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westerngazette.ca THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • WESTERN UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER • VOLUME 109 ISSUE 30 smelly nerds since 1906

To infinity and beyond

At Cronyn Observatory, there are countless activities for the celestial admirer MORE ON PAGE 10

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PROFILE JAMIE GOLOB

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For most varsity athletes at Western, their careers will be over after they graduate. The reality is that competing at the professional level is not realistic.

For many of the less popular sports, there is not even enough money to support the athletes who can make it to the professional level. For others, injuries and strains on the body accumulate over many years and cause them to lose the passion they had for the sport.

The last scenario is the case for fifth-year business student Jamie Golob of the Western wrestling team. He is currently competing in his final season and has already decided this will be the end of his career.

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Jamie was never an all-star and never had any outstanding results in his career at Western. This can partially be attributed to the many obstacles he’s had to overcome. He has had reoccurring shoulder injuries almost every year and has spent a lot of time in the Fowler Kennedy Sport Medicine Clinic treating his injuries.

In his last year, however, he’s not had as many injury problems because he’s discovered a secret to prevent them from happening before they occur.

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“Since I started doing yoga – that’s the one thing that’s the preventative measure,” Jamie says. “It’s really helped me stay injury free.”

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Jamie plans to continue his passion for yoga after he

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graduates. With the help of his roommate, he plans to open a yoga studio this summer in Oakville. The goal of his studio will be to help inform athletes of the benefits of yoga so they can avoid the same mistakes that he has made.

“It really helps you connect your mind to your body.

Your flexibility increases so you are less prone to stretch anything out of place,” Jamie says. “There’s alot of sudden jerks and motions so it’s better that you have a good range of flexibility in wrestling. The balance really helps too. You have a better awareness of where your body is.”

As for his athletic career, Jamie wants to try out some new sports. He has tried out gymnastics in the past and he thinks he wants to put some more time into it in the future.

“I plan on using my athletic capabilities in a more sustainable sport because wrestling is very hard on your body,” he says. “I’ve been doing it for a long time and I’m ready to transition on to something else. I’m going to miss it but I’ll transition into something else for sure.”

Even though his wrestling career is coming to an end, Jamie does not regret the decision he made to focus on wrestling in high school. It was different from hockey and soccer and that is what made it so appealing to him.

“I think what stuck out to me about wrestling is it made all the other sports look easy. It was hard and not a lot of people could do it, which made it really attractive to me.”

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Western’s entrepreneurship program under scrutiny

Horror films further stigmatize mental illness

Caribbean cultural weekend kicks off on Friday

Critics have questioned the funding for entrepreneurship programs in Ontario, while those involved at Western say the program is crucial for developing future skills.  PG 4

While many horror films feature characters with mental illnesses, most are neither accurate, nor positive portrayals.

The Caribbean Students’ Organization is holding their annual heritage festivities, including a show, after-party and game day.  PG 11

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • 3

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Leave of absence required for USC members campaigning HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE

TAYLOR LASOTA GAZETTE

Eddy Avila, left, and Jamie Cleary, right, are running for USC president and vice-president respectively.

Team Avila declares candidacy KATIE LEAR NEWS EDITOR @KATIEATGAZETTE The election season has officially begun with the first slate vying for the USC presidency announcing their candidacy on Monday.

Team Avila consists of two fourth-year students; Eddy Avila and Jamie Cleary, hopefuls for the USC presidency and vice-presidency respectively.

Avila was the orientation coordinator for the past O-Week and brings four years of experience from the Science Students’ Council and off-campus soph experience to the presidential candidacy.

“A common theme in our [platform] is going to be the focus of student engagement in these decisions, whether it’s the USC singular or in collaboration with Western,” Avila said. “We really want to empower the students and make sure that the student feedback that we actively seek out is something that is heard in these decisions and there’s weight behind these student voices.”

Cleary is a current associate vice-president external on the USC and the internal affairs officer on the Science Students’ Council, but has worked as a USC research intern splitting his time between last year’s internal and external vice-presidents.

“I did a lot of external research, worked with the city as well as provincial issues, but for [former vice-president internal Emily Addison] I did internal research and I wrote two of the three policy papers that were approved back in September, so one on international students on campus … and the other one was with mature students.”

Cleary continued to emphasize that Team Avila’s platform would be built in collaboration with students.

“We want to be able to engage the student experts and the students who are passionate about certain issues to help them advocate for what they believe in, and that’s why our platform is not being written by the two of us,” he explained.

“We’re engaging all areas of

campus, all different students on campus, because it’s a platform for students written by students, it’s not written just by the two of us thinking ‘this is what we want to do,’ we’re here to say ‘this is what students want to do’ and we want to be that voice for students.”

The two met in first year during orientation week and began the friendship that would lead to their current partnership.

“In terms of why I think we are a very good pairing, when looking for a partner especially in the vice-president position, I was looking for someone like Jamie who had expertise in both the external and the internal issues on campus and off of campus,” Avila explained.

Avila also attributed his choice in vice-presidential candidate to Cleary’s advocacy knowledge, past experience and their close friendship.

Hopeful candidates for the USC executive slates must submit their applications to the USC office by 4 p.m. on January 22, 2016. n

Prof develops new imaging technique SABRINA FRACASSI GAZETTE STAFF @NEWSATGAZETTE For the past three years, Western University’s Dr. Andrea Soddu took part in an international research collaboration that resulted in the development of a new imaging technique.

The collaboration investigated new ways of using MRI technology and focused on using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the oxygen density in different parts of the brain.

The main discovery that resulted from the research was the ability to measure the metabolic activity of a brain at rest — something unable to be done before. The ability to measure metabolic activity in a brain at rest allows hospitals to use the MRI machines they already have instead of having to purchase a PET scanner as well.

The difference between PET and MRI scanners lie in the way that they look at what is going on in the body.

An MRI machine can detect disease based on the physical change in a person’s anatomy while a PET machine can detect the biochemical processes that may occur before any changes in anatomy are visible to an MRI. Susan Martinuk’s study, The Use of Positron Emission Tomography, looks at how Canada’s healthcare system is very behind in regards to PET technology.

According to Martinuk, there are only 29 PET machines throughout Canada with a majority of them concentrated in Quebec (12) and Ontario nine. The average cost of a PET machine is between $2.5 million to $4 million, which means that accumulation of these scanners will be slow.

In comparison, the Canadian Institute for Health Information noted that, as of January 2012, there are 308 MRI scanners operating in Canada.

Soddu is very excited about what the new technology means for patients across the country.

Soddu explained that the methodology had many applications not only for disorders of consciousness but in patients who suffered stroke and other diseases.

“Brain tumors are in fact detected by measuring brain metabolism, showing higher metabolic activity in the presence of tumors and we would like to investigate if our technique could be used in a similar way to detect brain tumors as region with higher stimulated activity,” he said.

Melvyn Goodale, director of the Brain and Mind Institute, commended Western’s presence at the international level.

“The BMI is pleased that many of our core members have international collaborations,” said Goodale. “This not only allows the researchers of the BMI to extend their own research questions into new fields and bring aboard collaborators who have complementary research skills, but it also helps to put Western more firmly on the international landscape.” n

In the run up to the 2016 USC election, a new policy requires all associate vice-presidents, interns and coordinators to take an unpaid leave of absence if they plan on volunteering for or publicly endorsing candidates.

The policy puts into writing a standard practice for those who wish to run as a candidate in the University Students’ Council’s spring elections to take a leave of absence. The rule applies to elected positions, including councillors, faculty presidents and the speaker of council.

The policy comes after controversy over the role of the former associate vice-president student affairs in Team Sophie’s campaign team during last year’s election.

The AVP eventually took a leave of absence for the remainder of the election period.

According to Kevin Hurren, USC communications officer, while the policy wasn’t specifically designed to address last year’s issue, there has been confusion on the acceptable level of involvement in election campaigns by USC’s student staff.

“There was a lot of confusion both outside and in the USC about what actually constitutes involvement,” he said. “We have made it very clear and we have played it relatively safe on when students shouldn’t really be having access to the USC resources or office space during the campaign time if they play on being an active participant.”

The policy also aims to deter any undue influence on the elections by USC employees and volunteers who might be supporting certain candidates or slates.

“I think the idea of the leave is that you’re not using your USC resources or your presence in USC office spaces to benefit or change the outcome,” Hurren said.

AVPs, interns and coordinators intending to volunteer for or endorsing candidates are expected to start their leave of absence the same day

their candidate files their nomination forms.

At the beginning of the election period, the elections governance committee will receive a list of all students who have taken their leave of absence for campaigning or endorsing purposes. The list will be made public so students-at-large are aware of the USC members who will be taking time off during the elections.

However, if certain AVPs, interns or coordinators decide to volunteer for or endorse a candidate during the election period, they can still take their leave prior to public endorsements or campaigning.

“It may be the second week of the campaign period that an individual decides, ‘you know what I really want to go out and support a candidate’ … at that point they can still file their leave of absence,” said Andrew Chorney, USC’s chief returning officer.

If any USC member in these positions is found campaigning or endorsing candidates without a leave of absence, they can be reported to the elections governance committee. As AVPs and interns are USC employees, disciplinary actions will be taken internally.

The committee itself will also be keeping a watch on the campaigns to monitor any unsanctioned activity.

“We are being very proactive this year. We will have our eyes and ears open and in the event we do see something that is suspect, we will look into it,” Chorney added. n

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Entrepreneurship worth it despite challenges MAAILAH BLACKWOOD NEWS EDITOR @NEWSATGAZETTE Several Ontario universities’ entrepreneurship programs, including Western, have come under scrutiny from government reviewers, who have questioned the value of the programs.

Western and nine other schools have been a part of the CampusLinked Accelerator program, launched in 2013, in an effort to foster entrepreneurship. Western has received a 1.4 million dollar grant from the Campus-Linked Accelerator program, which is to be split with Fanshawe College in the hopes of building strong entrepreneurship programs.

A report in The Globe and Mail said Ontario universities have “struggled to design effective entrepreneurship programs” under the CLA program, with reviewers of proposals from the $20-million fund questioning the goals of the program, where the money was going and even if it was necessary.

“Not even sure that the demand warrants this magnitude of investment but recommend support,”

the Globe reported one reviewer saying of a proposal from the University of Western Ontario, who added: “This gives the government what it needs in this community, a very big win here.”

Ian Haase, director of entrepreneurship at Western, said these types of programs require a long time to develop and shouldn’t be judged until they’ve been well established.

“It takes a long time to build these ecosystems in the university.

It requires a cultural change across campus and these are not necessarily changes that happen over night,” said Haase. “For the article to say that [the program] is struggling when it’s in launch mode is unfair and misleading.”

Haase, who also manages Propel, Western’s on-campus business accelerator, said when looking at similar programs across North America, the common finding is that some of the best programs have taken decades or more to gain traction and get up and running.

Dominic Lim, an assistant professor of entrepreneurship at the Richard Ivey School of Business, reiterated Haase’s assessment,

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stating entrepreneurship programs have been on the rise in Ontario universities.

Lim points to the increasing interest in entrepreneurship courses, university-led entrepreneurship initiatives and the number of student-led entrepreneurship clubs and initiatives as a relevant trend to explain the growth of entrepreneurship programs.

“We see increasingly more students interested in pursuing entrepreneurship careers each year,” said Lim in an email. “This says a lot, in a business school like Ivey where students traditionally came to pursue a career in consulting, finance and general management.”

Lim added programs such as CLA are imperative in fostering an entrepreneurial system across campuses.

It is not that universities are struggling to develop strong entrepreneurship programs; the problem is with promoting a culture of entrepreneurship and providing funding that will sustain said programs, according to Lim and Haase.

While Haase believes that it is not a particular problem for Western, Lim states that compared to their American counterparts — Silicon Valley, Stanford and UC Berkley — Canadian universities have not traditionally excelled in creating a university-wide entrepreneurship ecosystem.

Based on his own experience in entrepreneurship, fifth-year finance student and founder of his own startup company, Kishwar Hashemee notes while London’s entrepreneurial scene has grown over the years, the few students who do attempt to pursue entrepreneurship, tend to flock to larger cites such as Waterloo, Toronto and Montreal.

“From my experience, from working in London, a more rigorous mentorship program [is needed], where you are accountable to someone who keeps an eye, watches over your start-up and guides you on a weekly basis,” said Hashemee. “A lot of times, startups fail because they are moving too slow.”

Propel uses such grants, as well

as additional funding from Western and the University Students’ Council, to provide opportunities for emerging start-ups through their summer incubator programs, startups with legal, financial assistance and other professional services to move their ideas along.

As an entrepreneur and an individual that has benefited from spaces such as Propel, Hashemee notes that students with ideas now have a place to go that allows them to pursue their ideas.

Highlighting the changing nature of the employment sector, Haase stresses entrepreneurial skills are essential for the next generation of workers in order to succeed as they are pivotal skills that most companies are seeking.

“The potential downside of not [supporting] startups and commercialization efforts on campus is a greater risk,” said Haase. “[And] the danger of not trying to focus on them at all versus trying to get things going even if it might take a while is not even a comparison.” n

Calls for investigation into funding for Fanshawe facility DRISHTI KATARIA NEWS EDITOR @DRISHTATGAZETTE The Canadian Council of Independent Laboratories is calling for an investigation into the federal funding of Fanshawe College’s new national product testing facility.

The federal government has funded $8.1 million of the $16.2-million needed for the Canadian Centre for Product Validation testing facility that’s set to open this spring on land donated by London.

Ben Cecil, associate vice-president, academic excellence and innovation at Fanshawe College, said CCPV will provide multi-modal testing, which he describes as “the ability to test across a number of separate platforms whether its mechanical, electrical, environmental, chemical and so on.”

According to Cecil, there are no comprehensive multi-modal and developmental labs in Southern Ontario.

He believes that rather than providing direct competition to the private labs, their work should complement the private sector labs.

However, owners of private labs believe this facility to be detrimental to their business.

Tony Araujo, vice-president testing at Paragon Systems at Concord Ont. and a member of the CCIL, said that Fanshawe college and FedDev consider his lab to be a direct

competitor.

“I’m afraid that they’re going to steal business from me and because of that I’m going to have to lay people off and if they’re really successful I’m going to have to close the business,” Araujo said.

Reuber said the private sector is concerned about the financial arrangements the federal government has made for CCPV, putting the facility in a position to compete unfairly with the private sector to the point where the labs could be forced out of business.

“This can only be described as an attack on the private sector and a misuse of taxpayers’ money,” said Derwyn Reuber, executive director of CCIL in a press release.

As of now, CCIL has not received a formal response from Navdeep Singh Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development to investigate.

CCIL has also written to the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, believing Fanshawe College violates the directive that states, “in engaging in commercial activities, colleges must not, either by virtue of their access to public funds or by virtue of their notfor-profit status, compete unfairly with the private sector,” as stated in the binding policy directive.

“A compromise would be that we have some sort of non-compete agreement with Fanshawe that

would someway protect the private sector from the testing that Fanshawe will be doing,” said Reuber.

In a letter sent to Local 110, which represents Fanshawe College faculty, Jeff Low, executive director of human resources at Fanshawe said they have made initial projections of around seven employees and “no academic staff will be employed at CCPV and no teaching is scheduled to take place at this facility.”

Darryl Bedford, president of OPSEU Local 110 said because OPSEU cares greatly about the creation of jobs for their members, they were disappointed with this claim.

Cecil said although no academic staff will be employed at the CCPV, there is a possibility them to work on projects at the facility.

Fanshawe College will profit from the operating revenues, part of which will go to support students, bursaries and future operations to sustain the local economy.

Cecil believes Fanshawe’s $8.1 million investment into the CCPV to be worthwhile as it will support future opportunities for graduates.

“By supporting the CCPV we are supporting the local economy, by supporting the local economy, we’re developing capacity for job growth and job creation within our region, which will be filled with the graduates within our program,” Cecil said. n

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • 5

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More attractive girls get better grades: study RITA RAHMATI NEWS EDITOR @RITAATGAZETTE A recent study found that prettier women receive higher grades — regardless of merit.

Metropolitan State University of Denver conducted the study and found female students with one higher standard deviation in attractiveness received a 0.024 higher grade on the standard 4.0 scale.

“I’m not surprised that in non-anonymous evaluation, that better looking students get better grades,” said Samantha Brennan, philosophy and women’s studies professor at Western.

Western students were asked about the study’s results and said they personally did not notice more attractive students receiving higher grades.

“I personally haven’t seen it,” said Kelsey Mciver, second-year MOS student. “I think possibly, probably more in tutorial type settings.”

Sean Huggins, first-year physics student, said he thinks the opposite could be true. He feels that perhaps students who are more attractive could be perceived as less smart because they are perceived to study less, whereas less attractive students are perceived to spend more time on their studies.

Other studies and books have been written on the concept of more attractive individuals receiving higher grades and success in the workforce. For example, the 2013 book Physical Attractiveness and the Accumulation of Social and Human Capital in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: Assets and Distractions argues that more attractive students are more likely to go on to university.

It’s no surprise that we grow up associating physical beauty with a whole bunch of traits that have nothing to do with physical beauty — intelligence, moral virtue.

SAMANTHA BRENNAN PHILOSOPHY AND WOMEN’S STUDIES PROFESSOR

Brennan cited implicit and inherent bias as a reason that more attractive students may receive higher marks. She also noted that there are other inherent bias related to other topics, such as the name of a student —oftentimes students with Eurocentric names are regarded more highly.

“I think it’s just built into our culture…Think about fairy tales: when you’re little, the villains are always ugly and the heroes are always beautiful,” Brennan said. “And so it’s no surprise that we grow up associating physical beauty with a whole bunch of traits that have nothing to do with physical beauty — intelligence, moral virtue.”

An anonymous system where students submit assignments with only their student number could be the best way to ensure that there is no bias, according to Brennan.

In the United Kingdom, all evaluations are done anonymously to prevent bias.

Brennan explained that even in areas outside of academics, individuals are assessed anonymously to prevent bias. For example, symphonies tend to hold blind auditions so that the only item of importance is how well they play music. n

Construction to begin on new research building GRACE TO CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTENEWS The construction of the Western Interdisciplinary Research Building is set to begin in about a month and will be finished by late 2017.

The research building, intended to be a space for the Research Cluster for Cognitive Neuroscience and the Rotman Institute of Philosophy, will be located on the Visual Arts parking lot by Perth Drive. The purpose of the construction of an additional research building is to support future research and increase available classrooms.

“Western is at the forefront of fostering leading-edge, cross-disciplinary research,” said John Capone, vice-president of research at Western, in a media release. “We have made significant investments over the past few years in strategic areas to expand and advance our global competitiveness and impact.”

In efforts to increase student initiatives and research teams at Western, WIRB is expected to create new opportunities for out-ofthe-classroom learning.

“WIRB is another demonstration

WIRB is another demonstration of our commitment to investing in interdisciplinary areas of strength, as is articulated in Western’s strategic plan as an institutional priority.

JANICE DEAKIN

UWO CHARITY BALL FACEBOOK

Charity Ball benefits mental health AMY O’KRUK NEWS EDITOR @AMYATGAZETTE “I have been going through a lot in the last year and I feel that FEMAP has kept me from drowning in my own feelings,” said a former patient of London’s First Episode Mood and Anxiety Program. “Life isn’t good right now, but it could be much worse.”

It’s programs like FEMAP that offer Western students mental health resource options beyond the campus gates. The support and treatment program is specifically aimed at 15 to 25-year-olds who need help managing mood or anxiety symptoms before they “begin to disrupt lives.”

This year, it’s also the local organization receiving proceeds from the University Students’ Council’s annual Charity Ball. Vice-president student events Taryn Scripnick said the USC is hoping the event will raise $10,000 for FEMAP, while pulling off a campus-wide formal

that students won’t forget.

“This year’s theme is a little bit less tangible than last year’s … we’re focused on the feeling of aura,” said Charity Ball coordinator Diana Su. “We really wanted to bring in the element of glow, so we’re bringing in a lot of candle light, colours and ambiance.”

Another buzz-worthy change to this year’s Charity Ball is the location. Traditionally hosted off-campus, the 2016 event will be kicking off on the University’s home turf: the Mustang Lounge. Su said the USC opted for a home-base venue because of last year’s problems at Centennial Hall and the unavailability of other London spaces.

“We tried Centennial Hall, but …

I believe there were coat check discrepancies and a lot of things that we didn’t find a good match,” Su said. “We wanted to take [Charity Ball] to Mustang Lounge because of … location and convenience.”

Scripnick added hosting Charity

Ball in the University Community Centre will allow the USC to provide safer transportation for students coming to and from the event. The USC will rent out the Social Science parking lot to provide shuttle services and taxis to students.

While last year’s “VIP” tickets failed to make a comeback, Charity Ball attendants will have the option to purchase food at this year’s event and will be treated to a surprise free food item at the end of the night.

Diana emphasizes her overarching goal is to focus on the “charity” in Charity Ball.

“In years past the promo revolved around the event rather than the charity,” Su said. “We picked FEMAP because we thought … if we got FEMAP connected to the students, students could use it as a resource.”

The 19-plus event is set for Saturday, Jan. 30. Tickets can be purchased for $25 online on the USC’s website or at Mustang Central. n

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of our commitment to investing in interdisciplinary areas of strength, as is articulated in Western’s strategic plan as an institutional priority,” said Janice Deakin, provost and vice-president of academic.

Possible traffic disruptions on campus that may be caused by the building’s construction should be minimal and limited to the duration of the construction. To accommodate construction, the Visual Arts parking lot will be closed from January 29 at 4:30 p.m. to late 2017.

Grey and Orange parking permit holders are suggested to find spaces available at the Medway or South Valley parking lots. n

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Powder puff football: A winter wonderland SHANE ROBERTS SPORTS EDITOR @SHANEATGAZETTE In the winter, all of Western’s athletic teams move indoors to avoid the cold and the snow. This is not the case for the powderpuff football team at Western.

The powderpuff football team was created five years ago by a group of sophs at Western. They got word of other universities putting together teams and setting up weekend tournaments so they quickly put together a Western team for a tournament a few weeks later at Laurier University.

Putting together a team was easier than you might think since powderpuff football was already a tradition at Western residences. Each year, every residence puts together a team to compete for the Champs Cup. In fact, to this day the Champs Cup still plays an important role with the Western powderpuff team.

“Over half of our girls are us finding girls through this first year [Champs Cup] tournament,” said head coach Neil Donison.

Recruiting at the Champs Cup is important because the team is not allowed to advertise on campus as they are not an official Western group and all their recruiting has to been done through word of mouth.

However, this may not be the case for much longer.

“If we get ratified by Western that could definitely help create a bigger exposure.... It could thrive as a varsity sport or Western official varsity club,” said Donison.

Three years ago, the team actually approached Western Sports and Recreation to try and get approved as a varsity club at Western.

Unfortunately their attempts to become varsity fell short. Veteran player Ajla Bilajbegovic said this was largely due to the coaching staff.

“At a lot of the other schools, the football team runs the powderpuff team. We don’t do that here. Only because the football guys were not the guys who started it,” explained Bilajbegovic. “I think the coaches now, they love it, and if we gave it over to the school and the football team ran it they’d get their positions taken away and they didn’t want that.”

Even though they did not officially become a varsity club at Western it is not a major concern for the team.

Bilajbegovic explained how the only real difference is the formal distinction. They have multiple practices every week, team uniforms and enter in competitions regularly just as any other varsity team would. Managing the funding, insurance, waivers and injuries aren’t too hard to handle either between the six coaches on the team. However, varsity status would make things easier and Bilajbegovic is confident that it could happen some day.

“I see it in the future becoming varsity when the word gets out more and other schools start to do it and I see powderpuff football becoming a varsity sport just like any other,” said Bilajbegovic. “Its interest in the last four years has grown so much that I think in another five years it’s going to grow even more.”

Bilajbegovic also has hopes for the sport to grow at Western. Even though they have 40 players on their team they’re relatively small when compared to powderpuff programs at other schools. For example, McMaster and Laurier each have about six powderpuff teams. In the future, if they continue to grow and develop a closer relationship with the university there is hope that Western could host a powderpuff tournament.

“Western has a bigger venue than any of the tournaments we play at...

It could be very profitable for the school because we’re paying sometimes around $500 a tournament,” said Donison.

The team will open up their tournament competition this weekend in Toronto at a tournament hosted by the University of Toronto powderpuff team. The tournament will take place over two days and teams will play anywhere from four to seven games, depending on how well they do. It is supposed to be cold and snowy in Toronto this weekend but that isn’t anything new for these powderpuff players.

“We haven’t played a tournament where there really hasn’t been snow.

It’s always cold – that’s kind of the fun of it. It’s kind of fun to be different than what normal football

LEAH KATZ POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL CAN’T BRING ME DOWN. Tight end Ajla Bilajbegovic carries the ball in a powderpuff football tournament game at Laurier University in 2014.

LEAH KATZ POWDERPUFF FOOTBALL I SEE THE LIGHT. Running back Ayobami Ogunlana charges forward in a powderpuff football tournament game at Laurier University in 2014.

is,” said Donison. “Girls will have at least four layers on at minimum with garbage bags in their cleats to help keep their feet warm.”

Bilajbegovic added that they wear ski socks, thermal linings and medical gloves under their mittens to keep warm. Weather conditions have even been so bad at times that tournaments have had to be rescheduled. Bilajbegovic also recalled one time where the harsh winter weather was too much to handle.

“One year at McMaster it was so cold that the game went from football to just people walking around shivering and the ball couldn’t be thrown because the quarterback’s hand was frozen,” she said. “We’ve had frostbite where we’ve had to go to the hospital. Honestly it’s ridiculous and most people ask me why I play...

It’s insane but it’s just more fun than any other sport I’ve ever played.”

After the tournament this weekend in Toronto the team will compete in two more tournaments. At

the end of January they will travel to Hamilton for a tournament hosted

by McMaster before finishing off their season in early February in a tournament at Laurier University.

The Laurier tournament is the biggest tournament and known as the “OUAs” of powderpuff football. It will take place over three days and between around 30 teams.

After the season, the powderpuff team will continue to push towards their goals of growing their team and hosting their own tournament. n

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • 7

insight

Cinematic horror lies in the stigma KSENIA KOLODKA GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Horror movies aren’t just for Halloween — they can be enjoyed for their fear-induced adrenaline rush year-round.

Unfortunately, the stigma surrounding the portrayal of mental illness in horror movies may be more frightening than the plot itself.

Dayna French, third-year media, theory and production student and a fan of horror movies, said when she watches a horror movie that features mental illness, she finds the setting scarier than the characters themselves.

“Old asylums are scarier more for the history,” she said, “[because] of the way they treated people back then.”

David MacGregor, King’s sociology professor, said filmmakers started using mental asylums as settings in the 1930s, particularly in German expressionist films.

MacGregor further explained mental illness is used as a way to make horror films cinematically interesting.

However, MacGregor thinks some filmmakers exploit mental illness and use it inappropriately, ultimately creating a blur between mental illness and evil.

“These films can exploit mental illness and give us a wrong view of the disease,” MacGregor says.

Dr. Sarah Jarmain, associate professor in the department of psychiatry and site chief mental health care at St. Joseph’s Health Care London, said the depiction of mental health in film may lead to public misconception.

“When you have history within the horror genre with mental illness being depicted as violent killers [and] villains ... that starts to influence the general public’s perception of mental illness,” Jarmain said.

Many horror films such as Halloween, Psycho, Silence of the Lambs and Grave Encounters depict

We need to be changing our language and changing our focus in order to help combat stigma against mental illness.

DR. SARAH JARMAIN SITE CHIEF MENTAL HEALTH AT ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH CARE LONDON

violent killers as both evil and mentally ill. According to Jarmain, those with a mental illness are less likely to be a perpetrator of violence than they are to be a victim.

“Our concept of evil is about ... moral character, it’s not speaking about illness per se,” said Jarmain.

The Canadian Mental Health Association released a comprehensive list of TV shows and movies that present mental illness both accurately and inaccurately. There are more negative and inaccurate portrayals than positive and accurate ones, which may contribute to the stigma surrounding mental illness.

Jarmain explains the recurrent negative illustrations of asylums in films may hinder people from seeking the help they need to cope with a mental illness.

French agrees horror movies display mental illness inaccurately and also finds it important to discern the difference between the media’s portrayal of mental illness and mental illness in real life.

Jarmain believes it is crucial for people to speak up when they see inappropriate portrayals of mental illness in media.

Acknowledgement of these inaccurate representations is essential because horror movies involving mental illness — such as The Forest, which features a sensationalized spin on a real and common suicide site in Japan — are still being produced.

The movement to create accurate and positive depictions of mental illness in the media is still a work in progress.

Nonetheless, some filmmakers are already moving towards thinking more liberally and changing perspectives on how to scare an audience without creating stigma.

“We need to be changing our language and changing our focus in order to help combat stigma against mental illness,” said Jarmain. n

Depictions of mental health in film American Psycho (2000)

x

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

Silence of the Lambs (1991)

x

Courtesy of Strong Heart/Demme Production

Good Will Hunting (1997)

*

Courtesy of Miramax

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

*

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

As Good as It Gets (1997)

√

Courtesy of TriStar Pictures

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden (1977)

√

Courtesy of Fadsin Cinema Associates

x

Negative and inaccurate representation

*

Positive but inaccurate representation

√

Positive and accurate representation

From the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario, Mass Media and Mental Illness: A Literature Review (2004).

THE JOHN A ND SUZ A N NE K AU F MA N N C OL L EC TI ON OF A F R I CA N A R T K A RIN JON E S: WO R N January 21 – March 12, 2016 Opening reception: January 21 at 8 PM an Ontario government agency un organisme du gouvernement de l’Ontario

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8 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016

insight

Your privacy gone in a snap

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JENNY JAY GAZETTE

Freemium model increasingly popular ELLIS KOIFMAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE

KSENIA KOLODKA GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE Even after the timer on your Snap runs out, Snapchat still has access to the photos you’ve sent.

You might think, “I never signed up for this!” Actually, you did.

Snapchat is popular because of the ability to quickly send a “Snap” of something to a friend that lasts from one to 10 seconds and then allegedly disappears from your device and Snapchat’s servers. However, that’s not entirely true.

Snapchat’s terms and conditions state that their company and other third parties can “host, store, use, display, reproduce, modify, adapt, edit, publish, create derivative works from, publicly perform, broadcast, distribute, syndicate, promote, exhibit and publicly display that content in any form.”

When informed about this, second-year economics student and Snapchat user Jonathan Wong says he would “trust the terms and conditions just because of the huge population that uses it,” thinking the company wouldn’t want to deceive their users.

Unfortunately, this is a popular mentality many students have that makes it easy for companies to include ambiguous details without much commotion.

Professor Sam Trosow, jointly appointed to the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Information and Media Studies, explains people don’t read the terms thoroughly because “they want to be able to immediately begin enjoying the product the way it has been represented to them.”

The problem lies in the app’s description, where Snapchat advertises that unless someone screenshots a Snap, it will not be stored.

Once you agree to Snapchat’s terms and conditions, you

automatically allow them and their business partners a license to your content.

You ultimately have ownership over your content, but Snapchat is able to use it in any way they’d like.

When asked for clarification of their terms and conditions, Snapchat declined to comment.

“They aren’t routinely going to exploit that commercial value at your expense, but they sort of have an opening to do that if they want to,” Trosow says.

Additionally, if for JENNY JAY GAZETTE own,” he says. any reason your content He continues by saying it is causes damage — such as defamation, copyright infringement or important to take your Internet priharassment — Snapchat can hand vacy as seriously as your privacy in over your information by request of the outside world. the government or the law.

“People don’t realize the A threatening Snapchat post at a permanency of what appears to be college in Massachusetts exempli- an illusion,” says Trosow. “It’s just on fies Snapchat’s information storage. the screen, but it’s just as real as if A Snapchat user posted an alarming it’s in a scrapbook.”

Trosow indicates the vast photo to the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s unofficial Snapchat wealth potential for Snapchat and account. With the help of Snapchat’s its partners with the collection of legal department transferring over user data. Snapchat, like any social the user’s data, police were able to media company, can bring in determine whether or not the threat immense profits from all of their data collection. was real.

It’s especially important to be Trosow explains that agreeing to the terms and conditions trans- aware of what you’re agreeing to. fers the licence of ownership to Next time you’re asked to check the box beside “I have read these Snapchat.

“Even though you retain the terms and conditions,” it might be ownership of the photograph, you best to actually read through them granted away one of the important in case your selfies come back to instances of ownership that you haunt you. n

You’re at Weldon finishing an assignment and the only thing keeping you focused is the music playing through your headphones. Jazz, classical, rock —it’s all at your fingertips with your smartphone. You’re in the zone when suddenly, an advertisement plays.

Interruptions like these distract listeners and are annoyances in general. These ads are present unless a user pays a premium fee for whatever music app they are using.

Known as the “freemium model,” this revenue strategy is becoming increasingly common for phone apps. Users will download a free app — such as Songza, Clash of Clans or Tinder — and will be required to pay a premium to access additional services or to get rid of the ads.

Most recently, Songza’s switchover to Google Play now means video ads play every few songs, which can only be removed for a recurring fee of $9.99 per month.

“This is the most popular model right now,” says assistant professor of consumer behaviour at Western, Bonnie Simpson. “People don’t generally want to pay for something they can’t try.”

Simpson says the popularity is due to the low risks for companies and the chance for customers to try an app out before buying it.

“The cheapest way to get new customers is by letting them share word of mouth and tell friends,” says Simpson. “It’s popular for that reason – it minimizes risk and allows word of mouth sharing.”

Despite the costly annoyance of paying to remove ads, some students are understanding and accepting of the freemium model.

“If it’s something they have to do to keep their services going then that’s understandable and I’m not going to protest against that,” says Tanner Kennedy, a third-year kinesiology student.

However, annoying ads are becoming the least of people’s worries.

“I know there’s the bad side of [apps] where kids are spending like $6,000 or people have gambling addictions toward it,” says thirdyear BMOS student Adrian Zee. According to an article in the Daily Mail, a man’s seven-year-old

I grew up with similar games like that — online games. Now they’re on apps, I don’t see anything wrong with it.

ADRIAN ZEE THIRD-YEAR BMOS

son racked up a bill of nearly £4,000 ($8,253) playing his Jurassic Park iPad game, including “£1,500 ($3,095) in just one hour.”

This is one example of many incidents of kids accidentally accumulating massive bills through otherwise free games due to the ease of payment with credit cards.

“The research [on spending] shows you spend a lot more with credit cards than you do with cash,” says Simpson. “You don’t really feel like you’re spending because it’s in the app.”

Zee says the freemium model isn’t a brand new concept.

“I grew up with similar games like that — online games,” Zee says.

“Now they’re on apps, I don’t see anything wrong with it. “[People act like] it’s something completely brand new, which it isn’t,” he adds.

The model started about 10 years ago and is still evolving to this day.

“The [next] step ... is smarter distribution between what’s free and what’s not and how we communicate those propositions,” Simpson says.

Going forward, Simpson expects to see more marketing strategies drawing in customers.

“We’re starting to see more apps move toward the model where you can finish games without buying,” says Simpson. “But it can be more fun or more engaging or faster if you do buy.” n

• www.westerngazette.ca

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • 9

insightopinions

The case for a USC outsider Green Eggs and Hamza HAMZA TARIQ BREAKING NEWS EDITOR @HAMZAATGAZETTE Presidential candidates for the University Students’ Council have historically relied on their experience and history within the organization, in council or affiliated programs such as sophing, and that has only increased in recent years with the slate system.

But what about a presidential candidate with no former experience whatsoever? The one candidate who doesn’t know the ins and outs of the USC? Who hasn’t been jaded by the realities of the corporate side of the organization?

I for one will be very happy if such a candidate throws their hat in the ring. The potential for out of the box platform points is enormous. It will make for the most interesting debates leading up to the election and will force the more seasoned slates to step up their game in terms of offering Western students innovative ideas they can look forward to next year. That’s much better than using the same old buzzwords of improving the LTC and long-term advocacy goals most students don’t care much for.

Every year, the USC elections see an abysmal turnout. The average turnout usually hovers around the 20 per cent mark. Last year, more students voted to keep the Western Marching Band alive than electing a presidential slate. So of the approximately 22,000-strong undergrad population at Western, only about 4,500 students go online to press a couple of buttons to elect the leaders of an organization they pay more than $700 to each year. $700 is a lot of money for most university students. That’s 411 medium Tim Hortons coffees or enough money for textbooks for the year. So why don’t we care? Well, it could be because most students don’t identify with the people running. They see the elections as a popularity contest within the USC that has no impact on their lives

while at university.

An outsider candidate can break this trend. In addition to wilder ideas, an outsider candidate can make the students feel that anyone can run for their student government. It doesn’t have to be the one kid from their floor in first-year who got involved in every extracurricular on campus in September and incessantly posts everything good about Western on Facebook.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION KYLE PORTER GAZETTE

You might think it’s a long shot, but pique the students’ interest and you’ll find yourself in with a chance.

Coming to the experience side of things, we really have to question how much experience a USC president really needs to be in charge. Yes, you’ll be the chief executive of a multimillion-dollar corporation, but as fancy as it sounds, it really isn’t. The annual turnover of executives forces the USC to operate within certain confines, which really limits the power of the president. Then there is council and the USC board of directors. There are enough checks on the president’s powers that rest assured, we won’t find someone in office proposing a ban on geese on campus until we “figure out what the hell is going on.”

So if you’re procrastinating on Facebook and mutter unsavoury things when you come across those red and blue clothed people in The Gazette talking about better parking deals on campus, now is your chance.

Grab a friend, sit down with a pen and paper and think about all the things you want to change for yourself and other students. You might think it’s a long shot, but pique students’ interest and you’ll find yourself in with a chance. Plus, it’s a cool job for a plebby undergrad. Title of president, good pay, great benefits and lots of travel. n

Pretty grades for pretty faces

BY GAZETTE EDITORIAL BOARD

In a recent study conducted at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, researchers discovered — surprise, surprise — pretty girls get better marks.

According to the findings, an increase of one standard deviation in attractiveness was associated with a 0.024 increase in grade (on a 4.0 scale).

While it is surprising to see how physical attractiveness can influence graders, the results of the study leave us with more questions than answers.

How can you objectively quantify a person’s attractiveness? What kind of courses were involved in the study? These questions and more render the results of the study dubious at best. While there could be a correlation between good looks and good grades, it does not necessarily mean there is causation between the two.

Likewise, those involved with rating the students from a scale of one to 10 each have unique ideas of what they think is considered beautiful; a student could be given the rating of eight by one person and another rating of four by another. Making sweeping statements about the advantages of beauty when it’s difficult to quantify in an empirical sense is misleading.

The fact that the study was done on a small, local scale makes it difficult to attribute it to society as a whole. It also doesn’t take into consideration those

graders who never see their students, or the fact that graders can be biased, either intentionally or unintentionally, on any number of variables, including attractiveness.

Despite the dubiousness of this study, the literature regarding the advantages of beauty is vast. Everywhere from high school to the job market, attractive people have been found to get better grades, get a job and be more successful overall compared to their less genetically gifted peers. Considering how many researchers have delved into this subject and from many people’s personal experience, it’s hard to argue against the notion that pretty people have it pretty good.

But being pretty can be useful but it can only get you so far in the world of academia if not backed up by being truly smart. Getting by on your good looks won’t be easy either because at some point there will come a time when you will be tested without the context of physical beauty.

Regardless of this study, it doesn’t hurt to make grading less perceptible to bias, such as through grading done anonymously. Without the knowledge of someone’s appearance or name, anonymous grading would allow for a far more objective and fair assessment. Of course, this becomes more difficult in a small class setting, but at some point, you just have to trust graders’ training — and their potential human flaws.

Sorry taxis, Uber is the way of the future Breaking Brad BRADLEY METLIN OPINIONS EDITOR @BRADATGAZETTE An Edmonton man was charged $1,114.71 for taking an Uber car across the city on New Year’s Eve. Scandalized by a surge price of 8.9 times the standard fare, he immediately took to the media to bemoan his inflated bill.

I found people on most social media expressing sympathy for this “poor guy” who was taken advantage of by Uber. The calls for a cap on “surge pricing” were frequent and without reason. I thought I

was alone in dismissing this story as someone who did not pay attention when confirming his ride.

The National Post’s Robyn Urback summarized my thoughts quite well: “The message it is sending, nevertheless, is that complaining to the media works, and that if you detest the fare loudly enough, you won’t have to pay the full amount.”

Surge pricing seems to be the one aspect that Uber has not won the public relations battle. While my timeline on Facebook was clogged with people complaining about this outrageous fare, I can also recall heaps of stories from my friends writing about why their experience with taxis was abysmal. Customer service, they argue, is paramount in an Uber.

As the taxi industry engages in protests against Uber, the public sees the attitude they have grown

to loathe from their cabbies. In Toronto, video appeared to show a taxi protest blocking an ambulance.

A few days ago, news broke from Toronto that taxi drivers were stealing customer’s debit card information.

Further evidence that customers should be wary of traditional taxis.

It’s not just poor customer service, either. The taxi companies have failed to adapt to their changing industry and allowed Uber to cut into the market too quickly and efficiently. Just last week, the largest cab company in San Fransisco filed for bankruptcy, in part because they failed to adapt.

The convenience, the cheaper rates and better customer service make Uber a more desirable option than hailing a cab these days. Even

as some have defended the cab companies and argued that the regulation make them a safer option, there seems to be limited evidence.

London by-laws dictate that criminal record checks only go back five years, while Uber’s company policy covers a driver’s entire life. I would much rather have a cabbie who has never been committed of a serious crime, whereas one who potentially did it just over five years ago.

The London by-law is 58 pages of regulation, tonnes of red tape for something that is really quite simple — shuttling a person from point A to point B. The argument, of course, is this level of bureaucracy is necessary in order to ensure the safety of passengers. Yet, I believe consumers

can do their research and make an informed decision on how they want to get around.

Uber is an example of how a company successfully manoeuvred the free market for the better. They saw inefficiencies and problems and launched an alternative and it caught on in spectacular fashion.

The taxis have a customer service problem and they have an innovation problem. In the past few months, they have seemingly made no effort to fix either. Instead, they believe the best action is to critique Uber and protest against it.

Consumers have been pretty clear about how they feel — instead of flagging down cabs, they’re firing up their Uber apps on their phone. n

Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.”

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10 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016

experience

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Space out at Cronyn AMY SKODAK GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE The “super moon” eclipse on September 27, sparked sky-rocketing excitement on Western’s campus. Students were camped out on UC Hill and stood for hours outside of Cronyn Observatory in hopes of seeing the phenomenon.

These rare astronomical events get a lot of hype, but that doesn’t mean it was the “be all and end all.”

If you missed the super moon, there is still more to see in our night sky before the winter term is up.

Astronomy and physics professor Jan Cami is an avid stargazer himself and explains January will yield a number of visible planets.

“Jupiter you can see right after midnight,” he says, explaining students will need to wake up earlier to see a wider variety of celestial bodies.

“In the morning, the planets become interesting because you have Jupiter, you have Mars, and you have Venus and Saturn.”

Even more exciting is the Comet Catalina, which will zoom closest to Earth on January 17 near the handle of the Big Dipper. This comet only has one pass in the existence of our planet and requires no more than a pair of binoculars to identify.

Cami notes you don’t need expensive equipment to have a successful night of stargazing. The moon, planets and constellations are easily visible with the naked eye.

“Learning the constellations, finding the constellations, it’s kind of a fun thing to do,” he says. “It’s something for which you don’t need a telescope.”

But if you are interested in having a closer look at these objects, the Cronyn Observatory, located on campus beside Alumni Hall, is at your disposal. Just look for the dome-shaped building, known to be painted orange by engineering students in October.

As director for the observatory, Cami explains there are a number of programs students can attend outside of class, such as monthly public nights and Exploring the Stars workshops. These programs are run in partnership with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

“We actually often get student groups that just want to hear something about a specific topic in astronomy,” he says. “You can book it if you go to the Cronyn Observatory website.”

A reservation requires about 15 people and it’s free.

“We always have professional astronomers there to give presentations and answer questions,” he says.

First-year health sciences student Nicole Bagshaw is enrolled in Astronomy 1021 and finds the most interesting part of class has been visiting the observatory for projects.

“I’ve never looked through a telescope before, let alone one of that magnitude or size,” she says. “You always hear about other galaxies and stars out there but actually seeing them for yourself is a really cool experience.”

Bagshaw was most impressed with the super moon presentation a couple months ago. She says she was surprised to learn that the observatory was available to students

COURTESY OF DALE ARMSTRONG

outside of coursework as well.

“We regularly have people come in and ask us, ‘oh, can you point it to this nebula or this galaxy?’ and we will always be happy to do that,” Cami adds. “I think it’s a great source of information and know-how.”

Interested students can also volunteer at Cronyn. While the Exploring the Stars program is run by graduate students, volunteers can help with public nights — especially during the busier spring and summer months.

Cami says there are a number of additional resources for students to scope out the sky on their own and stay informed with astronomy news.

Taking out his iPhone, Cami

reveals which stargazing apps he regularly use, such as an online sky simulator called Stellarium.

“What I like about Stellarium is that it’s free,” he says. “It’s open source, so everybody can use it and you don’t have to pay for it.”

Other useful apps include Starry Night and Star Walk. “[Star Walk] allows you to just point your camera to the sky and it will tell you what you’re looking at.”

One of Cami’s favourite places to visit is the Astronomy Picture of the Day — a site maintained by NASA to showcase brand new images and astronomical discoveries.

“The first thing I do in the morning is look at the Astronomy

Picture of the Day,” he admits. “I love this site”.

There are a number of other events coming up at the Cronyn Observatory for students to enjoy, including a Mercury transit on May 9.

“This typically happens only a few times per century,” Cami says.

“It starts early in the morning but lasts until 2 p.m. so we will have an event at the observatory for that.”

Cami urges anyone interested to make use of this convenient resource.

“Anybody that has any burning question about either astronomy or wants to see some type of object can just come over,” he says. n

Can’t hate Hateful Eight MICHAEL MACNEIL CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE SHACHAR DAHAN GAZETTE STAFF @GAZETTECULTURE The Consumer Electronics Show is an internationally renowned electronics and technology trade show held each January in Las Vegas.

CES 2016 has come and gone, leaving us with today’s cutting edge technology and a glimpse of what the future might hold. Among other things, the show focused heavily on connected devices and virtual technology.

A smart or connected device is an electronic device, like a smartphone, allowing for some sort of enhanced interaction. If the products at CES are any indication, 2016 is officially the year of the smart home, something made clear with the introduction of a smartphone-connected Febreze air freshener.

But just because you can make something “smart” doesn’t mean you’re making it better. There’s no need to add connectivity if it’s not going to help solve a problem or make your life easier.

The highlight of these connected devices was the Samsung Family Hub refrigerator. Of course, this fridge can do everything a normal fridge can do, but it can also show you what’s in the fridge, thanks to three built-in cameras that take a photo every time you close the door.

You can also use markers to indicate how old things are and view the photos on your phone, which should make your next

trip to the grocery store a lot easier.

If you don’t want to go to the store, you can order groceries right from the fridge itself.

While a connected refrigerator is a pretty clever idea, other ideas, like a connected belt, still have a lot of convincing to do.

With Oculus Rift starting to fulfill pre-orders sometime in early March, virtual reality is in full swing. Yes, there are other VR makers such as HTC and Samsung, but Oculus Rift has been in the news since what feels like the beginning of time.

At CES, Oculus finally announced that the final product will cost $599.

While virtual reality is expensive at the moment, VR is still in its infancy and should see price cuts as the technology matures.

Companies, large and small, weren’t just iterating at CES 2016, they were innovating. With so many tech companies these days, it’s critical for companies to stay ahead of the pack or they take the risk of being forgotten. From smart fridges to virtual reality, the future of technology is beginning to take shape, one wire at a time. n

Director: Quentin Tarantino Starring: Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Walton Goggins Rating: GGGGH Quentin Tarantino’s eighth directorial effort, The Hateful Eight, has arrived in cinemas. Tarantino’s signature style is on full display in this captivating Western tale of murder and mystery.

The Hateful Eight follows the bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Russell) as he tries to bring in notorious murderer Daisy Domergue (Leigh) to hang and collect his reward. Along the way he picks up a couple travellers, a fellow bounty hunter (Jackson) and a supposed sheriff (Goggins). Due to a dangerous snowstorm, the companions are forced to take shelter at a stagecoach stop over with four other guests, making it a grand total of eight unique individuals — surprise, surprise! The travellers soon realize that things may not be what they seem and everyone might not make it out alive.

The Hateful Eight feels like a culmination of all of Tarantino’s previous work. It combines elements from his earlier films, most notably Django Unchained and Reservoir Dogs, and refines them. If you’ve enjoyed Tarantino films in the past, then you will love The Hateful Eight; however, if you’re not a fan of his use of profanity, over-the-top violence and dialogue driven scenes, then this may not be the film for you.

The main draw is the dialogue.

Tarantino crafts some of the most

COURTESY OF HITFIX

unorthodox and captivating exchanges ever put to film, and The Hateful Eight is no exception. He mesmerizes you with just two characters having a tense conversation about coffee.

Tarantino also brings his dark humour to the film, inducing laughs glazed with shock considering how twisted the scene really was. Samuel L. Jackson specifically has a disgusting, tense and hilarious monologue that makes you cringe and die laughing at the same time.

Since The Hateful Eight takes place primarily in one location, it is very much an actor’s film and each cast member brings his or her unique and colourful character to life. Leigh and Goggins have standout performances, as Leigh’s murderess psychopath is extremely memorable with just the right mix of deranged and delightful. Goggins’ self-proclaimed sheriff is possibly the most complex and layered character in the film as he goes from being a bumbling idiot to a delusional racist. Goggins portrays the transitions in such a believable

way that you don’t even realize that his character even changed until after the movie is over.

The only major flaw of the movie is the dragging opening of the film.

The dialogue is fine but there is no domineering driving force.

Normally this wouldn’t be too much of an issue but when a film is almost three hours long you tend to notice where the movie could have been tightened up. If only the characters got to the stagecoach stopover sooner to arrive at the mystery and intrigue faster, arguably the best parts of the film.

Regardless, The Hateful Eight provides an experience that only a Tarantino film can with its sharp dialogue, interesting characters and great performances. If you are a Tarantino fan then you will love this movie. If not, then this probably won’t be the film that wins you over.

The Hateful Eight is currently playing in theatres at SilverCity London Cinemas and Cineplex Odeon Westmount and VIP. n

• www.westerngazette.ca

Spice up your weekend with the Caribbean culture SAMAH ALI ARTS & LIFE EDITOR @SAMAHATGAZETTE

The Caribbean Students’ Organization were in the UCC last Thursday showcasing their culture and previewing music that can be heard at their culture show this Friday, Jan. 15.

All Ah We Cultural Weekend will be kicking off this Friday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Mustang Lounge where Caribbean music, dance and food will be shared. The CSO will be opening up their doors to Western hoping to welcome interested students into cultures from across the region.

The annual weekend will feature the culture show and an after party at Tabu Nightclub on the Friday and then follow up with a sports day happening in Thames Hall on Saturday. Non-members are welcome to attend the events and should expect to pay $20 for the show, $15 for the after party and $5 for the sports day.

Vice-president events MarieAnge Symmonds explains the idea behind the theme this weekend.

“This year our theme is All We — one region one people — because we really want to highlight the commonalities between all Caribbean people, whether first generation, second generation or different nationalities,” Symmonds says. “We just want unity.”

The culture show will kick off the weekend and feature several dance performances, dramatic skits, singers and musicians from different parts of the Caribbean. A local steel band group will be performing during the intermission of the show where traditional cuisines will be served. There will also be an auction for a Caribana costume throughout

the show.

Another exciting addition is this year’s host Marlon Palmer, popular from his YouTube channel ThatDudeMcFly. Palmer is sure to bring his Jamaican heritage and theatric persona to the show, adding additional flare and presence to the stage.

CSO president Justine Lewis says the weekend offers new changes with more exciting events than ever before. Instead of the show ending off the weekend, they added a sports day to reminisce with childhood games that are played in different parts of the Caribbean.

“We’re really trying to do a lot of new this year but everything ties back to the theme,” Lewis says. “So when you come to the show, everything follows a certain order that by the end of the show you get why it’s all one region one people.”

Lewis also expects to see a lot of friends from different parts of Ontario coming up for the weekend.

Fellow Caribbean student groups from York University, University of Waterloo and University of Guelph are likely to show support for the annual cultural weekend and take part in the activities as well.

“We’ve been able to keep really good relationships with these other schools so we have Guelph and Waterloo coming as well as three groups from York,” Lewis says. We’ll have people from all the executives and clubs coming for just the weekend.”

Symmonds believes this strong relationship is a result of the bond Caribbean students share across the province. Hosting other schools was also a major reason why the CSO planned a full weekend event.

Find out more information on the CSO Western’s Facebook Page. n

THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2016 • 11

experience

CD DARKEST BEFORE DAWN

NICHOLAS SOKIC CONTRIBUTOR @GAZETTECULTURE Rating: GGGGF Album: Darkest Before Dawn Standout Tracks: M.P.A., Untouchable, Intro, Sunshine.

Artist: Pusha T Label: GOOD Music, Def Jam Virginia rapper Pusha T’s latest album, Darkest Before Dawn, was marketed as a prelude to his second full-length, yet stands strong on its own legs as a separate release.

In it, Pusha solidifies his image as an industry outsider, even as he ascends to the prestigious GOOD Music.

The A-list of producers, from Metro Boomin, Timbaland, Kanye, Q-Tip and J. Cole, bends to Pusha’s dark vision. At the same time, he allows them to experiment with the uncompromising “boom bap” style prominent in ‘90s hip-hop, well outside the recognizable chords of Top 40 radio. Even songs like M.P.A., essentially Pusha’s version of Kanye’s Blame Game, fits neatly into the hard-hitting aesthetic of the album. By avoiding an obvious radio hit, it remains claustrophobic yet cohesive, a clear-cut example of one man’s vision, for better or worse.

Pusha’s lyrical content has expanded significantly, as part of his continued crusade to not be pigeonholed as a “coke rapper.”

While his dope dealing days still make up plenty of bars, he delves more into its dark side than on his previous record: “The crash don’t

kill, it’s how you survive it.”

On more than one track, he takes aim at the current state of the rap industry. M.F.T.R. smirks at artists who would rather be more famous than rich, while Crutches, Crosses, Caskets looks down on rappers who victimize themselves and platinum artists “whose mothers live in squalor.”

On the Jill Scott-assisted Sunshine, he turns his anger on the institutionalized racism and police brutality that dominates black lives in the U.S.: “I seen one time turn sunshine into Freddie Gray.” Pusha manages to silence his critics while maintaining his status as one of the most densely lyrical rappers working today.

Anyone who labels Pusha T as one note need only listen here to be proven otherwise. As he name-drops his influences, from Christopher Wallace to Gil ScottHeron, he displays his mercenary vision to the rest of the world — take it or leave it. n

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