Friday, June 8, 2012

w w w .w e sterngazette.c a • @uw ogazette

All the world’s a stage...

The London Fringe Festival lifts the curtain on its 13th season >> pg. 6

thegazette Stripping down in the office since 1906

Friday, June 8, 2012

today high 25 low 12

tomorrow high 29 low 17

canada’s only Daily Student Newspaper • founded 1906

Volume 106, issue 2

London’s track record suffers after two deaths Two pedestrians fatally struck by trains within one week Jesica Hurst News Editor Many Western students have been relying on Canadian passenger trains as a means of safe transportation for years—taking them back and forth between their hometowns and London throughout the school year. But when students are travelling by foot or bike within certain areas of the city, these same railways can become extremely dangerous.

In May, two pedestrians were involved in fatal train-pedestrian collisions in London—one of them involving a Via Rail passenger train in the east end near Third Street and Culver Drive, the other involving 20-year-old London native and baseball player Trevor Barton at the railway crossing near Richmond and Mill streets.

London Police reported the eastbound train struck Barton on Saturday, May 12 around 2:30 a.m.—a common time for students from the university to be leaving one of the several bars around the area.

Dennis Rivest, media relations officer for the London Police Ser-

vice, explained several of these fatal incidents take place early in the morning because the pedestrians aren’t paying enough attention while trying to cross.

“When you are walking in any area where there are train tracks around, you should first and foremost have your ears alert,” Rivest explained. “Students shouldn’t be listening to an iPod or using some form of headphones which block their ears—they need to be able to listen and hear the train coming.”

“Students also need to be in a position to look around them,” he continued. “If they are walking and texting, they are not paying full attention to the railroad tracks, which could inadvertently put them in a position that could prove quite fatal to them.”

Katelyn Amos, a close friend and past girlfriend of Barton, couldn’t believe what happened involving the train tracks downtown.

“Trevor really meant a lot to me, and still does to so many others,” Amos said. “[He] was such an outstanding human being—I’ve never met anyone with as many best

Cameron Wilson GAZETTE

>> see safety pg.3

DEADLY TRACKS. A floral wreath hangs in loving memory of Trevor Barton, 20, who was hit by a train and killed at the Richmond and Mill streets railway crossing on May 12.

Pocket patios given green light Cam Smith News Editor

Courtesy of Jerry Banman

I’LL HAVE THE SHRIMP WITH A SIDE OF EXHAUST FUMES. An artist’s rendering of Jambalaya Restaurant details what a parking space patio would look like along Dundas Street.

Restaurant patrons across London will soon get to park themselves at new “pocket patios” slated to pop up around the city this summer.

These temporary patios are being set up in the parking spaces in front of establishments attempting to attract customers looking to get a serving of fresh air with their food.

Restaurants adopting the pocket patios will be charged a fee by the city for the lost revenue of the parking spot. However, the cost may be worth it for restaurant owners looking to remain relevant in the warmer months.

“We have been hearing from our restaurants for the past year that it’s becoming harder for them to remain competitive with restaurants that have patios,” Kathy McLaughlin, program coordinator for Downtown London, said.

“We hear from restaurant patrons that they like having patios as an attractive amenity to enhance the dining experience. In response [...]

we have been working with the City of London to approve the pilot [pocket patio] program for 2012.”

According to McLaughlin, the city imposes restrictions on the amount of sidewalk that can be used for patios, leading restaurant owners to seek alternatives.

“The city’s bylaw requires a minimum of one and a half metres of unobstructed pedestrian, wheelchair and sidewalk for cleaner flow on municipal sidewalks,” she explained. “Some sidewalks are narrow and cannot accommodate both a patio and the required access.”

With pocket patios in place, McLaughlin asserted London would benefit from the attraction of a distinctive dining experience.

“This is an important step forward to help us create unique downtown experiences for our customers,” she said.

However, not everyone is as confident in the success of this project.

“I don’t want to jump to conclusions if it will work or not,” Harold Usher, Ward 12 city councillor,

said. “I’m not that confident, but I want to give it the benefit of the doubt—it’s only a pilot project.”

Usher explained he felt pocket patios ran the risk of disrupting both cars and transit.

“It will be taking away parking for cars, and interfering with buses parking,” he explained. “If [the pocket patio project] doesn’t work and we have complaints, I’m not going to support it further.”

Despite these concerns, restaurant owners signing up for the pilot project remain excited at the prospect of increased business.

“The main interest is that to be competitive in this city during the summer, you need a patio,” Kevin Greaves, master chef and owner of Jambalaya restaurant on Dundas Street, explained. “If you don’t have a patio, you have no business.”

According to Greaves, the pocket patio would affect parking minimally, and therefore should not illicit concern.

“It’s just one parking spot it takes up,” Greaves asserted. “The parking is not a problem.”

2•

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

•3

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

Onus on pedestrians

Caught on Camera

>> continued from pg.1

Gloria Dickie GAZETTE

LET THEM EAT CAKE. The D.B. Weldon Library celebrated its 40th anniversary this week with the unearthing of a 1972 time capsule, a display of rare books and memorabilia and, of course, cake.

Fraternity brother remembered Julian Uzielli Online Editor The family and fraternity of Western student Josh Switzer, who was killed in a hit-and-run on May 19, are creating a scholarship to honour his memory.

Justin Faiola, Lambda Chi Alpha president, said the annual scholarship of $1,000 will be awarded to a fraternity member who most exemplifies Switzer’s qualities.

“The award should help to recognize the contributions of someone that sometimes goes unnoticed, but is still a very strong member of the fraternity, who works hard and lives up to the positive values demonstrated by the fraternity and emulated in that individual,” Faiola said.

After Josh’s death, Faiola said he approached Switzer’s family offering to make a charitable donation in his memory, but they decided they wanted to set up the scholarship instead.

Switzer’s brother Ben explained they wanted to honour his brother’s memory in a way he would have wanted.

“It immortalizes some of his best qualities. The fraternity was important to him, so we wanted to do something that would have mattered in his eyes.”

The scholarship is being financed by donations, which the Switzer family asked for in lieu of flowers. The fraternity is seeking to have the scholarship endowed through Foundation Western, according to Faiola.

Switzer said he was close with his brother, who he described as caring and funny.

“He was like a big softie. He really cared about people around him and was always just willing to help them out.”

Josh Switzer, 22, was a London native. He joined Lambda Chi in his second year at Western, and was just a year away from finishing his business degree when he was killed at the intersection of Fanshawe Park Road E. and Highbury Avenue.

Two days after his death, police arrested Darrin Norton, 34, of St. Thomas, and charged him with leaving the scene of a collision causing death. According to Dennis Rivest, media relations officer for the London Police Service, Norton and Switzer did not know each other, and there was no indication Norton was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.

Switzer seemed ambivalent about the news of Norton’s arrest.

“It didn’t bring me any peace, in the sense that Josh is still gone,”

InPrint is your student owned & operated print shop and is currently looking for enthusiastic team players for part-time day shifts in the

Customer Service & Production Departments.

(Commencing August 2012)

Do you have experience in customer service, proficiency in file handling in both PC/MAC platforms, with programs including Acrobat, MS Office, Photoshop, InDesign etc., and are a student at Western?

Then send us your resume!

Please forward your resume to inprint@uwo.ca (references and school schedule requested at interview)

Subject: RESUME Room 78, University Community Centre Western University, London, Ontario Ph: 519-661-3578 • inprint@uwo.ca

The Puzzle Panel

friends as him. He would always work so hard towards everything— school, sports, his family. There was nothing better than watching him smile and laugh.”

According to VIA Rail, they have invested close to $500 million in improvements since 2007—most of which involve safety matters, such as signaling systems, which will hopefully help prevent these fatal incidents.

Although it may seem necessary to have someone monitoring the area surrounding the crossing areas downtown, Rivest said he thinks there are currently enough safety procedures in place.

“I think there is a tremendous onus on pedestrians, cyclists and motorists to be paying attention when they are approaching these areas,” he said. “Trains cannot stop

on a dime—we put rails up, we have lights that are going and bells that are ringing to alert people. It is much easier for people, drivers and cyclists to stop and wait for the train to pass.”

Rivest noted that London does have a unique set-up, with a railway crossing located over one of the city’s arterial roads, but pointed out there were safety precautions in place to allow pedestrians to be safer and avoid these types of incidents.

Although Amos, among many others, has lost someone important in her life, she is trying to stay positive about the situation.

“I really hope this brings awareness to how dangerous the tracks really are,” she said. “Trevor will never be forgotten—he’s the only guardian angel fast enough to watch over all the people who loved him.”

he said. “But I suppose my rational side understands that he can’t hurt anyone else.”

For more information about donating to the Josh Switzer Memorial Scholarship, visit www.lambdachiuwo.com.

News Briefs

Western announces vice-provost international Western has reached a new milestone in its continued pursuit of internationalization. Last month, it was announced the newly created position of vice-provost international would be filled by Julie McMullin, a Western sociology professor who has served as special advisor on internationalization to the provost for over a year.

“There needed to be a central administration position that was dedicated to matters relating to international activities at Western, so the position was created to fulfill that need,” McMullin said.

The post will have four main components: international learning, international recruitment of undergraduate students, student services for international students and international relations with foreign institutions.

McMullin said she was excited for the benefits she hopes to bring to Western.

“One of the things that we’re considering is a certificate in international learning,” she said.

Though Western holds its international goals in high esteem, some students have expressed dissatisfaction with their methods.

Tensions came to a head last year when the administration moved the Ombudsperson’s office and replaced it with an international student services office, despite protests from the University Students’ Council.

When asked what she thought of the perception that internationalization was being pursued at the expense of students, McMullin conceded communication had not been optimal in the past, but said she hopes to improve it.

“What we haven’t been very good at communicating is that a big part of this is providing all students with these international learning opportunities,” she said.

“That, to me, is going to be a benefit to everyone on this campus.”

—Julian Uzielli

Mike Laine Gazette

City beefs up nuisance bylaw Alex Carmona News Editor CLUES ACROSS 1. Computer screen material 4. Doctors’ group 7. Last month (abbr.)

10. Walked along 12. Without (French) 14. Swedish shag rug 15. Extinct flightless birds 17. Showing sound judgment 18. Hungarian Violinist Leopold 19. Stone of W. Ireland 22. Appeared to be true 23. Feet of two syllables 24. Point that is one point E of SE 25. Foray 26. Anno Domini 27. Doctor of Nursing 28. ___ ‘n Boots

30. Southern California Assoc. of Government 32. Sight & sound information 33. Pa’s partner 34. Cozy 36. Measurement unit 39. Acute abdominal pain 41. Zigzag skiing 43. Study of unorthodox psych.

46. Epochs 47. Pintado 48. Palm starches 50. Br. Univ. river 51. A minute amount (Scott) 52. Fr. military cap 53. Helps little firms 54. Perceive with the eyes 55. Woman making her debut

CLUES DOWN 1. Confined condition, abbr.

2. Lots of crocodiles 3. Alt. spelling of 15 Across 4. Elected Syrian Pres. 1971 5. Low volcanic crater 6. The Piano actress Paquin 7. A severe thrashing 8. Protective fold for vision 9. Am. releif organization 11. The recipient of funds 13. A tractor-trailer 16. Brazillian ballroom dances 18. Fleet 20. Recompenses (archaic) 21. Swiss river 28. The visual percept of a region

29. Soft palate flaps 30. Mediterranean ricegrass 31. Panama and Suez 34. Egyptian beetle jewel 35. W. Virginia town 37. Loose outer garment 38. Took more than your share 40. Hyperbolic cosecant 41. Young pig 42. A nearsighted person 43. Two large muscles of the chest 44. Affirmatives 45. Algonquian people of Central Canada 49. A person’s brother or sister

Put your sudoku savvy to the test!

Here’s How It Works: Sudoku puzzles are formatted as a 9x9 grid, broken down into nine 3x3 boxes. To solve a sudoku, the numbers 1 through 9 must fill each row, column and box.

Each number can appear only once in each row, column and box.

You can figure out the order in which the numbers will appear by using the numeric clues already provided in the boxes.

The more numbers you name, the easier it gets to solve the puzzle!

For solutions see page 6

Noisy partiers take note—city council has approved a toughened nuisance bylaw, which will give police a wider authority over situations they deem to be out of hand.

The new bylaw will now, among other things, allow police officers to break up out-of-control parties on both public and private property, based but on the permission of either Brad Duncan, chief of the London Police Service, or the city’s bylaw manager.

While the idea to strengthen London’s nuisance bylaw has been thrown around since 2008, the St. Patrick’s Day Fleming Drive riot, which drew international media attention, may have catalyzed a renewed interest.

“I think sometimes you need to experience something like Fleming Drive to truly realize that a public safety tool needs more teeth in it,” Harold Usher, Ward 12 councillor, said.

The bylaw, which has already been edited once to omit vague wording, met with little resistance during council’s vote, passing 11-2.

Dale Henderson, Ward 9 councillor, was one of the two councillors, along with Joni Baechler of Ward 5, who opposed the bylaw’s approval.

“The bylaw is quite encompassing. One of the police officers can now, based on their judgment, come into your home and can start enacting some real laws with quite punitive and fairly serious effects,” Henderson said.

Violation of the bylaw carries steep fines—ranging from $500 to $10,000.

Henderson added he is uncertain the new bylaw will hold up if scrutinized by the federal

government.

“This is the city doing this without necessarily having taken into account civil liberties or all the legal opinions about what the federal government might have to say about these things.”

Police Chief Brad Duncan countered that the bylaw is not meant to encroach upon Londoners’ civil liberties, and is only meant to be used in the most dire of circumstances.

“It’s really designed to get at multiple behaviours at one location. So although it mentions noise and other elements, independent of one another, they would be dealt with on a one-on-one basis with one of our [officers],” he said.

“But when you have a culmination of activity that is really disturbing a neighborhood, that’s when I would expect I would issue the order to make use of this new nuisance bylaw.”

Duncan emphasized a disturbance would have to reach a fairly significant threshold for police to invoke the bylaw.

He also stressed the police will not unfairly target students, nor do the police blame students as a whole for the Fleming Drive riot.

“I want to emphasize that although students were part of what happened on Fleming, we have evidence of others travelling to London who aren’t students and we’ve charged a number of individuals who aren’t students. It’s really about behaviours of individuals in a neighbourhood, regardless of whether you’re students or not,” he said.

Henderson, however, remained unconvinced that the bylaw will not be abused by police officers.

“All it takes is one cowboy,” he cautioned.

Fourth ‘tower of spite’ denied Developer sent back to the drawing board

Cameron Wilson Gazette

Aaron Zaltzman News Editor Looks may not be everything, but the City of London believes they still count for something—especially when it comes to the corner of Huron Street and Audrey Avenue.

The site currently hosts three tall dwellings known colloquially as the “towers of spite” due to the contention surrounding their construction.

On May 28, the city’s planning and environment committee denied a request from developer Arnon Kaplansky to add a fourth townhouse to the area, instructing him to come up with a design that was more aesthetically pleasing.

“I’m trying to give good accommodations to students close to the university, and it’s been a long fight,” Kaplansky said. “What I told them on Monday is that the neighbourhood association and the city planning department are using the planning tools to discriminate against students.”

Kaplansky has been trying for years to build a multi-unit dwelling for student use, and built the three

Hopefully we can come up with some sort of solution that satisfies everybody to a point, because nobody is ever going to be 100 per cent happy with this.

—Bud Polhill,

Ward 1 councillor

original towers after having such a proposal rejected. In October 2011, the city rejected his proposal to tear down and replace the towers with a 56-bedroom unit.

However, Marie Blosh, president of the Broughdale Community Association, said her organization was mostly concerned about over-intensification.

“The issue comes down to density or design,” Blosh said. “The impacts the neighbourhood would suffer from over-intensification on that property are worse than having to look at an ugly design.”

Bud Polhill, Ward 1 councillor

and chair of the planning and environment committee, said the city sent back the proposal because they wanted to see a more creative plan for the area.

“I wouldn’t have supported it strictly because of the appearance of the buildings—it just doesn’t fit,” he said. “Kaplansky wanted to build some townhouses, and the neighbours said no. We want to see if there’s some compromise they can come to that’s going to make that corner look more presentable without over-intensifying it.”

Kaplansky, however, emphasized his proposal was about creating decent housing for students.

“Students should live safely in good housing—not old houses that were designed for families and not for students.”

Polhill admitted he was exasperated with the situation, and wanted the two sides to come to an agreement.

“I just think this has been going on long enough, and hopefully we can come up with some sort of solution that satisfies everybody to a point,” Polhill said. “Because nobody is ever going to be 100 per cent happy with this.”

4•

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

Opinions Canada still safe for students After the recent murder and dismemberment of Chinese Concordia University student Lin Jun, China’s concern about the safety of Canada has grown. As a result, the Chinese Embassy in Ottawa cautioned those travelling or living in Canada to boost their personal security. Many in China believe Luka Magnotta’s murder of Jun was racially motivated. The crime added fuel to the already-burning fire created last April after the murder of York University student Liu Qian.

While China’s concerns may be warranted, it’s important to remember that such crimes are uncommon. A large part of the worry is because the victims were students who made large investments in Canada, and its institutions, for their future.

Media tends to sensationalize stories of this scale and, as a result, may leave people more worried than they should be. While the public needs to know about these crimes, coverage overkill often instigates unnecessary concern. Yes, if this were happening to Canadians somewhere else, you’d hear us too, but Chinese citizens shouldn’t necessarily feel targeted.

Deaths for unjust causes happen elsewhere and gain less attention. But this truth doesn’t stop concerns from overseas, and subsequently has Canadian universities worried about their international appeal. Schools like Western have made a significant financial effort to attract students from around the world. But will Jun’s and Qian’s murders taint Canada’s image forever?

Canadian schools are highly regarded, and these crimes probably aren’t enough to stop most people from studying, or even travelling here. Schools should instead focus on making international students feel at home. Social isolation and lack of cultural integration may add to feelings of uneasiness of being abroad, and mitigating those feelings should be a top priority if schools want to attract more worldly students.

While worry in this situation is warranted, the reality is, Canada is still safe. There is no more risk of danger here than in other countries. Canadian post-secondary schools may be worried about their reputation on the global stage, but it probably won’t be a cause for concern for too long.

—Gazette Editorial Board

There is, incidentally, no way of talking about cats that enables one to come off as a sane person.

—Dan Greenberg, American politician

Cat got your mouse?

No ifs, ands or Hurlbuts

Ryan Hurlbut Opinions Editor The time has finally come to sit down and address the fascination the modern world has developed with cats. Pictures and videos of these silly felines doing anything you can imagine, from sleeping to fighting bears, are flooding the Internet. In fact, I would be lying if I said that I didn’t bring my cat into my room for inspiration while writing this article.

I guess the heart of the issue here is that I’m bothered by the fact nations with such power devote so much time to creating and consuming cat-related content, and are enamoured by adorable quirky cats. However, I can’t say I’m not happy to be living in a time when I can reap massive amounts of enjoyment from sitting in my room and viewing countless cats and kittens online.

This fascination with cats has reached such a high level that cats now even have their own language, a fragmented debauchery of English called “lolcat.” This language, while initially adorable, becomes not only tiresome, but extremely grating after prolonged exposure. Pictures of cats are ruined with poor lolcat dialogue, which turns a funny picture into nothing more than an eyesore.

What does this feline-driven enthrallment say about out society as a whole? Are we needlessly distracting ourselves from more important issues in the world, or are we merely placating ourselves by watching an interesting, intelligent animal? Are we just insane?

If reality television is any indicator of what people in our culture enjoy, then

we spend our time seeking out entertainment no matter what the cost. So why do we like cats so much?

First of all, cats are unpredictable.

They have the ability to be cute, courageous, or gross—all of which are entertaining. Because of a cat’s ability to stimulate the senses, videos are able to create a situation where the viewer never knows in which way they will be stimulated. A cute kitten could hack up a fur ball at any moment, changing the entire tone of the video and creating a new level of engagement with the viewer.

The cold, lifeless eyes of a cat help hide such a surprise until the exact moment it is revealed. An identical viral video with a dog would hold less of an impact, as there is always the possibility the dog was trained to do something wacky. Because cats are more difficult to train, we are more likely to take their random antics at face value.

Cats are also widely known by the general populace. Most people have met a cat at some point during their lives, and can relate to their actions.

I’m sure some undomesticated animals can be just as wacky, but a viewer will never reap the same enjoyment from an animal such as a polar bear, as they know deep down that viewing such a spectacle in real life would be highly dangerous.

Lastly, cats come in many shapes and sizes, helping them fill out the genre. Kittens act differently than full-grown cats, and the video could be based solely on the size of the cat at hand. There is so much variety to choose from that the “lolcat” genre has just filled out.

Whether or not the ethical ramifications of residing at home watching videos of cats are too great, cat videos are able to meet the entertainment needs of Western society, and continue to do so with low prices and easy access.

#win On Tuesday, the planet Venus shifted across the face of the sun as part of its transitory cycle. The next transit won’t occur until 2117, but everyone alive today—save for a few infants—got to see it.

Volume 106, Issue 2 www.westerngazette.ca

Gloria Dickie Editor-In-Chief Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor Cam Parkes Managing Editor

Contact: www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579

The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.

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.”

All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.

Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Maja Anjoli-Bilic

Stephanie Williams Diana Watson

Gazette Staff 2012-2013

Greg Colgan, Megan Devlin, Kevin Estakhri, Connor Hill, Elton Hobson, Kelly Hobson, Katherine Horodnyk, Sarah Mai Chitty, Victoria Marroccoli, Megan McPhaden, Megan Puterman, Chen Rao, Pat Robinson, Taylor Rodrigues, Nathan TeBokkel, Amy Wang, Hillete Warner, Kate Wilkinson, Usman Zahid, Mason Zimmer

17 per cent of sexting recipients report they have passed the images along to someone else.

Making the most of your memory

Your anonymous letters to life.

Research shows memory skills not inherited, can be learned

Safer sexting

Dear Life, Why do people request the Natural Science bus stop? Have you ever seen it just drive by? Nope.

Kevin Hurren Arts&Life Editor

Dear Life, Why does Booster Juice only come in one size? My bladder can’t take the pressure.

Dear Life, Is the zombie apocalypse upon us?

Dear Life, Why don’t people send more snail mail? I’m like a dog—I love the mailman.

Dear Life, Why do people show up when they don’t even go here?

Dear Life, Do people actually buy serious greeting cards?

Dear Life, Who the hell decided to call unicorns “unicorns”? They have one horn, therefore they should be ”unihorns.“ Dear Life, I don’t understand “blue raspberry.” What is blue supposed to taste like? Gee, thanks for the toxic food colouring with my naturally red fruit.

Submit your letters to life at www.westerngazette.ca/dearlife

#fail A hack to LinkedIn reportedly leaked 6.5 million passwords onto a Russian cracker site this week, compromising the security of user accounts and all other services using the same password.

News Alex Carmona Jesica Hurst Cam Smith Aaron Zaltzman Arts & Life Sumedha Arya Brent Holmes Kevin Hurren Sports Richard Raycraft Jason Sinukoff Ryan Stern Opinions Ryan Hurlbut Associate Kaitlyn McGrath

Arts&Life

funfact

Dear Life

westerngazette.ca/opinions thegazette

•5

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

When his grandmother passed away from Alzheimer’s disease in 2009, Nelson Dellis began studying memory—focusing his research on how memory works and ways he could improve his own. After only three years of research, practice and competing, the 28-yearold mountain climber has won both the 2011 and 2012 USA Memory Championships, and hopes to show the world that anyone can improve their memory with a little time and practice.

“Memory has nothing to do with natural talent. People claim to have photographic memories, but in actuality, that doesn’t exist,” Dellis says. “Memory is something that can be trained—just like you can train to run a marathon, you can train to memorize quickly and more efficiently.”

Dellis has been competing in the USA Memory Championship since 2009, but ever since he lost in the finals in 2010, he has intensified his training regimen. Although he has been training daily for the past few years, he never expected to take his memory this far.

“I would spend three to five hours per day training—memorizing cards, numbers, names, words and poetry every single day,” he says.

Tracy Alloway, assistant professor at the University of North

Florida and author of Training Your Brain for Dummies, explains this type of memorization is possible for everyone, but requires improvement in our working memory.

“I think a conductor is a nice image to refer to when thinking about working memory, because we do know the front of the brain, or the prefrontal cortex, is working the hardest when we are doing an activity involving working memory,” she explains. “This conductor works with other parts of the brain to bring information from our long-term memory to the current moment.”

According to Alloway, research has shown a direct correlation between improvement in working memory and improvement in grades.

“Working memory is a much better predictor of college-level success compared to SAT scores, for example,” she says. “Working memory is your potential to learn—it’s how you can actually use the knowledge that you have.”

Students who spend their time only memorizing facts and definitions may not necessarily be able to put the information together when writing a short answer or essay. However, Tony Dottino, founder of the USA Memory Championship, still argues these types of exercises should be introduced to high schools and universities everywhere, as they are help-

Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Mix it with: “Strawberry Swing”

by Coldplay

+

ful skills to have in any situation.

“The work I’ve done in local high schools—teaching these kids memorization techniques—has helped them improve in academic performance,” Dottino says. “Retention and organization of information helps improve test scores.”

So what are some techniques students can use to help boost their memory before an exam? Alloway recommends focusing on sleep, diet and exercise.

“I highly recommend not studying the night before an exam and giving your brain a rest by getting a good sleep,” she advises. “The kinds of foods you eat can also have a great effect on your memory—a breakfast full of blueberries and coffee, for example, has shown to boost memorization in the moment.”

As far as mental exercises go, Dellis recommends visualizing the information you are studying.

“Try to turn whatever you’re memorizing into pictures—make them weird, violent, sexual or funny,” he says. “It turns out our brains are better at remembering pictures like these, rather than abstract information like numbers, dates and names.”

“But most importantly, pay attention,” Dellis urges. “You’d be surprised how far just paying attention and devoting yourself to a topic will take you.”

Andrei Calinescu Gazette

S’mores Smoothie

With 200 calories per serving, this smoothie is ideal for a light snack in the afternoon. While flax seed is optional, this mix is a good source of fibre and Omega 3

Photography Andrei Calinescu Ritchie Sham Cameron Wilson Graphics Naira Ahmed Mike Laine Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Liwei Zhou Online Julian Uzielli

• Please recycle this newspaper •

Directions: Blend ingredients on low speed and gradually increase speed until ingredients are smooth. Blend for an additional minute to add air and make smoothie lighter. Serves 2.

+

Mix it with: “Old Pine”

by Ben Howard

While not the healthiest smoothie, this recipe makes a great treat you can enjoy around the campfire.

Ingredients: 1 cup vanilla ice cream 1 cup chocolate ice cream 1/2 cup whole milk 1/2 cup ice cubes 1/4 cup unsweetened chocolate chips 1/4 cup mini marshmallows 2 tbsp Maple Syrup (optional)

Ingredients: 1 cup strawberries 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup ice cubes 1 banana 6 oz nonfat plain yogurt 1 tbsp ground flax seeds

Web Cameron Wilson Video Chris Kay

Naira Ahmed Gazette

Jesica Hurst News Editor

It’s risky, exciting and so popular that in 2011 the Oxford Dictionary added it to their official vocabulary—sexting. This cellular foreplay doesn’t come without its dangers, but Quimby, a new iPhone application, may help to mitigate the risks of sending naughty pictures and text messages.

“The original [idea] came from watching golf coverage of Tiger Woods post-scandal,” says Heather Burns, founder of Quimby. “Over the months there were more and more incidents on the news of people’s private conversations finding their way into the public—whether it be the News of the World hacking, or a celebrity photo getting leaked. It just felt like we really needed a more private messaging tool.”

Quimby is a messaging application that gives users the ability to set a self-destruct timer on their chats or photos, allowing the sender to control how long the content stays on the receiver’s phone. Once the content destroys itself, it’s gone from everywhere— including the server. Quimby developers are continuing to work on the application to ensure the most secure experience as possible, which means overcoming loopholes like screen captures.

“Currently, Apple won’t allow you to block screen captures,”

Burns explains. “[However], we have ensured that your name, username, et cetera are never linked to the information you sent. So if someone were to screen capture, it would be content only, and they could never prove who it came from.”

While the easiest way to eliminate all risks would be withholding inappropriate texts, that isn’t always the most obvious option says Tony*, a second-year health sciences student.

“In the moment it seems sexy, spontaneous and fun,” says Tony, who has had negative experiences with sexting. “With these texts you’re trying to set a mood, build excitement—the problem comes when the other person gets so caught up in the moment they don’t remember to delete the pictures. If I had more control over the deletion of what I sent, I could have avoided a lot of embarrassing conversations.”

Though the application has found a market with sexters, Quimby can be used for other purposes and can secure other sensitive information. According to Burns, the application’s name finds its origins in a much more innocent source.

“It’s actually named after Chief Quimby from Inspector Gadget. He signed all of his notes, ‘This message will self destruct.’” *Names have been changed for the sake of anonymity.

Photos by Andrei Calinescu Gazette

Directions: Blend ice cream, milk and ice cubes until mixture is smooth. For a Canadian touch, add maple syrup. Pulse in chocolate chips and top with marshmallows.

Serves 2.

—Sumedha Arya

For more summer mixes visit westerngazette.ca/ arts

6•

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

Fringe continues to cultivate local artists Brent Holmes Arts&Life Editor With 13 years of experience, the London Fringe Festival is going to have much more than just luck behind it this time around.

Running from June 6 to 17, this year’s festival will feature 46 theatre companies and 35 visual artists in nine venues, including the Spriet Family Theatre, McManus Theatre, The ARTS Project, Wolf Performance Hall and Fanshawe College Theatre.

“There is so much to enjoy at this year’s festival,” says Kathy Navackas, London Fringe’s executive producer, in a media release

May 28.

Navackas is enthusiastic about the diverse selection of performers and artists.

“Our 13th year is a really lucky one for our audiences as it is truly one of the most accessible and diverse that we have offered,” Navackas says. “Anyone who enjoys live performance at any age will surely find something that will delight at the Fringe from June 6 to 17.”

One of the unique elements of the festival is that 100 per cent of its revenue goes directly to the participants, making the festival a highly sought out event for performers and artists.

This year’s Fringe had a great deal of competition, as 75 theatre companies competed for 46 of the available theatre spaces. Companies were selected through a draw to provide opportunity for a variety of shows to be featured.

This year, local theatre troupe Shrew’d Business Collective will present one of the world’s longest running musicals, The Fantasticks.

“We have some of the best musical theatre talent this town has to offer, and we are very excited to be part of the London Fringe,” says Ceris Thomas, co-creator of Shrew’d Business Collective. “It is a very crazy time of year, but the freshness and experimentation

that the Fringe encourages is inspirational and our whole team is very proud to be part of that tradition.”

The London festival is part of a series of festivals that occur across Canada. For Toronto-based Daniel Nimmo, co-creator and actor in Temple of Khaos, London is one of many performances in a tour across the country.

“I am also participating in Nuit Blanche London with a video installation with all my cast. This video installation, with a show attached to it, is part of our buildup to the installation of a themed tent venue at Edmonton Fringe,” Nimmo explains. “It is a pretty extensive project with about 30 art-

ists from all over Canada. London is our first of seven festivals, and also debut performance of our core show—The Temple of Khaos: Mythic Comedy.”

The London Fringe Festival will also feature artists and performers from national and international backgrounds. With such a strong diversity of artists, this year’s Fringe seems to be leaving nothing to chance.

The London Fringe Festival will run from June 6-17. Tickets are available online at www.londonfringe.ca/tickets and at each venue.

>> Fringe > Must know • This year’s London Fringe Festival runs from June 6-17.

• You must purchase a BackerButton for five dollars in order to buy Fringe tickets.

Discounted Canada’s Wonderland tickets

• 100 per cent of box office sales go to Fringe artists.

are sold at InfoSource

• Latecomers not admitted into shows. No exceptions.

located in the UCC atrium!

1 DAY PASS : $41 2 DAY PASS: $55 CHILD: $33

• Each box office opens 45 minutes before shows and only accepts cash.

• The Fringe art exhibit is open from noon until 10 p.m. daily at The ARTS Project.

Contact InfoSource 519-661-3722 or visit us in the UCC atrium Monday to Friday 9:00AM–5:00PM

120608

Tickets are valid through to October 28th, 2012.

• A full schedule of Fringe performances is available online at www.londonfringe. ca/schedule.

Courtesy of Malcolm Miller

FANTASTIC SWORD-FIGHTING, MAN. Brandon Stafford and Brian Brockenshire of Shrew’d Business Collective practice for their upcoming performances in The Fantasticks, a play featured at the 13th annual London Fringe Festival.

On Disc

Metric Synthetica Metric Music International Metric’s fifth studio album, Synthetica, continues to develop the Canadian band’s distinctive indie sound from their last album, Fantasies, which they released in 2009.

Instrumentally, Metric wisely maintains their pop sound without reliance on a heavy use of effects.

The acoustics of Joules Scott-Key’s drums and James Shaw’s guitar creates a strong sense of authority.

Songs like “Breathing Underwater” and “Youth Without Youth” have an incredible sound—the former of which represents the best of the album.

Emily Haines’ lyrics take a more introspective turn in Synthetica, focusing heavily on finding a sense of authenticity in the world. Unfortunately, this theme dominates many of the songs including “Synthetica,” “Clone” and “Artificial Nocturne,” providing an obsession with little catharsis.

Synthetica, once again, shows Metric’s ability to create a compelling atmosphere in their music. It doesn’t have the lyrical potency of Old World Underground, Where Are You Now? and Live It Out, but it is still a great entry into Metric’s already stunning discography.

—Brent Holmes

Puzzle solutions (from pg. 2)

•7

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

Sports

tweet of the week Pretty sure someone just let off a round of bullets in Eaton Centre mall .. Wow just sprinted out of the mall … Through traffic …

—Brett Lawrie (@blawrie13) Toronto Blue Jays player on the tragic shooting incident at the Toronto Eaton Centre

Rundown >> Mustangs hockey coach Clarke Singer steps down as coach > While he won’t be behind the bench he will do administrative work | Mustangs rowers make waves at regatta > Western earned two gold medals and a bronze medal | Western sends seven baseball players and a coach to OUA All-star game.

Singer steps out from behind the bench Richard Raycraft Sports Editor Mustangs men’s hockey head coach Clarke Singer will be taking the 2012-13 season off. Assistant coach Pat Powers will assume responsibilities as head coach for the upcoming hockey season, with Singer returning for 2013-14.

Singer, who has children involved in hockey, explained family was a primary consideration in making the decision. “[They have] grown a little bit older, and my wife and I have talked about me being home a little more,” he said. “We decided it was the right decision at the right time.”

Regarded as one of the best coaches in Canadian university hockey, Singer has won the Ontario University Athletics Coach of the Year award four times, and led the Mustangs to the Canadian Interuniversity Sport National Championship in 2002. Last season, he coached the Mustangs to the CIS final.

Singer’s coaching career with the Mustangs dates back to 1991, when he was an assistant coach to Barry Martinelli. Singer left the Mustangs to coach in the Norwegian Elite Series for three seasons, returning in 1997. He was promoted to head coach for the 19992000 season, and has held the post ever since.

“Without question Clarke has been a big reason for our success, not only last year but for all the years he’s been coaching at West-

ern,” Keaton Turkiewicz, Mustangs forward, said.

Singer will remain with the team in an administrative role. His focus during his break will be on an area other than coaching.

“I’ll still be in charge of recruiting and we’re hoping that won’t change,” Singer said. “The other thing is alumni outreach—I’m trying to do a lot of work at reengaging our alumni.”

Singer, who holds a master’s degree in kinesiology and is a professor with the faculty of health sciences, also plans on focusing more of his attention on teaching.

Powers, who has been the assistant coach with the Mustangs for the last four seasons, has the experience needed to lead the team.

Prior to joining the Mustangs, Powers coached hockey at the junior B level with the St. Thomas Stars and London Nationals.

“It will obviously be different,” Zach Harnden, Mustangs forward, said. “[Singer] and Powers have different personalities behind the bench, but I think Pat will do a good job.”

While everyone involved with the hockey program expects some degree of change, Singer commented this may work towards the team’s improvement.

“Although Pat and I believe in many of the same things, I think some things will change, but that’s not bad,” he said. “We’ve seen at all levels of hockey that some teams have been very successful after a period of change.”

Accompanying the coaching

FILE PHOTO

THAT’S THE LOOK OF DETERMINATION. After eight seasons as the Mustangs men’s hockey head coach, Clarke Singer is taking the 2012-13 season off to focus more on his family, and other aspects of life. He will still be involved with recruiting, and alumni outreach.

change is a large influx of new players, making for a rather different Mustang squad. Despite the changes, Turkiewicz was optimis-

tic about the coming year.

“There are a lot of character guys on the team who will continue to work hard, and I feel that

success will follow,” he said. “Powers is going to do great job—all the boys respect him and his knowledge of the game.”

Western rowers impress at annual regatta Jason Sinukoff Sports Editor On May 12, the Mustangs rowing team crossed the border to Philadelphia to compete in the 74th annual Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta— the largest collegiate regatta in the United States.

The Mustangs sent four squads to Philadelphia—the heavyweight women’s 8+, the lightweight women’s 4+, the freshmen 4+ and the heavyweight men’s 4+. But with 124 other teams in the mix, the purple and white knew the competition level at Dad Vail would be at an all-time high.

“We knew that the crews going into this event were going to be fast, so we had our work cut out for us,” Christopher Fernandes, coxswain of the freshmen 4+ team, said.

With high expectations and tough competition comes tons of training and hard work—and Volker Nolte, head coach of the rowing team, made sure his team was ready to take on all challengers.

“We have performance standards that the rowers have to meet who want to start at the regatta.

Our expectation is that we are competitive and have a chance to fight for medals,” Nolte said. “We select very carefully the crews that we send to represent our team.”

And it seems like all of the Mustangs’ training paid off, as three of the four crews donning the purple and white reached the podium, with two of them winning gold medals.

The heavyweight men’s 4+ team had an especially strong showing at this year’s regatta. They placed first in all of their heats and in the semi-finals, never missing a beat.

In the finals they finished with an impressive time of 6:46.6 minutes—12 seconds faster than second-place Cincinnati—to win gold and the Thomas A. Curran Cup. The other golden team for Western was the lightweight women’s 4+ squad. In their starting heat, the Mustangs blasted out of the starting gates and never looked back on their way to winning their heat in a time of 7:32.497 minutes.

Laura MacLachlan, coxswain for the lightweight women’s 4+ crew, explained once they got out in front in the starting heat, the team decided to try and save their

We were starting behind everyone else.

This meant that we needed to have an aggressive first 500 to take advantage.

—Christopher Fernandes,

freshmen 4+ coxswain

energy for the finals by not bringing up their stroke rate. From there, the Mustangs entered the finals pretty confident, but still knew it would be tough to capture the gold.

“Going into the finals on Saturday we were confident, but not cocky, because we knew that second and third place more than likely did not [go allout] either to save energy. So we needed to be prepared for a more intense race with the possibility of having to fight off some

crews,” MacLachlan explained.

“Our plan was to do exactly what we did in our first race—get out front and stay out front. And we did exactly that. We finished with a time of 7:45.915 and second place with a time of 7:52.327. All crews had a faster time from the heats because the current was really strong flowing with the course.”

The third team to medal for the Mustangs was the freshman 4+ team, who beat 49 other crews to take home the bronze.

The Mustangs placed first in their heat, and barely lost to Amherst in the semi-finals. In the finals, the Mustangs drew lane six— which could have spelled some problems for them.

“One of the disadvantages of lane six is that since it’s a staggered start and there is a turn at the 500, we were starting behind everyone else. This meant that we needed to have an aggressive first 500 to take advantage,” Fernandes explained.

However, at the turn, the Mustangs were placing only fifth. It was then, however, that they showed their mettle and ended the race in remarkable fashion, crossing the finish-line less than 1-100th of a

second over Virginia, and less than a second over Amherst.

Considering all rowers on this team only started rowing in the novice program last fall, winning bronze was an incredible feat.

“Many of the rowers that participated in the Dad Vail 2012 regatta are currently in their first year of studies or first year of eligibility in the Canadian Varsity system. This is only a bright outlook for Western’s program,” Fernandes said.

It may have been tough, but the Mustangs travelled across the border and completely dominated the competition, even though the United States is home to many talented rowers receiving very lucrative scholarships. Coach Nolte offered his insight as to how that was possible.

“We visit this biggest U.S. College regatta for many years, so we have a very good understanding about the competition. Of course, it is a special motivation to race our U.S. counterparts where most of them recruit student-athletes with big scholarships that we don’t have. However, hard training, good coaching and big hearts make up for a lot.”

8•

thegazette • Friday, June 8, 2012

‘Stangs baseball players step up to plate Ryan Stern Sports Editor Getting selected to an all-star team is an honour for any athlete, but for the 2011-12 Mustangs baseball team, sending seven players and a coach to the all-star game at the Rogers Centre was just not enough.

The Mustangs had hoped to field a full squad for the May 20 game, but an agonizing 8-4 loss to the University of Toronto Varsity Blues in the Ontario University Athletics finals last fall gave the Varsity Blues the title of OUA Champions, as well as a team allstar game berth.

“It feels great to be selected as a Western representative as an OUA all-star,” Mustangs shortstop Shawn Robinson said. “It is a little bittersweet playing against the team we lost to in the finals, as well as the entire team not being able to

be there.”

Joining Robinson to represent the OUA were teammates Graham Fulton, Paul Lytwynec, Bryn McDonnell, Chris Mireault, Adam Paish, and Ian Campbell, who was unable to participate.

Accompanying the Mustangs players that participated in the game was Mustangs head coach Mike Lumley, who was chosen as an assistant coach for the OUA allstar team. This is an honour in itself, but with his players littering the roster, the selections are a testament to the system Lumley has created during his tenure.

“My mom mentioned how she felt the field was overwhelmed by white Mustang uniforms,” McDonnell said. “It says a lot about our well-run program under coach Mike Lumley, and it really reveals just how successful a season we truly had.”

Looking down the bench and seeing six teammates and my head coach is definitely a comforting feeling.

It takes quite a skill to bring together 26 university athletes in such a short season, and this selection for coach Lumley shows the other OUA coaches’ respect for his work.

—Chris Mireault,

Mustangs baseball all-star

“Looking down the bench and seeing six teammates and my head coach is definitely a comforting feeling,” Mireault added. “It takes quite a skill to bring together 26 university athletes in such a short season, and this selection for coach Lumley shows the other OUA coaches’ respect for his work during this past season.”

Although the Mustangs and their OUA all-star counterparts lost 8-2, the contest was more about the honour than the outcome, as is the case with any all-star game.

“Playing at the Rogers Centre was a really neat experience. Being a Blue Jays fan and watching them play there growing up definitely contributed to the atmosphere and excitement for me when taking the field,” Mireault said. “It was definitely a humbling experience and one that I don’t think I will ever forget.”

But Mireault echoed the teamfirst attitude instilled by coach Lumley.

“Personal achievements are always something to be proud of and take pride in—however, I think I speak for all of my teammates when I say that I would trade in any personal achievement to win as a team—ultimately the OUA Championship—which is what our goal was this season, and will remain the same for the 2012 season as well.”

With the all-star game behind them, and the season approaching, it will be all hands on deck as the Mustangs look to avenge their silver medal finish of last season.

“Watching U of T hoist the trophy last fall and then play together against the all-stars is all the motivation we need for next fall,” Lytwynec said.

“While the Men Watch” segregates sexes Wrath of McGrath

Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor “You really know sports—for a girl.”

All my life, those words have been directed towards me. This is because sports, despite massive steps in the right direction, are still male-dominated.

Forty years ago, Title IX, part of the Educational Amendment of 1972 to the Civil Rights Act, was passed in the United States

of America. This ensured women would not be discriminated against in educational programs, including sports.

Presently, Title IX is celebrated both in the U.S. and Canada for what it helped to achieve—acceptance of women playing on a school soccer team, just like their male classmates. But beyond the schoolyard, has female athletics taken the strides it should have?

Female sports have come a long way from where they were, but we’re not even close to being where we should be.

There are bright spots, though.

At the upcoming Olympics in London, England, women will compete in boxing for the first time. And in stark contrast to other

professional sports where females make peanuts compared to males, professional tennis has awarded equal prize money to both genders at each of its Grand Slam events since 2007.

We’ve made strides, but now one little web series could ruin everything.

A blog called “While the Men Watch” announced its partnership with the CBC—Canada’s national broadcaster—during the Stanley Cup Finals.

Creators of the blog Lena Sutherland and Jules Mancuso claimed to have grown sick of their hockey-crazed husbands during playoff season. I can only assume Sutherland and Mancuso live in a one-room home, because obvi-

ously leaving the room and doing something other than watching sports with their husbands was not an option.

So they launched their own commentary featuring riveting discussions about sex games, coach makeovers and other “female-friendly” topics because, really, what woman can focus on a moving puck when there are rugged, sweaty men on screen?

That was sarcasm. I’m none too pleased with CBC’s decision to back this project. Also unimpressed were scores of sports fans—both female and male alike—who argued this was an example of blatant sexism and should not be tolerated, much less supported by our national broadcaster.

As professional female hockey players everywhere struggle to be seen in the same galaxy as NHL players, CBC promotes a series that implies that, while the men watch and understand the game, women would rather discuss fashion and sex—so much for progress.

Now I know one online blog won’t slingshot us back into the ‘50s, but this kind of thing doesn’t exactly help the case for equality of female sports.

Sure, thanks to Title IX, women have every right to participate in sports along with men. But in reality, female athletes still remain in another league.

Global Reach. Innovative Programs. Diverse Perspectives.

Schulich MSc in Business Analytics

*

“Companies are capturing consumer data, but they don’t have the talent needed to analyze and identify the patterns and trends that provide valuable business insights. Schulich’s new degree gives you the tools needed to become an expert in business analytics.”

Murat Kristal Program Director, Master of Science in Business Analytics Associate Professor, Operations Management & Information Systems

The Science of Winning With Numbers In business today, more than ever before, data drives decisions. It’s why business analytics is the fastest growing category of global IT software expenditure, according to a recent Forrester Research study.

Popularized by the movie Moneyball and the best-seller Competing on Analytics: The New Science of Winning, business analytics is revolutionizing the way companies optimize customer service and uncover additional opportunities for growth.

Schulich’s new Master of Science in Business Analytics degree is an intensive, 12-month program that embeds students inside business operations during the final semester to work on real-world, real-time, data analysis projects.

The degree leads to careers as a Business Analytics professional in the fields of strategy, research, marketing, consulting and sales.

The program, which is the first of its kind in Canada and one of only several in the world, begins September 2012. Enrolment is limited.

For more information, please visit: www.schulich.yorku.ca/mscba

Schulich Leads in Rankings

* Program name subject to York University Senate approval.

Schulich is ranked in the world’s top tier of business schools by The Economist (#9 in the world); Forbes (10th best non-US school); Bloomberg Businessweek (9th best non-US school); The Aspen Institute, a US think tank (#2 in the world in Social and Environmental Leadership); and Expansión (#20 in the world) in their most recent global MBA surveys. The Schulich MBA is also ranked #1 in Canada by The Economist, Forbes, The Aspen Institute and Expansión.