitute a serious obstruction to achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East.” Since the peace process started between PLO and Israel in 1993, the number of Israeli settlers in West Bank has increased dramatically. According to B’T selem, an Israeli Human Rights organization, this number increased from 140,000 in 1996 to roughly 276,500 in 2007. See STATE, page 9
Opinion
8
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Letters Re: Career robots Aboyeji’s article entitled “Career Robots” ignores the reality of post-secondary education, in its institutionalized form. Take for example the recent construction of the new engineering building across from DC — which will upon completion, cast a dark shadow over ECH. Not to worry, ECH has been neglected by faculty and students and will continue to be. I am sure we can thank the “career robots” for this thoughtful planning. From this, we can easily draw the analogy of the popular success of the engineering departments trumping the importance of the arts or any other lost department, for that matter, to a university’s “interdisciplinary quest.” However, claiming the solution to this problem is to root out all “career robots” through a strict
admissions process is pathetically arrogant but mostly ineffective. A more “democratic” approach would be to increase transparency throughout the institution. This would eventually lead to innovative and effective program evolution, in which the university is in dire need of. A classic case in point is the backward professional development for engineers course, known to those who suffer from its slander as PDEng. This mandatory five-part course trains engineers to become highly-proficient “career robots.” The real tragedy is the fact that words often appear to be wasted in an attempt to bring light to the shameful disgrace this course brings to the university community. Instead of hiding in an undisclosed location, the PDEng program should confront the students with the truth: that the PDEng course is just the
Sheridan Graduate Certificate Programs are intensive, applied and will make you irresistible to potential employers,
university’s miserable attempt to scrape every cent of potential funding from the government. Samuel Huberman Mechanical Engineering
Re: Candidate cagematch I feel compelled to write a response to the cover article (“Candidate Cagematch”) in last week’s edition of the Imprint. The manner in which the dialogue was present was entirely unacceptable for any respectable news-reporting source. Though it was not clear whether this article was intended as an opinion piece, there is no excuse in an election period for a cover story to be presented in this manner. If a media outlet wishes to print a dialogue, conversation, etc. it
would be wise to leave all opinions of the journalist out wholly. After all, should I wish to glean information about the candidates, I do not want biases and superfluous filler material to encroach on my judgements. It is one thing to give atmospheric mood prior to reporting what the interviewees say, but once the actual article starts, there should be no editorial commentary from the proverbial peanut gallery. At best, the journalist should transcribe everything verbatim, indicating only who is speaking, and nothing more. There is no need to describe whether there are “long pauses,” or interviewees “diving in” to a conversation. And I certainly do not care for the journalist to describe an interviewee as being “visibly irritated.” Descriptive prompts indicating that the interviewer noticed the interviewees as being
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“curt,” “attempting articulation,” being “nonplussed,” or “obviously mocking” others is not required. The reader was not there, and has no reason to believe the journalist is being accurate, let alone charitable, to what transpired. This was not the only fault of the interviewer either. Not only was the article poorly written (as per mentioned above), but also the interview was deplorably conducted. While indeed “Cagematch” accurately describes the scene portrayed, it was nevertheless inexcusable. While I will grant that perhaps this was some attempt to show the presidential candidates under a different, more unflattering” light than the polished personalities we have seen across the campus for the last two weeks, the fact is that it turned into a sanctioned smear campaign, wrought with flying accusations, dirt digging and low blows. Someone who cared about the election itself, that is to say whether one of these individuals will be a good president based on experience, previous action and pre-election promises, would have taken better care to moderate the discussion, rather than letting it slide into a free-for-all. The fact that the interviewer allows for Mulholland to quietly slip into ghostly obscurity while Babor and Andrey duke it out verbally, as it were, shows little consideration for helping voters to pick the right person. Whether a person thinks that elections are little more than the voters selecting the best of all possible evils, or they genuinely believe that the candidate they support is the right person for the job, it is not the job of Imprint — who is supposed to be, I dare say, the voice for all students — to allow for such carelessness to occur. Considering the pitiful state of voter turn out, I would hope that unbiased, dispassionate reporting would be the firm foundation of which all media matters were conducted. Sensationalized reporting ought never to be allowed, for it does little more than obscure the facts and plant skewed opinions into the already suffering reader’s minds. We, the readers, deserve more; we do not need to be told what to think. We need the unvarnished, uncensored truth, not commentary or opinion, so that we may form our own opinions on the matter. Ryan Huckle Philosophy, fourth year
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Opinion
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
9
Of round fruits and thick skulls eaboyeji@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
minutes after he had perused the majority of these opinions, he launched into his speech. He might not have sounded like Barack Obama but you could see the thoughtfulness in his manner. His mind was obviously doing overtime, translating ideas across the many languages he could comprehend, slowly but surely overcoming the challenge of communicating in English’s bland and expressionless terms. He spoke of his challenging background, but unlike in the other “acts” of pseudo-inspiration I had witnessed, it was not the front and centre of his admonition. His central message was simple: if all of mankind was to make the effort to discover their inner beings by thinking and learning, prejudice and injustice would disappear and peace and equality would reign supreme. However, clear as his message was, several heretical questions filled my mind as I listened carefully to his narrative — despite my obvious commitment to equality. For a long time, the lofty rhetoric of slave masters and imperialism had escaped my understanding. “All men are created equal,” they said. But that often left me wondering to myself: What did that translate to in more concrete terms? Did the fact that we were “created equal” mean we were all equal in ability, strength, position, etc.? If we were equal, how do you explain competition or dominance? Often times, a concern for civility would restrain such a blatant display
Nikki Best’s “Interpersonal Best” will return next week in Imprint’s February 27, 2009 issue.
STATE: how do we define thee? Continued from page 7
The bigger problem is that these settlers are distributed in more than 190 towns and villages throughout the West Bank plus several large military zones. These are connected to each other by a network of roads as shown in this map (page 7) of settlements. This map is part of a full map of the West Bank on UN website unispal.un.org. Israel’s border is the leftmost dashed line and Jordan’s border is the rightmost solid line. Everything in between is territory occupied by Israel. In fact, millions of Palestinians have no or restricted access to all of the grey areas there. Imagine a Palestinian farmer who has to go through an Israeli checkpoint (shown by “do not enter signs” on the map) to go to his farm. This is a daily experience of Palestinians which sometimes includes hours of unexpected waiting time and humiliation by Israeli soldiers. Israel has practically divided the West Bank into parts which resemble the “bantustans” set by the apartheid regime of South Africa. The living conditions and distribution of scarce water resources are also extremely in favour of Israeli settlers. As the title of Jimmy Carter’s book says, apartheid is the right word to describe the two-state solution that Israel is for.
Stand up against apartheid and bias
Speaking against Israel policies does not make you anti-Semite or anti-Jew, it makes you anti-apartheid. Do not let the North American media fool you that Israel is for peace and Palestinians are terrorists that oppose peace. It is the culture of brutal Israeli oppression that creates Palestinian violence. The above issues are freely discussed in Israeli newspapers but they are taboo in North American mainstream media. It is interesting to see how this North American media bias has influenced people that the editor of Imprint, the author of “Media Matters” articles, considers mentioning the “power differential” when reporting Palestinians being killed by Israelis as bias in favor of Palestinians! That is amazing to me that to be unbiased you should not even look at the fact that one of the strongest armies in the world has occupied the land of one of the poorest people. Yes, there is a huge bias in North America in favor of Israel; to test this, compare the reports of major news networks here (including CBC) with European ones like BBC (let alone Arab media). Asalamu-alaykum. Peace be upon you.
of perceived superiority. This time, my discipline could not hold out for much longer. By the time he was finished, I was nearly jumping with excitement to ask a question that now seems foolish in my eyes. I raised my right hand. He signaled to me. I blurted out my question. “Sir, I think I understand your point but do you really think that all people are equal?”
“
surprise. When the noise subsided, he went on to explain a principle that would eventually free me from the thoughtlessness of doubt. He described the human being as a round fruit. One that is covered by peels that are our own perceptions of the person — the many adjectives we are apt to describe humans with. Like in humans, each fruit may look different, as he had evidently illustrated by the varying sizes of the two examples
I had thought to be meaningless suddenly took life for me. Despite this timely revelation, I doubt that I have achieved the height of self discovery. I still have many more questions, some still heretical. I still ask: are human beings able to achieve this level of inner awareness on their own? How does an awareness of human dignity translate to our day-to-day decisions? While equality is justified, is it possible? For any more answers to my heretical
Thus while we may not consider ourselves equal when we only consider the outer core as far as the ‘peel’ is concerned, our inner core — the dignity of the person — makes us deserving of equality.
I could hear the shocked silence that filled the room. I had done the abominable — questioned the religion of equality on whose altar the majority worship — clueless. He paused for a few minutes, seemingly frustrated by my lack of understanding. Then he smiled knowingly, reached into his pockets and like some circus magician produced two round fruits from his pocket, one large and one small. His small audience erupted in laughter and
that he held up before us. Still, when we penetrate these peels, we get the same sappy core. Thus while we may not consider ourselves equal when we only consider the outer core as far as the “peel” is concerned, our inner core — the dignity of the person — makes us deserving of equality. In that moment it seemed to me that Mr Shoaib’s exemplary fruits had succeeded in cracking open my thick skull. Over a hundred years of rhetoric
“
M
aybe I live in a constant time warp but it seems that in what should be a love themed season, kisses, and bold proclamations of love have given way to ill-timed New Year resolutions — especially this weird one: “Forthwith, I shall always have on my person two round fruits; one large and one small.” Before I continue, I must unconvincingly assure you that I remain in sane and stable condition. However, the inspiration for my New Year’s resolution has come from a certain speaker I had the privilege of listening to during the World Youth Alliance U.S. Emerging Leader’s Summit I attended in New York last month. He had come to speak to us on human dignity, development, and human rights. The gentleman was introduced with an impressive resumé. Born and raised in Afghanistan, he had trumped immense challenges; travelled the world, studied in Italy, and was now working as a translator with the Huffington Post while completing studies at New York’s prestigious Columbia University. It seemed to me he had the perfect background for a “fiery” speech on the evil of poverty and war in developing countries — the kind of speech many “social entrepreneurs” cling to for pseudo-inspiration. I was wrong. Mr. Shoaib Harris began his session in a most unusual way. He asked his audience to write on small sheets of paper three issues that we felt were most important to us, our communities, and our world in that order. A few
questions, I must await the next World Youth Alliance Emerging Leaders Summit with some eagerness. For now I can proudly proclaim my newfound belief in equality — and have my two fruits bear me witness. For those interested in the work the World Youth Alliance does to promote an awareness of Human Dignity among the world’s youth, visit their website at www.wya.net or send me an email.
Features
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Through Foreign eyes
Epiphany in light of tragedy E. Aboyeji staff reporter
I
f there were a single word with which I could sum up my years in my home country, Nigeria, it would be tragedy. Yes. I know what you may have been expecting to hear that despite our poverty and strife we are a happy people; that the diversity of culture makes up for the disappointment of socio-political stability, and conflict that we have the best music and the most exuberant population in all of Africa; that you can and should visit my country. I do not deny that all these things may be true. However, I choose not to give to you that pitch — at least not today. The frustration with being Nigerian is that you have no answer to the most profound question of identity — who am I? Am I a part of an imperialist creation destined never to advance or a nation still in the difficult terrain of nation building? Am I part of a nation of talented internet fraudsters or a nation of resourceful people apt to put their talent to whatever use? Or am I a part of a fractured nation of people or of the most beautiful mosaic of diversity? The many acolyte questions that stream from this mother vine question of my Nigerian experience are endless. Lest you think of me as some sort of born conscientious nerd, I must tell you that I never always thought of my life in this manner. There were times when insulting the other cultures in my country was a sport. Times when the physical appealed more to me than any other deeper meaning. Times when the poor and helpless in my society seemed to me the permanent strokes of our country’s consistently changing picture. Times when, like other teenagers around the world, Eminem and Jay Z seemed bigger than Awillo and Sakombe. And even times when I really wished I was white — racist as that may seem. Tragedy changed me. On the December 10, 2005, I lost all 60 of my schoolmates — including my best friend — to a plane crash as we travelled to our homes for the holidays. It was that day I lapsed into that most beautiful state of confusion. In this state, I had come to resent my government, readily blaming them for the many
problems of a resultant half hearted rescue operation that could only boast two survivors. I had good reason to believe that the government was the problem. The plane was attempting a manual landing as the control tower had been without electricity for two weeks — the plane was 34 years old instead of the four years that had been plugged into government records; the fire and rescue services that came to salvage the situation had come with empty tanks, and a substantial number of the potential survivors had died in the arms of their loved ones as they waited endlessly for medical attention that was “unavailable.” So I sneered at the system, unforgiving of the many that had massacred my talented friends. Then my epiphany came. The holidays were soon over and I solemnly embarked on the return journey to the shared misery of a mourning school. As our car approached the school, I soon discovered that our tragedy had galvanised a widespread interest: the single paved road that led to the school was congested by press vans and other tourists seeking to explore this tragedy. In the traffic that ensued, it soon became clear that I would have to walk for at least a kilometre through a village path to reach the school gates. As I solemnly marched through the stretch of Gidan Mangoro village on this hot Friday afternoon, I saw, for the first time, the evident disparity between the opulence that had characterized our elite learning environment and the poverty that characterized our host community. As I walked through clusters of straw huts with rusted and leaky iron roofing, watching children of school age hawk roasted plantains, or chase tires on the street naked, the scales of ignorance and self conceit fell off my eyes. I realized that despite my justifiable distraught over the death of my friends, this occasional sacrifice was nothing compared to the daily struggles of this every day people. It seemed to me that every day was another plane crash for the good people of the village and worse; they did not even have the luxury of mourning. The inferred revelation was simple as truth always is: I was experiencing a tragedy; they were living one. In this moment of truth, I came to realise that this tragedy was such an endemic part of our country that no one could escape it. Definitely some felt it more than others did, but as I
travelled and searched for answers, it became clear that this was a disease that lacked the discrimination of immunity. Rich and poor, illiterate and literate, people of over two hundred tribes and one hundred different languages all had the overarching theme of tragedy that dominating their lives. From that day, I began to think of the most mundane things very differently. Gone were the childish notions of freedom and equality; broken was the bondage of incessant need; burst went my bubble. As I travelled the world in my ultimate quest for knowledge I realized that tragedy might have given my people a defining characteristic, one that comes closest to immunity for it. I do not say this to infer that my people are heartless or sadistic. Still, while most other societies seem to dwell on tragedy as an unfortunate incident, Nigerians have a tendency to ignore it or even better avoid it. There are good and bad sides to this attitude. For the bad, we must understand that the evil of tragedy can only be countered when it is considered inspiration for good works. On the other hand, it makes us far more appreciative of the good things in life. While other people see life as a right, we consider it a gift. Nothing is deserved; everything is given. Thus we believe that the present should be enjoyed because fate is not obligated to good works as we are. Before the events of that cold and sad December, I had lived a rather protected childhood, immune from the realities of poverty and evil that circumscribed me. However when tragedy found its way to me, my life suddenly opened up in front of me. I became surprised by how much I needed to see, how much had escaped me in my blindness. My wonder for my people increased. I still wonder how my people could be so joyful in the midst of such sadness. I wonder how, like a repetitively jilted lover, my people could stand a life with “ifs” that result in the kind of disappointment that is the tragedy of the ruled time and again. I may never know; walking on hot coals and smiling may be what it means to be Nigerian. eaboyeji@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
On Decemeber 10, 2005 a Sololiso company DC-9 plane, similar to the one above, crash-landed on the runway at Port Harcourt Airport Internationals, killing 103 out of 117 passengers. Imprint’s E Aboyeji tells that story. Nigeria has had its share of tragedy. Apart from the poor living conditions and human rights violations of many of its citizens, in May 2006, the pipeline gas explosion left hundreds dead, and hundreds more homeless.
photos courtesy Sosoliso Airline (above) and Akintunde Akinleye, Reuters (left)
Features
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Face value:
frugal vs. cheap imerrow@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
$ Negotiating next year’s 12-month lease might seem like a big deal, but sometimes it’s the smaller things in life that are more important, especially in terms of being regarded a miser.
S
aving money is generally a good thing; it tends to lead to more financial freedom in the future in exchange for smaller sacrifices in the present. Such a humble life of prudence and frugality can be a difficult one to live, but financial preparedness pays off when times get tough. It might seem like common sense, but if saving money is such a good thing, why are some motivated money-savers negatively labelled as misers, cheapskates, and penny pinchers? Money can be saved nearly anywhere by resisting the urge to spend, but in some cases it is better to pay up. For one thing, saving money on the wrong things can be dangerous or even illegal, like duct-taping together a cracked windshield. For another, saving money by denying others gifts and goodwill is legal, but kind of anti-social. Is there some line where a frugal, sparing, or otherwise economical spender can go too far and be shunned by society? It depends on the context, but there are a few important things that set apart the frugal spenders from the stingy chumps. When you start saving money at the expense of other people, you are being cheap. There is nothing wrong with living modestly, but it is still possible to be a generous person while on a budget. Yes, saving money benefits you, but what you save money on can make the deal either saintly or selfish. Luckily for us, showing we care about others doesn’t always come with a price tag. However, sometimes showing our affection does cost something. Saving money on things like goodwill, charity, and loved ones can tarnish a good reputation and earn nasty expletives like “that cheap bastard.” Just to clarify, people’s definitions of what it means to be “cheap” will vary depending on their values.
However, cheapness at its rotten core is about saving money simply for the sake of saving money, no matter the cost incurred on others. By this I mean that a cheap person will always avoid spending money even if it means putting others at risk, ripping someone off, causing people discomfort, or breaking the law. Being “cheap” is an inconsiderate form of frugality that saves money at the expense of others, thus earning a bad name. There are a few behaviours that scream “I’m cheap,” and they should be avoided (unless you strive to be socially repulsive). Firstly, uniformly refusing to provide restaurant servers, taxi-cab drivers, and hotel staff with a 10 to 25 per cent tip is absolutely unacceptable. I say “uniformly” because sometimes service is so bad a tip is impossible to justify. In other countries it might be different, but here tipping is an expected (and considerate) gesture that some people rely on for their well-being. For that reason, the few dollars you might be tempted to save by not tipping is just cheap. True-blue savers spend money carefully on the right things for the right price, and always keep an eye on the future. Cheapskates on the other hand keep a short term focus, looking for deals that are usually too good to be true. Whether something is illegal, unsafe, or risky is unimportant to them as long as the price is rock bottom. If your landlord, for example, is truly cheap, they will illegally over capacitate their rental property to make more money. In addition, they may scrimp on fire-code regulations like fire extinguishers, railings, and exit signs to save a buck. This is cheap not only because it’s illegal, but because it saves them money by putting you and your housemates at risk. Whenever you have the chance
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get an impossibly good deal, think about what you’re not getting as part of the bargain. Safety, security, and legality have their own benefits, and are almost always worth a slightly higher price tag. Negotiating next year’s 12-month lease might seem like a big deal, but sometimes it’s the smaller things in life that are more important, especially in terms of being regarded as a miser. I’m talking about relationships — those little things you’re expected to do or pay for that are really easy to avoid. They could be debts, agreements, pacts, contracts, gifts, or promises, but whenever you set an expectation in a relationship that you are going to pay for something, pay up. It’s not that you will be seen as cheap if you don’t buy flowers and chocolate on Valentine ’s Day. You will only be seen as cheap if someone special expects you to show
your affection on a special day and you let them down by doing nothing because you wanted to save the money. Being a frugal gift giver is not about avoiding holidays; it is all about rewarding loved ones’ expectations with the thoughtfulness and effort put into a gift, no matter how modest the price-tag. Giving generous tips or thoughtful gifts is difficult for the stingy miser, but not nearly as revolting as the idea of donating to charity. Donations are usually made in private, so there is often little social pressure to spur us on. But even so, some of the most frugal business people are often modest philanthropists, because they realize the value charitable donations can provide to a group of people
in need. Saving money may be important, but generosity makes the world a more comfortable, caring place. Even though times can be tight in university, don’t forget to give back at least a little money (or time) while you save your dollars for life after school. You never know if it might be you one day in need of someone else’s help. Besides charities, gifts, and tips, there are countless other social norms of generosity and reciprocity to uphold when you’re tempted to save a buck, and they all tend to follow one theme. Put simply, if you are saving money at the expense of others, you are being cheap. Save money because you love doing it, but remember that money can’t love you back — only people can.
will return next week
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Special Feature
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
13
Crime on Campus February 20, 2009
A History of Crime on Campus
February 28, 2009
March 6, 2009
Public Drunkenness and By law infractions
March 13, 2009
March 20, 2009
Petty Theft
Drug Culture
Assault and Battery: Violent Crime on Campus
March 27, 2009
Police Culture, and Hate Crime
matt lee
14
Crime on Campus
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2009
Crime on campus: Part 1 — A history of university-relevant crime An historical overview of crime on, around, or relating to campus Criminal Activity at the University of Waterloo Bill Chang Staff Reporter Jamie Damaskinos Head Reporter
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s this series on crime kicks off, let’s take a look back and see how crime has affected U.W since its establishment. Fortunately, U.W’s reputation is not stained by any past violence. But here are three infamous crimes that sent a shiver across the Waterloo community:
Death of Daniel Eaton Just under a month ago, the body of UW student Daniel Eaton was recovered from a burning house on Wingrove Court. Also perishing in the fire was Daniel’s parents John and Linda Eaton. Both Daniel and Linda’s bodies had stab marks. John’s did not and now the 64-year-old is suspected to have slain his wife and son. The investigation regarding the incident is still pending. At UW, Eaton is remembered as a good-hearted student who had a special interest for robotics, electronics and linguistics. Shortly after Daniel’s death, a Facebook group called In Loving Memory of Daniel Eaton (August 22, 1985 – January 14, 2009) was created by friends in memoriam for the deceased.
Students arrested in connection with terrorist organization In September 2006, four UW students were arrested in connection with an organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The group was labeled a terrorist organization by the Canadian government in April 2006. Computer engineering undergraduate, Ramanan Mylvaganam, Computer Science graduate, Thirukumaran Sivasubramaniam and electrical engineering graduates Thiru-
1993 The stabbing of David Zaharchuk
1998 Linda Wagman murders housemate
The worst-case scenarios
kumaran Sinnathamby, Suresh Sriskandarajah were “caught in a undercover sting operation attempting to purchase a large number of surface-to-air missiles, missile launchers, and hundreds of AK-47 automatic rifles,” said United States Attorney, Roslynn R. Mauskopf of the Department of Justice in the Eastern District of New York in the September 1, 2006 issue of Imprint. Mylvaganam has recently been extradited to the United States for his involvement with the organization.
Laurier footballers attack UW student In 2005, Ryan McGuffin and Jeffery Melis, two members of the Laurier Varsity Football Team, were charged with aggregated assault that left a UW optometry student, Jeff Smith, in critical condition. According to reports, Smith and his attackers were at a Christmas party at the Mongolian Grill in the University Plaza. When they were leaving, it was believed that an argument developed between the three men and lead to a physical confrontation. The end result was that Smith was left bleeding at the intersection of Alberta St and University Avenue W. He was able to recover from severe head injuries. McGuffin and Melis were both sentenced to two days of house arrest.
Murder by drowning of a UW graduate student Ardeth Wood, a graduate student in the philosophy department at UW, was lured out into the woods in Ottawa, ON, and drowned. Wood had been on a Doctoral leave to visit her family in Ottawa during the summer of 2003. Her last known location was riding her bicycle around a pathway near the woods beside Rockcliffe Parkway in Ottawa. Police recovered her body on August 11, 2003. Her murderer was at-large until 2005 when police arrested Chris Myers. On January 8, 2008, Myers pled guilty to the murder of Wood.
2003 The drowning of Ardeth Wood
Part-time student kills housemate
Virginia Tech Shooting (April 16, 2007)
Linda Wagman, a second year part-time student studying General Arts at UW was charged for committing first-degree murder on April 2, 1998. Police arrested Wagman in Ottawa, ON, three days after they had uncovered the remains of Vincent Kraehling, Wagman’s housemate, buried along a community trail in the south end of Kitchener. The autopsy indicated Kraehling had been stabbed to death at some point during November of the preceding year. Wagman had been registered as a student at UW during the incident.
This was the worst shooting incident by a single gunman in the history of the United States. Seung-Hui Cho, an English major at Virginia Tech, killed 32 people and injured 17 others before pulling the trigger on himself. The killing spree started at West Ambler Johnston Hall and ended in Norris Hall with Cho firing a shot into his head. Later, it was revealed that Cho had suffered from severe mental depression and had being receiving treatment since high school. The attack generated furious debate around the U.S and the world about gun laws, campus violence and treatment of mental illnesses. Virginia Tech, which was a respectable school for engineering and sciences, had its reputation stained forever as everyone from parents to politicians criticized the school for not taking greater action to prevent such an incident.
Stabbing of David Zaharchuk This was by far the most notorious crime on UW campus. On New Years Eve of 1993, David Zaharchuk, an engineering graduate student, was beaten to death by Kris Warkentin, a third year student in the same department. The details of that crime have being splashed and re-splashed across papers. Zaharchuk was working in Engineering I building on his nearly completed PhD thesis around 2-3p.m. when Warkentin staggered into the complex. Warkentin had consumed scotch and champagne at his in-laws’ place and was bitter about a marital argument. As a result, he took his anger on the computers and equipment in the engineering buildings, causing damage on nearly every floor before meeting Zaharchuk. When the two met, there was a confrontation that resulted in Zaharchuk’s death. The victim was killed by severe blows to the head with a wrench. Warkentin initially escaped the scene but turned himself in to UW police one month later. Warkentin was sentenced to 10 years in prison. At UW, most of us take campus safety for granted. However, the not all colleges can boast such reputations after life-scarring incidents. Here are three of the worst campus crimes since the turn of the century.
2005 Laurier Footballers assault UW student
Dawson College Shooting (September 13, 2006) Not quite on the same scale as the Virginia Tech incident, but this was one of the worst campus crimes in Canada in the last few years. Kimveer Gill, a resident of Laval, killed one woman and injured 19 others during his walk through Dawson College. When cornered by police, he, like Cho, shot himself. After the incident, it was discovered that Gill had a profiled himself as “not a people person” who loathed society. As a result of the violence, Dawson College, like Virginia Tech, received heat for not having a proper emergency plan.
San Diego Drug Bust (May 6, 2008)
drug busts in U.S history and the arrest of more than 100 people (95 San Diego Students). Police officers would go undercover as students and made connections with the highly organized drug network within the university. The operation culminated with the search of Theta Chi fraternity, resulting in the discovery of four pounds of cocaine, 350 ecstasy pills, 50 pounds of marijuana, 30 vials of hash oil and $60,000 in cash. There was ironic ring to the crime as some of the convicted had majored in homeland security and criminal justice. The university took criticism for allowing officers to infiltrate the campus, but President Stephen Webber said it was the school’s responsibility to provide a safe environment for its students.
The Montreal Massacre (December 6, 1989) 25 year old Marc Lépine took a semi-automatic rifle and a hunting knife to students at the École Polytechnique in Montreal after turning the gun on himself. The killer had a left a suicide note in his pocket before engaging in the horrendous massacre. The suicide note outlined that Lépine was motivated by a desire to kill feminists. Lépine’s note claimed that feminists had ruined his life and he was taking political action to rid the world of feminism. In 20 minutes, Lépine shot 28 people at the university, killing 14 and wounding the others before killing himself. The 14 who were killed were all women. Only four men were injured in the incident. Changes in the operational policy of the Montreal Police after this incident are cited as being instrumental in minimizing the number of casualties in the Dawson College shooting.
When two San Diego State University students, within the span of a year, died from drug overdoses, police became suspicious. What followed was Operation Sudden Fall – a six month investigation that led to one of the biggest
2006 Students connected with terrorist organization arrested
2009 The stabbing of Daniel Eaton
bchang@imprint.uwaterloo.ca jdamaskinos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Is uw prepared for the worst-case scenario?
A review of UW’s policies for dealing with emergency situations Jamie Damaskinos head reporter
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n the wake of the tragedies that have rocked Dawson’s College in Montreal and Virginia Tech University in Blacksburg, the security on university and college campuses across North America has been called into question. Given the advent of new technologies to ensure rapid mass communication, these fears have been allayed to some degree. However, with the possibility of a hostile intruder penetrating the campus at a moment’s notice the fundamental question still lingers, is the University of Waterloo prepared for the worst-case scenario? According to Daniel Ander, the director of UW’s Police Services, the answer that question is multi-faceted and complex. As new circumstances arise, policies to deal with these situations are adjusted appropriately. “All UW policies are living documents and are revised as circumstances require,” Ander told Imprint. Policy 60, the University of Waterloo’s Emergency Response Policy, has been specifically designed to deal with such circumstances. The policy outlines the procedure for how the university’s
staff will deal with any emergency situation requiring significant attention. Over the years this policy has been subject to many amendments as new situations arise, with new changes implemented as recently as January 2008. Those wishing to review Policy 60 can visit: www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/ infosec/Policies/policy60.htm. The University of Waterloo has recently developed a new emergency communication system to work in tandem with Policy 60. At the heart of this system is repetitive mass communication. As soon as an emergency situation arises, the system will automatically send out messages through various digital mediums in order to inform students and faculty of the situation. This system was designed to ensure a quick response from students and faculty. “Recently we tested three types of communication delivery systems that could be used in the event of an emergency,” Ander said. “A pop-up screen took over computers on the UW network equipped with required software and directed users to an emergency home page where information would be available. Voicemail messages were sent to all phones on campus with instruc-
tions to go to the homepage, and text messages were sent to people who had their cell phones registered on Quest or in the myHRinfo database.” The initial tests of this system went according to plan and so far the system has proven to be effective. “We encourage all students to ensure their cell phone numbers are entered in Quest, and all faculty and staff to do the same in myHRinfo so they can be notified by this method if UW declares an emergency,” Ander said. In an effort to integrate their operations with the operations of Waterloo Regional Police Services (WRPS), as well as improve their overall effectiveness, UW Police have hired on WRPS Staff Sergeant Christopher Goss as second-in-command of UW Police Services “Staff Sergeant Chris Goss of the Waterloo Regional Police Service arrived on campus in September 2008,” Ander said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge to UW and is already recognized as a valuable resource for a number of groups and committees.” According to Ander, the move has been instrumental in helping improve the operational capacity of UW Police. “[Goss] has an extensive background
in criminal investigations and is a great asset to UW Police and he has helped us with new approaches to deterring and solving crime on campus,” Ander said. “We view this relationship with Waterloo Regional Police as an enormous success and hope to see it continue.” Despite the effectiveness of these operational changes, the road to security on campus is a two-way street; students and faculty need to ensure they report any suspicious behaviour they see on campus. The sooner UW Police are informed of emergency situations, the sooner they can respond and deal with the situation in an appropriate manner. “We rely on students, staff and faculty to be the eyes and ears of our community. The UW community is like a family and we all have a responsibility when it comes to our safety and security,” Ander said. “Call UW Police at extension 22222, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), if you see anything that raises concerns about your safety.” jdamaskinos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Matt Lee
Campus Bulletin UPCOMING
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Saturday, February 21, 2009 The Chinese Stem Cell Initiative, partnering with Canadian Blood Service-OneMatch, that will be promoting a Stem Cell Registration Drive to help patients with leukemia and other related disorders. Will be held at First Markham Place, Markham Ontario. Info: chinesestemcell.com; onematch. ca; 416-760-6181. Monday, February 23, 2009 Join in at the Imprint staff meeting to discuss the weeks paper and upcoming media events. See you at 12:30 p.m., SLC 1116. Tuesday, February 24, 2009 The HAPN Great Race – can you conquer the campus on Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m.? Register February 24, 25 or 26 at SLC booth 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For info www.hapn.com or hapn@gmail.com. WPIRG presents: Black History Month lecture, “Conflicting Visions of Equality: The US Anti-Slavery Movement, Grassroots and Activism and Race” at 5:30 p.m. in room 221, Biology 1. Thursday, February 26, 2009 “A World Without Arthritis” – find out what The Arthritis Society is doing to help those living with the painful affects of Arthritis at Bingemans Ballroom from 7:30 to 9 a.m. RSVP to 519743-2820, ext 105. Tuesday, March 3, 2009 Healthy Active Promotion Network presents The HAPN Great Race at 6 p.m. Registration will be in the SLC from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on February 24, 25 and 26. Teams of two compete in a race across campus, going to different check points and figuring out all the indoor tunnels around campus. Wednesday, March 4, 2009 “Mourning the Unborn Dead” – a Budhist ritual comes to America – an enlightening talk by Dr. Jeff Wilson of Religious Studies, to mark the release of his latest book. Join us at Renison College, Great Hall Extension at 2:30 pm. A free event. Thursday, March 5, 2009 Laurier celebrates International Women’s Day from March 5 to 8. Great stories, panel discussions and film will be presented throughout the three days. RSVP Sharline Doss at sdoss@wlu.ca or www.wlu.ca/eship Saturday, March 21, 2009 Homer Watson House and Gallery is pleased to present a bus trip to Canada Blooms in Toronto from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more info www.homerwatson. on.ca or 519-748-4377. Friday, March 27, 2009 The annual commemoration of the UN international Day for the elimination of racial discrimination at Kitchener City Hall at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 1, 2009 2009 Autonomous Racing Challenge – build autonomous robots – race for first prize of $500 to $1,000. Early registration deadline April 1, 2009. For details www.RobotRacing.org. Sunday, May 3, 2009 “Walk to Remember 2009” – Bereaved Families of Ontario-Midwestern Region. 9 a.m. registration at Waterloo Memorial Recreation Centre. Lots to do from silent auction to children’s activities and prizes! For info 519-8948344 or www.bfomidwest.org.
Exchanges for undergraduates and graduates – 2009-2010 academic years: MICEFA, Paris, France and the Chinese University of Hong Kong internal deadline: March 17, 2009. For info and application forms please contact Maria Lango, International Programs, Waterloo International, Needles Hall 1101, room 1113, ext 33999 or by email: mlango@uwaterloo.ca. General casting call – independent filmmakers looking for acting talent, full cast, extras and potential crew members. Contact Black Cloak Entertainment at casting@blackcloak.ca. Tune in to Sound 100.3 FM radio to hear DJ Cool with lots of music, entertainment, helpful info, weather and more. www.soundfm.ca >listen or www. ckmsfm.ca. “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” opens Valentine’s Day until March 10 at the Barber Gallery, 167 Suffolk Street, W., in Guelph. 519-824-0821 for info.
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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. Parkminster United is an affirming, liberal congregation open to all, regardless of race, sexual orientation, age, ability, economic, or family status. 275 Erb Street, E., Waterloo. Sunday services at 10 a.m. For more info www.parkuc.ca.
VOLUNTEERING Career Services volunteers needed for 2009-2010 to fill two types of volunteer positions: student career assistant and student marketing assistant. Depending on the position, you will gain valuable job search, marketing, and career-related skills by either promoting events and services or by helping other students in their career planning and job search. Open to regular and co-op students who are creative and possess strong interpersonal and communication skills. Applications available in Career Services, TC 1214, or from our webpage at careerservices.uwaterloo.ca. Deadline is March 9, 2009. City of Waterloo needs volunteers for summer 2009 events: Uptown Country Festival on Saturday, June 20, Royal Medieval Faire on September 19, Busker Festival needs new talent for interesting Board positions such as Director of Corporate Sponsorship ; Director of Marketing and Media Co-ordinator. 55+ Urban Poling Club needs indoor walk leaders on Friday mornings. Email volunteer@waterloo.ca or 519-8886488 for more info. Volunteers needed – the English tutor program is in constant need of volunteers to tutor international students. Volunteering is an essential part of student life at UW. Apply online at www. iso.uwaterloo.ca. Volunteer with a child at their school and help improve their self-esteem and confidence. One to three hours a week commitment. Canadian Mental Health at 519-744-7645, ext 229. Best Buddies is a national charitable organization matching students with individuals with intellectual disabilities living in the community. Hours are very flexible – compatible with busy sched-
ules. More information contact: bestbuddiesuw@gmail.com. Resume builder! Volunteers needed to visit people with Alzheimer disease through Alzheimer Society Volunteer Companion Program. Call Jill at 519742-1422 or volunteer@alzheimerkw. com. Drive. Deliver. Befriend – Community Support Connections needs volunteers to help drive seniors to appointments, deliver a lunch meal or befriend an isolated senior. Mileage is reimbursed. Contact 519-772-8787 or info@communitysupportconnections.org. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 or www.volunteerkw.ca, has many opportunities available – visit the website or call today!
STUDENT AWARD & FINANCIAL AID Office is second floor Needles Hall, 519888-4567, ext 36605, safa.uwaterloo.ca. February 19: OSAP Application Deadline (full funding) for winter and spring term.
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca February 27: Deadline for OSAP Reviews (appeals) for winter only and fall and winter terms. Last day to submit Full-Time Bursary/Award Application for winter only term.
CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS Monday, February 23, 2009 Successfully Negotiating Job Offers – workshop is geared towards graduating students. 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., TC 1208. Career Interest Assessment – 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC 1112. Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Success on the Job – 3:30 to 5 p.m., TC 1208. Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Business Etiquette and Professionalism – 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208.
LIVE & LEARN LECTURES-WPL
Lectures from 7 to 9 p.m. at Waterloo Public Library, 35 Albert Street, Water-
Classified HELP WANTED
HOUSING
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, KW Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Behavioural therapist wanted for autistic teen two afternoons per week. Full training and good wage. 10 minute drive from Univeristy. Email resume to Darla at steffen.darla@rogers.com.
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 Joanne at 519-746-1411 for more details.
COURSES
SP-100 Forest Firefighting course to be held in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario March 11-15, 2009. Registration limited to the first 32 applicants. Course will be held during evening hours during the week. To register, please call Wildfire Specialists Inc., 2233 Radar Road, Suite 5, Hanmer, Ontario, P3P 1R2. Toll free 1-877-381-5849. Ontario Ministry of
loo. For info 519-886-1310, ext 124. Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Converting telematic theatre: a new fad or the future of live theatre. Tuesday, March 10, 2009 Mr. Plow meets the Beatles. Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Is it normal for my teenager to be gambling? Tuesday, April 7, 2009 Saying uncle: speaking under torture or coercion. Tuesday, April 21, 2009 Necromedia.
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Arts & Entertainment Puzzling production
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
December Revolution provides food for thought in UW Drama production, Mad Forest Sukhpreet Singh staff reporter
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W Drama’s winter production of Caryl Churchill’s Mad Forest is sure to puzzle. Watching a rehearsal during reading week — of which there were many, as the committed cast stayed in town to clock a total of approximately 32 hours of rehearsal while y’all were eating home food — I found myself often frowning in thought. And I assure you, this is not because I am an idiot. UW Prof. Andy Houston, the director of the production, is a practitioner largely focused on the body and physical aspects of theatre. As an audience member, this means you will be confronted with physical images which layer on top of and juxtapose with the text of the play, often causing initial befuddlement which eventually leads to an interpretation of their so-called meaning. The play centres on the events and aftermath of the Romanian “December Revolution” to overthrow Nicolae Ceausescu and was originally conceived after the playwright and a group of students from London’s prestigious Central School of Speech and Drama ventured to Romania to research the revolution. This production adds filmed elements and music to the original text, in what Houston deems is an attempt “to find a way to make that material reality [of oppression which the Romanian people face] present” as its complexity is “really hard for us to understand, to know.” Another effort to present the reality of the situation is manifested through the use of dialect. Churchill’s text only explicitly indicates that Roma-
nian accents be employed by actors throughout Part II, which comprises one third of the play’s tripartite entirety, but Houston is considering using them throughout. He wants to create a “sense that this is a world they’re [the audience] going into.” This use of dialect posed a distinct challenge to actors, many of whom, like cast member Katie Honek, had yet to do much similar work, other than perhaps learning a British accent, and have now come to realize the “subtleties” of the Romanian accent. Derek Lindman found the dialect work “hard,” as most of his cast members would agree, while Amy O’Grady claims it has really made her “realize how beautiful language is.” Sonia Laposi, is an English major acting as the production’s cultural liaison due to her Romanian background. Along with Heather Hill, a drama and speech communication professor, she has been helping actors work on their vocality. “Sonia helps with the sounds that come up most often” in Romanian, says O’Grady, while Hill teaches “how to place the mouth in different ways.” Hill also instructs on “where to place your voice” and teaches phrases to coach actors along, according to Jeff Ulrich, a second-year drama major and cast member. Actors remain onstage throughout most of the production, whether they have lines to speak or not. This presence illustrates how Romanians were all listening, watching and taking notes during Ceausescu’s reign, as he successfully created a Foucauldian panopticon of surveillance. Hopefully the audience will be doing the same — in a much less oppressive way, of course — once the production opens on March 17.
adrienne raw
Woman, portray thyself
UW Drama tackles female social roles in UpStart Woman 2009 Fringe Festival reporter
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ecently, the talented students of UW Drama put on their own show featuring a series of short plays meant to highlight woman in different societal roles. The UpStart Woman 2009 Fringe Festival turned out to be a huge success as many attended and left with their bellies hurting after the laughter caused by the show. The show series was developed as a counterpart to the male-focused thesis projects. The roles reversed as the men of the drama department remained behind the scenes and the women took over the main acting roles. Kaitlin Kaminski felt extremely lucky to be in the play, “I’ve never been a major character in a play where the audience has to buy tickets. It was kind of a big deal for me,”she said. She also mentioned that, “not many people were lucky enough to get a role” which means that more shows like this one need to be produced in order for students to gain experience. Kaminski was brilliant in her role in
Cliques that Click, and will likely have more main roles in the future as a result.The women were featured in a total of six shows, which alternated three shows each night from February 3 to the 7. With the exception of the odd story pre-written by Canadian play writer Elyne Quan, the majority of the fringe festival was written, acted and directed by UW students who put many hours of work into making the show a big hit. Kaminski explained that, “even though the space wasn’t very big and was awkward, it was blocked brilliantly.” The producers and directors staged the performances in such a way as to make the most of the space. The shows reflected the ambition of the UW students who recognize the challenges of such an elaborate production. The complexity of the shows meant that everyone had multiple roles to play, which meant that everyone learned about the different aspects of putting on a show including lighting, staging and direction. Eileen Li, the star actress in the play, Surface Tension, is grateful for the experience she obtained from her successful
performance as a lead character. She played the role of a young Asian girl dealing with her identity in a western society. Having experienced many of the same issues as her character, Li felt that she was able to relate strongly to the role and the story. The play took on a serious tone highlighting the complexity
“
and pluck all for society’s perception of beauty. The play was outstanding and the audience laughed as the actress on stage, Reanna Sartoretto, considered shaving her head. Another comedy had the auditorium laughing throughout as three women went through the motions of
...females often don’t get the male psyche; Asian Canadians have trouble finding their identity; anorexia can befall any woman, of any age, for any reason.
of social stereotypes. Behind the scenes, Li also committed time to the technical aspects of the other shows. The play Clothture took on a similar tone as, Surface Tension, with an ethnic woman struggling to find balance between respecting her roots and developing new traditions through her clothing. Other plays included The Hair Affair, which takes a comical approach to women’s hair removal. Amber Regier devised a story that questions the why and where of women who wax, shave
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Michelle Bellefontaine
rejection and abandonment caused by the ending of a relationship. Bittergirl written by the collaborative effort of Annabel Griffiths, Alison Lawrence and Mary Francis Moore, turned out hysterically funny in a dark bitter sort of way. An in depth look at woman with different societal issues was also featured in the plays Cliques that Click and The Red Tent. These plays, “go along with the various messages each produce: females often don’t get the male psyche; Asian Canadians have trouble finding their
identity; anorexia can befall any woman, of any age, for any reason,” as in Cliques that Click. The Red Tent presents the woman’s perspective of a patriarchial world in a modification of the biblical story, Jacob and his 12 Sons. UW Drama is encouraged to see such as strong turnout at their shows as it makes all the efforts of the production worthwhile. Students are fortunate to have the festival to gain experience and discover the many aspects of producing a production. The festival showcased all types of talent, not just acting, but writing, directing, lighting, and other aspects of a stage production. It is the experience that they gain through productions like this one that makes them successful when they leave UW and go to Hollywood, or where ever their talents take them. Very few seats were left empty at this production, as people came to watch a series of three short plays in succession at the Humanities theatre. If you missed the Up Start Woman 2009 Fringe Festival this year, mark it on your calendar and be sure to by tickets for next year because the theatre fills up fast.
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
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10 years all about Canadian icons coming to Bomber the words egassner@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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ver the weeks I have been trying to select bands that cover fairly different areas and expose a wide variety of artists. However, I’ve noticed that there are a few qualities that have been lacking in all of the different bands and this week I’m going to rectify one of them — vocals. Like music in general, vocals have somewhat of a subjective quality that may determine whether you like the singer or not, but whether someone is actually a good singer is less subjective. Jesse Hasek, vocalist of 10 Years(a Knoxville Tennessee based band that started in 2000) has proven that he can sing. This is not someone who can only sing with the help of the studio either; I was lucky enough to get a chance to see them live at Family Values around four years ago and it was almost embarrassing how the other band’s singers didn’t compare. While Hasek’s vocal prowess certainly stands out, the instrumentation is impressive as well. 10 Years’ album The Autumn Effect (2005) was their first “bigger” album and it showed the range that the band has to offer. While the band is made up of a fairly straightforward lineup — vocals, two guitars, bass, and drums — the songs of The
Autumn Effect are all emotionally charged and range from almost acoustic songs like “Seasons to Cycle” to heavier songs like “Half Life.” Even the heaviest songs by 10 Years aren’t particularly loud however; the guitars become more prominent but the main difference is the sense of urgency in Hasek’s vocals. Hasek never resorts to screaming, but why should he? He can actually sing. 10 Years did manage to get some recognition during The Autumn Effect, unlike several of the bands I’ve mentioned. Their first single “Wasteland” was up for two MTV awards based on the accompanying music video which brings up human rights issues. This was followed by their second single, “Through the Iris”; neither of the two songs come across as particularly radio-friendly. 10 Years tends to have songs that are either too quiet or too loud (or sometimes both in the same song) to really fit on the radio. This also isn’t helped by the fact that the band doesn’t really have catchy songs; the writing and singing is generally too elaborate to take in and appreciate in passing. This is a band you really have to listen to. However, a great song to start out on from The Autumn Effect is “Cast
Alicia Boers staff reporter
T courtesy republic
It Out,” the one catchy song that feels like a single on the album and ironically—it never became one. While 10 Years is still in the process of promoting its new album Division which came out just last year, you can still check out the song “Wasteland” at www.myspace. com/10years. Most of the bands I’ve written about have had great music and vocals that fit in with their style of music, but 10 Years is a band with a great vocalist and music that fits in with his style of singing. This is a case where the vocals really feel like the main focus and the music is more of the accompanying afterthought — but luckily it all still comes together in the end.
his coming Friday, February 27, Jim Lahey and Randy Bo-Bandy from the Sunnyvale Trailer Park, all the way in Nova Scotia will bring their particular brand of stand up comedy to Bomber. Lahey and Randy are stars of the show The Trailer Park Boys and the nemeses of the main characters, Ricky, Julian and Bubbles. These guys are true originals, Lahey is a drunk trailer park supervisor who hates Ricky more than anything and Randy is his big-gutted assistant who loves the trailer park and cheeseburgers. I realize that The Trailer Park Boys is not a show that many may know of first hand. At first glance the show doesn’t seem to have much substance because it is full of dope, liquor and crazy swearing. But this show is really about the importance of family and friends.
Courtesy TPB Productions
The show on Friday is sure to be a crazy drunk-drug-induced party with insane angry rants about their hatred for Ricky, but it’s also sure to be a hilarious show so check it out. Tickets cost $10 for UW students, $12 for non-UW students, and $15 at the door. Tickets can be purchased at the Feds office. aboers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Need to save some money? Rentals are half price on Mondays now!
The return of the revenge of the Pink Panther striking again
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Comparing the original Pink Panther to its gold-digging remakes could shed some light on what we think is funny these days.
professionalism complements this. But there’s something that makes it work here that’s missing in the remakes. There’s a subtlety to the comedy in good movies that flatters the viewer because they don’t need it spoon-fed to them. The Pink Panther (2006) directed by Shawn Levy: this movie isn’t smart enough to have this title or premise—that’s most of what I have to say. It’s alright as a B-class summer comedy, but it doesn’t do justice to the franchise. They didn’t even have the courtesy to make Steve Martin’s moustache the same colour as his hair. He’s a nice guy, Steve Martin; good for films involving a stressed out middle-aged American, but he’s no awkward French Inspector. Instead, the remake is a film of a different era repackaged for this era, jokes and all. The subtlety is gone for the most part and the humour is thrown in our faces, though they did manage to get the general idea behind Clouseau’s character. He sees himself as being cunning and cultured, but when something hilarious happens, it should just happen. We don’t need musical cues or extended follow-up scenes to show the goofiness of Clouseau
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P
eter Sellers must be rolling in his swiné grave. The sequel to Shawn Levy’s 2006 remake of the Pink Panther is tripping over itself in theatres around the world. People like to focus on the obvious powers at play. Hollywood needs an idea, can’t think of one, reuses a classic, and predictably ruins it. There’s a term for this: grave-robbing. But ask yourself: is it a lazy, half-assed remake or an example of 21st century comedy that doesn’t work? People may prefer old movies for their own sake and forget that, as the years go by, the idea of “funny” changes with everything. Issues of talent aside, comparing the original Pink Panther to its gold-digging remakes could shed some light on what we think is funny these days. Or in the very least, it’ll show what the industry believes to be funny. The original 1963 Pink Panther starred Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau, a notorious man on the pantheon of film comedy. Fans of the series have a good sense of his comedic appeal as an incompetent, overconfident, and endlessly fortunate man of the law. His boss wants to kill him, he breaks everything he touches, and he has his manservant Kato randomly attack him to hone his ass-kicking skills. He’s his own foil, and it’s hilarious. The gags and jokes in the films are largely visual and doubly effective because they’re juxtaposed with very serious characters and scenes. Clouseau’s self-perceived
imcewan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
rolling a globe off its hinges. Many of the comedies we loathe these days follow this formula. We’re definitely observant enough to see the humour in a film without the subtext going “Ha! Look. See what I just did? LOL!” To be fair, some people do enjoy the remakes. They have their moments of course, but if they had allowed the chemistry of character and plot to provide the humour rather than checking off a list of things for Clouseau to break, fall on, fall down and get hit by, they wouldn’t seem so superficial. We complain about comedies relying too much on popular culture, fart jokes, and people getting hit by cars—that tells you something. The jokes come from the story, not vice-versa. Look at the comedies that have won Oscars in recent years, like 2006’s Little Miss Sunshine. In reality, 21st century humour is not so different from Peter Sellers’ heyday. Audiences are amused by jokes and gags that tie into the story and don’t distract from it. If Hollywood decides to make yet another sequel, hopefully they’ll realize this. If the Pink Panther diamond is held to the light in a certain way, the animal itself can be seen. If audiences can follow a story, they can insert their own laugh track.
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Arts & Entertainment
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Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Trading a tale
Panel placement is important in storytelling for comics ptrinh@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
T
he way the panels flow in a comic holds a lot of prominence in how the story is told. Comic theorist Scott McCloud
argues in Understanding Comics this concept, that there is a way a part of a comic can be framed to express something as simple as the order of
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character dialogue and something as complex as the movement of time. With pioneers such as Will Eisner (The Spirit, A Contract With God) and Dave Gibbons (Watchmen), this is deftly evident. I want to look at this more indepth and look at some common patterns that relate to this concept. There’s a lot more to the separation of comic panels than to just keep a story organized. For one, the decision for overall spacing between panels can help maintain a specific atmosphere and narrative. The thin, grid-like framing in Watchmen (Moore and Gibbons) helps the reader understand a classic and logistical form of understanding the story. The story is what is important in this comic, and it stays true to that concept throughout while
keeping the artwork both stoic in form and intricately detailed. Compare that with the subtle flow achieved in John Campbell’s Pictures for Sad Children (www.picturesforsadchildren.com). The spacing between panels is wide enough to have an almost alienating feeling when moving through each page. Complemented by the void-like backdrops of grey, Campbell illustrates a world of great melancholy and simplicity. Comic panels themselves can achieve movement that’s very appropriate for action comics. Since The Spirit started to publish in the 1940s, many superhero comics have approached a design that is more varied than the simple rectangular framing. While Gibbons consciously chose the strict form for Moore’s and his comic, Eisner’s approach to
dynamism has continued to evolve with other artists. Take for example the work of webcomicists Pascalle Lepas and Chris Layfield. ZAP! (www.zapinspace. com) not only shows an approach to a dynamic layout, but also an improvement in the design and artwork in later pages. Panels overlap and split apart to show accelerated pacing, and revert back to a repeating, rectangular layout to show that each minute between frames need to be meditated on. It’s a joy to read their work; exhilarating! I’ve found it important to consider how to layout my comics like Impression, by Jim & Lan and Deathblossom. I try my best to make a conscious choice on what needs to stick out and what needs to follow sequence, and paneling helps achieve this goal.
Moments showing gold Oscar-nominated animated short films at Princess Maggie Clark editor-in-chief
I
f this year’s Oscar selections for animated short film are any indication, it might be said that this category marks a refuge for lovers of old silent films. Not one word is uttered in these five pieces, which will be playing for a week at Princess Cinemas starting Friday, February 20 — and not a single one needs to be. The five finalists, Lavatory Lovestory, Octapody, This Way Up, La Maison de Petits Cubes, and Presto represent quite a geographical reach, spanning from the U.S. to the UK, Russia, and Japan. Many share common themes and approaches, with Octapody and Presto (which lovers of WALL-E might remember as the opening short) both structured in a playful way, animals are more clever than people after all, dynamic. I would even go so far as to note that this very playfulness, noted in Presto, heralds back to a style of Disney short cartoon sadly missed in many of its most recent fulllength films. Meanwhile, This Way Up, which follows two morticians forging a bond while struggling against all odds to lay an old woman to rest, echos the subtler play at work in Tim Burton’s animated films.
In life-affirming contrast, Lavatory Lovestory is conveyed in a stark style that highlights the one distinctive element in the piece — the flowers left for a lonely lavatory monitor by a secret admirer. But my personal favourite has to be La Maison de Petits Cubes, the only one of the five that breaks the mold of having two primary characters. La Maison de Petits Cubes focuses on an old man in what we can assume is a post-global warming world where the lower levels of his old home and city are submerged underwater, while he lives above. Alongside the grainy watercolour feeling of the animation, this plot device allows the perfect resonance for the real story,
courtesy robot communications
which emerges as the old man descends into the depths of his old home, and in doing so, his own memories, sliding back from old age with his deceased wife to the vigours of his youth. Certainly the most delicate tale of all five, this piece from Japan is my pick for the Oscar, but no matter which wins, they’re all worth a look. For more information on Princess Cinema showtimes check out princesscinemas.com. Discount tickets can be acquired at Turnkey in the SLC with a Watcard. editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Science & Technology
Taylor Helferty staff reporter
T
wo years after the release of Windows Vista, Microsoft released the public beta of its new operating system, Windows 7, making up for the mistakes it made through Windows Vista. One of the biggest problems during the release of Vista was compatibility. Many hardware drivers and software were incompatible with the operating system, or just didn’t work properly, because Vista was built from scratch instead of using XP as a base. This caused stress for many, as programs they were familiar with wouldn’t work, and some computers couldn’t use Vista since the hardware was incompatible. Windows 7 has prevented that from happening again by being a giant update for Vista. Since it is using the same base as Vista, the programs and hardware that worked in Vista will work for 7. As well, making it a public beta will allow users to try their programs on the operating system before the release, allowing Microsoft to make any incompatible programs compatible before it’s completed. A few programs that can run well in XP and Vista don’t work properly in 7, but it is still in beta — issues like this will likely be fixed before release. Another d ow n e r f r o m Vista was performance. Vista was a largely resourceintensive operating system that needed at least one (yet two was recommended) gigabyte of memory to operate smoothly. Windows 7 feels snappier and is much more lightweight. The requirements still call for one gigabyte of memory and a good video card, but it runs a lot smoother. Start-up is noticeably faster than Vista and on a few occasions faster than Windows XP installation. On a computer running MS Word 2007, iTunes, and Google Chrome, the memory usage is at 800 megabytes, which is a large improvement if you consider that this same machine running Vista used about 1000 megabytes after start up (without any programs running yet). Perhaps the most noticeable improvement is the changes to the user interface (UI). The biggest of these is the taskbar, which is now even more akin to the Mac OSX dock. Instead of the normal taskbar, with open windows displayed as tabs with the name of the window on it, it only shows icons. Programs can be “pinned”
to the taskbar and launched, much like the quick launch bar in XP and Vista. However, when you launch a program, that icon is highlighted instead of creating a new tab on the taskbar. After that, clicking on the icon again will minimize or maximize the window, but hovering your mouse over them will show each window as a thumbnail image — also allowing you to preview the window in full if you then hover your mouse over one of these thumbnail images. Among many features, you can also right click on the icons to view recently opened files, open a new file before the actual program, and change your messenger status. Another new UI feature is being able to drag a window around and “snap” it to the sides. Dragging it to the top will allow you to maximize, while dragging it to either side will snap it to that side. This is handy for using two programs on a widescreen monitor, being able to drag one program to one side and the other to the other side, allowing both windows to be side by side without having to resize each manually. There are fun and neat features to Windows 7, such as the snipping tool, which allows you to take screenshots — and shots of just parts of the screen — simply and without the need for opening MS Paint (which itself is also nicely improved and looks more like Office 2007). Also, there is no more Windows Security Centre. Instead it is the Action Centre, which isn’t as intrusive and easier to use. The User Account Control (UAC) – that annoying thing that always asks if you’re absolutely sure you want to install something, every time you try – has more options than just On and Off. Now it’s Completely Annoying, Partially Annoying, Even Less Annoying, and Off. This way you’re not too protected nor completely unprotected. There’s also a feature that, if a program isn’t installing or working properly due to not being compatible, it has the option of changing the settings to that of a previous version of Windows. While you will still need a fairly new computer to run it properly, Windows 7 is shaping up to be a great operating system, and one that is greatly needed after the disappointment that was Vista. It is faster, nicer, and more user-friendly. It may even be the operating system that brings Microsoft back onto everyone’s nice list (after Vista turned many users to either Apple or Linux). thelferty@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Maggie Clark editor-in-chief
A
clever trick of marketing goes into a lot of the positive reviews I’ve read about Windows 7 to date, the most extraordinary being the promotion of this system a) in contrast to Vista, and b) as if its tools are unique in the world of user interface (UI) development. Both points are linked to a sense of knowing one’s target audience — which I’m not confident Windows does. It’s not Vista users Windows needs to convince to make this switch to the “new and better” Vista: it’s XP users, especially in the workplace, who recoiled from Vista in the first place. And, of course, it’s Mac and Linux users too. So a winning argument — I say as a Mac user myself — would have to demonstrate that Windows 7 as superior to XP, Leopard, and Linux. But, being an updated version of Vista — the Vista, in other words, that Vista should have been — means you won’t find many changes to the operating system itself (with the beta version still manifesting consistent compatibility problems, such as not finding basic drivers for many external devices); just a snazzier UI. And what was it that XP users learned from the Vista debacle? Right — that their present system wasn’t too shabby after all. For one, it’s stable; for another, all their familiar programs are guaranteed to work. So why switch to something with little more than a make-over for improvement, and so many possible instabilities at its root? And the quality of that make-over becomes especially telling when you invite a Mac into your house, and compare Leopard OS X to many of the supposedly new and exciting features in Windows 7. Notice anything familiar there? Trust me, there’s plenty. For one, Windows 7 boasts a new, hip, more interactive taskbar, with tiny icons to mark active windows instead of adding more block-y tabs. Sounds a little like the Dock, doesn’t it? Because it is, without the ease of Stacks for excess icons, and with the absurd addition of a 3D wheel takes away your ability to clearly make out all applications on it at once. Windows 7 also almost laughably introduces a “Snipping Tool” to help improve screenshot-taking abilities: too bad with Leopard all you have to do is click on any element of any page — a photo, a link, a text block: anything — and drag and drop it elsewhere. And you don’t need to go to “Start/Accessories” to have that option anyway.
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Another feature Microsoft is glowing about is the ability to “snap” programs to either the left or right of a page, so you can — gasp! — run two programs side by side without having to manually reconfigure the sizes. Again, Mac users should find this rather old-school: Not only do we have the Expose feature (F3 on newer Macs, F9 on older ones), which automatically resizes all open documents on the screen so they’re all visible at once, and allows you to cycle through them with tab — and furthermore, with Command F3, allows you to clear your entire desktop in one fell swoop, leaving only the edges of open documents along the outer border, and plenty of clear space for you to start something new — there’s the Spaces application, too. What Spaces allows you to do is set up to 16 possible workspaces on one desktop, so that with a simple tap of the keyboard, a slide of the pointer to the bottom left corner on the screen, or the clicking of an application on your Dock in another Space, you can jump from one desktop screen to another. This proves immensely useful when you want to separate different kinds of work — school, personal, volunteer-based — from play: yours, a sibling’s, and more. So really, there isn’t much in the Windows 7 package to lure Leopard users away from a design that was already clean and accessible from the get-go. Which leaves XP users, and here I almost feel sorry for Microsoft: One of their new features, an upgrade to the old, infuriatingly intrusive Windows Security Centre, is a system that prompts warnings about possible download and installation errors less frequently. You can see where Microsoft really wanted to help cut down on client annoyance here, too, but alack, the Windows world — still too raw from the instability of the Vista system, I’d wager — responded more critically to this change than any other. It leaves their computers more vulnerable to malware, critics cry — even as Microsoft points out that malware can only be in a position to inflict harm if the user has already expressly consented to its introduction to the system; the system itself is a good block from the introduction of new threats. But if this controversy highlights anything, it’s that Windows users have at the top of their priorities issues of safety, security, and stability, so if Microsoft continues to promote Windows 7 as “better than Vista,” that system wrought with such errors, it’s going to have a hard time convincing XP users they should climb aboard. mclark@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
paul collier
22
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Dangerous misconceptions theferty@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
I
n many parts of Aisa — namely Hong Kong, Singapore, and Taiwan — there is a delicacy for the wealthy that is becoming ever more popular. This delicacy is shark fin soup. It is exactly how it sounds; shark fins are used in a soup that is flavoured with other stock, such as chicken (as shark fins do not actually add taste). A bowl can cost upwards of $100. While many people may find it just another foreign delicacy, there is more bloodshed behind this soup than you think. Shark meat isn’t very high in value, but the fins are because of their use in shark fin soup. So what happens when these sharks are caught? Their fins are all cut off, and the still alive shark is dumped back into the ocean to die. It can’t swim or move without its fins, and simply sinks to the bottom to drown. This happens to about 38 to 70 million sharks per year, and has sent one third of the 340 known shark species near extinction. However, the issue I’m getting at is not simply the plea of the sharks, but rather why this plea isn’t also voiced by many people. If you ask most people what they think about when you mention sharks, they’ll say sea monsters. Giant creatures with hundreds of teeth that will attack any human near them. While it is true that they are giant creatures with large teeth, they are no more dangerous than any other animal on the planet. Our perceptions about sharks are given to us by Hollywood and our own fears of creatures in the deep, dark water. In truth, not many people die from shark attacks. The ones that do are unfortunate surfers who look like seals on their surfboard, or more commonly someone who sparked a shark’s curiosity, who then wanted a taste to see what this odd creature is. After that taste, they don’t always continue attacking. They’ve already discovered you’re not food. The few shark attacks that do happen are largely reported and create fear. In reality,
Courtesy Someguy925 (Flicker)
Costing upwards of $100 per bowl, the Asian delicacy shark fins soup is responsible for the slaughter of 38 to 70 million sharks a year. more people die per year from pig attacks, or even from falling vending machines, then from sharks. Misconceptions of animals don’t just stop at sharks. Animals from all over the world are misconstrued as monstrous creatures that will attack a human on sight, or even hunt us down. These include wolves, snakes, alligators, and bears, among many, many others. The unfortunate consequence of these misconceptions is that we would rather try and save the “cute and cuddly” animals (which also need our saving sometimes) than the ugly, “dangerous” ones. Some of us would even go so far as to kill them on sight even if they don’t provoke us. This
happened to the Massasauga rattlesnake in Southern Ontario. They used to populate almost all of Southern Ontario, but being a venomous snake, was killed and driven out of most of the province. They are now nearing extinction (which is also caused by general habitat loss and fragmentation from roads and cities). The misconception that venomous snakes are dangerous is true — since their venom is bad for humans — but a misconception nonetheless. Most venomous snakes — such as the Massasauga rattlesnake — don’t have potent enough venom to kill a human. If you get help, it is almost impossible for you to die from it. If you’re a healthy enough person, you might not
Wael Elsweisi staff reporter
Too much green tea is bad news
Green tea has long been known for its many health benefits. It protects against rheumatoid arthritis and heart disease, lowers cholesterol levels, and even helps curb obesity. A recent study, however, suggests it would be ill-advised for patients being treated for multiple myeloma (a form of blood cancer) with the chemical bortezomib, sold under the name Velcade, to consume too much green tea. The tea’s beneficial effects are attributed to its class of chemicals known as polyphenols. These same chemicals, however, can bind to the drug in such a way that prevents it from attacking the body’s cancerous blood cells. “We saw 100 per cent inactivation of Velcade at levels easily achieved by patients who take green tea supplements, and possibly those who drink large amounts of tea,” said study leader Axel Schonthal of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles on Newscientist Patients on green tea supplements face a greater risk since each capsule contains 50 times more polyphenols than in a single cup of green tea. It is worth noting that these supplements have already been linked to various liver and kidneys problems when taken by healthy individuals. Vitamins: less than what you bargained for
Multivitamin use is a multibillion dollar industry in North America as millions of people rely on these supplements to boost their health. The largest study to ever look into the use of multivitamins by women suggests these dietary supplements do not protect against cancer and heart disease as once thought. After following 161, 808 postmenopausal women for eight years, the study noted that roughly equal numbers of multivitamin users and nonusers developed common cancers and cardiovascular diseases. The number of deaths due to these complications was also similar. Although disappointing, this conclusion is are similar to previous studies on multivitamin use by men.
need the help at all. As well, snakes don’t normally use venom when they bite, and a snake will only bite if it feels threatened. That’s what the rattle is for on rattlesnakes: to warn you that you’re getting too close. If it does bite, they won’t normally inject venom unless they feel it’s absolutely necessary. This is because they need that venom to kill their food — as they won’t eat live food — and only produce so much venom at a time. Snakes know you’re not food, and don’t want to waste that venom unless they feel have to. Most of these animals simply just look dangerous, so when there is an attack, it spreads through the media like wildfire. In reality, these animals are just doing what any animal — or even any human – would do: protecting itself or its family. A wolf or snake or shark is no more likely to attack you than a raccoon or bird. I’ve dealt with snakes most of my life, and I’ve been attacked by more small birds around my house for being too close to their nests. Bigger animals such as bears may be more prone to attack out of defence — thus looking like offence — because they’re bigger and know that they’re strong. Even then, they’re just as terrified as you. If you’re cautious and avoid them, they’ll ignore you. To further protect the biodiversity and species we have, we must first overcome our fear of them. When you see a news article about a shark attack, read to see how it happened. Research an animal before you decide it’s dangerous. If you’re out in the wilderness, know what to do when you encounter an animal, just as you would know to keep food out of your tent to prevent raccoons or bears from trying to get in. Don’t go by just what the mainstream media says, and don’t take movies like Snakes on a Plane as accurate information. Before you judge a shark, maybe you should judge that vending machine with the stuck bag of chips.
The bottom line is for people to get nutrients from food. Further, scientists recommend at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day, while limiting one’s intake of red meat. But that doesn’t mean multivitamins are useless. They can still serve “as a form of insurance” for people with poor eating habits. Health Canada approves breast cancer drug
Breast cancer is the world’s second most common type of cancer, and is the fifth deadliest. About 90 per cent of all breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities resulting from the “wear and tear” processes associated with age, whereas only 5-10 per cent is thought to be inherited from either parent. Current treatments include surgery, chemotherapy and/or drugs, depending on the exact form of the cancer. Following the footsteps of the U.S. and the U.K., Health Canada has recently approved the drug Avastin (bevacizumab) for the treatment of the HER2-negative form of the cancer. The drug acts by restricting the flow of blood in the vessels that supply the respective tumours with nutrients and oxygen, thereby keeping their growth to a minimum. “In the study, patients on the Avastin-paclitaxel combination therapy experienced a doubling of their time living without the disease advancing,” said Karen Gelmon of the University of British Columbia. The drug is being manufactured by HoffmannLa Roche Canada. Officials said the drug will continue to be researched for its potential use against prostate, kidney, pancreatic, and ovarian cancer. Women can reduce their chances of developing breast cancer by maintaining a healthy diet, limiting smoking and alcohol, and exercising regularly. In 2008, an estimated 22,400 Canadian women were diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 5,300 died from the disease. — With files from CBC News, NewScientis and MSNBC News welsweisi@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
23
One ring to rule them all... and in the darkness bind them
Y
“
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A cock ring, also known as a penis ring, or an erection band, binds the penis and testicles, allowing blood to be trapped in the penis.
Dinh Nguyen
Lana Sheridan staff reporter
Kindle 2 – Amazon’s new eBook reader Amazon will release the second version of its much-touted electronic book reading device, the Kindle, on February 24. With a price tag of US$359 it is still for the dedicated reader or technophile only, but the “electronic paper” screen is everything it promises to be, and now even more impressive with 16 shades of grey and higher resolution. The screen works by rearranging tiny black and white particles suspended in fluid capsules. The white particles are positively charged, and the black negatively charged, so that a static charge can hold the particles in place. This requires very little power giving the Kindle a long battery life, while at the same time being less straining on the eyes than LCD screens since it is not backlit. And the screen refreshes to the next page remarkably fast — usually in less than a second — when the user flips the “next page” button. Unfortunately, on the old model that button was very easy to hit by accident. In the new model it has shrunk to less than half its previous size. Other changes include a slimmer, lighter design and more storage capacity. The protective cover now has to be purchased separately for another $30, but it hopefully works better than the old case, which came included with the Kindle, yet did not hold it securely. The new model also claims to have improved support for PDF documents. Sony, meanwhile, is offering a competing device for about $10 less, which seems to be aiming for superior document compatibility,
but does not use Amazon’s WhisperNet service that allows for easy purchase and download of new books wirelessly. That said, in Canada WhisperNet is not available anyway. EBook reader interfaces still have a way to go in becoming more “flip friendly” and it makes loaning books to others nearly impossible, but the ability to store most of your library in one small device makes them very tempting. The Windows Phone Desperate to compete in a market of devices that come with software included, Microsoft does not want to be left behind in the race to meet the mobile device demand. It is scrambling to make its Windows Mobile operating system, originally conceived with PDAs in mind, increasingly phone-friendly. The company on was demonstrating its new update, Windows Mobile 6.5 on Monday at the Mobile World Congress. It includes a mobile version of Internet Explorer that is compatible with IE 6 and is intended to be easier to use on touch-screens, however it still lacks the Apple iPhone’s multi-touch ability. The software will not be appearing on phones until the end of the year, but when it does, Microsoft wants users to see phones running the operating system as “Windows Phones,” much as generic PCs running Microsoft are “Windows Machines.” Only time will tell whether this approach will work against device-bundled competitors such as BlackBerry and the iPhone.
— with files from CNET News
ou may be surprised to hear that cock rings were originally used to treat Erectile Dysfunction (ED), but recent advertising campaigns for vibrating rings have upped their reputation to sex toy status. Although the inventor is yet to come forward, these handy little widgets are making a place for themselves in the upper compartments of nightstands across the nation. As such, what is a cock ring, and what is so amazing about it? A cock ring, also known as a penis ring, or an erection band, binds the penis and testicles, allowing blood to be trapped in the penis. An erection begins with mental, sensory stimulation or both. The brain sends signals to the penis to relax so that blood can fill the blood vessels in corpora cavernosa, which is a two-chambered membrane, which lies along the shaft of the penis, beginning at the pubic bone and ending at the head of the penis. The blood gets trapped under high pressure, causing an erection. Once ejaculation occurs or stimulation ceases, arteries constrict and veins relax, decreasing blood inflow and upping blood outflow, causing the penis to return to flaccid state, followed by a refractory period when an erection cannot be achieved.
alomako@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
With ED, men commonly experience the inability to maintain an erection sufficiently for intercourse. Wearing a cock ring traps the blood, resulting in greater sensitivity for the wearer, creating a firmer erection and potentially increasing the duration of the erection, making it an effective treatment for ED sufferers. Most contemporary cock rings also include a vibrating mechanism, making it a pleasurable bedroom toy for both partners. Vibrating cock rings can be used both manually and with intercourse to provide stimulation. To add clitoral stimulation to penetration, the ring can be placed face up at the base of the penis or dildo. If the ring position is reversed (face down), it can provide scrotal stimulation for the wearer. The ring can also be used manually when wrapped around the index and middle fingers. There are two kinds of cock rings, adjustable and fixed. Beginner cock ring users should start with using adjustable ones, which features a strap that goes around the base of the penis and behind the testicles, and is then tightened to a snug, comfortable position. Adjustable rings should be put in when the penis is semi-erect. To put on a fixed cock ring, it must be done prior to an erection occurring. Start by holding the ring under your testicles, pushing each testis through the loop one at a time.
Slip the penis in the remaining space, using lubricant if necessary. It is better for beginners to cock rings with adjustable straps because it is virtually impossible to get out of a fixed cock ring until the erection dissipates. If a cock ring is stuck in place, there are three options for making the great Houdini escape: wait until the erection goes away, apply generous amounts of lube or submerge in cold water to accelerate losing the erection. Keep in mind you should not keep a vibrating ring on for more than 20-30 minutes as long-term wearing can cause bruising and damage capillaries. People with cardiovascular, diabetes, or blood thinner users are advised against cock ring use — it is important to consult a physician prior to using the product if you have any of these conditions. Cock rings are made of a variety of materials: silicone, latex, leather, rubber and metal among others. As such, it is important to select a material you are comfortable and not allergic to. Just like with other sex toys, using a cock ring requires the user to be informed about the product in order for it to be safe for use as well as enjoyable. Thankfully, sex toys like cock rings are gaining in popularity and availability, and if the user is educated about the toy, one has nothing to lose but clothes.
Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Squash: this year One of Waterloo’s own is named OUA Male Player of the Year Caitlin McIntyre Sports Editor
T
Warriors for the Gold
Caitlin McIntyre Sports Editor
T
he Waterloo Warriors Swim Team participated in the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) championships February 6, 7, and 8 at Ottawa, ending the provincial season with some impressive results. The Warriors have taken their wins to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) standings, the men’s team even managing to establish themselves as ninth in the country according OUA update. Though the team has excelled as a whole, many individuals have recieved excellent scores as well. With medals, placings and varying CIS qualifying swims, the team looks good for the national competition which started February 19.
Olympian Keith Beavers, a kineseology major, walked away from the three day long competition with his share of hardwear. Beaver’s 200 breast had him in first, as well as 200 IM with a team record of 2:01.16. He also placed second in 200 free. Beaver’s 200m medley relay was won by his team, consisting of himself, Paul Niglas, Oleg Chernukhin and Wesley Greig. With the relay win Beaver walked away from the competition with three gold medals and one silver for good measure. Niglas, a major in mechatronics engineering, placed second in the men’s 50 metre butterfly to add a silver medal to his relay gold. Chernukhin, also in mechatronics engineering, added a gold in 50 back and a silver in 100 back to his winnings. Chernukhin will
be graduating this semester, but does so with a great number of successful swims under his belt. The final group of men’s CIS qualifiers includes Beavers, Chernukhin, Niglas, Greig, Greg Gambino, Ken Wang, and Yonathan Prajogo. This is one of the largest groups of representatives that UW has sent to CIS championships in quite some time. In the women’s division, Warriors scored points in various events. Angela McIsaac, majoring in environmental engineering, scored in the 400 IM, the 200 breast, and the 100. Arts, four Year liberal studies student Kristie Irving scored points for 50 and 100 fly, and Nicole Boduel, a four year psychology major, scored in 100 back. Finally, Michelle Claessens, majoring in math sciences, scored in the 50 and 200 breast.
Dinh Nguyen
The meet’s final standings are:
Men: 1. Toronto 906 2. Western 588 3. Ottawa 560 4. McMaster 548 5. Guelph 412 6. Waterloo 380 Women: 1. Western 941.5 2. Toronto 842.5 3. McMaster 591.5 4. Guelph 335 5. Brock 315 10. Waterloo 113.5 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
his year’s OUA Male Player of the Year is Eric Dingle, of the computer engineering faculty here at UW. Originally from Calgary, Alberta, Dingle is a veteran of the sport, having already won the OUA’s Male Player of the Year award twice prior to this latest announcement February 12. The honour follows a stellar run for the Warrior athlete, after he finishing his regular season with an overall record of 5-1. His season pitted him against various athletes from various schools and his results remained impressive through out. Dingle’s first victorious match, against a member of the men’s squash team at McMaster, left him leading with three sets to nothing with individual match scores of 9-7, 9-3, and 9-3. He followed this victory with a 3-0 against Brock, scoring 9-1, 9-0, and 9-0. He won 3-0 against Toronto with 9-0, 9-5 and 9-3, and another 3-0 game against Queen’s at 9-3, 9-1 and 9-1. In one final three nill victory he scored 9-4, 9-2 and 9-3 against McGill, making for an extremely impressive season. This athlete’s incredible results have really served to put UW on the squash map. Our men’s squash team is now ranked fifth overall in the OUA standings. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Despite it all The Waterloo Warriors have pushed their way through a set of unbelievable circumstances to make their way to play offs this year Caitlin McIntyre sports editor
T
he beginning of the term found the men’s hockey team in a tough situation when their plans to return from a trip across Europe came to an abrupt halt. Their visit overseas was supposed to end with a Tuesday evening landing back home, though it ended up as a long four day stint of airports and baggage claims that resulted in two postponed games for the team. “We were supposed to fly out of Milan, but as we got to the airport our plane was grounded,” Doug Spooner, a forward on the University of Waterloo’s Warrior hockey team, said in his interview with Imprint. “It was the first snow storm they’d had in four years, and it hit the day we were supposed to go home.”
A streak of bad luck left the team stranded in the airport over night, only to be shifted to a different location the next morning. “They told us that Rome always had good weather, so that’s where we were sent,” Spooner explained. “So we get there, get in line to board the plane and not 15 minutes before takeoff the baggage handlers go on strike.” The workers only refused to assist in international flights, which put the boys out of luck. “We lost a couple bags right away, where they disappeared to, I couldn’t tell you,” said Spooner. The team managed to fly out that night and landed in New York airport the next day, and three days later than originally planned, they made it home. The team lost 29 out of their 80 bags, three of which are still missing. The worst part of the trip was yet to come, as the team’s arrival Friday afternoon had them
pinched for much needed time, their next two games falling on Saturday and Sunday of that same week. Because of their lost equipment and the time they had lost in the European airports, the team had to delay both games, putting them at a momentary disadvantage in their league standings. “For the longest time we were ranked much lower in the standings than we should have been,” said Spooner. “But we got the games caught up, and now we are where we’re supposed to be.” The whole ordeal ended when the team’s return forced a recent run of three-game weeks. “The two weeks we played these games weren’t so bad. Though very rare in OUA league seasons, the playoff schedule is three games a week, so we just used
these busy schedules as prep,” Spooner said. “To tell you the truth, it was the airports that were the most frustrating parts of this whole thing. Having to sleep there overnight, all the waiting, it was irritating.” Now that the games have been made up and play offs are in session. The Warriors are steadily climbing in the ranks, and as of February 10 the boys stand ninth in the CIS top ten. They’ve fought through delayed games, missing equipment and the threat of other opposing teams to bring out their best in what’s proven to be a very rewarding but challenging season. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Ian Cutajar
Sports & Living
warrior
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
25
Waterloo Warriors Last Week Men’s Basketball
Women’s Basketball
Saturday, February 14 Western 81 - Waterloo 63
Saturday, February 7 Western 67 - Waterloo 57
A positive twist to season’s end Caitlin McIntyre sports editor
Men’s Hockey
Women’s Hockey
Thursday, February 12 Laurier 6 - Waterloo 2
Sunday, February 8 Waterloo 2 - Queen’s 2
Saturday, February 7 Waterloo 1 - Windsor 0
Saturday, February 7 Waterloo 5 - UOIT 1
Upcoming Games Women’s Hockey
Saturday, February 21 PAC Building, 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 22 at York, 2:00 p.m.
Track and Field
Swimming
Friday, February 20 at Toronto, TBC
Thurs, Feb. 19 - Sat, Feb. 21 at UBC, 7:05 p.m.
Nordic Skiing
Men’s Hockey
Saturday, February 21 at Haliburton, TBD
Saturday, February 21 CIF, 7:30 p.m.
wrap-up
Men’s Basketball
T
he Warrior Women’s Volleyball team ended their season last Saturday after losing their quarter final game against one of the West league’s top ranking teams. McMaster beat out the Warriors 3-1. Although their league games are over, the Warrior women managed to snag a few recognitions in the OUA Women’s Volleyball All-Stars and Major Award Winners. Laura Klein, left side for Warrior volleyball, was honoured as the West Divisions Top Rookie of the year. Klein is a fine arts major at UW, and has, in previous years, played for Team Ontario in volleyball. She holds many impressive stats for the season, including 16 service aces, 12 blocks, and 134 kills. Kate Flanagan, one of the team’s middles and a major in recreation & seisure, was named as a West Division First Team All-Star. Warrior right side
Sunday, February 22 CIF, 7:30 p.m.
CAN’T FIND YOUR TEAM’S GAMES HERE? Send your results and listings to sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Jumping through the ranks
Courtesy UW Athletics
Sunday, February 22 at Haliburton, TBD
Courtesy UW Athletics
Bojana Josipovic also received recognition as a West Division Second Team All-Star. The girls’ season definitely ended on a positive note.
Caitlin McIntyre sports editor
W
aterloo’s own Jason Goetz has been putting on quite the show for Warrior track fans this season. Coming off of a year’s break from his triple jump career, the fourth year geography & environmental management major, has come back to the pits with more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Goetz started January off with a bang, placing second and sixth in the triple jump and high jump events at
the Toronto based Sharon Anderson Memorial Track and Field meet. His impressive results put him at OUA championship standards and his high jump set him in sixth in the CIS rankings. This was only a shadow of what would come from this athlete. Goetz continued to hold his impressive sixth place in the CIS when the track and field team made its way out to Windsor to compete in the CanAm meet, in which he pulled off a third place in his event of choice. With his steady increases in triple jump distance, Goetz went forward to dominate at the McGill Team Challenge in Montreal. Placing second in both triple jump and long jump, Goetz also managed to break a 20-year-old varsity record with his triple jump distance of 14.35m. This also earned him a third place rank in the CIS, leading him into the York Classic, where he snagged a silver for his triple jump once more. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Athletes of the Week
Game 2 and 3
Playoffs Round 1
Game 2 :: February 21
Warrior [M] Basketball February 31
vs McMaster Marauders
Kelly MacLean Hockey 2nd year, Economics St. George, ON
4:00 PM, UW PAC Gym
vs Lakehead Thunderwolves 7:30 pm, CIF Arena Game 3 :: February 22 [if nes]
Cameron Dunning
vs Lakehead Thunderwolves 7:30 pm, CIF Arena
Volleyball Registered trademarks of Boston Pizza Royalties Limited Partnership, used under license. © Boston Pizza International Inc. 2005
IMPRINT | FEBRUARY 20
Masters Engineering Calgary, AB
26
Comics & Distractions
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Ask
Why are you here during reading week? “Working two jobs.” Barbara MacDonald 4A, Computer Science
Shaniqua distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
“Three exams, working, and lab work! Boo!!! Matt Woo 4B, Biomed Science “My parents never came to pick me up.” Alex Pedjase 1B Science
“I live in Waterloo.” Richard Lebel 1B AHS
“I am a nerd.” Kaushiki B 4B Math
“I am on co-op” David Bokan 3A Software Engineering
“We’re volunteering for concessions at the basketball game” Dan Snider Steve DesChamp 1B Arts
Dear Shaniqua, Dating and relationships are confusing. No, scratch that, MEN are confusing. I’ve dated a few men and sometimes I don’t understand their actions. I am sure there are many women that feel the same. Can you tell me what are the early signs of a guy not being into you.What would he do if he really liked you? I am a forgiving and believable person (often to a fault) and sometimes I don’t catch the hidden messages/signs. Thanks. Confused. Dear Confused, Honey, men are pigs. Men are rude, loud, smelly, stupid, and rarely do their actions make sense. What you need to realise right now is that as a woman, you are naturally superior to all men. My mama always used to say that people’s problems look a lot clearer when you’re lookin’ down on them — of course, when she said it I think she was making fun of her mother-in-law, but it’s a saying that applies here. So, men’s actions baffle you.That is okay. Let’s say you offer yourself up in a school girl uniform and your man says no because he’d rather reach a save location on Halo 3. To you this may seem like he doesn’t want you or love you, and that he’d rather waste time staring at a screen than sexing you. But when we put on our pink lab coats and examine men like the animals they are, things make a bit more sense. He’s not turning you down as a person, all he sees is the sex you’re offering up. To men, the video games are just as important as the sex, and since he’s right in the middle of his mission it’s more important because he can always do what you’re offering later (with or without you). Conclusion? Men don’t know how to interact with women. There’s no telltale sign that he’s losing interest. If he doesn’t return your phone calls it could be because he hates your guts, or it could be because he’s having an awesome bros-only weekend and forgot it would hurt your feelings if he didn’t call. Conclusion? Men are idiots. I wish I could unravel the mystery of men for you, but the best I can tell you is to accept that men just don’t get it, and once you accept that, eventually you’ll stop caring. Lesbians are the lucky ones. Dear Shaniqua,
Think you can stump shaniqua? Give it your best shot.
distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Bring it, bitches.
I’m a 19-year-old guy who just experienced probably the most awkward, embarassing moment of my life. I was home for part of reading week, and when I was getting ready to leave to head back to Waterloo I had to grab my mp3 player from the computer room. I don’t know if he thought I had left already or what, but when I opened the door I walked in on my dad masturbating. I repeat: I walked in on my dad masturbating. What do I do? When he saw me he froze, I grabbed my iPod and left. I haven’t talked to him since.The image of my father’s penis is burned into the back of my eyelids, and I don’t know if I can ever look at him the same way again.Will things between me and my dad be awkward forever? Urgently, Eyewash Station Needed Dear ESN, Sweet merciful lord.You poor, poor boy. Right off the bat: will things be awkward forever? At least for a couple years. This can play out one of two ways.The first option is the Brady Bunch-moment where you and your old man sit down together and discuss how masturbation is completely natural and normal and everybody does it. The pretext may be education, but in reality the purpose is to condense the awkwardness of the future year or so into one conversation to get it over with. Seeing as how you are a grown man, though, and it was you walking in on him instead of the other way around, I doubt your dad is going to sit you down to have that talk. The other option is to sweep it under the rug and never, ever under any circumstances discuss what happened in the computer room that day. It will be horrible, and yes, you’ll probably never be able to see your father in the same light again, but at least you won’t have to discuss your feelings — and that is the goal of every situation in every family, really. You should also keep in mind that your dad is a man with needs, just like you. Really just do your best to forget about it. In fact, just lie to yourself and say it never happened.What incident in the computer room?There was no incident in the computer room. What are we talking about? You poor, poor boy.
Got a question that needs answering? Shaniqua can handle it all, from boring stuff to strange sexual dilemmas, she’ll try her best to answer it (and if she doesn’t know the answer she’ll just sass you). E-mail your questions to distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Comics & Distractions
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
Crossword
Paul Collier
1. Half 5. Toss one’s cookies 10. Before la 12. After grace 13. Contrast between expected and actual 14. Brother of Jacob 16. Hamilton franchise (two words) 18. Plundered 19. Dined in town (two words) 20. Consolations 22. Common 25. 1949 military alliance (acronym) 26. Hushed attention-getting sound 28. City bird sound 30. Oceania archipelago monarchy 33. Consumed 34. Theme beverage 36. Residence leader 37. Burma currency 38. Turtle hunter 39. Chewed-again morsel 40. Contraction of ever 41. Trifling 42. Carry, with difficulty 43. Picture-to-syllable puzzle 45. Collection 46. Church head 47. Small four-stringed guitars 49. Plant again 51. Uniform Resource _______
7 9 2 1 6 5 3 8 4
5 4 8
1 6 5 4 7 3 9 2 8
4 3 8 5 9 2 6 7 1
2 7 9 6 8 1 4 5 3
6
7
14
23
27
24
28
38
40
41
43
31
32
56
57
15
21
29
30 35
36 39 42
44
45
47
11
25
34
37
10
18 20
33
51
9
17
26
2. Give off 3. Viral phenomenon 4. Internal to a company (hyphenated) 5. Connoisseurship 6. Scrap of leftover food 7. Bovine sound 8. Hostels 9. Kid Dynamite 10. Reached a base 11. Failures to reach a base 14. Greek Muse of love poetry 15. Toronto franchise (two words) 17. Remove from office 21. Toward a period’s end 23. Oak fruits 24. More idealistic 26. Cheque receiver 27. Seattle franchise
8
13
22
1. Info
6
2 5
4 2 4 7 9
6 3 6 4 3 8 2 7 1 9 5
5
19
Down
Feb 13 Sudoku solution 5 8 1 9 3 4 2 6 7
4
48
52
46 49
50
53
54
58
59
62
63
64
65
66
67
29. Recently (two words) 31. Extort money 32. Logical conjunction 34. Prompt 35. Snakelike fish 37. For every 38. Telly (two words) 42. Philistine 44. Russian tsar’s edict 46. ____ and Circumstance 48. Bulgarian capital
60
55
61
50. Three score 51. Molten rock 52. In speech 53. Lease 55. Undo undo 56. Site customer 57. Latin for existence 60. Débutante (abbr.) 61. Health resort
Feb 6 Crossword solution
1 7 8
1
3
16
54. Impregnate 58. Biblical vessels 59. Students’ grab ‘n go (two words) 62. Urn 63. Incompetent 64. Lyric poems 65. Foil element 66. At a distance (two words) 67. Deteriorated through use
Sudoku
7 2 6 9
2
12
Across
5
1
27
3 1 6 2 5 8 7 4 9
8 2 7 3 4 9 5 1 6
9 5 4 7 1 6 8 3 2
T R U E
B O L L
S A N E
P R A C T M A T I A M O S D I R E E R E R E M C E A I R C G L E E L E W D E R S E
H U B T R O I N S C H E E R
T A N A M O K
A V A I L
D U N C E
S L A B
T A L L A D H O M S A U N A O R G E N S T E O C H I S L E F T C A R A C A W C H R E E Y E D
T O W N I E
O S A K A
S L I E R
S O F T Y
E E R G A O S T R I I D P E S A
R A Z E
G L E N
E L A N
R E T D
Correction The Crossword solution this week is from February 6. For the Crossword solution of February 13 please refer to last week’s paper. Imprint apologizes for any confusion.
Feb 13 Cryptogram Solution Achievement brings its own anticlimax. Maya Angelou
Cryptogram Yss natsf jakyn nbetjbnu yak wemwkhzkl qf xyschmj — Gahklahwb Mhknpuwbk
Comics & Distractions
28
Imprint, Friday, February 20, 2008
POSTSCRIPT
GRAHAM MOOGK-SOULIS
LOOSE SCREWS
GEOFFREY LEE & SONIA LEE
IMPRESSION, BY JIM & LAN
PETER N. TRINH
Guest Comic: EUEUZ
Euphemia Zhang
IN THE WEEDS and Runaway Ringtoss will return next week