The Silhouette- Feb. 4, 2016

S The Silhouette Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

this just in Amidst a disqualification and appeal, the MSU has still announced a presidential winner.

Meet your president-elect, Justin Monaco-Barnes.

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Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

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JAN-MARCH, 2008

The never-ending election saga During January, February and March of 2008, the MSU was faced with a predicament similar to what we are dealing with now. In the presidential race for the 2008-2009 school year, one candidate was disqualified at the last minute due to a filed complaint. The Elections Committee chose to look further in the complaint and delayed the results by a few days. They eventually announced the winner, Jeremini Jones, as well as the disqualified candidate, Joel Leavitt. Shortly after, Leavitt chose to appeal the decision.

After a month and a half of debating and one resigned Chief Returning Officer, a vote recount was done and jones still came out as the winner.

Leavitt and Ted Flett in 1999 are the only two candidates to be disqualified before Sarah Jama’s expulsion from this year’s race.

LOOKING FOR MORE ELECTIONS COVERAGE? Visit us online at thesil.ca for updates

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

The VP Referendum fails to pass by a narrow margin Page 4

The Silhouette

News

Piping up about

the pipeline

| 3

Hoda ElMaraghy recieves Order of Ontario honour

A rally on Jan. 26 called the Trudeau government’s action on climate change into question

Page 7

Canadian campus news Rafik El Werfalli Contributor

New Technological Centre for Humber College

Protesters called on the Trudeau government to reconsider their approach to climate change.

C/O SAAD EJAZ

Saad Ejaz Contributor

On Jan. 26, dozens rallied outside the Federal Building in Hamilton to call on the Trudeau government to keep its promises on climate change.

The crowd carried signs and posters advocating for divestment from fossil fuels that read “Divest from oil, invest in our future.”

Leading up to the election in October and the Paris climate change conference in December, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed climate change extensively and discussed the need to overhaul the National Energy board Pipeline review process. He also promised to include members of Indigenous communities in this discussion.

However, those who were present at the rally expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s actions so far.

Don McLean, an attendee, said that he along with other members of the community want the Trudeau government to be proactive on climate change.

“Promised in the election campaign, both verbally and in their platform, that they would stop this broken process of pipeline reviews … We also want him to keep his promise to the planet, which he took in Paris.”

The question the protesters aimed at the Trudeau government is simple: How can Canada be a world leader in climate change and continue the destructive environmental projects of pipeline expansions?

Hearings for the Kinder Morgan pipelines resumed on Jan. 19 despite opposition from environmental groups. The pipeline project would allow three times more bitumen across southern British Columbia through the Vancouver harbour. While the hearings for the project are underway, so are protests and rallies.

Recently, Enbridge proposed an eastern pipeline. The Energy East project is a 4,600 km pipeline that will transport approximately 1.1 million barrels of oil per day from Alberta to Eastern Canada.

“We already have serious climate change, we have to keep

The crowd carried signs and posters advocating for divestment from fossil fuels that read “Divest from oil, invest in our future.” more 80 percent of the fossil fuels that we know about in the ground. And in terms of the tar sands, we need to virtually keep all of it there […] We don’t want to see any expansion of pipelines or fossil fuel extraction. We need to go in the other direction and it is to move towards renewable energy,” said McLean.

The rally was organized by Hamilton 350, a local chapter of the national climate change organization.

A number of different organizations attended the rally, including Council of Canadians Hamilton Chapter, Fossil Free McMaster and a number of

sub-organizations within Hamilton 350 such as Environment Hamilton and The Blue Dot. Mary Ann Blair, another attendee, thinks that there is still time for positive change.

“I personally don’t believe that it is an impossible situation.

I believe that it is a situation that can inspire and is inspiring great human creativity … We can’t deal with this anymore. We need to realize it’s possible. And that’s why we are here. Change is possible. We don’t have to do things the same old way.”

Kazlyn Bonner, a member of Hamilton 350, urges Hamiltonians and students to become active on the issue of climate change.

“Whether you change your specific or small habits …

Whether that action is in the form of signing a petition, or writing to MPs or even going to protests and rallies, and participating in a more visible way … there’s no action that is too small,” said Bonner.

Hamilton 350 will discuss plans for the upcoming months at a public meeting on Feb. 24 at 294 James St. N.

Humber College is allocating four million dollars towards a new Technology and Innovation Centre. An additional million dollars is being put towards an Access to Education and Skills Training fund that includes student grants and scholarships.

The sum was a donation of the Barrett Family Foundation.

Carleton adopts new code of conduct Anthony Tattersfield, chair of the Board of Governors of Carleton University, issued the ratification of a new code of conduct for board members.

The new code ensures increased transparency in the Board’s operations and guides all members to act in the best of interest to the university.

Former UBC President speaks out Former University of British Columbia president, Arvind Gupta, speaks out after several documents were mistakenly released after his sudden departure from the university. The documents revealed a sense of tension between the UBC board and the former president while also illustrating many criticisms on his leadership. Gupta has since made it clear that he regrets his resignation from the university.

4 |

NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

VP referendum fails by 0.3 percent

MICHAEL GALLAGHER/ PRODUCTION EDITOR

Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief

FREE WEEKLY SHUTTLE BUS EVERY TUESDAY STARTING TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15 Commons pick-up at 6:00PM | 7:00PM | 8:00PM Final drop off 9:30PM

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With the announcement of the new President-elect, the MSU also revealed the results of the VP electoral referendum.

During this election period, students not only had the chance to vote for their choice candidate for president, but to also vote for or against (or abstain) initiating an election process for MSU Vice-Presidents.

The referendum resulted in 66.4 percent of the votes in favour of the process, with 4,590 students saying “yes” to VP at-large elections. While this number is impressive, it wasn’t enough for the referendum to pass. A constitutional referendum requires two-thirds of the votes to pass, or in other words, 66.67% “yes” votes. Had it received 20 more votes, or roughly 0.27% more support, McMaster would currently be moving towards an at-large VP electoral system.

“We were angry and disappointed in ourselves. We could have made just one more class talk, or ask more people to vote in order for it to pass,” said Esra Bengizi, one of the managers of the pro-VP reform campaign, in an interview with a Silhouette reporter.

The pro-referendum campaign group formed in early November after the Student Mobilization Syndicate presented a petition with over 800 signatures to the Student Representative Assembly requesting the right for students to vote for their VPs (Education, Administration and Finance) — a task that is currently done exclu-

sively by the SRA. The SRA addressed the petition at their Nov. 1 meeting and decided that the vote would go to referendum as opposed to becoming a constitutional amendment.

Had the referendum passed, McMaster wouldn’t be the first school to switch to an at-large VP electoral system.

Western University currently runs on a system that allows students to vote for two of their five VPs. The system has proven successful — as they have managed to continually elect a candidate for each position — but over the years voter turnout has decreased, and voter fatigue is assumed to play a role in this.

Although this recent loss is a blow to the efforts of pro-referendum campaign group, this may not be the end of the group’s campaigning. The VP Referendum is not the first to fail on a ballot, and this year doesn’t have to be the end of its campaigning. The Health Care Referenda, which constituted of three different questions related to the student health plan, failed the first run during the elections for the 2014-15 MSU President.

The referenda were added to the ballot again the following year, and after increased promotions and education, all three referenda passed.

“With a team of only ten people we were able to get 4,590 voters to say yes,” Bengizi said.

“Imagine if we had more. I was shocked to see such a success, and seeing this makes me even more ambitious to try again… we will not give up, we are going to continue to fight”. *Files from Shalom Joseph @whatthekins

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

NEWS

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Onward and upward

President-elect Justin Monaco-Barnes talks about results night and moving from Underground to the MSU office

Rachel Katz News Editor

According to MSU President-elect Justin Monaco-Barnes, the most difficult part of the two-week campaign period was not the rigorous events schedule or grueling series of debates and interviews.

It was waiting for the results after the polls closed on Jan. 28.

“After a hard day, a hard couple of weeks of campaigning, we were all exhausted, but then it's the mental stress of waiting that's the hard part,” he said.

Results night was certainly drawn out. It took 11 hours for the rankings to be released, leading to a tense, sleepless night for the candidates and their campaign teams. “At like, 4:03 my phone started vibrating and I looked down and I saw Ehima's name on the caller ID. It was a very surreal moment.

Apparently [the phone] rang eight times, but in my mind it had only rung once,” said Monaco-Barnes, who was seemingly still a bit shocked the following afternoon. “People keep asking, 'How did you feel?'

I can't even tell you. It was everything. Every emotion I could imagine was in that moment.”

While Monaco-Barnes seemed somewhat shocked when he spoke with The Silhouette, his campaign manager Shaarujaa Nadarajah was anything but. The two became friends at this year’s MSU Retreat. She said she knew Monaco-Barnes would be a different kind of presidential candidate. “We were eating some awful camp sloppy joes and I was expecting him to ask me about my future plans in the organization because that's what everyone around me had been doing, but he just sat beside me and asked me about my family,” she said. A member of the Student Representative Assembly, Nadarajah was eager to take on the role of campaign manager.

“It's hard to articulate, but when you have an infinite amount of faith in one person and their abilities, you just want to be in a role that is able to best support

“I wanted to be there for everything. The good, the bad, the challenges, the successes.“ Shaarujaa Nadarajah Campaign Manager

them. I wanted to be there for everything,” she explained. “The good, the bad, the challenges, the successes.”

Monaco-Barnes was happy to see fellow candidate Jonathon Tonietto was favoured in the polls as well. “During this process we really got a chance to talk a lot, and I got to know him better, and he's a really genuine person, so I was happy to see that he did well and that the student body could see what I saw as well.”

The two candidates shared a passion for sustainability, and in earlier interviews with The Silhouette, Tonietto expressed his approval of Monaco-Barnes’ plans to make McMaster a more environmentally friendly institution. Monaco-Barnes added he was upset to see Sarah Jama disqualified from the race on results night. “I feel for her. I know what she put into it, what all the candidates put into it, and I totally understand how hard that would be,” he said.

The failing of the VP election referendum by what translates to approximately 20 votes was a reality check for the President-elect. Originally neutral on the issue, Monaco-Barnes came out in favour of the referendum partway through the campaign period. “I remember seeing the number and I was just kind of shocked. Because 20 votes, 20 votes. That's a tutorial,” he said. However, he noted that more students abstained than voted against the referendum, a sign he believes indicates the need for more education on the matter. “I think knowledge is power, and the more students know about the MSU and their school, the more they'll get from it.”

YUNG LEE/ PHOTO REPORTER

Reflecting on the campaign, Monaco-Barnes is proud of the work his team put into the election. “We ran a campaign that was just us. We were staying true to ourselves, and I think the student body really connected with that, and saw that it was a genuine campaign,” he explained. He cited the dedication of his campaign team as one of the reasons why he and his platform survived the campaign with relatively little negativity.

Over the next few months, Monaco-Barnes will wrap up his role as the service coordinator of the MSU Underground and complete his degree in English and Cultural Studies.

During this time, he hopes to start working with current MSU President Ehima Osazuwa to ensure a smooth transition into the role of President and CEO of the MSU. He plans to continue the current Board of Directors’ work on lobbying for lower tuition at McMaster and across the province. “It’s something that means a lot to me,” he said.

“They've invested so much time and you never want to see something like that go to waste.

I plan to work really hard to achieve what they started and take it to the next level.” @RachAlbertaKatz

“I think knowledge is power, and the more students know about the MSU and their school, the more they’ll get from it.“ Justin Monaco-Barnes President-Elect, MSU

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NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Post-election Jama In the wake of a tumultuous election, much speculation remains surrounding the specifics of Sarah Jama’s disqualification

Disqualified candidate Sarah Jama is fighting her removal from the MSU presidential race.

MICHAEL GALLAGHER/ PRODUCTION EDITOR

Patrick Kim News Reporter

As McMaster lay awake in anticipation following the closing of the polls on Jan. 28, it would have sounded absurd to suggest that the most newsworthy item would not be the identity of the winner of the 2016 MSU Presidentials. Yet the announcement on the MSU website released on Friday at 3:45 a.m. was a collection of both the stunning and the improbable.

Jonathon Tonietto, one of the more unorthodox candidates, finishes second.

Mike Gill, arguably one of the frontrunners in this year’s race, finishes as an outside third.

The referendum on VP elections at-large fails to pass by a margin of 0.3 percent, or approximately 20 votes.

But by far, the most startling turn of events: the disqualification of Sarah Jama from the Presidential candidacy for what are described as “excessive campaign violations.”

Did someone mention that Justin Monaco-Barnes is the new MSU President-Elect?

These unexpected results are perhaps a fitting end to one of the most tense and aggressive campaign periods in recent memory. Anonymous accusations of sexual and physical

assault against a candidate surfaced on social media, which prompted both an official response by the Women and Gender Equity Network and a discussion on these accusations during the Student Representative Assembly meeting on Sunday, Jan. 25.

In many ways, these events had a significant impact on the tone of the election, and according to a Facebook post by Sarah Jama, these allegations played a role in her disqualification.

Based on the adjudication from Elections Committee, Jama’s campaign committed two severe violations outlined in section 7.9 of the 2016 MSU Presidential Rules. As explained by Chief Returning Officer Priya Gupta, a severe violation is anything that involves “something that might harm the integrity of the election.” She also explained that any severe violation is required to involve a discussion on disqualification by Elections Committee.

The first involves an infraction of rule 7.9.1 for exceeding the spending limit of $450 as outlined in rule 6.1, and the second is an infraction of rule 7.9.5, involving the use of material that is considered to be in “bad taste,” defined in rule 2.1 as that which “shall include but not be limited to material that is determined by the Returning Officers to be: sexist, racist,

According to Jama, the decision was based on a screenshot that indicated she had paid $500 for her website, but Jama has declared she has evidence that proves otherwise. heterosexist, homophobic, pornographic, obscene, derogatory or prejudicial to any member of the McMaster community.”

The recent Facebook post

by Jama on her campaign page confirms that the alleged incident in violation of rule 7.9.5 “Bad Taste” was in part a retweet on Jama’s Twitter account of a user that accused one of the candidates of sexual assault.

According to Jama, the volunteer responsible as well as another individual involved were removed from her team following the incident. While rule 7.4 states that “candidates are responsible for their campaign and representatives,” it later states that “candidates are required to notify the Returning Officers immediately if they believe they could be unfairly

penalised for another individual’s actions.” In her post, Jama asserts that she removed the tweet within “ten minutes” and that she “talked to the [Chief Returning Officer] right afterwards to make sure [her] response was correct.”

Jama has announced her intent to appeal the disqualification; her post on her Facebook page has specifically contested the severe violation for exceeding the spending limit, denouncing the violation as untrue. According to Jama, the decision was based on a screenshot of a conversation that indicated she had paid $500 for her website, but Jama has declared she has evidence that proves otherwise.

Gupta clarified that the ranking system is equipped to deal with disqualifications of a candidate; any voter who chose Jama as their first choice had their vote redistributed to their next choice, accordingly.

While many have speculated on the outcome of the election had Jama not been disqualified, the results of the ballots will remain confidential during the appeals period in order to preserve the integrity of decisions made by Elections Committee.

“I cannot reveal that information, only I know that information; even EC doesn’t know,” said Gupta.

“We do not want to bias EC’s decisions, especially since we are in an appeals period. I think knowing that information might bias the people on the committee to one way or another.”

Gupta also explained that the minutes for Elections Committee’s meeting will be publicly shared as soon as they can be made coherent and presentable

by Administrative Assistant Victoria Scott, the transcriber.

“There are seven hours’ worth of meeting minutes,” explained Gupta. “I know students are a little agitated and upset that the meeting minutes have not come out, but I just ask them to be patient and to respect the time. It is a human process.” When asked about the accuracy of the points Jama brought up in her Facebook status, Gupta said, “I cannot comment on that… I cannot on behalf of Elections Department confirm or deny what she wrote.”

The appeals period will extend until Friday, Feb. 5 and all candidates will have the opportunity to appeal any decisions made by Elections Committee. In the meantime, students will be left to speculate on the results of a remarkably contentious election. @patrickmkim

NEWS

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

No man’s land

| 7

Hoda ElMaraghy ventured into a largely uncharted territory for women. Now she is one of 25 Order of Ontario recipients, and has the credentials to show for it

Hoda ElMaraghy’s achievements have earned her an Order of Ontario and a place in the history of female empowerment.

C/O UNIVERSITY OF WINDSOR

Lauren Beals Contributor

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When she was a student, Hoda ElMaraghy ventured where no woman had before. In 1976, she became the first woman to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering at McMaster. What followed was an esteemed career laced with achievement and novelty.

This includes becoming the first woman to be appointed as faculty member in mechanical engineering at McMaster, and the first woman to hold the position of Dean of Engineering when she joined the University of Windsor in 1994.

She has since published over 380 papers in professional journals, holds a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Manufacturing Systems and is currently a fellow of the Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers, Society of Manufacturing Engineers, and the International Academy for Production Engineering.

On Jan. 20 her incredible achievements were recognized as one of 25 Order of Ontario recipients, the highest honors in the province. ElMaraghy was the only engineer recognized amongst this year’s recipients.

“I was indeed thrilled,” said ElMaraghy. “It was great to have my work and leadership acknowledged […] being invested in the Order of Ontario is one of my proudest moments.”

Like any true pioneer, ElMaraghy was left to navigate a

challenging field in a time when there were very few females in engineering. “At the beginning of my career there were very few women engineers, and being the first [PhD and faculty] was certainly a novelty. There was a great pressure to prove one’s abilities.”

Despite the odds, ElMaraghy overcame preconceptions by demonstrating excellence in her abilities, going on to become the founding director of the Flexible Manufacturing Systems here at McMaster and establishing herself as a powerhouse in manufacturing and systems design.

Named Hamilton’s Woman of the Year in the Workplace in 1990, ElMaraghy has seen the positive influence women leaders can have across genders. “Women role models in academia and in the corporate world are very important not only for women but also for men who are expected to work with and sometimes be supervised by women,” said ElMaraghy.

Right now, she serves as a faculty member as an engineering professor at the University of Windsor and is a collaborator with the Canadian government.

ElMaraghy thinks should play a crucial role in the advancement of women in academia and the workplace. “Universities and employers must put in place measures to remove clear and hidden barriers for women’s

When she was a student, Hoda ElMaraghy ventured where no woman had before. In 1976, she became the woman graduate to earn a PhD in mechanical engineering at McMaster. What followed was an esteemed career laced with achievement and novelty. progress in these fields and promote equal pay for work of equal value,” she said. “They must offer them leadership training and opportunities for progress.”

Looking ahead, ElMaraghy is confident that women can continue to succeed in emerging STEM fields but deserve the right blend of advocacy.

“Women are capable of tackling many challenges in engineering but they need more support, encouragement and recognition,” she said.

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HUMANS

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Aisha Nazli Research Associate at McMaster facebook.com/ HumansOfMcMaster

If you could go back in time, what one thing would you change about your life?

I would change many, many things. The way that I got taught in Pakistan was not very effec-

tive — we got more theoretical knowledge than practical.

When I entered the working environment after undergrad, I realized that I lacked the ability to connect and use that knowledge. I really like the way that McMaster uses problem-based

learning to teach their students.

That is a fantastic way to learn and I wish I had that.

Also, to be truthful, I wish I could’ve found somebody at that time to help me guide which direction I could go.

Nobody helped me when choosing my path for the future ... I like how in Canada, you have guidance counsellors and many resources to guide your interests and offer you with suggestions of your future paths

— I never got that. When I told my parents that I wanted to go into microbiology research, they looked at me and said, “What is microbiology…?”

Atif Zahoor Postdoctoral Fellow at McMaster

Yung Lee Photo Reporter

Tell me about one thing in your life that you are working on right now.

I am an infectious diseases researcher. Simply put, right now, HIV infects females more than males. Still to this date, in currently available literature, they don’t have much information about how female genital epithelium precisely responds to the HIV virus. So, I’m working on ways to reveal what role genetics and molecular events play during HIV infection.

Why did you want to become a virologist in the first place?

Back in 1988, I was first exposed to virology and immunology literature and I really found it fascinating. Since then, I started studying very, very hard. Not because I had to, I just enjoyed it. After finishing my degree in veterinary sciences, I was fortunate enough to

YUNG LEE/ PHOTO REPORTER get a full scholarship to do my Ph.D. at University of Tokyo.

And now I’m here, doing my post-doctoral fellowship at McMaster. I guess you can say that dreams do come true, since I’m working on what I wanted to do

for the rest of my life.

What does your son want to be when he grows up?

Funny enough, my ten-yearold son always tells me that he

wants to be a germ scientist.

Apparently he always says to his class, “My dad is a germ scientist, so I want to be a germ scientist!” Although he’s very young, he likes to watch movies about bacteria and viruses.

Maybe I’m rubbing off on him.

I guess it’s good because he’s a very clean person compared to kids his age — he always washes his hands.

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

Every year, the McMaster Students Union (MSU) recognizes outstanding graduating students in each faculty with the Valedictorian Awards. These awards provide students with an opportuni-

ty to cap off their undergraduate careers, give back to their graduating classes, and reflect on their experiences at Mac. Each valedictorian gives an address at their respective convocation, reflecting with passion and wisdom on their undergraduate career. These students have made significant contributions to our campus community. Their valedictory address affords them a final opportunity to positively impact their graduating class.

Candidates for the Valedictorian Award must have a cumulative average of at least 7.0. Valedictorians are selected from each faculty, though Arts & Science and Humanities are grouped together, as are Nursing and Medical Radiation Sciences. Two valedictorians are selected from each of Science, Social Sciences, and Engineering.

The nomination period opens

The President’s Page is a space sponsored and used by the McMaster Students Union (MSU) Board of Directors (BoD) to communicate with the student body. It functions to highlight the Board’s projects, goals, and agenda for the year, as well as the general happenings of the MSU.

on Monday, February 8, whereup- details on nominator eligibility are on information packages will be available in the nomination packavailable from the front desk of age.

Candidates will have until the MSU office (MUSC 201), as well as from the MSU website via 4:30pm on Monday, March 7 to submit their nomination packmsumcmaster.ca/valedictorian.

The application process re- ages to their respective faculty or program offices. quires that canSuccessful applicants didates solicit ... reflecting will subsequently be nominations contacted to present from severwith passion a draft version of their al members of and wisdom on valedictorian address the McMaster community. A their undergrad- to the selection committee during the primary nomuate career. month of April. inator may be If you believe you any graduating would be an ideal undergraduate student who is convocating in- valedictorian, please apply. All relspring 2016. Eligible secondary evant information will be available nominators include graduating via msumcmaster.ca/valedictoriundergraduate students registered an. Please direct any questions to in the same faculty as the candi- Spencer Nestico-Semianiw, MSU date, as well as Deans, Associate Vice President (Education), via Deans, or faculty members. More vped@msu.mcmaster.ca.

“

”

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EDITORIAL

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Editorial Meet your president (for now?)

Keeping students in the dark about the recent election disqualification isn’t fair for anyone Ana Qarri Managing Editor

We might be lying to you. We don’t actually know if Justin Monaco-Barnes will be your next MSU President. Given Sarah Jama’s disqualification, which she is appealing this week, it’s possible that if she is successful, the vote recount will tell us that Justin isn’t the winner of this year’s election after all. The truth is that for many people, including most of the candidates, the election isn’t over yet.

However, we made the conscious decision to give Justin the presidential cover page he deserves if he is, at the end of it all, still the president-elect.

But we aren’t ruling out the possibility of having another presidential face on our cover next week either.

From an outsider’s perspective, these elections have been messy. However, more than anything else, we have been surprised by the shortcomings of the rules governing MSU elections.

Several things have happened in the last week that point to the need for change in how elections are carried out.

The most glaring shortcoming was the public announcement of a candidate’s disqualification without providing clear and detailed reasons behind this conclusion. While the results of the elections were released when the Elections Committee finished their deliberations in the early hours of Jan. 29, the general rules that Sarah Jama broke that led to her disqualification were made public approximately 12 hours later.

The minutes for the meeting, however, are still not posted on the MSU website at the time of this writing. It’s understandable given that the Elections Department wants to make sure the information that they release is accurate and that those involved are also full-time students, but the lack of available information does a disservice to both candidates and the student body.

Currently, Jama’s post is the only place where a student curious about the events that have taken place can find a detailed account. The problem with this account is that it is told through the lens of a candidate who is appealing her disqualification. We emailed the CRO to ask her to confirm the details shared by Jama, however, she did not want to comment on the veracity of the post.

More than failing to provide students with information in a timely manner, the process as it stands now also tarnishes the reputation of the disqualified candidate.

When appeals are filed right before the end of the elections period, the targeted candidate does not have the opportunity to respond to the complaint.

In the case of severe violations, the candidate should absolutely have the opportunity to present counterevidence before a decision as extreme as this is made. Unfortunately, the current system allows for campaign sabotage, especially if the Elections Committee is failing to reach out to the campaign in question for information. There have been only two presidential candidates disqualified in the MSU’s history, and the last one, in 2008, was overturned following more than a month of discussion. It is clear that disqualifications are rare and the decision to disqualify a candidate should be carefully examined and as transparent as possible.

In a high profile disqualification such as Jama’s — one only has to look at the attention her page’s status on the disqualification has garnered — the current results of the election should not be treated as if they are official. While the MSU Elections Department makes it clear in their post that the results are unofficial, you wouldn’t know that looking at the posts Monaco-Barnes or any of the other candidates made on their Facebook pages.

While we sympathize with the Election Department and Committee’s other responsibilities as students and understand that this is a

Several things have happened in the last week that point to the need for change in how elections are carried out. sensitive process, we also think it is unreasonable to keep the student body in the dark so long after this decision was made.

If the Elections Department is aware of its limitations, it should not make drastic announcements based on what appears to be incomplete evidence. @anaqarri

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to graduation’s fast approach (wtf).

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

Is veganism all it’s cracked up to be?

The Silhouette | 11

Opinion

When you can’t trust science Page 13

Page 12

Members of the newly formed NAACP protest the screening of Birth of a Nation.

C/O INDIANA U NEWS

Committing to memory Talia Kollek Opinions Editor

I’m doing an independent study this semester, and if you have come within 50 feet of me this past month I’ve probably already told you all about it (whether you wanted to hear about it or not). It is on “memory,” which may seem a little odd to anyone not studying history. Memory is usually rather straightforward — things happened, we know about them, we remember them. Luckily for my research project, it is much more complicated than that.

My choice of thesis resulted in a conversation with an unwitting acquaintance. While I had my captive audience — literally captive, they were forced to wait at a bus stop with me — the conversation took an interesting twist. “How can we judge Birth of a Nation?” they asked. “It was a product of its time.” For those who haven’t heard of it, Birth of

a Nation is the first feature film ever. While movies preceding it were around 15 minutes long, Birth of a Nation is an astonishing two hours. It pioneered cinematic techniques that we now take entirely for granted.

It was the highest grossing film until Gone with the Wind in 1939. It also facilitated the refounding of the Ku Klux Klan.

The film is racist in the extreme.

Using blackface to depict the rape of white women and the takeover of the “civilized” South by its Black population is undoubtedly repulsive, but did my unwitting companion have a point? How can we with modern hindsight judge the past with our modern standards?

One month into my independent study, I’m here to tell you it is not as complicated as you might think. Firstly, we have to do away with the assumption that we can ever look back at history objectively. No matter what we do, we are never going to be able to use some

sort of magical machine that will instantaneously remove all of our modern biases and experiences. We are human and thus inherently biased; the best we can do is to recognize that. If we can never be fully objective then defending historical documents or figures as a product “of their time” is a position in and of itself and it is not necessarily one to be proud of. The argument is almost exclusively used as a way of justifying past behavior instead of understanding it. It is also a way of steering a conversation away from exploring impact. For example, Birth of a Nation was not a negligible piece of cinema. Claiming to be historical documentation, it sparked huge amounts of deadly racist violence and developed prejudices that still haunt us today.

Dismissing something as the work of yesterday’s racists ignores the impact that it still has on us today. It portrays modern times as all around

Can we excuse something as a product of its time?

Dismissing something as the work of yesterday’s racists ignores the impact that it still has on us today

“better” than the past, but history is not so simple. Progress is not linear; we go through periods of backlash all the time, sometimes due to media just like Birth of a Nation. To say that oppression was acceptable in the past is to claim that we have somehow transcended it in order to look back and judge it.

To assume something is “of its time” is to also disregard the hard work of people in that period who were trying to enact change. There is never global consensus on anything.

In a sample of 20 you are going to find dramatically different

answers to the benign question of best pizza topic, let alone something as contentious as racism. Claiming something is the product of its environment is to paint that entire period with one racist brush, and completely ignore activism and diversity.

I am not claiming that we should do away with historical context (and I would be a very bad history student if I did), but we need to accept the fact that we can appreciate things from the past without endorsing them. Call it whatever you want, maybe your “problematic fave”, but at least admit that there is – and was – a very real problem.

Sure, D.W. Griffith was handy with a camera, but I am not going to praise his cinematography without recognizing the impact that it had. We should be using historical context as a means of understanding past actions, not excusing them. @TaliaKollek

12 |

OPINION

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Who is veganism really for?

Emily Current Contributor

At a time when we are realizing that climate change is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, that our society as a whole doesn’t have the greatest eating habits, and that there are ethical issues surrounding meat production, many people are turning to veganism as a solution. Veganism, not eating any animal products, including eggs and milk, is often seen as healthy, environmentally-friendly, and socially-conscious, making it the magical solution to all of our problems, right? Not quite. While veganism is often presented as the best option for everyone, we need to realize that not only is veganism not perfect, but also that it is not an option for everyone.

First, we need to consid-

er the fact that veganism is an individual choice and it is not always the best option for everyone. Consider for instance, people recovering from eating disorders. Veganism requires a large amount of thought and time being put into what foods can and cannot be eaten, and many people in recovery cannot handle this amount of conscious restriction on what foods they can or cannot eat. The fact that veganism cuts away two of the four food groups is extreme, and many people may not have the time or energy to be able to find a healthy, balanced, vegan diet. So while veganism does have the potential to be healthy, it simply does not work for everyone.

One of the selling points for veganism is that it will supposedly help lessen the impact of climate change. It is reasoned that since plant

agriculture requires less water and produces less greenhouse gases than farming meat, it is better for the environment.

However, veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be. With veganism comes an increased demand for certain foods like quinoa and soy products (some of which must be imported) that actually leads to the development of monoculture of such crops. These monocultures lead to water depletion and drain soils of their nutrients, making this agriculture unsustainable.

While eating plants may in fact have an impact on greenhouse gasses, it is not a flawless environmental solution.

Because veganism is not limited to food, but also extends to all animal by-products, there are some issues with veganism unrelated to nutrition. For example, some vegans avoid

Veganism is not quite the holistic solution it’s advertised to be

Veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be. certain vaccines, like the flu shot, because they are typically grown in eggs. While this may only be a minority of vegans, it is still a problem that people are not getting vaccinated, which is important to maintaining health.

Veganism is also expensive, meaning that it is simply not an option for many people. For example, soy milk costs almost twice as much as regular milk.

Even if you think that veganism is the way to go and that people should adopt it, it is not fair to tell people who cannot afford it that they should go vegan.

If someone is struggling to

pay for food in the first place, they should not be guilted into buying more expensive foods.

It is important to realize that income is a factor for some consumers, and this means that not everyone has the option of even considering ethical purchasing.

Overall, people need to realize that veganism is not what it presents itself as being.

Is it inherently healthy? It can be, but not for everyone and not easily. Is it better for the environment? Maybe, but it can lead to monocultures and water depletion. Is it socially-conscious? No, it is not financially accessible. While none of these issues are exclusive to veganism, they are important to take into account. Because of the way veganism is presented as an ideal to be adopted by everyone, it is critical that we stop and think about the ways in which this might not be true.

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OPINION | 13

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

Stuck in the sciences Sunanna Bhasin Opinions Columnist

Although it is only February, 2016 seems to be my year of introspection and big decisions.

I am in my third year of the Arts and Science program and although I chose this degree to get exposure to a variety of fields, I pushed myself into focusing on biology — certainly not my favourite subject — with seemingly no pressure from anyone but myself. Unhappy with my schoolwork, this year I decided to change that. I took a step back and asked myself, what’s so appealing about science? Why is my story so common?

McMaster students may be more biased towards the sciences since our university is best known for its scientific research. With so much campus space designated for science students, it’s understandable to crave being part of that community. McMaster made a proactive choice when deciding to

build L.R. Wilson Hall, a space for liberal arts students to feel the same sense of togetherness and appreciation that science students experience. Perhaps it will encourage students to embrace their interests and not feel pressured into a stream that doesn’t suit them. Perhaps not.

The way in which many students generally speak about the humanities is relatively simplified. When we talk about the humanities, we should be talking about philosophy, art history, French, communication studies, and linguistics, to provide a few examples. It is misguided and inaccurate to reduce a program to nothing but writing essays and calling that “easy.” Not everyone can communicate effectively enough to get a point across in an essay, just as not everyone is able to work well in a biology lab. Yet, we need both types of people.

Part of the reason science is so appealing could be attributed to the seemingly infinite options it presents. But if science can be divided into chemistry, physics,

biology, and technology, then let’s not forget to acknowledge the diversity within the humanities. Regardless of the fact that studying the humanities can lead to very successful careers, there is a pressure to avoid them at all costs. Maybe that’s because it’s convenient to pursue the sciences to avoid the usual questions about what on earth you’re going to do after graduation. If you’re in the sciences, you tend to get off easier because there’s always med school, right? However, if you’re in the humanities, people often forget the boundless options that exist because they forget how vast a field it is.

Studying science gives the illusion that there’s an obvious answer as to what you will be doing next. There’s either research or medicine, and that’s all. That, too, is a dangerously singular way to think, and yet, this seemingly clear path could be what attracts so many students. Tunnel vision is an interesting thing when it comes to education. On one hand, you

Grapevine science Josh Ruf Contributor

On Dec. 15 2015, the website IFLScience posted an article titled, “Study Claims Being Vegetarian Is WORSE For The Environment Than Eating Meat.” The study in question was written by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University and was published in Environment Systems and Decisions.

After reading the IFLScience article, and being unfortunate enough to stumble upon an argument in the comments section between Ivory Bill, The Exterminator, and Food Narc I felt the need to do what most commenters on the site clearly had not: read the research study. Here is my take.

To begin, recognize the click-bait manoeuvre conducted by IFLScience; the article’s title was sufficiently provocative without capitalizing “worse.”

The article was misleadingly controversial in an effort to get page views. Furthermore, the article itself was clearly written after only reading the

We must take the opportunity to learn from new information, and not be so quick to reject it. study’s abstract — or if they did in fact read past the abstract, they forgot to include the fact that the authors of the research paper include several previously conducted studies all identifying vegetarianism as having a net benefit on the environment.

To name a few: in 2013 Meier and Christen concluded that in Germany, switching to a lowmeat diet would reduce energy use by seven percent, water use by 26 percent, greenhouse gas emissions by 11 percent, and land use by 15 percent. That same year Vanham et al. found that the EU could reduce their water footprint by 30 percent if meat consumption was halved. In 2014 Tilman and Clark concluded that sizeable shifts toward Mediterranean,

Coming to terms with abandonning my BSc and dropping a major Studying science gives the illusion that there’s an obvious answer as to what you will be doing next.

may love it because it steers you in a defined direction. On the other hand, you could hate it because you may find that direction doesn’t fit you. The important thing is to take a step back once in a while and ask yourself what you find appealing about your field of study.

If nothing comes to mind, it might be time to explore a bit more.

The reality is that this pressure we feel to study the natural sciences isn’t solely because of McMaster’s reputation, but rather, the wider growing obsession with scientific and technological advancement.

While it is important for us to study science and develop technologies to better our world, it

takes all sorts of people to better society. We fail to recognize that this growing culture of praise for science and technology is giving us tunnel vision when it comes to our education.

At the end of the day, university education has become the new baseline for future career prospects. The majority of us, no matter what we go into, will have to continue our education. Therefore, if you find science to lack the appeal it’s hyped up to have, then you should explore other fields of study. It would be short-sighted to limit yourself so early in your education and feel pressured to pursue something that has just as many prospects as other fields of study. As a fellow Marauder, I urge you to remain open-minded about other faculties and programs and take courses outside of your comfort zone. You’ll never know what you’ll find intriguing. @SunannaB

What happens when non-experts weigh in on diets?

pescetarian, and vegetarian diets have the potential to lower global agricultural emission and land clearing.

The Carnegie Mellon researchers acknowledge the overwhelming body of scientific research backing the stance that reductions in meat consumption benefit the environment.

Their addition to the field focuses specifically on the United States and raises questions about the quality of dietary plan outlined by the United States Department of Agricultures. If existing research finds that low-meat diets in the European Union positively affects the environment then this new study is more telling of the quality of the USDA dietary plan than about the usefulness of limiting meat consumption.

Nevertheless, this study opposes the common belief about the environmental superiority of a plant-based diet. It is integral that those who have committed to cutback on their

meat consumption must not a) use this research as reason to renege on their cutbacks, or b) simply dismiss this research

because it does not align with their previously held beliefs.

Science will always build upon itself — so we must take the opportunity to learn from new information, and not be so quick to reject it. To believe that our current diet is the best it

can be — both for the environment and for our health — is fallacious and ignores potential areas for improvement.

The misinformation surrounding this topic is a great example of what I like to call ‘grapevine science’: the misrepresentation of findings by non-experts who choose to report on scientific studies.

What started as research into the efficiency of various diets in the United States eventually morphed into the claim that vegetarian diets harm the environment more than meat-based diets.

Those without a PhD should not feel that they are excluded from weighing in on the issue, however, everyone should be aware of articles reporting things that seem counterintuitive and read the scientific study before believing click-bait articles that make sweeping statements about scientific research.

14 |

OPINION

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Talking to parents about the f word When it comes to understanding feminism, age is slightly more than just a number

Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief

“I’m not a feminist.”

I was shocked to hear the words leave her mouth; I almost didn’t even believe it.

“I can’t tell, are you joking right now?” I asked.

“No. That’s just never a

word I would use to describe myself.”

Hearing my mom tell me she didn’t relate to the term “feminist” was a blow to my whole understanding of society.

For my entire life she has been the driving force that has taught me that women deserve equal rights when compared to their male counterparts and that I

should always take care of myself and never rely on a man — or anyone else for that matter.

And she is the one that is always the most disturbed and angry when she finds out I’ve faced sexism in the workplace. Yet for some reason, she wouldn’t call herself a feminist.

My parents, like many other students’, grew up in

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Canada in the ‘60s and the ‘70s.

While they are both racialized individuals and these decades of their youth made headway for movements in civil rights, their greater understanding of things like gender and women’s rights, on the other hand, is slightly tainted with memories of what would have then been considered extremist activism.

Second-wave feminism was sweeping the nation at the time, and if youth were not actively involved in the movement (for a variety of reasons), they were often taught that this was something negative and over the top.

Especially for people that were already being treated as pariahs for their skin colour, going into the street and talking about abortion and marital rape just brought up more opportunities for people to mock and abuse them.

The pivotal moments in my parents’ youth were restrained for various socio-political reasons. And because of these reasons, they now struggle with grasping the meaning of these terms in our modern society.

The actual semantics of the word “feminist” have gotten a horrible reputation over the years. And contrary to many a belief, some sampling in a Beyoncé song isn’t going to change everyone’s minds. Often I feel that my mission as a feminist is to overthrow the opinions of the people closest to me in age range, because they “are the future” and we should be focusing our time on them. But the harder mission may be to work with the people who raised me, and to educate people that I feel already know what’s going on, but don’t quite have the history to know what it means in our

The pivotal moments in my parents’ youth were restrained for various socio-political reasons. And because of these reasons, they now struggle with grasping the meaning of these terms in our modern society. day and age.

When trying to create a society that is truly intersectional, I often forget the important role that age plays. While there are many older citizens who do not stand up in arms in our present-day activism simply because they’re assholes, there are also many who weren’t raised to have the same knowledge and understanding that is being promoted to us today.

When we’re looking to talk to people and to promote diverse causes, it’s important to remember that age is also a point of privilege and the terms and ideas we’re bringing up may take more effort to understand.

My mom is a feminist, but she refuses to call herself one because of the time she grew up in. Here’s to hoping our current efforts towards education in feminist activism can start to turn back time. @whatthekins

Is there a pressing issue you think the public should know about?

Email opinions@thesil.ca

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GAMES

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

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The Silhouette | 17

Lifestyle

C/O NORTHSTARKNOX.COM

Letting go of a dying friendship Sasha Dhesi Contributor

Recently an old classmate sent me a private message to wish me a happy birthday. The message reminded me of how I felt when our friendship petered out. We had a similar sense of humour and shared mutual interests, but as time went on, we found that although we still enjoyed each other’s company, we weren’t running in the same social or professional circles, and fell out of touch. I struggled with losing her, especially because, for all intents and purposes, we were still friends.

How was I supposed to deal with our relationship just dying like that? What does it say about us that our relationship ended?

There’s a lot of pressure during your early 20s to find that group of friends that will follow you throughout your life.

We’re taught that these are the most important years in our lives to build relationships that last. Every once in awhile, this manifests on anonymous posts, like on Spotted at Mac, where an unnamed upper year stresses over not having a clique despite being at the school for multiple years. While this sentiment is understandable, there are legitimate reasons to why you should occasionally let a relationship

die, as opposed to working to save it.

There is nothing wrong with hoping that your social circle will follow you through life; the problem is failing to comprehend that you and those around you are going to change.

The person you’re going to be one year from now is going to have different expectations and needs than the person you are this year. Sometimes the people in your life change with you, but more often than not, they diverge onto their own paths and can’t give you what you need.

By going into a relationship with the assumption that it’s going to last a very long time, you project your own needs and desires onto a person, which they may not share. In doing so, you stop treating people as people, and instead as objects to satisfy what you imagine your future should look like. Not only is this unfair to your partner, but it’s unfair to you. You should be in a relationship with someone who wants to give you what you need, as opposed to waiting for someone else to change.

Likewise, by assuming you have to remain in a relationship with someone, you run the risk of remaining in a harmful relationship. You are always going to change, but some people may not want you to. My eighth-

grade orchestra teacher liked to tell us that “misery loves company.” Although he just meant we should avoid kids who skip band practice, it still struck a chord with me. Every so often, you will run into people who promote unhealthy behaviour and will want you to conform to their desires even if it hurts you.

A lot of people in university feel pressured to stay in these sorts of relationships because they believe that they’ll lose out on that ideal group of friends you hear about in shows like Friends and How I Met Your Mother. But these are the exception to the rule, and in the case of TV shows, completely made up. Chances are, you’re not going to meet your best friend or true love during your first year of university. You’re probably not going to meet them for a very long time, actually.

Psychologically speaking, the brain doesn’t finish maturing until you’re 25, if not later. This is particularly true of the critical decision-making portion of the brain. By this standard, you’re not going to be ready to make any long-term decisions until you’re at least two to three years out of your undergraduate degree.

So where does that leave us? Should you just treat every relationship as casual? The best

By going into a relationship with the assumption that it’s going to last a very long time, you project your own needs and desires onto a person, which they may not share. In doing so, you stop treating people as people, and instead as objects to satisfy what you imagine your future should look like. way to balance your desire to change with your relationships is to let your relationships die when they need to. There will be times when someone you used to speak to everyday stops responding to your texts. There will also be times when you begin to dread going certain

places because you have to see this person.

The key to maintaining everyone’s dignity and self-respect during these instances is to understand that it’s completely normal for relationships to die during this time in our lives. Be clear about your intentions with someone, and let them know if you’re not happy or satisfied with your relationship. From here, you can either work on your relationship or end it.

We are going through monumental changes, and different circumstances can mean different people are needed in your life. Some people may not be emotionally equipped to handle what you’re going through and vice versa. Treat this as a moment for self-reflection and not as a personal failure.

As for my friend and I, we’re still on good terms. Our relationship may have fizzled out, but it doesn’t mean that we don’t care about each other.

What it ultimately says about us is that we were mature enough to understand that we grew apart. You will meet a lot of people and many of your relationships will die. It’s not a negative reflection on either of you, but a reflection of growth.

Just make sure you wish them a happy birthday, at the very least.

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LIFESTYLE

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Saying goodbye to your furry friend It’s okay to mourn the loss of your pet Jennifer La Grassa Contributor

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20 HUGHSON ST. S. HAMILTON

Last week, I locked myself in a bathroom stall on the second floor of the student center and cried. I had just gotten off the phone with my best friend who incoherently informed me through her uncontrollable sobbing that she had to put her dog, Daisy, down later that night. The combination of hearing her breaking down on the other end and the memories that flashed through my head of all that Daisy had been through with us turned me into a crying mess as well.

I was ashamed to be crying for a dog who wasn’t even my own and didn’t understand why, days later, I still felt a lingering sense of grief. When this same friend had broken up with her boyfriend she had been upset, but it wasn’t even comparable to the grief I heard her express over the loss of Daisy.

For those of you who have never been a pet owner, know that losing them is equivalent to the loss of a family member.

It seems dramatic of me to be making that comparison, but until you care for and love an animal everyday for its entire life you won’t understand what it’s like. This is especially true for pets like an indoor dog or cat that are constantly involved in the life of their owner; no longer having them around can be emotionally devastating.

Pets provide companionship and love when no one else can or is around to do so. It is through watching television with them, petting them and burying your face in them for comfort that we create a psychological and social bond with them. They are there when everything is going right and are most reliably there when everything is going wrong.

Just because we cannot speak dog (or cat or bird or lizard)

and they cannot intellectually communicate with us should not be a reason to desensitize their death.

If you are dealing with the loss of a pet, don’t feel guilty or weird for grieving as it is natural and common to do so, especially when they have played such a large role in your life. Looking back on the tears I shed for Daisy, I realize that although she wasn’t mine I sympathize with the loss because I’ve been through it before. It was also difficult for me because I associate Daisy with my friend’s house and I strongly viewed her as being part of the family. I assume that going to my friend’s house and not having Daisy run up to me for the first time in eleven years will be tough to take in, but I know that like all other wounds created by loss, this too will soon heal.

Six trends that should die Jennifer La Grassa Contributor

“Bae”: the fact that it stands

for “Before Anyone Else” should be enough of a reason to stop using it. Unless bae is your mom, you should never use the name to refer to anyone. The name has run its course and it’s time for a change.

2

Hashtags: I don’t care if

your Instagram photo has #nofilter, nor do I enjoy spending at least two minutes trying to decipher #eachwordinyourlongandpersonalhashtag. Also this trend caused me to call the pound symbol the “hashtag sign” in my second-year stats course.

4

1

Dying your hair gray: I don’t think anyone

knows how this trend even began, but I like to tell my grandmother she started a revolution. With the eye bags and forehead wrinkles that university has given me, the only reason why I would ever attempt this is so I can finally use the grandma emoji in my Instagram pictures.

3

Couple/ Squad Goals: Why is working

out with your significant other and kissing them after every sit-up considered a couple goal? Things like these only make those who are single and without a squad feel completely horrible about their lives.

Over-contouring:

There is nothing wrong with contouring, but using excessive amounts of makeup and wrongfully applying it leads to a poor makeup job. Natural beauty is the best kind. Makeup is meant to play up your features, not give you a new face.

6

5

Vaping: It has given a new

vibe to smoking by making it seem cool and healthy when it really isn’t all that different from picking up an actual cigarette.

If you’re going to smoke then smoke and if you want to quit or be healthy then do so, but vaping isn’t the way to go.

LIFESTYLE

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

| 19

A death in the

family

C/O STANDREWHOSPITAL.COM.AU

Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor

Earlier this month I lost my grandpa to pneumonia. Gramps was 88 years old. He saved all his money for his children and spent most of his life living alone. He used to have Coffee, a Pomeranian who ran his apartment. I wish I could say he lived a good life, but the sad truth is I don’t know.

Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease a few years ago, he was later moved to a retirement home. To see him deteriorate to the point of being unable to take care of himself, to the day he became wheelchair bound, and then to a point where he couldn’t recognize me or even speak is the most painful thing I’ve experienced. Reduced to a shell of who he used to be, it felt even worse to see family mem-

bers struggle to come to terms with the fact that in a way, he had already died months ago.

It saddens me that he passed. It saddens me to see my dad in distress. But it saddens me the most that I didn’t really know my grandpa.

For my grandpa and I, it was the perfect storm of geographic, personality and cultural limitations. Since we lived in different continents until I was nine, I hardly ever saw my grandpa in my formative years. We were both quiet and reserved, and Chinese culture simply didn’t encourage an open relationship between more distant family members that exists in Western culture.

All I know about my grandpa is that he used to insist on giving me a Coke when I visited him, and would always comment on how I wasn’t eating enough as I was stuffing my face in front of him. In the fringes of

my mind are hazy memories of my dad telling me that grandpa used to work six days a week and bought bruised bananas at the end of the day because they were cheaper. I never thought of asking grandpa about his experiences, nor did I ever thank him for his sacrifices. We exchanged few words with the unacknowledged understanding that we liked each other.

So I spent little time with him.

Instead I watched hours upon hours of SpongeBob and hung out with friends.

In my head, I can reason out why my grandpa and I aren’t close or why I didn’t visit him often when he was in the home.

But that doesn’t excuse my inaction, and it certainly doesn’t make me feel any better. When I finally uttered the words, “My grandpa passed,” I cried in public. I thought it was going to be fine, but at that moment, all the guilt caught up with me, and no

amount of reasoning could get me to stop sobbing.

I have friends who are very close to their grandparents.

They hung out, watched TV together, and went to get dim sum every week. A self-centered version of myself used to think I was missing out on a great relationship. I saw grandparents as a source of embarrassing stories about my parents, or as figures that dispensed pearls of wisdom over tea. Pigeonholing grandparents to these stereotypical roles deprives them of the basic respect they deserve.

When friends tell me about their relationships with their grandparents, the onus is always on the elderly to initiate a connection with their grandchildren. They are the one who call and ask how school is going.

While I can see why this is the case, it is also one of the greatest injustices in the world. Here is a person without whom I would

Grieving those you never met A few weeks ago, I woke up to the deaths of two people who were dear to my heart. In the span of four days, actor Alan Rickman and rock icon David Bowie both passed away from their battles with cancer.

I was inexplicably upset.

For several days, I found myself unable to shake off this feeling of unease. I watched any video that showed up on my newsfeed involving Professor Snape, the beloved and painfully misunderstood character played by Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter series. I put on all of the David Bowie records I had in my library on repeat, remembering the times my father and I would spend afternoons listening together on my bedroom floor. Grieving for these icons was a harrowing ordeal. At the same time, my distress was very confusing to me; why was I grieving for people I’d never even met?

In my father’s youth, his favourite artist was David

Bowie. Considered one of the the pleasure of inheriting. I most influential musicians of remember few weekends in my our time, Bowie produced hits childhood where we wouldn’t and entertained fans for over spend an hour or two listening six decades. He transcended what it meant to be a star; not only did he influence music, but his gender-bending alter-egos also impacted art, fashion and the global LGBTQ+ community. When my father immigrated to Canada in his teens, he barely knew any English. Yet, it did not take him long to fall for Bowie’s infectious and innovative tunes.

C/O FARHAR.NET In fact, he told me he initially learned much of his English through to David Bowie, in silence and singing along to many of Bowin each other’s company. ie’s songs. Through his years as When I became a little a fan, he accumulated dozens older, some of the first novels I of vinyl records that I now have read were from the Harry Potter

series. Like millions around the world, I became captivated. I was entranced by the complexity of the plot and the depth of all the characters.

Although I dressed up as Hermoine for many Halloweens, my favourite character had always been Professor Snape. Unlike other “bad guys” I was accustomed to at the time, Snape taught me that things in life are never as black and white as they may seem.

There is a vast grey area where tortured souls and tough decisions reside, a place where the line between villain and hero is hazy and unclear.

Oftentimes, we fall so in love with characters in novels that the actor who portrays them in film inevitably falls short. Alan

literally not exist, without whom I would not be wearing Club Monaco and sitting at a café typing away on a MacBook.

Yet the onus is on this person and not me. That’s messed up.

When I visited my grandpa in the hospital in his last days, with labored breathing he held my hand tightly and just looked at me. I don’t think he knew who I was, but I could tell he was comforted having someone by his bedside. I regret spending so little time with him; even more so when I realized that literally just sitting there without a word said was appreciated.

As cheesy and morbid as this sounds, you only have four grandparents and chances are they won’t be around for very long. These people have given up so much for you, and at the very least you should spend some time getting to know them. They will welcome it. It is your duty.

Michelle Yeung Lifestyle Reporter

Rickman was an exception.

He embodied everything that Snape was and, through his unassailable talent, made the character his own.

With the death of a popular public figure, such as the deaths of Alan Rickman and David Bowie, comes a strange and perplexing sense of grief. It’s an unusual feeling that accompanies the news that someone you sort of knew yet never really met is gone. It may seem petty to grieve the death of a celebrity. With everything else going on in your life and in the world around you, it seems unreasonable for such an inconsequential event to trigger even an ounce of feeling. But, whether it is a celebrity or the barista who served you at Starbucks every morning, there is no accurate way to react to death, especially the death of someone you never really knew. It will be confusing and elusive, but that does not make your sadness any less valid.

20 |

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

What’s in your fridge When you’re no longer surviving on a meal plan, your fridge becomes your life support. Remember these general rules of thumb to determine the shelf life of your groceries

THE SKINNY Michelle Yeung Lifestyle Reporter Congratulations, Tyga, you played yourself

Christine Chow Lifestyle Writer

Once bought, thrice eaten

To meat one’s maker

There’s nothing quite like ordering from Basilique or Gino’s to tide you over a bad wave of midterms. If you’re planning on rationing, however, it shouldn’t be for more than three or four days (and keep the leftovers in the fridge). Leaving your food out at room temperature for more than two hours is a sure-fire way to get those microbes snacking; and they don’t like to share.

Raw beef, poultry and fresh fish should only ever be refrigerated for one to two days. If that’s too short of a timespan for your liking, there’s always the option of putting them to (cryogenic) sleep: fish, chicken, steaks and roasts can last for up to three to six months in the freezer. It’s really too bad humans don’t have that option.

Last one’s a rotten

Eggs are the staple ingredient of the student household. You can boil ‘em, fry ‘em, scramble ‘em or beat ‘em, and they last anywhere from three to five weeks if you refrigerate them while they’re still in their shells — sometimes even past the expiration date. If you’re unsure about whether they’re still safe to eat, fill a cold bowl with water. If the egg floats, ditch it: it’s bye bye birdie time.

No use crying over spoiled milk Milk and yogurt can be kept for up to a week after the expiration date, while butter is even better: following the expiration date, it can last for up to an extra month. The reason why? Dairy products contain lots of probiotics (good bacteria) that produce lactic acid and inhibit the growth of bad bacteria (and we’re all for subjecting bacteria to the alignment system). Of course, if you see curds, or coloured mould, just know that’s not how you make cheese.

Fruit of the tomb

The storage life of fruits and vegetables vary depending on what they are, their ripeness at the time of purchase, and the conditions you store them in. Berries and peaches, which are naturally delicate and bruise easily, should be eaten within one to three days, whereas produce with thicker skin (literally) like potatoes, beets and onions can last up to a couple of months.

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Tyga has long been criticized for just being straight up bad at music, but he has managed to land himself in hot water in his personal life as well.

Already the subject of scrutiny for dating an 18-year-old in Kylie Jenner, the 26-year-old struggle rapper didn’t have the sense of mind to hide his dirty laundry with Dujor coming to his house for a magazine feature. The ensuing profile mentioned a “bleary-eyed Kylie Jenner lookalike…wearing last night’s shorts” (supposedly Val Mercado) loitering by his gate, waiting for a ride, as the magazine’s photo and styling crew arrived.

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

The Silhouette | 21

Sports Fourth quarter woes Troubles in the fourth quarter result in McMaster Men’s Basketball losing two in Thunder Bay, but we can expect improvements

C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY

Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor

It’s hard to pinpoint the Men’s Basketball team’s losses this past weekend on one single thing.

The roaring atmosphere at Lakehead’s gym, The Thunderdome, could be one reason.

Lack of confidence could be a reason but a misguided one, as the team has played with their heads high throughout the season.

The McMaster Men’s Basketball team was on an eight game winning streak until this past weekend. Friday’s OUA Central division match-up saw the Marauders take the 73-67 loss and Saturday ended on a similar note.

McMaster held a 17-15 lead after the first quarter, 42-31 in the second quarter and 58-48 lead in the third quarter. Anybody looking at these numbers could have concluded that the Marauders were destined to win.

However, the fourth quarter stats were a little different.

The fourth quarter is when shots matter the most.

Of course, it is important to set the pace early on in the game but time and time again, leads evaporate in the fourth quarter. This was the case for McMaster’s Friday night game.

McMaster scored eight points in the ten minutes of the last quarter, while Lakehead answered with 25.

Performance in the fourth quarter predicts winners and upsets. Upsets occur when a team expected to win losses to the underdog. This was the storyline for the McMaster Marauders for the first game of the two-game series.

Lakehead had the momentum and the noise in their home court backing them up.

While McMaster saw double digit points from three of their players (Aaron Redpath: 15, Leon Alexander: 15, Connor Gilmore: 14), it was not enough to silence the Thunderwolves.

Lakehead was led by Bacarius Dinkins who accounted for 27

points and 15 rebounds.

Saturday night’s match-up saw the Marauders lose a late lead and fall to the Thunderwolves back-to-back.

Fourth quarter action determined it all again.

With under two minutes left in the game, McMaster led 72-64. From that point on, the narrative changed in favour of Lakehead and McMaster came up short as they were outscored 10-0.

Without leading scorer Alexander suited up for Maroon, Rohan Boney had a solid night with 18 points. Lazar Kojovic also had 16 points off the bench in a great performance for McMaster.

For the first time this season, the Marauders lost back-to-back games. For the first time this season, McMaster lost to a team ranked lower than them.

Because of this, the Marauders fell in both the CIS Top Ten ranking and their OUA Central division. The team’s nine wins and four losses have now placed them seventh in the country and seeded second in the division.

Losses are tough, especially this late in the season, and especially when McMaster has the talent to produce greatness.

This group has certain statistics they want to keep teams below. They have goals to score a certain number of points, while ensuring they limit the opposing teams.

Cold shooting in the fourth quarter will need to be addressed for a team that wants to compete for a championship banner.

With a week away from competitive play, the team will have to regroup and prepare for one of their biggest tests this season.

Two of the nation’s best, Ottawa and Carleton, will visit the Burridge Gym on Feb. 12 and 13. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. both nights. These will be two games that Marauder fans will not want to miss. @itssofiaAM

LEAGUE AT LARGE Men’s Basketball CIS Top Ten 6. McGILL 7. McMASTER 8. UBC 9. THOMPSON RIVERS 10. DALHOUSIE

1. RYERSON 2. OTTAWA 3. CARLETON 4. BROCK 5. CALGARY

Women’s Basketball CIS Top Ten 1. SASKATCHEWAN 2. McGILL 3. REGINA 4. SAINT MARY’S 5. RYERSON

6. ALBERTA 7. McMASTER 8. OTTAWA 9. LAVAL 10. ACADIA

Men’s Volleyball CIS Top Ten 6. UBC 7. LAVAL 8. QUEEN’S 9. TRINITY WESTERN 10. RYERSON

1. McMASTER 2. ALBERTA 3. CALGARY 4. MANITOBA 5. WINNIPEG

Women’s Volleyball CIS Top Ten 1. TRINITY WESTERN 2. UBC-OKANAGAN 3. TORONTO 4. ALBERTA 5. MONTREAL

6. UBC 7. McMASTER 8. DALHOUSIE 9. McGILL 10. RYERSON

Men’s Wrestling CIS Top Ten 1. BROCK 2. McMASTER 3. ALBERTA 4. CALGARY 5. SASKATCHEWAN

6. WINNIPEG 7. GUELPH 8. REGINA 9. CONCORDIA 10. WESTERN

Athletes of the Week Omar Ahmed, McMaster Men’s Wrestling > The second-year was the only one to claim gold in the 66kg weight class at the Ontario Junior Provincial Championship tournament.

Hilary Hanaka, McMaster Women’s Basketball > Hanaka dominated off the bench in Saturday’s game against Lakehead. The second-year guard scored a team high of 18 points, had five rebounds and made four of seven baskets from the three-point line.

2016 CIS Men’s Volleyball Sponsor The Leggat Auto Group is now the Presenting Sponsor for the 2016 CIS Men’s Volleyball Championship held at McMaster from March 10-12, 2016. This year’s Championship will be the 50th anniversary for the event as the top eight university teams in Canada will compete for the Tantramar Trophy.

THINK PINK GAMES THURSDAY FEB. 11.

Women’s Game 6pm Men’s Game 8pm

FRIDAY FEB. 12.

Women’s Game 6pm Men’s Game 8pm

SATURDAY FEB. 13.

Women’s Game 12pm Men’s Game 2pm Women’s Game 6pm Men’s Game 8pm In support of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation #THINKPINK #UNITEDWEFIGHT

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SPORTS | 23

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

All about adjustments

CIS No. 7 McMaster goes one for two on their weekend road trips to Windsor and Western Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter

The Women’s Volleyball team has been working to put more pressure on their opponents; last week, they got a taste of their own medicine.

McMaster faced an early two-set deficit at Windsor. Their backs were up against the wall seemingly as soon as they got on the court and they had to respond quickly or go down quietly.

The Marauders looked tired and out of sync. They weren’t the same electric team we saw against the Gee-Gees a week ago.

Traveling was part of the reason for their fatigue, but that is not a good excuse for underperforming according to fifthyear captain Taylor Brisebois.

“Everyone keeps saying how it’s really tough to play on the road and I don’t know if I agree. We can talk about the travel time and how we sat in the team room for an hour and a half just waiting to warm up, but I feel like it’s not a good excuse for how we performed,” said Brisebois. “It had to do with how we practiced all week.”

Thankfully the energy

came back and the Marauders mustered an impressive comeback and stole three consecutive sets from the Lancers to win in five sets. Brisebois, Jedrzejewska, Mastroluisi, and Sorensen scored in double-digits to lead McMaster’s comeback.

Brisebois says her team’s strong response to the early deficit was partly out of fear.

“I think we adapted to their gameplay. We learned as we went. We started making fewer errors. Fear kind of struck us.

We realized we had to respond when we were down two sets,” said Brisebois. “It just took us a while. We were asleep the first two sets.”

Fifth-year outside hitter Lauren Mastroluisi made ingame adjustments that garnered high praise from Head Coach Tim Louks.

“Lauren was fantastic. She bought in and she executed,” said Louks.

Brisebois was impressed with her teammate’s ability and proficiency in adjusting on the fly.

“She adapted by hitting a sharp cross shot. She would make Windsor’s libero play a really short, off-speed ball,” Brisebois said. “It was cool to see because it’s a shot I haven’t

seen her do a lot, but she was killing it.”

The next night at Western was a different story. The Mustangs mellowed the Marauders’ high spirits from the Windsor comeback.

Western dropped a fourset decision at McMaster in November, but Western was without standout second year Kelsey Veltman — arguably the Mustangs’ best player.

This time Veltman was healthy and the Mustangs exposed some of the Marauders’ weaknesses.

Brisebois saw it happen right away.

“They blocked us a lot.

We’re not used to getting blocked,” Brisebois said. “Usually we hit a ball, we score, we move on. Teams really know us now. Western knew our shot charts really well. We need to learn how to hit different shots because we’re getting too predictable.”

“That night Western was better than us,” Louks said.

Western got their revenge and handed McMaster the same four-set defeat Mac handed them in November. Veltman scored a quarter of Western’s total points and Brisebois had to give her middle counterpart

credit.

“Her presence made a huge difference. She is amazing,” said Brisebois. “It was also a revenge match for them. They had that fire that I guess we lacked. We were hyped for that match, but not the way they were. They wanted revenge. Hopefully next time it’ll be like that for us.”

The loss ended an impressive 11-match winning streak for McMaster and dropped them one spot to No. 7 in the latest CIS Top Ten poll.

“It was sad because I went into that game feeling really good. We won the first set and the second set was really close,” Brisebois said. “I think we were scared and holding back. We were scared of losing. We made errors everywhere.”

McMaster’s captain is aware that adjustments are necessary.

“We need to focus on minimizing errors and avoiding the block this week. Our error percentage was higher than usual. We look at a team like Toronto and they never miss,” said Brisebois. “That’s what we need to do. It’s not about how hard we can hit, but about not making errors and forcing our opponents to make errors.”

Louks thinks his team needs more replications of their

“I take that responsibility to help continue to inspire this group to find a way to put them in better places to be successful.”

Tim Louks Head Coach, McMaster Women’s Volleyball opponents’ strategies so they can prepare better.

“In practice we need to show the girls more of what they can expect from our opponents. That’s on me,” said Louks.

“I take that responsibility to help continue to inspire this group to find a way to put them in better places to be successful.”

No. 7 McMaster (12-2) hosts Lakehead (5-9) this Friday at Burridge. First serve is at 7 p.m. @_jayceecruz

C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY

24 |

SPORTS

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Subpar service

CIS No. 1 McMaster beats Windsor and defeats Western despite poor service performance

C/O ALISTAIR BOULBY

Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter

12 Marauders saw court action in their straight set victory at Windsor last Friday night; 11 of them played two or more sets.

Against Western the following night Mac lost its first set in two weeks.

The reason can be attributed to McMaster’s service errors.

McMaster committed an uncharacteristic 27 service errors against Western.

“We gave them over a set’s worth of points in service errors. When you make 27 serving errors in a match, you give your opponent a set. The worst part of that for me is that those points are a two-point swing,”

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said Preston. “27 serving errors is a 54-point swing because it’s the point they get and the point we don’t. It was uncharacteristic of us.”

When you think about it in those terms, Preston is theoretically correct. Those are 27 “possessions” being given away with significant penalty. In sports like basketball and soccer, turning the ball over doesn’t necessarily equate to a point. In volleyball, however, a service error automatically results in a point for the other team.

The giveaway has greater consequences. Service errors give opponents points without them really having to work for anything.

“I don’t think we were sharp. It was probably our worst

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serving match of the year. We grinded it out and got the win, but we didn’t play at a very high level,” said Preston.

“We didn’t have our best, but I think we made the best of what we had. We clawed and scraped and scratched away a win, but we didn’t do it the way we wanted to do it.”

Serving poorly dug this team into a hole at Ohio State and they fought back.

They faced a similar dilemma at Western and they fought back again.

“When we lost that third set at Western we had chances to give up and find a whole bunch of excuses,” Preston said. “Instead, we found some solutions.”

It also helps to have a deep

rotation of 10-11 guys that can produce at a relatively high level.

“Our depth and talent allowed us to claw out a win on the road. That’s a good thing. I don’t want to have to rely on it all year, but it’s nice to know we can claw out a win sometimes when we aren’t at our best,” Preston said.

McMaster has a bye this week and will use the week to address the issues revealed at Western, namely on the defensive side of the ball.

The Marauders’ next match is on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. at Burridge Gym against the Ryerson Rams.

“It was probably our worse serving match of the year.

We grinded it out and got the win, but we didn’t play at a very high level.”

Dave Preston Head Coach, McMaster Men’s Volleyball

@_jayceecruz

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SPORTS | 25

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

Sweeps up north

McMaster Women’s Basketball rebounds to a loss to Western with two wins in Thunder Bay

C/O RICK ZAZULAK

Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor

After a 68-63 loss to the Western Mustangs, the McMaster Women’s Basketball team knew that they had to bounce back.

This year, every loss the team has faced results in a win the following game and this time was no different.

The team spent the weekend in Thunder Bay, flying and looking to sweep the weekend.

They did just that, as the team was able to get back home with two wins under their belt, improving their overall record to ten wins and three losses.

The loss to Western hurt

the team’s CIS Top Ten standing as they had to drop two spots.

This week after a stellar weekend, the team’s progression has been upward as they currently are ranked seventh.

Friday’s game saw the Marauders play 12 on their roster.

It was a great team effort as the bench was able to contribute 30 points to the score sheet.

For a game that usually looks to captain Danielle Boiago to set the pace, it was a quieter performance for the OUA’s second leading scorer as she only scored four points for the night. Boiago was able to assist in other ways as she got seven rebounds, four assists and three steals.

It was McMaster’s game

from the jump ball as they dominated all four quarters of play. The end of the first quarter saw the Marauders ahead of the Thunderwolves with 21-8.

The lead grew in favour of McMaster and they were able to play out a comfortable win for the first game night at the Thunderdome. Clare Kenney led the team with 16 points, while Rachael Holmes added 11 of her own.

Completing the two-game series 24 hours later, McMaster was looking for a sweep while Lakehead looked to claw back and even out the wins. It was a much closer close competition than Friday night, but McMaster was able to complete the sweep they intended for.

Not as much players got to touch hardwood for Maroon as they played nine compared to 12 the previous night.

Hilary Hanaka was the player of the night as she lead the way for the team with 18 points, including four three-pointers. Hanaka’s performance led her to be named this week’s Pita Pit Athlete of the Week.

Siobhan Manning and Holmes were also able to claim 14 points of their own.

Players on the bench and starters stepped up and looked prepared to win both games.

As the final buzzer of the game sounded, McMaster defeated Lakehead 73-64.

McMaster’s strong weekend

of play has them seeded first in the OUA Central division while Lakehead is fourth.

Marauders were not willing to compromise their position in the division.

McMaster will now enjoy a week of no play as they prepare to host Ottawa and Carleton on Feb. 12 and 13, 2016.

These games will take place during the McMaster Athletics annual Think Pink Weekend, a week where the department fundraises for breast cancer research and initiatives.

Tip-off for both games is at 6 p.m. @itssofiaAM

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andy

Review: Kung-Fu Panda 3

The Silhouette | 27

Po’s last dance is devoid of any real surprises

The Verdict C/O DREAMWORKS

Joe Jodoin Contributor

It has been eight years since the original Kung-Fu Panda was released, but now we finally have the complete trilogy.

Kung-Fu Panda 3 works really well as a closing chapter to the character arc of Po the panda, but it underwhelms in terms of bringing any new ideas to the franchise. This is an easy movie to review, because it is exactly on par with its predecessor. If you liked Kung-Fu Panda 2, you will like this one just as much, but if you find these movies a little too childish for your taste, then the third iteration will not sway your opinion.

Story wise, Kung-Fu Panda 3 does not break any new ground and it is significantly

similar to the first two movies.

The villain this time around is voiced perfectly by J.K. Simmons, and is motivated to collect the “Chi” of all the kungfu masters. For some reason (which is not fully explained), Po can only defeat him by learning how to use his own “Chi.” A new side plot involving Po’s biological father (voiced by Bryan Cranston) and Po training a panda army of his own provides much needed relief from the weak villain arc, but it still feels like a very conventional and familiar story. It’s also a little odd how the theme of Po’s coming of age is still the driving force behind his character arc, since this theme was the same for the past two films.

Where this movie really shines is in the visuals. The an-

I respect that the filmmakers were trying to focus more on story and character development, but for a movie called Kung-Fu Panda, there was not nearly enough kung-fu. imation is gorgeous and colorful, in a way that is not only super absorbing for children, but also impressive to adults as well.

The action scenes in particular

looked amazing, and the fluidity of the character movements and choreography of the battles add up to some outstanding set pieces. There definitely could have been much more action, as every fight scene felt cut short or slightly underwhelming when it finished. I respect that the filmmakers were trying to focus more on story and character development, but for a movie called Kung-Fu Panda, there was not nearly enough kung-fu.

The fast pace of the movie works as both a strength and a weakness. First of all, it keeps viewers interested and constantly entertained. There are no scenes that felt like they didn’t need to be there, and no jokes that should have been cut out.

This makes the movie feel lean

and to-the-point, which was quite welcome. However, it is hard to become emotionally invested in what is happening, and it also makes some characters, like the villain, feel one-dimensional and forgettable.

There is a sub-plot involving Po’s adopted father coming to terms with his son reconnecting with his biological father, but while this could have been deep and emotional, it was quickly glossed over. The short length of the movie — the whole movie is less than an hour and a half long — hurts its potential for more complex storytelling.

Overall, Kung-Fu Panda 3 is an entertaining and fun diversion, but it lacks the depth and originality that the best animated films possess.

28 |

ANDY

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

ANDY’s guide to February Art Crawl An overview of the music and art on Friday, Feb. 12

MUSIC

INSTALLATION

INSTA. CONT.

ART AUCTION

Christ’s Church Cathedral

Hammer City Records

The Factory

HAVN

Hamilton Noise Orchestra

ARTURO VEGA: Nothing Is True, Everything Is Permitted

IO Lab 2 | Factory Media Centre

Dog and Pony Show

Plus, comedian Patrick Coppolino and a special live reading from Ben Rispin’s graphic novel #Punkomix.

The Baltimore House Indie Rock, Noise Rock, PostRock, Garage Rock

Merch from the artists will be available for perchase, and special guest DJs TBA.

Music starts early with an opening set from txtmeback & notmyfriend dubbed “weirdo electronic, hip-hop” from Hamilton.

WHERE? 330 James Street North WHEN? 6 p.m.

PRICE? Free!

Swirling Indie Rock, Post Punk Mania WHERE? 345 James Street North WHEN? 9 p.m., set times TBA PRICE? $ WHO? SIANspheric Grey Lands

1: Homegrown Hamilton 2: The Baltimore House 3: Hammer City Records 4: The Factory 5: You Me Gallery 6: Christ’s Church Cathedral 7: This Ain’t Hollywood 8: HAVN 7

Barton Street West

WHERE? 43 King William Street WHEN? 9:30 p.m., set times TBA PRICE? $7 WHO? Not Of White Spaces Hot Garbage The Great Machine

This Ain’t Hollywood

MAP LEGEND

8

Colbourne Stree t

You Me Gallery Opening: YOU ME GALLERY featuring art by Juliana LaChance & Kimberly Papp

Opening reception for the double show of Juliana LaChance and Kimberly Papp.

“Multimedia artist, Juliana LaChance, will be creating a colourfully stimulating experience using paintings, installation and video. New and archival work will be on display, playing upon the idea of the playfullness of creating without knowing what you’re doing, just like a child. The art will be touching heavily upon the imagination and the infinite possiblities of creation.

“Kimberly Papp’s artist statement reads as follows: The open emotion shown on a child’s face, the struggles experienced by every artist, and a childs natural ability to create are some of the layers inspired and revealed in this collection of art.”

5

Barton Street East

6 4 3

Robert Street

Mulberry Street

Canon Street

Canon Street

Vine Street Wilson Street

Hughston Street North

WHERE? 27 King William Street WHEN? 9 p.m., set times TBA PRICE? $5 WHO? Chuck Coles Drew Thomson Mickey Moone Melissa Marchese

HAVN’s second annual silent auction. This is a fundraiser event featuring art from the HAVN collective as well as many local artists and friends, HAVN merchandise, HOT food & drinks, handmade goods and smooth jams by DJ Fergalicious.

James Street North

A Misfit Island Showcase

WHERE? 26 Barton Street East WHEN? 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

PRICE? Free!

York

Blvd James Street North

Homegrown Hamilton

Bay Street North

Join us for an evening of improvised music with Hamilton’s legendary large-scale noise supergroup!

WHERE? 228 James Street North WHERE? 228 James Street North WHEN? 7 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Basement @ Rear, Off Robert PRICE? Free!

Street Alley “IO Lab is an audio visualization WHEN? 7 p.m. - 11 p.m. pilot project encouraging media PRICE? Free! artists of all levels to test and share An installation by Heather Bain and their experimental interactive works.

Ken Moffatt.

Audio Visualization is simply the “Bain’s and Moffatt’s installation visual representation (output) of an offers a voyeuristic raw glimpse audio signal (input), the only IO Lab into the life of Arturo Vega. Vega is limitation is that all works must be renowned for his friendship with designed to respond in real time and devotion to The Ramones and either physically or in code. his design of every aspect of The Ramones shows and aesthetic. He This physical computing environlived in the East Village for four ment explores the blurry space decades before his death in 2014. where analog meets digital and in Yet his life is poorly documented the interaction expresses something and often minimized in the history unexpected. of East Village punk. In the spirit of Media artists are encouraged to Vega’s work the installation includes participate with their code live, their DIY work, queer ponderings, music, works interacting with each other, as well as text art. It also includes the space, and the audience.” original photos, audio, and video of Vega.”

Bay Street North

WHERE? 252 James Street North WHEN? 8 p.m.

PRICE? $5 or Pay What You Can (PWYC)

Jackson Square

King Street West

Rebecca Stre

et

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King William

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ANDY | 29

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016

Hamilton is reshaping Broadway’s history Will Hollywood be following suit with its own diversification?

Trisha Gregorio Andy Writer

“It’s the story of America then,” said Lin-Manuel Miranda about his newest Broadway brainchild, Hamilton in an interview with The Atlantic, “Told by America now.”

Broadway does not have much of a history of diversity, but this time, there’s change in the air. With five-time Tony Award winner Fun Home being the first musical to feature a lesbian central character, NBC’s The Wiz Live! dominating the viewership with its all black cast, and with Miranda’s incredibly diverse Hamilton leading the cavalcade, it’s definitely taking steps to change that, stat.

Hamilton is a story centred around American history. It is the tale of Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s very distinguished and very white founding fathers — who happens to be, in this stage adaptation, played by a Puerto Rican. The musical chronicles his rise and fall from power, a modern tragedy Aristotle would have approved of, with significant historical figures making up the rest of the cast. The narration begins with a rap by Aaron Burr

(played by African-American Leslie Odom, Jr.) and ends with an epilogue sung by Alexander’s wife, Eliza (played by Chinese-American Phillipa Soo).

Between the beginning and the end is a story that does not disappoint and a soundtrack that never bores, all while trying its best to simultaneously stay true to history and load up on even the most obscure of references.

Still not clear on what the hype is about, exactly? I can take several guesses. One, it’s a Broadway show, yes, and while I do love myself an impressive show tune a la Book of Mormon’s “I Believe,” most of the songs in Hamilton sit right at home in the hip-hop genre. Boasting raps that are as eloquent as they are catchy, and as fast as they are poignant, the show distinguishes itself from the well-known belting of Phantom of the Opera’s Christine and the distinctive melodies of Les Miserables. Two, save for a single character, the whole cast is in fact also comprised of people of colour. In addition to Odom and Soo, former American President Thomas Jefferson is played by Daveed Diggs, who’s also praised for one of the fastest rap solos in Broadway history in his other Hamilton role as the Frenchman Marquis

de Lafayette. Alongside Diggs is Christopher Jackson as George Washington, and Okierete Onaodowan is America’s fourth President, James Madison.

Three, the musical is very careful in its references to historical facts, but at various points also pays homage to current events, even if that calls for several significant cameo roles or subtly satirical lyrics. Why is everyone so interested in Hamilton?

Historically semi-accurate raps, America’s first ever presidents played by people of colour, or current events called out in the form of raps — take your pick.

In light of the recent release of Oscar nominations and the backlash that followed against the lack of diversity (yet again), Hamilton serves as an example of just how misled all the excuses and justifications Hollywood has attempted to scavenge in response are. Hollywood is particularly fond of the “no one will watch it” excuse, the notion that somehow a diverse cast won’t attract as broad an audience as a white cast would. Though musicals are in many ways different from the film industry, Hamilton nonetheless begs to differ. It reached record-breaking sales before its Broadway premiere, and tickets remain sold out until the very end of

2016. The diverse representation has been widely acclaimed, and save for the inevitable outspokenness of those that are personally offended by seeing George Washington played by a biracial man, the cast has received nothing but praise for their spectacular performances of equally spectacular songs. If a show like Hamilton, despite being so strictly about well-known white historical figures, can afford a little wiggle room and repurpose a story with an angle that majority of filmmakers are hesitant to touch, Oscar-worthy or not, then why can’t others do the same?

Broadway still has a long way to go, but what shows like Hamilton, Fun Home and The Wiz Live! prove in receiving reception better than what anyone expected is that the business excuse is starting to get a little old. It’s about time Hollywood stopped operating

While I do love myself an impressive show tune a la Book of Mormon’s “I Believe,” most of the songs in Hamilton sit right at home in the hip-hop genre. under the notion that whiteness is a human default and therefore a storyline must, and instead realize that there is as much potential in the three-way link between cultural excellence, diverse representation, and whatever profitability the cinematic industry seeks.

Better find a new excuse soon, Hollywood.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton is a dynamic reinterpretation of American history that incorporates both hip-hop and a diverse cast.

30 |

ANDY

Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Review: Anti - Rihanna

The Verdict Rihanna poses with the cover-art of her stunning eighth album, Anti.

Tobi Abdul Lifestyle Reporter Emeritus

There is nothing conventional about Robyn Rihanna Fenty.

It only takes a few notes on her newest album Anti for that reminder to set in. “I got to do things my own way,” Rihanna warns in the opening song “Consideration.” This has always been her legacy. More than anything else, Rihanna has consistently come across as real.

On Instagram, she positioned herself as a self-governing force with an affinity for blunts and middle fingers. This is the version of Rihanna we came to know — the one who played by her own rules and did so with endless bravado and confidence.

At the same time, she

became a hit-making algorithm pumping out songs for neon lights and sweaty last calls. And we danced to it, because it was good. We spent our Friday and Saturday nights with Rihanna bumping to one of her 13 number-one singles. She became the pop star we wanted her to be because she did it brilliantly.

But until now it just didn’t completely feel like the Rihanna we had been shown. Anti, Rihanna’s eighth studio album, feels more like the artist behind the hitmaker, the authentic Rihanna.

It’s not what we expected.

If her last seven albums were flashing lights and boozesoaked adventures, Anti is a solo Friday at home with a bottle of wine. It works, because it’s good.

With the exception of “Work” featuring Drake, this album is devoid of any club bangers.

Those songs were for us. Anti is for Rihanna.

With the possible exception of “Work” featuring Drake, this album is devoid of any club bangers. Those songs were for us. Anti is for Rihanna.

Floating between soul, rock, r&b, and pop, Anti never fully commits to one genre. The

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grainy, blues adjacent “Higher” sounds like a drunken plea from a scrubbed Rihanna. Each note of “Desperado” drips with the fuck-you attitude she has worked to perfection. The likely hit of the album, “Kiss It Better,” shows introspection absent in past songs. But the most obvious example is Rihanna’s cover of Tame Impala’s “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” Rihanna lends her voice to a genre not usually belonging to her, echoing instead of re-imagining the song completely.

While always present on some level, this version of Rihanna hasn’t fully been exposed.

There is a confidence in self, an underlying Bad Gal quality to the album that seems more like the yacht partying and blunts

in bathrobes versions of her.

These are the type of songs that couldn’t have been written for anyone else.

The Rihanna who tweeted “I’m crazy, and I don’t pretend to be anything else” seems very present singing “Tryna fix your inner issues with a bad bitch / Didn’t they tell you that I was a savage / Fuck your white horse and a carriage,” on “Needed Me.” This album feels like a glimpse at the inner workings of Rihanna’s brain. The off-camera version. From front to back, Anti tells the story of self-exploration, growing up, and coming full circle. With the album already platinum, the understated Anti is Rihanna’s biggest statement yet.

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Bikes, Blades & Boards is now accepting volunteers to present to our community schools throughout Hamilton, Haldimand, Norfolk, and Niagara.

Volunteer Training begins in March 2016 Presentations begin in April 2016 For more information contact a volunteer Coordinator: Adria Repp Hamilton Brain Injury Association 905 538 5251 info@hbia.ca

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Committee hires sub-committee to reassess committee After a poor decision was made, one committee is creating another committee to help them out

The new Committee-Committee making decisions with the help of their recently-appointed old, white overlord.

MARY KROLL-SNOW Committee Columnist

“We had one job,” said Anniesa Khan, the supervisor of the University Hiring Committee, after the group released some potentially false information to the public.

The Hiring Committee consists of a group of academicallyinvested individuals who are looking to add something unique and interesting to their grad school applications.

“We didn’t forsee our committee members being so much more involved with school that they would actually be really bad at being a committee,” said Khan.

After releasing information that is currently being proved to be either false, skewed, or just a hot ass mess in regards to a recently hired staff member, the Hiring Committee has decided to hire a sub-committee to let them know what they’re doing wrong as a committee.

“I’m going to jump out right now and say that I wasn’t actually on the committee, but I did help with the hiring of the subcommittee,” added Khan.

The Hiring Committee is hoping to use this new subcommittee, known as the Committee-Committee, to help them assess where they could

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improve as a group, as well as where they could get worse.

The Committee-Committee has already started to release some of their critiques of the Hiring Committee and shared some of their observations.

“We think they could improve their time management. We also think they could definitely get worse at nepitism,” said an anonymous member.

“There’s also something to be said about their reliance on more committees. But I’m not really too sure, I just signed up for this so I could talk about it on my grad school applications.”

“Nothing says democracy like a small group of people trapped in a room for several hours making decisions about another small group of people.”

Anniesa Khan Hiring Committee Supervisor

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