The Mike November 4

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4, 2015 ISSUE 8

MEET THE MASTHEAD

2

Editorial

Ms. Christina Bezerra living@readthemike. com

SPORTS ARE the new Black.

Write or Edit for us editorinchief@themike.com

editorinchief@readthemike.com The Mike is the Official Bi-weekly Student Newspaper of St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto, publishing since 1947. The Mike has a circulation of 2000, delivered to over 40 newsstands across the University of Toronto: St. George Campus and is published by The Mike Publications Inc. The Mike is printed by MasterWeb Inc on recycled newsprint stock and is a member of Canadian University Press. Copyright: 2012 The Mike Publications Inc. All Rights Reserved. All editorial inquires should be sent to editorinchief@readthemike.com. The Mike reserves the right to edit all submissions

Editorial

3

4

ARTS Briana Armson CONTRIBUTOR

Stephanie Martins

ARTS EDITOR

It has been nearly a decade since Hamlet has been performed at Hart House Theatre, but on November 4th, 2015 the draught will finally be over! Running for the month of November, Hamlet will be performed by dozens of up and coming actors and directed by former Alumnus Paolo Santalucia. Although Paolo is no stranger to the theatre world, he has performed in several critically acclaimed productions for Soulpepper theatre and Driftwood theatre, this will be his first time directing solo. When sitting down with the young director, I got a chance to discuss his vision for the show, his take on Hart House theatre and his love for Shakespeare.

The Mike: Paolo, you starred as Hamlet for Driftwood Theatre’s 2015 summer production of Hamlet; how did that experience assist you in directing this production?

PS: Actually, my experience playing Hamlet did not help me as much as one would think. The version of the play that we performed with Driftwood Theatre was based on a ‘first quarto’ version of the play and is quite different from the version that will be playing at Hart House.

Although there will still be some cuts, the Hart House production will feature the full version of the play.

TM: What should Hamlet enthusiasts expect from Hart House’s production?

PS: The production will not stretch far from the play’s original version, but that being said, it is contemporary. To me this play is about truth, change, discovery and revelation. Anyone who thinks of Hamlet as being someone of inaction might be surprised by our production because my reading of the play, and the vision that I am pushing for, characterizes Hamlet as someone who is not faced with a choice that he is hesitant to make, but rather as someone who needs to uncover things more deeply in order to make that choice. We are not seeing a young man struggling with a moral dilemma, his mind is actually quite clear, it is more about the events involving Hamlet and other characters that ultimately allow Hamlet to get closer to his goal.

TM: You have starred in at least three critically acclaimed productions of Shakespearian plays and now you are directing one! What draws you to his work?

PS: The thing that I love about Shakespeare is the size and scope of his stories. The scope is so big and contains so much content that each time a play is performed something new is illuminated to audiences. The scope of humanity, love, humour, loss, death and all of the fundamental things that we as artists love to engage with in drama, becomes bigger and more profound in a Shakespearian play. There is something so exciting to me about the size of emotion and, at the same time, the clarity of humanity and heart in Shakespearian characters, especially those in Hamlet.

TM: What is unique about performing and watching a production at Hart House Theatre?

PS: Hart House is amazing because it is not only one of the largest theatre in Toronto, but it also has one of the deepest stages. It is interesting to be in the audience at Hart House because depending where you sit, actor’s faces may be obscured and the set may appear completely different. To me, in terms of the audience’s and actor’s engagement with the play, there is a real tension between seen and unseen, so that when we do arrive at a moment of clarity in a performance, it is simple and profound.

As a young girl in school, we would read you in class Our adolescent minds struggling to grasp The ancient tongue with which your characters speak, Pubescent voices that sound meek.

We would dress up in costumes and perform the plays My lines as Ophelia said in a melancholy haze Careful not to stutter, or stammer, or freeze, Butterflies in my stomach and fragile knees.

Summoning intensity from inside our cores Teenagers reenacting our ancestors’ lore Feels far far away yet so present in mind, The audience applauds and we bow one last time.

As I grew and changed, you were always there When I lost all that weight and cut off my hair A young Leo plays Romeo in a Hawaiian shirt, Blue eyes swim through a fish tank to gaze at her.

When I left home for college, I met you again Sonnets read softly to the class by an old woman Sometimes I question if you really did die When the professor gets choked up approaching a line.

Four hundred years later, I still see you around Those infamous lines exit thousands of mouths I still shudder inside when I remember the fate Of two star-crossed lovers and a realization too late.

Never forgotten, your name will live on In pages on bookshelves or a town across the pond You showed me a truth that I’ve since learned to grasp: “The more I give to thee, the more I have”.

TM: Who would you say is your favourite character in Hamlet?

PS: Well, before I played Hamlet I think I would have chosen his character but in retrospect I find that in real life I am actually more like Horatio. I find Horatio to be a very beautiful character, however if I had to only choose one favourite, it would be Laertes. His journey is quite moving.

The opening performance of Hamlet will be on November 4th, 2015 at 8:00 pm. Tickets are $15.00 for students and $28.00 for adults. For tickets or more information please visit: harthouse. ca. Keep reading The Mike for a follow-up review of the play.

Hamlet Poster courtesy HART HOUSE

Image of Paolo Santalucia, courtesy TWITTER

5

ARTS Alumna Giannin Viecili has started her own lapel pin business that features contemporary and handmade designs Stephanie Martins

ARTS EDITOR

This year, commemorate Remembrance Day and Canada’s fallen soldiers with beautiful handmade lapel pins. Started in December 2014, The Dapper Doctor features a collection of pins that can be used for casual attire, wedding boutonnières, and hats.

Founder Giannin Viecili was inspired to create these artistic pins as a present for her boyfriend, but quickly expanded the idea into a full-blown business. Giannin uses a variety of fabrics and textures like silk, felt, cotton, buttons, and feathers. The collection’s most prominent colours are burgundy and amber, while the pins themselves come in several shapes and sizes.

Giannin’s poppy pin is made out of soft red felt and sewn into a classic four-leaf shape.

At the centre of the pin is a rustic brown button held in place by black cotton thread.

Notice how the black stitching, done by hand, arches up each petal in order to create creases and make the flower appear realistic. Each design features a stylish stick pin and clutch to make sure the pin does not fall out of place. There are dozens of different styles and themes for events and holidays on The Dapper Doctor website as well as on their Instagram page. Clients can even request custom designs to ensure that their pin perfectly reflects them or the event they are attending. On average, each pin costs between $10.00 and $15.00. For more information, visit TheDapperDoctor.com or @ the.dapper.doctor on Instagram.

An Independent album rises to the top of Billboard charts showing that non-commercial music can not only be artistic, but popular too.

Houtan Ghaffari CONTRIBUTOR

Sound and Color is an album by breakthrough band Alabama Shakes; the group is most known for their soulful expression of rhythm, beat, and lyricism. Justin Timberlake, in a video from Apple Music Connect, is seen praising the album for how it evokes freedom of art. “They just sound so free,” he says, and music icon Pharrell replying with “that’s what good music does”. There is an interesting element to watching widely successful artists talk about other lesser known artists, especially when their praise comes from the fact that they themselves feel limited as popular artists. Sound and Color is one of those albums which does not attempt to cater to anyone, rather, it caters towards art itself.

The result is an album that is the first independent album to be on the Billboard 200 list in 2015. This album is important because, not only is it described as a work that demonstrates soul and amazing instrumentation, but it has received a very large following.

The album opens with lead singer Brittany Howard singing “A new world hangs, outside the window/ beautiful and strange”. This is an opening line that captures the philosophy behind the album, and with the crisp and rigid percussion, there doesn’t seem to be a depressing force suppressing the confusion and heartbreak that Brittany is feeling. On the contrary, Brittany delivers stunning bursts

of vocals accompanied by the swift drumming and catchy guitar tunes signature to the band. Even though the philosophy of the album is uniform throughout, each song has a unique twist. A notable favorite is “Gemini”, in which the beat slows down dramatically, and Brittany poetically delivers sequences of love dialogue. To do a musical run through, this album will satisfy urges to dance slowly, dance heavily, philosophize about love and truth, cry, and be in a state of total awe towards life.

Looking at Sound and Color as a literary work, it is an album which circulates ideas about heartbreak, love, knowledge, truth, and human relationships. There is a beautiful sadness, or lively peril, that lives inside these songs. Brittany is a character that is traversing through the world being stricken by the various heartbreaks of life involving confusion and disagreement.

“Why can’t we both be right,” she says in “Don’t Wanna Fight”, as she chants her frustrations regarding “attacking, defending/ until there’s nothing worth winning”. In“I Miss You”, she accepts that her lover may have committed bad crimes, but in her chorus she repeatedly shouts in succession “I’m yours”. This testament to the irrelevance of truth in relation to the power of love can be argued to be found in every song on the album. If you put the album on repeat, the last song perfectly ties into the first song seamlessly.

This renders the album a circular form, a never-ending presentation of all the levels and dimensions of love and truth, to which all of our wonder and pain come from.

Alabama Shakes performing courtesyS PIN Magazine

Sa l

r a ry B a n e

hani p e t S e Ma

rtins

P

e

an Gibs n e o n

K

aveta M z i l E ir

o

a v o n

bria ha

hert c i W

A

eth McDer ab

M ir z a h na

Eliz

ott

m

Ale

Palakh dreams of publishing a cookbook someday and creating something truly remarkable by harnessing the power of data. Her favourite writers inlcude George Bernard Shaw, Ernest Hemingway and Thomas Friedman.

x

MEET THE MASTHEAD

kh C a l a P h

Christina

ze Be rra

8

faith & Thought

Part Two Peter O’Hagan CONTRIBUTOR Editor’s Note: Previously, Peter spoke of the Fall of the first family, and God’s subsequent coming, from within a family.

Pope Francis presents “salvation history through the lens of the family.”

The family is a privileged place where God comes to meet us, and we encounter Jesus. As Pope Francis explained in his address to the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia, the family “has a divine passport” from God; God is delighted to “knock on the doors of families and find families that are united, to find families that love each other, to find the families that bring up their children and educate them and help them to keep going forward and that create a society of goodness, of truth, and of beauty.” As a result, Francis explains in his address to families in Cuba, the family is a “school of humanity” – it is in the family that we learn “fraternity,” that we “experience forgiveness,” and “that we are continually asked to forgive and to grow.” In the family we cannot “put on masks”; instead, “we are who we are, and in one way or another we are called to do our best for others.”

Francis sees the dominant cultural problems of today as consisting of two things: “fragmentation (division) and uniformity. In both cases, people turn into isolated individuals, easy to manipulate and to rule.” And in both cases it is the family that is the answer, as Francis said in his general audience on September 30: “The family, that is, the fruitful covenant between man and woman, is the answer to the great challenge of our world.” It is in the family that we learn to overcome both division and uniformity, because the family teaches us how to form true community (based on love) and how to be persons through the relationships with our grandparents, mother, father, son, daughter, siblings. Hence, when the family falls apart, it has devastating effects in society.

The Pope’s vision for the family thus does not focus so much on the crisis of the family which has been such a major topic of discussion and debate in the U.S. (and Canada) recently.

Instead, the Pope focuses on the positive, calling us to rediscover God’s beautiful plan for the family and pointing us to the way in which families can encounter Christ in even the smallest events of family life. It is the small acts of love that are so important for the flourishing of family life, and Jesus places himself in those small acts too.

This vision for the family is not a naïve optimism, however.

The Pope points out that within the family there is always suffering, tension, and dispute. However, he insists: “Amid all the difficulties troubling our families [of the world] today, please, never forget one thing: families are not a problem, they are first and foremost an opportunity. An opportunity which we have to care for, protect and support.” Within families there is always suffering, the cross, but Jesus, by dying and rising from the dead, “also opened for us this path.” The path of the cross is redemptive not simply for the individual, but for families – hence the family is, in the Pope’s phrase, “a factory of hope, of hope of life and of resurrection.”

The Pope then, is calling us to a renewed commitment to the family, not simply as an abstract concept to be defended, but precisely as the concrete reality in which we have come into existence and live. We are called to make our families places of encounter with God’s love, truth, and beauty. We need to make the small acts of love without which the family could not exist.

We need to follow Christ on the path to Calvary, carrying the often heavy cross that is inevitable within the life of the family; but we need to carry this cross in the sure hope that it is precisely this path that leads to the resurrection. And we need to live the family as the divinely-willed gift which it is, a gift given by God at the beginning and made even more precious by His entry into the world through the family.

Poverty is not just material Cole Powers CONTRIBUTOR It is a strange and seldom noticed fact that in the four Gospels, Jesus spends an awful lot of time with the Pharisees.

In fact, John records some of their names as being of special importance: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. A number of other people of prominent social class are also recorded: the “official” at Capernaum in John’s gospel whose son is healed by Jesus, and the centurion in Matthew from whom we receive the tremendous line, “Lord, I am not worthy that you should come under my roof.” The Pharisees, and the Roman officials to whom they were in thrall, possessed a great deal of prestige, power, and wealth. And it seems that Jesus spent an awful lot of time in their company.

I am brought to think of this in light of Pope Francis’ recent emphasis on the Church’s duty towards the poor. In Evangelii Gaudium, his first Apostolic Exhortation, he mentions the “poor” more than 70 times! The “poor” appears within the first few paragraphs of the document, and reappears, especially in a section of the exhortation devoted to ‘The inclusion of the poor in society”.

This seems to pose a problem: how do you reconcile a God who spends so much time with the rich with a Pope who spends so much time talking about the poor?

This occurs to us as a problem because we lack an adequate sense of what poverty truly is. For most of us, poverty means material poverty: a lack of the stuff of life. Indeed, it is difficult for us in Canada to imagine the kind of poverty in which some one billion people on the planet live; existing on less than a dollar a day cannot be easy. Yet at the same time, an exclusive focus on this kind of poverty leads to a contemptible complacency on our part. We are satisfied with so-called “voluntourism” trips or giving our money to aid organizations, confident for the most

part, and especially if we are Christians, that these gestures are good for the people at whom they’re directed and reflect favourably upon us. Charity, the highest theological virtue, comes to be identified with charitable giving.

But this blinds us to a central part of Jesus’ message in the Gospels: God cares for the poor, but we are all “the poor”. There are worse forms of poverty than material poverty, though that kind of poverty is a very bad thing indeed. There is the poverty of the ignorant; what good is it to have all the money in the world without possessing the knowledge of what it is worth spending on? There is the poverty of a person lacking in human affection and ties of friendship; no amount of money can buy a person’s confidence or trust. There is the poverty of the person who has never been exposed to beauty; no amount of money can make up for a soul starved of the beautiful. Those other words of Jesus ring in our ears: “What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul?”

A focus on material poverty, though laudable, often comes in the end to allow us who are materially wealthy to keep from looking after our own, often graver, poverty. But if an ignorant person, the stronger he is, will do all the more damage to himself and to others on account of his strength, then so too will a poor person, the poorer he is, end up depriving himself and others all the more on account of his poverty. Nemo dat quod non habet: no one can give what he does not have. So, how can our money and time do any real good if they are given and spent without careful consideration and reflection? Before trying to get rid of poverty, we should ask ourselves whether we really know what poverty is and whether we too are not lacking.

9

living I got Bumble so you never have to Christina Bezerra LIVING EDITOR

Bumble is a dating app which was created by the ex co-founder of Tinder, Whitney Wolfe. Essentially, it is the female empowering version of Tinder and for the benefit of everyone reading this I decided to download it (for research purposes, of course). If you need a break from studying or are genuinely looking to connect with others, Bumble is a great option.

Christina Bezerra LIVING EDITOR

What’s your year and program?

I’m in my fourth year studying Sociology.

What are you wearing?

Just like Tinder, your likes and dislikes are determined by a single swipe, Hat (New Era), Sunglasses (Persol), White Shirt (Utica), but Bumble does not limit your swipes and you can even go back on your Sweater (Banana Republic), Jeans (Scotch and Soda), Shoes decision by shaking your device. The woman has twenty-four hours to make (Nike). her decision before her match disappears forever. Men (or your match) can extend one match per day an extra twenty-four hours if they feel like you need more time deciding whether or not to message them. I had the honor of two extended matches. Apparently that is a huge compliment.

This app was extremely telling and it terrified me. In a big city like Toronto, it’s scary how easily you can be connected with people from all walks of life, as well as people you know or have already met. I can see how this app is useful, although I will take good old human interaction over making the first move through text any day. The good thing about Bumble is that you will not find as many characters as you do on Tinder. Many of the men on the app were pretty clean cut. Bumble puts the occupation and schooling of matches at the forefront. Though you can easily change your profession which explains the extreme amount of twenty something CEO’s.

Favourite stores to shop at?

JCrew and Zara What is your school style essential?

Probably my sunglasses, they come in handy on those days when I get tired in class (zzzzzzz).

Favorite place to eat on campus?

Hart House! They have really good shwarma.

One thing you love about SMC? Once I got over the fear of messaging one of my matches first, I took the The 24 hour study space in the Canada Room, which opens plunge with a simple “hey there.” Aside from the occasional creeper making around exam time. It saves me from having to find an empty inappropriate comments the overall experience wasn’t that horrible. I felt table in Kelly. like I had more control over what was happening, although I’m not sure if I can totally accept the awkward feeling of asking a stranger about their day.

I must admit that after a few days on the app, my phone was filled with screenshots of people I found on Bumble, and the occasional Toronto celebrity match. The endless possibilities of Prince Charming are exciting and made me spend a lot more time than I wanted to, swiping through all the eligible bachelors. Although I don’t think my Bumble run will last more than a few days - it was definitely something I don’t regret trying out.

Have an app you would like to review? Email living@readthemike.com to feature your review in an upcoming issue!

Fall Break at the University Of Toronto is extremely short and unless you have the means to take a quick two-day trip to Bahamas, you’ll mostly be stuck in the city. But this is nothing to be discouraged about, Toronto has a lot to offer especially in the month of November. There are also many options that won’t cost you another year’s tuition. Here are four ways to spend your two-day break exploring the city, instead of the inside of a library.

1) Check out the fall scenery at High Park Located close to downtown, High Park has beautiful scenery in the fall and is great for a nature walk or a hike. There are various terrains that can make you feel like you’re in a far away forest rather than a big city.

2) Go to the ROM for free on Tuesday Unless you have the privilege of working or studying at the Royal Ontario Museum, it’s often hard to make time to visit. The ROM is free on Tuesday’s with your student card and has a lot of great exhibits to explore and maybe even give you some inspiration for upcoming assignments.

3) Day trip to Niagara Falls Take a drive to see one of seven natural wonders of the world. Niagara Falls has a lot to offer in terms of shopping and entertainment. It’s a great place to spend the day or even the night, you can find some great deals on Groupon, for last minute activities.

4)Visit the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Although the name might throw you off, the Winter Fair is definitely a hidden Toronto gem.

It takes place between November 6-15 on the CNE grounds and has everything from a petting zoo, to food exhibitions and horse shows.

10

sports

Some ideas to keep in mind during your hockey pool adventures

A tribute to the season that almost was Alex Wichert SPORTS EDITOR

Alex Wichert SPORTS EDITOR

O Muses, the gods, who from their press boxes in the clouds,

By now, you’ve probably already touched on a number of things you wish you had done during your NHL Fantasy Draft. You might regret harnessing your goaltending hopes to Sergei Bobrovsky, or listening to the NHL pundits who thought the Dallas Stars’ young blueline would slow them down, or that Max Pacioretty would need some time to get up to speed following his injury. You may think these things, but remember: the length of the hockey season means that some of the strange anomalies we see playing out across North American hockey rinks – like the Anaheim Ducks’ inability to score goals – should eventually be rectified as we move towards a larger sample size. Some of these “surprises” appear to be more than just streaks, such as the impressive hockey the Montreal Canadiens have been exhibiting, but there are certainly some things armchair General Managers should keep in mind moving forward.

With that said, here are some tips and suggestions to ensure you remain at the top, or reach said apex, in your league standings.

1. Avoid Even Swaps. This is something that can be very tempting and a technique many people employ when they start to doubt their selections. Essentially, one will drop a player for a Pool Free Agent – or for a traded player – who is around the same calibre of the individual being cut from the team. The allure of engaging in an even swap is the “grass is greener” mentality which plagues those who find their teams slumping. Do try to avoid the pull, however, as the gains or losses will be minimal and, in pools with limited transactions per week, will waste a roster move that could otherwise be used to fill a hole.

2. Sample Sizes. When someone grabs a young, unknown upstart and rides the player’s production for a few weeks, she or he looks like a hockey intellectual capable of predicting anything. However, maintain at least a modicum of perspective: resist a reactionary approach to player management and, rather, keep the entire season in mind.

Is this player likely to produce at such a clip? Will the player remain in this position or role once another returns from injury? How has this player produced at previous levels, whether in the AHL, Junior hockey, or abroad? Ask these questions to see just how consistent the player’s success might be.

3. Part With Value. This next tenet may seem a little counterproductive to success but bear with it. Many pool participants think they can trade their later round selections, in some sort of a package deal, for a player of high value. The problem, though, is that pool rosters only have so many slots which can be filled in a night. If Manager A trades Tyler Seguin for three lesser players, Manager A can still only play one of the three lesser players at a time, because the rest of the roster will still be filled. While the three lesser players may put up more points combined than Seguin, managers still must adhere to the roster size of their pools and cannot expand the number of useable players per night. If you want to get value, you are going to have to give something up in return.

4. Monitor the IR List. Within the first few weeks of the NHL season, some excellent players have been placed on Injured Reserve. Although some pools may offer the option of keeping an injured player on the roster until he has recovered, there are undoubtedly many free picks to be had in the coming weeks as these players return to action. Keep an eye on the progress of those soon to be back in the game. It’s a challenging way to play, as you don’t want to pick up a player too early and have him sit on the bench for a few games but, at the same time, a valuable piece may be snatched by a rival if you wait too long. A good recommendation is to adjust your patience according to the talent of the player. If he is a middling pick, it will probably be safe to wait until he has been cleared to play. Anyone within the top fifty or so should be selected from the Free Agent list a few games before his return, as someone else will all too eagerly sacrifice a roster spot for a week if it means having an excellent talent for the remainder of the season.

Remember to have patience and to be proactive in your decisions. It can be difficult to simply stuff these techniques into categorized sections but it is certainly beneficial to remember some aspects of these tenets. They should, hopefully, help you find your pool’s treasure and avoid its pool’s gold.

send 0-2 homeruns to titans and injuries to players proud

Who pen the cosmic narrative of adventures by bat and ball

and who are appealed to by pagan fans after poor umpiring calls

Lend me your talents, your words, your skills with which I write

of the season that began amidst ruffled feathers and Blue Jays plight

A young pitcher, the predicted ace, gone down with early woe

with his absence, the team’s strong surge, predicted to be slow

New faces came to Canada, one a catcher but foreigner not

Or a downpour MVP patrolling the hot corner spot

The season wore along, those rivals from the Bronx

Led the division widely, but like a horn which loudly honks

http://news.nationalpost.com/sports/mlb/toronto-blue-jays-want-grass-in-the-rogers-centre-an-insidelook-at-the-difficult-growth-process-it-requires

Toronto made some noise on the shoulders of AA

and brought some reinforcements to Old Skydome; of them we kindly say

there was an ace upon the mound, relief within the pen

a new shortstop from the mountains – but at the expense of a dear friend

a contact master from the Phillies, who leapt to leadoff spot

and solidified an outfield with skills rarely ever taught

The season’s conclusion brought with it contested autumn play

Something long since thought to have been many years away

Amid struggles and heartbreak and battle versus baseball south

The team’s leader, he of nineteen, put his money with his mouth

And delivered the blast of the inning after six

and sent the squad into Kansas with a flip of the stick

Though the Royals proved too much, Cain’s footwork swift as light

The Jays pushed back fiercely and proved their mettle that fateful night

And so, they will continue to build on players young

a relief pitcher and a closer and middle outfield are the ones

who will lead this team into the future, so rejoice, friends of the Jays

for there appear to be ahead a series of bright days

And so, the baseball rolls along as time does flow

and the diamonds will wait patiently as the lands cover in snow

But, in time, they will return, the warriors of blue and white

and fly, as the graceful blue jay does, to even grander heights

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=779488

11

opinions What would be a grueling eleven hours for many was a show of intelligence from Hillary Clinton Saad Shah STAFF WRITER In the wake of the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attack, the American government suffered yet another setback at the hands of extremist terrorists at the U.S. mission in Libya, particularly in Benghazi. This issue has been under the spotlight of media attention since the fourth round of Benghazi Hearings that took place on October 22nd, 2015.

Former Secretary of State and a Democratic contender in the presidential race in the U.S., Hillary Clinton, was called to the Longworth House Office Building in Washington D.C. to give her testimony regarding the attack.

Eleven hours of proceedings, however, did not accomplish much in terms of the objectives of the Select Committee on the Events Surrounding the 2012 Terrorist Attack in Benghazi.

This specialized committee comprised of representatives from Congress was formed in 2014 and, among other things, aims to “identify and bring to justice the perpetrators of the attacks on the U.S. facilities in Benghazi,” and investigate “all policies, decisions, and activities that contributed to the attacks on the United States facilities in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11th, 2012”.

Both Democratic and Republican members of the committee leveled criticism against Clinton, but the hearings do not seem to have a significant impact on her presidential campaign. More importantly, the committee was not successful in determining the entirety of the orchestrators of the event; one suspect pleaded not guilty in a hearing before a judge in Washington in June 2014. While these hearings represent an important aspect of the democratic system of government, the results were inconclusive. The hearing constituted a series of attacks on Clinton, many of which concerning matters that may not be directly related to the Benghazi attacks. The members of the Special Committee raised the following issues: the use of a private email server for sending State Department emails; the State Department’s scapegoating a film that depicted images of Muhammad; and Clinton’s alleged ignorance towards demands for a greater security presence for Americans working in Libya. These issues are undoubtedly important matters that deserve the attention of the political elite in the United States. Judging from the committee’s original aims for investigation into the matter, however, it is unclear how relevant they were in terms of pinpointing the exact perpetrators of the event and the policy directives that may have triggered this tragic response. The committee members often let their emotions get the better of them, and did not focus on the more important questions like why responsibility for security of American representatives in Libya was delegated to other officials in the

Celebrity Invasion into the White House Briana Armson CONTRIBUTOR Real estate mogul and reality television regular Donald Trump shook the nation with his June 2015 announcement regarding his plan to run for President of the United States in the upcoming election. Trump, whose net worth hovers around the four billion dollar mark, is no stranger to the spotlight. He has graced TV screens for the past decade with NBC’s popular reality show, The Apprentice. His bleach blonde comb-over has been a fixture in Western pop culture for years now as well as his “You’re fired!” catchphrase, which has been re-appropriated endlessly since its debut on television. Trump is also renowned for his provocative public statements, which frequently involve derogatory remarks targeted towards women, racial minorities, and working class citizens. Since the campaign’s inception, Trump has remained firmly planted in the spotlight due to his big mouth, in particular his comments about Mexicans immigrating to America. Trump’s campaign slogan, “Make America Great Again”, is fuelled by his desire to white-wash the nation, made possible in part by his plan to build a massive wall at the Mexico - United States border. Despite his ignorance, Trump has been a leader in the Republican polls since his foray into the race. He has summoned the largest crowds and his caricature-like face can be seen on stickers, buttons, and t-shirts across America. The reason behind this craze lies in Trump’s very essence: he is a spectacle. It is no secret that American society, and human society for that matter, has an infatuation with the outlandish and dramatic, whether it is good or bad. The Kardashian family now reigns as the American Royal Family, and this same “hate to love them” ideology serves as an enabler of Trump’s presidential campaign.

Even rap artist Kanye West, husband of Kim Kardashian and known pot-stirrer, has broadcast his plan to run for US President in 2020. Gone are the days of meat dresses and weeklong marriages, celebrities are now using potential presidency to remain at the forefront of American pop culture. Publicity stunts will continue to enthrall and engage us, that is certain, but it remains to be seen if this infatuation with media spectacle will actually result in an egotistical bigot such as Trump becoming president of the United States. For the sake of humanity, I certainly hope not.

State Department as opposed to being the direct concern of the Secretary of State.

Shortly after the attacks took place, Clinton made a declaration taking responsibility for the lives lost in the attack; essentially pacifying public and media opinion in the face of an outcry against the inability of the government to protect its citizens abroad. In November of 2014, an intelligence report determined that prior to the attack there was no intelligence failure, and allegations regarding a stand-down order to CIA operatives in the area were deemed to be false. As such, even though it is clear that it was an oversight on Clinton’s part that led to a breach of security, the slow-moving bureaucracy of the U.S. government has allowed the issue to die down in political circles, and Clinton can effectively dust her hands off and walk away to focus on more pressing events.

The numbers show that the federal election marked an increase in engagement Mariam Jammal CONTRIBUTOR

The Canadian election has come and gone, and many are now turning their focus to the American leader’s debate. Before it becomes a mere afterthought, we need to seriously hand it to ourselves as Canadians for such an incredible voter turnout. #elxn42 broke records with 68% voter turnout, something that hasn’t been seen in our nation since 1997.

Moreover, Canadians broke the cycle of political apathy with more voters casting their ballot per demographic. This election was full of risks and no clear projected winner, but we took that risk and went out in masses to practice our constitutional right to vote. Just looking through Facebook and Twitter and seeing everyone, young and old, pledging to vote, and encouraging others to vote as well, was incredibly heartwarming and empowering. It was one of the moments where you could not be more proud to be Canadian.

However, as mentioned before, the elections are over and Justin Trudeau is just beginning to take over the responsibilities as Prime Minister. It is easy to forget about Canadian politics when presented with the arguably much more glamorous and dramatic politics south of the border, but we need to make sure we do not fall back into a pattern of apathy.

Many Canadians chose to vote strategically this past election and by doing so took a chance on Mr. Trudeau. After nearly 10 years, this is a potentially monumental change in Canadian domestic and international affairs. We were promised a lot of change, and it is paramount that we stay aware of our nation’s political developments, and make sure that the federal government delivers on these promises.

So, as hard as it may be for us to remain diligently interested in Canadian politics, try your best to stay updated on the political happenings of our country. Because Canada is magnificent, and it is a country worth being passionate about.

12 Fun Section Sports in Brief: NHL: The Montreal Canadiens started 9-0 before losing a game. How many will they win this season?

MLB: The World Series is over. Kansas City reigns supreme.

NBA: Reigning champions Golden State Warriors sit atop basketball’s power rankings as the new season begins.

NFL: In his second game back from suspension for involvement in a domestic violence case, Cowboys defensive end Greg Hardy got into an exchange with special teams coach Rich Bisaccia. Did Hardy go too far?

What we learned this week: •The Blue Jays and General Manager Alex Anthopoulos go their separate ways •Newly-minted Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella is back in the NHL – is he the right fit for the club?

•Former Winnipeg Jet and current Buffalo Sabre Evander Kane recently admitted he doesn’t think his old club had his back. He’ll be out to prove the Jets wrong once he returns from injury Caption Contest: Email your funniest caption for the photo below to sports@readthemike. com. The top three submissions will be featured in our next issue!

Left

Cross Country Photographer: Keenan Gibson Spend some time to enjoy the fall colours while they’re still around. Whether you’re walking on campus or commuting through Queens park, make sure to stop and enjoy what will soon be covered in snow.

Below

Streamlined Photographer: Keenan Gibson The Bruce trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath which features plenty of spectacular sights. When hiking in Ontario, it’s quite simple to take a wrong turn and end up somewhere completely breathtaking. Sometimes these wrong turns lead you to waterfalls.

Photography Copyediting sports FAITH Opinions Arts Living are the new black write or edit for us editorinchief@readthemike.com