Volume 72, Issue 12

Volume 72, Issue 12 Nov. 17–23, 2011

Grow a little mo INSIDE: U of O hires new chancellor, p.5 Taking bronze, p. 15

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mercedes Mueller | editor@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5261

LETTERS

PTs ain’t all they’re cracked up to be Re: “Personal training at the U of O” (Sports, Nov. 10)

AS A SELF-PROCLAIMED gym rat who frequents both the Montpetit and Sports Complex gyms, I feel I owe it to my fellow students to respond to this article.

Despite the personal trainer (PT) mentioned in the article claiming to take into account fitness goals, injuries, and lifestyle, I have seen countless Uni-

versity of Ottawa PTs doing a serious disservice to their clients.

First of all, the PTs can usually be found chatting with their clients, even while the client is performing sets of an exercise. The point of exercise is to push yourself—if you’re doing it right, you should barely be able to fi nish your reps, let alone gossip with your trainer.

Second, and most concerning, the PTs consistently fail to demonstrate or enforce proper form. I’ve seen poor (even

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dangerous) form in squats, dead lifts, rows, bicep curls, and even calf raises!

The PT owes it to their client to ensure proper form and appropriate weight is used.

With the aforementioned Chatty Cathys, clients weren’t using nearly enough weight. In the case of poor form, it’s easy to strain your back, pull your rotator cuff, or damage knees and elbows through hyperextension, along with dozens of other potential injuries the client presumably wants to avoid by using the services and knowledge of a PT. I want to warn the U of O students to research their trainer before paying, and always remember you get what you pay for. If your trainer doesn’t have his bachelor of science yet or his only qualification is that he’s CanFit certified, think twice about paying a discounted rate for what might be discounted services. Look for someone with experience—maybe even his Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist qualification—and always ask for referrals.

Natalie Davis Fourth-year criminology and psychology student

3

The other side of the medal Re: “Scaling the wall of debt” (News, Nov. 10) I COULDN’T HELP but notice the many articles in the Fulcrum this week regarding tuition fees and student debt.

Many things were quick to grab my attention, such as “We’re no longer in a period where pursuing post-secondary education is an option” and “tuition fees are going up because of a lack of government involvement in the problem.”

I can understand where these views are coming from as our North American institutions are permeated with a leftwing, Keynesian style of thought. However, you guys don’t seem to look on both sides of the medal, because on the fl ip side, things seem much brighter.

We all know government is the champion when it comes to squandering resources, which is why we generally try to limit the size of government. So would we not be better off if government got out the way completely? If student loans were not guaranteed by government? (continued on p.22)

contents News 5 | Arts 9 | Features 12 | Sports 15 | Opinions 21 | Editorial 23

Showing our true colours Ottawa designates part of Bank Street as the village

Millions of moustaches

Judge.

7

9

The Fulcrum sits down with Jesse Hayman of Movember Canada

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Investigating why students shoplift

Shake those hips 18 One reporter reviews Zumba at the U of O

OC sensation

22

Singing is what this city needs

Board of Directors The Fulcrum, the University of Ottawa’s independent, English-language student newspaper, is published by the Fulcrum Publishing Society (FPS) Inc., a notfor-profit corporation whose members consist of all University of Ottawa students. The Board of Directors (BOD) of the FPS governs all administrative and business actions of the Fulcrum. BOD members include Andrew Hawley (President), Devanne O’Brien (Vice President), Des Fisher (Chair), Ben Myers (Vice President Internal Communications), Matthew Conley, Alex Smyth, and Sameena Topan.

To contact the BOD, email board@thefulcrum.ca.

To contact the FPS ombudsman regarding the Fulcrum’s editorial practices, please email ombudsman@ thefulcrum.ca. The ombudsman is an impartial party not employed by the corporation who has the power to investigate and pursue a resolution on your behalf.

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All hype or a worthy cause?

23 Find out what our editorial board thinks of Movember

NEWS EDITOR Jane Lytvynenko | news@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5260

5

Former Governor General appointed chancellor Michaëlle Jean wants to be a chancellor that’s there for students Christopher Radojewski | Fulcrum Staff

ON NOV. 7, the University of Ottawa announced Michaëlle Jean, former Governor General of Canada, would be the university’s new chancellor.

She replaces Huguette Labelle, who held the position for almost 18 years.

A chancellor’s job description The University of Ottawa’s chancellor is the honourary head of the university who presides over convocation ceremonies and has honorary seats on both the Board of Governors (BOG) and the University Senate.

“She has a ceremonial role, but is also the moral leader of the university community,” said Allan Rock, president of the U of O in an interview with the Fulcrum. “We’ve been very fortunate over the years to have very distinguished people, including Pauline Vanier and, of course, Huguette Labelle.”

The chancellor also acts as a U of O representative at events on and outside campus, particularly when welcoming dignitaries.

The selection committee for the position is made up of the BOG chair, the president of the university, four members from the senate and the BOG, and one alumnus.

“One of the things the committee did was examine the question, ‘What are the qualities that a chancellor should bring to the job?’,” said Rock. “They identified and articulated those qualities, and then they assessed a number of potential candidates.”

The qualities required to fulfi ll the role of chancellor include bilingualism, ability to represent and promote the university, warm and inviting personality, and willingness to support the quality of the university experience. The term of a chancellor is four years, with the possibility of renewal.

The lady in charge Huguette Labelle, current chancellor of the university, will pass her position on to Jean on Feb. 1, 2012. “[Labelle] has been truly spectacular and has lent to the role a dimension that has been quite remarkable,” said Rock.

“She went to the [U of O] where she stud-

ied nursing, and then [took] a doctorate in education. She knows the university very well.”

“What she has done over these last 17 years is make the university one of her real priorities,” Rock added. “She has spent an awful lot of time with us. She is always available for advice and to perform leadership roles.”

Labelle spent most of her career in public service as a deputy minister of Transport Canada, and held leadership roles in international organizations such as the Canadian International Development Agency, Transparency International, and the Millennium Bureau of Canada.

“She has been a remarkable asset to the university,” said Rock. “She has served with enormous energy and commitment.

We are going to miss her a great deal. We all owe her a debt of gratitude.”

Rise to power Jean was born in Haiti and immigrated to Canada in 1968. She studied Italian and Hispanic languages and literature at the University of Montreal and later worked as a journalist and anchor for the CBC. She served as Governor General of Canada from 2005–10 and United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Special Envoy to Haiti, operating in an office out of the U of O. After a period of reflection, she accepted the position of chancellor offered by the university.

“I was quite surprised because the proposition came very early,” said Jean.

“I had a conversation with Mr. Rock about being chancellor at the U of O, and I was very honoured, actually. I wanted to make sure I was the perfect [candidate].”

The selection committee believed her experience as Governor General and current role serving as UNESCO’s Special Envoy to Haiti gives her the skills needed

for the role.

“When it came to Michaëlle Jean, the [selection committee] found that she really embodied the [requirements] and was the most compelling example of the very qualities we were looking for in a university chancellor,” said Rock.

Jean accepted the role just after Rock unveiled the Vision 2020 strategy for the U of O. She mentioned she is excited to take the position under the new vision.

“I think that we are headed in the right direction,” said Jean. “Destination 2020 is a strategy that I support very much. I find it very modern. I think that it is the course to what nation building is about, what the country needs, and also to further a greater identity in a world that has become so interconnected.”

Rock believes Jean’s experience will create opportunities for the university and attract attention to the institution on a global stage, while still keeping students as the main focus.

“She has a remarkable quality of warmth and openness,” said Rock. “She just has a terrific relationship with the students that I’ve seen as I’ve watched her meet with them and they respond to her in a very warm way.”

“I think it is going to be a great asset to have Michaëlle Jean on the campus dealing with students and also helping assist me push forward with our important mission,” he said.

Jean said she is ready to serve the university and students in her new role.

“It is wonderful for me to work everyday here,” said Jean. “I am on this campus more and more and it is wonderful to work with the students’ energy. I want to be a chancellor who is there for them and who is with them.

“When you stand here in the midst of young people, it is [great] to see how much they can achieve,” she added. “We have leaders here, not just for our future, not just for tomorrow, but here and now.” f

photo courtesy Micheline Laflamme

READY TO SERVE Michaëlle Jean accepts position of chancellor at U of O

U of O chancellors through time THE UNIVERSITY OF Ottawa has had a chancellor since Pope Leo XIII declared it a pontifical university in 1889. The position of chancellor is an advisory and representative role in the university, with high-profile people filling the position over the past 122 years.

1889–1909 JosephThomas Duhamel

1922–27 JosephMédard Émard

1911–22 CharlesHugues Gauthier

1940–53 Alexandre Vachon

1928–40 JosephGuillaume-Laurent Forbes

1966–73 Pauline Vanier

1953–65 Marie-Joseph Lemieux

1979–85 Gabrielle Léger

1973–79 Gérald Fauteux

1991–93 Gordon F. Henderson

1985–90 Maurice Sauvé

1994–2012 Huguette Labelle

6 | news

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

Consent is Sexy Week focuses on positive sex narratives Let’s talk about consent, baby Michelle Ferguson | Fulcrum Staff

It’s long, it’s hard, it’s Ivory.

It will erect your attention.

Ivory Antenna: Wednesdays at noon on CHUO 89.1 fm.

NOV. 14–18 MARKS the second annual Consent is Sexy Week hosted by the Women’s Resource Centre (WRC) at the University of Ottawa. The campaign focuses primarily on creating a dialogue around consent and sex positivity in an effort to prevent sexual violence on and around campus.

“Opening up the discussion about ... fostering consensual relationships is an integral part of ending sexual violence,” explained Georgeanne Blue, advocacy coordinator at the WRC. “A lot of times there are myths around if someone didn’t say ‘no,’ or didn’t say [it] physically enough [or] loud enough, that it’s their fault. We’re saying that only ‘yes’ means ‘yes.’”

According to Blue, campuses are second only to places of residence as the most common location for sexual violence to occur.

She said events during the week focus on building concrete skills needed to foster positive relationships, such as effective communication, which is an important factor in establishing clear boundaries.

“Consent is Sexy is about being able to ask for what you want, being able to explore what you want, and being able to have ‘yeses’ and ‘nos’ respected,” said Blue.

“Anything besides that is a huge turnoff.”

The week’s events include both fun and serious topics, such as the screening of Broken Social Contracts, a documentary highlighting the importance of discussion around sexual violence in post-secondary institutions, and Venus Envy’s Erotic Talk workshop.

“I think the dirty talk workshop is a prime example of what this week is about,” said Blue. “It’s fun and helps you ask for what you want, all in a context of sex positivity and consent.”

Holly Johnson, criminology professor and sexual social policy expert at the U of O, said certain attitudes like hyper-masculinity, misogynistic jokes, and victim blaming help support sexual violence on campus.

“Young women are seen as being sexually available,” explained Johnson. “They

illustration by Brennan Bova

also have a pretty active lifestyle; they’re dating.”

A 2004 general social survey of victimization conducted by Statistics Canada showed 5.7 per cent of women who were sexually assaulted were between the ages 15 and 24.

Johnson pointed out the importance of events like Consent is Sexy is the shift in prevention strategies, which evolved from blaming all men, to blaming the bystander effect, to finally fostering a dialogue around positive sexual experiences.

There has also been a recent boom of men’s sexual positivity campaigns. Johnson said initiatives like Don’t be that Guy and My strength is Not for Hurting challenge the notions of masculinity.

“What it does is it calls on men to speak

to other men,” said Johnson. “Rather than finger point and say that all men are capable of rape or benefit from a rape culture, [these] kinds of campaigns are saying that men have a role to play.”

According to Johnson, this shift makes sexual assault a societal problem, not a uniquely feminine problem.

“I think [this event] is positive because it introduces the fact that women actually can consent,” says Johnson. “They can say ‘no’ and they can say ‘yes,’ and young men ought to know the difference. It’s actually quite sexy.” f Consent is Sexy Week takes place Nov. 14–18. A complete list of scheduled events is available on the “Consent is Sexy Week!”

Facebook page.

Student tries to make constitutional changes at BOA St-Amour told to go through different channels Jane Lytvynenko | Fulcrum Staff

AT THE BOARD of Administration (BOA) meeting on Nov. 12, Sébastien St-Amour, a fi ft h-year political science student at the U of O, proposed changes to the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) election process.

Although St-Amour was interrupted be-

fore fi nishing, he is determined to have his voice heard by BOA members.

His actions were motivated by last year’s SFUO election results, when Sarah Jayne King won the position of vp finance, despite earning fewer votes than her opponent, Tristan Dénommée, who was disqualified from the race.

“The constitution stipulates that in case there’s a sole candidate running … as long as you receive a plurality of votes you’re eligible to be elected as an exec member,” said St-Amour, referring to section 4.14.1 of the SFUO constitution.

“I want to change the defi nition of an elected candidate, making it clear in the

constitution and the electoral rules that to win you need to get elected by the students and not by a loophole in the constitution,” he added.

At the BOA meeting, St-Amour was interrupted by Amy Hammett, vp student affairs for the SFUO. Hammett and other BOA members maintained St-Amour did not go through the right channels to make the changes to the constitution at the meeting on Nov. 12.

“I think that today was not the right time to discuss the changes Sébastien wanted to bring forward because they have to do with the constitution and not the elections,” said Jesse Root, BOA

representative for the Faculty of Social Sciences. “I had spoken to Sébastien and we both decided that a constitutional change is the best way to go forward with what he’s trying to accomplish.”

Sarah Jayne King, the current vp fi nance for the SFUO, echoed Root’s statement, explaining that only a motion presented by a BOA member to the board can make changes to the constitution.

“What he was saying is not going to be a motion at all—it’s not going to change anything,” said King. “If he wanted to do that, it would have to be a constitutional change and it would have

to happen at the next meeting in order to take effect.”

St-Amour said he’s determined to bring the proposed changes in front of the BOA for their approval, claiming a BOA member, who asked to remain anonymous, will put forward the motion on St-Amour’s behalf.

“One way or another, I’m going to be heard by the BOA members,” said St-Amour. “Whether it’s at the table or individually, I want to make sure that every BOA member hears my side of the story, my rationale, and my explanation of what democracy is and how it should be done at this university.” f

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

news | 7

City of Ottawa acknowledges gay village

photo by Sean Done

A VILLAGE IN THE CITY New signs on Bank Street designate Ottawa’s gay village

An in-depth look at the newly designated space Mercedes Mueller | Fulcrum Staff

O

TTAWA’S GAY VILLAGE on Bank Street is now officially recognized. Six white signs with the words “the village” and a rainbow insignia were installed at the intersections of Bank and Nepean, Somerset, and Frank streets last week.

The Bank Street Business Improvement Area initially voted against the designation, but after a favourable response to a survey of the region’s residents conducted by Somerset Ward Councillor Diane Holmes, the signage was approved. The six signs mark the end of a challenging chapter in the gay community’s fight for visibility in the city and new opportunities for its growth.

next stop Jane Lytvynenko News Editor

Where are all the shit disturbers?

The need for a designated space Although Bank Street has housed gayfriendly businesses for years, Glenn Crawford, chair of the Village Committee, said the formal designation is an important one.

“It’s a sign of acceptance and a sign of hope,” he said in an interview with the Fulcrum. “We hope that it will protect and nurture what already exists in the area, and then also encourage growth.”

The demand for visibility by traditionally marginalized or under-recognized groups in major cities is not uncommon. Brian Ray, associate professor in the geography department at the University of Ottawa, noted the designation of a space is significant both for the community itself and those outside it.

“For the vast majority of the population who may never think about gay and lesbian issues at all, having that space being designated as gay and lesbian— marking that territory in some way— may be hugely important,” he said.

Crawford emphasized the designation’s importance in creating a sense

HOW EASY IS it to keep governments accountable? Th roughout history, journalists, activists, and sometimes even politicians kept governments from power tripping by broadcasting their own messages to the public. Our generation needs a voice, too.

Now that Stephen Harper achieved his long sought-after majority, he’s pushed his agenda through at impressive speeds, shutting down debates in Parliament five times in 35 days. As a result, Canada is getting super prisons, eliminating the long-gun registry, and damaging the environment with a dangerous and unnecessary oil pipeline, all before Christmas.

But it’s not just the Conservatives we

the competition for space.”

Ottawa’s gay village: The next Montreal or Toronto?

According to Crawford, the newly named village creates a unique tourist destination in Ottawa that sets Bank Street apart from Elgin or Sparks Street.

Although he sees potential for the village to grow, he says it will be difficult for Ottawa’s village to compete with that of Montreal or Toronto.

“We’ve been behind the eight ball in terms of other major Canadian and international cities in having a village because we are located in between two large urban centres with well-defi ned communities,” he said. “It would be hard

for us to compete with those cities.”

Ray, who examines the sociocultural meaning of spaces in his research, noted many differences between Ottawa and Montreal that he’s observed.

“One of the biggest differences is timing. Montreal’s village has been there since the late 1980s, and in the ‘90s, it gets designated by the city as the village,” he said. “It gets painted as a kind of fun, exciting place to be—a kind of place where the rules of normal life get thrown out the door and there’s this sense of adventure and fun that can be had there.”

The city of Montreal has marketed its village as a tourist destination, and the space has become popular among both the gay and straight community in the city, according to Ray. Creating the same excitement around Ottawa’s newly designated village will be a challenge.

“There isn’t a lot of vacant space along [Bank Street]; the space is relatively expensive; it’s hard to start up a new business there; there’s a certain amount of risk involved,” Ray explained. “Th at may be one of the biggest challenges in terms of making this into something greater—

need to be critical of. Every level of government can make good and bad decisions, including the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO).

Last year, the Board of Administration’s (BOA) decision to eliminate Tristan Dénommée from the position of vp fi nance of the SFUO because of his alleged cheating during his campaign sparked protests on campus.

This year, alternative opinions have barely been voiced. The only visible resistance to BOA antics was a petition to bring back the Student Arbitration Committee, which died before getting to the table.

Be it at the federal, provincial, municipal, or student government level, there is

a need for shit disturbers—someone to organize protests, contact the press, and investigate what’s actually going on. Historically, these were the people like Bob Woodward, Carl Bernstein, and Edward Murrow. These shit disturbers, against all odds, crossed their governments and succeeded in bringing them down.

But shit disturbing is not just for journalists. It’s also for those who want to go down in history as the black sheep who went against the status quo. It’s for those who want to be the news instead of the couch potato reading the news.

“If journalism is good, it is controversial, by its nature,” said Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks and a notori-

ous shit disturber.

As much as it is up to journalists to investigate government operations and their purposes, it’s up to the people to take those investigations to heart and demand change where it’s necessary.

Go out there and focus on what matters to you; investigate, ask questions, and don’t settle until you get what you want. Chances are if you don’t do it, nobody else will. As Murrow once said, “Good night and good luck.”

of community where its members can interact and access services. He thinks the signs will increase the community’s visibility in Ottawa.

“Ottawa has a lot to offer our community in that we do have a lot of really excellent organizations, which provide health services, social groups, sporting groups,” he said. “We have this larger community than a lot of people think because we haven’t been good as a community at being out and visible.”

Opportunities for growth The size of Ottawa’s community in comparison to the well-established villages of neighbouring Montreal and Toronto could be an asset to the community’s development.

“What Ottawa can offer that the other cities maybe don’t is more of a community-based spirit as opposed to a commercial spirit, which I fi nd a lot of people—if they were going to say something negative about Toronto or Montreal—would say they are too big [and] impersonal,” said Crawford.

He sees the village’s new visibility as the beginning of an opportunity for growth, saying the Village Committee will consult the community over the next few months to determine a vision for the space.

“The second phase, which we are now just entering, will be one of growth,” he said. “What we as a committee have to do is go back to the community and ask them, ‘What are we lacking and what do we need to have a more interesting, dynamic place to live, work, and play?’.” f

news@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5260

8 | news

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

news briefS

Enjoy the skin you’re in OPH aims to educate youth about tanning Christopher Radojewski | Fulcrum Staff

Food bank use in Canada increases by 26 per cent since 2008 OTTAWA (CUP)—HUNGERCOUNT, AN ANNUAL study of food banks and food programs in Canada, estimates an average of 851,000 individuals were assisted by food banks each month in 2011, four per cent of whom were post-secondary students.

Since 2008, food bank use in Canada has increased by 26 per cent. Two per cent of those receiving assistance from food banks cite student loans or scholarships as their primary source of income.

According to Katharine Schmidt, Food Banks Canada executive director, the cost of housing, low job quality, and accessibility to employment insurance are all barriers students face when trying to have a healthy diet.

Food bank use has increased on campuses as well. According to numbers from the Student Federation of the University of Ottawa, the number of people using the U of O food bank has increased from 259 in 2007 to 3,534 in 2011.

“If you’re struggling and you need it, make the phone call, send the email depending on your food bank, and just get some help, because it’s important— no one’s going to judge you and it will make a difference for you,” said Schmidt.

—Briana Hill, CUP Ottawa Bureau Chief Education quality assurance report raises questions TORONTO (CUP)—RELEASED BY THE Council of Ontario Universities, a new report highlights the skills students in bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD programs learn over the course of their university career.

According to the report, some of the skills students are expected to learn include the ability to “review, present, and interpret quantitative and qualitative information to develop lines of argument” at the bachelor’s level, to apply previously gained knowledge to the “critical analysis of a new question or of a specific problem or issue in a new setting” at the master’s level, and the application of research to “the generation of new knowledge, applications, or understanding at the forefront of the discipline” at the PhD level.

“The report was to bring people up to date—whether it was the public, governments, or students themselves—on what was happening in terms of high quality standards,” said Bonnie Patterson, Council of Ontario Universities president.

—Lee Richardson, CUP Ontario Bureau Chief McGill student protesters forced off campus MONTREAL (CUP)—OVER 100 RIOT police stormed McGill University campus on the evening of the Nov. 10 tuition fee protests, forcefully dispersing student demonstrators gathered in front of the James Administration building at the university.

Pepper spray, tear gas, and physical force were used by police against demonstrators who were protesting the detainment and violence allegedly used by McGill security against a group of students who occupied principal Heather Munroe-Blum’s office earlier that day.

Thirteen McGill students claim to have been assaulted by school security while they occupied the fifth floor of the James Administration building for almost two hours on Thursday afternoon. The sit-in coincided with a 30,000 person-strong demonstration against tuition hikes in the province.

—Henry Gass, the McGill Daily Yukon government eyes Canada’s first northern university VANCOUVER (CUP)—CANADA IS THE only arctic country without a university in the north, but that may be changing. Newly elected Yukon premier Darrell Pasloski said his government is committed to building a university in the territory.

“By taking a leading role, we will work toward developing Yukon College into a northern university,” Pasloski stated in a press release during the September territorial elections. “We will work to explore university models, identify which model is best suited for Yukoners and northerners alike, and commit to achieving that goal.”

The idea of a university in the Yukon has been proposed since the 1970s, with previous NDP and Liberal administrations supporting the idea.

During his election campaign, Pasloski said his Yukon Party government would take initial steps toward developing a university that would include building a new student residence at Yukon College and identifying land that could be used for additional academic facilities.

—Arshy Mann, CUP Western Bureau Chief

ON NOV. 8, Ottawa Public Heath (OPH) launched the Enjoy the Skin You’re In social media campaign, in partnership with the Canadian Cancer Society, Cancer Care Ontario, and three local health units, that aims to raise awareness among youth about the risks of tanning.

“We would like to change attitudes, intentions, knowledge, and behaviour regarding the use of indoor tanning equipment,” said Jason Haug, the project officer for Ottawa Public Health. “The campaign follows the initiatives set out from the province, [which] mandated public health units to pursue UV exposure reduction. Tanning beds are a part of that [strategy].”

The campaign targets youth through Facebook and YouTube to create awareness about the risks of tanning while dispelling myths around it.

“Using tanning beds before the age of 35 increases your risk of melanoma skin cancer by 75 per cent,” said Haug.

“There are a lot of myths around vitamin D, [like tanning] is a safe way to obtain vitamin D, which is not true.”

“There are a lot of myths around the base tan,” he said. “For example, that having a tan from a tanning bed will protect you, but it is actually already a

illustration by Devin Beauregard

sign of skin damage.”

The campaign sheds light on the consequences of tanning—early aging symptoms, melanoma skin cancer, and development of cataracts on the eyes— through an app, Indoortanme.com, which shows users how indoor tanning can affect their appearance in the long term.

Tanning professionals maintain indoor tanning can be beneficial despite the risks if carefully implemented.

“We offer a controlled environment with certified staff,” said Andy Boznar, owner of Utan, a tanning salon on campus. “We educate our customers on the truths of tanning rather than creating or encouraging false assumptions.”

Many tanning companies take steps to inform tanners of risks associated with indoor tanning—restricting the age at which clients begin to tan is one such measure.

“Basically, in Ontario, the law states that you must be at least 16 years of age or older to tan without parental consent,” said Boznar. “At Utan, when we opened our doors 11 years ago, we adopted a policy from day one that anyone under 18 years of age requires parental consent to tan in our facility.”

Boznar said moderate exposure under strict supervision and ensuring no one is over-exposed can be healthy.

“Getting that sun–getting that heat, the warmth–not only is it therapeutic for sore muscles and things like that, [but] it also makes people feel good,” said Boznar.

The Enjoy the Skin You’re In campaign was launched to help Cancer Care Ontario’s goal to reduce the use of tanning beds by 75 per cent by 2020. More information on indoor tanning can be found on the campaign’s Facebook group and from many tanning salons. f

What’s he building in there?

Staring at the sun Allan Johnson | Fulcrum Contributor

The problem THE WORLD IS in need of green energy solutions. Wind, solar, and geothermal are some of the energy-gathering methods capturing researchers’ imaginations as alternative energy sources. Harnessing power from nature depends on geographic location. Solar is the best bet for Spain, while wind might be better for stormy Scotland. So, what type of power should Canada be using?

The researcher Aaron Muron is an engineering student at the University of Ottawa SUNLab trying to figure out how advanced solar systems

can work on campus. His work sits on the Sports Complex rooftop, tracking the sun.

The project We can see the sun dim when a cloud passes over it, but there’s little data on how this impacts solar energy. Most simulations available are designed for a “standard atmosphere,” which might not accurately describe the climate in Canada.

To get a better sense of Ottawa’s and, subsequently, Canada’s climate, Muron and his associates assembled a solar tracker with various types of solar cells.

The cells include ultra-high efficiency triple junction cells that follow the sun throughout the day, generating power.

The outputs of the various cells are constantly recorded and sent back to the lab for analysis.

The key The tracker was also fitted with a spectrometer and a camera that point directly at the sun. This allows the SUNLab team to match changes in the computer systems to changes in the sun’s intensity and spectrum, comparing them to weather conditions.

Different types of cloud cover have different effects on the sun’s light and can be dealt with differently—low-lying clouds tend to block most of the light while higher, thinner clouds just distort it.

With new information about how the climate changes the sun’s light, researchers can assess how solar energy will fit into Ottawa’s, and Canada’s, future. f Are you doing interesting science? Or do you have a professor who can’t stop talking about his research? Let us know at research@thefulcrum.ca

ARTS & CULTURE Sofia Hashi | arts@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5931

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ARTS&CULTURE

The moustache movement Movember Canada manager answers questions about the men’s health campaign Keeton Wilcock | Fulcru Fulcrum Staff

IT’S HALFWAY THROUGH THRO Movember 2011 and it appears more men than ever are choosing to join the worldwide movement, yet ma many participants remain surprisingly surprising uninformed about the campa campaign. Th is week, the Fulcrum caug caught up with Jesse H Hay man, Movem Hayman, Movember Canada’s community development develop manager, f answers to some common quesfor tions about the campai campaign.

illustration by Brennan Bova

The Fulcrum: What What’s the original Movember stor story? How was it born and who came up with the idea?

Jesse Hayman: A cou couple of guys w were sitting aaround a table iin Melbourne, A Australia in 22003, just chattin ting about ‘70s fash fashion and things that hav have gone out of style and not come back ba in … It happened to be November, Novemb and mo is moustache in Australia, Austr so naturally they made M Movember, and they grew moustache moustaches that month.

A year came around aroun and they were

going to do it again, but a lot of people didn’t really love their moustaches, so they decided they needed to put a legitimate cause behind it. That’s when they thought, ‘Well, the moustache is the ultimate symbol of manliness, so let’s do something for men’s health.’

They looked at what the most pressing cause was and that was prostate cancer.

The Movember campaign has developed hugely since its initial birth in 2003 and the establishment of Movember Canada in 2007. What factors do you attribute to this rapid growth?

It’s fun and fun breeds participation.

Men worldwide ... have the same sort of attitude as Canadians, which is: Who doesn’t want to know what they look like with a moustache? It’s just not [normally] socially accepted, so now they’ve got a reason to give it a shot.

A lot of men seem to be growing moustaches that aren’t raising or donating any money to prostate cancer research.

Does simply growing facial hair further the Movember campaign?

If people are growing a moustache, registering at Movember.com, and know the reason why they’re growing it, that’s fantastic. They’re a walking, talking billboard for men’s health when they have that moustache on ... So while the do-

nations and funds raised are amazing, our number one thing is just to get men talking.

There has been discussion that Movember for men is partly a response to Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October for women. Is there some truth to that?

The women’s health movement is inspiring. They’re so far ahead of the men.

Probably eight years ago there wouldn’t have been women talking about breast cancer and health like they are now, so the strides they’ve made in a short amount of time is pretty amazing.

Just like women were a little [while] ago, men do not talk about their health and do not share with other men. So, if we can do what the women’s health movement [has done] for breast cancer for prostate cancer—and, [in] general, men’s health—then we’re doing well.

It’s now two weeks into November, is it too late for people to start growing mustaches and start raising funds?

The rules are: You shave Nov. 1st, and you grow and groom your moustache for the rest of the month. It’s not too late. You can still register at Movember.com, join in the fun, start growing your moustache, and talk about men’s health. f

Getting techie with it Mixing art and technology Ali Schwabe | Fulcrum Staff

IF YOU HAVE no idea what an art and technology festival is, now is the time to find out. Electric Fields is a biennial festival run by Artengine, a non-profit, artist-run centre in Ottawa that focuses on creating, presenting, and promoting art concerned with technological experimentation. Although 2011 was a break year for the festival, the group was too inspired to wait another year to put on a show.

With its roots going back almost 10 years, Electric Fields aims to showcase new media artists, electroacoustics, and audiovisual sounds.

“We have done an abbreviated off-year version of Electric Fields with a symposium planned for the spring,” says Britta Evans-Fenton, a U of O student and the lab coordinator at the Artengine.

“This year, it is a series of four works, one which will be accessible for a year and three one-night performances, all with the theme of sound and space.”

She describes the events, which range from a powwow to a concert in a swim-

ming pool.

“The first event is called Polytectures,” says Evans-Fenton.

“Participants will be guided on a walking tour through downtown, starting at the Bytown Museum, listening to 12 local composers that have been brought together by Montreal artist Antoine Bédard Montag.”

A church music concert will be held in a deconsecrated basilica church, which Evans-Fenton says will be an incredible venue to be immersed in the sonic experiences of Roger Tellier-Craig, Goerges Forget, and Jean François Laporte.

Swim Sound, the third event of the festival, is being held at Champagne Bath—one of Canada’s first indoor pools—where Jesse Stewart will be playing water-based instruments on an elevated platform and Rob Cruickshank will be mixing the sounds and playing them back live.

“The audience is invited to bring their bathing suits to enjoy the performance in the pool, [but] it’s not required as there is also standing room around the pool,” says Evans-Fenton.

The festival wraps up with the Electric Pow Wow, a modern adaptation of the tradition of bringing people together in celebration.

Evans-Fenton explains the festival is a unique and exciting series of events where students can be introduced to modern

ways of blending art and technology, experiencing the theme of sound and space presented through a variety of artists and collaborators ranging from architects to composers.

“The community should care because it is an event that sets Ottawa apart from other cities. While we are often trying to play cultural catch-up to bigger cities, such as Toronto and Montreal, this is one festival that was created in Ottawa for Ottawa,” says Evans-Fenton.

“This year’s festival not only shows off local talent, but also showcases some of Ottawa’s most interesting and historic venues.

It provides a chance for Ottawans to explore new locations and experience sound in thrilling ways.”

She encourages students to attend, since all events are close to campus and any events that require payment to access are discounted for students as well.

“For the student starving for an artistic experience, this festival will be a real feast for the senses,” says Evans-Fenton.

“It is a chance for people, young and old, to access art outside of the white walls of a gallery and instead discover unique events set in historic and fascinating venues.” f For more information, check out Artengine. ca/programming/2011/electricfields-en.php.

Events runs Nov. 23–26. illustration by Julia Pancova

10 | arts&culture

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

Drawing sarcasm Illustrator Graham Roumieu new novel HELPING STUDENTS SAVE FOR THE FINER THINGS IN LIFE

– like brand name ketchup.

University & College

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Sofia Hashi | Fulcrum Staff

IT’S A BOOK kids should never read and adults will die to get their hands on— Highly Inappropriate Tales For Young People by famous Canadian novelist and artist Douglas Coupland. The novel is more akin to a series of short stories and emulates a child’s “picture book,” but one with highly inappropriate content.

The sarcastic and witty tone of the book is complimented by Graham Roumieu’s illustrations, another wellknown Canadian author and artist. The brevity of the short stories may remind readers of comedy sketches—similar to Saturday Night Live—and readers may fi nd that the calibre of work found in the book can o be attributed to the relationship p usbetween the illusuthor. trator and the author.

“I’m not in conthing, trol of everything, but that’s not to say g,” says it’s a bad thing,” Roumieu.

“It’s wonderful, rful, espeu’re] workcially when [you’re] ing with a calibre bre writer and a person as fun and interesting as [Coupland].” “[You] mostly ly [are] hands off of [thee novel] and

illustrations courtesy Random House of Canada.

speaks about

h workjust really let it run. We’re both ing to our… major strengths,, as writing being one of [Coupland’s] d’s] ng major strengths and mine being illustrating.”

Coupland sought out Roumiiveu as his illustrator after receiving Roumieu’s novel, Big Foot,, from a mutual friend, but thiss practice is becoming an uncom-mon one. According to Roumi-eu, there are hardly any more books being published that revere illustrations just as much as they do the text.

“I think it’s a very classic—or at least it seemed like it was— — thing for a long time and now w it seems like a rarer interaction to have a well-known author and reasonably wellknown illustrator,” he explains. “[For example, Alice in Wonderland] is a book that’s been [around] for however many decades—if not a century now— and is still being republished in its original form with the original illustrations, which are seen as integral to the piece of work itself. They are inseparable.”

The British Colombia native still fi nds pleasure in transforming words into a picture, no matter how d difficult this task may be.

“Hundreds of times a year I’m produci ducing illustrations fo for the New York Ti Times, the Wall Str Street Journal, the Globe and Mail—all Glo these different outlets—a lets—and sometimes that can ca be a struggle to come out with an image that that’s suitable,” says Roumieu.

Roum “In this case …

I drew quickly and physically p hysically couldn’t move my hand and move my

h a n d fast enough … It was the ability to absorb the content, the energy, and what was intended by [Coupland] and reconvert it into something else.”

Highly Inappropriate Tales For Young People may be a satire written creatively with flair, but according to Roumieu, getting jokes across through illustration was one of the biggest challenges.

“It has that pseudo-ironic kid’s book stuff going on [and that is what] has to be placed in the mind of people,” says the Toronto-based artist when asked about his work on the novel. “[Some of the other difficulties were] using the illustrations to both carry the story forward and draw what is right there in black and white,” says Roumieu.

“I have secondary narratives that go on in my drawings, often to the point that if you flip through pages surrounding the illustrations, you [won’t] actually be able to find anything that directly points to whatever I have drawn but it is simply another element to the story,” adds Roumieu.

“It’s not so much the difficulty but the challenge is the right balance of that.” f

New U of O art gallery Satellite galleries popping up all over campus Sofia Hashi | Fulcrum Staff

The Fulcrum has joined the blogosphere!

Daily updates for news on and around campus.

Thefulcrum.ca/category/blog/

PREPARED TO BE art attacked! Visual arts students at the University of Ottawa are preparing to add more art galleries across campus. Gallery 115 is the only art display area available for students enrolled in a bachelor of fi ne arts or master’s of fi ne arts degree. However, according to Kristen See, fourth-year art history major, that will all change soon. “[One of] the new galleries is called Epilogue Gallery,” explains See, who is working on creating and curating the new galleries with visual arts professor Celina Jefferey in her curating for contemporary art class.

“It is an alternative art space located in the graduate reading room—previously known as the annex—on the sixth floor

of Morisset Library.”

The first show in the display, “Re:Collection,” will encompass many mediums, such as photographs, paintings, and light box transparencies. The exhibition will allow students to appreciate art in an unconventional space.

“We will be exhibiting [a] high calibre [of] contemporary work from both bachelor of fi ne arts and master’s of fi ne arts students who focus on … memory as [a] collection or memory as an infi nite library,” says See. Students can expect more than just one display to crop up on campus. A few new galleries will be making their debut this winter. The students involved will also work on all aspects of the exhibitions, such as fundraising, creating a theme, and marketing.

“There is a group curating the pilot lab in Colonel By; another group is working on transforming the dean’s corridor in Simard into a permanent art bank. There is also a group set to exhibit in Tabaret,” says See. The vernissage for all galleries will

take place on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. and will also be in conjunction with the Graduate Students’ Association’s Wine and Cheese night. The new galleries are a better way for students to become more aware about art on campus.

“Currently, visual arts students are more or less confi ned to the university gallery,” says See. “There is a defi nite need to expand our presence on campus through satellite galleries such as Epilogue Gallery.”

It might seem like a difficult task for students to undertake on top of parttime jobs, extracurricular activities, and a full-time course load, but according to See, there is a need for more art on campus.

“There is a noticeable lack of support and recognition for the visual arts on campus—especially for students in the history and theory of art program,” says See. “The goal of Epilogue Gallery is not only to promote student art, but also to democratize local art—that is, to make the visual arts accessible to everyone on f campus.”

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

arts&culture | 11

album reviews Nick Faye and The Deputies The Last Best West | Urban Planning Records

LIKELY UNKNOWN TO most of Ottawa, Nick Faye and The Deputies are a pop-rock band hailing from Regina, Sask. Bringing us sounds from the prairies in The Last Best West, the album is a testament to summers spent in the Qu’Appelle Valley of southern Saskatchewan. Themes about love and the love of a small town in the midwest crop up throughout the album.

Even though the content speaks about farm life, this album should by no means be considered country music. Proclaiming themselves as the rock/pop/folk genre, Nick Faye and The Deputies have a sound that appeals to an eclectic audience. Some tracks like “Giulanova” and “Lakeland” have mainstream potential with fast-paced beats and lyrics that you can sing to.

Nick Faye, writing all of the songs on the album, should be commended for his work. His lyrics and strong vocals make songs catchy, fun, and often danceable. Inspired by the midwest, this release is well suited for a country boy or girl, but it is also filled with universal themes even a city person can take something from.

—Colin Sutherland

Evanescence Evanescence | Wind-up

Prurient Time’s Arrow EP Hydra Head

P

rurient (Dominik Fernow) has made quite the name for himself in avant-garde circles for producing some of the most mind-bending, earth shattering dissonance out there as a solo artist. His performances usually consist of him and a microphone, sometimes run through with digital fi lters. They can only be classified as a kind of theatre that would charm the pants off the famous, dead playwright Bertolt Brecht. The record drips of emotion and anger, yet is truly difficult to understand where it stems from when taken as is. It is nearly nonsensical, very powerful, and scathingly intense.

In the past year, Prurient has made a change toward something more traditional diverging from the style of his earlier album, Bermuda Drain. The atmosphere produced from his past work is still present in this release but muted and propelled by synthesized beats that sound like if Trent Reznor scored John Carpenter’s funeral. This is evident in the title track wherein Fernow repeats a strangely eerie phrase about Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia murder victim.

The EP breaks down into mayhem that gives way to a sweet melody at the end, a slightly predictable move for its dark nature but effective.

Ultimately, it is a fi ne extension to Bermuda Drain, though oddly forgettable, which is strange for a Prurient release.

—Danyal Khoral

grades

meh

epic fail fail

legit

FANS HOPEFUL THAT Evanescence will continue to amaze on their latest, self-titled release will be sorely mistaken. Most of the songs are passable, but the album lacks anything truly memorable. Long time fans or first time listeners should check out “Sick”, “End of the Dream”, and “Made of Stone”. They’re decent tracks, but they won’t stick in your head the way “Bring Me to Life”, “Tourniquet”, and “Going Under” do.

Other songs are downright cringe-worthy. In the album’s first single, “What You Want”, Amy Lee trades in her haunting vocals for an annoying performance reminiscent of Avril Lavigne’s “Girlfriend”—guaranteed to be stuck in your head for all the wrong reasons.

Bands may evolve with each new album, but in the case of Evanescence, they’ve evolved too far. Their material is too commercial and they’re losing their faithful fan base because of it.

Don’t bother listening to Evanescence. Old-time fans would be better off listening to the symphonic metal band Nightwish’s new album Imaginaerum, set to be released in December.

—Tegan Bridge

Frederic Pellerin They Call Me Rico | Voxtone Records

THEY CALL ME Rico is the first solo project of former Madcaps front man Frederic Pellerin (a.k.a. Rico) and I certainly hope it won’t be his last. In an almost one-man-band style, many of the tracks feature nothing more than Rico: Singing, playing guitar, and working a kick drum and high-hat with his feet.

The stripped-down blues style is reminiscent of the White Stripes with a little blue-grassy Lynyrd Skynyrd rock thrown in. The album is almost exclusively cover songs with only three original tracks, but Rico’s original interpretations of songs like Neil Young’s “World On a String”, Paul McCartney’s “Your Way”, and Bob Dylan’s “Buckets of Rain” are fresh and excellent. The album is pleasant the whole way through and defi nitely worth a listen.

—Brennan Bova

Parlor Mob win

answers from p. 20

Dogs | Roadrunner

THERE IS SOMETHING about Parlor Mob’s new album Dogs which really connects with the listener.

The recently released album has an enormous amount of energy equivalent to a very delicious cup of coffee.

The New Jersey band itself is not new to the music business. They broke into the scene nearly seven years ago, but they’re still relatively unknown. Parlor Mob is not shy when discussing their struggles with gaining popularity in the music world, and with the latest record, you can feel their confidence leaking out of every lyric.

Don’t be surprised if Dogs eventually jump-starts their popularity in the music scene. If you are looking to add a little juice to your iPod, I would highly recommend adding Parlor Mob’s single, “Into the Sun”. Mark Melicia, the lead singer, has a voice slightly similar to Adam Levine’s of Maroon 5 with a splash of a dangerously awesome punk-rock vibe.

Dogs is a perfect name for Parlor Mob’s latest album. Fighting with every tooth and paw they have, Parlor Mob has fi nally been able to seize success with its two front teeth.

—Grace Iori

12 | features

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

Shoplifting students The five-finger discount Ali Schwabe | Fulcrum Staff

THERE’S NO SET profile for an amateur shoplifter, the name given to those who steal items for their own personal use. Middle-aged career men, famous actors (Winona Ryder, anyone?), and university students have all been caught red-handed. A 2007 study by the Retail Council of Canada claimed $3.6 billion worth of goods are stolen each year. It also stated approximately 80 per cent of Canadians have shoplifted at least once in their lives, and one in 10 of us do so regularly. The Fulcrum examines the consumer culture of shoplifting and how it’s costing students more than they realize.

illustration by Ju

STICKY FINGERS Some student shoplifters believe they won’t ever get caught The rationale Elizabeth Hartman* is a fourth-year student at the University of Ottawa who shoplifted regularly throughout her fi rst two years at the school.

“Every time it was exciting, scary, kind of a thrill really. It’s almost like a game, [where] the stakes are pretty high, the prize is something useful, and you need to be smarter than other people to win,” she explained.

“There are so many things you have to think about,” Hartman elaborated. “You need to make sure you get all the tags or stickers or whatever off, and you have to act calm, which is hard because you

think everyone’s staring at you and your heart is just pounding so hard.”

Why would anyone risk fi nes, a criminal record, and a whole lot of embarrassment simply to have a few more possessions? Experts give a number of reasons for why shoplifters—students in particular—steal.

Edward Bryan, a loss prevention officer at Sears, reported there are a lot of students shoplift ing in the store, most of whom claim to have the same reasons for their actions.

“A lot of students steal. [Maybe] it’s because it’s [that] age group and the demographic and they think they won’t get

caught or [maybe] it’s because they just don’t have money,” said Bryan. “That’s usually the biggest thing we’ll hear, ‘I’m a student. I don’t have money.’”

For Hartman, shoplift ing was an activity she did with her friends.

“I know how it started. Me and three friends went shopping, and when we left one store, two of the girls were giggling a lot and were just really excited,” she said. “I found out later that they had taken a few pairs of underwear from La Senza.”

Initially unimpressed by her friends’ actions, Hartman eventually had a change of heart.

“I remember being shocked and a little appalled,” she said. “But at the same time, I [was] kind of jealous because they had new lingerie and I had none because I couldn’t afford any. It didn’t seem fair at all, plus they were having fun.”

Hartman eventually decided to join in.

“The next time we all went shopping, I snuck an extra shirt into the dressing room, took the tag off, stuffed it at the bottom of my bag, and then dropped the tag into a pile of shirts at the back of the store and rushed out,” she said. “I was so scared, but [it was] exhilarating. We all laughed and squealed when I showed

[my friends] later.”

Professors assert there are a number of psychological factors that encourage a person to shoplift . The interplay between these factors is complex and differs from person to person.

Andrew Sneddon, a professor in the U of O’s philosophy department, explained in an email to the Fulcrum that there are a number of possible justifications an individual could have for shoplift ing, but that it is unlikely many people believe what they are doing is right.

“Although shoplifters probably have a wide range of differing motivations, I’m willing to bet that many do not think

features | 13

that [shoplift ing] is acceptable,” said Sneddon. “They think of themselves as doing something wrong. For some this might be a source of regret—for others it might be the very point of the action.”

Someone’s watching you…

According to Bryan, there may be someone staring at a shoplifter as he or she tries to sneak items into a bag. At Sears, employees are obligated to report suspicious behaviour on the floor, and are further encouraged with a $25 gift card for any information that leads to an arrest.

“We would start watching the person,” said Bryan, referring to suspicious-looking customers in the store.

“We do have cameras everywhere so we can review if someone has [taken] something.”

The act of shoplift ing doesn’t occur until a person steps out of a store with

ulia Pancova

WORTH THE RISK? Shoplifters face fines or a criminal record if prosecuted

photo by Mico Mazza

items he or she hasn’t purchased. The same charges can also be laid for switching price tags, or switching items into different packaging.

When theft does occur, the loss prevention team has the right to apprehend the suspect on the grounds of trespassing or shoplift ing. They then call Ottawa Police Services (OPS) as soon as possible while the shoplifter is detained.

It may seem strange that the arrest is often made for trespassing rather than stealing when a person has been caught shoplift ing. According to Constable Henri Lanctôt from OPS, it’s because the individual was “engaged in prohibited activity which falls contrary to the Trespass to Property Act. It’s a provincial [statute] that is a $65 ticket.”

If an individual is caught shoplifting a second time, the consequences are more severe.

“We’ve given [the repeat offender] an opportunity to redeem themselves [the fi rst time] by not laying a theft charge— a criminal offence charge—the fi rst time. The second time, they’re subject to being charged with theft ,” said Lanctôt.

When charged with a criminal offence, a person must plead guilty or not guilty. Those who choose the latter must appear before court. Choosing the former will result in the person receiving a criminal record.

It is up to store owners whether they want to press charges for shoplift ing. If not, the police officers use their discretion to either give a ticket for trespassing and forbid the individual from returning to the premises for at least one year or lay a charge of theft under $5,000.

Morally speaking If shoplifters know they’re doing something wrong, why do they do it? Sneddon noted necessity, amusement, political protest, revenge against a certain shop owner, and hubris as potential reasons.

Hartman found it difficult to explain why she shoplifted for two years.

“It’s weird, [because] I don’t really know why I was doing it. I mean, I knew it was wrong and I was really scared every time I did it because I knew the consequences could be awful,” she said. “But I thought I was smart enough not to get caught.”

Hartman admitted she also enjoyed shoplift ing because she was acquiring new things.

“It was nice to have new stuff and not have to spend money,” she said. “I thought I deserved whatever I was stealing and that no one was really being hurt

by me taking a dress or a lip gloss or whatever, but those things would make me really happy.”

Sneddon also commented on youth in particular being vulnerable to the attractiveness of shoplift ing.

“We don’t have much money at this age, speaking very generally, but we have significant reason to compete with each other for status and its rewards,” he said. “Acquiring things [such as] clothing [and] jewellery can be a useful way to compete effectively.”

In an interview with Time magazine, Rachel Shteir, author of the book The Steal, suggests because celebrities and wealthy people live so excessively, common folk feel less guilty stealing.

Shoplifters who fall in the average or less-than-average income bracket may believe their crime is “trivial” in comparison to the perceived greed and lavish consumption on the part of the rich.

Shteir went on further to underline one of the reasons for shoplift ing especially associated with students.

“There’s a pervasive idea that individuals are getting the raw deal, that stores are the true criminals,” she said.

“They’re multinationals, they can afford for people to shoplift , they’re insured.”

The risk The reasons for shoplift ing can vary, but one thing all shoplifters have in common is they judge their actions to be worth the risk of prosecution. U of O psychology professor Louise Lemyre described a number of reasons why an individual might take that risk.

“One tends to think that one is more invincible than others and knows how not to get caught; it is called the positive illusion,” she said. “Research has also shown that youth and males are particularly susceptible to manifest this bias in self-evaluation. Hence, shoplifters think they are unlikely to get caught and do not evaluate properly the risk of prosecution.”

Hartman was always nervous about being caught, but stated the feeling added to the appeal of shoplift ing.

“There’s a risk, but I believed I was smart enough not to get caught. It also probably adds to the excitement of the whole thing that there is such a big risk,” she said.

Lemyre explained another phenomenon that leads to bias in risk evaluation that may be particularly prevalent in those who see shoplift ing as a social activity.

“Another cognitive bias in one’s evaluation of risks is called availability bias, which relates to the recall bias in

incident occurrences. As peers tend to tell us more about their ‘successful’ or ‘funny’ shoplift ing experiences than the times they got caught or scared, [we] underestimate the risk of bad experiences,” said Lemyre.

“In general, most people tend to overestimate the probability of success and underestimate the probability of failure, especially for oneself.”

The results Canadian retailers lose $3.6 billion each year to shoplift ing and someone has to pay for that loss, but surprise: It isn’t the giant corporations students may think deserve to be stolen from. Mona Aelick, owner and operator of gift and toy store Top Notch Toys, confi rmed what many suspect about price increases.

“You price your inventory so that you can make a fair profit,” she said. “Any loss of inventory must be reflected in your pricing. Bottom line: [Shoplift ing means] higher prices for the customer.”

Professor Sneddon offered a few more reasons why stealing from rich corporations isn’t as clear cut as it may fi rst appear. “‘Small’ people both work for and invest in huge corporations. Lost profits for a corporation are lost profits for investors, both individual and via pension plans,” he said. “And to preserve profits huge corporations often cut jobs, which hurts ordinary people. Th is line of justification ignores the myriad [of] ways in which big groups and individual people interact in complex ways.”

Stores are doing what they can to prevent shoplift ing. Bryan explained plainclothes loss prevention officers monitor the sales floor at Sears. Aelick said her store also takes a direct approach to stopping potential thieves.

“Proactively, we do not leave a customer alone on the sales floor. We keep high-priced items near the cash desk.

We keep temptation and opportunity to a minimum,” she said.

Hartman hasn’t stolen anything for two years, but she wasn’t able to explain exactly why she kept it up for so long.

“It seems so stupid now. I don’t even know what I was thinking most of the time,” she said. “Sure, having nice stuff is nice, but if I had ever been caught it would have been so terrible. One of my friends got caught and ended up being sued by the store and it’s just such a disaster to try to explain to your parents why you did something so stupid. [My friend] says she regrets it, and I don’t f want to have any regrets like that.” *Names have been changed

14 | arts&culture

arts briefS

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

A vibrant eatery in the ByWard Market Ahora

MTV growing up or getting old?

OTTAWA—A NEW BOOK has been released examining MTV’s glory days in the 1980s. The book, I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Revolution, delves into MTV’s early history and its cultural impact.

According to the book, MTV’s earlier years served as a cultural phenomenon; it connected a generation of people. Kids were exposed to new music, videos, and bands after school. The next day, they would go to school and discuss the previous night’s programming.

“It was a shared and unifying experience, the last semblance of a monoculture,” says Rob Tannenbaum, the former music editor of Blender magazine and co-author of the book.

Some may think MTV has strayed from what it used to be, betraying itself with programming such as Jersey Shore. Craig Marks, co-author of the book says, “MTV’s mandate was always to make money and do whatever it takes to please their audience.”

No matter how disappointed some may be with MTV, Tannenbaum notes, “Music videos would not have happened the way we know them now.

The video industry didn’t exist when MTV began.”

—Leia Atkinson

CUISINE IN THE CITY Ahora offers cheap and good food

New movie to start fi lming in Ottawa

Joshua Pride | Fulcrum Staff

OTTAWA—FILM STARS MICHAEL Keaton and Michelle Monaghan are coming to Canada’s capital to shoot an upcoming movie.

Penthouse North is about an introverted photojournalist (portrayed by Monaghan) who crosses paths with a sadistic criminal (Keaton). The catand-mouse thriller takes place in Afghanistan and New York City.

The fi lm will have closer ties to Canada as it is co-produced by Ottawa fi lm company Zed Filmworks. Having produced other movies such as Sacrifice, starring Cuba Gooding Jr., and House at the End of the Street, the fi lm company did let it slip that scenes from both the fi lm’s international locations would be fi lmed in Ottawa.

“There are some creative ways to do that, but I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag,” says Rob Menzies, a producer at Zed Filmworks.

Filming is set to start in the next few weeks.

—Leia Atkinson

FOR A FRESH, simple, and delicious Mexican experience for a very reasonable price, Ahora Mexican Cuisine in the heart of the ByWard Market offers patrons an excellent meal. Seating around 30 patrons, this basement restaurant is decorated in a lively setting with an intimate atmosphere.

Vegetarians will be delighted to learn there are several meatless options, such as the ranchero vegetarian—a burrito filled with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and topped with the house salsa and sour cream. Tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and quesadillas are other equally mouth-watering choices.

What sets Ahora apart from other Mexican restaurants is the salsa bar, which serves a variety of homemade sal-

Could we cast an Iron Man? VICTORIA (CUP)—IN HIS NEW book, University of Victoria neuroscience and kinesiology professor E. Paul Zehr discusses how it might be possible to create a real-life superhero.

Inventing Iron Man: The Possibility of a Human Machine, which came out this past October, examines what the layers of an Iron Man suit might look like and how they could be constructed for real-life purposes such as physical rehabilitation after a stroke or spinal cord injury.

“I tried to use a pop culture icon as a medium to explore science,” says Zehr. “Because we live in an age of technology, what can we do to amplify biology with technology? That’s sort of the theme with Inventing Iron Man. In particular, an area of amplification is the idea of using the brain to control devices.”

Zehr notes part of the book’s purpose is to make readers realize that Iron Man’s armour is not just an article of clothing.

“A personal Iron Man suit doesn’t exist currently, but how could you control it? You wouldn’t be able to use it just like wearing clothing—you would have to actually use it in a direct connection with your body,” explains Zehr.

—Jenny Boychuck, the Martlet

Briefs: A way to get in to Art’s pants.

photo by Mico Mazza

sas. The salsa fuego and the verde salsa add an extra kick in flavour and spice with any dish. Other delectable salsas that are a must include the fresh tomato salsa and onion salsa.

For anyone new to Ahora, I recommend trying Sol; their blond pilsnerstyle, carbonated Mexican beer leaves a refreshing and crisp taste. Another fine beer worth mentioning is Negra Modelo, a dark lager with a nutty scent that goes down smoothly. For those interested, there is also a house sangria and wide variety of Mexican cocktails.

Students will clamour to Ahora if for no other reason than the prices, which are quite reasonable. The chicken nacho plate runs at $8.25, and the vegetarian nacho loaded with black beans is a cheap $6.25.

Main dishes range from $6 to $13.90.

The only pitfall to Ahora is its way

of seating patrons. You’re given a menu and are expected to order before you are seated. Though the turnaround for tables at Ahora is fairly quick, you and your company may have to play musical chairs with everyone in the restaurant in order to sit down and eat.

Despite minor discrepancies with its seating arrangement, Ahora has terrific food in terms of quality, taste, and price.

The staff is also polite and helpful—always a plus.

The fresh quality of the food, the selection of respectable Mexican beers, and the delicious cultural cuisine makes Ahora a definite and delicious must-try. I would recommend this restaurant for a fun and casual evening out. f Visit Ahora online at Ahora.ca/menu.html or in person at 307 Dalhousie St.

the fashist Frugal and fashionable Sofia Hashi | Arts & Culture Editor

THE ART OF thrift shopping may seem cheap and dirty to some, but for vintage lovers the thrift store is paradise. Little can replace the euphoric high accompanying a vintage find. The art of thrifting takes plenty of practice and many bouts of disappointment. Follow these tips on thrift shopping and you can become a thrift connoisseur overnight.

Change your attitude If you’re one of those people who believe it’s not acceptable to shop second hand, you’re wrong. Yes, some thrift stores aren’t necessarily clean and don’t carry high-quality items, but this is the exception, not the rule. Most thrift stores carry an assortment of quality items at a ridiculously discounted rate—$2 for a blazer,

anyone? Diversify your regular shopping stomping grounds and you’ll find yourself with a cheaper wardrobe with a lot more variety.

Where to thrift Sometimes what you discover at a vintage store comes down to where you go. Second-hand stores are similar to organized chaos. Things are usually strewn across the store and difficult to sift through. Don’t be discouraged or overwhelmed by the mess.

Scour all racks, dig through all dollar bins relentlessly.

Luckily, Ottawa is a treasure trove waiting to be discovered. With downtown thrift stores such as Rag Time Vintage Clothing and others scattered across the city, such as Value Village and Attic Clothing, it’s easy to become an expert thrifter no matter where you are in town.

When to thrift As anyone who has been hunting for valuable second-hand items will know, it’s not always where, but when, you go. Vintage shops will usually have an inventory schedule, and if you know when their new merchandise arrives, it’ll guarantee you get first pick. Ask a sales associate or the manager when their shipments come in to increase your chance of finding better quality items.

Experiment and try it on With cheap clothing, it’s important to realize thrifting is a great way to experiment with trends without impacting your bank.

When you shop second hand, you can go out of your fashion comfort zone without racking up debt. Although you have more financial freedom in thrift stores, that’s no excuse not to try things on. It’s not worth f $5 if you never wear it.

SPORTS Katherine DeClerq | sports@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

15

Gees win bronze in CIS championship Women’s soccer team claims third in Canada Katherine DeClerq | Fulcrum Staff

THE GARNET AND Grey took a road trip to Montreal to compete in the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) championships last weekend at Percival Molson Stadium.

With their spirits high and a regular season record of 12-1-3, the women’s soccer team was one of the top contenders for a medal—and they didn’t disappoint. After winning their opening game on Thursday, losing valiantly on Saturday, and winning again on Sunday, the GeeGees were able to stand on the podium proud of winning a bronze medal.

Thursday Second-half comeback On Nov. 10, the Garnet and Grey opened the CIS championships with a win against the Dalhousie University Tigers (9-1-3 regular season). The first half went into a midfield battle, with the ball bouncing between each team. Dalhousie managed to take a quick shot past first-year goaltender Cynthia Leblanc from inside the box, scoring the first goal against the Gees.

“Dalhousie was able to play a style that suited the field conditions better than us,” explained head coach Steve Johnson.

“Also, you have to remember that Dalhousie was [Atlantic University Sport] conference champions, and we are the seventh-seeded team in the tournament.”

The Gees returned in the second half with a vengeance, tying up the score in the 47th minute thanks to a give-andgo by first-year striker Pilar Khoury and third-year striker Krista Draycott.

A minute later, Draycott received a long pass from third-year midfielder Corina Jarrett past the Tiger’s defence, striking the ball in the net for the lead.

The U of O continued on the offensive, not allowing Dalhousie to dominate the play. Jarrett made the fi nal goal after blasting past the Dalhousie goalkeeper in the 53rd minute of play. Dalhousie was able to score on a free kick, but it wasn’t enough to take back the game. The Gees won the game with a 3-2 score.

Johnson couldn’t explain the huge comeback by the Gees as anything spe-

photo by Mico Mazza

PLAYING FOR THE PODIUM The Gee-Gees battle it out in Montreal during the CIS championships cial, simply stating that at halft ime they realized they had the potential to win and all they had to do was keep their heads held high.

“We reminded the team that they just needed to relax and show more composure on the field,” he said.

The aggressive nature of the game was evident as Ontario University Athletics top scorer and second-year Gees striker Elisabeth Wong suffered an injury at the end of the fi rst half that landed her on the bench for the remainder of the championships.

Saturday Short on shootout Balls were flying during the CIS semifinal matchup against last year’s CIS champions, the Queen’s Golden Gaels (13-2-1), where the Gees suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 loss after double overtime and a penalty shootout.

“I think, to be honest, we did terrific against last year’s champion. We took them to extra time and penalties,” said Johnson of the game.

The entire game saw aggressive play, with each team struggling to maintain dominance over the ball. The action was continuous, and resulted in an alternating game of monkey in the middle with each team using the field to their advantage. After many great saves by Leblanc, the game went into an uneventful double overtime.

The Gees owed the close game to their

defensive line, which ensured the Golden Gaels couldn’t get too close to the net.

“We had a lot of chances and we just couldn’t get them in and that’s what it all comes down to—the one or two chances in the game,” said fourth-year defence Gillian Baggott. “It’s a collective effort starting from the forwards defensively; we stayed tight, we stayed calm and composed, and we just shut them down … It was just an unlucky loss for us.”

The shootout saw the Golden Gaels win 3-2, taking them to the CIS gold medal game while the Gees would battle it out for bronze with the McGill Martlets.

“I actually love doing shootouts, but hate the fact that it determines who wins,” said Leblanc in an email to the Fulcrum. “For me, it is not a way to fi nd out who’s really the better team—it is just a matter of luck.”

Sunday Maintaining the lead to bronze The stakes were high on Nov. 13 when the Garnet and Grey took the field along with the McGill University Martlets (83-3) for the bronze medal match. After a rough 90 minutes, the Gees came out victorious with a 2-1 win over the home team, gaining a medal and the prestige of ranking third in the country.

“We are really happy with our win and the bronze medal,” explained Johnson. “We get to end our season with a win and keep fond memories of our last game of the season.”

The fi rst 10 minutes of the game saw the Gees and Martlets pick up speed. Ottawa striker Khoury was able to break through McGill’s defensive line and shoot one past the goalie for a 1-0 lead.

Th ird-year striker Christine Hardie continued the Gees’ scoring streak with a tap into the net off a cross-pass by fourthyear midfielder Brittany Harrison, bringing the score to 2-0.

“Both performances on Saturday and Sunday were very good and the only difference was the result,” said Johnson.

“We were able to fi nish our best shooting chances from inside the box in the bronze-medal game, and that resulted in our two goals.”

The second half witnessed many scoring attempts by both McGill and the U of O, but Leblanc was able to make some diving catches that resulted in a win for the Garnet and Grey.

While the soccer season may be over, Johnson explained the team has lots of work to do off the field and won’t be getting a vacation any time soon.

“We are going to get together in the library and the players will study for their midterms and end of year finals,” said Johnson. “And in addition to that, we might celebrate with a meal as my wife has offered to host a dinner for the team.” f Queen’s University won the CIS Championship in the final matchup against University of Montreal Carabins for the second year in a row.

Thursday Half

Final

Gees

0

3

Tigers

1

2

Half

Final

0

0

Saturday Gees

Double Penalty Overtime overtime shootout

0

Gaels

2

0 Half

Final

0

0

Double Penalty Overtime overtime shootout

0

Sunday

3

0 Half

Final

Gees

2

2

Martlets

0

0

16 | sports

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

A Matt Anthony

Movember

Men’s soccer team funds charitable campaign with tournament proceeds Keeton Wilcock | Fulcrum Staff

T

he University of Ottawa GeeGees’ men’s soccer team recently capped off their 10th year as a competitive club, and head coach Dave Piccini feels this year’s season has been a great success.

“In the last two years, we’ve really taken a step forward with the program,” said Piccini. “[We’ve] become a lot more competitive. We’ve also added a lot more games to the schedule and really tried to get a lot more structure to the program in hopes of becoming varsity.”

One of the steps the men’s soccer program has taken with the aim of gaining

varsity status has been hosting tournaments. Not only did the Gee-Gees cohost this year’s Canadian university preseason tournament in August, but they also ran the second annual U of O Movember World Cup Classic on Nov. 12.

“We have this wonderful field here that’s empty, so through the school we book the field for the day and we have a tournament,” he explained. “We make a donation to Movember, and the rest of the proceeds go toward our club team to fund our winter season.”

While the team is all for contributing to men’s health awareness, the decision to donate to the Movember Canada campaign was influenced by something more personal.

“We had a player two years back whose father passed away from prostate cancer, so he was the one who approached [coach] Marc-André Paulin [about creating a tournament] two years ago. [Paulin] and I agreed that it would be a great event to have.”

The tournament was open to any interested players at a cost of $350 per team, with the winning team scoring

ph

rld $1,000. Th is year’s Movember World Cup saw Matt Anthony Field flooded ed with over 250 soccer players from 20 Ottawa teams, each choosing a country ry to represent from around the world to o go along with the World Cup theme.

While teams representing inter-national soccer favourites like Brazil and Argentina successfully qualified for the tournament playoffs, it was the groups who chose Japan and Scotland d that would face off in the fi nal game. nd After several minutes of back and forth play in the fi nal matchup, the team am playing as Scotland opened the scoring ng r. with a low strike to the net’s left corner.

“It was hard for me, because I was one of the captains and I felt a little bit yer down,” said Sekouba Camara, a player ar representing Japan and a third-year striker for the Gee-Gees. “But the team am had hope and we came back.”

After Camara scored a goal to tie the game with 10 minutes left of play, neither team was able to notch another point. With a tied score after regulation time expired, the game was decided by a shootout. Japan scored three goals to

And the award for most dedicated Fulcrumite goes to...

S cot la nd ’s two, successfully taking home the $1,000 prize and the title of tournament champions.

With the incredible player turnout and funds raised—both for charity and the men’s soccer program—Piccini believes the Movember Classic will continue to grow in the future.

Let it be known that the space dedicated to this announcement in no way reflects your

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“It would be a great, great tournament to have again,” said Piccini. “It’s now the second annual and it’s going to come back every year even better.” f The men’s soccer team will now take a two-month break before beginning their indoor season in January 2012.

0-2

Basketball (W) Gees Gees

contribution to the Fulcrum.

o

scoreboard

Sean Campbell!

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48 64

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Badgers Marauders

@ Montpetit (Nov. 18, 6 p.m.)

vs.

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Basketball (M) Gees Gees

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63 73

Badgers Marauders

@ Montpetit (Nov. 18, 8 p.m.)

vs.

6-4-2

Hockey (M) Gees Gees Next:

2 3

-

3 1

Rams Paladins

@ Sports Complex (Nov. 18, 7 p.m.)

vs.

2-6

Hockey (W) Gees Gees Next:

-

2 2 vs.

3 3

Carabins Stingers

@ Carleton University (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.)

thefulcrum.ca | Nov.17–23 , 2011

sports | 17

Gees discover benefits of consistency Women’s hockey team suffers loss to Carabins Katherine DeClerq | Fulcrum Staff

ALTHOUGH THEY SUFFERED a loss that Saturday night, the women’s hockey team was proud of their performance against the top ranked Montreal Carabins (5-1-1, RSEQ) on Nov. 12. The Gee-Gees (2-6, RSEQ) took the ice with fierce confidence, but the squad couldn’t shake off Montreal’s second-period lead, resulting in a 3-2 loss.

Despite the score, head coach Yanick Evola thought the Gees performed well.

“We played our best game of the season,” said Evola. “A consistent effort from the fi rst to last minute of the game.”

The fi rst period of the game saw the Garnet and Grey play aggressively— they were so competitive in their play they were stuck in the penalty box for most of the 20 minutes. The squad was still able to prevent any goals from the Carabins.

“Hockey is a tough game,” said Evola.

“We are trying to use our [bodies] as much as we can in game situations, but we need to remain disciplined.”

The Gees began their second period strong with a quick goal into the back of the net by fi rst-year forward Elarie Leclair. The Carabins were quick to rebound with a goal on a power play three minutes later. By the end of the period, Montreal scored two more points, giving them a two-point lead and bringing the score to 3-1.

The Garnet and Grey refused to back down. U of O third-year forward Dominique Lefebvre slapped the puck in the net from the left faceoff dot with an assisting pass from fi rst-year forward Carling Chown. Although Ottawa managed to outshoot Montreal 28-21, they were unable to make that tying shot, resulting in a 3-2 loss.

First-year goaltender Caitlin Fowler explained the team didn’t view this game as a loss, because they had fi nally played to their full potential.

“I think anyone who has seen us play would agree that we have been fairly inconsistent in terms of playing a full 60 minutes,” she said.

“Th is past weekend during our home game versus Montreal, we achieved what the team and our coaches have been looking for since day one: 60 minutes of solid effort where we were winning every battle, playing with intensity,

photo courtesy Richard Whittaker

PROTECTING THE NET Gee-Gees give it their all against the Montreal Carabins and making sure we did the little things right.”

Evola knows if the team continues to play like they did against Montreal, they shouldn’t have any problem increasing

their rank in the standings.

“Do the same thing we did last week, work hard, and work smart. We need to be patient, because if we play like that every game we are going to win some.” f

The Gee-Gees will travel to Carleton University to compete against the Ravens (23-2) on Nov. 19 at 7 p.m., and then host the McGill University Martlets (6-1) on Nov. 20 at 2 p.m.

A sport you’ve never heard of Ultramarathons take competitive running to a new level Grace Romund | The Cascade

ABBOTSFORD, B.C. (CUP)—IF YOU’RE A longtime competitive runner, what happens when you have conquered the marathon?

An ultramarathon, by definition, is any running race over the marathon distance of 42 KM. The most common distances are 50 KM, 100 KM, 50 miles (about 80 KM), and 100 miles (about 160 KM). The sport of ultramarathon running exists around

from the sidelines

Katherine DeClerq Sports Editor

My first CIS championship— a disappointment

the world, and you can find ultramarathon events on just about every continent— even in Antarctica.

This extreme sport has gained popularity over the past few decades, and the International Association of Ultrarunners regulates and sanctions over 1,000 ultramarathon distance races for over 100,000 ultramarathon runners today.

The Cascade had the opportunity to discuss this physically ambitious sport with an avid marathon and ultramarathon distance runner. Neil Wakelin, Running Room Vancouver area manager and race director for British Columbia, has run over 125 marathons and many ultramarathons.

“I actually have been running ultras for over 20 years. Back when I started, there

weren’t very many races,” Wakelin said.

“I’ve done everything from 50–100 KM and 50–100 miles. I have run trails and mountains.”

He once presented the idea of running an ultramarathon distance over the Grouse, Black, and Seymour mountains in B.C. to a running club.

“They thought I was mad,” said Wakelin.

The race that Wakelin envisioned came to be known as the Knee Knackering North Shore Trail Run. Over the course of the Knee Knacker, a participant climbs and descends over 16,000 feet. It is an approximately 50-KM race. It may seem extreme to run such great distances, and even more extreme to run such great distances over mountains, but Wakelin noted

that it’s not uncommon for ultras to take place in such areas.

“Most [ultramarathons] are run on trails. I was the first race director to direct the Haney to Harrison race, which is on paved roads [and] highways, [though] it is very unusual to run ultras on paved streets and highways,” he said.

“It’s amazing to see what the body can do,” Wakelin noted, adding ultramarathon running isn’t for everyone.

“It’s a very distinct group of athletes that [has] gone onto the trails and into the mountains to run ultras. It’s an individual thing,” he explained.

“Some people will never run on or in trails. It’s a matter of passion, but anybody’s capable of doing anything if they put their mind to it.” f

ON SATURDAY, NOV. 12, I jumped on a 10 a.m. Greyhound bus to Montreal with the Fulcrum’s art director. It was a tight fit with my computer, book bag, and his photography equipment, but we made it on.

Two hours later we arrived—and boy, was I excited. You have to understand that I don’t get out much, and have only been to Montreal a total of three times in my life. Not only was I going to the “big city” of Quebec as it were, but I was going to watch a Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) Championship soccer match!

This was going to be my first time covering a CIS championship game. Since September, I have been in awe of our women’s soccer team, watching them grow into a dedicated squad capable of going all the way to nationals. It was no surprise that they did,

and I felt honoured to be able to travel to Montreal to watch one of their games.

Now, like I said, I had never been to a CIS championship game before and I was really excited—especially when I heard it was going to be in the Molson Stadium where the Montreal Alouettes play. I was expecting a big to-do, kind of like a U.S. football game or something. I guess my expectations were too high—way too high!

There was no big show, no mascots, no fireworks. There was no music, no halftime show, no commentary. And there were no fans. Well, there were maybe 100 fans, but in a stadium that can fit 25,000 people, that doesn’t look like a lot.

We went to pick up our press passes in a sports centre built like a maze. We shouldn’t have even bothered because no

one asked for our passes for the rest of the game. We didn’t need them to get in the stadium, we didn’t need them to get in the press box, and we didn’t need them to get on the field for post-game interviews. At least they make a decent collectables.

The press boxes didn’t have Internet, and anyone who wanted to go in a box could. There were families trying to escape from the cold and fans wanting a better view of the field. Stream Sports Network Canada took over the main box and said no one else could come in. Basically, I couldn’t live tweet the game, it was freezing cold, and we were distracted by the fact that the baby in the press box beside us was about to crawl out the window.

My disappointment with the CIS championship semifinals had nothing

photo courtesy CUP

to do with our Gees. Even though they lost, their game was solid. They held their own against a team that won the championships last year, only losing in the final shootout after double overtime. My disappointment was with the CIS and the lack of effort put into these games.

These are the championships guys; they are a big deal. Do a little advertising, get some fans in the stands, and suggest a mascot travels with the team. I’m not asking for fireworks here—but a banner welcoming teams to the CIS championships would have been nice. These teams work very hard to get here, so at least make them feel like it’s worth it. sports@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5931

18 | sports

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

Foolproof fitness Challenging yourself to the max Sarah Horlick | Fulcrum Contributor

ANYONE WHO HAS explored the depths of my pantry knows I am a cereal fiend. Cereal is good for you and it tastes good—the perfect combo. Am I going to eat a bowl of Life every morning for the rest of my, well, life? No! I like to switch it up here and there with some yogurt, a bagel, or a muffin. The same goes for exercise. Once you get comfortable with your workout routine, it’s time to change it and challenge yourself!

Switching it up involves stepping out of your comfort zone. In my case, I hiked outside of my comfort zone, all the way up a mountain. This past reading week, my brother and I decided to tackle the Grouse Grind in North Vancouver, B.C. For those of you unfamiliar with the Grouse Grind, it is a popular trail up

Grouse Mountain affectionately referred to as “Mother Nature’s StairMaster,” but there are no TVs in front of this StairMaster, no adjustable settings, and no emergency stop feature. It’s just you and 2830 stairs to heaven.

The first time I did the Grouse Grind, I called ahead to my brothers, who were waiting at the summit, asking them to find a defibrillator. I felt like I was going to hyperventilate, pass out, have a cardiac arrest, puke, or all of the above. So, you can see why my mom was hesitant as she watched my brother and I pack our “emergency rations” before my second attempt: “Be careful! The last time we were there, someone got carried off in a body bag!” Great.

The average hiker takes about an hour and a half to complete the Grind. My goal was twofold: To arrive alive and to beat

date

this time.

My brother took up the lead and I followed behind, my stumpy legs struggling to scale stairs the height of a small child. After what seemed like forever, we reached the quarter-way mark. I had two choices: Turn around and head back to the parking lot in defeat or continue climbing. The descent looked much more perilous than the ascent, so on we went.

One hour and five minutes later, my brother and I were high-fiving at the summit. We made it. Sure, we may have spent the last quarter of the trail trying to keep up with a sprightly old man and his cane, but we made it.

Stepping outside of my comfort zone was difficult to say the least, but the views and rush of endorphins were definitely worth it. Also, the muffins at the Grouse Mountain cafeteria are to die for. f

FINE ART

NOV. 23 - 25

FANTASY

place

Univ. Centre Outside Auditorium

WILDLIFE

GIANT-SIZED POSTERS

hours

MUSIC

9-6

FRAMES & HANGERS

last day

9-5

I like to move it, move it!

PHOTOGRAPHY 1000S OF POSTERS

THE

POSTER SALE

FILM

illustration by Julia Pancova

One student sweats it out at U of O Zumba class Ali Schwabe | Fulcrum Staff

THE GEE-GEES’ WEBSITE makes a pretty hefty promise regarding their Zumba classes: “This cardio fitness class, inspired

by Latin and international dance, will guarantee smiling and sweating the whole way through!” I went into the experience with high expectations, and wasn’t let down in the slightest.

Behind the dance The American College of Sports Medicine recently announced that Zumba has been listed as one of the top 10 fitness trends for 2012, with classes now being offered in 125 countries and more than 12 million people participating every week. Zumba, a dance workout more similar to a party than an exercise regime, was created in Columbia during the late ‘90s by fitness and dance instructor Alberto Perez. The exercise is touted as effective, high calorie-burning, and easy to follow.

Moves like Jagger For those of you afraid you don’t have the technical abilities necessary for a class based on Latin dance, have no fear! My own mother once forbade me from auditioning for So You Think You Can Dance, because, as she rightly proclaimed, I have no rhythm.

Despite not being an aspiring Ginger Rogers, I was able to follow the choreographed routines without too many technical difficulties. Unlike other fitness dance classes, Zumba is based around the music, which includes hits from a variety of popular artists like Beyoncé and LMFAO. Rath-

er than counting reps over the music, the music guides your movements—which include plenty of jumping, skipping, and sexy hip shaking—for an intense cardio workout interspersed with muscle-building fitness moves like squats and arm extensions.

This class is great for men and women, first years and tenured professors, people made of muscle and people (like me!) made of … less muscle. When the workout gets too intense, it’s easy to step instead of jump, and there’s no shame sitting out a song or two when you get exhausted.

Why it’s different. And awesome First, can we talk about how free this class is to students and staff at the University of Ottawa? It’s completely free! These are quality, qualified instructors who work in other gyms and charge for other classes. If you can’t make it to any of the sessions, one instructor teaches drop-in classes at the YMCA for $6 a class.

It’s also an incredible workout, but the reason I ended up going three more times in the week after I attended my first class wasn’t because of the amount of sweat I knew was guaranteed to be gathering across my brow, down my back, and between my toes (It’s not quite as disgusting as it sounds. You’ll feel accomplished, I promise).

No, the reason I kept going back is because the class put me in such an amazing mood for the rest of the day. You get to start off your day listening to awesome music, hearing compliments from the instructors, and shaking your butt! I’m never looking at the clock, and the hour goes by surprisingly fast. This is one of the first workouts I’ve found to be genuinely fun. f Zumba classes are offered Mondays 7–8 a.m., Tuesdays 8:30–9:30 a.m. and 12:15– 1:50 p.m., Wednesdays 5:30–6:30 p.m., and Thursdays 8:30–9:30 a.m. Doublecheck the schedule online at Geegees.ca/ node/942?cat=1 to see which studio you’ll be in. Classes are held at Montpetit and the Sports Complex. Bring a water bottle, comfy athletic shoes, and get ready to fall in love with the dance party craze!

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

features | 19

thethryllabus Music Nov. 17: Bruce Peninsula and The BP Revue play Raw Sugar Café (692 Somerset St. W.), 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 18: Project Mars, The Jay Coyle Band, and Pia Ashley play Zaphod Beeblebrox (27 York St.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 19: My Dad Vs Yours, Rolf Klausener, and Mike Dubue play St. Brigid’s Centre (302 St. Patrick St.), 8:30 p.m.

Nov. 22: Signs of Chaos and MyShadow play The Rainbow (76 Murray St.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 23: Close Your Eyes, Lower Than Atlantis, and S3X play Mavericks (221 Rideau St.), 6 p.m.

Nov. 23: Trans-Siberian Orchestra plays Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Nov. 24: Mother Mother plays Bronson Centre Theatre (211 Bronson Ave.), 7 p.m.

Nov. 24: Ganglians and Friends plays Raw Sugar Café (692 Somerset St. W.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 24: The Beatdown and Kraken The Case play Café Dekcuf (221 Rideau St.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 25: Hey Rosetta!, The Jezabels, and Ivan & Alyosha play Bronson Centre Theatre (211 Bronson Ave.), 7 p.m.

Nov. 26: Striver, Gerbia, Bruce Boris, Shot Nerves, and Its Asshole Time play Kent St. Legion (330 Kent St.), 7 p.m.

Nov. 27: Kalle Mattson and Nathan Wilson & the Details play Zaphod Beeblebrox (27 York St.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 27: Dancing with Paris, Longshot, End of Crisis, Equalizer, Wolves in Stride, Against All Odds, and Among the Many play Club SAW (67 Nicholas St.), 6:30 p.m.

Visual art Now–Nov. 20: Decolonize Me displayed at the Ottawa Art Gallery (2 Daly Ave.) Now–Nov. 22: Works by Raynald Leclerc displayed at the Koyman Galleries (1771 St. Laurent Blvd.)

Now–Nov. 26: César Damián’s Migration/Memory displayed at Gallery 101 (301 Bank St.) Now–Nov. 27: Works by Victoria Wonnacott displayed at the Cube Gallery (1285 Wellington St. W.) Now–Nov. 27: Works by Alison SmithWelsh displayed at the Cube Gallery

Want your event listed on the thryllabus? Email events@thefulcrum.ca

(1285 Wellington St. W.) Now–Jan. 8: David Askevold’s Once Upon a Time in the East displayed at the National Gallery of Canada (380 Sussex Dr.) Nov. 26–Dec. 6: Works by Maya Eventov displayed at the Koyman Galleries (1771 St. Laurent Blvd.)

ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St.), 1:30 p.m.

Nov. 27: While You Were on Facebook plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Theatre

Film

Now–Nov. 19: And Slowly Beauty... plays at the National Arts Centre (53 Elgin St.)

Nov. 18: Happy Feet Two and The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn released to theatres

Now–Nov. 20: White Christmas: the Musical plays at the Centrepointe Theatre (101 Centrepointe Dr.)

Nov. 19: Melancholia plays at the ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St.), 6:40 p.m.

Nov. 22–26: Jackie plays at the National Arts Centre (53 Elgin St.)

Nov. 18: Drive plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 9 p.m.

Nov. 23: Arthur, Hugo, The Muppets, The Artist, and A Dangerous Method released to theatres Nov. 24: The Full Monty plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 7 p.m.

Nov. 25: Contagion plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 8:45 p.m.

Nov. 26: The Big Lebowski plays at the Mayfair Theatre (1074 Bank St.), 8:45 p.m.

Nov. 27: Midnight in Paris plays at the

Nov. 25–26: Danzón plays at the National Arts Centre (53 Elgin St.) Sports events Nov. 18: Women’s basketball: GeeGees play the University of Windsor Lancers at Montpetit Hall (125 University Pvt.), 6 p.m.

Nov. 19: Men’s basketball: Gee-Gees play the University of Western Ontario Mustangs at Montpetit Hall (125 University Pvt.), 8 p.m.

Nov. 19: Men’s hockey: Gee-Gees play the Nipissing University Lakers at the Sports Complex (801 King Edward Ave.), 7 p.m.

Nov. 20: Women’s volleyball: GeeGees play the York University Lions at Montpetit Hall (125 University Pvt.), 2 p.m.

Nov. 27: Ottawa Senators play the Carolina Hurricanes at Scotiabank Place (1000 Palladium Dr.), 5 p.m.

Miscellaneous happenings Now–Dec. 4: European Union Film Festival is held at Library and Archives Canada (395 Wellington St.) Nov. 19: Christmas Bazaar held at St. John the Apostle Church (2340 Baseline Rd.), 8:30 a.m.

Nov. 20: Ottawa Authors & Artisans Fair 2011 at the Jack Purcell Centre (320 Jack Purcell Lane), 10 a.m.

Nov. 21: Women in Science and Engineering (U of O chapter) hosts a workshop called “Starting Your Own Business” at SITE (800 King Edward Ave.), 6 p.m.

Nov. 26: Student Association of the Faculty of Arts hosts “Jail Party” at the Hi-Ottawa Jail Hostel (75 Nicholas St.), 9 p.m.

Nov. 27: The Sigma Psi Alpha Sorority hosts “Pie a Sigma Psi,” a fundraiser for the Lupus Foundation of Canada, at Father and Sons (112 Osgoode St.), 9 p.m.

nov. 17–27

FEATURES Kristyn Filip | features@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

DISTRACTIONS

Dear Di...

Dear Di, I am boy crazy, but the guys I tend to like are white and I’m not. I’m so scared to go up to a guy who is a diff erent race than I am. How can I figure out if a guy is attracted to non-white women before I approach him?

—Looking for a White Guy Dear LWG, I think you’d be hard pressed to fi nd someone who can defi nitively say, “I am sexually aroused by the sight of any Xcoloured person.” And if you did happen to meet someone like that, you’d probably be a little creeped out, right? Allow me to elaborate.

When you spot a white dude who turns your crank, is it actually the colour of his skin that gets your juices flowing?

Or is it his to-die-for green eyes? His suck-on-me full lips? His razor-sharp cheekbones? I hope you see my point here—the pigmentation of a person’s epidermis is not what makes him or her smoking hot. It’s the composition of their facial features, their amazing sense of humour, or the way their ass looks in a pair of well-fitting jeans. Sexy skin tone is only one part of the equation, not the bottom line.

Any hottie worth getting horizontal with will be horny for you because he’s bowled over by your beautiful breasts, your phenomenal personalpersonal ity, or your luscious locks—not the fact that you’re black, brown, white, purple, or

polka-dotted.

The moral of the story is this: If a guy is concerned about the colour of your skin, he probably isn’t someone you should waste your time with anyways.

Love, Di Dear Di, I watch a lot of porn that features fi sting—you know, when someone makes a fi st and sticks it up a vagina or an anus—and it turns me on so much. I want to try it out with my girlfriend, but she’s convinced it’ll be painful because her pussy is “too small.” I think she’s crazy. If vaginas can stretch wide enough for a baby to slip out of, then I see no reason why I can’t fit my fi st in hers!

—Fisting Fetish Dear FF, What a lucky lady your girlfriend is!

She’s snagged herself a real charmer of a boyfriend. I hope you aren’t as oblivious to sarcasm as you clearly are to your woman’s concerns and feelings.

The phrasing of your letter makes me fear you slept through sex education classes in elementary school. Assuming this is the case, allow me to give you a crash course: Babies do not “slip out” of vaginas. Rather, a woman’s

Sexy Sidenote: It is illegal to sell or purchase sex toys in Alabama and Mississippi. I’ll be sure to avoid those states on my next trip south of the border!

cervix dilates during childbirth in order to accommodate the infant’s body.

The woman then exerts super-human strength in order to expel the child. In layman’s terms, babies don’t shoot of out of pussies because pussies aren’t made of elastic—they can’t stretch great lengths on command.

If your girlfriend decides she’s down to give fisting a shot, start by pleasuring her orally or manually, as her vagina will expand slightly when she becomes aroused. Your fi ngernails should be trimmed and it’s recommended you wear surgical gloves to stop the spread of infection. Use as much lube as possible and slowly insert two or three fi ngers into her pussy.

Do not—I repeat, do not—make a fi st before entering her; you have to go in fi ngers fi rst. If your woman enjoys the sensation and wants more, try inserting your remaining digits.

It may take a few fi sting sessions for your girl to become relaxed enough to take your entire hand. Listen to your lady and let her lead. If she wants you to stop, slowly pull out when she’s ready.

I must admit, I highly doubt your girl will ever come around to the idea. Fisting is not exactly a conventional sex act in every person’s repertoire, is it? I’m all for couples getting kinky between the sheets, but you need to experiment in ways you’re both excited about and comfortable with.

If your girlfriend refuses to participate and you simply can’t survive without the feeling of warmth and wetness surrounding your fi st, why not pull out the lube and stick your hand up your own ass?

Love, Di Questions for Di? Email deardi@thefulcrum.ca or find her on Twitter (@Dear_di) or Facebook (Di Daniels)

“Flying Cars” | XKCD

answers on p. 11 (CUP) — Puzzles provided by BestCrosswords.com. Used with permission.

Across 1- _ lift?; 6- Seine feeder; 10- Attempt; 14- Approvals; 15- Heath; 16- River in central Switzerland; 17- High-speed separator; 20- Monetary unit of Afghanistan; 21- The Younger and The Elder; 22- All there; 26- Regain strength; 30- Fate; 34- Plunder; 35- Writer Hentoff; 36Asian holiday; 38- Become less intense, die off; 39- DC bigwig; 40- Subway turner; 42- “... _ the cows come home”; 43- Cry _ River; 44- Taoism founder; 45- Caution; 49- Listener; 50- IRS IDs; 51- Considers; 54- Freight weight; 56- Naive; 64- Buenos _ ; 65- Area of 4840 square yards; 66Musical drama; 67- Actress McClurg; 68- Norse god of thunder; 69- Water vapor; Down 1- Big Apple sch.; 2- Conger; 3- Cornerstone abbr.; 4- German article; 5- Quickly, quickly; 6- Beaten egg dish; 7- Charged particle; 8- Drunkard; 9- Be human; 10- Adventurous expedition; 11- Lacking slack; 12- Jason’s craft; 13- Apians; 18- Swearword; 19- Rapper born Tracy Marrow; 22- Herring type; 23- Semitic language; 24- Kathmandu resident; 25- Prepare a book or film for release; 27- Filmic; 28- Son of Judah; 29- Large container; 31- Chemical ending; 32- Inflammation of the ear; 33- Wrestling hold; 37- Ages between 13 and 19; 39- Big rig; 40- Pouch; 41- Small children; 43- Mire; 44- Vive _ !; 46- Branching; 47- Pointed end; 48- Hogwarts attendee; 51- Type of ranch; 52- Children’s author Blyton; 53- Actor Morales; 55- Sgts., e.g.; 57- Covering for the head; 58German pronoun; 59- Hit sign; 60- Appropriate; 61- Driver’s aid; 62- Baseball stat; 63- Block up;

It happened this week in history

THE FULCRUM 1993 We report that U.S. citizen George A. Yukon attempts to secure refugee status in Canada in order to receive medical care that he can’t afford in his own country.

OTTAWA 1939 Margaret Atwood, the world-famous Canadian novelist, poet, and critic, is born in Ottawa.

CANADA 1983 Statistics Canada announces the population of Canada officially reaches 25,000,000 people.

THE WORLD 1920 During the Irish War of Independence, 31 people are killed in Dublin on one day, which comes to be known as “Bloody Sunday.”

OPINIONS Jaclyn Lytle | executive@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5258

21

OPINIONS

No mo’ Movember?

Two students sound off on the facial hair-focused campaign

I

t’s time for men to throw out their razors and women to start constructing felt ‘staches. That’s right—it’s Movember again, which means moustaches for all!

Currently in its fourth year as a formal Canadian

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charity campaign, Movember has thousands of

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n men across the country growing their facial hair in illu

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support of prostate cancer research and awareness. While many are garnering donations and applause galore for their participation, others are getting nothing but dirty looks. As the campaign continues to grow, Canadians are wondering whether or not Movember is worth the effort.

What’s your reason for tossing your razor?

Remember, remember, the mo’s of Movember

point

counterpoint

W

hile moustache season is in full swing and I am a well-known fan of facial hair, I am still not entirely sure how to feel about Movember.

While I think it is a rather jovial way to raise money and awareness for an illness that affects one in seven Canadian men in their lifetime, I am still skeptical about the impact of Movember and whether the campaign takes the right approach.

According to the Movember Canada website, 86 per cent of funds raised by Movember initiatives go toward research and survivor support programs of Prostate Cancer Canada, while only two per cent go toward awareness and education programs associated with Movember.

While I understand funding scientific research is more costly than any education program and continued research is necessary for a disease so prevalent, two per cent seems low to me. Nine out of 10 prostate cancer cases are curable if caught early. Shouldn’t we care more than two measly per cent about the importance of awareness?

Screening and prevention information is not readily found on the Movember website. The campaign seems to rely on its Mo Bros to get the word out on these topics. Perhaps as the campaign grows in size, the dialogue will increase and more men will visit their healthcare professionals for further information, but for the time being, the campaign is too vague.

Movember Canada aspires to be an important campaign in men’s health, but how many people are raising money and engaging in meaningful conversations about their health and lifestyle choices in addition to growing their facial hair?

While research is necessary, more funds need to be dedicated to easily accessible education and prevention.

There is a real way to reduce the number of men living with and dying from prostate cancer, and that is early detection. Movember Canada and all its participants should be urging men to get tested now and groom their moustaches later.

—Natalie Tremblay

E

very November, guys and girls around the world come together to grow—or draw on—the best moustache they can muster throughout Movember, as it’s now commonly called.

In Canada, these participants grow their mo’s in support of prostate cancer awareness and research. Mo Bros, as they have been dubbed, can register at Movember. com at the beginning of the month and grow their mo while raising funds for a good cause.

But Movember isn’t just for guys. Many a Mo Sista can be seen during Movember with a carefully chosen moustache drawn on her face or her index finger. Mo Sistas represent a large group of support during Movember, and together nearly 119,000 Canadian Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raised over $22 million last year.

Movember is not just a great way to raise awareness and funds for a very serious disease, but it’s fun, competitive, and gets people thinking about men’s health. Guys compete to see who can grow the biggest, dirtiest-looking, and most outlandish moustache. It’s a time of year when it becomes acceptable for guys

to try out all the crazy moustache styles they might otherwise be too scared to sport—Fu Manchu, anyone?

Movember is a creative and entertaining movement with millions of Mo Bros and Mo Sistas participating globally every year. It’s a month that effectively raises awareness of topics people have previously been reluctant to discuss, and has

It’s fun, competitive, and gets people thinking about men’s health.

What does Movember mean to you?

OTTAWANS HAVE THEIR say about the ongoing campaign.

“Good for fundraising, bad for faces.”

—Taryn Lytle “It grows on me.”

—Evan Abrams “It’s a hairy situation.”

—Scott Macdonell

helped raise millions of dollars worldwide for programs like Prostate Cancer Canada. Movember isn’t just about growing moustaches—it’s about coming together to fight a disease that will affect one in seven men in their lifetime.

Th is Movember, whether you’re a guy or a girl, join the movement and help out a great cause—and don’t forget to grow your mo.

—Kiera Obbard

“[I] think all you girls who can grow ‘staches should. You know who ya’ll are.”

—Jason Juneau

22 | opinions

thefulcrum.ca | Nov. 17–23, 2011

OC silence Let the man sing!

Edward Roué | Fulcrum Staff

I’VE NEVER BEEN a huge fan of OC Transpo’s management, but when their decision to silence Yves Roy—the Singing Bus Driver—hit the press, it really struck a chord with me.

Roy, who is a full-time OC bus driver, was ordered to cease his long-time practice of singing loudly at work following the complaints of 12 patrons this past week.

It’s a move I disagree with on a number of levels from the political to the more personal, and it seemed to crystallize a lot of things I’ve been thinking about our public transit system and the way it’s run.

Considering all the recent OC controversy, from the route-cutting “Optimization” plan to the YouTube.com footage of an irate bus driver threatening and verbally abusing a passenger, it was the last thing the service’s reputation needed.

If you’ve lived in Ottawa for as long as I have, you know it’s not controversial to say that our public transit system has an image problem. The advertisements emblazoned on bus shelters across the city reminding us of the important jobs transit workers do is an acknowledgement of this fact as much as an effort to solve the problem.

In a week where one cellphone video after another emerged showing the ugly side of OC Transpo, the decision to silence Roy was like reloading and shooting themselves in the other foot. If the online reaction is any indication of public opinion on the matter, a move to let him sing would be a much-needed step in the right direction.

Gagging Roy is part of a greater pattern of petty authoritarianism on the part of OC Transpo management that has raised tensions in our city. It brings to mind one of the perennial demands of the transit workers’ union: More accommodating schedules. When the men and women many of us depend on to get where we’re going are being told to shut up, stop singing, and drive whenever and wherever they’re told, it makes our buses an unhappy workplace.

As someone who takes the bus nearly every day of his life, I have always been struck by what a solitary experience it is.

We all sit around, lost in our newspapers and our music (or, sometimes, our neighbour’s music), not speaking or even looking at one another.

The news coverage about Roy, however, has turned up some heartwarming stories of groups of passengers joining him in renditions of their favourite songs.

Whether it’s on that first commute early Monday morning or after a long day at the university, couldn’t we all use a rousing chorus of a classic like “Que Sera, Sera” every now and then?

Issues relating to OC Transpo have

Jaclyn Lytle | Fulcrum Staff

Scary suburbs IN THE EARLY hours of this past Sunday, another young man was shot to death on a quiet street in Ottawa’s west-end suburb of Barrhaven. The death, which marks the area’s third murder, has visibly shaken residents of the community and surrounding areas. While this is only Ottawa’s 10th homicide case of the year, many are reacting to the crime as a sign of increased violence throughout the city. Is expansion in Ottawa leading to increased crime rates, or are we merely reeling from the unexpected aspect of the death?

illustration by Devin Beauregard

long divided us as students and residents of this city, from the 2008–09 bus strike to the controversy surrounding the new UPass. When Roy’s story exploded into the media and onto the Internet, few people were as pleasantly surprised as I was to

see such a groundswell of support and sympathy for one of our city’s bus drivers.

Wherever else we may disagree, students and transit riders across the city can rally around one simple demand: Let the man sing! f

Letters (continued from p. 3) Many would argue that people could no longer afford to go to school, which is apparently their only option; however, this is simply not true. By letting the free market take over, universities would have to lower their prices so as to attract more students.

Much like the market for cellphones, iPods, and computers, where there are no impediments, universities would have to compete for their students and wouldn’t be able to increase tuition fees every year.

This would dramatically decrease tuition fees. The fact that government is involved with post-secondary education, guaranteeing student loans and subsidizing universities, creates moral hazard.

Furthermore, post-secondary education is an option. What is the thing we hear most from students that have graduated? “I have a great university degree, but I can’t find a job?” Well, with no hands-on experience, it’s no wonder why many—if not most—are having difficulty finding a good job.

Elite institutions make it sound like there is no hope for those who don’t attend post-secondary education. The fundamentals of a strong economy are based on savings and production. Our economy nowadays is driven by consumer spending; however, we are all broke!

People need to go back to working jobs that produce goods and start saving again.

Denying some students access to university will enable them to get hands-on experience and further help our economy grow through production and reduced debt.

Sending all our kids to school so they can get a degree with no experience and loading them up on debt doesn’t quite seem like the proper solution to me. This

can be shown in our weak national income figures, complete lack of household savings, and federal deficit. I mean, can my options really be worse than what’s in place right now? We cannot spend our way out of recession, nor can we borrow our way out of debt. We need to return to sound fundamentals.

Corey Duford Third-year economics student Selling out at the U of O IT WAS DISAPPOINTING to read this week about the university’s decision to rename the Sports Complex to the Minto Sports Complex in “honour” of the Minto Group—a North American real-estate conglomerate. While the university may have couched the renaming as recognition for Minto’s philanthropic community ventures, it is the clear result of a prolonged session of mutual back scratching.

Minto made a donation enabling the purchase of the land where the Desmarais Building—home to the donation-riddled Telfer School of Management—can be found. In exchange, our university founded one of the few buildings on campus without a namesake and has revamped it as the Minto Sports Complex.

Not only do I fail to see the link between Minto’s real-estate business or their donation and our Sports Complex (at least 90 University would have been more appropriate), but I am appalled at how the University of Ottawa continues to allow honours such as building names—and even names of faculties—to be bought and sold.

Our buildings used to be named after outstanding persons from our university,

such as Roger Guindon, and those who made substantial changes to our nation, like Gérald Fauteux. Now it seems that it only takes a fistful of cash to achieve what once took a lifetime of hard work and dedication to higher learning. Are there no former University of Ottawa athletes or health science faculty members deserving of the same honour as the Minto Group?

Although this may have started in 1988 with the building of Pérez Hall, it is sad to see it continue. I understand that some individual research projects may not be possible without access to corporate resources, such as pharmaceutical compounds.

These have to pass through various levels of ethics review—many established by the university.

Unfortunately, the university administration seems to have trouble turning down donations, no matter the source—I would be delighted to be proven wrong. It is not difficult see this spreading to the endowment of the Saudi Arabian Department of Women’s Studies or the Pepsi Cube.

Eventually, if not already, academic standards will be compromised and questions have to be raised about the true mission of a university. It is comforting to see that my faculty—medicine—is taking a leading role in the battle against corporate sponsorship, down to the elimination of free backpacks for entering medical students. The same cannot be said of other faculties, especially those claiming to churn out professionals.

As an academic community, we have to decide: How much of our body are we willing to sell?

Madison Gray Second-year medical student

Is the SFUO ashamed of veterans?

COULD THE STUDENT Federation of the University of Ottawa (SFUO) please clarify whether or not they are ashamed of veterans?

On Nov. 11, I noticed that not one of the SFUO execs were present at the University of Ottawa Remembrance Day ceremony.

Why is it that Amy Hammett has time to use Facebook during her paid working hours to give tips to the Occupy Ottawa protesters (this was on UoLeaks.com), but when it comes to paying respect to Canada’s fallen soldiers, she is no where to be seen?

Also, on the SFUO Facebook page, the SFUO chose Nov. 11 to make a post about “how to clean a garden.” It was only because of the Men’s Resource Centre that there was anything regarding Remembrance Day at all from our student federation.

As far as I am concerned, this small act made the Men’s Resource Centre more classy than all of the SFUO’s so-called student leaders, who on a sacred day did no leading whatsoever.

Freedom is never free. During both world wars, brave soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure that all people (including students) could live a care-free life. The fact that the SFUO deliberately ignored Remembrance Day by not making an announcement is an outrageous and pathetic attempt to efface countless courageous acts by men and women who cared more about the well-being of others than they did about themselves.

For shame. Lest we forget.

Amélie Cadieux Third-year arts student

Assisting suicide THOUGH IT HAS been just over a year and a half since Parliament overwhelmingly defeated Bill C-834, which would have legalized assisted suicide in Canada, a new case seeks to establish precedent that will alter laws surrounding the practice.

The Carter vs. Attorney General of Canada petition requests that “the administration of medication or other treatment that intentionally brings about a patient’s death by the act of a medical practitioner” be legalized, which would in effect legalize doctorassisted suicide. Should the courts uphold the decision that has already been made on the matter, or allow this case to set a new precedent for assisted suicide in Canada?

Steaming up the screen again WITH THE LATEST instalment of the Twilight film franchise set to hit theatres Nov. 18, fans are being swept up in the anticipation of a hot and heavy sex scene between stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart. While the majority of the movie’s young target audience is squealing with excitement, some fans are irked that a sex scene is included in the film, despite the fact none appears in the Christian books.

Is the inclusion of the scene important for our super-sexualized society, or should the filmmakers have stayed true to the books?

Care to comment? Tell us what your opinion is at Thefulcrum.ca/category/opinions/.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mercedes Mueller | editor@thefulcrum.ca | (613) 562-5261

23

EDITORIAL

Volume 72, Issue 12, Nov. 17–23, 2011 Getting hairy since 1942.

Phone: (613) 562-5261 | Fax: (613) 562-5259 631 King Edward Ave. Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5 Recycle this, or get burned. Razor burned.

Movember publicizes— is that what we need?

staff Mercedes ‘Mexican’ Mueller Editor-in-Chief editor@thefulcrum.ca Michelle ‘ fu manchu’ Ferguson Production Manager production@thefulcrum.ca Jaclyn ‘lamb chop’ Lytle Executive Editor executive@thefulcrum.ca Mico ‘Grizzly Adams’ Mazza Art Director design@thefulcrum.ca Jane ‘lampshade’ Lytvynenko News Editor news@thefulcrum.ca Sofia ‘handlebar’ Hashi Arts & Culture Editor arts@thefulcrum.ca Kristyn ‘French twist’ Filip Features Editor features@thefulcrum.ca Katherine ‘caterpillar’ DeClerq Sports Editor sports@thefulcrum.ca Charlotte ‘Chaplin’ Bailey Online Editor online@thefulcrum.ca Christopher ‘Rasputin Radojewski Associate News Editor associate.news@thefulcrum.ca Ali ‘chevron’ Schwabe Copy Editor Keeton ‘walrus’ Wilcock Staff Writer Sam ‘Kaizer’ Cowan Staff Proofreader Julia ‘painter’s brush’ Pancova Staff Illustrator Joshua ‘petite handlebar’ Pride Volunteer & Visibility Coordinator volunteer@thefulcrum.ca Danielle ‘Pacho Villa’ Vicha General Manager business.manager@thefulcrum.ca Deidre ‘Dali’ Butters Advertising Representative ads@thefulcrum.ca

contributors Evan ‘aviator’ Abrams Brennan ‘Bove’ Bova Tegan ‘toothbrush’ Bridge Leia ‘abrakadabra’ Atkinson Sean ‘sanchez’ Campbell Sean ‘Dupont’ Done Devin ‘dictator’ Beauregard Grace ‘imperial’ Iori Allan ‘American standard’ Johnson Jason ‘lamo’ Juneau Danyal ‘ol’ Dutch’ Khoral Sarah ‘horseshoe’ Horlick Scott ‘major’ Macdonell Taryn ‘lip’ Lytle Kiera ‘cowboy’ Obbard Edward ‘Ramon’ Roué Darren ‘Stalin’ Sharp Colin ‘scraggler’ Sutherland Natalie ‘English’ Tremblay Tina ‘whiskers’ Wallace

cover art by Mico Mazza

illustration by Devin Beauregard

M

ovember is halfway over—and from pencil-thin caterpillars to handlebar styles, moustaches of all shapes and sizes are sprouting up on faces on campus. But as we see more facial hair grow, we can’t help but wonder: Is Movember accomplishing the goals it was created to achieve? Is it raising money for prostate cancer research, or is it just becoming a reason for men to grow a mo?

As a part of the global Movember movement, Canada has earned the most money so far. According to Movember. com, Canadians raised $22.3 million last year and over $17 million in this year’s campaign so far, the majority of which goes to Prostate Cancer Canada (PCC) and The Movember Foundation.

Yet many of us know men who are growing a moustache in “support” of the cause who don’t ask for donations or pledges. People can also donate to the campaign by going to end-of-the-month Movember parties—but once again, we ask: Is this being done in the name of cancer research? Or are bars and clubs just cashing in on the event to make money on drinks?

The problem we have with Movember—which is a good idea in principle—

is how the campaign has evolved. The idea that a man’s exposure to prostate cancer, which will claim 4,100 lives this year, could be reduced by men choosing not to shave trivializes the life-threatening disease.

According to PCC, one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime. Th is means serious business for men—and it’s serious business for women who, if they want to support the cause, have limited options.

A woman can support her male friends fi nancially or draw a moustache on her fi nger and put it on top of her lip. Or—as our mostly female editorial board learned when we went online to fi nd out more about the cause—we could have sex with moustached men.

That’s right—a clip on YouTube.com, with over one million views, involves women telling other women that in order to support prostate cancer, we should use the only thing we’re apparently good for: Our vaginas.

Obviously the clip is meant to be comedic, but once again, it trivializes the disease (as well as women’s issues at large, stating “You’re not a whore if it’s for charity!”).

Some people argue that even if the

moustaches aren’t getting money out of all the participants, at least the campaign is raising awareness.

Granted, awareness is important in that we can’t fi x a problem we don’t know exists, but awareness alone isn’t enough to make an impact on disease.

When we think about awareness, we usually think about being aware of social phenomena—like being aware animal cruelty exists or that our words aren’t politically correct. Awareness is important when we need to change society’s attitudes about something, but when it comes to disease, we need more than that—we need education.

Education can happen through various channels. Th rough health programs for young adults, organized school curriculums, or government-organized initiatives, we could educate Canadians about cancer.

All of these initiatives require funding for prostate cancer studies—the primary, though perhaps misinterpreted, goal of Movember. But education can also be free. Educating others can be as simple as men supporting Movember by talking about the issues surrounding prostate cancer.

We’re not against having fun while

supporting a cause. We are, however, against the trivialization of a life-threatening disease. The “fun” in “fundraising” should be happening while the goal of the movement succeeds, not in spite of it.

Out of the $22.3 million that was raised last year, only two per cent went to men’s health awareness and education. When we hear about the “walking billboards” these men’s faces become throughout November, it means very little if moustached men don’t think seriously about why they’re sporting moustaches.

When it comes to diseases, we need to do more than make people aware they exist: We need education, research, and a cure.

So we’re calling out to everyone who’s supporting the Movember movement— be the change you want to see. Educate yourself on the issues surrounding male health. Share your reasons for participating with your friends. Because to jump on the moustache bandwagon without actually supporting the cause doesn’t help anyone. editor@thefulcrum.ca (613) 562-5261