2011-2012 Issue 2

Exams are around the corner!

Why taking exams at 10 AM is too early. more on pg. 7 Thornhill Secondary School’s student newspaper

issue two

winter 2012

EYE OF THE TIGER A night out dancing with the stars

WE LIKE TO PARTY! All dolled up and suited up for the Hollywood-themed semi-formal, Thornhill students danced the night away, showing that they know how to have a good time.

Without a doubt, semi-formal Thornhill students strut doors of The Bellagio, students agreed that this semi-formal defi- coat check proved to be a slow and were delighted to see a red carpet nitely lived up to past expectations. arduous process. Waiting for an was a huge success. Over two huntheir stuff during a night of leading into the dining hall. The The food also did not disap- hour to get a coat was the norm, dred students enjoyed a little piece glamorous decorations of the hall point. Tasty cocktail in a variety of and some students were forced to of Hollywood, dancing the night Hollywood glamour. were perfect accessories to the semi jewel-like colours lined the bar. stand in line for almost an hour and away! Great food, great music, great

BY STAFF décor, all these factors resulted in a -formal evening.

Delicious salads and breadsticks a half to get their coats.

NEWS CONTRIBUTOR Hollywood does mean glamour, were teasers to the delicious main Luckily, by the end, students fantastic night out. emi-formal. Just the word and all students were dressed to courses. Pasta and chicken were were allowed to search through the this issue brings thoughts of glitzy impress. Whether it was stunning just two of the choices on the Bella- coat racks for their garments. Howdresses, delicious food, and gowns or sharp suits, everyone gio menu. Afterwards, students ever, coat check remains a bad partying all night long to the fore- made sure to match the theme of enjoyed the all-you-could-eat des- memory for many students when NEWS 1-5 front of one’s mind. For Thornhill Hollywood. Of course, being sert station. Elegant centrepieces they think of semi-formal. A students, this was the case on No- dressed up doesn’t mean that you featuring golden Oscars and red damper on what otherwise would ISSUE & OPINION 6-9 vember 24, 2011. Almost three hun- can’t let loose, and Thornhill stu- roses completed the picture- be an outstanding night. dred students showed up to The dents were quickly dancing the perfect setting surrounding semiSPORTS 11-14 Of course, we must give a warm Bellagio to dance away the night night away. The DJ slowly formal. thank you to BOSS, administration, with their friends. Students had a warmed up the crowd, beginning ENTERTAINMENT 15-19 The only fail to an otherwise and teachers, who all came out to great time at their ‘Hollywood’ with unfamiliar songs and leading great night? Two words: coat check. help supervise Thornhill’s best themed night!

FROM THE EDITORS 10 up to tracks that everyone could Perhaps it was an accident, or a night out! All the students had a As they walked through the sing along with. Everyone there careless error, but nevertheless, great time, thanks to you!

FUN AND GAMES 20

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INSIDE

Talking sex with Sue: “Informative,” TSS students say Sex educator Sue Johanson discusses sex with humor and candidness. No, she is not your average grandmother.

BY ANNIE XIE OPINION EDITOR

n Monday, December 19, sex educator Sue Johanson came to TSS as a guest speaker on sexuality. Johanson, 81, is a registered nurse and a sex educator with over thirty years of experience.

The presentation focused on sex and sexuality, a jump from most students’ previous experiences with sex education, which centred on

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sexually-transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Johanson talked candidly about many of the awkward issues around sex and sexuality.

Johanson’s frank and humorous presentation drew applause and laughter from students, though some looked bored or uncomfortable. For many TSS students, both Johanson’s content and presentation style was unexpected and surprising. This was likely due to Johanson’s age (in her introduction speech, Ms. Kaczmarek described her as “not your average grandmother”) and students’ previous experiences with sex education.

“I thought that she was inspiring, informative and refreshing. I’ve never heard someone shed good

light on sex. It’s nice to have someone finally bring it in the open!” said Simone Olshansky, a grade 12 student.

“It was very informative. I was surprised that the school let [it] happen, but I didn’t think it was bad,” said Josh Peters, a grade 11 student.

At the start of the presentation, students were given blank slips of paper on which they could write anonymous questions to put in a box. Johanson answered these questions midway through the assembly.

Johanson frequently used hand gestures as visual aids, which induced laughter from the audience.

Grade 9 student Tina Zhong de-

scribed the presentation as “very descriptive.” Tom Taubkin, also in grade 9, said, “It was awesome.”

There were two assemblies, one for students in grades 9 and 10 and another for students in grades 11 and 12. Parents could have their children opt out of the assembly by not signing the permission form. It is unknown how many students opted out.

Not all students found the presentation appropriate. Grade 9 student Danny Romm said, “She said things that shouldn’t be said, it was kind of awkward.”

Students can find out more about Sue Johanson and access more resources on sex education at talksexwithsue.com.

Thornhill’s got talent!

Did you miss Open Mic Night?

Here’s a look at what happened throughout the night.

SEE PAGE 3, NEWS

GOP debates Equal parts comedy and horror, these candidates made us laugh and cry for all the wrong reasons.

SEE PAGE 8, COMMENT

Sid the Kid is back!

After a long break, Crosby is back to give the Penguins new hope.

SEE PAGE 11, SPORTS

Ask Aviva Don’t miss our very first advice column! From cheating boyfriends to self-esteem issues, she’ll give you advice on anything!

SEE PAGE 17, ENTERTAINMENT

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page 2 EYE OFTHE TIGER

news winter 2012

EYE OF THE TIGER

Transportation troubles due to YRT strike Fully loaded buses, large amounts of delays, and thousands being affected

BY CRYSTAL CHEN NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

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ing commuter sympathy have deteriorated, leading to the pickets. ATU local 113, the other union representing YRT’s employees, has promised more picket lines going up in the weeks to come. President Bob Kinnear has commented, “They’re turning this into a war. No problem - we’re up to the challenge.”

Conservative MPP of Newmarket -Aurora Frank Klees brought a bill forward to make YRT CEO Fisch’s position directly elected by York Region citizens. He also advocated a private member’s legislature to

send strikers back to work, represented by MPP Peter Shurman, where negotiations would be determined by third-party arbitration.

However, the NDP refused to support the clause, disagreeing that YRT is an essential service, and the Liberals believe the strike will be soon resolved by direct negotiation.

The bill was defeated 67 to 37.

Many commuters have turned to other solutions. For example, Robert Bowd of Newmarket has revealed his decision to change over to GO transit permanently: “GO is a much more time-

efficient (and comfortable) ride than being forced to endure a sometimes arduous standing-roomonly commute on Viva. Not insignificant for me is my impression GO is a more responsible employer than YRT. In its 40-plus year history, GO has never had a strike. In the past three years, on the other hand, YRT/Viva has had two strikes…I rode out the first Viva strike, but not this one. I am now a GO patron.”

Other citizens are frustrated by the inaction and indifferent attitude of many. Karen Stephen says, “If people who drive cars were stripped

of their transportation, there would be anarchy. No one seems to care about those who must have transit to get to work or school or to visit family.”

But inconvenience may not be the only hazard born from this strike. Leeann Palermo describes her situation: “Our 14-year-old daughter must walk and has been bothered by ‘charming’ construction workers…I would like to say no (to using transit again), but for my peace of mind, I do feel more secure as a mother (if she were to use the transit).”

he York Region Transit strike began when labour workers walked off the job on October 24th, 2011. Since then, council members and negotiators have been slow to arrive at a compromise. As a result of the 60% suspended routes, the frustrated public has been waiting in the cold for increasingly inconsistent bus routes or have been forced to find alternate methods of transportation altogether.

The cause of dispute falls around the low wages of YRT bus drivers, specifically workers of Miller Transit (51 routes covering Markham, Richmond Hill, and a portion of Vaughan) and First Canada (29 routes mostly in Newmarket and Aurora) contract companies, who earn an average of $20/hour in comparison to the approximate average of $29/hour for drivers in various different cities such as Toronto, Mississauga, Hamilton, and Brampton.

While YRT CEO Bill Fisch argues that the union’s demand calls for an additional 40¢ increase in fare for passengers and a $26 taxpayer hike, Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1587 president Ray Doyle, representing the hundreds of employees in the southeast and north divisions, feels “there is sufficient money already being pumped into this transit system to allow for a fair and reasonable wage increase”.

Doyle follows that taxpayers would not automatically be footing the bill for a salary raise for drivers.

As of December 2nd, the York regional council has stated it would not intervene in the strike. The council will not request back-towork legislation or support arbitration, meaning little will be done to get both sides back to the bargaining table. Some see this as the council “having failed the people that elected” them.

Even with negotiations being denied, workers have turned to picketing outside bus terminals and offices to temporarily block entrances and exits. Hopes of retain- NOT IN SERVICE With over 60% of the routes suspended, the YRT strike causes discomfort and exasperation for the people using public transportation.

France and Italy: here we come!

Warning: March Break in Europe may result in sightings of Thornhill Secondary School students touring the area.

BY STAFF NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

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or many, March Break is time to relax at home and spend time with friends and family.

However, for a group of Thornhill students and teachers, this special week will see them flying to a completely different continent. Suitcases, bags, and plenty of Canadian treats will accompany these lucky students and teachers as they tour France and Italy.

Thornhill students will be traveling with EF Education, an international educational company.

Eighteen students and three

teachers are set to travel to first France, then Italy. Mrs. Schnapp, Mr. Hamid and Ms. Lingeman have dutifully volunteered their time to help supervise the trip. The group first flies to Paris where the Thornhill students and teachers will walk through spots such as the Opera District, the Place Vendôme, Rue du Faubourg, the Tuileries Garden, and the Louvre. Anyone who knows Paris understands the educational and cultural value of the Louvre and the Tuileries Garden. The Louvre is one of the world’s largest museums, and a historical landmark in France.

This stop on their trip is one that is highly anticipated. On the other hand, the Tuileries Garden, located next to the Louvre, is not just a simple flower bed. The Tuileries Garden is a well-known tourist spot, filled with flowers and historic sculptures. Once the garden of sev-

eral French monarchs, today, the Tuileries is a must-see for many a tour. The students also have the option of heading to Versailles for a tour of one of the most opulent palaces in the world. After several days in France, the students are shuffled across the border into Italy where a variety of activities, including tours of some of Italy’s most famous cities, awaits them.

First stop: Milan, home to two very famous landmarks, La Scala and the Milan Fashion Centre.

Thornhill students will have the opportunity to tour these places and be exposed to Milan’s culture.

La Scala is a world renowned opera house and has hosted many of Italy’s finest opera singers for over two hundred years. The house is still considered one of the world’s leading opera and ballet centres.The Milan Fashion Centre is

also a highlight for many of the students, offering an insight into Milan’s fashion culture. Milan is one of the world’s most important fashion capitals, nominated as the ‘fashion capital of the world’ in 2009. There, students will be able to browse through Italy’s leading designers as well as spend a little money on themselves. The group will then travel to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance. Known for its architecture, students will have their breath taken away by the beauty of the 15th century buildings.

The students also have the option of going to Pisa to tour the renowned leaning tower.

At their final stop of the trip, Rome, the Thornhill Secondary School group will tour the famed Vatican City and visit various landmarks within. Highlights include the famous Sistine Chapel and St.

Peter’s Basilica. Students will also have the chance to see the Colosseum. A historic site, the Colosseum is considered one of the greatest works of Roman engineering. This site will allow students to truly grasp the culture surrounding the Colosseum. Students will see the Trevi Fountain and go through the Piazza Navona. After their two day tour of Rome, students will return, sharing their experiences with their peers. For them, March Break will be nothing short of a dream.

Though March Break may not be sunny, for a small group of Thornhill Secondary School students and teachers, Canada will be an ocean away. They will be spending their time touring the beautiful countries. Sunny tourist spots and interesting cultural spaces of France and Italy are just a couple months away.

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winter 2012

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 3

Yet another road Thornhill’s got talent! is closed ahead And we aren’t afraid to show it at Open Mic Night!

Bumpy, blocked off roads make for a less than smooth ride to school.

BY MARY LEE NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

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10 minute trip to school takes double the time. Late slips pile up, heavy machinery lines the roads and simply getting out of the driveway can prove difficult. All of these are telltale signs of road work – and it’s not pretty.

Back in fall 2010, water main construction started on Clark Avenue and finished towards the summer of 2011. Soon after, Elgin Street went under construction at the beginning of the school year, though the repairs finished up as December came around. At the same time, workers juggled more construction along Henderson Avenue. The projected end date is early into 2012, though the exact month has yet to be determined. Additionally, if one takes into account the infamous Canadian weather (complete with a 3 month forecast of snow, sleet and ice) and the inability of signs to agree on a completion date, it’s hard to predict when the road work will finally be finished.

Local residents aren’t the only ones affected by the construction; commuters and students are also hindered by the overabundance of road work in the area. Due to the machinery and construction materials that rest by the side of the road, some Thornhill families can’t even leave their driveway. Cars end up parked along the street until the area is cleaned up, which may not happen for a while. Also, with roads only open to local traffic, drivers hoping to cut through to Yonge or Steeles are forced to take the long way around or going back the way they came, which blocks up local traffic.

It’s not any easier for students either; with both sidewalks and streets under construction, taking the long way around sucks up valuable time that isn’t always available, especially if one wakes up with 20 minutes to get to school.

Overall, the road poses as a disturbance to most, if not all, of those living in the Thornhill area. Though the reparation of the water main is necessary, it results with slow traffic and even slower progress. Construction is susceptible to many delays, unfavourable weather conditions being one of them, and completion can take months longer than what was originally planned.

Though this may leave residents tearing at their hair and complaining about the lack of work, little can be done in the end. There is also the issue of construction equipment littering the sides of the street – everyone’s seen them – and making the neighbourhood look like an overall mess. Not only do the machines sit on the side of the road and take up space, they certainly aren’t very nice to look at either. The materials that the workers use leave smears of dirt and dust on the street, and don’t forget about the obnoxious pylons that succeed in both directing traffic flow and attention to the construction going on. Despite the fact that all of the warning signs, machinery and delays are necessary, some still see the construction as an inconvenience.

A sidewalk is also being installed on the east side of Henderson so that both sides of the street will be pedestrian friendly, though some residents question the logic behind this decision. Others pose the question: “why start the road work now?”

Considering that the weather in Canada is not most constructionfriendly with biting winds, snowy skies and unpredictable forecasts, some would suggest working only in the summer. Though this would remedy the plight of students getting to school on time, it would not, however, make a difference in the end. The reason being that there will always be delays during construction and, more likely than not, the work wouldn’t be completed within the span of two months. Unfortunately, when it comes to road work, the only thing that can be done is to sit back and enjoy the ride, because it’s going to be a long one.

BY ADELE CHUI EXECUTIVE EDITOR

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right lights on a stage, cheering teenagers around white tables, coffee wafting its way around the room. Seem familiar?

Thursday, December 1, 2011 was Open Mic Night, an evening filled with loud cheers and some impressive displays of talent. Over a hundred people came out to the cafeteria to support Thornhill’s singers, rappers, dance crews, bands, and poets. It was an amazing success and a stellar way to kick off December!

Here at Thornhill, we pride ourselves on our involved student community and vibrant leaders. Our talented students are encouraged to shine through a variety of events planned throughout the year. Open Mic Night is unique. It’s not simply an anonymous group of students putting on their own show; it’s individuals who put themselves into the spotlight, nervously awaiting their chance to wow the crowd. Annual acts such as i4our and Royce and the Boys are just two of the groups

whose acts are eagerly anticipated by the crowd. Their roaring cheers as the performances occur are the results of the stellar performances created by our very own students.

Our students don’t just glow with talent; they glow and light up our school with it.

Any great show just wouldn’t be complete without an amazing audience, and it was an outstanding audience that showed up that night.

From 7 to 10 p.m., the cafeteria was buzzing with a great mood. Loving peers, friends, and even supporting teachers gave their encouragement to all the students who went up on stage. Coffee and treats fueled the loud cheers of the audience as they were wowed by the performers. The cafeteria was set aglow by the lights of the stage, and with a caffeinefueled audience, talented performers and plenty of snacks, what was there not to like? Kudos to BOSS for planning such a delightful evening!

We at the Eye would like to give a resounding cheer for all the performers: Ryan Buckspan, beat boxing; Erich Rennie, poetry recital; Ting, Tang, To, trio; Josh Wong, Ryan Fung and Michael Chan, band; Aviva Lev-Aviv, singing;

i4our, dance group; Yoon Choi and Daniel Morris, singing; Sandra Sinayuk, belly dancing; David Fu and Ben Blium, singing; Royce and the Boys, band; Terry Lee, David Lee, Jerry Won and James Byun, band; The Geist, band; Kevin Chan, Mary Lee and Angela But, singing; Hanna Barry, singing; Abtin Mehvar, slam poetry; Menachem Sifen, singing; Caleb Chong and Noam Tobin, singing; JB Kim and Caleb Chong, singing; Jaime Furman, rapping; Angie Pang, singing; Rick Blium, Vlad Boshoer and Grant Webster, band; the Blium brothers, band; Leon Tang, Lean Junio and Michael Fong, band; Asia Ruuhala and Michelle Bali, singing; Terry Lee and Jessica Kim, duet; and Shakil Nagji, poetry recital. You were amazing!

Open Mic Night happens but just twice a year, and all those who came out to show their support can safely say that they had a blast! With a huge number of performers and a great audience, Thornhill’s talent has never shone brighter. If you too are talented and want to perform, keep an eye out for Open Mic Night 2 sometime this spring! We can’t wait to see what our students can do next.

CAN WE FIX IT? Road work around Thornhill proves to be troublesome.

Thank you, Thornhill

BY GRAHAM/ROSE FAMILY CONTRIBUTOR

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he family of the late James B. Graham would like to express our thanks to all the students and staff of Thornhill Secondary School, past and present, for the outpouring of sympathy and affection on the passing of our dear son and brother. Your support and expressions of love for Jamie makes this time of sorrow a little easier to bear. We always knew how much Jamie loved to teach and how much he treasured his relationships with his students and fellow teachers. It was heart warming to hear that the feelings were reciprocated.

As well we would like to express

our appreciation to all who initiated and participated in the tribute night, "Curtain Call" in any way. The performances were moving and the stories heartfelt and the recording of the event allowed us to share in it. Yes, Jamie would have been uncomfortable to know there was a tribute night in his honour, but he would have also been deeply touched. And so were we. "Now the man of the hour is taking his final bow, As the curtain comes down, I feel that this is just goodbye for now."

Thank you, Thornhill Secondary School, for all you have done and for all you continue to do.

TAKE THE MIC Thornhill students show off their wonderful talents that they’ve polished up for Open Mic Night!

The Graham/Rose Family

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winter 2012

Aung San Suu Kyi: the hope of Myanmar A look at what this female politician has, can, and will accomplish for her country.

BY GUY ROMM NEWS CONTRIBUTER

population’s vote and 392 of 485 seats in Parliament. A year later, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize after several publicly advocating democracy.

Aung San Suu Kyi’s views were shown in her delivering of a moving

speech entitled “Freedom from Fear” in December of 1991: “It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it. Most Burmese are

familiar with the four a-gati, the four kinds of corruption. Chandagati, corruption induced by desire, is deviation from the right path in pursuit of bribes or for the sake of those one loves. Dosa-gati is taking the wrong path to spite those against

uu Kyi represents the Myanmar cry for democracy, and freedom from the junta, a military led government. The junta, which took power in 1962, took away the rights of the Myanmar people and declared dictatorship through military control by the State Peace and Development Council, a military organisation led

by Than Shwe.

Suu Kyi, born in 1945, is the daughter of General Aung San, a Burmese Independence hero, who was assassinated in 1947, shortly before Burma was declared independent and when Suu Kyi was two.

In 2010, Than Shwe allowed a democratic election to take place on November 7. Along with the revealing of the election, the junta had decided to change the flag and name of the country, from the Union of Burma to the Union of Myanmar. The votes showed that 77% of the Burmese population had voted in favour of the Burma Socialist Programme Party, the junta.

At the time, Suu Kyi was being held as a political prisoner after getting caught during a revolt in 1988 against the dictator at the time, Ne Win. Since then, Suu Kyi had been held under house arrest on and off until her release shortly after the election, for a total of 15 years of the 21 of which she was detained. The Myanmar government released Suu Kyi after the election of 2010, so that she could not interfere with the election, often referred to as a sham.

In 1990, the National League for Democracy, of whom Suu Kyi was General Secretary, won a general election in 1990 with 57% of the THE FUTURE OF MYANMAR Suu Kyi , a Nobel Peace Laureate, is the beacon of hope for the people of Myanmar.

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whom one bears ill will, and mogagati is aberration due to ignorance.

But perhaps the worst of the four is bhaya-gati, for not only does bhaya, fear, stifle and slowly destroy all sense of right and wrong, it so often lies at the root of the other three kinds of corruption.”

Suu Kyi shows she is “very confident that if [the Myanmar people] all work together... there will be no turning back from the road to democracy.”

Recently, Suu Kyi met with U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

Clinton declared that “she’d make an excellent member of the Parliament.” President Barack Obama of the United States received her release as “long overdue”.

The United States and Canada both support Myanmar’s democratic movement. The Canadian government has, in fact, declared Suu Kyi an honorary citizen of Canada. As well, Suu Kyi has obtained several honorary degrees from Canadian universities and has established strong ties with the Canadian government.

Politics in Myanmar have improved much since the deeply flawed elections. A new president, Thein Sein, has removed several policies of the past government that had become the ruin of Myanmar, economically, socially and politically. Thein Sein became the leader of a country, split into different ethnic groups. These ethnic groups had been persecuted and had fought a continuous civil war since independence.

On Nov. 18, 2011, Suu Kyi announced that she would re-join the political system in effort to promote democracy for Myanmar and to attempt to be elected as a Member of Parliament. Suu Kyi realizes that “human beings the world over need freedom and security that they may be able to realize their full potential.”

A dramatic resolution to the Gaddafi family The Libyan civil war brings end to Gaddafi’s reign.

BY GUY ROMM NEWS CONTRIBUTER

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he beginning of 2011 brought on a wave of protests as part of the Arab Spring, a movement that mainly sought to overthrow dictators from Arabic countries in the Middle East and North Africa. In January, several cities in Libya protested against Muammar Gaddafi’s dictatorship in Libya.

Libya set an example for the Arab population. The Libyan example “[showed] that leaders who do not listen to their people cannot stay in power,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu had said.

Syria’s president, Bashar alAssad, soon discovered the power of the Arab Spring movement as it was brought over to his own country. In several Syrian cities, demonstrators chanted “Gaddafi is gone!

Now it’s your turn Bashar!”

The protests began in Tunisia, during December 2010 and January 2011, as long-time ruler, Zine elAbidine Ben Ali, was sent into exile.

In February, the Arab Spring movement resulted with the Egyptians forcing the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak. Each revolution had been successful in a way, and so, the optimistic supporters in Libya of the Arab Spring began demonstrating against their leader and government.

Libyan protests had begun successfully because of the global support by the UN and NATO. The UN authorized a no-fly zone over Libya to provide safety from aerial fire from the Libyan military ruled by Gaddafi. NATO had provided direct

military support to the Libyan rebels, killing members of Gaddafi’s family, his son and three grandchildren, by missile on April 30th.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for Gaddafi, his son, Saif al-Islam, and Libyan intelligence chief, Abdullah al-Senussi, on charges of crimes against humanity.

By August, the civil war had ended for the most part, and the National Transitional Council (NTC), the leaders of the revolt, became the rulers of Libya. Gaddafi was killed on August 23, 2011, and although there are various stories detailing his death, his death brought political freedom to Libya.

According to the NTC, “[The rebels] captured [Muammar Gaddafi] alive and while he was being taken away, they beat him and then they killed him. He might have been resisting.”

One plausible story is that Gaddafi was found in a drainage pipe after being attacked from the air when being transported by truck.

“At first we fired at them with anti-aircraft guns, but it was no use,” said Salem Bakeer, a witness of Gaddafi’s death. “Then we went in on foot. One of Gaddafi’s men came out waving his rifle in the air and shouting surrender, but as soon as he saw my face he started shooting at me. Then I think Gaddafi must have told them to stop. ‘My master is here, my master is here,’ he said, ‘Muammar Gaddafi is here and he is wounded.”

Saif al-Islam was the last remaining member of the Gaddafi family still at large in Libya. Saif al-Islam was captured in the southern desert of Libya, while attempting to flee

Libya, and was taken to the town of Zintan.

One of Saif al-Islam’s captors had said that his unit of 15 men intercepted Saif al-Islam’s convoy.

Controversy surrounds how Saif al-Islam will be put on trial. The ICC had ordered for Saif al-Islam to be put on trial at The Hague, but the NTC requested that Saif al-Isam would be tried in his home country as the NTC felt that Saif al-Islam would be tried justly in Libya. Those who supported Saif al-Islam would be put on trial by the ICC who said

that the death penalty for murder in Libya would be too harsh.

Saif al-Islam will be put on trial for having “instigated others to kill, misused public funds, threatened and instigated and even [taking] part in recruiting and bringing mercenaries,” said Mohammed alAlagi, Libya’s interim justice minister.

The British foreign secretary William Hauge said "I welcome the arrest of Saif al-Islam. This represents another significant step forward in the transition to a new, de-

mocratic Libya. He must now be held to account for his actions, and face trial on the charges brought against him, including by the International Criminal Court."

The destiny of Saif al-Islam will set the stage for the resolution of the Gaddafi family. "The main criteria is that he generally be prosecuted for the same crimes," an ICC spokesman said. "For us there's an obligation, a legal obligation under international law, for the national government to co-operate with the ICC."

WHAT’S TO COME FOR LIBYA? Libya declares freedom after the death of the country’s dictator, Gaddafi.

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winter 2012

Having trouble picking out gifts for others?

What did you get your loved ones this special time of the year?

BY HYEWOAN SONG NEWS CONTRIBUTOR

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ear the end of year, especially as the holidays were nearing, many teens probably have had a difficult time deciding these gifts for their family and friends. Here were some things that were the most popular gift choices in 2011.

but didn’t want a messy, stinky animal to clean up after, a Pet Rock was the perfect solution. The crazy fad peaked in 1975, when 5 million rocks found loving homes within 6 months, peaking at the holiday season.

Atari: The first successful ‘computer video system’ became popular in the late 70’s with the release of games like pong and sports games.

It might seem primitive to us now, but back then it was amazing to interact and make something move Subscriptions: on the TV screen. 1 million were Yes, people still read magazines sold in 1979. and a one‐year subscription to your friend might have gotten them Mr. Potato Head: reading again or continue to foster The bizarre toy was thought up their love for reading. Think about in 1952, where it was picked up by what your friend might have tiny, family run toy company Haswanted. Was it technology? Celebri- bro, and was also the first toy to be ties? Food? Video games? If you’ve advertised on TV. 1 million were thought about it, chances were, sold in 1952. there was a magazine on that topic.

If you bought your friend a sub- Cabbage Patch Doll: scription, they would have thanked These unique and malformed you every time they received their looking dolls became a fad in the issue.

1980’s. They were insanely popular, and 3 million were sold in 1983.

Headphones/earphones/earbuds: Though they are harmless, their A music player was too pricey to back stories are undoubtedly be given as a gift to a friend or rela- creepy. They were designed with tive – leave that to the parents. But a the appearance of a child malway of listening to music while formed by radiation in mind, in an looking awesome was greatly ap- attempt to make the crowds compreciated by both genders. Skull- fortable with the image. And since candy has been renowned for look- every Cabbage Patch Doll is unique, ing great, and having good quality. their adoption and whole ‘life’ is Other unique devices included taken very seriously. There even earring buds, which look like ear- have been reports of children rerings while functioning as ear- ceiving 'death certificates’ of their phones, durable wooden head- beloved dolls when they sent them phones that could have be given to back to the factory for repairs. an environmentalist, solar powered headphones, Zip Lock earphones Tickle me Elmo: where you can close the two wires The doll sold 10 million units in of the ear phones for easier storage, 1996, making it one of the bestBlink Led earphones that will pulse selling gifts of the past. Because the in time with your music, and inter- quantity of the dolls were rather locking earphones, where the two low, prices shot up to 2000 dollars. buds are different shape and can be interlocked behind your neck when Slinky: not in use.

Slinkys were introduced in a department store in 1945, and up to Gift Packs: date have sold 300,000,000 units.

Small items could have been put Since then, it has become a classic, together to achieve interesting vari- gone to space, joined the National ety. Common gift pack items in- Toy Hall of Fame and became a cluded: learning tool.

- certificates with a small sum of money Zhu Zhu Pets: - something yummy that comes in a Though more recent than all the container (Altoids, Ice Breakers, Tic other toys featured, Zhu Zhu pets Tacs) sold 10 million units in 2009. They - pens were inspired by toys such as tickle- extra cell phone minutes me Elmo, cabbage patch dolls, Fur- small game set bies and the popularity of hamster - candy footage on YouTube. These The possibilities were endless. “matchbox cars with hairs on them” are simple mechanical toys in the Accessories: shape of hamsters, capable of drivAny small item that was worn ing itself around in a linear fashion counted as an accessory, and would and looking cute. have made a great gift. Arm warmers, especially multi-coloured ones, Furbies: were trendy and useful in cold These rather odd looking meweather, while fingerless gloves chanical dolls required you to do were great when you wanted to be simple things such as pet them and warm and still wanted some dexter- feed them to keep them happy. ity left in your fingers. For girls, Over 14 million were sold in 1999, clips, barrettes, headbands and which was when the sales of Furjewellery would have been very bies peaked. appreciated.

Game Boy: Puzzles: Game Boys were released in And not just jigsaw puzzles ei- 1991, and managed to sell over 1 ther. Rubik’s cubes were challeng- million units in its first Christmas ing and would have occupied you season. They became very popular for a long time, “4-D” puzzles gave due to having vastly improved you the chance to replicate the graphics and over 35 hours of game building of a structure from start to play, which completely blew away finish (hence the 4-D part). Puzzle competition. books that were filled with an assortment of small crosswords, word If you couldn’t get a decent gift searches, Sudoku, logic problems for your friends and family last year, and more were fun and useful when don’t worry! You still have another you were trying to pass the time. whole year to think of another great gift for them, and hopefully, these Pet Rock: suggestions will help you with If your friend was feeling lonely, choosing gifts in the future!

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Smartphones vs. consoles: the ultimate battle Will mobile games be the future of the videogaming industry?

BY BEN ANG NEWS CONTRIBUTER

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s cellphones and other handheld electronic devices become increasingly prevalent in our world and in our lives, we see that smartphone games are overtaking their console counterparts.

Touchstone Research estimates that the mobile entertainment industry was worth $33 billion in 2010 (out of the $74 billion of the videogaming industry), predicted to reach $54 billion in 2015. Gaming is a huge aspect of the mobile industry, dominating apps usage. According to Flurry Analytics, IOS and Android are now generating more revenue than Nintendo and Sony combined.

What explains this? Since the conception of video games, the market has changed from the stereotypical young, male, hardcore gamer and expanded to a broader, casual audience. Virtually everyone, including elementary school children, seniors above the age of 60, males or females carry a cellphone for utility purposes. As technology

continually advances, more and more of these people are turning to these devices for diversion and entertainment. Today, it would be quite safe to say that there are games now for every age and for every demographic.

Large players in the gaming market have perceived this change, and are looking to take advantage of it.

“The casual gamer that used to play on the PC and the hardcore gamer that used to play on a dedicated gaming portable now plays on their smartphone,” said Capcom Interactive’s president and COO Midori Yuasa. “The iPhone and larger smartphone markets are extremely important to Capcom as, like no device before, smartphones have the potential to become a universal game platform ... We have a lot of stuff on the horizon for both hardcore and casual gamer."

The convenience of mobile games is the major selling point.

Players who used to play on a dedicated console now see smartphones as a way to bring more video gaming into their lives. "Seventy-five percent of the time I use the phone it's for games," says an anonymous student interviewee. "Obviously, portable games are more convenient, and since I carry a phone for

calling and everything, I can play games in places I wouldn't normally be able to, like a short car ride."

Many others note that smartphones and their games are inferior in gameplay and graphics, and believe that mobile devices will never be able to usurp the throne of the mighty console. "There isn't enough depth in those games to be entertaining. I'll try one for 10 minutes and get bored," says Tom Toabsky, another student of TSS. “Besides, they don't have the power to deliver the visual experience I demand from my games.”

Regarding the facts at hand, it is important to remember that the industry is not a field of absolutes.

There is still plenty of room for both smartphone and console games to exist. In the US, up to 67% of the smartphone gaming population also plays on consoles.

Certainly, a smartphone, with demands for utility and portability will not be able to match a specialized gaming console in terms of gameplay and processing power.

Also, such a console will not be able to match the convenience and addictiveness of smartphone games.

Whatever happens, it is clear that at least for the near future, both have a place in the videogaming industry.

PlayBook can’t play like the iPad can

DON’T WANT TO PLAY WITH PLAYBOOK Where’s the competition between RIM’s PlayBook and Apple’s iPad? PlayBooks face tough com- mated that in the last business Books had become quite high conquarter, RIM shipped 1 PlayBook sidering the low prices. petition in today’s market. for every 19 iPads shipped by Apple, There are a few possible explanaBY TIAN GAO though it is uncertain whether or tions for the initially low sales.

NEWS CONTRIBUTER not this is true as RIM remains Many consumers find the selection n January 27th, 2010, Apple vague about sales figures. Esteemed of applications to be too limited in introduced the iPad, a tablet financial analysts around the world comparison to the iPad’s wide computer somewhere be- began reducing their estimates for range of applications. There are no tween a smartphone and a laptop. how many units the PlayBook native email client, calendar, mesAlthough tablet technology such as would sell. It was apparent that the senger, and contact applications; the Microsoft Tablet PC existed product was not selling as well as those services can only be accessed before the iPad’s introduction, the many had anticipated. via the BlackBerry Bridge software iPad was the product that really On September 2011, it was an- available on Blackberry smartmade people take notice through its nounced by RIM that BlackBerry phones. It could also be that consmart marketing and many up- PlayBook prices would be cut dra- sumers are unsatisfied with the size grades in terms of technological matically to accommodate for the of the screen which is 7 inches wide quality. Tablet computers soon holiday season and to garner better and relatively small compared to grew to become a hot and competi- sales in its competition with other the iPad which is 10 inches wide. tive market. It was not before long tablets on the market. The prices of Another explanation is that the that many other similar products all the models reduced by $300 so market had already become satubecame available such as Sam- that the 16GB version was priced at rated with the iPad dominating and sung’s Galaxy Tab and Lenovo’s $199, the 32GB at $299, and the many other tablet computers trailIdeaPad. 64GB at $399. The sales began to ing behind it.

On April 19th, 2011, Research in kick off in retail stores in late NoThe PlayBook also has its advanMotion (RIM) released its own tab- vember. With the enormously re- tages. Many consumers find it to be let, the Blackberry PlayBook. There duced prices, retailers began to sell very user friendly. It has a USB port, had always been a fierce competi- out of the PlayBook for the first which the iPad does not have. RIM tion between RIM and Apple, espe- time. On November 28th, Best Buy is also releasing an Android comcially as both companies have re- reported to being sold out, and patibility application soon, making leased hugely successful smart- soon, other locations such as Wal- the PlayBook compatible with all phone lines in the past, with Ap- Mart and Sears were also sold out. applications available on the Anple’s being the iPhone and RIM’s On the other hand, it is difficult droid operating system as well. being the BlackBerry. Many pre- to be certain whether the numerous Many are hoping that Android dicted that the PlayBook would be sell-outs were caused by high de- compatibility will boost sales by the tablet to really challenge the mand or low supply. Some rumours solving the problem of lack of appliiPad which stood dominant in the suggest that Best Buy cancelled a cations. At any rate, the competitablet market in spite of the variety shipment of PlayBooks that the tion is not going to get easier anyof other available choices. store had been expecting. It should time soon with the continuous inSince then, sales have turned out not, however, be too much of a troduction of new tablets, including surprisingly disappointing. It is esti- stretch to say that demand for Play- the new Amazon’s Kindle Fire.

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EYE OF THE TIGER

Why spend money on real items when you can splurge it on non-existent ones?

Buy your virtual goods to do better in online games.

BY GRACE TO OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

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he number of gamers has increased significantly throughout the years and the gaming industry is thriving. Gaming has taken a more permanent home in PCs and with game emulators and free game downloads that are made available on the Internet, people are almost constantly gaming. The rising trend of this hobby has taken gaming to a whole new level; the more gamers play, the more they become addicted to their virtual world. Consequently, when gamers become addicted to the game, they become more willing to spend their money in the virtual world. So what can the creators and producers do, but take advantage of this opportunity?

This is when micro-transactions come into play. Micro-payment systems can now be found in a variety of online games. This unique type of in-game store allows the players to use real money in exchange for virtual goods in the game. While these digital items

have no significant value in the real world, in the gaming world, the products may be used to increase the interestingness of the overall gaming experience.

Depending on the game, the virtually-bought items can be used for anything from power-ups to gaining special abilities. Some of the items may not even help you to increase your chances of winning the game; some items may only be there for vanity purposes. Real money can also be exchanged for the game’s special currency.

Some players don’t seem to mind wasting their money on their online characters, and they excessively purchase virtual gifts and avatar items. But while there isn’t any real harm in wasting one’s own money on these novelties, many argue that there isn’t any real purpose to the whole concept. Others call it a clever marketing scheme that the video game companies have created to earn a quick profit.

The question here is: When is it all right to spend a quick buck for a virtual item? In certain situations, buying an item can help to increase the enjoyment of the game, but in others, it seems completely point-

less. Items that are designed specifically to help gamers in their virtual mission can be purchased without any further judgement.

According to an online study, approximately 30% of active gamers have purchased virtual content from an in-game market using real cash. Some of the more compulsive gamers reveal that they are more willing to spend money on a complete outfit for their virtual character than on an actual purchase of a real-life shirt.

Purchasing virtual vanity items, such as clothing, does not serve any real purpose in the gaming experience, asides from online gaming status for the character. Buying these types of items in the game may seem completely pointless and a great waste of money, but many gaming fans adore them.

However, when purchasing items that gives players an edge in the game, it creates unfairness in the gaming world. It lets these gamers have a higher and faster success rate in the games, often being favoured by the developers of the game. With the presence of microtransactions in the game system, the players who aren’t as willing, or

able, to spend their pocket money on virtual gifts and items will find it difficult and frustrating to play the games because of their lack of special in-game abilities.

For an example of micropayment systems done correctly, let’s take a look at Valve. Valve is a game development company and best-known for its games like HalfLife, Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress and Portal. Just last year, Valve released an online store for the game Team Fortress 2 for all of its customers.

Known as the Mann-Conomy, it revolutionized micropayment systems by not only including item trading, something previous systems had failed to do well, but also introduced a system in which gamers could submit their own creations for sale in the store.

Mann-Conomy mainly sells vanity-based items that can give the character certain abilities when it is used. These items can range from hats and pins to tools and weapons.

One would think that with this added feature, it would give the paying customers an advantage, but this is not the case.

What makes this system so different from every other is that al-

most all of the items that can be found in their in-game store are also available through random, ingame drops for every player- again, not just the paying ones. While the item drop system is a matter of luck, this type of system means gameplay is not unbalanced, and that no one player has any true advantage over the other. Valve has shown gamers and gaming companies alike that there is a right way to do micro-transactions; we can only hope that this catches on in the future.

Still, the use of microtransactions has affected online gaming to the point where it may cause imbalance between the players. However, when micropayment is used correctly, without giving any true advantages to the paying customers, the effect can be a good one.

Gaming is just another past-time that many people have turned to relieve stress after a long, tiring day.

Similar to many other hobbies, the gamers must learn to restrain themselves from becoming too obsessed and keep themselves from indulging in everything that the hobby has to offer.

iPods are here to stay This takes PDA to a whole new level Smartphones might be threatening the MP3 player market, but music lovers won’t let the iconic iPod become a relic of the 00’s.

BY CHRISTY CHEUNG OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

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here’s no denying that since the iPhone was first released in 2007, the use of “apps” has skyrocketed. With more and more devices featuring the new “iOS” system (capable of running hundreds of different apps with features ranging from games to photography), the iPod app is only one of the many features that can be used. Each year, Apple comes out with a new refresh of devices which include iPads, iPhones, Macbooks and iPods. With iPods being the most traditional product on the list, and the use of smartphones (multifeatured devices capable of nearly everything) reaching an all-new high, is there a chance that the iPod could fade and simply disappear?

To clarify, Apple currently sells four different “iPods”, three of which are used with the sole intention of playing music. The iPod shuffle, iPod nano, and iPod classic range from $50 - $250 whereas the iPod touch is currently priced at $199. Since smartphones like iPhones, Androids, and more all provide many new functions and customization in addition to playing music, will people find any reason to continue buying regular iPods? Yes, they will. iPods will continue to survive since they will be the device of preference for music lovers who simply want to be able to listen to their music without having to maneuver through unnecessary features.

With an entry price tag of $50, the iPod shuffle may look more attractive to a potential buyer as

opposed to dropping $200 for an item they have no use for. Although it uses a system that is not the iOS, it is still a user-friendly interface that is flawless and easy to use.

What’s more, the size of both the nano and shuffle provide advantages for potential buyers looking for something small to fit their needs. The extra portability allows athletes to use it without having to worry about the extra weight in sports such as running or snowboarding, not to mention the fact that they won’t have to worry about breaking such a large touch screen.

Why, then, would people buy the iPod classic if not for portability? If you look at the price points, the classic actually costs more than the entry model iPod touch. What you don’t realize is that the specs of each model are vastly different, and for a buyer looking for a device with a large storage capacity, the classic is actually more affordable. At $250 it can hold up to 160GB of music and videos, whereas the iPod touch at $200 can only hold 8GB. The extra $50 buys a device that can hold 20 times more files! For this reason, individuals may want to purchase a device for the intention of playing and storing music.

Although iPod touches, iPhones and iPads have hundreds of features and games that make it seem like the ideal choice, iPods will continue to hold their ground within the market of music players. There is no denying that sales have started to decline, or rather, begun to sink, but nevertheless for a product that maintains over 70% of the MP3 player market, and brings in $7.5 million in sales, the iPod definitely will not disappear. Although there are many of us who are fascinated with the plethora of applications and their many uses, there are those music lovers who are simply looking for a sleek and eyecatching MP3 player.

Can Benetton’s “Unhate” Campaign make peace in our world?

BY JUN PARK OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

H

u Jintao locking lips with Barack Obama. Kim Jong Il pressing a kiss towards South Korean President Lee Myung -bak. The Pope engaged in a deep kiss with a senior Egyptian religious official. These digitally created images can be found in the United Colors of Benetton’s “Unhate” Campaign. On November 14th, the Italian luxury fashion brand released the worldwide advertisement campaign, displaying images of prominent world leaders engaged in the act of kissing. In line with their history of controversial advertisements, and with “the aim of contrasting the culture of hatred and promoting closeness between peoples, faiths, cultures, and the peaceful understanding of each other's motivations”, Benetton set out their campaign through online, print, and event based platforms on a global scale. Unfortunately for Benetton, many - myself included find the images grotesquely senseless. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not a raging homophobe, nor do I oppose peace, but the intended shock value of the campaign isn’t exactly hitting the right chords.

Firstly, let’s talk about what a “kiss” is intended to represent. The press release claims that these kisses are “symbolic images of reconciliation – with a touch of ironic hope and constructive provocation.” And provocative, it is. Despite their attempts to rationalize, frankly, their repulsive “shock and awe” marketing strategy, the fact of the matter is that a kiss is not constructive of any perceived idea. A kiss, in modern terms, is a passionate symbol of emotional attach-

UP FOR A KISS? The campaign advert shows Hu and Obama locking lips. ment, closely linked to what we found it was impossible to decipher associate with sexual desire and a coherent message from the imindecent affairs. The imagery from ages themselves: is it to insinuate these notions extends far beyond that a single act of reconciliation the accepted norm for the public could resolve the incredibly comdisplay of affection. This is particu- plex tensions between the leaders larly true, when we see common representing the 7 billion on this authoritative figures engaged in the planet? Kim Jong Il could never act. Imagine a school cooperation abandon the arms developments initiative featuring posters of that constitute 34% of North KoThornhill teachers kissing each rea’s entire GDP for a smooch with other – unthinkable. Unless the his Southern counterpart, nor motive behind the campaign was to could the Pope abandon himself make us severely uncomfortable as from the system of belief which to further alienate us from our hundreds of millions depend on to leaders, I don’t think the message is come to terms with a Muslim leader. I could only be ridiculed by getting anywhere.

So what is the message anyways? such a simplistic, yet largely misBenetton’s website says the cam- taken message.

In the end, an exchange of paign’s purpose is “to give widespread visibility to an ideal notion hands, or a warm hug would have of tolerance and invite the citizens been a perfectly acceptable demof every country to reflect on how onstration of mutuality and tolerhatred arises particularly from fear ance towards misunderstandings of 'the other’ and of what is unfa- that arise within large cultural gaps, miliar to us.” I could not agree personified by the figures these more. Hatred and frustration is cultures upheld. Perhaps the sheer bound to be stirred from what is scope and magnitude of these gaps unfamiliar to us, and I couldn’t find make it so that there could never be a better realm of unfamiliarity than a world with “Unhate”, but images in the images of our world leaders of grown men locking lips won’t get kissing one another. But I quickly us any further.

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10 AM exams: depriving us of the hour that can make all the difference

A ban on gay-straight alliance groups is a violation of the Human Rights Code!

The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority.”

Though they were uttered a century before our time, Ralph W. Sockman’s immortal still ring true in diverse Toronto, which prides itself on its multiculturalism. However, the Toronto Catholic District School Board seems to have taken on a not-so-accepting attitude, as it has placed a ban on the formation of Gay-Straight Alliance Groups in its schools. Why? TCDSB officials say that maintaining consistency with the Catholic Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings is more important than equality and acceptance.

This decision violates the Ontario Human Rights Code, which states that it is “against the law to discriminate against someone or to harass them because of their sexual orientation or their marital status which includes same-sex relationships”. As well, it threatens the primitive survival of students within religious schools that feel threatened or harassed for their sexuality. This is a serious issue, as LGBT kids have suicide rates that are significantly higher than nonLGBT kids.

While the TCDSB isn’t necessar-

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Are religious laws upheld above student security?

BY IRINA SVERDLICHENKO OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

TOO EARLY TO THINK Moving back one hour would make the difference.

Last year’s new schedule got a few of them in your classes.

It’s during exams when the quiet was a (not-so-) fun experi- environment is really enforced, ment. But we’re too tired meaning that one can study to their heart’s content – silently, of course. for that at exam time.

The cafeteria, though evidently not

BY MARY LEE as quiet as the resource center, is OPINION CONTRIBUTOR still an effective place to get work ith exams right around the done while talking to your heart’s corner, most students are content. If instead of writing down running on caffeine and the answers, you prefer to scream about 5 hours of sleep – myself them to your friends, then go included. For some of us, university ahead! There’s no noise limit in the looms menacingly around the cor- cafeteria, and it even serves breakner and for others, their first exam fast for those who need a quick is just as menacing. No student is snack before going in to the exams. exempt from them and if we must Either way, whether you’re finishsuffer through them, let us suffer ing up your exam review with through them at a time when we friends, or taking a final look at the are ready. textbook alone, the more time you Which, in all honesty, is not 10 have to do so, the better.

AM in the morning.

There once was a time when Just what, you might ask, is so exams started at 11 in the morning, wrong with exams at 10 in the but this ended two years ago withmorning? It’s already more than an out notice or apparent reason. hour later than the beginning of However, by making the exams an school, meaning that even those hour later, not only do students get who live 40 minutes away can more time to study, they can also make it to exams with time to sleep longer; by the end of January, spare. It sounds like a sweet deal such a prospect is not one to be (though studying, in all actuality, overlooked. As sleep deprived stunever is) that we should be thank- dents, we seek to find the elusive ful for. We also finish right around balance between adequate rest and lunchtime, so as soon as we’re set enough study time. More often free from two hours of exhausting than not though, we spend more extensive exams, it’s no problem to time awake and working than break for lunch and reward our- asleep and resting, proof being the selves for hopefully, a job well bags and dark circles under our done. eyes, the cups of Timmies in hand However, in order to make it to before we even set foot into the the end of exams, we must first school and, of course, taking a prepare ourselves for the battle quick nap or two in class. So whenahead—namely, the exams them- ever we have the opportunity to selves. Exactly how we go around sleep in, we gladly take it. doing this is pretty clear cut, The thing is, students being sleep though not enjoyable. It sounds deprived is not something that pretty simple, as all you have to do should come across as new or unfais take out your textbook and read, miliar; in fact, ‘lack of sleep’ and well, everything. Then the task be- ‘student life’ often come hand in comes daunting, we procrastinate, hand. So why make it that at such a we panic, we face our notes again critical time, we are given less time before our attention span flickers to rest up, study and prepare for out and we procrastinate yet again. eminent doom? Should students A vicious cycle that we could all fall complain that they get hungry durvictim to. The only way to prevent ing the exams, show them the way this? Take advantage of every single to the cafeteria so that they can second you have. grab a bite to eat beforehand. Do The best way to do this is, of the unfortunate souls who arrive at course, to study. When exam time school at 7 am now have too much rolls around, you’ll probably find time on their hands? Every hour, yourself studying on the way home, minute and second could easily be on the way to school and even a put to use towards getting a higher few hours before the actual exam. mark.

It’s the morning before that most So, pray tell, could someone students find themselves searching please enlighten me as to why our for a place to review that last for- exams are still at 10 AM? There’s mula or read that one chapter that nothing wrong with trying it out for they skipped so as to be prepared a semester or two, but I think that’s for the gruelling task before them. where we should draw the line.

Time is of the essence and luckily From where I’m standing, exams for us, the school provides us starting at 10 are just a disaster places to spend it well. waiting to happen, especially when At exam time, both the cafeteria you combine stressed students, and the library are open early, and bundles of nerves and early wake we’d be fools not to take advantage up times. If there is a being up of this opportunity. The library there with power over our student proves as a haven for students who lives (though in our case, this being tend to pull all nighters and get may just be down the hall), then let their work done the period before; them have mercy on our souls and you know who I’m talking about bring back 11 AM exams. For our and more likely than not, you’ve sake.

EYE OFTHE TIGER

ily discriminating against or rejecting openly gay individuals from their schools, the board fails to take into account the message that they are telling students: that they must align with their schools’ ideology in order to achieve acceptance within the community.

While religion should, of course, be upheld in religious schools, a line must be drawn somewhere.

For me, that is when a regional, publicly-funded board can classify an equity club as inappropriate when it acts as a safe haven for gay and lesbian students.

Human rights must be upheld in all publically-funded schools, and should be incorporated in non-privatized religious schools to an appropriate degree.

In previous months, the Ontario government put a halt on TCDSB’s attempts to provide “sexuality reform” to individuals who, as Alan Yoshioka, a Torontonian Catholic, recalled: “are genuinely struggling to follow the Church’s teachings”.

While it may be one’s right to believe that sexual orientation can be altered at one’s own will, the Board’s unwillingness to assist LGBT students who may be struggling to find acceptance is nothing short of old age, religious homophobia. Consequently, the schools become an unwelcoming, hostile environment, as teachers and students alike explicitly inform students that they are “contrary to natural moral law”, and that they are unwelcome in the school community.

In addition to acting as a safe haven for gay and straight students alike, the GSA acts to speak out against bullying and homophobia and has been proven to decrease name-calling and harassment within school environments. Despite the religious preaching of some, the security of students must be upheld in all publically funded as well as privatized schools.

According to a 2009 survey, close to 85% of gay teens reported feeling harassed within their schools in previous years. Two thirds of students felt unsafe because of bullying due to their sexual orientation.

Gay-straight alliance groups aim to diminish homophobia and hate crimes in schools; schools without any support system for LGBT students have increased suicide and bullying rates in school. Suicide rates for LGBT kids have skyrocketed over the last few years. Students need to know that their issues are shared and dealt with by others on a daily basis, and that they share the support of a multitude of individuals who are prepared to stand by them as they face a world of ignorance and bigotry.

If TCDSB doesn’t comply with the wishes of parents and students attending its schools, an agreement must be met which satisfies the educational equity code, as well as coincides with the doctrinal teachings of the Church. In the end, a safe school environment is a prevalent necessity, and can be achieved through equality and acceptance alike.

FIGHT FOR EQUALITY Catholic school students protest against bans on gay-straight alliance groups at school.

Are we not proud of our school?

Whether it be cheering at school games or going to the music concert, let’s show some enthusiasm for our school!

BY SAMMY LINETSKY OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

G

o Tigers! – is something we really don’t hear very often.

Is school spirit a thing of the past? Has Thornhill Secondary School declined in school spirit, or is this a national phenomenon?

Apparently, students just don’t care as much about their school anymore.

School spirit is a bond that unites students together and changes “the school” to “our school”. Imagine a place where you are no longer just a student, but part of a family. It may sound cheesy, but it’s completely possible. High school can become the place where you can truly enjoy these short four years.

School spirit is a strong power that is just not to be harnessed to its full potential. The high school memo-

ries that we will remember for the rest of our lives will be the ones outside of classrooms. Academic success and hard work may be important, but the memories we have at school events are ones we can cherish.

Although you don’t walk down the hall and hear someone say, for example, “Thornhill sucks”, there is no one saying, “Go Thornhill!” either. It’s not really about the school either – it’s the attitude of the students. Take athletics, for example: there are almost no students at the few home games we have. Most students would not spare a second thought towards attending our games, and this is something that needs to change. With even more support, the sports teams could be performing better. Then, to complete the cycle, what happens when they start getting better and better?

More school spirit. It’s a cycle that requires just a little bit of participation on everyone’s part.

So what really causes a lack of school spirit? For some, it may seem that having, or showing,

school spirit makes you “uncool”, and when your image is of vital importance, that’s just something that people can’t afford. From there on, it’s a domino effect. Everyone adopts the same mindset. It’s sad that we care about our “image” enough to sacrifice the chance to support our school.

However, school spirit is needed in places besides athletics. We can show our support for our school through active participation anywhere, from music, to drama, to clubs, and even to BOSS events. It can almost feel empowering when you walk into the drama room to see some of your friends performing Shakespeare, or walk into a gymnasium filled with some of Thornhill’s amazing players and an enthusiastic crowd. When we create a sense of belonging among students, we will ultimately become more successful. We can all become a single team- a Thornhill united.

It’s a great feeling to be involved and support your school. Thornhill has a heart. Let’s make it beat.

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The Republican Presidential Debates: I am angry and this is why!

Equal parts comedy and horror, the GOP debates are entertaining enough that this article is (almost) in the wrong section.

BY FATIMAH KHAN OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

I

don’t understand how it’s possible for someone who wants to become President of the United States to be so removed from reality. Whenever the GOP debates are on television, I can’t help but think, “I have to watch this debate. I need to know what the enemy is saying, or if anything else, I need to see live what will soon be the latest Rick Perry meme on the internet.” But I never make it longer than ten minutes before the candidates give me hypertension and I’m forced to consider whether life is worth continuing.

The candidates are ridiculous.

There. I said it. Herman Cain, Rick Perry, Mitt Romney, Ron Paul, Michelle Bachmann, Jon Huntsman, Rick Sanctorum, and Newt Gingrich… none of you are better than Obama. Sorry. And I’m pretty critical of Obama’s administration, even though we used to be BFFs. These people are loathsome, and I’m not just saying that because they use energy independence to justify tax breaks for oil companies.

I think if you mush all of them together, you may come up with a super-villain.

But who really are these individuals and what do they stand for?

And why does it all make for a bad round of debate?

Let’s start with Herman Cain only because he recently suspended his candidacy. See, Herman Cain wanted to be the very best, like no one ever was, but his quest to catch ‘em all ended due to the scrutiny he received after news of an extra-marital affair broke out (on top of multiple sexual harassment allegations). But on the note of his debate performances, Cain’s deformed brainchild, the 9-9-9 plan, never went untouched whenever the moderators asked him a question. Really. A nine-percent income, corporate, and sales tax is not only the most ridiculously regressive tax policy ever put forward by a presidential candidate, but it reminds me way too much of Domino’s 555 deal. 9 pizzas for $9 dollars after 9:00 pm! It’s funny how even after his campaign’s suspension, Cain says he will continue to make 9-9-9 happen even though he’s not in any position to do so.

In spite of this, admitting to intentionally quoting Pokémon 2000 during one of his speeches kind of explains how he got as far as he did.

I mean, quoting something most of the people voting for the first time remember from their childhood seems like a pretty sound strategy.

But alas, it just wasn’t Cain’s time and for good reason! Cain, how could anyone take your opinions on foreign policy seriously after your “Uz-beki-beki-beki-stan-stan” snipe? Good riddance, though I hope “Plan B” is him going on a journey to become a Pokémon master. Good night, sweet prince.

When I first heard that one of the candidates wanted to cut the Department of Education, I got a chill.

Though it wasn’t as bad as the one I got when the crowd cheered for Rick Perry executing more people than any other governor. That’s not a good thing. I can never share any of the views he has. But one thing Perry and I do have in common is that neither of us knows what the heck he’s talking about. The most memorable point in all of the GOP debates was when Perry collapsed in on himself like a dying star when he couldn’t pin-point which agencies he wanted to cut federal spending… it was glorious and

ALL FIRED UP! Republican presidential candidate and former Governor of Massachusetts Mitt Romney entertain the audience during the GOP debates. frightening all in one. I swear, Perry only exists to make George W. Bush look smart even though they both share identical mannerisms and vocal inflections.

Next we have Mitt Romney, who only sounds a little reasonable during debates because he usually stands adjacent to Rick Perry. I like watching the duo sometimes only because they try to visually outDon Draper each other. But the thing that really sets me off about Romney is his on-screen arrogance which seems to drown out everyone else’s. “We need someone in office who understands how the economy works!” So. Not you then (or anyone else on that stage). And here’s why. Mitt Romney was the Governor of Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007. During his time, the state had the 47th best rate of job growth. This stat looks even worse considering that this was before the recession hit in 2008. When Romney left office, the Massachusetts’s unemployment rate was lower than when he entered it. You are a scary man and you definitely can’t fix America.

I feel like Ron Paul is to the GOP as Batman is to the Justice League. I mean, no one really wants him to be there, including himself. Paul wishes to eliminate the federal Department of Education and to repeal the Civil Rights Acts, and he thinks the Environmental Protection Agency is unnecessary because climate change isn’t a “big deal”. In essence, he just wants the states to do everything so he pretty much has no responsibilities left. Despite this, there comes a time during every debate when I find myself actually agreeing with Ron Paul (anti-war, legalizing weed, etc.). It’s hard to believe, but it’s okay; he’ll

say something to disappoint us eventually.

Michelle Bachmann once said, “I am the most different candidate from Obama”. I’m pretty certain it isn’t because she’s female, it’s because she’s completely insane.

With the most distracting eyes in the world (and I don’t mean that in a romantic way) Michelle Bachmann needs citations every time she opens her mouth so that the public isn’t fooled by her blatant lies. The worst part of her onstage appearance is when she specifically calls out on Obama, purposely ignoring the fact that he isn’t there to defend himself. You’re not debating Obama here, Michelle! I feel like she’s thinking, “If I trash-talk him bad enough, maybe he’ll show up and debate me!” I feel so much second-hand embarrassment as a female watching her speak. It’s suffocating. Her worst side came out when she talked about abolishing the HPV vaccines. I don’t understand how she can just stand behind her podium and say that the vaccine is “forced government injection”. Of course, the government is just trying to inject the children with liberal bias instead of cancer-preventing medication.

Okay, out of all of them, the most knowledgeable and least crazy is Jon Huntsman, the former U.S. ambassador to China. But because Huntsman is not totally wild and is actually reasonable, he won’t get the Republican position. When Huntsman said, “All I know is that we’re frightening the American people who just want solutions,” I couldn’t believe the amount of truth in his words. Yes. Yes!! No wonder Jon Huntsman always looks so sorry for everyone on stage. That is exactly what the other

candidates do. They frighten and confuse everyone on purpose. But apparently Republicans/Tea Partiers like the dystopic picture those candidates paint because no one listens to the poor guy. Romney is probably glad Huntsman is running. That way, he’s not the most hated person on stage.

Rick Santorum is like a pitiable niner running for BOSS against a bunch of seniors. His emotional appeal to garner sympathy is both astounding and absurd. Every time Santorum recounts a personal family crisis, the moral of the story is always to allow him to police our sex lives. It’s so hypocritical. How can you be pro-life and yay-fetus, but then not want anything to do with them afterward? Furthermore, his uber-patriotism of making this the “American century” is extremely extraneous. He claims that China’s cheating and the U.S. businesses outsourcing and hiring labour at practically slave wages aren’t! What is this, 1986? Go rent Rambo 1-3 and leave actual foreign policy to the grown ups! As a friend of mine said, “Santorum works really hard to prove he’s the worst human being there.”

“How can I trust you with power if you don’t pray?” There is so much wrong with that question that consequently, Newt Gingrich will be mentioned last of all the candidates. He has no redeemable foreign policy. No, Newt. I don’t think engaging with North Korea is a good idea. Those guys are nuts.

Please leave them alone. Furthermore, Gingrich suggesting that the U.S. assassinate Iran’s scientists in a deniable fashion… covertly… by telling everybody about it now on television… is sure to impress Ahmadinejad who can use your

idea to further propagate his hatred against America. I will give up my firstborn if Gingrich has one bit of a clue how the world works.

At the end of the day, it isn’t just the candidates and their personal agendas to destroy the world that contribute to a horrible debate. It’s the audience and their positive reaction to the presenters’ insanity.

Sometimes, applause seems to come in support of the most horrifying things. Cheers for letting people without health insurance die?

Applause for waterboarding? Do these people clapping even know what they’re clapping about? I hate you all.

Granted, the way the candidates spur them on doesn’t help. Cain, please don’t call waterboarding an “enhanced interrogation technique”! Let’s just call it for what it is: torture. Like when people say “unwanted sexual advances”, it’s called rape.

The way none of these candidates can actually identify with the population and the audience, whose donations are the only reason these buffoons can even run for president, none of it makes me regret watching the debates. Because even though I sit in my room and weep for humanity afterwards, I can tell the lies apart from the truth and understand what qualities make a decent leader. The way these candidates present themselves, I'm nostalgic for John McCain saying that he knows where Bin Laden is and would get him, but wouldn't tell anyone.

You know, making a prediction now, come Republican convention time, they're going to take a vote from the floor and the candidate will be Sarah Palin. It's the only ending that makes sense.

comment

winter 2012

Gaddafi’s dead… What’s next?

A look on what’s to come after the end of Gaddafi’s reign

BY RYAN KHURANA OPINION CONTRIBUTOR

n September 1st, 1969, the Libyan Government was overthrown in a non-violent coup d’état led by Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. Gaddafi, as we now know, had set out to replace the monarchy with a new Islamic socialist republic. This new sovereign was governed on the idea that Libya would achieve "freedom, unity, and social justice,” guaranteeing the right of equality to its citizens, and “opening before them the doors of honorable work". This false hope was promised to Libya and its citizens, which led to the survival of a ruthless dictatorship for over 4 decades, and the rise of similar dictatorships throughout the Arab world.

Human rights abuses and the overall poor treatment of its citizens were common throughout the Gaddafi rule. That is, until January 13th, 2011, when the Libyan people decided that enough was enough.

Inspired by the Tunisian and Egyptian revolutions, citizens took to non-violent protests in order to inspire change in their government. The problem was that they weren’t in the control of a man who is willing to give up his country; they were in the hands of a madman, a madman unwilling to step down.

On February 15th, 2011, violent confrontations between the government and protestors began, sparking a revolution that would last over 8 months and claim over 30,000 lives. At its conclusion, The National Transitional Council replaced the Gaddafi government, and Libya had received its opportunity to rebuild itself. Gaddafi, who had been trying to escape Libya since realizing that his government would be overthrown, had been caught 3 days prior. Instead of being handed over to the International Criminal Court or the United Nations International Court of Justice, as per international protocol, he was tortured, and paraded around. He was killed on October 20th, 2011.

Now that Gaddafi is dead, what’s next for Libya?

The revolution has been under criticism recently and the Interna-

O

tional Criminal Court has opened a case file to investigate the human rights violations- violations that occurred not only by revolutionaries, but under the jurisdiction of NATO officers. In my personal opinion, the brutality seen throughout the conflict was far worse than needed, especially the treatment of Gaddafi surrounding his death. The beating and brutal sodomizing of a man should never be appropriate, and everyone deserves the right to a trial, no matter what the circumstances. Of course, he would have lost the trial no matter what, but at least in that scenario the supposed morals and the goals of a future democratic and free society that the Libyans want would be upheld.

Additionally, this is posing many problems for world relations. The Libyans refused to hand over Gaddafi’s son and other officials under his regime to the ICC, and wanted to exclude the world on the proceedings of the trials. Other problems include the still-abundant supply of weapons and ammunition that the Libyan rebels have access to. This has led to conflicts between rival militias as well as a lot of problems concerning vigilantism. Human rights violations are also common in “liberated” Libya, as many Gaddafi officials, and suspected collaborators, are being held in rebel camps and are suspected to be subjected to torture.

The current estimate is that over 7,000 prisoners, including innocent women and children, are in these camps. The current interim government has to deal with a lot of civil unrest and there is a lot of potential for instability or potentially, collapse.

Libya will have a hard time finding stability in the near future. The volatile nature of its current interim government will hinder growth.

The transitional council, while being officially recognized by the United Nations as the governing body, really does not have as much power as it should in a country where thousands of people fresh from fighting are running around with weapons in their hands. This poses a problem for the progress that it will be able to make.

The poor state of Libya’s current international relations also hinders their growth. Libya had the highest Human Development Index rating and Gross Domestic Product out of

any African country before the revolution, and its oil supply probably will keep the support of countries such as the United States.

The problem for its growth, however, is the blatant disregard for international policy that has been seen by the National Transitional Council. This is because the Libyans have not only supplied their army with weapons acquired through the support of countries such as North Sudan, which bears accusations of war crimes itself, but also that the Libyans have refused ICC intervention. Recently, Niger allowed one of Gaddafi’s sons to seek asylum on “humanitarian principle”, representing the extent of the atrocities that the rebels are conducting as retribution.

The Arab Spring, as it has been named, has lead to the ousting of many authoritarian regimes. The problem being that it has also led to tremendous difficulties in the reconstruction stages. Tunisia and Egypt still have not had their problems resolved, but rather seem to have made them worse. The ongoing revolutions in these countries have led to military juntas replacing previous officials, and people are still not happy. Libya had more promise than other countries involved in the Arab Spring, having a transitional council in place, with a set of goals that the Libyan people wanted to uphold. There are many hardships that are coming their way, and stability will not be found any time soon. The horrors of their transitional period should and will be taken into account by international organizations, and soon enough, they will have to learn to learn to open themselves up to foreign intervention.

The Libyan people have so far been robbed of their goals to set up a country that would be different from the oppressive rule of Gaddafi. They instead have been put in the hands of a council that is equally violent as the previous regime, and have turned even more bloodthirsty as a result. The horrors of the revolution composed of all the grave atrocities against those involved in the previous regime seem unjustified as a result of this negligible change. Only time will tell if the efforts of the Libyan people will amount to anything. The future for Libya will be dark, but there is likely a light at the end of that tunnel.

FUTURE OF LIBYA People protest in front of the Libyan Embassy in London. What’s to come of the revolution?

EYE OFTHE TIGER

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Heartless

AUTHORITY FIGURES Police officers have rights, but we have rights too.

What’s behind the acts of do police commit acts of brutality?

Let’s look at the UC Davis stubrutality by the police? dent protests. There are two main

BY DANNY ROMM ideas here: the police officers inOPINION CONTRIBUTOR volved were clad in riot gear, and ho do you serve!? Who do that they wore no nametags, which you protect!?” UC Davis is a usually mandatory practice. student protestors Riot gear was created to be used chanted to police clad in riot gear, in actual riots, where weapons and after one officer pepper sprayed a strict control are needed to protect row of peaceful students, during the public. So then, why do police which they arrested several stu- dress in riot gear repeatedly withdents. out reason or provocation? SupThe same chant could be heard posedly, it is to protect from potenmiles away in Occupy Protests at tially violent protestors. However, Berkeley University, where another when peaceful protests take place "police riot" occurred. This time, and police show up in armour with police violently arrested students weapons, it seems like an act of and faculty members alike. aggression.

To serve and protect is a common If someone hits another, they are motto in the police force, similar to arrested, held in jail, put through 'law and order.' But it seems that trial, and essentially receive the recently this has been sullied, with strong arm of the law. When police police clearly not serving and pro- do the same, why are they not put tecting, or at least serving and pro- through just as much? In fact, the tecting the wrong things. punishments should be stronger; So, who do they serve? they are doing the opposite of their Theoretically, they are supposed supposed purpose. But police see to serve and protect the public; themselves as separate from the however, this is apparently no population; they see themselves longer the case. above the law. Police forces are As in any field, there is a chain of being militarized, supplied with command. For the police force it arms and armour, and being sent works like so; each police officer out to 'maintain order,' where inserves his commanding officer, and stead they create chaos. this goes up to the Chief of Police.

The fact that police weren't From the Chief the power moves to wearing nametags perfectly illusthe applied government (ie. Local trates the chain of command and Police to Mayor, Provincial Police influence; police are required by to Premier, and Federal Police law to wear nametags, so they are (RCMP) to Federal Government). identifiable. So, why weren't they This is fairly straightforward, and wearing nametags? If it was one ideally, it should be. officer, you could say that he forgot.

The government is supposed to If it were two you could say that it be for the people, by the people. was a coincidence. But when an However, currently it would seem entire squadron shows up sansas though the government serves nametags, it is safe to assume that the corporations. And before you someone told them not to do so. close the paper in exasperation, But who? Likely, their commanding hear me out. In order to under- officer. stand the question, you must first Why would the commanding understand the government's reli- officer tell them not to wear nameance on corporations. A platform tags? Suppose the Chief of Police for elections costs large quantities thought it would be a good idea, so of money, and most candidates they cannot easily be identified. simply do not have this money to Suppose the mayor told the Chief spare. So where does this money of Police to pass the order down. then come from? Corporates or Why? If one of those corporations 'sponsors,' which lend money to felt like Occupy Wall Street was politicians. So by further pleasing harming their little economy, and corporates, they receive more wanted the mayor to stop them, money, hitherto allowing politi- they may simply ask the mayor to cians to stay in office. shut it down and make an example Who then creates the corpora- out of them. And so they do. tions? Businessmen and bankers, Police forces commit acts of bruwho own these industrial ma- tality because that's what they are chines. Therefore you can see that, told to do, whether directly or indiat least indirectly, the police serve rectly. Directly if they are told to the businessmen. ease up on weapon control, or indiWho do they protect? rectly if they are trained to think as Or rather, in this case, you would separate from the people. While we ask what do they protect? And from still allow this to happen, to prothe previous associations, the an- gress, we limit the right to protest, swer is obvious; money. Money is and we limit the integrity of the what these businessmen thrive on, law. If we are to provide true law money is what these corporates live and order, then something needs for, money is what the govern- to change. ments need, and money is what the So, who are they truly serving, police protect. and what are they really protectNow onto the big question: Why ing?

W

editorial

page 10 EYE OFTHE TIGER

winter 2012

EYE OF THE TIGER

Adele Chui

Boaz Wong

Jordi Klein

Yauheni Baldziusau

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

DEPUTY LAYOUT DIRECTOR

DEPUTY OPINION EDITOR

HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

from the editors

Jessica Wu

The Eye of the Tiger is an award-winning school newspaper that reaches 2000 students, parents and members of the community each issue. To advertise with us, please contact eyeofthetigerfinance@gmail.com or eyeofthetigerchiefs@gmail.com

Eric Choi

Nathan Oh

FINANCIAL DIRECTOR

NEWS EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

Jennifer Yoo Wilmer Kwong

Annie Xie

Mitchell Gould

OPINION EDITOR

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

LAYOUT DIRECTOR

Apologies to the following writers whose articles were wrongly attributed: “NASA satellites are falling back down to earth?” by Tian Gao and “Red Sox thrown in post-season laundry” by Josh Peters.

Congratulations to one of our own, Mitchell Gould, earning the Charlie Seath Award at the Junior Awards!

FACEOFF The Eye has been hosting a series of editorial debates about controversial topics this year, the second between Jessica Wu and Jennifer Yoo arguing about the increase in school clubs.

Presents of the mind What is the holiday spirit without giving back?

Is the increase in school O clubs good for T.S.S.?

YES Jessica Wu

I

’d be lying if I said that this year’s clubs fair was calm and controlled. It was loud, hectic, and crowded (but rightfully so).

The amount of school clubs seemed to have doubled in number this year, so it was only reasonable that things got a little squishier. Fresh faces and never-beforeseen signs populated the cafeteria, and voices escalated to a rock concert decibel. And although there was a little less breathing space that day, the increase in student clubs is proving to be nothing but

good for the interest of Thornhill students.

Naturally, clubs are a good thing.

Despite how cheesy it may sound, a club’s modus operandi is to introduce likeminded people to one another, all while encouraging a deeper study of a specified topic.

Running a club builds character and strengthens leadership skills, while being an active member of a club requires dedication, passion, and responsibility. Many of the new clubs also happen to be fundraisers, helping out those who need it more than us.

With a student body of nearly 1300, it goes without saying that we all have our different quirks and hobbies. More clubs allow us to choose and pinpoint more specifi-

Eye of the Tiger is advised by Mrs. Borges.

cally what it is we actually care about. And who ever argued that more choice was a bad thing?

However, the point of concern is that there hasn’t been a substantial increase in club activity to equal the increase in clubs. Regardless of the fact that club activity is beyond our means to gauge, it is still not necessarily a problem.

“Ignorance is bliss” comes into play here. Just like the old computer that sits in your basement collecting dust, it really does no harm, other than perhaps take up a bit of space. In a similar way, an unsuccessful club, per se, would not affect the general welfare of us Thornhill students.

And I’m completely okay with that.

ne of our editors recently heard a radio advertisement that really stuck with him. It wasn’t because of a punny line or a catchy slogan sung through a quick jingle. It stuck in his memory because of the message the ad relayed to all listeners.

In the 30-second clip, a man phones in to customer service and asks about a too-good-to-be-true holiday offer. “Which one gets me the tablet, Raj?” The man was referring to the celebration of certain festive holidays, as there is more than one at this time of year. The caller was essentially saying, “Which holiday do I need to celebrate to get the goods, Raj?” Now we could linger on about consumerism in society and the American dream, or even go off on a tangent about the hint of subtle racism that was implied in the advertisement. But that isn’t what we want to talk about. This advertisement was about not only the growing greed that people experience, but about what the holidays now mean to most people.

Let’s pause for a second and talk about Saint Nicholas, better known as Santa Claus to common folk. When he was alive, Saint Nick had a reputation to give to those who were less fortunate than he was and was generally known as a generous person. As a result he and his good deeds have been re-

membered through the years and although he takes on a different form, the fat men in red we see at shopping malls and Christmas parades is based off of higher values.

Now we switch back to modern times. Santa Clauses are still commonplace in urban areas, and he and his famous get-up are never misunderstood. But what’s the only reason they still have jobs?

Parents line up with their kids for maybe hours on end to make their little ones happy by hopefully receiving a gift. The parents, meanwhile, participate in Secret Santa games in the hopes of getting a great gift from their own holiday fairy godmother.

It needs to stop being about us.

Actually, let’s rephrase that. It needs to be about us, about us giving. The constant mindset of people in North America must be changed from “What will I get this Christmas?” to “What will I do for others this Christmas?” Some of us are naturally materialistic, but try doing something this holiday season for others for a change. Sure, it’s preachy, cheesy, been said a million times before, but try it.

Donate to a charity; buy a really nice gift for your Secret Santa. Do it once, and see how it feels.

It will feel good, because not everyone in this world is as fortunate as we are. Do it, and make these holidays truly happy for everyone, including yourself, not just because of the boxes you’ll see under the tree.

Why reading classics might be better for you Easily consumed novels aren’t the answer for English class.

D

JOIN US The Clubs’ Fair was hectic, with a huge number of clubs both new and old. Is that good for T.S.S.?

NO

Jennifer Yoo

I

n theory, having more clubs in the school sounds like a good idea; more clubs mean greater club activity. However, the truth is less than stellar. Like that box that doesn’t do anything and just takes up space, some clubs exist, but go no further to enrich the Thornhill community.

Yes, there are some clubs in the school that allow students to become active with their passion and

interests, but there are also others that only exist in name. Without a doubt, the energy and passion that appeared in the cafeteria during the Clubs’ Fair no longer exists for some clubs.

Typically, students join clubs to share their skills, personalities, and goals with one another, and what they do together is what allows for the vibrant and rich student life of our school. Whether it is math or English or saving the environment that gets a student all fired up, clubs help develop personal skills and create a niche for the students to express themselves throughout high school.

Yet, even with the increase in clubs, club activity has not increased by the same rate. How can a club accomplish their goals without having some sort of activity?

The reality is that many students may find out that despite their passions, there is nothing to really be excited about. Quantity does not win always win over quality. This statement has never held more true, especially when it comes to club activity. Though an unsuccessful club may not damage us, it also does not enrich our community.

And isn’t that what clubs are all about?

on’t be so hasty! Classics are more than just dusty, old books. Step inside any English classroom. What do you see? Shakespeare quotes? Classic authors? It is a longstanding concept that English is a subject that makes a student think.

However, today’s curriculum is steadily moving from classical literature to novels that are more easily accessible to the masses. Is that good? Not really.

Classic literature helps students learn about issues that exist in society today. If we take a look at William Golding’s Lord of Flies, the degeneration of civilization when a group of boys are stranded on a desert island isn’t just about how children are too ignorant to maintain some resemblance of society.

It tackles the issue that in order to create a society and government, social norms and rules must be enforced so that conflicts can be solved fairly and without violence.

When reading Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, students take a look at racism and its effects on justice. These two examples are just one of the thousands of classical texts that don’t simply give the reader a story but an underlying message about major issues in

society. You don’t just read; classics also make you think.

In contrast, a lot of modern texts these days don’t provide the same reflection on issues that are present in society today. The depth of language is completely different in modern literature. These books are usually straightforward, making it very easy for the reader to instantly grasp the message.

If we use Twilight as an example, there is not much to analyze simply because there is not a depth in its messages compared to say, George Orwell’s 1984 or Great Expectations by Charles Dickens.

Even though Twilight is not used in English classrooms today (and hopefully will not be used in the future), novels that are identified in the same category do not let students challenge themselves.

Novels that appeal to the masses aren’t necessarily bad. We all know friends who loved Twilight. The issue is that these novels are not books that offer the same benefits as classical literature. We don’t read Twilight and discover the consequences of racism on various groups. We don’t learn about social justice issues.

Reading easily consumed texts is just that. Easy.

While classics can be difficult to understand at times, that difficulty is what spurs our learning and deepens our understanding of the world around us.

sports

winter 2012

sports EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 11

EYE OF THE TIGER

NHL is back with a vengeance: for both Canada and the States Gary Bettman gives the green light for the four conference frenzy.

BY DANIEL GRENIER SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

h, Gary Bettman. You never cease to amaze the NHL fans with your one-two punches. It’s official, ladies and gentlemen. As of the 2012-2013 NHL season, the NHL will expand from two to four new conferences to accommodate the central North American teams in the NHL who have complained about excessive travelling (some say Atlanta’s relocation to Winnipeg was one of the main reasons for the radical move).

The four conferences will replace the East and West conferences, which have been around since 1981. Any way you look at it, this realignment is certainly going to trigger heated debates between NHL fans and analysts alike. There are countless benefits to the changes. Higher diversity in scheduling, and travelling is much better accommodated for teams like the Blackhawks and Wild who are situated in the central U.S. Then again, there are some issues with the changes. While the moves are good for the central teams, this means teams like the Leafs will travel out west sixteen times a year instead of 8 times like in the old system, and vice-versa for teams like the Canucks. The playoff scenario doesn’t allow for an in-conference opponent in the new “conference finals”, or whatever they might be called. Finally, every hockey fan knows that rivalry games are the big money-makers ticket-wise.

Leafs fans will see the Blue Jackets just as much as the Canadiens next year, and honestly, which game would you rather buy tickets for?

The new conferences are as follows:

O

Conference “A” Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Phoenix Coyotes, San Jose Sharks and Vancouver Canucks Conference “B” Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, Nashville Predators, St. Louis Blues, and Winnipeg Jets

MORE SPACE TO PLAY Four conferences means the action just got so much bigger, courtesy of the NHL board.

Conference ”C” Boston Bruins, Buffalo Sabres, Florida Panthers, Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Tampa Bay Lightning and Toronto Maple Leafs Conference “D” Carolina Hurricanes, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals They all look nice and perfect, right? East with east and west with west. A little problem that was discovered early on though, was that the two Florida teams were paired with the Northeastern teams due to the fact they tried to keep the old divisions together. This won’t be good, especially for the Lightning, a top contender, as their flights will be longer, depriving them of rest and preparation before games.

Another interesting thing is that conferences C and D, both on the East Coast, have one less team than the two western conferences. This

could open up an opportunity for some expansion teams on the eastern seaboard. And do not get me started on the Phoenix Coyotes relocating. In my mind, they’re sticking around in the desert. If I had to predict two expansion teams, the first choice would be obvious: the return of the Quebec Nordiques. A battle of Quebec between the Nordiques and Habs would be a matinee matchup each season, and they’d fit nicely into conference C. Though this is just a guess, since there are a lot of opportunities in the east, I would say that the other team would be placed in either Cleveland or Cincinnati. If Ohio can maintain two football franchises, I could see it maintaining two hockey franchises.

Now don’t guarantee the expansion – it probably hasn’t even been close to being discussed yet.

They say change is good – I didn’t mind when the jerseys were upgraded by Reebok a few years back. I also don’t really mind Brendan Shanahan being the “fun po-

Sid the Kid is back!

The return of Crosby gives the Penguins new hope.

BY KEVIN CHAN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

A

fter 10 months off the ice, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ star player, Sidney Crosby, is finally back.

Crosby, unarguably the face of Canadian hockey, returned to the NHL in late November and immediately resumed his race for the NHL scoring title, getting four points (two goals, two assists) in his first game back against the New York Islanders. Much doubt and high expectations surrounded Crosby’s return to the league, but Crosby made it known that he was still the player he was a year ago.

Crosby experienced concussionlike symptoms last January after

two hits to the head in consecutive games. Crosby missed a total of 88 games (68 last season, 20 this season) and critics doubted whether he could return at all. In fact, Crosby had practiced with his team in November for over a month even after he had been cleared for contact play in mid-October. He mentioned in an interview that he ‘wasn’t taking any chances’, and that he wanted to feel 100% healthy before playing again. After his first game, Crosby mentioned that he felt ‘tired’, but in a healthy way. He had no symptoms of the ‘fogginess’ he experienced in January, and who would doubt him based on the way he played?

Penguins team owner Mario Lemieux made a similar comeback in 2000, after recovering from Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Lemieux notched a goal and two assists that

night, and Crosby not only matched Lemieux’s feat, but also surpassed it with another goal. All night, fans waved signs saying “Welcome Back Sid”, inspired by similar signs Lemieux saw in 2000.

Now that Crosby has returned, the Penguins are once again contenders for the playoffs and the Stanley Cup. The five months remaining in the regular season will require immense effort from the entire Pittsburgh team if they want to prove themselves as playoff champions. Crosby and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, the backbones of the team, must continue their strong play for the team to remain at their current level of play.

But for now at least, Crosby can relax. He’s back, he’s healthy, and he’s better than ever. ‘I was just enjoying the moment,’ he said. ‘It was good to be back.’

lice” this year by handing out countless suspensions to questionable calls. But this, this doesn’t sit well with me. I grew up with the Eastern and Western conferences, and I’m not exactly jumping the gun to be a part of this new format.

Nevertheless, there are some benefits. First and foremost (and I think this one will be most intriguing for Leafs fans), four teams will make the playoffs from each conference.

This means that instead of six division teams making it to the playoffs, only four will make it this year, opening up more “wild card” spots.

Therefore, the Buds have a higher chance at playoff action. This is also because Conference C, which the Leafs are situated in, has seven teams in it instead of eight like Conferences A and B. Look at the division. If you know hockey well enough, the Panthers and Senators aren’t exactly playoff contenders.

This could create opportunities for the Blue and White to steal that 4th spot from the Sabres or Canadiens.

Another benefit is that the confer-

ences open up chances to play “exotic” teams. Bettman stated that every team will play all the other teams twice a year. People in Toronto would certainly buy tickets to see teams like the Sharks or Coyotes come to town, as they aren’t seen very often in the Northeast. It also allows every team to see big names like Crosby and Stamkos every year.

But there must be obvious drawbacks to the changes. The biggest one is travel. Teams will likely have more travel with the new alignment because they will be heading to every other NHL city each season.

That being said, the new alignment might allow for schedule makers to schedule road trips for teams where they can hit cities on the way, which should help battle the travel problem. For example, Montreal could travel from Colorado to Phoenix, Anaheim to L.A. to San Jose. Another big problem entertainment-wise is good teams not making the playoffs. With the new alignment the L.A. Kings would have missed the playoffs last year, even though they had more points than the Stars. This will be a regular occurrence when certain divisions are superior to others. Finally, there’s the fact that the playoff race will be a lot less interesting. Last season the playoff races in both Conferences were very exciting, but if you look at how the races would have played out in the new 4conference format, it becomes much less interesting. The playoff races are the second most exciting time of the NHL season next to the playoffs, and the races in the new alignment won’t be nearly as exciting. I’m a Leafs fan and I care about how every team in the Eastern Conference does because it affects the Leafs’ chances of making the playoffs. With the new alignment I would only care about the 6 other teams in their Conference, which will make things somewhat less interesting for fans.

In the end, maybe the benefits will outweigh the drawbacks. If you want my opinion, I’d rather have it not change. I think the best part of the NHL season is the last 15 games of the season, where playoff races reach their climaxes. That factor is completely eliminated with the new conferences. But as they always say, you can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s a matter of us having to wait and see.

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page 12 EYE OFTHE TIGER

winter 2012

Back to the hive…for now Mo’ money, sources from the league claim that the three teams are pushing to reconstruct the deal, perhaps with minor adjustments. Let’s take a

BY VICTOR LI SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR look at how the deal would benefit ith the lockout officially or hinder each of the three teams. behind us, free agency is now the biggest NBA L.A. Lakers: news. With the season set to start The Lakers would lose All-Star on Christmas day, teams are forward Pau Gasol and Sixth Man scrambling to sign free agents in of the Year Lamar Odom, severely time for the start of the season. weakening their frontcourt. If the Some of this season’s big name free deal had gone through (or goes agents include Chris Paul, Dwight through), then their frontcourt Howard, Nene, Tyson Chandler, would basically be Andrew Bynum.

David West, Shane Battier, and The Lakers would have to trade to Shawn Marion amongst others. obtain support for Bynum, who is Some of these players have already notoriously injury-prone and has been linked with teams, while oth- been suspended for at least the first ers have already signed contracts five games of the season for his with different teams. While many blatant hit on J.J. Barea during last rumours were spreading around, year’s playoffs. the biggest deal since Miami asWhile many Lakers fans would sembled their Big 3 last summer love to have Dwight Howard join was confirmed by the owners of the their team, knowing that Howard Lakers, Rockets and Hornets. The wants to go to a title contender, three-way deal would have sent Stern would almost certainly cancel Chris Paul to the L.A. Lakers, any deal that would create another Lamar Odom, Kevin Martin, Luis Big 3, further unbalancing the equiScola, Goran Dragic and a 2012 first librium of the league. However, round pick to the New Orleans even with all the uncertainty in the Hornets and Pau Gasol to the Lakers’ frontcourt, their backcourt Houston Rockets. would become one of the greatest However, within hours after the in league history with the Kobe deal was announced, irate owners Bryant/Chris Paul tandem. The complained to David Stern, who Lakers would also benefit from this vetoed the deal. Many owners felt since they gain fresh talent to take that the deal was far too biased in the reins after Kobe’s inevitable favour of L.A., and claimed that the retirement. deal would have created an even larger unbalance of talent within Houston Rockets: the league. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert The Rockets would receive Pau went as far as to call it a travesty in Gasol from the Lakers, while giving a letter to David Stern, suggesting up Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, and that 25 of the teams in the league backup guard Goran Dragic. Marmight as well just call themselves tin was the Rockets’ leading scorer the Washington Generals (an exhi- last year and Scola was their leadbition team best known for an in- ing rebounder, filling in many of credibly long losing streak against the roles that Yao Ming used to do the Harlem Globetrotters). Others, for the team before his retirement. however, insisted that the deal was Although Martin and Scola were fair, and that all three teams would the best players on the team last benefit from it. year and led the team to a winning Although Stern vetoed the deal, record, neither was voted as an All-

Trades and free agents: who’s going where?

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Star, and they were still unable to get Houston to the playoffs. If the deal goes through, Houston will get immediate aid in the form of AllStar Pau Gasol. If Houston wishes to become a contender, they need to continue trading to build up talent around Gasol. Rumours about trades to unite the Gasol brothers in Houston float around, but nothing can be certain until, or if, this deal goes through.

New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets would lose their franchise player, Chris Paul, but gain a multitude of good players from the Lakers and Rockets to offset this. Since the Hornets are owned by the NBA, the league would have to approve any trade that would take place. With Stern caving in to pressure from angry owners, a new deal would have to bring much better pieces to New Orleans for it to go through. The old deal would have sent forwards Lamar Odom and Luis Scola and guards Kevin Martin and Goran Dragic, as well as a 2012 first round pick to the Hornets. While none of these players were All-Stars, all of them together would still keep New Orleans at playoff level, at the very least. These four players form an even, balanced court, although there are concerns that Scola and Odom play essentially the same position at the 4. The Hornets would probably not become title contenders after this trade, just like they were never quite contenders even with Chris Paul.

The proposed trade is just one more example of players heading to big market teams to win championships or make more money. If this pattern continues, then the league will eventually be reduced to 4 or 5 title contenders, mixed in with 25 fodder teams. If the NBA wants to become more exciting and popular, teams should best be kept at a skill equilibrium.

New MLB playoff format gives hope to the league’s underdogs A new twist in the playoff system adds a little more competition to the game.

BY JOSH PETERS SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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he average fan yearns for his hometown team to win it all.

It’s the ultimate goal, the pinnacle of being a fan; to see a team that you put your faith in on top of the world. The only way a team can get to that point in professional sports is by making the playoffs.

When a team makes the postseason, it sends the entire city into frenzy.

It creates an electric atmosphere and buzz among people who may not even have watched the team play all year round. The problem is in baseball, only a very small amount of teams and cities get to experience this each year. However, change is on the rise: the playoff format could be changed as early as next season.

Major League Baseball is looking to expand its playoff format by adding an extra best-of-3 wild card series in each league. So how is such a major shift possible? Previously, the MLB’s two leagues, American and National, consisted of 14 and 16 teams respectively.

This, plain and simple, does not make any sense. What the MLB has done is move the Houston Astros over to the American League to make it an even 15 teams each. Not only does this help the league make a new playoff format, it also helps the struggling Astros move out of a

6 team division that they were the bottom feeders of. They will now move into a much less competitive American League West. This way Houston can strive and a new playoff round can fairly be added.

This may not seem like a huge step, but when we are talking about the MLB it is. Of all the professional sports leagues, Major League Baseball is the most reluctant to change.

They refuse to keep up with technology, they don’t want to make their insanely long 162 game seasons any shorter, and people thought they definitely were not going to change the playoff format.

They believe they have the perfect formula for baseball and that it never has to change. However what we have seen is that the MLB may be starting to make baby steps into growing into a league that changes with the times and is receptive to feedback.

It really is about time the playoffs got some sort of overhaul. They are clearly too condensed and too short. The teams battle for 162 games, almost double what any other league plays, and the playoffs are done in the blink of an eye, with the majority of cities not even experiencing them. The NHL and NBA qualify more than half of their teams to make the playoffs, the NFL has just over a third of their teams make it but the MLB has just over a quarter of their teams make the playoffs. For a team like our own Toronto Blue Jays, being in the division they are in, this makes the playoffs the light at the end of the tunnel they are not going to reach.

mo’ problems Evident through the wise words of Biggie Smalls, money can have many negative effects, which we witnessed in the most recent NBA lockout.

BY NATHAN OH SPORTS EDITOR

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fter 161 days of labour negotiations, rumours, and pure frustration, the NBA Board of Governors ratified a new Collective Bargaining Agreement which will remain relevant until the 2021-2022 season. Most of the problems have been solved and both the owners and the players’ union seem satisfied with the overall compromise.

In other words, the NBA is back in business.

There are many opinions worldwide concerning the arduous labour talks that spanned the equivalent of free agency, preseason, and then some. Some say that it took way too long for a deal to be reached; that both sides should have compromised earlier to salvage as much of the season as possible. Some say that the deal was reached too quickly; that both sides sacrificed too much on the business side of things just to start playing. And then there are those that will introduce the notion that the end of the NBA lockout came at just the right time, and that despite all the time that was lost, there will still be professional basketball throughout 2011 and 2012. But what caused all this? It has been said that money is the root of all evil, and such was the case in the travesty known as the NBA lockout. The big issues like a hard salary cap and the distribution of basketball-related income (BRI), down to the smaller things like veterans’ minimums and the “mid-level exception” all revolved around dollar amounts. The owners and players wanted money; who doesn’t? But the unfortunate truth is both sides fail to see that money is the reason why the NBA is starting to sacrifice competitive balance and overall growth.

Fortunately, the NBA isn’t the only professional basketball league in the world. Pro leagues do exist in Europe and Asia, and although we here in North America have never watched any of those games, we could learn a lot from these leagues that can be applied to the NBA to improve a quickly-dying sport.

One example of this is the Euroleague Basketball tournament, which features 24 teams from across Europe as they compete for the title of the best basketball team in the continent. Because of how

different North American and European basketball leagues are structured, a tournament like this is nearly impossible to have here. But the concept of competing for two different championships on two different stages would give more motivation to all 30 NBA teams.

Commissioner David Stern should look into opportunities for the best teams in the NBA to square off against the best teams from other professional basketball organizations to not only bring up the level of competition in the NBA, but to also promote basketball through international play.

Another example is the foreign players’ cap in the Chinese Basketball Association. The league has a quota for foreign players per team, which may seem unnecessary at first. However, the reason for such a rule is because the CBA is a strong supporter of organic growth of its own players. Foreign players glamourize lesser-known leagues and bring up their entertainment value, but do very little in promoting the growth of Chinese players.

Through implementing a foreign players’ cap, it still allows the league to be competitive but also ensures that local, Chinese players all have equal opportunities to play and shine for their respective teams. Although such a rule is unheard of and downright silly in the NBA, the principle of exchanging winning for competitive balance is something the NBA should strongly consider, especially with the way some teams have been put together recently (that’s you, Miami!).

But the simplest and probably most important fact is that players are going overseas to play a game that can be played right here in North America. Why is it that most of the players remained silent during the lockout and looked for contracts elsewhere? All they wanted to do was play; the love of the game is the biggest thing to a lot of these players and remains a testament to the development of the NBA. And that’s how it should be. In the months and months of negotiations, owners, players, and fans alike forgot what basketball was really about. Suddenly, it became about the money and less about competitive balance. It became about the biggest dollar amounts rather than pleasing the fans that pay them. And most of all, it became about the players keeping as much for themselves as opposed to giving back to the game and its growth all over the world. In the end, both sides got what they wanted from a business standpoint.

But does the money mean anything if we don’t have the game?

And why wouldn’t you want more playoff games? Not only does it motivate the players, knowing that they have a better chance of making it, it’s great for the league as well. More fans will go see playoff games than any other game which means way more money for the league. When you put together all the TV deals and advertisements created by the playoffs it’s almost ridiculous that the MLB has not done this sooner.

Just to put things in perspective, had this postseason format been in place at an earlier point, the 1998 Blue Jays would have been a playoff team. After coming off two World Series Championships in that decade, who knows what could have happened?

Adding these wildcard teams also adds to the drama of the league. It allows for more Cinderella stories and last minute teams making it. With the current system, this could happen, but it is very rare. Not every season is going to come down to the wire like the 2011 season did with four teams’ fates being decided on the 162nd game. You just cannot bet on that every year, so the solution is to just increase the probability of it happening.

In actuality, this new change is not going to directly help your hometown team win a championship; it’s just going to make it a little bit easier. It’s going to make your hometown team a little hungrier, a little more motivated to win and it’s going to make fans that much more motivated to watch.

FINALLY! NBA owners announce the long-awaited end of the lockout.

sports

winter 2012

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 13

Embracing Tebowmania Tim Tebow isn’t your regular quarterback, but he gets the job done.

BY DANIEL GRENIER SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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t’s been a while since we’ve seen a quarterback that favours his legs over his arm (at least Michael Vick knows how to throw the ball). Denver Broncos pivot Tim Tebow, selected 25th overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, has been making huge splashes in sports headlines ever since two months ago when he took over as the starter in Denver.

So far as the new quarterback, Tebow has piled up 10 throwing touchdowns, 3 rushing ones, and is averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Oh, but about him not having an arm… a very weak 47.5 pass completion percentage, and a meager 87.9 quarterback rating.

With the way Tebow is revolutionizing the game, you may think of him as some sort of Messiah, inspiring coaches to modify playbooks to a run-friendly type offense. But outside of Gainesville (where he played college ball) and Denver, two places where he’s considered a god, the fans of the NFL aren’t exactly crazy about Tebow.

Many feel like he’s “ruining” traditional quarterback principles, or he’s overrated and that his defense has constantly bailed him out on several occasions.

Even inside the organization, people look worried. Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway for example: you can see the poor man on the sidelines basically in tears,

watching the quarterback of his franchise throw the proverbial quarterback book out the window.

But his supporters, which include Chuck Norris and Bill Cosby, say that he’s the real deal for one reason: he wins games. They’re right, after all. This season, Tebow has brought them out of a 1-4 hole, winning 6 of his 7 started games, putting the Broncos in prime position for the playoffs at 7-5.

Tebow’s unorthodox style of play hasn’t been accepted socially as of yet in the NFL, but there are opportunities for some interesting play calls in the future of the NFL. Quarterbacks of this generation, besides Brady and Manning, have evolved into more mobile passers.

Instead of “5 seconds in the pocket and throw” sort of thing, it’s now “5 seconds in the pocket, roll left, avoid sack, roll right, spin move, throw”. Denver coach John Fox has adopted a new style of coaching called “option”. Basically, Tebow has been given the opportunity to decide mid-play what he wants to do with the ball. Usually, if he sees a running hole, he’ll take it upfield.

But if the chance for a good throw is there, Tim uses his incredibly awkward throw to move the chains.

This way, Tebow has a sense of comfort with the football, being able to choose his course carefully.

While that’s great and all, the naysayers have a lot of reasons to be doubtful. First of all, five of Tebow’s victories have come very late in the 4th quarter; it could be luck, but there’s harder evidence. The Broncos haven’t really won against any big name teams as of yet. Week

15 vs. the Patriots will be their big test. A win against one of the NFL’s elite would be huge for the team’s morale, and would destroy any criticisms left in the haters’ arsenal.

Then there are the questions about his career as a quarterback without an arm. Like I said earlier, Tebow has completed just over 47 percent of his passes this year, which isn’t even close to NFL standards these days. He throws with his left hand and boy, does he throw awkwardly.

The motion he makes is sort of a sidearm, twisty, unexplainable mo-

tion. The wind-up time is almost one second, which isn’t much, but it could make a world of difference in Tim throwing a touchdown or being face-down in the turf thanks to Julius Peppers. But I’m sure Tebow will evolve and adapt like every other QB in the past.

The way I see it, Tim Tebow is becoming an icon in the National Football League. Everywhere you look, you see articles talking about him and pictures showing him in last night’s game. Analysts are fascinated by his style. He’s also an

icon outside of the league. Known affectionately as “Tebowing”, a thinker’s pose where he gets down on one knee, is a fad on the Internet.

Any way you slice it, you simply just cannot avoid the craze around Tim Tebow. If you’re a fan of the NFL you can’t really escape it; you just have to try and embrace it.

Who knows – maybe he’ll be holding up the Lombardi Trophy in a couple of years. Maybe he’s the next Peyton Manning. Or maybe I’m just crazy.

A NEW WAY TO PLAY Tim Tebow’s new playing style could revolutionize the game of football altogether.

The hopeful state of the Colts The Colts are in a good position to replace Peyton Manning in a few years.

BY GABRIEL WAHL SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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ith Peyton Manning, the Colts are almost guaranteed a spot in the AFC conference game every year, but without #18, they struggle to win any games. As of December 4 the Colts are winless at 0-11 under the helm of Curtis Painter, the 3rd year veteran out of Purdue, and Kerry

Collins. A quarterback switch could mean the Colts might have a chance to win their first game.

The projected starter for the rest of the season is Dan Orlovsky, who will be making his 8th career start under centre. Orlovsky was acquired by the Colts from the Texans, a division team. Both the Colts and the Texans have elite level tight ends and a similar type of offence.

This means Orlovsky could be just what the Colts need to etch one in the win column.

In this article, I will be analyzing what went wrong with the Colts,

what they should do to right their season, and what steps they should take to get their team back to being great.

It’s quite obvious that without Peyton Manning the Colts lose the only offence they have in their passing attack. But it’s their defence that is quite surprising; up until this season, their defence hasn’t seemed too bad, but when they needed to step up, they didn’t.

They don’t have a running game at all, and their offensive line is made up of pass blockers and not mobile guards that can get outside on

HE’S ALMOST DONE Peyton Manning is nearing his retirement from football, but the Colts are ready for it.

sweep plays. In the NFL, when you become one dimensional on offence, defences have an easy time scheming against you, and the only way to counter that is to have an elite player on offence.

The Colts had Peyton Manning to pick apart offences, but now they only have backups that no other team wanted. The Colts are asking too much of their backups by wanting them to have 350+ yard games when that isn’t possible for them.

Also, receivers and quarterbacks develop a relationship where the receiver knows where the ball is going to be. But when you switch quarterbacks, the receivers have to relearn the new snap count, the length it takes for him to release the ball, and the tendencies of the quarterback. This never works well, and usually, a subpar quarterback that is given years to develop a relationship will play better than a new and more skilled quarterback.

The Colts have lost a season, but finally getting a win will be a moral boost to the rookies and the young players on the team. I think to get a win, the Colts will have to mix the play call or switch it up and play a primarily running style of game.

The only opponent left that they could win against is the Tennessee Titans. And even that will be a long shot, as they are going to have to stop the run and then play good offence. They don’t have linebacker speed, and they will have to stop Chris Johnson from running to the outside, so look for Robert Mathis to try to get outside of his man.

They will most likely lose that game and finish 0-16, but they will try, and if they win one, that will be a huge accomplishment for the team.

Peyton Manning is very close to retirement and the Colts should be looking into a replacement. If they

do finish last in the league, they will get the first pick of the 2012 draft, a spot reserved for Andrew Luck, the quarterback out of Stanford. The Colts should jump on this opportunity to get a great young talent and let him work with Manning to learn how to run an offence. In a couple years or possibly less, he will flourish into a premier starter in the league and the face of the Colts franchise for years to come.

Peyton took a salary hit so the Colts could better themselves as a team so I don’t see why he would mind having to mentor a great football mind and gunslinger. Peyton understands that his time is almost up and that most teams will not accept his price salary for just a few more seasons. He knows that he will remain a starter until retirement; he should take the role of mentor to younger quarterbacks in the league instead of focusing as much on his game.

The Colts should also look to get a good offensive lineman like Zerbie Sanders from FSU in the 3rd round as well as a running back that can help them on the goal line and running from sideline to sideline. A good pick would be Lamar Miller from Miami. This means that their first three picks will go as follows: Andrew Luck in the first round, Lamar Miller as their second pick, and Zerbie Sanders as their third pick.

The Colts can become a very good young team in a few years, but as of now, it looks like a couple of rough seasons with an aging Peyton Manning. As for this season they will have to give it all they have to get just one win. Unlike most teams, their rebuilding process will be relatively easy and painless, which is good news for Colts fans everywhere.

sports

page 14 EYE OFTHE TIGER

Where is he in the Hall?

Devin Hester has a bright future in the NFL ahead of him.

BY GABRIEL WAHL SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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evin Hester’s back to return the kick... Hester at the 50…

40…30…20…10…5…Devin Hester, you are ridiculous!

It’s pretty much a given that every time Devin Hester touches the football on kickoff and punt returns, something amazing will happen. Hester is currently in his 6th year in the league spending all his time playing for the Chicago Bears. He’s classified as a return specialist first and receiver second which raises the question: Should he be accepted into the Hall of Fame?

Hester’s list of NFL return records is long and plentiful, even besting his own records. Here are just a few of his most important records to date: Combined special teams return touchdowns, career: 18 (12 punt, 5 kickoffs, 1 missed field goal) Most regular season kick and punt return touchdowns, career: 17 Punt return touchdowns, career: 12 Punt return touchdowns, season: 4 As you can see he’s an impact player on the field that can change the outcome of a game drastically in one play. A person inducted into the Hall should be able to change the game and make coaches scheme around them, and Devin definitely does that. Kickers kick out of bounds or past the end zone just to remove the threat of a return. Even if he is a special teams player he still makes enough of a difference on the field that he should be inducted. It may not be in the first ballot but he definitely deserves a spot.

In the past only one pure special teams player has been inducted and that was Jan Stenerud, a placekicker that played in the 60’s through the 80’s and was a first ballot inductee in 1991. Stenerud, like Hester, changed the game and helped make the “soccer style” of kicking popular, as that technique is still used today. The difference between the two other than position is the pace at which they achieved superstardom. Hester is well on pace to have the same amount of awards and trophies as Stenerud, meaning Hester should wind up in the Hall one way or another.

Hester has only been in the league for 6 years, meaning he still has a good 7 or 8 left in the tank.

With only about half his career over he still has plenty of time to break some more return records and improve his own. As it is now Hester is on pace for 6 Pro Bowls, 6 All-Pro selections, 6 Special Teams Player of the Year awards and 24 NFC Player of the Week awards. Those are monster numbers for any player to put up and it has to be taken into account that he’s simply the best at what he does.

If you need any more persuasion on why Hester deserves a spot in the Hall just remember back to the 2006 Super Bowl between the Bears and the Colts. As a rookie, Devin returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, a feat that takes tremendous amounts of skill seeing as it’s on such a big stage. With all the records, achievements, and stats he has amassed in only 6 short years, Devin Hester deserves his spot in the Hall next to the other Chicago football greats.

winter 2012

El Clásico: part 1 Barcelona’s dominance and the greatest rivalry in sports history, revamped.

BY LEO SHOMALI SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

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concept. The club still has a president and technical directors that call the shots, but the idea of there being a democratic-based football club in which the supporters who are also partial owners have a say in how the club is run is simply remarkable.

What is more remarkable is that this club in particular is the one that has risen above all else: to argue Real Madrid is superior to Barcelona is terribly foolish. Again, not as a biased fan, just facts: over the past 3 seasons Barcelona has won almost every trophy and competition they took part in; Real Madrid, not so much.

Back to the rivalry: as it stands Real Madrid is 6 points ahead of Barcelona in the standings. Some idiots, as they do every season, claim Barcelona is finished and Real Madrid are surely to win the La Liga title back again, but knowing Barcelona, and knowing what has transpired between these two

powerhouses the past few seasons, NOT A CHANCE. This year’s Clásico, like all others will be one to remember, and truly a joy to watch for 90 minutes, guaranteed.

Every summer Real Madrid spends millions of Euros to revitalize their roster in hopes of ending Barcelona’s title streak, and Barcelona does their fair share of spending too. But they have something more, something money can’t buy.

Barcelona has values, more specifically, the “Total Football” philosophy the legendary Johan Cruyff implicated on this team back in the 1970’s. This philosophy and style of play has progressed and grown over the years, to a point that it is almost unstoppable. Just look at their players: Pique, Puyol, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi, Pedro, Valdes, and of course the marvellous Messi. Unlike Real Madrid players, all are home-grown talents that weren’t bought for millions of euros.

Barcelona’s famous youth academy “La Masia” is where children as young as 5 years of age and up to 17 or 18 get top-class educations, engage with one another, but most importantly learn the Barcelona style of play. Players like Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernandes (my heroes) went there, and in 8 years’ time will probably be long gone, but not to worry.

Barcelona has endless talent in its academy: current players like 20 year old playmaker Thiago Alcântara, or forwards Isaac Cuenca and Gerard Deulofeu are benchwarmers now, but superstars tomorrow.

I’m almost certain none of you know who those young guys are, but you will in 5 years’ time, because they’ll be the ones helping Barcelona dominate the world of football. Those are just a few names of some talent-filled, up-andcoming players, and there are many more. Because Barcelona truly is more than just a club.

o many, Real Madrid vs. Barcelona is just another overglorified contest between the two largest football powerhouses in Europe. Not many people understand and appreciate the pride and honour associated with this historic rivalry.

This is far more than just an overhyped game; this is a historic rivalry that dates back to February 1929. Times, players, coaches: many things have changed, but this rivalry gets stronger every time these two powerhouses meet. Being the die-hard FC Barcelona fan I am (and have been since birth), I could be writing this article purely on such a magnificent club, but instead I’ve also expanded it into something bigger, which is this magnificent rivalry. Without each other, Barcelona and Real Madrid would be nothing more than your average European football clubs. It is their constant feuding and desire to completely obliterate one another every time they meet that makes these two clubs so dominant.

I am writing this article exactly nine days before the Spanish giants clash for the first time this season.

The game’s more than a week away, but by the time you are reading this, the game will be long over.

But I will do one thing for you: make a prediction; better yet let’s call it a guarantee. Barcelona will be victorious. I make this prediction not as a biased Barcelona fan, but as a neutral and intelligent football mind. Barcelona’s famous motto "Más que un club" translated into English “More than a club” isn’t your typical rubbish motto, and I’ll tell you why.

FC Barcelona, unarguably the most successful sports franchise in our modern day (just look at the facts) is not your ordinary organization. No, most people are reading and finding this out for the first time: Barcelona is purely owned and operated by the supporters of the club, truly an extraordinary MORE THAN A CLUB With their teamwork and unity, Barcelona deserves to be the number one football club.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year Now that the lockout is over, let the season begin!

BY VICTOR LI SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR

I

t’s finally here. After months of waiting, the long-anticipated 2011-2012 season of the NBA has arrived, ending the hated lockout which prevented basketball fans all around the world from enjoying the game they love. And just in time for the holidays too.

The lockout officially started on the first of July, but it soon became evident that a deal would not be reached soon. By the time October rolled around, fans, players and owners alike were starting to fear that there wouldn’t be a complete season, and possibly even no season at all.

The root cause of the lockout was the loss of profit for the league.

With the previous CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), the players earned 57% of basketball-related income, which the owners attempted to lower during the lockout. With little progress made during the summer on the subject of splitting the revenue, the lockout dragged on into the fall, eventually resulting in the cancellation of free agency, preseason, and part of the

regular season.

As the lockout progressed, the players eventually decided to dissolve the union and filed an antitrust lawsuit against the league, which the league has yet to respond to. However, despite this, the league and the players reached a tentative deal on the 26th of November after 15 hours of talks. Even though the players and owners have reached a consensus, the players will emerge from the lockout worse off than before. Ultimately, they will end up with less money earned and more restricted freedom. The players were criticized for their lack of unity and involvement during the lockout, which resulted in a longer lockout and reduced benefits for the players.

During the lockout, many NBA fans had to look elsewhere for entertainment. While football has traditionally been the most popular sport in North America, basketball, baseball and hockey are all contenders for the second place spot.

While the NBA had been rising steadily in recent years, the lockout has severely hampered its rising popularity. During what would have been the first part of the basketball season, many turned to the

NHL for entertainment, leading to the NHL opening its season to record crowds. Although the lockout has ended, the lockout severely impacted the public’s perception of the league just when it was looking good for the NBA, which has been in a decline since Michael Jordan retired for the second time in 1999.

With the end of the lockout, fans can look forward to a revised 66 game season, starting on Christmas day. Old and new rivalries are featured as the Heat play the Mavericks, the Lakers play the Bulls, the

Magic play the Thunder, and the Celtics play the Knicks. Fans can also expect an exciting free agency, as All-Stars Dwight Howard and Chris Paul amongst others become available. With the lockout behind them, fans and players alike can look forward to what’s most important: the games.

Whether you’re a Heat fan, Lakers fan, Celtics fan, or whatever, everybody can agree that the start of the season is welcome news to anybody who cares for the sport of basketball.

BACK IN ACTION The end of the lockout was the best holiday gift for fans.

entertainment

entertainment

winter 2012

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 15

EYE OF THE TIGER

Which diva deserves the crown of pop?

WHICH OF THESE FIVE DIVAS DESERVES THE TITLE ‘QUEEN OF POP’? Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Katy Perry all stand proud at the forefront of the pop music scene.

A look at which lady should four artists have had some or all of – is his or her ability to morph be- proven that her voice knows no comes more of my job than I want their albums reach the number one tween genres, effortlessly combin- boundaries and can adapt to what- it to be.” Keeping up a lifestyle that take the last musical chair. spot on Billboard’s prestigious Hot ing several different types of music ever she wants it to be. guides the youth that idolise them

BY WEINI MENGHESHA The market nowadays is driven can be time consuming for some fans into one base. No one has 200.

ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR Career highlights are a signifi- done this as effectively as Lady by an artist’s ability to perform on artists. Hardly any artist can lead a usic today is dominated by cant way of proving an artist’s rele- Gaga. On one album, Gaga man- stage. Though some people could- life that doesn’t end up splattered powerhouse female artists. vance. While all five of the pop aged to find success with “Born n’t care less whether the perform- across various tabloids, revealing More than half the songs powerhouses have had truly monu- This Way”, a dance-pop record, ance is live or not, a certain level of the newest “drama” that is occuryou hear on the radio are sung by mental moments in their careers, “The Edge of Glory”, a rock record, authenticity must be present. For ring. Yet when it comes to wholethe women that rule the charts, as one stands out above the rest: Be- “You and I”, a country-rock record, most of the 90s and some of the some influence on their fans of all well as consumer hearts: Beyoncé, yoncé. In the last decade, she sang and “Marry the Night”, a house early 2000’s, the queen of enter- ages, both Katy Perry and Beyoncé Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Lady the national anthem or preformed record. All four singles have vastly taining an audience was Britney take the crown. The ladies, both of Gaga and Rihanna. In previous at the half-time shows at the Super- different sounds, yet match the Spears, but after several personal whom are married to famous counmusical eras, queen status was bowl, the NBA Finals and the NBA overall theme of her sophomore trials in the last several years, her terparts, are rarely the topic of gossipmongers and know how to keep given to artists based solely on their All-Star game. Sports aside, album Born This Way. Gaga brings spot has been taken.

The current reigning goddesses it classy and dignified. In Beyoncé’s vocal and performance abilities, as Knowles sang the first dance at the the large range of song styles to well as overall success. In today’s inauguration of Barrack Obama, mainstream attention in a way only of live performances are Lady Gaga case, she has been given public generation of quick and easily ac- America’s first African- American she can do. Her ability to morph so and Beyoncé. Both are performing praise from the First Lady of the cessible information, pop stars are president. This past summer, she easily between genres gives fans legends. At a Lady Gaga show, you United States, Michelle Obama, subjected to far more categories, headlined the world’s largest music the opportunity to be exposed to will be wowed by high-caliber the- who shared her thoughts in a video: forcing them to branch out into festival, Glastonbury, being the first different styles of artistry. If you atrics; at a Beyoncé show, her pre- “In addition to being just a beauticise dancing will blow you away. ful young woman, she’s been a role areas to remain on top. Each artist woman to do so in twenty-five want diversity, Gaga’s got it! holds the upper hand in at least years; in the same week, she headWhat’s music without vocal abil- What gives them their edge in this model and a powerful presence for one – but which one of them comes lined two other big-time music ity? No, auto-tune does not count. I category is their ability to dance young girls and women all over the festivals within two days of each mean raw, unaltered talent – both energetically, but still sing live. world.” Rihanna, Lady Gaga and out as the overall best?

When it comes to longevity, Brit- other. Talk about accomplish- in the studio and on a stage. Both Both artists have a zero-tolerance Britney Spears have all had music Lady Gaga and Katy Perry come for lip-synching, choosing rather to videos, and – in Lady Gaga’s case – ney Spears and Beyoncé Knowles ments.

Every year, we’re subjected to an fairly close to the number one spot, cancel a performance when sick songs banned from places like the both must be given a pat on the back for their ability to remain at endless amount of award shows – but the stand out in this category is instead of performing to a back Middle East, Asia, and Europe.

Beyoncé, Britney Spears, Lady the top of charts after sixteen and the MTV Video Music Awards, the Beyoncé. Just listening to her most track. Their tenacity and dedication nineteen years respectively. As MTV European Music Awards, the recent album, 4, it is blatantly obvi- to their craft make any show of Gaga, Katy Perry and Rihanna are all incredible artists in their own opposed to thirty years ago, an art- Grammys, the Billboard Music ous how powerful her voice truly is. theirs incredibly entertaining.

There is a buffet list of associa- ways, hence their status as female ist’s relevance lasts approximately Awards, the American Music While her ballads showcase her five years due to top forty consum- Awards, the Much Music Video large vocal range beautifully, she tions and charities artists lend their pop powerhouses. Each artist’s ers. These two ladies’ abilities to Awards, and on it goes! All five of does what the other four divas voices, but no issue has had such a uniqueness and talent inspire and remain near the top of the charts our divas have won dozens of don’t usually do – she displays a strong advocate as bullying – all enthrall us in all their work. Howfor nearly two decades gives them a awards, but Beyoncé’s extensive significant range on dance-records thanks to Lady Gaga. Her involve- ever, the artist with the most to give significant edge over all their com- award record surpasses the rest by as well. “Love On Top”, a recent ment in the fight to stop bullying the world is Beyoncé. Her all-round over a hundred. In her solo history, single, is sung in a uncharacteristi- against everyone, especially the talent and grace set her apart from petitors.

It’s easy to have a number one Knowles has won 235 various cally high octave that gets higher LGBT community, has been ongo- her main four competitors. Like the each passing chorus. ing. She has frequently appeared at rest of the biggest divas in music hit in today’s musical climate – awards, as well as a further 154 with what’s difficult is being a consistent awards with Destiny’s Child, the “Countdown”, another fast-paced LGBT marches, such as the Na- history, all four artists express indihit artist. Who else does this better girl group she rose to fame with, single, features scales that change tional Equality March. In 2010, she vidual skills in particular areas. No than Katy Perry? The singer broke bringing her career total to three quickly from octave to octave, col- released three separate videos en- other female artist combines better several records with her two al- hundred eight-nine wins. In mu- ourfully bringing her range to the couraging her fans to call their local soul, glamour, power, passion, bums, One of the Boys, and Teenage sic’s most prestigious award show, forefront. Her vocal ability proves senators in an effort to overturn the class, talent and beauty on stage – Dreams. Most recently, Perry be- the Grammys, Knowles has won its diversity in her several Broad- extremely controversial “Don’t Ask, not only in her musical comfort came the first female artist to sixteen awards, making her the way-style performances at the Os- Don’t Tell” policies employed in zone but excelling as well in differspawn five number one hits on the third most awarded female artist in cars, as well as in her funk and soul the American military. Most re- ent and risky other genres. We have Billboard Hot 100’s from the same Grammy history, as well as the sec- performances with legendary art- cently, a bill has been proposed to to look not at just her individual album – the only other artist to do ond most nominated female with ists Prince and Tina Turner on past make it illegal to bully in the United talents, but at her as the whole and this was Michael Jackson. Though forty-four nominations – beat only Grammy shows. In her Glastonbury States. Though many celebrities absolute total package. Singer, Katy Perry is the stand out, all four by Dolly Parton’s forty-five nomi- performances, she masterfully cov- have supported the movement, it’s dancer, performer, entertainer … of the other pop artists have had nations. Most recently, she was ered songs such “Sex On Fire” by Lady Gaga’s determination that the combination is her greatest and most impressive asset. As Lady incredible chart success through- given the Millennium Award at the Kings of Leon (a rock song), truly stands out.

It’s easy to influence lives, but Gaga said earlier this year, out their careers. Aside from Ri- Billboard Music Awards, celebrat- “Beautiful Ones” by Prince (a soul song), and “You Oughta Know” by it’s difficult to influence them posi- “Beyoncé, you are so much more hanna (who is the only superstar of ing her excellence in this decade.

What brings an artist true suc- Alanis Morissette (another rock tively. As Rihanna said this past than just a pop singer or an icon. her calibre to never do so – a disappointment for her, no doubt), all cess – and an endless bank account song). Knowles has consistently summer, “being a role model be- You represent the dream.”

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winter 2012

Lemme hear Winter-themed song list that drop W Perfect tunes to set the mood for the holidays

BY ANDREA HOWARD ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

ith winter comes darkness, draft and downright depression. What better to help get through the tough season then great music? Here is a list of tracks devised that emulate the spirit of winter.

1. “White Winter Hymnal” Fleet Foxes Robin Pecknold and band mates use light vocal harmonies and whimsical folk guitar strumming to create a cheery melody, a complete contrast to the often dark and gloomy season. The bright tune has a sense of warmth to it, and like the lyrics of children running through the snow suggests, a feeling of carelessness and freedom. Though completely uplifting, the song also blankets one in tranquillity, much

like a snow fall itself.

escaping the cold.

2.

4.

“Cold Wind” - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club With the steely riff of the guitar, this song instantly presents a frigid sound. The smooth singing transforms into gruff howls throughout this hypnotic and perfectly paced track. It evokes a sombre and cloudy mood, which as a whole, leaves the listener chilled.

“Cold December”- Matt Costa Gentle vocals and high noted guitar plucking smear over a base of soulful and bodied strumming.

The result is a sweet and innocent melody with sing-along lyrics that will surely put a smile on anyone’s face. It immediately reflects the sunny and peppy attitude of California born Costa. It is a song guaranteed of catchy and cheerful fun.

complimenting the music with minor criticism.

Although there are many firstclass reasons to listen to dubstep,

BY BRYAN CHIU there are also several controversies ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR to it, such as whether or not dub3. “Snow Days”- Real Estate krillex. When some people step is real music. Some people In this calming track comes 5. “In the Cold, Cold Night” hear this name, it means ab- (especially the older generation) The White Stripes beachy guitar and drum notes solutely nothing. But when say dubstep is not real music; there Meg White croons with airiness placed in layers of sound. It proothers hear the name, it brings a is an absence of any instrumental duces an atmospheric quality com- and femininity, creating beautiful smile to their face and instantly melody and is created electroniplete with harmonious and linger- contrast to the dark and broody provokes ‘musical’ thoughts to cally. ing vocals that morph partway tune. The simplicity of the trailing For those who grew up to rock their mind. It brings to mind dubthrough into an entirely different guitar and added richness of bass and folk, it is very reasonable to say step. melody. Encompassing Real Es- synthesizers creates an easily lisDubstep is something you either dubstep is not real music. People tate’s signature nautical feel, this tenable song while also promoting do not like or something you really, argue that music is an art that comsong provides warmth and gives a sense of seclusion and intimacy, really enjoy with a religious pas- bines ideas and emotions to create the feeling of transferring listeners which is ideal for cold winter sion. Dubstep is one of those few rhythm, melody, and harmony. to a beach-like get away, perfect for nights. music genres that you immediately This actually makes dubstep a approach your likeminded friends prime example of music. In dubabout after entering class to share step songs, there are still musical that new tune you discovered the notes, except they are played or previous night. Dubstep songs are created with the help of technolall different; they can be remixes of ogy, instead of the usual guitar, hit songs, video game theme songs, drums, piano, saxophone, etc. Othor TV show theme songs. They can ers say that dubstep is better than even just be an original song, with regular music you would listen to creative, breathtaking beats. When on the radio or at least more diffiyou like dubstep, you most defi- cult to produce because of the nitely enjoy the many different equipment and skill needed to cresongs, unlike pop, where you only ate the music.

Another problem is the intensity like several certain artists at the of the sound to others. When parmost.

Although most of the songs are ents listen to the ‘music’ their childifferent, there is always a key com- dren are listening to, dubstep ponent that separates the good sounds like fingernails on chalkdubstep from the amateur: the boards, rubbing metal on metal, or drop. The drop is the climax of the a random jumble of noises mixed story, the icing on the cake, the together. Parents always tell their most significant part of the song. kids not to listen to music with the The drop is when the rhythm sud- volume up too high, because it denly begins to speed up and is could cause hearing impairments. followed by a deep, bass drop and It is true, but when listening to then a wobble bass. This is a per- dubstep, volume and quality are fectly pieced mix of bass and tune crucial to a good experience; for that ‘wobbles’ and makes you example, it would not be the same move your body madly to the beat. listening with earphones versus To some people, dubstep is a listening with subwoofers turned WHAT IS SHE THINKING? Kim gets ready for the wedding. Did she know the marriage would only last months? mean of social involvement basically to the max.

When asked how much she did riage seem real. First off, there is Dubstep is (or is not) a relatively Manipulation of the public through the discussion and sharing make, Kris answered that Kim the footage from the last season of of different songs. Facebook is new art form that some call music. or an honest mistake? “made less than a million and Keeping Up with the Kardashians, somewhere people would share The good of it evidently outweighs

BY WEINI MENGHESHA probably more than half a million. which showed a very intimate and this music. YouTube is a prime the faults, and if you do not believe ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR At the end of the day, that money loving relationship between the example of people coming together it, listen to Skrillex a bit. You may ess than three months after went towards the wedding and Kim pair. Aside from having a bad relato share and comment on songs. be converted. their lavish, over-the-top wed- had to pay a great deal of money, tionship between Kim’s sister, “I liked that part of the song They come with funny, although ding in Montecito, California, you know, the balance that was Khloe Kardashian-Odom, Kris often inappropriate, comments when it went ‘WUB WUB WUB’.”

Kim Kardashian filed for divorce owed for the wedding, which she Humphries was fairly liked by the from Kris Humphries. The question was delighted to do because it was whole Kardashian clan. On his side, on every one’s mind is whether or her fairytale wedding.” it seemed like his family approved Not including the huge pay of her half-heartedly (after the dinot the fairy-tale event was staged check they were undoubtedly given vorce became public, it became for T.V. Two months after their August for the two-part E! special, it was obvious that his parents truly hated wedding, E! premiered the two- found that they were paid $1.5 mil- her and the rest of the Kardashian part, four-hour-long wedding spe- lion from People for their wedding family).

The main factor pointing tocial, Kim’s Fairytale Wedding: A photo as well as $300,000 for their announcement, wards a mistake is the backlash. In Kardashian Event, to huge ratings. engagement The first two hours of the special $100,000 from OK! Magazine for the span of seventy-two days, Kim followed the entire planning proc- exclusive coverage of the bridal Kardashian went from America’s ess of the extravagant wedding, shower, as well as up to $100,000 Reality-TV princess to one of the while the last two covered Kar- from US Weekly for the honeymoon most despised women in Califordashian and Humphries’ special pictures. So, not including their cut nia. Though the wedding special day. While this excessive special for “Kim’s Fairytale Wedding”, they was a gold mine for E! and the Karwas certainly a factor in the public picked up a cool $2 million for dashian empire, it would prove to believing the event was a set-up, nothing but pictures, which catches be only a short-term benefit. As most of North America tuned in to there was something that really got her ‘momager’ in another lie.

As if that’s not enough to boil the her fairytale and experienced the everyone’s attention: profit. It was first reported that while the wed- blood of all North Americans, their whirlwind romance alongside her, post- it made the public feel duped – like ding cost Kardashian approxi- bling-and-you’ll-miss-it mately $6 million (the actual worth wedding life was recorded for Kim they were tricked into wasting over of the wedding is estimated at $25 and sister Kourtney Kardashian’s four hours of their life. Even though million, but she was given signifi- T.V. show Kourtney and Kim Take Kim Kardashian said in a statement cant discounts in exchange for pro- New York. In the upcoming season, she posted on her website that motion) it was also rumoured that the meltdown of their marriage is ‘[She] had hoped this marriage was her and her then-beau were paid evident as the two fight over mov- forever, but something don’t work nearly $18 million for using specific ing to Minnesota as well as out as planned,” the damage had products as well as for selling the Humphries’ excessive partying. already been done and the sentirights to the wedding.

Recently, rumours began circling ment is widespread – America Kardashian’s mother, Kris Jen- that soon-to-be-ex-husband Kris hates Kim. We will likely never know the ner (yes, Kim’s mother and hus- Humphries planned on launching band have the same name – con- a $10 million lawsuit against Kim truth about the event, so the best fusing, we know), commented on Kardashian and her empire for we can do is speculate about what this in a recent interview: “One of being portrayed as a homophobic, happened. The only thing we do the rumours is that we sold the disrespectful, and ignorant villain know is that Kim Kardashian’s distelevision rights for millions of dol- on the show, which aired its first astrous, seventy-two day marriage to Kris Humphries may have lars. Not true. [Another rumour] is episode on November 27. that she profited from the wedding.

To be fair, there were many as- started the downfall of Kim’s multiAbsolutely false.” pects of this that made the mar- million dollar empire.

WUB WUB WUB Dubstep is the newest music out there: love it or hate it.

Is dubstep real enough to be worth listening to?

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Kim’s fairy-tale wedding

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entertainment

winter 2012

A terrible movie with great actors vs. an amazing movie with unknown actors?

The underdogs should win every time, but do they?

BY LAUREN MALYK ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

I

n a world where terrible sequels now overwhelm original films, we ask the common question among movie-goers: why do superior, known actors choose to be a part of appalling box office flops?

The answer in this case is money. Money makes the world go round, and high-quality artists have figured out the scheme of the century. This scheme is purely to entice audiences with their presence in film trailers to persuade people to go to what turns out to be a terrible movie. Such actors are tarnishing their good name with these atrocities that are splattered on the cinema screens.

Observe celebrities like Ashton Kutcher, starting to see the profit of starring in awful holiday movies.

Mr. Kutcher first joined the holiday train in the 2000 film, Dude, Where’s My Car? That film was one

which made people say, “Dude, can I have my money back?” Most recently, Kutcher was one of the stars in the 2010 Valentine’s Day, another film that had people begging for their money back.

Actors seem to be playing it safe lately with choosing their roles.

The problem is that actors can never predict when a movie will either be a hit or miss. However, they could use fellow actor and well known charity supporter, Elijah Wood, as a role model. Wood may not have starred in as many movies as Nicholas Cage, but he chooses to preserve his image by selecting difficult and diverse roles. Actors like Nicholas Cage, Paul Rudd, and Michael Cera have all starred in terrible movies, as they have all fallen under the typecast category to directors.

Nicholas Cage seems to be all about the money by just looking at the recent movies he has starred in like The Wicker Man (2006) and Season of the Witch (2011). Season of the Witch, for example, only

rolled in $24.8 million in the United States and Canada and $66.8 million in total, compared to a movie masterpiece like Avatar that made $26,752,099, on its opening day, and $77,025,481 over its opening weekend. Truly, Avatar is the ultimate movie to represent unknown actors, as the main performers in the film had starred in only minor roles beforehand. The only famous person would have to be the director, James Cameron.

Ultimately an actor will be able to foresee an exceptional career move from all of the scripts and roles they are administered. Actors who choose to put time and effort into awful movies do not stand a chance, in comparison to no-name actors in good movies. An exceptional movie makes the money spent worth it, rather than just paying to see a shirtless werewolf. In a world where films like Valentine’s Day and now the upcoming New Year’s Eve are able to exist and make a profit, what will the entertainment industry come to?

WHAT MAKES A GOOD MOVIE? It’s up to you, but some movies, like Valentine’s Day do not work so well.

Drive: a revitalizing take on a long-forgotten hero Feel the adrenaline rush through your veins!

BY VLAD BOSHOER ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

T

he average moviegoer would expect a classic action movie when going to see Drive, a thriller from Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn. However, this film is much different from action films like The Fast and the Furious or Transporter for many reasons.

Refn’s film is polished with slick style. Every beautiful shot is filled with eye-catching detail and emotion. The plot of the movie has a classic fairy tale at its core, layered with a heist storyline.

Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Lars and the Real Girl) plays the unnamed protagonist with an unnerving coldness. He speaks very little throughout the film, making his performance reminiscent of old western movie heroes such as Clint Eastwood’s The Man with No Name. His job in the movie is simple: he drives.

For the first part of the film, we are introduced to his lifestyle as a stunt driver for movies by day working for his employer Shannon (Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad) and by night as an effortless wheelman for criminals and thugs.

His life is changed when he meets his neighbour Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son. Gosling’s character develops a quiet affection towards Irene as the film progresses.

Unfortunately, Irene’s husband Standard (Oscar Isaac) owes a lot of money to some very bad people (Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman), and the driver decides to assist in a heist to get the money back.

The very few action set pieces in the movie are marvelously shot and executed, including two very tense car chases, as well as some gruesomely shocking violence that seems to come out of nowhere.

Gosling’s character is the epitome of primal protective force, as a man who will hurt and kill anyone to protect the ones he loves. This is

enhanced with hypnotic, transcendent cinematography and an intense ambient soundtrack.

The relationship he has with Irene and her boy is both heartwarming and emotional, and though the driver has few lines of dialogue, Gosling’s facial expressions and body language perfectly parallel his inner emotions as his character progresses through the story. This contrast between gentle man and brutal killer is what makes the film so compelling to watch.

The film is visually lush and gorgeous, giving the viewer a 1980’s LA vibe with its synthesized pop soundtrack, lighting, and colors. If you’re a viewer who is looking for a fun popcorn chomp at the movies, this is not the film for you. However if you are willing to indulge yourself to a slow, but intense thriller filled with unforgettable characters and art-house cinematography, then look no further. Drive will have you hanging on the edge of your seat even after you’re through with the ride.

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 17

Ask Aviva

The Eye of the Tiger is proud to present our very first advice column. Let’s give a warm welcome to our columnist, Aviva! She will be answering all your questions about teenage life with her signature wit and humor. If you have any questions that you wish to see answered and published in the paper, email them to eyeofthetigerchiefs@gmail.com or check out our Facebook page.

BY AVIVA LEV-AVIV COLUMNIST

My boyfriend is cheating on me with another girl…but I still love him. What should I do?

Sincerely, stuck-in-love Wow, your boyfriend sounds like a really great catch, totally deserving of your love! You should definitely stay with him and let him keep dating this other girl too. In fact, you should even reward his sweet, gentlemanly behavior by making him sandwiches and massaging his feet while he’s with his new girlfriend. After all, the best relationships are based off of cheating and lies.

LIKE HONESTLY, GIRLLL. You need to go to the store and buy yourself a big, old tub of selfrespect. This guy is being ridiculously immature and completely disrespectful of you and your trust.

It sucks, but I guarantee you’ll be so much better off distancing yourself from anyone in your life who isn’t treating you as you deserve. Surround yourself only with the people who value you enough to be honest and considerate of your feelings.

As for the guy, you need to call him up, and tell him how stupid he is for losing his chance with such a wonderful girl. Singing Beyoncé’s “Irreplaceable” into the phone would also get your point across nicely.

Then, load up on some icecream and DVDs of trashy TV shows (cookies and cream with Keeping Up With The Kardashians is always a winning combination), and get some good friends to comfort and laugh with you. Voila; you’ll be over it soon enough.

It's almost the holidays, which means time for parties and looking nice and... I feel ugly. I look in the mirror and don't like it. Am I really ugly?

Sincerely, never-beautiful Well, from your three-sentence question; I can already tell that you’re a hideous monster and should never step outside your home…Obviously joking; I have no way of knowing! Although I can tell you right now that I really doubt you are ugly, and that you’re probably being unfairly critical of your self, as is so common with us youngsters. And it’s so understandable; everybody feels insecure about their looks from time to time, especially since there is such pressure in our society to look your best all the time.

But, let me tell you, and not to sound like your mother, but confidence is truly the most attractive quality a person can possess. Honestly. I don’t know anybody who would rather spend time with an insanely stunning person who is insecure and always putting his or herself down, than a less attractive person who is truly happy and comfortable with the person he or she is. If you work on your confidence, as well as being friendly and reaching out to people, I guarantee that you will attract many more people.

It can obviously be very hard to develop rock solid self assurance, but work on it slowly by refusing to put yourself down and only saying kind, complimentary things to yourself. You’ll probably feel silly or maybe too cocky at first, but if

you repeat these things enough, you’ll start to believe them and that’s a huge victory. (Just don’t get caught like, flirting with yourself in the mirror. That’s just an awkward situation for everyone involved.)

Another tip: pinpoint the things you do that make you feel confident and beautiful, and do them more often! Then do your best to remember and channel how you feel then in other situations.

Also, help other people out! Being a kind, giving person is endlessly attractive and makes you feel great about yourself too. There are so many worthwhile things you can do to increase your confidence, so get started! You have every right to feel as gorgeous and wonderful as I bet you are. Cheesy, but true.

Oh and last thing! YouTube “celebrities without makeup”. I know everyone knows the whole story about celebrities always being professionally made-up, airbrushed, and photoshopped, but it’s just refreshing to see proof that in reality, no one looks perfect. Go check it out, and best of luck! I believe in you, beautiful! :) There's this girl I like, but she's oblivious. She's always going on about how she can never find the perfect guy. How do I tell her I'm the one?

Regards, just-a-friend Okay, I’m just gonna cut to the chase for this one – she’s probably not interested. If she was, you’d pick up on some sort of clue that she is, especially since it seems that you’re looking for it. And she probably wouldn’t be going on and on about how she wants to find someone if she already liked you. It sucks, but even if you think you’re perfect for her, that doesn’t mean she does, and it would be pretty difficult to convince her otherwise.

If she doesn’t feel it, then she doesn’t, and trying to force it will likely just ruin the friendship you have.

But on the other hand, there’s a chance that you just might be the oblivious one. She could be waving the fact that she’s single and ready to mingle to you specifically, because she’s interested and wants you to take the hint already. I have absolutely no way of knowing, sorry bud.

But you can find out one of two ways: focus on in on her behavior, and see if she acts differently around you – it should be fairly obvious if she’s interested. Or, you could just suck it up and ask her, bearing in mind that you could end up ecstatic or crushed by the result.

Either way, you’re awesome and deserve someone who knows it.

I'm the guy girls go to when they have relationship problems, and I'm cool with that. But now, I have my own relationship issues, and I need to focus on that instead of helping others with their problems . How do I let them know?

Sincerely, not-my-issue-anymore “Ladies, kindly stop coming to me with your relationship problems. Normally, I’m cool with it but now I have my own relationship issues, and I can’t deal with your problems anymore.”

Honestly, it’s that easy. Just be direct, and hopefully they’ll realize that it’s your turn to obsess. Hope it all works out for you!

entertainment

page 18 EYE OFTHE TIGER

winter 2012

Arrested Development’s come- Martha Marcy May back: a Bluth family reunion Marlene: a review The anticipated return to a critically acclaimed series?

BY YARDEN LEVY ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

D

nd

ebuting November 2 2003, “Arrested Development” won six Emmys and a Golden Globe. Being listed as one of the Time’s Best TV shows of AllTime, “Arrested Development” gained a cult-like fan base before its discontinuation in early 2006.

Producer Mitchell Hurwitz’s beloved sitcom has been rumoured to be made into the movie for the last four years. With hit comedy stars including Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, Portia de Rossi, and Will Arnett, the movie sounds like it will be a huge success. The real question is, when can I buy tickets?

On Sunday October 2nd 2011 at the New Yorker Festival, Mitchell Hurwitz finally confirmed about producing a movie. At this festival, the cast, along with Hurwitz further revealed “We’re trying to do limited -run series into a movie. We’re basically hoping to do nine or ten episode with almost one character

per episode.”

As fans have hoped, producer Hurwitz, and narrator Ron Howard have “been talking about this for ages and [been] trying to get this thing going.” Hurwitz further explains the reasoning and how the five year hiatus will affect the show: “We don’t completely own the property, there are business people involved and studios and that kind of thing. Just creatively, I have been working on the screen play for a long time and found that as time went by, there was so much more to the story. In fact, where everyone’s been for five years became a big part of the story. So in working on the screen play, I found even if I just gave five minutes per character to that back story, we were halfway through the movie before the characters got together.”

According to the leading actor of the show, Jason Bateman, who plays the honourable Michael Bluth, all of the cast members are excited for the continuation of this innovative show. “There’s business left to be done, but creatively we are all on board and have a very

specific plan about how it could come out and what we would do and when we would shoot it. I think we’re targeting next summer to shoot it.” But as Hurwitz says: “This isn’t my decision” to film the show.

For those who haven’t seen “Arrested Development,” don’t worry, there’s still time to catch up before the show continues. It is based around an “ethicallychallenged” family trying to glue the remaining pieces of their relationship together after the patriarch of the family, George Bluth is arrested for defrauding investors and using his company’s money to pay for his extravagant lifestyle.

The only moral character, his son Michael, is forced to resolve the company’s entire dispute during this time. But don’t you worry about Michael fixing the company alone, since there’s always money in the banana stand that the family owns as well.

The show demonstrates “typical” family shenanigans that range from incest to hospital bars to keep the fans coming back for more.

The younger Olsen gets her chance on the big screen.

BY KEVIN GREENSPAN ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

Do you ever have that feeling where you can’t tell if something’s a memory or if it’s something you dreamed?”

This is the question that Martha (Elizabeth Olsen) asks her sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) as they sit on the deck of her lakefront cottage.

Lucy says no, but by this point it’s clear that her sister feels differently.

Sean Durkin’s debut feature, Martha Marcy May Marlene, follows Martha, a girl in her early twenties who escapes a cult and moves in with her older sister. In the isolation of the cottage, Martha struggles to deal with what she experienced during her two years away on a farm in the Catskills.

The film begins with a conventional flashback structure; it jumps back and forth between Martha’s time in the cult and what happens following her escape as she seeks refuge with Lucy and her husband Ted (Hugh Dancy).

But soon after Martha begins to question the validity of her memories, the film shifts gears and flows freely between present, past, and (possibly) imagination, using action and dialogue as jarring, mesmerizing transitional devices. In one scene, Martha dives off of her new brother-in-law’s boat in the middle of a crystal clear lake, and lands in murky waters in front of a waterfall, surrounded by her fellow cultists.

Ironically, it’s the unconventional fluid structure of the film’s back half that gives MMMM an accessible point of view, putting the viewer behind Martha’s eyes as she begins to unravel. The inability to tell at the start of any given scene exactly where Martha is grows truly unnerving as more information about her time in the cult is revealed.

The cult, at first glance, seems like a laid back communal home occupied by a group of harmless hippies, but soon reveals itself to be a more sinister place, similar in gender politics to a polygamist compound and bearing more than a slight resemblance to the Manson Family. The leader of the group, Patrick (John Hawkes), acts as both stern authority figure and friendly mentor to the women; he also drugs and rapes them as part of

“

their ‘initiation’ into the family.

Hawkes plays Patrick with a strange mix of dangerous and approachable, an unsettling tone that permeates throughout all of the scenes on the farm. Martha’s flashbacks to the cult are shot with the faded aesthetic of a ‘70s Polaroid, imbuing the sometimes disturbing events that take place there with a hint of nostalgia.

It’s no surprise then that despite the obvious trauma Martha suffered as a member of Patrick’s cult (where she was known as Marcy May), a small part of her wishes she could go back. But the warmth and harshness of the cult have their influence on Martha in equal measure; she hopes the cult will come and get her just as much as she fears it.

She wakes up in the middle of the night and calls the farm, potentially giving away her location, only to hang up after a long silence.

When they call back, she huddles on the floor in the fetal position, petrified. Caught between two extremes – the stuffy, upper-class lifestyle of her sister and the rural minimalism of her cult – Martha is constantly at odds with her own feelings, uncertain of what she wants, what she needs, and who she is.

This vulnerability is played with incredible resonance by Elizabeth Olsen, in her first of what will hopefully be many big-screen roles to come. Within the first few minutes of her performance as Martha, Olsen effortlessly sheds the weight of her older sisters’ reputations (yes, she is the younger sister of Mary Kate and Ashley) and establishes herself as a serious talent all her own. Hers isn’t even the most impressive debut – this is also writer/ director Sean Durkin’s first venture into feature filmmaking, and he puts it together with the grace and assurance of a veteran. He allows the action to unfold at a disarmingly even pace that leaves no clues as to whether we’re about to witness a calm, meditative scene or a shocking, violent one.

Though this approach leads to the film sometimes being a little too quiet for its own good, for the most part the lack of conventional buildup only adds to the tension; tension that grows steadily stronger as the barriers between past and present and truth and fiction crumble to the ground, leaving one scared, confused girl in their wake.

A BIG INSTALLMENT You’ll see these faces again when ‘Arrested Development’ comes out with its own movie.

Titanic is back… in 3D! Invest in a few Kleenex boxes; the epic film is returning to theaters!

BY REBECCA DENT ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

L

osing the original R.M.S Titanic to the Atlantic Ocean was a tragedy, but the film transformed the tragedy into a fantasy for millions. The director and writer, James Cameron, invested an immeasurable amount of effort for the perfection of the film.

Cameron is one of the most well known directors in the world. He has directed successful films such as Avatar, The Terminator, The Abyss, and many others.

The Titanic, made in 1997, runs over three hours and was made with the combined contributions of two major studios (20th CenturyFox, Paramount) at a cost of over 200 million; it ranked as the most

expensive film in Hollywood history at the time of its release, and also became the most successful.

Titanic won a total of 11 Oscars as well as 3 Grammy Awards.

The story line of the film involves an American treasure seeker who examines and collects items that belong to the sunken ship.

Upon his discovery of a nude female in a drawing wearing a beautiful necklace, the word spreads of his findings which results in one hundred and two year old, Rose Dewitt, to pay the treasure seeker a visit. Rose informs the treasure seeker of her identity, and explains how she is the women in the drawing; she begins to explain her experience on the R.M.S. Titanic in the year 1912.

The scene then changes to the initial boarding of the ships passengers in Southampton. The love story between Jack Dawson

(Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose DeWitt Bukater (Kate Winslet) was the main focus, but there were many other characters based on the true Titanic passengers.

Despite Rose’s marriage with the wealthy man Cal (Billy Zane), she develops a passionate interest in Jack; their relationship flourishes through their hardships. The final shot of the film is where Rose is reunited with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the Titanic, surrounded by those who perished on the ship.

Titanic is one of few films that come together beautifully as a heartwarming tragic romance.

The classic film will be presented as a 3D motion picture in April of 2012. We will have the opportunity to fall in love all over again with the twenty two year old Leonardo DiCaprio, dressed in a tuxedo at the foot of the ship’s grand staircase.

OLSEN’S BIG SCREEN DEBUT Elizabeth Olsen acts as Martha in the movie.

entertainment

winter 2012

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 19

Deck the malls: winter style guide Follow these top fashion trends for this winter!

BY PRIYANKA VASUDEV ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

T

WHAT’S NEW THIS WINTER? Trends range from jackets to hats to shoes.

his holiday season saw stores all across Canada stocking up on this season’s fashion must have items. Designers are sporting their unique designs on the world’s many runways in an attempt to convince the consumer that one can still be stylish while keeping warm.

The cliché colour scheme for winter fashion is often associated with dull shades that reflect the changing weather conditions. Standard neutrals are still incorporated into certain pieces, though designers are also experimenting with warm toned shades such as burgundies, mustards, olive green, taupe and burnt orange. Brightly coloured accessories can also be added to any outfit to enhance its appearance.

Clothing trends this season mainly revolve around comfortable pieces that still maintain a chic

appearance. Large, bulky vintage looking sweaters, such as cable knit and alpine are a must have, as they not only cater to the cooler temperatures, but also provide an effortless, yet still stylish look. Outerwear such as brightly coloured ponchos and blanket coats, make a statement when paired with either leggings or jeans. Navajo patterns, textures and fringe also add a more vintage feel to these pieces. Lastly, structured, form fitting jackets with embellishments such as buttons, belts or zippers are always a winter must have, as they complete any outfit.

Although clothing pieces play a significant role in winter fashion, accessories are far more prominent. Items such as scarves, hats and even gloves are stealing the scene when it comes to accessorising an outfit, as they provide a much needed pop of colour. The most common of these pieces include knit hats and mittens, as well as patterned earmuffs, which are also becoming fairly popular this season.

Lastly, no trend is complete without the addition of shoes. This season is all about giving an outfit a more edgy look, and shoes are a great way to show one. Biker boots are currently one of the most popular styles for winter, along with clog toed boots, and the cult favourite, moccasin boots. Most of these styles have either a suede or leather exterior in order to withstand the most harsh weather conditions.

The main trend this season consists of statement pieces that provide the user with comfort. The most popular way an outfit is styled to include this trend is layering.

This technique lays pieces such as blouses, cardigans and blazers over top one another; a classic way to give an outfit a more uniformed look.

Overall, every season, designers from across the globe create unique masterpieces, which are revealed on a seasonal basis. Proving to the public that fashion has truly become an art form, which will continue to evolve for centuries to come.

The Legend of Zelda – 25 years of legendary gaming: part one A look back to one of the most influential game series of all time.

BY ISAAC TAM ENTERTAINMENT CONTRIBUTOR

T

he Legend of Zelda stands to be one of the most groundbreaking series in gaming ever created. Almost every single video game we know is influenced by this remarkable series that revolutionized the way we play games.

25 years ago marked the release of the first game of The Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), and since then thirteen games have been dished out. But what is it that is so important about this series? Let’s step back to the 80’s, a simpler time when disco and pop were in and everyone had crazy hair.

The creator of the series, Shigeru Miyamoto, brought his inspiration for the game from his childhood experiences in rural Japan. He loved exploring the areas around his home and was often surprised by what he would find. One day, he stumbled across a dark cave that he was not brave enough to explore but, out of curiosity, he brought a lantern the next day and delved into the cave. Experiences such as these were the inspiration for the creation of Zelda.

Games at the time were arcade style – you play for a high score until you get bored and there was no progress. Previous to Zelda, Nintendo had released the first Super Mario Bros. game and wanted to create another that would contrast Mario in game play and style in order to build a stronger core of games. The idea of exploration and a noble quest came to mind as Miyamoto and fellow developer Takashi Tezuka thought about concepts.

Their idea started with a boy named Link, the protagonist of the series whose goal was to gather the eight pieces of the Triforce - a magical relic that was of immense power - defeat the evil Lord Ganon and save the Princess Zelda. To contrast the linearity of Mario, a giant overworld was designed, teeming with dungeons and secrets, encouraging players to explore the different areas as they guided Link to complete his quest.

The Zelda overworld idea has been copied from game to game over the years, constantly being improved, but still keeping to the Zelda formula. Another element that be-

came a hallmark in the series was challenging puzzles that needed to be solved to advance in the game, causing players to think before doing, something almost unheard of before. Fans may know that all Zelda games follow a formula – overworld exploration, dungeon and then a boss battle, followed by a prize. This formula is actually used by almost every single RPG game there is. Additionally, items and weapons were gained over the course of the game, giving Link the ability to do things he had never been able to do before or getting to an area that was previously inaccessible.

Things got even better when a new piece of technology was introduced. This was a stick of battery powered RAM! To those who don’t know the significance of this, it meant that you could actually save your progress in the game! Previous games had relied on passwords to skip to any level previously completed, but now with this ability to save, Zelda totally revolutionized games forever and made playing a whole lot easier.

Even with this technological breakthrough, Miyamoto and Tezuka were still unsure as to how gamers would receive this game. At first, Miyamoto thought that no one would play a game that required thinking, but contrary to their beliefs, the game sold over 6 million copies, breaking the game sales for any NES game at that time. Quickly, a Zelda gathering formed around the world, where gamers were able to share secrets and interact with each other if they were stuck. Zelda became an instant classic.

Following the success of The Legend of Zelda, Nintendo released its sequel The Legend of Zelda: Adventure of Link on January 14, 1987.

Magic was introduced to the game, landing another key element of the series as were experience points, making it an almost pure RPG. The experience points and the side scrolling platform world are never seen again.

The third instalment of the series was The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past released on January 21, 1991 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES).

With the souped up graphics of this console, a new layer of depth in design was created, allowing for even more challenging puzzles as the game followed its famous formula. Its story tells of a boy named Link, who travels around the land of Hyrule, searching for the Prin-

cess Zelda while traveling between two parallel worlds. With the two worlds, it allowed for twice as much exploring and is often called one of the greatest games ever made. It was also in this game that the Master Sword was introduced, one of the most iconic weapons in gaming.

Zelda arrived on the Game Boy with The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening. Link is sent on a mission to awaken the Wind Fish, a giant sleeping fish on the top of a mountain, whose dreams come to existence in the island below. A quirky game for sure, as Mario characters were added to the mix .

On November 21, 1998, the fifth instalment of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time came out on the Nintendo 64, marking the release of the greatest game of all time. I cannot stress enough that this game is absolutely beautiful. This was the first 3D Zelda game, a milestone in itself that introduced gamers to another level of gaming. Ocarina of Time was known for its beautiful scenery - the breathtaking landscapes of Hyrule, the crystal clear waters of Lake Hylia, the forbidding terrain of Death Mountain, the lush foliage of Kokiri Forest and the sandy seas of Gerudo Desert. It was literally a whole other interactive world on your TV. It is a coming of age story about a young boy named Link who is sent on a quest by an ancient tree to protect the Princess Zelda at Hyrule Castle. Link will travel across Hyrule with Navi, his

fairy friend, gathering mystical stones until he finds that he is too late – the evil Lord Ganondorf and his forces invade Hyrule Castle.

Here is where the real adventure begins. Link draws the Master Sword from its pedestal in the Temple of Time, an iconic scene in gaming, and is locked away for seven years until he is old enough to wield it. By then, Ganondorf has turned the land of Hyrule upside down and Princess Zelda is nowhere to be seen. Link battles colossal bosses, travels though time and ventures across the world in search for a way to defeat Ganondorf. And when all is won, a touching scene between Zelda and Link ends the game as he travels back in time to relive his childhood. In this game, a new element of the series is added – the addition of musical interaction. During the course of the game, Link is given an ocarina that can control the weather, teleport him to locations, speed up the course of the day and call his horse Epona to him, having the player hit the right buttons in order to play the notes of each magical song.

What also made this game memorable was the constant advice that Navi gives you – often preceded by a “Hey!”, “Look!” or a “Listen!”, making it one of the most well known, and slightly annoying, video game phrases. The legacy this game leaves behind is infused in every adventure game thereafter, whether it is an Elder Scrolls game, or God of War, as it is the first to

introduce battles against gigantic bosses so epic and awesome that it almost deserved to be a movie of its own. Such artistry in gaming gave it the title “Game of the Year 1998” and most reviews say it may well be the greatest game of all time.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask came out in 2001 and was a sequel to Ocarina of Time. Here, Link ends up in a parallel world where the citizens of the land will be crushed under a falling moon in three days if he does not retrieve a special mask from Skull Kid, a boy who loses his friends and out of rage summons this moon to end it all. This is one of the darkest games ever created, but it will also stir up some tears. Players will experience a sadness never experienced before as they wander around the world, watching other character’s lives ripped apart by the inevitable landing of this moon. You can try to help these people but nothing is going to change because the moon is going to land anyway. Luckily, Link can travel back in time and relive the previous three days until he has found a way to get the mask from Skull Kid. It is an absolutely gorgeous game.

That concludes part one of “The Legend of Zelda – 25 Years of Legendary Gaming”. Part two will come out next issue where the next few games up until the newest one will be explored. Also, it will take a look at the ways that people around the world have celebrated Zelda’s 25th anniversary.

THE LEGEND RETURNS Link embarks on another adventure in the newest addition to the popular Zelda series.

fun & games

winter 2012

EYE OFTHE TIGER

page 20

SUDOKU

JIGOKU

SLITHERLINK

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 through 9. Numbers cannot be repeated; use the existing numbers to help you.

Fill in the blank squares so that each row, each column and each 3-by-3 block contain all of the digits 1 through 9. > and < connections between squares indicate that one number is greater than or less than another.

Horizontally or vertically connect adjacent dots to form a path that forms a single loop, without crossing itself, or branching. The numbers indicate how many lines surround each cell (only 0-3 are permitted).

CROSSWORD Across 1. A property may have one on it 5. Sound of a fall 10. Robed 14. Singer Arnold 15. Piece of garlic 16. Tiptop 17. NATO’s first supreme commander 19. Bone parallel to the radius 20. Stage actress Caldwell 21. General Motors line, for short 22. Deodorant type 24. They’ll show you the world 26. Done, in Dijon 27. Dickens’s orphan in “Great Expectations” 28. Tropical plant with a trunklike stem 32. Military capability 35. Stead 36. Polite turndown 37. Russian orbiter 38. Ship navigation aid 39. Uzbekistan’s ___ Sea 40. Leafy shelter 42. Massachusetts’s nickname 44. H2O at 0° 45. Radio amateurs 46. Stranger in a strange land?

50. Win back one’s losses 53. Lions and tigers 54. Cause for sudden death 55. “There oughta be ___!”

56. Academic enclave 59. Not yours or theirs 60. Swab the deck again 61. Old piano tunes 62. Ibsen’s “___ Gynt” 63. Tickle pink 64. Fortuneteller’s opening

Down 1. Host Gibbons 2. Numbskull 3. 1950’s Ford flop 4. Bill ___, the Science Guy 5. Lug around 6. Walks like a workhorse 7. Areas on weather maps 8. “___ Maria” 9. Wirehair, e.g.

10. It has a big head 11. Hang (around) 12. ___ Domini 13. University V.I.P. 18. More meddlesome 23. It’s next to nothing 25. Spring event 26. “___ Jacques” (children’s song) 28. Bale binder 29. Yeats’s land 30. Kind of admiral 31. Woman of habit?

32. ___ song (cheaply) 33. “___, old chap 34. Leaves out 36. Catch in the act 38. Part of a biblical plague 40. Dracula, for one 41. Genetically related organisms 43. St. Anthony’s cross 46. Diviner’s deck 47. “___ a dark and stormy night…”

48. Start of a long battle 49. Short-winded 50. Wheelchair access 51. Author Wiesel 52. Sugar source 53. Film “sleeper” of 1978 57. Speed: Abbr.

58. “Either you say it ___ will”

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