w w w .w e sterngazette.c a • @uw ogazette
There’s an app for that... The must-have tools for back to school. >> pg. 7
thegazette Giving our editors lung cancer since 1906
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
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Volume 105, issue 3
Extreme makeover for UCC USC cuts costs on annual retreat Julian Uzielli Online Editor
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
Jesica Hurst News Editor The start of a new school year often brings many changes, and the University Students’ Council isn’t wasting any time. On June 28, the USC announced the official launch of the University Community Centre Renewal Project—a plan that comprises a variety of changes to the UCC. Some of the more significant changes include the launch of Mustang Central’s information desk and website, the opening of the USC Conference Centre and the replacement of the out-dated furniture on the second and third floors of the UCC. These changes and upgrades will cost $700,000—a fee Adam Fearnall, USC president, explained is covered by the capital fee students approved through the referendum in February 2011. Relocation of the Purple Store to InfoSource’s former location is perhaps one of the most discussed endeavours of the project. Tony Ayala, vice-president finance for the USC, explained this move was to generate more energy in Western’s main social hub. “The feedback we heard from
students was that they wished the atrium showed more school pride and [had] a better Western feel,” Ayala said. “We came up with a few ideas for doing this, and the swap of locations was one of them.” So how exactly do Mustang Central and InfoSource differ? According to Ayala, Mustang Central, along with the five to 10 self-serve kiosks, is a platform to incorporate all campus information any student might need throughout the year. “Mustang Central’s purpose is to be more of a welcome kiosk for any individual entering the building,” he said. “It will have information for every possible question that a person might have about the services and operations offered through all departments of the university, as well as the USC.” Although the news of InfoSource moving downstairs came as a relief to Steven Wright, a thirdyear media, information and technoculture student and InfoSource employee, he doesn’t believe moving Purple Store upstairs was the best move on Western students’ behalf. “Having a clothing store as the first thing students see when they enter the building makes the UCC
look like a mall,” Wright said. “I’m sure there is a definite fiscal advantage for the USC in putting the Purple Store in such a high-traffic area, but it also gives off the impression that Western cares more about pushing a brand than providing resources for students.” “[However], the line-ups for ticket sales—especially Greyhound—obstructed traffic on the UCC main level,” he added. “Putting these services downstairs will hopefully allow for a less cluttered and hectic [building].” Regardless of whether or not students agree with how the $700,000 is being spent, Ayala said construction is right on track and students will be welcomed with some changes come September. “Mustang Central and the USC Conference Centre will be completed by September 1, [and] the Purple Store is still maintaining its early October deadline,” he said. “The only delays we are experiencing is the arrival time of the new furniture for the second and third levels of the UCC, some of the new IT equipment for the conference centre and the Mustang Central self-serve kiosks.”
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After five executive retreats, each more harshly criticized than the last, it seems this year’s University Students’ Council executives finally got the hint and cut their costs. This year’s excursion—renamed from ‘executive retreat’ to ‘external research trip’—took USC president Adam Fearnall and his five vicepresidents to Cornell, Syracuse, Princeton, New York and Columbia universities at a total cost of $7,580.27, funded primarily by student fees, to share ideas with and learn from their American peers. The trip cost about $4,000 less than last year’s, which came in at $11,500. Fearnall’s group was able to save by driving instead of flying, and staying in New Jersey while visiting schools in New York City. Fearnall explained one of the biggest things he took away from the trip was that many American student councils are much less centralized than the USC, operating as granting organizations rather than programming bodies. “I think we rightly get criticized sometimes for trying to do everything centrally,” he said, adding
that in the future the USC could look at ways to empower students connected to the different communities on campus. “We chose the schools we went to because they have a strong history of social movement and promoting a healthy dialogue on social issues on their campuses,” Jeremy Santucci, vice-president communications for the USC, said. “They are on the leading edge of student support services, especially multifaith, cultural and LGBT services, and these were areas we really wanted to focus on this year as an executive board.” The cost-cutting decisions were “absolutely” due to negative reactions the trip has received in the past, Fearnall said. “We called it an external research trip—it wasn’t a retreat. We can argue back and forth about whether it’s just a semantic shift or not, but we tried to take that research component really seriously,” he said. “Our main goal was to keep council informed on what we were doing, because they can be our harshest critics—and so they should be.” But despite the efforts to in>> see retreat pg.3
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Foreign students a lucrative venture
Caught on Camera
Aaron Zaltzman News Editor
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
EMPTY NEST SYNDROME. Swift Care Ontario volunteers released two rehabilitated chimney swifts back into the wild at King’s University College last week.
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A recent report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade found international students contributed over $8 billion to Canada’s economy in 2010, a conclusion that could be a major endorsement for Western’s internationalization push. The report listed a number of recommendations to develop better data sets for tracking international education, including data collection at post-secondary institutions. The report came as welcome news to Western President Amit Chakma, who has made internationalization of the school a key priority during his tenure. “If the recommendations are accepted and implemented, it will help advance Western’s internationalization goals significantly,” Chakma said. “For example, it will allow us to send a large number of our students abroad for international study exchanges and internship programs.” The report estimated the overall benefit of international students to Canada’s GDP to be nearly $5 billion in 2010, mostly from tuition, direct expenditure and taxes, with Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia seeing the highest gains. Chakma explained the economic benefits to Western were not currently substantial due to the relatively low international student population. However, he predicted that “as their numbers grow, they will have increasingly more economic impact on Western, and the City of London.” Chakma explained Western was looking to have an international student population of 10 per cent, as well as offering opportunities
International student fees have grown considerably over the last half-decade, increasing a total of 28 per cent. — Alysha Li,
vice-president university affairs for the USC
abroad for 10 per cent of its own students. However, the push for an increased international student program was met with some concern by the University Students’ Council. “In Ontario, international students in arts and science paid an average of $18,189 in tuition last year, or three and a half times more than a comparable domestic student would pay,” Alysha Li, vicepresident university affairs for the USC, explained. “Their fees have grown considerably over the last half-decade, increasing a total of 28 per cent in comparison to domestic growth of 19 per cent.” “Part of this is understandable since universities do not receive government funding for international students,” Li continued. “However, this degree of fee inflation is unfair, causing international students to pay well over the cost of their education.” Li emphasized the need for universities to create support systems for international students that would include both financial support, and on-campus services networks for new students.
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Councillors believe budget still too high >> continued from pg.1
crease transparency—including nightly Facebook updates for council, and a meeting to plan the trip beforehand—some councillors still found the trip unnecessary. “While I can appreciate this year’s reduction in cost, I’m not entirely convinced the trip is beneficial to Western students,” Jordan Coop, president of the Media, Information and Technoculture Students’ Council, said. “Aside from an inflated sense of self-importance and a fetish for Ivy League education, I struggle to see what Western has in common with the schools visited.” “I don’t think a budget of over $7,500 is justifiable to students,” added Felicity Sattan, president of Brescia University College Residence Council. “Perhaps less expensive methods of research could have been used to learn about other universities,” she said, suggesting Skype or conference calls. Fearnall seemed prepared for the criticism.
Alex Carmona News Editor There’s something to be said for die-hard idealism. It’s a powerful force that has the ability to enact real change, both for good or ill. It’s certainly been underscoring the more militant faction of Quebec’s anti-tuition movement. The group enacted a boycott of classes at a number of Quebec universities in March to protest a series of tuition hikes proposed by Liberal Premier Jean Charest. They haven’t stepped foot in a classroom in over five months, and have instead spent their time organizing thousands-strong rallies in the streets of Montreal. Their protests have not been in vain, either. With a provincial election fast approaching and the Parti Québécois promising to cancel the tuition hikes if elected, the striking students have certainly made an impact—whether the party will actually keep that promise if elected is another issue entirely. There is a point, however, when idealism can be dangerous to its adherents, and needs to take a backseat to everyone’s favourite buzz-kill—reality. Universities affected by the boycotts will be reopening this month to allow the students who participated in the strikes to finish off their semesters. Yet, bafflingly, social science students at Université du Québec à Montréal voted on August 7 to continue their boycott. Social work students at Université de Montréal and humanities students at Université de Sherbrooke have done the same, knowing full well that this will be their only chance to avoid losing their entire
New study ruffles egg farmers’ feathers
“I understand why people ask questions about the trip,” he said. “But I’ll stand up pretty strongly for the fact that it’s valuable in a research capacity to do the trip, and there are thoughts that I would never have gotten if I hadn’t been on the trip.” “I can’t comment on specifically what changes we’re going to make, but we’re not going to be afraid to look at ourselves hard in the mirror and figure out whether or not there are some areas that we need to really consider making changes to.”
>> Budget Breakdown • Food: $2384.66 • Travel: $3702.04 Andrei Calinescu Gazette
• Contingency: $1493.57 • Total: $7580.27
Time for Quebec protests has passed Carma’s a Bitch
Yolks as bad as smokes
semester. This is the point at which diehard idealism becomes a doubleedged sword. Charest is committed to the tuition hikes—he can’t afford to change his tune this late in the game. More protests and skipped classes are not going to sway him. The PQ is already on the striking students’ side. They have their champion, but are refusing to make use of it. The time for protesting in the street has passed. Charest’s approval rating is in the tank, and his ministers are jumping ship left, right and centre. It’s time to come back down to earth and settle this issue properly—at the polls. This is how democracy works, and no amount of skipped classes will change that. More to the point, continuing the boycott will likely lead to the same clashes between students and police that occurred throughout the end of the spring semester. If that should happen, the voters from the general public, whom the PQ desperately needs, will instead turn away from the aforementioned “champion of the students.” Students who don’t want to see the hikes go through should be door-knocking for the PQ, not blocking the doors of classrooms. It’s the only move that makes sense, so maybe these students should use their brains, rather than let them gather dust while they chant uselessly in the streets of Montreal.
You’re back, and so are we … Stop by our office, UCC 263, to volunteer • News •Arts & Life • Sports • Photo • Graphics
Cam Smith News Editor The egg industry is in a huff after a recent study, conducted by researchers at Western, indicated egg yolks have health detriments comparable to smoking regularly. John David Spence, a researcher who conducted the experiment, was adamant about the dangers of regular egg yolk consumption. “We’ve known for 50 years that dietary cholesterol is bad for you,” Spence said. “Two eggs have more than four days’ worth of cholesterol.” It is this cholesterol that can lead to health issues, such as heart disease and strokes. “[Arterial] plaque builds up faster in smokers and egg-yolk eaters,” he asserted. “If you want to live to be 80, why would you eat them?” However, the egg industry has been quick to argue against Spen-
ce’s evaluation. “I don’t think it’s fair to compare egg yolks to smoking,” Karen Harvey, nutrition officer for Egg Farmers of Canada, commented. “There’s been a lot of scientific research done that shows yolks are not associated with heart disease and stroke.” Harvey also noted, cholesterol aside, yolks have other health benefits that further prevent them from being comparable to dangerous activities like smoking. While Harvey admitted to being surprised by the results, she contested they were far from absolute. “When you’re considering scientific findings, it’s important to look at a variety of sources,” she explained. “This is just one study.” Despite this, Spence adamantly defends the results of the study, even going so far as to claim the egg industry uses misinformation to beguile consumers. “The egg market has been
so successful with propaganda, which is all based on half-truths,” Spence explained. “They’re akin to the tobacco industry.” Findings, such as those from Spence’s study, may have a large impact on the food industry—and on consumers. “I think that after results like those from the study, consumers will start to wonder,” Joy Shinn, executive director of FOODTECH Canada, said. “The food industry is very consumer-receptive.” However, Shinn also noted the importance of careful review and patience to ensure accurate results. Despite the negative consequences the study’s findings could have for the egg market, Spence was quick to assure eggs were not all bad, and he had no intentions of hurting the egg business. “I’m not trying to put egg marketers out of business,” Spence explained. “Egg whites are fine, they’re a good source of protein.”
SUBMISSIONS INVITED Mid-Term Review of the President
Dr. Amit Chakma has completed three years of his five-year appointment as Western’s President and Vice-Chancellor. In accordance with Board policy, the Board of Governors has established a President’s Review Committee. The mandate of the Committee is to review the President’s performance and to make a recommendation to the Board with respect to reappointment for a second term. Information about the Committee and the criteria it will use in making its assessment can be found at www.uwo.ca/univsec The Committee will accept written submissions from the community until September 14, 2012. All submissions will be kept confidential to the Committee but anonymous submissions will not be considered.
Comments may be submitted as follows: By mail: President’s Review Committee c/o Irene Birrell University Secretary Rm. 4101 Stevenson Hall 1151 Richmond St. London, Ontario N6A 5B8 By fax: 519.661.3588
By e-mail: ibirrell@uwo.ca
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Opinions
To our newcomers, welcome! To our old hands, welcome back!
—Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Retreating New beginnings costs a step inspire new goals forward This July, the six University Students’ Council executives travelled to New York and New Jersey for their annual external research trip, previously titled ‘executive retreat.’ The trip’s purpose is to observe other universities for inspiration’s sake – however, its former budget of $14,500 had many questioning its viability last year. While previous USC executives visited schools in California, North Carolina and Florida, Adam Fearnall and his team chose to not stray so far from home—a commendable decision. The team visited NYU, Columbia, Princeton, Cornell and Syracuse. Instead of flying between destinations, the team drove the entire journey and chose to stay at New Jersey hotels, rather than indulging in pricier Big Apple counterparts. Still, the final price tag was just over $7,500, begging the question, is this enough of a reduction? A savings of $4,000—with $11,500 actually spent on the 2011-12 retreat—is impressive. It’s definitely a step in the right direction, but whether or not this cost-cutting formula will be adopted by future executives remains to be seen. Ideally, more radical reform would have been introduced this year. With a budget exceeding that of some popular USC services, perhaps it would have been more logical to simply send one representative on behalf of the entire executive. However, we must applaud the fact that the schools chosen this year were of a higher caliber than past trips. Schools like the University of Miami aren’t exactly renowned for their academic excellence, unlike Princeton and Columbia. Western could probably learn a lot more from these top-tier schools than universities situated in conveniently sunny locations. There was also a higher degree of transparency, as the approval process by council was far more rigorous than in years past. Still, while this year’s executive is to be praised for their attempt at cutting costs, it’s disappointing to see that the catalyst for such change didn’t come from the selflessness of the executive, but rather intense media and councillor scrutiny over last year’s retreat which arguably incited the executive to tighten their purse strings—but not close them all together. —Gazette Editorial Board
No ifs, ands or Hurlbuts Ryan Hurlbut Opinions Editor Whether we like it or not, the 2012-13 school year is rapidly approaching. While the experience of an anxious freshman may differ greatly from that of a university veteran, everyone can use the new school year as a fresh start. Because university is such a unique experience for every individual, it would be ill-advised of me to try to come up with some sort of blanket list of statements that give every student the same advice. Instead, I plead with you all to find some sort of way to better yourself this coming year. We all exit the summer in a different state of mind. Some of us stuck around for summer school, while others took a four-month vacation. Some of us travelled, while others stayed put. Some of us worked long hours without pay, while others enter the year with money to spend. We can all take a good look in the mirror and examine who we are today, along with who we want to become. We are gifted with countless facilities and opportunities, all within incredibly easy reach. Whether your interests lie in the gym, or deep in the basement of the library, chances are there’s something for you. You can also volunteer here at the Gazette, by the way. The biggest regret of many of my peers was their complete disregard for the opportunities around them early in
Does the UCC need a starbucks? No—it will only add to the congestion (46%) Yes—it needs more variety (44%)
Submit your letters at westerngazette.ca/contact
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
Karen Savino 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
Dear Life, Why do you need eggs to bake? I never have eggs. Dear Life, What’s with all the superhero movies lately? They’re making me feel inadequate as a human being. Dear Life, I saw someone with a disposable camera today. Dear Life, Why do first-years look so young? Dear Life, All that sprinkles taste like are decoration. Dear Life, Why don’t weekends last forever? Dear Life, I’ve always wondered what it looks like inside of a dishwasher, but it stops whenever you open it. Do we even know what happens in there? Dear Life, Why were there so many old women reading 50 Shades of Grey this summer? Please, get an e-reader. Dear Life, Having to choose what coffee place to go to in the UCC is too big of a decision to make in the morning. Dear Life, Summer was fun, but I miss the good old days of Art Attack and Sunny D. Dear Life, Most of the lyrics in rap/hip hop songs are things I would never say in my entire life. Dear Life, I hope the NHL lockout happens so I won’t have to listen to Leafs fans complaining. Dear Life, You know you’re getting old when there aren’t enough candles on your cake to accurately reflect your age.
I don’t care—just give me caffeine (10%)
Volume 106, Issue 3 www.westerngazette.ca
Your anonymous letters to life.
their post-secondary careers, but there is always time to get involved. While the first few weeks of the school year specialize in introducing extracurricular activities to students, the best time to consider getting involved is right now. By doing some research beforehand, you can enter the year with a game plan. Right now is the best time to decide what you want to accomplish during the year. We have our class schedules, and can plan around them accordingly. We can all decide right now what we want to become, and where the year will take us. By setting goals before the chaos of the year sets in, we can all better ourselves throughout the year, and feel better because of it. The money we spend to attend this institution should not go to waste. To get our money’s worth, we must not forget that this is, first and foremost, a learning facility. Attend your classes, do your readings and get good grades— there is still time for everything else. You can still party until you drop, if that’s what you’re into. I won’t judge you. We are at a time where we are not only adults, but are also unconstrained by the shackles of a full-time job. We have the combined power of intelligent adult thoughts, along with the free time to unleash all of our unbridled enthusiasm for what we love. Do not be intimidated by the new school year, as the time and opportunities are there for you to do everything that you can imagine. Do not let these opportunities slip away. Prepare for the year at hand, and metaphorically grab the bull by the horns. Or literally, if you want. In that case, I’ll see you at Cowboys.
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Dear Life
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
Submit your letters to life at www.westerngazette.ca/dearlife
Photography Andrei Calinescu Ritchie Sham Cameron Wilson Graphics Naira Ahmed Mike Laine Illustrations Christopher Miszczak Liwei Zhou Online Julian Uzielli Web Cameron Wilson Video Chris Kay
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Arts&Life Olympic inspiration Summer Games keep gym-goers motivated
word of the day Malinger . Verb. To pretend illness, especially in order to shirk one’s duty, or to avoid work.
Stalking exes is Facebook official Brent Holmes Arts & Life Editor Facebook users may want to consider editing their privacy settings—a recent study by a Western graduate student found 88.2 per cent of people ‘creep’ their ex’s Facebook profile. The study, a collaborative project from the SocioDigital lab by student Veronika Lukacs and professor Anabel Quan-Haase, found that not only was surveilling an ex-partner on Facebook common, but that re-reading old messages, being asked about relationship break-ups because of a changed relationship status and the removal of shared photos were also normal. “Facebook has made it much easier for people to surveil their ex-partner,” Lukacs notes. “In the past, the best you could do was hope you ran into them at the bar.” “It’s hard to let go of human relationships, even if there’s negative emotion associated with them,” adds Heather Bromley Lit-
tle, a clinical psychologist based in Woodstock. “Most people are pretty sneaky—posting a picture to make someone jealous, or sneaking and seeing all your ex’s contacts and photos.” Michelle Everest, a community psychologist and professor of human sexuality and human adjustment at Western, says there are questions about impulse-control issues when monitoring an ex online. “Individuals may still feel a sense of anonymity as they act out online, but what may be perceived as private can soon become public.” While Lukacs’s findings received international hype, her main goal is to help people realize their actions online are not necessarily private. “I would really like people to be aware of the public nature of it,” Lukacs concludes. “The studies show that surveillance is linked to stress, [and] at the end of the day, I don’t want people tormenting themselves with surveillance.”
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor For many, exercise goals are reserved for the new year or summer vacation. But this summer, the Olympic Games fuelled a whole new level of inspiration—the ‘Olympic effect.’ “How do television and the social media [influence] our understanding of what’s real, what’s possible and how people relate to each other?” asks Janice Forsyth, director of the International Centre for Olympic Studies at Western. “It’s tough to say because the Olympics only come around every two years.” But when they do come around, people are glued to their televisions. Usain Bolt’s 100-metre final, for example, drew in the most viewers with 20 million tuning in. The world’s fascination with the Games has not only affected peoples’ TV-viewing habits, but their fitness goals as well. Local gyms have experienced the Olympic effect first-hand.
Jamie Matte, a fitness instructor at the Athletic Club in North London, noticed her clients’ excitement about the Olympics, and how they channeled that excitement into motivation. “I think, through motivation of [the Olympics] playing the whole summer, people are aspiring to be like these athletes,” she explains. “You see the commitment that the athletes put through to get to the highest level and it’s just nice to see and watch all their hard work pay off—seeing great performances,” agrees Matt Poulin, former captain of the Mustangs volleyball team, who, after watching the Olympics this summer, has decided to pursue a professional volleyball career. “Originally, I decided I wasn’t going to pursue a professional career and that I just wanted to play at Western, finish my time and move on,” he says. “But after watching the Olympics, it just gave me a second wind to motivate myself to be the best that I can actu-
ally be.” The Olympic effect has not only reached serious athletes, but average gym-goers as well. “I know that, from within the gym, it’s motivating the average person—not just people who are super fit already, but everyday average people that were coming in for a couple classes a week, or once a week,” Matte observes. “They aren’t saying [the Olympics] is what’s making them come to the classes, but they are definitely talking about it.” But as the Olympic hype dies down, will peoples’ fitness motivation levels die too? Matte doesn’t think so. “Whenever you get inspiration from something it always stays in the back of your mind, and I think it’s going to stick around with people who already received inspiration from some great athletes,” she concludes. “I think we are going to carry [the motivation from the Olympics] on for a while now.” —With files from Sumedha Arya
Editor’s Picks > Fall TV essentials
666 Park Avenue
Boardwalk Empire
Genre: Supernatural Thriller When: Starting September 30 at 10 p.m. Network: ABC
Genre: Historical Drama When: Returning September 16 at 9 p.m. Network: HBO
666 Park Avenue follows the residents of The Drake, an ominous location with strange inhabitants. Following in the footsteps of other ABC dramas like Revenge, and casting actors from the popular ABC show Lost, 666 Park Avenue promises to keep its audience mystified.
Set in Atlantic City during the Prohibition era, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire is a gangster saga that focuses on crime and American politics. While Time Magazine compares it to Jersey Shore, the eight-time Emmy winning show has proved successful, and will enter its third season this fall.
The Mindy Project Genre: Comedy When: Starting September 25 at 9:30 p.m. Network: Fox
Switched at Birth
Did you have fun playing in your high school orchestra or band? Want to keep playing at Western? Ensembles rehearse twice weekly Access rehearsal schedules and audition materials at www.music.uwo.ca/students/MPSHandbookBeta/ensembles.html
Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Band and Wind Ensemble If you play trombone, oboe, bassoon, strings contact Dr. Colleen Richardson cricha33@uwo.ca
Jazz Ensemble
contact Dr. Kevin Watson kwatso54@uwo.ca
Auditions Sept. 5, 6 & 7
Mindy Kaling from NBC’s comedy The Office stars in The Mindy Project as Mindy Lahiri, a physician determined to succeed in all aspects of her life. A single-camera comedy with a medical spin, The Mindy Project will be the new show to watch Tuesday nights.
Genre: Drama When: Starting September 3 at 8 p.m. Network: ABC This drama follows the lives of two teens who discover they were accidentally switched at birth. The families, who come from different classes, try to co-exist after the girls find each other. While the series started in 2011, its success prompted an extension, which begins this fall.
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
What’s app for back to school TheWhoot Let’s face it—we’re a flaky generation. Whether it’s because of lastminute assignments, surprise club meetings or just a change in mood, your friends might bail on plans. Because free time is sometimes so precious, don’t let your friends’ lack of planning lead to a solo night. TheWhoot is an app for Android and iPhone that allows you to see what your friends are up to—whether it’s working, studying or hanging out at a bar. You can get as specific as you want with the details of your plan, but by narrowing down which friends are free to hang out you avoid any awkward and desperate mass texts, or deadend calls.
Grades 2 Though marks are just numbers, they hold power over our university careers, which is why we often like to know exactly where we stand. But calculating every updated mark can be a bit tricky, not to mention annoying. Grades 2 is an app for iPhone and iPod Touch that does the math for you. Not only can you personalize the calculations for each course to determine your current mark, the app will also tell you what you need to get on your next assignment in order to achieve your desired grade.
Play that funky music, Mustangs Brent Holmes Arts & Life Editor Londoners will have an opportunity to get ‘funky’ in the coming weeks. Comprised of Western students and alumni, After Funk will bring their distinctive sound to APK Live as they prepare to start recording their first full-length album. “[Funk music] is very rhythmic music and it always grooves and feels good—and for this reason, it is very danceable,” says Jamie Rosenberg, the band’s drummer. “I think we all enjoy funk music because it really is fun music that gets everyone going, whether they are a funk fan or not.” It’s been a busy year for After Funk—the band went on a small tour with Vancouver’s Five Alarm Funk and was well-received at their first show in Montreal. The Western-made band recently expanded their quartet, and are now working on their first full-length album, and follow-up to their EP titled Soul’d. “Our EP was recorded as a quar-
AroundMe If you’re a first-year or exchange student, chances are you don’t know London very well. Getting the lay of a new land can be pretty tricky, and while the Western campus provides many of the needed services, you may occasionally find yourself venturing into the greater London area. That’s when AroundMe—an app for iPhone, iPad and Android— can be useful, as it finds the nearest banks, bars, gas stations, coffee shops, restaurants, supermarkets and other venues that you may need. Venturing off Richmond Row may be a bit less daunting if you’ve got this app in hand.
Courtesy of Sophie Roginsky
most cases, less is more.” From here, After Funk will be working heavily on getting their new album recorded. Rosenberg promises a number of new songs, live recordings and new renditions of the band’s established tunes like “That’s the Way It Is.” The band hopes to start recording the album before the summer is over. “We would like to have it fin-
ished as soon as possible, but don’t want to rush it, so we won’t be setting a release date until the whole process is well underway and the end is in sight,” he concludes. After Funk will be playing APK Live on August 31 with Motion Grove and Gypsy Ghosts. Tickets will be available at the door for $5. Show starts at 9 p.m.
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VocabPlus Lite Any student in an essay course knows how tricky getting high marks can be. While there’s no app to produce a thesis statement, there is one to help expand your vocabulary, which may do the trick in bumping up the mark on your next written assignment. VocabPlus Lite for Android teaches 1,500 words using digital flash cards and game-like activities. When you’ve mastered a word, the app removes it from your regular drills, allowing you to focus on new information. With this new bank of words to draw from, you’ll end up not only impressing your essay marker, but also your friends.
tet, so I think with the addition of our horn section, and second guitarist, the sound will definitely be fuller,” Rosenberg says. Adding a permanent horn section was a long-desired goal for Rosenberg and the band. With both this added element, and a new guitarist, After Funk is adding more layers to their distinctive funk sound while experimenting with beats from multiple genres. Drawing from a wide range of influences, including funk, soul, jazz and rhythm and blues, After Funk’s sound is not constricted to a single genre. For Rosenberg, these influences require him to beat out a consistent rhythm, as funk music is much more rhythmic than other genres. “In order to create a really strong groove, it is very important to have the drums and bass locking in together to create a strong, driving pulse,” Rosenberg says. “I also think this is part of the reason that funk music is so great for dancing to. For me, this means laying down a rock solid groove and not necessarily deviating much from it—in
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BIZINC IS HOSTING our StartMeUp launch event on Tuesday, October 2nd in the Mustang Lounge, 5-7 pm. www.bizinc.ca VOLUNTEER FAIR 2012 will be running September 24-28 in the University Community Centre (UCC) between 9:30 am and 3:30 pm each day. MEMBERS OF MTV’S “The Buried Life” will be speaking Wednesday September 26 from 7pm - 9pm in Mustang Lounge. The 12$ ticket includes a free after party with members @ the Wave. Go to Western Connections, King’s Connection or online for tickets. CHARITY BALL 2012, Western’s largest formal event, February 2nd, 2013. Tickets on sale in late November.
WE ARE PLEASED to announced the USC’s two newest operations: MUSTANG CENTRAL and WESTERN CONNECTIONS, both formerly part of InfoSource and Reservations. Western Connections is located in the lower level of the UCC, next to InPrint will be offering: Greyhound Ticket Sales, Event Ticket Sales, LTC Ticket Sales, Locker Rentals, Purple Bike Rentals, Extracurricular Courses, Bus Pass Replacements, Internal Mail Pick-up, Space Rental Planning and Event Space Planning. Mustang Central will be located in the main level of the UCC, next to the Spoke and will be offering: General information about the USC, UCC, and Campus, Conference room bookings in the UCC, Student Health Plan Inquiries, Bus Pass Inquiries, Bus Pass Pick-up (after Sept. 7), Laptop Rentals, and Event Ticket Sales (Self-Serve). For more information, visit westernusc.ca.
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PUT YOUR SUDOKU SAVVY TO THE TEST! 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.
For solution, turn to page 3
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MyHomework is just one of many apps that recognize the importance of organization. As due dates and class times begin to blur together, you can get trapped in the mess of day-before projects and all-nighters. An app for iPhone and Android, myHomework uses automatic colour-coding and ranking systems to make sure you know when due dates are approaching, and tells you when to work on specific assignments. With the help of myHomework, a paper or test won’t be able to blind-side you ever again. —Kevin Hurren
The SPC Card™ entitles students to immediate and exclusive savings on fashion, dining, lifestyle and more. Partners offer students 10%-15% off every time they show their SPC Card! The SPC card. Only $9. Available at WesternConnections (formerly InfoSource) in the UCC lower level
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thegazette • Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Former ‘Stang hopes to become Raptor Cam Parkes Managing Editor From a field of nearly 200 women, nine were selected as finalists in the Toronto Raptors’ ‘Pick the Pack’ contest on July 14. Former Mustang Jamie Hoffeldt is one of them. Hoffeldt, a 23-year-old kinesiology and sports management graduate with a dance minor, spent two years with the Mustangs cheerleading squad, as well as two with the Dance Pack—one as captain, the other as coach. During her fifth year, while coaching, the Dance Pack was asked to represent the London
Men look to rebound Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor Classes may be a few weeks away, but the men’s basketball team has been hard at work preparing for the upcoming season. Unfortunately, the early season test against the University of South Alabama Jaguars didn’t go as planned. Coming off a loss against the Windsor Lancers the previous night, the Jaguars came out strong and defeated the Mustangs 68-47 on August 14 at Alumni Hall. Entering the game with only six practices under their belt, the Mustangs expected the NCAA Division I team to be a challenge. Nathan Di Loreto, Western’s leading scorer with 10 points in the game, explained they went into the game looking to outwork the opponent, but came up short with their offense. “Overall, we felt we played a solid game defensively, but offensively we shot the ball poorly and didn’t execute our plays as we should have,” he said. Despite the loss, Mustangs head coach Brad Campbell found some positives about the outcome. “These games are great because we can start early and evaluate individually where guys are in terms of conditioning, and skill improvement,” he said. “It also gives new players a chance to experience intense practice and game situations before courses have even started.” This season, with the departure of veteran point guard Ryan Barbeau, the Mustangs welcome a new class of prospects, including Niagara Falls native Jack Daneyko, who Campbell admits will have a strong impact on the team. “We are very excited about our new recruits. Jack Daneyko has the ability to score and create offense as a big guard.” After failing to make the playoffs last year, the Mustangs are looking to rebound this season. Veterans like Quinn Henderson, Adam Jespersen and Di Loreto hope to carry the team into the post-season. “Our goal for this season is to make the playoffs and focus on improving as a team daily so we can get as deep into the playoffs as possible,” Di Loreto said. The Mustangs won’t be tested again until a preseason game October 1 against Indiana’s Trine University. The Ontario University Athletics regular season starts on November 8 when Western plays the University of Ottawa.
Lightning basketball team. The team’s manager told the dancers about a contest to become a member of the Toronto Raptors’ dance pack. Hoffeldt said she didn’t seriously consider it at first. “It was actually a last minute decision to try out. I was away in Florida and got home the day before, and I was like you know what, I’m just going to go and try out.” And she was glad she did, as she was rewarded with a spot in the finals. Contestants now have until August 30 at noon to get as many people as possible to vote for them. The dancer with the most
votes wins the final spot with the Raptors. Hoffeldt has many supporters, including the Mustangs, Dance Pack and employees at the Wave, where she worked. And of course, Hoffeldt is thankful for the school itself, which gave her the opportunity to continue her passion. “Make sure you get involved in what you’re passionate about, because it allows you to find a place that you can call your home at Western,” she said. “Being such a big school, it’s really, really important.” Courtesy of Jamie Hoffeldt