Imprint_2010-12-03_v33_20 by Editor Imprint

Impr int The university of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, December 3, 2010

Vol 33, No

imprint . uwaterloo . ca

Bomber goes Green Go

In this week’s issue

News WRPS seek UW laptop thieves

Robert Dziarmaga

Green Go, a dance pop band from Guelph, played at the Bombshelter Pub on Nov 26. Athena Ngai reporter

ast Thursday wasn’t just any sweaty dance night at the Bomber, as the Bomber hosted Guelph’s electro dance pop sensations/“dance till your death” gurus Green Go, who were opened by KW’s very own Trap Tiger. Thursday was a special night for Trap Tiger as they played before family and friends. Although I had categorized their Wolf Parade-esque sound

as somewhere closer to indie rock than indie pop, their catchy guitar riffs and hooks did the job in getting the audience in a dance mood. Formed in 2009, these fresh-faced indie rockers are a band to look out for – especially in the Waterloo scene. As for the headline band Green Go, Thursday was also special as it was the band’s first gig since September, and their last with their current set of songs (they’re working on a new album). Green Go began their set with fanatic, synth-pop crowdpleasers such as “Put Your Specs on Boy,” “You Know You Want It,” “Brains For Breakfast,” and

WRPS seeks suspects in assault and theft cases

“Watch Your Step,” but, after starting off with a couple of their strongest, most hyper-fanatic songs, the energy seemed to die off a bit. Overall, Green Go played a fun and energetic mix of smart, forward-thinking experimental beat music with silly lyrics such as “Let’s eat brains for breakfast!” – which is exactly what I, and many others, seemed to really enjoy dancing to. Green Go promised to be back soon with new material; perhaps sometime next year when their new album drops. Be sure to check them out then and dance along. You know you want it.

assistant news editor

Ryan Webb news editor

ver the last week, the Waterloo Regional Police Service released surveillance footage of three males suspected to have been involved in two separate incidents in and around campus.

Violent sex assault on Hazel On November 30, at around midnight, a 19-year-old female was walking alone on Hazel Street when she was allegedly approached from behind by a male and threatened with a knife. Police say the male forced the victim into a nearby backyard where she was sexually assaulted. See WANTED, page 3

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KIK sued by RIM Brent Golem

assistant editor-in-chief

Luna Wei

irst it was master and student, now it is David versus Goliath. The dynamic between telecommunication giant RIM, makers of the BlackBerry smartphone, and KIK Interactive Inc. evolved on Tuesday after RIM filed a lawsuit against the viral app developer in the Federal Court of Toronto. The lawsuit claims that KIK “infringes on RIM’s intellectual property and failed to comply with privacy and other laws” and made false statements

when marketing the application that has allegedly caused RIM “serious and irreparable harm.” RIM is seeking a permanent injunction restraining KIK Interactive from further developing and distributing its KIK app, as well as damages in excess of $50,000. If the suit succeeds, the injunction will effectively put an end to one of the fasting growing apps as KIK will be stopped from distributing its app over all platforms, including android and iOS. See KIK, page 3

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News

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Wanted: for crimes on and around campus Continued from front page

Unusually, after the alleged assault, the pair walked into the Coffee Time at the intersection of Hazel and Albert Streets, where the male suspect was captured on their security camera. After leaving the coffee shop, the female victim was able to contact an acquaintance and phoned the police. “It’s our belief that she was concerned for her safety, so she complied with his demands,” police spokesperson Olaf Heinzel told The Record. Police describe the suspect as being in his late 20s or early 30s. He is about five feet eight inches tall, and weighs approximately 200 pounds. The suspect caught on the security footage has short black hair, facial stubble, and tanned skin. He is said to have a “slight accent.” The incident occurred within hours of another sex attack on a 23-year-old near Westwood Drive in Kitchener. Police are working under the assumption that the attacks are unrelated. “There are differences in [the two incidents],” Heinzel said. Shameless duo snag laptops on campus

Also this week, WRPS released images of two men they are seeking in connection with a recent theft of laptops on campus. Police have stated that several students were approached on November 8 and had their laptops taken. No injuries were reported. The incident apparently occurred near the Dana Porter Library, according to Anyone with information on the attacks or thefts is asked to call WRPS’ Division 3 detectives at (519) 653-7700 ext. 3386, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. — With files from the Record

Photos courtesy WRPS

Waterloo Regional Police Service released these photos of individuals wanted in connection with crimes that occurred on and near campus in the last month. Above left: The male suspect wanted in connection with a sexual assault on Hazel Street. Above right: Two suspects wanted in connection with a theft of laptops on campus.

Kik’d to the curb; product’s future uncertain RIM sues UW student’s KIK claiming the multi-platform messenger infringes its patent

“

RIM, the company I worked for as a co-op student. The company I loved. The company that I thought could benefit from KIK’s vision for a mobile community... The company I shared our entire plan with every step of the way, is suing us.

— Ted Livingston, KIK CEO

The cover page of the statement of claim filed by Research in Motion against KIK on Nov. 30, which alleges the latter infringed its patent.

Continued from front page

“I’m not afraid. I’m not surprised. But I am disappointed,” said KIK CEO Ted Livingston in a release on their website. The lawsuit also claims that Livingston, employed by RIM for approximately 14 months — half of which was spent working directly on the BlackBerry Messenger — had access to RIM proprietary information and broke confidentiality agreements. “RIM, the company I worked for as a co-op student. The company I loved. The company that I thought could benefit from KIK’s vision for a mobile community,” said Livingston. “The company that placed KIK on Blackberry App World without issue. The

company I shared our entire plan with every step of the way, is suing us.” Livingston allegedly used this information for his own benefit as those confidentiality agreements were supposed to limit any knowledge that he gained to be used “only while employed at RIM, for RIM’s benefit and not for any other purpose.” KIK isn’t the only nor biggest crossplatform messaging system, but it is the only one that has incurred the wrath of RIM. WhatsApp, based in Israel, and PingChat, which is based across the hall from KIK in the Accelerator Centre, both offer similar clients and have similar functionality. All offer push servicing, meaning that new messages get pushed to the forefront of the

phone and you don’t need to be in the app to get notifications. However, KIK was the only one that had such high user use that it overloaded RIM’s push servers and put an overwhelming strain on system resources. Another similarity of these three services is the sent, delivered and read notifications as well as linking all texts between contacts into a single thread. RIM alleges to have patented these software technologies. The only large variant between these programs is the way KIK harvested users from your address book that saved you the time of manually adding them, but was a privacy faux pas. It is uncertain why RIM has chosen to go after KIK and not the other IM clients. Relations between the two camps had been quite good until recently. Roughly six weeks ago, RIM had sung KIK’s praises by placing it in their featured apps list and KIK’s upcoming mobile music service received a special award at BlackBerry’s 2009 Developers Conference (DevCon) in

San Francisco after Livingston unveiled KIK. It didn’t take long for tensions to turn into action. After the contact harvesting privacy issue surfaced, RIM detracted its support and removed the app from the BlackBerry App World on Nov. 12, and crippled its competitiveness by removing KIK’s developer privileges and shut down push notification access. KIK accumulated over one million users in two weeks after their relaunch, and now has well over 2.5 million users. BlackBerry users account for approximately one million of those users. A favourable ruling in this case would set a precedent, making it easier for RIM to fight to remove from the market all competing software that uses similar attributes and functionality. Until then, the onus is on RIM to prove there is probable cause that KIK is legally responsible for claims made in suit, known as the balance of probability in civil law. bgolem@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

News

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Teaching as performance

Demo planned in support of LRT Dec. 5 rally at Uptown Public Square

Eleonora Meszaros

Playwright and mathematician Dr. John Mighton gave this year’s Hagey Lecture on Nov. 29. Eleonora Meszaros Julia Peters imprint interns

he University of Waterloo hosted the annual Hagey Lecture earlier this week at the Theatre of Humanities. This year, the University and the Faculty Association welcomed Dr. John Mighton, mathematician and playwright, on November 29. Mighton visited the campus to speak about problems he believes are inherent in the current education system, and he also addressed a student colloquium on Tuesday to engage with students about potential solutions to the problem. Mighton discussed in the lecture Monday night included the ineffective teaching methods used by teachers. He also criticized the inability teachers’ inability to properly track student progress in classrooms, because their focus is on helping gifted kids improve while letting weaker students in the fall behind. Mighton also outlined the disadvantages of using competition as a method of trying to motivate students

to learn faster, and the social issues that come about as a result of these competitive drives. Mighton said he was excited to expose the problems and their social implications, as it has been his passion and cause for the last several years. Mighton also spoke of his charity JUMP, Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies, which began as a small tutoring program to benefit kids struggling with math and has since expanded to help teachers implement better methods into their curriculum. JUMP began as an attempt to help struggling kids with math lessons, a subject many find intimidating. Mighton is hoping to expand JUMP to cover a variety of other subjects.“I’d like to see us focus more on philosophy, creative writing, things like that,” he said. Mighton has been thrilled about the results he has seen from students and teachers that have participated in the program. “I was hesitant at first about the results, but they’ve been pretty consistent,” he said. On Tuesday, Mighton discussed some of his solutions to these issues. “The first thing teachers need to do

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is implement more rigorous testing methods in schools,” he said. Mighton feels that methods of teaching must be more rigorously tested in order to determine the most effective way to teach children practical skills regardless of their strengths and weaknesses. Mighton is also a well established Canadian playwright, having won the Governor General’s Award for Drama in 1992, for Possible Worlds and A Short History of Night and in 2005, for Half Life. UW hosts the lecture series anunally in honour of Gerald Hagey, one of its founders and its first president. The lecture series hopes to address issues and explore differing views by highly regarded and well established individuals. Mighton said he accepted the invitation to be Hagey lecturer because of the diversity of previous speakers, all accomplished in their fields. “It was a huge honour,” he said. “I was a bit intimidated by it, but I thought I’d give it a try.” news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Courtesy Rally for Rails

Ryan Webb news editor

consortium of local transportation advocacy groups is set to host a demonstration this weekend in support of a Light Rail Transit (LRT) system for the Waterloo Region. On December 5, the Tri-Cities Transport Action Group, Waterloo Students Planning Advisory (WSPA), and Wonderful Waterloo are planning to “Rally for Rails” in Uptown Waterloo’s Public Square. The LRT system that they advocate would run trains from Conestoga Mall to Fairview Park Mall. The date set for the demonstration, a day before the City of Waterloo’s first council meeting, is no coincidence. The event is being held in response to a recent wave of negative comments from local leaders leading up to October’s municipal and regional elections. Funding announced from both the federal and provincial governments, means the region will have to pay $200-300 million of the estimated $790 million to implement the proposed system. However, despite those earmarks, many of the candidates has indicated that a system might not be feasible in the near-term.

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Waterloo’s mayor, Brenda Halloran, stated during debates that due to the province reneging on some promised funding for the LRT, the project is “no longer affordable.” Instead, a so-called Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a popular alternative. However, the rally’s organizers want to convince regional leaders that a BRT system would be insufficient, and that going ahead with the LRT system is in the region’s best interests. According to Mackenzie Keast, president of the WPSA, “Improved bus systems really fail to achieve the same kinds of catalytic development spinoffs that LRT can provide.” “LRT does require a larger initial capital investment,” he acknowledged, “but over the long term, LRT actually has less expensive operating costs.” Keast also claims that an LRT system will greatly benefit students that rely on public transportation. “Look at a Number 7 or an iXpress on a weekday and it is almost always full. Students are putting up with a lot of overcrowding on those lines right now. Can you imagine those 10 years from now?” Keast asked. “The LRT will essentially run along the same route, will come more frequently and will be able to accommodate a whole lot more passengers,” he argued. The rally is planned for Sunday from 12:00-1:00 pm. More information is available at LRTrally.ca news@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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News

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Wikileaks founder on the run Julia Peters Eleonora Meszaros imprint interns

Riaz Nathu Azra Premji staff reporters

Wikileaks unmasks U.S. diplomacy

The Obama administration started off this week with a cyber nightmare. Wikileaks, the whistleblower site that releases secret government documents, unleashed an unprecedented 251,287 sensitive information cables sent between American embassies across the world. The release has sparked an international crisis that has sent shockwaves through the diplomatic world. The content in these cables showed U.S. diplomats making candid remarks about world leaders and indicating increasing concern over nuclear weapons programs in Iran. The documents reveal more than a glimpse of how the country conducts its diplomatic affairs. U.S. government sources have indicated that the sensitive information jeopardizes current operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and puts the lives of soldiers at risk. However, in one of the released cables, U.S. intelligence officers indicate that Wikileaks does not in fact have any impact on operations or put personnel at risk. Meanwhile, Julian Assange, the founder of the site, is being investigated by U.S. Federal authorities for crimes under the Espionage Act.

Interpol has also placed Assange on a red flag list, instructing international authorities to arrest him on site. Assange is a Swedish citizen and has gone underground since the unprecedented release last Sunday. The Guardian has organized the cables into an interactive format for the public to view, despite requests from U.S. government officials for the media not to cover the story. It is still unclear how this release and exposure of U.S. diplomacy will impact the State Department. What could be seen throughout the course of the week was a wave of world leaders denouncing the content of the cables. The diplomatic fallout in certain regions over the content could prove to be devastating, especially in a time of unstable geopolitical dynamics. Serial killer Clifford Olson denied parole

Clifford Olson was denied parole, for the second time in four years, at Sainte-Annedes-Plaines in Quebec. He is serving 11 concurrent life sentences for the murder of eight girls and three boys between the ages of nine and 18 in the early ‘80s. Olson, along with other inmates, have the opportunity to request a parole hearing every two years and the families of the victims are required to repeatedly restate their opposition. Raymond King and Sharon Rosenfeldt are just two members of the families who suffered from Olson’s serial killing. King said that, “Every time we hear his name, we live this all over again. And to have to come all this way for this ... it’s really hard.”

Rosenfeldt also stated that no family should have to suffer through these events every two years. According to CBC News, the Federal government agreed that the process for a parole request for serial killers, such as Olson, has to change. However, any changes made to this process would not directly affect Olson who has signed an affidavit that states he does not want another parole hearing. Olson will continue to serve his life sentence in isolation and the families will continue raising money for a memorial park in B.C. in honour of their deceased loved ones. Refugees from U.S. entering Quebec

According to reports, U.S. refugees are entering Canada via the Quebec border. In two months, there were 64 arrests along the Quebec-Vermont border, a 400 per cent increase over the same period last year. Potential U.S. refugees are exploiting the loophole that was created by the Canada-U.S. Safe Third Country Agreement, which states that a person that is already in the U.S. will be turned back if they try to move into Canada to claim refugee status. However, this document is confined to organized crossings; individuals who are determined to enter Canada are simply walking across the bush. Once the refugee enters Canada (not through the organized crossings), according to immigration lawyer David Cohen, Canada is required to process them. Quebec has the most unprotected roads leading to its border compared to other bor-

der provinces, allowing more opportunity for refugees to cross into Canada. Border Services has indicated it will be reducing hours and entry points in Quebec, suggesting more unguarded roads will lead to more refugee claimants entering into Canada. Toronto police officer charged with manslaughter

A Toronto police officer has now been charged with manslaughter for the death of a 26-year-old man in Etobicoke, following a drug raid two months ago. The death of Eric Osawe, 26, occurred during the raid, where Cst. David Cavanagh was allegedly solely responsible for the shooting. It occurred at Osawe’s apartment near Bloor Street West and Kipling Avenue. The deceased had a prior record, involving charges for drug possession, assault, and possession of stolen goods. Osawe’s younger brother, 23-year-old Ebony, was charged Sept. 29 during the raid for firearms-related offences. Ian Scott, director of the province’s Special Investigations Unit, revealed Tuesday that police officials have reasonable grounds to believe that Cavanagh committed a criminal offence. Investigations have been underway since the raid, and new information is being uncovered regularly. Cavanagh is expected to appear in court in January of next year near College Park. — With files from CBC, the National Post, the Toronto Sun, the Guardian, the Globe and Mail, Reuters, and the New York Times

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Opinion

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 opinion@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

IMPRINT Editorial Cartoon The University of Waterloo’s official student newspaper

Friday, December 3, 2010 Vol. 33, No. 20 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 Co-op placements, Annie Laufer, David Lehto, Eleonora Meszaros, Julia Peters Intern, Anthony Smyth Sales Assistant, Lana Fell Systems Admin., Ben Waismark Distribution, Ali Saeed & Amit Volunteer co-ordinator, Michael To Board of Directors board@imprint.uwaterloo.ca President, Angela Gaetano president@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Vice-president, vacant vp@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Treasurer, Howard Leung treasurer@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Secretary, Erin Thompson secretary@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Staff liaison, Keriece Harris liaison@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Editorial Staff Assistant Editor, Brent Golem Head Reporter, vacant Lead Proofreader, Divyesh Mistry Cover Editor, Steve Cutler News Editor, Ryan Webb News Assistant, Luna Wei Opinion Editor, Clara Shin Opinion Assistant, Lindsay Simmons Features Editor, Dinh Nguyen Features Assistant, Zoe Kim Arts & Entertainment, Michael Chung Arts Assistant, Marta Borowska Science & Tech Editor, Jordan Campbell Science & Tech Assistant, Jennifer Nguyen Sports & Living Editor, Namish Modi Sports & Living Assistant, vacant Photo Editor, Ethan Oblak Photo Assistant, Sophie Côté Graphics Editor, Alcina Wong Graphics Assistant, Majuratan Sadagopan Web administrator, Marta Borowska Production Staff Jacqueline Lee, Ananya Chattoraj, Jason Day, Chantal Jandard, Komal Ahsan, Gabriela Grant, Stephen Kearse, Mika Ilic, Ivan Lui, Winona So, Brittany Nychka, Ronald Chui, Robert Dziarmaga, Michelle Sterba, Jacqueline McKoy Lambert, Anya Lomako, Caitlin McIntyre Imprint is the official student newspaper of the University of Waterloo. It is an editorially independent newspaper published by Imprint Publications, Waterloo, a corporation without share capital. Imprint is a member of the Ontario Community Newspaper Association (OCNA). Editorial submissions may be considered for publication in any edition of Imprint. Imprint may also reproduce the material commercially in any format or medium as part of the newspaper database, Web site or any other product derived from the newspaper. Those submitting editorial content, including articles, letters, photos and graphics, will grant Imprint first publication rights of their submitted material, and as such, agree not to submit the same work to any other publication or group until such time as the material has been distributed in an issue of Imprint, or Imprint declares their intent not to publish the material. The full text of this agreement is available upon request. Imprint does not guarantee to publish articles, photographs, letters or advertising. Material may not be published, at the discretion of Imprint, if that material is deemed to be libelous or in contravention with Imprint’s policies with reference to our code of ethics and journalistic standards. Imprint is published every Friday during fall and winter terms, and every second Friday during the spring term. Imprint reserves the right to screen, edit and refuse advertising. One copy per customer. Imprint ISSN 0706-7380. Imprint CDN Pub Mail Product Sales Agreement no. 40065122. Next staff meeting: Friday, December 3 1:30 p.m. Next board of directors meeting: Friday, December 3 12:10 p.m.

Graphics by sophie cote concept by howard leung

Fall term: a change of pace editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

It wasn’t as exciting as spring term, but it still had some epic moments

avid Johnston was appointed Governor General of Canada, another municipal election was held and a whole lot of people experienced a lack of cell phone usage on campus. This term wasn’t too outlandish, but it definitely had its moments. As much as I am relieved that another term has come to an end and I can take a deep breath in and relax until January, I am utterly shocked at how quickly these past few months whizzed by. It feels like just yesterday when I was begging Ryan Webb to consider being the news editor this term (in fear of having to do the job myself). Looking back, I am definitely glad to have had him,

and of course, the rest of my amazing team of editors this fall. I mean, how cool is it that one of our volunteers was able to sit down for a one-on-one with former UW President David Johnston before he left to begin his duty as GG? Imprint also had front row seats at the Marianas Trench concert and it showed on the front page of that week’s issue. We also took students through some pretty fantastic art shows happening both on and off campus, including the Titanic exhibit. Our arts team also made a point to cover more local events, including the profiling of UW-born bands like Long Range Hustle.

This term we also helped students better understand how parking at UW works and also did some interesting investigative reporting on things like workplace mobbing and the UW healthcare plan. Not to mention, we had an entirely queer section during Coming Out Week. Heading off for Christmas break, we have tons to look forward to upon our return, including the weekly distribution of Imprint. The Feds election should also be a more than interesting event to cover. I don’t know if next term can top this one as I truly feel like I had the best team I could ever ask for — and I think it showed. Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday, and good luck with exams.

The waiting game

veryone’s focus is again on the far east after North Korea shelled the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong. The attack killed four, and prompted South Koreans to call for a swift response from their government. Much like the North’s last provocation — the sinking of a South Korean sub in

pmcgeown@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

March — the South has been hesitant in its response; that is, there has been none. As is always the case, there is an alternate version of events, one in which shells from a South Korean military exercise landed in North Korean waters. Now, this is entirely plausible, seeing as South Korea was

executing war games at the time. And while shells landing in open sea seems unlikely to be construed as an act of aggression, North and South Korea are still technically at war. Outright war is still a possibility, if only because North Korea has proved to be mostly unpredictable. In 2002, when North Korean forces attacked

elements of the South Korean navy, it was suggested that the strike was not ordered by President Kim Jong-Il; it was orchestrated by generals in the North Korean military as a brushback to Kim, who they feared was pushing for change in the country. See WAR, page 8

Opinion

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

War: Why war in the Koreas is unlikely Continued from page 7

Of course, even if the government was in complete control of the military, it too has shown to be erratic, and a serious incursion into South Korea is not out of the question. However, to suggest that the U.S. — who participated in the war games on Sunday (the 28th) — will use this as an excuse to affect regime change in North Korea is rather off the mark. What complicates the situation is China’s interest in North Korea, both from an economic and a geopolitical standpoint. For one, China is the top investor in North Korea. Perhaps

more importantly, China relishes having a buffer between their border and a pro-U.S. country (South Korea). Given public disenchantment with the war in Afghanistan, and the potential fallout of a military clash with China, the U.S. is, no doubt, wary of a hot war and the commitments it would entail. A war would also prove catastrophic for South Korea. Though the North Korean military lacks modern equipment — namely what are termed command and control technologies — the North does have some punch. That punch includes a standing army of 1 million and reserves numbering approximately 7 mil-

lion, although this too comes with an asterisk; by most accounts, North Korean infantry is poorly fed, and because of fuel and ammunition shortages, poorly trained. There are two caveats, though, that make North Korea’s military a relevant threat: one is the possibility of a nuclear attack, and the other is that Seoul — South Korea’s capital and home to 1 million — is just 80 kilometres from the demilitarized zone, and thus well within striking distance. Skirting conflict, then, is clearly in South Korea’s best interest, even if they – backed by the U.S. — would eventually deal the knockout

blow. This was made even clearer by a revelation this week (courtesy of Wikileaks) that China and South Korea both expect the current North Korean regime to implode in the near future. It appears that the game plan is to wait out the disorganized and volatile North Korean government, at which time an attempt would be made by the South to unite the two Koreas. They may have terrible field position, but it appears that — for the time being, anyway — North Korea has ball possession. —With files from NTDTV.com, TIME, CNN. com, antiwar.com, and AOL.

Community Editorials

I graduated... now what?

Jessica Verhey alumni / speech communication

s a recent University of Waterloo undergraduate, I felt that it was my duty to inform current students about the reality of full-time employment based on my experience (and those close to me). As someone who graduated in 2008, at the birth of the Canadian recession, I was extremely fearful about what I was walking into with my honours arts speech communication degree in hand. Would there actually be jobs? How do I explain my skill set? How do I compete with another candidate possessing years of experience? I did not have the answers to these questions, and the truth is neither do most Canadian employers. Every business and individual employee has their own recession story. Businesses are changing their models right now (less employees and lower budgets) and starting over. Some businesses 40Crk_4x7.5_b&w_Sept10_fin_College Papers ad - b&w 30/08/10

are still doing well, and may be growing or taking advantage of the many talented graduates in Ontario. Some people are using this time to start their own business to hedge themselves into the economy. Either way, what you need to know as a new graduate is that the rules of the game have changed in employment, and your parents might not know how to play. The rule is that there are no rules. I am writing this after watching friends, peers and family adjust to full-time employment after university. First things first, you need to sit down and determine your worth. What makes you so special in your field of knowledge? If you are wishy-washy on this subject of worth you either need to get experience, or back up your assertiveness. The hard truth is that when times are tight, people want quality over quantity (you will probably be hired for two jobs now combined into one), and your quality will be determined by experience, assertiveness, and common ground with the employer. 3:29 PM Page 1 Know yourself, and be able to say “this is what I have done, and this is what I can do.” If you get an offer for the job, think it over before you say yes. As a new graduate, know that “no rules” means people are likely going to test your limitations with a contract, and it is up to you to defend your worth (note how you need to know your worth before this step). A girlfriend of mine has negotiated every contract presented

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to her in the last three years. Is it a comfortable situation? No. But she usually walks away with $3,000-5,000 more per year as a result. If you get something that doesn’t feel right, look it over and ask questions. Also, research the company as much as possible prior to the interview. Try to gauge what the recession has looked like for them. This can give a great insight into morale of the company and further advancement opportunity. Last message is to wait it out and stay positive. I have watched peers of mine spend all day every day looking for a job, while working two part time jobs to make ends meet. You will find it, but no doubt, it is harder. Stay positive, network your butt off, and make sure that everyone knows that you are available and looking. My sister moved downtown right after graduating university in 2009 and spent an entire year working three part time jobs. Fed up, she made some new choices, broadened her view of where she would live, and found a job in her field in Guelph early in 2010. This is not a time to be selective in location. Think about what you want before where you want it. To those of you graduating I am sure this topic has crossed your mind. To those of you in your junior years, start thinking about it now. Get involved, do something different, and get experience in your field (internships, labs, shadowing people you know, broaden your search). This will set you apart and give you the edge you need and the practice to get in the game. Good luck.

A sneak into the future Sam Pasupalak 3a computer science

t is the year 2025. Imagine waking up in the morning and being served a cup of refreshing coffee. You order your breakfast within the next half hour. No need to go to the kitchen for that. You take your shower and notice the nicely pressed clothes on the bed. Next, you have your breakfast and order the stuff which needs to be done before you come back home: groceries, vacuum, laundry, dinner, and, of course, throwing out the garbage. On your way to the office, you find that you have forgotten to order a birthday cake for your girlfriend. So you pick up your cell phone and do that as well. It seems that you ordered a lot of stuff in the past hour. At the office you continue ordering, no need to go over to the printer machine in the far corner. You then have lunch with your friends. Of course, you don’t waste time standing in the long queue: you just sit at the table chatting and ordering the stuff that you need. It is the middle of the afternoon now, and you just had a brainstorming session with your team. Suddenly a three-foot creature comes up to you. It’s not a living creature; in fact, it looks like one of the things that you might have seen in Star Wars back in the days. Suspense is over, guys: it is a robot

named “Akimo.” It offers you the variety of refreshing snacks it carries, and you order one. In fact, this is the robot that has been doing everything in your office so far: taking your printing orders, waiting in the queue for your lunch, taking important documents to your boss, etc. When you come back home, poor little “Akimo” is recharging. It just finished all the orders you gave in the morning. This seems like the Jetsons’ story, doesn’t it? People think that the robotics market has a long way to go, and not much research and development has been done in the field for robots to be as common as computers. The fact is that robotics hardware is actually a very mature market. The thing lacking is the software part; but if significant efforts are made in software development, they will take the robotics industry to another dimension. The problem with the current robotics market is that every company develops its own hardware and software for the robot that it designs. There is no collaboration between two companies because each company wants to make its own product. Moreover, the people doing robotics research are professors and researchers in universities, not technology companies. The other problem with the robotics industry is that there are lots of companies developing lot of

products, but no one wants to set a standard in the market. Most of them are created by a few researchers, not by motivated individuals in an active software development company who want to change the world. I see this time exactly as the 1970s, when only a few companies were involved with computers. This happened until companies like Microsoft and Apple took the time to make a product such that every person could afford a computer. The reason that Microsoft went big is that it tried to set a standard in the industry by making a product that everyone could use. Currently, the robotics industry does not have any company which wants to set a standard. Developments in South Korea and Japan for commercial robots are far in the lead, with plans to have robots in every house by 2020. The North American market is five years behind in the commercial market because much has been emphasized on research and development. That’s why we have extraordinary robots by NASA doing space exploration on Mars. Japan has now realized the problem of robotics companies not collaborating and has decided to compete with South Korea by having its four big robotics companies working together. Another great problem in robotics is the consumers. See ROBOTICS, page 9

Opinion

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Letters to the Editor Call of Duty corrupting young minds Dear Editor,

he recent release of the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops has brought my attention to the gaming pandemic we are facing. It might seem that the word, ‘pandemic’ is far too dramatic but I feel I am being realistic. I heard that in certain scenes, there was a kill by twisting the neck and cutting the throat. This is disgusting. Why are we

selling children and teens to the violence of warfare? We try to screen these harsh realities from the young, but in turn they are the one’s fighting the war They control the kill. They see the blood splattered on the wall. They hear the cries of fallen soldiers. In a world where we hear about war on a daily basis, we should be eliminating these games from the shelves. It irritates me when I hear children saying that

they are not actually killing anyone, so there is no harm in the game. This is completely ridiculous. They are still learning and accepting the ways of violence. Video games, such as Call of Duty, are letting children control how to kill others. This is not acceptable, but how do we change things now? Can we? - Reesha Morar

EV3 Starbucks Dear Editor,

here’s a Starbucks going into Environment 3. Okay, fantastic. I love Starbucks, you love Starbucks, we all love Starbucks. Or maybe I hate Starbucks and so do you. The fact is, it doesn’t matter whether you do or do not like Starbucks. It doesn’t matter if it’s better than Timmies or William’s or whatever. What should truly be the concern is the manner by which the decision to have a Starbucks in this new building was implemented. To begin with, there have been several issues revolving around the transparency of the decision-making process (or lack thereof) as to which coffee/food vendor should go into the building. Dear Food Services, the concerned students at the University of Waterloo would appreciate “transparency” in planning and decisionmaking during the planning and decision-making processes, not after floor plans for a Starbucks have been submitted. The point at which student consultation was introduced was too late to show that Food Services actually has a commitment to the wishes of the students for their university. As important as this is pledge to be straightforward, for those in administrative positions to involve the students in the decision making from the beginning, and to seriously take into account the opinions of said (very intelligent) students. As was made apparent during the town hall style meeting held on Nov. 2, hosted by the Environment Students’ Society, many students have legitimate comments and concerns with the construction of a Starbucks in EV3. A forum should have been provided for these voices to be considered prior to any finalization of the contract with Starbucks. We cannot ignore that a small ENV advisory group to Food Services was formed after the meeting, and while this was a step in the

right direction, there certainly should have been such a group from the very beginning of this development. The most significant aspect of this issue of Starbucks in EV3 is determining what type of atmosphere Food Services, along with the university, is wishing to promote. EV3 will be one of the most environmentally-sustainable buildings in Canada, and there are certain ideas that are promoted by this fact. Additionally, as most people studying in the faculty of environment have recognized, there is a certain atmosphere of not only environmental awareness, but of societal awareness and respect in general that pervades. By putting a corporate franchise in Environment 3, we can call into question the atmosphere that will be endorsed. Also, during the town hall meeting, it was extremely unclear whether or not small businesses were approached when Food Services was looking for a vendor. It is arguable that a friendly, socially responsible atmosphere similar to the one that is found in the Coffee Shop in EV1 would be easily created if there was a small and community-based business there. So yes, there is a Starbucks going into the brand spankin’ new LEED Platinum certified Environment 3, and yes, it is imperative that Starbucks implements environmentally and socially responsible practices for this store in particular. Every student expects honesty, and a promise from our university to be forthright in everything they do, and it is important to recognize that the process of implementing a Starbucks was devoid, for the most part, of valuable student input. And ultimately, if we, as the students, want to create a certain environment, it is really up to us. - Zainab Ramahi 1a knowledge integration

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environment

Community Editorials Robotics Continued from page 8

Consumer awareness is not as great in North America as in South Korea and Japan. North Americans seem to be somewhat ignorant of the developments in the Asian countries. I asked some of the mechatronics students in the University of Waterloo who specialize in robotics, and even they are ignorant of the developments. Unless the consumer wants a product, there is no incentive in people making it. The enthusiasm of South Koreans has grown to such an extent that the government is spending millions of dollars for robotics. Whenever something new comes out in the market, people tend to criticize it because they cannot imagine themselves using the new technology. People tend not to learn lessons from history. Change will be vehemently opposed at the start, but it will gradually be adopted by everyone. People won’t realize it until this new thing

Letter Policy

gets too much involved in their personal lives. Didn’t the CEO of IBM once say, “We cannot sell more than five units of this machine?” And didn’t the software giant Bill Gates once famously say, “No one needs more than 640 K of memory?” History thus proves itself wrong. Isn’t that interesting? My goal is to bring a robotics culture in North America. With my confidence, motivation, and enthusiasm, I think I can change the world. Some people think that I am crazy with my ideas, but I think I am on the right track. The trend going with the mobile industry right now seems to follow the dotcom bubble. Everyone seems to develop applications for iPhone, Blackberry, and Android. Only a few companies will come out successful just like Google or Amazon, who became successful after the dot-com bubble grew to success. So I feel that instead of doing something on mobile, I should focus on long-term benefits.

Letters must not exceed 300 words. Please include your full name, program, and year. Letters must be received by 12 p.m. Tuesday to letters@imprint.uwaterloo.ca. Imprint reserves the right to edit for length and clarity or to reject any letter.

Features

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 features@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

photos by Robert Dziarmaga, icons by maryam morshed and alcina wong

Hitting the Books: A guide to on-campus studying

features editor

elf-inflicted hair pulling, unnoticed starvation, increased coffee sales â&#x20AC;&#x201D; it's that time of the term again; final exam season. No student can walk away claiming to have completed the whole university experience without first undergoing the last minute, and late night, cramming of exams, or assignment completion. No matter how well you do in school, chances are, by the time you reach your final year, you've experienced it.

Two and half years ago Imprint featured an article (Behind the Book Keeper's Walls, March 28, 2008) that outlined and reviewed libraries and popular study spots on campus. This time around we've decided to update our content and fill it with more study-geared information. Study places will be reviewed and rewarded with either a book icon or computer icon for their efficiency on the topic. They will receive a rating between zero to five icons depending on their efficiency in providing research resources (books) and adequate individual study facilities (computers).

â&#x20AC;&#x153;

Dinh Nguyen

When it comes to exam studying, students be warned. If quiet study is your strong point, you may be required to strategically seek out study areas in the library. = Adequate individual study facilities

= Efficiency in providing research resources

11 Davis Centre The Davis Centre (DC) is the second largest and second most popular library on campus. It holds information on the hard sciences which includes engineering, and physical and life science. When it comes to information, the library is known best for its countless journals which detail much cutting-edge research. When it comes to exam studying, students be warned. If quiet study is more your style, you may be required to strategically seek out study areas in the library. Unlike the other libraries on campus, there are silent study rooms that are available to the general student body, as well as ones that can be reserved on the DC website. The DC library labels their study carrels and tables, found close to the back of the library, as either a silent study area or a non-silent area. However, aside from the closed-off silent study rooms, there are no guarantees that your study cubical neighbours will be quiet in the

Dana Porter With 10 floors of resources, and half of them equipped with individual study carrels, the Dana Porter library is the study hotspot. Better known as DP, this massive library houses information for the arts. This includes, but is not limited to, books and data on the humanities and social science. Notably, DP also has a government publication collection. Located on the fifth floor, the collection contains federal and provincial documents from governments and organization inside of Canada and internationally. When it comes to studying, the first floor of DP contains a CD-ROM and computer workstation area located at the top left corner from the main entrance. Adjacent to the CD-ROM and computer workstation, on the right hand corner there is also an area of study tables and laptop connection docs. For students who need a snack break or a quick breakfast or lunch, the first floor of the DP also comes with its own coffee shop. Officially called the Brower’s Coffee Shop, this food station contains fresh fruit, sandwiches, an assortment of hot and cold beverages, and bulk candies like jub-jubs, chocolates, and toffee. The second floor of DP contains the Doris Lewis Rare Book Room. Including women’s studies collections, private

silent student carrels. Each study cubical comes with an individual desk, as well as an electrical jack for laptops and other electronics. The DC library also has a printing station that accepts both cash and WatCard. Though there are no coffee shops in the actual library, there are vending machines that sell ear plugs, and extra supplies like pens and pencils. For those who are looking for a food break, there is a cafeteria that offers a wide selection of food choices just down the hall from the library. Unfortunately, these food services can only be accessed during regular university business hours. Unlike the other libraries on campus, DC is opened 24/7 during exam period. Due to late night studying and assignment writing, it may be crowded at odd hours. **Hours extended until 2 a.m for the exam period

(because it’s noisy)

photos by Robert Dziarmaga

press works, negatives from the K-W Record, and materials on local history, this room is home to a range of special collections that can be used to support research. To ensure preservation, the books are kept in an atmospherically controlled environment and can only be used in the Rare Book Room. Floors six to 10 of DP are the main study areas. Each of these floors have at least one computer with both TRELLIS and Internet access. Washroom facilities, water fountains, and pencil sharpeners are also included. These are all located in the middle section of the floor surrounded by bookshelves. On the outer perimeter of each floor are rows of study cubicals. At each corner of the floor are the group study stations. Though these tables allow multiple people to study together, students are still expected to be quiet. Those who want to be able to talk more leniently should sign out a study room. Floors six, eight, nine, and 10 also have study rooms that can be reserved for group work and studies. Students can book these rooms on the DP website for three hour increments. Those who wish to reserve a room should not do so last minute as they fill up very quickly. **Hours extended until to 24/7 for the exam period

Page 10. Top: The basement floor of the Dana Porter area. Each table has eletronic jacks, making them laptop accessible. Bottom: Though this is a silent study zone in the Davis Centre, with so many people it’s nearly impossible to have silence. Page 11. Top: The Optometry Learning Resource Centre. Certain resources are only available to optometry students. Bottom: The second floor of St. Jerome’s library.

St. Jerome’s Library

Conrad Grebel Library

Being the size of an average high school library, the St. Jerome’s University Library (SJ) offers a comforting, homey atmosphere. Because of a lower number of students using the library, SJ’s noise level is much more tolerable. Those who need absolute silence can go to the upper floor. In the middle of the first floor of this library there is a work station equipped with Internet-accessible computers. The library mainly focuses its material on Roman Catholicism, math and the arts. Many of the books and articles can be found in other libraries around campus, but students have been known to come to SJ as a last resort. Though SJ does have a group study room, it is hidden behind books and study carrels.

This small library, located on the third floor of Conrad Grebel University college, offers resources on music and religious studies, and peace and conflict studies. They are also known for housing the Mennonite Archives of Ontario. Being a small library, there is not much room for students to be noisy and get distracted. Most notable, there are study carrels which are built up higher to provide students with closed off personal space. This encourages students to focus on their work, leaving little room for distraction.

offers resources in the fields of social development studies and East Asian studies. It also has a collection of Chinese language books and books on psychology and social work, as well as a collection that consists of books on Anglicanism and English as a second language. With a soft colour scheme, dropped lights and a high ceiling, LW comes off as quiet and not busy. The library offers both individual and group study facilities. Their individual study carrels are large, featuring partitions on either side to block out distraction. LW also offers one reading room, and two group study rooms.

with a focus on Ontario. They also provide workstations to make use of the Geographic Information System. The library has a small student study area with an assortment of dual study carrels and two areas for group study. One quiet space is cloistered in the corner behind a tower of atlas maps. However, most of the space is dedicated to holding the map collections.

All of the libraries, including the Optometry Resource Centre are a part of the tri-university group, which includes Wilfrid Laurier University and University of Guelph. With this system, students can request books that are located at any of these libraries through TRELLIS.

Renison College Lusi University Map Library Wong Library Though it does not hold the aesthet- Student Life Centre To support the programs they offer, The Lusi Wong library (LW)

ics of a normal library, it does have the most specific content. This library houses maps and aerial photographs,

When it comes to studying, the Student Life Centre (SLC) is often

overlooked. While it has no library materials, it does contain a row of computers and a student-use phone on the first floor by the Great Hall. All throughout the SLC, there are couches and tables that can be used for group or individual study. Though the SLC is spacious, it is not an ideal place for quiet study. However, it does offer a wide selection of group and individual study rooms. Those who wish for a room must book it through the Turnkey Desk. Those who do not book 24 hours in advance will only be able to book rooms for one hour, once a day, once per group. If students are unsuccessful at booking rooms in the SLC, they may also choose to take advantage of the quiet study room on the third floor. This room is spacious and it has a variety of study tables and couches as well as electronic jacks.

— With files from Chantelle McGee

Features

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Restaurant Review:

The Hot Pot in a Castle

Review: Leung Yue Hot Pot 105 King Street E, Kitchener Phone: (519) 725 7877 Payment: Cash Only

Hours

Mon-Sun: 5PM-2AM

Student Directions:

T ake the #7 Jackson

K ing

and

Jonathan Pinto food critic

ocated just outside downtown Kitchener at the intersection of King Street East and Jackson, Leung Yue Hot Pot is a bizarre sight to behold. There’s no other way to say it — this restaurant looks like a rusty red castle. I’m assuming there’s a rational reason behind it, but I have yet to determine it. Due to the fact that the interior continues the theme, with high backed chairs and a large central fire pit, I’m inclined to think that perhaps it was a medieval-themed restaurant or club in a former incarnation (if you know for sure, please write in — I’d love to find out.) Open seven days a week for dinner from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Leung Yue

specializes in the fantastic Chinese tradition of hot pot. For those of you who have never experienced hot pot before, it’s a group dining experience where the centre of the table contains a cauldron of broth that is continually heated via an element or flame (a.k.a. the hot pot). Once the broth is boiling, the serving staff delivers a variety of raw meats, vegetables, noodles, dumplings, and seafood to your table, where upon you cook these items in the broth at a pace you decide yourself. It’s quite simple, but so much fun — and incredibly delicious. The bigger the group, the more fun the experience with the kitschy medieval interior and ultra-violent Hong Kong action films blaring from the wall mounted televisions, I guarantee that you’ve probably never had a dining experience quite like this. For a rather reasonable price of $15 plus tax and tip, Leung Yue offers an unlimited refill of items. I found the ingredients to be of rather high quality, with the dumplings and beef being two of my favourites. Once you remove the cooked items from the pot, you dip them in any of the three sauces provided — regular soy sauce, spicy soy sauce, and a sort of spicy, peanut-based paste. Again, this is not haute cuisine, and it certainly can get messy — but it’s part of the charm. Service is efficient, though

pleasantries are highly server dependent. If you’re new to hot pot and the owner is there, consider yourself lucky — he’ll likely give you a wonderful crash course on how to cook the various items if he sees you puzzling over your table. Overall, while Leung Yue isn’t the freshest looking of establishments, from the bizarre decor and loud movies to the slightly cluttered dining room and coldly efficient service, it nevertheless gets my recommendation. There’s something to be said about these random little establishments where the food experience is so highly enjoyable that I consider the negative issues merely charming quirks. Seriously, it’s worth a try, even if just to say you had hot pot in a castle.

krystin li

The Insurer’s Dilemna David Wang Reporter

E LIF

ATE LST

I ETL

Alcina Wong

ecently, Manulife’s stock price dropped five per cent in the past two days after climbing about 21 per cent since Nov. 1. This volatility is hardly atypical for Manulife these days, since they just had two consecutive quarters of net losses to the tune of billions of dollars. Hence, one would reasonably expect its stock price to be riskier than the stock market as a whole. One useful measure of a stock’s volatility is its beta. Beta measures the correlation of movements between the stock market as a whole and the stock itself. A stock with beta greater than one is a stock that tends to move in the same direction as the stock market, with movements that are magnified. Manulife’s stock beta is 1.5. It is surprising then, that almost all publicly traded insurance companies have stock betas greater than one. Sun Life, the third largest insurer in Canada, has beta 1.2. The biggest American insurers, Allstate, Metlife, Lincoln National, and Hartford, have betas 1.5, 1.8, 2.5, and 3.0, respectively. For Hartford’s stock, its standard deviation of daily returns in 2010 was a whopping 2.7 per cent, equivalent to a standard deviation of monthly returns of 12 per cent. Assuming normality around the centre of the return distribution, this means that there was a 40 per cent chance in any given month that the Hartford stock price could have shifted more than 10 per cent by month’s end.

So why are insurers’ stock prices so volatile? Aren’t there a myriad of insurance capital regulations that help make insurers a safe bet for shareholders? The truth is quite the opposite. All the capital regulations in the world serve to make insurance stocks more volatile, simply because they force the companies to take losses when markets tank, and encourage them to invest when markets boom. To be fair, the goal of capital regulations is to prevent the insolvency of insurers. This benefits the policy holders (and, indirectly, the bond holders) by ensuring that they will not wake up one morning and discover that their insurer is bankrupt and their benefits are forfeited. Since most capital regulations use risk-based formulas to calculate capital ratio requirements, though, high-yielding risky assets such as stocks are greatly discounted in capital ratio calculations. Suppose an insurance company has a required capital of $100, $100 of risk-free bonds, and $200 of stocks. The capital ratio formula is (bonds + 0.5 x stocks) / required capital. The company’s capital ratio would be 200 per cent, assuming that the expected yield is five per cent on stocks and zero per cent on bonds.

Scenario 1 Suppose the stock market drops 50 per cent and makes a rapid recovery (less than a year) to its original level plus 5 per cent so that the expected yield on

stocks is satisfied. The company’s total assets would be $310 at year end ($100 in bonds, $210 in stocks) with a final capital ratio of 205 per cent. Now suppose there is a regulatory minimum capital ratio of 180 per cent. It would’ve had to sell $60 of stocks and use the gains to buy bonds to meet the minimum ratio ($160 in bonds, $40 in stocks), and by year end, its asset portfolio would only be worth $244 ($160 in bonds, $84 in stocks). Despite the $66 of lost assets, the company’s final capital ratio would hardly be any different at 202 per cent.

Scenario 2 Suppose now the stock market skyrockets 50 per cent in a bubble, and the bubble pops, in less than a year, back to its original level plus 5 per cent. The company’s new capital ratio would increase to 250 per cent, and then fall back to 205 per cent. Its total assets would be $310 at year end. As shareholders would like the company to have high investment returns, they might implement a target capital ratio strategy. The company would be given target capital ratio of 200 per cent, and if favourable conditions increase the ratio, they are encouraged to lower it by selling bonds and moving into higher-yielding stocks. With this strategy, the company would sell $100 of bonds and buy stocks. By year end its assets would shrink to $280 purely in stocks, and its capital ratio would plummet to

140 per cent. To meet the regulatory minimum ratio of 180 per cent, the company is forced to sell $80 of stocks to buy bonds.

Scenario 3 Suppose a long term bull market is in effect, with stocks going up 20 per cent immediately and another 25 per cent by year end. The annual gain on stocks is 50 per cent on a do-nothing strategy, finishing the year with $100 in bonds and $300 in stocks. The targetcapital-ratio strategy, on the other hand, would finish the year with $0 in bonds and $425 in stocks. By having the regulatory minimum capital ratio and a target capital ratio, the insurance company is worse off without a doubt. Scenario 1 would give the company a very similar capital ratio at year end, yet it would have lost $66; scenario 2 would lower both the capital ratio and the assets of the insurer; and scenario 3, the only scenario that brings a benefit to the insurer, only has a small net gain of $25 and a slightly decreased capital ratio to boot. These scenarios show that under a strict regulatory environment, insurers cannot replicate market returns for their shareholders. They also would send out highly misleading financial indications with their capital ratios. Thus, stock prices will suffer under permanently higher volatility driven by investors naively feeling protected by regulators and the insurers’ capital ratios.

Features

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Here, There, Everywhere Weird and funny news from around the world Eleonora Meszaros imprint intern

Austrailia A shopping centre in Sydney, Australia got into the holiday spirit on Nov. 28 after converting bicycles into one of the oddest Christmas trees in the world. One hundred bicycles were painted green to create the 23-foot-tall tribute to holiday shopping. The wheels of the bikes were painted several other colours in hopes of resembling Christmas tree lights. The bikes will be returned to their contributor, a local recycling company, shortly after the holiday season. It took creators approximately eight weeks to complete the “Tree-Cycle,” in ode to an environmentally-friendly take on decorating trees.

Canada Courtesy Getty Images

The environmentally-friendly “TreeCycle” Christmas tree at a shopping centre in Sydney, Australia.

A couple was married this past weekend in the Star Trek-themed city of Vulcan, Alberta, donning uniforms similar to the ones worn in the original TV series and movies. Star Trek fans James McDonald, 41, and Kate Olaso, 36, tied the knot on Nov.

29 in the only place that seemed to make sense for their big love for the science-fiction series. The newlyweds have attended the last several annual Star Trek conventions in Vulcan and stood in front of a Star Trek bridge when they read their vows. Catherine Pooley, Vulcan’s tourism co-ordinator said she was excited the couple chose to marry in Vulcan and was pleased the city could be part of the couple’s big day.

U.S.A.

Last Friday, Nov. 26, saw the union of a Mexican couple in a local McDonald’s. The wedding banquet for fast food enthusiasts Marisela Matienzo and Carlos Munoz was held in one of the most Americanized cities in an upscale district of Monterrey, Mexico. The local McDonald’s franchise said the wedding was the first in a Latin American outlet, but has been popular in other parts of the world, such as Hong Kong, for couples who are looking for a less traditional, more unique marriage protocol.

A Pennsylvania woman had to call an emergency rescue crew in Butler County

— With files from CBS News, MSN BC, AOL News, Reuters, and C News.

araw@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

determine whether we are a closeknit community or a collection of strangers, a society of equals or one of differences. It is only on this individual level that a true global community can be built. Governments and politicians can propose and pass into law mandates that encourage the development of this community, but without the support of the individual population, these mandates are worth less than the paper they’re printed on. If we, as individuals, don’t do the work, then absolutely nothing will happen. There is no set pattern for the global community, no inevitable structure that it will take. We are the determiners of its shape and though we will probably never see a global community as idyllic and perfect as the Disney version, it’s not a terrible goal to strive for. All those sayings about shooting for the stars are terribly cliché, but ultimately true. If every individual aims for the seemingly impossible ideal future, then what we end up with should be pretty wonderful. Someday. Until that someday, we are left to reflection and the never-ending drive to be better than we are. As my term in Singapore draws to a close, I find myself increasingly reflective about what I’ve learned while I’ve been here. It’s not my new academic knowledge that makes the most impact, though, but what I’ve learned about myself. About how I see and interact with the world. Some of it is good, some of it is surprising, and all of it is

Mexico

On a flight from Chicago to New York, a passenger had to be removed after stripping on Nov. 27. As the Delta 6526 began its descent on Saturday night into Kennedy Airport, an emotionally disturbed woman shed her clothing and yelled, “No! No! No!” when attendants tried to cover her with a blanket. Amongst the other passengers on the plane was Newsday news manager Dave Holland, who said police removed the woman shortly after landing. The woman’s name was unreleased and she was taken to the Jamaica Hospital Medical Centre with no pending criminal charges.

An Active Global Community hen I was little, I used to go to Disney World with my family and make them take me on one ride over and over and over again, a ride called “It’s a Small World After All.” For those of you that don’t know it, the ride is a boat tour of dancing dolls dressed in costumes from around the world. It’s accompanied by one of the most annoyingly catchy tunes, the ones that stick in your head forever. But it’s the idea of the song that’s such an important issue of discussion. Though the nature of the global community in “It’s a Small World After All” is unrealistically idyllic, the concept itself isn’t one we should dismiss. The more interconnected the world gets, through technology and trade and travel, the more possible a global community becomes. And the more necessary it becomes to be active participants in building and shaping that global community. The global community isn’t something that’s going to happen on its own. It’s not going to spring fully formed from the ether or magically evolve with no human interference, and it can’t be mandated by any government. Every individual is an active participant in creating the global community, and the nature of that community depends wholly on the actions of its members. Awareness of our own biases and prejudices, of the differences between us, and of how we interact with people we see as “other” will

after her pickup truck got stuck in a tree. Thirty-three-year-old Erin Dawn Bowser got the vehicle 30 feet off the ground and into a treetop following a collision with a car, a guardrail, and a pole. After bouncing over the pole, the pickup was stuck in a tree over Connoquenessing Creek. Bowser suffered minor injuries and was eventually taken to Butler Hospital. She is facing citations for driving too fast for the road conditions, which she told police were “too icy.”

food for thought. I’ve discovered that, as open-minded as I’ve always thought myself to be, I still carry subconscious pre-determinations about the world that are biased and inaccurate. I’ve discovered that as different as some people — some cultures — are from my own, there’s a surprisingly amount of similarity at the deepest foundations. The people here speak unfamiliar languages, have different beliefs and norms, and live different lives. I thought living in Singapore might be like living in a world of incomprehensible strangers, but instead it’s not that different from home on the fundamental level. People still have families, friends and silly quirks. They still hate final exams and bemoan cafeteria food and think the world could be a better place. Everything I’ve learned here has helped me understand that the world is both more complicated and more simple that I’ve experienced. It’s made me look at who I am and how I think, and that’s something I know everyone should take the chance to do. You don’t have to travel halfway around the world to do it, but find some way to take a critical, in-depth look at how you look at the world. The results may surprise you, and they’ll definitely help you understand the global community you want to help build. There’s a long way to go before we can truthfully call ourselves a global community. But one thing is true. It truly is a small world after all.

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Campus Bulletin UPCOMING EVENTS Thursday, December 9, 2010 Stop by the Rotunda Gallery in December for some Grand Conversations. Stefan Rose’s year as Kitchener’s Artist in Residence culminates with his exhibition, Grand River: Grand Conversations. Meet Stefan and celebrate his achievement from 5 to 7 p.m., City Hall 200 King Street W, Kitchener. For more info call Cheryl York at: 519-7413400 ext 3381. Bereaved Families of Ontario Presents: Anything But Merry – Join us to learn coping strategies to help get you through this holiday season. 7 to 8 p.m., Ratz Bechtel Family Centre, 621 King Street West, Kitchener. For more info and registration, please email admin@bfomidwest.org or call 519-6030196. Friday, December 10, 2010 The Sexuality, Marriage, and Family Studies department presents the Second Annual SMF Symposium at St. Jerome’s University. Proposal for papers or poster presentations addressing this year’s theme, “Ethical Intersec-

tions: Research, Theory, and Practice,” accepted now. For further info, visit www.smfsymposium.ca or email Jenn Wunder at jenn@smfsymposium.ca. Friday, January 7, 2011 IMPRINT’s first paper of the winter term. Have all Campus Bulletin postings emailed by January 4.

VOLUNTEERING Shadow volunteers needed to be paired with new international students for winter, 2011. Show them around, help them socialize and make their stay at Waterloo more enjoyable. Make great friends and learn a new culture. Please apply at www.iso.uwaterloo.ca (under “about ISO”). Volunteer with a child at their school and help improve their self-esteem and confidence. Call Canadian Mental Health at 519-744-7645, ext. 229. City of Waterloo has volunteer opportunities. For info call 519-8886478 or www.waterloo.ca/volunteer. The Distress Centre needs volun-

Classified TUTORING

Private tutoring in math by recently retired professor, with Ph. D. and 38 years teaching. Most undergrad courses, including precalculus, first and second year calculus, statistics, matrix and linear algebra, discrete and financial mathematics, real analysis, set theory, modern algebra, topology, etc., plus statistics from other departments or business mathematics. Resident in Kitchener. Inquire dlgrant1946@ gmail.com.

FOR SALE

1995 Toyota Tercel – certified and etest ; 2-door base model ; 3-speed auto ; 197,000 km ; two owner ; mechanic excellent ; oil sprayed ; new brakes, timing elt, rad. Economical, super reliable. $1,500. Please call 519-279-4209.

LOST

$250 reward for the return of my watch. Lost Thursday, September 9 in or around Environment 1. Watch is metal with my name “Jeff” on the back. Huge sentimental value. Please email me at jcasello@uwaterloo.ca.

SERVICES Does your thesis or major paper need a fresh pair of eyes to catch English spelling and grammar errors? Thesis English editing. Five business day turnaround. Neal Moogk-Soulis, ncmoogks@uwaterloo.ca.

HOUSING

Student rental properties are available for rent close to UW. Clean, upgraded detached houses, townhouses, apartments and true loft space rentals available on many nearby streets including Lester, Sunview, University, and Hazel. Rentals to suit all group size from 1 to 13+. Many start dates available. Please contact Hoffaco Property Man-

agement — rent@hoffaco.com (preferred) or 519-885-7910. One roommate wanted. $600/month all inclusive. Ensuite laundry, a minute from Fairview Mall and Ixpress route. Email llg2006_07@msn.com or call 519-588-4847, ask for Laura Grafton.

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. Don’t just spend money while at school, make money instead. I need a few sharp people to add to my team. Flexible part-time hours for the right few people. Request more information: gluke43@yahoo.com. Excellent student work opportunity! The Survey Research Centre (SRC) here at UW is currently seeking parttime telephone interviewers for the winter term. The deadline to apply is January 9, 2011. The SRC is an on campus research centre that offers a variety of survey services. Telephone interviewers are responsible for conducting quality-oriented interviews and performing administrative tasks such as data entry. Must be in at least second year, be fluent in English and have a clear, strong speaking voice and excellent communication skills. Experience in telephone work, data entry, or customer service is helpful but not required. Ability to speak French fluently is an asset. 12 to 15 hours per week required, mainly evenings and weekends. Starting wage is $11.50 an hour. Please send resume to Lindsey Webster, lwebster@math.uwaterloo. ca. For more info email or phone 519888-4567, ext 36689.

teers to provide confidential, supportive listening on our crisis and distress lines. Complete training provided. Call 519-744-7645, ext. 300. Volunteer Action Centre, 519-7428610 / volunteer@volunteerkw.ca, for all your volunteering needs! Volunteers needed – The English Tutor program is in constant need of volunteers to tutor international students. Volunteering is an essential part of student life at UW. Apply online at www.iso.uwaterloo.ca. Volunteer required to rebuild website for Kitchener International Children’s Games Chapter. Call 519-886-6918 and leave message or respond to icgkitchener@hotmail.com.

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 ads@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

UW RECREATION EVENTS UWRC Book Club, Wednesdays at 12 noon in LIB 407 - all welcome! December 21: “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society” by Shaffer and Barrows. Movie ticket discounts available from Empire Theatre, Galaxy, Princess. For more info for all the above email schatten@uwaterloo.ca or uwrc@uwaterloo. ca.

CENTRE FOR CAREER ACTION For a complete list of workshops and events, please visit careerservices.uwaterloo.ca.

ONGOING

Mondays Gambling can ruin your life. Gamblers Anonymous, 7 p.m. at St Marks, 825 King Street, W, basement. Tuesdays CNIB Lions Low Vision Clinic - conducted to provide an opportunity for CNIB services and support, and access scheduled appointments with a CNIB Specialist. 9 am - 4 pm, 180 King St. S., Waterloo. For more info, visit www. cnib.ca. Thursdays UW Toastmasters – improve your confidence and communication for a successful career. 5:30 to 6:30 pm, SLC 2105B. For more info, contact uwtoastmaster@gmail.com. Saturdays Not your average garage sale - LP’s, CD’s - Every Saturday in November. 1081 Church Street, St. Clements - 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Contact at webuytunes77@rogers.com.

UPTOWN WATERLOO BIA EVENTS December 9 and 16: FREE Horse Drawn Trolley Rides, 5 to 8:30 p.m. December 10, 17, 23: Victorian Carolers, 5 to 8 p.m. 2011 February 19: UpTown Waterloo Ice Dogs Festival March 10-12: UpTown Comedy Festival May: UpTown Waterloo Jazz Fundraiser June 18: UpTown Country July 15-17: UpTown Waterloo Jazz Festival August 25-28: Waterloo Busker Carnival September 11: UpTown Dining October 9: 29th Annual Pancake Breakfast October 9: 32nd Annual Great Oktoberfest Barrel Race October 11: Thanksgiving Day Parade For more information about the above events call 519-885-1921 or email uptownwaterloobia@waterloo.ca or www. uptownwaterloobia.com.

STUDENT AWARDS & FINANCIAL AID December 2010 OSAP will continue to be available for pick up by appointment ONLY for the duration of the term from our office in Needles Hall. Go go safa.uwaterloo.ca for appointment times. Are you a fall only student? If so, you must come in to claim alll of your funding by your study period end, for most students this is December 22, 2010. SIN card and valid, government issued photo are required for all loan pick up and authorization, as well as in person general inquiries. Go to safa.uwaterloo.ca for a full listing of scholarships and awards, as well as important deadlines.

ANNOUNCEMENTS Nomination awards Distinguished Teacher Award nomination deadline is Friday, February 4, 2011. Amit and Meena Chakma Award for Exceptional Teaching by a Student nomination deadline is Friday, February 11, 2011. More info under Awards at http://cte. uwaterloo.ca. New Year’s Eve activites throughout Waterloo recreation facilities are supported by the City of Waterloo! Free admission to all events, all welcome. Waterloo Recreation Complex, 101 Father David Bauer Drive, public swim 7pm - 8:30 pm and family skate at 7pm - 9pm. Manulife Financial Sportsplex, RIM Park, 2001 University Avenue East, Public Skate @ Pillers Rink and Optimist Rink 7pm - 9pm, Adult Skate @ Lions Rink 7pm - 9pm. Albert McCormick Centre, 500 Parkside Drive, public skate 7pm - 9pm. Waterloo Public Square, King Street & Willis Way, music, dancing and skating on the ice rink 8pm - 12am.

December 3rd IMPRINT: Last paper of the winter term!

Deadline for January 7 issue is January 4 The best of luck on your exams,

And Happy Holidays

TRAINING For Volunteers Call For Volunteers

Imprint’s political science and international Ititititititi’ti titiwnew tititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititiffffffffffff affairs quarterly welcomes volunteers: fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftititititititititititititi Tuesday, December 14 @ 1:00 p.m. in SLC 1116 titititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititi SIGN UP by emailing editor@imprint.uwaterloo.ca Take part in the founding of a student publication titititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititititttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt by contacting co-editors Matt and Keith at: librus@imprint.uwaterlo.ca librus@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

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From all of us in UpTown Waterloo, we wish you and yours a Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday’s

FREE Horse Drawn Trolley Rides

UpTown Dollars

December 9th & 16th (Through UpTown Waterloo) 5-8:30 pm (while FREE, ticket required) This is a FREE event but space is limited, please pick up a ticket in Centre Court inside The Shops prior to boarding. Bring a blanket and enjoy a magical ride through UpTown Waterloo and Waterloo Park. Each ride lasts approx 35 minutes. The Trolley seats 22-25 passengers. The last ride loads at approximately 7:45pm. Compliments of UpTown Waterloo Businesses.

A great gift anytime of the year! Available for sale at the UpTown Waterloo Business Improvement Area office. UpTown Dollars can be used in all shops and services with the exception of the LCBO.

Victorian Carollers December 10th, 17th, 23rd (5-8 pm) Be serenaded by strolling Victorian Carollers, dressed in full Victorian garb. They will entertain you with your favourite Christmas carols. Join us in Waterloo Public Square at 7:30pm each of these evenings for a public holiday sing-along.

Lots of free parking in UpTown Waterloo! (extended parking available in the UpTown Parkade, Willis Way and Regina) For more information contact: UpTown Waterloo Business Improvement Area Suite 160, 100 Regina St. S., Waterloo 519.885.1921 • www.uptownwaterloobia.com Compliments of UpTown Waterloo Business.

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News

Tuition Increase Approved

Year in Review Luna Wei

assistant news editor

February 2, 2010

The University of Waterloo Board of Governors met and a notion for a tuition hike was approved. The resulting effect was calculated as a 4.0 per cent increase per term for current students and a 4.5 per cent tuition increase for newly admitted students. Among the tuition hike, residence fees were also reported to increase by 3.0 per cent by the Fall 2010 term.

The End of Mel’s April 22, 2010

A fire ended the existence of several locations in the Campus Court Plaza. Businesses affected by the blaze included Mel’s Diner, Tabu, Mr. Sushi, University Vision Centre, and Sugar Mountain. The cause of the fire still remains unknown and more than 100 people lost their jobs due to the tragedy. Rebuilding efforts are currently on hold.

Komal LakhaNi

July 1, 2010

Sales taxes, harmonized

The introduction of a new tax package, also known as the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) was implemented in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. It combined the five per cent Provincial Sales Tax (PST) and eight per cent Goods and Services Tax (GST) to make a single tax of 13 per cent. Living costs were increased by this new tax, including the price of some groceries and services.

Marianas Trench rocks Waterloo

September 17, 2010

Topping off the Federation of Student’s Welcome Week 2010 was none other than Marianas Trench. With a campus-wide line up, the band revved up a massive gathering of close to 4,000 students, holding claim as one of the biggest bands that the University of Waterloo has ever hosted.

Ron Kielstra Jr. Eduardo Ramirez staff reporters

January February March April May June

2010 July

August

September

ETHan Oblak

UW-ACE to be replaced

November 10, 2010

Waterloo announced it will be replacing UW-ACE after seven years of service, providing students and professors access to courseware. In May 2009, Blackboard Inc. purchased Angel Software Inc., and since then changes in the system has prompted Waterloo to consider other online course systems, with project finalizations expected in early 2012.

October November December

Citizens rally against prorogation

January 23, 2010

A crowd of nearly 500 people gathered in Waterloo Town Square to protest Harper’s decision to prorogue Parliament until March 3. Protestors expressed outrage as they stood around the square holding homemade signs and Canadian flags. The rally was one of several across the nation from Ottawa to Edmonton to Waterloo as protestors tried to send the message to Parliament with a no-show from Conservative MPs.

paula trelinska

Rez robbed at gunpoint March 18, 2010

An armed robber entered UW Place’s Beck Hall, making his way up to the third floor, where he held two roommates at gunpoint. With initial reactions of disbelief, the two believed they were victims of a practical joke as they were robbed in their own room. Following the event, Waterloo Housing and Residences’ informed dons and advised students to not allow strangers into their residence. Unlike the newer residence Mackenzie King Village, Beck Hall had no security camera on location.

Football season cancelled June 14, 2010

Following Waterloo safety Nathan Zettler’s arrest on steroid trafficking charges, the entire roster of the men’s football team underwent a surprise drug test. The test revealed that roughly 15 per cent of the team had been using performance-enhancing drugs. In an unprecedented move, UW officials cancelled the team’s 2010 season.

paula trelinska

Christie Blatchford silenced by demonstrators November 15, 2010

A small group of protesters managed to silence one of Canada’s most outspoken journalists after a planned appearance at the University of Waterloo was cancelled by organizers. Globe and Mail columnist Christie Blatchford had planned to speak during Friday evening about her new book on the Aboriginal land dispute in Caledonia. But protesters, some representing the group Anti-Racist Action, had other ideas and took the stage, impeding Blatchford from speaking.

Gina Racine

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

McIntyre lights up Ryerson Michael Markovski staff reporter

he Waterloo Warriors experienced various highs and lows this past weekend when they squared off against the Toronto Varsity Blues and Ryerson Rams. Game 1 of the back-to-back saw them drop the contest by a final score of 89–74, but the game seemed to be all but over after the first 12 minutes of play. The first quarter of Friday’s game was something the Warriors would like to quickly forget, as they fell behind by a disastrous score of 31–6. Open shots were rimming out, clear cut layup opportunities were squandered, and they were dominated on the glass getting outrebounded by a 21–8 margin. They did manage to fight back as they outscored Toronto in the remaining three quarters, but the lead proved to be insurmountable as their efforts fell short. Coach Kieswetter said they did all they could to be aggressive and force the play after they fell behind, but it just wasn’t enough. “When we fell way behind (in the first quarter) we had to change the game,” he said. “We worked hard to be the aggressors, applying defensive pressure, traps and offensive up-tempo attacks. We tried to create chaos through gambling to get them out of their comfort zone. It worked to a degree but their lead was just too big, although we did make it interesting and exciting.” Fourth year guard Cam McIntyre led the way for the Warriors with 14 points and three rebounds. Second year guard Wayne Bridge added 13 points, along with eight rebounds and three assists. Game 2 of the weekend had the Warriors feeling a little bit more positive, as they were victorious over the Ryerson Rams by a final score of 90–76.

Courtesy Carl Pawlowski/UW athletics

Cam McIntyre, #9, pictured against Toronto on Friday, poured in 42 points to lead Waterloo to a 90-76 victory against Ryerson on Saturday night.

see BASKETBALL page 22

Heading to holiday break on high note Namish Modi sports & living editor

aterloo’s men’s volleyball team wrapped up the first half of the season on a high note. The Warriors defeated the Toronto Varsity Blues 3-1 in Toronto on Friday night. The victory for Waterloo halted their three game losing skid and improved their record to 3–7. Waterloo won the first two sets of the match by a scores of 25–15 and 25–20. Toronto took the third set 25–18. The Warriors sealed the victory with a 25–20 win in the fourth and final set. Leading the way offensively for Waterloo was rookie outside Fiodar Kazhamiaka with 16 kills, and nine digs. Outside Aleks Poldma added nine kills and seven digs. Setter Scott banner_ad_v6.qxd:Layout 11/30/10 Thomson was stellar adding 39 1assists.

“The key to our victory was playing consistent ball and not riding a rollercoaster mentally,” said Poldma. “We are a very young and talented team, and our record does not show how good we are.” After losing the third set, the Warriors maintained their composure to secure the victory in the fourth. “I had a rough start to the match. My passing was not consistent and neither was my attacking,” added Poldma. “I improved as the match went on, and my key contributions were blocking, tough serving, and timely defense.” Toronto was led offensively by left Jake Dysselhof with 13 kills. Middle Adam Palmer added 11 kills. The win completed an up and down first half of the season for Waterloo. “The positives in first 1half of the season include 10:16 AMthePage

competing with the best teams in the league. We lost to McMaster and Queens in tight matches, both in the fifth set,” Poldma said. “They have both been ranked in the nation’s top 10 in the first half.” Waterloo’s 3–7 record leaves them in seventh in the OUA. Western leads the OUA with a perfect 10–0 record, while the RMC Paladins remain winless in ten games and are in last place. Waterloo will return to action on January 7th against the Guelph Gryphons. “Overall we’ve had had a lot of ups and downs because we are a young team,” added Poldma. “There will be some amazing things happening with our team in the second half of the year, and in years to come.”

(W) HOCKEY THIS WEEK IN

ATHLETICS AND RECREATION

First Down...

If you’re reading this before Monday night, make sure you watch the Jets– Patriots game. If you’re reading this after Monday night and you didn’t watch it... what were you doing? Exams are not that important.... see RUNDOWN page 21

sports@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

DECEMBER 3

PRESENTS...

verybody take a step back and calm down about the Derek Jeter contract situation. Contracts disputes, in general, are the essence of boredom, and there is really no difference here. But for some reason this seems to be a real hot button issue (slow week supposedly) so let’s dissect... Jeter is definitely worth more to the New York Yankees than to any other club in Major League Baseball. There is no disputing that, he’s “The Captain”. So it doesn’t really make sense for Jeter to go elsewhere since his on-field value is significantly lower than his total value. The thing that is vexing some people is that the Yankees don’t seem willing to give him what he wants, which is a multi-year deal in the 20 million per year range. That’s all speculation but Jeter definitely does not want a pay cut (who does?), which is what the Yankees are offering. But in reality, and this may be unbelievable to some people out there, the Yankees don’t need Derek Jeter. This is what Jeter is realizing right about now, and could lead to Jeter playing elsewhere. The New York Yankees are about winning. Plain and simple, that’s the only thing they care about. They won long before Jeter was around and they’ll win after he’s retired. The Yankees have future shortstop Eduardo Nunez in their system who they refused to trade for Cliff Lee, so their appears to be life after Jeter for the Yankees. People will point to Jeter being a Yankee legend as a reason for the Yankees to sign him back. But why? Jeter is a legend because he played in New York. Yes, he would still be a future Hall of Famer if he had played for a different team but winning five World Series titles made him a legend. That was a byproduct of playing for the Yankees. The Yankees aren’t just lucky to have all of these legends play for them; they create them. That’s the underlying them in these negotiations. Yes, obviously everyone wants to see Jeter retire a Yankee, but he might have to take a significant pay cut to be able to do that. It’s ironic that after all those years of unselfish play and talking about putting the team first, Jeter is finally realizing that when you’re dealing with the Yankees, it really is about the team first...

VS BROCK BADGERS 7:30 PM

ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

PAC GYM

DECEMBER 4

(W) HOCKEY VS GUELPH GRYPHONS 2:00 PM PAC GYM

LAURA

CAM

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

MEN’S BASKETBALL

BURNETT

McINTYRE

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Warrior Wrap-up Men’s Hockey

Women’s Volleyball

OUA West Division

OUA West Divison

Teams

OTL

PTS

Western

0.778

Lakehead

0.875

Waterloo

0.714

Guelph

0.429

Laurier

0.143

Brock

Windsor

0.000

Windsor

UOIT

York

Teams

Win % PTS

Brock

0.667

Guelph

McMaster

Western

Waterloo

Men’s Volleyball GP

Win % PTS

Western

1.000

Queen’s

0.800

McMaster

0.800

Guelph

0.700

Windsor

0.600

Laurier

0.600

Waterloo

0.300

Ryerson

0.300

York

0.200

Toronto

0.200

RMC

0.000

staff reporter

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Hockey Windsor 5, Waterloo 0

West Division Teams

PTS

Windsor

.875

Lakehead

.750

Laurier

.750

Brock

.625

Western

.625

Waterloo

.500

Guelph

.375

McMaster

.375

The Rundown: Everything is right in the NHL CONTINUED from page 18

The women’s basketball team continue to search for their first win after losses to Toronto and Ryerson this past weekend. Chester Yang

OUA Conference Teams

courtesy uw Athletics

Does anybody else think that the clock stopping in football when a player runs out of bounds is an odd rule? It’s not necessarily a bad rule, we’ve all just taken it for granted over the years. If you throw an incompletion, the clock stops, that makes sense. But to arbitrarily decide that a player running off the field stops the clock seems like somebody thought the games weren’t lasting long enough...

It was nice to see Florida State finally get a win over Florida and a berth in the ACC title game versus Virginia Tech. Regardless of the outcome, Florida State has a lot to look forward to in the next few years. Coach Jimbo Fisher has done an excellent job of recruiting the past few seasons and they are starting to reap the rewards of that hard work. It’s nice to see one of the perennial national title contenders from the ‘80s and ‘90s returning to relevance... Speaking of relevant, how about the Wisconsin Badgers’ offense? Three games this season with 70+ points and an 11–1 record to top it off. This isn’t a plea for Wisconsin to be in the national title game, just a heads up to tune in to their Bowl game which could be a Rose Bowl match-up with undefeated TCU. Yes, please...

Huge hat tip to Daniel Nestor and doubles partner Nenad Zimonjic who won the ATP doubles title in their final event together. Nestor did for Zimonjic the same thing he did for Mark Knowles; make them relevant in the tennis world. When Nestor eventually retires maybe he’ll finally get the respect from the general public in Canada. For whatever reason, one of Canada’s top athletes just doesn’t get the credit he deserves.

Seventh Inning Stretch...

Shout out of the Week:

Look away from the National Hockey League for a few days and Sidney Crosby is leading the league in points and the Maple Leafs are curled up comfortably in the basement of the league. Everything just feels right again...

Congratulatory shout out to the Warriors’ hockey team who is now ranked 10th in the country following a recent hot streak.

Overtime...

jsmith@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

The Warriors were shut out for the fifth time this season last Saturday afternoon. Warriors goalie Martina Michaud gave up four goals on 24 shots, while Elizabeth Baverstock stopped 11 of the 12 shots she saw in relief in the third period. The Warriors were unable to muster anything against eighth ranked Windsor, who limited the Warriors to just one shot in the first period while scoring three goals of their own. Waterloo 4, Western 3 (OT)

The Warriors came back with a strong effort the next day, defeating the Mustangs 4–3 in an overtime thriller. Waterloo took the 1–0 lead in the first after exchanging end-to-end rushes with the Mustangs, but the Mustangs battled back early in the second period. After trading two goals each in the third, Waterloo would win the game on Karen Vanderhoek’s first goal of the season. The Warriors ended the game outshooting the Mustangs 36–25. The Warriors wrap up their fall schedule with home games against Brock and Guelph this weekend. Women’s Basketball Toronto 81, Waterloo 45

The 6–2 University of Toronto Varsity Blues opened the game on a 21–11 run and never looked back, winning a lopsided battle handily on Friday night. Three different players hit double-digit points for the Blues while Waterloo was led by guard Laura Burnett with 11 points while shooting 50 per cent from the field. As a team, Toronto shot 42 per cent to Waterloo’s 29 per cent. Ryerson 66, Waterloo 41

The Warriors managed to stay close at the beginning, but ultimately fell to the Rams on Saturday. The Warriors were able to contain the top scorer in the OUA in Ashley Macdonald and managed to keep up with the rest of the Rams offense after one. However, Ryerson would take control of the game, outscoring the Warriors 37–15 in the second and third quarters to take the win. Laura Burnett would score nine points in this game, en route to being named female athlete of the week. The 0–8 Warriors will be hoping for a better outcome in their games after the Christmas break. Their next game will be January 5th against Brock at the PAC Swimming

The Canada Cup this weekend was held in Etobicoke and saw 450 of the best swimmers from across Canada compete. Waterloo’s contingent had a good showing, as Wesley Greig led the way with a twelfth place finishes in both the 100m and 200m breaststroke, placing him in the top five for each event in CIS rankings. Evan Dzik and Greg Gambino also posted strong times in the 200m freestyle and 50m fly respectively, despite still getting back into shape from co-op and school conflicts. Andrew Lee, who participated in the relays, had a great lead on the 100m backstroke as the time placed eighth all time on the Warriors records. The Warriors 4x100m medley finished fifth in the field; both it and the 4x200m free relay times placed fourth on the all-time Warriors list. cyang@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Sports & Living

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Warriors gain national ranking with sixth win in a row

here’s no doubt that watching the Raptors this year has been entertaining. They’re a fairly young team that likes to get out and run, spread the floor and throw down dunks. But that being said — there is a large difference between a team being “entertaining” and a team being “good.” It’s sort of like saying Jessica Simpson is entertaining now (she’s lost it, is dating some has-been ex-NFL quarterback, and has generally gained weight) and saying Jessica Simpson is “good” (as in her roll as Daisy Duke. Don’t get the wrong impression, horrible movie, but Jessica was smoking.) So what would I do if I was the Raptors general manager, Bryan Colangelo? Well, first off, I’d get hotter cheerleaders (c’mon now Bryan, I went to a game, the team isn’t great, at least give me something to look at), but that’s not all. Now, I’m not trying to pretend I know more than Colangelo, or would do a better job. He’s a good GM, if we ignore the Hedo signing, with a strong resume and very solid European scouting connections. But, I have a big idea for the Raptors, and I’d certainly hope Colangelo is looking at it. The idea’s name is O.J Mayo (yes, like the condiment) and he’s a point guard/shooting guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s also a lion tamer and a bear wrestler. Wait, that’s not him, that’s me. The thing is, the Grizzlies went out this offseason and decided they’d overspend like they had Bill Gates’ budget, but unfortunately they don’t. They gave Rudy Gay $80 million over five years making him their franchise player, which is like giving Jennifer Aniston $20 million to star in your movie — yeah, gets the job done, but you grossly overpaid. Then, to add to bsb waterloo 6X6:Layout 1

their self-destructive spending, they gave Mike Conley Jr a five-year, $40 million extension. So Mayo has become the odd man out, the guy they can’t possibly afford to extend in two years, especially when Marc Gasol and Zack Randolph still need extensions. This is where the Raptors pounce. This is how you make leaps in the NBA: you snipe important players from failing teams. The Lakers did it when they essentially stole Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies. The Heat did it when they acquired a disgruntled Shaq O’Neal from the Lakers. It’s what you do. I know the first reaction is to point out how badly Mayo is playing this season for the Grizzlies. He’s been shooting the ball about as well as Vince Carter takes contact (zing), and has been demoted to sixth man in an effort to jumpstart a return to form. With that being said, there is no doubt about both Mayo’s potential and his ridiculous raw skills. He’s a great defender with lanky reach. At times he has shown he has a smooth jump and an ability to take over games. I’ve watched him this year and near as I can tell, he looks flustered playing second fiddle to Gay, who, let’s face it, is not worth $16 million per year. I mean, the only way I could make sense of the Conley deal was to tell myself that Conley had walked in on the owner cheating on his wife, and was being paid to somehow cover up for him — and even that didn’t make sense. Last year I suggested we sign Allen Iverson (which was about as well received as Kanye is at a Taylor Swift Fan Club luncheon), and this year it’s the struggling Mayo I’m after. Who will it be next year? The return of Michael Jordan? Don’t count it out.

jtoporowski@imprint.uwaterloo.cs 11/30/10 11:14 AM Page 1

Chester Yang staff reporter

arriors extend their winning streak to six games after sweeping back to back 4-3 decisions against Royal Military College and Queen’s University. Waterloo took on the winless RMC on Friday night, (a team that was hungry for their first win of the season). Four minutes into the game, RMC captain Richard Lim took a pass from teammate Patrick Pinder and snapped it past Warriors goalie Justin Leclerc to take a 1–0 lead. That lead would last until the 18th minute, as Warrior forward Kirt Hill scored shorthanded to draw the Warriors even. The goal was his fourth of the season and puts him just one shy of his goal total from last season. Just a minute later, Josh Schappert would give the Warriors the lead, sniping his eigth goal of the year during a Warriors powerplay. The teams traded chances in the second period, with the lone goal coming from Waterloo’s Steve Whitely. Warrior captain Chris Ray assisted on the play, extending his point streak to 10 games. The Warriors took a comfortable 4–1 lead five minutes into the third period, after Kurt Thorner scored his sixth of the year. Waterloo began to sit back afterwards, though, and they would run into trouble later in the period as the Paladins, sensing a chance to strike, began to press urgently. Forward Landon Lavictoire struck first, with a power-play goal, and with just two minutes left in the game, Justin Lacey snuck one

by Leclerc, cutting the lead to just one and setting up a tense few final moments. The Warriors were able to shut it down from there, however, despite being outshot 13–3 in the period. Leclerc picked up his fourth win of the season with a 25-save performance, while his counterpart in goal, Andrew Flemming, conceded four goals on 21 shots to take the loss. The loss was the Paladins’ 15th consecutive. The Warriors came out sluggishly against the Golden Gaels the following night, getting outshot 12-7 in the first, and conceding the only goal of the period to Queen’s forward Scott Kenway. His team-leading eigth goal sent the Warriors into the dressing room needing to step up in the second, and the team responded. The second frame was almost a complete reversal, with the Warriors outshooting the Golden Gaels 15–9 in the frame and generating numerous chances. Tyler Moir managed to capitalize at 14:01 of the second to even up the score, and the teams headed into the third period tied at one. As soon as the third period got underway, the floodgates opened. During a Warrior power-play, Queen’s forward Joey Derochie scored a shorthanded goal to give Queen’s the lead. Shortly after, the Gaels added to the lead when foward Jordan Mirwaldt potted one of his own. But with 10 minutes remaining in the game and down by two, the Warriors fought back. With the Warriors killing a penalty, Jarret Schnurr took a pass from captain Chris Ray and buried it past Queen’s goaltender David Aime, to cut the lead to one. Just

Warriors head into holidays with 4-4 record CONTINUED from page 18

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a minute later, with the Warriors now on a powerplay, defenseman Kyle Sonnenburg scored his fifth of the season, sending the game to overtime. Sonnenburg once again played the hero in overtime, scoring three minutes into the extra frame to send the Warriors to their sixth consecutive win. Keaton Hartigan had a strong game in net for the Warriors, making 35 saves for the victory while Aime stopped 39 shots of his own. “Their goalie played really well... stopped a lot of shots,” said Warriors defenseman Ryan Molle. “We didn’t really get into a desperation until they got the third goal, then all of a sudden we picked it up.” Moir and Sonnenburg were the Warriors’ best players this past weekend, pacing the black and gold with a goal and three assists apiece. With two assists, Ray also extended his point streak to 11 games, notching 19 points in that span. After taking full points from the weekend, the Warriors now sit at 11– 5–0 on the season, sitting third in the OUA West and just one point back of the 11–4–1 Lakehead Timberwolves and five points out of first place. Eleven of Waterloo’s first 15 games have been decided by one goal, and according to Molle, the team needs to put in a full 60 minute effort if they hope to win more of these games. “We’ve [been] playing the record of the team, not the team itself, so in some games we’ve not been ready to play at the start,” Molle said. The Warriors will hope to avoid a slow start when they travel to St. Catharines to take on the sixth-place Brock Badgers in their final game of the fall term.

However, the win wasn’t the only achievement the team experienced, as they had the opportunity to relish in one of the more amazing performances the team has experienced to date. Fourth year guard Cam McIntyre added to his resume of outstanding play in a big way by putting up 42 points on 13 of 21 shooting, while hitting a team record 11 three pointers. He was also a perfect five for five from the charity stripe. The first quarter had the Warriors record a better start than their last game, seemingly fresh off the disappointment experienced just a week ago. They went up by a score of 12-4, but it was Ryerson that climbed back and took a 37-33 lead into the locker room. The third quarter is where the magic

happened, and McIntyre seemed to be unstoppable. His 25 points gave Waterloo the lead for good, and it didn’t seem to matter if the defense was right in his face. He knew his shots were good as soon as they rolled off his fingers. “Any good shooter knows that once you hit a couple threes back to back, you feel like all of them are going to drop, and the situation was no different for me. The defense was getting a hand up in my face but it was just one of those nights that everything was dropping no matter what the defense was,” said McIntyre Warriors’ forward Brendan Smith also reached double figures with 10 points and eight rebounds. The Warriors go into the holiday break with a 4–4 record, and are set to return to action on Dec. 28 when the Ryerson tournament tips off.

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 science@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

BMO donates $4 million to the

photo courtesy wikimedia commons

Jordan Campbell science & technology editor

he largest corporate donation ever received by the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI) was to the tune of $4 million dollars on Monday, Nov. 29. The BMO Financial Group invested the money in PI so that they could form the BMO Financial Group Isaac Newton Chair in Theoretical Physics at Perimeter Institute. PI will match the $4 million with an equivalent from their private endowment fund. It has not yet been

announced who will fill the chair, but PI ensures the public that it will “bring one of the world’s finest theoretical physicists here.” The Newton Chair is the first in five proposed by the PI, the others being named after other well-known physicists James Clark Maxwell, Albert Einstein, Neils Bohr, and Paul Dirac. Both BMO and PI hope that the large investment in the 10-year-old centre for theoretical physics will draw the attention of other private sector donors to make establishing the other four chairs possible. “These five chairs are an integral part of Perimeter Institute’s vision as it

grows toward pre-eminence as a world centre for foundational physics, bringing together the most brilliant theoretical physicists of our time under one roof,” Director of the Perimeter Institute, Neil Turok, said. PI has received over $200 million in private donations since it was first established. The BMO donation of $4 million may not even compare to that large sum, but as a corporate donation it is a bastion of faith in the future of the institute. It is not only the largest corporate donation ever received by PI, but the largest donation to the sciences ever made by BMO.

While research in theoretical physics may not be immediately useful to the everyday life of society, it has been known to unleash massively useful byproducts to the masses. We have theoretical physics research to thank for computers, electron microscopes, and lasers. And, really, what would Waterloo be like without lasers? — With files from The Perimeter Institute and the Globe and Mail. jcampbell@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

seven hackers, seven hacks, seven days Jon Best reporter

Jennifer Nguyen assistant science & technology editor

“S

even hackers, seven hacks, seven days”, is the proposition the Seven Cubed Project put forward. From Nov. 20-26, seven University of Waterloo students “[entered] an office stocked with food, energy drinks, and beanbag chairs, to try and write an app a day for seven days.” While this sounded like a lofty goal, the team of seven programmers were successful in producing six working apps in the span of seven days. Even though they weren’t able to achieve their target of one app per day, they still put out more than seven apps by the end of the week, which is a formidable accomplishment. Some programmers take days to just produce one app, let alone seven. The idea for the Seven Cubed Project was hatched when the seven members were at VeloCity, UW’s “dormcubator” to help students turn their mobile communication and digital media ideas into entrepreneurial successes. At VeloCity, there are “start-up weekends” where students are put into teams to brainstorm, develop, and present an idea, all in one weekend. A few students wanted to extend this model to a week and do it again, but with more intensity and ambition, and hence the Seven Cubed Project was born.

The Hackers

The members of the Seven Cubed Project include a mix of current and graduated UW students who all share a passion for tackling hard-to-solve problems. Many of the members, like Barbara Macdonald, Gareth McLeod, Jeff Verkoeyen, and Gilbert Leung, have worked at major technology firms such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. Others have opted for the entrepreneurial route and have their own companies like Scott Tolksdorf and Ross Robinson. Robinson will be starting his own two-person company in January. Of course, the Seven Cubed Project is not the first time the members have taken on a large-scale programming task. Avi Itskovich, the team’s youngest member, started Bloq Software with two of his friends. The company specializes in developing professional card game framework and games that uses the framework, some of which can be found in the AppStore. “The entire project was meant to be a learning process and I believe that we succeeded fully in that,” said Robinson. “The first thing we did each day was talk about what we did poorly the previous day and how we could improve. These meetings which we called ‘Post Mortems’ allowed us to adapt how we were working together. The majority of the problems that arose were due to communication, which we improved on each and every day.” —With files from 7cubedproject. com. jnguyen@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

Seven Cubed Project started the week off with a bang, creating a useful tool and, incidentally, reaching Android Marketplace’s Top 10 for the week with QuickCite, a beautifully simple and functional app that translates photos of barcodes from books into perfectly edited citations in your choice of APA, MLA, Chicago or IEEE style. The icing on the cake: instant delivery to your email. Truly “bibilography made awesome.” Continuing strong, the team created UWChat on Sunday. The basic rationale: to allow classes of students to collect and transfer information anonymously and in real time. This chat allows users, with randomly assigned nicknames, to discuss what’s happening on the current slide, verify when the prof makes a mistake, and even provide real-time feedback on the class material. This app’s potential for trolling is high, but the potential for learning and being entertained is much higher. Try it out at uwchat.ca. Monday marked the creation of MineHub (www.minehub.net), a method for Minecraft players to create private servers for themselves and friends to build — and tear down — together for a low monthly fee. If you’re not familiar with Minecraft, it’s highly recommended. It’s not your standard Sim City; Minecraft lets you build or unbuild literally anything in a 3D world with a simple interface; terrifyingly addictive. The fourth day marked Seven Cubed Project’s first realization of mortality. After much brainstorming and deliberation, the group started out on an a creation known as The Life Tracker, but met with some nasty technical setbacks throughout the day, ending the day with no full product to ship and a bit of frustration. They cut

this loss and plan on finishing this app in the future. Skrmsh is the fifth day’s progeny, a GPS-based zone control team game that is simple to play: just install the app, pick your team and whenever you go to a new part of KitchenerWaterloo turn it on and place a ‘claim.’ Whichever team makes the most claims in a given sector controls the sector, and you can claim once per zone, per day. Seven Cubed Project plans to expand the areas covered by the game as well as add Facebook support, histories, and individual specialties like defensive/offensive classes. Try it out and read more at www.skrmsh.com. Sixth is Gitflic, a great time-saver for technical projects graphic designers that can be found at gitflic.tumblr. com. I’m told that implementing graphics for digital products is usually a slow, painful, and volatile process that causes grief for developers and designers alike. Gitflic acts as a solution to this by automating much of the process and instantly making pretty, effective end products. If you ever do digital artwork or design, this app is most definitely for you. If you’ve been counting as we go along, then you realize that the final day of Seven Cubed Project was undoubtedly an interesting one: rather than focus on any one app, the group branched out and actually completed six apps as a rather energizing part of a learning process and productivity jump-start. Two team members created CanviPad, which allows drawings on one iPad to be sent to another Bluetooth-connected iPad for much entertainment and simple transfer of ideas. They also came up with the brilliantly named Unnamed Music App that again uses Bluetooth to play sounds through one iPad based on buttons pressed on another, connected iPad.

Two other members implemented some Android technology, creating a digital Bliptronic based on the hardware sold by ThinkGeek. It’s a fun little musical sequencer that’s good for playing with loop-based creations. If you’re a music buff, you might find this app inspires you. Also in music, one person created the brilliantly named (for real this time) Too Hipster, an app that helps you stay avant-garde in today’s fast-paced musical world. This app alerts you whenever one of your songs enters the top hits lists so you can delete it before you’re tainted by listening to popular music. Also created was a useful peoplefinder website primarily for those people who want to run an activity but just don’t have the numbers necessary. Triceradactyl helps you get a group together for everything from beach volleyball to LAN parties to finding new drinking buddies. Finally, Lil Blip is a webapp that uses GPS to allow local communication between users — only those within a certain physical distance of yourself will receive messages sent through the app. A neat idea with some practical applications for games like Manhunt, or exchanging messages when your friends are nearby in the mall. One member worked on turbomode to prepare lush logos for all of the apps created on Saturday. Seven Cubed Project attracted the attention and support from such establishments as Facebook, Brick Brewery, Communitech Hub, and David Villareal, of which the latter graciously provided seven cleverly disguised Smirnoff Ices to kick off the brainstorming. A big shout out goes to Modevation Media as well, who granted camera crews and video production for the entire week. The footage will soon be appearing in webisodes for everyone to view and learn from, so make sure to keep tabs on the site. www.7cubedproject.com graphics courtesy www.7cubedproject.com

Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

The name is Born: Max Born LUKE BOVARD

lbovard@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

hope you remember Tycho Brahe. As a quick reminder, Brahe was the outstanding 16th century astronomer who provided Johannes Kepler with the data he used to derive his planetary laws. Brahe was a wild character and as the story goes, he died due to bladder problems resulting from neglecting the call of nature. This was the commonly accepted cause of death, but historians had some doubts. In the early 1900s Brahe’s body was exhumed and abnormally high levels of mercury were found in the samples of his hair. This led to speculation that perhaps Brahe had been murdered. It has even been suggested the Kepler did the dirty deed in order to obtain all his data. Others have speculated that the Danish king, Christian IV, ordered Brahe to be killed because of a possible affair with his mother. On Nov. 15 2010, scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark exhumed the remains of Brahe and his wife and were given three days to obtain samples and perform hands-on analysis. In addition to shedding light on the question of Brahe’s unfortunate death, the scientists will also use the samples to accurately determine the composition of Brahe’s nose, which he lost in a duel. The analysis will take months before a conclusion is reached, but the scientists have set-up a website that contains video, photos, and updates on the progress of the analysis. Richard Feynman famously stated, “nobody understands quantum mechanics.” A powerful statement for sure, but I think it requires an important clarification. We may not understand what quantum mechanics tells us about the world, but we can pinpoint the exact areas where it causes us problems. This is exemplified

in Born’s Rule, which is a fundamental assumption of quantum theory. It relates the fundamental quantity, the wave function, to a probability outcome. For the founders of quantum mechanics, the introduction of probability caused many sleepless nights. All the other known laws of physics up to that point — classical mechanics, electromagnetism, general relativity — had no notion of probability. It could be incorporated, but it was not fundamental to the theories. Yet quantum mechanics requires it. Since the introduction of Born’s Rule, physicists have spent careers trying to tease out why probability plays such a fundamental role in quantum mechanics. They have tried to derive it from other starting points but have failed — it always needs to be assumed. Others have revolted against the introduction of probability and have developed methods that do not require probabilistic ideas. Yet, try as they might, probability still creeps in at the end of the day. Yet the whole introduction of probability is an afterthought in a paper published by Max Born. Prior to his paper, quantum mechanics was plagued with complex numbers which created unphysical quantities and Born noticed a fix to obtain physical quantities. In 1926, Born had some ideas on how quantum mechanics could be used to model collisions and wrote a paper on the subject. Just before sending it off to be published, and after it had been reviewed, Born added the following footnote: “Added in proof: More careful consideration shows that the probability is proportional to the square of the [wave function].” For this single sentence, Born was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1954. Open a textbook in quantum mechanics and

immediately you will see Born’s rule mentioned in some form. Last week, I mentioned that Heisenberg developed matrix mechanics along with Pascual Jordan and Max Born. Recall that it was Max Born who had seen the ideas of matrix mechanics in an abstract algebra course during his university days. It is rather unfortunate that only Heisenberg received the Noble Prize for this work, a fact Heisenberg greatly lamented in his letters. Born was not always a theoretical physicist. He originally started off in mathematics and attended the lectures of David Hilbert and Felix Klein. Unlike Arnold Sommerfeld, who became good friends with Klein, Born’s relationship with Klein was rocky. He would regularly skip Klein’s lectures, much to Klein’s disapproval. One time, a student had an illness and could not present during the lectures. Klein chose Born to give the lecture on the subject of elasticity, an area Klein was an expert. Born, however, only learned he had to give a talk on very short notice and had no time to review the literature. Instead, he developed his own ideas. When he presented the ideas, Klein was impressed and urged Born to submit the results for a competition. Born refused, further upsetting Klein, but eventually reneged and won first prize. The tension between Klein and Born eventually caused Born to leave mathematics and begin his study of physics. Instead of going into theoretical physics, Born went into experimental physics, a field he quickly realised was not for him. He once attempted to do an experiment on black body radiation using a ceramic oven which had an intricate water cooling system.

One night, Born forgot to turn off the water cooling system which caused not only his lab to flood, but numerous other labs on the floors below. He managed to escape punishment by paying for the damages out of his own pocket. The incident that turned him off experimental physics completely was when he almost accidentally killed the experimentalist in the lab below his. Born and a student were doing an experiment that involved extensive use of mercury. One day, the vacuum pump that was connected to the mercury broke and caused mercury to begin seeping through the floor into the lab below Born’s. The owner of this lab, Robert Pohl, had a great fear of mercury poisoning, and seeing mercury dripping from his ceiling caused him to flip out. Born quickly quit experimental work and attempted theoretical physics. Born remained shy throughout most of his life. During a visit to the University of Cambridge as a student, he was required to take a lab course in electromagnetism. His lab partner was an attractive young lady whom Born took a liking to. During one lab he asked the professor, “what should I do with the angel?” meaning to say angle. The professor looked at the two and said, “Kiss her, man, kiss her,” and walked away. It was not to be and Born left Cambridge shortly after. He soon meet his future wife, Hedwig, who he remained with for the rest of his life. The marriage produced three children. Despite Born’s fame, he is not the most famous member of his family. That honour, and trivia buffs take note, belongs to his grand-daughter, singer and actress Olivia Netwon-John. For more on the exhumation of Tycho Brahe, visit: humaniora.au.dk/en/events/tychobrahetomb/

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Science & Technology

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010

Google’s empire to expand Ivan Lui staff reporter

When the stars multiply

Studies by Yale University with the Keck telescope in Hawaii have led to the discovery that many other galaxies have the same make-up as the Milky Way galaxy. The journal Nature reported the possibility of having millions, if not trillions more “Earths” out there. Looking through the telescope, 20 times more red dwarf stars were observed in our galaxy in comparison to others. That amount is nearly four times larger than other galaxies which neighbour us. With this new observation, Prof. Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University has said that there may be more chances of life in other areas of our universe. “Red dwarfs are typically more than 10 billion years-old and so have been around long enough for complex life to evolve on planets around them,” he said. “It’s one reason why people are interested in this type of star.” More interesting is that there are “invisible” elements in the galaxy which show up for brief moments, meaning that there could be dark matter that goes around the universe as well. Dr. Marek Kukula of the Royal Observatory Greenwich (ROG) said, “The discovery of more stars in the universe means that we might not need quite as much dark matter as we thought to explain how the universe looks and behaves. It also tells us something about how the very first galaxies must have formed from the gas left over from the Big Bang.” Missing protein causes couch potatoes

A new method of studying muscular functions has been discovered by Daniel Kelly, M.D., and colleagues at the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute: the couch potato mouse. The study, released in Cell Metabolism, claims that, while the mice may keep normal body masses and normal activity, they lack the will and energy to exercise. This study aimed to see what happens when PGC-1, a protein coactivator that muscles need to convert fuel into energy, is removed from mice. Under normal conditions, a PGC-1 boost represents additional activity in muscle cells during physical stimulation. When this occurs, the muscles that have this boost will become “trained” in comparison to an individual that lacks these PGC-1 boosts, who will then lose the capacity to exercise. Mice missing this kind of boost did not lose the ability to walk, but they lacked the ability to run on a tread mill. PGC-1-deficient mice were not obese, the study noted, despite having a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes did not develop in them. The research was supported in part by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the American Diabetes Association. “Part of our interest in understanding the factors that allow muscles to exercise is the knowledge that whatever this machinery is, it becomes inactive in obesity, aging, diabetes and other chronic conditions that affect mobility,” Kelly explained. “Lo and behold, even though these animals couldn't run, they showed no evidence of insulin resistance. We are now investigating what happens when we boost PGC-1 activity intermittently, as normally occurs when a person exercises.” Prostate cancer and your finger

A man’s index finger may be an indication of his chances of developing prostate cancer. A study released in the British Journal of Cancer has found that, when the index finger is longer than the ring finger, there is a reduced chance. The study consisted of nearly 5,000 subjects. The length of fingers are usually developed in the womb, during which the fetus is exposed to the most sex hormones. With less testosterone in the womb, the index finger will be shorter. This lack of exposure to testosterone will help later on in life to protect against prostate cancer. More studies are needed, according to Prof. Ros Eeles, but if this case can be confirmed to be positive, then it can be one of the simplest detections for prostate cancer. “This exciting finding means that finger pattern could potentially be used to select at-risk men for ongoing screening, perhaps in combination with other factors such as family history or genetic testing,” Eeles said. While those with a longer finger might have less chances in getting cancer, those with shorter fingers should not panic. The study has only shown that there may be a correlation, where most of the men with longer fingers show this trait, not all of them. Rather, research should be aimed towards other aspects of prostate cancer. “This research brings us another step closer to helping determine risk factors for prostate cancer, which is possibly the biggest issue in current thinking about preventing and treating the disease. However, we are still a long way from reducing the number of men who die of prostate cancer every year and need more research and education in all areas to achieve this,” Emma Halls, chief executive of Prostate Action, said. —With files from BBC News, Reuters, Science Daily, and E-Science News.

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Jennifer Nguyen assistant science & technology editor

Google bids for Groupon

Is Google adding coupons to its list of services? The tech giant, known for its search engine and other Internet services like Google Earth, Gmail, and YouTube, is prepared to make a $5 billion to $6 billion bid for Groupon, the group-buying site. According to sources familiar with the negotiation, the deal can be finalized by this week, but there is still the possibility it can fall through. It was reported that Yahoo was another potential bidder. Groupon executives, however, wanted the company to be sold to a firm with stronger technology expertise. That’s when Google stepped in. Initially, Google offered $3 billion but increased its bid after resistance from Groupon. Sources say Google is unlikely to increase their current offer. According to Google’s thirdquarter report, however, it had $33.4 billion in cash and cash equivalents on hand. If successful, Groupon would be the largest acquisition for Google to date and would consequently make Google the market leader in local discount services. Groupon would be Google’s latest attempt to enter the local online advertising business. Last year, the company unsuccessfully tried to buy Yelp, a restaurant and entertainment recommendation site. Founded in 2008 by Andrew Mason, Groupon is a group-buying website. The e-commerce company specializes in offering deals ranging from 50 per cent to 90 per cent off local services. The key is that a minimum number of people must sign up in order for the deal to take effect. Since 2008, the business has

sky-rocketed and is the fastest growing Internet company ever. Large acquisitions are nothing unusual for the tech giant. In 2006, Google bought YouTube for $1.65 billion, and in 2007 the company bought the online advertiser, DoubleClick, for $3.1 billion in cash. Glow-in-the-dark trees soon a possibility?

A group of researchers has taken us one step closer to making glow-inthe-dark trees — just like in Avatar. A team of undergraduate students at the Cambridge University were able to successfully transfer bioluminescence traits to living organisms. The results of their research were presented at the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology earlier this month. The students modified genetic material from fireflies and the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri to increase the production of light-producing enzymes. They then created “Bio Bricks,” genetic components containing the modified traits, to be inserted into genomes. The Bio Bricks were then transferred to Escherichia coli. A bacteria culture the size of a wine bottle was found to produce sufficient lighting to read a book. “We didn't end up making bioluminescent trees, which was the inspiration for the project,” team member Theo Sanderson said. “But we decided to make a set of parts that would allow future researchers to use bioluminescence more effectively.” Naturally occurring bioluminescence is relatively short-lived. The process depends on a set of compounds called luciferins, which are converted to oxyluciferins. The

Bio Bricks can produce enzymes to recycle oxyluciferin and transform it back to luciferin for continued bioluminescence production. Light-up trees are unlikely to become a reality. “We already have light bulbs, we’re not going to spend our money and time engineering a replacement for something that works very well,” Sanderson said. U.S. shuts down file-sharing sites

In the latest government attempt to curb Internet-sharing of copyrighted music and movies, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office has taken down several file-sharing websites this past week. The sites that were taken down were hosting unauthorized digital media or were helping users search for them on the Internet. They include torrent-finder.com, onsmah. com, rapgodfather.com and dajaz1. com, among 70 other websites that were also seized. Instead of the usual home screen, visitors to these websites saw a notice saying, “This domain name has been seized by ICE — Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant by a United States District Court.” Ironically, after these sites were taken down, users were already using new sites that emerged in place of the defunct ones. “American business is under assault from counterfeiters and pirates every day, seven days a week,” said John T. Morton, the assistant secretary of ICE and representative of the Motion Picture Association of America. “Criminals are stealing American ideas and products and distributing them over the Internet.” —With files from Globe and Mail, New Scientists, and the NY Times.

Arts & Entertainment

Imprint, Friday, December 3, 2010 arts@imprint.uwaterloo.ca

This is an art attack Robert Dziarmaga reporter

tudents got a taste of what it’s like to be a professional artist last week. The first Federation of Students Arts Symposium was held on Nov. 26 in the Great Hall of the Student Life Centre. It was an opportunity for student artists to showcase their art by selling handmade crafts, running workshops, and a variety of other wares. The symposium featured jewellery, drawings, and everything in between. Math art, paintings, photos, knitted items, and custom T-shirts filled the Great Hall. A henna artist and caricaturist were also available for the event. A caricaturist is similar to a sketch artist but instead offers a ridiculous and absurd immitation of reality. Henna is made from crushed leaves of the henna plant. The crushed leaves are mixed with sugar and lemon juice and then applied to hands and feet to make various intricate designs often inspired by Indian-Arab culture. The workshops opened with Photography 101 by the Photography Club, followed by a visual art workshop. After a short break, the schedule continued with a number of dance workshops — swing, ballet, and hula hooping. The final item on the agenda was a raving performance and workshop featuring glow sticks. One of the day’s artists was Andrea Watt, a second-year accounting and financial management student who has spent the last six years perfecting her craft. Watt makes handmade beaded animals, bracelets, and decorative balls in her spare time and can spend up to an hour making a single piece. “It’s a lot of fun. It’s a good break from school work,” she said. Watt was inspired when she visited a family friend who made jewellery. “My grandma’s friend made beaded items and when I went to visit her house I thought they were really cool.” With the holiday season around the corner and holiday shopping looming, the symposium was a great opportunity for students to support other students when completing their holiday gift list. “I think handmade gifts are really great for the Christmas season. You can avoid the rush and the hassle at the shopping malls and [the gift] is one of a kind,” said Watt. The idea for the Feds Arts Symposium was created when Nikki Best, Feds vice president internal, met with arts commissioner Xinxin Zhang to plan an event that could incorporate all forms of art. “We realized that art can be interpreted differently by everyone and we wanted to give everyone a chance to show their unique perspectives,” said Best. Although this was the first Feds Arts Symposium, Best said that she and the rest of the Feds team plan to make it an annual event. “The university has so many talented artists that use varied media and we wanted to give them a chance to showcase and share their work.”

artwork by nana bediako

A sample of work entitled “My Strength” from the symposium.

Robert Dziarmaga

Industrial metal band Death Cartel performs at the Chrysalids Theatre last Saturday.

ARTS FEATURE: Death Cartel exploding the underground industrial metal scene

Eleonora Meszaros imprint intern

line-up of about 20 local bands battled it out for the chance to earn some studio time and a photo op with a professional photographer last weekend. On Nov. 27, The Chrysalids Theatre hosted Supernova’s Hysteria 2010: Carnage. On the list of hopefuls was local K-W industrial metal band Death Cartel, who played a successful set and showcased the diversity behind their live sound. Since the release of their first album in September entitled Enemy, the guys have really exploded in the underground scene as a band trying to bring back the industrial-induced sound that metalheads everywhere have been missing out on since the early ‘90s. It’s a fragment of the local music scene and has been perfect in establishing Death Cartel as a fast-rising industrial band working to bring a different sound and creative edge to the genre. Taking the stage on Saturday night, the band played a short set during which they demonstrated an ability to redefine industrial metal, taking it into a direction keyboardist Dave Flitton calls, “brand new industrial.” During their set, the guys played some songs off their new EP, including “Your Enemy” and “Socialism,” two songs that are polar opposites when heard live and studio-recorded. From the get go, the guys delivered energy, keen enthusiasm, and complete confidence when taking the stage. Continuing their set, they played “Intrigue,” a song with heavy bass and killer synth mixes, which helped the band work with the crowd and interact really easily. As a band who only began playing live shows in September, Death Cartel has been doing a good job with their sets, but need to improve in holding the audience’s attention and channelling their onstage energy into developing a more solid stage presence. This development shouldn’t be too difficult for the guys, who have each brought something different to the table since the formation of the band last year. Drummer Chris Grothe, in particular, has

been stoked about Death Cartel’s live sets — his passion towards the music a springboard of energy. “I love playing; it’s an incredible adrenaline rush and my favourite thing to do,” he said. Bassist and University of Waterloo student Nick Roy shares in his bandmate’s feelings about the energy and sound. “We try to play something different every single time. We have fun, which matters the most,” he said of playing live to a crowd. “We’re just five guys doing what we love.” Seb Kozlowski, guitarist for Death Cartel, has also been excited for the sudden explosion of the band in the underground industrial scene. “We’re all passionate about the music and where we can take the band. Not many people know what industrial metal is, or what the genre means at all, and we’re all really into it. We pitch our ideas and get really creative with the writing process,” Kozlowski said. The hard work and energy Death Cartel has put into their album and live shows really echo what Kozlowski considers a deep passion for the art of the industrial sound, which has travelled fast since there are so few industrial bands currently in the music scene. Death Cartel started as a side project by frontman and vocalist Franklin Flitton in August of 2009, who wanted to find a creative outlet to pour his energy into. “About halfway through the album I figured I should get a band together so I could pull the stuff off live,” he said of pulling a Trent Resnor with the writing process for Enemy. Flitton also said he’s eager for the band to continue with the momentum they have received, hoping Death Cartel will be a long-lasting band. “In the Kitchener scene, it’s all the “something”-cores, screamo, and maybe a couple of death or black metal bands. They don’t last long but we hope to recreate industrial metal and be around for a while,” he said. Along with the guys in the band, bassist Nick Roy also shares in Flitton’s hope to be a long-lasting band. “This isn’t a hobby, it’s a passion. University has been full-time, yes, but

I have this band and I want to do this badly, so it’s high on my list of priorities. Definitely up there,” he said. As for the near future, the guys are looking to play El Mocambo in Toronto on Dec. 20. If you can’t make the show, you can find out more about the guys and their music online at www.deathcartel.com, or checking out www. myspace.com/thedeathcartel.

Socialism