Bandersnatch VOLUME 43, ISSUE 08 | JANUARY 29, 2014 | FLIP-FLOPPING SINCE 1971
CAMPUS LIFE
with Angela Brett
bandersnatchcampus@gmail.com
If You Love the Sea, Take Marine Biology! Elaine Huang Science and Tech Editor
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o you love the ocean? Do you love relaxing by the sea? Do you like biology? Well then, I’ve got the perfect course for you! It’s called the Marine Biology Option Course. Luckily for you, I’ve been on this fantastic trip and I must say that you’ll have the time of your life. The course is an intensive two weeks of learning about the ocean and about the species that live within it in Belize. As preparation for our trip to Belize, we had a few lectures at the college during which we learnt how to identify 70 different species of fish. You could say that we all became fish geeks within the span of three days. We then set off to Belize and arrived at San Ignacio late in the afternoon. During our stay at San Ignacio, we had the chance to visit an ancient Mayan ruin called Caracol. We needed a military escort to get there, as it was situated deep within the jungle. Unfortunately for us, it had poured the night before and the only dirt road that could take us to Caracol was very muddy. Despite the less than ideal weather, we still went and a road trip that would normally take an hour and a half turned into a three hour off-roading ride of fun. All twenty four of us were packed into vans and we plowed through the mud
hitting a few saplings on the way. I must say that after that experience, the roads in Quebec no longer seem all that bad after all. Following our tourist excursions, we travelled to our main destination; the Calabash Caye Field Station. This station, which is linked to the University of Belize, is located on a calm and peaceful little island within the Turneff Atoll. Due to the fact that this is a field-work course we were required to head out into the ocean rain or shine. Every day we would head out on at least two snorkeling trips with our trusty spears. Why would we bring spears? Well during these trips we were obliged to kill any lionfish that we saw and we did so with a spear because they have thirteen poisonous spines on their fins. We were obliged to kill them because
lionfish are an invasive species in the local area and therefore have no predators except for us. Consequently, they keep multiplying and end up killing the coral reefs. We then brought these lionfish back to the field station and measured and dissected them to monitor the population of lionfish in the area. That left us with a whole bunch of lionfish so we held a lionfish cook-off which was like watching a bad episode of Canada’s Worst Chef.
This course was probably the best trip I’ve ever been on and the best thing is that you get credit for having fun and bathing in the sun with twenty five awesome people. If you’re interested in participating in next year’s Marine Biology Trip to Belize please MIO JP Parkhill or Christian Levesque for more information on how you can sign up. The trip will be taking place from January 2nd to January 16th, 2015.
Welcome back Abbotters! SUJAC hopes you had a recuperative holiday break! Another semester is firing up again and a lot of you are in a rush to get back in school mode after a whole month of being on no-nonsense loafing! Drop by SUJAC to share with us all your holiday fun and adventures. We are keen to
listen! For some of you, University applications may be coming up and the UCIC is up and running to help you with all of that. Last Friday ‘Captain Phillips’ was the featured movie of the week...yes ladies and gentleman, Movie Fridays are back so make sure to tune in this Friday, January 31, for another free
movie at The Agora! Interested in becoming a voice for the students on your SUJAC Congress? If you’re keen on becoming a Congress member, come by SUJAC (P-101) for more info. Also, don’t forget tonight is JAC Open House from 6:00-8:30 pm. Tell all prospective students and bring your friends!
On another note, the Oval Café (under construction) will be opening soon…Keep an eye for its opening! Have you ever noticed the notorious SUJAC Whiteboard in front of the SUJAC Office in Penfield (P-101)? Check out our daily fun questions! We love to see what’s on your mind.
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BANDERSNATCH John Abbott College 21275 Lakeshore Road Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada H9X 3L9 Phone: (514) 457-6610 ext. 5389 Fax: (514) 457-6091 Office: H-041 Web: www.bandersnatch.ca bandersnatchpaper@gmail. E-mail:
com
Position Available Editor-in-Chief
Emma Sutherland Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Angela Brett Campus Life Editor
Position Available News Editor
Dina Willis Entertainment Editor
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Kenzy Abdel Malek Arts Editor
Caroline Houle Opinions Editor
Position Available Games Editor
Elaine Huang Science & Tech Editor
Aaron Rogers Procrasinator Editor
Position Open Sports Editor
Zachary Hirsch Production Manager
Brendan McGarry Webmaster
Breno Hölz Coscarelli Photography Manager
Emily Ciccia Office Manager
B a n d e r s n at c h i s a s t u d e n t r u n alternative press at John Abbott College. It is published every two weeks and is partially funded by the Student Activities Commitee and by advertising solicited customers. Submissions are welcome and become property of Bandersnatch. Submissions must be sent via e-mail to bandersnatch@gmail.com and must be in Plain Text format (.txt) o r M i c r o s o f t Wo r d D o c u m e n t format (.doc). All submissions must include the full name and telephone number of the contributor, as well as the e-mail address if applicable. Bandersnatch reserves the right to reject submissions or to edit any submissions for length, legality, or clarity. Submissions should be a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 650 words. Articles lower or above these parameters may be printed at the discretion of the executives. Spelling and grammar will not be corrected on submissions as it is the responsibility of the contributor to correct them. If you should have any questions or concerns, please contact us at our e-mail indicated above or visit us at the Bandersnatch office, located in the basement of Herzberg, room H-041 (across from the hallway entrance of The Oval).
CAMPUS LIFE
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Ask Alice
BEE AFRAID, BEE VERY AFRAID!
What can I do to lose weight over the semester? Although losing weight is a primary objective when working out for many people, it is vital that you do not forget about the other benefits of physical activity. As the semester progresses, many of you will find that you are practically living in the library and going to bed at ungodly hours. I’m a firm believer in taking one’s schoolwork seriously, however, your health should always be a priority. Work out to be healthy, not solely to lose weight. There are so many opportunities available for you to stay fit, you need only be attentive and motivated enough to grasp onto them. Working out to upbeat, fast-paced music will have a greater impact on how much you push yourself, so I highly suggest that you create a workout playlist beforehand. We have a beautiful campus; it would be a shame if you didn’t take advantage of it. As the weather becomes milder, make a plan (and stick to it) to go jogging alongside the lake. You may find that exercising with friends is more pleasant since not only can they motivate you to reach your goals, but you can also teach each other different routines. The great thing about Abbott is that you don’t need to spend money to work out at a gym. Visit the small weight room, located in Casgrain basement, from 8:30am to 6:00pm every day of the week for free. The large weight room is available Monday, Tuesday and Friday’s from 12:30pm to 1:30pm. If you see that either of the gyms are packed and you still work on your cardiovascular endurance by running up and down a deserted staircase. It may sound silly, but it’s actually an effective workout that never fails to get your blood pumping (and I know by experience). If you’d rather do laps instead of running on a treadmill, the pool is open for staff and students from 12:30pm to 1:30pm, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays. Joining one of the various sports teams on campus will make a difference in your health as you train for upcoming games. You can also become a part of a community that promotes athleticism, such as the Aerobic Fitness Club, the RockClimbing club and the Kayak club. Good luck, and don’t be ashamed to sweat!
The Stinging Truth About Our Buzzing Friends Mathias Soler, Emilie Majka, Audrey Robidoux, Puneet Kaur Ghuman Environmental Geography students with Jessica Burpee, Fall 2013
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pples, mangos, kiwis, plums, peaches, nectarines, pomegranates, pears, alfalfa, okra, strawberries , onions, cashews, apricots, avocados, passion fruits, lima beans, kidney beans, green beans, cherries, celery, coffee, walnuts, flax, sunflower oil, lemons, figs, fennel, limes, carrots, cucumbers, hazelnuts, cantaloupes, chestnuts, watermelons, coconut, beets, broccoli, chili peppers, bell peppers, papaya, raspberries, eggplant, cocoa, vanilla, cranberries, tomatoes,grapes... Chances are, if you eat, you’re going to notice a slight difference in your diet if bees were to disappear. The stinging truth is that the extinction of bees is not far from a reality. In fact, 40% of honey bee colonies have already been wiped out in the United States. 1/3 of the world’s food is at risk! Not to mention the species that depend on that food for survival (humans included). For those skeptics out there thinking that they can live without the essential vitamins provided by these foods (not excluding their daily coffee fix) bees are also mainly responsible for
Image courtesy of Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
cotton pollination. Unless you’re willing to strip naked and starve, listen up. Please note; bees are not to be mistaken for terrorist wasps who want nothing more than to ruin every outdoor event that involves food. Bees are pollinators and are generally peaceful, their mission is to attain nectar from flowers, which is used to support the hive and produce honey. The consequence of this act is pollination. But enough droning on about the bees’ purpose…Why are these creatures at risk? I bet you’re buzzing with anticipation! The answer is CCD (no, it’s not something you catch after a wild college party). CCD refers to Colony Collapse Disorder. In truth, there is not one sole reason why the bee population is in such decline, CCD is caused by a combination of factors. Factors which include: climate change, habitat
destruction (urbanization), pesticides, and parasites… Bee reassured that students at John Abbott College are not taking this lying down! You may notice that now small wooden blocks are being hung in certain trees around campus. These blocks have been installed as artificial bee houses; with numerous holes on one side of the block so that the bees are able to nest and stay cozy throughout the cold winter months. Installation of bee houses is one way to increase the bees’ likelihood of survival and therefore improving the bee population overall! Get involved! Apart from building your own bee house, simple acts such as planting bee-friendly plants and not using harmful pesticides can help bee survival. Bee aware that the threat is real, bee aggressive by spreading awareness, and bee kind to your fellow bees!
Help out by Hanging out Angela Brett Campus Life Editor
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ith a new semester underway, it’s the perfect time to try something new. If you’d like to meet new people while having a positive impact on the lives of others, then volunteering with the West Montreal Rehabilitation Center’s On-Campus Program might be for you. The program operates by integrating adults with intellectual handicaps in to the school’s community, giving them a chance to learn or enhance social their skills and communication. It accomplishes this by pairing participants with student volunteers, typically for weekly hour-long sessions. These sessions could involve a number of things: watching a show in the Agora, helping out with tasks around the school, working on reading and writing, or simply talking over a cup of coffee. The participants involved vary in personality and ability, so the coordinator, Boris Paredes, has specific
goals and considerations in mind for each of them. You will be told everything you need to know about your person, as well as some helpful advice and insight in to their personality prior to your spending time with them. Really the most important thing you can do is be their friend. Like anyone else, they crave a sense of belonging. They can be extremely friendly, caring and happy people, but sadly they can’t always have the attention they need, so they’re usually very excited to have a buddy. People sometimes learn by example, so being able to go in there with a positive attitude is a valuable asset. Outside of what you can do for them, however, is how volunteering with the On-Campus Program can help you. Like many others, I started volunteering as an assignment for my Intro to Psychology class, and also like many others, I loved it. Firstly, taking time out of your day to hang out with your person can be a really calming experience: instead of stressing over school or trying to impress your friends, you just have
to sit back and enjoy someone’s company. Knowing you’ve improved someone’s day just by being in it is also an incredible feeling. Finally, as someone interested in psychology, it exposed me to the field in a handson way. I learned a bit about what kind of careers are potentially out there for me, and what they take, in terms of personality, experience and education. Hearing Boris talk about why the participants are exhibiting certain behaviours has taught me a lot about people, with and without intellectual handicaps. Overall, I like to think I’ve learned just a little bit about being a friend. If you’re interested in the OnCampus Program, even if you’re on the fence or have questions, I strongly encourage you to visit Boris’ office, (H-048). He’s usually there, as are several of his guys, and students. It’s easy to fit time in to hang out with someone during your break, as it’s only a weekly commitment, although you can do more if you end up wanting to. It’s never a bad time to make a new friend!
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NEWS
bandersnatchnews@gmail.com
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Arab Spring’s Third Anniversary A Recap of the Last Few Years Zoe Quinn Shaw Staff Writer
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n December 17 2010, a Tunisian street vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi found himself abused by police and unemployed, like so many of his friends, family, neighbours, and countrymen. His self-immolation sparked a revolution in a number of countries and territories in the Middle East and in North Africa, a revolution known as the “Arab Spring”. Bouazizi’s death, which occurred a couple of weeks after he set fire to himself, drew attention to Tunisia’s corrupted government and law enforcement, as well as social injustice, which includes to this day an abnormally large unemployment rate. Protests against these injustices followed the attention that Tunisia received. These protests succeeded in overthrowing President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali’s government.
Inspired by Tunisia’s success, surrounding countries sought to overthrow their own oppressive governments in the fight against inequality. Three years after Bouazizi’s tragedy, some participating countries have managed to overthrow their governmentsand some have spiraled into chaos. In Egypt, two governments were overthrown, the first in February 2011 and the second in July 2013. When the Egyptian people started noticing unemployment and sinking wages paired with high costs for food, they demanded a government reform. Strikes and protests resulted in the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak’s government, and Mohamed Morsi was elected as the following president. After encouraging Islamist politics and heightening his power through the Egyptian Constitution of 2012, his government was overthrown by a coup d’état. Today he awaits trial.
Syria’s ongoing civil war started in March 2011, taking place between the Syrian Regional Branch of the Ba’ath Party and those who are against it. According to the Huffington Post, over 130,000 people have been killed as of December 2013. With the use of chemical weapons and the resulting in terrible living conditions, the war has done little to change the government that had been the problem in the first place. In 2011, Tunisia overthrew its government, exiling President Ben Ali, ridding themselves of Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi, and putting a halt to the politicallyassociated police force. However, the fight did not resolve itself completely. The country’s interim government, led by the Islamist Ennahda Movement, has inspired a new wave of protests. Following the assassinations of politicians Chokri Belaid and Mohamed Brahmi in early 2013, Tunisia’s
revolutionaries took up arms once again against the second government they disagreed with. Eventually, Ennahda stepped down from their power. Last month, with the third anniversary of Bouazizi’s self-immolation approaching, Tunisia’s political parties chose Mehdi Jomaa as the interim Prime Minister alongside President Moncef Marzouki. Many countries have put a halt to anti-government
protests and some protests are still ongoing, but a number of countries stand out in the importance of their actions. Libya’s government was overthrown in August 2011 and Yemen’s in February 2012. Protests in Algeria, Morocco, Oman, and Palestine have ended, resulting in positive government changes. The Arab Spring has been successful for the most part,all in the memory of Mohamed Bouazizi.
Source: www.tednguyenusa.com
OBAMA and mary-j Turning 420-degrees on the Marijuana Debate Zachary Hirsch Production Manager
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ith the recent legalization of marijuana for recreational and commercial use inside the states of Washington and Colorado, American president Barack Obama’s position on the issue has been a hot topic as of late. In an interview with the New Yorker released September 19th, Obama said: “I smoked pot as a kid, and I view it as a bad habit and a vice, not very different from the cigarettes that I smoked as a young person up through a big chunk of my adult life. I don’t think it is more dangerous than alcohol.” President Obama’s remarks on Marijuana being “...less dangerous than alcohol” received a lot of media attention as of late. However, his other points about the ethical issues raised by marijuana criminalization should
not be forgotten. “Middle-class kids don’t get locked up for smoking pot, and poor kids do.”, Obama noted. “We should not be locking up kids or individual users for long stretches of jail time when some of the folks who are writing those laws have probably done the same thing.” Although he acknowledged points raised by those who wish to legalize marijuana, Obama made sure also to acknowledge the arguments of those against it. “... those who argue that legalizing marijuana is a panacea and it solves all these social problems I think are probably overstating the case. There is a lot of hair on that policy. And the experiment that’s going to betaking place in Colorado and Washington is going to be, I think, a challenge... I also think that, when it comes to harder drugs, the harm done to the user is profound and the social costs are profound. And you do
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start getting into some difficult line-drawing issues. If marijuana is fully legalized and at some point folks say. Well, we can come up with a negotiated dose of cocaine that we can show is
not any more harmful than vodka, are we open to that? If somebody says, We’ve got a finely calibrated dose of meth, it isn’t going to kill you or rot your teeth, are we O.K. with that?”
Despite the president’s recent remarks, many Americans continue to be prosecuted for use and possession of marijuana “drug paraphernalia”.
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news The Charter goes harder Bill 60 Continues Progress Gabriele Bavaro Staff Writer
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ast semester Bandersnatch was proud to bring you coverage on the then recently introduced Quebec Charter of Values. Since then many events have taken place concerning the charter. Currently there are hearings on the charter where Bernard Drainville, the minister responsible for the charter, is listening to testimony given by various groups and peoples from organizations as varied as religious groups to medical ones, to individuals both ordinary and in positions of power. However the government has made it clear that no matter the testimony it will not change a thing on the charter according to CTV News. This has made certain people even more frustrated with the government as they view it as more
and more hypocritical and unwilling to compromise. Indeed, certain testimonies at the hearings have inflamed many. This was particularly seen when the Pineault-Caron family made some rather unsavory and nasty comments on the religion of Islam and the culture of those who worship the religion. This has sparked a media firestorm and has continued to make the charter a contentious issue amongst Quebecers. Other testimony from groups and people supporting the charter have continued to inflame those who oppose it, further cementing their belief that the Charter is racist and goes against human rights as reported by CTV News. There are those however who have come to these hearings attempting to explain, no matter the response, why they view the charter as a problem rather than a solution. While the hearings have
been taking place the Liberal Party of Quebec has released its official position on the charter‌after a hiatus of 5 months. According to CBC News the liberals are against almost every idea in the charter. They wish to see however the crucifix remain in the national assembly and only agree that there should be no face coverings like niqabs for people working in public service. However this position has caused Liberal Fatima Houda-PÊpin MMA to resign from the liberal caucus and sit as an independent. She gives her reasons as having irreconcilable differences with Quebec Liberal leader Philippe Couillard. She states that only people in positions of legal authority should comply with a secular dress code. This blow to the liberals could not come at a worse time. A recent poll from LÊger marketing has found
that 36% of Quebecers would vote for the PQ, 33% for the Quebec Liberals and 17% for the CAQ. This indicates that the PQ is nearing provincial majority territory due to increasing support amongst those who live outside major urban centers while the liberals are losing support. Many political analysts have commented that the charter could be an election ploy designed to increase PQ popularity
amidst growing discontent with their economic policies according to CTV News. Whatever the case most political analysts agree that the 5-month liberal hiatus hurt the Quebec liberals bad and aided the PQ. However a recent CROP poll has found the PQ and Liberals neckin-neck instead. Whatever the case the Charter of Quebec Values is sure to bring in more controversy as time goes on.
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Opinions
with Caroline Houle
bandersnatchopinions@gmail.com
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What you missed about sex Miranda Eastwood Contributor
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hy wait until after marriage? With the Sexual Health Awareness week come and gone, I have to say that I am a bit disappointed. There was a lot of coverage on AIDS, STDs and pregnancy, but little coverage on the psychological effects of a sexual relationship. It’s a topic that isn’t mentioned very often, and yet it is an issue that directly affects us all in profound ways. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, keep reading. Not many people realize the consequences behind multiple sexual partners. Statistically speaking, engaging in multiple sexual relationships before marriage actually increases your risk of divorce. It’s not a myth. For women, the chance of divorce increases by 26% with one other partner, 39% with two, and a whopping 50% for five other relations. For over sixteen other
sexual relations, the odds jump to 60%. If you plan on getting married in the future, your present sex-life will have an impact. Yet, of all the potential relationships that you could have, the first one may just be the most significant. If you think sex is just a recreational activity, there’s something you should know. Men imprint on their first sexual encounter. All the feelings that a man experiences in that first moment will affect how he considers sex for the rest of his life. The guy who bangs his girlfriend in the back of his parent’s car will subconsciously associate the idea of ‘good sex’ with ideas of ‘lust’ or ‘naughtiness.’ He will also associate it with his girlfriend. What happens when they break up? The woman in the relationship becomes interchangeable, no longer the focus of the relationship, and the sex itself becomes more important. This will hold true even after the wedding. Imagine being married to the
Source: mypicturebook.ca
man who loves sex more than he loves you. Imagine having to dress up as a cheerleader or a French maid to get your husband interested in you. On the other hand, if a man’s first sexual encounter happens on his honeymoon, he will imprint on the ideas of ‘celebration’ and ‘marriage’. Most importantly, he will imprint on his wife, the woman he plans to spend the
rest of his life with. The focus will be on her instead of the sex, which strengthens any relationship. In all honesty, you shouldn’t marry someone just to have sex. Marriage is more than that. You don’t marry for yourself, you marry for your spouse. Marriage is a selfless relationship that is meant to encourage a growth of character in man
and wife. You marry someone because you realize that you’re a better person for having known them, for loving them, and that you want to continue to grow and love with this person as long as you both shall live. The significance of marriage goes beyond the lust that our society is drawn to. Sex is a powerful connection between two people; don’t underestimate it.
School is Drowning out our daimon Stanfield Vafton Contributor
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ave you ever found yourself sitting in class or doing a tedious and seemingly pointless assignment for a class you really dislike and wondered whether it was really helping you get closer to who you want to be in life? As much as I agree with the statement that knowledge is power and that accessible public education can be great and beneficial—the school system needs to be completely revamped and refined to a model that allows individuals to connect to who they truly are, discover their likes and dislikes, and tap in to their talents in order to hear out their own inner voice, their daimon, as the Greeks would call it, in order to truly step in to the person they want to be. Our current education system, for many reasons, doesn’t completely allow for this to happen and as a result, fails on many dif-
ferent levels. One obvious issue would be the fact that our education system is too generalized and should be a bit more individualized—tailored to different types of learning for different groups of people. For instance, some people learn better through audio, or visuals, and others learn through interacting. Some people work better in smaller groups, others in large groups and some people work better individually. Sometimes, you’re stuck with a teacher you don’t really “click” with either and although in some cases you’re given the option to drop the class, that isn’t always possible depending on your particular situation. But the bigger issue is related to how the school system fails to elicit and envoke our true selves and our respective callings. We are not trained to hear our own inner voice. More often than not, our school system crams information down people’s
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throats and confines students the way they are evaluated. In some domains, it works, but in others, not so much. A lot of our programs and require us to take classes that give us knowledge that we won’t really need (or knowledge we’ll easily have access to in the real world) in an effort to make us more “well-rounded.” While being well-rounded is a valuable quality, it’s important not to lose your edge. “Your edge” is what you’re good at, and the more practice you have at tapping into your talents and interests, the more likely you are to develop skills in the line of work you’re going to enter into. Our education system also places more importance in some areas than others—such as litterature, mathematics and science, which doesn’t allow students to explore other more creative venues like drama or dance. This really limits students in terms of exploring their interests, especially if they are not academically
inclined in the abovementioned subjects. One story that comes to mind is that of ballerina and world-renowned choreographer, Gillian Lynne. As a child, she wasn’t able to sit still in class. Not being able to conform to the education system that was placed upon her, teachers thought she had a learning disability. Her mother then takes her to the doctor. The doctor turns on the radio and notes that Gillian isn’t able to sit still and that she actually has a knack for moving with the music. He tells her mother that Gillian doesn’t have a learning disability and instead “diagnoses” her as a dancer. Her mother immediately enrolled her in a ballet school and Gillian is now a multi-millionaire, having choreographed some of the most successful theater productions in history among other noteworthy accomplishments. Alternatively, another doctor could have diagnosed her with a
Source: ballerinagallery.com
learning disability and Gillian would have never become the successful person she is now, pushing herself through schooling that would have never helped develop her talents. It goes to show that as much as our education system allows knowledge to be accessible, it has a lot of faults that need to be corrected. How revolutionary would it be for society if our entire education system focused on each individual discovering and fostering his or her own inner voice?
ARTs & Culture
with Kenzy Abdel Malek
bandersnatcharts@gmail.com
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Andrea Munster Contributor
Could Have Been Octavia M. Dancu Contributor
Oh, darling, I have killed a man today, An innocent; he had done me no wrong. Why I did so, I truly cannot say. They call us their immortals, faithful, strong; These are untruths, for home is what I long. How far those sunlit fields, gold days, do seem; I am so far from where I do belong! O memories, sweet, cruel, fleeting dreams; Depart, ye wrathful wraiths, draw near, ye brightest beams! I am haunted by dreams of “could have been”, And torn by faces as fearful as mine. My soul’s song fades away before war’s din, But then, when I resolve to be resigned To toying Fate, a thought of you does shine. Before that cruel Fate did wield her knife, We once danced in the spring, two souls entwined, But now, pale blooms, snowflakes, clothe lands of strife; Petals as bright as love are stained by scarlet life.
Splendore a Venezia Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Sarah Aspler Staff Writer
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n Wednesday January 8, I had the pleasure to see the Splendore a Venezia (“Splendour in Venice”) exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibit started October 12, and closed on January 19, just before the start of classes. Splendore a Venezia showed Art and Music from Venice, from the early 16th century to the late 18th century. Venice – a small but powerful city-state at the time – was a key place for trade in the Mediterranean. The city’s prosperity meant that Venice could attract great artists and musicians to live and work. Venice was also an important centre for printing, and was the first place where music was printed. The exhibit included great paintings borrowed from the Louvre in Paris, from the National Gallery in London, from the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and from many more museums. The most important painters of the Renaissance and later periods were presented, including Canaletto,
Titian, Tiepolo, and others. Visitors to the exhibit heard the musical works of some of the greatest composers of the time who had lived and worked in Venice, like Vivaldi and Monteverdi. The theme of Art and Music was brought out by the paintings, which showed great public ceremonies in which music was important, as well as small groups of rich people and poor people playing instruments, singing, and dancing. Musical instruments from the 16th to the 18th centuries were on display, as well as some of the earliest books of printed music. There were paintings of some of the earliest operas from the 17th century, which were performed in Venice. The exhibit concluded with a video of a modern-day performance of a 17th century Venetian opera. There were many great paintings, handmade musical instruments, and old books at the exhibit, but there were two that really stood out. One of them was Self Portrait of Marietta Comin (known as Tintoretta, since she was the daughter of the great
painter Tintoretto), from the Uffizi Gallery, Florence. The self-portrait shows her as a young woman, in a richly-decorated gown. With the common artistic symbolism of the time, the music book in her hand and the harpsichord behind her showed that she was a musician as well. Women in those days usually did not take part in public life, so her status was a major breakthrough for the time. Another favorite of mine was The Minuet by Tiepolo, from the
National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona, Spain. This shows a group of people dancing at a masquerade. They appear to be well-off, with both men and women wearing very ornate and expensive garments. The entire scene is one of general merriment and pleasure. Although the exhibit has closed, the books and music can be found on the website or at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts bookstore.
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Entertainment
with Dina Willis
bandersnatchentertainment@gmail.com
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Call of the Corporate Wild Film Review of The Wolf Of Wall Street
Andrew Grant Staff Writer
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itting in a movie theatre for three hours is not an attractive concept. The chairs aren’t that comfortable, you’ll end up missing part of the movie for a bathroom break, each of your limbs will start cramping up at different times, and you stare regretfully at the empty bag of popcorn you finished an hour and a half ago. However, The Wolf of Wall Street, directed by Martin Scorcese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, based on the supposedly true memoir by Jordan Belfort, has you in awe for nearly every second of this funny, tragic madhouse depicting the world of stockbrokers. Stockbrokers. The people that work at Wall Street firms, trying to sell shares of companies by calling people endlessly all day — a boring job, no? Martin Scorcese transforms the offices and desks of the corporate world into a forest with inhuman, dionysian, even animalistic denizens. One
memorable scene in the beginning has DiCaprio’s boss making a rhythm by beating his chest and vocalizing, showing DiCaprio how to keep his calm in the craziness of the workplace. This leads to a scene around the middle of the film, where DiCaprio makes a rousing speech to his own company about never leaving and leads them in a chorus of the same chest beats and vocalization. They begin pouncing everywhere and howling like animals. Wolves. The titular Wolf of Wall Street, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, begins as a budding stockbroker named Jordan Belfort. Belfort goes from being trained, introduced to cocaine, learning to talk with lightning fast speed and thinking on his feet, to descending into a world of hard narcotics, prostitutes, adultery, and illegally obtained money, until finally being slowly taken down by the FBI. With every step, DiCaprio’s performance, delivery, and narration make you feel for Belfort and
his ambition, understanding and backing his every action, no matter how immoral they are. Even when the consequences catch up to him in the form of the FBI, you still want to have the life he leads for the first half of the movie. For the rest, you are treated to seeing him tear himself down in a spectacular, grand tragedy reminiscent of the legendary Scarface. The movie suffers from one weak point: a terrible, obnoxious co-star. Jonah Hill appears as Belfort’s partner, Donnie Azoff, and has one good, twisted, funny line about retarded children before overstaying his welcome by dragging out and making awkward every scene he appears in, culminating in one scene where he botches a money handoff and ruins all of Belfort’s plans by making a load of homophobic jokes in a whiny, childish voice. There’s a scene where the character is choking and you find yourself praying for his death. You can talk loudly whenever Jonah Hill is talking for the final three
Source: iamyourtargetdemographic.wordpress.com
quarters of the movie. You won’t miss anything that isn’t heard from a fat five year old begging for more ice cream. However, that flaw is a small one in comparison to the beautiful, twisted hellhole that is the rest of the movie. Being the Wolf of Wall Street seems like being the top of the food chain; the wolf in a forest of rabbits, where you have all the riches of sex, drugs, and money. For all three hours of this movie, you will be drawn to put on a suit and become a stockbroker. You will hear the call of the corporate wild.
Desolation is a Masterpiece Criminal Minds returns A Review of The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug
Gabriele Bavaro Staff Writer
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he Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug is a must see while it’s still in theaters for those who have not seen it. The movie takes place right after An Unexpected Journey and follows the company of dwarves and Bilbo as they try to reach the lonely mountain and take back the dwarf kingdom from Smaug. Along the way they flee from orcs, run into giant spiders, encounter unfriendly wood elves and finally reach their destination, meeting the malevolent Smaug in the process. Meanwhile Gandalf and Radaghast investigate the mysterious necromancer, whose dark influence and power seeps out of Dol Guldur to threaten all… This sequel is better than the first movie, which was itself a masterpiece. Stunning visuals through CGI, motion capture, miniatures and sets create a blissful experience for the eyes while the storytelling is fast and jam-packed with action and comedic scenes. The music score in the movie in and of itself is well developed and perfect to the ears as it beautifully complements the scenes of the movies. The acting amongst the cast is stupendous
with Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage and Sir Ian McKellan in starring roles. However Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as Smaug and the Necromancer. His voice and motion capture are so perfect, so pure that you get the sense you are facing pure evil one side and an enraged but highly intelligent dragon on the other. Despite its perfect delivery it comes somewhat as a surprise that the movie was not nominated for more Oscars, as it is clearly a movie to be commended. Overall, I give this film 5/5.
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Source: lotr.wikia.com
Hopes and News for the Rest of Season 9
Raphael Verelst Staff Writer
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fter a painful winter break hiatus on episodes for Criminal Minds fans, our favorite team of FBI profilers hits the road again. They’ve faced delusional schizophrenics, hard-hearted psychopaths and pretty much every sick individual which crosses the imagination of the writers. The first episode of the new year kicked off in style with the past of fan-favorite computer analyst Penelope Garcia’s catching up with her. Former ultra-libertarian hacker with the Anonymousinspired organization “Star Chamber”, she was recruited to the FBI after being caught hacking into a cosmetics company and causing financial loss. Yet, a killer claiming innocence has the group hack into
Source: eonline.com
the website of a prominent government agency and post somewhat of a taunt. Navigating through Penelope’s ulterior connections, they eventually catch the killer’s partner, preventing another innocent death. Other interesting news on the series? Longtime actor Joe Mantegna will be directing his first episode of the series, just as fellow cast members Matthew Gray Gubler and Thomas Gibson have done. Furthermore, since the fourth episode, hispanic American actor Esai Morales has played the new section chief Mateo Cruz. Another vigilante killer crossing paths with Agent Rossi’s former Marine squad leader will appear, and it’s been confirmed that the 200th episode will deal with Jennifer Jareau’s past. The season finales of past seasons have dealt with what a video game nerd might refer to as a “boss killer”; a particularly intelligent or scary criminal which either challenges the team to breaking point, or places one of members in an emotional situation. Criminal Minds has consistently come up with interesting unsubs for for nearly two-hundred episodes. Season 9 will be no different.
Science & Tech
with Elaine Huang
bandersnatchscience@gmail.com
first functioning uterus transplant realized?
The Advancements and Ethical Issues of Uterus Transplants Shiraa Noumbissie-Nzefa Contributor
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few months ago, an important event in the world of science took place in Sweden. It all started in September 2012 when a team of Swedish scientists performed what could be the first uterus transplant leading to childbirth in history. The nine women that underwent this procedure were either born without a uterus, or were forced to have it removed because of cervical cancer. In order to be able to bear a child, they decided to accept a uterus transplant from a relative or from a friend. In some cases, the prospective mother will bear her child in the same womb that bore her for nine months, thus creating what the National Post referred to as “the ultimate mother-daughter bond”. The recipients will be unable to become pregnant naturally as the new wombs aren’t connected to their fallopian tubes. Instead, they had their eggs frozen prior to the operation in order to use them as part of an IVF treatment. All women
are currently in good health and many had their menstruations six weeks after the transplant, thus showing that the wombs are perfectly functional. All this is thanks to Dr. Mats Brannstrom, professor and chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. He is the one responsible of the team who managed to make this pioneering project come to life. As novel as this project is, it is not the first uterus transplant that has been attempted. The first uterus transplant happened in Saudi Arabia in 2000, but the woman’s body had unfortunately rejected the donated organ four months after the surgery. The first successful transplant happened much more recently, in 2011. Regretfully, it did not result in childbirth, as Turkish patient Derya Sert suffered a miscarriage four months into the pregnancy. Both of these previously failed experiments show that the operation is not risk-free. In Sweden, the transplant teams were composed of 10 surgeons, four anesthesiologists and 15 operating room
Source: La Presse
nurses in order to ensure the safety of the patient throughout the entire procedure. Even after the operation, the donor and receiver needed to be carefully monitored in case of bleeding and infection. The receivers also had to take powerful immunosuppressant drugs in order to ensure that their bodies would not reject the donated organ. All these risks are part of the reason why this procedure is so contested. The conflict also stems from the ethical implications of this procedure. Some have an issue with the fact that the wombs are taken from live donors, thus putting the donor’s life in danger for a non
life-saving operation. This has many people believing that this operation shouldn’t be performed at all and that women who are unable to give birth should resign themselves to that fact. On the other end of the spectrum, scientists argue that the reactions aren’t completely justified. “It’s very difficult for us of course to calculate the risks and the benefits, because we don’t know that yet,” Brannstrom said to the National Post. If all goes well, the first babies born from a transplanted uterus will join us next year. We keep our fingers crossed for those possible soon-to-be mothers.
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A Walk on the Wild Side with Nigel Thornberry Deep in the grasslands of Argentina resides the pink fairy armadillo. With its dainty rose-coloured shell and delicate paws, this tiny creature measures between 9 and 11 centimeters long. The shape of its shell allows it to sweep soil out of its path using its bottom. These tiny yet majestic creatures exist in solitude, lurking under the surface of the Earth. They tend to make their homes near anthills in order to have easy access to their favorite food. They are also known to enjoy worms, snails and plant matter. When the moon is in the sky, they emerge to frolic in the sand, revelling in the cover of the shadows. The life of a pink fairy armadillo is apparently a dangerous one, though researchers are unsure as to why—despite lack of information about these creatures, it is known that their numbers have dwindled rapidly in recent years.
Grizzlies protection removed? Analisa Astorino Staff Writer
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he Yellowstone National Park located in Wyoming, U.S., is home to many species, including one of the largest populations of grizzly bears south of Canada. Grizzly bears were once an incredibly widespread population, and were found in numerous areas in North America from the Arctic tundra to more dry climates in Mexico. As humans began to expand and claim more territory, the population of grizzlies vastly diminished along with its habitat. In 1975, grizzly bears south of Canada were listed as “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and were allotted 6 recovery locations in the greater Yellowstone
Source: nationalparkstraveller.com
area, where the bears would be protected from the rapidly developing human world. The years following the emplacement of the conservation status allowed for the grizzly population to grow in the park. As grizzlies require a lot of territory to roam, they began to spread to regions outside of the
recovery area, potentially threatening human conditions. The grizzly population was delisted as a threatened species by the USFWS in 2007, as it met all the requirements for losing said status. One of the grizzly bears’ main source of food as they prepare for hibernation is the
high-protein seeds in the cones of whitebark pine trees. Due to the threat of fungus and pine beetles, these trees have become scarce in the Yellowstone area, leaving 74% of the pine tree population dead. When this happened in 2011, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reinstated the grizzly bears’ status as “threatened”. Grizzly bears are omnivores, meaning they are capable of digesting both meat and vegetation. This allowed them to adapt quickly to the loss of their main source of fat causing some of them to peruse through human garbage, in hopes of finding scraps of meat or other foods. With the rapidly growing population of grizzly bears, it has also been found that bear cubs are having difficulty growing up since they are forced to
compete with the large population of adult bears. With the matter of the decrease in pine tree populations, and the continued recovery of the grizzly population, the question has once again been raised as to whether or not they should maintain their status as “threatened”. Many argue that there is not enough scientific evidence to prove that the change in food source has negatively affected the bears’ ability to prepare for hibernation. However, in December 2013, the USFWS made the decision not to delist the grizzly per say, but recommended to write a new rule concerning the status of the bear. On the other hand, the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee unanimously ruled to end federal protection of the grizzly bear.
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games
with Constantino Montelli
bandersnatchgames@gmail.com
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Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds A Game-Changing Review Julian Pancaldi Contributor
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elda games have always been incredibly popular system sellers, but one problem has been persistant since the early titles that every Zelda fan will tell you: the format of the games never change. You start your quest, find the first dungeon, find an item, use that item to beat the boss, find the next dungeon, repeat for 16 games. Then “The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds” is announced for the 3DS, an overhaul of the classic “A Link to the Past” for the SNES. The most prominent difference between this and every other game in the series is that from the start of the game, you have every major item available right in front of you, available to rent. This is a new system that allows you to dish out a few rupees (which are more abundant in this game than ever) in exchange for an item from the mysterious merchant who goes by the name
of Ravio. The twist to this is that as soon as you fall in battle, Ravio’s pet bird will come swooping down to collect all the rented items from your unconscious body. This minor annoyance is cleared up later on in the game when you’re given the option to buy the items instead of renting them, for a much higher price. The option to pick and choose whichever items you want in whichever order you choose (or farm as many rupees as possible and rent every item at
once, as I did) changes the formula of the game from strictly linear to mostly free roam, with a few certain dungeons needing to be completed before others. Another feature, completely unique to this game, is the ability to transform into an animated painting on almost any wall in the game. This ability allows Link to pass through cracks in walls and jail cells like nobodys business; but only for a limited amount of time, as the longer
you spend sneaking around the walls, the more your magic meter will go down. The inclusion of the magic meter has also replaced the need to collect arrows or bombs, having these items be reliant on the bar as well. The game runs at an incredibly smooth 60fps and the controls are so responsive that playing it just feels good. This is also one of the only 3DS games where I would recommend playing with the 3D turned up, instead of all the way down where your console can’t destroy your eyeballs. The only downside to this amazing title is that the first half of the game is easy to the point of being able to avoid taking any damage just by being a little careful. The art style is very similar to many other Zelda games, yet unique in itself and is very appealing. Overall, this is probably one of the best Zelda titles in its 28 years as a series, and if you haven’t played a Zelda game before, there hasn’t been a better title to start with.
Hey Gamers! Hope you had a great holiday and vacation. Here are some of the games you can look forward to in the coming weeks!
Broken Age: Act I (PC)— January 28 Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Xbox One, PS4)— January 28 Octodad: Dadliest Catch (PC, Mac, Linux) – January 30 Fable Anniversary (360)— February 4 The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 – Smoke and Mirrors (PS3, 360, PC, Mac) - February 5 Bravely Default (3DS)— February 7 DanganRonpa: Trigger Happy Havoc (Vita)— February 11 Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (360, PS3)— February 11 In other news, Sly Cooper is getting his own movie! The film is to be release in 2016.
Bravely Default Demo Bravely Coming Back to RPGs Roots Shayne P.Mehr Contributor
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f you go on the Nintendo eShop, one of the many games shown on the front page is a game called Bravely Default, coming out on February 7th with a demo available now. The game was developed by Silicon Studio. Their last game, “3D Dot Game Heroes,” was released in North America and Europe back in 2009. Afterwards, the company mainly made social networking games for mobile devices. The game is published by Nintendo. This demo has unique content and quests that would not be in the main game and the demo will give bonuses to people who plan to buy the full game by completing a certain quest(s) in
the demo. There are many mechanics in Bravely Default, for example the job system. These jobs can unlock skills that can be used based on what job you selected for your character or you can put these skills to use with every class on that character by using Support Abilities. These abilities are limited by how many credits you might need, with four credits being the limit. Each job has its own specialty, like having the ability to dual wielding weapons, counters, and so on. The combat system resembles old-school Final Fantasy turn base combat, the one difference being Battle Points (BP). Battle Points are used for actions like attacks and abilities, used items and summoning friends or strangers from
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StreetPass. You can stack up one or more BPs by using an option in combat called “default”, which acts as a defence option or use the option called “brave”, which you can use two or more actions in one turn. After the battle, you’ll get randomized items, gold, and experience—the standard in any RPG. You’ll also get job points that can level up your selected job, the maximum level of which in the demob is four. Then there is the use of StreetPass in this game. In combat, they can be used to help the player in battle, like buffs and giving items. While in outside combat, the people you StreetPassed with (only other people who own the demo) will go to your village. It functions like a cow clicker game that you’ve probably seen in some other
mobile games. You can send villagers to work on improving your village, like opening shops to get buyable items via the merchant who can also save your game. The game has a system to allow you, the player, to edit the game really well; from difficulty selection, to encounter rate, which reminds me how “Soul Hackers” handles difficulty, making your
experience either too easy or “Shin Megami Tensei” levels of difficulty. After all my time spent on the demo, all I have to say is that I can’t wait for the full game. The job system is one of the highlights of “Bravely Default” (next to the combat system!) The demo is free and I highly recommend downloading to any 3DS owner who likes RPG games.
the procrasTinator
with Aaron Rogers
bandersnatchfun@gmail.com
11
Horrorscopes Like a Telescope but Full of Lies Angela Brett The Oracle
GEMINI (May 22 - June 21):
Take your problems to the hilt. By this, I mean that should they become too much to deal with, you ARIES (March 21 - April 20): On January 31st, Venus will be should get a sword. I’m not entireturning direct. Directly at you. ly sure how it will help, but you Venus, with its thick cloud cover will have a sword and that’s so cool and blistering heat, is watching can I hold it??? you. Venus will see you when you’re sleeping, and know when you’re awake. Venus is worried CANCER (June 22 - July 23): about you and just wants the best Your hot new romance has for you. sparks flying. Make sure not to leave any exposed skin, you could get burnt pretty badly. Also maybe you shouldn’t be dating a robot? TAURUS (April 21 - May 21): Examine your habits. Pick one I’m not one to judge though. that you’ve had for a while, but has done you well. Keep that one, and stop the rest. Walking on two feet LEO (July 24 - Aug. 23): is a tired habit. So is living in a Recently you’ve been focusing house. Breathing air is so 2013. your energies on getting out there But keep jogging, your calves are and meeting new people, which is looking hot. great. However, be aware that only basilisks go on blind dates.
your bus driver. Your generosity If your friend loses their wallet will not go untasted. or keys, you can find it. However, you should probably not, it’ll anger the demons, and they’re having a CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 20): hard week as it is. Be kind to yourself. Surprise yourself with little unexpected treats. Be glad to be seen with yourself in public. Hold your own LIBRA (Sept. 24 - Oct. 23): Avoid using ouija boards this hand. Make sure you know how next couple months, unless you much you appreciate you. want to talk to the ghosts of some mildly bothered accountants. VIRGO (Aug. 24 - Sept. 23):
AQUARIUS (Jan. 21 - Feb. 19):
Press 1 to talk to billing and advertising, 2 to talk to account You’ve been feeling a little services, 3 to talk to Gary, the janistrung out lately. Please report to tor, and 4 to achieve absolute repair station 485 to undergo a re- enlightenment ™ stringing procedure. SCORPIO (Oct. 24 - Nov. 22):
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23 - Dec. 21):
This is a good time to give people flavours. Chocolate to your coworker. Mint to your lover. Cheese to your mother. Vinegar to
PISCES (Feb. 20 - Mar. 20):
Brace yourself for the upcoming year. Neck brace, knee brace, arm brace, bracelet, braces, and a hug from your mom. You’re going to get through it, and you will take no prisoners.
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