Imprint_2010-05-21_v33_i02

Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, May 21, 2010

Vol 33, No

2

imprint . uwaterloo . ca

Uncovering the Katyn Massacre features editor

S

eventy years ago, an estimated 22,000 Polish citizens were massacred in the Katyn forest in Poland by the Народный Комиссариат Внутренних Дел Narodnyy Komissariat Vnutrennikh Del (NKVD), the Soviet secret police. It was a relatively wellkept secret until the Polish presidential plane, carrying 96 people, including Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife, and a number of top state and military leaders, crashed in Smolensk, Russia the past April 10. They were on their way to the memorial service in Katyn that was to commemorate the massacre.

Why was ignorance or misinformation of this massacre so widely spread?

That was one of the centripetal questions around which the panel discussion, entitled “Understanding Poland,” was based.

Held on May 11 and hosted by the Polish Students Association and Russian Club of UW, the panel included three UW professors (Prof. Tamara Trojanowska of UofT was also on the bill, but was unable to attend): Prof. John Jaworsky, of the Department of Political Science; Prof. Ireneusz Szarycz, of the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies; and Prof. Lynn Taylor, of the Department of History.

To illustrate the rampant ignorance over the events of Katyn, Jaworsky referred to a poll he came across, conducted by the Lewada Centre in Russia on April 6 of this year, with 16,000 randomly selected Russians.

According to the poll Imprint found on Poskie Radio’s online edition called Thenews.

“

Nazi German history seemed to have dominated World War II history, effectively excluding the Polish story.

pl — which is suspected to be the poll Jaworsky was referring to — 46.8 per cent of Russians thought that the Russian prime minister should not apologize for the Katyn Massacre, because Nazi Germany — not the Soviet Union — was responsible for the crime.

Thirty-four per cent of the respondents, who attributed the crime to Soviets, thought that the Russian Federation should not take responsibility for past Soviet Union crimes. Eight per cent claimed that an apology would weaken Russia’s ties with Poland. Eighteen per cent thought that an apology for the Katyn massacre was necessary.

Thiryt-six per cent of Russians had no opinion on the issue. Almost half of Russians (47 per cent) considered Polish-Russian relations to be “rather good or very good.” One third of respondents did not know, however, what role Poland plays in Russia’s foreign policy; 26.8 per cent thought it is Russia’s partner, and 22.1 per cent said that it is Russia’s ally.

The panellists discussed what exactly took place seven decades ago. A large number of Polish citizens were rounded up and taken away from their homes and families. According to Jaworsky, “those individuals who were rounded up were in the Polish elite: Polish professors, largely officers in the reserves, judges, individuals whose social

“

Rosalind Gunn

backgrounds were enough to qualify them as candidates for imprisonment and eventually death.

They were seen as the potential backbone to any resistance, Stalin, with his emphasis on full and total control, not unlike that of Hitler, wanted to eliminate, not only all real opposition, but all potential opposition to Soviet control in Poland.

“It was a well-planned, ideologically motivated genocide,” said Szarycz. The effect of which, she argued, “became a very important force symbolically for the Poles... it became a rallying point for them.

“Poland experienced a drastic paradigm shift,” Szarycz said. It caused a discontinuity for them. “What I mean by discontinuity,” she explained, “is loss in people, in cultures... it left very deep marks in how people related to civil society and to reality.”

Taylor tackled the question of why the events at Katyn had generally been unheard of in other parts of the world until April of this year. She pointed out that Nazi German history seemed to have dominated World War II history, effectively excluding the Polish story. Szarycz added that, ideologically speaking, Nazi Germany is an easier target, because of its ideological ugliness, whereas communism, boasting all of these ideals that are still very ideal to leftist people, was more difficult to pin

down as purely evil. She added that “communism lasted so long; generations lived through it. It’s difficult to deal with communism in a black and white manner.”

Jaworsky addressed the question of why Prime Minister Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and President Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev are being more vocal over Russia’s marred history. For one thing, he pointed out, “Russia finds the current government easier to deal with.” But perhaps more practically speaking, Putin is a very calculating leader, Jaworsky said: “He is not — in my opinion — sentimental. When he says something, it is for a political purpose. Look at how World War II is commemor[ated]: with distorted depictions.” When it comes to Katyn, he said, those who remember World War II are dead or almost dead. And so, “it’s easier to talk now.”

The discussion lasted almost three hours and it covered a broad spectrum of the issues Poland has faced throughout its entire existence. Katyn was just one — albeit significant — instance of the constant struggle for independence that Poland has withstood.

How has Poland stayed so resilient through crises like Katyn, as well as the very significant 123 years of partition? Not one of the panelists provided a compelling or convincing answer. Szarycz proposed that it was Poland’s culture of romanticism and the importance of the gentry class, Jaworsky mentioned the unifying role of the Catholic church. But it’s difficult to discern what it is that makes oppressed and exploited peoples all throughout history able to band together and rise above. rgunn@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Sports

Warriors hot at Humber

9

Golf team wins invitational in preparation for Canadian championship.

Arts

Stars at Starlight

photos by Rosalind Gunn

The display, entitled “Polish Peoples’ Republic (PPR): So Far Away, So Close…,” (above) was displayed in the SLC and put together by the Polish Institute of National Remembrance.

16

News Salary freeze affects UW

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Run for mental health

The Ontario provincial budget requires a pay freeze for all public sector workers Divyesh Mistry reporter

O

n March 25, 2010, the Ontario budget was announced. Since then, university officials have been working to try and figure out how to balance the operating budget for the next year. A recommendation made from the announcement was that universities and colleges freeze the pay of their workers, both faculty and staff, as the government is asking for a pay freeze of all public sector workers. At a town hall meeting for faculty, which filled Hagey Hall last April 8, 2010, university Provost Feridun Hamdullahpur, dealt with the question of how the university plans to address the pay freeze for the 2010–2011 operating budget.

There are several issues involved: the framework of the legislation of tuition fees expired this year, there has been no direction from the province on funding, and there is a gap between the pension assets and liabilities of the workers. Lastly, the money the university has received for the past five years for the “Reaching Higher” program will end this year. Instead extra funds will be provided for an estimated 20,000 extra students entering the postsecondary system this year. The framework of the legislation of tuition fees expired this year and there has been no direction from the province on this issue. The catch is that the university cannot use these funds to pay for salary increases; it must be spent on making space or hiring more staff. This poses trouble for the university as their operating budget was originally projected to include many pay increases, in several different categories.

The rule on the funding presents a new issue. The university has been attempting to solve its deficit and balance the budget.

Since Fall 2008, one of the initiatives used was to fill vacant positions in the faculties only if they were critically needed — what they called “mission critical” hiring. The university is going to relax these rules, lifting the 40 per cent restriction to allow more positions to be filled, as well as creating new positions. The faculty association notes that there are grey areas in the pay freeze: “merit” and “progress through the rank” increases, for staff and faculty respectively, could possibly pass the pay restrictions.

The existing operating budget that was approved by university senate two days before the Ontario government announced their budget will still be presented in June, with changes reflecting the freeze, but with no changes in tuition level preditcions. The judgement and approval on the operating budget for this fiscal year won’t be decided until June 1.

Rhesa Chandra

The fifth annual President David Johnston’s Run for Mental Health on Tuesday, May 18, 2010, drew 84 runners and walkers.

Those walking or running circled the 2.56 km Ring road twice, starting and ending at the Student Life Centre. Volunteers and university police were there to provide escorts. The run raised over $2000 for the University of Waterloo Health Services suicide prevention programs as well as the Waterloo Region Suicide Prevention Council.

Revolutionizing Waterloo transportation with RTMP Howard Lung reporter

I

f you bike, drive, bus, or even walk in Waterloo, there will be significant changes affecting you in this region, thanks to the brand new Regional Transit Master Plan (RTMP). This is not the first time that an RTMP was conceived and executed. According to the Moving Forward 2031 report, the last RTMP was completed in 1999.

That could indicate that the RTMP is outdated and up for renewal. Furthermore, the region is expected to grow by almost 50 per cent in the next 25 years. This created the perfect storm for a new direction on transit, and the new RTMP was initiated in 2007, based on a collaboration of data collection, analysis, and “unprecedented” community consultation.

Originally, three different transportation network alternatives were offered. All three alternatives involve “significant transit system

improvements and include strategic road improvements to either support the transit system or provide capacity to address operational issues,” according to the report. However, where they differ are in terms of effectiveness and cost.

“Alternative A” costs the least but is also the least effective, and “Alternative C” costs the most but is the most effective, with “Alternative B” as the moderate plan. For example, “Alternative A” would provide service every 10 minutes or less by 2031, whereas “Alternative C” would improve the current network with service every five minutes or less. This can be quite a substantial change in transit times. The committee evaluated each of the options based on a set of goals, principles and objectives of the RTMP, and it was decided that “Alternative C” would be preferred.

However, as “Alternative C” is the most expensive and will cause substantial tax increases in the regional tax levy in the next 20 years, it was realized that there would be “significant financial pressure” on the tax base. The increased tax levies

would be 3 to 3.5 per cent increase per year in the first five years, 1.0 to 1.5 per cent per year for years five to 10, and 0.25 to 0.5 per cent per year in years 10 to 20. As a result, the committee decided on a “Modified Alternative C”, which would have tax levies increase 1.15 to 1.2 per cent for the first five years, and 1.30 to 1.5 per cent in the last 15, leading to a reduction of the roads capital cost by $270 million.

After a series of public consultations held in April 2010, the comments from the public were supportive of the preferred alternative. However, the results were different for the public input meeting held last Tuesday night regarding the RTMP for the Waterloo Region.

While the public were generally supportive of “Alternative C,” they actually preferred the unmodified version. They preferred the so-called more “aggressive” “Alternative C” as opposed to the modified one. The committee will take these opinions in and incorporate them in their future plans.

Senate approves department of sociology name change Paula Trelinska reporter

T

he University of Waterloo senate recently approved a name change for the school’s sociology department.

The Department of Sociology may soon become the Department of Sociology and Legal Studies. The legal studies program,

which was created in 2004, has been functioning as a program for the past six years.

It did not have formal academic department status. This change should be beneficial to legal studies students, providing them with more support, said Keith Warriner, the chair of the sociology department, in a memo.

The two are still separate programs; they ill not be amalgamated, he said. Rather the

merge is intended to provide more support for students in legal studies and create administrative effiencies.

“Be assured that the creation of the new department will not change your academic plan. On graduation you will still be awarded the degree of Bachelors of Arts with a major in Legal Studies, just as Sociology students in the department will continue to earn their

BA in Sociology,” said Warriner in the memo Students registered through St. Jerome’s will still be supported by the college which will be working closely with the new department.

The college would also like to continue hosting the Legal Studies Student Society. ptrelinska@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

4

News

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

First week meets expectations for Feds president

Gina Racine

Brad Moggach, this years Federation of Students President, talks about his first week on the job.

Paula Trelinska

MUN may go smoke free this fall

news editor

Students of Memorial University of Newfoundland may soon be forced to stop smoking on campus property.

Kevin Coady, the Newfoundland and Labrador Alliance for the Control of Tobacco’s excecutive director would like to continue discussions on this topic with MUN. The university’s neighbours, the Health Sciences Centre, and the College of the North Atlantic, have banned smoking on all their properties, and now MUN is being encouraged to do the same.

There are many universities across Canada that have banned smoking from the premises, with Dalhousie being the first in 2003.

Pro-life club sues University of Victoria Student Union

The pro-life group, Youth Protecting Youth, has been battling with the University of Victoria Student’s Society (UVSS) for years over funding and club status.

The group says that they have exhausted all methods of appeal yet are still being denied both funding and club status, though they believe they have the right to it.

The lawsuit they have filed demands that their club status and funding be reinstated and that they receive all funding they had lost since October 2008.

The status of the club was questioned in 2008 after a pro-life campaign on campus.

Students complained and said that they were using methods of harassment to convey their message.

Students at Mount Allison protest honourary degree

Indigo founder and CEO Heather Reisman was set to receive an honou-

rary degree from Mount Allison on May 17, 2010 but many students, staff, and faculty have protested the degree.

There is concern that Reisman has connections to the Israeli military, and what granting this degree may say about the university’s position on certain political issues.

Though attempts to reverse the degree did not succeed, there was plenty of support and opposition both from within the university and across the country.

The university’s communications director Tony Frost said that Reisman was being awarded this degree because she is a well known Canadian philanthropist and businesswoman and did not believe that it said anything about the university’s political position.

He does hope, however, that some good can come out of this and the university can start debating some of the bigger issues to come out of this. ptrelinska@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Gina Racine editor-in-Chief

I

t will be a long road for new Federation of Students President Brad Moggach, but according to him, things are right on track — so far.

“The first week on the job was great. It’s really exciting to finally get into office and start working,” Moggach told Imprint last week.

“The executive spent the week meeting the staff, settling into their offices, and wrapping up some of the smaller outstanding projects carrying over from the previous term. It was certainly a week of long hours and hard work, however was quite enjoyable.”

Moggach said his first week was very much what he had come to expect.

“I came in on day one and went straight to work... I found myself forcing my thoughts away from Feds and work when at home and during my downtime. But overall, I think the expectations we had of the organization, we had of ourselves, and of each other came with no surprises.”

According to Moggach, the new executive team has already started work on a variety of initiatives.

“Sarah Cook, the VP admin and finance, is currently in the process of finalizing negotiations with GRT for the costs of the UPASS and with Student Care Networks to determine the cost and coverage of the Health and Dental Plans for the coming year,” he said.

“Nikki Best has been working diligently to hire and train service co-ordinators and working with the clubs and services department to prepare for a busy year.”

Another issue Feds is currently addressing is the Northdale neighbourhood and the proposals being presented to city council, said Moggach.

“Nick Soave and I have been working hard to develop a strong understanding of each stakeholder’s position, and what the students are looking for moving forward. Additionally, over the next few weeks Nick and I will be away at transition into our two external lobbying organizations in preparation for a big year,” he said.

“The projects I will be working on over the next few weeks include finalizing the health services agreement between Feds, the GSA, and the university, proceeding with the long range plan for the Federation of Students, and lastly developing policy pieces to bring to students’ council and our board regarding a number of issues.”

editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Azra Premji reporter

Alim Khamisa reporter

Africa’s mobile money evolution

Cellphone towers are springing up all over Africa as cellphones continues to penetrate the population at eye-opening rates. In countries where wired networks are just too expensive to construct, governments are supporting private initiatives to develop an expansive mobile wireless infrastructure that is proving to be very beneficial. This is due to increased economic activity because of the cellular phone’s ability to connect people to each other, services, institutions, and the unlimited opportunities afforded by the internet. According to the International Telecommunications Union, cellphone subscriptions will surpass five billion this year, which means more people in the world will have access to a cell phone than a clean toilet. Mobile banking is catching on faster in Africa than most areas on the planet. This is an area without as much technological advancement as the western world.

Now these people are using their mobile phones to carry out their financial transactions, whether it is paying bills, receiving a salary, or

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sending money to someone across the continent. According to recent reports, Kenya has benefited by mobile banking as it has seen income of rural households being boosted by 5 to 30 per cent as a result of the cost savings of making financial transactions via the cellphone.

Fourth set of sanctions against Iran

On Tuesday May 18, 2010, new weightier sanctions were brought forth against Iran over its suspected nuclear program. The United Nation’s Security Council, led on this particular issue by the U.S., will aim to target Iran’s military, finance, and shipping activities associated with the nuclear program in this fourth set of sanctions against Iran. This new set of sanctions, among several other stipulations, requires countries to inspect ships or planes destined for or arriving from Iran if banned material is thought to be on board.

The five permanent members of the Security Council — the U.S., China, Russia, Britain and France — with the addition of Germany, have all reached a consensus on this new set of sanctions which will affect Iran’s ability to engage in the production of nuclear warheads, if in fact it is engaging in these activities.

Violence erupts in Thailand

A five-year political crisis in Thailand has descended into violence in the past two months killing dozens of people and creating chaos in the streets of Bangkok. In September 2006, Thaksin Shinawatra was removed from power by a military coup (an organized action by the armed forces of a country used to overthrow and replace its government). When Thaksin came to power in 2001, anti-government

protesters, “yellow-shirts” (the colour of the king) opposed his allegedly corrupt rule, while supporters of Thaksin, the “red-shirts” said that he provided the rural poor a voice and benefits. In 2008, Abhisit Vejjajiva became prime minister although he was not democratically elected and the red-shirts are accusing the “establishment elite” of bringing down Thaksin. The protest by the redshirts began in mid-March this year, wanted Abhisit to resign immediately and demanded another election.

The protest has become fatal and continues to affect tourism and the economy. Many western embassies have warned against travel to Bangkok as violence in the city continues.

Hotmail makeover

To fend off competitors like Google’s Gmail and Yahoo, Microsoft is planning to update Microsoft Live Hotmail to remove clutter, let users interact with other sites and applications while checking their mail, will automatically sort incoming messages into different categories according to key contacts and social networks, and will make email access more secure. This update was based on the users’ needs after a year-long study conducted by Microsoft that revealed only 25 per cent of email people get are from members in their contact list. This upgrade will be available in July or August. According to The Star, Hotmail is currently the most used email service with 360 million users, followed by Yahoo with 284 millions users, and Google’s Gmail with 173 million users.

— With files from The Globe and Mail, The Africa Report, The New York Times, The Star, CNN, and CBC.

Blank resumé? volunteer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Opinion

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

IMPRINT The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Pat on the feedback

Friday, May 21, 2010 Vol. 33, No. 2 Student Life Centre, Room 1116 University of Waterloo Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 P: 519.888.4048 F: 519.884.7800 http://imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editor-in-chief, Gina Racine editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Advertising & Production Manager, Laurie Tigert-Dumas ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca General Manager, Catherine Bolger cbolger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Sales Assistant, Dina Hamdieh Systems Admin., vacant Distribution, Sherif Soliman Distribution, Abdul Asmat Volunteer co-ordinator, Travis Myers Web Developer, vacant Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, E Aboyeji president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, Angela Gaetano vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, vacant treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Erin Thompson secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Keriece Harris liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Adrienne Raw Head Reporter, Dinh Nguyen Lead Proofreader, Ivan Lui Cover Editor, Sonia Lee News Editor, Paula Trelinska Opinion Editor, Andrew Dodds Features Editor, Rosalind Gunn Arts & Entertainment, Felicia Rahaman Science & Tech Editor, Komal Lakhani Sports & Living Editor, Brent Golem Photo Editor, Peter Kreze Graphics Editor, vacant Web Administrator, vacant Production Staff Joanne Lau, Deanna Ostafichuk, Toyin Jibowy, Divyesh Mistry, Isabelle Messa, Eduardo Ramirez, Bill Chen, Aletheia Chiang, M. Chung, Zainas Arshad, Alicia Mah, Howard Leung, Lawrence Toh, Billy Sheiban, Travis Myers, Mika Ilic, Jacqueline McKoy Lambert Graphics Team Armel Chesnais Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint.

Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request.

Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards.

Imprint is published every Thursday during fall and winter terms, and every second Thursday 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: Friday, May 21 12:00 p.m.

Next board of directors meeting: Tuesday, May 25 8:30 p.m.

F

editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

eedback is such an amazing thing. It helps us grow as individuals and gives us great insight into ways we can improve.

As a newspaper that is consistently working to enhance its quality, we are no exception. We are always looking for new and innovative ways to get the news out there and to make the product itself more appealing to our audience.

Last week, Imprint was the recipient of four pieces of recognition that suggest we are an exceptional publication. Alongside that recognition came feedback that also suggests even the exceptional have things to work on.

At the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) awards ceremony, a second place award for best campus feature was given to Imprint’s Ryan Scott for his story on the Warrior women’s fastball team. Another second place award for best campus photography was given to Imprint’s Ethan Oblak for his spread on Iranian election protestors.

Some very exciting news was Imprint staff reporter Jacqueline McKoy Lambert’s first place win

in the best campus news story category for her story about the new UW logo.

Finally, Imprint won second place overall (all of the college/university newspapers that submitted applications) for general excellence at the Ontario Community Newspapers Association (OCNA). It’s hard to even complete the sentence that precedes this one without smiling a little.

Although the awards are a clear and shining representation of success, they came with feedback from several industry professionals as well. The submissions were judged by a variety of journalists and criticisms were given. Specific reasons why our second place winners didn’t make it to first give us the tools to improve and hopefully to achieve number one next time.

Because the awards honoured the excellent journalism before my time here as editor-in-chief, I certainly can’t take any credit for the hard work achieved by those who deserve it.

But I will say that it feels so incredible to work with a vast group of volunteers who are award-

deserving — a newspaper that strives to be the best and doesn’t settle for anything less (even if it means pulling all-nighters every week).

Second place out of all the college and university newspapers that applied is truly something to be proud of. It certainly gives me the right to brag to others about the awesome work that is being done here at Imprint. And as students, faculty and staff at the University of Waterloo, you surely have the right to do some bragging, too. It’s because of the events that you host, the innovative technology you thrive on, and the input we get from you each week that we have a newspaper.

Your research, interesting discoveries, camps, seminars, and so on, give us ideas for content — you create the news.

So come stop by the Imprint office and check out the wall of glory beside my desk. It’s filled with current and past awards that we have received. You might be surprised to see how positively other journalists perceive our campus newspaper. A publication we can all say we have been a part of.

Going global, going nuts eaboyeji@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

President Johnston should realize that going global is not just a question of guts

U

pper year students might be reminded of the passionatelydebated furore over whether or not the University of Waterloo should establish a satellite school in Dubai on the principle that its host country, the United Arab Emirates, would not be as tolerant or rightsrespecting as a country like Canada, especially with respect to discrimination against homosexuals and Jews.

As it turns out, those human rights inspired criticisms, virtuous as they seemed, were looking the wrong way.

A year later, it seems the real trouble with the University of Waterloo presence in Dubai is that it is not nearly as profitable a venture as it might have once seemed.

As is often the case in situations such as these, there were better arguments against UW Dubai simply by “following the money.”

The Dubai campus was sold to the university community as some sort of gold mine. According to the administration’s simple-minded shtick, we would admit 50 to 60 students per program; the reality was the entire

school could barely summon as many applications. They claimed we would be able to graduate 200 students a year; we struggled to admit 25. They claimed the venture would make us $22 million a year; we lost one million dollars in “start up costs.” In fact, according to minutes from the Senate Finance Committee’s March 12, 2009 meeting, it would take us the whole of three years to break even.

Now the spin masters in the administration might want to shirk the blame it should legitimately take for its bad investment in Dubai by blaming the “unforeseen financial crisis,” but the truth is that most international students who lived in the area could have told the university administration as much.

Maclean’s may call us Canada’s most innovative university, but we really kid ourselves when we convince ourselves we have any sort of chance in Dubai’s overcrowded and competitive education market. The recession just drove home that message.

There are several reasons why the UAE was a very bad idea. However, one stands out as the most obvious from a

common sense administrative perspective. We had little to no international student presence there. In the 2007/08 session when the UAE campus idea was first tabled to the senate for discussion, we had six UW international students from the country. Six. It makes me wonder, how do our administrators make these decisions.

Did they just grab a globe, spin it, and with their eyes closed decide where an investment as important as a satellite campus would be located? Who did they talk to? Most importantly, did they talk to international students?

Even if they had just looked at their own records, they might have considered instead a country like India which had over five hundred UW students in that year and had averaged far above a hundred students every year since the 1990’s.

Now why am I saying this now, a full year after the fact? Well, the University of Waterloo does not seem to have learnt the lessons from Dubai.

Last week, the University of Waterloo announced what seemed quite obviously like a hastily put together

partnership with Zambia with regards to the Stratford campus. The agreement seems to be that the university campus, whose initial mission was to be Canada’s ground zero for digital media, will be facilitating the construction of a syringe factory in southern Africa (only heaven knows what the relationship between digital media and syringe manufacturing is). Again, as in the case of the UAE, there are only four Zambian international students who go here.

UW might be as risk taking as institutions come — and that is a good thing — but we will continue to lose on our global investments if we don’t see our international student population as important resources in achieving the goals defined in our sixth decade plan.

Instead of just considering international students collateral for risky global investments and government budget, perhaps, we should also consider them collaborators in our global engagement process.

Only then will our guts work to stem our international student glut.

(Nuclear) Iran so far away

T

he United States of America claims that Iran is attempting to develop nuclear weapons. They also claimed, recently, that Iran was developing rockets that could deliver said nuclear payload on U.S. soil. The answer: sanctions, and the possibility of military action. Granted, nothing is imminent, but rest assured that there are several folks in Congress who would love to stab the ‘War’ button.

That Iran is pursuing a nuclear weapons program has become an

pmcgeown@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

accepted fact, to the extent that the “other side of the story” has become that Iran has every right to continue its enrichment program and develop a weapon. Well, yes and no. The argument could be made that so long as the United States owns even a single nuclear weapon — the equivalent of suggesting that Tiger Woods had just one mistress — Iran has every right to own a nuclear weapon of their own.

However, Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

(NNPT), a document that prohibits a signatory’s expansion of its nuclear arsenal. At this point you might be thinking, “Well, given that Iran has signed the NNPT, does the U.S. not have an obligation to stifle Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon?” Yes — if not for one not-so-minor detail.

Iran is not developing, nor does it have any plans to develop, a nuclear weapon. To avoid sounding like a positivist, I’ll add that this assertion is based on the best available knowledge

when this article went to print.

What constitutes this knowledge, you ask? First, because Iran is a signatory to the NNPT, their nuclear facilities are subject to regular inspection by the UN-formed International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA assures that none of the uranium from Iran’s civilian nuclear program is being diverted for weapons-grade enrichment.

See NUCLEAR, page 6

6

Opinion

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

Banning the niqab bcaradima@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

A

cross Canada there has been considerable debate concerning the expulsion of Naema Ahmed from a French-language class following her refusal to remove her niqab, a garment that covers its wearer’s face except for the eyes. In the aftermath of this debate, legislators in Quebec have been weighing the merits of Bill 94, a proposed law that aims to ban face coverings from public and government buildings.

I encountered the first signs of controversy over this bill in the form of a poster that was clearly opposed to the proposed law with the challenging question: “Will you allow your government to deny essential services to women based on what they wear?”

Another poster claimed, “governments have no right in women’s closets,” going on to say that “Bill 94... would deny essential government services, public employment, educational opportunities, and health care to Muslim women who wear the niqab.” As a footnote, it appealed

to the reader to “take action to defend women’s rights and freedoms in Canada.”

Reading news articles on the matter, it seems that numerous people have begun to identify with the opposition of this bill by reflexively taking a stance against the establishment, rather than pausing to admit that all laws are, by nature, a restriction on what we may do, often for our own collective good. Furthermore, those who oppose the bill on these grounds fail to recognize that they are espousing the protection of women’s rights so that women may keep garments that restrict the very same rights that they seek to protect.

It is even more amusing that the indignation of these posters seemed to appeal to the anger of feminist sentiments, while aiming to allow certain women to opt into a social handicap.

The lack of foresight in the preparation of this piece of foolish activism appears to have been clouded, as if by some kind of veil. Yet the irony does not end here. In claiming that

the government has no right concerning the contents of women’s closets, the poster seeks to imply that the government aims to control what women wear, and that the motive behind the bill is therefore to restrict human rights. In fact, the purpose of the bill is made expressly clear to those who care to read it carefully instead of denouncing it as xenophobia or an attack on rights. The purpose of the bill is to protect “public security, communication, and identification” by prohibiting people from covering their faces in government or public areas. Does this represent an attack on human rights?

I also noted a number of articles denouncing the bill as an attack on equality. In response, I must point out that the bill actually promotes egalitarianism by refusing to treat minorities differently. On the contrary, there were numerous cases during the 2007 general election in Quebec when women wearing the niqab were allowed to vote under the same rules that banned other vot-

“

The lack of foresight in the preparation of this piece of foolish activism appears to have been clouded, as if by some kind of veil.

“

A critical look at the proposed Bill 94, equality, and the establishment

ers whose faces were concealed. In these cases, deference towards a minority led to the unequal treatment of others.

Clearly, in our rush to appease overzealous activists, we have jettisoned Canadian values in favour of deference to a minority, all in the name of political correctness. Who would have thought that something so tragically absurd could be possible? Oh well, welcome to Canada anyway.

Is religion relevant? asahi@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

It’s a good question — and one that needs to be answered, because many of the most ancient and widely-spread faiths are predicated on the concept of one God, merciful and solicitous, for our spiritual and moral guidance.

To answer this, let’s first consider the school system. When you were four or five, you attended pre-school.

That’s where you learn the very basics.

After this, you go on to elementary school. Here’s when, over a gradual period of time, you are steadily taught more and more with each successive grade. This system continues onward into higher education also. In general this gradual step-wise process of education is universal. People can only be taught according to their present mental ability and level of prior education.

In the same way, according to the Quran (87:1-7), God has taught religion gradually and at every stage has given guidance according to the development, maturation, and refinement of mankind. When mankind’s intellectual and spiritual capacities advanced to the next step, God brought forth a new teaching, one more in line

with the new level of understanding of mankind and more appropriate for its growing needs. This process continued until mankind’s spiritual and intellectual capacity evolved to a degree where it was in need of a

“

the very reason why God decided to bring forth the new teaching in the first place.

However, a common strand of values persisted throughout the different dispensations.

Moreover, the universality of man’s conscience is also a strong indication that one code of moral and spiritual guidance for all is not only possible, but likely.

final, complete, and universal code of guidance.

This also explains the striking similarities between the core teachings of many of the world’s major religions.

Regarding this, the Quran (87:15-20) describes a scenario wherein certain core principles were retained throughout every new epoch of religion.

Expansions, elaborations, and refinements upon these core fundamentals no doubt occurred — for this was

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N

owadays, many people believe that religion is no longer applicable, that it’s not relevant anymore. They think that it’s a relic of the past, and that the fantastical tales and funny logic that sufficed for the people of yore can no longer provide modern man — in this age of scientific and intellectual advancement — any type of real guidance.

This belief has widely taken root because the modern era has seen the scrutiny of human intellect critically probe into the institution of religion like never before. As a result, many plaguing questions have arisen, and the divinity of religion has been rejected by a large faction of society.

In my experience, one prominent question agitating the minds of people is: “If there is one God and He is merciful and desires us to be properly guided, then why are there so many religions?”

The other side of the coin is that although there are many commonalities among many religions, there are also very stark differences. The Quran (13:8; 16:34; 35:25) answers this by saying that there hasn’t been any society whose moral education was neglected by God. This means that whereas the previous reason for the differing of religions was due to time, the present factor is related to geographical differences. Different

peoples lived in different climates and as such their lifestyle and culture differed. Therefore, God revealed a religion to each people, tailored to their respective needs — according to their geographically influenced cultural, societal, and physical requirements.

However, this does not mean that a universal religion is not possible. It simply means that it was not possible in earlier stages of history, due to the way life on Earth was.

The proof for this is the current sociological state of the world. Whereas the world was once a collection of countless disparate villages, it is now itself a global village. Moreover, the universality of man’s conscience is also a strong indication that one code of moral and spiritual guidance for all is not only possible, but likely.

Keeping this in view, is it not an exciting prospect that such a code of life might exist right now?

One, among the pantheon of world religions, could very well be the pinnacle of religious evolution and the perfect code of guidance you’ve been looking for. It might even be right under your nose.

NUCLEAR: Diplomatic solution still possible Continued from page 5

Open November 16th!

As if first-hand inspection and

Cora at the Shops testimony wasn’t proof enough — in the Waterloo Townand Square given the U.S. respect for the UN,

Enjoy one might think it would be — the most recent National Intelligence Breakfast (519) 886-8878 (a standardized report culled Monday to Saturday 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Patio, Estimate Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. from the combined work of 16 intelopening in ligence agencies) says only that Iran, NEW extended “at minimum is keeping open the May! Hours: (beside Valu-mart)

Mon-Wed 6 am to 3 pm Thurs-Sat 6 am to 4 pm Sunday 7 am to 4 pm

Waterloo Town Square

519-886-8878

option to develop nuclear weapons.”

When one takes into account the rest of the NIE — which includes assertions such as, “We judge with high confidence that in fall 2003, Tehran halted its nuclear weapons program” — saying that Iran is leaning open the option to pursue nuclear weaponry is

like saying that so long as Canada has horses, it remains open to the idea of genetically engineering a unicorn.

The United States’ unease stems from concerns about the Iranian medical isotope reactor. The fuel necessary to power this reactor must be enriched to 20 per cent, and Iran has — out of necessity — undertaken that task. By most accounts, this is a difficult process; however, enriching uranium from 20 to 90 per cent (90 representing weaponsgrade enrichment) is said to be far easier than enriching uranium from five to 20 per cent.

The fear, then, is that if Iran is able to enrich its low-grade uranium to 20 per cent, they will push forward and in time produce a nuclear weapon.

This being said, the U.S. has left the door open to a diplomatic solution. Prior to the new year, the P5+1 (of which the States is a part) pushed hard to negotiate what was called a third-party enrichment deal with Iran. Essentially, Iran would ship its uranium to another country, and in turn would receive fuel for their medical isotope reactor.

Iran seemed willing to co-operate, but balked at the notion that France be charged with delivering the medical isotopes. France reneged on a previous deal, hanging Iran out to dry. As a result, the talks broke down, and the U.S. followed with a push for sanctions and not-so-vague hints at exploring the option of military ac-

tion. It seems perfectly reasonable that Iran might be skeptical of French cooperation given what has transpired.

Furthermore, Tehran (Iran’s capital) has attempted at least once to kickstart negotiations, but was dismissed by the United States. Why, then, is the U.S. building a case for war?

Update: Whatever designs the U.S. has on Iran, they might be on hold — temporarily, anyway. On May 17, Turkey and Brazil announced that they had a reached a third-party enrichment deal with Iran, one that apparently satisfies the conditions laid out in previous negotiations with Iran.

Details are scarce at this point, but check back in two weeks for an update.

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

SETTING THE STAGE FOR DIGITAL MEDIA IN THE FUTURE The Canada 3.0 media forum was held May 10 and 11 in Stratford. Sponsored by both the UW Stratford campus as well as the Canadian Digital Media Network, the forum focused on the direction of digital media and the importance of the emergence of this sector in our economy today and in the future.

Hosted by Kevin Newman of Global National, (far left), the event spanned both days and saw many speakers and panelists, including Federal Industry minister Tony Clement who unveiled a national strategy for developing digital media.

paula trelinska

Impressive, but not magical A review of Apple’s new iPad from a user and owner Tareq Ismail

Design/Form Factor

reporter

The first noticeable thing about the iPad is how small and thin it is. The device is around the size of a standard 8.5” by 11” piece of paper and has a 9.7” LCD screen. The thickness is that of an iPhone 3G/3GS. Weighing in at only 1.5 pounds, the device is light to carry around in a backpack or hold in two hands when reading.

The device has a virtual keyboard which pops up on screen when a text input box is selected. I personally find the keyboard terrible to use. Since it is a touchpad, you can’t rest your palms on the device and need to type carefully. Others don’t mind it as much as I do, but anyone will agree that a well designed keyboard on a netbook is far better.

“A

magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price” is how Apple describes their latest gadget, the iPad, a large touch screen tablet to be released in Canada on May 28. It launched in the U.S. on April 3 and, thanks to my co-op term in Seattle, I was able to get my hands on one.

I’ve used the iPad for over two months now so I feel I’ve had it long enough to give a proper review. I also own an Amazon Kindle and an Eee PC netbook and will compare the iPad to those devices as they have often been classified into the same product category.

The iPad is in the “middle” category between a smartphone and a laptop. It’s not small enough to fit in your pocket but not large enough to require a laptop bag or backpack. How and where does one use and take it?

I take my iPad exactly where I would take my Kindle: when I have room to squeeze it in my bag or when I’m going somewhere and I have a spare hand to carry it. Many have criticized the iPad for this level of portability, questioning the device’s need since they can carry a smartphone with them everywhere and bring their laptop when they have a bag or backpack. I think people underestimate how small and light the device actually is.

What is important to understand about the iPad is that it is designed primarily for content consumption. That means reading, watching, and browsing, not searching or inputting. Although devices like these do have soft/hard keyboards for inputting, this is not their intended purpose.

This is the key difference between the iPad and the iPhone. In my opinion, comparing an iPad to a desktop/laptop computer is like comparing a magazine to a typewriter.

Battery Life

The battery life is the most impressive feature of the device. On a full charge it lasts around nine to 10 hours even when using it extensively to watch videos or with the wireless turned on. One down side, however, is that since the battery is so large, it takes around six hours to fully charge.

Software

The iPad runs on the iPhone OS, a touch-centric operating system based on OS X that is almost identical to that seen on the iPhone/iPod touch.

Many have complained that the iPhone OS limits the device, and that using a more full-featured operating system like Mac OS X would have allowed users access to more applications. This is not true for two reasons. Firstly, the iPhone OS is touch-centric so it forces developers to design their applications for touch input. Secondly, the iPhone OS is designed as a mobile operating system and so it is optimized to conserve battery life.

Web Experience

Apple has said that the iPad offers the “best web

experience.” Although I agree in part, the device doesn’t offer the “full” web. There is of course no Adobe Flash support, which has been getting a lot of media attention. What is really noticeable, however, is that not all web “elements” work as they would on a standard desktop browser. Simply put, you can’t translate all the gestures and input from a keyboard and mouse to a touch screen.

What ends up happening is that things such as boxes within webpages that are scrollable don’t work unless you use a very uncomfortable two finger scroll method.

The YouTube app was designed very well and videos look beautiful on the iPad’s screen. I hate to agree with exactly something Steve Jobs said, but he was right when he claimed “it feels like an HD monitor in your hands.”

Gaming

Use For a UW Student

For gaming, the iPad is to the iPhone what the Wii is to the Nintendo DS. It offers similar games and brands that the iPhone offers but playing on a larger screen makes the experience entirely different. It is simply one of the best casual gaming devices available but won’t meet the appetite of serious gamers. Touch buttons and gestures, no matter how clever the interface, just don’t equate to the sophistication in control available from a physical controller.

For a student, there is no doubt that the iPad is a good companion for school. It’s great for opening up PDFs for assignments, bringing up slides during class, and reading web content. However, I don’t think these features make it a necessary tool nor would I highly recommend its purchase primarily for school use. As I mentioned, the web experience is great for reading but is awkward for certain websites. For example, UW-ACE, which uses frames, barely works on the device. It’s hard to navigate through pages and you can’t scroll down through certain pages, making parts of the page completely unavailable. Taking notes isn’t as easy either; the keyboard isn’t as comfortable to use as those found on netbooks or regular laptops. The iPad could increase your productivity at school but it’s not guaranteed.

Reading

Reading rich media content, like blogs and magazines, are wonderful on the iPad. I really can’t describe the experience in words when you can “touch” what you’re reading and manipulate it in such an easy way. The iPad beats the Kindle in terms of interface as the touch screen allows for easy jumping between pages and between bookmarks. However, reading books and novels that are text heavy is another story. The screen is hard to read on for more than 20 minutes. The Kindle’s E-ink screen, which I took for granted, is far better to read text heavy content.

Media/Apps

Watching rich media on the iPad is amazing.

Price

The Canadian prices for the device starts off at $549.99 for the 16gb WiFi version, and $679.99 for the 16gb WiFi + 3G version. Rogers is offering data plans for the device for $15/month for 250MB or $35/month for 5GB.

Overall, I am impressed with the device. It’s incredible for watching video, reading rich media web content, playing casual games, and has a great battery life. I would not call it “magical” but it is a very impressive piece of hardware and software.

It’s certainly not for everybody and many will not find a need for it, but for those who are looking for the features it does well, then it will be a device they’ll instantly fall in love with.

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Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

Fiddleheads to the rescue achiang@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

T

How I woke up in plant biology class

ruth be told, most of my science classes do not fascinate me. As you might imagine, the combination of this disinterest with a premature (it’s only been three weeks into the term) case of sleep deprivation yields a potent recipe for in-class snoozing. But just last week, when I found myself settling into a deep coma in plant biology, I was rescued — once again — by thoughts of food. Allow me to illustrate.

The droplet of drool hung from the corner of my mouth. As it reached a proximal distance to the surface of my (blank) notes, my eyes suddenly caught a part of a picture that the professor had just put up.

The drool was slurped up almost immediately; my eyes were now wide open. The picture? A depiction of the life cycle of the homosporous fern. Phylum Pterophyta, to be exact.

You may have heard of the fiddlehead. If you have not, the next time you go for your grocery run, please peruse the produce aisle. There you will almost surely find a basket of these small, green,

gnarly-looking spirals. These, dear friends, are fiddleheads, and they come from ostrich ferns.

Specifically, in the context of the fern’s life cycle, fiddleheads are young leaves which have yet to unravel. Growing along muddy riverbanks in the spring, they are hand-picked for consumption and are considered a gastronomical delicacy with a time limit: once the leaf unravels, the fiddlehead is no more. As such, the green goodies make their presence known in grocery stores during the month of May only.

Nutritionally speaking, an article in CBC last week detailed new research which encouraged the commercial cultivation of fiddleheads. When researchers from the Agriculture Canada Research Station in Kentville, Nova Scotia tested the antioxidant activity of fiddleheads, they were surprised to find that the gnarly greens were twice as strong as blueberries, the gold standard for antioxidants.

Antioxidants neutralize free radicals

known to be involved in the development of a number of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

In addition, the researchers also found that fiddleheads are loaded with a specific fatty acid that plants do not normally have, and which is found in fish.

Now taste, you ask? The fiddlehead is delicious. It tastes very much like a cross between a green bean and asparagus, and is best prepared simply: stir-fried or boiled, with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, and sea salt. However, fiddleheads cannot be eaten raw: they must be thoroughly cooked to denature the naturally-occuring thermolabile plant toxins produced by the ferns.

Finally, in honour of fiddleheads rescuing me from mid-slumber, I would like to share a recipe with you.

Aletheia Chiang is a fiddlehead-fiend and works, appropriately, at Fiddleheads Health and Nutrition Store in Kitchener.

She doesn’t always fall asleep in class, and can be found at lafillenaturelle.

E. Ruth Kinzie

Fiddlehead

pine-nut pesto

adapted from Alive magazine

Ingredients • 2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed • ¾ cup fiddleheads, steamed and chopped • ⅓ pinenuts, toasted and chopped • 2 cloves garlic, smashed • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tbsp Romano, Asiago, or Parmersan cheese (or a blend of all three) Directions In a food processor, whirl basil, cooked fiddleheads, pine nuts, and garlic until coarsely chopped.

1

oil and whirl until well mixed, scraping down 2 Add sides as needed.

3 Turn mixture into bowl and stir in cheeses. in refrigerator up to five days or portion into 4 Store small containers and freeze up to two months.

Makes 1 ½ cups.

Steven Zhang reporter

North Korea scientists claim groundbreaking fusion technology

According to state-controlled media, government scientists have created a “Korean style” thermonuclear fusion.

This technology, which has eluded scientists around the world for decades, could potentially solve the world’s current energy needs and dependency on non-renewable resources. The announcement, which coincided with the Day of the Sun, a holiday celebrating the birthday of Kim Il-Sung, the father of North Korea’s current leader Kim Jong-Il, has been met with widespread skepticism from the scientific community. Nuclear fusion, which does not rely on radioactive materials, is theoretically possible but currently left to the pages of science fiction due to the lack of current technology to control the escalading reaction.

More lost and found for Apple

A prototype of Apple’s highly anticipated iPhone replacement has been found — this time in Vietnam. The functional prototype, which is similar to the copy purchased by technology website Gizmodo, shows a sleeker

iPhone featuring metal construction, a higher resolution screen, and a muchtouted front-facing camera, enabling webcaming on the iPhone. The prototype, which was stripped down to reveal a similar processing unit to the recently release iPad, is expected to have better performance and multitasking abilities than the current generation iPhone 3Gs. Apple, usually known for its watertight security measures against leaking information, is expected to take swift legal action to retrieve its valuable prototype.

Mac fans rejoice

The world of gaming has finally been opened to Mac owners. With the release of Steam this Wednesday, owners will have access to Value Software’s popular game distribution system.

This development will not only give Mac gamers access to titles previously exclusive to PC gamers, such as Valve’s highly acclaimed Portal, it also opens the doors for game developers to better explore a typically under-served gaming market. To celebrate the occasion, Valve is giving away free copies of Portal to all Steam users. Grab yours before May 24.

— With files from Guardian News, Gizmodo, and The Globe and Mail

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Hot swings at Humber Better, Stronger,

Faster

A healthier lifstyle in three acts mjefkins@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Act 1: Better

G

oing to the gym often, it’s not uncommon to hear that lifting and cardio are the easy parts, and it is. Truth be told what is realized in the gym is made in the kitchen. Any initial big changes should begin there. So then what should you eat? Should you eat smaller meals more often? Are eggs good or bad for you?

Unfortunately, trying to find out the truth about what you should be eating is difficult. It seems like everyone and their sister on television has an opinion. On top of that, the detail needed to fully explain all of it is long and arduous. For this reason, what you’ll find here is a recommended method that has worked for me, as well as others I have helped in the past. Email me for links to some of the science behind the reasoning of my suggestions.

At its heart, the answer is simple: find out you basal metabolic rate and eat less than it to lose weight, and more than it to gain weight. All the rest you’ve heard is secondary, and some of it isn’t even true.

Many believe the myth that you need to eat smaller amounts over more time, even though this idea has no scientific backing. Preliminary testing has shown no difference in people eating three meals compared to those eating the same number of calories over six meals. Simply put, this is often more cumbersome and difficult to follow, while showing no

improvements in efficiency.

To improve efficiency is another obstacle that works its way into the results equation. Generally speaking, most people will see better results by limiting their intake of carbohydrates.

The degree to which they are limited will vary from person to person, but I personally recommend something similar to the Zone Diet’s® ratio.

Having a macronutrient breakdown meal to meal coming to approximately 40 per cent protein, 30 per cent fats, and 30 per cent carbohydrates tends to work well for most people. That being said, there is some fine tuning required to suit the individual, and many people I’ve talked to have seen better results with 40 per cent fat and 20 per cent carbs.

Extremely low carb ketogenic diets is not recommended without consulting a nutritionist and are beyond the scope of this column.

As you already know, you will be doing yourself a favour by avoiding crappy foods. What you should eat are real nutrient dense meals, as opposed to processed and prepackaged nasty.

That’s really all there is to it. At the end of the day it’s up to you. You can have excuses or results, but not both.

And if you’re wondering about the eggs, they aren’t the problem. Cholesterol isn’t bad, in fact it is required for cellular life; while it might be difficult to stomach, it isn’t the bacon and eggs that will give you the heart attack before you’re fifty, but rather the muffin full of processed flour and hydrogenated oils. Mystery solved.

courtesy UW Athletics

The Warriors men’s golf team took home first prize at the Humber Invitational Golf Tournament.

Simon McInnis placed second by only two strokes while Garrett Rank shot for third place by ending three strokes back. Strong rounds by the rest of the Warriors gave Waterloo an 11 shot victory.

Namish Modi reporter

H

umber Invitational Golf Tournament was a golden one for the Waterloo Warriors. The Warriors put together two solid rounds and won the tournament by 11 strokes over the host Humber Hawks. It was the first win for the Warriors in the annual event in four years.

The tournament was held on May 11 and 12 at the Hidden Lake Golf Club in Burlington. The University of Toronto Varsity Blues finished in distant third, 21 strikes behind the Warriors. In total, there were 48 golfers in the tournament including five Waterloo Warriors. Scott Samuel of the Blues won the individual tournament shooting two under par,

edging out Waterloo’s Simon McInnis by two strokes.

This was the first off-season that the golf simulator was available for the Waterloo team to practise on.

“It allowed us to hit balls all winter, and stay in form,” Mcinnis said. One of the team’s strengths was battling through the tough weather, while also stating that a weakness of the team was their short game, McInnis said.

Garrett Rank, the 2009 Humber Invitational individual champion, finished third, and was one stroke behind teammate McInnis.

The five man Warrior team also included Adam Wilson, who shot a nine over par, Audie Hsu, who shot a 15 over par, followed by senior Jimmy Latta, who was 22 over par.

The spring season concludes in Fredericton, New Brunswick with the Royal Canadian Golf Association Canadian University/College Championship. The Warriors will to improve upon their finish by continuing to “prepare and stick to our game plan, (and have) contributions from all members of the team to work as a cohesive unit,” McInnis said.

The Warriors, with their victory at Humber, appear to be contenders for the gold medal in this tournament. The tournament will consist of four rounds from May 31 to June 3. Nineteen other schools will compete along with the Warriors in this tournament. Other schools competing in this tournament include the Western Mustangs, Queens Golden Gaels, and the McMaster Marauders.

Commuting to campus

W

ith the spring term in full swing and the summer following closely in its footsteps, there isn’t a better time than now to explore the various ways to commute to campus. Walking and taking the Grand River Transit are two of the most feasible options during the freezing winter but summers warm weather opens a whole new array of possibilities: biking, in-line skating, and long boarding to name a few. Commuting using an alternate form of transport has its advantages — you shed pounds and get to school faster, all while mastering a new sport. As well, as an amateur cyclist, long boarder ,or roller skater, the city is accommodating. Main roads extending from University Avenue towards King Street and Keats Way have a third lane for cyclists, which can be shared by roller skaters and long boarders.

To test out a new sport and way to commute, I recently took up roller skating as a way to get to campus. During my experience with roller skating and commuting, one of the most important lessons I learnt was that of safety — it is always a good idea to wear a helmet, elbow, and knee pads.

High density traffic and the presence of pedestrians along the way can make the journey hazardous, and in such situations, safety gear can be essential. Unfortunately, under the City traffic by-law No. 83-19 there are no real rules to guide

asyeda@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

users of alternate transport to safety. Roller skates and long boards are defined as a motor-assisted vehicle in Section 11, and the only caution provided is the restriction of roller skating and long boarding on municipal highways. Thus, it is left to one’s own judgement to navigate in the city.

Many roller skate commuters ride on tips provided by fellow commuters, even though there are no concrete rules. Healthy living blogs, like Live Lighter, make this exchange of information easier. Generally, roller skate commuters alternate; using the streets when sidewalks are busy and vice-versa. Sidewalks are meant for pedestrians, so there will always be plenty. Passing on their left is the rule of thumb, and letting them know of your intention avoids the confusion of them stepping onto your path.

If you do choose to use the street, riding on the bicycle lane is the safest choice. Once on the bicycle lane, obeying all road laws further optimizes your safety.

So what do you do when you finally reach that building where your class is held? It is best to ditch the skates and take a walk. Carrying skates across campus can be a tedious task; so I recommend putting them in a secure locker in one of the many buildings across campus. You can rent a locker for $5 with your faculty, or at a building you frequent the most.

So dust off those roller skates and enjoy the spring breeze.

55 465 PHILLIP STREET LOCATION ONLY

746-6893 LIMITED TIME OFFER

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Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

11

A brazen warrior:

powered by plants

LeBron james’ legacy

L

jtoporowski@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

eBron James has been in the league seven years now. He has a lot of hardware sitting on the mantle at his house. He’s won the Rookie of the Year award. He has a scoring championship. He’s a six-time all-star and four-time all-NBA player. He has won two MVPs. But his trophy collection is missing just one thing: an NBA championship ring — for the seventh time in as many seasons, LeBron James will have to watch another team hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Over the years, watching LeBron’s Cavs falter in the playoffs has become something of an annual ritual for NBA fans. At first, all the losses were blamed on the talent (or lack there of) surrounding LeBron. He didn’t have enough firepower around him, he was being asked to do too much. Were these points valid?

In the beginning, yes, it seemed LeBron was running a one-man show.

But then something happened. Owner

Dan Gilbert started to realize that the threat of LeBron fleeing Cleveland was real. Might he finish his contract and flee? The simple answer was yes, LeBron might leave; he might see New York as an amazing opportunity to fulfill his stated goals of becoming a billionaire and global icon. So Gilbert started taking on contracts like a hit man in debt. He opened up his pockets and never said no when it came to appeasing his star. First it was the ill-conceived signing of Larry Hughes, then the trade for Ben Wallace, followed by the acquisition of Shaq. Throw in the hefty price tag of Antawn Jamison, acquired at the trade deadline this year, and it’s impossible to say Gilbert (and GM Danny Ferry) haven’t tried.

It seemed like it was working, especially the past couple of seasons. For two straight years the Cleveland Cavaliers have finished with the best record in the NBA. LeBron has won the MVP both years, and his team was the hottest prediction to win the NBA championship.

Unfortunately though, in both years, the Cavs fell short. And while this should all feel oh, so familiar, this time around it’s distinctly different. Finally, the excuses have stopped and people are beginning to wonder: How can a team that is SO good in the regular season fall short in the playoffs?

LeBron James is clearly the best regular-season basketball player in the NBA. He’s the nicest superstar teammate and most awe-inspiring, highlight-creating athlete in the game, but what James isn’t (yet), is a killer. It’s all good and nice to have your teammates like you, but sometimes as the superstar, you have to be the bad guy, you have to make them afraid to screw up for you.

Watch the way Kobe Bryant will shoot a nasty look at a teammate who screws up in a close game.

Watch how Michael Jordan’s teammates revered him and feared him.

I’m so sick of people saying LeBron already does too much for his team, how could he possibly be held accountable for his teammates? That’s the

job of being a leader, a superstar — sometimes you have to play “babysitter.” Sometimes you have to get after your teammates and be nasty.

If I was LeBron, I’d stay with Cleveland, but I would approach the next year differently.

I wouldn’t be so buddy-buddy with my teammates. I would make it obvious that having the most regular season wins means nothing to me. I’d work hard on my post game during the offseason and come into camp determined, ready to win it all.

At the end of the day, LeBron would do well by looking at Karl Malone’s career and observing closely. Regarded as one of the best power forwards ever to play the game, Malone fell short time and time again in the playoffs. Not so coincidentally, you don’t hear Malone’s name tossed around in conversations of the “greatest ever” too often.

We all know LeBron wants to “be like Mike”— but he better watch it… he’s on the fast track to a less popular slogan: the “be like Karl” one.

Deft Warrior defence dominates East-West Bowl Brent Golem sports & living editor

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Above: Defensive back Patrick McGarry (#26) drops into coverage.

Below: Safety Mitch Nicholson (#7) beats the offensive blockers and sacks the quarterback. Nicholson was one of the top defenders on the day.

Right: Defensive back Bashir Moallim (#34) blocks the wide receiver at the line as he reads the play.

he Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) league, which governs athletics for all participating Canadian universities, held their eighth annual East West bowl on Saturday May 8, at TD Waterhouse Stadium at the University of Western Ontario. The football game showcases top talent from each of the four conferences, with players from universities west of Toronto facing off against players East of Toronto.

The game involves CIS players who are eligible for the 2011 Canadian Football League draft. Waterloo was well represented as they had five players on the West team’s roster: safety and Waterloo captain Mitch Nicholson, defensive backs Bashir Moallim and Patrick McGarry, defensive end Andrew Heeley, and wide receiver Dustin Zender.

In fact, the Warriors had the most players from any single team. Not bad for a team that failed to make the playoffs last season.

The East won the game 12–9 on the back of Laval kicker Christopher

Milo, who was successful on all three field goal attempts and added a single point with a rouge. Playing in 6 C with overcast and inclement weather was among the challenges that needed to be overcome. The West outplayed their Eastern opponent, but two interceptions, included one in the end zone, and facing a stronger kicker were too much to handle. The West was able to gain 383 total yards on offence and held the East to only 203 yards.

However, CIS follows Canadian football rules, and is a game that involves more special teams play.

The East West bowl had 27 punts during the game, split almost evenly between the two teams. But, with the East’s kicker averaging 15 more yards per kick than the West’s kicker, it added a significant boost to their offence. The West was very strong on defence, never allowing a red zone score and effectively kept the West side in the game.

The Warriors played a massive role in the deft defence, as four Warriors logged key minutes and contributed to important stops during the game.

“It was great to have five (Warriors) on the field at the same time.

We could just carry the chemistry from the past three years and take it right to this game,” Nicholson said.

“It says a lot, even though we weren’t in the playoffs (last year). We have five guys here playing top of the line ball. Out of all of Canada, we’ve got five guys playing so it feels good.”

Safety Mitch Nicholson was the greatest contributor to the West’s defence. He had a sack and also did his job as the last line of defence, by making a tough tackle to stop a sure touchdown. Nicholson wasn’t the only one making great individual efforts.

The other Warriors also on defence had their

photos Brent Golem

own solid individual efforts, especially by not taking penalties when the play came to them. Playing alongside Nicholson, on the strongside, was defensive back Bashir Moallim. He played hard and ran some excellent coverage against the best that Canada has to offer.

“Our philosophy on defence today was discipline, so each man had to stay disciplined and do their job and trust the man beside them,” Moallim said.

“I thought it was a great experience, playing against the best players in the country; with the best coaches in the country, so you learn a lot and you have to play at a top level.”

Defensive back Patrick McGarry held strong on the backside. He exhibited his experience and showed some great leadership; he showed why it was his second year playing with the best of Canada.

“I did everything I could. I had a great time. You know you have to split time with a couple other great athletes so it’s a little different atmosphere, but I think I played really well actually,” McGarry said. “It was fun to be playing on the same side, playing with guys who wearing the same colour bucket as you, mixing it up with the other guys is good.”

Defensive end Andrew Heeley also had a strong game. He was particularly tough against the run, but when the quarterback rolled out of the pocket he was right there to apply pressure and force a poor throw The bowl game provides an excellent opportunity for the CFL to see the players compete against elite competition. Out of the 36 CIS players drafted by the CFL Sunday on May 2, 23 of them were showcased in last year’s East West Bowl. Two of last year’s four Waterloo attendees were drafted this year to the CFL.With five players, including a returner, making a splash at this year’s East-West Bowl, Waterloo has a good chance of creating a presence in the CFL. sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Aletheia Chiang staff reporter

A

two-time Canadian Ultra Marathon champion and established professional Ironman triathlete, Brendan Brazier is, to say the very least, a remarkable athlete. Yet what sets him apart from the rest of the pack is not his athletic superiority; it’s his diet.

Brazier is arguably one of the most famous vegan athletes in the world: creator of the hugely popular and awardwinning line of whole food nutritional products VEGA, the 35-year-old is also the author of the Canadian best-seller The Thrive Diet. Today, he is on the road 250 days a year with a particular mission in mind: to herald “the Thrive lifestyle” to cities around the globe. This year, as part of his cross-Canada promotional tour for his latest book, Thrive Fitness, Brazier stopped by the Fiddleheads Health and Nutrition store in Kitchener, where Imprint had the opportunity to chat with the vegan Ironman.

Eating efficiently for energy

“To be honest, I never cared about nutrition. Actually, I still don’t really care all that much about it,” Brazier said. Although a seemingly shocking opening statement to his audience — vegans, vegetarians, and athletes, primarily — what Brendan actually means is that he doesn’t obsess about nutrition outside of the context of using it as a means to feeling better, both physically and mentally.

Brazier was 15 when he decided to make a living out of running, cycling, and swimming. As such, he began to research and to compare the training regimes of the top elite athletes to the amateur athletes. What he found was surprising: the training in both groups was more or less the same.

“But if the top athletes follow almost the same training as the nonelite, then what makes them so much better?” asked Brendan.

The answer, he found, was in the rate of recovery.

“The rate of cellular recovery is the largest contributing factor to peak performance,” he wrote in Thrive Fitness. “And 80 per cent of recovery is attributable to nutrition.”

Brendan then began to research extensively on nutrition.

“High-carb, high-protein, low-carb diets…” he listed, “I tried everything.

I’d eat anything as long as I thought it was going to make me a better athlete.”

When he wasn’t getting the results he was looking for, he decided to try a 100 per cent plant-based diet “just because it was next on the list.” At first, Brazier admitted, it didn’t work. He was hungry and tired all the time. But once he figured out what was missing — iron, essential fatty acids, and vitamin B12 — he began to incorporate foods containing those nutrients into his diet. To obtain more iron, he’d add a half-cup of pumpkin seeds to his workout smoothie everyday, and so forth. It worked.

Still, Brendan is realistic: “The

[plant-based] foods in and of themselves don’t make you a better athlete.

They help you recover faster, which means you can space your workouts closer together, which means you can train faster and harder. Ultimately, you become a better athlete.”

But what about energy? “If calories equal energy, then the most obese people in this world would have tons of energy,” said Brendan. “This is obviously not the case.”

Instead, Brazier believes in the quality of those calories. He maintains that the best athletic performance diet is one that is well put-together, plantbased, and whole-foods. “I think lot of people don’t do it right — myself included in the beginning — but once you get it right, it really is a high-energy, quick-recovery, high-performance diet that can work well for anyone.”

Body building versus functional strength type workouts

As an endurance athlete, Brendan’s approach to working out has always been with a view to increase functionality. However, explained Brendan, body-builders perform a different type of work-out — one that builds big muscles that may or may not be strong or functional at all.

“Body-builders are marked solely by how they look: size, definition, symmetry, all these visual things,” said Brendan. “For me it’s about function.”

“Reducing inflammation for those guys, initially, may actually be a bad thing

because then their muscles get smaller,” he pointed out. “But the good thing is that [when their muscles] become more functional by reducing inflammation, they can lift heavier weight.

“And lifting heavier weight is ultimately what’s going to make them stronger.”

Sleeping better without stress

In the context of physical training, sleep is particularly essential for the regeneration, growth, and repair of our body’s cells. For students, who are often sorely lacking in this domain, Brazier explained that the secret to thriving off of fewer hours of shut-eye is the quality.

By eating high net-gain foods, Brendan added, overall stress is reduced and we enter more rapidly into the delta phase of sleep, more commonly referred to as deep sleep.

When this happens, said Brendan: “Then you don’t need to sleep as much.

You’re sleeping so efficiently that you’ll wake up after six and a half hours, and not need sleep anymore.

“It’s great for productivity because you have more time on your hands.

You simply don’t need to sleep so much because your quality’s so good, so quantity can go down.”

It’s better to be awkward

In addition to reaping the physical benefits from consistent exercise and a plant-based diet, Brendan pointed out that there are also lesser-obvious nonphysical benefits: increased creativity, better mood, improved memory, and enhanced problem-solving ability.

Repetitive-movement exercises such as brisk-walking, running, skating or swimming, encourage creative thoughts by stimulating the right-side of the brain. Quick-response exercises that require focus and co-ordination such as basketball, hockey, or tennis, improve overall mental performance by causing the brain to physically change by building new neurotransmitters.

Interestingly enough, the key with the latter, said Brazier, is not to get better at the sport. “It’s only in that phase when you’re still doing it awkwardly that you get the new neurotransmitters being made. Once you achieve proficiency, the cerebral benefits stop.”

Ultimately, when it comes to exercise, Brazier insists on the importance of choosing a form of activity that you enjoy.

“Many people say that yoga is great for reducing stress,” he said. “But that’s only true if you’re a person who likes yoga.” achiang@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Photos courtesy brendanbrazier.com

Call to the bullpen

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he MLB season is underway and in two short months the preseason predictions are out the window and false hope is replaced with bitter reality for some teams. Others are left hoping that a fast start is not a fluke and is a sign of things to come (Jays fans look away). The latter part of May is when the season gets into full swing so this is a perfect time to browse the league for things of note.

Hanley Ramirez decided to jog after a ball he booted and was subsequently pulled from the game by manager Fredi Gonzalez. It’s difficult to imagine putting such a poor effort into your job when thousands of people are watching you, including your boss. It has to be dispiriting to the Marlins’ organization when the face of your franchise doesn’t care enough to give 50 per cent, let alone 100.

The simple fact that Roy Halladay is averaging close to eight innings per start is testament enough to how great he is. Some people fail to realize how difficult it is to pitch deep into a baseball game. Not only does your arm get tired after all those pitches

jsmith@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

but it’s increasingly difficult to get hitters out the more times you face them in a game. Once a batter comes up to bat a third or fourth time, they’ve seen your arsenal and it takes a great pitcher to get them out repeatedly. In an era of pitch counts, Halladay is truly a throwback.

First down...

Don’t look now but the Toronto Blue Jays have one of the best records in the majors. However, they are still third in their division and the Rays and Yankees look unstoppable. It’s an encouraging sign for the Jays that they are hanging tough in baseballs’ toughest division.

What did Cito Gaston do to Jose Bautista and Alex Gonzalez? It appears Cito’s swing first, ask questions later approach to hitting is doing wonders for these two formerly “serviceable” players.

Between them they’ve combined for 46 extra base hits... if anyone asks, that’s really good. They are a big reason for the Jays being one of the top teams

in the majors in slugging percentage and why they are in the thick of pennant race for the time being.

Seventh inning stretch...

Is there anything left to see this season in the MLB? There has already been a cycle, a no-hitter, a perfect game, a three homerun game, a 20 inning game, a triple play, and a fan getting tasered on the field. If anyone was wondering whether taking steroids out of the game was a good thing I think this answers that question.

Speaking of steroids, the game is unquestionably more exciting to watch these days. Aging sluggers are finding themselves out of work and replaced with young, dynamic play-makers. It’s a refreshing change from the slo-pitch softball games that were being played at the turn of the century.

Overtime...

The Seattle Mariners can’t win a ball game. Not much else to say about that. If you can’t score runs

with Ichiro and Chone Figgins as your one and two hitters you don’t deserve to win games. They signed Cliff Lee to complement Felix Hernandez and yet they are last in the less than impressive AL West, where they were slotted as the team to beat. It would appear Don Wakamatsu and his staff are on there way out.

Good to see the Canadian kid Jeff Francis back in the big leagues after missing a year and change of action. He picked up a no-decision in his first start back allowing one run in seven innings of solid work. If the 2007 Francis returns to the Rockies it could shape up to be a pretty interesting four team race in the NL West.

While we’re in the West, why is Arizona’s bullpen so bad? They can’t possibly have purposely assembled a staff this bad. Any time a starter doesn’t go 7+ innings you have to pencil in a loss. Where are the good arms in their system? The easiest job in the majors is a bullpen pitcher, you need only have one above average pitch and you can get by.

Features

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

UW co-op students sees outstanding achievement Siaw Yun Poi creates innovative time-saving framework for local financial company Lawrence Toh Reporter

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courtesy cecs

he co-op student of the year award has thrust Siaw Yun Poi into University of Waterloo’s spotlight.

Her recent success story on the university’s website, and a closer look at her, reveals just why her credentials make her such a noteworthy person.

Despite her hectic schedule, the humble girl took a time-out to share her life experience which led to her current standing as one of Waterloo’s truly high achievers.

The co-op student of the year award recognizes students from each faculty for their contributions to co-op employers during the year, their academic achievements, their community involvement, and their overall contribution to co-operative education.

Poi, who worked for the investment portfolio management team at Sun Life Financial, created a sophisticated timesaving framework to process cash flows of private deals.

As a result of her creative amendment to the system, she also won the education at work Ontario award and received an honourable mention from the Canadian Association for Co-operative Education.

Born in Malaysia, Poi completed the latter years of her high school education

in Singapore, under full sponsorship by the Government of Singapore. This is not entirely surprising, as she comes across as an well-rounded student­—the key to earning the much-coveted scholarship.

The idea of extending one’s education to a foreign country even before completing high school might not be very daunting.

However, when that foreign country is Singapore, it genuinely makes her a courageous and outstanding individual, not mentioning that those years in Singapore have also nurtured her independence.

This writer, having experienced life in Singapore and knowing friends who gave up the scholarship due to the highly pressurized and competitive environment in Singapore, needs no further convincing that she is a remarkable young woman.

Perhaps what distinguished Poi from the myriad of talented students at UW is her bustling volunteer schedule. Poi, who started volunteering in high school, has been heavily involved in St. John’s Soup Kitchen and the Out of the Cold program.

Her charitable efforts include providing companionship to individuals who are recovering from drug addiction and getting them to open up.

The recollection of those memories provided her a better understanding of urban poverty, something she feels is commonly overlooked. Other charitable causes she has dedicated herself to include Food

Not Bombs, whereby she prepares meals at the Working Centre in Kitchener and serves them outside City Hall.

Speaking about volunteering, Poi said, “This is something which brings fulfilment, because it is a very tangible way of caring for the larger part of the community beyond my immediate circle of friends and family.

Granted, it’s not always easy, but the joy that comes from it is immeasurable.”

As for the future, Poi has vowed to continue giving to her local community for as long as possible. Poi truly embodies the “Malaysia Boleh” spirit.

As for the secret of Poi’s relentless pursuit of excellence in all her endeavours, she credits her parents for their easy-going and highly supportive parenting. Her parents hope for her to try her best—regardless of how things turn out—has been a constant source of motivation for her to outdo herself.

Poi, an ideal, yet inspiring role model to many first year students, also called on them to develop a longer term vision of their lives while maintaining an open mind and leaving room for spontaneity.

She believes such measures will help students align their time, resources, and efforts to attain the best results in the long term.

She also encourages students to be mindful of their goals, as it is essential for them to truly understand what it is that they are really pursuing at the end of the day.

First time’s the charm certain style and attitude. However, clothing, makeup, jewelry, and accessories can have such a powerful influence on others, there’s a risk of getting dragged down by stereotypes.

Much of the personal grooming advice out there for interviews (where first impressions are critical) encourage a tasteful, modest approach to the way you look so you don’t overwhelm people with what you’re wearing.

My suggestion? Ask people you trust to give you honest answers about what kind of message you’re sending with what you wear.

Ideally, these people should be part of the audience you want to make a great impression on.

You may be surprised at what they say—but it can only help you make a better impression in the future.

If great personal grooming was all it took to make a great first impression, only the most beautiful people would be successful in life.

Luckily for the normal 97 per cent of us, that’s not completely true. Using body language to project an aura of confidence is also extremely important.

Making eye contact, having a firm grip when shaking someone’s hand, smiling, and having an open posture are all important components of a confident demeanour.

Acting confident is important, but feeling confident is much more powerful. Remind yourself of things you’re proud of and past goals you’ve accomplished.

Write down some future goals you want to

“

If great personal grooming was all it took to make a great first impression, only the most beautiful people would be successful in life. Luckily for the normal 97 per cent of us, that’s not completely true.

take on, and figure out the steps it will take to get there. If there are things in your life you want to change, consider that now might be the perfect time to do it.

Having a sense of purpose and accomplishment in your life will naturally lift your spirits and make you more enthusiastic and confident.

People’s superficial perception of who you are is formed in the first 30 seconds of meeting them, but the true impression is determined by what you say — or don’t say—next. One thing Dale Carnegie emphasizes in his famous book How to Win Friends and Influence People is the importance of listening.

No matter what kind of dazzling performance you put on for people when you first meet them, it rarely compares to the impression you leave by making people feel listened to.

“

M

eeting new people is an essential first step to building your network, but what happens after that is totally determined by one thing: first impressions.

The image you project, and more importantly, how you are remembered, may define your relationship with that person for many years after.

After these initial judgments are made, it takes a lot of effort to make people think differently. So why not start off on the right track?

In their article titled “First Impressions,” Janine Willis and Alexander Todorov found that people can form initial judgments of people’s attractiveness, likeability, trustworthiness, competence, and aggressiveness after looking at a face for as little as 100 milliseconds.

These judgments tend to be eerily similar to the ones made over a far longer period of time. Needless to say, 100ms is barely enough time to breathe. So our appearances must have something to do with it.

Good grooming is therefore essential to making a great first impression.

The problem is that the definition of good grooming changes depending on the audience.

If you want to make a great impression on people who love tattoos and piercings, by all means, show off yours. If you’d like to fit in with a group that’s particularly fond of sweater vests, why not sport your own?

Certain looks may attract positive attention from certain audiences because they reflect a

imerrow@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Asking people about their interests and goals, paraphrasing (or “echoing back”) their ideas are both great ways to show people you’re genuinely interested in who they are.

Two key skills to practise: looking well groomed and listening to what people have to say.

Making a great first impression is the first step to building a great network you can rely on.

IMPRINT The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

HAVE A FEATURE STORY? EMAIL FEATURES@IMPRINT.UWATERLOO.CA

Features

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

13

Un Canadien À Paris bpetrescue@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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aris, otherwise known as the city of lights, is an amazing city. First off, it is a lot bigger than I ever remember it being. Secondly, there is always something to do in Paris. The first time I visited the city, I was only 12 years old—hardly an age where I could call myself a tourist or could even pretend to appreciate its splendour. I was interested in things other than art, architecture, and culture—arguably those areas in which we find some of Paris’s greatest treasures.

Really, all I wanted to see was the Eiffel Tower. This time around, I decided that things would be different.

From my first step off the train, I headed toward my hostel which, unfortunately, was outside the city centre. I took one look at the metro map and was completely dazed. Paris has a total of 14 metro stations, beside that, another five Réseau Express Régional stations, and more trains that travel in between the city as well, not to mention all the different buses that run outside and not underground. And if none of these suit your fancy, you

Bogdan Petrescu

can even rent a bike from one of the many stalls to get around on, allowing Paris to have the best public transportation system made; or at least that I have seen. Confused as I was, I managed to find my way to the hostel.

Paris is full of sights to see, the first one being the Louvre, which is a walking death trap. I spent nearly 10 hours in there and I just hope that I managed to see even 2/3 of it, though somehow I doubt it. There, you can find famous pieces, such as the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The Museum D’Orsay is the one you should go to if you enjoy the impressionists more.

If you’re more interested in architecture, there is plenty to see, including the famous Eiffel Tower—which is also the image that people often associate with Paris—Le Grand Palais, L’hotel des Invalides. These are just few of the numerous sites to see. If you are interested in the cathedrals, then both La Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame are both worth seeing. At

Notre Dame, you can even tour the top of the cathedral, which makes for some great scenery.

If all you really want to do is stroll down some streets, then I suggest taking a trip through the Latin Quarter, Saint.

Germain du-Prés. If you have more expensive tastes in mind, I suggest you take a trip down Champ d’Elisee. There, you will find the newest in fashion trends including designers like Gucci, Prada, and Louis Vuitton; and who knows, while you are there you might as well check the Arc de Triumph.

To sum it all up, Paris was amazing. Unfortunatley, I did not have enough time to see everything. Yes, sadly, five days was not enough. For example, I missed Versailles and the Tour de Montparnasse. The sights I did see were unforgettable, though, and one should defintely take their time with this city in order to truly marvel in its splendour.

Until next time, Au revoir.

14

Features

Latin Man Fever: A review

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

A funny thing happened on the way home the other day [Disclaimer: Imprint does not endorse the pornography industry and would like to remind readers that this is meant as a satirical piece.]

The back story:

I

magine my surprise when I found it. The holy grail sitting at my feet. Every man’s dream.

“ALL PORN MUST GO!” read the sign, with an arrow directing my eyes to the boxes upon boxes of pornographic DVDs on the side of the road.

The sea of perverts milling around was such a sight. They were all there for the same reason — free porn — but none of them seemed to be able to reconcile this fact enough to actually reach into any of the boxes and pick anything out.

“Well it’s mostly gay and tranny stuff left anyway,” said the now-out-of-work attendant at the closed-down porn shop. “Of course these guys are all here for the trannies; just look at them.”

He reached behind the counter and handed me Buxom Backdoor Vixens. “And here’s your shit. I know your type.”

Of course I grabbed a few more DVDs on my way out, things I might actually enjoy a bit more, and started calling all my friends to share my tale with anyone who would listen. And then I was asked by Imprint to share my little tale. The following is a review of one of the gems I picked up.

Latin Man Fever

The scene opens in a worn out basement with an out-of-place looking stove. “¡Ay ay ay!”

Our protagonist yelps his latino catchphrase as he examines the oven in front of him, a fitting beginning for a movie that spends the majority of its 40 minutes broadcasting his Hispanic yelping noises. “¡Ay dios mío!” It appears our smooth, tanned-skinned hero is desperately in need of an oven, presumably to make some variation of tacos, burritos, or flat bread.

His Spanish rambling evolves into an incoherent train of thoughts that this video’s target audience clearly cannot understand. Luckily, the props provided leave no part of this plot to the imagination.

After slowly taking off his shirt and examining his hairless chest in the implied intense heat of what obviously isn’t a tropical setting, our protagonist picks up his cell phone.

A choppy shift brings us to a hulking big Latino repair man fixing the boy’s oven. “¡Gracias! ¡Gracias!” But thank yous just won’t do for Fernando the repair man.

The two make a series of hand gestures that would put Helen Keller to shame in order to explain to the viewer that our young friend simply cannot pay for the services Fernando has provided.

Fernando, too, is boiling in the ever-intensifying heat of the basement, and unzips his onesie work uniform to reveal his rippling hairy, muscled body.

Ever so slowly he uses a cloth to wipe off the sweat accumulated from a job well done.

Our young friend, however, seems to have stared a little too long. Fernando begins to yell in a voice familiar to anyone who has ever heard a Latino man yelling at his countless children while they run around your local No Frills. The young man is frightened, but at the same time, obviously aroused by this display of what can only be called Latin passion.

Without missing a beat, Fernando strips off the remainder of his uniform and gestures wildly at his frighteningly large genitals.

Our smooth young friend has pissed off the wrong guy, and now he has to pay the price.

Unbeknownst to Fernando, this is exactly what the young man has been hoping for from the second the repairman stepped into his basement. “¡Ay!” is the noise that punctuates the remainder of the film, as the young man is degraded, defiled and penetrated in every conceivable position by something so appallingly large that the entirety of the blood flow in Fernandos body can’t manage to keep it erect. Either that or he is gay for pay.

In sum, Latin Man Fever provided 40 minutes of fun, a chance to rub a couple out and to put my first year Spanish course to good use.

4/5 stars.

Next week: Man Chowder tmeyers@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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Courtesy Mansex Productions

Why it matters

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The review:

Trav Meyers Staff Reporter

jbelanger@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Food is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. It shapes cultures, politics, economies and local environments.

ocavore. Vegetarian. Kosher. Meatitatarian. Vegan. Gluten-free. Microbiotic. Your personal food choices are amongst the most powerful mechanisms to enact social and environmental change. Your fridge or pantry is revelatory of the current state of the world and your place within it.

It can reveal your cultural background, dietary preferences, and ethical persuasions. It also illustrates how society at large regards food.

Most likely there is no shortage of heavily processed foods, an abundance of food flown from across the globe and perhaps a sizeable amount of animal products in your diet. This reality is largely a result of globalization and the industrialization of agriculture, which is increasingly commodifying and mechanizing food production. This current food system is causing a variety of social and environmental issues. I will attempt to address as many food-related issues as possible this spring term.

Growing your own food is a great way to reduce your food-based impact.

This does not need to be an expensive or time consuming endeavor. This year I have started a container garden which has only cost me approximately $20 and will supply me with fresh vegetables until autumn. So far, my decision to start my very own garden has been very rewarding. I very much enjoyed playing with the soil, even though I got caught in the rain. I’ve met new neighbors and managed to embellish an otherwise bland parking lot. I am looking forward to eating my first homegrown veggies and herbs, and will keep you posted on my progress and set backs.

You may ask; why should I care about food? Food is a fundamental aspect of everyday life. It shapes cultures, politics, economies and local environments.

For instance, the subsidization of crops such as corns and soybeans is affecting food policy and our diets. It is also transforming national economies as well as aggravating issues such as soil erosion and food poverty. Food sustains life on Earth. It also builds relationships between individuals, communities and nations.

The process by which food reaches our dinner tables is being concealed by “Big Agriculture,” through bureaucratic devices. I will attempt to lift this veil so that the student community can make real choices based on facts. It is essential to recognize that we have influence over corporate decision-making. One of the most effective ways to influence corporate giants is through our wallets.

Every time we purchase an item from the grocery store we are supporting the product and the related practices.

Having limited time and income, like most students, this is a particular challenge for me. It is often tempting to purchase TV dinners in bulk to survive the upcoming term, however it is my love of real food and my concern for the well-being of the planet and humankind that I resist. My hope is to convey my appreciation for food and the ecosystems as well as the communities that harvest it, to encourage thoughtful food choices.

Campus Bulletin UPTOWN WATERLOO BIA EVENTS 2010 Thursday, May 13 – UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival fundraiser featuring DEE DEE and The Dirty Martinis.

Saturday, June 19 – UpTown Country July 16-18 – UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival August 26-29 – Waterloo Busker Carnival Sunday, September 12 – UpTown Dining Saturday, October 9 – 29th Annual Pancake Breakfast Saturday, October 9 – 32nd Annual Great Oktoberfest Barrel Race Monday, October 11 – Thanksgiving Day Parade November 2010 – UpTown Waterloo BIA Annual General Meeting November 4-6 – UpTown Waterloo Treasure Hunt Saturday, November 20 – Santa Claus Parade November 2010 – Holiday Open House December 2010 – FREE Horse Drawn Trolley Rides December 2010 – Victorian Carolers For more information about the above events call 519-885-1921 or email uptownwaterloobia@waterloo.ca or www. uptownwaterloobia.com.

UPCOMING May 2010 Rotunda Gallery presents “Coming and Going” by WCI students for the month of May, at 200 King Street, W., Kitchener.

For info 519-741-3400, ext 3381.

Saturday, May 22, 2010 rare Charitable Research Reserve presents “Community Garden Workshop” with Matthew Crooks from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., 1679 Blair Road, Cambridge. For more info 519-650-9336, ext 125 or www. raresites.org.

June 2010 “Studies in Heavenly Things” by Henna Kim (www.hennakimArt.com) presented at Rotunda Gallery, Kitchener City Hall for the month of June. For info 519-7413400, ext 3381.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010 Have you created documentary highlighting human rights? Submityour project and gain some key exposure for your cause. Submission deadline is June 1. For more info www.hrdocfest.com.

Friday, June 4, 2010 FREE fashion show/complementary lunch previewing Coquette’s 2011 costume collection at Cambridge Holiday Inn, 200 Holiday Inn Drive from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. RSVP 519-623-9881, ext 288.

June 4 to 6, 2010 Subtle Technologies Festival – come experience the “Art & Science of Sustainability” at Innis Town Hall, Toronto. For info www.subtletechnologies.com.

Sunday, June 6, 2010 artsawards – “ceremony & stage performance” at 6:30 p.m., Centre In The Square, Kitchener. For tickets/info www. kwartsawards.ca.

Saturday, June 12, 2010 Mark your calendars – the annual Service Centre open house is coming up with proceeds from the day will benefit KidsAbility. For info call 519-747-8629 or 519-747-8625.

June 14 to 18, 2010 Compass Points for Students and Emerging Artists – the most exciting gathering of theatre students and young artists in Canada! The event is sponsored by UW and will be held during the Magnetic North Theatre Festival. For applications/info compasspoints@magneticnorthfestival.ca or www.magneticnorthfestival.ca.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010 Student Video Contest – hosted by City of Kitchener – explore your creativity, win cash prizes and have your video digitally projected on City Hall. Deadline is June 30 at 4 p.m. For guidelines and application visit www.kitchener.ca.

July 23 – 25, 2010 Second annual Human Rights Docfest 2010, hosted at the National Film Board’s Toronto Mediateque. Will showcase Canadian films that highlight both national and international human rights issues. For info www.hrdocfest.com.

UPCOMING Sunday, July 25, 2010 Memorial fundraiser for Chris Lane, UW alumni who passed away at the age of 29 from Hodgkins Lymphoma.

Join us from 12 to 10 p.m. at Waterloo Public Square, UpTown Waterloo.

This family-friendly event will include face painting, guitar hero contests, food vendors and much more! Live music with local musicians and bands.

All proceeds being donated to the Canadian Cancer Society to fund Lymphoma research.

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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 Human Resources, K-W Habilitation Services, 108 Sydney Street, Kitchener, ON, N2G 3V2.

HOUSING

CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOPS Please refer to https://strobe.uwaterloo.ca/ cecs/cs for updates/changes to workshops.

Tuesday, May 25: Interview Skills: Preparing for Questions – 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC 1208 Networking 101 – 4:30 to 6 p.m., TC 1208 Wednesday, May 26: Interview SkillsSelling Your Skills – 2:30 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208 Thursday, May 27: Exploring Your Personality Type, Myers-Briggs Type IndicatorPart II – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., TC 1112 Monday, May 31: Interview Skills for Academic Positions – 12 to 1:30 p.m., TC 2218.

Tuesday, June 1: Work Search Strategies for International Students – 3 to 4:30 p.m., TC 1208.

All About GMAT: 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., TC 1208.

Wednesday, June 2: Business Etiquette and Professionalism – 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., TC 1208.

Career Interest Assessment (Strong Interest Inventory): note – materials charge of $10 payable to at Career Services prior to the session. 2:30 to 4 p.m., TC 1113.

Campus Ministry at St. Jerome’s University Welcomes You! Catholic Mass: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday ............12:00 noon (In Notre Dame Chapel)

Saturday................................... 5:00 p.m (In Siegfried Hall) Sunday ..................9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. (In Seigfried Hall) Sunday – Student Mass .......... 7:00 p.m (In Seigfried Hall) For more information please phone 519-884-8111, Martha at Ext. 28215 or Sarah at Ext. 28220 or visit our website at www.sju.ca/ucc.html

We look forward to seeing you!

Housing on campus – St. Paul’s University College has undergrad and grad housing available immediately or throughout the term. Please contact Jenn at jlaughli@ uwaterloo.ca.

All ensuite bedrooms! Condo style units at 74 Marshall Street present a lavish twist on student living. Each bedroom features an ensuite bathroom. Greens, blues and browns compliment the highend aesthetics, featuring dark cabinets, dark wood flooring and glass tiling – a beautiful way to study and live in style.

Price per student is $595/month including utilities and internet (rare for new buildings). Parking available. September start, one year lease. Please call 519-572-

0278 to book an appointment.

Luxury Lester Lofts – welcome to the start of a new era in student living. Premium, luxury student accommodation steps away from UW. Open-concept floor plans, sleek, urban finishes/colours, high ceilings, kitchen peninsulas, black appliances including dishwasher, large windows, onsite laundry, over 100 square feet in bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms and private balconies. Parking $35/month. Prices from $547 – $600 depending on floor.

Includes utilities, hi-speed internet and cable. Call 519-572-0278 for a viewing.

SERVICES

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IMPRINT The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

A GREAT PORTFOLIO BUILDER

TREASURER Board of Directors position is vacant The Treasurer shall cause to be kept full and accurate accounts of all receipts and disbursements of the Corporation in proper books of account and shall cause to be deposited all monies or other valuable effects in the name and to the credit of the Corporation in the bank or banks from time to time designated by the Board. He/she shall disburse the funds of the Corporation under the direction of the Board, taking proper vouchers therefor and shall render to the Board, whenever required of him/her, an ac-

count of all his/her transactions as Treasurer and of the financial position of the Corporation. He/ she shall co-operate with the auditors of the Corporation during any audit of the accounts of the Corporation and shall perform other duties that are prescribed from time to time by the Board or that are incidental to his office.

The Treasurer shall also be responsible for assisting the full-time staff in the creation of the annual budget, to be presented at the AGM.

To apply, ask questions, more info, email board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Systems Administrator

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.

Web Developer

TO APPLY FOR THIS JOB, YOU MUST FIRST BE APPROVED FOR ELIGIBILITY INTO THE INTERNATIONAL WORK STUDY PROGRAM FOR SPRING 2010

Up to 5 hours/week at $11/hour. Qualifications; working knowledge of LAMP servers ; experience with DJango web framework ; proficient with CSS, HTML, experience with JavaScript, JQuery an asset ; experience with PHP & MySQL is an asset ; proficient with Adobe Photoshop CS4 ; knowledge of current web trends, common practices, Web 2.0 SEO optimization. Job description tasks; web exculsive content for sections, web server maintenance ; curating comment/forum pages ; updating links to other websites ; blogging projects ; promoting Imprint website to students.

Please send resume to editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

The perfect fit:

Stars performs at Starlight Jacob McLellan staff reporter

D

Michael Chung

elays. They’re a pain, especially when we’re teased by colourful, flashing lights, the tech-guy setting up instruments, and the overly-long pauses between songs. The concert started close to 10:30 p.m., nearly an hour and a half late. And, oh no, the alcohol was not flowing, at least for the eager fans at the front. We staked our spot early on, willing to wait longer than we would for the Behemoth on a long weekend.

Stars has a certain presence. Once they arrived on stage and started playing their heralding song “Dead Hearts” from their soon-to-release album The Five Ghosts, my frustration dissipated.

Stars is currently on tour advertising The Five Ghosts, which hits the stores on June 22. The CD sounds very promising as most of the new songs are great. In particular, “Dead Hearts” and “This is the Last Song” often surpass hits from their older albums.

I’ll be shocked if “Dead Hearts” doesn’t become a hit in Canada.

It rings bells of old-favourites like “The Calendar Girl,” and “Personal.”

This hauntingly beautiful song sings of people growing heartless and unloving: “I can say it, but you won’t believe You say you do, but you don’t deceive me.” The somber song carries the idea that just saying you love one another isn’t good enough. You need to demonstrate and prove it constantly: “…it’s hard to hard to know that you still care Dead hearts are everywhere.”

The band gathered an audience from all factions, not one of which could say that Stars didn’t give a spectacular performance. Expectedly, the audience was way more lively and into the songs that they could sing along with, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t swaying, cheering, and clapping throughout. Stars is also full of great people, which is why they can gather a diverse crowd. They love their fans, their music, their band members, and their mothers (demonstrated by dedicating the song “Ageless Beauty” to all of Stars’s moms).

Of course, on top of all that, they’re musical geniuses. Although I expected a slightly raw, degraded sound from their live-gig, Stars wasn’t like that. Sure, Amy Millan may have been drunk, high, or both (most likely both), but that didn’t stop her voice from giving me goose-bumps.

It’s angelic, carrying the nostalgia of youth and innocence. When Amy Millan’s voice is coupled with Torquil (better known as Torq) Campbell’s voice — with its diverse medley of expressive emotion — the entire experience is powerful and mystifying.

The only song I wasn’t impressed by was “We Don’t Want Your Body.” Although it kept with their theme of promoting inner-beauty, the song doesn’t quite display their lyrical creativeness that we’ve heard in the past as most of it sounded akin to Foo Fighter’s “The Best of You,” meaning: repeating “I don’t want your body” for the better portion of the song.

“Tonight” was performed by Torq with Chris Seligman accompanying on the piano as the encore. Everything was going swimmingly. Chris never missed a beat and Torq was expressing himself bravely, until Torq blanked on the lyrics, stopped, laughed, and suggested that they start again. It’s moments like these that can break an artist, but Torq made a flip-joke about his terrible memory thanks to years of marijuana use and asked the audience to help him out the second time through. He started up again shortly and finished the show on a great note.

By the end of the night, the irking delays in the beginning were forgotten by the wonderful performance by Stars, and the audience was left with great memories and great anticipation for the release of The Five Ghosts. jmclellan@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Michael Chung

Punchalice: Bad Dancing and Experimentation Julia Gunst staff reporter

K

itchener-Waterloo’s music scene fosters an electric mix of local bands, including Punchalice, an up-and-coming indie outfit that wants to make you dance. Badly.

Both figuratively and literally. Punchalice, which comprises of Brian on drums, Ted on guitar, Jamison on vocals and guitar, and Bruce on keyboard and synths, got their start playing basement shows in Guelph. “At these shows, people would start dancing, and people get really self-conscious if they are looking good, especially if there are good dancers,” explained

keyboard and synth player Bruce Bobier. Ted took on an innovative approach, as Bobier said: “Ted being not a good dancer, but creative, would dance as badly as possible, like doing the Carlton from the Fresh Prince.” Inevitably, we have all either witnessed or been one of those people afraid to let loose and reveal potentially embarrassing dance moves.

To loosen the mood, the band embraced Ted’s idea of “bad dancing,” which originated from Barrie house parties, where friends would battle to be the worst dancer rather than the best.

Although few can dance well, “anyone can dance badly,” explained Bobier, “and thats what we try to bring out at our shows.” In a sense, Punchalice

aims to make the dance floor more egalitarian to provide a space for all to move to the music without feeling the pressure to be the best. In fact, Punchalice wants the goal to be the worst.

“You can look like a goof, and we’ll love you for it,” saed Bobier.

The drive to make you dance plays a founding influence in Punchalice’s music. As Bobier explained, during the songwriting process, “if Ted doesn’t dance then there’s a problem.” Driving, pulsing beats and synths play a key role in this pursuit. The addition of synths to the band’s sound originated from a search in Bobier’s roommate’s closet for a synthesizer. Bobier had originally quit the band to pursue a Ph.d in Florida: “I had been

playing with Jamison and Ted for the last four or five years in other bands... and I then moved to Florida, quit the band, and they found a new drummer.” Bobier later returned to K-W, but by this time, the band was ready to meet its maker.

Ted and Jamison invited Bobier to a final jam session, but was in need of something to play. “We found this little synthesizer, which I still use, and I brought it out to a practice, which was going to be the last one, and we ended up writing two songs that night, which eventually ended up being on the EP we put out,” explained Bobier, “so after that it was like okay you’re in the band again.”

See Bruce Bobier, page 17

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

Bruce Bobier:

Au Revoir Call of Duty?

music and more

tkoshy@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Courtesy of AliveDownload

The begining of the end?

F

or those unaware, one of the latest scandals to rock the gaming world is the ongoing, and petty, feud between members of Infinity Ward and Activision.

The players in this soap opera? Infinity Ward, the developer behind the Call of Duty series, one which has been well-received by both the public and critics. Activision, the publisher for this series, which represents at least on third of its consistent revenue (a la quarterly reports and industry insiders).

The first firing shots of the feud, was when the president and CEO of Infinity Ward, Jason West and Vince Zampella respectively, were fired by Activision (who owned Infinity Ward, a la 2003). This was followed by at least half of Infinity Ward resigning from the studio. Subsequently lawsuits were filed and accusations were fired faster than a pooping elephant with diarrhoea.

The ex-employees of Infinity Ward claim that Activision has withheld bonuses and royalties from them in a ploy to keep them working on future projects for the publisher.

Activision on the other hand has filed a suit directly at West and Zampella for breach of contract, specifically on the charges of insubordination and reportedly negotiating with a rival publisher.

Videogame publishers usually finance, advertise, and distribute products that are created by the developers. The usual agreement is that the publishers remit a certain percentage of the profits towards the developers. Publishers often outright buyout developers in order to keep good talent within their reach and take control over creative product (such as retaining the license to Call of Duty as Activision did). In short, both players need each other in order to survive. The publisher can’t survive without a product to market, distribute, and sell and the developer can’t get their product out if it can’t be distributed, marketed, and sold.

Many will wonder if Call of Duty will die as a result. My answer? It will be like any other child whose parents divorce. It can survive and maybe even flourish. Or, it can end up as a bitter shell of its former self.

The difference? Whether or not the right steps were taken.

Support Treyarch In a recent interview Activision admitted that it believed that the next Call of Duty game (Black Ops) would probably not sell as much as Modern Warfare 2. While some

might argue that this a realistic approach, I say “Defeatist!”

Activision’s first problem is that its releasing Call of Duty: Black Ops right after the recent controversy and right after Modern Warfare 2.

Modern Warfare 2 is a tough act to follow and despite Treyarch’s experience with the franchise (Call of Duty 3, World at War), they’re still not Infinity Ward.

Treyarch, a somewhat limited co-developer of the franchise, has often been referred to as the little brother to the giant that is Infinity Ward. More often than not, many of their Call of Duty games have been the lettuce to the steak burger that the franchise is. While their products have been “competent” and have generally leaned towards the darker depiction of warfare (an interesting step), more often than not they have often missed that special spice that Infinity Ward was able to whip up.

To play a Treyarch game would be like eating a cheesecake without a crust; sure it tastes great but there’s something missing.

However, in light of Infinity Ward’s inevitable shut down, Treyarch has seen its role change to that of the step dad. Sometimes this relationship works out and other times it ends badly. Treyarch should take this opportunity to spend more time with the product and release it when the game is finished. If their press statements are to be believed, Treyarch has decided to rectify the problems that were inherent within Modern Warfare 2 (10 metre knife kills and nuke kill-streaks). This is an ambitious goal and the proper time and effort must be spent on it.

Hence Activision should actively give all its support to Treyarch if it even wants the possibility of saving the franchise. To say that the Call of Duty franchise rests on Treyarch’s admittedly small shoulders is not an understatement.

Do Not Annualize It As Activision revealed in a quarterly report, there are plans to annualize the franchise, that is to say releasing a Call of Duty game every year. Other videogame companies have tried it and needless to say it didn’t work out so well for shooters.

In a recent interview with 1UP magazine, EA Games president admitted that their initial strategy of releasing a new Medal of Honor game every year was a major factor behind the series’s downhill slide. Needless to say I agree. Videogame development is a creative process, one that cannot be rushed or placed on a schedule. When one is spitting out a franchise year after year, it soon becomes stale, repetitive, and boring. Look at every EA Sports franchise, which pumps out the same product with only different rosters year after year. Can you really see a difference, gameplay wise, between NHL 08 and NHL 09?

Most good videogames on average take at least two to five years. To even attempt to compartmentalize that entire process is a mistake.

The closest approximation would be a choice between an hour-long lovemaking session or a 10 second quickie. Sure you end up with an orgasm in both cases, but the former is more likely to please your lover.

The Future?

In the end some might say that the Call of Duty franchise will end up being the victim of its own success. Numerous other franchises, such as Battlefield or the reanimated Medal of Honor have reared their heads and have laid claim to the Infinity Ward’s crown.

Ironically Call of Duty’s death may not be the result of Acitvision’s and Infinity Ward’s spat. Or maybe everyone will just say sorry and things will go back to as they were (if you believe that please email me if you’re interested in some swampland property).

17

Continued from page 16 Courtesy of laura Fox

Experimentation played a role in Punchalice’s development, but they have also challenged themselves to strip their music bare. “We played an acoustic show... it was challenging first of all, because if we’re so high energy, [with the] synths, drum machine and [the] loud playing, an acoustic show with folk musicians and what not [means] you have to break it down and ask are these songs communicable without those dynamics and energy?” said Bobier. Bobier saw pushing the limits and expanding boundaries as something that is pivotal to both music and science. “Its kind of like science, I’m really interested in these questions, I don’t really care if I publish, and I’d love to have my work impact the field. Similar to music I’m just curious about it, I want to know how far we can go as musicians and what we are capable of,” explained Bobier. The band recently released a new project, titled Punchalice and the Incredible Machine, consisting of several tracks. “These songs that we’ve done are such a big step forward from the last round that we did on the EP,” said Bobier, “I’m really looking forward to getting those done.”

The title of the project is inspired by a 1930s heroine, Punchalice, from a friend’s graphic novel (who also inspired the group’s current moniker) and a storyline of animals being saved from encroaching humans with the help of an incredible machine (and Punchalice) that was developed by another friend. “The animals assemble this incredible machine... the animals would basically go up this elevator into the machine and fling themselves towards towards the

humans to try to reclaim this city for nature,” said Bobier. Naming the band Punchalice has brought some challenges. “We do take a lot of heat for the name,” said Bobier, “but we are all pretty passive guys, we don’t like getting hurt.”

The band’s name therefore does not refer to a misogynist nature, as has been inferred by some.

A network of supportive friends has been valuable to the band, and Bobier explained, “we’re just lucky to have a lot of really good friends, who can help out when needed.” In addition to support from friends, local venues and the music community have also been fundamental. Of the Kitchener-Waterloo music scene, Bobier commented that “its supportive... because its Kitchener-Waterloo, its so small, your going to run into people all the time and helping people help people is a big part of it. Its a really cool scene.” With places to play and people to meet, things start happening. In regard to this phenomenon, Bobier explained that, “When you have an environment like that, you get people that wouldn’t be playing otherwise out of their basement or their bedroom, thinking man what he did isn’t so hard, I think I can do that, and it kind of snowballs from there... and scenes start happening.” The K-W music scene has a energetic contributor in Punchalice. Said Bobier, “We try to push to do the best we can... put on a good show for people and get them dancing as much as we can.” jgunst@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

18

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

Movie Reviews

Courtesy IMBD

Robin Hood Ridley Scott Universal Pictures

T

his movie surprised me on a number of levels. First and foremost was the new and unique interpretation of the Robin Hood tale, beginning with a very different portrayal of King Richard the Lionheart, down to Robin’s heritage and his rise to fame.

This movie is almost all back story. It ends when most of Robin Hood’s legends begin: when Robin becomes

an outlaw. It is the story of an archer who travels back to England under an assumed name in order to survive, and yet, in fulfilling an oath to a dying man, he goes to Nottingham to return a sword. Robin soon learns the full story of his past and takes up a name and responsibility for people around him that he had never shouldered before.

He is a man of character and a man of integrity in a time when both are in short supply. The movie and Robin’s own past focus around an inscription on a sword: “Rise, and rise again. Until lambs

become lions,” for something about it triggers memories from Robin’s youth.

There is much to appreciate about this version of the legend of Robin of the Hood, and some that leaves to be desired.

First, the cinematography is stunning and incredibly well done. Director Ridley Scott uses imaginative transitions and cuts for battle scenes and visually the film is very well done. The action

by Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett is strong and convincing. William Hurt as an older advisor and lord is a fitting, cunning supporting role. Mark Strong as Godfrey, a wolf in sheep’s clothing, plays an incredible villain. However, what lets the movie down most is the orchestration composed by Marc Strietenfeld. By about half way through the movie it sounds too similar to the Lord of the Rings scores, at times too majestic for the action on screen.

The score is the weakest part of the entire production. The other thing that makes this film rank a little lower for me is the fact that they leave it set up perfectly for a sequel or even a new franchise, and yet there is no indication of a follow-up film in the works.

In conclusion, it is a good film, because it leaves you wanting to know the rest of the story.

— Steven R. McEvoy

Courtesy IMBD

Iron Man 2 Jon Favreau Paramount Pictures

W

ith a great comic mythology and a cast of reasonable actors, one would expect something like Iron Man 2 to be amazing. Although one can hope otherwise, it falls into the same trap as most superhero movie sequels.

Turning into a joyride of explosions and chaos, especially within the last half hour of the movie, Iron Man 2 lacks any sort of consistent plot to make it understandable. Instead, we get a mishmash of several plotlines that somehow gets smashed together in one big finale at the end, including a few of them that should have been dropped from the movie. The finale doesn’t even address all of the plotlines, but drops them with choppy cliff hangers. Even

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the average synopsis of the movie is relatively cliché: Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) must make new friends and combat new foes as the Iron Man. That’s the movie in a nutshell and we all know Marvel Comics can do better.

The choice of actors was great.

However, the often one dimensional personalities presented by the characters underplayed the abilities of these actors. With some of the characters, including Tony Stark, who was presented as a narcissist jerk, or Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), Stark’s whining rival, that single mindedness was required.

The best characters were multi-faceted; they had actual personalities and believable characters including Gwyneth Paltrow’s Virginia Pepper Potts, Don Cheadle’s Lt. Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes, and Mickey Rourke’s Ivan Vanko. Several characters, like Scarlett Johansson’s Natalie Rushman and Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, were really not needed. They played relatively minor roles, with Scarlett Johansson’s performance only pushing through in the last adrenaline-rushed sequence.

However, if you’re a junkie for explosions and fighting, then Iron Man 2 has you covered. If you love action and nothing else, then who needs plot and characters? You have more than one “Iron Man” and we know how many crazy and unique ideas for fight sequences Marvel has come up with over the years. Even though the technology in the movie is fantastical, the movie presents it in such a way that it might actually be possible, adding a dose of realism.

Iron Man 2 is a thrill ride with a choppy flow, with a few scenes of pure action and a few scenes of boringness.

See it for an action-packed mindless trip, not for anything else.

A note to keep in mind: the teaser trailer at the end of the movie is not worth it. Don’t bother staying until the end of the credits, it really isn’t great.

— Divyesh Mistry

Comics & Distractions

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

crossword

CATCHING Zs

ACROSS 1. Prof. Farnsworth’s locale 5. Home to Christ the Redeemer 11. Helsinki School of Economics 14. It turns turtles into ninjas 15. Sweet liquers (Ital.)

16. Off-roader 17. Don Diego de la Vega’s drink of choice 20. Noteworthy scarcity 21. State between Minn. and Mt. 22. Remove troops 23. Where American Eagles buy bras 24. Missile Defense Agency 25. Sound of annoyance 27. Sony’s online gaming service (abbr.)

28. Munch 31. Simba’s drink of choice?

33. Female robber of the seas 34. “One ___ time.”

37. Transaction recording books (alt.)

38. Big Brit 39. Xbox Motorsport series 40. O3 42. University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture 43. PepsiCo. snack food division 46. David Bowie’s drink of choice?

50. Serenity’s second in command 51. Expressed boredom 52. With regard to 53. Triple bond suffix 54. Ms. Gabor 55. National Healthcare Safety Network

1

2

3

4

5

14

6

By Mike Koivusalo 7

8

9

10

11

15

17

18

13

22 24

25 28

29

26

9

32

33

34

37

35

36

38

39

40

42

43 48

44

41

45

46

47

50

51

52

53

54

55

10. Ms. Lemon 11. Sprint 12. Bering or Hudson 13. Elicit 18. British news channel (abbr.)

19. Boxing punch 23. “From ____” (all) 25. Terrible ____ 26. Type of African hand drums 28. Slavic monarch 29. Crude, temporary shelters 30. Sweet suffix 31. Angular pattern 32. Length x Width

Hi Miss Gu,

3

5

30

5

2

6 3

23

31

7

19 21

27

sudoku

16

20

DOWN 1. Bridge bid 2. How some ride rollercoasters 3. Longest serving captain of an NHL team 4. Filipino construction co.

5. Scottish fishing village 6. Geeky Friend 7. Inquires 8. Popular Facebook world 9. Independant Living Fund

12

49

33. Point nearest the body being orbited 34. Do away with 35. Lessees of land 36. Watch over, with “keep” 37. Soothing skin liquid 39. Like Wuzzy the bear 40. Sudden death and shootouts, e.g.

41. 2008 Adam Sandler character 43. Henry Winkler to his fans 44. Fish egg masses 45. 2006 Sherwood Smith book 47. Rush instrumental song 48. British special forces regiment (abbr.)

49. Kiss sound

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Solutions: S W I N G S P A R S E C A S T H M A I N C L E A N I H A Y R I D A G E O F O R W A R B A E S S A G P I E R C E A S Y O U I N M Y S T R N O A C S T N E A

May 7, 2010

N O S O I N G E S E D F U E E C L E E P A E D S

A G T W E I O L S T L E L P R E S A I P I A A L L B R A R E A L O N S T W I S G A E M I M A L O

R A I L S

E M C E E

T R E N T

S A N T A

A C T O N

S K I R T

L I C O S A M A R

The Gorgeous Brunette From Timmy’s,

It has been almost three years and a half since I have feeling on you. I don’t know if you noticed or not, I am always sitting around you in the class. You will be leaving Waterloo soon, but my feeling on you would still be here.

Mr. Hopefully-Right Dear Dino

I noticed you noticin’ me, And I noticed you noticed me noticin’ you, So I just wanted to put you on notice That I’d like to get to know you.

Same place, same time, the week of the 5th?

-Your Fresh Prince

The chemistry between us is strong like an aromatic ring. Why don’t you swing one of those pi electrons out and we’ll do some concerted bonding?

I’ll always be looking to get you.

-Dinophile

Missed any connections lately?

Got any ideas, gripes, or randomly entertaining thoughts?

Send them (with utmost affection) to

distractions@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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How are you going to thank Queen Victoria for an extra day off?

By Sonia Lee, Peter Kreze, and Toyin Jibowu

“The Queen can eff-off. Canada is its own country and I don’t support imperialism.”

“I will celebrate in style by doing some calculus.”

Diana Wong

James McNeill

2B Chemical Engineering

3A Environmental Engineering

“By having a barbecue.”

Aalima Lalani 4B Sociology

“I will give her a 21 shot salute... on her face!”

“With a box of cigars and a bottle of whiskey.”

Gale Pettus & Deema Saleh 4B Math, Graduate of Masters in Management Sciences

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Mudi Sildozi 4B Economics & Science

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Comics & Distractions

Imprint, Friday, May 21, 2010

RAJUL SALEH (adifferentperspective@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

ADRIENNE RAW (araw@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

MICHAEL TO (irresponsiblyoptomistic@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)

“J.T.” (geese@imprint.uwaterloo.ca)