the carillon
the staff
editor-in-chief michael chmielewski editor@carillonregina.com
The University of Regina Students’ Newspaper Since 1962 January 9 - 22, 2014|Volume 56, Issue 15|carillonregina.com
business manager shaadie musleh business@carillonregina.com production manager kyle leitch production@carillonregina.com
cover
copy editor michelle jones copyeditor@carillonregina.com news editor
alec salloum
carillonnewseditor@carillonregina.com
a&c editor robyn tocker aandc@carillonregina.com
With the recent refinery fire/explosion that was felt as far out as White City, the Carillon will, in our next issue, explore the neighbourhood being built beside the refinery.
sports editor autumn mcdowell sports@carillonregina.com op-ed editor farron ager op-ed@carillonregina.com visual editor emily wright graphics@carillonregina.com
Would Mayor Fougere live there? We doubt it.
advertising manager neil adams advertising@carillonregina.com technical co-ordinator arthur ward technical@carillonregina.com distro manager staff writer news writer a&c writer sports writer photographers
taylor sockett paige kreutzwieser eman bare destiny kaus brady lang julia dima haley klassen apolline lucyk spencer reid
contributors this week ravinesh sakaran, liam fitz-gerald, taylor rattray, evan radford, ethan stein, brady knight, john loeppky, laura billett, matt wincherauk, john murney, taras matkovsky, simon fuh
news
a&c
the paper
THE CARILLON BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Chmielewski, Shaadie Musleh, Autumn McDowell, vacant, vacant, vacant, vacant
227 Riddell Center University of Regina - 3737 Wascana Parkway Regina, SK, Canada S4S 0A2
www.carillonregina.com Ph: (306) 586 8867 Printed by Transcontinental Publishing Inc, Saskatoon, SK
The Carillon welcomes contributions.
Correspondence can be mailed, emailed, or dropped off in person. Please include your name, address, and telephone number on all letters to the editor. Only the author’s name, title/position (if applicable) and city will be published. Names may be withheld upon request at the discretion of the Carillon. Letters should be no more than 350 words, and may be edited for space, clarity, accuracy, and vulgarity. The Carillon is a wholly autonomous organization with no afilliation with the University of Regina Students’ Union.
Shots fired!
page 5
Ever wondered what profs think about ratemyprofessors.com? Liam Fitz-Gerald asks our professors what they think of the website. Spoiler alert: it’s not all good. Have you ever submitted a cringe-worthy review?
sports
Sweet mug, bro.
page 8
We do a quick, unscientific poll about how to stay warm during winter. We followed none of the accepted journalistic practices in reporting our polls. You’re welcome.
op-ed
Opinions expressed in the pages of the Carillon are expressly those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. Opinions expressed in advertisements appearing in the Carillon are those of the advertisers, and not necessarily of The Carillon Newspaper Inc. or its staff. The Carillon is published no less than 11 times each semester during the fall and winter semesters and periodically throughout the summer. The Carillon is published by The Carillon Newspaper Inc, a non-profit organization.
the manifesto
In keeping with our reckless, devil-may-care image, our office has absolutely no concrete information on the Carillon’s formative years readily available. What follows is the story that’s been passed down from editor to editor for over forty years. In the late 1950s, the University of Regina planned the construction of several new buildings on the campus grounds. One of these proposed buildings was a belltower on the academic green. If you look out on the academic green today, the first thing you’ll notice is that it has absolutely nothing resembling a belltower. The University never got abelltower, but what it did get was the Carillon, a newspaper that serves as a symbolic bell tower on campus, a loud and clear voice belonging to each and every student.
illegitimi non carborundum.
Jabronis.
page 14
While the credibility, and awesomeness – or lack-thereof – of this new MTV show is heavily debated in the office, Sports Writer Brady Lang has written in favour of the McMorris brothers. [A response to this article is inbound. Be prepared, mortals. - PM]
news a&c sports op-ed cover
photos
ratemyprofessors.com Robyn Tocker rebull.com famousdudes.com Emily Wright
Dirty words?
page 16
Ever gotten in trouble for swearing? Kyle did. Read about his take, and the etymology of our favourite four-letter word. Also, check out the back page for our production night playlist. In other news: As if the semester break wasn’t enough, the staff of the Carillon is taking off this week to attend the Canadian University Press conference in Edmonton. As such, this issue will be on stands for two weeks. Read it slow, and we’ll be back in all our journalistic glory on January 23.
news
Editor: Alec Salloum news@carillonregina.com the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Vladimir Putin’s olympic undertaking
Russia attempts to remedy its image leading up to the Winter Olympics
Markv The Volgograd train station before it was bombed.
ravinesh sakaran contributor Russia has been under the spotlight over the past year, shocking the international community by granting temporary asylum to Edward Snowden, the infamous former employee of the NSA, who leaked classified information. Additionally, Russia played a crucial role in ensuring the destruction of Assad’s chemical weapon stockpiles and simultaneously preventing the United States and its Western European allies from attacking Syria. However, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin seems to steal the limelight from his American counterpart, President Barack Obama. Putin seems to have been implementing drastic and desperate measures to improve the motherland’s heinous human rights track record ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics. The Sochi Olympics will be the first Olympics to be held in Russia after the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1980. In light of the Winter Olympics in Sochi this February, the Russian Parliament voted in favor of an amnesty bill. According to the Associated Press, the bill mainly concerns first-time offenders, minors and women with small children. The amnesty makes two members of the Pussy Riot band eligible for release and will allow investigators to drop charges against the 30 members of Greenpeace’s ship detained in Russia’s Arctic in September. Maria Alyokhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, the two jailed members of the punk band, Pussy Riot, were serving a two-year sentence for hooliganism motivated by religious
hatred for staging a boisterous and profane performance at Moscow’s main cathedral, the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in March 2012. Both of them were scheduled for a release in March, but they were qualified for release under the new amnesty bill because they have young children. Both Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova remain upbeat and unconvinced of the sincerity of the Kremlin’s actions. Alyokhina told Dozhd TV that she would have served out her term if she had been able to reject amnesty. “If I had a chance to turn it down, I would have done it, no doubt about that,” she said. “This is not an amnesty. This is a hoax and a PR move.” The Globe and Mail reports that the 30 Greenpeace activists, who were facing hooliganism charges, which carries a 7-year jail sentence, are now free to return to their home countries, with the passing of the amnesty bill. The Greenpeace activists were jailed after a September protest targeting an oil rig in the Russian Arctic. Two Canadians were among the 30 detained protesters. They are Alexandre Paul of Montreal and Paul Ruzycki of Port Colborne, ON. “I’m pleased and relieved the charges have been dropped, but we should not have been charged at all,” said Peter Wilcox, who captained the Greenpeace vessel used in the protest. Russian authorities, however, claimed that the activists clearly endangered lives and property during the protest at the state-controlled energy giant Gazprom’s Prirazlomnaya platform in the Pechora Sea, an essential Russian Artic developmental plan.
Putin has even further extended his olive branch to his arch nemesis, oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Once Russia’s richest man, Khodorskovsky will finally be a free man after spending almost a decade behind bars. According to the National Post, Khodorkovsky had a falling out with Putin about ten years ago; he was arrested at gunpoint on an airport runway in Siberia on alleged tax and fraud charges. Khodorkovsky’s oil company, Yukos, was later dismantled and sold off to state-controlled corporations. Following his imprisonment, Khodordovsky became the symbol of the Kremlin’s abuse of the courts for political gain. The Kremlin denies this, however, Putin has singled out Khodorkovsky for bitter personal attacks and has ignored the calls for his release this long. Putin, in a press conference, stated that, “he has been in jail already more than 10 years. This is a serious punishment.” Saying Khodorkovsky’s mother was ill and that he had asked for clemency, he added: “I decided that with these circumstances in mind … a decree pardoning him will be signed.” Although Putin has resorted to herculean measures to rebrand Russia’s image, Putin still faces an uphill battle to neutralize an anti-gay law passed under his administration. There have been threats of protests and boycotts at the Olympics over its restriction on “homosexual propaganda.” President Obama will not be attending the opening ceremony of the Olympics, although boasting the most number of athletes at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Instead, President Obama will be sending a delegation comprising of two
gay former athletes. There is much speculation that President Obama’s absence in Sochi might not be related to his opposition to Russia’s anti-gay laws, but may be of a result of an earlier transgression with the Russian Premier, with Putin granting Edward Snowden temporary asylum in Russia. Apart from going to great lengths to please his international peers, Putin also faces a domestic security threat, the recent train and bus bombings on Dec. 30, 2013, which killed 31 people and injured dozens in Volgograd, approximately 400 miles from Sochi. “It certainly affects the overall perception by the international community on whether Russia can guarantee that the Olympic Games will not fall victim to terrorist attacks,” said Simon Saradzhyan to the Los Angeles Times, a terrorism scholar at the Belfer Center at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. “Volgograd is the same distance from Sochi as Makhachkala, the capital of Dagestan, that has produced two suicide bombers in the last two months,” Saradzhyan said, regarding the train station attack and another Volgograd bombing on Oct. 21, in which a Dagestani woman blew herself up on a trolley. Volgograd might have been chosen, he speculated, to demonstrate that the extremists’ reach from their Caucasus strongholds could easily extend to Sochi. The Caucasus mountain region between the Caspian and Black Seas has been, for a long time, embroiled with ethnic and religious conflict between the Muslims of stateless Chechnya, Ingushetia and Dagestan. In recent history Russian forces have
sought to repress these Muslim populations. The Russian Armed Forces has fought two wars in the 1990s to quell Chechen separatism, and the region has since been a hotbed for terrorist strikes against Russian cities and symbols. According to the Mother Jones, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, one of the Boston Marathon bombers, spent six months in Dagestan and Chechyna in 2012. Chechen militants over the last dozen years have killed hundreds of civilians in attacks on airports, trains, subway stations, schools, and hospitals in a loosely coordinated terrorist campaign to force Moscow the Muslim majority region of selfrule. Putin, in the light of these attacks, has condemned these terrorist campaigns and has heightened security for the Winter Olympics come Feb. 7. Putin is left with no choice but to make all of the necessary changes to ensure this pet project of his will transform the Stalinist-era resort town into an international tourist destination that will bring about economic prosperity to Russia. Canada will be sending 222 competitors participating in 14 sports, only 2 competitors short of the largest Olympic team sent by the United States to Sochi 2014. 87 nations will be participating in this year’s Winter Olympics with Malta, Paraguay, Timor Leste, Togo, Tonga and Zimbabwe to make their historic Winter Olympic debut.
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news
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Unrest for Israel in the New Year Israel has once again become a lightning rod for international attention alec salloum news editor Israel, perennially a source of controversy and political vitriol, has once again been garnering substantial international attention for its actions. From Dec. 31 onward, Israel has released 26 convicted Palestinian prisoners, been visited by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, retaliated against a rocket shot from Gaza and as of Jan. 5 is witnessing protests exceeding 30,000 supporters calling for refugee status. It has been a very busy week for Israel. The release of the 26 Palestinian prisoners occurred days before John Kerry was in the Middle East. Kerry is in the region to continue and hopefully further peace talks, and as such Israel released a select few prisoners as a sign of good faith towards Palestine. 104 Palestinian prisoners remain in Israel. This release was initiated by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was met with protest by Israelis. Protesters amassed peacefully outside Netanyahu’s home in Tel Aviv on Dec. 28. In response, Netanyahu issued this statement, “Leadership is judged by the ability to implement decisions, difficult as they may be. We were not elect-
Lilach Daniel Israeli Protestors.
ed to make easy decisions.” However this decision to release the prisoners was also seemingly posturing for Israel to continue its expansion in the West Bank. The release met terms the Palestinians had in place preventing further development of Israeli settlements in the region. The talks for expansion will officially take place in April of 2014, though whether the historically Palestinian region will bend to Israeli expansion remains to be seen. Days later, on Jan. 1, a rock-
et launched from Gaza landed in the Ramat Negev Region Council, with no reported damage or injuries. This rocket attack came hours after an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) soldier shot a Palestinian teen, reported to be 16, in the leg. The teenager has allegedly been identified as having ties to Hamas, a Sunni organization labeled a terrorist organization by most Western nations, though these claims seem fairly unsubstantiated. The teen was shot while attempting to damage an IDF
controlled checkpoint. Most sources have reported that the boy was kicking a fence, and when he failed to comply with the numerous attempts made by the IDF soldiers, he was shot. Following this incident and the rocket, the IDF issued this statement, “Terrorist organizations have targeted Israeli civilians. The IDF will continue to act decisively as required against anyone who carries out terror against the State of Israel”. On Jan. 2, Israeli Air Force (IAF) planes began bombing
what they deemed “terror targets.” These targets were, as stated by the IAF, “a terror infrastructure site in the central Gaza Strip and three concealed rocket launchers.” All targets were reported to have been destroyed and thusly the IAF has ended its bombing runs in Gaza for the time being. The last occurrence in Israel since the start of the New Year was the protests that have occupied the streets of Tel-Aviv. The protests largely consist of African immigrants who have faced deportation since entering Israel seeking asylum from war torn and impoverished areas of Africa, mainly Sudan. The protesters are seeking refugee status and have not been granted it. In fact, Dec.10, 2013 saw legislation pass giving authorities the ability and right to indefinitely detain immigrants. The legislation also states that the detained can legally go a full year without trial. Neil Patel, a University of Saskatchewan student currently living in Haifa, commented on Israel’s recent actions. “Israel is in a sticky situation. Not everyone supports [the government] and many do not support settlements. The young all want peace, [but] Israel is an incredibly diverse place.”
A different kind of publishing
OR Books offers environmentally friendly and great books eman bare news writer
In recent years, in an effort to minimize ecological footprints, many businesses have taken to offering “green” alternatives, such as grocery stores offering reusable bags and focusing on locally grown produce. One publishing agency is taking the “green” approach one step further and minimizing waste by changing the conventional business operations of a publication company. OR Books is a unique publishing company that works towards reducing waste by publishing books as they are ordered. Unlike other publications, OR Books does not have large quantities of books published with the expectation of people ordering them. By printing on demand, this allows the company to rule out having excess copies of books and overall waste. Additionally, although based online, this company also creates more of a personalized effect with both the authors it features and their clientele. The company began in 2009 and was founded by John Oakes and Colin Robinson. Both gentlemen had numerous years of experience in the publishing industry and chose to open up
Michael Chmielewski One can buy, amongst many others, books by Political Scientist Norman Finkelstein on OR Books.
their own publishing company with a more ecofriendly approach. By selling directly to the individual, OR Books excludes having a third party involved, such as a major bookstore. This then limits excessive transportation costs and packaging by sending books directly to the buyer. Natasha Lewis, the publicity manager at OR Books, states that since the company started, business has been steadily in-
creasing. She says that, “most business comes from people who know about OR Books.” In addition, she states that, “each new author brings a new crowd of people interested in their work.” This frame of networking allows the company to cater books to a like-minded audience. OR Books focuses on publishing and promoting books that are politically and culturally progressive.
Lewis says, “We have a direct relationship with customers—we sell books directly from our site, and we tell our readers about new books through emails and social media. This direct relationship allows the agency to minimize waste by not advertising through the conventional ways. There are no flyers, ads or paper mail sent out in general by OR Books, outside of the online world. So how many books a
month does OR Books publish, exactly? According to their website, the company only publishes about one or two books a month. This allows them to focus on the author, and to give attention to a book that perhaps would not have been as successful at a large chain bookstore. OR Books makes books more personal to readers because of the amount of effort put into advertising for the books that are featured that month. Lewis says that OR Books future goals are “to publish books that might not otherwise see light of day and do so in moral and economically rewarding way.” As businesses are beginning to change the way their operations are run, this is one company that is choosing to recreate the traditional method of printing books all together.
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
news
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The uses and abuses of ratemyprofessors.com What do profs think about the all-knowing Oracle? liam fitz-gerald contributor
You can bet when students go to register for classes, they’ll be scouring ratemyprofessors.com to learn who their professors are, their expectations for the course, the amount of reading that the professors expect (or lack thereof), and (for a minority) who has a little chilli pepper indicating attractiveness. Ratemyprof has, at times (in personal experience), been accurate and allowed preparation for any potential frustrations with a professor. If a prof has a reputation for being unclear on assignments then it empowers one to visit the prof and ask for clarity. Usually, the professor is delighted to talk to the student about the assignment and may clarify any problems. If someone on ratemyprofessors.com is complaining about a prof being unclear, it is impossible to know if they actually visited the professor or took initiative to improve their situation. Fourth-year history major Bailey Titanich admits that she has looked at ratemyprofessors. com before to make decisions on professions. “If all the reviews on a professor are terrible, I’ll go with someone else. If the reviews are mixed though, I’ll look more carefully at the various reviews and make a decision from there.” Titanich admits that she finds the chili pepper element “intriguing,” but it is not the reason she takes the course.
ratemyprofessor Shots fired!
Several U of R profs shared their opinion on ratemyprofessors.com. Kathleen Wall, an English professor, confesses she has mixed feelings on it. “On the one hand, I think that it can give you a reasonable glimpse of a professor that there is a certain kind of truth behind students reactions, if you’re not using it for one class.” Wall maintains that students using ratemyprofessors. com should look at more than just one class that may have a negative review and investigate how long the professor has been rated for. Wall’s mixed feelings come from research that shows a correlation between high marks and high ratings. “The profs can and even
may give higher marks just because they know they will be publicly dissed if they don’t,” she said. F. Volker Greifenhagen, Academic Dean and professor of Religious Studies at Luther College, while admitting that he does not visit ratemyprofessors. com, also finds problems with the site in how the prof is evaluated and the methods behind it. “Professors get really good ratings if their course is considered easy and if they’re considered attractive. It seems to be that neither of those have anything to do with whether you learn anything in a course or not.” Despite his wariness with ratemyprofessors.com, Greifenhagen doesn’t think it should
necessarily be ignored, but “balanced judiciously” with other sources like classroom evaluations. He admits, however, it is problematic that the student evaluations aren’t public in the same way as ratemyprofessors. com. Raymond Blake, the Department Head of History, while maintaining that the issues mentioned above are a concern, takes a more positive view of the site. “I think we talk an awful lot about engagement and empowering students, and ratemyprof is one where students have power in terms of rating their professors. I would say if we depended only on ratemyprof, we would be doing a service to the people we instruct, but clearly
it is a place where students can voice their opinions in a relatively safe environment,” Blake says. “Sure people use this as a tool to judge whether they should take this course or not, but we do that when we buy a car or stay in a motel, so I don’t think that is a reason to condemn it.” Martin Hewson, a professor of Political Science, shares this view. “It’s a good idea to use the internet to get ratings of all kinds of people--Plumbers, mechanics for your car. People rate restaurants don’t they? That’s a good thing about the internet. You can draw upon wisdom of crowds, and I don’t see why that shouldn’t apply to professors too.” He thinks maintaining that overall is a good thing. Hewson did, however, take some sampling issues with ratemyprofessor. “The people who go there to the ratings are not necessarily representative samples of all the students who have done the classes, so it’s probably true that its more skewed to the ones who really didn’t like that prof or ones who did like that prof and the people in the middle probably don’t feel strong enough to use the website.” Despite the concerns over ratemyprof, it is clear that it is a tool that can help students make decisions in times of increasing tuition and commitments. As aforementioned, just balance it with other sources.
U of R books series Emily Eaton and the politics of GM wheat michael chmielewski editor-in-chief
Saskatchewan is known across Canada for its extensive wheat fields. The wheat bushel is even on the provincial flag. That’s why Emily Eaton’s new book, Growing Resistance: Canadian Farmers and the Politics of Genetically Modified Wheat, is so pertinent. Emily Eaton is an Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies at the U of R. The book, published in 2013, details the defeat of Monsanto’s genetically modified (GM) wheat by a Canadian led international coalition. Eaton’s book explores and explains the why of the matter. Why was it that GM wheat was blocked and opposed while other GM crops have not faced the same resistance from producers? The book has drawn praise from many corners, and notably from Eric Darier of Greenpeace. The praise is justified, because Growing Resistance is an important and helpful study of the situation, and the U of R should be proud to have such
work coming from its professors. Eaton breaks the book down into five chapters: the premise, the regulation and promotion of biotechnology in Canada, “people-plant relationships in historical context,” the argument against GM wheat, the relation of market choice, and then a conclusion. Because of its rare nature, essentially being a producer-led movement, and not a consumer one, the subject caught Eaton’s eye. “The book is concerned with, well, first following the movement against Monsanto’s Roundup Ready wheat, which was a remarkable movement in my analysis, because it was producer-led and a lot of the politics around GMOs [Genetically Modified Organisms] are
often led by consumer concerns around health and environmental issues,” said Eaton. “The book really looks at sort of the political economy of agriculture around biotechnology.” This is very true, as Eaton, in her book’s theoretical approaches, elucidates the theories of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, theorist Karl Kautsky, Alexander Chayanov, and the “Mann-Dickinson” thesis, in relation to intersection of capitalism and agriculture. Eaton explains this in the case of Monsanto and this particular brand of wheat. “So I guess the thesis is that Monsanto’s attempt at introducing Roundup Ready wheat was to, as the last chapter suggests, move farmers away having control over the production of food towards being consumers of Monsanto’s inputs, and having
much less control over the conditions in which they produce food.” She gives a great example of this in Growing Resistance. “Monsanto can be understood as engaging in a process of appropriationism, transforming what used to be a farm practice of seed saving into an industrial and fully capitalist process.” This appropriation relied on legal methods to “make it illegal for farmers to reproduce Monsanto’s seed in their fields.” When asked what the challenges were for writing the book, Eaton explains that it was hard to get an interview from the Canadian Government on its “biotech policies.” Surprisingly, Monsanto proved easier to get on record. “I was actually expecting
The book is concerned with, well, first following the movement against
Monsanto’s Roundup Ready wheat, which was a remarkable movement in my analysis because it was producer led and a lot of the politics around GMOs [genetically modified organisms] are often led by consumer concerns around health and environmental issues. Emily Eaton
it’d be most difficult to get Monsanto on record, because I thought they wouldn’t want to, because it had been so politicized that they wouldn’t want to reignite anything and they would be careful about how they were framing things, and I thought they would send me their PR person.” But that didn’t happen, and Eaton was sent to an instrumental person in the development of the Roundup Ready wheat. As to whether or not she will be as successful in gaining interviews in the future remains to be seen. Let’s hope so, because next Eaton is tackling oil, and as she put it, she’s “looking at it all.” Her research will explore the social, political, and environmental aspects of oil extraction in Saskatchewan, which “is now the second largest oil-producing province in the country.” Growing Resistance is available at the U of R bookstore.
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news
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
The political economy of consumerism in Sask Not really, kind of though eman bare news writer
The holiday season is a busy time for most, and an even busier time for retailers across the province. Between extended mall hours, seasonal hires, and higher daily financial targets, there are usually large amounts of pressure on businesses to perform during December. In recent years, there has been an influx in the number of locally-owned businesses opening up Saskatchewan. Although bigger retailers such as Marshalls and Target are opening up stores here, some believe that the culture of shopping overall is changing in this province. Local storeowner Tara Bokitch says that she has noticed a shift in the overall attitude of people shopping in Saskatchewan. “I have noticed a change in people supporting local business. In the community where my shop is I believe that there is a larger push for people to shop local than that of other areas in the city,” states Bokitch. She is the owner of Solitude and Soul, a home décor business located in the city’s Cathedral Village neighborhood. Bokitch says that more local businesses means more money in the pockets of Saskatchewanians. “I believe that the increase in locally-owned business is
Emily Wright No roller coasters, though. Glad we’re going to Edmonton, though.
great for our province, as it demonstrates strong leadership, and it creates jobs for other Saskatchewan residents.” Additionally, she says that she believes a main reason people are beginning to open up their own stores is because people are choosing to step outside the box and develop their passion into thriving businesses. One storeowner, who did exactly this, is Chelsea O’Connell. O’Connell is the co-owner of three successful businesses in Saskatchewan, all of which have opened up in the past five years. She says what is hurting small businesses right now is not nec-
essarily bigger companies, but rather online shopping. “We do compete heavily with online retailers, mostly from the United States; and as peoples lives get busier and online shopping becomes more convenient more people are shopping online during the Christmas season.” She says with the change in consumerism over the past decade, local storeowners are competing not only with each other and bigger stores, but a global market. O’Connell first began her business with her partner five years ago, and says that since
opening Coda, her first store, she has had the opportunity to work and collaborate with other local entrepreneurs. “When you buy from a local business, you are not helping a CEO buy a third vacation home. You are helping a little girl get ballet lessons, a little boy play soccer,” says O’Connell. She states that local businesses give back to the community in a way that online stores and bigger companies cannot. Her own community-doings include voluntarily running Saskatchewan’s first-ever fashion week, which brought to the stage emerging Saskatchewan
artists. Other local storeowners offer charity fashion shows, coach basketball teams, and run community skate parks. “We do these things not as a marketing scheme, but because we genuinely care about our community and the people supporting our business”, says O’Connell. Although new stores are emerging frequently, a longtime business in Cathedral Village recently announced it was shutting its doors. This holiday season, Buy The Book announced that it is closing down after 18 years of business. This had many Reginians wondering if lack of business was the cause. The owner, Chris Prpich, however, reassures his customers that this is not the case. “I’ve been doing this for 18 years, and I’ve got to do everything I wanted to do with the business. I felt that I took it as far as I could, and I just want a new challenge.” Prpich also added that business was as strong as it had ever been for his bookstore. Although it is uncertain whether the recent trend of shopping local is permanent, what is evident is that Saskatchewan entrepreneurs are currently creating enough of an impact to be competing with bigger retailers.
Donor report reveals record breaking donations U of R receives almost $1 million more than target taylor rattray contributor
To encourage top student performance and scholarly development, the University of Regina uses fundraising to focus on student support, research support, and emerging priorities. These include student scholarships and bursaries, providing scholars with stateof-the-art facilities, high-quality teaching, and creating innovative programs and opportunities for students. This year’s Donor’s report has been released, and it illustrates the University of Regina’s record donations. In the 2012-2013 report, $8.5 million was donated, exceeding the university’s target of $7.6 million. This includes the $815,000 donated specifically to the College Avenue Campus revitalization. In the 2011-2012 fiscal year, $7.3 million was donated. Comparatively in the 2010-2011 report, donations equaled $5.2 million. Wanda Deschamps, Associate Vice-President of Development at the University of Regina, states, “Donations are very beneficial fundraising priorities, [and] donor support, advance strategic priorities at the Univer-
Michael Chmielewski Where the magic happens
sity. Specific examples would be student support, research, other initiates towards teaching and learning, and our College Avenue Campus Renewal”.
The strategic priorities illustrated in the University of Regina’s Strategic Plan, which started in 2009, include goals of community engagement,
high-quality and assessable education, diversity, sustainability, efficiency, and recognition of the historical and cultural values of Saskatchewan.
In the 2012-2013 report, $8.5 million was donated, exceeding the university’s target of $7.6 million.
With regard to the donations, Deschamps claims the University of Regina does a variety of things to increase donations. She says, “We have a donor-centered approach so the focus of our fundraising programs are initiatives that connect with donors so that they understand the potential impact of their support.” As well, Deschamps states, “We have a number of programs, including major gifts, planned giving so the donors can include the university in their will, mail appeals and phone appeals, and online donation opportunities to ensure [that] we have a customer service oriented approach.” Support in the form of donations came from individuals, alumni, friends of the university, corporations, and foundations. The 2012-2013 report to donors, as well as the list of donors whose contributions exceed $1,000, is located on the University of Regina Donor Relations webpage.
a&c
Editor: Robyn Tocker aandc@carillonregina.com the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
It’s bloody cold out, people Have a roundtable to keep you warm
Emily Wright A new year also means more bottles of wine to drink.
destiny kaus, evan radford, ethan stein, brady knight, john loeppky, liam fitz-gerald frostbitten
a bit this year. In fact, I say I stuffed myself like a typical North American. Ate everything and anything with little regard to the long term implications of my health. That’s okay, it’s Christmas. All’s forgiven!
How much did you stuff yourself this holiday season?
What was your best moment during the holidays?
DK: Oh I stuffed myself to the fullest! Cookies, turkey, cookies, mashed potatoes, cookies … everything. Dang, the butter tarts really got the best of me this year, too. But, I also sincerely filled up on vegetables and protein bars, so I did keep my diet moderately healthy. All in all, copious amounts of food kept me quite content this holiday season.
DK: Working out with my summer Subway boss back home was swell. There’s nothing like socializing with a truly inspiring woman and working out with a complete champ while I shred my own abs and lift oodles and oodles of heavy weights. Oh yeah I ran too: that rocked.
ER: Too much! (Chocolate is my Achilles heel.) But the food and drinks were delicious; therefore, I have no regrets. Alas, I may need to revert to my all-caffeine diet to drop the extra weight I put on. ES: I stuffed myself excessively, but never more than I would during exam month. The horribly unhealthy habits I developed during the semester carried over nicely into the holidays. Here’s to another four months of going to bed at 4 a.m. and having a bowl of popcorn seasoning and Doritos for breakfast! BK: Surprisingly, not as much as I expected. However, still enough that I’m getting slightly winded typing these answers out. JL: I think stuffing and cranberry sauce have claimed the starring roles in my current recurring nightmare: Food Coma: The Musical. Turkey has an awe inspiring solo, so it’s not all bad. LFG: Well I stuffed myself quite
ER: The many moments I spent with family, friends, and loved ones. Also, catching up on the perceptive prose of Aleksandar Hemon. Check him out. ES: My best moment was probably being satisfied with the direction things were going in life and having the freedom to do things at my own pace. Having a holiday to simply exist and exist on your own terms is delightful. BK: Kicking ass at our family’s annual board game tournament. It’s usually quite intense, but this year was pretty tame. Only one trip to the hospital was required. Just a flesh wound really – nothing serious. No broken bones like last year … JL: Hanging out with my little cousins. Trying as hard as you can to be the adult you are “supposed” to be is just too much work and not worth it. There, put that on a shirt. LFG: Coming back from the Dominican Republic and watching Canadians depart the plane in
beachwear. I’m not the brightest bulb in the bunch, but something tells me that if you’re departing the plane in short shorts into -52, you’re not either. What do you do to get yourself out of the holiday blues and ready for a new semester? DK: First, I go and buy all my textbooks. Though it may seem sickening to most, I love textbooks, especially English textbooks. In my world, nothing gets rid of the blues and brings in the joy of a new semester like cracking open a newly-purchased book, smelling its fresh aroma, and diving into its contents. ER: Just do it! Get up early, work hard, and drink large amounts of coffee. A good diet helps, too. When all else fails, take a quick run through the snow, sans jacket. ES: My time machine is still in the alpha stage (and the UN Human Rights Council is being totally uncool about the human test subjects), so in the meantime, I can just push forward. Complaining about going back to work is as fruitless as complaining about terrible weather in Saskatchewan. BK: Well, first I go to bed early, pick up my textbooks and – oh who am I kidding? I run around in a mad panic, screaming like a 12-year-old girl and then sit down with copious amounts of beer and snacks and watch Canada lose at the World Juniors. JL: Watch enough YouTube and listen to enough music aimlessly to get myself back in the procrastination groove (kidding), and go to the bookstore and try as hard as I can to hold the tears
in (sadly, not kidding). LFG: I remember that I’m (supposedly) going somewhere in life and at the end of all of this is the four story house, the two monster trucks, the boat, the cabin and all the toys. Common university education, gimme a million bucks! A new year means resolutions, at least for some of us. What are yours for the new semester? DK: My number one resolution that I’ve been thinking about for a very long time is to shower more. I don’t smell. I just don’t shower as much as I should. It takes way too much effort. Thus, showering more is at the top of my list, while staying jacked comes in second. ER: There are many. One is run a marathon for a second consecutive year. ES: I want to get a smartphone so the NSA can spy on me with greater efficiency. Either that, or be the first person who makes a resolution to get in better shape and actually pull it off. BK: Seeing as I’ve never in living memory managed to actually keep and maintain a new year’s resolution, my resolution this year is to not make any new year’s resolutions. You may think I just failed miserably. Personally, I believe it’s brilliant. JL: See the Op-Ed section. In short, better myself, fail to meet my own expectations, and then be slightly more okay with that than last year. LFG: I resolve to leave more projects and more work to the last minute. I also resolve to
read as little as possible, be really, really lazy, and spend more time watching shit on Youtube. What concert(s) are you most looking forward to in 2014? DK: Honestly, I would rather listen to an artist via YouTube in my room where I can hear each beautiful vocal note and guitar riff instead of battling hordes of rowdy individuals and listening to their screaming more than to the artist’s talents. But, P!nk would be cool. Is that this year she’s playing tours? ER: A Tribe Called Red; Queer City Cinema; honorable mention to Neil Young and Rah Rah. ES: I just checked Google, and it appears as though Weird Al is not coming to Regina this year. Looks like my concert schedule just got a lot lighter. BK: The Miley Cyrus concert at the Brandt Centre. Wait ... that’s not happening you say? Exactly. JL: I really want to make it to shows where some of my friends are involved. First up, Fellows of Perfect Penmanship. Nothing better than witnessing and investing in someone’s success. If you want, you can also put that one on a shirt. LFG: Northcote is playing at O’Hanlons in February, that’s going to be exciting. Neil Young is going to be in Regina in January (though I won’t be going, I’ve probably missed the ticket boat for that.) Chicago is going to Moose Jaw of all places, so that’s pretty sweet. It seems there are some sweet shows coming up in the next few months, so I’m going to stay tuned for that.
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the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
A billion beers later Greg Rekus is coming to town robyn tocker a&c editor
Every child has a dream, and in his mid-teens, Greg Rekus decided his dream was to play music, plain and simple. For the Winnipeg resident, Rekus grew up playing the piano, and while it isn’t exactly the coolest instrument to boast about when you’re young, it gave him a great start. Rekus bought his first bass guitar, then electric guitar, and the rest is history. “I started jamming with a few people…I saw a local band called the Bonaduces every week and I realized I really wanted to play in a band and try to do this.” Since then, Rekus has played in a band and branched out into a solo career. His new CD, Punkoustic, is complete, and to celebrate, Rekus and his partner, Lyndsay Penner, will be heading on a Western North American tour, stopping in Regina on Jan. 11. He explains how there were many inspirations for Punkoustic, but he knew he wanted there to be politically conscious undertones in all the songs, if possible. One track called “Red
LP Hoopla He’s such an eager beaver.
Woe,” in particular, talks about a man panhandling on the street and how he ended up there. “Anyone can do something stupid and next thing you know you’re the one asking for change.” This isn’t the first CD Rekus has put out, and he’s learned a few things since he last went through the process. He says his interaction with the audience
during live shows got lost in the shuffle when they took the CD home. The interaction and energy was missing. He encountered a few solo artists who have a band on their CD and it was a direction he decided to take. “It was the right thing to do. I’ve gotten really great feedback. We drank about a billion beers and fired out a great album.” His band mates, who will
not be on tour with him, include bassist Nick Kouremenos and drummer Jamie Carrasco. When asked about the tour, Rekus says he will be stopping in at least 22 places, some locations as prominent as Vancouver or Seattle. But, that doesn’t mean he plans to leave out any small cities in the United States, either. His love for our southern brother isn’t something the mu-
sician is willing to hide. “If you look in mainstream news, people in Canada have the misconception that everyone [in the United States] has lots of guns, loves war, and loves NASCAR. It’s not really like that. Every friend I’ve made has been kind, generous, and smart about the world. I love going there and visiting them.” For anyone thinking music might be the route they want to go, Rekus has some helpful advice. “Don’t have unreal expectations … a lot of people have this image that it’s easy and everything falls into place. [Music] is rarely like that. If you aren’t doing it just because you enjoy playing, it’s going to get tiring fast.” If being the next great band is what you want to do, Rekus says make sure everyone in the band in on the same page with that goal, and if you’re touring, make sure you have a job that is flexible with time off. Rekus will be playing at the Lancaster Tap House at 9:00, with no cover charge.
Baby it’s cold outside! You need a hot drink robyn tocker a&c editor I’m Canadian, and with that comes a certain responsibility to maintain a level of tolerance towards cold weather. Even better, I’m a Saskatchewan girl born and raised, and our winters aren’t exactly what I would call a ray of sunshine. Despite all that, when the thermometer shows -35 degrees with a wind chill of -40, I get a little scared. How am I supposed to survive such conditions? Easy: I find something warm to drink. There are, of course, a list of options that would keep me nice and toasty, but too many choices and I start to go a little crazy. By narrowing it down to some form of coffee, tea, or alcoholic beverage, it’s easier to make the tough decision. After taking a quick Facebook poll, I realized a lot of people favour tea when they are feeling chilled to the bone. A close second was “other”, mainly consisting of hot chocolate, with coffee and alcohol tied for last. Like the people who kindly answered an impromptu poll, I usually opt for tea. But why drink tea over the other options, especially alcohol? Canadian Living magazine tells me exactly why this is a good idea, even when it isn’t bloody cold outside. In case you haven’t figured it out yet, tea is really good for you. It strength-
Robyn Tocker It’s not Christmas anymore, but man it’s still cold!
ens your immune system, reduces risk of cancer, prevents tooth decay/bad breath, and builds strong bones. Drinking tea regularly also cleanses your intestines, eliminates body fat, and boosts your memory. If we’re going to get really precise, certain teas have differ-
ent benefits. Green teas specifically target things like reducing neurological disorders, along with reducing risks for a host of cancers. For that smoker in your life, if you get them to drink black teas, studies have shown it may protect the lungs from exposure to cigarette smoke, or
so Web MD tells me. There are other types of teas with different benefits, so if you want more details, Google is your friend! While tea is a great drink, sometimes we want something a little different to spice up our day (and warm us up). If you don’t want to brave the cold for
the Carillon: more sublime than stubbing your toe since 1962.
a Timmy’s run, which I wouldn’t blame you for, the internet has a host of recipes to make special drinks that are affordable for the frozen university student. Real Simple, an online recipe shack, gave me a package of nine hot beverage recipes. One that really stuck out was warm mulled cider. It sounds like I’ve gone back to Old England when mulled ale was a particular favourite in court. To make such a beverage, all you need is one navel orange (whatever that is), half a gallon of apple cider, two tablespoons of honey, five whole allspice berries, six cloves, a pinch of ground nutmeg, one half-inch slice of ginger, and eight cinnamon sticks. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the orange to create long strips. In a medium pot, you should bring the cider, honey, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and orange zest to a simmer. Don’t boil! Heat, uncovered, for 30 minutes. When it’s all said and done you ladle the beverage into cups and serve warm with the cinnamon sticks. Actually, that might take too long. Oh well, I guess there’s always Tim Hortons!
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
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Gathering age spots Paris still draws us in laura billett contributor
Released in 2011, Midnight in Paris was a success, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, and the list goes on. Directed by Woody Allen, it is a beautiful, fanciful film set in Paris and is sure to sweep you away with its wit and charm. Gil (Owen Wilson) is a Hollywood screen writer who has left the business to pursue his dream of writing a novel. He is visiting Paris with his fiancée (Rachel McAdams) and her parents. Enthralled with the city, Gil takes leave of his over-bearing fiancée and in-laws to stroll the streets, looking for inspiration for his novel. While roaming the city at midnight, he finds himself transported through time to the 1920s: the era of his literary and artistic heroes. Gil finds himself talking with Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Picasso, Dali, and many others. He drinks and dances the nights away alongside these
www.keithandthemovies.files.wordpress.com Oh right, I forgot Owen Wilson did more movies than Marley and Me.
great artists, finding inspiration and solace in their company. They not only guide his work, but also help him find himself. Through these midnight adventures in 1920s Paris, Gil realizes his true desires, and finds the strength to fight for them. Enraptured with the beauty and magic of the city, Gil embarks on
a journey enviable by all who are lovers of art and secretly dream of an adventure such as his. But, it is about more than dreams and aspirations. Midnight in Paris is about letting go of our envious longing for better times. Characters are constantly yearning for a previous era, believing it was surely the
‘Golden Age’ of Paris decades before their time. As Gil travels between the 21st and 20th centuries, he realizes no era is perfect. No matter what year you live in, you will always wish for, or idealize another time or place. We must learn to revel in the moments we have now, not let the beauty of the present be-
come lost and drowned out by the romanticism of the past. Paris is a magical city, and never ceases to bring a certain air of mystery and hope to any story. The romanticized setting certainly makes this film charming and loveable. Though I think it is almost impossible not to idealize ‘la vie bohème’, the film does an excellent job of putting value on the realities of the world. Gil has his own comical epiphany, appreciating the modern day when recalling a nightmare wherein he is unable to find antibiotics at the dentist’s office. Midnight in Paris is an original, light-hearted film that manages to avoid being cheesy or predictable. The cast was surprising; Rachel McAdams did a great job of making us hate her, and Owen Wilson captured our hearts with his quirky, easy-going nature. It may be a few years old, but it is a great movie to keep in mind for those days where you need a bit light-hearted and fantastical inspiration.
Love is all
A review of Kent Haruf’s new novel liam fitz-gerald contributor
Kent Haruf’s Benediction is an emotionally charged novel that captures the last summer of a terminally ill man’s life and the various peoples interacting with him in the fictional town of Holt, Colorado. Indeed, Haruf spins a tale that interweaves several characters and their interactions with one another in Holt while exploring several issues ranging from coming to terms with death, parent-child relations, and politics. Himself a Colorado resident, Haruf studied English at Nebraska Wesleyan University and served with the Peace Corps as an English teacher in Turkey and later taught at Southern Illinois University. At 41, he published his first works of fiction in the journal Peurto Del Sol and from there his writing career took off. Benediction is the latest of six books penned by Haruf, and the third one set in his fictional town of Holt. Haruf is a distinguished writer, having won such awards such as the Whiting Foundation Writers’ Award, the Mountains & Plains Booksellers Award, and the Spirit of the West Award. His books have also received nominations for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the New Yorker Book Award, and the National Book Award. His work has been compared most notably to Ernest Hemingway. The Minneapolis Star Tribune has written
www.bookpeopleblog.files.wordpress.com A distinguished writer who creates amazing books.
that “Haruf’s sentences have the elegance of Hemingway’s early work [and his] determined realism.” Yet Haruf’s writing also evokes Cormac McCarthy. Indeed, Haruf’s writing utilizes McCarthy’s trademark style of no quotation marks to indicate speaking or describing (which
can get confusing at times if one is not paying attention) and use of short paragraphs and short descriptive sentences. Haruf’s novel opens with the book’s central character, Dad Lewis, receiving a devastating diagnosis of terminal cancer and told that he will likely die by the end of the summer. Ben-
ediction (which means to say a blessing) follows Lewis, a hardware store owner, as he reflects on important events in his life, such as the tragic consequences of firing a shoplifting employee and an argument that leads to lifelong estrangement with his son, and how he handled them. Interwoven with the main
What Haruf manages to do successfully in this book is capture the trials and tribulations of not just the main character but several others and does so in a way that is descriptive and to the point.
story of Lewis are subplots of several other characters, including a church minister new to town with controversial ideas of his own and his troubled boy, family members and close friends of Lewis and a love affair gone totally awry. While the major theme of the book is a man coming to terms with his mortality, Haruf also explores the relationship of parents to children and children to adults more broadly. Set in the early 2000s, Haruf explores political themes, such as unmitigated patriotism and questioning the policies of one’s country; themes that still echo in North America today. The novel has something for everyone and students from small town Saskatchewan will recognize the maxim of everyone knowing each other’s business emphasized throughout the book. What Haruf manages to do successfully in this book is capture the trials and tribulations of not just the main character, but several others, and does so in a way that is descriptive and to the point. He does not drone on for pages about a single point, but explains everything succinctly and clearly. The chapters are short and the points are clear. The book is definitely well worth reading and certainly a highlight from 2013.
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the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Queer performance in Regina Performatorium rings in the New Year robyn tocker a&c editor
For three years, queer artists have come together under the title “Performatorium” to perform live pieces of art in this unique festival hosted in Regina. “It’s the only queer performance festival in Canada,” says Gary Varro, the man responsible for the celebration of queer performance. From Jan. 15-18, people can come to a variety of locations to see an array of performances put on by queer artists from around the world. This year, Varro gathered up such artists as Kira O’Reilly (London), Arianna Ferrari (Milan), and Lucien Durey, an artist from Regina currently living in Vancouver. When speaking with Durey, he says he is excited be a part of the festival for the first time and to meet the fellow artists. “Everyone I talk to about this queer performance festival is so surprised that something like this happens in what people consider to be a conservative, small, prairie place.” He says the perception of Saskatchewan not having a lot of queer voices is changing because of this festival, proving there is an audience for such work. “My experience going back [to Regina] is so different from what I felt about my community while I was living there. It feels pretty powerful.”
Lucien Durey Aquila, 2009, mixed media
At the festival, Durey will be performing only on Jan. 16. It will involve live music and a video. Durey recorded a video in Crayton, Saskatchewan during his artist residency, to which he will be singing along to before an audience. The theme for Performatorium changes every year, and for 2014, Varro decided on a theme of “spirituality, persona, transformation, transcendence, ritual, and ecstasy.” Durey’s piece is only one segment of the three-day festival. Varro describes the festival as a regular gallery, where you can come in, view a piece, leave, then come back and watch it
again. Jan. 16, Varro says, is a more “conventional” set-up where there is a performer-audience relationship. The following day holds an interesting performance involving 32 volunteers. Varro says they are still looking for anyone who can attend from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. on Jan. 17 at the 5th Parallel Gallery at the University of Regina. “[The performance is] relating to the idea about the body, spirits, and rituals. The piece is about mortality and how, perhaps in this day and age, we become numb to death…we are so tuned in to what’s going on in the world through media that another disaster is just another
killing or shooting.” All the performances during the festival are meant to take the viewer into places where they may not always be sure what’s going on, but they get a sense of something quite intense happening. Varro says the performance festival was started because of the change in dynamic between watching a film and live performance. “In 1996 when the first queer film festival happened, before there was a full on relationship with social media and electronic communication, films and videos at a theatre were really the only way for the community to see themselves and
content that was LGBTQ.” Now with such reliance on technology, that need has changed. Instead of having one festival with films and live performance combined as they did up until 2000-2002, Varro has the two separated. Although the numbers have dropped, the need is still there to have both a queer film festival and a performance festival. “[The festival] has contributed somehow to an awareness of different types of sexualities and identities, both in terms of social awareness and creative awareness. A lot of what is shown is challenging and may be outside the so-called box,” says Varro. But, is it actually necessary to have this festival? Varro has been asked this question many times and he says just when he thinks it may not be, something happens in the world that proves him wrong. A more recent example would be Russia’s stance on the LGBTQ community. “The world still needs to be reminded that there’s still problems/issues that, maybe, will never go away or will come in waves. There’s dips and peaks.” Whether it’s a dip or a peak, Varro will keep putting on Performatorium until he runs out of artists or until he can no longer keep it up, whichever happens first. For more information on the festival, visit www.queercitycinema.ca/performance2014.
Nothing special Beyoncé’s super odd album destiny kaus a&c writer Apparently, I live under a rock, because I definitely did not know that Beyoncé released a new album on Dec. 13. But, I am not completely at fault for being ignorant of this fact, because she released her self-titled, visual album, Beyoncé, in secret. Instead of hyping up her new album prior to the release date, Beyoncé kept it all quiet until she released her new album via iTunes. But, why on earth would she keep her new album a secret? Personally, I believe that when people are celebrities, they can do whatever the heck they want. If Beyoncé wanted to keep her album a secret until the release date, then she could do just that. Or, perhaps she wanted to connect with her true fans at a deeper level, because, in reality, fans who really love Beyoncé will find out about and listen to her album regardless of whether she advertised it months prior or not. Anyway, despite my obliviousness about this new album
Wikicommons The wild hair is gone but the surprises are not.
at first, I had a little listen to Beyoncé and came to the conclusion that though it has a couple shining songs, it is super odd. Within the 14 tracks and accompanying 18 music videos, two songs are great: “Haunted” and “Blue.” These songs showcase sincere musicality and vocal talent. “Haunted” begins with a slow piano melody and the pure, soft vocals of Beyoncé and builds to Beyoncé belting out
powerful notes at perfect pitch. At the end of the album, Beyoncé reveals her unique song “Blue.” Beyoncé’s voice, accompanied by the killer background vocals of her own daughter, Blue Ivy (yes, that is her real name), mesh together beautifully in perfect harmony. This is one song I could listen to over and over. As for all the other songs, they’re mediocre at best, while some of them, such as “Drunk in Love” and “Blow,”
are just super odd. “Drunk in Love” starts out with what sounds like a creepy baby trying to cry melodically. It’s bizarre and it never leaves; it keeps coming back in each chorus. If it wasn’t for Beyoncé’s sick rap skills in this song, I would never listen to it again, because, dang, that creepy baby freaks the heck out of me. And the song “Blow”? Well, I bet anyone can guess what that song is about before they
even listen to it. If not, I’m sure people will understand after they hear the lyrics “I can’t wait till I get home so you can tear that cherry out.” Crude. To mirror the oddness of her songs, Beyoncé’s music videos are freaking weird. While it is obvious some of the dances in her music videos have been choreographed, at some points, especially in “Drunk in Love,” Beyoncé’s dance moves look like a seal flopping around aimlessly. Also in the “Drunk in Love” video, who is Jay Z looking at? He never looks at the camera and frequently looks at the ground while rapping, so it looks like his eyes are closed. Camera shy? Additionally, the music video for “Ghost” is really quite freaky. At one part, Beyoncé slowly flails around in this skintight white tube thing, and, in another part, she’s painted completely black and crawls across the floor. Yikes.
sports ROUNDTABLE
taylor sockett, kyle leitch, michael chmielewski, brady lang, matt wincherauk got their legs broke Many University of Regina teams have had nearly one month off from competition over Christmas. Which team will come back the strongest after the break? Sockett: I had expected to see the men’s hockey team make a serious push for a playoff spot; however, its going to need to be a big push the way they have been playing recently. The men’s hockey team was embarrassed in back-to-back games in Calgary, losing 2-8 and 0-9 prior to the New Year. The team holds a 1-1 record since the calendar change splitting a series with Lethbridge. But, really, that’s a team they have to beat. Dear men’s hockey, good luck in the New Year and step it up! Leitch: Do we have a full contact chess team yet? If so, then them. Chmielewski: Since I’m obligated to hoodwinked fanaticism, I have no option but to say all of them. Go Team(s)! Lang: I believe the men’s hockey team will end up with a winning record this season and come back with a strong second half. Wincherauk: I feel like I have to go with the men’s Basketball team, just because I know these guys so well. I think they needed
www.buisnessinsider.com He’s got jelly legs!
some time to gel and get into a groove, and I know they were hard at work this break, getting up jumpers and whatnot. What was your favourite sports moment of 2013? Sockett: I’m desperately trying to think of anything other than Grey Cup 2013, so in an attempt to upset sports editor McDeezy, I will say the Boston Bruins sweeping the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Final. The Penguins, for a very good team, looked completely pathetic in this match up, despite being the favorites to win the series. Nothing – Grey Cup excluded – in 2013 sports made me happier then being apply to rub it in McDeezy’s face that her team had been swept. Leitch: Anderson Silva getting knocked out, only to come back and atomize his fucking shinbone in the rematch. Cocky prick. Chmielewski: I’d probably say using the golf club around the office to hit stuff, and the highlight being Tech Editor and awesome dude Arthur Ward nearly knocking Olivia out... And he’s a Cougar athlete. (Fret not, if you notice, dear reader, there is no Olivia on staff, unless I am sorely mistaken. It’s one of the computers.) Lang: Definitely the 101st Grey Cup in Regina. That Green Mile was incredible! Wincherauk: I am a diehard
Boston sports fan, so for me it’s the day of Oct, 13. The Patriots managed a miraculous comeback off a Tom “Fucking” Brady touchdown in dying seconds, and then the Red Sox saved their season off a grandslam from Big Papi David Ortiz. Magical day I’ll never forget.
Editor: Autumn McDowell sports@carillonregina.com the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Which member of Team Canada were you the most impressed with during this year’s World Juniors?
Sockett: Stop crushing two McDoubles a large fries and a large drink at one o’clock in the morning. Update as of Jan. 5, 2014 at approximately 1:20a.m., my resolution has failed. Oh well, there’s always next year. Who wants to go to McDonalds?
Sockett: I will not be answering this question, as there is nothing impressive with a team Canada that doesn’t even get a medal, so I’m opting to go on a rant instead. How brutal was the refereeing by the IIHF this year? A player is given a two-minute penalty for assaulting an official while a two-minute penalty and 10-minute misconduct is given for a very questionable hit to the head? Not to mention an officiating crew that was determined to give Sweden gold on home ice. Come on, IIHF, you’re ruining the sport faster than Bettman did.
Leitch: Hey, what do you know? Both of those things are on my to do resolution list. That thing’s getting longer than a Leonard Cohen song.
Leitch: Wayne Gretzky. I hear he only cried for four solid hours instead of his usual week-long affair after Team Canada’s performance.
Chmielewski: I’ll be either starting smoking or stopping going to the gym, but the inverse is probably much closer to the truth. I’ve done both in my life, so which should I start again? The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Chmielewski: The one who scored the most. I got nothing, I didn’t watch them.
Many people are getting back in the gym, or quitting smoking this time of year. What is your New Year’s resolution?
Lang: People still make those? Wincherauk: Watch more sports? I’m not sure if that’s a resolution, considering how much I do it already, but that’s what I’ll go with.
Lang: Zach Fucale raised a lot of eyebrows coming in for Jake Patterson after Patterson struggled – for the second World Juniors in a row – and played solid. If it weren’t for a few unlucky bounces Team Canada would be partying instead of Finland. Wincherauk: I’ll go with the goalie, Zachary Fucale. He’s had a great run so far, and has kept this team in games while their offense struggled to get going.
With the Olympics approaching quickly, which sports are you the most excited to watch? Sockett: Naturally hockey might be my traditional answer; however, in the past couple of Winter Olympics, I have really enjoyed watching ski cross and snowboard cross. For those who don’t know what these are it is a race between usually four people on a downhill track similar to motocross. The results are close, intense wins; highflying jumps and heartbreaking defeats. This relatively new Olympic sport is extremely exciting and I can’t wait to watch. Leitch: The 100-meter dash out of St. Petersberg, wherein athletes will race to freedom under the watchful riflescopes of the Kremlin. In lieu of medals, winning athletes will be allowed to live. Chmielewski: Hockey, of course, as ironic as that sounds with answer number four. I’d rather watch the summer Olympics though, they’re better. Boxing is where it’s at. Lang: I love watching the skiing and snowboarding events, but really I have to watch the men’s and women’s hockey. There is nothing better than Olympic hockey! Wincherauk: Hockey. Has to be hockey. Only hockey right now. We have to defend our gold in the sport the world associates us with most.
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the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Winning attitude
Losing veterans doesn’t mean you have to lose games paige kreutzwieser staff writer
They may consider it a building year, but the U of R women’s basketball team isn’t letting that stop them from winning. With an 8-2 record going into the halfway point of the season, the Cougars are looking strong once again. Last season, with the likes of Michelle Clark, Brittany Read, Danielle Schmidt and Lindsay Ledingham on the bench, the squad made it to the final in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) women’s basketball championship, losing 66-57 against three-peat champions Windsor Lancers. Going into this year, the team lost those four strong starters. “We are still doing super well, considering we lost that many people,” said Alyssia Kajati, a third-year post for the Cougars. “I think our dynamics are a little bit different. Our coach [now] considers us young and full of energy.” But despite the apparent youthfulness of this year’s roster, Kajati mentioned they do have “old bodies”. Sidney Dobner just recently tore her ACL, which for the fourth-year guard coming off a red-shirt season last year, is a very devastating situation. But it’s not just Dobner who is suffering, said Kajati.
Arthur Ward I wish i was in Vegas today. Sad face.
“This Christmas break was good for us because we all were breaking down,” she laughed. Bringing in new players this season, like veteran guard Nicole Clarke from the University of Alberta, is one way head coach Dave Taylor has been helping the team build this year. Kajati said Clarke brings a leadership role to the team with her experience and skill, but added that everyone on the team has stepped up. “With the change in players, we don’t necessarily have that one dominant leader yet,” Kajati said. “It’s kind of cool, we all contribute in our own
ways and our own leadership strengths.” Alongside Clarke, two rookies were added to the roster this season – Sara Hubenig and Caitlin Zacharias. Kajati said that the two Regina rookies are great additions to the team. “It’s tough being a rookie, and I know that,” she said. “They have a lot to learn and that’s fine, that is why they are here. But when they do get time, they use it and I think that is a great thing. They always play their hardest.” A local Reginian as well, Kajati said being a Cougar is a
childhood dream come true for her. “As a kid I always went to the games and I thought they were big superstars,” she said. “It’s just really cool being on the team now.” Being on the current team has its perks, too. The squad recently travelled for the second consecutive year to Las Vegas over the winter break to take part in the Frontier Conference Las Vegas Shootout. The Regina squad was able to secure wins in all three of their games for the second year in a row, and even handed the Lewis-Clark State Warriors their
first loss of their 2013-14 season. “It’s good competition,” said Kajati. “It’s nice to have those three games to get out of the way and to get back into it for the season.” Although the focus was to win while down south, the girls were able to take in some of the classic Vegas opportunities. “We just have to owe our three hours to Dave…but after that we are kind of are on our own. He trusts us. He knows we are all responsible, so he gives us the empowerment,” laughed Kajati. If the team is able to continue their winning streak – but specifically to win all home games – they will secure a home playoff game. “That’s really nice to have, because travelling is always really stressful,” said the education student, who knows first hand what balancing school and sports together can be like. “It’s tough. I feel like I sometimes don’t have room to breathe. It’s always a jam-packed schedule. But, I am used to it and I don’t like being not busy.” Fortunately, the team got most of their travelling out of the way before the winter break, as they only have four away games left in the regular season. Their next four games will be at home, with the Cougars looking to take on Thompson River on Thursday and UBC on Friday, tip off is at 6:15p.m.
Life of a trainer
It may not be a glamorous life, but they still love it michael chmielewski editor-in-chief
As with many aspects of life, certain individuals take the lion’s share of the credit for something that many worked at. The rock star on stage may get all the glamorous attention, but the critical component to the success of the performance rests with many hands, such as roadies, light crew, sound crew, promoters, and so on. The same goes for trainers in the world of sports. They are a critical, yet neglected, aspect of the sports world. When the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup last year, nobody rushed onto the ice to interview the trainers; the trainers didn’t hoist the cup into the air. The same phenomenon occurs with the life of trainers at the University of Regina. A trainer’s duties include attending practice everyday, stretching out the players, doing laundry, fixing equipment, and making sure the team is generally ready to go. In the event of an injury, the trainer is the first one to respond and help the player. For Carly Pockett, a Kine-
Jarrett Crowe Trainers in their element.
siology student, as the athletic trainer and equipment manager for the Cougars’ women’s hockey team she admits that the work is time consuming, especially with school, but that she does like it. “I do enjoy the job most times,” she said. “Better aspects include the athletes. They’re a great group to work with and also I get to do something that I enjoy. Bad aspects
include how time consuming it is. It doesn’t always agree with my school schedule.” Balancing such a demanding job with a full course load has its challenges, but those are often outweighed by the future career benefits. “I feel like this experience will help me in my future career or if I choose to continue my school elsewhere after my degree,” Pockett said. “It gives me
an advantage against those that have never done or experienced anything along these lines, and it also gets my name out there for a future career option.” Dillon Hunter, the trainer of the men’s hockey team, also feels that the job is very demanding while trying to take a full course load, but similarly feels that the experience of being a trainer will help him in his career. “It will definitely help me. I mean, it’ll give me just that much more experience for injuries that do occur,” he said. “I mean, in hockey, there’s a few more brutal injuries.” Since hockey is such a fast, physical and injury-prone sport, trainers can bet that they will see and have to deal with injuries. “I’ve seen a few bad concussions,” said Hunter. “Last year we had one guy, he had severed his Ulnar nerve. I wasn’t there at the game, the other guy was.” The Ulnar nerve is the located in the arm, beside the elbow bone. It is commonly know as the “funny bone.” The nerve is quite unprotected. The reason why Hunter wasn’t there was because last
year, the men’s hockey team had two trainers, whereas this year Hunter is all by his lonesome self. This has increased his workload significantly, because before him and his trainer partner would split practices. As to whether or not trainers are underappreciated, both Hunter and Pockett agree that the team values their contribution. As far as being underpaid, though, both seem not to mind. “[It] is a lot of work for the amount we do get paid, but this position is more volunteer than anything,” she said. “I wasn’t even aware that we did get paid before committing my time to the team.” “The money isn’t the biggest part of it,” agreed Hunter. “It’s more the experience, I would say. They money is nice, but it’s not all about it.” These trainers, for all they do and they way they do it in a humble manner, deserve their own applause and fame for all their hard work. Next time a team succeeds, especially the Cougars or Rams, don’t forget their trainers.
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
sports 13
Clinging to positives
The un-undefeated team hopes for a good end to a bad start brady lang sports writer
The Cougar men’s volleyball team has struggled thus far in the 2013-14 Canada West season, yet the team may be able to turn things around during the stretch headed into the playoffs. Going into the Christmas break the squad fell to a dismal 0-12 record after dropping two straight set matches to the UBC Thunderbirds in Regina on Nov. 29 and 30. The club’s problems, it seems, may be the fact that it has had difficulties closing out wins not only this year, but also over the past several years of the program. “We’ve been playing good volleyball, yet we have had problems bringing it all together at the end of games,” said rookie setter Alex Cassels. “We have been outplayed some games with the tough schedule we have had during the first semester of this season and we need to work on being precise with our plays.” The Cougars – who currently sit in last place in the Canada West standings – have only played one team with a win
Marc Mesett That’s not a pretty record.
percentage under .500 so far this season, Winnipeg, so their schedule has been tough on the veteran squad. Even though the Cougars only have 10 games remaining on their 2014 schedule, the club has brought in new Australian player Brad Millers into the fold. “We just picked up [Millers] and he will definitely help
our team quickly,” Cassels said. “I’ve seen a lot of improvements even this weekend in our tournament in Saskatoon. We need to focus more on our structure as a team and our skills will come into play.” The club definitely will be a work in progress in these last ten games of the season, yet work for next year will have to
start happening quickly to help the program succeed in the long run. The club currently has five fifth-year players on the roster that will be aging out, while the majority of the team are just in their third year. If a positive swing can come out of this dismal season, it may be a time to live and learn for the young club. Taking the
positives out of each game and growing the team into a possible contender a few years down the road. Moulding the player’s individual games may be something the Cougars will need to do. When you’re sitting at 0-12 at this point in the season, one must imagine that the team needs to be thinking about its future as a whole. The program has struggled for a while now, and a new look at the team may be imminent at the conclusion of the season. The team now has a record of 10-98 in conference games dating back to 2008, and you have to start realizing at some point that this squad needs help. Millers coming in may not be an immediate answer, but it could be a start for the Cougars. The volleyball club’s next game will be on Jan. 11 against Alberta at home starting at 2:30. The club is now in their final month of action, as their final regular season match will be Feb. 8 at UBC Okanogan.
In this corner
From CIS wrestler to professional MMA fighter taylor sockett distribution manager
I have often wondered what goes into the making of a professional fighter. After all, I have seen all of the Rocky movies, so I assumed all it took were a frozen side of beef and a lot of raw egg drinking. So when I was given the opportunity to interview a real fighter that attends the University of Regina, I jumped at the opportunity and essentially began picturing a training montage. Turns out there was no 80s motivational music, no side of frozen beef, not even a raw egg anywhere in sight, just a fighter preparing to go to war. Paul Grebinski isn’t your everyday, average, third-year arts student at the University of Regina; he has an uncanny ability to beat the crap out of people. Thankfully, Grebinski has found somewhere to practice his art, while training as a professional MMA fighter. In the Maximum Fighting Championship, he sports a 1-0 record. While watching his training session, I quickly realized that Grebinski has a number of important people helping push him towards success. I watched as Grebinski’s teammates lined up to beat the crap out of him round after round in a tough sparring session, but as brutal as it may sound, they were encouraging him every step of the way. However, for Grebinski,
Arthur Ward Sweep the leg, Paul.
the most important person in his corner has to be coach, A.J. Scales. “[Scales has] been my coach since day one. He’s supported me, believed in me from day one, helped me in all aspects of the game,” Grebinski said. “[Scales] took me from a chubby little goof ball and turned me into a professional fighter at the highest level of Canada. I owe everything I have in this sport to him.” Prior to seeing this training session live, I thought fighting was an individual sport, but now I realize how important the support of a fighter’s team is. When sitting down with Grebinski, one
of the things that stood out to me the most is how humble he is; he has not forgotten where he comes from. And when asked about how his time with the U of R wrestling program has helped with his development as a fighter, Grebinski was quick to give full credit to the Cougars. “It took me from amateur to professional for sure. The University’s wrestling program doesn’t get a lot of attention and it’s one of the best programs there is in the school’s history,” he said, “The guys in the room put so much effort in for no one else but themselves. It really made you buy into it.
That carried over for sure”. Grebinski will be taking his show on the road in January into a hostile environment in Edmonton where he will be fighting the local Jarred “The Yeti” McComb on Friday, Jan. 17 at MFC 39 No Remorse. Now, having the nickname “The Yeti” must mean something, so I did some research and came to the conclusion that McComb is – in the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger – “one ugly mother fucker.” That was the only logical reason I could determine for calling someone “The Yeti.” When I asked Grebinski about the nickname, he be-
lieved it seemed fitting. “He is the ugliest guy I’ve ever seen in my life, so I’ve got to like get prepared to fight someone so ugly. It freaks you out a little.” Looks aside, Grebinski acknowledges that this will be his “toughest fight ever,” as McComb sports a 5-3-1 record, making him the more experienced professional fighter, and also has the hometown crowd on his side. However, Grebinski does not feel that he is the underdog. “On paper, I think I’m a favorite because of my wrestling and Jiu Jitzu,” said Grebinski, who sports a successful amateur career, which was not taken into account. The most important thing I learned at this training session was that if I ever stepped into the ring, I would die. The amount of sacrifices fighters make is almost super-human and is clearly the reason most of us watch from the stands. While I’m still questioning the lack of 80s music and raw eggs, Grebinski has the heart it will take to turn “The Yeti” back into an urban legend.
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sports
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Carpe YOLO
Regina boys hit the big screen brady lang sports writer
Saskatchewan really hasn’t been a place that professional snowboarders are born and bred; yet the McMorris brothers are different. Craig and Mark McMorris – the brothers who hail from Regina – have made it big in the snowboarding world and were rewarded with a TV show on MTV that just concluded its first season. McMorris & McMorris debuted on Nov. 1, 2013, and the show was actually pretty entertaining compared to the rest of the blunders MTV has come out with in recent years. The two Saskatchewan boys make numerous references to their home province and definitely come off as just a couple prairie boys living the dream. Along with their cast of friends – including URSU’s Vice President of Operations and Finance Mitch Simpson – the McMorris brothers set off on numerous adventures around the snowboarding and extreme sporting world, taking them to places such as Las Vegas and South California for an epic scavenger hunt, Vermont for a festival called the “Frend-
rebull.com Kyle, you will hate this article. [I did. - PM]
ly Gathering,” and, of course, their cabin at Echo Lake near Fort Qu’Appelle. The brothers combined their down-to-earth humour with their willingness to live life to the fullest throughout their eight-episode opening season. Letting the audience into their lives and showing us that they are still human will go a long way with expanding their fan base and popularity heading into the 2014 Sochi Olympic
Winter Games where 20-yearold Mark will be competing. Although we all know that reality TV shows have to be taken with a grain of salt on how much “reality” is in the programme, there was always a sense of realism in McMorris & McMorris. The show definitely showcased all of the McMorris brothers’ friends and in doing so opened their lives up to the audience in every way possible. Seeing the guys go to places so
well known in Saskatchewan like Craven, Regina, and even Echo Lake in the Qu’Appelle Valley, you could tell that this was the life that the brothers actually live. Craig’s one-liners gave the show an added feeling in which you felt part of the group of friends that were showcased within the first season. The brothers’ willingness to jump right in and live life within the motto of “carpe YOLO” – as
Craig says in the introductions of every episode of McMorris & McMorris – entertains throughout the first season of the show and portrays the brothers as fearless individuals. The show is definitely great for not only Regina, but also Saskatchewan as a whole. Getting the province out there and representing us in a positive light is very good for the snowboarding community within Saskatchewan. The McMorris brothers grew up on the slopes of Mission Ridge in Fort Qu’Appelle and the publicity the ski hill has been getting is tremendous due in part to the two brothers. The show has made strides in growing the sport of snowboarding in Saskatchewan and with the more success that Mark and Craig achieve, the bigger the sport will grow within this province. McMorris & McMorris is a show worth tuning into, especially if you’re from the Regina or Fort Qu’Appelle area. Even though the first season is now over we can still cheer on Mark as he will be going for gold in Sochi in a month’s time.
Fall from grace
What the hell, Team Canada? what the puck? autumn mcdowell sports editor
Canadian hockey fans used to be able to make drinking games out of how many goals Team Canada would score in a single game at the World Junior Championships, and be totally wasted by the second period. Now, we would barely be buzzed. It’s no secret that Canadians love hockey, and god dammit we’re great at it. At least, we used to be anyway. The World Juniors used to essentially be a clinic put on by Team Canada, a tournament purely to show just how talented our skaters were and how every other country should be ashamed in comparison, but that has changed. In a matter of five years, Canada has slipped every year from having gold medals placed around their necks to being held off of the podium completely, which has left most hockey fans saying, “What the hell happened?” The truth is, no one is quite sure. Perhaps we lack the Jonathon Toews and Jordan Eberle magic that used to be counted on to keep our heads above water, or maybe it is just that our team plateaued while other teams have finally stepped up and dare I say passed Canada in hockey supremacy status?
o.canada.com Sums up everyone’s reaction quite nicely.
I think one of the biggest problems to cause Canada’s falter is the growing attitude that this is our tournament to lose, rather than to win. In the eyes of many players, coaches, and fans, Canada already has gold and we are playing keep away with the other teams, rather than making a strong effort to capture it ourselves. Whatever the case, something needs to change. Since
instituting the program of excellence back in 1981 after a dismal performance much like the ones seen in recent years, the team has collected 26 medals, 15 of which are gold. But, with the last one coming five years ago, it’s time for a drastic change once again. Since other countries have begun copying Canada’s winning formula and started implementing summer development
camps, our country’s guaranteed-gold went the way of the Titanic, and without staying one step ahead, we find ourselves trailing behind. Take this year’s tournament, for example. While no one was holding their breath for this year’s team from the start, we expected them to at least be able to beat the Czech Republic. But, after a shootout loss, it looked to be headed all downhill, until
the traditional New Years Eve game against the United States. For once, the Canadians came to play and earned a dramatic win. Even though fans thought this could be the beginning of a fantastic gold medal run, hopes were quickly dashed with back-to-back losses to Finland and Russia. In my opinion, while the Finnish were a surprisingly good team, Canada took them far too lightly, and already had their sights set on popping champagne after their gold-medal victory. Their eyes were too big, and it cost them. Although 11 of this year’s team members could return next year, that number will quickly be shaved down to roughly five, since many of them will be playing with NHL clubs this time next year. But, whether it’s the coach, lack of star power, horrid selection, or all of the above, Canada is an endangered species on the hockey rink.
op-ed
Editor: Farron Ager op-ed@carillonregina.com the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
My NASH experience
Graham Colm
While many of my current colleagues are getting ready to head to NASH, the student journalism conference put on by the Canadian University Press, I am being reminded of what a terrible time I had at said conference two years ago. Yes, I was one of the lucky ones to take part in the Victoria, “barfapalooza” of 2012. When I first heard rumours about this conference, I thought that it would be a great opportunity to network, meet new people that shared my passion, learn a few new tricks about my job, and most importantly, have the chance to party in a new city, thus getting to know my then colleagues’ better and drunker sides. But that is not how my five hellish days in Victoria went. Despite one member of my paper instantly losing their luggage, I remained unrealistically optimistic that this would be the only thing to go wrong on this trip, but I was very wrong. Upon checking into the hotel I was suddenly informed that not only would I be sharing my room with two strangers, I would be sharing my bed as well. At least I knew who I would be sharing blankets with, but that didn’t make it any easier. If you can imagine the horror on my face waking up in the middle of the night to my former co-worker mere centimetres away from me, mid-drool, that was just the beginning, but even that I
thought I could probably get past. One of the reasons that most student journalists go to the conference, whether they want to openly admit it or not, is to party. But party, I did not. No one from my paper wanted to go out, to my unannounced surprise, and if they did, they would much rather gallivant Victoria with the cute girl from another paper than me. After the first few nights, getting dressed up in my pre-planned cute outfits ready for a night out only to be shot down, I slowly began to lose confidence that this trip was going to be any fun at all. And so I decided to come to terms with the fact that no one wanted to party, they would rather skype their boyfriends, study, or bang people in their rooms. But, someone would surely go out for lunch with me, wouldn’t they? The answer is no. Day after day, I walked the streets of Victoria by myself, and sat down to a meal with only myself and pretending to read other schools’ papers for company. No matter how confident you are, you always feel like a loser eating alone. But, despite my lonerish behaviour, I still had the guest speakers to look forward to; surely they wouldn’t ditch me, right? NASH is famous for always landing a lineup of stellar speakers, and this year I could not wait to hear Dave Zirin in
person. After listening to his podcasts, and seeing his film, Not Just A Game, I was just as excited as a small child anxiously awaiting Santa’s arrival. But, even Zirin didn’t want to be with me, and after a cancelled flight, he too ended up on my list of people I had been ditched by. Despite a shaky yet hilarious skype session with Zirin in an effort to keep me from flying home early, I couldn’t help but feel ripped off, but I still had one last thing to look forward to, the awards gala and after party. Finally, a party that everyone from my paper would be forced to attend. I was finally going to get to go out, and I couldn’t wait. I spent hours curling my hair, put on my black heels and sparkly dress, and I was ready for a night on the town. Buses took the hundreds of student journalists in groups from our hotel to the University of Victoria campus bar, but as we entered the bar a strange and awful aroma began to fill the air, and as a man walked past me with someone else’s puke flowing down his back, this was the start of something awful. My one night to finally go out, and we were being kicked out of the bar after one hour, because rumours began to swirl of food poisoning and a possible virus outbreak. Suddenly, as event organizers began to give out stats that 50 kids were now sick, I began to have a strange
feeling in my stomach. This had to be just in my head, I prayed to myself, but it wasn’t. And as I walked out to the bus, I found myself off to the side, in my sparkly dress and curled hair, puking my guts out. I spent the next 36 hours puking constantly, and doing other things, which are far too disturbing to repeat. I was one of just two people from my paper to get sick, and with the other on the opposite side of the hotel, and everyone else refusing to come near me, I was left alone. Being left alone while you are horrifically vomiting is not always a bad thing, but when paramedics are unaware of your existence, that is when it can get dicey. I could hear paramedics and staff go to every room down the hall from mine, knock on the door and give the occupants Pedialite and Tylenol. As they drew closer to my room I was excited to finally have something in my stomach, but they skipped over me. Since I was the only one left in my room, they assumed it was empty. And, since I was too weak to get up, there was nothing I could do, and so I lay not only alone and puking but also dehydrated and hungry. Surely, the other healthy members of my paper at the time would come and at least check to see if I was okay, or breathing, wouldn’t they? No. In fact, they did quite the opposite. As I awoke in the morning after
puking upwards of ten times throughout the night, I turned on my laptop and checked Twitter, as that was the only was that the hotel and event staff was communicating with us mutants - and if you didn’t have Twitter, you were screwed. And as I scrolled through my feed a tweet from one of my colleagues read “we’re in Calgary!” I have never felt so alone in my life. Without a single text, email, phone call or carrier pigeon to see how I was doing, my colleagues left the province, showing no concern for my well-being whatsoever. So there I was, forced to stay another night, still sick, and two provinces away from the closest person who cared about how I was feeling. Many people wondered how I stayed on with my campus paper after the events that happened during NASH that week. And the truth is, sometimes I’m not even sure. I love what I do, and I suppose that’s what made me stay, but that was the worst week of my life, and I will never forget it. So while all of you are preparing for a carefree, fun time at NASH, I will not be joining you.
Without a single text, email, phone call or carrier pigeon to
see how I was doing, my colleagues left the province, showing no concern for my well being what so ever. autumn mcdowell sports editor
16
op-ed
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
The beauty of photography I’ve solidified an addiction over the holiday break. I probably would have never taken it up had I not started working at the Carillon, because it is here that I was exposed to the beauty, and art, of photography. Never before had I really considered using photography as an expressive outlet. I’ve used language tropes and genres in almost all its forms, and I’ve also written and performed music as a solo act and also with a band. These were acts that brought me great joy and pride in myself, and it also helped me understand who I really am. Photography is all this and more. It is what I see, and through my camera, I can express it to others. I am still extremely green, and more so when compared with the Carillon’s awesome photographers, who I credit for getting me hooked on taking photos. When I walk around now, or drive anywhere, I see something and think, “that would be an awesome photo,” and or “I wish I had my camera,” which inevitably will lead me to almost always carry my camera. For me, art is to capture that something. Art is not making or constructing, but rather capturing and expressing a fleeting moment. These moments are rare, sudden, strong, fleeting,
Michael Chmielewski
and I feel that I can never truly capture them. It is only the best artists that can. These are the Beethovens, the Nergals, the Van Goghs, and the Shakespeares of the world, amongst countless others. The representation of that moment is art. The act of art is translating that moment into a medium. That, then, is the true beauty and art of photography. It literally captures. Even the ety-
mology of the term represents this, with “photo” deriving from the Greek word for light, and “graph” for an instrument for recording, or something written: lightwriting. Photos are also the most easily translatable form of art around the world. Many people will not, and frequently do not, care for huge canons of literature that others admire. The photo of human suffering, or
a loving couple, will resonate across the world and delve into the viewer’s emotional core. Since I took up this hobby (unfortunately much more expensive than writing), I’ve been veraciously looking up photos, and one particular photo filled me with such emotion, such anger, and a sense of true helplessness. The feeling in that moment was so strong that I can summon it now. It was the work
of talented Turkish photojournalist Emin Özmen. It depicts fundamentalist thugs in Syria cutting the throat of a young man. The photo was taken seconds before the execution: there are hands all over, holding him down, and the hand holding the blade over the young man’s throat, with a little blood starting to trickle. Immediately, I put my self in the victim’s shoes, and can only imagine the unbearable helplessness. This photo shook me to my core, but this one was particularly negative. The photo I have chosen to run with this article is one I took at my home. It is a picture of a fruit tree in my orchard, with more trees, and the sunset, in the background. It represents many things for me, including the comfort of my home, the beauty of nature where I am so lucky to live, and my childhood, because I grew up helping to grow and look after these trees. They all grew up with me, and I dread the day when I leave them behind. Before that, I will make sure to take many good photos of them.
michael chmielewski editor-in-chief
For unlawful carnal knowledge
Boring Sask politics
The holidays are a little unusual for me. While most people are decking the halls and fa-la-la-la-la-ing, I’m usually decking faces and burning down Christmas displays. In case you didn’t get it, I have a miserly air about me from Nov. 30 until at least Jan. 07. People that know me well know that I have a “problem” with my language. Whereas some folks would refer to me as a “potty mouth,” I quite like to think that I work in profanity in much the same way that other artists work in paint or clay. Verbal castigation, often aided by so-called colourful language is my muse, and I’m proud of the way I’ve managed to turn “foul” language into a heightened art form. Imagine my surprise, then, while plying my trade in public, I had someone lose their cool on me. “You shouldn’t say that in public!” They fumed. “It’s embarrassing!” “Why?” I responded. I have yet to receive a satisfactory answer to what I felt was a legitimate question. Why are some words bad, and some not? Why are we expected to mold our patterns of speech to be inoffensive to the fragile sensibilities of those around us? They are the public just as we sweary folks are. If you didn’t want to hear “offensive” language, then you shouldn’t engage with the public. The word that got me into hot water has different etymologies depending on who you ask. The common consensus is that it started its life as an acronym in jolly ol’ London town. Consenting adults who were attempting to have a child got a plaque to display that let everyone know that they had royal ascent to be doing so. What was the plaque called? Fornication Under Consent of the King.
Saskatchewan had quite a year politically in 2013 - quite boring, that is. When this year is measured up against all others in our province’s past, this one will be largely unremarkable. Don’t get me wrong, reaching the milestone of 1.1-million people and leading Canada with Alberta in economic growth makes me very proud to be from Saskatchewan. But, this type of news makes for boring politics. Maybe in a year from now I’ll be eating crow, but it seems unlikely that Saskatchewan politics will be as dull in 2014 as it was this year. Will the NDP Opposition finally get their act together and start to provide a real Opposition to this Government? We should not buy the idea that the NDP are hampered in opposing the government because they only have 9 MLAs. 30 years ago, the NDP were also in opposition in this province, with 8 MLAs, and that caucus provided a very spirited opposition to the Devine Government. In fact, that small group of MLAs was so well organized that they almost returned to power in the 1986 provincial election. Cam Broten and his team need to get their act together in 2014, or speculation about their demise will begin to grow dramatically. The issues of affordable housing and health care delivery began to simmer across the province in 2013. Therefore, it seems likely that these issues could come to a full rolling boil next year. The lack of affordable housing in Regina and the other major cities, and the subsequent spike in homelessness-related issues dominate urban political chatter these days. The abortive move to close overnight emergency services at the Pasqua Hospital grabbed the attention of a lot of folks, and chatter about it has
Another possible origin is brought to us from the world of prostitution. When ladies of the night were hung for indecent behaviour, a plaque on the gallows read, “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge.” So, there it is. Are we so squeamish that in a couple of hundred years, we decide that any word having to do with the physical act of sex is banned from the popular vernacular? Trust me, in a bastard tongue like English, where nearly every word has been co-opted, mangled, or outright stolen from other languages, there are definitely everyday words that have infinitely more offensive origins than that. The moral of the story is that I’m not going to change the way I speak, be it in public, here in the Carillon, or otherwise. Some people are going to continue to take a defiant stand, and it’s their right to do so, just as it’s my right to taunt them further. And if you’re offended by that sentiment, then, in the words of one Stephen Fry: “So fucking what?”
kyle leitch production manager
not subsided yet. There should also be room for the unexpected in Saskatchewan Politics next year. So far in this province, we have gone 2-plus years since the last provincial election without a single MLA resigning and creating the need for a by-election. This is unprecedented in Saskatchewan politics and should be made note of. In all terms of government in Saskatchewan going back to 1905, there has always been at least one by-election between general elections. But, so far, there have been no indications that any MLAs on either side of the house plan to quit in the foreseeable future. And, with each passing month that there is not a vacancy in the Saskatchewan Legislature, the odds of there being a provincial by-election before the next provincial election diminishes greatly. But, the fact that not a single Sask Party MLA has quit yet in spite of these circumstances strongly suggests that someone from behind the scenes exerts a great deal of power over the government MLAs. It reminds me of the writings of Herodotus of Halicarnassus. Herodotus wrote about the Egyptians, the Persians and the Babylonians, and the walls that their kings used to live behind. Herodotus was fascinated by the inner walls of these cities, where the kings maintained their power and where it was rumoured gods would come down from the sky and sleep on couches. It may be that the inner walls of the Saskatchewan Legislature have a similar story to share.
john murney contributor
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
op-ed 17
NAFTA’s 20th overrated? Recently, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) became 20 years old. Signed in 1993, it was a deal that saw the elimination of tariffs between the United States and its immediate neighbours, Canada and Mexico. This deal was one of the byproducts of the dominance of neoliberalism at the time. With the elite sectors of the Western world viewing regulated markets as an obstacle to prosperity rather than as a prerequisite, a great push was made to do away with as many tariffs as possible. The fall of the Soviet Union served to strengthen this push as it supposedly showed that state intervention in the market sphere led to bad outcomes. Today, the supporters of NAFTA point to increased GDP figures for Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. as proof that it has succeeded. Its critics, however, point to increased joblessness and job insecurity as proof that it did not work. I side with the latter argument, because historically, no country ever got developed through free trade. The fact that mainstream economists argue otherwise reveals a weakness in their way of thinking. Nowadays, the popular perception of the U.K. and the U.S. is that they got rich through free-trade policies. In fact, the
TheMexicanGentleman
opposite is true; their wealth came through protectionism. Beginning with English King Henry VII’s decision to halt English raw wool exports so as to promote domestic cloth manufacturing, the United Kingdom fully embraced a mercantilist trade strategy to give their merchants an advantage. This led to such a large increase in British exports that Britain felt obliged to start the Industrial Revolution to maintain this pace. However, Britain switched to free trade in 1846, because their government felt that they were so far ahead
that nobody could catch up. The British leadership spent the next sixty years trying to convince the rest of the developed world that free trade was good for them but to no avail. Most notably, the United States kept high tariffs and surpassed Britain as the world’s largest manufacturer in the 1900’s. Ultimately, British manufacturers began to lose market share as they were up against competitors who were aided by their respective governments; two world wars led to the death of Imperial Britain and her industrial supremacy.
I got the above information from the book The Betrayal of American Prosperity by Clyde Prestowitz. This book was written to challenge the myths of free market superiority in America. NAFTA and its outcome are one example of how the economics profession increasingly became blind to evidence that went outside their accepted free-market beliefs. Mainstream economics has developed a consumer-based focus, with consumption treated as the end of all human activity. NAFTA was the greatest expression of this
belief, as its advocates claimed that Americans and Canadians could buy cheaper goods and Mexicans would get jobs. They still claimed NAFTA was working even when the factories left American and Canadian soil. While GDP in all countries may have grown, it is doubtful that these gains were shared by everyone. By focusing on consumer welfare, economists forgot that people are more than consumers; they are citizens. People have expectations outside of day-to-day market activities. Industrial policies were launched with the aim of providing for society as a whole, through developing industries that could provide wealth and industries. I have never seen these concerns addressed in an economics class today. NAFTA was the expression of a hyper-individualistic time. Today’s crises show that economics needs to study social rather than individual actions if we are to build a better future.
taras matkovsky contributor
New monetization Superheroic I often hear people in life and on Internet humor sites point to our use of the Internet as a great irony of our generation. The sentiment takes several forms: “We use the greatest ___ ever created to [insert menial activity here].” The blank in question can be “educational tool,” “information resource,” or almost anything that joins knowledge-y adjectives to utilitarian nouns. The menial activity can be cat pictures, poking people with FarmVille requests, or some other suchand-such. It’s true: we have access to a database that houses more information than possibly any other compendium of information in human history. It’s also true that we spend more time doing menial things on the Internet than we probably should. But the reason we’re not eternally drinking from the fountains of knowledge is because we have access to an information database, but find ourselves unable to access some of the information. Consider the information we can access through the University library’s website. We can look through the archives of a whole host of Victorian-era English newspapers or masthead documents from the United Nations stretching as far back as the 1940s. Go under the “Databases” tab on the library’s website and scroll through the vast troves of information collected and categorized for us according to a whole host of subjects and search criteria. All of these databases have one thing in common: they require a log-in with your University username and password. Without your username and password (or University library information) that information is automatically locked away. I know you can find some of this information through other methods like Google or (snicker) Bing, but the reality is that we are, to a certain extent, grounded to our geographic location in
an age when such borders are ostensibly disappearing. I think back to how often I was trying to gather information for an essay and could not read a dissertation on certain authors because I was not registered with the University (which charges guests $5 to read essays online). I just tried to access an article on Harold Pinter from the Modern Language Association only to be told that Institutional Subscriptions (see: paid subscriptions only offered to Universities and University libraries) are the only way to access articles online. We are utilizing the internet to create new communication and information resources; why are we not allowing people to read certain essays because they’re “not from ‘round here?” We are commodifying information and as a result, we have old barriers of geography taking on new forms of monetization. As much as I support protecting works through copyright laws and measures to prevent plagiarism, I worry that we’ll never live in a world where the desire to engage with and discuss a work takes priority over arbitrary laws to “protect” works and databases. We’re hell bent on forcing old-world practices onto world-changing technologies.
ethan stein contributor
Just before the New Years, a Canadian Press article published in the Huffington Post came out that said that National Defence researchers spent almost $14,000 on a survey that asked “whether superheroes can fly through the air; see through walls; hear whispers from miles away; become invisible; and walk through walls.” When asked the goal of this survey, National Defence spokesman Noel Paine said that it was to “allow cultural scientists to better understand the spread of non-natural and religious concepts but also allow the Canadian Armed Forces” in an effort to “design messages that are more memorable for their target audiences” and “win the hearts and minds” of localities overseas. Wait, what? To provide more detail, the article reports some of the results, saying that there was a relative agreement between survey participants that superheroes can fly and leap over skyscrapers, but less agreement over whether or not they can become invisible or walk through walls. I don’t care who you are, no matter how you paraphrase that last statement, there appears to be no human way to make the survey sound less ridiculous. When I first read the article, I felt like I had no choice but to laugh it off. I mean, surely there are countless endeavors that would make better use of taxpayer money, but when I read it over again, my reaction has changed a fair bit, and I’m beginning to see its value. From what I understand, basically this survey is attempting to connect with people. Granted, it seems like an odd way to go about it, making the whole attempt seem superficial. But, when you think about it, what’s better than superheroes and, by extension, comic books?
Superheroes, and comic books, on a whole, are really creations that know no borders. Numerous contemporary comic book writers, such as English writer Alan Moore, who grew up reading American comic books which, in turn, inspired him to write for the medium later in life. You can also look at a company like Teshkeel Comics, who, in 2010, worked with DC Comics to create a crossover event between DC’s Justice League of America and Teshkeel’s own The 99, a comic book series about a team of heroes based on Islamic culture and religion. Or there is AK Comics, an incredibly popular comic book publisher in the UK for those learning Arabic. Comic books are cross-cultural. And the concept of a superhero is something that is becoming, if not already is, a term that can connect people regardless of region. It’s for this reason that I, for one, commend the initiative that the National Defence took for this survey. It’s easy for someone to scoff at such a project, but, frankly, I’d rather have the money spent on this than paying consultants $19.8 million to suggest ways to trim budgets.
farron ager op-ed editor
the funny section
the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
Shit the Carillon says
Actual conversations heard around the office the staff
Production nights at the Carillon usually lead to some rather hilarious (at least, hilarious to us) conversations and one-liners. Blame it on the lack of sleep, the nicotine withdrawal, and some sort of perverse cabin fever for the following shit the Carillon says: On a staff member refusing to mention the name of a contributor: “You can’t say her name? Is she our Voldemort?” “I’m going to break your back, make you humble.” Actual conversation: “I control my sweat glands through pure willpower.” “What are you? The Mahatma Ghandi of body odour?” “I’ll never get you guys and your introverted sense of humour.”
“I don’t think I can take Peter Capaldi seriously as the new Doctor. After every episode is he going to say fuckity-bye?” “But, Kyle, you are socially charismatic.” “Do you think I’m actually socially charismatic?” “Do you think I’m serious?” “So a high teacher challenged me to write a 500 word essay about oranges without using the word ‘orange.’ Apparently it was the hardest university assignment she ever had. When I actually did it, she failed me.” “We tried to play a prank of one of the editors by leaving the office and hiding, but when the editor came back, he forgot the door code, locking himself out. It worked out better than we could have thought”
until we asked someone else to come hang out with us on production night. She just stared at us” “The new Behemoth music video really scared you, huh?” “So I bought a Nerf mace from XS Cargo. It’s now called the Mace of Poor Decisions.” “Reading some of these student responses has caused me to drink excessively.” “A piece of advice: don’t ever type ‘new years’ into Wikicommons. Twenty-four thousand hits and most of them are either someone walking on a beach or census demographic maps.” Much Hitchslap. Such burn. Wow! Ask us about our weird folder name in the Server.
“We never noticed we broke out into song all the time
thedailybeast
New Year’s resolutions john loeppky contributor
It’s that time of year again, folks. The section of the calendar where the Christmas trees come down and the impossible personal aspirations rise up. That’s right: New Year’s resolutions are a sham. If only because of the enormity of the expectations we place upon ourselves. Now, before the armchair idealists inundate the Carillon
office with angry letters, let me make something clear: if you want to better yourself, awesome; if you think you can do that in some specific, non-neurotic way, even better; but for the love of all things self-improvement, you don’t need a list as long as your arm. To see evidence of this, just look at your Facebook newsfeed, the most honest sounding board you will ever see in your life. The regular twenty-year-old’s list (in my ex-
perience) looks something like this: 1. Be happy with myself for the year. You need only to look at the year that was to see that, pardon my cliché, life is full with ups and downs. 2. Lose weight/add muscle For all but the chosen few, adding a beer gut is more easily achievable
3. Find the one “The one” probably doesn’t care about your laundry list of failed goals In searching around the Internet before writing this article I have found the solution. Take a large pickle jar (make sure to be full with unbridled hopefulness as you go through this process, by the way), label the jar 2014 and make yourself some strips of paper. During the year to come, as something
new and important happens write it down and put it in your jar. Then, when 2014 concludes, you can dump out the contents and read through a year full of ups and down and, if all else fails, just enjoy your gifts and forget that you created a set of mementos at all.
In between not going to the gym and smoking more than ever, you should resolve to submit to the Carillon this year. Content is due by Monday @ noon. Simon Fuh
graphics
Editor: Emily Wright graphics@carillonregina.com the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
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the carillon | January 9 - 22, 2014
The Carillon’s Production Night Playlist 3 Inches of Blood Austrian Death Machine Behemoth Black Label Society
Epic Rap Battles of History
Be sure to follow the Carillon on Twitter (@the_carillon) and like us on Facebook. Social media-savvy since 1962.
Ghost Gregorian (chants and the band) Imogen Heap Job for a Cowboy Johnny Cash Mastodon Queen Rayman Legends OST Scars on Broadway Serj Tankian Tegan and Sara The Black Dahlia Murder The Corries The Highwaymen Trans-Siberian Orchestra Turisas Willie Nelson Our own dulcet tones
Is there something we need to be listening to Monday nights? Let us know @ www.carillonregina.com