InsideOut gets crafty with the B sides.

Andy explores the history of zines

see page B10

see page C6

McMASTER UNIVERSITY'S STUDENT NEWSPAPER / THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

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CAW and university reach agreement SELMA AL-SAMARRAI

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

CAW Local 555, Unit 1 and the University have reached an agreement, eliminating the possibility of an administration strike. CAW Local 555 Unit 1 represents 2200 staff at McMaster University, which include the administrative and technical

support staff. Negotiations over the renewed contract began around April of 2009. Aug. 20 marked the end of the 21 days of negotiations where the university presented a final offer to the union. The union rejected the final offer with a 62 per cent vote on Sept. 2. This vote was followed by four consecutive days of negotiations on Sept. 16, 17, 18 and 21.

These negotiations lead to a tentative agreement where both sides of the bargaining table had to take the tentative agreement back to get an approval. CAW Local 555 Unit 1 took the tentative agreement back to the membership, who voted Sept. 29 and ratified the agreement with a 78 per cent vote in favour. The university took the agreement back to the remunerations committee,

which agreed to the tentative agreement. Items which were not involved in the dispute at the time of the final offer were not changed in the final agreement. Farquhar estimated those to be about 95 per cent of the contract. Some of the changes that were offered in

VOLUME 80, NO. 7

Former Mac student gets 14 year sentence Saad Gaya pleads guilty to Toronto 18 terrorist plot

• PLEASE SEE MAJORITY, A3 SELMA AL-SAMARRAI

Welcoming powwow showcases culture and traditional dance at 20th celebration of MFNSA

WILL VAN ENGEN/ PHOTO EDITOR

Tory Fisher (left) of Nipissing and Garry Sault (right), an elder of the Port Credit Mississauga Nation perform the traditional men’s dance at the celebration of the 20th anniversary of McMaster’s First Nations Student Association. For full story, see B7.

SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

A former McMaster University Science student, Saad Gaya, plead guilty on Sept. 28 to his involvement in the terrorist group, the Toronto 18. According to The Toronto Star, Gaya was a part of the Toronto 18 between March 1, 2006 and his arrest in May 2006. When Gaya was arrested, he was unloading 125 bags of ammonium nitrate, each 25 Kg, from a truck into a Newmarket storage facility where he and Saad Khalid, a fellow participant in the Toronto 18, were using the warehouse to store bomb-making fertilizer. The arrest was part of a massive police sweep which lead to the arrest of 14 men and four youths. Seven of those have had their charges stayed or were released on peace bonds, seven other are expected to stand in trial next year. The members of the Toronto 18 were reportedly connected with what federal authorities say was a plot to detonate a series of bombs in November 2006 in downtown Toronto and at an unnamed military base. Khalid was the first participant of the terrorist group to admit to the existence of a bombing plot and was sentenced to 14 years in jail after pleading guilty in May of 2009. Gaya is the fourth of the Toronto 18 terrorist group to be convicted. According to The Globe • PLEASE SEE GAYA, A5

Mental health facility to be built at St. Joseph’s

New facility will offer new job opportunities for McMaster students

LILY PANAMSKY

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

A plan for the construction of a new mental health facility at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton has recently been released. The current St. Joseph’s mental health facility, formally known as the Hamilton Psychiatric Hospital, will be completely renovated into this new facility. Construction is expected to begin in 2011 and to be completed

in 2014. The goal of the new facility is to reflect the changing views of mental illness and extend medical services to both inpatients—those who require in-hospital services— and outpatients—those who do not need to stay in the hospital. The facility is set to have 301 beds, but a greater emphasis will be placed on providing clinical service to outpatients. Some technologies the facility will offer

The McMaster football team falls to the Laurier Golden Hawks. Sports, B1

Inside the Sil this week

Hamilton Civic League. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Feature: Canadian Politics. . . . . . . . . . . . . Women’s March . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Balsillie’s Blunder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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diagnostic imaging, MRI scans, and ultrasounds. Funding for the project is given by the provincial government, which has been committed to investing in the redevelopment of psychiatric hospitals in Ontario. Dr. Robert Zipursky, chair of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, vice-president of the Mental Health and Addiction Services, and chief of psychiatry at St. Joseph’s Hospital, stated, “We want to build a hospital in a way that reflects the changing views of mental illness, that is, these are no longer rare illnesses that are untreatable… it’s important to psychiatry that psychiatric illnesses are treated as no different than any other type of medical illness; they just happen to involve the brain.” Dr. Zipursky quoted that as many as one out of two adults will have a significant mental illness at some point in their adult career, and one out of five children will have a mental illness during their child life. As McMaster University and St. Joseph’s Hospital are affiliated with each other, both undergraduate and graduate McMaster students will have the

PHOTO C/O ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL

Conceptual renderings for the new mental health facility at St. Joseph’s hospital in downtown Hamilton. opportunity to engage in research and work at the new mental health facility. Dr. Zipursky explained: “The department of psychiatric and behavioural neuroscience from the medical school is actually based at that hospital. That’s where our home office is and that’s where the majority of our department sits, including most of our educational

Leafs Season. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A7 Speculator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A12 Women’s Rugby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Human Rights. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7

and research activities. And that’s where nursing students, medical students, social work [students], psychology [students]— undergraduate and graduate students—[will be] doing clinical work as well as research.” “It is very much a joint McMaster-St. Joseph’s effort in our psychiatry department.”

Summer Jobs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B8 Polanski’s arrest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C4 The Fame Review. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C8 Jian Ghomeshi. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C12

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Newsbites

Compiled By Jennifer Bacher and Lily Panamsky

THE SILHOUETTE • A3

Trevor Cole hosts ‘Writers in Res’

A hacking monster London’s Metropolitan Police recruitment website was hacked. The hackers posted a picture of a cuddly toy on the websites front page. Beneath the picture of the green striped toy they added a taunting comment. The comment said, “OH HAI GUYS do joo wanna bes a policeman lulz? I see that the so15 anti-terrorism anti-lulz police are hiring more incompetent nervy edgy sociopaths to make London’s streets just that little bit safer!” A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police recruitment said they were aware of the hack and the message was later removed. You’ve got mail – and possibly an STD The Brazilian Health Ministry has created a website which enables individuals to inform their partners that they’ve got a sexually transmitted disease through an e-mailed virtual postcard. The official in charge of the ministry’s STD and AIDS programs noted that many people have a hard time telling partners they are infected. Man attacks roommates after finding soda can A man was allegedly upset after finding a soda can in his room. He assumed that someone had entered his room without his knowledge. He then proceeded to use a sword to poke holes in the closed door of a room where his two roommates fled and managed to cut one under his right armpit, and the other on his shoulder. Michael Angel Zamago was imprisoned on Friday on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to family violence. Shooting two birds with one stone Some of the inmates at a British prison have been caught using hand-sanitizing gel to get drunk. The gel had been distributed around the prison to stop the spread of the swine flu virus. The prison has now banned inmates from using it. Grab-n-Go, not just selling coffee Washington state baristas who asked customers to touch their breasts and buttocks at an espresso stand where servers wear bikinis to draw business were charged Wednesday with prostitution. The Washington Everett Herald newspaper reported the women were charging up to 80 dollars to strip down while fixing lattes and mochas. During a twomonth investigation, detectives also saw the women lick whipped cream off each other and pose naked for pictures. Police have received more than 40 complaints in the past year of women exposing themselves at the coffee stand. Zoo officials defend elephant statue Officials at the Calgary Zoo say an elephant statue modeled after a Hindu god will stay right where it is. Concerned Christians Canada sent a letter to zoo officials asking that the sculpture be removed. The group says that such religious symbols are inappropriate. Graham Newton, a zoo official, said the statue is dedicated to honouring Asian culture because it is set up near the Asian elephant enclosure. He also said that there have only been a handful of complaints, and that most zoo patrons like the statue.

PHYLLIS TSANG / ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

Trevor Cole, pictured above, will speak to eager student writers on campus on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. LINDSAY JOLIVET INSIDEOUT EDITOR

Journalist, satirist, and novelist Trevor Cole was recently welcomed by the English Department at McMaster University as the 2009 Mabel Pugh Taylor Writer in Residence. Cole will be on campus Tuesdays and Wednesdays this term to help beginning writers with their creative endeavors, and he expressed excitement for the manuscripts to start arriving. “I get a kick out of meeting other writers that are enthusiastic about what they are doing,” he stated. Currently, Cole explains

he is waiting anxiously for students to approach him. He has received a few phone calls so far, but has not had a chance to read any writing. Judging from the experience of past writers in residence, Cole noted that it usually takes some time for writers to become aware that someone is available and take advantage of that opportunity. When he begins to work with writers, Cole plans to read over their work in advance and advise them based on their individual goals, pointing out the aspects of their writing in which they are succeeding, and where they need work. “There’s always something to learn,” he held, “Writing is a

very creative pursuit, but there are technical issues involved with it.” He compared the task of refining writing skills to a painter mixing paints, or a photographer learning to use a camera. Even Cole himself needed to learn when he began writing creatively. He had been working as a journalist for years before he wrote his first novel, Norman Bray in the Performance of His Life, and found that when he began to work with his editor, she pointed out some aspects of creative writing he had overlooked. “That was something I needed to learn, and that’s something I can point out to other people,” he disclosed.

Civic league created in Hamilton SELMA AL-SAMARRAI SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

A new non-partisan civic league has been created in Hamilton. The Hamilton Civic League was officially announced and launched in the city of Hamilton the night of Sept. 30. It is a citizen-led and nonprofit organization whose purpose is to make a significant change in municipal voting within the city of Hamilton. The last municipal election was in 2006 where 37 per cent of the citizens went out and voted. The league hopes to change this low voter turn out through determining the reasons for the decreasing number of votes, creating an area for members to discuss and learn political issues, and to ultimately create a significant increase in the next November 2010 municipal election. Larry Pomerantz, the Chair of the Hamilton Civic League, explained, “Our main goal is to increase voter turn out at the next municipal election. Ultimately, the plan is people aren’t voting…we understand that some of the issues are related to poverty, levels of literacy, apathy… either reason, they’ve given up. We want informed, empowered and engaged voters coming out. We have a big task ahead of us to bring people up to speed… We need to find out why people aren’t voting, we need to address that issue and convince

TERRY SHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Larry Pomerantz, pictured above, speaks at the Hamilton Civic League launch event on Sept. 30. people that there’s an urgency and value in their effort to become informed and to vote.” The Hamilton Civic League launching event held on Sept. 30 revealed the plan and then the first working meeting commenced. Pomerantz explained that this league will not be a temporary initiative, and is composed of four board of directors who are committed to this cause. Pomerantz further elaborated that they will be using every communication medium to deliver their initiative to the community, “Right now we have a legal non-

profit status, we have a website, a privacy policy, a membership form, a Facebook account, a Twitter account, and we are going to make use of everything at our disposal to reach out the to the community… We have to get face to face with people and really find out how many degrees of separation there are in this community.” Pomerantz explained that in March 2009, he visited the Guelph Civic League and that visit incited his interest in creating one in Hamilton. Since the Hamilton Civic League is non-partisan, it will

Majority of CAW vote for new deal

Canadian clown launches into orbit Founder of Cirque du Soleil, world poker star, and billionaire Guy Laliberté became the first Canadian space tourist on Sept. 30. He is headed to the International Space Station on the Russian Soyuz rocket. He is only Russia’s seventh space tourist. The 12-day trip is costing him 35 million dollars. But his trip is not all leisure. He plans to begin the promotion of a clean water campaign from space. Complaints against flammable bras for the Swedish army Women in the Swedish army are complaining that the bras the Swedish Conscription Council administers are very flammable and easy to unhook, thus rendering them inappropriate for combat. Several female soldiers in the LV 6 military base have joined together to outwardly voice their concerns.

Cole provided two pieces of advice from which he felt all beginning writers could benefit. Firstly, he suggested writers read a lot of the type of writing they want to produce to become familiar with the style and form. His second piece of advice is to not start writing too soon. “People sometimes dive into writing without really knowing what they’re writing about,” he stated, adding that it is very clear when someone’s writing is just “feeling its way,” without purpose in mind. Readers “want to know that they are in good hands, that they’re going to be taken somewhere,” expressed Cole, who does not begin writing until he has a clear image of his characters in mind. He was sure to note that beginning writers could be any age, which lends nicely to the point that the Writer in Residence program is open to members of the Hamilton community outside of McMaster. During the 60 per cent of time allotted to his own writing, Cole is working on his third novel, a dark and comic work written from the perspective of a female main character. Once he finishes this novel, he will be writing a screenplay adaptation of Norman Bray in the Performance of His Life. This versatile artist is excited to begin work on his first screenplay to be produced. Writers seeking feedback on their stories are able to schedule a meeting on a Tuesday or Wednesday, and are expected to provide Cole with a hard copy of the manuscript a week in advance.

not support any specific political candidates and will rather create a forum to discuss various political issues and to stress the importance of getting the public informed and interested in the political issues. “We’re a large community with different interests. It is going to be very complicated to come to a consensus on the issue. The one thing to say is everybody needs to be voting, everybody needs to be informed, empowered and engaged, if they’re not, they are doing their community a disservice.” The Hamilton Civic League is open to the general public in Hamilton.

Venezuelan former mayor to visit Mac SELMA AL-SAMARRAI SENIOR NEWS EDITOR

TERRY SHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Members of the CAW bargaining team. From left to right: Matthew Root, Beth Couchman, and Barry Diacon.

• CONT’D FROM A1 the tentative agreement include the pension plan. The university’s final offer, which was the group Registered Retirement Savings plan for future employees, was abandoned and now the arbitration Man sentenced to 18 months in process has been changed to an prison for stealing a hot dog interest arbitration, which enables An American man stole a hot dog the arbitrator to choose a solution in from another man in the park after between the two opposing positions. apparently flashing a gun and ate The university’s proposal the evidence. Police later caught that future employees contribute him with mustard stains on his shirt. to the cost that funds their postHe was then arrested. retirement benefits was abandoned

after the final offer was rejected. This was changed to a premium co-pay system with a higher contribution to the fund from the university for successively greater years of employee service. Regarding the job evaluation process, many changes were made following the rejection of the final offer. The changes include providing more guarantees that the current job evaluation system be maintained, that the members of the union would be provided adequate information to

protect the members’ interests, and that in the case of an error in a job evaluation, members are provided for an opportunity to review with a joint union/ management panel. No changes were made to ‘Rule of 80’ which determines the benefit levels and a maintained language to give members of the union a choice in the use of future pension plan surpluses. The full document of ratification highlights is available on the CAW website. The term of agreement runs from June 16, 2009 to Aug. 21, 2012.

Julio Chavez, the former mayor of the municipality of Pedro Leon Torres in the capital of Carora in Venezuela, will be speaking at McMaster University, on Thurs. Oct. 8. Julio Chavez’s great achievement as mayor was the participatory democratization of the municipality that was achieved during the three-year term he served as mayor. The participatory democratization of the municipality of Pedro Leon Torres was the first successful one in the country of Venezuela. The city of Carora is a very populated one, with a large percentage of poverty. In 2004, when Chavez became mayor, he focused on the development of a participatory democratic system within the municipality in order to create equality among the citizens of the city. He began by recruiting spokespeople who questioned many individuals within the city of Carora as to what kind of municipality they • PLEASE SEE STELCO, A5

A4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Minority governments on the Hill

Little progress has been made in Ottawa with the current House

C

oalitions, proroguing of Parliament and minority governments make for great news yet little progress. What has changed between now and Canada’s previous minority government in 1972 under Pierre Elliot Trudeau? Will we be going to the polls this fall, and more importantly, is a fall election even possible? Monday’s move by the Liberals for a non-confidence vote may be just yet another move in a drawn out chess-match between Canada’s current leader and opposition, but will Thanksgiving tables be filled with talks of an election or will it be politics as usual in Ottawa when the turkey is carved? To get you up to date and prepare yourself for the questions ahead, The Silhouette will try and give you a leg up on who’s got the leg up in Ottawa. PAIGE FABER / FEATURES EDITOR How we got to where we are today started when minority government seemed to go on a hiatus from 1974, until Paul Martin’s Liberals won the first minority election in 25 years in 2004. Following this, a minority federal government has seemed to be a recurrent theme. After the Martin government, Harper took over in 2006 with another minority, ending a 12 year Liberal rule. Harper’s Conservatives were the longest running uninterrupted minority in Canadian history, in power for 937 days. This lasted until Harper triggered another Peter H. Russell, Professor Emeritus at University of election in Oct. 2008. After this election, Harper returned Toronto explains minority government. with another minority, the Liberals appointed a new leader, Michael Ignatieff and now Canada is faced with another non-confidence vote. Further, Montreal MP Denis Coderre’s government this minority government would not have been a resignation from his position as the Liberal Party’s Quebec problem. Proportional Representation (PR) is where the seats Lieutenant has been likened to “a political suicide bomb” in the House of Commons reflect the votes more directly, as against Ignatieff and may shape up another change in the opposed to granting one winner in the First Past the Post system leadership of the Liberal Party. (also called Single Member Plurality) that we currently use in During the last session of Parliament, the members Canada, where the winner simply has more votes than any of the opposition parties, Stéphane Dion of the Liberal other individual party. Russell said that with PR, a minority Party, and Jack Layton of the NDP, signed an agreement in government is the norm, and governments need to cooperate December 2008 with the support of Gilles Duceppe of the and to work together in order to achieve any action. This idea Bloc Quebecois to attempt to defeat Harper’s is supposed to be more representative of all of minority government. the political groups in the House of Commons, A few days later, Harper went to It appears only to and could give a little bigger voice to parties Governor General Michäelle Jean to suspend the Green Party, NDP, and Independents. be a trend of the like (prorogue) parliament for about a month This system is, however, criticised for being (it resumed in late January), a move which past several years more time consuming because it would take avoided a confidence vote in the House which to have a minority longer for decisions to pass in the House of would have toppled Harper’s government. This Commons. Russell said that many people like move on Harper’s part was followed by much government that the Proportional Representation idea because criticism from Duceppe, Layton, and Dion, the is less stable that they feel that it could encourage cooperation coalition that thought that Harper had lost the minority govern- in the House and more encourage holistic right to govern. representation of Canadians. In March 2009 Dion decided to step ments traditionally Minority governments have not always down as Liberal leader, and a Liberal leadership been as unstable as the minority governments were.” race began. Both Duceppe and Layton praised in the last five years. Historically, there were Dion’s decision. Michael Ignatieff, Bob Rae, minority governments in Canadian federal and Dominic LeBlanc were in the running for the new Liberal elections in 1962, 1963, 1965, 1972 and 1979. Pearson’s leadership. Ignatieff took the position as interim leader in minority government won over the NDP in 1963-65 and 65-68 January, and at the Liberal Leadership Convention in May, and made significant expansion of Canadian social programs. his position was officially ratified. Also, Trudeau’s minority government in 1972-1974 made a According to Peter H. Russell, University of Toronto significant difference in the lives of Canadians. Trudeau’s Professor Emeritus, the major problem as to why minority government nationalized the health care plan with the support governments are not working now is because the Members of the rest of the House. It appears only to be a trend of the of Parliament “don’t have a plan B.” The main point that past several years to have a minority government that is less Russell made, when addressing a fourth year political science stable than minority governments traditionally were. seminar at McMaster University on Tuesday Sept. 29, was When asked the reasons why the recent minority that the leaders now are all banking on a majority and will governments are more unstable than the minority governments not comment on their plans for another minority government. in the 1970s, Russell said, “technically we had two, Trudeau’s Russell said that it is important for the parties to have a and Clarks. Trudeau’s worked well... he had a house leader, backup plan, because it is looking like another minority is who could work well with the NDP leader David Lewis, and in Canada’s future. Russell knows that the parties need to be they had a good way of working together on policy. It would more realistic when addressing their plans for the upcoming last as long as they wanted it to last. It lasted until the Liberals session in Parliament and only planning for a majority is not smelled a majority, so they put cheese in the trap; it seems like being realistic. this is what Harper thinks now, that he can get a majority.” Another problem that Russell noted was that What’s next? Russell went on to say that people need Canadian politics has sometimes reduced the Governor to ask the leaders what their “plan B” is, and who will they General to a “rubber stamp.” He also said it is important that be prepared to cooperate with. It is important, said Russell, the Governor General act as a referee and not just approve to ask leaders, “how are you going to keep Canadians from whatever it is that the Prime Minister requests; meaning a full going to the polls? And how are you going to make a minority deliberatation of her options before coming to a decision. government work if you don’t get [the majority] that you A third problem that Russell talked about was the want?” Russell stressed that a minority government again, is idea that if Proportional Representation was the system of very realistic for Canada. SUPPLIED PHOTO

MEAGHAN WALTON / THE FULCRUM

WILL VAN ENGEN / PHOTO EDITOR

CLAUDE BOUCHER / GNU COPYRIGHT

Stephen Harper, Michael Ignatieff, Gilles Duceppe and Jack Layton are the four leaders that make up the parties legislating in the House of Commons.

CHAD YONG / THE MUSE

THE SILHOUETTE • A5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Titles raises money for breast cancer LILY PANAMSKY

penny beyond our costs for the shirts is going to the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation,” he Titles Bookstore has partnered added. Printing and shipping are up with 21 other universities also deducted from the amount across Canada to raise funds donated. In working together for the Canadian Breast Cancer and buying the shirts in bulk, the Foundation. universities are able to save money, The 22 universities are thereby increasing the amount selling black and that will be donated pink breast cancer to the foundation. t-shirts at their Each university is respective campus committed to selling Basically every approximately one bookstores for ten dollars Canadian, thousand shirts single penny plus tax, throughout beyond our costs during the month, the month of October said Lefebvre. for the shirts is 2009. October A l t h o u g h is Breast Cancer going to the Cana- Titles has been Awareness Month. participating in such dian Breast Cancer a fundraiser for “ ‘ T h e foundation.” shirt, the cause, the several years now, it day’ was the quote has recently added that came out of consideration to the their brainstorming fact that students session,” said Mark Lefebvre, often buy the shirt but refrain from book operations manager of Titles. wearing it. A new incentive to Lefebvre explained that the t-shirts wear the shirt has therefore been were designed to mimic the style of incorporated into the bookstore’s concert tour t-shirts, with the names discount policy. Anyone wearing of participating universities on the the shirt when in Titles is also back of the shirt. “The concept entitled to a ten per cent discount is that ‘I was part of something on the books displayed on the pink that was bigger than my local feature table in the bookstore. community; this is across Canada.’” Titles released its “Basically every single new merchandise last week, in ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

PHOTO C/O TITLES BOOKSTORE

Pictured above are all the items being sold at McMaster’s Titles Bookstore to donate to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. preparation for Oct. 1. Select items are now displayed in the centre isle of the bookstore. Lefebvre has revealed that sales are already high, and that “it tends to ramp up through the month of October, as more and more media start talking about the importance of breast cancer.” Lefebvre maintained high hopes for McMaster students. “We do know that people on campus

tend to pick up good causes and they tend to feel good about supporting something like this.” The other universities participating in the awareness program are Brock University, Concordia University, University of Toronto, Queen’s University, University of Calgary, Ryerson University, Vancouver Island University, University of British

Columbia, University of Victoria, Grant MacEwan University, University of Manitoba, McGill University, Mount Royal University, University of Western Ontario, Guelph University, University of Saskatchawan, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Alberta, University of Waterloo, Thompson Rivers University and York University.

Mac research reveals inequality in the workplace MELANIE FERRIER THE SILHOUETTE

A recent study conducted at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University has revealed that an employee’s financial wealth and level of education affects the level of employer supported training that’s provided in their job. In addition, among the low-wage and less educated workers, women are significantly less likely than men to receive training. After a year of studying the proportional differences related to job training, Gordon Cooke of Memorial University,

Isik Zeytinoglu of the DeGroote School of Business, and McMaster PhD student James Chowhan have published their findings in the July 2009 issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income. The paper, named “Barriers to training access” is based on the Workplace and Employee Survey, which started in 1999 and concluded in 2006. The survey uncovers significant proportional differences in access to training, especially among more vulnerable workers. Chowhan summarizes: “When we… begin to look at these more vulnerable groups – lowwage, less-educated, non-union –

[a] lower proportion of women are being trained than the proportion of men.” It is important to note, however, that the apparent difference is not related to discrimination. As Cooke pointed out, the study focused on the “unlucky half” of society – the low-wage, lessemployed, non-unionized half. “It so happens that, unfortunately, females are more prevalent in the unlucky half. That’s why the gender gap materialized. It’s not to say that McDonalds gives less training to females than males. It’s that there is this segregation that is going on in society, where those who are lower

educated and in low-wage jobs are, unfortunately, more likely to be female than male.” Though the authors of this study were obliged to remain neutral for their research, they were willing to speak about possible policy solutions. According to Cooke, sensitivity training is not the answer, “If it was simply [a case of] me being a goat and giving training to you and not to you, then I’m the problem. But the problem is bigger than that.” Due to the fact that the problem is social rather than individual, these authors suggest incentives that would encourage

employers to increase their training budgets, distribute their training more uniformly, and ensure that more vulnerable workers have access to that training. Chowhan pointed out that McMaster students are obligated to “be aware that differences exist.” He also encouraged future decisionmakers to ensure that “they are spreading the opportunities equally.” Chowhan noted that vulnerable workers were likely to accept training when it was offered. “[They] are also trying to do the best that they can do when given the opportunity; however, they are given less opportunity, less access.”

Gaya pleads guilty Women’s march against

PHOTO C/O HAMILTON SPECTATOR

Saad Gaya, pictured above, plead guilty to participation in the Toronto-18 terrorist plot.

• CONT’D FROM A1 and Mail, in a post-arrest interview with the police, Gaya explained that the reason of his actions were, “To fix the situation right now, you know, in Afghanistan and stuff,” the bombs were to send a message to, “the Canadians there… tell them it’s not their job, they should leave.” The Toronto Star reported that Paul Slansky, Gaya’s lawyer, said that Gaya believes his jail term is warranted. Slansky added that Gaya has already spent more than three years in custody, including 14 months in isolation. It was also claimed that Gaya had intended to plead guilty for sometime and other guilty pleas in the case did not affect his decision. Gaya is to attend a three-day hearing from Dec. 21 to Dec. 23, followed by a sentencing on Jan. 6 in a Brampton Court.

violence in Hamilton

Venezuelan politician speaks at Mac • CONT’D FROM A3 desired, and then delivering back the citizens’ opinions. The creation of communal councils resulted from this democratic endeavour. There are several communal councils, each consisting of about 200 to 400 families, who have sessions through the year. Communal councils organize committees, which are in charge of several aspects of the city’s infrastructure. Members of the communal council are assigned to different committees including the committees for housing, schooling, roads, transportation, and banking and accounting. Once decisions and changes are made, the communal towns may communicate their plans with each other. The mayor’s main job is to just collect the taxes and distribute it to the communal councils. Sorger is involved in the upcoming visit of Julio Chavez. Sorger is of Venezuelan origin and explained what he observed in his last visit to Venezuela, “I was there in Carora this year… and this is really exhilarating, it’s something that’s happening and it’s not just enthusiasm, it really is working. People are getting their houses and are participating.” Sorger explained, “In the third world in particular, what

you have very frequently is a small group of people that control everything for the vast majority. It’s a new kind of socialism - it’s not top down; it’s bottom up.” The Bachelor of Health Sciences program, which sends students abroad for about three months a year, are discussing the possibility of going to Carora in the upcoming year due to the specific medical system that exists in the communal councils. “In Venezuela they have a system of medical attention which is a very exciting for anyone who wants to become a medical doctor,” said Sorger. “Each neighbourhood has a medical doctor who is actually living there with an apartment usually on top of or next to their clinic. In addition there are people in the communal council who are assigned to the doctor and the doctor works with them. [Their jobs include] doing a lot of things, educating people, bringing people, giving injections, it depends on their training and they can get a lot more if they want. Public education is a big thing in Venezuela.” The program has yet to decide whether Carora, Venezuela will be the next location for Health Science students.Julio Chavez’s presentation will be open to the general public.

JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH / SILHOUETTE STAFF

The “Take Back the Night” women’s march against violence took place on Sept. 24 and garnered the involvement of approximately 300 women. KARA MCGOWEN THE SILHOUETTE

On Sept. 24, hundreds of women gathered at the McMaster University Downtown Centre for the common purpose of ending violence against woman in a women and children only march called “Take Back the Night”. The idea for the march first began in the 1976 in the United States and has become a global event since.“The idea was that women wanted to go back onto the streets and reclaim them and say ‘No we aren’t going to stay home, we’re going to make the streets safe and take back the night,’” said Lenore Lukasik-Foss, director of the Sexual Assault Center and organizer of Take Back the Night. Although men were not allowed to take part in the march itself, they were welcomed at a talk on violence against women held at the Sky-Dragon Community

Centre.

Lukasik-Foss explained the importance of events that raise this issue, “Violence against women is a sad reality and we want to come out and talk about it…and just raise the issue”. Among the 300 plus women who attended the march were various student groups including members from the McMaster Student Health Education Centre (SHEC) and McMaster students taking Women Studies. Also in attendance were Mohawk Collage students from the Human Services program. Lukasik-Foss explained that although education on violence against women is important for women of all ages, students should take a special note; “Young women are four times as likely to experience sexual violence; they are a very high risk group.” She went on to say, “Unfortunately sexual violence will

be part of [some young women’s university or college experience] and they are most at risk [of experiencing violence] from a man that they know, whether that be a partner, acquaintance, or date. We want women to get educated, and know that there is support out there for them, and they are not alone.” Sixty per cent of reported rapes are date rapes, and four out of five female undergraduate students at Canadian universities admitted that they had been victims of violence in intimate relationships. Women between the ages of 16 to 21 are at the highest risk of becoming victims of sexual assault. 93 per cent of sexual assault survivors do not report the crime to the police. Lukasik-Foss believed that a reluctance to report sexual assault is because “there is still a lot of shame, a stigma.” Lukasik-Foss felt that the most important message to survivors is that they are not alone.

A6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

EDITORIAL

Letters:

McMaster University’s Student Newspaper

The Silhouette

Response to Peter Goffin’s Ridiculously, awfully, ignorantly, offputtingly, stupidly, jerkishly, diarrheaesque opinion

TheSil.ca Editorial Board Executive Editor Jeff Green Managing Editor Bahram Dideban Senior News Editor Selma Al-Samarrai Assistant News Editor Lily Panamsky Features Editor Paige Faber Opinions Editor Peter Goffin Sports Editor Brian Decker Assistant Sports Editor David Koots Insideout Editor Lindsay Jolivet Assistant Insideout Phyllis Tsang Photo Editor Will van Engen Staff Photographer Terry Shan Multimedia Editor Ava Dideban Production Editor Katherine Marsden Web Editor Jason Lamb Health Editor Sarah Levitt Ad Manager Sandro Giordano

Senior Andy Editor Grace Evans Music Editor Corrigan Hammond Entertainment Editor Myles Herod

Silhouette Staff Sam Colbert, Joey Coleman, Jonothan Fairclough

Contact Us Volume 80 2009-10 • McMaster University Student Centre, Room B110 McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, ON L8S 4S4 • Fax: (905) 529–3208 • E–Mail: thesil@thesil.ca • Production Office: (905) 525-9140, extension 27117 • Advertising: (905) 525-9140, extension 27557 • 10,000 circulation • Published by the McMaster Students Union

Write to us Opinions: Up to 600 words Letters: 100 to 300 words Submit via email by 5:00 p.m. the Monday before publication.

Balsillie’s Blunder If Balsillie were smart he would have gone about this whole situation in a much more quiet fashion. He would have stayed out of the spotlight and let someone kiss Gary Bettman’s ass till it shines. Maybe then Hamilton would have a team. Balsillie’s aptly dubbed “greatest un-served hockey market” may be looking forward to hockey in the next 3 years. To draw from Shawshank’s Andy Dufresne, if he had crawled through a mile of Bettman’s shit, he would have come out clean. Alas, here we are now. Judge Baum, who has been residing over the bankruptcy case concerning Balsillie’s “side door” to ownership, was – surprise, surprise – denied. In fact, nobody gets the team, which basically leaves it up to the NHL to do what they see fit. After months of supporting the loud and arrogant RIM boss, he’s failed us yet again. This is the third franchise he’s had a chance at, and depending on who you believe, it’s the third franchise that he’s let slip away by a bolstered ego. But I can’t hate him. In fact, I still support him, despite what he does. An abusive relationship, yes, but one I can’t leave. If you strip down all the facts, the rhetoric and the name calling (even by myself) he represented, and perhaps still represents, Hamilton’s best chance at a hockey team. He’s our big poppa, our George Stienbrenner. He’s brash, bald and full of money, and you can’t hate what he does, but should hockey ever come to Hamilton in your lifetime it will be on his dime. That being said, he is in his own universe – one might expect that from people like him. He used bullying tactics to try and embarrass the league into giving him a team. He completely missjudged the NBA’s silver medal – Gary Bettman – in his character and bargaining techniques. Perhaps he thought behind the rat of a man there was some kind of soul. Some kind of being that said, “I don’t give a shit what Toronto wants, this is best for hockey.” If Gary Bettman were just the slightest bit in tune with how far of a dive his league is in right now, he would have put his ego aside and let this through. Instead he went on his gut.The same gut that has seen the league grow in value every year, but watch it drop from relevant to less popular than bowling. It’s not hard Gary. Selling hockey to Canadians is a no brainer, even if you think Balsillie is incompetent, untrustworthy and two-faced; there’s no way he could screw this up. It’s like selling beer to college kids, tap it and they will come. Yet we’re standing here with Balsillie who is so confused he doesn’t know if he wants to shit or wind his wristwatch. Perhaps Bettman is right. Hamilton shouldn’t get the team, but they could get an expansion franchise. That’s it; add another team to a league that has suffered under the dilution of Bettman. Leave a team in a city where they have to throw tarps over the NFL’s stadium because even they can’t sell out. Maybe they’ll be in the same division as Kansas City and Las Vegas – the Coyotes most likely destinations. It can’t be a problem with the city or the market. Glendale hosted a team that lost the Super Bowl by a few inches – the same team that plays in the University’s Stadium. The Arizona Sun Devils have to add in extra seats to accommodate the nearly 71,000 fans. In fact, they once sat 74,963 in 1996. Meanwhile, they can’t average 14,000 at a hockey game. In Bettman’s NBA mind, this is a great place for hockey. Despite the local news barely covering the event (if at all), this is a great market for hockey. It’s a market that has lost money ever year since it’s been in Arizona, and a tough sell for anything but college sports. I wonder if he looks in the mirror in the morning and sees a successful commissioner. Should that even matter? Balsillie is fighting for something more than just a team. He’s fighting a tyrant. He is our David, and Bettman is Goliath. This is exactly why you can’t hate him. He’s fighting for a city, a country and fans thirsty for a chance to see NHL hockey. Sure, he’s going about it in all the wrong ways, but can you blame him? While you would be in the right to call Balsillie the most incompetent billionaire Canada has to offer, make sure you thank him when he’s the main financial backing when Hamilton does get a team. • Jeff Green

Volunteer Legal The Silhouette welcomes letters to the editor in person at MUSC B110, or by email at thesil@thesil.ca. Please include name, address, and telephone number for verification only. We reserve the right to edit, condense, or reject letters and opinion articles. Opinions expressed in The Silhouette are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editorial board, the publishers, university officals, or Ricter Web Printing Ltd.The Silhouette is an editorially autonomous newspaper published by the McMaster Students Union. The Silhouette board of publications acts as an intermediary between the editorial board, the McMaster community, and the McMaster Students Union. Grievances regarding The Silhouette may be forwarded in writing to: McMaster Students Union, McMaster University Student Centre, Room 201, L8S 4S4, Attn:The Silhouette Board of Publications.The board will consider all submissions and make recommendations accordingly.

thesil@thesil.ca

executive editor: extension 22052

Want to get involved? Come attend one of our sectional meetings in the basement of the student center, room b110 News: Wednesdays @ 12:30 pm InsideOut: Mondays @ 1:30 pm Sports: Thursdays @ 1:30 pm Andy: Mondays @ 1:30 pm Photo: Fridays @ 3:30 pm Opinions: Tuesdays @ 1:30 (all opinions can be mailed to opinions@thesil.ca, keep them 500-700 words)

As a person with absolutely no medical tutelage or connection to Swine Flu or any other communicable disease, I must protest to Mr. Goffin’s call for calm on the Swine Flu front. Clearly, the only suitable measure to be taken is to PANIC. and I spell PANIC with caps not as a mistake or unfortunate externality of an enlarged pinky finger on my left hand (a possible result of undiagnosed H1N1), but as a call to alarm in Mac’s population to fully internalize the danger posed by the flu. Already, entire nations have carelessly slaughtered their swine populations in response to this medical maelstrom. If this attitude continues unabated, from where will we get out McGriddles? As a lover of McGriddes, I can tell you that that delicious breakfast sandwiches (containing either bacon or sausage) are the fuel of past, present and future newspapermen. If Swine flu continues unabated, we will not bear witness to only the deaths of scores of useless flu ridden jerkoffs, but to honest to god important paladins of the forth estate. Mr. Goffin is careless in his unwavering support of the nofluniks. While the danger inherent to regular, non press card carrying unwashed masses is negligible, without pork and pork byproducts, from where will we get out world shaping reportage? To where will we look for scandal, beauty, and cause celibre? Without Swine, the fourth estate grinds to a

halt, and without the fourth estate, all our interests are circumspect. Peter Goffin is a cad, or possibly a zionist. Nevertheless, his hatred of honest journalism has been evident for some time. I urge the editor, Mr. Jeff Green, to dismiss Mr. Goffin immediately, lest he himself be in bed with the rest of the anti pork lobby. The anti pork lobby, gaining momentum for some time under United States domestic policy, has for too long dismissed our snout and hoofed friends as unnecessary in the pursuit of Thomas Moore’s Utpoia. But I ask Mr. Goffin, Mr. Green, and the members of the Silhouette’s board of publications this: Without pork, from where will we get our food? From where will we get our stuttering, incompetent B-list Looney Tunes characters? From where will we get our Dick Cheneys? I hope that the Silhouette Editorial board fully understands the line crossed by Mr. Goffin and seeks immediate punitive measures. I also hope that they realize that I miss them all terribly and that every night I go to sleep with tears in my eyes that I didn’t have the courage to pull the trigger tonight, but maybe tomorrow night. Good job Everyone. also, I’m drunk. Adam Owen Executive Editor,Volume 79

TwelvEighty: Same place, new paint, higher prices One of the many things that you all paid for when you dished out tuition money was SRA funds and the funds necessary to renovate Quarters to the new TwelvEighty. You all paid for the more expensive menu, the new staff shirts the new area and the lovely mason jar glasses. But for the next 3 years, so long as they’re upper years who remember quarters, then that new name of theirs won’t stick. So far I haven’t seen any real change that was worth the renovation, but who am I to trifle with the economies of student run business? I like

some things, the place is noticeably brighter and the event room has nicer spacing, but none of that required a new name and reform, just some moving. After the meals I’ve eaten at this new place the most important thing is this: they still serve the same lattice fries as quarters. And for that reason alone they’ll get my patronage. If you haven’t stopped by and tried those things, you haven’t lived on campus food. Go. Put down the paper and go get some of those now. Damn now I’m hungry. A.M. Steiner

to a.o.

to anti-pork lobbyists.

to mcgriddles. to lattice fries.

to fur bikinis. rhey don’t photography well. unless you use harsh light.. well. whatever.

to 1280.

to gingers.

to c.c.

to no team in hamilton. fuck. i actually thought this one would work. i really did. is my reality so distorted that i didn’t see this coming?

to zhyne - next time girl. to the b-sides of life. awwww. to the hype machine. rocking b110 all night baby. you’re way better than last.fm. to diaarrhea. to lakeport. woo! to the ti-cats game, and the wicked night that ensued. if that’s not inside, i don’t know what is. to august 8. num num num. to it being earlier enough to go stop at mcd’s for griddle cakes. the first of the year. will my heart make the end of the volume? i doubt it, but you can bet on the over under at b110. to vestigial appendages. how else can you shake your tail feather? to the powwow. and the food. to the last weekend before shit gets real.

to the swamp. you know what i’m talking about, boyos. to deadly, lolarious, roflcopter, and basically anything else that came out of saskatoon. to farve. the catch was better than the throw. to my trivia team. ya, i have a trivia team. it’s named after my bud’s mom. to vestigial appendages. to tip drill. i think. to the mess that we’re leaving to the cleaning staff. i’m sorry. its not me, its my editors. my lovely editors. to billy bob thorton. i mean really? who do you think you are. to gary bettman. fuck you. to hollywood thinking that’s okay.

THE SILHOUETTE • A7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

OPINIONS

?

When did you last do volunteer work?

Feedback

“Last year at Camp Goodtimes for kids with cancer.” David Zarchikoff

“Two weeks ago at Wellington Seniors’ Centre.” Matt Mortorona

Compiled by Peter Goffin and Terry Shan

opinions@thesil.ca

Reflecting on the Maple Leafs

How I left a little part of myself at the Gardens Peter Goffin

Danny Markov, Curtis Joseph, and what seems like dozens of first-round draft picks, the Hockey season is set to make signings of Dmitri Kristich, its rollicking return this week, Robert Reichel, Jason Allison, and with it a little piece of my and Jason Blake, and the consanity returns too. The finals stant rise of ticket prices. But only ended none of those debacles in June but has ever been able to I’ve gone six months without seeing hide or hair of a Leafs game and I’m starting to get the detox shakes. I need my fix. Yes, I am that worst of all addicts: the masochistic Toronto h o c ke y junkie. And when the boys in blue finally make their debut, against Montreal no-less, I plan on turning the TV to CBC, inhaling deeply and collapsing back into my chair with a demented grin of satisfaction of my face. keep me away. I’ve stuck it Of course, as most out with them poor old Leafs of you know, a lifelong Leafs through thin and thin, and the habit is rarely easy. I’m too much less frequent instances young to remember Dougie of thick. Give me Maple Leafs and Wendel-mania but old hockey or give me death! enough to have witnessed six In fact, I’d like to failed playoff drives, the de- think that I’m a little more inpartures of Jason Smith, Ma- vested in the past and present thieu Schneider, Felix Potvin, of the team than the average Freddy Modin, Stevie Sullivan, fanatic. I feel linked, physically, OPINIONS EDITOR

to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Because the first time that I ever attended a Leafs game, the night when my unconditional love affair was forged, I left a little part of myself at the o l d

Maple Leaf Gardens. I was eight years old and every part of that night electrified me. That afternoon my dad and I had conspired on every part of a plan that I could hardly fathom. How many people can fit into a hockey stadium? And how far away is it? And what is a scalper, exactly? I see. So he just can’t admit that he’s selling tickets but he can say that he

wants to buy them, even though he doesn’t? And are the Leafs going to beat the Canucks? We rode the subway downtown, and bought tickets from a guy scalping just outside the station. The Gardens was a planet all its own, and completely golden. Literally. It was all yellow tinged, the floors, the brick, the lights, the air. We rode the escalator up, then walked the upper concourse, the biggest, longest, opennest space, as I remember, and then went on into the bowl of hard plastic seats, blues, reds, and still more yellows. And it was euphoric and terrifying and exhilarating – a constant buzz of cheers and boos and chants and catcalls. And there was the ice, huge and white and pristine. And there were the players, just like on TV. And there was the food. There was popcorn and hot dogs and Coke and ice cream on sticks. All in my happy little hands. Now, whether it was the food or the excitement of the game, I don’t • PLEASE SEE LEAFS, A11

What happened to altruism? We only get involved for self-serving reasons Kaitlin Peters

OPINIONS

“Two years ago at St. Joseph’s hospital.”

?

production office: extension 27117

Christina Valiavee

“In high school at a seniors’ care centre.” Tarek Elsayed

“Road of Hope marathon. ” Josh Obermeyer

They’ve been sabotaged, manhandled, and thrown into the dirty corner of my closet every since I began high school. I remember being twelve and genuinely wanting to volunteer for a charity because I would enjoy nothing more than to get the warm fuzzy feeling that comes from helping others. I was too young for this experience to be a nice polisher to any transcripts/resumes/ potential grad school applications. I was literally just doing it to be a good person. Madness, I know. Well, that’s how my prepubescent thoughts seem to me now. What’s the point of doing something nice if you’re not going to get formal written recognition of your benevolence? I am, at the very least, driving for a half decent reference in the future. And of course I expect a glowing account of my “half-assed-because-I’mso-tired-from-doing-tenother-activities-that-arebeing-done-with-that-sameshady-underlying-motivation effort” from my supervisor. It begins in high school when you’ve got to complete those pesky forty hours of community service. The smart ones get it done in one shot, a.k.a. become a camp counselor, while the rest of us panic halfway through our final year because we’re 35 hours short of graduating. And of course others (cough cough) tend to fudge the hours a bit when getting the supervisor to sign off on a “job well done”. Many a time, five hours has magically become fifteen. And

A lot of us volunteer, but is it out of the goodness of our own hearts? then, of course, you’ve got all your teachers railing at you that universities aren’t just looking for bookworms, they want “well-rounded individuals”, so go out there and DO SOMETHING! And once you’ve finally got that shiny acceptance letter in your hand, you’re forced to realize the rat race isn’t over yet, it really hasn’t even begun. You’re first-year fresh, and suddenly you’ve got people jumping at you from all sides; volunteering, interning, traveling abroad, getting involved with your school and community because this is the time to be active! You end up doing half a dozen other things on the side, and you’re too tired to even question if this is what you really want. You think to

yourself,“Well it’s just the one year, next year I’ll relax.” But then you realize you want to go to grad school/professional school/get an internship and it starts all over again. “What a stellar GPA dear sir/ madam, but one more question before you’re in. List any relevant volunteer/extracurricular/personal growth experiences that would qualify you for this position?” And if you’ve decided to partake in the rat race, you should have a nice shiny highly polished answer to spit back. I’m sure there are a lot of people who are extremely disturbed by what I’m saying, and have probably never experienced what I’m feeling right now. But this is how it is for me, and there’s got to be others like me

TERRY SHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

(overachieving maniacs who have totally lost sight of the purpose of education: to lead a better/happier life, not a more miserable one). I’m not even sure what I enjoy doing anymore. Am I doing it because it makes me happy or is it just something more for that extracurricular pile I have stagnating under my bedroom window, useless until I need to use it for filling out random application #48? Though the purpose behind extracurricular requirements is noble and promotes “community involvement,” how many of those pink-cheeked undergrads ladling cream of broccoli into the underprivileged’s bowls are actually there because they want to be?

THE SILHOUETTE • A9

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

What is wrong with people, as I see it...

Was it too much violence or copulation or both that’s done us in? Peter Goffin

OPINIONS EDITOR

We spend a lot of time trying to figure out what’s wrong with human beings. And there must be something wrong with us, right, because never in our history have we been able to just settle down and get out of our own way and stop destroying the environment and each other and Earth in general. Peculiar behaviour, isn’t it bud? And I think, now, that I know what it is that we do that has us so goddamn screwed up. Other people might say our problem is that we’re inconsiderate or ignorant or selfish or chauvinistic, but as far as I can tell the basis for all our problems, with regards to human nature, is that we fight too much and fuck too much. Just like McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, that’s our curse, that’s what keeps getting us into trouble. Fighting serves no purpose. But we keep doing it anyway. Because a lot of us like it. And often times we fight because of fucking. Sometimes we think that fighting will lead to fucking. Like if we fight over money and power and influence and we win, we’ll be rich and powerful and influential and more people will want to fuck us. Other times we fight because nobody is fucking us and that makes us mad. And a few of us fight because we would rather fight than fuck, because violence is all the pleasure and excitement we’ll ever need. Most of all though, we’ll fight to protect our right to fuck or to secure a safe and free place in which we can have fucking and everything that goes along with it, like a partner and children and a home. Fucking, on the other hand, does have a purpose. It can be fun. And, more importantly, fucking makes more people. But the problem with fucking is that then those new people grow up and learn to fight and fuck just like everyone else and the whole production starts all over again. And even if those new people, created by fucking, grew up to be peaceful generous people, fucking would still be the root of all our problems because we don’t do it the way we should. Jesus. Is there a way we ought to be fucking that we don’t know about? Well we could find a way to do it that doesn’t result in creating quite so many new human beings. Because a few new human beings is good. Even necessary. But too many new human beings means that there is less With a moratorium on fighting, and a couple of adjustments to lovin’ we could be in of other stuff to go around. Stuff like food somewhat decent shape. and water and space and money and dignity

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

All this green makes me red in the face Tired of superficial environmentalism A.M. Steiner

ilton uses a green bin yet, so I don’t know why they’re getting all high and mighty) but why is the city looking over my shoulder to Let it never be said that I don’t give environ- make sure I’m only throwing out what they mentalism a chance. The idea that we can say I should be throwing out? If I’m throwing save this lovely blue planet, which we call cardboard out, then there’s probably a good home, from our own stupidity, waste and ig- reason why it should get thrown the fuck out norance is wonderful. It should capture the when the recycling bin is right next to the hearts of everyone worldwide, as we’re all liv- garbage. Now what am I going to do with ing here. Cleaning up emissions is good, as I’d all my black garbage bags? The city seems love to have the ozone back, complete and to be edging closer and closer to the big whole. There are countless groups, lobbies brother ideal of “we know what you did and and movements dedicated to evolving and you screwed it up, so we’re gonna bust you.” implementing this idea into a working con- If I throw it out, black bag or not, it should cept. And that’s where we fucked it up. The be thrown out, and the reason we’ve used bureaucracy that is required to manipulate black bags for so long is so that we don’t an idea into feasible law is enormous. What have to see our trash. Some things no one comes out of it are foolish mandates with needs to see. Now they’ll get every chance to. decent ideas and terrible implementation. Just like the times when we all turn Take one of the newoff our lights for a few hours, er initiatives in Ontario, the five it accomplishes nothing excent bag cost. Beginning Jun. 1 Just like the times cept to make us feel marginof this year, the government when we all turn ally good about ourselves. told us that all plastic bags will off our lights for You don’t save any real part a few hours, it
 cost us 5 cents apiece. This of the environment, as the is in an effort to reduce the accomplishes noth- lights are back on the next number of plastic bags filling ing except to make hour. The lights flooding evup landfills by 70 per cent by us feel marginally ery inch of campus are always good about our- on. The air conditioner and 2012. A novel idea, which already has hold in Toronto and selves. You
 don’t the lights filling the departis seeping into Hamilton. The save any real part ment stores are always on retailers get to keep the nickel of the environment, (I’m looking at you Home Deas the lights are pot, you greedy bloated toolon each bag and those of us working behind the counter back on 
the next box). Buildings that are empty have to look apologetic when for half of each day are lit up people get pissed at the price. like Christmas trees. And if It’s not even the price that’s the is- you try to correct me with “holiday tree” sue. Applying a fee to something makes peo- you can go burn in a very Christian hell. ple stand up and take notice, albeit briefly We as a society opt for the conuntil it becomes unconscious, even if the sumption of energy and resources at every price is insignificant. My issue is that once turn, and the most minor of concessions are it becomes second nature to those of us not nothing more than a way to assuage the toting the plastic bags (sorry, biodegradable guilty conscience we carry for killing the planenvironment-safe plastic bags, it’s still plas- et and loving every minute of it. Every time tic) then it will have lost all meaning. The en- we throw the word “green” on something tire idea was that people stop using so many that doesn’t actually fix something, all we’re disposable plastic goods, and once people doing is jacking off that little part of our don’t care, then it will have been just another mind that cries for attention as we screw green initiative, a word I spit out all the time our home up even more. Most, if not every now. Oh, and because of this initiative, the green label is just as lowdown of the problem, LCBO doesn’t stock those excellent heavy- not solutions. So how about this, I’ll accept duty plastic bags which put all others to your label of green if it actually helps. Planting shame and were actually worth it. Bastards. trees in deforested areas, sure. The release Something Hamilton is hit by, and of a hydrogen engine into the mainstream residents of Westdale should know all too automotive field that completely negates well, is the change to clear garbage bags the release of toxic emissions, great. But so from March 30 2009 through until Apr. 2, help me if I see another list of suggestion 2010. Another gloriously pointless green ef- on how to “keep green in five easy steps” fort. If you have your garbage in black bags, from the interest groups swarming me, I’m then the city won’t pick it up. Why? Be- going to upend their table and set their litcause you, you careless, lazy prick, might erature on fire with an environmentallyhave mixed in recyclables with your trash. So friendly green fire, just because I’m like evthey won’t pick it up. Also, the city will ticket eryone else. Too many people are throwing your garbage if it’s left out on the curb too out more useless ways to keep green, but long because of this. Sure the split between green masturbation is just like the regular recycling and trash is great (not that Ham- kind. We’re all doing it, so shut up about it. OPINION

and survival. And when that situation arises, as it often does, we have to fight to grab what little we can before some other fucker snatches it up. Other times fucking can make us sick, which circumvents fighting altogether because it kills us without any fighting ever having taken place.The reason we get sick from fucking is also that we don’t do it the right way. Coincidentally, the countries on Earth which have the most people getting sick and dying as a result of fucking also often happen to be the countries in which the most people die as a result of fighting. Make of that what you will. Now I guess a little bit of fighting wouldn’t be so bad and with a couple of alterations to practice, fucking could go on unabated without doing any damage. But at this point in time, at every point in time to date in fact, we have fought and fucked to excess and with reckless abandon. Which could almost be admirable, if it weren’t so destructively over-the-top. Why we fight and fuck beyond our logical capacity I don’t know. Like, I’m not a psych major because I don’t have the head for neuro-science. But the fact of the matter is that whether we have a good reason for it or not, that’s what we do. And I don’t see us stopping anytime soon. We have too many people telling us that we have to fight for one reason or another, often so that those people who tell us what to do can avoid fighting themselves and get back to fucking. We also have too many people telling us exactly how to fuck and that fucking in any other way is bad for us, bud, because it will anger God or otherwise hurt us in some way. Coincidentally, the people who tell us to fight never actually do any fighting themselves, and the people who tell us how to fuck never actually do any fucking themselves. But we trust their judgment in these matters anyway. And I don’t really know where we go from here, you know. I mean, this is sort of the end of self-analysis, because that’s sort of the be all and end all of causality – the ultimate problem statement. Fighting and fucking. I also don’t think that this is one of those cases where a rhetorical solution is good enough. Like, we can say that we’ll try to curb fighting and fuck only in a manner that does not make people sick or over-populate Earth, but I don’t see people being all that receptive to being told how to perform two of their favourite pastimes. Maybe we’re at least on the right track now that we know what the problem is, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

This is the world’s smallest cry for attention. WRITE FOR OPINIONS opinions@thesil.ca

A8 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2009

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

THE SILHOUETTE • A11

Leafs are back and I’m happy again • CONT’D FROM A7 Because that’s what it is in the end, know, but in the third period the top of my isn’t it? Connection? And not just to figures stomach fell out. But the action was still on of seasons past, but to all the other hockso I had to fend for myself and left my seat ey addicts out there today. To the guy who to make my little way to the bathroom at was in the bathroom while I was throwing the other end of the building. I only made it up, all those years ago, drunkenly asking if I as far as the escalators. And somewhere on was okay. And to the oldsters who have had the upper concourse of that big, charmed, season tickets since the Sitcursed, beautiful, aged old tler years. And to the Belarpalace I threw up. Violently. ussian I met while on a trip Then I legged it to the bath- That’s what it is in the to Central America who room and threw up again. end, isn’t it? Connec- wanted to talk about the I was ashamed. Had tion? And not just to Leafs’ chances this year now figures of seasons that they had his countryI missed the epic finish to past, but to all the my first ever hockey game? man, Mikael Grabovksi. And No! Overtime! And though other hockey addicts to the tens of thousands out there today. To of other kids who have a I still felt physically awful, I the guy who was in first-time-at-the-Gardens was enthralled. Right up to the bathroom while or Air Canada Centre story the last buzzer. A 2-2 tie. Do you remember when ties I was throwing up... to tell. And to my dad, who And to the oldsters is indeed old enough to were still allowed? Because you would rather fall short who have had season remember Killer and Clarand settle for a tie than tickets since the Sittler kie, as well as the Johnny win in some chickenshit Bower-George Armstrong years.” shootout? It was wonderful. Stanley Cup ‘60’s and everyAnd ever since thing in between and since then I’ve been hooked. but still manages to curse in Hooked on the Leafs, on the Gardens, on disbelief when the team tanks come spring. everything to do with that franchise, but There’s some magical bind there hooked, too, on my unique place in hockey his- that ties us all together. It’s the Leafs. tory. And I’ve often wondered who else must It’s hockey. It may not be real life, but have thrown up in that great old barn. Maybe my God, it helps make life worth living. Conn Smythe himself had a little too much And yes, it would make life even more after christening the place in 1931. Probably worth living if the Leafies could win sometime more than a few raucous championship cel- soon. At least in the conference finals. And ebrations ended in giddy sickness. And there’s maybe, with a bit of favourable fortune, someno question that notoriously nauseous goalie day there will be a little boy who can say that Frank “Ulcers” McCool spilled his share of he threw up at the ACC, not during a mere lunches during his record-breaking 1945 play- mid-season tie, but on the night that the Tooff shut-out streak. Think of the connection! ronto Maple Leafs finally won the Stanley Cup.

Come to the Opinions volunteers meeting. Tuesdays at 1:30

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

A12 • THE SILHOUETTE

SpeculatoR The Hamilton

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

INSIDE THE SPECULATOR

A10: Man walks into bar, says “ouch” because it’s metal bar. C5: Get it? Anyone? Is this thing on? L19: Whoa, tough crowd...I get no respect. No respect at all I tell ya.

Thursday, October 1, 2009 F This machine artificially inflates self-esteem.

To hell in a newspaper basket...

The Spec sits down with the creator of all things evil. Just for kicks. Interview Conducted by Karl Colchak. Questions composed by Buck Horowitz Colchak: I want to start by thanking you for doing this interview. I know you have a long way to travel. Satan: Oh it’s not a problem. I had a board meeting in purgatory, which is already half way here. And once you hit Purgatory North, there’s hardly any traffic. Colchak: As I’m sure you are aware, you get blamed for a lot of what goes on up here. And I wanted to just run down a list with you quickly. The Learning Channel? Satan: That was me. Colchak: Starvation and plague and poverty and pestilence? Satan: That was God, actually. Don’t ask me why. He’s got his own axe to grind. Colchak: How about the war in Iraq? A lot of people have claimed that it is something of a holy war and that you may have had a hand in its offing. Satan: Well that I want to clear up right away, because, you see, I was otherwise occupied at the time and couldn’t possibly have... Colchak: Do you mind if I ask what you were doSatan: Well, uh, this is sort of personal, and I – my people have advised me it might be bad for my image, you know and... but I might as well tell you. I was in rehearsals. Colchak: Rehearsals? Satan: That is correct. Colchak: For what?

see, and I’m not anti-union but the dues were pretty high and they wanted to hold their union meetings on Saturday nights. And I was having a little trouble at home, you know, money was short, and I like to go out on Saturdays, so I politely declined the offer to unionize.

Satan: Well, a few years back, Disney bought the film rights to Lolita and were going to Colchak: And they kicked you out of heaven for that? make it into an animated musical. And I was tapped to be the voice of Clare Quilty. So during that period I was in vocal training classes and then rehearsals. Michael Eisner can verify all of Satan: Well, angels hate a Scab. Uh Larry, the angel of Forgiveness, uh he was particularly that, of course. vicious, and I was being sent threatening letters and people were putting sugar in the gas tank of my cloud. Finally, management – um, God – intervened when I filed harassment Colchak: I see. And what happened to that project? papers with Human Resources and I got shuffled out to the department of Guardian Angels and finally just resigned altogether. Satan: Just after production started, they dropped me because of some issues pertaining to my addiction to Cialis, and I was replaced by Zac Efron. A few weeks later the project was Colchak: And how have things been lately? sidelined indefinitely by a lawsuit filed by the heirs to the Snickers candy bar fortune on the grounds that Efron too closely resembled their patented nougat filling. Satan: Things could be better. It’s not like the old days of witch burnings and Spanish Inquisitions and The Exorcist. And the economy has hurt us. In fact, you’ll notice that a lot of Colchak: That’s fascinating. I really didn’t know, I don’t think anyone knew, actually, that you things that used to be mortal sins, like jaywalking or necrophilia, have now been downgraded were trying to break into the entertainment industry.    to minor transgressions because we don’t have the capacity for all those souls anymore, according to fire codes. Satan: Yeah, well I have been for some time without a lot of success. In fact I seem to be losing a lot of parts to that Efron kid. Colchak: Does it bother you when the Vatican changes its mind on sins after so many years? Colchak: And this is not the first time that you have tried to switch career focus.   Satan: It bothers me because I’ve been footing the bill for millions of minor sinners for Satan: Oh you mean the angel thing? hundreds of years. But it’s nice to get those guys out of here when the guidelines change, and get some extra space. When Christianity eased up on masturbators, I was able to put in Yes. The fact that you began your career as an angel before God banished you from Heaven. a new library. And as of this week, all public fornicators are on a work-release program and Could you tell us a little bit about that? living in half-way houses in Markham, Ontario, which is still hellish but certainly a step up.  Satan: Well, yeah, I mean I was formerly with that organization. I was working under the Colchak: Well I think we’ve run out of time Satan, but thank you for taking these name Lucifer at the time. Lucifer T. Angel. My agent had convinced me to change it because it questions. sounded less ethnic than Satan. I was the angel of Mercy and Crocheting. Satan: Oh I’ll be seeing you soon enough, believe me. Colchak: And what happened with the whole fall from grace incident? Colchak: But – Satan: Well, basically, I think the entire issue has been blown out of proportion in the media. It was just a case of office politics. The other angels were organizing a labour union, Satan: No further questions, please.

“What Did You Learn This Week, Timmy?”

“I learned that Depending on how you do it, you really might go blind.” Disclaimer: Stories printed in The Hamilton Speculator are fact. Any resemblance to persons real or dead is likely intentional and done out of spite. Opinions expressed are those of The Speculator and if you disagree with them you are wrong. And stupid. Possibly ugly as well.

THE SILHOUETTE • B1

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

SPORTS

production office: extension 27117

e-mail: sports@thesil.ca

Laurier wins battle of the beaks Women’s squad still Heap, Golden Hawks run away from Marauders in 30-14 win

perfect BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR

Eager to show they are ready to contend for the OUA championship, the McMaster women’s rugby team went to Kingston on Saturday with their eyes on an undefeated record and the Russell division lead over the No. 9 nationally ranked Queen’s Gaels. What they got was a resounding 39-6 victory in a tough environment, and the confidence that they are ready to take on all challengers. The Marauders, the No. 6 nationally ranked team, used an all around team performance, including tries from veterans Nina Bui (North York, ON), Natasha Turner (Ottawa, ON) and Sarah Van Hoof (Lindsay, ON) to pummel the Gaels into submission and earn a much desired victory over their division rivals. Adding to the scoring for Mac were Lindsay Yulle (Landsdowne, ON), and Kirsten Shedden (Barrie, ON) who deposited the ball in the end zone for the second consecutive game. Rookie flyhalf Rebecca Delaney (Caledon, ON), playing in her first game of the season, outperformed everybody on the pitch, tallying 14 points on one try, one penalty kick and three conversions, cementing her status as a force to be reckoned with for all opponents. McMaster now sits atop the Russell division with 14 points Laurier receiver Dillon Heap (83) devastated the Marauders with 420 all-purpose yards, including an 84-yard reception in the third quarter. on three wins and no losses. The DAVID KOOTS Quinlan by throwing for 276 yards Quinlan to Dicroce was in fact a the third quarter, when Pawliuk team’s core of experienced veterans ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR and had 12 completions on 17 forward pass, making Peressini an connected with wide receiver and standout younger players has attempts, with two touchdowns and ineligible receiver. Shamawd Chambers (Markham, carried the team to its hot start, with fifth year centre Bui and third year Ron Joyce Stadium was the site an interception in a solid outing. Laurier finally opened ON) for an 88 yard touchdown. of Saturday’s battle of the beaks, Quinlan, who earned the start the scoring on a 33 yard drive. Only one play before it 8-man Turner tied for 3rd in the in which the 3-1 Wilfrid Laurier ahead of Ryan Fantham (London, The drive was setup by a 47 yard had been third down with Laurier OUA with five tries and 25 points Golden Hawks defeated the 2-2 ON), ended the day with 136 punt return by Heap, who would punting, but a roughing the passer apiece. Mac boasts four of the top 15 McMaster Marauders by the score yards passing, no touchdowns, two have scored if not for a touchdown penalty against the Marauders scorers in the league, with Delaney of 30-14. Laurier was led by interceptions and a 36.1 completion saving tackle by rookie Andrew gave the Hawks the first down and Shedden joining Bui and Turner receiver and returner Dillon Heap percentage. Surya (Burlington, ON). Laurier and another shot. It was but one among the league leaders. Mac’s next target comes (Waterloo, ON), who had 420 all- With the score still tied would not be denied and three of several devastating penalties purpose yards for the day on the 0-0 in the opening quarter, the plays later the Hawks found the end that hurt McMaster during the in the form of the only Ontario way to being named OUA and CIS Marauders appeared to score the zone on a 10 yard Pawliuk pass. game. Laurier scored one more team ranked above them in the Special Teams Player of the Week. game’s first points on a gadget play. On Laurier’s next possession, first third quarter touchdown and the CIS national rankings, the No. 3 The game was also a battle between Quinlan threw the ball to Mike year defensive back Cody Lynch Marauders gave up a safety to make Guelph Gryphons. Guelph won the two former backup quarterbacks, Dicroce (Hamilton, ON) behind (Stoney Creek, ON) intercepted the score 23-7 going into the fourth. OUA title in 2008, defeating the Laurier’s Evan Pawliuk (Kingston, the line of scrimmage, and Dicroce a Pawliuk pass and returned it 27 On the last play of the Marauders along the way with a ON) and Mac’s Kyle Quinlan proceeded to throw the ball to Matt yards for the touchdown. The first third, Pawliuk found Heap for an 84 20-8 semifinal victory. If Saturday’s (South Woodslee, ON). Peressini (Hannon, ON). Peressini half ended with the score tied up yard reception that set up Laurier’s game was any indication of the Pawliuk started in place made the catch and evaded a pair and both teams seemed to be one final touchdown two plays later. team’s eagerness to win their first of the injured Luke Thompson of Golden Hawk defenders before big play away from taking control. Trailing 30-7, the Marauders title, this weekend’s game should be (London, ON), who was hurt a week scoring the major. The play, Unfortunately for needed a spark to ignite the offence a fine test for two teams looking for OUA supremacy and championship ago against Waterloo. In his first however, was called back as it was Marauder fans, it was the Hawks • PLEASE SEE OFFENCE, B3 glory. start of the year, Pawliuk outshone deemed that the initial pass from who came up with the big play in PHOTOS C/O RICHARD ZAZULAK

Men’s rugby suffers worst loss in 20 years

CHRISTINE BLAIS / QUEEN’S JOURNAL

The McMaster men’s rugby team fell behind early and couldn’t recover, failing to stop the Queen’s Gaels from running wherever they wished on the way to a 59-5 blowout. the Marauders defeat their rivals remaining in the first half, but period. Queen’s players attacked in front of the scoreboard after BRIAN DECKER SPORTS EDITOR 18-10 to win the Turner Trophy. capitalized on a poorly executed the Marauders ferociously, and ran the game to take a moment and The match was supposed to be a Mac play and ran into the end zone, up the score to the widest margin understand that the team had played The McMaster Marauder men’s tight battle, with two undefeated taking a 16 point lead to the half. of loss for McMaster in over two an unacceptable game by their rugby team stood beaten, dejected teams at the top of their games A second half rally never decades. standards and must regroup if they and embarrassed in front of the fighting it out for recognition as materialized for Mac, with Queen’s “Queen’s were superior in wish to contend for the OUA title scoreboard at Kingston Field. The the class of the league. McMaster instead upping the ante and pretty much every aspect of play on again. A photo of the scoreboard is score showed the final result of a fell behind early, but kept victory crushing any hopes of victory for this day. Their offensive execution being blown up and placed in the horrible day for the team, a brutal within sight thanks to a try from the maroon and grey. Before long, was crisp, their defensive pressure locker room wall to remind the team 59-5 loss on Saturday to the rival rookie Lawson Mann (Stouffville, the outcome was out of question, intense and their ball skills were of the effort that is required to beat Queen’s Gaels. ON). Queen’s, energized by playing and frustration led to two yellow operating at a high level,” said the best of their rivals. The contest was a rematch on homecoming weekend, held cards for Mac, who had to play coach Dr. Phil White of the loss. of the 2008 OUA final, which saw a 14-5 lead with just two minutes two players short for an extended Dr. White and the players gathered • PLEASE SEE WORST, B2

B2 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Mac rowing hosts regatta

Worst loss in decades Mac-Guelph Challenge returns to Hamilton for Rugby at Queen’s Harbour’s Leander Boat Club

and Ryan Kruyne (Dunrobin, ON), who totaled a whopping 19 points Complacency about on five conversions and three the team’s accomplishments penalty kicks. and abilities is understandable, The team will certainly having won five of the last seven be hungry to avenge their OUA Championships, but Dr. championship game loss last White and the players will no season, which saw McMaster longer accept such an attitude. score 18 unanswered points after “An era of possibly spending Queen’s took a 10-0 lead in the too much time patting ourselves early going. on the back hereby A grain of hope comes to an abrupt Queen’s were supe- for McMaster comes end. Intense practice when 2008 OUA West rior in pretty much and individual MVP Keegan Selby accountability, from every aspect of play (Lindsay, ON) and on this day. Their bench player to head 2008 All-Star Shawn offensive execution Windsor coach, will be the (Stoney order of the day from was crisp, their defen- Creek, ON) return herein,” commented sive pressure intense to the team from a Coach White of the and their ball skills stint with the Ontario approach that will were operating on a Blues, who are be necessary to push competing along with high level.” the team to its full four other provinces potential again. in the Americas Cup. Queen’s will stand in the The Marauders will get a way of any goals the Marauders chance at redemption this weekend, have, with nearly the whole core of when the 2007 OUA Champion the team returning from last season, Brock Badgers come to Hamilton including Alistair Clark (Oakville, for a 3 p.m. game at the Back 10 ON), Graeme Whyte (Whitby, ON) field. • CONT’D FROM B1

BRIAN DECKER / SPORTS EDITOR

The McMaster rowing team faced both tough opponents from Guelph and tough conditions on the water. BRIAN DECKER the finish line in 7:11.9, clipping the graduate Doug Csima (Oakville, SPORTS EDITOR Marauders by nearly 25 seconds, ON) capturing two silver medals who finished at the 7:26.7 mark. with the Canadian men’s eight Every other year, the McMaster The novice men’s and team. The first came at the Lucerne rowing team hosts the Mac-Guelph women’s teams from each school World Cup in Lucerne, Switzerland, challenge, a regatta for each of also raced, with the men losing but while the second medal was won at the school’s rowing teams. This the women ending the drought for the World Rowing Championships year was one of those years, with Mac with a win. in Poznan, Poland. Leander Boat Club in Hamilton “It’s an interesting regatta. Another former member of Harbour the site of the race. It’s tough, it’s such an early start to the rowing team, Rebecca Gregory The main event saw the the season that you don’t get to put (Brampton, ON), represented varsity men’s teams from McMaster much behind your training before Canada with a ninth place finish and Guelph and the women’s team you have to race very quickly” at the Under-23 World Rowing from Guelph compete in a 2000m said coach Mike Stanisz. The Championships in Racice, Czech race. The McMaster women’s team team will spend much of October Republic in August. was unable to compete due to a and November going to regattas Current team member dearth of injuries, so the Guelph from Peterborough and Guelph to Ian Connell (Sault Ste. Marie, women were spotted a one minute Ottawa and even Boston. ON) also had an impressive fifteen second head start. Fighting The team was one of Mac’s summer, including a win with the through choppy water and a stiff busiest over the summer, with a St. Catherine’s rowing club men’s headwind, neither of the men’s number of student athletes and eights at the Independence Day teams were able to catch the women, alumni participating in tournaments Regatta in Philadelphia, PA and a who bolted to the finish line in 7:59 all over the world. Among the most win at the Henley Regatta senior seconds. The Gryphon men crossed impressive accomplishments was men’s lightweight eights.

CHRISTINE BLAIS / QUEEN’S JOURNAL

The Marauder men’s rugby team fell apart against their rivals, receiving a thorough shellacking at the hands of the Queen’s Gaels.

BRIAN DECKER / SPORTS EDITOR

The Mac-Guelph Challenge takes place in Hamilton every other year at the Leander Boat Club

CHRISTINE BLAIS / QUEEN’S JOURNAL

Saturday’s game was rematch of last year’s OUA final, which saw Mac beat Queen’s 18-10 and win their fifth title in seven seasons. Team Western Brock McMaster RMC Queen\’s Laurier Guelph Waterloo Toronto

MEN’S RUGBY

GP 4 3 3 4 0 0 3 4 0

W 4 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0

L 0 1 1 3 0 0 3 4 0

T 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

PTS 18 9 9 5 4 2 1 1 0

WOMEN’S RUGBY Team McMaster Queen\’s Trent York Toronto

GP 3 3 3 3 3

Russell W 3 2 1 1 0

L 0 1 2 2 3

T 0 0 0 0 0

PTS 12 8 5 3 0

MEN’S LEADERS ank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Players GP Ryan Kruyne - Queen\’s 4 James Stewart - Laurier 4 Chris Barrett - Queen\’s 4 Rory Mcdonell - Brock 3 Alex St. John - Laurier 4 Tim Richardson - Queen\’s 4 Patrick Richardson - Queen\’s 4 Richard Lebel - Waterloo 3 Carl Stahlbrand - Western 3 Daniel Moor - Queen\’s 3 Henry Mcqueen - Queen\’s 4 Riley Saliken - RMC 4 Andrew Crow - Western 3 C Leonard - Guelph 3 Graeme Dibden - Queen\’s 4 John Housley - McMaster 3 Grant Schneider - McMaster 3 Conor Trainor - Western 2 Michael Sheppard - McMaster 3 Harrison Brown - Guelph 3

Pts 67 34 30 24 20 20 20 18 17 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 12

Tries 3 1 6 0 4 4 4 1 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 1

Conv. 20 13 0 6 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2

Pen. G 4 1 0 4 0 0 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Drop G 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

THE SILHOUETTE • B3

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Mac baseball getting set for playoffs

Marauders improve record to 9-6 with two wins, now second in OUA

TERRY SHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

The Marauder baseball team will close out the season this weekend after going 2-1 this past week. BRIAN DECKER to a 2-1 weekend, sweeping a the games, with Chris Piccini SPORTS EDITOR doubleheader against the Guelph (Mississauga, ON), Andrew Mullin Gryphons while dropping one game (Mississauga, ON) and Andrew The McMaster baseball team used to the Laurier Golden Hawks. Morales (Toronto, ON) combining some extremely solid starting The team required zero to allow just three earned runs over pitching to propel themselves relief pitchers to enter any of 23 innings of work.

The first game, taking place in Guelph at Hastings Stadium, saw McMaster batters show excellent patience at the plate, drawing ten walks and using a clutch five-run seventh and final inning to notch a 5-2 victory. Morales and Devlin Connely (Toronto, ON) both drove home two runs in that fateful inning, with Sean Lemon (Mississauga, ON) tacking on one more insurance run to give Piccini a comfortable lead to close out the game. Piccini, the 2008 OUA Most Valuable Hitter, struck out five on the way to his second victory of the campaign. Late inning heroics and solid starting pitching were the story of the second game as well, with Adam O’Brodovich (Oakville, ON) hitting a run-scoring double in the seventh to give Mullin a chance to win it. Mullin sealed the deal, going the distance with eight strikeouts while giving up just four hits in the 2-1 victory. Lemon again proved to be reliable at the plate, hitting a run-scoring double of his own in the sixth. While the first two games saw Mac come back and take games in their late stages, the team could

not overcome an early 3-0 deficit to Laurier, falling just short in a 3-2 loss. The maroon and grey committed five costly errors in the loss, tarnishing Morales’ complete game, four hit effort. Playing at home at Bernie Arbour Stadium for the only time on the weekend, Mac managed just five hits off Laurier pitchers Brad Bach (Oakville, ON), Joshua Robinson (Burlington, ON) and Andrew Greenberg (Richmond Hill, ON). Though Bach had trouble getting in tune with his control, giving up six free passes on balls, the Laurier pitchers kept 11 Marauder base runners from scoring, preserving the win. Alex McGregor (Ottawa, ON) drove in the lone earned run for McMaster, putting him in a tie for first in the OUA with Shawn Robinson (Sarnia, ON) of Western. The loss pulled Laurier back even with Mac in second place in the OUA at 9-6, trailing the 10-4 Mustangs by three points in the standings. McMaster can take advantage of the 6-9 Waterloo Warriors and gain valuable standings points on Saturday with a doubleheader at Bernie Arbour.

Offence fizzles against Golden Hawks

JEFF GREEN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Laurier backup quarterback Evan Pawliuk (19) is taken down by the Marauders’ James Edwards. Pawliuk finished the day with 276 yards passing, two touchdowns and a pick.

JEFF GREEN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Head Coach Stefan Ptaszek is unhappy with what he sees as the third quarter ends with Laurier in control. Apart from those two Ptaszek decides to start. Up next is • CONT’D FROM B1 and Dicroce seemed to deliver. The lapses, the defensive secondary the suddenly not invincible Western punt returner took a Laurier punt 75 continued its strong play, especially Mustangs, who squeaked out a win yards for the touchdown, the first in the first half. Laurier star running against the Guelph Gryphons on return for a touchdown on the year back Mike Montoya (Burlington, Saturday on a last second field goal. for the Marauders. Dicroce finished ON) had a case of the fumbles, Kickoff is at 2 p.m. in London and the day with 51 yards receiving losing the ball twice in the first is part of Western’s homecoming, and 154 punt return yards in what quarter and once in the third. On guaranteeing a full crowd and tough was probably his best game of the Montoya’s third fumble, the ball atmosphere for the Marauders. The Mustangs have one of bounced into the end zone, only to season thus far. But the Marauder offence be recovered by a Laurier player for the country’s best offences and if could not take advantage of the the touchdown. This was but one of the Marauders hope to be the first swing in momentum and on the next many unlucky plays the Marauders team to knockoff the 4-0 Mustangs, then both the offence and defence drive Quinlan threw an interception encountered on the day. For the second time will need to be at their absolute that was returned to the McMaster six yard line. If not for a defensive this year the Marauders failed to best. “It’s back to the drawing stand and a field goal block, the score an offensive touchdown board for our football team, we’re a score would have further favoured against a quality OUA opponent, good football team who on the right and McMaster will need a strong day can compete with anybody, Laurier. On the defensive side offensive game next week by today was not the right day,” added of the ball, linebacker Ryan whichever quarterback Coach Ptaszek. Chmielewski (St. Catharines, ON) had an outstanding day, making 12 solo tackles. Saturday also marked the most passing yards against the Marauders all year, but the majority of the 276 Golden Hawk passing yards came in two plays, the 88 yard throw to Chambers and the 84 yard toss to Heap. “I thought our defence played in spurts but when they got us they got us for 80 or 90,” said head coach Stefan Ptaszek after the game.

JEFF GREEN / EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Mike Dicroce had a big day on Saturday gaining 205 all-purpose yards.

B4 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Cross country team off and running Women look to improve on 4th at CIS championships in 2008 DAVID KOOTS

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The men’s and women’s cross country teams opened up their seasons this past Saturday at the Western International cross country meet in London. The women had a phenomenal day, placing second overall behind the Guelph Gryphons, the defending CIS champs. The Marauder women had five runners in the top 20, led by sixth place finisher Jessica Pearo (Richmond Hill, ON) and ninth place Jillian Wyman (Dundas, ON). “Jess and Jill are both consistent, gritty veterans who want to take the team to new heights,” said head coach Rory Sneyd about his two star runners. “It is hard to predict which of them will lead the team week-in and week-out but you can guarantee the other athlete won’t be far behind.” In 2008, the women’s cross country team placed fourth at the CIS championship, tying men’s volleyball as the most successful team at Mac last year. The top five Mac runners in 2008 have all returned and the group hopes to build on last year’s success. “The women do hope to be on the podium

at both the OUA and CIS Champs,” added Sneyd when asked about the upcoming year’s outlook. “We have a strong supporting cast of rookies and veterans” The men’s team is looking to improve on last year’s results, where they showed well but failed to qualify for the CIS championship, in large part due to the strength of the OUA cross country division. At Western, the men placed seventh with Cory McCurry (Bright’s Grove, ON) leading the way and finishing 27th. The Marauders were without several key runners and will likely place better in upcoming events. “We missed three of our top five athletes at UWO,” explained Sneyd. “Larry Abbott’s (Sarnia, ON) sister was getting married, Andrew Yorke (Caledon East, ON) just returned from the World Triathlon Champs in Australia and rookie Taylor Reid (Brampton, ON) was in North Carolina for the World Duathlon Champs.” Both teams will now head south of the border to race in Chicago on the weekend against Canadian schools Windsor and Waterloo, as well as schools from the USA’s Midwest.

The following results are from the Western Invitational cross country meet held in London on Saturday, Sep. 26, 2009: PLACE TEAM 1 GENESEO KNIGHTS 2 GUELPH GRYPHONS 3 WINDSOR LANCERS 4 WESTERN MUSTANGS 5 QUEEN’S GAELS 6 TORONTO VARSITY BLUE 7 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 8 MCGILL REDMEN 9 LAURIER GOLDEN HAWKS 10 WATERLOO WARRIORS 11 BROCK BADGERS 12 YORK LIONS 13 RMC PALADINS 14 NIPISSING LAKERS 15 NAZARETH GOLD FLYERS OVERALL ATHLETE PLACE NAME 1 Dave Weston 2 Mike Delmonte 3 Tim Chichester 4 Allan Brett 5 Kyle O’Neill 6 Jesse Berube 7 Matt Hulse 8 John Parrott 9 Rob Jackson 10 Chris Mateer 11 Lee Gabler 12 Andrew Aguanno 13 Alex Meyer 14 Will Haskell 15 Clay Patterson 16 Ryan Huff 17 Ryan O’Connor 18 Nathan Wanuch 19 Robert Koziarski 20 Pat Malone 21 Tyler Pettes 22 Joshua Potvin 23 Josh Kneer 24 Graydon Snider 25 Matt Suda 28 Cory McCurry 52 Jonathan Little 55 Andrew Douglas 68 Noah Fleming 70 Rob Gibb 78 Tristan Sandhu 79 Ryan Tice 88 Jeremy Walsh 92 Sean Bowen 95 James Harrington

PLACE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

POINTS SCORERS DISPLACERS 44 3-6-10-11-14 17-20 66 4-8-9-19-26 31-37 80 1-12-13-25-29 34-41 106 5-16-24-28-33 35-57 131 7-15-22-39-48 50-53 142 2-21-32-40-47 65-67 236 27-46-49-56-58 62-63 236 23-38-45-61-69 72 265 42-44-51-54-74 83-85 281 36-55-60-64-66 71-73 346 18-43-93-94-98 101-103 375 30-77-87-89-92 100 383 59-76-78-84-86 88-90 385 52-75-81-82-95 97-102 388 68-70-79-80-91 96-99 TEAM ATHLETE NAME TIME WINDSOR LANCERS 32:10.9 TORONTO VARSITY BLUE 32:16.2 GENESEO KNIGHTS 32:16.8 GUELPH GRYPHONS 32:23.6 WESTERN MUSTANGS 32:24.2 GENESEO KNIGHTS 32:25.6 QUEEN’S GAELS 32:29.5 GUELPH GRYPHONS 32:31.5 GUELPH GRYPHONS 32:38.5 GENESEO KNIGHTS 32:43.8 GENESEO KNIGHTS 32:48.3 WINDSOR LANCERS 32:49.4 WINDSOR LANCERS 32:52.2 GENESEO KNIGHTS 32:53.2 QUEEN’S GAELS 33:03.0 WESTERN MUSTANGS 33:04.1 GENESEO KNIGHTS 33:09.8 BROCK BADGERS 33:17.6 GUELPH GRYPHONS 33:20.8 GENESEO KNIGHTS 33:24.2 TORONTO VARSITY BLUE 33:25.1 QUEEN’S GAELS 33:27.7 GENESEO KNIGHTS 33:31.9 MCGILL REDMEN 33:33.9 WESTERN MUSTANGS 33:39.7 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 33:42.2 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 34:41.5 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 34:45.5 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 35:10.9 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 35:19.0 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 35:26.6 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 35:27.9 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 36:06.0 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 36:12.0 MCMASTER MARAUDERS 36:25.3

Women’s 5k

TEAM GUELPH GRYPHONS MCMASTER MARAUDERS WESTERN MUSTANGS QUEEN’S GAELS GENESEO KNIGHTS TORONTO VARSITY BLUE WINDSOR LANCERS LAURENTIAN VOYAGUERS MCGILL MARTLETS RMC PALADINS WATERLOO WARRIORS NAZARETH GOLD FLYERS YORK LIONS LAURIER GOLDEN HAWKS NIPISSING LAKERS BROCK BADGERS

OVERALL PLACE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 42 43 51 53 71 85

Men’s 10k

ATHLETE NAME Lindsay Carson Tamara Jewett Genevieve Lalonde Erin McClure Dayna Pidhoresky Jessica Pearo Courtney Laurie Laura McIvor Jillian Wyman Lorelle Convery Lindsay Furtado Sara Giovannetti Lynn Mockler Jess VanHie Melanie Myrand Samantha Beattie Marissa Liberati Sarah Haliburton Patricia Roney Katie Anderson Alicia Knox Laura Desjardins Lindsay Anderson Maggie Hutton Brigid Heenan Tara MacDonald Victoria Coates Rachel Lamb Stephanie MacNeil Caitlin Bass Courtney Patterson Lisa Giles Bronwen Douglas

POINTS SCORERS DISPLACERS 30 1-3-7-8-11 14-16 65 6-9-12-18-20 26-40 101 10-13-21-22-35 47-57 134 19-24-28-30-33 38-39 135 17-25-27-32-34 44-51 173 2-4-29-68-70 71-74 176 5-37-43-45-46 49-53 200 23-36-41-42-58 64-76 231 15-48-54-55-59 60 312 31-52-56-79-94 100-104 343 61-62-72-73-75 80-81 366 63-65-77-78-83 85-86 393 50-66-67-102-108 433 69-88-90-91-95 98 457 84-87-93-96-97 99-106 467 82-89-92-101-103 105-107

TEAM NAME GUELPH GRYPHONS TORONTO VARSITY BLUE GUELPH GRYPHONS TORONTO VARSITY BLUE WINDSOR LANCERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS GUELPH GRYPHONS GUELPH GRYPHONS MCMASTER MARAUDERS WESTERN MUSTANGS GUELPH GRYPHONS MCMASTER MARAUDERS WESTERN MUSTANGS GUELPH GRYPHONS MCGILL MARTLETS GUELPH GRYPHONS GENESEO KNIGHTS MCMASTER MARAUDERS QUEEN’S GAELS MCMASTER MARAUDERS WESTERN MUSTANGS WESTERN MUSTANGS LAURENTIAN VOYAGUERS QUEEN’S GAELS GENESEO KNIGHTS GUELPH GRYPHONS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS MCMASTER MARAUDERS

ATHLETE TIME 17:01.6* 17:31.3 17:35.9 17:48.3 18:05.1 18:13.2 18:15.8 18:17.6 18:18.5 18:19.4 18:20.0 18:24.2 18:27.9 18:28.9 18:36.7 18:37.5 18:48.3 18:50.1 18:52.5 18:55.9 18:58.7 19:01.0 19:01.8 19:04.4 19:05.0 19:07.7 19:09.4 19:26.1 19:27.1 19:33.9 19:35.1 20:03.7 20:39.3

THE SILHOUETTE • B5

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Who is the world’s most dominant? Tiger Woods versus Usain Bolt for total athletic supremacy

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Woods has won 14 major championships and 71 tour events, often in dramatic fashion. BRIAN DECKER than ever, and yet Bolt makes them all look DAVID KOOTS like children. In a sport where photo finishes are the norm, Bolt wins by such a distance Who is the most dominant athlete in the that he has time to celebrate before finishing world right now? With all due respect to the race. In any final that Bolt enters healthy, LeBron, Federer and Phelps, two men stand it is a guarantee he will finish first. Bolt is above the rest: Tiger Woods and Usain Bolt. money. Bolt shattered records at the 2008 Olympics Brian: If you want to talk winning while coasting to the finish line, while Tiger while young, Tiger Woods blows everybody has been giving the rest of the PGA Tour out of the water. Tiger won the 1997 Masters nightmares since 1996. It’s time for Brian (by a dozen) at 21, by far the youngest to (the golfer) and David (the runner) to settle capture a major. He won the career Grand the score in who is the world’s most dominant Slam by 24, and changed the global appeal athlete. of the game by dominating what was an old Brian: Let’s face it, Tiger has man’s sport with youthful exuberance and dominated within his own sport like no other. athleticism. As for the health factor, Tiger He has 71 PGA Tour wins in 14 seasons. The won the 2008 U.S. open on a broken leg and next best active player is Phil Mickelson, torn ACL, so it doesn’t even matter if he’s whose impressive 37 win total looks paltry healthy. Oh, and speaking of money, Tiger is next to Woods. The all-time record is 82 by on pace to pass the $1 Billion career earning Sam Snead, who won his last event at age 52. mark by the end of the year. Tiger has averaged 5 wins per year, which David: Track is a poor man’s has him breaking the record at age 35, when sport, where the ultimate season prize is golfers are just hitting the middle of their a whopping $1 million. Despite this, Bolt prime. Boom! has endorsements for over $10 million David: Bolt turned 23 in Aug. and and earned $320,000 at the 2009 World has already set the world record in the 100m Championships for under a minute’s work. and 200m. Most sprinters don’t hit their peak When Bolt ran in Toronto this summer, event until their late 20’s. The last man to hold organizers wanted to offer $1 million if a both records at the same time, Don Quarrie, new world record was established. This never is older than my parents. Sprinters are faster went through, however, because no insurance

SILHOUETTE FILE PHOTO

Bolt finished miles ahead of the world’s best at the 2009 Berlin World Championships. company in Canada would have anything to Byron Nelson’s consecutive cuts made streak do with Bolt as they all determined it was of 113 with a 142-tournament run from 1998a sure thing. Tyson Gay has run the second 2005. fastest times ever in the 100, but is still miles David: Want to talk about breaking away. Gay on steroids would still lose to a unbreakable records? Every serious track clean Bolt - he is just that far ahead. expert thought Michael Johnson’s 1996 Brian: Bolt winning might have record of 19.32 in the 200m would never be been a sure thing this summer, but Tiger’s broken. Breaking the 100 record is nothing been a sure thing his whole career. When as it would be broken month to month, but he finished second to YE Yang at this year’s the 200 was considered untouchable. Bolt PGA Championship, it was the first time in has now broken it by 0.13 seconds, running 15 tries that he had not converted a 54-hole into a wind at sea level. Before Bolt (BB), lead in a major. He is 48-4 when at least it wasn’t thought possible for a human being sharing the lead heading into the final round. to run faster than a 19 second 200m. Now, No player has ever come close to this kind of experts are predicting Bolt is capable of effectiveness in closing tournaments. Tiger’s running sub-19 when he runs at altitude with highlight reel of clutch, must-make putts a wind behind his back. to win tournaments (2008 US Open, 2008 Usain Bolt makes men look like & 2007 Arnold Palmer Invitational, 2008 children, something no other athlete can do. Accenture Match Play, 2005 Masters, 2000 Rain or shine, Bolt will come out on top in US Open etc.) is endless. The announcers every race he enters. Tiger is in the same and media who call his tournaments ask how class as Bolt right now, but give Bolt another someone else could possibly topple Tiger, not World Championship and Olympics and if he will emerge from the pack. There are this will no longer be a debate, as it will be three things guaranteed in life – death, taxes a given fact that Bolt is the most dominant and Tiger Woods dropping bombs on Phil athlete of our time. Mickelson and Vijay Singh’s heads. Regardless of who you think is most Woods cracks records nobody dominant, we are living in a special time thought would ever be broken. He’s at 14 for athletes. Bolt and Woods are once-in-amajors, well on his way to topping Jack lifetime talents in their sports, and really, it’s Nicklaus’ record of 18, and he smashed their world – we’re just living in it.

B6 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Men’s soccer returns home with win MUDASSER ALI THE SILHOUETTE

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF

The men’s soccer team picked up its second win of the season.

After notching their first win of the season last week, the McMaster men’s soccer team hit the road last weekend for a pair of games against Windsor and Western. The Marauders returned home with a very respectable 1-1 split as they battled two very motivated squads. On Saturday, McMaster and Windsor played an impressive first half that saw plenty of spirited possessions and excellent ball movement. The Lancers however were best able to take advantage as Eric Cirovski (Windsor, ON) converted a beautiful pass and scored the game winner for Windsor with a 1-0 final score. Dan Mendoca (London, ON) earned the shutout after a strong game in goal. The Marauders were unable to match the intensity of their opponents in the second half and fell victim to a

surging Lancer attack. McMaster would get a chance to redeem themselves on Sunday, however, as they took on a hungry Western team. The TD Waterhouse Stadium faithful were witness to exciting soccer that featured fierce play from both teams. The Marauders took advantage in the second half off a Pat Stewart (Sarnia, ON) corner conversion in the 81st minute to secure a critical 1-0 road win. The men’s squad, now 2-4 on the campaign, was helped by a sparkling performance from goalkeeper Matthew Grant (Brampton, ON). The win gave McMaster six points on the season and moved them into 6th place, just one position behind Western, who dropped to 2-3 on the season and 5th place in the OUA West division. Despite a slow start, the Marauders will now look to use the lessons learned from their

season thus far to challenge higher ranked opponents. The team could potentially be this season’s dark horse team: if the Marauders can keep it competitive the remainder of the season, fans at Ron Joyce Stadium can expect an exciting finish to the season. Along with a balanced squad, Matthew Grant (Brampton, ON) has been excellent in goal and will be an integral part of the Marauder attack. This weekend the Marauders will return home to play the York Lions (2-2-2) on Saturday, Oct. 3 and OUA West leading Guelph Gryphons (4-1-1) on Sunday, Oct. 4. Expect both to be highly competitive affairs, as the Lions and Gryphons will look to build on their impressive records. For the Marauders, the games could have playoff implications. Both games will be at 3:15 p.m. immediately after the women’s games.

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Hitting the road for a two-game weekend, the Marauders battled for a hard earned 1-0 win on Sunday against Western after a tough 1-0 loss against Windsor on Saturday.

Women’s soccer earn a single point on road

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF

The women’s soccer team salvaged a 1-1 tie with Windsor before falling to Western 5-0. MUDASSER ALI make it 3-0 Western going into halftime. THE SILHOUETTE The second half featured spirited play by both sides but it was the Mustangs The McMaster women’s soccer team was who took back control of the game. After a only able to salvage one point as they tied missed penalty by McMaster’s Samantha Windsor and were defeated thoroughly by Batten (Hamilton, ON), Western’s Steph Western this past weekend. The Saturday Pizzitelli (Aurora, ON) put the game match against Windsor featured a pair of completely out of reach with a goal 15 excellent goalkeeping performances by minutes before the end of regulation. Erin Lancer Danielle St. Germaine (Sarnia, Ont.) Grand polished off the game with another and Marauder Michelle Spadafora (Dundas, goal off of a corner kick in the dying minutes ON), who both led their teams to shutout of the game. performances. On Sunday, Erin Grand The game was a disappointing one (Toronto, ON) scored a pair of goals to lead for McMaster as they allowed Western to Western to a 5-0 shutout win over McMaster dominate upfront through a series of mental (1-2-3). errors and careless mistakes. The lack of On Saturday, the Marauders rolled conversion on a penalty kick drove home the into Windsor (2-1-3) looking to take on a point that this was not the Marauders’ day. team that had one loss all season. The game The women’s squad returns to Ron did not disappoint as both teams battled hard Joyce Stadium next weekend to host the with a slew of strong possessions and even impressive York Lions (3-2-1) on Saturday, better defence. Windsor had to settle for its Oct. 3 and the Guelph Gryphons (0-3-3) on third tie in a row as the game ended in a 0-0 Sunday, Oct. 4. McMaster will be looking to draw. erase the memories of a lackluster weekend On Sunday, the Western Mustangs by refocusing on playing a pair of strong took full advantage of a tired McMaster soccer programs. squad as Erin Grand (Toronto, ON) scored Be sure to make it out to the games; first off a corner kick at the 10-minute it could be a key week for the McMaster mark. Three minutes later, Jenna Schroeder team as a solid showing could turn around (Sudbury, ON) scored and Breanna a, thus far, trying season for the Marauders. McConnell (Oshawa, ON) added another to Both games are scheduled for 1 p.m.

THE SILHOUETTE • B7

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

INSIDEOUT

Make bowls out of vinyl records, B10

production office: extension 27117

Discrimination, or not?

e-mail: insideout@thesil.ca

Community Forum explores Ontario Human Rights system

The community voted on human rights scenarios presented by speakers from Toronto based Human Rights Legal Support Centre. PHYLLIS TSANG

ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

You always wear a hijab (a traditional head covering worn by Muslim women). On your first day of work at a coffee shop, the owner says you have to take it off because everyone wears a company baseball cap. Would you consider this a case of discrimination? What about this? You and

your friends are having a great time at the mall, laughing and having fun. You notice that a security guard is close by and is watching all of you. You also notice that other white kids are doing the same thing, but the security guard only asks you and your friends to leave because you are making too much noise. You and your friends are Asians. At the Community Forum hosted by Hamilton’s Community

Legal Clinics on 24 Sep. at the Art Gallery of Hamilton, two speakers, Sharmaine Hall and Lesley Brook from the Toronto based Human Rights Legal Support Centre (HRLSC) opened the forum with these scenarios, asking the audience to decide whether they are cases of discrimination. The audience had two choices: to raise a red sign to indicate “no” or a green one to indicate

A taste of First Nations

Powwow celebrates rich Aboriginal culture QUINN KLASSEN SILHOUETTE STAFF

WILL VAN ENGEN / PHOTO EDITOR

Tory Fisher of Nipissing, ON brought Aboriginal culture to McMaster through dancing.

The Welcoming Powwow hosted by McMaster’s First Nations Student’s Association and Diversity Services on JHE field last Friday Sept. 25 between 11:30 and 3:30 was an enjoyable event for anyone. The event was the product of several months of planning and was a celebration of the 20th anniversary of McMaster’s First Nations Student’s Association. The event developed a strong sense of community among participants as toddlers, seniors, students and everyone in between enjoyed each other’s company. However, this sense of community has not always existed for First Nations students at McMaster. Gasemeeyoh Crawford, president of McMaster’s First Nations Student Association, explained the important role MFNSA has played on campus since its formation while the rhythmic beats of First Nations music filled the surroundings. The group was formed in 1989, Crawford explained, because “the [First Nations] students felt that there wasn’t a lot on campus in terms of First Nations representation.” Crawford noted the absence of a peer support system for Aboriginal students who were

PHYLLIS TSANG / ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

“yes.” For the two scenarios above? Unanimously yes. The new Ontario human rights system is in full effect since 30 Jun. 2008. The Forum was opened to anyone who wanted to find out how the new system is working, what kinds of discrimination are being reported, and what resources are available to those with complaints. Last year, “more voices

called for social and economic status and gender identity to be treated as essential human rights.” The new structure was put in place to meet these new challenges and continues to battle against age, gender, and racial discrimination. As of 30 Dec. 2008, the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) is a three-pillared system, which consists of Human • PLEASE SEE HUMAN, B9

CommunityEvents

October 2, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m International Women’s and Children’s Health Conference Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington ON Come hear about the work taking place in a broad range of health-related fields around the world. Check International Women’s and Children’s Health Network’s website for more information. October 2, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Blood Donor Clinic McMaster University Student Centre - CIBC Hall, Room 315 Canadian Blood Services need your help to ensure the need for blood is met this fall! It’s in you to give! October 2, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Mental Health 101 Workshop Gilmour Hall - Room 111 (Council Chambers) Join us to learn about different mental illnesses, tools and strategies useful for interacting with individuals who many have mental illness. Saturday, October 3, 2009 10:00 am – 3:00 pm Mahatma Gandhi Peace Festival McMaster University Downtown Centre Join this year’s peace festival with speaker Rajmohan Gandhi, a historian, biographer and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. Don’t miss out on free vegetarian lunch, and music and dance presentation. October 6, 2009 at 12:30 p.m Piano performance: Alexei Gulenco Convocation Hall - University Hall, Room 213 Celebrity Concert Series presents Alexei Gulenco, who has won prizes at numerous piano competitions, including the International Rachmaninov Piano Competition in Moscow, the International Jose Iturbi Competition in Spain and the International Franz Liszt Competition in Italy. Admission is free.

• PLEASE SEE POWWOW, B9

Kayte Hachey Cultural Studies & Philosophy

ThreadCount How would you describe your personal style? “A pastiche of various pre-existing styles, something like rockabilly with a classy twist.” Favourite Quote: “Ugh! Tastes like pee turkey.” -Coach Mcguirk Favourite Band: Mastodon What do you look for in a significant other: “Someone who doesn’t take themselves seriously.”

Necklace: H&M $10.00 Jacket: H&M $35.00

Shoes: Payless $15.00

Pants: Forever 21 $12.00 Ring: Sentimental hierloom, priceless WILL VAN ENGEN / PHOTO EDITOR AND TERRY SHAN / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

B8 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Summer jobs to remember QUINN KLASSEN THE SILHOUETTE

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Innapropriate behaviour like drinking syrup while you’re on a date will definitely keep you single.

S E X For the hopelessly STEEL attractive CITY A guide to staying single AND THE

PETER GOFFIN LINDSAY JOLIVET

Men—grow bad facial Next, be opinionated. And hair. A twirly French-style not in the good, “I’m interesting” moustache should keep you at kind of way, in the “I hate everything It has been our experience that home alone on Saturday nights for and everyone and I’m extremely staying single is tough. We can’t a long time to come. If you can’t offensive about it” kind of way. leave the house without being grow facial hair, do it anyway. Tell them what you think, and make swarmed with attractive members Nothing repels like a silky teen damn sure they know why you think of the opposite sex, clamouring ‘stache. Work the sideburns like the it. It helps if they open their mouths for our attention. It villain in a Charles to respond so that you can shut them takes a concentrated Don’t wash, don’t Dickens novel. Hell, down. effort to maintain a looking like Grizzly Develop a severe sense state of solidarity, groom, don’t shop, Adams couldn’t hurt. of self-righteousness. Become and we don’t feel and most of all stay Women, you should infallible—the Pope did, and he we are alone in this hasn’t had a date in years. While away from mir- try this too. sentiment. Accept dates, you’re in the neighbourhood of rors, unless you Although then never show up blasphemy, worship yourself as we can guess that are using them to for them. Looking your own God. some people are put people off with bad might not be Be the eleventh actively trying to your overwhelming enough. Believe commandment. And never let meet significant it or not there are anyone win an argument. Ever. vanity. others, we don’t some degenerates This will also help you get into law really believe that’s who will judge you school, which will in turn help you a serious problem. on your personality stay single. As such, we would like to help the and manners, rather than physical These are our suggestions, adored portion of the population appearance. It also helps not to and we’re trying our best, but you fend off their unwanted admirers. let them see you too much, given know as well as we do that we We present, a guide to staying your undeniable status as a perfect cannot make you any less beautiful. single. physical specimen. And whatever Lay low, think ugly, and don’t call Our first stipulation, which you do, never call back. us. we know you are desperate enough to follow, is to abandon all sense of The Silhouette produces its annual pride and dignity. Looking good is what got you into this mess in the first place, and letting yourself go might just get you out. Besides, dignity is overrated anyway. Don’t wash, don’t groom, don’t shop, and most of all stay away from mirrors, issue Feb. 11 2010, and we want you to model. unless you are using them to put people off with your overwhelming Email us at insideout@thesil.ca vanity.

Ah, summer! Four glorious months to travel, spend time with family and friends, and of course, work. University education comes with its expenses and many students are paying for their education with hard-earned, summer job wages. While it is ideal for students to be able to apply what they are studying to their summer job, most students can’t afford to be too picky. Shauna Eisen, a fourth year Psychology student at McMaster stated, “My priority for summer jobs is always to get a good job that will pay me enough.” Luckily, her job working as a research assistant at McMaster’s Center for Student Development (CSD) allowed her to work in her field of study and paid enough to support her education. Kristen Riley, a fourth year Kinesiology student was not so lucky. She has spent the last three summers working in the packaging department at Masco Canada. She says that Masco “look[s] for students to fill summer spots for people taking vacations.” Riley admits her job was not very exciting. She summed up her duties in one sentence. “[I] opened a bag, put in an ID card, put in a product and threw it in a bin.” Despite the repetitive nature of her work, she had some positive things to say about the position. “The hours were awesome. [It was] 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, no weekends, potential over time, and [it was] good pay for a student.” This summer, Riley tried to find work in her area of interest, Kinesiology, by applying to co-op and ergonomicsrelated positions. However, when these did not work out, she returned her job at Masco. Eisen felt the best part about her summer job was gaining experience in the field of Psychology. Her interest in Psychology and mental health is what helped her to find a summer job at the CSD in the first place. She explained, “I [volunteered for the CSD] as a peer help-

er last year, and during one of my regular supervision meetings Dr. Cooper, who was my supervisor, let me know that they were looking for someone for the summer.” Eison immediately applied for the position and was very happy with how it worked out. She stated, “I enjoyed my job very much . . . I was able to apply knowledge that I had [from Psychology courses] and also explore an interest that I had.” Finding summer jobs can be difficult, but there is a niche for student workers. Tim Lichti manages Clean Cut Lawn Maintenance in Waterloo and he employs two to three students every summer. He stated, “students are a natural fit for the seasonal nature of lawn cutting.” Students at the lawn maintenance business receive $11.50 to $12.50 an hour, Lichti stated, “depending on experience, performance, and negotiation.” Lichti also assessed his experience as an employer of summer students, and concluded that students are sometimes more reliable, and sometimes less, than full-time employees. He added, “My experience has been that one’s values and attitude towards one’s job are the biggest factors in employee performance.” Therefore, when students dislike their jobs, the negative experience is mutual for employee and employer. This employer was sure to note that he has had many positive experiences with summer students, and found that besides their positive attitudes, the most helpful employees possessed problem-solving skills and took initiative. Although these valued employees were not working in their field of interest, they had an impact on their employer, and will potentially have a good reference in the future. Students that spent their summer working in their field of study may be able to use their experience as a starting point for their career after graduation. For those unfortunate students that spent their summer slaving away at a job that they hated, be thankful it was only temporary, and it came with a paycheck.

Sex and the Steel City

KEVIN ELLIOT / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Are you satisfied with a summer job flipping burgers?

The newspaper doesn’t end here. Go to http://thesil.ca for all kinds of extras, including more photos and opportunities to speak your mind. Keep an eye out on thesil.ca for new developments.

If you would like to have your own blog, contact thesil@thesil.ca, and include a writing sample

THE SILHOUETTE • B9

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

Human Rights restructured JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Garry Sault, a Mississauga elder, shows off a traditional dancing stick.

Powwow roars on campus

Mac celebrates diversity • CONT’D FROM B7 having difficulties fitting in because of their cultural background. She expanded, “No one else really understands the life that we’ve come from. They wanted to form this group so students…wouldn’t feel so isolated on this campus that’s really foreign to some First Nations communities.” She also stressed the celebratory nature of the event. “[We are celebrating] that MFNSA has been around this long…We want to let people know that we are still here. [We want to] have fun and let people know we are more than just the issues that affect our people, and that we have a culture.” Groups from Mississauga of the New Credit First Nation, Nippising, Ottawa, local communities, and the Spirit Youth Drummers from Sir John A. MacDonald Secondary School all performed songs and dances. Most of the songs were preceded by a short story about the significance of the dance, song, or costume to First Nations Culture. During certain moments, such as the opening circle dance and the closing retiring of the flag, organizers asked that no photographs or films be taken in order to respect the significance of the cultural moment. People stopping by to enjoy a glimpse of First Nations

culture surely had fun and found a treat for all of their senses. The sound of twenty or so drummers beating in unison, with even more voices raised above them, was a powerful sound that was not only heard, but felt. The dancers, dressed in bright costumes, made speeding up, slowing down and pausing on cue with the drum beats look easy, but any of the spectators that took the chance to join in for a few songs found out how difficult it was. Luckily, the atmosphere was open and friendly, and participants did not need to feel afraid or foolish while trying their hands, or foot, at dancing. Those too timid to dance could enjoy the show while tasting complementary samples of wild rice, three sisters soup, bannock, and strawberry juice. The powwow was a great way to celebrate and recognize MFNSA as part of McMaster’s diverse community. Anybody who stopped by for the whole event, or just a few minutes between classes, was sure to enjoy themselves at MFNSA’s celebratory start to their twentieth year on campus. To find out more about MFNSA, McMaster’s Indigenous Studies Program and other events throughout the year on campus visit the McMaster Indigenous Studies Program website.

Advisor urges students to know their rights • CONT’D FROM B7 Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO), OHRC, and Human Right Legal Support Centre (HRLSC). Under the new structure, all applications are now filed directly at the Tribunal, rather than at the Commission. This new approach greatly reduced the workforce at the Commission, which allows them to shift their focus from processing and litigating cases, to promoting, protecting, and advancing human rights. For applicants, the change cuts down processing time. Sharmaine Hall, a former advisor at Dundurn Community Legal Services in Hamilton, now the Executive Director at HRLSC, shared that cases could take as long as six years to resolve under the old system. Now, applications usually reach a final disposition within a year from the time it is filed. The new structure also includes the creation of the Human Rights Legal Support Centre, a new agency that provides free legal assistance to people who have been discriminated against and want to file an application at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario. “One of the benefits is that here at the [Legal Support] Centre, we are able to provide early intervention—that is, a quick telephone call or letter to an employer, landlord or service provider to alert them that they are violating Ontario’s Human Rights Code and may face an application at the Tribunal,” said a legal advisor from HRLSC who insisted on remaining anonymous. She continued, “In many cases, we are able to quickly resolve the issue. For instance, we have had success in reinstating people fired for discriminatory reasons, or get-

ting accommodation immediately for someone at their job.” According to the data provided the Legal Support Centre, 70 per cent of the issues at the Centre were settled by early intervention or assistance provided on an urgent basis. One of the Centre’s first resolved cases of early intervention involved a woman who was sexually harassed at work by her employer. The centre was able to reach a good monetary settlement for her, get the company to agree to extensive training on human rights issues, and have the employer donate money to a women’s shelter—all these without filing an application at the Tribunal. “The calls that are the most memorable to me are the calls from people about who know in their guts that something is wrong and are standing up for their rights for the first time,” the Advisor shared further. “Whether it is a person with a service dog being denied entry, or a woman being fired because she is pregnant, or the overtly racist behaviour of an employer—I sometimes find it hard to believe that this is still happening.” Under the Ontario Human Rights Code, there are five areas of discrimination: employment; housing; contracts; services, goods and facilities; and unions or occupational/professional associations. Last year in Hamilton, 84 per cent of discriminations were filed under employment, 12 per cent under services, goods and facilities, and the remaining 4 per cent under housing. Every person has a right to equal treatment in these five areas according to the Code regardless of “race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, age,

marital status, family status, or disability.” Any discrimination committed on any of these grounds is a violation against the code. Last year in Hamilton, 55 per cent of the cases of discrimination were committed against those with disabilities. A trailing 22 per cent of discrimination cases against sex, 13 per cent against race, and the rest, were divided among age, ancestry, and family status. Ontario shows a similar trend in both areas and grounds of discrimination. “People do not stand up against discrimination because they think that they need financial resources to do so,” legal advisor Lesley Brook said during the presentation, “but all the services provided are free,” Unless the “discrimination” is not under the code. Valerie, one of the participants at the Forum, suggested that learning disability, which is not yet recognized as a discrimination issue, should be added to the Ontario Human Rights Code. “People have been abused and get beaten up by the society,” said Valerie, who suffers from learning disabilities and has tried to get help from legal clinics but failed. She also tried to get help from institutions like Arrowsmith School in Toronto, a privately owned school which is dedicated to helping students with learning disabilities, but the cost is too high and unaffordable by many. “People see us as drains of public pursuit,” Valerie continued, “We are being discriminated against because of able-ism.” For students, it is important to know that educational institution, rental housing, and employment are also subject to the Human Rights Code. Moreover, students should be informed about their rights as tenants, employees, and consumers. Consider educating yourself more on human rights if you do not know whether this is a case of discrimination: You are 17 and you have left home. You find a suitable apartment but the landlord says that he only rents to people who are 18 or older. Discrimination, or not? For more information regarding human rights and Hamilton clinic locations, visit the Hamilton Legal Clinics website.

B10 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

In with new friends, out with old? Beginning university means a change for high school friendships STEPHANIE HAUCK

Humanities student, keeping up with friends from high school is a challenge. “You’re meeting a bunch During the first few weeks of uni- of new people, and life’s changing versity students find themselves and you don’t have the time that engulfed in a sea of new people. you used to have for them,” she Perhaps, some will merely be ac- admitted. quaintances from frosh week Although some students but others may soon become the may find it difficult to keep in touch friends you will have with friends from forever. home, others beWhat does I think we have all lieve that universithis mean for old developed into very ty should not change friends? Are they these relationships. different people Tyler Lyn, a first suddenly pushed aside for new over the past three student stated, “We friends? Or is it poshave been buddies sible to juggle the old or four years and since Elementary with the new? For find it harder to re- School so I don’t many McMaster stuuniversity getlate to each other see dents the transition ting in the way of our now.” into university has friendships.” caused a shift in their It is clear to many relationships with that university is a friends from home. place to grow and Fourth year Labour develop both collectively and indiStudies student Sarah Szpak said, vidually. Sometimes however, these “I only keep in contact with a few developments can not only change friends,” and admitted that it is a you as a person but can also change lot harder to keep in contact with the way you relate to your friends them since she has entered univer- from high school. sity. For Carlyn Hurst, a first year “I think we have all THE SILHOUETTE

developed into very different people over the past three or four years and find it harder to relate to each other now,” said Alex Medley, a third year political science student who despite these differences, still keeps in contact with his friends from home. So, what is the verdict then? Can friendships of the past continue into the future? I suppose the diagnosis is simple—friendships are truly what you make of them. Although moving away to different cities does make it difficult to communicate and see each other, it does not have to be the virus that destroys friendships. If we look on the bright side of things, with today’s advanced communication technologies keeping in contact with friends is easier than ever. Next time you sign into MSN or Facebook scroll down to a friend from high school and strike up a conversation—and remember it is never too late to get in touch or keep in touch with the friends with whom you once shared the same high school halls. Be sure to answer calls from your high school friends.

How-to-do-it

Make bowls out of vinyl records CORRIGAN HAMMOND ANDY MUSIC EDITOR PHOTO CREDIT JONATHAN FAIRCLOUGH

After ten or fifteen years collecting dust at the back of some pop culture trash heap, those big old vinyl records have made their comeback. There’s something pure about the crackle and skip of a big, black forty-five on your turntable, coming out in classic hi-fidelity. It’s the new old thing, and what better way to celebrate the big vinyl r e vival than to decorate your home with the stuff. Before you can begin decorating, you’re going to need to acquire some cheap, chic records. These are the type that can be easily rigged for all sorts of aesthetic purposes, and are often less than 50 cents a record. The trick here is finding an album with some quirky album art, and music you won’t be sorry to lose. Polka records tend to look cool, since for some reason, accordion players seem to love solid colours. You might want to avoid disco and classic rock records since most people don’t want to walk into a house and be greeted by Mick Jagger or John Travolta’s crotch. French albums and jazz records will

make you look sophisticated; women will like this. Insert the album sleeve into a tasteful picture frame and voila—cheap modern art that’s great for any room. Now that you’ve framed the sleeve, it’s time to recycle the record. An easy starter project is turning it into a bowl. You’re going to want to keep in mind however, that there is a hole in the middle of the record— so, versatile as polyethylene is, you might not want to make a soup bowl. Also, vinyl isn’t dishwasher safe. But it does make a cool little fruit bowl. Heat your oven on to three hundred degrees. Find a cookie sheet and a large stainless steel bowl. Place the stainless steel bowl upside down on the cookie sheet, and then put the record on top. Slide everything into the oven for three to four minutes, remove and let cool. After a couple minutes the gross smell of hot vinyl will dissipate and your little bowl will have cooled off and solidified again. Once it feels stiff, you’re good to go—load it with fruits, candy, vegetables or whatever dry snack you want. And bowls are just the beginning, because with a little practice you can make just about any nifty thing you can imagine out of vinyl—from jewellery to iPod covers. Go crazy and celebrate the vinyl revival.

WILL VAN ENGEN / PHOTO EDITOR

Be your own brand, says Jian Ghomeshi PHYLLIS TSANG

ASSISTANT INSIDEOUT EDITOR

Career Services and the McMaster Alumni Association Present invited CBC host Jian Chomeshi to share about how to follow your passions and succeed in a new era. The event took place on Tuesday Sept. 29. Following President Dr. Peter George’s introduction, Jian Ghomeshi shared five important rules to success: Know who you are Jian Ghomeshi is a familiar name to many. Most people know that he is the host of the popular CBC Radio show, Q. Some might know about his music background and his band, Moxy Früvous. However, not many know that he was born in London, England to Iranian parents, and immigrated to Canada when he was eight. Moreover, he felt like an outsider for most of his childhood and tried really hard to fit in within a mostly white, conservative, Anglo part of Thornhill. “You don’t know where you are going until you know where you came from,” Jian Ghomeshi shared with the McMaster community. According to Ghomeshi, the first rule of success is to know, accept, and be comfortable with who you are. He finally learned that during his university years. “If you ever go into broadcasting, you have to be comfortable. People always gravitate to the person on the screen that is comfortable. If you are comfortable with yourself, they will also be comfortable,” Jian Ghomeshi spoke from his experience. Be Patient “Patience is a virtue. It really is okay to not have it all figured out when you are 18, 20, or even through your 20’s,” Ghomeshi said. Take time to contemplate on what you really like. Keep the big picture in mind. Build your tools and wait for your “big gig” to come. “Partly because of [the lack of] job security,” Ghomeshi explained, “there is really no better time to follow your dreams.

And why wouldn’t you?” Be your own brand “People always ask me how I became the host of a big show on CBC,” Ghomeshi said, “I didn’t go to Journalism school—I didn’t do this; I didn’t do that. I played music, I worked, I wrote.” His advice is simply do what you love, embrace the diversity of your interests, and let your own brand emerges naturally and organically. “Renaissance people are in!” Ghomeshi said. Ask questions “The easiest way to get ahead in life—” Ghomeshi smirked, “it’s like a trick, I am surprised people haven’t figured it out yet—is ask questions.” It almost sounds too good to be true. According to Ghomeshi, if you start asking questions, people will think that you are smart. We are born with the desire to ask questions. He said, “Little kids ask questions all the time, but it is programmed out of us.” If you are one of those who have shut the questioning function off, it’s time to turn it on again. Follow your passions “Some people, like mom who has three kids to feed, would probably be angry to hear a guy like me saying follow your passion,” Ghomeshi said, “but for the rest of us, I really believe in the idea of following what you love.” Easier said than done. Ghomeshi wasn’t talking about fairy tales where success just happens. Rather, he stressed the importance of working hard. It helps when you love what you do. “The people who do well at their gigs are the people who love what they do,” said Ghomeshi, who is still learning to find the balance between work and leisure. Perhaps these five points sound cliché, and Jian Ghomeshi warned us so. However, this comes from someone who has followed it and succeeded. Truth could be very simple at times; it is the following part that makes it hard.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

THE SILHOUETTE • B11

Interactive

BreadBin

Horoscopes

We, here at Bread Bin, know that it’s tough being a student. My favourite way to de-stress is to sit in comfy chair with my fuzzy slippers and enjoy a nice dessert. I know more than a few of you share my love for sweets, so we’ve dedicated the last week of each month to desserts! Take a break; treat yourself (or someone special!) to a tasty snack. Here’s a quick, yet delicious, recipe to satisfy that chocolate craving!

Readings with Unity for the week ahead Unity is an Angel Clairvoyant and Vibrational Energy Practitioner. To find out more, you can visit her site at www.ReadingsWithUnity.com.

Aries (March 20-April 20)

Dark Chocolate Truffles

Affirmation: I AM Letting Go.

Ingredients  2 packages of dark chocolate chips  ¼ cup of whipping cream  1 tablespoon of butter (or margarine)  Toppings of your choice!

Let go and trust deeper. Transformation is waiting to occur and requires your surrender to do so. This is not a surrender that “gives up” but rather one that “flows forward.” Change is imminent.

Taurus (April 20-May 21)

Affirmation: I AM Strong.

ANGEL LAI / BREADBIN CO-DIRECTOR

Recipe 1. Place one and a half packages of dark chocolate chips, cream and butter in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute, or until completely melted. 2. Stir until blended, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until firm. (The chocolate needs to be firm, and not watery, in order to be able to shape it properly.) 3. Shape into bite-sized balls and place on a tray. 4. Melt remaining chocolate and dip the truffles into the chocolate with a fork. Place them back on the tray. Top with icing sugar, cocoa powder, sprinkles, crushed candy or nuts. Be creative! 5. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or until the chocolate has hardened.

You must move forward alone. You are the one that needs to make it happen. Yet where you’re heading you’ll be surrounded by many new friends. You know what you must do now.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Affirmation: I AM Flowering.

This week is fruitful and fertile for you. Doors will open much easier and you’ll find yourself receiving with ease and joy. Take in this sunshine and enjoy the bliss.

Angel Lai, Bread Bin Co-Director

•

Cancer (June 21-July 22) Easy

7 2 1 8 5 6

3

2

4

9 5

3 1 4 6 7 6

4 5

8

3 8 7

4

7

2

9

7

2

8

8

5

8

3 2

5 7

6

6 9

1 4

Last week’s solution 6 4 7 8 5 3 2 1 9

1 8 2 6 9 4 3 5 7

3 5 9 1 2 7 8 4 6

4 3 8 7 1 6 9 2 5

9 6 5 3 4 2 7 8 1

7 2 1 9 8 5 4 6 3

8 1 3 4 6 9 5 7 2

5 7 6 2 3 8 1 9 4

2 9 4 5 7 1 6 3 8

Hard

2 3

Affirmation: I AM Open.

4 9 3

9 5

2 5 4

1

3 9 7 1

1 7 3 9

6 5

5 8 2 9

9 8 1 2

6 8

7

9 3 1

9 1

4

7

4 3

6

Leo (July 22-August 23)

7

6 8

Really hard

6 1

Affirmation: I AM Receptive.

7 3

2

5

4 5

Affirmation: I AM Service.

You are not meant to be the leader right now. Acknowledge the other teacher and let yourself learn from the experiences at hand. From doing so, a true master will emerge.

5

7

You are moving forward and growing upwards now. Divine feminine energy surrounds you. Wisdom comes easy and grace naturally this week. Use your power wisely.

Virgo (August 23-September 23)

7 9

An important partnership creates a transformative alliance, if you choose to say “yes.” Examine your dreams today to have a deeper understanding of the events transpiring now.

4

Libra (September 23-October 23) Affirmation: I AM Lively.

6

7 8

JumblyJumble

We hate midterms jumble

Unscramble the words to find out why we hate midterms—or study for your midterms. Your call. NIMUYELT

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

FDTFLICIU

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

XNUYES

__ __ __ __ __ __

SERPOPOTERSU

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

LAL-IEHRNTGS

__ __ __ — __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

USNNCRYEESA

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

MRNOZMEGII

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

Get outside and go deeper. Examine the existence all around you and take heed of the messages it presents. A shooting star will see a new direction beginning to open for you in your career.

Scorpio (October 23-November 22)

Affirmation: I AM Action.

Now that you are moving forward, obstacles are easily overcome and your steadfast action creates immediate results. Keep this energy going by fueling yourself with proper nourishment.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Affirmation: I AM Not Alone.

Stop carrying the burden all by yourself. It’s time to ask for help and to embrace it when it arrives. You can no longer do it alone, nor should you. As you share the work you find yourself seeing the bigger picture.

Capricorn (December 21-January 20)

Affirmation: I AM Returning.

Now is not the time to act, but to listen and reflect. What fruits are you offering the World? Are they fruits you’d want to receive? What do you need to change?

The biggest reason midterms suck is because we would rather be at the... Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

__ __ __ __ __ __ __

Affirmation: I AM Present.

Stop clinging to the past and start living for the present. A pivotal change is about to occur if you’re present enough to notice it. Look for stirrings of the heart by the end of the week.

Pisces (February-18 March 20)

Affirmation: I AM Clear.

AVA DIDEBAN / MULTIMEDIA EDITOR

Let yourself release the worries that are distracting you. Eliminate unnecessary to do lists and focus on action. You have the courage and the intelligence to move forward here. Don’t let your thoughts lose focus now.

B12 • THE SILHOUETTE

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2009

HEALTH

production office: extension 27117

in partnership with SHEC

Balance your Qi with acupuncture MOHINI BHAVSAR SILHOUETTE STAFF

Alternative is in fashion. The term usually refers to something that is not part of mainstream culture or involves creating something outside of mainstream society’s influence. From music, to dress, to lifestyle, we have an idea of what alternative means. But, are we sufficiently aware about alternative medicine and healing practices that fall outside the realm of Western medicine? According to the Fraser Institute, an independent Canadian economic and social research organization, as of 1999 almost three quarters of Canadians use alternative medicines. Of this percentage, the most likely alternative therapy users ranged from 18-24 years old, with almost half of the users having employed alternative medicine in the last year. Acupuncture is an alternative medical technique that is growing in popularity. It is an ancient Chinese medical art that began almost 5,000 years ago. At acupuncture sessions, fine needles are inserted on the body’s surface with the intention of influencing the physiological functioning of the body. Acupuncture is associated with Taosim. Taoists were pioneers of the belief in body, mind, and spirit consciousness. This tradition thinks that illness is caused by an imbalance in an energy force called Qi (pronounced chee), which, consists of the spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical aspects of life. Qi flows through 14 channels in the body, called meridians, which run vertically up and down the surface

of the body and branch to bodily organs. When a pathway becomes obstructed, deficient, excessive, or imbalanced, disease manifests. Qi is composed of Yin and Yang. These opposing forces need to be in balance to achieve harmonization; a balance in Yin and Yang is essential to maintaining health. Acupuncture restores this imbalance by stimulating the access points to the meridians, which are the acupuncture points. Fine needles are inserted at specific angles into the skin, depending on the illness being treated. Today, only six needles are commonly used, which vary in length, width of shaft and shape of the head. Depending on the condition, other techniques may be used by an acupuncturist following insertion such as, rotation of the needle, plucking of the skin and scraping, which is when vibrations are sent through the needle. Many people use acupuncture because they believe it works and prefer to complement Western medicine with alternative therapies. Another reason for the treatment’s popularity is that this medical practice addresses how illness manifests itself and assesses and treats the patient as a whole, rather than merely treating a specific disease. When finding an acupuncturist, make sure they are certified and regulated practitioners. Your acupuncturist should be trained, competent, and possess the required education and be authorized to practice within the set standards of acupuncture. In Ontario, refer to the new College of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and Acupuncturists of

Ontario (CTCMPAO). Currently, the CTCMPAO is in a transitional phase, which is forecasted to take approximately two to three years. The organization’s goal is to develop registration requirements and develop practice standards. Currently, no person can claim that his or her practice is regulated in Ontario. Young users, especially students, should consider the costs of using alternative therapies, including acupuncture. Often times, the cost of using complementary medicine can be quite high and mostly out-of-pocket. Although Canada’s current health care system is based on Western medicine, there is room for alternative health care such as chiropractic, naturopathy, and acupuncture. However, medical coverage is binding to provincial and territorial conditions. Currently, British Columbia is the only province that provides public insurance for acupuncture (pursuant to specific terms and conditions). As of December 2006, Ontario became the second province to pass a law for the regulation of the practice of acupuncture and acupuncturists as a health profession. As a result, the legislation insures that Ontarians are receiving safe and quality care. Nevertheless, as it stands now, OHIP still does not cover costs for acupuncture. A quick look at the services included with McMaster Health Insurance revealed that complementary health services are not covered. It’s possible to find better luck with other insurance companies (especially if you are listed as a beneficiary on your parents’ insurance).

CHRISTOPHER CHANG / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Needles are often scary, but relieve pain when used in acupuncture. Combination treatments are also available. Acupuncture can be used alongside heat produced by burning specific herbs in a practice called Moxibustion. Acupressure, a non-invasive massage technique that applies similar theories to acupuncture is also something to consider for those who are not so comfortable with needles. There has been a huge growth in the use of alternative

methods to health care. The availability of alternative options gives people the freedom to choose how they want to maintain their health. But, with variations in regulations and standards, there are risks involved. To avoid these risks, those interested need to take the responsibility of self-education. It is highly advisable to discuss potential problems with your physician before you decide to go alternative.

Pedal yourself into better shape

Spinning offers a holistic workout, exercising both the body and mind JESSICA LYDIATE

THE SILHOUETTE

At the start of the school year, change in diet and the demands of academic study often leave students in search of quick, yet high-intensity, workouts. Spinning classes meet

both of these requirements. Spinning is indoor cycling on a machine designed to mimic different outdoor cycling conditions. The pedal stroke revolutions per minute, known in cycling as ‘cadence’, and the bike’s resistance can be altered to simulate

JONATHON FAIRCLOUGH / SILHOUETTE STAFF

Spinning is a challenging workout that you can do with others.

different terrain like ‘hills’, ‘wind’, or ‘flat road’. Spinning is practiced indoors, meaning you do not have to rely on the weather or worry about the dangers of the road, but still get a fantastic cycling workout. Spinning was introduced in the 1980s by a South African born cyclist named Jonathan Goldberg. Goldberg wanted to be able to train for a cross-country competition without leaving his pregnant wife. He designed stationary bikes in his garage and created workouts for himself and some of his cycling friends. A few years later, Goldberg and his colleague, John Baudhuin, founded Mad Dogg Athletics and promoted indoor cycling, which they called “spinning”. During the 1990s, spinning gained popularity and companies like Star Trac and Keiser started designing fitness equipment for the sport. Mad Dogg Athletics and other companies began training instructors and developing spin workouts designed to meet different fitness and training goals. Today, spinning is widely practiced and a well-respected fitness program. In 2005, 1.8 million people worldwide took a spinning class. Spinning is both physically and mentally beneficial. Spinning provides an excellent cardiovascular workout, and works many different muscle groups in the legs, core, and

arms, if you practice the exercise properly. There are generally four biking positions: flat and sitting, flat and standing, climbing and sitting, and climbing and standing. Each stance corresponds to different degrees of intensity. Spin classes often use high intensity interval training. In this technique, periods of high intensity are alternated with periods of low intensity. Studies have shown that this technique improves anaerobic threshold and maximum oxygen consumption. Furthermore, spinning has been shown to promote fat burning and many sources recommend it as a substitute for long periods of resistance training. Studies have demonstrated that a 40-minute spin workout can burn about 400 to 500 calories. In terms of mental fitness, aerobic exercise is good for improving concentration. More specifically, during spin classes some people use visualization to focus their mind and enhance performance and awareness. Many people also report enjoying the sense of community that is generated by working out in a group setting. To further monitor your workout during a spin class you can wear a heart rate monitor. Using this device, you can track your cardiac output compared to your maximum output and modify your

effort to achieve certain levels of cardiac activity. Through this sort of monitoring, you can make sure you are exercising within a safe range and can also modify your activity to conform to the type of training you are interested in. Spinning, called indoor cycling at the David Bradley Athletic Centre (DBAC), is offered as a group fitness class and included in the price of a Pulse membership. The classes are offered Monday to Friday in the morning, around noon, and later in the afternoon (a precise schedule can be found on the McMaster Athletics and Recreation website). The classes range from a 50 to 80 minutes and are of varied intensities. The bikes should be adjusted to a comfortable setting at the beginning of each session to minimize the risk of injury. Beginners should check their settings with an instructor to make sure their equipment conforms to their body measurements. Next time you are studying in the library and feeling blasé, or need to stretch your legs, head to the gym. Don’t just walk past the indoor cycling class at the Pulse-drop in and give it a try! This form of exercise is not just for intense fitness gurus, it is for anyone interested in a high energy workout and improving their cardiovascular fitness.

stereos • zine education • fame the clothing show • jian ghomeshi • roman polanski

index

C2 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

thursday, october 1, 2009

Senior Editor: Grace Evans Entertainment Editor: Myles Herod Music Editor: Corrigan Hammond Contributors: Julie Compton, Dalia Appolloni, Chris Hoy, Michael Clemens, Catherine Brasch, Daniella Brown, Kevin Elliott, Caitlin McKitrick, Michael Clemens, Chris Hoy, Michael Hewak, Aaron Joo Cover: Jonathon Fairclough

this week

what’s inside

in the hammer

feature

p.8

music Stereos: [Their] is an anomaly in the music industry, that much is certain, and to some, their success is even confusing. Even their name itself is disorienting.

oct.17 oct. 24

Said The Whale Casbah 8:00 p.m. Two Hours Traffic Casbah 9:00 p.m. Cuff The Duke Casbah 8:00 p.m.

andy’s pick

Kae Sun Casbah 9:00 p.m.

david bowie’s alter ego writes for us. like ziggy...

p.5

oct. 31

oct. 2

Mariannas Trench Rokbar 8:00 p.m.

now

Fame: “While the original Fame looks at complicated and life-altering issues, it does this so quickly that the treatment of these issues is lacking complexity and any sort of resolution or growth.”

until-oct.3

film

Tragically Hip Hamilton Place 8:00 p.m.

oct. 6

write for andy. musc b110.

Hamilton 365 Art Gallery of Hamilton 123 King St., Hamilton 905-577-6610 info@artgalleryofhamilton. com

sept.12-nov.8

p.12

art

oct 20

p.10

Simply Saucer Casbah 9:00 p.m.

Lemonwilde Absinthe 8:00 p.m

oct. 14

Let the audience decide: “For Ghomeshi who spoke extensively about the importance of “being your own brand,” it’s clear that the international attention that the Billy Bob Thorton interview has inadvertently brought the program has only been good press for the show.”

music

Metric Convention Centre 8:00 p.m.

oct. 15

The Clothing Show: This weekend, fashion designers from all over Canada flocked to The Clothing Show in Toronto to give us a taste of the local flavour.

Westdale Theatre Julie & Julia Fri-Sun 7:00, 9:15 Tue 7:30

Marble Index Absinthe 8:00 p.m.

theatre sept. 5-oct.10

culture

opening

p.6

Capatalism: A Love Story A Serious Man Zombieland Whip It

playng

film

oct. 15

Zines: “One of the last vestiges of independent culture that has yet to be taken over by mainstream “indie” culture, zines remain an alternative medium that anyone can invoke.”

The Diary of Ann Frank By Stuart Ross Theatre Aquarius 190 King William St. 1-800-465-7529 boxoffice@theatreaquarius.org

pumpkin spice lattes. game night. 1280. lucy in the sky with diamonds (rip).

write for andy please meetings are mondays @ 1:30 MUSC b110

andy@ thesil.ca

column

thursday, october 1, 2009

f.u.b.a.r.

had happened with countless subcultures, punk included. Punk was a lifestyle, and editorial column morphed into an grace evans aesthetic. But why is indie so touchy? The indie culture is overhyped and a Remember in Pineapple Express when major source of tension for culture Seth Rogen’s character says to his consumers. People are throwing high school-aged girlfriend: “You’re the term around along with words gonna go to college, and you’re like ‘hipster.’ Indie is trendy. Indie gonna get really into Godspeed You Black Emperor, and the fucking is mainstream. Indie movies Shins?” This is just one example of like Juno, bands like The Shins, how indie has been adopted and websites like Threadless or lookbook. co-opted by the mainstream, using nu, all of these things have been cultural signifiers such as indie adopted by the mainstream, and bands to comment on the culture you’re nothing special for liking conventionally consumed by young them anymore. It doesn’t reflect any early bird, fashion forward, people. Initially the term ‘indie’ alternative sensibilities. Pitchfork’s signified something that is Nitsuh Abebe writes in his article independent, most commonly used “The Decade in Indie:” “More and to describe independent bands that more, we define ourselves…via our weren’t signed by a major record skills in picking interesting things label. But over time, indie evolved out of that cloud of options. We into a descriptor for anything that probably shouldn’t be surprised exists outside of the mainstream, that somewhere in this process, or more recently it is even more ‘indie’ completed its trip from loosely used to describe something being the province of freaks and geeks to something with cachet -that resembles a DIY aesthetic. Big deal. The same thing something that appeals to people’s

sense of themselves as discerning.” Has anyone seen the Threadless t-shirt with the slogan: “I listen to bands that don’t even exist yet?” This exact sentiment is a good example of the sort of tension around indie culture. Consuming indie culture was cool when you were the only one doing it, because it was alternative, but once it has been co-opted by the mainstream, it’s only cool if you consume it first. What constitutes as indie, if indie no longer means what it used to? Generally the indie aesthetic embodies at the very least a pseudo-DIY style, a creative and ethically conscious outlook, and a polite, pleasant demeanor, that wouldn’t offend your parents, but probably wouldn’t attract them either. Abebe continues, “Any film, book, or cultural product that came anywhere near a certain sensibility -- anything anyone would describe as ‘quirky’ or cleverish or tender-- fell in the indie bucket, too: Garden State with its hilarious Shins scene, Wes Anderson movies, Dave Eggers…Juno, Zooey Deschanel’s general existence, private colleges, button shirts, the Internet, IKEA, Miracle Whip, literacy, you tell me.

the big tickle compiled by terry shan &

“Unconventional and independent.”

carrie rudolph

the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • C3 The sensibility used to seem rarer, and then…half the people attracted to it grew up and got creative jobs and now it floats everywhere.” At this point if you, like me, are wondering what a working definition of ‘indie’ might be, you might be out of luck. One definition that I like is put forth by Kaya Oakes. In her book Slanted and Enchanted: The Evolution of Indie Culture, she explains, “Indie is not just about DIY, though DIY remains its central tenet. It’s about serving your community, selfactualization via creativity, and it’s about empowerment, all of which occur as a result of DIY.” This does translate to the mainstream conception of indie. If Animal Collective is indie, it’s because although they were distributed by Universal they were initially on their own independent label. If American Apparel is indie, it’s because even though they are one of the largest clothing manufacturers in the United Sates, they support fair wages and don’t airbrush their models. So while there is usually some correlation between DIY and something that is considered

‘indie’ in the mainstream, it usually doesn’t conform to indie idealism. Oakes elaborates: “The signifiers of indie in popular culture are multifarious and often puzzling due to their blatantly corporate ties: iPods are indie (since indie artists like Feist sing in iPod commercials); American Apparel, the trendy retailer of thirty-dollar T-shirts and leggings, is indie (since it advocates for fair wages for its garment workers and because its advertisements, with their images of skinny, young, nearly naked hipster girls, look like porn for indie fans)…Chuck Taylor sneakers are indie; tattoos are indie; shockfiction writer Chuck Palahniuk is indie; shag hair-cuts are indie; male facial hair is indie; eyeglasses are indie (especially if they’re thick framed); and yes, skinny jeans.” Don’t get me wrong; I consume ‘indie;’ whatever it is. But what began as a subculture centered on politeness, quirkiness and pleasant music, has morphed into a much-contested aesthetic that is often associated with pretension and arrogance. People need to drop the attitude, and live and let live.

q: what does “indie” mean to you?

lauren jewett

“Individual and independent.”

chad johnston

“Car racing.” mikaela comella

“Indy 500.” mictchell huberman

“Calm, cool, collected.” erin fraser

C4 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

feature

thursday, october 1, 2009

a tarnished life

recent arrest of legandary filmmaker roman polanski has its share of haters and supporters

They finally got him. It’s true, over the weekend Swiss police arrested 76-year-old film director Roman Polanski on a 32-year-old charge. He was arrested in the Zurich airport, where he was headed to a film festival, which was honouring his work. Now you might have heard a little bit about this, it was a fairly high profile scandal back in the 70’s, but just in case you haven’t heard, here’s a quick breakdown. Back in 1977 Polanski was charged with having unlawful intercourse with a 13-year-old girl, Samantha Geimer. He was photographing the girl for Vogue at Jack Nicholson’s house, when the incident occurred. Originally charged with rape, it was lessened to unlawful intercourse, although it was acknowledged that Polanski had given the girl alcohol. He pled guilty to the charges and spent 43 days in

prison undergoing observation. But he was never formally convicted, and when released from his short stay in prison, it became apparent that the judge was going to press for him to spend more time in prison. While out on bail Polanski fled to Europe. He spent the next 30 years living in France, evading capture by carefully monitoring his travels, and not visiting any countries that have extradition treaties with the United States. This prevented him from receiving his Academy Award in 2002 for his film The Pianist. Although much time has passed since Polanski fled, U.S. authorities renewed their efforts to capture him 2005 and have been monitoring Polanski’s movements since then. The reactions to Polanski’s arrest have been mixed. Many feel that he should be properly punished

for the crime he committed and fear that he might receive preferential treatment because of his celebrity status. Others stated that Polanski should be released for various reasons. Some claim that the 1970’s were tumultuous time for him, and it wouldn’t be very difficult to find other celebrities that had engaged in sexual misconduct. Others state that the case was handled unfairly. His supporters include many prominent Hollywood figures, including Woody Allen, David Lynch and Martin Scorsese. The French and Polish governments (Polanski has dual citizenship) have also expressed concern at his arrest. Much has also been made about the fact that his victim, Samantha Geimer, has in the past pled for the case to be dismissed (although there was an out of court settlement made between the two in 1993).

If you’re looking for more background information on the case, the film Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired that came out in 2008 gives an in-depth look at Polanski’s life, with special focus on the case. It examines just how fairly Polanski was treated under the California justice system. It also questions the motives of presiding judge Rittenband, even making allegations that a desire for fame, and anti-Semitism could have played a role in his decision making. The film states that although Polanski committed an illegal act, he served his time and the court case was handled improperly. The film also implies that Polanski’s chaotic personal life may have had an impact on his behavior that resulted in the 1977 incident. It makes specific reference to the 1969 murder of his 8-month pregnant

wife, Sharon Tate, by followers of Charles Manson. Polanski’s current film project The Ghost, starring Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan and Kim Cattrall, has been put on hold while the director is imprisoned indefinitely. Some claim that he will not be extradited. If he is, it will be awhile before his trial is held, and even longer if he is sentenced to more prison time. Even if he is not extradited, authorities have stated that it will be weeks before that will be decided. While waiting to hear more on the case, be sure to check out the documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired. And, if you haven’t seen them, be sure to watch some of Polanski’s own classics including Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Chinatown (1974) and The Pianist (2002). •Caitlin McKitrick

music

thursday, october 1, 2009

the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • C5

‘it’s like punk-rock jonas brothers’ andy’s kevin elliott sits down with stereos during their frosh week visit Stereos is an anomaly in the music industry, that much is certain, and to some, their success is even confusing. Even their name itself is disorienting. Stereos used to be Turn It Up, and The Turn It Ups’ biggest influence was The Stereo. See, you’re confused already, aren’t you? Yes, this band is huge today, but just a few short months ago they were nobodies. “We started out by touring B.C. and Alberta but absolutely nobody would travel out to those shows. To be honest, even in our hometown (Edmonton) we were having trouble getting even one hundred kids out to a show,” lead singer Pat Kordyback confessed to me, in a heavily guarded-off, intimidating gothic-styled basement room in University Hall, after his band had just performed at McMaster University. The window curtains were closed tightly to prevent passersby even a glimpse (even outside of the windows there was a security guard), and the room stunk of dozens of half-eaten bags

of chips and rotting dips and salsas. Yes, this band has come a long way. But not without controversy, and lots of it. “There’s definitely a stigma attached to the fact that we had a reality show,” Kordyback noted in reference to the MuchMusic program DisBAND, Stereos’ big break. “The thing is, we did not win the reality show. It wasn’t a competition. There was no guarantee of anything. We had the same shot as every other band.” However, it isn’t how Stereos was discovered that bothers most critics as much as it is their music, especially in regards to their image. They look punk, but they sound nowhere near it. Kordyback laughs it all off with a shrug. “I write music that I want to hear. What band doesn’t write what they want to hear? I think that’s the great thing about us, is that we don’t sound like we look, and because of that, people are either going to love us or hate us. I’d rather be a love/ hate band than just kind of be in

the middle.” Matt Wells, DisBAND’s resident punk rock judge, was the first in a long line of critics to attack Stereos’ music: “It’s like punk-rock Jonas Brothers and I fucking hate it.” Kordyback was quick to point out though that Wells’ personal opinion wasn’t what mattered. “The question was whether or not we…have a chance, and in his speech he gives about five reasons why we do. So he didn’t really answer the question properly.” The band’s use of AutoTune, the audio processor that automatically corrects pitch, primarily in vocal performances, does seem to add fuel to the fire, especially considering how much of a hot topic Auto-Tune has become in the music world. “Well we use it as an effect, we don’t use it to cover up anything,” Kordyback said to defend himself. “What people don’t know is how much harder it is to sing with

it live, because it’s a pitch corrector, and if you’re pitchy, it will make you sound that much worse. We have a few songs that have Auto-Tune, but we also have just as many that don’t have Auto-Tune.” For a band that has been in the spotlight for such a short period of time, it is almost extraordinary how much debate they have been able to rack up, and one incident in particular had a lot of online message boards fuming: the socalled Misery Signals Rip-Off. “Yeah, we’re really ripping off Misery Signals,” Kordyback chuckled sarcastically. Not long ago, Stereos released a t-shirt design that looked similar to the Edmonton Oilers logo. The problem is, post-hardcore band Misery Signals did it first. “Look, I’m a huge Misery Signals fan,” explained Kordyback. “But, it’s hilarious, I mean, we’re from Edmonton, and Misery Signals is from Wisconsin. We are hands down the biggest hockey fans and sports fans you will ever

meet.” Perhaps he makes a good point, but, although most members of Misery Signals are indeed from Wisconsin, Kordyback shares the same hometown as one of their guitarists: St. Albert, Alberta. All misery aside, Kordyback tries to focus on the positives, such as the touring success of his band, especially without an LP or even an EP. “The crowds’ response has been crazy. [The music industry’s] almost gone back to when it started, you know, bands in the 1950s would have one song and would put out a single, and they toured off that. It really opens your eyes to how the industry is becoming cyclical. We’ve got two singles out right now and I can’t wait to drop the album.” The band’s debut, selftitled album is due out Oct. 20, and they worked with Juno award winning producer Gavin Brown of Billy Talent, Three Days Grace, and Metric fame. Yes, Stereos really has come a long way. •Kevin Elliott

feature

C6 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

thursday, october 1, 2009 • C7

memoirs of a zine fiend

grace evans teaches zine education 101 Zines. The name comes from the last syllable in “magazine.” One of the last vestiges of independent culture that has yet to be taken over by mainstream “indie” culture, zines remain an alternative medium that anyone can invoke. In her book Slanted and Enchanted: The Evolution of Indie Culture, Kaya Oakes writes, “A zine is usually a self-produced magazine, most often hand bound with a stapler, its content often reflective of the idiosyncrasies of its writers.” Zines aren’t meant for profit, but a labour of love that enables writers and artists to self-publish their work on photocopiers, a kind of homemade magazine. Zinesters might handwrite or type their work, use collage art, drawings or silkscreened images, or bind their zines with staples, thread or yarn. There are no rules to zining really, as long as it’s D.I.Y., it’s a zine. It’s tempting to think of zines as blogs on paper, and in a way that’s what they are. The subject matter is incredibly diverse, as well as the level of production. I’ve read zines on guerilla gardening, anarchist literature, vegan cooking, how to make your own reusable pads, all natural cleaning products, personal travel narratives, zombie subculture, feminism, fictional short stories, and so on. Oakes writes, “In a zine, writers who lacked the desire to conform to the often stringent standards of mainstream magazine writing could get away with ranting, raving or quietly meditating on music and community, while also chronicling the minutia of their day-to-day lives. Relationships, travel, dead-end jobs, school, the town you lived in, and your friends and family all became topical in the pages of a zine…Zines and small presses made writing as vehicle for self-expression and even self-transformation and communication with like-minded people accessible to anyone.” Zines can be categorized, but it’s similar to the way music is classified. Some zinesters are reluctant to assign a label to their work, and some works refuse to conform to a category. A “perzine” is a personal zine; memoirs, rantings, ravings and journal style zines fall under this category, while a zine comprised primarily of art and illustrations might be called an art zine. Litzines are literary zines, comic zines are self-explanatory. There are probably dozens more categories to come across, and just like with music, no category is definitive, but serves more as a loose fitting

descriptor. The history of zines is appropriately vague for an alternative medium. In her article “A Do-It-Yourself Zine Definition,” Alycia Sellie writes, “Zines have developed from a number of sources…Some experts site that zines are short for fanzines, a creation of 1930’s science fiction fans. Others believe that the medium was more influenced by the punk rock movement of the 1970’s. Many refer to the legacy of zines in the pamphlets and broadsides published as far back as Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin, or in the works of the Dada art movement. Zines today seem to embody all of these references and utilize freedom of the press and selfexpression in all of their manifestations.” The way zines are dispensed is unique too. Many zinesters distribute their own work through P.O. boxes or their home addresses, or provide websites with ordering information. Some have their work spread through distributers, which are run by zinesters and zine fans alike, which provide a centralized service in which to gain visibility for zines and offer a catalogue with which to order zines. If you’re intrigued by zine culture, there are plenty of places to get started. At most zine libraries you cannot sign the zines out, but you can peruse at your leisure their collection, which is usually very diverse. The Hamilton Zine Library boasts over 550 titles, and is housed at the Sky Dragon at 27 King William Street. Check them out at hamiltonzinelibrary.blogspot.com. Based out of Toronto, Broken Pencil is “the magazine of zine and alternative culture.” A great resource, the magazine features zine reviews as well as plenty of information on independent culture. And on November 1, Broken Pencil puts on Canada’s largest zine festival, Canzine. Spanning the hallways of the Gladstone Hotel in Toronto, zinesters flock to display their wares, joined by various small presses and artists. If you are at all interested in zine culture, this is the best place to plunge into the subculture, meet some zinesters and have access to hundreds of zines, tangible and waiting to imprint your eager fingertips imprint with their ink. If your veins are coursing with excitement for alternative culture, then what are you waiting for? Find the nearest stapler and xerox machine and – do it yourself. •Grace Evans

exerpt from our dead bird friends The Indifference of Places

The Well-Dressed Bear

Andrew Bailey the one of a kind version

comic zine Jarod Rosello Jarodrosello.com

travel zine Carolee Gilligan Wheeler P.O. Box 19706, Stanford, California 94309 www.superdilettante.com Sells for $5

Other Zine Resources Great Worm Express Distro

greatworm.ca A Canadian zine distrobuter that sells various types of independent media.

Alex Wrekk’s Stolen Sharpie Revolution

stolensharpierevolution.wordpress.com “The absolute ultimate pocket guide to everything you ever wanted to know about creating zines” (Click Clack Press).

zinebook.com

This website is not very up to date, but a good database of information about zines.

Mixed Media

Independently owned art store that sells zines, located at 154 James Street North in Hamilton.

Toronto Zine Library

torontozinelibrary.blogspot.com / sitekreator.com/zinelibrary/main_page. html Located at the TRANZAC,
292 Brunswick Avenue, south of Bloor.

Broken Pencil Zine Library

This collection is housed at the Toronto Reference Library, on 789 Yonge Street in Toronto.

Hamilton Zine Library

excerpt from Descender A. Y. Gorodskoy Hamilton, Ontario wolfonstilts.blogspot.com Sells for $1

Johnny America, Issue #7 litzine “a little magazine of fiction, humor, and other miscellany” johnnyamerica.net/store Sells for $5

Kalamazoo: stories by winch A Few Loose Noodles comic zine Bill Horwood, Adam Dale, Oliver Knapp, Chris Simonen www.myspace.com/sevrd_hed

litzine Winch Martin 9408 SE Hollywood Avenue, Milwaukie, Oregon 97222 winchmartin@live.com Sells for $2

hamiltonzinelibrary.blogspot.com. Housed at the Sky Dragon at 27 King William Street.

C8 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

new found fame

twenty-nine years later, fame is remade

Fame Directed by: Kevin Tancharoen Starring: Naturi Naughton, Kay Panabaker, Asher Book, Paul Iacono, Kherington Payne, Debbie Allen, Kelsey Grammer, Charles S. Dutton amd Megan Mullally

film

that is way too sophisticated for it. It plays like a dinner theater version of the original.” I have to disagree. While the original Fame looks at complicated and lifealtering issues, it does this so quickly that the treatment of these issues is lacking complexity and any sort of resolution or growth. The viewer is left unsatisfied, and the film quickly jumps to another scene, another problem, and another year of high school. The The original Fame, from 1980, was directed personal struggles in the first film are deep by Alan Parker. The film follows a talented and distressing, and include important issues group of students who dance, sing, act and such as abortion, suicide, sexual exploitation, make music at the New York City High School illiteracy and homelessness. While the issues of Performing Arts. The remake, directed by in the remake are much lighter, I believe that Kevin Tancharoen does the same thing with if a film proposes to tackle important issues similar students facing their problems. Many such as these, it is irresponsible to gloss over of the original’s character’s problems are the issues and portray a very surface depiction echoed in new ways in the remake, or similar of enormous issues. Even if the remake may not look at scenes are recreated. Roger Ebert says: “Why take a the same type of issues, at least it does not touching experience and make it into a pretend to be more than it is. The problems shallow exercise? Why begin with a R-rated in the new Fame occur within the business of look at plausible kids with real problems and art, as young people trying to navigate that tame it into a PG-rated after-school special?... industry and adjust their expectations when The new Fame is a sad reflection of the new dealing with rejection. The Fame remake Hollywood, where material is sanitized and shows that there is not one path for artists, dumbed down for a hypothetical teen market and that there are different levels of success.

HHH

I agree with Ebert when he criticizes some of the types of problems in the remake though. He writes: “Do we, at this point, need another version of the creaky scene where a boyfriend misunderstands the way his girl smiles at another guy, and gets mad? Do we require parents who want their daughter to be a classical pianist and don’t understand the need in her soul to perform hip-hop?” It is true; we don’t really need to see another teenager battle with their parents over their future, proclaiming that singing is their passion. And the Fame remake has two. The dance numbers were much more elaborate in the remake, extravagant sets and more complicated choreography. The cafeteria dance scene in the remake is more entertaining to watch, and no less realistic than the original. There are more dance scenes, and if you’ve bothered to go see the movie, then you’re likely to appreciate them. Some of them are a little too high production, and make me think back to Ebert’s distaste for the sanitized, over-the-top aspects of the new film. The acting isn’t bad though. I thoroughly enjoyed Kay Panabaker’s character, which echoes the original’s Doris’

thursday, october 1, 2009

awkwardness and self-doubt. Kherington Payne, of So You Think You Can Dance fame, is a little too good for a high school student, and a little lacking in the acting department. The cultural diversity of the remake is even more varied than in the original, although there are less biracial relationships between the characters. There are nice appearances by Kelsey Grammer and Megan Mullally (of Frasier and Will and Grace fame) as teachers, although the film makes a strange digression when Mullally’s character takes her students to a karaoke bar in an effort to loosen them up and performs herself. The performance is one of the most exciting in the film, but its inclusion is somewhat random. Debbie Allen, who starred in the original, makes an appearance as a teacher as well. All in all, the remake of Fame was decent. It was lighter, fluffier, but doesn’t try to be anything more than a musical dance movie about high school students. If you like musicals and dance movies, you’ll probably appreciate the film, but otherwise it doesn’t stand out. •Grace Evans

thursday, october 1, 2009

under the radar off the rack

off the web

baby making www.makemebabies.com

instructables www.instructables.com

So, last night my housemate and I were making babies...online. The website makemebabies.com lets people make babies free of charge and promises not to take longer than nine months. This great time wasting website lets you upload a picture of yourself and a celebrity or a friend. The site digitally morphs the two photographs to create either a boy or a girl. The results are either good or just plain bad. •Catherine Brasch

instructables.com is where geekiness and nerdiness blossom into an array of projects and hacks for building, cooking, technology, and all around uselessness (“genuine” chain mail made from pop tabs?). It’s the pictorial guide to everything you never needed to know how to do, like make an incandescent light bulb into a kerosene lamp, build a solarpowered iPod charger, or create homemade beef jerky. instructables.com is a well organized website with a sufficient number of categories to fulfill the needs of just about anyone, whether they be gastronomic, creative, architectural, or arising purely of boredom. •Julie Compton funny exam answers funnyexamanswers.com

pilfered magazine www.pilferedmagazine.com Named exactly for what it is, Pilfered is a web magazine generated through images harvested from all over the good old World Wide Web. Justified on the premise of “web democracy,” few of the photos have authors attributed to them, but site viewers can leave comments crediting their origins. The issues vary in content, but are frequently imbued with commentary on pop culture or superficial aspects of the political climate. Straddling the storylines established in each series, the site’s irony arises from the unsourced images of rather famous people and places – a reminder of the Internet’s ongoing ability to evade copyright regulations. •Julie Compton

the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • C9

Walking out of exams or midterms, did you ever get that feeling — you know, the ‘I just blanken blanked that blanken test’ one? Then Funnyexamanswers.com is the website for you. The website, which is filled with pictures of test-taking gone horribly awry and befuzzled teachers’ confused remarks, is an idiosyncratic romp through academia at its worst. Just hope that your schoolwork never finds its way on there. •Vincent Sauve

Sundays at Tiffany’s James Patterson “What if your imaginary friend from childhood was your one true love?” This is the question that New York Times bestseller James Patterson purposes on the front of his book. Sunday at Tiffany’s is set in modern times New York City with Jane Margaux and her imaginary friend Michael. Unrealistic but romantic, Sundays at Tiffany’s is a book that could be read in one night by anyone who loves a good romantic drama. The story is about Jane, a lonely young girl, and her adventures with her best friend Michael, who happens to be imaginary. Patterson quickly sets the foundation of how the novel will unveil, from Jane being emotionally detached from her mother, who has no time for her, to Michael leaving her on her ninth birthday. Within seven quick chapters Patterson has moved past nine yearold Jane to twenty-three year-old Jane, still as lonely. Things begin to get interesting once The Raw Shark Text Steven Hall Newcomer to the literary world, Steven Hall, shows off his talent with a fantastic debut novel, The Raw Shark Text. Each captivating twist in the story leads to even greater puzzles and a wider sphere of conspiracy and threats. When Eric Sanderson wakes up with his memories erased by a traumatic incident, he finds a note in his foyer — apparently written by himself before his memory loss. “If you are reading this,” the message states, “I’m not around any more. Take the phone and speed dial 1.” The phone call brings him to a Dr. Randle, who tells Sanderson that his amnesia is recurring, and has happened to him ten times before, all as the result of his mental deterioration. But Dr. Randle warns him not to trust any of the letters he finds addressed to himself. However a letter does arrive from the “first Eric Sanderson,” advising him not to trust Dr. Randle and stating that the Doctor can neither help him nor protect him. Sanderson now faces a decision of who to trust and what to believe. Every few pages readers run into something even stranger than what’s happened before: an odd package with a videotape of a light bulb flashing on and off, a cell phone call perhaps from his dead

Jane finds a boyfriend, who her mother has pushed her to be with, but still compares him to Michael. Patterson does a good job of making Jane seem pathetic, but at the same time readers pity her for longing to be with Michael. At times Jane’s obsession is a little annoying but once Michael is reintroduced into the story (a tough four chapters later) Patterson starts to make things interesting. I really enjoyed the chapters in Michaels pointof-view, witty and intriguing. Readers will find there is a sense of fate when Michael sees Jane for the first time in fourteen years, which he tells us never happens. Eventually Jane and Michael finally meet each other face-to-face and problem arises. Sunday at Tiffany’s is a charming book with an odd twist on love and the concept of fate bringing two people together who were meant to be. If you’re looking for an easy read or a cute romance, this is the book for you! •Jennifer Bacher girlfriend, an invitation to meet Mr. Nobody in a deserted building, clues found on posters and the tiles of underpasses, and (of course) a deadly shark. A novel like The Raw Shark Text is thought provoking and rewarding once you reach the end. Hall keeps readers engaged throughout the book with some questions getting solved and others left unanswered. Readers are left with the sense that there are not only better things to come, but also the satisfaction of what is sure to be an amazing literary career. •Jennifer Bacher

C10 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

feature

style in the big city local toronto designers fail to entertain during annual clothing show This weekend, fashion designers from all over Canada flocked to The Clothing Show in Toronto to give us a taste of the local flavour. There was a little bit of everything — from feathery accessories to vintage clothing to zombified leather boots — the show was sure to satisfy the clothing desires of nearly any shopper. The only thing that seemed to be missing was an experienced planning committee. Low budget was the theme of the day, particularly when it came to their poor excuse for a fashion show. Complete with teenybopper models that were tripping over their own feet and a tech department gone awry, it was about as impressive as a Paris Hilton horror movie. The clothes were either falling off the models or they were squeezed in like sardines, and, unfortunately, sometimes both in a single outfit. But the biggest blunder by far was when the wrong name was displayed four outfits in succession — unprofessional to say the least, and the highest form of disrespect to the designer. Even outside of the fashion show, it was evident that there hadn’t been an overwhelming amount of thought put into the event. The booths were organized in a mazelike fashion, making it difficult to remember which aisles had already been covered. On top of that, the heavily advertised art section was ultimately neglected. It seemed as though the artists were simply placed wherever there was a little extra room, such as the entrance and the food court — speaking of which, only consisted of overpriced hot dogs, pretzels, and crepes. Yet, despite this lack of organization, most of the vendors were able to pull it together. There were over three hundred booths in the shopping section, sporting a variety of handmade necklaces, earrings, hats, and purses. There was also a plethora of fair trade, organic, locally designed t-shirts, sweaters, and dresses. They certainly weren’t cheap, but all things considered, they were definitely worth the extra money. Elsewhere, there were plenty of designer clothes that, although they are fun to look at, far surpassed the average student budget. Many did, however, have sale items and sample sales that were relatively inexpensive, and open for bargaining. Brand names included Billabong,

DC, and Bench. The vintage section also had many things to offer, both very bad and very good (as would be expected of anything vintage). The highlight: excellent condition, original Louis Vuitton and Chanel purses with bags and certification. They cost an arm and a leg, but it never hurt anyone to pretend! My award for favourite designer of the show goes to Torontonian Jordan de Ruiter of Sui Generis clothing, with her one of a kind, handmade, cruelty free dresses, rompers and skirts. Most items are made from and inspired by vintage clothing and fabrics, and her collection of swanky party dresses is positively delightful. Adorned with bold floral patterns, brilliant colours, big bows, and giant zippers, they are sure to impress. While most styles were fairly pricey, she also had a variety of sale items that w e r e just as snazzy. Honourable mentions go to Oh Dina! for her fun hats and accessories, Cry Wolf for their comical silk screen t-shirts (for both guys and gals), and Las Valentias for their modern shapes and designs. Of course, for every good designer, there was likely one bad. However, the truly terrible — the ones that could barely sew a button to a shirt, were sanctioned to the back, along with the clothes that looked like they came from the ugly section at the Salvation Army (these will remain unnamed). Most ridiculous (although strangely appealing) goes to Hats for their Victorian inspired gothic jackets and Mad Hatter headgear. Overall, there was definitely some room for improvment. If the organizers would only pull up their socks, it would seem much more professional, and not only attract more customers, but also more upscale designers. However, for the frugal fashionista who doesn’t mind sorting through racks upon racks of clothing to find the perfect outfit, the Clothing Show is for you. To those who do plan on attending next season, I recommend packing some PB&J sandwiches, comfy shoes, and plenty of cash as not a single vendor took debit and only a few accepted credit, and of course, don’t expect much of anyone except the designers. •Danielle Brown

thursday, october 1, 2009

photograph by: alexandra waespi

thursday, october 1, 2009

classic review

in stereo

the silhouette’s art + culture magazine • C11

featured review

Easily one of the most influential hip hop albums of all time, Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers) can only be described as one hour of perfect, raw poetry. Best listened to in its entirety, each track flows seamlessly into the next with flawless pacing, giving a decidedly cohesive feeling. Album opener “Bring Da Ruckus” immediately drops unsuspecting listeners into the land of Shaolin, beginning with a dialogue snippet from the 1981 film Shaolin and Wu-Tang. Quickly transitioning into a steady snareheavy rhythm, and subtle bass line, Ghostface Killah spits his

immortally ridiculous opening line “Ghostface, catch the blast of a hype verse, my glock bursts, leave in a hearse, I did worse.” RZA’s rough production values and relatively simple beats and loops hang in the background just enough to dramatically highlight the Clan’s jogging-pace vocals, giving exceptional gravity to every line. Lyrically, Wu-Tang Clan was a mile above anything Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, or anyone else could even dream of writing. The most distinct characteristic of the Clan’s delivery is their laid back, disorganized, train-of-thought style, often when asserting their superiority over other hip hop artists. 36 Chambers bursts at the seams with timelessly quotable and skillfully crafted rhymes, interspersed with sly quips and immature but equally memorable one-liners. 36 Chambers was

groundbreaking in its time, and continues to be, embodying the purest form of hip hop, unadulterated by over fifteen years of degeneration into club music. In essence, 36 Chambers is just as RZA put it: “Three hundred and sixty degrees of perfected st yles, choppin’ off your motherfuckin’ dome.” •Michael Hewak

The Rural Albert Advantage Hometowns

Young Widows Old Wounds

Regina Spektor Far

The Cave Singers Welcome Joy

The Toronto based trio’s debut paints a brilliantly nostalgic portrait of relationships, death, and hometown anxiety in forlorn Alberta. Edenloff’s lyrics are strikingly bare, but the simple words mask a deeper existential nakedness. Driven by pulsing rhythms, loose acoustics, lurching organs, and Nils own nasally voice which lies somewhere between the voices of Phil Elverum (The Microphones) and Jeff Magnum(Neutral Milk Hotel), RAA has successfully carved out their own sonic niche with its first album. Hometowns fittingly begins with the words “We invariably left the prairies/ And my heart, since they never moved an inch/And then you found me, alone on a Friday/Now, something is moving out here.” For RAA, the transient is a frightening but beautiful concept. This album is a surefooted step for the band’s journey into the musical landscape. • Michael Clemens

Even if you mix two parts nineties noise rock, one part eighties hardcore, and a dash of modern metal, you still won’t quite have the noxious cocktail concocted by Young Widows. Young Widows skip over breakdowns and blast beats and instead pumps out a heavy, visceral rock record. A mixing of live and studio recordings, here the band sounds huge. Chunky, grinding bass lines and thunderous drums set the foundation for guitar wizardry bursting with raw, discordant melodies. Deceptively simple, multilayered guitar effects reward the listener with subtle nuances that become uncovered after repeated listens. Young Widows have produced an unapologetically raw, yet darkly introspective record that find this band pushing their sound and ideas in a distinctive direction, a refreshing statement in a stagnant heavy music scene. •Chris Hoy

Regina Spektor is weird and she knows it. Although infinitely more evident on her earlier albums, she packs a decent amount of quirk into Far, pleasing diehard fans and intriguing new listeners alike. Easily her most pop-sensible album, Regina follows the same general formula she used for her 2006 breakout album Begin To Hope. Tunes like album opener “The Calculation,” which fuses bouncy piano rhythms with cutesy lyrics, as well as the infectious “Dance Anthem of the 80s,” effectively punctuate her more sombre meditative ballads such as the cozy “Wallet” which tells the story of returning a lost wallet to its owner. The latter half of the album suffers from a couple bland melodies, such as the meandering “Genius Next Door,” but ultimately as a whole Far provides an enjoyable and easy listen. •Michael Hewak

Welcome Joy is a charming, vibrant disc that doesn’t take listeners anywhere. Instead, it settles for a generic Wilco sort of feel, albeit, in the best way imaginable. Welcome Joy is an album punctuated by under-emphasized hypnotic drum rhythms that seem elevated above the very competent musicianship and obliging, almost yearning vocals which surround it. This is particularly true on the medium paced tracks that define most of the album— approachable numbers that would otherwise seem inclined to sink into the peripheries of sound. The Cave Singers are a band that aspire to a John Prine or Jeff Tweedy style of easy and articulate folk, but almost become lost in their own musicianship. While this disc showcases a very tight, interesting band, there is a sense on the album that they are always on the verge of coming it to their own and yet never quite do. •Corrigan Hammond

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Wu-Tang Clan Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers)

Every Time I Die New Junk Aesthetic

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With New Junk Aesthetic, fans receive a more cohesive and concise sound than 2003’s Hot Damn!. New listeners should expect the same generic sound of what is referred to as ‘hardcore southern rock’. Starting with lavish feedback and distorted noises that progress into heavy driving riffs complimented by Keith Buckley’s dynamic vocals, the first half of the album is exceptionally appealing. The second track features Greg Puciato of Dillinger Escape Plan. The most noticeable track by far is “Wanderlust.” The rest? Well, the dynamism hits a rut when the track “Turtles All the Way Down” slows the adrenaline to an unpleasant drag (how fitting). Because of the album’s attempt to mimic a live session, the songs start to sound the same unless paying diligent attention. Especially since the already fast-paced songs are so tightly knit together without any articulate transitions in between. Even so, New Junk Aesthetic shines not necessarily with its sound but in the lyrics and its intricate rhymes. His repeated reflections on the imperfect self, littered throughout religious allusions, instills a certain depth of appreciation in the careful listener, while remaining unnoticed to the vacuous scene kid in the mosh pit. •Aaron Joo

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C12 • the silhouette’s art + culture magazine

feature

let the audience decide

thursday, october 1, 2009

jian ghomeshi talks to mcmaster about the success of q and the state of the cbc

It took an hour and twenty-five minutes for the Billy Bob Thorton question to come up. “That’s pretty good,” laughed Jian Ghomeshi to a crowded audience at McMaster this past Tuesday. “I was trying to do my job,” the CBC radio host began in his self-described “stuttering” cadence, “[but] my style is that I don’t let people go. A lot of broadcasters said ‘I would have cut out there,’ and my director was saying ‘bail on this, we have Metric standing by for music.’” “First I thought he was kidding, but then it was clear that he was choosing not to cooperate [so] I wanted to look in his eyes and see what was going on. If I had cut out, he wouldn’t have said half of the interesting things that he did — especially about Canada.” Every since Thorton’s blow up during a live broadcast of Ghomeshi’s program Q last April, that interview has dogged the mild mannered radio host. “47 million people have watched that,” Ghomeshi laughed. “It’s embedded on CNN and BBC’s websites. I still haven’t said anything about the guy — you know, publicly. But he’s still out there calling me an asshole on late night talk shows. Sometimes it’s best to let the audience decide.” Still, for Ghomeshi who spoke extensively about the importance of “being your own brand,” it’s clear that the international attention that the Billy Bob Thorton interview has inadvertently brought the program has only been good press for the show. Indeed Q, as part of CBC’s strong daily morning program, is the most listened to arts and culture variety show in the broadcaster’s history. “The first rule of broadcasting,” Ghomeshi explained, “[is that] you have to be comfortable. People will always gravitate to the person on screen who is most comfortable. If you look comfortable, they will be comfortable. Peter Mansbridge is beloved because he looks comfortable.” Being comfortable has not only allowed Ghomeshi to grow his audience, but has also helped make him approachable to the elusive and iconic celebrities that he interviews daily. “[When we did the] Leonard Cohen [interview], it was a world exclusive. I went to his house and he’s such an enigma — he had his cap on, greeted us at the door, it was a very Spartan house. We had the camera crew and he was like

‘lets get a coffee.’ And I felt like I was in Kerouac. I felt like he was Yoda,” Ghomeshi gushed. “He was very generous. I felt like I could ask him anything just to hear his answers — which really would flow out in the most poetic prose.” “Canadians in the arts are funny because they are so self-depreciating,” he continued. “Canada is the most disproportionately successful exporter of music in the world. And that’s a fact. It happens in a number of tiers in a number

of genres — [there are bands like] Brocken Social Scene and Lights doing their thing, [and then] iconic figures like Shania and Celine and Alanis — all women interestingly enough. “ “[This is] because in 1971 Canadian content regulations built the groundwork upon which we could build this successful industry. We haven’t seen the same thing in film.” He paused, “why can’t the Cineplex be regulated to have Canadian content?” “We have an inferiority complex in general. And that’s a problem for us because Canada is a very artistic country. One of the misconceptions about the arts is that it is for people over there doing something else — and we ran into this last year with the Prime Minister. But the arts is a massive industry paying Canadians that everyone runs into.” He continued, stating that he thinks “the fact that our country lags behind somewhere like France or Germany [is disturbing]. The CBC is funded at one eighth the BBC and one fifteenth [French public broadcasters]. The only place that doesn’t spend as much as us is the United States. And they have NPR and PBS that are always begging [their audience for money].” Q, which began broadcasting in 2006, has become an important part of the CBC’s recent strategy to reach out to more Canadians through a variety of new mediums. Combining the familiar CBC arts and culture variety program with television and internet broadcasts, Q reaches an audience of about one million people per day (or a cumulative audience of two million people per week) — not only a sizeable audience by radio standards, but indeed, a listenership surpassing that of most television programs. Ghomeshi is especially proud given the CBC’s initial skepticism about the show’s structure based on long format interviews amid a media environment filled with “ADD-fast-paced-red-carpet-journalism.” Q airs on CBC Radio One on 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. Monday to Friday and on CBC Bold TV Tuesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m., and Saturdays at 10 p.m. Interviews are also archived at cbc.ca/q. •Corrigan Hammond