The Silhouette - January 8, 2015

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Marauders Wellness counseling pick up winter wins testimonials

Gamers race for charity

The women’s basketball team took the Concordia Invitational by storm as they gear up for 2015.

Four students break down their personal experiences with Wellness Centre counseling services.

The annual installment of Awesome Games Done Quick has video game experts beating world records for cancer prevention charities.

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The Silhouette thesil.ca | twitter.com/theSilhouette facebook.com/TheMcMasterSilhouette

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What big projects can students expect out of the University in this new year?

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LOOKING BACK

The Silhouette

Volume 85, Issue 16 Thursday, January 8, 2015 McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

EDITORIAL BOARD executive editor | thesil@thesil.ca Andrew Terefenko @andrewterefenko managing editor | managing@thesil.ca Julia Redmond @juliaeredmond production editor | production@thesil.ca Amanda Watkins @whatthekins section editors

Krista Schwab @kschwabi assistant news editor Patrick Kim @patrickmkim features editor Christina Vietinghoff @cvietinghoff opinions editor Ana Qarri @anaqarri sports editor Scott Hastie @scott1hastie assistant sports editor Laura Sinclair @Lsinkky lifestyle editor Jason Woo @jayjai223 assistant lifestyle editor Tobi Abdul @toe_bee andy editor Tomi Milos @tomimilos assistant andy editor Michael Gallagher @mikeygalgz news editor

online online editor online reporter

William Lou @william_lou Shane Madill @shanemadill art

Jonathan White photo reporter Eliza Pope @eliza_pope multimedia editor Catherine Chambers @catherineEBC video editor Colin Haskin @colinhaskin photo editor

staff reporters

Carolyn Zeppieri Sofia Mohamed Daniella Porano

Rachel Katz Daniel Arauz

Alex Florescu Michelle Yeung

MARCH 26, 1981

Students occupy VP office University Vice-President Les King’s office became the site of a symbolic sit-in as the school year wound to a close. Sociology students refused to leave the office in an effort to retain their representation on departmental committees, as well as to protest the police intervention of another sociology sit-in the week prior. MSU President Alex Daschko spoke up for the students, saying that “students [have] a right to be on departmental committees, [and] that the university was more than a country club for tenured faculty.”

[Originally published in The Silhouette as Sit-ins staged to settle stalemate]

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TERM 2 SECTION MEETING TIMES News: Tues @ 11:30 a.m.

Opinion: Thurs @ 12:30 p.m.

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Want to volunteer?

Check out the information box on page 15 for more details on getting involved this term.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

News

The Silhouette

Hamilton resident officially opens the city’s first library for tools

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Hello to new campus facilities, goodbye to SOLAR

to McMaster 2015

Dr. Robert and Andrée Rhéaume Fitzhenry Studios and Atrium (September 2015)

An artist’s depiction of the new arts studio and atrium.

In Nov. 2013, McMaster’s Fine Arts program received a $3 million donation—the largest donation ever made to the program—from McMaster alumnus Robert Fitzhenry to build a new addition to the studio space in Togo Salmon Hall. The space, which has not been updated since the 1960s, will be available for student use in Sept. of 2015. Named the Dr. Robert and Andrée Rhéaume Fitzhenry Studies and Atrium,

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Health referendum returns after all three options struck down last year

Coming soon Krista Schwab News Editor

www.thesil.ca

the new addition will add 1,700 square feet to the studio space.

The space is specially designed to let in plenty of natural light, and the atrium portion of the building will cover a courtyard workspace that will function as a reception area for students creating art. Fitzhenry graduated from McMaster with a BA in political economy in 1954. He dedicated the studio and atrium to his late wife, Andrée.

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The building is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified, and will provide space for 4,000 students.

Downtown Health campus (April/May 2015)

SOLAR and Mugsi to be replaced with Mosaic (March 2015)

The brand new downtown health campus will be opened in spring of 2015. The building is 195,000 square feet, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified, and will provide space for 4,000 students and 450 McMaster employees.

The building will see 54,000 patients per year and provide physicians to over 15,000 Hamilton residents who do not have a family doctor. This care will be provided at the Family Health Centre located on the third floor of the building, which will be a space where students can work alongside health care providers to treat patients. The campus will be located at the corner of Main and Bay Streets, beside the MacNab Transit Terminal, an easily accessible area.

The campus will also contain the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine, the School of Nursing’s nurse practitioner program, McMaster’s continuing health sciences education program, the Maternity Centre of Hamilton, Shelter Health Network, and the City of Hamilton’s Public Health Department.

SOLAR and Mugsi will be replaced by a new system called Mosaic that will improve on the course selection and student account management tools. Mosaic aims to provide a platform that will serve students’ needs in one place.

This includes admission status, student fees, scholarships and

Mental Health Plan (February 2015) McMaster University and the McMaster Students Union have partnered to create a mental health plan that will be released on Feb. 25, 2015. The plan was first conceived at a student-led forum on mental health in April 2013 where recommendations were made to the university. Over 150 meetings held with students, staff, faculty, and groups were held to determine student needs, and five key priorities were developed.

First, the plan looks to increase the services at the Student Wellness Centre by adding one mental health support person immediately, and a second in the future depending on the budget at that time.

It also hopes to focus more on students experiencing trauma, including childhood or gender-based trauma. Next, the plan will re-evaluate the policies for Student Accessibility Services, as they are over a decade old and do not properly take into account students with mental health disabilities. Third, the plan will train 100 front-line staff, including librarians, financial aid, or other staff that interact with students, in how to identify signs of mental health issues.

Internally, the university will increase coordination among services to better understand complex student cases. This will help student cases involving mental health to be better understood by the university so that students can receive the support they need. Lastly, Dr. Catharine Munn, McMaster psychiatrist and professor in the health sciences department, will be conducting research on child and young adult mental health, an area that does not have a lot of existing research. This research will be applied to the plan once completed to better understand how to serve students regarding mental health.

awards, registration, schedules, degree audits, and transcripts.

The new course selection system will assign students designated times to log on and register, without the notification that the system is full.

Timetables will also be available immediately for students on the new system.

L.R. Wilson building reaches substantial completion (December 2015)

A rendering of L. R. Wilson Hall’s concert hall.

The new L. R. Wilson Hall will reach substantial completion in Dec. 2015, meaning that parts of the building will be open to the public, although there will still be uncompleted areas. The building will serve as a home for liberal arts students and faculty, including the Faculties of Humanities and Social Sciences. The building will have five floors and will be 62,000 square feet in size. It will contain one large 400-seat classroom, two 100-seat rooms, and a number of smaller classrooms as well as research spaces and laboratories.

In addition, the building will have a joint Social Sciences-Humanities student lounge, gardens, a cafe, a 350-seat concert hall, and a theatre space. The theatre features a unique “black

box” design that can be adapted for difference performance needs. Along with student areas, the building will host the Wilson Institute for Canadian History and the Gilbrea Centre for Health and Aging, as well as McMaster’s Indigenous Studies program offices.

Wilson Hall is also LEED certified building made possible by a $45.5 million investment from the Ontario government, a $10 million donation from Chancellor Lynton (Red) Wilson, and a $1 million gift from the McMaster Association of Part-Time Students. In June 2013, construction began on the $65 million project, which will provide much needed space to liberal arts students at McMaster.

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CANADIAN CAMPUS NEWS

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News

Thursday, January 8, 2015

McMaster’s order for two Order of Canada bestowed on two McMaster professors

Krista Schwab News Editor

Students charged with cheating at University of Waterloo

Daniel Arauz News Reporter

Two students are facing criminal charges for cheating during a first year math exam at the University of Waterloo in December. The incident occurred when a PhD candidate from York University posed as a firstyear UWaterloo student to write the exam using a forged student ID card. The first-year UWaterloo student may be expelled for the action.

Dalhousie University dentistry students suspended over harassment 13 students from Dalhousie University’s dentistry school who allegedly posted sexually violent comments on Facebook have been suspended as of Jan. 5. The students are temporarily suspended from publicly attended dental clinics, but may attend regular classes. The suspension is currently being reviewed by the Faculty of Dentistry’s Academic Standards Class Committee, which will determine any further consequences.

Ryerson University opens new fitness testing lab Ryerson University has officially opened the NeXT lab, a space specially equipped with technology to measure levels of personal fitness. The lab includes equipment that can measure metabolic and cardiovascular health, and contains an ultrasound to measure fat and lean tissue in the body.

Brantford campus of Nipissing University to close due to lack of funds The 12-year partnership between Nipissing University and Wilfrid Laurier University has been discontinued due to a lack of provincial funding, closing the Brantford campus that offered a unique concurrent education program. The 875 students enrolled in the program will finish their degree, but the Brantford campus will no longer accept new students.

Pictured above: Dr. John Kelton (top) and Alba DiCenso, PhD (bottom).

Two McMaster medical professors have been named to the Order of Canada, the second highest civilian honour in Canada.

The two recipients, Dr. John Kelton, Dean of the DeGroote School of Medicine, and Alba DiCenso, PhD, a retired professor of nursing, have been recognized for their research, work and contributions to the growth in their respective fields at a national level.

“I was most delighted and very surprised. This is an honour that for me is important because people who I know who have received this honour are many people I look up to quite a bit,” said Kelton, who began attending McMaster after reading their publications and learning about the evidence-based approach while he was training in hematology at Duke University in North Carolina. Kelton has a strong love for the McMaster and Hamilton communities and

is very optimistic and excited about McMaster’s Health Science and Medicine faculties’ continued advancements in research and growing national influence.

“I would like to recognize the role of McMaster University and Hamilton as a magnet for innovation,” said Kelton.

Kelton has previously been recognized at the international level, through the American Association of Blood Banks’ Emily Cooley award, and the Karl Landsteiner Award, Germany’s highest honour for transfusion medicine. Unlike many other medical school deans, he is still a practicing hematologist, which he believes keeps him grounded and in touch with the needs of patients today.

DiCenso began her studies with McMaster as an undergraduate student in 1970, and she recalls witnessing firsthand the growth of McMaster’s Faculty of Nursing, a period which she recalls as a “time of tremendous development and tremendous energy.” DiCenso would play a pivotal role in one of the faculty’s most important contributions to the field

of nursing – evidence-based nursing, which emphasizes high-quality evidence to guide nursing practices, and trains nurses to identify the most credible research to utilize in patient care. DiCenso developed several groundbreaking research papers on the subject, and is the lead editor of evidence-based nursing textbooks that have contributed greatly to the integration of the method in Canada and the world.

DiCenso, along with her hometown of Welland, Ontario, was ecstatic about the news.

“I share this honour with my parents who came from Italy for a better life for their children; my internationally renowned mentors; my talented research colleagues; my fellow nurses committed to applying best evidence to their practice, and to my unfailingly supportive family,” DiCenso said.

Kelton and DiCenso will formerly receive their awards during a special ceremony that will be held in Rideau Hall in Ottawa sometime later this year. @DanielArauzz

Referendum revival

MSU Health Plan referendum returns for second student vote Patrick Kim Asst. News Editor

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Well, try again at least once.

That’s precisely what the McMaster Students Union has decided to do following last year’s failed Health Plan referendum, as it returns for a second student vote alongside the presidential elections this January.

After all three options to expand the MSU Health Plan were summarily turned down by the 2013-14 voting student body, a review of the process led the 2013-14 Student Representative Assembly to determine that the Health Plan referendum items didn’t receive the proper marketing and clarity to allow for a fully informed student vote.

“Last year, the messaging of what exactly was entailed at each option wasn’t necessarily outlined as well as it could have been, and so what we wanted

to do was have a discussion on ways to present the referendum to students so that they have the clearest way possible of knowing what they get and how much they’d have to pay for it,” said Daniel D’Angela, MSU Finance Commissioner.

The three options under the referendum, each independent of each other, opted for increases in the cost of the MSU Health Plan in exchange for extended vision coverage, subsidized coverage of prescription contraception, and subsidized paramedical and auxiliary healthcare services.

The referendum returns this year with two major modifications. First, the options for extended vision coverage and paramedical and auxiliary healthcare services have been amalgamated into one single option; and second, the total combined cost to each MSU member would amount to $50.50, down from the combined total of $77 the referendum items would have cost students had they all passed last year.

In an email, MSU VP (Fi-

nance) Scott Mallon explained, “the vision care on its own was quite expensive, but to have it included with the other paramedical services was almost no additional cost. For this reason we decided to combine the two.”

The Health Plan will be the largest referendum item on the ballot this year, so the intention is for there to be a greater focus and awareness about the details of the plan. D’Angela noted that the Health Plan last year was somewhat overshadowed by the Bus Pass referendum, in which students voted in favour of expanding summer bus passes for all students as well as increasing HSR bus frequency along McMaster routes.

“To be completely frank, I think everyone [involved] just assumed they were all going to get passed,” said D’Angela of last year’s referenda.

“Maybe that was just presumptuous of us to think, ‘oh, this is what students want.’ But I think if we [bring the referendum back], and we do clearly see we’re doing a better job with messaging, and it does get voted down again, then I think that’s

a more clear picture that this is actually not what students want—they don’t want to pay for this.”

The three referendum items last year were voted no at 58 percent.

Both Mallon and D’Angela emphasized minimizing confusion over “comparable coverage” for those concerned about the ability to opt-out of the new additions. According to Mallon, any coverage will be considered comparable coverage.

Echoing those sentiments, D’Angela said, “you’re allowed to opt-out if you have comparable coverage [...] if you have any insurance, you can still opt-out.”

Clarity and simplicity are the key goals this year, and outreach for the referendum this time will involve a number of avenues to reach the student body, including posters, videos, and groups on campus explaining the options available to students. @patrickmkim

News

Thursday, January 8, 2015

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A call to re-open Maria’s Walk Mac groups ask university to remove barriers to a historical trail located near Lot M Krista Schwab News Editor

On Jan. 1, Ontario Public Interest Research Group volunteer coordinator Randy Kay set out to find historical trails that once winded through the natural area behind Cootes Dr. It was this day that he stumbled upon Maria’s Walk, a well-used trail that connects Lot M to Thorn-

dale Cres.

Although the trail is often used by the public, concrete barriers and fallen trees block its entrance. A sign warns that “violators will be charged under the trespass to property act 2(1) (a)(ii).”

Kay, an activist and author of the Restore Cootes blog, aims to get this historical trail reopened and remove the barriers blocking the entrance to the trail. “[Trail] users are criminal-

ized by warning signs, [which] is to me a little outrageous considering that other trails that McMaster has under their control are ‘use at own risk’ and are somewhat welcoming to the public,” said Kay. “People use it anyway; why not make it more welcoming?”

In the late 1950s, the area that now consists of parking lots M, N, O, and P was once owned by the Royal Botanical Gardens and made up the Coldspring Valley Nature Sanctuary. By

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1963, McMaster had purchased more room for wildlife around the land as part of their parking Spencer’s Creek. expansion plan.

“There was lots of resisMaria’s Walk is one of the tance,” said Kay. “But I’ll give last trails remaining from the credit to the University adminoriginal trail istration system made here, the in 1958, and President is a shortcut [Patrick that conDeane] The goal is nects Lot M seems very to Westaway open to that McMaster Rd. and these sorts will recognize Thorndale of ideas.” the historical Cres.

The “The project, significance of the goal is that which is in trail, the utility of McMaster its prelimiit as well for the will recnary stages, ognize the may involve people that are historical a partneralready using it. significance ship with of the trail, MacGreen [and] the and other Randy Kay utility of it environCoordinator of Volunteers, as well for mental clubs OPIRG the people to help raise that are alawareness ready using and improve it,” said Kay. the trail.

In the past, the university Kay remains hopeful that the has been receptive to plans to University will respond to his restore the natural area around call for re-opening the trail. the large parking lots. In 2014 the university removed 20 @kschwabi metres of pavement to make

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Maria’s Walk connects Lot M to Thorndale Cres.

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Facts about Maria’s Walk •

Maria’s Walk was established in 1958 as a part of the Coldspring Valley Nature Sanctuary.

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In 1963, McMaster University purchased the property to implement their parking expansion plan.

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The trail is one of the only remaining paths in Coldspring Valley.

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The north entrance of Maria’s Walk is located on Thorndale Cres. and leads to Lot M.

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News

Thursday, January 8, 2015

A hammer for every Hamiltonian

Hamilton resident opens the city’s first not-for-profit tool library

Halden Sproule is the founder of Hamilton Tool Library.

KRISTA SCHWAB / NEWS EDITOR

Rachel Katz News Reporter

those who cannot afford the fee.

Despite having only been in operation for a week, the library already boasts over 130 members.

“We have doctors and lawyers and police officers and students. Our local MP David Christopherson is a member,” said Sproule. He also cited Hamilton mayor Fred Eisen-

A new resource was added to Hamilton’s tool belt with the opening of the Hamilton Tool Library on Jan. 2. Founder Halden Sproule hopes the not-for-profit initiative will benefit the community, and explained how his inspiration for the project grew from seeing old homes in the city that have fallen into disrepair.

“I really wanted to do something that would benefit the community and make Hamilton a more vibrant and prosperous place,” he said.

Halden Sproule The library offers Founder of Hamilton Tool Library a variety of memberships depending on the types of tools used, including table saws, gardening supplies, and even specialized kitchen appliances. Most memberships berger as a supporter of the cost around $50 per year, with a initiative.

20 percent discount and special Safety is a key factor that rates for McMaster students. concerns Sproule. He stressed Sproule explained that the that people must be honest cost is not meant to turn a profabout their experience with it, but rather to cover the costs tools. associated with running the “If they don’t know how library. For every membership to use something they need to purchased, the library donates ask because we don’t want to one to partner organizations, hound people. They just need including the YWCA, to give to to be up-front with us,” he

“

I really wanted to do something that would benefit the community and make Hamilton a more vibrant and prosperous place.

said. “We’ve got a whole bunch of volunteers; a ton of retired cabinet-makers and pipe-fitters and electricians who are going to hang out and pass on knowledge and answer questions.”

As a non-profit organization, the library relies on donations to add to its already impressive collection of tools.

Sproule spoke of a man with terminal cancer who donated much of his collection of professional-grade equipment when he could no longer use it. Despite having over 8,000 tools and appliances, Sproule was adamant that expanding the selection of tools is one of his major plans for the coming year.

Expanding their collection is not the only goal Sproule has set for the library’s first year in operation.

“We really want to help support young entrepreneurs, not just in the sense of new startups, but people who want to go into skilled trades jobs,” he explained. One such method of support is lending equipment to newly employed trades workers until they can afford their own supplies.

The library is not shying away from its first Winterfest either. In conjunction with StopGap, a Toronto organization that works to increase accessibility by building and

selling inexpensive ramps to local businesses, volunteers at the Hamilton Tool Library will build and paint 250 ramps that will be sold to schools, homes, and businesses to improve accessibility in Hamilton. The project runs from Feb. 14-16.

Sproule said that people have spoken with him about their excitement that there is a

venue for them to work on their projects and learn how to use complicated tools affordably.

“It’s really amazing what you can do when you have the right tools in your hands.” @RachAlbertaKatz

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES TO McMASTER’s GOVERNING BODIES

Elections will be held in March 2015 to fill vacant undergraduate and graduate student representative seats on McMaster’s governing bodies.

Board of Governors: 1 undergraduate student Senate:

Business: 1 undergraduate student Engineering: 1 graduate student Health Sciences: 1 undergraduate & 1 graduate student Humanities: 1 undergraduate student Science: 1 graduate student Social Sciences: 1 undergraduate & 1 graduate student

University Planning Committee: 1 undergraduate student Completed nomination forms must be received in the University Secretariat office by 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 5, 2015.

Nomination forms and information about eligibility, terms, and election procedures are available on the University Secretariat website: www.mcmaster.ca/univsec/elections/index.cfm All approved candidates are required to attend a mandatory campaign information session on Friday, February 6, 2015 at 3:30 p.m. in MUSC, Room 203.

Questions? Contact the University Secretariat, 905.525.9140 x24337, or univsec@mcmaster.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2015

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News

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Weekly Shuttle Bus Starting Sept. 17th MMPA

Master of Management & Professional Accounting

• Designed primarily for non-business undergraduates • For careers in Management, Finance and Accounting • Extremely high co-op and permanent placement To learn more about the MMPA Program, attend our information sessions: Tuesday, January 20th, 2015, 11 am – 1 pm Room 220, Student Centre, McMaster University

mmpa.utoronto.ca

Wednesdays 6:00pm | 6:30pm | 7:00pm Last pick-up from Fortinos at 8:00pm Pick-up From Mary Keyes Residence At The Cootes Dr. Entrance

Look For The Big Yellow School Bus

NOTICE

We have changed our volunteer meeting times!

If you couldn’t make a meeting before, or need to know the new times to continue volunteering, flip over to page 17 for the new times and details.

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Feature

Thursday, January 8, 2015

H A M I LTO N WI NTER

BUCKETLIST Christina Vietinghoff Features Editor @cvietinghoff

Wear your pyjamas inside out It’s a tradition for school children to wear their pyjamas inside out to increase the likelihood of a snow day the next day. Studies show you are never too old for this practice.

Although McMaster seems to rarely cancel classes, it’s still worth a try.

The Junos

Ice hockey at Victoria Park

March 9-15th Hamilton is playing host to the 44th annual JUNO Awards. If your student budget is too tight, consider volunteering if you’re over 19 years old, they are currently accepting applications. Although the line up has yet to be announced, it’s worth penciling the dates into your calendar with some great Canadian acts guaranteed.

Winter stargazing Get away from the city and head to Waterdown, Greensville or Flamborough for some stargazing.

Although glare from the snow makes it more difficult in winter, this nocturnal adventure will show you constellations you would miss out on during hot summer nights.

Download an app like Skyview for a handy guide to what you’re seeing.

Go to the original Tim Hortons on Ottawa Street The original store has been renovated to become the first Tim’s with an elevator. Although the store will continue to offer standard Tim Hortons fare, the upstairs will be a museum of Tim’s memorabilia. Use your student card-HSR pass to bus to Ottawa Street and visit the epicentre of Tim Hortons culture.

If you don’t want to head to the more well known rink down by the Bayfront, bus to Locke and then walk up to Victoria Park. Play some good ol’ ice hockey or just practice your skills for the more high profile rink down by the Hamilton Waterfront. You have to bring your own skates to Victoria Park, but you’re likely to have the rink to yourself.

Feature

Thursday, January 8, 2015

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9 PHOTO C/O ERIN TATTERSALL

Checking out the icicles on the Jolly Cut This may not appear on any of the Hamilton tourism guides, but interesting icicles form on the Eastern side at the top of the Jolly Cut road up the escarpment. Catch a bus from the MacNab terminal up the mountain. Alternatively, if you’re up for a challenge, you can walk up the sidewalk and see some spectacular views of the city.

After, head down James to Red Crow Café or Radius for a bite to eat and a hot drink.

Walk along South Aberdeen Mosey next to some of the nicest architecture in Hamilton. Aberdeen has some beautiful houses and features interesting people walking noteworthy dogs. End along James Street where you can head down to the Burnt Tongue for soup to warm up.

Winter bike to Dundas

Tobogganing

Brave winter to bike to Detour Café where you can warm up with some java. The paved path along Cootes Paradise drive is usually cleared pretty quickly after a storm so bundle up and keep your bike chain greased throughout the winter. If you’re a vegetarian, the trip to Dundas is even more worthwhile as you can fuel up at EarthShake or India Village.

Although there are a few locations that The Silhouette cannot legally recommend like Faculty Hollow or the Chedoke Golf Course, there are many other more legitimate options if you’re willing to travel to Burlington or Ancaster. Check out tobogganhills.com for recommended locations nearby.

Make a friend in Engineering that can help you build a makeshift sled out of stuff you have at home.

Check out the Royal Botanical Gardens When snowstorms hit you may not think of horticulture, but the RBG are open throughout the year and has some intriguing winter events. Frogs: A Chorus of Colours will be the featured exhibition from Jan. 17 to April 13. Last year the RBG even hosted a book reading by Margaret Atwood.

Augusta beer tasting

McMaster Outdoor Club trips

You have to be 21 for some of the bars on Augusta Street off of James, but it’s worth the trip downtown for an interesting non-student-y experience.

Make your own pub crawl starting at The Ship and ending at Gallagher’s.

The MOC runs trips throughout the winter including local trips to cross-country skiing facilities. If you can’t make one of their dates, borrow a car from a friend and drive to Albion Hills or the Highland Nordic Centre for a day in the woods and some intense cardio.

Cross-country skiing is fantastic cross-training for almost any sport.

Ice climbing You can climb a waterfall at Tiffany’s Falls. However, you must be a member of the Alpine Club of Canada or be a part of a certified class. You should also check out the Hamilton Conservation Authority’s website for the strict guidelines and waivers. The ultimate winter activity in the City of Waterfalls is ice climbing.

Saturday February 8 Winterfest Kick Off Head to Pier 8 for an afternoon of art exhibitions and fun. The festival even features a beard-growing competition. Producers of the best facial hair creations will win luxury facial hair products from Crown Shaving Co. This is just the beginning of weeks of fun, check out Tourism Hamilton’s website for more details.

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The Silhouette

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Editorial

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Thursday, January 8, 2015

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful.”

Molly Ivans American Columnist

Resolving to reach out If there is one simple thing you can do in 2015, reach out to new people and put stories to the faces you see every day

Andrew Terefenko Executive Editor

Six degrees of separation. The golden standard that shows that as distant as we grow from one another, we will never be more than a half dozen people apart.

I come from a part of the world where nobody is further than two or three degrees apart, and I think it’s an ideal that Canadians can and should aspire towards.

It all starts by reaching out.

Case and point: I probably would not have taken the effort to speak to the dreadlocked 50-something sitting next to me at a pub on New Year’s Eve, but he felt quite the opposite.

What started as an innocent “what are your plans for tonight?” led to an hour-long conversation which felt too surreal to be true. He was a British paratrooper. He runs one of the biggest window-washing com-

panies in all of Toronto. He’s been from depression. They are especially featured by The Star, talked on air to depressed in the winter months, such Rick Mercer, and knows more about as the one are at the facing now. This preparing turtle meat than anyone is one of the MSU’s priorities, and the else I have met to date. So yeah, you university has many services to this could say he was quite more substanvery end, but it doesn’t have to be the tial than my initial only solution to an impressions may have ever-present problem. suggested.

An innocuous He opened a door “hello,” or a casual that bridged all six “how are you” can Strangers like gaps in an instant. open a new door for to keep their But it’s not all someone looking distance but one about meeting cefor a friend or study lebrities and seafood buddy. The worst that might argue that connoisseurs. Some could happen is you distance creates people desperately get told to sod off, but need to be reached even that is a connecstrangers. out to, and won’t take tion of sorts. that first step themExpand your selves. The onus falls on those slightly horizons. Go speak to people outside braver few to break down these barri- of your residence floor or house. ers that our society of strangers has Strangers like to keep their distance constructed. but one might argue that distance A theme we constantly revisit in creates strangers. articles and features is this idea of I implore you to make 2015 the mental wellness. It’s an unfortunate year that six became five. reality that many students suffer

“

Letter to the Editor

The MSU has decided that this year’s Frost Week festivities will include horse-drawn carriage rides around Mac’s campus. And while at first glance horse-drawn carriages may seem quaint or nostalgic, forcing horses to pull heavy loads, like a carriage full of people, in all weather conditions is not only cruel but it’s dangerous for all involved. Horses are sensitive animals who can be easily scared making their behavior unpredictable and the likely hood for crashes and injuries high.

While these horses may not be forced to pull carriages in dense traffic or for long hours while at McMaster, this is likely the case when they’re in larger cities in Ontario.

Bringing these animals to campus condones and furthers horse-drawn carriage cruelty elsewhere.

Particularly troubling is that horse slaughter remains legal in Canada and once these animals are too old or weak to pull these heavy carriages, that’s often where they end up.

Sadly, the MSU has provided no assurances that they have or will consider any of these issues either now or in the future and have likely taken no steps to minimize stress, suffering or injury to these animals. Please contact the MSU and ask them to only include humane, animal-free events in future Frost Weeks.

-Mitch Goldsmith, M.A., 2013 Gender Studies Alumni

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to mermaids or whatever this is to functional ancient technology to Shane-o-rama to new frying pans for a new year to salad spinners to foot thumbs to the imminent return of fall shows to this up and comer Paul McCartney to Godla to being back at my home away from home away from home to everything being alright in the end to our toner guardian angel, P. T.

to sparkling bath water a.k.a. champagne to taking off shoes at the airport to the cold snap to wet feet to fabricated crusades to missing the keynote of a lifetime to scrutanizing syllabi to fingerless gloves to missing presents to people who don’t understand the finer points of fancy paper to rocky stand-up receptions to the BBWAA

Rejected Headlines of the Week

“Hamilton is full of tools” “Hammertime in the Hammer” “Tumblr: the pits of despair” “Top 5 things McMaster is doing that will blow you away”

www.thesil.ca

Thursday, January 8. 2015

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The McMaster Students Union

PRESIDENT’S PAGE I was ten years old the first time I ran for class president. Fifth grade was a world where it only took 13 votes cast on scrap pieces of paper to hold political office. The role came with the prestige of being the teacher’s primary consultant regarding the allocation of free time, treat options during the holidays, and door decorating strategies for school-wide competitions.

When I ran for president of the McMaster Students Union (MSU) at age 21, the stakes had changed, yet my motivation stayed the same. I wanted

to represent my peers because I thought I could do a good job.

What I did not know in grade five, and what I still had not learned by the time I ran for MSU President, is that complete student representation is nearly impossible. There are simply too many perspectives for any one person to represent. For example, how can I speak to the needs of a student struggling to share their non-binary gender identity, when that is not something I have ever had to do? Or, how do I represent students trying to balance an athletic

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.

career with their full-time studies, when my athletic ability is comparable to that of a kitchen fork? I cannot.

Not on my own at least, and neither could you. That being said, the MSU President should strive to recognize the varied perspectives within the McMaster community, and to represent all undergraduate students to the best of his or her abilities.

Beginning January 18, a handful of candidates will make their case for why they deserve to be next year’s MSU President. I think you should look for

the person who understands just how complex representation of the student body will be, but who is willing to try anyways.

Look for the person who sees that being president is not only about answering questions, it is also about asking them. Look for the listener.

The two week-long campaign period that preceded my election was hands down the worst experience of my life. I will be the first to admit that inside my chest beats the sensitive heart of a preteen, however, presidential campaigns are brutal. They do not give candidates much of a chance to listen.

Instead, they force candidates to spend most of their time talking.

As you consider your presidential preferences, I implore you to exercise rational thinking and compassion. Pick the person you believe in, but remember that they are not just candidates, faces on posters, and voices at the front of your class. They are human beings trying to accomplish things they genuinelycare about. Give them a chance to demonstrate their ability to listen, and give yourself the opportunity to get to know the people behind the platforms.

TEDDY

SCOTT MALLON

NARRO PÉREZ

RODRIGO

JACOB

President

VP (Finance)

VP (Education)

VP (Administration)

SAULL

BRODKA

12

www.thesil.ca

Around Campus

Around Campus

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Eliza Pope Photo Reporter

“What are you looking forward to in 2015?”

“My goal is to get into co-op this year. I’m in Molecular Biology and Genetics, and I just want to get my marks as high as possible for that. I’d like to go into medical research, specifically curing diseases.”

“Any disease in particular?”

HAVE A STORY TO TELL? EMAIL PHOTO@THESIL.CA AND BE ON THIS PAGE!

“Well I’m interested in diabetes. My younger brother has diabetes– he was diagnosed when he was nine. Seeing how he’s been able to deal with it, and how much the research has benefitted him, it just makes me want to be a part of that too. ” “What was it like when he was diagnosed?”

“Honestly it really came out of nowhere for us. He was always a really healthy kid, and did lots of sports. And all of a sudden he was always really thirsty. None of us really expected it, and it was scary – I was only 12 at the time.”

“What’s one thing you want to accomplish in 2015?”

“Wear more black. I’m already doing it– my hat used to be red.”

“How did you spend your New Year’s Eves?”

“Well, I lit up fireworks for the first time and almost got killed by them! It was fun.”

“New Years was just me and my family– no crazy stories this year.”

“How do you feel about resolutions?”

“I feel like it makes you set goals that you never accomplish. But everyone else does them, so I guess it’s something to be a part of.”

“Yeah, it’s kind of like setting yourself up to fail.”

“So did you make any resolutions?”

“Yeah, the usual.”

“What’s the biggest thing you learned in 2014?”

“The one thing I’ve learned over the past year is that you can learn something from anyone, regardless of who they are or how old they are. My brother is 15-years-old, and I feel like I learn more from him than from a lot of other people. I remember we were watching a tennis game, and it was Serena Williams versus Venus. And I told him, ‘if that were you and me, you wouldn’t be allowed to win. I’d be so mad.’

And he said, ‘no, I’d let you win. I don’t care if you beat me at things.’ I just thought, ‘there’s a lot to learn from you.’ He’s a great kid, and I just think that when I was younger, I wouldn’t have listened to anything anyone younger than me ever said.”

The Silhouette

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Opinion The political

www.thesil.ca

13

Is the “dyed armpit hair” trend a feminist act?

PAGE 14

role of universities

Universities and student unions need to embrace their social responsibilities

Ana Qarri Opinions Editor

Last November, President Patrick Deane sat down with MSU President Teddy Saull to discuss the university’s role in international affairs and to promote the launch of a series of lectures and seminars entitled “Perspectives on Peace.”

They contemplated the role of the university in providing an academic platform to discuss national and international conflicts. In the video, Deane states that, “the university can’t just be passive.”

During the South African apartheid, Deane attended a university in Johannesburg known for its anti-apartheid activism. While Deane rarely mentions his experiences from the apartheid era in his McMaster speeches, in an interview

with the Hamilton Spectator last spring he acknowledged the privileges afforded to him by an unfair system, and his view that a university has a responsibility to stand up for “values that are desirable in society and human activity.”

Despite his experiences and his attempts to encourage socially conscious dialogue at McMaster, this was still a refreshing and slightly unexpected sentiment to hear from our administration.

Too often, it is argued that universities and bodies within them should not be political places.

While I agree, as I assume most people would, that university administrations should remain neutral and

non-partisan during elections, universities and student unions should not be neutral on political events that impact our lives as citizens of Canada and the global community.

Taking a political stance doesn’t mean adopting a position that fits the agenda of a political party. It means making a statement about what is in the interest of a just, democratic, and sustainable society.

Universities are places of research, where the complexities of human life, societies, and the environment are studied and evaluated.

A university has at its

disposal educated people, with the tools to seek the truth and relay it to the public. Although research rarely points the way in black-and-white, it furthers human understanding of our own world – local, national or global.

Apart from the wealth of knowledge in our institutions, the structure and context of a university is inherently political. Political in the sense that who gets to be here, sit in our classes, is largely defined by socio-economic factors. There was a time when our university only accepted men – the inclusion, and struggle for the inclusion, of women was a political act. We see within our own walls the manifestation of class and income inequality issues.

Universities are also a complex ground of labour issues – from research and teaching assistants to sessional faculty and custodial staff.

Given the university’s place in our cities and societies, it is important that its role as a place of progressive, educated thought is not left behind.

We should not aim to create complacent and non-political student bodies and academic faculties. Student unions should continue (and in some cases, start) taking strong stances on fossil fuel divestment, climate change, income inequality, and other forms of inequality.

Our student union has a policy of mostly research-based advocacy. Every school term, they get together with other universities who belong to the Ontario Universities Student Alliance to draft policy papers on higher-education issues.

While there have been major advancements through these methods, other methods shouldn’t be dismissed as futile modes of resistance.

For example, when Ryerson’s student union held a disruptive protest during a Ministry of Training and Colleges speech, media columnists and post-secondary education leaders largely condemned them. Many did not see what the “point” of such a tactic that had no clear policy outcomes was. They failed to recognize

“

Taking a political stance doesn’t mean adopting a position that fits the agenda of a political party. It means making a statement about what is in the interest of a just, democratic, and sustainable society. the courage to speak out against institutional decisions, or the attention it brought to unfair increases in tuition and the financial inaccessibility of education it creates.

Student bodies shouldn’t rely only on disruptive tactics, and sit-ins are probably not going to solve the lack of funding for mental health support, or the lack of financial aid. But they can send a message. They can bring people together for a shared goal.

Our student unions need both policy-based and action-based activism. And we shouldn’t be afraid to be “too” political. We have a role to play in pointing out the injustices and inadequacies of our social systems and norms. We should be speaking out against poverty at the national level, as well as our own campus.

Universities are political in every aspect of their existence.

There is no point in pretending they aren’t, and it certainly won’t lead us towards progress.

We have to use the full range of tools and opportunities provided to us to act on our social responsibility as an institution and stand up for those who are voiceless, whose struggles we study and dissect, and for ourselves. @anaqarri

14

Opinion

www.thesil.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2015

PITS OUT

Some women are growing out and dyeing their armpit hair. Is this trend here to stay, or just a fad?

FOR THE GIRLS Carolyn Zeppieri Columnist

As I was scrolling through Tumblr, I came across photos of a new, rather strange, fashion trend far more unusual than the “far-out there trends.” Some women are dyeing their armpit hair, sometimes to match the colour of the hair on their head. Media outlets such as the Washington Post and Huffington Post have speculated as to whether this bizarre trend is a fashion fad or a new radical demonstration of modern feminism. Whether fad or feminist movement, dyed armpit hair serves a purpose to enlighten North American culture to be skeptical of the beauty standards the media tout as necessities of living, and what are simply commercialized cosmetics.

Recently, one of my male friends said that women and men have neutral equality in our North American society and that there is no more need for new radical demonstrations of feminist movements to exist.

I objected to the statement he made, as there are extreme physical beauty requirements placed on women, which I consider to be sexist. North American beauty standards are seen as

FEEDBACK

a basic necessity for women, but places such as Europe see them to be obscure. Take shaving armpits for example. The social standard for women to shave their armpit hair is of North American cultural standards only. It is seen in our culture to accept shaving armpit hair as an essential part of hygiene and rather distasteful to let our bodies exhibit their natural tendencies. It is also only “gross” for women to have armpit

hair, while it is perfectly acceptable for men to let theirs grow out.

Dyed armpit hair exposes the conformity women follow by, in contrast, appropriating the fashion alter-

native of women growing out their armpit hair and dying it.

By women making dyed armpit hair a fashion statement, it allows for North American society to become more comfortable with the fact that women naturally grow armpit hair just like men. Neon pink armpit hair can remind peo-

C/O ROXIE HUNT

ple of the sexist beauty standards placed on women and question whether it is actually “gross” for women to let their hair naturally grow on any part of their body. Many people in North American societies need to get used to the notion that women shouldn’t have to uphold unrealistic and expensive beauty standards, especially the ones that men aren’t expected to follow.

I don’t see myself growing out and dying my armpit hair, but I wouldn’t choose to wear a religious symbol around my neck or a political party

button on my jacket either. I do, however, associate myself as supporter of feminist movements, like the 1968 Bra Burning Miss America Protest. Many of the women following the movement did not burn their bras, but instead decided they are not needed for them to

“

Dyed armpit hair can act as a physical symbol of how women shouldn’t have to feel compelled to consume the cosmetic products advertised to them as the daily essentials.

conform to the high expectations of idealistic beauty set for them.

Dyed armpit hair can act as a physical symbol of how women shouldn’t have to feel compelled to consume the cosmetic products advertised to them as the daily essentials. Instead it can exist as a fashion fad while also expressing an underlying tone of feminist movements as a suggestion to re-evaluate what is essential to our cleanliness and what is really an added cosmetic.

What’s the first thing you do when you come back from the winter break?

Aurelia

Theatre and Film III

I came back and caught up with friends I didn’t see over the break.

Siyu

Social Sciences I

Sleeping, just sleeping.

Sandon Theatre and Film IV

I find whoever is in my house and hang out with them for the next hour and a half.

Guillermo

Engineering Graduate

The first thing I do when I come back to campus is work.

Opinion

Thursday, January 8, 2015

www.thesil.ca

15

Perpetuating rape culture What our society still gets wrong about sexual harassment Isabel Contin Contributor

Last week, I was leaving a small get together at my friend’s apartment building. As I was walking to my car at around 2 a.m., I noticed someone following me. Out of fear and panic I decided not to look back and walk as swiftly as I could to get to my car safely.

The unknown stranger never said or did anything, but I could hear his footsteps following closely behind me.

As the only girl in my family, I had been raised to always stay aware of my surroundings when walking alone. I managed to get into my car and lock my doors immediately before buckling in and driving away. I have no idea if this man was out to get me or if he simply was coincidentally walking the same way as me at two in the morning, but sadly being in this world for so long has taught me one thing: to be afraid.

Street harassment is a very real problem that we are sadly faced with on a daily basis. As women, it is not uncommon to be afraid to walk out at night by ourselves, or even just walk through a group of men in plain daylight. It is intimidating and frightening and it makes us feel vulnerable. Recently, non-profit organization Hollaback released a video of a woman walking through the streets of New York City. They claim she was harassed over 100 times in a span of ten hours. Although we only see a small portion of that amount in the video (and some claim that they might have embellished the total number for effect), it is shocking to see the amount of times she is harassed over such a short period of time.

Being catcalled, groped, harassed, followed, assaulted or even stared at in an aggressive manner all count as street harassment. I have heard many arguments defending the way these men act, from the ever persisting “yeah, well what was she wearing?”, to the more subtle “maybe they find you attractive, learn how to take a compliment.” A compliment is meant to you feel better; being catcalled, followed or talked to in a sexual manner is not a compliment. It makes you feel uncomfortable and frightened.

On top of that, the way someone is dressed should never be an excuse for unwanted

attention and harassment. I should not be afraid of someone following me in the middle of the night when I have done nothing to make me think I am in danger. However, everything I have seen and heard on top of the cultural habit to turn a blind eye when something horrible happens made me feel terrified in the situation.

We live in an time in which rape and harassment are not only normalized, but expected.

We, as women, are taught to be the careful ones. We’ve been conditioned to think in a certain way. It’s like we’re told “hey, don’t you dare get drunk at a party, because some guys might

“

We live in a time in which rape and harassment are not only normalized, but expected. take you into a bedroom and do unspeakable things to you while you are not able to give consent.” Victim blaming seems to be the norm in this day and age, which is both offensive to the woman being harassed and anti-progressive for society as a whole. How about instead of teaching women to cover up and be careful who they trust, we teach men to be more decent human beings and not take advantage or objectify women?

Sexual objectification is real, victim blaming is real, street harassment is real, and gender inequality is real. Rape culture continues to be a problem because of societal attitudes towards rape and harassment. We need to educate ourselves and completely eliminate it from our society. It is definitely not a hard concept to grasp, and it is baffling that everyone does not see a problem with it.

Men may be tired of hearing women “complain” and speak out about harassment and rape issues, but guess what—we are even more tired of talking about it. Give us a reason to stop.

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16

www.thesil.ca

Opinion

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Should you stay New term, new courses or should you go?

Take control of your own learning

Christina Vietinghoff Features Editor

Shopaholics celebrate Black Friday or Boxing Day as their favourite time of year, but my favourite kind of shopping is course shopping the week before the Drop and Add deadline on SOLAR. It’s easy to be complacent about the quality of your education, you register for the required courses and a couple of easy electives and voilà, your schedule is complete with hopefully a four-day weekend and no 8:30s.

But is this experience really worth the thousands of dollars you pay in tuition and supplementary fees?

Picking courses should not be an arbitrary process; you should take control of your learning experience and create a schedule that takes advantage of the full breadth of courses McMaster has to offer. If you’re in engineering, take a gender studies course, or if you’re in social sciences consider a science elective. When else will you have the opportunity to learn from someone with expertise in a discipline outside your comfort zone?

Beyond the subject matter itself, the learning process is shaped by two factors—the professor and the syllabus.

You may have to go fishing in the department or even email the instructor to ask for the outline because they often aren’t

provided until you enrol.

Although professors haven’t started crowd-sourcing outlines yet, this doesn’t mean you can’t provide input. As anyone that has read the policy blurb knows, Professors reserve the right to modify the syllabus, which means your ideas for what the course should cover can be implemented—don’t wait until the evaluations at the end of the term.

The instructors themselves can make a class an incredible learning experience or a total flop. The only way to evaluate this is by meeting them in person. Sites like ratemyprofessor. com are subject to intense polarization and feature irrelevant categories like “hotness.”

Another reason you should go in person is that an impressive biography of publications does not necessarily translate to effective teaching skills.

Sessional instructors can be just as great, and sometimes even more enthusiastic than tenured faculty.

Finally, don’t let red tape get in the way of you pursuing your passion. Some departments have waiting lists for classes that are full, and others may be willing to add a seat depending on your circumstances. It is even possible to have pre-requisites waived if you can provide a sufficient justification.

Optimize your degree.

Don’t ignore an interesting class because it’s at 8:30 a.m. or on a Friday afternoon. A post-secondary education at a university like McMaster is an incredible opportunity; don’t waste it.

Things to consider when deciding whether you should transfer to a university closer to home Kaitlin Jingco Contributor

After a break with holiday parties, tonnes of food, and reuniting with family and old friends, it’s back to that school grind.

Some of you may be excited to be back at McMaster, while some of you could be feeling the total opposite. If you’re living away from home, the comfort of being there over the holidays may have left you wondering: “should I stay at Mac, or should I transfer to a school closer to home?”

I faced this situation when I was in first year, and even a bit in second. I didn’t fall in love with McMaster right away like I had expected to. I didn’t have an immediate close group of friends, I didn’t know where I’d live in the upcoming years, and I wasn’t comfortable like the way I was at home, so I seriously contemplated transferring to UOIT, a university close to my house that would allow me to move back home.

After a lot of contemplation, I decided to stay in Hamilton with hopes that things would improve. They sure did, and I’m so glad that I stayed and graduated at McMaster. Some of my best memories and friends are thanks to my time at Mac. However, staying put is not the right thing for everyone.

My sister felt really homesick during her first year at Trent, and she ended up transferring to UOIT for her second year.

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Her decision to transfer originally left her feeling like she had failed. She felt like she made a commitment to herself and to my parents to go to Trent, love it, and graduate there, but it didn’t happen. Fortunately, being at home was the perfect decision for her. She was happy at UOIT, enjoyed living at home, and still felt that she got a full, awesome university experience.

“

If you do decide to go home, there’s no harm in that; you haven’t failed or done anything wrong.

As you can see, you could be happy if you decide to stay, and you could be happy if you decide to leave. But how do you know? The following is a bit of a guide that I hope you’ll find helpful if you’re struggling with this decision.

Think about the big picture.

It’s likely that your first year will be your hardest, so picture your future years as easier and more comfortable. And remember that you came here for the education. Consider if it’s possible to achieve your educational

goals at a location closer to home while you’re making your decision.

You’re already here, so you should really try to experience what the school has to offer.

Having people that you’re comfortable around will help you to be less homesick, and you’ve got to start somewhere.

Hang out in the common room.

Invite someone to lunch. Accept an invite to a party. It may be out of your comfort zone to be forward with people, but know that they could be feeling the exact same way that you do.

It’s harder to be homesick when you’re busy and having fun. Join something enjoyable that will occupy your time. Intramurals, volunteering, joining a club, getting a job, touring downtown, or hiking around the Hamilton waterfalls are just a few things that you can do.

Know that you’re not alone.

There are, no doubt, people who are feeling the exact same way that you are right now, and there are always services and people to talk to.

If you do decide to go home, there’s no harm in that; you haven’t failed or done anything wrong. In the end, you need to do what’s best for you. If you’ve given a good effort to McMaster but feel that you’ll be better off elsewhere, then elsewhere is where you need to go. Make us Marauders proud by killing it at your new school!

Opinions

Thursday, January 8, 2015

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Term 2 Meeting Times

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SRA Meeting When: January 11, 2015 from 06:30PM until 11:00PM Where: Gilmour Hall 111

MSU Diversity Week: Spencer West When: January 12, 2015 from 06:00PM until 07:00PM

MacSwing Dance When: January 13, 2015 at 07:00PM until January 06, 2015 at 09:00PM

Where: TwelvEighty

Where: Westdale United Church (99 North Oval)

student government does? Stop by and

Come out to a free event at TwelvEighty

Come share a night of dancing with the

view the goings-on at the next meeting of

on January 12th at 6pm. We will be

McMaster Swing Dance Club. After all,

the Student Representative Assembly!

featuring Spencer West from Free the

great music is timeless, and swing danc-

Children who will be speaking about

ing is not just something your grand-

self-advocacy and accessibility. There will

parents do! Start with an introductory

be free food!

lesson in lindy hop at 7PM to help get you

Interested in finding out what your

Free “Just Try It” Week, Recreation Programs When: January 11, 2015 at 12:00AM until January 24, 2015 at 12:00PM Where: David Braley Athletics and Recreation Centre Yoga, Hip Hop, Karate, Ballet, Squash, Tai Chi, Pilates, Latin Dance, Meditation,

grooving and stay for the social dancing

MSU Diversity Week: Interfaith & Multiculturalism Day

www.macswing.ca

When: January 13, 2015 from 10:00AM until 05:00PM

MSU Diversity Week:

Muay Thai and much more! Recreation

Where: MUSC Atrium

Programs, Free to all, “Just Try It” Week

Come out to the MUSC atrium all day to

Jan 11-17 David Braley Athletic Center.

help us celebrate Interfiath & Multicultual-

Weekly Schedule at www.marauders.ca/

ism Day! Events and acitivites range from

instructional

speakers and tables for cultural and faithbased groups on campus to a photobooth

MSU Diversity Week: Abilities & Gender Equity Day When: January 12, 2015 from 10:00AM until 05:00PM Where: MUSC Atrium Come out to the MUSC atrium all day to help us celebrate Abilities & Gender Equi-

and a fashion show.

McMaster University Blood Donor Clinic When: January 13, 2015 from 10:00AM until 04:00PM Where: 3rd floor MUSC in CIBC Hall

ty Day! Events and acitivites range from

Donate blood at a McMaster University

speakers and tables related to accessi-

Blood Donor Clinic.

bility and self-advocacy on campus as well as a poetry slam focused on gender inequality issues.

to great big band music and jazz.

Indigenous Affairs & Intersectionality Day When: January 14, 2015 from 10:00AM until 05:00PM Where: MUSC Atrium Come out to the MUSC atrium all day to help us celebrate our Indigenous Affairs Pillar and wrap up Diversity Week with a day focused on Intersectionality! Events and acitivites range from speakers and tables, to drumming circles.

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Sports

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca

Both volleyball teams went undefeated over the holiday break.

Get our full v-ball recap.

19

CIS football could be heading towards a major change, as early as 2015.

PAGE 20

PAGE 21

Mac improves over winter break

LEAGUE AT LARGE The OUA at a glance

Men’s Volleyball OUA

CIS Top Ten W L

McMASTER RYERSON GUELPH WATERLOO QUEEN'S YORK WESTERN WINDSOR TORONTO NIPISSING RMC

9 8 7 7 6 6 5 4 3 2 0

1 3 4 4 4 4 5 6 8 8 10

ALBERTA McMASTER BRANDON TRINITY WESTERN WINNIPEG UBC DALHOUSIE RYERSON MOUNT ROYAL MANITOBA

Women’s Volleyball OUA East

OUA West

W L

W L

McMASTER GUELPH BROCK WINDSOR WESTERN LAKEHEAD WATERLOO

7 6 5 4 3 2 2

3 4 7 6 7 8 8

TORONTO RYERSON OTTAWA QUEEN'S YORK NIPISSING RMC

9 8 8 8 5 3 2

0 2 3 3 5 7 9

Basketball OUA Central - W

OUA Central - M

W L

McMASTER GUELPH LAKEHEAD BROCK

6 5 4 3

McMASTER BROCK GUELPH LAKEHEAD

2 2 3 4

W L

6 4 4 2

2 3 3 5

Notable numbers

The No. 7 ranked team in the country is primed for a solid 2015 run after tightening their play in Quebec Scott Hastie Sports Editor

Holiday tournaments are not about the wins and losses, but the McMaster women’s basketball picked up three big wins in the Concordia Invitational this winter break.

The results of those games can influence CIS top ten rankings, which in turn influences the seeding at the national tournament. Head coach Theresa Burns was satisfied with the results, but was more impressed with the team’s growth.

“I thought we took some real steps forward, individually and as a team,” said Burns. “We had five people at any given time, whoever was on the court, we operated at as a five player unit.”

While McMaster finished the 2014 portion of their season atop the OUA Central division, the team’s play was not consistent. For example, Mac opened up the first game against Lakehead with strong play before losing by 15.

The road game against Brock saw the Marauders jump out to a 19-5 lead, yet the Badgers came back and took the lead in the second quarter. Mac would steady and win convincingly, but it will take a full 40-minute performance to beat other elite teams.

The Marauders showed the ability to perform at that level with their sweep over the winter break: they beat Concordia 8572, bested Bishop’s 84-33 before beating Queen’s 75-48.

Topping the Gaels, who started the year ranked before dropping out of the top-ten

in late November, is the most impressive win of the break.

“We got better every night.

I thought we came out pretty strong given that we are coming off Christmas break, we had only one one-hour practice under our belts. There was a little bit of rust in the first game, but the next night we shook the rust right off and then against Queen’s, even better again,” Burns said.

“From a consistency standpoint, we were very good. Our key players did what we rely on them to do.”

Now, the team heads into a critical stretch of their season.

They lost to Laurier, 62-48 and now have to bounce back to take on Ryerson on Jan. 10.

Before the game, Burns said she thought the Golden Hawks haven’t gotten enough credit for their early-season wins.

Ryerson is an up-and-coming team too; the Rams started the season unranked and have climbed to No. 8, right behind McMaster.

A first-round playoff bye

1,200,000 Concordia invitional results

McMaster 85, Concordia 72 - Danielle Boiago, 22 points - Hilary Hanaka, 20 points McMaster 84, Bishop's 33 - Rachael Holmes, 20 - Hilary Hanaka, 16 McMaster 75, Queen's 48 - Danielle Boiago, 19 points - Rachael Holmes, 16 points

is a goal for the team, and the month of January will heavily influence Mac’s chances. In a deep conference, Mac wants to play as few games as it can.

January is a road-heavy month, with five of the seven games away from Burridge.

If McMaster can get through the month with only a couple losses, they will set themselves up nicely for a playoff run and a shot at the OUA championship. @scott1hastie

McMaster names first recruit of 2015 The women’s basketball team has added to their already-strong roster. Rachel Webber, a point guard from Ancaster High School, committed to the Marauders program starting in the fall of 2015 this week.

Head coach Theresa Burns praised Webber’s intensity in the McMaster athletic department’s press release.“Rachel’s compete level is through the roof; her presence will lift the intensity level in our practices right away.”Currently, Hilary Hanaka and Danielle Boiago split time at the point guard position.

The total number of Canadian viewers for the Vanier Cup. This number in includes the 700,000 viewers on Radio-Canada and 320,000 viewers on Sportsnet.

702,000 Total number of Canadian viewers for the Rose Bowl between Oregon and Florida State on TSN. Quebec viewership numbers were not available at press time.

On the lookout: Athletes to watch this week Taylor Black Men's basketball › 12.8 PPG › 46.9 FG% › 16.0 3PT% Fifth-year senior Taylor Black has led Mac to a 6-2 record, but he has room to improve. The Marauders will need a strong performance for the game against No. 3 Ryerson.

Austin Campion-Smith Men's Volleyball › 10.47 assists per set

Campion-Smith was a game-changer in the comeback match against the Calgary Dinos.

He will be sure to control the play in the anticipated match-up against the Western Mustangs this weekend.

20

www.thesil.ca

Sports

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Mac victorious at the Alden Cup in Florida Laura Sinclair Asst. Sports Editor

The Marauders returned on Jan. 5 from an extremely successful trip to Florida that saw the team prevail as champions in the annual Alden Cup tournament.

McMaster played host to the tournament that saw seven other Canadian teams make the trip—four of which are currently ranked within the top ten in the country.

The Maroon and Grey managed to sweep their matches against the Mount Royal Cougars (No. 9), the Manitoba Bisons (No. 9) and the Brandon

Bobcats (No. 3) in the final match, but in their third match of the tournament, the team were in tough territory against the Calgary Dinos.

The Dinos were a team that entered the match having lost their previous two matches against the Guelph Gryphons and Dalhousie Tigers.

“I think that the Calgary match was the turning point of our tournament,” said head coach Dave Preston.

“They were like a wounded animal. They were fighting for their life and that’s exactly how they came out.”

Calgary dominated the match early on, winning the first two sets 25-20, and 25-19.

After the second set, once

The Marauders won all of their matches at the Alden Cup tournament .

CO/ RICHARD ZAZULAK

Austin Campion-Smith and Jayson McCarthy subbed in, the tone of the match changed completely, and the Marauders were able to sneak away with a 3-2 win over the Western Conference team.

Another important aspect of the tournament for the Marauders was that the entire team saw playing time—even some of the key athletes that have been injured for the majority of the season.

Alex Elliot and Stephen Maar got to play competitively for the first time in months, and given these circumDave Preston stances, Head coach they were able to hold their ground.

“Alex was a little more tender, and Steve’s ankle is still coming around, but its better

“

and better every day and as long as we continue to ease them into it we’ll be okay,” Hitter Jori Mantha also played in the tournament after being injured for two months.

“There’s some fitness issues we need to deal with, but he’s very attentive to that,” Elliot, Maar and Mantha will all be contributors to the upcoming match this weekend against Western and Windsor, which is a huge advantage for the Maroon and Grey.

Volleyball aside, another source of pride for the team was not only the fact that Prime Minister Stephen Harper was watching their comeback match against the Dinos, but the way that the team handled themselves in front of one of the most important people in the country speaks volumes to the team as well.

Harper was in the crowd, along with his posse of 30-50 secret agents, because his son Ben plays for the Queen’s Gaels.

“I think it’s a memorable experience for our guys to be able to meet and shake the hand

I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of our team in how we were representing our university than when the Prime Minister was watching.

of their Prime Minister,” said Preston.

“We had a really good comeback win, and the Prime Minister saw it. I think that that heightens awareness of what our kids do for their school, and at that time, I don’t think I’ve ever been more proud of our team in how we were representing our university than when the Prime Minister was watching.”

Now that the team is back at McMaster, however, it’s back to business as usual.

They will be facing the Western Mustangs this weekend—a team that beat them in their very first match of the season.

The tournament in Florida has served as a test for the team, and they will be able to implement what they have learned into their important match against the Mustangs.

“I know that Western will play out of their minds, they’ll play very well. They’re very well coached, and very, very talented, so we’re going to be ready for that. We’re not looking through this one and we’re up for the challenge,” said Preston. @lsinkky

Marauders sweep at Toronto Invitational

The Marauders will look to continue their winning streak against Western and Windsor this weekend.

C/O FRASER CALDWELL

John Smith Contributor

One of the quirks of the OUA women’s volleyball season is the December full-league shutdown for exams.

Luckily for the 7-3 McMaster Marauders, the University of Toronto National Invitational Tournament provided an opportunity for the women to stay

sharp during the layoff. And stay sharp they did, sweeping their three-game slate.

The National Invitational Tournament provided Ontario powerhouses Toronto and McMaster the rare opportunity to play Eastern teams outside of the CIS playoffs and preseason play. This year brought the McGill Redmen and the Sherbrooke Vert et Or, both of

whom have been flirting with the CIS top ten rankings all year, as well as the Acadia Axewomen to the Goldring Athletic Centre in Toronto.

McMaster disposed of Sherbrooke in four sets on the tournament’s opening day, followed by a five-set nail-biter against McGill. They wrapped up the tournament sweep with a 3-1 victory over Acadia. It was the McGill game, however, that the women circled on their calendars coming in.

“I think if you were to ask our team, there would be consensus that playing McGill was a great opportunity .They are a hard-hitting team with a determined defence. It is always great to work against a team like this as it allows us to push both our offence and our defence to the limits,” said veteran outside hitter Rebecca Steckle.

McMaster’s leading scorer, Joanna Jedrzejewska, agreed, but also saw an oddity in the tournament’s scheduling: “I was disappointed that we didn’t get the opportunity to play University of Toronto because they seemed like the team that would be potential opponents in CIS playoffs, as

well as OUA playoffs.”

Coach Tim Louks said that the Sherbrooke game was the most important from a coaching standpoint.

“They matched up against us pretty well. They did a few things that I was excited to see because it forced us to get into those in-game adjustments, where, ‘hey, we want to do this,’ but they’re not going to let you do it easily … we got a bunch of good IQ things through that.”

Since the tournament’s format did not include a championship game to crown a “winner,” the coaches were given the opportunity to get a bit creative with their game strategies.

According to Jedrzejewska, the invitational was “a chance to try out new things and give all players a chance... It’s a good opportunity to try different players and rotations in order to get the experience without the risk.”

But this does not mean the Marauders took the games lightly.

“As a team we work hard at playing all games as though they are the final of the OUA championship,” said Steckle.

“Before every game we would

come together and remind each other that this game is just as important for us as a team – whether or not the win or loss mattered in terms of standings.”

With the break now over, the Marauders are refocusing their attention on the current regular season dogfight.

“We’ve got to go on the road this weekend, three in a row on the road. None of them easy, all of them [OUA] West opponents,” said Louks of his team’s upcoming trio of games against Western, Windsor, and Brock.

“All of them we were successful against in the first half, none of them are going to be happy about that.”

While there is still a lot of season to go, McMaster has shown over the past few campaigns that they are a perennial contender for the OUA crown, if not the Canadian title.

“Seeing that Toronto facility is pretty impressive. And that’s where the Nationals are,” said Louks. “[It’s] a hard road ahead, but I think they’re believing more than they’ve ever believed.”

Sports

Thursday, January 8, 2015

21

www.thesil.ca

Cross-country football on the horizon?

To gain national exposure, a Saskatoon businessman wants to fund TV production of an interlocking football schedule

Scott Hastie Sports Editor

CIS football could be getting a major redesign in the new year.

Saskatoon businessman David Dube and broadcaster Jim Mullin are partnering to pitch the idea of an interlocking conference football schedule to the CIS and its conferences. The idea is that those games would be attractive enough for a TV broadcaster to air.

Dube is willing to pay the television production costs and universities would pick up the tab for travel and accommodations. Dube is the CEO of Concorde Group Corporation, a major development company in Saskatoon.

He is a supporter of the University of Saskatchewan football program, regularly donating cash to the Huskies.

Mullin’s ties to CIS football run deep. A play-by-play broadcaster for 20 years, Mullin also has a weekly CIS football show, Krown Countdown U, which Dube sponsors.

The news about the interlock schedule comes from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, who gave a more detailed report on the proposal on Dec. 26 after Le Journal de Quebec published a story hinting at the possibility of an out-of-conference schedule happening in 2015.

Here is what the interlock group wants, in simple terms: eight teams (four from Ontario, two from the West, two from Quebec) would play two out-of-conference teams each season.

Those games would be put on national television, which is not currently the case for regular season CIS football. The only time that the entire country can catch a game is in late November, during the national semi-finals and the Vanier Cup. Details are scarce, but the interlock group wants to make this happen by 2015 in order to entice broadcasters. Mullin told the Star-Phoenix that they are targeting Sportsnet, TSN and CBC to pick up the property.

Sportsnet owns the Vanier Cup as well as the national semifinal bowl games, but their acquisi-

tion of NHL rights ties up a lot of their resources.

TSN has been buying television properties recently, suggesting that they are looking to acquire more products. However, in airing regular season football but not the Vanier, TSN would essentially be marketing for Sportsnet.

CBC’s new strategic plan states that they are looking to promote amateur sport. They could be the best fit for CIS football, especially since costs would be low because Dube would fund the broadcast.

The idea is still in its infancy, so the number of loose ends to tie up should be expected.

As CanWest executive director Diane St-Denis said, there are more questions than answers at this point, but in order to have a 2015 season launch, answers need to be coming quickly.

Dube and Mullin are supposed to meet with CIS executives later in January.

Interlock would drastically change CIS football as we know it. More information should become available throughout the winter and spring.

Public Speaking Course at Mac Find Your Voice!

Dube’s wallet could push CIS into the national sports fan’s radar, but lots of questions remain.

C/O Huskies Outsider

For your convenience, there is a course starting:

Whether you’re afraid of doing presentations or just need to better organize your thoughts, the Christopher Leadership Course in Effective Speaking can help.

It is a 10 week structured course in public speaking that builds confidence and improves communication. It teaches a life skill that stays with you long after you complete your studies at Mac.

Wednesday evening, January 21, 2015 in the Student Centre.

There will also be a course running early in April with final details to be determined.

The cost is $200.

For more information or to register, please visit our website: clchamilton.com or call 905.662.4076. Enrolment is limited so register early. Offered by Christopher Leadership Courses of Canada.

22

Games

www.thesil.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2015

DOWN

Crossword

1. Angora and merino 2. Sleep disorder 3. Kind of coffee, briefly 4. Swell treatment?

5. Attack 6. Word used in proofs 7. Avidly eager 8. Kingdom in the South Seas 9. Prepares, as tea 10. It comes before beauty, it’s said 11. Vamoose 12. Bit of Kurdistan 13. Furniture collection?

21. Not to 22. NBA or NFL event 26. Yoko who married Lennon 28. English nobleman 29. Whitehorse is its capital 31. City on the Yamuna River 32. Donated, temporarily 33. Defeated 34. Thomas _____ Edison 35. Abandon abruptly 37. Television’s Spelling 40. Monetary value

ACROSS 1. African ravine 5. parts of an udder 10. DNA component?

14. Drilling org.

15. Problem for a grain farmer 16. Revered expert 17. Storybook beginning 18. In the past, to poets of the past

19. JFK predictions 20. Progressed by large increments 23. Colony soldier 24. African jaunt 25. Cover with strings 27. ____ Island (Brooklyn neighbourhood) 30. Cool shoe

33. Enjoy the limelight 36. Stretched tightly 38. Fabricate, as a signature 39. Reindeer’s cousin 40. Start to get in shape 42. Large 3-Down dispenser 43. Dispatch boat 45. Bereft 46. Annoying buzzer 47. Gets thinner toward one end

Seriously Sudoku

2

Twitter Winner Finish the crossword? Tweet your photo of the finished grid at @theSilhouette and we’ll publish the first three names each week!

49. Explosive stuff 51. Sworn statements 53. Camera parts 57. Puzzle doer, right now 59. Last part of a horse race 62. Poker buy-in 64. “All sales are ____” 65. The Sail (southern constellation) 66. Author’s concern 67. Like peas in a pod

68. Dashing style 69. Fit sound to action 70. Changed, as wallpaper 71. Stone paving block

Seriously Sadistic Sudoku

5 2 9 8

4 1 7 5 6 3 5 1 8 9 2 6 4 5 1 2 8 3 6 1 9 4 5 4 6 3 4

41. Nameless 44. Octopus’s home 46. Feels acute distress 48. Ram’s-horn horn 50. Drop a routine fly ball 52. Expression of amusement 54. Ancient upright stone 55. Acclaim 56. Snooty contraction 57. Barks like a pup 58. The “O” in SRO 60. Author Bagnold 61. Who H.H. Munro is 63. List ending, often

8 2 5 9 7

7 9 2

4

3 8 4 3

1

1

8 3 9 6 2 6

4 7 6 5 8

Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca

Lifestyle Almost

23

Is the Student Wellness Center working?

Four Students weigh in on their experiences with Student Wellness Correcction: Center counselling services PAGE 24

Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor

Being “instafamous” is a surprisingly difficult task. Instagram is a young person’s game; over Christmas I noticed all my younger family friends had at least hundreds of followers. This unique breed of users, neither celebrities nor popular bloggers, walk a tightrope between established conventions and unique content. After talking to a few of these social butterflies in hopes that some of their magical pixie dust will rub off on my inferior Instagram account, here are some tips I got on how to join the upper echelon of “instalikes.”

The type of content you have is integral. If your account isn’t based on the adventures of your cat, then refrain from taking too many selfies with her peeping out of your backpack, no matter how cute and tempting it is. Keep pictures of inspirational texts to a minimum and only for appropriate times. Strike a balance between established shot styles (picstiches, #fromwhereistand etc.) and a creative shot of your S.O.’s silhouette in your bedroom curtain.

Insta-Famous

Five rules on how to make it big in the Instaverse

One of Instagram’s notable features at its initial release was the wide range of filters available that improved your mediocre photo. While photo editing is still an integral part of Instagram, filters have gotten a bad rap recently. It’s now for the amateur Instagram blogger, so just stick to an editor like VSCO. Side note, #nofilter should only be used ironically.

The dreaded likes per minute is that stomach churning feeling you get when you keep refreshing your page in the first 20 minutes to see how many likes you get. If it doesn’t break a certain threshold then your picture is destined for Instagram mediocrity. Personally, I’m a strong believer that you shouldn’t concern yourself with such things, but the LPM is the harsh reality for the “instafamous” wannabe.

As a burgeoning Instagrammer, hashtagging is an indispensable way to reach your target demographic. Though be careful to not use hashtags excessively; #food, #foodporn, #delicious, #beef, and that list of 15 you have for that one photo of your dinner is too much.

At the very least, post your hashtags in a separate comment. In a similar vein, don’t write a paragraph to caption your photo because no one likes reading on Instagram.

Engage with the Instagram community! People tend to forget the social aspect of Instagram in that you are encouraged to interact with similar people whom you would otherwise be unable to. Follow accounts that are similar to yours and like or comment on their photos. The discover page is a great place to get started.

Don’t neglect your own followers either! Even if you don’t hit that follow back, take a minute to check out their page and like their media.

24

Lifestyle

www.thesil.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2015

How does that make you feel?

Four McMaster students bravely share their experiences with mental health counselling at the Student Wellness Center.

Mary-Kate MacDonald Contributor

Graham Colby Contributor

Anxiety is the most commonly diagnosed mental illness The among deuniversity manding students environment

of university makes students more susceptible to mental health and wellness issues.

A recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that approximately 30 percent of post-secondary students report having four or more symptoms of augmented stress.

Counselling services are a common and effective method of dealing with mental health issues. Students at McMaster can access personal, group, and psychiatric counselling through the Student Wellness Centre.

While the services are available, the efficacy of these services is rarely questioned publicly due to the stigma of mental health. Here are four accounts from students describing their experiences with the counselling services available at McMaster. Their names have been changed to protect confidentiality.

Emily’s Story Emily had overwhelming feelings of depression 51% of and students

report feeling hopeless

students develop mental 7.5% ofhealth illnesses in school

anxiety that had bottled up over a couple months.

However, she kept putting off going to personal counselling. After finding some spare time, she finally went to the walk-in counselling hours.

“The waiting room was terrifying,” Emily said. She did not know what to expect and was scared she would not be able to articulate her emotions.

With the counsellor, Emily filled out a questionnaire aimed to determine her rationale for using the services. For Emily, the questionnaire was a helpful tool to bring about personal awareness of her emotions, including suicidal thoughts.

Emily described the counsellor as empathetic and understanding.

“The counsellor was a great outlet because she wasn’t there to judge,” said Emily.

Despite this helpful session, Emily realized that due to issues of understaffing, personal counselling services could not adequately address her issue.

Wanting more support, she took the counsellor’s advice and attended group counselling.

Emily was hesitant about group therapy, but she had already developed a rapport with this counsellor, who was running the group entitled “Exploring Anxiety,” so she consistently attended weekly meetings.

She found the environment to be calming and respectful because students were able to choose how much they wanted to share, and could just listen if that is what they wanted.

“I wanted a safe space, and it was,” Emily said of her experience.

Emily is still attending the group and highly recommends it to other students with anxiety issues.

der the influence of alcohol or drugs.

At university, this affected his relationships with others and he decided to make an appointment for personal counselling.

“The phone call was the most intimidating part,” Leo said, adding that he would have preferred an option to email the SWC to make an appointment instead.

Leo said that the stigma of using these services went away after the initial meeting. He realized that it was not a sign of weakness, but strength in trying to create a personal change.

Leo felt that the receptionist assessed his situation as urgent and he obtained an appointment with a counsellor at SWC within a couple days.

Leo felt that the counsellor seemed to genuinely care about his issues. She urged him to book another appointment because she felt there was greater depth to his concerns. Because of the waitlist, his next appointment was in six weeks.

Leo described feeling better during the session, but that the effects were not apparent in his daily life. He asked about how to obtain a diagnosis and was referred to a physician.

Leo made a general 30-minute appointment with a doctor at the SWC and discussed his issues. The doctor established that Leo was experiencing generalized anxiety and depression and referred him to the campus psychiatrist.

The psychiatrist confirmed the initial doctor’s thoughts and also identified a rare personality disorder. As summer approached, the psychiatrist recommended medication.

Leo felt comfortable with the psychiatrist and felt liberated to have a diagnosis.

“It wasn’t just my fault, something was actually wrong.

It wasn’t just that I wasn’t trying hard enough,” Leo said.

Leo said the most beneficial part of the services were that he was able to explore his issues of mental health

Leo’s Story Leo had encountered issues of anxiety in high school.

Most often they were related to having a moral dilemuniversity-aged Canadians ma being will experience a mental around others health problem un-

|

1 4

without getting his parents involved.

Leo would recommend other students who are having mental health issues to explore the services offered through SWC. He described his case as a success, but stressed that the maintenance of good mental health was difficult to achieve with the severely low number of counsellors and long wait times between appointments for personal counselling.

In 2012, Canadian universities reported a 200% increase in demand for counselling services help through all available means.

However, in her opinion, alternative resources can be more beneficial.

The SWC provided an opportunity for Sam to get help. The staff treating her would add appointments to their day to see her. These services and care were made available particularly because of her extreme circumstances.

“You shouldn’t have to be in such a crisis like I was to obtain sufficient services. You shouldn’t need to be in crisis mode to warrant that level of care,” she said.

Sam’s Story During the school year, Sam was suffering from debilitating anorexia. She was hospitalized, and her weight class was too low for her to be accepted into outpatient programs at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Her options were either to be hospitalized or seek help through the SWC and she opted for the latter.

“The frontline staff were really nice but it was an inconsistent service depending on who you had,” Sam said when Ryan’s Story asked about her experience Ryan has feelings of with SWC. anxiety and depression. In Sam felt her confidentiality his first year, Ryan went to was not respected, as she was the campus doctor who not aware that her personal recommended he consult information was being shared his family doctor and take with other counsellors during aspirin. weekly meetings.

Four years later, Her situation remained Ryan went to the SWC serious enough that a doctor at when these emotions SWC was trying to coerce her persisted and he into the hospital. Sam called the was considering Ontario patient rights organisuicide. zation to better understand her options. She compared this experience to being treated like a Continued child with mental health issues on PAGE 25 rather than an adult capable of making her own decisions.

“I was working against the Student Wellness Centre rather than with them.”

Sam would recommend the SWC as she adamantly supports Over 50% of university seeking

students reported overwhelming strss

Lifestyle

Thursday, January 8, 2015

www.thesil.ca

25

Friend Dating 101 Daniella Porano Lifestyle Reporter

The familiar nervous jitters. The incessant rereading of text messages before sending them. The palpable awkwardness of your overly excited hello as you rush pass them on your way to class.

Was that too much?

It definitely was too much.

All of these feelings are often symptoms of the beginning stages of dating or “seeing someone” or whatever label-less emotion-inducing maze that can be best and unfortunately summarized as a “crush.” Sorry about the 90’s and early 2000‘s nostalgia.

I nudged my friend, motioning to my open text message chat, and asked if my question was “too forward.” I was asking my newfound texting buddy to come over to hang out with my group of friends, which was basically an introduction to an already long-established and

extremely dysfunctional family.

Nerve-wracking indeed.

But the thing was, this wasn’t a “crush.” I wasn’t interested in dating or a relationship.

I just wanted to make a new friend, which is precisely when I realized an uncomfortable reality: making friends is very similar to dating.

Most people are familiar with the initial steps of “friend-dating.” First, the friend request on Facebook, otherwise known as the universal language for getting to know someone at a comfortable distance, both impersonal and padded by the online facade of edited profile pictures and overly analyzed comments. While Facebook friend requests don’t necessarily scream best friends forever, the exchange of numbers, often cited for a utilitarian purpose you know, “in case I need to get a hold of you for school,” opens up a new intimacy. Call me old fashioned, but a phone number really means things are getting friendly.

If your conversations go beyond the realm of worrying about the upcoming midterm in your shared class or switching

Counselling at Mac Continued from PAGE 24

After seeing a counsellor, he was referred to the staff doctor.

A routine developed where Ryan would see the doctor bi-weekly, but as time progressed the reception staff informed him he could only make 20-minute same-day appointments. This means that Ryan often goes significant periods of time without seeing a doctor due to scheduling conflicts.

Ryan described the system as incredibly frustrating because there was constant uncertainty while he waited for potential appointments.

“It’s a battle. I can’t understand why I can’t book in advance,” he said. This lack of understanding leaves Ryan feeling as though the staff are discouraging students from seeking help.

Ryan also identifies with the stigma surrounding mental health.

“I don’t mind people knowing I’m sick but I’d rather they don’t look at me as suicidal.”

Despite the struggles and conflicts in trying to receive care, Ryan values discussing his issues medical professional.

Talking to someone on campus is convenient for him but he would like more accessible

services.

Ryan would recommend the services at the SWC and considers himself lucky that the doctor he sees seems to be this caring, because he believes they easily could have disregarded his issues as a medical concern.

Students deserve more: The students interviewed here encountered varying degrees of success through their experience with the SWC. Despite the SWC’s best efforts, it appears their services are strained, because they have to turn people away for weeks or condense serious issues into a 20-minute conversation.

It is not always possible for students to use private services, but the issues of accessibility to SWC services make it difficult to mend issues of mental health at McMaster.

We don’t want to undermine the current efforts on campus, but students need and deserve more.

It is a dangerous game throwing a band-aid on an infected wound and hoping it gets better. Mental health is no different. The damage worsens if left untreated.

shifts at work, you proceed to the next step: casual chatting, often involving a hot beverage so you can avoid eye contact when necessary by taking a well-timed sip.

Once you figure out that you hate the same things, you move on to the “meeting the friends” stage, by inviting them to interact with you at a party or other social event. This is crucial. Can they be cool and have fun with your friends? If the answer is a resounding yes, you’ve found yourself a real keeper.

Then, the last and most important barrier to true friendship: the friend date.

Typically, an exchange over all-you-can-eat sushi or greasy pizza, the friend date solidifies your friendship. Not only have you found someone you can hang out with after class, rely on to go to parties together, and text while waiting for appointments, but someone you who you can enjoy a one-on-one outing with. Not only are

they interesting and fun to be around, but they like good food too. This date makes it official; you have made a new friend, which is a commendable accomplishment because making new friends can be difficult and stressful.

Bonus: sappy drunk texts that may or may not include the possibly

misspelled words, “you’re seriously my best friend.” Maybe in that order, maybe not. But who cares? You’re friends now, and your new friend will be delighted to fill you in on your maybe-not-so-sober love fest.

26

Lifestyle

www.thesil.ca

Thursday, January 8, 2015

New year, same you?

How to make, and actually keep, those New Year’s resolutions

Emile Shen Contributor

Starting is the hardest part

Cut down the number of goals

Set smaller goals and check in

Hold yourself accountable

Share your goals selectively

As quickly as resolutions are made, they seem to be broken.

How can we work on making those dreams into a reality, and unlocking the infinitesimal potential within us?

Newton’s first law of motion applies to setting goals too.

Objects in motion, stay in motion. It’s about that extra force that’s the most difficult part; it requires extra motivation and effort to get your goals started.

That is the most trying part.

Along with the hustle and bustle of day to day life, a long list of resolutions add to the stress.

Whether this is making an effort to be more organized, start volunteering somewhere, go to the gym three times a week, and also preparing healthy meals for yourself – it adds up. If you limit yourself to a couple goals at a time, there is a higher probability that you will find them more achievable. Our cognitive resources are limited, after all.

It may be easy to pick up bad habits but it requires a lot more effort and time to get rid of them. Concrete steps are the bridge that take you from just thinking about something to doing it. If you want to become more fit, find a workout buddy or rent a locker. If you want to quit smoking, don’t go cold turkey. Start by smoking one less cigarette per day, and gradually wean yourself off.

Something unique about humans is our ability to self-delude. It is easy to put things off until later and/or become frustrated at the lack of results.

You can simultaneously embrace the now with a #yoloswag, #carpediem attitude (I’m sorry everybody), that helps you build towards a better future you.

When you tell someone your goal, you receive social acknowledgment and praise for simply setting a goal. At this point, your mind has already tricked itself into believing that you’ve accomplished something, so you become less likely to work for whatever you were aiming for in the first place.

However, when goals are kept to yourself, there is delayed gratification from when you actually work towards achieving them.

Top Ten:

Better work/life balance

Fall in love Read more

Quit smoking

Get organized Save money/ get out of debt Volunteer

Learn something new Drink less Get healthy/fit

Drink less

Most Commonly Made Resolutions

Save money/ get out of debt

Volunteer

Diet/eat better

Be less stressed

Learn something new

Travel Most Commonly Broken Resolutions

Quit smoking

Spend more time with family

Lose weight/get fit

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Thursday, January 8, 2015

The Silhouette

www.thesil.ca

27

The andy E

V SI

U L C EX

Kanye and Paul...

WILL NORTH HAVE TWO DADS?

THIS JUST IN

KANYE ONE MONTH TO LIVE?

KANYE AND PAUL TROUBLE IN PARADISE?

PAUL MCCARTNEY

BREAKOUT

ARTIST?

HOW KANYE TURNED THIS SMALL TOWN SINGER INTO A STAR HIS LONG AND WINDING ROAD TO SUCCESS EBONY AND IVORY? A MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN

28

andy

www.thesil.ca

The Pink Print Nicki Minaj

Keeping up with Coming up in Hamilton

This week’s quick picks

MUSIC

THE CASBAH > Indian Handcrafts > Bump City > Lowell

JAN 12 JAN 15 JAN 17 JAN 18

> Chico Dusty BALTIMORE HOUSE > New Hands > Night Drive > A Night To Dismember > Old Witch

JAN 9 JAN 10 JAN 13 JAN 15

THIS AIN’T HOLLYWOOD > CATL > Jordan Haller > Metal Mondays > Open Stage

JAN 9 JAN 10 JAN 12 JAN 13

MOVIES

WESTDALE > Elsa & Fred > Pride > Boyhood > Citizenfour

NOV 28-DEC 4 NOV 28-DEC 4 NOV 28-DEC 4 NOV 28-DEC 4

MUSEUMS

AGH > Painting Hamilton JUN 28 - JAN 4 Curated by Melissa Bennet

Kanye West “Only One” Despite the media’s intent on portraying him otherwise, Kanye has a lot of love in his heart. “Only One” is a prime example of that.

Ye was supposedly in the studio when he was struck by divine inspiration from his late mother who sang to his baby girl, North, through him. Even more heartwarming is the credit that Yeezy gave to relative unknown, Paul McCartney.

Sources say McCartney was unwittingly plucked off the street and told to improvise on the keyboard. What a result the two were able to achieve. Kanye really brings out the best in everyone.

THE ANDY CHARTS

#

ALBUM TITLE

1

Ferg Forever

2

Black Messiah

3

Sucker

4

The Pinkprint

5

American Intelligence

6

2014 Forest Hills Drive

7

F10RIDA

8

Void

9

Mailbox Money

10

the Arkells playing here...AGAIN

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Sony has its finger firmly on the pulse The year is 2015.

Streaming services have taken over. But Sony is releasing a new, luxury Walkman.

Dubbed the ZX2, the Walkman will retail for $12,00 and is geared towards audiophiles who are willing to pay a premium for highresolution audio.

Yikes.

The Verdict

Jason Woo Lifestyle Editor

When Nicki Minaj announced her third studio album, The Pinkprint, she declared it to be Jay Z’s The Blueprint for female rappers. While the album is by no way a classic, it actually should be seen as the gold standard for a female rapper looking to make it big. It’s not blatantly pop (Iggy’s The New Classic is neither rap nor a classic), and doesn’t feel the need to prove itself, unlike Azealia Banks’ Broke with Expensive Taste.

Minaj has polarized her fans throughout her career. Her mixtapes were great showcases of her hip-hop sensibilities, but were so lyrically aggressive that it came off as a girl trying too hard to join a boys club. Her studio albums represented the other end of the spectrum, as

her ear for pop hooks and playful raps launched her into Top 40 stardom to the dismay of her early fans. The Pinkprint finally lands the sweet spot; it’s a cohesive, if overlong, album about heartbreak where “Super Bass” and Minaj’s verse on “Monster” could coexist.

The most impressive aspect of The Pinkprint is Minaj’s success in pulling together a roster of very different genres, productions, and features. “Feeling Myself ” is a swaggering highlight that sees Beyoncé taking her riskiest dabble in hip-hop. “Get On Your Knees,” featuring Ariana Grande awkwardly smudging her squeaky-clean image, provides subtle commentary on gender expectations in that its sexually aggressive lyrics feel uncomfortable simply because it’s from a woman’s perspective.

“Want Some More” sees Minaj at her most lyrically dexterous and is a great showcase for her ability to move effortlessly

between flows. Then there’s “The Night is Still Young,” a sequel to “Starships” that’s lyrically darker and much catchier than the pandering original.

Surprisingly, her singles contextualized in the album are its weaker tracks. “Pills and Potions” is impersonal when compared to cuts like “Bed of Lies.” “Anaconda” is still only a banger when you’re drunk at a party. “Only,” despite featuring Drake in his most unintentionally hilarious and thirsty verse, is underwhelming when compared to the far superior “Truffle Butter,” which also features Drake and Lil Wayne.

The Pinkprint is the standard for female rappers because it is authentic. Minaj is vulnerable and honest in a genre that demands bravado. She is firmly in control of her presentation as a brand, but also shows that she is more than that. The pink wig is gone, and we’re all the better for it.

the

big tickle What was your favourite film of 2014?

Jaspreet

Alison

“Guardians of the Galaxy.” “Gone Girl. ”

Lauren

“Into The Woods.”

Derek

“Citizenfour.”

Chelsea

“Gone Girl.”

andy

Thursday, January 8, 2015

www.thesil.ca

29

All hell breaks loose in The Hobbit The last installment of the storied Tolkien franchise values Michael Bay-like spectacle over emotional development, but it’s still better than Transformers

Azog the pale orc surverys the tremendous battle that takes place in The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies

The Verdict

Michelle Yeung ANDY Reporter

Six blockbusters, 13 years, and 1031 minutes of accrued running time later, Peter Jackson has concluded his adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works with The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies. We bid a melancholy farewell to Bilbo, the little hobbit with a big taste for adventure, through a variety of spectacular action sequences throughout the film. Unfortunately, these action sequences do not distract from the lack of character development and powerful emotion that fans expected in the concluding chapter of a gargantuan franchise that has become dear to audiences’ hearts across the globe and through generations.

If you have yet to see the

past two films in The Hobbit trilogy, Five Armies is not for you. The film picks up right where it left off in the last movie, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, where the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) has awoken from his slumber and is unleashed upon the civilians of Laketown. What follows is an epic action sequence of fire-breathing and arrow-wielding as Bard the Bowman (Luke Evans) slays Smaug, opening a window of opportunity for dwarves, elves, and men alike to siege Lonely Mountain and the treasures it holds. The dwarves, led by a greed-driven Lord Thorin (Richard Armitage), claim the mountain as their own, setting stage for an epic battle that will determine the fates of many beloved Hobbit characters, and of Middle-earth itself. But when the Orcs, warrior goblins known to be ruthless in battle, are summoned, elves, dwarves, and men

must decide between uniting to fight against their common enemy, or perish alongside each other.

While much of this sounds exciting, the Achilles’ heel of Five Armies is probably its emphasis on spectacle as opposed to context. The film is a cavalcade of action scenes, sparsely dotted with sequences that shine light onto character plot lines.

The character-driven drama that made The Lord of the Rings series so incredible seems lost, with these moments replaced by the brute force of swords clashing in battle. So many loud things are happening simultaneously that even our main character, Bilbo, is cast to the side. There is also an ill-advised attempt at humour in the form of Alfrid (Ryan Gage), a minor character from Laketown, whose cheesy quips and unappealing personality takes up time that could be spent creating more

emotionally powerful scenes – or, really, just time spent on anything else but him.

Still, the action sequences are undoubtedly spectacular.

Even if you have not seen the previous films, watching the ultimate battle of Middle-earth will send chills down your spine.

Armies that were initially in opposition come together to protect each other from the Orcs.

Many main characters, such as Thorin and Legolas (Orlando Bloom), also get their chances to shine as the focus shifts to oneon-one battles and more emotionally driven scenes. The film redeems itself in intermittent touches of emotion, including the forbidden romance between elf warrior Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) and Kili (Aidan Turner), and when Thorin comes to his senses and decides to fight with his fellow dwarves.

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies may not be ground-

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breaking, but is nevertheless a fitting conclusion to the prequel trilogy. Though lacking in character development and flawed in various plot lines, it is a spectacular box-office supernova that is charged and action-packed from start to finish. Despite not focusing on harvesting the emotional potential seen in the earlier series, there will be moments to laugh, moments to cry, and moments to fondly remember Bilbo’s adventures through the three films.

Perhaps it is slightly unfair as The Hobbit trilogy will always be compared to The Lord of the Rings series and, as a result, will live in its shadow. Regardless, audiences of Five Armies will become travelling companions on the final leg of Bilbo’s odyssey, and though the film is not quite a momentous masterpiece, it is a satisfying adieu to our good friend from Middle-earth. @mich_yeung

Find us at either of our locations: Eastgate Square 75 Centennial Pky N, Stoney Creek, ON L8E 2P2 Underground Media + Design McMaster University Student Center 1280 Main St. W., Hamilton, ON, L8S 4S4

andy

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Turning the

pages with andy

Title: Old Masters Author: James King 202 pages Price: $16.80 (paperback)

Alexandra Florescu ANDY Reporter

Sarah Kay makes stories into poetry and poetry into therapy, a war cry for the fallen and a fireplace for the restful. No Matter the Wreckage is a collection of her poems which you may have heard spoken out loud at a poetry slam contest or during her iconic TED Talk. For those who yawn at the mere mention of a poem, Kay will change how you see poetry.

Kay shines a light into all the corners of life that are rough and cracked, the ones most of the rest of us try so hard to hide from. In one of her poems, Kay describes people as boats.

Some of us are battle ships, others rowboats. Some of us are hole-ridden, but we still say we’re only a little banged up.

But all of that doesn’t matter, because “no matter [our] wreckage, there will be someone to

find [us] beautiful.”

She tells tales of love – motherly love, passionate love that consumes you, lingering love for a ghost of someone that has moved on, and unconventional love. In “Hands”, Sarah talks about hands holding hands, hands holding pencils, hands making fists. She says hands are about love, not politics, yet “each country sees its fists as warriors/ and others as enemies, even if fists alone are only hands.”

In a moment of anxiety, Kay frets about the importance of making our actions meaningful now because we don’t know how much time we have left. Which words will be our last, and will they be worth it? What about all of our constant doubt? We are so obsessed with the past and enamoured with the future, that we are surprised when the present has passed us by. “The Paradox” takes a look at our constant worry that there is something better that we could be doing, when really we should

Tomi Milos ANDY Editor

Having taught at McMaster since 1971, King has become a fixture in the English department for his amicable lecturing style and the bevy of works he has published.

Of late, King has been focusing his creative energy on polishing his prose through the release of five novels between 1999 and 2011. King’s latest work, Old Masters, was published Oct. 2014 and finds him toying with a different method of telling what might seem like a fairly conventional story.

The novel is loosely concerned with the artworks of the celebrated Old Masters, European painters who worked before 1800. For those immediately turned off by the prospects of reading a poorly disguised textbook, the book does not concern itself with critical appraisals of the said Masters’ works and shares none of the heft of a stuffy art history course-pack.

Instead, Old Masters boasts a compelling plot that still leaves room for ample introspection over the span of its 202 pages.

The novel’s protagonist is Guy Boyd, a struggling novelist who is surprised to find himself appointed to the task of writing a biography, but is nevertheless encouraged by the hefty advance thrown his way.

In the wake of the death of Gabriel Brown, a famous art dealer who was renowned for be thankful for all the things we did, or at least all the things we knew for sure we didn’t want to do.

In one of my personal favourites, “Hand-Me-Downs”, she compares hatred that makes its way down generations to hand-me-down clothes. At first the clothes fit a little loosely, but as we grow into them they mould to us, become a part of us. And so we are part genetics and part expectation, when maybe we should be a little bit less predetermined and always a size too small for our hand-medowns.

The cover on my copy of No Matter the Wreckage is a drawing of a woman playing an accordion in a boat on choppy waters. Kay is the woman and the accordion her poetry, a dry haven for when the winds become wild and the waters are choppy. Kay should never worry if her last words will be worthwhile, because the words seen in this collection provide reassurance to anyone who reads them.

www.thesil.ca

his ability to find previously undiscovered work by the Old Masters, Boyd is tasked with writing a slim volume concerned with his life. Not much is expected of Boyd, but he immediately becomes frustrated by the lack of any juicy personal details that normally grace the pages of biographies.

Fearful of producing a work with nothing new to say about Brown, Boyd eagerly takes up the offer of Brown’s secretary to move into the late Canadian expat’s London estate. Aside from aiding him in his task of writing the biography, the house also notably succeeds in winning the favour of Boyd’s son Jacob, who begins to look forward to the weekends spent with his father, if only to cavort through the halls with his friends.

While now a different man in the eyes of his son, Boyd is frustrated by the fact that there are no loose ends to follow in his project of fashioning Brown into a more three-dimensional figure. Rendered anxious by the comfortable interviews with Brown’s colleagues that break no new ground and financially bolstered by the generous advance, Boyd revolves to travel to Canada where both he and Brown hail from in the hopes of unearthing new material.

Boyd immediately uncovers a thrilling development. An unsuccessful probe into the University of Toronto archives leads to a chat with one of Brown’s cousins who drops a bomb on Boyd’s biography; the Gabriel Brown seen in obituary photos is not in fact Gabriel Brown.

30

Through further research, Boyd learns that the man in the photos and who built his reputation as one of the world’s foremost dealers is named John Martin, and he was as honest in his dealings as he was about his name.

In his search as to how Martin made such a name for himself, Boyd discovers an unpleasant truth that would shatter the lives of those who thought themselves close to Brown, as well as blow the entire art world into shambles. Equally disgusted with Martin as he is amazed, Boyd now finds himself in a moral quandary: deliver the safe biography his publisher wants, or reveal the truth about Martin’s rise to fame. The struggle to choose becomes an all-consuming one that threatens to break apart Boyd’s carefully forged relationship with his son, and one that highlights the complicated relationship between artist and subject.

No doubt aided in the writing of the novel by his own experience as a biographer, King proves to be up to the task of turning this dual character study into an entrancing page-turner.

King’s prose deftly skirts away from being too flowery while still leaving you with no doubts about the extent of his own education. Taking up a familiar topic in the middle-age crisis, King weaves an interesting metanarrative that is well worth picking up in the event that you have any spare time this semester. @tomimilos

Title: No Matter the Wreakage Author: Sarah Kay 100 Pages Price: $11.51 (paperback)

andy

Thursday, January 8, 2015

www.thesil.ca

31

AWESOME GAMES DONE QUICK 2015

Andy brings you up to speed on one of the biggest gaming events of the year

“

ANDY’S TOP SPEEDRUNS JAN. 8

JAN. 9

JAN. 10

AGDQ’S

DONATIONS

To the Prevent Cancer Foundation

?????

After raising more than $1,000,000 for the Prevent Cancer Foundation in 2014, Awesome Games Done Quick is back, and this time it’s bigger than ever.

For those not in the know, AGDQ is an annual event that kicked off Jan. 4, in which hundreds of gamers get together to fight cancer by playing video games. The only difference is that they play these games really fast.

Created by the people at Speed Demos Archive, AGDQ is a place where “speedrunners” show off their knowledge and technical mastery of some of your favourite video games, all while raising money for charity

everything in the game – something that would normally take 30-40 hours – in less than five hours.

All this will take place between Jan. 4 and 11, totalling a 160-hour stream length that you can tune into now on the video game streaming site Twitch via the “Games Done Quick” channel. While much of the marathon is exciting and sometimes bewildering to watch, what makes the event so incredible is that it is doing all of this for a good cause.

Like many fans, I’m excited to see AGDQ top $1,000,000 once again, proving that even a small, passionate community of gamers can do some pretty incredible things.

$1,031,1 89.00

Michael Gallagher Asst. ANDY Editor

What started off with 20 people full-length game beaten faster With over 150 games across in AGDQ organizer Mike than you can order a pizza, but the span of the marathon, Uyama’s basement back in 2010 that’s what makes AGDQ so exviewers are offered more than has quickly evolved into a 600 citing. It quickly becomes easy enough selection, as the event person event that has attractto find yourself engrossed in features a variety of genres and ed the attention of more than all the marathon has to offer, as game types. As such, these 100,000 consistent viewers in the limits to which these times runs are not just limited to oldthe span of only five years. school games from decades Despite all of this, I’m ago; even newer titles like sure to some reading this, Dark Souls II, a game known the idea of “speedrunfor its crushing difficulty, are It quickly becomes easy to ning” a video game might already lined up to be comfind yourself engrossed in sound like a strange form pleted at an astonishing rate of competition – let alone all the marathon has to offer, during the marathon. something that could be While there are clearly as the limits to which these entertaining – but the exciting games to choose times are pushed seems times these gamers have from, such as the four person achieved shows off what of Goldeneye on the practically endless, bringing race makes the event so great.

N64, or the two person 100 Games that would normal- the “how did they do that?” percent completion race of ly be completed in several Super Metroid, to me the factor at an all-time high. hours like the classic Meevents finale is the one game gaman are expected to only you just can’t miss. Closing take 25 minutes, while hugely are pushed seems practically off the entire marathon is a 100 successful puzzle-platformer, endless, bringing the “how did percent completion of the clasPortal, will be finished in 18 they do that?” factor at an allsic The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina minutes or less. It’s rare to see a time high. of Time that manages to collect

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 100% - 9:05 P.M. (estimated time – 4:50:00)

TUNE IN AT

TWITCH.TV/GAMESDONEQUICK

$500 000

2015

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask - 5:55P.M. – (estimated time 1:40:00)

Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! -1:00 P.M. (estimated time 27:00)

2014

Super Metroid 100% Race- 5:55 P.M. – (estimated time 1:30:00)

$448,4 23.27

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past - 4:20:00 P.M. – (estimated time 1:20:00)

2013

Pokemon Red/ Blue -10:05 A.M. (estimated time 30:00)

Goldeneye 4 person race9:45 A.M. – (estimated time 30:00)

$149,0

Metroid Prime -10:45 A.M. (estimated time 1:55:00)

2012

Portal - 9:55 A.M. (estimated time 18:00)

44.99

$1 000 000

THURSDAY

WORLD JUNIORS M illions watch teenagers play hockey to briefly forget their own lack of ambition S1

HAMILTON SPECULATOR FEEDING YOUR CHLOEPHOBIA SINCE 1934

NOTSPEC.COM

JANUARY 8, 2015

Province ressurects archaic laws NEW (OLD) LAWS 36.25: Man shall not lay with squash as one does with other vegetables of substantial girth.

To prevent new world crimes, Ontario is reinstating old world laws

TIBERIUS SLICK Pro-hibition

Frustrated with legal loopholes that let criminals freely walk the streets, the province has had enough.

As of January 1, 2015, provincial legislators have reinstated a se-

ries of 76 laws that were ended as far back as decades before Confederation.

As a service to the public, we have outlined several laws that may be accidently broken by any who do not carefully read through the new charter.

SPEC ON THE STREET ASKS: What is your New Year’s resolution?

SECTION

DESCRIPTION

12.1

Consuming eggs in public on Thursdays shall be punishable by total confiscation of furs owned by the violator(s).

17.16

Any congregation of teenagers greater than six individuals shall be chaperoned by the local comptroller or deputy sherrif.

37.9

Parody and/or satire shall be outlawed for all intents and purposes save for tasteful editorial cartoons disparaging the Tories.

102.0-5

The following articles are now legal to own in the eyes of the Crown: - suggestive doilies - firearms for the purposes or revenge or vengeance - Devil’s Lettuce

103.0-8

The following articles are now illegal to own in the eyes of the Crown: - an air of confidence - Senators season passes

JAMES TRAWLEY Photography Intern

Syrup cartel threatens new doc Major Canadian maple manufacturer opposes release of upcoming exposé “Sticky Business” GERARDE PAUL Poor Sap

Canadians will soon witness the darker side of a national treasure, or perhaps not, if strongarm tactics win this day.

A documentary slated for release this Sunday “Sticky Business,” aims to shed light on the working conditions and monopolization of an oft-forgotten industry, maple syrup production but has been delayed due to violent threats levied against the film’s producer.

“I got a cryptic letter letting me know the boiling point of tree sap, and the point at which human skin begins to slip off of musculature,” said doc producer Leon Rett.

“It just emboldens me in my mission to let the world know how viscous this syrup cartel really is.”

INSIDE OH SNAP HITS HAMILTON: BRACE FOR BITING WORDS A3 CALENDAR MISPRINTS HIT RECORD HIGH IN JUANUARY A7 I’M OTTAWA LOVE, I’M SO LOST WITHOUT YOU C2 RENTING A CROP DUSTER IS APPARENTLY NOT THE BEST WAY TO HACK THE CLOUD C6 PER ISSUE: A new season of Friends.

INCL. HST, PST & no mash-ups.

CARL, 84

JESSICA, 23

PAUL, 37

NATALIE, 31

“To hit fewer vagrants with my car. And more with my fists.”

“For Kyle to realize what he’s missing out on.

Hashtag single four now.”

“For more people around me to notice how well I dress. Obscurity is death.”

“To go to the gym at least twice before losing my drive.”

Disclaimer: The Hamilton Speculator is a work of satire and fiction and should not under any circumstances be taken seriously. Unless you’re into that sort of thing. Then do what you want. I’m not your dad. Or am I?