The McGill Tribune Vol. 28 Issue 15

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OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH I THE NEW, PAGES 12 & 13

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TRAVEL: AN AFRICAN ADVENTURE, PAGE 7

____________ The M cG ill

T r ibu n e blished by the Students' Society o f McGill University

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Volume 28 Issue 15 • January 7,2009

i/IUNACA threatens strike over contract

atest offer rejected in G A vote T

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f y f r

HEO ivitYEH

The McGill University Non-Academic Cered Association still hasn't reached a collece bargaining agreement with the McGill adnistration despite months of negotiations d is threatening to strike. MUNACA memrs voted on the administration's latest proisal at a General Assembly on December 4"We called a General Assembly to present e last offer that McGill made, and our recomsndation to the General Assembly was to ect it and give us a strike mandate so that î can apply pressure tactics up to and includ3 a strike," MUNACA President Maria Ruocco id.

According to Ruocco, all areas of dispute itween MUNACA and the university have ien resolved except for salary increases. In ptember, the MUNACA membership rejectI the university's offer for a 12 per cent salary crease over four years. The offer the mem;rship rejected in December proposed an ; per cent increase over three years, though e increase would have been weighted more meficially.

Ruocco argued that the proposed increasare less than what similar Quebec universi;s' employees are paid.

"Our support staff is getting paid less than

our counterParts at other Quebec universities

,

h same work_ o ther Quebec universities

are getting on average, over four years, 20 per cent [salary increases]," Ruocco said.

After MUNACA's rejection of the univer­ sity's offer, the McGill administration issued a statement on December 5 predicting pos­ sible "labour disruptions of some sort in the near future." The statement attempted to as­ sure members of the McGill community that a strike would not disrupt the operation of the university. Associate Vice-Principal (Human Resources) Lynne Gervais declined to com­ ment on negotiation specifics, however.

"McGill cannot comment on the sub­ stance of negotiations with its labour union," Gervais said in an email to the Tribune. "We are continuing to work toward finding a set­ tlement and naturally hope we will succeed sooner rather than later. We have, nonethe­ less, developed contingency plans to ensure the continued operation of the university in the event [that] the union decides to follow through with its mandate."

MUNACA's previous contract with McGill, which expired on November 30 , 20 07 , was a hard-won bargain. The union's membership approved the previous contract at a General Assembly in December of 20 03 , after almost 14 See UNION on Page 2

A protestor rallies against Israel's recent actions in the Gaza Strip on Sunday on St. Catherine Street.

Montrealers protest Israeli actions in Gaza )emonstration also aimed at Canadian government's position J a m es G ilm an Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Mon­ tai last Sunday to protest the conflict in the Gaza Strip, callg on Israel to stop its military campaign against Hamas, the oup which currently controls the territory.

According to some media estimates, as many as 5,00 0 otestors marched down St. Catherine Street to the Israeli insulate, many of them waving Palestinian flags and placds and shouting anti-Israeli slogans, including "Israel terrort" and "intifada."

The demonstrators called on the Canadian government put pressure on Israel to bring an end to military operations Gaza. They also called on the Egyptian government to ease

ing Israeli government policies." ,n9 Israeli government policies. border-crossing restrictions.

The protest remained largely peaceful. However, at least "The demonstration this Sunday was aimed at the Cana­ one Israeli flag was burned and stamped on outside the Israeli dian government, but also at the Israeli government, and the Egyptian government," said Laith Marouf, the chapter coordi­ consulate, and there were complaints of violent slogans being nator of the non-profit Montreal group Solidarity for Palestin­ shouted.

Members of the Quebec-lsrael Committee, which had ob­ ian Human Rights. servers at the protest, expressed concern at some of the slo­ SPHR was one of the demonstration organizers, along with Tadamonl, whose name is Arabic for solidarity, a Montre­ gans being chanted.

"We witnessed a burning and stampeding of the Israeli al-based activist collective. flag in front of the Consulate-General of Israel in Montreal," "The turnout was very impressive— this was probably the said David Ouellette, the director of research at the QIC. "More largest demonstration for Palestine [in Montreal] in the last ten worryingly, we heard jihadi, radical Islamic slogans shouted in years," said Marouf. "[Demonstrators] showed up and voiced their opposition to Israeli war crimes happening now in Gaza, See FLAG on Page 2 and to the Canadian government's shameful position support­

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COVER PHOTO BY ADAM SCC

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CITY

Union presses McGill Strike would disrupt campus life Continued from COVER

Flag burning criticizec Gaza death toll continues to rise Continued from COVER

months of negotiations. Like the current ne­ gotiations, the previous talks were marred by strike threats and protests.

Since obtaining a strike mandate in the December 4 vote, the MUNACA leadership has increasingly used pressure tactics in an effort to persuade the university to put forth a better offer.

"We've had a number of demonstrations, we've done publicity in the newspapers, and we will continue escalating our pressure tac­ tics until such time as we feel appropriate," Ruocco said.

If MUNACA doesn't receive a better offer through the use of pressure tactics, the lead­ ership will likely call a strike, which would se­ verely disrupt the functioning of the univer­ sity. MUNACA members work in areas such

as student services, library services, services for academic staff, and in medical and dental clinics. All of these areas would be affected. "[The university might be able to oper­ ate] for a short period of time, but after that it would take its toll," Ruocco said.

Students' Society Vice-President Exter­ nal Devin Alfaro said that a strike would be detrimental to students, but that SSMU was not supporting MUNACA beyond offering space for their use in the Shatner Building.

"We're not taking any particular position in terms of what should be in the collective agreement between MUNACA and McGill," Alfaro said. "That's definitely not our place.

But we hope that McGill will show willing­ ness to work with MUNACA." ■

Arabic by a fair number of people. These are slogans which are in effect calling for the mas­ sacre of Jews."

Hillel McGill President Hartlee Zucker also expressed her concern with some of the inci­ dents that took place.

"From my point of view, I believe that a rally for peace ought to be held peacefully," she said. "And the idea of burning a flag, in­ cites a lot more that isn't peaceful."

In addition, Zucker argued that people shouldn't lose sight of the broader context in which this recent conflict is taking place. Thou­ sands of rockets have been fired at southern Israel targets since Israel withdrew from the Gaza strip in 20 0 5 .

"Like any other country, like any demo­ cratic country, Israel has the right to defend

itself. And it has a right to be able to pron the security and safety of its own citizens, I think that that's the main point here,"Zu said.

However, Marouf appealed for Que students to express solidarity with their cc terparts in Gaza.

"Students at McGill and other univers in Montreal should be aware that Palestir students in Gaza are currently suffering The only university in Gaza has already b bombed multiple times by Israel. Over schools have been completely destroyec partially damaged, and over 6 0 children h been killed," he said. "So students in Que should be mobilising to defend the righ education of students in Gaza, and condc the Israeli war crimes in Gaza against then"

CITY

Concordia faculty threaten to walk off the job Breakdown in contract negotiations fuels speculation of professor strike J a m es G ilm an Negotiations for a new contract between Concordia University and the Concordia University Faculty Association continue this month amid speculation over a possible faculty strike.

The university and CUFA, the body that represents full­ time faculty and professional librarians at Concordia, have been negotiating for over two years, with an agreement on pay reportedly the last major outstanding issue.

According to CUFA President Charles Draimin, settling on a salary increase continues to be difficult. But while nego­ tiations have dragged on for over two years, he couldn't say whether or not a strike is likely.

"We are not in a strike position yet. Our council called for a strike vote [which means that] we have to have a strike vote among the membership, [but] we haven't called that yet," he said. "We are hopeful [a strike] can be avoided" Chris Mota, director of Concordia's media relations de­ partment, also stressed that it is impossible to say whether a

strike will take place, and that negotiations between the two sides are continuing.

"Our labour relations people are in the process of talking with the union to set up some [negotiating] dates for January, so at this point we are not dealing with a strike situation. We're in negotiations," she said.

The union is seeking an increase in salaries to bring the pay of Concordia professors in line with the national average, although they stress that this could be achieved with incre­ mental increases.

In November, CUFA Council voted to give the association's executive a mandate to take strike action. But, according to the Quebec Labour Code, CUFA's membership must approve Council's decision by secret ballot.

This vote has not yet been held and, according to Draimin, a specific date to hold it has not been scheduled. CUFA will need the approval of 6 0 per cent of ballots cast in order to ratify the decision. Prior to a recent constitutional change, the approval of 70 per cent of all members was needed.

According to Draimin, there have been "some changes" in

the administration's negotiating team.

"We're hopeful that [these changes] might signal a newed attempt to come to a good negotiated settlement,' said. "We're more optimistic [that a strike can be avoided] tl we were in December."

In November of last year, a deal was struck between Concordia administration and the Concordia University P time Faculty Association following six years of negotiati Both Concordia and CUFA want to avoid something simili possible.

CUFA has the full backing of the Concordia Student Uni who posted a written statement of support on their webs And according to Draimin, they have received verbal supp from the post-graduate student society.

"As long as they're talking, that's an optimistic sign. We main committed to a negotiated settlement—-that's certai the university's position. We've achieved that with all of 1 other unions, so there's no reason to assume that this can't accomplished with our faculty," Mota added. ■

CAMPUS

AMUSE takes the next step

arch that

changes lives

Application filed with Quebec Labour Boan T h o m a s Q u a il

CAN A D IA N A RTH RITIS NETWORK

LE R É SE A U CAN A D IEN DE L 'A R T H R I T E

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On December 19 , the Association of McGill Under­ graduate Student Employees filed for accreditation with the Quebec Labour Board, paving the way for the union­ ization of nonacademic undergraduate employees.

To be accredited, an association must obtain signed union cards from at least 35 per cent of their target work force. According to AMUSE, they have nearly 50 per cent.

"Based on our estimates, and the partial lists that we had gathered, we have close to 50 per cent, if not m o re .... We were not expecting to be able to apply this early, [but] there has been a very positive response [to the union] by students," AMUSE organizer and Tribune columnist Max Silverman said.

AMUSE, McGill, and the Quebec Labour Board are scheduled to meet on February 2 to review the applica­ tion. If AMUSE is awarded union status at the hearing, li­ brary, athletic complex, bookstore, residence, and some work-study employees could be unionized.

"If it is determined [at the hearing] that we obtained union cards from 35 per cent of potential members, then [AMUSE] will have a referendum [to approve unioniza­

tion]," Silverman said. "If it's validated that we have m than 50 per cent, there'll be automatic certification."

Ultimately, regardless of the labour board's df sion, AMUSE members will decide whether or not unionize.

"Even if we are automatically certified, there v still be a vote at the union's first General Assembly confirm accreditation,"Silverman said.

According to Deputy Provost (Student Life a Learning) Morton Mendelson, the administration complying with its responsibilities under the labc code.

As required by law, the university provided t Public Service Alliance of Canada, AMUSE's umbrella ganization, with a "list of employees as defined in t application for certification," Mendelson said in an err to the Tribune. This list was publicly available until t evening of December 2 4 .

In addition, Silverman said that there was a "go chance"that AMUSE would start campaigning to unie ize undergraduate academic staff— including resear assistants.

AMUSE started collecting union cards in Septe ber. Standardized pay scales and guaranteed contra* for undergraduate employees are AMUSE's top prie ties. ■

07.01.09 «The McGill Tribune • 3

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EWS ANALYSIS

Examining Obama's new economic team

ôeithner, Summers, and Romer to play key roles in administration T rip Y ang

Shortly after his election last November, U.S. President­ elect Barack Obama revealed his economic team. These advisors, some of America's best and brightest economic minds, will play a major role in the United States' national and international economic stability.

Obama chose acclaimed New York Federal Reserve President Timothy Geithner as his secretary of the treasury, Lawrence Summers as the director of the National Economic Council, and Christina Romer as chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisors.

Geithner was chosen largely for his experience in com­ bating ailing credit markets. Last year he gave the green light to loan JPMorgan Chase $29 billion (U.S.) to acquire failing investment giant Bear Sterns. Thanks to his non-par­ tisan reputation, Geithner has established good relation­ ships with both Democrats and Republicans. Despite not having an academic background in economics, Geithner's experience in drafting stimulus packages made him a popu­ lar choice with Wall Street investors and journalists alike.

"Traditionally, being an economist is not a requirement for treasury secretary— look at [current secretary] Henry Paulson," said McGill Professor Harold Waller, a political sci­ entist specializing in American politics. "Obama's selection was widely praised because people believe he is the right man for the job."

As treasury secretary under President Bill Clinton, Law­ rence Summers was a logical choice for senior economics

advisor. As director of the National Economic Council, the former Harvard president is in charge of formulating a hefty economic stimulus package for Obama to sign once the president-elect assumes office.

Chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisors ap­ pointee Christina Romer was another widely applauded choice. Her experience in analyzing recession policies was seen as an asset.

"Romer and Summers are very qualified for their po­ sitions. Romer has extensive knowledge with Depressionrelated policies and Summers is one of the most respected academic economists of this generation," said McGill macro­ economics Professor Francisco Alvarez-Cuadrado.

Geithner, Summers, Romer, and the Obama economic team inherit supervision of the Bush administration's $700 billion stimulus package approved last fall. Like Paulson, Geithner believes that his department should have the power to experiment with new strategies.

After reviewing data of previous recessions, Romer concluded that the current slowdown was more severe than previously thought. Summers and other advisors are currently drafting a new plan focussing on infrastructure, health, education, energy, and aid to the poor and unem­ ployed.

The Obama team has considered $136 billion in infra­ structure investments, composed mainly of transit con­ struction. A smaller portion would be allocated to port ex-

pansions and renewable energy programs. To improve the education system, Obama plans to fund teacher training, expand college tuition aid, build new schools, and renovate existing ones. For health assistance, Obama plans to further subsidize Medicaid and children's health programs, as well as expanding coverage for those who lost health insurance.

The stimulus package is projected to be in the neigh­ bourhood of $675-$775 billion. Private economic analysts have recommended stimulus plans ranging from $ 8 0 0 bil­ lion to $1.3 trillion over the next two years.

"I would say Romer and Summers are market econo­ mists, instead of strictly Keynesian economists," AlvarezCuadrado said. "They adjust their policies depending on the market situation. If the situation is dire enough, they will propose government intervention. They are not the kind who would intervene in the market for the sake of interven­ ing."

Summers, a chief architect of the stimulus package, stressed in a recent interview with the New York Times that the new plan would not include excessive spending.

If passed, the package would be the most expensive ever assembled. Congressional participants reported sincere bi­ partisan cooperation to pass the stimulus package, which may need additional provisions to succeed.

"Economic advisors are there to map out all the op­ tions. In the end, it's up to the politicians to modify, approve, or reject the bill," Alvarez-Cuadrado said. ■

N ew s B rief

AMPUS

Promoting campus athletics Varsity Booth to be launched in Shatner K a y l e a H o w a rth

The McGill Varsity Council will launch a new promotional itiative, the Varsity Booth, in the Shatner Building's main itrance starting this Thursday. Varsity athletes will be at the >oth each week selling tickets to upcoming varsity games, Ivertising the varsity program, and increasing student expoire to athletics on campus.

Varsity Council is a group of student athletes, including te representative from each varsity team and club, which eets monthly to plan events such as the Varsity Gala and unch, as well as school and community initiatives such as od and equipment drives. The Varsity Booth is a new proam through which the Varsity Council hopes to bolster stu?nt enthusiasm for athletics, increase game attendance, and ise McGill Athletics' involvement in the McGill community, lisclosure: the author is a member of the Varsity Council.)

"So many students never venture up the hill to the gym, id this is a way to create awareness about what's going on Dwn where the students are," said Andrew Barr, an employee F the Intercollegiate Office and the staff advisor to Varsity ouncil.

While varsity game tickets are available for purchase at oth the Redbird Sports Shop and the entrance to each event, te booth will serve as an on-campus location for students to urchase regular-priced tickets for any varsity event. For the

winter semester, tickets to men's and women's hockey, basket­ ball, and volleyball games, as well as to any special events by other varsity teams, will be available for purchase at the booth.

Next fall, students will be able to purchase football and soccer tickets.

"In addition to ticket sales, the stand will offer free month­ ly calendars of all varsity events. There will also be music and a slideshow of action shots to attract attention," said Barr.

The booth has been in the planning stage since the fall of 2 0 0 8 . It was conceived over the summer by Thomas Fabian, Varsity Council president and Redmen volleyball player, and Anthony Lucka, the Council's vice-president internal and Redmen football team member.

"We decided to delay the launch date to January to ensure we had an effective debut," said Barr. "It's also good that this upcoming weekend is the management carnival game, which lots of students like to attend. This should give the booth a great debut for ticket sales."

"We are really happy that it's finally off the ground," Fabian said.

The booth will be staffed by two athletes from a different team each week, who will use the money earned as a team fundraising opportunity. In selecting teams to work at the booth, priority was given to varsity club teams whose mem­ bers are typically in more need of fundraising.

The stand will be located in the main entrance of the SSMU building, next to the main staircase. It will be in opera­ tion every Thursday of the semester from 11 a.m.-i p.m. ■

Moreau joins McGill executive team University of Quebec president and McGill alumnus Pierre Moreau is set to join the university's senior executive team. On December 11, Principal Heather Munroe-Blum announced that Moreau would be appointed as McGill's first Executive Direc­ tor, Planning and Institutional Analysis. Moreau will assume the newly created position on February 11.

"McGill's decision to hire an Executive Director, Planning and Institutional Analysis, was made not long after Professor Hélène Perrault left her position as Associate Provost (Plan­ ning and Budgets) to become the Dean of the Faculty of Edu­ cation," said Provost Anthony Masi in an email message to the Tribune."Prior to her leaving that position, she and I undertook a review of McGill's analytical capacity and the organisational structures that support it, including but not limited to Plan­ ning and Institutional Analysis."

Based on the review and recommendations of an external committee, the university decided to create the new position of Executive Director, PIA. According to Masi, this will allow current Director Chuck Adler to focus on working with Associ­ ate Vice-Principal (University Services) Jim Nicell and resolving the university's space management issues.

While the university conducted interviews with several candidates, Moreau quickly emerged as consensus candidate.

After earning a PhD in microbiology from McGill, Moreau spent five years teaching at the University of Ottawa followed by 15 years as a professor at Laval University. He became VicePresident (Academic and Research) for the University of Que­ bec system in 20 02 and assumed the presidency in 2 0 0 4 .

"His experience, skill set, and personal attributes are con­ siderable and Principal Munroe-Blum felt that in addition to heading up PIA, Pierre Moreau could provide needed policy expertise to the senior team," Masi said. "Thus, Pierre Moreau was offered an appointment with two mandates."

— Theo Meyer

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O pinion YOU HAD AN OPTION, SIR

HISTORIA ME ABSOLVERA

The paternalist song that never ends

More rockets and wrongdoing in Gaza

T im o th y M a k

M ax S ilverm a n

TIMOTHY.M AK@ M AIL.M CGILL.CA

M AXW ELL.SILVERM AN@ M AIL.M CGILL.CA

ou'd better not get caught publicly singing "The Song That Never Ends" in Brighton, M ichigan— unless you w ant to be fined up to $1 0 0 . The small town recently attracted controversy over a civil ordinance that prohibits individu­ als from engaging conduct "that alarm[s] or seriously annoy[s] another person and that serve[s] no legitim ate purpose."The ordinance also makes it illegal to "insult, accost, molest or otherwise annoy, ei­ ther by word o f mouth, sign or motion any person in any public place." The people who enacted these regulations claim that their intentions aren't as ne­ farious as they seem. Brighton Police Chief Thomas Wrightman claim s that the ordinance will not be used for things like ticketing those who speak out loudly at public meetings, but rather to punish of­ fences like "repeated text messages."

Beyond the city council's apparent disregard for the United States Constitu­ tion, their actions dem onstrate a m en­ tality that is all too common among gov­ ernm ent officials and bureaucrats. Along with being offensive and (almost cer­ tainly) unconstitutional, the Brighton or­ dinance is an example o f a serious threat to classical liberalism: governm ents that believe they're responsible for al­ laying every annoyance and reducing every risk through regulation. The rise of the "nanny state" affects us all, from when we're forced to w ear helm ets to bike through the ghetto, to when we're forced to buy liquor from the Quebec Liquor Corporation (SAQ)— ostensibly because governm ent control makes it less likely that minors will be able to pur­ chase alcohol.

Excessive risk m anagem ent violates the private sphere and erodes society's sense of personal responsibility. W hen­ ever an accident occurs, people are quick to point their fingers at the governm ent, lam enting its failure to regulate this

Y

personal risk or that hazardous behav­ iour. Countless newspaper colum ns are published beseeching the governm ent to ban cell phone usage w hile driving, or to make helmets m andatory on the local tobogganing hill. Local TV stations capture a distressed parent's plea for a national knife registry, and a loud group of activists follow suit. Perhaps it's only a m atter of time before we must regis­ ter our nail clippers at the local "Hazards Canada" office after a freak cuticle-trim ­ ming incident.

When the risks are evident, people should be allowed to make their own decisions. Of course, there is a role for the state in banning nuclear material from being transported across town in your brother's m inivan. But if I enjoy the wind blowing through my hair as I ride my bike, going helmet-free should be my prerogative. People should have the choice to take risks so long as they are cognizant of the consequences and agree to live by them .

And no m atter how hard we try, there are some risks that we can't regu­ late out of existence. If I'm walking down the street and someone is determ ined to stab me w ith a knife, there is little a na­ tional knife registry or a m andatory suit of arm our ordinance could do to save me. Public policy analysts often need a good dose of common sense: some risks sim ply can't be covered by legislation, and others shouldn't be covered due to prohibitive com pliance costs.

Are you sick of annoying text mes­ sages? Block the sender. Are you engag­ ing in risky behaviour? Be aware of, and prepared to live w ith, the consequences.

The governm ent should protect citizens from violations of property and person, but it doesn't need to protect citizens from them selves. Unfortunately, nanny statism seems to be a song and dance that never ends. ■

promised myself I wouldn't do this. When education, and also some form of organizi I agreed to write a sensationalist and con­ resistance for a generation born into hop troversy-inspiring column, I was expecting lessness. to treat most topics with the tiniest bit of The Israeli "withdrawal" from Gaza tongue-in-cheek. As a result, I promised my­ 2005 didn't end the occupation. It simp self I would avoid the question of Israel and relocated Israeli troops to a safer location, Palestine, at least until I ran out of topics. the nastiest prisons in the world, you woi But what's happening right now in the find guards standing in each and every a Middle East is tearing me apart. I can't in In fact, prisoners control the vast majority good conscience remain silent about the hor­ open space inside a prison. But every w, rendous slaughter being committed in the and every entrance is still in the hands of tl name of (at best) state security and (at worst) guards, giving them total control. The san the survival of a particular race-nationalist can be said of Gaza since Israel withdrew approach to religion. Namely, my religion. troops from the strip— except that prisone If you take issue with what I write, please aren't usually deprived of food, water, ar take issue with what is actually written and medical supplies, as Gazans are thanks to I not what you want to read. Addressing the rael's total embargo. roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would Since 2001 , rockets fired from Gaza ha' require an entire series of columns, and even killed 20 Israelis. Since the Israeli withdraw that would just scratch the surface. I've spent from Gaza in 20 05 , over 1,500 Gazans ha\ much of my life passionately studying the been killed by Israeli "counter-terrorisr region and its politics, but I can't lay out my measures. In spite of this, the supposed entire case in this column. intractable terrorist group Hamas propose So instead I'm going to talk about rock­ signed, and adhered to a ceasefire with I ets, Gaza, and wanton death and destruc­ rael. This ceasefire was signed last summr tion. but breached in November when Israel kille First, let's examine Gaza. The Gaza strip six Gazans. And the last ceasefire negotiate is not the West Bank, where refugee camps with Hamas ended when Israel killed Ham; mix with historical towns to create a hybrid leader Sheikh Yassin, along with several b cityscape, and residents come from both the standers, in a rocket attack as they left West Bank and inside Israel proper. Almost all mosque. of Gaza's residents are Palestinian refugees Since the new assault on Gaza began who can trace their heritage to Israeli terri­ December over 500 Palestinians have bee tory. They're the victims of the population murdered in a matter of days. On Saturda dispersals of 1948 . Even hawkish, pro-Zionist a mosque in Jabaliya was bombed. Even Israeli historians— like Benny Morris— now we accept that Israel has the right to figl admit that these dispersals amounted to back— despite having broken the ceasefire ethnic cleansing (though they argue it was a the first place— the sheer disproportionalh necessary ethnic cleansing). Gaza has been a of its "response" is nothing short of a murde wretched, inhumane refugee camp since that ous rampage. It's blood on the hands of tw time, occupied first by Egypt, then by Israel.

Israeli politicians who are trying to out-toug Because of these conditions, Hamas— each other going into the 20 0 9 election. the nasty terrorist group responsible for Supporters of this rampage claim th; pioneering the suicide bombings that have Israel can't look weak in the face of Ham; terrorized Israeli citizens for years— has terrorism. Despite the appeal of this bu; gained massive support in the region. Hamas phrase, its Orwellian logic doesn't change th is often the only source of medical care and facts, erase history, or justify mass murder. I

I

FRESH HELL

One of the many reasons to hate Cleveland Z o e D a n iels ZKDANIELS@GMAIL.COM 've never been subjected to the apparently rampant incon­ venience of the holiday travel season. Normally, snow falls before or after I leave for Festivus. This year I was blessed (once again) with a last-day-of-exams exam, and I left Mon­ treal soon after it finished. When I got to the airport, it was snowing hard for the first time in my holiday travel memory.

My flight was finally deemed "DELAYED" about 20 minutes after it was supposed to leave. Thanks, Continental— I'd guessed as much. About an hour later I got on the world's smallest multiple-passenger jet and headed to Cleveland, just in time to miss my connecting flight.

I've never seen an airport more deserted than ClevelandHopkins that night. Our flight was literally the only one at the terminal. Upon "deplaning" we were directed to Continental customer service, where they informed us that there would be no departures that night due to bad weather. The next flight would leave Cleveland at ungodly-o'clock in the morn­ ing. I had $8, a Canadian Interac card, and my passport— all absolutely useless to get me a bed or a meal. While the Clevelandites on my flight scurried home, those of us unlucky

I

enough to live in worthwhile cities checked into the luxu­ rious Cleveland-Hopkins Hotel. Unfortunately the C-H, like most of Cleveland, closes early. It was only 10 p.m., but the hotel restaurant, newsstand, and even bathroom vending machines were all closed for the night. No matter— I man­ aged a healthy dinner of granola bar and trail mix unearthed from my sports-bag-come-carry-on. How serendipitous.

After this feast, I made my way to to my bed: a cozy plas­ tic bench behind a check-in desk. The maid service was non­ existent, but there were amenities: a complim entary news­ paper, a half-packet of M&Ms, and some used Kleenex. The desk clerk had also given each guest a tiny pillow and a blan­ ket of almost paper-thick lushness to pass the night. With my bags hooked around my extremities to prevent theft, I snuggled into an acute angle at the back of the chair. I truly hate overheating when I sleep and was pleasantly surprised to find that C-H keeps their rooms just above freezing. I fell asleep with visions of homicide dancing in my head.

When I awoke six hours later, my left side was entirely numb. C-H was now offering breakfast, and I was determined

to put my $8 to good use.

Allow me a moment to digress: being from Minnesot; I hadn't eaten a Montreal bagel until I was 18 years old. I my pre-St. Viateur years, I ate Einstein Brothers, Bruegger': and even the occasional Lender's refrigerator bagel. In othe words, my bagel of reference was the fat, chewy, boiled then-baked pride of New York. I think the Great America!

Bagel stand in the Cleveland airport had this same point o reference, but I'm not entirely sure. Although I ordered an ev erything bagel with cream cheese, I was served the severer fist of a pasty, overweight child who had just punched a birr feeder.

As I ate my bagel on the bench that had been my bee a family full of kids (with still unharvested hands) sat dowr nearby. They poked each other and snuck greedy glance at my breakfast. Licking the cream cheese off my lips it oc curred to me that the witch from Hansel and Gretel had ; point. Before I could construct a candy-cane snare, checkou time at the C-H was upon us. My impulse stifled, I brushec the birdseed off my lap and hurried onto the plane. ■

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07.01.09 • The McGill Tribune • 5

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EDITORIALS

Got milk? Yup. Got hormones? Maybe.

The SAQ wages the war against plastic

his week's feature examines Monsanto's questionable business prac­ tices in the world of genetically modified seeds. Unfortunately, Mon­ santo's lawsuits aren't limited to grain— they're also at the centre of a dispute over growth hormones and milk.

At the centre of the storm is recombinant bovine somatotropin, a syn­ thetic growth hormone produced through gene splicing. rBST increases the amount of milk a cow produces, and is exclusively distributed by Monsanto under the name Posilac. Monsanto insists that rBST is perfectly safe and has no impact on the milk produced by rBST-treated cows. However, the scientif­ ic evidence is ambiguous: Monsanto cites studies that support their position, but rBST has also been linked to health problems in treated cows.

Health Canada has banned rBST since 1998 , and there are similar bans in Australia, the European Union, and New Zealand. But many cattle in the United States are treated with rBST, and Monsanto is fighting to keep it that way.

Monsanto's greatest enemy is consumers: in recent years, the demand for organic and traditionally-produced milk has skyrocketed. In response, many American milk producers have started labelling their milk as rBST-free.

However, many of these producers have also faced legal action from Mon­ santo, which claims the labels are misleading.

Monsanto's desire to keep rBST-related claims off milk labels (or ac­ company them with long disclaimers) is hardly surprising. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the use of Posilac in America has declined significantly since 20 0 2 . But even in the absence of conclusive evi­ dence on the impact of rBST on cows, milk producers should be allowed to label their product freely. Plenty of other beverages— from bottled water to sports drinks— are labelled with clinically insignificant information.

And, more importantly, consumers are clearly interested. According to a 2007 Consumer Reports National Research Center poll, 88 per cent of re­ spondents thought that milk from cows not treated with rBST should be al­ lowed to be labelled as such.

In the world of milk, as in the world of seeds, Monsanto relies on litiga­ tion to maintain their bottom line. But instead of dragging food producers into costly and extended legal battles, they should develop a product the market actually wants. ■

his year will bring some major improvements at the Quebec Li­ quor Corporation (SAQ). Unfortunately, stocking a half-decent selection of beverages isn't one of those im provements. But re­ ducing waste is one of them . As of last Thursday, the SAQ is no longer giving out single-use bags— paper or plastic— to customers.

It's the latest step in a green initiative that was announced last year. In September, the Tribune reported on a charge— ranging from five to 15 cents— that was introduced for all plastic bags as part of the same initiative. We're glad to see that the SAQ has gone one step further, and we hope more retailers in Quebec will follow suit.

Single-use plastic bags are an unparalleled example of unneces­ sary waste. It's estimated that between 5 0 0 billion and one trillion plastic bags are consumed w orldwide every year. At best, some of them will be recycled. At worst, they'll either fill up landfills or drift out to sea— with significant ecological consequences.

Realistically, consumption fees are the only way to reduce plastic bag use. The record also shows that punitive fees are more effective.

In 2 0 0 2 , Ireland introduced a 33 -cents-per-bag tax, accompanied by a publicity cam paign. There was a 9 4 per cent reduction in plastic bag use almost im m ediately and, as the New York Times put it, Ireland "is well into the post-plastic-bag era," and asking for plastic has become "socially unacceptable."

Although it's only a minor inconvenience, switching to reusable bags is a change most consumers are unwilling to make on their own.

An economic incentive is needed to change attitudes: the cost of plas­ tic must outweigh the inconvenience of cloth. We've seen some early steps in Quebec: for example, a number of Quebec retailers currently offer a five-cent credit for custom ers who bring their own bags.

But forfeiting a small credit isn't nearly enough to dissuade those who choose plastic. Either steep per-bag fees or outright prohibi­ tions are required. The Tribune therefore applauds the SAQ's deci­ sion to send single-use plastic bags the way of the dinosaur. Now, we can only hope they start selling more products worth bringing home. Only in Quebec does six bottles constitute a "selection" of Irish whiskeys. ■

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O nline Editor

Kaylea H ow arth

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Beer pong in the digital era

Publisher

Chad Ronalds

Contributors

Zoe Daniels, Ethan Feldman, Arielle Frank, Bryan Lin,Tim othy Mak, Max Silverman, Katherine Stavro,Trip Yang

Tribune O ffices

Editorial Shatner University Centre Suite no, 3480 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A1X9 T: 514398.6789 E: info@mcgilltribune.com Advertising Brown Student Building Suite 12 00 ,3 60 0 McTavish Montreal, QC H3A1Y2 T: 514398.6835 F: 514398.7490

Kaylea H owarth he first college fraternities in the United States were established in the early 1 8 0 0 s.

They were created to serve communities, enable professional advancem ent, and foster scholastic . achievem ent— popular alcoholic drinking games probably weren't the type of comm unity service they had in mind. But the association between frat parties and drinking games is so w idely recognized that when JV Games introduced a virtual adaptation of beer pong for the Nintendo Wii, they released it as part of a series entitled Fraf Party Games.

The game's release caused much controver­ sy because many people felt it glorified under­ age drinking. JV Games responded by changing the game's name from Beer Pong which earned a rating o f"T for Teen" (13+) from the Entertain­ ment Software Rating Board to Pong Toss with a rating of "E for Everyone" by removing all ref­ erences to alcohol within the game. Funny— I didn't realize that there was a virtual reality drinking age, or that it was 13.

The real-life version of beer pong has also caused its share of controversy. Several universi­

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ties have banned the game, along with any of its paraphernalia, from residences. Many local gov­ ernments have also ordered its removal from bars. Even JV Games' virtual solution of sub­ stituting water for beer isn't enough for some universities, which have banned the playing of beer pong with water for fear of water intoxica­ tion. Pong Toss may take the drinking out of the game, but universities w ant to take the game out of their campuses altogether.

Call me a buzz killer, but, if nothing else, at least virtual beer pong-players don't run the risk of catching an infection from cups shared by dozens of unknown fellow party guests. They also don't have to think about how dirty the ping pong ball floating in their beverage truly is. These concerns may help take your mind off how bad the beer tastes— until one of your op­ ponents sinks another one of your cups.

By introducing beer pong— excuse me, Pong Toss— to a school-aged generation of avid Wii players, JV Games is perpetuating the asso­ ciation of drinking games, fraternities, and col­ lege life. The problems that universities are cur­

rently trying to remedy will only intensify with each freshman class. Even in the cleaned-up version of the game, subtle reminders of beer pong's true intent remain: one strategy in Pong Toss is to "slow down your opponent." Don't think about that one too long.

One of the ESRB's arguments giving Pong Toss a lax rating draws on the examples of racing games or Grand Theft Auto: young gamers may drive recklessly and ransack neighbourhoods in virtual reality, but that doesn't mean they're going to climb into the family car and start a high-speed chase. Yet the influence of games like Grand Theft Auto has also been hotly debat­ ed— fighting controversy with controversy isn't very effective.

As beer pong continues to increase in popularity, its virtual counterpart will become more and more relevant to underage gamers who want to emulate the college party culture.

Gone are the days of the original Nintendo Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt. Just imagine the pledge class of 2018 — or how good their handeye coordination will be. ■

The McGill Tribune is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the Students’ Society of McGill University in collaboration with theTribune Publication Society. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the Students'Society or McGill University. Letters to the editor may be sent to letters@mcgilltribune.com and must include the contributor's name, program and year and contact information. Letters should be kept under 300 words and submitted only to the Tribune. Submissions judged by the Tribune Publication Society to be libellous, sexist, racist, homophobic or solely promotional in nature will not be published. The Tribune reserves the right to edit all contributions. Editorials are decided upon and written by the editorial board. All other opinions are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the McGill Tribune, its editors or its staff. Please recycle this newspaper.

F EATURES Of plants and p a te n ts M eg h n a M a r ja d i a n d C a ro lyn Y a t es

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— Monsanto is ready to round up seed patent violators

Monsanto Canada Inc. will go to court on January 15 to settle a case with four farmers who allegedly illegally grew, harvested, and sold products developed from patented Monsanto seeds.

The McGill Tribune contacted the farmers involved, but none were willing to com­ ment before they go to court.

The January hearing follows Monsanto's December settlement with three Quebec farmers growing Roundup Ready canola without a license. The farmers agreed to pay $200 per acre.

Monsanto uses genetic engineering to produce the herbicide-resistant Roundup Ready, a line that includes seeds for regular and high-yield soybeans, canola, and highyield corn. Monsanto also offers other lines of enhanced crops that provide insect pro­ tection, weed control, and higher yields. Currently, Monsanto holds between a 70 and 100 per cent market share of various genetically engineered crops.

Monsanto prosecutes farmers who use their patented products without a license.

The company encourages people who sus­ pect patent infringement to call a toll-free number to report their claims. In the instance of the Quebec farmers, Monsanto spokesper­ son Trish Jordan said that people in the area alerted Monsanto to the patent infringement.

"We were told by people in [the farmers'] area that they thought that these guys were growing Roundup Ready canola without a li­ cense," says Jordan. "We checked their fields and it was Roundup Ready ... They weren't ac­ cused of it. They admitted that they knowingly planted seeds [without a license]."

But Monsanto's field auditing techniques have come under criticism. The May 2 0 0 8 issue of Vanity Fair included an account of Monsanto's lawsuit against Gary Rinehart, the owner of a small country store in Eagleville, Missouri. Rinehart was charged by Monsanto with patent infringement— despite the fact that he neither farms nor deals with seeds— based on observations by investigator Jeffery Moore. After bringing Rinehart to court, Monsanto eventually realized Moore had accused the wrong person.

"Monsanto relies on a shadowy army of private investigators and agents in the American heartland to strike fear into farm country. They fan out into fields and farm towns, where they secretly videotape and photograph farmers, store owners, and co­ ops; infiltrate community meetings; and gather information from informants about farming activities," Vanity Fair reported.

Jordan, however, insists that Monsanto's tactics are legitimate.

"We do audit sur­ veys every year and 9 0 per cent [of farmers] go through the audit and have no issue with it.

Obviously people who are stealing the technol­ ogy are going to be a little bit more difficult to work with, but the audit program is conducted completely within the law," says Jordan. "We cannot enter anybody's land without their per­ mission. If we believe there is an expected violation we have to, number one, work with the grower to resolve that, and number two, have evidence that that is indeed the case."

In addition, Jordan notes that the people who complete the audits aren't Mon­ santo employees, but are rather just contracted for the job.

The threat of random audits prevents most farmers who legally buy Monsanto seeds from breaching contract guidelines, but they don't always address farmers who acquire seeds illegally.

"When a grower is purchasing seeds illegally in the first place, we are not going to know about [it] unless somebody tells us," says Jordan. "Usually it could be another farmer, it could be a neighbour, it could be the local retail outlet. In those situations sometimes we check them out, and there are no issues; the guy has a contract and he is doing everything perfectly legally. In other situations that's not the case, and that was the case with these three [Quebec] growers. They had never purchased the tech­ nology properly in the first place and they had used the seed."

Farmers who purchase Monsanto seeds must sign a contract agreeing that they will not use the purchased seeds for more than one growing season or save any seeds

from the season's crop (tradi­ tionally, farmers keep seeds from one crop to use for the next). Instead, farmers who are Monsanto customers must purchase new Monsan­ to seeds every year.

"Agronomically, it's going to give you your best chance at productive crop if you purchase new seed every y e a r ... If you're a grower that feels adamant about saving and reusing seeds we have no problem with it. You can save and reuse seed all you want, just don't save and reuse the seed that has our technology in it," says Jordan. She admits that not everyone will agree with the agronomic benefits of buying new seed.

"I think there is a lack of knowledge," says Professor Jasminder Singh from McGill's Department of Plant Science. "But I understand that in some cases there are some self-pollinated crops where the seeds can be grown the next year, and in those cases sometimes companies want the farmers to still buy seeds from them."

In the case of the Quebec farmers, the battle with Monsanto is over. But for the farmers in Ontario, and others, the worst is yet to come. ■

CLOCKWISE STARTING FROM UPPER LEFT, DENNISFLOOD.COM, NOSTALGIAFARMS.COM. 3D-IMAGES.WS, BL0GSP0T.C0M

Student L iving X VS. Y

SnowAP vs. OAP

Open Air Pub

SnowAP Timing: Set in the cheerful days at the end of the summer when all you want to do is sit outside and drink with friends you haven't seen for months.

Timing: Set during the first weeks of the winter semester, the coldest, most depressing time of the year, and therefore the best time to get drunk.

Seasonal setting: The warm weather makes those beers even more refreshing, and you can stay until the end of the night without getting cold.

Seasonal set­ ting: The frigid winter wind makes getting to and from the event a painful quest, and the cold even finds its way into the tent.

Extra drinking is, of course, required to stay warm.

Entertainment: Bands are often loud and annoying at OAP, but there are so many pr someone to distract you.

BIGWHITETENT.CA

En tertain m en t: This year the music is supposed to be carefully selected to keep the crap away, but if a band does suck, there's no escaping the noise within the confines of the tent.

Shelter: Getting drunk in a big, white, heated tent is an enjoy­ able novelty, but when it's really cold the only warm seats are those right beside the heaters.

Winner: OAP SnowAP does the best it can with the cold weather— and the tent sure is fun— but OAP wins by a large margin for being set during a time when your beer does not start to frost over. ■

Concurrent drinking events: The most boisterous event of the year, Carnival, takes place during SnoAP, bringing loud, colourful teams to the tent for their first drinking activities of the evening, spic­ ing up SnowAP considerably.

Shelter: The leafy canopy above the Three Bares pro­ vides a nice shelter from the sun if you need it, although when it rains the event clears out pretty fast.

MCGILL.CA

Concurrent drinking events: Frosh takes place during part of OAP, although it has little effect on it. Most first years stay away from the fenced-in drinking area, preferring to get drunk on the lower field while their fed-up Frosh leaders take a break by the Three Bares.

— Laura Tindal

rFOOD GURU C a m p u s C a le n d a r

French onion soup Standard and vegetarian versions of a classic C r y s t a l C han Nothing warms you to the core like French onion soup— preferably bubbling over with melted cheese— and paired with a side of salad, the soup is hearty enough to be a meal. Most importantly, this "fancy restaurant" staple's ingredients are actually very simple and— except for the cheese— dirt-cheap.

The recipe usually turns out well, even for first-time makers, but with a little practice and creativity you can play with the thickness and the richness of flavour, and add ad­ ditional ingredients for a different taste. My greatest battle with this soup has been finding a vegetarian version that still has the robustness o f the original, which uses beef stock. The following recipe is the result of several failed at­ tempts and a lot of fine-tuning.

4.

5.

6.

7.

In g re d ie n ts

• • • • • • • • •

5-6 large onions, finely sliced (red or yellow) 3/4 cups white or red wine 1 bay leaf

Fresh thyme or rosemary to taste 1V2 loaf crusty bread (day-old is best) 1V2 cups Gruyère or other cheese (see below), grat­ ed 5 cups chicken and/or beef stock OR 5 cups mushroom or vegetable stock 1-3 incredients from the following: soy sauce, miso, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, about 1-2 tbsp each

8.

soup needs a meaty, salty broth, so most vegetable bullions taste too plain and too much like cabbage; solve this by using mushroom stock instead. Add your own mushrooms (shitake or Portobello are best) for more flavour; potato skins and leeks also add bite. Season with extra salt and add pepper. Now add a combination of 1-3 of the following; soy, miso, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce to taste, about 2-5 tsps in total.

Cut the bread into medium-sized chunks (think over­ sized crutons). Sprinkle with olive oil and place in an oven on low heat until toasted.

Once onions are browned add wine and scrape up any bottom bits.

Add stock, bay leaf, herbs, and season to taste. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30-60 minutes.

To serve, ladle soup into four individual oven-safe bowls, divide croutons evenly over the bowls, and sprinkle the cheese on top.

Broil for five minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Additional cheeses: Regardless of the base, French onion soup gets most of its distinctive texture from the cheese on top. In addition to the Gruyère listed above, pos­ sible cheeses include: Swiss, Emmenthal, and an additional 1 tbsp. of Parmesan on top of the main cheese.

In s tru c tio n s 1.

2.

3.

In a large soup pot over low heat, heat olive oil or but­ ter and add onions.

Cover and cook on low heat, for 1-3 hours (the lon­ ger the better), stirring occasionally. The onions will brown, slush, and shrink.

If making stock from scratch, start now. French onion

MEGANANDMICHA.COM ___

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07.01.09 • The McGill Tribune • 8

www.mcgilltribune.com

MINDFUNK

Fingerpaint the pain away Art therapy can be an alternative means of healing many injuries Katherine S tavro Homeopathy, psychotherapy, placebos, and even hypnosis are popular alternative treatment methods that break away from pill-popping remedies. Art therapy, in­ cluding visual, dramatic, and musical incarnations, is one alternative, and provides a personalized outlet for individ­ ual expression. Combining art and psychotherapy, it has become influential in the rehabilitation process as it assists communication between the therapist and the patient.

Images and colours may represent strong emotional states more accurately than words, while more precisely defin­ ing emotional intensity. As a result, art allows expression which is free from the intellectual barriers and suppression of information that often limit expression through spoken language.

A therapist may begin an art-based therapeutic ses-

TIMEOUT.COM

sion by suggesting that the individual focus on a feeling or event; then, he or she is given free reign to express that feeling or event through art. The individual can choose whatever medium, colours, and textures which will facili­ tate expression. Once completed, the therapist and indi­ vidual discuss the meanings behind the creation.

Individuals who face emotional conflicts or have low self-esteem can benefit from art therapy because it allows them to build better social skills, change behaviours, and improve both coping skills and problem solving strate­ gies.

Even those who can't advance beyond stick figures, can benefit from art therapy. The quality of the work pro­ duced is insignificant. Rather, self-expression, self-discov­ ery, and personal development are the focus.The resulting art is simply a form of communication.

Art therapy is not limited to paintbrushes and sketch­ pads. Music therapy uses rhythms and melodies to pro­ mote mental, physical, and emotional functions. Combin­ ing psychological and musical parameters, the therapist uses music to affect the patient's emotions and social be­ haviours.

Music therapy is widely used in neurological rehabili­ tation since it positively affects the motor system. Patients suffering from Parkinson's disease have shown improve­ ment in their ability to organize and perform movements after treatment.

Stroke patients also benefit from music therapy, which may lead to a better mood, motivation and a faster recovery. Additionally music therapy may reduce patient fatigue, anxiety and hostility.

Drama therapy is another variation, and combines psychotherapy and theatre to evoke personal change. It helps develop social skills, strengthens the ego, and pro­ motes an active approach to solving emotional problems.

Drama therapy can be used in psychiatric hospitals, nurs­ ing homes, day treatment centres, centres for the physi-

XMISSION.COM cally, developmental^, or learning disabled, schools, and businesses.

All different forms of art therapy rely on the idea that creativity and non-verbal expression can be used to com­ municate with a therapist. Self-expression through art lets individuals cope with difficult conditions. The healing powers of art combined with the principles of psychother­ apy have proved powerful restorative tools for individuals dealing with mental, physical, and learning disabilities. ■

GIZMOS & GADGETS

The Ultimate Coffee Cup Carolyn Yates

W ITH CARLETON UNIVERSITY HAS A PROGRAM THAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU Carleton University offers more than 100 graduate programs for you to choose from:

The Faculty of G raduate Studies & R esearch

■ 28 engineering and design programs including industrial design; electrical, computer, aerospace and biomedical engineering ■ 19 public affairs programs including international affairs, public administration, journalism and political science ■ 32 science programs including computer science, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and earth sciences ■ 29 arts and social sciences programs including public history, behavioural neuroscience, music and culture, and linguistics ■ MBA and PhD in Management programs Benefit from our convenient location in the heart of Canada's capital, the option to study full- or part-time, and over $30M in financial support.

Find out why a Carleton graduate program is right for you.

Visit our website for more information or to apply today.

carleton.ca/graduate-studies

Carleton U N I V E R S I T Y

Canada’s Capital University

Classic coffee drinking now has a new "ergonomically correct" incarna­ tion. Lux-Delux Design has developed a cup that is a twist on the classic, but much more boring, coffee mug. The Ultimate Coffee Cup is made of fine white lead-free porcelain and has an oval body, curved rim, and fitted handle.

"By sculpting my prototype from a lump of clay using only the simplest of hand tools, the design no longer is dictated by the design process," says David Pier, owner of Lux-Delux Design, on his website.

The cup is available in eight or 12 ounce sizes, and can come with or without a matching saucer that doubles as a lid. The cups are available in limited edition pastel, candy, chartreuse, brown, and co­ balt blue glazes, although the standard colour is white.

There is also the Almost Ultimate Coffee Cup, which is just as functional as the original but has tiny cos­ metic flaws, and is several dollars cheaper. ■

LUXDELUX.COM

TRAVEL

Lions and leopards and gorillas! Oh my!

A guide to four of Rwanda and Uganda's spectacular national parks A d am S co tti There may not be any tigers, bears, or yellow brick roads, but the national parks of Uganda and Rwanda offer enough stunning views and abundant wildlife to keep you on the edge of your car seat.

Rwanda has two national parks of note for first time visi­ tors to Africa. Akagera Game Park sits only three hours out­ side of Kigali and is accesible by a well-paved road. The park offers a savanna landscape surrounded by ever-present roll­ ing hills. The park entrance is situated on one of the larger hills in the area, and spotters remain at the gate (perhaps the best vantage point in the park) to direct guides to areas where different animals are roaming while you are on your game drive. While the dirt roads are less than stellar, even for African standards, the guides are very well trained and knowl­ edgeable about the park and its inhabitants. There is no need to stay overnight at the park or spend more than $200 (U.S.) per night on a two star hotel in Akagera since a day trip from Kigali is more than viable.

Many of the animals in the park were killed off during the genocide; as a result réintroduction programs aim to in­ crease the elephant and lion populations in the coming years.

Hippos, zebras, and Thompson's gazelles are easy enough to find, as well as a large variety of birds that Rwanda is known for. Thanks to their abundance on the "giraffe loop road," visi­ tors spot the Maasai Giraffe on a regular basis. Should you be lucky enough, you may spot the handful of elephants that normally roam the northern part of the park, which is less ac­ cessible due to poor road conditions.

Queen Elizabeth Park in South Eastern Uganda is only seven hours from both Kampala and Kigali. The Ugandan Wildlife Authority offers subpar guided tours, but the park's good roads and map make the self-drive option very easy.

The park encompasses a variety of ecosystems, ranging from savanna to rainforest— and everything in between. QE Park is best known for the lions that seek refuge in the trees of the Ishasha sector of the park, while also offering regular leopard sightings. Ugandan cob and waterbuck are easily spotted and almost make you forget about the lack of zebras.

For those who are not as interested in wildlife, a trip to the equator is only 15 minutes from the main gate, still on the main road, and always provides for fun photos and interest­ ing conversations, such as figuring out which way the toilet flushes on each hemisphere— don't be fooled by the cheap water tricks.

There are a handful of lodges in the area. Mweya Safari Lodge of­ fers middle-of-the-road prices that include three meals per day along with views of the Kazinga channel and Lake Edward. People who want to spend less can stay at the hostel next to the lodge and still access the pool and restaurant at Mweya Lodge. Visitors can enjoy a gin and tonic by the pool while watching hippos and elephants in the water below— an unforgettable experi­ ence. Hotel guests should keep an eye out for the resident hippo that comes to graze on the hotel's lawn after sunset, and if you're brave, you can stand only feet away from the massive mammal. The UWA also offers two-hour boat rides along the channel, during which you will be mere feet away from hippos, elephants, and cape buf­ falo. If you somehow get bored of those animals check out the open deck above to take in the beauti­ ful sights or look out for the large variety of birds over the water. Nu­ merous kingfisher species grace the skies looking for fish while African fish eagles are easily spotted on the trees bordering the water. The most common sighting is the large herd of African elephants in the Mweya peninsula. The elephants are almost always accompanied by newborn or teenaged elephants that provide for exciting game viewing and pictures as the teen­ agers practice fighting and the babies play with their moth­ ers'trunks.

Both Rwanda and Uganda offer the opportunity to view gorillas at close proximity, some even brushing by you as they look for food. Rwanda offers more options in terms of hikes and length of hikes. Although an expensive attraction at $500 (U.S.), the experience is remarkable and you can take some consolation in the fact that a small percentage of that money is given back to the surrounding communities through vari-

PHOTOS BY ADAM SCOTTI ous projects. Ruhengeri is only three to four hours from Kigali, and offers a range of basic and upscale lodging options. The Muhabura hotel is a Ruhengeri staple for decent food, good atmosphere, and decent double rooms for under $50 (U.S.).

Should you be venturing to the mountainous parts of both countries you will want to bring a sweater and long pants as the evenings are cool and refreshing after the days spent under the scorching sun at lower altitudes.

Rwanda and Uganda may not be the most well-known safari destinations but they offer wonderful sights, interest­ ing cultures, and ever-present reminders of their tumultuous past. ■

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FITNESS AND RECREATION COURSES DAY &TIME

COURSE

COST

WKS

I AQUATICS 39.86/57.59

8

Adults Learn To Swim (Level 1 Beginner) Adults Learn To Swim (Level 2 & 3 Intermediate) Swim Fit (Cardio-Respiratory Endurance)

Monday Saturday Wednesday Saturday Tues & Thurs

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Wednesday

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8

Friday Monday Wednesday Friday

16:30-18:25 18:00-18:55 18:00-18:55 18:30-21:55

79.74101.89 39.87/62.02 39.87/62.02 35.44

10 10 10 20

Wednesday Tuesday (beqinner) Tuesday Thursday Friday Tues & Thurs Tues & Thurs Monday Thursday Monday

19:00-20:25 18:00-18:55 19:00-19:55 19:00-19:55 18:00-18:55 17:00-18:25 18:30-19:55 19:00-20:25 18:00-18:55 20:30-21:55

53.15/75.31 39.87/62.02

84.17/128.46 84.17/128.46 53.15/75.31 39.87/62.02 53.15/75.31

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Saturday Mon & Wed Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Saturday, TBA Sunday, TBA TBA Sunday Mon & Wed

17:00-17:55 19:00-19:55 12:00-12:55 12:00-12:55 19:00-19:55 18:00-18:55 17:00-17:55 17:00-17:55 09:00-17:00

39.87/84.17 39.87/84.17 20.38/42.53 39.87/84.17 39.87/84.17 39.87/84.17 39.87/84.17 39.87/84.17 79.74/88.60

10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 1

Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Friday Wednesday Mon & Wed Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Friday Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Saturday Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Saturday Thursday

09:00-17:00 11:00-11:55 08:00-08:55 16:00-16:55 18:15-19:25 19:30-20:40 08:00-08:55 16:00-16:55 17:00-18:10 17:00-18:10 18:30-19:40 18:00-18:55 18:00-18:55 16:30-17:55 19:00-21:55 17:00-17:55 19:00-19:55 13:00-14:10 14:30-15:40 13:00-13:55 17:00-17:55 12:00-12:55 08:00-08:55 18:00-19:25 11:00-11:55 20:00-21:25

48.73/53.16 31.01/53.16 42.53/77.96 42.53/77.96 66.45/110.74 53.16/88.60 53.16/97.46 42.53/77.96 53.16/88.60 53.16/88.60 66.45/110.74 39.87/84.17 62.02/106.31 46.96/69.10 221.50/252.50 53.16/97.46 53.16/97.46 66.45/110.74 39.87/62.02 53.16/97.46 53.16/97.46 26.58/48.73 62.02/106.31 93.03/137.32 20.38/42.53 31.89/49.61

1 10 8 8 10 8 10 8 8 8 10 10 10 10 14 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 8

Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Monday & Friday Tues & Thurs Tues & Thurs Tues & Thurs Tues & Thurs Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Mon & Wed Tues & Thurs Mon & Wed Mon & Wed Mon & Wed

12:15-13:00 12:30-13:15 12:15-13:00 12:15-13:00 13:00-13:45 12:15-13:00 13:00-13:45 12:00-12:45 12:15-13:00 12:15-13:00 12:00-12:45 12:15-13:00 13:00-13:45 13:00-13:45 13:00-13:45 13:00-13:45

$13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29 $13.29

13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13

Jazz 1& II Jazz II & III Latin Dance Lindy Hop 1- Swing Dance Social Dance FITN ESS & W E L LN E S S Abs, Back & Bootie Body Design Body Works Boot Camp Cardio Jam C la s s ic Cardio CPR\First Aid C P R Re-Cert De-Tox Cycle Hatha Yoga 1

Tues & Thurs

Hatha Yoga II Kick, Punch, Jive & Jam Pedal Jam Pedal & Pump Personal Trainer Development Pilâtes

Pilâtes 1 & Il Power Yoga

Spin Spin & Trim Step Tai Chi ST A FF FITN ESS Aqua Fitness Badminton Belly Dancing Body Design - Adv Body Design - Intro Dance Aerobics Hatha Yoga 1 Hatha Yoga II Pilâtes - Intro Pilâtes - Advanced Power Yoga Lite R e ce ss Spin Stretch & Strength Tai Chi Tennis

2 [X] 9

T E R

REGISTRATION INFORMATION • Register in the Client Services Office of the Sports Centre - Monday through Friday 08:30 - 20h00 hrs. • Non-members registered in courses may use the facility only during tneir designated class times.

• Most classes begin the week of January 12, 2009 • Instructional classes are suspended from February 22-28 due to McGill' Study Break. • Pay-As-You-Go classes begin January 12 and run until April 25, 2009. Pay-As-You-Go classes will continue to be offered during the February Study Break. • Classes will not be held April 10,12, 13 2009 • Full-time McGill students may register at the member's rate. Prices do not include GST & PST

DAYS TIME

COURSE SPO RTS Fencing I Fencinq II Hockey I Hockey II Skating

Squash Intro

Squash Inter

Tennis Intro

Tennis Inter

Tennis Advanced

MARTIAL A R TS Aikido Capoeira Judo Karate Kendo Kickboxinq Kickboxinq - Savate 1 Kickboxing - Savate II Tae Kwon Do Shaolin Kung Fu

Fitn ess Appraisal (Private) Personal Training (Private) Personal Training (Semi-Private) Skating (Private) Skating (Semi-Private) Squash (Private) Squash (Semi-Private) Swim (Private) Swim (Semi-Private) Tennis (Private) Tennis (Semi-Private)

8

44.30/79.74 52.27/69.99

8 8

51.39/69.10 35.44/53.16

8

23.92/37.21

6

23.92/37.21

6

31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18 31.89/45.18

6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6

18:00-19:55 17:00-19:55 16:30-17:55 17:30-19:25 19:30-21:25 20:00-21:55 09:00-10:55 15:00-16:25 20:30-21:55 19:00-20:25 19:30-21:25 20:00-21:55

88.60/132.89

10

79.74/146.18 70.88/115.17 70.88/115.17 70.88/115.17

10 10 10 10

53.16/97.46 53.16/97.46 53.16/97.46 70.88/115.17 70.88/115.17

10 10 10 10 10

13:30-15:25 13:30-15:25 13:00-16:00 10:00-13:00 13:00-16:00 All Day

141.75/150.61 141.75/150.61 22.15/26.58 22.15/26.58 22.15/26.58 46.95/51.38

6 6 1 1 1

18:00-18:55 17:00-17:55 18:00-18:55 17:00-17:55 17:30-18:25 18:00-18:55 12:00-12:55

2.21 2.21 2.21 2.21 2.21 2.21 2.21

08:00-08:55 20:00-20:55 20:00-20:55 13:30-14:45 15:00-16:15 15:00-16:15 10:30-11:20 11:30-12:20 16:00-16:45 17:30-18:15 16:45-17:30 17:30-18:15 12:15-13:00 13:00-13:45 16:00-16:45 16:45-17:30 08:30-09:15 09:15-10:00 14:30-15:15 15:15-16:00 16:00-16:45 10:45-11:30 11:30-12:15 16:45-17:30 17:30-18:15 11:30-12:15 12:15-13:00 15:00-15:55 16:00-16:55 09:00-09:55 11:00-11:55 14:00-14:55 16:00-16:55 15:00-15:55 16:00-16:55 16:00-16:55 14:00-14:55 10:00-10:55

Tuesday & Friday Mon, Wed, Friday Mon & Wed Mon & Wed Tuesday & Saturday Mon & Wed Tue & Thurs Tue & Thurs Mon & Wed Tue & Thurs

Saturday Sunday Friday, January 23 C ro ss Country Skiing Sat, Janu ary 24 Sun, January 25 Sun, Janu ary 18 Snowshoeing Sun, February 1 Saturday, March 14 FITN ES S & W E L L N E S S (PAY-AS-YOU-GO STEP Monday Tuesday TA E BOX Wednesday BOOT CAMP BODY DESIGN Thursday Friday POW ER YOG A Friday SPIN Sunday A E R O B IC S by by by by by by by by by by by

WKS

44.30/79.74

Mon & Wed Tue & Thurs Mon & Wed Friday Friday Wednesday Saturday Saturday Monday Monday Tuesday Tuesday W ednesday W ednesday Thursday Thursday Friday Friday Friday Friday Friday Saturday Sunday Monday Thursday Saturday Sunday Monday Thursday Friday Friday Monday Tuesday W ednesday Thursdav Tuesday Wednesday Friday

Equestrian

COST

appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment appointment

o r www.athletics.mcgill.ca

44.30/48.73 44.30/48.73 30.12/34.55 17.72/22.15 12.40/16.83 21.26/25.69 15.06/19.49 17.72/22.15 12.40/16.83 23.92/28.35 15.95/20.38

1.5 1.25 hrs 1.25 hrs 1/2 hr 1/2 hr 45 min 45 min 1/2 hr 1/2 hr 1 hr 1 hr

McGill ATH LE TIC S & R EC R E A TIO N

CAMP US RECREATION

INTRAMURAL SPORTS DIVISIONS

CO ST

REG ISTRA TIO N DA TES

B A LL H O CKEY

Men Women

$150.00 per team

November 24 9:00, January 8, 17:00

BA SKETBA LL

Men Women

$150.00 per team

D O D G EBA LL

Co-Rec

$150.00

INDOOR SO CCER

Men Women Corée

IN N ER TU BE W A TER PO LO V O LLEYBA LL

# PLA YERS TO R E G IS T E R

GAM E DAYS

LOCATION

8

Mon & Tues Sunday

Fieldhouse A&B

November 24 9:00, January 8, 17:00

8

Tues, to Fri. weekends

Gymnasium 1&2

November 24 9:00 January 8, 17:00

4 Men & 4 women

Mon & Tues Sundays

Fieldhouse A&B

$150.00 per team

November 24 9:00, January 8, 17:00

8 4 Men & 4 Women

Mon. to Fri. weekends

Fieldhouse C&D

Co-Rec

$150.00 per team

November 24 9:00, January 8, 17:00

4 Men & 4 Women

Weekends

Currie Pool

Men Women Corée

$150.00 per team

November 24 9:00, January 8, 17:00

8 4 Men & 4 Women

Mon. to Fri

Gymnasium 3 &4 Fieldhouse A&B

PLEASE NOTE THAT REGISTRATION DEADLINES ARE STRICTLY ENFORCED - SPACE IN MOST SPORTS IS LIMITED - REGISTER EARLY !

Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Equipment Rentals

OFFICIALS & TIMERS Are you looking for work?

Applications are now being accepted for officiating and timer positions in the McGill Intramural Program for the following sports:

Ball Hockey, Basketball, Dodgeball, Indoor Soccer, and Innertube Waterpolo Please forward your resume (.doc) to perry.karnofsky@mcgill.ca or

fax 514-398-4901

Cross country ski and snowshoe equipment is available for rental by McGill students, faculty and staff and Sports Complex members.

Sam e D ay

O v e r n ig h t

2 N ig h ts

3 N ig h ts

4 N ig h ts

W eek

Poles Boots Skis

$2.00 $4.00 $5.00

$3.00 $5.00 $7.00

$4.00 $6.00 $9.00

$5.00 $7.00 $11.00

$6.00 $8.00 $15.00

$7.00 $9.00 $19.00

Ski or Snowshoe Package

$10.00

$12.00

$15.00

$20.00

$25.00

$30.00

Study Break $30.00 Feb. 20 to Mar. 2,2009 Package Group rates are available for 10 or more people.

h Hours

Experience and/or officiating certification preferred.

of Operation: As of December 1, 2008 Monday to Friday Saturday and Sunday 08h30 - 22h00 0 9 h 1 5 -2 0 h 3 0

Rental fees must be paid at Client Services (Office G-20C) o f McGill Sports Center.

McGill A T H L E T IC S & R EC R E A TIO N

IN FO R M A TIO N : 514-398-7011 www. at hl et i cs. mcgi l l . ca

A rts & E ntertainment BEST OF 2009

Could be Good in 2009 Kid's movies, folk rock, and comedy TV will be this year's highlights Film There are movies other than the new Harry Potter coming out in 2 0 0 9 — unfortunately most o f them are sequels. The most promising upcoming films are mostly those that straddle the line between kid and adult films— it seems that in 2 0 0 9 we want to go back to our innocent days o f childhood while bringing our darkness with us. Here are a few worth checking out:

Nine. With a stellar cast including Nicole Kidman, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, and Daniel Day-Lewis— who is almost automatically nominated for an award the second he is at­ tached to a script— and directed by Rob Marshall (Chicago), this movie would have to work really hard to be bad. The film focusses on the life of Guido Contini, a film director struggling with his lack of ideas and his surplus of women. Oscars are very likely to be in its future. (December).

Up. Pixar's latest movie is raising eyebrows for not ap­ pealing to children as much as other upcoming computeranimated films like the new Ice Age or Dreamworks' Monsters vs. Aliens. Yet Pixar has always won favour with audiences of all ages, even with kid-friendly films such as Finding Nemo and Wall-E. The story centres on a 78 -year-old man who finally de­ cides to go on an adventure, using balloons to lift his home up into the sky and around the world. Up is sure to be smart, funny, and of course, beautifully animated. (May).

The Im aginarium o f D o ctor Parnassus. Already famous for being Heath Ledger's last project, the film's director Terry Gilliam (Twelve Monkeys, Monty Python & The Quest for the Holy Grail) dealt with the loss of his star by supplementing him with three of the hottest actors around. Tom is played by Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell, as he travels through a dream world to rescue Dr. Parnassus'daughter (Lily Cole) from the Devil, Dr. Nick (played by musician Tom Waits).

(September).

Sunshine Cleaning. What looks like the next Little Miss Sunshine is the quirky tale of two sisters who turn to crimescene clean-up (think of the people who have to clean up the brains after the CSI team leaves) to make quick cash. Starring Amy Adams (Enchanted, Junebug) and Emily Blunt (The Devil Wears Prada), it looks like a sweet dark comedy. (March).

Coraline. This film is already being pegged as an im­ proved Nightmare Before Christmas. Coraline is a stop-anima­ tion adaptation of Neil Gaiman's horror novella, an Alice in Wonderland-esquetale of a girl who enters a dark parallel uni­ verse through a secret trapdoor. Like Pan's Labyrinth for chil­ dren, director Henry Selick will be giving Tim Burton a run for his money. Unfortunately, Dakota Fanning stars— but only in voice. (February).

W here the Wild Things Are. Fans who grew up with the book have been eagerly awaiting the release of this film. The story begins when Max is sent to bed without his dinner and escapes to a world of monsters who are under his control. Di­ rected by Spike Jonze, this dark adaptation of the eponymous children's story book is getting buzz as a dark, intelligent, and nostalgic trip into a child's imagination. (October).

Music Although the best releases often come from bands that no­ body's heard o f before, here are some CDs to get excited about from artists who have already made their name: Franz Ferdinand. Tonight. Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand are releasing their third album, Tonight: Franz Fer­ dinand. The two tracks they've released— "Ulysses" and "Lucid Dreams"— both sound like a departure from 20 0 5 ’s You Could Have It So Much Better and more like a return to form from their self-titled debut. (January).

M STRKRFT.F/sfofGod.TorontoelectroheroesM STRKRFT are set to release their highly anticipated second album, Fist o f God, on March 17. Fans got a taste of what's to come with last year's release of the intoxicating dance track "Bounce," featur­ ing rapper N.O.R.E.. While they do sporadically release remixes, many fans can't wait to hear more original material from the dynamic duo. (March).

FIRSTSHOWING.NET Jonze's film is born to be wild.

POP RHETORIC

hese days, it seems like a television series has to be seen as progressive and unconventional before it's considered worthwhile. If you want people to respect your taste in TV shows, you'd better include at least one about gay lifestyles (The L Word, Queer as Folk) and one about the sensitive side of serial killers (Dexter, The Sopranos). TV shows are the new way to prove your openness to liberal or out-of-the-ordinary ideas. Arrested Development's fan following relies partially on its "nonappeal"— fans love arguing that the show was too quirky and far-out to be accepted by the mainstream. Lost fans love hearing people say that their favourite program is too complicated to be any good, because the lack of ap­ peal to others is what makes their show even more desir­ able to them. Just like finding that tourist-free town off the beaten path when travelling, controversial TV shows are the ones to strive for when rounding out your list of favourite series.

Yet for some reason, the appeal of non-appeal doesn't work when it comes to science fiction shows. In fact, sci-fi seems to be the one television genre which is not made cool by its unpopularity. Friends are proud to tell me they watch Big Love, a "cutting-edge" program mostly because it's about the polygamist lifestyle, but also because not that many people watch it. Yet if I tell my friends I watch

T

Bon Iver. B lo o d B ank. 2 0 0 8 's favourite indie surprise is set to release a new EP, sure to tide over eager fans who are

Sci-fi pride Battlestar Galactica, a show that is also cutting-edge in that it deals with relevant controversial political concerns such as abortion, torture, and the occupation of Iraq, and it's not watched by the majority, I get looks of disgust.

Tell somebody you like a science fiction-based television show and words like "nerd" and "loser" start coming out of the other person's mouth, as if watching anything with spaceships is a thousand times worse than watching rich kids on scripted "reality"shows.

What is it about the sci-fi label that turns some of the best written television series into guilty pleasures, while American Idol can still be publicly praised?The sci-fi genre is made up of shows with a strong reliance on futuristic technology, usually involving spaceships, aliens, and ro­ bots. Why are these aspects open to ridicule when shows about vampires, superheroes, and ridiculous medical con­ ditions are considered acceptable? People fly in Heroes, one of the most popular shows on TV, and that's easier to accept than a world where people live in space? Clearly the lack of realism is not what keeps sci-fi shunned by the real world. Bad writing or acting can't be the reason either, since Desperate Housewives manages to be popular while Battlestar and Stargate Atlantis, two of the highest rated TV shows by critics, are still seen by many as only worthy of the thick-rimmed glasses crowd who live in their moth-

already wanting moi Justin Vernon's mello folk sound and ethere voice won over tho sands with his debut F Emma, Forever Ago, ar his new EP will hopeful bring much of the sam (January).

The Decemberist JAGJAGUWAR.COM The Hazards o f Lov Bon Iver enjoys a good winter.

[ ans wil1 love Dece" berists new album, bi newbies may be turn< off: the upcoming 17-track CD is a "rock opera," and includ song titles such as "Hazards of Love 1 (The Prettiest Whistl Won't Wrestle the Thistles Undone)." My Morning Jacket fron man Jim James joins the quirky intellectual-indie darlings the new album, sure to be similar to previous albums with charming stories, witty lyrics, and Colin Meloy's comfortin mildly off-key voice. (March).

TV Whether clones or comedy are your thing, be sure to catc these shows online when you should be studying this year.

Flight o f the Conchords, Season 2 . The highly acclaime HBO series about New Zealand's fourth most popular folk pa ody duo is finally coming back for a second season. Rumoi has it that Saturday Night Live's Kristen Wiig and My Boys come dian Jim Gaffigan will be appearing on the show, giving fat even more reason to look forward to season two.

3 0 Rock, Season 3 . Continuing their third season. Tin Fey's comedy is a must-see for anyone oblivious enough t have missed the first two seasons. Probably the funniest thin on TV, ratings have soared since Fey's Sarah Palin impression but those who have always been watching know you bettr go back and watch the first two seasons . .. then watch ther over and over again.

D ollhouse, Season 1. The new series by Joss Whedo (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) is sure to be good because, well, it Joss Whedon. Starring Eliza Dushku in a world where clone are being programmed for different uses (soldiers, wives/se> slaves) without being aware. It looks like an exciting thrille but catch it while you can: shows like this tend to get unjustl cancelled.* — Kyle Carpenter and Laura Tindt

L a u r a T in d a l ers' basements. It seems that the un-coolness of sci-fi lies in the area that other shows gain their respect from: great reviews, obsessive fans, but low TV ratings. The original Star Trek series went through the same evolution Firefly did; cancelled due to low ratings, even though fans and entertainment critics alike said it was the one of the best shows on TV. Now there are conventions and gatherings for fans of both, as well as successful movies that catered to diehard fans and brought in new ones at the same time. Joss Whedon managed to get the cast of Firefly back together to make Serenity due to fan demand, two years after the show was cancelled. 43 years after Star Trek first aired, it still has the strength to warrant a new motion pic­ ture coming out this year.

How can intelligent shows with such strong fan bases be viewed as worthless? Fans of trashy shows seem to be more proud of their crap TV than sci-fi viewers, who have much more to be proud of. I say we break away from the negative bias towards sci-fi and be publicly proud of what we watch. Don't be embarrassed to say you watch a show set in outer space— others should be embarrassed that they're missing the best shows on TV. Next time some­ body asks what my favourite shows are, I'll tell them I love Battlestar Galactica and I'll tell them with pride. And if they call me a loser, I'll tell them to frack off. ■

07.01.09 • The McGill Tribune • 13

www.mcgilltribune.com

WORST OF 2008

Couldn't Have Been Good in 2008 The worst in pop culture rivaled the worst news on Wall Street Cringe-worthy movies, TV shows, and music which made the bailout look like a walk in the park. 2 0 0 9 is already looking better in comparison.

TV

Californication, Season 2 . Why did an edgy and clever show with such potential have to go south after only one sea­ son? In season two, Hank Moody seems to have lost his char­ acteristic edginess. The new characters— chiefly Lou Ashby and Daisy— bring little to the table. The show's writers offer the audience the same old characters and situations as season one but badly done, with a few gimmicks thrown in to keep everyone on their toes.

T h e O ffice , Season 5 . The Office has continued its steady decline by leaving out too much of what was good about the series: the tension between Pam and Jim, Michael's abuse of Toby, and Andy Bernard being himself instead of a martyr. In­ stead, the characters are becoming cartoon-like and predict­ able. There is a possibility that the show will redeem itself, but nothing in season five has suggested that this will happen anytime soon.

Entourage, Season 5 . While the plot of season five began with business as usual for Entourage, there was something about season five that made it painful to watch. Viewers are forced to see Vince take hit after hit until his career is ground into almost complete obscurity. The worst part is that if you want to find any sort of silver lining, you'll have to sit through the entire season, which features yet another cruelly irritating episode with Seth Green.

H eroes, Season 3 . Although allegedly one of the most popular shows on TV, one would be hard pressed to find any­ body who still watches it. The first season was great, the sec­ ond season weakened, and the third just crashed. Somebody needs to put this show out of its misery.

Music Kanye West, 8 0 8 s & H ea rtb rea k. Kanye West may be the

biggest rapper in the world, but on 8 0 8 s & Heartbreak he cer­

tainly does not live up to his name. The first single, "Love Lockdown," merely consists of some snare drum patterns, a few notes on the piano, and the notorius auto-tuner that is used excessively throughout the album. Once you get past all the robot-speak, the album still sounds like a bad mix of hip-hop, electro, and 1980 's dance music. Clearly, 8 0 8 s & Heartbreak is not harder, better, faster, or stronger than 20 07 's Graduation.

Katy Perry, "I Kissed a Girl." It's a shame that this annoying-but-catchy pop tune caught on enough to become a Top 4 0 staple, unavoidable to all but those who lived under a rock for most of 2 0 0 8 . Katy Perry encouraged us all to celebrate bi­ sexuality— or just drunkenly making out with girls— by using lyrics like, "Us girls we are so magical," and "Ain't no big deal, it's innocent."

Janet Jackson's North American Tour. A mysterious ill­ ness led Janet Jackson to postpone many performances and offer to reschedule them for a later date in her 2 0 0 8 Rock Witchu tour. Alleged "scheduling conflicts" then forced LL Cool J to drop out of the tour. Jackson ended up cancelling most of the shows, disclosing her illness as "vertigo-induced mi­ graines." Low ticket-sales-induced migraines may be the more likely occurence.

Film T h e L o v e G u ru .

Generally acknowledged to be the worst movie of 2 0 0 8 , this utterly un-funny comedy failed on nearly all counts. The film's crude potty-humour induced more eye-rolls than laughs in Myers' sad attempt to return to his Austin Powers glory days.

T h e S e x a n d T h e C it y M o v ie . The excessive hype sur­ rounding The Sex and the City Movie marked the official beginning of Sex and The City overload. The once trendy, now trite series spawned not only a three-hour-long, prod­ uct placement-laden blockbuster, but also a Sex and The City Bus Tour and a new wave of obsession for a series which seems all too frivolous and materialistic in today's economic climate. They should have stopped while they were ahead and left us to enjoy our DVD box-sets in peace.

T h e H a p p e n in g . Failed films in 20 0 8 weren't limited to comedy— M. Night Shyamalan's not-so-thrilling thriller The Happening was marred by a weak script and an agoniz­ ing performance by Mark Wahlberg. Shyamalan has out­ done himself again; the cinematic disaster was hailed by many critics as even worse than his last train-wreck of a film, Lady In The Water. A more mysterious movie could be made investigating what happened to Shyamalan's talent.

Teen Trends The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus. These Disney Channel

offshoots— with mini­ mal talent and legions of screaming preteen fans— have captured the hearts of a new generation of teenyboppers. Be thankful that you came of age listening to quality boy bands like the Backstreet Boys and N*Sync.

GOSSIPCHIC.COM

Y o u D o n 't M e s s W ith T h e Z o h a n .

Toilet jokes are to Myers' flop as sex jokes are to Zohan, Adam Sandler's complete failure of a comedy. In this runner-up for the Worst Film of 20 08 FLIXTER.COM category, Sandler stars as an Israeli anti-terrorist agent who fakes his own death and goes to New York to become a hair stylist. Immature and crass.

Twilight. Similar to the Jonas Brothers in that the books, the movie, and star Robert Pattinson have sparked mobs of screaming teenage girls, all while cautioning against sex be­ fore marriage. Vampire heartthrobs Spike and Angel never got this kind of attention. ■

— Kyle Carpenter and Carolyn Grégoire

MUSIC

In ten se b eer and rock b a n d s ... in tents!

Hot bands and DJs at SnowAP melt the snow off of lower field L a u r a T in d a l

January is arguably the worst month of the year. The holi­ day excitement dies down, the weather takes a bitter turn for the worst, and students everywhere have to set their alarms and return to classes. McGill students respond to this ghastly month the best way they know: cheap beer, good music, and a big tent. SnowAP kicks off this week in the big tent on the lower field, and this year the musical entertainment is sure to be better than ever. The SnowAP logistics team has been more thorough in their screening of bands than past years, to try and prevent the duds and metal-heads that have not fit well with the SnowAP atmosphere in the past. This year there will be two Band Nights (January 7 and January 14), with two bands each, running from 6-9 p.m. There is still an empty slot on the 14. Below is your guide to this year's SnowAP bands: The Darcys: J a n u a ry

7,730 p .m .

This Halifax band from Toronto got the crowd moving during OAP this year, and they shouldn't have any problem doing it again in a tent. "[OAP] went really well, so we're kind of convinced that people will like us," says Darcys' drummer Wes Marskell, adding, "We only do things when we think we'll succeed." Dark indie-rock laced with a feel-good melody, since OAP The Darcys have been busy, touring the country from coast-to-coast in support of their album Endless Water, as well as Working on new material for a 7 -inch, an EP and, eventually, an album. Yet they're still making time to hit up SnowAP: "We thought it would be a blast to play in a very well heated tent on the lawn in Montreal," Marskell says. "[Playing for] a drunk tent is something I'm looking forward to do. We're loud in a good way, but a fun rock presence, so hopefully exactly what you would expect while getting drunk in a tent."

Fluxus: January 7,6 p.m.

As enthusiatic SnowAP attendees, Montreal band Fluxus saw it as the perfect event to test their material and play loud­ er than they normally do. "When we play live, we like to pack a good punch,"says member Mark Sandford."Our sets are pretty rockin'... We want people movin', rockin', and groovin'to our tunes."They have previously played at 3 Minots, and the band is currently working on releasing an EP within the month, and their first album by the end of the semester. Originally formed last winter, the band was reformed this fall with the current line-up: Mark Sandford, James Windsor, Chris Ploss, Scott Nel­ son, Chase Elliott, and Joe Winer. Influenced by such diverse sounds as German experimental band Krautrock to old folk standards, Fluxus is a rock band loud enough to shake the walls of the tent.

the week. Friday, January 9 there will be DJs playing all night as part of Our House Music Society's (OHM) Glow in the Snow, featuring dance and house music from six local DJs spinning from 6-11 p.m. on Saturday, Holloway and DJ Etc. will be spin­ ning for the AYCD SnowAP party ($25 at the door); you may know Holloway from his performance at Nuit Blanche, while DJ Etc. played Monday nights at Koi last year. The goal is to have something for everybody, so there should be something to keep your ears happy as you drink the cold away. ■

Late For Dinner: January 14.

Sounding like a mellow Tragically Hip, this bluesy folkrock band of McGill students is sure to keep the mood relaxed and fun. "We're a pretty chilled out kind of band," says guitarist Brooke Struck. "SnowAP is a good gig for us because it allows us to access a wider audience. Our usual gigs are patronized by the same people over and over again, so playing a new venue where the crowds don't really come to see the band allows us to play for new folks." Composed of Struck, bassist Jesse Corbeil, drummer Christopher Chalcraft, and keyboard­ ist Orad Reshef, the band is releasing their first album Amber at a launch party at Gert's, on January 15. They've played at McGill events before to good reviews, including Four Floors this^October. According to Struck, the lack of payment wasn't an obstacle when deciding whether to play at SnowAP this year. "We don't usually get paid at all, even in beer, so that's a nice change."

DJs

Tent-goers will also be kept dancing by DJs throughout

ADAM SC0TTI SnowAP runs from January 7 to 16 on the lower field. Band times are subject to change.

The McGill Tribun'

14 • Arts & Entertainment • 07.01.09

CD Reviews Fall Out Boy. Folie à D eux. Chicago's self-proclaimed "pop punk/emo rock" band Fall Out Boy recently released their sixth album, Folie à Deux. The album begins with a pseudo-epic track that at first sounds curiously like "Won't Get Fooled Again", which truly isn't fooling anyone. Be­ sides the chorus, the first single "I Don't Care" conveys a woman's edginess in a shampoo commercial (that Trans­ plants song is getting a little old). The trouble continues as the song "America's Suitehearts" couldn't be more all over the place if it tried. The track starts with fast guitar and a march-like build up, only to transform into a moderate pop-punk song with Beatlesesque harmonics and a cowbell in the background.

The album sounds like everyone in the band pitched a bunch of ideas and none of them were rejected. For example, the tiresome and unexplained solo vocal bridgeât the end of"w.a.m.s."is particularly confusing. Further features like the string accompaniment on "(Coffee's For Closers)" and the voice distortion on "Tiffany Blews"show that Fall Out Boy has clearly been given advantages in the studio that most bands never see, yet on Folie à Deux they are unable to put them together in an original or complementary way.

— Kyle Carpenter Metermaids. N ightlife in lllin oise EP. New York Citybased hip-hop group Metermaids have boldly ventured where no hip-hop group has gone before with their new EP, Nightlife in lllionoise. The unexpectedly delightful and innovative EP effectively combines the seemingly incon­ gruous musical genres of hip-hop and indie-folk rock. A reinvention of singer-songwriter Sufjan Stevens' classic folk-indie album Illinois, the EP infuses Stevens' melodic and beautiful tunes with new life and a hip hop edge. A novel idea which could have easily gone wrong, the Metermaids'hip-hop beats and the soft acoustic backdrop of Sufjan Stevens'tracks complement each other well and make for an unexpectedly enjoyable listening experience. You don't even need to be a fan of Sufjan Stevens to appreciate this innovative mash-up album.

The notable track "A Breakdown in Chicago, or, HowTo Sabotage Your Own Happiness in Two Steps," is a great remix which accomplishes the difficult feat of doing justice to one of Stevens' most popular songs. Nightlife's clever song titles offer a reinterpretation of Stevens' titles— for instance, "Jacksonville" becomes "Thinking About Jacksonville, or, A Letter Sent To Yourself On Some Back To The Future Type Steez."The Metermaids put themselves ahead of the musical curve with their inventive genre-blending and clever remixes. As an unexpected col­ laboration which successfully mixes soft instrumentals and hip-hop beats, the dynamics of Nightlife are reminiscent of Eminem and Elton John's surprising duet at the 2001 Grammys. And with the EP available on the Metermaids' official web­ site for free download, there's no reason not to experience the Nightlife of Illinois for yourself.

— Carolyn Grégoire Melissa A uf der Maur. This W ould be Paradise. The three tracks on the EP This Would Be Paradise are filled with deep nuances. Hums, breaths, raw guitars, and clangy pia­ nos add tender layers and accentuate the harmony and dissonance over Melissa's hushed, emotive voice and dark lyrics. There is an evident virtuosity in the structure of these songs as they build, develop, and break down through dynamics and attitudes. Every note is exactly in the right place as Auf der Maur's voice, bass, and gui­ tar melodies airily cross all over each other, driven by a powerful drum groove.

Although each track is woven together with loose single note melodies, these three tracks are cohesive pieces of art that have a full sound.

Melissa Auf der Maur's newest release provides two new teaser tracks from the studio, as well as an instrumental piece accompanied by a haunting spoken word loop from Tommy Douglas. Each song develops as a lush synthetic Indiantinged soundscape, lending the EP a more art rock than alternative rock sound.

The new EP hints that her next album will triumph over her first, which was filled with cameos from alternative rock's most original musical talents— such as Josh Homme and James lha— but failed to move copies, push boundaries, or receive airplay like the music of her previous bands, which include Hole, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Black Sabbath cover band, Hand of Doom.

Melissa Auf der Maur is definitely a talent whose unique sound had not yet been captured. This Would be Paradise contains n minutes of originality, dreamy melodies, harsh chord progressions, and nonstandard musical scales that will leave your ears both haunted and pleasured.

— Ethan Feldman Andrew Bird. Noble B east. At just fifty-four min­ utes, Andrew Bird's new album, Noble Beast, probably won't be enough for true Bird fans. Yet considering every Æ song differently showcases Bird's musical and songwrit­ ing talents, it's hard to believe that this will be his second album in just one year. In a time of synthesizers and vo­ coders, Andrew Bird's music speaks for itself without the distraction of overbearing audio effects. While his first single, "Oh No," is rather bland, there area plethora of re­ deeming songs oh this album. "Not a Robot, But Ghost," is the album's best track, and also the most experimental. In this song, the quintessential Bird sound— such as the wind instruments and soft guitar— are merely accessories to a more edgy sound scattered with heavy, fast paced percussion that emits an almost La­ tino vibe. With five records in two years, it is clear that Andrew Bird is constantly evolving and improving his sound. While this may not be the best Andrew Bird album out there and Noble Beast may fall a little short of fans' expectations, this album shows that Bird has the makings of musical greatness.

—Arielle Frank

FILM

M illionaire w ins big East meets West in the powerful holiday hit Slumdog Millionaire B r ya n L in At first, Slumdog Millionaire may seem like just another under-the-radar independent film: it has a relatively unknown Indian supporting cast, two up-and-coming lead actors, and is directed by British cult classic-master Danny Boyle (Trainspot­ ting, 2 8 Days Later). M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," which is prominently featured in its soundtrack, might be the sole feature immediately recognizable to the aver­ age North American, yet the surprise hit has won mainstream appeal. The film's less-recognizable cul­ tural references and beautiful cinematography of a colourful Indian landscape allow viewers to immerse themselves fully in Boyle's world.

This incredible rags-to-riches romantic fantasy provides a unique glimpse into the humanity and

A hollywood film with a bollywood ACESHOW.BIZ ending.

goodness of people, even during the most dire and heartbreaking circumstances. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) is in trouble, and not for the first time in hi; traumatic life. He is suspected of cheating by the host of the Indian version of the game show "Whc Wants to Be a Millionaire?" Prem Kumar (Anil Kapoor) and others. After all, how is it possible for a former street beggar turned call-centre tea boy to get all oi the answers correct en route to the final question worth 20 -million rupees when, as the police inspec tor (Irrfan Khan) puts it, "Doctors, lawyers never get beyond 6o,ooo?" We discover through a series of flashbacks that every major event in Jamal's life has provided him with clues to the answers. Most impor tantly, he only appeared on the show in a desperate attempt to reconnect with his childhood love Latika (Freida Pinto) and mobster older brother Salim (Madhur Mittal).

Slumdog Millionaire succeeds on the strength of Boyle's visionary story-telling ability. He effectively deals with sombre themes of prostitution, gang vio­ lence, and poverty with affection, hope, and spirit.

He keeps the tale plausible all the w hile— despite the lack of standout performances from his cast. In her first acting role, Pinto lacks the screen presence of a leading lady and portrays her damsel-in-distress role with a little emotion. Patel was better in com­ parison, but the film still stands without exceptional acting. Jamal's stirring journey is powerfully entranc­ ing by itself, and therein lies the true genius behind Slumdog. ■ Slumdog Millionaire plays at Cinema du Parc.

Check www.cinemaduparc.com for showtimes.

MUSIC

Lofty musical aspirations Lab Synthèse creator launches record label C a ro lyn G r ég o ire At just 22 -years-old, Sebastian Cowan has al­ ready made a name for himself in both the Lon­ don and Montreal music scenes. In London, Cowan worked as a studio manager at a recording studio— a job which consisted of walking around in his socks, making tea, and recording albums for friends; in Montreal he formed his own record label, Arbutus Records, out of a Mile End loft.

Cowan, along with four friends who were all newcomers to Montreal, also played a central role in the development of Lab Synthèse, a loft space which has become a venue for local musicians. According to the organization's Facebook group, Lab Synthèse is "art becoming," a growing community of Montreal musicians and artists. The loft— used for concerts, vernissages, and film screenings— boasts a stage, PA system, art gallery, and recording facilities. A huge Velvet Underground fan, Cowan is creating his own sort of Silver Factory.

"It's kind of been a weird long jo u rn e y.... There were four of us and then I brought my brother into it. We had the idea of making an art collective," says Cowan. As the project has shifted and changed over time, Cowan wouldn't call Lab Synthèse an art col­ lective anymore. "We're five independent artists who work together and like what each other do[es]," says Cowan.

Cowan has recently shifted his focus from Lab Synthèse to his own small record label, Arbutus Re­ cords. The label currently features musicians Juras­ sic Park, Claire Boucher, Oxen Talk, and Sean William Savage, who are all friends of Cowan.

"Now I want to do something for my friends ... and the record label is very much a motion from that, as far as developing an internal community," says Cowan. "All the artists on the label are good friends of mine, some of them I've known since high school, some I've just met here."

The record label started out as a kind of a grass­ roots project, when Cowan booked a show for a friend and then started recoding his songs. Soon

after, he decided to take things a step further and started making and selling copies of the CDs. "When I start doing something I don't stop,"says Cowan."I have no problem with hard work."

For Cowan, the record label is very much a com­ munity-centred project."I'm doing all ofthe leg work. ... But it's not really my record label; it's very much the record label. The record label is its own thing. I'm just making it grow— it belongs just as much to the artists involved, and the people who listen to the music," says Cowan.

Cowan is currently working on generating awareness about the label, but he isn't too worried about the commercial aspect. "If something is good, people will like it ... so all you have to do is focus on doing a good thing, doing a good job, and things will work. ... That's going to be the idea with the label and thus far it's been working very well," says Cowan.

In London, Cowan studied audio recording at university and then worked at Mute Records, which features artists such as Depeche Mode and Moby.

He also started a record label called PDM Records with friends, but the project never really got off the ground. Cowan finds Montreal to be a more welcom­ ing city for a small independent label. "[In Montreal] There's a really strong inner com­ munity, particularly within Mile End. I really like the small town aesthetics. Obviously I couldn't live in one, because I want to do big things, but it's a lot more human," says Cowan.

Cowan's record label corresponds with the per­ sonal element o fth e Mile End, focussing on commu­ nity and person-to-person contact rather than profit.

For example, when someone orders a CD online, Cowan asks them where they heard about it.

"Everyone wants to do something g reat... I want to do something that people will remember, that will affect people in a positive way," says Cow an.»

Sean William Savage's album launch will take place January 2 4 at Lab Synthèse (435 Beaubien Ouest.)

S ports

HOCKEY— MARTLETS 9, TORONTO 0

A staggering statistical season continues Three wins in Humes Tournament gives McGill 36 straight wins M a t t C h esser It may not be quite as remarkable as Joe DiMaggio's 56 -game hitting tear or as sensational as Wayne Gretzky's 51 consecutive games with at least one point, but the McGill Martlets'Canadian winning streak may be approaching similar ter­ ritory.

The Martlets won their 36 th consecutive game against a Canadian opponent and captured their third consecutive Theresa Humes Tourna­ ment Championship on Sunday with a 9-0 victory over the University of Toronto Varsity Blues. "[The winning streak] isn't something that we talk about within the room," said McGill Head Coach Peter Smith. "In fact, I wouldn't have even known what our streak was at until you men­ tioned it. The motivation for this team is to per­ form at an elite level every time they hit the ice.

We don't worry about how many consecutive wins we have."

Despite Smith's nonchalance, the streak in­ cludes some impressive numbers. This year alone, the Martlets have notched an 18-0 record against Canadian teams, and have outscored their oppo­ nents 115 to 17— an average of over six goals per game for the Martlets, to less than one goal per game for their opponents.

The last loss to a Canadian team for McGill came on December 30 , 2007 when the Univer­ sity of Alberta Pandas defeated the Martlets 2-1 in a shootout, after McGill outshot Alberta 29-13 through regulation and overtime. The loss to the Pandas snapped an 18-game winning streak for the Martlets.

During the last calendar year, the Martlets have lost twice to American teams— losing 3-2 to the Harvard Crimson and 5-4 to the University of St. Lawrence Saints. But at the same time, McGill can also boast wins over Dartmouth, Yale, and the University of Vermont. Women's hockey in Amer­ ica is considered to be superior to the Canadian brand, as NCAA programs usually attract the top North American prospects.

Coasting through the weekend

The Martlets overcame some sloppy play

THIRD MAN IN

in the initial game of Concordia's annual The­ resa Humes tournament— a 4-0 win over the Queen's Golden Gaels on Friday— to eventually outscore their opponents 21-2 over the course of the weekend.

"I can honestly say that I thought we got better in every period of the tournament," said Smith. "We looked a bit rusty in the first game against Queen's, which is understandable given the winter break, and [McGill goaltender Char­ line] Labonté had to make a couple real good saves when it was 1-0 to keep us in the le a d ....

But by the end of the tournament I thought we were back to mid-season form."

The Martlets defeated the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees 8-2 on Saturday, setting up Sunday's final game against U of T—the na­ tion's eighth-ranked team. The lopsided scores occurred despite the absence of leading scorer Anne-Sophie Bettezand top defender Catherine Ward, both of whom are currently representing Canada at the Under-22 Nations Cup Tourna­ ment in Germany.

“It's difficult to play without two players of the calibre of Ward and Bettez, but it gives an opportunity for other players to step up," said Smith. "[Vanessa] Davidson and [Cathy] Chartrand, in particular, played excellent hockey."

Davidson was named the tournament's most outstanding forward after recording nine points in three games, including two goals and two assists in the championship game against Toronto. Chartrand led all blueliners with eight points, but was passed over in favour of Varsity Blues defender Lyndsey Ryan in the voting for the tournament's most outstanding defenceman.

"Everybody is going to make their own picks, but from my perspective, it was a little bit disappointing that Chartrand didn't get recog­ nized for the teriffic tournament she had," said Smith.

Labonté was named the tournament's most outstanding goaltender after stopping 52 ADAM SCOTTI of the 56 shots she faced. She also picked up her 45 th and 4 6 th career shutouts— in just 98 career The top-ranked Martlets will resume regular season play this Saturday night as they starts— during the tournament. ■ travel to Ottawa to take on the Carleton Ravens at 7 p.m.

Sports Blog-ojevich

n the wake of the corruption charges filed against Illi­ nois Governor Rod Blagojevich last month, many friends and acquaintances asked me a variation of the same question: "As a Chicagoan, how do you feel?" Honestly? I'm proud of my state. Some corruption every once in a while gives Illinois a little extra flavour— something that is often lacking in the cornfields and small towns of the Midwest.

But while Blagojevich may be getting all of the media at­ tention, he is hardly the most notorious Illinoisan among college-age sports fans such as myself. That dubious title goes to Jay Mariotti.

Always arrogant and antagonistic, the former Chicago Sun-Times columnist and current Around the Horn regular is almost universally loathed. He has raised the ire of his readers and viewers (see the blog Jay the Joke), his subjects (see his 2 0 0 6 feud with White Sox Manager Ozzie Guillen), and his coworkers (Roger Ebert led the celebratory chorus after Mariotti's resignation from the Sun-Times in August, calling him a "rat"), all of whom indulge their inner masoch­ ist every time they read a column or tune in to Around the Horn. Sports fans caught a major break when he resigned from the Sun-Times. But, alas, it was short-lived. Mariotti has been signed by AOL Sports to write a column not-so-cleverly titled "Sign of the Times," a move which is staggering in its hypocrisy.

After all the feuding, the arch-enemy of the blogosphere has switched sides. Only a few months ago, Mariotti was decrying blogs for contributing to newspapers'demise.

I

Now he has changed his tune, and he's not alone: fellow Around the Horn contributor and former Dallas Morning News columnist Kevin Blackistone has also jumped on the AOL bandwagon. Mariotti's jum p has left many bloggers feeling uneasy, as if their world has been turned on its head.

Imagine Barack Obama hiring Ann Coulter as Secretary of State, and you have an approximation of the magnitude of this development.

But fear not, amateur bloggers. "Professional" blog­ gers, which is what Mariotti has become, will never drown out the "amateurs"— the bloggers who write for the love of the game, not for the money (because they aren't making a cent). Amateurs will never get a press pass to the Bowl Championship Series Championship Game— where Mariot­ ti will be tomorrow night— which is what makes their voice so unique. You can view it as a tier system, or a complex net­ work of a multitude of voices, and you can hold Mariotti's level of writing and standards of accountability over those of any novice blogger. But those blogs, and their audiences, will always remain relevant thanks to their amateurish (in the most positive sense of the word) qualities.

At the other end of the sports writing world are the newspapers, which continue to cut costs by running an in­ creasing number of wire stories, and seem to reform their business philosophies every week. Mariotti has had no problem burning bridges and declaring himself the victor of this imminent "war" between Internet and print cover­ age, writing in his first column on Monday that "Failing

J a c o b K a n ter

newspapers are a victim of their own stubbornness, stupid­ ity and lack of foresight.... How do you keep fighting for a place that had stopped fighting? How do you work for any newspaper, save a select few, in 2 0 0 9 ?"

Granted, being a journalist may have lost some of its lustre over the past few years, but the world will always need professional sportswriters. No blogger could have possibly uncovered the soap opera in the Dallas Cowboys' locker room in December— a story which the sports blogs used as fodder for weeks. Bloggers— at least, those w ith­ out press passes— need their local papers' beat writers to report on the goings on within the locker room.

Mariotti's new blog certainly shakes things up, but in a sense, he'll be doing exactly what he did for 17 years at the Sun Times, except for a national audience and without a mainstream editor peering over his shoulder. He can't sim­ ply be called a blogger, because he can't be compared to the people who actually are writing in their underwear from their mother's basements (there must be at least one of these stereotypical bloggers out there somewhere). There is no clear division between blogs and the mainstream media anymore— there is a large grey area between "fanboy" blogs and professional print coverage, where many in­ sightful and articulate writers produce quality content. And although we might get a change in nomenclature, no one is going anywhere. The bloggers, both amateur and profes­ sional, will remain. The mainstream media will remain. And sadly, so will Mariotti. ■

The McGill Tribuns

16 «Sports *07.01.09

PROFILE

ON DECK

McGill fencer hits the Rhode V e r s a t ile

L a r o c h e lle w in s p r e s t ig io u s a w a r d

J a c o b K a n ter Vincent Larochelle didn't grow up as a fencer. He didn't enter McGill as a fencer. Fencing isn't even the sport he's best at. But his performance as a foilist on the varsity Redmen fencing team undoubtedly went a long way towards winning him a Rhodes Scholarship, and three years at the University of Oxford, last Novem­ ber. Larochelle became the 12th McGill varsity athlete to win the prestigious award— one of only 11 awarded to Canadian students across the country.

Though Larochelle is officially only a one-sport athlete, it would be unfair to merely call him a "fenc­ er." Growing up in Quebec City, he played on his high school's basketball team.

"I [also] play hockey pretty much every day during the winter, and in intramurals as well,'' said Larochelle.

"But I wanted to do a [varsity] sport at McGill."

Fencing provided Larochelle with an opportunity.

The sport's foundation in chivalry and fairness lured him to a beginner's class in the fall of 20 0 7 .

"I had always wanted to fence," Larochelle said.

"Swordsmanship was something important to me, and it was something I wanted to acquire. There's also a somewhat romantic dimension, as well as a chivalrous connotation to it."

The inquisitive and talented mathematics major immediately took to the sport, and was able to apply his unique style to the learning process.

"He had an enthusiasm and an interest to learn that helped push the class forward," said McGill Fenc­ ing Head Coach Andrew Dathan Frankel. "He was ask­ ing very focussed questions, and was very eager to compete. ... The questions he asks— everyone learns from them, and they help bring focus [to our practice sessions]."

Larochelle made the jum p from beginner to the varsity squad this year, and competed in the first Circuit AAA tournament— the first Quebec provincial fencing event of this academic year— on November 1 at the Re­ gina Assumpta Fencing Club in Montreal.

"Most people who go out to their first tournament are very hesitant or intimidated," said Frankel. "[Laro­ chelle] was enthusiastic. He was ready to fight."

Larochelle won two of his 14 pool bouts, and lost his direct elimination bout 15-2 , finishing in 24 th place out of 2 9 . Though those numbers may not sound im­ pressive, Larochelle performed more than admirably for a beginner— most novices typically don't tally a single victory in their first competition, according to Frankel. Fellow Redman Brett Hodgins finished 26 th.

"I finished in a pretty good position, given my ex­ perience and background," Larochelle said.

The competition provided Larochelle with more than just his first competitive fencing experience. Tied

in overtime against one opponent, Larochelle chose to take the moral high ground, even though he techni­ cally had to break the rules to do it. "[My opponent] hit me, and it was the winning point," Larochelle said. "But the equipment malfunc­ tioned, and [the light] didn't go off, [signaling a hit].

The referee couldn't give him the point, even if he had clearly hit me, because the equipment had to go off. I went over and told the referee that he hit me, and I was amazed, because the referee didn't want to let me give him the point, i had to argue to let my opponent get the point. That portrays the spirit of fencing for me. It's a gentleman's sport."

An energetic scholar

Larochelle had to fulfill a number of requirements to become a Rhodes Scholar, as the scholarships are awarded based on the candidates' "academic abil­ ity, sporting activity, qualities of personal rectitude, strength and compassion, and sense of the public good." Athletic involvement is not a requirement to be considered, but Larochelle's aptitude for numer­ ous sports— and the energy level required for each of them — greatly helped his,pause. "[The Rhodes officials] want people who are ac­ tive and who have energy, and that use it to its fullest [capacity]," Larochelle said. "You don't need to be on a sports team to get the scholarship.... You don't need a gold medal or something like that."

While working on his PhD in Mathematics, Laro­ chelle will try out for Oxford's hockey team, and he be­ lieves he can make it.

"I intend to play hockey over there," Larochelle said. "I'll also check out the fencing opportunities that are given to me. I also want to do some rowing. I've been doing some rowing on and off, more or less [at the amateur level]."

Though he will have spent only one year as a varsi­ ty Redman, Larochelle, who wants to work towards be­ coming a lawyer after finishing his PhD, will be missed by his fellow fencers.

"We'll miss working with him, certainly," said Fran­ kel. "He was a beginner. He wasn't on the team with prior experience, so he couldn't necessarily fill a lead­ ership role on the team. But he was definitely a good student. He's clearly smarter than all of u s .... He's very analytical in his approach. He always wants to learn the individual components that go into being a better fencer, being a better student, being better at what­ ever he's doing."

Larochelle will have two more chances to improve his AAA record— the second AAA is on January 24 at the Anjou Sports Centre, and the third is on February 21 in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. ■

Men's Hockey Friday: York vs. McGill Redmen, 7 p.m. at McConnell Arena Saturday: UOIT vs. McGill Redmen, 7 p.m. at McConnell Arena

The Redmen kick off the new year with a busy weekend, featur­ ing the best and the worst of the Ontario University Athletics Mid West Division. The York Lions bring an 8 -8-2 record— good enough to lead the Mid West— into McConnell Arena on Friday night.The 7 -6-1 Redmen have a better goal differential (plus-two) than the Lions (minus-seven), but still find themselves in last place in the Far East division. Saturday night should prove an easy contest, as the University of Ontario Insti­ tute of Technology Ridgebacks are in last place in the Mid West at 3 -12-1.

The game against the Ridgebacks is also this year's annual Management Carnival game, so there should be no shortage of support for the Red­ men on Saturday night.

I'mgoing somewhere!

L E A R N T O T E A C H E N G L ISH .C A

C a ll for a p p lic a tio n s DEADLINE FOR SUBM ITTING APPLICATIO N S: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY STH, 20 0 9 AT 4 P.M.

S tudent Award

2

Men's Basketball

Women's Basketball

The Martlets didn't fare quite as well as their male counterparts over the holidays. The Martlets dropped all three of their games at the Reebok Invitational at Concordia University, though two were closely con­ tested. The eighth-ranked Memorial Sea-Hawks, the McMaster Marauders, and the Carleton Ravens each dispatched the Martlets from December 28 -3 0 . Point guard Nathifa Weekes was a bright spot for McGill on an

0

9

1" prix 7 500 $ 2° prix 5 000 S 13'►prix 3 000 S

Sports Briefs The McGill Redmen did what they were supposed to do over winter break. Craig Norman's cagers toyed with the University of New Brunswick and Royal Military College in UQAM's Citadins Holiday Tournament, beat­ ing the Varsity Reds 90-52 on December 28 and thrash­ ing the Paladins 94-43 the next day. Although UQAM had a higher point differential, thereby taking the tour­ nament title, the story of the weekend for the Redmen was junior guard Matt Thornhill's performance. Thorn­ hill, who was named to the all-tourament team, scored 52 points over the two games, including the 1, 0 0 0 th point of his career. The Redmen (1-3 , 11-6 ) will look to climb out of the Quebec conference basement when league play resumes this Friday with a game against the Citadins, at 8 p.m. at Love Hall.

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otherwise gloomy weekend, as she scored her 1,0 0 0 th career point in the McMaster game. The Martlets (1-3, 4 -12) will look to break out of a six-game losing streak when they host the UQAM Citadins this Friday at 6 p.m. at Love Hall in Quebec league play.

Women's Volleyball

While the basketball teams had to remain in Mon­ treal, Rachèle Béliveau's ioth-ranked Martlets got to travel to Clearwater, Florida for a three-game tourna­ ment against CIS teams. However, the weather may have been the best part of the trip: the Martlets lost two out of three games to unranked opponents. The University of Western Ontario Mustangs lost only one set on December 28 , to beat the Martlets 3-1. McGill fol­ lowed that up with an easy 3-0 victory over the Acadia Axewomen the next day, but then fell to the University of New Brunswick Varsity Reds 3-0 to close out the tour­ nament. At 11-4 , the Martlets are right in the thick of the race for the Quebec league, tied with Laval for second place behind the top-ranked and undefeated Univer­ sity of Montreal Carabins. League play resumes this Friday night on the road against Sherbrooke University, but the Martlets return home on Saturday to face the Laval Rouge et Or at 6 p.m. at Love Hall.

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