The Silhouette- Feb. 25, 2016

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INSIDE >> HAMILTON GETS BAKED pg. 3 Improve your Instagram food photography game pg. 20 The road to playoffs for Men’s Basketball pg. 23

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The Silhouette Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

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Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

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Rachel Katz @RachAlbertaKatz news reporter Patrick Kim @patrickmkim news reporter Alex Florescu @alexxflorescu features reporter Daniel Arauz @DanielArauzz opinions editor Talia Kollek @TaliaKollek sports editor Sofia Mohamed @itssofiaAM sports reporter Jaycee Cruz @_jayceecruz lifestyle editor Jason Woo lifestyle reporter Michelle Yeung @yeung_m andy editor Tomi Milos @tomimilos andy reporter Vannessa Barnier @vjbarnier news editor

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Sunanna Bhasin, Nick Bommarito, Steven Chen, Christine Chow, Charlie Coë, Trisha Gregorio, Madeline Neumann community ad manager

OCT. 1, 1940

The war on campus During 1940, the world was preparing for war and the students at McMaster were not exempt from these preparations. On the first front page of 1940, you can see that the three primary headlines were related to war initiatives: “Chancellor Asks Student Co-operation in War Years,” “Initiation Cut to Minimum in Face of War” and the largest of them all, “Military Training,” an initiative which was made mandatory for all “physically fit” male students over the age of 18.

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

New bistro opens in St. Joseph’s; challenges mental health stigma Page 4

The Silhouette

News

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McMaster’s mainframe computer’s clock is ticking down Page 8

Cake on speed dial

A new startup in the Westdale area promises slices of fresh cake at your door in minutes

Canadian campus news Patrick Kim News Reporter

Response to Dal sexism scandal may take years to implement A report that produced several recommendations last June on the Facebook sexism scandal that occurred within the Faculty of Dentistry at Dalhousie may take up to two years to implement, according to the CBC. The recommendations included a call to overhaul culture at the university, as well as the way it addresses complaints of sexism; however, whether enough is being done remains in question.

Scholarship struck down by Ontario judge

KAREEM BAASSIRI/ PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR

Bina Patel Contributor

Living in Hamilton comes with many perks. Last month, having a delicious piece of cake delivered right to your door became one of them. Calvin Smith, a computer engineering student from the University of Sheffield in England, began delivering slices of cake to doorsteps all over the McMaster Area. “I only launched a week ago so if you can imagine me cycling around in my bike in minus 20 degrees, delivering cake to peoples door.

That’s kind of how it all started,” he said.

The idea was born out of a conversation between Smith and his friends about circulating baked goods to students around McMaster University.

Among the many options were

brownies and cookies, but they ultimately agreed on a slice of cake.

“There’s not that many things around the Mac area that do this kind of thing so it would be great to offer it,” he explained.

The process is incredibly simple. A customer texts the phone number found on their website, between the hours of 4 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Saturdays and describe which slice of cake they want along with an address for delivery. Within a half hour, a slice of apple pie with cream, chocolate truffle or red velvet cake provided by a local bakery, will be delivered outside of your home.

The time range in which to place an order is small at the moment, but Smith hopes to expand to Thursdays and

Fridays and to improve the efficiency of the service. “There are loads more things we want to put on the menu, with the amount of requests we’ve had for gluten-free cakes and vegan cakes and maybe even things like brownies.”

The personal touch of hand-delivered dessert has certainly had an effect, as the response from the public has been positive. Last week, Smith found himself biking around for four hours in the bitter cold delivering cakes, and business is expected to pick up as word continues to spread. Over 300 people have already shown interest on Facebook.

It remains to be seen whether expanding the service will be a piece of cake after all.

“There are loads more things we want to put on the menu, with the amount of requests we’ve had for glutenfree cakes and vegan cakes and maybe even things like brownies.“ Calvin Smith Founder, Hamilton Cakeaway

A will left by a deceased doctor that denoted two scholarships to go to white, single and heterosexual students was recently struck down by Justice Alissa Mitchell. Some of the stipulations included that the female recipient be a “hard-working, single Caucasian white girl who is not feminist or lesbian,” and that the male bursary not go to anyone who plays inter-collegiate sports.

Canada sees major investments in marine industry The University of British Columbia recently announced a two million investment from Seaspan Shipyards would go towards its naval architecture and marine engineering programs over the next seven years. Meanwhile, Dalhousie has received a similar investment of $1.8 million from Irving Shipbuilding Inc. and the Marine Environmental Observation Prediction and Response network that is part of an effort to bolster Canada’s marine industry and maritime research.

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NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

New bistro brightens up St. Joe’s

Rainbow’s End opens Colours Bistro at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and hires people who have struggled with mental health and addiction

Empolyees of Colours Bistro hard at work during the lunch bustle.

C/O ALEX FLORESCU

Alexandra Florescu News Reporter

A new bistro at the St. Joseph’s Hospital is hoping to bring some colour to the monotony of hospital life. The bistro is an expansion of the services of Colours Café which has been serving St Joe’s for two and a half years. The café, located on the second floor of the West Fifth campus of the hospital, is a brightly lit space surrounded by artwork and high tables.

In-patients say that café is a haven. In the early morning, the steaming coffee pot and the sunlight filtering in through the large windows provides a warm wake up call to patients and visitors alike.

The café is administered

by Rainbow’s End, a social enterprise looking to provide employment opportunities for people who have struggled

with mental health issues and addiction. When St. Joe’s approached Rainbow’s End to see if they would run a store out of their building, Rainbow’s End saw it as the perfect opportunity to open up jobs and train employees. At first, the café opened with just coffee and cold counters, but it didn’t take long for sales to pick up.

“It’s gone from success to success,” said David Williams, the Executive Director of Rainbow’s End. The café currently employs 11 people and is also open on weekends, when most places have closed their doors.

As of early February, Rainbow’s End was able to expand into a full kitchen in the first floor cafeteria, made possible by donations from the recent MSU Charity Ball. Workers at the new bistro have access to full commercial equipment that allows for expanded food prep

training. Costumers are lining up for the hot breakfast and lunch plates, capitalizing on the opportunity for warm food in a building that serves most food in cold counters.

Maribeth Chabot, the food services and manager chef for Rainbow’s End, said that she hopes Colours Café will provide the employees with skills to succeed in other jobs as well.

“Hopefully when I am done, these guys can move on and be a line cook in someone else’s restaurant. They will know all the things that a line cook needs to know, and the procedures of how a restaurant is run.

You get a crowd of 50 people lining up for lunch. That kind of demand is reality. It gives them really good exposure to that and good skills in today’s market.

And we laugh, we have too much fun.”

Williams hopes that the great food and service produced

Williams hopes that the great food and service produced by his employees will contribute towards breaking the stigma of mental health. by his employees will contribute towards breaking the stigma of mental health.

“What excites me most is really the opportunity to offer training and a real job to people that would like to get back to work and have to face certain hurdles such as mental health and addiction. The most important thing for us was to get it open, employ the right people and establish the business and credibility. I think we have done

that,” says Williams.

Expectations for people working at the café or bistro are no different from other restaurants. In fact, employees are expected to already have or be planning to get their food handling certification.

As for the physical layout of the space, the bistro has a similarly airy feel as the café.

The food is prepared right in front of the customers, with the stoves in plain sight of the cash register. The employees are not only learning to prepare food, but they are doing so in an environment where the people they are hoping to please are watching them work. So far the challenge has been met with enthusiasm.

Williams knows this may not be the most comfortable of situations for staff. “It’s challenging. It would be challenging for anybody to prepare food that way.”

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

NEWS

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“I have a brother who has problems; I have a nephew I lost to suicide.

I have been a chef all my life, I have made good money. I owned a restaurant. At this point in my life it’s time to give back.”

Maribeth Chabot Food Services and Manager Chef for Rainbow’s End C/O ALEX FLORESCU

He also recognizes that perhaps his employees also have an edge others may not.

“We actually like to think that many of our team members, because they have experienced mental health challenges, have a

lot of empathy with people who do have the same conditions.

We feel that there is a degree of communication there that they can establish with other team members, with patients in hospital, with friends of patients

who are coming to visit them.”

Chabot has nothing but praise for Rainbow’s End and their work at St. Joe’s. “I can tell you that working for Rainbows End has been one of the most rewarding jobs of my career. I

mean, we can’t have a meeting where I don’t cry. They are a fabulous organization with people who care and with huge hearts. I am privileged to be a part of it and I get choked up. I have a brother who has prob-

lems; I have a nephew I lost to suicide. I have been a chef all my life, I have made good money. I owned a restaurant. At this point in my life it’s time to give back.” @alexxflorescu

From campus to career path Stefanie Del Gobbo is passionate about literacy.

This graduate from Brock University’s Faculty of Education loves books. But the high school students she teaches say streaming movies and online gaming are more fun.

To show them that reading can be just as enjoyable, Stefanie devised the free 2Titles.com web app. Her app identifies books for young people based on their likes and interests, and has received rave reviews.

“The unique Brock experience and approach gave me a realm of inspiration that I strive to pass on in every classroom I enter,” says Stefanie, “Brock encouraged me to be a creative and critical thinker.”

Choose your path to a fulfilling career from one of Brock University’s undergraduate and graduate programs in Education, Applied Health Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, and Math and Science.

Learn more at discover.brocku.ca

Stefanie Del Gobbo Brock graduate BA English Language and Literature (’09) BEd (’10) High school teacher and literacy web app developer

Visit our Spring Open House Sunday, March 6, 2016 · Noon to 4 p.m.

Register at discover.brocku.ca For both sides of the brain.

Brock University | Niagara | Canada

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FEATURE

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

INSIDE THE Daniel Arauz Features Reporter

On Feb. 21, a crowd of people poured into Hamilton’s Knights of Columbus hall to witness two and a half hours of choke slams, drop kicks and body slams.

For what the event held by the Christian fraternity lacked in spirituality, it compensated for in reverence to the legends of wrestling that have come and gone: the larger-than-life television characters that brought together a passionate audience, and the performers that chose to follow in their footsteps. As the sound of bells reverberated through the small but packed venue, Hamilton’s Alpha-1 wrestling kicked off its seventh year of professional wrestling.

I knew that when I was signing up to cover Hamilton’s Alpha-1 Wrestling’s Big Year 7 event, I wasn’t walking into some kind of underground blood sport, but I got enough worried requests to “be careful” to understand that many people hold misconceptions about independent professional wrestling. Even at its most amateur level, professional wrestling is a carefully choreographed performance act. Training and schools are prerequisite to perform, and the organization itself has an impressive roster of long-time amateur wrestlers, and even featured names from major televised corporations like ECW and WWE. Alpha-1 Wrestling is owned by Ethan “All Ego” Page, a full-time professional wrestler himself, who spoke to me backstage about what it takes to throw together an independent wrestling company. “I go from country to country, state to state, I’m meeting different people in different cities and finding who the best wrestlers are and I’ll bring them all down to Hamilton because I trust them and know what they’re capable of and then we’ll produce the best wrestling show.”

Page shoots promotional videos and scripts the storylines that will play out in the ring.

Just two hours before the event,

“I’m meeting different people in different cities and finding who the best wrestlers are and I’ll bring them all down to Hamilton because I trust them and know what they’re capable of and then we’ll produce the best wrestling show.”

Ethan “All Ego” Page Alpha-1 owner and professional wrestler wrestlers will meet, sometimes for the first time, and plan the choreography of their matches.

FAKE STORIES, REAL ATHLETICISM Professional wrestling has had a long history of straddling the line between athleticism and entertainment, but you’d be hard pressed to find many forms of live performance art that is as visceral and raw as live wrestling. You can hear and feel every thud and slam of the ring.

Every impact on the canvas mat violently shakes the ropes.

Athletes are tossed both in and outside the ring, occasionally right into the feet of front row audience members.

You feel the impact of every DDT, pile driver, power bomb and frankensteiner. Every single slap and chop to the chest is punctuated by a Ric Flair “Woo” from the crowd. As the audience taunted some of the in-ring villains (or any wrestler from Toronto), the performers replied with their own fair share of insults.

Witnessing these performers execute increasingly complex and dangerous maneuvers is not for the faint of heart.

That should be obvious, but the choreographed nature of professional wrestling still does not

DANIEL ARAUZ/ FEATURES EDITOR

make the impacts any less real and the wrestlers shared stories of broken bones and bruises when we talked backstage.

“For people watching, some people kind of think, ‘eh, it’s not that physical, it’s not real so to speak.’ It’s very physical match, its very taxing on the body and depending on how long you wrestle in the ring it can be very exhausting, you can feel very beat up and sore,” explained Brent Banks.

Banks has been wrestling in the independent circuit for eight years, and his experience was

evident during his main fight.

“The worst part is the next day after the adrenaline goes down after your match. You really feel all the bumps and bruises afterwards.”

Despite a particularly brutal bout with the featured Nanzio of WWE and ECW fame, Page described another long list of his own current injuries and the constant risks involved, “Right now I have a torn shoulder; some guys that I’ve personally worked with have broken their necks and had to retire. Broken legs,

broken arms, my wrist is broken right now, I’ve broken both my heels, my nose … It hurts to be a fake fighter.”

THE FOUR-WALLED DRAMA Despite athleticism playing a central role in “sports entertainment,” Page finds professional wrestling’s entertainment aspect most appealing. “It’s like a movie that has four different walls.

So, you can sit at any point of the ring and it’ll be a different show every single time,” ex-

FEATURE

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

RING

A look at Hamilton’s independent wrestling scene, how it came to be, and the people who continue to fight to keep it running the ring and busted a keyboard on both the wrestlers’ heads.

Earlier during the event, “Theory of Evolution” — a tag team composed of Jim Nye the Science Guy and Space Monkey (complete with monkey fur mask, tail and space suit) — brought some of the best moments during the event. Audience members threw bananas at them as they entered alongside the Beastie Boys “Intergalactic.” Nye tossed Space Monkey from the top rope to execute a crushing body slam, for science of course, and the two continued to win over the crowd spot after spot. The raw talent of the pair, and the absurdity of their personas made their loss of the tagteam title surprisingly painful.

“A lot of people will say that the best characters are just an extension of yourself, just turned up a little bit.”

Brent Banks Professional wrestler

plained Page.

Though certainly not high brow, professional wrestling is still best categorized as performance art, and like the devoted fan base of any artistic sub-culture, its supporters are as much in love with the spectacle as they are critical. An early mass of ticket holders outside the venue shared stories of meeting WWE and WWF superstars, but also avidly debated and complained about the current state of prime-time storylines, executive decisions and other behind-the scenes controversy.

The attention to the show and all the decisions and work behind it is the same brand of fandom that we’ve come to expect from comic book geeks, cinephiles and gamers. The fights need to be executed as perfectly as possible, the characters need to entertain and the drama in and outside the ring need to give fans a competitor they can get behind.

The in-ring character is arguably just as important as the athletic prowess. Banks repeated a tried and true advice to creating an in-ring persona. “A lot

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of people will say that the best characters are just an extension of yourself, just turned up a little bit,” he said.

Banks himself has transitioned from his previous iteration of the basketball inspired “Allstarter” to a less cartoonish persona that seemed to emphasize the technical prowess he’s built up in his eight year run.

He went against Scotty “The Hacker” O’Shea for the Alpha Male Champion Belt, until an Anonymous “virus” donning the signature all black attire and Guy Fawkes mask jumped into

In a similar vein, this audience witnessed the heartbreaking loss of Dick Justice, a freedom loving American police officer. Justice’s persona is a cross between Weird Al Yankovic and Paul Blart, with a heaping dose of tongue-in-cheek patriotism. Crowds egg him on with cries for freedom and ‘Merica, and his antics during the six-man free-for-all was a great comedic break from some of the intensity of the previous matches. Although the crowd chanted scores of asinine jokes based on Justice’s first name, the connection between the audience and the performers felt palatable after his loss when a young boy held up a hand drawn portrait to his favourite “Super Cop” as a sign of support. Justice lost his badge to the neon-pink 80s fitness junkie Danny Orlando, and triumphantly push-upped his way out of the ring.

WHY WE FIGHT When I joined the performers backstage, I expected to receive elaborate stories of how they fell into the professional wrestling scene. Perhaps what I should have anticipated was the matter-of-fact attitude each of the wrestlers shared. If you loved wrestling as a kid, you started practicing some moves in your backyard and you carried that passion into adulthood, you are going to try and become a wrestler.

Another wrestler, who requested to keep his name and persona a secret, expanded a bit more, “I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. I was always really small so I liked watching the smaller guys, and because of that I taught myself to flip off diving boards and high stuff in the snow just to emulate them … When I discovered indie wrestling I was like, this is an amazing, intimate, smaller setting, I think I want to do this.”

He had a long history in martial arts, but dropped it in favour of his wrestling training, which he practiced every single day after work.

“I’ve done a lot of things in my life, like I grew up playing soccer, skateboarding, BMX, doing dumb things, jumping off high things and fighting, competitive martial arts and after all that, of all the things I’ve done, this is the most fun I’ve ever had. When I’m in the ring and leaving the ring, it’s just the greatest feeling. The adrenaline rush is like no other.”

Page is fully aware of the niche nature of his trade, and recognizes the “trailer trash, male soap opera” stigma surrounding the culture, but despite this, still fully believes in the art of professional wrestling.

“Someone could land in your lap. Someone could get their tooth knocked out and you can catch it. It’s unlike any other form of entertainment.

You won’t see that at a play; it’s all fake. Professional wrestling is something you can touch and it can touch you too.” @DanielArauzz

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NEWS

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

The final countdown After over three decades of use, McMaster is finally retiring its mainframe computer Emma Mulholland Contributor

Next month, McMaster is saying farewell to its mainframe computer, which will no longer be open to general access as of March 18.

The mainframe computers have been used at McMaster since the late 1960s. The computer that is currently in the process of being decommissioned was initiated at McMaster in the 1980s. “[The mainframe computer] refers to a specific machine, that actually sits in a space … in a larger, more abstract sense it’s a set of applications that are on a specific hardware, that use a specific operating system, coded in specific ways … it’s the whole operating system,” explained Sheldon Smart, Public Relations Manager with the McMaster Office of Public Relations.

Most of the technology used in the mainframe date back to the mainframe’s beginnings in the 1980s, and include applications no longer beneficial to the university. “We no longer use those applications, or we’re phasing them out. There are a few left that we’re just in the last stages of turning off, then we will get rid of that hardware,” said Smart.

McMaster is now transitioning a new Enterprise Resource Planning system. “[The mainframe] was quite high performance hardware in its time. Back in the day, mainframe computing was all there was. But now there are many options, some of which suit what we are doing here better,” said Smart.

Mosaic, the student service centre introduced last year, is part of the new ERP system.

With the introduction of the ERP system, it is no longer necessary to maintain the old mainframe hardware and software, so the university is in the process of shutting it down.

“Mosaic uses different hardware, software and base operating systems than the previous system, the mainframe … we no longer need the mainframe — this is just part of a natural transition,” said Smart.

Mosaic’s ability to integrate information from various sources, such as student records

McMaster’s current mainframe computer has been in use since the 1980s.

C/O SHELDON SMART

With the introduction of the ERP system, it is no longer necessary to maintain the mainframe hardware and software, so the university is in the process of shutting it down. and financial accounts, is representative of the new ERP system as a whole. “The hallmark of ERP is that it tends to combine multiple pieces: our finance system, human resources system, student administration system . . . they all interconnect with each other,” explained Smart.

The new system allows easier access to transcripts and the ability to independently choose class timetables. McMaster is not the first institution to make the move to more integrated systems. Western University and the University of Waterloo both use similar programs to what is now implemented at McMaster.

As with any new structure, it will take some time to get used to the new system. Regardless, there are many advantages

to the new ERP system when compared to the mainframe, which was limited in its capabilities due its age.

“It will take some time for the university to become completely comfortable with all the new functions, but in comparison the system it replaced was set up in the early 1980s,” said Smart. Anyone who is interested in keeping track of the mainframe’s last days can visit the University Technology Services website to find a timer counting down to the mainframe’s official end, as well as a more detailed history of computing at McMaster.

“It will take some time for the university to become completely comfortable with all the new functions, but in comparison the system it replaces was set up in the early 1980s.”

Sheldon Smart Public Relations Manager McMaster University

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

What was your first research experience?

The Silhouette

dd Dawn Bowdish

Associate Professor Pathology & Molecular Medicine

My first experience as an undergraduate in a lab in Guelph and I just loved it; I loved everything about that lab. I loved the camaraderie; I loved hanging out with the grad students because I thought they were so cool at the time. I loved throwing myself into it. My first research experience was when I was a high school student. I did a co-op here in 4N75, which is in the hospital in a pharmacology lab. Actually, my first publication came from my high school co-op! We tried opening the lab to high school students because that was just such a formative experience.

Now, jumping into the timeline, what advice would you give to your PhD self?

My PhD was a very happy time.

I have to admit I think one of the reasons that made it so great is that I had this lovely husband who kept me on track and focused, and ready to graduate.

He was always like, “When are you gonna be done? When are you gonna be done?” so I ended up doing my PhD in less than

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tunities for them is fun. I do have a daydream that one day we will publish papers together and I’ll help them with their science projects when they get a bit older. Ultimately, I just want them to do something that they feel is important, whatever it is that they are passionate about.

Can you explain that frame full of cork?

That’s my cork box. It’s a tradition in the lab that whenever anyone publishes their first first-author manuscript, the one that they were the leader on, we all have champagne and I write on a cork for them. I write their name and they keep one and I keep one. It’s really their initiation into the scientific community and a manuscript is always a huge accomplishment.

If you were to go back to your undergrad, what advice would you give to your first-year self?

I would probably say that time management was a big problem for me, so I would advise myself to work a bit harder on time management, and to be honest, I really wish I had taken more math and computer science. If I had known how big bioinformatics was, and how math was actually fun, I would have benefitted from that, so I am trying to encourage everyone in biology to take math, computer science, programming, and engineering.

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How would you describe your experience at McMaster?

five years, which was pretty quick. I think that was partially because I had a good influence so I encourage everyone to set strict timelines and try to get it done in five years, otherwise those are five beautiful years of your life that are not coming back.

Students always see professors as having a perfect life and so put together. As a professor, what do you struggle with?

The biggest struggle for me is time because I have a family that I value. I have a young family who needs my time

and I have people in my lab who I committed to giving my time. My biggest struggle is getting money to the lab because

that takes up so much time. If I didn’t have to do that, I could spend more time on the other elements in my life. I guess for me is just anyone who has small children, no matter what their job is or where they work or what their personal story is, that’s a point in your life where you’re tired. So I think my two biggest issues are time and sleep.

What would you want your kids to be when they grow up?

I love McMaster! I love being at McMaster! When I was growing up here, I never thought I would end up back in Hamilton. I came here for an interview and at the end of it, I asked, “What will it take to get me in here?” because I love the collegial attitude, I love the collaborate atmosphere, I love the fact that if you can dream it, we can do it. I love the fact that there’s no politics. I think it’s the best place in the world to do the science that I am doing and I wouldn’t be anywhere else.

Yung Lee Photo Reporter

I definitely try to encourage them to be interested in science and they are. All kids are interested in science. Kids are naturally inquisitive and I think just providing oppor-

YUNG LEE/ PHOTO REPORTER

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2015 | www.thesil.ca

The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

Many students enrol at McMaster with a certain preconception of the City of Hamilton. Students often associate Hamilton with the steel industry, and many doubt whether the city is safe, welcoming, or student-friendly. The more I’ve become involved with the city, however, the more I’ve learned about its fascinating culture, its artistic community, and the environment it can offer students. As Hamilton

continues to grow and change, it is important that students contribute their voices to its development. To this end, I’m pleased to announce the MSU’s second Change Camp, a conference where students can join together with their neighbours in the McMaster and Hamilton communities to move our city forward.

Change Camp is a fantastic opportunity to make connections, voice your thoughts on where Hamilton should go as a city, and learn more about what the city has to offer.

This year, the event will be hosted on March 3, from 5:30pm-9:00pm, in the David Braley Health Sciences Centre. The location is fitting, as the centre itself demonstrates the value of community partnerships, having been funded and developed by both McMaster University and the City of Hamilton. The conference will host Mayor Eisenberger, McMaster President Patrick Deane, and various student leaders, elected officials, and community partners.

Change Camp 2016 will feature a MarketPlace, which will host leaders and organizations from the MSU, the University, the City, and the community. Students will be able to

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.

meet these people, learn about their the final report included expansion work, and learn about opportuni- of art crawls, support for Light Rail ties to partner and volunteer with Transit (LRT), and inclusive green them. The event will also include spaces throughout the city. The full discussions facilitated by students report is available on the MSU weband community members on top- site and features the contributions ics such as course-related commu- of many McMaster students. nity engageIn addition to ment, Syrian As Hamilton continues developing refugees in recommenHamilton, to grow and change, it is dations for and particiimportant that students projects patory budand poligeting within contribute their voices to cies, Change the municipal Camp progovernment. its development. vides an opA summaportunity for ry report on Change Camp proceedings and McMaster students to develop closoutcomes will be written and made er relations with Mohawk College, Redeemer University College, Maypublic several weeks later.

Change Camp began as an event or Eisenberger, and other key figrun by the MSU Student Commu- ures and organizations in Hamilton.

If you are interested in taking nity Support Network (SCSN), focused on student conversations, but part in this important discussion, last year the conference was greatly please register via msumcmaster. expanded to include a wide range of ca/changecamp. It is a great opporcommunity partners. Topics at last tunity to tour the beautiful Health year’s Change Camp included youth Sciences facility, contribute to comemployment, green spaces in Ham- munity visions for the future of ilton, and transit issues, among sev- Hamilton, and learn more about the eral others. Recommendations in city in which we live and learn.

“

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

The Silhouette | 11

Editorial What do you want from me?

Tell me McMaster, what do you want to see in The Silhouette?

Amanda Watkins Editor-in-Chief

I love a good subtweet. So long as it isn’t misogynistic, racist or a personal attack on my upbringing, I usually get a strange form of excitement from people sending pseudo-insults across cyberspace.

Working for a creative product, I am no stranger to people thinking they can freely insult our product because it is something visual and easy to critique. Sometimes these comments are harsh and unwel-

come and leave me questioning our readers, but every now and again, a productive message gets filtered through. And those are the subtweets our paper lives for.

The Silhouette is McMaster’s student paper. Your student fees pay for it, and we want to represent you accurately. All of our content is made by student staff, and everyone here is part of the McMaster community and the MSU. We like hearing from you. We like knowing what you want from us.

It’s easy to throw a snarky insult our way and reap in the favourites on your Twitter or

Facebook post, but what we’re really looking for is your honest concerns and advice for a product that will make you happy.

To help get this feedback, I am excited to announce a new initiative that will help you share your ideas, while also providing us with the constructive comments we’re hoping for.

“Silvision” is a three-part campaign that includes a feedback survey and public forum, and will share the ways you can get involved and materialize your visions for your student paper.

Subtweet or not, we want to get your input. @whatthekins

to John and Maggie’s returns. to teamwork. Yay. to new campaigns. to open dialogue.

to chronic slush. to chronic hail. to chronic snow. to chronic stress.

to sunlight covers.

to chronic broken tripods.

to wrestling champions.

to chronic foot swelling.

to Deadpool.

to chronically late articles.

to saying what you mean.

to the word “chronic.”

SILVISION SILVISION The Silhouette presents...

WHAT’S YOUR VISION FOR YOUR CAMPUS PAPER? This coming March, The Silhouette is launching a reader feedback survey and hosting a public forum to find out what you would like to see happen with your campus paper. Do you wish there were more racks in the library?

Do you wish certain sections were longer or had more of a certain type of content? Have you been a dedicated Snapchat follower but want to see more? Now is the chance to let us know!

Follow us on Twitter for updates on when the survey will be released:

@thesilhouette

S

Picturing Wellness: Panel Discussion

Bridges - ECC Society Presents: Poetry Reading

Body, Mind, Spirit Circle

When: February 25, 2016 from 06:00PM

When: February 26, 2016 from 08:00PM

12:20PM

until 07:00PM

until 11:00PM

Where: McMaster Museum of Art

Where: Bridges Cafe

ment Educational Library

Come out for a fun, relaxing night where

A supportive space for sharing and

artists have a chance to share their work

listening to each other’s journeys, ques-

in a welcoming and friendly environment.

tions, and ideas about spirituality and

Not into poetry? Then bring some prose

authentic healthy living. In discussions,

you want to share! Are you into poetry

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and prose but not into reading out loud?

present through listening. Whether you

Then just come on out and enjoy watch-

are looking to explore your spirituality or

Come one, come all to an all-talents-wel-

ing others perform. If you are interested

following a specific spiritual path we can

come coffee house! It will be a night of

in reading your work, email eccs.mac@

learn from each other in an atmosphere

fun and thoughtful acts. Come tell us

gmail.com so that you can be added to

of respect and openness.

about your Healthy Haven! Contact

the schedule. Space on the schedule is

haven@mcmaster.ca for more

limited so sign up now!

Bridges - Healthy Haven Has Talent When: February 25, 2016 from 08:00PM until 10:00PM Where: Bridges

information!

Hacking Health Hamilton Weekend Hackathon When: February 26, 2016 at 05:00PM until February 28, 2016 at 04:00PM Where: McMaster Innovation Park, 175

Laureates of Peace Lecture: Protecting Human Rights in Conflict-Challenges When: February 29, 2016 from 02:30PM until 03:30PM

Longwood Road South, Hamilton, Ontario

Where: Great Hall, University Club

Hacking Health Hamitlon is excited to

This lectures seeks to engage the public

host the city’s first weekend-long Hacking

on the discussion as to whether or not the

Health Hackathon at McMaster Innovation

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problems is sufficient and if not what provide an opportunity for the public to explore more methods of addressing these issues.

When: March 01, 2016 from 11:30AM until Where: McMaster Museum of Art – base-

Visit: www.msumcmaster.ca/calendar for a full listing of events

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

What happens when you turn to Yik Yak for advice?

The Silhouette

Opinion

| 13

How productive was your reading week?

Page 12

Page 15

The author has been feeling more sympathetic towards older female characters — such as Ursula — than ever before.

C/O DISNEY

A fate worse than death Talia Kollek Opinions Editor

I found out over reading week that one of my distant cousins died. This, coupled with the death of two grandparents in the span of a year, has led to my first mortality crisis. “One day,” I said to myself, “you will die.”

Here’s the thing; I’ve been worried about growing old for a much longer time than I’ve been worried about what follows it. I wasn’t even particularly worried about a decline in quality of life with age (which has now arrived with Mortality Crisis 1.0).

Instead, I’ve been worried — as long as I can remember — that one day I would no longer be a physically attractive woman.

The scariest part? My fears are not unique.

Every woman I’ve talked to about the topic has expressed

worry about what will happen to her body. Whether it be stretch marks, or frown lines, or less-than-perky breasts, I have yet to find a woman who is entirely comfortable with the future of her physique. I wish that I could dismiss my own fears as irrational, or label them as an individual case of vanity and move on, but as this seems to be a pandemic, that is clearly not the case. Where do our fears come from?

The depressingly obvious answer is that we are told that our value is in our appearance. From a very young age, everything in my world said that I am most important when I am young and pretty. Even seemingly small things like compliments to my appearance before my intellect all contributed to one message in my young, impressionable mind: being beautiful is the key to success.

Every warning of spinsterhood told me something else: never get old.

Notably, the television I watched growing up dictated where I was to fit in this world.

Every fictional female character I admired was a young, white, love interest, and in need of male assistance. They were never anything less than flawless in appearance, and none of them were over the age of 25. Mothers were conveniently wrinkle free, and the only older women I saw in Disney movies were either helpless or villains. It is hard to picture yourself as living happily to a ripe old age when you cannot find an example in your pop culture repertoire of a woman doing so, and god forbid we think about having a happy sex life past the age of 30. The message was clear; you are valuable for your youth, and when you get old you disappear,

Or how I am surviving my first mortality crisis Every warning of spinsterhood told me something else: never get old.

you stop existing.

Fear of old age is hardly an exclusively female phenomenon, yet while I listen to my male friends complain about pattern baldness or a loss of muscle tone, I can’t help but see their complaints as part of an entirely different class of anxiety. It is much easier to handle the impact of ageing when you haven’t been programmed to see your appearance as your entire worth. When ageing actors like Sylvester Stallone and George Clooney are not only still valued for their contributions on screen, but are paired with twenty-somethings as love

interests.

So what can we do? Firstly, cut your body some slack. You are not going to have the same butt that you had when you were 17 for the rest of your life, and that is alright. It is natural for bodies to change with time. Your body will not be better or worse, just different.

Appreciating yourself as you are currently is an excellent way to accept what may come.

Solidarity is also important. We need to build communities and networks with which to support ourselves and others throughout different phases of our lives. Without the ones I love, Mortality Crisis 1.0 would have paralyzed me. Instead, despite struggling with my future, I feel as though one day I might be able to embrace it. @TaliaKollek

14 |

OPINION

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Tired of talking Dev Shields Contributor

I have a hard time digesting the typicalities of “mental health awareness” events. There are hashtags and buttons and stickers. There is yoga, tea, and treats. There is some form of discussion. The week ends. We are still mentally ill. I will still attend a class for the first time in three weeks and someone will say “why can’t you just come to class?”

MacTalks is a relatively new happening, first set in motion by former VP Education Rodrigo Narro Perez. The first MacTalks week was held last year alongside McMaster’s newly unveiled “Student Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy.” Unfortunately, the attempt misses some crucial points.

Firstly, mental health awareness weeks tend to cater to

“high functioning” depressive or anxiety ridden people, meaning someone who is at least partially able to carry on about your day and fulfill commitments (but doesn’t necessarily mean they are “not as sick”).

There are a couple of immediate issues with this. What about those who are not high functioning? People who can’t even manage to make it out of the house in the morning aren’t going to benefit from an event being held in the atrium.

Accessibility seems to have become something of a buzzword, but it is ironic that the events that are supposed to support accessibility for people with mental health issues and mental illnesses are well... inaccessible! The absence of online forums or streaming services for these events makes them off limits to those who find themselves too sick to leave the

Why MacTalks, and events like it, have missed the mark

confines of their bedroom.

Secondly, what about those who are not dealing with depression or anxiety? Both are serious, debilitating and powerful illnesses. I struggle with them on a daily basis.

However, it seems to me that most of the dialogue at events such as MacTalks does not address any other types of mental illness. You are hard pressed to find an abundance of discourse around PTSD, schizophrenia, psychopathy/sociopathy, bipolar disorder, depersonalization disorder or dissociative disorder, to name a few. Leaving out important information on these illnesses is defeating the purpose of having an awareness event in the first place.

This kind of dialogue leads to sanitized discussion. For example, while there is acknowledgement that self-harm exists and is widespread, there

is not nearly enough focus on it. We are quick to romanticize people who have “overcome” their self-harm — their story is triumphant, acceptable, palatable — but there is no adequate support while the harming is ongoing. While SHEC will be holding an event about self-injury, the description available on the MSU website seems to imply that there will be no explicit talk of dealing with the actual physical wounds themselves. We know it is going on, so why can’t we be frank about it during a week devoted to mental health? Where are the forums about self-injury?

Where are the pamphlets about how to clean wounds and avoid infection? How about support groups? Instead of involving ourselves and becoming aware, like these events promise, we dismiss the things that seem too touchy.

People who can’t even manage to make it out of the house in the morning aren’t going to benefit from an event being held in the atrium.

I think intention is important, and it is valid, but impact is by far more important. Awareness events like MacTalks have left a bad taste in my mouth.

Dismissal of large groups of people who identify with being mentally ill or having poor mental health sabotages the idea of an all-encompassing and inclusive event.

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OPINION | 15

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Abolish reading week Kaiwen Song Contributor

My 2015 winter term was pretty hectic. I had to prepare for two group presentations, three tests, a quiz, a full-day club event and an interview. While that sounds like enough stressors for an entire term, it all took place this week — the week after reading week. The break provides students with a chance to relax and recharge before facing their academic and extracurricular workload for the rest of the term. Unfortunately, it can also cause entire weeks — usually the one after the break — to be chockfull of assessments and commitments. Instead of a more even distribution of tasks over time, reading week con-

centrates those tasks to a much shorter time span.

The difficult situation that students find themselves in as a result of reading week is by no means impossible to navigate, but it does require committed organization and time management skills. We can take advantage of the ample free time that the break does provide to adequately prepare for all of their assessments. Unfortunately this means we must now be simultaneously prepared for up to five midterms as the break compresses the semester.

Entering the break, we often have the false impression that we actually have a lot of time to prepare. A full week without class sounds like ample time. Many use the first few

Reading week is by no means impossible to navigate, but it does require committed organization. days to relax and unwind, and are then in a constant state of stress for the remaining days of the break. Others feel tempted to use reading week for a week-long vacation and find themselves overwhelmed when they return. The alternative is bringing the work on vacation, although that probably means you’ll fail at both reading and relaxing.

The break only makes us miserable

The break also makes group projects harder to complete as many students spend their week away from McMaster, which makes it much more difficult to meet in person.

Instead of feeling refreshed after the break, students experience burnout. We end up performing worse on midterms simply due to the stress that comes with all the assignments due the week back.

Reading week also impacts our exams. Because of the midterm recess there is no break between the end of classes and the beginning of exam period, which certainly doesn’t reduce the pressure.

There is one straightforward solution to all of these problems: remove reading week.

Assessments and extracurricular commitments will no longer be so concentrated, which may reduce student burnout and the intense demand for mental health services in the middle of the term.

Students will also have more time to study for each individual assessment when they are spread out, which may result in better academic performance overall.

Best of all, there can now be a week between end of classes and the beginning of exams, a week that students can take full advantage of in order to excel academically.

Who the Yak do you think you are?

Social media may not be the place to go for advice Sunanna Bhasin Opinions Columnist

Like many other stressed students in my life, as of late I have been finding solace in procrastinating on Yik Yak, an anonymous Twitter-esque app restricted to your area. This all started when my roommate shared one of the most unbelievable Yaks I had ever read.

There’s no refined way of putting this: the anonymous poster had stuck an everyday object up an unmentionable body orifice and decided to consult the Yik Yak world for advice on how to have it removed. My first question wasn’t how said item

As much as I appreciated the guidance, I think I will pass on approaching him naked. was lodged in said location (I think most of us could figure it out) but instead why the user decided to consult Yik Yak for medical advice. After spending most of my nights scrolling through endless Yaks, I’ve come to the conclusion that anonymity brings out the Internet troll in all of us, and I wonder, is it possible to get a troll to give you reasonable advice?

So, I Yik’ed and I Yak’ed and I asked a few questions. For someone who has been trying to get into yoga for the longest time, I thought I could get some advice on increasing my flexibility. Innocent me was simply looking for some stretches, but apparently the only things people wanted to advise me about were difficult sex positions.

Well, I figured, if this was the advice that Yakkers were sending me, maybe I should ask for their help with the first step — resolving my non-existent love life. When asking how to hit on the attractive guy in my tutorial, the quality of replies was lacking. As much as I appreciated the guidance, I think I will pass

on approaching him naked.

At the expense of my dating life, I’ll elect to keep my dignity intact.

Thanks for trying, anonymous Yik Yakker.

So after seeking out guidance from an anonymous social media source, I’ve learned that comments on Yik Yak are for the most part made in good spirit, even if the content does not answer the question at hand. Despite unhelpful advice,

I will say that some comments did make me laugh, and maybe that’s enough.

Even though they say laughter is the best medicine, the exception is if you have lost something up where the sun don’t shine — when faced with that problem, please, for the love of god, seek out a doctor. @SunannaB

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OPINION

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

WGEN Why does he do that? often think of rape as something committed by strangers, but Column We what happens when your partner disregards your consent?

Anonymous Contributor

For all intents and purposes, I felt that I had consented to what my partner did to me. I invited him over, we engaged in sexual activities and we stopped when I wanted to sleep. When I woke up a few hours later to find his hand between my legs I felt violated and in distress, but I pretended to sleep. I didn’t tell him to stop what he was doing, but I also didn’t say that I wanted him

It can be difficult to tell the difference between someone asking for your consent and someone demanding it. to touch me like that while we slept. It took a very long time for me to feel comfortable with

sex after that encounter, and an even longer time to realize that what he did was wrong.

My story is not unique; many people have had similar confusing and upsetting encounters where someone they are dating crosses a line.

Justifications for your partner’s actions are commonplace and understandable and usually stem from the belief that you already gave consent or owe your partner sex even when you don’t want it. This stems from

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unhealthy understandings of relationships on the one hand and a partner’s sense of entitlement on the other.

Consent should be an easy concept to grasp; when two adults both express that they want to engage in sexual activity, they do. However, consent in relationships can be a grey area because you’ve already established that you are attracted to your partner and want to have a physical relationship with them.

In addition, the vulnerability required in a long-term relationship can lead to someone agreeing to sex against their will because they feel that it is their duty to their partner. For those such as myself who’ve never been in a healthy relationship before, it can be difficult to tell the difference between someone asking for your consent and someone demanding it. A partner who respects consent will respect boundaries and take no for an answer (and ask for a “yes” in the first place), while a partner who does not respect you will push and push until you “consent.”

FEEDBACK

Dating someone doesn’t mean you are entitled to their body at all times. Like casual relationships, just because someone has agreed to something before doesn’t mean that they have to do it again. In a healthy relationship both parties feel comfortable expressing their desires and only proceed if both people are interested. If you find that your partner continually pleads and manipulates you into engaging in sex that you aren’t comfortable with, it’s probably time to take a look at your relationship and its power dynamics.

It’s important to remember that while sex can be a wonderful way to feel closer to someone, it isn’t the only way.

We sometimes forget that vulnerability exists outside of the bedroom and that relationships require emotional partnership to be sustainable. Look at most of your platonic relationships — I’m sure those are just as fulfilling as your romantic ones, and probably have few, if any, sexual components to them.

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“In comparison to England, Canadian university is very intense, so it gave me a break. I also used my time to travel, which was a bonus.”

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“It would have been helpful if I actually did reading! There was so much going on with friends and family, so I only did one day of work to be honest.”

“I didn’t make the best use of reading week. I had a great time, but I’m playing a lot of catchup.”

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www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Find out how technology is ruining your life Page 18

The Silhouette | 17

Lifestyle

Do you have an Internet boyfriend?

Page 20

A feast

for your eyes Taking pictures of food isn’t a crime – taking bad pictures of food is.

Here are some tips to up your Instagram game Michelle Yeung Lifestyle Reporter

Once spread solely by word of mouth or reviews on Yelp, food culture is now built upon a foundation of hashtags and Instagram posts. Restaurant-goers discover new places through geotags on Instagram, making up their minds based on the way their friends post photos of their food. In the past, many paused before meals to be thankful for what is in front of them – today, we use that time to take pictures of these meals.

Food is perhaps one of the few things on earth that is universal. Since the beginning of time, the consumption of food has been social, and today’s trend of posting photos of our food on Instagram reflects this very human desire to share our meals with other people. To many, the practice may seem useless and silly: what’s the point of making a fool of yourself at a restaurant or taking any time at all to take a picture of food when you can just eat it?

Whether you partake in food photography or not, it’s important to recognize that this is an interest that has been integrated into our technologically-advanced and media-driven society. You may be someone with this hobby, you may be someone who despises it or you may fall in between as someone who does not participate but appreciates nice photos of delicious food (that’s me). Opinions aside, most of us would be compelled to double-tap an expertly crafted photo – food or otherwise – on the ‘gram. @mich_yeung

Natural lighting Good lighting makes a photo.

People who over-do their food snaps are the ones who apply various filters to the original photo in attempt to salvage a dull, lifeless shot that was captured under bad lighting. When done correctly, natural light is the only filter you need. And remember – no flash, ever.

Find the angle You can add a lot of interest to your photo solely by the angle from which you take it. Certain dishes would look striking when photographed from a birds-eye view, while others (like a detailed, tiered cake) may look best as a close up. Don’t hesitate to take a couple shots from various angles to see what works best.

Subtle edits If nice, natural light is nowhere to be found, consider downloading editing softwares like VSCO cam and Afterlight. These apps allow you to mess with variables like exposure, saturation and enhancing or reducing shadows or highlights. Nobody wants to see a picture of your burger drenched in the Valencia filter on Instagram; customizing your photo with subtle edits will enhance it rather than make it tacky.

Bold colours Play around with colours. The best food pictures are ones that feature an interesting contrast of different hues. Try pairing duller and brighter tones, or incorporate bright colours that pop out (like this photo).

Place orange wedges next to resplendent red pomegranate seeds. Throw some lime-green edamame beans over a bed of purple kale. It’s difficult to make a piece of brown, charcoaled steak look enticing.

Resist perfection If you’re taking a slice from a cake and a few crumbs fall onto the tabletop, don’t clean it up!

Some disorder and mess adds charm and can make the photo more lively, just like the berries scattered across the table in this photo. Meticulously arranged photos can end up looking unsettling, lifeless and even sterile.

Eat your food The most important tip, and one that people often forget, is to not wait too long before eating. It may be enticing to position and re-position your plate over and over again in order to get “the perfect shot.” However, no shot is worth it if the dish in front of you ends up melting or getting cold! While food photography can be an interesting hobby, food should ultimately be a feast for your tastebuds.

C/O DESSERTSFORBREAKFAST.COM

18 |

LIFESTYLE

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

6 ways technology is ruining our lives It’s time to get cynical about society’s new toys Rob Hardy Contributor

With society having been in the digital age for about two decades now, we are not unschooled in the many problems that technology can bring, along with its purported conveniences. But with the explosive outreach of global communication and new smartphone apps every day, old problems are multiplying and morphing, while new ones are also rearing their ugly heads.

Viruses, Malware and Spyware are expanding their reach It might seem all dandy that we have a plethora of tech options these days but the more avenues for digital plug-ins, the more opportunities for malicious programs to reach us. And with the number of devices most people have today, these problems now also easily spread to all of them,

forcing us to debug not just our computers but phones and tablets as well.

messages and grad school application on-the-go is a breeze, but multiply these online accounts

Everything is becoming “linked in” It feels convenient to have your Facebook linked to your email linked to your phone linked to everything else. But when our goals are to diligently divide our casual selves from a more cultivated professional image, sharing anything can cross paths and wind up on the wrong platform, clashing disastrously.

More automation means more to manage Things going online have become a no-brainer that has made life convenient — until everything else did as well.

Accessing your bank account,

by ten and suddenly having dozens of passwords, secret questions and website policies to keep up with is anything but effortless.

It’s time to stop stigmatizing breast reduction In early February, Modern Family actress Ariel Winter shocked the world by attending the Screen Actors Guild awards with visible breast reduction scars peaking out from her dress. Headlines read “Ariel Winter not ashamed of her scars?” and “Winter shows scarred chest from breast reduction.” Fans and critics alike were quick to judge and pick at her so-called imperfections, but the teenager took to Twitter, stating, “There is a reason I didn't make an effort to cover up my scars!

They are part of me and I'm not ashamed of them at all.” Her words showcase her comfort with her choice and the result of this procedure.

In a society increasingly obsessed with perfection in beauty and body, Winter’s words are refreshing. Contrary to popular belief, reduction mammoplasty — also known as breast reduction surgery — is a common procedure. Thousands of women are predisposed to develop enlarged breasts, while others develop them post-partum or from weight gain. The heavy chest weight can cause

chronic pain in areas of the head, neck, shoulders and back and contribute to other health problems like poor blood circulation, impaired breathing and chafing of the skin. Large chests can also hamper athletic and exercise activities and may inhibit women from leading an active lifestyle. In addition to the physical consequences, self consciousness and unwanted attention can provoke anxiety in public or social settings, and women often suffer from low self-esteem and body image issues as a result of their breastsize. It is clear that large breast size can impact mental health and quality of life.

Breast reduction surgery removes excess breast tissue and fat, remodels the breast mound and trims and re-drapes the skin to encase the newly sized breast. The procedure is taxing, typically lasting three to six hours, and produces surgical scars either under the breast or around the nipple. The recovery period usually lasts one to two months, however, body image and satisfaction effects are often immediate. Winter’s comment rings true for many: “It was an instant weight lifted off my chest — both literally and figu-

It's being sold as wonderful that we can now run our heating and home-security systems by using a smartphone.

As the presence of these devices in our homes becomes normalizes, we are not paying enough attention to the security and privacy issues that arise. And fixing them will be hopelessly more elusive when they break down, as their very functionality depends on their electronic rather than mechanical components.

Meeting people often happens online

Battle scars Allison Mizzi SHEC

Even toasters are about to go digital

ratively … There's a confidence you find when you finally feel right in your body.”

Stories of breast reduction surgery bring up important issues about how we view and judge female bodies. Ironically, before her surgery, Winter was often criticized for dressing in a way that was too “mature,” as a result of her large breasts.

Unsurprisingly, after breast reduction, media sources found another way to target her body.

Moreover, scars shouldn’t be shocking or a matter of public scrutiny. Most of us have these intimate imperfections, which represent a story and hold pain, bravery and courage among other memories and emotions.

Lastly, the public’s opinion on choices made for personal, appearance or health-related reasons is not valid. Breast reduction is a personal choice, one that should be made in consultation with physicians alone. By expressing confidence in body-related choices, and speaking out against body-shaming, celebrities like Winter have the power to empower others to treat all bodies with positivity and respect.

Gone are the days when we always met people face to face.

Whether we are looking for employees or dating partners, we now demand to screen profiles

so that abstract judgments can be made on whether to bother meeting for real. In this way, the days of scary science fiction have arrived. Don't like that “creepy” person on the bus? Just pretend that you need to text.

It's a neat way to avoid unwanted interactions until you find yourself on the receiving end.

Advanced technology is disposable It's ironic that with all the technological advances, things last for a much shorter time. And when even “advanced warranties” lapse after a few short years, it's clear the company is telling you that whatever you are buying will break very quickly. Television sets used to last for 30 years — I still have one that works great. The future, however, is a landfill overflowing with broken electronics we have to perpetually replace, if we can even afford to do so.

LIFESTYLE

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

| 19

A celebrity is not a

role model Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor

With the Oscars fast approaching, we are closing in on the one-year anniversary of Patricia Arquette’s controversial comments on wage equality for women when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. For the uninitiated, Arquette basically made the mistake of sounding like she was unaware of what intersectionality meant. As you can imagine, the Internet tore her apart, tweet by tweet, thinkpiece by thinkpiece. While the discussion that spurred from this snafu was mostly beneficial, it also brought up the question of why we were so critical of the actress.

Patricia Arquette was a relatively unknown actress prior to her Boyhood fame, and not particularly associated with the feminist movement. Yet the Internet was quick to tear her down for being anti-intersectional. Overnight she lost a lot of favour with the public, but was this justified? Nowadays, celebrities have to select their words carefully, even in overwhelming moments such as when you win the most prestigious award in your industry.

There is no room for human error. Just ask Meryl Streep, who recently made headlines when she responded “we’re all Africans, really” to a question about her ability to judge films about a culture that she didn’t have a lot of experience with.

In her full response you can tell she meant well, but undoubted-

ly made a mistake. Not even one of the most adored actresses in America could rebound from that.

With one slip of the tongue, these actresses joined a list of “problematic faves,” which includes mainstay staples such as Chris Brown and Kanye West.

They become guilty pleasures, and we feel the need to justify why we like them and their work.

The issue here isn’t whether the celebrity’s comments that make you go, “Uh oh,” are valid or not, but rather why we expect them to be consistently politically correct. Some make the argument that celebrities wield an influence over the public and are seen as role models, which in turn means they should be held to this high standard, but frankly that’s not their job. An actor’s job is to make great movies. A singer’s job is to entertain the masses with their music. They are not politicians or people well-versed in all social issues. They should not be expected to be shining examples of political correctness and social advocacy.

When Kanye West tweets, “BILL COSBY INNOCENT” we don’t need to tear him down and boycott his music. We don’t need to feel bad listening to The Life of Pablo. He’s an imperfect person, but so is pretty much everyone else, and you are friends with a fair share of these imperfect people in your daily life.

Don’t get me wrong, it’d be nice if they were, but it’s almost impossible. The A-lister who has come the closest is Beyoncé, and that feat is as much a

[Celebrities] should not be expected to be shining examples of political correctness and social advocacy. product of her character as it is her management team. Even in a progressive institution such as McMaster, it’s easy to find someone who unintentionally said something stupid.

There is a purpose and place to be politely critical, and the thinkpieces that arise from poorly worded statements are important in highlighting the subtle ways oppression operates in our society. Making a meme or sending out a mean tweet, however, is not the right thing to do. Think of it this way: if your friend made a problematic comment, you wouldn’t put them on blast on social media.

In the world of celebrities, we often forget that they’re real imperfect people. Just because See where they’re famous and successful doesn’t mean we canexperience be assholes takes you. when they say something that can be interpreted as offensive.

While the impact of problematic comments is undeniable, the intent behind them is what determines whether we write a polite thinkpiece about it as opposed to boycotting their work. It seems silly that in the twenty-first century, there is still a need for articles where the take home message is to be nice, but seriously, just be nice.

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20 |

LIFESTYLE

Taking out the

trash Loving the “Internet’s boyfriends” without shame

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Christine Chow Lifestyle Writer

Increasingly referred to as the Internet’s new boyfriend, Oscar Isaac succeeds many of the most well beloved male stars before him. He joins the ranks of the magnificent Idris Elba, the gentleman of the decade Tom Hiddleston and perhaps the fairest of them all, Benedict Cumberbatch, whose ascent to fame was fuelled by his breakout role as everyone’s favourite sociopathic detective Sherlock Holmes.

Most of us were introduced to Oscar Isaac through his own lucrative role in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The publicity from Isaac’s involvement with Star Wars has, in turn, shed light on some of his other talents. An old YouTube video titled “The Measure of Things,” published circa 2010, shows he can sing and play the guitar, maybe even well enough to give John Mayer a run for his money. Anyone who has seen

the iconic dance scene in Alex Garland’s Ex Machina knows exactly how well he can “tear up the dance floor.”

He even took an adorable Star Wars themed picture with the charming child actor Jacob Tremblay of Room fame. And as a champion of bringing more representation to Hollywood films, it seems safe to say that Oscar Isaac is, for all intents and purposes, flawless. Or so the media would have us believe.

Celebrity crushes are not a new concept. We are all familiar with the trope of the shameless teenager who tapes posters of stars to their bedroom wall, and I’ll even admit that, to a certain extent, I embody the trope myself: there’s nothing quite like waking up every morning to Dane DeHaan’s smiling, autographed face in all its perfection.

However, as long as we can recognize and distance ourselves from society’s unrealistic expectations of the human ideal, then fangirling about someone every now and then is relatively harmless.

Nowadays, if you’re obsessed with someone or something, it’s become common to refer to yourself as their “trash.”

But while there has been a great deal of talk about reclaiming the word “trash” for modern use, we cannot simply disregard its classist and racist historical context in regards to the less privileged, or the way it suggests our guilty pleasures demean us.

Oscar Isaac may be the Internet’s new boyfriend, but that does not make all of us “Oscar Isaac’s trash.”

Feeding into our celebrity crushes allows us to temporarily evade the aspects of relationships that make them so painfully real: the possible rejection, the doubts of self-worth, the disappointment when others let us down and most of all, the heartbreak. We shouldn’t feel ashamed to fantasize about the celebrities we love, but we should be able to do so without compromising our own integrity. Let’s leave the trash talk where it belongs.

Ontario Public Interest Research Group (OPIRG) McMaster BOARD OF DIRECTORS NOMINATION PERIOD FEBRUARY 23 – MARCH 15, 2016 OPIRG empowers students and community to take action on diverse social justice and environmental issues.

PUBLIC INTEREST GRANT 2016

If you are interested in moving our vision forward, please contact us for information on: • the role and responsibilities of a Board of Director • the nomination form and the election process • Board training details

ELECTION DATE AND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING TUESDAY, MARCH 22, 2016

Submissions can be sent by email to opirg@mcmaster.ca

by March 31, 2016

The AGM will be held in MUSC 313 from 4:30 pm until 7:00 pm.

Seeking proposals which enhance our local community's ability to respond to the pressures associated with climate-change and environmental degradation.

Join us for good food and good company. All Welcome, but only OPIRG members are entitled to vote.

See:

Balloting for the election will take place at the OPIRG office, MUSC 229 from 10 am until 4:30 pm and at the AGM from 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm.

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opirg.ca/page/ public-interestgrants for details

22 |

GAMES

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

CROSSWORD

6. Want 7. Crawl 8. Sweetie 9. Out ____ limb (2 wds.)

10. Curious woman of myth 11. Songstress ____ Turner 12. Tied 13. Office furniture 21. Whittle down 25. “Gilligan’s ____” 26. Minute particle 27. Modern 29. Sarcastic writing 31. Wise about 32. Cake decorator 33. College official 34. King’s title 35. Yuletide 36. Previously 38. Author ____ Tolstoy 40. Intersection sign 43. Creamy pastries 44. School org.

45. Tooth problem 46. Less refined 49. Tycoon’s property 51. Moe and Curly’s pal 53. Depart 54. Monsters 55. Slightly wet 56. Final 57. Occupied with 58. Big Dipper component 60. Jump 62. Business VIP 63. Fore’s opposite

ACROSS 1. Utilizes 5. Creep slowly 9. Made a choice 14. Window section 15. Roman tyrant 16. Unsophisticated 17. Strategy 18. Glimpsed 19. Rice and Frank 20. Prank 22. Damp 23. Wicker 24. Baby grand, e.g.

28. Sources of metal 30. Muscle-building drug 34. Night sound 37. Kid’s stipend 39. Charged atom 40. Water vapor 41. Oolong, e.g.

42. TV signal quality 45. Oak nut 47. Voter 48. Art ____ (‘20s movement) 50. Coat part 52. Hebrew greeting 56. “Mona ____” 59. Second self (2 wds.)

61. Prank 63. Neighborhood 64. Mumbai dress 65. Gape

DOWN

66. Campus gp.

67. Preceding nights 68. Trunk 69. Use a keyboard 70. Intermission

1. ____ hand 2. Mexican sauce 3. Legislate 4. Member of Congress 5. Demented

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The Silhouette | 23

Sports Only time will tell

LEAGUE AT LARGE

McMaster Men’s Basketball looks to end the regular season on a strong note as playoff match-ups near

Men’s Basketball CIS Top Ten 6. UBC 7. BROCK 8. McGILL 9. DALHOUSIE 10. MANITOBA

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

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

6. ALBERTA 7. OTTAWA 8. McMASTER 9. QUEEN’S 10. LAVAL

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notable quote JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR

Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor

In sport, time is universally understood to bring order to an otherwise chaotic competition. In basketball, there is a 24 second shot clock and four 10-minute quarters. There are time-outs and a half time.

Since the season started back in November, the clock has been ticking for the McMaster Men’s Basketball team. The team has played 18 games from then until present and now more than ever before, how the team uses their time will determine how much time they have left in their postseason.

Over reading week, the Marauders had a busy two weeks with four games that were crucial to their national ranking.

On the first weekend — the Think Pink Weekend — two

of Canada’s teams best visited Burridge Gym. For many fans of Ontario university basketball, Ottawa and Carleton are known national powerhouses.

In a packed gym filled with basketball fans and supporters of the McMaster Men’s Basketball program, the energy was an added bonus for the team.

Big plays resulted in loud cheers from the crowd and McMaster came out that night with a 9690 victory over the Ottawa GeeGees. Troy Joseph led the team with 30 points for the night.

“His attitude, work ethic and commitment level in practice and games has been great,” said Head Coach Amos Connolly.

There was no doubt that it was a huge win for the team to beat an opponent ranked higher than them.

However, the game was followed by a 74-65 loss to Car-

leton the following night.

This past weekend, the Marauders played Nipissing and Laurentian and were able to run away with wins for both games.

While the usual rotation of players have been able to produce for the team, the bench has also been essential.

“We talk about the guys on the floor playing for the people on the bench and the bench supporting the people on the court,” said Connolly.

Everything that has happened this season is now in the past. Sure, the wins and losses are still documented but it cannot be dwelled on.

The way previous seasons have ended is a bittersweet memory, but the 20-deep roster knows that they are making their own future.

On Wednesday Feb. 24, the team travelled to St. Catherines to compete with OUA rival, Brock Badgers. The Marauders

last played the Badgers at Burridge Gym in November and lost 83-75.

“The game in November is more about the rivalry and this game is more about playoff implications,” said Connolly.

While the noise of an arena that can seat 5,300 people can bring an unwelcoming feeling, the Marauders understand the reward in victory regardless of the opponent and the environment.

McMaster looked comfortable last night as they defeated Brock to a score of 80-69.

The team will end the regular season in Guelph on Feb. 26.

This playoff season will be the last for Aaron Redpath, Leon Alexander and Troy Joseph. Just like the rest of the McMaster Men’s Basketball family, they are looking to support each other and go as far as time will allow. @itssofiaAM

“I have been so fortunate to have great teammates. I have gotten lots of open shots because of them.”

Danielle Boiago,

on being McMaster’s all-time leading scorer

McMaster Badminton wins Silver at OUA Championships After a weekend of competition in Hamilton, the McMaster Badminton team claimed silver at the OUA Championships.

On the men’s side, Jacob Kao’s efforts led him to be named the Pita Pit Athlete of the Week. Kao finished the tournament with a 7-4 record and represented McMaster on the tournament All-Star team.

For the women’s team, Sommer Chou had a solid weekend and was 10-1. Chou was named a tournament All-Star and the Pita Pit Athlete of the Week.

MARAUDERS TO HOST THE

Looking to capture their 4th straight championship

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SPORTS | 25

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Time to feast No. 2 McMaster Men’s Volleyball enters the postseason starving for championships

JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR

Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter

Over reading week teams like Toronto and York did their fair share of talking after handing McMaster their first two losses of the season. McMaster played more of their younger players for the final three matches of the season and won one — their season finale at Nipissing.

Younger players like Calvin Lee, Connor Santoni, Jeff Driediger, Peter Khodkevych, Craig Ireland, Matt Passalent and Ebbasa Dugassa carried the bulk of playing time to round out the season. Santoni had some of his best scoring performances of his young Mac career with 14 points against York and 23 against Nipissing.

Second-year setter Calvin Lee had 50, 42 and 43 assists doing his best to spread out the Marauders offensive attack.

“I thought the final three games were great opportunities for some kids to get some more experience. We improved the depth of our roster a lot,” said Head Coach Dave Preston. “We got some guys healthier. That’s always a good thing at this stage in the season.”

The Marauders finished the regular season 18-2, with 9-1 records on the road and at home.

In addition, McMaster clinched a spot in the OUA Final Four and will host it for the second consecutive season.

“The fact that we were able to rest some guys gave us a luxury that many other teams can’t afford. Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season,” said Preston.

“Not many teams can afford to create depth near the end of the season.”

Dave Preston, Head Coach, McMaster Men’s Volleyball “I really don’t care what other teams’ agendas are. I know what our agenda is and I know that we were able to stick to it.”

For those of you who haven’t heard, our Men’s Volleyball team did not finish the regular season unbeaten. Some put more value on that than others, but Coach Preston and the rest of his squad know the real money is still waiting on the table.

“We set three goals at the beginning of the year. It was to secure as much home court advantage throughout the playoffs as possible. We already did that,” said Preston. “The second one was to challenge for an OUA championship and the third one was to challenge for a CIS championship. Those two things are still on the table.”

Some of the team’s best qualities have reached their heights this season. The Marauders have a deep lineup and they can maintain their system and pace of play regardless of whom they put on the floor.

They’ve been waiting too long for them and McMaster has grown hungry.

No. 2 McMaster will play in an OUA seminfinal on March 4 at 8 p.m., and a national quarterfinal on March 10. @_jayceecruz

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SPORTS

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Banner bound

With the last regular season game approaching, the mindset shifts to playoffs for the McMaster Women’s Basketball team

Sofia Mohamed Sports Editor

JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR

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With the regular season dwindling down, the McMaster Women’s Basketball team is getting closer to the chance of claiming an OUA banner.

The team played four games in the last two weekends at Burridge Gym and came out with a victory from all but one.

With the team suited up and donning their pink socks worn every game as homage to Head Coach Theresa Burns and her battle with breast cancer, they were ready for the first game of Think Pink Weekend.

The first weekend saw the McMaster Marauders match up with two teams from the nation’s capital, the Ottawa GeeGees and the Carleton Ravens.

Friday night’s game was a sight to see as fans witnessed the Marauders and Gee-Gees go toe-to-toe in a game that went to overtime. McMaster came up short and fell to the GeeGees by a score of 61-60. The Marauders were led by guard Danielle Boiago who scored a game high of 25.

“Whenever you lose in overtime, it’s tough and those are the games that you want to be good down the stretch,” said Boiago.

Though the game came as a valuable learning experience for the team, the loss still held a stinging impact.

“That was our game to have,” said interim Head Coach Anne Marie Thuss.

The team had to shake the loss handed to them by the Ottawa Gee-Gees quickly as they hosted the Carleton Ravens the following night. The Marauders took the 73-51 victory at home led by Boiago’s 16 points.

Forward Linnaea Harper also added 12 points.

The Marauders were able to add two more wins to their record as they dominated both Nipissing and Laurentian at home.

While the wins over the past two weekends have helped with the team’s playoff push, there is one factor of play that the team must work on.

The team has had a low shooting percentage from the three-point line and they have been working to become more

“Each game moving forward is a must win game for us.”

Danielle Boiago Guard, McMaster Women’s Basketball efficient from long range in practice.

“It’s certainly an expectation that we have been working on in the last couple weeks of practice. This is the time of year that we need to make sure that we are focused during practice,” said Thuss.

For a team that practices in game mode, the next regular season game will be played like a playoff match and ranking is important.

“We need to go in there and play our best. Each game moving forward is a must win game for us,” said Boiago.

Competing in the playoffs has been projected from early on in the team’s season. They have circled the calendar and are working towards making it on March 12.

“We want to be in the OUA Final on that day. We need to win every game. Every game is an individual step towards that goal,” said Thuss.

The team’s matchup against Laurentian was a night to celebrate the graduating student athletes as the team will bid farewell to three players on the roster. Rachael Holmes, Siobhan Manning and Andrea Polischuk were celebrated for their time in Maroon. While the banner will be for the entire team to cherish, there is an added motivation to win for the players that are hanging up their jerseys. There is also a push as Head Coach Theresa Burns has returned to running the bench.

McMaster travelled to St. Catherines yesterday and defeated the Brock Badgers 8373. The team was led by guard Hilary Hanaka’s 18 points.

With one game left in the 2015-16 regular season, No. 8 McMaster will look to end with a win in Guelph on Friday, Feb. 26. After that, they will wait for playoff seeding and get ready to compete for the title.

“We want to battle for each other,” said Boiago. @itssofiaAM

SPORTS | 27

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Windsor in the way No. 7 McMaster Women’s Volleyball begins their journey to Nationals

@_jayceecruz

JON WHITE/ PHOTO EDITOR

905-522-9799 FINDLAYLAW.CA

A year removed from their home quarterfinal loss at the hands of the Western Mustangs, the McMaster Marauders find themselves in a similar position.

The Marauders have a homecourt date with the Windsor Lancers to start their 2016 playoff run.

While most of the campus was away for reading week, McMaster Women’s Volleyball played their last three regular season matches of the year. The Marauders lost to Toronto at home and cemented their season with victories over York and Nipissing on the road.

In spite of a straight-set loss to a strong No. 2 Toronto team on Feb. 13, Head Coach Tim Louks was happy with his team’s fight.

“I was pleased with two of the three sets, although we didn’t win. We played them close,” said Louks. “We have a lot to learn because we’re not ready to beat that team, but I don’t know who is.”

Toronto has only lost a staggering three sets all season.

Louks let his team celebrate a bit after capping off their season in strong fashion, but he knows their job is far from over.

“I spent about five minutes congratulating the girls on the ability to put ourselves in a position to host a quarterfinal at home and compete from there,” said Louks.

“To host and dictate a little bit where we’re going to play and what time is nice. I love the Friday night slot. Hopefully we

20 HUGHSON ST. S. HAMILTON

Jaycee Cruz Sports Reporter

get a crowd. We might get some pull from that. We might be the only show in town so let’s bring noise and excitement.”

Last time McMaster faced Windsor, the Marauders mustered a gritty five-set comeback victory after dropping the first two sets. It was one of McMaster’s best wins of the season — good adversity to have in the bank for a playoff run that starts this weekend.

Windsor is a team that can give Mac a run for their money, but McMaster is confident they can dictate some of the game in their favor. The Lancers finished the regular season 11-8.

“Windsor has arguably had a good year. They’re doing some good things. #12 Shannon Dean is playing the best volleyball she has ever played in her career,” Louks said. “She’s probably going to command some double blocks from us. That being said, some of their other players are going to have to step up and play.”

McMaster finished 16-3, with a 9-1 home record and a 7-2 away record. They enter their OUA quarterfinal match ranked No. 7 in the nation.

Head Coach Louks knows that Windsor will be a tough game but the team is ready to defend the house.

“We’ve earned this playoff match. This is the only one we get to play at home so let’s enjoy it. Let’s go to work,” he added.

No. 7 McMaster hosts Windsor in an OUA quarterfinal on Friday Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in the Burridge Gym.

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The Silhouette | 29

Review: Deadpool

The latest Marvel flick features a less than marquee name, but still manages to shine through its title character’s bravado

Ryan Reynolds stars as Deadpool, a crude, funny superhero who doesn’t rock the boat.

C/O 20TH CENTURY FOX

Joe Jodoin Contributor

This movie isn’t a groundbreaking artwork. It doesn’t subvert the audience’s perceptions of superhero archetype. It doesn’t even have a clever sense of humour or any breathtaking special effects. However, a Deadpool movie doesn’t have to have any of these qualities to be a success because that’s not why we love Deadpool. Deadpool is a foul-mouthed, juvenile sociopath, who takes nothing seriously and constantly breaks the fourth wall to let us know he is perfectly aware of what the audience is thinking. In that respect, Deadpool is exactly the kind of movie the character deserves.

I was first introduced to Deadpool just over 10 years ago, when I began reading X-Men comic books. He was never my favorite character, but he

was the kind of character that provided essential comic relief through the use of meta-humor that I found myself craving when the drama of the more serious superhero epics got overwhelming. Right now we live in an age of Hollywood cinema where most audience members consider dark and grounded to be essential characteristics of a good superhero movie. The miracle of Deadpool is that it has arrived at the perfect time; not only to provide much needed counter programing from your typical superhero movies that take themselves so seriously, but it reminds audiences that superheroes also have a fun side, providing escapism through high entertainment.

Deadpool has received a generally positive response from film critics, but occasionally gets criticized for being the exact film that it ridicules. It has one of the most typical superhero

Deadpool’s character has always been someone people either love or hate and it has been largely due to this controversial sense of humor. origin stories ever conceived, with an upbeat but tormented protagonist, and a one-dimensional villain with no character development. There is the standard love interest, standard comic relief and sidekick characters, and standard cameos from other superheroes that some fans will recognize from other movies.

The storylines shows that this typical narrative is so overused because it works. The villain is underdeveloped so the lovable hero can get more screen time; the love interest gives the film heart; the comic relief calms you down after a brutal torture scene or a draining action scene. It reminds us that the reason superheroes exist is to provide escapism from daily life, and Deadpool is its ultimate manifestation.

The actors all do a fantastic job, espectially Ryan Reynolds, who was born to play Deadpool. He has previously tried to play other comic book characters such as Hannibal King or Green Lantern and has been perfectly serviceable, but his performance as Deadpool ranks among the greats such as Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, or Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.

Stefan Kapicic as Colossus was another major standout of the

film. The character of Colossus has already been featured in three other X-Men movies, but on none of those occasions was he ever done justice. In Deadpool, he is portrayed as a big brother-like figure to the other X-men, who also has a heart under his shiny metal exterior.

The movie’s lewd sense of humour is another defining aspect, although whether it is a good or bad thing will be up to the individual viewer. Deadpool’s character has always been someone people either love or hate and it has been largely due to this controversial sense of humor.

Overall, this movie isn’t perfect, but I loved every single scene. You can pick apart this movie for things like its cheap special effects, countless dick jokes, or lack of originality, but those are exactly what make this the perfect Deadpool movie.

30 |

ANDY

COMING UP IN HAMILTON

MUSIC

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

The new Spring Awakening is Michael Arden’s new interpretation of the popular musical sees the director prominently feature deaf actors and American Sign Language, in a move that only enhances the spectacle

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Michael Arden’s Spring Awakening employs both deaf and hearing actors.

> Spotlight Trisha Gregorio Andy Writer

> Room This week’s quick pick

“Opera” Jazz Cartier The Toronto MC recently dropped a new album in Hotel Paranoia, and now he’s blessed us with some killer visuals to accompany “Opera,” one of the lead singles. Watch Jazz cavort through Venice and keep your eyes peeled for more.

With a Grammy category dedicated solely to musical theatre, it’s safe to say that Broadway is largely defined by how good the music is. So when I heard that Broadway actor-turned-stage-director Michael Arden is taking Spring Awakening, a musical near and dear to my heart, and reinventing it with American Sign Language, my first thought was: how?

Spring Awakening is, in the barest of definitions, a comingof-age story. It’s a rock musical that I, in my first time listening to it, thought to be more messed up and more tragic than it could have been. The musical is set in late 19th-century Germany, and follows a group of teenagers as they discover their own sexualities while faced with adults determined to prevent them from exploring their own lives and bodies. When the play which this musical was based on was first released, it was censored for its unashamed and blunt

portrayal of issues such asrape, abortion, the queer identity, child abuse and suicide. Looking back at it now and seeing it in a new light, Spring Awakening is neither messed up nor tragic for the heck of it. It’s not even didactic in the way people seem to assume it is. It’s a musical that’s nothing if not honest and personal, and under Michael Arden’s careful hand, it comes alive again with a newfound intimacy and an intense poignancy.

The musical opened last 2006, with Glee’s Lea Michele and now Broadway vet Jonathan Groff starring as the show’s main pair, and proceeded to sweep that season’s Tony Awards. Last July 2015, Arden spearheaded the first Broadway revival of Spring Awakening by moving it from its home at the Deaf West Theatre and into New York’s Brooks Atkinson Theatre.

With him came a cast of both non-hearing and hearing actors and a show presented simultaneously in spoken English, sung songs and choreographed ASL. The result is another take at Spring Awakening, yes, but with double the passion the 2006 production had and with the

content even more hard-hitting than before.

Deaf characters are introduced into the story this time around, and for a musical where communication is a key theme, it opens up the show for a different kind of in-depth exploration.

It cuts open the musical everyone had gotten to know and love, and bares its bones not just to the audience but especially to the musical theatre community.

ASL is a constant part of the choreography for Spring Awakening, and each actor uses ASL, whether or not they’re singing, speaking or signing. The spotlight is on the deaf actors for majority of the production, all of whom are accompanied by separate actors doing the singing and speaking off-stage.

The entire cast works together to make Spring Awakening what it is, may it be teaching the hearing cast members ASL or working their way around with non-verbal cues between songs, and the effect is a musical that is enchanting in its own right, with or without the music.

It’s not often that ASL and deaf culture is acknowledged in its entirety as a limitless

world in itself, and surely not in a community where music is such a defining factor. It’s rare enough that the entertainment world sincerely and earnestly depicts different cultures and languages co-existing in one storyline. Spring Awakening subverts the idea that musical theatre is strictly for the musically inclined, and reminds the world that music or not, there’s always a story to be found and acknowledged, no matter how personal or intimate.

As the characters wrestle with sexuality and growing up, the Deaf West Theatre’s production drives home the idea that sexuality, especially for those coming of age, is something universal, something that needs to be talked about and shared instead of swept under the rug.

With the help of its mixed cast and the poignancy already present in the show, this revival unifies multiple communities while also widening viewers’ perspective. @tngregorio

ANDY | 31

www.thesil.ca | Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

Review

Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Batman serve as an unlikely pair in a new comic series

SHOW UP.

Hess Sahlollbey Contributor

While we might still be over a month away from seeing Superman and Batman together for the first time on the big screen, a team-up of more epic proportions is already playing out in the pages of Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

With Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2 on the verge of release later this year, the recently released six-part monthly miniseries also figures as an excellent appetizer to whet your appetite on.

The story begins in Gotham City where evil ninjas from the Foot Clan have been committing raids on scientists and researchers. Somehow they’ve crossed over to another dimension and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are hot on their trail. The Batman of Gotham might not be able to get along with the TMNT, but they’re all going to have to work together if they’re going to stop Shredder, Killer Croc and a host of other villains who have also teamed up to threaten the fabric of reality.

Written by long-time Batman scribe James Tynion IV,

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I knew that the properties were in the hands of a more than talented writer. The same can also be said of star artist Freddie Williams II. While I’m personally not a fan of his writing, his work in Robin, Captain Atom and authoring the phenomenal DC Comics Guide to Digitally Drawing Comics meant that the project was in competent hands.

However, I was still sceptical and feared that I wouldn’t enjoy the serious; fortunately, I was wrong on both fronts. Not only is the characterization fully intact for the Dark Knight, but the wacky antics of the Ninja Turtles allows the two groups to have excellent chemistry as their conflicts progress.

Seeing the serious and gritty Batman deal with the immature Michelangelo, the temperamental Raphael or even the nerdy Donatello more than validates the cost of admission for this series. Freddie Williams II style of art makes this series fall perfectly in line with the 1980’s TMNT TV series and James Tynion IV keeps thing simple with a plot that’s not too convoluted. The Sci-Fi elements of how the Turtles ended up in Batman’s universe is played down to ensure a more fun

book with witty dialogue.

The plot however is not without its faults. Too often, James IV takes his time and far too frequently bogs down the narrative by having overly long segments of narration and inner-monologue. This is in stark contrast to the sense of urgency that the Turtles have to return to their own world and creates a very choppy pace.

On the surface, this crossover seems like the kind of fantasy we all had growing up. Reading this story instantly created a sense of nostalgia, taking me back to elementary school where Batman and the Ninja Turtles reigned supreme in the thoughts and dialogues of my friends. I could never have imagined how well the crossover could be done, especially since I can vividly remember the TMNT/Power Rangers TV Special from 18 years ago.

This a golden age to be a fan of comics. We have the privilege of seeing the characters we loved as children reach greater and greater heights in contemporary pop culture. So far, three issues have been released with a trade paperback containing the whole story scheduled for mid-July.

Review

Rot Forever - Sioux Falls

Vannessa Barnier Andy Reporter

Upon looking up Sioux Falls on Facebook, I saw that the lead singer’s name is Isaac Eiger, which tickled me, given that I was just about to write this piece comparing Eiger to another Isaac, Brock of Modest Mouse.

Sioux Falls’ Isaac Eiger is flexible in his singing. He can both yell and “sing pretty.” This sort of versatility was described

by Built to Spill’s Doug Martsch when discussing Isaac Brock’s singing style in the 2014 documentary, Lonesome Crowded West.

Songs like “San Francisco Earthquake” on Sioux Falls’ Rot Forever are reminiscent of the Lonesome Crowded West era of Modest Mouse, specifically, the riff at around the middle-mark of the song reminds me of a similar riff in “Teeth Like God’s Shoeshine.”

Not all tracks are exact shadows of Modest Mouse’s work, though. While Brock does yell on his tracks, they aren’t

necessarily aggressive in the way that Sioux Falls tends to be. “In Case It Gets Lost” is a prime example of this. In fact, this particular track is post-punkemo enough to remind me of the tone of Brand New’s album, Deja Entendu.

The album itself is rather lengthy, running for seventy-three minutes. Sioux Falls has been criticized for the length of the album by Pitchfork, but I disagree. The songs don’t drawl on for an inordinate amount of time, they play out long enough to lull the listener into falling in love with them. I think that the length is characteristic of the band’s influences. All-in-all, I enjoy the lo-fi post-punk sound of Sioux Falls, and I think this album will be putting them on the map.

Rot Forever is the album I have been waiting for from Modest Mouse since 2007’s We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank. If only I could swap out Rot Forever for Strangers to Ourselves so that we can officially forget about the latter album and let it rot forever.

32 |

ANDY

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016 | www.thesil.ca

Review: The Witch

Robert Eggers’ latest effort refuses to adhere to the conventions of the horror genre to great effects

Anya Taylor-Joy was a standout performer in The Witch, a harrowing horror film based in the 1630’s.

Joe Jodoin Contributor

After its premier at the 2015 Sundance Festival, The Witch is finally out in theatres nationwide. I wasn’t looking forward to this movie very much, as I find most horror movies are poorly made in their reliance on jump scares, and have clichéd characters.

The Witch, however, completely blew me away. By relying on atmospheric horror, the film creates a depressing, unsettling

environment that slowly builds tension and dread over its brisk 93-minute runtime.

The movie takes place in the 1630s, a time when people actually believed witches were real, and follows a family who is ostracized by their church and forced to make a life for themselves on the outskirts of a creepy forest. This proves to be a more difficult task than they thought, as all their crops mysteriously die, and their baby boy suddenly disappears into thin air. The family soon learns

that a witch is behind their bad luck and they must find a way to survive its incredible torment.

The plot is very simple, but Robert Eggers’ direction is what makes it so special. The whole tone and atmosphere of the film makes watching it creepy, chilling, and quite unpleasant to watch at times. Be forwarned that this is not a movie that is “scary” in the typical sense of the word. It doesn’t make you scream or jump or be afraid to sleep at night. Instead, it just crawls under your skin and

lingers on long after it ends.

Eggers also crafted the film with incredible attention to detail. All the sets, clothing and dialogue are accurate to the time period. A lot of the dialogue was actually taken from diaries and real life accounts of witches from the 1600s. This brought a realistic dimension to the story and made it very easy to become invested in the family’s wellbeing. However, the origins of the dialogue also made it difficult for a modern audience to fully comprehend it, which took away

from my enjoyment of the film.

Despite that one flaw, The Witch has raised the bar for the modern horror genre. If more films followed suit, we could start to take the horror genre seriously once again. I would recommend watching The Witch if you want to finally see a film that subverts all horror clichés, while also presenting a dark and disturbing work of art.

By Levin C. Handy (per http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cwpbh.04326) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

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