Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
Friday, January 22, 2010
Vol 32, No
23
imprint . uwaterloo . ca
IN THIS ISSUE:
Smaller pockets,
Feds exec nominees
broader picks
A quick look at all of the nominees for the Feds executive positions. Nicholas Soave is acclaimed VP Education. NEWS, page 5
All about caffeine
Everything you want to know about caffeine: origins, sources, uses, effects, and consequences of overuse. FEATURES, page 12 steve cutler
Going Up, a play written and directed by Carly Lewis, is featured at the Fr!nge Festival Zoe YeJin Kim staff reporter
A
s a defiant and rebellious huff against the elitist programming and attitudes of the original International Edinburgh Arts Festival in 1948, the Fr!nge Festival began as an alternative outlet for theatre drama that challenged mainstream performing art literally on the “fringe” of the established fare. Though the limitations of a small budget and simpler technical theatre elements would suggest a disadvantage when compared to the bigger productions of mainstream theatre, it actually aided in making the Fr!nge Festival an annual international event with equal, if not greater, reputation and attendance than the official festival. Fr!nge theatre’s smaller production scale enables many artists to self-produce their own work. As well, its more liberal definition of artistic merit and the relatively easy entry requirements allow for much more diversity and originality in regards to both the content and style of the pieces. The nature of the production model in fr!nge theatre also encourages artists to take risks, and commonly the work in this subculture of performing arts is minimal, experimental, and bold. This attitude has inspired some of the most provocative and political works both internationally and within Canada. In our own city of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University has put to gether its own chapter of
the Fr!nge Festival. This month, they celebrated their 10th annual WLU Fr!nge Festival from January 14 to 16 with 11 short student films and one-act plays. Adam Cilevitz, one of the two producers of WLU Fr!nge, describes it as a “quintessential cultural event for the Laurier community.” “With a lack of opportunity on campus for showcasing original works of theatre and film production, the festival provides a space and forum for aspiring directors, writers, and filmmakers to present and workshop their work.” As a writer, director and performer, Cilevitz sees the Fr!nge Festival as a creative and supportive outlet for aspiring artists in the community that allow them to apply learned theory into practice. “Working with such a talented group of individuals this year has made me so thankful for the supportive arts community we have among us. It takes a ton of work, time, energy, and passion to be a part of the Fr!nge Festival, but all involved are consistently thankful and overjoyed with the positive reception of their work.” Marketing director for WLU Fr!nge, Carly Lewis, adds, “It is a great place for people who wish to be creative or experimental with art but who may not yet have had the means or opportunity to do so.” Keep in mind, however, that a smaller budget does not necessarily mean a decrease in the quality of the work. As far as the se-
lection process goes, a play or film proposal is emailed to the producers of WLU Fr!nge, and only works that illustrate themselves to be original, creative, and entertaining one-act pieces are green-lighted. Upon acceptance into the festival, the directors are given complete control over their work, from their writing to their execution. The KW arts community plays a large part in the event as well. Lewis explains, “In theatre, there must be a relationship between the audience and the performers…we had one of our most successful festivals ever this year, which certainly speaks to the positive response and huge amount of support that we received from the KW community.” The supportive atmosphere and learning environment allow these new artists to present their unique vision and voice to receptive audiences. “We hope that throughout the years, the WLU Fr!nge Festival will gain more of a name for itself in the surrounding community, while still showcasing mainly WLU local talent,” says Cilevitz. This year, they plan to expand WLU Fr!nge with the first annual WLU Fr!nge Film Festival, which will take place on the first weekend of February. Said Cilevitz, “Even though the performance/screening dates were this past weekend, the spirit of Fr!nge is far from over.” zykim@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
No for Prorogation
Resident political columnist Marc Rowley discusses the cons of letting Stephen Harper close our Parliament. OPINION, page 9
EpCon Conference Find out what happened at the EpCon Conference last weekend, from power talks and keynotes to Exhibitions and Elympics. SCIENCE, page 16
News
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
a matter of perspective City, students, and residents debate the future of the Northdale neighbourhood
COLUMBIA
BATAVIA
options for the future of northdale
HICKORY
1
HAZEL
LARCH
HEMLOCK
ALBERT
SUNVIEW
LESTER
changes to
graphic by paul collier data courtesy deborah easson
The Northdale neighbourhood is bordered by Columbia and University, and bounded by Lester and King. A piece of the neighbourhood is shown above — the light grey blocks denote houses occupied by owners or long-term residents, the dark grey blocks indicate homes rented to students.
staff reporter
S
tudent housing in the Northdale area has long been a source of contention for both permanent residents and student residents living in the area. Permanent residents have complained about a variety of incidents related to irresponsible tenant behaviour: poor property upkeep, public urination, vandalism, and violent crimes. For better or for worse, many of these incidents have been blamed on students. As a result of these issues, the City of Waterloo’s plan in this area has come under fire from a variety of groups. Recently, a number of proposed solutions have been presented by a number of organizations and individuals in the area. These solutions include: changing the zoning laws to encourage developers to purchase
2 rental
UNIVERSITY
Jamie Damaskinos
zoning laws
real estate in the area, implementing rental licensing legislation designed to force landlords to adhere to city regulations, and simply staying the course. Many of the concerns raised by the behaviour of irresponsible individuals are old hat for permanent residents living in the area. The City of Waterloo has implemented a variety of strategies designed to help resolve these issues, including implementing a “zero tolerance” policy designed to make police press charges for petty crimes without issuing a warning. Further, the city initiated a “Nodes and Corridors” plan aimed at moving students out of single-family homes and into apartments on Columbia street. See NORTHDALE, page 6
licensing
legislation
3
staying the course
4
News
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Sinead Mulhern intern
C
onstruction on the first of three pedestrian bridges crossing Laurel Creek began this month. The project is to be finished by the spring. However, as the project is very weather dependant, the exact date for completion is unknown. Work is occurring during this time of year because the water levels in the area are at their lowest and the ground is relatively dry. The bridges linking Waterloo’s south campus with the four colleges along Westmount Road (St. Jerome’s, Renison, Conrad Grebel University College, and St. Paul’s University College) will be done one at a time so as not to restrict entry into the area. Currently the bridge by Health Services is blocked off, causing a minor inconvenience to students residing in the four colleges, while the bridges by St. Jerome’s and Environmental 2 remain open. The area by Ron Eydt Village will not be affected by construction. The original bridges were designed by Raymond Moriyana in 1967. Reconstruction occurred in 1992, when wood was replaced with steel and concrete. The design remained the same. The current work involves resurfacing the paths linking to the bridges as well as replacing the deteriorated handrails. The concrete abutments (the pieces at the ends of the bridges) will be repaired and the protection against erosion along the banks will be repaired and reinforced. One of the main groups at UW that is affected by this construction is the students living in St. Jerome’s residence. Since St. Jerome’s is located right in the centre of the three bridges, the bridges serve as direct routes to classes or to the Student Life Centre. Student reaction to the construction is mixed. One student made a statement regarding the general attitude of people at St. Jerome’s saying, “Most people are negative but they understand and are willing to deal with it.” Bruce Mill, manager of design services and plant operations at UW, added that while the work is necessary, “Plant Operations certainly recognizes the temporary inconvenience that this work will cause and they are working on one bridge at a time and keeping two open in an effort to minimize the difficulties in getting around campus.” Plant Operations also appreciates the co-operation of students around campus. Mill took the opportunity to remind students that barriers and fences are put in place for safety precautions, and that entering the construction site or attempting to cross bridges under construction is considered trespassing and is prohibited under the Trespass to Property Act. The UW Police will be laying charges on students or unauthorized persons who ignore the fences and proceed to enter the vicinity. According to Mill, a number of charges have already been issued. smulhern@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Closed Crossing paula trelinska
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News
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
5
Feds Executive Nominations Paula Trelinska news assistant
President Nominees
Andrew Wilk
Allan Babor
Bradley Moggach
Current Feds president Allan Babor will be running for re-election as president. The independent studies student has years of experience in student politics, he was both a don at UW Place and a student ambassador, he also held the arts senate seat and sat as the arts councillor. Babor is a member of Sigma Chi, Theta Psi chapter and holds many different certifications, including First Aid and rock climbing.
Moggach is the current president of the Arts Student Union (ASU) and a Village 1 don. The political science and international studies student has vast experience with the ASU. He has been ASU vice president, part of the Internal Administration Committee, and part of the Marketing Advisory Board. Moggach will be celebrating a birthday on one of the three polling days.
Facebook status as of production night: Allan Babor “When I was 5 years old, my mom always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down “happy.” They told me I didn’t understand the assignment and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
Facebook status as of production night: Support OUSA’s Blue Chair Campaign and come out to Bomber tonight for Blue Bomber Night! @OUSA #UWFedS
Matthew Colphon
VP Internal Nominees
Colphon, a student in science and business, hydrogeology, is the current science councillor for the Feds Student Council. He is also a student ambassador with the Visitor’s Centre, a don at UW Place, and a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity. He has a variety of work experience in the business sector, from marketing to business consulting. Facebook status as of production night:Matt Colphon at EpCon 2010
Jesse Van Amerom
Another contender for Feds president, Van Amerom is currently a student in the faculty of arts, majoring in philosophy. Van Amerom has experience as an arts orientation leader, being a member of the Frosh Orientation Committee (FOC), working security, and as a supervisor/ door staff at Bomber. Facebook status as of production night: Jesse v.A. (JessevanAmerom) on Twitter.com. Twitter is without a doubt the best way to share and discover what is happening right now.
VP Administration and Finance Nominees
Armel Chesnais
Alcina Wong
Jenna Goodhand
Nikki Best
Matthew Waller
Sarah Cook
The arts and business - peace and conflict studies student is running for the position of VP Internal. A former Imprint columnist, member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, and a Schantz Travel Award winner, Goodhand is a strict vegan and an environmental activist.
Another former Imprint columnist, legal studies and human resource management student, Nikki Best is running for VP Internal. A member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma fraternity, she is the current ASU VP Academic, a student representative on Arts Faculty Committee on Student Appeals, and proctor at St. Jerome’s University College. She has also been a part of the Senate Undergraduate Council, a don representative for the UWP residence council and a publicity director for the Renisix Student Council.
Running for VP Admin and Finance, Waller has had a lot of experience within Feds. Sitting as the current arts councillor, he also acted as the communications delegate for the fall 2009 referendum committee. Waller has been on the Arts Endowment Fund (AEF) board of directors, the PMC treasurer, and even played intramural soccer with fellow Feds executive nominee Nikki Best.
Current VP Internal Sarah Cook has decided to change course and run for VP Admin and Finance. The psychology and business student has previously been an arts councillor, the chapter president for Engineers without Borders and the co-chair of the One Waterloo campaign. Cook has also been on the AEF board of directors and on the International Education Week steering committee.
Facebook status as of production night: Jenna Goodhand Just wanted to say “Love You!” ♥
Facebook status as of production night: Matthew Waller
Facebook status as of production night: Sarah Cook would love to know if her sponsored child, Siliana, is alright.
Facebook status as of production night: Nikki off to a dreaded AFM class. The Sean Jacksons event by EngSoc! :)
VP Education Acclamation Nicholas Soave
With no other nominees for the position, Soave, a geography and environmental management student is the acclaimed VP Education. He is currently an environment councillor on the Feds Student Council and served as co-chair of the Yes Committee for the Student Services Complex referendum in the fall. He has also been a member of FOC, the vice president of the Environment Student Society (ESS) and claims to like the renovated main floor of the Dana Porter Library.
Senate Nominations Faculty of Arts:
Arjun Dhingra Juwairyah Khalid Luke Burke
Faculty of Math:
Ian Charlesworth Ian Kasper Jennifer Qiao Sarah Sun
Stephen Krysak Faculty of Science:
Faculty of Environment:
Adwitya Das Gupta Natalie Liushitz
Jonathan Cluett At-Large Senator:
Iyinoluwa Aboyeji Reemah Khalid
Facebook status as of production night: Nick Soave Blue Bomber tonight! Come out and support the Feds Blue Chair campaign. Majuratan Sadago-
ptrelinska@imprint.uwater-
6
News
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
NORTHDALE: debate about the “student ghetto”
“
The current issues can’t be fixed with band-aid solutions based on an old vision. Students can help plan for the future of Northdale Village by helping HugWaterloo realize our vision of sustainable intensification and diversification. — Karen Earle
“
In 2004, the City of Waterloo conducted the Student Accommodation Study (SAS). The purpose of this report was to analyze the current state of student housing in Waterloo and develop new ways of providing housing for students in the area. The impetus behind this study was two-fold. First, the city recognized that students required more diverse housing options, in light of rising enrolment numbers. Second, the city recognized that permanent residents in the North-
dale area were receiving a negative backlash from the amount of rental units in the area. As a result of this study, the city implemented the University Neighbourhood Plan (UNP). The UNP encourages greater development of apartment buildings along Columbia Street. According to the SAS Final Report, “To accomplish this, the [UNP] encourages more apartment development in Nodes and Corridors near the universities. The plan also discourages further conversion in low density residential neighbourhoods by limiting the
number of lodging houses, accessory apartments and duplexes.” According to a variety of organizations, these plans are not effecting the kinds of change they would like to see. Help Urbanize the Ghetto in Waterloo (HugWaterloo) has been lobbying the City of Waterloo to rezone the Northdale area, in a bid to encourage developers to purchase real estate in the area. According to HugWaterloo’s official website their goal “is to have the City of Waterloo implement a strategic plan to create an urban village in the Northdale area of Waterloo (bordered by King, Columbia, University and Lester streets) by rezoning for mixed use with restricted building heights, consolidation of lots, and green solutions in order to promote a healthy, sustainable neighbourhood.” “The current issues can’t be fixed with band-aid solutions based on an old vision,” said Karen Earle, the Chairperson of HugWaterloo, “Students can help plan for the future of Northdale village by helping HugWaterloo realize our vision of sustainable intensification and diversification.” Deborah Easson, the chairperson of the Northdale Area
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“
They’re focusing on the wrong things. All they’re saying (in the papers at least — that’s what I’m reacting to) is ‘ghetto ghetto ghetto, students students students, peeing, sex, knife fights.’ — Darcy Casselman
Resident’s Coalition (NARC), is also critical of the direction of the City of Waterloo in regard to the UNP. Members of NARC recently approached city hall to encourage them to change the zoning laws in the area. According to Easson, the area is already a student neighbourhood and the zoning laws should be changed to reflect this. “We said that it was already a student precinct, contrary to the goals of the Student Accommodation Study,” Easson said,” and that the city should recognize that, and allow the remaining homeowners to get a fair price for their properties, and for students to have the accommodation they so obviously desire.” The solution, for Easson, lies in the vision outlined by HugWaterloo. You can visit their website for more details: http://hugwaterloo.com/. Allan Babor, Federation of Student (Feds) President, has stated that Feds has kept their finger on the pulse of this issue. He stated that Feds will continue to lobby city hall to consider the needs of students at the university. “Feds is active in the conversation... through regular correspondence and a visible presence at a number of different community events,” said Babor. The City of Waterloo is currently in the process of discussing the implementation of rental licensing legislation. This legislation would force landlords to adhere to certain conventions delimited by the city. Additionally, this would impose
“
Continued from page 3
regulations on exactly where rental units can be located. This legislation appears to be based on the model executed by Oshawa. This legislation will be discussed in February. Students interested in perusing this legislation can review it at: http:// www.waterloo.ca. The document is entitled, Rental Housing Licensing Review. Feds has yet to release an official statement on this legislation. Darcy Casselman, a UW alumnus and blogger, has been following the progression of these issues. According to Casselman, the issues have been blown out of proportion. He is critical of the approach that HugWaterloo is taking toward the issue. “They’re focusing on the wrong things,” Casselman stated. “All they’re saying (in the papers at least — that’s what I’m reacting to) is ‘ghetto ghetto ghetto, students students students, peeing, sex, knife fights.’” Although Casselman stated that he is in favour of some of the plans that HugWaterloo is promoting, he believes that their vision is ultimately short-sighted. “They’ve got this great “urbanization” vision but don’t say much of anything about how rezoning will fix the problems they talk about (even assuming they’re as bad as they make them out to be),” Casselman stated. “How will rezoning stop students from peeing on sidewalks or knifing people when the whim strikes? How will rezoning make people who aren’t students want to live there?” jdamaskinos@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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News
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
7
Assasins, pirates, and gay pageants Adrian Safati reporter
Pope’s attempted assassin released
On May 13, 1981, Pope John Paul II toured through St. Petersburg Square, waving to an audience of 20,000 devoted onlookers. Amongst the crowd of admirers was a young, well-dressed man who slipped through the throng, getting as close as he could before pulling out a gun and firing at the pope. The shooter, 52-year old Mehmet Ali Ağca from Turkey, was released from prison on January 18 after spending 29 years in prison. At the time of the shooting he was working as a smuggler on the Bulgarian border, having escaped from a Turkish prison while awaiting trial for the murder of a journalist. After intensive surgery and recovering from his injuries, the pope visited and forgave Ağca, after
having a private discussion with him as to why he had acted as he did. His reason for shooting the Pope is still unknown. Ağca’s original statements of working for the Bulgarian Secret Service and the KGB lost credibility after he claimed himself a reincarnation of Jesus, talked about the end of the world, and gave conspiracy theories about who helped him. Having already received a staggering amount of proposals from various media agencies around the world, Ağca is attempting to sell his story to the highest bidders and make himself rich from the money the world is prepared to give him.
super tanker, with over two million barrels of crude oil (estimated worth $150 million) on November 29, 2009 the ship’s owner was forced to negotiate through a Somali middle man. The ransom was dropped off by helicopter and after receiving the ransom the captives were released. However, armed fighting over the money amongst various pirate factions has resulted in not only pirate but civilian casualties. Despite the increased patrols from American and European navies, there has been no noticeable reduction in pirate activity and with this ransom, which was unparalleled with any previous ransoms, the problem appears to be getting more serious.
Chaos abounds as Somali pirates receive ransom
Gay pageant cancelled in China
Somali pirates have captured another ship and succeeded in ransoming the ship and its crew of 28 for an estimated $7 million. After capturing the Maran Centaurus, a commercial
Until 1997, homosexuality was banned in China. Until 2001, it was declared a mental illness. Many believed that the new Mr. Gay China pageant would have opened doors for homo-
sexual communities within China as well as promoted acceptance. However, an hour before the show began the pageant was shut down by police who claimed that the show had not acquired the proper licensing required to air. It would have been part of the larger Mr. Gay Worldwide in Oslo. What was a sign that the Chinese government is warming up to its gay citizens has been a disappointment to many. As China prepares to be in the spotlight for the 2010 World Expo, the whole world will once again turn its gaze to this growing superpower. Lawsuit sought against Blackwater
Of all parties involved in the war in Iraq, one organizations oft accused of unscrupulous behaviour is known as Blackwater Worldwide — a mercenary group based in the U.S. They have recently changed their name to Xe Services. After an incident where six Blackwater guards opened
fire, killing 17 innocent civilians in a traffic circle on September 16, 2007, the Iraqi government attempted to take five of the guards to court. The case was dismissed by a U.S. judge last month and all of the guards walked free. The five guards claimed that they had heard an explosion and had opened fire in defence. A sixth guard pleaded guilty. Civilians claimed that they opened fire on cars without provocation. The Iraqi government has now begun to try and collect signatures from family members of those injured or killed by Blackwater guards. This may allow the family members to sue the guards and the organization in an American court. Following the invasion of Iraq, private guards protecting U.S. personnel were given full immunity in Iraqi courts. — With files from BBC, Mirror. co.uk, The Sofia Echo, Inquirer.net, Yahoo! News, The Dallas Morning News, KRQE.com, and Reuters
Departures from CFS and covert surveillance Adrienne Raw news editor
Brandon University bans bottled water
In mid December, Brandon University joined other Canadian universities (such as the University of Winnipeg) in the campaign to eliminate bottled water from their campuses. The university’s president signed a Water Pledge to upgrade existing water fountains, add more water fountains and water bottle refill stations, and offer public drinking water instead of bottled water at university events. Alberta College of Art and Design considers leaving CFS
If an Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) referendum is successful, the ACAD could become the 14th school on the list of institutions working to leave the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS). The ACAD’s student association (ACADSA) is reviewing its CFS membership based on a review of the organization’s budget
and bylaws from 2009. According to ACADSA communications vicepresident Graham Krenz, as quoted in The Gauntlet, the purpose of the referendum is to determine students’ position on the issue. The ACADSA was one of the organizations supporting the controversial reforms at the last CFS annual general meeting. University of Ottawa former professor makes accusation of spying
Denis Rancourt, a former physics professor at the University of Ottawa, has formally and publicly accused the university of hiring a student to illegitimately gather information on him. The alleged sur veillance occurred between 2006 and 2008, before Rancourt’s dismissal in March 2009. Rancourt claims to have conclusive proof of his allegations. These allegations
include taping conversations and events and creating a fake Facebook persona for the purpose of joining discussion groups. Rancourt made repeated requests under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act for access to documents regarding the university’s investigation into the former professor. He said the university never acknowledged his requests. The university has declined to comment on the issue, but the student implicated in Rancourt’s public statement has denied the accusations.
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Opinion IMPRINT
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper
OUSA blue chairs lack focus
Friday, January 22, 2010 Vol. 32, No. 23
Editor-in-chief, Michael L. Davenport 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, Tony Tang Systems Admin., vacant Distribution, Sherif Soliman Distribution, vacant Intern, Paige Leslie, Sinead Mulhern Volunteer co-ordinator, Angela Gaetano Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Sherif Soliman president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Anya Lomako vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Lu Jiang treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Erin Thompson secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Caitlin McIntyre liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, vacant Head Reporter, E Aboyeji Lead Proofreader, Katrina Massey Cover Editor, Rajul Saleh News Editor, Adrienne Raw News Assistant, Paula Trelinska Opinion Editor, Clara Shin Opinion Assistant, Mushfiqur Rahman Features Editor, Komal R. Lakhani Features Assistant, Parth Khanna Arts & Entertainment, Dinh Nguyen Arts & E. Assistant, Michael Chung Science & Tech Editor, vacant Science & Tech Assistant, Jordan Campbell Sports & Living Editor, Brent Golem Sports & Living Assistant, vacant Photo Editor, Ethan Oblak Photo Assistant, Abisade Dare Graphics Editor, Sonia Lee Graphics Assistant, Ian Cutajar Web Administrator, Paul Collier Web Assistant, Xiaobo Liu Systems Administrator, vacant System Administrator Assistant, vacant Production Staff Clint Kyksa, Ivan Lui, Jacqueline McKoy Lambert, Keriece Harris, Bogdan Petrescu, Michael Shao, Kameela Razack, Jackie Johnston, Andrew Dodds, Ronald Chui, Emily Stringer, Terrance Reid, Rachel Viscontas, Divyesh Mistry, Emily Kresky, Ariel Fernandez, Michelle Duklas, Alex Chortos, Jacob McLellan, Stephen Kearse, Adrian Safato Graphics Team Alcina Wong, Majuratan Sadagopan, Andrew Wilk, Armel Chesnais, Nikoo Shahabi 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 mayalsoreproducethematerialcommercially 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, January 25, 2010 12:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: Friday, January 22, 2010 11:00a.m.
I
am the first person in my family to attend university. My parents completed high school, but never attended university. At least two of my grandparents never finished high school. But there is nothing wrong with that. The Ontario Undergraduate Students Alliance (OUSA) is currently in the midst of their “Blue Chair Campaign”, the message behind which is... actually, the message is pretty muddy. Is it that not enough young people are attending university? Or is it that university isn't accessible enough for the the disadvantaged? I’m confused in part because the chairs have statistics (with no source cited) painted on them, and personal anecdotes taped on them. Things along the lines of, “I wanted to attend university, but I have a three-year old child and can’t afford child care.” I'm completely for equal opportunity. Whether or not an individual has the opportunity to attend university should depend entirely on ability and ambition, not on race or economic status. But in their campaign, OUSA is conflating two different ideas: “everyone should attend university” and “everyone should have the opportunity to attend university.” I find the confusing, mixed messages of the OUSA blue chair campaign to be disingenuous. Take this, for example. According to a blue chair sitting
editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
in the Davis Centre, “Among 19 – 22 year olds Ontario has a university participation rate of 29.3 per cent.” Says another chair sitting in the SLC, “Within the next 10 years 70 per cent of jobs will require post-secondary education.” See the mismatch there? Post secondary education includes more than just university, the term also encompasses college diploma programs. And according to numbers published by the Canadian Millenium Research Foundation, 57 to 60 per cent of the population between 18 and 22 are “graduated from or continuing post secondary studies.” That's a far cry higher than the 29.3 per cent number OUSA is presenting in their campaign. Is OUSA being deliberately disingenuous? Or are they looking down on college students? The cynic in me says, “of course they’re being disingenuous. They’re lobbyists. Then there's the problem I like to call “degree inflation.” Relative to the rest of the workforce, I'm not actually much more qualified than my parents or grandparents were. In 1920, only 0.27 per cent of the Canadian population was enrolled in university at any one time. In 1975, that number was 1.43 percent, and in 2000 (before the double cohort) that number was 2.75 per cent. Now, that isn't the actual number of degree holders in those time periods, but it's clear that we have a lot more
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In their campaign, OUSA is conflating two different ideas: “everyone should attend university” and “everyone should have the opportunity to attend university.”
BA’s and BSc’s walking around than we used to. So in a sense, this “within the next 10 years 70 per cent of jobs will require post-secondary education” becomes a self-fufilling prophecy. Why wouldn’t a company hire a BA if the market is flooded with them? The universities aren't doing much to help the problem. As long as the provincial and federal governments are handing out stimulus money, the university will construct more buildings. As long as “accidentally” overenrolling students is a tool that can potentially be used to balance a university budget, greater numbers of students will be admitted. More and more degrees will be handed out, thus making the once-rare university education common. So it used to be that a high school education put you ahead. Then it was a bachelors. Now some employers won’t even look at you unless you have a master’s. I don't want you to misconstrue my point. I don't think education is bad. I don't even think schooling is bad. (Note the difference) It's just that I
find many faults with the argument that everyone should go to university, and that university is necessarily the stepping stone to a better life. You could take friends of mine as examples. I know more than one person who actually graduated from my physics class and are currently unemployed. Or, for another example, the buskers who visit Uptown Waterloo every year. If you talk to them, many have degrees they never used; they became buskers instead. On the flip side, there are entrepreneurs, artists, and computer programmers who have nothing more than a high school education and are wildly successful. Jamie W. Zawinski comes to mind. And hey, Ray Charles didn’t even finish high school. I know that the plural of “anecdote” is not “data.” But the same applies anecdotes taped to blue chairs. If OUSA wants to lobby for more student subsidies, that’s it’s job. If it wants to equalize access, that’s a noble goal. But it’s disingenuous to pretend that university is the be-all-end-all of opportunity.
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Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Community Editorial
Work, Play, and Society
Phillip Vanheuangdy science
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n intricate balance exists between work and play, work being the place where man earns money and play being the leisure activities on which he spends money. If he works too much, then he complains of unhappiness and if he plays too much then he is not socially productive. The maintenance of the delicate balance between man’s work and play is the sole purpose of what is called “society.” In society man becomes a machine. He becomes a working and a playing machine. As a working machine society is concerned with man’s productivity. Like any machine, man must be properly programmed in order to carry out his working duties. Society creates educational systems to program man. These programs impart desired behaviours, attitudes, and emotions upon man to ensure his suc-
cessful integration into the workplace. By programming man to obey authority and accept predominating social values, man will come to accept his function and place in society with minimum protest and maximum productivity. As a machine, society is concerned with giving man opportunities to consume. Weekends, celebratory holidays, and work holidays, ensure that man has the time to consume things. He consumes all sorts of material goods, namely: electronic gadgets, cars, furniture, clothing, food, video games, and glassware. He also spends his leisure time watching television, going to the cinema, and spending time with friends and family. Through rest, man regenerates the energy and the spirit to return to work. Through his interaction with the popular media and other people, he maintains conformity with the social norms and expectations programmed into him in school.
Man’s play has become indistinguisable from his work. His play is as designed, scheduled, and organized as his work. Advertisements dictate his duties and store hours are his working hours. What freedom man perceives away from work is merely an illusion. His home, summer vacationing destination, and local shopping mall are also offices. His new cell phone, wardrobe, and patio furniture set are his pay. Play has become work. And the job is to consume. Through homogenizing ideals and expectations with education, and by subduing rebellion with long weekends and work holidays, society turns man into the finest working and playing machine. Society has dehumanized man to the point where he can no longer see the superficiality of the freedom and luxuries society gives. Man’s entire existence is imprisoned by a perpetual cycle of work and play. Until he can look beyond the illusory rewards of society, this is all he will know of life.
Correction In the January 15, 2010 issue of Imprint, in the story “Seasonal flu: Health Services prepares shots” it was stated that seasonal and H1N1 flu shots are available from Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. This is incorrect. Shots are actually available from 2:30 to 4:00 on Thursday afternoons. Imprint apologizes for the error.
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
9
Going nay for Prorogue mrowley@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
To prorogue or not to prorogue, that is the question!
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his Saturday, thousands of Canadians will take to the streets to protest the prorogation of Parliament. With this story dropping out of the news cycle, it seems an opportune time to reiterate the many reasons to oppose this prorogation. Let us be clear: there is nothing less at stake than our system of democracy. Allowing the prime minister to dissolve Parliament on a whim is dangerous. After all, Canadians do not elect a prime minister: they elect a Parliament. This assembly is the centre of Canadian democracy: they are the ones who propose, discuss, debate, revise, and approve laws, not the prime minister. Its members are directly accountable to their constituents, and the prime minister is accountable to Parliament. It has been only a year since the coalition crisis and yet this point still seems to escape many Canadians, so let us be clear: Parliament is the only part of our government which can be considered to be, in any sense, democratic. Allowing the prime minister to close Parliament makes Parliament
accountable to him, not the Canadian people. This bit of constitutional business aside, this particular prorogation is a bad idea for a litany of reasons. It is true that Mr. Harper is not the first prime minister to prorogue Parliament — Jean Chrétien did it four times over his term. There is, however, a crucial difference: Mr. Chrétien did not prorogue Parliament while it still had bills making the rounds in Ottawa, but waited until the government’s business had been concluded. Mr. Harper, however, has killed a lot of legislation, including a border security bill that he earlier deemed vital to the safety of Canadians. This naked hypocrisy, while expected from politicians, is glaring from a man who was elected in 2006 on the platform of making government more accountable. It is hardly necessary to point out the Machiavellian reasons for this prorogation theorized by many political commentators. It is true that this break has suspended further inquiry into detainee abuse in Afghanistan,
and it is true that it gives Mr. Harper time to appoint new Conservative members of the Senate. However, these criticisms are beside the point: whatever Mr. Harper’s motivations, his actions are unacceptable. It is hardly necessary to explain that being anti-prorogation is the same as being anti-conservative, and yet this charge persists. Yes, prime ministers of other parties have prorogued in the past without any public reaction, but as pointed out above, the circumstances were radically different. No Canadian, of any party affiliation, should be happy that the prime minister is allowed to close down Parliament to escape a confidence vote, a scandal, or bad press. It is likewise hardly necessary to debunk the short-sighted view printed in last week’s Imprint suggesting that prorogation be welcomed, as if Canadians would somehow be better off without any government at all. While it is true that we would all have more money in our pockets, we would also be without the police, firefighters, postal service, most mass transit, most environmental protections, regulations on food safety and consumer goods, guarantees of equal access to services, free speech, free thought, a free press,
or, frankly, laws of any sort. Those of you who identify as ‘libertarians,’ in the model of folk hero Ron Paul, need to carefully consider exactly what would prevent you from being subjugated or exploited by people or entities with more guns, money, or resources than you in a free-market fundamentalist society. These national protests are certainly not going to reopen Parliament. They are not even likely to make Mr. Harper more careful in the future. It is even possible that they will be held up as an example of Canadians protesting the “obstructionist” tactics of the opposition by demanding that their government work. However, Canadians have a proud history of engagement with their government: a government which should, by rights, be responsible to them. By demonstrating our unhappiness with this undemocratic political ploy, we demonstrate that we are not the “chattering classes” that the onservative public relations machine would like us to be. We can prove that we understand our country, and what is at stake, and perhaps serve as an example to future generations of Canadians who may again find their democracy under attack.
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28 King Street, N WATERLOO
519-954-8660 www.chainsawsaloon.com
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Opinion
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Letters Re: No government is good government Published January 15, 2010 In your recent article you seemed perplexed as to why there has been such an outrageous kerfuffle over Mr. Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament. As I understand it, you think that we should support Harper in his actions to show the hypocrisy of the system. To borrow your analogy, you said that we should support a prohibitionist who gets drunk to show the evils of drinking. That leaves me with a bit of a hangover (cue groans)! Now, no offence to you or your Narvisonian buds, but I take a bit of an issue with people who constantly point out the sore spots of the system without looking to the obvious solutions and then immediately point people to the conclusion that the system is kaput. You want to shut down Parliament and never pay taxes again? Fine. However, what do you suggest we do then? Barring impractical solutions, we need something in place to keep us from screwing each other over, because, let’s face the facts, we really only care about ourselves and our friends. Not to mention that I don’t think that you and I would see eye to eye on every issue. Democracy works surprisingly well in this regard. To use another analogy, we might not get to have our cake and eat it too, but we’ll settle for occasionally getting a piece of pie. The main problem, as I see it, is that Stevesy and a small radical portion of the Conservative party offered us pie and something didn’t smell right. So, we asked for an ingredients list and then he promptly took our pie away. We’re not that hard to please.
Don’t touch health care, ignore First Nations issues, and occasionally piss off the French/English and you’re at least keeping up with the status quo, but loathe be to the man who fucks with our God-given right to pie. Canadians are smart enough to know that you are what you eat and Stephen Harper had placed something in front of us that looked suspiciously like shit. And that is why people are angry, Tom. However, therein lies the solution to our problem, which is simply becoming more involved in the system, not less. This is an important lesson that Canadians are just beginning to learn. The Europeans and modern Americans have seen that the key to getting what you want is to get really goddamn angry. You should try it. It works really, really well. Governments apparently hate it when people get angry. We’ve tried your road of ignoring and writing off the situation as hopeless many times before and it hasn’t seemed to work too well. I’m not suggesting we all march off to Versailles and pike a few heads, but we could try something a little more harsh than, you know, starting a Facebook group. I just don’t think it would send the right message. Perhaps we could vote on an idea. Everyone, including you and me, deserves the right to have our say in what goes into the pie and how it’s made and Stephen Harper has thrown the cookbook, utensils, and convection oven right out the window. I would therefore encourage you, and the fine, upstanding readers of Imprint, not to be cynical and give up. Fight for your pie, Mr.Levesque, or someone will just eat it for you. Gary Hallman arts
More power for MPs Re: No government is good government Published January 15, 2010 In your article “No Government is Good,” you appear to think, erroneously, that prorogation means the cessation of government activity. It’s important to draw a distinction between government and Parliament. Parliament is the legislative branch of our democracy; it is the only forum for our opposition parties to challenge and debate the Conservatives’ agenda. Without Parliament, the executive branch of the government can still operate, but it does so without having to get approval from the rest of our elected MPs. It’s Parliament that’s being shut down for these next couple months, not government. Is it logical to think that the government that bailed out the auto industry and reduced the Liberals’ $13-billion surplus to a $6-billion deficit is going to sit back and play libertarian for a few months? This past week, the Conservative government announced that it would allocate up to $50 million for the relief effort in Haiti. Just because Parliament was not there to approve this spending doesn’t mean that government cannot spend money. They will simply get Parliamentary approval after the fact. Since taking power in 2006, Stephen Harper’s Conservatives (big-C) have eschewed many of the conservative (small-c) ideals they once had. Cases in point are Stephen Harper’s plans to ramp up the government’s advertising budget: “As you know, as part of our economic action plan, one of the things we’ve of course done
new opportunities in early learning
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Canadians would find a lot more legitimacy with this prorogation if it was a decision carried out by MPs of all parties, not by the sole interests of the prime minister.
is to step up government advertising. One of the purposes of that has been to support media outlets during the recession that have been particularly hard-hit,” Stephen Harper said. So, we have a conservative prime minister who wants to increase spending on government advertising, a move that would no doubt be blocked by the opposition in light of the recent advertising debacle surrounding the Economic Action Plan. This would be a case where, had Parliament been in session, the government would not have been able to “thin our wallets,” as you say, with Conservative propaganda. You make a good point that a closed Parliament can’t launch pointless inquiries or bore us with Question Period. But it also can’t act as a check and balance against the government. Without Parliament, government can spend indiscriminately without needing to bother with accountability, transparency, or public disclosure, or any of those annoyances. Canada’s political landscape is a fragmented one; more than half of the seats in the House of Commons (and about two-thirds of the popular vote) rests with the opposition parties. By proroguing Parliament for an unreasonably long time, the government is essentially censoring the majority of Canadian voters. The protests that we are seeing, then, are hardly “illogical and inexplicable.” They are the result of concerned Canadians realizing that their elected representatives have been muzzled. In the words of Harper’s former campaign manager and chief of staff, Tom Flanagan, “Everybody
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Fight for your pie
knows that the Parliament was prorogued in order to shut down the Afghan inquiry.” I, for one, think that shutting down our MPs’ only public forum in order to stifle debate about a sensitive issue is evasive at best. It’s definitely worthy of public outcry. Moreover, the latest polls suggest that Canadians are not happy with Harper’s choice to phone Michaëlle Jean and get Parliament prorogued, as if he were ordering a pizza or calling a cab. Since his decision to prorogue, the Conservatives’ popularity in the polls has been dropping steadily, to the point where they are now in a statistical tie with the Liberal party. Prorogation in and of itself is not undemocratic; it is a legitimate tool that can be used to make the Parliamentary process more efficient. What baffles me is that prorogation does not require a vote in the House of Commons. I am of the opinion that Canadians would find a lot more legitimacy with this prorogation if it was a decision carried out by MPs of all parties, not by the sole interests of the prime minister. If there is one thing this prorogation has taught us, it is that our prime minister, even as a minority prime minister, has more power domestically than any other Westminsterbased Parliamentary democracy in the world, and certainly more power than the U.S. president. Our elected MPs need to have more autonomy and more legislative power in order to have a more fair and representative democracy. Sam Nabi 2b planning
Be prepared with our new elementary-e.C.e. program In September 2010, the Ontario government will begin providing full-day learning programs for four- and five-year olds, greatly increasing the need for elementary and early childhood teachers. To meet this need, Lambton College and the University of Windsor are offering a unique, new program in Sarnia that will allow you to earn both your education degree and ECE diploma at the same time. This two-year program will prepare you for a rewarding career as a teaching professional. For more information on the program or the application process, please contact: expires: Mar 30/10
Lambton College: info@lambton.on.ca 519-541-2403 or 519-542-7751 ext. 3261
University of Windsor: educ@uwindsor.ca 519-253-3000 ext. 3804
Opinion
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
11
Community Editorials
Anti-Intellectual Video Shown in an Institute of Learning
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n the SLC Great Hall on Wednesday, January 20, at 6:00p.m., an event occurred which we should be embarrassed about. A video lecture was shown that was explicitly anti-intellectual, anti-science, and anti-education. This video critiqued various scientific theories while flaunting ignorance about even the most basic aspects of them. This ignorant screed even went so far as to call universities places of “higher earning and miseducation.” The lecturer audaciously attacked scientific theories, assuming he knew everything while simply acting to demonstrate his ignorance. The speaker said that the lecture is “for
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the benefit of those who have too much education, who have so much education they can’t think straight anymore.” Quite simply, the video encouraged and celebrated simplemindedness. The video lecture to which I am referring was entitled “No Brainer” by Yusuf Estes. It was presented as part of Islam Awareness Week, put on by the Muslim Student Association. This article should not be taken as an attack on the idea of Islam Awareness Week, or Islam itself, or religion. This article should be taken as attack against anti-intellectualism, which in this case happened to be presented by a religious group. If the same thing had been presented by any other religious group, or any secular one, my response would be the same.
I find, it quite frankly, disgusting that this sort of statement could be in any way endorsed by someone at this university.
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computer science
One may ask what it is about this lecture that I so strongly oppose. Here is a sample: A video claimed that scientists think “human beings came out of monkeys” because “humans look like monkeys,” but that this can’t be the case because “even if we go with this theory, if humans came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?” I find, it quite frankly, disgusting that this sort of statement could be in any way endorsed by someone at this university. The idea that everyone in our own biology department, let alone the biology departments all over the world, have simply never thought to wonder “Why are there still monkeys?” is simply an insult to the intelligence of scientists everywhere, not to mention that it betrays a fundamental misunderstanding of the very basics of the theory of evolution. A quick recap of some other absurd misrepresentations of science which occur in the video: it is claimed that scientists believe that there was a “big rock floating in space, and then it blew up,” which
Opinion
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It is claimed that only atheists write biology textbooks, even though there are plenty of religious believers who have written very evolution heavy textbooks.
“started everything.” I believe that the lecturer was thinking of the Big Bang Theory, which describes a rapid expansion of the early universe – not a physical explosion. It is claimed that only atheists write biology textbooks, even though there are plenty of religious believers (for example, Ken Miller) who have written very evolution heavy textbooks. The speaker claims that “Religions don’t accept evolution!” There are plenty of religions which explicitly accept and even promote the teaching of evolution, including the Ahmadiyya denomination of Islam. A look at the statistics will show that the majority of adherents to the majority of world religions
do accept the theory of evolution. It is unfortunate that this was presented as part of Islam Awareness Week, as it gives the impression that Islam encourages anti-intellectualism and requires the ignorance of its followers. I understand that many Muslims would vehemently object to the claims made in this video, and it is disappointing that the Muslim Student Association has endorsed this video and as such has given the impression that this is a commonly held view point of Muslims. I was flabbergasted to see such a blatant celebration of ignorance on campus.
Have something to say? An issue you want the world to know about?
Send us a letter at letters@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Let your voice be heard.
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Tommy Blanchard
Social Policy: Move to Change EvElyn PEtErs, Professor and Canada research Chair in Identity and Diversity: the Aboriginal Experience Evelyn Peters is an internationally-renowned scholar who investigates the identities of First Nations and Métis people in urban environments. While nearly half of these populations live in cities, little is known about them, leaving policy makers reliant on stereotypes or on theoretical conclusions. Peters believes her research findings will assist governments on matters of policy, and contribute to a better understanding of Aboriginal Peoples among non-aboriginal residents.
MAKE A DIFFERENCE. APPLY NOW. The Johnson-Shoyama
Graduate School offers two thesis-based research degrees at the University of Saskatchewan campus – a master’s and a doctorate in public policy – centred around contemporary topics of public policy. Study alongside scholars such as Evelyn Peters to learn the tools you’ll require to contribute to new knowledge in the areas of science, technology and innovation, health and social policy, trade and transnational regulation, and governance and leadership. For more information, please visit: www. schoolofpublicpolicy.sk.ca
Features
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Caffeine Great Power, Great Responsibility
Adrian Safati reporter
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affeine has been consumed ever since the Stone Age, when cave people chewed leaves for stimulation. Most university students have capitalized on the incredible stimulating effect of the miracle drug caffeine to propel them through an academic deadline. It is guaranteed to provide at least a few hours of rush before a crash, which primarily depends on the amount of caffeine consumed. From candy bars to caffeine tablets, the classic 60 cent C&D coffee and the vast variety of energy drinks, students are presented with a variety of options on how they would prefer their “caffeine-boost”. My personal advice would be to go to the C&D; it’s cheap and you’re allowed to bring your own mug. It’ll only costs 60 cents for your daily fix, plus a few dirty looks from the cashier if you’ve filled your “mug” with half a gallon. Candy bars will go to your hips, pills are easily abused, and energy drinks are not only expensive, but are packed with synthetic chemicals. Thus, the best strategy: stick with the tried and tested. Remember that caffeine is a diuretic (it makes you pee more), so you should always make sure to drink enough water to balance out the effects and prevent dehydration. Studies from Loughborough University in the UK have found a way to make your cup of coffee even more effective. Drinking coffee and then taking a 15-45 minute nap is a powerful combination. After choosing your poison and taking that first sip, you have at least 15 minutes before your system begins to process all that caffeine and you begin to feel the rush. 99 per cent of the caffeine will be absorbed after 45 minutes. With a 45 minute nap, you should be able to get a bit of REM sleep, boosting mental performance, but falling short of long brain wave
sleep which will leave you feeling drowsy when you get up. In an average person, the half life of caffeine is about four hours. In special cases, such as if you’ve damaged your liver by drinking or if you’re on birth control pills, the effects may last longer. The amount of caffeine it takes to affect you will change between individuals, but if you start to jitter, you’ve had a little too much. Both high tolerance and addiction to caffeine are easily developed, which can potentially leave you in a serious wreck. A way to lessen the side effects of caffeine is to drink in moderation, taking a break every few days. If you’re suffering from withdrawal the best cure is to take a small shot of caffeine and an Advil; it’ll make the headache and irritability go away without increasing cravings. Also, if the addiction goes further out of hand, it is important to seek professional medical help. Of course, after a prolonged period of substance abuse, you should remember to get some real sleep. Sleep deprivation is always bad and should be avoided, although forgivable if it’s 3:00 a.m. and you still haven’t finished that big assignment due that morning. You should always remember that the longer you go without sleep, the more sleep debt you accumulate, and in the end you will pay for it. Go too long without sleep and you’ll start to feel some really nasty side effects beginning with aches and decreased mental capacity, working up to hallucinations to, eventually, death. Although the exact effects of long term sleep deprivation are unclear, you can expect them to be bad for you. Instead of resorting to substance abuse and drinking away your change in 60 cent increments, you should probably try things like effective time management or a good night’s sleep, but those are just stupid clichés of coffee, I think I’ll have another cup.
Xiaobo Liu
Knowing Your Rights
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ommunity organizers address fears and share narratives of Canada’s legal system through the “Know Your Rights” workshop. “I hate legal know-your-rights training workshops,” says local legal professional Leah Henderson at the start of her know-your-rights training workshop. Most sessions of this kind, she explains, are scattered, fear-driven, and tend to be preoccupied with answering participants’ questions of “What would happen to me if...” “I’m going to try to curb that,” she continues, “The aim of this workshop is for everyone to leave feeling stronger.” Rather than ignoring their fears and pretending that these fears do not exist, Henderson encourages the participants of this workshop to acknowledge their fears about the legal system and particularly, about being confronted by the police. This “Know Your Rights” workshop took place in Kitchener last Saturday in a new radical community space known as the Kitchener Waterloo Community Centre for Social Justice. Located in a residential neighbourhood, the community centre occupies part of an inconspicuous and relatively nondescript warehouse. But the exterior of this warehouse exposes very little about the life and creativity that is burgeoning inside. The only thing that signifies what happens inside is a freshly painted bright orange double door with the letters “KWCCSJ” stencilled across it in blue. Henderson begins the workshop by asking the 20 or so participants to share the childhood narratives that we are taught about the police. She shares that her own childhood narrative brings to mind the loveable, jolly, protecting police officer from the children’s cartoon The
eoldynski@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Bernstein Bears. I reflect on my own childhood, deciding that the police officers from my narrative are tall white men who are to be respected because they uphold law and order, sacrificing themselves for the good of all. After some participants have shared their own narratives, Henderson points out how the images that come to mind are dependent on ones background. This is to say that class, race, status, and gender all play a significant part in the narratives that we are raised with. For this reason, she says that we must also bring voice to experiences not necessarily in this room. The experiences of Aboriginals in Canada, in particular, are often quite different than the experiences of most white, middleclass Canadians. In Aboriginal communities, people are told to look for women and children when they are lost — not police officers. This is because police are seen as being invasive on territory, whereas in white, middle-class Canada, the narrative goes that the police are there to protect you. Henderson believes that deconstructing these narratives is necessary if we are to attempt to take an objective look at our legal system. “We must remember,” she says, “that cops are agents of enforcement for the government.” “Law is opinion-based in many ways,” she continues, “and my opinion is very different than most.” Henderson’s opinion is that Canada’s legal system is a racist, oppressive, and holds immense power. Moreover, it is a system that abuses the very people who are most at risk in our society. She cites the fact that Aboriginals
are nine times more likely to be incarcerated for crimes than non-Aboriginals and that Aboriginals are 24 more times likely to spend more time in prison. “The mandate of our government,” she asserts, “is to control and incarcerate Aboriginals.” As evidence of this, she brings attention to the Supreme Court of Canada’s groundbreaking decision in R. v. Gladue which acknowledged how systemic factors contribute to the overrepresentation of Aboriginals in the criminal justice system. Although discrimination is particularly high for Aboriginals, Henderson also brings attention to the fact that queer, transgender, and homeless people are all at risk in our society on a day-to-day basis and when interacting with police. Henderson says that she acknowledges the importance of incremental change and of harm reduction, but she makes it clear that this is not the approach for her. “We can never change their system,” she contends. “It’s theirs and it will never change.” Activist and community organizing must come first. “Let’s do the work we want to do!” she proclaims. “Not the work we were thrown in to do because we’re scared!” Dealing with the police and the legal system, particularly as activists and community organizers in the context of direct actions and protests, can be a scary and complicated process. At the end of the workshop, Henderson presents an easy way to remember what your rights are. Laughing, she holds up her two fingers in the peace sign. “Remember that the pointer finger is
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS • The police officer must tell you that you are under arrest • You have the right to remain silent, but in Canada the police do not have to tell you this • You have the right to a lawyer • Canada’s legal system is class based in that it provides legal defence (called Legal Aid) to only the poorest people and only if you are facing prison time • Even if you are not eligible for Legal Aid, you will still get a criminal record • You have the right to a bail hearing within 24 hours of arrest • You have the right to be shown the evidence that is going to be used against you, well in advance of your court hearing • Police are legally able to lie to you for ‘shh’ - you have the right to remain silent.” The middle finger? “That’s for ‘Fuck off, I want a lawyer!’” And the curled-up two fingers and thumb? “These fingers are about self care. For sticking together and supporting one another if ever you or your friends are in custody.” The Kitchener Waterloo Community Centre for Social Justice frequently holds workshops on a variety of issues related to social justice. For a listing of upcoming events, visit their website at: www.peaceculture.org.
Features
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
It’s ti me to take c o ntro A l Divyes
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Frost Week Paula Trelinska staff reporter
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ast week was Frost Week for students of the engineering faculty. The event, founded in 2007, was based on a similar program at the University of Western Ontario and intended to inspire engineering students to get excited about the winter term and beat the winter “blahs.” It is the winter equivalent to Frosh Week, although it’s not campus wide and not only for Frosh. Throughout the week, Chris Szybalski, Kristen Roberts, Marc Tan, and Stuart Pearson managed to organize several events for students. One of the main events of the week, the “Purpling,” (an event where people paint themselves purple), took place on Tuesday. The colour purple is significant to the engineering profession and since purple is not a part of Frosh Week at the University of Waterloo, the decision was made to include it in Frost Week. Wednesday offered a day full of activities for engineering students, starting with a hot breakfast. Soon after, there was an info session about all the teams and clubs within engineering, encouraging students to not only do well in school, but also to get involved. That same day the Engineering Society (EngSoc) had its first council meeting of the term to which a few upper-years showed up painted purple. In an effort to encourage stu-
dents to attend and hear the issues that were relevant to them, there was free dinner available after the council meeting. The day ended with a game of manhunt for all those in engineering who wanted to participate. “It was awesome,” said Ioana Craiciu, a first year engineering student who atsonia lee tended the manhunt event. There were quite a few upper years. “Only three frosh attended,” she said. Throughout the week there were many more events including traybogganing, a resumé critique, “Krazy competitions”, and a pub crawl on Friday night. One of the highlights of the week was a photo opportunity with the Tool, mascot of the faculty of engineering. For both first year students and upper year students, it was a great opportunity to re-energize themselves for the winter term and prepare for the months ahead. Hopefully, those who attended had a great time and will be ready for another term of engineering at UW. ptrelinska@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Crafts
Frames
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Campus Bulletin UPCOMING Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Volunteer/Internship Fair – come out and meet representatives from a variety of local agencies to find out about volunteering opportunities in a variety of different fields. Student Life Centre, Great Hall from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, January 29 to 31, 2010 WPIRG presents “inSPIre! Creative Activism” – a weekend-long out-ofthe-box social justice and environmental activism school. Develop new activist skills and meet others who want to change the world. Friday at 8 p.m. keynote Andy Bichlbaum of “The Yes Men” ; Saturday at 8 p.m. Faith Nolan performs at Huether ; activist workshops from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For tickets/info 519-888-4908 or wpirg.org. Sunday, January 31, 2010 Join us from 1 to 4 p.m. for the Manulife Walk for Memories. Go to www.walkformemories.ca to register online or contact specialevents@alzheimerkw.com to requeist a pledge form. Friday, February 5, 2010 Nominations are being accepted for Distinguished Teacher Award at UW – deadline February 5. Please visit the blog on the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s web site for guidance on how to write an effective nomination letter. http://cte-blog.uwaterloo. ca/?p=9. For more info call Verna at ext 33857 or http://cte.uwaterloo.ca. Saturday, February 6, 2010 Women’s Municipal Campaign School, Waterloo Region for women
interested in running for office or working on municipal campaigns from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Kitchener City Hall, Council Chambers, 200 King Street, W., Kitchener. For info/registration www.learnhowtorun.com. MATES presents the Chili Dog Run around Ring Road. Beat winter blues with a run, chili, t-shirts and guest speaker! Contact Johan ext 84830 for more info. Flyers posted at Turnkey Desk, SLC. Tuesday, February 9, 2010 Countdown Possum Productions presents new original play 2-1, “Charlie Then and Now,” to February 13 at KW Little Theatre, 9 Princess Street, Waterloo. Info/ tickets 519-747-9029 or frank-rejeanne@ rogers.com. Friday, February 12, 2010 Nominations are being accepted for Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student at UW – deadline February 12. Please visit the blog on the Centre for Teaching Excellence’s web site for guidance on how to write an effective nomination letter. http://cte-blog.uwaterloo.ca/?p=9. For more info call Verna at ext 33857 or http://cte.uwaterloo.ca.
VOLUNTEERING
Shadow needed to be paired with international students for spring and fall 2010. Show them around, help them resolve cultural shock and make their stay in Waterloo more enjoyable. Make great friends and learn things from another country. Visit 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. Call Canadian
Classified HELP WANTED Weekend counsellors and relief staff to work in homes for individuals with developmental challenges. Minimum eight-month commitment. Paid positions. Send resume to Don Mader, K-W Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2. Summer of your life! Camp Wayne for Girls – children’s sleep-away camp, Northeast Pennsylvania (6/19 – 8/15/10). If you love children and want a caring, fun environment we need counselors and instructors for: tennis, swimming, golf, gymnatics, cheerleading, drama, high and low ropes, camping/nature, team sports, waterskiing, sailing, painting/drawing, ceramics, silkscreen, printmaking, batik, jewellery, calligraphy, pho-
tography, sculpture, guitar, aerobics, self-defense, video, piano. Other staff: administrative, CDL driver (21+), nurses (RNs and nursing students), bookkeeper, mothers’ helper. Oncampus interviews January 27, 2010. Select the camp that selects the best staff! Call 1-215-944-3069 or apply on-line at www.campwaynegirls.com. Part-time help needed at Mambella’s Deli. Close to school. Lunch time shifts available. Must be able to work at a fast pace. Apply at 160 Columbia Street or mambellas@golden.net. Have the summer of your life at a prestigious co-ed sleepaway camp in the beautiful Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, 2.5 hours from New York City. We’re seeking counselors who can teach any team and individual sports; tennis, gymnastics, horse-
Mental Health at 519-744-7645, ext 229. City of Waterloo has volunteer opportunities. For info call 519-8886478 or www.waterloo.ca/volunteer. The Distress Centre needs volunteers to provide confidential, supportive listening on our crisis and distress lines. Complete training provided. Call 519-744-7645, ext 300. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 / volunteer@volunteerkw.ca, for all your volunteering needs! Deliver or befriend through Community Support Connections. Deliver meals, drive seniors to appointments or visit one for a few hours each week. Contact Kate Lavender at 519-772-8787 or katel@communitysupportconnections.org. Hey Hot Stuff! Volunteering at Imprint is fun, easy, helps you meet people and boosts resumes and grad school applications. All welcome, regardless of experience. volunteer@ imprint.uwaterloo.ca. Volunteers needed – The English Tutor program is in constant need of volunters to tutor international students. Volunteering is an essential part of student life at UW. Apply online at www.iso.uwaterloo.ca. Speak Croatian or Polish? Volunteer visitor required for a woman with Alzheimer’s disease. Two hours per week. Training/support provided by Alzheimer Society. Jill jmercier@alzheimerkw. com. Resume builder. Volunteer required to rebuild website for Kitchener International Children’s Games Chapter. Call 519-886-6918 and leave message or respond to icgkitchener@hotmail.com.
back riding, mountain biking, skate park, theatre, tech theatre, circus, magic, arts and crafts, pioneering, climbing tower, water sports, music, dance or science. Great salaries and perks. Plenty of free time. Internships available for many majors. Interviews on February 3. Apply online at www. islandlake.com. Call 1-800-869-6083 between 9 to 5 Eastern time on weekdays for more information. info@ islandlake.com. Imprint needs a distribution driver for its weekly Friday paper delivery for the winter term 2010. You must be 21+. You will work in a team of two from 6 a.m. to 12 noon. $60 cash. For more info email ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca. Imprint has a work study position available – Systems Administrator
TESOL/TESL Teacher Training Certification Courses
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w w w. C A M P T R I L L I U M . c o m 1-888-999-CAMP (2267)
ANNOUNCEMENTS Glue – Eastwood Collegiate Institute 2009-2010 graduating students are holding an exhibition at Homer Watson House & Gallery until January 30. www.homerwatson.on.ca. Exchanges for undergraduates and graduates – 2010/11 academic years: MICEFA, Paris, France, IPO application deadline: March 17, 2010. For more 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. Waterloo Wolf Pack – Waterloo boys under 13A rep soccer team will be conducting bottle drives/pickups to raise funds for registration and tournament fees. To donate call 519-578-9394 or 519-746-4568 or nevrdy@sympatico. ca or hadley7073@hotmail.com. Story writers wanted for free paranormal magazine. Short stories, articles accepted. Free for free exposure. Submit your scariest stories true or fictional. Distributed locally to ghost tours and online. www.kwparamag.com.
CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS Friday, January 22, 2010 Interview Skills : Preparing for Questions – 1:30 to 3 p.m., TC1208. NOTE: There is a prerequisite for this workshop. Please see chart for details. Monday, January 25, 2010 Entrpreneurship – A Student’s Perspective! – 12:30 to 2 p.m., TC1208. Exploring Your Personal Type (Myer-
Briggs Type Indicator) – 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC1112. NOTE: There is a materials charge of $10.00 payable at Career Services prior to the first session. Once you have registered and paid, you will be given the information on how to complete the MyersBriggs Type Indicator (MBTI) online. The online test must be completed a few days prior to the workshop. Part II: Monday, February 1, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC1112. Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Volunteer/Internship Fair – 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., SLC Great Hall. Interview Skills: Selling Your Skills – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. TC2218. NOTE: There is a prerequisite for this workshop. Please see chart for details. Professional School Interviews – 3 to 4 p.m., TC1208. Wednesday, January 27, 2010 Thinking about Dentistry? – 5:30 to 7 p.m., TC1208. Careers in Digital Media – 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., TC 2218. Leaving Academia – 12 to 2 p.m., TC2218. Basics of Starting a Business – 4:30 to 6 p.m., TC1112. NOTE: All sessions are limited to 20 participants. Business Etiquette and Professionalism – 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., TC1208. Thursday, January 28, 2010 The Big Guide – 12:30 to 1:30 p.m., TC1208. Career Exploration and Decision Making – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC1112. Hot Tips from the Pros – 4 to 6 p.m., TC 2218. Please check Career Services website for participating employers.
ONGOING
Teach English Abroad
Counselors High Ropes Lifeguards Sailors Kitchen
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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– up to 15 hours/week at $11/hour. Candidates will have Webmail server administration experience, be familiar with medium scale Linux network administration, SAMBA file management, Windows XP workstations, LDAP authentication and Apache admin. Duties include maintaining and strengthening our office’s network system. Applicants must be full-time students and eligible for OSAP. Please send resume to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca.
SERVICES
Does your thesis or major paper need a fresh pair of eyes to catch English spelling and grammar errors? Thesis English editing. Five business day turnaround. Neal Moogk-Soulis, ncmoogks@uwaterloo.ca.
HOUSING
Only $399 – one roommate needed for appartment on 410 Hazel Street, close to #9 bus that takes you directly to UW, 20 minute walk to campus. Large bedroom, very comfortable. Three other male second year students will be living there. Utilities included, furnished. Call 226-339-0335 for more info. For pictures, visit http:// sublet410.tumblr.com. Housing on campus – St. Paul’s University Collge has undergrad and grad housing available immediately or thoghout the term. Please contact Jenn at jlaughli@uwaterloo.ca.
COURSES Bartending school looking for promotion help on and off campus. Part/fulltime positions available to students. Please visit happyhoursbartending. com/#careers for information about available positions. Keep up the good spirits!
MONDAYS Gambling can ruin your life. Gamblers Anonymous, 7 p.m. at St Marks, 825 King Street, W, basement.
UW RECREATION COMMITTEE UW Recreation Committee events are open to all employees of the University of Waterloo. Register by emailing UWRC@uwaterloo.ca. Would you like to assist with the planning of UWRC events for 2010?? Email UWRC@admmail. uwaterloo.ca with your interest. Exchange Board – looking to rent, buy or sell? UWRC.uwaterloo.ca/ exchange_board. More info email Margaret at mulbrick@uwaterloo.ca. Lots of discounts available for UW employees – CN Tower, Ontario place, Empire Theatre, Galaxy Theatre, Kitchener Auditorium, Princess Cinema, VIA rail and more ... email Shirley at schatten@uwaterloo.ca. UPCOMING EVENTS: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 Feng Shui discussion group with Meltem Kurtman, MC 5136 from 12 to 1 p.m. Sunday, February 7, 2101 Kitchener Rangers vs Saginaw Spirit at the Kitchenr Aud in Kitchener from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 16, 2010 “Taking Revenue Canada Out of Your Will” lunch and learn with Henry Zech, Investors Group, MC 5158 from 12 to 1 p.m. Wednesday, February 17, 2010 UWRC Book Club meets – “A Mercy” by Toni Morrison, LIB 407 from 12 to 1 p.m. Saturday, February 27, 2010 XIIR – Xtreme International Ice Racing at the Kitchener Auditorium, Kitchener at 7:30 p.m.
Science & Technology VeloCity 101 Paula Trelinska staff reporter
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few dozen students gathered in Rod Coutts Hall on Saturday, January 16 for the beginning of term Velocity 101 conference. This conference, which takes place every term, is organized for the students of VeloCity, the University of Waterloo’s entrepreneurial and tech savvy residence. This residence program, first launched in 2008, was created in order to foster a more creative and entrepreneurial environment for students looking for guidance in a start-up venture. An integral part of this program is Velocity 101, where students have the chance to hear from many speakers who have been involved in start-ups themselves. For all attending the conference the day started off with breakfast in the RCH foyer, and a time to mingle with others who are interested in business and technology. The conference itself got underway at 10:00 a.m. with the keynote speaker, Daniel Debow, co-founder and CEO of Rypple.com. Though both start-ups which Debow has been a part of were internet based, he appealed to the
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
non-coders in the audience as he said that despite his many prestigious degrees, the one thing he is missing is an engineering degree from the University of Waterloo. Even without a background in technology, Debow had plenty of advice on creating a successful start-up to impart to students. Other speakers of the day included Ray Cao, Carol Leaman and Melanie Baker, all having been involved in start-ups before, many of them technological. After the speakers, VeloCity residents pitched their own business ideas to the audience. For the first two weeks of the term, residents have been working on creating their own start-ups. Unsuprisingly, due the large number of tech savvy students in the residence most of these start-up ideas were also very technology driven. The race was on to try to create a prototype for this weekend, and to make a proper pitch. Among the ideas pitched this weekend were BuDi, a mobile business directory, DitchthePillow, a souped up alarm clock, and Scribe, a simple new word processor. This term, the prize for the winning pitch was four tickets to a Raptors game in Toronto. The winning pitch was the team that created Scribe, the new word processor. Even after this weekend students will continue working on their projects or starting new ones, with VeloCity trying to help them along the way. ptrelinska@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Paula Trelinska
Daniel Debow, co-founder and CEO of Rypple.com
Preserving nature’s gods
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he annual Banff Mountain Film Festival (BMFF) was presented Monday, January 18 in the Humanities theatre. For those of you who haven’t heard of it, BMFF is an annual tour that shows a series of short films about adventurers and their passion for risks. Some risks are so large, you wonder if they even know what fear is (such as climbing the nearly 1500 metre-high Half Dome in Yosemite Valley without any ropes or protection). After the festival, I sat down to watch The Colbert Report, where Colbert interviewed ecologist Margaret Palmer about mountaintop removal. While it may be satire on Colbert’s show, mountaintop removal is a threat all too real; it is even more looming with the thought of losing the spectacular adventures mountains offer for climbers, skiers and snowboarders, and especially the wildlife that lives there. Mountaintop removal is exactly as it sounds: the complete removal of mountain summits to get at the coal beneath without using all the workers and expenses that come with conventional mining. After clearing the soil and vegetation from the area, explosives are used to blow up the top 500 or more metres of the mountain. The debris is tossed into nearby valleys and streams, causing severe pollution and habitat loss. While there are laws enforcing the reclamation and remediation of the sites after use, they are not well regulated and are usually poorly done. This mostly means the spraying
thelferty@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
of exotic grass seeds and nothing more. The hotspot for mountaintop removal is in the Appalachians, where the mountains are being ravaged by companies for the coal inside them. Aside from causing negative environmental effects such as pollution, habitat and biodiversity loss, and the fact that you just blew off half a mountain, there are many effects for nearby humans as well. These effects include increased flooding, unhabitable conditions due to continuous blasting and flying debris (some mines are within 300 feet of homes), and the ever-looming danger of massive sludge dams. One of these sludge dams in Martin County, KY in the United States dumped over 300 million gallons of toxic coal sludge into nearby tributaries, causing one of the biggest environmental disasters of all time. There are many groups currently working to stop mountaintop removal. A group of seven organizations against the practice have formed the site ilovemountains.org where people can discover how to take action. There are also many scientists working on providing the scientific proof of why mountaintop removal needs to stop. Among these scientists is the aforementioned Margaret Palmer. Palmer, from the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, is the lead author of a scientific study that aims to convince the Obama administration to stop mountaintop removal. This study
comes in on the heels of a permit from the Environmental Protection Agency allowing for a large mountaintop removal mine in West Virginia (after turning down the proposal for such a mine in 2009). Palmer’s study is not funded by advocacy groups or organizations and puts pressure on the new administration who promised to rely more on sound science, which the report is full of. It has been rigorously reviewed and is probably one of the most serious studies tackling the industry. We may not have mountaintop removal here in Canada, but that does not mean we should ignore it in the States. The Appalachians and many other mountain landscapes in the U.S. are some of the most beautiful places on Earth and hold huge numbers of wildlife and endangered species. Mountains are the epitome of adventure in the natural world and host the most breathtaking sights ever seen. To lose a mountain is to lose a god in the natural world. They don’t grow back, so if you come across the opportunity to save them by joining the thousands of people campaigning to stop this destructive practice, don’t stop yourself from going all in. The other night, I watched a man climb 1500 metres without a rope in one of the most daring stunts of all time. Let’s not so carelessly destroy the ability for such inspiration and adventure.
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Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
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EpCon 2010: Technology, networking, and the spirit of
THE NEXT BIG THING Power talk Tejas Koshy staff reporter
Welcome to EpCon Jordan Campbell assistant science editor
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he weekend of January 15 marked the EpCon conference, a congregation of some of the leading names in technology and over 200 student tech enthusiasts. The Waterloo Inn was host to animated discussions on the future of tech and what it takes to make it in the “biz.” Over 30 speakers addressed the crowd on a wide variety of topics, from nanotechnology to entrepreneurship and the future of the internet. Aside from the keynote addresses and breakout sessions, EpCon offered power talks (short inspirational speeches), Exhibition, the Elympics, and a dinner banquet. Exhibition is exactly what it sounds like: the recent technological advancements of today were showcased giving convention attendees the opportunity to discuss them with industry representatives. The Elympics were a “sporting” event meant to give the techies in attendance the chance to show off their unique skills. Elympic sports included Wiki tag (navigating from one Wikipedia page to another, using only the links present in the
documents), Tech Trivia, and speed texting. Throughout the conference, participants were also encouraged to share what they were learning via Twitter. On Saturday, during the last breakout session, students were also offered a chance to participate in “Open Text Co-op Idol.” Participants had five minutes to pitch a business plan that utilizes emerging mobile technologies. The top three pitches were awarded an interview for a summer co-op position with Open Text. It became apparent very quickly to any individual that attended EpCon that the conference was more about networking within the tech industry than it was about learning about the new developments in technology. Students came here to rub shoulders with the big names in the industry and put themselves on the radar. The speakers were here to recruit new talent for their companies. Like one speaker, Paras Dharamshi, said, “Networking is an ecosystem.” EpCon is about getting hired and building your reputation.
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mong the power talks that were given at EpCon, the one that truly stuck out was that given by Sadi Khan. A recent graduate from the University of Waterloo, he discussed his co-op experiences at Microsoft and how one can truly make a difference. Sadi Khan used his role on the project, which allowed customers to visualize the results of C++ code, to explain how obsession, ignorance, and people shaped his experiences at Microsoft. This project was eventually converted to a final product in Microsoft’s Visual Studio package. He described how his and a co-worker’s obsession with their project soon garnered attention at Microsoft. Khan explained that he would constantly talk to others about the project and offer them demonstrations. Khan concluded that due to the obsession both men showed, their pet project soon became part of the Visual Studio package. Ignorance can lead to success. More accurately the ignorance of corporate culture, allowed Khan and his co-worker to ignore all the naysayers and doubters concerning their pet project which allowed them to push through their idea. Late in the project’s lifecycle, Khan learned the value of people. He pointed out that winning an argument at the expense of team cohesiveness more often than not was a losing battle. He used an example of how a debate concerning a particular button’s function could have ended in bad blood if he hadn’t placed the cohesiveness of the team first.
Technological evolution Tejas Koshy staff reporter
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s the opening keynote speaker, Mike Lee the Chief Strategic Officer for Roger Ventures, was quick to point out that 2010 would be an interesting point in history with regards to technological evolution. Lee discussed the customer trends in the future and noted the possibility that customers will want more customized and on demand service. He also noted that the customers will prove to be “game changers” with their unique demands, concepts, and a need for information to be delivered instantly. Lee also discussed how businesses will handle the change, noting that most businesses that have survived have matured. This was important in light of the fact that old ideas and old technology are slowly becoming extinct. Lee predicted major, drastic changes in consumer consumption and how it would affect the industry. To prove his point, he compared the technology industry in 1995 and 2008. The end result is a larger more fragmented industry, with an emphasis on information, or as Lee put it, “an information cult.” This led to business that had a monopoly on information (Encarta and Britannica for example), falling to smaller players such as Wikipedia. Lee also believed that the capability to reach out to the masses will be diminished as consumers will want unique and personalized products. Generic products and services will suffer and eventually die out. Markets and market juggernauts will become increasingly more fragmented, as each will start to
focus on niche. Free services, such as Wikipeida, will become more common and businesses will incorporate such services. The music industry is one that has failed to evolve. No consumer is going to pay for what they can get for free, and the music industry needs to start offering something that consumers cannot get from a torrent site. A prediction made at the keynote speech was that among digital devices, such as computers and phones, a sort of “Darwinism” will soon take place. Weaker models and ideas will die out. Lee also said that network providers are going to change. Lee believed that speeding up the internet was not that important. It is more about increasing the capacity of wireless networks. This, he believed, would increase the value of such networks. Rogers Ventures
Lee proceeded to describe the goal and function of Rogers Ventures. The function of Rogers Ventures is to act as the investment arm of Rogers Communications Inc. The goal is to invest in promising technology companies and give them access to Rogers’ resources. Lee finished off the keynote with an encouragement for listeners to go forward with their idea. He believed that university students are able to take risks due to the fact that they don’t have any major obligations. tkoshy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
The myths and realities of entrepreneurship Jordan Campbell assitant science editor
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aras Dharamshi is the VP of Client Services for the company Simpro Solutions. He delivered an early-morning keynote speech on the realities of being an entrepreneur. The UW student populus has a high concentration of students majoring in the scientific and technical fields, many of whom have big dreams and aspirations about one day starting their own businesses. The danger with entrepreneurship, said Dharamshi, is that it tends to be romanticized, and Dharamshi’s experience is no exception. One of the most important ideas taken away from this keynote address is that entrepreneurship is a venture that requires accountability. Early entrepreneurs tend to believe that they are only accountable to themselves. It soon becomes clear that many other people are relying on the venture, including shareholders, customers, partners, and employees. A company’s employees are its most important and valuable asset, according to Dharamshi. A concept that many students in the technical fields should keep in mind when starting their own business is that of execution. Entrepreneurship is as much about being self-motivated and pushing
your plans through as it is about coming up with an incredible idea. Dharamshi asked the audience if they knew who invented the mp3 player or the search engine. His only hint: it wasn’t Apple or Google. Execution is often forgotten or underestimated; people believe that if they have a good idea, the idea will implement itself. On the flipside, many budding entrepreneurs get too passionate about their brainchild. They take criticisms too personally and become overprotective of their projects. They’re not willing to abandon an idea even when it becomes clear that it’s no longer working. Dharamshi used the example of the BlackBerry track ball. Research in Motion (RIM) placed a lot of money, time, and effort into developing the track ball. However, when it became clear that the track ball was not as effective as it could be, RIM immediately abandoned it and started putting their efforts into developing the touch track pad. The keynote also highlighted the importance of experience. When it comes to entrepreneurship in the technical field the industry is “overcompensated and under stimulated” and students venturing into the world of business and technology should take advantage of that fact. He encouraged the audience to “make
mistakes using other peoples’ money,” “develop experience in a variety of disciplines,” and to build a reputation before venturing into entrepreneurship. Finally, in the spirit of EpCon, Dharamshi stressed the value of networking. Without networking, you cannot build the relationships that evolve into successful business ventures. He said it was important to make it personal, and it didn’t have to be about business all the time. Persistence and reciprocation are at the heart of networking. Many people shy away from it because they expect it to pay off immediately. In reality, networking is an ecosystem. You have to be able to give in order to receive. People aren’t going to go out of their way to help you unless you have something to offer. After stating the importance of being able to escape from your work, Dharamshi told the audience that entrepreneurship is a never-ending passion. You have to want to do it all the time, it has to be a part of you. He says that it’s not about the freedom or the money, in the end it’s about the passion and the personal reward. Like Dharamshi said, “it’s either a paradox or a drug.” jcampbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
tkoshy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
jcampbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Venturing into the new web Jordan Campbell assistant science editor
Tejas Koshy
P
The nano frontier
staff reporter
I
n a lecture held by Prof. Shoichet of the University of Toronto’s Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry faculty, innovations in nanotechnology were discussed. Shoichet highlighted three examples of how nanotechnology will help improve the human condition.
Bio-Nanotechnology
Bio-nanotechnology, as Shoichet explained, gives scientists the unique ability to change or create new particles at the nano level. Prof. Yip, a researcher at the University of Toronto researched the structures of cells at the nano level. The goal of Prof. Yip’s research was to understand the nanostructure of cells, the orientation of such structures, and the dynamics of such an environment. The process to gain such information is very instrument intensive. Shoichet showcased photograph’s of Yip’s lab, which had a dizzying array of instruments.
Nanocrystalline silver
Shoichet explained that silver has always been known to have properties to help combat infection. The only reason that we are not rubbing silver into our wounds is the fact that it is not very soluble. Prof. Robert Burrel of the University of Alberta found that using nano-crystalline silver increased the solubility of the resulting solution, thus allowing the silver to be slowly released into the wound. The resulting oxidization of the silver killed off bacteria and other infection more effectively than other forms of delivery. The result: Burrel’s research is now used on burn patients, whose infected wounds are treated with Physical vapour deposition bandages, which ensure a near constant release of nano-crystalline silver into the wound. Polymer nanoparticles
The focus of Shoichet’s research uses nanoparticles to fight cancer. Shoichet noted that the nanoparticles exploit the fact that cancerous cells have weak vascular walls, opposed to the strong walls of healthy cells, allowing for the targeted delivery of drugs. Shoichet explained that the unique composition of nanoparticles, which allowes them to self assemble in water or other aqueous solutions, uses antibodies that
would prevent it from being targeted by the body’s natural defences. The anti-cancer drug is then to kill the cancerous cells. The targeted delivery prevents anticancer drugs from damaging healthy cells, something that chemotherapy has yet to achieve. The only downside to these experimental treatments was the tendency of the body to move the nano-particles to the liver, where they were flushed out of the system within 21 hours.
Nanoresearch
In an interview conducted after the presentation, Shoichet explained the current state of nanotechnology research in Canada. Medical applications of nanotechnology were being quickly advanced in both academia and in the industry. When asked why Shoichet participated in EpCon, the response was that it was “to provide insights into the promise and products of bio-nanotechnology.” Shoichet hopes that the result will be of greater interest among students and will “encourage them to participate in advancing research further.” tkoshy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
eter Sweeney comes across as a man who has always been “this close” to being the internet’s Next Big Thing. He was brutally honest when he began his address. This was his first time giving this talk, and he was very open about his motives for being at EpCon: he wanted to find people who were “venturing into new territory” and he needed employees and co-op students. He dove in to a half-hour talk on the history of the internet. He began with a crude diagram of ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency Network), created by the United States Department of Defence, which was a grandparent of the internet. He followed up with a visual representation of the many facets and networks which make up the internet today. Polling the audience on some of the outdated browsing technology that emerged in the 1990s (like the AOL portal), Sweeney exclaimed excitedly: “You guys are pretty cool for using some of this old garbage!” After a few minutes of the “hits and misses” of the internet, the audience was shown an old website created by his company, Primal Fusion. The site, which was an artist page for Canadian group Blue Rodeo, was successful but Sweeney feels that it missed out on being all that it could be. Because his company chose only to work with “bigger name” companies,
many small name and independent artists sought out other ways to promote themselves online. These artists eventually found the social-networking site MySpace, and the rest is history. Jokingly, Sweeney says “I’m not saying we could have been MySpace. Don’t tweet that.” Sweeney believes that the future of the internet is industrial. Nearly everything is manufactured by machines these days, and he thinks that the internet will be no exception. He firmly believes that machines will displace the human effort. He states that in the near future, internet design will result from machines communicating with other machines and creating “internet mashups.” An example given was that of Google News, which has no reporters. Every story and report on the site is computer-generated, and pulled from other parts of the internet. Primal Fusion’s latest project is to build a knowledge model to manufacture pages automatically. The fact that future websites may not be created by coders and designers should not upset the general population. As Sweeney said, “Most consumers don’t know. Peter Sweeney delivering All consumers don’t care.” his talk on the future of jcampbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
the internet.
Steve Cutler
18
Science & Technology
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
How’s your ocular hygiene? Ivan Lui staff reporter
Malaria infects apes
A parasite that causes a malaria growth in humans has been found in gorillas. The increasing contact between humans and these primates due to urban expansion causes the transfer of these pathogens. Feces collected from wild gorillas in Cameroon as well as samples of blood from Gabon have shown that malaria is now found in apes. Both the endangered crossriver and the western lowland gorillas of Cameroon exhibit evidence of Plasmodium falciparum, the very parasite that causes malaria. While it is not the first time scientists have identified malaria in primates (the first time during the 1920s) this new sampling technology allows scientists to confirm the presence of the parasite. The area with the most cases of malaria exist south of the Sahara Desert. The World Health Organization says that the high mortality rate stems mainly from the existence of this virus. Deforestation within the area as well as urban expansions have caused an increase of pathogen movements between the apes and humans. Dr Francisco Ayala of the University of
California says that, “Even if it were eradicated in humans we would still have the problem that it’s present in apes and therefore they would be a reservoir for the disease. It’s not clear what we can do with respect to this problem other than trying to decrease contact.” “Mosquitoes often bite different species. Often they have a preference but if they can’t find what they want to bite they’ll just go and bite something else,” Dr Ian Hastings, senior lecturer at the Liverpool School of Medicine said, “The question is whether this is just sporadic infection that’s come from humans after the mosquito bit an infected person and passed it on to gorillas or whether it’s endemic and is passed from gorilla to gorilla.” Eyelash lice
After three weeks of consistently itchy eye lids, a 36-year old woman was revealed to have lice and nits at the roots of her eyelashes. Having contracted Pubic pruritus just a month prior, the right eye’s mucous membrane displayed a reddish appearance. Strangely, when other areas of her body were tested for lice, the woman did not exhibit further infections. Other tests for further possible STIs showed no results including HIV, syphilis,
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hepatitis B and C. In order to remove the lice, the eyelashes were plucked out with forceps, applying petrolatum twice a day, shaving the region that had lice infections, and treating these areas with a ten per cent sulphur ointment a day for up to three days. It was also advised that the husband undergo the same treatment as well as wash all their clothes. After two weeks of this treatment, the lice infection had been eradicated. Though the Pruritus pubic can infect any region of the body with hair, the eyelash is a highly unlikely area of interest for these incestoids. A problem with the P. pubic is that they are often transmitted sexually. The goal of treatment is to eliminate eggs. Usage of petroleum, however, will only eliminate the lice but not the eggs. To eliminate the presence of lice fully, it is advised that this substance be applied twice daily for up to ten days. If these treatments are not effective after seven days, however, another method of treatment should be used. Those infected with P. pubic should wash their articles including towels and beddings with water at 55 °C, and dried in hot cycles for 5-10 minutes. If items cannot be cleaned, they should be sealed within plastic bags for two weeks. —With files from BBC and The Canadian Medical Association Journal ilui@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Think further. Explore opportunities at www.shell.ca/careers and quote reference GFC117J when you apply.
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Andrew MacKenzie reporter
OS geeks worldwide have simultaneous existential crises
BusinessWeek reports that Apple and Microsoft are colluding to drop Google as the iPhone’s default search engine, replacing it with Microsoft’s Bing. This warming of relationships between the maybe-not-so-archrivals follows a slight falling out between Apple and Google. Google CEO Eric Schmidt recently vacated Apple’s board of directors. As Google starts to position itself as the alpha dog of the tech world, the little guys are finding that they have to stick together. And Microsoft is realizing that it’s finally one of the little guys – online, that is. With any luck, when Super Bowl commercials roll around, Mac Guy and PC Guy will kiss and make up.
Japanese researchers introduce ‘human recorder system’, are immediately hired by Ministry of Thought
Thankfully, it’s not as creepy as it sounds. Researchers from the University of Tokyo have collaborated with non-profit WIN Human Recorder Co. to introduce a consumer product that monitors heart rate, body temperature, and movement. It’s a pocket-sized device you affix to your chest. It’s not quite a toy yet, though. The price tag is $330, with monthly monitoring bills of $110 per month. Not quite affordable by the average consumer, but well within the price range of shadowy government agencies. Fine, it is kinda creepy. —With files from MocoNews and Popular Tech News
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Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Fr!nge Festival photo courtesy Yusuf Kidwai, The Cord Weekly
Sarah MacDonald performs a thought-provoking monologue in Girls Who Ride Horses.
Julia Gunst staff reporter
O
ne of the most experimental, emotional and engaging pieces of the Fr!nge Festival was Girls Who Ride Horses, written and directed by Maeve Strathy and John Kaye. Girls Who Ride Horses is a series of monologues exploring the pressures of society to conform to the “perfect” image. The monologues, featuring Sarah MacDonald and Kate Applin, explore the particular pressures placed upon young women in today’s modern society and the internal struggle to feel accepted while trying to remain true to ones own identity. The performance opened with “Girl #1,” wearing highly distressed black clothing and black hair perhaps expressing her emotional state. The monologue started with complainints about the squeaky clean perfection and superficial nature of those popular girls who ride horses. As the monologue progressed, the thoughts of the character delved deeper and deeper. She moved on to her dislike the girls who wear too much makeup. She explores the expectations that drive them to do so, and their ability to accept those expectations perhaps more than she can. She doesn’t want to compromise who she is by doing as they do by wearing a mask of makeup, but she also “doesn’t want to be alone on a Friday night.” She ponders why girls wear makeup to avoid judgments from others yet judge those who choose to wear it. The character states that we all judge, but we don’t all like to; we just do so to “fill the void” because we cannot “have it all.” She expresses her frustration with the need to be defined by a superficial image. She also describes her habit of using alcohol and drugs to numb the pain it causes her. The acting was candid and
sincere, and the script drew on the universal need to be accepted that we all feel at some point. The next scene chose to express these thoughts of acceptance in visual form for dramatic effect with “Girl #2.” The scene opens in what appears to be the acting out of an everyday, mundane routine. “Girl #2” sat in the centre of the stage on a laid out a sheet, as if preparing for a picnic. She then began to apply her makeup slowly with much care. But, suddenly after she finished, she begins to tug and pull at her skin as if she wants to take off a mask that is, in fact, her own face. Every movement seemed to be filled with discord. She opened a package of what appeared to be chocolate syrup and began to smear it on her face, smashed melon across her arm, and put on what appeared to be whipped cream. This strange sight seemed to be a representation of preparing herself for consumption by the world. This scene was set to the haunting song, “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Greg Laswell (not a cover of the well-known Cindy Lauper song). The next scene opens to “Girl #2,” chocolatesauce intact, opening a bottle of vodka and pills, while smoking a cigarette. The jarring techno music playing in the background matched her haphazard, disjointed dancing. The violent dancing and music did not cover the pain conveyed beneath these surfaces, as the character seemed to wish. Again, each movement is filled with raw emotion that the character wishes to stifle and silence through drugs and alcohol. This kind of stifled emotion, especially in relation to societal pressures on women, is something I have not often seen conveyed in such a compelling and powerful way. This was an unique and rare production that took chances and walked the line with success. jgunst@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Nerd-Girl and the awkward elevator Jacob McLellan staff reporter
C
arly Lewis’ Going Up is a comedy that wonderfully encapsulated the oddities of our lives and the awkwardness of elevator conversation as an unusual mix of people get stuck in an elevator. The main character, nerd-girl, played wonderfully by Kelly Grevers, started the play with a fitting, well-expressed practice of her speech to the academic offence committee regarding her recent mistake — cheating on an organic chemistry final. “Mistakes are the portals of discovery” quotes the unnamed nerd-girl
before she steps onto the elevator, “and I made a mistake.” Unfortunately, one of the directors’ mistakes made an appearance here as the ear piercing beep of the elevator button is cued. Little thought was put into sound throughout the play. Besides the beep of the button, the sound of the elevator breaking down sounded like it was from Space Invaders. The effects were 8-bit and made me feel nostalgic about the Atari I never owned. However, for a student-run production, and knowing that good, free sound effects are hard to come by, these problems were minuscule and barely detracted from the play’s hilarity.
Strangers to each other, the characters made their appearance one by one. They included an eccentric Italian, a hipster delinquent, a grunge character who’s on probation, and a princess who sings when she’s nervous. The peculiar group allowed for some interesting dialogue about everyone’s problems. All of the actors portrayed their characters’ oddities perfectly, albeit there were a few forgotten lines. The princess, played by Catherine Vergos, sang in response to every question and maintained her composure during her sardonically sung responses to the grunge character, played by Gina Kish. The hipster chirped in with impeccable timing to correct a genre of music from death metal
to “post hardcore anar-core grunge-core” with a straight face. It was the timing of the jokes that made Going Up so successful, and the entire cast did an exceptional job at reading the audience and embracing the pauses. The pauses not only allowed the audience to laugh but also brought out the awkwardness of being stuck in an elevator with strangers. Those awkward moments were exemplified when Nerd-Girl shared a hot drink with everyone on the elevator. No one spoke as they took sips, one by one, of the hot beverage. It helped the audience feel the awkwardness of the silence and situation. See STUCK, page 18
Continued From Cover
Exploring womanly pressures
20
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Fr!nge Festival
STUCK:
Five strangers in a box Carly Lewis did a terrific job writing believable, comical characters save for one negligible problem. When all of the characters are on the same elevator heading to their different events, the audience becomes confused. How can Nerd-Girl be going to her academic offence hearing, the grunge character be headed to her probation meeting, and the singer to her audition for Juilliard, all in the same building? The final problem was Carly Lewis’ lighting decisions. When the elevator finally started to operate again, the lights turned off and then turned back on when it reached the right floor. Standard elevators do not turn off the lights when they start moving. Even if this was meant to demonstrate the passing of time, a moment of solitude before the actors went on with their lives, or even if it was to show the closing of the relationship, better choices could have been made. Even in a student production, the little things that should go unnoticed such as sound and lighting often carry the most weight when overlooked. However, playwright Carly Lewis was right when she quoted James Joyce: “Mistakes are the portals of discovery,” and Carly Lewis’ mistakes were minuscule and easily remedied. jmclellan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
photo courtesy Yusuf Kidwai, The Cord Weekly
Nerd-Girl (Kelly Grevers) gets anxious when Jane (Gina Kish) offers her gun for protection.
“
The main issue with Dotto and Herron’s play was the characters’ nationalities and the historical inaccuracy. It only takes a simple search of Wikipedia or Askjeeves,
even to find that a captain usually commands a company.
Death pursues stereotypes Jacob McLellan staff reporter
W
as Death Pursues the Man who Flees hilarious? Yes. Were the actors good? You bet. Was it original? Mildly. Historically accurate? Definitely not. Did it prove that Laurier students are mathematically adept? Not a chance. The one-act play depicted a scene of World War I, where a group of soldiers, each from a different nation, were situated in a trench in war-torn France. The group had been ordered to rush the German’s front lines. However, all the members of this odd platoon were not in the least interested in dying and came up with ridiculous reasons for the other soldiers to rush the front lines first. The play’s entertaining qualities are mostly due to the stereotypical stock characters. The British Captain was classy, the French Lieutenant was a wimp, the Irish Private was a wise-cracking priest, the Australian Private was a criminal, the Italian Private sounded like-a Mario, the Russian Private loved her vodka, and the American was a cowboy. Although the humour was unoriginal and relied on the most basic of stereotypes, it was still worth a laugh because the dialogue was engaging, and the accents were, for the most part, spot on, especially the British Captain’s, played by Scott James Mitchell. The main issue with Dotto and Herron’s play was the characters’ nationalities and the historical inaccuracy. It only takes a simple search of Wikipedia or Askjeeves even, to find that a captain usually commands a company, meaning the smaller platoons would most likely be commanded by a lieutenant (coming from someone who knows nothing about the army). Furthermore, although nations did share men, there were no platoons consisting of such a ragtag group of people. Also, since Dotto and Herron clearly said to hell with historical accuracy of any sort, why didn’t they include a Canadian soldier in the platoon? We have aboot one or two stereotypes associated with us, eh? Despite all that, the play was inarguably hilarious. Dotto and Herron wrote in many common stereotypes flawlessly and came up with some absurd but hilarious reasons for the Privates to rush the German front lines and equally absurd reasons not to. The Irish Private, played by Luke Dotto, despite being a priest, said he didn’t want the army choosing to put a cross on his grave incase he wasn’t religious and that until he sorted that out, he couldn’t die. One by one, the privates rushed the lines for hilarious reasons and, of course, died. Some hopped out of the trench with a look of shock or of anger, but they all rushed the front lines for a reason beyond the ridiculous rhetoric spewed by the British Captain. At one point, the Italian, played by Jocelyn Smith, tried to convince the Captain that the French Lieutenant should be the one to leave next, with math — Laurier calibre math. He claimed that, due to “the Law of Averages” (a layman term that is effectively garbage, especially when relying on the human element) the French were due to win eventually so he should be the next to rush. The Captain surveyed the Privates work, carried a few fives and said that it worked out that the Italian should rush the lines instead. After all the others had rushed the lines for pride and patriotism (not for honour), the British Captain jumped out of the trenches with a valiant yell and the sounds of distant gunfire to close the play. Death Pursues the Man who Flees was well-rounded, well-executed, and very engaging. jmclellan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
”
photos courtesy Yusuf Kidwai, The Cord Weekly
From left to right: a French Lieutenant (Mike Paluzzi), a British Captain (Scott James Mitchell) and an American Private (Ryan Neufeld) enacts ethnic stereotypes.
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Horror massacred Rachel Viscontas reporter
Jacob McLellan staff reporter
T
he Everwood Massacre, a short film about a religious fanatic who kills teens, was outright hilarious at the start, but from about 10 minutes in, it went downhill fast. The plot was either a nod to countless horror films or a terrible cliché. It had everything from the house number (13, of course) to a power outage and then a rambling rant from a self-righteous man of the past to top it all off. The cinematography was repetitive at best. Even in the first scene at the killer’s hideout, the directors seemed too eager to show the same scene of a slow-spinning windmill from different angles over and over (and over and over), as if somehow this would make a barely suspenseful movie into a terrifying thrill-ride with just a few measly spins of the mill. Adding to this unnecessary repetition, the windmill shots were made even more painfully long by the four-bar looped audio. Considering the director chose to use an original piece of music, the score was surprisingly unoriginal, humdrum, and colourless. It sounded like a didjeridoo accompanied by native drumming, which, unsurprisingly, did not make for good horror/suspense music. As for the acting, sorry, but the only decent performance came from Mike McMurran, the writer, who portrayed his character perfectly. Unfortunately for the viewers, his character was the first to die by the killer’s hand. This left only the two
Blank Resume?
air-headed girls, Annie, played by Rachel Maloney, and Nancy, acted by Keegan Chambers and the barely-likeable Glen for the remaining 30 minutes, all of whom were fine for the pre-kidnapping scenes but fell short in the high-intensity captive scenes where screaming fits, poor dialogue, and spasms took over. The script was an honest attempt at horror, but was sub-par even at student film standards. It included gems like: “No, sweetie, it’s you that’s crazy,” and, when about to remove the gags from his captives, the killer cleverly stated, “No one can hear your screams anyway, okay?” Perhaps the anti-climax of the movie came when the killer said “Wadda you say we wake up your friend, huh?” at which point the music reaches a crescendo and he reaches out menacingly and grabs a terrifying... glass of water. Even if an actor’s lines are terrible, a perfectly selected vocal actor can make them seem terrifying. This was, unfortunately, not found in Ernest Hillen, the voice actor chosen for the preacher/ psychopath. True, it’s challenging to find a menacing-sounding southern preacher, but surely it is not impossible. The gaps in the cheesy dialogue were filled with intermittent screams reminiscent of the worst labour pains. Even a duct tape gag couldn’t muffle the awful sounds that came from Annie and Nancy. When you start casting female leads for a slasher flick, ideally your first priority would be to find some with decent screaming abilities, or at least good criers. This was obviously not the case here. Overall, this was a horrific horror film.
arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
UPCOMING SHOWS
BY DIVINE RIGHT 27 WITH LINDY 28 KING ROLLER EDDIE ORSO jan
jan
WITH
DANNY MICHEL FEBRUARY 13 & 14 AT THE JANE BOND
feb
arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
16
Broken rule of thirds ruins film staff reporter
T
here’s a fine line between artistic direction and an amateur wanna-be-artist style that David Rodgers, director of Memorandum, needs to understand. There’s a simple concept in film called the rule of thirds that is known by every photographer and videographer in the world. The concept is simple: divide the camera into nine equal sections and the shot’s compositional element (often the eyes in film) should rest on these lines. Memorandum cut nearly every shot off at the nose, making for awkward shots where the characters eyes were lost — one of the most important features of the face to express emotion in film. Memorandum attempted a non-linear style of editing, but there were no visual or audio cues on what was in the past and what was in the present, leaving the audience confused. Movies that use a non-linear shot structure tend to be hard to comprehend, and often require being viewed multiple times to get a full understanding. Memorandum is no different. It needs to be viewed a couple of times to understand the chronology of the film.
But, the audience should still have some clue after watching the video once. If you choose to do another film in this style, consider a film to be like a piece of writing: it needs to be proofread. Otherwise, minute details such as grammar, logical sequence, and a sensical plot might be forgotten and the outside viewer might be lost and confused. Besides the filming and the editing, the short-film had great potential. Some of the most critically acclaimed films use non-linear editing. With more effort, the same could be done with Memorandum. The music was absolutely perfect. It always fit the characters, the plot, and mood of the scenes in which they played. The actors all conveyed their characters wonderfully. In particular, Tom, played by Liam Bible, who looked as if he had never been happy, had the most sincere, heart-warming smiles in the flashbacks. Memorandum needs a simple overhaul. A few remedial film and editing courses, and a week’s worth of re-shooting and the film would be a wonderful look into the private lives of Tom, Andy, and Laura. jmclellan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Simplicity Jacob McLellan staff reporter
A
t the Bat, by Wade McAdams, was Friday’s most uproarious film and a great way to send the audience off. The short film was about Casey, played by Travis Herron, trying to enjoy his date with Jennifer, played by Larisa Young. However, as he heads up to her apartment, he’s joined by his consciences. The bad conscience, played by Wade Thompson, appropriately chimes in with the sound of the bite of an apple, followed closely by the good conscience, played by Mary Berg. The film, with its simplistic plot and short running-length proved, once again, that simple is better. There is less that can go wrong and there is more time to focus on quality.
The shots were perfect, the editing allowed the audience to brainlessly understand that the good and bad consciences were imaginary, the audio was clean, and the plot developed at a constant, understandable pace. All of the actors did a wonderful job portraying their characters. The bad conscience had a devilish charm, the good conscience had a bossy innocence, and Casey dealt with the two duking consciences wonderfully. He was angry and frustrated at the right times, understanding when he had to be, and a horrible liar when his date caught him talking to himself. At the bat was short, cute, and funny, making for an overall spectacular film. Wade McAdams and the entire cast put the film together flawlessly. jmclellan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
K-OS
JAY MALINOWSKI KINNIE STARR 10 ELECTRIC 6 SWEET THING THRUSH 23 HERMIT mar
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Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
The longest Whose fault cutscene is it? tkoshy@uwaterloo.ca tkoshy@uwaterloo.ca
I
Photos Courtesy IMdb.com
will begin with a statement that might shock some people. Videogame movies suck. Want proof ? Look at the adaptations that turns video games into movies. Since the dawn of videogames, every so often a director has glanced at what someone is playing on the TV screen and wondered, “How would this look on the big screen?” The end product of that thought is often subpar. Never in the history of cinema has a movie that is based on a videogame ever garnered the accolades that even a decent film receives. The trouble with videogame movies is the nature of videogames themselves. For the most part, videogames tend to place the protagonist in control of their own actions. Videogames guide the player down a path and for the most part, it’s up to the player to pull the metaphorical or literal trigger. In comparison, when a movie presents plot to the audience
their only choice is either to watch the film or throw their popcorn at the screen and leave. The disparate natures between the two mediums means that an attempt to cross them is a hazardous journey. Another inherent problem with videogame movies is the audience themselves. Usually they are split between avid fans of the videogame and casual audience members. These two groups have separate goals concerning the film. The fans will want to see the plot, the gameplay rendered onto the big screen, their favourite moments shown in cinematic form. The casual audience member will simply be curious about the movie and most likely will have a limited knowledge of the game itself. Directors are therefore caught between the two disparate groups of viewers. When combined with a company’s desire to see a positive return on their investment, directors attempt to create a product
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that caters to both groups. Often this ends with a product that leaves the casual members of the audience disappointed and the fans angered. A modern example of the failure of videogame movies is Doom. Based on the award winning videogame series and directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak (nominated three times for Oscars), I was optimistic for this film. Released in 2003 the movie was a colossal failure critically and the movie barely made a profit (although $5 million is still not bad). Critics panned the movie, citing horrible acting and terrible plot. Fans hated the movie, plot deviations and horrible acting. Audience members were futhermore offended by the movies assumption that they left their brains at the door. Need another example? Max Payne. Based of the award winning videogame, the film adaptation was awful. The movie essentially consisted of Mark Wahberg scowling at the screen and occasionally beating the crap out of someone. While one could argue that this was the same as the videogame, I would like to present a counter-argument. Sure, the videogame consisted of the lead character being in a bad mood and beating up some unlucky soul, but I
had control over the action. I could decide how and when to kneecap that mobster. I decided how and when I pulled the trigger. Watching someone else do it, however, just makes me want to play the game again. Still need another example? The BloodRayne series (the crappy movie series, not the “meh...”videogame). Critics and gamers alike have consistently panned this vampire series that somehow manages to suck more than the Twilight series. Even having Ben Kingsley in a role (though he has been in crappy movies as of late) did nothing to save this film. Some might point out the fact that it was directed by the “controversial” Uwe Bol (see “Worst Career Achievement” from the Raspberries), which was enough to sink the film. I have had more fun watching ice melt than I did watching this film. I have seen two dogs having better sex than those awful scenes in the film. To quote the critics from Gametrailers, “every actor is miscast, every wig is too fake, every sex scene is too inappropriate, and every action scene is too improvised.” The sad thing is that the movie still got a sequel. And then there’s Hitman. Once again critics panned this series. The chief sources of complaint were
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confusing plot, ridiculous dialogue, and the excessive violence. The cast probably realized that they were getting paid regardless of how badly they acted and proceeded to vaguely act. The lead actor, Timothy David Olyphant, decided to play the role of every videogame character and to perpetually maintain a monotone voice and occasionally scowl at the viewer, while ignoring any of the ruthless charm the original videogame character had. Many will argue that the above videogame movies still made a profit, to prove that videogame adaptations don’t completely stink. However, just because a film turns a profit, does not mean that is a quality film. It just means that there are enough people either stupid or eager enough (take your pick) to believe the marketing, drop the cash, and sit through it all. That is why awful videogame adaptation will continue to proliferate well into the future. Despite the fact that the film will have awful acting, there are enough fans or enticed audience members who will continue to believe the hype, the marketing, and the well funded advertising campaign or movie tieins. Then will consistently believe that one day there will be a decent videogame adaptation. The history of failed videogame adaptation and the fact that we still continue to hope for a decent one, is proof of the fact that we are a doomed race. That and the Twilight series. “Penelope Cruz is mesmerizing.” - Emanuel Levy
“Pedro Almodovar’s sizzlingly sexy film noir is a love letter to the magical power of movies” - New York Post
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OPENS FRIDAY 6 Princess St. W., Waterloo 885-2950 www.princesscinemas.com
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Music Reviews
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Courtesy SUB POP AND BELLA UNION
Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes Sub Pop and Bella Union
Courtesy CBC
Being Erica What I Am Is What I Am Temple Street Productions
I
leet foxes, the band’s first and thus far only full length album, was my soundrack to the coldest winter that my southern bones have ever known. One year later, I’ve brought the record out again and am pleased to find it has the same warming and notagia inducing effects. The harmonized vocals are still the most powerful element of the music throughtout and are complimented by a guitar, flute, bells, organs, tambourines, drums, and varous stringed instruments. A syntheseis of indie rock, gospel and folk with sublte yet discernible influences such as Neil Young and The Beach Boys make this album dreamlike, and leads the listenener on a forest walk that spans all four seasons. At times, the music sounds as though it was produced in the late 1800s in a small pastoral village tucked away in the mountains. Haunting in some songs and hopeful in others, the lyrics conjure up the feeling of being lost in the woods as a child, but ultimately of finding your way again and emerging. If ever a band could create music that actually sounds like the changing of the seasons, Fleet Foxes has, particularly in “Ragged Wood,” when they sing “The world is alive now, in and outside our home /You run through the forest, settle before the sun.” Even in the most pop-like songs of the album, the lyrics refer to wilderness and to times long since passed, as in the song “Blue Ridge Mountain: In the quivering forest /Where the shivering dog rests /Our good grandfather / Built a wooden nest.” Further amplifying the already rustic sounding harmonies is the crackling of the record as it rotates. Fleet Foxes’ lead singer, Robin Pecknold, is currently tucked away writing lyrics in a cabin in the woods somewhere outside of Seattle. The five-piece band is set to release their second full length album toward the end of 2010; just in time of another warm, reflective hibernation.
t’s been nearly four years since his sophomore release, He Poos Clouds, and in that time Owen Pallett has been far from idle. He has since released two EPs, written string arrangements for artists from Beirut to The Last Shadow Puppets, and toured internationally. Now with the release of his third album, Heartland, Pallett has dropped the Final Fantasy Moniker he used for years. However, his latest effort is more ingrained in fantasy than any of his previous works. Heartland is a concept album detailing the story of Lewis, an “ultra-violent farmer” living in Spectrum. As the album progresses, Lewis discovers his creator, who is none other than Owen Pallett himself. Self-referential? Yes. Incredibly meta? Yes. But is it good? Absolutely. Pallett’s ability to deliver a strong narrative while delivering quality instrumentation is unprecedented. Yes, these are pop songs, but what sets them apart are arranglemets. The rousing, bass-driven “Oh Heartland, Up yours!” starts off slowly, but swells with defiance and intensity, leading to the anthemic and repeated line “I will not sing your praises here.” The lead track “Midnight Directives” is carried by a medley of violin and plucked strings and in conjuction with the percussion, it makes for an urgent opener. On the other hand, there is “Lewis Takes off his Shirt” has some lines you will find yourself singing along to: “If what I have is what you need /I’m never gonna give it to you.” Heartland shows a marked improvement over Pallett’s previous works under the Final Fantasy name. There might be not a song that is as catchy or immediate as debut album Has A Good Home’s “this is the dream of Win and Regine,” but the album as a whole is much stronger than past efforts. Each song is ripe with Pallett’s talent, both lyrically and musically. If you’re a fan of eloquent narratives or structurally sound music, then Heartland is well worth the listen.
— Erin Oldynski
— Ronald Chu
or those not familiar with the show, Being Erica is about an under-achieving woman who believes that her current life situations are not the best they could be, and that they are an outcome of a series of bad choices in her past. She is assisted by a therapist, who sends her back in time to relive her past to make the right choices. With that said, the soundtrack is put together pretty well. It is meant to be interspersed between dialogue clips from the show, which help ground the CD as a reflection of the show, and not just a random compilation. I haven’t seen the entire season, so the songs don’t hold as much significance to me, but I can imagine how fans might recall specific memories from the episodes and relate them to the song. Despite that, the selections are easy to sing to because they are familiar to most people that grew up in this generation. The first track is the show’s theme song. It is airy and simple, and encompasses the tone of the show in an effective manner. The full version of the theme “All I Ever Wanted To Be,” sung by Lily Frost is highly recommended over the TV cut, with Frost’s voice taking the listenener down memory lane. As for the rest of the selections, there is something for everyone. One of the TV audio clips of Erica singing “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” at her batmizvah is a little odd because the song is sung by a younger Erica and her friend, and grinds on the ear because of the effects needed for that particular scene. The rest of the songs are cleverly selected as they all invoke a sense of mellowness and nostalgia. Overall, the Being Erica soundtrack is well put together. As said on the CD case, “Nothing stirs the memory more than a great song... everything comes flooding back to you... instantly.” This summarizes the entire CD very well. This is a must have for Being Erica fans, and even if you’ve never seen this show, this is a great pick to listen to slow down, though skipping over the TV clips may be in order.
K Go’s new album, Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, released January 12, 2010, seems to have brought about a new age of alternative rock. Since their inception in 2000 with their EP, OK Go (Brown), OK Go has released solid tunes like “Get Over It” and “Do What You Want,” but this album seems to be a humble change for the previously major punk-rock band. I absolutely love Of the Blue Colour of the Sky. I think that OK Go’s new album has given the mainstream another collection of music it can enjoy for hours on end: its peculiar instrumentals and lyrics seem to soothe and relax listeners everywhere. For only having three people in the band, these guys sure pack a punch in terms of tunes. Most of the songs on this record have lyrics that have to do with lost love. The background music fits this sombre tone. Most of the tracks seem random, but some are obvious in terms of meaning and can be repetitive. It seems, though, that the average mainstream listener enjoys this type of music. In “I Want You So Bad I Can’t Breathe,” Damian Kulash (vocalist) sings, “I want you bad/ So bad all my bones shake/ So bad I can’t breathe.” His voice is reminiscent of The Arctic Monkeys and Jack White (The White Stripes). He has a high register but not in the annoying Clay Aiken way. I give this album an 8.5 out of 10 because it fits its alternative rock genre quite well without using any flashy guitar tricks or annoying cat noises that try to pass off as singing . OK Go has released yet another strange but enjoyable album that most people can actually relate to in the mainstream. My bottom line? If you still like the classic OK Go from 10 years ago, this album is definitely worth picking up. Despite their changes in the past years, the new ideas and old come together quite nicely in this mesh of music fabric that will soon shape the future of the alternative scene.
— Alchina Wong
— Michael Shaott
F
23
Courtesy Domino
Owen Pallett Heartland Domino
O
Courtesy capital Record
OK GO Of the Blue Colour of the Sky Capitol Records
24
Arts & Entertainment
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Creamy and Tender dyoon@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
S
f o r t w o
o here’s the thing, certain dishes have always been intimidating, carrying an air of sophistication and difficulty; leading me to assume that I cannot make them at home. Thus, these are the foods which I frequently order when going out to restaurants. That being said, as I delve deeper into the world of cooking, I find myself drawn to produce the complicated and delicate dishes at home. What I am learning in my explorations, is that foods which have by taste a depth and flavour which connote difficulty or delicacy in cooking, are not always as painstaking as the palate believes them to be. To me, risotto has always been one of these foods. The fine balance between firm but tender grains and creamy texture led me to believe that this is one of those recipes that, if you’re not a highly skilled chef, either set off your smoke detector or will end in a sticky, gloopy mess. Furthermore, the depth of flavour seemed to denote expensive and hard to find ingredients. I was wrong. Here is what’s true about risotto; although the ingredient list is simple and you do not need to possess the skills of a Cordon Bleu chef to make it, risotto is labour intensive. Like a newborn baby, risotto cannot be left alone even to run to the bathroom. It requires your constant attention. This is perhaps why it has developed a reputation for being difficult to make at home.
• 1 tbsp butter or olive oil • 1/2 medium onion, chopped • 1 clove garlic, minced • 1/2 cup Arborio rice • Splash of white wine • 1 cup chicken broth, heated to a simmer • 3 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano
P U B L I C
Risotto is a rice dish originating from northern Italy, made with Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice the easiest of which to find in Canada is Arborio. However the former two are more commonly used in Italy. These rice varieties are high in starch which contributes to the overall creaminess of the end result. It is possible to make risotto with other varieties of rice, but it will not be a true risotto. Aside from the variety of rice, what separates risotto from any other rice dish is the method of cooking. Risotto cannot be put in a pot with some water or broth and left alone. Risotto stands apart in its method as the rice first needs to be sautéed in oil or butter, before any liquid is added. This allows for the grains of rice to keep some definition and texture. Heated broth is added slowly, ladle by ladle, to the rice. The broth must be heated to a simmer; cold liquids will shock the rice causing the grains to flake, and not absorb the liquids as well.
1 2 3 4 5 6
After each ladleful of broth, the rice must be stirred constantly. Once the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, then another ladle is added, and this is repeated until the rice is cooked al dente. This method is what gives risotto its creamy texture (not cream, as some people believe). Until the dish has reached its final and desired consistency, it cannot be left alone. Remember to go to the bathroom before you start cooking! Although you can get as complicated and gourmet as you like with risotto, the base ingredients are pretty standard. A lot of recipes call for shallots but regular onions will do you just fine; garlic, butter or olive oil, Arborio rice, wine, broth and often good parmesan. The wine is technically optional but to me, it is imperative in risotto. Wine in dishes is often described as bringing depth to a dish, but I don’t think depth is really the right way to describe what it does to risotto. On the contrary, it lifts up the flavours and brings a lightness to an
otherwise heavy and creamy dish. For the amount of work that it takes to prepare, risotto reflects the effort put into it, making it truly worth the time and effort. Alongside a filet of sole meuniere, beautifully grilled steak, or dressed up – with roasted vegetables, meats and herbs - on its own, risotto is a sophisticated and impressive dish to entertain with and show off your mad skills. The creamy texture makes it a perfect comfort food on its own for chilly nights in on the couch. The sky is the limit with this basic recipe for risotto. Many people like to use mushroom broth and add sautéed mushrooms at the end to make mushroom risotto. My favourite is risotto with peas and fresh mint, flavoured with pancetta. However, I usually make this with frozen peas, dried mint and bacon. There is also butternut squash risotto, strawberry risotto, and I’m planning to experiment with a black cherry and balsamic risotto.
Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until it begins to foam. Add onions and garlic, cook until lightly golden and tender. Add rice, stir constantly until lightly golden in colour. Each grain should be coated lightly with oil. Add a splash of wine, stir until absorbed. Stir in one ladle of heated broth, reduce heat to medium-low, and continue to stir constantly until most of the liquid is absorbed. Repeat process of adding one ladle, then stirring until absorbed until rice is tender, but firm. Taste to be sure, it should be cooked just under your desired texture as the rice will continue to cook even until plating. Stir the cheese in and enjoy! ** Expert chefs suggest that risotto should always be kept under a ‘thin veil of broth’ from start to finish: meaning that you should add each subsequent ladle of broth before all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. However, be careful that you do not add too much broth, as this may result in a watery risotto.
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Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Warriors remain undefeated at home
N
BA All-Star weekend is coming up on the 12th, 13th and 14th of February, an excuse for NBA stars to drink way too much, gamble way too much and generally wear themselves out over a weekend of fun and partying. There is no other All-Star break quite like that of the NBA. The players come out of the weekend more tired than when they went in. It’s the way it should be — after all, isn’t that what every other business does? The top-performers get bonuses and go get drunk? Welcome to the NBA. I haven’t been excited about an All-Star weekend in literally a decade — for good reason. The players are hung-over, the game lacks any resemblance of defense and nowadays the contests are usually boring. Do we really want to see someone like Jason Kapono win the three-point contest and be crowned the best three-point shooter in the NBA when we know his impact in games is next to nil (and someone like Ray Allen would hit more threes when it really mattered)? The skills competition can be interesting, but you can tell the players are going through the motions. None of them want to seem like they’re trying too hard. It’s a party, right? And the crown jewel of the AllStar game, the Dunk Contest, can now officially be classified as stale. The last time a dunk contest truly defined a player was in 2000 when Vince Carter won it. Since then, it’s been next to irrelevant. There used to be a time where the dunk contest was a credible point on an NBA resume. After all, greats like Dr. J, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan have won the award, and each of those victories helped define who these players were. This is not the case anymore. Nate Robinson, the little dynamo from the New York Knicks, will, for the third time, be entering the contest. Every one of his dunks are simple. They may have a gimmick or a twist, but in truth, they are only impressive because he is so small and he can jump so high. They do not transcend time like Jordan’s dunks, or help to solidify a league-wide reputation for greatness, like Carter’s. Robinson is the perfect poster child for the death of the dunk contest’s relevance in NBA lore. His dunks are like a Justin Bieber song — the song/dunk isn’t actually that great; it’s only impressive because of the size/age of the person involved. The beauty of the Dunk Contest though, is that it doesn’t have to be good every year. It can be brutal for four years straight, only to be reignited by a superstar throwing down. 2010 was promised to be that year. Do you know the quote? “Right now I’m preliminarily putting my name in the 2010 contest Saturday night. LeBron James is saying in 2010, in Dallas Stadium, he will compete.” That statement was made by James during the 2009 Dunk Contest. It turned out to be about as true as saying that Kevin Federline is a good actor. See LeBRON, page 30
THIS WEEK IN SPORTS
courtesy UW athletics
Men’s hockey snipes a shoot-out win
See PAGE 27
brent golem
Women’s volleyball wins their fourth straight game brent golem
Centre Matt Hayes dominated the floor, earned a double-double with 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Warriors let Guelph rebound from recent match-up domination Brent Golem sports and living editor
T
he Warriors came into the game against Guelph after handing Guelph an embarrassing 18 point loss in Waterloo. Waterloo was looking to keep their momentum from a solid road win in Windsor going and start a winning streak. Meeting the Gryphons for an afternoon match-up in Guelph may have seemed like an easy task, but Guelph was prepared while the Warriors were not. The first half was a battle back-and forth with no team gaining a solid lead. Waterloo found themselves down by two possessions after the first quarter, but were able to make it only one by half time. Neither team was shooting well. They combined for just 2 for 18 from the three point
See PAGE 28
Game 12 vs Guelph Team
1st
2nd 3rd
4th
Ttl
Guelph
18
16
14
22
68
Waterloo
14
18
4
20
58
arc, both being scored in the final minute of the half. The Warriors seemed deflated in the second half as they came out flat in the third quarter and only manage to sink a single free throw. Guelph didn’t stop shooting and built up a solid 12 point lead going into the final frame. Guelph kept their play up into the fourth quarter and even extended their lead as far as 22 points. Waterloo came out to play too late and was unable to overcome their disappointing third quarter. They ended up losing by a score of 58–68. See MEN’S BASKETBALL, Page 29
Imprint archives
Curling team shoots well in first OUA sectional
See PAGE 29
Games of the week:
the best games in town
Friday January 22 Men’s Hockey vs UOIT at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Barn (CIF)
Saturday January 23 Women’s Basketball at Laurier at 1 p.m. at the Athletics Complex (WLU) Men’s Basketball at Laurier at 3 p.m. at the Athletics Complex (WLU)
Brent golem
Women’s basketball dominates their Guelph rivals
See PAGE 29
26
Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Men’s Volleyball
Men’s Basketball
Men’s Hockey
West Division
West Division
West Division Team
GP
W
L
Western
20
17
3
0
Laurier
20
14
4
2
Women’s Volleyball
Team
GP
W
L
PTS
Team
GP
W
L
PTS
Team
GP
W
L
PTS
34
Lakehead
12
10
2
20
Western
11
10
1
20
McMaster
13
12
1
24
30
Windsor
13
10
3
20
McMaster
12
10
2
20
Queen’s
12
10
2
20
Waterloo
13
11
2
22
Guelph
13
8
5
16
Brock
14
9
5
18
Guelph
12
8
4
16
OTL PTS
Lakehead
20
13
5
2
28
Waterloo
20
13
6
1
27
York
20
10
9
1
21
Guelph
21
8
9
4
20
Brock
21
8
12
1
17
UOIT
20
8
11
1
17
Windsor
20
7
10
3
17
Waterloo
13
8
5
16
McMaster
13
7
6
14
Windsor
11
7
4
14
14
Laurier
12
5
7
10
Waterloo
12
5
7
10
Western
12
8
4
16
Toronto
12
5
7
10
Laurier
13
4
9
8
Windsor
12
1
11
2
Western
13
7
6
Brock
13
5
8
10
Laurier
13
5
8
10
Ryerson
12
3
9
6
Guelph
12
4
8
8
York
12
3
9
6
RMC
13
0
11
0
Jan. 16: Guelph 68 vs Waterloo 58 Jan. 20: Brock 67 at Waterloo 86 Jan. 23: Laurier vs Waterloo Jan. 27: Western vs Waterloo
Jan. 14: Guelph 4 vs Waterloo 5 (SO) Jan. 22: OUIT at Waterloo Jan. 23: Guelph vs Waterloo
Jan. 15: Windsor 3 at Waterloo 2 Jan. 16: Guelph 3 vs Waterloo 0 Jan. 23: Queen’s vs Waterloo Jan. 24: RMC at Waterloo
Women’s Basketball
Women’s Hockey
Men’s Squash
West Division
Main Division Team
GP
W
L
OTL
PTS
Team
GP
W
L
PTS
Team
GP
W
L
PTS
Laurier
19
19
0
0
38
Windsor
13
12
1
24
Western
18
18
0
18
Queen’s
19
13
4
2
28
York
19
13
5
1
27
Western
13
10
3
20
McGill
12
9
3
9
Guelph
20
10
7
3
23
Brock
13
8
5
16
McMaster
18
9
9
9
Toronto
19
10
7
2
22
McMaster
13
8
5
16
Western
20
8
9
3
19
Queen’s
12
8
4
8
Lakehead
12
7
5
14
Brock
20
7
10
3
17
8
2
14
12
10
11
7
8
6
6
18
19
13
Waterloo
Waterloo
Laurier
1
0
14
6
11
13
10
1
7
3
12
20
13
Toronto
Windsor
Waterloo
UOIT
19
4
12
3
11
Guelph
12
2
10
4
Brock
18
1
17
1
Jan. 16: Laurier 4 vs Waterloo 1 Jan. 17: Laurier 9 vs Waterloo 0 Jan. 23: Windsor at Waterloo Jan. 24: Western vs Waterloo
Jan. 20: Brock 73 at Waterloo 52 Jan. 23: Laurier vs Waterloo Jan. 27: Western vs Waterloo
Nov. 14: Western 9 vs Waterloo 0 Nov. 14: McMaster 3 vs Waterloo 3 Nov. 14: Brock 1 vs Waterloo 5 Jan. 23: Toronto vs Waterloo
Jan. 16: Windsor 0 at Waterloo 3 Jan. 23: Guelph vs Waterloo Jan. 29: Laurier at Waterloo
Do you live, eat & drink sports?
We NEED you! Write about or photograph your Warriors Come into the office or email us sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
athletes of the week
presents...
DECEMBER 7, 2009
THIS WEEK IN
ATHLETICS & RECREATION
KATIE PRINGLE Curling 2nd year, Psychology Orillia, ON
HENRY REICH Nordic Skiing 1st year, Masters Science (Perimeter Inst.) Mahtomedi, Minnesota
(M) hockey Friday, January 22, 2010
RSGO. RIO
IMPRINT | JAN 15
GOWAR
LI S T CA
LI V EN E
vs UOIT Ridgebacks 7:30 pm, CIF Arena
(W) Hockey
I AM A warrior
Saturday, January 23, 2010
vs Windsor Lancers 2:00 pm, CIF Arena
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Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Warriors knock off Gryphons in shootout thriller Ryan Scott staff reporter
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oming off of a big weekend where the Warriors took down their rival and the second place team in the OUA, the Laurier Golden Hawks, the team was determined to add to their season point total. They traveled to Guelph this past Thursday, January 14 to take on the Gryphons. The high scoring game proved be a battle, but the Warriors mounted a third period rally scoring three goals, taking the game to overtime and eventually going to a shootout where they would come out on top, 5–4. As the Warriors looked to take control early, the Gryphons quickly received a minor penalty to start the game. The Warriors were unable to capitalize and instead took a penalty of their own, which turned into a Gryphon powerplay goal. The goal was the only goal of the period; neither team was able to generate much in the way of scoring chances, as the game became a neutral zone affair. However, the second period was a totally different story as both teams exited the dressing rooms determined to take control of the game. The Gryphons once again ran into penalty trouble and the Warriors scoring chances began to mount. Veteran defenseman Kyle Sonnenburg tied the game while the team was on the powerplay eight minutes into the period. It was his second goal of the year with assists
from Kurt Thorner and Shane Hart. As the intensity and scoring chances increased, the tensions followed. Two separate scrums ensued, with multiple players from each side being penalized. After the second scrum, the Warriors emerged from the scuffle down two men, giving the Gryphons a two-man advantage. The Gryphons scored two powerplay goals to end the period and the Warriors headed to the dressing room down 3–1. The third period began with the Warriors quickly scoring a goal by captain Chris Ray that would bring the team within one goal. However, the team could not maintain the momentum as they quickly surrendered another goal. The Gryphons took back the two-goal lead. After allowing his fourth goal of the game, Warrior net-minder Keaton Hartigan tightened the reins and allowed the team to get back into the game. The Warriors mounted their third period rally by scoring two goals 12 seconds apart towards the midway point of the period, as veteran wingers Kyle Pellerin and Kurt Thorner were able to beat the Gryphon goaltender and tie the game at four goals. Neither team was able to add another goal and the game headed into overtime. The Warriors ran into trouble as the overtime period began as Colin Carwardine received a slashing penalty and were unable to generate any sort of scoring chance. However, Hartigan and the penalty kill were sharp
and the team was able to escape the period unscathed taking the game to a shootout. The Gryphons took the early lead in the shootout scoring in the first round but the Warriors were able to score on back-to-back opportunities. Hartigan turned away the Gryphons final chances and the Warriors prevailed even though they were out-shot by 14. The team did not have their best game of the season but they still managed to pull together and win, giving them a much-needed two points as they look to take back the Western Conference lead. This weekend the team will play host to the last place team in their conference, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Ridgebacks. The game will take place Friday at 7:30 p.m., and fans are encouraged to come out and root their Warriors to victory. The team will then travel to Guelph for a re-match of last Saturday’s game. The team has an opportunity to win back-to-back games and climb as high as second place, which would most likely earn them a CIS ranking. As the second half of the season has gotten underway, the Warriors have shown they have what it takes to contend for the OUA championship. As long as they continue to score at their recent pace with solid goaltending like they have been for the majority of the season, they will be a tough team to beat. rscott@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Warriors fall in back-toback games to undefeated Golden Hawks Ryan Scott staff reporter
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aterloo Warriors women’s hockey team had another forg ettable weekend as they played backto-back games versus their rival, the Laurier Golden Hawks in another installment of the “Battle of Waterloo.” The Golden Hawks proved why they are undefeated and why the Warriors are in the league’s basement as they manhandled Waterloo, winning by scores of 4–1 and 9–0. In game one of the weekend series, the Warriors fell behind quickly and never gave themselves a chance as they allowed three first period goals and were out-shot 15 to 8. The lone Warriors goal came in the second period as second year winger Liana Tennant scored her third goal of the year. However, the Golden Hawks took back their three-goal lead just over a minute later and coasted from that point forward. The final score stood 4–1 and the Warriors were out-shot 39 to 22. The weekend was off to a rough start. Game two proved once again that the Warriors do not yet have what it takes to compete amongst the top teams in the OUA as the
Golden Hawks rolled over the team scoring three goals in each period. The team increased their league lead in the penalty minute category as they committed 24 minutes worth of penalties. Even though the Warrior goaltenders were not sharp it is hard to shift the blame in their direction, as the team was heavily out-shot once again. In fact, the Golden Hawks out-shot the team by three times that of the Warriors shot total. This weekend the team will look to end their four game losing streak to start the second half of the season as they host the struggling Windsor Lancers this Saturday, January 23 at 2:00 p.m. Fans are asked to come out and cheer the team to victory and jump-start a comeback on a season that is beginning to fall apart. The team will then travel to Western on Sunday and take on the Mustangs. So far the Warriors have split the season series with both teams, but will need to win both games to turn the tide and fight for the final spot in the playoffs. The team ended the first half of the season strong and must find a way to get back to basics or they will soon become an afterthought. rscott@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Sports Editorial
Flawed perfection Joel Smith math
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here is nothing in the world like being perfect. It’s what motivates athletes to push themselves. If you’re not playing to win you’re not playing the game. It’s that simple. Nobody wakes up in the morning wanting to lose; moreover, when it’s your job to succeed there is no substitute for winning. And when you stop playing to win, it compromises the integrity of the league in question. This is why the NFL is upset that one of it’s premier franchises decided to take a few weeks off at the end of the regular season, citing the fact that they had clinched home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Indianapolis Colts were 14–0 and riding a 23 game regular season win streak when at half time of their week 16 game against the New York Jets, leading 15–10, first year head coach Jim Caldwell decided to pull his starters. This resulted in a 29–15 loss for the Colts and ended their quest for perfection. It’s easy to second guess the Colts front office (that means you, Bill Polian) if the Colts go on to lose in the playoffs. The other side of the argument is just as lethal. The Patriots went 18–0 and looked like a lock for the perfect season but were unceremoniously knocked off by the New York Giants. But whether or not the Colts succeed in winning the Super Bowl is irrelevant to the NFL. Their main concern is that the league remains competitive for the entire 17 weeks of the regular season. The New York Jets beat the Colt’s second string in week 16 followed by the Cincinnati Bengal’s second string
in week 17 which essentially gave them an undeserved playoff berth. Ironically, they went on to beat Cincinnati the following week in the wild card round. From the NFL’s perspective, it is easy to see why they don’t want teams lying down when they are locked into a playoff seed. The basis of sport is competition but if only one team is playing to win, it just looks bush-league. Several solutions have been bandied about by league executives, including extra draft picks for teams that play their starters, or fines for resting players. These “solutions” are not good, nor will they sway any decisions by teams that have clinched. Are the Patriots going to play Randy Moss in a meaningless late season game to earn a “sandwich pick?” No. Nor will they play him to save a $50,000 fine; not when he’s making over $6.5 million. These incentives don’t make sense. The only way to stop teams from resting players is to give them a real reason to play. The Super Bowl is at a predetermined location each year, which means that regardless of the record of the two conference champions the Super Bowl will be in a neutral location. However, if you gave the Super Bowl to the conference champion with the best record you’d see almost every team playing until the last second of week 17. Just because you’re locked into the number three seed in the NFC doesn’t mean that you stop playing to win; you want the best record possible going into the playoffs so that you have the best chance of hosting the Super Bowl. Now, the logistics of hosting the Super Bowl may prevent this from happening, but it’s the only thing that’s going to keep the last few weeks exciting for fans.
Until then, bring on Jim Sorgi... First down... This is probably the deepest Australian Open field that men’s tennis has seen in years. With at least eight players who have a legitimate shot at the title this should be a great start to the tennis season. The Federer dominance is over but he still has to be considered the favourite. Andy Roddick had arguably the best year of his career in 2009, resurrecting what looked to be a career on the downward slope. If he continues to work on his backhand and net play he has a chance to win the Open and shed the title of a one-dimensional player. Lane Kiffin made a name for himself a few years ago at the University of Southern California as offensive co-ordinator. Now after two short, unsuccessful stints as head coach, one in the NFL and one in college, he finds himself back at USC as head coach. Although having done nothing to prove himself worthy, he continues to find himself sought after for premier positions. The Tennessee Volunteers football program is now left scrambling for a coach and recruits are wondering what to do. Yes, keep handing this man jobs. From the department of the ridiculous: the New York Mets are upset that Carlos Beltran had off-season surgery that will most likely sideline him for the early part of the season. Of course they’re childishly peeved that he went to his own doctor and not a team doctor. All players should be so resourceful. Team doctors are paid by the team for one reason: to do what is best for the team, not what is best for the player. Besides, the Mets have bigger issues. For example: where did David Wright’s power go? Maybe Gilbert Arenas has an
advanced sense of humour, but since when is it funny to pull guns on teammates? This has to be the lowest the NBA has been since players started throwing haymakers at fans. He’ll probably never play for the Washington Wizards again. The sad thing is he will be back in the NBA at some point. Seventh inning stretch... It’s safe to say that Mark McGwire has never been to medical school. He admits he took steroids to recover from injuries but won’t concede that they enabled him to hit more homeruns. The most difficult thing to do in sports is hit a round ball with a round bat and connect solidly, and to hit a home-run is especially tough. However, it’s nearly impossible to hit a home-run when you are sitting on the bench with an injury. The steroids don’t necessarily make the ball go further (they do), but they do enable a person more opportunities to hit that ball, essentially enabling the player to hit more home runs. Game, set, match, McGwire. Sometimes it looks like Alex Ovechkin is playing against children. His five point effort against the Toronto Maple Leafs last week was magical. Sidney Crosby gets credit, deservedly so, for his knowledge and ability to see the game before it happens but Ovechkin has to be equal to Crosby in that department, if not greater than. Speaking of the NHL, it’s getting harder and harder to argue that Martin Brodeur isn’t the greatest goalie of all time. The most wins, the most shutouts (both in playoffs and regular season), and four-time Vezina Trophy winner, not to mention he’s a 10 time all-star. He is approaching 40 years of age and yet he plays the same as
he did 10 years ago. “Greatest of all time” debates are usually futile with no real basis and this is no exception, but Brodeur has to be in the discussion. Overtime... The divisional weekend in the NFL has to be the best weekend in sports. The top four regular season teams are going up against the winners of the four wild card games in what has to be the most intense atmosphere in sports. With two games on Saturday and two on Sunday there really is no need to leave the couch. Contrary to what many believe, the PGA Tour is continuing without Tiger Woods. For some reason people are more interested in who he sleeps with than who is atop the leader board. The guy is worth over one billion dollars; he can sleep around if he wants to. The tour can’t be happy with the focus shifted away from actual golf and an extended leave from Tiger isn’t going to shift the focus back anytime soon. Does anyone get excited for the NBA Dunk competition anymore? It was relevant when only a few guys in the league could dunk, but now it’s to the point where if you can’t dunk, you aren’t in the league. It’s not exciting and worst of all, it’s getting longer. How many different ways are there to slam a ball into a net? More skill competitions is the way to go. Other all-star games can follow suit by showcasing the best players in all facets of the game (I’m looking at you MLB). Shout out of the Week: The content is out-dated and baseball-centric but if you want good writing and a ton of laughs check out the archives
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Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
UW swimmers compete in Ontario Cup
courtesy UW athletics
Brent Golem sports and living editor
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arrior Swimmers took to the pool this past weekend to compete against their toughest opponents thus far. The swim team travelled down to the University of Toronto to swim in the Ontario Cup, hosted at U of T’s 50 metre Olympic sized pool. The Warriors found themselves swimming against a much larger pool of
participants: this event hosted twice as many competitors as usually found in their normal swimming meets. Along with there being many more opponents, there were also much better opponents as swimming club teams swam at this event, including several Olympic swimming clubs. Regardless of the tougher heats to swim in, the Warrior swimmers performed well. Stephanie Braxmeier posted the fourth fastest 100m free time in the University of Waterloo’s history of women swimmers with a time of 59.19s. Unfortunately, she was unable to make the podium as she was competing against some incredible 15-year-olds who were able to swim about four seconds faster with their club teams. The best standing was earned by Bronwyn Kemp. She finished 6th and 11th respectively in the 200 and 100 breast events with times of 2:38.34s and 1:15.44s. Kemp showed she is among the top 20 in the country. Kemp swam very strong, and if she were able to maintain the same time she posted in the seeding heats, she would have managed a spot on the podium. Wesley Greig was the strongest swimmer for the men as he placed 14th in the 200m breast event with a
time of 2:27.95s. Evan Dzik placed 15th in the 200m fly event with a time 2:13.06s. Although unable to gain spots as top finishers in their events, Sam Johnson, Dan Wong, and Karina Sils all managed to find success of their own as they posted lifetime best performances. The Warriors showed some solid improvement and will be in position to score points at the OUA conference meet that is looming in the near future. The event was a learning experience and taught the swimmers how fast they need to swim to win at the OUA level. Waterloo heads to Brock this coming weekend and have one last attempt to perfect their technique and train for OUAs. As of right now, only two Waterloo swimmers have qualified for the national CIS swim meet and a few others will be pushing to qualify. The women’s team has been placing 10th-11th in the past few seasons and, if they can stay healthy, will be looking to improve upon those results. The Ontario Cup weekend also had some solid results for the UW swimming coach Jeff Slater who made some solid strides in recruiting new swimmers for the Warrior program. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Courtesy Jim Hagen
The men’s 4 x 200 meter relay team ran hard to earn a fifth place overall finish with a time of 1:32.99s. Brent Golem sports and living editor
Track and Field team has regained their stride The Track and Field squad headed down to the University of Windsor to compete in the 29th annual Can Am Track Classic. Track captain Jason Goetz continued his strong career by placing second in the triple jump with a jump of 14.56m. Hurdler Hugo Lopez also placed strong as he ran to a fourth place finish in the 60m hurdles event with a time of 8.72s. Luke Govia ran strong in the 60m event; he narrowly missed the Waterloo varsity record by six hundredths of a second with a time of 7.03s. This time was the fastest of the Warrior season so far, and netted him seventh place out of 48 competitors. In the distance events, Waterloo cross country captain improved on his personal best with a time of 9:08.54s and took home seventh place in the 3000m event. Teammate Patrick McKinnon was right on his heels in eighth place at 9:11.66s. Leslie Gray, a rookie with the team, placed ninth in her 3000m event with a time of 10:34.56s. The Warriors will be looking to continue their improvement when they compete at McGill University next weekend on January 29 and 30. The event is Canada’s largest indoor track and field meet.
Women’s volleyball undefeated through four Waterloo played host to the Windsor Lancer’s in a battle of the best and worst of the OUA West division. The Warriors took advantage of the weaker match-up as they swept the game three sets to zero. The Warriors dominated all three sets 25-19, 25-10 and 25-16. Waterloo beat Windsor with some solid defensive play and an attack that Windsor couldn’t handle. Waterloo had seven blocks during the match and eight service aces. The Waterloo attack was far deadlier than Windsor’s as the Warriors had a 0.400 kill percentage while Windsor only managed a 0.196 kill percentage. The Warriors were led by middle blocker Megan McKenzie who was perfect on 17 kill attempts by committing no errors. She had 12 kills, a service ace and 3 blocks assists to earn her a game-high 14 points. Outside hitter Bojana Josipovic was second with 12 points off 8 kills, 3 service aces and 2 block assists. Many players contributed to the solid defensive effort as six players managed as least five digs and six managed blocks. Setter Stephanie Ebreo had a team-high 9 digs, as well as 16 set assists, and 4 points in only a single set played. The win increases the winning streak to four, and the Warriors will be looking to extend their streak in the next few games. The Warriors will travel to Guelph this weekend to face a team that they have previously beat with ease.
Nordic skier finds gold up north The Nordic Skiing team took to the woods in North Bay this weekend for their first race of the season. The race was hosted by Nipissing University at the North Bay Nordic Ski Centre. On Saturday the women’s 10km and men’s 15km freestyle race had some great competition, although the women’s race was won by over one minute. The Waterloo women were unable to match the 31:08 winning time, as Alison Stevenson and Heather Foley skied to times of 37:52s and 40:03s respectively. The men were able to achieve better results as Waterloo’s Henry Reich won the men’s 15km freestyle with a time of 43:57s, beating out the second place finisher from Carleton by an extremely narrow margin of three seconds. Andrew Jeffery finished in the top ten at seventh, with a time of 46:19s. Kieran Jones and Dustin Hartman rounded out the rest of the Waterloo Warriors with times of 47:25s and 49:45s respectively. On Sunday the Warrior competitors did not fare as well in the classic technique competition. In the women’s 6.5km race, Waterloo could not close on the pace of 23:35s and Alison Stevenson and Heather Foley fell far out of contention with times of 29:11s and 30:55s. In the men’s 10km race, Henry Reich was once again the highest Warrior placing by earning 10th with a time of 33:16s, off the poll winning time of 30:56s. The other Warriors were not far behind with Andrew Jeffrey, Tim Rhodes, and Derek Hartman skiing to times of 34:25s, 34:54s and 35:18s respectively. Waterloo alumnus Colin Rhodes cleaned up the competition by winning both of the men’s alumni categories on each day. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Men’s basketball: Hard to handle on home court Continued from page 25
The Warriors dismal play was the major reason for their loss. They were outrebounded 47–34, which gave Guelph many more chances to shoot the ball. Even though Guelph’s three point shooting was appalling, making only 4 shots on 25 attempts for a 16 per cent three point shooting average, they outshot the Warriors 105–75. Being outshot by 30 is a recipe for disaster and Waterloo got burned. The Warriors were led on offence by point guard David Burnett and shooting guard Cam McIntyre, who both had 17 points and 5 rebounds in the game. Small forward Ben Frisbey added 10 points and took down a team high 6 rebounds in the game. The Warriors came out stronger in their next game, a home match-up against Brock. Waterloo has been devastating on home court, winning five straight OUA contests at home; with pre-season included, the Warriors are undefeated thus far in their eight contests on home court. On Wednesday they pushed for a six straight win at home and they made it happen with an explosion of offense. Waterloo ran off to an early lead and sustained it through four quarters to win by almost 20 points.
The Warriors ran off to a Game 13 vs Brock seven point lead after one quarter and built up a double digit lead Team 1st 2nd 3rd heading into the half. The Warriors played solid in the third Brock 20 14 18 quarter before closing the game Waterloo 27 19 17 with an impressive fourth quarter that saw Waterloo extend the lead by 8 points to win by 19 points. Waterloo earned the win through their solid offensive play. They shot an incredible 51.5 per cent from the floor and a solid 36.4 per cent from beyond the three point line. Waterloo was solid under the net as they outrebounded their opponents 43–30. The Warriors exploded on offence and had major contributions by many players. Guard Jesse Tipping lead the game with 21 points and added 8 rebounds, while centre Matt Hayes followed up with a solid performance, dropping 18 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double. Shooting guard Cam McIntyre continued the dominant shooting we have grown used to as he hit 17 points and had 3 steals in the game. Power forward Alan Goodhoofd added 15 points and had 6 rebounds in the game. The Warriors will be back in action in another Battle of Waterloo as they head over to Laurier on Saturday Guard Jesse Tipping (#6) for an afternoon match-up. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Women blow out Guelph but can’t beat Brock Brent Golem sports and living editor
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brent golem
had an incredible game, scoring a game-high 21 points and grabbing 8 rebounds.
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aterloo War riors women defeated the Guelph Gryphons 65–46 on Saturday in Guelph. The Warriors started off slow in the first quarter, allowing Guelph to build up an early 12–6 lead in the first quarter. Waterloo crawled their way back into the game on the back of small forward Stephanie Shea, whose three-point shooting allowed Waterloo to stay within three at the end of the first quarter. Waterloo’s defensive pressure in second quarter allowed them to pull away with the lead. The Warriors turned a one-point half point lead into a devastating blowout by holding Guelph to only two points in the third quarter while scoring 17 points of their own. Guelph was held without a field goal during the quarter. The fourth quarter was meaningless with the outcome already without doubt. Reserve players on both teams found their way into the game and gained some solid experience. Power forward Erin Button lead the Warriors with 14 points, while small forward Stephanie Shea followed up with 12 points and 5 rebounds. Point guard
Reanne Holden scored 9 points and Centre Laura Becotte missed some inside shots but still managed to add 8 points and grab 4 rebounds. Shooting guard added 8 points to the Warrior total. The women followed up the win with a game against Brock on Wednesday, January 20 against Brock. In a meeting exactly two weeks prior, the Warriors fell to Brock 85–52. The Warriors were looking to control the ball better and reduce the number of turnovers in this match. Waterloo was looking to use a defense that would be out of their comfort zone, but would give them a better chance for success. Unfortunately the plan did not work as Brock took the game 73–52. The Warriors came out strong and were able to play with Brock, but eventually Brock’s tough defence got the better of the Warriors who could not manage more than 15 points in any quarter. The Warriors were led by point guard Reanne Holden who scored 12 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. Centre Laura Becotte and small forward Stephanie Shea both added 10 points. Rookie point guard Erin Tilley led the team in rebounds with 11 and also added 6 points. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Curling throws well at western
Brent Golem
sports and living editor
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he Warriors curling team travelled down to Western for a two-day West sectional tournament against Brock, Western, Windsor, and Laurier. The five team tournament was the first challenge of the season for the curlers, many of whom are rookies with the team. Waterloo posted some solid results as the women’s team finished second with a record of 3–1, while the men finished in the middle at third as they went 2–2 in the tournament. The women played strong on the first day, and with three rookies
in the line-up they beat Western 7–5 in a clutch comeback win. The team was one down in the seventh end without the benefit of being able to throw the final rock, the hammer. The women were able to buckle down and earn two points to take the lead, and maintained it with a steal in the final eighth end for the decisive win. The women then faced Windsor, who they handily beat 9–3. The Warriors started off inconsistently and allowed two points, but they stepped up their game and threw well to take control of the match. From here on out they scored three with the hammer, and then stole one, three, and
UW makes tracks to victory courtesy UW athletics
Nordic skier Henry Reich won the men’s 15km freestyle event.
two points against Windsor when they had the hammer. In the third game Waterloo faced Brock and were narrowly defeated 5–4. It was a well-played back and forth affair in a match between undefeated teams. The game was even and came down to the final end with Brock up by one point. A well placed shot by Waterloo was knocked off by the Brock skip who was able to blank the end and earn the win. Even though they lost, Waterloo shot their best match of the tournament statistically. In the final match against Laurier, Waterloo took on an experienced Golden Hawks team and surprised them by pulling out the 7–6 win. Waterloo jumped off to a quick 4–0 in the first end, but Laurier was able to answer back and pulled even by the fifth end. Waterloo allowed Laurier to score two points in the seventh end, putting pressure on Waterloo to score some points in the final end with the hammer. Clutch skipping by Katie Pringle found Waterloo answering back with two points for the win. The amazing effort also earned her honours as athlete of the week. The men started off the weekend against hosts Western, playing with a very young squad. The team lost a close match 5–6. The match begin sloppily for the men as they missed blanking the end and were forced to take a single point, which results in losing the hammer advantage. In the next end, Western made Waterloo pay for the mistake as they managed to score four points. After this Waterloo showed some excellent control of the rock and closed the gap. Unfortunately they were unable to steal more than
courtesy UW athletics
Second Scott Hindle throws a rock during a curling match. one point in the seventh and eighth ends to come up short. In game two, Waterloo met with Windsor and were able to come back with a 5–2 win. The game started out with Windsor owning the hammer, but after two blanked ends Waterloo was able to force a single and gain the hammer. After Windsor stole a point in the fourth end, Waterloo took full advantage of the hammer as skip Graham Rathwell threw a perfectly weighted rock to take out a Windsor rock and score three points in the fifth end. The Warriors closed out the game with steals in the sixth and seventh end to make the eighth end meaningless. Rookie Matthew Hogg made some solid shots as lead to start off the frames and earned a win in his first-ever OUA competitive match. Waterloo then met with Brock and matched the women’s efforts as they threw their best game, including some personal percentage highs. Waterloo forced a point on Brock in the second
end to gain the hammer and the match ended early after the sixth end when Waterloo had an unbeatable lead. The Warriors closed out the tournament with a 9–2 loss against Laurier. The Warriors were in the game after the sixth end as they were down only 4–2. However, Waterloo allowed five points in the seventh end stopped hopes for a comeback that sealed the Warriors record at 2–2 for the tournament. Waterloo performed well in the shootout, which is played after the first game to be used as a tie-breaking mechanism in the case that two teams are tied for qualifying spots in future tournaments. The Waterloo women placed first in the shootout with 24 points while the Warrior men placed second in the shootout, also scoring 24 points. The Warriors will be heading down to Trent in early February for an OUA sectional crossover. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
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Sports & Living
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
Warrior men’s volleyball winless on weekend Joel Smith reporter
Waterloo 2, Windsor 3 The Warriors left it all out on the court Friday night in Waterloo, but unfortunately found themselves on the short end of a thrilling five setter against the Windsor Lancers. It was clear from the start of the match that this was going to be a battle. Both teams were focused and playing with intensity. The Warriors were seeking to avenge their five set loss at the hands of Windsor earlier this season, which came down to a 15–13 final set. On this night, the Warriors took the early lead, winning the first set 25–19, which put the Lancers on their heels. In set two, the Warriors continued to play smart volleyball with setter Andrew Thorpe spreading the ball to all areas of the court. They took the set 26–24. The third set marked a huge swing in momentum. The Lancers dug deep and began to play as if they had nothing to lose. Waterloo battled but came up on the short end of a 25–19 score. The fourth set was a nail-biter as Waterloo had several opportunities to put the match away but couldn’t convert the crucial points. The game went back and forth with neither team able to finish. Windsor played exceptionally well when the game was on the line
and outlasted Waterloo for a 34–32 fourth set victory. With the sets knotted at two apiece, everything rested on the fifth set. The Warriors looked deflated, having blown a 2–0 lead, but, still played respectably. The Lancers` momentum was too much to overcome and Windsor took the set and match with a 16–14 win. Outside hitter Aleks Polma was outstanding on both sides of the ball, with 15 kills and 11 digs. Other Warriors who had big nights were outside hitters Tyler Vivian with 25 kills, and Corey Yednoroz with 14.
Waterloo 0, Guelph 3 After their devastating loss to Windsor on Friday, the Warriors looked to rebound against the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday, and get back to the .500 mark on the season. On this night, however, they ran into a superior Guelph team and were handed their fourth loss in a row, dating back to November. The Gryphons were coming off an ugly loss to Toronto the previous night and looked determined to right their ship. After a close first set, the Gryphons dummied the Warriors in the second set and closed out the match with a convincing win in the third. The final tally was 26–24, 25–13 and 25–20. It looked like the Warriors were going to steamroll through the first
set; convincing spikes and solid serving had them leading midway through the first. Their play deteriorated and Guelph seemed to feed off of their mistakes. Guelph capitalized on seemingly every misplay and refused to let Waterloo take back control. The Gryphons took the set 26–24. From that point on it was all Gryphons as Waterloo seemed to lose confidence after blowing a huge first set lead. The Gryphons came out swinging and the Warriors had no answer as the second set was a 25–13 disappointment. The third set was no different as the Warriors faltered at key moments and Guelph showed why they are playoff contenders. The Gryphons took the third set 25–20 and swept the best of five series, 3–0. The Warrior attack game was inconsistent all night as the offense struggled to find a rhythm. Now the Warriors find themselves in a three way tie for sixth in the OUA, with only the top seven teams making the playoffs. Middle blocker Ian Pappel was the strongest Warrior defender with three digs and three solo blocks. Outside hitter James Evans was the star on offense with 10 kills; he also added a dig and an ace. The next home game for the Warriors is January 29 in an allWaterloo battle against Laurier. Both teams are currently 5–7 and this game will likely have huge playoff implications.
LeBron not a champion Continued from page 22
This is exactly why I dislike LeBron so much and can’t enjoy him. I used to think it was because I was such a fervent supporter of Kobe, and naturally, with the two pitted against each other in the MVP race, I was predisposed to dislike him. But it’s not that — it’s so much more. LeBron’s talent is undeniable. There is no doubt in my mind that he will retire as one of the top five players in NBA history if he stays healthy. He is the future of the NBA, and some would say, sports. There is no refuting most of these facts and I’m not doing any such thing. But look deep inside you — do you feel like you really know LeBron? Do you feel like LeBron is a genuine person? Do you feel like he’s brilliant because he has incredible drive or because he has physical gifts we have yet to see? See, from my perspective, I can’t say I know LeBron even a little. I know the LeBron he wants me to know — the guy who does pregame skits with his teammates, the Nike man, the chalk-throwing, celebratory-dancing superstar who somehow can be “one of the guys” while being infinitely more talented than the others. We see LeBron how he wants us to see him. Nothing more, nothing less, and people seem to buy it. Writers gush about him. Fans adore him. But I’m not so sure. When asked what his goals were, LeBron talked about being a global brand and stated that he wanted to be
the first billionaire athlete. Interesting, right? Take this summer for example. While Kobe was practising relentlessly with Hakeem Olajuwon developing a devastating post game, LeBron was busy promoting his new documentary. In short, I think the praise has been heaped on LeBron way too quickly. Yes, he is the most dominant player, but not the best, in the game of basketball right now. Yes, he seems to understand the business aspect of sports and is looking to capitalize on his celebrity. Yes, to the public, he seems like a good guy. But this dunk contest bailout is a big issue with him. His image is way too contained, way too pristine, and way too fake. Only once have we seen passion from him; in last year’s playoffs, when he stormed off the court without shaking the hands of Orlando Magic. I wanted to see him in the dunk contest caring, putting his name on the line — but instead, as always, he played it safe, stepping away from the challenge. Until LeBron proves he’s a champion, until he stops controlling everything he says and does and until he starts showing a true passion for the sport and his own improvement, I cannot conclude that he is great. MJ and Kobe have shown us good and bad, pretty and ugly, brilliant and dull. Let’s see it from LeBron. Let’s have him earn the praise he’s had heaped on him. I want to see LeBron be a champion before we conclude he is one. jtoporowski@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
Comics & Distractions
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
crossword Across
1. “___ __ life” 5. Gnarly 8. Girl Scout treat 13. Tel ____ 14. Cover a kitchen, perhaps 15. Ancient stringed instruments 16. Like 600 grit sandpaper 17. Nasal clogger 18. Vertical in position 19. The secret ingredient is cough syrup 22. The bane of art students 1
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A *D’OH*-DE 23. Ms. Simpson’s prized possession 27. “Hot-rod” character Fink 29. Learner type 30. Jai ____ 33. Beasts with nine heads 37. Nautical mile, for short 38. Dental plan 41. Follows a ques. 42. Phrase that often follows a sigh 43. Forfeit 44. Service a piano 46. Large record label (abbr.) 6
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Solutions:
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1. Faux pas 2. Often have to choose the lesser of two 3. Yothers and Turner 4. Popular piece composed by Gounod and Bach 5. Sets with 2 binary operations 6. Love, in Hawaiian 7. Bane of drug addicts (abbr.) 8. More likely to crash 9. Wise man gift (pl.) 10. Mineral rock 11. Campus ___ 12. Our hours 14. “Canada’s Sports
8 3 7 9 4 5 6 1 2
6 1 9 2 8 3 4 7 5
9
4 8 6 1 2 9 5 3 7
1 5 2 7 3 8 9 4 6
9 7 3 5 6 4 1 2 8
3 6 8 4 9 2 7 5 1
2 4 1 8 5 7 3 6 9
7 9 5 3 1 6 2 8 4
L
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I F E
M
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S P
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A B E D
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3
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I R E
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A D D T O 23
F
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L U
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E S C
33 38
D O C
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A P O C
6 3 4 6 3 7 9 4 3 6 2 4 8 5
Dear Mrs. FiddyPack, Recently, I was begging on my knees in our Village 1, East 4 lounge. I was begging for two important details for our 19th birthday party. Detail #1: NO CHIPPENDALES or other strippers of my own genitalia please please please please… did I say please? Detail #2: can you allow my friends to come as well, it is my party too BTW. I will sacrifice my awesome accents/ impersonations , personally guarantee no bubE gropers, and of course, sing you happy birthday.
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A L
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Missed any connections lately? Got any ideas, gripes, or randomly entertaining thoughts? Send them (with utmost affection) to
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C A P N C R U N C H
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M E S S
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H M O
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O N E S
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I O S
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B S
T A R
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L Y
- Girl in line at the Used Bookstore
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L O Y D
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C H E E R
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N A A N S
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T E
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L O O R
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M A P
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R E F
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S A P
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distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca
I E I X
What building on campus would you get rid of, and why? By Rachel Viscontas and Ariel Fernandez
“The toll booth by Bio and Needles Hall, because it is useless.”
“Engineering, because they have too much funding.”
James Cameron
Mark Lee
4B Computer Science
2B Legal Studies
“DP, because it feels like you’re inside a Pokémon level.”
“PAS, because it is too confusing.” Many Tung 3B Arts
“MC, because it is very ugly and has no windows.” Yeu Gao 1B Biomedical Science
- MuttonChops
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L Y R
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A
T O N Y
H O N E Y N U T
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T S
I O W
8 9 5 1 6 4
We had such a good conversation, until it was interrupted by a classmate asking about my marks. We’ve both taken a “break” from school and I think we could really hit it off. Meet me sometime in the PAS lounge on the third floor, I often study there. You’re a total fox.
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P R O P
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A F
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A R T O O
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1
To the sexy guy I waited in line with at the Used Bookstore,
Solution 2
2 8 3 6 9 2
January 15, 2010 1
5 2 4 6 7 1 8 9 3
Leader” 20. Filipino actress Villania 21. Capable of relocation 24. Sublime’s “40 ____ to Freedom” 25. Labelled a noun 26. Beethoven wrote a song ‘Fur’ her 28. He always gets the girl 30. Bane of a sleeping person 31. Word after ocean or panty 32. Helpers (abbr.) 34. Type of evergreen 35. Tech. for communication between multiple applications 36. Rochester Systems Ltd. 39. Not associated with Athens 40. It gives an uncontestable result 45. An optimist always finds it 47. Gnarl 49. Paid respect to the Pope, for example 50. Real (slang) 51. Common food poisoning cause (abbr.) 53. Where birds of prey buy lingerie? 54. Slope 55. 11 solutions in this puzzle end in these 57. They perform for the troops (abbr.) 58. Cry of discovery 59. Broadway musical “The ___” 60. Picnic pest
Down
23 27
10
21
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30
9
sudoku
By Mike Koivusalo
48. Fish-bulb? 52. “Don’t burn bridges behind you” for example 56. They keep the martians under wraps 58. Expect 61. They make people do stupid things 62. Long periods of time 63. Official language of India 64. Partner of Stitch 65. Join (with) 66. Capital of this empire was Tenochtitlan 67. Transfusion Transmitted Injuries 12 68. Busted____.com
31
Tania Johnson 1B Science
Andrew Askes 3B Economics
32
Comics & Distractions
Imprint, Friday, January 22, 2010
(postscript@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)
JORDAN CAMPBELL (faculties@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)
MICHAEL TO (irresponsiblyoptomistic@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)
“J.T.” (geese@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)