When third-year health sciences student Olivia deGroot stood before her boyfriend Andrew on New Year’s Eve as he crouched down on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage in front of her family and friends, she felt special. These days, Olivia is special— not just because she received a romantic proposal, but because she accepted it. DeGroot and her fiancée are part of an ever decreasing demographic of young, student couples getting married. In 2008, Statistics Canada reported the average age for marriage grew from 22 to 29 among women, and from 24 to 31 among men between 1972 and 2008. This rarity, in addition to other misconceptions about student couples, is part of the reason some don’t understand the motivation behind the decision. “We were really nervous to tell our parents where our relationship was headed because it is really, really soon, but we both just knew right away that we wanted to be with each other,” says deGroot, who is planning her wedding for next summer. “Some of my mom’s co-workers have made comments, or there’s been the odd person, but I think people, like our friends and family, know how Andrew and I are together, and they see how happy we are.” Planning her wedding for later this year, fourth-year media, theory and production student Christine Clark mirrors deGroot’s attitude on criticisms. “There are some people who say ‘you don’t want to rush into anything,’ or ‘the wedding’s so quick,’ but we’ve been together so long,” says Clark, who has been dating her fiancée for five years. “We just want to live together and start a life, and that’s what marriage means to us.” While preparing for their special day, these young couples must face much more than just the odd comment. With the pressure of student loans, and the inability to work full-time, younger couples have the added stress of making the numbers work—a stress Amy McNall, a London wedding coordinator through her organization Unmistakably You, often addresses with younger couples. “The biggest concern, and the easiest one to pinpoint, is the financial thing,” McNall says. “So part of my role as a planner is to keep a really close eye on their budget, because I really believe starting a marriage with incredible amounts of debt can be one of the most stressful things—and then we add to the equation that a lot of students have student loans.” Advising young couples to make smart choices, McNall encourages her clients to put their money in places where it will have the most impact, as opposed to splurging. This kind of strategic planning is what bridesto-be like Clark have had to adopt.
“I’ve done all the wedding planning myself, and even though we do have the financial support of our parents, we’re not trying to have this big, grand wedding—we’re trying to keep the numbers down,” Clark explains. “Doing all that research to try and cut costs down wherever you can, you really can save a lot of money as long as you do the research for it.” For Jordyn Cowl, a third-year English and creative writing student, money has played a large part in not only her wedding planning, but also her decision to get married while young. “Part of it is definitely financial,” Cowl explains. “It makes more sense to live together now, get married and start sharing finances. Also, my fiancée and I have been saving since we got engaged, any extra cash goes toward our wedding fund, [and] I’ve learned a lot of DIY and budget tricks as well.” In planning the wedding, financial stressors can go far beyond what the couple can and can’t have. Because engaged students are often unable to front the cost of the wedding, parents of the bride and groom take on the bulk of the costly ceremony and celebration. The parents’ presence in this way, however, can complicate the couple’s plans. “I do have a lot of parent involvement when it’s with younger couples for sure, and often it’s from a purely financial standpoint,” McNall says. “They’re paying for some or all of the wedding, so they obviously feel they should have some input into it. That’s a balance as well, trying to give the bride and groom what they want, but keep the parents feeling like their opinions are valued.” This balancing act of dealing with parents’ concerns can be one of the most challenging aspects of starting a marriage while still in school, at least according to London psychologist and marital therapist Guy Grenier. “Sometimes, breaking away from parents is a particular issue, and >> see love pg.3
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Caught on Camera
Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE
WILD GOOSE CHASE. A male goose outside of Middlesex College protects his eggs from student intruders. Students should stay clear and leave birds alone during nesting season.
Crossword By Eugene Sheffer
Date set for Fontana prelim Alex Carmona News Editor
The hearing was scheduled at a quick Tuesday court session. Fontana continued his policy of not appearing personally during the proceedings—instead he was represented by a member of his legal team. “After all the evidence is in, both
sides will present arguments as to whether there is […] or isn’t […] enough evidence to warrant the case going to trial. If the ruling is that the evidence is insufficient, that will typically mean, in practical terms, the case is over. There is a special procedure whereby a case can still go to trial despite a negative outcome at the preliminary, but that procedure is rarely used,” Usprich explained. If the case does end up going to trial, it will not be heard until early 2014. Fontana was charged in November with fraud, breach of trust by a public official and uttering forged documents. The scandal began when a London Free Press investigation linked him to a $1,700 government cheque he allegedly spent to partially finance his son’s wedding reception at the Marconi Club in 2005. He was charged by the London Police Service shortly after the story broke. Fontana has repeatedly stressed he is innocent of all charges.
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After months of build-up and claims of innocence, London Mayor Joe Fontana’s fraud case is finally headed to court—but not for a trial. The courts have set October 28 and 29 for a preliminary hearing that will determine if the charges against Fontana are strong enough to warrant a trial. “The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to ascertain whether there’s a sufficient case to go to trial,” Sydney Usprich, a law professor at Western, said. “Accordingly, the focus is entirely on the evidence. The Crown will present some of its evidence to establish a sufficient case. The preliminary also provides an opportunity for the defence to get a better look at the Crown’s evidence and test it through cross-examination.” Usprich explained the process looks very similar to a trial—the Crown will call various witnesses and conduct a direct examination
of each. As the Crown finishes with each witness, the defence then has the opportunity to cross-examine each. After the Crown is finished presenting its evidence, the defence has the opportunity to call its own evidence, but usually does not do so.
The purpose of the preliminary hearing is to ascertain whether there’s a sufficient case to go to trial. —Sydney Usprich
A law professor at Western
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Purple Finale returns to UCC For the third year in a row, the University Students’ Council will be hosting their annual Purple Finale food and music festival as a way for Western students to chill out before exam season kicks in. According to Jeremy Santucci, vice-president communications for the USC, students will have the opportunity to relax while enjoying various performances in the Mustang Lounge, ranging from acoustic sets to poetry readings and indie performances. Some of the performers include The Darcys, The Walkervilles, Lazo and the Radikals. The USC will also be providing complimentary sushi, sliders and mocktails throughout the performances while quantities last. Purple Finale will start this Friday at 11:30 p.m. and run until 4:45 p.m. All performances are free to attend. —Jesica Hurst
The Cryptoquip is a substitution cipher in which one letter stands for another. If you think that X equals O, it will equal O throughout the puzzle. Single letters, short words and words using an apostrophe give you clues to locating vowels. Solution is by trial and error. © 2002 by Kings Features Syndicate, Inc.
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
April cold snap soon to be on its way Aaron Zaltzman News Editor
If April showers bring May flowers, there probably isn’t a whole lot to hope for from April’s awful weather. The first week of April has been disappointing for those hoping for an end to the cold, and while not a sign of the end of days, the weather has been on the low side for this time of year. Yesterday’s high of zero degrees Celsius was well below the historical average of 8.5 degrees Celsius for April 3, and as usual, the blame can be laid on Greenland.
[Last year’s weather] led to substantial damage and losses to the orchard industry. —James Voogt
Geography professor at Western
“It appears a stationary area of high pressure over Greenland has acted to influence the flow
over the latter part of March in particular,” James Voogt, a professor of urban climatology in Western’s faculty of geography, said. “This high pressure area can in effect ‘block’ weather patterns from more normal paths, with the result that some deviations in the regular flow patterns have been experienced in both eastern North America and Europe.” Voogt explained this pattern is part of a larger process known as Arctic Oscillation, which can affect weather patterns in North America. “For much of March, this oscillation has had a strongly negative index, and this is associated with colder than normal air in eastern North America and Europe,” Voogt said, adding there is hope on the horizon. “The forecast models show the AO index transitioning to positive values in the next few days, which bodes well for a return to more normal conditions.” Indeed, the next two weeks look a lot warmer, with highs reaching 11 degrees Celsius on Sunday, and staying there for the foreseeable future. There are some
Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE
concerns about what effects the persistent cold may have had on the region’s agriculture. However, Voogt explained there may not be as much of a problem due to the stable cold weather, as opposed
to the volatile highs and lows of 2012. “Last year, we had a major problem because it got very warm in March and then was very cold for a period in April,” Voogt
Mustang Express still better than cabs
Caught on Camera
Smoth soundin’ off Cam Smith News Editor
Bill Wang GAZETTE
ON CAMERA. CBC interviewed members of Western’s Muslim Students’ Association on campus yesterday regarding their thoughts on an Algerian gas plant terrorist attack. The attack, which occurred in January, involved two Londoners who practiced religious extremism and left 38 hostages dead.
Researchers barred from media Megan Devlin Gazette Staff
Canada’s information commissioner has launched an inquiry into the government’s policies surrounding release of scientific information to the media. The inquiry follows a complaint filed in the form of a report titled Muzzling Civil Servants: A Threat to Democracy? According to the report by the University of Victoria in conjunction with Canadian Democracy Watch, the government is suppressing taxpayer-funded research by restricting scientists from talking to journalists. “The Harper government is preventing journalists and the public from speaking with scientists in a very timely manner. That’s preventing journalists from taking very complex, difficult-to-readand-understand papers, which are published from simplifying those and making them digestible by the average Canadian,” Tyler Sommers, coordinator for
explained. “This led to substantial damage and losses to the orchard industry, for example. Because we haven’t yet had much warm weather yet, we may be in less danger this time around.”
Democracy Watch, said. He stressed this research is funded by taxpayer money, highlighting the importance of its accessibility. Sommers cited an example of a study published on salmon farms in British Columbia. The scientist behind the research expressed her frustration that she couldn’t speak to journalists to clarify her work, since in some articles it was being interpreted in a way other than she had intended. “[In the United States] you can call and speak to a NASA scientist in 15 minutes. But in Canada, when journalists call to speak to scientists who are involved in taxpayer-funded research, instead of just speaking to them on the phone, they either have to go to their supervisor, communications department or even the minister’s office in order to get approval for the conversation,” Sommers said. “And sometimes it’s so specific as to getting the very lines that they’re going to respond to the journalists approved.”
The information commissioner will investigate seven institutions, including the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Department of the Environment, Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Department of Natural Resources. “Government scientists and experts are readily available to share their research with the media and the public. Last year, Environment Canada participated in more than 1,300 media interviews, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada issued nearly 1,000 scientific publications, and Natural Resources Canada published nearly 500 studies,” Gary Goodyear, Minister of State for Science and Technology, said in a statement responding to the complaint. Sommers said the information commissioner and other watchdogs should be given more power to do their jobs, such as the ability to demand release of documents and the ability to find those who break the laws the watchdogs are meant to enforce.
The Mustang Express is a rather unique service provided by Western. It’s a late-night, weekend shuttle service for usually-inebriated students that want to get home from downtown safely—it certainly seems like a novel idea. Yet, The Gazette was recently contacted by a concerned student regarding the efficiency of this service, which he viewed as being harmful to the environment with a disproportionate number of buses running compared to its student riders. Not only that, but every Western student is charged $12.50 for the privilege of this service. So, is the Mustang Express worth it? To some, it is needless carbon expenditure. The concerned student spoke vehemently about the buses often running nearly empty of passengers, with two buses coming in a row for no reason. In their mind, the diesel fuel burned by these vehicles was the real issue, regardless of the student money spent on the Express. Yet, the usage numbers of the service tell a different story. According to the data collected by clicker-carrying security guards on the buses, 200 to 235 students take the Mustang Express each night it operates—not insignificant for a six-vehicle, late-night transportation service. Not only this, but of the students I spoke to regarding the Mustang Express, most seemed to be relatively pleased with it. While few took it regularly, the fact it was available
to them as a service was greatly appreciated. I have never had the opportunity to take the Mustang Express. Frankly, before I really researched it, I was inclined to agree with the concerned student about its superfluity, albeit, more in the vein of costing me a needless $12.50 annually. However, considering that for a year’s worth of weekend transportation I have to pay only slightly more than a single cab trip, I was forced to reconsider. While I might not need this service, many students do— hundreds nightly, if the numbers provided by the University Students’ Council are any indicator. As for the environment, these buses are undoubtedly burning carbon-rich fossil fuel. But then again, so is every cab on the road. There are only six of these buses and they only run for two-and-ahalf hours three nights out of the week. In this time, they are able to transport upwards of 600 Western students safely home, saving them cab fares, freezing temperature and the inevitable dangers of a city at night. While undoubtedly the carbon emissions of these vehicles aren’t good for the environment, I think the impact is incredibly small and undeniably justifiable. In essence, I think the Mustang Express is worth it. Some people will be able to find fault in any USC initiative, but when it comes down to what’s best for students a utilitarian approach needs to be adopted. In the case of the Mustang Express, while I personally don’t use it, the benefits become quite clear once the numbers are analyzed. Sure, there is some environmental impact, but realistically there are more extreme offenders to be addressed before the valuable Mustang Express service.
westerngazette.ca/news
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Style
saywhat? “On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock.”
—Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father.
Finding the perfect fit
>> Editors’ Picks > Statement accessories for your spring style
What: Statement necklace Where: H&M Price: $17.95
hm.com
Smoth soundin’ off
Statement necklaces are all the rage right now, and this one from H&M is the perfect pick if you’re just joining this trend. It’s simple, leaf-shaped pendants aren’t too overwhelming, but are still bold enough to dress up a jean-and-T-shirt-look. This short, beige necklace would work well with a bright, simple outfit. You can adjust the chain to make it longer with a lower-cut shirt, or shorter to wear with a blouse. The necklace comes at an affordable price, and can be worn into the summer and fall months.
What: D-ring belt for men Where: Urban Outfitters Price: $19
urbanoutfitters.com
D-ring belts are in, boys. Keeping it simple while still making a statement is the trendy way to go this spring. This d-ring from Urban Outfitters is only available online, but at a good price. Its neutral colour can tone down a bright-coloured shirt, or complement a casual outfit. Best of all, this Stussy woven belt is easily adjustable and easy to spot clean. Showcase this trend with dress pants, or out for dinner with a pair of jeans.
What: Travel tote Where: Gap Price: $105.99 Why not add a bright punch to your outfits the spring? This Gap travel tote comes in festive orange and botanical green—both guaranteed to make a statement. At just over $100, this solid-coloured bag will surely stand the test of time. It has a smooth, grained finish and is unlined and roomy. Carry your books in it, or take it to out with you when you meet a friend for coffee. It’ll give your casual or classy outfit that extra pop of colour with no effort. gapcanada.ca
Cam Smith News Editor
There is one aspect of fashion that is so imperative to your appearance that it transcends colour, fabric, season or gender—and that’s the fit of the garment. As we approach the summer months, clothing naturally becomes thinner, smaller and sometimes tighter. However, no matter how good you think you look, there is no excuse to paint on your pants or vacuum seal yourself into a shirt. This was made adamantly clear to me the other night at Prince Albert’s Diner downtown. Following a vigorous night of drinking, a pair of women came in clothed in extraordinarily tight, ill-fitting dresses. While undoubtedly meant to look appealing, they more closely resembled poorly stuffed sausages. Not that either woman was in particularly poor shape, but the fabric still managed to be stretched so tightly you could almost hear the seams whimper. Listen. It doesn’t matter how great your body is. There are incredibly few instances where skin-tight clothing is appropriate.
Muscle-bound men are another category of repeat offenders, with T-shirts that would likely fit more appropriately on a malnourished preteen. Show off at the gym if you must, but spare us the visual bragging elsewhere. Or join an ice-dance troupe if you’re really that interested in wearing spandex. Nothing is more flattering than something that fits appropriately. Just because you want to wear a size two or slip into a 32 waist doesn’t mean you’ll look better if you try. Humbly find a piece of clothing in a size that doesn’t require any contortions or exceptional strength to put on. No need to go baggy either. Droopy denim, saggy shirts, bulky button-downs and huge hoodies are just as unattractive as the hyper-ultra-absurd-lowrise skinny jeans you have to lube up your legs to get into. There is an old adage that ‘if it feels a bit too tight, it’s probably just right,’ which is to say clothing should fit your body snuggly, without excess fabric. Just remember to make sure you can move and bend comfortably, and it appropriately conforms to your body. Warm weather means less apparel. Just remember to not spray on your clothing, or alternatively try to wear a tent. No one finds it sexy. While it may take a bit longer to find an article of clothing that fits perfectly, it’s worth the effort a thousand times over.
Toronto Blue Jays fashion a hit Kaitlyn McGrath Associate Editor
The hottest colour this season is definitely blue. After an offseason filled with blockbuster trades and skyrocketing expectations, Toronto Blue Jays gear is becoming a much sought after fashion item. It was a moment of jubilation last year when it was announced the Blue Jays would be doing away with their black jerseys—the same one that caused legions of dedicated fans to roast under the Toronto sun just to support the team—and instead would be revitalizing their classic emblem. The retro look was a hit with fans and non-fans alike, with many choosing to proudly don the white and blue once again. There’s no question that the most popular item is the classic baseball hat. While the staple is the royal blue cap with the Blue Jay logo, there’s a bevy of other colours and styles available. One that is particularly becoming is a grayscale version, featuring a black logo against a grey fabric. While sticking with the classic blue might be the preferred choice for enjoying a game, the muted grey cap becomes a viable alternative for a casual night out. If you’re looking for a unique
look, the Jays batting practice cap has recently been released. While the cap is undoubtedly understated—only featuring a maple leaf against the blue fabric—the cap completely encapsulates the patriotic aura that surrounds the nation’s only MLB team. Last year, Victoria’s Secret PINK line released a Major League collection that incorporated the Blue Jays logo into their traditional loungewear. The line features everything from cozy sweaters to yoga clothes to sequined hats— all, of course, proudly displaying Blue Jay pride. One particular flashy item is the sequined racerback tank, which takes the standard logo and spices things up. The tank itself is light and can easily be worn with layers or on its own during those toasty afternoon games. Finally, no fan’s wardrobe is complete without an authentic jersey. The jerseys come in both blue and white and are available with a players’ name or without. While the jerseys come at a steep price, an affordable alternative is the fan-favourite shirsey—the shirt imitating a jersey. Whether it’s donning a hat or being decked out in authentic Blue Jays gear, supporting Canada’s team is undoubtedly in vogue this season.
Julian Uzielli GAZETTE
STAYING IN STYLE. Gazette editors show off their Blue Jays support Tuesday for the season home opener. Trendy indeed.
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Arts&Life
thespianthursday Marriage is the death of hope.
—Woody Allen, American screenwriter and actor.
Zorba brings both culture and character Diyin Deng Contributor This month, Musical Theatre Productions will bring London the musical Zorba the Greek. “[It’s] the same creative team behind Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret and Chicago,” says Nicholas Harrison, the Western student who will be starring as one of Zorba’s lead roles, Niko. “They all have a hand in Zorba, and so for something I haven’t heard of, I was suddenly very interested.” Zorba the Greek is based on the 1946 novel written by Greek writer and philosopher Nikos Kazantzakis. It recounts the story of Niko, a young American man who regains his zest for life in the land of Greece with the help of an older man named Zorba. The musical version is a mix of the novel and famous 1964 film adaptation. Kelsea Crowe, a voice student at Western, will be starring in the role of the widow in Zorba. “[Niko] inherited a mine in Crete from a family member, so he’s going
Courtesy of Vikki Christina Maria
to Crete, and Zorba sort of just tags along and forces Niko to take him with him after they just met in a bar,” Crowe says. It would be the start of a beautiful friendship between two very different personalities. “Zorba is just full of life, he spends the entire time just going around and having new experiences and doing whatever he can to
stay young at heart—whereas Niko, even at his young age, is already an old man. Niko looks up to Zorba in a lot of ways, like [he] wants to go out of his shell,” Harrison explains. As the two men travel together, they encounter many intriguing and colourful characters from all corners of life, such as the lively “leader,” played by Bronwyn Powell, and the hilarious and flirty Madame
Hortense, played by Alana Rapacz. When Crowe was developing the role of the widow, she enjoyed the attitude she was able to integrate. “She is very spunky and rebellious. She sticks up for herself to the men of her town and that’s not something that is exactly accepted among everybody,” Crowe says. “She’s got attitude and that’s what I like about her, but she also softens
up a bit so it gives me an opportunity to play a wider range, with more sides of her because she has a nice character arc.” For both Crowe and Harrison, Zorba the Greek proved to be as much of a cultural experience as a performing one. “I’ve never seen a show approached with so much academic intention,” Harrison says. “They really wanted you to get to know the story and talk through what stuff meant, and what the different ceremonies were. All the dances are very ingrained in the Greek culture, [which] was excellent.” “This cultural diversity and range of issues makes the show unique,” Crowe says. “It’s not a big showy, happy-all-the-time musical—stories don’t end happily for every character.” Zorba the Greek will be playing at the Palace Theatre from April 4 to 14. Tickets are $21 for students, $31.50 regular and $18 for children under 13. For showtimes, visit www. mtplondon.ca/zorba
Spring film breaks the rules A testament of love >> continued from pg.1
file photo
Brent Holmes Arts & Life Editor GGGGH Spring Breakers Director: Harmony Korine Starring: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine Harmony Korine, known for his bizarre and often uncomfortable films, like Julien Donkey-Boy, Gummo and Trash Humpers, offers what may be his most accessible film in Spring Breakers—a film that pretends to be hollow and meaningless as a way to offer biting political and social critique of the current generation’s party lifestyle. Spring Breakers doesn’t have a plot in a conventional sense—the story follows a group of girls who steal money for their spring break vacation and later become involved in a dark underworld of drugs and sex through a rapper/drug dealer named Alien ( James Franco). However, the film’s sequences are arranged like poetry with repeated dialogue and recurring images. The film is magnificently shot
and edited, switching between high quality image and YouTubestyle videos. Cinematographer Benoît Debie captures the contrast between a luminescent party world and a bleak, industrialized world with incredible skill, despite using a little too much lense flare during night scenes. Spring Breakers is a film that‘s incredibly conscious of its leading ladies real-world star power. Starring former Disney Channel and High School Musical stars Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens, Korine creates a stark real life contrast to the idealized environments of the actors’ previous works. What the film points toward is the ultimate emptiness within the Generation Y mentality. When Alien professes his love for the girls singing a cover of Britney Spears, the action reveals a dark reality in which these characters’ only way to connect to each other and the world is found within a trashy pop song. These characters are devoid of moral or emotional consciousness—the girls run around in masks and bikinis performing excessive acts of violence and sexuality, like
Alex and his ‘droogs’ in A Clockwork Orange. Korine offers witty political commentary to complement the social commentary with Alien showing off his house full of guns and other assault weapons bragging, “Check out all this shit. It’s the American Dream.” It could be said the performances are lacklustre. Gomez has the most notable character as Faith—a college girl whose devotion to her friends and her religious ideals put her in a conflicted position when Alien’s darker side is revealed. The rest of the girls are not as fleshed out as individual characters, but that does seem to be the point. Every so often a film comes along that offers a thought-provoking look at modern society—Jason Reitman’s critique of anti-relationship capitalism in Up in the Air or Derek Cianfrance’s exploration of modern romantic relationships in Blue Valentine provide a couple recent examples. Korine’s Spring Breakers is undoubtedly one of these films, and while it may not be as noticed by the general public, it needs to be.
how the new couple learns to assert themselves,” says Grenier, who identifies independence as something younger couples have to face sooner rather than later. “How do they start standing up and demonstrating they’re taking on and engaging in the adult world, and what do they need to do to make sure they’re seen as adults, not just large children within the family unit? Sometimes that’s a challenge.” A young couple Grenier worked with was always anxious about visiting the parents’ house for dinner. “Very often the dinner would turn into the parents criticizing whatever choices they were making, or how they were spending their money, or what they were doing with their careers,” he recalls. To help the couple move forward, Grenier advises they assert themselves, insisting that, as adults, they need to make their own decisions—a move that would yield positive responses. “They came back in a couple of weeks just completely empowered, and I could imagine that it was a bit of a relief to the parents.” Achieving independence, however, is sometimes difficult to achieve when trying to balance wedding planning with the demands of an assignment saturated university schedule. Cowl, whose wedding is next month, expands on this difficultly. “It’s been insane—it’s been so much work. I have a job on campus and with classes it’s a lot of work to balance it. I love planning the wedding, but it can get really crazy and right now, with all the assignments, it can get really hectic.” As a way of dealing with the pressures of coordinating and
planning the wedding, Cowl has adopted a new organizational ethic. “Just be very organized. Keep lists, make a day planner of timelines and things you need to do so you can balance school and wedding stuff,” says Cowl, who also attempts to avoid getting overwhelmed by wedding thoughts. “I try to take days—so today I’m going to work only on schoolwork and tomorrow I’ll work only on wedding stuff. You don’t want to fail school just because you’re planning a wedding.” This kind of compartmentalizing is also what McNall recommends for her clients who may feel the same creeping anxieties as Cowl. “I always advise them to spend time with each other and not talk about the wedding. So many couples get so focused on the planning and that’s all they ever talk about—they forget why they’re actually getting married.” Remembering that initial spark, passion and love is at the root of taking on problems facing student couples—the critiques of strangers, the financial problems, the overbearing parents and the balancing of school. It’s that love that allows deGroot, Clark and Cowl to feel ready for marriage at this age. When discussing the insecurities of young couples compared to their older counterparts, Grenier demystifies the stigmas and taboos of early marriage. “I don’t doubt [stigmas] exists for some people, and if somebody feels that these [stigmas exist] they’re probably making the wrong choice,” Grenier says. “But for other people, getting married early, having children early—that’s exactly what they want to do. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all-style of marriage.”
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Opinions From the desk of the managing editor
Grocery store nice place to check out When the hell did Western get a grocery store? Alright, admittedly I was aware of the existence of such a place, but never realized how useful it was until this week. And doing so has changed my life—for the better. I don’t have any statistics at my fingertips, but I’d say this store is being under-utilized. I say this because every person should be shopping there, and that’s almost certainly not the case. “Propaganda!” some of you may decree. “You’re a creature of the university, giving the grocery store free advertising!” False. On a normal day, I’ll purchase at least one meal on campus. Typically this is lunch, and it costs me around $10. I bought lunch at the grocery store yesterday, and it was less than half that cost. When the store first opened, I remember walking around and looking at the items you could buy, and there weren’t many. I’m fairly certain I thought something along the lines of ‘This must just be for health nuts!’ This week, though, that all changed. The grocery store, although in a compact space in the basement of the University Community Centre, has everything. Healthy drinks and snacks, as well as not-so-healthy. I bought a bunch of Easter chocolate on Monday so we could hold an egg-hunt in the office. Chocolate milk, my favourite drink of all time, is dirt-cheap there. You can get fresh fruit and meat in abundance for almost no cost. And here’s the real kicker for me—just yesterday, after buying more chocolate, I learned that the grocery store delivers. You can place an order online, and presumably one of the ever-friendly workers will show up at your door with your goods. Why was I not aware of this? I work for 13 hours a day in an office two floors above this place. If I have my way, I’ll never have to leave my desk to get food again. Again, I repeat—this isn’t just some advertisement for the grocery store—although it may appear that way—it’s just one guy’s opinion that everyone should use this store. Fresh, good and cheap food, alternative drinks to coffee and even chocolate and other candy if that’s what you’re feeling. Oh, and did I mention they serve ice cream, too? —Cam Parkes
thegazette
Volume 106, Issue 95 www.westerngazette.ca
Gloria Dickie Editor-In-Chief Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor Cam Parkes Managing Editor
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Throughout my life I have strenuously opposed discrimination of any kind, including discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans.
—Bill Clinton, former American president
Bigotry not limited to stereotypes No Liwei
Liwei Zhou Illustrations Editor With the current debates surrounding the Defense of Marriage Act in the States and legions of red equal signs on Facebook profiles, let’s take a moment to remind ourselves about some common pitfalls in supporting a cause. Whenever the theme of prejudice comes up, it’s hard not to construct the image of “the bigot” in our heads. The “homophobe” calls up an image of a middle-aged white dude talking about how much he hates gays. It makes it easy for us to distance ourselves and set up these two groups of people—the ones in ignorance, and us, the enlightened informed. That’s a dangerous way to think. You ever hear of the saying “I can’t be racist, my best friend is black”? Or, in this context,
“I can’t be homophobic, my best friend is gay”? Let’s take the example of a “gay best friend.” How many girls want a gay best friend? Maybe you want, or have had, a gay best friend. But media depictions of gay people are sensationalized and stereotyped. I have friends who are gay—and other shades of queer—and although some of them are certainly flamboyant and into fashion, many are not. I’m sure if a girl makes a gay friend and he doesn’t turn out to be as flamboyant as she thought, she wouldn’t immediately drop him like a defective product. But imagine a white person, “Do you want to be my black best friend?” It’s not mean, it’s just kind of weird. There’s more to making a friend than just gender, or race or sexual orientation. Isn’t wanting an “x best friend” just another kind of judging a person before you’ve had a chance to know them? Mind you, it’s not a person’s fault for wanting a gay best friend. It can come from the genuine good will of reaching out to somebody, and it definitely comes from gay representation in the media
she’s exposed to. But imagine being a gay guy who feels like he’s only wanted because of his orientation and nothing else. I’m not on a witch hunt for people with gay best friends here, but when it comes to prejudice, because we’re inundated with media that have very limited portrayals of certain types of people, good intentions still mean you sometimes hurt the people you’re trying to support. There’s a fun song by Avenue Q called “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist.” Similarly, everyone is a little bit homophobic, too. With the messages and images we’re met with every day in media and in culture, there’s no escape from forming inaccurate pictures of marginalized demographics—whether race, sexuality, gender or anything else. What’s important is that we first acknowledge it, and then work against it. Make connections with gay and queer communities without any assumptions about what kind of people you’ll find there. Read about common ally mistakes. Don’t be one of those “I’m not racist, but…” people.
Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometry. The same goes with faith—skepticism allows us to advance our understanding of the supernatural, not abandon it because new information contradicts it. —Spencer Sandor MPA I
debating. Given more words I could refute every one of your points. There is no grey area here. Paper submissions need to end in the software engineering department. —Matthew Meinen Software Engineering III
Letters to the Editor
Skepticism present in religion too To the Editor: Re: Evolution a better alternative, April 3, 2013 Mr. Rodrigues states many major religions “disagree with creationism and reconcile their faith with evolution” then goes on to argue “one of the great aspects of science—unlike most faiths—is that it embraces skepticism” and this is how advancements are made in our understanding of the world. I would suggest skepticism is present and encouraged as an important part of most faiths—if it were not, then major religions would not reconcile their faith with scientific theories, such as evolution. Religious skepticism does not mean casting belief in the divine asunder because a previous understanding of God no longer fits with scientific reality. Skepticism allows many of us with faith to understand that it is not important whether or not God created the universe in its present form—it is simply enough that God created the universe. Faith-based teaching encourages followers to adopt a deeper understanding of the universe around us, be it one or more gods, karma, Zen or Euclidean geometry. When Einstein’s theory of relativity showed Euclidean geometry does not work within actual space-time—thanks a lot, gravity—science did not abandon their faith in Euclidean theorems—we still learn these in school. Instead, skepticism served as a tool to expand our knowledge to include both
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.
Paper needs to be cut from assignments To the Editor: Re: A Digital Dilemma, April 3, 2013 Tuesday’s editorial board article, titled “A Digital Dilemma,” was of the opinion hard copies of assignments should be handed in. This article makes several false assumptions. The first is this petition was for the entire faculty of engineering, while it was actually only for the software engineering department within the faculty of engineering. What is being decried is handing in—for the fourth-year design project at least—over 100 pages of documentation and code. Another fallacy you raised is that we hand assignments in during class. In reality, we hand in our assignments to submission lockers—there is no interaction with professors. Furthermore, the argument that the environmental impact would be minimal is plain wrong—every little bit counts. If it means saving hundreds of pages of paper and dozens of ink cartridges, it is a victory. One person can make a small impact, but if everyone participates the impact is far reaching. We need to encourage these small changes because they lead to the big ones we need. This is a topic that hardly needs
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Gazette Staff 2012-2013
Iain Boekhoff, Danielle Bozinoff, Jaclyn Carbone, Mary Ann Ciosk, David Czosniak, Megan Devlin, Jonathan Dunn, Andrew Evans, Chelsey Gauthier, Ross Hamilton, Danny Huang, Amanda Law, Logan Ly, Jared MacAdam, Sarah Mai Chitty, Sarah Manning, Bradley Metlin, Kaitlyn Oh, John Petrella, Sarah Prince, Chen Rao, Herb Richardson, Nathan Robbins-Kanter, Lily Robinson, Jeremiah Rodriguez, Katie Roseman, Jasleen Sembhi, Nathan TeBokkel, Jacqueline Ting, Bill Wang, Caroline Wang, Kate Wilkinson, Zoe Woods, Kartikeya Vishal, Usman Zahid, Mason Zimmer
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
Correction
In the article “Gripes fly over TEDx selection” published April 2, 2013, co-chair Oscar LinaresLeon of TEDxWesternU stated the 2011 TEDxUWO event “didn’t really count because it didn’t fulfill any or most of the [TED] requirements.” This statement proved to be false and has been retracted. TEDxUWO was a fully licensed TED event and fulfilled all requirements. Additionally, in order to increase attendee limits, an organizer must have attended a TED conference in person, and such an increase is not based on the success of previous conferences.
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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 • Thursday, April 4, 2013
Who can compete with the Miami Heat?
Jason Sinukoff Sports Editor It’s well known the Miami Heat is the favourite to repeat as NBA champions and take home the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy. Its athleticism is unprecedented, and Lebron James has the ability to control the tempo of a game like no other basketball player on earth. That being said, I want to take a look at the teams in the Eastern and Western conferences that even have a chance at taking down the defending champs. As far as the Eastern conference goes, there are three teams I see having the slightest of chances against “King James” and his crew. These teams are the Boston Celtics, the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Although the Celtics aren’t nearly as deep of a team as the others
Women’s volleyball gets new head coach
Former Mustangs defensive tackle makes Miami Dolphins Former Mustangs football player Vaughn Martin has signed with the NFL Miami Dolphins. Martin played with the Mustangs for two seasons before making history by being the first Canadian Interuniversity Sport underclassman to be selected in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Jamaican-born defensive player was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round, and has played there for four seasons prior to this Dolphins free agent contract.
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SHORT TERM ACCOMODATION 1 to 3 rooms available until August 2013. Modern, spacious, very clean house. 5 appliances, parking, bus, shopping nearby. Call Cathy 519-657-7000 or 519-657-6911.
ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY Society presents Green Ball - Friday, April 12 starting at 9 pm at the Wave Restaurant and Bar, 2nd Floor, UCC. Ticket price $10. Ticket sales every Wednesday (Apr 3 & 10) in front of Taylor Library, 11 am to 1 pm. Semi-formal, 19+ event. Proceeds go to rare Charitable Research Reserve.
WANTED **5 BDRMS, DIFFERENT styles, all steps to campus. Modern building with huge kitchens, tons of cupboards and counter space, centre island with barstools. Spacious bedrooms and huge closets. Call Sam anytime at 519-495-7661. 1 & 2 PERSON apartments on Western Road. Seeking quiet, non-smoking, serious students with no pets. 8-month contract possible. $400-$700 per person includes utilities, coinless-washer/dryer, free parking and 24/7-management. 519-673-1843.
5 BEDROOM BROUGHDALE behind Med/Syd front Gates. Modern, open-concept, kitchen island/barstools, side-by-side stainless steel fridge. Large rooms (no basement room), 50” flat-screen, fireplace, dishwasher, lots of parking. $450/room. 416-835-5293, enmars@hotmail.com.
LOVING COUPLE WHO has struggled with infertility for a long time, is in need of an angel of African descent to donate some of her eggs so that we can become a family. Serious inquiries...Please email: val@soft-infertility.com.
VOLUNTEERS WANTED ONTARIAN CANNABIS USERS for harm reduction research needed. You have the chance to take part in our lottery. For further information and to participate in the study, visit www.camh.ca/cannabis-study
TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED 1. Never respond to emails that request personal financial information. Reputable companies don't ask for passwords or account details in an email. 2. Visit banks' websites by typing the URL into the address bar. Phishers use links within emails to direct victims to a fake site. If you suspect an email is bogus, do not follow any embedded links within it. 3. Keep a regular check on your accounts Regularly log into your online accounts, and check your statements.
2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS available. Hardwood floors, large common area, and newly renovated kitchen. Right on the #2 Dundas route; closest 2 bedroom to the heart of campus. Contact Sam today 519-495-7661.
5 BEDROOM HOUSES and townhouses on all sides of campus. Free parking, free maintenance and fulltime property management. Units are rented on a first come first serve basis. Call Yan at 519-495-5363.
3 BEDROOM HOUSE. 602 Middlewoods Cres. Hardwood floors, 2 full bathrooms, 6 appliances, A/C, free parking, and more. Near UWO, mall, bus stops. $425 inclusive, flexible leases. Sama 519-5207510, srahimia@uwo.ca. 3 BEDROOM MODERN townhouses close to Masonville area. Close walk to campus and steps to major bus route. Spacious bedrooms and close to all amenities. Contact Yan to book a viewing: yanl@londonproperty.ca.
Mustangs women’s hockey recruits Two new recruits have been announced for the 2013–14 Mustangs women’s hockey team— Jessica Sorenson and Megan Taylor. Jessica Sorenson, a power forward, played three seasons with the Syracuse Orange of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division One. Megan Taylor, a left winger with a wicked shot, totalled 14 points in 30 games in the Junior Women’s Hockey League, earning her position as a JWHL all-star. Academically, she proves just as exceptional, with pre-acceptance into the competitive Richard Ivey School of Business.
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To place your classifed ad, please contact us at 519-661-3579 or adoffice@uwo.ca
Sports Briefs
Melissa Bartlett was announced as the new head coach for the Mustangs women’s volleyball program, replacing retired head coach David Edwards. Bartlett comes from a family of Western alumni. Randy Bartlett, her father, was captain of the men’s volleyball team in 1979—a team that won the Ontario University Athletics championships. Bartlett has always been an impressive athlete at both the national and international levels, having excelled on Canadian, American and Spanish teams. Similarly, her coaching career has been equally impressive as head coach of the Team Ontario Under18 women’s program.
series. Looking at the Western conference, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Oklahoma City Thunder have the best chances to defeat the Heat. I know I left out the San Antonio Spurs, but that’s because I feel their age stops them from being able to cope with Miami’s athleticism. Heck, they lost to the Heat when they weren’t even starting James or Wade. The Clippers boast a very skilled lineup that can really give the Heat a run for their money. Chris Paul is the best point guard in the NBA and always presents an immediate threat. Additionally, the Clippers have split the season series with the Heat 2–2. And the team that I think can compete with the Heat’s scoring ability, talent and pure athleticism is the Thunder. The Thunder’s big three of Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka can actually stand up to the big three in Miami. The two met in the finals last year and I believe that they are a far better match-up to the Heat than their 1–4 record in the NBA finals last year will have people believe.
3 BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE 1/2 rent over summer. $1200/month including utilities. Wharncliffe/Oxford. 5 appliances, very quiet, 150ft from bus stop. Many updates. Ted 519-697-5746, Ken 877-582-9004.
3-6 BDRM HOUSES and town homes for rent. Large, modern units, and close to campus. Everything you could ask for, with 5 appliances, free parking, spacious bedrooms/common rooms and full-time maintenance. Call Sam at 519-495-7661, samm@londonproperty.ca 4 BDRM NEW Red Brick townhouses, apartments and single homes for rent. Features 5 appliances, huge rooms and closets, open concept kitchen/living room, and free parking. Located in great student areas. Call Yan: 519-495-5363.
6 BDRM. #1 student rentals. Newly built red bricks in all the best locations! Includes 5 appliances, huge, spacious rooms with massive closets. Parking and 24 hour property management included. These ones always go fast so call soon. Call Sam 519-495-7661, samm@londonproperty.ca
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 2
6 BDRM. **#1 student rentals** Newly built red bricks in all the best locations. 5 appliances included. Huge, spacious rooms with massive closets, and parking included. Call Yan anytime at 519-495-5363. 6 BEDROOM BROUGHDALE behind Med/Syd front Gates. Modern, open-concept, kitchen island/barstools, side-by-side stainless steel fridge. Large rooms (no basement room), 50” flat-screen, fireplace, dishwasher, lots of parking. $385/room. 416-835-5293, enmars@hotmail.com. 63 WOODWARD AVE. $425 utilities incl. Two storey, 4+ bedroom, two bathroom, red brick house located minutes from central bus routes to Western, 7 min. from Western campus. Hardwood throughout. Dishwasher and free laundry. Lots of parking, nice fenced-in yard. Must come & check it out! Two bedrooms left to fill. Contact local landlord Mindy @ 519-777-3508.
GOOD VALUE & MANAGEMENT3 to 4 bedroom houses available. Very clean and modern. 5 appliances, spacious rooms, close to shopping, bus, parking, restaurants and fitness centre. $425.00 per student. 519-657-7000 or 519-657-6911. OXFORD & RICHMOND 1 bdrm basement apartment in 5 unit house, electric/heat/water, washer/dryer on premises, free parking. Avail May 1. $675.00. Bruce 416-806-7456, rockfordj2000-spaceman@yahoo.ca OXFORD & RICHMOND 2 bdrm apartment 2nd floor house, hardwood floors, spacious living rm, balcony, 9ft ceilings, heat/water, dishwasher, washer/dryer on premises, free parking. Avail May 1. $950.00. Bruce 416-806-7456, rockfordj2000-spaceman@yahoo.ca
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The Sin Bin
on the list, the aging boys from Beantown always seem to give the Heat a hard time—boasting a record of 1–2 against Miami. Although this is a losing record, only one of these games resulted in a Miami blowout, while the other two were two-point games. Even taking one game off of the Heat in the season series is an impressive accomplishment. The Knicks, led by Carmelo Anthony, actually have a 3–1 record against the Heat. However, in each of those games, Anthony played out of his mind to lift his team to victory. If New York ends up facing off against the Heat in the playoffs, Anthony will have to take control of each game if his team has any chance of surviving. Lastly, the team that I actually think has the only real shot at dethroning the Heat in the East is the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers boast an incredibly deep squad along with a 2–1 record against the Heat. The Heat know how good they are, so if Roy Hibbert, Paul George, David West and George Hill can contain James and Dwayne Wade, they should be able to surprise the Heat and make it a very tough
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thegazette • Thursday, April 4, 2013
tweet of the week Proud of the teams great comeback win last nite.thx for the wishes...ill be back!#2013WWHC
>> Hayley Wickenheiser (@Wick_22) on team Canada’s comeback win against team USA.
Rundown >> Canadian Interuniversity Athletics has announced that the University of Windsor will play host to the 2014 women’s basketball championships scheduled for March 14–16 > The Windsor Lancers also played host to this same tournament in 2011, where they won their school’s first Bronze Baby.