w w w .w e sterngazette.c a • @uw ogazette
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Volume 106, Issue 58
Western researchers discover ALS mutation Iain Boekhofff Gazette Staff Researchers at Western University have discovered a new genetic mutation for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, generating new hope for treatment of the deadly disease. Michael Strong, dean of the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry and scientist with Western’s Robarts Research Institute, was the leader of a team of researchers who discovered mutations within a specific gene are present in virtually all cases of ALS. When the researchers looked at both familial and sporadic forms of the disease, they found abnormal inclusions of the protein that arises from this gene. ALS, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive and fatal disease that affects the motor neurons connecting the brain to the muscles throughout the body. ALS symptoms include muscle weakness in the arms and legs, slurred speech, twitching and cramping of the muscles and eventually paralysis. According to the Robarts Research website, approximately 80 per cent of patients die within two to five years of diagnosis, and between 1,500 to 2,000 people in Canada have ALS.
“We’ve been working for quite a period of time in trying to understand the basis of Lou Gehrig’s disease,” Strong said. “When we look under a microscope at the cells that are involved, in a number of cells we see these accumulations of proteins that shouldn’t be there. They can look like rock-or snake-like structures within the cell, but they shouldn’t be there.” “They’re normal under most circumstances but aggregating is not a good thing. And it turns out one of these rocks is due to an alteration in what we call a stability messenger RNA.” According to Strong, RNA is the link between genes and the proteins those genes produce. He also explained every gene will make thousands of RNA and every RNA will make thousands of proteins. “What we found was that the RNA for one of the components of the proteins that we were seeing deposited in the cells was unstable and was less than what you would expect to see in that cell,” he said. “We showed that this protein, RGNAF, actually interacted with the RNA that we were interested in. It only interacted in the ALS cases and when it did so it destabilized.” “We then went on to show that if we looked across a range of ALS
file photo
cases, virtually every ALS case we looked in we could find that this new protein was deposited within the cells where it shouldn’t be,” he continued. Strong explained the next step was to examine how these proteins worked. He also noted this experiment was one of a kind and is not something that would be taught in
science classes. “This was an experiment you’d have to be nuts to do because most genetic studies the way that they are done nowadays is that massive groups get together they contribute thousands of DNA samples and you go looking,” Strong said. “This wasn’t that. We found the protein first, we showed that it
was abnormal, we showed that it was in the ALS cases and we looked in those cases where we found the protein being deposited and asked, ‘can we find a genetic abnormality?’” Further research based on this discovery could lead to new targeted therapies to help treat Lou Gehrig’s disease.
U of T club invites students to “sexy social” Alex Carmona News Editor
University students looking for some erotic excitement may want to consider heading to Toronto next Monday for the University of Toronto Sexual Education Centre’s upcoming ‘Sexy Social’. The event, aimed to kick off SEC’s annual Sexual Awareness Week, will be hosted at the Oasis Aqua Lounge, a water-themed sex club where only the hot tub and pool are off
limits for those looking to get down and dirty. Some corners of the Internet are billing the event as an orgy, decrying it as perverse or risky. However, Kayla Wright, executive director for the SEC, stressed the event will be more of a sex-positive social gathering, rather than a straight-up sex scene. “Basically, it’s a social that just so happens to take place at a sex club. We felt that it gives people the option, if they want, to go have sex
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in a clean, safe, positive environment,” she said. “Or to just hang out and meet people and hang out in a hot tub, which is totally why I’m going to be there.” The club typically has fairly stringent entrance policies, only allowing single men in one night a week and charging a whopping $80 per couple for regular entry. On Monday, however, the SEC will be taking over the entirety of the space and opening it up to any and
all Canadian university students aged 19+ for just five dollars. Wright said the group has been flooded with positive feedback, lauding them for their progressive stance on sex education. “To whoever is planning this week: I just want to send a virtual props your way. Hosting an event at a sex club is probably the best idea I have ever heard from campus group doing work around sexuality,” one member of the SEC Facebook group wrote. “But
it’s wonderful and clearly a lot of people appreciate that you’ve made this investment in promoting sexual awareness and also non-normative sexuality. It’s really a beautiful thing to see, especially from a campus like U of T.” Others, however, are more skeptical about the appropriateness of the event. One commenter raised concerns about the possibility of rape and STI transmission at the >> see Social pg.3
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Caught on Camera
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Crossword By Eugene Sheffer
Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE
Student Harvest Special
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PRETTY WOMEN. The Women’s Issues Network had a booth set up in the atrium yesterday to promote WIN Week. They were holding sign-ups for a chest casting contest, and were selling compacts with positive messages about body image written inside.
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Western’s coordinator of Chaplains’ Services has come out against the proposed relocation of The Gazette office and multi-faith space. “I have been involved with the University Students Council regarding the design of the space before even the referendum. This is the first executive that I’ve dealt with that makes decisions regarding a multi-faith space without even consulting me,” Michael R. Wagenman, coordinator of Chaplains’ Services, said. He explained the main complaints he had heard regarding the current multi-faith space involved the room being locked, as well as students studying in the space and not being used for prayer. Wagenman explained he was in touch with hundreds of students. “We’re talking about a significant student population that doesn’t relegate their faith to the margins of their calendar,” Wagenman said. When asked if he thought such students would be in favour of moving, Wagenman responded, “I’m going to say no for two reasons. First is the noise. The second issue—I hear a lot of students of faith who say the university and the USC are trying to marginalize people of faith.” “The topics of moving the multi-faith room to the back corner of this building is terrible if you want to constructively address that criticism and concern. You’re putting them in the back corner,” he continued. “I would be very much against this move,” he concluded. —Gloria Dickie
Send us your feedback. westerngazette.ca /contact
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.
START PLANNING YOUR SUPERBOWL PARTY Check out food coupons in the Westernizer!
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Survey to study campus health Sex-positive social NCHA introduced to Western for first time Aaron Zaltzman News Editor
A new survey is being introduced to Western students that could serve as the cornerstone for any future changes to the University’s health program. The National College Health Assessment, which Western will participate in for the first time, will assess health-related behaviours, risks and perceptions among university and college students. “In order to figure out how to plan programs or offer services, we really need to know what the needs are,” Nicole Versaevel, health promotion manager for Western health services, said. “We’re doing this almost as a needs assessment to see what the issues are and then how we can use that information to serve our students better.” The survey, which starts Monday, will be sent to 6,000 random Western students, and will assess drug use, sexual health, nutrition, exercise, mental health, personal safety and violence. Versaevel said she expects the results will influence which services and programs are implemented or
changed in the future. “I think the most important reason for students to do this is to get their voice out there, so we’re trying to engage our students to understand the health priorities,” she explained. “This information can inform conclusions such as why we need certain programs and services on campus.”
In order to figure out how to plan programs or offer services, we really need to know what the needs are. —Nicole Versaevel
Health promotion manager for Western health services
The survey will also examine student perceptions on healthy behaviours, and how they match or differ from the reality. “It’s enabling us to have the information to look at how people are perceiving things, as well as if that perception is accurate or not,
and how we can fix that is it isn’t,” Versaevel said. She also said it was important to ensure students understand what “health” really means, as many, in her opinion, do not. “We typically think of health as merely the absence of disease, when, in actuality, it encompasses one’s physical and mental health, social life, environmental conditions, as well as health behaviours,” Versaevel said. “I think we need to define health broadly and use that information. In a lot of ways, this tool is being looked at as the gold standard for assessing student health.” However, Versaevel said the survey results would not just be for the benefit of student health services. “We’ve got people from […] all across campus that we’ll be sharing this information with, as well as sharing it with students, asking them for their ideas,” Versaevel said. “We would even like students here to use it as part of their thesis work.” “It’s really a tool to get a lot of conversation going and bring health and wellness to the forefront on campus.”
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event. “Arguing this event as a safe forum to experiment sexually is bull. People experiment safely without needing an organized event like this in order to do so,” the commenter wrote. “With students, it is natural to expect that there will be alcohol or substance abuse linked to this party [...] which so often leads people to do things they regret, don’t remember, or weren’t completely lucid. Bad combo when it comes to sex.” Wright argued these comments overlook the high level of importance the SEC is placing on participant safety. “We’re going to be bringing in a ton of safer sex supplies and
encourage by scattering them throughout the upper floors. As with all situations, we cant force people to use them but we would like people to make the best informed decisions that they can,” Wright said. “We also have security employed at the venue in case something does go wrong and someone maybe gets a little belligerent or too drunk we can ask them to leave the premises.” Wright also noted fears of a preponderance of single men overwhelming the event proved unfounded at last year’s Sexy Social. “Last year, when we had the event, it was almost an even split, not to exclude the trans people who were there. But it was close to 50-50, possibly even tilted a little toward female identified people.”
International Study: Understanding Media Usage of Students for Studying and Learning Please help Student Services at Western understand students’ use of media in studying and learning. The online survey asks questions about issues such as: • “Traditional” vs “new” media • Use of off-campus vs on-campus services • Increasing or decreasing usage of various media • Acceptance and satisfaction of media use To participate in this survey, please go to: www.unipark.de/uc/wu_students Thank you for your support!
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Arts&Life
thespianthursday No legacy is so rich as honesty.
—William Shakespeare.
Sahaja yoga meditates on mental silence Sumedha Arya Arts & Life Editor
This Saturday morning, practicing members of sahaja yoga are launching a five-week meditation program at the Downtown Yoga Holistic Centre. The program, which requires prior registration but is free of charge, will be held weekly on Saturday mornings until February 16. While free classes of sahaja yoga have been offered Canada-wide since 1978 and within Ontario since 1982, this is the first time sahaja yoga is being offered in London. The implementation of this program locally is primarily due to London resident Glenda Patterson.
It helped me stay balanced, and I was able to absorb information that was important much faster. It kept me calm. —Mohit Verma
Founder of Sahaja Yoga Meditation Club at the University of Waterloo.
Patterson, who first learned about meditation 12 years ago, became interested in sahaja yoga upon finding an online sahaja yoga meditation course. “[Sahaja yoga] made perfect sense to me in an imperfect world,” says Patterson of her developing interest. After completing the course and reading more about this yoga,
Patterson contacted members of sahaja yoga to learn how to earn qualifications to teach meditation. When sahaja yoga members learned Patterson couldn’t go to Kitchener-Waterloo to attend sahaja meditation meetings, the group decided to host a course in London. “I guess I became their motivation to have a course here,” Patterson muses. Andrew Tyas, who will be giving an introduction to the course this Saturday and playing the Indian flute during the meditation session, agrees Patterson was a critical person in bringing sahaja yoga to London. Tyas, who has been involved with sahaja yoga for 15 years, hopes others in London will be able to gain benefit from the yoga. “It can be difficult because people get wrapped up in their thoughts and it can be hard to let go,” says Tyas, acknowledging a potential obstacle the program faces. “However, the requirements are easy to meet, and the yoga is not physically demanding.” For Tyas, the number one benefit of sahaja yoga is being able to expel tiredness, frustration and anger that may build up over the course of a day. “Meditation is the number one way to press the reset button. Sometimes, I just achieve this mental silence,” Tyas says. With this statement, Tyas touches upon the greatest difference between sahaja yoga and other types of yoga—the achievement of mental silence. Tyas believes that while other types of yoga do provide a “good feeling” and a feeling of relaxation, they don’t allow one
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
to build upon their mental silence. He also emphasizes that, for registered participants to gain the greatest benefit from sahaja yoga, they need to practice regularly. “In a five-week guitar course, you’ll get a little bit and enjoy, but you have to go home and practice— and you have to practice for years,” says Tyas, who tries to meditate every day for at least 20 minutes. Many members of sahaja yoga show the same commitment as Tyas does. Having found that this type of yoga has transformed their own lives, members volunteer their time and expertise to help
teach others. They do this with the hopes that other people will also be able to utilize sahaja as an outlet to escape their daily worries. Tyas, for example, works at a school—for him, sahaja is purely a hobby. Within a university setting, students are also finding the utility of regularly practicing sahaja yoga. Mohit Verma, who has been practicing sahaja yoga for eight years, founded the Sahaja Yoga Meditation Club at the University of Waterloo. In his third year, Verma found sahaja yoga to help him stay focused during his studies. “It helped me stay balanced, and
I was able to absorb information that was important much faster. It kept me calm,” Verma says of his early experiences with sahaja yoga. Verma and his friends started their campus club in spring 2011. Since then, they have found a positive response to sahaja yoga, and have hosted campus events with guest speakers—including a professor from Alberta who presented the cerebral science behind how meditation works. Perhaps sahaja yoga will eventually find its place on Western’s campus.
ON THE CHARTS
ON DVD
IN THEATERS
Editor’s Picks > The essentials for your week
ON TV American Idol “Let’s get it poppin” thunders new judge Nicki Minaj in the promotion for the new season of American Idol. Keith Urban and Mariah Carey also join Randy Jackson to round out the judge’s table. Sure, the singers will probably be alright, but let’s be real—if the TMZ reports are to be trusted, then we are in for an awesome season with tonnes of feuding between Carey and Minaj. American Idol airs Wednesdays and Thursdays this season on Fox and will surely be more colourful than Nikki’s wigs.
ON DISC Kidz Bop 23 If you’ve always wanted to hear adolescents grunt their way through Cher Lloyd, then you’re in luck with Kidz Bop 23. One must wonder how these children sing some of the songs on this album because they have to be around 12 years old. “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” doesn’t really seem like a sensible cover for the album. Who could these kids have beef with? Did they fight with their mom? Anyways, The Kidz Bop kids have racked in a number of successful albums, so these obviously have a market.
“Where Are We Now?” —Davie Bowie David Bowie is an interesting guy who has made some good music in his heyday. As a matter of fact, he’s a rock legend and deserves some serious kudos for what he’s done—break taboos and be unafraid to embrace a flamboyant strange presence. “Where Are We Now?” is his first new material in a while and will be part of his first album in 10 years. Bowie’s place in music history make this song worth a listen for sure.
Won’t Back Down Viola Davis stars as a teacher recruited by Maggie Gyllenhaal to try and create a school that helps struggling students shine. While the film as a whole is undeniably flimsy, it offers both Davis and Gyllenhaal some meaty parts to work with. After The Help, I think the masses are starting to realize that Davis is smart, she is kind and she important. Seeing her act in anything is a treat and Gyllenhaal isn’t too bad herself.
Mama Speaking of The Help, Jessica Chastain trades in her high-heeled shoes and giant blonde hair in that film for something a little different. In Mama Chastain plays Annabel, a mother whose children vanish. After the children show up five years later after being found in the woods, Annabel worries they may be possessed. If only her children were raised by wolves—who wouldn’t want to see that movie? Hopefully this horror movie doesn’t fit the mold and isn’t savaged by the critics.
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Gangster flick not much of a riot
Campus Tour Guides September 2013- April 2014 Are you: • Proud of your Faculty • Enthusiastic about Western • Involved in campus activities • Knowledgeable about your school • Articulate, pleasant and responsible To apply: • Review the application posting details on the Career Central website www.westerncareercentral.ca • Email your completed application information to liaison@uwo.ca OR • Pick up a hardcopy application outside Undergraduate Recruitment in the Western Student Services Building – Room 3115 • Drop your completed application off to Undergraduate Recruitment in the Western Student Services Building – Room 3115 130115
DEADLINE: Friday, January 25, 2013 at 4:00 pm Please note that due to the number of applicants only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Residence Life Staff Applications are invited from full-time undergraduate students for the (live-in) positions of:
● Head Dons ● Residence Dons
for the 2013-2014 academic year.
Members of the Residence Life Staff are responsible for ensuring the overall aims of residence life are achieved, and that these aims are in keeping with the mission of Huron University College. file photo
Brian McNamara Gazette Staff
GGGFF Gangster Squad Starring: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte Director: Ruben Fleischer
Gangster Squad takes place in a post-World War II America, when the country tried to decide what it wanted to stand for after the horrors of war. Unfortunately, the U.S. found new horrors on its own shores. Gangster Squad shows what happens when a few cops decide to fight back, with predictably violent results. The film portrays the reign of mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) over the city of Los Angeles. A few incorruptible officers, marshaled together by Chief Bill Parker (Nick Nolte), decide Los Angeles must be redeemed and Cohen must be stopped. These offices, led by John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan
Gosling) take the fight directly to Cohen. Along the way, Wooters falls for Cohen’s girlfriend Grace (Emma Stone). There is plenty to admire about Gangster Squad. Cinematographer Dion Beebe has created a Los Angeles that is at once lush and vibrant as well as grimy and shadowy. The action scenes, though consistently over-the-top, are exquisitely shot. As well, the performances are solid around the board. Penn in particular imbues Cohen with ferocity. One thing any potential viewer should know about Gangster Squad is that it’s violent. It is violent in a way that its trailers and advertising do not suggest. While the hyper-violent actions of the protagonists are presented in a more sympathetic light, the film itself often falls into this very trap. America faced many challenges in the 1940s and 1950s, and while this film identifies them, it does not actively engage with them, preferring to construct visuallystimulating violent confrontations
between cops and mobsters. Many veterans who came home from the war felt alienated in the advancing American society, and rather than dwell on this important issue, Gangster Squad allows its military veteran characters to fall right back into soldiering against a new enemy. In addition to being a competent action flick, Gangster Squad could have made a substantive statement about any of these issues, but instead chose to pay them lip service and paint over them in blood. The film is blessed with a talented cast and a compelling quest to send them on, but unfortunately, the sum is not equal to the parts. Actors like Brolin and Gosling use all of their considerable talents, but there is only so far their character can go when hindered by such a shallow script. Ultimately, Gangster Squad tries to evoke predecessors like The Untouchables, but it is missing the heart and depth of those films. It is a second-rate version of what could have been a first-rate film.
For more information about the positions and the application process, please contact Ms. Sharon McKillop at 519-4387224, ext. 202. Head Don applications are due by 4pm on Jan. 21, 2013. Don applications are due by 4pm on Feb 4, 2013. Applications are available at www.huronuc.ca/residencestaffapplications
Sharon McKillop Director of Housing & Student Life Huron University College 1349 Western Rd. London, ON N6G 1H3
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Opinions
The media is about to become a lot more effective.
—Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Tweets of the week
Letters to the Editor
Special to The Gazette
Reaction to USC proposal to relocate Gazette office
Former EIC addresses editorial autonomy
Re: USC to replace Gazette with multi-faith To the Editor: The article from the Wednesday’s edition of The Gazette implies that University Students’ Council has yet again blown money on a useless space. The article points out that the new renovations to The Gazette office will be done at the expense of students across campus. Did we not just get bumped for the gym and multifaith space only two or three years ago? Why are non-faith students and faith-based students alike being charged yet again by USC for a blunder originally made by the USC council? Perhaps council should have put more thought into the current multi-faith space before it was built instead of wasting millions of dollars on a room that the USC said “is not meeting the needs and requirements of multi-faith groups on campus.” While you’re at it, why not move USC somewhere and rearrange those rooms to accommodate a non-faith space (atheist/agnostics) to make sure you waste yet another large sum of student fees and tuition on useless blunders. —Scott Jones History IV Re: USC to replace Gazette with multi-faith To the Editor: The possibility of The Gazette being downsized made me so distraught that I could not focus on my third-year applied math class for the hour after reading the article. In fact, I am so distraught that I am experiencing difficulty writing this letter. Western can boast that it is home to Canada’s only daily newspaper run entirely by students—so why is the University Students’ Council giving The Gazette the shaft? The Gazette is something the entire student body can engage in. It doesn’t make sense why the entire student body should suffer for the needs of approximately 800 students. Why are these students’ needs put above the collective opportunity to practice journalism, stay informed and have a venue for critical discussion about the USC and other aspects of student life? Considering the accolades one could bestow upon The Gazette, I think it deserves a little more respect. I sincerely hope the USC members responsible for this decision read my letter. I was under the impression that the USC acted in favour of the entire machine that is the student body of Western. —Demetri Pananos Science III
An open letter to all interested parties: It has come to my attention that the University Students’ Council is planning to move The Gazette and its 24 editors from its 40-year-old location to a much smaller office currently occupied by four people. As I understand, this plan was made surreptitiously without due consultation with The Gazette, its staff, or even multi-faith stakeholders at the centre of the issue. As former editorin-chief of The Gazette, I have many grave concerns about this plan, not least of which is The Gazette’s ability to function as a key part of campus democracy, should this plan proceed. The publisher-newspaper relationship is a tenuous one, to be sure. As such, it’s always prudent on the publisher to be as open, transparent and accountable as possible so political influences and personal vendettas are not allowed to interfere with the newspaper’s autonomy and freedom. The decision to move from one office to another is not a direct threat on press freedoms. But when the decision is made without due consultation and fair review of the consequences, the motivations become suspect. Is the publisher acting in the best interest of the newspaper? Is the student council acting in the best interest of its constituents? A review of the available information leads to me to conclude it is not. The decision to move offices to a significantly smaller space has several consequences likely not considered in the publisher’s calculations. As a journalist now employed at The Globe and Mail, I can only credit The Gazette, its training, its welcoming environment and its community for my success. Many young volunteers use The Gazette as a launching pad for their careers, based in large part on the community fostered inside its space. The walls emanate tradition from dozens of previous editors who are now employed in the industry around the world. A newspaper is a collaborative effort made possible by
an open space that fosters creativity, sparks imagination and enables collaboration. This is necessary for several aspects of its operations, from group story meetings, to cross-section collaboration, to daily editorial board meetings, which can involve 20 or 30 editors and volunteers gathered to discuss important issues of the day. All of this and more has been threatened by the publisher’s decision. And I suspect none of it has been duly considered. The proposed space— which contains one receiving area, three small offices and one storage space—would quell collaboration. Editorial board meetings could not function. Volunteers would not have space to work, forcing them home or elsewhere, disrupting the editorvolunteer dynamic that was so crucial to my success. The publisher must be exceedingly careful here—decisions against the wishes of the newspaper can be easily (mis)understood as sidelong political punishments. The recent turbulence between the student government and the campus newspaper is well documented. These same politicians are now in a position to affect The Gazette. And they appear to be doing so. This controversy requires open, productive conversations between all interested groups. The furtive decision-making process by the publisher cannot continue. I implore Western to review these decisions now affecting its campus newspaper, which would have grave consequences on its role in campus democracy. I ask the University Students’ Council to suspend its plan until a more thorough review of consequences and alternatives can be evaluated. I ask The Gazette’s editor to work in consult with the publisher to ensure transparency and accountability on all sides. Please proceed with much caution. The decisions you make now will affect students, journalism and press freedoms for decades to come. —Stuart Thompson Gazette Editor-in-Chief, 2010–11
Want to voice your opinion? Send us a letter at westerngazette.ca/contact
thegazette
Volume 106, Issue 58 www.westerngazette.ca
Gloria Dickie Editor-In-Chief Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor Cam Parkes Managing Editor
Contact: www.westerngazette.ca University Community Centre Rm. 263 The University of Western Ontario London, ON, CANADA N6A 3K7 Editorial Offices: (519) 661-3580 Advertising Dept.: (519) 661-3579
The Gazette is owned and published by the University Students’ Council.
Editorials are decided by a majority of the editorial board and are written by a member of the editorial board but are not necessarily the expressed opinion of each editorial board member. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the USC, The Gazette, its editors or staff. To submit a letter, go to westerngazette.ca and click on “Contact.” All articles, letters, photographs, graphics, illustrations and cartoons published in The Gazette, both in the newspaper and online versions, are the property of The Gazette. By submitting any such material to The Gazette for publication, you grant to The Gazette a non-exclusive, world-wide, royalty-free, irrevocable license to publish such material in perpetuity in any media, including but not limited to, The Gazette‘s hard copy and online archives.
Gazette Composing & Gazette Advertising Ian Greaves, Manager Robert Armstrong
Karen Savino Diana Watson
Gazette Staff 2012-2013
Iain Boekhoff, Danielle Bozinoff, Mary Ann Ciosk, David Czosniak, Megan Devlin, Jonathan Dunn, Chelsea Gauthier, Ross Hamilton, Amanda Law, Logan Ly, Sarah Mai Chitty, Sarah Manning, Bradley Metlin, Kaitlyn Oh, John Petrella, Sarah Prince, Chen Rao, Herb Richardson, Nathan Robbins-Kanter, Lily Robinson, Katie Roseman, Nathan TeBokkel, Jacqueline Ting, 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
@JeffHernaez As @acoyne has tweeted about the @uwogazette, it is officially a serious issue I shall consider. @alanna_glass Disappointed by the news today about the @western_usc changes to the @uwogazette office space. More thought should have gone into this! @CityLightsLondn The @uwogazette has remained an integral part of University life while being a realistic incubator for young writers & nascent journos. @bwishart @uwogazette front page headline misleading. “Relocation” should be used to be more accurate, less dramatic. @IanDenomme Sad and angry to see what the students’ council is doing to my beloved student newspaper. @MrJCabral If someone can actually explain how @western_usc moving @uwogazette to a different room diminishes freedom wins a spoke coffee on me. Go. @ArshyMann It’s important to note that the @uwogazette issue isn’t just about office space. It’s about editorial autonomy. @PatatLFPress I hope for the #westernu student council’s sake that they’re not bullying the campus newspaper @uwogazette @BrentCDuncan I certainly see both sides of this @uwogazette - @western_usc debate. I suggest everyone maintain a level head throughout negotiations. @obsoleteisland NOT impressed with @western_usc is doing with the @uwogazette. So disappointing. @EmmMacfarlane The Gazette offices were somewhat cramped when I was running things in 2003. Can’t imagine working effectively with half the space. Follow and tweet your thoughts to @uwogazette
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
• Please recycle this newspaper •
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Elite or not, Joe Flacco is still a valuable asset The Tables Have Sterned Ryan Stern Sports Editor
Is Joe Flacco elite? It is a joke around NFL circles that never seems to go away.
Though the question has viable answers from both sides, the question itself does not address the root of the problem that the Baltimore Ravens face in the coming off-season. Flacco may be elite, he may be average—I tend to lean towards the cop-out answer of ‘above average’—but the question isn’t whether he belongs on Mount Rushmore, it is whether his value above the average quarterback is
easily replaceable by the Ravens. The answer is an emphatic no. An elite quarterback is not always necessary to win the Super Bowl, and though the Ravens have yet to reach the pinnacle of NFL success under Flacco’s tutelage, they have come a lot closer than most teams in the league. If Trent Dilfer can win a Super Bowl, so can Flacco. If Brad Johnson can win a Super Bowl, so can Flacco. Having won a playoff game
every season of his career, and having made the AFC championship game for the third time, it would be in the Ravens best interest to lock up Joe Flacco to a sizable contract. I understand the argument that Flacco is not the sole reason that the Ravens have had post-season success, but even if his aboveaverage play is only sporadic, he is still getting the job done. When the season ends for the Ravens, whether it be with a Super
Bowl victory or a loss this Sunday, the Ravens can’t really afford to lose Flacco without a viable attempt at getting a contract. The Ravens and their fans need to realize that elite quarterbacks don’t just grow on trees, and with the measure of success that Flacco has enjoyed over his short tenure with the Ravens, I think the Ravens will be hard-pressed to find a better solution than the above-average Flacco.
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#1 STUDENT APARTMENTS. 2-7 Bedroom units, best areas around campus and downtown. Houses/apartments and townhouses available. All in great shape, and most include dishwasher and washer/dryer. Call John at (519) 859-5563 for more info or email jmiles@londonproperty.ca.
#1 STUDENT HOUSING in London. 2-7 bdrms. Popular Redbrick apartments. 5 appliances, huge rooms/closets & 24 hr property management. Rented on first come first serve basis. Contact Sam 519-495-7661, samm@londonproperty.ca
#1 STUDENT HOUSING in London. 2-7 bdrms. Redbrick apartments and townhouses, plus houses in various locations. 5 appliances, huge rooms/ closets. Steps to campus! Rented on a first come first serve basis. Zach 519-854-0505, zachs@londonproperty.ca **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. 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.
2 BEDROOM APARTMENTS, the closest to UWO. Hardwood floors, loads of space. Great student area, right on Western bus route. Great price, and some utilities included, free parking. Call Yan 519-495-5363 3 BDRM ALL the best locations. Redbrick townhomes on Richmond near Masonville. 10 minute walk to campus, right on bus route to campus and downtown. Great location, near all amenities. All new appliances including washer/dryer and dishwasher. Call John @ (519) 859-5563. 3 BDRM UNITS just steps from campus at the corner of Sarnia and Western Road, right next to Perth and Essex. Spacious bedrooms and common areas. Free parking, maintenance and full-time property management. Call Zach 519-854-0505. 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. 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.
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HOUSING
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3, 4, 5 bdrms at 217 Sarnia. Live at the most popular student corner in London, within steps of campus. All units have big common rooms and spacious bedrooms. 5 appliances, free parking, maintenance and full-time property management. Call Zach at 519-854-0505.
3, 4, 5 bdrms at 217 Sarnia. Within steps of campus, you canʼt get any closer than this. All units have big common rooms and spacious bedrooms. 5 appliances, free parking, and full-time property management. Call Yan 519-495-5363.
3-5 BED VARSITY Housing - Newly Renovated! 3 - Live downtown, walking distance to bars and bus stops, fitness centre, tanning bed, lounge. Open house Jan. 19th - call Alex 416-717-4376, alexvarsityhousing@gmail.com. 3-5 BED VARSITY Housing - Newly Renovated! Best location for students. Great atmosphere for the young professional, study room, laundry room. Open house Jan 19th - call Alex 416-717-4376, alexvarsityhousing@gmail.com. 3-5 BED Varsity Housing - Newly Renovated! Brand new lounge, fitness center, tanning bed and suites. Walking distance to downtown and buses. Open house Jan 19th - call Alex 416-717-4376, alexvarsityhousing@gmail.com. 3-5 BED Varsity Housing - Newly Renovated! Live downtown! Perfect for 2nd yr Western Students, brand new renovated 2-5 bedroom suites. Best in London. Open house Jan. 19th - call Alex 416-7174376, alexvarsityhousing@gmail.com. 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 3-6 BDRMS AVAILABLE. **#1 student rentals** Renovated houses in all the best areas around campus and downtown! Dishwasher, washer/dryer included. Huge, spacious rooms with massive closets. Parking included. Call John anytime at 519-859-5563. 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.
4 BDRM TOWNHOUSES near all amenities. 3 floors and 2 washrooms for 4 people plus private backyard! Bedrooms are spacious, bright and have huge closets. Free parking and property management. Call Zach 519-854-0505, zachs@londonproperty.ca
4 BED. TOWNHOUSES located on Oxford right by campus. Live in style with 3 floors, 2 washrooms, and very spacious rooms. 5 appliances, free parking, and 24 hour property management. Contact Sam 519-495-7661, samm@londonproperty.ca
4 BEDROOM REDBRICK townhomes on Oxford. 10 minute walk to campus, right on bus route to campus and downtown. Three floors, two full washrooms! Huge rooms and closets. Includes washer/dryer and dishwasher. Call John @ (519) 859-5563 or email jmiles@londonproperty.ca. 4-6 BDRM HOUSES and townhouses for rent. Modern, clean and close to campus. Get everything you could ask for, with 5 appliances, free parking, spacious bedrooms and common rooms and full-time maintenance. Call Zach anytime at 519-854-0505.
HOUSING
5 BEDROOM DETACHED house minutes from UWO. Fully equipped kitchen, 2 washrooms. All utilities included. Visit www.sternbergrealestate.com, call or text 519-854-7884 (Larry), email sternbergrealestate@gmail.com 5 BEDROOM HOME 8 Gower Street. All-inclusive $525/month, available May 1, 2013. Admirable, bright, popular location. laundry, parking, #2 direct bus. Licenced by the City! Many pictures/information. colebrett77@yahoo.com or 519-380-0644. 5 BEDROOM HOUSES and apartments right on bus route to campus and downtown. Great locations. Huge rooms and closets. Most have all new appliances including washer/dryer and dishwasher. Call John @ (519) 859-5563.
5 BEDROOM HOUSES and apartments right on bus route to campus and downtown. Great locations. Huge rooms and closets. Most have all new appliances including washer/dryer and dishwasher. Call Yan @ 519-495-5363 or email yanl@londonproperty.ca 5 BEDROOM HOUSES and townhouses for rent on all sides of campus. All have free parking, free maintenance and full-time property management. Huge rooms and tons of natural light. Rented on first come first serve basis. Call Zach 519-854-0505. 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. 5 BEDROOM TOWNHOUSE just off Western Road. Renovated and Affordable $500/person. Varsityhousing.ca. Free parking, 5 appliances, student community. Tour anytime: Call Ted 519-858-2525 x2. tbell@varsityhousing.ca. 6 BDRM HOUSES and apartments. Newly built red bricks in all the best student areas around campus! Dishwasher, washer/dryer included. Spacious rooms with massive closets. Parking included. These ones always go fast. Call John at 519-859-5563. 6 BDRM HOUSES on all sides of campus. Most feature 5 new appliances, spacious rooms and huge closets, open concept kitchen/living room, free parking. Act fast—these won’t last! For more information call Zach at 519-854-0505. 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 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.
HOUSING
HOUSING
DOWNTOWN VARSITY HOUSING - Newly Renovated Varsity Commons & Mills. 3-5br $500-550, full amenities and steps to everything that matters. DW, laundry, parking & security. Call Joel 647.213.2079 clcvarsity@gmail.com. DOWNTOWN VARSITY HOUSING - steps to everything; Newly renovated 3-5br student-centered environment - Dishwasher, laundry, parking, security, fitness centre, gamesroom, studyroom, tanning, theatre $500-550. Call Joel 647.213.2079 clcvarsity@gmail.com
VARSITY COMMONS - LIVE Downtown - Steps to bus route - Newly renovated suites - Fitness room group leases available. All prices $500-550 Call Rob 647-929-2440, rob.varsityhousing@gmail.com. VARSITY COMMONS - LIVE in a Student-Centered Environment Downtown! Reduced Pricing $500$550 - Newly Renovated Building and Suites Close to bus stops. Call Myles at 905-325-3305 or mylesmeddick@gmail.com
LIVE LIKE A Mustang - Varsity Commons, 75 Ann St. Newly Renovated for UWO Students - Group Rentals, Full Security, Gym, Bus Routes. To live in style call Myles @ 905-325-3305/ mylesmeddick@gmail.com. NEWLY RENOVATED HOMES 1&5 BDRM 1150 Richmond St., 3&4 BDRM 53 Beaufort St., and 2&3 BDRM 57 Beaufort St. Clean, hardwood floors, laundry, close to campus. Available May 1st. Other units available. www.luigistudentrentals.ca, call/text 519-852-2674. PERFECT FOR STUDENTS! Excellent downtown location, 4 bedrooms in modern building steps from Richmond Row. Close to shopping and bus routes. Unit features a dishwasher, washer/dryer, and 2 parking spaces. $550.00+utilities per bedroom. Call or text Jim to view 519-870-0663. STUDENT LIVING RENTALS. 1&2 large bedroom 795 Richmond St., 2&3 bedroom 255 Sydenham St., 3 bedrooms 375 Wharncliffe North (hardwood floors). Close to campus, parking, laundry. Available May 1st. Other units available. www.luigistudentrentals.ca, 519-852-2674. THE FULL UNIVERSITY Experience - Live in Newly Renovated Varsity Commons. 75 Ann Street. Walking Distant to Bus Stop and Entertainment. Come by for The Grand Tour - Call Myles @ 905-325-3305. VARSITY COMMONS - COME check out our NEWLY RENOVATED SUITES - 75 Ann Street Downtown Location - Fitness Room - Covered Parking Group Leases - $500-550. Call Rob 647.929.2440
VARSITY COMMONS - NEWLY RENOVATED SUITES - Downtown London - Spacious Floorplans - Fitness Centre - Covered Parking - Open House Saturday, January 19th - All Prices $500-550 - Call Rob 647.929.2440 or rob.varsityhousing@gmail.com.
VARSITY HOUSING - live downtown with students; study room, fitness centre, tanning, theatre, games - newly renovated 3-5br, DW, laundry, parking & security. Oxford & Richmond $500-550. Call Joel 647.213.2079 clcvarsity@gmail.com.
VARSITY MILLS - Looking to live in style? Live in the comfort of our newly renovated suites. Near campus at 1 Beaufort St. location for UWO Students. All prices $500-550 - Call Rob 647.929.2440.
SERVICES DANCE CLASSES AT DANCE STEPS- 743 Richmond St at Oxford. Ballet, Jazz, Hip-Hop, Lyrical, Contemporary, and Modern. Check our web page for schedule www.dancestepslondon.ca or contact us dance_steps@hotmail.com, 519-645-8515. TIPS ON HOW TO AVOID BEING PHISHED 3. Keep a regular check on your accounts Regularly log into your online accounts, and check your statements. Report any suspicous transactions to your bank or credit card provider.
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
AFFORDABLE 1, 2, & 3 bedroom suites. Walk to campus! Call (888) 522-6650
CHECK OUT THE NEW Varsity Housing. All renovated units - all prices $500-550. Tanning, theatre, gamesroom, studyroom, balcony, parking, dishwasher, fitness centre, security. Call Ted 519858-2525 x2. tbell@varsityhousing.ca.
CLOSE TO CAMPUS. 1&2 bedroom 229 Riverside Dr. and 2 bedroom 337 Wharncliffe N. Available May 1st. Parking, laundry, hardwood floors, ceramics, controlled entry. Utilities included. Other units available. www.luigistudentrentals.ca, call/text 519-8522674.
CLOSEST 2 BEDROOM apartments to UWO. Hardwood floors, loads of space. Great student area, right on Western bus route. Great price, free parking. These places truly are a steal!! Call John at 519-859-5563. DOWNTOWN LIVING! - Live in Varsity Common, 75 Ann Street. Student Environment. Group Rentals. Brand New Renovations. Tanning/Lounge/Full Gym Access/Full Security/Parking. $500-550 call Myles @905-325-3305 or mylesmeddick@gmail.com. DOWNTOWN STUDENT HOUSING - Varsity Commons, Mills, Village. 3-5br newly renovated $500550. Student-centered environment Oxford & Richmond. DW, laundry, parking, security, studyroom, fitness centre, theatre, tanning. Call Joel 647.213.2079 clcvarsity@gmail.com.
120117
HOUSING #1 AMAZING 4 bedroom. Newly built, large luxury apartments. Great central location at 9 and 10 Oxford Street! Home like setting, backing onto park, two bathrooms, ceramic and hardwood floors, high speed Internet, 5 appliances, parking. $475$500/bedroom. On bus route, 2 km to campus, walk to shopping and downtown. Call Wendy at 519-6670047, view at oxfordrentals.ca. #1 JUST BUILT, luxury, large 5 bedroom units. Great central location at 11 Oxford Street! Home like setting, backing onto park, two bathrooms, ceramic and hardwood floors, high speed Internet, 5 new appliances, parking. $450/bedroom. On bus route, 2 km to campus, walk to shopping and downtown. Call Wendy at 519-667-0047, view at oxfordrentals.ca.
New to London and
want to explore? Check out the London Guide in t h e We s t e r n i z e r. U s e t h e c o u p o n s to try something new too!
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thegazette • Thursday, January 17, 2013
Sports
tweet of the week Had my 2nd catch session with @RADickey43 today! That thing sure does dance in the air! #OnlyGotHitOnceToday
Toronto Blue Jays catcher J.P Arencibia (@jparencibia9) on catching R.A Dickey’s knuckleball
Rundown >> Six Mustangs varsity teams have cracked the Canadian Interuniversity Sport Top 10 Rankings > these six teams are both of the Mustangs hockey teams, both track and field teams and both of the Mustangs wrestling teams.
Rankings on the line for ‘Stangs at Guelph open Wrestling team sends top wrestlers to high-caliber contest Richard Raycraft Sports Editor On Saturday, members of the Mustangs wrestling team will head to Guelph for the 2013 Guelph Open tournament. The high-calibre event will attract some of the top wrestlers from across the nation, ensuring the stakes will be high when the Mustangs take to the mat. The Mustangs come into the event following a strong performance at the Brock invitational in St. Catharines last Saturday. “It’s an open event, which means that you could be in university, you could be graduated or you could be an open person,” Ray Takahashi, wrestling team coach, explained. “It’s a provincial and national carding point tournament, which means the results will be used to assess provincial and national team status.” The tournament will also be an opportunity to prepare for the Dave
Schultz Tournament, another highprofile competition for which the ‘Stangs will be sending athletes to Colorado. Ranked fifth for women’s wrestling and third for men’s wrestling by the Canada Interuniversity Sport, the Mustangs are in contention for a number of medals in the tournament. These include standouts Steven Takahashi and Brianne Barry. Coach Takahashi explained that the team will send some of its best in order to put on a strong showing and benefit from the experience. “It’s really important for some of our top team members,” he said. “We’re probably not going to send everyone, just the ones that will be competitive and who will benefit from the experience.” “So it will be tough, but it will be a good tournament for us,” he continued. The tournament will be an opportunity for many members of the Mustangs wrestling squad to
continue working on getting back to form after the holiday break lay-off. Despite this, Takahashi is confident in his wrestlers due to some good preparation. “Coming back at the beginning of school, we’ve really only had two weeks to really buckle down, to prepare,” he commented. “But we’re not unlike many other programs, we’ve been preparing, but it’s one tournament in the whole process.” In addition, the Mustangs will compete in a number of other highprofile tournaments in the coming weeks, including the Ontario University Athletics Championship. With the competition getting steeper and with the Mustangs looking to climb the rankings, Takahashi emphasized the importance of personal goals for his athletes. “There are a lot of individual goals,” he said. “We have some good team members and we have some solid medal shots in some of the weight classes.”
Naira Ahmed Gazette
Cam Parkes Gazette
REMINDER — Board & Senate ELections — 2013 Elections for membership on the Board Governors and Senate will take place in February 2013. Nominations for membership on the Board of Governors in the administrative staff and undergraduate student constituencies are now accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 24, 2013. Nominations for membership on the Senate in the faculty, administrative staff, graduate student and undergraduate student (academic) constituencies are also accepted until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 24, 2013. Nominations for Senate undergraduate student At Large constituency close at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 28, 2013. Full information on the Board and Senate elections (including the election procedures and schedule, the nomination form and voting procedures for each constituency) can be found at:
www.uwo.ca/univsec/elections.html
MMPA
Master of Management & Professional Accounting
• Designed primarily for non-business undergraduates • For careers in Management, Finance and Accounting • Extremely high co-op and permanent placement To learn more about the MMPA Program, attend our information session: Monday, January 31, 2013 11:00 am – 1:00 pm Room 210, University Community Centre, Western University
www.utoronto.ca/mmpa