Thursday, October 25, 2012

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Tech page Get the latest scoop on gizmos and gadgets. >> pg. 4

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Thursday, October 25, 2012

Volume 106, Issue 29

Safety across campus Methadone not linked to crime Cam Smith News Editor More evidence has recently arisen indicating the stigma surrounding methadone clinics may be overblown. A recent study conducted by the University of Maryland suggests crime rates in areas near methadone clinics are not significantly higher than elsewhere. In fact, the study found convenience stores experience higher crime in their vicinity than methadone clinics.

According to Susan Boyd, lead researcher of the study, many people associate methadone clinics with higher instances of crime, something she hoped the study would dissuade.

Cameron Wilson Gazette

Aaron Zaltzman News Editor Having trouble crossing the street?

The university has made it easier than ever, thanks to the installation of three new Accessible Pedestrian Signals at various crosswalks on campus.

The APSs differ from normal signals by vibrating and emitting sharp tones to guide pedestrians safely across the street. The type of tone depends on the direction of the crossing signal, and the frequency of the vibrations indicates how much time is left for pedestrians to cross.

“The signals are designed to provide the same information that is offered by the visual pedestrian signals in an audible format, enhancing accessibility for visuallyimpaired pedestrians,” Roy Langille, associate vice-president of Facilities Management, explained.

“There are two features of the APSs that enhance accessibility,”

Langille added. “The first is the push button with the tactile arrow that points in the direction of the crossing and vibrates when used.

Visually-impaired patrons will press and hold the button, activating the second feature, the audible signal.”

“Depending on the direction, the signal will create a distinct sound, alerting patrons that the intersection is ready to cross,” he continued.

The installation of the new signals at the Western and Elgin, Western and Wellington and University and Perth intersections is meant to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, a new legislation that aims for increased convenience for people with disabilities in the built environment.

“We are committed to removing barriers and achieving accessibility for persons with disabilities in a number of key areas, but keep in mind the accessibility act itself is

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still quite new,” Langille said. “The Built Environment standards are still being drafted, so the work we are doing now is above and beyond any current requirements.”

The University Students’ Council applauded the installation of the new signals.

“Having this kind of assistive technology is definitely a plus for students, and for continuing accessibility on campus,” Alysha Li, vice-president university affairs for the USC, explained. “For somebody who has a visual impairment, these APS signals would be able to better guide him or her across the street than a regular button.”

“The university is quite open to hearing suggestions about making campus more accessible,” Li said.

“When we find something about accessibility that needs to be addressed, we are definitely able to bring it to them.”

Facilities Management said all crosswalks on campus would feature an APS by August 2013.

We hope the study results will lead to better acceptance of new and existing methadone clinics in cities and towns across this country, and others.

—Susan Boyd

Assistant professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine

“The perception among many in the public is that methadone clinics increase crime, leading to difficulty opening new methadone clinics in many cities and towns,” Boyd explained. “We hope the study results will lead to better acceptance of new and existing methadone clinics in cities and towns across this country, and others.”

Despite this, some still have an adverse perception regarding methadone clinics in general.

Recently, a London resident and Western student led a protest against a methadone clinic opening near their place of residence. The protest included photographing those entering the clinic, and was viewed

with considerable disdain by clinic visitors and employees.

Some London councillors are inclined to agree methadone clinics have a negative impact on a neighbourhood.

“Take a look at the Dundas Street clinic. Why are a thousand people showing up to a pharmacy, hanging around and trading drugs close to a school? It’s not conducive to a good family environment,” Dale Henderson, Ward 9 councillor for the City of London, asserted. “I think the people don’t like what they see going on with drug issues on any major street in town.”

Henderson also questioned the reasoning behind methadone clinics being privately owned and operated.

“Why is this being run by private businesses, with major money being made, just because the regulations say we don’t pay for drugs?” he asked.

“What’s the documentation on the results?”

Not all city councillors are as opposed to methadone clinics as Henderson, however.

“There is certainly perception around some of the methadone clinics that they might be a scary or dangerous place,” Harold Usher, Ward 12 councillor for the city, said. “I use the word ‘perception’ because I don’t think anyone has asked these people who they are.”

According to Usher, this perception stems primarily from a lack of knowledge and awareness about the nature of the clinics themselves.

“There are lots of people who understand the use of methadone clinics, and they have no fear of them, or the people that use them,” Usher explained. “But there are lots of people, also, who may not understand, and they might say they don’t want a clinic too close to their backyard.”

Usher encouraged a more informed awareness about methadone clinics, in the hopes public perception would view them more favourably.

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2•

thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Caught on Camera

Crossword By Eugene Sheffer

Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE

TRUST US, THEY’RE PINK. Members of the Muslim Students Association raised breast cancer awareness with Pink Hijab Day in the University Community Centre yesterday.

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News Brief

A new kind of Monster The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is currently investigating the deaths of five individuals in Hagerstown, Maryland that are suggested to be linked to the consumption of Monster Energy Drinks.

This news follows last week’s reported death of a 14-year-old girl who passed away after consuming two 24-ounce Monsters over the course of 24 hours. The cause of her death was later determined to be a combination of caffeine toxicity and a genetic disorder leading to the weakening of blood vessels.

Each Monster Energy Drink contains up to 240 milligrams of caffeine, which is twice the amount of an average cup of coffee.

“Over consumption of caffeine can be linked to nervousness, insomnia, dehydration and anxiety.

It is an addictive substance and can have withdrawal symptoms when someone is trying to decrease the amount they intake,” Samantha Gianotti, a registered dietitian at Dietitians of London, said. “Health Canada recommends no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day for adults.”

During demanding study periods, university students often turn to caffeine in its many forms as an energy supplement.

“I believe that young adults are likely to overconsume caffeine due to lifestyle factors. Using caffeine when studying or sleep-deprived is common for this age group, and individuals should take caution to stay within the recommended limits and never use caffeine and alcohol together,” Gianotti advised.

—Lily Robinson

Solution to puzzle on page 7

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.

Student Saving Tip: Use the coupons inside your Westernizer Going out for the night and want to use your coupons?

Just tear some out and slip them in your bus pass.

You’ll have them handy when you’re on the go!

•3

thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Fraudulent research Cost of gas drips downward a growing concern Prices in London the lowest in the province Megan Devlin Gazette Staff

When you cheat in undergraduate, you run the risk of getting a zero. But when you cheat on graduate research, you can risk lives.

According to a report by InterAcademy Council, academic research misconduct is an issue on the rise, and new standards are needed.

The report stated the number and percentage of retracted research papers has increased in recent years. The problem of data irreproducibility—which can be caused by bias, misuse of statistical techniques or falsification of data—is also gaining attention.

The report explained the number of irresponsible research practices has risen with the amount of research being undertaken. The number of researchers working in the world rose from 4 million to 6 million between 1995 and 2008, and research expenditures increased from $522 billion to $1.3 trillion worldwide. With the increase in volume of papers published, more papers have been found to be fraudulent.

“If you just look at the number of papers that have been retracted for misconduct, it is a very small fraction of all papers— about one out of 10,000. However, this is almost certainly just the tip of the iceberg,” Ferric Fang, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington, said. “Anonymous surveys of scientists asking whether they have engaged in, or witnessed, questionable research practice suggest that misconduct is substantially more common.”

Fang was concerned that even

single instances of flawed research could threaten the credibility of all scientists if the public viewed them as a sign of dysfunction of the scientific enterprise.

One highly publicized case of fraudulent research was that of Andrew Wakefield. In 1998, the British researcher published a paper suggesting a link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism. However, 12 years later, Wakefield was removed from the U.K. medical register on counts of misconduct and dishonesty. An anti-vaccination movement stemmed as a result of this paper, leading to a spike in measles cases among children.

Cameron Wilson Gazette

Karty Vishal Gazette Staff

This is almost certainly just the tip of the iceberg.

—Ferric Fang

A professor of medicine at the University of Washington

“Researchers should bear in mind the possible consequences of their work […] in planning research projects,” the report cautioned.

Fang explained competitive conditions at universities and other institutions might be to blame for the increase in fraudulent research.

“I am concerned that intense competition for academic positions, grants and prestigious publications may be contributing to the apparent rise in scientific misconduct,” Fang said.

OUSA comes to campus

Cameron Wilson Gazette

As part of their fall tour, delegates from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance visited Western yesterday. The lobby group set up a booth in the University Community Centre and made a presentation to the meeting of the University Students’ Council.

“OUSA advocates on behalf of post-secondary students in Ontario,” Rylan Kinnon, executive director of OUSA, said. “Our mission is for more affordable, accountable, high quality, accessible post-secondary education. All of our issues are under the umbrella of those four categories.”

“We visit all our member campuses in the fall to set up booths, engage with students and raise awareness about who we are and what we do.”

Alysha Li, vice-president university affairs, is serving one year as OUSA’s president, a role that has been filled by USC executives many times in the last decade.

“Western is the biggest member of OUSA, and I think each year we have extraordinary standing committee members,” Li said.

“It’s a matter of somebody taking that extra role to be an executive.”

“For Western, it’s very advantageous for [the USCl] to be at the executive table to gain access to some of the key decision makers, and to be able to facilitate some of the discussions,” Li said.

“That’s something we’ve always seen as a positive for Western to be involved in.”

—Aaron Zaltzman

For the past four weeks, gasoline prices in London have been the lowest in Ontario. Even better for motorists, London itself is enjoying its lowest gas prices in 10 months.

The decline in prices may be influenced by a multitude of factors, according to Spencer Knipping, an oil advisor at the Ontario Ministry of Energy.

“The price of crude oil has been declining, and especially the wholesale price of gasoline has been coming down,” Knipping said. “This has flowed through to lower prices at the pump.”

Knipping added gas prices typically decline every year from August to December, once the driving season ends after Labour Day. Beyond yearly seasonality, he pointed to other market factors which may have influenced gas prices.

“There were some supply issues

with gasoline in the United States.

There was a hurricane that affected about 13 refineries in the U.S. Gulf Coast, and then there were also refinery hiccups in Chicago and Detroit.”

Knipping explained this resulted in higher wholesale gas prices in North America due to reduced supply—the current lower prices represent a recovery from this phenomenon. Wholesale prices have slowly come back down over the past year as the supply situation resolved itself.

As a whole, the City of London will continue to benefit for as long as low gas prices persist, according to Joe Swan, Ward 3 councillor.

“From a municipal perspective, that’s good news because with our fleet of cars, trucks, garbage trucks, buses—from our cost perspective—it can offer us great savings as prices drop,” Swan said. “That’s good news for the taxpayer.”

The lower gas prices are not

unique to Ontario either, according to Knipping.

“It’s not just Ontario. We also have British Columbia, Quebec and Nova Scotia. Actually, those four provinces have seen some fairly substantial declines this week.”

Knipping added gasoline prices may still have further to fall. This could partially be due to the declining crude oil price.

“It’s likely going to go down because that’s what happened last year, and there are some predictions that crude oil and gasoline prices will continue to go down.”

Prices should also drop as the colder weather causes a decrease in driving demand.

Knipping elaborated that while prices are projected to continue decreasing, they are still dependent on several other factors. An increase in the price of crude oil, for example, or a decrease in London’s gas market’s competitiveness could halt the decline yet.

4•

thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Tech

didyouknow?

Facebook engineers originally wanted to call the “Like” button the “Awesome” button.

Sweetness for your ears

Video Game Review > Pokémon

Jeffrey Hendler Contributor Gameplay Storyline Replay value Innovation

GGGGH GGHFF GGGGH GGGFF

Earlier this month, Nintendo released the newest additions to the ever-successful Pokémon roleplaying game franchise with Pokémon Black 2 and Pokémon White 2 for the Nintendo DS. As sequels to the fifth-generation Pokémon games, Black and White, these games replace the old model of releasing a third, nearly identical installment as the franchise did with Yellow following Blue

and Red, and Crystal following Gold and Silver. Although the new games aren’t completely novel, they differ from their original installments more than the third installment of previous Pokémon games did in the past.

Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 take place two years after Pokémon Black and White. In addition to the same setting, the Unova region, the games draw from previous Pokémon generations without the creation of a new collection.

Once again, Team Plasma is trying to take over the world despite their defeat two years prior. In spite of these major similarities, many of the cities, gyms and routes on the path to becoming the Pokémon

champion have changed, along with the addition of five new cities.

There are also added features like bonus side quests, like having your favourite Pokémon become a movie star, and the ‘World Tournament.’ This tournament features battles with gym leaders and various other powerful trainers with the goal to become the best of the best. Plus, new wi-fi capabilities provide more ways to connect with other players.

However, the core of the game doesn’t change—there are a few new cities, some new Pokémon to capture and a new evil to conquer.

If you feel a little too old for the childish narrative, or if you’ve tired of the Pokémon game structure, then Black 2 and White 2 aren’t for you.

However, if you’ve enjoyed Pokémon gameplay in the past and have nostalgic feelings about being the very best like no one ever was, give Pokémon Black 2 or White 2 a chance. The games represent the best and most expansive Pokémon versions so far, with a much higher replay value than the games of our childhood.

Choosing the right DJ swag

Andrei Calinescu Photography Editor While it’s generally inadvisable to wedge marshmallows in your ears, JVC would have you think twice about that. No, they don’t suggest stuffing your sensory organs with sugary fluff. Instead, they’re offering you their Marshmallow line of earbuds—arguably some of the best on the market—for less than an arm and a leg.

With the Marshmallow line, JVC has declared war on ambient noise using everyday technology straight from the roughest construction sites—earplug memory foam. This simple noise-cancelling approach is remarkably effective, since earplugs exist solely for this purpose.

file photo

Facebook woes Seven minutes in Kevin Kevin Hurren Arts & Life Editor

file photo

Ryan Hurlbut Opinions Editor

The setting is a bleak one. Everyone went out for a great night of drinking and dancing, but the club DJ is just some dude with an iTunes playlist open on his computer.

“I could DJ better than that guy,” you say to yourself as you attempt to dance to the slow, repetitive ending of a thumping electronic song. “No. I WILL DJ better than this guy.” But where to start?

It obviously takes specialized equipment to be able to properly DJ, but some of it can get expensive. Where do you start? How do you know if you’re ready to move on?

Rather than making an immediate investment in an unknown piece of hardware, it’s a good idea to research technique, and down-

load a free trial of a program like Virtual DJ or Ableton Live to get the feel for things. Many people will not enjoy the constant beatmatching or steep learning curve inherent within good DJ-ing, and will end up saving themselves a ton of money.

If you’re ready to take the next step, the best place to move on to is an affordable MIDI controller.

While it can be tempting to grab a controller that can scratch, the only ones with the control you want are in the upper price ranges, and a beginner likely isn’t ready for that.

A MIDI controller is an affordable and powerful tool that will work well in conjunction with the DJ software that was downloaded earlier to create a much more advanced mix. These will allow the user to use multiple effects at the same time, and can even be used in conjunction with some pro-

grams to customize which effects are available.

The most advanced form of DJ hardware comes in the form of a full-fledged turntable. These come in many forms, as some are used in conjunction with CDs, while others connect to a computer and others may even specialize in the playing of vinyl. The best thing to do would be to research them, as they are a large investment, and should only be pursued by someone who is going to DJ live as a potential job.

In the end, it all comes down to passion. The equipment required for being a successful DJ depends wholly on the final goal of the DJ, and has various price options for different skill levels.

Whether you just want some software to go along with your computer, or a full-blown turntable setup, there is something for every level of music connoisseur.

The package includes two sizes of memory foam to ensure all will find a good fit.

These earphones are so adept at reproducing low frequencies that you might have to set your iPod equalizer to “bass reducer.”

Marshmallows will also help save battery power. Instead of blaring tunes to drown out noise pollution, the earplug memory foam will do the work for you. Lower volume uses less energy.

For the fashionistas reading, relax. Marshmallows are available in nine different colours—pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, black and white. And of course, a microphone is included.

Come on, it’s the 21st century.

During the few moments of free time I have during midterm season, I surf the web and catch up on my social media profiles. As I recently did this, I heard a ‘ping’ come from my Facebook tab. After excitedly clicking the little blue ‘f’, eager to read what new gossip my friend wished to dish, I was disappointed to find that the contact starting up the conversation was none other than a semi-casual acquaintance from high school.

We all have those online ‘friends,’ the ones where continuing a conversation is as painful as a trip to the dentist or as tedious as navigating University Community Centre during lunchtime.

My usual plan is to just ignore the message—waiting until this wellmeaning individual moves on to what I’m sure is a riveting conversation with someone else. This usual strategy, however, no longer worked. Why? Because now Facebook has let the object of my avoidance know I have read the message.

In this precarious situation, I found myself with a difficult decision to make. Would I stand strong in my unwillingness to engage, letting this person, who has never harmed me, know that I have no intention of messaging back? Or would I succumb to the pressures of niceties and go through a torturous round of “what are you up to?”

I ended up quickly logging off to appear as though I was in the pro-

cess of signing off when I got the message.

Though I escaped the perils of awkward chat that time, I know the problem will arise again. Now that Facebook has joined the trend BBM started, I’m now vulnerable to attacks on all sides. The girl you spoke to once at a party. The creepy cousin who you’ve never actually met. That guy with the moustache from camp. With Facebook sharing what I’ve read, any bluff of ignorance is now out the window.

You may be questioning what the big deal is. Who cares if people I don’t like learn that I don’t like them? Well, the problem isn’t that I’ll have to eventually talk to my cousins. The problem is Facebook has taken another step towards becoming a full-fledged surveillance system. Facebook has moved on from the days of asking for updates of what you’re doing—they’re now demanding it. Posting on Facebook from a mobile device allows the site to tag you in a location.

Clicking on a group will tell the other members that you’ve done so. And, as mentioned above, messages will be marked as ‘seen’ after you’ve loaded the page.

With these features, it’s easy to monitor someone else’s movements via Facebook. Facebook is supposed to be, at least to me, an escape from the pressures of everyday interactions—a world where I am in control. Instead, the site has become as wearisome as reality. This only makes one question how much more control we’ll lose on our online profiles.

In the end, how much choice will we have with what is and isn’t published online? Will there even be a choice? It’s hard to say, but before I think about the answer, I have to go reply to that guy with the moustache from camp.

•5

thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Arts&Life

thespianthursday Always tell the truth—it’s the easiest thing to remember.

—David Mamet, American playwright

Political comedy timely treat

Courtesy of Ross Linden-Fraser

Brian McNamara Contributor November GGGHF

On Disc

GGFFF Brad Fillatre For Your Weakness Sparks Music/Universal Music Canada

For Your Weakness is Newfoundland native Brad Fillatre’s, debut solo album, which was released October 16. Fillatre was previously a part of a group called The Evelyn Room, but decided to work independently from the band in 2011.

The six songs included on the EP radiate raw emotion. Each

song whispers feelings and, in some moments, remnants of a damaged heart, which allow this composition to easily accompany a tub of Ben & Jerry’s and post break-up tears.

The EP’s release was preceded by the release of “New Tattoo.”

The song’s lyrics are honest and, like most of the songs on For Your Weakness, speak to the vulnerability of the heart. Fillatre’s voice has a vague similarity to the husky voice of the late Kurt Cobain. The genre highlights Fillatre’s east coast roots—however, like many folk musicians singing from the heart, the lyrics occasionally get lost in the sentimental grovel.

Fillatre shows promising talent, both musically and lyrically but his debut album can easily become background music and lacks the resonance to keep the listener intrigued. Fillatre still has room to fine-tune his sound, but he is definitely a Canadian artist to watch.

—Nicole Goodbrand

Do you have a burning health or fitness question?

Send it to arts@westerngazette.ca and we’ll answer it for you!

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November is a sharply-written play by David Mamet that examines the inner workings of American politics through the final days of a lame-duck president. Its great cast and hysterical one-liners are slightly reduced by a script that doesn’t delve as critically into serious issues as it should. The play, put on by Richmond and Tower Productions, is currently on at The ARTS Project.

President Charles Smith (Drew Moore) is unhappy. His re-election funding has been cut, and he is passing his last days with his top advisor Archer (Mitch Brhelle), and his lesbian speechwriter Bernstein (Sarah Farrant), who has just returned from China—maybe with

bird flu. Faced with the upsetting prospect of leaving office broke, Smith concocts a wild plan to extort the manufacturers in exchange for the customary pardoning of the White House turkey. From there, things devolve into what Smith calls a “clusterfuck,” filled with yelling and cajoling on the part of all characters to get what they want.

The cast is small—only five characters appear on stage. Moore and Farrant are the two wildest cannons, veering from emotion to emotion quite ably while spewing out Mamet’s mile-a-minute dialogue. Forgrave’s Turkey representative is also well-acted as a man in over his head who is incredulous at what he’s seeing. As the glue between the characters, and often the voice of reason, Brhelle makes much out of his role as Archer.

His deadpan relaying of new crises—or maybe just messages from the president’s wife—is hilarious.

In a smaller role as Chief Dwight Grackle, Aleco Gammal certainly gets to test his range in a rather surreal closing act.

The play is extremely wellstaged. The intimate ARTS Project makes the audience as though it’s inside the Oval Office alongside the president and his advisors.

Through characters entering and exiting the stage, the audience augments this perception. Subtler touches, like giving the Turkey representative a patchy suit by comparison to the better-dressed president and Archer, work well to add to the audience’s understanding of the characters.

The play’s biggest drawback is that it doesn’t really offer much insight into the important issues it discusses. Bernstein’s sexual orientation is alternately mocked and accepted by the other characters, depending on which behaviour will draw the most politically expedient conclusion, but the significance of sexual orientation in the United States is never really discussed, short of the repeated refrain that marriage between samesex couples is “illegal.”

November is worth seeing for its charged performances, and its zinger-packed script. It is a timely and interesting look at the inner workings of American politics. If only it took them just a bit more seriously.

November runs at The ARTS Project nightly at 8 p.m. until this Saturday, October 27. There are also matinees on Friday and Saturday at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 at the door or in advance.

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thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Opinions Language should retain cultural importance in Canada Census figures released yesterday show more than 2 million people in Canada speak neither English nor French at home. In addition, English-French bilingualism is dropping in almost every region of the country, aside from Quebec, despite increasing demand for French Immersion programs.

While it’s important to recognize English and French are the official languages of this country and will, in all likelihood, remain so, the statistics reflect a changing Canada. With English, the world’s most widespread language, a question arises about the status of French and the utility of learning a language that is becoming less relevant. Official bilingualism may remain policy on a legal level, but its status demographically within Canada may be in danger, especially in the Western regions.

With other languages gaining increasing prominence within Canada, would it make more practical sense to learn a language such as Arabic or Mandarin over French? For the first time in our history, the answer could be yes. While it certainly is an asset to know French in the job search, globalization has ensured this now applies to other languages as well, and many Canadians are beginning to take notice.

Additionally, there are many benefits to learning and speaking a new language, though it is important to make sure your understanding of the English language is strong, first and foremost. Learning a new language may be challenging, but it is also very rewarding.

The rise of non-official languages is also becoming obvious through such things as signage. While it is no business of the government’s what private businesses choose to put on their signs, official signs should reflect the official languages of this country.

People of all backgrounds should feel welcome and comfortable here, but not so comfortable that there is no motivation to start learning, using and practicing English or French.

In the increasingly interconnected world, the ability to speak more than one language is becoming very important. In addition, there is nothing particularly troubling that, in our multicultural nation, those who grew up with a different language are choosing to retain its use at home. Hopefully, the rise of these languages will not lead to the downfall of others within Canada, and they will contribute towards maintaining an understanding and tolerant nation.

—The Gazette Editorial Board

Charlie Brown is the one person I identify with. Charlie Brown is such a loser. He wasn’t even the star of his own Halloween special.

—Chris Rock, American comedian

How to spend your Halloween RySpace

Ryan Hurlbut Opinions Editor Halloween is an odd holiday—the way it’s celebrated drastically changes depending on your age. As wild and crazy university students, it’s best for us not to waste away the years before we are relegated to handing out candy to ungrateful preteens. Because of this, I have decided to present the best ways to spend your Halloween weekend.

Realistically, all the parties have been planned at this point, and to create one of your own would undoubt-

edly end in a house void of people, yet filled with unfulfilled expectations.

The number one priority if you’re going to celebrate is to dress up. There’s nothing worse than running into a person who brings everyone down by sucking the spirit out of the holiday.

Also, anyone who doesn’t dress up will have to deal with everyone else constantly berating them all night.

At the very least, come up with some sort of orange/black colour combination that implies spirit.

If hosting a party, make sure to keep a tight watch on everyone who comes in. While we would like to imagine the world isn’t full of costumed menaces on Halloween weekend, no one should risk destroyed property and flaring tempers in their own home.

Also, throw together your own specific theme to set your party apart from

thisdayinhistory

Dear Life

Your anonymous letters to life.

It was twenty years ago that the Toronto Blue Jays won their first world series, and the fans in London did not hesitate to celebrate.

Hoards of students flooded the intersection at Richmond and Pall Mall when the game let out, which only compounded the homecoming celebrations that were going on at the time.

While the crowd was relatively controlled, it still managed to block traffic. Students were climbing fixtures at the side of the street, and it was safer to force cars to detour.

The celebrations were quite beneficial to the Ceeps, which claimed that it was probably their best night of business on record.

weeklypoll Do you think Mayor Joe Fontana is guilty of using government funds to pay for his son’s wedding in 2005?

No 4%

westerngazette.ca/opinions

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

Dear Life, Yoga was developed in ancient India, probably in 40 degree weather. So if you think about it, Hot Yoga is really just regular yoga as it’s supposed to be done.

Dear Life, A charity for donating cars to people with kidney disease? Noble cause, I guess, but maybe the most random charity ever.

Dear Pat Whelan, Will you go to the prom with me?

Love, Sam Krishnapillai

Vote on next week’s poll at westerngazette.ca

Volume 106, Issue 29 www.westerngazette.ca

Dear Life, I’m so happy I just downloaded iTunes 10.7.

It’s way better than 10.6.

Dear Life, Kevin Hurren’s smoldering picture above his column in the paper makes me want to volunteer at the Gazette.

Yes 68% I’m not sure 28%

thegazette

all the others that are going on.

If going to a party, be respectful. Go along with the themes set by the host, and have a great time. Bringing along candy is a fine tribute to how we celebrated in our youth, but giving candy an alcohol-related twist will likely impress more of the demographic that exists here.

If going to a bar, a high-quality costume is a must. Not only will bars be set in full Halloween spirit, there will likely be contests that depend on the quality of your garbs. Also, being able to go to the bathroom in your costume in a bar is ideal, so make sure you’re not the one who has to take off a full body suit and holds up the line.

This weekend may not contain the 31st day of the month, but it can still be packed with fun.

Karen Savino Diana Watson

Gazette Staff 2012-2013

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

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

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

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

• Please recycle this newspaper •

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thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012

Sports

tweetoftheweek @BMcCarthy32: “Apparently everyone at the beach is pretty laid back about peeing in the ocean until you stand on the shore to do it”

>> Oakland Athletics pitcher Brandon McCarthy is enjoying his off-season a bit too much

Rundown >> The Ontario University Athletics came out with their weekly top ten lists, and Mustangs teams were featured heavily in this week’s version > Included in their respective top tens were the men’s and women’s cross country teams, women’s hockey and men’s football.

Farewell, John Farrell If at first you don’t succeed…

The tables have sterned Ryan Stern Sports Editor Remember how Toronto fans felt when Vince Carter—the heart of the Raptors franchise—gave up on the team with a promising career ahead of him? Now remember when Antonio Davis ripped the metric system and left the Raptors as an angry man? Well, John Farrell leaving is more analogous to the former, and I say good riddance to Toronto sports fans’ newest villain.

With a 154–170 record, and a sullied reputation in the clubhouse, Red Sox fans may need to hold off on their World Series parade for another 80 or so years.

Yes, John Farrell always wanted to manage the Red Sox, but he proved absolutely nothing as the Jays skipper to deserve the job.

Don’t get me wrong, Farrell is not to blame for all the injuries to the Jays, but Farrell never really won over the Jays fans or—if you believe Omar Vizquel—the clubhouse. Farrell did not get the best out of this Jays team, and Jays fans should be looking forward instead of looking back.

With questionable bullpen management, a lack of development from the team’s youth and zero winning seasons, Farrell was not even a lock for an extension following this season. To get Mike

Aviles—not an all-star by any means, but a nice utility infielder— for a manager that may not have even lasted past next season is a coup in itself.

The winds of change are certainly blowing in Toronto, and though no Jays fan should be upset to see Farrell go, the pressure of success now sits squarely on the shoulders of wiz kid Alex Anthopoulos. He needs to find a suitable successor to lead this team, whether it be Sandy Alomar Jr., Brian Butterfield, Jim Tracy or any other off-the-map candidate.

Anthopoulos’ honeymoon period is over, and even though he has been generally applauded for the deals he has made, Jays fans still have yet to see any real progress. The farm system is definitely stronger than when he came in, but the next manager he hires will probably go a long way in determining his legacy as the decision maker for this team.

The public relations mess this Farrell incident caused is undoubtedly bad publicity for the Jays, but it could end up being for the better.

With money to spend—supposedly—and a new man at the helm, maybe the Jays’ luck could turn around from the hellish summer of 2012.

Not only does Farrell leaving not spell the end for this stillyouthful franchise, but with a new front man on the bench, the Jays have an opportunity to start their most important off-season in recent history on the right foot.

Good riddance Farrell.

Mustangs hope this season will bring them to finals again Jason Sinukoff Sports Editor

The Mustangs men’s volleyball team is back in action on Friday night, facing off against the Toronto Varsity Blues for their first game of the regular season.

Expectations will be at an all time high this year, as the Mustangs will once again hope to capture the coveted Ontario University Athletics gold.

The purple and white have made it to the OUA finals twice in the past two years, and after losing to the McMaster Marauders and the Queen’s Gaels respectively, they hope the third time is the charm this time around.

“As a team, we’ve always set our goals fairly high, but this year I think we’re capable of accomplishing what previous teams could not have done,” Phil James, Mustangs middle, said. “We will accept nothing less than a league title and a medal performance at the CIS championships.”

The road to the championships won’t be easy though, as seasoned veterans Mathew Waite and Mathieu Poulin took their

leave last season and the Mustangs will be looking for players to step up into the leadership role. Luckily, James thinks he and his fellow seniors are up to the task.

As a team, we’ve always set our goals fairly high, but this year I think we’re capable of accomplishing what previous teams could not have done.

—Phil James

Mustangs middle

“While I think that I will have to step it up as leader, we currently have a large contingent of veterans on the team, so rather than leading by example, we lead more as a collective group,” James said. “Poulin and Waite were integral parts of our lineup, but I’ve made the proper off-

season adjustments to help our team prevail.”

Along with the loss of some key players, the Mustangs will have to deal with a tough regular season schedule this year, taking on the likes of McMaster and Queen’s numerous times. After defeating the Mustangs for the OUA title the past couple of years, both the Gaels and the Marauders provide just as stiff competition as ever.

“McMaster—they had a strong preseason showing, and have greatly benefited from some new talent,” James said. “Although they beat us in the preseason, our regular season bouts with McMaster are historically wellfought and demanding.”

Thanks to a tough preseason, the Mustangs have improved cohesively and seem ready to, once again, compete for gold.

“We had a lengthy and demanding preseason that tested our mettle, but I think our struggles helped us grow as a team,” James said. “To put it succinctly, we’re working a lot on becoming a cohesive unit, as we’re still adapting to some of the fresh faces in the lineup.”

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Feeling a little under the weather?

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thegazette • Thursday, October 25, 2012