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since 1969
.pg3 GO TOPLESS DAY .pg4 Books for Looks .pg6 Boko Haram mimicking IS
Vol. 43, Issue 1
the plant
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VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
CONTACT: theplantnewspaper@gmail.com
the plant letter from the editor Dawson College 3040 Sherbrooke Street West Westmount, QC, H3Z 1A4 Tel: (514) 931-8731 ext:1115 theplantnewspaper@gmail.com Copyright 2014
Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Hannah Gerber Managing Editor Kristiana Alcancia-Shaw News Editor Bronwyn Haney International News Editor Nachman Reich Arts & Culture Editor Kaitlin Fitzgibbon Voices Editor TBA Lifestyle Editor Maryam El-Batoul ElKahlaouir Sports Editor Jordan Stoopler & Justin Silver Comics Aleks Seweryn Cover Art thepoorhaus Copy Editors Peyton Bernett & Sara Capanna Layout Joe Prevost
It truly is my honour to open our first issue with a womping welcome to our fresh batch of Editors. As per usual, these past few weeks have been nothing but a steaming truckload of busy. As you may have heard through the expired posters that are stapled around the school, The Plant has turned a new page and decided to open a wide array of staff positions that have recently all been filled! Aside from our Editors who I’ll shortly formally introduce, we are now working with copy-editors, photographers, layout designers, ad go-getters and paper distributors. Basically, I can watch minaj’s butt ripple all day
and still take all the credit. As production manager we have Kristiana AlcanciaShaw, managing the News section we have Bronwyn Haney, International News is run by Nachman Riech, we have Ally Rubertucci in charge of Voices, as Lifestyle Editor we have Maryam ElBatoul ElKahlaoui, Editing our Sports section we have Jordan Stoopler and Justin Silver and last but not least (well kinda) we have Aleks Seweryn as our Comics editor. I’d also like to give a S/O to all dem bambi eyed baes wandering the halls: reading this newspaper is the first step you’ll ever take to being hip and attaining an editorial po-
table of contents
News
03
Int. News Arts
05 07
Lifestyle
08
Sports Comics
09 13 15
sition makes you morally superior. This paper is completely student run, which means that we, you, have total freedom from the administration regarding content. I highly suggest that you use it as an outlet for the legacy you want to imprint on Dawson when you leave (which prey God you will leave). However, as much as we love penis jokes, The Plant is also here to offer students authentic journalism experience. If you’re a serious writer, lettuce know and we’ll give you the juicy stories with interviews and stuff. Also, my personal faves of this week are: “Swapping books for looks” about the Chapter’s being whipped out
for a victoria secret—an interesting observation on the lead technology’s taking on literature which you will find on pg.3. I also found “Boko Haram Proclaims Islamic State” on pg.6 to shed a bit of shocking, insightful light on a far corner of the world in the way this newspaper should. Thank you readers, writers, editors and staff, without you this paper wouldn’t be here.
featured Rodent
Contributors NATALIE COFFEN KATHERINE D’ADAMO ANTONIO MASTRANGELO NINA CHABEL ANASTASSIA TARASSOVA JESSE OSTROFF VENESSA APPIAH ALYSSIA RUBERTUCCI KAITLIN FITZGIBBON DAVID MEDCALFE OSCAR SALAS MARIA-JOSE LARA-MENEDEZ GABOR BATA MELISSA GIBBS CAROLINE SCHURMANGRENIER GENTILE STRATI ILEANNA CHELADYN JONATHAN SASSON SARA CAPANNA LINA HEID BRONWYN HANEY OLEG KHALIMONOV
MY BEST FRIEND
Source:mystery artist / genius
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EDITOR: Bronwyn Haney CONTACT: bronwyn.haney@yahoo.ca
Go Topless Day in MTL PEYTON BERNETT STAFF WRITER
Last Sunday, a large group of protesters met to participate in Go Topless Day, which focused on the social issue of female nudity. It took place between 1:00 and 4:00pm during Tam Tams at the base of Mount Royal. During the event, women were encouraged to go topless and men were invited to wear bras in order to show their support towards this pressing social issue. The police provided permission for the protest to transpire and stated that they would not interfere as long as there was a peaceful environment. Rael, the founder of Go Topless Day, explains the reasoning behind this demonstration on gotopless.org: "as long as men can be topless, constitutionally women should have the same right, or men should also be forced to wear something hiding their chest. Despite the fact that there were many cameras ready to record all the bare breasted women they could, dozens of ladies took off their shirts and some even posed for those who asked. The crowd
that gathered shared mixed reactions including shock, disgust, and excitement. The event certainly had Montreal talking about this social concern. Though the law in Canada does state that it is legal for women to be topless, the social norm that women may not be bare breasted in public can be seen throughout the country. The participants of Go Topless Day would like to see this social custom changed. They hope to establish a stronger sense of equality between women and men as well as to desexualize breasts. Go Topless Day has only been celebrated twice in Montreal, but it is currently in its seventh year worldwide. The date is picked based on the closest Sunday to Women’s Equality Day, which takes place annually, on August 26th. On this day each year, hundreds gather all over Canada and the United States in hopes that soon enough people will begin to accept female nudity in public. Ideally, the supporters of Go Topless Day would like to see a world in which being topless is not considered a problem based on your sex. After all, women’s equality has come so far over the years, why stop now?
A.L.S
New Yorkers ditched their shirts and joined people around the world
Photo Credits: The NY Post
Ebola & Canada
BRONWYN HANEY NEWS EDITOR
Taking the social media world by storm, the Ice Bucket Challenge has demonstrated tremendous success in benefiting ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) research efforts, as well as spreading awareness about the disease. Millions of people worldwide have taken the brief, ice-cold showers and shared it online, in turn challenging their friends to do the same. This, in turn, has raised over $100 million to be put towards the ALS foundation, which is quadruple what was raised in the last year, all in a matter of months. Overcome with gratitude, Barbara Newhouse, the ALS Association president and CEO, said in a statement that all the money raised will be “used to fund cutting-edge research, and to take care of patients.” Many ideas are already being discussed amongst Boston researchers. ALS is a disease that prohibits the nervous system from functioning properly, specifically targeting the brain and the spinal cord. The disease is progressive, meaning that it will continue to weaken the nerve cells until they are killed and the brain can no longer control muscle movement. This can lead to the complete paralysis of an ALS patient and often leads to their death within 3 to 4 years from diagnosis. The Ice Bucket Challenge was started in order to raise awareness about the disease and funds to benefit the ALS Association, while simulating the physical symptoms typically experienced by individuals who have ALS. By being doused
Photo Credits: Rawstory
The Virus
ALON AZIMOV CONTRIBUTOR
with ice-cold Source: http://www.gannett-cdn.com/
water, the person accepting the challenge will experience an overall feeling of numbness and brief muscle stiffness due to the temperature of the water, which mimics the symptoms of the disease. The individual who accepts the challenge must donate a minimum of $20 to the ALS Association, and if they refuse to accept the challenge, they must donate $100 towards the cause. This past week at Dawson’s annual Corn Roast, many students and staff partook in multiple group Ice Bucket Challenges, and shared in the shivers and laughs while supporting a good cause.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Public Health agency of Canada, the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) is a grave and generally deadly illness, which causes haemorrhagic fevers. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, a haemorrhagic fever is a disease that causes high fever and hemorrhaging or bleeding of internal organs. The virus is often terminal. According to the World Health Organization, the fatality rate can be as high as 90%. The Ebola virus is dangerous because it usually results in death. The virus does not get a chance to spread as far in the population, because it is very deadly. The Ebola virus outbreaks are happening mainly in villages in Central and West Africa, close to tropical rainforests. Ac-
cording to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this year’s Ebola outbreak is one of the largest in history and the first in West Africa. The four West African countries affected are: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. According to the World Health Organization, the virus is transmitted to human beings through contact with bodily fluids, organs or game meat of wild animal. Fruit bats are thought to be the typical or first hosts of EVD. It is spread between human beings through the contact of bodily fluids. A human being would have to have contact with bodily fluids to contract the virus. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, there is no effective treatment. Most patients are kept isolated from having contact with others. They are monitored to check if they have any fever like symptoms. Patient treatment focuses on support, keeping organs working and electrolytes balanced. Most pa-
tients dehydrate easily. Health professionals try to stop any haemorrhages and shock. People can still transmit the virus for seven weeks after they recover. No vaccine has been licensed for EVD. Many vaccines are being tested, but they are not being used in clinics. Outbreak areas are quarantined by health professionals working for the World Health Organization and international medical aid. Canadians should not worry about catching the virus, unless they plan to visit family in the affected regions. According to CBC News and the CBC website, there have been cases of Canadians quarantined for having flu like symptoms. Those patients visited family in West Africa. A girl in Gatineau tested negative for having Ebola virus and so have all the Canadians that have been tested so far. The virus is too deadly to spread far. Right now, there are no confirmed Ebola virus cases in Canada.
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4 EDITOR: Bronwyn Haney CONTACT: bronwyn.haney@yahoo.ca
VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
Swapping Books for Looks MIA FISCHLIN STAFF WRITER
Chapters, located in the heart of downtown Montreal, is shutting down to make way for the second largest Victoria Secret in the world, which will open up in 2015. Say farewell to hard copy books and get ready for Victoria Secrets “super sexy collection” of lingerie, swimwear, fragrances, and beauty products. With all the clothing and technology taking over, where will there be time for people to read? The sale of hard copy books globally has been decreasing over the last decade. “Bookstores are on their way out, since people are ordering books online for cheaper and e-books are becoming more popular”, said McGill business and technology professor Jui Ramaprasad. Hard copy books are becoming less popular, but this does not mean that people are reading less. A survey showed that owners of e-readers read an average of eight books a year more than people without the devices. The reason that e-books are becoming more desirable to the general population is because it is more compact to carry; the reader can access any book they desire with a tap of their fingertip. The reader will save money and it is easier to read since the device can change the font and
zoom into the words. “I prefer the e-book because it’s light and fits everywhere and I can read in the dark”, says Denise Mylonakis, an e-book owner. Victoria Secret replacing Chapters is causing quite a stir among the Montreal crowd. People are looking at the situation as if books are being replaced by bras. A worried mother said, “It’s teaching our daughters that a nice bra is more important than a good book, which is unbelievable”. Others are excited, but have mixed emotions at the same time: “Well I’m happy to have a Victoria Secret Downtown, but I’m not thrilled that it is taking over Chapters, especially since there is a LaSenza right across from it,” says Melissa Boder, a Dawson College student. Bras replacing books would be a shocking situation. In actuality, the e-book, the new technology that is changing the way we read, is essentially replacing hard copy books. The traditional way of reading is changing, but reading off of an ebook does not change the information or stories written inside. A book is not just bound paper. It can be processed in whatever shape or form and it will still get the material across using words. Our way of life is becoming more technology oriented, which some people may not like, but in the end it is increasing the amount of reading and is more ecologically friendly. Victoria Secret, or any clothing store, will never replace reading, but it just may take over a book store. Medieval Brassiere
Gender advocacy centre BRONWYN HANEY NEWS EDITOR
During the winter 2014 semester, The Hive announced that it was going to clean up and remodel not just the office space, but the code of conduct of the service and reinforce the center’s backbone. Much of the student body who frequented the gender advocacy center were treating it as more of a club than a service, which in turn resulted in the discouragement of the usage of the center’s services by the students. The team of executives has since been making an effort to change this. As the new semester begins, The Hive has put in place the necessary changes and reintroduced itself as a new and improved gender advocacy center. Along with the new set of rules that prohibit the use of the center as a club space, The Hive has also set out a few goals to be carried out this school year, which include removing the assumed notion that the center only offers services for female-identifying students. Though The Hive still remains to be a place for students to come for tampons and pads, as well as a safe place for breastfeeding and resting when experiencing pain, it also offers services and welcomes the whole of the Dawson population, not only females. Anyone can visit the center for free tampons, pads, condoms and chocolate,
as well as for peer support and information on sexual health and safety, and general well-being. Much of the Dawson population is not aware of the services that The Hive offers, which is something that the executives intend on changing by becoming further involved with the life and hap-
penings of the college as well as by getting involved with and hosting events, and informing the student population of their school’s gender advocacy center and what it provides. These efforts will hopefully encourage students to visit The Hive and make use of the services without experiencing feelings of discomfort
Photo Credits: Glamour
or embarrassment when inside the office space, as these feelings are the opposite of what the center aims to encourage. Interested in receiving student feedback, The Hive holds weekly meetings every Tuesday at 1:00pm at the center, in room 2D.1A, which are open to student participation.
‘Ferguson residents flooded the neighborhood streets chanting “no justice, no peace” in unison and holding up “hands up, don’t shoot” signs’
The Hive
Photo Credits: Phillippe Jones
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5 EDITOR: Nachman Reich CONTACT: nachman.reich@yahoo.ca
VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
Obama adresses Ferguson case BRANI VEDRIC CONTRIBUTOR Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden, proud mother and father of Michael Brown, laid to rest their 18 yearold son on August 25th, after he was shot dead by a local police officer. The circumstances surrounding the case are not all that clear, but some things are known. Coming home with friend Dorian Johnson to his St. Louis County home, the two made a pit-stop at a nearby convenience store. Afterwards, they were stopped by law enforcement officer Darren Wilson for jaywalking. The events that immediately followed took a turn for the worse, as the situation between the officer and young men escalated. The tragic result being that Michael Brown would die on August 9th, causing tensions between St. Louis residents and police to boil over. Specifics regarding the shooting are heavily disputed due to the conflicting stories recalled by eyewitnesses and police involved. In fact, merely a day after the shooting, a news conference was held
Ferguson residents holding up “Hands up Don’t Shoot” signs
Photo Credit: Vox
‘Ferguson residents flooded the neighborhood streets chanting “no justice, no peace” in unison and holding up “hands up, don’t shoot” signs’ in which St. Louis County Police Chief Joe Belmar claimed that Brown had physically assaulted Officer Darren Wilson. He further stated that Brown had also tried to reach out and snatch Wilson’s gun, which constituted a legitimate threat for the police officer to open fire. On the other side, eyewitnesses Dorian
Johnson, Tiffany Mitchell and Piaget Crenshaw stated that Brown was actually shot for the first time after failing to abide by the officer’s orders to get into Wilson’s police vehicle. The three also claim to have seen Wilson continue to shoot at Brown, despite his hands being raised over his bent head, in a sign of
surrender. These accounts corroborate what African American Ferguson residents say is evidence of the systematic discrimination against their community by the Saint Louis police force. Enraged at the circumstances, Ferguson residents flooded neighborhood streets chanting
“no justice, no peace” in unison and holding up “hands up, don’t shoot” signs. While most were peaceful, a minority engaged in vandalism and pelted police officers with objects. Police officers thus attempted to break up the protests, which only inflamed tensions and led to a spike in violent acts among protestors. In response, riot police officers dressed in military attire were called to the scene. They fired rubber bullets and used tear gas to disperse the rowdy crowds. Currently, things are starting to look up in Ferguson. The first reason has to do with Governor Jay Nixon’s decision to burden the National Guard and Missouri State Highway Patrol with police duties and security oversight, which has ultimately quelled the protests. Secondly, Michael Brown’s investigation currently lies in the hands of civil rights advocate Attorney General Eric H. Holder, who has orders from Obama to conduct a complete federal autopsy and to interview witnesses. This has placated most St. Louis residents who believe that justice is still achievable.
Internal strife within French gov’t MORGAN ARMSTRONG CONTRIBUTOR The French government came to a halt on Monday, August 25th, after President Francois Hollande dissolved the government due to internal strife within the cabinet. With an unemployment rate of nearly ten percent and a government deficit that surpasses the European Union’s advisory limit of three percent, France’s political feud is largely the result of disagreements over spending. While the French government has cut back on different programs in the past few years,
French politicians
some people, notably amongst them economy minister Arnaud Montebourg, recently came out in opposition to this policy, claiming that money needs to be spent more freely to create job opportunities. This criticism is largely seen as the last straw that led to the current situation, with French Prime Minister Manuel Valls offering his government’s resignation soon thereafter. For the past few years, France has been under pressure from the European Union to get its finances under control. According to the Huffington Post, in response, Hollande promised to implement reforms such as cutting taxes and spending, primarily to promote business
growth and reign in government expenses. However, since this policy’s inception, it has faced criticism, primarily from the socialist left, among them Montebourg. This, according to Mariano Castillo of CNN, resulted in a divided socialist leadership and ultimately in the current debacle that we are now witnessing in “a country where growth has stalled and unemployment remains high.” In response, Hollande agreed to the resignation given to him by Prime Minister Valls, to whom he gave until Tuesday to assemble a new government. While many were curious about who would fill key posts under contention, the crux of
the debate was mainly about the kind of economic policy the new government would promote after its formation. In trying to decide what the sensible plan is, some are looking to neighbour Germany’s strict spending policy, while others advocate doing the opposite, seeing the former as tried-and-failed. Despite no elections being held, a new government was established on Tuesday, August 26th, without some of Hollande’s former allies, most notably Montebourg. The new French government includes Economic Minister Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Manuel Valls, Education Minister Najat Vallaud- Belkacem, Foreign Affairs Minister Laurent Fabius,
Minister of Finance and Public Accounts Michel Sapin, and Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian. In this new formation of ministers, Hollande has tightened his control over his government. This notwithstanding, many political analysts believe that Hollande’s reign is still in a shaky state after years of unpopularity. Ultimately, it appears that only time will tell whether France’s new government will work together to meet the objectives set forth by Hollande, especially economically. If not, this current French government may soon become history.
Photo Credit: Wommenet
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6 VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
EDITOR:Nachman Reich CONTACT: nachman.reich@yahoo.ca
Ebola in Africa: the epidemic SARA CAPANNA STAFF WRITER Dr. Abraham Borbor, a Liberian doctor treating Ebola patients, became the latest high profile victim of the deadly Ebola disease on August 24th. According to local health officials, Borbor had contracted the virus while working at a hospital in the country's capital, Monrovia. Despite being treated with the experimental ‘ZMapp’ treatment, Borbor was unable to overcome the disease. Named after a Congolese river, Ebola first appeared in Sudan and Congo, around the year 1976. There are only five identified strains of Ebola, of which four can infect humans: Bundibugyo ebolavirus, Zaire ebolavirus, Sudan ebolavirus, and Taï Forest ebolavirus. The first three have spread across Africa, killing 1500 individuals in West Africa alone. This has led experts to describe Ebola as the region’s worst outbreak in many years. One of the world's most infectious diseases, Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with infected blood and other bodily fluids. Between two days and three weeks after infection, flu symptoms such
Ebola victim taken to quarantine
as fever, muscle pain, and sore throat appear. If left untreated, the fever escalates to vomiting, diarrhea, breathing difficulties, incapacitated organ function, and internal bleeding. At this last stage, Ebola is deadly in up to 90% of cases. Fortunately, medical personnel are treating this disease before it can reach the hemorrhagic stage, which has greatly reduced the mortality rate to 50%. In an unfortunate development, Congo has confirmed new cases of infection in its northern town of Gera. In response,
Photo Credit: abcnews.com
Felix Kabange Numbi, the country's health minister, reassured his people in a televised statement that the government will "provide essential medication in all medical institutions in the area of Gera, (as well as) free health treatment for the duration of the epidemic." To this effect, a lab and a quarantine station have been set up in Gera. Meanwhile, The World Health Organization (WHO) is conducting tests to determine whether the same strain of Ebola is afflicting Congo specifically, as
this knowledge could help in containing the epidemic and eventually finding a cure. Given that Congo shares its borders with nine other nations, the consequences could be catastrophic if a cure is not found soon. The worst case scenario would see West Africa, via Congo or another infected country, becoming the launching point for a disease dangerous to the whole African continent. Fear of Ebola spreading is rife in many African nations that are close to the epicenter of the disease. Ivory Coast has al-
ready said that it will be closing its shared borders with Guinea and Liberia indefinitely. Following suit, Senegal has shut its doors to any aircraft or ships coming from Guinea, Sierra Leone or Liberia. Ellen Sirleaf, Liberia's own president, has closed the Liberian border as well. Visiting death and destruction upon its victims, Ebola is causing many West African nations to embark on a path of isolation, if only for the peace of mind this route provides.
Mimicking the Islamic State HILLEL STEINMETZ STAFF WRITER
In a video released on Sunday, Sunni extremist group Boko Haram, the organization responsible for kidnapping Nigerian female students a few months ago, declared that it had created an Islamic caliphate in northeastern Nigeria. Abubakar Shekau, the faction’s leader, further congratulated his fighters for capturing the city of Gwoza in Nigeria’s state of Borno, the most populated city under the group’s control. In a previous video, Shekau also praised the Islamic State (IS) and its leader Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, but there was no indication that the two militant factions are cooperating. Thus, it would be premature to state that Boko Haram has aspirations of being part of the Islamic State. However, these declarations are clearly evidence of a shift in the group’s allegiance from al-Qaeda to the Islamic State. According to some, Boko Haram’s mimicking of IS is also evidence of the latter’s rise in popularity among Islamists. Peter J. Pham, of the Atlantic Council, commented on this phenomenon. He stated in an Agence France-Presse article that other extremist groups in Africa view IS with “ideological sympathy”, while nonetheless having no actual affiliation with it. Rice University Professor David Cook believes Boko Haram’s aims are more cynical, in what he sees as an attempt to draw upon the press attention surrounding IS’s meteoric rise in the Levant. It should be recalled that in June of this summer, IS declared the foundation of a caliphate after violently seizing large
Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau from the video released on Sunday.
swaths of land in both Iraq and Syria. Amidst this all, IS has made itself known for the sheer brutality it visits upon those who do not conform to its extremist interpretation of the Qur’an, especially moderate Sunnis, Shi’as, Yazidis, Christians, and Kurds. Similarly, Boko Haram has committed multiple human rights violations since its founding in 2002. The group has ruthlessly murdered more than 5000 civilians in the past five years. Furthermore, it has
committed suicide bombings, car bombings, and kidnappings to terrorize the Nigerian people. Since Abubakar Shekau became the group’s leader in 2010, Boko Haram has increased its violent activities, creating further unrest in the northern region of the country. In response, the United States classified Boko Haram as a terrorist organization in the fall of 2013. Caring nothing for its international repute, Boko Haram has continued on its Jihadist path. Earlier this month, the
Courtesy: Handout/AFP/GettyImages, National Post, Associated Press.
United Nations Humanitarian Office (OCHA) reported that it caused some 650 000 Nigerians to flee to neighbouring Chad, Niger, and Cameroon. The militant group further took the world by storm earlier this May, when it kidnapped hundreds of young, female students from a school in Chibok, many of whom are still missing. The abductions sparked the massive media campaign #BringBackOurGirls, which Shekau scorned. On Monday, May 5th, he re-
leased a video claiming that he had plans to sell the abducted girls as slaves, which “is allowed in (his) religion.” It is such a barbaric group that has declared sovereignty over a part of Nigeria. An IS idolizer, Boko Haram’s militantism far surpasses even al-Qaeda’s, which has denounced Bagdadi’s group as too extreme. Clearly then, the group’s rise foreshadows an ominous future for the region and the African continent. The world’s response remains to be seen.
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7 EDITOR: Kaitlin Fitzgibbon CONTACT:Kaitlin.fitzgibbon@live.ca
Harry Potter Reunion KAITLIN FITZGIBBON ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR l though J.K Rowling has continuously reported that she is no longer interested in writing more Harry Potter books, she has been writing through the voice of Ginny Weasley since April 2014. The sweet and lovable girl who, now in her adulthood, is the Daily Prophet’s Quidditch Correspondent, has been covering the 2014 World Cup. The series begins with the disastrous opening ceremony. The Norwegian team mascot surprises the audience as they
watched the flesh-eating serpent be released alongside the other team’s shark shape- shifter. Rowling, as usual, had no trouble creating such excitement right away in the game. In each article, Weasley gives a detailed report of each game leading up to the final. The series is so realistically written that it seems like a real sporting event, including names of players, their ages, final scores, rules and penalties, etcetera. True Harry Potter fans will undoubtedly recognize Daily Prophet reporter Rita Skeeter’s sneaky and trouble-making ways. Her famed Quick Quotes Quill has
been responsible for some serious exploitation and downright offensive lies in the wizarding world. The unreliable and dishonest reporter spotted “Dumbledore’s Army” at the final game of the cup between Bulgaria and Brazil. In an exciting twist, Rowling takes on the role of gossip columnist Rita Skeeter to give readers a sense of what the adored and infamous teenage wizards and witches have been up to since the Battle of Hogwarts. Skeeter starts with an account of Potter’s new life as a 34-year-old Auror for the Ministry of Magic. As usual, she
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plays with the truth and states her suspicions about the new scar on his cheekbone, which she thinks could possibly be linked to Ministry secrets. Potter also brings his two sons, James and Albus, to visit his old friend, Viktor Krum, who is still the seeker of Bulgaria. Skeeter also disses Ginny’s talent and capabilities to report the World Cup (No surprise there) and asks why she is so comfortable leaving her children and husband for such a long period to cover the event. Typical Rita trying to dig out dirt by twisting everything she has at hand.
Hogwarts students
Reflektor!!!!!!!! ALICE REITER CONTRIBUTOR Almost a year after the intimate Salsatheque shows and new album buzz, Arcade Fire has been around the world and back on their six-month Reflektor tour. On Saturday, the band made their longawaited final stop here in Montreal to a crowd of more than 25,000. The outdoor show, featuring three opening acts, had an eccentric atmosphere. The Reflektor tour’s dress code – to provide a “fun carnival” atmosphere, said the band – was adhered to by some of the crowd with glitter, face-paint, and costumes. Openers Fraka, a local renowned music group, got the crowd moving with their engaging singers and dancers, setting the mood for the carnival that was sure to ensue. Perhaps Fraka’s energetic set should have come later, since the next band to
come on, Spoon, was underwhelming in comparison; their more subdued alt/rock performance seemed a little out of place between two more lively acts. Dan Deacon was the last opener and was clearly well versed in connecting with the audience. After calling for a dance contest between two sections of the crowd, he had members of the audience lead a “group interpretive dance” to his electronic soundscape. Finally, at nine o’clock, the moment the crowd had been waiting for came with full force. Arcade Fire strode onto stage and played a few songs, old and new, before addressing the crowd. Between songs, singers Win Butler and Régine Chassagne thanked the crowd in both languages. Butler expressed that it was a “beautiful feeling” to be back in Montreal before continuing on with album-spanning hits. A slowed-down “Empty Room” and a sample of “My Body Is A Cage” that transitioned into “Keep The Car Running” added new touches to the older songs.
She spots Ron and Hermione, now married. She makes a rude comment about Ron’s thinning ginger hair and makes all kinds of assumptions about their own secrets. Ron, who first started working with the Ministry of Magic, is now the co-manager of “Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes” joke shop. Hermione is now very successful (as always) in the Ministry of Magic, as Head Department of Law and has a son, Hugo, and daughter, Rose, with Weasley. Naturally, Skeeter opens up old rumours about Harry and Hermione that she herself made up.
Photo Credit: Warner Bros
The dynamic performance kept heads turning from the main stage to a platform further out in the crowd, from which Chassagne sang “It’s Never Over (Hey Orpheus)” surrounded by dancing skeletons. The band’s two hour set moved smoothly between the energetic songs like “Ready To Start” and “No Cars Go”, to more intimate moments during the slower ones. The band even played an emotional A Capella end to “The Suburbs”, featuring shots of Spike Jonze’s short film of the same name projected in the background. With the encore came a surprise appearance from Pope Francis – his bobble head, that is – introducing a snippet of Céline Dion’s song “Une colombe”. Throughout the tour, the band played covers of local bands, some featuring members of the bands themselves (see Marky Ramone and David Byrne in the Brooklyn shows). With Pope Francis dancing along, they played Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe In Anything”, something they “used to listen to all the time in the early days,”, according to Butler. It was fitting: an homage to the city’s indie scene from which they came.
The extensive Reflektor tour, which included 74 shows of varying scales, was brought to a close with band members, the famous papier-mâché bobble heads, and a man covered in mirrors dancing on stage. The final song, “Wake Up”, was
Win Butler in all his glory
accompanied by fireworks and confetti as the crowd sang along to the chorus. And with that, Montreal’s hometown glory exited the stage, as the exciting Reflektor era came to an end.
Photo Credit: Flickr
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MASTER SEPTEMBER 2:The Master 2014-09-03 8:32 PM Page 8
8 EDITOR: Maryam Elkahlaoui CONTACT:cristina16s@hotmail.com
Food for thought
VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
To some, it may seem unsanitary, but in all seriousness, I drank the bowl in the image and I am still alive and functioning.
MARYAM ELKAHLAOUI LIFESTYLE EDITOR Sometimes, testing exotic and unusual food items may be more thrilling than canyoning. The following list is not exhaustive. One may spend one's whole life tasting different dishes and not come even close to trying them all. But this is a good first step : 1)The Roquefort Usually described as "smelly", "disgusting", "unsanitary" etc., the Roquefort was probably not advised to you by numerous acquaintances. The truth is, Danish blue is much stronger. Roquefort may smell strong, but it has a rather mild taste, sweet even, if you savour it slowly. It is better if you try the real Roquefort, made of raw sheep milk. Fortunately, Roquefort is aged for at least three months, making it legal to sell in Canada, unlike Camembert. This cheese fis illegal in its original form since it is only aged for three weeks. And for the sanitary concerns, you may know that in Corsica, the casgiu merzu (or casu merzu in Sardinia),which tastes like an over-aged Roquefort, is left in an open container and only consumed after thousands of maggots have lived in and eaten from it. People are still fine.
4) Hedgehog As in the animal, not the dessert. I have never tried it myself, but my dad says that hedgehog soup tastes wonderful. Also, roasted hedgehog is one of the oldest known recipes in Great Britain, existing since 6000BC. If you feel bad about eating such cute little creatures, remember how spiky they are. They have like a punk haircut. And punks are against capitalism. Hedgehogs are punks in disguise. HEDGEHOGS ARE COMMUNISTS !!!!
Photo Credit: sweetaddictions
Camel + Milk, sooooo good!
2) The pastilla See, I am Moroccan so I can objectively say that our cuisine kicks some major arse. The pastilla, which can be found at most Moroccan restaurants (I won't recommend it) or ordered from home cooks in the eastern part of town, is a meat pie. The filling,
originally made of pigeon meat, is nowadays either a layered mix of caramelized onions, almonds, shredded chicken and cinnamon ("sweet" pastilla) or seafood and rice vermicelli ("salty" pastilla). The crust is made of a thinner type of filo dough. I prefer the sweet one and it is heavenly.
3) Camel milk This is for those who are planning to visit a desert anytime soon, since it is pretty much impossible to get camel milk here in Quebec. Camel milk tastes like hot creamy, heavy, fatty and extremely sweet cow milk, and I am talking raw milk here.
Spas: really worth the price? PATRICK BAZARBACHIAN CONTRIBUTOR
In stressful simply regular times, going to the spa is an increasingly popular recreation, which provides a serene escape to all its visitors. A sanctuary of relaxation through which people enter rough around the edges and come out smooth. While some might argue that the cost of decompressing can sometimes prove to be too high, others recognize the fee as the materialization of a human need that cannot be bypassed.
rrrrrrelaxing
The Spa as a Business The assertion that (generally speaking) people, ranging from teenagers to adults, are experiencing higher levels of stress in their daily lives requires no factual support; it’s evident in the Dawson environment and that of our homes and workplace. Spas have overtly benefited from this upraise: recent statistics from ISPA (International Spa Association, based in the U.S.) estimate the sector’s revenue to a roaring 14.7 billion USD in 2013 – a 5% increase from the preceding year (“Growth in the Spa Industry Generates Record-Setting Number of Spa Visits”, ISPA).
Here in the Montreal scene, the growing weight of the spa industry is increasingly noticeable. In a fall issue of last year’s Fashion Magazine, an overview portrait of the "top spas across Canada" provided its readers with information regarding popular treatments and regular fees about each listing. Some are quite hefty for what is realistically traded in exchange: a calm environment for thoughts and bodies to be refreshed. Treatments such as the 200$ Ice Cider Body Wrap procurable at Amerispa or the Vitality Facial at Away Spa beg the question, "What is our money paying for?" The Real Value As the abstraction of money keeps block-
ing us from depicting necessities from wants, we are compelled to assume the inflating cost of living. This pushes us to lead faulty evaluations about what is considered to be an acceptable fee for practically anything, let alone relaxation. As hard as it may seem, it is vital to put things into perspective in order to assess the actual worth of a financial transaction. In the case of the spa, what money is really purchasing isn’t time, but an alternative to a timespending method. While some might seek retreat inside the comfort of their homes and into the universe of a novel or the warmth of a bath, others might find it more gratifying to liquidate their earnings for the equivalent. The pricy spa treat-
5) Avocado with sugar and marmalade Does this make you wince after reading it ? Good, because eating that will make you want to regurgitate your epiglottis. But as the title of the article suggests, you should try this once. After that, your little sibling's once non-edible attempt at making pasta (or anything really) will almost seem made by a Troigros. Here it is. I can only advise you to not try to mix some elements in this list, and bon appétit.
ments are now more justifiable through this lens through which money isn’t seen as the ultimate evil, but simplicity is blamed for having lost its innocence. The concept of the spa excludes overthinking and reminds its visitors of the many joys of peacefulness. Unfortunately, when we combine these bastions of tranquility with our neo-liberal focus on money, we can easily find ourselves (once again) caught up in the complexities of financial management. Hence, a trip to the spa does momentarily tie us to a beautiful moral lesson while it also forces us to cling to our payrolls.
Photo Credit: montedaquinresort
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MASTER SEPTEMBER 2:The Master 2014-09-03 8:32 PM Page 9
9 EDITORS: Jordan Stoopler & Justin Silver CONTACT: jordan.stoopler@gmail.com
The boys are back
VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
JORDAN STOOPLER SPORTS EDITOR
The summer season is behind us as school is back in session. While this may seem terrible and depressing to students across the province, hockey fans (like myself), see the silver lining that at least the Montreal Canadiens season is about to get underway. The Habs are looking to build on an impressive 2013-14 season, in which they racked up 100 points and the remarkable post-season run the team went on, ultimately falling in six games to the New York Rangers. Despite their impressive run towards Lord Stanley’s chalice, team management did make some tweaks to the roster in an effort to advance even further this season. The club traded away diminutive playoff performer Daniel Briere after only one season with the team. He was sent to Colorado in exchange for versatile right winger Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau. While the Habs may potentially miss Briere’s post season production, they are confident that Parenteau can carry the load. Habs brass are hoping that Parenteau can fill the much-needed right wing spot alongside David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty on the top line and provide secondary scoring on the sub par power play. The Canadiens also sent a message to their younger players by trading away veteran defenceman Josh Gorges to the Buffalo Sabres. In addition, the team was
Photo Credits: Mtl Times
Tha Habs
unable to come to terms with captain Brian Gionta on a contract extension and so he, too, finds himself with the Sabres. These decisions may have shocked many fans, but general manager Marc Bergevin felt it was necessary for the long-term betterment of the franchise. “We felt that with our performance during the playoffs, our young core was ready to take a bigger role when it comes to lead-
ership," Bergevin said. "Eventually you need to give your young players a chance to take over that role." Gorges’ place on the Canadiens blue line will be filled by Tom Gilbert, a right handed rearguard that finished last season with Florida. He can be expected to produce at a higher rate than Gorges did and play more productive minutes on the second power play unit. His physicality can
also be viewed as a plus and an improvement over his predecessor. Manny Malhotra was brought in to replace an often ineffective Ryan White and Czech Jiri Sekac chose the Habs as his NHL home after a bidding war with multiple different teams. Malhotra brings a more stabilizing presence on the penalty kill and will be heavily relied on at the faceoff dot, while Sekac could create some magic on the second line with Tomas
Plekanec, a Czech Republic countryman himself. However, the biggest news of the summer was undoubtedly the lucrative contract extension that P.K. Subban signed with the Canadiens. The eight year, $72 million pact will make Subban the richest defenseman in the game and the thirdhighest paid player overall (behind Alexander Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin). The pressure will mount as Subban will continue to take on an even bigger role with the squad. The main question that Habs fan are asking as training camp fast approaches are, "Who will be the next captain?" There is no odds-on favorite to wear the “C” but names often mentioned are that of Subban, Max Pacioretty, Andrei Markov and Tomas Plekanec. The Canadiens may also choose to have a rotation of captains throughout the season or simply not name one at all, as was done in 2009-10 after Saku Koivu’s departure. 2014's first round draft choice Nikita Scherbak is one to watch at camp. With a vacancy atop the Habs top nine forwards, either Scherbak or Sekac could earn their way to the job. Another key battle is that of the backup goaltender as playoff revelation Dustin Tokarski will attempt to win the backup goaltending position behind Carey Price, to the detriment of Peter Budaj. Tokarski was fault-out phenomenal in the Rangers series when called on to replace the injured Price and may have earned the promotion. These questions and many more will only be answered come October 6th, the team’s season opener in Toronto against the Maple Leafs.
A dismal sports summer in mtl JORDAN STOOPLER SPORTS EDITOR
It has been quite an eventful summer in our city. Between the comedy and jazz fests to Osheaga and IleSoniq, the city has been constantly celebrating and in a state of euphoria. The same cannot be said for the Montreal Alouettes football team or the Montreal Impact soccer squad who have undergone more than their fair share of struggles this summer. The Alouettes currently hold a 2-7 record in the East Division and have struggled mightily to produce touchdowns all season long. Only 7 drives have resulted in scores in the team’s nine games. The instability at quarterback also played a role in the team’s struggles. The Alouettes have used four quarterbacks this season (Tanner Marsh, Troy Smith, Alex Brink and now Jonathan Crompton) to limited success. If anything, it is the unheralded Crompton who has done the best job so far, helping the team to a 20-10 win over the Ottawa Redblacks last Friday. The uncertainty at QB has also forced management to make desperate coaching additions and demotions to its staff. The team hired Don Matthews as a consultant, hired Turk Schonert as receiver’s coach and snagged Jeff Garcia to act as quarterback’s coach. While the team may look in shambles,
Photo Credits: Jordan Stoopler
Alouettes Team
so is the rest of the East Division. With the horrid record of 2-7, your Alouettes find themselves in second place and only two points back of leader Toronto. The post season is still very much in the picture.
Montreal Impact team
The Impact, on the other hand, have little hope for post-season contention. The team’s record of 4-15-5 put them at the cave of the standings and thirteen points behind the final playoff spot.
The team went through an off season of change, firing head coach Marco Schallibaum and replacing him with former Chicago Fire coach Frank Klopas. The team saw their rock on defence Alessandro
Nesta leave to retirement in the winter and was never truly adequately replaced. The team did make an early season trade with the Philadelphia Union, picking up scorer Jack McInierney, however the offence has not seen a rise in production. The team has only scored 25 goals in 24 league matches, not enough in soccer. The defence has been even worse, conceding 45 markers so far. There is some reason for optimism. The team has recently signed Ignacio Piatti to a 3 ½ year contract. The Argentine international has looked good since he came to Montreal and has found great chemistry with designated player Marco Di Vaio. He could be counted on to improve Montreal’s sub-par offensive output. The club has also surprised many by qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions League second round. The team won the right to represent Canada at this tournament by defeating Toronto FC in the finals. The squad is currently leading their division, having beaten El Salvador FAS twice already. The Impact have a crucial home and away series coming up with the New York Red Bulls which will heavily dictate if they will make it through to the final eight teams. Despite the negatives, there is some positive aspects to look forward to as the Alouettes and Impact season near the end of their road. And as they say, there is always next year.
Photo Credits: Jordan Stoopler
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MASTER SEPTEMBER 2:The Master 2014-09-03 8:32 PM Page 10
10 EDITOR: Aleksandra Seweryn CONTACT: aleks.seweryn@gmail.com
Maria-José Lara
MAZE START
END
ayy lmao SEND UR COMIX 2 DA PLANT PLZ aleks.seweryn@gmail.com the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant the plant
MASTER SEPTEMBER 2:The Master 2014-09-03 8:32 PM Page 11
11 EDITOR: Aleksandra Seweryn CONTACT: aleks.seweryn@gmail.com
VOL. 43 ISSUE 1 - Thursday, September 4th, 2014
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MASTER SEPTEMBER 2:The Master 2014-09-03 8:32 PM Page 12
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