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Volume 106, Issue 27
Fontana faces flak for Canada develops flagrant fiscal frivolity new lunar rovers Justin Sahota Contributor
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Aaron Zaltzman News Editor London Mayor Joe Fontana has some explaining to do, after allegations recently came to light that he used public funds for personal use in 2005, while serving as an MP. The allegations came last Thursday from the London Free Press, which claimed Fontana paid for his son Michael’s wedding using two cheques issued by the Government of Canada. The claim is backed by Joe DiPietro, the then-manager of the Marconi Club where the reception was held. The LFP also obtained a cheque stub of Fontana’s with an invoice number that matches the one used for the wedding contract. Fontana initially acknowledged the allegations, but responded dismissively. “The documentation relating to the story has not been shared with me. I have not been contacted by anyone regarding these accusations (except the LFP),” Fontana wrote in a statement on his website. “Londoners should know I will get to the bottom of this and I have started to obtain and review available documentation from 2005.” “I am confident a thorough and fair review will clearly demonstrate all transactions were proper and valid.” However, Fontana later admit-
ted a review of the documents in question “clearly indicates a personal payment made to the Marconi Club during the time frame in question.” The allegations became even more serious yesterday, when Fontana confirmed the matter had been referred to the RCMP. In another press release, the mayor stated he had retained the services of an attorney and would cooperate with any review.
I am confident a thorough and fair review will clearly demonstrate all transactions were proper and valid. —Joe Fontana
London mayor
Timothy Cobban, a political science professor at Western specializing in local government, said the allegations look bad for Fontana. “It depends on the details, but if he paid by government cheque and didn’t reimburse his office, then that seems criminal to me. If he did reimburse it, it seems very incompetent,” Cobban said. “It reflects badly on his administrative
capacity, one way or the other.” However, Christine de Clercy, a political science professor with a specialization in Canadian politics, cautioned against early speculation based on the LFP’s contentions. “Mr. Fontana has been fair in pointing out that, to date, nobody has substantiated these allegations against him or served him with a formal copy of the papers in question,” de Clercy said. “Judging from the LFP story, where some of receipts were covered in obstructions and had obviously been amended, there is some reason to suspect the veracity of these allegations.” Though the allegations are serious, even a criminal conviction would not automatically spell an end to his tenure as mayor. “If there is a criminal proceeding and Mr. Fontana was convicted, he still wouldn’t be prevented from holding municipal office,” Cobban explained. “The only circumstances under which he would directly lose his position would be if he missed too many council meetings because he was incarcerated—in that case, council could vote to have him removed from office.” According to Cobban, if that should happen, or if Fontana were to resign, council would have to either appoint a replacement mayor or hold a by-election.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), in collaboration with Canadian space industry and universities, is reaffirming Canada’s reputation in space exploration technology. About half a dozen prototype rovers have been developed that may one day be used in lunar exploration. “We started [development] five years ago in 2007 with some of the earliest prototypes,” JeanClaude Piedboeuf, director of space exploration development at the CSA, said. “And then, in 2009, we received additional funding from the federal government [through] Canada’s Economic Action Plan that increased the speed of development.” Gordon Osinski, CSA industrial research chair of planetary geology, who was involved in the development of two of the rovers, said, “[Approximately] $110 million [was given] to the CSA [from Canada’s Economic Action Plan], and a third went to the prototypes.” Canada is well-recognized in the field of space exploration technology based on its past expertise in the development of the Canadarm and the space station. The exploration plan was developed in hopes of extending this expertise into developing the rovers, which are essentially mobile robots. By 2020, Piedboeuf thinks there may be several opportunities for Canada to contribute to a Moon landing mission. However, the lunar rover missions remain an indefinite possibility, with budget cuts being a major detriment.
“If you were to ask that before the most recent budget, the answer would have been yes, definitely within the next 10 years Canada would be partnering with either NASA or the European Space Agency. Now that the CSA’s budget has been reduced, there is some question as to when that will take place,” Mathew Cross, PhD student at Western, and part of the team which developed a rover prototype, said. “For now, there is no mission where any of these rovers will fly,” Osinski added. The prototypes were not solely developed by CSA, but are the result of a solidly Canadian effort involving Canadian universities and industry. “The field of space exploration is not as narrow as some people might think,” Cross said. “Also, the science that goes behind it— [you] need to have a reason to go to Mars or the Moon in the first place. Western [has] the Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration, which [is a] national leader in developing the science to really drive these missions.” According to Cross, research into the rovers will have useful purposes besides their intended mission. “Technology that goes into space robots can have domestic applications. The challenges of operating a rover on Mars, for example, are not that different from operating a rover underground in a mine. And so, of course, since Canada is a leader in mining technology, there were a lot of mining companies that were partnered in this program,” Cross concluded.
Courtesy of Melanie Beauchesne
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Caught on Camera
Crossword By Eugene Sheffer Andrei Calinescu GAZETTE
ARE WE DONE YET? After months of renovation, the changes to Social Science Centre’s counselling office are nearing completion, with the project end date set at October 31.
News Briefs Suger makes us dumb A new study conducted at the University of California by Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, a neurosurgery professor, and Rahul Agrawal, a postdoctoral from India, states sugar not only causes obesity, but stupidity as well. Through experimenting with high fructose corn syrup, research shows a high sugar diet damages cognitive abilities, including learning and memory skills in humans and animals. To support this claim,
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rats were fed a fructose solution for six weeks and put into a maze only to reveal they were thinking slower and had trouble navigating through it. Sharareh Hekmat, a professor of food and nutrition at Brescia, explained that contrary to the study, sugar may not always be a bad thing. “Sugar is an important source of energy for the body, and glucose found in sugar is food for the brain,” Hekmat said. She also noted sugar from food sources are preferable to refined sugar products as they provide the body with necessary nutrients, instead of empty calories. Food containing this refined sugar is now being restricted in areas like New York City. According to Health Canada, the government is promoting funding to encourage healthy eating habits amongst the population. —Jasleen Sembhi
Ivey cracks top 50 The Ivey School of Business executive master’s of business administration program ranked 43rd in the world, according to a recent ranking of comparable programs by the Financial Times. The ranking is
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based on a broad set of indicators, including faculty profile, student satisfaction and salary growth after graduation. “[The source of Ivey’s success] is the quality of the program, and the quality of the students that we recruit. It’s how well they’re doing and progressing through their careers in the world, and I think that has a lot to do with how they’re taught,” Maura Pare, director of communications and public affairs for Ivey, said. However, Pare added rankings are not Ivey’s priority, and the program’s emphasis is on preparing students for their future careers. “Rankings are one element that we look at, and, probably, a minor element. The rankings are looking at things in the program, whereas we focus on what happens when people leave the program,” Pare said. “Our alumni […] are rising in their roles and progressing into senior positions,” Pare said. “Four out of five of our alumni are in senior executive levels, […] so they’re in a place where they really have an impact on industry. We’re trying to have a broader impact,” she concluded. —Kaitlyn Oh
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Western succeeds Student injured during in sustainability night out at the Spoke Jesica Hurst News Editor
Western’s dedication to environmental and sustainability initiatives may pay off in more ways than one. Nominated by the Chamber of Commerce, the university has been named one of three finalists for the Ontario Business Achievement Award in the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario Corporate Governance Award category. According to the Ontario Business Achievement Awards, this award honours a business that demonstrates excellence in raising the standard as an exemplary corporate citizen, and makes a commitment in areas such as corporate governance or environmental stewardship. Beverley Ayeni, energy and environment manager for Western, believes Western was selected as one of the finalists because the institution seeks to embed sustainability into every facet of life on campus. “Between the numerous pledges the university has made to sustainability, such as the Talloires Declaration, the events the university holds—such as last week’s Electronic Waste Drive and David Suzuki’s lecture—and the initiatives taken to promote sustainability in student learning, Western can certainly be seen as a university that goes the extra distance to include sustainability within university functioning,” Ayeni said.
Ayeni also thinks Western stands out from the other finalists—Nestlé Waters Canada and Scott Environmental Group—because of student involvement. “Western is an organization that shapes individuals,” she said. “Students at Western are not only exposed to sustainability initiatives, but over their years of education at Western, they become part of the university’s sustainability movements,” she said. Jim Galbraith, manager of grounds maintenance and waste management for Western, also thinks the school has a good chance at winning the award. “I think Western is very strong. We’ve been working for years, and we’ve become more dedicated to these initiatives,” Galbraith said. “I think we’ve got a huge package—the big thing now is for people to know what we do.” If Western wins the award, Ayeni believes it will further display the university’s commitment to sustainability. “A lot of businesses and institutions claim that they are committed to the environment and sustainability, but do not do much to show it,” she said. “If Western wins this award, it will show to everyone that a group of third-party, educated individuals believed that what Western does sets the university apart from other organizations, and that Western truly is a sustainable campus.” The winner will be announced at a gala in Toronto on Wednesday night.
New program to aid in PSE applications Aaron Zaltzman News Editor High school students have a new tool for post-secondary school accessibility. Life After High School, a program out of British Columbia, is aimed at helping high school students through the process of applying to university or college. “We want students to keep their options open,” Philip Oreopoulos, professor of economics at the University of Toronto and developer of the program, said. “We try to facilitate the application process so that everyone, regardless of how much initial thought they’ve given, can seriously consider the possibility of post-secondary education.” Oreopoulos explained the idea for the program came from a previous study he performed in the U.S. in conjunction with H&R Block. “We found that just providing that assistance to make it a lot easier to get the financial aid application done led to a substantial increase in PSE enrollment,” Oreopoulos explained. “We thought that if we can get that large of an effect by just helping with financial aid, why not help with both that and the program application itself?” The program consists of three workshops held during the school year. Working in class, members of LAHS help students identify and
apply to post-secondary programs they are interested in—a process that includes covering the application fees. The final workshop assists students in applying for financial aid. Alysha Li, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said the program assists in overcoming some, though not all, of the barriers towards post-secondary education. “Even though Ontario has one of the highest post-secondary education participation rates in the world, […] students face a variety of barriers to accessing education,” Li said. “These barriers may be financial, informational and motivational.” According to Li, the financial barriers include lack of funds, sticker shock and debt aversion. The information and motivational barriers include misconceptions about the value of a post-secondary education and a lack of confidence. Oreopoulos, however, said he believes a simple push in the right direction can be enough for students to overcome the hurdles leading to post-secondary education. “The program is not the be all and end all of accessibility,” Oreopoulos said. “But for some, it suggests that encouragement can make the difference between going and not going.”
Julian Uzielli GAZETTE
RICK’S GONE AWRY. A student was knocked unconscious at the Spoke Wednesday night after trying to pick up his dancing partner and losing his balance. He was taken to University Hospital for treatment.
Julian Uzielli Online Editor It wasn’t exactly the most successful pick-up attempt the Spoke has ever seen. Rick McGhie’s regular weekly performance was interrupted around midnight Wednesday night, when an unidentified student briefly lost consciousness following a dance move gone awry. “He basically tried to pick up a girl really high in the air, and she fell on him, and he fell backwards and he hit his head,” Tony Ayala, vice-president finance for the University Students’ Council, explained. The injured student’s dance partner was unhurt. Paramedics from the Student Emergency Response Team responded to the scene, and the student was taken to University Hospital in an ambulance—though according to Ayala, he was able to walk out on his own.
Representatives from SERT declined to comment, citing patient confidentiality. McGhie was leading a rousing sing-along to “Hey Jude” when his set was put on hold, as a crowd of
He basically tried to pick up a girl really high in the air, and she fell on him, and he fell backwards and he hit his head. —Tony Ayala
Vice-president finance for the University Students’ Council
onlookers gathered around the student. Though the performance was cut short, McGhie had already played crowd favourites, such as
“American Pie” and “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” so patrons were not left entirely without their Rick’s fix. Vanessa Rocca, a fourth-year kinesiology student, was at the Spoke Wednesday night. “I left just as the ambulance got there, so all I saw was the guy laying on the ground with his hands over his face and paramedics around him,” she said. “I didn’t want to stick around because of how many people were tending to him, but when I got outside I saw another ambulance and a police car, and I’m pretty sure a fire truck as well.” Though unusual, the incident was not unheard of for the Spoke— Ayala said ambulances are typically called “a few times a year.” “From all reports that I’ve been getting, it was handled correctly,” Ayala said. “[SERT] came within their call time, they called the ambulance and then he moved on. We followed our procedures, and we hope that the student is well.”
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Arts&Life
tuesdaytweet @taylorswift13: “I feel like I’d be more understood if people knew ‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’ by Aerosmith is how most of my emotions sound in my head.”
—Taylor Swift
Four fantastic fall features Wonka leaves both
Autumn art arrives at the Aeolian sweet and sour taste
Courtesy of Don Stenning Courtesy of Catherine Goodmurphy
Alex Carey Contributor Sometimes simplicity achieves the best result. Last Wednesday at Aeolian Hall, local artists Joanna Gooder, Catherine Goodmurphy, Erin Natalie and Christine Newland were all featured in the second edition of Aeolian Autumn Art Exhibithion’s opening reception. Each artist provided her nuances. Goodmurphy, originally from northern England, presented a largely watercolour-based portfolio. Goodmurphy paints pastoral landscapes, fences and grasses surrounding focal points with sizeable backgrounds of rolling hills. Human and animal life are largely absent from her work, leaning on the natural world to supplement emotion. Alongside portraits of rural New Brunswick and seaside images of a Scottish shore, the local natural scene has inspired Goodmurphy, a London, Ontario resident of 37 years, as well. Goodmurphy’s version of the Thames was on display, and her historical eye evoked nostalgia. These representational works should serve a guide to any student looking for natural beauty in the city. Newland seemed to carry the most celebrity of the four, having been commissioned for a piece for
Julian Lennon, with a white feather bleeding across the black background to the portrait view of the subject. Newland’s exhibition also featured intimate studies of felines with stunning detail. Newcomer Natalie’s abstract expressionism was also on display, her variety displaying a promising rising talent. Gooder’s work was heavily abuzz. While she created representational pieces, her sense of humour was her biggest selling point. Hung in the hallway leading towards the bar, her pieces caused visible and audible reactions from patrons. Featured were pieces like “Roach Bar,” with cockroaches drinking keg beers with new insectthemed names, “Sole Food,” where fancy food is served on the sole of a shoe, and the heavily talked about “Menopausal Melt”—an abstract expression of its title. Gooder uses old puns and expressions, making an original canon out of tried and true human expressions. These detailed pieces contained supplementary jokes to keep the eye and mind entertained and focused. View the entire exhibition at Aeolian Art Gallery before November 25, or during regular gallery hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday. Ask staff in the Dundas level office for access to the show.
Artist Q&A Near the end of the exhibition, the humble and congenial Joanna Gooder sat down to talk about her work. Gazette: Of all the puns featured in your work, can you pick a favourite? Gooder: I like them all, but two come to mind. “Eye Glasses,” where eyeball are put in, well, glasses, and “Sole Food.” I love the idea of taking your expectations somewhere but then changing it up—I’m all about misdirection. Gazette: “Menopausal Melt” is definitely a departure from your other stuff—less directly representational. What technique did you use for that one? Gooder: Well, I wanted to convey a sense of heat and a frustration with one’s body. So, I simplified everything by squeezing out bottles of paint in any which way and covered the canvas with clear glass. Gazette: Finally, besides a laugh, what else are you trying to achieve with your work? Gooder: Obviously, a laugh, or a chuckle is important—that “oh, ah” surprise moment. Everything else builds on that. I try to layer each piece I do with little puns that relate to the initial joke between the title and the obvious misdirection. I guess I’m looking to create a sense of something more than what I’m looking at.
Gazette Tested > Rose’s Tuna Salad Midterm season is in full swing, stress is high and free time is dwindling. Students barely have enough hours in the day to study, let alone to cook meals. Luckily, there are quick options available that can— surprisingly—be healthy too. The following is a tuna salad recipe that substitutes avocado for mayonnaise to help you power through your day.
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GGGFF Wonka - The Musical never seems to take itself seriously, embracing the ridiculousness of the story, making for a campy night of fun. Based on the Roald Dahl novel, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the musical, which is playing at The Grand Theatre, centers around the famous chocolate-maker Willy Wonka, who opens his factory to five lucky children. Charlie Bucket (Brayden Ellis), a poor boy, ends up winning a spot into the factory and joins four other bratty children. The theatre is small and had a claustrophobic feeling. The space was used in clever ways, however. For instance, a boat ride scene through the chocolate river used lighting as well as the movement of the characters to simulate a haunting experience. Other artistic choices were not so successful. Inflatable suits, 12inch dolls and other prop and costume pieces used to advance the plot garnered laughs, in part because of their outlandish nature. In the final scene, an elevator is wheeled around by a poorly concealed stagehand that knocks into other set pieces. Other parts of the set were limited, but wonderful to look at. The director was likely selective due to the restrictive space, but each one
“Lonely Boy” — The Black Keys
Ingredients ½ ripe avocado 1 can of skinless, boneless canned tuna 2 handfuls of spinach ½ cup of chopped cucumber salt and pepper
Bradley Metlin Contributor
file photo
Directions 1. Open can of tuna into a bowl.
4. Mix in spinach and cucumber.
2. Scoop 1/2 an avocado, pitted into the bowl.
6. Enjoy on a cracker, whole wheat bread or just as is! —Emily Broughton
3. Mix with a spoon until it is well blended.
5. Add salt and pepper as desired.
When guitar intro of “Lonely Boy” came blasting out of El Camino’s first track, it was clear that The Black Keys had found a their own sound—and it’s awesome. Focusing on creating songs designed for a live audience, Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney have written an addicting jazzy sound. Moving away from the slower tempo tracks of their previous album, Brothers, “Lonely Boy” is a fast tempo rock song drawing in-
served a purpose and was crafted with deliberate errors that added to the character and imperfect image of Wonka. Usually, good child actors are difficult to find—luckily, Wonka The Musical bucked this trend. The young actors in this musical were powerhouses, delivering clever line after line with convincing timing and seldom stumbling. The star is Violet Beauregarde, played by Maddie Begin, as the sassy, jogging suit-clad southerner who takes every advantage she can to stay in the spotlight. While the ensemble, as a whole, was strong, there were a few notable exceptions. Jeff Insell’s Wonka was merely adequate and could have been more exciting and likable as the title character. Ellis’ Charlie also lacked the ability to sell a lot of the moments and was stuck playing a mopey one-note character the entire show. Unfortunately, the show was confined by its own ridiculousness and despite strong performances, the leads largely failed. Still, the show provides an entertaining night because of its silly nature. Wonka - The Muscial, a show full of “pure imagination” is delightful at first, but its limitations become evident by the end. Wonka - The Musical plays at The Grand Theatre until October 27. Visit iglesiaproductions.com for more details.
spiration from early American rock music. With a memorable guitar opening and punchy riff during the verses, “Lonely Boy” only gathers momentum when the harmony vocals kick in during its catchy chorus. As seen in the unique music video, “Lonely Boy” has an extremely danceable beat as the edgy guitar riff mixes well with the fast beat of Carney’s drumming. With its fast-pace and catchy lyrics, The Black Keys’ “Lonely Boy” definitely won’t keep you waiting. —Brent Holmes
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Calendar Girls are unforgettable
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Sarah Manning Contributor GGGGF Calendar Girls is a story set in England, where a group of middle-aged women come together to raise funds to buy a new sofa for the relatives’ room of their local hospital. Chris Harper comes to the aid of her newly widowed, oldest friend, Annie Clarke to raise these funds. Her idea is a surprising and uncouth, yet successful, project. Posing nude, performing various domestic tasks, the women create their own pin up calendar. Calendar Girls is an intricately woven story of romance, sadness, success and friendship. Within the play, numerous themes and emotions are stacked one on top of the other, overlapping and intersecting. Without the right balance and execution the whole performance could come toppling down. The Grand Theatre’s production of Calendar Girls stands steady—not wavering amidst the chaotic intricacies of the production. The characters are developed impeccably. With such an array of personalities presented on stage, the audience can easily find someone to relate to. Chris—the outgoing sarcastic leader of the women, Annie— the emotional and compassionate second in command, Cora—the rebellious daughter turned single mother, Jessie—the retired teacher with perhaps too much life experience, Celia—the devoted yet resentful wife and Ruth—the respectful and well-mannered grounding of the group. All of these characters’ personalities come off natural, and
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play off the others’ wonderfully. The dialogue within the script is both carefully written and executed. The banter between the characters comes across as light-hearted and natural, lending to both the emotional depth of the story, as well as the humorous side. Despite the obvious emotional undertone in the play—raising money for a cancer wing—humorous one-liners riddle the script. At times these quips come off as premeditated, giving the scene a forced feel. However, more often than not the jokes seem off-the-cuff, adding to the relatable nature of the characters, and the presumed long-standing history between them. The problem with the frequency of the jokes presents itself in the decision to sacrifice the audibility of the following lines for the sake of keeping the play moving. The pause to allow for laughter was brief, if at all, making it a struggle for the audience to keep up with the dialogue.
While the dialogue is of utmost importance to present the humorous side of the play, the emotions of loss and sadness are more subtly presented. Quiet instrumental music and delicate lighting changes cue the audience for the emotions they are about to feel. Although these emotions are also presented and performed by the actors on stage, the eloquent musical and lighting changes deepen the emotional value. In all, Calendar Girls is a carefully crafted, and well-performed combination of humour and sadness. The cast and crew alike do a great job in creating a quick paced, detail-filled, emotional experience for the audience. Although the play itself seems directed towards an older audience, it is enjoyable for both the young, and young at heart. Calendar Girls will be playing at The Grand Theatre until November 10. Visit grandtheatre.com for further details.
A shaky detective story Brian McNamara Contributor GGHFF Director: Rob Cohen Starring: Tyler Perry, Matthew Fox, Edward Burns, Rachel Nichols
Often, when a piece of popular culture is adapted into a film, the most significant factor working against its success is the very fact that it is an adaptation. Despite being a fairly serviceable film, Alex Cross ultimately falls victim to this very problem. The film’s plot is fairly boilerplate—Alex Cross (Tyler Perry), based off James Patterson’s literary character, is a brilliant detective in Detroit armed with a PhD in psychology to help him get inside the minds of the degenerates, and his skills in deductive reasoning to aid in solving crime. Alongside partner and childhood friend Tommy Kane (Edward Burns), Cross meets his match in a deranged killer nicknamed Picasso (Matthew Fox), who acquires his nickname from the charcoal drawings he leaves behind at the scenes of his crimes. Perry deserves considerable praise for his performance as Cross. Many were quite scornful of his casting as Cross—originally portrayed by Morgan Freeman in Kiss the Girls and Along Came a Spider—suggesting that a man who is best known for acting in drag as a sassy septuagenarian would not have what it
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takes to play the brilliant Cross. There are certainly flaws in Perry’s performance, but most of the problems with the character can be attributed to the film’s script. The rest of the cast also brings decent performances to the film. Fox’s villain is a menace who takes great pleasure in inflicting pain on others. As Perry’s partner and friend, Burns is believable, particularly in playing a bit of a wise-ass to Perry’s more subdued performance as Cross. The script and direction, however, leave much to be desired. Cohen, who made his name directing action films, like The Fast and the Furious, does a mediocre job with the film’s pacing and tension-building. The script also suffers from a mid-film twist which both completely changes the film’s tone, and largely makes it a movie
about Cross. Burns’ character is, unfortunately, pushed to the sidelines, downplaying the great chemistry between the two cops. Alex Cross doesn’t reinvent the wheel of detective stories, but it does tread on solid ground. As a film about the character of Alex Cross, it is lacking—particularly as a re-introduction of the character to moviegoers. Cross’ brilliance is treated by the film as a fait accompli, and the audience never really gets to understand where it comes from or how it works. Cross’ habit of always being right—with one critical and gutwrenching exception—is more aggravating than it is exceptional. Alex Cross is a fairly diverting way to spend two hours at the movies, but it is neither high art, nor a truly great detective story.
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Opinions
Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
—Lance Armstrong, former American cyclist
From Livestrong to ‘Livewrong’ Let it never be said Lance Armstrong isn’t good at setting records. In one of the most significant sport scandals in recent memory, the famous cyclist has been convicted of the many accusations of blood doping that have plagued him for much of his career. Each of his seven Tour de France titles—gone. Armstrong himself has been banned for life from ever competing in the sport itself. His wins will be erased from the record books. Armstrong’s once triumphant legacy has been tainted by what has been described as a massive and all-encompassing doping program. While Armstrong still formally denies the allegations, he has given up fighting the U.S. AntiDoping Agency’s case against him, citing the process as “biased.” But let’s be frank. With 26 witnesses testifying against him, 11 of which are fellow teammates, his denial rings hollow. He has also been abandoned by his former sponsors. It’s also somewhat unseemly that despite being outed as a fraud, Armstrong will comfortably live out the rest of his days on the millions of dollars reaped from prize money and sponsorships. The International Cycling Union is pressuring Armstrong to return his prize money, but the jury is still out on that one—returning the prize money will likely look too much like an admission of guilt for the still prideful Armstrong. Armstrong isn’t only known for his Tour victories, of course. His philanthropy for the Livestrong Foundation has raised millions of dollars for cancer research, prompting the question of whether the ends justify the means, so to speak. Yes, he cheated, but his cheating led to the foundation of what is now one of the largest players in the fight against cancer. It almost seems that if Armstrong had to cheat, it’s better that he got caught now as opposed to earlier in his career before Livestrong could really get off the ground. And while there may no longer be much of a case for Lance the athlete, the charitable contributions of Lance the philanthropist shouldn’t be discounted. Luckily, it seems like the Livestrong Foundation will endure through all of this. Armstrong may have been the face of Livestrong, but the institution is hopefully strong enough to make it without the charisma of the embattled former champion. —The Gazette Editorial Board
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Volume 106, Issue 27 www.westerngazette.ca
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Nicole Gibillini Deputy Editor
Ryan Hurlbut Opinions Editor
We live in a technologically-driven world, and technology always wins. It’s understandable that artists are upset when their music is shared or downloaded illegally, but these artists are undoubtedly aware of something called the Internet, and the effect it’ll have on their craft. It’s not to say artists shouldn’t be paid—they have production costs and obviously need to eat—but copyright laws ultimately hinder their creative potential. If it were easy to make a huge profit from their work, they would likely produce a sub-par product, and not have incentive to do better the next time, much like the majority of popular, high-selling music. There are many smart, tech-savy people out there—and they’ll find a way to get their hands on music for free. No matter how strict copyright laws become, it would be nearly impossible to prevent illegal file sharing from happening. The cost of trying to enforce copyright laws isn’t worth it— in fact, it’s unreasonable. There’s so much knowledge and art—whether it’s music, film or writing—being shared on the web in different forms. Companies like YouTube and Google allow for this, and fighting their business models would be nearly impossible—they’ve adapted to the realities of the web, and it’s working in their favour. An artist’s popularity is more likely to grow if the public has the freedom to share that artist’s work. A band like Walk Off the Earth, for example, wasn’t well-known when they started out. It wasn’t until they covered a song on YouTube while playing one guitar before they achieved widespread success—even though they already had two albums released. Now, they’re playing a lot more shows and profiting more than ever. The Internet is a powerful medium through which artists can share their work and make a name for themselves. Strict copyright laws infringe on this, and although it’d be ideal for artists to receive compensation every time someone shares their work, it’s unrealistic and in the grand scheme of things, not worth the fight.
In a world where advanced forms of file sharing exist, it is becoming increasingly more important to make sure artistry holds its cultural value, and avoids becoming worthless. In regards to this idea, copyright is an important part of keeping our society’s cultural output intact. The inherent problem with piracy is not the fact that something is being stolen—things are copied, then the copy is given to the pirate, contrary to something like stealing a purse, where the original owner is left with nothing—but the fact that the creators do not make any money for their hard work. While many of the world’s top artists are able to remain profitable, this is a trend that is disappearing, as the technologically-inclined generation is taking up more and more of the population. This generation is far more versed with computers, and is far more likely to download things illegally. If less and less profit flows through to contributing artists, the job becomes far less appealing, and creates a situation in which the output of creative works will severely drop. Creative endeavours will cease to be a form of career and morph into a hobby, where production value severely drops. Sure, there are many people who are willing to create art for free, but they are dwarfed in numbers by those who work for monetary gain. Cutting off such a large percentage of those who create works of culture is sure to create a steady decline in product quality. Copyright is an essential tool that is used to add value to works that have essentially become worthless due to limitless supply. While the current laws may be a bit out of date, it will always remain important to subsidize cultural output in a way that allows artists compensation for their hard work. In fact, it is likely that it is the poorest artists who are most hurt by piracy. While a free reign on all sorts of media would initially be beneficial to citizens, the eventual loss of content would greatly outweigh the impact of such easy access. When there is a lack of content, all that is left is a void.
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
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
@themitzine @uwogazette is on a kind of crusade right now to encourage biking/walking. Right on, guys. @JulianAtGazette @RyanHAtGazette @klawlor3 @uwogazette: LOVED the article “Short Bus Rides an Obstruction to Others.” I could not have said it better myself. @jeff_p_harris @uwogazette Tuition and quality go handin-hand. Quality isn’t free, and will suffer if tuition is frozen while costs increase. @KDGrainger @uwogazette I think that restricting smoking is a good thing, but that the new laws may border on too restrictive. @stevenwright01 I read the whole @uwogazette in line at Manchu Wok, now I don’t have anything to read while I eat lunch. #westernuproblems 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 • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Sports
factattack With the stripping of Lance Armstrong’s Tour de France titles, the USDA claims that, of the 45 riders that have reached the podium from 1996–2010, 36 of them have been directly tied to doping.
Rundown >> Trailing 3–1 in the top of the sixth, the Mustangs women’s softball team came from behind to defeat the Ottawa Gee Gees 9–4 in extra innings to capture the Ontario Softball Championships > Winning their third straight Ontario title, Tricia MacKay was honoured with the tournament’s Most Valuable Player award.
Hajrullahu’s field goal lifts ‘Stangs past Gee Gees Western ends regular season on a high note in 32–29 win Richard Raycraft Sports Editor The Mustangs football team managed a win in their final regular season match-up against the Ottawa Gee Gees, taking the game by a score of 32–29. It took a lategame field goal in the final five seconds from kicker Lirim Hajrullahu to seal the deal. The win puts the Mustangs at fourth place in the Ontario University Athletics division with a record of 5–3. Finishing the regular season on a high note, the Mustangs will now take on the fifth-place Windsor Lancers next Saturday in an OUA quarter-final match-up. The loss was especially bitter for the Gee Gees. With the Windsor Lancers falling to the Waterloo Warriors, a victory for the Gee Gees would have qualified them for the playoffs as the fifth seed. With star running back Garret Sanvido sitting out the contest, the pressure was on Mustangs quarterback Will Finch and running back Yannick Harou to carry the offence. Finch passed for 168 yards and ran for 136, while Harou ran for 181 yards on 23 carries, scoring one touchdown. “[Finch] was in other games and he ran the ball well in those games,” Cory McDiarmid, assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Gee Gees, said. “We knew [Donnie Marshall] was hurt and he wasn’t going to play in the game, so we planned for what Western was doing with their other quarterbacks.” Special teams played a big role in the contest, as both Hajrullahu and his Ottawa counterpart Matt
Falvo kicked five field goals each. Fittingly, the teams traded field goals for most of the first half of the game. The first touchdown wasn’t scored until late in the second quarter, when Ottawa running back Brendan Gillanders ran it into the end zone to make the score 13–11 Ottawa, and give the Gee Gees their first lead of the game.
We knew he was hurt and he wasn’t going to play in the game, so we planned for what Western was doing with their other quarterbacks. —Cory McDiarmid Gee Gees head coach
Western readily responded, however, as Finch took the ball for a 26-yard run to score a touchdown and put the Mustangs in the lead once again at 18–13. Falvo managed to kick a further two field goals before the end of the half, and the quarter ended with the ‘Stangs down by a point at 19–18. A rouge by the Mustangs managed to tie up the score at 19 midway through the third quarter, and Hajrullahu would kick another field goal to give the Mustangs a three point lead. Ottawa was quick to take the lead back, however, as Gee Gees quarterback Aaron Colborn found rookie receiver Simon
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
Le Marquand in the end zone to put Ottawa up 26–22. The lead would be Ottawa’s last of the contest. Despite a 98yard punt from Falvo that broke the OUA record, Finch led a long charge up the field that ended with Harou running the ball into the end zone to put the Mustangs up 29–26. Ottawa responded by kicking a field goal to tie the game up at 29
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
with just under four minutes left on the clock. The teams were unable to put any more points on the board until another impressive drive by the Mustangs enabled Hajrullahu to kick a 32-yard field goal with four seconds left. This put the final score at 32–29 Mustangs. Despite the devastating loss, McDiarmid thought there were lessons to be learned from the
agony. “Football is a good metaphor for life,” he explained. “Whether you’re having good games, bad games, good days or bad days, you can use all that in football and in life.” The Mustangs will take on the Windsor Lancers at home in their first playoff game this Saturday at 1 p.m.
Mike Laine Gazette
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thegazette • Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Bounces didn’t go Mustangs’ way in 4–2 loss Tough Gryphons squad hands Western first loss of the season Nathan Robbins-Kanter Contributor The Mustangs men’s hockey team lost to the Guelph Gryphons 4–2 Wednesday night at Thompson Arena. The loss was Western’s first of the season, dropping their record to 2–1. Despite outshooting Guelph 40–30—including a shooting gallery of 17 shots in the third— the Mustangs could not come back from the 4–1 deficit they dug themselves into after two periods of play. “It’s very hard to swallow. Any loss is hard to swallow,” Pat Powers, Mustangs head coach, said. “We need to pay a better price to get more pucks in the net—it doesn’t matter if we get 40 or 45 shots, we have to start putting them home.” Gryphons goaltender Andrew Loverock got in the way of 38 of the 40 shots Western threw at him, and was the most important player on the ice Wednesday night. “He’s playing very well for us,” Shawn Camp, Gryphons head coach, said. “When he’s playing big and getting square to the puck he makes it look simple. It’s very reassuring for our guys back there.” Despite getting on the board early thanks to Mustang defenceman David Corrente’s point shot, Western found themselves trailing 3–1 after just 20 minutes of play. “We had a really good start,” Corrente said. “Everyone was working together, but midway
Andrei Calinescu Gazette
through the first period we got away from the team aspect. We never recovered and we got in a hole early.” Guelph winger Justin Gvora capped off a three-goal period for Guelph with just 19 seconds remaining in the opening frame with
a well-placed shot just under the bar and over the glove of Mustangs goaltender Josh Unice. The other two goals in the first came from Gryphons forward Jordan Mock and defenceman Cameron Odam. One of the storylines coming
into the night was the amount of penalties Guelph had taken so far this season. Although they had played the most games in the Ontario University Athletics at five, their 122 penalty minutes during those games placed them first of all 19 teams. Cutting down on pen-
alties was a must for Coach Camp, and apparently the team got the message, as they were only in the box for a total of four minutes versus Western. “We have a team that can play rough and tumble in a heartbeat,” Camp said. “For us to be disciplined tonight was very important. Western has such a good power play. They bury teams on the power play when they get the chance. It was critical for us tonight to play five-on-five as much as we could.” After Matthew Lyall extended Guelph’s lead to three, Western seemed to turn their play around. Zach Harnden netted his fourth goal of the season early on in the third, and from there it seemed the puck was hitting everything except the back of the net. Posts, crossbars and crease scrambles all in Guelph’s end provided an entertaining third, but not one the Mustangs had hoped for. “We need to forget about this game right away,” Corrente said. Moving forward, Western hosted the Windsor Lancers at home Saturday evening. The Mustangs walked away with a loss in the 5–4 affair. The Lancers have only played two games so far this year before the game on Saturday, splitting the decisions. The Mustangs are back in action on Friday night when they travel to Thunder Bay to take on the Lakehead Thunderwolves.
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