4 December 2013

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA STUDENTS’ NEWSPAPER

Science and music

n e ws

co m m e n t

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s c i e n c e & t e c h n o lo g y

f e at u r e

NHL concussed Health gap Players file lawsuit, claim league negligent

SInclair inquest reveals issues of negligence in MB

Sound findings

Lit. competition Herd spirit Winners inside for your reading pleasure

Bison Big Horns cheer squad profiled

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page 15

page 11-14

page 16- 18

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Measure for measure, we explore music and science

Vo l 1 0 0 · N o 1 6 · d e c e m b e r 4 , 2 0 1 3 · w w w.t h e m a n i to b a n .co m

s p o rts

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Index

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

cover image

NEWS

pg 3-5

EDITORIAL

pg 7

SPORTS

pg 8-10

SCIENCE

pg 11-14

COMMENT

pg 15

FEATURE

pg 16-18

DIVERSIONS

pg 19

ARTS &CULTURE

pg 20-24

by Bryce Hoye & Beibei Lu

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Toban Talkback

Q:

Tyler Webber

Krystie Jansen

Kelly MacWilliam

“I think it’s an integral part of hockey [ . . . ] – it’s part of the environment people expect when they go there. They expect to see tempers flare. I think of course that there’s a line that should be drawn, [ . . . ] but I don’t think it’s something that should be completely banned because then you’re turning it into a different kind of sport.”

“I don’t really think NHL fighting should be allowed because it’s dangerous and I don’t really see that it has a place in the game. [ . . . ] The most entertaining parts of hockey for me are the sport itself, and I always think it’s crazy that these professional athletes are punching one another with their helmets on.”

Do you think fighting should be banned in the NHL? Why or why not?

Caleigh MacDonald, staff

Univer si t y 1

“Fighting in hockey should be allowed [because] it would make people be responsible for their actions. If somebody took a head shot and knew that they were going to get beat up by somebody like [Zdeno] Chára they probably wouldn’t take that headshot anymore.”

Sydney Meyer Univer si t y 1

“Hockey is more interesting with fighting to watch.”

Facul t y o f S cience

Facul t y o f Ar ts

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Senior News Editor: Quinn Richert News Editor: Katy MacKinnon Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

News

Joe Clark visits UMFM to promote new book

Book suggests changes to Canada’s current governing strategy Katy MacKinnon, staff

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ormer prime minister Joe Clark mechanical, referring to robocalls as with your base, and you are going to visited UMFM last week to an example. become, if not indifferent to, at least promote his new book, How We In 2011, automated phone calls uninformed about, other Canadians. I Lead: Canada in a Century of Change. were sent to individuals on Election don’t know that we’ll ever repair that, The interview by program direc- Day, directing them to incorrect but it’s like so much: you don’t know tor Michael Elves will be aired on polling stations. Conservative staffer what you’ve lost until it’s gone.”

Turning Pages Dec. 4.

Michael Sona was charged with pur“I think now, with the base, there Since 1958, Clark has been actively posefully preventing electors from is a tendency to say, ‘these are not my involved with Canadian politics. He voting. voters, I’m going to worry much less led the Conservative Party of Canada “There’s been a lot of talk recently about them than I should.’” to victory in 1979, where his term as about robocalls. People assume only Clark feels this strategy is danprime minister lasted nine months. one party uses them. Well, that’s not gerous, given that our country has Clark was 39 at the time, and his- the case. All parties, unfortunately, been developed on people working torically Canada’s youngest prime use them. And that means the human together, such as during national minister. element—the dynamic of being part conversations on confederation and During the interview with Elves, of a human entity—has dissipated,” medical care.

Clark discussed the collaborative said Clark.

Although during the interview nature of political parties in the past, “All parties” or select MPs asso- Clark was careful to say that the versus the segmented nature of politi- ciated with them—save for the current federal government is “not cal parties today.

Green Party of Canada and the particularly malicious,” in his new “[In the past] you were formed, Parti Québécois—have at one time book he criticizes the current governbefore you got to the cabinet table, or another been fined for violating ment’s foreign policies. with a sense of appreciation of people Canadian Radio-television and “This is not a priority for them, this who came from very different parts Telecommunications Commission idea of becoming engaged in other of the country.” rules prohibiting the use of robocall communities. I think they think that He referred to a case in which technology.

[Canada] has a major challenge [ . .

Brian Mulroney arranged for Donald Some present-day politicians, . ] in developing our own domestic Mazankowski, an Albertan, and according to Clark, use a base strat- strengths. [The current government] Benoit Bouchard, a Quebecer, to work egy to maintain political presence sees the world [ . . . ] in terms of other together. The two were able to learn and voters. developed countries and our capacity about Canada from each other.

“If you come from a party where to be effective there.”

Clark suggested that present-day you know what your base is, you’re He commended the efforts of Canadian politics is tool-driven and going to spend much more time Canadians internationally—such

photo by michael elves

as their aid to the crisis in the afterlife. I hope we may be able to Philippines and famine in Ethiopia— take some of the ideas that I put but noted that this involvement is a forward and have them examined response rather than an anticipation critically and constructively in public of disaster. discussions to see if these things are Clark added that the current gov- really possible to do.” ernment is inexperienced in terms of Canada’s previous impact on develop- To hear the full interview, ing countries. tune in to 101.5 UMFM on “A good part of the reason I wrote Wednesday, Dec. 4 at 10:30 a.m. the book was not just to have it read but because I hope it may have an

Solitary confinement: a phenomenological perspective

Philosopher Lisa Guenther speaks with students, faculty, and activists about prisoners’ rights Quinn Richert, staff

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isa Guenther, Vanderbilt University associate professor and former Winnipegger, was in town last week to discuss solitary confinement – an issue touching on notions of class, race, and gender.

Guenther gave two talks on Thursday, both co-sponsored by the University of Manitoba faculty of law.

During the afternoon, Guenther presented a talk, entitled “Social Death and Collective Resistance in the California Prison Hunger Strikes,” to law students and faculty. She argued that California’s management of striking prisoners constituted a refusal to acknowledge the political underpinnings of their imprisonment, and the “criminalization of resistance.”

“They want to be recognized as political prisoners,” Guenther told the Manitoban, referring to hunger-striking inmates in California’s Pelican Bay State Prison.

“Even if they came into the prison

system as gangbangers [ . . . ] they moniker comes from the “Special also became aware, either before or Housing Units” used to isolate prisduring their incarceration, of the oners in the United States. social character of their incarceraGuenther told the Manitoban tion and became increasingly politi- that while the term does not show cal in their own identifications as a up in the Diagnostic and Statistical prisoner class.”

Manual of Mental Disorders, it is During that talk, Guenther also “used and taken seriously in classanalyzed the legal ramifications of action lawsuits.”

California’s “refeeding” orders for “You could imagine people being prisoners refusing nourishment. bored or anxious because they are In the evening Guenther pre- not in relation to other people, but sented at the Millennium Library’s why would the borders around Carol Shields Auditorium, this things start to waver? Why would time drawing upon her academic a mesh door start to seem like it’s background in phenomenology to moving just because you’re alone? explain the curious physiological Phenomenology helps us to see how effects of solitary confinement, and the sensory and the social interalso to advance the position that it is connect, and how we draw on our akin to “a living death sentence.’” perceptual relation to other social According to Guenther, prison- beings to make sense of our own ers kept isolated for long periods of experience,” Guenther explained. time frequently report visual and “When we are deprived of that auditory hallucinations, as well as sensory social contact, then the symptoms of anxiety to varying everyday supports for our experidegrees of severity. The condition is ence are diminished.” referred to as SHU syndrome. The For Guenther, the ability of

solitary confinement to cut off the out parole and solitary confinement,” person’s meaningful relations to the said Guenther. world around her is also what makes She proposed that the legacy it so intolerable – again, a concept of slavery in the United States she says is best explained through has played a role in the country’s the language of phenomenology. continuing acceptance of not only “It is akin to murder in the sense solitary confinement, but also the that murder extinguishes a life, death penalty. but solitary confinement attacks “Even the 13th Amendment abolthe conditions under which life ishes slavery for everyone except becomes meaningful. That is a form convicted criminals,” mentioned of violence against the sense of liv- Guenther, referring to the work of ing being,” argued Guenther.

Angela Davis, who discussed the Beyond the strictly philosophical, topic at length in her book, Are Guenther also spoke with the audi- Prisons Obsolete? ence about how the differing social Currently on sabbatical in contexts of Canada and Nashville Montreal, Guenther was brought to (her place of work and residence) speak in Winnipeg stemming from influence solitary confinement. a connection with Debra Parkes, a “When you have the death pen- U of M associate professor of law alty as this absolute irreversible also interested in prisoners’ rights. punishment, all other extreme During her time in Winnipeg, punishments start to look relatively Guenther also appeared on Black moderate in comparison. The fact Mask, an anarchist radio show that the U.S. has the death penalty on the University of Winnipeg’s helps it to normalize other forms of CKUW 95.9 FM. extreme punishment like life with-

News

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VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

NHL players file lawsuit claiming brain injuries and negligence High school hockey players report concussions and lasting symptoms Caleigh MacDonald, staff

Concussion studies ongoing

photo by kaz andrew

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n Nov. 25, nine retired NHL players filed a class-action lawsuit against the NHL for failing to protect players from the effects of repeated brain trauma due to concussions. The number of players involved has since increased to 200.

The original suit alleges that the NHL knew, or should have known, about the dangerous effects of repeated concussive injuries to players’ brains, and negligently failed to provide that information to players and take steps to protect them from getting hurt.

Lawyers Steve Silverman and Mel Owens are leading the case, and reported the increase in plaintiffs within two days of the lawsuit being filed. Owens explained that there were no attempts to recruit players into joining, save for the messages he sent out on Twitter to alert former players of the suit.

The focus on concussions sustained They claim that the program had through contact sports is not new, no effect until 2011—14 years after according to the claim. the program began—when a report The claim references pathologist was published that “discussed only Harrison Martland, who published the number of concussions in the a study that linked “sub-concussive NHL for the regular seasons from blows sustained by boxers to injuries 1997–2004.” ranging from mild concussions to The claimants suggest that the degenerative brain disease” 85 years league deliberately chose to disreago. gard the empirical data from its own Such studies continue worldwide. studies. They allege that by particiThe claim states that the NHL pating in research, the NHL had a took no interest in the issue until 1997 responsibility to not “continue comwhen they instituted the “Concussion placently with the same conduct that Program,” which “initiated base- nurtured violent head trauma while line brain testing for its players advancing the NHL’s financial and and required its team doctors and political interests.” trainers to maintain records of all Commissioner Gary Bettman players believed to have suffered stated in 2011 that more research was concussions.” needed to conclusively link concusThe plaintiffs say that this program sions to the kind of brain injuries that did not actually protect the players. are now being outlined in the lawsuit.

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NHL players have fallen victim to a A local study of brain injuries is lengthy recovery time. After receiving being run by Michael Goytan, head a blind-side hit on Jan. 1, 2011, Sidney of the Winnipeg Spine Program and Crosby was forced to remain out of the assistant professor of orthopaedics game for nearly 11 months due to conand neurosurgery at the University of cussion symptoms.

Manitoba. The study is being conducted in collaboration with St. Paul’s High Some players against lawsuit School, the Pan Am Clinic Foundation, Many players have spoken against and the University of Manitoba via the the lawsuit, criticizing the former playHealth Sciences Centre. ers for pleading ignorance about the The study seeks “to determine potential harms of a contact sport like whether neck strength and aerobic hockey. capacity are predictors in the prevention “I’ve always lived in the fact that I of concussions,” said James Schroeder played the game of hockey knowing a wellness co-ordinator and athletic there was a lot of risk to be taken. I went therapist at St Paul’s High School. He on the ice knowing that my health and said that concussions are a serious con- my life could be altered in a split second, cern for players, but that the environ- and I did it because I loved the game,” ment for afflicted players is significantly said retired player Jeremy Roenick in a better than it used to be. statement to the Associated Press.

“There has been a lot more concus“I’m not going to tell people what to sion awareness in the last few years, and do. [ . . . ] That’s their prerogative. They players are being removed from games can put themselves in public. They can by their coaches or medical training go after the league that they craved to staff when they experience symptoms be in since they were little kids and paid on a more regular basis. [ . . . ] The old their salary.” style of thinking where coaches tell Roenick played in the NHL for athletes to ‘suck it up’ after a head injury nearly two decades, and claimed to is fading and becoming less common.” have received 13 concussions in his According to Schroeder, a frequent career. problem still persists amongst athletes, Crosby has echoed Roenick in an who do not always report their con- interview with CBC News, saying cussion symptoms to coaches or doc- that while he does think that changes tors—particularly if they are milder in could be made to ensure players’ safety, nature—due to a fear of being removed “You’re not going to be able to protect from the competition. everyone.”

“They still face pressure to play “The game’s physical. That’s what we through symptoms, as they do not signed up for. We played since we were want to lose their spot on their team, young. We all understand the risks that and they want to continue to earn their come with it.” living as a professional athlete.”

Some head injuries involve a lengthy recovery time

Sixteen-year-old David MacDonald, a St Paul’s first division hockey team player, received two major concussions while playing in the 2011-2012 hockey season.

“The first concussion left me with symptoms lasting approximately three months. Sensitivity to light and sound were big issues with that one, [as well as] constant headaches. [ . . . ] [The] second concussion at the end of the season left me with symptoms for around six and a half months.”

Other symptoms included blurred vision, difficulty with memory, dizzy spells, and balance problems.

Liam McLeod, another 16-year-old hockey player for St Paul’s, suffered head and neck injuries on Apr. 6, 2011 when he was knocked unconscious after falling into the boards. He missed 10 days of school and required six months to fully recover.

While both boys said they are physically fine now, MacDonald noted that his injuries have affected his psychological well-being.

“There is increased sensitivity to the head in terms of [your] overall concern.

There is always the worry when you think to yourself, ‘what if it happens again?’ or ‘what if there are long-term effects?’ [ . . . ] These concerns plague me, sometimes consciously and sometimes not, every time I lace up the skates to go on the ice again.”

Lawsuit without merit?

The lawsuit comes in close proximity to the one made by former NFL players against their league alleging concussion-related health problems – a suit that was settled for US $765 million.

NHL players have historically had a hand in jeopardizing their own safety, having fought measures to introduce mandatory helmets and visors in years past.

Winnipeg law yer Wayne Onchulenko said the players “have made many allegations” but that the validity of the lawsuit “depends on what the plaintiffs can prove.”

As the nature of the suit is classaction, potential changes made as a result of the suit would affect the entire category of players – around 10,000 athletes.

“Research needs to continue to be done so athletes can prevent head injuries and recover from them effectively,” Schroeder said.

“Rules of specific sports and equipment should be adjusted to protect athletes so their risk of concussion is less. However, there will always be risk of injury in sport – especially contact sports,” he added.

Bettman has called the case “a lawsuit without merit.” The NHL intends to “vigorously defend” the lawsuit.

The lawsuit demands a jury trial for which a date has not yet been announced.

Senior News Editor: Quinn Richert News Editor: Katy MacKinnon Contact: news@themanitoban.com / 474.6770

The Iranian nuclear deal: rapprochement or realpolitik?

U of M professors give insights into groundbreaking agreement Kevin Linklater, staff

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ran and the five permanent members of the security council, the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, the U.K., the U.S., and Germany) reached an agreement on Nov. 24 which will provide limited relief of sanctions in exchange for slowing or stopping aspects of the Iranian nuclear program. “[The significance of the deal] remains to be seen [ . . . ] it depends on the implementation of the agreement – for example, the kind of access that the inspectors are allowed to have from the Iranians, and if further talks can ultimately resolve this problem,” said James Fergusson, director of the Centre for Defence and Security Studies and professor of political studies at the University of Manitoba.

“The fact that they’re at the table is itself a major change in the relationship between Iran and the U.S.” – George MacLean Fergusson presented a variety of explanations as to why the Iranians have come to the table, but was skeptical of the possibility that the deal represented a genuine shift within Iran itself. He also voiced concern that the new moderate president, Hassan Rouhani, may not actually signal a significant change on foreign policy.

“It may be possible that what we’re seeing is just a short-term response to an immediate [economic] crisis within Iran, and it’s just putting the nuclear question on pause for now. It depends on how you see the clerics and how you see the new president,” said Fergusson.

U of M political studies professor George A. MacLean views the deal as significant in itself, even if it does fall apart moving forward.

“There’s quite a bit of significance here. First off, there’s actually a deal.

It’s a temporary one, but it’s a huge step. The fact that they’re at the table is itself a major change in the relationship between Iran and the U.S.≠≠,” said MacLean.

MacLean is relatively optimistic, viewing the deal as a genuine rapprochement between Iran and the West.

“We should be cautiously optimistic about this. I don’t think Iran will want to backtrack into intransigence

again. [They] seem to increasingly be playing to their domestic audience, which has shown a lot of support for this deal.”

MacLean noted that even in Israel, where the hardline government of Benjamin Netanyahu has called the agreement “a bad deal,” the population has been in favour of the diplomacy between Iran and the P5+1.

“Generally, Israelis are supportive of this,” said MacLean.

“Even the stock market surged and there were lots of statements coming out of the national press in Israel saying this is a good deal. Netanyahu saying it’s a bad deal seems to be at odds with sentiments of Israeli society generally.”

Fergusson pointed to the vast differences that remain between Iran and the United States, arguing that aside from their willingness to engage on the nuclear issue, he sees little to suggest a significant shift in Iran’s overall foreign policy.

“Until I see some more long-term evidence of bigger shifts in Iranian foreign policy, I remain skeptical of it.

For example, there’s no indication that the Iranians are going to alter their support for Hezbollah and Hamas, and those are key elements.”

MacLean and Fergusson agree that the U.S. is engaging Iran partly because of the need to solve the Syrian crisis.

“Iran is going to have to play a role in the resolution of the Syrian crisis, and this could create a space for progress to be had in ending or at least ameliorating some of it,” said MacLean.

MacLean also points out that Barack Obama may pursue the normalization of relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran as the lasting foreign policy legacy achieved under his administration.

“Obama has had few foreign policy successes, and this deal is probably being celebrated in Washington. I suspect that they will want to continue this momentum and have it carry over into a permanent solution.”

On the Iranian side, Fergusson points to the role of international sanctions in weakening the Iranian economy, thereby forcing Tehran to engage with the outside world.

“The regime faces a potentially dangerous internal situation and there is a need to relax these sanctions, to open up the Iranian economy again,” he said.

The deal between the P5+1 and Iran is set to last six months. That period will act as a negotiating window during which the two sides will attempt to work out a permanent agreement.

News

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Notable political economist Leo Panitch in Winnipeg U of M Global Political Economy lecture provides Marxist perspective on the integration of Canada into the American empire Kevin Linklater, staff

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ast Wednesday evening at the but they are not organizing [ . . . ] Fort Garry Hotel, the Global All I can say is, for God’s sake, stop Political Economy (GPE) program planning the next protest and start at the University of Manitoba hosted organizing politically.” a lecture by Leo Panitch.

Leo Panitch grew up in Panitch, a notable Marxist politi- Winnipeg’s North End, and took cal economist, U of M alumnus, and economics at the U of M, before professor of political science at York moving on to the London School University, spoke about what he of Economics and Political Science interprets as Canada’s incorporation where he earned his master of sciinto the American imperial project, ence degree and PhD. and elaborated on the history of Panitch takes a Marxist American international capital in approach to his analysis, and puts general. class struggle at the centre of his “Foreign capital came here not arguments. He is a supporter of the primarily to suck our resources out, Greater Toronto Workers Assembly nor to draw surpluses out; it came – a group concerned with organizhere to sell to a market. Already we ing activists in the working class can see the Canadian experience is movement. different from that of most countries Panitch is the third in the third world,” said Panitch dur- Deutscher-Prize-winner to ing the talk. present in the GPE program’s In speaking about the history series of lectures, the other two of American capital flow, Panitch being Robert Brenner, an ecoemphasized the transformational nomic historian from UCLA, and effects that outside investment may David Harvey, a distinguished hishave on foreign countries. tory professor at the City University “Capital, and especially American of New York with a research interest capital, isn’t just a flow of money. It in Marxism. moves as a class force [ . . . ] When Other academics the GPE proAmerican multinational capital gram has brought to Winnipeg moved, it was crucial in organiz- include Gérard Duménil, Li Minqi, ing and restructuring the capitalist Diane Elson, and Giovanni Arrighi. classes in the countries it moved to.”

Panitch recently co-wrote a book with Sam Gindin, entitled The Making of Global Capitalism: The Political Economy of American Empire, which argues that global capitalism was not something that developed unilaterally, but was built collaboratively, with the United States acting in a central role.

The book also argues that the major political outcome of the recent global financial crisis, far from putting neoliberalism on the back burner, has been the entrenchment of neoliberal policies.

“We can see class struggle in action in the growing wealth inequalities, or in the protections afforded to bond-holders while working-class mortgage-holders were tossed to the curb, or to the declaration of a new age of permanent austerity by David Cameron in the U.K.,” said Mark Hudson, co-ordinator of the GPE program and U of M assistant professor of sociology, in his introductory remarks of the evening.

A Q&A period followed in which the conversation was refocused onto speculations on the future of the left.

Panitch expressed skepticism over the notion that any leftist political movement representing the interests of the working class could emerge and take power, even during moments of capitalism-in-crisis.

“Because when the whole thing really falls apart, who is going to prevent fascism from becoming the answer to that? There are movements,

illustration by brad wohlgemuth

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Huaxin Xu’s family New immigrants to Canada of four months. A new beginning as fresh as the snow.

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Helen Wang and her daughter, Hanna.

Her family has been in Canada for 18 years. They are proud to be Winnipeggers.

Joy of the season – have your family portrait done for free 2013 Free Family Portrait project will bring great memories to your family Beibei Lu, staff

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ave you had your family portrait done for this coming this is especially true for immigrant families. For immigrants’ Christmas? With your parents, kids, friends, or your communities, a family portrait can mean much more, as they’ve buddies? travelled a long way to move to Canada to start their lives here. I We all have our own definition of “family,” no matter where believe that each family has their special story, no matter if it’s an we are or what we are doing. So, when the holidays come around, immigrant family or a family native to Winnipeg. This portrait wouldn’t you like your family portrait done as a means of sup- will be a great season’s greeting for the whole family, as well as porting the community? Come to our Free Family Portrait event an icon to mark their good luck for the coming new year. and get your family photo and tons of happiness, for free.

So, this is a special invitation to everyone—no matter if you This Free Family Portrait project, which began last winter, is a are studying abroad or enjoying your holiday vacation with your personal photography project operating due to the great support family—to come and have a family portrait done with your family of communities and friends. The purpose was originally directed or friends to commemorate 2013! at providing portraits for members of the Chinese community as a special holiday gift for each immigrant family. This year, the For more information, or if you want to support the project, please project has expanded and is open to all Winnipeggers. contact photographer Beibei Lu at freephotome@gmail.com It can be really hard to get the whole family together, and

Sports Editor: Marc Lagace Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Sports

Remaining Bison home games There are only seven weeks of Bison sports regular season action left. Here are all the remaining games played in Winnipeg. Follow the Manitoban on Facebook and @toban_sports on Twitter for opportunities to win free tickets to all remaining Bison home games.

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Half-time report

Bison Sports mid-season review Mike Still and Marc Lagace, staff

January 3 and 4 Women’s hockey vs Saskatchewan 10

Women’s basketball vs Trinity Western Men’s hockey vs Mount Royal Men’s basketball vs Trinity Western

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Women’s basketball vs Fraser Valley Men’s hockey vs Mount Royal Men’s basketball vs Fraser Valley

17 and 18 Women’s volleyball vs Mount Royal

Women’s hockey vs Calgary

Men’s volleyball vs Mount Royal 24 and 25 Women’s basketball vs Regina

Men’s basketball vs Regina 31

Women’s volleyball vs UBC Okanagan Men’s hockey vs Regina Men’s volleyball vs UBC Okanagan

February 1 Women’s volleyball vs UBC Okanagan 7 and 8 Women’s basketball vs Alberta

Women’s hockey vs Lethbridge

Men’s basketball vs Alberta 13

Women’s basketball vs Winnipeg Men’s basketball vs Winnipeg

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Men’s hockey vs UBC Women’s basketball vs Winnipeg (@U of W) Men’s basketball vs Winnipeg (@U of W)

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Men’s hockey vs UBC

Marc Lagace, staff

Women’s hockey Record: 9-5-2 Record in last 6 games: 4-1-1 Team leader in scoring: Meagan Vestby – 15 pts (2 G, 13 A) in 16 games Analysis: The Bison women play a fast, physical style of hockey, forcing turnovers and creating scoring opportunities. They are also the third-most-penalized team in the Canada West conference and have struggled on the power play at times. They have not cracked the CIS top 10 this year, but could very well be among the nation’s best by the end of the season.

Women’s volleyball Record: 6-6 Record in last 6 games: 2-4 Team leader in kills: Rachel Cockrell (171) Analysis: Rachel Cockrell and Taylor Pischke continue to lead the nationally-ranked Bison attack. Manitoba is a very strong team, but cannot afford to let any more matches slip away; despite winning four matches in three-set sweeps, they have also lost three of four matches that have gone to a fifth set.

Playoff projection: Heading into the winter break, the Bisons are in a good position to move up the standings. They’re currently fourth in the conference and five points back from the conferenceleading UBC Thunderbirds. With games remaining against the three conference-basement-dwellers, the Bisons should be able Playoff projection: There is incredible parity in Canada to make a strong push for a home ice advantage in the first West this season, as all but two teams in the conference are round of playoffs. in the playoff hunt. The Bisons have the talent to not only secure a playoff spot but also be in contention for a national Men’s hockey championship, as long as they continue to execute on the Record: 7-8-1 court.

Record in last 6 games: 5-1-0 Team leader in scoring: Aaron Lewadniuk - 17 pts (6 G, 11 A), Men’s basketball tied for sixth in Canada West Record: 1-9 Record in last 6 games: 0-6 Analysis: The team is coming off a huge win against top-ranked Team leader in points per game: Andre Arruda (11.9) Alberta heading into the break and has averaged 4.67 goals per game in their last six. They have gotten big production from their Analysis:The loss of co-captain Stephan Walton to a knee rookies. Luke Paulsen has added energy to the team, playing in all injury before the season has hurt the team. They are start16 games, and Jordan DePape is tied for fifth in rookie scoring with ing two rookies: Andre Arruda and Justus Alleyn (7.5 PPG).

12 points. The Bisons are tied for seventh in total goals in Canada Both have had immediate impacts, but don’t bring the same West, with just 46, and have the fewest power play goals (four) in leadership as Walton. His hopeful return in the second half the conference. of the season will add a big lift in production.

Playoff projection: Right in the thick of the playoff race.

Just two points behind third-placed Saskatchewan. Six of the final 12 games are against teams in the top four including 15-0-1 Calgary. That series could decide the Bisons’ placing at the end of the season.

Men’s volleyball Record: 5-7 Record in last 6 games: 3-3 Team leader in kills per set: Devren Dear – 3.52 K/set (183 kills in 52 sets played)

photos by beibei lu

Playoff projection: Currently one spot out from the final Canada West playoff spot, and sitting just below .500, the Bisons could very well make the playoffs this year if they can do better at capitalizing on their opportunities. A pair of matches against winless Regina in late January should be an easy four-point standings boost.

Analysis: 2013-14 has proved to be a challenging season of change for the Bisons. They’ve got a new head coach—Cam Johnson filling in for the legendary Garth Pischke—and a roster that is almost entirely players in their first or second year of CIS eligibility. With that in mind, the promise that Manitoba has shown in this first half of the season outweighs their shortcomings. Their most recent match against the top-ranked Trinity Western proves that the Bisons can be competitive against any team in the conference.

Playoff projection: Manitoba has not had a winning record in the second half of a season in over 10 years. Add to that the fact that they have lost eight straight games: playoff chances are bleak.

Women’s basketball Record: 3-7 Record in last 6 games: 0-6 Team leader in 3-point FGS made: Robyn Eyer (23/56) Analysis: After starting the season 3-1, the women have lost their last six in a row. They are first in three-point percentage in the Canada West prairie division at 35.6, but last in the division in points per game, averaging just 60.4.

Playoff projection: The team has played tough against both Saskatchewan and Calgary, who are first and second, respectively. Considering the fact that they only won two games all of last year, this season has been encouraging.

Unfortunately, it won’t be enough to crack the playoffs this year with such a young team.

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

Sports

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Get your winter workout on How to make the most of a Winnipeg winter Katy MacKinnon, staff

Snowshoeing

illustration by keegan steele

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f there’s anything Winnipeg does best, it’s winter. If there’s anything Winnipeggers do best, it’s making the most of wind chill, frostbite, and constant runny noses.

To capitalize on our five-month

winter, you’re going to want to take part in some invigorating winter workouts. The spiked hot chocolate will taste that much better afterwards.

than downhill skis, and equipment waking in the morning.

Modern-day snowshoes look quite (skis, poles, and boots) purchased new different from those you remember can range anywhere from $100-$400. Tobogganing the voyageurs wearing from history If you’re just looking to test the waters, This exhilarating activity is not class. The ones made of aluminum are Olympia Cycle and Ski offers rentals just for kids. The adrenaline rush very lightweight – perfect for hopping for $15 per day. from zooming down a hill at top around knee-deep snow.

Mountain Equipment Co-op speed is coupled with some intense Snowshoeing is as simple as find- (MEC) also offers ski rentals for $15 cardio from the run back up. ing a trail and trekking. If you don’t per day, with a little discount if you Sleds are pretty inexpensive at want to make the investment of rent for a week. To rent or purchase Walmart and Canadian Tire – some purchasing your own pair, Olympia equipment from MEC you’ll need costing only five dollars. A large sheet Cycle and Ski offers snowshoe rentals to be a member (a one-time fee of of heavy-duty cardboard works in a for $15 per day. five dollars). pinch.

FortWhyte Alive rents snowshoes To ski on trails in the city, check Dress warmly, and wear waterfor free to its members and three dol- out Assiniboine Park, St. Vital Park, resistant pants if possible. Snow pants lars to non-members. There, you can Windsor Park, and FortWhyte Alive. are your best bet, but if you don’t have explore over seven kilometres of trails, Provincial parks such as Beaudry and those, track pants overtop of leggings interact with wildlife, and maybe Birds Hill are a little further from or long underwear is fine. Don’t foreven do some birding. the city, but their beauty is worth the get to bring a flask to warm up when Other great trails include Beaudry trek. Most of these trails can be skied your nose starts to go numb.

Provincial Park, Birds Hill Provincial either for free (Assiniboine Park and Kings Park, as well as numerous Park, and La Barriere Park. To access St. Vital Park) or for a small fee. local parks around the city, has hills provincial parks you’ll need a park perfect for tobogganing. pass – $40 for the year or five dollars Shovelling snow for a single day.

Here’s one you can do just outside Fatbikes Of course, you can always head your front door, and you get double If you’re an avid summer cycler but into a wide-open field, grab a friend, the benefit: a great workout and a dread dangerous cycling conditions and play a little tag. #Nofacewashes. clean driveway. If you’re careful to in the winter, never fear – fatbikes are warm up ahead of time (a brisk walk here! They can be ridden year round, Cross-country skiing and some arm circles, perhaps), shov- but their wide tires are especially Cross-country skiing is a great elling snow can be an excellent car- made for slippery, snowy conditions. way to make use of Manitoba’s vast diovascular and strength workout.

The bikes give you more traction, staprairie landscape. It might take some If one driveway isn’t enough, offer bility, and control on soft trails. practice to find your rhythm, but the to help out your neighbour to get a litFatbikes are available for rental activity is fairly easy to pick up with a tle extra calorie-burn. Or just shovel from Woodcock Cycle Works for little help from a seasoned skier. their driveway while they’re sleeping, $50 a day.

Cross-country skis are thinner and they’ll have a nice surprise upon Embrace Winnipeg’s snowscapes!

Bisons grab momentum Manitoba heads into break with win Mike Still, staff

while the Bisons failed to score on three opportunities.

“We tried to do some things in the offensive zone, but we never had the puck the whole game. When you don’t have the puck it’s very hard to create offence,” said Bison head coach Jon Rempel after the game.

Manitoba answered back the following night, picking up two crucial points in the Canada West standings.

The Bisons were the clear aggressors early on, generating many quality chances. Their persistence paid off just over six minutes in, as Kyleigh Palmer photo by beibei lu zipped a loose puck in the slot past Post.

The goal officially ended Post’s shutout he Bison women’s hockey team power play with 3:21 left in the first came up with a great stick save. streak, which started on Oct. 26 and played a huge pair of games at period. Forward Kayla Lavallee flipped The Pandas added to their lead at lasted a jaw-dropping 351 minutes and home this weekend. They went into a harmless-looking shot that made it 8:55 of the third, scoring their second 18 seconds. the matchup trailing their opponent, past a screened Amanda Schubert. power play goal. Goaltender Lindsey The Bisons kept the pressure going the Alberta Pandas, by just one point The goal turned out to be the game- Post shut the door the rest of the way for throughout the period, outshooting in the standings. winner.

Alberta, as they cruised to victory.

Alberta 9-4, and headed into the second The weekend got off to a rough start The second period yielded few The 22-save performance from Post up 1-0. Alberta got back into the game as the Bisons fell 2-0 on Friday night. opportunities for either team. Manitoba was her fifth consecutive shutout, set- early in the second on the strength of The Bisons were held in check for the picked up their intensity, but were ting a new Canada West record. Despite their power play. Jayden Skoye tallied majority of the opening frame, manag- unable to develop many chances in the loss, Schubert displayed poise in the her team-leading ninth goal of the seaing to generate little offensively. They the Alberta zone. The Pandas had the net, stopping 19 of 21 shots. son at 3:11 to tie things up. mustered five shots to Alberta’s eight. greatest opportunity of the period with The difference in this one was the The Bisons would go just one-forAlberta opened the scoring on the 5:34 left on a two-on-one, but Schubert power play. Alberta went two for three, six on the night with the man advan-

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tage, but their lone power play marker was the game-deciding goal; Meagan Vestby hammered home a slap shot with 3:05 left in the frame to retake the lead.

The third period saw a total of five combined shots as both teams tightened up defensively. Manitoba protected their lead and finished with a hardfought 2-1 victory. Dee-Ana Marion benefitted from great play from her team all night. She was only forced to stop 12 shots to pick up the win. Post made 20 saves in the loss.

“I thought there was way more passion, way more energy, way more attention to detail, much more physical,” commented Rempel. “That’s the way we have to play.”

With the win the Bisons improve to 9-5-2, while Alberta falls to 9-4-3.

Despite the loss, the Pandas still remain one point ahead of Manitoba for third place.

The Bisons now head into winter break.

They return to action at home on Friday, Jan. 3 and Saturday, Jan. 4 in another big series against second-place Saskatchewan.

Game times are 7 and 6 p.m., respectively.

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Sports

Sports Editor: Marc Lagace Contact: sports@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Big Horns bring huge impact Bison pride group increases campus spirit, energy Mike Still, staff

photo by beibei lu

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f you have attended a U of M Bisons home game on a Friday night, you’ve definitely seen—or at the very least heard—the Big Horns.

They are a fired-up group of students who roam the stands and make life very difficult for opposing teams through their noise and energy. The Big Horns were envisioned by brothers Kenney and Kevin Oliver, and brought to life by co-founders David Grad and Steve Setka.

Grad explained that the Oliver brothers were hanging out one day when they thought, “‘Hey, how cool would it be if we threw on these hats [like the Water Buffalo fraternity from the Flintstones] and started showing up to games?’”

One of the main goals of the Big Horns is to get the attention of the opposing team. The Big Horns are collectively very loud. The group hurls out creative heckles and chants to the beat of an improvised rhythm section.

“Really, we just want our Bisons to win,” said Grad.

“They’re students and they’re athletes; we want to support them, we want them to feel good.”

Aside from the heckles and cheers, the other important detail about being a member of the Big Horns is the uniform; the most essential accessory is the Bison horns, but the faux-fur tunic is also strongly recommended.

“The hats we purchased from the book store,” said Grad. “[For] the fur costumes we actually went to a shop in town called Mitchell Fabrics and just bought a ton of fur.”

“The outfits are custom-made by the individual who sports them,”

Setka added.

A key behind-the-scenes contributor to the Big Horns is Sarah Jasman. She originally helped a lot of the other members sew their outfits together.

The Big Horns’ presence at games has affected Bison coaches and athletes.

Women’s hockey head coach Jon Rempel enjoys what the Big Horns add to Bisons home games.

“I think they’re great. I think it’s nice to have some environment in the building where some people are actually making noise and not just sitting there, so I thought those guys are outstanding,” said Rempel, adding, “I’d like to have them at every game.”

Manitoba quarterback Jordan Yantz is a fan of the additional support.

“The more people and the more support that we can get from our school and our fans and our other student athletes [the better],” said Yantz.

“It takes the players to a whole new level and brings the excitement out. It brings an atmosphere that you want to perform in.”

The group has become a welcome presence at all Bison home games, and the founders are optimistic that the Big Horns’ presence will continue to increase each week.

“We want to keep growing that [presence] bigger,” Setka said. “I think in one or two months, to have a group of that size is a success.”

For further information about the Big Horns, please look up their Facebook account, (facebook.com/ thebighorns), their Twitter account (@TheBigHorns1), or their email bison. pride@umanitoba.ca

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Science & Technology Editor: Tom Ingram Contact: science@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Science & technology

Tom Ingram, staff

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t is said that music has a much more precise vocabulary for describing its objects than any other art. This allows us to talk scientifically about it. Although there is a vigorous body of research and theorizing about sociological and philosophical aspects of music, there is also a lot of scientific or quasi-scientific talk about its structure, its inner workings, and its effects on us.

Pitch, rhythm, and form are three examples of the parts that make up music. The relationship between these three is particularly interesting. Among them, form is least familiar to a general audience. This is the long-range structural relationships between different parts of a piece – the repetitions of sections and the relations of keys or

recurring melodic material. actually consist in? Acoustically speakIn pop songs, this typically involves ing, the pitch of a note is defined by an uninteresting alternation between its frequency. Frequency is measured verse and refrain, so it’s not something in Hertz: one Hertz means one cycle we talk about much. It’s much more per second. If something happens at interesting in connection with highly a frequency of five Hertz, it happens, composed classical music, especially with exact regularity, five times each half-hour symphonic movements of second. the Brucknerian variety.

All sound is caused by vibrations in Rhythm is much more familiar. It a medium—which for most everyday involves short-term relations of dura- purposes is air—and pitched sounds tion and recurrence, and is possibly the are ones in which these vibrations most basic feature of music. We can recur at a precise rate. If there are 440 talk about music without pitch—pieces vibrations each second (440 Hertz), like Steve Reich’s Clapping Music are then you will hear a pitch: the concert good examples—but it is absurd to talk A that most orchestras tune to. about music without rhythm.

Astute readers may have already The definition of pitch is harder to noticed a connection between these intuit. We talk about the highness or three phenomena of pitch, rhythm, lowness of a note, but what does that and form. They all deal with the recur-

rence of sonic events in time. Form takes place over the space of minutes or hours, rhythm takes place over seconds, and pitch over fractions of a second. In other words, they are not three separate phenomena but one single phenomenon observed at different time scales.

What I have just demonstrated is scientific reductionism: explaining large-scale phenomena in terms of small-scale ones, and showing that surface-level phenomena that appear different and unrelated are often governed by the same rules. While scientific reductionism is not a perfect way of explaining the world, it does often yield surprising results.

For example, the upshot of Antoine Lavoisier’s experiments with com-

bustion and with human respiration show that, at a basic chemical level, breathing and striking a match are the same process.

Keeping that in mind, a few of us on staff here at the Manitoban have put together a feature on the science of music – a fascinating topic approachable from many directions. I spoke with a U of M professor who is at the forefront of developing new ways of creating and thinking about music.

Katerina Tefft and Elizabeth Drewnik both take a look at the effect of music on the brain – an idea that goes back as far as Plato. Anastasia Chipelski investigates silence, a crucial component of music. Quinn Richert shows us another way music and science can illuminate each other.

Signifying sounds and structures A comparison of chemical and musical notations Quinn Richert, staff

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’ve been looking for similarities In both organic chemistry and the head. Some of the loveliest pop between the ways we represent music, a simple series of symbols can music is also basic on paper. “Get music and organic chemistry on bloom into something approaching Back” by the Beatles strikes me as paper. The answer is a stretch but impenetrable. one example. the search was a pleasure.

This is daunting, and probably On another note, musical and First day first: in the same way really sucks when you’re trying to organic chemistry symbols help pitches are represented by the posi- learn hard stuff. But it also creates us to get a handle on topics that tion of note heads on the staff, you the possibility for a particular type are difficult for the human brain to can draw a line, then go ahead and of elegance, rooted in restraint: that comprehend. call that ethane. Organic chemistry of striving for simplicity.

Fundamentally, the sounds that and music both begin with fairly A 1980 entry in the Journal of make up music are waves of pressimple systems of nomenclature.

Organic Chemistry, for example, sure moving through air over time.

The air of competence this described “A new, elegant route to Music notation allows us to make imparts on the learner is temporary, a key intermediate” for the synthe- sense of it in a visual way so that we however. The dots stack and weave sis of some chemical. The principal can better grasp it, control it, and below, on, in between, and above virtue of the new mechanism was explore its patterns. the lines of the musical staff to yield that it was a “more straightforward In This is Your Brain on Music, complex chords and dense contra- approach” to the intermediate spe- Daniel Levitin points out that “pitch puntal tapestries. In a similar way, cies; the article takes up a page and is a purely psychological construct”; the skeletal formulae representing a half. “Scheme I,” the only scheme, “loudness is a purely psychological bonded carbon atoms morph into is five steps. construct”; “reverberation refers to [ compounds with names like Ethyl In music as well, simple is beau- . . . ] perception”; and “meter is cre1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-methyl-2-oxo- tiful. Look at the chart for Miles ated by our brains.” When we write 4-phenylpyrimidine-5-carboxylate. Davis’ “Blue in Green” and listen to it down, we can keep a record of the

changes in these components as if they were primary qualities, inherent in the propagating waves.

Organic chemistry notation similarly helps us work with a difficult concept. In one sense, organic chemistry is electron densities getting close to each other and reconfiguring themselves. At that level, just like with the pressure waves in music, the concept of being able to “see” what is going on breaks down. If you could shrink yourself to 1 angstrom, no one actually believes you would witness a bunch of hexagons skittering around. We represent it this way, though, and it is close enough that we can reliably predict how the real thing will behave.

There are many other features that organic chemistry notation and musical notation have in common, such as moments of symme-

try, and a tendency towards making frequent use of certain motifs. The fact of the matter is that most of the similarities discussed above also exist in other sets of symbols, for example those used in mathematics and everyday language.

This of course weakens the force of the argument that organic chemistry and musical notation have something special in common. But there is a potential upside. People should recognize that many of the interesting qualities of their chosen field are shared with another discipline, even when they do not seem connected.

Hopefully, chemists will check out music, musicians will explore math, and mathematicians will become interested in linguistics.

News writers should stick to what they know.

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Science & Technology

Science & Technology Editor: Tom Ingram Contact: science@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

photos by beibei lu

All this machinery, making modern music

U of M professor Örjan Sandred talks about music, the brain, and computers Tom Ingram, staff

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rjan Sandred is a professor of composition at the University of Manitoba’s Marcel A. Desautels faculty of music. His music involves the use of computers, both during performance and composition. He teaches courses on electroacoustic music and composition, and his Acoustics of Music course fills the math credit for most first-year music students. Last week, I sat down with him and discussed his work. Here is a condensed version of that interview.

The Manitoban: Could you tell me about the role of computers in your music? ÖS: First of all, music is about communication. That’s what music is about for me, and I think for most people. The thing with music, as I feel it differs from a lot of other art forms, is that it’s very abstract. You can’t really translate music easily into words. You can reach other levels in communication that you can’t in words. But that doesn’t mean that it’s as precise as you can do it in words.

Because music is very abstract, to be able to communicate you need a lot of structure. So music—any type of music—is very structured. That’s what we deal with in music theory.

The research on music tends to focus a lot on the structure. I think that that’s the secret of musical communication, the structure, because that’s kind of the most concrete thing we have. Everything else is very abstract.

The structure is necessary to be able to communicate something, and that’s where all these tools, these computers

or whatever you use, come in.

M: Could you give me an example of some of the ways you’ve used computers in certain pieces? ÖS: Broadly speaking, there are two different uses of computers in music that I do myself. One is to work in the performance of a piece, and to expand the sound of the performance into what computers can contribute into the speakers. So that’s live electronic music, where you can interact with the performer and you make it into a chamber music communication between the performer and whatever comes out of the speakers, which is helped by the computers. Now you need the computer to create this communication between the performer and sounds.

The other way of using the computer is when you’re composing music, you use it as sort of your calculator to help you construct the score. The problem with being in art music is that one of the big drives is to be on the edge of what you can communicate in music. You’re always trying to find new things. In commercial music you don’t really need necessarily to find new things. You just have to find things that generate money. But here you’re trying to push what’s possible to communicate or how we can communicate things. So that’s where the computer can help you kind of research certain ideas you have and try certain things.

M: In one of your papers, you talked about translating certain gestures

into rhythmic notation. I think you used the example of a train that you had recorded. ÖS: That was a very concrete example.

That’s a very technical aspect of the whole thing. It has to do with musical time. Music is very gestural. Some people think that musical gestures are the same as body gestures. You move your body or you dance or whatever, and that can be seen also in musical phrasing. But the problem is, how do you translate one to the other? In a lot of music, musical time is not the same as the time we perceive when we sit and speak here.

So musical time has a different approach to our understanding of time. We approach musical time in a different way than our everyday life time. To convert from one to the other is very complicated. The purpose of that paper was to find a way to have a gesture that exists in our everyday life, and to translate it into musical time, and how would that be done. That’s a very classical problem in computer music or in music in general: how do you do that translation?

M: How did you originally get involved in computer music? ÖS: I started in music in 1984. I started to study very traditionally as a composer – you know, pen and paper, and maybe a piano. That’s how we were taught. I got interested in electroacoustic music because it was part of my education. Everyone studying composition has to do that wherever you study today, I think. I thought it

was kind of cool, the way you could ÖS. No, I just slipped into that. I build sounds with the help of speak- guess it’s kind of natural to pick me ers more than performers. You can to teach that course. I think it’s an reach other things than you can with important aspect of music. Whatever notated music. Just different. Not bet- way you study music, you end up ter in any way, just different. studying humans. Music is about us.

I think one reason why I do it is Whatever tools you use, you realbecause I’m very curious about how ize that you’re actually discovering it’s possible to find other ways of com- how we work as humans, how we municating things – finding other perceive things as humans. It’s not a alternative structures of music that coincidence that we study the ear in people didn’t think about before. I acoustics, for example, because even find it very hard to do that because though people might not think of whatever you do, you tend to fall back that as acoustical, it’s the most crucial on what people have done before. thing to understand music because it’s With the help of the computers, about what we hear. you can kind of. . . someone said that Or the brain. It would be fantastic computers can be completely stupid if we knew more about the brain – sometimes, which is a great feature how we understand all this informabecause they can find some things tion coming in. I think if we look at a that you would never think of. You musical score and how it’s structured, can really see the irony of the thing it must reflect the structure of our that the stupidity of the computer can brains somehow. sometimes be the strongest aspect I think that’s very fascinating, to of using them because you wouldn’t see that all this structure and music have done that in that very mechani- theory, it’s all about how we perceive cal, stupid way that computers have things. It’s all about how the brain done. works. So in a way we kind of just And then, of course, it’s a lot of make a mirror of our own brain. work. Some people think you use Music is an aural way of displaying computers because it’s faster, but how the brain works. That’s how I see it’s not. It’s much slower, actually, it. I mean, it’s hard to scientifically because you’re trying to push the prove that in detail at this point in limits in a completely different way. history, but that must be what it is.

So it’s a lot of patience and research that you have to do all the time to Örjan Sandred will be performing find anything that can be useful. But his piece, “Cracks and Corrosion that’s part of the fascination.

II,” for guitar and live electronics at the Mondavi Center in Davis, M: You also teach the acoustics class. California on Jan. 26. His new piece How does this fit into your work? for violin and live electronics will Have you done a lot of work with be premiered sometime next year. acoustics?

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

Science & Technology

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Music for the brain

A look at research on music and intelligence Elizabeth Drewnik, staff

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illustration by bradly wohlgemuth

Metal mistakenly maligned Fans are brainy, listeners are calm Katerina Tefft, staff

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ans of heavy metal are often Dream Theater and Martyr. The stereotyped as being aggressive, latter’s Daniel Mongrain teaches unintelligent, and delinquent. But jazz guitar at Le Cégep régional some recent studies seem to paint a de Lanaudière in Quebec. much different picture of the averRecently, classical composer age metalhead.

Matthew Hindson added a song A 2007 study conducted at the by Australian progressive death National Academy for Gifted and metal band Ne Obliviscaris to Talented Youth at the University of the curriculum at the Sydney Warwick in England, whose stu- Conservatorium of Music, saying, dents rank in the top five per cent “Musicians deserve to hear the music academically in the 11-19 age range, of Ne Obliviscaris, and the music of surveyed 1,057 students and found many other metal bands, in order to that a disproportionate number appreciate the compositional comlisten to heavy metal. One-third plexity that lies within it, no matter of students surveyed ranked heavy what their musical tastes.” metal in their top five favourite The classical roots of heavy music genres, ahead of classical metal go deep, from traditional and jazz. to progressive to symphonic to The study also found that heavy power metal. A 2008 study by scimetal fans had lower self-esteem, entists at Heriot-Watt University as well as a greater number of rela- in Edinburgh, which surveyed over tionship problems with family and 36,000 music fans from six differfriends. Stuart Cadwallader, the ent countries, found that fans of University of Warwick psychologist heavy metal and fans of classical who led the study, said, “We are music have very similar personallooking at a group with lower than ity types. According to the study, average self-esteem that does not fans of both genres tend to be crefeel quite as well-adjusted. They feel ative, introverted, and at ease with more stressed out and turn to heavy themselves. metal music as a way of relieving Other studies have indicated that stress.” that the link between heavy metal He continued, “Participants and aggressive tendencies may not said they appreciated the complex be as clear as many believe. A 1997 and sometimes political themes of study by Gowensmith and Bloom in heavy metal music more than per- the Journal of Music Therapy found haps the average pop song. It has a no connection between heavy metal tendency to worry adults a bit but and heightened levels of anger in I think it is just a cathartic thing. It participants who were already does not indicate problems.” The heavy metal fans, suggesting that study seems to indicate that many individual music preferences affect adolescents listen to heavy metal reactions to heavy metal more than to help relieve the stress of being the music itself. gifted outsiders.

While this research is by no The appeal of heavy metal to the means conclusive, it does seem to gifted and intelligent should come contradict many popular stereoas no surprise to any metalhead types about heavy metal fans, perwith an appreciation for the com- haps paving the way for a deeper positions of artists like Jason Becker understanding of the diversity and Yngwie Malmsteen, or the jazz within this oft-maligned and influence of technical bands like underappreciated genre.

o matter where we go, music of music. One theory suggests that is an integral part of daily life. music originated form the humming Despite it surrounding us completely, or singing of a mother that needed there is still no agreement amongst to place her child down to free her scholars about the reasons we are hands, yet still maintain a bond with so drawn to listening to music, or her infant. what functions it has within our Other scholars focus on how lives. The actual origins of music music is affecting us in our current are still unknown, and little evi- day-to-day lives, rather than lookdence exists to indicate how it all ing at the evolutionary history of may have started. It is thought that how music could have evolved. One we may be able to work backwards example involves relating music to and determine the function music cognition. originally had within our ancestry A study conducted by researchers by looking at how music functions from Sam Houston State University within our lives today. in Texas looked at early music trainIt has been determined that music ing and its effect on children. The affects us via three main components. research paper, published in the Listening to music affects our mood, Journal of Applied Developmental teaches us how to relate to ourselves, Psychology, indicates a correlation and contributes to in-group identity. between early music instruction and Music facilitates group action and spatial-temporal reasoning abilities. reduces social stress.

Spatial-temporal reasoning Researchers have also specu- involves manipulating objects in lated potential evolutionary origins the mind without looking at a

physical model. In doing so, we can perform higher brain functions like playing chess or solving mathematical problems. Being involved in music—playing an instrument, for example—requires the same type of brain function.

It is thought that learning how to play a musical instrument can strengthen skills that require spatialtemporal reasoning. This becomes particularly beneficial to young children, as the part of their brains responsible for learning this type of thinking is still developing.

The link between music and cognitive thought has been assumed for over a century. Now that it has been validated, the next step is to determine whether any specific type of music, the amount of that music, and at what age children are exposed to the music, will result in the most beneficial cognitive gains.

Science & Technology Editor: Tom Ingram Contact: science@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

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The sounds of silence In the quest for silence we make more noise, and in the quietest place we become the sound Anastasia Chipelski, staff

illustration by bram keast

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he battle between sound and silence rages in many corners of our world – from the sharp glares in libraries, to heated discussions, pleas, and bargains in homes and offices everywhere.

Sound takes many forms, not all of them pleasant, and the total absence of sound may be more than those who call “Silence!” expect to hear.

For some, music can be a panacea, a soothing soundtrack that occupies the parts of our minds that are susceptible to wandering. A 2005 study from the University of Windsor noted that

music—specifically, one person’s own chosen or preferred music, rather than a broad stroke of genre—can decrease anxiety.

On the opposite end of the spectrum is environmental noise. Ill effects of environmental noise can include damage to hearing, interference with speech and sleep, and physiological changes such as increased heart rate and blood pressure.

So how do you let in the good and block out the bad?

Walking down most busy streets,

you may notice headphone-wearing pedestrians trying to block the environmental noise out with their own choice sounds. However, these devices produce high levels of noise and can lead to hearing loss, especially among younger people.

A potential solution for disruptions caused by environmental noise is white noise generators. White noise is not a specific sound. It is the technique of producing a sound that comes out much like static. It’s a mash-up of frequencies, with no discernible tone,

melody, or rhythm. anechoic chamber that is rated at 99.9 White noise works by sending per cent sound-absorbent. the brain a range of auditory stimuli An anechoic chamber creates an without anything specific to latch onto. acoustic environment that is the closest Unlike the scattered, uneven environ- possible simulation of space, and simimental noise, there is nothing jarring lar chambers are also used by NASA. or identifiable in white noise – it’s like a The Orfield chamber is mostly used vague forest of sound, rather than some by companies to test the sound levels random scraggly, prickly trees. of their products.

While getting lost in the white noise This experience can be very disconforest is one option, it also comes with certing, and Steven Orfield, president of some caveats for young people, espe- Orfield Laboratories, said that chamber cially children. occupants must sit down in order to not A 2003 study from the University lose the sense of orientation that sound of California, San Francisco cautioned would normally provide. that “exposure to continuous white While no outside noise can pennoise sabotages the development of the etrate the chamber, visitors can expect auditory region of the brain, which may to hear things they may normally ultimately impair hearing and language miss among the environmental hum acquisition.” However, after being and buzz. Trevor Cox, a University of removed from the white noise environ- Salford professor of acoustic engineerment, the rats used in the experiment ing, explained that “You might hear the were able to continue their auditory blood gently pumping through your development at a reasonable rate. head, or a high-pitched hiss caused And in the end, noise replaced by by spontaneous firings of the auditory noise does not equal silence. In an nerve.” urban setting, can we ever find true The quietest place in the world, while silence? empty, may be the ultimate source of The location widely billed as the silence. But in a final ironic twist, to “quietest place in the world” (accord- experience it, the silence must be broing to the 2005 Guinness Book of World ken. As Orfield said, “in the anechoic Records) is not far from here. Orfield chamber, you become the sound.”

Laboratories in Minnesota contains an

Comment Editor: Katerina Tefft Contact: comment@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

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‘Nerd’ is not an insult

Growing health gap a concern for poor Manitobans

Being science fiction or fantasy-obsessed is cool nowadays

Brian Sinclair inquest reveals outstanding issues of negligence

Connor Duff

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erd. In high school, who didn’t dread being called

Seamus Hamilton-Pattison, volunteer staff

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iven the rate modern medicine progresses, it should come as no surprise that overall, health in our province has been improving. Since approximately 1985, for example, the number of tuberculosis hospitalizations per 100,000 people in Manitoba has been cut nearly in half.

That being said, while health care has drastically improved over the past 20 years, it has not done so equitably.

In that time, the health gap between the province’s wealthy and poor has only grown.

In September 2010, the University of Manitoba’s faculty of medicine released a report outlining the growth in income and health gaps between the province’s rich and poor.

The report goes on to point out the large inequities in untimely deaths and disease between these high and low-earners.

As we aspire to live in a fair and ethical province, this was all done to determine which of these areas required the most attention to restore a balance of adequate health care for all Manitobans.

So just how poor are Manitoba’s low-income residents by comparison?

Between 1986 and 2006, the earnings gap of urban and rural residents had more than doubled (the gap between rural residents tends to be smaller than that between urban residents), with the average wealthy urban household making $114,300 per year and the poorest getting by on a mere $34,400 per year.

Unfortunately, the increasing health gap is just as startling.

Premature death—occurring prior to the age of 75—is widely accepted as one of the best overall indicators of public health.

Granted, rates of premature death have improved

Comment

overall, but the improvement has hardly extended to the province’s lowest income bracket.

Based on the most recent data recorded in 2010, a third of all premature deaths among urban residents struck within the poorest 19.5 per cent.

Premature death also happens to represent one of the highest inequalities within the health gap itself – meaning a number of highly targeted policies for the poorest demographics will need implementation before we can expect to see any positive change.

This is a good time to discuss the Brian Sinclair inquest – not just in the interest of promoting awareness in the health care provided to the low-income demographic, but also in regards to the initial treatment they receive.

Brian Sinclair was a 45-year-old double-amputee who arrived at a hospital ER at the advice of a doctor from a clinic. An inquest was necessary because, despite patiently waiting in the ER for an astonishing 34 hours, Sinclair never received treatment, triage, or even attention, and died of an entirely treatable bladder infection.

Relying on multiple eyewitness accounts and verbal testimony from the nurses on staff that night, the inquest reveals that upon Sinclair’s arrival, he spoke with a triage aide and wheeled himself into the waiting room – never receiving further assistance.

A nurse on staff the morning of Sept. 20, 2008 reportedly took “30 seconds to decide that the sleeping Sinclair was intoxicated,” though she did not actually assess or attempt to wake him.

The nurse claims she assumed he was an IPDA patient—a patient so intoxicated they are waiting to be detained by the police—but in order to be determined to be such, Sinclair would have needed to be admitted to a doctor in the first place.

W h i le we undoubtedly have a long way to go to reverse the health gap between the wealthy and impoverished citizens of our province, ending gross negligence such as this would be a good first step.

illustration by bram keast

to the second definition. When this definition says “non-social hobby or pursuit,” it refers to things such as a “computer nerd,” which could refer to either someone who is good with computers, or who plays a lot of computer games.

Now sure, in the past social activities would pretty much revolve around things like dating, playing sports, and so forth. The media also seems to peg the antisocial “nerd” as someone who is into science fiction, fantasy, and video games. Today, that could not be further from the truth.

that?

Well, on the contrary, “nerd” isn’t some degrading insult that everyone will find offensive. If you call a good amount of high school or university students a nerd, the response you may likely get is, “Thank you.”

While driving home from work one day, I remember having a conversation with my dad where I brought up that I am a nerd.

When he heard that, his immediate response was to console me, saying, “Son, don’t say that. You’re not a nerd.”

What’s wrong I gave him a funny look. Turns out he thought I was depreciating with being able to myself, and saying, “Oh, I’m such name every single a nerd. Nobody loves me.”

In reality, I was saying, “I’m such character in the DC a nerd. Everybody loves me.” or Marvel universes?

If one is to look up the literal definition of “nerd,” you should Today, that is find something along the lines of, “a stupid, irritating, ineffectual, or often considered unattractive person,” and “an intelpretty cool ligent but single-minded person obsessed with a non-social hobby or pursuit.”

Wow. Those sound incredibly At my old high school, there’s a offensive and insulting. No wonder Pokémon fan club. Students from my dad wanted to tell me I wasn’t a around the school gather there to nerd. Those definitions have incred- play the card and video games. ibly negative connotations, and in A club, of course, implies social theory being a nerd is probably one interaction, and this is a club of the worst things to be. As a mat- themed on what is considered a ter of fact, it’s the other way around “nerd” activity. Even here at the U of in practice.

M, I have plenty of friends who are Typically when a person says still into Pokémon – even though “nerd” or “geek,” they are referring “friends” and “Pokémon” in the

same sentence sounds paradoxical.

Today, we have the annual event known as Comic-Con – a convention held in many North American cities that celebrates nerd culture, and advertises itself as such.

People go out in costume and meet others in costume, as well as several science fiction or comicbook-related celebrities, and browse through mountains of science fiction material. Having attended twice already, I can tell you there are a ton of people.

One of the largest Comic-Cons (in San Diego) sold out in an hour and a half this year.

The definition of “nerd” that mentions how one is “obsessed” with certain activities may sound bad, but what’s wrong with being able to name every single character in the DC or Marvel universes? Or owning just about every single video game system in existence?

Today, that’s something often considered pretty cool. The socalled “anti-social” nerds all partake in those sorts of things, and rather than implying someone is some weirdo who spends every waking moment in his or her basement by calling someone a “nerd,” today people mean an aficionado—someone who loves something, typically science fiction or fantasy-related—to the extent that it is a part of his or her identity.

That, to me, sounds like a much better definition than the one you’ll find in any dictionary.

Managing Editor: Fraser Nelund Contact: me@themanitoban.com / 474.6520

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illustration by justin ladia

I was a fool to think that I could make it to Provo by car so late after his coming.

I will never understand why he returned in Provo, Utah of all places, or even the States for that matter (I have no idea how resurrection works)

DECEMBER 2014 Dan Hrynick

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eople are dying all around me. Food is scarce, water sources are undrinkable and running out. Winter is about to hit us hard. There are huddled masses and garbage as far as the eye can see. It smells like shit anywhere you go, although I can’t say that I have moved very much in the past week, except to a cave up in the hills where I get my writing done. I’m starving and I haven’t gotten any closer to Christ since I crossed the state border into Utah. I have been rationing my food for over a week now and I fear I am starting to lose my mind. Maybe writing will take my mind away from the gravity of the situation around me and give me the strength to persevere through my journey.

People tried to scavenge all they could once they realized that they were on their own and no one could help them but themselves. But all the rows upon rows of corn, all the cattle, all the hogs that have been left to stand in the fields along the highways aren’t fit for human consumption. People have tried eating the corn, the cows, the hogs, but it only makes you sick.

Who the fuck actually knows how to prepare food? Every fast food joint off of the interstate was raided for whatever food they had left. Only in this instance, thankfully, people with the skills to prepare the food were not hard to come by. The burgers and fries keep remarkably well and are the only food sources that might last the winter for the lucky souls who were able to get their hands on the stuff. I’ve been keeping two McDonald’s pies in my glove box and they still look as they did the day I found them a month ago. I’m just choked that they are rhubarb and not apple (what a shitty promotional flavour).

The outlook is grim. There is no military anymore, there is no economy. There is no aid coming. How would it get here?

Who would provide it? There is no way in or out and nobody

to provide any aid. People can hardly move in any direction, can’t turn around to leave. There are hordes of people right behind you, here for the same reason you are. And there is only one man who can really help us in our time of crisis, but we have no chance of surviving long enough to see him.

Everybody put their normal lives on hold and stopped whatever they were doing to come to Provo only to find that they were already too late.

I’ve never experienced this kind of chaos. Opening night at Investors Group Field in my hometown (the Taylor Swift concert, not the One Heart celebration) was nothing compared to this. I remember my old man took me to see Taylor Swift for my birthday. I laugh when I think how our voices were so hoarse the next day. Not from cheering for Taylor, no. But from screeching and taking the Lord’s name in vain the whole time we were trying to get out of the parking lot.

Only difference is that people eventually made it out of the parking lot and nobody died going to see Taylor Swift.

I was a fool to think that I could make it to Provo by car so late after his coming. I will never understand why he returned in Provo, Utah of all places, or even the States for that matter (I have no idea how resurrection works). I guess he could have returned anywhere, really. They must have gotten something right at Brigham Young. Maybe Max Hall could’ve provided insight about his alma mater if we hadn’t cut his ass.

Naturally, it took a while for people to be convinced that he had actually returned. It wasn’t uncommon before the return to find any nut on the street claiming to be your Lord and saviour. But this time, it was the real thing. Any miracle they said he could do, he did. When the media was still a thing, everyone was talking about the man in Provo, Utah who could

walk on water, turn water into wine, but most importantly, heal the sick. And that’s when the proverbial shit hit the fan.

As if the economy wasn’t bad enough. When he came back, the economy really went to shit. People everywhere quit their jobs to travel to Utah. Who would want to be in the military, work for a septic company, or pick up garbage in a glorious time like this? Everybody was too over the moon to give a shit, which is probably why there’s garbage everywhere and the smell of shit in the air. We were waiting for somebody else to solve our problems and our salvation finally showed up.

Nobody was turned away when they got to the States.

Who knows how many people are in Utah right now. Billions, at least. Who knew that everybody was sick or in need of a shepherd? Of course, it was mostly the people who needed a shepherd and had the money to get to Utah in the first place who made it into Provo before anybody else. Most of the people who really need saving are now doomed to the obscurity of the highways, dying from exposure because there are no medical services available anymore. I think I am witnessing the largest-scale humanitarian crisis of all time unfold before my very eyes.

The sun is beginning to set and I’m getting too cold to write. But more importantly, I have a rhubarb pie calling my name from a glove box.

Until next time.

UPDATE! While I was writing, some asshole broke into my car and stole both of my pies.

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

John Stintzi

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he other day I ran across a naked man who had a rather wide beard. I was in the field, cutting hay, and he came out of the woods and walked up to my tractor, turning his head at me like a curious dog. I stopped and waited for him to scurry off but he just stood in front of me staring at me.

So I got out to shoo him off but he didn’t leave, only scurrying away a few feet as I approached. So I chased him and he finally ran off, but when I came back to the tractor and turned around he was there again, looking at me, curious. This time I just walked at him and he went slowly, looking back at me now and again, toward the woods.

I was tired, yawning, and had nearly fallen asleep behind the wheel a few times, so the walk would do me good. I followed the strange naked man with the wide beard into the woods. As we walked he walked slower until I was right behind him, and then right beside him. We walked in the woods for awhile, unsure who was leading who, silent.

I couldn’t hear my tractor going anymore and I liked that. Under our feet was the sound of twigs snapping and the wet leaves squishing.

I didn’t even look over to my strange naked man with the wide beard for a while. We just walked. I liked the way we were walking.

But then after a while I looked at him and was a bit shocked at what I saw. He had slowed some and was having a bit of trouble walking because he was turning grey and rough. He was turning to stone. His beard and body hair were turning to lichen. His eyes were turning to nothing but dark spots on the rock surface. His body was reforming itself: his legs began to shorten and his arms disappeared until he was hardly able to waddle at all. I just walked beside him, slowing down to his pace. We went slower and slower, and the trees began to hide the sunlight more and more and I began to realize it was becoming night.

By the time I heard my father and brother yelling my name from the forest’s edge, having come to pick me up, my rock companion had made it into a small clearing in the woods that had boulders everywhere. I could feel his dark spots watch me as he made one final roll and fell onto a patch of pressed down grass. I stood there for a moment, looking at him and the other boulders while my name was being yelled. I saw each and every boulder and I wondered if each and every boulder saw me.

I left the place. I didn’t feel tired and the time we spent together seemed like it was only a moment though it had to have been at least four or five hours. The moon was high and big and there was a lot of light as I walked back toward the field and my family. I didn’t know how I was going to explain anything. I suppose I felt insane though I didn’t believe it.

Well I explained it away, somehow. And when we got to the truck I turned around and looked at the shadow’s edge of the forest hoping to see my friend but he never showed up. On the way home we didn’t talk much. I told them about the cutting. When we got there I got out of the truck and looked down at the little stones that made up the gravel, and for the first time in my life I felt like the world was interested. illustration by bradly wohlgemuth

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Managing Editor: Fraser Nelund Contact: me@themanitoban.com / 474.6520

illustration by heather kat cole

These are the Lines They Make in the Light Breanna Muir At night I hang my paper dolls across the ceiling – they sway like dancing children by the open window They are charcoal slivers when my lids are shut or the long black stems of the hydrangea plant

illustration by justin ladia

These are the lines they make in the light holding hands – A moving carousel of paper bodies encircling a mirror I stop here to watch their little mouths spreading wide Drooling rosary beads onto the floor – As they drop they burn in rhythm behind my eyes and I become dizzy and stop to ask them, does my mother know me?

To her I am a golden egg, a piece of turquoise, the string of paper dolls Yet I told them my room would be shadowless, floodless, From a fine ink line of calligraphy the moon curls into one high point and the paper bodies round me move desiring to feel its light performing on the window ledge

John Stintzi

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t was a cold night, even for October. I had brought gloves and a scarf, and my pea coat had buttons I knew how to use.

She always looked beautiful when she was cold. When I first noticed her she was shivering and it beguiled me. At night I’d imagine her underdressed and embracing herself.

As I walked her home on that cold night I found myself lost. I asked her what she thought about when she had nothing to think about and she couldn’t answer. I told her that when I have nothing to think about I think about how I’d like two particular rooms in my house: one where the entire floor is a bed, and another that’s a huge ball pit.

She laughed. I noticed her cramming her cold hands into her pockets.

The night was breathing a frozen wind softly upon us. I thought about giving her my coat but I’d done that before and didn’t want to mingle the girls.

Here, I said, handing her my left glove, lined with fur. She took it questioningly. Put it on, I said. You don’t want to lose your fingers.

She put on the glove.

Then I gave her my gloveless hand.

Take it, I said. It’s still a while until your place. We don’t want to lose our fingers.

After a moment she took it and our bare hands clung together in the cold night.

We walked like that and we didn’t say anything. There was a silent fire burning between us, and we held our palms tight together to protect the world from its flames.

After a while she looked at me; after a while we stopped and sat on a cold bench. After a while our breath-fogs mingled and we thought about nothing in particular.

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Graphics Editor: Bradly Wohlgemuth Contact: graphics@themanitoban.com / 474.6775

Diversions

Arts & Culture Editor: Kara Passey Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

Arts & Culture

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Ease the chill of winter Clothe the City urges Winnipeggers to “give the gift of warmth” to those in need Anastasia Chipelski, staff

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ow that we have a decent layer of snow on the ground, it’s clear that winter is really here. The season brings a laundry list of pet peeves— the obstacle course of sidewalks, irregular buses, perilous street conditions—but beyond inconveniences, the real demand levied by winter is to stay warm.

But what about those who don’t have access to appropriate winter clothes?

Ashley Wood is urging Winnipeggers to consider this question, and to “give the gift of warmth.”

Since 2006, Wood and her co-director Andrea Dyck have been putting on an annual event called Clothe the City, which offers free winter clothing as well as a warm meal to those in need.

The event is based on donations and volunteer time, and at the beginning Wood “wanted to test the ‘pay it forward’ theory.”

“There are a lot of charities already that provide clothing for children, which is fantastic, but I wanted to do something for the adults. I was and still am overwhelmed by the generosity of Winnipeggers. All it takes is an idea and people jump on board right away and are eager to help out in anyway that they can.”

Meghan Kinita, a past volunteer, is helping out again this year by collecting food donations and feeding attendees on the day of the event.

“Part of the reason why I volunteer is to stay close to some of the values that I grew up with and how my parents influenced me. [ . . . ] We always made sure there was an extra plate of food for someone and sharing was important!

This event encompasses both of those values for me,” says Kinita.

Empathy and understanding how poverty works is also crucial to Wood.

“I really do believe that the ‘system’ that we have is not structured correctly to begin solving the poverty issues that many survive each day within our city.

Although I do not have the answers on how these issues can be fixed, it is important to recognize that people do not choose to be in the situation that they are in. On top of political and historical factors, mental health and addictions do play a huge part in the fate of so many lives.”

Wood encourages others to develop their understanding of the poverty experience through the poverty simulation program called Living on the Edge put on by the United Way. She has also seen the connections made possible by the event.

“Our volunteers chat with folks who attend, help them find appropriate clothing and sizes, serve warm meals, and share stories with each other.”

While it won’t provide the solution for every problem, Clothe the City hopes to at least relive a bit of the cold bite of the coming months.

“This is a cold city come winter.

Even now it’s getting chilly and I feel better knowing that more people will be feeling a little bit warmer after Dec. 8,” says Kinita.

Clothe the City is being held on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. at Lighthouse Mission (669 Main Street).

You can learn more about them, including how to get involved or donate, at www.facebook.com/clothethecity

‘An honest, fun, and raw show’ Toronto comics come to Winnipeg’s Park Theatre Carlyn Schellenberg, staff

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f you take four Toronto stand-up (New in Town)—Ben Beauchemin comedians—Dave Merheje, has been in Toronto for over two Aisha Alfa, Garrett Jamieson, and years working on his stand-up career.

Ben Beauchemin, three of whom are Like Alfa—who uses her afro, datformer Winnipeggers—put them ing, and her family for joke materiat the Park Theatre, and add one al—Beauchemin draws on personal Winnipeg comic to host (Chantel experiences for inspiration.

Marostica), you’ll get Family Affair: On his comedic approach, Holiday Edition.

Beauchemin says, “I don’t really Family Affair is Dave Merheje’s want people to know where I’m one-man show, and was part of the going with [my] bit.” He enjoys playJust for Laughs Comedy Festival in ing with the audience, losing them Montreal. for a second, and then winning them Along with Aisha Alfa, Merheje will headline the Dec. 12 event, tellJamieson says ing personal stories of his Middle Eastern family and growing up in a Winnipeg’s comedy Lebanese household.

“It will be an honest, fun, and raw scene is not too show. I will leave it all up there,” says different from Merheje.

The Just for Laughs 2011 Toronto’s, but that Homegrown Competition winner more people in and previous cast member of MTV Live, Merheje likes to rant and tell Winnipeg come out stories on stage. to support shows “Whatever I feel at the moment, I talk about; I have set jokes but I like to improvise and be organic and have a stream of [consciousness].” back with “the big swing.”

Aisha Alfa, winner of Winnipeg’s Beauchemin’s worst onstage Funniest Person with a Day Job in experience occurred when he started 2011, got into comedy “on a whim.” recording his set and got heckled as After a successful first set at Rumor’s, soon as he began. she realized her passion for telling “I [couldn’t] quite hear what the jokes. As soon as she got off stage, person was saying, or see who they she was offered another gig. were, so I kept stopping mid-senWhen asked about her own tence and trying to tell people to be comedic style, Alfa says she has quiet and so on [ . . . ] When I fintrouble answering that question. ished my time I took the recorder off “I asked Chantel Marostica and the seat and saw that I had pressed she [described my style as] ‘worldly, play rather than record, so I ended energetic, silly, with a positive up getting heckled by a recorded perspective on life.’ So… that, I version of my own voice.” guess!”

Garrett Jamieson moved from Winnipeg native—and actor Winnipeg to Toronto when he was

22, and showcases a “bizarre” comedic style: “Look at a picture of me, and it would be very disjointed, all over the place [ . . . ] [a big] party where anything goes.”

Jamieson and Mark DeBonis created The Lot, a comedy club which was recently the runner-up in Now magazine’s Best Comedy Club in Toronto.

Jamieson says Winnipeg’s comedy scene is not too different from Toronto’s, but that more people in Winnipeg come out to support shows. Beauchemin agrees that the crowds in Winnipeg are larger, but notes that there are more opportunities for shows in Toronto.

“I think the most amount of shows I did in Winnipeg was three in a week. [ . . . ] In Toronto the most I’ve done is 14 shows in a week, and I usually try and stay above four a week or so.”

Alfa says this group of friends is very excited to do the show.

Beauchemin also looks warmly on his fellow performers, noting that host Marostica is one of his favourite Winnipeg comics, and says “the three other comics on the show are some of the best in the country.”

When asked what to expect from him on Dec. 12, Jamieson says, “a machine gun full of one-liner jokes.”

He notes that the comics of Family Affair: Holiday Edition are “from a newer generation of comedy (which is good for comedy to come from).”

Come to the Park Theatre on Dec. 12 for Family Affair: Holiday Edition. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the 16+ show starts at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $20 at the door and $15 in advance at www.eventbrite.ca

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

Arts & Culture

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illustration by caroline norman

The 10 commandments of exam week Steps to success during hell week photo by Christian Worthington

Beauty without a challenge

Gurevich Fine Art hosts Christian Worthington’s exhibit Three Lukas Thiessen, staff

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rt has to relate to the world, works,” Worthington says on the and people are fucking size and presence of his art. exhausted.”

“Every artist’s relationship to Christian Worthington, a scale is different [ . . . ] A [paintWinnipeg painter of works at once ing by 17th-century Dutch painter abstract and classical, does not Johannes] Vermeer is a precious demand that viewers reform their jewel, and a [painting by 21st-censensibilities. tury American Jackson] Pollock “Some artists would like it if they will blow you away. I’m interested were told their work challenges in how a work is experienced by people [ . . . ] I want art to be relief. not just the viewer, but the artist I don’t want it to be a challenge.” as well.”

Studious and diligent in the There is a sculptural element to areas of painting, drawing, and Worthington’s pieces. “They are sculpture, Worthington not only in your space.” Worthington also expresses what works for him prefers certain techniques. personally, but explores a univer“I use a lot of glazes, and layers, sal, multi-dimensional focus on and translucency,” he says, adding beauty – profoundly referencing that artists whose work he is fond Old Masters. of don’t necessarily influence his use The visible connections to great of colour. “Gerhard Richter is one painters of the past shine in his of my absolute favourites, but his work. palette is too saturated for me.”

“It’s not the colour people Worthington says the best way are responding to – it’s the tone. to understand which artists have Painting is f lavoured tones.” a great understanding of colour is Worthington describes his new to look at their works in black and exhibit—titled Three—opening white. “The way I learned how to Nov. 28 at Gurevich Fine Art, as paint was to work for two years with a fresh extension of what he began no colour. Just black and white. It’s in the past. about the tone and the edges. You “What I want is for people to get have to train your eyes to see an a good impression of my day-in- infinite diversity of edges.” day-out process. This is the last 120 His CV exemplifies his private days of my life.” study over a period of nearly 10 years: Having carefully selected the National Gallery in London, one-third of a year’s work with the Louvre, the Rijksmuseum, the gallery owner Howard Gurevich, Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Worthington points out there are far more. He left art school after even more pieces not included in only a few months and spent years the show. teaching himself by working at pre“I like big drama, big abstract mier institutions instead.

He laughs at the idea of teaching others, mentioning his stringent expectations.

“My students would have to spend eight years in training, draw for five, and no colour for three years. There would be a 10,000hour commitment.”

Three is a conceptually open exhibition. To show paintings, drawings, and sculptures by one artist as an eclectic package is unusual, says Worthington.

“There is a trend to have very tight conceptual packages for shows.

That is a good choice if you have a process that is very conceptual. My process is not like that.”

He is dedicated to the idea of not demanding a certain reaction from his audience.

“You can only control an audience’s introduction to a show so much. For me, I still believe in the individual work. Some people might read the show as eclectic as a shortcoming, but I want people to read the differences between my works.”

And what if someone wants more background behind the collection? “I totally like questions,” enthuses Worthington.

Come see Three – an exhibition on the product of 120 days of an artist’s work in the area of painting, sculpture, and drawing at Gurevich Fine Art, on the second floor at 62 Albert Street. The show runs from Nov. 28 to Dec. 28.

Katy MacKinnon, staff

1. Thou shalt not leave studying to the last minute.

Although getting a good sleep is better for your memory than an all-night cram session, neither is going to do you any good if you don’t know the material. It’s a simple concept – make studying a priority earlier than you think you need to, and reduce your stress on the big day.

6. Though shalt not study high.

Marijuana, on the other hand, interferes with your short-term memory. Not too helpful when you’re trying to load up your brain with last-minute facts and figures.

See commandment three.

7. Thou shalt stock thou’s pantry and fridge with delicious study snacks.

Study snacks are truly the best part of studying. They are called Smarties for a reason, you know.

2. Thou shalt not dress to impress.

Whether you have one exam or 20, if you show up looking like 8. Thou shalt not wear Beyoncé on the red carpet, you’re perfume/cologne in going to get a lot of evil stares. the exam room.

Exam week means a week of late Yeah, there is such a thing as a nights partying studying, and if you perfume allergy. But not everyone really have the time to curl your hair is interested in smelling wafts of and wear a fashion-week-worthy Purr. Or Seduction in Black. That outfit, are you truly partying study- being said, please take a shower the ing enough? morning of.

3. Thou shalt not 9. Thou shalt not ask make exam num“clarification quesber comparisons. tions” during the exam.

“I have four exams to write.”

If you really need “clarifica“I only have three, but they’re tion,” you probably haven’t studback-to-back over two days.” ied enough. It’s super annoying to “I have one exam, but I work all everyone around you who thinks week and have three assignments you’re getting all the answers, and due, and no time to study.” it’s not like the profs can give you Don’t. Just don’t. We’re all stu- the solutions anyways. dents here.

10. Thou shalt wait until 4. Thou shalt take a thou leaves exam room break once in a while. before jumping for joy As important as these grades and singing after thou’s are, your friends and family are last exam. Thou shalt important too. A little relaxation also plan for an excittime might make the studying go ing end-of-exams celeven easier. If you really can’t take ebration to mark this a break, try to plan a study group wonderful occasion. with like-minded individuals and Congrats! Hell week is over! Of take solace in the saying “misery course you have reason to celebrate. loves company.”

But unless you want that dreaded evil eye from everyone who still 5. Though shalt not has an exam on Dec. 23, save your study drunk. celebrating for after you’ve left the I don’t care how many people Brown Gym. Have a little respect say this works for them. Alcohol for those of us whose winter break inhibits your long-term memory. is a full week shorter than yours Period. because of exam scheduling.

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Arts & Culture

Arts & Culture Editor: Kara Passey Contact: arts@themanitoban.com / 474.6529

More than Just TV Annual showcase highlights creative talents of youth in the Broadway Neighbourhood Centre Anastasia Chipelski, staff

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illustration by heather kat cole

Atheists at work

Some employers and employees find the province to be welcoming to both believers and non-believers Lukas Thiessen, staff

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here are many people in the view topic, a representative for one to Manitoba’s non-discrimination Keystone Province who do not of the winners, Monsanto, replied, laws, there is also the Bona Fide believe in God. For some, lack of “Religious beliefs or lack thereof? Occupational Requirement, which belief is a non-issue, for others, it I don’t think I’m going to touch allows employers to hire based on that one. Thanks though!” The only appropriate qualifications. While her raises various concerns.

Do employers care if you don’t winner to share more than a few organization seeks candidates who believe in God or describe yourself sentences about how their organi- are Anabaptist Christians, Schroeder as an atheist? Would you be less zation acknowledges both believers affirms that if the right candidate likely to find a job if an employer and non-believers was Seven Oaks applied, the potential employee’s knew you associated regularly with General Hospital. application would be reviewed for other non-believers?

Toby Maloney (Public Relations employment even if they did not The 2011 National Household Manager) describes the hospital believe in God. Survey Profile for Manitoba reports origins as unique, and not founded How do employees find the culthat 311,105 people in the province— by any specific religious group – ture of acceptance for non-believers in approximately one-quarter of the unlike other health-care facilities Manitoba? A grade seven teacher in population—have no religious in Winnipeg. “The history, as it was rural Manitoba who chose to remain affiliation. 2006 Census Data for told to me, is that Seven Oaks was anonymous says it took some time Winnipeg shows slightly more than the result of a multi-community before he was willing to mention his 20 per cent of the city’s population approach [ . . . ] a coalition of a atheism to people in the school. spectrum of various political and had no religion.

“The first couple years I was just There are local groups like the religious convictions.” nervous because I was new,” he says, Humanists, Atheists & Agnostics From the outset, Seven Oaks and states that the situation is now of Manitoba (HAAM), and organi- has sought to provide service to different. “I say very clearly that I do zations with similar understandings everyone in the community who not believe in God, but I don’t get such as the Winnipeg Skeptics and needed it. Helen Holbrook (spiri- in religious debates with students the Winnipeg Secularists. There tual care co-ordinator) emphasizes ever.” have been atheist film festivals, a her work is not to create a religious He has other atheist colleagues, recent advertising campaign on atmosphere, but to “listen and and is not concerned with how Winnipeg buses to build support journey” with those who seek her administrators would respond to amongst people who don’t believe services. his beliefs.

“Every person is trying to make in God, and public talks given by “It’s the parents that I worry prominent atheists, such as P.Z. sense of their experience [ . . . ] they about.”

Myers and A.C. Grayling. may have no religious conviction.

He describes rural schools as With a large population of the My job is just to listen to them,” says more likely to be staunchly religious. unreligious, and with various cul- Holbrook.

At the same time, he is happy about Maloney says services offered Manitoba’s laws. When asked if he tural activities and social groups for those who are non-believers, it by Holbrook and her colleagues is concerned about being known as seems safe to assume atheists would are available for those who request an atheist, he credits Canada’s legal be accepted in this society. To find them, and Holbrook explains that system. out how employers respond to a both religious and non-religious “We’re pretty lucky in Canada. If lack of religious beliefs in the work- people come to her. Some employers, I was ever fired for being an atheist, place, the Manitoban attempted to as Maloney and Holbrook indicate, I’d get paid anyway. They can’t do interview winners of Manitoba’s are actively welcoming to both reli- anything to my job because I don’t Top Employers for 2014. Most gious and non-religious employees believe in God.” did not respond to requests for and clients.

Many people may not be ready to interviews. A few referred to their Amongst religious organizations, discuss religion or a lack of it, but as company’s policy of not discrimi- there is a tentative openness towards Maloney, Holbrook, and Schroeder nating amongst employees based on employing non-believers. Kirsten demonstrate, at least some employreligious beliefs, or explained they Schroeder, director of human ers, as well as the legal system in were not equipped to discuss the resources at Mennonite Church Manitoba, are willing to support subject. Presented with the inter- Canada, explains that in addition those who don’t believe.

t some level, we’re all looking and have had opportunities to share for a place to belong. For the the fruits of their labour at other last five years the Just TV program events and conferences. at the Broadway Neighbourhood Engagement with a program Centre has provided exactly that: a like Just TV isn’t only about buildsafe space for people aged 16-24 to ing a career, though. express themselves and learn how “Music/the arts are something to produce their own media. you can bring into your life and take “[Two] things that every youth with you no matter where you go. have in common are that they want Creative expression gives youth to belong to something, and they many of the elements gangs do in want people to genuinely listen to a positive way – a place they belong, what they have to say. It is often a place to hang out, validation of easier to share your story or express their perspective of the world,” says yourself through [the] arts,” says Johnson.

Laura Johnson, program manager.

The program also encourages The program encourages youth past members to stick around as “to express themselves through volunteers “mentoring and supportmultimedia in a safe, fun, creative ing new participants – developing environment as an alternative to their leadership skills and paying it negative influences such as drugs, forward,” says Johnson. gangs, and violence.”

The mentorship role is clear in Every year they have an oppor- videos like “Summer Time,” protunity to showcase their work duced by Just TV and featuring for their friends, family, and the younger members of an after-school broader community. hip-hop program rhyming and Just TV’s annual showcase is singing about the joys of summer being held on Dec. 11, and “will in their neighbourhood. The enthufeature all of the videos and music siasm of the kids comes through that the youth have [created] over clearly in a highly polished, wellthe year – including music vid- directed professional video. eos, cultural videos, public service “The energy at [JUST TV’s announcements, [and] hip-hop annual showcase] is contagious – we performances,” says Johnson. look forward to seeing you there!” “[T]his program and the showcase are inspiring; and it’s because JUST TV’s 2013 annual showof the talented young people who case is being held at the West End have worked so hard to make their Cultural Centre on Dec. 11. Doors own dreams a reality.” open at 7:15 p.m., and the show is The youth who participate in the at 7:45 p.m. The event is free. To program learn technical skills that request tickets, please call 204-421can lead to career opportunities and 9253. For more information on the skill development in related areas program, visit www.thebnc.ca, or such as public speaking. Youth from check out some of their work at www. the program have received awards, youtube.com/user/Justtvbnc/video

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

event Listings

music

Arts & Culture visual art

Monday, Dec. 2 – Dec. 13 PAINTING IS NOT DEAD! Curated

by Hollande Bezan Gallery of Student Art, University of Manitoba

Saturday, Dec. 7 BURDEN / ROSA REAPER / VIOLENT SCREECH / CIRRUS Zsa Zsa West

Thursday, Dec. 5 – Dec. 31 “12” – an exhibition of 12 small works by 12 locals artists Tara Davis Studio Boutique

Saturday, Dec. 7 Ex Modern Teen / The Psychics / The Uncanny Valley Girls The Rose n’ Bee Pub

Friday, Dec. 6 Simple Impact by Miss Lyndsay Ladobruk Zsa Zsa West

Saturday, Dec. 14 PUTRESCENCE / ZOMBIE ASSAULT / CETASCEAN / INVERTED SERENITY The Windsor Hotel

23 other

Friday, Dec. 6 – 7 The Edge Gallery Annual Holiday Craft Sale The Edge Gallery and Urban Art Centre

Friday, Dec. 6 December Makers Market Frame Arts Warehouse

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Editorial

VOL. 100 NO. 16 December 4, 2013

from the 2013 Manitoban staff