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westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 24 dressing up for parties since 1906
A Grand ol’ Christmas story
TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE
A Christmas Story comes to the Grand Theatre in London, ushering in holiday cheer. SEE PAGE 10 FOR MORE
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PROFILE NIKLAS GUTHEIL
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Arctic winds, knee-deep snow drifts and a 15 kilometre hike to a frozen lake in Temagami, Ontario leads Niklas Gutheil to the spot where he’ll build an igloo — his home for the next few days and nights — in the middle of a Canadian winter. “That was tough,” Niklas recalls, leaning back in his chair. “It was minus 30 and it was really cold, but it was a lot of fun in the end.… You’re with your friends, so you mess around all day and hope not to die,” Niklas says with a laugh. The second-year Western computer science student is thinking back to his silver level “adventure trip,” an essential element of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. The prestigious award may conjure up notions of English luxury, but it tests applicants’ limits both physically and mentally, explains Niklas. The international award requires Canadian recipients to complete objectives that span community service, skills development, physical recreation and an adventurous journey, with gold recipients also completing a residential project like an exchange. “It’s basically about teaching you survival skills and about nature,” Niklas says. “It’s supposed to teach you the skills for later on in life, like how to give back to the community, because nowadays I don’t think we get that much exposure because we have everyone to help us out with everything. It’s a great way to become independent.” It’s an award that means a lot to Niklas, who has not only received the DofE’s highest honour — gold certification — but he’s also vice-president communications for Western’s club.
“This year 19 people signed up and the majority are just interested and want to get into it,” Niklas says. “I think they’re actually all starting from bronze and are working their way up from there.” Niklas first became interested in the award program during high school when his school mandated bronze certification for graduates. He kept going with the program because it was fun and he was interested in developing a well-rounded skill set. Notably, Niklas was one of only 661 recipients to receive the DofE Gold Award last year, a feat that took him to Spain and back. “For my gold [adventure trip], I went hiking… on the Camino de Santiago trail…. It was like 30 kilometres everyday, so quite a long trek,” Niklas says. Now, Niklas devotes his time to helping other Western students who are interested in the award program, a process that can seem overwhelming for the uninitiated. Niklas recalls his final gold certification report was nearly 100 pages long. Still, he maintains the DofE Award is worthwhile, not only for its personal development opportunities but because it gives recipients an edge for years afterwards. “It’s about self-improvement and being responsible.... You really have to do everything on your own,” Niklas says. “Time management becomes a huge component of it and it definitely helps when you come to university.” ■■AMY O’KRUK
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London prepares for Syrian refugees
Loyalty cards leads to loyalty spending
Group aims to help Alzheimer’s patients with music
Customers with loyalty cards are more likely to return to a store and on average tend to spend more than those not enrolled in the program. PG 7
Alzheimer’s Western Club is collecting used iPods from students to create playlists for Alzheimer’s patients as part of the iPod Project. PG 10
WESTERNGAZETTE
Offering mental health services is a priority for Londoners assisting refugees coming to Canada.
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TAs negotiate for increased wages and childcare DRISHTI KATARIA NEWS EDITOR @DRISHTATGAZETTE
TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE
USC loses council voting records due to clicker troubles HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE In their efforts to increase transparency of council, the University Students’ Council was overwhelmed by the new technology of clickers and lost council voting records from September up to the special meeting in November. The voting and attendance records per councillor for the Sept. 30 and Oct. 28 meetings are unavailable due to a failure in understanding the workings of the clicker system. “There was an issue with the process,” said Andrew Lalka, former speaker of council whose term ended Nov. 30. “There was one person responsible for inputting the data and another person responsible for pulling the data out.” The clickers were introduced this year in part to increase transparency of council by making individual voting records more public. Voting and attendance records are still available for the summer meetings of council. In addition to the September and October meetings, also unavailable are voting records for the special meeting of council on Nov. 11 where councillors voted on the new slate system and were warned of a possible conflict of interest if they were to run for USC executive next year. The amended motion for executive changes at the meeting passed with 29 in favour, none opposed and 11 abstentions. The speaker’s portfolio and the USC executive at this point knew records for the previous meetings were not saved and chose to vote by raising placards rather than by clickers. According to Lalka, keeping voting records for the special meeting would have been very difficult logistically, nor did council express an interest in doing so. “If council wanted voting
records taken as was articulated in the beginning of the meeting they would have to call for a vote by roll call,” he said. Lalka stated under USC policy the speaker is only required to save attendance records and submitted regrets by councillors. The speaker’s office has reiterated that the attendance records for the meetings are in the system. However, despite multiple requests by The Gazette, records were not provided at the time of publishing. NOBODY ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR RECORDS Nobody is ready to accept responsibility for the loss of the voting and possibly attendance records. The USC executive believes keeping voting records was the responsibility of the speaker’s portfolio. According to USC secretary-treasurer Jonathan English, voting records were explicitly an initiative that was historically upheld by the speaker of council. Kevin Hurren, USC communications officer, cited the recently failed motion to put the speaker’s portfolio under the secretary-treasurer as the reason of non-intervention by the executive. “As articulated in the speaker motion, meeting the accountability measures of the speaker should not be with the executive,” he said. Hurren added the executive was not in any position to discipline or reprimand the speaker. USC president Sophie Helpard said while she was informed that there were problems with retrieving the voting records, she wasn’t aware that the records had been lost entirely. “When I later found out records could not be retrieved I implored the speaker to take responsibility for the mishap along with the rest of the executive team,” she said in an email.
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She said the speaker notified the senior operations committee of council via email at their November meeting before the last council meeting. “Senior operations did not bring this information to council after that time,” Helpard said. Drew Sussman, Huron councillor and member of the senior operations committee, said while the committee is looking to avoid such incidents in the future, they don’t have any direct control of the keeping of these records. “The SOC has very little direct control over matters such as this.... We do not oversee this sort of recordkeeping,” he said. “As of right now, we are looking into either excusing members from their obligations for the last two council meetings or asking councillors to self-report their attendance and/or voting records on the motion.” According to Lalka, the maintenance of voting records is not anyone’s responsibility under USC policy and it was never articulated as the will of council or any executive. Lalka said the shift of resources from council towards the executive and the USC board of directors was a reason for the confusion in the upkeep of voting records. The council recently got rid of the position of legislative assistant, a full-time staff member dedicated to council who would be in charge of record keeping, and governance officer, who would also assist council. “Practically the motivation for not maintaining the collection of voting records is a consequence for the considerations related to shifting of resources from council to the executive and the board, whereas historically they had a full-time employee dedicated exclusively to council,” Lalka said. n
Western’s teaching assistants union and Western University continue to meet at the bargaining table in order to work out a new collective agreement. The previous collective agreement between the University and the Public Service Alliance of Canada Local 610 expired in August 2015 and meetings to discuss a new agreement began on October 7. As of now, they don’t have a set date for a new agreement. “We are continuing to meet at the bargaining table and we have talks that we have scheduled into December,” said Helen Connell, Western’s associate vice-president of communications. According to Connell, a request for a conciliator who would be appointed by the Ministry of Labour has not been made by either side. Local 610 have a number of issues regarding training, evaluation, benefits and compensation that they want addressed. “We know that that TAs are essential to providing an extraordinary undergraduate education and so we want to ensure that TAs are in the best position they can be to do that,” said Dave Blocker, past president of Local 610. Blocker said Western’s TA membership have some areas directly related to teaching that they want to see an improvement in. They want paid TA training and possibly even subject specific training. TAs want to be able to gather feedback from students with regards to their teaching, so proposals regarding evaluations have also been made. Furthermore, Blocker said because they want to be able to give detailed feedback on tests and assignments, a large tutorial size hinders them from doing so. Requests for limiting tutorial size and easing the procedure for TAs to get overtime in order to give each
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essay or test enough time have also been made. The previous contract states that TAs are to work 140 hours per term for an average of 10 hours per week. “I’m a PhD student in FIMS and in two years I went from a tutorial size of 20-22 students to 28-32 students,” said Indranil Chakraborty, president of PSAC Local 610. “Given 140 hours to grade that many students, there’s crunch time.” Proposals to increase TA wages have also been made by the union. “We are making proposals to increase the wages the TAs get, most of our members are living below the poverty line right now,” said Blocker. TAs get on average $5,400 per term, earning $10,800 per year. Another bargaining point of contention for the union is PhDs are only funded for four years and the average length to finish a PhD is 4.5 years. They want Western to institute post residency fees, which are reduced tuition fees for PhDs who are finished their course work and are just writing their thesis. The union also notes the number of students coming to them for financial assistance. Local 610 gets $35,000 from Western for their financial assistance fund and they contribute $15,000 to the fund. According to Chakraborty, they’ve exhausted 95 per cent of the fund for the year. Childcare on campus is also an important issue for the Local. According to the union, child care on campus is not adequate for TAs with children. “We did an extensive bargaining survey, between 15-20 per cent of members have children and on campus [and] childcare facilities are not sufficient,” said Blocker. Blocker and Chakraborty said the TAs at Western don’t want to go on strike, they just want a fair deal. “We’re very hopeful that the university will appreciate a lot of the reasonings that we’ve given and we can get a fair deal,” said Blocker. n
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Syrian refugee families face mental health obstacles SABRINA FRACASSI GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE Several Western professors have been working to address obstacles Syrian refugee families are set to face upon entering Canada. London is expecting to receive 20 government-sponsored refugee families, bringing the total number of families London has taken in to 100, according to the London Free Press. Western Professor Lloy Wylie has been researching the mental hardships that refugees face for over 10 years now and proposed a collaborative model in response to the findings of her research. “The research project started with input from immigrant and refugee community organizations talking about some of the concerns that they have with health care,” Wylie said. “Then we did research on what is actually going on right now in the hospital and what people are wanting to do. What we came up with was a development of the collaborative model of mental wellness to be delivered outside of a hospital in a community settlement services organization instead.” Wylie continued to explain that it is important to understand how traumatic some of the events these refugees have been through in order to develop the system. “Mostly what we have found is that PSTD-like trauma was the number one thing people were dealing with and what we saw was that the hospital was not a very good place for people to come when dealing with those kinds of people because of its institutional setting,” she said. Wylie stressed the importance of her collaborative system and how it will enhance the current programs that in place by erasing the stigma around mental health that may keep immigrants and refugees from accessing services they need. Director of Global Outreach for
the North Park Community Church, Ron Burdock, explained “dignity” is the main issue refugees face. “Dignity from the point of view of ‘I have to start again,’ dignity from the point of view of ‘I have to learn a new language,’ dignity from the point of view of ‘I can’t work the way I used to work in my country’ … Dignity is also about not creating dependency.… How can we celebrate and empower their dignity versus create dependency?” he said. Coming to terms with such dramatic change is only one of the many mental obstacles that new immigrants and refugees must face. Having to learn an entirely new culture and government system can be difficult without the proper support. Western professor Dr. Bhooma Bhayana has implemented a service to help connect refugees with healthcare that fits their needs. The Newcomer Health Project, held in London at the Intracommunity Health Centre, tries to ease refugees’ transition into Canada as well as allow them to take full advantage of the resources provided to them. Dr. Natalie Lovesey works for The Newcomer Health Project and explained its role in the London community. “We have an established newcomer clinic in the city and an established network of health care providers involved in refugee help,” Lovesey said. “To prepare for the arrival of the Syrian refugees, we’ve been meeting and planning for seeing the newcomers shortly upon arrival and connecting them with family doctors in the city.” Lovesey also explained that they understand the unique needs that these refugees have and are trying to accommodate them. “We are expecting mental health issues. Many of these people have been witness to conflict and have had exposure to violence,” she said. n
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BRIEFS FAST CHARGING, PORTABLE CHARGER GETS KICKSTARTER LOVE
COURTESY OF WESTERN UNIVERSITY
Professor attending Paris climate conference MICHAEL CONLEY CONTRIBUTOR @NEWSATGAZETTE One of Western’s own political science professors, Radoslav Dimitrov, will be attending the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference as an academic observer and member of the European Union’s attending delegation. The goal of the conference is to solidify commitments made by the 196 nations that have participated in negotiations over the past four years. Dimitrov has participated in UN climate change negotiations since 2004 and he believes that the global community is more prepared than ever to produce an international agreement for environmental sustainability. “We live in a different world compared to 10 years ago when there were real disagreements among states about the need for climate policy,” Dimitrov said. “Today, we have a global political consensus that climate change is a challenge
to our future life on this planet [and] that the problem must be addressed.” Dimitrov expects to bring real examples of international relations from his experience at the conference into the his classroom. “This experience comes into the classroom where students conduct simulations of international negotiations every year,” Dimitrov explained. “They role play country delegations and negotiate treaties on climate change and international security.” Although Western provides the opportunity to have one of its professors at the conference, Dimitrov recognizes that not all within the university’s academic circles view his attendance favourably. “I have received little encouragement or recognition from my bosses for participating in UN diplomacy. The academic and policy world are still quite separate,” Dimitrov said. The conference began on Monday in Paris and runs until Dec. 11. n
Debate period could be coming to Senate IAIN BOEKHOFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF @IAINATGAZETTE Senate will debate rules for an open discussion and debate period at future meetings, moving the jurisdiction for athletes from the Faculty of Health Science and receive an update on Western’s budget practices at their Friday meeting. In response to concerns from last year’s crisis of confidence in the university’s governance system, one of the proposals coming to Senate is the opportunity for a 30 minute period where senators can ask questions of the administration. Questions can be submitted 48 hours in advance to the meeting and circulated so there may be responses prepared for the meeting. A motion to change the reporting structure for athletics to the associate vice-president student experience from the dean of health science is also on the table. It notes there have been a number of changes since 1971 when Western Sport and Recreation Services were first put under the Faculty of Physical Education and Athletics, which is now the Faculty of Health Science. The motion adds that this
change aligns with the School of Kinesiology’s shift in emphasis “to one less focused on sport and one aligned with human movement and health.” The Kinesiology Council endorsed this motion almost unanimously, with 20 in favour, one opposed and one abstention. Finally, background on Western’s approach to planning and budgeting will be presented to senators. While the university has seen a number of years where enrolment and revenue has grown, that may no longer be the case. Western is now moving into a “period of constrained revenues and continued increases to cost pressures.” Enrolments are no longer increasing, government grants are being reduced while tuition increases are capped and costs, such as employee salaries and student aid, increase. The university will go from 8.3 per cent average revenue growth between 2002-03 and 2010-11 to a projected 2.5 per cent per year from 2015-16 on. The presentation comes in anticipation of the annual budget, which is usually tabled in March. The meeting will be held on Friday at 1:30 p.m. in UCC Room 56. n
For those who have trouble with chargers getting tangled or forgetting them, Ivey business student Ilya Khairetdinov has an innovative solution. LiteWire is a short, dual-charging cable that is small enough to carry around in your pocket. The charger is compatible with 90 per cent of mobile devices and has a data theft protection function. “Our company’s mission is to keep you connected by keeping your devices alive,” Khairetdinov, vice-president of sales and development, said in an email. “[LiteWire] provides students with a simple, minimalistic and safe option to charge their devices wherever they are.” Khairetdinov explained LiteWire is especially useful to students because it charges devices at twice the speed of regular chargers. The Kickstarter campaign for the charger has seen significant support from donors, surpassing its goal of $20,000 a month before the campaign’s end. ■■JULIE KIM
BAT RESEARCH GETS PROFESSOR A FELLOWSHIP
After working with the American Association for the Advancement of Science for 49 years, Brock Fenton, professor emeritus in the biology department at Western, was named a fellow of the association for his research on bats. Fenton is working in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History in New York and Brown University. As part of their project they went in mountains of Africa to take pictures of bats flying. They are also studying echolocation and how bats find their way in darkness. Fenton said that as long as people know how interesting and important bats are, the conservation and protection of bats will continue to improve. However, Fenton thinks his most important contribution is educating students. ”The research is intended more to advance general knowledge, I think probably the most important benefit to the university will be my contribution to working with students,” he said. ■■FIACRE BATERA
LIBRARIANS’ NEW AGREEMENT RATIFIED
Western’s unionized librarians and archivists prioritized job security and greater participation in university governance as they ratified a new, tentative collective agreement with the University administration. The new collective agreement was reached on Nov. 6 and voting for ratification of the deal was conducted on Nov. 12 – 13. Members of the bargaining unit for librarians and archivists voted 86 per cent in favour of the deal. Western’s Board of Governors ratified the agreement at their meeting last Thursday. “I’m so thankful to our negotiating team for all their hard work and commitment,” Kristin Hoffman, UWOFA president, said in a press release. “They were able to reach a good deal with the tremendous support of our members.” n
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 • 5
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* At the time of publication, men’s hockey had two games remaining this week.
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MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE DEDICATED TO THE JOB. Shift supervisor Hope Moir is one of 40 staff attendants at the Rec Centre who do more than you think.
Rec staff: just counting numbers? Think again HALA GHONAIM SPORTS EDITOR @HALAATGAZETTE The sweat on the mats, the hair in the sink and the stench in the weight room; it’s a combination you can’t avoid when you decide to hit the gym. Surprisingly enough, it’s easier to escape this at Western. To some, the word “housekeeping” involves cleaning surfaces and organizing spaces. However, it means much more to the attendants at the Recreation Centre. It’s not only about the outward appearance but the state of mind they have to be in to deliver these services. The team of 40, predominantly comprised of students, completes much more than the minimum required at the Rec Centre. Enforcing rules is another big part of caretaking, even if it doesn’t involve getting your hands dirty. If students understand how to
preserve the equipment, it will last longer. Gym staff attendants are always working to come up with innovative ways to improve the facility. With time, they gain a sense of ownership for their gym and without that pride, the facilities can go downhill quickly. Almost two years ago, Tara Chen didn’t know what she was getting herself into until she was given her uniform. She was soon in charge of making sure all systems in the Rec Centre flowed accordingly, which meant cleaning after students, updating online tweets and enforcing gym etiquette rules. It was difficult to get used to. Working among peers challenged her ethical motives the most; however, it was all about being polite and treating friends on the same level as strangers. “At first it was kind of awkward because sometimes you see your friends or people that you
From the people that you see every day, you can tell who’s really taking the step to exercise. I can tell that they got stronger. I can tell that they’re getting fit. They’re getting happier and healthier. HOPE MOIR SHIFT SUPERVISOR
know and they’re not following the rules,” she said. “You wonder where you go from here.” This year specifically, staff are firmer with enforcing rules to ensure safety, such as the requirement to use clips when using the bench press. Although many students may not enjoy a stricter environment, the higher volume of people using the weight room means there’s no choice. Often, people disregard their surroundings and responsibilities
when working out. Nonetheless, it’s worth more than just a paycheque for Chen. “From the people that you see every day, you can tell who’s really taking the step to exercise,” she said. “I can tell that they got stronger. I can tell that they’re getting fit. They’re getting happier and healthier.” Her passion comes from her positive work atmosphere and supportive co-workers. Shift supervisor Hope Moir is thankful for her co-workers’ mutual understanding of job-related tasks; her friends didn’t see the challenge in her job at first. Ironically, the job intimidated her as a first-year student because of all the responsibilities it entailed. “People ask me, ‘What do you even do at the gym? Do you just walk around and count people?’ ” she said. Even though Moir is certified for her position, she’s noticed people treating her a little bit differently as a female weight room supervisor. Sometimes she receives backlash from those who brush her off for enforcing rules they don’t want to adhere to. “Being a small girl, it can be a little bit intimidating when you have to approach one of those big guys at the back squat rack,” she said. “But, we know the rules,
we’re wearing the shirts, we have our name tags on and if there’s a problem then we have support from the full-time staff or it has come to calling Campus Police. It can be a bit scary but we have to stick to our guns.” Moir’s hard work is something that should not go overlooked. “Our role isn’t just cleaning, it’s not just telling people what to do,” she said. “We learn those leadership qualities and how to deal with difficult situations. People need to respect the facility, there’s so much that goes on behind the scenes that someone who’s working out just doesn’t see.” Over the year, the attendance at the Rec Centre fluctuates depending on the season. In the fall, the gym receives around 4,000 visits per day due to excitement from newcomers. This number rises to 6,000 in January due to New Year’s resolutions, then eventually dies down. The high volume of people couldn’t be maintained without the commitment and dedication from dozens of staff attendants. With the pride they take in their work, they are inspired by the understanding that they fit into a bigger purpose — they are contributing to a safe environment where students are learning and growing. n
Our role isn’t just cleaning, it’s not just telling people what to do… People need to respect the facility, there’s so much that goes on behind the scenes that someone who’s working out just doesn’t see. HOPE MOIR SHIFT SUPERVISOR MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE CLEAN UP TIME. Tara Chen, a Rec Centre attendant, cleaning up machines after multiple student workouts.
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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 • 7
KNIGHTlife
insight
In conversation with DIGY SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE
COURTESY OF ARIES MUSIC FESTIVAL KEEPING THINGS HYPE. Dean Guilbault, also known as DIGY, keeping the crowd going at the Aries Music Festival.
Some students call partying and studying a normal weekend. For Dean Guilbault, a normal weekend consists of music producing, DJing and touring around Ontario playing for hundreds of people. Guilbault, known by his DJ name DIGY, has earned his name in the electronic dance music world with his track Tragedy featuring KIRSCH. With over a million plays on EDM. com, Guilbault has been touring Ontario and playing several shows in Toronto throughout first semester.
Originally a fan of Ahead of the Class, Guilbault became a member of the family by getting in touch with co-founder Rami Mustafa. The two instantly hit it off and signed him on as an AOTC DJ. Branching outside of the nightlife, Guilbault became an artist as part of the AoSound Music group and found his way to fellow Ao artist KIRCSH. The two collaborated on their sleeper hit and mixed their two sounds — DIGY being heavily influenced by Stwo and Majid Jordan, while The Weeknd influenced KIRSCH. Although touring and music producing is all good and fun, Guilbault
still finds it hard to balance his life as a student and artist. However, his music producing has lined up perfectly with his future ambitions of entering the music business. And with his popular song, he’s definitely off to a good start. I took the time to sit with the humble man himself and learned about how he got into music producing. We spoke about how he started playing with music, his favourite genres, being a part of London’s nightlife and producing a track with KIRSH. Find the interview with DIGY on The Gazette Culture Podcast online at westerngazette.ca/multimedia. n
Loyalty means big bucks for retailers MACKENZIE ALEXANDRA MORISON CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE More reward points means more saved dollars, or at least that’s the theory. In exchange for points from stores, we offer our loyalty and consistent patronage. The exclusive offers, status perks and better prices provide us with enough incentive to spend at same stores. Take the Starbucks Reward program, for example. To enjoy free drinks and food with the loyalty program, you need to earn stars, which can be registered with the Starbucks card, Teavana card or mobile app through in-store purchases. However, in order to earn a reward you have to purchase 12 pricey coffees that you may have purchased elsewhere for a cheaper price, or not at all. But the enticement for rewards to get that free holiday Caramel Brûlée Latte provides us with enough lure to continually reload money on our Starbucks card. Allie Davidson, Ivey School of Business student, says loyalty programs entice her to visit the stores more often. “I think it can encourage me to spend more,” Davidson says. “I notice I tend to purchase more drinks and treats at Starbucks than I did in the past. But it definitely encourages me to come to Starbucks more often than other coffee shops.” Selma Purac, media information and technoculture professor, teaches a class on consumption and advertising, and notes how prevalent it is in society. “Rewards programs are fundamentally a means of building consumer loyalty,” says Purac. “It is estimated that over 86 per cent of Canadians participate in at least one loyalty program. They are an effective means of retaining customers and provide consumers with an incentive to purchase from a single location or brand those goods that they might have otherwise purchased elsewhere.” Purac uses Shoppers Drug Mart’s optimum card to illustrate how the effectiveness of reward programs can increase loyalty. “Optimum members spend 60
per cent more than non-members, so there is evidence of their efficacy.” Purac explains consumers like to feel as though they are active participants rather than passive shoppers in a principle known as participatory consumerism. “The basic idea behind participatory consumerism is that if we interact with products, our investment in them is greater,” she says. Companies like Starbucks and Shoppers are able to profit off of our loyalty through such programs by making us feel as active participants through earning rewards. According to Purac, loyalty cards like the optimum card act as a communication liaison between retailers and customers. “The company tracks the consumer’s purchases and then sends him or her personalized offers that are in keeping with the consumer’s purchase record,” says Purac. “This process is communicative and personal. The shopper essentially tells the retailer what his or her preferences are and the retailer responds with personalized deals.” Through a mediated form of interaction, the company and its brand forges a personal relationship with the customer; a relationship in which we give our consistent loyalty. Next time you go to buy that expensive latte, ask yourself if you truly want the beverage or just the points. n
Rewards programs are fundamentally a means of building consumer loyalty. It is estimated that over 86 per cent of Canadians participate in at least one loyalty program. SELMA PURAC
MEDIA INFORMATION AND TECHNOCULTURE PROFESSOR
MAAILAH BLACKWOOD GAZETTE
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8 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
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TONY WEBSTER WIKIMEDIA.COMMONS
Investigating the crime show RICHARD JOSEPH ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @RJATGAZETTE We’re all familiar with that chalk outline of the body at a crime scene. It’s visually striking, culturally iconic and, as it turns out, a total fabrication. “It has no evidentiary purpose,” says Michael Arntfield, a professor in criminology and writing studies. “A police officer today would never do that… it was a media tactic back in the 19th century, back in the days of tabloid reportage in Britain.” Detective and medical dramas have consistently been some of the most popular media on television since the ’70s, likely because of the jeopardy attached — every episode is literally a matter of life and death. The chalk outline is just one of many factual inaccuracies that might find their way into a crime show, but with increasingly high standards for television dramas, there is little tolerance for these mistakes. In fact, many high-budget shows have consultants on hand who worked in the field to ensure accuracy. Kate Lines, former chief superintendent of the OPP, does this sort of consulting work for television
and literature. She notes that there is a general expectation that crime shows are as accurate as possible — audiences today are educated enough that adherence to reality is a major concern. On the other hand, there is a delicate balance between authenticity and entertainment. No audience wants to see the hours of paperwork involved in a criminal case, for example. Arntfield cites HBO’s True Detective as the most “realistic procedural series in recent years,” but notes that many people were turned off by how ponderous and by-the-book it was. “People told me it was too much like a real investigation,” he says. “At some point, people just want to check out and be entertained, turn the world off for two hours.” Arntfield’s research is based around the idea that crime fiction can be pedagogical and scholarly, but he’s also a former policeman and an experienced criminal investigator. For the layman, crime shows and novels might be a fundamentally escapist medium. For instance, it might seem obvious that with the rise in popularity of crime shows, more people would be interested in entering
At some point, people just want to check out and be entertained, turn the world off for two hours. MICHAEL ARNTFIELD CRIMINOLOGY AND WRITING STUDIES PROFESSOR
these fields, but in fact, the reverse is true. “It was thought that cop shows were doing for forensics what televised space launches did for astronomy,” says Arntfield. Instead, police applications in the U.S. and Canada are at a 30-year low. Once thriving police departments in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago now have trouble recruiting enough people to fill positions. People might be turned off by the slow, regimental nature of police work, Arntfield points out. Regardless of education, every applicant has to start at an entrylevel position and work their way up. There’s no leapfrogging directly to the top of forensics or criminal profiling. Crime being repurposed as escapist entertainment, however, can lead to a series of
misconceptions about how the real world of investigation works. This has been called the “CSI effect” and it’s gotten to the point where crown attorneys have to tell juries that the justice system is not “as seen on T.V.” In reality, investigation and criminal prosecution is an arduous process — and there might not be a payoff. “[Crime shows] can create an unrealistic expectation that all crimes can be solved,” says Lines. “Sometimes, they just can’t be. And when they can, it takes weeks, months or years.” Even mainstream media coverage of crime has a narrative component. At some point during the reporting process, a choice has to be made: whose perspective to tell, how to phrase a headline, what angle to take. An expectation for crime to be entertaining, cultivated by television, can also affect how these crimes are presented — a tendency towards sensationalism and a focus on the gruesome. “Canadian media coverage is more judicious and restrained than the U.S.,” Arntfield points out. “There’s just a baseline of respect for privacy and media outlets are much more wary of litigation or being sued.”
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On the flip side, says Arntfield, this also means that Canadian media has “less of an appetite to go digging for information,” which allows police agencies to rest on their laurels. Speaking as a former police officer himself, he believes that there are far too many secrets kept by Canadian law enforcement — he hopes for a more reciprocal, proactive relationship between the press and police. Lines notes that alongside media sensationalism, there is also a general focus on the offender; motivations, background and method. When people ask her about high-profile cases she has been involved in, including the Tori Stafford and Kristen French cases, they ask about the criminals. “I’m not interested in telling the stories of the offenders,” says Lines. “But people probably don’t have much information on the victims.” In her newly-released book Crime Seen, Lines details her life “from patrol cop to profiler,” an insightful look into criminal investigation and policing. In it, she gives unique perspectives of familiar cases; the tragedies, the memories of family and the stories of the underrepresented victims. n
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When tragedy strikes close to home To the editor: There were “goodbyes” yelled and a quick “I’ll miss you” as I rushed out the door to try and make my bus to the Greyhound station. I thought I would be seeing my roommates in a few days, not a few hours. But when you get a call just after midnight telling you that your best friends are currently on their way to the emergency room, your plans tend to change pretty quickly. Just before midnight, the Thursday before last, a good friend of mine and my three roommates, all students at Western University, were on their way home from London. They were all wearing seat belts and they were driving safely. Despite this, they were involved in a severe collision on the 401. I didn’t sleep after I heard the news. I was visiting friends in Hamilton and couldn’t find a way back to London so instead I stayed up waiting for updates, waiting all night to hear bits and pieces from whoever still had a working phone and a minute to spare. I gathered that everyone was banged up, but not in terrible condition. I wish I could have known how wrong I was. Despite soft tissue damage, a mild concussion and possible dislocations between them, three of the passengers count themselves lucky. The fourth, my roommate Serena, was in much worse shape than any of us could have imagined. Many Western students may recognize Serena by her soph name, Boo. Throughout her time as a science soph at Essex this year, Serena has put countless smiles on the faces of her fellow students and I know many others will care to hear about her current battle. With severe injuries to multiple organs, Serena has been proving just how strong we already knew she was. From the uncertainty of critical condition, she’s since stabilized, but still has a long journey ahead of her. If nothing else, the events of the past few days have shown me just how quickly our lives can change. When you see news reports about teens left in critical condition because of highway collisions or bad driving conditions, you never think it’s going to happen to you. Those stories don’t feel real until it’s your friends and family they’re reporting on while you hope and pray that they’re okay. I would do almost anything I could to make sure this accident never happened, but I can’t. All I can do is hope that at least one person reading this will take something from it; that they may read this and remember to call or message their loved ones today. If one person reads this and decides to put their seatbelt on before driving to the grocery store or visiting their friends, then something good may come from this painful experience. There are some things in life that you need to learn firsthand; mistakes you need to make, experiences you need to have. I promise you that the consequences of not wearing a seatbelt are not one of them. Even with a seatbelt on and every precaution taken, my roommate has spent this past week fighting for her life (and doing a damn good job of it). I don’t want to imagine what could’ve happened to her if she hadn’t been wearing her seatbelt. She may be unconscious at the moment, but she’s teaching all of us now more than ever. In the past few days alone, Serena’s taught me the power of faith and given me a now unshakeable belief in miracles. She’s taught me what real compassion, strength and selfless love look like — words I only thought I understood before this week. As she continues her battle, she’s in our every thought and prayer, and has the love and support of hundreds of people with her right now. I can only hope she’ll have yours too. AREESA KANJI HEALTH SCIENCES AND WOMEN’S STUDIES II
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 • 9
insightopinions
HEAD TO HEAD Vulgar intramural team names have no place at university… or do they? Hala at your girl
Amy, myself and I
HALA GHONAIM SPORTS EDITOR @HALAATGAZETTE
AMY O’KRUK NEWS EDITOR @AMYATGAZETTE
“Grab your girl and have some Dixon Cider… In her mouth hole flowing down inside her.” This was the inspiration behind the name of one of Western’s intramural hockey teams. The team was recently penalized because it took administration two years to realize Smosh’s infamous song was talking about “dicks inside her.” The name has been floating around for a number of years across the nation before a few students at Western adopted the tradition. These are the students of tomorrow, ladies and gents. The powerful figures who may dominate the next set of “extraordinary” banners hung around campus. How proud must we be to smile back at the faces who once represented Dixon Cider, Diggers in Paris and Ace Down Pass Up — two other names of intramural teams currently at Western. Or what about Spoke Bingo night? I heard Slap her in her Octopussy did well a few weeks ago. Unfortunately, we live in a misogynistic, racist and divided society where a slap on the wrist isn’t enough. How do these names get approved? How was this sanctioned? How difficult was it to research these sexual and degrading innuendos? Or is it that no one cares? There’s an underlying issue here that needs to be addressed. We keep punishing people for their actions but that’s not changing the discourse. In order to genuinely eliminate harassment discrimination, the perpetrators need to understand why this is wrong. I’m so sorry to ruin all the fun, but these remarks shouldn’t slip by. We will never progress as a society as long as these comments are normalized and regulated. Discrimination is embedded in the shadows at Western, where vulnerable bodies are subjected to ignorance and insensitivity from other students. I don’t fully blame the team for their ignorance; however, growing up in a privileged, sheltered environment isn’t an excuse. These complex set of beliefs that encourage homophobia, racism, male sexual aggression and violence against women are a part of the paradigm we live in. By overlooking these team names at Western, you’re simply perpetuating the idea that this is just the way things are. I don’t accept this. You can sit back, ignore the argument and label this as another piece on discrimination at Western. But there’s so much more to it. Taking a second to check yourself goes hand in hand with the common appreciation for respect. You know, that thing Aretha Franklin taught us in grade three? If you’re still holding in your laughter then I’ll leave you the same way Smosh did, “talking about shoving penises in your mouth.” n
On Monday, Western Law students were thrust into the public eye when the London Free Press published an article exposing the name of a Western law intramural hockey team: Dixon Cider. Said aloud, “Dicks inside her.” A crude play on words. The article then quickly drew a comparison between “the hubbub over the name” — Western ordered the destruction of the Dixon Cider labeled jerseys — and the Dalhousie University dentistry school scandal — a reference to the now infamous incident where male students were caught exchanging misogynistic and violent messages about their female classmates that led to national concern about the prevalence of sexism and misogyny on Canadian university campuses. These concerns are well-founded. There’s no question misogyny and sexism still exists on modern university campuses and surely at Western. In 2015, efforts to combat these incidents of prejudice are needed and I applaud them. Dixon Cider, however, is not an example of misogyny or sexism. It is not an attack by men on women. What it is, is off-colour humour and a team’s former longstanding inside joke. A team, notably, that’s made up of both men and women. The gag name may be in poor taste and it’s definitely outside of what the university and some community members would deem appropriate, but it’s not founded in dislike, contempt for, or ingrained prejudice against women. As the Free Press article even pointed out, although the name’s been around for a few years there’s never been a student complaint, male or female. Dixon Cider doesn’t speak to Western students’ prejudiced behaviour, it speaks to North American society’s increasing hypersensitivity that, in my opinion, is far more troubling. As a recent feature in the Atlantic stated, “A movement is arising … to scrub campuses clean of words, ideas, and subjects that might cause discomfort or give offence.” Dixon Cider is an instance of censorship that’s creating a university environment where to propose something that’s politically incorrect is to be publicly burned at the stake. It creates an atmosphere where making someone — anyone — uncomfortable, is vindictively unacceptable. It’s a disturbing trend that has the real potential to affect what’s said in the classroom, even on the premise of discussion. Further, as history is quick to exemplify, cultures where people rigorously abide by social norms and ideologies are not necessarily in the public interest. Despite how Western’s administration reacts, today’s university students at-large aren’t victims of extreme psychic fragility. We can recognize a joke. Hugh Jazz, signing out. n
Do you think the “Dixon Cider” team should have been penalized? Tweet your thoughts to @uwogazette or write a letter to opinions@westerngazette.ca
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10 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015
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Using colouring books as a way to de-stress REBECCA MEHARCHAND CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE
CHRISTOPHER MISZCZAK GAZETTE COLOUR ME IN! Colouring has a therapeutic affect for many and is a great way to de-stress as exam season approaches.
Recently, one of the "in" things to do is something that we all most likely did as kids: colouring. Bookstores and craft stores everywhere have started selling colouring books geared towards adults. From beautiful mandala designs to tattoo themes, a variety of options exist, all targeted towards adults who are looking for a new pastime or, as some have suggested, a way of relieving stress. Art history professor Sonia Halpern says she believes colouring books for adults can act as a de-stresser. "They require the sort of repetitive motion of colouring and that is often a stress reliever,” Halpern says. “They allow you to get involved in a world that’s not all about the pressures of everyday life and you can really transport yourself into another world.” Halpern adds the colouring books are comforting for many because of the nostalgic feeling of childhood they emit. Colouring books are inviting because they do not require any specific skill set. It also has the ability to make people feel artistic or “artsy” without demanding a lot of creative energy. “These are stencils, or patterns, that are already preconceived by someone else,” says Halpern. “But it doesn’t require a lot of talent.” Second-year health sciences student Sarah Seddon is an avid fan of colouring and considers it to be “a good way to de-stress and unwind.” For Seddon, colouring was a great
way to relieve stress because of the level of concentration involved. “I think just because — especially with adult colouring books with a lot of small detail — you really concentrate on the colouring and you’re very focused on the detail,” she says. “It can take your mind off something that’s bothering you.” Seddon, a residence soph, has started encouraging her first-year students to use colouring as a way to de-stress. “They love it," she says. "Whenever they do colour, they definitely seem less stressed afterwards.” For Seddon and her community specifically, it has also been a great way to bond with one another. “Whenever we have floor colouring dates, a lot of them show up and then get really, really into it,” she says. “It’ll be like a table of eight people furiously colouring.” Colouring is often a student’s dream activity because it’s such an easily accessible and cheap hobby. While some people may choose to go out and purchase published colouring books, others on a tight student budget can easily choose to print colouring pages off the Internet. With final exams just around the corner, colouring seems to take you away from some of the stresses of everyday life and put your mind at ease while engaging in a minimally artistic activity. Adult colouring books can be purchased at the UWO Bookstore and at nearby Chapters, Indigo and Coles locations. n
Helping Alzheimer’s patients with iPods SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE Old iPods can often be found in the depths of drawers — collecting dust and holding playlists reminiscent of a time of bad music taste. Now iPods can find a new home, as Alzheimer’s Western Club, Alzheimer Society London and the iPod Project group launch the iPod Project. The project encourages students to donate their old iPods in a drop box that will be used for those suffering from Alzheimer’s or other streams of dementia. Students from the health studies gerontology and practice class created the group and came up with this idea after looking at old research done by past students. The iPod Project group recognized the benefits of music with memory loss and was inspired by foundations like Music and Memory, which provides patients with playlists to help bring back their memory. Fourth-year health studies student Ghalia Albakri is excited about the project after conducting presentations and outlines with her team. “Our project started specifically through class so we did a bunch of posters and videos, radio segments,” Albakri says. “We decided to reach out [to] the Alzheimer’s club on campus to facilitate an iPod drive in the UCC.” The iPod Project group and Alzheimer’s Western Club were accepting iPods this Monday and Wednesday in the UCC. Currently they’re looking into opening up drop boxes with the University Students’ Council to accept iPods
but they wanted to continue the project after they graduate. “We realized there were a lot of old iPods in Toronto and other cities, so having that booth isn’t really essential,” says Soo Choi, president of Alzheimer’s Western Club. “We are currently in the process of working with the USC so we can have a drop box at one of the info offices, so you can drop off your old iPods anytime you want.” Western Alzheimer’s Club also looks towards keeping the iPod Project as an ongoing mission for the rest of the year. “We want to see this iPod project sustained through the Alzheimer’s club,” says Choi. “I’m glad the gerontology club made the initiative to contact me. The first-years and second-years are excited to see this sustained. The next thing is to organize more volunteers.” The iPod Project group encourages more students to get involved with the project by meeting patients, learning about them and generating playlists for them. Group member Sarah Franklin White believes this is an opportunity for students to get involved in the London community and a great way to impact someone’s life. “This project doesn’t work without volunteers so we want them because they are the ones going into the homes and making the playlists,” says Franklin. “We’re really looking to sustain the project by recruiting more volunteers and having it more accessible.” For more information about the drop boxes and the iPod Project, go to Alzheimer’s Western Club Facebook Page. n
TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE
You’ll shoot your eyes out! MOSES MONTERROZA ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @MOSESATGAZETTE RATING: GGGFF Based on the 1980s classic film A Christmas Story, the Grand Theatre presents a play that is both funny and heartwarming. Starring Callum Thompson as Ralphie and Steve Ross as the narrator, this play contains all of the greatness found in the film, but consequently offers little originality. In his quest to obtain the coveted Red Ryder BB gun, Ralphie utilizes his imaginative mind to try and convince his parents through cunning hijinks and “marketing” that they should buy the gun for Christmas. The incorrigible child gets lost in daydreams about the Red Ryder, often resulting in interesting sequences and funny characters. Fundamentally, this play is very similar to its film counterpart. The most noticeable difference is that
the narrator actually interacts with characters and is constantly visible throughout the play. On one hand, the narrator brilliantly carries the play along with the witty and smart dialogue you hear in the film. Occasionally, he will also adopt various characters throughout the play and his ability to weave in and out of those different characters is impressive. On the other hand, the narration can feel overdone. In many cases it would interrupt character dialogue and disrupt the flow of the play. The set itself consisted of a middle class home with a kitchen, living room and bedroom — very similar to the film version. At one point in the play, the old man and the mother characters share a seat on the living room couch and gaze upon falling snow from the vantage point of a window. It was a moment in the play that really made use of the simplicity of the production and invited the audience to feel
wistful and introspective. Much like the movie, the play evokes feelings of nostalgia by playing with classic Christmas tropes, like opening up gifts on Christmas morning, going tree shopping and experiencing malfunctions during Christmas dinner. For the most part, however, the play felt like it could have gone farther with its story telling. It would have been nice to see more original scenes instead of simply rehashing the film. That being said, there was a love interest between Ralphie and Esther Jane Alberry that was a nice addition. Overall, the play did its job of entertaining a specific family audience. But while it provided that warm and fuzzy Christmas feeling, it also left a void. The actors, blocking, lighting and set were all great and well done. However, being that it was so similar to the movie, it lacked in any noticeable originality. n
• www.westerngazette.ca
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2015 • 11
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Food For Thought ELLIS KOIFMAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Heart Sushi is the newest allyou-can-eat sushi place in the Wonderland and Oxford area, offering fast service and a relaxing atmosphere. The entrance introduces the red and white theme of the restaurant with two red statues leaning forward and a white counter where the maître d’ waits to seat you. Once you are seated, you will see a mirror stretching across the ceiling that gives you a bird’s-eye view of almost the entire restaurant. They also take reservations, which is great for big groups. To send your order, you use an iPad to select food from categories such as sushi rolls, soup and salad. For the most part, service was very fast — we never had to wait more than about five minutes to get our food. Unfortunately, this efficiency ended when they took about 20 minutes to bring our dessert and bill. It costs $14.99 for lunch and $24.99 for dinner during the week, and an extra $2 for each on weekends. The dinner option includes sashimi. The menu consists of primarily sushi options as well as various southeast Asian dishes, such as pad thai and Korean bulgogi. APPETIZERS: Tiny portions. I finished the seaweed salad in two bites. VARIOUS RICE DISHES: Decent quality but not great. Very mushy, not too fresh and slightly cold. MAKI ROLLS SALMON MAKI: Really good proportion of fish to rice — you don’t need to order a lot to get a good serving of fish. CALIFORNIA ROLLS: Good blend but excess avocado overshadowed the rest of the roll — a common occurrence at all-youcan-eat-sushi places. FLYING FISH EGG: Good portion size, plenty of fish eggs.
NIGIRI: I had the salmon, escolar and BBQ eel. There was too much rice and only a very thin piece of fish atop it. It could benefit from a more generous amount of fish. BBQ EEL + CUCUMBER HAND ROLL: Lots of cucumber, little BBQ eel, lots of unagi sauce, very little rice. Hand roll stays together fairly well. Seaweed is soft and lacks crispiness. HOT FOOD KALBI (KOREAN BEEF SHORT RIBS): A big hit or miss — pieces are either good and meaty or almost entirely fatty. SALMON TERIYAKI: Drenched in sauce, was tough, lacked flavour and was very thin. KOREAN BEEF BULGOGI: Not very much beef, lots of veggies, sweet. DESSERTS CAKE (RASPBERRY, CHOCOLATE OR MANGO): Soft, rich flavour, creamy, small portion. ICE CREAM: Nothing special, comes in various flavours including mango, vanilla, chocolate, red bean and green tea. MANGO YOGURT: Tiny portion of cold yogurt with mango sauce on top, really sweet. ATMOSPHERE: GGGGF: Really welcoming, relaxing and lots of booths. SERVICE: GGGHF : Very fast, but difficult to get their attention and slow with desserts and bringing the bill. PRICE: GGGHF: Above average for all you can eat. FOOD & DRINK: GGGHF: As far as all-you-can-eat goes, the food is definitely above average but it still has a ways to go before it can be considered really good. OVERALL: GGGHF
SHACHAR DAHAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE With finals nearly two weeks away, that can only mean one thing – long and stressful nights of studying. Having to carry heavy textbooks back and forth from the library certainly doesn’t help the cause, so consider these two e-readers in order to de-stress.
KOBO GLO HD
The Kobo Glo is a lightweight, Wi-Fi enabled e-reader that has an impressive front-lit, 1448x1072 high-res e-ink display with a touchscreen interface. The Glo HD measures 6.2x4.5x0.4 inches and weighs 6.4 ounces. The front is covered in black plastic, while the back is coated in a tough, textured rubber, making it very enjoyable to hold. The Glo HD has 4GB of internal memory — enough storage for up to 3,000 ebooks. Kobo also claims up that the device has up to two months of reading time per charge, which I can confirm after my testing. COURTESY OF KOBO
One of the main things this e-reader has going for it is that unlike other devices, it supports EPUB files. A drawback of this device is that you cannot highlight text when in a PDF.
AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE
Specwise, the paperwhite is very similar to the Glo HD, the main difference being that the paperwhite is a little bigger and a tad heavier. One of the main pros of being in the Amazon family is that Amazon has perhaps the most expansive e-book store and all of their devices sync seamlessly together. The
Kindle, however, doesn’t support the range of file type the Kobo does. It would be nice if the Paperwhite wasn’t so slippery, but this is a problem any case can solve. All in all, you can’t go wrong with either of these e-readers. I preferred the Paperwhite because I felt the screen was slightly better and thought the user interface was just a little more rounded out. The bottom line is that e-readers aren’t for everyone, but if you are planning on investing in one, both of these devices are heavily reduced for the holidays so there’s no better time than the present. n
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