The Cord January 22, 2020

THE CORD THE TIE THAT BINDS WILFRID LAURIER UNIVERSITY SINCE 1926

VOLUME 60 ISSUE 15 • JANUARY 22, 2020

404 ENDORSEMENT NOT FOUND

HEAVY HEARTS FOR HARMONY

WHATEVER IT TAKES

A DEAL A DAY

ACCEPT THIS ROSE

GO THE DISTANCE

Uptown eatery closing doors

Degrassi co-creator to talk at Laurier

Cheap dining on a student budget

A case for a popular reality show

Laurier team performs welll

News, page 3

News, page 5

Arts & Life, page 8

Opinion, page 13

Sports, page 15

2 •

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

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CordNews THIS DAY IN HISTORY: JANUARY 22

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK

YOU SHOULD BE SAD // HALSEY

613: Eight-month-old Constantine is crowned as co-emperor (Caesar) by his father Heraclius at Constantinople.

GOOD NEWS // MAC MILLER

1816: Lord Byron completes poems "Parisina" and "Siege of Corinth."

ADORE YOU // HARRY STYLES

1901: Queen Victoria — who reigned for more than 60 years, during which time the British Empire reached the apex of its power — died at age 81.

OH MAMA // MILKY CHANCE

THIS LIFE // VAMPIRE WEEKEND

1905: Bloody Sunday in Saint Petersburg, beginning of the 1905 revolution.

IN THE AFTERNOON // MGMT

1943: The fastest temperature change recorded in history occurred on this day in Spearfish, South Dakota. The temperature increased from −20°C to 7°C in the span of two minutes.

DONNA // THE LUMINEERS EVERYTHING ELSE HAS GONE WRONG // BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB PICK U UP // FOSTER THE PEOPLE

1954: Eleventh Golden Globes: The Robe, Spencer Tracy, & Audrey Hepburn win.

LOST IN YESTERDAY // TAME IMPALA

1956: Canadian Football Council forms.

HALLELUJAH // HAIM

1964: World's largest cheese (15,723 kg) manufactured in Wisconsin for New York's World Fair.

DIFFICULT LOVE // CITY AND COLOUR

1968: Apollo 5 lifts off carrying the first Lunar module into space.

BEFORE YOU GO // LEWIS CAPALDI

1973: The U.S. Supreme Court legalizes abortion, ruling in Roe v. Wade that a Texas statute criminalizing abortion in most instances violated a woman's constitutional right of privacy.

ME AND YOU TOGETHER SONG // THE 1975 EVERYTHING I WANTED // BILLIE EILISH

1982: 75 per cent of North America is covered by snow.

YOU AND I // CARIBOU

1984: Apple introduced the Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII.

MANIC // HALSEY SAD DAY // FKA TWIGS IT MIGHT BE TIME // TAME IMPALA

2010: Struggling with ratings, Conan O'Brien left The Tonight Show after hosting his last episode of the late-night television program.

DARIEN FUNK/PHOTO EDITOR

NEXT ISSUE

OPINION EDITOR Jade Hosick opinion@thecord.ca

SENIOR COPY EDITOR Victoria Marshall copyeditor@thecord.ca

CORD STAFF

SPORTS EDITOR Mark Cascagnette sports@thecord.ca

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emily Waitson editor@thecord.ca

GRAPHICS EDITOR Jamie Mere graphics@thecord.ca

CORDCAST PRODUCER Jade Hosick, Victoria Marshall cordcast@thecord.ca

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brit Kovacs creative@thecord.ca

PHOTO EDITOR Darien Funk photos@thecord.ca

WEB DIRECTOR Kashyap Patel online@thecord.ca

ONLINE EDITOR Kathleen McCullough online@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Sophia Cole news@thecord.ca

VIDEO EDITOR Katherine Fitzpatrick video@thecord.ca

NEWS EDITOR Riley Locke news@thecord.ca

LEAD REPORTER VACANT news@thecord.ca

ARTS & LIFE EDITOR Alyssa Di Sabatino arts@thecord.ca

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Sidney Macdonald photos@thecord.ca

JANUARY 29, 2020

CONTRIBUTORS

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Ian Schakel Laura Thompson Jana Ibrahim Caitlyn Lourenco Amichai Abraham

“Degrassi co-creator to talk at Brantford” - Sophia Cole

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The Cord believes in a balanced and impartial presentation of all relevant facts in a news report, and of all substantial opinions in a matter of controversy.

The staff of The Cord shall uphold all commonly held ethical conventions of journalism. When an error of omission or of commission has occurred, that error shall be acknowledged promptly.

When statements are made that are critical of an individual, or an organization, we shall give those affected the opportunity to

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Ethical journalism requires impartiality, and consequently conflicts of interest and the appearance of conflicts of interest will be avoided by all staff.

The only limits of any newspaper are those of the world around it, and so The Cord will attempt to cover its world with a special focus on Wilfrid Laurier University, and the community of Kitchener-Waterloo, and with a special ear to the concerns of the students of Wilfrid Laurier University. Ultimately, The Cord will be bound by neither philosophy nor geography in its mandate.

The Cord has an obligation to foster freedom of the press and freedom of speech. This obligation is best fulfilled when debate and dissent are encouraged, both in the internal workings of the paper, and through The Cord’s contact with the student body.

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We acknowledge that we are on the traditional territory of the Neutral, Anishnawbe, and Haudenosaunee peoples.

“They're thickies .”

- News Director Sophia Cole talking about the burgers at Mel's Diner.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

News

• 3 NEWS EDITOR SOPHIA COLE news@thecord.ca

LOCAL BUSINESS

Harmony Lunch to close its doors this week PHOTOS BY KASHYAP PATEL/WEB DIRECTOR

AARON WAITSON PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER

For its last week in business, Harmony Lunch, Uptown Waterloo’s iconic local eatery, has been saying goodbye to the community that has supported it for almost 90 years.

The decision, which was reached sometime in mid-December, came following a series of deliberations and discussions regarding Uptown construction and the impact it would have on the business longterm.

“We had hoped this place would have a faster upswing because of the nature of it and how it is important to the town, but it just didn’t. So from that point on … it became pretty clear what we had to do, and then it was just a matter of making arrangements and doing what was best for the building and the staff — and [lastly] the community,” said Nick Benninger, chef, owner and co-founder of Harmony Lunch.

Benninger is the owner and operator of the Fat Sparrow Group, a collection of restaurants in Uptown Waterloo and Downtown St. Jacobs, such as the Taco Farm,

Marbles Restaurant and Nick & Nat’s Uptown 21 in Waterloo, as well as Jacob’s Grill, Stone Crock and various bakery and meat shops in the St. Jacobs area.

One of the [unpleasant] things is that, over the few years we’ve been here, we’ve established quite a home for live music ...

-Nick Benninger, owner, co-founder, Harmony Lunch

The construction has affected a number of their businesses in the Waterloo area, but what impacted Harmony in a unique way was in how it hindered accessibility for a number of its clientele.

“This place particularly relies on full access for people — a lot of our clientele are elderly, and access can be an issue, so during construction, they were not coming

at all, unfortunately. The student population help[ed] to some degree, but not a lot,” Benninger said.

“Construction took our sales down to about a third of what they used to be, and that led to a lot of losses during the construction phase … the real right decision probably would have been to close before construction. But we weren’t willing to make that call until we lived through the experience.”

As an organization that prides itself on its sustainable and hyperlocal focus from its food to its customer base, the closure of the business has been an unfortunate development for Benninger, who has tried to bring a new legacy to the history of Harmony Lunch.

“One of the [unpleasant] things is that, over the few years we’ve been here, we’ve established quite a home for live music: punk and metal and hip hop and all kinds of fringe genres. That’s one of the deeper cuts, is the loss to that as a venue for them to be at,” Benninger said.

“We’re trying our best within our own locations to maybe have some of those shows ourselves, but that’s unfortunate. It was also

one of the more interesting and rewarding parts of my time here at Harmony, was seeing us contribute to Harmony’s legacy in a new way that didn’t involve all of the old legacies.”

... Punk and metal and hip hop and all kinds of fringe genres. That’s one of the deeper cuts, is the loss to that as a venue for them to be at.

-Nick Benninger, owner, co-founder, Harmony Lunch

“That was something that was difficult for us to do: to keep up with what it meant to people, and their memories. Making a new slice of ‘Harmony’ for the punks and metalheads was a cool thing to be able to do,” he said.

In their last few weeks of business, the community support for Harmony Lunch has been

overwhelming, with images and community stories being shared on their social media pages on a daily basis.

As Harmony says goodbye, Benninger thanked the community for the support they gave this project, which began in 2016 when the Fat Sparrow Group took over Harmony.

“People were fiercely loyal and passionate about this building — whether they loved or hated us — they’ve all come out to say their goodbyes last week and this week, it’s been incredibly busy. We’re happy for that,” Benninger said.

In light of these events, Benniger encourages others to support other businesses in the Uptown area — especially those that have been affected by the construction — before it’s too late.

“I would encourage people to make more of an effort to do so because we aren’t the only ones in the core that have felt pain from all the construction, and everybody needs business back to normal as soon as possible,” Benninger concluded.

“Don’t wait for the farewell tour to go say goodbye to your favorite places.”

4 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

WELLNESS

Mental health at Laurier’s forefront for Blue Monday HAYLEY MCGOLDRICK CORD ALUM

Monday, Jan. 20 was the day known worldwide as “Blue Monday,” dubbed the most depressing day of the year.

This year, Laurier Alumni put together a full day of events to help students, faculty, staff and alumni find coping mechanisms and healthy ways to improve both mental and physical well-being.

“Laurier’s community is a point of pride for alumni; it was important to me that when the Alumni Relations team created the Blue Monday program that we honoured the community spirit felt worldwide by making programming available at each campus as well as online, so no matter where you were you could be a part of the day,” said Brittany Russell, alumni relations officer, chapters and regional programming for Laurier Alumni in an email statement.

“Supporting one another is what our community does best and I am so happy that we were all able to come together to support one another and share the expertise of our alumni, as we all work together to make each other’s days a little brighter.”

Events put on during the day included meditation, yoga, art projects, smudging, advice sessions on relationships with alcohol and webinars in coaching and

I’m not an expert, but I am a fellow Laurier alumni looking for answers on how to understand what selfcare means to me and how I can offer support.

-Brittany Russell, alumni relations officer

workplace management.

This was the first year that the Blue Monday event took place on all campuses, including Milton, Kitchener and Toronto campuses as well as Waterloo and Brantford.

Laurier Alumni also had online resources available beyond webinars for anyone to download if they

were not able to attend a session.

“I think it’s great to have all the events throughout the campuses just to encourage students and alumni to get together and come out especially when it’s about things that revolve around wellness and mental health all in one day, especially in the winter,” said Megan Moore, alumni officer at Laurier’s Toronto office.

“With multiple campuses, being able to reach more than just students, being able to reach alumni as well in different areas, a lot of people don’t live somewhere like Toronto but they work here so people came literally just down the elevator to come to the meditation session.”

The events were all hosted by fellow Laurier alumni who shared personal stories and tips and tricks with coping with mental health issues as well as becoming physically healthy as well.

“I’m not an expert, but I am a fellow Laurier alumni looking for answers on how to understand what self-care means to me and how I can offer support,” Russell continued in an email statement.

“My teammates and I reached out to alumni experts about what

JAMIE MERE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

we could offer as mental health tools and I’d like to invite you to take part in the result.”

Though wellness initiatives are a priority throughout the year at Laurier with different departments hosting events like Thrive Week or mental health talks, the point of these Blue Monday events is to have the conversation about men-

tal health on a day globally known for being depressing.

“It really felt like what we were doing was ‘bigger than ourselves’ — like the whole Laurier community was coming together to support each other,” said Derek Szilagyi, alumni relations officer for the Brantford campus in an email statement.

SUSTAINABILITY

Laurier professor to Launch UNESCO Chair SOPHIA COLE NEWS EDITOR

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, Wilfrid Laurier University professor Alison Blay-Palmer will formally launch the United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair in Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies at the Balsillie School of International Affairs (BSIA).

In addition to UNESCO Chair Blay-Palmer, secretary-general

of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, Sébastien Goupil, will be present at the event to speak about the UNESCO Chairs Program.

Other speakers include Laurier’s president and vice-chancellor, Deborah MacLatchy; Jonathan Newman, Laurier’s vice-president of research and Ann Fitz-Gerald, director of the BSIA.

The UNESCO Chair is amazing because what it does is it offers a chance to bring together existing and new partners around the issues of food, biodiversity and sustainability studies -Alison Blay-Palmer, UNESCO Chair, Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies

“The idea is to launch the Chair, make sort of an official beginning publically to the fact that we have this Chair at Laurier, which is super exciting, and to talk a little bit about what the vision for the Chair is, where we see it going and how it fits into the university and the big-

ger UNESCO system as well,” said Blay-Palmer, director of the Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems and Food: Locally Embedded, Globally Engaged (FLEdGE). “And then we have a reception which is kind of raising a glass and saying ‘hey, this is pretty awesome.’ It’s an opportunity to mark this important opportunity for our community, and the larger community as well.”

The event will highlight the importance of the UNESCO Chair in Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies in regards to tackling pressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity and accessibility of healthy and ethically sourced foods, as well as how sustainable food systems can serve communities on a small and large scale.

“The UNESCO Chair is amazing because what is does is it offers a chance to bring together existing and new partners around the issues of food, biodiversity and sustainability studies,” Blay-Palmer said.

“So, we’re going to be able to focus in on building and reinforcing existing networks, research networks…and bring them together in ways that allow more knowledge sharing and learning from all of the different research projects.”

Blay-Palmer herself is a nationally recognized researcher, and she has devoted much of her research

to the development of global sustainable food systems.

I guess the message that we’re putting forward at the launch is that food systems offer a way for us to address a lot of the most pressing issues of our day -Alison Blay-Palmer, UNESCO Chair, Food, Biodiversity and Sustainability Studies

“I guess the message that we’re putting forward at the launch is that food systems offer a way for us to address a lot of the most pressing issues of our day, including climate change,” Blay-Palmer said.

“And then also to add in new partners, so for example we’re hoping to work and planning to work with Edward Shizha at Brantford, he’s got some amazing work happening in Zimbabawe and we also want to work with some new partners at Rombo university in Kenya and bring them on.”

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and while the event is free, all who wish to attend are encouraged to register through Eventbrite.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

NEWS • 5

TELEVISION

Degrassi co-creator to talk at Brantford SOPHIA COLE NEWS EDITOR

On Tuesday, Jan. 28, Linda Schuyler, co-creator and executive producer of the hit television franchise Degrassi, will be giving two lectures at Wilfrid Laurier Universities Brantford campus.

In the two lectures, titled “Heads On…Reflections on Life” and “The Degrassi Story,” Schuyler with delve into her own experiences growing up in Paris, ON, working as a junior high school teacher in Toronto and transitioning into the film industry, as well as how Degrassi came to exist and the various types of impacts the show has had.

The “Heads On…Reflections on Life” lecture will take place at 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Odeon Building, and “The Degrassi Story” will take place from 7 p.m. to 1 p.m. in the West Research and Academic Centre.

Prior to her first Degrassi series, Schuyler had created her first documentary inspired by the multiculturalism she saw in her classroom.

“My students were just a wealth of stories, and it was interesting because even though I was a school teacher, I also had a great interest in filmmaking and it was with my class in Toronto that I actually made my first 16 millimetre documentary,” Schuyler said. “It was about multiculturalism because there were just so many kids in my class from so many different social and economic and ethnic backgrounds that I wanted to celebrate their stories.”

Like her documentary, Degrassi was also inspired by Schuyler’s experiences as a teacher.

“I got to thinking that, you know, there wasn’t really anybody else out there telling stories in the media about the teenage experience and so, more and more I thought, you know, there should be stories for these teenagers because their lives are so unique and so rich and so diverse. And then one day I just had a lightbulb moment when I said ‘wait a minute, I love filmmaking, I love teenagers — maybe I can make a living doing this,” Schuyler said.

The first Degrassi series, The Kids of Degrassi Street, was released in 1979 and was the first of its kind, pioneering the teen drama genre as it was known.

The show went on to become one of the most iconic television franchises of its time, including other shows like Degrassi High, Degrassi: The Next Generation and Degrassi: Next Class.

“I think if I had had a crystal ball and could have predicted where the show might have gone, I think I might have been to scared to have even started it. It has such a big reach now but at the time I wasn’t concerned about how big it would become or how successful; I was just really concerned about giving young people a voice,” Schuyler said.

“I wanted to give a voice of empowerment and solidarity to young people. And over time, as the media has changed, as the politics in

society has changed, we have been able to meld our storyline to sort of reflect those various changes and here we are today, over 35 years later, still telling Degrassi stories.”

Since its inception, the franchise has gone on to win multiple awards, including over 25 Canadian Screen Awards and International Emmys.

The franchise’s massive success is something that co-creator Schuyler could not have imagined when starting the project all those years ago.

The show has been able to move across generational borders, adapting its storylines to explore the unique experiences and challenges of teenagers living in each generation.

“When I first started on Degrassi, I was fresh with all my experience from the classroom — but you have to remember in those days, we’re talking about the 1980s. Kids didn’t have computers, there was no internet it was a whole different way of communicating,” Schuyler said. “So, when we moved on to the next generation, I really relied on my young writers who were far more connected that I was.”

“They really taught me a lot about how kids were now communicating through the internet and, of course, as time goes on, we add Twitter and Instagram and all of this with a whole new added vocabulary for kids and a whole new protocol for how you date and how you break up.”

But while many things change from generation to generation, there are some universal elements of the teenage experience which remain the same.

“There is another faction of the show, and that is regardless of all the changes in society and technology, there are certain parts of the teenage experience that remain the same. And those are all your first experiences: your first date, your first kiss, your first prom. So, I think by being true to our storytelling of first time experiences, but also making sure we stay current with societal changes has been what has helped give us the longevity that we’ve enjoyed.”

While she may have many accolades under her belt, it is the impact on her viewers which motivates Schuyler most.

“What thrills me the most is I keep a couple of huge bingers behind my desk, and they’re called ‘Why I do what I do’ and they’re full of hand written notes, posts from the internet, various feedback from the audience,” Schuyler said.

“It’s those personal stories from kids who say to me ‘thank you for Degrassi, it makes me feel like I’m not alone’ and ‘thank you for Degrassi, it gave me the courage to come out to my parents.’ Its that kind of influence on individual audience members that really makes me feel good.”

Schuyler hopes that lecture attendees are able to enjoy a glimpse of her life and vision through her lectures and there will be a Q & A period after the end of the 7 p.m. lecture.

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

6 • NEWS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

STUDENT HOUSING

Students hope to give housing crisis a new face in 2020 VICTORIA MARSHALL SENIOR COPY EDITOR

Students in the Waterloo Region have known for some time that housing across the city is growing to be increasingly unattainable for students and lucrative for corporations.

After this fall’s Accomod8u scandal and a number of online exposées against popular student rental company KW4Rent, student housing in Waterloo became a hot button issue yet again.

Both companies came under fire for their treatment of student tenants, and during online discussions on Reddit and Facebook, it was revealed that both are currently owned by the same parent company, Prica Global Enterprises.

At the time of The Cord’s coverage on these issues, Accommod8u, KW4Rent and Prica Global Enterprises did not respond to our request for comment.

While student housing issues like the ignorance of maintenance requests, lack of smoke and CO detectors and illegal landlord entry are nothing new, students have opted for the first time to not only share, but expose these issues through online platforms.

The original exposing of Accommod8u occurred on Reddit, but as the news spread and students renting from other management companies came forward, Facebook has become the platform to spread resistance among students from UW, Laurier and Conestoga College alike.

Sylvia Skoruch is one of those students, and based on her experiences with KW4Rent, Skoruch started the Facebook group “STUDENT HOUSING CRISIS IN WATERLOO.” Along with a handful of other motivated student activists, Skoruch has used the platform to organize talks with the City of Waterloo and tabled a master document of student housing issues that was submitted to Queens’ Park via Waterloo M.P.P. Catherine Fife.

Thanks to Skoruch and her

work, some notable progress has been made at the municipal level.

“On Nov. 29 we had a meeting with Shane Turner, the Director of Municipal Enforcement Services… as well as with Jeff Henry, the councillor for Ward 6 – the student area,” said Skoruch in an interview.

“We asked what’s been done and we talked about maintenance issues. They looked at the fire safety piece, but only 13 people have actually called the City in recent months … but clearly there’s more [issues].”

“We also suggested a blacklist, like what they have in Toronto where [there is] a list of all the developers and buildings to not work with – to not associate with those buildings or companies … They’re not going to take this approach because they want to maintain positive relationships within the city,” Skoruch added.

Thanks to Skoruch and her fellow activists’ hard work, it can certainly be said that students’ relationships with city officials are strengthening – but Skoruch also believes that amending policy with large corporations won’t fix everything. And although Skoruch is a UW student, her work remains integral to the housing situation on the Golden Hawk-dominant side of town. As a relatively new resident of the Ezra Ave. area, Skoruch has had to deal with excessive noise, trash disposal issues and other various safety concerns since her move-in.

“I don’t have anyone to go to to complain,” Skoruch said.

In order to address this, Skoruch suggested some sort of a neighbourhood watch, which would aim to ensure student safety within the boroughs best known for persistent partying and petty crime.

Perhaps this could be managed by the City and the local Universities – or both. But it’s for certain that much still needs to be done, not only in regard to landlords, but in regard to student-driven parties that create safety and housing issues for residents who choose not to participate.

DARIEN FUNK/PHOTO EDITOR

After discussing the municipal progress with Skoruch, it also became clear that universities have a large part to play when it comes to student housing issues. The WLU Students’ Union has significant stakes in Golden Hawks’ housing issues, many of which can be addressed through the Student Rights Advisory Committee under the department of University Affairs.

It’s also important to highlight that the WLU Students’ Union is at the height of its election season Although it wasn’t mentioned directly on either platform, student housing is a hot-button issue for candidates Leah Xuereb and Devyn Kelly.

Both candidates acknowledged that student housing is problematic in Waterloo, and that as potential presidents, they would be ready and willing to collaborate with the University Affairs department to ensure increased access to housing-related services for WLU students.

“Student housing is a huge issue that I would obviously have to keep in mind if I were elected,” Xuereb said in an interview.

“And I know Sylvia [Skoruch] is spearheading this whole thing, so having discussions with people who are passionate about it [is key].”

“When I was building my platform I talked to so many people

and it was brought up a few times.

I want to work towards finding a solution, or help in general,” she said.

Xuereb also expressed her desire to work more frequently with the Student Rights Advisory Committee (SRAC), but also with WUSA (Waterloo Undergraduate Students Association) and OUSA (Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance) in order to achieve more widespread change.

Candidate Devyn Kelly is hoping to use her experience from working in other Students’ Union departments to ensure campus-wide awareness of SRAC services and activities.

“One of the things that needs to change is the awareness around what SRAC does on campus,” Kelly said. “There needs to be stronger digital promotion … one of the things you don’t see a lot of is promotion of SRAC and outreach events on campus.”

Kelly assured this is something she would like to tend to – especially for first-year students, many of whom will be signing their first-ever leases before their first semester is even over.

On Tuesday Jan. 21, the SRAC held a public event featuring trivia and games with the goal of making their services known to students as well as assisting in tenant rights-related education.

Subsequent events of the same nature will take place on Feb. 11 and Mar. 24 in the concourse, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

At the event, Skye Nip, Assistant Vice President of University Affairs (Waterloo) also stated that digital promotion of events is key to campus knowledge of SRAC events and services.

In regards to SRAC outreach with City officials, Nip provided some positive updates: “Next week we’re actually meeting with a lot of city councilors… and we’ll be advocating for expansion of the bylaws [to high rise buildings],” Nip said.

“We also want to work on reduced harm for large, unsanctioned street gatherings and pedestrian safety at night.”

This would likely aim to address the concerns of Sylvia Skoruch and other residents of the Ezra Ave. area.

Despite all of these advancements, the question of whether or not student housing in this new year will see itself take on a new reality remains partially unanswered.

The result of the upcoming Students’ Union elections will certainly impact housing activism for the upcoming year, but in the meantime, other students like Skoruch will continue to advocate independently until some policy resolutions are made.

GAMES • 7

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 SUDOKU (MEDIUM)

Dear Life Dear Life is your opportunity to write a letter to your life, allowing you to vent your anger with life’s little frustrations in a completely public forum.

All submissions to Dear Life are anonymous, should be no longer than 100 words and must be addressed to your life. Submissions can be sent to dearlife@thecord. ca no later than Monday at noon each week.

Dear Life, Whatever it takes I know I can make it through If I hold out If I do I know I can make it Be the best The best that I can be Hear what I say to you

Dear Life,

Whatever it takes

If your house is on or in front of the sidewalk, be considerate and remove the snow so people don’t slip.

I can see it I know I can make it I know I know I

Sincerely, A Hawk that Slipped

I know I can make it through

Dear Life,

Nobody said it would be easy to be a kid

Welcome to Duloc such a perfect town. Here we have some rules let us lay them down. Don’t make waves. Stay in line and we’ll get along fine. Duloc is the perfect place . Please keep off the grass, shine your shoes and wipe yout ... face. Duloc is ... Duloc is ... Duloc is a perfeccct plaaaaace!”

Sincerely, Lord Farquaad

But growing up’s tough when you think of the things you did Everybody’s always trying to show you the way And telling you to work and all you wanna do is play And your friends was hang, go out, and have a blast Sincerely, Drake’s best career move

RIDDLES

1.

6.

What is so fragile that saying its name breaks it?

What goes through cities and fields but never moves?

2.

What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps ?

3.

What can fill a room but takes up no space?

7.

The person who makes it has no need of it; the person who buys it has no use for it. The person who uses it can neither see or feel it. What is it?

8.

4.

If you drop me I’m sure to crack, but give me a smile and I’ll always smile back.

What am I? 5.

The more you take, the more you leave behind.

What am I?

I am always hungry and will die if not fed, but whatever I touch will soon turn red. What am I? 9.

People make me, save me, change me, raise me.

What am I? 10. What is at the end of everything?

Answers:

10. THE LETTER “G”

5. FOOTSTEPS

9. MONEY

4. A MIRROR

8. FIRE

3. LIGHT

7. A COFFIN

2. A RIVER

6. A ROAD

1. SILENCE

SUDOKU (HARD)

CHEAP EATS As social creatures, we're conditioned to know and understand that eating brings us together. At home, this is generally done over a Sunday dinner. In Waterloo, it's usually done with a full send at Phil's.

This updated version of The Cord's guide to eating cheap in Waterloo has your back. Here's a list of some of our staff's favourite places to check out by yourself or with your pals that won't make the Ford government question where your OSAP is going.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WILF'S

WILF'S

CHAINSAW

BOGO 1/2 OFF APPETIZERS MILL ST. MONDAYS - $6.50 PINTS / $17.50 PITCHERS

AYCE PEROGIES FOR $10

$2 TUESDAYS - FOOD & DRINK SPECIALS

MORTY'S PUB POUND OF WINGS FOR $8.99 AND TWO FOR $17.99 (AFTER 3PM)

BOB'S VALU MART

MELTWICH

MORTY'S PUB

$3.50 CLASSIC GRILLED CHEESE

$8.99 PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

ETHEL'S

VALUMART, SOBEYS, ZEHRS

FOUR TACOS FOR $2.86 AFTER 4PM

%10 OFF GROCERIES WITH STUDENT ID

10% OFF ALL GROCERIES WITH STUDENT ID

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

WILF'S

WILF'S

MAC AND CHEESE FEATURE CHANGED WEEKLY MOLSON WEDNESDAYS - $6.50 PINTS/$17.50 PITCHERS

MGD THURSDAYS - $6.50 PINTS / $17.50 PITCHERS $1 WINGS (MINIMUM 10 WINGS AND A DRINK)

BULK BARN

MORTY'S

10% OFF YOUR PURCHASE WITH STUDENT ID

POUND OF WINGS FOR $8.99 AND TWO FOR $17.99 (AFTER 3PM)

CRABBY JOE'S

CHAINSAW

TWO SIX OUNCE GLASSES OF SELECT WINE FOR $10.99

ALL FOOD BASKETS 1/2 PRICE $8.85 PITCHERS BETWEEN 8-11PM

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

WILF'S

SANGRIA FOR $6.50 / $17.50 $5 BURGERS (PATTY & LETTUCE ONLY) BOGO 1/2 OFF DESSERTS

FISHBOWLS FOR $11.25 $14.99 FISH & CHIPS

WILF'S

DALLAS NIGHTCLUB

DALLAS NIGHTCLUB

$4.50 COORS BOTTLES $2.75 DALLAS BOMBS (JAGERBOMBS)

$3 SHOTS OF JACK DANIELS PRODUCTS (BEFORE 12PM) BONUS: SHUTTLE SERVICE FROM THE PUB ON KING TO DALLAS FOR FREE

SUNDAY WILF'S $5 FOR A CAESAR BOGO 1/2 OFF DESSERTS

MORTY'S PUB $8.99 10oz BURGERS WITH A DRINK

HONOURABLE MENTIONS 1. Princess Cinemas 2. East Side Mario's 3. Phil's Grandson's Place 4. The Pub on King 5. Shawerma Plus 6. Fratello Pizza

Full article can be found online

DEVYN KELLY The name is quite self-explanatory: Dev-ritos Chicken Nachos is prepared with a base layer of cheese Doritos and is topped with Wilf’s cheese blend, grilled chicken, ranch dressing, hot sauce, green onions, peppers, tomatoes, shredded lettuce and served with sour cream and salsa.

These nachos were a safe bet as they’re very easily shareable. So while it’s not a super creative dish, it

definitely gets lots of points for being the perfect drunk food. Like, blackout drunk.

Or even just tipsy, who am I to say?

If you’re like me and you really hate Doritos but love nachos, this dish might leave you feeling conflicted.

Overall though, The Cord’s consensus was that this dish was very flavourful and filling. The hot sauce added a level of spice that tied the dish together for me, and

my co-workers were more than satisfied with this dish.

Again, this is definitely not a meal that you’d want to eat if you’re in the middle of your 12-week gym cut, but if this dish makes it onto the menu permanently, the school vending machines will be supplied with health foods anyway! I’m pretty sure that’s what gym rats mean when they talk about an 80-20 diet, right?

WILFS PRESENTS THE PRESIDENTIAL DISHES

2020. 01. 21 - 30 AVAILABLE THROUGHOUT

LEAH XUEREB For those who might not know, xango is a deep fried cheesecake dessert, commonly eaten in Mexico.

Xuereb’s Xango’s are tossed in cinnamon sugar, served with strawberries, whipped cream, and three dipping sauces — chocolate, strawberry and dulce de leche.

The dish definitely gets points for creativity. Since nobody at the The Cord knew what a xango was, the

added mystery was definitely a plus.

This is a super indulgent dish, and it felt like I was being served a plate of absolute glutton. But I guess that’s what it usually feels like to be eating cheesecake anyway.

Unexpectedly, the xango’s were easily shareable as they were divided into four pieces, which is nice because eating even one fourth of this dish had me

feeling moderately immobilized. The three dipping sauces also add a nice variety of choices and kept the dish from feeling repetitive.

If you have any dietary restrictions, it would be in your best interest to avoid this dish because it’s primarily made with dairy and gluten — although this might make for an ideal meal for some (a.ka. me).

• 10 ARTS AND LIFE

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

MUSIC

DARIEN FUNK/PHOTO EDITOR

Wilf’s hosts first-ever Open Mic Idol

ALYSSA DI SABATINO ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

On a typical Monday evening, students will go to Wilf’s to display their talents at Open Mic Night.

This Monday, however, Wilf’s hosted the first-ever Open Mic Idol.

Each of the 10 acts had the opportunity to prove their talents and perform a set for a crowd of eager students and industry professionals.

Although the idea of Open Mic Idol had been discussed before, it was never put into fruition unti Laurier student Dylan Kavalsky pitched it to the Open Mic Night team.

“He’s the one who pitched it to us actually, so he brought us the idea and we sort of finessed it and talked to the Students’ Union and got them on board,” said host Jack Ford Stevens.

At an average Open Mic Night, students are able to sign up for a time slot to perform, but this night

operated slightly differently — participants were required to submit audition tapes before they were selected to perform.

“Once we started receiving submissions, it was going through all the submissions — which was over forty — watching those videos, and just sending the vote to each other,” Stevens said.

“Basically, if the vote wasn’t unanimous, we didn’t let them in.

So all the people who we did let into the night were yeses across the board.”

The panel of judges included Matt Sobhy, CEO and producer of X Events, vocal instructor Vanessa De Freitas, country music artist Matt Martin, and Mitchell McCloy, owner of Canadian Daydream.

Throughout the night, the judges were able to give useful critiques and suggestions to the performers, as well as positive feedback based on predetermined categories.

“About half of [the performers] are regulars, and the other half are

people who have shown up maybe once or twice throughout the two years that I’ve been hosting it,” Stevens said.

For the performers, I think it’s just a chance for them to showcase how talented they are and get their own music out there...

-Jack Ford Stevens, Open Mic Night Host

The ten acts that were selected were comprised of both solo and group acts.

“I think I’m mostly looking forward to seeing what these people and these groups can do ... I’m really excited to see what they’ve

prepared for this and what they’re going to show off,” Stevens said before the show.

Every act was exceptionally talented but by the end of the night, the judges had decided on their finalists.

The first finalist announced was Claire Mason, who performed two original songs titled “Sleepless Nights” and “Rewind.”

The next finalist announced was Cameron Bauer, who performed what he called a “Moonlight/Hallelujah” medley.

The last finalists announced were a group consisting of Emily Gilbart, Cass Van Heuvelen, Sam Johnston and Emma Hutchinson. They performed a mashup of “Paint it Black,” “Black Magic Woman” and “Back to Black.”

Every finalist was invited to perform one more song before the judges made their final decision.

Ultimately, the title of Open Mic Night Idol was awarded to Bauer, who blew the crowd away with

a performance of “Fly Me to the Moon,” while singing, playing piano, and even adding in a cappella.

The grand prize included a $100 gift card to Wilf’s, a $100 gift card to Ticketmaster and a portable suitcase record player.

Bauer was also awarded with the opportunity to represent Laurier at Student’s Got Talent in March, priority sign up at Open Mic Night for the rest of the school year and a personal gig affiliated with X Events.

Although this was only the first Open Mic Idol, talks of hosting more in the future have already begun, Stevens said.

“For the performers, I think it’s just a chance for them to showcase how talented they are and get their own music out there, and just bring awareness to how amazing they are ... It’s also just another opportunity to perform, and there aren’t very many out there for Laurier other than Open Mic Night, so it’s just fun.”

404 error: finding the endorsement the SU. With that said, we do not want to endorse candidate Kelly simply by the process of elimination and based on the length of time that she has spent with the SU by comparison alone.

We were equally critical of her platform as well, and would like more time to listen and engage with the ideas and points of action that both of these candidates have planned for their potential presidencies.

There are points of clarification that we feel are needed in order to make the most well-rounded decision, specifically regarding the financial strategies and realistic execution of Xuereb’s Sunday morning farmer’s market and Kelly’s free printing plans.

It is admirable that both Kelly and Xuereb discuss the importance of mental health care in their platforms and have prioritized these

The Cord has been impressed with Tyron Thomas’ platform and his ability to be transparent, honest and dedicated to instilling positive change into the way the board operates. Thomas has consistently demonstrated himself to be one of the most authentic members of the board this year, acting both with integrity and the best interests of the student body as a whole in mind.

This was apparent during his midterm review with The Cord, as he provided some of the most effective, constructive feedback, both of himself and other members of the board. As a Chair of the Board, one of the most important aspects of the role is being able to think critically about the performance of others, including oneself, and how changes can be made to better suit the needs of the board and the student body as a whole.

In his platform, Thomas hopes to achieve better integration within the Laurier community, as well as deconstructing some of the more problematic aspects of the Students’ Union as a whole, focusing on an environment of equity and empowerment. Because of these things, we believe that Thomas is fully capable and willing to take the initiative to approach these, and a number of other issues, head-on.

As a candidate, Thomas has made a concerted effort to be present at campaign events, including the Brantford Open Forum, demonstrating a commitment to the multi-campus approach that many candidates have built their platforms upon.

Overall, Thomas has proved his dedication to the Students’ Union as well as the board during his previous year as Director. His enthusiasm and initiative for change and improvement would be well-suited in the position of Chair, and we believe that other directors would strongly benefit from the experience and knowledge that he would be able to share if chosen.

Thomas is a well-spoken, kind-hearted, approachable, effective leader, who would thrive with the responsibility of this role.

AKSHAT SHAH

2020-2021 student elections season as a department head working for Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications (WLUSP).

As a publication in the same organization, it has been our goal to remain as unbiased as possible while covering the election despite this clear conflict.

However, we don’t believe that it would be fair to the student body to endorse someone who works and operates in the same publishing sphere as The Cord.

As well, it is our belief that Xuereb’s platform isn’t strong enough to justify an endorsement that disregards the crossover that exists between these two student organizations.

She lacks the practical experience that is needed for a president in regards to Students’ Union politics and does not seem to have the same level breadth of knowledge that her opponent does about

VICE-CHAIR

CHAIR

TY THOMAS

After thorough deliberation and discussion, The Cord has made the conscious decision to refrain from endorsing either of the two candidates running for 2020-2021 Students’ Union president and CEO. While Devyn Kelly and Leah Xuereb both possess qualities that would undoubtedly be beneficial if elected for this role, we believe that it is in the best interest of the Wilfrid Laurier community to be as transparent as possible when advocating for individuals in student elections.

We think that it would be disingenuous to favour either candidate after having critically considered their platforms and having seriously taken into account the conflict of interest that exists with candidate Xuereb.

Xuereb poses a contention in the reporting and coverage that The Cord conducts during the

resources in different, but necessary ways as aspects of campus life that need to be addressed and focalized.

These are arguably the strongest areas of their respective platforms.

As well, we sincerely respect the fact that this election is showcasing the power of female leadership.

Despite the areas of their campaigns that may be lacking, it is commendable that for the first time two women are running against each other, paving the way for the first female Students’ Union president since Annie Constantinescu in 2013.

The conclusion that The Cord’s editorial board came to this year is that it is imperative for students to personally educate themselves on the platforms and initiatives that these candidates stand behind.

Go beyond reading the candidates’ platform summaries and

attend or watch the Waterloo open forum and the presidential debates that will be taking place on-campus this Wednesday at 3 p.m. and Monday at 4 p.m. in the concourse.

Ask them questions about the issues and concerns that are most meaningful to you, and consider what they each say they aim to accomplish in as president.

One of these individuals will be representing Laurier, so it should be a priority for students to make as much of an active effort as possible to be well informed when casting their votes this year.

Reach out to The Cord on Twitter (cordnews) and tell us what you think about elections this year, and if there are any questions you want us to ask.

It is our job as student media to hold the Students’ Union accountable, and we will endeavour to continue doing so.

Since his nomination during last year’s campaign period, The Cord was surprised by Akshat Shah’s determination and persistence to return once more and run for a seat on the Board of Directors.

Shah has proven himself to be one of the most honest, prepared, and knowledgeable candidates during the early election season.

Making an active effort to be present during the Brantford Open Forum, Shah has already demonstrated a multi-campus approach to his campaign and interest in the Brantford campus as a whole.

As stated in his campaign platform, transparency and accountability are two of the main pillars which would highly benefit the individual in the role of vice-chair. As vice-chair, it is important for the individual in the role to learn the rules, policies, and guidelines associated with it, which we believe Shah is capable of, and will take the initiative to pursue.

Because of these things, we believe that Shah possesses many of the qualities that would make an effective vice-chair.

• 12

Opinion

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 OPINION EDITOR JADE HOSICK opinion@thecord.ca

WNBA renegotiates contracts ALYSSA DI SABATINO ARTS AND LIFE EDITOR

Low salaries and limited maternity benefits have been two contentious subjects surrounding women’s professional sports.

But in the upcoming year, this will all be changing. On Jan. 14, a tentative contract was announced for 2020 stating that WNBA players will be earning an average of $130,000 a year, with the top players earning up to $500,000. Players will also be receiving full salaries while on maternity leave and will receive increased travel benefits.

The average WNBA player will be earning six figures for the first time.

Before this negotiation, the average salary was $71 635. Comparatively, the average salary for an NBA player is $7.7 million.

This is a huge step considering the fact that prior to this negotiation, the top players were earning a maximum of $117,500.

Even Candace Parker, who is arguably the best player in the WNBA and has broken records for both men’s and women’s basketball, wasn’t earning any higher than this.

It’s clear that this contract negotiation is the first step towards equal wages for female athletes.

Prior to the new contract, many WNBA players were unable to fully support themselves and their families with their salaries. They often turned to playing basketball overseas during the off-seasons, or would search for alternative means of income.

This negotiation will allow these women to create a full-fledged career in the WNBA, rather than having to look for other sources of income Many will probably remember the women’s soccer pay equity debate, wherein the U.S women’s team was reported to have earned less than a third of what the men’s team was earning, even though they have four World Cup wins and, in 2017, had the most-watched soccer match in U.S history.

Recently, all 28 players on the USA women’s team filed a lawsuit against the U.S Soccer Federation on the grounds of unequal pay.

The new WNBA contract is bound to pave the way for, and open up conversations surrounding, women’s pay in sports.

Despite this victory for equal pay, it’s worth considering the financial loss that the NBA operates in each year caused by low viewer interest for the WNBA. It is report-

SIDNEY MACDONALD/LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

ed that the NBA loses $10 million a year on average by operating the WNBA, which was founded in 1996.

It’s also worth addressing the fact that the pay raise has the potential to cause an even higher loss of revenue for the NBA. But the NBA is a multi-billion dollar industry, with each men’s team worth an average of $1.9 billion. I’m more than positive that they can spare some of their finances to raise the wages for

female players.

And now that WNBA players will be paid better wages, the league will most definitely be receiving positive press, good morale and possibly, higher television ratings.

It pays to pay your employees better wages — the increased income that WNBA players will be receiving will likely compensate for the player burnout that the league experienced in 2017 caused by an overly-crammed schedule, where many teams were forfeiting or

arriving extremely late for games.

Most importantly, this new contract has the potential to attract more young and talented female basketball players to the WNBA now that they can expect higher wages.

In the upcoming season it will be clear that the WNBA has made both a strategic decision on behalf of the league, and an ethical decision on behalf of the women's pay equity movement, by negotiating this new contract.

Why “finstagrams” are worth the extra account JADE HOSICK OPINION EDITOR

When I was in high school and got my first social media account, I remember my mom telling me to be careful about what I posted since my name would be attached.

My Instagram has gone through many changes, from my directioner days to my theatre kid days to who I am now. My actual Instagram account is something that represents the idealized version of me that I want the rest of the world to see. It's an account where I make my life seem fun and show all the cool photos I take with all the amazing people in my life.

But, I still wanted a way to easily tell or show things about my life to my friends without messaging a bunch of people the same thing repeatedly. And thus, my ‘finstagram’ was born.

A ‘finstagram’ is a mixture of both fake and Instagram and is basically a second account that people have to post whatever they want.

JAMIE MERE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

It’s an account where there is less stress associated with posting and you can really be one hundred percent honest about who you are.

The username is normally a play on words similar enough to one’s original name, but sometimes completely different depending on how easily accessible someone wants their account to be.

Mine is specifically my last name changed slightly to something my friends in high school used to say

about me, but I have seen accounts that have absolutely nothing to do with the individual. My ‘finsta’ is normally just pictures I think are cool, but they aren’t a part of the ‘aesthetic’ I created for my actual Instagram account.

I want to be able to have fun and post pictures or videos that I think are funny and only open up to roughly 30 to 40 people.

I show my followers my cooking adventures since I think its funny

to see me try to cook when I can’t.

I also will post pictures of me trying to dance, because once again that is something I think is funny, but I don’t necessarily want 584 people to see that.

I also have a finstagram with my best friend - we just post when we get up to random stuff. We document the days we spend together when they are actually so subpar and it's just something that we enjoy doing.

Now I understand why people think that these fake Instagrams are a waste of time.

The question they ask is probably along the lines of “why would you want to post something but only have a select few people allowed to see it?” or “why not just show people these pictures in person?”

Honestly, I don’t really have an answer for you on that. But I think that since only a limited amount of people have access to these accounts and the fact that my full name isn’t attached to it makes it fun to do.

Also, when my friends comment on it or I comment on my friends pictures, I feel like I am just in one big group chat with all of my friends (without having a group chat with 40 people - because lets be honest here, group chats with like 6 people stress me out).

I guess what I am trying to say is that my fake Instagram account is something I enjoy having.

You don’t have to make one if you don’t want to, but it does give you a freedom of some sort to post about yourself and your life without the paranoia that a future employer or that one follower who likes to gossip too much being able to see your life.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

13 • OPINION

Why The Bachelor is the reality show worth the watch

heat of the other contestant’s catty behaviour.

But the show is more complex than you would think. These girls spend loads of money and countless hours of their time to participate in high-stakes reality television.

These women spend up to 10 weeks off from their full-time jobs to find Mr. Right in California.

These women are taking a large risk to spend thousands of dollars on expenses for there to not even be a grand prize for competing other than a “perfect” man.

Most of the drama from the

show is ignited through jealousy.

Especially if you have been keeping up, this season’s bachelor has no problem kissing all the contestants.

It is also intriguing to place yourself in the show and imagine how you would act or how far you would go to impress your future husband, to pose the question, “Would I really cry over a man that I’ve barely met and known only briefly?”

Obviously, this isn’t the ideal way to find love, and it isn’t for the majority of the past bachelors.

If you were to see how many couples lasted in the last 24 seasons, you would see the statistics are low for who ends up staying together.

Although, this show has a very good concept, that brings people together, either to watch the show or to discuss the details that occurred in the episode.

People in North America seem to adore the drama and the characters, including the forever host, Chris Harrison, who has left the show with a consistently dedicated fanbase.

If you are looking for something to watch while procrastinating schoolwork, then take a look at The Bachelor, because it really is entertaining and very easy to follow along with all the exciting drama that entails.

large fan base, it is inevitable that many would go see the hyper-realistic remake just for nostalgia alone.

Adding in all the people who may not have even seen the original and just got caught up in the hype, it’s no wonder the film raked in $1.6 billion globally.

The film itself was always fighting an uphill battle to compete with the reviews of the original.

No matter how many celebrities you have to voice those iconic characters, at the end of the day it’s the same story with graphics that remove all of the personality that the original film had, and critical reviews reflect this.

This brings us to the second answer to why unoriginality is prevalent. If established fanbases weren’t reason enough to make these types of films, then their lack of challenge really seals the deal. If you know a fan base is going to be clamoring to see the new film, then from the studio’s perspective, why try so hard on it?

This commonly leads to films of poorer quality — but not always.

Films like The Thing, Mad Max: Fury Road and The Dark Knight were all based on other works. The people in charge however, put in the effort required to make great films for the fans.

The same praise cannot be transferred to many of the films that came out this past year. One example of this is IT, Chapter Two. After the first IT film was a success both critically and commercially, the people working on the sequel had the second half of Steven King’s original novel to work with — and a newly formed fan base.

Naturally, the sequel made much less money than the first, but still succeeded in making back its budget nearly six times over (making $473 million worldwide off a budget of merely $79 million USD).

So, what does this all mean for mainstream films? That with a few notable exceptions, their general quality is going downhill? Obviously yes — that is not a novel observation. What is the future of mainstream movies going to look like? That is a much more difficult question. I’m no prophet but if I had to guess, the next couple of years will be more of the same: more sequels, more remakes.

Personally, I’m hoping that the studios start plucking up more independent filmmakers and give them bigger budgets and more freedom to tell new, interesting stories on screen. Maybe, the big companies will just keep finding more sequels, movies to remake, books to adapt until they reach a level of such complete obscurity, that what is being reimagined is almost entirely unknown.

There were some great movies that came out in 2019, but unfortunately they are outnumbered by poor ones lacking inventiveness.

As a final thought, consider this; many of the ideas we remade this year came from pre-existing concepts from 10, 20, sometimes 30 or more years ago. Ask yourself, how many movies from this year could you successfully remake or grant a necessary sequel to in about 30 years’ time? In 2050 will we remake Child’s Play again? Will we create Toy Story 12? We’re almost out of ideas: what will happen when the well finally runs dry?

This is what makes predicting the next bachelor and who will go home when they can’t take the

KATHLEEN MCCULLOUGH ONLINE EDITOR

JAMIE MERE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

If you like meaningless drama, imaginary fairy tales or just the intensity of women fighting for that final rose, then you have already seen The Bachelor.

I think we can all admit to watching clips, if not full episodes, of The Bachelor. The show has been going on, somehow, for merely twenty-four seasons.

Everyone has those friends that scroll through the show’s memes on social media of the drama that consistently unfolds during each season of The Bachelor.

Just this past week, you have probably seen the video of the girl drinking the champagne from the bottle that ends up spraying all over her face.

Incredibly ironic, especially since just before that scene, she was crying and arguing with another girl for stealing her champagne that she brought from home to share with The Bachelor.

It is so easy to start gossiping about the show when none of this drama affects us in any way.

JAMIE MERE/GRAPHICS EDITOR

We should be recycling more, but not movie ideas AMICHAI ABRAHAM STAFF WRITER

During the winter break, I found myself at my local theatre to watch Knives Out which, overall, I enjoyed very much. I noticed something strange when I left the theater, however there were four films that were screening that day.

The three besides Knives Out were Frozen 2, Starwars: The Rise of Skywalker and Jumanji: The Next Level. If you’re like me you noticed a similarity between all three, they’re all sequels; Frozen 2 is a sequel to the original of the same name, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the ninth film in the Star Wars saga (12th if you include the spin-offs and 14th if you also add the straight to TV films) and Jumanji: The Next Level is the sequel to Jumanji: Welcome to the

Jungle which is, of course, a remake of the original Jumanji starring Robin Williams.

After coming to this realization I became more curious. Complaining about Hollywood’s unoriginality is one of my favorite past times, but over 2019 I began to notice it more and more.

So, I did some research, finding that there were about one hundred and six major motion pictures that had a wide theater release. Of those 106, 37 of them were remakes or sequels of one type or another. If you include films that are based on literary works and plays, the grand total reaches 42 out of 106.

That means a grand total of 40 per cent of all major movies this past year were based off pre-existing concepts. Some movies I didn’t include like The Joker or Detective Pikachu as while they were at least

semi based off known works, they were stand-alone in most other aspects, like their originality.

So the question needs to be asked: why is this happening? Why are major productions all being based on past products? Well, there are two answers, with the first being that money talks.

If there is a popular article of media that already has a substantial fan base then it is a very safe bet that said fan base (and others who get caught up in the hype) will go to see a movie it. Take a look at The Lion King (2019) as an example. The 1994 original release was a cornerstone of many childhoods.

Ten years after its original release the film was on DVD and on TV reruns.

Leading up to 2019, children were still being introduced to the film for the first time. With such a

These women are taking a large risk to spend thousands of dollars on expenses for there to not even be a grand prize for competing other than a “perfect” man.

14 •

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

Sports

SPORTS EDITOR MARK CASCAGNETTE sports@thecord.ca

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Golden Hawk underdogs split weekend games MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

In what has been a tough season for the Golden Hawks, Coach Patton finally believes the team is hitting their stride.

Two big upsets in two weeks have the girls on the team feeling great as they return home for the final stretch of the season.

With two road wins against two nationally-ranked programs in the last two weeks, the Golden Hawk girls have played the role of the underdog well.

Following an impressive 3-2 shootout win over the fourthranked team in the country last week, the Hawks played upset again this weekend.

This is as the team travelled north and went into Nipissing’s arena to defeat the ninth-ranked team in Canada, the Nipissing Lakers, by a score of 3-2.

The team faced back-to-back weekend games; Friday against Nipissing and Saturday against Laurentian.

The upset win over the Lakers may have taken all the energy out of the Hawks as a slow start hurt them the next day against Laurentian.

This led to a split of the weekend games for Coach Patton’s team.

On Friday night, after Nipissing opened the scoring six minutes into the game, Emily Woodhouse answered back quickly with a nice goal nearly five minutes later.

The first period ended 1-1 and the second period relatively repeated the first.

Nipissing opened the scoring midway through the second period, but just like the first period, that was answered quickly on a power play goal from Olivia Muhar, her first goal of the season.

Muhar’s goal was an encouraging sign as it tied the game up and was also the fourth straight game for the Golden Hawks where they scroed on the power play.

This was a good sign as the team went through the first ten games of the season, having only scored one powerplay goal.

Coach Patton was impressed by the power play unit and the opportunities they have been making out of it recently.

“Our power play contributed early and we tried to build off of that momentum,” Coach Patton said after the game.

An outstanding third period by team MVP, Cohen Myers kept the Golden Hawks in the game and forced overtime, where Laurier was able to end it quick.

Just 30 seconds into the extra period of play, Emily Visser capitalized off of a Nipissing turnover and sniped the game-winning goal past Lakers goaltender Chantelle Sandquist.

Cohen Myers continues her incredible career with the Golden Hawks, as she has played in all but three games for her team this year.

In the games that she has played, she has been fantastic.

FILE PHOTO

Myers sits just inside the top ten in save percentage and goals against average, while also posting the third most saves in the OUA this year, stopping on average 27 shots a game.

Myers’ performance is even more impressive when you consider the offensive stats for the Golden Hawks, a team that has struggled all year on the offensive side, only averaging 1.50 goals per game (second last in the league).

Coach Patton focused on how crucial Myers play was, as she highlighted the big stops made in the third period that led to the game going into overtime.

Myers stopped 26 of 28 of the shots that she faced in the game, including stopping all 10 shots in the third period of the game, which was crucial in the 3-2 upset win.

“She is the team leader and

continues to do an amazing job in that role,” Coach Patton said of her goaltender.

We feel like we are progressing and taking the right steps forward in our team play.

-Coach Patton, Women’s Hockey coach

After the energy filled game of Friday night, the Hawks looked flat-footed and a bit tired on Satur-

day afternoon when they took on the Laurentian Voyageurs.

The Voyageurs scored three minutes into the game and increased their lead by one each period.

Laurentian was in complete control of the game from start to finish, led by a strong defense and steady goaltending. The only bright spot for Laurier in what was a 3-1 loss to Laurentian was rookie forward Chloe Saxton scoring her first goal as a Golden Hawk.

Coach Patton was thrilled with the goal from Saxton and continues to emphasise the good play of her rookies.

“We have eight first years, contributing in the right way and it was good to see her get her first,” Patton said after the game.

Aynsley Harrison also hit the double-digit mark for points over

the weekend and increases her lead in the Golden Hawks stats.

Harrison in her fourth year is having a career year with three goals and seven assists on the season.

She becomes the first Golden Hawk in three years to break the ten point mark, with Emily Woodhouse being the last player to break that threshold back in 2016.

Although Laurier’s slow start may have spoiled their season, the team is in the midst of their best stretch of hockey and Coach Patton is not diminishing that one bit.

“Despite a tough schedule second half, we feel like we are progressing and taking the righ h steps forward in our team play,” Patton said.

Laurier’s forgettable start has unfortunately plummeted them in the bottom of the standings as they are 14 points short of a playoff spot.

With one more loss in the next 6 games, the Golden Hawks will be eliminated from playoff contention for the fourth straight year.

The Golden Hawks have had an overall poor season, but have played tough all year, losing a total of six games in the overtime or shootout frames.

Laurier has also been physical all season, as they lead the OUA in total penalty minutes. .

Although it is looking as if Coach Patton will miss the playoffs again with her team, she is remaining optimistic.

“Our expectation as a group is we are competitive each and every game,” said Coach Patton.

She is now focusing her group of girls on their next game against Waterloo this Thursday.

The women’s team looks forward to the Batttle of Waterloo this Thursday at home as they face the Warriors.

This is the second matchup between the two teams, as they met in the season opener in Waterloo’s arena.

The game on Thursday kicks off a four-game home-stand- their final four home games of the season.

Following the game against Waterloo, Laurier will have a rematch against the University of Toronto, who they beat last week on the road.

On Saturday, Laurier is hosting the annual community skating game day, which will include food, drinks and an opportunity for members of the community and fans to skate in between the games.

The event also gives a chance for fans to get autographs from any of the Laurier players and should bring a more energy-filled environment to the Recreational Complex this weekend.

Coach Patton is looking forward to the day, as she compared it to the school day game the team hosted a few months back.

The women’s team will be the first team up as they start the rare double-header playing at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, before the mens team plays Toronto at 7:07 p.m.

15 • SPORTS

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020 MIDDLE DISTANCE

JAMIE MERE/ GRAPHICS EDITOR

Laurier distance team shines at London meet MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

This past week in London, Laurier’s indoor distance team put together a strong performance in the Don Wright Team Challenge hosted by the athletics department at Western University.

In what was the third meet of

the season and the second of the new year, several individual performances from Laurier’s athletes stood out.

From first-year long jumper Vahaab Ladha to the dynamic duo of fourth-year runners Sydney Pattison and Lizzy Laurie, who continue to enhance their Laurier legacy, Laurier was well

represented this past weekend.

Coming off a first-place finish and gold medal i n the first meet of the year, last week at the CanAm Classic in Windsor, Sydney Pattison continued her incredible season this past weekend in London.

In the 1500-metre race, Pattison continued to shine as she won

silver, finishing in second place at the meet.

This coming just one week after winning gold in Windsor.

With her average time of four minutes and 32 and a half seconds running the 1500-metre, Pattison sits ranked third in Canada in distance running.

She continues to add to the list of achievements she has earned, now in her fourth year at Laurier.

With another spectacular season this year, Pattison could be in the running for the outsanding woman of Laurier award once again- an award that she won last year for her results.

Although her time with the Golde n Hawks is coming to an end given provincial championships upcoming, the legacy that Syndey Pattison has left at the program has been profound.

Her friend and teammate Lizzy Laurie, who produced an outstanding 2019 season, also performed well last week, as she finished second place in the long-distance running at the Can-Am Classic.

In the 3000-metre race, Laurie finished with a time of nine minutes and 54 seconds, which was good enough for second place.

After another strong performance this weekend, Laurie ranks 11th in USPORTS distance running with a time just above four minutes.

The track teams have been dominated by this dynamic duo all year and, frankly, for the past four years.

As mentioned, Pattison went on to win the outstanding women award, while Laurie was honoured with several athlete of the week awards in 2019, including being honoured by USPORTS for her cross country accolades in the first term of this year.

Both veterans, Pattison and Laurie, have put together stellar careers in their four years with the program but know that their time is running out.

While they are the driving force of the indoor middle distance and cross country teams, it wasn’t just those two who shined for Laurier this weekend in London.

First year long jumper, Vahaab Ladha from Oakville, Ontario represented Laurier well through a series of events over the weekend .

Ladha picked up a first-place finish for Laurier in what was just his third ever university level track meet.

By jumping 6.78 metres, Ladha won the gold in London and improved nearly 40 centimetres off of his previous best jump , which was 6.29 metres, last week at the Can-Am Classic in Windsor.

With that result, Vahaab Ladha was named male athlete of the week for the first time as he reached the top 20 nationally in long jumping distance for his performances over this past weekend.

The rookie has performed well in the university meets that he has attented, although it has only been three. In every meet this year, Ladha has improved on his previous mark, as he is an optimistic student athlete for the Golden Hawks.

After an overall strong performance in London, the indoor distance team will focus on the next meet, which will take place in just over two weeks, hosted by the Windsor Lancers department of athletics.

The Windsor Team Challenge takes place on Feb. 9, which is the next time we will see the dynamic duo and Ladha.

The last meet of the regular season campaign, is Feb. 14 for the Hal Brown Last Chance track meet, carried out by the University of Toronto.

With just two meets left, the duo of Laurie and Pattison, along with the team as a whole, has their eyes set towards the OUA Championships in Toronto, which starts one month from today.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2020

20 • SPORTS MEN’S BASKETBALL

With ups and downs, Hawks face tough season ahead

FILE PHOTO

MARK CASCAGNETTE SPORTS EDITOR

In what has been an up and down season for the Laurier men’s basketball team, they face a critical stretch with just seven games left on the schedule.

The Golden Hawks and Coach Serresse are looking to recreate the magic of last season, where they won 11 of their last 13 games, which led them to a deep run in the OUA playoffs.

After a great start to the 2020 campaign by winning the first two games in a dominant fashion against Waterloo and Windsor, Laurier headed into last week with a pivotal road matchup against their division rivals, the Guelph Gryphons.

Guelph was able to beat Laurier in the first matchup of the year, an 82-68 win, where many key players, including Ali Sow went down with injuries.

With the flip of the decade, Laurier became a much healthier team as key players Ali Sow, Matt Minutillo and Ntore Habimana returned.

Ali Sow averaged over 30 points in the first week back from holiday break, and the defense played strong, leading Laurier to back to back wins.

Heading into last weeks game against Guelph, the Golden Hawks held a two-point lead on the third

spot in the OUA West division.

Per OUA rules, the top three teams in each division qualify for the playoffs.

Laurier had a chance to double their two point lead on a playoff spot, while Guelph was looking to beat Laurier for the second time, after winning back in mid-November.

A close game, saw the teams battle back and forth, trading buckets for most of the game.

With the game tied at 51 eachheading into the fourth quarte, Laurier took charge by holding a five point lead three minutes into the final quarter.

However, in the final six minutes of the game, the Golden Hawks missed a slew of shots.

Guelph forward Malcolm Glanville led the Gryphons with 21 points including some crucial shots in the fourth.

Keenan Dowell also made a couple of big shots down the strecth, as Guelph went onto win 83-75.

Poor shooting and turnovers were the downfall for the Hawks last week.

Only 33% shooting from the field, combined with 17 turnovers, that resulted in 16 points for Guelph, hindered the Golden Hawks.

Ali Sow also had an off night as he shot 5-20 from the field and only made two threes on over 10 attempts.

Matt Minutillo led the team with 21 points on seven of ten shooting, including five three-point shots.

Minutillo has been a force for the Golden Hawks in 2020, as he has been hitting most of his shots from the field and playing smart defensively.

The first practice he was back, we understood exactly what we were missing ...

- Coach serresse, Mens Basketball coach

Coach Serresse praised Minutillo after the game on Wednesday.

“Matt is outstanding, he is a veteran guy who brings effort and IQ, we missed him dearly,” Coach said after the game.

“The first practice he was back, we understood exactly what we were missing, the little details that he can bring to the table that most others cant, are very important,” Serresse continued.

Coach has been much happier in the new year, as the team con-

tinues to get healthier.

He has openly admitted this season that the injuries to Sow, Habimana, Minutilo and other key parts of the team have made it near impossible for his teams to win games.

Although they stayed competetive, Coach Serresse’s team headed into the new year on a five game losing streak due to the lack of starpower and starters that were able to suit up for them.

“When we lose three or four starters, we are going to struggle.

We do not yet have the luxury that some other programs have to survive injuries like that,” Coach Serresse said.

He continued to state that many programs, including the Gee-Gee’s who he worked with for many years as an assistant, have starters on the bench that can step up when needed, such as when players are injured.

He mentions that Laurier as a program does not have that talent yet, even though they are striving towards it.

In what is a very tight OUA West division, Laurier has seven games left and sits two points back of a playoff spot.

Luckily for Laurier, the schedule eases up as they have two home games against Algoma this weekend, before travelling to Oshawa to play the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks in Oshawa next week.

Those two teams have a combined total of three wins this season and Laurier will be looking to add three wins to their total over the next week and a half.

With 17 turnovers last week, Laurier sits in the bottom three of the OUA, giving away the ball on average nearly 17 times a game.

Only Nipissing and Laurentian have given up the bal more frequently.

Coach Serresse knows the importance of this stretch and the key to limit turnovers.

“We want to build off transition, early offence and ball movement, to limit our errors,” Coach Serresse said.

At this time last season, the Golden Hawks were hitting thier stride and playing some of their best basketball in the history of the school.

The coach and players certainly believe they can recreate that.

“Knock on wood, I hope we are able to make another run like last year,” Coach Serresse stated after the game.

Now that the team is almost fully healthy, Serresse is looking towards them making a run and is happy that there is nothing to point to as an excuse.

“Now it’s on us for the rest of the season, if we don’t win now, we can look at ourselves in the mirror without having an excuse.” Coach Serresse emphatically said.