The Concordian

theconcordian October 30, November 27,2012 2012

Independent student newspaper at Concordia University. Since 1983.

Volume 30 Issue 14

Where do we go from here?

November 22, 2012

November 10, 2011

A yeAr After the historic November 10, 2011 studeNt protest, studeNts coNtiNue to mArch iN solidArity with the globAl educAtioN movemeNt. photos by mAdelAyNe hAjek ANd NAvNeet pAll

Student associations differ in goals for upcoming provincial higher education summit Kalina Laframboise News editor

Several thousand protesters weaved through downtown Montreal in support of free education Thursday despite the Parti Québécois’ reversal of the tuition fee increase implemented by the former provincial government

led by the Charest Liberals.

Starting with speeches from the Association pour une solidarité syndicale étudiante, students and their supporters gathered at Victoria Square at 1:30 p.m. to promote accessible education in solidarity with the week-long International Student Movement from Nov. 14 to Nov. 22 and address the

quality of post-secondary institutions.

The Vanier College Student Association voted this week in favour of a strike and administration cancelled courses at Vanier on Thursday. As the only Anglophone institution to collectively go on strike, many were present for the march including VCSA student representative Nhat Martien Pham.

“After the tuition hikes were cancelled, we […] thought that it could have been over, since the purpose of the protests were to oppose the hikes,” said Pham. “I liked that we could show that we are still socially and globally conscious. I was happy to participate, and I was happy Vanier participated.”

The contingent marched for hours without incident before arriving at Place Émilie-Gamelin. While an itinerary was not provided before the march, the Montreal Police allowed the demonstration to continue since it remained peaceful.

opinions

Continued on P. 4

In this issue... life

arts

music

sports

Battling it out, Pho style P. 5

ABC: MTL exhibit review P. 9

Plaster brings the electro-rock P. 11

Two wins for men’s Why Petraeus should return P. 18 hockey P. 14

We tell your stories. Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

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news Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Got a news tip? news@theconcordian.com

City in brief Robin Della Corte

>>Now don’t screw it up Alexandre Duplessis was elected as Laval’s interim mayor in a majority vote by Laval city councillors.

Duplessis won by 15 votes while the other candidate, Jacques StJean, earned three in a secret ballot Friday. Duplessis has served as a councillor since 2005 and will take the place of Gilles Vaillancourt, the former mayor, until a municipal election next fall. Vaillancourt stepped down from his position on Nov. 9, after allegations of corruption stemming from the Charbonneau Commission. He served as mayor in Quebec’s third largest city for 23 years.

>>Shop till you drop Quebecers were able to take advantage of Black Friday sales thanks to new regulations that came into effect this year. The new duty-free rules allow consumers from Canada to purchase more than ever before.

Visitors can now spend $200 if they spend 24 hours in the U.S. and can benefit from an $800 duty-free limit if they stay for at least 48 hours.

In order to compete with the sales south of the border, some Montreal stores offered their own deals to attract customers. Best Buy, Future Shop and Wal-Mart were among the many to promote a Canadian version of Black Friday this year while the city’s underground mall also offered discounts.

>>An icy tragedy CBC News reported that a nineyear-old boy and his 64-year-old grandfather are dead after they were ice skating on a private lake in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.

The grandfather tried to save the child when the ice broke but he also slipped into the water. The incident happened on Friday around 4:45 p.m. according to police. Other family members saw the incident from their house and tried to save the two.

>>Now that’s a bad call After hearing anti-Semitic statements on the air, the Jewish organization B’nai Brith Canada is demanding an apology from a Quebec radio talk show host. Last week, a woman by the name of Maria called into Jacques Fabi’s late night radio talk show on 98.5 FM and attacked the Jewish population, praising the Holocaust. Fabi did not stop the woman, but just said “I’d never dare say such a thing” before saying the Jewish population is “sometimes annoying” on air. The conversation lasted four minutes.

BuDGeT CAMPuS

Time to pay up, sinners Provincial government raises taxes on alcohol and cigarettes

Verity Stevenson Contributor The provincial government is compelling Quebec residents to pay up on their bad habits through an increase of taxes on alcohol and cigarettes proposed in the new budget.

The Parti Québécois expects to generate $536 million over three years to help clear up the province’s debt.

The budget proposed an 18 per cent increase on tobacco products and raise in 25 per cent on alcohol.

The goal of the tax being to rake in more money on items that are not considered essential but that people consume on a regular basis; its revenue will be key in reducing Quebec’s debt which Premier Pauline Marois hopes to erase within the end of the next fiscal year.

Although the tax was only announced last Tuesday, it will be applied retroactively. Restaurants and bars are expected to tally and pay the difference between what they have already paid in taxes on unopened alcohol and what the new increase would cost.

According to Paul Quinn, the owner of Montreal bar Irish Embassy, the tariffs are hitting at a tough time.

Quinn emphasized that having to go through the inventory when bars are preparing for the holiday rush seems counterproductive.

“What harms us the most is that the tax is retroactive. It takes time before we can change the menus and all the prices so in the end, we’re losing money,” said Quinn. “They’re actually harming themselves in the long run. With the hockey lockout, there isn’t a lot of tourism and higher prices

aren’t going to bring more people.”

Conversely, Tommy Nguyen, the manager at local bar La Station des Sports, isn’t worried.

“People will never be discouraged from buying alcohol or cigarettes,” said Nguyen.

Restaurants boasting wine cellars will lose the most due to the number of unopened bottles. The amount they will have to pay is significantly higher than bars where alcohol sells quickly and there is no storage of wines or spirits.

Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau says Quebec’s last tax increase on alcohol was 15 years ago and on cigarettes, nine years ago in 2003.

For restaurants, beer will cost 82

cents per litre instead of 65 cents and will increase by $1.35 for other alcoholic beverages. For the folks at home, the tax on beer is up to 50 cents from 40 cents. The tax will add $1.12 per litre to the purchase of other alcoholic beverages, up from 89 cents per litre.

Photo bythe Madelayne As for cigarettes, taxes areHajek now worth 12.9 cents per cigarette from 10.9 cents.

The Parti Québécois reveals provincial budget Post-secondary schools barely mentioned, waiting on higher education summit Matthew Guité Assistant news editor The Parti Québécois plans to eliminate Quebec’s hefty deficit by the end of the next fiscal year through its new budget proposed last Tuesday that offers tax increases coupled with spending cuts.

The budget presented by Finance Minister Nicolas Marceau includes a raise in taxes on banks and the wealthy, and an increase in sin taxes on products such as tobacco and alcohol. Individuals earning more than $100,000 per year will see their income taxes increase by 1.75 per cent to 25.75 per cent; combined with federal taxes, Quebec’s highest earning residents will pay nearly 50 per cent of their salary in taxes.

The provincial government also backtracked on its electoral promise to remove the health-care tax initially implemented by the Charest Liberals.

The proposed plan shows a shift in the health-care tax, which will now be factored by income. Adults earn-

ing less than $18,000 per year will not be required to pay and those earning more will contribute $100, $200 or up to $1,000 annually. The budget also introduced a tax break for parents with children engaging in sports or cultural activities, and a scaling back of HydroQuébec hikes due to begin in 2014.

The Liberals and the Coalition Avenir Québec, the two opposition parties, did not approve of the provincial budget which may trigger a snap election in January that could potentially remove the PQ from power. While the Liberals were quick to criticize Marceau at first, party members backed down from their threats to potentially form a coalition. Since the PQ holds a minority provincial government, it requires the support of the opposition to move forward with the budget.

One area that received little attention in the new budget was postsecondary education. Universities and students hoping for more information on future funding were left in the dark as the budget specifically mentions

that as the government does not know “the decisions that will flow from the summit on higher education” they cannot make specific plans.

What little information is available in the budget’s section on universities may be disappointing for some students. With the tuition fee increase cancelled, the budget outlines the amount of money this has cost the government, starting with $24 million this year and continuing upwards at the same rate each following year. Additionally, the PQ plans to reduce the money available to students for loans and bursaries to 2011-12 levels after this year, undoing the increase that the Liberal government put in place. The cancellation of the tuition hike is the reason cited for this reduction.

A single line in the universities section of the budget indicates that, as previously stated, the government “could compensate universities for the shortfall stemming from cancellation of the tuition hike” but does not provide any details.

Come to our Annual General Meeting The Concordian will be holding its Annual General Meeting.

When: Tuesday, Dec. 11 at 7 p.m.

Have your say and become a member of The Concordian’s non-profit organization. For more information, just email directors@theconcordian.com.

Concordia University spokesperson Chris Mota said that Concordia’s position was reflected in a statement issued by the Conférence des recteurs et des principaux des universités du Québec, which represents 19 universities in total including McGill University, Bishops University and Université Laval. CREPUQ stated several concerns, including the impact the budget will have on research in Quebec, its commitment to compensating universities for the reversal of the tuition increase, and for the fact that no commitment to compensate universities for additional costs incurred by student protests has been made.

Martine Desjardins, president of the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec, told The Concordian that she did not believe universities had truly lost money to the cancellation of the tuition hikes, saying that “when you’re good administrators, you’re planning for the worst, you’re not planning for the best. It’s their problem if there is a loss because they should have planned for this first, because we didn’t know if the tuition fees would be going up.”

Desjardins also said that FEUQ was disappointed with the lack of research funding, and that many items on the budget would be brought to the upcoming education summit for discussion.

“Every little part of the budget will be discussed, hopefully, in the summit, but right now we have a lot of concerns,” she said. “We’re very disappointed that the PQ are using the same financial plan as the Liberals were proposing last year, so we still have the same structure.”

Photo by Rob Flis

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

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Nation in Judicial Board releases decision on byelections brief VP academic and advocacy position closed, council seats could be opened CoN u CAMPuS

Matthew Guité

Kalina Laframboise News editor

T

he Concordia Student Union’s Judicial Board nullified the opening of the VP academic and advocacy executive position by council while simultaneously deciding that additional Arts and Science councillor seats could be opened for the upcoming byelection.

The three members of JB discussed the case Friday afternoon with respondent and Chief Electoral Officer Justin Holland before issuing a statement later that day. As per the CSU’s request stemming from a regular council meeting Nov. 14, JB investigated the legalities of the vacant executive position and the potential opening of new seats following a slew of resignations.

Hajar El Jahidi, the only candidate for VP academic and advocacy, VP Loyola Stefan Faina and Holland were the parties present for the hearing.

Councillors and plaintiffs, Chad Walcott and Melissa Kate Wheeler, cited work obligations for their absence.

The written decision produced by JB states that CSU bylaws and regulations were not adhered to when the vacant executive position was issued for the byelection, therefore legally never opened. In accordance with bylaw 7.3, council does not have the power to appoint an undergraduate student to the position but “should the president of the Concordia Student Union wish to appoint a vice-president academic and advocacy, he should do so with regards to Concordia Student Union bylaw 7.3.”

Furthermore, following numerous

departures from council of Arts and Science representatives, JB rendered that all three positions were eligible for byelections if Holland so chooses to open them.

Faina stressed that retracting the executive position from the ballot and not opening the three seats would be detrimental to the CSU and representing the undergraduate student body.

“Technically should we allow these three seats to be open? No. Should we? Yes,” said Faina. “It’s miraculous to have people running for the CSU at this time. So let them, please.”

This was a choice Holland favoured when asked by JB Chairperson Nick Cuillerier if he felt it was appropriate to open the seats.

“I think it’s a grey area,” replied Holland. “I think if the position is in the same faculty and they have will-

ing candidates, it would be in the best interest of the CSU.” Since councillors April Underwood, Adriana Farias and Haneed Alatrash resigned prior to the campaign period, contrary to the plantiffs’ claim as proved by Holland, these additional seats can be opened. Therefore, if Holland does add the three seats, six Arts and Science seats will be opened for a council that is dwindling in numbers.

Walcott disagreed with the conclusion JB issued, feeling uneasy about opening the seats.

“I’m a little worried this decision will favour Arts and Science councillors,” Walcott told The Concordian.

“It’s problematic.”

According to Walcott, he believes that concerned councillors will address this at the council meeting Wednesday.

CiTy

Taking back the night one step at a time Associations and citizens denounce ‘rape culture’ at nighttime march Joel Ashak Staff writer Take Back the Night! is an annual tradition taking place in multiple major cities around the world. About 60 protesters gathered at Norman Bethune square last Friday to condemn gender violence, sexual assault and what organizers call the “rape culture” in which we live.

Organized this year by Concordia University’s 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy, the Take Back the Night! event started with a succession of speeches and performances from various Montreal-based associations.

“We live in a culture where rape and sexual assault are normalized and expected,” said Julie Michaud, administrative co-ordinator at the 2110 Centre. Michaud explained that the notion of women attracting predators by wearing short skirts or revealing clothes when walking alone at night reinforces the idea that sexual assault is expected.

Associations touched upon a range of topics but the nature of the message stayed strong from one speaker to another. Québec Trans Health Action, a group for the rights of transgendered people, condemned the dynamic of fear and exclusion in which certain individuals, especially sex workers, are forced to live in. The Action des Femmes Handicapées described the violent nature of the “circle of dependence” in which physically disabled women live.

Finally, the pro-choice Reproductive Justice League performed a chorus enumerating the many ways a person can say “no” to sex, from “I’m tired” to “I’m not sure” to simple silence.

The march started around 7:45 p.m. and carried on for an hour through the main arteries of downtown Montreal.

“It’s something I’ll never understand as well as [women] do, but marching in an event like this one gives me a better understanding,” said

>>Trouble out west Liberal leadership candidate Justin Trudeau apologized this week for comments he made in a television appearance two years ago where he said that Canada “isn’t doing well right now because it’s Albertans who control our community and socio-democratic agenda. It doesn’t work.” The comments, which were given new life recently when Sun Media aired them again, caused outrage from Conservative members of Parliament in Ottawa, who called the comments insulting and divisive. Trudeau maintained that his comments have been misinterpreted and were aimed at Stephen Harper’s government and not Albertans in general.

>>Show me the money Canada’s foreign policy may be moving from peacekeeping and promoting democracy to generating money in emerging markets by any means necessary according to a confidential document obtained by CBC News. The document, drafted by Foreign Affairs, deals with the Conservative government’s proposed foreign policy plan.

The report stresses that Canada’s trade relations with new economies must deepen, and that “to succeed we will need to pursue political relationships in tandem with economic interests even where political interests or values may not align.” It goes on to state that Canada’s international agenda will be increasingly influenced by nations such as China who are interested in the northern resource development that Canada has access to.

>>Formal attire not required Stephen Harper awarded Justin Bieber the Diamond Jubilee Medal this week, an award reserved for those who have made a significant contribution within Canada or an achievement abroad that brings credit to the nation. Bieber, who accepted the award at a ceremony in Ottawa that included his family, was in town to play a concert that night, and accepted the award in overalls and a T-shirt. Julie Vaux, a spokesperson for Harper, said that the event was “a light-hearted thing,” and that Harper and Bieber discussed ping pong and suggested getting together sometime to play.

A coNtiNgeNt mArched dowNtowN iN protest of sexuAl violeNce AgAiNst womeN. photo by celiA ste croix

protester Andrew Hogg. “The problems of sexual assault are usually hidden and are personal things that often people don’t talk about. I also don’t think most men talk enough about sexual assault.”

On the way back to Concordia a seemingly confused bystander exclaimed, “Is that really a protest against sexual assault?”

The bystander, Peter — who declined to give his last name — was on a cigarette break outside the restaurant he works at when he saw the march passing on De Maisonneuve Blvd.

“Everybody is against rape,” Peter told The Concordian. “I don’t see the point for a protest and blocking the street for something everyone agrees on.”

This type of argument is common in today’s society and translates a misunderstanding about the nature of sexual assault, according to Felix Chu, a volunteer at the 2110 Centre.

“The problem is people don’t know what sexual assault is,” said Chu. “We have such a pervasive rape culture where saying a verbal no is the only thing that [will make] people

… take no for an answer. But there are some people that will coerce and emotionally blackmail, especially in university settings where there is so much date rape. People won’t call it rape. That’s what we’re trying to change.”

The 2110 Centre has been campaigning for a number of years to have Concordia follow the example of McGill and the University of Alberta and create a sexual assault centre in order to welcome and help victims of sexual assault, as well as educate students on what consent is.

>>The wrong kind of poles Towns across Quebec are coming forward with complaints about utility poles that have been left in the middle of streets and crosswalks despite attempts to have them moved. Often due to roads being redone without removing the hydro poles beforehand, residents and officials from cities near Montreal and in the Eastern Townships have expressed concern that they may be dangerous to drivers. One pole was left in the middle of a highway in Johnville for two months before complaints to the media forced its removal. In the town of Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, three utility poles have been left on a stretch of newly paved road for six months without any sign of removal.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

World in brief

Protesters flood the downtown core for free education

Robin Della Corte

>>Joy riding A naked man climbed atop the statue of 19th century Prince George, Duke of Cambridge last week, where he was ordered down by London police officers three hours later. Around noon, the individual mounted the statue located in London’s Whitehall government district and balanced himself on the statue’s head in front of a crowd of people. The area is home to several government buildings, including the prime minister’s official residence and was cordoned off while emergency services pleaded for the man to descend. Once the police were able to coax him down, he was detained under Britain’s Mental Health Act.

>>Don’t speak out Following alleged criticisms of China’s authorities on Twitter, a petition is circulating demanding the immediate release of a Chinese man. The Twitter user, @Stariver, likened the film Final Destination to the Communist Party 18th National Congress, calling the new leadership the sixth edition of the film series. The accused, Zhai Xiaobing, was arrested by authorities days before the new leaders were sworn in on Nov. 15. Hundreds have signed the petition in support of the individual in a nation where Twitter is officially blocked and closely monitored by the government. It remains uncertain as to how Zhai was identified.

>>What goes around comes around After a suspension in September during an investigation linked to publishing topless photos of Kate Middleton, the editor of the Irish Daily Star newspaper stepped down from his position. The tabloid’s editor, Michael O’Kane, gave the green light to have the pictures of Middleton sunbathing topless with Prince William while on a private vacation in France published in the Sept. 15 issue. While British newspapers chose not to publish the photos, publications in France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark and Ireland spread the uncensored photos. Both co-owners of the newspaper heavily criticized O’Kane’s decision to publish the pictures.

Continued from cover Many expressed concern over the provincial budget presented by the PQ last Tuesday. While a higher education summit is planned for Febru-

ary to address concerns associated with the governance of universities and CÉGEPs, the budget provided little information on tuition but reversed the increase in bursaries.

According to Anthony Kantara, a VCSA Mob Squad member, the protest served as a warning to the PQ to

abide by its promises.

“It is a statement and reminder to the current PQ government that we are watching and have not forgotten what has been promised,” said Kantara. “We hope that going on strike [will] help put more support in for the major student

associations, like ASSÉ.”

L’ASSÉ announced Sunday it will send representatives to the higher education summit.

“We remain distrustful of this consultation,” said spokesperson Jérémie Bédard-Wien, “and we stress that only a large, collective action can bring social change.”

Therefore, the ASSÉ will bring the notion of complementary education to the discussion and organize a protest beforehand so “all voices will be heard.”

Conversely, other student associations including the Fédération étudiante universitaire du Québec, the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec and the Concordia Student Union, championed for a rollback and freeze of the tuition fees but not the abolishment of fees altogether.

“The CSU has no mandate for free education,” said VP external Simon-Pierre Lauzon. “We’re mobilizing our student body in order to get a clear idea of their wishes. Once this idea is clear, we will push for it at the education summit.”

eDuCATioN

ECA on the road to accreditation Student faculty association to hold a vote from January 28 to February 14

Kalina Laframboise

News editor

C

oncordia University’s Engineering and Computer Science Association will be sending students to the polls as it seeks official accreditation as a student association this January.

The faculty student association will be holding a vote from January 28 to February 14 to obtain accreditation under Quebec civil law.

In order to be eligible for formal recognition, the ECA must obtain the support of 25 per cent of their undergraduate student body in engineering and computer science.

Therefore a minimum of 900

students must vote yes in the polling for the accreditation process to move forward. This is a factor that has stopped previous executives from pursuing accreditation due to fear of failure to meet the requirement, according to ECA VP finance Chuck Wilson.

Lacking accreditation can be problematic because it limits student associations in terms of funding and accessibility. For example, the university is not technically nor legally obligated to provide the ECA with funding stemming from a fee-levy although it does anyway.

According to ECA President Ali Talhouni, what the ECA doesn’t have access to is the membership

list of its students from the Dean of Students Office.

“We’re treated as an accredited association,” said Talhouni. “It’s the only thing we don’t get and the dean of students doesn’t give it to us.”

The student organization lost its company status following the transition from a paper registry to an online database for the Registraire des entreprises du Québec.

The ECA’s status was revoked because the ECA failed to file their annual declaration as a company for several years.

Under law, student associations are unable to achieve accreditation if not a legally recognized

company.

Lawyer Patrice Blais was present at an ECA council meeting to explain the procedure for applying for accreditation with the provincial government.

“What the ministry wants [is] to ensure there is a process and everyone can vote,” said Blais. “The ECA will be officially recognized as an association and accreditation gives you protection.”

To oversee the vote, the ECA officially appointed Judicial Board Chairperson Nick Cuillerier as their accreditation president. Melanie Hotchkiss, a student senator, will co-ordinate the campaign.

CAMPuS

Rebuilding from the ground up CuTV takes steps to restructure

>>What’s in a name?

Robin Della Corte Assistant news editor

A bill was sent out by outgoing President Felipe Calderon of Mexico to change the official name of the country. Calderon wants congress to amend the name to simply Mexico instead of the current United Mexican States, which was adopted in 1824 in an attempt to model itself after America. The formal name, adopted after gaining independence from Spain, is mostly used on official documents but Mexico is the widely used name.

The modification, first proposed in 2003, must be approved by both houses of congress and a majority of Mexico’s state legislature.

oncordia University Television will hold a General Assembly this Saturday to establish a proper governance structure in an effort to move forward following weeks of instability.

The future of CUTV remains unclear; clouded by uncertainty and fuelled by several unresolved issues. The campus television station underwent a slew of resignations, frozen funds and financial instability in recent weeks.

CUTV experienced a rough transition period in separat-

C

ing from the Concordia Student Broadcasting Corporation coupled with a legally defunct Board of Directors. Following a second public meeting, a GA was unanimously voted for last Monday.

“I think everyone involved right now in the process of preparing for the GA shares one common goal,” said Sabine Friesinger, the sole director remaining on CUTV’s emergency provisional Board. “It is building a solid, democratic, inclusive and transparent structure that reflects the values of community media.”

Gabrielle Bouchard, the 2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy peer support and trans advocacy co-ordinator, moderated both meetings in hopes of aiding the station to establish a plan to move forward.

Bouchard also helped plan the up-

coming GA because there was a “collective understanding to work together” and is currently facilitating conversation between active members of CUTV. At the second meeting, everyone agreed that a GA was necessary to give a foundation to a new CUTV legal identity. According to the CUTV’s event page, the goal is to form bylaws, appoint an auditor who will assess the station’s finances, elect a new BoD and establish voting rights—all legal requirements of a Quebec not-forprofit organization.

Undergraduate students, volunteers, employees, donors and community partner organizations are eligible to vote.

“I hope to see an open and positive discussion and some good bylaws adopted,” Bouchard

said. “I also hope that some great, strong and empathetic people will come forward and get elected on the board.”

It remains unknown as to where the GA will be held but Bouchard hopes to ask the Concordia Student Union for the seventh floor lounge and a list of all students to make identification easier when voting.

“Despite the gloomy period CUTV has gone through in the past weeks, the fact that members are stepping up and taking the time from their own busy schedules to continue to get things done at CUTV is one of the most positive things that could happen at this point,” Friesinger said. “I’m really encouraged by their determination and will to help the station move out of the impasse.”

life

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

5

Write to the editor: life@theconcordian.com resTo

Food war! Friend or pho Warm up with an aromatic Vietnamese soup. We puts two of the city’s best spots to the test

VS.

From leFt to right: Pho tây hô’s and Pho lien’s delicious souPs will warm you From your head to your toes. which one oF the two will imPress our writer? Photo From Flickr and by writer.

Milène ortenberg staff writer

For obsessive Asian foodies like myself, pho is nothing short of a legendary classic. In Vietnam and all over southeast Asia, this soup is served day and night in bustling noodle houses right off the street. The enticing aroma of cinnamon, braised beef, and Asian basil floats in the air from several blocks away, irresistibly drawing you in for one of the most multi-dimensional comfort foods out there. It’s the balanced combination of textures, flavours and temperatures that truly make this soup a godly elixir. The broth is, by far, the ultimate telltale sign of a good pho. Traditional Vietnamese folk swear by their mother’s broth, claiming their family recipe, often kept secret, is the best. The broth of pho takes a minimum of 24 hours to make and is generally done by boiling down beef bones, oxtail, charred ginger and onion, along with a myriad of spices including star anise, coriander seed, cinnamon, clove, and black cardamom. This week, two Montreal pho houses go to war. May the best bowl win.

Round 1: Pho Tây Hô

Round 2: Pho Lien

My first round of pho tasting was at Pho Tây Hô. I decided to bring a friend along, who is also an Asian food aficionado that certainly knows her pho. As we approached the restaurant, we could instantly smell that signature aroma of Vietnamese goodness. We each ordered a full pho of rare beef, well done flank, tripe and tendons. Within minutes, our bowls arrived along with the side plate of bean sprouts, lime wedges, and Asian basil.

Unfortunately, just by looking at our bowls, we knew that we were going to be disappointed. First, the beef resting atop our bowls was not pinkish, but fully cooked. The beef is supposed to be rare, so that with a flip of chopsticks, the meat cooks in the steaming soup. Also, the broth was missing that signature glossy golden layer of fat with visible bubbles. Regardless, we dug in. Right away we looked at each other and knew that the broth

Next comes, Pho Lien. This small, yet incredibly busy restaurant has a loyal client base, Asian and Caucasian alike. Very often will they have lineups going all the way up the block. I hadn’t been in a while, so I invited a friend for a bowl on a chilly day. I ordered the usual pho with all the trimmings, and my friend chose the beef meatballs.

Steaming bowls arrived at our table almost instantly, as did a grin on my face.

Everything was right about this pho. Unlike the pho at Pho Tây Hô, this one had a distinct golden layer of fat bubbles; the broth was clear and smelled of star anise and braised beef. The meat was delicately resting atop a generous amount of coriander and scallions, and was very thinly sliced.

had been cut with stock, a big no-no! It was opaque, lacking fragrance, and had an unusual greenish tinge to it. Perhaps passable for the average Joe, but not for us pho-enthusiasts.

The noodles were obviously store-bought and lacked the silkiness of homemade ones, but sadly that is to be expected since few places make their own noodles nowadays. Glancing around at other pho diners, we noticed that every bowl was different.

The colour of the broth and cook of the meats greatly varied from bowl to bowl, a trait of unfortunate inconsistency. Perhaps if we had gotten another serving it would have been better, but who knows. Pho Tây Hô had friendly service, good green tea and was overall a good experience, but loses serious points for their pho skills.

To my delight, the beef was perfectly rare. The noodles were perfectly chewy and fresh, pairing excellently with the meats and the coriander, thus creating that textural experience that’s key to a good pho.

Also, the tripe in this bowl was very nicely cooked, as were the tendons and fatty flank (melt in your mouth delicious).

The soup was very fragrant and beefy, but to my taste, lacked depth and that hint of sweetness. However, all the flavours were there and ended up being a delight.

Grade: A Pho Tây Hô is located on 6414 St-Denis St. and Pho Lien is located on 5703 Côte-desNeiges Rd.

Grade: B-

Winner? Without a shadow of a doubt, Pho Lien takes the win. Pho Tây Hô is decent, but lacks the traditional rustic aspect that makes this dish so special. There are hundreds of Vietnamese places in Montreal, but an authentic, solid pho is hard to come by. The winner of this food war is definitely pho real.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 FuNdrAIser

Bikers bare buns to benefit bicycle co-op right to Move raises money with nude calendars Andrew Guilbert staff writer

W

alking down the concrete steps into the Right to Move bike co-op, a man brushes past me and steps through the door, holding it open for me a second before he skirts off into the underground store. I step in to see him holding up a series of photos featuring the co-op’s volunteer staff in the nude, much to the approval of his fellow bike shop volunteers.

Having explicit photos of the staff waved in front of them is not the typical greeting most visitors to the bike co-op receive, though it is something the Right to Move are hoping their patrons will be interested in paying for; as of this week, they’ll be selling a nude calendar featuring the shop’s mechanics, with all proceeds going towards helping Montreal’s community bike shops.

The Right to Move’s mission, for those of you not in the know, is to promote cycling as an accessible and environmentally friendly form of transport. The shop, located in the alley between Bishop and Mackay behind the Hall building, gets roughly 3500 drop-in visits a year for things like general maintenance, repairs, and bike building. Even in winter, they help between 10 to 15 people a night. The co-op also seeks to provide an alternative to regular bike shops and is geared towards bikers who might not be able to afford expensive parts or are too intimidated by the formality of big cycling stores to ask for help.

“We provide the tools and the expertise for them to learn how to repair their bikes, we also have used parts which are really cheap and new parts when you can’t find a part to suit your bike,” said volunteer Shanty Richer. “It’s basically just about people coming in and wanting to learn about bike repairs, and we’re here to help them with that.”

Richer has been working with Right to

Photo by writer

Nude calendar photo by Jay Ploss

Move since it first debuted its naked calendar three years ago. She said that their non-profit organization is in a unique position to be able to help their fellow community bike shops thanks to their arrangement with the university.

“We’re very fortunate in that we don’t have to pay rent or electricity since Concordia’s providing that for us, but it’s not all bike shops that are that lucky,” she said. “Most of them have to pay rent and utilities, so it can be hard for people who want to get together to form a community bike shop to actually start one without having expertise or money; we want to provide some backing for them.”

Richer said that since the inception of the calendar fundraisers, four new shops have appeared in Montreal.

“The calendar is a way to help them get a bit of funding to start as well as raising awareness about Montreal bike co-ops.”

One startup that will be receiving funds is a new shop near the theatre production studio at Loyola campus, tentatively set to open next spring.

What of the product itself? Far from being a raunchy sexposé à la Hustler, the calendar photos are tasteful yet cheeky (in every sense of the word), reproducing classic paintings like Raphael’s “The Three Graces,” and staging mock ‘bike fights’, among other tableaus. Each photo features a volunteer from one of Montreal’s community bike shops as well as clever repurposing of bike parts as props, clothing or something in between, lending the photos a peculiar junkyard chic.

The calendar is also a chance to give the Montreal bike shop volunteers a bit of recognition for their efforts.

“A lot of times, visitors come to these places, they receive help from people, but don’t

necessarily see them as people. It’s nice to get the chance to glorify, for lack of a better word, the people involved,” said newly minted RTM board member Alex Woznica. “It’s their time to shine!”

So why should you buy a calendar? Woznica presented a simple ultimatum. “Buy these calendars, or we’ll start killing cats!” he joked.

Richer objected to this sentiment immediately, offering her own form of incentive to potential purchasers: “You won’t need to buy me a drink to see me naked!”

The calendars themselves, however, are $15 each and are available both through RTM’s website and its downtown location, as well as at venues like Bike Curious, Le Yeti and La Bicycletterie Jr. RTM is located in the alley between Bishop St. and Mackay St., below Sherbrooke West St.

heAlTh

Warning! Viewer discretion is advised Is porn depressive or incentive for your sex life?

Marta Barnes staff writer Anxiety over the effects of extensive porn-watching is not something altogether new, but it does beg the question, what are the negative effects?

Men’s Health’s article “Is Porn Bumming You Out?” by reporter Kiera Aaron explores the link between viewing porn and depression. The article highlights the results of a recent study that included 500 subjects who were asked to complete a survey on the importance of pornography in their lives, their thoughts on personal health and feelings of depression. The study concluded that those who watched porn on a regular basis took more days off from work and admitted to feelings of depression compared to those who watched porn very rarely, if at all.

Co-author of the study Dr. Duane McBride, professor at Andrews University, told Men’s

Health that porn may be a cause of mental health problems because of the isolation it involves, but admits that there isn’t necessarily a correlation between the two. Rather, as the article’s writer puts it, “porn might not cause isolation but rather be a symptom of isolation—meaning those who are already antisocial tend to rely more on pornography.”

To find out how Concordia’s students feel, The Concordian spoke with students Chris Herbert and Melissa Park.

Herbert agreed that sometimes porn made him feel depressed and admitted to only watching it in a positive state of mind.

“Masturbation is not a substitute for actual sex,” he said. “It will often make me feel lonelier afterwards.”

Both students agreed that porn served as a good educator and felt it never diminished their sex lives. Herbert said he believes porn has helped him appreciate his partners more.

“I’ve learned a lot about how much better reallife sex with a real person can be,” he added.

So let us look at the effects of porn if we were to remove the isolation factor.

A Norwegian study observed relations between couples and porn habits. Hands down, the most dysfunctional relationships were the ones where only one member used it. Surprisingly, the most satisfied couples were the ones who both incorporated it into their sex lives and shared the experience with one another. Researchers found these couples were more capable of communicating their fantasies to one another, experimenting and being open minded when romping around between the sheets.

A study done in the University of Denver also concluded that couples who are open about, and even join their partner in their X-rated movie nights, are more likely to keep relationships going strong.

McBride agreed, saying that “experts believe that face-to-face social interactions improve mood and perceptions of physical health while social isolation has the opposite effect.”

The application of the open-porn relationship expressed in the Norwegian survey, however, seems easier said than done.

“I’ve never watched porn on a regular basis with a partner,” said Herbert, adding that this

was because his partners were not interested in watching it. Park, however, said her experiences have been mixed among partners.

“One boyfriend was really not cool with [porn],” she said. “Others were a lot more receptive and adventuresome.” She also echoed the importance of a partner’s preference.

“I’ve talked about it pretty openly with past partners,” she said, “but it really depends on how they feel about it.”

According to the studies, the bottom line seems to be intimacy and connection, something Herbert and Park both feel is most important.

“My relationship with porn definitely affected myself personally, but never my relationships in a direct way,” said Herbert.

In moderation, and with the right partner, porn can be just thing to strengthen your relationship and get a little kinky. On the other hand, it is advisable to watch porn only in a positive emotional state, because if not you might risk feeling lonely and depressed afterwards.

Names of the students interviewed have been changed to protect privacy.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

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resT0

Fine dining with a touch of jazz

diese onze offers a refined night out on the town Andrea sun Contributor

S

trolling along St-Denis St., you begin to hear a whisper of tenor saxophone, gently guiding you down a narrow set of steps. As you pass through the door, you’re immediately engulfed by the rich tunes of Diese Onze, a cozy basement jazz club that is part bar, part French restaurant.

Intimate dining tables are nestled around a small stage, so close that the diners feel almost onstage with the players as they sway with the rhythm. The best view, however, is

Photos by Leslie Schachter

at the bar, which is directly in front of the stage. At the far end of the club, diners are provided with a flat screen feed from the stage, ensuring that no one misses the show.

The food offered at Diese Onze is deliciously exquisite, and the menu is changed regularly. The friendly waitress is always ready to give recommendations and wine suggestions. Main courses are between $15 and $22 and include dishes such as the jarret d’agneau and morue à la provençale, and an interesting variety of tapas such as the salmon tartare, and a sumptuous foie gras, ranging from $7 to $12. This is certainly not a restaurant for students on a budget, and the delicate serving sizes, while beautifully presented, might leave you hungry by the end of the night. However, fans of fine dining will appreciate the rich flavours and skillful exe-

cution of these dishes. I recommend ordering one or two tapas to share for a sophisticated yet affordable date night, or simply skip the food, and enjoy a pint at the bar for $7.

The main attraction, of course, is the live music. Each night, Diese Onze features two bands, the first playing at 6 p.m., and the second at 8:30 p.m.. Their calendar changes regularly, providing a variety of jazz styles throughout the week. Conveniently, you can read a detailed schedule on their website.

The earlier bands are usually lively swing players with a bit of funk in their rhythm.

You’ll definitely be bobbing in your seat. By the end of the evening, the music mellows out to a much smoother and mature, sensual sound. This is when the club gets really crowded, and conversation is drowned out by the music. Service also becomes much

slower as the wait staff struggles to serve all of the clients. Evening shows incur an $8 cover charge, which isn’t ideal for students.

The earlier show is recommended as there is no cover charge, not to mention the music is a lot more fun and the atmosphere is more casual.

“I liked the first band better,” said Kara Crabb, a creative writing student at Concordia University. “The second one was kind of flat. It sounds like hotel lobby music to me.”

Diese Onze is a sharp and intimate jazz club. A place to appreciate the music, and if you can afford it, the food. It’s the perfect setting for a fancy date or anniversary night. It may hurt your wallet, but the experience is worth it!

Diese Onze is located on 4115 St-Denis St.

BAr

Experience midnight in Berlin Imperfections and all, Bar Furco is worth the travel Anne-darla lucia d.

Contributor

W

ith Berlin-based electronic musician Apparat gently thumping in the background, I scan the room and see two different types of people; the business suits with salt and pepper beards and trench coats accompanied by stilettos — and the plaid shirts, skinny jeans, sneakers and Johnny Cash haircuts. Some were elegantly seated at high dining tables with small appetizers and wine glasses, and others were standing around the bar with a beer. Their faces lit by warm candlelight revealed hints of a smile, laughter, and engaging conversation. Welcome to Furco.

Originally home to the Canadian Fur Company, Furco’s location is filled with history, keeping many of its original features like the open piping, high ceilings, and concrete beams that make the bones. A huge copper bar shaped as a “P” can be found in the middle as a focal point, with shades of grey, white, brown, and dark blue bringing it all together.

“We wanted to give it an industrial and roughed up look,” said Jean-Francois Gladu one of the co-owners, “very Berlin.” Whatever city Furco reminds you of, one thing is certain, it feels as if you travelled elsewhere.

Photos by Madelayne Hajek

Sitting down you quickly notice people walking around at opposite ends of the room, inspecting the ceiling. You too, out of curiosity, look up and try to figure out what there is to see. A couple of seconds in, it clicks. If you want to eat, you’ll have to get up and do the same thing. Why? Because the menu is not brought to the table, instead, it’s found on yellow cardboard attached to clothes lines along the walls. Are you in love yet?

Chef Joelle Trottier changes the menu every couple of days according to what’s in season or in the market; always keeping it interesting, always giving you a reason to walk around and stare upwards at the walls.

I went to Furco on two separate occasions.

The service Monday was exceptional, but on Friday, it took awhile to be served. The bar was hectic and the staff looked a little lost. It was difficult to be anything else but under-

standing, because when the waitress finally got to our table she, with a genuine and slightly embarrassed smile, apologized for the delay. These minor imperfections, however, for co-owner Gladu, do not go unnoticed. As he explained to me, Furco is still taking shape.

“We were doing renovations up until a couple of hours before the opening,” he said, “It’s a little overwhelming, we were not expecting it to take off that fast. There are still many things left to do but overall, we’re happy.”

Finished or not, there’s no denying the food was fantastic. I ordered a risotto with herbs and scallops, and fries that were beautifully browned and salted to perfection. I also tried the salmon and bison tartare, which were refined, tasty, and light.

As for drinks, Furco has an impressive wine menu. Chosen by Michel Bergeron, president and founder of Les Vins Bergeron, the wine list is a mix of wines found at the SAQ and private importations. In the next couple of months, the resto-bar is aiming at providing clients with an exclusive wine list. There is no cocktail menu so simply inquire about it and the bartender will try to satisfy whatever craving you may have.

All in all, Furco is definitely a fixer upper and rough around the edges. Many things still need to be worked out and developed, but in my opinion, imperfections are what make this eclectic new resto-bar charming and oh-so pleasant.

Furco is located on 425 Mayor St.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, November, 27, 2012 food

Discover local homemade jellies and jams

Photo by writer Photos by Etienne Marquis, courtesy Photo by of Preservation Stephanie LaSociety Leggia

Find comfort in Preservation Society’s small batch preserves Leah Batstone Contributor

T

he scent is unique outside Camilla Ingr’s little shop in the Mile End: warm lemon, sharp ginger, traces of honey and hints of bourbon. The soothing aroma trails from her cozy headquarters. Inside, Ingr gently stirs the unusually scented liquid in a large pot. She’s making Rhume Rx, one

of the many preservatives sold at Preservation Society.

Originally from Alberta, Ingr moved to Quebec to study pastry making at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec. For about 10 years she switched between working as a pastry chef and playing keyboard in a band. During this time Ingr also taught herself how to make jams, jellies, marmalades, chutneys and pickles.

A little over a year ago, while Ingr was working at her friend’s restaurant making $12 an hour, she discovered her band had broken up, leaving her with a decision to make.

“It was either going to be a pastry chef or [making preservatives]. This afforded a better

schedule, it was a little cheaper to start up and was something getting a lot of interest in the press, so I thought I’d take that as a sign,” she said, periodically stirring her warming concoction.

Ingr found a small space she’d share with private wine importer La QV and started her one-woman business.

All of Ingr’s recipes are her own creations.

Her products range from sweet pink grapefruit and honey marmalade to salty wasabi green beans.

“I think the jam ‘Fall Sweater’ has to be one of the most popular. It’s hand picked Quebec apples and pears in St-Ambroise pumpkin ale

caramel, with orange and spices,” said Ingr. “I actually ran out of it this year. I only like to use the Flemish Beauty pears from Quebec so I have to wait until those are back in season.”

The ideas for Ingr’s recipes come from her favourite foods and flavours.

“I worked at a lot of fancy restaurants where they do molecular gastronomy. I like taking one flavor and transforming it into another substance. Like, I have Caesar Celery, Piña Colada Marmalade, and Margarita Marmalade. Apparently I like to make cocktails,” said Ingr with a laugh.

Besides citrus fruits and sugar, all ingredients in Preservation Society products are local. If Ingr isn’t buying fruits and vegetables at the Jean Talon Market, she picks them herself at Quebec farms. She also uses locally produced eggs, Quebec honey and St-Ambroise beer.

“People are intrigued. It’s a new product, so people don’t know it that well, but the response has been good,” said Lindsay Davis, owner of Fait Ici on Notre-Dame West St. It’s one of the nine locations that sell Preservation Society products.

“I think her products are so special because of her story and the way she combines flavours to make jams you can’t find anywhere else.”

Davis and Ingr are in the process of discussing holding canning workshops at Fait Ici in the near future. Ingr already hosts workshops at her own location twice a month.

Each black-capped jar has a brown, vintage style label which Ingr individually sticks on every jar and stamps with the product name, batch number and date. On her own, Ingr makes approximately 200 jars a week.

Ingr will be sharing her Preservation Society products at the Holiday Puces POP Fair from Dec. 14 to Dec. 16.

food

Take your taste buds abroad Drogheria Fine brings the flavour of Italy to the Mile End Nathalie Laflamme Staff writer Drogheria Fine, a tiny, tasty-smelling Italian store, is the pride and joy of its owner, Franco Gattuso who opened up the shop 18 months ago.

The second you walk in, the scrumptious aroma of tomatoes, caramelized onion and garlic welcomes you into the 300 square foot store filled with mason jars of tomato sauce and Italian olive oil which he bottles in recycled glass jars. The olive oil is nothing but the best, and imported from Oliveto in the Calabria region, a small village where Gattuso’s mother was born. The tomato sauce labeled as “La Salsa Della Nonna,” which translates to “Grandmother’s Sauce,” is Gattuso’s homemade concoction are what he built his business around.

He also offers canned goods containing the mouth-watering sauce with gnocchi, a soft, thick dumpling.

Before opening up Drogheria, Gattuso had worked in the restoration industry for more than 15 years, but decided to leave the field because of all the new rules and regulations that were being implemented. That is when he remembered the idea for Drogheria Fine, one he had put on hold for years.

“It all started with a trip to Italy, to the

town where my mother was born,” said Gattuso. “All of a sudden, I remembered that I had already planned something that I could now do. Everything was already done, even the labels had already been designed.”

Although selling his products was not always easy, Gattuso always knew that his store would be a success.

“I always believed in this product. At first, it was difficult, because we were selling one pot at a time. Now though, people know who we are, and, because of its classic recipe, it has everything it needs to succeed,” Gattuso said.

The products found at Drogheria Fine are all cooked and canned on the spot. The tomatoes are imported from Italy, but the sauce is made in the store. Gattuso was proud to say that he was not afraid of sharing the ingredients he uses for the sauce.

With no preservatives or artificial flavours, Gattuso simply uses tomato pulp, olive oil, caramelized onions and garlic, fresh basil, and sea salt. The sauce is good for up to one year if it is kept unopened and in the pantry, but only six weeks once it’s used.

Gattuso’s products are of excellent quality, but do not cost that much more than similar products that you would buy at a grocery store. He sells one litre of his homemade tomato sauce at $10, imported olive oils at $15, and does custom orders as well.

After my visit to the store, I just had to bring home some sauce and try it for myself. I was not disappointed. Gattuso’s sauce turns a mediocre meal into something

Photo by Leslie Schachter

divine. The ingredients may seem simple, but the sauce is nothing but ordinary and is definitely worth a trip to the Plateau.

In the near future, Gattuso hopes to open a second store, which will sell both his canned goods as well as products like fresh pasta that will compliment his merchandise.

“I am really confident right now, and I think that we can take the next step, which would be to open a second store,” Gattuso

said. “The goal is for my products to be sold in grocery stores.”

Gattuso’s Salsa Della Nonna products are also available at many stores, such as Fromagerie Hamel, La Boucherie du Marché, La Boucherie Chez Vito, Marché du Village, La Baie des Fromages, and le Marché Soupson.

Drogheria Fine is located on 68 Fairmount St. W.

arts

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

9

Write to the editor: arts@theconcordian.com ArChiTeCTure

Capturing the character of a city Architects, artists and statisticians collaborate to portray Montreal in the here and now Ariana Trigueros-Corbo Staff writer

E

arlier this year, in an initiative taken to build an open-source exhibit that would, in a very à propos fashion, be titled ABC: MTL, the Centre for Canadian Architecture launched a public call for proposals to garnish its future compendium of a city. The goal was to illustrate what makes a city iconic in a subtle fashion and what pieces of urban development and parcels of architecture make it singularly recognizable in its present form, in its perspectives, and for the future.

The exhibit is the third part in a series of shows that the CCA has put on in the past 20 years. The first part, Montréal Métropole: 18801930, was launched in 1998 and the second, Montreal Thinks Big, was showcased in 2004. According to the description of the exhibit, Montréal Métropole 1880-1930 considered the upbringing of a city and what makes it, over the span of time, “the behemoth of trade and industry at the turn of the century.” On the other hand, Montreal Thinks Big considered Montreal’s response to its growth and increasing population with respect to the infrastructures of the city. Although it is equally concerned with our city, ABC: MTL is unique in the sense that it is the first of the three exhibits to focus on our city in the here and now.

The open source project launched on Nov. 15 after months of proposal gathering and selection processes. The result is an amalgam of photography, architecture recommendations and typographic illustrations, all of which coin Montreal oh so well. Divided into diverse parts of the city, the exhibit focuses on areas and topics that characterize it as a whole. For example, one corner of the show explores and considers the indoor and underground world of Montreal. Artists individually consider the forgotten or exploited areas of our city, from the organization of our alleys to how we utilize the underground to showcase artistic installations.

An AeriAl view of the lA ronde Amusement pArk And the JAcques cArtier Bridge, montreAl 2004. photo By olivo BArBieri Sprawled throughout the exhibit, visitors will find statistic indicators, printed boldly in black and white, which contrast the overall qualitative feel of the exhibit. The numbers paint a portrait of a city that is constantly busy, constantly in movement. Abandoned buildings, alleyways, hotels, and bridges — everything is taken into account.

As a viewer of this exhibit, what’s fascinating to watch is how artists’ visions and approaches

to the city can be totally different. On one hand, you’ll have an artist who, via panoramic photography, will depict how citizens are utterly engulfed by the traffic and movement that surround the intersections of our city. Fewer than two steps away, all in the same exhibit, another photographer attempts to showcase the human side of one of our city’s misrepresented institutions, focusing exclusively on portraits of police officers in the

face of demonstrations on police brutality. The idea is that the visions of a collective will make their city iconic. Regardless of traffic, institutions and architecture, a city, no matter how busy, will always be what its citizens make of it.

ABC: MTL runs until March 31, 2013 at the Canadian Centre for Architecture, 1920 Baile St. For more information visit cca.qc.ca.

CiNeMA poliTiCA

The Wisconsin uprising: a fight for workers’ rights A focus on the 2011 protests against Governor Scott Walker’s union busting bill Ayan Chowdhury Staff writer What happens when a governor tries to fix a small leak in the roof by burning the entire house down?

Amie Williams’ documentary We Are Wisconsin! takes the viewer on a path down memory lane, specifically to the 2011 Wisconsin protests held against Governor Scott Walker’s controversial budget repair bill. Fewer than six weeks into his term, he introduced senate bill SB 11, which included policies eliminating public employee contracts in the name of fiscal responsibility, ending a 50-year Wisconsin tradition of collective bargaining. Major cuts to wages and benefits from public employees were also planned.

The cameras follow six individual men and women who embarked on this protest: a nurse, a union electrician, a university student, a county social worker, a high school teacher and a police officer whose union was exempt from SB 11.

The viewer is invited to step into the workplace of various Wisconsin protesters. These poignant scenes are a glimpse of the time, sacrifice and energy routinely spent at their jobs. In effect, these scenes underline the fact that a termination of collective bargaining rights not only affects unionized, public sector workers, but the people they’re meant to serve.

“The state is broke,” Walker kept repeating at the time, despite the fact that a non-partisan group cited a budget surplus for 2010-11. By attempting to break the various unions, Walker would be leaving workers vulnerable while also stripping away many of their rights in the workforce. However, much to his dismay, the public reaction in Wisconsin was swift and moral outrage was in the air.

What began as an outcry by a few hundred protesters in the state capital of Madison quickly escalated to thousands of Wisconsin residents descending upon the city. Working-class and middle-class men and women marched along-

side students, eventually occupying the state Capitol building for 18 days.

As public hearings were established, a constant stream of people stood ready to testify against the proposed legislation and voice their displeasure. Among these individuals was a former union-hating elderly woman who switched her social and political allegiance after the introduction of Walker’s bill.

In the political spectrum Democrat state Senators also did their part, refusing to attend the assembly meeting needed to pass the bill, thereby delaying the vote. Dubbed the “Wisconsin 14,” they crossed state lines into Illinois.

The film also exhibits how Fox News dishonestly painted the demonstrators as an angry, violent mob. That’s when Mark Roughen, an electrician, decided to directly live-stream the protesters’ peaceful activities inside the Capitol.

In fact, there’s an inspiring scene early on in the film where off-duty police officers, led by Brian Austin, entering the building carrying food

and refreshments for the occupiers, while the crowd repeatedly shouts the rarest chant of all: “We love cops!”

In essence, We Are Wisconsin! reminds us that civic responsibility, essential to any democracy, doesn’t simply end at the voting booth. It pours out into the streets in droves of thousands; it not only shouts towards its representatives, it occupies their buildings. It relentlessly makes itself seen and heard with bright signs and deafening noise. It is joyful chaos otherwise known as the democratic process.

We Are Wisconsin! screens Monday, Dec. 3 at 7 p.m. in Room H-110, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd W.

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theconcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Arts in Brief Amanda l. Shore Arts editor

>>A Late Quartet opens Nov. 30 at Cineplex Odeon

ArT

Intersection of art and architecture Martin Beck’s The particular Way in Which Things exist touches on tradition

Christopher Walken plays Peter Mitchell, a cellist in a string quartet celebrating their 25th season together. Mitchell is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and announces this season will be his last. This causes a ripple effect through the group and suppressed emotions and passions are suddenly unleashed, threatening to derail the quartet’s years of friendship and collaboration. Also starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Mark Ivanir, Catherine Keener and Imogen Poots, the film is structured around Beethoven’s Opus 131, the seven movements reflecting the group’s tumultuous journey.

>>Concordia University’s department of theatre presents Peleus and Thetis

Peleus and Thetis was born of a five-year partnership between Concordia University and the National Academy of Chinese Theatre Arts in Beijing. A combination of Western theatre practice and the Chinese opera style of Jing Ju, Peleus and Thetis relates the Greek myth of the marriage of Peleus to the sea-nymph, Thetis.

The play uses the intricate costuming, ornate language and spectacular acrobatic movement, fighting and dancing artistry of Jing Ju to make a connection between the western understanding of theatrical form and the modes of performance in Chinese opera.

The show opens Nov. 29 at 8 p.m. and runs until Dec. 2 in the D.B. Clarke Theatre, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. For more information visit finearts.concordia.ca

>>An Ode to the Penny: art gala and exhibition

In March, the Conservative government announced that it would cease production of the penny this fall. In order to commemorate the end of the penny, the Café des Finances has partnered with Espace Verre and Concordia University students to commission eight pieces of penny-inspired art. The collection was unveiled on Nov. 15 at the Café des Finances and visitors to the cafe are invited to vote for their favourite piece of art. On Nov. 29, a winner will be announced and awarded $1,000, $250 of which will go to the charity of their choice. The second place winner will receive $500, $100 of which will go to the artist’s charity.

The Gala takes place Nov. 29 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., but there’s still plenty of time to vote.

Visit Café des Finances, located at 1141 boul. de Maisonneuve W.

>>Blown Up: Gaming and War exhibit at Le MAI

Vicky Moufawad-Paul, guest curator at Le MAI gallery, uses projects by three artists to examine the misrepresentation of present-day wars in video games. Blown Up: Gaming and War features work by artists Wafaa Bilal, Harun Farocki and Mohammed Mohsen. Bilal’s piece, The Night of Bush Capturing: A Virtual Jihadi, is based on an American-made game in which the goal is to hunt and kill Saddam Hussein. Bilal has modified the piece into self-fiction in order to denounce stereotyping of Arab culture. Mohsen’s piece, Weak, is a video game that explores the architecture of gaming and the ways those that feature present-day wars were a source of pleasure and political anxiety for Middle-Eastern players. Immersion, by Farocki, uses virtual reality exposure therapy, also used in the therapy of soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder, to give visitors the sense that they are soldiers with the goal of maintaining the stability of a governing system.

Blown Up: Gaming and War runs until Dec. 15 at Le MAI gallery, 3680 Jeanne-Mance St., #103. For more information visit m-a-i.qc.ca

mArtin Beck’s exhiBit The ParTicular Way in Which Things exisT communicAtes Artistic And culturAl intentions.

Ariana Trigueros-Corbo Staff writer

D

espite having been rendered contemporary in many respects, the artistic world of today remains, for the most part, traditional when it comes to the curating process and the showcasing of artists. Some may say that an artist does not fully play the role of the author of his work, in the sense that the curating process affects how his work is both viewed and received by his audience.

The Particular Way In Which Things Exist, the exhibit showcasing work by artist Martin Beck that launched at the Leonard & Bina Ellen Art Gallery on Nov. 15, touches on this debate with gusto. It showcases 12 years of work on the artist’s behalf, underlining his single prevalent artistic style that can be seen in all of the different mediums he uses, despite their differences. Beck’s work is considered, as the exhibit quaintly coins it, “an intersection between the subject of art, design and architecture.” The prevalent focus of his artwork is an interest in communicating artistic and cultural intention and how the systems we use to do so operate.

As an artist, Beck’s approach is unique, not only because of the variety of mediums he uses as an artist, but also because of the way he utilizes the gallery or ‘commercial’ space. Beck doesn’t actually have a say on where in the gallery each installation is set up.

He does, however, create installations that are made to articulate a more active presence in space than the ones thought up by other artists. The Particular Way In Which A Thing Exists is no exception to this rule: as visitors enter the exhibit, the first and most stunning piece is definitely

“

“Sculptures” (2008), an ensemble of five stainless steel cubes sprawled out throughout the gallery space to articulate the relativity of size and direction between the exhibit space and the art work. David Everitt Howe, who published an article on Beck’s work titled “Contentious Utopias: Martin Beck’s Avant-Garde Art and Design” describes “Sculptures” as being “almost textbook examples of theatricality or of presence”. Howe pinpoints Beck’s subtle play on the use of space: these stainless blocks are “essentially, a group of large objects occupying a space, almost like people,” giving the art a presence amongst the audience.

All presentation concerns aside, the exhibit is interesting for the topics it chooses to touch upon. Direction, perspective, movement and relativity are combined with an interest in social causes and the engagement of a viewer. Beck is a minimalist and this fact is apparent in his work: clean lines,

Beck’s work is considered, as the exhibit quaintly coins it, “an intersection between the subject of art, design, and architecture.” illustration and photography leave ample room for the audience’s interpretation.

Were anyone to question first impressions of the exhibit, the word that would come to mind would not be ‘iconic’. Beck’s vision is, at best, controversial and stimulating. He invites the intellectual to meet the artist and question the way we feed off culture from a visionary standpoint.

The Particular Way In Which A Thing Exists remains at the Leonard and Bina Ellen Gallery, 1400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. W. until Jan. 26. For more information, visit ellengallery.concordia.ca.

music

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

11

Write to the editor: music@theconcordian.com previeW

Plaster wants to Let It All Out

Hometown electrorock band to play comeback show Audrey Folliot Staff writer

P

laster is like no other electrorock band. The trio is one special unit, working in harmony to mix and match a handful of different sounds. They harmonize bass with drums and keyboard to create a vibe that gets you dancing all night long. Most impressive is that the majority of their repertoire is instrumental, which is somewhat rare in today’s day and age.

“There’s no singer in the band, so the space that a singer normally occupies in a band has to be filled by the musicians by the way we perform and by the way we put on a show,” explained drummer JeanPhilippe Goncalves.

Plaster, composed of keyboardist Alex McMahon, bassist François Plante and Goncalves on drums, released its debut album First Aid Kit in 2005. It was awarded Best Electronic Album at the 2006 edition of the Gala de l’Association québécoise de l’industrie du disque, du spectacle et de la vidéo. Following the tour for that album, they were all busy with side projects and took a break from composing. Their latest album, Let It All Out, was released in May 2012 to rave reviews.

“At one point, after all our other projects came to terms, the planets aligned and the three of us were available, and we wanted to start working on a new album,” said McMahon. “During those years we also tried meeting almost every season for a recording session at the studio because the desire to do that kind of music was there, but the time to get implicated in recording a whole album was not.”

After taking a seven year break from

The elecTro-rock Trio released Their laTesT album, Let It ALL Out, To rave reviews in may 2012 afTer a five year hiaTus. music production, the band admitted that when they finished recording their latest album, they almost couldn’t believe it.

“When [Let It All Out] came out, there was a whole generation that didn’t know us from before, and other bands have come into the spotlight while we were working on other projects, but we’re slowly making our way back to where we were,” said Plante.

“Our new album is a new thing for

many people, and for those who remembered Plaster from before, I think they were curious to hear the new material,” said McMahon. “I don’t think anyone was disappointed, and for those who didn’t know us, I think we offer a kind of music that is even more accessible to people than what we did on the first album.”

The trio played this year’s M for Montreal festival and things are looking good for the band. Plaster’s Montreal comeback

show is next on the agenda this Thursday at Club Soda.

“We worked really hard on this show, and we’re pumped to present it to everyone.

Hopefully the crowd will be as pumped as we are,” laughed McMahon.

The Concordian is giving away a pair of tickets to Plaster’s Nov. 29 show at Club Soda, 1255 St-Laurent Blvd. Follow @TheConcordian on Twitter for details.

Do you want to be a part of our team?

The Concordian is looking for photo and graphics contributors.

We are also now accepting applications for the positions of assistant life editor, assistant arts editor, assistant sports editor, assistant opinions editor, business manager and advertising manager.

Send a cover letter, 2-3 clippings, and a resume to editor@theconcordian.com The Deadline to apple is December 5. Only staff writers are eligible.

12

theconcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 proFile

Malajube taking a well deserved breather Award-winning band chooses Montreal for its last show until 2014 veronique Thivierge Staff writer

A

fter nearly a decade since their debut in the francophone cultural landscape, it’s time for Malajube to take a break. To close their 2012 tour, the franco-rockers have chosen to play one last show in the city they’ve called home for years — Montreal.

Originally from Sorel-Tracy in southwestern Quebec, the French indie rock band has won numerous recognized prizes. In 2006, Malajube won three Felix Awards at the Gala de l’ADISQ; they were awarded Best Alternative Album and Best Cover Art for their second album, Trompe-l’oeil, as well as Revelation of the year. The band reached national recognition that same year after being shortlisted for the prestigious Polaris Prize. With the 2009 release of Labyrinthes, the band again was shortlisted for the Polaris Prize.

With all of these in hand, they feel they are

ready to take some time for reflection.

“With four albums in our pocket, the need has been stronger than ever to take the time for pausing,” said Francis Mineau, the band’s drummer. “It’s the end of a cycle and the beginning of a new one.”

Next year, each member plans to focus on his own musical projects, many of them solo albums. It’s an opportunity to reconsider their individual places inside the collective.

As Mineau described it, it will allow them to “take a breath of fresh air outside of the common project.”

A common project that they wish to continue next year when they get back together.

With gratitude, Mineau recalled “the amazing encounters along the way and the incredible opportunities seized on our path.”

It’s about taking a step back to get an overview of everything that has been done.

When asked what form this moment of reflection will take or what they want to do during these months the drummer didn’t have an answer. He may not have one until their final show at the Corona Theatre this week. But Malajube is confident about one thing.

“It’s not just about releasing another CD, just to release another CD,” said Mineau.

homeTown rockers, malajube, Taking a year off To pursue side projecTs and solo albums.

It’s about situating their upcoming musical creation inside the course of their career to determine what the next step will be and pinpoint what they can offer to their fans.

At the end of it all, as Mineau underlines, the most powerful link is the musical one. It’s

about erasing yourself behind your songs, and giving music as a gift to those that are present to receive it.

Malajube play the Corona Theatre on Wednesday, Nov. 28. Tickets are $23.

proFile

Collaging mistakes into masterpieces infamous Montreal scratch turntablist Kid Koala brings his one-of-a-kind vaudeville Tour back home

Sarah McMahon-Sperber Contributor Pushing boundaries is simply what Eric San does. Over the course of his already 24-year career, Kid Koala has tested his own creative boundaries, challenged his collaborators to think differently about their work, and experimented endlessly with instruments and turntables. In the process, he’s challenged his fans’ expectations and led them through a maze of musical twists and turns.

And he’s not quite done yet. His most recent effort, 12 bit Blues, boldly plays with old-school raunchy, Delta-blues beats, tones, and tunes.

From the sounds of it, it seems the Vaudeville Tour he’s built around the album will be pushing some boundaries of its own.

“We didn’t really know what to expect,” said San. “There aren’t usually these kinds of events happening in these venues. I actually didn’t know how it was going to go until we did our first show in Geneva a month ago.”

Describing Kid Koala as a jack of all trades would be bit of an understatement. Let’s say he’s not fully content with completely shaping and altering the very world of ‘scratch DJ-ing’ and hip-hop by sampling acts as legendary as the Beastie Boys, Radiohead and a Tribe Called Quest.

Kid Koala wanted more so he followed his many curiosities and succeeded at writing and illustrating children’s books and at laying down tracks for projects as different as Sesame Street and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. He’s also created multi-media, multi-sensorial immersive show spaces in which he played music meant to cater to every sense. He’s toured with an experimental edgy (borderline sludgy) band called The Slew while simultaneously working on children-focused tracks, lullabies and soundtracks. He’s an interesting guy.

There is something slightly disarming about a person who can speak with equal passion about all of these things. Despite having all the street cred necessary to jump into the highlife, Kid Koala has kept his focus on the music in a world now packed with rockstar-status DJs.

kid koala’s live vaudeville experience feaTures dancing roboTs, puppeTs and comedy.

“I’ve always found it kind of funny, because I’ve never met a DJ [...] and I don’t care how much they’re making by show here — at the core, they’ve always been that shy kid,” San explained. “They were the ones at high school who felt more comfortable in front of $800 worth of turntable equipment than being out there as like, the captain of the football league.”

And that, perhaps, is why so many people connect to the music they create and the performances they put on — because they just seem like introverted guys or gals who love what they do. But by being human and relatable, artists like Kid Koala allow themselves to be vulnerable to glitches and imperfections. For most of us, that part of being human is something we try to avoid

and steer away from. But Kid Koala kind of likes the mistakes and he almost prefers them to the perfect deliveries.

“The shows that go perfectly, you’re always saying ‘Yeah! That was awesome’. It’s not that they’re forgettable, but it’s just that all of a sudden, the stars all aligned and it just worked out,” said San. “But the times that it’s a complete disaster are the funniest ones. They’re the ones that end up making you smile the most. I like to have that element of danger.”

As far as success goes, the ability to measure it in millions of dollars isn’t really the point for him. It’s the testing of the boundaries; it’s the power to distort and play with sounds and how we hear them. It’s the ability to explore every creative curiosity and work with people from every walk of life. That is success.

Kid Koala ‘stepped things up’ a long time ago. He was first introduced to the turntables at the age of 14 and has grown and evolved with them since. Recently, more eyes have turned to the scratch genre, and people have started trying to analyze the tracks.

This led to Kid Koala having to clear things up every once in awhile. It seems a few of our perceptions about electronic music may have been off.

“It’s not really just a kind of collage. I mean, it is essentially. That’s how it starts off. But I think what’s different and unique about the [scratch scene is] it’s never been about the equipment, or even the source material, but what you’re able to do with it,” said San. The type of work artists like Kid Koala do involves not simply smooth over-laying and switching between two songs, but using bits of songs as the actual notes of your track. And just like the violin is a difficult instrument to learn because of the lack of clear demarcation points on its bridge, vinyl offers only the lines, bumps and scratches on its surface as guidance. Every inch of the vinyl has a note or sound, and scratch DJs seek out every sound and nuance individually.

Kid Koala plays the Corona Theatre (2490 Notre-Dame St. W.) on Thursday, Nov. 29.

Tickets are $31.90 for general admission.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

13

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian top 10 teners into its heavy and emotionally-charged lyrics. Calm and poetic, Cohen’s lines are sung like a narrative; each verse jumping from one allegorical image to the next.

9. “Coming Back To You” A song of regret and longing, Cohen’s voice and lyrics make this song the ultimate breakup anthem for all romantics.

Andrew Guilbert Staff writer

>>>Juniors go miniature

For every Dinosaur Jr. fan who’s longed to gently cradle the band in their arms, you can thank the doll makers at Mediodescocido for making your creepy dreams a little more feasible. Apparently the Argentine artists were so impressed by the band’s 2012 album I Bet On Sky, that they’ve have fashioned a trio of dolls in honor of J Mascis, Lou Barlow and Murph. The miniature musicians are completely hand-painted, one-of-a-kind, 35 centimetre dolls packaged in a custom box made to resemble the album’s art. The doll designers have even thrown in skateboard and guitar accessories to complete the package.

Unfortunately, the junior Dinosaur Jr.s are not for sale, which means you’ll have to find something else with which to stuff your Christmas stockings. But if you’re dead-set on getting your hands on something Dinosaur Jr.-related, you could always pick up the J Mascis Throbblehead bobblehead that came out earlier this year.

>>>He must still be at war with the mystics

About two weeks ago, The Flaming Lips frontman Wayne Coyne tweeted “Sorry Sorry Sorry!! Everyone that was inconvenienced because of my grenade at OKC airport!!” and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. The singer allegedly brought a grenade or grenade-like object with him to the Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City and prompted the TSA to shut down the airport, which meant that a number of passengers missed their flights.

“I was stuck near the food court, wasn’t able to cross the airport to get to my gate.

Flight left without me, all because of Wayne Coyne,” one unlucky passenger told local blog The Lost Ogle.

“I think Wayne Coyne should reimburse me, at a minimum I want to drop acid with him and Yoko Ono. Can you help me out to let Wayne know that his music is fucking weird and I could use that $1000 ASAP. Thanks.”

>>>Wu-Tang is for the children

It seems that Wu-Tang Clan’s GZA must have done some serious background research for his upcoming album Dark Matter, as he’s now preparing to play on the role of science teacher in a new physics program aimed at inner-city kids. The rapper, in collaboration with Columbia University professor Christopher Emdin and rap lyric site Rap Genius, will be testing out a pilot project to bring hip-hop to science classrooms in 10 New York City public schools. The idea is to get students to formulate their own sciencethemed rhymes in order to learn course material, the best of which will be featured on the Rap Genius website.

“You never know. This could turn into something in the future as big as the spelling bee,” GZA said. “A hip-hop cypher is the perfect pedagogical moment, where someone’s at the helm of a conversation, and then one person stops and another picks up. There’s equal turns at talking,” Emdin added. “When somebody has a great line, the whole audience makes a ‘whoo’, which is positive reinforcement.”

Leonard Cohen songs

Montreal’s legendary folk singer plays backto-back shows on Nov. 28 & 29 Compiled by Andria Caputo Staff writer 10. “Love Calls You By Your Name” The smooth, carefully-plucked guitar chords heard at the beginning of this song draw lis-

8. “Take This Waltz” Romantic and elegant, this song invites listeners to dream of Vienna in the 1920s. “Take This Waltz” is actually a loose translation of a poem by the Spanish poet Federico Garcia Lorca, who is reportedly one of Cohen’s favourite writers.

7. “Joan of Arc” In the final song of his third album, Songs of Love and Hate, Cohen retells the melancholic story of one of history’s greatest heroines, Joan of Arc. Cohen’s poetic story telling techniques shine through and captivate listeners with lines like “I long for love and light/but must it come so cruel, and oh so bright?”

6. “So Long, Marianne” Known as one of his most romantic songs, “So Long, Marianne” is laced with nostalgia and romanticism. The song was written for his lover Marianne, whom he describes as the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

5. “Famous Blue Raincoat” From the start of the song, Cohen draws you in with his raw and honest confessions. Listeners cannot resist this soft-spoken, guitar-accompanied beauty.

4. “I’m Your Man” Layered with soothing and dark synths, “I’m Your Man” features Cohen’s signature deep vocals and brooding lyrics. The lyrics read like a love poem, where Cohen croons and seduces listeners with lines like “I’d fall at your feet/and I’d howl at your beauty/like a dog in heat”.

3. “Everybody Knows” Fun music and dark lyrics make “Everybody Knows” the perfect song to sing and sway to when things just aren’t going your way. It is filled with social commentary, like “the poor stay poor, the rich get rich.” Cohen sardonically calls out to his unfaithful lover, telling her that everyone knows she loves him, but is also cheating on him.

2. “Hallelujah” Cohen’s most famous song, “Hallelujah” is filled with biblical imagery — like the stories of King David and Bathsheba and the betrayal between Samson and Delilah. Many musicians, including Rufus Wainwright and k.d. lang, have covered this little gem.

1. “Suzanne” Cohen’s ultimate love song. Accompanied by female backup vocals, Cohen sings of the mystique and beauty of a young woman named Suzanne, who he later revealed was the former wife of Quebec artist Armand Vaillancourt. With lyrics like “you want to travel with him/and you want to travel blind/and you think maybe you’ll trust him/for he’s touched your perfect body with his mind,” it’s easy to see how this song captivates listeners of any generation.

Quick spins 20 mixtape

Christina Aguilera - Lotus (2012; RCA)

Crystal Castles - ( III ) - (2012; Polydor)

The Soupcans - Good Feelings (2012; Telephone Explosion Records)

Christina Aguilera’s latest album Lotus provides one or two catchy hits but fails to deliver any real substance. This 57-minute long “deluxe album” has 17 tracks, each showcasing Aguilera experimenting with a new sound. Packed with power ballads, club hits and summer anthems, this album is a constant search for a new, specific style.

“Your Body” screams classic Aguilera, with infectious beats and provocative lyrics like “So don’t even tell me your name/all I need to know is whose place.” It is sure to please lifelong fans as well as new ones. But unlike last year’s single “Moves Like Jagger” with Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, this year’s collaborations with fellow The Voice judges Cee-Lo Green and Blake Shelton do not provide the same wow factor. The album’s first single and title track seems equally unimpressive and drenched in auto-tune. Aguilera’s attempt at being “of the moment” fails in a repetitive first track and Lotus as a whole.

Two years after their sophomore album (II), Alice Glass and Ethan Kath, the Toronto electronic duo known as Crystal Castles, have returned with a 12-track album of pure, haunting melancholy.

Crystal Castle’s signature upbeat yet simultaneously somber synths and melodies caress the ear like the sounds of a beautiful car crash and bring listeners into an ethereal realm of chaos. Titles and lyrics of tracks like “Affection,” “Kerosene” and “Child I Will Hurt You” ring true and deep in the tradition of poets like Sylvia Plath. Singer Glass’ haunting, echoey vocals and Kath’s choppy, moving synths make (III) the perfect background album for any occasion— whether it’s weekend study sessions, a late night drive or a rave tucked into a secluded part of town.

Recorded in a bike shop, Good Feelings sports a live feel, with very little done in the way of music production. The lyrics are guttural, the drums pounding and the heavily distorted guitars cutting, making for a visceral experience.

While the Toronto born post-punk rockers provide an aggressive and thoroughly authentic punk album, it’s unfortunately at the expense of interesting musicianship — because every song, every second is just a collection of bleeding guitars and vocal shrieks. In the end, it sounds like someone found a way to make music from the dial-up and fax machine warbles we used to hear in the ‘90s.

Even though the album clocks in at 22 minutes long, it’s too long for most listeners, draining even the most patient. That being said, fans of genuine punk may enjoy the screeches of the eleven track Soupcans debut.

Trial track: “Let There Be Love”

Trial track: “Child I Will Hurt You”

Trial track: “Outlander”

5.0/10

- Selina Gard

8.5/10

- Andria Caputo

3/10

-A.J. Cordeiro

sports

14

Tuesday, november 27, 2012

Write to the editor: sports@theconcordian.com

Men’s Hockey

Stingers finish weekend with two home wins concordia’s men’s hockey team finally ends losing streak Anthony Abbondanza staff writer

T

he Stingers rallied back from a twogoal deficit to beat the Nipissing Lakers 6-5 at Ed Meagher Arena on Friday night.

With seconds remaining in the game, forward Etienne Archambault flew down the ice on a breakaway and backhanded a shot past diving Lakers goalkeeper Daniel Spence.

After the game, Stingers head coach Kevin Figsby described the atmosphere in the team’s locker room.

“They’re in there playing air guitars, jumping up and down to our theme song,” said Figsby.

The Stingers began the game in ninth place in the Eastern Conference of the Ontario University Athletics League with five points in the team’s first 16 games of the season.

Forward Mathieu Dubuc got the Stingers off to a good start with his second goal of the season when he corralled a rebound in front of the net and fired it into a gaping net.

The lead was shortlived however, when Lakers captain Andrew Marcoux shot a stoppable puck past Stingers goaltender Antonio Mastropietro.

Nipissing carried momentum into the second frame, outshooting the Stingers 17-13 and scoring three goals in the process.

With the Stingers down 5-3 to start the third, the men in maroon and gold never lost hope. Stingers forward Kyle Kelly cued the comeback.

Seven minutes into the third, the captain banked in a sloppy rebound past a sprawled out Lakers goalkeeper.

Minutes later, Olivier Hinse’s nifty pass from behind the net found linemate Dubuc in front of the net. Dubuc potted his second of the game.

The ice tilted in Concordia’s favour for the remainder of the game. With seconds remaining, Stingers forward Archambault blew past his marker and deked past Spence,

Photo by Marie Josee Kelly

backhanding his shot into an open net.

“I was just thinking ‘if I score this, we don’t have to go to overtime,’” said Archambault. “Luckily I scored and it felt great.”

The Stingers won 6-5, but more importantly, they put an end to a dreadful 10-game losing streak. And it didn’t take long to commence a little streak of their own.

Twenty-four hours later the Stingers,

hosting the Ryerson Rams, took advantage of a strong second period to win 4-0.

Ben Dubois, Dany Potvin, Kyle Armstrong and Archambault each had a goal.

The win moved Concordia into eighth place, three points behind Queen’s University, who they’ll face on Friday night, Nov. 30 at Kingston Memorial Centre.

WoMen’s Hockey

Concordia falls to the Gee-Gees in Ottawa The stingers women’s hockey team wraps up first half of the season with two straight losses David s. Landsman staff writer Playing their last game before the winter break, the Concordia Stingers women’s hockey team wanted to finish on a high note. Unfortunately, the Ottawa Gee-Gees had other plans, handing the Stingers their 10th loss of the season by a 7-3 margin on Saturday afternoon.

In the first few minutes of the first, there seemed to be back and forth tempo going between the two teams, with the Stingers defence sent to work early.

The Gee-Gees opened the scoring on the power play when Ottawa’s rookie Carolann Upshall was left alone in the slot, sending a swift wrist shot right above goalie Carolanne Lavoie-Pilon’s blocker. They doubled their lead just over two minutes later when

Photo by Marie Josee Kelly

defender Carley Porcellato joined her team’s offensive rush and capped a beautiful pass by batting the puck out of the air.

Concordia got on the board just under seven minutes into the second period when Jillian Ferguson’s seemingly harmless point shot squeaked through the pads of GeeGees’ goalie Cassie Seguin, cutting the lead down to one. For Ferguson, it was her first goal in a Stingers uniform.

“I was definitely happy when I scored,” said Ferguson. “I’d like us as a team to continue, and would like to see more positive results.”

Nearing the end of the middle period, a miscommunication between the Concordia back line led to an odd-man rush for the Gee-Gees. Janie Paquette brought Lavoie-Pilon out of position and gave Ottawa a twogoal cushion heading into the third.

“It was tough,” said Stingers sophomore defender Danielle Leonard, playing in her second game of the season, replacing injured Margaret Hotte. “But I was very happy to be back in the game.”

Paquette added her second of the afternoon just over a minute into the third.

The Stingers never gave up hope. At 4:27 of the third, Emilie Bocchia managed to get the puck over the goal line, once again cutting the lead to only two for the host team.

Kim Boismenu got an assist on the play.

The see-saw game continued as the GeeGees’ Cindy Laurin made it 5-2 redirecting a pass in front, leaving Lavoie-Pilon no chance. At 8:25 of the third, Ottawa’s Elarie Leclair added another on the advantage.

“It was definitely an off day for me,” said Lavoie-Pilon, frustrated with the final score. “I know, starting in January, we’re going to come back and be a stronger team altogether.”

The Stingers got one back with just over four minutes left in the game, when rookie Marie-Pier Cloutier netted her first goal of the season, redirecting Ferguson’s point shot.

“Relief,” said Cloutier, following the game, about scoring her first career CIS goal. “It will definitely give me more confidence in my ability. [I’m] happy to have broken the ice.”

But it was all for nought as the Gee-Gees scored one final time in the final minute, ending a woeful afternoon for the Stingers who head to the break last place in the RSEQ conference.

Concordia will hit the ice again on the first weekend of the new year. They will play as the hosts in the Theresa Humes Tournament on Jan. 3-5.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

Tuesday, november 27, 2012

15

Men’s BAskeTBALL

Stingers fall for the first time this season concordia looses a tight contest of 69 to 68 against McGill Benjamin Hamilton contributor The Concordia Stingers men’s basketball team was issued their first loss of the regular season against their rivals the McGill Redmen on Saturday afternoon by a score of 69-68. Concordia now has a record of three wins and one loss.

The game started at a fast pace with both teams playing at a high tempo. However, the Stingers did not shoot the ball well in the first quarter resulting to a 22-10 lead for the Redmen.

McGill’s Christian McCue started the game with the hot hand and was deadly from behind the arc, hitting two three-pointers.

During the second quarter, the Stingers played a very scrappy game getting to the freethrow line and looking for their big men, notably Kafil Eyitayo, to provide them with the scoring punch they were missing in the first 10 minutes.

Concordia clawed its way back to a 36-30 deficit at halftime.

“We’re trying to find an answer but we just got to get hungrier and got to have that sense of urgency,” said Stingers guard Jerome Blake about the team’s poor first-half performance.

As the second half started, that sense of urgency overcame the Stingers. They started off on fire thanks to an assertive block by Eyitayo that led to a transition layup and a foul by Evens Laroche.

At around midway through the quarter, Eyitayo fell to the ground clutching his leg and was helped off the court by his teammates. He would later return in the fourth quarter and

when asked about his leg he said, “It was my calves, I just cramped up.”

In spite of Eyitayo’s injury, the aggressive Stingers’ defence paired with their strong offence led them to dominate the third quarter by a score of 24-11 giving them a 54-47 advantage entering the final quarter.

That was when things started to go south, especially in the last three minutes of the game.

The Stingers lost the advantage as the Redmen, led by Vincent Dufort’s 25 points, charged back and ended up winning the game in the final seconds.

“We let it get away from us,” said Stingers head coach John Dore about the loss. “We just lost our composure a little bit but we’ll get that up.”

“We missed so many open shots, open

layups and everything,” Eyitayo said. “At least it shows us we can be so much better.”

The Stingers will look to finish the first half of their season strong against the Laval Rouge et Or on Friday, Nov. 30 at PEPS. The game is scheduled for 8 p.m., following the women’s game. Rouge et Or TV will stream the game live online.

Photo by Celia Ste Croix

WoMen’s BAskeTBALL

Concordia defeats rivals and improves record to 4-0 The stingers came out on fire, en route to a win at home over the McGill Martlets

Photo by Celia Ste Croix

Benjamin Hamilton contributor The Concordia Stingers women’s basketball team edged out the McGill Martlets, 72-63, in a back-and-forth game on Saturday. Concordia is now undefeated with four wins and no losses.

Right from the tip off the Stingers caught McGill off-guard, scoring the game’s first 15

points thanks to their swarming zone defence and their deadly three point accuracy.

“My shots were going in and we were just playing good as a team,” said Stingers forward Richelle Gregoire.

Midway through the first quarter, Martlets’ centre Valérie L’Ecuyer fell down hard on her ankle and didn’t return to the game.

This gave Concordia a clear advantage.

“You don’t like to say things like that,”

said Stingers coach Keith Pruden. “But yes, that made our job a little bit easier.”

The Stingers went on to outscore the Martlets in the first quarter with a score of 23-9.

“I was very pleased with how we started but at no point did I think we were going to blow them out,” said Pruden.

The second quarter was a different story.

After a few adjustments made on both of-

fence and defence by McGill, the Martlets were able to cut the Stingers’ lead down to three points, in part thanks to Anneth HimLazarenko’s 12 first-half points. The score at the half was 34-31.

The story was more of the same in the third quarter as McGill’s dominant postgame paired with Marie-Pier Bastrash’s sudden hot hand helped them take the lead, for the first time of the game and into the fourth quarter by a score of 52-50.

However in the fourth quarter the Stingers regained their confidence that had propelled them on their first quarter run. Coach Pruden was satisfied with his team’s performance.

“I expected McGill to make it close but we found a way to win,” he said.

In the fourth quarter, Gregoire hit a quick three to help Concordia regain the lead.

From there, Concordia never looked back.

Led by Kaylah Barrett’s team high 21 points, the Stingers ended up winning the quarter by a score of 22-11 leading them to the victory over the Martlets.

“It’s my job to pick up my team and go forward. I vibe off everyone’s energy,” said Barrett. “If we’re all doing well together, it’s all just a continuous thing.”

“We’re going to try to keep improving,” said coach Pruden. “I do think we’re better than last year.”

The Stingers will hope to remain undefeated before heading into the winter break with a final game at Laval on Nov. 30. Tip off against the Rouge et Or is at 6 p.m..

opinions 16

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Write to the editor: opinions@theconcordian.com

ediTorial

It’s not over till the fat lady sings

students fought for the tuition freeze and all students should benefit from it

O

ver a year has gone by since the historic day that truly kicked off the student movement in Montreal: Nov. 10, 2011. The remarkable display of social engagement from the youth seen throughout this past year has really made an impact not only on policy, but on the way many people think about our demographic.

Students did not accomplish the toppling of a government and the reformation of policy all on their own. The tuition hike would never have been repealed without the support of Quebec citizens who marched alongside us, who donated to our cause and who turned out to vote in the election.

For many, the fight is over. But walk-

ing through the streets of downtown Nov. 22, that’s certainly not what it looked like.

On that day, many students and supporters marched in solidarity for the global accessible education movement.

Right now, tuition is frozen, the provincial government has come through on its promises and students appear to be relieved and to some extent, proud that their efforts have paid off.

Despite the victories achieved so far, we are quite concerned about the prospect of tuition fees increasing for out-of-province and international students.

The government has already stated that this is an option and McGill University

hasn’t bothered to refund these students in question because they expect an increase.

It’s no secret that out-of-province students pay a hefty sum for tuition, but milking them for more money after all that’s happened doesn’t sit right with us.

If and when these increases come, who will be there to stand up for these students?

If the student movement has indeed begun to die down, will this increase sneak by unnoticed? Do officials think that since students who aren’t from here are so used to paying more that they won’t complain when they get slapped with additional fees?

Out-of-province students are still students and being treated differently because of sta-

tus is unjust and unfair.

Quebec has been criticized in the past for creating an unwelcoming environment for newcomers. Raising tuition for this demographic alone will only contribute to the feeling that non-residents are “outsiders.” Is that really the impression Quebec should be giving in this day and age?

We think not. Non-Quebec residents already pay more than everyone else. When the provincial government froze tuition, no one said anything about it possibly being a selective freeze. Quebec residents weren’t the only ones fighting the hike last year and they shouldn’t be the only ones to reap from the movement’s success.

poliTics

There’s no such thing as bad press Why Harper shouldn’t get out of answering tough questions George Menexis opinions editor Since Harper has been Prime Minister of Canada, he’s been accused many times of having a lack of transparency in office; and his administration has often been called the most private government that Canada has ever seen. Despite various complaints demanding information, Harper hasn’t changed his ways.

This time, however, his actions have crossed the line.

The Toronto Star recently learned through an access-to-information request that the Harper administration has been working for more than a year now on a government owned media organization worth over $2 million. The project is called the “Shoe Store Project.” According to the Star, the new centre may be setup in a former shoe store in Ottawa.

Harper going through with this project is a slap in the face to the democracy a country like Canada values so much. We, as a people, deserve to know the inner workings of our government. I believe the information coming from this media outlet, if it does go through, will be absolutely useless.

Harper’s government-controlled media centre is said to “put in place robust physical and information security measures to protect the prime minister and cabinet.” According to the Star it would also be able to give the government control over which journalists attend news conferences and to do their own filming, as well as provide the filming to journalists.

This is absolutely ridiculous when you think of the changes Harper has already made regarding media relations since his election in 2006. Considering he ran on a campaign based

on an open and accountable government, this is wrong.

So what exactly is Harper’s problem? Why does he have such a shaky relationship with the media? According to Centre for Constitutional Studies, by managing what is said to the press “Harper is also able to manage communication between his government and the Canadian public, limiting the possibility that the media will run off in a direction that has little to do with the message that Mr. Harper wishes to send.” Oh please.

Needless to say, many journalists in this country have been extremely frustrated since Harper’s election. This new governmentowned media centre will only go further to push Canada away from democracy. Sandra Buckler, the Prime Minister’s director of communication, said that “when the government has something to say, Canadians are going to hear it.” I don’t think I need to explain what’s wrong with that statement.

As citizens, we have the right to hear what goes on during Harper’s public addresses and be able to make our own conclusions on our government. Besides, no leader should have the right to control which questions are asked of him because he is accountable to all of us.

As journalists, it is our job to inform the people. However, our job becomes extremely difficult when our calls aren’t answered, when

Image by Phil Waheed

most of us are excluded from press conferences and when what the government says is controlled by an enormous team of image-management professionals.

“It’s a privilege to govern and our duty as the press in a free society is to pick and choose the issues that we cover … by restricting access to cabinet ministers, it amounts to restricting the issues that we can cover properly,” said

Emmanuelle Latraverse, Radio-Canada reporter and Press Gallery president.

Harper has been on thin ice for a while concerning his relationship with the media.

We journalists have one of the most important jobs — to inform the people. Obviously, with Harper in power, it’s nearing impossible. It’s time to demand change and get projects like the “Shoe Store” taken to the curb.

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

17

laNGuaGe

Major retailers clash with language authorities

Trademark names lead to a battle over a new take on an old law Tiffany lafleur staff writer

Q

uebec’s ‘language police’ have found a new target: Wal-Mart, along with Guess, Costco, Old Navy and many other corporations who sport English names on their storefront.

As stated in Section 63 of Quebec’s French Language Charter, the name of a business must be in French. However, this is not applied to trademarked names. The Office québécois de la langue française is now threatening to fine the companies who don’t comply with their new demands. The fines range from $3,000 to $20,000, and will increase with repeat offenders.

According to the Montreal Gazette, “the Office quebecois de la langue francaise wants the retailers to change their signs to either give themselves a generic French name or add a slogan or explanation that reflects what it is they’re selling.” For example, by changing “Wal-Mart” to “Le Magasin Wal-Mart.” Because that clears up the mystery of what it is they sell.

Thing is, the law hasn’t changed. What has changed is the way that the Office interprets its meaning, and they expect the companies to calmly submit to their demands. I mean, it’s not as if changing your name is a big deal or anything, right?

In response to this new action, Wal-Mart,

Costco, Gap, Guess and Old Navy have teamed up and are bringing the matter to the Quebec Superior Court to resolve the issue.

Guess has more than 1,000 stores in 87 different countries. They are known worldwide as “Guess,” even in countries that don’t speak either English or French. In France, they are not called Devine.

Wal-Mart also has stores around the world and doesn’t need to hold a seminar to explain to the locals what it is they sell. Quebec is pushing the envelope on this subject and seriously needs to give it a rest.

Nathalie St-Pierre, vice-president for the Retail Council of Canada’s Quebec branch, is against this new interpretation of the law, and says that the effort is misdirected. In her opinion, consumers don’t really care about what the name of the brand is, as long as they can get service in French.

Yes, French is in decline and I agree that something needs to be done to protect it. But changing the names of major corporations, really? It borders on ridiculous. Quebec has enough problems as it is without adding this to the list of things to deal with.

All these corporations respect every minute detail of Bill 101 and yet the ‘language police’ are still unsatisfied, because they refuse to change their logo and name to add something in French. These companies have worked hard to build up their image, logo and reputation. They have achieved worldwide recognition for their emblem, and hardly need an explanation as to what they are selling. This whole thing is a small

Image by Phil Waheed

issue that has been totally blown out of proportion and should be dropped before it gets even more ridiculous.

If the OLF doesn’t want to lose their credibility, then they should stop trying to solve problems that don’t exist.

culTure

There are plenty of barbershops in the sea Muslim-owned barbershop refuses service to woman casandra de Masi staff writer Canada prides itself on its multiculturalism, opening its doors wide to immigrants from countries all over the globe.

With them, they bring their suitcases filled with culture, beliefs, values and religion.

As Canada becomes more and more diverse, its multiculturalism has proven to be both a blessing and, for some people, a burden.

Terminal Barber Shop in Toronto recently found itself in the middle of a human rights dispute after the barbers refused to cut Faith McGregor’s hair back in June.

The shop is run by Muslims, whose religion prohibits them from cutting a woman’s hair, unless they are a family member.

McGregor filed a human rights complaint and told the CBC that she wants “the shop to be cited and forced to give haircuts in the fashion they provide [barbershop style] to any woman, or man that asks for one.” She also wants the shop to set up a sign stating that they will serve both men and women.

Now, here is where our problem lies. We have two

sets of rights butting heads with each other; the right to religious freedom and McGregor’s right as a woman to not be denied service based on her gender. This cannot be solved with a ‘my rights are more important than yours’ attitude. Barbara Hall, the Head of the Ontario Human Rights Commission, told the CBC that “no right is absolute.”

There is something about McGregor’s story that irks me. In August, the men of

the barbershop came forward and offered McGregor a haircut from a willing professional. McGregor refused and according to the National Post, she said that, “now it’s bigger than what occurred with me that one day, in one afternoon.”

Bigger? Frankly, it wasn’t a big issue in the first place. There is also the argument circulating that McGregor was refused because she wanted a “men’s haircut.” That has

nothing to do with it. The barbers did not refuse to cut her hair because of the length she desired. Their refusal was based on their values and that alone.

A part of me is actually bothered that this so-called violation of human rights is gaining so much attention. There are much bigger fish to fry, especially when religion is involved. It is not as if McGregor could not walk down the street and find another barbershop or salon that would be more than willing to cut her precious locks.

It is not uncommon to find salons and estheticians that advertise themselves as “women only.”

If a man walked in looking to get his eyebrows groomed and was refused, would he file a complaint?

Probably not, because the man can more-than-likely find another esthetician to tame his brows.

Ultimately, the men were not discriminating because they “disrespect” women, a stereotype that a lot of Muslim men have to live with.

People seem to forget that many religions preach male dominance, but not everyone that follows that religion abides by this. The men simply refused out of modesty and they have the right to do so.

McGregor is, in my opinion, overreacting. If we are going to learn to live together in Canada, we need to be a little more openminded. I do agree that for the most part, people need to integrate into Canadian society. However, with the influx of different cultures and religions, these cases will be more common and they aren’t as black Image by Jennifer Kwan and white as they used to be.

18

Tuesday, November 27, 2012 World

theconcordian

Did Petraeus betray us?

Why the public eye should stay out of the bedroom Jenna cocullo staff writer

O

n Nov. 9, 2012, Central Intelligence Agency director David Petraeus resigned from his position after the Federal Bureau of Investigation exposed an extramarital affair he was having with writer and biographer Paula Broadwell.

Some would say the punishment for his actions was fair because his character and leadership skills can no longer be trusted, and the reputation of the organization must be upheld.

But what gives people the right to probe into a man’s private life, expose it to the public, allow this event alone define him and then force him to resign?

A man’s personal feelings are his own private business. Some disagree, saying that his morals and leadership ability is everyone’s business. However, I say that we are all human, we all make mistakes, and no leader is without flaws. Petraeus has no previous reputation of being a womanizer, liar or a cheater, therefore one affair should not affect his credibility, especially if we do not know the circumstances of his situation. I am in no way, shape or form condoning what he has done to his marriage, but at the same time I do not believe a leader should be deemed immoral and incompetent simply because he has fallen for two women.

Glenn Rowe, strategic leadership teacher at the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, told CBC that

Photo from Flickr

“in today’s world, we’re looking for people of character to be leaders.” This statement is certainly true for a man or woman who is the leader of a country, a religious group, or any other organization that is in need of a guide who can bring hope and high moral standards to a population.

In the case of the CIA, their primary task is intelligence gathering, which has nothing to do with leading people outside of the organization. Petraeus has a PhD and has served in the

U.S. military his whole life and was deemed the most prominent military man post-9/11. If he is the best candidate for the job and does it effectively, then his private life should not be a factor in deciding whether he retains his position or not, especially if his private life has nothing to do with it.

If a leader of an organization has not led the institution astray, I do not think they should immediately lose their job over a scandal that has nothing to do with their job. Even leaders

make mistakes, and when they do, it does not mean that they should automatically be classified as morally compromised.

I can think of countless examples of leaders in the past with much higher positions than Petraeus who have embarrassed themselves publically or been part of a sex scandal, and still kept their jobs. Petraeus has proved himself to be competent, and therefore should be re-instated as the head of the CIA.

social Media

Are Facebook couples pages a must or a bust?

Taking a look at how social media is putting a new spin on doing everything together

robin della corte assistant news editor Among the many tools offered on Facebook, a new feature was added onto the social network about two weeks ago: Facebook couples pages.

If you’re in a relationship, engaged or married then you’re eligible for this new tool.

This tool allows couples to share a single Facebook account that integrates all the couples’ shared pictures, comments, mutual friends and events.

desire to avoid causing hurt to previous romantic partners and one’s concern that oversharing is not sign of wisdom.”

Bukoski stated that announcing and celebrating one’s committed relationship already exists. Every Sunday in the New York Times there are wedding announcements that allow anyone to see who is getting married.

If two people are happy with displaying their love publicly then good for them, I don’t see why you wouldn’t be proud to show who you’re dating, engaged or married to.

I’m not saying to go flaunt it, nor to brag about it, but one Image by Jennifer Kwan does not need to keep it away lic as soon as they decide to publish it on a from people, nor categorize it as “personal” social media site. Secondly, so what if the and “private.” page exists? It’s not being forced on anyone.

Personal, in my opinion, is the salary you It’s optional. Thirdly, why start caring now?

The friendship page that was launched almost two years ago is almost identical to this function, only this time there’s a potentially loveydovey cover photo.

PhD professor in developmental psychology at Concordia University, William M. Bukowski, stated that “the extent to which having a big public splash is a good idea depends on too many factors, desire for privacy, the

make, your vote in the election, your health, etc. I don’t see how choosing to have one’s relationship be displayed publicly can be harmful. If anything, it can be good.

Relationship expert Debra Macleod told CTV News that she applauds the couples page. Instead of being embarrassed or upset with the pictures and messages that are combined onto one Facebook, Macleod thinks it’s important for couples to be more public about their love.

“I don’t see it as you’re compromising your individuality,” she told CTV. “I just think your individuality and personality and uniqueness is made from more substantial stuff than your status on Facebook.”

Going to the extent of saying that this new tool is disgusting and it can potentially ruin your relationship, or that it’s invasion of privacy, is ridiculous. If you don’t want a couples page, don’t get one. It’s as easy as that.

We asked readers what they thought about couples making their own Facebook pages: Below are the results of the week’s poll!

Follow us on Twitter: @TheConcordian

“

Cattiness”, a word that contributor Tiffany Lafleur defined as an evolutionary trait that women have developed to undermine other women in order to attract better mates. She sites multiple sources, mostly from Evolutionary Psychology, playing these theories off as facts. However, there’s a problem with her argument and she said it herself. Being “catty” is a form of aggression and a predisposition to aggression itself is a trait that is biologically passed down just like anxiety and depression. However it is not evolutionary. Women did not slowly evolve into attacking and undermining each other to make themselves feel better.

Referring to “several scientific studies”, Lafleur would make readers believe that men are more likely to resort to physical violence than women. Which may be true. However this is not a case of biology speaking but society. Simply put, society is more likely to accept a physical reaction of anger from men than it is for women. Though men will be deemed violent, they still secure a form of masculinity because they have dominated another male. A woman attacking another is deemed unattractive, just look at heavyweight lifter Samantha Wright.

When inviting comments about her physically, “lesbian” is more often than not brought up to describe a woman who is truly motivational

Something spectacular has happened this week; the awesome, catchy, korean sensation, PSY, and his tune “Gangnam Style” has officially become the most watched YouTube video ever, with more than 800 million views, beating Justin Bieber. Our tweets of the week are dedicated to PSY. Keep dancing, my friend. @Smoshanthony: “Gangnam Style beats Bieber! RT if you are an immortal horse spirit and Gangnam Style ENRAGES YOU.” @sycamoreskid: “Psy’s ‘Gangnam Style’ just beat Bieber’s “Baby” for most viewed YouTube video of all time. Somewhere the Mayans are high fiving one another.” @Dirtneck101: “I beat my nana gangnam style and by that I mean every ten minutes with a radio till her ears bleed..” @kurtissssimpson: “This kid is under the table singing gangnam style and kicking my shins so I kneed him in the face” @KimJongNumberUn: “Any North Koreans exhibiting signs of Gangnam Style will be executed.” @JehroneKerr: “My mum just said she’s thought the words to Gangnam style were ‘oppa vaginastyle’ what an absolute window licker.”

and awe inspiring.

Instead of inviting women to break down the gender stereotypes that limit our growth and achievement, Lafleur wants us to believe that another woman’s aggressive behavior should be seen as a compliment. That is a dangerous comment to pass. She is correct in saying how women undermine each other by their weight, hair or complexion, however these types of women should not be excused their behavior. All these ideas they are proliferating are ideas of beauty that men in media deem attractive. We all know by now that pictures are photoshopped, so even these images are of women who do not exist, these ‘ideals’ are unattainable. Lafleur should be laughing at these ‘scientists’ and pointing out their propagation

A

fter eight days, hundreds of dead Palestinians, a handful of dead Israelis and a hastily put-together ceasefire engineered by Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, Operation Pillar of Defense is over.

As of this writing, the cease-fire is days old and it is not known whether it will hold.

For example, on Friday morning, the death toll for the Palestinian side increased by one as Israeli soldiers shot dead Anwar Qudaih, a 20-year old man and wounded nine others.

I’ve been writing, thinking and at times, participating (non-violently) in this conflict for about the last thirteen years, or since I was fifteen. Nevertheless, a bit of full-disclosure for you: I hold Pakistani citizenship by heritage (along with Canadian citizenship by right of birth) and it is official Pakistani governmental policy to not recognise Israel as a state.

At the end of the day, despite what your beliefs may be about Israel’s right to exist in the wake of the horror that was the Holocaust or Palestinians’ rather valid claims of land theft, humiliation and sometimes, murder, it begs the question: What have we LEARNED here people?

Nothing. Children, women, civilians and soldiers from both sides have all suffered and far far too many have died.

I recall starting my career writing at The Concordian about SPHR-led protests in Montreal back when the last major Israeli offensive/defensive operation happened in Gaza.

That was waay back in 2007.

So what have *I* learned about the conflict in my decade+ of observation? I learned that there is nothing to be learned from violence.

Does anyone ever stop, in between rifle-

of these ideals, especially those from the ’70’s.

The one comment that made this whole article reprehensible to me was the idea that everything women do is in order to attract a mate. This should have been denounced as purely egotistical on the male scientists she quoted from. Women’s lives do not revolve around men and society should stop using biology or evolution as posters to hide their sexisms. I’m not more likely to be liberal when I’m on my period, I’m liberal because I have a brain and I know how to read the facts.

We are more than just our hormones and it is about time that the world takes women seriously.

-Jennifer Dos Reis Stefanopoulos

Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2012 Vol. 30 Issue 14 Marilla Steuter-Martin editor-in-chief editor@theconcordian.com

Paula rivaS Managing editor managing@theconcordian.com

SoPhia loffreda production manager production@theconcordian.com

Kalina lafraMboiSe News editor news@theconcordian.com

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aManda l. Shore arts editor arts@theconcordian.com

fire and targeted smart bombings, to think about a Friday evening where little Binyamin and little Yasmeen might play together in a community park?

It happens...every day here in the parks of Montreal. Every day in the hallways of Concordia, Jew and Muslim pass by each other, sometimes sharing a discreet smile, though I imagine more stares of menace than nods of respect these days.

I myself have changed over the years. I started out as a young, thoroughly angry, single-minded boy of 15 who hated the Jews, hated Israel and probably not too deep down, hated myself.

That position has evolved, over the years and due in part to countless incredible conversations with Jews (Reformed, Conservative & Chasidic) - thank God. Muslims and Jews can agree on the following foundation of both of our faiths : There is one God, He of many names.

These days, I find myself in love with someone of Jewish background. Had you informed my raging-against-the-machine 15 year-old self that he would, one day, be on the brink of marrying a Jew, I think he might’ve tossed a rock at you.

I don’t presume to present my own personal evolution as a kind of magic formula for healing the wounds of a conflict that can be traced back for millennia. But what I hope everyone understands is that Love and only Love, can heal thousands of years of psychological wounds.

Cheesy maybe. Cliché yeah. But the truth has a way of staying true, even after all the lies, hatred, bullets and blood have long been forgotten.

-Hamza Khan

elizabeth MacKay Music editor music@theconcordian.com

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Staff writerS and contributorS Verity stevensen, Joel ashak, Milene ortenberg, leah Batstone, Nathalie laflamme, andrew Guilbert, Marta Barnes, andrea sun, anne darla d., ayan chowdhury, ariana Trigueros-corbo, audrey Folliot, Veronique Thivierge, sarah McMahon sperber, andria caputo, Benjamin Hamilton, anthony abbondanza, david s. landsman, casandra de Masi, Tiffany lafleur, Jenna cocullo.

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Events of the weeK: Nov. 27 Tuesday +THEATRE - Red - 20h - The Segal Centre Wednesday +THEATRE - Red - 20h - The Segal Centre +MUSIC - Titus Andronicus - 20h - Il Motore THURSDAY +ART - An Ode to The Penny Gala - 18h - 1141 De Maisonneuve Blvd. W +THEATRE - Peleus and Thetis - 20h - D.B. Clarke Theatre +MUSIC - Jeremy Fisher - 20h - Il Motore +MUSIC - Kid Koala - 20h - Corona Theater Friday +THEATRE - Peleus and Thetis - 20h - D.B. Clarke Theatre +IMPROV - Smackdown Improv - 20h - Montreal Improv Theatre +MUSIC - Derelict - 19h30 - Les Katacombes SATURDAY +THEATRE - Peleus and Thetis - 14h&20h - D.B. Clarke Theatre +MUSIC - Ariane Moffatt - 20h - Corona Theater +MUSIC - GrimSkunk - 20h30 - Club Soda SunDAY +THEATRE - Peleus and Thetis - 14h - D.B. Clarke Theatre +MUSIC - Jet Set Tour - 20h - Piranha Bar monDAY +THEATRE - Les Belles Soeurs - 20h - The Segal Centre +MUSIC - Rachael Yamagata - 20h - La Sala Rosa