Issue 2, September 4, 2012

Tuesday, September 4, 2012 -

Issue 2 // www.thesputnik.ca

the

sputnik

News

2

On Campus

4

Features

6

A&E

8

Sports

10

Opinion

11

Orientation week kick-off O-Week, page 5 & 6

Hockeyfest Lawsuit page 3

Golden Hawks page 10

Mainstream Pornography? page 12

2

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4, 2012

News Get out of the dark, get onto the streets Jordan Johnston // newseditor@thesputnik.ca

Jordan Johnston News Editor

Brantford has lots of nice places to see and visit in its downtown core. But being a stranger in a new community can become quite intimidating, especially if you have never left home before. There are shops, restaurants and lovely parks to experience, but one should not always venture alone. In your time exploring Brantford, it is good to know what your neighbourhood has to offer in order to stay safe.

Staying with a group of friends while it is dark outside is important. Avoiding dark areas and strange people is a common sense factor that some people may tend to overlook when they are looking for the fastest way home.

Laurier Brantford offers a wide variety of “safe places” if you ever get into trouble. These are the most welcoming places for students to visit and include many of the businesses from the downtown area. They ensure that the safety and well being of all their guests from the Laurier community is a priority, and wish to make each experience the best it can be. Some of these safe places are: • Lonnies located at 42 Market Street Lonnies, one of many locations that are • Piston Broke located at 93 Dalhousie Street designated as Safe Places around campus • Strodes Express located at 117 Market Street • Feely’s Hardware located at 150 Market Street Although you may not ever need to use these services, it is nice to know they exist and how to get in contact with When walking, especially at night there is safety in num- them: bers. Foot Patrol is a highly recommended program for • Crime Stoppers: 519-752-7867; their goal is to fight everyone to use. They are a free student run organization crime with the combination of the community and legal located in the Student Center that are more than willing assistance. to walk or drive you to your destination from campus to • Foot Patrol: 519-751-7875; ‘no walk is too short.’ home, and vice versa. Foot Patrol is operated under the Foot Patrol works 7 nights a week to ensure students arrive Students’ Union and are available seven days a week, re- to their destinations safely. gardless of the weather. With Foot Patrol, “no walk is too • Special Constable Service: 519-756-8228 ext. 5888; short.” remember to ask for the Brantford location as this number Special Constables are one of the most beneficial ser- will direct you to Waterloo. vices for safety within the Laurier Brantford School and • Brantford Police: (9-1-1), for non-emergencies call community. Special Constables are akin to Laurier Brant- 519-756-0113. ford’s own police squad. They assist students with probBecoming familiar with your surroundings is an important lems on and off campus. Special Constable Services are step into entering a new place. So get out and enjoy but always promoting street smarts; knowing where you can remember, stay safe. get help is a good precaution to take. They are located at For a complete list of Laurier Brantford’s safe places and 45 Market Street and are always open and welcoming to a map with their locations, visit: http://www.wlu.ca/page. students with questions, concerns and/or suggestions. The php?grp_id=12006&p=9410 Special Constables also have many information brochures for the taking and fridge magnets with important phone numbers.

Trust your instincts, if something seems wrong, don’t hesitate to report it. If you have any suggestions on how Laurier Brantford can make you feel safer, please feel free to let the Laurier Brantford Special Constables and Campus Operations know by e-mailing: lbsecurity@wlu.ca.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Graeme Gordon eic@thesputnik.ca ADVERTISING & DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR

Angela Taylor angela.taylor@wlusp.com (519) 884-0710 ext. 3560 PHOTO EDITOR Olivia Rutt photography@thesputnik.ca ART EDITOR Diane Sison art.editor@thesputnik.ca WEB EDITOR To be hired web@thesputnik.ca COPY EDITORS Ahmed Minhas Alicia Saunders Jessica Lalonde SECTION EDITORS Jordan Johnston, Local News Matt Mente, On Campus Layla Bozich, Features Courtney Langstaff, A&E Kyle Morison, Sports Leisha Senko, Opinion

CONTRIBUTORS Graeme Gordon Allison Leonard Olivia Rutt Diane Sison Matt Mente Courtney Langstaff Layla Bozich Leisha Senko Kyle Morrison Carla Egesi Alex Zima Anthony Fusco Cody Hoffman Caleb Godin Aaleya Waslat

WLUSP BRANTFORD MANAGER OF OPERATIONS Allison Leonard allison.leonard@wlusp.com PHONE (519) 756-8228 ext.5948 202-171 Colborne St. N3T 2C9

WLUSP OFFICE 205 Regina Street Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3C5 PRESIDENT Emily Frost (519) 884-0710 ext.3565 emily.frost@wlusp.com ADVERTISING Angela Taylor (519)884-0710 ext. 3560 angela@wlusp.com The Sputnik is an editorially independent newspaper published by Wilfrid Laurier University Student Publications, Waterloo. Contact Emily Frost - WLUSP, 205 Regina Street The Sputnik is a proud member of the Canadian University Press (CUP) Opinions expressed in The Sputnik are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the Editorial staff, The Sputnik, WLUSP, WLU or CanWeb Printing Inc.

3

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th

News

Jordan Johnston // newseditor@thesputnik.ca

Hockeyfest: class action lawsuit Caleb Godin Staff The annual Hockeyfest’s event organization is suing the Grand River Conservation Authority for $12 million following last May’s alleged breach of contract after the GRCA cancelled the music festival six days before it was scheduled to occur.

With music stars like Creed, Mariana’s Trench and Weezer planned to perform at the festival, it was estimated to bring in up to two million dollars of incoming revenue from ticket and vending sales.

But on May 26, just six days before the June 1st event kick-off, the GRCA announced on its website that it was withdrawing its support of the event citing lack of police support.

According to an article in the Brantford Expositor, even weeks after the event was supposed to have run, ticket holders are still without refunds and some are taking to the Internet and social media in frustration.

One group on Facebook titled, “I want my money back Brantford Hockeyfest” has 178 members. One poster claims to have lost $260 in tickets he purchased.

The GRCA’s alleged breach of contract has caused many consequences, none as severe as the defamation of Ralph Spoltore.

Many believe it is due to his arrogance that the necessary arrange-

ments were not done on time. In an Expositor article, volunteers stated that they rarely saw anyone else involved in

main patient. I am at work for you…”

His silence on the ticket refunds has made some Brantford citizens so an-

Last years Hockeyfest - Photo by Olivia Rutt the organization and planning of the events other than Spoltore.

Spoltore has remained tight-lipped about the whole ordeal, only Tweeting to his fans once throughout the entire debacle, “Hey fans. Ralph here. As hard as it may be… I am asking that you re-

gry, it has prompted them to consider a lawsuit, “It is about time a bunch of us go and see a lawyer” and, “All I can say is class action lawsuit… very soon.”

When questioned about the lawsuit, the Manager of Communications for the GRCA, Dave Schultz was unable to

comment on the lawsuit itself, stating only that, “They filed their statement of claim and, we quickly filed our claim of defence.”

Dante Gatti, the lawyer representing Mr. Spoltore in the lawsuit was unavailable for questioning, and as for Mr. Spoltore himself, repeated attempts to make contact via phone and Facebook were unsuccessful.

Hockeyfest was given two grants, one for $315,000 from Celebrate Ontario, and one for $22,000 from Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation, in order to help finance the event. This has some people asking where the money could have gone since the event never happened.

Many want Spoltore’s somewhat patchy past explored further.

A confessed gambler, drug addict, and ex-drug mule, Spoltore has been receiving a lot of negative press lately despite many friends and colleagues vouching for his rehabilitation. What comes next remains to be seen, but as of yet this now ongoing legal battle continues to make the Brantford community anxious to see the outcome.

4

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

On Campus Matt Mente // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Expositor Place opening for students The Expositor Place residence Matt Mente On Campus Editor

After a year of construction, the Expositor Place will be opening up for Laurier students to take up residence in just a few days. Built on and around the historical Expositor building, the Expositor Place preserves the iconic facade of the original building while expanding upon it significantly.

Now essentially complete, the Expositor Place hosts a variety of new features. It has been fitted with apartment style residences which are standard across the Laurier Brantford campus, with four students to an apartment. A fifth floor has been added to the building, increasing the overall floor space by a considerable margin.

In addition to its living areas, which will house 216 students, the Expositor Place holds a few study areas or common spaces and an open air courtyard. Beginning on the second floor, the courtyard takes up enough space that it can be used for meetings, activities or lounging. The courtyard is accessible only to residents.

Extending up through the entire building, the courtyard is open to the sky, providing students a chance to get fresh air without having to loiter on the street. The one major aspect of the building which will be public are the three commercial spaces on the first floor. Designed to host food services, the commercial spaces have seen some interest from Brantford business owners, though none have been rented as yet.

Each space allows for public access form the street front with a separate access corridor for students from the building.

The historical Expositor building will hold 200 students and retail space Photo credit: Olivia Rutt

Peer Help Line comes to Brantford

Matt Mente On Campus Editor

After four years at Laurier Waterloo, the Student’s Union Peer Help Line is setting its sights on Brantford. While the help line has always been accessible to all students, this year marks the first time the Peer Help Line has made a serious attempt to promote itself to Brantford students. In the past, BACCHUS (now Healthy Lifestyles Committee) has been the primary promoter of the Peer Help line on the Brantford campus, but only so much as it fell under their general mandate of student health.

This year, the Peer Help Line hopes to participate in at least one or two events on the Brantford campus. As a first step, the Peer Help Line has already been included in this year’s Orientation Week. They hope to attend or host at the very least a second event in the latter half of the year.

With their new attempt at an outreach to the Brantford campus, the Peer Help Line has also begun prepping their phone line volunteers to deal with a second campus. The Peer Help Line is divided into two halves, external and internal. The External Coordinator is Paige Goodman who describes the external portion of the committee as “the face of Peer Help Line.” They carry out numerous awareness campaigns including mental health awareness, suicide prevention and awareness, and alcohol awareness. In this regard, they function similarly to Brantford’s Healthy Lifestyles Committee but with the added goal of promoting the internal side of the Peer Help Line. Jaclin Whaley is the Internal Coordinator for Peer

Help Line and describes the line as a “confidential, listing, information and referral service.” Peer Help Line internal volunteers handle all the help line calls, and they ensure confidentiality and remain anonymous themselves.

Each Peer Help Line volunteer is equipped to handle student stress and personal issues, with all of them being trained in crisis management.

With the newfound focus on bringing service to Brantford, the Peer Help Line internal volunteers will have to brush up on their knowledge of the campus, particularly since few, if any, members of the committee have ever been to the Brantford campus. Goodman attributes a renewed effort in communication between the campuses for this year’s effort in bringing Peer Help Line to Brantford students in a more meaningful way.

In addition to the Peer Help Line, Brantford students have a number of services available to them to deal with health concerns; be they physical or mental. The university provides a small but dedicated staff of physicians and therapists who work with students throughout the year. In addition, there are other student committees such as the newly revamped Healthy Lifestyles Committee who work on numerous campaigns and initiatives aimed at improving and maintaining student health. The addition of the Peer Help Line to the Brantford campus is just one more link in the ever expanding network of services dedicated to supporting students here at Laurier Brantford.

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The Sputnik // Tuesday, Speptember 4th, 2012

On Campus

Matt Mente // oncampus@thesputnik.ca

Leading up to O-Week Graeme Gordon Editor-in-Chief On Monday, Sept. 3, over 600 firstyear students moved into residence in Brantford and began their new life journey away from home. Welcoming them were volunteer upper-year students who gave them a helping-hand moving into their rooms and showing them around campus. Excitement and anticipation were everywhere as everyone got settled in at their new homes and prepared themselves for Laurier Brantford’s 2012 Orientation Week.

Kate Doyle, Director of Orientation Programming and Events, expects a turnout of at least 600 students for this year’s O-week, out of the 811 new firstyear students enrolled at the university this year. Although by Thursday of last week only a little over half of that number had been met, at 304 signups for O-week Doyle was not concerned with the lower-than-expected confirmations.

“We have not had a lot [of registrations] online, because we’ve been having issues with the website,” said Doyle. (This is the first year that Laurier Brantford has used a website that is Waterloo-based.)

Doyle still expected more registrations in the last days leading up to O-Week and “expect[ed] at least 200 more on movein day.”

Stephanie Davidson, a first-year ConEd student, registered early for O-Week and did not have any trouble registering, but knows other students who did: “…many people in some of the Laurier Brantford Facebook groups have been having difficulty. I know a lot of their difficulty was with their actual ID number and how it says that it is incorrect.” De-

spite problems with online registration, many incoming students on Facebook groups have inquired and plan to register on move-in day.

“I’m going to be a blue shark for the week! I am looking forward to so much [this] week. I’m excited to meet new people and make lifelong friends,” said Davidson.

This eagerness to begin her post-secondary education at Laurier, and her new life in Brantford, has been echoed by other first-years on the Facebook groups online created specifically for in-

coming Laurier Brantford students. Many incoming students had already made new friends through Facebook, before even moving to Brantford on Monday.

They have also used the social media site to: figure out buying textbooks (using the group Laurier Brantford Used Books), meet other first-years in the same program or residence, and make plans for O-Week.

By the end of Monday, over 100 more students had signedup, bringing the grand total to over 650 students, including over 100 LEAF students.

Opening Ceremonies. Photo Credit: Graeme Gordon

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The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

FEATURES

Layla Bozich // features@thesputnik.ca

O-Week: make it unforgettable, not a blackout Layla Bozich Features Editor

With the first week of September comes the epitome of every first year September after attending Orientation Week. Laurier Brantford will be student’s life at Laurier Brantford: Orientation Week. If you are shy, scared, your home for the next four or so years and the Orientation Team are nervous, excited, or even a mixture of all these emotions, the Students’ striving to make Laurier Brantford feel like home the best they can.

Union at Laurier Brantford has been working tirelessly to welcome new “[The team] gives up weekends throughout the summer to be trained students (like you) to campus life. and their last week of summer to wake up before 7 every morning and You may not know what to expect from Orientation Week when you not see their bed until well after midnight” said Silvestro. “Meanwhile, they arrive, but Lauren Silvestro, Clubs & Activities, has broken it down to are doing it with big smiles on their faces and constant enthusiasm. They expose the benefits you will receive from the busy week ahead of you. take the role of a volunteer above and beyond. They are amazing.”

Opportunities to learn about how to get involved on campus are The team behind Orientation Week here at Laurier Brantford has offered as well as a whole day devoted to mock lectures. However, evidently been working hard to provide a unique experience for new Silvestro explains, this year’s mock lectures are much more refined in that students to blend into university life as effortlessly as possible. they correlate to the students’ individual program. After the lecture, an Many friendships will be forged during this week and many interests upper year student from the program will answer questions about textbooks, course loads, and the program itself.

School pride will be celebrated in purple and gold at this year’s Orientation Week when the Wilfrid Laurier University Men’s Varsity Baseball team take on the Ontario Blue Jays.

Another goal of Orientation Week this year is to inform students about the services offered to them which exist because students pay for them in their tuition, such as counseling services. This session is devoted to encouraging students to take advantage of the many services offered to them on campus.

Laurier Brantford hopes to raise a grand total of $12,000 for the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Canada through the popular Shinerama car wash stationed around Brantford.

Traditional Orientation Week activities are also on the schedule, such as a day at the Earl Haig Fun Park, where students can relax on the lazy river and play a game of beach volleyball.

A concert night is guaranteed to be a night to let loose and enjoy some great talent, with past performances including IllScarlett and Marianas Trench.

A race around the city of Brantford to achieve certain activities was the favourite activity of Laurier Brantford student Nick Porretta, who participated in Orientation Week in 2008.

“I found O-Week really got me out of my shell and made me more outgoing,” said Porretta. “All of your teammates end up like family.”

He also reminisced of an exciting baseball game he attended in which he got to truly unleash his inner school spirit and become more sociable with his fellow students.

A glow party, where students can party in hand decorated black t-shirts, offers a chance for students to connect while in a fun, loud, adrenaline pumping environment.

Orientation Week is not just all about fun activities to get you ready for class, however. It is a basis in which you are prepped to deal with the rest of your university life – without even knowing it!

“I loved how people knocked on my res[idence] door just to introduce themselves. Everyone was so eager to meet people!” said Laurier Brantford student Karly Unforgettable O-Week. Art by: Carla Egesi Rath, who attended her Orientation Week will be discovered. Try as many last year. different clubs as you’d like – it is a great experience and it gives you a Rath also enjoyed the practical knowledge that was handed out well-rounded view of university along the way! during the week.

The people assigned to your Orientation Week team will also play a big “I’m so glad I learned about the city of Brantford,” she said. “One role in your next few years at Laurier Brantford. activity taught me the bus routes and that pretty much saved my life!”

“All of your teammates end up like family,” said Porretta. “The people I No matter your interest when you arrive here – be it human rights or lived with for my university career were on my O-Week team.” improv or art – Laurier Brantford has room for you. Orientation Week offers Even students who are not living in residence are encouraged to attend a unique setting to learn about the wide array of clubs operating on the week of activities. campus and also gives you a chance to meet the club presidents.

“If I didn’t go, I probably would not have gotten to know as many Do you like writing? Become a part of the Sputnik. (hint, hint.) Do you amazing people as I did,” said Porretta. like talking and sharing your verbal opinion? Try out for Radio Laurier and The most important factor to remember during Orientation Week is to be have it heard. Do you like studying psychology? Attend the Psychology yourself and let others discover your unique interests.

Society’s meetings and join in on the conversation. The list of student The energy of Orientation Week will keep you going throughout your clubs to join here at Laurier is endless. Do you have an idea for a new university career and the experience will inspire confidence that you may one? Then create it! have lost along the way.

Silvestro hopes to see students getting involved on campus in

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The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Laurier Brantford Welcomes first-year students Aaleya Waslat Staff The first year of university is known to be the most exciting and memorable year of university years. A lot of the first year students are excited to meet new people and to become independent adults.

First there is elementary school, then high school, and now welcome to Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford Campus, jump in and pursue your dreams!

Wilfrid Laurier Brantford is welcoming those ambitious students, who don’t only want to pass, but also feel “good” to work hard for high marks and be involved in co-curricular activities. The university of Wilfrid Laurier has shown a great sense for building community and creating great programs for Laurier students.

The students are able to choose from different campus clubs, and do different volunteering from the beginning of school year. The academic advisors are always there to support the balance between studying and volunteering, as first year can be tough.

There are campus clubs for Aboriginals, there are programs at the gym that you can join or help out organizing. There are also clubs that evolve about different cultures, and prepare programs as well, such as Radio Laurier or The Sputnik. Students are able to apply at the constable’s office for volunteering or help out students with preparing notes for those who can’t make it to class.

Students in first year don’t only learn how to select their courses after their own strength and interest and create their own timetable for their day but also adapt to how to cook and go grocery shopping, how to start reading in between classes, although the previous class was about to put them to sleep, and keep up with the class average.

First year means discipline, energy and goals. These attributes allow first year students to become a bigger part of the university and not only their own timetable.

“To join a club at university does not only mean volunteering and being responsible, but also making friends and feeling proud of what your achieving at the end of the school year,” said Jimmy Liao, second year student who today is one of the ambassadors, and is looking forward to be a part of the Orientation Week at the beginning of September 2012.

At the end it is also important to follow your own interest, there are a lot of students at Laurier Brantford commuting from Cambridge and Hamilton, who just can’t fit volunteering and Campus clubs in their time table, some students work full time next to school to make a living and support themselves and others just want to focus on achieving great marks.

“I am going to volunteer, wherever I can.” Jimmy Liao, motivating first year students to feel the same.

Tran Finlay, second year student of Laurier Brantford, guaranteed that there is no such thing as laziness: “There is so much to do on campus, there is no way you will be missing out on the students dancing Zumba outside, or the students fundraising.”

Tran himself spent most of his first year playing basketball and going to the gym in between studying and classes. “That is how I met new people and today I have a great group of friends.”

“I am looking forward to first year students, the school will be filled with more excitement” Wilfrid Laurier University Brantford is known to be small compared to the Waterloo campus. The amount of students does not decide the size of a university. Many of the Brantford students strongly believe that Wilfrid Laurier Brantford is a strong university in terms of community and preferred class sizes, as the professors know your name and completely understand your weaknesses and strengths, which allows students to gain more from their university experience.

Sahaj Bhathal, second year student who lived on campus on first year knows that “partying” is something that no one will neglect. “I went “celebrating” every weekend, it was a part of my first year.” But dear parents, going out in Brantford does not mean that you’re in danger. Wilfrid Laurier University has made sure that the students are safe while having fun. Many students feel safe in Brantford, “While walking around in a group of 4 to 5 people, you meet police and the constables office is always around the corner and open,” Sahaj Bathal assures that a smaller campus allows students to grow bigger and the size of a university does not make a difference, but how determined the students are who are a part of that campus.

Wilfird Laurier Brantford is pleased to have built a secure and stable community for students who are just starting to learn about university life. Each year WLUSU, the Wilfrid Laurier University Student Union, reserves over $25,000 to help student clubs and social events. The student union offers clubs for academic programs, athletics, politics, religion and culture. And if there is still nothing that is of interest, WLUSU gives students the possibility to create their own campus clubs and start to let their dreams come to reality.

Welcome first year students 2012-2013, jump on and look to the horizon with Wilfrid Laurier on your side.

The broke freshman

Living on a grand the entire school year

Amber Richardson Staff So you’re finally in university, with the freedom to do pretty much whatever you want. Hopefully you’ve saved up some dough over the summer, because with great freedom, comes great expenses. Here’s a guide with tips on how to spend your hard earned cash (or Osap), no matter what your budget!

First, we have to acknowledge the different avenues our money disappears to. For this guide they will be: entertainment (booze, parties, movies, etc.) food (groceries, dinners out, Tim’s, etc.) shopping (cause lets face it, you’ll want those cute new shoes), personal necessities, and transportation.

Those of you with big budgets (pretty jealous) still need to be cognizant of how you’re spending your money. The following budget plan is for students who have around $1000 to spend. If you have more, just multiply the recommended spending (i.e. if you have $3000, you can spend $90/month on entertainment).

The Plan This is going to be tricky, because you probably did a whole bunch of spending over the summer.

However, that could be a good thing if you bought everything you need for the year, thus lessening your expenses for the school year. If you only have a thousand bucks to spend over the school year, it means you have $125 to spend each month that you’re in school. Here’s how to make it work.

Entertainment: $30.

On this budget, you probably shouldn’t spend the brunt of your money on entertainment, but let’s be serious, you need to have some fun. Allow yourself at least $30 per month for entertainment.

This may seem difficult, but NV has free cover for students, a movie at Galaxy is only five bucks on Tuesday, and a bottle of wine costs about 7 dollars.

With a $30 budget, you can buy 3 bottles of wine, go to the club, and even catch a movie all in a month. Plus, the Sputnik is always free, and always entertaining.

Food: $50 Hopefully your parents help out in the grocery department, but there’s a chance they don’t. If you have to buy your own food, this should be your biggest expense--at least $50 a month. The great thing about Laurier Brantford is that we have a food bank that is accessible to students! This will help out a lot, but you will still need to go to the grocery store to pick up your milk, eggs, bread, and produce. Don’t just go to the closest grocery store, go to the cheapest. If you take bus #6 toward West Brant, you will stumble upon a No Frills, where you will definitely snag some good deals on food. If you manage to be thrifty while buying your groceries, you can probably afford a coffee now and then, or a late night treat at Lonnie’s.

Personal necessities: $20.

My advice for toiletries and other personal necessities: Stock up! Things like tampons, toothpaste, and shampoo don’t spoil, and you know you are going to continue to need it. For this kind of stuff, Walmart is usually cheapest, but sometimes Shoppers has deals if you buy two or more. And you know that newspaper that gets delivered every couple days that never gets opened? It’s now your best friend. Open it up, take out the flyers, and look for deals and coupons! You should aim to spend about $20 dollars a month on this stuff, but if you spend $40 one month, you won’t have to spend anything the next month...and it might even save you from spending anything the month after that too!

Shopping: $20 Shopping isn’t really necessary, but even I have had days when I would gladly choose a new top over dinner. Let yourself buy one new item a month, it will leave you feeling satisfied, without the buyer’s remorse. Places like Ardene’s are also great, because they offer a ton of great accessories for REALLY cheap (3/$10 cheap), and accessories are a really great way to freshen up your wardrobe. You can also hold off on buying for a couple months to buy one expensive item.

Transportation: FREE! Your one card is your transit pass to everywhere around Brantford, and this is perfect if you’re on a tight budget. There is hardly ever any reason to take a cab, but if you do, pack it with friends and split the cost.

Tips: #1 Use sites like WagJag, Groupon, and Teambuy to get cheap stuff. Coupons are designed to save you money, so utilize them! #2 When going out for lunch, look for the daily specials, those are also designed to save you money. #3 The best thing you can do for yourself if you’re trying to budget, is writing down everything that you spend. Download the Visual Budget app for iPhone, or MoneyWise app for android to keep track, or if you don’t have a smartphone, pop over to Dollarama, grab a white board, and jot down what you’ve spent for every category each month.

This will let you see what’s working, what’s not, and where you need to adjust your budget and spending. And I can guarantee, if you follow this budget (or your own customized one) your money will last until the end of the year and you won’t have to dumpster dive or panhandle for lunch.

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The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

A&E

Courtney Langstaff // arts@thesputnik.ca

TIFF 2012 brings big films, big stars and big expectations Courtney Langstaff A&E Editor The annual festival is welcoming a lot of big celebrities with long anticipated films to Toronto this year.

There are about 20 films scheduled to be shown for this years gala, but there is a lot of buzz particularly surrounding five of them and you might have already heard of a couple of them. One of the main films admitting a lot of buzz this year is produced by George Clooney’s Smokey House Pictures named “Argo”. Starring Ben Affleck, this political thriller recreates the 1979 alliance between the CIA and Canadian authorities in conjunction to help smuggle six Americans out of a very hostile Tehran, Iran in the awakening of the Iran Hostage Crisis. The star-studded cast includes John Goodman, Victor Garber, Alan Arkin, and Bryan Cranston. “Argo” is scheduled to premiere at the festival on September 7.

“Hyde Park on Hudson”: Bill Murray plays Franklin Roosevelt in a true adaptation of the President’s relationship with his future mistress and distant cousin Margaret Suckley, played by Laura Linney. Produced by Alliance Films, “Hyde Park on Hudson” takes place at the Presidential country estate during a visit by England’s Royal Family in 1939. The film is scheduled for premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 10.

“Looper”: Right out of the doors of Comic Con, Looper star’s Joseph GordonLevitt in an ultramodern futuristic society that showcases a time-travelling hunt of a hired assassin (Levitt) who must destroy the future version of himself, played by Bruce Willis. This action sci-fi film is TIFF’s opening Gala that premieres on September 6, and opens in Toronto theatres on September 28.

Other buzzing films for the festival include “Jayne Mansfield’s Car”. Takes place in 1969 Alabama starring Billy Bob Thornton who is a triple threat in this film, as also a writer and producer. The film depicts the culture clash between an American and English family. Other stars in this buzzing festival flick showcase Kevin Bacon, Robert Duvall, and John Hurt and premieres at TIFF on September 13. Another film in the top five anticipated films at this year’s festival stars Riz Ahmed, Kate Hudson, and

Billy Bob Thornton, the triple threat. Photo Credit: Ed Schipul, Flickr Kiefer Sutherland in the “The Reluctant Fundamentalist”. This film based on Mohsin Hamid’s international bestselling novel premieres on Sept. 8.

If you’re in town keep your eyes out and cameras ready for big celebrities and Hollywood royalty, as they are probably walking on the streets with you. In fact, festival curator Thom Powers says “the best TIFF 2012 celeb sighting is at ‘Roy Thompson Hall Galas’”. The Toronto International Film Festival runs from Sept. 6 to Sept. 16.

BRING ME THE

HEAD OF

ALFREDO GARCIA

Alex Zima Staff For those of you who don’t know, “Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia” is one of many long forgotten films. This obscure title illustrates my obscene take on the past, present, and future of film and television. Welcome to another exciting edition of “Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia,” where movies and television of both past, future, and present are reviewed and analyzed by an esteemed panel of critics of all varieties broken down by age and sex – which consists of me and only me, because there’s no one more broken down by age and sex than me. That joke was first told be Stephen Fry, I believe, a decade ago. So let’s get started:

Long Forgotten:

The Great Dictator (1940): If you have ever felt weird because you thought you saw an odd resemblance between Charlie Chaplin and Hitler, you are not alone.

Charlie himself saw that resemblance and played the dictator in a film he wrote satirizing the regime before the start of the Second World War. Now this was a risky move on Chaplin’s part, as the international community was very cautious and wary of Nazi Germany at the point of time. The film itself is an amazing early comedy filled with slapstick goofiness, but is full of heart at the same time. The premise is essentially like every switcheroo comedy of modern day, where two people unwittingly end up in each others places, except instead of a teenage daughter and a 13 year old girl, it is a Jewish man and Hitler. Actually, now that I think about it, that’s nothing like every switcheroo comedy of modern day.

Missed:

Riki-Oh - The Story of Ricky (1991): My fingers tremble and my chest feels heavy with fear as I type this one. I first saw this movie about 8 years ago with some friends, and I thought I was hallucinating. I probably was hallucinating, but the movie was still weird. I watched it again just today for the purposes of this article, and it has kept every bit of its weirdness, if not gained more with time. The movie is based on a Japanese Manga, but made by Hong Kong, it features outrageously bad special effects, ridiculous visuals, and so much blood that after one scene the main actor had to take a break from filming for 3 days because his skin was dyed red from it. The premise is basically a guy named Ricky is in jail, he’s basically a Mortal Kombat character, and he crushes people’s heads, rips out their intestines, and knocks down walls with nothing but his fists. That’s really as close to a plot as the movie gets, but who needs a plot when you’ve got that?

Extract (2009): Beavis and Butthead creator Mike Judge released this gem under the radar, even more so then his cult classic “Idiocracy”. Starring the incredibly hot Mila Kunis, and I guess some other people, this is the tale of a man who hires a male prostitute to sleep with his wife behind his back, so he can cheat on her guilt free.

When his dumb plan actually works, he figures out he sucks at cheating. Also, at the same time, a man working at his plant loses his testicles, and a lawsuit may be inevitable. Not only is this a great movie, but it’s a cheap movie – I bought a copy at Wal Mart for $2.99. Who cares if ‘Ma and Pa’ businesses can’t compete and are going out of business, that’s a damn good value.

Current:

Total Recall (2012): Have you ever wanted to watch the original Total Recall with better special effects, Malcolm’s dad from “Malcolm in the Middle”, but absolutely no substance or anything interesting? Well you’re in luck. This turd hit theaters this month and left a stench you can still catch if you really try hard. And where is Mars?

Seriously… where is it? That’s why NASA had to send the “Curiosity rover” out there, they saw this movie and thought Mars went missing.

Don’t Trust The Bitch in Apartment 23, season 2 (2012): ABCs surprise hit returns this fall with both unreleased and brand new episodes. This show is a great alternative to “2 Broke Girls”, as it’s about two girls, it’s about a love hate friendship, but the difference is, this one is funny, it has Krysten Ritter, and that guy who played Dawson. Follow the adventures of the lovable naïve June as she becomes socially dependant on her druggy, psychotic, morally blank roommate.

Future :

The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey (2012): Now, I am not a fan of fantasy books, or films, or anything with ogres or elves or Gollums, but I will give this one a try. Why the change of heart? Skyrim. No respect for Tolkien, none for Peter Jackson, just some good old fashioned Skyrim changed my mind enough about all this magical forest crap long enough that I will suspend disbelief and hold of judgment ‘til I actually see it, hitting theaters this December.

9

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Losing your V-card Amber Richardson Staff Losing your virginity — especially in university — might seem like a race to most (Hey, most of your friends got laid on prom night, right?). However, if you are trying to lose your v-card just to blend in, you might regret it later... just think of how many “mistakes” are realized after a hearty night of binge drinking. If you are thinking of losing your vcard because it’s just burning a hole in your pocket (or the crotch of your brand new jeans), consider the following: 1.

Never sleep with someone to make them like you.

This tactic almost never works. Sure, you might have sex with them and be head over heels, but you should also consider the fact that the endorphins being released are completely new and electric to you, whereas it could be just sex to your partner. You also run the risk of seeming “easy”...and I’m sure that’s not what you want after 18-25 years of closed leggedness. If your main objective is just to get laid, pick someone who won’t emotionally crush you, and vice versa. If you’re looking for a relationship, don’t start it with sex. Always

make sure you’re “ready”. You can’t take your virginity back just because you regret sleeping with someone.

2.

Foreplay!

Hopefully you’re not just diving head first into all kinds of sexual acts your first time. Ideally, you’ve fooled around before and have explored the anatomy of either the same or opposite sex, making you one step closer to being ready.

When the day comes that you’re hell bent to lose it, make sure there is lots of foreplay (hands and mouths work well) before you begin. This will hopefully switch the panic to pure lust, and you’ll be able to transition into the act smoothly...or frantically.

3.

The do’s and don’ts for ladies and gents: Girls: Don’t have sex on white sheets.

The truth is, you’re probably going to bleed. There’s probably nothing more awkward than sleeping with a guy in his bed, for the first time, and bleeding all over his sheets. Throw a dark sheet or comforter on, and invite him to your place! Also, you can try to make it super steamy by showering together afterwards.

Guys: Don’t get down on yourself if

you don’t last long. You’ve been waiting a long time for this, and sex is definitely different (and better) than doing it yourself. You have to get over the fact that you’re probably not going to last very long at all your first time. HOWEVER, it doesn’t mean that you are a total chump. Work on your girl and get her off before you have sex, that way it won’t matter if it doesn’t last that long.

4.

Relax Don’t over think the whole process; first time sexers and even novice love makers have a habit of thinking things like “Does my hair look good?”, “Am I making a weird sex face?”, “Am I sweating too much?”, etc. Think of it this way, if you’re not concerned about what the other person looks like when they’re having sex with you, chances are they don’t care either. Just enjoy the moment; it’s much better when you aren’t worrying.

5.

Stay safe.

Sure, condoms can sometimes be a drag, but for your first time especially, I highly recommend them (along with the pill, ring, patch, etc.) Not only will the men last longer--because it desensitizes it a bit, but they are also lubed

up, so it will make for easier entry (and hopefully less painful). It will also significantly take away from the gross factor of the bleeding that will likely occur.

If you think you’re finally ready to lose it, just prepare yourself. Try not to do it when you’re drunk just because it’s easier and might hurt less. Make the conscious decision to lose it, and make sure you tell your partner so they go easy on you your first time. But hey, it’s your v-card, so spend it however makes you happy.

Chavril Comic

Sexpert. Art by: Diane Sison

By Carla Egesi

“That awkward moment when ‘Sk8ter Boi’ stops being a cautionary tale about not judging a book by its cover and starts being about a girl with permanent beer goggles.”

Fall Movie Preview Courtney Langstaff A&E Editor

Resident Evil: Retribution: Friday September 14, 2012 In the fifth installment, Alice (Milla Jovovich) continues to rise against and destroy the evil Umbrella Corporation alongside the remaining resistance survivors including Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr) and newcomer Rain Ocampo (Michelle Rodriguez). In search of a new and mysterious safe place known only as Arcadia which is believed to be untouched by the T- Virus, the disease of the undead.

Dredd: Friday September 21, 2012 This remake of the 90s classic action film takes place in an advanced and violent society where the police have universal authority as judge, jury, and executioner. Judge Dredd (Karl Urban) teams up with a trainee cop and set out to eliminate a mob with the power to alter reality.

Taken 2: Friday October 5, 2012 In the sequel, Brian Mills (Liam Neeson), retired CIA agent, and his wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) are taken hostage in Istanbul, Turkey. Their kidnapper appears to be the vengeful father of the kidnapper Mills had murdered while salvaging his daughter in the first film.

Breaking Dawn Part 2: Friday November 16, 2012 The epic conclusion of the saga takes place after the birth of Renesmee, where the Cullens, including newborn vampire Bella (Kristen Stewart), join forces with other vampire clans around the world in order to protect the fast growing child from the evil Volturi.

10

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

SPORTS

Kyle Morrison // sports@thesputnik.ca

NHL lockout imminent Anthony Fusco Staff

I’m not going to sugar-coat anything.

The 2012-2013 NHL season is in serious jeopardy. For the readers who don’t understand the terms of the CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), I’ll try to keep it simple.

The NHL’s current CBA is over on September 15. If there isn’t a new CBA agreed to by that deadline the players will be locked out

by Commissioner Gary Bettman.

There are two sides to this story. On one side you have NHL owners and Commissioner Bettman. On the other you have the NHLPA (National Hockey League Players Association) which is lead by Donald Fehr.

There are two things that could happen if a lockout occurs. The first is that the NHLPA and the NHL can’t come to agreement at all. The result could potentially be a repeat of the 2004/2005 season, which was lost to a lockout. The second possibility is for something to happen like it did in the NBA this past season. In that situation there was no basketball for a few months, but after an agreement was reached, the NBA played a shortened season starting in December.

The NHL made 3.2 billion dollars in revenues last season. Shortly after this was announced the NHL told the NHLPA to change the CBA because certain teams were not making money, despite the 3.2 billion made last season. To explain, there are rich and poor teams across the league and the most revenue is, of course, coming from the richer teams.

Teams like Toronto, Montreal, New York, Boston, and Detroit are making big profits, while teams like Columbus, and Phoenix are not. To combat this in their first proposal the NHLPA wanted to make revenues sharing between clubs a reality. This would in effect force the richer teams to share their revenues with the poor teams. This argument has been used successfully in Major League

Baseball, but the NHL owners are a tougher sell.

The lower revenue teams will love this idea but the richer teams will not. However if there is a lockout, the richer teams’ profit margins will be cut into. The owners of the rich NHL teams will lose business and therefore lose profit.

NHL owners will not be happy to lose out on potential revenue since this is after all a business.

The money making owners will begin to lose profit if there is a lockout, because there are no games to be played. That means no paying fans, no sponsorships, and no televised games. Also don’t forget that they will have to return season ticket holders money as well and nobody likes returning money.

Not many people know that when Bettman got his job in 1993, he was required to avoid work stoppages. Now if you’re a rich owner not making any money because Bettman locked the players out, who do you think is going to hear it first? This could potentially be the NHLPA’s ace in the hole.

Hopefully the NHLPA can successfully submit a proposal that works for both the players association and for the NHL. I’d hate to see this season cancelled but as it stands right now it is a very real and scary possibility.

Golden Hawks’ Men’s Football Team Reloaded Kyle Morrison Sports Editor When the Laurier University Golden Hawks’ men’s football team takes the field to kick off the 2012 season at home on September 8, there will be a lot of fresh faces – 45 to be exact. With the biggest student turnover on the football roster coach Gary Jeffries has seen, he feels this season is all about “reloading” for the Golden Hawks.

“We’re going to need some time, it’s not going to happen overnight, but I’m hopeful that the team’s going to grow over the next few weeks and become a good team,” says Jeffries Perhaps the most high profile of the 45 freshman is new starting QB, Travis Eman.

Eman is from Brampton, ON., and transferred back to Canada from Furman University in South Carolina to be closer to his family. Quarterback was a position that Laurier had problems with at times during the 2011 season – especially in their playoff game against Western, in which Quarterback Shane Kelly threw for three interceptions and did not have a single touchdown.

In Eman, Laurier gets a QB with a strong arm that can also run well with the ball outside of the pocket.

What remains to be seen is how well the six men on the frontline will protect the 19year old under centre. “The offensive line is a question mark. We’ve got six new kids and some of them are going to need to step up very quickly and make big contributions for us and that can be tough position to be in for the average 17 or 18-year old,” Jef-

fries says. If Eman can get good protection in the pocket, he’ll have a solid deep threat in fourth year wide receiver, Alex Anthony and Coach Jeffries say to also look out for first year receiver, Craig Asiamah-Yeboah.

On the defensive side, fourth year, Mitchell Bosch will continue to be a key to the team’s success. The two-time OUA Men’s Football Second Team All-Star at Linebacker will have to anchor a defense along with a promising secondary.

These impact players really need to show up if Laurier plans to beat Queen’s as the Golden Hawks are going into week one with 23 players on the injured list. First and foremost, Jeffries just wants to make sure that everyone gets passed the nerves of the home opener and simply focus on the game, “We have to minimize mistakes and how we handle that is going to be critical.”

Minimizing mistakes is always a reoccurring theme with young teams, and although no team in the OUA is easy to face, after the game with Queen’s on Saturday, the Golden Hawks do not face top tier opponents Western and McMaster until the final two weeks of the season. “We’ve got six weeks to develop and try to become older and more experienced and more ready to face the big boys,” Jeffries said.

There seems to be a real “sink or swim” approach going forward, but the head coach is optimistic that with a lot of fresh, untapped talent it’s not a matter of being able to perform at a high level or not, it’s

when. And with all young teams, there are going to be the peaks and the valleys, big wins and blowout losses. But it will be exciting to watch once the team comes together. And after last year’s disappointing 4-4 record and first round loss at the hands of Queen’s, “reloading” just might be what the Golden Hawks need.

Homecoming. Photo by: Olivia Rutt

11

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

Opinion

Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

The useless UN Alex Zima Staff Over a year and a half has passed since the day the cradle of civilization was rocked once again with violence, when soldiers of the Bashar Al-Assad regime fired on Kurdish protesters in an action that would begin a civil war in Syria. A United Nations resolution to intervene with military force has been proposed and turned down twice by the Security Council, despite a body count nearing 25,000, which leads one to ask the question. What is the UN? What does it do? What is it for? What seems like a simple question is answered with simplistic and childish answers like, “to keep world peace and provide a forum for nations to discuss issues.” Well, if that is indeed the purpose of the United Nations, then they have failed miserably at their first task, and are not as effective and efficient as Skype in the second one. Yet, the organization spends 13.9 billion dollars annually, and has an ever-expanding level of staff. Staff, which I may add, is diplomatically immune. Everyone who is a direct employee of the United Nations, with no exceptions, from peacekeepers to secretaries answering phones, is immune from international law.

The peacekeeping operation of the United Nations, which is what we, as Canadians seem to be most proud of ever since the Rwanda genocide, appear on the exterior to be extremely cohesive and effective measures that have been taken. However, it’s a facade. Peacekeepers had been in Rwanda long before the genocide, but would not send help to the very small, outnumbered and outgunned unit that was there until after the worst week of the genocide had

passed. What you might not know is, not tions. Has anyone paid for these crimes? too far away at roughly the same time in No. Everyone involved was diplomatically West Africa the United Nations peacekeep- immune. ing forces were performing a very different So we move on to more recent events. kind of mission. Recently a random poll The war in Iraq. This was a war the United conducted in the capital of Ivory Coast found that roughly eight out of ten girls under the age of sixteen had performed sexual acts on peacekeepers regularly in exchange for food and/or shelter. This is not an isolated incident either, Oil-forFood, Guns for Gold, Sex for Shelter, look any of those up, and you will find behind every major scandal involving the exploitation of the under privileged, it will without a doubt lead back to the United Na- Kofi Annan. Photo Credit: Agência Brasil, Wikimedia

Nations Security Council categorically opposed, but the United States with assistance from the United Kingdom invaded anyway.

Unlike the United Nations peacekeeping operations, the Bush administration had set out very clear goals and achieved them.

Everyone who had violated human rights, on either side of the conflict, was swiftly brought to justice, because these soldiers were not diplomatically immune, and what we ended up with was a successful, clean, and just war. Now, politically many may disagree with the very nature of the war, but that’s semantics, and is better left for a different counterpoint. What no one can deny is a clear American victory. Arguably the United States protected the people of Iraq, not only from their own dictator, but from the United Nations peacekeeping forces themselves, who unlike Lynndie England would have never been brought to justice.

And justice is really what it’s all about.

A bloated, overfed, meaningless bureaucracy like the United Nations will never understand the meaning of justice. Sure, we’ll toss them their dues, we will participate in their charade, and we will look the other way when they commit atrocities, but why? Why not lead the way, and leave the United Nations? Why not say an organization that has strayed so far from what we joined it for is not only irrelevant, but counterproductive, and we will have no part in it? It’s the same reason why no one will step foot in Syria.

Make sure your health gets high marks this year Whether you’re a freshman or completing a post-grad, you owe it to yourself to keep your health in check. You should consider a membership at the Brantford Family YMCA (no locked-in contracts or cancellation fees).

Just drop by the Brantford Family YMCA and mention the HEALTHY STUDENT promotion* to receive one month of FREE access to our spacious Wellness Centre (cardio, weights & machines), and a great range of classes (including Cyclefit, Yoga and Latin Funk).

Brantford Family YMCA | 143 Wellington St., Brantford | 519-752-6568 You can find us on

and

*Offer expires October 31, 2012. Must present valid student ID in order to qualify.

ymcahbb.ca

The Sputnik // Tuesday, September 4th, 2012

12

OPINION

Leisha Senko // opinion@thesputnik.ca

Long Distance 101 Cody Hoffman Staff

I never said to myself: “I think I’d like to be in a long distance relationship.”

I don’t think anyone does.

But sometimes, things just happen. Last summer I took a trip to Israel expecting to take in some historical sites, learn more about my background, and get a nice tan while I was at it.

I definitely didn’t expect to end up in a cross-border long distance relationship with a guy from Ohio, but as I said, things happen.

Making the decision to start dating wasn’t an easy one.

We knew that it would be tough, but we were both willing to try. It’s been a year and two months since then; a year and two months full of long Skype calls, even longer Greyhound trips and many explanations to confused friends (“Wait,

so does he live in Israel?”).

But we’ve managed to make it work, and you can too.

Here are five tips to make your long distance romance a little easier.

1. Skype is your friend. You can text or call or Facebook message each other all you want, but it is really important to have face-toface communication. If you don’t, it might start to feel like you’re in a relationship with your phone, and that’s just weird. You don’t have to Skype every day, or even every other day. Go by what feels right to you. If you are starting to forget what they look like, then maybe it’s time to set up a Skype date.

2. Trust. This seems like an obvious requirement for any kind of relationship,

but it becomes a million times more important when you throw distance into the equation. Think about it. They could be doing anything while you’re away.

If that idea makes you really anxious, then maybe you need to work on building more trust. Be open and honest about how you’re feeling or what you’re doing, and expect the same openness in return.

3. Plan ahead. It really helps to know when the next time you’re going to see them is.

It’s also nice to occasionally plan special trips or outings together, or even just talk about the fun things you’re going to do when you meet up. That way, you’re looking forward to the next time you get to see them instead of just moping over how much you miss them (which is okay once in a while too).

4. Equal effort. This means that both people have to actually care about talking to one another and making plans. If you’re always the one that has to initiate the conversation, you start to wonder: “Am I just being really annoying?” That may be the case, but it’s most likely just a sign that you need better communication.

Tell them how you feel and make a compromise. That way, nobody is left feeling forgotten, or alternately, smothered by phone calls and texts.

5. Don’t listen to ‘Transatlanticism’ by Death Cab for Cutie. Seriously.

Unless you are really in the mood to curl up in a ball on your floor and sob along to Ben Gibbard crooning “I need you so much closer”, just don’t do it.

Remember, being in a long Long Distance. Photo by: Olivia Rutt

New Porn Leisha Senko Opinions Editor

A career in pornography, historically, was one sure fire way to negatively brand yourself forever; and yet, within today’s environment, this old adage couldn’t be dissolving at a faster rate. Suddenly, a widespread interest has emerged, in what’s been coined “A new kind of porn.” One that sells actors who still produce hardcore erotica, but are perceived as multifaceted individuals, and lead visible, celebrated lives. Often portrayed as smart, and charming, they vie for the right to have one foot in each world, a cry that hasn’t gone unanswered. With entertainment like the blockbuster “Magic Mike” and fictions like “Fifty Shades” burning up the charts, an open acceptance of sex work is sweeping over North America. Sasha Grey and James Deen, bonafide porn stars, are at the vanguard of this shift, having been offered serious mainstream roles, while simultaneously changing how things are done in the adult market. It’s a movement not without its hiccups, yet despite shortcomings, the advent of “new porn” surprisingly, says something truly encouraging about the generation that’s

driving it.

Many analysts, however, from the LA Times, and the Washington Post, have not been shy in disagreeing. They say that a silly, permissive generation, ruined by constant exposure to hardcore imagery, opened a pandora’s box. They muse that our inability to separate private from personal and a world permeated by exhibitionism (i.e. twitter and Facebook) have caused young people to embrace this odd melding of forms, to society’s detriment. Many of the pages read like the ramblings of bitter, old luddites; aging writers slagging the next generation’s ‘new’ corruptions, completely glossing over the era of free love they sprung from themselves. A wholly chaotic movement, that one could argue the current philosophy of “sex positive living,” is attempting to give order to. Being sex positive, after all, means squaring ethics and physical urges, embracing differences responsibly and honestly, something past generations never really could attempt, particularly when it came to porn, leaving all the difficult work for generation Y. The second, strange claim, that the youth are somehow more perverted today, than they ever were before, is ridiculous. There may be less of a stigma, but the last generation, and the one before that, dealt with the same kind of problems on a much more muted, but equivalent scale.

Pornographic content has always been around, think back to cave drawings of naked women, and even in more ‘respectable’ time periods there was some pretty edgy stuff.

One quote from the Marquis De Sade would solidify this, but the point, clearly, is that it isn’t wanton depravity that compels this generation to embrace a more forthright kind of pornography, but rather the belief that hiding this contentious content is much more unhealthy.

Therefore, the perspective that this change is hedonistic, is utterly backwards. Instead, it seems to be the result of a serious attempt at abolishing a very harmful cognitive dissonance. When our generation inherited the notion, sex isn’t evil, there was also an impetus to extend that explanation to all our cultural practices. Unfortunately, not only is classic adult material humorless, crude and sexist, but the gears working behind the scenes are even more repugnant; Managers who bleed actors monetarily, rampant drug abuse, grueling schedules and STIs, most horrific though is the image it exudes. It knits a world of glitz and glamour, pushing vapid, big chested blondes and aggressive, bulky men, fuzzy lighting and terrible scores.

The darkness beneath this fantasy image couldn’t help but disturb a generation who were promised that sex isn’t perfect, but it isn’t pervasive or harmful either; becoming the true motivation for this overhaul.

Because of these findings, what we’ve come to seek and admire in porn actors and actresses has been radically changing, many say for the better. Grey, mentioned above, became famous in the mid 2000s, gaining respect outside the confines of pornographic film because of her astute man-

ner. Sasha’s fans, who have carried over into her mainstream career, were quick to retweet perspectives on religion, philosophy and art, making the 22 year old, a main staple on social media sites such as Reddit, where her opinions became quite respected.

Even in porn circles, she was well known for her erudite nature, her skills and persona, all of which are a huge drawing factor for men and women who suddenly seem to find intelligence sexy. James Deen, also earlier mentioned, has become wildly successful precisely because of the publicized respect and attention he pays to his costars.

Unlike the classic scenario of derogatory,